Why are people knocking Miss Muffet (except wasder)? You might disagree with her, but she's unfailingly polite and has clearly thought through her position.

Posted by: Rookie at September 22, 2009 1:08 PM in response to Last Week's Biggest Sales

Wow - that Butler reno looks great from the pics. I know some people want a BS to look exactly like it did in 1890, but I don't know how you can argue with that view. It looks like it was done in photo-shop.

Posted by: Rookie at September 22, 2009 12:23 PM in response to Last Week's Biggest Sales

@Park Sloper
I actually work in "The Business" and I'm also from LA originally, and I can guarantee you that this kind of continuity issue is even MORE common in LA. It's totally normal to see someone walking down the street in Vancouver, then turning the corner into downtown LA, then entering a store on the Paramount lot.

@WineLover. Right on sister! (Brother?) This is the golden age of TV - don't let anyone else tell you differently. I challenge anyone to go back and show me a year where more fantastic television was produced than any of the last five.

Posted by: Rookie at September 21, 2009 8:36 PM in response to HBO Does Fort Greene

20 bucks/month for:
Curb Your Enthusiasm
Entourage
Big Love
Bored To Death
True Blood
Flight Of The Conchords
Grey Gardens
Into The Storm
The Wire (until this year)
Sopranos (obviously not anymore)
great Documentaries

I would call that a pretty good deal. In fact, I would say it's 90% of my non-sports tv viewing (and if they hadn't passed on Mad Men, it would be my only channel outside of Top Chef)

Posted by: Rookie at September 21, 2009 10:34 AM in response to HBO Does Fort Greene

I thought the show was really funny, but I didn't think it felt "Brooklyn" as much as "Hipster-Town, USA." Could have taken place in Portland, Austin, etc, etc.

Posted by: Rookie at September 21, 2009 10:21 AM in response to HBO Does Fort Greene

Wow- I get on a train to Montauk and I miss all the fun. Go Nets!

Posted by: Rookie at September 18, 2009 5:27 PM in response to Russian Billionaire To Bail Out Ratner?

Or maybe Brooklyn, MN.
Just north of Hibbing, the birth place of Bob Dylan!

http://www.bing.com/maps/default.aspx?q=brooklyn,+ohio&mkt=en-US&FORM=BYFD#JnE9eXAuYnJvb2tseW4lMmMrbWlubmVzb3RhJTdlc3N0LjAlN2VwZy4xJmJiPTQxLjQ0MTIxNTIwNzY3NDklN2UtODEuNzM3Nzg1NDcxNTg4NCU3ZTQxLjQzODk3ODIwMzIyOTQlN2UtODEuNzQwMzkwMTQ2NDA5OQ==

Posted by: Rookie at September 18, 2009 11:57 AM in response to New Gowanus Club is Getting There

I prefer Brooklyn, Ohio
http://www.bing.com/maps/default.aspx?q=brooklyn,+ohio&mkt=en-US&FORM=BYFD

Posted by: Rookie at September 18, 2009 11:55 AM in response to New Gowanus Club is Getting There

@fsrg
Agreed. I would love to be part of a group advocating for those very things, but as you say, who is representing those of us who are pro-arena but anti-blank check?

Posted by: Rookie at September 18, 2009 11:49 AM in response to Russian Billionaire To Bail Out Ratner?

Yes- every poll done (feel free to Google it) has shown that majorities of New Yorkers and Brooklyn residents support the plan.

And just because you say it's illegal doesn't make it so. In fact, judge after judge has ruled in Ratner's favor.

God, I can't wait to be first in line to buy season tickets. Go Nets!

Posted by: Rookie at September 18, 2009 8:21 AM in response to ESDC Approves Revised Plan for Atlantic Yards

@brokeland

And, sadly, because of our legal system, one person can thwart the will of the majority by filing frivolous lawsuits and gumming up the works.

Posted by: Rookie at September 17, 2009 7:15 PM in response to ESDC Approves Revised Plan for Atlantic Yards

and OF COURSE dddb is going to file another lawsuit. After all, what else would they do? I've never been a fan of tort reform, but I'm beginning to re-think my position.

Posted by: Rookie at September 17, 2009 6:20 PM in response to ESDC Approves Revised Plan for Atlantic Yards

I don't want to sound like a nag, but as a homeowner, local politicians have far more influence on your day-to-day life than, say, President Obama. That you can own a house in BK and not care who your city councilman is is a little surprising to me.

Oh - and Did I mention how happy I am that Skaller lost? Go Nets!

Posted by: Rookie at September 16, 2009 10:09 AM in response to Democratic Primary Results

I wasn't totally excited about my choices, but just the chance to vote against anti-development, ultra-NIMBY Josh Skaller was still satisfying. Go Nets!

Posted by: Rookie at September 16, 2009 9:16 AM in response to Democratic Primary Results

I actually thought she came off very well in the article. I have to say, I'm much more likely to read the book now. I'm sure I will find the characters slightly stereotypical, but that's what people do in popular fiction and TV, so I can't say it bothers me too much.

Posted by: Rookie at September 10, 2009 10:13 AM in response to Sitting Down with Prospect Park West Penner

Please, please, please make this happen Ratner! I will be first in line to buy season tickets.

Posted by: Rookie at September 10, 2009 9:42 AM in response to New Barclay's Center Design Revealed

Well - looking a the house on Bing maps and Google streetview, I will say the front-entrance is a little overdone. But they have an indoor AND outdoor pool. Sign me up!

Posted by: Rookie at September 4, 2009 12:29 PM in response to Bay Ridge McMansion

I'd certainly rather have this house in the neighborhood than another terrible condo that's going fall apart around the tenants. These people clearly know how to pay a gardener.

Posted by: Rookie at September 4, 2009 10:50 AM in response to Bay Ridge McMansion

OK - I feel bad that a legitimate post asking for advice has been (yet again) hijacked, but I will say my peace and speak no more forever. I don't mind (that much) your posting a variation of "all buyers right now are suckers" on HOTD or "Last Week's Biggest Sales," but this is a forum post from a guy (girl?) who is already buying a house. Given the wording of the post, I would imagine he/she has seen many, many of your posts and somehow has still come to the decision to buy a house. So what, then, is the point of you chiming in again here?

Posted by: Rookie at August 26, 2009 8:02 PM in response to What to Have in the Contract?

You think it's helpful to buyers for you to lurk on every forum and question whether they should buy? Do you honestly think that someone who has made the huge decision to buy a home is going to read your comment and say "Well, after months of thinking about this, talking to my family, looking around, talking to banks, etc, I was all ready to buy a home. Then some random dude on the internet really made me pause." I doubt it. I also doubt that anyone buying right now is going into it without knowing what the market looks like.
I made the comment because you seem like an intelligent person, but your comments seem so silly, so you must be, at some point, joking.

Posted by: Rookie at August 26, 2009 2:19 PM in response to What to Have in the Contract?

OK, BHO, at this point you're starting to do shtick. Is this some sort of long-term performance piece?

Posted by: Rookie at August 26, 2009 1:54 PM in response to What to Have in the Contract?

We had no problems when we bought our house in PS, but a few years ago, we bought a little place in Montauk. We had asked about a couple of pieces of furniture that they had that we liked (we knew it was all going to the dump). The owner agreed to leave them, but also took that as an excuse to not take ANYTHING from the house, including food and toiletries.
Make sure you specify that the house is empty and "broom clean" and do that last house visit before closing!

Posted by: Rookie at August 26, 2009 11:45 AM in response to What to Have in the Contract?

so many great Jay-Z songs about BK to choose from, but this might be my favorite:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QftcJtvLr8g

although this is pretty great, too

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FDjH1vDmz2Y

Hey Mr. B - how about a "name your favorite Brooklyn tribute song" thread?

Posted by: Rookie at August 3, 2009 9:38 PM in response to Closing Bell: Jay-Z's 'No Sleep Till Brooklyn'

@Pitbull
It's a pre-existing house! It's greedy for someone to use a building that was built decades ago for that exact purpose?
It's not like they're knocking down a small limestone for a McMansion.

Posted by: Rookie at July 13, 2009 10:04 AM in response to SJP Slope Rumor Dead and Buried

Hey Rob/Pitbull - Did you see the Times article on sober bartenders this morning?
The profession with the highest number of alcoholics?

Construction workers

So maybe you were on to something yesterday.

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/06/24/dining/24sober.html?8dpc

Posted by: Rookie at June 24, 2009 9:21 AM in response to Open Thread

I don't even know why I'm bothering, but I just can't let the Rob posting go. As someone who is at this very moment sitting in my dining room while a group of hardworking dudes renovate another part of my home, I can tell you that these guys work their a***s off.

Posted by: Rookie at June 23, 2009 10:47 AM in response to 329 Adelphi Visit

@Biff

I agree that BH is a food dead-zone, but am I mistake in thinking that there actually IS a Turkish place on Montague?

Posted by: Rookie at June 17, 2009 4:21 PM in response to Streetlevel: New Turkish Place Opening on 7th Avenue

Where are they hiding that fourth story on the downing street house? A storage facility in jersey?

Posted by: Rookie at May 5, 2009 11:59 AM in response to Last Week's Biggest Sales

Sorry. That was harsh. But I'm not clear as to what your point is. That housing prices are conncected to the NY economy, for better or for worse? That's quite a revelation.

How is somone who pays market rates for something they need/want an idiot? If I paid 4 million dollars for a house that I could get for 1 million, I'm an idiot. If I pay 1 million dollars for a house that the market says is worth 1 million dollars, I'm....an idiot?

Posted by: Rookie at April 15, 2009 12:15 PM in response to 208 Midwood Sells for $995,000

"the root or at least the major symptom"??? Uh yeah - that would pretty much cover...every base.

That color is black, or maybe white. The plane is up, or maybe down.

Posted by: Rookie at April 15, 2009 12:09 PM in response to 208 Midwood Sells for $995,000

i think one of the reasons this won't work is the content just isn't good enough.

unlike northsloperenter i can think of a couple websites that charge and that i even pay for personally:
zagats
consumerreports

the difference is instructive. i will pay $25 a year but only for something as extensive, well presented, with functionality enhancements (comparative graphs, filters, search by location) as the sites above.

psp doesn't even come close. this is a classic situation of a founder not realizing that their baby is average at best.

Posted by: Rookie at April 3, 2009 11:56 PM in response to Majority of Park Slope Parents Won't Pay to Play

Bklnite: Where does the district switch from PS 39 to PS 107? I know that if you live on 8th Street & 7th Ave, you're in 39.

Posted by: Rookie at April 3, 2009 5:23 PM in response to Open House Picks: Six Months Later

another empty space. Next to the video store. Used to be a laundromat. That and the Curves space are (were, I guess) two of my neighborhood pet peeves.

Posted by: Rookie at April 2, 2009 3:01 PM in response to Streetlevel: Makeover at Former Curves Space

Fantastic! Now how about filling that space on 8th Street & 7th Avenue?

Posted by: Rookie at April 2, 2009 2:18 PM in response to Streetlevel: Makeover at Former Curves Space

I have to admit - I love Pinkberry, but all these knock-offs, while inevitable, have really hurt them.

Posted by: Rookie at March 30, 2009 3:01 PM in response to Streetlevel: New FroYo on Vanderbilt

I know people won't believe me, but I would still buy in Brooklyn no matter how much cash I had on hand. The apt vs. house issue is tougher. The doorman alone is pretty fabulous.

Posted by: Rookie at March 26, 2009 1:02 PM in response to Co-op of the Day: 160 Henry Street

That's a lot of chambers. Good spot if you're looking for a place to run your S&M business out of.

Posted by: Rookie at March 26, 2009 12:56 PM in response to Co-op of the Day: 160 Henry Street

Ok- before everyone jumps on me: maybe a "ton" is too strong a word. How about "more than it's fair share."

Posted by: Rookie at March 24, 2009 3:31 PM in response to Last Week's Biggest Sales

Is it just me or has 8th street seen a ton of sales lately?

Posted by: Rookie at March 24, 2009 3:29 PM in response to Last Week's Biggest Sales

you might want to spend some time on www.insideschools.org to explore ratings of different schools.

Posted by: Rookie at March 16, 2009 11:42 PM in response to current rents in PS, WT

All of you guys are commenting as if the theoretical person is employed and healthy. The person who walks away from their home is unemployed and/or uninsured and can't make payments on their home and can't sell it for what they owe.

You know - not everyone losing their home is some sort of greedy a**h**** who bought a house they coulnd't afford. If you lose your job and your house goes down 50% in value, it doesn't matter if you put 40% down. And don't forget - over half of bankruptcies in this country are the result of medical costs after a severe illness/injury.

Posted by: Rookie at March 16, 2009 10:39 AM in response to To Bail or Not To Bail on Your Home?

@Townhouse lady. I'm defintely familiar with the definitions, I'm just curious as to what meets the definition for these market reports.

You'd really consider that first one a brownstone? It's made of brick, not sandstone. I'm pretty sure it was built as a multi-family row (tenement) house.

Posted by: Rookie at March 3, 2009 11:13 AM in response to Brownstones, Co-ops Outperformed Condos in Q4

I saw this report as well and I have a question: what is their definition of a "brownstone"? Is is the classic brownstone or any free-standing "house"?

Is this a brownstone?

http://www.brownstoner.com/brownstoner/archives/2008/08/house_of_the_da_544.php

How about this?
http://www.brownstoner.com/brownstoner/archives/2009/03/house_of_the_da_635.php

or this (it's not even made of stone, much less brown)?
http://www.brownstoner.com/brownstoner/archives/2009/02/1304_glenwood_r.php#comments

Posted by: Rookie at March 3, 2009 10:53 AM in response to Brownstones, Co-ops Outperformed Condos in Q4

@sender999

ehh - Not bad, but I need a little room to stretch out. An owner's triplex is nice, no doubt, but how about this monster:
http://www.mmmgmt.com/brokerwebsite3/code/buildingsale_detail.asp?listing_id=21450TH,27087TH,26617TH,&index=1

7000 square feet across from the Brooklyn Children's Museum? Who's in?

Posted by: Rookie at February 17, 2009 3:00 PM in response to House of the Day: 615 3rd Street

Belgian blocks on Pearl Street? They've been getting rid of them every time they do street work.

Posted by: Rookie at February 4, 2009 10:21 AM in response to Jay Street Up for a Two-Way?

oddly, mine in Park Slope went up.

Posted by: Rookie at February 3, 2009 10:50 AM in response to S#!t Outta Luck: Values Down, Taxes Up

How about Pearl Street?

Posted by: Rookie at January 14, 2009 1:22 PM in response to New Sewer Mains, Belgian Blocks for Dumbo

My favorite comment from 6/20/08:

"Yep Asshats, Gas WILL BE AT 10.00 a Gallon!"

Posted by: Rookie at January 9, 2009 5:48 PM in response to Open House Picks: Six Months Later

Hey - Google Maps finally updated DUMBO? As of December it was still pre-Beacon and J-Condo.

Posted by: Rookie at January 8, 2009 5:35 PM in response to Development Watch: Stop Work Order at 192 Water Street

Good F----- Ridddance.

Seriously - Atlanta? One of the main reasons to live in NYC is because you DON'T have to get in your car to go anywhere.

Posted by: Rookie at December 22, 2008 10:38 AM in response to Atlanta All The Way