great great great idea! looking forward to the rest of it.

Posted by: bhguy at August 16, 2007 12:02 PM in response to Development Blog: Inside Third & Bond

I'm not familiar with co-ops, but can you just pay your maintenance into an escrow account, much like you would do with a rental? Then, you have the money set aside, ready to be a paid at a moment's notice when the problem is resolved to your satisfaction.

I'd also like to commend 3:38 for a thoroughly reasonable response to the running children issue. Used to live under a similiar situation...when we asked the mother and father to show some courtesy for their neighbors by reigning it in to normal hours, you think you were asking them to put their children on leashes.

Posted by: bhguy at September 6, 2007 6:03 PM in response to I can't take my neighbor any longer

Damages is actually pretty good...a little slow to start, but we're hooked. And they do seem to shoot a ton in Brooklyn...especially in and around the park on Clinton and Henry.

Posted by: bhguy at September 6, 2007 6:05 PM in response to Ted Danson Shuts Down Much of Clinton Hill

Did anyone read the question? The person isn't complaining about the fact the kid is a smoker, isn't saying the person next door shouldn't smoke, and as far as I can tell, isn't demanding the neighbors do anything drastic. (The neighbors were nice to cover their bathroom vent.) The OP says the neighbors has been receptive to discussions.

The OP is asking what they can do to their OWN apartment. Not complaining about their neighbors. The OP seems to have accepted the current situation, and now wants advice on how best to fix their OWN apartment.

Instead, typically, people jump all over the idea of neighbor relations, beating the same old drum over and over.

Posted by: bhguy at September 10, 2007 12:37 PM in response to Smell cigarette smoke

Ummmm...maybe I am naive as I am a renter, but why would you buy a place where you can't control the thermostat? That has to be one of the worst things about renting, yet you would also give up this right when owning? I know we all have to make compromises, but this sounds like a real bummer...especially with a older population, who will (in theory, anyway) have much different heat requirements than you. Is this something that's going to give you buyer's remorse? As well as seller's remorse when you try to sell?

Posted by: bhguy at September 19, 2007 4:34 PM in response to A Great Deal on a Condo in Clinton Hill

As someone who used to live in Park Slope and who now lives in Brooklyn Heights, I cast my vote for BH. While Montague may not measure up to 5th or 7th, it has the basics. For great restaurants and shops, it's a short walk to Smith and Court Streets, which are I think are superior, especially in terms of restaurants, both classic and cutting edge. (Not to mention the great places on Henry, and Jack the Horse.) If we're dying to go to a park, we walk down to the park in Dumbo, and sit by the water. Or we jump on the 2/3 and are sitting in Prospect park in 15 minutes. Ditto for taking the 2/3 to the Brooklyn Museum, BAM, or hell, even to Central Park, if I want. And if we're missing a Park Slope restaurant we liked, we jump in a cab, or walk down to Jay St. and get the F. Or a ten-minute bus ride into Red Hook for the places there. And of course, a much shorter trip into the city and home on weekends if have to go there.

And many people have also mentioned the easier work commute during the week.

And while there is certainly a lot of old money in BH, and with that comes a certain snobbiness, it's not nearly as bad as the smug, over-entitled, stroller mom/hipster dad holier-than-thou attitude so prevalent in the Slope.

BH is certainly less social, but we can get that within 5 minutes of our apartment, then return home to peace and quiet (well, relative to NYC, anyway.) And this place is on a great block, on a great street.

Posted by: bhguy at October 18, 2007 10:35 AM in response to Co-op of the Day: 69 Pierrepont Street FSBO

Jesus, people.

Anyway. I'd suggest an electronic anti-barking device (just Google it). You won't hear it, it's not harmful to the dog, you can mount it on your property (they have ranges up to 40 yards, I believe). If you don't want to confront your neighbor, then this is a safe way to go.

If you do think the dog is being abused, or left outside in terrible weather, please do call the SPCA.

Posted by: bhguy at March 11, 2008 10:11 AM in response to New Neighbor's Barking Dog!

^^^^^

I agree.

Posted by: bhguy at March 11, 2008 10:14 AM in response to question for landlords

Hey all --

OP here. Thanks for the comments. I will definitely check out the Bio-Clean. I've used the wire hanger approach to get what I can, and will also remove the overflow cover and get at it from there, but I'm a little hesitant to use a snake. (Isn't that for pros only?) If the Bio Clean fails, then I'll call in the plumber...just that getting repairs done is such a pain, dealing with the LL and super.

Thanks again. Peace.

Posted by: bhguy at March 11, 2008 1:04 PM in response to Vinegar / baking soda vs. Drano?

I thought for a first go it was pretty great. I agree with lots of the above re: vendors, I personally was disappointed that there was no big lot of used books to pick through. But as others have said, I think those things will sort themselves out.

I'm not sure I agree with the people calling for a strictly "old-school" flea market - part of the appeal of this Flea was that I thought that since it was Web-driven, and theoretically reaching an expanded audience, it would have more of a Flea 2.0 feel. Which I think it sort of did, but if 2.0 means jewelry and kid clothes out the wazoo, then yes, a better balance needs to be struck.

I'd also disagree with the comment above about this being a "white monied" event. Yes there were plenty of pale faces in North Face jackets, but I actually thought the crowd when I was there (1-2pm) was everything good about Brooklyn: every color of the rainbow, young, old, hipster, regular folk, etc. I have to admit that I have been down on Brooklyn lately, but seeing all stripes of people together yesterday made me feel better.

Thanks, Brownstoner! Looking forward to more Sundays...

Posted by: bhguy at April 7, 2008 10:16 AM in response to Brooklyn Flea: Time Lapse

Be nice to the dog, poison the %^&^*& owner.

Posted by: guest at April 21, 2008 11:32 PM in response to New Neighbor's Barking Dog!

Yeah, I find those express trains always running local when I want them express. Not only the weekends or evenings. My husband says it never happens when he's without me, so it's probably all my fault. Sorry.

Posted by: guest at April 23, 2008 12:12 PM in response to life along on the R train?

What do you mean by "downtown"? Downtown brooklyn or downtown manhattan and if the latter is downtown below canal or just below 34th st?

Posted by: guest at April 23, 2008 12:21 PM in response to life along on the R train?

Boy, I didn't put enough info my first post...downtown Manhattan. I take the R to Rector, or Cortland if/when it reopens.

Posted by: bhguy at April 23, 2008 12:33 PM in response to life along on the R train?

bhguy,

you mentioned the 25th st R stop; if in a real hurry just walk down to 36th and there you've got the D, N, R, (& M rush hour) trains, but I find the R is pretty dependable. and yes, the D & N express trains run local at night.

Posted by: guest at April 23, 2008 1:23 PM in response to life along on the R train?

If your office is in lower Manhattan then it's not such a bad commute, but I'd hate to rely on the R for a commute further up into Manhattan. Had to do that for a few years and it sucked. It can be a long wait and not just on weekends.

Posted by: guest at April 23, 2008 2:00 PM in response to life along on the R train?

What's good about the R, though, is that it connects to a plethora of trains at Atlantic/Pacific.

Posted by: guest at April 23, 2008 2:29 PM in response to life along on the R train?

it depends on what you're used to. i used to live on the UES and got spoiled by the 4/5 which would come pretty much every 30 seconds at rush hour and quite frequently at other times. however, i do NOT miss the insane crowds and constant delays.

the MTA's trip planner (http://tripplanner.mta.info/) is a total life saver. just put in your origin/destination and time the time you want to leave/get there and it tells you the fastest way and what time to get to the station. in theory the subways run on a schedule, and actually during weekends they're pretty on-time because there is less congestion/door-holding/delays. you can save a lot of time that you might have wasted waiting on the platform and, especially on weekends and later at night, that can be a LOT of time. trust me, use it...it has changed my life.

Posted by: guest at April 23, 2008 3:25 PM in response to life along on the R train?

So does practically every other train in Brooklyn 2:29.

Posted by: guest at April 23, 2008 3:26 PM in response to life along on the R train?

it depends on what you're used to. i used to live on the UES and got spoiled by the 4/5 which would come pretty much every 30 seconds at rush hour and quite frequently at other times. however, i do NOT miss the insane crowds and constant delays.

the MTA's trip planner (http://tripplanner.mta.info/) is a total life saver. just put in your origin/destination and time the time you want to leave/get there and it tells you the fastest way and what time to get to the station. in theory the subways run on a schedule, and actually during weekends they're pretty on-time because there is less congestion/door-holding/delays. you can save a lot of time that you might have wasted waiting on the platform and, especially on weekends and later at night, that can be a LOT of time. trust me, use it...it has changed my life.

Posted by: guest at April 23, 2008 3:33 PM in response to life along on the R train?