I think there isn't anything there and it doesn't need or deserve a nickname.

Posted by: hermanjoshua at November 19, 2009 10:36 AM in response to Commercial Klutch: November Edition

The tool from Maroon 5 works for the DOT?

Posted by: hermanjoshua at November 6, 2009 11:08 AM in response to New Kosciuszko Bridge Won't Come Cheap

What, you mean except for the more than 50% of New Yorkers who don't have cars? The Post is so out of touch that you just have to laugh at it most of the time.

Posted by: hermanjoshua at November 5, 2009 10:44 AM in response to Subway Service on Weekends Is F@#%ed

Coincidentally, today's "Best of New York - Dining and Nightlife" issue of AM New York called Ditmas Park the best "New Foodie Neighborhood".

Posted by: hermanjoshua at October 21, 2009 2:21 PM in response to Wednesday Food & Drink Round-Up

Is this separate from the lot on the corner that's been lying dormant for about a year now?

Also, where is this Best Western going to put parking? I'm assuming they'll have it.

Posted by: hermanjoshua at October 7, 2009 11:22 AM in response to Giddyup! Best Western Preps for New Downtown Location

I have to agree with smeyer418 - since when is "rust" an appealing color?

Posted by: hermanjoshua at September 10, 2009 4:02 PM in response to Ourousoff Weighs In On Barclay's Center Design

That duck confit sandwich at Double Windsor sounds quite good.

Speaking of which, I never thought "Double Windsor" sounded like a porn term until just now, but now I won't be able to tie a tie without thinking of it that way.

I love the fact that the Metromix article has all of these intriguing new restaurants, and then... Arby's.

Posted by: hermanjoshua at August 26, 2009 4:33 PM in response to Brooklyn Food & Drink Round-Up

Stopped by this evening on my way home from work. Couple observations:
A) I didn't see it myself, but there was a sign indicating that they have outdoor seating back behind the building. So that's a pretty cool option.
B) The staff was either not well-trained or not at all prepared for a big crowd on their first day. I waited in line for about ten minutes, didn't see anybody get served their food, and decided to go back sometime when it was less crowded.

Oh, and personally I don't see anything wrong with it being a slightly better Wendy's. Marginal improvement is still improvement.

Posted by: hermanjoshua at June 16, 2009 9:29 PM in response to Streetlevel: Checkers Opens!

The excitement (for me) is that it's (reportedly) better than McDonalds and (definitely) closer than Five Guys, and (I assume) cheaper and quicker than a diner.

I thought it looked open when I walked past on my way to the subway this morning; I'll have to drop in on my way home tonight. (And I'll have to make sure not to skip the gym tomorrow morning!)

Posted by: hermanjoshua at June 16, 2009 5:45 PM in response to Streetlevel: Checkers Opens!

McKenzie, bxgrl is right. People get run over by cars every day too. At least with streetcars/light rail, you'd have A) drivers who are (in theory) competent professionals, and B) a limited and clearly defined area where it's unsafe to stand/walk (not much risk of a streetcar jumping up on the sidewalk).

That map pretty clearly shows that there are some areas that are underserved by existing transit options. (Yes, there are buses, but we all know how much those can suck.) Streetcars would certainly be more feasible than pipe dream plans I've heard floated to extend the L or the 2/5.

Posted by: hermanjoshua at May 8, 2009 11:54 AM in response to Could Streetcars Return to Brooklyn?

I didn't know Todd's name but he's been very helpful for me in the past; I went in once looking for a bottle of sherry to use in a recipe and he steered me towards one that was tasty and very affordable. Lots of other places would try to upsell you instead.

Posted by: hermanjoshua at May 8, 2009 11:31 AM in response to Streetlevel: Checkers Signage Goes Up

Incidentally, that liquor store next door is excellent.

Posted by: hermanjoshua at May 7, 2009 3:25 PM in response to Streetlevel: Checkers Signage Goes Up

How is the produce? I'm occasionally unhappy with the fruit and veggies I get at Trader Joe's.

Posted by: hermanjoshua at April 22, 2009 12:06 PM in response to Brooklyn Fare Launching Today

Yeah, I don't see why it's not at least worth a try. It's closer than Five Guys and (presumably) better than McDonalds.

Posted by: hermanjoshua at April 15, 2009 11:30 AM in response to Court Street Checkers In Progress

My parents have been doing some remodeling recently and have found a ton of good vintage fixtures, including outdoor lights, at Olde Good Things in Chelsea, 124 West 24th between 6th and 7th. Pretty close to the place that allans suggested above; maybe worth doing some comparison shopping.

Posted by: hermanjoshua at April 2, 2009 4:35 PM in response to does anyone know

"Brouwerij" is (faux-)Dutch rather than Belgian. The name is a reference to Bowery Lane, name of the Bowery before 1807, Bowery being an Anglicization of the Dutch word "Bouwerij". I guess the menu (goulash and wursts) is intended to be pan-European (whatever that means) rather than from any one ethnic origin. Personally, I'm more confused that the name of the place suggests that it's located somewhere other than where it actually is located, than that what they're serving isn't particularly Dutch. Maybe next the same people will open a restaurant in Park Slope and call it "Bleecker Street Cafe"?

Posted by: hermanjoshua at March 18, 2009 3:49 PM in response to Brooklyn Food & Drink Round-Up

The Tom Otterness (I think I got the sculptor's name right) sculptures at 14th and 8th are really neat.

I like this project - what's the harm, right?

Posted by: hermanjoshua at February 11, 2009 11:21 AM in response to Closing Bell: MoMA Takes Over Atlantic-Pacific Station

I certainly don't mean to claim that tolling the lower East River bridges is a new idea, because obviously it's not. However, it IS the elephant in the room that's being ignored in favor of minor things like making eastbound traffic on Tillary go to Jay instead of letting cars turn directly onto the Brooklyn Bridge. One main factor in the congestion on and around Tillary* is because people drive out of their way to take the free crossings rather than pay, what is it now, $8 at the Battery Tunnel? If it cost the same amount to cross over into Manhattan no matter which crossing you chose, there would be less congestion on and around Tillary Street. Whether that's a choice the government is willing to make is, of course, a separate issue.

Regarding parking along Tillary as mentioned by Werner, it may be a good idea but I think it's a non-starter. Those cars are all government employees (police, teachers, call center employees towards Flatbush, USPS and maybe also court employees over near Cadman Plaza, if I'm not mistaken), so I think it'd probably be more trouble than it's worth.

* This is true around the approaches to the Williamsburg and 59th Street Bridges as well, but it's worse around Tillary because there are two bridge entrances separated by just a couple of blocks on the Brooklyn side.

Posted by: hermanjoshua at January 30, 2009 4:00 PM in response to DOT Picks Residents' Brains on Tillary Traffic

The way to cut traffic on and around Tillary is to put tolls on the bridges.

Posted by: hermanjoshua at January 30, 2009 11:13 AM in response to DOT Picks Residents' Brains on Tillary Traffic

"Do you realize how many people are paying 500 more dollars a month for crappy studios just one stop away in the financial district?"

So... apartments are overpriced in Manhattan so we should be OK with the fact that they're overpriced in Brooklyn too? Plenty of those buildings in the Financial District are offering incentives like this too, as is PCV/ST (or at least they were last year).

Posted by: hermanjoshua at January 28, 2009 10:32 AM in response to Free Rent at J Condo

Agree with Park Sloper - signage to the bridge paths is generally poor and hopefully this will help.

Posted by: hermanjoshua at January 23, 2009 11:48 AM in response to Bridge Signage on the Rise

I lived half a block from this construction site for over two years; I know what I'm talking about when I say there's nothing around. Maybe eventually there will be when people move into all those new buildings, but at the moment there's noplace to eat except the McDonalds and the diner by the Brooklyn Bridge that closes at ~7pm, noplace to shop since the supermarket by Concord Village went out of business, no bars unless you walk down to DUMBO/Vinegar Hill or over to Brooklyn Heights or Fort Greene. If you're buying into a building and hoping to get a good deal in a down market, maybe it's a smart investment in an area that has potential to improve, but the fact remains that as a place to live now, it's shitty.

My age has nothing to do with this, but in any case I can assure you that I left 25 in my rear view mirror years ago.

Posted by: hermanjoshua at January 21, 2009 2:25 PM in response to Development Watch: The Frozen Flatbush Flatiron

Nothing has been happening on that site since at least late in the summer. Though it doesn't look much different now than it did in the April 2008 picture, I vaguely recall work going on into the early summer.

For what it's worth, through no fault of Brownstoner, the location pointed to on the embedded map is a bit off. The address of this project is 75 Flatbush Ave. Ext., as stated in the linked previous posts, but Google Maps has the location of building numbers wrong on that block. The lot that's under construction spans from the pointer GMaps inserts if you input the address 91 Flatbush Ave. Ext., down to Tillary Street. (Then back up Duffield to a similar point, obviously.)

(Editorializing a bit, it's a shitty location regardless of what's going on in the economy; there's nothing around other than the McDonalds on Tillary Street and the weekday-only B51 for a quick trip into Chinatown or Lower Manhattan.)

Posted by: hermanjoshua at January 20, 2009 4:37 PM in response to Development Watch: The Frozen Flatbush Flatiron