Bedford & Sullivan Podcast: On the Consolidation of NYC's Five Boroughs

From the desk: A SAM MAXWELL PRODUCTION

BEDFORD & SULLIVAN PODCAST

Host: Sam Maxwell

GUESTS

BROOKLYN BOROUGH HISTORIAN

RON SCHWEIGER

&
Mike, Brooklyn Trolley Blogger

On the Consolidation of NYC's Outer Boroughs

sixty-six minutes

The vote by Brooklyn residents to become 

a member of New York City passed by a mere 227 votes!

BROOKLYN HISTORY

Street Art: Williamsburg Murals

South 2 Street at Bedford Avenue

Bayard Street at Lorimer Street

Urban Art ~ More from HEF; Williamsburg

Wythe Avenue

North 12th Street and North 13th Street

Northside, Brooklyn

Art by Hef and his Associates

Mike.BTB

BKN ~ Williamsburg Bridge Would-Be Jumper Draws a Crowd

From the desk of:  You Gotta Be Kiddin' Me!



BROOKLYN:  Life In The Big City; and a guy threatening to jump off the Williamsburg Bridge.

...Or was he just running away from the cops?  I have no idea.

They say the early bird gets the worm.  I guess this gentleman couldn't wait till 6:00pm today for the biblical "Rapture" to finally arrive.  And I'm sure members of the Jewish community in Williamsburg on hand for the spectacle of today's daredevil show had a different plan for observing their Sabbath day other than looking up at this guy.

Sir Bridge Climber got an early start and by 10:30am or so, the neighborhood was buzzing with news of Brooklyn's Spider Man.  NYPD Emergency Services Units were quick to respond as was a helicopter circling over head.

From my vantage point on the ground, it looked like NYPD had things well under control.  I left the scene before the situation was resolved.  But by the time I did leave, there was an officer on either side of Stunt Boy as all three conversed on the outer ledge of the walking path.

Officers used bolt cutters to cut a hole in the wire fencing.  Another officer cut away a portion of fence between the stone tower and the walkway fencing.  Both officers were tethered.  Down below, I estimated at least an eight foot high air bag in place..., just in case.  This all happened above Kent Avenue where there was no East River flowing beneath them, just in case he had any ideas of swimming away.  Right; that's it.

I started taking pictures as he was still making his way over the fencing with police already in pursuit.  Anything prior to that is beyond me.

I'm not a reporter, so I'll let these pictures tell a thousand words for me:

I hoped everything worked out OK.

But like I said, That's Life in the Big City.

**All pictures taken by me; BrooklynTrolleyBlogger

Mike.BTB

FILMING IN BROOKLYN ~ Movie Sets and Props

TAKE ONE:

Look at this Ol' Gal....Ain't she a beauty?!

I took these pictures on Clinton Avenue in the Clinton Hill section of Brooklyn.

This beautiful old machine is being used as a prop in

BOARDWALK EMPIRE

TAKE TWO:

I have no idea! 

But all I can tell you is remember you saw this horse when you go see

MEN IN BLACK III

...once they finish filming , that is.

The New York State National Guard Armory on Marcy and Harrison Avenues are where film crews, sets, mobile living rooms, an infinite supply of orange traffic cones, buffet trucks, and all that other stuff have been headquartered while filming on the next installment of Men In Black has been proceeding along in Brooklyn.  Production is in full swing as sets are becoming more noticeable on the streets.

Here's one set I encountered today at Hooper Street and Broadway, under the El.

After watching this horse feed on some hay..., it put an idea in my head to grab a salad with grilled chicken for lunch.  People walking by were more interested in the horse than they were trying to get a glimpse of an actor on set.  On the street, I'll be honest, most people don't really care.  These movie shoots just cause traffic and take up parking spaces.  I was one of them, I could care less about actors.  Yes, I'm one of those.  I don't do Pop Culture.  Taking pictures interests me and being able to say I saw this today interests me.  And I do think it's good for the city and Brooklyn economically.  I'll even go see the movie. 

But I'll take it a step further to let you know how bad I am.  If you ask me to name an actor in their twenties, fuhgeddaboudit.  That's not happening.  Classify this as stuff I really didn't need to bore you with.  But it's helping me ignore Mike Pelfrey's game for the Mets today;  ~ What a Total Fail.

But I'm glad stuff like this happens in Brooklyn.

Mike.BTB

EGG CREAM of the Day

This afternoon I was in Williamsburg.  I drove by a "cafe" on Metropolitan Avenue and jotted down their phone number.  A short time later I called with lunch on my mind.  I asked if they made Egg Creams.  The young lady taking my call did not know what an Egg Cream was.  She never even heard of an Egg Cream before; much less if her establishment made them.  Shaking my head knowing this had more to do with changing times and less to do with me wanting to say something snarky, I just thanked her and moved on with my life.

**sigh**

I have unyielding faith in our little town and I knew there was a good Egg Cream to be had nearby.  I just had to find it...

....and I did.



SODA JERK...!  Pour This Session of THE EGG CREAM SOCIETY to Order:

Let the Neighborhoods know this Declaration; to be heard and understood by the Denizens in the Borough of BROOKLYN:

STEVE makes a GREAT Friggin' EGG CREAM!!

Fuhgeddaboudit!!!   I mean that.  The pleasure was all mine.

Two words for you People ~ GET ONE!


WHERE?  RIGHT HERE!

That's him behind the chalk board.  Tell'em The BTB sen'tcha.

Williamsburg, Brooklyn

Mike.BTB

TV Production on North 3rd Street

I spotted this production crew working on a new show for FX Channel due out this fall.

"LIGHTS OUT"

BTB

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Jump On! The TROLLEY is on the MOVE Again.

They say we're the city of eight million people with eight million different stories.  Here in Brooklyn we have 2.5 million of those denizens.  I'm one of them.  I have an account of two other Brooklynites I'd like to share.  I have a story for you about one day, one place and two people who demonstrate and epitomize, first - Like I've been telling you, the spirit, soul, the essence of the Brooklyn Dodgers is alive, well, and thriving here in the Borough of Kings.  But secondly, and most importantly, this is about familial ties and heirlooms, neighborhood loyalties and quite honestly ladies and gentlemen, what being from Brooklyn is really all about.

It's time to board the TROLLEY again.  Jump-on and hold tight.   We're leaving Breukelen Station and our Destination is the Williamsburg section of Brooklyn.  C'mon.

You know I've been having fun with this "Baseball Archaeologist" pseudonym I made up along the way.  Well, for as much as I'd like, - Well, this story deserves, what we call around here, Respect.

I already knew about a steak house in Williamsburg with some great old Brooklyn themed movie posters displayed on their exterior for all to enjoy.  My idea was to go there and take some pictures for what I thought would be a cool post. 

Ladies and Gentlemen, enjoy the ride to Williamsburg today.  We'll be pulling up to the corner Steakhouse at Leonard Street and Conselyea Street.  I went there for some pictures.  I walked away with a memory. 

I humbly title this post:  WELCOME To a BROOKLYN HEIRLOOM,  OPEN JUST For YOU.

As I said, I knew about this particular steak house for the movie posters displayed on the exterior.  No, I never ate there before.  I assure you THAT WILL change however.  I went and took my photo's.  I intended to just take 5 or so pics.  Yea right!  After documenting the exterior of this place like a City Inspector, better sense returned to me and I knew I should call the phone number on the window and ask for permission to photograph his posters and property, but also to post them on my sight.  So I did.

A gentleman answered and I explained to him forthright what I was up to and that I was respectfully asking permission to use the images for this purpose.  After giving him what information he desired and exchanging some pleasantry,...and after being very agreeable the whole time, JOHN, consented.

The posters themselves are spectacular.  I've always had it my mind to take a picture of the "Lords of Flatbush" poster.  The posters are all Brooklyn centric obviously, but what makes them utterly magical to me is the references they make to the Brooklyn Dodgers.  They are more footprints in the dried-up river bed.  The posters are more little fossils of evidence which proves the Brooklyn Dodgers are alive and well in the Borough of Kings.

I was very satisfied with the pictures. No,...I was ecstatic with the pictures I had and couldn't wait to share them with the BloggerHood.  I remained there for a few minutes scrolling through the pictures.

Apparently, John lived close by and decided to come out there,  perhaps before I left, because if that was me?.. - I'm making sure this cat is on the up-and-up..Know what I mean?!  He approached me knowing who I was, fiddling with my camera and all.  I assumed John, correctly,  we shook hands and conversed in the lightly falling snowy afternoon.  My kinda weather!!  He related to me about buying a new house and his plans for creating a memorabilia / ManCave (my word) in the basement.  John is a Yankees fan.  I'm a Mets fan.  I told him as much.  See?!  Met and Yankee fans can share space.  I didn't tell him I was a SOX fan too.  Sorry John, you can let me have it when I visit next time.

After getting a little deeper into what I was doing with this whole Blog-thing, to my great surprise and immense delight, he opened up the restaurant and we entered.  The DeSTEFANO's Steak & Chops establishment wasn't due to open till 5 p.m.and I was inside looking at Brooklyn's soul at 1pm.

Inside, there is a wall dedicated to the Brooklyn Dodgers.  There was one photo in particular I never saw before, of a Yankee and Dodger vendor together, hawking their goods.  Outstanding!  I thought I saw them all.  By this time, John's father had arrived, JOE.  John introduced us as I thanked him kindly for the intrusion.  I was stumbling over my  words because you just couldn't pen a better script.  Joe also seemed quite agreeable with letting me post this wonderful encounter as I clicked away with delight.  Another frame contained a local newspaper clip celebrating the Legendary DODGER Sym-PHONY BAND.  God bless their Brooklynite hearts.  They made their way out to a Brooklyn Cyclones' game a couple of years ago.  I hope they're well!

The cherry on top of this trip, was what I will call their Wall of Fame.  I don't think it's a stretch to assume they call it that too...huh?  The wall is covered with the Brooklynites who've hit the big time, the famous, our pride and stars.  The wall is a Who's Who from the Borough of Kings.  I asked him if he had my team's owner up there, Mr. Lafayette High School Pitcher himself, Fred Wilpon.  It was worth a chuckle but it didn't get him on the wall; - at least not yet.  I will be going back to DeStefano's for what I'm sure will be a spectacular dinner experience with my wife.  Perhaps one day they'll let me detail that wall better.  But for now, to that point, I was overwhelmed already from my experience with John and Joe, and I had already taken up enough of their good time.  I didn't want to over-step their hospitality.

The rest of my day went swimmingly!! 

I'd like to extend my deepest, warmest and most sincere appreciation to John and Joe, proprietors and family owners of DeSTEFANO's STEAK & CHOPS, -

DeSTEFANO"S STEAKHOUSE is located at the corner of LEONARD STREET and CONSELYEA STREET in the Williamsburg section of Brooklyn.  A special thank you goes out to Mrs. "Joe" and John's MOM, - Because behind every good man there's a better woman, and because when she raised John, she did a great job!  God Bless you all.

The experience I had with you fine gentlemen reaffirms what I aways felt and believe in my heart.   I Love living in Brooklyn.  You two men are another pair of reasons why.

Enjoy the pictures everyone, courtesy of  DeStefano's SteakHouse in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, on the corner of Leonard Street and Conselyea Street.

The Baseball Archaeologist had this day off.  
I hope you enjoyed your ride on the TROLLEY Blogger today.  I had a blast!!!
Best regards to all......Mike.





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