I always like photos of fire escapes and have taken many myself. And, of course, another wonderful split for your collection.
I think the best thing I ever took from PHC was an introduction to Iris Dement, but GK sure is creepy. Lutefisk - yikes, I had no idea. As for syphilis nose, I've heard of that, but I'm taking your advice not to look it up. Your write-ups are so good...sometimes making me laugh and other times wince.
Oh, one more thing...I enjoyed the clip from Saturday Night Fever and also the comments beneath.
Thank you for another charming/chilling newsletter! Love the pictures, specially the ones with the trees. Could I save them and use them to greet friends and family? Mainly to say “Good Morning” and “God bless you and keep you” with the pictures as background. Thank you and please let me know if this is alright😊🙏
My son was dating a young Norwegian woman. My daughter invited her to That in Virginia. My daughter wanted her feel comfortable, so she asked if there were anything she should cook, maybe something Norwegian. My son wrote his sister a long email with the directions for cooking lutefisk:
Buy an old tire and set it on fire for three days in the garage. Then buy the fish and leave it on the kitchen counter for three days. Soak the fish in sour milk and smoke over the burning tire.
My daughter so wanted to please her brother and his girlfriend.
Mom! Have you read the recipe? A fire in the garage? I don’t even know where to buy lutefisk! And I’m can’t leave anything out on my counter for three days. You know how I am about my kitchen. I’m a cleaning germaphobe !
Oh, we all had good laugh and still tell the story ever Thanksgiving. This was 2005. 🦕
The worst. Nails on a chalkboard. We had a Honda Civic that someone broke into and broke off the stereo faceplate. Afterwards, it was stuck on NPR, with no ability to power off or lower the volume and it seemed like PHC was always on. Torture.
Great work as always Rob! I love Bay Ridge! My wife and I were Bay Ridge residents in the early 80s (an apartment over a shop on 3rd Avenue). My wife’s parents were married at Our Lady of Angels church on 4th Avenue, and my sister-in-law and her husband still live in the neighborhood.
There was a Covenant church on 4th that was almost exclusively Norwegian - it’s a Korean church now.
One more thing about Bay Ridge — it’s been a very low-crime area, and most folks agree it’s because of the terrible subway service! Too difficult to get in and out…
I visited the Alpine last year to see Renfield. It reminded me of the movie theaters of my youth: cheap tickets, bad sound and projection, every inch of the floor was sticky.
I've been living in Bay Ridge for about 7 years now, and do a lot of walking - it's a hoot to see so many places that I recognize. (You could do an entire book on the architecture of those big homes down on Ridge and Colony.)
I tell friends that Bay Ridge is a "little United Nations" ... it seems like half of the nations in the world are represented here, and we all get along quite well. (Muslim women in green head scarves on St. Patrick's day ... what more can I say?)
I can’t remember the exact day, but it was close to the step street on 74th. I always carry my camera with me and notice when I see others doing the same. If it was you I was across the street and there’s no cross walk there so I didn’t want to risk crossing the street on a bunch. Wish I had! Loving this series and love seeing Bay Ridge in this light.
so 80s! I often wonder what portraits from today will look like in 40 years even though it feels like things haven't changed that much in the last decade or two.
Maybe time will reveal the look of these decades. I remember in the 1980s how everything seemed to look 'right' and normal, but now these pictures seem to be from a familiar but foreign country.
As a Bay Ridge/ south Brooklyn girl, what a pleasant surprise to have stumbled upon your piece!
Glad you found it/me!
Poor Charley what a creepy edition
P.S your daughter rules!!!!!!🤘🤘🤘
True
just watched the episode of mad men where Peggy says “I’m from bay ridge, we have manners!”
Anne K. mentions many of my favorites.
I always like photos of fire escapes and have taken many myself. And, of course, another wonderful split for your collection.
I think the best thing I ever took from PHC was an introduction to Iris Dement, but GK sure is creepy. Lutefisk - yikes, I had no idea. As for syphilis nose, I've heard of that, but I'm taking your advice not to look it up. Your write-ups are so good...sometimes making me laugh and other times wince.
Oh, one more thing...I enjoyed the clip from Saturday Night Fever and also the comments beneath.
Such a great clip from that movie! I’m still waiting for the Prarie Home Companion backlash. I’m glad no one’s come after me yet. Thanks Katie!
The stories you unearth are incredible, and I LIVE for them!
This great, always a pleasure to learn the history of the neighbourhoods and wander in the pictures.
It is a shame that the norwegian are gone.
Well, they are crowning the local miss Norway on the 17th, so they’re not all gone
Thank you for another charming/chilling newsletter! Love the pictures, specially the ones with the trees. Could I save them and use them to greet friends and family? Mainly to say “Good Morning” and “God bless you and keep you” with the pictures as background. Thank you and please let me know if this is alright😊🙏
Of course, no problem!
Thank you so much😊🙏
Specially love the Totoro shaped tree, the one with the upright ears and big round belly🥰
That was some inspired pruning!
Very interesting information. I know park slope because my son lives there. Now I know even more about Brooklyn
Thanks for reading! I used to live in Park Slope too!
My son was dating a young Norwegian woman. My daughter invited her to That in Virginia. My daughter wanted her feel comfortable, so she asked if there were anything she should cook, maybe something Norwegian. My son wrote his sister a long email with the directions for cooking lutefisk:
Buy an old tire and set it on fire for three days in the garage. Then buy the fish and leave it on the kitchen counter for three days. Soak the fish in sour milk and smoke over the burning tire.
My daughter so wanted to please her brother and his girlfriend.
Mom! Have you read the recipe? A fire in the garage? I don’t even know where to buy lutefisk! And I’m can’t leave anything out on my counter for three days. You know how I am about my kitchen. I’m a cleaning germaphobe !
Oh, we all had good laugh and still tell the story ever Thanksgiving. This was 2005. 🦕
😂 that’s hilarious! She should send him a package of lutefisk one year for payback.
It’s such an involved story. I was too tired last night to type out. But, I still see typos this afternoon. Sorry. 🦕
Oh god, what were the knick-knacks?
Probably something infected with small pox
“the 19th-century predecessor to the white van” !!!
Maybe I am Charley Ross? It would explain a lot.
You've aged very well
Yet another frustrated poet at the Brooklyn Daily Eagle.
“which, coincidentally, is how I felt whenever Prairie Home Companion used to come on the radio.” Right? Thank you. Such a creepy show.
The worst. Nails on a chalkboard. We had a Honda Civic that someone broke into and broke off the stereo faceplate. Afterwards, it was stuck on NPR, with no ability to power off or lower the volume and it seemed like PHC was always on. Torture.
At least you got Car Talk . . . that's a break-even deal.
“earning it the nickname Little Palestine.” Wow that ranks right up there with “Yellow Hook.”
Omg the cream/grey house!
Great work as always Rob! I love Bay Ridge! My wife and I were Bay Ridge residents in the early 80s (an apartment over a shop on 3rd Avenue). My wife’s parents were married at Our Lady of Angels church on 4th Avenue, and my sister-in-law and her husband still live in the neighborhood.
There was a Covenant church on 4th that was almost exclusively Norwegian - it’s a Korean church now.
Thanks C.L.! It's such a nice neighborhood, no wonder new groups keep moving in! Really love all the parks there.
One more thing about Bay Ridge — it’s been a very low-crime area, and most folks agree it’s because of the terrible subway service! Too difficult to get in and out…
At least it has a ferry now!
Love your photography of the various neighborhoods, Rob!
Thanks!
So many stories in this city! Thanks Justin, really nice of you to say!
One of my favorite neighborhoods in NYC.
I visited the Alpine last year to see Renfield. It reminded me of the movie theaters of my youth: cheap tickets, bad sound and projection, every inch of the floor was sticky.
I've been living in Bay Ridge for about 7 years now, and do a lot of walking - it's a hoot to see so many places that I recognize. (You could do an entire book on the architecture of those big homes down on Ridge and Colony.)
I tell friends that Bay Ridge is a "little United Nations" ... it seems like half of the nations in the world are represented here, and we all get along quite well. (Muslim women in green head scarves on St. Patrick's day ... what more can I say?)
Pretty sure I saw you walking around but thought, nah, no way that's him.
Oh boy, I wonder if you did. What day was it?
I can’t remember the exact day, but it was close to the step street on 74th. I always carry my camera with me and notice when I see others doing the same. If it was you I was across the street and there’s no cross walk there so I didn’t want to risk crossing the street on a bunch. Wish I had! Loving this series and love seeing Bay Ridge in this light.
A great article, as always. The expressions (and maybe the hairstyles) in Andrea Modica's photos took me right back to the 80s.
so 80s! I often wonder what portraits from today will look like in 40 years even though it feels like things haven't changed that much in the last decade or two.
Maybe time will reveal the look of these decades. I remember in the 1980s how everything seemed to look 'right' and normal, but now these pictures seem to be from a familiar but foreign country.