28 Comments
User's avatar
Eden's avatar

I feel like the Staten Island neighborhoods honestly have the craziest stories.

Expand full comment
Rob Stephenson's avatar

That's because they do!

Expand full comment
Eddie P's avatar

It's a bit of an odd place with a TON of history that most New Yorkers either don't know or choose to ignore. Too bad as it's a pretty interesting place off the beaten path from the rest of the city/state.

Expand full comment
Eddie P's avatar

The peaked structure behind the Pepsi truck in the photo is an old trolley barn on Arthur Kill Road that served trolley cars/trolley buses on the South Shore and was scheduled to be razed years ago. Is that an old pic or did they not tear it down? (I'm not sure as I haven't been to that part of SI in some time).

https://www.silive.com/news/2015/10/historic_trolley_barn_in_green.html

Update: Google Maps from 2022 shows it still standing. Guess the city is taking a LONG time in widening Arthur Kill Road.

Expand full comment
Rob Stephenson's avatar

Ah, I was wondering what the story was with that. Interesting! And, yes, I took the photograph on Tuesday, so the project is definitely moving at a typical city construction pace.

Expand full comment
Laurie's avatar

This was a great read, Rob, and I've got to ask about the photo of the black car with the blue thingies all over it - what the heck is that? Also, I miss David Rakoff.

Expand full comment
Rob Stephenson's avatar

That blue things are pieces of tape that are keeping all the Christmas lights stuck onto the car from falling off. That piece was so good. Thanks Laurie!

Expand full comment
Rob Walker's avatar

Can't wait for the debut of your Seagal newsletter! Here's something for your files: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=isNRZJ6icwc

;)

Expand full comment
Rob Stephenson's avatar

You may have to wait a long time for that one...

The comments on that video are gold! "The last Steven Seagal movie I saw was an in-flight movie, and people still walked out" or "Steven Segal has a blackbelt in going straight to DVD."

Expand full comment
Anne Kadet's avatar

Nasso should get a Trump cabinet post for sure!

Expand full comment
Rob Stephenson's avatar

Too honest.

Expand full comment
Anne Kadet's avatar

Is winking typically part of drinking? Confused.

Expand full comment
Rob Stephenson's avatar

Obviously you've never had a Seagalmaggedon.

Expand full comment
Anne Kadet's avatar

So jealous of the sea serpent spotting! They should offer the sea serpent equivalent of whale watching tours!

Expand full comment
Rob Stephenson's avatar

This is a great article on the whole sea serpent craze: https://blogs.loc.gov/folklife/2016/08/great-american-sea-serpent/

Expand full comment
Anne Kadet's avatar

OMG Seagal as a Tulku! I can’t tell you how happy this makes me!

Expand full comment
Rob Stephenson's avatar

I was shook when I read that.

Expand full comment
Anne Kadet's avatar

OMG the return of Grandmaster Kim to The Neighborhoods makes me so happy!

Expand full comment
Rob Stephenson's avatar

Speaking of a suitable Trump cabinet appointee...

Expand full comment
Anne Kadet's avatar

I remember those ponies! So satisfying to know the back story!

Expand full comment
Anne Kadet's avatar

This is for sure one of my favorite issues ever and I haven’t even looked at the photos yet!

Expand full comment
Rob Stephenson's avatar

Thank you! It was a fun one to write, even if my research elicited a lot of curious looks.

Expand full comment
Justin Difazzio's avatar

Seagal is a menace. Fascinating, but an absolute menace. How he got anywhere and made any kind of name for himself is an absolute mystery to me.

Expand full comment
Rob Stephenson's avatar

100% agree. He is the pony-tailed embodiment of toxic masculinity.

Expand full comment
Anne Kadet's avatar

My favorite kind of pony-tailed embodiment!

Expand full comment
David Perlmutter's avatar

"the existence of sea serpents was widely accepted through the beginning of the twentieth century...."

And beyond, to some people. Partially due to Bob Clampett's engaging puppet/animated cartoon character Cecil The Sea Sick Sea Serpent.

Expand full comment
Rob Stephenson's avatar

A sea serpent with a lisp no less!

Expand full comment
Dani's avatar

What a ride of a post!

Expand full comment