It's gotta be the pinstripes

Writing this blog has been fun for me. It started as a simple video I made to pass some time and answer a question I hear a lot. Yes, I love living in Brooklyn. Yes, I spend more time in Brooklyn than any other part of town. But this doesn't mean that I don't go to the city.

I took y'all there for the Loving Day Celebration. I figured I take you for the Yankee ticker tape parade. I was going to do a lot more video, but the crowd was intense. A lot of pushing and shoving not to mention cursing, you know, New Yorkers being New Yorkers. It was difficult trying to get just a picture. Enjoy...



Sorry for the delay in the editing and posting of this edition. I just went thru a crazy move. That's a whole different blog of it's own.

Still haven't seen any 6 foot pigeons...

I am going to join in the fun of the 40th anniversary of Sesame Street.The well-known children's show has had quite an impact on me, from the games I played as a child to a certain nickname I had. But that's another story all together. Plus also, I have a different blog to post that story. I mean this is called Why I Love Brooklyn. I am posting it on this site for one simple reason. After live in the borough for more than two years, the show makes me think that the Bk was the inspiration for the block. I've seen a lot of crazy characters, especially coming from Detroit, but not quite as colorful as those from BK...

Take notes, yellow cabs

I have taken the dollar cabs (last time it was a $1.50, but people still call them dollar cabs) on a few occasions. They are an interesting ride to say the least. If you don't sit quick enough, it can be a bumpy ride. (My girl didn't complain when i fell in her lap) The door system always fascinates me. (On my rides, the drive usually has some rope system rigged) They are usually crowded but it never bothered me. Mainly because pretty girls tend to take them. Even with the ladies I have met on them, I never came across one as fun as the dollar cab demo ride.









Keep 'em coming, Joe
www.dollarvandemos.com

Proud to be a part of the Renaissance

The shop know as Brooklyn Renaissance (BKR) is more than what the eye would have you believe. You walk in and it looks like a small boutique. A few shirts, jackets and some nice decor would make you think that it doesn't stand out.

What you don't see is the creative spirit in the people behind the place. If you have a vision for your own style, they have many means to make it happen. If you are an aspiring artist without an image, they can help guide you to it.







Don't take my word for it, stop by and check 'em out for yourself.
C train to Franklin
1049 Fulton St
Brooklyn, NY 11238

Growing pains

So I went and did. I started contributing to another blog site. But don't be mad faithful followers. They helped me to get some attention, so I want to help them become stronger as best I can. The site is dumbonyc.com and they have been more than supportive. I know it is just one neighborhood that has went through a lot of changes. Some may even argue that Dumbo is now more Manhattan than it is Brooklyn. (in some ways, they may be right) But don't worry, I will still continue to explore more of Brooklyn. (so many other parts of Bk I have been meaning to do a video of)

In the mean time, I wanted to give you the chance to see it before they broadcast it tomorrow. Enjoy...

The legacy of Dilla

I was traveling recently. On my return trip, I met a woman who surprised me in a couple of ways. First, she was a hip hop fan. (looks are deceiving) More than that, she, like myself, was a participant. Like me, she was not given reasons in recent time to remain heavily involved. She also chose to observe (rarely, she told me) from afar.

But what surprised me even more was before I spoke his name, she knew I was talking about Dilla. I've talked with more people claiming to be hip hop heads who didn't know anything about the man. Some even argued that Kanye was influencing him (sad but very true) So I wanted to share with you a Brooklyn bred emcee who wrote about the mans legacy. I think the handwritten note makes the words even more powerful.


































Thanks for sharing this Talib.

Dilla will live forever through those truly that loved him!

Brooklyn thru my lens

Just a quick reminder of the videos I made.
Don't worry, I am going to make more.
I just had a technical setback.

This is the one that started it all

The latest one

This is the one that the NY Times gave notice to



If you liked those, check back soon.
I love putting them together...

Virtual Brooklyn

I just wanted to share a couple of videos that were posted on YouTube that shows a glimpse of my neighborhood.






I couldn't forget the classic moment that was immortalized in the bio pic

This lobster is worth cracking

One of the things that attracts me to the Borough of Kings is the grit of the people. The willingness to endure the rough times ahead, but still maintain a certain integrity about themselves. Not to say it doesn't exist anywhere else, but it is not celebrated in many other places. A movie that I watched recently has captured the spirit that Brooklynites really do own.




The screenplay was put together by the actual kid in the middle of this story. He wrote, produced and directed the whole production, the son of the character portrayed by Danny Aiello. Not only does the movie give an accurate portrayal, but the production itself is a reflection of this. Like Roger Ebert said, it is definitely "worth a visit."

Old habits die hard, especially in Bk

If you have seen my videos, you know I am a vinyl junkie. I love many aspects of the o.d. (original disc) It's not the crackling or the popping, even though I think it adds a bit of character to the music. But I love the thill of the hunt. No two digging journeys are the same. You don't know which lp you will end up with. Nor do you expect the history lessons that come with it.


Today, it is difficult to find music stores that sell cds. With the advancement of downloadable music, it's surprising to a lot of people that vinyl is still made. People are more surpirsed to find out vinyl is still the music industry standard. I don't know if it's a vintage type trend, but I am surprised that collecting vinyl is growing as a hobby.

This is a good article about how finding vinyl is evolving

www.nytimes.com/2009/09/30/arts/music/30private.html?_r=1

here are a few spots that i like to dig at
www.academyannex.com/
www.halcyonline.com/

Academy is a cool spot but that's not to say I'm giving you my ace in the hole.
Keep diggin', Brooklyn!

Only in the movies...

I wish my cab rides could be this fun!

Oh yeah, happy birthday, dad.
Don't kill me for reminding you.

Learning as I go

I just wanted to say that I am learning. I have made it easier to hear from you. If you are a member or not, whether you have something nice to say or not, I want your feedback. You can leave a comment completely anonymous now. Or you can just tell me off.

Brooklyn's version of the Carnival

I'm typing a new intro over and over to this entry because, well, words just can't do it justice. The West Indian Day Parade on Eastern Parkway is a party all it's own. I could describe what people were doing or what they were wearing. But in all honesty, it doesn't even begin to explain what it is like to stroll through and experience it.

I have never been to Rio or Trinidad, let alone the Carnival. I haven't attended the Maudi Gras in New Orleans. Those are what I am told is the inspiration behind the parade. But I can't even compare them cuz I have never been to any of those. All I can say is be sure you make it next year. Don't go too late if you don't like an enormous crowd.

Some classic hip hop from Bk emcee's

Technical difficulties

Sorry to be away so long everyone. My harddrive crashed and I am trying to resolve it. I only have limited options for the internet, so bear with me. Don't worry, I have been writing by hand and building my video catalogue. Some good news in the mean time. I will be contribuiting to dumbonyc.com on a weekly basis. Look for my stuff there as well. Keep checking with me.

Thrill of the Grill

There are a million reasons to throw a party, no matter how bad times get. That's one of the things I like about New York City. I've been to a lot of clubs in this metropolis and seen a wide range of party themes. I enjoyed maybe 90% of em and left the others behind. But to be honest, my favorite type of party is the backyard bbq.

Anybody who knows me, they know that I don't give a lot of respect to New Yorks idea of barbequing. No offence meant because after all, I am not trying to say not that there is no good bbq in this city. I've had a few. But to be honest, the pallet is not the same as other places. New Yorkers brag about a few franchises. When I tried the places, I couldn't believe the hype at all.

What changed my view was grill party I stumbled upon. It has been a while since I've enjoyed one, so when my friend sent me an invite to their get together, I couldn't wait. I had a few worries about the cusiene. After all, New Yorkers are always give the opportunity to practice the art of grilling.

Yesterday, through all the ups and downs in the last week, I found myself at Brooklyn's Biggest Barbeque Not In Prospect Park (they said it, not me). At my buddy's brownstone right in the heart of Bed-Stuy, it lived up to the name they gave it. The grill didn't slow down one bit, the women were smiling and the drinks kept flowing. Once the sun went down, we were treated to a neighborhood legand on the wheels (spinning records, if you didn't know). It was definitely an evening that keeps me anchored right in the heart of Brooklyn.

Virtual Brooklyn

With the ups and downs going on, I didn't want to say much. The up side is that I got some notice from the New York Times City Room. I was taken by surprise that this even went this far. I mean yes, I do have a passion for the borough that I reside in and I like to share it. But I really never expected this.

The down side of the last few days is I lost a friend,
Detroit lost a voice and the world lost a brother.
http://www.brooklynvegan.com/archives/2009/08/baatin_of_slum.html

some dope strings Titus would have loved
brooklynrider.com



I love that wikipedia says that Bugs was born in Brooklyn
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bugs_Bunny




That's all, folks!

The water cooler versions

I have to start off by saying I can be a bit of a nerd. I like to share little facts I come across with people as well. I tend to do this quite a bit. I am realizing that I am not enticing my audience with this. Maybe I am, but then again I could be reaching a lot more people.

It was a talk with one of good friends that brought this on. You see, he is a partner in a blog that is making some noise. He does his homework and goes farther with it. He told me last night that the average attention span is about 2 minutes for a video. Until I make a name for myself, he suggested I don't go too far past this time.

I thought about it for a bit. I do want to tout these tid bits that I pick up along the way. But if nobody is watching, it doesn't really get shared. And the more I thought about it, it's not just the average attention span that holds people back from watching the whole episode.

I worked in the corporate environment at a large firm. I've worked for small firms as well. They don't mind, in fact they encouraged us to take about a 10 minute break every hour. They said it help make us more productive to take our mind off of the work. I usually got a cup of coffee and surfed the net a bit. Odds are people in these places will not be willing to spend their entire short break watching my vlog. A lot of people want a cigarette, too.

Where every you maybe checking out my videos, I will trying my best to now broadcast the water cooler versions on youtube. If you enjoy them so much, then first let me say thank you. I appreciate the views. If you wish to see the long versions, find me on facebook. There, you can really dive in to my madness.

Whoops

So I went out and recorded a new video today at the Brooklyn Bridge. I was a little cocky and didn't refresh on my facts. In doing so, I made a few mistakes. But I have no problem admitting that I was wrong. I'm human. Here's a few websites that will show you the errors I made. It's up to you to figure out where the mistakes are.


wikipedia.org/wiki/Brooklyn_Bridge
nycroads.com/crossings/brooklyn
endex.com/gf/buildings/bbridge/bbridgefacts.htm
greatbuildings.com/buildings/Brooklyn_Bridge.html

if you're kinda nerdy like me, you'll have fun

(The following was updated on 8/5/09)

I removed the original video from the youtube site. Therefore, I am posting the long version.

Why Do I Love Brooklyn? That is a question I get asked a lot. Even more so after starting this. People will say to me all the time "I always have a good time, but why do you say you love Brooklyn?" I would have to say it boils down to the people.

I am a people person. I love to meet different people and learn about different ways of life. I have heard the responses already. "Manhattan/Queens/Bronx has all type of people." Yes, they do have a diversity all their own. But not the type of people I relate to, to be honest.

You see, I'm from a simple city in the Mid West. Nothing too fancy or frilly about it. My hometown is a leader in manufacturing. It used to employ a lot of people in the area known as the rust belt. Now, all that really remains are a few factories and the headquarters dishing out more pink slips. That's right, Detroit, MI.

I am a true, native born Detroiter. I have a place in my heart for that city, a place that is hard to hide. People here in the big apple call me obsessed with the place. Behind all the excitement of a new (and enormous) city to explore, it hurt me to move. I left behind a lot of good people and great memories, but took with me the grit and strong character that the city can produce. I pride myself on working hard and giving 110% when I get behind something. I speak to people with the respect that they deserve and give them the chance to be heard. (In NYC, you need to choose wisely whom you give time to. I learned that quick.)

It was in Brooklyn that I found that working class grit. With a history of manufacturing, the people of Brooklyn have a similar attitude. There is a certain camaraderie that people share when working side by side in grueling conditions. Not always, but most appreciate the simpler things in life when enduring harsh conditions for 8 hours or more a day. I know the blue sky never looked better than when I worked in a factory. I get the feeling a lot of Brooklynites know just what I mean.

Why am I doing this

Well, a few people have been asking me why is it I am doing this. And too many times, I have used the video blog to explain why. But I don't want to do that. The video I think should be for your enjoyment of seeing what Brooklyn offers.

So I took it upon myself to start writing more as well. Here, I will share my thoughts and reactions to my audience. I think this will allow me to keep a more focused video production. It also gives me the opportunity to add more structure to my endeavor.

With that said, let me try and answer what it is that motivates me to do this. Yes, I am a native Detroiter, transplanted here almost three years ago. But I grew up hearing about Brooklyn. You see, my paternal grandmother was raised in this borough. When she would visit, I remember her stories about go to Dodger games or Coney Island. My own mother grew up in Levitown, so she would tell her memories about trips to the city. Her stories of Coney Island made me want to ride the rides and pig out on junk food. It was only natural that I would be drawn to this city within a city.

I stayed in all boroughs except Staten Island. It was 1996 when I stayed up in the Bronx. I had a great time, but I was always on the train for an hour. I didn't mind it when I was an unfocused teenager happy to be living outside of Detroit, but I couldn't take riding the train for 2 hours a day. After all, one of two big reasons I left Detroit again was I was tired of driving one hour each way for work. I was not about to trade in a car for a train. This time around, I found myself moving to Sugar Hill. Harlem was a blast but a short stay. When I moved to Astoria, Queens, I was always in the city or hanging out in Brooklyn.

After spending time in Bk, I started to create some good memories of my own. My parents drove thru and stayed a couple of nights here. One great memory is having dinner with them at Juniors. It was really nice because my mother loves cheesecake. I liked relaxing in Central Park, but too often, the building towering over the treeline reminds that it is not much of an escape. My first trip to Prospect Park made me feel like I traveled to the countryside.

Aside from all that, I think the biggest reason is the people. I do have a good amount of friends living in Brooklyn, but I am also speaking about the folks I don't know. People I see on the streets or in the stores or where ever, they tend to have good character. Not to say that the other boroughs don't have good people, but I felt most at home around the people in Brooklyn.