Friday, August 31, 2012

Red Hook Summer

I saw Spike Lee's "Red Hook Summer" today and found it...interesting.  My stepmother had seen it a few days ago and recommended it and I'd wanted to see it myself, so I finally did.  I know the Red Hook part of Brooklyn, but not well.  Back when I had a car, I'd drive through it on my way to Ikea.  I thought the insights on gentrification in Brooklyn were great.  I read an interview with Spike in New York Magazine where he wondered where gentrification was going to end in Brooklyn.  He wondered if people would go out to Coney Island and, after that, into the Atlantic Ocean.  I was surprised to see new housing going up in Red Hook (as shown in the movie) right across the street from the projects.  And I'm sure that housing won't be/isn't affordable housing either. 

One of the things I liked about "Red Hook Summer" was that it discussed the migration of black Americans from the South to the North and back to the South again.  This movement within the black community is so interesting to me.

Red Hook Summer was about 40 minutes too long and some of the acting wasn't that great.  (And I won't spoil it for others by revealing the big conflict that develops later in the movie.)  But, in spite of these minor complaints, I thought it was one of Spike's better films. 

Thursday, August 30, 2012

Weirdos

People are strange. The woman I sat next to in the subway this morning kept making weird noises and her left leg kept shaking. Maybe her meds hadn't kicked in yet. Whatever he reason, I changed trains when the express came across the platform just to get away from her. Let someone else have the pleasure of her weird company.

Tuesday, August 28, 2012

Locked Up Abroad

I confess, I love watching "Locked Up Abroad" on the National Geographic channel.  I am fascinated with how seemingly normal people go from being law-abiding citizens to international drug smugglers practically overnight.  These folks are often strapped for cash and a friend or acquaintance asks if they want to make some quick money smuggling hash out of Thailand (or something like that).  It's amazing how fast a person can just turn into a criminal.  In every case, the smuggler knows what he or she is doing is wrong, yet the person still does it!  Then, if the smugglers are able to actually get away with their smuggling once or twice, they often get addicted to the thrill.  They beat the system, so they feel lucky.  But their luck always runs out and the next thing you know, they're in a Turkish prison (or some other foreign hell hole) for ten years (or more) and suffering through daily beatdown from their fellow inmates.  Being in an American prison, I suspect, is bad enough.  But being locked up abroad has got to be absolutely awful.  You don't speak the language, you don't understand the country's judicial system, you don't get a fair trial, and the US Consulate can't help you.  If you commit an illegal act in a foreign country, what is the United States supposed to do for you?  I guess they can contact your family back in the States and tell them you're locked up abroad!

Monday, August 27, 2012

Subway Reading

With so many people reading on electronic devices like Kindles and iPads, I can't be nosy and see what my fellow subway riders are reading. I like to see what books other people are reading. The reading habits of others make me wonder about what kind of person the reader may be. For example, was the guy I saw reading The Infinite Jest tonight on the subway a David Foster Wallace fan or just a poseur who wanted to impress others with his highbrow reading selection?

Sunday, August 26, 2012

City Kids

I feel sorry for the kids in my neighborhood who have to have their birthday parties in Prospect Park. City kids like these don't have their own backyard to use for birthday parties or family barbecues because they often live in apartment buildings where green space isn't accessible. So they and their families have to schlep to the public park and party there. Because I grew up in a house with a yard, I just think it's sad that many kids in New York won't have the opportunity to grow up in a single detached home. But you do the best you can with what you have, right?

Saturday, August 25, 2012

Urban Scavengers

While I was out running errands this morning, I passed by a woman rummaging through someone's trash in the hunt for discarded plastic and glass bottles and aluimum cans that can be recycled for five cents each.  Apparently in New York, it's acceptable to go onto someone else's private property, and rummage through that person's trash.  In Detroit, that kind of thing might cause you bodily harm (or at least end with you getting your feelings hurt).  But in New York, it's another day in the city.  I'm not against someone taking discarded bottles and cans to get a few dollars if the items are placed in a public trash can or even in private trash set at the curb for collection.  However, I am against strangers going onto private property and rummaging through someone's garbage.  That just doesn't seem right.  I know these urban scavengers don't mean any harm, but trespassing is trespassing. 

Friday, August 24, 2012

Crazy Baby

Before I get to the crazy baby part of this post, let me just focus on the crazy for a moment. What is wrong with people??? Going nuts and pulling a gun is no way to resolve problems. Some people have a truly frightening lack of control.

Now as for the crazy baby part of my post, what's going on with Prince Harry? In his case, sadly, what happened on Vegas didn't stay in Vegas. Why is it always the baby of the family who cuts up and gets a bad wrap? The baby's gone crazy! As the baby of the family myself, I feel for Harry. Sometimes the baby needs to go a little crazy (in a good way that doesn't harm others).

Thursday, August 23, 2012

Make New York Your Gym

Since Mayor Bloombucks is bombarding subway riders like myself with ads urging New Yorkers to stop drinking sugary soft drinks, cut down on eating junk food, make the city our gym, I've decided to take him up on some of his advice.  The "Make New York Your Gym" ad suggested riders get off the subway a stop ahead of your normal stop and walk the rest of the way to your destination, so I did this today.  I got off one stop before my own and enjoyed a nice walk home alongside Prospect Park.  One of the reasons I like my Brooklyn neighborhood is its accessibility to the park.  I wanted to live somewhere with green space within walking distance and I have it.  I really need to start taking more advantage of the park's proximity to my apartment.  It's a great park and walking really is a good way to get some exercise in during the day.

Wednesday, August 22, 2012

Environmental Factors=Stunted Growth?

Call me crazy, but I've noticed a lot of short (and I'm classifying short as 5'5" and under) people in New York.  And not one specific group either.  I see short people of all colors, races, and, ethnicities.  On any given day, when I'm in the elevator at work, I often tower over others in the car and my height is average (5'7"), or at least what I thought was average.  I am seriously starting to wonder if there are environmental factors that have stunted the growth of many New Yorkers.  Is there something in the air or the water?  When I lived in Philadelphia and Detroit, I never noticed an overabundance of the vertically-challenged.  But in New York, I can't help but notice it.  

Tuesday, August 21, 2012

Tats

I have noticed more and more women with tattoos lately. And not small, demure tats of a rose on an ankle or a heart on a wrist. I'm talking about full-blown tattoos on the arm, neck, chest. I don't get it. What is the appeal?

Monday, August 20, 2012

Sparkle

I saw the remake of Sparkle and liked it.  I am still partial to the 1970s version, but the remake had its moments of greatness, particulary during the musical numbers.  Whitney Houston's rendition of "His Eye is on the Sparrow" brought tears to my eyes and I wasn't the only one boo-hooing in the theater.  I don't know if it was the message of the song, the fact that Whitney died so tragically, what was going on in the movie at the time the song was performed, or all of the above, but the tears were flowing.  I also enjoyed the version of "Jump" in the movie.  I hadn't heard that song in years and I'd forgotten just how great it is.  Detroiters like myself will surely enjoy seeing a movie set in our hometown that doesn't have the backdrop of the city looking like something out of Robocop.  I was happy to see Baker's Keyboard Lounge featured.  Although I'm sure the movie was filmed in California or Canada or someplace, it looked like the real Baker's in the movie.

Sunday, August 19, 2012

People You Love to Hate

I often enjoy reading the Sunday Routines of various New Yorkers in the Sunday NY Times, but today's article featured the kind of guy who is asking for a takedown.  Here's the link:

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/08/19/nyregion/robert-hammond-of-the-high-line-indulges-in-meditation-and-cereal.html?_r=1&ref=nyregion

This guy goes on about mediating, eating homemade fruit smoothies prepared lovingly, I'm sure, by his boyfriend, and riding a woman's bike (complete with a basket on the front) around the city.  Oh, and he also enjoys a nice bowl of cornflakes (organic, of course) for dinner.  Oy!  When I read this article, I had to laugh because the guy came off as the kind of pretentious, annoying Manhattanite that people (like myself) just love to hate.  He is the embodiment of gentrification in New York City.  Is this what Bloomberg wants?  Apparently.  Sad.


Saturday, August 18, 2012

Unleashed

People really shouldn't walk around with unleashed dogs. I was walking many feet behind a man with two huge great dane sized dogs and the guy took one of the dogs off the leash, causing me to divert my path away from him. The dog may have been perfectly trained not to attack, but I decided not to test my luck and find out how well-behaved (or not) he or she was.

Folks, unless you're at a dog park or in the sanctity of your own fenced home, keep your dog on a leash!

Friday, August 17, 2012

Trader/Traitor

I stopped at the Brooklyn Trader Joe's and saw that, once again, the checkout lines have been reconfigured.  It really doesn't matter how they run the lines, that place will still be incredibly crowded.  My hipster-ish cashier asked how my Friday was going and I told him, "It's great now that I'm off from work!" Amen to that.  I read an article in the NY Times awhile ago where someone complained about the overly-chatty cashiers at Trader Joe's, but I'd rather have a friendly, talkative cashier rather that a mean, surly one. 

As for the traitor part of this post, I'm posting a link to a blog post to Gwen Ifill about my cousin:

http://www.pbs.org/weta/washingtonweek/blog/breaking-through-four-years-later-artur-davis-r

Thursday, August 16, 2012

Three Questions of the Day

1.  Why can't some women stop touching their hair?
2.  Why are Crumbs cupcakes so tasty?
3.  Was a remake of Sparkle really necessary?

Wednesday, August 15, 2012

A Hard Rain's Gonna Fall

Apparently, a hard rain DID fall in Brooklyn and flooded many streets including Ocean Parkway.  What a mess!  Yesterday, we had fires in the subway tunnels and today we've got flooding.  Brooklyn, the borough of champions, is really taking it on the chin this week.

In more uplifting news, "White Collar" and "Royals Pains" are back on USA this week.  Yea! 

Tuesday, August 14, 2012

F is not for Fabulous

Trying to get home from work today on the F train was a disaster!  Chaos on the rails!  Apparently there was a fire or something on the Mahnattan Bridge and some of the trains that travel that route were diverted to the F line.  We'd move, then we'd stop.  Then we'd move and stop again.  For a claustrophobic personon like I am, being stuck on the train between stations is a nightmare. 

When the subways are running without delays, they're great.  But when something goes wrong, things get really screwed up.  Why do these problems always seem to occur during rush hour??? Frustrating!

Monday, August 13, 2012

The Crossing Guard

I don't understand why the crossing guard at the corner near my apartment building is out there year round. I don't believe the elementary school down the block even has any students right now. Summer school has to be over, right? Maybe the guard just enjoys putting on her glow-in-the-dark lime green vest and standing on the corner because she doesn't have anything better to do with her day.

Kate Bush and the Spice Girls

Let me just say that I'm annoyed NBC didn't show Kate Bush's performance at the closing ceremony of the Olympics.  I guess they figured not many people would know who she is (and they're probably right).  Still, I watched her performance of "Running Up That Hill" online and I thought it was great.  But, although I'm annoyed over the Kate Bush snub, I did enjoy seeing the Spice Girls (and I'm not ashamed to admit that).  They threw down!

Sunday, August 12, 2012

Praise for the Quiet Car

I took the train to Philadelphia yesterday and sat in the quiet car on the way back. What a joy to be able to sit in silence rather than hearing screaming children and other people's conversations.

Friday, August 10, 2012

Fifty Shades of Gay

I was reading some celebrity gossip last night and came across a story about author Bret Easton Ellis Tweeting that actor Matt Bomer wouldn't be a good choice to play Christian Grey in a movie version of Fifty Shades of Grey because he's gay. I don't know that I agree with that. If he's a good actor, shouldn't he be able to play any role? First disclaimer: I have not read Fifty Shades so I have no opinion on the book itself. Second disclaimer: I did meet Matt Bomer last year when "White Collar" was being filmed at the office building where I work and he was adorable, so my feelings about him might be biased. I don't want to see Matt as Christian Grey because it seems like a sleazy role! I hated seeing him be a sleaze bag willing to share his wife in Magic Mike! But, again, I'm biased.

Thursday, August 9, 2012

Beasts of the Southern Wild

So, once again, I have failed to agree with the critics.  I just saw Beasts of the Southern Wild and I didn't enjoy it.  The acting was great and it was beautifully shot, but I felt it was the same old sentimental sludge Hollywood keeps churning out.  Haven't we seen this story before?  The poor child having to fend for herself in the cruel world.  The troubled (in this case alcoholic) parent.  The terrible living conditions.  Triumph over adversity.  Blah, blah, blah. 

I couldn't figure out why two women seated in the theater row ahead of me were laughing throughout the movie.  There wasn't much to laugh about.  Being poor, living in a Southern shack, and surviving Hurricane Katrina-like conditions aren't exactly things I consider funny, but apparently these women found them hilarious.  Maybe they had a few drinks before the movie.  Maybe I should have had a few.  I probably would have enjoyed the movie more if I had. 

Three Questions of the Day

1. Why was there no hot water in my apartment yet again this morning? Frustrating!
2. Why can't I get "Quando, Quando, Quando" out of my head??
3. When will flip flop season be over??

Wednesday, August 8, 2012

The Devil in White City

After finally finishing The Devil in White City this afternoon on the subway ride home, I wondered why this book is such a huge bestseller.  It's been on the NY Times bestseller list for years!!  I don't get it.  I found it long and tedious and I struggled to finish it.  I guess there are a lot of people out there who are interested in reading about Chicago architecture and the Chicago World's Fair.  I love Chicago, but I don't have the patience to read paragraph after paragraph about building construction, fair attendance, and groundskeeping issues. 

Tuesday, August 7, 2012

Three Questions of the Day

1. Why was there no hot water at my apartment this morning?
2. Why isn't Cheyenne Jackson a bigger star? The man is a triple threat! He can sing, dance, and act!
3. Why does Michael Buble's version of "I'm Your Man" sound so great while the Leonard Cohen version sounds so awful (at least to me)?

Sunday, August 5, 2012

Killer Joe

Why oh why was Clarence Carter's song "Strokin'" played not once, but twice in the movie Killer Joe?  And, speaking of Killer Joe, that movie was coo-coo for Cocoa Puffs.  Nuts.  Crazy.   I'm still trying to figure out what that tomfoolerly was about.  But, one thing that was interesting to me was the portrayal of poor white folks.  You rarely see these kind of lower-class white people depicted in movies or on television anymore, but they're out there.  Hollywood, I guess, just doesn't want you to see them.

Social Networking and Brooklyn Gentrification

After growing tired of Facebook and its annoying e-mail updates, I ditched it entirely and haven't looked back.  I tried Twitter and lasted three days because I felt like a stalker "following" people.  So now I'm trying a blog which, hopefully, will be less aggravating and a lot more fun.

Since this blog is called "Detroiter in Brooklyn" I figure I should write frequently about Brooklyn and Detroit.  The Brooklyn neighborhood that I've called home for the past two and a half years is Kensington.  In the short time I've lived here, I've noticed it becoming more and more gentrified.  I suspect new people moving into the area are seeking refuge from the higher rents of Park Slope, Windsor Terrace, and elsewhere.  Now this is good and bad.  It's good because no one wants to see their neighborhood deteoriate into a place that's undesirable to live.  (I'm from Detroit, so I have first-hand knowledge of living in a place deemed undesirable.)  However, it's bad because gentification leads to higher rent and no one wants that either. 

In other news, I can't believe Federer got spanked by Murray in the Olympics today.  How did that happen????

Saturday, August 4, 2012

First Blog Post!

My first blog post!  Woo hoo!  I watched Serena whip Sharapova during the Olympics this morning.  Woo hoo again!  She made it look effortless, but I'm sure it wasn't.  It's a lovely day in Brooklyn and I plan to get outside and enjoy the good weather while it lasts.  Hopefully, I won't see any men wearing capri pants while I'm out, but I have a bad feeling I will.  Man-pris???  I don't get it.  Are your ankles hot?  It's not a good look, fellas.  Sorry.