Digital Camera Has Arrived

The digital camera has arrived, is at my feet in a box in my Manhattan office, and I am about to take it home on the subway. Give me a few days to figure it out, then we'll see what it'll do. Can't wait.

Hi

Please stand by. Will be quiet for a while. But will be back in less than a week. Ciao.

Bought a digital camera

OK, broke down and bought an Olympus digital camera. Should see some better photos actually taken by me, here, in about a week. Can't wait to get it.

On the Lookout for Digital Camera

Am looking for a good digital camera, suggestions welcome.

I can take photos now, but from a set of digital binoculars, not a real camera. Once I get it, there will be many more photos from Bay Ridge, as well as more comments. Until I get my digital camera, then, will mostly borrow from internet sources for photos.

But, as always, look to www.viewfrom103.blogspot.com for your daily dose of whatever.

Bay Ridge Baby Gets New Heart

An infant born with a heart tumor has received a healthy donor heart.

http://nypost.com/news/regionalnews/42828.htm

O.L.A.

Our Lady of Angels Church, on Fourth Avenue and 73rd Street. I went to the Catholic school just behind this church.

Historic Bay Ridge Church In Trouble

Bay Ridge Methodist Church is a gem of a building, listed in the National Registry of Historic Places, and has graced this corner since 1875 I think. But it's in trouble. Water damage over the years has damaged the tower. The stones used in its construction are from a quarry in Pennsylvania that no longer exists. The congregation is smaller than it was, and there is no money for what would be expensive repairs. This building could be torn down, which would be a terrible thing. Full story in the " Bay Ridge Paper " http://www.brooklynpapers.com/html/issues/_vol28/28_16/28_16guide.html

An entrance to the 95th Street subway station, with a liquor store that has been there for a long, long time 

One fine day, as a midday fog burned off 

It will always be the RR train. This photo was taken in August 1969, as the Mets were surging to the top of the National League. Bay Ridge then was an absolute hotbed of intense Mets fans--very few Yankee fans at that time. 

Think the trains are bad now? If you were a subway rider back in 1976, when this photo was taken ( at Pacific Street ), this image should give you a nice shudder. From the great website, www.nycsubway.org, a treasure trove for train fans.

Bay Ridge Fever

A great page on Bay Ridge can be found here
http://www.forgotten-ny.com/STREET%20SCENES/bayridge/bayridge.html

and another on the construction of the Verrazzano Bridge can be found here
http://www.forgotten-ny.com/STREET%20SCENES/verrazanoconstruction/bridge.html

They're both part of the truly wonderful www.forgotten-ny.com site, which contains many pages on NYC history, both what is gone and what still remains.

Down Fourth Avenue on a Sunday

Today was a gorgeous day here in NY. One of my chores was to learn how to use my digital camera / binocular. It was snap. But now it makes me want to get a good digital camera. Soon.

Retiring

Brought my shirts to this laundry on Saturday. Instead of taking them, as he had for many years, Mr. Cheung smiled, shook my hand, and told me he was retiring. I'm glad he gets to retire, but am sorry to see him leave. Over time, there will be fewer and fewer of these " Chinese laundries " ( his tickets said that: Cheung's Chinese Laundry ) since the kids never want to go into this business, and even new immigrants want to do something else, anything else. It was a hot, boring, grueling grind , but it was honest work too, and it fed a whole lot of immigrant families. Mr. Cheung, you're a good man, and I wish you well.

Fourth Avenue and 69th / Scruffy Murphy's / New Royal Restaurant

Scruffy Murphy's, on Fourth Avenue between 68th - 69th Street seems like it has been closed for a year. There has been construction in the building. Will Scruffy's re-open? America needs to know.

The New Royal Restaurant, an institution round here, recently closed for good. It's been replaced by another Greek-owned diner, Emphasis, which is not drawing anywhere near the number of customers the Royal had drawn . People knew the Royal well, they do not know this place yet. I had breakfast at Emphasis two Saturdays ago- the service, and the cheese omelette, were both good. Good luck. Should not have changed the name.

Hello from Bay Ridge Blog

Let's see where we go with this thing.