Japanese " Home Library " in Bay Ridge!

When Natsuko Garcia moved to Bay Ridge, Brooklyn, she realized that the dozens of Japanese families that had recently settled there could really use a children's library. So she decided to build one—in her living room.

"We have so many Japanese kids in this neighborhood, and they don't have enough Japanese books to read," Garcia says. "So, they come here to borrow books from me."


I've never heard of someone having a public library in a private apartment. And I've not heard much about a Japanese community in Bay Ridge.

Which is why I found this video so interesting.

From the WNYC Know Your Neighbor series ( see links inside )

Thanks to Jonathan Korzen, with New York Public Radio for bringing this to my attention!

A Walk Down Shore Road

A lovely, dreamlike walk down the length of Shore Road. Good job apogeus1

Off to New Mexico

Tomorrow, I fly to Albuquerque New Mexico, where I will traipse around the northern part of the state - Santa Fe, Taos, Raton, Las Vegas ( NM ).

I have enjoyed my many forays into Europe and Asia, but it's time to dig a little deeper into the vast and glorious American continent. Can't wait.

An Actual Ad for a candidate for Congress from Arizona, USA

This is not a joke - not an intentional one anyway.

This is an actual campaign ad for Pamela Gorman, candidate for Arizona's third Congressional District.

She was crushed in the Republican primary this past Tuesday.

May the Circle Be Unbroken

(Michelle Wright-Iris DeMent-Mairead Ni Mhaonaight perform " May the Circle Be Unbroken " )

Aasne Lorentzen, who we were proud to have as a neighbor in Bay Ridge for all these many years, passed away this past Thursday.

She will be laid to rest on Monday morning, in Ocean View Cemetery in Staten Island.

She leaves behind her son Kenneth and many friends in the neighborhood.

May God bless.

Localized Flooding In Bay Ridge

Did anyone else have water in the basement Friday?

I did, and at first I thought it was due to a defect in the hot water / boiler system.

But now I read that there was localized flooding caused by clogged city drainsnot that far away in Gowanus, Brooklyn " near Fourth Avenue ". And I'm only steps from Fourth Avenue.

The water surge- apparently from the city water drains - messed up my hot water and heating system - whose controls had to be reset. It appears that there was a reverse surge of water that put filled up the radiators up to the first floor- where the floor near the radiator is still wet. ( I have a natural gas / steam system )

Did anyone else have this problem?

Biking from Bay Ridge to Westchester County

I found this on youtube - a perfect video of what it's like to bike over the Brooklyn Bridge.

I've been getting into biking a bit more lately, and this past Sunday I decided to go for a long ride. From Bay Ridge to Hartsdale, NY, to pay a short visit to my Uncle Brendan.

I left at about 7am, before the sun was bad, and hung a right at Third Avenue. Third Avenue north of 65th Street is an industrial hell, but on early Sunday morning, it's not so bad. Even the nasty curved passage under the Prospect Avenue connector was easy.

Left turn on Ninth Street, right turn on Smith Street, left again on Atlantic Avenue, then a quick right for the few blocks along Adams St to the Brooklyn Bridge.

While the roads between Bay Ridge and downtown Brooklyn are not very bike friendly, once you hit the Brooklyn Bridge, you're where you want to be. The bridge is of course glorious, with a gentle incline that takes you past the tourists and joggers into the Oz of lower Manhattan.

Once in Manhattan, it only gets better. There are dedicated, protected bike paths along almost the whole length of the Hudson River in Manhattan now. I rode up to 181st Street, treated myself to a gourmet breakfast at the McDonalds on 181st and Broadway, then continued north on Broadway into the Bronx and Westchester.

I had plotted the route with Google Maps, which now has a " bike directions " option along with their driving, walking, and mass transit options.

The Google maps directions contained a significant error - its still in beta - , but I knew the terrain well enough to know how to keep going north. And when once in Westchester, I found the Harlem River Metro North line, and got to Hartsdale by following the tracks north as best I could.

I was a sweaty mess by the time I got to Brendan's house, but a cool shower and a few Budweisers took care of that.

As for the ride home? My cousin gave me a ride to 205th Street, and I rode the bike friendly D train home from there!

I like long distance biking and will do more of these runs.


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