R Train to Have New Lawrence St Connection this Friday at 1pm

NY1 reports that the new direct tunnel connection between Lawrence St ( R train ) and Jay St / Borough Hall ( A, C, F trains ) will open Friday, Dec 10.

This will allow free transfers between the stations. Each station will be renamed " Jay Street Metrotech " ( since they will henceforth be a single station )

This will be a handy connection for Bay Ridge commuters heading to destinations on on Eighth Avenue or near the South St Seaport ( A, C) or to the lower East Side or Sixth Avenue, or 63rd St / East Side( F )

There of course has always been a connection with the F at Ninth St, but this connection will involve far fewer stairs.

I will try to take a photo of the new connection this Friday.

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Friday reportage from NY Daily News
and
CBS
and
NY1

Photos from Gothamist

Chilean Miner Will Run Through Bay Ridge As A Participant In the New York Marathon

The great story just got even better.

Bay Ridge will have a distinguished visitor this coming Sunday, as Edison Pena, one of the rescued miners from Chile will be paying us a visit.

Pena also ran a 10.5-mile leg of a triathlon in Chile on Oct. 24. He was one of 33 miners who were trapped underground for 69 days after the Aug. 5 mine collapse.

He became known as "The Runner" for his daily workouts.

I think I know who will get the loudest cheers.

Si se puede indeed!

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.