Remembering Brooklyn

Oh What Fun It Is

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Tue, 18 Aug 2015 23:50:00 +0000

When I was about 13 years old a couple of my friends
came to my door and asked me if they could borrow my guitar.I had a white Harmony western guitar.The type
with the f-holes on the top.My parent's had bought it for me as a Christmas present.
I used to strum and sing the song Mule Train on it;
but I didn't know any chords.
Anthony a friend of mine was teaching the fellows chords outside by the factory stoop/loading dock.
I told them I was practicing with it and lied.I then
went outside and watched as Anthony played four chords for them.The chords stuck in my head like glue.
I then went in the house and tuned the guitar with a tuning mouth piece.
I began to practice the chords I had seen him play.
It wasn't easy and I kept playing and practicing until
I had it right.My fingers started to bleed.
I then noticed as I got better at playing that the
chords matched a song I knew called, Happy Day.
They also matched many rock n roll songs.
I discovered that not only did I have a musical ear
for playing a harmonica but I could pick out a song on
the guitar without playing the chords.
By this time the young fellow I had refused to lend
my guitar had aquired one.This was my buddy Richie.
Richie and I would play all kinds of songs on the factory.We would pick and strum all day long.
Sometimes we caused arguments because the ladies who
looked out the windows wanted to hear the music and the
men who wanted to go to work the next day would yell
at us that they were trying to sleep.
The ladies would then yell at them and tell them that
they wanted us to keep playing.
The Factory steps.That was some place.It was like our
stage in life.There was nothing like it and I Thank God
we at least had that in our lives.It was our way of
being happy.After awhile we would play lots of Elvis
Presley songs and try to imitate him.
My buddy Richie had a voice and a half.If ever there
was a match for Elvis or Frank Sinatra it was Richie's
voice.Like an angel and he never realized how really good it was.He could have been big if he had self confidence.
Richie's life was no bed of rose's. and we all knew it.
I am so happy to state that Richie has a beautiful wife and family.If you saw Richie you would think he was
Clint Eastwood when he was younger or even a David Bowie
type.He definitely had talent.I think all of us had it,
in our own way.We were versatile and we were honest.
Well more another time.Thanks for reading.

Time Changes Everything

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sat, 08 Aug 2015 00:56:00 +0000

Getting back to panic attacks.When these occur it
makes your mouth very dry;so dry you begin to choke and
feel like your dying.This caused me to begin carrying
around a bottle of water at all times so my throat
wouldn't get dry when and if it occurred.
A friend of mine pointed out to me that nowadays everybody carries around water in a bottle.
We smiled at that one.
Oh! Another thing back in the forties was my school books. I had quite a number of them and one day my Dad
who had a military knapsack from WWII told me I should
use it for my school books.Actually I would have settled for an inexpensive school bag.I always carried the
knapsack filled with my books on my back.
Today I smile because all the school kids use knapsack's. No longer do you see school bags.
Time changes many things.
When I was young boy a pizza was a pizza.I don't recognize pizza today because they are so different from years back.They certainly aren't so delicious as the old days.I don't know maybe it's my taste buds that have changed after smoking for so many years. Yes most of
us inhaled cigarettes and we bought what were called
loosie's.About three for a nickel from Frank's candy store.It took me many years to get rid of those crutches. I never did get the withdrawal symptom's they talk about.I just went cold turkey and stopped and I
have never turned back again.
Time changes many things.
Well I'll try to collect my thoughts about the old days
and write about them when I get the chance.
Have a great day.

Filling Cream Puff's

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Tue, 28 Jul 2015 15:20:00 +0000

Filling Cream Puff's As a teenager working at the Pastry Shoppe I was often placed at the cream puff machine.I had to fill dozen's of cream puff's with custard cream and get the cream puff tray's ready to deliver to Paul's Marion Manor or Victory Hall which were both wedding hall's. This usually happened on Saturday which was my day to go to the Hillside Roller Rink with my friends. My friends were Mikey & Charlie La Capria,Richie Frick, Bob Migliorino.We were the neighborhood Barbershop Quartet.Not all of us went to the Roller Rink and not all of us sang.But all of us always had a thing we said, and this would drive me up the wall."What are we going to do tonight?"These were the choice's,play hamball at Grover Cleveland Park,go to a movie,take a walk up Myrtle Ave and do window shopping or just hang out on the factory platform. I liked to go to the roller rink because I enjoyed the music and we would roller skate with the pretty girls in time to the music. So you can imagine how fast I was filling those cream puff's. The center of my world was the Pastry Shop and from there did I go on. I was waiting for the store to open one morning and I saw them take a person off the corner bus in a body bag. The people around there told me a man had gotten on the bus and passed away while on there. What? The bus route began about four block's away. Was this life? You get on a bus and then within four block's you die? This began to bother me quite a bit. Not long after one evening the local druggist was outside in a chair and the folks told me he had a heart attack.We were all waiting for the ambulance.It was too late the druggist passed away sitting in a chair, outside the drug store.(Remember- air conditioning wasn't rampant like it is today.) A few days later I had a race up the block with a fellow who was a fast runner.I was very fast but when I reached the half way mark I had to stop from shortness of breath.I began hyper ventilating and passed out. An ambulance took me to the local hospital; Wyckoff Height's. They determined I was suffering from malnutrition.Yep,I was a very picky eater and practically lived on potato chip's and apple sauce. Once I got out of the hospital I began to suffer with panic attack's. I used to think I was dying and suffering a heart attack.It took a long while to get rid of the ridiculous panic attack's but I did get rid of them like you get rid of a bad nightmare. Well another time and we'll continue on.It's been quite awhile since I stopped this blog. I am no longer the administrator of the Brooklyn Friends web site because the company that had it online got rid of it.I guess Facebook became too much competition.

The Pastry Shop on the Corner

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sat, 14 Aug 2010 01:18:00 +0000

When I was a teen a fellow who would become a dear friend
and who was ten years older than I asked me if I wanted to work
in the pastry shop on the corner.All I could do was nod my head
yes and was more than happy he asked me.
I started the next day and met the owner a Mr. Montalbano.
The fellow who asked me was Frankie Messina and he was the
baker.Frank was a wonderful baker and although he disliked the
product he was making he did a great job of making cookies and
cakes,decorating birthday,holiday and wedding cakes.
My job was to clean the pan's,assist at the table where we made
the cookies and cakes,pour items as directed into
the mixing pot's and general cleaning which consisted
of cleaning pot's and
pan's,pastry bag's and tubes and sweeping the floor and washing
the long baking table. I also had to handle the oven.
Life at the bakery much fun when I remember back but not
too much at the time.
Frank was a self disciplined guy and he pointed this out to me
because he wanted me to do work without having to be told what
to do.
Frank was also a horse player and he taught me to play the
ponies.We were two dollar bettor's and he would drive to the
various racetrack's in the area.I can't say it was a bad experience because many times I would win.I haven't played in
years and as a matter of fact I'm not really a gambler.I don't
enjoy gambling.Back then it was different and more exciting.
It was more about friendship and interrelating with the world
around me.I guess you could say it's growing up.
Frank was an excellent baker and once he was offered a job
with Ferrara in Little Italy.Frank stayed at the Pastry shop
with Montalbano and when it was sold to Peter and Manny Serro,
Frank remained with them.After awhile Manny and Pete parted
ways and Frank and Pete became partner's.In the end Frank bought
Pete out and Frank was there until he passed.Frankie had raised
ten kids with his wife Marie while working there.Mixing
the dough,cutting it,shaping it,baking it.He was very fast with
his hands and was a real production baker.Each cake and cookie
were the same size and looked alike and they were made by hand.
The aroma of the bakery was indescribable and if I don't have
tha smell closeby at Christmas Time it just isn't Christmas.
The people,the bakery,the store are all good memories in my
memories.Good memories.

Frankie always in white with a friend Joe Rizzo.Joe was a real nice guy always helping someone in need.

Some of the things we did back when.

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sat, 31 Jul 2010 22:29:00 +0000

The Jolson Story was released in 1946 and I saw it in 1947.
I was about ten or eleven back then.Afterward all the boys were
singing like Jolson when we were on the block.But there was only
one Jolson and we listened to him on the radio Thursday evenings.
I remember the film showed in April and it was raining.
Toward the end of the year the day after Christmas the Blizzard
of 1947 occured.It was a bad one but for a kid it was a joy.
We built igloo's in the street next to the sidewalk.There weren't
that many car's in those days.When the weather began to get warmer
the igloo's were melting and the top was removed.
The front became a barrier fort for the many snowball fight's
we had.The terrible part was that some boy's would make ice ball's
rather than soft snowball's. Ice ball's hurt and will
break skin when hitting you.Eventually the snow melted and then
the boys would play marble's and skelly's. The girls would play
potsie and boxball and a game called giant step's.
We were never bored with anything and we didn't know what a
computer was nor an x box. There was a game machine in some
stores but they were quiz games and nothing more or less.
Our hand type computer was a game made in Japan and it was a few
bb's that you had to get into some holes on the board beneath a
round glass window.It wasn't electronic.
Many of us read comic book's.Read, not saved them as
collectible's. Boys and girls alike enjoyed comic book's of all
types.Super Hero's,Teen,Love,Cowboy,Biography,classic stories,
cartoon animal's,war,supernatural and mystery you name it
and there was a comic for it. We traded the comics with
each other.
We never ran out of the comic book's.
Another game we would play is flipping card's.
Baseball card's.
We never ran out of baseball card's either.
Many of them were saved because we were fan's
of the player's.

Growing Up ~ Williamsburg/Bushwick

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Fri, 02 Jul 2010 23:49:00 +0000

They say that children can be cruel.I have found that in my
past but adult's can also be cruel. I was born with a deformity
and was made fun at until the age of 17 when I removed the one
thing that had caused me pain.Since the age of 17 no one has ever
remarked about my past deformity because it was no longer there.
I had some surgery to cure the problem that other's had with
my look's.I went to bed many night's praying that I'd wake up the
next day without it but it was always there in plain site.
I often thought while growing up that I would work as a person
in a side show but this never came to pass.I liked myself the way
I was but the world seemed to be disturbed by my deformity.
The day the deformity was removed I cried from happiness.
No longer would there be name calling.It would end and the ugly
duckling would now be a swan.It didn't happen over night - but it
did happen.
Now that I am old I find that the most important thing is the
beauty not outside but inwardly that we as human beings have.
People are basically good and I've found out that what makes
some bitter is the life they've led and the abuse they suffered.
Animal's are no different.
The neighborhood's I grew up in and the folk's that lived in them were a great part of shaping my personality.I had some really
wonderful people in my early youth.They were of all nationalities
and religion's.They influenced the person I would become.
Some of the people had broken lives and weren't able to cope.
This too was a part of my life as much as their's.

-----------------------------------------------------------------

NOTE* Thank you for the many reponse's on here.
The only picture I have available of the Commodore on
Broadway is this.It is no longer a movie theater.

Growing Up

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sat, 12 Jun 2010 17:23:00 +0000

Going to PS 123 was a strange experience. I didn't get along
with the teacher I would have for the years I was there. I don't
want to mention her name because this would give her some sort
of fame. She definitely doesn't deserve it. She was a sadist.
I received all D's and U's from her. I probably deserved them
because of the dislike I had for her.
I was supposed to go to another teacher at PS 123 but instead
my Mom took me out of the school and I went to PS 74 where I began
the sixth grade not the fifth grade. I'm not sure how this
happened.
I loved going to PS 74.The teacher's were really nice. Of course
there is always one bad apple in the bunch and I did have one
there but avoided him like the plague. I won't mention his name
either. The man was very heavy and out of shape,yet he thought of
himself as a jock. He wasn't.
After graduation I went to Bushwick High School and I wasn't
academically inclined.
After half of the term I transferred to East New York Vocational
High( The Annex). My school average was very high and I had
a run in with school tough's ala “The Blackboard Jungle”
again I transferred to GWVHS downtown Brooklyn.
At sixteen I found I didn't care for the courses at the high school
and decided I would drop out and go to work.
This may seem concise and it is but rememberI was influenced
reading comic books of all types,listening to music of all types,
riding the subways of New York and visiting the many neighborhood's.
My voyages were on the Staten Island Ferry which was FREE and
train fare was ten cent's.
Riding trolley car's was a great experience,fishing in Canarsie,
crabbing at Broad Channel,trips to Coney Island and riding in the
first car with the front window open to view all that was going
by.Riding my bike all over Brooklyn and seeing all there was to see.
I considered this part of my education a big part of it.
Not to forget the many television show's I went to in Manhattan.
I would wait outside and receive free ticket's to them.
Movies on 42nd St were numerous and inexpensive.They weren't
X-rated when I was a kid,this came much later on.
There was a theater on 42nd St called the Laff and they showed
cartoon's and comedy film's all day long non-stop.

Bushwick

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 19 Apr 2010 03:16:00 +0000

I moved to Dekalb Ave between Wilson Ave and Myrtle/Central Ave.
I was enrolled in PS 123 on Irving Ave.We visited my grand
parent's on a regular basis back then.The person I loved the
most other than my Mom was my Grandpa.He was a very happy and
interesting man.There wasn't anythinghe wouldn't have gotten me.
I never really asked him for anything though.He always offered me
candy,malt's and would carry me all around the whole neighborhood.
Sadly I lost him of cancer when I was ten.I never forgot the
scourge of a disease that made him ill.He was too nice for that
to happen to him.I've always felt the good go before their time.
I passed the time of day playing with my new found friends.
It took them time to get to know me.For some crazy I would fight
fistcuffs with the one boy who was to remain my lifelong friend.
I was a street kid and I don't know what that really mean's now,
but I feel it was doing things that weren't normal to other's.
I was a little wild kid and eventually through the years I
calmed down.As I grew up I always averted a fight if possible.
Fighting never made sense unless you did it professionally.
I was never a hateful person and if I ever got into an
argument I forgot about it quickly.On the other hand I don't like
to bother someone that doesn't want to be bothered.This include's
member's of my own family.I'm getting ahead of myself now so I'll
quit and continue my growing up in Bushwick later.

Leaving Williamsburg

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sat, 03 Apr 2010 00:06:00 +0000

Before I move on to Bushwick I'd like to add that my sister
Mary was born when I was five.My Mom had her in St. Catherine's
Hospital.I still remember the day she bought her home.
It was a happy day and my Dad was still in the Navy at
the time.The year was 1942.Those were the years of the air raid's,
because of the War.
I remember my Mom leaving her with the lady upstair's.Her
name was Ruth and when my Mom came home she had changed my
sister and found black and blue marks on her butt.She accused
Ruth of hitting my sister and this led into an all out brawl.
Ruth a big woman compared to my Mom was being dragged down the
stair's by my Mom and my Mom kept hitting her.
I could never figure out why Ruth did such a thing.Ruth used to
have sugar when no sugar was available.Sometime's she would share
some of the sugar with my Mom.I hated saccherine tablet's which'
was used to replace the sugar back then.Sugar wasn't available.
AlsoRuth had a piano and her husband used to get drunk.
His name was George. I never did see George standing up.
He was always sleeping it off on the coach.Ruth had a piano,
but I wasn't allowed to touch it.Itried playing on a few key's
once but she yelled at me and told me to never touch the piano.

Williamsburg - The move

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Tue, 30 Mar 2010 02:21:00 +0000

When I lived on Lynch St I always waited for my
Dad's letter's because he was in the Navy.My Mom
would read them to me.
I remember the day he came home for good.
He greeted everyone that came to see him in my
cold water flat with the mice and roaches hiding
during the day.
I knew he wasn't going to stay in Williamsburg
and that he'd move us closer to his parent's in
Bushwick Brooklyn.The person who I'd miss the most
was my cousin Catherine because she had been good
to me and very generous.
We did move not long after and I wasn't to see any
of my Williamsburg friends or many of my cousin's
again.
We visited my aunt and Uncle Lillian and Blaise
often and I enjoyed riding on the trolley car.
After our visit Catherine always had something
for me.Comic's or toy's or book's.She was so good.
The thing I remember about my Uncle Blaise was
that he had pile's whatever they were and also
he had a hernia whatever that was.At the time I
was young and these things were only word's to
me.Thething I remember well about my Aunt Lilly
was that she had no children.Catherine and her
sister were being raised by them because their Mom
had passed away and their father was detained.
What I remember real well about Lynch St was
the many dog's and cat's I bought into the flat,
and the many I had to take back to the lot's where
I found them.
Lynch Street was the place where I the son of
my father wasn't liked very much if at all because
my father wasn't liked at all by my Mom's family.
My cousin's liked me but most of the elder's
couldn't care one way or the other.
Only Uncle Blaise and Aunt Lilly really liked me.
Now we were heading to Bushwick Brooklyn.

Willimsburg Part 7

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sun, 07 Mar 2010 22:14:00 +0000

When I think back I'm reminded that I was a child
during the horse and wagon day's in Brooklyn NY.
The milkman,the fruit and vegetableman,the iceman
worked with a horse and wagon.
I remember the stable where a man named Joe the
Stableman would shoe the horse's.I would watch and
would always think that the nails were hurting the
horse.He always assured me it wasn't before he told
me to leave.
One day the local boys were getting fruit boxes
and when I asked them what they were doing they told
me they were making shine boxes to shine shoe's for money.
I went tothe fruit store and the man gave me a box when
I asked for it.I took it to the block and got a hammer
and some nails and made a very primitive shine box.
My father had shine shoes wax,brushes and rags in the
house and I filled the box and went hunting for customer's.
I must have been about six years old.
When I sat down on by the bath house on Broadway two
fellows about twenty years old asked me for a shine.
The one fellow threatened me about the shine.He didn't
want me to get any polish on his white sox.
I proceeded very carefully to make sure no polish was
being placed on his sox.Afterward,when I was finished I
told him the shoe shine was ten cent's.He began yelling
at me and lied stating I had put polish on his white sox.
He refused to pay me and began swearing at me.
In the box was liquid black shoe cleaner.I walked about
ten feet away and lobbed the bottle of black cleaner in
front of him.He was then covered all over with the splatter
from the bottle.I proceeded to run as fast as I could with my
box in tow.He never did catch me but I would believe he
would respect shoe shine boy's lot's better afterward.
I'm pretty sure the guy grew up to be a cheap crook who
picked on defenseless people.

Williamsburg Part 6

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 03 Mar 2010 04:53:00 +0000

I never forgot my boyhood home in Williamsburg.The memories
are still fresh in my mind.I loved going to Rubin's on
Harrison Ave where I would buy movie star picture cards from
a machine for a penny.I remember going to Lizzie's Grocery a
few door's down.I remember Waldo Brown a young African American
child who often got into fistcuff's with me.Neither of us were
winner's during those boyhood squirmish's.I remember the twin's
who lived on Broadway.I remember Murray the strange and deluded man who came around now and then.He always wore a suit but seemed
to be mixed up with his thinking.
I remember Uncle Blaise and Aunt Lilly and how he used to be
playful with her and give her a bear hug and say,"Say,Sugar and Spice and everything nice".
I remember my cousin Catherine who would give me the shirt off her
back.Comic Books,Toy's,the latest toy she was given by Uncle
Blaise.So many things to numerous to mention but always giving.
Catherine never took.She was a giver and I loved her til this
day.She was the best cousin a person could ever want in their life. And she was very beautiful.
The forties were good years in my life and I only wish I
could have them back again.Some things were painful but for the
most part they were beautiful years.

Willamsburg Part 5

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sat, 20 Feb 2010 22:13:00 +0000

Recently some friends emailed me a link to a program such as Google Maps
and I really didn't want to look at the old neigborhood again.I had a good
motive.I knew it wasn't there any longer. Mygrandparent's owned the house's
on Lynch St. between Broadway and Union Avenue. Writing this made me curious
as to how much did it really change? Unfortunately I looked and saw that the old
block was no longer as it once had been.In it's place was an Auto Collision Co.
encompassing the block including the other street which is Middleton St.
Gone are the physical memories of my childhood.Even the addresses changed.
I find it disparaging and depressing. Memories that encompassed people's
lives and those of their children are all gone. It doesn't look like the same place
anymore. The whole area has been replaced with different dwellings,school's
and apartment house's. The old Bath house and horse trough on Broadway and
Lorimer St is gone too. In less than 70 years they've managed to change the
face of the landscape that once was my Williamsburg neighborhood.
Movie theater's gone,factories gone, Even street's such as Mckibbon St that
ran into Broadway across from Middleton St is gone.
My mind doesn't see an improvement.What I see is a concrete neighborhood.
It appears as cold as the buildings themelve's. There is absolutely no aesthetic
value to the are whatsoever.I find it sad,very sad.
I outlived the house I was born in many years ago.

Williamsburg Part 4

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sat, 20 Feb 2010 02:01:00 +0000

Some of my cousin's were all gathered around one day and after
having read many Superman and Superhero comic book's I felt
I was a Superman.I found a dirty razor in the street and said,
“watch this”.I proceeded to bend down and cut through my new
suit pant's at the knee.It went deep and about an inch and a half
wide.It was summertime and the blood came gushing out and I
realized I wasn't Superman after all.I remember the wound very
well because I suffered with it bleeding many times..It wouldn't
heal very fast because it was my knee and walking didn't do it
much justice. I walked a great deal as a kid not even to mention
all outdoor games I played.
Eventually it healed even though I didn't get stitches.I still have
the scar and my knee doesn't bother me at all.
Another injury I inflicted on myself was from climbing a
backyard fence.It was a very old fence and when I tried to scale it
to get to the other side a bent rusty nail entered the middle finger
of my left hand. It went in and came out like a hook.I was literally
hooked and gave out a loud scream. My Uncle Blaise heard me
and saw that I was in trouble on the fence.He came down the
fire escape into the backyard and darted toward me.Thanks to him
I became unhooked and he drove me to St. Catherine's Hospital.
They didn't give me any stitches and I still have a light
representation of the scar.This healed pretty quickly.
These two incident's are mild in comparison to some of the
accident's and mischief I witnessed with other boy's my age.
Both of them are memorable because Of the scars they left me with.
Along with those scars come the memories of other childhood
event's in my life.The pizza parties in the backyard my grandfather
would have. The music playing during the family gatherings.
One of my Uncle's played guitar and my cousin Joey played the
accordian. An Uncle would do acting scene's and he was very good
at it because when he did it everyone would cry during the sad scene's.
He was very dramatic and should have been a hollywood actor.
Many Aunt's and Uncle's cousin's in my Mom's family were very
talented and I always enjoyed talent and music foremost in my life.

" />

My Uncle Blaise

Williamsburg Part 3

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Thu, 18 Feb 2010 03:40:00 +0000

The forties were a memorable time in my life.There were many
newspaper's sold at newsstands and candy stores.The Journal
American,the Daily Mirror,The Herald Tribune were those that
are no longer available. Newspaper's were sold at various time's
of the day.We would wait for the evening editions of the newspaper's.
These edition's are no longer sold.
While a person waited for the evening edition's in a candy store
they could order various types of counter soda's.They could also
choose from various type's of pulp magazine's and comic book's.
Ice cream would usually be purchased in a take out container or
perhap's mellorolls which were placed in an edible square cup.

WWll Ration Book

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 15 Feb 2010 20:01:00 +0000

Williamsburg continued Part 2

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 15 Feb 2010 16:20:00 +0000

Tenement House where I was born

The best part of Williamsburg to me were my cousin's

and my friends.I lived in a tenement house back then;

the apartment was called a “cold water flat”.

The heating system was a coal stove and when you

took a bath it was in a sink.You had to heat the water

on the coal stove to get the water hot.

My Dad was in the Navy at that time and I was able

to roam the street's. Very few car's were on the road in those

day's so it was pretty safe.Horse and wagon was still be used

and the vender's who sold fruit and veggie's would use them.

There were no local supermarket's or mall's as they have today.

Store's were called Mama and Papa and owned by a family.

If you went to a grocer he didn't use anadding machine; his

adding machine was a brown paper bag and a pencil.

He would write the prices very large on the bag and then

put the point of the pencil in his mouth and then proceed

to add the price's and write it down.

Many people didn't have enough money to pay for the

item's and the grocer would have a “book”.

He would write the amount owed in the book and trust

you for the debt until it was paid.It was a pretty thick book.

Because there was a war going on many item's had to be

purchased with ration stamps.The Government was

rationing food and in order to buy a particular product such

as sugar,you needed a stamp plus the fee to pay for it.

In many cases this caused what was called a black market

and unscrupulous store keeper's would only sell to those who paid

a higher price for the product. This was called selling “under the

counter”.

There was a deposit on milk and soda bottle's and if I wanted

to go to the movie all I had to do is bring a few bottle's to the

grocer and get the deposit money.This would allow me to get into

a local movie house and stay there for about four hour's.There

was more than one film playing and cartoon's and movie short's

and a newsreel.

My primary source of entertainment was radio.Television didn't

come into my life until 1947 and at that time I was ten years old.

The prior years were filled with radio shows.You had to use your

imagination and to me radio was wonderful. When television

came it was heartbreaking to see the show's I listened to go off the air.

They were wonderful show's and many years later the computer allowed

me to relive those day's I never forgot.All my radio shows were online.

To be continued.....

Williamsburg,Brooklyn ~ The Forties

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 15 Feb 2010 01:41:00 +0000

Aunt Lillian

I've never really wrote a blog and at this point in my life I'd rather

read somebody else's stories or comment's. I've lived a pretty full

life and I'm still going strong these days.I administrate a Brooklyn

Message board that post's stories,news,jokes pictures,video's,etc.

I've made many friends on the Brooklyn Friends site.Which is the

name of the site I administer.

I originally come from Williamsburg Brooklyn around Broadway

and Lorimer St. As a kid in the forties I played in many lot's that

were vacant and filled with all kinds of things people got rid of because

they were junk.As they say one man's junk was this kid's treasure.

My favorite part of the forties was going to movie's.We had all kinds

of movie house's back then and the cheaper one's were called “The Itch”.

When you walked around in them your shoe's would stick to the floor.

But for the cost of ten to twelve cent's,who cared. I went to the Sun,

Roger's Commodore,Marcy,Playhouse,Lindy,Rainbow,Republic,Alba

and Roger's Theaters just to name a few in that area.

There was a Chinese restaurant on Broadway between Marcy and Hewes

St back then. The head waiter's name was Joe,like mine.I still remember

him getting my special seat for the chair so I could reach the table.

He was a good guy and you just remember good guys's.

People flew pigeon's from their rooftop's back then.They had pigeon

coops on the roof. Trolley car's rolled along tracks set in cobblestone street's.

Many people played Bingo Games at the local churches back then.

The shopping was done around Seigal St and Graham Ave at the Market.

We had many candy stores back then where you could buy a frappe,which

was a metal dish with a scoop of ice cream and some chocolate syrup on it.

In those days people had various hobbies such as saving matchbook cover's,

some liked to color in coloring books with crayon's,Some read and saved or

traded comic book's.

I'll continue again,I had to start something though.....

BitchCakes Blog

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Fri, 05 Feb 2010 02:15:00 +0000

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Landmark Jersey Theater Organ

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 19 May 2008 01:30:00 +0000

A REAL OLD TIME MOVIE THEATER - Inside Beat

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Fri, 16 May 2008 01:14:00 +0000

A REAL OLD TIME MOVIE THEATER - Inside Beat

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Tue, 06 May 2008 02:07:00 +0000

I worked downtown NYC many years and was eyewitness to the 9/11/2001 attack. The Towers were my photographic neighbor and this series is my heartfelt salute to them... First in a series (and Set) about lower Manhattan "Before Ground Zero", all photos focusing on the World Trade Center's Twin Towers. This was taken about 1983-84 before the Brooklyn waterfont - with rotted pier pilings as ghostly sentinels - between the Brooklyn and Manhattan (out of view to right) Bridges was "cleaned up".

Click on picture for unknown writer

Most Holy Trinity Church~ Montrose Ave.

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 05 May 2008 02:30:00 +0000

Betty Smith, the author of the novel "A Tree
Grows In Brooklyn," was born on December 15, 1896 as Elisabetha Wehner (child of
Joannes Wehner and Katharina Hommel); according to the Baptismal Registry of
this church, she was baptized by the Reverend Nicholas M. Wagner here (then
simply known as “Holy Trinity”) on January 24, 1897. In the best-selling novel,
Smith wrote about a fictitious girl named Francie who grew up in Williamsburg,
Brooklyn. Although Trinity is never mentioned by name, the author clearly refers
to her own church.

Did you know . . .

A Tree Grows In Brooklyn

“Francie thought it was the most beautiful church in Brooklyn. It was made of old gray stone and had twin spires that rose cleanly into the sky, high above the tallest tenements. Inside, the high vaulted ceilings, narrow deepset stained-glass windows and elaborately carved altars made it a miniature cathedral.”

Betty Smith, A Tree Grows in Brooklyn (New York: Harper & Brothers, 1943) p 390.

From the Insider

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sat, 03 May 2008 03:04:00 +0000

Coney Island
Brooklyn’s "Playground by the Sea"
Disney World or Six Flags Great Adventure it ain’t. For a refreshing alternative to corporate-owned amusement parks, take a day trip to Brooklyn’s Coney Island. One of America's most celebrated beach resorts during the first half of the 20th Century, Coney Island remains a Mecca for summer fun even today.
Yes, many rides are antiquated and the area is battling its way back from urban blight. But don’t let that deter you. It is all part of Coney’s charm.
Over the years, Coney Island has been referred to as a poor man’s paradise. Just an hour by subway from midtown Manhattan, Coney offers an abundance of sun, sand and surf, especially to city dwellers unable to afford costly summer getaways. The beach is free, wide, and groomed regularly. Exiting the train, you can practically taste the salty Atlantic Ocean lingering in the air.
The area has even taken on a chic honky-tonk hipness as of late, serving as a backdrop for music videos, fashion shoots, TV shows and movies. Remember the scene with the house under the roller coaster in the Woody Allen film "Annie Hall"? That was Coney Island’s now abandoned Thunderbolt.
The amusement area is open daily Memorial Day through Labor Day, although some attractions may be open earlier or later in the season, depending upon the weather. If you have never ventured to this peninsula at the southernmost reaches of Brooklyn, you owe it to yourself and your kids to join the millions who have left their footprints in the sands of Coney Island.
Major Amusement AreasAstroland and Deno’s Wonder Wheel Park are Coney Island’s two major amusement areas. Here are the highlights:
The CycloneThe warning posted outside the Cyclone reads "DO NOT RIDE IF YOU ARE PREGNANT, WEAR A PACEMAKER OR SUFFER FROM OTHER MEDICAL CONDITIONS," and they mean it. This 100-second, 9-hill legendary roller coaster has no upside-down corkscrew loops, but will make you lose your lunch, nevertheless. Winding its way over rickety wooden planks at speeds of up to 60 miles per hour, the entire structure feels as if it could collapse at any moment. What’s even more terrifying after the initial 85 foot plunge, is the way this relic of a roller coaster violently jerks you about. Built in 1927, the Cyclone is now included in the National Register of Historic Places. 834 Surf Avenue and W. 10th Street.
The Wonder WheelAt 150 feet, the Wonder Wheel is the world’s tallest Ferris wheel and the centerpiece of the Coney Island amusement area. Built in 1920, this one-of-a-kind ride includes 16 swinging and 8 stationary cars that provide a panoramic view of the Atlantic Ocean, the Jersey Shore and the NYC skyline. While the Wonder Wheel looks like harmless fun, in reality, the swinging cars are nasty nausea-inducing contraptions. In 1989, the structure was declared an official NYC landmark.
The HellholeYou stand inside a circular chamber with a dozen other sadomasochists, when suddenly, the chamber starts spinning as the floor drops out. Before you know it, the centrifugal force has you pinned to the wall like a sock during the spin cycle of a washing machine. Dare to throw up and the centrifugal force glues your spew to your body. When the nightmare finally ends, you agree to the ride operator’s offer of a second ride at half price. 12th street between Bowery and the Boardwalk.
El Dorado Disco Bumper Cars"Bump, bump, bump your ass off!!!" trumpets the recording over the PA system. Coney Island’s bumper cars are the perfect way to vent your frustrations. If you ever had the urge to ram your car into the jerk who just cut you off, here is your opportunity. And with blaring disco music shattering the decibel meter, your victim will never hear you coming. Surf Avenue and W. 12th Street.
The Parachute JumpBuilt for the 1939 World’s Fair and dubbed the Eiffel Tower of Brooklyn, this designated national landmark has not been operational for years. In its day, the Parachute Jump hoisted riders to its summit, then dropped them into a free-fall before deploying a parachute. While some view the 262-foot tower as wrought-iron wreckage, others value the distinctive structure as a permanent fixture on the Brooklyn skyline.
Coney Island Circus SideshowStep right up and witness the fire eater, the bearded lady, the snake charmer, the human blockhead (who hammers nails into his skull), and a bevy of other human curiosities. You will see 10 live acts in all in this good old-fashioned freak show. Staged by the non-profit organization Coney Island USA, shows last from 45 minutes to an hour. Friday nights from 7 PM past midnight, and Saturday and Sundays from 2 PM past midnight during the summer. West 12th Street off Surf Avenue. (718) 372-5159.
The BoardwalkOn sunny days, Coney Island’s 3-mile boardwalk brings out swells of joggers, bikers, leisurely strolling couples and mothers pushing strollers. Heading east, the boardwalk runs into Brighton Beach, nicknamed "Little Odessa" for the thousands of Russian immigrants who settled here in the 1980s. For a truly ethnic experience, enjoy a bite at one of the outdoor Russian cafes lining the boardwalk in Brighton.
The Aquarium for Wildlife ConservationWhen you have had your fill of cotton candy and stomach-churning rides, get splashed by the dolphins (a "Saltwater Souvenir") at the Aquarium for Wildlife Conservation (formerly known as the New York Aquarium). Considered one of the top marine facilities in the country, the aquarium features 10,000 living specimens including beluga whales, sharks, octopuses, penguins, electric eels, walruses and seals. Catch a show at the new outdoor theater, or reach out to a horseshoe crab in the touch tank. Surf Avenue and W. 8th Street. (718) 265-FISH.
Nathan’sNo visit to Coney Island would be complete without stopping off at the original Nathan’s Famous. Opened in 1916, some people swear Nathan’s makes the best damn hot dogs and French fries on the planet. And we agree. The Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest, held every July 4th, is a spectacle in gluttony not to be missed.
Other Rides & Attractions
Other rides and attractions, some of which operate independently of Coney’s two major amusement parks include carousels, a water flume, spook houses, go karts, batting ranges, BB gun shooting galleries and a variety of carnival games, like the watergun game pictured (left) where guys still win kewpie dolls for their sweethearts.
How To Get ThereThe heart of Coney Island is at Surf Avenue and the Boardwalk in Brooklyn. By Car: Take the Belt Parkway to exit 6. Go south on Cropsey Avenue to Surf Avenue. By Train: Take the B, D, N or F trains to Stillwell Avenue-Coney Island (the last stop), or take the D or F trains to West 8th Street.
By Mitch Lemus

Poetry by Bob Friedland

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sat, 03 May 2008 00:50:00 +0000

THE LAST KNISH-MAN

There are no more knish-men
on Pitkin Avenue.
No more flat knishes on waxed paper
sprinkled with too much coarse salt
so the crystals that did not adhere
slid off the smooth paper
on to the top of the sheet metal wagon,
or on to the wide sidewalks,
or off into the wind.
No more Litvaks.
No more Galitzianers.
Just black men in surplus greatcoats
burning beef fat in up-ended oildrums by the slaughterhouse.
Rubbing their hands, shaking and blowing on their knuckles,
passing a bottle, swallowing deeply to stay warm.
There are no more old tailors
not even Mr. Koenig, with numbers
tattooed around their wrists.
No more appetizing-store owners slicing lox,
or offering a taste of wooden-boxed cream cheese
to mothers' boys on the tip of a sharp knife.
No more push-carts,
No more delicatessens with spicy brown mustard
rolled up in small cones of heavy brown waxed paper.
Even Harry Cabot, who drove to Spring Valley with my father,
to buy milk, during the strike.
Even Harry Cabot is dead.

BROOKLYN 14, NEW YORK

1956, and
Father Knickerbocker in peeling paint,
Dutch colonial dress, cane
and a beer,
peers down from the wall of Dominic's Grocery
over rectangular reading glasses.
A gallon mayonnaise jar
filled with clear liquid,
and a note taped, hand-written,
on sandwich wrapping paper, says,
"Tears of Dodger Fans.
Wait 'til next year."
Across 18th Avenue
the new two-tone Pontiacs sit idle in the showroom,
the live poultry market is closing,
the men with the horse-drawn wagons,
the one who sells javel water,
the other who sharpens dull knives and collects rags,
are finishing their rounds.
The breeze off of Gravesend Bay
is smooth and salty.
The West End rumbles overhead on the El,
where it turns down toward
New Utrecht.
In Whitey's, the boys drink soda,
smoke,
and re-live the perfect game.

KINGS HIGHWAY

The wind roars up Ocean Parkway
and slices the Sunday morning volunteers
on the spot where Washington marched off
to meet Burgoyne in Long Island.
There's a mural in the high-ceilinged bank.
Now the icy wind freezes the windows thick
with the heavy moist condensate of the bagel bakery
on East Fifth Street.
Inside, platoons of doughy circles are pulled
from hot water, spread quickly on long narrow boards
and advanced into the ovens.
It is warm steamy and loud
with shouted commands and orders.
"A dozen assorted, no salt."
"Six and six."
Under their arms, the volunteers shoulder
the Times, the Mirror, or the Daily News.
The bagels that are almost too hot to hold,
will be frozen by the time they are home.
Its better to eat at least one right away,
plain,
and let the warm doughy softness dissolve.