S.A.F.E. Disposal Event - April 8th

Spring Cleaning? Disposal event - April 8th

April 8th from 10am to 4pm the NYC Department of Sanitation will be holding a S.A.F.E. (Solvents, Automotive, Flammable, Electronics) Disposal Event at Prospect Park Park Circle, corner of Parkside Ave & Prospect Park SW. 

So take the time to start your spring cleaning and pull out all those dusty cans and items that have been hanging around! They say you can bring a variety of items such as: 

• Automotive products such as motor oil, transmission fluid, and batteries
• Personal care items like unwanted medicines or cosmetics
• Thermometers
• Syringes (clearly labeled and packaged in a “sharps” container or other leak proof, puncture-resistant container)
• Household products such as pesticides, paint, hazardous cleaners, compact fluorescent lightbulbs
• Electronics – check the list of items that are considered electronics. 

The Dept of Sanitation has a more complete list here. 

Be sure to bring ID though, as this is only for NYC residents and for NYC residential waste!

NOT ALLOWED: 

• Appliances (Appliances with CFC/Freon (refrigerators, air conditioners & dehumidifiers): Contact 311 to make an appointment for CFC removal, then recycle curbside. 
• Household Appliances: Remove batteries and recycle curbside. (Alternatively, for small working household appliances consider taking them to the Downtown Brooklyn Stop 'N' Swap on April 19th)
• Tires: Bring back to businesses that sell them, bring to a DSNY Household Special Waste Drop-Off Site, or to any DSNY garage.

Refer to:
http://www1.nyc.gov/events/nyc-safe-disposal-event---brooklyn/168211/1
http://dsny.wpengine.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/safe-events-all-spring-2018_english.pdf

Park Bagels: Six Months Out and Already a Neighborhood Staple

When Stefano Mannino came to Red Hook last winter to size up some for-sale kitchen equipment offered by the then going-out-of-business South Brooklyn Bagel Cafe at 75 Hamilton Avenue, he had no idea he was heading towards the resting place of his third Park Bagels branch. As soon as he saw the

incredible location and space left by the previous business, however, he signed on the dotted line and started to build.

And lucky for us: a little over six months after their opening day, the cafe is doing a roaring trade in fresh, made-to-order breakfast and lunch fare, provided by some of the friendliest people in the City.

The bagel cafe has become a go-to spot for the longshoreman who work the nearby Red Hook cargo docks (the only operational dock left in Brooklyn--all the rest are on the New Jersey side of the Hudson), locals and commuters on their way to and from work, moms, dads, caretakers and kids, as well as those of us who simply cannot resist a good bagel, sandwich or cup of coffee.

Stefano Mannino

Speaking of coffee, if you have already been here and you think their brew is something to rave about, you’re not the only one. “99% of people say our coffee is amazing”, says Stefano Mannino, owner, with the remaining 1% coming in on the “too strong” side of the tracks. Their sourcing team went through over 100 different brands before finding the perfect one, and have settled on a selection that will simply melt your soul. An easygoing $1.25 (plus tax = about $1.36) gets you a cup of regular coffee, and $2.00 will place a delicious, nutty, ka-powwwerlicious espresso into your hands.

All three Park Bagels locations were opened and are run by Mannino, with the help of his two brothers, Vinny and Frankie. Mannino opened his first cafe in 2004 on 86th Street in Brooklyn, and last May he cut the tape on a Staten Island location just a few steps from the Saint George Ferry Terminal.

Vinny Mannino

The Red Hook menu is still being finalized as they continue to take into account all the suggestions and requests being made by patrons, so keep an eye out for exciting new items. Recently added: french toast. They offer tofu cream cheese and soy milk for the dairy-averted, and are currently working on a couple of vegan dishes as well.

Plans are under way to revamp the two already well-used seating areas, and are projected to be ready for spring 2014. The aim, says Mannino, is to make the cafe and garden “more of a destination” with greenery, an inviting, open design, twinkling lights, and easy stroller access. Those with kids, take note!

Park Bagels

75 Hamilton Ave.

Brooklyn, NY 11231

Hours:

M-F 6am-5pm

Sat 7am-3pm

Sun Closed

Corruption on the Waterfront

I'm guessing that headline is not the first time that "corruption" and "waterfront" have appeared in a sentence together, but this time it might be a little different....

The NYTimes reported yesterday about corruption within the Waterfront Commission over the past several decades in an article titled "Corruption Found at Waterfront Watchdog." The article starts by saying:

The Waterfront Commission of New York Harbor, created in the 1950s to break the mob’s grip on the docks, became its own bastion of lawlessness, employing some of the same corrupt, self-serving methods as the gangsters it was supposed to pursue, investigators said Tuesday in a scathing report.

Top officials at the $11-million-a-year bistate agency divided spoils, helped cronies evade the law and thwarted security provisions meant to safeguard the port against terrorism, according to the report by the New York State inspector general, which capped a nearly two-year investigation in 2007 and 2008 that the commission had sought to block in court.

Read the rest of the article here.

Old voting machines lined up for their last run in a Red Hook warehouse

Just a funny neighborhood tidbit that gives me an excuse to remind people to go vote (and tell all of their out of state family and friends to do the same). Obviously this is a historic day on numerous levels.

Pictured above are many of the city's traditional lever voting machines, which are most likely on their last run for this election. They've been in use in NYC since 1962 and are apparently stored in a Red Hook warehouse. It's always fun to see what goes on behind closed doors of so many of the area's warehouses and buildings.

Photo above and original story on NY City News Service