Coney Island Boardwalk Dies

As some of you might have read this week, Coney Island Boardwalk died this week. On November 1st all the boardwalk food establishments received two Fed Ex packages containing duplicate letters informing them that the current tenants had 14 days to vacate the properties. This included Gregory and Pauls (50 year veteran), Rubies Bar (50 year veteran), The Gyro Corner (20 year veteran) Cha Cha's Bar (25 year veteran) and of course Kris Greg's Grill House (Since 1993).

Early Monday morning Steve (owner of the Grill House) and I were going to a meeting and received the news. I was driving when his wife called him and told him that after 17 years he nolonger had a business. His whole body began to quiver and shake and with tears told me that this was his entire life. Steve had established his business in 1993 with the help of a relative. The property to which he built The Grillhouse on was a sandy area of Coney Boardwalk with burnt out cars and trash. For 17 year he continued to make improvements to the business and facility. He weathered many rainy seasons and in the end was able to maintain a reasonable lifestyle. He employed, during the busy season, nearly 30 very hard to employee people from the Coney Island area. On a busy day he provided food to thousands of customers. His business reflected the Coney Island Entrepreneurial spirit that made Coney Island into an amazing place to visit. Each of the people displaced by Central Amusements, the front for Bloomberg and NYC Economic Development Corporation, were evicted so that urban development might take place. Up until this time no one would make investments here because of the risk of making money.

Who takes over Coney Island? Central Amusements (an Italian owned and financed company) was given a 10 year lease of city owned property for $100K plus a small percentage of profit per year (that is for 6.9 acres). In addition, all the infrastructure was built out at the expense of NYC. This included electric, power infrastructure and all paving to the specs of Central Amusements. All they had to do was drop their rides into place. As an added benefit they can use this park as a sales tool. (Picture - Gordon of Polar Bears and Steve Owner of the Grill House)

Under the direction of the Bloomberg team they were also given the responsibility of reshaping the look and feel of the boardwalk. They (in good faith) gave the current vendors a chance to bid on the properties and businesses. However prior to the bids and behind closed doors a French company was hired to organize and implement the boardwalk. For this company it was all or nothing. Either they were given the entire boardwalk to work over or they would not entertain taking the project. The bids of the current vendors meant nothing and were solicited as a public relations stunt for critics of the project.

Critics have said that Bloomberg should not be spending over 100 million on this project with so many people suffering with unemployment and MTA fair increases. They have sharply criticized him for offering this project to a foreign company and then again evicting American small businessmen and hiring a French company to manage the boardwalk properties. As they evict the small successful business men who hired local workers, they will be replaced with corporate franchise businesses.

One franchise that won a spot on the boardwalk was Nathans Hot Dogs. As you might be aware, their first store is on Surf Avenue, down the block from the Grill House. To date the competitive nature of the hot dog business kept prices to $2.50 and $3.00 a hot dog. This summer Luna Park had a fixed price of $4 for a Nathans hot dog. Now all the competition will be gone and Nathans can charge $4 or more for a hot dog. This pricing scheme will make it impossible for about 85% of the people visiting the beach to afford food there.

All of this is to say that one of the most quintessential American places where the entrepreneurial spirit reigned has been taken over by foreign companies and corporations with little or no interest in the local community. If one wants to figure out why our country is in deep trouble, look no further than the shores of Coney Island.

In retaliation the owners met in a private place and retained a high powered lawyer to protest their eviction on such short and harsh notice. In the end they will be evicted, whether this year or within the next few years. Steve may be entitled to a cash sum for his building. He is looking into starting a new place across from Nathans on Surf Avenue.

A fairer way to have done this would be to have torn down the deteriorating buildings and built new structures and allow the current vendors back with reasonable rents. Greed and big corporate business can never see that, nor can the Government that was elected to serve us.

Weeds in Brooklyn

Everyday I walk around the block. I take Harlow's dog Chloe with me. It is always an interesting walk. Who would think that one square block could warrent a blog post. Just as I leave my building, there are several commercial buildings. One is a bare bones deli. If you like a cheap egg and bacon sandwich for $2.50 this is the place. Milk is high priced as is the rest of the stuff there. Next door to the deli is the Italian social club, Castellammare del Golfo. Now there are not too many people left in the social club which originated on the northern shore of Sicily. The old timers come here nightly. Only for special events will the wives be seen. In late August they have a feast which has boiled down to grilled hot dogs and hamburgers. Along with the feast they have the local priest come from the Italian Catholic church and bless the patron statue that they keep guarded in their club. Most of the time they have a little service in front of the club which included communion. I talked about this several posts ago. This year they tried something different. On a somewhat rainy day they decided to march with the statue to the church about 8 long blocks away. The parade to the church included the wives who marched in front of the Men who marched along side of the statue. (Double click on any picture to see it more clearly) Behind the statue was a 5 piece Italian band that I think played for funerals. Since there are virtually no Italian families left in this area of Brooklyn it was a very interesting event for the Asian and Russians to observe. When your culture disappears your traditions often stand out as a bit abnormal.

Walking down the block at corner is a construction site. The Asian family living there decided to build on an addition to their home. All day people walking by this building stop and make comments. Being in the building business and being aware of the importance of zoning, I was also waiting to see what was being built. They used heavy steel beams which gave the impression that they were going to build a high building in an area that had all three story buildings. People commented that this structure would destroy the neighbor's property by placing a huge brick wall on the side of their property which was once an open space with good air flow. In Sunset Park, a few neighborhoods away the Asian population has taken over the look of the neighborhood by erecting many high rise buildings. Because they are used to crowded cities, a high density, high rise community seems normal to them. But to people who live in Brooklyn this increase of density of people is very troublesome. Because immigration from Europe mirrored living expectations here there was little adjustment to new cultures. Asian culture is not the norm. When a community like Flushing turns completely Asian, the American people left behind end up in a world that is very unfamiliar to them. 8th Avenue in Brooklyn has become just that and Flushing Queens made the complete transformation with the last American Grocery store leaving the area this summer. This culture shock is increasing with the influx of Asians to the United States and especially Brooklyn. I think that we are going to have a lot to learn in the future.

As I continue around the block there are several interesting houses. One house is pretty broken down with a sour cherry tree in the front yard ( You make cherry pie from sour cherries). It has a weed infested garden of huge proportion on the side lot of the house. Several houses down is a home where for many months it appeared like the entire place was full of weeds. As I walked passed I wanted to knock on the family's door and tell them to please clean up the mess. Then one day in late August I turned onto the block and as I approached this house the whole front yard was in bloom. The lily like flowers were breathtaking. It took me by complete surprise. I came back with a camera to capture this amazing gift. There is no doubt that from weeds can come beautiful flowers and this certainly was proof. How often do we treat others as weeds and try to extract them from our communities. David in Psalm 139 reminds us that we are wonderfully and fearfully made. When we think that we are in the presence of a weed, it may be that the weed has not had a chance to bloom.

On this same block two houses away from the lily house, was one of the most unusual statements of faith that I have ever seen. You might think this is incredibly funny or you may look at this and be deeply moved by the statement a 7 year old who decorated his front lawn unintentionally makes. You be the judge.

Many Blessings, Barre.

Brooklyn Summer 2010

This year the summer months started off with a heat wave. Memorial day found nearly one million people visiting Coney Island. Kris Greg's Grill House was swarmed with customers, non-stop for nearly 12 hours. Soon after came the Mermaid Parade which drew another million people to the beach. This crowd was mostly Manhattan people who love any opportunity to be wild for a day. They also drink premium beer and tip!

Luna Park is now open and has been packed each weekend. Word has it that some of the rides are really fun and well worth the price.

This past weekend was the 4th of July weekend. On Sunday the 4th there was another million or so people visiting Coney Island. The weather was well into the 90's for all three days with a refreshing breeze coming off the beach. This year at the Grill House things seem different. Prices are higher with a hot dog costing $4. Also, there were fewer people spending money this year. Generally there are very long lines with a million people, but this year people brought food from home or went without. I think the reason is that people are poorer and just don't have the money to splurge. People on the boards were also very edgy. There were several fights that broke out during the day yesterday. There was the attempted robbery of the tip jar which was thwarted by the guards that hover around the Grill House in beach clothes. Also, the Nathan's Hot Dog eating contest brought excitement when the former champ jumped on the stage and was finally arrested. (Some believe it was staged to gather more publicity for the event). On many occasions single mom's would come to the window trying to buy something for their children and not have enough money to even buy drinks.

Has America turned a corner economically? Coney Island seemed to suggest that we are not the same nation as we once were. In church this morning the reading from the OT was about men choosing who they want as king, or as leaders, or how they want to do their business in complete disregard for God. God is patient. Yet, His supreme plan will be accomplished. Because so many people are distant from the Church, it is really hard for them to see a way out.

The people coming to my counter seemed weary. Many spoke of troubled times. Many have lost faith in our leaders ability to represent goodness and justice. It seemed to be a general feeling on the Boards this year.

Let's put things in perspective... Last week Tuesday a group of us went to the beach to swim. We went to Riis Park where the waves are larger than at Coney Beach. We had a great time swimming and then barbequed hot dogs and hamburgers. We were just finished eating when a police car raced past us on the boardwalk. It was nearly 7pm and the life guards had long since left. Then several other emergency cars raced by. When we walked up on the boardwalk, it became apparent that someone was in trouble. Within a minute or so helicopters arrived releasing divers into the water. 5 minutes turned to 15, then to 25 and then it was certain that someone had lost their life. While you were watching this event unfold, you could not help but wonder how this tragedy would affect their family. Without knowing who had died all sorts of images came to one's mind. As the sun set the search was called off until the next day. When the search resumed the next day we learned that a 14 year old boy had drowned. Scott McLeish of Flatlands had perished at the hands of the powerful rip tide. His dad and other family members waited by the sea the next day in hopes that their son might still be alive. There was no body found. Two days later his lifeless body washed up on the shore. Their worst fears became a reality and their lives would be forever changed.

What is important? Does anyone need to be told what is important? Our world distracts us from what is important. We know our family and friends are to be valued, but we let life place them in second or third place. If because of the economy we have to live a simpler life style, count it as a blessing if causes us to be closer to the ones God has given us to love and serve. Everyone will soon die, but how many of us ever get a chance to live and enjoy life.

A Brooklyn Rose

For some reason unknown to me there are a lot of rose bushes in my area of Brooklyn. The roses are in full bloom now and will continue throughout the summer months. The rose has a way of making us think about God. There are two kinds of people in Brooklyn. Those who love to look at and smell roses and those who ignore or reject roses unless used to allure a pretty girl. In the latter category are people who completely block themselves from any perception of the rose. This group can have roses surrounding them but never notice.

Two weeks ago I noticed that the roses were getting ready to bloom. Last week two of the roses sprang forth. One was on the Chinese ladies bush. She told me that this bush was a Queen Ann Bush. The roses bloom one to a stem. For some reason the single rose has a stronger scent. The second rose was on the Italian Lady’s bush. Both roses have full rich scents but each smells different. When approaching the rose you are drawn in by the beautiful color and the design of the petals. It is amazing when you put your nose to the rose and let its fragrance surround your senses. Interestingly, when you move back from the rose, the memory of the scent fades quickly although the pleasure remains.

For me, this imagery is much like our relationship to God. When we are close to God, we become intoxicated with his amazing fragrance. When we move away, we quickly forget the fragrance and pleasure. In Corinthians we learn that the fragrance of Christ is directly related to the church serving one another.

For those who walk past the rose without notice, they have lost an opportunity to connect with their creator. There is no reason except our sinful nature that allows us pass by unaffected by such a precious gift.

At the Grill House, workers have been busy cleaning the entire building for the up-coming season. There is always a lot of work after the winter months. The intense winter winds blow sand and dirt throughout most of the building. Steve, the owner of the Grill House was very excited, adding new flags and signage to his store. Because of the Coney Island renewal, this may be his last year there.

Several weeks ago I noticed that Steve’s coloring did not look to good. Not wanting to alarm him, I said nothing. A few days later, he came to me and asked if I could test his sugar level. I did and it was a little high. Two weekends ago he told me that he felt really weak. I told him to get to the doctors immediately and gave him the name of a doctor in his neighborhood. The following Monday he went and the doctor said he was very anemic. The next day he went back for test results. The doctor said that his blood level was extremely low and that he needed to get a transfusion immediately or risk a fatal heart attack. So the next day he went to Lutheran Hospital in Sunset Park. He arrived at 7am. At 4pm he finally received his first unit of blood. The second unit was given to him at 3am the next day. All this time he was in the emergency room with sick people surrounding him. Finally at 5am they ran the final test for his blood count. At that point he was so mad and tired that he left the hospital. He has felt ok but not great. Yesterday I talked with Steve and a doctor friend of his said his symptoms pointed to Leukemia. So tomorrow he will go back to his doctor for further tests. This news has a profound affect on the regular patrons of the Grill House. Everyone gives advice, some good and some on the outer limits of ridiculous. Beyond the advice, life’s complexities become very real. There have been several significant deaths out in Coney Island in the last year. Gary’s death (mentioned in an earlier post) still is a frequent topic. That Steve might be seriously ill grinds into the hearts of many. We are all wondering how we will get through this.

God has placed into our world symbols of his Love and Mercy? Seeing and smelling the rose constantly reminds me, amidst the trials of this world, that God is very present and real. He is there to stand with us during difficult times, to lead us to His promised land.

Many Blessings,
Barre

Brooklyn Lifestyles

Double Click on Picture to view detail

The other day on my way home from Coney Island I passed the home of a very simple man. I stopped and went back and took this picture. It says a lot about the necessities of life. Things we need to live… 1. Patriotism (All the Flags) 2. Celebration and Heritage (Happy Saint Pat's Day) 3. Be prepared with a backup plan (2 Umbrellas) 4. Keep warm (Blanket in Bag). 5. Something to cook food with (Utensils in the bag) 6. Something to bring in light when darkness surrounds (Lantern in cart) 7. A place to rest. (Marble Wall) 8. Appreciation of others (Blue and white flag in back). 9. The ability to move in a moments notice. 10. Love and appreciation for the things God’s has made (beautiful flowers)

Things not included:

A big house with multiple heating and air conditioning units
A bathroom with shower
A laundry room with big front loading washer and dryer
A 52” TV and $200 a month cable bill
Cars for everyone in the family
A computer and video game console with high speed internet
Netflix
A big lawn that needs to be mowed
The IRS guy pounding at the door
Cell phone
A stressful job
And the list goes on…

Love & Loneliness.

As my dear homeless friend once told me “loneliness is the hardest part of being homeless”. Having people who love and care for you is an important part of life. Somewhere between homelessness and the extravagant American lifestyle is a place where love can find its place undistracted. Often we feel that we need to provide stuff to make our family happy. I think this is an easy out to avoid having to really love and serve our family and friends.

This week My Godson and his family decided to go for a bike ride. They had such a good time. Like his dad, little Eric loves to ride his bike and does it very well for a 4 year old. It cost little more than time to make this happen. There was so much love floating around this ride.

All of this is not to promote being homeless as a desired lifestyle, but to suggest that in a world that promotes excessive materialism to buy happiness, we should examine what is really important in life and make loving and serving those around us more important than providing more stuff to make us happy.

Brooklyn Easter

Last week I was riding the B35 bus which goes through Flatbush. For some reason this bus is a favorite bus for “Bus Preachers”. They usually get on the bus somewhere before Coney Island Avenue and preach for about 45 minutes until Kings Highway, to what is almost always a crowded bus. This day there were no preachers and it was overcast. As we proceeded Eric noted that there were helicopters flying low in the direction we were going. As we got closer the helicopters were swooping back and forth. Approaching the area you could see flashing lights. Traffic was at a stand still. 20 minutes passed as we approached the

disruption. Another bus driver approached our bus on foot. He told us that there had been a shooting and that the gunman was still at large. His bus along with another bus was stuck on the block where the shooting had occurred. The area was a commercial area and the gunman had fired the gun in several locations on this block terrorizing the people shopping there. As we turned down a detour block there was silence on the bus as people peered out the window at all the police activity. We finished the run 10 minutes later and started the return trip. We were again detoured around the two blocks. As we got back onto Church Avenue a Swat Unit was unloading police dogs. They were ready for battle. A block ahead of us there was a man pinned down in the middle of the street with handcuffs on. The intensity of seeing all of this made one woman say softly.. “God Help Us!, what is our world coming to?”. The tone in which she spoke was more of a prayer than a curse.

Fast forward to April 2nd, Good Friday. I am now on West 37th Street with my church family waiting for our annual Good Friday walk with the cross down Mermaid Avenue. The walk is 20 blocks through a crime ridden neighborhood. In any other neighborhood the walk might have been a little easier. It was a bright sunny day, and with temperatures in the high 60’s everyone was out along the Avenue. As we began walking, people stopped and looked at us. People would take pictures with their phone camera, some people gave the sign of the cross as we passed. People in bus shelters watched as they waited for there bus. There were about 400 people walking and singing “Were you there when they crucified my Lord”. As we walked along, people joined the march. Young gang members stopped and watched in silence. At times it was chilling to think how similar this was to the walk that Jesus took to his death. As Jesus took his walk there were common people watching this “familiar” procession of people being lead to their crucifixtion.

In the midst of the walk, a profound statement was being made. For a world that has slid to the utter bottom, God subjected his Son, Jesus, to be scorned and mocked and eventually murdered as an innocent man. In this world where people are destroying themselves and others, God gave himself so that we might be saved. “God Help Us!”, we cried, and he did.

Christ has Risen, He has Risen Indeed.

Fatal fire strikes Bensonhurst

It is frigid today in Brooklyn with partly cloudy skies. When I went to walk the dog, my neighbor told me that there had been a fire in the neighborhood that started at 5am, killing 3 people. The fire was a few block from my home underneath the elevated train. This is the news release…

Three Dead, Three Injured in Bensonhurst Blaze

NEW YORK (1010 WINS) -- Three people are dead, and several others were injured, including a 2-month-old infant, in a three-alarm fire in Brooklyn.
The early morning blaze happened at 2033 86th Street in the Bensonhurst section of the borough.
The fire engulfed the three-story building on a busy commercial strip, consuming a ground floor restaurant and apartments on the upper floors.
The infant suffered a head injury and was listed in extremely serious condition, officials said. It was reported the infant was thrown from a second story window.
The stairwell of the building collapsed trapping the victims, according to officials. Firefighters found two of the bodies on the third floor, the third was found on the second floor.
Thirteen firefighters were also injured in the blaze. It was not known what floor the fire started on...

Update: In total 5 people were killed and 17 injured. The fire started at the foot of the outside door which blocked the way of any trying to escape. FDNY is calling the fire very suspect.

When I went for milk the site of the fire was before me. FDNY officials were still on the block and onlookers were across the street. On the street the story was a little different. The parents on the second floor dropped 2 children to safety. One child fell on their head causing the trauma. We can easily identify with the parent who was desperately trying to save their children realizing that they might die in the fire. I think our imaginations fill in all the blanks. The family was said to be a Latin American family. There was a group of Latin Men gathered across the street being held back by the yellow police ribbon. They were very quite and huddled together to ward off the chilling wind. Lights were still flashing from the fire trucks and the fire men were putting away the equipment. Reporters from all the major stations were on the scene trying to get a story of interest. With the smell of smoke in your face, the eerie reality of death hung in the air. When you looked at the building you imagined agonizing faces trying to escape the fire with no avail.

Death seems to surround us all. There is a nursing home out on Coney Island called Sea Crest. As nursing homes go it is clean and nice. Evelyn Moen, my godson’s grandmother was placed there in December. She turned 87 in December and was placed there after she suffered brain seizures. This was to be for a period of rehabilitation. As time went on it is becoming a final resting place. Because it is so close to my home, I am able to visit her frequently. We talk about old times and pray. Our prayer time is what she looks forward to. She is very content in her current situation, rarely complaining about anything. She has applied and has been accepted at the Norwegian Christian Home. Her son has not been doing well since his brother’s death and does not have the energy or the desire to facilitate her making the transfer. She is helpless as are we all since her son has power of attorney. Many people at this home are not as lucky as Evelyn. Most never get visits and are placed in a small room to sit and sleep away most of their days.

One man at the home would always talk to me. He is in his early 50’s. His name is William. William lived in East New York for most of his life. For nearly 30 years he worked at the Port Authority Bus Terminal in New York City. His job was to scrape up the gum that people would toss on the floors. He told me that the building was large and with the amount of chewers passing through the building everyday, cleaning up the gum was a full time job. Several years back William suffered a stroke. He has been in several homes since that time, claiming Sea Crest to be one of the best home.

William sits by the front door greeting people as they come and go. He says that it helps to pass the day. He also lets me know who has come to visit Evelyn. For that I buy him Hot Chocolate. William looks forward to being able to go home sometime in April. He is walking little by little.

It would seem that the events such as a fatal fire and the final days in a nursing home point to the fragile element to life. It is fragile and brief. Death constantly snaps at us. One of the great discussions that I have with Evelyn is about her going to be with God in Heaven. She passionately looks forward to that moment. However she says over and over that until that time God has things her to do.

Several weeks ago I was early to catch the bus with Eric. I went into the park and sat to be quiet. A young man in his 20’s sat on the bench next to mine. He set up a little drum and was practicing a rhythm pattern. The beat was simple and uncluttered with any other instruments. Listening I was reminded how the beat goes on. Life itself moves forward. Over and over again we are reminded to seize the moments that pass by quickly. My mother gave me a picture one time and on it read, “Only one life will soon be past, Only what is done for Christ will Last” Let us determine ourselves to be servants of Christ, loving and encouraging those whom we come into contact with.

Polar Bear Swim, Coney Island 2010 New Years Day

Happy New Year from Coney Island. Today is the famous Polar Bear Club swim. This is the day when everyone who wanted to take a dip in the freezing waters gets a chance. Now the theory is that the colder the day, the warmer the water feels. The weather leading up to today made this year very uncertain. December 21st was a snow day in NY with rain in the late afternoon. Snow was predicted for New Years Day. When I got up in the morning it was overcast and about 42 degrees. Around 9am I went to church. It was a simple service but very refreshing. Right after church, around 10.30 I headed to the boardwalk (2 blocks) and it was already becoming crowded. Generally there are a few thousand people who show up for the Polar Bear swim. It is all based on the weather. By 11.30am the weather was perfect, the temperature held at 45 degrees with the sun peaking out.

This was going to be a big day. I started working at the Grill House. Today my job was to fill all coffee orders. By the time I got behind the counter the crowds were increasing. The fire department had fortified the beaches with emergency equipment and had erected a heating shelter for people who froze themselves. We were so busy serving people up until 12.45 when the event starts. At that point people move to the beach area. I take a break and head out there to photograph the event. This year there were so many people it was hard to even reach the beach. The media was there with cameras and reporters gathering the latest information from the old timers who had 20 or more years of this under their belts. At precisely 1pm, the swimmers began their approach into the water. Hundreds upon Hundreds of them jumped into the water. The energy generated by the crowds cheering helped most to forget that they were jumping into a freezing body of water. People of all ages and ethnic groups enjoyed this event. As soon as most got half way in and felt the freezing water against their bare skin, they turned around and ran out. Screaming was heard across the beach. There were so many swimmers that they had to go into the water in waves. There is nothing like this event. For some of the swimmers this was a family event. There were a lot of dads with their sons and daughters. It was fun watching the fathers give their sons final instructions. I am sure these kids will never forget this meaningful event. As fast as the people were in the water they exited. By 3pm the beach and boardwalk were back to a normal quiet state with the sun beginning to set on a new year. At that point my work at the Gill House was over. I smelt like burnt sausage and greasy fries. My dear friend Steve who owns the Grill House gave me a hug goodbye and off I went.

I am not much of a football fan, so this little event really makes for a wonderful New Years Day. During the church service I was able to reflect on what I wanted to accomplish in this New Year. There is an enormous amount of encouragement that needs to be done this year. Lots of people are struggling and thirst for the Love of God that is given through His people. I am looking forward to the journey in this next year. God always has managed to surprise me with his creative management of my life.

May God bless your new year and give you many opportunities to serve His interests. Happy New Year from Brooklyn, USA

Out takes - Double Click on any picture to view in large scale...