Ask MetaFilter questions tagged with brooklyn

Help me find a Prius doctor in Brooklyn?

thejoshu — Tue, 29 Dec 2009 08:53:44 -0800

Friends, Romans, Crooklynites: I heard the first terrifying sound from my 2005 Prius this morning, and it reminded me that I've been meaning to ask you for mechanic recommendations. I drove out to SF over the summer, and before I drove back I had my car looked at at Art's Automotive in Berkeley. I had a great experience, and I refuse to go back to the level of "care" I was formerly accustomed to here. I know the likelihood of a hybrid-friendly repair shop is slimmer here in the Big Easty, but I wonder if you might be able to refer me to a mechanic in Brooklyn (or thereabouts) with whom I can entrust my Prius. I am sorry that I just called New York the Big Easty.

What unique events are taking place in NYC on NYE in Brooklyn/Queens?

melodykramer — Mon, 21 Dec 2009 17:59:02 -0800

I'm going to be in NYC for New Year's Eve with a few friends and we would like to go to a local celebration/event in Queens or Brooklyn instead of Manhattan. Are there any that you recommend? We're most definitely avoiding the crowds in Midtown Manhattan but thought there must be some unique celebrations elsewhere in the city. Flushing? Brighton Beach? Where's the best spot to ring in the New Year?

We are all mid-20's, most live in NYC/Philly/Boston, and are extremely savvy with regards to navigation -- and we have access to a car. We don't really care if we see fireworks but would rather do something free/close to free than pay.

Is my landlord trying to make a soup out of me?

CharlesV42 — Sun, 20 Dec 2009 20:46:03 -0800

Is there a legal maximum hot water temperature for a New York apartment? My hot water is clocking in at 157 degrees fahrenheit, or hotter than the center of a well done steak (measured with a digital thermometer, documented for posterity with a video).

I've found information on the minimum (appears to be 120 / 110 if there's an anti-scald valve), but not on the maximum. And this ruling appears to say that landlords have a responsibility to maintain a safe temperature, but I can't find any documentation on what that is.

Am i being a baby? Additionally, the temperature fluctuates between 110 and 155 so there's no way to take a shower, knowing which end of the spectrum you're on, without getting burned to bits.

I guess I should be happy I don't have the alternative, a cold shower every day.

I'm in Greenpoint, Brooklyn (Kings County), if that helps.

I should mention I asked the super (once in person, once in text so there's a record) if the boiler can be adjusted. She claims it has been, but I am currently ice-ing my back from my attempt to shower this evening.

Who painted this door?

boots — Fri, 18 Dec 2009 14:12:59 -0800

Is this street art in Brooklyn by Swoon? If not, can anyone identify the artist?

Keeping it real (delicious)

theflash — Fri, 18 Dec 2009 05:45:44 -0800

Help me find a mid-priced restaurant in Brooklyn for New Years dinner! My friends and I (about 12 of us) want to have dinner in Brooklyn for New Year's eve. I would like to keep this to a reasonable price. I'm thinking $30-50/person, not including alcohol. Can it be done? Ideally we'd be in Park Slope, Brooklyn Heights, or Cobble Hill. I think a prix fixe might break the bank. Bonus points for BYOBs. I haven't lived in New York in years and I'm stumped. Thanks, MeFi!

Restaurants in Brooklyn Open on Xmas?

Falconetti — Mon, 14 Dec 2009 13:36:45 -0800

My family is staying with me in Brooklyn this year for Christmas. If we don't murder each other before Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, does anyone have any recommendations for good restaurants that are open on Christmas Day in Brooklyn? For Christmas Eve, we were thinking about cooking at home but also ordering in, so any recommendations for that (I live in North Park Slope, so it would have to be somewhere close by)?

Awesome movers, short notice, Greenpoint, Brooklyn? Recommendations?

nebulawindphone — Thu, 03 Dec 2009 15:59:18 -0800

Help me send my extra-stressed far-off girlfriend some extra-nice movers on short notice. (This coming Tuesday! Ack!) 1 bedroom apartment w/furniture, fourth floor walkup, Greenpoint, Brooklyn. Everything's packed, the truck's already rented, and she has friends to help her unload at the other end, but she needs help loading. For any future ask-ers who stumble across this question: Rabbit Movers are totally awesome, have come through for the GF in the past, and we can't recommend them enough — but I screwed up and called too late, and they're busy that day. Dang.

Current answer-ers: I mean it when I say extra-nice. First off, my girlfriend's pretty intensely stressed out about the move; and second, I'm about to send a bunch of strange men into her apartment, which is not exactly a soothing experience under the best of circumstances. It would really mean a lot to have some independent confirmation from a real person that these guys are friendly and not-sketchy and good at what they do.

Reference of Frames?

Viola — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 11:16:23 -0800

I need an affordable framing place in NYC/Brooklyn! I have about 10 prints I'd like framed for my wall, and many prints have somewhat unusual sizes that make it hard to find frames at various dollar stores and such. Ideally I'd like to drop off my prints at a store, discuss briefly which prints need matting and which just need regular frames, and pick them up the next week. I work just upstairs from a tony framing store in DUMBO, but if you've got a more affordable recommendation in Murray Hill or whatever, please send them my way!

Workout classes near Fort Greene?

zoomorphic — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 13:46:23 -0800

Brooklyn folk: Are there any affordable gyms in the Fort Greene/Clinton Hill area that offer strength training classes? Anything nearish to Atlantic Center would be excellent. I'm not interested in yoga or pilates, and I'd like to keep it near the 11238 zip code. Google turns up very little promising leads. Thanks!

Get me outta here!

The Straightener — Sat, 31 Oct 2009 11:16:40 -0800

Escape from New York! (By car during the New York Marathon.) What time of day would be optimal to leave Williamsburg, Brooklyn by car tomorrow to get to the Jersey Turnpike without committing suicide after hours stranded in gridlocked traffic?

Help with starting a NYC apartment search

FireStyle — Sat, 31 Oct 2009 08:17:35 -0800

Two young professional creative types looking for an apt in Brooklyn or Manhattan. We'd like a little help getting our search started. I've read quite a few posts about apartments in NYC but as times change and our price point is a bit higher than other posts I was hoping to recieve responses more in line with our situation. Also, some of the prices mentioned in other posts were studio apts; the price for a 2bdr skyrockets in those same neighborhoods!

We're looking for a 2 bedroom apt (if we're lucky, 3 bedroom so one room can be converted to a project studio) preferably in Brooklyn or manhattan. Optimally our budget is $1900/mo but we can go as high as $2300. We'd also like easy subway access to TriBeCa, but having done the long commutes in my time in California, I don't mind a commute. Finally, safety is of optimal concern: definitely looking for a safe area with a creative vibe to it. Thanks!

Ballin’ on a budget:

Hydrofiend — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 20:17:52 -0800

Taking care of some things so money’s tight. What are some kickass, cool, mellow things I can do for free or dirt cheap! Preferably in Brooklyn, NY? I find that I spend more than I would like when I’m out being social and hanging with friends. I’m not talking $100’s but $30 a night for drinks. Not that bad but that can get pricey at 2 to 3 nights per week. Right now, money needs to stretch but I like my little flow of being out and about. What are some cool, fun, mellow things I can do or experience on a strict budget which includes anything from $0-$30 a week. Tight! Insight on any places and things would be very much appreciated.

Brooklyn, Brooklyn, take me in

thinkingwoman — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 07:37:52 -0800

Brooklynfilter: Does anyone have any experience with the Holiday Inns that have cropped up in Park Slope (Union St. and Butler St.) over the past few years? Planning a trip to revisit the old hood in Brooklyn (Park Slope), and thought we would splurge on a hotel for this visit. I used to live near the Union Street location (between 3rd and 4th) but can't recall that part of Butler St. (between 3rd and 4th)

Has anyone had any experience with either of these hotels? We don't need fancy, but clean and unsleazy would be nice.

Any other recommendations would be much appreciated. If there's anything in Cobble Hill/Carroll Gardens/Boerum Hill/Windsor Terrace, we'd be open (also, I would be very surprised). Downtown Brooklyn or downtown Manhattan would be okay, too, but I doubt we could afford anything palatable there.

How can I "show them around" in the rain?

SirNovember — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 11:47:14 -0800

How can I show a couple relatives the neighborhoods from Brooklyn Heights to Prospect Park this weekend – it’s going to be cold and rainy!

Where can I have a party in brooklyn?

CharlesV42 — Mon, 05 Oct 2009 10:59:10 -0800

Where can I find a relatively inexpensive venue to have a party (with alcohol) in Brooklyn, NY? A friend of mine is having his birthday this week and was hoping to have a sort of Iron Chef of cocktails party. The problem: we live in brooklyn, and even with our "spacious" Greenpoint apartments, probably couldn't fit more than 15 people in a room, and even then, you'd be shoulder to shoulder.

Is there any location that would allow for an inexpensive rental for a night? We could even provide our own furniture, and would clean up afterwards, so the ideal space would be an empty warehouse/loft. We'd like room for ~40-50 people, and the OK to have alcohol (and presumably some music, but not-so-loud).

Is this a pipe dream? Anyone have a warehouse lying around they'd let us use for some bucks?

Unique men's clothing resale in Manhattan or Brooklyn?

4midori — Sun, 27 Sep 2009 22:01:16 -0800

Recommend unique, affordable men's clothing resale stores in Manhattan or Brooklyn? Hipster ok, or vintage. I'm looking mainly for short- and long-sleeve collared shirts.

What to follow on Twitter

greta simone — Sun, 27 Sep 2009 12:04:22 -0800

NYCtwitterfilter: Recommendations for NYC/Brooklyn related things to follow on Twitter. I finally joined twitter only after it took me some time (and many AskMeFi threads) to realize that I don’t need to use it for ‘social networking’ but can use it to keep up with fun finds in and around the city. I’m still a little slow on the uptake though, and need help with finding things to follow. What I’m interested in following:

-Food trucks
-Sales (for already affordable clothing/home/music/online stores, not Barney’s etc, because even things on sale there are too expensive)
-Free/cheap events (movies, festivals, shows, readings, etc)
-Music (shows, bands, clubs, etc)
-Other free/cheap/fun stuff (drink specials, food promotions [ie Free ice cream cones, etc], flea markets, farmers markets)
-Any other recommendations you might have.

I’m mostly just interested in being able to sign in at 4:00 on a Friday to look and see what I can get into for the weekend.

I just moved to the area, will be living in Brooklyn shortly, mid-twenties female with average indie leanings of music, movies, books, style. I should emphasize that I have very little expendable income (social worker), so I’m interested in things that are cheap.

Thanks!

Where should I purchase business cards for a small company?

davidriley — Fri, 25 Sep 2009 17:58:51 -0800

Where should I purchase business cards for a small company? Hi. I have a small company and need to have some business cards printed. We have the design; we just need someone to print it. We need cards for three people, with a minimum of 500/250/250. The design is 4/0, full color with a blank back.

We are based in Brooklyn and I like to work locally for printing, but that's not a requirement. We would like to work with a company that can help us with other printing needs in the future (brochures, letterhead, stickers, etc).

What we definitely want is a printer that is inexpensive (like, less than .25/card) and offers good quality paper stock. We want a heavy, strong card stock with a good feel to it. Matte. A place that offers spot gloss printing would be good, too.

I'd love to get letterpressed cards (two color), but I think it's a little too pricy for us, unfortunately.

So, do you know a printer that would be a good fit? Have you had a good/bad experience with a printing company? Any advice and recommendations are very much appreciated.

Help my pooch become a therapy dog!

coffeeflavored — Fri, 18 Sep 2009 21:18:03 -0800

How can I get my medium-sized dog to my place of work once a week if I live in Brooklyn and have no car? Can I sneak him onto the M train without being caught? On Monday I'll be starting a job as a bereavement counseling intern at a senior center in Boro Park in Brooklyn, NY. The center recently experienced the retirement of its therapy dog and is looking for a new one. My own dog, a Border Collie mix, is friendly, fairly gentle, and unusually even-tempered. With a little more training, I think he would be a perfect therapy dog. My supervisor told me that she'd like it if I could bring him to work on occasion since the presence of a friendly dog can encourage our clients to open up a bit more than usual and goes a long way in cheering seniors dealing with loss.

The problem is that I live in Williamsburg and can only get to work by taking the M train down to 62nd St. I'm unfamiliar with the M train around that area, but I've got a hunch that riders can get away with more illegal activity the emptier the train is (and the M train is EMPTY by that point) and the further the train travels from Manhattan into less-populated neighborhoods. Is this true? Does anyone here have experience with sneaking their dog onto the subway on a regular basis?

Otherwise, can anyone think of another way I could get my dog to Boro Park once a week to work as a therapy dog? I don't think he'll qualify as a service dog and he's too big for a crate or my lap, so the subway is probably out unless someone can confirm it would be A-OK. I can't afford a taxi, car service, or car rental. My friends have suggested that maybe I can bring him on a mysterious "Chinese bus" that can take me to Boro Park and on which all sorts of illegal happenings are allowed, but that sounds like crazy-person talk to me. Others mentioned cheap "Hasid taxis." This sounds even crazier. Please tell me anything you know about them if they do exist, though.

How can I learn NYC's street repair status?

mhz — Sun, 13 Sep 2009 08:08:30 -0800

How can I learn NYC's street repair status? Is it possible to learn the scheduled start/stop of road repairs in New York City? They're always fixing roads, and every once in a while another stretch is 'scratched' up (whatever it is that they do,) and is a pain to drive on and downright scary to bike on.

Is there a place to find out when these projects are scheduled for? When they're at least supposed to end? All I could find with Google was bridge and tunnel status, nothing about regular street.

Should anyone have specific current information, right now I'm concerned mainly with Bedford Avenue from approximately Willoughby to Flushing, as well as the few blocks of Flatbush Avenue that are currently scratched.

Thanks!

Find me a no-strings safe deposit box in NYC!

thejoshu — Wed, 09 Sep 2009 20:12:35 -0800

Sought: a safe deposit box in Brooklyn or Manhattan. Difficulties: I don't want it to cost me $80/year (as my bank, Chase, does), and I don't want to have to sign up for a checking account / other relationship with the bank (though I may be flexible about this if the bank offers absotively-free checking). Now, to make it more annoying, I only want a box at an attractive bank. Also, the easier it is for me to give a key to a deputy/agent, the happier I will be. You see, the box will ultimately contain a gift with no monetary value. I want the recipient to be able to access the box, but I am OK with having to arrange this with the bank and the recipient post facto. This is why I want an attractive branch: the box is an element of the gift. (I envision transitioning ownership of the box/contents somewhere down the line.)

Examples of attractive local branches include the former Williamsburg Savings Bank, which is now an HSBC that I was told doesn't offer boxes, and the former Dime Savings Bank in Downtown Brooklyn, which is now a Chase location featuring $80/year boxes.

No sleep til Brooklyn (or aftewards)

Evangeline — Tue, 08 Sep 2009 09:38:03 -0800

Brooklyn on a Wednesday night. What to do? I have a friend flying in from Atlanta tomorrow night to stay with me for a few days, and she wants to start the debauchery immediately. She won't arrive at my place until about 9:00 pm, and we've decided it would be best to go out in Brooklyn (where I live) rather than get her unpacked, gussied up, and head to Manhattan.

Problem is, she's used to a different kind of fun than I am. She's recently divorced, and she's sowing her wild oats. I don't think she's looking for someplace sort of low key and pubby, so where do I take her? I don't usually go out on Wednesday nights, and even when I do, I don't go to singles bars or dance clubs. Is there any place in Brooklyn that would actually be hoppin' on a Wednesday night? She keeps talking about what a "wild" time she wants to have, and I'm at a loss.

Help us find a sofa bed in NYC

hibbersk — Sat, 05 Sep 2009 06:42:52 -0800

We're in the process of relocating to New York and need help finding a great sofa bed for all of our impending visitors! Mr Hibbersk is currently there organizing our apartment in Brooklyn and we had planned to buy this sofa bed from Ikea - however it is out of stock across the entire country and they don't know when it will be available (something about factory relocations and shortages). We don't really like any of the alternatives available at Ikea, and department stores such as Macy's seem a bit over-budget. Googling mainly finds dubious-looking clearance or discount places. Can anyone recommend a furniture store in NYC where we can get a sofa bed for around $800? Preferably modern/Scandinavian design, and not a futon. We may only be there for a couple of years so don't want to spend too much, and the bed bug horror stories have put us off buying 2nd hand/craigslist.

Egypt Was Good Enough for King Tut

NolanRyanHatesMatches — Sun, 23 Aug 2009 21:51:34 -0800

MovingFarAwayFilter: GF is dead-set on moving from Brooklyn to Cairo, Egypt, for at least a year. I'm pretty resistant to the idea since I love NYC and, if forced to move outside the US, there are hundreds of cities I'd rather move to. I desperately need some 1st/2nd person accounts of living in Cairo / Egypt to help make this decision. General background: we both work for magazines in NYC, are in our late-20s, social, pretty culturally-oriented (go to concerts/readings/etc. as often as possible, go to parties -- of friends, at warehouses, etc. -- regularly on the weekends), and generally live the lives that you might expect from young, social Brooklynites.

Her background: works in literature/poetry, certified Third Culture Kid, moved around as part of a US State Dept. family every two years, has lived in various Middle Eastern countries (including Cairo in high school for two years), speaks and reads Arabic at a decent level, is desperate to move away from the US, seeks "adventure" but scoffs at the idea of living anywhere in Central America, South America, and Europe. Seems to be basically zeroed-in on Cairo, Alexandria, or another Middle Eastern country. I've floated the idea of staying somewhere / various places for three-four months at a time, but she would rather spend one or two years in one place. At present time, she also seems to value moving away more than job prospects, so she's not necessarily looking for an editing/writing job.

I grew up knowing that I'd move to NYC and have loved living here, love our extended group of friends, love pretty much everything the city offers. My job is here (although could be done, with some effort, outside of the city), my friends are here, and so is my heart. I really, really don't want to move (but love to travel, just not relocate). But, I love my GF (long-term) more than any of it, and she wants to head out, no question.

Were I forced to move, I'd probably pick either a metropolitan city in Central America, South Amerca, or Europe: Mexico City, Quito, Buenos Aires, Sao Paolo, Lima, Belmopan, Barcelona, London, Dublin, Rome, Budapest, Vienna, Berlin, etc.); or, a sleepier town, bucolic town in C/S America or Europe, of which I know hundreds, and there are probably thousands that I don't know about that I would love.

Basically, what are the chances that I would enjoy living in Cairo? How heavy is the cultural bend towards Arab/Muslin trends? Will there be clubs to go to at night? Might I enjoy the music scene there? Is there a healthy cultural conversation w/r/t Western literature? Would I be somewhat shocked by what the law disallows? Is there a chance that I'll feel as if I'm in a European metropolis? Will I have a tough time continuing my online work from Cairo? Can I get by with English, or will I have to spend serious time learning Arabic? I get the feeling that I might like Cairo over other big Middle Eastern cities, but I can't shake the supposition that I'd other big cities that I know and love over Cairo.

I'd love to hear any 1st/2nd person experiences about living in Cairo, or any suggestions of websites/blogs that chronicle what day-to-day life is like in Cairo. I'd like to be open-minded about the prospect of living there, but I can't seem to find any information sources that will help me make the decision, and I think I have a deep-seated wariness of being a Westernized guy living in Egypt / Middle East. Any help at all would be much appreciated

Is there a way to speed up the construction of the house next to mine?

hellbient — Thu, 13 Aug 2009 15:30:34 -0800

Is there a way to speed up the construction of the house next to mine? The city-owned house next to mine (attached) has been under construction for over a year. The contracting company is apparently notorious for these long affairs, and judging from the other houses in the neighborhood that have their signage, there's no end in site. And the property is getting worse - every week there's more trash in front and on the side of it, windows are getting broken and the plywood covering some of the windows is slowly coming undone. I'm calling the company (and 311) as much as possible to complain about rats, open doors, racoons, etc. to try to set a precedent, but I'm not sure it's going anywhere. The house goes for weeks/months without ever being worked on. I need it finished before a crackhead sets it on fire (which would take my house with it), and so I can get some new awesome neighbors. Plans/schemes to get the ball rolling? I'm in Brooklyn.