The Newtown Pentacle

– photo by Mitch Waxman

God damn that genius monkey in Greenpoint, she got here before me. The brilliant, prolific, and blazing Ms. Heather of NY Shitty beat me to this location, AND, she worked the same “angle” on it that I was going to use, months before I even found the place.

If you aren’t familiar with nyshitty’s world of North Brooklyn, the incisive sartorial “eye”, that unique sense of humor- you must live in Manhattan or something.

I found this place in on Vandam Street in Blissville, while on my way to the haunting elevations of First Calvary one fine afternoon, and started shooting.

My, what a wonderful posting this will make, muttered your humble narrator to himself. He forgot about the way that Ms. Heather kicks ass, every day.

from newyorkshitty.com

If you disagree with anything I have posted, wish to correct something I might have overlooked and/or fudged; or simply want to chime in I’m all for it. In fact, I encourage this. I want this site to be a public forum where north Brooklynites and New York Shittites (if not in locality, at heart) can talk shop. Respectfully.

Terse and even downright angry is acceptable. What I will not tolerate is abuse. Be it directed at me or other commenters. In other words, if what you have in mind has an “ism” to describe it don’t bother. I won’t approve it.

The more surly and self-righteous among you might decry this as a denial of your “free speech”. It isn’t. This web site is powered by free speech. My free speech. If you have something you want to say so badly that is circumscribed by my (albeit vague) terms of use, start your own blog. It’s your right too. Go for it.

Otherwise, I look forward to hearing from you!

– photo by Mitch Waxman

Brooklyn Vault Light Co., with an address?

Easy post, and it will make the lords and ladies believe my personal mythology of “omniscient and timeless wisdom” when I reveal a forgotten industrial corridor to them. Oh, how wise will I seem.

Then… I get back to Newtown Pentacle HQ here in fuligin haired Astoria and begin my researches, and discover that the thrice damned Ms. Heather presented this location- and its associated history- in a concise and attractive post well before I had even found the site.

How does she do it? Relentless, she is like an ocean- tidal, ever present, timeless.

from villagevoice.com

The accounts of Greenpoint life that make up most of New York Shitty aren’t all as negative as the name implies. “It was initially premised on the dog-shit problem in my community,” Miss Heather tells us. “I reached my breaking point one day when I was coming home from the Franklin Corner Store laden with bags of groceries. I was literally dodging dog bombs every two or three feet.”

Her first public service when she started New York Shitty in 2006 was a series of “Crap Maps” of the Brooklyn neighborhood where she’s lived for 10 years. Then, she says, “something happened I could never have anticipated: People started paying attention.”

– photo by Mitch Waxman

All I can tell you, gentle readers, is that to learn the tale of this iron lid and the meaning of its enigmatic typography- you must visit her and know her wisdom- click here.

I would also mention that I’m kind of a gigantic fan of Chez Shitty, in case you haven’t put that together yet. If you’re not- you should be.