Lindsay Park Oldtimers Day 2014

Lindsay Park was established in 1964.  The first two buildings (#1 and #2) and by 1967 all seven buildings were up.  This multicultural Williamsburg community, is now has grown to become a mecca for artist, architects, hipsters, and more.  Talking to one friend, he pointed out "Our parents had vision".  

Scroll down to check out the video and more photos. 

 

 

The calm before the storm.  Be sure to see the video to the very end.  This gentleman, shows us the diversity that still exist in these 7 buildings.  Although there can be some tension among shareholders, we are still family, and what family exists without a few family squabbles.

Lindsay Park has been seen in many movies and TV shows, including The French Connection (this was the first and you could imagine we got a real kick out of that), Coming to America, Blue Bloods, and more.

 They day brought out the best.  Tributes to Tayshana "Chicken" Murphy and Shakur "Peanut" Taylor.

Tribute to Tayshana "Chicken" Murphy

Shakur "Peanut" Taylor

My Annual Christmas Walk 2013

New York City has a rich history with their Christmas windows.  I can't remember when I didn't go down 5th Ave in December and enjoyed the animated figures accompanied with music.  Christmas window display has a rich history and blossomed from the late 1800's (check out The History of Department Store Holiday Window Display).  

For the past 2 years I have taken photos and created a slide show of my walk. I thought would do the walk in a few days, starting out at Union Square to see the ABC Home and Carpet, then take the other part of the walk, another day. But I was motivated by the Holiday Season.  I did the whole ride, from Union Square to 34th Street then all the way to up Bloomingdales at 60th Street and Lexington Ave.  

At the end of the day, my legs were killing me, my back hurt and I had over 800 photos.....Thank God for the digital age.

Here is my Christmas in NY 2013 video.......well edited. 

Christmas In NY 2013 from Cassandra Bromfield  

on Vimeo

A Shoebox of Memories

I have looked at this shoebox of super 8 film for years and with a broken projector, had no way seeing these memories again.....until now.  There are services that will turn your old film into a DVD along with music, but that meant the service would have control over the images.  The editing process is the fun and they don't know my people or my story. 

Dijifi.com

Dijifi, is an absolute God send, I had been searching for a company that would take my film and make a digital format for me to be able to edit the way I want to.  They take your film, turn it into a digital format (they give you some choices depending on your project).  When it's done, all is transferred to your laptop or external hard drive.  

I grew up here in Lindsay Park, which was built in 1964.  2014 will be it's 50th year.  This film highlights a day in the Pool #1 (Lindsay has 3).  Below is the page from a brochure about the pool, which is hilarious, because I remember the promise of Ice Skating in the winter.  That never happened.

  

This is the first of many (remember I have a shoe box filled to the rim).

Message To Hardware Stores

You will recall my Hardware store experience when I was putting on a new door knob (They Said It Couldn't Be Done). Well here we go again.....
I recently saw this video tutorial Product Photography Tutorial.  In the video he uses 2 CLAMPS to hold the board that becomes a back drop.  I stopped in Wankel's Hardware to pick up 2 CLAMPS.

Here is my exchange....

"Hello, do you have CLAMPS?"
"Do you mean like these?" holding paper clips with an odd look on his face.  He asked me this question a few times.
"No I want CLAMPS those are paper clips, I am looking for CLAMPS"
"Do you mean for clothes on the line"
"No I mean CLAMPS they are larger than that.....(with a huff) let me see what you have"
He then directs a sales person on the floor to help me, telling him to show me the  clothes pins.
I explain to the the sales person, that I am looking for CLAMPS and he got it. The CLAMPS were in the front near the register.  I asked him is this called CLAMPS or something else.
He said "No you were correct."
"...just because I am a woman doesn't mean I don't know what I am looking for.  This was really annoying"
 

This happens a lot at Hardware stores.  They are notorious for this type of exchange with women.  Even if you ask for it by name, company, serial number, and size, the salesmen act as though you said "Do you sell  something, that looks like this thing that is on the door of that building on the street where I live?" 

Hardware stores please stop and listen to the customer.  Some of us know exactly what we want.
 

PS the floor sales person made an effort to listen and find what I wanted.  I don't know who it was working the register, but he is an IDIOT!!

 Below the video tutorial.

Look What's In The Hood

Saturday morning I got up early to get to the Post Office and along the way ran into a Farmers Market.   

"Farmer's market is open early July to Mid-October every Saturday and Sunday, 8 AM to 5 PM in Brooklyn on Cook Street and Graham Avenue, Williamsburg's largest shopping district. Features fresh produce and fruits. Cooking demos featured each week. This is the city's longest running market. Accepts WIC and Senior farmer's market food coupons. Plants and baked goods also available. Musical events and tar beach hydrant sprinkle open for children on selected Sunday afternoons. Look for our market mural and the white tents." Graham Ave Farmers Market

Where People Work/Preview Textiles

One of my faves for buying silk is, Preview Textiles.  From silk linings like China Silk, Charmuese and Organza's to Silk crepes, Satin Back Crepe, and Satin Faced Organza's, and more, in over 50 shades (and a couple of them are grey).

 

There are no minimums, and anyone can open account, BUT, this is not like a fabric store where you can roam around pulling out rolls of fabric.  

If you are a first timer at Preview, when you enter you will be asked, "How may I help you?" or "What company are you from?".  These questions can throw newbies off.  You can be you, whether it's a small unknown company or a grandmother making a wedding dress, just state your name and what kind of fabric (silk satin, crepe, chiffon etc).  There are no polyesters, interfacings, or laces.  The office manager will either show you a color card, direct you to the closet for swatches, and/or the wall of fabric samples.  When you make a choice, give the Office Manager your order (you may need to open an account, but no big whoop), give her your fabric type, color number and amount of yardage.  You can pay via, credit, debit, and even cash (l least recommend cash, it becomes a pain to get change).  You get your fabric in minutes, on a roll or folded.  

Easy and you can buy silk fabric from the same place as the big companies.

Preview Textile Group

225 West 37th Street 11th Floor

New York, New York 10018

212.764.1343   

2012 New York City Chirstmas Windows

I have taken this walk for longer than I can remember.  Looking at store decorations in New York City is something my mother and I had done for years.  There are more contenders to the Holiday Window Celebration in 2012, but the windows of Macy's (Broadway and 34th Street), Lord and Taylor, Saks, and Bergdorf Goodman still reign supreme, with Barneys entering in with their usual artistic flair.  It's always a treat and this year, they didn't disappoint.  Below are my photos of the New York City 2012 Holiday Windows.  

New York Christmas Windows 2012 from Cassandra Bromfield on Vimeo.

Holiday Windows

Atlantic Ave Brooklyn, New York

ABC Home and Carpet

This store is no slouch when it comes to Christmas decor.  Just check out the glitterized Madonnas.

 

I Can't Stop The Bleeding

My first big painting job begins at the front closets.  Being  ambitious and inspired by Design Star The White Room Challenge.  It seemed so simple, just tape of a design and paint.............NOT.  

I tape of a complicated pattern and begin to paint, buuuuuuut when I remove the tape there is bleeding.  I used the Blue tape which professes to prevent bleeding and will give a you a clean line............NOT.  

Anyway, I went back to Home Depot to get some help.  He tells me I need Frog Tape.  I pick that up and it still bleeds.  

Today on the train I see a guy with paint stuff and I asked him how do you prevent the bleeding.  He said "You can't, you have to take a brush and touch up.  It drives us crazy all the time." 

Thanks to a stranger, I now know bleeding is apart of the painting process.

And So It Begins

This decorating journey is not an easy one.  Letting go of some things like  pianos, furniture, or even papers has been a process.  Yesterday, I have received a great gift from a good friend, paint and not just any paint, it's from the museum.  Which means it is high quality.  My walls are a flat white, so I won't have to prime them and that means no excuses.  Time to let my inner Basquiat out.

Midnight Saturday....Time For Crafts!

I was feeling crafty, Saturday night and made a paper clock

The 2012 ICFF Show

The International Contemporary Furniture Fair, is an amusement park for designers, artists, and gawkers, which I am of all 3.

There was so much to see and had a GREAT time talking with many of the great thinkers and went away with so much inspiration, the ideas were coming in fast and furious.

 

 

By the end of the day I felt like this guy, and yes he was really asleep.

The 
International Contemporary 
Furniture Fair