On the Outside Looking In.

Barney's Coop has arrived, get your hors d'oeuvres while they last!

Back in November of 2007 I predicted the opening of Barney's on Atlantic Avenue in a blog post where I praised the meditative qualities of the Salvation Army.
I said:

"How long will this one on Atlantic Avenue be here? How long before it turns into Barney's Brooklyn? How boring would that be? Very."

While the new Barney's co-op did not move into the Salvation Army space I wasn't too far off the mark. I have to say they always have great windows particularly at Christmas and it's has always been a dream of mine as an artist to work with the fabulous Simon Doonan. In fact I met him once at the John Bartlett fashion show I went to during the snowstorm last year and basically acted like a babbling idiot. I loooooooove his book, "Confession of a Window Dresser".

But Barney's is a place i would rather visit in what I like to call "money making Manhattan". You know, the thing I like about Brooklyn is that stuff like this isn't here. And now it is. Whatareyougonnado. Trader Joes is around the corner. When I go there, I feel like Margaret Meade. Women leaving their pocketbooks unattended in shopping carts,with Nannies in tow, being waited on by overly friendly un-Brooklyn like Trader Joe employees. I guess they get good wages and benefits to make them like that or perhaps they are given Ecstasy upon the start of their shifts. It's the new Brooklyn. Not bad, but sort of hollow.

Salvation Army Forever!!! Read that old post in it's entirety here.

Everything Has It's Price

Yesterday I passed by this Nativity Scene in a window on Atlantic Avenue on my way to the Salvation Army. I realized that yesterday was the Epiphany or Three Kings Day and the 12th Day of Christmas. The day when the Magi or the three Kings honored the birth of Christ with gifts of frankincense and myrhh. It was the also the day when I was growing up when we always took our Christmas tree down. Anyway, I was struck by the display but then I noticed the description...everything has it's price in Brooklyn these days. And if you are looking for a hand chair, the antique store across the street (Atlantic Avenue between Bond & Nevins Streets) has one amongst the big shipment that arrived yesterday afternoon!

Salvation Army Solace

The music here was fab on Saturday, I didn't want to leave. 1970's funk and disco hits played at top volume on a scratchy stereo. Along with laundromats, the Salvation Army is another place that always seems to calm my nerves. Since nothing is the same on the racks of clothing, (although the Salvation Army ALWAYS organizes by color) it is sort of meditative to click through the racks. You concentrate yet you don't. I miss the Sal's on 5th Avenue and 13th Street in Brooklyn, now it's some sort of eco-luxury condo amidst the disappearing bargain stores. How long will this one on Atlantic Avenue be here? How long before it turns into Barney's Brooklyn? How boring would that be? Very.