For the Love of Brooklyn » gravesend

sketches from the past: brighton beach

Jill — Tue, 25 May 2010 19:08:45 +0000

One of my favorite things about exploring Brooklyn is discovering neighborhoods where time seems to stand still. Conspicuously absent are the neon signs of mobile phone stores, the suburban sameness of fast food joints, shiny new cars and boutiques. Corner bodegas still feature their original throwback signs. Brooklynites of a generation past reign their front stoops to share news and chuckle at passers-by. Even the architecture is preserved, as if from a time capsule.

During our last meetup and photo walk through Gravesend and Brighton Beach, I found many artifacts of eras past. From a mid-century modern parking pagoda to tidy seaside bungalows lined up in a row, it felt like I’d stepped back in time. And for me, there’s a certain comfort in this Brooklyn. Everything changes, and it all stays the same.

the overlooked and overgrown

Jill — Thu, 13 May 2010 02:50:07 +0000

Sometimes it feels like my experience exploring Brooklyn is an exercise in taxonomy; I must travel along the grid of orderly city blocks, observe the careful landscaping of stately co-ops, respect the dignified stoops of uniform brownstones. I feel compelled to catalog my surroundings and file them away neatly.

But lately what has drawn my attention most is CHAOS. Brooklyn is a borough of vibrant people, of diverse interests, of unbounded creativity and growth. And if you look hard enough, beyond the grid, the landscapes also tell this story. The onset of spring only amplifies the chaos; it’s almost as if nature is trying to overthrow the concrete and asphalt.

During our recent meet-up, I tried to capture this quiet mutiny as we walked through Gravesend and Brighton Beach. And somehow, it seems that the overlooked and the overgrown also speak volumes about this fair borough.

a personality larger than life

Jill — Thu, 06 May 2010 21:14:02 +0000

As anyone who’s stepped foot in the borough can tell, Brooklyn is a constellation of neighborhoods, of people, of ethnic diversity. Though the identities of each neighborhood are constantly in flux, documenting them is great fun. Before this past weekend’s meetup, I certainly had my own preconceptions about Brighton Beach. While some of them rang true (especially for the shoppers along Brighton Beach Avenue), we found an array of colorful personalities along our 4+ mile route.

Below are some fantastic shots of folks we encountered along the walk. I’m sure there will be plenty more to come, but for now, I hope you enjoy!

“A Sequin Jacket Day,” by GioVision:

“Studdabubbas,” by RichArtpix:

“Shopping on Brighton Beach Avenue,” by Aonghais MacInnes:

“Our Own Backyard,” by yjmarigold:

“Don’t make me use no super powers!” by Adam Lerner:

brighton beach meet-up wrap-up!

Jill — Wed, 05 May 2010 17:18:19 +0000

As temperatures rose on Saturday morning, I couldn’t help but get excited for our monthly For the Love of Brooklyn meet-up! As planned, I scheduled my day to meet out at the famed L&B Spumoni Gardens pizzeria in Gravesend at 2:30pm and down a couple of Sicilian slices before venturing out into the streets of South Brooklyn.

We had a great turn-out of intrepid photographers who showed up for pizza and photos; though after trying a scoop of the amazing homemade nocciola ice cream, I wanted nothing more than to relax in the shade. But relax we did not! According to Barry Yanowitz’s GPS map of our walk (pictured below), our 4+ mile route wound through Gravesend, Coney Island, and Brighton Beach.

As always, we’ll be featuring photos from the monthly meet-up right here on the blog, so stay tuned for loads of wonderful shots or browse the Flickr pool for more!! If you came out for the event, be sure to add your pictures to the pool or contact me to send them our way!