SMART Flower Power On Second Street

This little flowery Smart car with Oregon license plates drew the attention of many passers-by on Second Street at the corner of Smith Street yesterday. Quite a few people took out their phones to take photos. A day earlier, it was parked on Smith Street.
Anyone know who it belongs to?

Brooklyn Summer Street Styles....From 1987

"Marnal Whitney in ivory leather pants and dramatic jacket 

waiting for a Seventh Avenue bus in the Slopes"

"Vanessa Crane and Janet Eisner seem harmless visitors to the Heights, 

but who knows behind those shades?"

"Robert Cavale in Park Slope in linen pants and a white silk jacket"

"Jan Andrew was dressed in contrasting black and white  patterns 
to present an arresting and graphic fashion statement"

"Firefighters West and Rogers of Park Slope's Brooklyn Squad 1, who appeared in recently designed OSHA togs, weren't out of place on Fashionable Seventh Avenue."
(Photos above by Kathryn Kirk)

Since everyone seemed to enjoy the post about 1970's Hipsters so much, here are some more Brooklyn street fashions, this time from May 1987.
The article and photos above appeared in The Phoenix, "the hometown newspaper of downtown Brooklyn's historic brownstone neighborhoods" that was published weekly from 1972 to 1998. According to reporter, Kathryn Kirk, "the Streets of Brooklyn Heights, Park Slope and Any City, USA, are filled with people in athletic attire. Sweat pants are the most recent fashion statement. Running shoes are de rigueur. T-shirts have evolved into an art form."

The captions that go with the photos are rather amusing.

And where did the 1980's Brooklyn Fashionista shop?  Well at A&S on Fulton Street and at Benetton and Two To Tango in Brooklyn Heights of course.

What were you wearing in Brooklyn in 1987?  Or any other year, for that matter.  Let's see your old snapshots from the past. Send them to me to this email address and  I will gladly post them here on Pardon Me.

* I would like to thank life-long South Brooklyn resident Celia Cacase for keeping some wonderful old Brooklyn newspapers.  When Celia moved away recently, she left her collection of papers behind and I have been archiving them along with several community friends.

Seeking Carroll Gardens Flat "That Might Befit A Young Man And His Cat": A Poem

"Open Letter From Carroll Gardens Apartment Seeker"

Well done. Makes you want to meet the guy,
even if you don't have an apartment for rent, doesn't it?

Thank you for the photos, Mary P.

Knock, Knock! Opossum At The Front Door

(photo credit: Nicholas Gorczynski)

Opossum sightings have become quite frequent in Carroll Gardens the last few year.  Here is yet another one.  Local resident Nicholas Gorczynski found one just outside his front door.  The little critter must have climbed up the stoop.
Nicholas grabbed his camera and shot these very funny photos.  He writes:

Not too long ago you had some articles about an opossum family that was proliferating in the neighborhood right? This [Friday] morning there was a little guy at the front door on (2nd place between Clinton and Henry). I opened the door and he was looking up like he was waiting to get in. He kind of blocked me in so I went out through the garden entrance instead and took some pictures.I don't think he was dangerous, just cold and scared. From reading anyway, I learned that having opposums around can be a good thing. 

My neighbor had a little interaction with him (his tail got caught in the door!) and once free he went on his way peacefully. She mentioned that she has seen these little guys on the block for some time and they make their appearance on occasion.

I must admit that opossums are quite cute, but I probably would not have tried to walk passed him either.  Thanks for sharing this, Nick.

"Nature Nails" Joins "Pretty Nails" On Same Court Street Block

Seriously? Another nail place in the neighborhood? The proliferation of these places is simply astounding.  And they all seem to make enough money to survive, whether on Court Street or on Smith Street.
The latest nail place,  Nature Nails, is slated to open at 189 Court Street near Bergen Street, in the former Prudential Douglas Elliman office. (The realtor moved to 327 Court Street in Carroll Gardens.)

Nature Nails will be exactly two doors away from Pretty Nails on the same block.
Am I missing something here?

California Taqueria On Court Street Obviously Angered Its Landlord

Oh, boy!  A reader sent me the photo above, which was taken on Monday afternoon.
It would appear that California Taqueria at 187 Court Street at Bergen Street, has angered its landlord, who has gone to great lengths to shame the Mexican eatery for non-payment of rent.
A car, presumably owned by the landlord, was parked right across from the restaurant.  It sported a huge sign on its roof, announcing that California Taqueria owes $312,000 in back rent, refuses to pay up and "continues to abuse the landlord, a WWII Vet."
Think this will help or will it drive away customers, making it even harder for the restaurant to pay the rent?