Posted on 10/11/2007 2:56:55 PM PDT by Lorianne
CHRISTOPH MAYER, 36, seems like the quintessential denizen of a hipster-rich locale. His outfit is usually some variation of black nerd-chic glasses, skinny pants and an Army cap. He plays the harmonium. He owns Nina Hagen albums on vinyl. His collection of found objects retrieved from various curbsides includes a 1940s-era metal fan, a large rocking horse and a Rollfast bicycle. To top it off, he is from Berlin.
But soon after moving to Williamsburg in the summer of 2000, Mr. Mayer, a singer-songwriter and landscaper, developed a genuine fondness for the North Shore of Staten Island, where the Manhattan ferry docks.
Mr. Mayer also realized how much he stuck out on the island. There was hardly anyone else like him around.
“In the beginning,” he said, “people would ask me: ‘Hey, you live here? Why?’ People didn’t understand what the hell I was doing here.”
Even as New York’s hip young things invade and colonize neighborhoods near, far and out of state, Staten Island has stayed stubbornly uncool. It remains the forgotten borough; even the success of the hip-hop group Wu-Tang Clan did not remove the island’s seemingly impenetrable veneer of hiplessness.
(Excerpt) Read more at nytimes.com ...
He should see Staten Island Councilman James Oddo about being there.
He owns Nina Hagen albums on vinyl. ............ I remember her from the early 80’s when I was stationed in Germany. The FRG germans felt it would be a good thing if they threw her back over the wall to East Germany.
That's like "a writer and tax preparer," right? He's got a "don't quit your day job" talent?
As a Tax-chick, would you like this segue to share your writings with the FR community?
Guido Island has always had areas such as St. George and New Brighton that were prime areas for gentrification. These were the industrial portions of Staten Island that were abandoned in favor of the once rural interior after the (censored) gangplank was built from Brooklyn.
If you ever are bored, check this out,
http://www.nyc.gov/html/planyc2030/html/home/home.shtml
It shows the massive redevelopment plans for Staten Island over the next 20 years. Southeast Staten Island will be home to the largest public sports recreation complex in the city by the end of this. Those massive houses there are already being sold at a premium in relation to proximity to the planned park.
I was born and raised in NYC (don’t live there anymore; I’m out on Long Island now — not far enough), and I’ve never EVER heard the “Staten Island Ferry” referred to as the “Manhattan Ferry.”
Leave it to the NYT to screw up even THAT.
Regards,
Now it seems as if half the borough of Staten Island is moving to Toms River and Jackson, NJ.
Everyone in Staten Island reaches the breaking point where they walk out to their car and that layer of green chemical dust breaks their will to continue to live in the place.
True enough, for others not familiar with the history http://www.weissglassspeedway.com/index.html
Never mind this German guy. My relatives on SI tell me the Russians are buying up property there like crazy. They like to be near the beaches.
My relatives have been there for forty-something years, and are now talking of moving.
Russians followed the Eye-Ties first to Bensonhurst, and now to Staten Island.
How long ‘til they start intermarrying?
Madonn’ !
Don't get me started on all the Albanians in the Bronx always trying to pass for Italian. They're barely even European (and Muslim to boot)!
LOL! The best of my writing can be found on Free Republic, since ... whenever I joined. My previous efforts are in the bowels of time in church and homeschool association newsletters, and fiction that was handwritten and not saved.
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