Loosies, nutcrackers, and shooting the freak...the sweet joys of the former Coney Island

Ahhhh a sunny day in Coney Island...there is not a person in my family who can't recall a fond memory from their youth spent in this favorite Brooklyn locale.  There was a time in the not so distant past when one could not help but wander down the nail-ridden boardwalk to the sound of a call to grab a hot dog, pop into the freak show, and of course, practice your aim with a family-friendly game of shoot the freak.  When we heard about the destruction taking place in our favorite summer haunt, the CI beach and boardwalk, Austin and I headed over on a gloomy Fall day in 2009 to document the demolition of a Brooklyn icon.

As we wandered around the mass of fallen plywood and forgotten furniture, we had many concerns for what would come of the future Coney Island.  Would the true nature of CI be taken away by the dreams of a "Brooklyn Disneyland" that the city hoped for?  Would the local owners who have spent their lives in these boardwalk shops and bars be booted out, only to make room for the "classy" franchises that wished to move in?  Could we still rely on buying a loosie and a nutcracker while sunning in the sand on a hot July day??  We sure hoped so...

While the Shoot the Freak stand no longer exists, and while new rides and shops have definitely entered, all is not lost.  I recently spent a beautiful Saturday on the CI beach, and I honestly had a great time.  My heart will always go out to any families that made the boardwalk their living, only to be pushed out by ever-increasing rent prices. But while things have changed, things have stayed the same too.  The kiddie rides continue to circle the park to the sweet sounds of hip-hop, and that was refreshing to see, and hear.  The usual suspects of characters were omnipresent, and I had the expected joy of explaining to my nephew how a member of the CI freak show "was born that way" (which is not entirely true) and why he should not stare.  A random fight broke out on the sand, with umbrellas as weapons and all.  Yet, as always, I walk away with the memory of a good time. 

And, lucky for us, loosies and nutcrackers are most certainly still for sale....

Allow me to (re)introduce myself...



The king, Tyson, and his little minion/sister, Cameron



Hello blogging community!  My name is Liz and together with my husband Austin, we created the graphic design & photography company BKG1853.  We reside in Brooklyn, NY and while we love documenting our wonderful city, traveling is right up our alley too.  We live in 550 square feet with our two dogs, Tyson and Cameron, and love every minute of it.    

I have started this blog as out an outlet to share our pictures and preserve the stories and memories they represent, but also as a way to share the inner workings of our lives.  Some days may correspond to our creative endeavors, like pictures taken while BKG’ing (yes, it’s a verb, meaning to capture, create, shoot, document) a neighborhood of Brooklyn, or a new design that Austin is putting together.  I want to share the places we have been and those we are going, and ultimately this blog is about anything and everything we love.  Urban landscapes and vintage frames, cooking new foods and learning new crafts...these are a few of my favorite things. 

I’ve always felt that a picture can tell a thousand words, but I likewise believe that a few well-chosen words can relay a whole picture.  I hope that you are attracted to the images displayed, can relate to the words written, and share your thoughts with us as frequently as possible!

Cheers, and welcome to the life, and lens, of BKG1853!