Labor Day Parade, RIP Bob Marley...

For most people Labor Day weekend simply signifies the end of summer, but for Brooklyn this weekend is synonymous with the infamous West Indian Day Parade.  Throngs of people line Eastern Parkway as women and men dance down the street in the colorful costumes of Carnival.  The floats are not shaped into retro cartoon characters or based on children’s movies.  Here, the floats are more like awesome big rigs blaring Calypso, Reggae, and hip hop music to the sea of waving flags in the street.

Like all NYC festivals, vendors are out peddling their wares and selling their food.  Today, that meant that as we enjoyed the music and sights of the parade in front of us, we were continuously pulled around to face the smells behind us.  Jerk chicken, corn on the cob, curry anything, ox tail – Austin had a hard time making any selections.  And, of course, what was there in abundance to wash down all that food?  Why nutcrackers of course, and in a variety of flavors and sizes.

The atmosphere at the parade is electric, as West Indians honoring their various cultures follow the floats and dance down the street to the beat of the music.  And while violence was reported as in years past, that is not the image I would take away from the day.  Brooklyn is the quintessential melting pot, with the food, music, and culture of so many people meshed in one locale.  The Labor Day Parade is a perfect example of why that is such a beautiful thing, and of what makes living in this city so damn fantastic.

Greenwood Cemetery, a pleasant day

Austin and I passed this massive and gorgeous cemetery thousands of times before finally making the plunge and taking an impromptu BKG day at Greenwood!  As there was no attendant at the gate, we passed go without getting a map and quickly realized what a bad idea that was.  It is amazingly easy to lose all sense of direction once wandering through a maze of tombstones, trees, and mausoleum-style resting places. 

There was no method to our walking, just turning corners and climbing hills when something new caught our eye.  Therefore, it should not have been surprising when we realized we had no clue where we had actually come in.  But, hey, that’s the best part of exploring a new place—so much more is found when you are lost.  At times we would pass a dozen graves huddled together in rows, and minutes later stumble upon an isolated monument perched alone at the top of a hill.  It’s always strangely pleasant to be in one of these enormous tree-shaded areas plopped throughout our concrete city.  

Eventually we found our way back to the gate from which we entered.  When we had first arrived, it appeared the cemetery was preparing for a funeral as numerous cars and people in black clothing were loitering outside the only large building on the premises, tell-tale signs.  Now, when we resurfaced by the gate, the cars and people were gone but the chimney was burning…a lot.  We hadn’t been lost for long enough that a fire-breathing chimney seemed appropriate.

As it appeared there was a nice view of the Manhattan skyline in the distance, we walked around the back of the burning building only to find a dumpster filled with the discarded and forgotten flowers that loved ones had purchased for the recently deceased.  It was somehow sad and beautiful at the same time.  So, we admired the skyline view, checked out the fancy little Greenwood trolley, took some pics of the dumpster, and then started the journey to find our way home.        

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!