The Q at Parkside

(for those for whom the Parkside Q is their hometrain)

News and Nonsense from the Brooklyn neighborhood of Lefferts and environs, or more specifically a neighborhood once known as Melrose Park. Sometimes called Lefferts Gardens. Or Prospect-Lefferts Gardens. Or PLG. Or North Flatbush. Or Caledonia (west of Ocean). Or West Pigtown. Across From Park Slope. Under Crown Heights. Near Drummer's Grove. The Side of the Park With the McDonalds. Jackie Robinson Town. Home of Lefferts Manor. West Wingate. Near Kings County Hospital. Or if you're coming from the airport in taxi, maybe just Flatbush is best.

Monday, February 5, 2018

Shhhh... don't scream for ice cream

Hard to keep a secret these days, what with the old interweb and the F-book and Tweet Stick. So here's one for ya - that empty shoppe at the corner of Westbury Ct and Flatbush? That used to be Play Kids and before that (ironically) a place called Shelley Linens?

Ice Cream. That's right - ice cream. Owned and operated by the folks who do Parkside, the bar/bistro/pizza/pub across the way, this new joint is going to feature ice cream, parlour style.

Is that really a secret? Is there a way to whisper such a thing on the internet? As I learned when I spilled the beans that Ta Nehesi Coates had bought a place in the neighborhood, not only did it make its way around the world, I actually got a call from the venerated author himself! It wasn't to congratulate me on my excellent writing, as I had hoped. Rather he was pissed that I had let the cat out the bag, putting his privacy and well-being at risk. He has since sold another gazillion copies of his books and made many more millions, so frankly he probably became TOO famous for Leffertsanyhow. Still, the sharing of public information on a public forum - even if it's already public information - can get you in hot water. And yet, the way we get information these days is largely by that exact process. And were people not leaking to the press, we'd never find out about half the sick shit going down in the supposedly very public government. I for one am glad the internet and information are free. I know, I know, there's some growing pains right now. But those who would argue we're stuck with Trump because of TOO MUCH internet freedom are missing an important point. After 8 years of a strong, dignified black man in office, Trump would've happened ANYway. That's right. I'm sorry to break it to you. Americans sometimes (often) vote for douche-wads, and they tend to vote for them in the opposite party from the last leader. Internet or no internet, Trump populism started in earnest in 2010...all it needed was a take-no-prisoner candidate. If Tricky T hadn't come along they'd have had to invent him. (Cruz and Rubio would've done just fine for them.)

And here's where I share something truly surprising. A whole sub-culture has evolved around whispering, and small sounds that tingle the ears. The Q just attended something called "The Whisper Opera" this weekend, and while searching for the details I came across this whole ASMR community, which if you hadn't heard about it I'm going to quietly open your ears and blow your mind. Here 'tis:

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