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Sunday, March 23, 2008

Welcome to Bensonhurst

Russian Candies
Photo by myself in a Russian supermarket in Bensonhurst, Brooklyn.

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This morning Mark and I drove Clive, a Mini Cooper, out to Bensonhurst to mend his front windshield.

A couple weeks ago, we'd driven down the BQE (Brooklyn Queens Expressway) when a big piece of gravel dinged us, cracking the glass. Clive had to have his windshield replaced.

If you've never driven on the BQE, please don't start. It is riddled with potholes and uneven terrain. There are concrete dividers marking the median, which shifts constantly since they're 'repairing' the road. Mark will frequently drive and curse at the roads and drivers because it's downright dangerous.

Bensonhurst is 20 minutes away from where I live in Park Slope, Brooklyn. It's best known for a period in 1989 when a racially motivated murder provoked riots and protests. I think to most New Yorkers, the name connotes strife and danger. Mark and I found it to be quite benign, with large avenues and freestanding houses. Everything had an old timey look to it and it was hard to believe we were in New York.

According to Wikipedia, a motley bunch of well known people grew up in Bensonhurst, including Scott Baio, Carl Sagan, Harvey Fierstein, Elliot Gould, Larry King and Marisa Tomei.




The neighborhood has large populations of Russians, Italians and Hasidim. Mark and I ventured into a huge supermarket with many Russian items. The sheer amount of sausages in one aisle and Russian beer in another was amazing. There was a separate caviar counter. There was a aisle full of chocolates and candies, wrapped in colorful and cryptic paper.

We could have walked out with armfuls of sausages, but Mark and I are trying to cut down on our red meat. We opted instead for a whopping bag of mixed candies, gathered from the open bins. Yum!

9 comments:

Carolyn said...

Great pic!

Bensonhurst sound nice. I will put it on my to see list!

Anonymous said...

Gosh it all looks good. A very nice photograph with your post today.

Easter greetings from Abraham Lincoln in Brookville, Ohio.

Anonymous said...

You've just made me feel really hungry.

We had the French market in town this weekend so I have bought loads of cheese (that won't last) and saucisson. I can see my cholestorol is going to go through the roof.

Good luck with your dietary endeavours. You clearly have more willpower than I have.

Spandrel Studios said...

I love those kinds of markets! On Friday, I went with my parents and my niece to Port Richmond, the Polish area of Philadelphia, to stock up on Easter goodies.

So today, we'll be feasting on homemade kielbasa and pierogis and piroski fried in oniony butter... and tomorrow, we diet!

Kitty said...

Hi Barber Bunch
I recommend having a car. It's not so high on the charm, but it's interesting.

Thanks Lincoln
Happy Easter to you as well!

Hi RB
Oh my on the cheese.
Lately I've been attracted to comfort food. I think it's with this job change. I really need to diet when things calm down.

Morning Spandrel
Your Easter spread sounds divine. I love Polish foods. Yum!!

Mom Knows Everything said...

I would have gone for the candies too. LOL

Kitty said...

Hi Tammy!
Thanks for dropping by!

Marjorie said...

I love Bensonhurst. I was born there and lived there for 5 years before my family moved to Long Island. If you visit my blogs... I have some photos of Bensonhurst from the 30s and 40s and 50s. I remember Ebingers and the Famous on 86th Street.

Anonymous said...

Haha that's my grocery store. I live on 76th st.