What you see in Sunset Park: Bubbles

Bubbles, originally uploaded by Buendia Productions.

If you have ever driven on the BQE toward the Verrazano Bridge, you have seen this wacky fish.

Bubbles, originally uploaded by Buendia Productions.

What I saw in Sunset Park: Good Luck Altar

Good Luck Altar, originally uploaded by veesvision.

Shot in one of the restaurants in Sunset Park's Chinatown. (on 8th ave between 43rd street and 42nd street.)

What you see in Sunset Park, Brooklyn: Rugs for sale

200912303801, originally uploaded by JamesWolberg.

Shot on 2nd Ave in Sunset Industrial Park, Brooklyn by JamesWolberg from the SsPS Flickr pool.

What I saw in Sunset Park: Ba Relief Virgin

Ba Relief Virgin, originally uploaded by veesvision.

This image is part of a series I have been working on for the past year or so. Brooklyn is said to be the bough of churches and in Sunset Park there is no shortage of religious structures. The image above was shot and enhanced digitally, I have found a new photographic medium. Stay tuned....

Call for Retro Pictures in Sunset Park

Do you have old pictures of you and your friends in out on the street in Sunset Park? We'd love to see them. Please consider posting them on the SSPK Flickr pool.

This photograph was from 1984 and shot in front of the building on 6th ave and 44th street.

What You See in Sunset Park: Tacos de barbacoa!

sunset park, originally uploaded by Benzadrine.

benzadrine says it's a "Great taco stand..."

What You See in Sunset Park: La Gloria Novelties

La Gloria Novelties, originally uploaded by josephx.

What I saw in Sunset Park: Jade Statue

Jade Statue, originally uploaded by veesvision.

This particular statue is in the first temple I ever noticed in Sunset Park. I moved here in 1998. Located on 7th ave between 45th street and 46th street, this temple is the one I feel is the most visible because of the open glass front. Most seem to be covered in a gate or fence like the post below. Way in the back of the main room is a gorgeous golden Buddha.

Two Spiritual Philosophies Living in Harmony

Chinese Temple Meets Latina Botanica, originally uploaded by veesvision.

Shot on 7th ave between 47th and 48th streets in Sunset Park, Brooklyn.

The Best View In All The Land

The Best View In All The Land, originally uploaded by veesvision.

One day those branches will totally cover the view of the Empire State Building, but for now... I'll just enjoy the view.

Modern Apartments

Modern Apartments, originally uploaded by veesvision.

Shot on 47th street between 8th ave and 9th ave

What I saw in Sunset Park: Free Food

Free food on 47th street, originally uploaded by veesvision.

There was a loaf of sliced bread just a few feet away from here too. Perhaps expired.

*Update... more free food on 44th street between 5th ave. and 6th ave.

Share the abundance is an old idea but still refreshing. The link here is to a set of images I took while in Pennsylvania Dutch country. Maybe it's something Sunset Parkers should consider.

A Red Wall in Brooklyn's Chinatown

A Red Wall in Brooklyn's Chinatown, originally uploaded by veesvision.

What I saw in Sunset Park: Puerto Rican Walker

Puerto Rican Walker, originally uploaded by veesvision.

This guy is a friend in my head. I don't know him and he does not know me but we see each other all the time. I love that he rocks the Puerto Rican gear and walks with his own theme music. One day I will introduce myself.

The most interesting portion of the picture now after the editing, however, are the guys in the background. (They don't look that happy with me shooting.) But it speaks to the changes in the area. Once populated by Puerto Ricans and Dominicans, business on 5th ave in Sunset Park are now catered to and operated mainly by Mexican, Central, and South American.

2009 > 2010

2009 > 2010, originally uploaded by josephx.

josephx says:

"...I shant lie. 2009 wasn't my favorite year, but it wasn't the worst, either. Healthy? Check. Productive? Check. Happy? Pleased to say so. All systems are indeed a "go," but in the midst of limbo for a much desired geographic transition, I'm (and we're -- m'lady and rabbits included) anything but settled. Restless, perhaps, but also attempting to make the best of it. "

What you see in Sunset Park: Behind The Town Houses

Chaos of the Everyday, originally uploaded by josephx.

Before and After: Park Entrance 6th Ave and 44th St.

Here is a photograph I came across not too long ago and really wanted to post. The image was clearly shot from above probably from the building on the corner of 6th ave and 44th street. If anyone out there has an image of the park at this angle today, please consider submitting it to the Sunset Park Stills group on Flickr. It is a such a great image to compare. I have been pleasantly surprised to see visitors from all over the world tap this site. It would be fabulous for them to also see a the way it looks now. The color photo above is the best I could do.

What has changed? For one thing, the trees are toddlers compared to the way they presently look. The lamp posts around the outside of the park have been renovated to the aluminum colored ones that are popular along highways in the US. My native Sunset Park source says the play park looked like this (with monkey bars, swings, and see-saw) until the late 80's. There was a sandbox, which was the long rectangle inside the enclosed circle and the triangle with a tree inside (beside the 2 walkers), is gone. Perhaps deleted to make room for the play park that is in use today.

What you see in Sunset Park, Brooklyn: Chinatown

Sunset Park Chinatown, Brooklyn, originally uploaded by ravikjolly.

This image is a familiar one to me because it always seems so crowed in this area of Sunset Park (8th ave between 39th street -63rd street). If you are looking for great deals on produce, this is the place to go.

El Dia De Los Reyes (Three Kings Day)

Three Kings Day is an old holiday I never celebrated growing up. Now that I am old(er) and wise(r), it is a day my family and I look forward to not just because we can still drink Coquito, but it gives us a chance to give (and get) more gifts.

Basically what happens on the night before Three Kings Day (Jan 5), children fill a shoe box (yes, a shoe box) with hay (yes, hay). This is to feed the camel, horse, and elephant of the noble kings. The boxes are to be tucked under the parents or grandparents bed on the eve. Then in the morning, the kings would have left a gift or two inside each box (one box per child).

In Mexico, the tradition is to also eat Rosca De Reyes with some coffee after dinner.

It is a wonderful tradition we have continued as my family gets older and I hope to continue until I have great grand-kids. My only issue has been, where in the heck world do I find hay in Sunset Park?

...Generally, we pluck some grass from the park.


For more info on this holiday, visit El Boricua

What I saw in Sunset Park: Woody Woodpecker and Friends

Didn't have to go far to shoot these. Outside my studio window I noticed the cardinal first then spotted the 2 wood peckers. I am always surprised to see birds other than pigeons or sparrows behind buildings in Brooklyn. CRAZY!

47th Street Then and Now.

The image on the left was an image published here, Sunset Park Stills, on Dec. 16, 2009. I wanted to shoot the building as it looks today back in December but I couldn't believe it was the same spot. After shooting the site like 3 or 4 times, I finally decided on the above image to show the buildings on either side. Those little shops were so charming, too bad they are gone. Understandably, this street (7th ave) is more residential than business and landlords saw the need for more apartments rather than shops. Besides, Brooklyn's "Chinatown" in only a block away. Times are changing still. What was once Polish and/or Scandinavian is now Asian or Latin American.