Tag Archives: third street

arts and culture

An Upright Piano on Third Street

About a month ago, someone on Third Street (between 5th and 6th Avenues in Park Slope) wanted to get  rid of an upright piano. They wrapped it in plastic and left it in their building’s front yard. Perhaps they were waiting for someone to take it, to sell it, or for bulk garbage day.

The Department of Sanitation provides “free curbside removal of large non-commercial ‘bulk’ items (items that are too big to be discarded in a container or bag) from residential buildings.”

A piano is definitely too big to be discarded in a container or bag.

On Monday afternoon, in preparation for bulk garbage pick up, the piano’s owners left the piano on the curb.

A talented local musician I know tried to convince his father to carry the piano to the apartment where he lives. When THAT didn’t happen, he had the idea to make a video of himself performing two songs using that piano. A group of his friends arrived on Third Street with a video camera and professional recording equipment.

The shoot lasted an hour or more. The piano is broken and more than a little out of tune. The local musician was able to make the non-working peddles work.

It was, I thought, a sight to behold. In the golden light of a summer afternoon, a young musician sat on an old television set, playing an out-of-tune upright on the Third Street sidewalk, surrounded by friends.

The songs, they were beautiful.

 

Civics and Urban Life

Park Slope Block Has First Ever Block Party

Talking to some longtime residents of my block, I have confirmed that there has never been an official block party with a street closing on Third Street between 6th and 7th Aenues.

“311 has made things so easy. Now you can find out how to do things we never knew how to do before,” said one Third Street resident of more than twenty years.

I’d always heard that you couldn’t close off a two lane street.

“That’s not true, we were lazy,” she said.

In the past there were mini-block parties, three or four buildings would get together and there would be food, music, musical chairs and a talent show.

“The woman who organized this, she did a good job,” another neighbor said.

Civics and Urban Life

We’re Having a Block Party on Third Street! Today!

Third Street between 6th and 7th Avenue is having its first block party ever. EVER.

Finally, after all these years, one of the newer residents decided to organize one and she did a great job.

She put together a planning committee, she got a permit from the city to close the street, she organized activities for children and, best of all, rented one of those spacewalks.

Bernette Rudoph, an elderly and talented artist, is doing a wood sculpture activity with the kids.

What’s really fun is that the street is closed to traffic and the kids can ride their biks and scooters up and down the streets. Also, there’s fire hydrant sprinkler, a time honored way for city kids to cool off.