Brick Underground Gives FiPS Well Deserved* Props

Brick Underground (“the insider’s guide to NYC real estate”) named FiPS one of its 22 Essential New York City blogs. Calling us the “grumpy elder statesman” of Park Slope blogs (because we’re old), Brick Underground highlights our Craigslist blotter and still enjoys it when we call people out on their nonsense.

While they didn’t explicitly say we were very good looking, extremely witty, well-read, sharper satirists than The Onion and cooler than Bill Murray himself, I think we can all agree it was written between lines. Especially the “good looking” part.

Thank you, Brick Underground. We’ll treasure this well-deserved addition to our ever-expanding FiPS trophy room.

Mayors – They’re Just Like Us!...

Image via DNAinfo...They leave the crap they don’t want on the sidewalk outside their house

A couple of years ago, an older, non-urban-seeming lady approached me hesitantly on the sidewalk near my building. Oh crap, I thought to myself, some religious freak, so I responded warily, with one raised eyebrow and no smile. “Yes?” She pointed to a pile of books on a nearby stoop, and in a quiet voice asked, “Is that how people give away books in New York?” “Yes,” I trumpeted, greatly relieved. “Definitely! Go for it.”

I didn’t bother clarifying that This Is How People Give Away Books – and clothes and shoes and toys and car seats and chairs and IKEA Billys – in Park Slope.

Click to read more ...

[FIPS Was There...] Lakeside Roller Skating and Water Play…And a Little Day Drinking

Ever since I read the reports that this summer is going to be oppressively hot and miserable, I've become manical about enjoying every waking moment of every perfect weather day, like the ones we had this weekend. Er. Mah. Gerd. It was so fucking nice out this weekend! We're talking Goldilocks weather --not too hot, not too cold, but just right. 

On Sunday, I'd arranged to hang with a friend and our two daughters, and there was no way we were letting them stay inside and play minecraft or barbies whatever-the-fuck tweens do behind closed doors these days. They were going to be outside enjoying NATURE, dammit! So, we took them to Lakeside. We started them off with roller skating, which provided this important insight for any parents considering taking a group of kids roller skating, or possibly having a roller skating party: Getting kids all laced, padded and helmeted up takes for-evah -- don't plan on doing that all yourself, or the kids will never get on the rink. Mom-friend and I did not skate, which is totally lame, but we had our reasons. 

Click to read more ...

FIPS Broken News: A-holes Allegedly Set Up Cyclist Trap in Prospect Park and Cops Really Don't Care

via Michael Wilhelm

What sounds like something out of a Road Runner cartoon is really a very fucked up prank by a bunch of stupid jerks. Now that I've exorcised that demon: On the evening of May 20th, Michael Wihelm of Midwood was riding his bike in Prospect Park, like you do. As he approached the entrance near Bartel-Pritchard Square he noticed a rope strung across Park Drive. But it was too late, he rode right into it and was thrown over his handle bars on to the concrete. 

This is how he described it to Gothamist:

'I saw the rope the second before I hit it—I think the word 'shit' came out of my mouth, and that was it,' Wilhelm said. The next thing he knew, he was laying on the side of the road. 'My legs were strangely folded. I couldn't lay down, and my whole body was shaking. My friend was panicking, I think. He kept asking if he should call an ambulance. I kept telling him to call, but I couldn't get the word out.'

He spent the next two days in Lutheran Hospital recovering from six broken ribs and a fractured elbow.

Click to read more ...

Park Slope Craigslist Blotter

SEEKING: A Writer For The End Of The World

Somebody is working on their memoirs and is looking to workshop it with another writing working on a similar project. I actually think this is cool and it's always helpful to have somebody go over your stuff. However, I'd kind of want to know and trust them. Some random stranger might have terrible taste.

FOR SALE: Expensive Couch

I know somebody who had this exact couch. It wasn't very comfortable to sit on. It also took up a healthy amount of space. And nobody was allowed to sleep on it. Turns out it costs $2800. Huh. If you're spending that much money on something for the living area that you can't sit on or change the channel on then it should probably be wall art. We live in apartments, this is insane.

Click to read more ...