The News From Yellow Hook

Bay Ridge is a neighbourhood in the southwest corner Brooklyn. It is bound by 65th Street on the north, Interstate 278 on the east, and Shore Road & the Belt Parkway on the west. The southern border is 101st Street. The portion below 86th Street is a subsection called Fort Hamilton. A small area east of I-278, bounded by 7th Avenue, is also part of Bay Ridge.

Bay Ridge was originally known as Yellow Hook, named for the yellowish soil the original Dutch settlers observed. This name was changed in the 1853 after yellow fever struck the area and residents realised what an ill fit it was given the circumstances.


pic: Right In Bay Ridge

Fatal Stabbing at The Gregory Hotel...
David Diaz, 26, from Bay Ridge, was stabbed in the back and died at the Best Western Gregory Hotel (8315 4th Ave) yesterday.

Sources say Diaz, who lived above the Zahran Supermarket (7618 5th Avenue), died of blunt-force trauma to his head not from the stab wounds. Police were trying to figure out why Diaz, who lived only a few blocks away, was staying at the hotel in the first place. Gee...


Emi's Closing...
Year-long rumours of the possible closing of Emi's (8905 - 3rd Avenue) have finally been proven true, as the closed doors and "For Sale" sign posted in its window signal another local business changing hands, and perhaps disappearing altogether.

I had brunch at Emi's once and it was deeeelish. However, I would often walk by and see not a soul inside.

Uncle Buck's, right next door to Emi, while keeping the same owner recently changed from a lounge called Samm's, which was another ghost town spot, to a western-themed BBQ spot which looks hella out of place there.


Henry Grattan's Sold...
Henry Grattan's Irish pub and restaurant has been sold and will become an upper-scale Mexican restaurant. Umm, great.


New Middle Eastern place at 9604 3rd Avenue...
There's a brand new Middle Eastern/Syrian spot next door to Goodfellas at 9604 3rd Avenue, which is the old Ray's Comedy Lounge and probably the most doomed destined-to-fail address on that end of 3rd Avenue as nothing has ever lasted there. I just hope this new spot won't become another hookah pipe hang out for the 5th Avenue al-Qaida all-stars.


What else? Oh, there's some new "brick oven pizza" jernt opening up next door to Cold Stone at 8403 Third Avenue in the old "Cheesesteak Factory" spot. And almost directly across the street next door to Areo there's a new Starbucks on the way. Ready to compete with the lowly Caffe Cafe at 8401 3rd Ave that's been there for about 20 years.