Smith Street has gotten more and more difficult to navigate as a pedestrian, what with outdoor dining areas in the summertime, the A-frame blackboards announcing specials and those vestibule tents in the wintertime. All make walking along the already rather narrow Smith Street sidewalks difficult on a week-end and in the evening.
Now, there may be another obstacle to navigate around: the sidewalk restaurant hostess.
For the last week and a half, newly-opened Verde Restaurant at 216 Smith Street has planted a hostess, a lectern, complete with orchids in a vase, and planters with evergreens and a sign advertising its Happy Hour drinks in front of its restaurant in order to lure in costumers. (One wonders if that is even legal without a permit, but then anything seems to be possible on Smith Street.)
I wonder if other restaurants will follow suit. I am also wondering if this is a sign of the ever increasing competition amongst the eating establishment on Smith Street.
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22 comments:
Hi Katia,
Although this is not typical in our neighborhood, this type of nightlife make the street safer than it was in the past. There is some kind of taste of "Saint Germain des prés" that we can appreciate. Do you prefer the glaucous Chinese or Pizzas places whit their rats?
Wonder how the hostess feels about her unsolicited claim to fame?
yes, I am the person in the picture and I'm not happy about it. in fact I'm not even the hostess and I wish wish people were a bit more respectful when exposing someone else to the internet like this.
Ha, good one.
I suppose standing on the sidewalk in plain sight means that no one can take your photo? After all, its not as though Katia took a photo of you in your living room.
Get over yourself.
The 'claim to fame' comment was posted by me, in a hurry at the time, assumed my gmail address would identify me as it had in the past. Felt sorry for the hostess being 'exposed' for lack of a better term. I would have approached the management of the place (offer them a photo op) not post a picture of an employee who works there to make a living and did not know she was being photographed. The 'get over it' comment to said hostess is uncalled for.
Tania
So you are not the person/hostess in the photo?
Why did you say you were?
I am always amazed by the comments that make a big to-do about Katia taking pictures of people. Do you know how many cameras are out there, surveillance and otherwise? Katia's use has always been benign. The hostess is in a public place. And she is obviously the hostess.
As the other person said previously, I'm just making a living like any other honest person. This is not my full time job, I have other things going on in my life, that's another reason why I did not want to be exposed. You want to blame to restaurant, go ahead, they have the power to do whatever, I'm just an employee following orders, that's all. I would appreciate if you would cover my face, or even photoshop it. Please, show some respect for the average person trying to make a living, I would deeply appreciate.
Someone from the Neighborhood Watch should go approach them and check to see that all of their papers and permits are in order. If we don't all pitch in and help police potential infractions then business owners may choose to post signs or paint things without community review as an integral part of the process.
Evergreens and signs? HOW DARE THEY? Where will it all end? Benches? Trees? I Demand Action!
I would HATE to have my photo taken without being asked. What if you're in witness protection or running from an abusive spouse? So rude!
Since, the first years that Smith Street was becoming Reataurant Row-that would have been a good time for the Commnunity Board- residents to have complained. Since, all the changes, restaurants with customers eating outside. What is good for the goose is good for the gander. Now, try to stop, a waitress by a podium standing outside, looking to place and serve a customer.
Its aggravating, that all these businesses are taking up space on
sidewalks, where people need to pass with their shopping carts or with their loved one or as a group. You have to form a single line to walk. Bikes are parked for the delivery men by the sidewalk, makes it hard for anyone to get out of their cars.
Yes, this is better than seeing fleeing rats or continuous same businesses. As for the picture taking of the waitress/hostess that should by all means asked before taken. She is doing her job, that is part of requirement of the job-by standing outside of the restaurant by the podium. As for the owner of the restaurant- its not necessary to have anyone stand outside his or her restaurant, with all the attractive decors- i do not see, how anyone would be able to pass this business up?
Stella, if you're in the witness protection plan, or hiding from an abusive spouse, you do not take a job as a hostess on a public sidewalk. Get over it. Right now there is a photography exhibit at the Museum of Modern Art of Henri-Cartier Bresson. I can assure you, he did not ask anyone if he could take their picture. That's not how to capture a moment, or truth, or the real-world. That's how you get people who are posing! Which is fine, but I prefer my pictures candid, thank you.
You don't get it, Agnes. This is not investigative journalism but someone taking pictures of people from across the street without their approval and making them public for all to see. How would you like to have your daughter or son prominently displayed for doing their job? BTW, even people in the witness protection plan have to make a living. Stella is right. It is rude and an invasion of privacy. New to this area and surprised about this sort of 'coverage'. Feel for the waitress/hostess.
You don't get it - Henri-Cartier Bresson was an artist - not an investigative journalist. And there are cameras on you constantly - even from outer space. Better get used to it.
The man who fell to earth is us. Photo releases are not required for media or educational uses, and my interpretation is that blogs fit within that range. Completely recognize that new media and the fact that everyone has a camera or two on them at any given time is utterly amazing/good/yucky. There are legal and ethical issues, no question. I am a fine art photographer, owned a camera store, and taught for many years - have lots of thoughts about this. I don't take pictures without a signed release but that's because my intentions are different than bloggers'. Should I feel sorry for someone who was photographed doing their job? Not necessarily. Does it feel invasive? Well probably, but that's the modern world for you. Would be a great topic for some sort of larger community/blogger discussion.
Wasn't talking about Bresson, the artist, ENUFALREADY. You seem confused. Cameras from outer space? Hmmmm ...
Oh yes, cameras that can show the date on a coin on the sidewalk - that's the kind of technology you are living with. Anyone at all has access to a picture of the house you live in - top view, side view. Just type in your address and use the Google map. You know, every once in a while people come back with this same objection to Katia taking pictures of people. That's what Katia does.That's the content - Katia in the neighborhood. If you don't like the blog, knowing that's what she does, beats me why you look at it. And I'm done with this discussion - Enufalready!
I ate at this restaurant last weekend, and it is without a doubt a trashy place. The food is o.k., but not for the price. Very small portions on most plates, averaging between $25-35. The waiters are clueless and the owner is a mess. I observed the owner, or the guy in the suit with glasses, as he downed several drinks, and you could obviously see he was drunk. He persistently scolded his employees and is obviously not capable of running a humane restaurant. Someone in the kitchen was also yelling and the whole place is just a mess. They obviously have no idea how to run a business. Employees are treated like shit from the looks of it. All night long i saw him giving people these "looks" looked frustrated all the time. He needs to wake up and realize his employees are miserable because he doesnt know how to treat people.
$12 jack and coke anyone? or better yet $11 white russian? their prices must be a joke. Peoples republic of brooklyn right up the block has half priced drinks, and every other restaurant/bar on smith is more worthy of your time and money
lmao i was just thinking that the other day when my drink bill came out to $40 for 3 house vodka drinks lol
I never read Blogs nor comment on them but, when a friend pointed this one out to me...I just had to! All I really can say is...WOW!! I am shocked at the level of ridiculousness! Don't the people in Brooklyn have lives? Why is it that people feel the need to tell everyone where they should and shouldn't eat or drink? If you're in the area and a place looks interesting...go in and try it! Who cares what other people think!? As for the Hostess, SO WHAT? Obviously, the owner wants to distinguish himself from the other 3000 restaurants on the Smith Street strip!
Is that the newest tactic? Is that effective? I never thought that it is a great idea to use a hostess for the restaurant.
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