DD2 and spouse lived in Brooklyn - their street had ‘every other day’ parking - to allow “street cleaning” . . . which in four years, they never observed happening , , ,
but they did see lots of parking tickets . . .
so if you parked, you had to move your car everyday…
since they only used their car ‘now&then’ they paid for a space in three block away parking lot/area. I was stunned at what they paid . . .
IMO you need to have a decent amount of freezer space and other storage space for it to really be worthwhile. We have both and shop at costcos in Ohio (where they sell beer and wine) and Brooklyn. Normal purchases are campari tomatoes, cheese, bean coffee (usually in Ohio where there is better selection), beer (tho Brooklyn has been decreasing its selection in favor of those vodka selzer blends) citrus, eggs (if you go through them fast), nuts (if you use a lot and have freezer space, butter (ditto); chicken thighs (huge packages though), angus hamburgers, TNUVA israeli sheep feta, sometimes salmon, as well as paper goods, shampoo and cleaning supplies. The Brooklyn parking lot is a nightmare if you dont pick the right hours.
Thanks for the advice. We’d go to 116th St. (closer to us), and probably use it mostly for paper goods, cleaning supplies, cat litter, etc. I’ve never been in a Costco. In my head, it’s like the Emerald City.
Does the City collect rent to compensate for the occupied sidewalk and foregone parking meter revenue?
Do people really enjoy having a parking meter looking over their shoulder while eating seated in a gutter?
I can’t recall a single instance when I was aware of a nearby parking meter while I dined outside. Or feeling like I was in gutter.
1- well, somewhat. There’s a registration/licensing fee and, of course, the expected increased tax revenue. And, some of these spots arent metered but regulated time (alternate side, etc). But I’m sure there’s some loss.
2- much of NYC no longer have meters. You pay at the one machine on the block, get a ticket & put it on your windshield. But you may be looking at hydrants, sign posts & tree trunks.
the membership fee is $65 so you need to buy enough to make that worthwhile… a lot of stuff is really cheap, though.
Got it. Thanks. Seems likely that sidewalk users and street parkers are subsidizing restaurant real estate expense line with no corresponding benefit unless they are being seated at the only available table that happens to be on sidewalk or street.
I’m not going to miss them. Dining out has gotten so expensive that removing the ambiance, decor, comfort level of indoor dining is just not worth it. The sheds are mostly ugly, too cold, too warm, and too closed and stuffy on a nice day. Make lesser environments lesser prices.
On a nice day, sitting in a shed that is more gazebo than garden shed is very pleasant. But I will be glad to see them gone and replaced with something more uniform. Some sheds were nicely put together but too many were nothing more than 2x4s holding up sheets of 4x8 plywood. I saw several being built and its was fairly flimsy stuff
I have had a car for a long time. Actually bought my first car about a year after I started work. I used to spend a lot of time fishing. I would plan days around the spring hatches for baetis, stoneflies or mayflies and such and pack the car with fishing gear and drive to work. I would then leave work early and drive up the FDR to 684 to the hills to fish for trout at the evening hatch. Then drive back at night. Totally nutty. Didn’t have a weekend place at first. Then I bought a boat as I needed someplace to drive to and stay.
Sounds like the environment inside most of the primarily take-out Chinese places. In the winter, most of those are too cold in the small seating area to even think of dining in. (Even if you stay bundled up, your food gets cold mighty fast.)
I shop at the 116th Costco, it’s a ten minute citibike ride from our apt, typically just fill up my backpack so I can citibike to and from. On any given day that means nuts, cheese, fish, meat, berries, half and half, butter, roast chicken or really anything that will fit in my pack. Then 10 mins back to our apt.
Occasionally I’ll buy something larger and take the 2nd ave bus back. I think occasionally @Saregama shops there, maybe when we’re done traveling we can all meet for lunch in Harlem and shop. There are some interesting places I’d like to try.
We love having a car in nyc but haven’t sprung for a garage since a) we travel so much and b) can save garage fees with 4 hours of alternate parking a month. Still, a garage would be nice but I look at it like I’m being paid $200/hour to sit in our car.
