My Life In Brooklyn

On my walk today I couldn’t help but notice two beautification efforts.  The first, pictured below is on the southeast corner of Fenimore and Flatbush.  While I recognize and credit the effort of the business owner to contribute to improvement, I have difficulty in appreciating the result.  Old tires painted and planted are right up there with Madonnas in half-buried bathtubs, both of which can be seen with minimal searching in some parts of suburbia.  While my neighbor Tom said he didn’t mind the improvement effort, it is just reeks kitsch to me, but not the interesting kind.  I mean this kind of thing can work on the grounds of old motels on historic Route 66, but — for me, at least — it doesn’t work here.  At the moment it seems tolerable — in the sense of being neat and fresh – lets see how long the installation is maintained.

Also, while on Flatbush (East side, somewhere near Parkside) I encountered these trees pictured below.  Presumably painted by the merchant.  I don’t think this is particularly healthy for the trees and again pretty tacky.  Whoever painted the blue tree was sloppy.

Perhaps I shouldn’t complain, but I have my standards.