Geoffrey from New York

About me I travel to discover how people elsewhere live, how they manage living with low incomes in expensive cities, how they grapple with hard times and failing economies, how they deal with ageing or crumbling families and how they themselves age and adapt. Knowing and loving New York comes from having lived through many of its manifestations while witnessing its changes....
Oct 4, 2025

Candy Colored Girl New York

Brooklyn vintage

""Candy Colored Girl" in New York City is a vintage shop in Brooklyn that will remind you of Victorian black & white funerary art but in living color."

On Franklin Avenue, around Quincy, midst brick and mortar corner walk-ups separated by rows of asymmetrical two and three storey houses is one high, stately home made of wood, for which reason alone would make it stand out were it not for the six or seven chickens who live in its front yard. They have their own house in there and the yard is their domain, it being, well, a chicken-tended dirt surface, free of rocks, and mostly free of fallen feathers, except for a few which are hard to spot because of their earthen color.

It is one landmark you might pass as you walk from the Franklin Avenue Station to Bedford Avenue and Greene Street where is a shop called Candy Colored Girl where live more birds of differing species, and no chickens.

The walk takes enough time to feel deeply the bite of a 50° spring day when the wind is blowing hard enough to lay over the daffodils or make a close-hauled sail exciting.

Candy Colored Girl is the domain of Nora Young, the person with an eye for birds, but unlike the Franklin chickens, these Bedford birds have stopped preening themselves as they are dead, and the subject of photographs which when seen will remind you of Victorian black and white funerary art, but here they still wear their beautiful and brilliant plumage, in living color.

Equally beautiful frocks and Nora's attitude make this corner of Bed-Stuy vibrate—but oh, those tortoise shell shades!

026-thrift-shop-1
Shopping

This week 25% off

with the code fall25

*on our yearly membership

About this spot

Bedford Avenue 1084

Frames:

US$

45

+1

9292652522

Our New York City Guide

Find your way with 308 Insider Tips from our Local Spotters

Discover hidden gems and all our locals’ favourites! Get full access to our New York guide.

Join as a Spotter?

Loved this Spot? And love your city? Join your local team. Share your favs and become part of our international community!

Nice place right!? There’s so much more to discover:

Discover all other hidden gems in New York

Queens Bakehouse

New York Style patisserie

"Queens Bakehouse" in NYC was an instant hit with me. Their inventive twists on classics are what really stole my heart - the croissant loaf, for example.

020-coffee-cup-1
Coffee & tea
024-burger-1
Snacks

by

Paula

Ryszkiewicz

Oct 11, 2025

Rainey Park

Western Queens oasis

When you step into "Rainey Park" in New York City, it feels like you have been welcomed into the shared backyard of Astoria residents. Compact & sunny!

017-plant-1
Relaxing

by

Paula

Ryszkiewicz

Oct 11, 2025

Utopia

Old-fashioned breakfast

"Utopia" is my neighborhood go-to breakfast joint. It's a real old-school kind of place; I go with my newspaper and am always served well and fast.

021-spoon-and-fork-1
Restaurants

by

Geoffrey

Dunbar

Oct 11, 2025

Malachy's Donegal Inn

Pint-sized Irish bar, UWS

"Malachy's Donegal Inn" is an Irish bar in New York city that's a survivor. There's an ingrained (or ingrown) sense of comfort, 'cares abandoned'...

028-beach-bar-1
Bars
021-spoon-and-fork-1
Restaurants

by

Geoffrey

Dunbar

Oct 11, 2025

Central Park Benches

Poignant inscriptions

"Central Park Benches" in NYC (apart from their comfort) are known for their commemorative plaques. One of them is dedicated by the citizens of Liverpool...

002-building
Art & culture

by

Geoffrey

Dunbar

Oct 9, 2025

BANKSY locations New York

Contemporary street art

You can find "BANKSY in New York" in the Upper West Side. 'Boy With a Hammer' is the only one of his pieces that hasn't been 'repurposed'...

002-building
Art & culture

by

Geoffrey

Dunbar

Oct 9, 2025

Silvana

Live music, café, boutique

"Silvana" is a large cafe, boutique, shawarma and falafel bar in NYC that also offers live music performances on their downstairs stage. Great acts!

002-building
Art & culture
028-beach-bar-1
Bars
029-guitar-instrument-1
Music
021-spoon-and-fork-1
Restaurants

by

Geoffrey

Dunbar

Oct 8, 2025

Mo's Famous Burgers

Hamburger Food Truck

The menu is simple: hamburgers, French fries & toppings. No over-the-top ingredients, no superfluous adjectives, and high-value food at rock-bottom prices.

024-burger-1
Snacks

by

Geoffrey

Dunbar

Oct 7, 2025

Elizabeth Street Garden

Sculpture garden NoLita

"Elizabeth Street Garden" New York: formerly the site of a large, important school house, it was reclaimed in the '90s and turned into a sculpture garden.

002-building
Art & culture
017-plant-1
Relaxing

by

Geoffrey

Dunbar

Oct 7, 2025

UWS Phone Booth

Last payphone booth

One block away from a 21st century LinkNYC WiFi tower on Broadway sits one of three West End Avenue working telephone 'booths', the last in NYC...

002-building
Art & culture

by

Geoffrey

Dunbar

Oct 6, 2025

Anthony & Son

Old-school sandwich shop

After, "Anthony & Son" Panini Shoppe's Italian-style super-sandwiches, no regular New York sandwich will ever taste as good again...

021-spoon-and-fork-1
Restaurants

by

Nick

Papa

Oct 6, 2025

Dutch Kills

Upholding cocktail culture in Queens

"Dutch Kills" in New York isn't hiding it's one of the best bars in the city, but it isn't publicizing the fact, either. No password to enter, however!

028-beach-bar-1
Bars

by

Nick

Papa

Oct 6, 2025

Heading to New York?

308 Insider Tips from our local Spotters

Authentic Stories by Real People

Escape the Crowd & Travel Slow 🐌

... for just €9.99

New York app Home
New York app Home
New York app Map
New York app Home

0 Insider Tips from our local Spotters

308 Insider Tips

✓ Escape the Crowds

✓ Find Spots nearby

✓ Authentic Stories

... for just €9.99

City guides by those who know the city in and out!

Our Locals' Favorite New York

Our team loves New York

Get to know our other Spotters from New York

As featured on:

New-York-Times
the-guardian
mashable
the-sunday-times
[paywall_activator]
false
0
false
63
Made with the 💚 of 499 Spotters.
Filters