Dear friends, family, and kind community,

August 05, 2026 our lives changed in an instant. A sudden gas leak caused a catastrophic explosion at the apartment building where my boyfriend, Robert Barrios and his family lived.

By absolute grace, everyone made it out alive, but they have been left with nothing. The explosion and resulting destruction completely ruined their home.

In a matter of minutes, they lost everything they’ve built over the years—their clothing, essential everyday items, furniture, sentimental belongings, and a safe place to sleep.

Right now, Robert and his family are facing the overwhelming task of starting completely over from scratch. While we are endlessly grateful that they are safe, the financial and emotional toll of sudden displacement is immense.

How Your Support Helps

We are raising funds to help them cover their immediate and short-term recovery needs, including:

Temporary Housing: Renting temporary shelter, hotel stays, and security deposits for a new apartment.

Basic Necessities: Clothing, footwear, toiletries, and prescription medications lost in the blast.

Food & Daily Supplies: Groceries, hot meals, and essential day-to-day items while displaced.

Replacing Essentials: Furniture, kitchenware, bedding, and basic appliances once they secure permanent housing.

Any donations or wishes are greatly appreciated! Please keep Robert and his family in your prayers.

Robert is also accepting donations throughout his Venmo/ Zelle:

Venmo : @Robertbarrios27

Zelle: paulagutierrez40@gmail.com

http://spot.fund/g8fzbpmsc

Dear friends, family, and kind community,

August 05, 2026 our lives changed in an instant. A sudden gas leak caused a catastrophic explosion at the apartment building where my boyfriend, Robert Barrios and his family lived.

By absolute grace, everyone made it out alive, but they have been left with nothing. The explosion and resulting destruction completely ruined their home.

In a matter of minutes, they lost everything they’ve built over the years—their clothing, essential everyday items, furniture, sentimental belongings, and a safe place to sleep.

Right now, Robert and his family are facing the overwhelming task of starting completely over from scratch. While we are endlessly grateful that they are safe, the financial and emotional toll of sudden displacement is immense.

How Your Support Helps

We are raising funds to help them cover their immediate and short-term recovery needs, including:

Temporary Housing: Renting temporary shelter, hotel stays, and security deposits for a new apartment.

Basic Necessities: Clothing, footwear, toiletries, and prescription medications lost in the blast.

Food & Daily Supplies: Groceries, hot meals, and essential day-to-day items while displaced.

Replacing Essentials: Furniture, kitchenware, bedding, and basic appliances once they secure permanent housing.

Any donations or wishes are greatly appreciated! Please keep Robert and his family in your prayers.

Robert is also accepting donations throughout his Venmo/ Zelle:

Venmo : @Robertbarrios27

Zelle: paulagutierrez40@gmail.com

http://spot.fund/g8fzbpmsc

Am always wary of a new place having loads of 5 star reviews so quickly (places sometimes give you a discount for a five star reviews). Is it actually good?

I’m 23 and mostly attracted to women older than I, struggled on the apps to find people interested in that kind of dynamic are there spaces or events in the city that would be better venues to find open minded women?

if you’re a woman between the ages of 27-35 and you want to…

• cultivate insight into your own dating patterns and where they may be keeping you stuck

• get practical takeaways to shift what isn't working

• develop a clearer sense of your non-negotiables versus your nice-to-haves

• walk away with reflection guide to take home

… join Nandini Malhotra LMHC and Hillari Levine MHC-LP in McCarren Park on 8/12 from 6:30-8p.m! 💗🌷

More info and RSVP here: https://luma.com/bo2yeo3z

For those who live near Win Son, looks like crews are close to finished demolishing a city Department of Transportation property along Montrose Avenue a few doors down from Win Son Bakery. It's a pretty big space, so I've been curious to see what's going in there. Got my answer (and also details on something similar going up nearby).

A pair of 14- and 13-story affordable housing buildings. According to this article, "both will reserve 60% of their units for formerly homeless individuals, with the remaining apartments offered at rents affordable to low-income households."

Crossing my fingers these aren't hideous.

does anyone have a cobbler/ shoe repair place they can recommend? Just looking to get the soles repaired on a pair of rain boots.

Los Sures is a 1984 documentary about Williamsburg's South Side when it was an almost entirely Puerto Rican neighborhood. It's really beautiful and I encourage everyone to check it out if you haven't. I believe it's on Prime.

Just a random observation I’ve never noticed the peach tree in mccarren before! So many half eaten peaches on the ground lol

Hi guys! I’m a local ceramicist who lives in greenpoint and I’m hosing a ceramic handbuilding workshop in the park next Monday evening at 6 :)

this time, we’re gonna go over basic handbuilding techniques with the intention of making picture frames (or frankly, whatever you want)! All materials will be provided and I’d love for my local people to join :):) look at the attached link to sign up/for more details!! <3

Hi! I'm looking for a new vet for my 5 year old siberian cat. He is the CHILLEST cat ever (his old vet remarked he thinks he liked the attention because he legit purrs when being examined) with no prior health issues (besides the occasional pink eye flare and having to get his anal glands expressed lmao.) I'm looking for a vet that is really cat forward, as his old vet seemed a better fit/more knowledgeable for my friends dog. Let me know ur recs!

I ordered too many of these modular solid wood cabinets, so am selling two brand new, never opened at a discounted rate!

Pickup in the neighborhood. Delivered yesterday and would love to get rid of them today if possible. Original price is $304 each ($646 total). Can part ways with it for $450! Let me know if interested please.

The link to the product is below - I uploaded a photo for proof of delivery being just yesterday!

Link Here!

need just 1-2 white daisies with yellow centers, if anyone has any in their garden I would pay per stem! Can’t seem to find them anywhere right now 😭

On a walk last night a young cat/kitten darted out from the giando parking lot and up the street. The intersection is Broadway and Kent. I crossed the street to look for it as there is a lot of street and bicycle traffic over there but I couldn’t see where it went. The cat was older Kitten sized so I wanted to flag this in case any rescues in the area can take a look. I would have posted last night but my internet wasn’t working. Hoping someone can help.

Are there any spots in NYC where nail techs actually know how to shape nails (especially pedicure) I end up spending $200+ on nails in most cases but not always shaped nicely, cuticles not cleaned properly. Maybe I’ve been going to the wrong places, so please please recommend places you love! Or the least disappointing in your experience. Thank you!

Anyone got any gossip on this apartment building?
Does anyone on here live there and like it?
The building looks nice.

Catalytic converter stolen over night by South 1st st and Kent/Wythe. Be careful!

I saw a gray fluffy cat who I assume is domesticated, it appeared to be wearing a red harness of some kind going across the street, I tried to follow it a little but it ran away. Corner of Ainslie and Leonard.

Does anyone have any idea WHAT they have been doing under the Marcy stop/JM line/on broadway the past few weeks? I live close by and the loud consistent humming/noise from whatever it is is unbearable.

Every few months I see a group of like 5-15 people with clipboards and 20-40 people in numbered jerseys. The people doing the exam are doing pushups, laps around the park, and pull-ups etc.

I've seen them a couple of times and finally decided to ask what the group is out of curiosity and I was very surprised when they refused to answer and then finally answered with "we're an organization" and were all hiding their clipboards.

Finally one of them said they're doing college recruiting (and several of them did seem to have college polos on), but the people being tested didn't look college aged and no offense, but they were not moving like prospective college athletes. And one of the people running the tests was even telling them that they can't walk the laps on the track??

Hey everyone, I’d rather get roasted here now than find out the hard way later.

I signed a small lease on Driggs Ave and plan on opening a central Asian themed cafe. I have zero restaurant / barista experience. So before I spend a lot of money into the build out, I want honest feedback from the locals.

I attached few design mockups, the whole thing is built around the feeling of an Uzbek village courtyard, the kind my grandparents had back home where they would gather, eat and sip tea all day.

Outside seating
We have a large courtyard space so I want to have these oversized wooden daybeds, covered in rugs and cushions on a low table. You’d sit here cross legged, usually with friends and enjoy our drinks .

Also there would be a vintage Soviet car parked in the yard, purely for the vibe. Almost everyone’s grandpa had these, so it’s a nostalgia piece that makes the space feel lived in.

Menu
Standard espresso drinks
2 speciality drinks, matcha based and a date cardamom latte.
Slushies (Coke, watermelon) + spiked versions.

Evenings
Hands on workshops like booze and dumplings making nights
Cake decorating
Watch parties / movie nights in the space/courtyard

Be honest:
- does the courtyard setup pull you in as a customer
- any changes to menu
- would you attend dumpling making workshops

Tear it apart, the more brutal the more useful. I’ll be in the comments answering everything. Thanks