Day: August 20, 2024

Standing on a random sidewalk in Williamsburg on a Saturday evening, the hustle and bustle of a weekend night in Brooklyn can be distracting. But nothing quite catches your eye like a 20th century trolley rolling down a busy street.

After coming to a full stop, the vehicle opens its bus-like paneled doors to welcome guests. On certain roads, the trolley’s robust size may cause visitors to stay alert as they must cut through a bike lane to enter or exit.

Once inside, riders settle into leather seats embroidered with golden buttons. Mini chandeliers hang above the red carpeted aisle, while smoke envelops the wooden interior from the back, setting the stage for a ghoulish journey through New York’s second-largest borough.

Madame Morbid’s Trolley Tours have been guiding guests through the most haunted and possessed plots of the borough since 2017. And starting this month, they’re back on the road as spooky season inches closer.

Allison Chase, a tour guide and one of the founders, was inspired to enter this line of work by her father, who ran a seasonal haunted house when she was a child. After trying desk jobs, she discovered that leading haunted tours is her true calling.

“I can’t do anything else,” Chase said. “Literally, this is my only option.”

When you’re settled into those leather cushions, looking up to the front of the car as she speaks into a mic, it becomes clear why this is her calling. Chase seamlessly weaves between gruesome facts, pop quiz questions, and individual stories of Brooklyn’s haunted past, all while maintaining her balance. Her ability to stay upright is impressive, especially considering what she’s dealing with.

Chase originally searched for a short bus on eBay for her tours, but a friend inspired her to think bigger. “My friend was like, ‘Well, if you’re gonna do it, go bigger,’” she said. So instead, she found someone who made trolley frames and custom-designed the rest of the vehicle.

The sheer size and design of the car make it quite a spectacle as driver Laurentiu Oirca navigates the cobblestone roads near the Brooklyn Bridge. He’s been driving the trolley for a few years now and says that staying attentive is what allows him and the other drivers to do their jobs amidst the regular NYC traffic nightmares.

“I also say to the drivers, our main thing here is to stay focused and stay calm,” he said. “We have our tour guides on the stage, there’s no reason to disturb our guests with anything that’s outside.”

Sometimes, the distractions outside can be intense. Late last year, during a protest, one of the trolley’s windows was shot with a BB gun.

Chase and the other tour guides have such faith in Oirca that they don’t worry as he navigates tight squeezes and fends off pesky drivers. Jaywalkers and people on the sidewalk often look on in amazement as the monolith soars down streets and avenues.

But it’s not just the public that’s captivated — the audience members on the bus are, too. A television at the front of the car plays informational videos featuring pictures, celebrity cameos and narration about some of the sights and stories highlighted on the tour.

These videos were updated earlier this year to enhance the experience for new audiences, as Chase realized the business is starting to attract customers who return annually.

“We just want to improve, like to us the product is everything,” she said. “All the tour guides, drivers, they like get so immersed in the history and really love it that they go home and research.”

Whether it’s the videos, new costumes, or a new route that Laurentiu helped create, the team at Madame Morbid is keen on keeping something that could become stale a fresh product.

One of the cooler aspects of the tour is when the sun begins to dip below the skyline, and the candles on the side of the trolley flicker on, adding an extra layer of eeriness to the next stops, including the site of the 1960 plane crash over Park Slope.

As the tour wraps up on the same street in Williamsburg where it began, riders hop off into the Brooklyn night, having learned some of the spookiest facts about the neighborhood many of them call home.

When Chase originally pitched the haunted concept to her friends in the mid-2010s, they weren’t exactly supportive. “I was always talking to my friends all the time about how I was going to open a ghost tour, and everyone was laughing at me,” she said.

Now, almost a decade later, Madame Morbid is creatively doing something unique that’s attracting attention and interest — something she’s quite proud of. “I feel like this company, people want to be a part of it,” she said.

Movies with a View: The American President Film, Community Pier 1, Harbor View Lawn at Brooklyn Bridge Park Thursday, Aug. 22 @ 5 p.m. Movies with a View, presented by Pluto TV, is back for its 24th season and will run on Thursdays until Aug. 28. This week showcases “The American President” (1995), a PG-13 […]

The post What They’re Saying: live arts in Brooklyn this week, Aug. 20 appeared first on Brooklyn Eagle.

Hon. John Higgitt has been appointed as the judicial co-chair of the chief administrative judge’s Advisory Committee on Civil Practice, Justice Joseph Zayas announced on Monday. Justice Higgitt, who previously served as a member of the committee, will now work alongside long-standing Chair George Carpinello. The Advisory Committee plays a key role in providing input […]

The post Justice Higgitt appointed judicial co-chair of Advisory Committee on Civil Practice appeared first on Brooklyn Eagle.

Coney Island’s iconic beach turned into a canvas of creativity on Aug. 17, as artists and enthusiasts from across the region gathered for the 32nd annual sand sculpting contest.

Talented sculptors from across the region showed up on Saturday to showcase their creativity and skills, transforming the soft sands of the beach into breathtaking works of art.

This year’s event attracted a record number of participants, featuring seasoned professionals and enthusiastic amateurs eager to display their talents. Competitors had four hours to create whatever they wanted, using any tools they wanted.

Tony Cusicanqui, a Long Island beach fanatic known as the “Sand Man,” came with his eyes on the prize — and a design that won him the competition.

“I wasn’t going to participate unless I won,” he said. With four hours dedicated to sculpting starting at noon, Cusicanqui explained how he managed his workflow. “It’s all about wetting your sculpture constantly to keep it together. Everyone goes through this process, using their imagination and creativity to bring their visions to life.”

He proudly showcased his creation, a two-foot bear, amidst a diverse display of sculptures from fellow competitors. Although he aimed for victory, he appeared to relish every moment of the event.

“The environment was wonderful, right off the boardwalk. The people running the contest were fantastic, making the overall experience incredibly enjoyable,” he said. “The best part of sand sculpting is seeing the smiles on people’s faces. When they come by and marvel at the sculptures, you know you’re bringing a little happiness into their day.”

Each sculpture was judged on originality and craftsmanship, with the most outstanding entries winning cash prizes.

Dawn Henning, a Coney Island native-turned-Bay Ridge resident, competed with her family in the group division of the contest, with perhaps the most New York sculpture of the day — a giant ran toting a slice of pizza. Hennings’s daughter came up with the design to capture the silly nature of the city. 

“It’s the most fun when people start to see what you’re working on and they come up to you asking for pictures,” Henning told Brooklyn Paper. 

Though their rat design didn’t win this year, Henning said spending the day with family on the Coney Island boardwalk was enough for her. Cusicanqui shared similar sentiments, adding that it’s all about the people.

“Adding a sand sculpture to someone’s beach day creates a memory that lasts forever,” he said. “It brings people back, day after day, and I love being a part of that.”

The sun may have set on the 32nd annual sand sculpting competition but, thanks to the Alliance, there are still plenty of summer events to enjoy in Coney Island. Visit the group’s official website to learn about more seasonal must-dos.