Quantcast

When Fish is Dried in the Apartment

2008_12_smkedfish.jpgNeighbors' apartment smells can be a constant source of frustration, but a group of nuns are suing two tenants for stinking up a Gramercy-area building. The Post reports that the Missionary Sisters of Sacred Heart, which owns 201 East 19th Street, accuse Gloria and Michael Lim of "caus[ing] noxious, foul and harmful odors to emanate from the [apartment] into the common areas...as well into other apartments." One time, the fire department was called because people were convinced someone had died in the building; the FDNY focused on the Lims' apartment, where Gloria Lim said she was "smoking and drying fish." Since the Lims reportedly refused to "stop the stank or at least open their windows," the Missionary Sisters are trying to block Lim from further fishy antics and for $75,000 in damages.

Contact the author of this article or email tips@gothamist.com with further questions, comments or tips.

Comments [rss]

  • SP

    Maybe for commercial purposes. Not in the privacy of your home using non-commercial appliances that were designed for residential use.

  • diabolix

    Smells & ethnic divides aside, smoking food in an improperly zoned area is a fineable crime since it is illegal in Manhattan with the only known exception being made for Dinosaur BBQ underneath Riverside drive.

  • SP

    LOL, nanny, you're right, tarragon rules.

    And to all the haters, you decry someone who's suing because he had a cop shove his walkie talkie up his ass, and yet you're jumping to the defense of two broke ass nuns who've had nothing done to them at all? Sounds pretty racist to me. These gold diggers realized that their line of work is no growth so they are suing their neighbors. Shameful, and definitely not "christian" (whatever the fuck that is.) They are going straight to hell for sure.

  • NannyState

    Ok #3, I'm sneaking up to your apartment to check out that great stuff. And I'm thinking, so what do those nuns eat? Chicken soup out of the can? If the neighbor's smells like fish, get some tarragon and sprinkle it around to upscale the experience a bit.

  • FranklinBluth

    I've got duck hanging in my window...

  • dancingruru

    If you go to China right about now, you'll see plenty of fish being line-dried outside. Long story as to why dried fish is popular and auspicious during Chinese New Year... but it's mostly done on clotheslines, outdoors, about a month prior to Chinese New Year - not just in rural villages, but in major cities as well. I'll bet anything that the Lims think they're being CONSIDERATE to the Missionary Sisters when they're not drying their fish right out a window.

    With that said... some customs should be left at home where everyone knows that it's not a bad thing. Drying fish here isn't auspicious, it just smells funky.

  • JacqueMehoff

    they're not Chinese or from china.

  • 7train

    That's pretty disgusting and disrespectful. This is NY, not a rural village in China.

    You move to this country, you have to learn the habits here, not impose yours upon others and expect them to accomodate you.

  • Tar_Baby

    There's a difference between aroma and stench. Can't fault the nuns if it's really that bad. Who wants to live next to rotting fish?

    I have neighbors that smoke a lot and it get's into my apartment so I'm constantly wishing that they get lung cancer and die. Am I evil?

  • WhereAmI

    only because they were confused by this new good smell, i remember when my mom would drive me to brooklyn on the BQE and it would at times smell like cookies, cake, or really good bread, never maple syrup though.

  • JacqueMehoff

    weren't there some complaints about baking bread odors from a bakery?

  • WhereAmI

    Ah but you see those are all good smells, the kind that most anyone can appreciate, as opposed to the smell of smoking fish, which at times can be down right vile.

  • JacqueMehoff

    everything is legal action nowadays. I would hope they give you a warning first. I wish they would crack down on dog owners who don't pick up after their dog as diligently.

    my lease this year had a no odor clause.

    I do love me some smoked trout once in a while.

    I'm guessing if you live in a yuppie complex few cook so they're not used to cooking odors.

  • harrisgraber

    I used to brew beer in my apartment and the aroma certainly did go into the hall. Nobody ever complained. They didn't ask for any of the beer, either.

    I also used to bake four loaves of bread at a time. I'd leave my apartment about 20 minutes before the loaves were done and go for a walk. When I came back, the smell of baking bread was wonderful. Nobody ever complained.

    I used to do lots of cooking with garlic. I know the aroma went past my door. It can't be helped. My neighbor was an excellent cook and I always used to love the smell that emanated from his apartment.

    That being said, I can imagine that smoking fish can produce a strong smell depending on the variety of fish. I have an idea that this wasn't done all day every day. It seems to me that there needs to be some negotiation here.

    I'm not clear about who is offended by the odors. Are there other tenants who are complaining? Is it just the owners of the building who are complaining while the tenants are tolerant of this activity? Opening a window would certainly reduce the strength of the emanating aromas. I think a law suit indicates that there is something that we don't know about that is preventing meaningful negotiations (if, indeed, those are really needed).

  • jterry121

    The City already smells like Shit- Now the Koreans are trying to make it smell even Shittier? Deport those Commie Bastards back to North Korea

  • stillshot

    Good for the nuns, perhaps the lease should be updated to ban smells emanating from units going into hallways and bothering other tenants.(extreme cases like this one)

    Also, assessing a cleaning-sanitation fee upon moving out.

    Why my habits must disrupt others which are paying with hard earned money to live in the city?

  • SP

    @ #6: get one, they rock. I have the Emeril branded one. I love it. It doesn't make all that much smoke.

  • Rocknrope

    Great, a story to support the notion of the "stinky chinese."

  • JacqueMehoff

    I would love to try that stovetop smoker you see on cooking shows but I know people would complain.

    till then I try my hand at making gravlax instead of smoked salmon.

  • nik13

    but i'm not running diary operations from my condo.

    Of of my Korean neighbors insisted on keeping home-made kimchi in her apt., directly under mine.

    Nothing beats that aroma.

blog comments powered by Disqus

send a tip

tips@gothamist.com