Gothamist
A non-profit newsroom, powered by WNYC.
Gothamist
Listen Live
Arts & Entertainment
"Before I Die" Chalkboard Gives Brooklynites A Public Bucket List
By
Jen Carlson
Published Oct 26, 2011
Modified Oct 26, 2011
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
Never miss a story
Email address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .
By
Jen Carlson
Published Oct 26, 2011
Modified Oct 26, 2011
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
We rely on your support to make local news available to all
Make your contribution now and help Gothamist thrive in 2026. Donate today
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Photo by Jen Carlson/Gothamist
The Shake Shack construction wall in Downtown Brooklyn has become a community bucket list, with a "Before I Die" chalkboard taking it over—likely put there by Danny Meyer & Co., using this toolkit. We walked by yesterday and saw that some of our fellow Brooklynites would like to do things like "Fuck Beyonce" and "Get Wasted" before they're six feet under. Noble goals, young people, noble goals. Others mentioned money ("be financially independent," "put my kids through college"), and there was a lone nod to the Occupy Wall Street movement, as well ("OWS")—but mostly people just want to fuck Beyonce.
The project started in New Orleans, when Candy Change turned the side of an abandoned house into a giant chalkboard, repeatedly writing “Before I die I want to _______," and leaving locals to fill in the blanks.
Tagged
before i die
chalkboard
downtown Brooklyn
Jen Carlson
Jen Carlson is a former WNYC and Gothamist editor.
Read more
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
MORE arts-entertainment
The Knicks are NBA champions. Now they have to start dressing the part.
Before they attempt to fend off LeBron James and the 76ers on Tuesday, the Knicks will have a chance to show off their winning mentality through their tunnel fits.
By
Sonia Rao
Published Oct 19, 2026 at 12:43 p.m. ET
Will Barnes and Noble in the East Village spell doom for smaller shops? It's complicated.
Independent booksellers are grappling with whether the big-box chain is a threat or an ally in the fight against Amazon.
By
Sonia Rao
Arts & Entertainment
Will Barnes and Noble in the East Village spell doom for smaller shops? It's complicated.
Independent booksellers are grappling with whether the big-box chain is a threat or an ally in the fight against Amazon.
By
Sonia Rao
Can eligible NYC singles find love with 30 minutes and some really spicy food?
By
Elizabeth Shwe
and
James Ramsay
How the NYC Marathon has changed in the last 50 years
By
Hannah Frishberg
A visit to Art of Play, the Brooklyn store in an animatronic bird beef with Kelly Clarkson
By
Sonia Rao
Never miss a story
Catch up on the most important headlines with a roundup of essential NYC stories, delivered to your inbox daily.
Sign upEmail address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .