samhexum

applause.wav Baby, you're incredible.wav I feel good (James Brown).wav woo hoo.wav

Michelin-rated Okdongsik restaurant opens in Bayside, emphasizing simplicity in Korean cuisine Okdongsik, a newly opened restaurant in Bayside, brings a fresh take on Korean comfort food with a focus on simplicity and high-quality ingredients. Located at 43-13 Bell Blvd., the restaurant is the latest venture of Chef Ok Dongsik, a renowned culinary figure whose first restaurant in Seoul, Korea, quickly garnered attention for its minimalist approach to traditional Korean dishes. Since 2018, Okdongsik has been listed in the Michelin Guide Bib Gourmand, which recognizes establishments that serve exceptional food at a reasonable price. Now, with the opening of Okdongsik in Bayside, the celebrated chef aims to introduce a refined, yet simple, culinary experience to a new audience, offering dishes that highlight the true essence of Korean comfort food. The restaurant has a unique style in the way it prepares and serves food. Its menu has just four items, each prepared for guests to truly indulge in the food they are eating, mainly as it is, without the need to add more ingredients and flavors. “He wanted to introduce some kind of fundamental flavor of things other than barbeque because nowadays Korean food is really too sweet and they want to give too much impact to one single item,” said Kyle Lee, the Director of Operations at OkDongSik, who translated for Chef Ok Dongsik in the interview. “It’s really packed up with flavors, but at the same time, it’s too much. He wants to convey simplicity through each unique flavor from each ingredient.” After gaining recognition for his first restaurant in Seoul, Chef Ok Dongsik brought his culinary expertise to Manhattan with a pop-up collaboration with Hand Hospitality, which ran from November 2022 to April 2023. During the event, he introduced his signature dish, Dweji Gomtang, a comforting pork broth served with rice, seokbakji, and gochuji. Widely regarded as a staple of Korean comfort food, this dish evokes a sense of nostalgia akin to the American classic chicken noodle soup. The pop-up quickly garnered a loyal following, prompting Chef Ok to open his first permanent location in Manhattan just a month later, in May 2023, at 13 E. 30th St. Building on that success, Okdongsik expanded to Bayside with a new restaurant, which opened on Jan. 30 to an enthusiastic reception from the local community, particularly among Korean residents eager to experience Chef Ok’s acclaimed cuisine. “He wanted to introduce to the Bayside neighborhood the different kinds of Korean cuisine, not like duboki or bbq; there’s so many things other than that,” said Lee while translating for Dongsik. When guests visit the restaurant, they are given a menu with four items, with Dweji Gomtang as the main dish. After that, there’s kimchi mandoo, similar to a dumpling filled with pork and tofu. There’s also haemul wanja, a meaty seafood cake lightly seasoned with soy sauce, and naeng jeyuk, a slow-cooked and chilled pork served with gochuji, a fermented pepper paste that goes best with pork. Even the restaurant itself has a simple and clean look. There are no tables scattered throughout the venue, just a single counter for customers to eat on in front of an open kitchen station. The restaurant offers a sense of tranquility from the busy and loud street outside. The restaurant, which has been featured in the NY Times and has gained its own cult following, intends to continue expanding quickly throughout the globe. After having a pop-up in Paris last year, they anticipate opening a space in May or June of this year, as well as upcoming locations in Hawaii and Tokyo, with an opening month to be determined.

Czech Dam Project Was Stalled by Bureaucracy. Beavers Built Their Own. The dam project, drafted in 2018, had been delayed by land negotiations. Local beavers built several dams, saving the government more than one million euros. For years, officials in the Czech Republic had pushed a dam project to protect a river south of Prague, and the critically endangered species living in it. But the project, hamstrung by land negotiations, stalled. In the meantime, a group of chisel-toothed mammals — renowned for their engineering skills and work ethic, and unencumbered by bureaucracy — decided to take on the task. Czech beavers simply built dams themselves. The rodents’ fast work saved the local authorities some 1.2 million euros, according to a news release from the Nature Conservation Agency of the Czech Republic, a government agency responsible for conservation across the country. “Nature took its course,” Bohumil Fišer, the head of the Brdy Protected Landscape Area, where the revitalization project was planned, said in the statement. The beavers, he added, had created the ideal environmental conditions “practically overnight.” The project, on a former army site on the Klabava, a river about 40 miles southwest of Prague, the Czech capital, was drafted in 2018 and had a building permit, but had been delayed for years by negotiations over the land, which had been used as military training grounds, Agence France-Presse reported yesterday]. Officials had hoped to build a barrier to protect the river and its population of critically endangered crayfish from sediment and acidic water spilling over from two nearby ponds, A.F.P. reported. The beavers began working before the excavators could even break ground. It was not immediately clear specifically when the dams were built and how long it took to build them. The new wetland created by the dams covers nearly five acres, the conservation group said. It is twice as large as the area that the humans had planned, Agence France-Presse reported. “It’s full service,” Mr. Fišer told A.F.P. “Beavers are absolutely fantastic and when they are in an area where they can’t cause damage, they do a brilliant job.” Despite their remarkable ability to construct dams, beavers often draw the ire of landowners and farmers for destroying trees, eating crops and flooding roads and fields. But in thinning a tree canopy, the rodents can often help to diversify an ecosystem by allowing sunlight in so that other plant species can thrive, said Emily Fairfax, an assistant professor of ecology at the University of Minnesota. “They’re fundamentally changing the way water and life moves through that landscape,” she said. To build a dam, the beavers, whose weight as adults can range from about 40 to 80 pounds, begin by piling small stones across a river or stream, packing those stones in with mud, and repeating the process to construct a pond, which they then expand to become a wetland, Dr. Fairfax said. They are motivated by their fear of predators: Beavers are adept swimmers and can hold their breath underwater for 15 minutes. On land, their ungainly waddle makes them easy prey. “They’re basically a big chicken nugget for predators,” which include bears, mountain lions and wolves, she said. The Czech dam is not the first time the rodents have assisted in building a wetland. Beavers in California have helped to restore a floodplain about 30 miles northeast of Sacramento. In that case, the beavers’ work also helped local officials save money. “All they had to do was let the beavers be there,” Dr. Fairfax said. In other cases, beavers often did work that went unacknowledged. “We sort of have a blindness for beavers,” she said, noting that they were often considered a nuisance because of their alarming size and capacity to rapidly change the landscape. “They’re powerful, they’re big, and they’re elusive,” Dr. Fairfax said, noting that, despite the beavers’ engineering prowess, they presented a challenge for conservation groups when planning restoration projects. “Oftentimes we don’t want to allow the beavers to make the choices, because it’s hard to plan around that uncertainty; it’s hard to turn over control to a giant water rodent,” she said. “But that’s when beavers are at their best.” https://www.nytimes.com/2025/02/12/world/europe/beavers-prague-czech-republic-dam.html

nice season finale

when she was just a young whippersnapper.

Horrifying video captures Hawaii cliff jumper’s final moments as he plummets to his death Santiago Bourdieu, a 28-year-old rugby player and fitness instructor, got a running start as he catapulted toward the cliff’s edge — but then plummeted straight down the cliff’s rocky, 50-foot face.

Billboard names Forest Hills Stadium one of the top music venues on the East Coast

I heard that Candice Cameron-Bure's network is gonna do an alternate version called "Beyond The Pearly Gates"

Episode two is tonight.

Ozanam Hall in Bayside unveils a new Montessori-inspired care neighborhood for seniors with dementia By Jessica Militello The Ozanam Hall of Queens Nursing Home in Bayside marked a significant milestone with the grand opening of Carmel Hall on Thursday, Feb. 6. This new addition to the facility is a Montessori-inspired dementia care neighborhood designed to offer specialized care for seniors living with Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia. The ribbon-cutting ceremony, which began at 6 p.m., was followed by tours of the facility and a program at 7 p.m. that included refreshments and live music. Elected officials, including State Senator Joe Addabbo Jr. and Assembly Member Rebecca Seawright, were in attendance, along with staff and members of the community, to celebrate Carmel Hall’s innovative approach to memory care. “We discovered there was a need for specialized dementia care, and that was something that was really aligned with the Carmelite Sisters for the Aged and Infirm in our ministry,” said Trish Gathers, President and CEO of the Carmelite System, Inc. “We’re very pleased to have this new, innovative floor that will be here to serve people in the Queens community.” The facility’s design incorporates principles of the Montessori method, which emphasizes dignity, meaningful engagement, and the promotion of independence for residents. Thoughtfully designed spaces feature visual cues, sensory-sensitive designs, and professional wall coverings that evoke memories, such as landmarks from New York City, like the Coney Island Boardwalk. “Our goal is to ensure that life is not over for our residents; they can still thrive, function, and do so safely in our neighborhood here,” said Ina Salley, Director of Admissions at Ozanam Hall. “We wanted a new approach to dementia care that fosters dignity and encourages connection.” Carmel Hall provides both short-term and long-term care, along with rehabilitation and specialized services, making it a vital resource for families in the Queens community. The facility is part of the Carmelite System Inc., a Catholic non-profit health system committed to expanding geriatric care. “This environment supports each individual, allowing them to continue learning and interacting with the world around them,” said Vince Antenucci, co-founder of the project. “We’re excited to see how this space will foster both social and cognitive growth for our residents.” Carmel Hall is located at 42-41 201 St. For more information, visit Ozanam Hall’s website or contact the admissions office at 718-568-5754. The Columbia Savings Bank clock: Our Neighborhood, The Way It Was By The Woodhaven Cultural and Historical Society An artist’s rendering of the new Columbia Savings and Loan building, which opened in 1954. Ironically, the clock in this rendering is much as it is today, frozen in time near noon (or midnight). The long-awaited renovations to the Woodhaven Boulevard J/Z station are finally complete, and the addition of two brand-new elevators is a significant milestone for our community. These elevators represent a leap forward in accessibility, providing ease of use for commuters with mobility challenges. It’s an achievement worth celebrating, but this progress didn’t come without a price. As we welcome this improvement, we must also bid farewell to a cherished piece of Woodhaven’s history: the iconic Columbia Savings Bank clock. Once a cornerstone of community life, the clock has been relegated to a hidden corner, nearly forgotten behind the new station design. The story of the clock begins with the Columbia Building and Loan Association, formed in Brooklyn in 1889. By the early 1900s, Columbia Bank had established a branch at the corner of Woodhaven Boulevard and Jamaica Avenue, cementing its presence in our neighborhood. The bank’s ties to Woodhaven grew over the decades, becoming deeply interwoven with the community. In the 1920s, the bank issued over 100 mortgages in Woodhaven, supporting residents and local businesses alike. Many prominent businessmen in Woodhaven sat on Columbia’s Board of Directors, names long forgotten in Woodhaven today but very recognizable to residents of Woodhaven at that time. Men such as Harry Clapp, who opened the first insurance company in Woodhaven, which still does business today as Ohlert-Ruggiere Inc. When Woodhaven Boulevard expanded in the 1930s, Columbia Bank made a point to stay at its historic corner. By the 1950s, it had outgrown its facilities and built a stunning new building, unveiled in 1954. This architectural marvel featured Select Buff Indiana Limestone, Deer Island Granite imported from England, White Cherokee Georgia Marble and Terrazzo floors imported from Italy. Its beauty and craftsmanship earned the building a first-prize design award from the Queens Chamber of Commerce. Residents flocked to admire the bank on opening day, and its thoughtful details, like handing orchids to visiting ladies, left a lasting impression. Atop it all was the clock. Mounted over the Woodhaven Boulevard entrance, the clock became more than just a timepiece. For decades, it was a trusted companion for commuters and drivers alike, a symbol of the rhythm of life in Woodhaven. Over time, Columbia Bank weathered financial struggles, and a succession of new names followed: New York Community Bank, then Queens County Savings Bank and finally Flagstar Bank. Yet the clock remained a constant, a silent observer of the boulevard’s hustle and bustle. Now, the renovations to the Woodhaven Boulevard J/Z station have blocked the clock from view. Its face, which once marked the passing hours for so many, is hidden behind the station’s new structures. You can still spot it, but only if you know where to look. On the Jamaica-bound side of the station, at the top of the stairs by the new elevator, a window offers a glimpse of the clock. Press your face to the glass and look to the left, and you’ll see it, frozen near 12 noon (or midnight, if you like). The clock hasn’t run in a few years, and its future seems uncertain. Fixing it might seem futile, given its obscured location. Still, one can’t help but imagine how wonderful it would be to see it ticking again, reminding us of the rich history it represents. The relocation and obscurity of the Columbia Savings Bank clock feel emblematic of the passage of time itself. A once-beloved landmark has now faded into the background, a relic of a bygone era. Future generations might stumble across it and wonder why someone built a clock hidden behind a train station, unaware that it was the other way round. For those of us who remember it in its prime, the clock’s fate is a bittersweet reminder of how progress and history often clash. As Woodhaven continues to evolve, we must hold on to these stories, passing them down so that the legacy of landmarks like the Columbia Savings Bank clock, and the community it served, are never entirely forgotten. It’s a sad end to a once integral part of Woodhaven life, a reminder that all our lives are just as temporary, and counting down one second at a time. If you look out the window at just the right angle from the addition to the train station, you can see the 71-year old clock, which is sadly no longer running.

I just woke up at 11:30 PM after a four hour nap, which came after three hours of watching YouTube videos. It was the best Stupor Bowl Sunday a person could ever have.

It's that time of year again... ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

@marylander1940 still remembers the era when you had to wait all day for the technician to come out to fix your sundial.

https://qns.com/2025/02/billy-joel-and-sting-to-rock-citi-field/

FX is on the verge of renewing freshman comedy English Teacher for a second season, multiple sources confirm to TVLine exclusively. We hear that production is tentatively set to resume later this month.

@WilliamM is now a Twins fan... The Twins are going to sign outfielder Harrison Bader, reports Jon Heyman of The New York Post. It’s a one-year deal for the VaynerSports client, with a mutual option for 2026. Bader is guaranteed $6.25MM and can earn another $2MM via bonuses. Bader, 31 in June, is a glove-first guy. From 2018 to 2024, he has been credited with 75 Outs Above Average, the top mark among all outfielders for that span. His tally of 48 Defensive Runs Saved in that stretch is only marginally less impressive, putting him sixth in the majors overall.

Wasn't that part of the plot of a recent Ryan Murphy miniseries?

Villagers have said they’re fighting a “David and Goliath” battle against a billionaire entrepreneur’s plan to create a huge $37,200-a-night wedding venue on their doorstep. Residents in Huntingfield, Suffolk, which has a population of just 150, claim the “all singing, all dancing”‘ entertainment center, which could hold 288 people, will destroy their rural idyll. The location, known as Blyth Barn, is part of luxury holiday firm Wilderness Reserve owned by Jon Hunt, founder of estate agency Foxtons, and visited by stars such as Zoe Sugg and Jack Whitehall. However, the venue, which includes professional chefs and spa therapists on site, has angered locals who say it has gone “too far.” They are particularly concerned about the approval of a 24-hour alcohol license, the effect on local traffic and late-night disturbance. At the end of last year, the business applied for a premises license at its latest development called Blyth Barn on the Valley Farm estate. Proposals for the venue to serve alcohol 24 hours a day were approved by East Suffolk Council earlier this month. An extraordinary general meeting of Huntingfield Parish Council on Thursday, Jan. 30, saw 50 objectors turn up to discuss the “biased” application. The Wilderness Reserve has also sought “part retrospective” planning permission to reconfigure three approved holiday lets into a single guest house known as Blyth Barn. Once finished, the 17-room property will have a swimming pool, hot tub, sauna, gym and party room. Lorraine Brennan, 61, and Nina Roe, 39, are two villagers who have objected to the plans. They said residents had initially been informed there were plans for a “rural retreat” that have now spiraled into the entertainment venue. They are concerned that their “tranquil and peaceful village would be destroyed” by visitors who may overspill and cause nuisances in the village. They also had worries about drunken behavior, drug taking and a lack of security. “We feel as if we’ve been disregarded and unconsidered all in the name of money,” said Lorraine, who has lived in the “very old village and small farming community” for eight years. “We were pleased when the application went through for the Valley Farm site as the old gothic farmhouse has been in disrepair for the last 40 years,” she admitted. “We thought the idea of a rural retreat would be a really good thing for the village. “Then in December 2024, we’re told they want to turn it into an entertainment center. It will be larger than our village,” Lorraine complained. “We’ve had four years of construction noise disturbing the peace of the village already. This has got to a point where it’s gone too far. “All of the construction traffic goes through the heart of the village as well as every staff member and guest. It’s a single-track road.” Lorraine also shared that the issue has been “quite mentally distressing,” adding, “Our village and close community has been ruined.” She said that the village is “very lucky” that it already has a “wonderful pub and little village hall,” but noted that they both shutter by 11 p.m. “Why should this development be allowed a 24-hour license?” Lorraine asked. “It’s a David and Goliath battle.” The reserve’s barrister presented the case at the licensing meeting on Jan. 15 and described the venue as a “deconstructed hotel” that aims to “promote nature, sustainability, and the rural economy.” The alcohol license was granted on several conditions, including the Challenge 25 policy being adopted — it involves requesting ID for anyone under 25 — and CCTV. The meeting also heard that a noise management plan should be prepared in consultation with East Suffolk Council before it is submitted. The music sound levels should not exceed 85 decibels in the day and 75 decibels in the evening, controlled by acoustic limiting devices. “Nobody has considered the knock-on effect this will have on traffic, light pollution, noise or the wildlife. Guests will be moving down into the village, coming into the pub — nobody in the venue can stop that,” said Nina Roe, who has lived in Huntingfield all her life. “It was noted that it was antisocial to use a single narrow lane, and they would use another access point. But all the roads into the village are single lanes,” she continued. “Guests are picked up in Land Rover taxis and helicopters pick them up and land all over the village. These aren’t noiseless vehicles. “We’ve been misled.”

Christina makes out in public with new beau as divorce battle with Josh continues The new couple was spotted packing on the PDA outside of Los Angeles restaurant Baltaire on Thursday. and the beat goes on...

Minnesota woman scrolling through TikTok while behind wheel kills grandfather

Nancy McKeon admits “there was a lot” of talk about the cast’s weight behind the scenes on “The Facts of Life.” While McKeon — who starred in the ’80s sitcom with Lisa Whelchel, Kim Fields and Mindy Cohn — doesn’t get into specifics, she reveals there were discussions about what the cast should eat and how much they should weigh. “Each one of us had to deal with things in our own way,” she tells Page Six in an exclusive interview. The NBC TV series, which ran from 1979 to 1988, centered around a private all-girls school in Peekskill, NY, and was groundbreaking for dealing with issues like drug use, eating disorders and peer pressure.

Entitlement Oh, dear lord! Heavens to Betsy! How do you solve a problem like Ave Maria?

This One-Of-A-Kind Mexican Costco That Has A Unique Attraction In The Parking Lot While most folks head to Costco to pick up groceries and grab a hot dog, one Mexican Costco’s parking lot has been drawing crowds for a very unique reason. Costco is like the Disneyland of grocery stores with plentiful free samples, $1.50 hotdogs, and unique surprises like Chinese century eggs waiting to be discovered. However, while most folks head to Costco to pick up groceries, one particular location’s parking lot has been drawing crowds for a very unique reason — a cenote. Cenotes are a formation specific to the Yucatan peninsula, which was once a coral reef millions of years ago. As sea levels decreased, the now-dry land became pockmarked with cave systems and sinkholes. These sinkholes, which drain water into the many underground river systems, are cenotes, and they’ve become major tourist attractions. While there are an estimated 10,000 cenotes in the Yucatan, with only 2,400 documented, only one can call a Costco parking lot its home. Situated in Merida, Mexico, the location where the Costco now sits was once occupied by a Cordemex factory. When construction began on the new store, the factory’s warehouses were torn down, and the cenote was discovered. Named Ka Kuxtal, which in the Mayan language means “the one that got [brought] back to life,” this cenote has become a must-see for tourists in Merida both for its beauty and bizarre location. Plus, Costco has really dressed up the area around the cenote with a scenic stone garden surrounded by native plants. While the area is fenced off, so you can’t directly approach the cenote, the view alone is something no other Costco can offer. If you’ve already started planning your trip to Merida, Mexico, to take in this unique destination, you might want to bring your Costco card along (or make sure you have your digital card on your phone). Once you’re a member, your card will get you into any Costco around the world and it’s definitely not an opportunity to pass up on, especially since Costco’s food court items around the world can be pretty delicious. In Merida, specifically, you can grab some churros, a mango smoothie, and an iconic hotdog with jalapenos and onion. Although Mexican Costco warehouses don’t differ too much from those you’ll find in America, it can be worth checking out the tequila aisle, where you can sometimes find great deals, and stocking up on the cult classic Mexican Coke, even if the taste difference might just be all in our heads. In any event, snacking on a fresh Costco churro while hanging out by the parking lot cenote is a pretty cool experience, and it’s definitely not something everyone can brag about. Knowing this unique Costco exists certainly might make your local warehouse seem a bit bland, but don’t feel too bad. At least you still have great deals to look forward to!

82,150 Gallons of Paint Later, a Blue Man Group Farewell Over 34 years, the show gave Fred Armisen a drumming gig, “Arrested Development” a hilarious story line and more. Now the cultural sensation comes to an end in New York. https://www.nytimes.com/2025/01/30/theater/blue-man-group-new-york-closing-off-broadway.html “Arrested Development” … hilarious story line I couldn’t bother reading an article that begins with such a colossal oxymoron.