Hanging out in Queens

[pubic_assistance]

1 hour ago, samhexum said:

Well, now that said goods will be selling at such bargain prices...

It's not an outlet mall. It's a full-retail luxury shopping village.

[samhexum]

1 hour ago, pubic_assistance said:

It's not an outlet mall. It's a full-retail luxury shopping village.

You missed my sarcasm.  I meant that going forward from today I would imagine the prices of everything they sell will be getting so much lower.

[pubic_assistance]

10 hours ago, samhexum said:

You missed my sarcasm.  I meant that going forward from today I would imagine the prices of everything they sell will be getting so lower.

Ah. Yes. That did go over my head.

Even at a discount I just don't know where the customers would be coming from. The only reason I was there was because a friend wanted my to drive her there because the Swarovski store had a specific necklace that she wanted to buy for her mother, and she wanted to see it before purchasing (very old-school..huh?)

 

Edited April 4 by pubic_assistance

[mike carey]

15 minutes ago, pubic_assistance said:

Ah. Yes. That did go over my head.

Even at a discount I just done know where the customers would be coming from. The only reason I was there was because a friend wanted my to drive her there becasue the Swarovski store had a specific necklace that she wanted to buy for her mother, and she wanted to see it before purchasing (very old-school..huh?)

 

Wanting to buy Swarowski or wanting to see before buying?

[pubic_assistance]

9 hours ago, mike carey said:

Wanting to buy Swarowski or wanting to see before buying?

Lol....I meant see before purchasing.

The Swarovski is definitely something for little old ladies.

[samhexum]

The Easter Bunny is hopping through Queens—here’s where to find him

Here's the Easter Rabbit, hurray...

The happy Easter Rabbit, hurray...

 

Edited April 5 by samhexum
because he's that kind of guy!

[samhexum]

Mighty Quinn’s BBQ is making a flavorful comeback in Forest Hills with a grand reopening celebration on Thursday, April 10, featuring mouthwatering barbecue and free tastings.

Located at 108-22 Queens Blvd., the popular barbecue spot—known for its smoked meats and indulgent sides—is now under new ownership, as the company has reclaimed direct control of all its New York locations.

“We grew pretty quickly over the past few years, and Mighty Quinn’s corporate just wanted to regain ownership of all of our New York locations,” said Mighty Quinn’s CEO, Micha Magid.  “That’s where we got started, and it was a strategic decision to make these restaurants come to life and bring back the community which has made Mighty Quinn’s the go-to spot for barbecue, and we want to make sure that we continue to hold that distinction.”

The Forest Hills location was the first Mighty Quinn’s to open in Queens, originally launched in 2022 by former owner Michael Dolan. Today, the BBQ chain operates additional locations across New York City—in Manhattan and Brooklyn—as well as in New Jersey, Florida, Maryland, and Connecticut. Known for its smoked brisket, spare ribs, BBQ chicken, and pulled pork, the restaurant also serves up classic sides like mac and cheese, cornbread, and dirty rice.

Following its recent revamp, the Forest Hills location will introduce a refreshed menu featuring craft cocktails, an updated happy hour with deals on food, mocktails, and drinks, and rotating daily specials. For customers on the go, takeout is made easy with the Mighty Quinn’s app—just order ahead and pick up when ready.

The restaurant is unveiling two new side dishes, including roasted sweet potatoes served in a honey butter glaze, and a second side dish that will be exclusive to the Forest Hills location, which is a crispy French fry rounded like a scoop chip.

“It’s an amazingly crispy fry, and it pairs really well with the barbecue because you can use it to pick up your little bits of leftover meat at the end of your meal,” said Magid. “Throughout the year, we’ll be launching seasonal specials, and we’ll also be adding new food items to the bar menu.”

The reopening event will showcase some of their latest menu and specials, along with free tastings of some of their new menu additions. If weather permits, they plan to unveil their outdoor patio space as well. 10% of the sales from the event will be donated to Queens Community House, a Forest Hills-based non-profit organization that offers support services to those in need, including education, healthcare, childcare, and employment resources. The restaurant hopes to continue to impress existing customers and attract new faces as well.

“It’s somewhat of a reopening of the location,” said Magid. “We’ve invited the community to visit us, and we’ll be doing free tastings of some of our new cocktails. We also want people to try our amazing new French fries, so we’ll also be handing out samples of that.”

 

Edited April 8 by samhexum
for absolutely NO @%!*ING reason at all!

[samhexum]

On 4/3/2025 at 6:30 PM, BenjaminNicholas said:

Re: Queens Bully.  I've tried it a few times and aside from the beer selection, the food is pretty mid.

They do have a GREAT location.  Plenty of foot traffic.  Big dining room.  

  

Forest Hills is getting a smash-hit burger spot.

7th Street Burger is set to open its second Queens location at 107-22 Continental Ave. at the end of May, bringing its popular smash-burgers to the heart of Forest Hills.

The fast-growing chain, known for its simple, classic menu and late-night vibes, was founded in 2021 in the East Village and has since rapidly expanded throughout the city and beyond.

“We started in the East Village and have been expanding through Manhattan in the last few years,” said Frank Perez, chief of staff at 7th Street Burger. “We started in the spring of 2021… we have three stores right now in Brooklyn, we’re in Hoboken, we opened shop in D.C. over the summer.”

 

Diners can choose between single or double cheeseburgers served with pickles, onions, and house sauce. Impossible burgers are also available for vegetarian diners.  Sides include standard french fries, as well as loaded fries options topped with jalapeno’s beef, onions, and cheese. For diners looking for a dash of heat, 7th Street Burger offers a jalapeno double and single patty burger.  Prices start at $6.50 for a single cheeseburger, while a double cheeseburger is $9.50. 

[samhexum]

 The city’s zeal to enforce new environmental laws is set to crush the City’s middle-class housing stock under the weight of shockingly untenable fines.

At issue is the implementation of Local Law 97, which was passed in 2019. The ambitious law sets emissions limits for buildings over 25,000 square feet, aiming to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 40% by 2030 and 80% by 2050.

The goals of the law are commendable. But the implementation rollout is a disaster, putting the financial future of condo and cooperative owners all over the city in jeopardy.

The City’s Department of Buildings is implementing the law and has rolled out a new filing system for coops and other buildings to submit their paperwork by the May 1 deadline.

This deadline is entirely arbitrary, and so are many of the requirements DOB is forcing buildings all over the city to follow.

Our co-op, Queensview, opened in 1950, and it has 14 buildings with 14 stories and a total of 726 apartments sitting on over 10 acres in Long Island City. Our buildings occupy about 20% of our acreage, with the remainder being greenspace, a children’s playground, a basketball/pickle ball court and parking lots. We have about 2,000 residents who are primarily middle-income, with a large population of retirees on fixed incomes.

To start, buildings like ours are not allowed to use the existing square footage measurements that are on file with the city to calculate their liabilities under Local Law 97. Instead, we must hire consultants to take new measurements, which is essentially a make-work program for these high-priced companies. When you ask the DOB for clarification on their numerous rules, they are vague, if not unresponsive, forcing buildings to fend for themselves and take their best guess at what the requirements actually ask of them.

Larger buildings and complexes with more resources may be able to navigate DOB’s new system, hire the consultants they need and get their filing in on time. But many buildings, especially smaller buildings with fewer residents and resources, may have to face the exorbitant late fees DOB has set.

The DOB has set late filing fees for compliance with the law at $0.50 per square foot per month, the maximum amount allowed by law. An average 200-unit co-op or condo of 200,000+ square feet could face a monthly late fee of over $100,000, which is untenable for hundreds of
thousands of homeowners across the economic spectrum.

At Queensview alone that fine would total $317,520 per month. By one calculation, if every co-op building in New York City missed the May 1 deadline, DOB would collect $1 billion in fines in just one month. Plus, this money would not go to any greater environmental goal, just to the
city’s general coffers.

These fines, which could lead to financial ruin for individual owners and entire buildings alike, are looming over the collective heads of owners like myself. When we ask DOB to slow down, or for more guidance, or to lower the fines–for any assistance at all–we are smeared by the agency and supporters of Local Law 97 as anti-environment.

That is certainly not true at Queensview. In the past three years alone, we have invested over $7 million on environmental upgrades, including new roofs, a community-wide real-time energy management system, efficiency upgrades to our heating system and more. Communities like ours all over the city are putting in similar work at their buildings.

A new report by the Center for an Urban Future found that many owners of rental buildings across the City have decided it will be cheaper to pay some fines rather than electrify their buildings. That is not an option for a cooperative like Queensview and so many buildings like ours. We cannot put the future of thousands of residents by ignoring the law and the fines that come with it.

All we are asking for is clarity from DOB, more time to allow cooperators to get their paperwork completed and a late fee schedule that is not so punitive as to be downright predatory. The city needs to support environmental justice without threatening thousands of New Yorkers with the loss of their homes.

Alicia Fernandez is the treasurer of the Queensview cooperative apartment complex in Long Island City.

Oh goody… I can see it now… A 24% maintenance increase along with 2 assessments in eleven months isn’t nearly enough…

 

Op-ed: Local Law 97 set to cost co-op and condo owners millions (maybe billions!) in fees and fines – QNS

QNS.COM

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The city's zeal to enforce new environmental laws is set to crush the City's middle-class housing stock with the...

 

[samhexum]

Won, Gianaris hold “people’s ribbon-cutting” at delayed Queensboro Bridge Pedestrian Path

Summer concerts set to return to Forest Hills Stadium after NYPD approval

[samhexum]

https://qns.com/2025/04/community-rallies-behind-queens-nonprofit-facing-eviction-from-donated-space/

 

Edited April 16 by samhexum
because life is too short not to make the effort to offer you fine folks his very best

[samhexum]

Street co-naming in Briarwood honors legacy of Jack ‘Giacomo’ Virdone, longtime pizzeria owner and community advocate – QNS

QNS.COM

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Community members gathered to co-name a Briarwood intersection after Jack Giacomo Virdone, longtime Alba’s...

I once saw David Krumholtz in this pizzeria.

[samhexum]

Traze, formerly a pizza pop-up, has opened in Long Island City at 21-03 45th Road, at 21st Street. Owner Natalie DeSabato took over the space from her previous employers, who owned Corner Cafe, the former tenant at the address. There, she’s debuted a permanent home for Traze, outfitted with stained glass lighting fixtures, serving pies more standard like sausage-vodka sauce, and more out-there, like a falafel pie and “the Elvis” (with mashed bananas foster and bacon).
 

[samhexum]

Hello Kitty Cafe Truck to stop in Flushing for one-day appearance on May 3

 

The Hello Kitty Cafe Truck, a popular mobile pop-up known for its signature pink aesthetic and themed desserts, will make its only New York City appearance in Flushing on Saturday, May 3, as part of its 2025 national tour.

The truck will be parked outside The Shops at Skyview, located at 40-24 College Point Blvd., from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m., near the mall’s main entrance. The Flushing stop is expected to draw Hello Kitty fans from all five boroughs eager to enjoy exclusive merchandise and photo-friendly sweet treats.

well, now we know what @pubic_assistance, @nycman, and @BenjaminNicholas will be doing May 3rd...

Edited April 23 by samhexum
just for the hell of it

[+ BenjaminNicholas]

On 4/23/2025 at 10:49 AM, samhexum said:

Hello Kitty Cafe Truck to stop in Flushing for one-day appearance on May 3

 

The Hello Kitty Cafe Truck, a popular mobile pop-up known for its signature pink aesthetic and themed desserts, will make its only New York City appearance in Flushing on Saturday, May 3, as part of its 2025 national tour.

The truck will be parked outside The Shops at Skyview, located at 40-24 College Point Blvd., from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m., near the mall’s main entrance. The Flushing stop is expected to draw Hello Kitty fans from all five boroughs eager to enjoy exclusive merchandise and photo-friendly sweet treats.

well, now we know what @pubic_assistance, @nycman, and @BenjaminNicholas will be doing May 3rd...

Truth be told, I already did this when it was in Austin a few months back  

[samhexum]

GUESS WHO WAS WAS HANGING OUT IN QUEENS TODAY...

 

Miley Cyrus spotted on Long Island City rooftop filming commercial for Maybelline New York - LIC Post

LICPOST.COM

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April 25, 2025 By Laura Dorgan American singer-songwriter and actress Miley Cyrus was spotted on...

Miley Cyrus spotted on LIC rooftop filming ad for Maybelline

Edited April 25 by samhexum
because Miley paid him to

[samhexum]

I am only interested if I get to throw my plate after I'm done eating...

High-end Mediterranean restaurant to replace shuttered TGI Friday’s on Austin Street in Forest Hills – QNS

QNS.COM

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A new high-end Mediterranean restaurant is slated to open at 7000 Austin St. in Forest Hills, taking...

 

[samhexum]

 

Queens Taste returns May 13 with 50+ vendors at New York Hall of Science

 

Hard Rock CEO outlines vendor opportunities for $8B Metropolitan Park casino project 

[samhexum]

Marshalls is relocating its longtime Rego Park store from Queens Boulevard to a larger and more modern space at Rego Center, with a grand opening celebration scheduled for Wednesday, May 15.

The new 39,000-square-foot location at 61-35 Junction Blvd. will replace the current store at 96-05 Queens Blvd., which has served the neighborhood for years. The updated space, located on the third floor of Rego Center, was formerly occupied by Century 21 before it closed its doors in 2020.

The new Rego Center location joins other major retailers at the complex, including Costco, Burlington, and Aldi.

Recently, Best Buy also relocated to Rego Center, moving into the former Toys “R” Us space that had remained vacant since 2018. The electronics retailer moved from its previous location at Queens Place Mall.

Adding to the growing retail landscape, DSW (Designer Shoe Warehouse) is also expected to open soon next to Marshalls, further enhancing Rego Center’s appeal as a one-stop shopping destination in central Queens.

 

Edited May 5 by samhexum
for absolutely NO @%!*ING reason at all!

[samhexum]

A new Chick-fil-A restaurant is set to open Thursday, May 8, at the northeast corner of Northern Boulevard and 68th Street in Woodside. 

The space, previously occupied by Burger King, will bring approximately 70 new jobs and a $25,000 donation to fight food insecurity across Queens.

Located at 32-67 68th St., the 5,000-square-foot restaurant is at a high-traffic intersection just off the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway. It is a few blocks from Travers Park, P.S. 398Q and P.S. 152Q.

The Woodside location will be open Monday through Saturday from 6:30 a.m. to 10 p.m., offering dine-in, takeout, curbside pickup and catering service. The restaurant will be closed on Sundays, consistent with Chick-fil-A's nationwide policy.

The new franchise marks the second Queens location for Owner-Operator Aman Mekonen, who opened Chick-fil-A Jackson Heights in 2021 on 82nd Street and Roosevelt Avenue.

“As we open Chick-fil-A Northern Blvd., I’m looking forward to continuing my work with a company that genuinely cares for both its Guests and Team Members and seeks to create a positive and lasting impact,” Mekonen said

Mekonen, a U.S. Army veteran and former real estate and finance professional, was born in Tigray, Ethiopia and raised in the United States. He said his parents, who owned a small business, inspired him to pursue entrepreneurship.

“It was always a dream of mine to follow in their footsteps and own my own business,” he said. “Today, it feels surreal to say I’m fortunate enough to own not just one, but two Chick-fil-A restaurants in the community that I call home.”

Mekonen and his family have lived in Queens for nearly five years. He said he hopes to use the new restaurant not only to serve the local community, but to support young workers by offering mentorship and professional development.

 

[samhexum]

Sunnyside pastor’s new book affirming queer Christian identity to launch May 29 at Sanger Hall - Sunnyside Post

SUNNYSIDEPOST.COM

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May 9, 2025 By Shane O'Brien A Sunnyside pastor is set to release a new book exploring the intersection between...

 

A Sunnyside pastor is set to release a new book exploring the intersection between queer identity and the Christian faith, offering a “lifeline to millions of people” who have been told to choose between their sexuality and their religion.

Rev. Brandan Robertson, pastor of Sunnyside Reformed Church in Queens, is set to release “Queer & Christian: Reclaiming Our Bible, Our Faith, and Our Place at the Table”, on May 25 with an event at Manhattan’s Middle Collegiate Church.

[samhexum]

A major fire in Maspeth over the weekend has renewed concerns about illegally parked RVs and weak city enforcement after flames from a street-side camper spread to the iconic GoodFellas Diner, causing extensive damage to a neighborhood landmark.

The blaze, which started around 9:30 p.m. on Saturday, May 10, originated from a parked RV and quickly spread to the old diner at 56-26 Maspeth Ave. Sixty firefighters responded to the scene, and two civilians were evaluated but declined medical treatment. The fire marked the second time in seven years that GoodFellas Diner has suffered a major blaze.

Curtis Sliwa, founder of the Guardian Angels and a Republican mayoral candidate, was holding a fundraiser nearby at the time of the incident. He witnessed the fire and used the moment to criticize the city’s handling of illegal RVs. “We cannot have streets filled with RVs that people live in full time,” Sliwa said. “Lack of law enforcement makes life unsafe for all communities.”

 

[+ Alabastrine]

@samhexum I'm late to the party, and I'm probably going to burn in hell for saying this: I thought your first post and title of the thread was hilarious. I also enjoy reading all of your interesting updates on Queens. 

[samhexum]

On 8/29/2024 at 9:21 AM, WilliamM said:

THE US Open has a long history of very hot  weather 

 

On 8/6/2024 at 12:04 PM, BenjaminNicholas said:

US Open is fun, but damn this year is gonna be ugly hot. 

For the money, I'd say that concert season at Forest Hills Stadium is my pick for the Queens stand out.

 

On 8/5/2024 at 4:11 PM, WilliamM said:

The US Open Tennis Tournament is coming up

The best time to visit Queens by far 

Over the next three years, Ashe, as it is commonly known, will undergo a massive, $800 million facelift that every fan, player and United States Tennis Association (USTA) partner should feel in a big way. The project is privately funded, though the USTA has in the past received access to tax-exempt bonds and a special taxation deal with New York City that is common among local sports operations. The 2024 U.S. Open brought in almost $560 million in operating revenue, according to the USTA’s financial report for that year.

It’s the latest move in an ongoing tennis arms race. The runners are the four organizations that run the four Grand Slams: the Australian, French and U.S. Opens and Wimbledon. They all want to keep up with each other at a minimum and to outpace each other wherever they can, in a bid to be the best of the best.

Tennis Australia in 2022 added a new stadium, the Kia Arena, to Melbourne Park, the site of the Australian Open; it has spent over $1 billion Australian dollars ($645 million USD) on upgrades in recent years.

The All England Club, which stages Wimbledon, is in a legal battle with local residents over the building of 39 new tennis courts, one of them a stadium court, so that it can add capacity and hold its qualifying competition there, rather than roughly five miles away. The London event is now the only major in tennis that does not hold qualifying on site, which is the newest and most lucrative frontier in this arms race. On-site qualifying means an additional week of ticket sales, income from on-site concessions and even some sponsorship revenue.

Roland Garros, site of the French Open in Paris, recently added a roof on its second court as well as an additional 5,000-seat stadium. It found room for some new facilities in a set of old stone buildings nearby.

[BSR]

12 minutes ago, samhexum said:

The London event is now the only major in tennis that does not hold qualifying on site, which is the newest and most lucrative frontier in this arms race. On-site qualifying means an additional week of ticket sales, income from on-site concessions and even some sponsorship revenue.

Even though Wimbledon qualifying is held off-site, they do charge for tickets as do the Australian and Roland Garros.  The AO is the cheapest of the paid entries at just AU$10 (US$6.46) while RG charges 25€ ($28.10) and Wimbledon £15-20 ($20.04-26.72).  The US Open qualies have long been known as the best bargain in tennis, with a can’t-beat-the-price admission fee of $0.00.  However, given the jaw-dropping amount the USTA will invest in upgrades, I suspect that the US Open will start charging soon enough.