Hanging out in Queens

[samhexum]

4 hours ago, pubic_assistance said:

When you want amazing Koran food, you always head to Queens.

Where do you go when you want amazing bible or torah food? (sorry, I had to...) 😇😝😁

[pubic_assistance]

6 hours ago, samhexum said:

Where do you go when you want amazing bible or torah food? (sorry, I had to...) 😇😝😁

Ooops. 😆

[samhexum]

Con Edison has announced that a new six-mile-long renewable energy line running from Astoria to Corona has gone into operation, marking a major step toward the borough and the state’s transition from fossil fuels to green energy sources.

The line, along with the installation of new infrastructure at a Con Edison substation in Astoria, cost $275 million to construct and starting in 2026 will be using mostly imported renewable energy sources from Canada.

The substation is located on Vernon Boulevard at 35th Avenue and is known as the Rainey Substation. It receives the energy and then sends it down along the underground line to another substation in Corona.

The new infrastructure will eventually help retire some older, fossil fuel power plants across the city which emit high levels of carbon dioxide and other pollutants. The project will also reduce the demand for “peaker” plants, which are prevalent in western Queens ,and require the burning of oil and gas to generate electricity at times when the demand for power is high.

For instance, Con Edison said that the new line has enabled it to close down the “NRG Energy” power plant at its facility in the Ditmars section of Astoria on May 1. The plant, and other power plants located along the Astoria/Long Island City waterfront, have caused elevated pollution levels leading to the corridor being nicknamed “Asthma Alley.”

The company's transition to renewable energy will cause an initial increase in energy prices.

According to Tim Cawley, the chairman and CEO of Con Edison, “It will have an incremental increase but not a significant impact.  In the early part, there will be an investment and there’s a potential that will increase but when you think about renewables and after they are added, we don’t need fuel to run them, the sun and the wind will run them, so it [prices] will likely level off.” I feel a co-op assessment coming my way.  Our apartments aren't individually metered, so utilities are included in the monthly maintenance.  That doesn't stop me from getting marketing calls from other companies.

Cawley also said the company already has systems in place to subsidize around 400,000 low-income New Yorkers to pay their energy bills.

The transition to renewables is not without challenges in terms of reliability.

For instance, California has witnessed an increase in blackouts over the last number of years with critics placing some of the blame on the state’s big shift to electricity resulting in record demand. Solar and wind also pose variability challenges due to fluctuations in the weather.

Cawley said Con Edison is incredibly focused on reliability and has a two-pronged strategy in place to address the issue; having enough backup power available and building out the grid’s capacity capabilities.

“Our underground network system is 55 times more reliable than the national average,” Cawley said.

“We need to make sure we have enough backup generation to fill in the gaps when the sun’s not shining or the wind’s not blowing. We are keenly focused on it… we’re on it.”

https://astoriapost.com/new-con-edison-renewable-energy-line-running-between-astoria-corona-is-now-operational

[samhexum]

On 4/19/2023 at 6:54 AM, cany10011 said:

I’d love to visit Flushing for their superior chinese restaurants but it is a chore taking the 7. Going to Flushing is a foodie adventure. 

 

 

On 4/19/2023 at 11:33 AM, BenjaminNicholas said:

Totally agree and love eating through that neighborhood.  The Korean fare is legit.

 

On 5/1/2023 at 2:44 PM, pubic_assistance said:

When you want amazing Korean food, you always head to Queens.

Flushing BID announces second annual Flushing Restaurant Week highlighting authentic Asian cuisine

About 20 restaurants are participating in this year’s second annual Flushing Restaurant Week highlighting a variety of authentic Asian cuisines from Monday, May 8, through Thursday, May 18. 

“We’re excited to showcase the best of Flushing’s culinary scene with a wide range of amazing restaurants offering prix-fixe menus at incredible prices, starting at $20 you can enjoy a delicious meal for two,” the Flushing BID wrote in a statement on Facebook. “Whether you’re a foodie or just love trying new cuisines, this is your chance to experience some of the most unique and delicious flavors in town.” 

During Flushing Restaurant Week, participants can visit flushingbid.com to register once for two FREE $6 restaurant reward vouchers, which can be picked up at the Flushing BID Booth located in front of the Flushing Library. 

The restaurant reward vouchers can be used on special menus at participating restaurants, and receipts from them can be brought to the Flushing BID booth to exchange for a 2023 Flushing BID reusable tote bag.

The restaurants featured this year include: Xiang Hot Pot; Yin Ji Chang Fen; Ji Bei Chuan; Friendship BBQ; Gao’s Crab & Kabob; Champion Pizza; Delight Florist; Crispy Burger; Fish with You; Dim Sum Garden; Young and Rich NY; Nan Xiang Xiao Long Bao; Yoi Sushi; Gan-Hoo BBQ; JuQi; Four Coconuts; 1392 Seafood BBQ; OK Canaan Taiwanese Gourmet; Da Xi Sichuan Cuisine; and Zhang Liang Spicy Hot Pot.

Comprehensive event details and restaurant week special menus can be found at flushingbid.com.

 

[samhexum]

2 minutes ago, samhexum said:

The restaurants featured this year include: Young and Rich NY; OK Canaan Taiwanese Gourmet

The providers on this board might want to wear something revealing and head over to the former; something about the latter makes me think their food would only be so-so.

[samhexum]

On 5/1/2023 at 2:44 PM, pubic_assistance said:

Zum Stammtisch is really the only remaining restaurant in NYC that serves good German food.

 

On 5/1/2023 at 7:03 PM, BenjaminNicholas said:

Re: German food

While it's not upscale, Manor Oktoberfest in Forest Hills is also always a solid choice. 

Great beer selection.  Solid, German comfort food favorites.  Nice crew of people who work there.

 

 

Glendale’s longtime German restaurant, bar Zum Stammtisch celebrates 50th anniversary

Most notable to those both near and far who walked into the swinging doors at Zum Stammtisch on May 5 were the golden-colored balloons, streamers and decorated flyers in celebration of the establishment’s 50th anniversary.

For the 50th anniversary celebration, the restaurant offered a night full of both classic and unique German meals, including a mango habanero bratwurst, steak with a peppercorn sauce, jägerschnitzel, goulash soup, sauerbraten and a Munich-style pork shank.

Those who were able to book their spot for the night also received a commemorative glass stein and T-shirt. A major part of the night’s services also included quality German beers like the Hofbrau, a traditional Munich beer and Warsteiner Pilsner.

[samhexum]

20 hours ago, samhexum said:

Glendale’s longtime German restaurant, bar Zum Stammtisch celebrates 50th anniversary

It's maybe a mile from one of the 2 Retro Fitness locations where Dino Tomassetti (who shot his parents on Christmas in 2021) worked as a trainer.  I'd love to have a taste of his bratwurst.

BTW, still no resolution in his case.

Edited May 9, 2023 by samhexum
just for the hell of it

[pubic_assistance]

19 hours ago, samhexum said:

still no resolution in his case.

I can smell the 'roid-rage from here....

[samhexum]

11 minutes ago, pubic_assistance said:

I can smell the 'roid-rage from here....

Nah, that's just sweat.

[samhexum]

Terrible, Terrible news - life will never be the same again...

Applebee’s at Bay Terrace Shopping Center closing after 27 years 

What are lovers of fine cuisine to do?

[pubic_assistance]

On 5/12/2023 at 5:37 PM, samhexum said:

Applebee’s at Bay Terrace Shopping Center closing after 27 years 

What are lovers of fine cuisine to do?

I remember when I was a teenager thinking Applebee's was good.

Didn't even realize the place was still in business ! Such mediocracy !

Funny how some Americans never really experience fine cuisine and remain oblivious to what food should taste like throughout their entire lives.  Terrible pity.

[samhexum]

Corona restaurant declared champion of inaugural best empanada competition

Empanadas Café on Van Doren Street and 108th Street.

In all, 19 flavors are served at Empanadas Café including meat, chicken, plantain, and Hawaiian, which are the most popular.

A block or so from PS14, of 'Me & Julio down by the (no longer has a) schoolyard' fame.

[samhexum]

Alley Pond Golf

232-01 Northern Blvd, Douglaston, NY 11362

As the weather gets warmer, head over to Alley Pond Golf Center for an engaging active experience for your kids! Their well-designed course is filled with fountains and obstacles spread across all 18-holes. Each hole ranges in difficulty, so this is a great course for parties filled with all ages and skill levels.

Flushing Meadows Golf Center

100 Flushing Meadows Park, Flushing, NY 11368

The mini-golf course at Flushing Meadows features an 18-hole course that takes players through streams, waterfalls, and bridges! The course also features late-night golfing with a fully lit course. This is an excellent option for a family outing for both the day and night. 

NY Hall of Science- Rocket Park Mini Golf

47-01 111th St, Corona, NY 11368

Rocket Park Mini Golf combines the fun of mini-golf and science exploration. Using the same laws of motion and gravity that guide spaceships, this mini-golf experience will reveal the science behind this through a game of mini-golf!

Through this interactive exhibit, players will not only learn about new scientific concepts but also get in a fun 9-hole game. 

[samhexum]

On 4/17/2023 at 1:06 AM, BenjaminNicholas said:

Some of Queens is sketch, but other parts are absolutely beautiful and very, very livable.

 

On 4/18/2023 at 2:16 AM, nycman said:

To commit suicide in Queens is redundant.

 

On 5/1/2023 at 2:44 PM, pubic_assistance said:

When you want amazing Korean food, you always head to Queens.

I've also had some of the best tacos ( for an amazingly cheap price ) great Italian, and Indian food in Queens. Zum Stammtisch is really the only remaining restaurant in NYC that serves good German food.

Would you like to get your hands on a Jacoby & Meyers t-shirt for absolutely no cost? For residents of New York, New Jersey, or Connecticut, this offer is just for you. Simply visit the provided link and fill out the corresponding form to secure your free t-shirt.

https://www.jmlawyer.com/2023-t-shirt-giveaway/

On 4/19/2023 at 6:54 AM, cany10011 said:

The Noguchi museum in Astoria is amazing. 

‘A Living Mechanism’ exhibition highlights staff work at Noguchi Museum in Long Island City

The Noguchi Museum in Long Island City will showcase artworks by its staff in “A Living Mechanism,” an exhibition that embraces unique artistic perspectives with the goal of honoring the museum’s history. Set to open to the public with an opening reception on June 2, the exhibition will be on display in the museum’s Education Studio until June 15.

https://licpost.com/a-living-mechanism-exhibition-highlights-staff-work-at-noguchi-museum-in-long-island-city

[DWnyc]

On 5/1/2023 at 7:21 PM, samhexum said:

Where do you go when you want amazing bible or torah food? (sorry, I had to...) 😇😝😁

Queens is the most diverse place on the planet … if it exists anywhere you’ll find it there! 😊

[samhexum]

The NYPD shut down an alleged brothel in Woodside last week following an undercover sting operation where two women in their 60s were arrested for prostitution. Local residents say they have been calling for its closure for some time and that similar establishments are operating freely in the area.

Police on June 2 shuttered 63-02 Roosevelt Ave. – a space which up until last year was used as part of an adjacent supermarket called Food Express Supermarket — and served its landlord with a nuisance abatement that could be seen taped to the front door on Thursday, June 8.

The operator of Food Express Supermarket told Queens/Sunnyside Post that he hasn’t used the now-shuttered space since last year when the landlord retook control of the building.

The NYPD said they shuttered the premises last week after they arrested two women– aged 64 and 60 – and charged them with prostitution after they offered an undercover officer sex in exchange for cash. The women were arrested at 64-01 Roosevelt Ave., an establishment on the next block which appears to be a shuttered bar called Tijuana Bar Restaurant.

It is unclear why 63-02 Roosevelt Ave. was shuttered and served a nuisance order given the arrests took place at the bar at 64-01 Roosevelt Ave. — which did not have any notices posted to its exterior and looked closed down. At one stage Thursday a man could be seen leaving 64-01 Roosevelt Ave. and locking the door behind him.

Police said the two buildings are connected but did not provide details as to how the establishments are related.

Residents and local business owners say that 63-02 Roosevelt Ave. is a known cathouse, and women in scantily dressed clothes are often seen outside trying to entice men inside by first offering them massages. The front doors and windows were covered up from the inside on Thursday.

Several passers-by could be seen walking up to the premises Thursday and reading the legal notice. Many families with children also passed by.

Many residents said that Roosevelt Avenue has become well known for being a hotbed for prostitution. Some identified another establishment on the next block which they say is also being used as a brothel. Two women of Asian descent dressed in skirts could be seen standing outside the premises Thursday.

Jim, a lifelong Woodside resident who didn’t want to provide his full name, said that brothels began popping up in the neighborhood about 15 years ago. He said it has become more prevalent in recent years.

“There’s like two or three on every block now,” Jim said.

He said it doesn’t bother him whether the practice is made legal or not.

“I don’t care either way but either shut them all down or leave them all alone, it’s one or the other,” he said.

Jim said he is more concerned about the well-being of the sex workers, noting that he often gives them food when he passes by as they are hungry after being there for long hours.

He said the work they do is hazardous and that they should have someone there protecting them. He said there are many drunk individuals on the street late at night on weekends and he fears something untoward will happen to one of them.

“It’s dangerous for the girls, what’s to stop someone raping them and not paying them?”

“One of these days you’re going to read on the news that one of them was raped or kidnapped, that’s what I worry about.”

Cops shut down Woodside brothel during undercover op, residents say neighborhood cathouses are an open secret - Queens Post

QUEENSPOST.COM

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June 9, 2023 By Michael Dorgan The NYPD shut down an alleged brothel in Woodside last week following an...

 

[samhexum]

Representatives from city agencies gathered together in Rockaway Park on Tuesday, June 13, for a ribbon-cutting ceremony to announce the completion of the $16.6 million infrastructure project dedicated to rebuilding the peninsula’s Beach 108th Street. 

Among the block’s newest features is 11,000 square feet of new permeable concrete slabs, also referred to as “porous pavement,” designed for better drainage into the ground below. The ceremony included a demonstration of the porous pavement’s draining abilities, as workers from the Department of Environmental Protection poured water onto the concrete from a nearby hydrant.

Beach 108th Street was one of many blocks on the Rockaway peninsula that suffered damage from Hurricane Sandy in 2012, contributing to the large size of the rebuilding project. As a result, the Department of Environmental Protection’s Unified Stormwater Rule, which took effect in 2022, required the use of Green Infrastructure in the project. The department will also require this for other similar projects citywide. 

“We’re going to be doing this everywhere, not just here in Rockaway so it’s an important step forward,” said Department of Environmental Protection Chief Operating Officer Vincent Sapienza. “We really need to make our surfaces more permeable so that they soak up that rainfall.”

The city estimates that the addition of porous pavement to Beach 108th Street will allow the block to absorb and drain approximately 1.3 million gallons of stormwater into the ground annually. The repairing of approximately 1,100 feet of existing storm sewers and 22 catch basins, as well as the addition of 140 feet of new storm sewers and three new catch basins, will help support the excess water drainage. The project also replaced about 6,000 feet of old water mains and added two new fire hydrants.

https://qns.com/2023/06/porous-pavement-reconstruction-project/

 

[samhexum]

10 weeks of pizza heaven: New York Pizza Festival to take place in Long Island City

 

The New York Pizza Festival, hosted by TF Cornerstone, Caputo’s Market & Deli and Lavazza Coffee Company, is set to take place from June 24 to Sept. 3 at The Piazza at Hunter’s Point South Park, located at 52-03 Center Blvd. in Long Island City. 

The 10-week event will feature a curated selection of the most recognized Pizzaioli in the world, who will take turns every week to propose their unique pizza creation. All profits from the festival will be donated to the Mayor’s Fund to Advance New York City.

This festival represents an assortment of artisanal-new generation pizzas and styles of cooking that come from all different regions and cultures. Every week, guests can try a different type of pizza made by a different Pizzaiolo, coming from the most famous pizzerias around the world. All the Pizzaioli will pay tribute to the city that most of all has made pizza its most famous and widespread dish; New York City has helped pizza become an international dish.

 

In addition to the pizza, the festival will also feature a variety of other food and drink vendors, as well as live music and entertainment. There will also be a number of educational events throughout the festival, including pizza making classes and demonstrations.

 

The New York Pizza Festival is free and open to the public and will be open from 1 p.m. to 9 p.m. Friday to Sunday each week.

[samhexum]

The Louis Armstrong House Museum (LAHM) in Corona announced it will officially open its new state-of-the-art building, preserving and expanding the legacy and ideals of America’s first Black popular music icon, on Thursday, July 6, as the new permanent home for the 60,000-piece Louis Armstrong Archive, the world’s largest for a jazz musician, and a 75-seat venue offering performances, lectures, films and other educational experiences.

“This is a landmark moment for the Louis Armstrong House Museum,” said LAHM Executive Director Regina Bain. “Standing on the shoulders of the jazz and community greats who have come before us, the new Louis Armstrong Center invites today’s musicians, neighbors, and global fans to discover Louis and Lucille Armstrong’s story from a new perspective. We will bring the Armstrongs’ unique archives alive through new interactive events. And we will ensure that music once again rings out on 107th Street through groundbreaking programs in collaboration with emerging artists and contemporary icons.”

The 14,000-square-foot center establishes the final piece of the campus that now comprises the museum as whole; it now includes the home itself that reflects the personal values of Louis Armstrong, the garden that serves as a place for gathering and a place for live performances, the donated home of next-door neighbor Selma Heraldo, reflecting the deep roots within the community, and the new center, designed as an interpretation of Armstrong’s music, where the public can learn even more about the icon who is Louis Armstrong.

Armstrong’s classic “What a Wonderful World” was inspired by the neighborhood around his home at 34-56 107th St., where he and his wife Lucille Wilson lived from 1943 to 1971.

The new Louis Armstrong Center in Corona will officially open to the public on July 6.

Edited June 19, 2023 by samhexum
just for the hell of it

[samhexum]

A family-run Greek supermarket business that has been a staple of 31st Street in Astoria for nearly 40 years shuttered on Sunday, although the business is expected to reopen in the fall at a new location close by.

Titan Foods, known for its large selection of goods imported from Greece, will close at 25-56 31st St. since its lease will expire at the end of the month. The family business has been an Astoria mainstay for years, locally famous for its Greek cheeses and olives as well as its baked goods and other Greek delicacies.

The supermarket also prepares hot and cold foods as well as ready-made meals.

The company has been forced to shutter after its landlord sold the 31^st Street building earlier this year.

The 7,500-square-foot site in which the building stands was sold to Aniska31 Realty, LLC in February, according to city data. Aniska31 Realty, LLC also purchased two lots to the rear of Titan Foods — including a single-family home — with the total cost of all the sites coming to $10.5 million, according to city data.

It is understood that the supermarket and the home will be bulldozed and a large apartment building will go up in its place.

The sale of the site left Titan Foods scrambling to find a new home. Titan Foods is in the final stages of negotiating a deal on a new location and will make an announcement on the matter soon, according to Anna Mastoras, who is the daughter of the supermarket’s owners Kostas and Stavroula Mastoras.

“We are staying within the neighborhood and not going too far from where we are now,” Mastoras said. “We will be relocating, not closing. We’re just getting an upgrade and seeing it as a good thing.”

The business announced the closure via post to its Instagram page on Thursday. There are also notices – in both English and Greek – plastered on the front doors of the building. On Friday, the supermarket was bustling with regulars looking to stock up on goods to get them through to the fall.

Mastoras said that while the supermarket is closing, the company’s online store is stocked full of items that customers would have found in the store.

“Everyone’s a little panicked right now, but we do have the website, so we’re going to be supplying everyone during the time period that we’re closed,” Mastoras said. “We’re still going to be here, it’s just a small break.”

 

[samhexum]

‘Friend’s Tavern’ in Jackson Heights honored for being longest-running LGBTQ+ bar in Queens

[samhexum]

Reserve your spot now and meet the beloved, Emmy-winning TV chef, best-selling author, and restaurateur Lidia Bastianich in person at a special event hosted by the Bayside Historical Society on Thursday, June 29, at the Castle in Fort Totten.

“A Conversation with Lidia Bastianich” (part of the ‘Author Talk at the Castle Series’), will take place from 7:30 to 9:30 p.m. After presenting a lecture and conducting an audience Q&A, the author will be signing copies of her latest cookbook, “Lidia’s a Pot, a Pan, and a Bowl.”

The grandmother of five prepares simple, seasonal and economical Italian dishes that warm the cockles of your heart, from her cozy kitchen in her sprawling Douglaston Manor home in Queens. Viewers feel like they’ve been transported to Italy.

 

As a successful restaurateur, Bastianich currently owns three popular restaurants, as well as three sandwich shops, in Manhattan. She noted that these days, her kids run those businesses.

The author, who has always lived in Queens since she came to Astoria as an immigrant, said she was really looking forward to the upcoming event at BHS.

[samhexum]

Perhaps one of her fans would like to meet her...

 

 

[pubic_assistance]

3 minutes ago, samhexum said:

Perhaps one of her fans would like to meet her...

 

 

I really like Lidia's way of approaching Italian food. I've watched several of her cooking shows, and have eaten at her restaurants. I've never met her but admire her.

 

[+ augustus]

@samhexum I can see that the first cannabis shop has just opened in Queens.   🤔