Monday, May 30, 2016

Saturday, May 28, 2016

Coming Soon: Snow Story Ice Cream Roll

Not to be confused with Snowdays, which just opened a bit further up the block yesterday, my friend today emailed me these photos of yet another dessert place coming in to Austin Street.
This is directly across from the church down near Ascan, where a nail salon used to be.
See below the pics for more info about ice cream rolls.



From Zagat: Forget crazy flavors or over-the-top ice cream sandwiches, this summer's hottest dessert is a frozen treat that's made its way to NYC by way of Thailand. Thai-style ice cream rolls have debuted at not one, but three shops this season, but what exactly makes this chilled specialty different from your typical scoop? It's made to order, for one. Here's how it works: An ice cream base and your choice of add-ins are poured onto an anti-griddle, a metal plate that can get as cold as -4 degrees Fahrenheit, according to the owners of I-CE NY. Then, in Cold Stone-esque fashion, the staff chops and smashes the ingredients together with metal paddles as they start to freeze. In just minutes, the cream firms up and it's spread into a thin layer, then scraped into the chubby rolls that we're seeing all over Instagram. 



Friday, May 27, 2016

Snowdays Grand Opening

Unfortunately, I had to give up after waiting several minutes on the long line.  I'll be back!





Breathtaking Moment

Aside from being a lover of fast food, I'm also a lover of history, and this truly brought a tear to my eye today...

Thursday, May 26, 2016

Shake Shack Dinner Rush

Looks like the one-block choice on my poll was correct, at least as of around 6:20 p.m. on this heat-wave opening day... Thanks to John for sending in the photo!


Shake Shack Opening Day



If anyone happens to notice long lines or anything else of interest at today's opening day, please snap a pic and email it to us at edgeofthecity@gmail.com I swung by earlier, but me and my compadres can't be there all the time so we rely on our readers just as much! 


Wednesday, May 25, 2016

Shake Shack Preview

I attended the "Friends & Family Day" at our new Shake Shack today. I already want to go again and have another burger. The Shack opens to the general public tomorrow at 11 a.m.

Here are some photos...












Shack Senses Tingling

Love this post from the Shake Shack Facebook Page today!

Shack senses tingling? We're making like Spider-Man and heading to Forest Hills for our newest Shack opening this Thursday: http://bit.ly/shack-forest-hills Fantastic illustration by Joe Eisma.

Monday, May 23, 2016

Stop and Smell the Flowers

Here's something you don't see every day (or at least in the more than ten years that I've been living here!) Someone has apparently taken the time to ponder the ugliness of Queens Blvd. --- and, wait for it --- actually try to do something about it!

Yes, these delightful little flowers have been sprouting up in the new tree plantings along the north side of our inappropriate neighborhood thoroughfare.


Between these amazing new flowers and trees, and the new bike racks that have been popping up along 71st/Continental (below), our neighborhood is getting some very much needed TLC.

It's good to see Forest Hills now moving to that next stage - where the concern is moving beyond just pure function and towards the acknowledgement that it's the little things that count. And that in a New York City neighborhood today, it's no longer acceptable to get by on pure function alone. Residents expect a neighborhood in this city to delight them in appearance as well.


Sunday, May 22, 2016

Shake Shack Poll

Forest Hills Shake Shack Opening Thursday, May 26th

From their website:

Head for the hills! We’re spinning three frozen custard concretes just for Forest Hills: Queens Bee (vanilla custard, marshmallow sauce, Liddabit Sweets honeycomb candy and strawberry purée), Hill of Beans (vanilla custard, Stumptown coffee beans, salted caramel sauce, chocolate truffle cookie dough and chocolate sprinkles) and the Austin Street Treat (chocolate custard, peanut butter sauce, sugar cone cookie and banana). We’re sweet on Queens!
Opening Thursday, May 26th!

Megan Hilty Joins The New York Pops July 7th at Forest Hills Stadium



MUSIC DIRECTOR STEVEN REINEKE LEADS THE ORCHESTRA WITH BROADWAY STARS MEGAN HILTY AND MATTHEW MORRISON JULY 7, 2016 – 7:30PM – FOREST HILLS STADIUM

 On July 7, 2016, The New York Pops will return to its new summer home, Forest Hills Stadium in Queens, NY, for a program starring Tony nominees Megan Hilty and Matthew Morrison. After a wildly successful outing at the open-air venue in summer 2015, The New York Pops is proud to return to Queens with a full orchestra. The concert will also continue the expanded version of the orchestra’s Kids in the Balcony program, offering 1,000 children an opportunity to attend and learn about live music for free.

This concert is generously sponsored by Morgan Stanley and AT&T. “I am beyond thrilled to return to the stadium – we had such a blast last summer, and I know that the orchestra, Matthew, and Megan are going to knock it out of the park in July!” said Music Director Steven Reineke. “Matthew and Megan have performed with the orchestra before, and they are always absolutely electric. I am so glad they will bring their larger-than-life talent to join our full orchestra in this incredible venue. This concert is going to be a home run!”

“The New York Pops is both an iconic and influential organization that embodies the spirit of New York. AT&T is proud to support this organization that has dedicated itself to not only delivering the highest quality of entertainment, but ensuring that every New Yorker has access to lifelong learning regardless of background,” said Marissa Shorenstein, New York State President of AT&T.

The New York Pops concerts at Forest Hills Stadium are family-friendly events, with tickets beginning at $15. Food and beverage is available for purchase on the stadium grounds.

Forest Hills Stadium events have been made possible through a partnership with the local community, with a focus on making concerts a rewarding experience for all involved. Dedicated entrance and exits have been constructed to manage audience flow. The stadium is conveniently located feet from the E, M, F, R subway trains as well as the LIRR and concert-goers are strongly encouraged to utilize public transportation as there is no parking available at the stadium or in the surrounding community.

The New York Pops annual subscription series at Carnegie Hall will open on October 14, 2016 with “The Musical World of Lerner and Loewe,” featuring Colin Donnell, Nathan Gunn, and Laura Osnes with Judith Clurman’s Essential Voices USA.

TICKETS Tickets are on sale at www.foresthillsstadium.com and range from $15 to $95.

 ABOUT THE NEW YORK POPS THE NEW YORK POPS is the largest independent pops orchestra in the United States, and the only professional symphonic orchestra in New York City specializing in popular music. Under the leadership of dynamic Music Director and Conductor Steven Reineke, The New York Pops continues to re-imagine orchestral pops music. The orchestra performs an annual subscription series and birthday gala at Carnegie Hall. The New York Pops is dedicated to lifelong learning, and collaborates with public schools, community organizations, children’s hospitals and senior centers throughout the five boroughs of New York City. PopsEd allows thousands of New Yorkers of all ages and backgrounds to participate in fully customizable music programs that blend traditional education with pure fun. Visit www.newyorkpops.org for more information. Follow The New York Pops on Facebook (facebook.com/newyorkpops), Instagram (@thenewyorkpops), and Twitter (@newyorkpops).

 STEVEN REINEKE is the Music Director and Conductor of The New York Pops at Carnegie Hall, Principal Pops Conductor of the National Symphony Orchestra at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, Principal Pops Conductor of the Toronto Symphony Orchestra, and Principal Pops Conductor Designate of the Houston Symphony, beginning in the 2017-2018 season. Mr. Reineke is a frequent guest conductor with The Philadelphia Orchestra and has been on the podium with the Boston Pops, The Cleveland Orchestra and the Chicago Symphony Orchestra at Ravinia. His extensive North American conducting appearances include San Francisco, Houston, Seattle, Edmonton and Pittsburgh.

 ABOUT THE GUEST ARTISTS

MEGAN HILTY Megan Hilty is most recognizable for her portrayal of seasoned triple-threat Ivy Lynn in NBC’s musical drama Smash. She followed up the series with a starring role on the comedy Sean Saves the World. This spring, Hilty received critical acclaim for her role of Brooke Ashton in the Roundabout Theatre Company’s revival of Noises Off. She has earned nominations for a Tony Award, Drama Desk Award and Drama League Award for her performance. Earlier this year, she recurred on Bravo’s dramedy Girlfriend’s Guide to Divorce and she is currently appearing in the final season of CBS’ The Good Wife. This May, Hilty released a live album comprising of songs from her recent concert tour, entitled Megan Hilty Live at the Café Carlyle. She just recently completed a residency at New York’s Café Carlyle, where she previously performed the last two years. This summer, she will appear in Hulu’s Difficult People and CBS’ BrainDead and continue to tour abroad, making her Australian debut as part of the Adelaide Cabaret Festival.

 In March 2013, Hilty released her debut solo album, It Happens All The Time, which included fresh interpretations of compositions by contemporary songwriters and producers. Earlier, Hilty starred as Lorelei Lee, the diamond-loving blonde made famous by Carol Channing, in the Encores! production of Gentlemen Prefer Blondes, for which she earned rave reviews. A native of Seattle, Hilty moved to New York City after graduating from the prestigious Carnegie Mellon University, and quickly made her Broadway debut as Glinda in Wicked. She went on to perform the role in both the national tour and in Los Angeles.

After receiving high praise for her portrayal of Doralee Rhodes in Broadway’s 9 to 5: The Musical, Hilty was honored with nominations for Lead Actress in a Musical at the Drama Desk Awards, Outer Critics Circle Awards, the Drama League Awards and L.A. Stage Alliance Ovation Awards. Hilty has previously performed at Carnegie Hall with The New York Pops, the National Symphony Orchestra at the Kennedy Center, the New York Philharmonic at Lincoln Center, the Boston Pops, the Cincinnati Pops, the Houston Symphony, the Phoenix Symphony among many others. She was also featured on TNT’s 2012 Christmas in Washington special and continues to perform at prestigious venues nationwide. Megan is a frequent guest on PBS’ televised Live from Capitol Hill concerts. Her solo concert concerts continue to sell out and receive critical acclaim across the country.

 MATTHEW MORRISON Matthew Morrison is a versatile actor who is recognized for his work on-stage and on-screen. He has been nominated for Tony, Emmy and Golden Globe Awards. Morrison most recently starred as J.M Barrie in the Harvey Weinstein musical Finding Neverland through January 2016. The Broadway production is an adaptation of the 2004 film written by David Magee. The story follows the relationship between Barrie and the Davies family, who became the author’s inspiration for the creation of Peter Pan. Morrison received two Drama Desk nominations for his role, and won the category of Favorite Actor in a Musical in the Broadway.com Audience Awards.

In 2015, Morrison wrapped the final season of Fox’s musical comedy series Glee, where he starred as the director of the glee club, Mr. Schuester. The show was created by Ryan Murphy and received the Golden Globe award “Best Television Series – Comedy or Musical” in 2010 and 2011. Morrison was the first artist signed to Adam Levine’s record label, 222 Records, where he released his Broadway standards album, “Where it All Began,” in June 2013. In 2012, Morrison starred in the Lionsgate film, What to Expect When You’re Expecting, which was based on the book of the same name, directed by Kirk Jones. The film also starred Cameron Diaz, Jennifer Lopez and Dennis Quaid among others. Morrison played a famous dance show star who is faced with the unexpected demands of fatherhood. The film was released on May 18, 2012.

 In March 2012, Morrison hosted and narrated the PBS special entitled Oscar Hammerstein II - Out of My Dreams, which focused on the Broadway producer’s life and career. Also in March 2012, Morrison was featured in a performance of Dustin Lance Black’s play, 8, a staged reenactment of the federal trial that overturned California’s Prop 8 ban on same-sex marriage. The performance raised money for the American Foundation for Equal Rights. Morrison studied musical theater, vocal performance and dance at New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts. He made his debut on Broadway in Footloose but his big break came when he was cast as heartthrob Link Larkin in the hit Hairspray. Morrison was later nominated for a Tony Award for his role in The Light in the Piazza, and received a Drama Desk Nomination for Outstanding Actor in a Musical for 10 Million Miles. He also starred in the Tony-winning revival of South Pacific at Lincoln Center Theater in New York. Morrison currently resides in New York.

Friday, May 20, 2016

Forest Hills Shake Shack Menu

Looks like our new Shack will have all the popular favorites we all know and love when it opens next week!  (Thanks to Joe for sending me the pic!)


Friday, May 6, 2016

The New York Pops Returns to Forest Hills Stadium with Broadway and Television Star Matthew Morrison




On July 7, 2016, The New York Pops will return to its summer home, Forest Hills Stadium in Queens, NY, for a program starring Tony and Emmy nominee Matthew Morrison and a special guest to be announced. 

After a wildly successful outing at the open-air venue in summer 2015, The New York Pops is proud to return to Queens with a full, 78-piece orchestra. The concert will also continue the expanded version of the orchestra’s Kids in the Balcony program, offering 1,000 children an opportunity to attend and learn about live music for free.

This concert is generously sponsored by Morgan Stanley and AT&T.

“I am beyond thrilled to return to the stadium – we had such a blast last summer, and I know that the orchestra and Matthew are going to knock it out of the park in July!” said Music Director Steven Reineke. “Matthew’s performances with us in December 2014 were absolutely electric. We played two sold-out nights at Carnegie Hall. I am glad he will bring his larger-than-life talent to join our full orchestra in this incredible venue. And in case you’re not excited enough, keep your eyes peeled for the announcement of our other special guest!”

“The New York Pops is both an iconic and influential organization that embodies the spirit of New York. AT&T is proud to support this organization that has dedicated itself to not only delivering the highest quality of entertainment, but ensuring that every New Yorker has access to lifelong learning regardless of background,” said Marissa Shorenstein, New York State President of AT&T

The New York Pops concerts at Forest Hills Stadium are family-friendly events, with tickets beginning at $15. Food and beverage is available for purchase on the stadium grounds.

Forest Hills Stadium events have been made possible through a partnership with the local community, with a focus on making concerts a rewarding experience for all involved. Dedicated entrance and exits have been constructed to manage audience flow. The stadium is conveniently located feet from the E, M, F, R subway trains as well as the LIRR and concert-goers are strongly encouraged to utilize public transportation as there is no parking available at the stadium or in the surrounding community.

The New York Pops annual subscription series at Carnegie Hall will open on October 14, 2016 with “The Musical World of Lerner and Loewe,” featuring Colin Donnell, Nathan Gunn, and Laura Osnes with Judith Clurman’s Essential Voices USA.

TICKETS

Tickets are on sale at www.foresthillsstadium.com and range from $15 to $95.