Happy New Year !!

Signs of Gloria...

I hope everyone had a great Christmas and Chanukah...

So, after weeks of online rumors and speculation, finally a sign confirming that your former Flushing favorite, Gloria Pizza, will indeed be making its new home right smack in the center of Forest Hills, right next to the Midway Theater.

Merry Christmas !

An Edge of the City Profile: Local Artist Nicholas Ruiz

Nicholas Ruiz

From time to time I will be featuring Q&A’s with interesting residents of Forest Hills. I recently had the chance to sit down with Nicholas Ruiz. This 23-year-old Tampa, Florida transplant is a budding local artist/fashion designer who has been designing bow ties with some, shall we say, rather interesting twists. So far he’s made bow ties from guitar picks, soda cans, computer parts, film negatives and wine corks, just to name a few.

As you will see, our conversation covered not only his passion for his unique designs, but also his ongoing passion for Forest Hills. In fact, he ties the two together in his website Made In Forest Hills. Who knows, some day you may soon see Nicholas behind the counter of his own store selling his bow ties and other men’s accessories right here on Austin Street.

Edge of the City: How’d you come up with the idea for your bow ties?

Nicholas Ruiz: In November of 2010 we had our annual Film Benefit at the Museum of Modern Art, where I work in the Special Events Department.  At the event I met singer Janelle Monáe, who wears this fantastic bow tie in her music video "Tightrope.”  She told me a friend (singer Erykah Badu) purchased it at a shop in London and I was immediately jealous.  I started looking for a similar bow tie around NYC – but couldn't find one that spoke to me - so I decided to just make one myself.  I planned on making the first bow tie out of guitar picks for the opening of the Picasso: Guitars 1912-1914 MoMA exhibition in February 2011.  

It was a blast to make and I received such a great response from colleagues and friends that I decided to continue making bow ties inspired by the different exhibitions and events at MoMA throughout 2011.  There are style and design influences from the artists' works  and also a sustainable aspect with each each bow tie because the materials are found and recycled from my day-to-day life.  

This past November we held our 2011 Film Benefit, for which I wore a bow tie inspired by our honoree, Pedro Almodóvar.  I just recently completed the entire Bow Tie Collection with our final exhibition of the year and the 11th bow tie for Sanja Iveković: Sweet Violence.  

What began as a fun way to look sharp at my events, turned into a year-long project where I could combine my passion for art and love of fashion.  Some could say I've become a little bow tie obsessed, but really, who doesn't love a bow tie?

E.O.T.C.: Any plans for your bow ties to actually be exhibited at MoMA, or anywhere else perhaps?

N.R.: They’re not being exhibited at MoMA, but a gallery in Connecticut will be showcasing the eleven bow ties from the Bow Tie Collection next year.  Although every bow tie is wearable, the originals will be shadow box framed for the gallery display.  A series of bow ties from this Collection will also be available to buy framed or unframed, and because each one is hand made by me and will vary slightly in material design, there will be a bit of a waiting period for each order.  I've also chatted with Art World, which is a neat frame store on Metropolitan Ave. (formerly on Austin St.) about displaying them.  The Collection is really important to me, so it's excited that they're catching people's eyes. 

E.O.T.C.: I find it interesting that you play up the fact that you are from Forest Hills, even calling your website “Made in Forest Hills.”

N.R.: The name of my website is pretty literal.  I make all of my bow ties right here in Forest Hills.  I grew up visiting my uncle every year in Forest Hills, and then eventually moved here in March of 2010 after graduating from college.  When I first arrived I spent a lot of time fixing up my apartment while exploring the neighborhood.  There are so many hidden gems like the vintage shop, Instant Replay, where I found the brooch for the last bow tie in the Collection or Bangkok Cuisine, which serves hands down the best papaya salad.  Also, nothing beats an indie flick at the Cinemart followed by an ice cream sundae at Eddie's on Metropolitan. 

 I'm also a supporter of preserving the Forest Hills Tennis Stadium, which is such an iconic landmark to the community.  The neighborhood has directly influenced most of the bow ties in the Collection because many of the materials were found right here in Forest Hills.  The chandelier crystals for the Party in the Garden 2011 are from a local lighting store and the wire casing for Diego Rivera: Murals for The Museum of Modern Art is from my hardware store around the corner.  Even the de Kooning: A Retrospective bow tie is made from a Queen's Chronicle newspaper, and the parts for Talk to Me are from an old computer I found on Queens Blvd.  I'm always telling friends not to judge FoHi until they've been – I even made an About Forest Hills section on my site so people could plan their visit.

E.O.T.C: So what would you say is your ultimate goal with your bowties?

N.R.: It would be a dream to be able to make bow ties from when I wake up to when I go to bed.  Who knows, maybe one day I'll have a little bow tie shop here in Forest Hills.  All of my bow ties are unique and speak to different people for different reasons.  A wine lover may like the one I made out of wine corks for German Expressionism: The Graphic Impulse or a kid at heart would dig the one made out of Legos for The Armory Show 2011 after-party. One of my personal favorites was made out of expired Acetaminophen pills for the Contemporary Galleries: 1980-Now exhibition.  Right now, I'm developing a clasp system to make them easy to wear and working on designs for a limited edition Forest Hills Collection, which will be available in early 2012.  I'm also always searching for new materials, and people can email me at info@madeinforesthills.com with ideas. 

You can follow Nicholas on Twitter at @bowtieboy, check out his Bow Tie Blog, or visit his website, Made in Forest Hills:  http://madeinforesthills.com/

Are you interested in being profiled on this blog, or know someone who is? Shoot me an email at edgeofthecity@gmail.com.

Happy Chanukah!

More Bareburger Details

The folks at Bareburger shared some info with me about plans for their new Austin St. location here in Forest Hills:

• Our Bareburger will indeed be a sit-down restaurant, with about 50 seats.
• It will have the same menu as their other locations. 
• They also confirm it will open sometime this Spring.

See my previous posts about Bareburger for more information, and my review of one of their other locations.

On My Mind...

Just a few random things on my mind (very) early this Saturday morning:

• European Debt Crisis: I know, I know. It's the weekend. What am I doing thinking about such things? Can't help it. Scary shit! Europe's financial situation is looking increasingly dire, and the shockwaves could hit here very hard (and pretty much everywhere else):  New York City Faces 'Extreme Downside Risk' From European Debt Crisis: Report
• That's Impossible!! Oh, sorry, I am thinking now about Mission: Impossible Ghost Protocol. What?? This freakin' movie is like the best reviewed movie of the year?? A Tom Cruise movie?? How is this possible I ask you??!!

Bareburger Review

My review of Bareburger, the burger place that is coming to Austin St. this Spring, in the space where Lee Martin Salon used to be.

I visited the location on Laguardia Place at NYU in the Village last weekend.

I'd give the place an A+, pretty easily. The food was great and so was the atmosphere.

Quite frankly, this is just the kind of place Forest Hills has been lacking. A place to get a healthier burger, sandwich or salad, and drumroll please, the food is effortlessly delicious. Do you know what I mean by "effortlessly delicious"? It's hard to put it in words. It's more of a feeling actually. You feel it when you walk into a place and just know this is a really well-run business. That's the feeling I had walking into Bareburger. Before the food even came out, I started getting very excited just looking around, thinking of what this place will add to our neighborhood - how it will take things up a notch.

In some ways it feels like Forest Hills has been stuck in 1972 when it comes to its casual food offerings.  We've been doing quite well when it comes to more formal dining options—places like Agora Taverna, Aged, etc. But when it comes to more casual, or takeout food, we have sorely lacked. Europan just doesn't cut it.

With Bareburger, we finally enter the modern era. We will be getting an upscale, yet casual, place to take out high-quality, healthier but great-tasting, burgers, salads and sandwiches. You know, the kinds of places that you find, oh, almost anywhere else? :)

Here's my pictorial review of the NYU location:

The outside is very inviting and at this location they have outdoor seating. Ours won't though because it's on Austin St.

The NYU location is extremely popular with a younger crowd. It's very upscale, fun and relaxed. 

Stylish, too.

Everyone seemed to be having a really good time. It was obviously a local favorite.

Bareburger is very modern in explaining the thinking behind its food offerings. It treats its customers like they have a brain and want to learn. Hey, isn't that a novel concept for restaurants in Forest Hills??

Stylish, yet fun.

It's the little things that can add so much. A basket of sauces to choose from;  water in a caraffe at every table; descriptions of their artisanal brews.

One of my favorite things they offered: an appetizer with three different flavors of pickles and cole slaw. I've been trying to lose a few pounds these days, and this really was awesome! Pretty much guilt-free indulgence (if there is such a thing!)

I decided to go with the turkey burger, and also tried the regular burger. The regular burger was great. I'd give my turkey burger an A-. It wasn't the best turkey burger patty I've ever had, but what boosted it way up was all the fixin's and the great, fresh bun.

I'd give their milkshake an A. Loved the presentation! It was served really cold and nice and thick. And they let you customize it pretty much any way you like it.

Changes Coming to Forest Hills Subway Station

Click on the pic to see a bigger version...

Top 5 Pizza Places in Forest Hills

Here are my top five. Obviously, these are my based on my own opinion. And I have not tried all of the pizza places in Forest Hills, so feel free to add your own (and I will try them soon if you do. I promise. Like it's very hard work).

1. Tuscan Hills
2. Nick's*
3. Portofino
4. Lillian
5. A J's

*I have to note one thing, though. If I was going by pepperoni pizza, I would have to put Nick's first. They have amazing pepperoni pizza, right up there with the best I have ever eaten, anywhere. But, I have not tried the pepperoni at the others on the list, so can't speak for those.

Oh, and I am eagerly awaiting the opening of Gloria's Pizza next to Midway. Such a loyal following! Can't wait to try it.

One other thing I just realized. Tuscan Hills is kind of new, having opened just a few years ago, and many of you may not yet know about it. While all of their food is simply phenomenal, I swear to you I am not exaggerating when I say I almost cry when I bite into their pizza. It is simply one of the most delicious things I have ever eaten, anywhere. I don't know how they do it. You know those books of lists of things to do before you die? If you know you are going to die (come to think of it, I do, just don't know when), you really must have a pie from Tuscan Hills before you do. Does that make sense?

Yes, Thar Be Pickles

Chalk the strange headline up to my writing this post at like 2:30 in the morning. I have Monday off, so I can. Anyway, the real point of this post is to tell you I visited the Bareburger in the Village over the weekend. I will post a full review soon of this new burger joint that is coming to Austin, but for now I just wanted to tantalize y'all with the flavored pickle appetizer Bareburger has. I am still thinking of them, days later...

Bareburger For Austin Confirmed by Company

Bareburger has indeed confirmed on its website that it is coming to Forest Hills.  Now the bad news: It says we will have to wait until the Spring! 

I made the terrible mistake of reading the review here, and now I am starving beyond belief (is that slaw on that burger? I think I have all but died and gone to heaven) : MyWorldReviews.com

Bareburger's Site

Movie Quickies

Haven't done this in a long time, mostly because the movies have been rather sucky. But, suddenly, I've seen some good ones...

Moneyball: I give this one an A+. Totally enjoyed this baseball film. I caught it in the Village at the Quad Theater, where it was still playing as of a week ago. Brad Pitt and Jonah Hill are both really great. Philip Seymour Hoffman is fantastic as usual, in a supporting role this time. It's a really interesting look at baseball today.

Margin Call: This one gets an A from me. It's a bit of an odd movie, kind of a half-fiction, half-real look at the financial meltdown. But Kevin Spacey is great, as is Jeremy Irons as the corporate CEO. Heck, I even liked Demi Moore in this one! It moves fast and is very enjoyable. Even if you're not into business/finance movies, this one is very entertaining.









My Week With Marilyn: I'd give this is a B+. Michelle Williams really steals this movie as the title character. And Kenneth Branagh does a spot-on impression of Sir Lawrence Olivier. I caught this in Kew Gardens, followed, of course, by dinner at Mood, my local favorite restaurant there.

J. Edgar: This one gets a B- from me. Not bad, but could have been sooo much better. Clint Eastwood, who directed, chose to try to stuff way too much of this amazing person's life into two hours. This easily should've been a mini-series or HBO series of several episodes to do it justice. And Leonardo DiCaprio, while much better than I've ever seen him, still has his "Tom Cruise" moments -- you know, the one's where try as he might he is just not that great an actor. Sorry Leo!

CNN Visits Forest Hills High School

CNN was recently at Forest Hills High for a piece on school overcrowding: Does class size matter?

Sharing a little Glee...

70 years ago today...

Pearl Harbor Still a Day for the Ages, but a Memory Almost Gone After 70 years, Pearl Harbor survivors, aging and fewer in number, are giving up on major gatherings in the future.

Bareburger Coming to Austin St.

Hooray!! This may just be some of the most awesome news I have had a chance to report in the two years I have been doing this blog: Bareburger Rising

Heres' the link to Bareburger's site: http://www.bareburger.com/ I have never been to Bareburger, and don't know anyone who has. But that's not the point. The fact that this new burger place has chosen Austin St. as one of its locations, along with Astoria, Park Slope, Chelsea and the NYU neighborhood in the Village, says tons about our neighborhood and how it is changing. :)

Organizing a Blood Drive in Forest Hills

I was recently contacted by the person below who is interested in organizing a blood drive here in the Forest Hillls/Rego Park area. Please read on for details. They are looking for volunteers.

Potential organization of a blood campaign drive in Forest Hills/Rego Park area in or around end of January 2012. We are looking forward to creating an awareness amongst the community and stress the importance of having a healthy community. It would be great if we could get sponsors for the campaign in terms of location, set up etc. and also any one interested in volunteering, please contact us. I can be reached at harengosar@hotmail.com. We are keen on making the event a great success and working towards a better, healthy community.

The Forest Hills High Line?

Incredibly, it may just happen... Renewed Hopes for an Elevated Park in Queens

A group of civic leaders in Queens is proposing once again to turn an old rail line that runs through Forest Hills into an elevated park. Several community leaders proposed the idea a few years ago, but the project stalled.

Openings and (Temporary) Closings

Looks like YogoMonster, in the Austin St. "Mall", is on a winter hiatus...

While there's some construction getting started next to the Midway Theater, the site of what we believe will be Gloria's Pizza (formerly of Flushing)...

A Little Holiday Poll

We haven't done a poll since the very popular tennis stadium one, so how about a holiday-themed question this time? Here ya go...

Too Much Debt...

What's all this European debt crisis about anyway?

I found this quite helpful:

It’s All Connected: An Overview of the Euro Crisis
A visual guide to the growing debt crisis.


My interest was piqued by this:

BUSINESS DAY

Dire Warnings Are Building on European Debt Crisis

By LIZ ALDERMAN AND STEPHEN CASTLE

Published: November 28, 2011

Despite bleak reports from the O.E.C.D. and Moody’s, investors were optimistic that leaders would find a solution, and markets soared in Europe, Asia and the United States.

Eagerly Awaiting...

I hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving!
And what better thing to kick off the holiday season with than a post about more food? Only this time, instead of turkey, we're talkin' pizza!

.... Gloria's Pizza...  I was talking with a friend yesterday who expressed doubts about whether indeed the popular pizza place, Gloria's, which gained quite a following while it was open in Flushing, was actually going to open next to the Midway Theater. After all, the space has remained stubbornly devoid of any construction activity for quite a few weeks.

Well, the last I heard, it was indeed going to open there, by the end of December. This, according to this ltidbit of information, posted on Chowhound by the son of the owner: http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/235529#6897541

Here's another post I did about all of the pizza excitement, in case you missed it: http://edgeofthecityblog.blogspot.com/2011/10/more-on-new-pizza-place.html

The Big Squeeze

A friend of mine sent me these pics tonight of a truck stuck under the Long Island Railroad overpass on Continental Ave....

The Umbrella Man

Local School in the News

From The NY Times:

Parent Complains of Bias in Sixth-Grade Lesson

It was supposed to be a special learning opportunity for the sixth graders at Public School 101 School in the Gardens in Forest Hills, Queens. A popular second-grade teacher was invited to their social studies class to give a lecture about Israel, as part of a unit on the Middle East. ...

Introducing ... The Low Line

This is, quite frankly, amazing! It's still just in the planning stages, but just the fact that it seriously might happen is another reason why I live in New York City. :)

N.Y. / REGION
Envisioning a Park, With Sights Set Low
By LISA W. FODERARO
Published: November 21, 2011
Plans for a Manhattan green space on a former transit site come with a twist — the park would be underground, in a dank former trolley terminal under Delancey Street.

Tennis Stadium Poll Results

Well, it looks like the Stadium Arts Alliance's plan to renovate the Forest Hills Tennis Stadium, using it for major tennis matches, concerts, art exhibits and ice hockey, is proving the most popular choice as to what to do with the iconic landmark.

Here are the results of our latest poll so far.

1. Ice skating during the winter and music events during the warm weather - 42 
2. A new Farmer's Market - 30 
3. Tennis again, or other sporting events - 16 
4. Demolish it to make room for new condos - 7 
5. A tennis museum - 5 
6. Other - 3 
7. A hotel - 2

Among the "Other" write-in choices were the rather creative: Bodega, Jail and Helipad. :)

You can still vote in the "Polls" section of the blog if you haven't already.

Enjoying Duane Reade

I can't believe I am saying this, but I really am falling in love with a drugstore! Our revamped Duane Reade on 71st/Continental is really such a vast improvement that when I went in to get just a couple of things tonight I found myself meandering around the place, really enjoying the experience! And they aren't even finished yet - they are still expanding their food section. It's a small supermarket in there now.

I also really am impressed with their store brand "deLish" stuff. I impulse-bought a package of dried fruit snacks and they not only taste great, but they are actually all-natural and the perfect healthy snack. Keep it up DR! :)

A Walk Through Occupy Wall Street

I had been meaning to post this video I took when I visited the Occupy Wall St. encampment at Zuccotti Park about a month ago. I was watching CNN this morning and during banter between two of the anchors they said the removal of the protestors was done partly because of sanitary reasons: "piles of trash and feces" were in the park. When I visited there was absolutely no sign of either and I can't imagine they would have let that change in a few weeks. Why would they? That would give the City the excuse it was looking for to remove them.

The piles you see in my short video are just belongings. There was no garbage, no foul smells, nothing that would hint of unsanitary conditions.

Whether you agree or disagree with the Occupy Wall Street movement is one thing. But I try very hard with this Blog to at least keep the facts about things straight. Let's make sure we are all in "reality." CNN should do the same if it considers itself to be a major news organization. After all, this is an extremely important fact to get straight. The Right Wingers have tried to paint this protest movement as nothing more than a bunch of radicals and outcasts who do not even know how to clean up for themselves. Sure, some of the movement's members are just that. But many more are productive members of society who are uncomfortable with the fact that the voices of the many are being drowned out in our government by the power of the very few.

I have more video footage I shot that day which I will try to post in the near future, but there's a limit to the file size here, so here you go....

Watch live streaming video from occupywallstnyc at livestream.com

Kill The Batman

That is apparently what many New Yorkers want to do these days: "The Dark Knight Rises" filming causes major delays in New York City

A Radical Shift in Subway Maintenance

Ok, so I was ranting to a friend the other day about how the MTA shouldn't do all of its construction work on the weekends. "I am so sick of this!!," went my rant. "I bet the heads of the MTA don't even live in the City! If they did, they wouldn't always do all of the construction on the weekends! When are they going to start making the suburbanite commuters feel some of the pain and do some construction on the weekdays!"

My friend vehemently disagreed, saying that would be an even bigger inconvenience! How would we all get to work??

Apparently, someone from the MTA was walking behind us and I must've frightened him or her with my anger. My sincere apologies to all of New York City for bringing this on all of you.

N.Y. / REGION Experiment on Subways Will Shift Pain to Weekdays
By MICHAEL M. GRYNBAUM
Published: November 14, 2011
New York City Transit will test an approach next year to do major construction work on weekdays between 10 p.m. and 5 a.m., potentially improving weekend service.

(Just kidding. Kind of. At least it will be taking place at night. Oh yea, but then there is this: "For more complex repair work, the agency would consider closing some track segments for up to 16 days at a time, with no service day or night." Oy vey.)

New Turkish Restaurant

Blog reader Jeff sent in this photo tonight of a new Turkish restaurant, Taci's, opening up on Metropolitan near 71st Ave. I definitely look forward to trying it out. Thanks for the photo Jeff !

Awesome books, awesome cast, and now awesome trailer.... really looking forward to this in March:

Occupy Wall St. Comes to Forest Hills

Apparently there was some commotion over at Bob Turner's swearing in here in Forest Hills yesterday. This post over at Gothamist has the story (and strikes the perfect tone, if I do say so myself :) )

Occupy Wall Street Protester Interrupts Bob Turner's Swearing-In, Gets Bounced By NY Post's New Hero

By the way, this is what is known as a "Turner Toss."
Protester Tossed Out Of Turner's Forest Hills Swearing-In: Report

Elevators Coming to Forest Hills Station?

Here's some photos of what we think are preparations for the installation of elevators at the 71st/Continental Ave. subway station.

Reports the photographer: "These photos were taken at the upper and lower level of the Queens-bound side of the station. And a mysterious blue structure is on the upper level of the Manhattan bound side as well."

Another Stadium Development

Here's another new development in the ongoing Tennis Stadium saga — potentially bringing its renovation and reuse one step closer to reality! And I love the fact that all of a sudden Karen Koslowitz is sounding very positive about the Stadium Arts Alliance's plan! Suddenly, it looks like we have some real movement on the future of the Stadium. So far I have heard no opposition from the powers that be.

From The Daily News:
Councilman Recchia backs plan for taxpayer dollars to rejuvenate West Side Tennis Stadium

A nonprofit group that hopes to bring back tennis to a Queens stadium that long hosted the U.S. Open may get taxpayer cash for its ambitious plan, the Daily News has learned.

The chairman of the City Council’s Finance ommittee has proposed a public-private partnership to back what he calls a “beautiful” plan to rejuvenate West Side Stadium in Forest Hills.

Brooklyn Councilman Domenic Recchia hailed the nonprofit Stadium Arts Alliance for its vision to host major tennis matches, concerts, art exhibits and ice hockey in the aging landmark.

Stephen King Does it Again

I've been reading Stephen King since I was but a toddler (well, almost)... When I heard about his latest book I was quite intrigued. The premise is simple and captivating: Imagine if you could go back in time and prevent the Kennedy Assassination? Well, the book, 11/22/63 is now out and it is getting some pretty rave reviews. Here's one, from The Times:

BOOKS
  ‘Save Kennedy’
By ERROL MORRIS
Published: November 10, 2011
 Stephen King’s time traveler tries to undo some painful history.


 Usually I don't post about book reviews, but this part of Morris' review grabbed me:

It all adds up to one of the best time-travel stories since H. G. Wells. King has captured something wonderful. Could it be the bottomlessness of reality? The closer you get to history, the more mysterious it becomes. He has written a deeply romantic and pessimistic book. It’s romantic about the real possibility of love, and pessimistic about everything else.

Closing Time ?

Sadly, or perhaps not sadly depending on how you look at it, there's been a bit of a backlog of news about local stores and restaurants closing. Here's a quick rundown:

- Q Bistro, the restaurant on Ascan that used to be Thai and then reopened with a kind of an eclectic-modern style menu, closed about a week or so ago. I quite possibly was among the last guests at this restaurant. And I was left a bit unnerved by the experience, I have to say. While they had done a nice job of redesigning the restaurant, there really wasn't a lot of logic to what they were doing. For one thing, when you create an open kitchen for your guests to watch the food being made, shouldn't that enhance the dining experience, and not make the visitor uneasy? I sat right across from the open kitchen area as I ate and watching what looked like short-order cooks dump what I swear was cans of tomato sauce into what they were preparing was really not the most dinner-enhancing experience.

And here are a couple of other goners, Clear, an interent service provider on Austin St., and Austin Chemists, a small drugstore on Austin right near Ascan (my friend who lives near there said it seemed they spent more time constructing the store than actually being open.) 

I have a very good feeling about what is happening down on Austin St. near Ascan, by the way. Is it just me, or is that area becoming very interesting, between the amazing La Boulangerie, the very enjoyable Brownies & Cream (I just treated myself tonight to some more of their delectable home made Coffee Brownie ice cream - Boy, they have huge chunks of brownies in there, delish! :) ), and the bizarre, yet conversation-generating Sister Unn's. 

Could my dreams of a cute little independent cafe be next down that way? We've already come awfully close with La Boulangerie. Wouldn't the Q Bistro space make for the perfect little indie cafe, ala Park Slopes' Ozzie's, to hang out in? 

More on Tennis Stadium

Here's a link to an article in The Daily News from Sunday that includes a drawing of the proposal for its use as an ice skating rink and arts and music center:

Queens' West Side Stadium, longtime home of U.S. Open, could reopen as venue for arts, concerts and hockey if non-profit's plan is approved

I love Karen Koslowitz' comment in the article.... She expresses absolutely no enthusiasm, but only trepidation, for this great idea, and one of the first to be backed by people powerful enough, with the City-wide connections, to actually make it happen! Doesn't she care about the health of local businesses all along Austin St., who would all benefit greatly from the added foot traffic if this wonderful historic stadium was brought back to life for public use? And what about the property values throughout the Forest Hills area which would all rise from the opening of an upscale attraction such as this? How short-sighted can you possibly be?? Jeez! What a waste of a public office :(

Here's another link, to a video on NY1 about the proposal: New Proposal Aims To Bring Sports Back To Historic Queens Stadium

And here's very comprehensive coverage, with loads of details about this new proposal—and previous ones—from the great blog by Rego-Forest Preservation Council Chairman Michael Perlman: Forest Hills Tennis Stadium May Have A Sports & Entertainment Future

Perlman's piece explains that the Club's membership will eventually have to vote on any proposals for the site: "For a proposal to materialize, it would be subject to a review by the Stadium Committee, and in 2012, it would need to pass by a 2/3 vote of WSTC voting-eligible members, followed by approval of the Forest Hills Gardens Corporation."

But perhaps most importantly, Perlman also points out this latest development at The Club: "A seemingly greater path towards the stadium's restoration and creative reuse was discovered on November 3, 2011, when the WSTC elected Roland Meier as their new President over Kenneth Parker, who was reportedly anti-preservation."

Free Wine Tasting Tomorrow

Mr. Vino is having a free tasting again tomorrow 11/05 from 5pm - 8pm.  Here's the line up:

Soligo Prosecco

2000 Sant' Elena Merlot (This is a really nice older vintage)

2008 Villa Medoro Montepulciano D'Abruzzo 

This delightful, and relatively new, wine shop in Forest Hills is located at 107-02A 71st Avenue, between Cohen's Fashion Optical and Radio Shack.

New Poll: The Forest Hills Tennis Stadium

Ice Skating for Stadium Site?

A lot of is  happening over at The West Side Tennis Club this week. They're the one's who hold the fate of the historic Forest Hills Tennis Stadium in their hands.

Tonight, they are voting on a new president, the results of which could influence any future decision on what to do with the Stadium, which has just sat there mostly unused for years now.

Then on Friday is another deadline for the latest proposals for what to do with the Stadium.

The Daily News reports that one proposal would have a non-profit group turn it into an indoor ice skating rink during the winter and an art and music events venue during the warm weather. The idea would preserve much of the historic building at the same time.

As a Forest Hills resident, the proposal to turn it into an ice skating rink and music events venue sounds like the right one to me. It would draw people into the area from all over the City, helping our local businesses, some of whom are struggling in this weak economy. And it would also be a great new attraction for local residents to enjoy. And all while preserving the Stadium itself, which is a historic landmark in so many ways it is absolutely laughable that it is even possible that some are thinking of tearing it down. Jackie O (who saved Grand Central Station from the sad fate of the glorious old Penn Station which was demolished to make room for the ugly series of underground mole-like tunnels we call a Station now) must certainly be turning over in her grave at the thought.


Here's a link to the Daily News story: Fate of Historic Forest Hills Stadium May Rest on Crucial West Side Tennis Club Vote

Performance Art on Austin?

The Sister Unn's mystery deepens even more, if you can imagine that. As a commenter here on the blog just said, it seems to be performance art of some kind. And that would fit with their mysterious website.

Here is what I found at the website the comment linked to (http://rhizome.org/) :

Winter is approaching "Sister Unn's, a thriving flower shop froze dead in its tracks after the disappearance of a young girl." http://www.sister-unns.com/ Viewable November 2011 thru February 2012. Event date: November 5, 2011 10:00 am - 10:00 pm Directions by Subway: - Take the E, F, R or M train to Forest Hills / 71st Av Continental. - Make a left on Austin St. walk until you see our awning. Located on the right side of the street. Google Maps: http://g.co/maps/c5k4k "The girl is the rose that melts in the ice in the store in the back where no one will look for years." by Filip Olszewski and Bunny Rogers

And here are some photos from this morning of the place:

Recommended Restaurants Updated

I just updated the Recommended Restaurants Page and also noticed that Blogger has finally fixed it so that readers can once again also post comments to that page. So, if you have an area favorite and don't find it there, be sure to add it! :) Or, for that matter, if you just want to agree, or disagree, with one of the recommendations already there.

I will be cleaning that page up soon - it is getting a little unwieldy with all the comments we have at the bottom so far. So while I'll keep the comments, I'll also try to create a secondary list of "Readers' Recommendations" so it is easier to read.

Boo !

This to me will always be the ultimate Halloween treat. There have been many copies, but nothing is like the original (at least I don't think so. I've never seen the copies.):



But I have to say for creepiest movie I have ever seen, there is this one. If you haven't seen it, I highly recommend it. But not with the lights off!:



And, I'm sorry, but this one really scared the hell out of me when I had the unpleasant experience of stumbling on it late one night on cable and watching it all alone. I had no idea just how genuinely scary it would be (maybe it was because of all those camping trips I've been on?):



But in terms of plain gross-out, creepy, scary unpleasantness, nothing really has ever beaten this in my opinion:

Occupy Wall St. Live Feed...

This is some cool stuff... Those of you who follow this blog know I visited the Occupy Wall St. camp last weekend... I am going to run some of their live feed from time to time. I'm not trying to promote their movement by doing this. I think both those who support them and those who don't and those who are somewhere in the middle all have valid points of view. That's democracy. The debate needs to be ongoing and our discourse needs to be energetic and passionate. We are all Americans and all of our opinions matter, whether you are part of the so-called One Percent, or the so-called 99 Percent. Everyone is just as important to our country as everyone else. So, why am I running their live feed from time to time? Just to further the debate and because I've been watching some of this feed and I think it's really, really interesting. So, give it a try if you have some time to spare:

Watch live streaming video from occupywallstnyc at livestream.com

By the way, here's a photo I took of their Media Tent. They have a camera set up inside where they do a lot of their live broadcasts:

An Early Snow...

CTZ011-NJZ006-NYZ072>075-176>178-290545- /O.NEW.KOKX.WW.Y.0012.111029T1200Z-111030T0800Z/ SOUTHERN MIDDLESEX-HUDSON-NEW YORK (MANHATTAN)-BRONX- RICHMOND (STATEN ISLAND)-KINGS (BROOKLYN)-NORTHERN QUEENS- NORTHERN NASSAU-SOUTHERN QUEENS- 541 PM EDT FRI OCT 28 2011 ...WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY IN EFFECT FROM 8 AM SATURDAY TO 4 AM EDT SUNDAY... THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN UPTON HAS ISSUED A WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY FOR WET SNOW...WHICH IS IN EFFECT FROM 8 AM SATURDAY TO 4 AM EDT SUNDAY. * LOCATIONS...NEW YORK CITY...NORTHERN NASSAU COUNTY...HUDSON COUNTY...AND SOUTHERN MIDDLESEX COUNTY. * HAZARD TYPES...WET SNOW * ACCUMULATIONS...2 TO 4 INCHES OF SNOW. * WINDS...NORTH 20 TO 30 MPH WITH GUSTS UP TO 55 MPH. * TEMPERATURES...LOWER 40S...FALLING INTO THE MID 30S SATURDAY AFTERNOON AND NIGHT. * VISIBILITIES..LESS THAN 1 MILE AT TIMES. * TIMING...RAIN DEVELOPS SATURDAY MORNING...THEN BEGINS TO MIX WITH SNOW LATE SATURDAY AFTERNOON INTO EARLY SATURDAY. THE PRECIPITATION THEN...THEN CHANGES TO SNOW LATER SATURDAY EVENING BEFORE TAPERING OFF LATE AT NIGHT. * IMPACTS...WIDESPREAD HAZARDOUS TRAVEL CONDITIONS DUE TO REDUCED VISIBILITIES AND SNOW COVERED ROADS. PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... A WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY MEANS THAT PERIODS OF SNOW...SLEET...OR FREEZING RAIN WILL CAUSE TRAVEL DIFFICULTIES. BE PREPARED FOR SLIPPERY ROADS AND LIMITED VISIBILITIES...AND USE CAUTION WHILE DRIVING.

Beautiful....

From The Times:

ARTS
At the Metropolitan Museum, a New Wing, a New Vista
Published: October 27, 2011

On Nov. 1, after eight years of renovations, the Metropolitan Museum of Art will open its new Islamic wing.

I haven't read the book, so I don't know anything about this movie, but I really like this trailer - it's both heartwarming and exhilarating at the same time:

Oko Update

I finally tried Oko's food on the suggestions of some of my readers. I had the spicy tuna wrap yesterday. I really, really liked it! Even the side salad that came with it had a delicious asian ginger dressing.

Thanks for the recommendation guys!  :) I'm looking forward to going back and trying more of their food. They have a very interesting tofu stew on the menu that looks like it will be just the thing to get me through the winter! 

Damages Filming in Forest Hills

The TV show Damages, starring Glenn Close, will be filming here in Forest Hills on Friday. The signs are up on 71st/Continental Ave. (from Queens Blvd. to Austin St.), and then all along Austin heading towards Ascan. I am sure we are all hoping for a "Close call" on Austin St. (Sorry, my friend who tipped me off to this really wanted me to fit that pun in somewhere! :)