Restaurant Row Update

So, with the opening of the marijuana dispensary, Curaleaf (looking quite chic, by the way, in the photo below), in the former Santa Fe bbq location (something permanent, finally) and Orangetheory Fitness in half of the former Pizzeria Uno (thanks to Amanda on Twitter for sending that pic in), I think that leaves just one spot left to be taken on Restaurant Row.
By the way, will Curaleaf drop the "Cura" from its name when recreational use of marijuana in NY State is legalized in a year or two? Just wondering.
Also wondering why it was just too hard apparently to fill Restaurant Row again with, uh, I don't know... maybe restaurants?

Housing Works Thrift Shop Coming to Austin Street

Housing Works is coming to Austin Street, opening one of their shops right near Red Pipe Cafe! I think this is fantastic news for our neighborhood. I was complaining just the other day that there was no place for me to easily donate clothes in our neighborhood. Not to mention the respect and caliber of this organization. It is awesome that they have chosen Forest Hills for their next shop, with their other locations being in trendy neighborhoods in Manhattan and Brooklyn. Very exciting!

Kew Gardens Festival of Cinema Announces Award Winners at 2nd Annual Gala

Kew Gardens Festival of Cinema recently announced the winners of its 2nd annual event that took place from August 3-12 at Regal Cinema’s UA Midway in Forest Hills, Maple Grove Cemetery in Kew Gardens and at the Queens Museum in nearby Flushing Meadows Corona Park.

From a pool of nearly 400 film submissions, the festival presented 110 films from 25 countries. Winners for each competitive category were chosen by the festival’s specially selected jury, and received a unique statuette at the Awards Gala on Sunday, Aug. 12 during a dinner ceremony that took place on the rooftop penthouse of the world-famous Terrace on the Park in Flushing Meadows Corona Park.

The move to the Midway Theater in Forest Hills opened the festival up this year to more attendees and made it a bit more accessible to the general public. (Banter, next door to the Midway Theater, also became the best place locally to catch a glimpse of some of the actors and filmmakers.)

If you haven't been to the Festival yet, you are missing out on quite the event. The films are unique and entertaining and you never know who you might be seated next to during a screening! (The film's director, perhaps? Or the lead actor?) And, you get a chance to discuss the movies with them following the screenings during the Q&A.

This year's winners are listed below, following a few photos of a Q&A after one of the screenings, a cool food truck parked outside the Midway Theater, and the celebrity area inside the Midway lobby.

And the winners were:

Best Feature Narrative: “Virginia, Minnesota” (Dir. Daniel Stine)

Best Documentary: “Beneath the Ink” (Dir. Cy Dodson)

Best Short Film: “88 Cents” (Dir. Tyler Pina)

Best Experimental/Animation/Music Video: “Baby You’re Like A Drug” (Dir. Joshua Butler)

Best Webseries: “After Oil” (Dir. Shailyn Cotten and Jessica Naftaly)

Audience Choice Award, Best Feature: “Sushi Tushi or How Asia Butted Into American Pro Football” (Dir. Ziad Hamzeh)

Audience Choice Award, Best Short: “St. Joseph” (Dir. Kathrina Miccio)

Best Director: Bizhan Tong (“The Escort”)

Best Actress: Gus Birney (“Darcy”)

Best Actor: Phelim Drew (“Bless Me Father”)

Best Supporting Actress: Megan Bones (“Rooster and the Queen”)

Best Supporting Actor: Robert Sheehan (“The Song of Sway Lake”)

Best Screenplay: Carlotta Summers (“Butterflies”)

Best Cinematography: Jakob Creutzburg (“Whales”)

Best Editing: Ian MacDougall (“The Doctor’s Case”)

Best Sound Editing: Jesse Peterson (“Another Girl”)

Best Makeup & FX: Melissa Center (“R.V”)

About Kew Gardens Festival of Cinema

Kew Gardens Festival of Cinema, a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization. The festival was founded by local independent filmmakers with a passion to get movies made and to expand the reach of artists’ work. Recognizing the challenge of the visibility of independent film, the festival’s aim is to establish a presence in and spread awareness of cinematic creativity throughout Kew Gardens and its vibrant and culturally diverse neighboring communities, including Forest Hills, Rego Park, Woodhaven and Glendale.

SOCIAL MEDIA:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/KGFCFilmFest/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/KGFCFilmFest

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kgfcfilmfest/

Cooling Off at Forest Hills' New Biergarten

As summer is winding down, something interesting has opened up in the neighborhood that many still don’t know about: the first “OUTDOOR” biergarten in Forest Hills.  

Cobblestone on Queens Blvd and 78th Ave. has taken their outdoor extension area which was a basketball court originally and transformed it into quite the scene. 

It's called Forest Hills Biergarten, a German-themed outdoor setting with plenty of tables, standing room, a beautiful bar that's covered, and tons of games to talk about.  

Tired of going to Astoria all the time to visit their two beer halls? Well I am. I'm just glad we have more options with outdoor areas.  

This one happens to even come with a host of fun activities such as giant jenga, board games, corn hole or bean bag toss.

Yeah, and did I mention solid GERMAN beer?  The food scene has stayed just about what it has always been -- decent bar food, and a couple of additions to their menu on the outside.  

I personally haven’t eaten there yet, just enjoyed some quality bean bag competition and thrown down a few tall beers.  

Their paint job came out very nice, and with music playing, tons of socializing, and after work group parties, this could potentially give other bars such as Queens Bully a run for their money!  

Not sure why no one has really mentioned anything about it. For those who don’t like to venture off down Queens Blvd., away from Austin St., they could hop the subway two stops to the 78th Ave and Kew Gardens station head up the south side of the stairs and WHAM, follow your ears to the sounds of the outdoor excitement.  

It's a father and son (The Massaros) joint effort to bring some life into the East End of Forest Hills, and to them I say PROST!  

Hoping to see some outdoor music venues back there, in addition to some bean bag or corn hole tournaments, along with some happy hour prices, but other than that for my first few trips, I give it two big thumbs up wrapped around pint glasses.

Cheers! Coach

Coach is an avid reader and Twitter follower of Edge of the City. Have your own story or local experience to share? Email edgeofthecity@gmail.com. We are always looking for new writers and new content!

Jazz Thursdays - 2018 Edition

Just a reminder to everyone that Jazz Thursday returns to Forest Hills on August 16th & 23rd.  LA Blacksmith & Jazz Plus will perform a tribute to Herbie Hancock and Grover Washington on the 16th.  On the 23rd, Spanglish Fly Band takes the stage.

Kew Gardens Festival of Cinema At Midway Theater This Week

Just a reminder, the festival continues through this Sunday at the Midway Theater in Forest Hills and at the Queens Museum.
Check out the film schedule here: http://www.kewgardensfestivalofcinema.com

The Return of the 80's!

The 80's came back to Forest Hills this past Saturday in a big way.  Forest Hills Stadium rocked to the sounds of Culture Club, the B-52s and Tom Bailey of the Thompson Twins on July 28th.  After the show everyone went home to watch the latest episode of the A-Team (kidding!).

The Thompson Twins' Tom Bailey

The B-52s

Boy George and Culture Club