54-46, that's my number: the Queens thread

I found this group v. relevant to my interests...I think I'm doing this sunday:

http://www.facebook.com/?ref=logo#!/event.php?eid=212187592135411

Fun! I sometimes want to do stuff like that, but then I think I would have more fun if I just did it by myself?

Definitely want to walk the periphery of Manhattan at some point.

in one go? that's 32 miles... I think it would be fun by bike, tho there are some parts that wouldn't be. I've considered doing the length of broadway as a more manageable day-walk but it's not a super interesting route.

Yea, these "Shorewalkers" people do it once a year, or so? Biking would be good too.

I think I've done all of B'way by bus.

you live in woodside, HPS?

yyy, and happy about it. Skillman Ave the past month has generally been gorgeous

cool, I had thought it was just me and dan in this immediate area (I lived a block from the 61st station until recently, now live near 40th lowery)

and yeah...me and the girl end up walking up and down skillman about once a day. one of the most pleasant streets in the 5 boroughs imo. sometimes I wonder if more streets in the area have that potential.

Skillman is super nice. I was supposed to transfer to Sunnyside earlier this year, but it fell through:(

Have y'all been to Sil Gaek? That place is insane.

Sik Gaek is fun. The food isn't super amazing, it's more of a drunk food late night scene. I had this fried dumpling thing that was great, if trashy, but we also got this korean "sushi" which was cellophane noodles in seaweed deep fried and was totally disgusting! Just a few weeks before we had been to some 2nd floor place on 32nd st that was the same scene...Soju mixed with watermelon served in hollowed out watermellons, weird fried cheese and fish dishes, so it wasn't totally surprising. We were surprised by the egg they fried as soon as we sat down. They lit up the sterno on the table and dropped an egg in a pan then walked away. We stared at it asking each other "are we supposed to flip this?" Eventually they came back around, flipped it and I asked what do do with it and they said it was an appetizer and we just put some hot sauce on it. The complimentary spicey rice cakes were good. But it's definitely more of an atmosphere experience/drinking experience then someplace to get great food...unless you're really into the live octopus thing, which we definitely aren't.

We took a walk down skilman and back on QB today and went into Superior Market on QB around 40th st for th first time. Have you all been there? It may be the best little grocery store I've ever been to. I think they may be russian jews? They had a variety of easter european and other gourmet type imports, like Massis which is closer, but they have more interesting stuff and more variety. And the guys there seem really weird. Kinda charming. But also weird. And they have an amazing beer selection.

yes I live a block from there. 'beer world' is great, tho not as cheap as I'd want it to be. our favorite discovery there was that we can buy biscoff spread there (aka speckaloos, Belgian spread that's like, if peanut butter were made out of cookies). the guys are weird and charming tho. (and always there)

one too many 'there's...it's late

but yeah we do enjoy wandering around that place looking at the funky imports

We should food fap at Sil Gaek and eat lots of semi-live octopi.

Euro Market on 31st St. near 30th Ave. has a big beer selection well.

eh I'll pass on that one

I failed on going on that epic walk cause I was out too late yesterday :(

anyone know a decent place to buy a kite? (a two-handed kite.) would be willing to go to manhattan I guess but was hoping to find one in western queens.

so apparently there isn't a single kite store left in nyc

so much for being the greatest city in the world

court square transfer opens tomorrow!

hooray!

transfer btwn what and what?

As much as people love 5 pointz, this area really could support a lot more residents now w/ a pretty nifty station.

xp G and 7

useful for brooklyn people going to mets games!

oh and 7 w/ E and M too, that's less important tho

I like the Korean cellophane noodles fried in seaweed (haven't had it at the place above though).

I also like kimbap/gimbap ("Korean sushi").

Aren't kites sold in toy stores?

I checked the big toys r us on northern blvd and various small ones in queens and bk. they only had dinky kid kites. I think I just have to buy online.

oh yeah, that G>7 Court Sq transfer's not new, I just hadda walk outside for a block for the last two years.

Did you eat at Sage along the way?

no, I do not eat en route to the ballgame

Now the transfer is underground and you don't need to reswipe. For the 7 months that I worked part time in brooklyn, taking the G home from gowanus, walking up the stairs, crossing jackson, then walking up to the 7, often in shitty weather, was a real pain in the ass. It recently had gotten to be more of a pain as they (smartly) put up those barriers on the island so you couldn't cross the street unless you were at one of the lights.

xp

yeah I mean this really does just cut time out of the obnoxious transfer. not having to walk the opposite direction -> wait for the street light -> climb stairs -> swipe in again is nice. maybe saves 5 mins, which adds up for people doing the commute. it's mostly psychological.

always wondered why they haven't tried something like this for queens plaza and qb plaza. they're a little further apart, but it'd be super useful.

the barriers are nice looking and the color green is always good in queens but there's generally more foot traffic on the street than car traffic, so I'm not sure if it made sense

ha I guess that last part potentially won't be true anymore thanks to the transfer. anyway, as I said before this is one of the most convenient transit spots in the borough so hopefully the area turns into something bigger.

http://newyork.cbslocal.com/2011/06/15/residents-happy-about-decision-to-scrap-queens-plaza-landscaping-design/

yeah I really didn't understand this design concept

I mean maybe it looked neat on someone's computer?

been wondering about that for weeks. Whole area is a mess, but they changed the traffic there so now getting on the bridge while coming down from Northern Blvd doesn't require a massive merge, which is a huge improvement.

They totally need to do this for QB Plaza & Queens Plaza. Or at least put up helpful guiding signs.

Has anyone been to Claret in Sunnyside? Is it an ok place?

I've been drinking with coworkers at Terraza in Jackson Heights lately. Kind of an interesting bar.

omg we had such bad service there that we left the only $0 tip I can remember leaving in the last 5 years.

the waiter was wearing sunglasses, had an attitude and spent 30 mins chatting with other people before he came to our table.

what they really should do w/ QB and queens plaza is connect them. I've never read a good reason why it couldn't happen and it'd be super useful.

OMG. Looks like it's going to be an interesting night. Is there a better place to go in S'side?

They should totally connect them, and just rename the whole thing Queensboro Junction or something.

there's nothing w/ the same vibe but getting drunk on de mole sangria is more fun / better food for your money.

get the mac n cheese, even tho we hate the place now, that was delicious.

Oh, that sounds like a lot more fun. Thanks for the suggestion!

Stopped in Terraza the other day after not having been in a long time. They've really opened up such space as they have and made the best use of it. And they have some great Latin Jazz players appearing there these days.

Donovan's Pub

Donovan’s, the famous Irish pub and restaurant that has occupied the corner of Roosevelt Avenue and 58th Street since 1966, was closed by the New York City Health Department yesterday.

The owner(s) could not be reached for comment. Donovan’s racked up a score of 66 violation points, when 27 or below is considered to be the passing grade.

!!!

we went to fort totten today out of boredom / mostly just the result of getting on random buses. it's very pretty...would be a great place to play sports if it weren't so out of the way.

Yeah I saw that about donovans. Too bad. I posted on the thread.

http://www.streetfilms.org/queens-plaza-protected-cycletrack-is-open-for-business/

not bad

Pretty much every time I go into Terraza they are playing that bagpipe bedizened Alpha Blondy cover of "Wish You Were Here" on the big TV.

Usually followed by Calexico cover of John Cale's "The Ballad of Cable Hogue."

been meaning to go

has anyone tried that newish diner under the 61st st station? curious if it's better than stop inn.

also amazed how quickly that nathan's popped up.

Current favorite place for ceviche? I haven't had in ages!

Quickly? They were working on that for ages! More interested in trying "pudgie's" chicken. Less interested in the Crown Fried Chicken with dollar slices and burgers and halal chicken that opened up in the old Woodside Delicatessen space.

I guess I just didn't notice? we don't go to woodside as much as we should. we noticed that fried chicken place too. also a Chinese Indian place, I think it was, near food dynasty?