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

srsly, are there any good oldschool Greek diners/restos left in Astoria? w/in walking distance of MOMI, especially?

there are lots, but most of them are a little far from momi

court sq diner, bel aire diner and neptune diner are all very classic diner-y

astoria is filled w/ all kinds of weird subneighborhoods, but the one momi is in is the weirdest, it feels like it's some random suburban town's downtown

yeah, it really bummed me out that it's all like Panera and Pizzeria Uno over there.

Good drummer at the Terraza Jam session tonight

The MOMI area is a little disappointing that way. People tell me Tacuba across the street is a good place.

There was also a good Arepa place within walking distance, don't remember the name.

Arepas Cafe. It is good but service can be hit or miss. They have another outpost called Arepas Grill that's bigger over in the strip mall on bway and 21st. We go there for the parking! They have/had a bigger menu, I don't know though as they both may have the same menu now, but Grill has stuff like Patacones which Apreas Cafe didn't have. But I haven't been in a while so maybe they both do now. Anyway, great food.

Austin St is a pretty big letdown too, although at least it's a long, continuous commercial strip with a lot of activity, whereas the MOMI area seemed sort of sparse and depressing. Lots of chain retail and restaurants, very little that's good. I guess I'm glad Uno closed, and I have mixed feelings about the Barnes & Noble closing (it was one of the only places to bring small kids on a bad weather day). Bareburger and Nick's Pizza are the only places we ever eat in. Apparently we're getting a Shake Shack, which I guess is cool but I would like an option other than fast casual burgers.

A fair number of empty storefronts right now too; meanwhile dress shops that look like they cater to 1980s proms stay in business.

I had no idea that barnes and noble closed, it was the only place I could hang out while the girl went shopping :( :(

wonder how many more years that company even has

It's open but closing I think end of year. The space is going to be a Target.

I guess that's probably more useful

Yeah I guess, although there's already a Target in that weird round mall next to Queens Center, which is like 5 mins drive or Subway ride from Forest Hills.

yeah I take the bus to that one once in a while. it seems like this one would probably be a little smaller than that one.

i stumbled upon the Bareburger once, it was OK

When we want Target we drive to the one in College Point. It's a lot nicer.

Bareburger is solid. Good burgers, nice beer list, decent atmosphere and extremely kid friendly, like there are very few places I feel more relaxed with the kids than there. That p much checks all my boxes these days.

I like bareburger but surely they've overexpanded in nyc

I think Shake Shack is overexpanding too, fwiw, but they kind of forced themselves to by going public. They already just added (or are adding?) one in the Queens Center Mall. I feel like they're going to kill the "treat" aspect of it, and people aren't going to eat that food regularly enough to justify the number of stores they want to have. Plus we have this other stupid fast casual burger place called Twist 'n' Smashed. Pretty sure it will close within a year or two though.

http://bareburger.com/

looks like they're going national/international. japan?? dubai?

the orig bareburger I think is the one in astoria. It's all over the place. I find the burger a bit underwhelming taste/seasoning-wise, but they have good gluten-free buns and daiya cheese, the least disgusting vegan cheese I've found.

a real point against it is the use of that worthingtons bullshit gourmet ketchup instead of heinz.

Yeah I'm less about their actual beef burger from a purist stance than I am about their various topping burgers, incl the ones with bison, elk, etc.

I kind of like the gourmet ketchup for the fries. Their fries themselves are v good.

this is the weirdest article and I had no idea what she was talking about half the time:
http://www.vice.com/read/awkwafinas-forest-hills-queens-travel-new-york-city

Our thread is one of David Bowie's favorite albums!
http://scallemang.ca/bowie25albums

We should start campaign to get QB Plaza renamed.

queensbowie plaza

anyway hi queens thread, i don't think i've ever posted in here yet i live in queens

Really? Which neighborhood?

astoria! lived here for five years

can i get a studio in Ridgewood for $1300 or less?

Without checking trulia, my main concern would be that there just probably isn't a huge supply of studios there.

where, then

and a search seems to confirm that, although there are a decent number of 1BRs around the 1500-1600 range.

yeah, no way

I have no idea how many hipsters have invaded ridgewood but you can def find western queens studios under 1300 if you treat it like looking for a job

well i already have two jobs including cancer management, so the energy for that is the problem.

why do you want to live in Ridgewood? If there is a part of Queens with hipsters, that would be the one, but there appear to be similarly priced studios in Astoria and Jackson Heights, and those would be relatively hipster free

also "treat it like looking for a job" otm. Also treat it like paying double the security deposit for the broker's fee

yep. im poor and it's gonna get worse.

http://www.nytimes.com/2016/03/19/arts/music/ramones-the-story-behind-a-debut-album-from-punk-pioneers.html?hp&action=click&pgtype=Homepage&clickSource=story-heading&module=second-column-region®ion=top-news&WT.nav=top-news

But with its raw sound and extremely bare songwriting style, “Ramones” became a founding document of punk rock. For its 40th anniversary, the album is being celebrated with an expanded reissue due this summer from Rhino Records and an exhibition, “Hey! Ho! Let’s Go: Ramones and the Birth of Punk,” opening at the Queens Museum on April 10.

The apt above mine is for rent. 1980 for a decent and large 2 bedroom on the 6th floor of an elevator building across the street from a park and convenient to the 7 train, LIRR and M and R trains. Pretty great location and neighborhood.

I really like the Queens Museum but it would be nice if it was just a little more subway accessible, although not that I'd likely take the subway there from Forest Hills anyway

also a little more bus accessible, like if there was a bus that stopped right by it instead of 15 mins walk away

well i'd need a roommate, DS

wow p much everything I said upthread about my first Forest Hills impressions turned out 100% true. Neighborhood seems to be getting more packed with families but not otherwise more appealing in terms of restaurants and good places to go with kids. A somewhat deadening neighborhood but could be worse. Think we're basically going to stay though unless we get rich enough to move to either Brooklyn again or Westchester.

I hear there's a great deal on an apartment in Woodside.

what's it like there these days?

It's great, mostly.

http://www.thepetitionsite.com/787/828/533/save-terraza-7/