editor

CRABHOUSE RE-OPENS AND CASA ENRIQUE GETS BOOZE

February 12, 2013 by editor 10 Comments

As another editor of a major news publication once opined to me after our fourth Knob Creek “What’s the point of breaking news other than ego gratification?” For justification, he continued “..it’s not like the information is actionable, unless it’s business news during market hours.” Well I couldn’t agree with him more. It’s the thought and analysis that go into the stories that make them worthwhile. As proof, have you ever noticed how long it takes the New York Times to post a story on the web? By my reckoning about 90 minutes after the Daily News and NY Post. Why does it take so long, are they still using dial-up service? Uhh no, it’s because they want to be definitive and get the facts right. Just like here at LICtalk, where a reader knows a little work has gone into it. Most importantly, one gets an assessment of what, if anything, the specific news means for the neighborhood.

LIC institution The Waterfront Crabhouse re-opens today, just in time for Fat Tuesday, having finally completed extensive renovations after being flooded by Sandy. Three-and-a-half months later, it is a reminder that while the bulk of LIC got lucky, select residents and businesses continue to be affected. As another reminder of haphazard local fate, Casa Enrique finally received their liquor license, almost a year after they opened. Why it took so long whilst others get theirs simultaneously upon opening is beyond me. I’m glad to hear the news though, as there is nothing I like more than a Knob Creek to wash down tacos de lengua. Laissez les bon temps rouler!

Boat Clubs In Spat – story about the fight over the LIC Community Boathouse

More Single People Live In These Nabes Than Anywhere in the City – dumbest, most unscientific study ever. Did the author ever think that by “single” it might include senior citizens???

LIC Bar Fundraiser Thanks The Who – it’s only teen-age wasteland!

Department Fines Crane Operator in Collapse

LONG ISLAND CITY IS LIKE ONE GIANT CUL-DE-SAC

February 8, 2013 by editor 10 Comments

Dear Readers,

It’s a good thing I don’t let my poor writing skills get in the way of generating original content. Simply put, there are periods in the LIC news cycle when things are slow, and this is one of them. Thus I have decided to expound on a comment I overheard recently, that struck me as spot-on: “Long Island City is like one giant cul-de-sac.” Logistically we have Newtown Creek to our south, warehouses and train tracks to the east, the Queensboro Bridge on the northern flank, and the river cutting us off from the west. Furthermore, unlike the suburbs, everyone walks everywhere, and unlike Manhattan, the sidewalks are not very crowded. Finally, due to the lack of unlimited choices found elsewhere, we all congregate in the same places: Food Cellar, Sweetleaf, playgrounds, and schools. While some might find the closeness a little too suffocating and provincial, they are mostly misanthropes who would probably say the same thing about paradise. Oh wait, it’s the same place.

Enjoy the weekend,

The Editor

Former Triathlete Opens New CrossFit Gym in LIC – CrossFit Gantry, 10-20 47th Road, a few doors down from the Yoga Room

LIC Residents Blame Parking Problems on Manhattanites – oh c’mon, you’re letting Manhattanites off easy: I blame everything on them

Wired Arts Fest in LIC

VALENTINE’S POP-UP AND ALTERNATE SIDE PARKING SOLUTION

February 5, 2013 by editor 4 Comments

xxxx — One way or another, this building is going to get developed

Once again The Editor will concede the space here to other LIC residents with happenings/ideas/news/reminiscences etc. First of all a happening you should know about:

I wanted to make you aware of a Valentine’s Pop Up Shop at the Irish Center next Sunday 2/10 2-5p. The event is being organized by local artisans and vendors. We will be selling handmade jewelry, handmade knits, toys, puzzles & games and other handmade gifts and crafts just in time for Valentine’s Day. We will also be selling children’s books & CDs. It would be great if you could post about it on your blog! The 7 train is not running so why not come out and support your local artisans!

OK, now to more contentious items, here is a suggestion from another reader regarding the proposed Alternate Side of the Street Parking implementation:

One quick thought about the current dispute about street cleaning: maybe the opponents of street cleaning could be helped by introducing a LIC parking decal handed out only to local residents: that way you could only park in the side streets if you were a LIC resident. This would prevent people from outside the neighborhood to store their cars in our streets for weeks on end. A parking decal would lead to an increase in the number of available spots which would make it easier for the opponents of street cleaning to park in the streets despite street cleaning.

I know, for example from police officers, that the number of spots taken up by people who store their cars in LIC or of people who come in and jump on the 7 train is really high. Most of the reserved police parking spots near Borden Avenue, for example, are NOT used by employees of our local precinct as intended but by people with a permit from other parts of Queens who are going into the city and who want a free parking space close to a subway station.

By creating more spots for locals by preventing commuters from other neighborhoods to store their cars for free on our streets in LIC it would become easier to find street parking for locals which would then render opposition to street cleaning unnecessary.

And now for other LIC news:

LIC Developer Allegedly Swindled Property Owners – we told you about Wissak’s octogenarian dad last year in “The Millionaire Next Door”

Long Island City Building Gets $120 Million Financing – 120 mil here, 120 there, next thing you know there’s a city

Queens Wizards of Light Share Their Craftsmanship – Krypton Neon in LIC open up their studio

Time Out New York’s Take on the Best of LIC

Massive Rock Climbing Gym Coming to LIC This Spring – scheduled to open late April on 44th Drive between 11th and 21st Streets

SUPER BOWL AND SUPER NEWS!

January 31, 2013 by editor 3 Comments

The Big Game - I got fifty on green n team! — The Big Game – I got fifty on green n team!

Ok readers, the big weekend is upon us, and there is also a lot of super LIC news. It starts with a great new addition coming to the neighborhood, and ends with a pig roast for the big game. In between there’s more meat than filler, kinda like the SuperBowl. So spend your time pouring through the news, and not my blather.

New Mega Climbing Gym Coming to LIC in the Spring – WOW, as if this town wasn’t great enough!

Stop Alternate Side Parking Now – over the last six months we have made mention of a movement to bring street cleaning to LIC, in turn this would require alternate side of the street parking to the ‘hood. Now a backlash movement has formed. Ayy caramba, I’m glad I park my Bentley in a garage!

Crane Operator Cited In LIC Collapse – first comes the accident, then comes the finger pointing

New 27-story Rental Opens in Court Square – the apartments are priced to compete, plus the author makes reference to “the famed Long Island City waterfront.” …”FAMED”, what have I been telling you all this time!?!

Here Is The Link To the New 27th Story Rental – great prices, but still rentals not condos

Noguchi Museum’s First Friday’s – an art party in LIC, this is where the weekend section begins

Colin Quinn At Creek And Cave – it’s FREE, but someone may want to let him know there’s another event going on simultaneously that might draw most people’s attention

Alewife’s SuperBowl Pig Roast – were I not going to New Orleans this weekend…

ADIOS Y OLA

January 29, 2013 by editor 4 Comments

Like the commandos who killed Bin Laden, the closing of the Delta Force Army and Navy store on Vernon Boulevard was a completely covert operation. Always known as a forbidding kind of place, no one I know actually went in there on the rare occasions it was open. Nevertheless, its quirkiness and grittiness were an ever present reminder to all of the old Long Island City, due to its prime location on the most well trafficked block in Hunters Point.

Out with the old, in with the new, and these days what’s a better example of new than children? We have ranted about shortage of school capacity ad nauseam. We have lamented that one of the quick fixes to alleviate, but far from fully cure this shortage, is to increase class size. One of the things that many parents think about to augment their child’s chances of getting into the Ivies is classes outside the classroom. Here in LIC they seem to be provided in a piecemeal manner. Thus LICtalk is more than willing to act as a conduit for the providers. Aqui esta un ejemplo perfecto de une clase just starting up and offered by an LIC local. May my truncated Spanish be a perfect example of what happens when one’s child does not start learning the language until 7th grade. You have been forewarned!

Amiguitos – Winter 2013 Semester – 12 weeks(no classes Feb. 16 and Mar. 30)

For children ages 4-6; Saturdays 10am-11am. Classes are drop off at Lolly’s

$360, 20% sibling discount

For more information contact maestralilly@gmail.com

Delta Force Website – for those in need of camouflage

John Brown Smokehouse Hits the Big Time – on the small screen anyway

MoMA PS1 Has Chosen Its Summer Installation – super cool design gets one longing for the summer Warm-up series