A thousand reasons to love Long Island City. Tips: Editor@LICtalk.com
Who knew that in addition to everything else we have in Long Island City, there is a defender of freedom? Ok, that title may be a bit of a stretch, but this weekend in The New York Times there was an article about strip clubs in New York, [Read more…] about SHOW PALACE UNDER ATTACK
When it rains it pours. Or as they say in France “quand il pleut, il verse.”1 Today we bring you word of a new french bakery scheduled to open in Hunters Point in the late spring. It will be the first expansion for Cannelle Patisserie, and will be located on [Read more…] about NEW FRENCH BAKERY, CANNELLE PATISSERIE, COMING TO HUNTERS POINT IN SPRING
Well now, 2014 gets off to a contentious start as Tom Cowell from the Village Voice weighs in with his view of the gentrification occurring in our neighborhood:
“What pops into your mind when you hear “Long Island City”? Maybe you picture less of a neighborhood, more of a character-free yuppie warehouse, where overpaid dullards stack themselves in gleaming condos, sucking the life force from yet another community’s jugular. But you’d be wrong. That nonsense is largely confined to the waterfront, which you can easily avoid.” [Read more…] about VILLAGE VOICE DISSES LIC WATERFRONT
Up on the roof, out on the street
Down in the playground the hot concrete
Bus ride is too slow
They blast out the disco on the radio
Rock Rock Rockaway Beach
Rock Rock Rockaway Beach
Rock Rock Rockaway Beach
We can hitch a ride
To Rockaway Beach
Some people might confuse this website for a beer blog. Here to add to that confusion is a profile on local microbrewery Rockaway Brewing. You very well may have stumbled across it on your way to/fro the LIC Flea, or read about it in a local paper over the last 18 months. Thus this isn’t really new news. Yet while others have may have written about it, there seems to be no mention of them trying the beer, and not a word about how it tastes. So I’ll share with you all a dirty little secret: I crack a forty every time I sit down to write one of these missives. Therefore I have a little experience with the matter at hand. What really struck me when I, ahem, sampled Rockaway’s ESB and Black Gold Stout, was how fresh they tasted. Long before “born-on” dating, I was a real stickler about how long it had been since the beer I was drinking was brewed. After its being cold, freshness may very well be the most important quality of a beer. So in my mind, a brewery like Rockaway has a decided advantage in Long Island City. Of equal importance though, is getting it right. With such a large selection now available, there are too many times that I have walked into a bar and asked for a new brand of micro-brew, only to be really disappointed at how it tastes. Let’s just say that Rockaway gets it right.
That’s all, micro-brew = micro profile, because the weekend is here and it’s time to stop reading and start drinking. Pick up a forty …err growler, from Rockaway’s world headquarters, a former deboning and meatpacking room, and make your own judgment. Here’s how:
Rockaway Brewery: 46-01 5th Street, LIC
Friday 3-8pm
Saturday Noon-6pm
Sunday Noon-6pm
Rockaway Brewing Co. – it’s unfiltered too, just like drinking milk straight from the cow
First Look at M. Wells Steakhouse – NY Mag has some good pics
M. Wells Steakhouse to Open On Thursday – yeah we know already; gives a little history on M Wells for those who weren’t around the first time
LIC Restaurant Group to Host Tasting Party – oh my, there are restaurants other than M Wells in LIC, check it out on November 30th
The Pirate’s Wine – talks about the guy who is revamping the Water’s Edge restaurant
Rally at 5Pointz – 3pm “this weekend”, but doesn’t say which day
LIC Rock Climbing Gym Shuttered Again by Buildings Department – would be a nice thing to have in the neighborhood though
2014 Kindergarten Info – on your marks, get set, Kindergarten! Here’s all the info, unless it’s not.
Zerve LIC events – website that’s trying to consolidate all the doings in town
LIC, Astoria Best Bet for Hailing Green Cabs – i’ll keep that in mind the next time my limo driver is off
LIC Trade Show Still Packs a Punch – and it’s still not held in LIC
New Parcel Sold for $5.3 Million Near Queens Plaza – if you build it they will come …won’t they?
While real estate prices get bid up all over Long Island City, there’s still one vestige of how things used to be in this town. A pint of beer costs roughly 25% less at a local bar than it would in Manhattan. In an exhaustive study, this reporter recently spent several weeks sacrificing his liver, well-being, and those who witnessed it also mention reputation, in order to bring you first-hand knowledge about the state of our local watering holes.
Dominies Hoek – well I don’t know what they normally charge, but it’s $4 for all pints in their M-F happy hour from 3-7pm. No TV’s, best jukebox in the ‘hood, and serious hipster drinkers: when I was there they sold a lot of “Rock n Roll Specials” = can of PBR and a well shot for five bucks. They have their core group of regulars, and I’m glad to see there’s still a little residual funk left in LIC. I’d bet that this is the bar in LIC where you’d most likely get a buyback.
Corner Bistro – $4.50 for Bud & Bud Light; $5.50 for craft beers and imports.
Woodbines – almost every draft is $6.
LIC Bar – Most pints $5, a few priced at $6, and a pint of Heineken is only $4!
Alright, I admit that I have concentrated on the Hunters Point area and also omitted a lot of bar/restaurants. In fact, I wouldn’t protest too much if you said my survey was anything but exhaustive, and was representative of the type of research one would expect from a free newspaper given out in subways. Or even worse, my investigative journalism skills are emblematic of the fact-less hysteria emanating from local blogs! That’s right, kick me when I’m down. Nevertheless you get the point, and the truth is undeniable: beer at bars in LIC is relatively inexpensive. Thus, when faced with the 7-train being shut down on weekends, and the cold weather, don’t trudge off to Manhattan or even Brooklyn to drink. Stay local. At the very least, the crawl home is easier. That’s one fact about which I am absolutely sure.
The M. Wells ‘Meat Temple’ Steakhouse to open Tuesday – Rumor??? How about you’re 72 hours late on this fact? How about some direct attribution? How about a thank you LICtalk?
M. Wells Steakhouse Opens Next Tuesday – here, this is how you do it correctly. Cheers! Now let’s see if the Times/Post/News get it right when they break the news’ on Monday.
Banksy Loses Fight to Save Graffiti Capital – the judge handed down the final ruling today
LIC Restaurant Group Wants to Skewer Brooklyn Hipster Image – is that really the rationale for forming a local industry group? Seems a little misguided, but hopefully my pitch above will help biz. I don’t think M. Wells worries much about this though.
LIC Flea & Food Holiday Market to Debut Next Month – we’re getting an indoor, pop-up version of the Flea for holiday shopping & Christmas trees
City Announces More Bike Lanes for LIC – I think we need a tricycle lane too
Hi-Rise Developer Purchases Dutch Kills Bar Building – Rockrose looking to make it an entryway so their big building has a Jackson Ave address
Not Exactly the Next Chelsea Market – Jamestown backtracks a little bit on their LIC plans
Newest Chocolate Factory Performance – one week only, next week
Queenswalk, Gantry State Plaza – everything, and I mean everything, you wanted to know about the gantries and local commerce. Cool stuff for LIC junkies like myself
WTC Spire Set to Shine Friday – ‘Look, up in the sky, it’s …visible from many LIC apartments’
LIC Gym Stages Art of Stage Fighting – bring out your inner Bruce Lee