Thank you Queens Animal Hospital

This week has been a bit of a rollercoaster for Paul and I, as well as our dog. Sunday our 7 year old black lab-mix mysteriously transformed from his normal, bubbly, alert yet lazy self, into a drooling listless shadow of a dog.

As far as we knew he hadn't eaten anything out of the ordinary (including recalled food) nor had been in contact with any sick animals.

Queens Animal Hospital on Roosevelt Ave, quickly saw him, prescribed antibiotics and took blood. By the next day our pooch was worse, unable to even walk. He was hospitalized for the night with a very high temperature, but by the next day I was told to "PLEASE PICK HIM UP" as apparently our 4 footed lunatic had emerged from the dead and was driving the staff crazy. His appetite had returned and after not eating for nearly three days he was eating out them out of business!

They still do not know what it was, but suspect he just got the flu, so IV fluids and some medications were able to fix him right up.

So just wanted to give them props and a thank you for what a great and convenient help they've been for the 7 years I've been using them!

Good Baby Pig-Eatin' on Greenpoint Ave, Sez Times

(Lynn and Paul--this is a non-vegetarian post.)

According to the Dining Section of the Times today, Las Americas on Greenpoint near 46th can fill all your pig--baby and otherwise--needs.

Wesley and I have long been fans of El Comelon, on Greenpoint near 41st, but I think I know where we'll be going the next time we get a craving for rice & beans, plantains, and some kind of yummy animal, washed down with sugary goodness.

My mouth is totally watering.

Before The Flood

Holy Crap are prices going up in Sunnyside. And this before the Historic District designation.

Just informal searching on my part, but it seems that 2 BR condos have gone from 265k to 340K in the last six months.

Check it out for yourself.

Thank the Lord for Rent Control.

Sheesh.

Clean Up Sunnyside

Found via the Yahoogroups for Sunnyside--

Please mark your calendars and join us for the year's first large-scale Neighborhood Cleanup Day, scheduled for Sat, 4/28 at 10:00AM. Come in your worst clothes and have fun as we remove disrespectful, ugly graffiti vandalism from buildings, mailboxes and other public fixtures. As always, kids are welcome to participate.

For those of you unfamiliar with what we do, the Sunnyside United Neighborhood Network, Inc, is a non-profit, tax-exempt community group. Since 2002 we've helped keep graffiti in our area under control through the simple strategy of covering it over as soon as it appears. Vandals want their "tags" to be seen, so we encourage residents and merchants to keep their areas clean once we paint them by supplying free supplies. We also powerwash and seal brick and masonry walls.

Our strategy works! But it depends upon the hard work of volunteers like you. Rather than getting mad or pointing fingers, we get brushes and take a "hands-on" approach to the problem. There's something for everyone to do. If you can't paint, perhaps you can help sign folks in or distribute flyers. We're also always in need of folks who speak other languages to help us communicate with volunteers and building owners.

I know some of you have helped out in the past. Please come again, and bring friends. We also welcome the participation of youth groups.

You can learn more about us by visiting http://www.sunnysideunited.com, or writing us at tony -at- sunnysideunited -dot- com.

The Inspection Fires are Hot!

Maybe now we'll see some real action on the part of health inspectors at NY restaurants.
Raise your hand if you've lost work because of food poisoning.

Looking for Doctors in Queens

I need to find a new doctor. Do any of you have recommendations for ob/gyns in Queens affiliated with the hospitals in Flushing or Forest Hills?

Email me at clairedeveron (at) gmail (dot) com.

Thanks!

Quaint Ain't The Shaint

Ain't Donovan's got better burgers?
Hell yeah.
Quaint overcooks and oversalts.

Ain't Tournesol got better steak frites?
Hell yeah. Any damn day of the French Fuggin' Week. And without the mushroom sauce drowning the cow, needer.

Ain't the fish just as fresh at Ariyoshi?
I mean to tell ya what.

Fried fish ain't ever better than it is at Kettle.

And, I ain't got the time or the inclination for a waitress can't even tell me what fuggin' hummus is. That's not very special.

What is special? The waiter cleaning the table next to us with Windex while we ate.
Ain't that special?

Ain't it clean though.

At least it ain't Bliss, but ain't we got to have a better place to take our honeys on our one night off together? Ain't we?
I mean, really.
Shoot.

ps - I think we might have found a nice Subaru. Wish us luck.

Chicks Dig Fish on Dates While Fried is Just the Thing for the Men

What has happened with Bliss could have easily happened here at The Kettle nee The Copper Kettle. Turns out the price of heavy metals have risen so sharply, it's too costly even to keep 'Copper' in the name. Well, good thinking there boys, you might make it through another year yet. Especially with the coming demise of Bliss as foretold in these pages lo these many times.

There's nothing special about The Kettle, really. Another restaurant-meets-pub from central casting. Decent enough service, what they lack in skill they tend to make up for in obsequiousness. Not that that is a good thing or a fine standard.

Claire had the salmon, which was overcooked, but they always are at these places. Nary a restaurant east of Lex knows that salmon is best when it's rare. Sad that these poor creatures with mere decades left on their entire species lifespan can't get the respect they deserve. 2048 People! End of Sea food! Learn how to cook a Salmon.

Is it okay to send it back? Why, it's absolutely necessary.

And a burger. I've gone here for the fish and chips, but the size of the burger gets me every time. It's so beautiful. And, as such, it was this time too. But what my poor poor brain always neglects to tell me is that these motherfuggers don't carry nothing but coleman's mustard and gray poupon.
Can I get and ARRRRGH!? Give something Spicy brown. Not over powering. Even yellow. Something one can really glom on there.

Ugh. yeahitsgood. itsfinefine. dontworry. i'll eatit. iwill. thanks. salmonsfinetooshelovedit we'llbeback.

Some day soon I'm going to eat the shit out of Quaint and if those bastards don't make a fucking miracle and put it in front of me and all the glory of heaven doesn't envelope me in a loving mustard that is bitter but not overbearing, things will get ugly there.

Kettle -that's your name now. too mediocre to keep the 'The' , really. Keep up the b-level game. You'll live in this nabe as Bliss goes down.

Quaint, with that name and all this buzz, I'm coming in there and ordering the yogurt covered pizza with porcini and I'm sending it back, and when they come back to take my order once more,I will scream about the torture your father exacted on my father back in the old country that was just like this in every way, He would come in, my father, after having the salmon at La Taza and then sit down quietly here at Quaint.

Then the dance would begin. I watch and learned. I watched and I learned.

The Dance of The Nine Widows will not compare the the wailing sounds of Claire and Wesley should the burger at Quaint not , I repeat, not be better than all other burgers of our tiny villa.

good night and God Bless


ps-
anywone know where to buy a good used car?

Staten Island Has at Least One Saving Grace

I was saved by Bob in Staten Island. I was Gaffing a show for blah, blah, blah and the lock on my truck got busted by an inattentive crew member. I hired her, but production was still going to have to pay because that's the way it goes. They called a locksmith. He kindly offered to come out, drill through the lock and charge us a mere $500.00

I was getting heat from production on this which could only mean delays in payment for me.

So, I called a locksmith who I knew as knowledgeable and trustworthy (Galaxy Locksmith, Tremont Ave. in The Bronx). He didn't know anyone who serviced my brand in Staten Island, but told me to call Stein in Queens or Frank in Brooklyn. Frank said he knew a guy in Staten Island who sells that brand.

That guy is Bob. He's a great locksmith. He's a superb human being.

I had about an hour before we moved from our lunch break and into the next location where we would have to have the truck. I could go the quick route, Bob said, and drill it out.

Or, we could chance it he said, and try to get it open without destroying it. Could take five minutes, could take an hour. But, he was willing to give it a shot. He got it open in three. Replaced the lock, with some effort, in twenty. It was so fast and cheap, I bought two locks.

He could have really screwed me. He knew I had to be back to shoot. Instead, he did what he did and charged me what he would charge anyone else.

There's a lesson here, too about living and working in New York. Sometimes, when you think people are going to screw you over, you're right. That's when you make take a deep breath, make some calls and find someone like Bob.

I was at the next location on time, production had to pay the $85 to get into the truck and have the lock removed. I paid $85 for two new locks.

What's a Landmark?

When I think of a landmark I think of the Statue of Liberty or The Empire State building. I don't think of the apartment ("deck" view above) Paul and I rent in a house in Sunnyside Gardens.

But, as NY1 is reporting, our home may soon qualify for landmark status. However, much like those at the meeting, I have no clue what that means.

If in 1930 the house had pink flowers in front can the owner no longer plant red? Or does it just mean that if someone moved out, Starbucks can't move in?

Any insight and comments from those more familiar with the topic would definitely be appreciated!