The Latest Addition to Skillman Ave - Trash Cans

While this may sound pathetic, my mood went from average Friday anticipating the weekend joy to near elation when I walked out of my house and looked up the block this afternoon. As if delivered by a secret fairy garbage-mother, four NYC trash cans appeared on the corners of my block at 47th street and Skillman Avenue at some point this morning. My jaw nearly dropped as I discovered that they also appeared on the corners of 46th and Skillman (I haven't ventured further today, so I'm not sure if they appeared elsewhere down the avenue as well.)

Not only does this hopefully mean people won't feel compelled to throw their wrappers and trash on the sidewalk for lack of better options, but as a long-time dog owner it also (hopefully) means that less-diligent dog owners will stop giving we responsible canine-parents a bad name by properly and easily disposing of dog waste!

So thank you Eric Gioia, if you had a hand in this, and if not, thank you fairy garbage-mother wherever you are!

Sexy T-Shirts--They Heart Queens

Please do check out Ciara Elend's Queens-inspired t-shirts.

We at Let's Meet Up In Queens thank her for her sponsorship!

Warm Up in LIC: And Unlike Last Summer, LIC Residents Aren’t Paying For It

In New York City the word “beach” means as much as the word “grass.” There’s not that many opportunities to lay in the sun, on a hammock, with cool music, (not your ipod), with overly attractive friends and a summer-y drink. Until now--P.S.1’s Warm Up Saturday series is in full summertime swing.

P.S.1 Contemporary Art Center is the sexier, or rather x/y/z generation counterpart of the MOMA. This hip counterpart set in a old school building, offers a party in a rather unexpected place, right at the foot of the 45 Road Court House Square subway stop. The party grounds are impressive— a concrete beach with full hammocks draped from an overwhelming art exhibit called Liquid Sky, chilled summer drinks at the bar, live music and DJ’s that spin while you're relaxing, socializing, dancing or trying to stay dry under the aforementioned “sky.”

In addition to the party fun, LIC/Sunnyside residents get in free—which is a steal, since regular admission is ten bucks. However, be sure to bring a proof of residence, such as a bill or lease and form of ID— they will not let you in otherwise. With this golden ticket, you are given access to P.S.1’s indoor museum which offers everything from an art exhibit in the historic building’s own boiler room to a painstaking tiny dot masterpiece.

So, on Saturday, get off your couch and turn off the AC-—Warm Up at P.S.1.

Dates & Times

Each Saturday through September 1, from 3:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.

Address:

P.S.1 Contemporary Art Center is located at 22-25 Jackson Avenue at 46th Avenue in Long Island City, Queens, across the Queensboro Bridge from midtown Manhattan.

Click here for full line up and info.

Dear Mr. Softee

Dear Mr. Softee,

While I respect your right to drum up business, I mean really with gas prices these days you must have to sell an extra hundred rainbow pops a week just to pay to run your magical refridgeration vehicle. I beg of you, can you please use common sense when playing your song?

This is not Manhattan, I wouldn't propose a ban barring an entire generation from hearing a song that brings them back to their childhood. This is Queens, where Mr. Softee trucks run harder and faster than anyplace else. It is not uncommon to see them flying down Skillman Ave faster than a fire truck. (Does anyone else recall the infamous 45th street/Skillman accident a few years ago? When one hit a parked car, flipping both it and the truck, only leaving sad melting clown pops in the road?)

While I think common sense would suggest Mr. Softee might not get customers by mowing them down. I also think common sense dictates that 11 in the morning while school is in session is not the best time to be driving around a neighborhood with the song blaring parking on the side of the road until the street cleaner chases you away. Nor is 11 pm the best time to stalk the neighborhood children for a late night frozen treat.

Mr. Softee, you are a big white truck with an HVAC system that sounds like a jet engine. We see you. And after one song, we hear you. But after several hearings of your song, we don't like you! Please try to use common sense, and in turn we promise not to drive by YOUR home several times a day blasting an annoying song out of OUR windows!

Sincerely,
Ms. Italian Ice

Aint Nothin’ Scary About This Yeti

A Yeti can be defined as - a legendary large, hairy, humanoid creature said to inhabit the Himalayas. Thanks for the nightmares. But now to us 11104’s a Yeti is simply one of the newest restaurants to hit Sunnyside, Queens—Yeti of Hieizan.

Yeti of Hieizan, as I prefer to call, “Yeti,” (because I have no idea how to pronounce “Hieizan” and want to appear culturally/globally aware) is doing its damnest to bring our neighborhood fine Japanese & Nepalese cuisine in a chic setting—and it’s succeeding.

The place is brand spankin’ new. I saw a UPC code stuck to the side of a booth once. Ok—not quite, but it is really basking in its new car smell glory. The shiny cherry wood floors, the adorable booths draped with blowfish curtains and tiki lights, the elevated private booths where you can take your shoes off and eat on the floor (really, this is much cooler and classier than I make it sound) and cocktail bar— this place invested a pretty penny in seating alone.

And the food, (which I have primarily taken in the Japanese side), has amazing presentation and is delicious to boot. Go pork gyoza dumplings! But I digress.

So, there’s nothing to fear but fear itself—welcome to the ‘hood Yeti.

Yeti of Hieizan
43-16 Queens Blvd
Sunnyside, Queens
www.yetiofhieizan.com

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.

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.