Coldest day of Winter 09/10 - No Heat or Hot water from 5pm yesterday and counting

See below post from several weeks ago... This is crazy! I'm freezing!!!!!!!!
No Heat, No Hot Water...No Super....No Landlord.... that's Vantage Management!

Good ol' Vantage Management has gone and done it again, and again, and again. No heat all last night. Now its 8:30 am, been trying to have a shower since 6:30am but no hot water. I go down to tell the super, and ohh, he's in Poland and the porter can't do anything. I call Vantage's "24 hour maintenance hotline" to report the problem and the man on the line, that answered "security" tells me that the super knows about the problem. Hmm, did you call him in Poland and is he hopping a flight back as we speak? ....This is about the 10th time this has happened in the last month or so. (Last year it happened countless times) Obviously it is not being fixed and DOB does nothing. I just don't get how this company can get so many things wrong so much of the time.......

Check out their website too. The pictures are nothing like what the advertised apartment looks like, there is no " secure high tech entry system" or a 24/7 maintenance line and the 24/7 security system is cameras that don't record anything...

Friends of Maple Grove Workshop on the Egyptian Ushabti

Some photos taken during the first Friends of Maple Grove Workshop on the Egyptian Ushabti event. Small figures were made and the ancient history of this fascinating funerary object was discussed. It became very creative and the setup was great.

Next a basket of ready made Ushabtis will be available to the public with markers and directions so they can inscribe it with the name of a loved one and place on the MG Holiday tree. This was inspired by the Origami Holdiay Tree atthe Museum of Natural History.

2 new books about life in Queens

2 new books about life in Queens

From the Times Ledger:

It was on the tree-lined streets of Kew Gardens that Dick Van Patten got his start as a child star who would go on to appear in hundreds of radio shows, two dozen films and seven television series, including the 1970s sitcom “Eight is Enough.”

Read the entire article HERE.  

REZ Reading tonight!!!

If you haven't been already, tonight's a great opportunity to check out one of the most stimulating events in town--the REZ Reading Series. Authors of all kinds come together to share their manuscripts-in-progress, as well as their published pieces.

WHEN: 7:30p-9:30p Fourth Tuesday of the Month

WHERE: Pine Room, Church of the Resurrection, 85-09 118th St, Kew Gardens, NY 11415

Q& A will held After Readings, Autographed books will be offered for sale. Refreshments Available. $5.00 Donation encouraged.

No Heat, No Hot Water...No Super....No Landlord.... that's Vantage Management!

Good ol' Vantage Management has gone and done it again, and again, and again. No heat all last night. Now its 8:30 am, been trying to have a shower since 6:30am but no hot water. I go down to tell the super, and ohh, he's in Poland and the porter can't do anything. I call Vantage's "24 hour maintenance hotline" to report the problem and the man on the line, that answered "security" tells me that the super knows about the problem. Hmm, did you call him in Poland and is he hopping a flight back as we speak? ....This is about the 10th time this has happened in the last month or so. (Last year it happened countless times) Obviously it is not being fixed and DOB does nothing. I just don't get how this company can get so many things wrong so much of the time.......

Check out their website too. The pictures are nothing like what the advertised apartment looks like, there is no " secure high tech entry system" or a 24/7 maintenance line and the 24/7 security system is cameras that don't record anything...

socially conscious? graffiti in KG......

Q Gardens Gallery Opening Night a Hit!

Saturday night's opening reception at Kew Garden's new vintage photo/art gallery - Q Gardens Gallery. We had a great time at this opening and the gallery is an excellent little space with some really interesting, beautiful and historically important photos, maps and advertisements. The crowd was thrilled and brought to much conversation by the opening exhibit and we hope that there will be a regular schedule of exhibitions at this highly anticipated new addition to Kew Garden's art scene.

Tonight in Kew Gardens - 11/6

The Q Gardens Gallery, a vintage photo gallery in Kew Gardens, will open with an exhibit on the history of Kew Gardens on Friday November 6. The night will feature the exhibit, speakers, an opening ceremony and refreshments. The opening night starts at 7 PM and will go until 11 PM. 

RSVP: nycpics@aol.com or (347) 494-5704

8061 Lefferts Blvd. 
Kew Gardens, NY
11415 




Also, just across the street at 82-62 Austin st - at Ascend Day Spa - there will be an exhibition of paintings by Annette Adler starting at 8pm. 

The paintings of ANNETTE ADLER on view 11/6/09- 1/1/10

10/23/2009 03:57 PM

Residents Upset With Late-Night Trysts In Forest Park

By: Ruschell Boone

A group of Richmond Hill residents is fighting back against what they say is becoming the common use of Forest Park for late-night trysts. NY1’s Ruschell Boone filed the following report.

Jorge Martinez says that while taking his six-year-old daughter for a walk through Forest Park it is normal to come across condom wrappers amongst the flowers and trees. He says over the years, this kind of trash has become part of the landscape.

Read the entire story HERE. 

Opening of Q Gardens Gallery - 11/6

The Q Gardens Gallery, a vintage photo gallery in Kew Gardens, will open with an exhibit on the history of Kew Gardens on Friday November 6. The night will feature the exhibit, speakers, an opening ceremony and refreshments. The opening night starts at 7 PM and will go until 11 PM. 


RSVP: nycpics@aol.com or (347) 494-5704


Address and Map: 


8061 Lefferts Blvd. 
Kew Gardens, NY
11415 



View Larger Map

$75 Fines For Each Flier or Advertisement Illegally Posted in NYC!

I love this. I have always been against those who post fliers and advertisements all over our neighborhoods on light poles, trees, public phones, traffic light poles and utility boxes and buildings. City council just passed the PATH act and now those people who post these fliers will be fined $75 per flier by the Dept. of Sanitation. You can report fliers t the Dept. by calling 311 or on their request page HERE. 

See the whole story from Queens Crap HERE. 

Pumpkin Carving Contest - 10/17 - 3:30pm

Blood Drive today at 230 pm.  Moose Lodge. 87-25 118 St.  Please come and support!

Kew Gardens Flea Market - 10/17

SPIRITS ALIVE 
An Exciting, Educational Walk Through Time! 
An event for the whole family!

Join us for an Interactive Walking Tour through time, Spirits Alive at Maple Grove Cemetery (83-15 Kew Gardens Road, Kew Gardens, NY, off of Lefferts Boulevard) on Saturday, October 3, 2009 from 2:00pm-4:00pm.

Costumed actors will recreate the lives of 25 of the cemetery’s most illustrious and historical figures including movie director Irving Rapper, pirate and buccaneer Thomas Winn, interior designer Elsie de Wolfe, Mary and Jonathan Coward’s heart warming Civil War love story and Mama Doe.

This year we will be introducing two new characters of great importance; Alfred St. Leon of Australian family circus fame and Reverend Charles Camp who helped place the cornerstone for the Statue of Liberty.

Visitors will receive easy to follow maps and programs. 
$5 per adult, children under 12 FREE!

RAIN OR SHINE: In case of rain, Spirits Alive will be held at The Center at Maple Grove, 127-15 Kew Gardens Road.

Sponsored by Friends of Maple Grove. 
For more info: (917) 881-3358

Comings and Goings in KG

After some super sleuth detective work yesterday we can identify some of the local business comings and goings in KG. 

1. The closed "Latin Cubanita" on the corner of Lefferts and Austin street is under renovation now and will apparently open around the 15th as a new burger joint called "Munch." I have not heard of them before but the place looks cool on the inside and a small burger joint is certainly something new for the neighborhood. 

2. The space on Lefferts across from the Dunkin Donuts and next to the hardware store which is currently under renovation is going to be a women's clothing store. No opening eta. 

3. The old "Jackson Hewitt" on Metropolitan next to Joy Fruit is under renovation. The whole floor and foundation was removed down about 4 feet, the garage door on the side was made into a normal door. I asked but couldn't get any info out of the workers if they had any. 

4. Spolini's Italian restaurant on Metropolitan seems to be expanding into the sports store's space to the left of it. Since the addition of the outdoor space which basically covered the front of the sports store it seemed inevitable and now there is a huge sign there saying they are expanding with a "party room." 

5. Jin's Fruit and vegetable Market on Lefferts, on the bridge, has cleared almost everything out and has been closed for a week or so. I couldn't get any information from the workers here either. 

6. A new vintage photo gallery is opening on Lefferts called the "Q Gardens Gallery" on the northeast corner of Austin and Lefferts. I met the owners several weeks ago, who were great and have massive collections of vintage photos of NYC and KG, and saw the space, which is a great little gallery spot for vintage photos. It is really going to be a great addition to the neighborhood. 

7. The pharmacy on Metropolitan next to Aron's Sweets is almost done and the other half they are working on will be a health and organic food store which sounds cool to me as long as they price right. 

Anyone have any knowledge as to the locations I could not get info on or other comings and goings? 

Yoga in the Park - Fall Update

A letter from out Yoga in the Park Instructor Gillian: 

Dear Yogi's,

 

What a beautiful summer! So many amazing Saturday morning yoga sessions in the park. The mornings are now getting cooler so it's about time we started moving indoors to the studio. This week is forecasted to get quite chilly so I'm thinking from Saturday onwards we will retreat to the living yoga sanctuary. Yoga is best practiced in the warmth as the risk of injury is high when the muscles are not warmed up. The studio is located at 117-20 Queens blvd, Cross street 78th ave, above the Bank of America

 

The evenings are also getting chilly and dark early. From this Wednesday onwards the 6:00-7:00pm class will be held indoors - www.mylivingyoga.com

 

After a generous summer of funding from the TD bank (Big shout to Mandy), the classes will no longer be free. The Kew Gardens Center for Recreation and the Arts have kindly offered to partially fund the Saturday class until the 31st of October. So, for the next 5 weeks the class will cost $3, thereafter $8. Due to Studio expenses in the cooler weather the Wednesday night 6:00-7:00pm will also be priced at $8.

 

I'd like to thank Kevin from the Kew Gardens blog for making this all happen!

 

I wish everyone a great week.

 

Warm regards

Gillian

The Forest Park Preservation Society

Forest Park is one of the largest parks in New York City and the third largest park in Queens. It is an extraordinary urban forest consisting of 583 acres surrounded by five ethnically diverse neighborhoods, Richmond Hill, Kew Gardens, Forest Hills, Woodhaven, and Glendale.

 

The goal of the Forest Park Preservation Society is to work with and engage the community to support the work of the New York City Department of Parks and Recreation in the overall preservation, maintenance, and improvement of Forest Park.

Currently the FPPS is soliciting and accepting applications for members of the upcoming FPPS Board of Directors as well as corporate and private sponsors. Interested parties should send a letter of interest to info@forestparkpreservation.org.

 

The FPPS is also looking for initial volunteers and donations for help with web site development, advertising and fundraising, events, etc.

www.forestparkpreservation.org

Possible Green Market Coming to Forest Hills!

Honest KG Resident and "Cabbie" Honored

September 17, 2009, 11:47 AM

Cabbies Are Recognized for ‘Character and Compassion’

By ANDREW KEH

"Gulam Mustafa of Kew Gardens, Queens, was recognized for finding a wallet in his cab that held several thousand dollars and returning it to its owner. Another New York cabby, Haron ur Rashid of the Bronx, earned honors for returning a trunkload of gifts to the apartment of a newlywed couple."

Read the entire story HERE. 

Fall Rez Reading Series Schedule

Shana Tova and Eid Mubarak!

"Q Gardens Gallery" to Open Within Weeks

So I was finally able to stop by the new gallery called "Q Gardens Gallery" on the north-east corner of Lefferts and Austin street while the owners were there yesterday and was able to find out what it will be all about. Ron Marzlock - author, collector and historian formerly of Kew Gardens has been collecting vintage photographs for years now, especially those of New York City, and has amassed an amazing collection of even local Kew Gardens vintage photographs documenting the history of nearly each and every block. Now he will be sharing his collection and selling high quality prints and original photographs at the Q Gardens Gallery. See some links below on Brian and his collection. I for one am really looking forward to the opening of the gallery.

http://www.nytimes.com/2000/09/24/realestate/streetscapes-brian-merlis-an-amateur-historian-with-a-passion-for-brooklyn.html

http://search.barnesandnoble.com/bookSearch/results.asp?ATH=Brian+Merlis

Highly Recommended Event - 10/17

aged restaurant review from queenscentral.com

Passed its prime

POSTED BY MICKIE T ON THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 17TH, 2009

"Here’s another catch-up restaurant review: We went to aged in late June this year, and we were not impressed.  The bottom line is, if you’re going to spend $70 on a porterhouse steak,  don’t bother going here."

Seriously...Who's running this place? Get a new manager and a new head chef who know what they are doing. I have not seen one good review of aged yet. 

Read the entire story on queenscentral.com HERE. 

Karen Koslowitz wins City Council Democratic Primary

Congratulations to Karen Koslowitz on winning the City Council District 29 Democratic primary.  

9/15/09 Hunt for Chicken Mushrooms in Forest Park with naturalist/author "Wildman" Steve Brill [photos available from "Wildman"]  On Sunday, October 4, naturalist/author "Wildman" Steve Brill will lead one of his world-famous foraging tours of Forest Park in Kew Gardens. This is one of the best places in the world for fall foraging, with a wide selection of wild mushrooms, herbs, greens, roots, and berries. Habitats include miles of mature forest as well as the trail edges and the disturbed, overgrown, and cultivated habitats that provide homes for all the diverse species. Root vegetables include burdock, delicious but hard to dig up. Here it's growing in loose, soft soil, so it's much more accessible than usual. Another choice root vegetable is sweet cicely, which tastes like black licorice. This one's easy to unearth, and there's so much in Forest Park, you can't harm the habitat by collecting reasonable quantities. Fruit in season includes the wild raisin, which tastes like a combination of prunes and bananas. This one grows in cultivated areas. The common spicebush, on the other hand, grows in the woods. Its leaves are great for tea, and the berries replace allspice—they're an indispensable seasoning for main courses, side dishes, and desserts. The forest is one of the best for mushrooms. Chicken mushrooms,hen-of-the-woods, honey mushrooms, brick tops, blewits, pear-shaped puffballs, beefsteak mushrooms, and giant puffballs can come up in various locations. To top it off, given enough rain beforehand, the quantity of shaggy mane mushrooms this park produces can be staggering staggering. You'll find them poking up through the ground by the dozens all over the edges of trails throughout the park if there's been rain. One of the best-tasting mushrooms, they have a delicate flavor and texture that make them ideal steamed, in soups, stews, and sauces. With the right seasonings, you can even use them to make mock seafood dishes. You must use them the day you find them or they literally disintegrate into ink, but there will be more than enough for everyone to take as much as they can use. And the next day, even more will appear, only to disintegrate in another 24 hours. This is also a great park for nuts. There are stands of white oak trees, with the best acorns for cooking. You can also find delectable hickory nuts. But in Forest Park, theblack walnut tree reigns supreme. You remove the green husk underfoot, wear rubber gloves to keep the dye from staining your hands, and crack open the nut over the pavement with a rock. The nut meat tastes like a commercial walnut with earthy wine and mushroom overtones. The 4 hour walking tour begins at 11:45 AM, on Sunday, October 4, at the stone wall at Union Turnpike and Park Lane, near the Parks Dept.'s Overlook building. Please call (914) 835-2153 at least 24 hours ahead to reserve a place.  The suggested donation is $15 for adults, $10 for children under 12. (Please bring exact change). Nobody is ever turned away due to lack of funds. For the 2009 tour calendar and additional info, visit http://www.wildmanstevebrill.com, ### Contact: "Wildman" Steve Brill, (914) 835-2153 wildman@wildmanstevebrill.com http://www.wildmanstevebrill.com

VOTE TODAY & Tsk Tsk Albert Cohen - From Queens Crap: Voter registration fraud in CD 29

Looks like Albert Cohen came so late to the table that he decided to start courting the deceased for votes! Read the story from Queens Crap below. And get out and VOTE TODAY for our District 29 City Council Rep! 

Queens Crap: Voter registration fraud in CD 29

Urbanspoon - Local Restaurant Menus and Reviews

I noticed recently that people have done a great job on reviewing and adding menus and information for local KG restaurants on the website Urbanspoon. You can check it out and add your review to any local restaurant HERE. - You can also link your profile on Urbansppon to the matching iPhone app which really comes in handy when searching for a good restaurant anywhere you may be in NYC with a great map and genre search feature plus you can add a wishlist of places you would like to try so you don't forget. I really dig this site. 

Good Video of District 29 Candidates Debate - 9/01

September 1, 2009 / BoroPolitics Video / Queens / New York City Council District 29

Dems stake out positions ahead of District 29 primary

TimesLedger Newspapers

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The six Democrats running in a packed race for City Councilwoman Melinda Katz’s (D-Forest Hills) seat called for better health care and more schools in the district at a TimesLedger Newspapers debate last week during which the candidates also tackled the Cord Meyer rezoning, ethnic tensions and term limits in the run-up to the Sept. 15 primary.

Read the entire story HERE. 

More info: 

http://davidmquintana.blogspot.com/2007/09/spirits-alive-maple-grove-cemetery.html

http://www.kewgardenscivic.org/special-015.html

The Kew Gardens (almost) Fall Music Festival will once again be seen and heard at the Kew Gardens Cinemas Park (on Austin Street near the Kew Gardens post office) on Sunday, September 13, 2009 between the hours of 1:00-6:00pm. This year we are featuring all types of music; classical, jazz and rock. In addition, performances by several talented youngsters, the Kew Gardens Cuties, will be one of the highlights. Families are very welcome to attend! Hope to see you there!

City Council Race Candidates Meeting - 9/9/09

Wednesday, September 9th, 2009 at 8:15 promptly - the Shalimar Diner

Meet with the Democratic (because they are the only party running) candidates running for City Council for our District 29. 

The Democratic Party Candidates will face off in the New York City Primary on Tuesday, September 15th.

Come and hear what they have to say, ask them relevant questions that are of interest to our own community.

The Candidates are:

HEIDI HARRISON CHAIN

ALBERT COHEN

MICHAEL COHEN

MEL GAGARIN

KAREN KOSLOWITZ

LYNN SCHULMAN

●

The Forests Hills Crescents Civic Association is your neighborhood watchdog and liaison with community agencies. We are always here for you and we are happy to be hosting this evening for our members, friends and the community at large.

●

Coffee and Cake will be served

Yoga in the Park - Now Wednesdays and Saturdays

Hey park yogi's

Our Yoga in the Park program has been extended to two days a week! The new Yoga in the Park class starts today, Wednesday August the 26th!!!!

Time: 6:00pm - 7:00pm  : same location under the tree :)

Suggested donation of just $8 per person

Bring your friends and get some great yoga and relaxation in after a hard day's work! 

Local Reader Submitted Photos - Harvey Chan - 8/24/09

Yoga in the Park - Tomorrow Saturday 8/22

Park Yogi's,

 

Looks like some heavy duty storms are a coming. Tomorrow we shall move our yoga inside to the shelter of living yoga - www.mylivingyoga.com

 

Location: 117-20 Queens boulevard at the crossroad of 78th avenue. We are on the second floor above the Bank of America.

 

Don't let the rain put your off, please come along and practice in our beautiful studio!

See ya'll tomorrow

 

Warm regards

Gillian

Changes to Kew Gardens LIRR Station

LIRR Ticket Windows
Closing: List

Updated: Tuesday, 18 Aug 2009, 2:03 PM EDT
Published : Tuesday, 18 Aug 2009, 2:03 PM EDT

MYFOXNY.COM - Long Island Rail Road personnel will be posted at 20 LIRR stations where ticket office windows are scheduled to close in order to assist customers with ticket vending machine usage.

Read the entire article from myfox NY HERE.