Theme Music

Rachel Goldsmith
Solo Exhibition at Matted Gallery
Receptions 6:00 pm, December 2014 and February 7th 2015

Hit and Miss at Gaw Gai

By Eso Romero

Located at Jackson and 23rd Street, Gaw Gai is a small Thai restaurant that caters more to the take out crowd. My first time at Gaw Gai was on a cold Friday evening. It’s simply decorated with only 4 tables and counter seating at the window. Customer flow was slow that night with most people sitting at the tables waiting for their to-go order; it’s likely that their peak business is during lunch hours. The menu offers the standard Thai dishes: various curries, noodle dishes and soups and salads (but sadly, no desserts!). One of the immediate drawbacks is that it is a cash-only establishment. While they do take credit card orders through Seamless, orders are only taken during specific windows of time, from 11:00-11:45 am and 5:00-8:45 pm.

All orders are taken at the front counter. I ordered massaman beef curry, chicken pad see ew, crispy tofu triangles and a Thai iced tea. The positive: everything was prepared fairly quickly and rice was included with the curry. No need to pay an extra few dollars for some rice! The downside: everything came out on plastic plates/bowls. In hindsight, I would’ve much rather taken the food to-go and eaten on real plates at home.

Now, the food. The massaman curry was richly flavored with coconut milk, peanuts, carrots, potatoes, onions and beef. My ten-year-old daughter devoured it eagerly, withstanding the spice level quite easily. I found the curry a bit too rich with a pungent aftertaste I didn’t care for. Though the meat was tender, the potatoes were undercooked. This was a sure miss in my book. Next time I’d rather order the green curry. 

The chicken pad see  ew was the hit of the night. Perfectly seasoned without being overly greasy. This savory and sweet noodle dish was perfect for my 7-year-old daughter, who has a strong aversion to any spicy foods. And as a parent, I always welcome a one dish meal of proteins, veggies and carbs. Both girls enjoyed the crisp tofu triangles, but they seemed to prefer their entrees. According to my 7-year-old budding foodie, “the tofu is a little dry.” In all fairness, the tofu comes with a dipping sauce to alleviate the dryness, but she had no interest due to the spice.

We were seated at the counter overlooking the window to the street, savoring bites of the Thai food. These were pleasant moments at Gaw Gai. With my two companions with their noses in their books as they ate, I looked out the window sipping my Thai iced tea. Jazz music softly played as I looked out at the Court Square Diner lighting up the street, the 7 train thundering above and employees yammering in Thai. A quintessential NYC kind of moment.

Overall, Gaw Gai offers straightforward Thai comfort food, ideally taken out to enjoy at home. If you’re solo, however, it’s a decent place to sit at the window counter, eat your meal, and do some LIC people-watching.

Home Buyer's Checklist

Home Buyer’s Checklist

6 Tips to Help You Navigate the New York City Purchase Process

By Andres Soto

Buying a home in New York City can be overwhelming and stressful.  I know this because I’ve helped many buyers navigate the purchase process and have also gone through the process myself.  Unless you hire me, I can’t help you through every single twist and turn that will arise. I do hope though that this home buyer’s checklist, filled with tips and suggestions, proves helpful when the time comes to purchase your next home:

1. Well, how much do you want to spend?

Wait, I know this isn’t a tip. Do you find it odd that this is the first item on the checklist? Well don’t. It's the most vital part of the purchase process. Until Bitcoin takes over the Dollar, cash (yours or the banks) is what’s needed to purchase a home in New York City. Even as an all cash buyer, there's more to envision than just mortgage and common charges (coops have maintenance).  Don’t forget to consider the closing costs that can begin north of $20,000. What about the after closing costs such as moving in /moving out fees you may incur? Are you going to purchase new furniture? Who’s going to move it? Planning on doing any minor renovations to your new crib?  Think through your priorities when setting your price range. Of course, the major amount of cash involved here will be coming from the bank and that transitions nicely into item number two…

2. Find a mortgage banker/ broker and get pre-approved before you start searching.

If you are an all-cash buyer, first, can you adopt me? Second, feel free to skip this portion. There's a start to every purchased home that begins with contacting a mortgage broker/banker who can tell you what you can afford. Why do you need to speak to someone before you start searching? Why did I write before in bold twice? Okay, three times? To not waste time in a competitive market. Again, don’t waste your time in a competitive market.  Window shopping is fun and all, but you'll most likely end up realizing the home is gone by the time you are pre-approved and decide to make an offer. If you need to speak with a mortgage broker or banker (yes two separate things) I'd be happy to recommend top professionals I've worked with for many years. Though, remember, just because the bank is willing to provide you with “fill an outrageous amount of numbers” dollars, doesn’t mean you should spend the max.

3. Hunters Point vs Court Square vs Queensboro Plaza?

You may have an idea what neighborhoods you want to live in but what are your main reasons for choosing that area? Take into consideration proximity to public transportation or if you drive, highways & bridges. Is distance to restaurants and a lively night scene important? Or would you rather live in an area surround by quiet low rise buildings?  What about Price Per Square Foot ($PSF)?  Do you want to be near a certain school?  You don’t just marry the home, you marry the whole neighborhood, so make sure it’s a good fit for you and your family’s lifestyle.

4. Create a list of must-haves and nice-to-haves.

With the amount of hi-rise buildings in Long Island City already built and those coming in the next few years, you will come across a multitude of amenity features. Do you really NEED to live in a building with a doorman or concierge? What about a building that has a parking garage or gym? Pet friendly building? Do you want to live in a hi-rise? Since the majority of buildings in Long Island City are condos you'll also want to consider the investment portion of your purchase. Think about where your life may be ten years from now and how what you choose will impact your future sale or rental. Make sure you know what you’re willing to compromise on, what you’re not, and where you and your significant other disagree.

5. Get your attorney lined up.

I totally agree that technology has added a great amount of information to help you find a home and therefore making both buyer and seller more informed. That’s great! But you still don’t want to hire a real estate agent to help you with the purchase process. Just don’t wait until the last minute to hire an attorney. Please, dear almighty God please have your attorney lined up before you plan to make an offer! Also, don’t hire an attorney off the yellow pages. Wait did I just date myself? Okay, then don’t just (insert your favorite search engine) search one up. When you get some recommendations please interview them as if you were hiring for a new job position.  Everyone has a cousin or friend that is a lawyer, so ask around to get some contacts.  But, and a big but...when deciding on which lawyer to hire, PLEASE make sure the lawyer specializes in real estate transactions in New York City. There have been countless deals that turned for the worse just because the attorney was inexperienced in the New York City purchase process and was hired solely on the fact that they are a family friend or ever worse a family member. Need a few great recommendations? Contact me @TheAndresSoto .

6. Setting expectations on your purchasing timeline

There are many different variables that play during the purchase process. Most of these are out of your control, so it’s important to understand how long the entire process could take. One time consuming portion is obtaining financing. Unless you are an all cash buyer (again why haven’t you adopted me yet) having your bank approve the apartment and yourself for a loan could take anywhere from 2 to 4 weeks. This portion happens after your offer is accepted and the contract has been signed (1-2 week time frame).  Overall, the entire purchase process (and I’m talking about from searching to moving in) could take anywhere from 1 – 6 months. So it’s best to set your expectations ahead of time.

6A Bonus Tip: Working with a real estate agent (two thumbs pointing to me @TheAndresSoto can help speed this process.

There are many other topics I did not mention that a buyer can prepare for. No two real estate transactions are alike. And like I said earlier, I’ve been on the purchasing end myself so I can understand how frustrating the process may seem. Hopefully these 6 tips have helped you somehow. If not, or if you have any other thoughts, ideas or questions feel free to comment below.

Gantry Park history

The Cliffs

Hunter's Point South Park

An Evening with Long Island City Partnership

YMCA LIC

Rooftop Farm

Hy-fi

Coffee shop in LIC Landing, Long Island City

Dishcrawlqueens part2

Falun Dafa

Tenant king Long Island City

Holiday flea market in lic

Long Island City Holiday lighting

Long Island City Welcomes You. TV Intro

JUNK MAIL

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Macy's Parade Balloon Inflation

November 26th 3:00 pm-10:00 pm

79th St and Columbus Av, Manhattan 

This annual Thanksgiving tradition may not be as well-known to the public as the actual Parade, but it is definitely as much a crowd attraction. On the night before the famous Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, spectators line up on the Upper West Side to watch as the iconic balloons are filled with helium. See Kermit the Frog, Charlie Brown, Sonic the Hedgehog, Buzz Lightyear, and more come alive. The Balloon Inflation is a singular New York event, and an especially great one for families and kids.

Sources & Credits 

Remembering 5pointz

 1 year anniversary of the whitewashing of 5 pointz..

Meet Daniel Mencher

Daniel Mencher is your personal guide to the nice drinks in life. 
He writes about wine, spirits, coffee, and tea at thenicedrinksinlife.blogspot.com, and represents the very best of those drinks all around the New York Metro area. 
Tweet Daniel @LifesNiceDrinks
E-mail TheNiceDrinksInLife.com

Heat and Hot Water Complaint

Between October 1 and May 31, you can make a complaint about a residential building that does not have enough heat or hot water. Between June 1 and September 30, you can make a complaint about a residential building that has the heat on. If you are reporting that the heat is turned on during the summer months for an entire building, or making a heat or hot water complaint for an apartment, you must provide your contact information.

You can also make heat complaints about commercial or non-residential buildings. Non-residential buildings include:

Senior centers
Drug rehab treatment facilities
Private schools
Day care centers
Government buildings
Before filing a heat or hot water complaint, you should try to resolve the issue with your landlord, managing agent, or superintendent.

Report a Heat or Hot Water Complaint here 

A Bazaar Food Find

By Eso Romero 

With Thanksgiving right around the corner, it’s time to start planning the big meal! It’s been my mission to hunt for decent bargains in LIC that don’t compromise the quality of the food. Since I moved here, I’ve been familiar with a few of the major grocery markets, primarily Food Cellar near Gantry Plaza and Key Food on 21st and 44th Drive. Food Cellar is incredibly over-priced and Key Food is more reasonable, but the quality of their produce and meats is not so great. 

In my search for yet another option, a fellow parent at my children’s school told me about Food Bazaar. Open for almost a year now, Food Bazaar is located on Northern Blvd., previously a Pathmark. It was my first time there and I was blown away by the size of this place! There’s a large parking lot (not that I have a car) and it is open 24/7. If I had the time, I could’ve spent hours here, browsing the multiple aisles of food from all over the world. No exaggeration.

The appeal of Food Bazaar for me was that it was a happy medium between Food Cellar and Key Food. The aisles are spacious, unlike the cramped aisles of Key Food, and it has a much lower price point than Food Cellar. For example, sweet potatoes at Food Cellar cost $1.49/lb and at Food Bazaar, they cost $0.49/lb. Though Food Bazaar does not have the high-end gourmet vibe of Food Cellar, it does carry some of the very same products for less: there’s the Applegate and Al Fresco brands of no-nitrate meats, grass-fed organic meats, organic vegetables and fruits and gluten-free products as well. Because the targeted customer base seems quite diverse, the variety of produce is much more extensive. I noticed nopal, batata, all kinds of peppers, pear cactus, chayote, starfruit, persimmons and Florida avocados, to name a few. 

The aspect of Food Bazaar that outshines both Key Food and Food Cellar is the incredible selection of various ethnic products and ingredients. They have entire aisles devoted to different cuisines: Argentinian, Greek, Polish, Japanese, Korean, Dominican and many more. And if it wasn’t enough with the extensive produce section, there’s also a butcher, a seafood counter and a deli. If you have a car, clear out your trunk and head over there. You’ll come home with a treasure trove...right in time for Thanksgiving!

Tasty Theatre

This is Maggie founder of Tasty Theater, She creates delicious edible Gelée. This “jiggling little luscious goodness” is a must-have dessert at most parties. Maggie is very excited to announce her debut series-A Geléecious Affair 

Proud Local Maker

Poor Credit

Tips to Help Renters With Poor Credit Scores

By Andres Soto

You’ve heard it from your friends and family, renting a home in New York City can be a nightmare. To make sure you have a positive experience it’s imperative to be prepared with certain documents. Typically, landlords will want to see your letter of employment, pay stubs, tax returns and bank statements. You have all that? Great!

In a competitive rental market, like Long Island City’s rental market, having great credit can keep you ahead of the race. However, what if you don’t have great or good credit? Does this mean you have a zero chance to land the home you want? No it doesn’t. It just means you have to work a bit harder than every other applicant.

There are several different reasons why applicants have a poor or less than perfect credit scores. Most real estate agents and landlords agree that there is more to qualifying you for a rental unit than just looking at your credit score. 

Here are 8 tips that could help you out during the process.

1. Be aware of your credit score. The worse part when looking for a home is finding one you fall in love with and later find out that your credit score is in bad shape! The fact that your credit score is one of the many items considered in the rental decision should be reason enough for you to have your credit report pulled up ahead of time. This could also help you check for inaccuracies that need to be fixed. Go to Freecreditscore.com and sign up for a free review. You do have to enter your credit card number but simply cancel your account before their allotted time has expired so you aren't charged. 

2. Be honest about it. Nearly all buildings in Long Island City, and New York City for that matter, will require a credit check. Don’t waste anyone’s time. It’s better to be upfront about your credit score no matter how embarrassed you are about it. By disclosing your credit with your broker they’ll be better prepared to help you. Your broker should be able to recommend you to landlords and/or buildings that don’t have very strict rental guidelines and to buildings that they have a better business relationship with.

3. Be open to having a guarantor. This is where having great connections becomes very handy. If you have family or friends who earn more than you do and have a better credit score you could ask them if they would be willing to be your guarantor. Note, there are risks when taking this route. One risk can include an unnecessary set of new requirements such as your guarantor disclosing their private financial information to the landlord. Another risk could be jeopardizing the relationship you have between yourself and the guarantor, especially if you are behind on paying the rent.

4. Lookout for smaller buildings. One of the many benefits you’ll have by living in a hi-rise building is the amazing amenities you can use and the multiple options of apartment layouts available. Though, these buildings will always have a strong list of approval requirements and there’s always a high demand of interest. If you don’t fit the buildings qualifications they’ll easily move to another applicant on their queue. If you keep an eye out for smaller buildings or 2-4 family residences who have actual human landlords you may be surprised that these landlords care a bit more about the applicant's personality and ethics than just their financial statements.

5. Get your reference letters prepared. If you had a positive experience with your previous landlord, having then back you up is a great way for a future landlord to consider you as a tenant. In fact, you could go ahead and get personal reference letters from employers and friends as well. Landlords may consider using the positive feedback written in those letters when making their decision. Hey, every little bit counts!

6. Be ready to downgrade. Just because you can afford it does not mean you should go after it. A typical applicant will usually try to rent as much apartment as they could possible afford. Sometimes it’s better to adjust your living parameters a bit and choose a place that’s less expensive. This way, you’ll have more “per month savings” and show more favorable on your income/expense ratio.

7. Be ready to show some cash. Think Jerry Maguire screaming “Show me the Money”!  If you ask, one of the most direct ways to have some landlords overlook your credit score is by showing them your cash at hand now. Offering a large up front rental payment than what’s typically required is a great way to land the home you want. With cold hard cash in the landlord’s hand and you may be able to beat out any possible competition.

8. Be open for subleasing. There are many websites out on the web, where you can find people who can rent an apartment with you. This way, you have somebody to share the expenses with and not have to rely on your own credentials and budget to get qualified. Of course, this step has its own risks.

I hope these 8 tips have helped you think of different ways you can qualify for a rental unit if you have a poor credit score. Did you take another route to rent a home in Long Island City? Share your tips with us.

Bonus tip/ shameless plug:  If you’d like any assistance in finding a home please feel free to reach out to me at asoto@corenyc.com .

Turkey week

Happy Thanksgiving Week activities for the whole family. Click the link below and find the right activity for you. See Turkey week activities here

Seasonal Drinks

A Little Seasonal Adjustment
By Daniel Sennet


It seems like you can throw a stone and hit a café that serves a Pumpkin Spice Latte. Or rather, a normal latte with a shot of generic pumpkin spice flavoring. Feeling in the mood for something a little different, I set forth on a mission to find some more unique seasonal variations than your normal latte or cappuccino.

I started at the north end of our hood at The Mill and worked my way south towards the  51st Bakery and Cafe over the course of a few days. Along the way, I was impressed, intrigued, and even a little surprised.  I’m happy to report that if you seek, you shall find some delicious seasonal drinks that warm your soul.

Starting off at the Mill on 11th Street and 44th, I walked into a very modern, yet homey coffee shop. According to the website, it “is situated on the ground level of an industrial-era warehouse-turned-office building”  that houses designers, artists, contractors and other creative professionals that apparently each had a hand in making the Mill a very welcoming place to grab a drink. The menu boasts your standards with a few extras like a pour-over and the drip. For my purposes, I grabbed a Hot Apple Cider brewed with mulling spices. Hailing from upstate and reveling in the freshness of apple season – this fresh and [perhaps too] sweet drink was a steal at $3 and worthy of a repeat visit. Hurry up though, New York’s apple season is short and their seasonal drink varies often.

In the need for some caffeine, I stopped in a Communitea, a staple of our neighborhood, but unfortunately, no longer in business at its present location (as of the timing of publication). They were reliable in their efforts to produce variety in their espresso-based offerings. And while they are guilty of using pump-syrups to flavor their drinks, the final result was delicious enough to grant forgiveness.  I was VERY tempted to go with the Chocolate Pig (a home-made hot chocolate with bacon syrup), but decided on the Toasted Hazelnut Latte. Weighing in a $3.50 for the small, it was undeniably enjoyable.  Similar to the Mill, the strong character of the café could be tasted in the drink. 

A few hours later, at the risk of crashing, I stopped in at Long Island City’s most renowned café, Sweetleaf. I inquired about their seasonal offerings and was given a long list of cocktails. Talk about temptation staring right at you! I then (hesitantly)clarified by asking about their non-alcoholic seasonal offerings. I was surprised by the answer I got, which was that each coffee offered was seasonal. They only served freshly roasted beans that are in season in some part of the world. Today’s was a Columbian bean that was delivered to the store yesterday! The coffee was smooth and slightly bitter with a robust lasting finish. Even at a steep $3 for a small glass, it’s worth it if you’re seeking to switch it up from your normal daily roast.

Later on in the week, I strolled into the recently opened Beans, Leaves and Grapes on 50th Ave just by Center. Clearly the most upscale of the coffee shops to open, it was perhaps unsurprisingly, the most expensive. Their seasonal offering was an uninspired  and rather bland-tasting version of the Pumpkin Spice Latte that weighed in at $4.90! The ‘beans’ on the menu were all similarly priced on the higher end of the price spectrum.  My wife enjoyed a decaf herbal hibiscus tea that was brewed carefully on the spot, was extremely delicious and relative to other dedicated tea shops in Manhattan, quite cheap at $3. I look forward to returning so that I can try out the leaves part of the menu – as their wine list looked well curated, but for now, it won’t be a return stop on the caffeine trail.

Finally, I made it out to the 51st Bakery and Café, a French-inspired café, ironically helmed by an British Gentleman who has focused his menu and environment on simplicity. I ordered a latte and asked about the availability of anything seasonal. He pointed to his pumpkin muffin but then offered up a cinnamon flavoring to my latte. I agreed, somewhat hesitantly, but was extremely surprised to drink arguably the most delicious latte neighborhood, priced quite reasonably at $3.50. I don't know if its because he was a master barista or he used Intelligentsia-roasted beans (more likely), this was outright fantastic and surely worthy of a return trip at my earliest convenience.

All in all, this was a fun adventure. Seasonality doesn't seem to have a big part in Long Island City's burgeoning coffee scene, and honestly, I'm grateful. These cafés are just finding their comfort zone and honing in on what works and what doesn't for the growing population. I agree with the philosophy at 51st Café - just stick to the basics and do them very well. 

Memorial for 5 Pointz

ON File Video:

credit:5pointz

Party in the Park

COME OUT AND CELEBRATE
HUNTER’S POINT SOUTH IN LONG ISLAND CITY
Saturday, November 15 1:00pm - 4:00pm

Hunters Point South Living is having a party and you're invited!

Come meet Hunter's Point South and spend the afternoon getting your face painted while listening to the John Schmitt band and enjoying some of NYC's favorite food trucks and vendors. Food is free for the first hour and there is a free East River Ferry all afternoon between LIC and East 34th Street in Manhattan. You won't want to miss it!

for more details see here 

7th Annual Holiday Lighting

Wednesday, December 3, 2014 - 6:00pm

Join the Hunters Point Community Development Corporation, community members and local merchants to light the Christmas Tree and Chanukkah Menorah at Vernon Mall and celebrate the Holiday lights this season. 
LOCATION

Vernon Mall
Vernon Boulevard
at 50th Avenue
Long Island City, NY, 11101

More Holiday events:
LIC BAR Lighting TREE is on Thursday, December 4

Santa Photos @TinyYou
Santa Photos @LinizioPizzeria
Mr Lumberjack Christmas tree Festival

Holiday Season in LIC

Stay Tuned.... coming soon!

Newtown Creek

$16M Provided to Restore Newtown Creek
by Andres Soto

The Newtown Creek is a 3.5-mile long estuary that forms part of the border between Brooklyn and Queens.  The creek is crossed by the Pulaski Bridge, Greenpoint Avenue Bridge, and the Kosciuszko Bridge. During the second half of the 19th century the creek became a major industrial waterway and before 1950, bulk-oil storage facilities nearby were spilling petroleum.  

An estimated 30 million US gallons of spilled oil, raw sewage from New York City’s sewer system and other accumulation from a total 1,491 sites were dumped. The creek was declared a federal Superfund site in 2010 which the NY Daily News says is “a designation that compels companies responsible for polluting the site to pay to clean it up.”

After many years of negligence Newtown Creek is getting some love. One of the many companies held responsible for polluting the Creek and admitting to dumping hazardous materials, Getty Petroleum Marketing Inc and Getty Terminals Corp., has agreed to pay $16,000,000 to help start the cleanup. This amount is the result of an agreement between Getty and the federal government as part of their 2011 Bankruptcy process.

Manhattan U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara said in a statement, “For more than a century, irresponsible industrial activities turned Newtown Creek into a tributary of toxic waste.” Today’s settlement ensures that Getty takes responsibility for its contribution to that sad legacy, and pays a fair share of clean-up costs at the site.”

The Environmental Protection Agency is currently taking samples from the creek in preparation for its $500 million cleanup that will take around a decade to complete. Hopefully by then more dolphins will appear in the water. 

Sources & Credits

Santa Photos

Mark your calendars: Santa photos 

December 6&7 from 1-4 p.m.
10-50 Jackson Av. Long Island City, NY.

• Santa Claus is coming to town! He will be visiting Long Island City on December 6th from 1-4 p.m. and Sunnyside on December 7th from 1-4 p.m. Local photographer will be available to capture the moment with Santa. While at Tiny You visiting Santa, do some holiday shopping and enjoy 20% off an item of your choice. We offer free holiday gift wrapping!

Flu season

Get your flu shot today! Find a flu clinic near you using the Flu Locator. Please call and check on vaccine availability before going to a pharmacy location.

New rental units to built on a Graveyard

Jackson Av & Orchard St

A giant new megaproject is coming to Queens Plaza in Long Island City, on the site of what was once a cemetery, owned by a family that settled there 350 years ago.

H&R Real Estate Investment Trust has teamed up with developer Tishman Speyer to built a "landmark luxury residential rental development" next to Gotham Center, an office building at Queens Plaza and 28th Street. Construction is set to begin in 2015, It will be a  42 stories tower with 1,600 rental apartments and 30,000 square feet of retail space, in addition to the regular amenities.

According to The New York Times The Van Alst family cemetery was rediscovered only a little more than a decade ago, after the city decided to rezone the mostly industrial tract for residential, retail and office development.

As part of the proposed rezoning of the development site in Long Island City by the City Planning Commission, an archaeological consulting firm, Historical Perspectives, was hired in 2000 to research the environmental impact.

The consultant found that in 1925, Harry Van Alst, a Queens lawyer who lived in Long Island City, received an anonymous telephone call informing him that workers expanding the West Disinfecting Company’s complex had unearthed bones and remnants of caskets, roughly at Jackson Avenue and Orchard Street. He had them moved to Cypress Hills Cemetery and reburied.

But the consultant was unable to determine how many family members had been buried in the family plot originally, how many had been removed earlier and how many were reinterred in 1925 in Cypress Hills, and concluded: “There is still the possibility that undisturbed burials exist within the potential development site.”

Sources & Credits