Sandy Update

This should have gone up over a week ago, but the strains of other parts of my life delayed it.  As the photos below show Sandy reaped a bit more havoc even in my immediate part of Woodside.  And as we all know the effects on gas supplies remain.  Last Sunday the BP station on Queens Boulevard across from the Big Six Towers was hit with gas line, both for cars and people with jerry cans, sorry no pictures of that -- had forgotten to reinsert the memory card in my camera.

Surviving Sandy in Woodside

I hope and assume that if you are reading this, you are safe.  It was difficult to get a picture of  Hurricane Sandy at its worst at night, and this one taken yesterday afternoon does not do justice to the force of the wind even in the afternoon, but the howling in our buildings' hallway as well as outside will stay in my memory for a long time.

Now that the worst is over, it is clear that in Woodside we escaped the worst and for that we should be thankful.  According to ConEd's information, four of the five outages in our area are affecting single customers, while the remaining outage is affecting 11 customers.  That may mean those outages will be lower priority and slow to be restored, which will be a big inconvenience for those involved,  I haven't been out and about since before the storm, but from my balcony I could not see any trees down, but that is very much a preliminary assessment based on limited information.  Our hearts go out to those who suffered more, even as we begin to consider how to deal with the disruption we will face in the coming days as the MTA deals with flooding it suffered.  I hope those of you who read this are safe.

Jin's Big Apple Goes Organic

Ever since I returned from vacation, I've been so busy that I have not had the creative energy to keep this blog going on a weekly basis.  It isn't that there aren't things to write about.  There are, but it takes spare thinking time to recognize them.  For example, on return I couldn't help but notice the improvements the folks at Jin's Big Apple had done.  The new shelves were to be honest badly needed,  and it was nice to see the expansion of their organic products so that now they are only carrying organic dairy products.  Yet even with my concern about food, the obvious need to note this hear just didn't come into my head, chocked full of concerns about my new part-time teaching gig as it was.  Yet, really I think this is a great thing for our neighborhood,  and it is yet another sign that the limited availability of local and organic problem does not reflect lack of interest on the part of Woodsiders.

Queens Walk to End Alzheimers 2012

Not exactly a Woodside event, but it was great to see several hundred people turn out
for the second annual Queens Walk to End Alzheimers in Flushing Meadows.   Saw a group representing Sunnyside, but none officially representing Woodside, perhaps that will change
next year.

Local Foods Availability, Is Woodside Falling Between Two Stools?

On returning from vacation, I was pleased to learn that our Councilman Jimmy Van Bramer was involved in setting up a new food program in the Queensbridge housing to allow for greater availability of fresh locally grown fruits and vegetables.  The situation in Long Island City was especially bad, as it often is in areas of low-income housing.

Here in Woodside we have several fruit and vegetable shops to choose from, not to mention supermarkets, and two excellent butchers, so at first glance there would seem little reason to be concerned.  Yet, since moving here a year and half ago, I've been struck by the fact that the vibrant local food cultures in Jackson Heights and Sunnyside seem to be leaving Woodside behind.  To be sure with green markets in both those locations, I can't say it would make sense to have a green market here in Woodside, and I have heard there is a Community Supported Agriculture program based at St. Jacobus at 72-01 43rd Ave, but that is hardly at the center of Woodside.  Nor does it seem to be well publicized and I suspect I'm not alone in thinking we can do better.

It would be great if we didn't have to hop on the 7 train to get great locally produced foods.  If you are a Woodsider, and you've never done so check out the Green Market in Sunnyside on Skillman Ave between 42nd and 43rd Streets on Saturdays June to December or the one in Jackson Heights on 34th Ave between 77th and 78th Streets, which is open Sundays year around to get a feel for what we are missing.  It's not just locally grown fruits and vegetables, you can by meats and excellent locally caught fish, and even New York State wines but if you don't know about these outlets for great food it is easy to think there is no real need for to add to the diversity of quality food available in Woodside.

Immigrant Games

My apartment looks out on a park, and every Sunday from the time I wake up until dusk men are playing organized games of soccer.  These aren't pick up games, every team wears a uniform and there are referees and linesmen.  In the course of the day vendors come out and sell food, and people make a day of it.  The language of course is Spanish, and the players hardworking immigrants. Given that these men probably work jobs that tire them out during the week, their dedication is impressive, and the fact that they have an organization.  The man I spoke to, said his father organized it 20 years ago.  He and his father don't play, but they keep this going allowing teams to join each year.  That dedication and the dedication of the players ready to tire themselves out a sixth or seventh day of the week just fun, is a tribute to these people's ability to make a place for themselves in our, and now their land.

Woodside Clean-Up Day 15 July 2012

About 50 or so people showed up on Sunday July 15 at 61st and Roosevelt to spend a couple of hours cleaning up Woodside.  Sure it was hot and muggy, but it made us feel better.  Even my kids, who could have found "much better things" to do agreed it was nice.  Nothing builds community like believing in the idea of community.

                       Jalisa, aged 7, helping out along the Long Island Railroad right of way.

Our Congressman Joseph Crowley,  Joseph Onorato, the State Senator from Western Queens, and our Council Member Jimmy Van Bramer were all there and before the clean-up took some time listening to constituents.

Woodside Clean-Up

Jimmy Van Bramer and Rep. Michael Crowley have scheduled a Woodside clean-up day this Sunday July 15 between 12 and 3 at Roosevelt and 61st Street.  See you there.

Budget Deal Keeps Queens Libraries Open

If you haven't heard the City Council and Mayor Bloomberg reached a budge deal on Tuesday, and the good news for Queens Library is that the agreement will forestall any layoffs and will keep all existing Queens library branches open at least 5 days a week.

Queens Library CEO and President Thomas Galante praised the deal remarking “Our City’s elected officials have continued to face tough choices. Library users owe a debt of gratitude to Mayor Michael Bloomberg; City Council Speaker Christine Quinn; Finance Chair Domenic Recchia, Jr.; Cultural Affairs & Libraries Chair Jimmy Van Bramer; Libraries Chair Vincent Gentile; Deputy Majority Leader Leroy Comrie and the whole City Council for their leadership.”

I would add that anyone who made their voice heard on this issue should also give themselves a pat on the back, because I'm sure it helped strengthen the hand of library supporters including our Councilman Jimmy Van Bramer.

The Budget Cut Threat to Queens Libraries

Nearly two weeks ago our councilman Jimmy Van Bramer led a demonstration to protest the proposed budget cuts to our libraries.  I've known they were bad, and if I hadn't had other obligations would have attended, but I thought I'd better find out more, and boy if the cuts go through as Bloomberg has proposed the effect will be drastic.

According to the fact sheet I got from the Queens Library.  18 Queens libraries would be closed and 30 libraries open 2 or 3 days a week, with only one open on Saturday.  All this at a time when because of the tough economy libraries are a valuable resource for jobseekers and others trying to keep up with new books and ideas.

Hats off to Jimmy Van Bramer for making this a priority, but he and the Queens Library needs your help.  If you haven't already done so make your voice heard by going to this link to register your support of the Queens Library and let officials know how you value libraries

Jimmy Van Bramer in Woodside on June 16

If you have not heard, our councilman Jimmy Van Bramer  and his staff will have their mobile office at the Child Center of NY at 60-02 Roosevelt Ave this Saturday June 16, 2012 between 12 noon and 3 pm.   If you have some business you need to discuss with him or have just never had the chance to meet him because of your work schedule, this will be a great chance.  I'd go, but in my case, Saturday is one of my work days.

Woodside's charm.

Tree-lined streets are commonplace in Queens, but so too are streets laid out on the grid.  With Sean Og's Pub at its northern end off of Woodside Avenue and the bend for no apparent reason on its way to Queens Boulevard, 60th Street is always a pleasure to walk down that is reminiscent of a hodgepodge street plan of an old world city.  I don't know the history of that jog, and I can't imagine there wasn't a logistical reason for the city planners to break out of the grid pattern for this one street, but it does break up the monotony.

Mr Chicken

In my last post I mentioned Mr. Chicken.  We have had their rotisserie chicken now twice, and finally had their fried chicken Sunday.  I was a bit concerned before ordering because one Yelp review said their fried chicken had been a bit burned, but ours wasn't.  It was crispy, fresh and delicious, and Mr. Chicken's Mac and Cheese, braised Kale, and roasted beets are wonderful.  If you haven't done so, check them out for delivery, they are the kind of small business Woodsiders should want to make sure becomes a fixture in our neighborhood.

Woodside Economy on the Upswing?

It is tricky pinpointing when an economy, even a local one, is improving.  When the Woodside Mini-Mall opened in the old restaurant space on 60-19 Roosevelt last summer and Pudgies chicken place two doors down at 60-29 Roosevelt I saw no broader significance.  Likewise when the Big Six 99 cent store opened it mostly brought a sigh of relief because that space in Big Six Shopping Center had been vacant so long.   Yet the opening of the Mr. Chicken takeaway at the corner of 53rd and Roosevelt, of the Ottomanelli's new Burger joint at 60-15 Woodside Ave, and now of Woodside's very own Polish store Bursztynek at 61-08 Woodside Ave. within the past four months suggests a trend that we in Woodside will all benefit from, hopefully for years to come.

Welcome to Woodsider Insider

Do you live in Woodside, NY? Thinking of moving here? Or just want to get to know more about this fine Queens neighborhood? Then this blog is for you.

I've lived in Woodside for just over two years, although I've been coming here regularly since moving to NYC in 1999. So I'm not going to pretend to be an insider in the sense that I grew up here and this is my life-long turf, but I am here now and I love it and don't anticipate leaving,

I'm happy to let other people know what's what in a vital neighborhood in Western Queens. Look here for information about Woodside life and community affairs, whether it has to do with the nice mix of restaurants, stores old and new that serve the community, the activities of local organizations or local quality of life concerns.

That said, while I hope people will come to see the Woodsider Insider as a great online source about Woodside, I write as an unaffiliated member of the community. I'm not a real estate agent looking for clients or the leader of a local organization, even as I recognize realtors, local businesses and organizations make this community what it is, so if I like something I'm going to shout about and if there is something going on that isn't right I'm going to let you know about that too.