Some quick local items

• An Integrated Services Shelter for victims of domestic violence - the Queens Family Justice Center - opened in Kew Gardens, funded by none other than Joe Torre, whose mother was a victim of domestic violence. This will be a “one stop shopping” center for all facets of support, including legal, medical and pastoral services.
• Deadline for voter registration to vote in the Primaries is August 15. Besides that “other” political race going on right now, the entire New York State Legislature is up for election. (I’m sure you knew that already…)

And, appropos of nothing….

• Liza MInelli and Christopher Cross performed FOR FREE in Coney Island, Thursday, August 7, 2008, at 7:30 PM. Shows held at Asser Levy/Seaside Park at West 5th Street and Surf Avenue, across the street from the New York Aquarium. I know it’s not nabe-related, but I just had to post it!! Argh, too bad I couldn’t go!!

“…three banquets a day, our favorite diet!”

First, DESSERT:

yogomonster

 

A cool, tangy fro-yo seemed like the perfect snack on a classic hot and humid July day in NYC, and there I was with a golden opportunity to sample the goods at Yogomonster and have new blog material.

The fro-yo was good, if a little crunchy with ice crystals (maybe I got a bad swirl?), and it was almost as tangy and creamy as any of the current competitors, Red Mango, Pinkberry or Yolato. If you really want the pucker-face tanginess of acidopholus, go to Red Mango or Pinkberry, but if you prefer a more mellow fro-yo, Yogomonster is for you.

The decor is contemporary, spare and well-lit, and is similar in style to the other fro-yo chains - solid shapes of bright colors like fire engine red and school bus yellow contrasted with clear lucite and bold graphics. Another notable feature of Yogomonster is that they have branched out beyond “Regular” and “Green Tea” - the Tweedle-Dee and Tweedle-Dum, the Romulus and Remus, the Ashley and Mary-Kate, if you will, of the fro-yo flavor world.

As one teen girl put it so eloquently after she looked at the Yogomonster menu, she squealed a squeezy-toy squeal, and then huskily whispered to her friend, “OMIGOD, Nikki, they have…..FLAVORS!”

That’s right, you can get Green Apple, Strawberry, Blueberry or Mango fro-yo at Yogomonster. Take that, Flurt!

I went with the fro-yo-flow and ordered a small plain with some fruit toppings.

Definitely satisfying on a hot day, quite filling and I felt better about myself afterwards than I did when I used to have those amazing Ralphaccinos. Oh, how I miss them!

 

Next: STEAK!

PJ’s Steakhouse (73-11 Yellowstone Blvd. , at the old “Backdraft’s” location, 718-544-5757)  was a little sleepy on Sunday evening, but no matter, we had a great evening! There were four adults in our party, and we ordered The Porterhouse for 2 and the Rack of Lamb with Moroccan Spices. Yum! While some things were not perfect, the meat was top notch.

 

We are unrepentant carnivores and we have been to our fair share of NYC steakhouses: Peter Luger’s umpteen times, Capital Grille, Craftsteak and, our most recent all-around wonderful steak experience, BLT Steak. A couple of years ago, when schedules were lighter and the economy was better, my spouse and her business colleagues would take turns treating a bunch of us for dinner at local steakhouses. We made the rounds at many of the Peter Luger spinoffs, such as Blair Perrone (excellent, but now closed), Wolfgang’s (mixed experiences) and Ben & Jack’s (feh.)

So, we know the drill about ordering aged porterhouse “for 2, for 3,” served sliced, and presented in the slanted serving dish, propped up on one side on an overturned saucer, with sides of German potatoes and creamed spinach, and apple streudel with schlag for dessert. Hard to beat that formula!

We had lovely service and a great piece o’ meat! The steak definitely held its own against the big leagues. The flavor, cooking and texture was excellent. The lamb was also excellent, with great spcing and a soft, tender texture.

This photo is not very good (I don’t have a flash on my phone camera), but you can see the steak in front and the rack of lamb in the background.

The only drawbacks were the uninspiring side dishes. The creamed spinach and mixed vegetables (broccoli, cauliflower and carrots) were kinda blah. Not much better than the frozen types from the grocery store. The home fries were browned cubes of potatoes that were, frankly, dried out. I liked the taste of them, but next time I’d ask if they were fresh. Dessert was fine, nothing fabulous, but pleasing. We shared a lemon meringue pie and an espresso creme brulee.

BLT STeak is still at the top of our list in the “all around” (to borrow an Olympic-season phrase), but I would not hesitate to recommend PJ’s as a local option for marvelous meat.

 

If you’d like to participate in the Willets Point hearing, here are the details:

City Planning Commission
Wednesday August 13th
*NYU *Tishman Auditorium in Vanderbilt Hall
(south side of Washington Square South (West 4th Street), just east of
MacDougal Street).

The hearing should begin about 12 noon and each speaker will have 3 minutes

More information here:
http://www.nyc.gov/html/dcp/html/subcats/cpc_notice.shtml

“Secretive and rich, a little scary
Queens Boulevard, tempting boulevard
Waiting there to swallow the unwary”

The Transportation Alternatives press conference on improving safety and creating a bike lane on Queens Boulevard, held Sunday, July 27, was short, sharp and to the point: there is no reason why Queens Boulevard must remain an infamous “Boulevard of Death.” I’d say at about 40 people, including City Council Member James Gennaro, came to support the Rahman family and TransAlt. And I wasn’t the only one who raised an eyebrow or nodded knowingly during the two small but screeching near-misses between cars that occurred during the event.

Asif Rahman’s ghost bike

The press conference took place at the spot where Asif Rahman was run over by a truck in February of this year. This area is directly across the boulevard from The Queens Place mall and the popular Georgia Diner, an area that is in great need of better accommodations for pedestrians and cyclists. You can watch an excellent short video of the press conference, and hear excerpts from Asif’s mother and sister. Note the sign for Forest Hills to the left of the microphones!!

Photo: Forest City

The event got widespread local coverage on The Daily News, amNY, metro, Fox5News and  NBC. I’ve also been following the whole bike lane issue the last couple of months in the local blogosphere and in the neighborhood papers, and I’ve noticed some consistent themes in the comments.

1. People who ride bicycles on NYC streets, especially those who actually use QB, are thrilled and excited.
2. People who know victims of car accidents (pedestrians, cyclists and other drivers) praise efforts to make major thoroughfares safer and calmer.
3. Nearly all the other comments say, “why bother? It’s only going to cost money, cause more accidents and not solve the problem. As long as bicyclists and pedestrians continue to ignore traffic rules and the right of way of cars, they’ll continue to be killed. The victims were too old, too slow or too foolish.”

The resignation, absolute certainty of failure, and blaming of the victim is so classic New York, it could have been written by a Norman Mailer. I once read that New Yorkers are experts at presenting opinion as fact, and it shows. The comment about bike lanes being the cause of more accidents really takes the cake. I’d like to see that data!

And, by the way, have you noticed that folks who post anti-bike comments, who rail against reckless, foolish and lawless pedestrians and cyclists, usually have screen names like “Ninety5rpm” or “race-car-driver?” Here’s a tip, Dale Earnhardt, Jr.: those screen names aren’t exactly helping your cause. Next time, try posting as “ITurnSignals” or “Never-pass-on-the-right,” and I’ll take you a little more seriously.

The press conference

Transportation Alternative’s Deputy Director Noah Budnick (below) introduced the campaign to make Queens Boulevard a “complete street” - meaning a street with “human-friendly signal timing, bike lanes…streets that are sensitive to the needs of all road users.” Despite a welcome reduction in fatalities in recent years, approximately 100 bicyclists and pedestrians are struck on QB each year.

 

Asif’s mother, Lizi, and sister, Moumita, spoke very movingly. They described Asif’s love of bicycling, poetry and community involvement.  Before the crash, they had never really taken a look at Queens Boulevard. Once they saw the crash site and the rest of QB, they were astounded that no bicycle safety measures exist on the road. The historical lack of concern for bike safety on QB is shocking, and the pedestrian safety measures made in 2001 should not be the end of improvements. How many more people need to die on Queens Boulevard before changes are made, they asked.

    
Councilmember James F. Gennaro (D) (Fresh Meadows) represents the area where the Rahmans live, and has joined them every step of the way in this endeavor. He held up his bike helmet (see below) and said that he wears one whenever he bikes, but a helmet will do nothing to save you when you’re run over by a truck. As Lizi Rahman affirmed later, when her son’s body was found, “Asif’s head and face didn’t have a scratch,” painting a horrifying and sad image of what must have happened.

Councilmember Gennaro’s staff distributed a letter he wrote to the Bloomberg Administration, co-signed by Council Members John Liu and Eric Gioia, calling for a improved safety and a bicycle lane on Queens Boulevard.

Gennaro also echoed what others have said - Let’s face it. Cyclists will continue to use Queens Bouelvard. Bicyclists use QB for the same reasons cars do: it is the most direct way to get into Manhattan. Especially with current gas prices, popular concern about the environment, and improved bike lanes throughout the rest of the city, the number of recreational and commuter cyclists in Queens will only increase. Yet, despite it’s infamous moniker of “The Boulevard of Death”, Queens Boulevard was not included whatsoever in the Mayor’s 2006 3-year, 200-mile plan for safer bicycling in NYC

Queens Boulevard is, at some areas, twelve lanes wide, and is treated by many drivers as a highway. Similar thoroughfares in other boroughs (such as Eastern Parkway) have been improved and beautified. Ocean Parkway in Brooklyn has had a separated, protected off-street biking and walking lane since 1894. Even the Grand Concourse in the Bronx - possibly the second most dangerous road of its kind in NYC -  enjoyed years of car-free Sundays until 1996, and revived in 2006.

Ocean Parkway, arial view (www.nycbikemaps.com)

Ocean Parkway (www.nycbikemaps.com)

Shouldn’t a modern, cosmopolitan society in 2008 be motivated to make changes to a street called “The Boulevard of Death?”

“Queens Boulevard, ruthless boulevard
Destination for the stony-hearted
Queens Boulevard, lethal boulevard
Everyone’s forgotten how they started
Here on Queens Boulevard!”

Pardon my taking license with another Broadway musical, but I couldn’t resist.

(apologies to Andrew Lloyd Webber, Don Black and Christopher Hampton.)

Just some quick notes today. I will follow up soon with reviews of Yogomonster, PJ’s Steakhouse and a full report on the Queens Boulevard safety press conference.

• Forest Hills girl wins Queens Library mascot-naming contest!! Now, “Readaleena the Reading Bug” buzzes through books this summer! Awww, she is so cute! (Photo from Queens Courier)

• Transformer in front of Key Food at 71st Road and north side on QB blows up on Sunday morning.  Some power lost in wee hours of the morning. Con Ed on scene most of day.

 

       

• Barbara Corcoran calls Forest Hills “idyllic.” No hint of her previous advice to pave paradise and put up a driveway. (Scroll down)
• QueensCentral blog continues with Broadway musical themes in its post titles.

I got this from TAQC Chair Mike Heffron the other day and I’ve been lax in my duty to post it. I know that ForestHills72 already posted it, but I’ve been under the weather this week and sleeping a lot. Summertime illnesses are giant bummers!! Stay healthy, everyone, especially on the Big QB!

Transportation Alternatives along with CM Jim Gennaro’s office will be having a press conference to kick off our campaign for a Safer Queens Blvd. Here’s the info:

WHEN: Sunday 7/27 12pm
WHERE: Queens Blvd and 55th Rd at Asif Rahman’s Ghost Bike
WHY: To make Queens Blvd safer for pedestrians and cyclists

CM Jim Gennaro will be there, hopefully some other electeds too. We will be calling for a physically separated bike lane and pedestrian improvements along the length of Queens Blvd. Ped improvements include, but are not limited to, increasing pedestrian crossing times or even leading pedestrian intervals (LPI), mid block crossing and reducing turning conflicts between cars and people. I want to stress, this is not just for a bike lane, pedestrians still are struck with frequency along Queens Blvd and they need our help too.

Queens Blvd doesn’t actually run through Gennaro’s district but Asif Rahman, the young man who was struck and killed along Queens Blvd, was one of his constituents. He is responding to pleas from Lizi Rahman, Asif’s mother, to do something about Queens Blvd. And after all, this is not some little street in one neighborhood, this is Queens Blvd. Changes here will effect everyone in Queens for the better, whether or not it runs through ones neighborhood.

What we want more than anything is for people to come out to the press conference and start the campaign strong. The whole thing shouldn’t be more than an hour. I think it’s fair to say that it’s because of blogs like yours that this ball has gotten rolling so quickly. A small mention was made about revisiting Queens Blvd and that spark very quickly turned into a fire.

…otherwise known as The ‘E’ Train!!

August 3, 12008 - UPDATE:

As discussed in the forum, the local news media picked up the “HOT” story (couldn’t resist) of lousy a/c on the E train. The E train is at the bottom of the ice bucket, according to this cool chart from The Daily News, and the only line that didn’t break the 90% pass rate.

Photo: Newsday

Only 83% of the E train cars were 78 F degrees or cooler, and if you think that’s not SO bad, consider how warm a threshold 78F is. Who’s idea was that, some skinny people with no body fat like Ashley and Mary-Kate? I bet if the threshold were set at a more comfortable level, such as 73F, many more cars would fail.

I ride the E train everyday to the World Trade Center, and it bewilders me to see groups of tourists - both foreign and domestic, native-English-speaking and those learning a few phrases - sitting in hot cars. If I walk through one, I even tell people, “It’s very hot in here. The a/c is broken. You can move to a cooler car, you know.” And they just look at me like I’m just wishing them a good morning. I know that the London Underground does not have a/c, but that doesn’t mean you have to suffer like back home

********************************

Just as I was about to start this entry, QC Forum participant nycdude posted this form-letter response from the MTA:

07/22/2008 10:23 AM This is in response to your recent e-mail message to MTA New York City Transit regarding the cooling system on our subway cars.

We regret any unpleasant conditions you have encountered in the subway. Our subway cars are designed so that the air conditioning comes on automatically when the temperature of the car exceeds 71 degrees Fahrenheit, and the heat comes on when the temperature drops below 54 degrees Fahrenheit. Unfortunately, an air conditioning or heating unit may sometimes malfunction during the course of a train’s run. Our maintenance personnel will continue their routine inspection of all climate control systems to ensure that they are functioning properly.

In the future, should you have further transit-related concerns, we will need a car number or employee badge number so that we can investigate the problem and take the appropriate measures as warranted. You may contact Customer Services at (718) 330-3322, open from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., weekdays, to report this information.

We take the concerns of our customers seriously and thank you for bringing this matter to our attention.

La Wanda C. Green
Associate Transit Customer Service Specialist II

Thank you, nycdude, for posting that.

Now, my questions for QC readers are:

1. Who among us is going to write down or memorize the car numbers of the E trains with broken a/c systems? I’m actually not being rhetorical. Let’s keep a log!
2. When I’m stuck in a hot car on the E train, I try to open at least two windows to get some air circulation. Invariably, someone will snap at me, saying, “You’re only making it worse!!!”

When subways cars didn’t have a/c (uh…my grandparents told me about it…), the ceiling fans were on and the windows were open. Even during the 1980s, when a/c was standard but usually broken (my parents told me about that…), people would gladly open car windows. That’s how you knew a car was hot when it pulled into the station.

So, dear readers, what do you think? Is a subway car with no a/c but a couple of open windows worse than a completely sealed car with no a/c, in the hopes you’re containing that one last pint of formerly cold air?

Just a quick note about COOLING CENTERS in the QC area. A cooling center is “a facility, such as a senior center or community center, where people may go to enjoy air-conditioned comfort during a heat emergency”, according to the NYC Office of Emergency Management (OEM). During heat emergencies, the City may open cooling centers. If cooling centers are open, call 311 (TTY: 212-504-4115).

• Selfhelp Austin Street Senior Center, 106-06 Queens Blvd
• Young Israel Forest Hills Senior League, 68-07 Burns St.
• Forest Hills Senior Center, 108-25 62nd Dr.
• Young Israel Queens Valley Senior Center, 141-55 77th Ave.
• Rego Park Senior Center, 93-29 Queens Blvd.
• Pomonok Senior Center, 67-09 Kissena Blvd.

I also know that hospitals, such as North Shore (the old “LaGuardia Hospital”) on 102nd Street and 66th Road, let’s folks sit inside there on hot days, and provides beverages.

You can find more cooling centers around NYC by using the search page on the OEM website.

Check up on your neighbors you think might be in danger from the heat (elderly, folks with small children, pets left in no a/c all day…) to make sure they are doing okay in the heat!! Be cool!

I bet you’re all a-tingle to find out about the inner workings of that super-secret, anti-pedestrian, anti-car, anti-dog-and-cat group, the Transportation Alternatives Queens Committee. Luckily, your humble and intrepid blogger was able to pose as an avid recreational bicyclist and infiltrate the group to bring you these de-coded secret messages of bicycle world domination!

OK, kidding aside, it was a very interesting meeting with lots of friendly people, plus free water bottles and snacks! I am happy to report there was more acknowledgment of Central and Eastern Queens this time. Notice they dropped the “W” from their name (for “Western Queens”)?

They know they’re heavy in their Western Queens emphasis, but frankly, they simply don’t know much about nabes east of Woodside. Fear not! They are very willing to learn! I think there will be more activity and attention paid to the rest of the borough in the near future.

Like I’ve written before, me and the DW love riding our bikes around town, and we have discovered so many great areas of Queens that we would never otherwise know about. I’ve lived my whole life in Queens and Brooklyn, and I’ve seen and learned more about Queens by bike in the 3 years I’ve been back than in all my years growing up here. It took us about four seasons to build up our skill and confidence as urban riders, and the newer and clearer bike lanes make us better bicyclists. What a difference we saw during a recent ride through Sunnyside, Jackson Heights and Corona, using the improved 43rd Avenue and 37th Avenue bike lanes - cars gave us more room, drivers nodded and smiled at us, and I noticed I made fewer “dumb moves.” We also stopped to look at our maps less frequently.

Central Queens would definitely benefit from better bike lanes and traffic calming. For example, I’d love to see better traffic control, pedestrian safety and some bike lanes at Trader Joe’s! That intersection is a nightmare.

Last weekend, I took a lovely ride from FoHi to St. John’s University and back (6 miles each way), using the Jewel Avenue and 73rd Avenue bike lanes. The improved pedestrian and biking markings and signage made a big difference. Cars and bikes shared the roads very well, and I felt much more relaxed than on unmarked streets. Now, if someone could only straighten out those hills….

Anyway, let’s move on to the recap. Here are a few of the major topics discussed:

Bike Lane on Queens Boulevard

Lizi Rahman came to the group and spoke about her son Asif’s death, and her commitment to fight for increased bicycle safety - and, ultimately, getting a bike lane painted on Queens Boulevard. Asif, 22, was run over by a truck while riding his bicycle on Queens Boulevard near Grand Avenue in February. Mrs. Rahman, a school teacher, was calm and focused, and spoke very movingly about her son’s love for life, poetry, people and bicycling. His death should not be in vain, she said, and so many lives can be saved by installing a bike lane on QB.

This is probably the hottest bike-shaped potato for Queens since congestion pricing. Don’t panic, and stop pulling your hair out. It’s not like this is going to happen next week. In fact, it might even take years. TAQC will be starting some preliminary outreach on the project.

I think it would be an awesome ride, from Briarwood all the way to The Bridge by bike, not too mention save lives. I know that residents are going to worry about the potential impact on parking, small businesses and buses. The TAQC is very interested in reaching out to community groups, newspapers, small business owners and residents in each neighborhood along QB for input and support.

Feeder rides from Queens to “Summer Streets”

You may have heard that Park Avenue in Manhattan will be closed to traffic for 4 hours on each of 3 Saturdays in August. This is part of the PlaNYC program to encourage green-tourism, exercise, creative use of public spaces, and experiment with car-free streets on a limited basis. The TAQC will organize group rides from Queens to the Summer Streets. Let’s hear it for the suggestion from guess who to start a ride from the Unisphere (or maybe even The Queeens Courthouse!)

The deets: August 9th, 16th and 23rd, from 7 AM to 1 PM, Park Avenue-Fourth Avenue will be closed to car traffic from 72nd Street down to the Brooklyn Bridge.

Let’s play Skully!

TAQC is interested in planning a “Play Street” - kinda like a block party, but focusing on street games like stickball, skully (skelzy, skelzies, skelly, etc.), saloogie, “running bases” or bocce. There’s one in Jackson Heights every Sunday morning (through Thanksgiving) for this safe, community-building and video-game-free activity. How about one in FoHi? Any suggestions?

Traffic-calming project for Astoria Boulevard

Trucks and cars often use Astoria Boulevard as a “back road” to escape Triborough Bridge traffic. The result is increased peril for pedestrians. According to the TAQC, 11,000 people use the subway station there every day, but the intersection of Astoria Boulevard and 31st Street is hazardous and designed poorly. The Traffic Calming Committee will be counting pedestrians and bicyclists at the intersection, and is looking for volunteers. Join up!

Try-athlon in Astoria Park!

Show how all your hard work at Quest or the NYSC has paid off, but at the same time, don’t kill yourself or do anything crazy! You might get a heart attack or a stroke or something! Instead of busting a vessel overexerting yourself, like running 26 miles, try the “Try-athlon” , August 23. Sign up for an un-timed, non-competitive half-mile swim, 12-mile bike ride and 3-mile run in an around Astoria. Hurry! Registration limited to 200 jocks!

Other items and projects:

• Sunnyside Block Party, August 10th
• Socrates Park Film Festival and valet bike parking
• Checking the hazards on NY Century Bike Route
• Speak up about the Willets Point Development Project, August 13, City Planning Commission hearing at NYU

Saw these signs taped around the neighborhood, and I figured I’d post it here, too, for those who haven’t seen it.

 

Besides, QueensCrapper has been posting a some hot “found dog” stories - even a lost dog from Queens found in GA alive and well years later - and I’m feeling the peer pressure.