“Skip the chain shops lining this popular strip for homegrown stores.”

Austin Street makes it into Time Out New York’s “Best Streets to Shop” feature (Issue 654, April 10 - 16, 2008)! Eight little gems - including our personal favorite, Stoa - get their props in this collection.

“Argh, come visit me at Games Workshop!”

Yes, they mention The Body Shop - a chain, they admit - but despite the dominance of chains on Austin St., they need not rely on them for this article. Look at which stores they had to select for the other shopping strips they feature: CB2, Filene’s Basement, Lush Soaps, Loehman’s! They even give a shout-out to Laytner’s on the UWS. But the Laytner’s on Austin Street? Sorry, didn’t make the cut.

Looks like somethin’s cookin’!!

Hey, everyone, I’m back from my national lampoon of a European vacation, and imagine my surprise to see — well, very little new when I got back. However, I do have to mention one thing that caught my eye: a strange new store (or “shop,” as the British say) coming soon to the heart of Austin Street, in the location of one of the former leather-goods stores: It’s Your Internet, a place where you — yes, you! — can experience this very Internet in non-digital form. “Finally,” the sign cryptically boasts, “brick and mortar contains the Internet!” Uh, right!

In the window is a long, long list of all the things you’ll be able to do at It’s Your Internet. You can start a blog, just like this one! You can make friends on MySpace! But my favorite, hands down, is “learn AOL.” I can’t think of a better use of your Internet time. In 1996.

Look, the truth is I have no idea what this place is or what you can do there, besides learn AOL, of course. The website currently gives up precious few clues, even though I was under the impression it was my Internet. We’ll find out.

London and Barcelona were fabulous, by the by. I highly recommend both destinations. And thanks so much, Mickie, for contributing in my absence. Feel free to post all you’d like in the future.

Whew, the coast is clear. I’m finally in! Not since “Mission Impossible 8: Alternate Side of the Street Parking in Forest Hills” has the media seen such wire-splicing and infiltration.

Greetings, QC cuties. I’m helping Steve out while he is away. I’ve had a lot on my mind about central Queens since I discovered Queens Central last summer, and Steve has graciously accepted my application to contribute here.

I moved back here to my ‘home town’ in December 2004, after 15 years in Park Slope. I had moved there when it was very much Park Slump, and I enjoyed its steady rise to what it is today. I was last living on soon-to-be-overpriced 5th Avenue, when, during a classic “who should get rid of their precious NYC real estate” debate, my beloved uttered those three magical words we all long to hear: “two full bathrooms.”

Nu? Momma didn’t raise no fool, so here I am, back on the Boulevard of Death.

Speaking of which, Queens Boulevard is today’s topic. Ever since Steve said “go”, I have been wracking my brain trying to think of an introductory story that encapsulates my observations since I’ve been back in FoHi. Thursday morning, my spouse reported to me this great moment in FoHi congeniality.

Near the intersection of 71st Road and QB, a car hit the back of a truck. The driver of the car got out asked the truck driver for his insurance, and the truck driver screamed at the top of his lungs, “You want my insurance papers? You’ll have to suck my dick to get those!!” And the response from onlookers? A low, drawn out, “Oy,” from a local woman.

Before I head out on my big European vacation, I wanted to call attention to the awesomest Forest Hills feature in Time Out New York since the one that revolved around me (warning: formatting now completely screwed up). I subscribe to TONY, but thanks to jellystone anyway for tipping me off. You gotta admit you never saw this one coming: the Forest Hills pub crawl.

That’s right! TONY profiled bars in eight neighborhoods. Seven of those are widely known for their nightlife. But somehow the Hills made the cut, so there we are, right alongside such luminaries as the LES, Park Slope, Hell’s Kitchen, Harlem, the UWS, the UES and Williamsburg. Are we just the token Queens destination? Nah–if they wanted to hit up Queens, they could have done Sunnyside or Astoria or even emergent LIC, right? But they didn’t. And I don’t see Staten Island or the Bronx represented in there.

Read the rest of this entry »

In case you missed it, a self-professed Bonfire Grill co-owner confirmed in the comments today that the eagerly anticipated new restaurant will open this week, probably Thursday or Friday. Contrary to my previous suspicions about the place being smaller than the old Wine Gallery, it will, in fact, be slightly bigger. I’m off to Europe this coming weekend and probably won’t get the opportunity to go until I get back, so definitely sound off here or in the forums if you make it. And be gentle–new restaurants often come with growing pains.

Oh my, I have been gone for quite some time–you know, busy busy busy, etc. etc.–but on this Friday-night-slash-Saturday-morning, I wanted to check in and say that I have just returned from a late-night walk down Austin Street and was pleased to see the Bonfire Grill signage is pretty much entirely up on the old Wine Gallery storefront. Sorry, no photo, because I’m not one of those people who carries a camera around with me at 1 a.m. or, well, ever. Have I weighed in on Bonfire Grill? No? Well, allow me to do so: An Austin restaurant owned by the same people as two well-respected, successful Manhattan restaurants is a good thing indeed, and a bar scene that comes along with it is a very nice bonus.

Splitting Hairs somehow pushed her way inside earlier this week and coerced an opening date of March 10 (this Monday!) out of the owner. Also: There will be brunch! This is the most exciting debut in Forest Hills in a long time. I promise a report not more than a month after I eat there.

Does anyone know if the new place is smaller than the Wine Gallery was? It sure looks like it. Did the cleaners next door take over some of the old space?

Just got the word from an e-mail tipster that Ethan Allen on the QB is finished. Go raid it while there are still deals to be had. Six weeks from now, it’s gone. I did not know about this even though I live across the street. Go figure–it’s cold out.

I have mixed feelings about this. For one thing, it was a reasonably classy, high-endy business. However, it seemed like nobody ever shopped there–though supposedly they lasted 15 years. The big question: What could possibly replace it? All Ethan Allens, including this one, look like Ethan Allens. If nothing’s lined up already, we’re looking at a major renovation or a teardown job. Could be a great location for a big slivery thumb-in-the-air apartment building. Pinnacle II?

Austin Street shoppers are no doubt familiar with the two mini-malls on the north end of the street, a couple of blocks west of Continental (and thus located in the little-cited sub-neighborhood of Westcon). Both these mini-malls are quite unattractive, but one–the one that doesn’t have Garcia’s in it, the one that was going to be torn down for Heskel Elias’ “five-star luxury hotel”–looks substantially worse than the other. When I first saw it, it reminded me of a shopping arcade you might see in Bombay or something. It’s improved a bit since then, with the peeling brown pillars resurfaced and the promotional signage standardized, but I dunno, it still looks pretty bad.

I headed past there today and noticed that something cool is set to open in the mini-mall: “Ripe,” a juice bar with a full salad bar, panini, that sort of thing. Nice addition to the neighborhood, right? And it occurs to me that most of the stuff in the mini-mall is pretty interesting. Think about it: There’s an acclaimed Thai restaurant, a respected sushi place, the area’s only Greek restaurant, a comic-book store, a much-maligned-but-it’s-still-a-crepe-place crepe place, a skate shop, and now a juice bar. If you discount the Thai and the sushi, those are all things that don’t really exist outside of this particular unattractive shopping venue.

And I got to thinking: Why is that? Could it have something to do with the probability that in this horrible-looking monstrosity where businesses have to struggle to be noticed, rent is substantially lower? It can’t be a coincidence. There was an interesting thread on the forums a couple of weeks ago, when one of our more-enterprising members e-mailed hip Manhattan sex-toys-wigs-and-shampoo retailer Ricky’s and asked if they’d consider opening a store in FoHi. Ricky himself actually responded, saying they’d love to, but not at those prices. I don’t think it’s any secret that high rents are killing our chances of landing many of the businesses we want. Problem is, the neighborhood lacks a lot of retail space in less-prominent, lower-trafficked areas. The awful mini-mall, with its hideosity and business-unfriendly nooks and crannies, is a nice cheat. Let’s hear it for bad architecture, I guess.

Bamboo Moves hasn’t been in Forest Hills very long, but it’s already apparent that this is the kind of business we need more of around here. People have been clamoring for a farmer’s market for ages, and finally, someone is doing something about it. As reported in the forums, a message from the new yoga/dance/tai-chi studio above Fay Da:

Wouldn’t it be great to have a farmer’s market where you can buy fresh, organic, locally grown fruits, vegetables and more right here in Forest Hills? We want to make it happen but need your help. If you are in support of the project or just interested and/or curious, please add your name to the list posted at Bamboomoves. If you’re interested in helping facilitate/coordinate the project, please contact us directly. We will be arranging a meeting shortly and more details will follow.

Let’s hear it for farmer’s markets, let’s hear it for civic action, and let’s especially hear it for a business that really seems to want to do good for the community for a change.