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Please visit our new website at: http://edgeofthecityblog.blogspot.com and/or our Facebook Page.

All new posts will appear on either the new Blog or on the Facebook Page.

Thoughts, feedback, and patience much appreciated as I fine-tune things. There may be some bumps in the road as I transition content from the old site to these new ones, so hold on tight!

Thanks,

– Drake

Downright Balmy

The weather this afternoon here in Forest Hills has been just spectacular for approaching the middle of November and this weekend is looking like more of the same, with sunny skies and temps in the 60’s. Today’s beautiful weather offered up a great opportunity to capture some exceedingly pleasant photos of our neighborhood as the sun set on another work week.

 

Retailing on the Edge

From The NY Times:

N.Y. / Region

As Neighborhood Shifts, Chain Stores Follow

By CHARLES V. BAGLI

Published: November 12, 2010

Some residents lament the arrival of Duane Reade and Starbucks in Williamsburg’s main shopping district.

Homefront on Austin

Sounds to me like the Williamsburg folks are getting a bit ahead of themselves. If they want to see a good example of how chains came into a charming neighborhood loaded with independent stores and the two have learned to live nicely side-by-side they should journey on down to Park Slope.

Here in FoHi? Not so much. I think Austin is heavily outweighed by retail chains. And the independents we do have tend to be cell phone stores, hair salons, women’s clothing boutiques and optical stores. We can use some more quaint, creative independent shops in town. I always point to Homefront as an example of a charming little independent that gives Forest Hills that little special something.

Forest Hills High School Update

From Queens Chronicle:

Forest Hills HS is a ‘diamond in the rough’

The neighborhood school was among the few large high schools, defined as those with a student population exceeding 2,500, throughout the city to receive an A on the Department of Education progress reports for two years in a row.

Bedbug Pandemonium

Should we believe Roscoe, the bedbug sniffing dog?

From The NY Times:

N.Y. / Region

Doubts Rise on Bedbug Sniffing Dogs

By CARA BUCKLEY

Published: November 11, 2010

The growth of the bedbug detection industry may be outpacing the ability to ensure standards and accuracy.

Remember Their Sacrifice

Autumnal Orange

This evening’s gusty and chilly November weather made for some rather spectacular views of The Windsor, Kennedy House and Our Lady Queen of Martyrs Church as the sun set on Forest Hills.

It’s Finally Happened

Wintry Weather

Image via Wikipedia

It’s official – at 9:10 this morning I saw the first frozen precip of the season bouncing off my windows here in The Hills in the form of sleety ice pellets. This is pretty early for us. Usually we don’t see the first wintry weather until around Thanksgiving. I wonder if this is a sign of a snowy winter ahead?

Retailing it in Rego

Finally ventured over to the relatively new Rego Center this weekend to take a look and actually do a bit of shopping. I know I am rather late in giving this new mall which opened some time ago some blog attention, but what can I say? I haven’t had a chance ’til now!

Overall, I really like it – especially the Century 21 perched at the very top. This is a much better version of the original one downtown in Manhattan. It is much more spacious, sparklingly new of course, and free of millions of European tourists elbowing with you for that last decent-looking $10 dress shirt. What more could you want?

The subterranean CostCo is also a sight to behold. It is enormous, as CostCo’s tend to be. But as I debated signing up for the $50 membership, I couldn’t help repeating to myself: “But will I really ever buy any of this stuff?” Maybe a 10-pack of paper towels, yes. But a 4-box set of Cheerios? I gave that stuff up a long time ago for the natural varieties anyway, I ain’t going to be switching back now just because I can get it in bulk.

My sci-fi-geared mind also couldn’t help thinking of the next Stephen King novel – Does CostCo realize it has built perhaps the largest bomb shelter ever? Food and water to last years? Check! Deep underground? Check. Endless amounts of clothing? Check! An endless supply of DVD’s? Check! Oh, and plenty of aspirin and other drugs too. You really could live there forever if you had to.