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Showing posts with label we light up queens. Show all posts
Showing posts with label we light up queens. Show all posts

March 27, 2008

Queens Botanical Garden Giving Away Land?

Well not quite, so don't be alarmed. For those of you salivating at the though, better luck next time.

Per Splittinghairsinforesthills

In a rare instance of land literally being given away in New York, the Queens Botanical Gardens has set aside four 15-x-15′ plots of land for gardeners age 55 or older as part of their Senior Garden. If anyone is interested, call soon because the spaces within the plots fill up fast and are all taken by end summer.

The Giveaway Garden (there, I renamed it) is open Monday, Wednesday, and Friday from 9 a.m. to noon, and is located in the southwest quadrant of the QBG near the College Point Boulevard gate, a several-minute walk from the main gate on Main Street.

More information: 718-886-3800, x525


Sounds like something nice for older people who don't have a back yard to plant in. I'd be weary of someone swiping my Cherry Tomatoes or Basil. On that note, anyone who wants a 15 x 15 lot to plant in my back yard please call: (718) 762-... okay I've changed my mind.

March 26, 2008

Parking In Bayside Queens: A Rant and Rave

The area on and around Bell Boulevard in Bayside, has been declared by We Light Up Queens as an impossible place to park.

Next to the LIRR train station, thats pretty self explanatory.

On Bell Boulevard? No such luck.

Hmm a Muni-Meter spot is a safe bet right? Think Again.

Ah! Finally a spot on a quiet side street... Oh wait, no parking from 7 Am to 7 PM... F_ _K this I'm going home.

Just in case you all did not already know, parking around Bell Boulevard is nearly impossible during the day. It makes parking in Astoria look easy.

March 19, 2008

Gotham Gazette: Ten Reasons We Don't Have the Economy We Thought We Had

Ten Reasons We Don't Have the Economy We Thought We Had

Gotham Gazette

1. The Federal Reserve dropped the ball big time.

2. Outlandish Wall Street bonuses really aren't good for New York

3. The "You're On Your Own" economy does not apply to giant banks.

4. Credit card debt is no substitute for broad-based wage gains.

5. Low unemployment wasn't all good news.

6. Sub-prime lending did not give us record home ownership.

7. Government spending, it turns out, is pretty useful.

8. A college education might not get you a good job after all.

9. Having succeeded in keeping wages down, the White House is doing all it can to push prices up.

10. Ever-higher trade deficits do matter.

I really recommend reading the full article with the explanations for each of the reasons, the more who understand the causes the better. As cliche as it is "Knowledge is Power". This recession is only about 20% into it, and inflation is not helping things and you can blame the gas prices on the devaluation of the dollar hence why it is number one on the list.

Mike
welightupqueens@gmail.com

February 28, 2008

Calling Out Queens Residents!

We Light Up Queens is heading in a slightly new direction. We will now be accepting guest bloggers to cover unique stories, news or issues concerning Queens. If you are interested in contributing a post or a topic you want us to cover, you can contact us at WeLightUpQueens@gmail.com

We are looking forward to providing the readers with primary source information by means of interviews and surveys when possible.

Thanks,

Mike and Dom

February 23, 2008

Senator Frank Padavan Passes Lawn Litter Law?

I'm not really sure what the law is and what it restricts but here is what the article says:
I know I get a lot of lawn litter on and around my property in Flushing as I live next to a large Public School and the Mr. Softee likes to frequent the area. I hope this legislation does something, but chances are it won't. This sounds like the work of community board 11, if I had to guess.

In order to help homeowners throughout Queens ward off the nuisance of unwanted literature, fliers and advertisements I am offering a free official "Lawn Litter Sign" to place on their property.

You can pick-up your own "Lawn Litter Sign" at my district offices in Bellerose or Whitestone. My Bellerose office is located at 89-39 Gettysburg Street and is opened Monday thru Friday 9am-5pm. My Whitestone office is located at 15-26 14th Avenue and is open from 9am-1pm.

Sincerely,
Senator Frank Padavan
BaysideQueens

If you have any additional information on exactly what is going on feel free to email me at welightupqueens@gmail.com

February 21, 2008

Congestion Pricing = LOL?

I found this over at StreetsBlog.org, it has a contest going for who can make up the best punchline for or against congestion pricing.

One poster wrote:
"Don't Support More Money for Mass Transit! Gas prices are going to drop any day now."
I would write something like:

"When it takes you 5 hours to drive in to work and 10 minutes to drive to the Train Station, you will be taking mass transit anyway."

or

"Congestion Pricing: Funding a noisy bus route down a street near you!"

or

"Congestion Pricing: Puting a price cap on that MetroCard"

February 11, 2008

Hillary Clinton: Valentine's Day Edition


I came across this great blog today, Surberpictures if you follow politics you will get a kick out of it. There are parodies for all political parties.

Happy Monday

February 7, 2008

Sweet and Romantic Valentines Day Ideas and Tips Your Girlfriend will Love

We Light Up Queens' Top 15 Ideas and Tips for Valentines Day

Alright so hopefully most of you are realizing that Valentines day is right around the corner. Here is a list of little things and big things that can go a long way.

Remember preparation is key.
Impress your Girlfriend or Wife now, because on March 20th it will be SBJ Day.

Lets Start with Valentines Day gifts that wont cost you a penny!


* Please note that it is not advised to only give her a free gift.

1. Make a slide show of all the pictures you have together, usually putting them in chronological order has the best affect. Throw on some background music that will be meaningful and some love quotes there and there and magically in a 30 minute time span, you have expressed your love without breaking the bank or causing you a huge headache.

2. If the weather is warm enough, take her on a picnic in a scenic park or garden area.

*Not Free but still not so expensive.

3. Chocolates and Flowers

4. In depth Love letter; the longer the better. Sometimes being speechless about your feelings is a good thing but don't be redundant of the sake of length. Throw in some love quotes, use them in moderation this is from you to her not from the author of the quotes.

5. Buy her a little hand bag and put little notes or poems in each of the pockets. If you are really short on the cash you can do it to a bag she uses all the time so she finds them for weeks to come.

6. Pay close attention to recent conversations about things she likes or wishes she had done. Work off the information you collect and surprise the heck out of her when one of her dreams comes true.

* Probe her through general conversation about her favorite foods, deserts, restaurants and color
(something you should already know).

7. Prepare the house for a romantic evening.

Ex: Light a fire in the fireplace
Rose petals over the bed
Candle lit dinner
Soft background music
Red Christmas lights around the house
Roses everywhere
Red Ribbon
"I Love You" helium balloons
Cut out hearts in Valentines Day colors and stick them all over.
Valentines Day Candy ( Custom made ones score points)
Satin Sheets
Bubble Bath
Champagne
Lingerie and Handcuffs
Romantic Movies

8. Go to a restaurant and make all the arrangements ahead of time such as reservations, limo or taxi, also make sure she is dressed properly for the place.

* Trying out a new restaurant? Go there before hand and find out what they make good, and spend a lunch break there to verify for yourself. Food can make or break the evening, no one wants to head home feeling sick or dissatisfied because that will ruin all your hard work.

* If something goes wrong, stay cool. If you get nervous or upset she will too. Remember the night is about spoiling her, not you scoring points. ( if you can't do both)

9. Have romantic music on a Cd prepared for the ride over to the restaurant.

10. Be a gentleman, open doors, pull out chairs, wear that special cologne that drives her wild.

11. Arrange for the waiter to come and take your picture together.

12.
Send flowers to her workplace, but don't over do it and get her in trouble.

13. Make yourself look and feel like a million bucks, your unusual increase in confidence will really come across to her, and probably help the mood compared to Mr. Insecurity.

Get yourself all set up, The Checklist is as follows:
A. Haircut
B. Clean Shave
C. Extra Deodorant
D. Extra Cologne
E. Contacts if applicable
F. Work out for those extra cuts
G. Wash your car

* Mints and/or Gum is essential, make sure your breath is fresh before going in for a big sloppy kiss. Also offer her a piece before hand, you don't want to be turned down for a kiss because she thinks she has bad breath.

*Utilize bathroom breaks like a woman.
Fix your hair, brush your teeth to assure that there is no spinach in your teeth.
Bring a pocket sized cologne bottle to re-up on your irresistible scent.

14. Special Massage with Aroma therapy.

15. Late Night Themes Coupons ( very over used in the past but still good if your going to do that anyways)

January 30, 2008

The Anthropology of a Guido

Hello everyone, this is Anthropology 101. We will be discussing the anatomy of many different creatures, from extinct to endangered, from simple to complex, through their evolutions. Last week I believed we left off during a discussion of the of progression of what we are today, homo-sapien.

To refresh your memory, it all started off with Homo-ergaster, predominantly in Africa. Homo-ergaster evolved into homo-erectus who lived in Asia, and homo-antecessor who lived in Africa as well as Europe. From Homo-antecessor came Homo-rhodesiensis. These evolved into what we know as neanderthals, and what we know as homo-sapiens, or humans.

Are you taking notes? This is alot of information. Anyway, this is where we left off. Homo-sapien is not the final step evolution. Yes, many homo-sapiens still live today, but there is a fairly new species that lives among us.

From homo-sapien, a species that lives in the major 6 continents, we can derive a new species known as Homo-blowoutus. Homo-blowoutus (unlike the other prior species that aided in human progression and helped humans live in whatever situation they were faced, whether it be snow, extreme heat or starvation) is a fairly new, all male and, for lack of a better word, a dead-end species. Homo-blowoutus reside mostly in Northeastern United States (especially upepr-class urban parts of New York and New Jersey).

They are a pest to their fellow Homo-sapien. They take up space at places where homo-sapien enjoy to build their strength, and they create turmoil by making loud noises and excreting (along with sweat) a gooey substance from the hair atop their head (we will talk about their peculiar hair later in the lesson).

Homo-blowoutus breeding grounds, predominately locations known as "clubs" and "Armani Exchange" which are taking up precious space where homo-sapien could be adding to the value of land, by creating purposeful businesses and medical centers. While homo-sapien are every day helping out society, these pests are clogging up space.

Their massive egos eat up a large portion of bandwith, especially on websites known as "Myspace" "Youtube" or "Facebook." Anti-homo-blowoutus websites do exist but are dangerous, because they contain pictures and sometimes rare-footage of the homo-blowoutus, which is of course, wasted bandwith. And in turn the whole website ironically only aids their cause: attracting attention.

As I mentioned before, the peculiar spikes perched atop their heads, what they call "hair," attracts unwanted attention from homo-sapien. There have been many incidents of the clashing of sapien and blowoutus. Fortunately for the sapien, blowoutus' blaring weakness is their hair. When touched, they become paniced and full of rage. This rage, in turn, creates havoc and eventually more touching of the hair. They withdraw immediately to restore their "hair" to its prior state, usually returning back to its home nest or den. It is unknown why the hair is so important and what pain is caused to blowoutus when hair is touched, but extensive research is being conducted.
Oddly enough, these spikes lose their potency only a few years after the blowoutus has been erected. The spikes begin to recede and eventually diminish to the point of complete annihilation of the member of the species. Once the blowoutus tries to once again mingle with the sapien, it is ostracized.

Homo-blowoutus has been existent for almost half a decade, and its existence is finally being targeted. Younger members of the species are being instructed to turn back their ways and try to be sapien once again. Some have been saved, others have not.

Luckily for the sapien population, blowoutus are unable to reproduce with sapien. For reasons we are unsure of, their genitals are not only significantly smaller, but are not able to produce enzymes that aid in reproduction. Once again, for lack of a better word, they are sterile. It has been hypothesized that blowoutus has tried to reproduce with each other, and there is much evidence pointing in that direction.

The existent of blowoutus has remained at a steady number, but sooner or later these numbers will fall. If not, sapien will have to deal with a neighbor that it will never be accustomed to. If the blowoutus does not become extinct, some predict a war.

That's all the time we have for today, ladies and gentlemen. Get home safe.

Dom

January 26, 2008

We Light Up Queens: Meteor Strikes Blog

According the recent reports, the Flushing/Bayside, Queens based blog has been struck by a Meteor shower. Thankfully, no one was injured in this accident except for some html coding. No other Blogs are known to have been affected by this cosmic occurrence. Click here to watch a video of this horrific event.

No financial aid will be needed to get the blog back on its feet, however a link on your site will be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,

Mike
We Light Up Queens


January 25, 2008

Santa Endorses Smoking?

After my maiden voyage surfing StumbleUpon I came across this remarkable and humorous collection of old ads. It is amazing how times have changed. Definitely something that a "TRUTH" commercial would be criticizing.


Check it out at 10 Creepiest Old Ads

Thanks for reading,

Mike
Welightupqueens@gmail.com

Something Only Guys Could Relate To

Heres some light humor for your Friday.


I found this on www.CollegeHumor.com

January 21, 2008

The Cherry Valley Experience


Cherry Valley: Deli and Grill 12-29 150th Street, Whitestone New York 11357 Telephone: (718) 767-1937

Cherry Valley Deli and Grill, not to be confused with Cherry Valley Long Island, Cherry Valley in Upstate New York or Cherry Valley, Illinois. When I was first asked to go to Cherry Valley my mind was obviously in the gutter and I couldn't imagine where my friends were taking me. It did not look too special from the outside or on the inside however their food is phenomenal. Cherry Valley is the go to place when your craving a nice hero or something along those lines. For most of Queens, Cherry Valley is a nice ride on the Long Island Expressway/Cross Island or down Francis Lewis Boulevard, but trust me it is worth the trip. The sandwiches there average about 7 bucks but its price is justified by its taste. If you are on a strict diet, and refuse to at least try something pretty greasy, stop here this is not for you.Cherry Valley has 208 different meals available 24 hours a day in addition to a 24 hour Breakfast menu.

You can even check out their page for more information on their epic sandwiches. http://www.cherryvalleydeli.net/

Now the big question is which sandwich do I choose? This is probably the most controversial and most heavily debated topic among Cherry Valley lovers. My personal favorite is a "Beast" on a hero. ( Chicken cutlet with Bacon, Swiss, Onion Rings and Brown Gravy). The "TCS" is usually the beginners sandwich of choice (chicken cutlet with Brown Gravy and American cheese). Others swear by the "Bushman" ( Chicken cutlet with Bacon, Brown Gravy and American cheese), the "Corona" (chicken cutlet with Bacon, cheddar, Onion rings and BBQ sauce). "The Bomb" is also one of the highest regarded sandwiches at Cherry Valley. It is basically a Beast with grilled steak rather than a chicken cutlet. If you are a big fan of Roast Beef, then a "Fatboy" is for you. ( As you can already see there is a pattern here, and most of the sandwiches are a variations of each other.

Cherry Valley has been awarded many honors, check out their Testimonial page which is more like a Trophy case.

There are only a few downsides to Cherry Valley. First of all there is no eating area ( seats or tables), it truly is a deli settings where you have to resort to eating in your car or at home. 2nd is whether you are there at 2:00 in the afternoon or 2:00 in the morning there is always a line. Parking can be an issue sometimes too but usually isn't too bad. My advice to you is order ahead of time, it will save you 15 to 20 minutes.





The also have an email address you can reach a representative at info@cherryvalleydeli.net

Here is a quick link to Mapquest to aid you on your journey Mapquest Directions.

Whitestone Menu

There are also other debates between whether the West Hempstead location is better than the Whitestone. Another big debate this Cherry Valley versus Cristina's which is across the street from the Whitestone location.
(I wasn't impressed, but they do have places to sit down.)

Cherry Valley Deli & Grill in Queens

January 18, 2008

Queens Community Boards Go Online!

According to the Queens Tribune, community boards 1 through 14 can now access their respective community boards.

You can access the community board website at:
www.queenscb.org

“You can go directly to your local board to access all you need to know about your neighborhood,” Borough President Helen Marshall said during her State of the Borough Address, where the new Web site was unveiled.
Dan Andrews, spokesman for the borough president, said the president had wanted to bring the community boards to a broader audience.


I Think that this is a huge step in the right direction, since there are more people who have opinions and ideas and suggestions for their neighborhood than were regularly attending meetings. The website is still in its "beta" stage as I could not find any content concerning my community board (7). The format of the website also has a few kinks that I hope will be resolved shortly. I encourage you all to get involved since they are making it more viable for the full-time worker as well as the stay at home mom to make our needs heard. The boards are open once a month so make sure to keep up to date for the next meeting.

If you have any questions about www.queenscb.org you can call (718) 286-2900 for additional information.

If you are unsure of which Community Board district you live in here is a direct link to the list for your convenience.

Find Out Which Community Board District You Live In

Thanks for reading,

Mike, We Light Up Queens

January 10, 2008

Holiday Pet Attire: Tis the Season to be tortured?

Torture?, perhaps torture is too harsh a word. Although by definition torture can described by "intense feelings of suffering; acute mental or physical pain" - (Dictionary .com) which is fairly applicable. So what is this animal cruelty that I speak of? It's the act dressing up your pet, not for purpose but for your own amusement and entertainment. I agree that right about now that this could strike a sore spot with all animal lovers and owners who choose to "spoil" their pet with designer fashion, but sometimes you just have to think of the pet for a minute. If your pets looks something like "this" then maybe its not something for them. I do know of pets that do not mind the clothing, but c'mon people some owners are just blind to their own infliction of discomfort on their pets. If you are dressing up your pet because your house is cold or you are going to take them out of a walk on a cold or chilly day, that is a some what reasonable. Dressing up your pet thinking it will keep your house hair free during the shedding season you have mistaken. If you think dressing up your pet is going to keep them cleaner you have also mistaken. These clothes usually fit either very tight, or very loose on the pets. Think about it you had to wear a XXL Sweat Suit or a size double zero pair a jeans, I don't think you would be too happy for someone else's amusement. (unless that is your normal size) I have seen it with my own eyes, some pets could barely move in their outfits as well as seeing pets that look absolutely miserable with clothes on. I can't say that I am against all pet clothing, just please for the sake of your pets use some common sense, and avoid the apparent spread of the "Paris Hilton syndrome".

Below is my Top 10 List for signs that you should not be dressing up your pet anymore.

10. Your pet has a permanent "sad puppy dog face".


9. After wearing its Santa suit your pet now spends its time barking at and attacking Christmas decorations.



8. Your pets hair stands up after running across a carpeted room.



7. Your dog's sudden displeasure in being seen in public.



6. Your pet has changed colors.



5. Your dog waddles in its Halloween costume.



4. Your pet looks like this when you pull out a new outfit.




3. Your pet dresses better than you!



2. Your Yorkie now barks at higher pitch.



1. Your cat now looks like a Lawl or LOL Cat.










Please do not ask me for permission to use the posted images as I do not own the copywrite to them.

December 31, 2007

Happy New Years



I'd like to personally thank everyone for their support thought out this year. I have met many great people and plan to be great in 08! All of you new comers who are first finding my new blog thats for taking the time to read this since there isn't much here yet, and I plan to change that in the upcoming year.

Buon Anno everyone!

Mike