The Rise of Queens

🌳The weather is looking up and Spring is just a few days away. Mega Millions is closing in on $800 million and tonight is another chance to try your luck. The trees are coming alive and the governor is getting tough on crime. Opening day is just around the corner and March Madness will take over your office soon.

The News
City Headlines

🛫LaGuardia Airport has finally made it. Like a struggling New Yorker, the often criticized airport has made a stunning turnaround and has gone from worst to first, according to a new survey. The city spent $8 billion to modernize the airport and it looks like it's finally paid off. The airport achieved a new milestone last year by serving over 32 million travelers.

👮🏻‍♀️Governor Kathy Hochul is keen on preventing New York from turning into San Francisco. After deploying the National Guards into the Subway system last week, she's turning her attention to retail theft by proposing harsher penalties and potentially deploying the State Police. This news comes at the same time as mall operator Westfield is attempting to leave Fulton Center due to crime.

🏡Queens might be the next Brooklyn. Manhattan rental prices are slightly down compared to last year while Brooklyn and Queens continue to climb. Neighborhoods in Queens have seen double-digit gains while Brooklyn has seen increases but at a much slower pace. It's not surprising to me because Queens overall is safer than many parts of Brooklyn. However, many may like the edginess of Brooklyn better. It's thrilling to walk from one block to the next!

📖The New York Public Library will be losing $58.3 Million in funding in the upcoming budget. This will force them to operate on a five-day schedule instead of the current six. I use the library quite often, and it offers many free activities to New Yorkers who have a library card. If you would like to help prevent this cut, you can sign a petition to show your support.

❄️Winter is almost over and it was another mild one. While we did get 7.5 inches of snow in Central Park, it wasn't the fluffy white kind that everyone loves. Instead, it was wet and slushy and very rain-like. We did beat last year's record low of 2.3 inches, but unfortunately, we fell short of the seasonal average of 29.8 inches. Kids, photographers, and skiers were all disappointed this year.

Things to do

• St. Patrick’s Day Parade starts at 11:00 am on Saturday, March 16^th . The Parade begins on 5th Avenue at 44th Street and ends on 5th Avenue at 79th Street.

• United Airlines NYC Half Marathon is on Sunday at 7:00 am, March 17th. While it’s too late to enter, you can watch and cheer the runners on as they will be run through Times Square and into Central Park.

• Fotografiska Human / Nature exhibition is comprised of 14 international artists whose work explores, in various ways, humankind’s fraught and mutually beneficial relationship with nature.

• The Society of Illustrators is hosting NYC’s largest independent comics & cartoon festival.

Let’s Eat

• Janie’s makes pie crust cookies on the Upper West Side. Seems odd but people seem to love them, so much that they sell out.

• Il Corallo Trattoria has been in Soho for over 30 years. It’s been my go-to place for Italian when I need something cheap and good. While it’s not that cheap these days because of inflation it's still quite the value, especially at lunch. They are known for their seafood pastas but the wood fired pizzas are also delicious.

• Caffè Panna, the ice cream shop from Hallie Meyer, the daughter of Danny Meyer, usually has long lines in the summer for their ice cream and affogatos. You might want to go now before the weather turns warmer.

The Hood
At the Park

🏨Gramercy Park is one of my favorite neighborhoods in New York. It is a beautiful area with many great restaurants and cafes. Although this one-bedroom apartment might seem a bit expensive at $4250, it does come with outdoor space and is located in a building designed by Phillipe Starck. Unfortunately, it does not have access to the famous private park there, but you will only be a few steps away from enjoying great ice cream at Caffè Panna. 

Queensway

🚌The funding for the Queens version of the High Line project is progressing. The U.S. Department of Transportation has recently announced that the city will receive $117 million for the Queensway Project. Similar to Manhattan's High Line, the Queensway Project aims to transform the abandoned LIRR railroad tracks at the former Rockaway Beach Branch (RBB) into a new public park.

The 3.5-mile long track has been out of use since 1962 and has had numerous attempts to revive it over the years. However, now it seems that the project has finally secured the necessary funding to be put to use once again.

The Escape
Delta’s Premium Lounge

✈️Delta is gearing up to launch its new premium lounge at JFK, spanning 38,000 square feet and promising elevated service and hospitality. Scheduled for a June debut, the lounge will feature diverse dining options, including a full-service brasserie and a chef-assisted marketplace with an open kitchen. Ample seating will be provided for travelers to relax before their flights.

The lounge will also include dedicated wellness areas, though details remain undisclosed. Delta's premium lounges will offer spacious accommodations, personalized service, wellness amenities, and gourmet dining options. After New York, Delta will also open premium lounges later this year at Los Angeles International Airport, and Boston Logan Airport.

Delta has also announced that it will resume nonstop flights between New York-JFK and Venice Marco Polo Airport. The airline will use a Boeing 767-300 aircraft, which is equipped with various seating options including Delta One, Delta Premium Select, Delta Comfort+, and Main Cabin seats. The flight will run daily until the end of October, after which it will operate five times a week.

The Deals

• Packing Cubes are a great way to save space in your suitcase. These take all the air out and compress it into a very tight package.

• This Sonos Soundbar featuring Dolby Atmos will make your TV sound a lot better.

• If you have a Sonos system, you can add this subwoofer to almost any of their other speakers.

• Arlo makes small surveillance cameras that make it easy to monitor your home or pet when you're not there. I have six of their cameras and find them easy to use and reliable. Get this three-pack of their 2K cameras while they are on sale.

Next Up
Easter Parade

🐰New York City's Easter Parade and Bonnet Festival is set to grace Fifth Avenue on Sunday, March 31, 2024. Beginning at 10 am near St. Patrick’s Cathedral, the procession will showcase an array of hats and period costumes dating back to the 1870s.

Originally a post-church stroll, the event has evolved into a celebration of elegance and community spirit. Everyone is invited to display their finest bonnets, with activities running until approximately 4 pm.

Mark your calendars and prepare your bonnets for a day of cultural celebration!