Comments on: It’s called the foodcellar, not the Amish Market; Random buzz in Vern/Jax.

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Sun, 31 Aug 2008 07:06:37 +0000

Yes these new condos have raised the rents in LIC a lot.To the previous posts who think people are afraid of change you are crazy because these rich condo dwellers have taken over the entire area and its gross.Its like battery park city in LIC.You folks have pushed the Irish bar on Vernon out also besides the other homes slowly pushed out.Maybe 6 condos might be alright but it doesnt stop with the building down there and soon theyre pushing out the recycle a bicycle building which does a lot for youth.Not very considerate of the neighborhood at all.Queens does not have the infrastructure for all these new apts and condos.You guys probabaly werent around for the blackouts almost 3 years a before that.Those new condos are being built on toxic land also.Notice the smells in the air.Its so obvious who walks around there thats the rich class who live by Gantry park.The condos by the Pulaski bridge dont realise maybe that there living by the biggest oil spill in an urban area which is of course Newtown creek.

By: Melissa

Melissa — Fri, 08 Aug 2008 16:44:25 +0000

August 13th is the official open date, I believe.

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Thu, 07 Aug 2008 15:40:07 +0000

Why is it called food “cellar” when the entire operation is above ground?

By: kc

kc — Fri, 01 Aug 2008 23:29:42 +0000

Looking like a decent place to get eats.

The FoodCellar name is an attempt to compete with the WholeFoods brand I gather? Anyone that knows the Amish Market knows this place isn’t really the spot to get full on groceries. Living in Hells Kit I went there mostly for fine foods I would only use on specific occasions…it’s pricey otherwise. The FoodCellar brand must represent the expansion of this kind of shopping experience.

Either way Im happy that I no longer have to get a ride to Pathmark or trek hattan side to get fresh for cooking. I prefer to buy food per week sometimes per day so things are fresh, living here that has been impossible, till this opens.

By: Humongous

Humongous — Thu, 31 Jul 2008 17:41:52 +0000

Wow, 129. That was very decent of you. And who said liqcity was devolving into curbed?

By: LIC resident

LIC resident — Thu, 31 Jul 2008 17:11:14 +0000

As 118, the attempt was to parody the stereotypes that were being put forth here. Guess this went over as well as the New Yorker cover of Obama. I was actually offended by the implications that there was mob strong arming and this was a lame attempt on my part to inject humor. The intent was not meant as a slur. I have only seen one incident of strong arming and I don’t think that is unique to any area of ethnic group. 120 is absolutely correct in the rebuke and absolutely correct that the neighborhood has always been a caring human community.

By: LIC resident

LIC resident — Thu, 31 Jul 2008 15:37:34 +0000

Anyone know the official date of the Amish Market/foodcellar opening?

By: liQcity

liQcity — Thu, 31 Jul 2008 14:44:16 +0000

#126 was us.

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Thu, 31 Jul 2008 14:42:53 +0000

Hello commenters. There is no registration required to comment now. Just a captcha so we can stem the onslaught of spam. At this point we’re only deleting comments that slander a community person by name. The rest of it… well of course we don’t want to see racist, homophobic, sexist etc comments, but ignore or use your filters. Also, deleting comments is tricky in general because you guys are not using names, so the numbered posts get responded to…which makes it difficult.

By: Beans

Beans — Thu, 31 Jul 2008 14:33:07 +0000

124, I appreciate your clarifications and know your comments were not imbued with any hatred.

But most people living in LIC know that it was (most recently, anyway) a mainly Italian-American neighborhood and that some numbers of these people still manage to cling on. 118’s slight clearly used the patois of the Hollywood mafia goon — there was no mistaking that.

By: JLB

JLB — Thu, 31 Jul 2008 14:13:20 +0000

And Beans, to clarify even further, (#119 again), Italian Americans were not mentioned once in this long long thread. I used the word strongarm and mob–which in the old dauys could have been Irish and these days can be Albanian or Russian–or anything. I don’t believe anybody anywhere on this thread was going in the direction you mentioned. And again, thanks.

By: JLB

JLB — Thu, 31 Jul 2008 13:50:35 +0000

Beans -Thank you. Finally, the voice of reason.

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Thu, 31 Jul 2008 13:44:17 +0000

Hi Beans, I’m #119–thanks for clarifying that. I had never heard of mob presence here before (any more than any other neighborhood) and was surprised when the other posters, who claimed to have lived here for very long times, implied it quite clearly. They’ve been here longer than I have so I listened. Thanks for clearing that up. As far as those colofrul characters go, I think a lot of them are still here–thank goodness.

By: Beans

Beans — Thu, 31 Jul 2008 13:39:40 +0000

One more point about 118’s post, and I’m doing my best to stay calm. Had118 used black colloquialisms in his post or imitated the sounds and intonation of an Asian or Jewish speaker, there most certainly would have been an immediate appalled reaction by nearly everyone. And LIQCITY, which is now registering comments, would no doubt have deleted the post.

Yet, many people feel free to spew their bigotry at Italian-Americans without fear they will be called on it. It’s become even acceptable in educated circles, like the workplace and classroom, as I have noticed.

So, Liqcity, explain the point of deleting comments if you let insults like 118’s go? Or did you not even notice?

By: Beans

Beans — Thu, 31 Jul 2008 13:22:09 +0000

I think it’s important to weigh in right now because I don’t like the direction this thread has headed. Let’s get this straight, and I hope the old-timers in LIC will corroborate this: LIC never had the kind of pervasive and dangerous mob presence that you, 119, (and 118, in a more stereotypical, cringe-inducing way) are suggesting.

Frankly, I’m a bit insulted by the implication that Italian-American neighborhoods are filled with lowlifes. I’ve always felt the sting of these comments growing up, and even today, and have always viewed them as nothing more than an ugly put-down. But that’s the subject of another thread.

Nonetheless, like all working-class areas of major cities, there have been a few colorful, mostly harmless characters in LIC, and some of them from other ethnic groups. (Read Papa’s Game if you want to learn more.) But they were far, far outnumbered by law-abiding, St. Mary’s-going, hardworking, decent families. When you read the nostalgic posts from people describing their happiness in growing up in LIC, a special neighborhood despite how neglected we were by the city, that’s what they are getting at.

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Thu, 31 Jul 2008 12:55:45 +0000

At the end, this was a very interesting thread. I wonder if there is any historical documentation of strongarming in LIC, be in mob or otherwise. There have been movies about Hells Kitchen and other parts of New York, and certainly the history is written into many neighborhoods. Is the story of LIC out there waiting to be written and told? Any documentary filmakers out there? Someone should document this all before it is gone forever, just like the old buildings coming down.

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Thu, 31 Jul 2008 00:25:44 +0000

Dis is Louie from da neighborhood. Youze better watch your freakin’ mouvs.

By: anonymous

anonymous — Wed, 30 Jul 2008 19:08:31 +0000

Could you be a bit more specific - what bldng. in which block? Between 5 th & Vernon we have 5SL, zipper factory, bldng that was torn down and side entrance to Bella Via. Cross Vernon and you have laundromat, residential bldngs on one side, dog run & parking lot on other side. Where exactly do you mean and what is the significance?

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Wed, 30 Jul 2008 18:46:52 +0000

Anyone ever walk by that building on 48th Av?

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Wed, 30 Jul 2008 17:20:38 +0000

Good for you #114.
And to #111: I’m #106–no I didn’t grow up in LIC, but did I grow up somewhere else, where I did not “wear bike shorts and crap my pants.” Long Island City, I am sorry to inform you, does not have the monpoly on “rough customers who ruled the roost” back in the day. This is New York, and yes we know what you mean and some of us grew up with that too, even if we did grow up more than a few blocks away from Vernon east OR west.
That said, #114 said it best about the ghost of bygone days. It ain’t happening here, no more, no how.

By: anonymous

anonymous — Wed, 30 Jul 2008 17:01:20 +0000

#111 - You used the operative phrase “used to”. I think we’ve come a long way from the prohibition era or the “way back when” times that some of you seem to obsess over.
I lived east OF 5th St for 14 years and no one ever chased a merchant out of business. Sure there have been random residential and commercial robberies - usually commited by people who had a drug habit to feed. I have lived west OF 5th St. for two years and still venture forth east OF 5th St without fear and trepidation. I don’t think the fruit vendor has anything to fear from the ghosts of bygone days.

By: Tough Guy

Tough Guy — Wed, 30 Jul 2008 16:50:36 +0000

I’d die before I ‘ d let anybody tell me where to sell my peaches. I’m just saying.

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Wed, 30 Jul 2008 16:28:00 +0000

110, Jake? Charlie? Is that you?

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Wed, 30 Jul 2008 16:27:09 +0000

107, most people in LIC these days (like 106) weren’t even allowed outside to play when they grew up. What do they know about anything? They’d crap their bike shorts if they ran into some of the rough customers who used to rule the roost on Vernon Blvd. If one of them complained about you selling peaches, you’d wheel your cart the hell out of there in a hurry.

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Wed, 30 Jul 2008 16:22:26 +0000

silliness, just like curbed

congratulations liqcity, you’ve become the new curbed