Marty Markowitz, soccer, and more in the QNYC Evening Edition for Thursday December 21, 2012

Oh, Marty.

Marty Markowitz believes that the Major League Soccer Stadium that is slated to come to Queens would do better in Brooklyn. He has suggested the neighborhoods of East New York and Brownsville because they have land and could use the economic shot in the arm. He also mentioned East Williamsburg and Bushwick as possibilities. But Queens Borough President Helen Marshall, Mayor Bloomberg, and MLS themselves are committed to the stadium being built in Queens. City Councilman Peter Vallone from Astoria says that “this is war!” We’ll see.

Astoria’s Poletti Power Plant will be demolished in 2013

Seems the general consensus is “thank goodness” when it comes to the news of the Poletti Power Plant being torn down next year. It was once called the dirtiest power plant in the city and contributed to terrible air quality and a high rate of asthma in the neighborhood. Also interesting to note – power plants in western Queens provide more than 80 percent of the city’s power.

Delicious hot pot in Flushing at Little Lamb Hot Pot

Fooditka writes about her meal at Little Lamb Hot Pot (Tian San Yun Juan Shao Fei Yun in Chinese), which we also happend to be in on. So we can attest to all the major deliciousness. Our favorites were the thick, meaty mushrooms cooked in spicy lamb broth. Fooditka was a little more adventurous, enjoying pig’s blood and lamb heart. It was a fun communal meal, and we would definitely go back.

Remembering The Boulevard in Elmhurst

The Queens Chronicle dips into nostalgia for The Boulevard, a popular spot in Elmhurst many moons ago. It opened in 1925 as Le Vay’s Restaurant, but after Prohibition was repealed in 1933 the name was changed to The Boulevard (it’s on Queens Blvd) and a liquor licence was achieved. They gave floor shows every night and it also became a popular meeting place for private club and business conferences, weddings, and receptions. Actors Martin Landau and Barbara Bain had their wedding reception there in the 50s.

Politicians loved the place, too: “John F. Kennedy met with Democratic leaders and spoke to residents from a podium in the parking lot. Four years later, Bobby Kennedy ate there and also met with Queens politicians and residents.” It was closed and torn down in 1973.

For the holiday air travelers among us

We thought we’d let you know, since we are on the cusp of the next extended holiday travel weekend, that a potential strike at JFK Airport is no longer a concern. Private security workers had threatened to strike during holiday travel time but decided this past Wednesday against it. This will ensure that a potentially bad case of chaos will not erupt. Safe travels, everyone.