From the Daily News:Astoria is poised to become the city’s next ‘gayborhood’ with the opening of three bars and dance clubs that could turn the increasingly desirable neighborhood into a destination for the LGBT community in Queens.
Icon, which boasts a white leather bar with Swarovski crystals, and Static Lounge, which is holding a ‘Men of Astoria’ calendar contest, became the newest bars on the block when they burst onto the scene in December.
Elixir opened in May with musical theatre trivia contests and speed dating. And Albatross, a dive bar with drag karaoke and a pool table, is celebrating its 15th anniversary this year.
“The demand for more gay bars has been strong for a while,” said T’ai Chu-Richardson, who belongs to the LGBT networking group Out Astoria, which boasts a whopping 1,260 members on its Facebook page. “It’s been a growing gay neighborhood for the past four or five years.”
Sky-high Manhattan rents have priced many members of the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community out of Hell’s Kitchen and Chelsea, he said. And they’re moving to Astoria because of its cheaper rents and close proximity to the city.
From the Daily News:
A quiet, central Queens neighborhood is going from suburban to chic with a slew of upscale restaurant and trendy bar openings.
The new Forest Hills establishments are slowly helping the neighborhood compete with the dining and drinking scenes in Brooklyn, Astoria and Long Island City.
And while the restaurants aren’t pushing culinary boundaries, they have become a draw for the increasing number of young professionals in the area who don’t want to trek into Manhattan for a night out.
Gays in Astoria! Trendy restaurants in Forest Hills! Wow! Perhaps finally the "right" people will inhabit Queens! Move over working class people and immigrants!
Actually it seems to me that a gay population has always resided in Astoria and Forest Hills has always had a restaurant scene. So what the hell are these articles about? I think it has to do with shilling for real estate interests.
30 comments:
FH is definitely a destination for gays - you can see them if you commute to the city and they're walking their dogs at night.
These are extremly upscale, classy gay men - not the trash Latino contingent that hangs out on Roosevelt!
Actually, the article doesn't talk about gays in Forest Hills.
It's amazing what the papers think of gays, though. The most important thing for them is not having gay clubs nearby, it's having a quiet, safe place to live.
Yay! Gay yuppies!
There's a gay bar right on Austin Street, it's called Pride.. And there are alot of Gays who reside in the Forest Hills and Kew Gardens area
Keep in mind that in 2009, openly gay candidate Lynn Schulman came within 250 votes of becoming the Councilwoman for Forest Hills. This year, she came out for Melissa Mark-Viverito while Koslowitz stood by County pick Garodnick.
These articles are just about increasing property values and real estate publicity stunts. Gay people have been living in Astoria and Forest Hills for years. This city is greedy and it jumps on anything that will inflate property values. Since the city pretty much has fucked Brooklyn and Long Island City and Astoria to a certain degree, it is coming after whatever is still somewhat affordable in Queens.
Next thing you know Forest Hills we be known as FoHills.
What? No mention of Pride, a future gay bar in Forest Hills?
The articles I posted were 2 separate ones talking about 1) gays moving into Astoria and the proliferation of gay bars there. 2) Trendy restaurants in Forest Hills. No one said there were no gays in Forest Hills. They live everywhere, just as everyone else does. This isn't news, this is real estate advertising copy.
It's the flavor of the month.
Joe, have you noticed any change to Jamaica since the new Rib joint opened? Have any other new restaurants opened since? I still have to check it out.
i've noticed a lot of gay people moving into FoHills since around 2000. no big deal
NYC the property values are proportional to the amount of hot women and gay men living in a neighborhood
As gay couples begin to marry and enjoy the legal security of their unions and new families, "gay neighborhoods" might become more of a facet of youth culture within the gay community. Priorities like school districts, larger housing, etc. might encourage greater integration into "family neighborhoods." Overall, of course, all neighborhoods in NYC are perhaps already more friendly to gay residents than could be expected in many other parts of the nation. The city will still attract many gays looking for safety, freedom, and a welcome that exceeds "tolerance" or "acceptance." But this might become less pronounced, or differently defined, neighborhood by neighborhood.
Well after living in the neighborhood for 13 years, I can say the neighborhood did not have a restaurant scene in the time I've been here, at least nothing worth bragging about. And unfortunately what's happening now is restaurant owners trying to take advantage of an area having a growth spurt. The restaurants here are like the 99 cent stores, poor imitations of better places. I don't find they understand what a quality restaurant experience is about. And I'm not referring to cost, as you can (and should) have restaurants across the spectrum of price points that do quality. What the article is saying is that the restaurants of Forest Hills are finally at a place where you don't have to go into Manhattan if you don't want to. But people do not choose to deliberately travel to Forest Hills if their priority is the dining experience. Like when you go to Danny Brown's, you understand they appreciate good food and excellent service. You can have that at any price point and of the dozens of places near Austin Street, very few get that yet. And P.S. as a gay person in FoHi, I may live here, but there is no gay scene. Period. Gay people in FoHi are generally here for convenience only, I feel safe and not bothered in the area, but I don't know that I feel particularly welcomed. Young, single gay people are not moving here, many are moving away to other more vibrant parts of the city, and it's because really the culture here IS geared to "working class people and immigrants." It's a bedroom community, like it or not, and won't be anything but until there is more interest in culture than cheap commerce. I mean how many nail salons, mobile phone stores, dress shops and hair salons would finally saturate the area? How about a theater, not just a movie house with underpaid, apathetic employees playing standard blockbusters? How about a true art gallery, not just a framing store or an exhibit of some local hack at the library? A true florist and plant store? Live performance space for bands, comedians and other small music groups? A college extension that not advertised on the subway? And they should change the name to Brighton Beach North with the influx of Russian mafia above Queens Boulevard. I could go on and on but the point is there is a lot of room for growth in quality that could suit a full spectrum of people that represents investment into Forest Hills as a community, a true destination neighborhood, and we're not there yet.
Neighboring Kew Gardens has an arthouse theater. I dont think another one that close would work. I also don't understand the emphasis on high end restaurants. People in the area want good affordable food, not chi chi overpriced food with fancy names. I also don't understand why gays feel the need to be "welcomed". No one threw a party for me when I landed here. What does that mean?
The reason there are more 99 cent stores, banks and nail salons than anything else has more to do with the landlords and the fact that a lot of those places address fronts for other things than a reflection of the people living in the neighborhood.
"Neighboring Kew Gardens has an arthouse theater." - Sure, let me travel to a more out of the way location with even less chance of decent food for a night out. I'll pass. "I also don't understand the emphasis on high end restaurants. People in the area want good affordable food, not chi chi overpriced food with fancy names." And that's exactly the mentality that will keep Forest Hills a grubby 2nd class area. It's not about "chi-chi." It about restaurants at all price points with quality experiences. Like a diner, I recently visited a few in Philly and they were spotlessly clean with pleasant, efficient servers, with basic but really good food, served quick at a reasonable price. When I visit my home state and go to a drug or grocery store, again it's spotless, the staff are friendly and welcoming, and get me through check out quickly. No bullshit attitudes like they're doing me a favor. No pretending to be stupid or that they can't work any faster or better because of their language skills or culture. "I also don't understand why gays feel the need to be "welcomed". No one threw a party for me when I landed here." Do you feel the same way about the Jewish residents here too? Why have the community center and other cultural establishments because they don't need welcomed? Gay people may reside in Forest Hills, but they don't "live" here. You're not going to see a pride parade down Austin Street anytime soon. They may eat with their partners at an occasional night out here but they are going to places like Astoria to really enjoy themselves where they feel more comfortable being themselves. It's not a criticism of the neighborhood so much as an observation
Maybe because what we do in our bedrooms is no one's business but ours? You don't speak for all gays. A lot of us "live here". I don't have a problem with the selection of restaurants either.
Don't people usually move to a neighborhood for the amenities, not move to it, bitch about what it doesn't have and hope what they like moves in?
Again, if you like living in a second-class kind of place, keep this same mentality. I'm only here for the cheaper rent with close proximity to my work in Manhattan. I came here during the height of the housing boom when it made sense to find more space further from Manhattan, but I like the neighborhood generally and the close proximity to general amenities. That said, if I want to have a great night out, it's not going to happen in Forest Hills. I don't expect Forest Hills to be Manhattan. I wouldn't want it to be that way. But there is some shitty attitude by the service industries in the neighborhood while it's being overrun with shitty businesses and patronized by apparently shitty people who are ok with shitty businesses. I don't need fancy. But I do expect excellence when possible. And Forest Hills, and Queens in general ain't it. Being the best of the worst doesn't get you a gold star sticker.
Maybe the gays can oust those Bukharian barbarians from FH. One thing for sure, gays have better taste in art, etc.
"A great night out"
Would someone please explain the meaning of this.
Whether it's Kew Gardens, Forest Hills or Astoria...our neighborhoods need more piano bars. Screw Starbucks and the Nail Salons!!! I want good talent similar to the likes of Susan Boyle...the hairy little angel with a voice from God!
FoHi (which it will soon be called) will never be cool or hip. Never. All the gaudy Bukharians in the area will prevent that. Austin St is pathetic. An outdoor mall with no soul.
Gays are the "shock troops of gentrification".
Astoria is going upscale.....
If you're considering selling your home, wait a couple years if you can, you'll get a better price.
I agree finding great restaurants in Queens is spotty. My fave, Uvarrara in Middle Village is in Middle Village and appears to be for sale/ergo struggling. Danny Brown is my hub's fave, but I wish he'd mix it up a bit on the menu! For movies, it's the Austin for adults in KG and Cinemart in FH for the kiddie shows. I don't bitch about it. I patronize the good ones in the hope they can hold on!
Forest Hills is a land of mediocrity. Once retailers and restaurants realize how hard it is to pay those high rents they immediately cut back on quality and service. It's a cycle that has not been broken during my 25 years here.
Turnover will always be high.
wow 26 comments, gay bars are obviously very titillating to Crap readers, Hmm very interesting
Have you actually READ any of those 26 comments? Very few have anything at all to do with gay bars.
Anon No. 28:
Very little of what the Crapper originally posted has much to do with gay bars.
That was the point I was making to Annon 27.
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