Finding Strays in Sunnyside

The title of this blog is Sunnyside Lowdown. I think, as a result, I owe it to anyone reading this to actually talk about living in Sunnyside. In my introductory post, I think I even said that Sunnyside would constitute a large portion of the blog. After 20-something posts, perhaps 3 or 4 are Sunnyside-related. Twenty percent seems solid, but maybe it's not enough. Maybe I'm alienating the hardcore Queens readers. Sorry. And, to think, I haven't even written about the Mets, or as we say in the barrio, Los Mets, who beat one of the worst teams in baseball for the second night in a row [The Nationals]. World Series here we come!

In fact, I was going to write about how underrated the film, The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou is. It is an underrated film. It's colorful, quirky, funny, tender, awkward, creative, and has a great soundtrack. It's not as funny as Rushmore or as affecting as The Darjeeling Limited, but if you haven't seen it or haven't seen it in a few years, I recommend popping it in your DVD player. There's something about Wes Anderson's movies that make you smile even when they plod along.

However, I believe you've been aching for news from the outer boroughs. I finally have had some time to spend in my borough now that my emergency work project has finished. I've been walking around and I've turned up some things. First, I came across the United Artists Kaufman Stadium 14 [You've got to love it when the review says that the popcorn is "rarely stale"]. Technically, it's in Astoria, but I'm officially declaring any place that's within a 15-20 minute walk from my apartment to be in Sunnyside. I went there with Girl to see Righteous Kill last weekend. The theater was huge, with more dead space than a cemetery. It was designed with unnecessarily wide expanses and concession areas, considering that there were maybe twenty people in total walking around. Then again, it was a Sunday night. That's Queens for you. Inside the theater, it was surprisingly full. Unfortunately, it was congested with weird people including women sitting in back to back rows threatening to fight each other and, my personal favorite, parents who bring their crying baby to an R-rated movie with the word "kill" in the title. I assumed it was a fluffy cartoon piece with fluffy animals playing pick-up sticks. I'm sure they did too.

The theater is catty-corner to an Uno Chicago Grill (formerly, Pizzeria Uno), Applebees, and a Panera Bread. Welcome to middle-American suburbia! I mean, really, an Applebees next door to an Uno and a Panera Bread? Who among us can make that choice? It's a tough decision, to say the least.

We also have a cool, eclectic, vintage-ish, antique-esque, semi-new/semi-used goods store called Stray. I stopped by today. It's a block and a half from my apartment and it has some sweet stuff. Reclaimed windows with mirror and stained-glass, LP record players, picture frames, antique glasses, some vintage clothing, and other knick knacks, like the VHS version of Chasing Amy. A good spot to find a cool looking mirror or an ashtray. Something to spruce up your lame, sterile, mass-produced apartment that revels in conformity. I like character. I like living among things that have a certain charm or nostalgia to them. It reminds you of how things have been inhabiting this planet before you were born. Those metal cabinet stands are much older and have more cache than you. You are boring. They are cute, rusted, and useful. You need a shave, a haircut, and a toothbrush.

These are just a couple of places in my neighborhood. I guarantee to keep exploring and reporting back, but only 20% of the time.

The next time you're in Sunnyside, and feel like maybe you need antique furniture or a wall accent, walk east on Queens Boulevard, make a left on 48th St. and walk two avenues to Skillman Ave. It's on the north-east corner across from a Mexican bodega, of which there are about 40 in Sunnyside.

The next time you want to see a movie, stay in Manhattan.

Jared