Author: insidegardencity

Best Burger?

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When you order a “bleu burger” at a burger place and the person behind the counter isn’t sure what a bleu burger is, that’s a possible red flag.

I tried The Burger Spot on 7th Street in Garden City last weekend. This was my second time there and both visits were about the same. The food is reasonably well prepared and reasonably tasty, but nothing to write home about (maybe blog about but that’s it).

It was busy and clean, but I wouldn’t say it’s my new go-to spot for burgers. The fries were on the greasy side, the burgers and salad were fine, but I’d like more than “fine” when I go out for a burger. It was better than fast food, but it seemed that the wow factor was missing. Nothing was especially memorable. I will eat there again, but I will not rush back. Hopefully, I will find a better burger spot nearby, as the hunt also continues for best nearby pizza… Does anyone have any local burger recommendations for me?

Hurricane Sandy Lessons

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On the anniversary of Superstorm Sandy, I am compelled to take a walk down memory lane and recap the lessons I learned after living through it and being displaced from my home for 5 months.


1. Don’t ignore your neighbors. Especially in urban settings, people tend to say hello to one another (sometimes) but don’t really become friendly. I learned that this was a mistake. When disaster struck, our Hoboken neighbors helped one another tremendously- sharing the news of what was happening by yelling it from house to house through open windows, lending lanterns and batteries, sharing food and water, charging flooded car batteries… the list goes on and on. 

2. Don’t ignore your family- you might need to live in their house for five months one day (Thanks mom and dad)!

3. Appreciate what you have. Regardless of what you don’t like about your house or apartment, you will miss it dearly after you’ve spent five months living with family (see #2). 

4. Write your address on your trash cans. They may end up floating many blocks away and someone just might return them to you. 

5. Never underestimate a hot dog. The only thing better than eating a hot dog at a baseball game is eating a hot dog that your neighbor passed through your second floor bedroom window (from his adjacent balcony) after you’ve existed on only pretzels and granola bars for two days.

6. You will find that something good happens after something bad.  

7. Weather forecasters can be accurate sometimes. 

8. Keep your flood insurance up to date. Enough said.

9. Talk to strangers. Their kindness may surprise you. People we didn’t know at all, or just barely knew, helped in many ways.   

10. Move to higher ground. 

10 Things GC women will never say

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1. I’m thinking of leaving my bunco group for one that actually plays bunco.
2. Does anyone know if Garden City has a lacrosse team? 
3. I got all of my furniture at Bob’s.

4. I wish my kids were involved in more sports.

5. Let’s talk about St. Paul’s for a few more years. 

6. Umberto’s?? Never heard of it. 

7. I just bought a Louis Vuitton that no one else has.
8. I haven’t driven my car in a week. I walk everywhere.
9. I’ll just run out in my pajamas. No one will see me.


10. These landscapers, tree guys, gardeners, etc are such a hassle. I’m just going to mow my own lawn. 






Fall Fun in GC

Posted on by insidegardencity

It’s that time of year again: days are shorter, weather is colder, the windows close, the heat goes on, noses sniffle (particularly in the seat next to me when I’m on mass transit)… Oh the glories of fall! As I try to get into the fall spirit, I have to admit that it’s a real effort for me. I just can’t feel genuinely excited and happy about cold weather, jackets, no more days at the beach- especially when the only season worse than fall (winter) is right around the corner. I do get a small amount of pleasure from some fall-related indulgences though (leather boots for instance). However, the season is upon us and I am putting in a good effort to find and enjoy a few fall things in my new digs. Let’s face it. it’s either that or start looking at Florida real estate. Here’s my list of 5 ways to enjoy fall in GC:


Visit the pumpkin patch on Stewart Ave and Nassau Blvd. In addition to tons of pumpkins, there are flowers, scarecrows, pies, breads, lots of halloween decorations- all for sale. You can also catch live music on the weekends and activities for kids like “storytime in the patch”. The pumpkins are driven all the way from Navajo reservations in New Mexico. Each pumpkin purchased helps provide education and medical services to Navajo families. And you thought you were just buying a pumpkin!

Take a short drive to Hicks Nursery for lots of fall related fun. You can take a hay ride, feed the animals at the petting zoo or even buy a 10 foot inflatable black cat for a lawn ornament. Thankfully, it doesn’t look like any of my new neighbors own one of these!  

Have a fall-inspired cupcake (or any of the yummy flavors) from Honestly Delicious- Garden City’s newest bakery cafe.

Hang out at A New Leaf on Seventh St. and drink a cinnamon almond spice. Lots of delicious, warm drinks for the fall season are brewing at the tea emporium. Not to be missed. 

And the one must-have that I enjoy every fall: a pumpkin spice latte from… anywhere. This always makes me a little happy about fall!

How will you be celebrating the season?

My First Bunco Night

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“You’re seriously playing Bunco??” is a question I would teasingly ask my older sister when I was living the life in the city and she was in the burbs with a husband and kids. I would envision her sitting around with a group of sweat pant-wearing moms, chatting about potty training, playing a silly game, eating chips and dip, while I would be out at some hot new club or restaurant. I vowed I would never play. My, how times have changed. 
Since moving to Garden City three months ago, I received my first Bunco invitation. Initially, this seemed like a cruel joke, another one of those “face it, you’re in suburbia now” moments- similar to joining Costco. I debated going as these thoughts ran through my head: I have so many other things I could be doing, would I like the other women, do I have to make a commitment, I’m not a game person, I don’t want to listen to other people’s kid stories all night, I don’t like dip, etc etc. 
In an effort to “put myself out there” in a new town, I accepted the invitation and attended my first Bunco night. This was no sweat pant-wearing, potato chip eating crowd. They were fun, fashionable and friendly. The host graciously welcomed 12 women (even us newcomers) into her beautiful home, fully set up with various tables for game-playing. And there were no chips and dip in sight! Instead, it was catered by a local Italian restaurant and dinner was creative and delicious. Even better, the wine was flowing and continued to flow all night. I met women who worked in a variety of fields- law, medicine, business, fashion, etc.. There was no potty training talk here, nor was there much Bunco playing. The night mostly revolved around good wine, lots of food and good conversation- three of my favorite things. We eventually did get around to a little Bunco, but I think that was mostly in honor of the newcomers, so we could say that we actually played. 
In the end I did learn the dice game, which is a bit effortless (I was right!) but hey- if it leads to a night of fun I’m all for it. I also made some new friends and came home much later than I had in a while. My preconceived notions of Bunco were totally wrong and I was happy about that. What I thought would be a mundane night of game playing was really a disguise for a fun night of socializing that had very little to do with any game. I’m on board with that. It was a great time with great women and, if you twisted my arm, I guess I could commit to this ; )

Drive Everywhere Syndrome Challenge

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One thing I’ve noticed since leaving urban life and transitioning to Garden City is that DES, Drive Everywhere Syndrome, is rampant. Even those suburbanites who’ve left city life and say they miss walking everywhere have fallen victim. This could be for a variety of reasons- convenience, things are naturally more spread out in the burbs, comfort, the euphoria of having ample parking, etc. 


I am definitely a culprit of this. I’ve succumbed to DES on numerous occasions. I’ve driven when my destination was just a few blocks away but I was short on time. I would never have done that in Hoboken. I would have just walked faster. I’ve also caught myself jumping into the car simply because it’s there. It’s becoming the default (plus I now have a driveway which makes parking a lot easier). However, I’m going to stop DES now, while there’s still hope for me. I am committing myself to walking to at least two places this week, within reason. I’m not going to lie- You won’t see me lugging my groceries home by foot just to make a point. But maybe by taking baby steps every day, I can avoid DES and help some of my neighbors to do the same. 

I encourage all suburbanites to accept the challenge- step out of the comfort of your car just two times this week and walk or bike instead. Who knows what you might find, who you might run into, and you may just actually enjoy it. 

Mmmm… Beer

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A friend once told me that it’s worth a trip to Belgium just for the beer. I think you can say the same for Waterzooi on Franklin Ave in Garden City: The beer alone is a reason to go. But the food doesn’t take a backseat to the beer. Picture buckets of mussels, an extensive Belgium beer menu and great “frites” served with real mayo.

The restaurant looks like it belongs in the West Village. When you look up at the garage door hovering overhead, you could also be in the Meatpacking district. The ambiance was great- cool decor and lighting. If you’re looking for a place to wear your trendier NYC clothes in suburbia, add Waterzooi to your list.

As for the food, there were so many combinations of sauces and toppings for the mussels, it was a tough decision. The bouillabaisse style- topped with shrimp and lobster in tomato/crab broth- was delicious. Of course they were served with crusty bread for dipping (not quite Dom’s bread in Hoboken, but who cares when you’re dipping into yummy seafood broth with a delicious Belgium beer on the side?). I drank the Sophie, which had a slight citrus flavor and was very tasty. It paired well with the Waterzoii entree- jumbo shrimp, lobster, little neck clams, mussels, sweet corn and yukon golds in a creamy broth- which was fantastic. I look forward to trying the escargot, oysters, steaks, lobster mac and cheese, and Belgium waffles for dessert… so many interesting options on the menu, plus friendly service, cool ambiance, Belgium beers… I will definitely be back.

What is GC wearing? (Sept. edition)

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What is GC wearing?
I didn’t know what to expect fashion-wise when I first moved here. I had heard a variety of things that would send an urban girl running such as “you can’t wear the same thing twice” and “the women wear tennis skirts every day”. Well, I was pleasantly surprised.

Summertime revealed a lot of very simple, casual dressers. Whoever was not away at their summer homes was around town in shorts and tees, casual summer dresses and sandals. The sports fields had much of the same casual look. But the start of school has revealed a whole different fashion animal that did not disappoint- distressed jeans, skinny jeans, cool scarves, awesome shoes and great bags- with a notable Louis Vuitton presence.  I’ve also spotted a fair amount of studs (on clothes, shoes, accessories) and bright colors. Everyone seemed to bring their A-game to the start of the school year and I’d say the crowd is definitely well dressed and on-trend, but not overdone. Although I’m not a fan of the cold weather (or football), I am looking forward to seeing what fall fashion brings to GC.

Cool at the Pool

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One thing I’ve discovered, and totally enjoyed, is the Garden City Pool. This has been great for me. I have a place to go with my kids on hot summer days when we are in town and still don’t have any friends. Lol. It requires zero planning and it provides tons of entertainment for them (i.e., less work for me).

There are three beautiful pools, one of which is complete with a huge, crazy jungle gym inside of it (easily the coolest kiddie pool I’ve ever seen), and an additional baby pool. There are two very tall, very twisty slides like you’d find in an amusement park and there’s a playground as well. Live bands, movie nights, ice cream socials, story time, arts and crafts, and games and contests are a few of the activities throughout the summer.

The snack bar serves great salads and healthy fare as well as the traditional dogs, burgers, etc. There’s also a picnic area if you choose to bring your own food. Or, if you’re really in the know, you have a pizza delivered to the pool. It gets delivered to the main gate and you’re set. Although if you’re inexperienced like me, you forget that the delivery guy is going to call your cell phone and as a result, you spot him walking around the pools calling out your name, pizza in hand. Once again, not the best way to be introduced to your new neighbors, but I’m on a roll with that lately.

Not knowing the rules, I’ve been “reprimanded” a few times for various crimes- once for allowing my kids to wear swimmies, another for bringing a boogie board, a third time for swim vests, and most recently for eating strawberries on the pool level. I plead ignorance (but I think they could lighten up a bit also). Aside from my faux pas, I think the Garden City pool is a great place to hang out and not look like you’re the newcomer. There are so many families and kids, it’s easy to just blend in with the crowd and pretend you’re an insider.

City Fix: Coney Island

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Woke up on Saturday morning and needed a city fix. The sun was out, mid 80s in August– a perfect Long Island beach day. After some quick math: City + Beach = Coney Island. The drive was a quick 35 minutes from Garden City w/o traffic and plenty of parking at the NY Aquarium, which has made a nice recovery from Sandy. I hear it will be fully reopened and remodeled in 2016. You can see the Cyclone from the Aquarium parking lot, which sets a nice backdrop for the day. 
After the Aquarium (no need for more than an hour there), you’re right in the middle of the boardwalk action. We caught an awesome sandcastle contest on the beach. My friend Kenny, who is also a fantastic photographer, captured the artists with his lens and gave us an insider’s view of Coney Island. The kids loved the rides at Luna Park (definitely get the 20 ticket pack for 2 kids) and of course we stopped at Nathan’s for hot dogs and lemonade. I wouldn’t wait in that line again, but I would hit the original Nathan’s next time. It’s a little bit more than a block off the beach. Yes, this is the site where Joey Chestnut ate 73 hot dogs on July 4th to roaring crowds. 
An easy walk to the southern end of the boardwalk is a much less crowded scene and has a few cool things to offer: the impressively restored original carousel, the Brooklyn Cyclones baseball stadium, water fountains shooting out from underground (which attracted lots of kids) in addition to a few crazier rides. I may need a drink before I submit to those. The live bands and huge kites overhead made for a great beach  scene.
You really can’t find this all of this at the Jersey Shore, the Hamptons or any other beach for that matter. It’s a one of a kind, quintessential NYC place with a quirky vibe. I highly recommend taking a day trip when you want that beachy/city kind of day, with a hot dog on the side.