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Weekend Events Guide 4/4/14 edition

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Another GC Weekend Events Guide is here- just in time for the weekend! See what’s happening ’round GC.

Little League Parade- Saturday, April 5th, 9:00am. Will head south on Franklin Ave. to 7th St, ending at the Village Green. 

Catch March Madness on Saturday April 6th on BK Sweeney’s large flat screen TVs. Games at 6pm and 8:50pm. 

Salon Imperiale’s Blow Dry Bar is offering $30 blowouts! Franklin Ave. 516-747-1027

You Wrote a Book, Now What- Saturday April 5th, 1-3pm at the GC Public Library. 516-742-8405

St. Joe’s Food Drive- Saturday, April 5th. Call for more information. 516-747-3535 

EarthFest Run- Sunday, April 6th, 9am-3pm at the GC Bird Sanctuary. Timed 5K run at 10am and obstacle course geared for kids at 11:30am.

Blood Drive- Sunday April 6th, 7:45am-1pm in the St Joseph’s School gymnasium. 

LI Children’s Museum- Sunday April 6th at 3pm. Explore backyard terrariums and make your own. 

Enjoy the weekend!


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Painting and Pinot at Revel

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It has been said that “talent writes with coffee; genius writes with wine.” I was hoping the same could be said in regards to painting…

Recently, Revel on Franklin Ave hosted a ladies night painting party. $65 bought you drinks, hors d’oeuvres, paints and brushes, an easel, canvas and most importantly (for me anyway)- the instruction of the art teachers from PaintNite.- where the motto is to “drink creatively.”

Not a painter or artist in any sense of the word, but always up for something new, I gathered up a few friends and took the painting plunge. It was advertised as “No Experience Necessary” so I thought this was perfect for me. Plus, I figured a drink or two could probably only improve my painting skills. Revel looked great on this Wednesday night. The front of the restaurant was busy and there was a good bar scene too- a NYC-esque crowd, as usual. The “painters” were gathered in the back where the paints and (delish) hors d’oeuvres were freely flowing.

After some mingling, it was down to business. Tables had been set up with easels, smocks and canvases. It looked very well organized- so far so good. Then the instruction and the painting began. It started off quite well- but as the night progressed, one could start to see a difference in the talent that was in the room that night. Some of the women were quite good and others were clearly there for the social part of the evening only. I fell into the latter category. My excuse was that I could not hear the instructor very well over the din of the socializing, which was true but probably not the main reason why my painting won’t be hanging over the fireplace.

The instructors from PaintNite were very friendly and helpful. They ran a well organized event. Keep them in mind next time you’re looking for an alternative to the traditional party. They do birthdays, fundraisers, corporate events, etc… You can find them at http://www.paintnite.com.

Overall, I would definitely sign up for another painting party like this and I recommend you catch it next time if you missed this one. I made new friends, hung out with old friends and realized that painting is pretty fun. I might even take a trip to Michael’s for some art supplies and “brush up” on my painting. Next time I’ll be ready and may actually bring home a wall-worthy painting!


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The Scoop on the GC Real Estate Market

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Kathy Lucchesi adores her home town of Garden City. Both she and her husband Chuck grew up in town and raised three children here. Her obvious love of Garden City goes hand in hand with her career in real estate. Recently, she partnered up with The Donnelly Group’s Steve Baymack, fellow long-time resident and die-hard GC fan. Seeing as Kathy is a true GC Insider, I thought it would be fitting for her to guest blog today and provide us with the inside scoop on the current GC real estate market. 


Hello all! We are very pleased to be offered an opportunity to contribute to “Inside Garden City” where we can chat about all things Real Estate in Garden City. Lots of excitement surrounds the Garden City real estate market right now!

First of all, the inventory of homes in Garden City is currently at a historical low. This is wonderful news for sellers. Low inventory means more buyers fighting for your home. Sellers should know that if you are considering selling your home, seriously consider it right now. 

The market is better than ever with buyers looking to take advantage of low interest rates. We have many serious pre-qualified clients looking to buy in every area of Garden City.  Houses have been selling in record speed, and with multiple offers at very close to asking price and many times actually over the asking price. With the Spring market right around the corner, we have buyers popping up every day looking for homes in all different price ranges in town.

We would be thrilled to offer a complimentary, confidential meeting to discuss the current value of your home or to speak with you about any questions or concerns you may have in regard to your home. Please pass this offer on to any friends, family members or neighbors who you feel we could be of assistance to in any way at all.

Thanks everybody!
Best regards,
 Kathy Lucchesi, Licensed Real Estate Salesperson
The Donnelly Group
516-741-4333
KathyL@TheDonnellyGroup.com

  

Steve Baymack, Licensed Associate Real Estate Broker 
The Donnelly Group



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IGC Weekend Events Guide March 21st Edition

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Our weekend events guide is up and ready! Check out the guide below to see what’s happening in and around GC:

1. Book Sale at the GC Public Library. Saturday, 3/22 from 9:30am-4:00pm. Fiction and non-fiction books available. Hard cover 25 cents, soft cover 10 cents. Can’t find bargains like that anywhere these days! Proceeds benefit the GCPL.

2. Live music at Leo’s. “His Boy Elroy” will be playing on Saturday, 3/22 at 9:30pm. 7th St., Garden City. 

3. Mussel Mania at Waterzooi. Sunday, 3/23. 3 course lunch or dinner for $21.95. Franklin Ave, Garden City.


4. WNET Thirteen and WLIW 21 present Family Day at Nassau Coliseum. Sunday, 3/23 starting at 11:30am. Come and meet Curious George and the Man with the Yellow Hat, Sid the Science Kid, Wordgirl, Buddy from Dinosaur Train and Daniel Tiger. Islanders vs. BlueJackets play at 1pm. Hempstead. 

5. MommaCon is holding their biggest event of the year. Here’s a sample of what you’ll see and do: Tiger Schulmann martial arts demo class, CrossFit class for kids, petting zoo, obstacle course, crafting fun, fastest lacrosse shot contest, Music for Aardvarks, Bricks 4 Kids, Music Together, acting and improv classes for kids, parenting tips, Bach to Rock, etc… Over 125 exhibitors will be in  one place to to show you everything kid and parent related in our area. Plus prizes and giveaways. $5 admission. http://www.mommacon.com Sunday, 3/23 from 10am-4pm. LIU Post, Brookville. 

6. LI Children’s Museum presents Messy Afternoons. Saturday and Sunday from 3:30-5pm, Age: 18 months to 4 years. 11 Davis Ave, Garden City. 

7. See a funky organ and drum duo from Oklahoma City called Sugar Free Allstars at the LI Children’s Museum. 11:30am and 2:00pm. 11 Davis Ave. Garden City.

And for Monday…

8. Feng Shui expert and owner of Feng Shui Manhattan, Laura Cerrano, begins her Feng Shui instructional course, Feng Shui for the Body, Mind and Spirit. This series starts on Monday, 3/24 in RVC. $50. Here’s the link to register and for more information: http://fengshuimanhattan.com/feng-shui-long-island-class/


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March Madness- The Search {For The Final Four of GC Pizza} Continues

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Let’s put aside all the madness about college hoops for a minute. It’s time to get a proper pizza bracket going.

Those of you who’ve read my pizza posts know that I’ve been on the hunt for the best pizza in or near Garden City since I moved here. If you order pizza as often as I do (once a week), you start to become a little discriminating. There are some legendary spots of course- John’s of Greenwich Village, Patsy’s in East Harlem, Grimaldi’s under the Brooklyn Bridge, Lombardi’s in Little Italy and it would be a sacrilege if I didn’t go back to my roots and give a shout to Crosby’s in the Bronx- all of which various people would argue serve the perfect pizza. Not to mention, every pizza place on any random corner in Hoboken is pretty fab. Therefore, my tastebuds are a bit spoiled when it comes to pizza. Hence, my GC final four pizza search…

Seeing as it’s the weekend, you might be feeling a little bit lazy (I know I am), and possibly even making an imprint on your couch as I type. This is called “delivery time.” Moving from urban to suburban, I was very happy to see that there are plenty of food delivery options in GC. Actually, “Is there food delivery?” was one of the first questions I asked my realtor when we began our house search. If you’re like me, there are a few go-to delivery options that you continue to come back to time and again. Pizza is one of those staples for me. I order this on the reg.

This time, I followed the recommendation of a friend and tried Bella Rosa pizza on Jericho Turnpike in Garden City Park. This friend is a Brooklyn native, so I take her pizza suggestions very seriously. This picture does all the justice:

The pizza was a relatively thin, crispy pie- which is good in my book. Not too dough-y. Sauce was a touch on the sweet side- also a positive for me. Nice ratio of cheese to sauce. Friendly service and prompt delivery. If I had to criticize, I’d say the crust was a little bland, but overall Bella Rosa delivers a solid pie. Would I put it above Umberto’s (the GC majority’s favorite from my informal surveys)? Probably not. But it’s definitely good and does have a shot to end up in my Final Four.

Who’s in yours?

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Dear GC, The Holidays Are Over…

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Dear Garden City,

The Holidays are over… Decor down, please.

Well, that about says it all. Really folks, it’s almost St. Patrick’s Day and out-of-season decor is still hanging on many of the homes in GC. Here’s a sampling of decorations I’ve seen just in the last week:












A random Valentine’s Day heart here and there is excusable, but holiday wreaths and lights are pushing it. The frigid weather and temperatures may have dissuaded you from taking down the lights, but it surely doesn’t explain why some people are still turning them on! The cold weather was a valid excuse for a while, I’ll grant you that, but not anymore…

If you’re still not ready to turn the page on the Holidays and move on, here are some other clear signs that spring has sprung:

  • Pitchers and catchers have reported to Florida almost a month ago, 
  • The groundhog saw his shadow way back in early February, 
  • The (slightly-less-than-exciting) winter Olympics have come to a close, 
  • All but the largest piles of snow have melted away, 
  • Azaleas are blooming down in Augusta in preparation for the Masters,
  • NCAA basketball tournament season is here
  • and my favorite… people are walking and jogging all over town without parkas and earmuffs!

I know it was a long and annoying winter, but let’s try and move on. Please get all of the winter anti-depressants… oops… I mean decorations, back up in the attic where they belong. It was 52 degrees on Saturday. It’s time people!


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My Happy {Sunday Morning} Place

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It’s hard to resist purchasing more than what you came in for when you walk into La Bella Bakery on Covert Avenue in Franklin Square. When the delicious cookie-filled aroma welcomed me as I walked through the door on Sunday morning, I knew I was in for a treat. It’s a great no-frills place to stop in on the weekends and pick up some Italian cookies (I hear the regular chocolate chip cookies are very good too), cakes, pastry and the like…

Today the staff of La Bella tipped me off to their ever-popular donuts, which they say were a huge hit for Super Bowl Sunday this year. Donuts aren’t the first thing that come to mind when I think of Super Bowl Sunday but I’ll have to remember this tip and try it next year. It’s definitely easier for the kids to manage than cupcakes and I know the adults won’t refuse them either. Unfortunately, I got this donut tip after I already ordered my mini cannoli and crumb cake- both of which are deeelish, especially the crumb cake. It may very well be the best crumb cake I’ve yet to sample. The cannoli were filled on the spot, of course. No soggy shells here.


The woman behind the counter couldn’t stop raving about the jelly donuts in particular. She said they could turn a jelly donut hater into a jelly donut lover. I don’t know about you, but I don’t think I’ve ever really experienced a good jelly donut, which is probably why I’ve never been a fan. But there’s no good reason why a good jelly donut should be so hard to find- it’s just fruit in a donut, right? So next time I venture in, it will be for the donuts and maybe I’ll be converted. Stay tuned…

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Novita

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GC restaurant frequenters have probably been to Novita before. It’s located on the strip of Franklin Ave which is GC’s version of “restaurant row.” A perfect location to grab cocktails with friends.  
Novita had a lively bar scene when I was there on a recent Friday night with great music as well. Decor was upscale without being overdone. We had to wait at the bar for a bit for our table, even though we had a reservation (some kind of issue with their cell phone notification system). Whether this was intentional or not, their comprehensive wine list kept us busy while waiting. They had a really nice selection of French, Italian and California wines– you could pretty much find a bottle for any occasion. If you’re not up for wine, a glimpse of the drink menu showed an array of yummy-sounding martinis, like the Nutella or Limoncello martinis. Also a not-too-shabby beer menu- Magic Hat, New Castle, Dogfish and many more. Now, onto the food.
I must admit that I’m a bread girl who really appreciates good quality bread- thick and crusty on the outside with a soft interior… in case you were wondering. The Italian bread put out on the table was surprisingly good, however the waitress was unable to tell us which bakery it was from (even after some pleading). Having been spoiled by delicious bread in Hoboken, the Bronx and NYC and still on  the search for the same high quality bread in suburgatory, it may be worth a little more detective work to smoke out the source of Novita’s bread. I’m always a fan of olive oil on the table too- leave the butter behind.  

The shrimp scampi with risotto… if you’re watching your diet and keeping portion sizes under control, this is the entree for you. As an Italian whose used to “abbondanza”, the portion size was a little bit of a curve ball. Tasty enough but I prefer it made in the traditional style served over pasta, even though I do LOVE risotto.  


Novita has a unique selection of thin crust pizza and the prices are very reasonable. I recommend the five mushroom truffle if you’re a BIG mushroom lover. What do I mean by mushroom lover? Well… if you eat, sleep and breathe mushrooms, then you will love this pizza, otherwise take a pass. The carbonara pizza sounded interesting (it’s made with sunny side eggs on top) but I wasn’t feeling adventurous enough that night. The chocolate soufflé with pistachio gelato for dessert was yummy but small enough that I could have ordered two. I rarely turn down a chocolate dessert when I see one on the menu, but I noticed some other items that would be worth trying- like the cinnamon zeppoli and the Nutella creme brûlée.  


Overall, I would come back to Novita, mostly for the cool bar scene and wine list. This could be the go-to place if you’re looking for a great wine bar and a fun atmosphere to get together with friends for drinks. I might have difficulty choosing my pre-dinner drink though.

Feldis Florist Shows a Little Love: Local V-Day gifts Part II

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‘Tis the season… of love. Ok, so flowers may not be the most original gift for Valentine’s Day but in terms of being romantic, not much can beat a beautiful bouquet of sweet smelling blossoms. And Feldis Florist on 7th St. in GC is taking it up a notch this year. I stopped in there a couple of times this week and they have been hard at work every day preparing for V-Day and it shows.

The flowers they have for Valentine’s Day are absolutely gorgeous- I’m talking about big, beautiful roses, classic white orchids, big fat gerber daisies, candy colored lilies… Some of the most beautiful Valentine’s Day bouquets I’ve seen are being made there right now. Best of all, Ed and Janine are making it really easy for their customers too- you can walk right in and pick out a beautiful already-made bouquet which is already in a vase which is already packed in a cardboard box- all set for you to walk in, carry it out, place it in your car and be on your way to making someone very happy. Talk about efficiency! It’s almost as easy as the drive thru at McDonald’s- but much better for your health (and your relationship). Of course they deliver as well and have extra staff on hand to make sure those deliveries run smoothly on the big day.

If you’re looking for something to make your gift even more sweet, Feldis also has delicious chocolates and the most cuddly teddy bears. It’s truly one stop shopping! If you happen to be in town on Friday, make sure to stop in for the rose petal red carpet Ed is planning when he opens that morning. Later in the afternoon (4-8pm) they will have tasty treats prepared for their customers who come into the store. I don’t know about you, but I love it when a business shows a little love for their customers- and what better day to do it! Tis the season…

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Local Valentine’s Day Gifts- Part I

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Ever since my father gave me chocolates and teddy bears on Valentine’s Day as a kid (up until the day I got married), I’ve always thought it was nice to have a special day in the middle of winter for some extra thoughtfulness. So I’ve decided to give you a few local gift ideas to get you started on buying a gift for the special woman in your life. I haven’t posted about Envie on Seventh St. in a little while and with Valentine’s Day on its way, I thought this was a good time. 

This piece below really caught my eye because it just shouts “Valentine’s Day” to me. There’s so much that you can pair it with and wear it with. It’s truly a classic, can’t-go-wrong V-day gift that any woman would love to own:

Envie always has a ton of unique bracelets. This one caught my eye for it’s color as well as its design. It still gets the Valentine sentiment across but in a less obvious way. This is a great piece to wear casually or dress up: 
If you want to go even less obvious with your Valentine’s Day gift this year, think outside of the jewelry box and go with a stylish and adorable scarf. They’re on sale at Envie and there were a few that I liked and may make room for in my own closet. Check out this chunky red one. The color really pops: 
Last but not least, I spotted this unique necklace on the way out. Since the dragonfly is a symbol of power and poise, don’t you agree that this would make a fabulous Valentine’s Day gift and send a meaningful message?
There are so many beautiful gifts that can be found around town. As you’re shopping locally (which I hope you are), just remember what the biggest Valentine’s Day gift no-no is: a gym membership. Enough said. 
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