Friday, August 25, 2017

Seaplane Taking Off From East River Next To Roosevelt Island Under Queensboro Bridge This Evening

A seaplane was spotted this evening taking off on the East River next to Roosevelt Island and the Queensboro Bridge.



Have never seen seaplanes before this close to Roosevelt Island on the East River.

UPDATE 9:50 PM:

By ROOSEVELT ISLANDER at 8:55:00 PM 0 comments

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Roosevelt Island Main Street Retail Update - What's Happening With Nisi/Trellis, Onda Mexican Restaurant & Cafe Panini Bar?

The most often question I'm asked is:

When will stores open on Main Street?

 Yesterday, I asked Roosevelt Island Shops On Main Street Master Leaseholder Hudson Related:
Can you update on status of Nisi, the Mexican restaurant and Juice Bar?
Hudson'Related's Alexandra Kaplan replied:
Juice bar is actually a café/panini bar. It is finalizing design and approvals.

Mexican restaurant is in the process of getting build-out approvals as well.

Nisi – I don’t have an update on right now- but will also reach back out with an opening date – when that happens.
I know that is not a satisfying answer for Roosevelt Island residents, but it's all we got.

At least the Cornell Tech Cafe is open and it's getting great responses from Roosevelt Island residents. Here's what it looked like on July 31 opening day.



On June 13, the Roosevelt Island Operating Corp (RIOC) Real Estate Advisory Committee received this Main Street Retail update from Ms. Kaplan



A resident suggested yesterday:
Since there are so many empty spaces on Main Street has anyone considered a $.99 store? I know our family loves to shop at them and we enjoy them especially when looking for small inexpensive gifts for children and also when buying gifts for Sunday School. I would think it would be something a lot of people would like to consider buying there.
Cornell Tech built an entire campus on Roosevelt Island in 2 1/2 years. Roosevelt Island can't fill it's vacant stores in more time than it took to build Cornell Tech - That's crazy.

By ROOSEVELT ISLANDER at 12:49:00 PM 0 comments

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Roosevelt Island Historical Society Merchandise Now Available At Saturday's Farmers Market

Roosevelt Island Historical Society (RIHS) President Judy Berdy reports that RIHS Visitors Center Kiosk merchandise will now also be available at the Roosevelt Island Saturday Farmers Market under the Motorgate Helix..

According to Ms Berdy:

New!

Shop for Roosevelt Island Historical Society

Visitor Center Merchandise

Saturdays 9 a.m. - 1 p.m.

Under the Helix at the Greenmarket


Beginning Saturday, August 26, the Roosevelt Island Historical Society will offer a large selection of Visitor Center merchandise at the Greenmarket. You'll find books, magnets,


hats, umbrellas, blocks and many more items (including Asylum,


F Train and Roosevelt Island mugs) right under the Helix.

Need a gift for that special someone? Birthdays or anniversaries coming up? Want to share RI mementos with a favorite friend or relative? Visit the new RIHS shop at the Greenmarket!

See you under the Helix!

By ROOSEVELT ISLANDER at 11:39:00 AM 0 comments

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Sponsored Post - Check Out Roosevelt Island Gristedes Bonus Card Diamond Rewards Items For August 25 - September 7- Weekly Sales & Specials Too


The Roosevelt Island Gristedes Supermarket


Diamond Rewards customer loyalty program items for August 25 - September 7 are now available .
Examples of featured items purchased from August 25 - September 7 that earn you big points include
  • Oscar Meyer Bacon earn 100 points,
  • Halo Top Ice Cream earn 75 points,
  • T.G.I. Friday's Appetizers earn 50 points,
  • Nature Valley Granola Bars earn 25 points and
  • many more shown in flyer below.
According to Gristedes:
Start Earning Points Today

Join the Diamond Rewards loyalty program today! Get exclusive offers and earn points on hundreds of items! Get $5 Coupons for every 500 points earned, redeemable on next order.

Look for the Diamond Rewards label on the shelf or the product
If you have a Gristedes Bonus Savings Card and provided your email address, you are automatically enrolled in the Diamond Loyalty Program.

You can sign up for a Gristedes Bonus Savings Card online or in store - just make sure you give your email address and whether you are a new or existing Bonus Savings Club member, in order to be eligible for the Diamond Rewards Loyalty program.

Also, Roosevelt Island Gristedes Supermarket invites you to check out their:
  • Groceries, 
  • Organic & Gourmet, 
  • Snacks
  • Meat, 
  • Fresh Produce, 
  • Seafood, 
  • Frozen, 
  • Deli &;
  • Fresh Bakery
Department Offerings for September 1 - September 7

and shop at Gristedes for these September 1- September 7 Specials.


Don't forget the 10% Roosevelt Island Seniors Discount on Tuesday and Wednesday and Sign Up for the Gristedes Diamond Loyalty Rewards Program.

More Gristedes Supermarket information available at their web site, Facebook Page and Twitter feed.

By ROOSEVELT ISLANDER at 10:56:00 AM 0 comments

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Roosevelt Island Summer Outdoor Movie Showing Willy Wonka & The Chocolate Factory Tonight At Firefighters Field - Last Roosevelt Island Outdoor Film Of The Season

The 2017 Roosevelt Island Outdoor Summer Movie Series concludes tonight, August 25, at Firefighters Field

Image From June 30, 2017 Showing of Back To The Future

with the showing on Willy Wonka & The Chocolate Factory.


According to the Roosevelt Island Operating Corp (RIOC):
Summer Outdoor Movie Series: Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory

Who can make the sunrise? The Candy Man can!

This Friday, Aug. 25th, the last film in the 2017 Outdoor Summer Movie Series! Showing on a giant screen at Firefighter’s Field (located across from the Tram). WEATHER PERMITTING.

The fun begins at 7 PM but the movie showing does not begin until sunset. Nathan's Food Cart and Wafels & Dinges will be on sight.

There will be a special viewing of The Four Freedoms Park Conservancy's 2016 Intergenerational Documentary Project Echoes of History before the movie showing.

Special thanks to Oxygen Eventworks!

We hope to see you there!

By ROOSEVELT ISLANDER at 10:42:00 AM 0 comments

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Good News, Roosevelt Island F Train Service To And From Manhattan This Weekend - But This Morning's Roosevelt Island F Train Commute Horrible Says Resident

According to the MTA, there will be Roosevelt Island F Train service


to and from Manhattan this weekend.

Bad news. only single Roosevelt Island Tram Cabin operating due to ongoing Tram Station repairs. 

Also, the Roosevelt Island Twitterverse reports on this morning's commute on F Train:
A Commenter reminds us that other NYC residents have crowded subway stations too:
... how above the world people on Rooevelt Island thinks they are compared to the rest of New York City. For example complaining about a crowded train station when other people wait 2 or 3 trains as well,...
UPDATE 9 PM:

By ROOSEVELT ISLANDER at 10:33:00 AM 0 comments

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Thursday, August 24, 2017

Long Island City Fisherman Catch Huge Sea Turtle In East River Next To Costco Across From Roosevelt Island Last Monday

A huge Sea Turtle was caught in the East River by fisherman on the Long Island City waterfront next to Costco right across from Roosevelt Island last Monday.

CBS New York reports



Gothamist tweets



and adds:
... Chris Carlson spotted the action near the Costco in Long Island City on Monday around 7:30 p.m., "I was just walking past and heard the guy screaming, 'What the hell is that?! What did I catch?!'"

When the sea turtle started to surface, Carlson explained, "We all jumped down there and luckily they clipped the hook with pliers and they had him back in water in two minutes tops."...
Maybe the solar eclipse on Monday had something to do with the Turtle finding it's way to the East River.



I don't think a Sea Turtle or anything that large has ever been caught on Roosevelt Island but maybe you know.

By ROOSEVELT ISLANDER at 6:09:00 PM 0 comments

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Roosevelt Island Game Of Thrones - Olenna Tyrell Spotted On Red Bus - Was Her Death Faked?

The Roosevelt Island Twitterverse reported yesterday:

A post shared by ScottyP (@scottpiro) on

You decide.



What's next - will Flying Fire Breathing Dragons Swoop over Roosevelt Island?



Game of Thrones - Wow.

By ROOSEVELT ISLANDER at 1:02:00 PM 0 comments

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Roosevelt Island Chabad Torah Tots Hebrew School Registration Now Open

Nechama Duchman from the Chabad Of Roosevelt Island reports:

Roosevelt Island Torah Tots Chabad Hebrew School Registration is now open.

For more information and to register, please contact nechama@RIjewish.org.

More info on the Chabad of Roosevelt Island available at their web site.

By ROOSEVELT ISLANDER at 11:38:00 AM 0 comments

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Wednesday, August 23, 2017

Sponsored Post - Register Now For Island Kids Roosevelt Island Fall Enrichment Classes - Toddler, School Aged & Middle School Programming Offered

Island Kids is a not for profit organization providing support to the families of Roosevelt Island by offering affordable, quality enrichment opportunities and support groups.

Register Now for our Fall Enrichment Classes

Toddler Programs
  • Little Chefs
  • Toddler Tumble Bugs
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Allergic to Salad
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Allergic to Salad Culinary Cooking Class (priority given to students who attend PS/IS 217 Middle School)
Additional Free Middle School, School Aged and Toddler Programing will be announced over the coming weeks.

Please visit ISLAND KIDS for registration, scholarship information and for class descriptions.

Island Kids is a 501© 3 non-profit organization

By ROOSEVELT ISLANDER at 4:07:00 PM 0 comments

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You're Invited To Four Freedoms Democratic Club Meeting Tonight At Riverwalk Bar & Grill - Discuss Local Issues & Meet NY State Senator Jose Serrano

Are you interested in Democratic Party politics - or would you just like to meet Roosevelt Island's NY State Senator Jose Serrano. If yes, come down to the Riverwalk Bar & Grill for some political talk and meet some interesting folks from the Four Freedoms Democratic Club.

The Four Freedoms Democratic Club adds:
Join the FFDC on Roosevelt Island for a meeting with State Senator José M. Serrano. We'll be discussing local issues, the upcoming primary election, and the club's recent activism efforts. See you there!

Directions: Riverwalk is located one block up Main St from the Tram stop, and right next to the F Train stop.

WHEN

August 23, 2017 at 7pm - 8:30pm

WHERE

Riverwalk Bar and Grill
425 Main Street...
More information about the Four Freedoms Democratic Club here.

By ROOSEVELT ISLANDER at 1:07:00 PM 0 comments

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An Evening Of Jazz Presented By Roosevelt Island Seniors Association Thursday, August 24 With The Jazz Cats Quintet, Johnny G On Vocals & Special Guest Singers - Please RSVP

Roosevelt Island Seniors Association (RISA) President Barbara Parker reports:

Roosevelt Island Senior Association Presents: An Evening Of Jazz Music!

Featuring

The Jazz Cats Quintet

Johnny G on Vocals

With
Special Guest Singers

Food and Beverages provided

Thursday, August 24th -  6:30pm to 8:30pm

546 Community Center

RISA Members FREE - Non-Members $10.00

Please RSVP 

For more information, contact:  Barbara Parker

email: riseniorsa@gmail.com

By ROOSEVELT ISLANDER at 12:27:00 PM 0 comments

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Roosevelt Island Resident Uses Twitter To Show Cars Ignoring Stop Signs On Main Street Near Octagon Building

The Roosevelt Island Twitterverse reports:



Roosevelt Island resident Scott Piro adds:
I shot this video at 7:30am EDT on Wed, Aug 23, 2017. You can see about half the northbound traffic completely disregard the stop sign, while the other half at least applies brakes and slows down somewhat (without coming to full stop).

The concern is those who breeze through the stop sign without any braking at all. Let's install a camera there that captures their behavior - and their license plate info in order to mail them a traffic violation/ticket. Other ideas include stationing a Public Safety officer just beyond the intersection to do the same function. And, installing a speed bump could be very effective.

This was a random video I captured. I sit on the Tennis Association bench in front of this stop sign every weekday morning around this time. I have observed much more egregious violations, I assure you - where car after car after car ignores the stop sign and speeds through without any attempt to even slow down a little. This was a relatively tame example I captured this time on video.

Let's install one or more mechanisms to modify the traffic behavior we are seeing here constantly.

This is part of a series of traffic dangers present around the Octagon building.
Stay tuned.

By ROOSEVELT ISLANDER at 11:38:00 AM 0 comments

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Tuesday, August 22, 2017

You're Invited To Community Information Session On Roosevelt Island Ferry Service Hosted By Assembly Member Rebecca Seawright August 23 - Roosevelt Island Ferry Service One Week Away, Starts August 29

According to the Roosevelt Island Operating Corp (RIOC):

Assembly Member Rebecca A. Seawright, RIOC, and NYC Economic Development Corporation present a community information session on the launch of the new ferry service on Roosevelt Island. Join us on Wednesday, August 23rd from 6:30 p.m. – 7:30 p.m at the Good Shepherd Community Center Auditorium (543 Main Street).

Co-sponsored by Congresswoman Carolyn Maloney, State Senator Jose Serrano, and Manhattan Borough President Gale Brewer. City Council Member who helped make this possible could not be listed due to the NYC Primary Election blackout period.

For more information on this event or any other state or local issue, please contact Assembly Member Rebecca A. Seawright at 212-288-4607.
The Roosevelt Island Ferry service on Astoria route is scheduled to begin August 29 - one week away.

More info on Roosevelt Island Ferry service at this previous post.

UPDATE 1:30 PM - The Roosevelt Island Astoria Route Ferry schedule announced today.


The first weekday ferry leaves Astoria at 6:30 AM

Click here for the full Roosevelt Island Astoria Route schedule and to buy your tickets at $2.75.
UPDATE 4:25 PM:

By ROOSEVELT ISLANDER at 11:36:00 AM 0 comments

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Monday, August 21, 2017

Solar Eclipse Seen From Roosevelt Island Today - Quite A Sight

Roosevelt Island residents were eagerly anticipating today's solar eclipse this afternoon


and were


excited


by what


they saw.


Viewing the Solar Eclipse through the safety glasses was fantastic.

The pictures and video don't show how spectacular the solar eclipse looked but they're pretty good.

Take a look.
A post shared by Patrick Skullcrusher De Zinna (@tatking411) on

Read more »

By ROOSEVELT ISLANDER at 7:44:00 PM 0 comments

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Roosevelt Island Hudson Related Southtown Buildings 8 & 9 Proposed Agreement On August 22 RIOC Real Estate Committee Meeting Agenda - Cell Service Infrastructure Too

The Roosevelt Island Operating Corp (RIOC) Real Estate Advisory Committee is meeting tomorrow.According to the RIOC:

PLEASE TAKE NOTICE that a meeting of the Real Estate Development Advisory Committee of the RIOC Board of Directors will be held on Tuesday, August 22, 2017 at 5:30 p.m. at the RIOC Administrative Office, 591 Main Street, Roosevelt Island, New York.

Agenda:

1. Presentation by Crown Castle NG East LLC on Cell Service Infrastructure on Roosevelt Island

2. Chair's Motion for Executive Session to Discuss Proposed Agreements Related to the Southtown Buildings #8 and #9 Developments

3. Any Other Committee Business That may be Brought Before the Committee

***

The Open Meetings Law of the State of New York requires that all public bodies conduct meetings, convened for the purpose of officially conducting public business, in a manner open to attendance by the general public to observe and listen.
The Hudson Related Southtown Building 8 is supposed to have a significant number of affordable housing units although we don't know yet what that means in terms of number of apartments and financial requirements for tenants.

Unfortunately, the discussion of of Southtown buildings 8 & 9 will be in Executive Session, meaning that the public and press will not be able to attend. According to Section 105 of the NY State Open Meetings Law:
... the proposed acquisition, sale or lease of real property or the proposed acquisition of securities, or sale or exchange of securities held by such public body, but only when publicity would substantially affect the value thereof....
In July 2014, Hudson Related's David Kramer spoke to me about the layout of Southtown Buildings 7-9.



Hope to find out more soon.

By ROOSEVELT ISLANDER at 5:37:00 PM 0 comments

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Roosevelt Island Has New Picnic Benches At Octagon Park And Blackwell Park Playground - New BBQ Grills At Octagon Park Too

The Roosevelt Island Operating Corp (RIOC) placed new picnic tables

Image From Eric DiPalma

and BBQ Grills

Image From Eric DiPalma

at Octagon Park

Image From Eric DiPalma

recently.

One resident expressed concern that the picnic tables could no longer be moved closer to each other allowing larger families and groups to eat and socialize together.

Read more »

By ROOSEVELT ISLANDER at 11:49:00 AM 0 comments

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Sunday, August 20, 2017

Are You Planning On Watching The Solar Eclipse Tomorrow? It Will Be Incredible But Make Sure To View Safely With Protective Eclipse Glasses

Are you going to be watching tomorrow's solar eclipse from Roosevelt Island?


The NY Times reports:
Tomorrow a total eclipse will crawl across the continental U.S. for the first time in nearly a century!

Starting around 1:15 p.m. E.D.T., a 70-mile-wide shadow cast by the moon will make landfall in Oregon and finish its path in South Carolina at around 2:49 p.m. E.D.T. Though only a lucky few will be in the direct path of totality — check here to see if you will be — the view from anywhere in North America will be incredible....


According to the American Museum Of Natural History's Hayden Planetarium:
... While New York is not in this “path of totality,” we will be able to see the Moon cover more than 70 percent of the Sun....
NYC Parks adds:
... Although a total solar eclipse is visible from some place on Earth about every 18 months, the last time the United States experienced a coat-to-coast total solar eclipse was 1918—99 years ago! After August 21, the next coast-to-coast total solar eclipse is due on August 12, 2045.

NYC hasn’t experienced a total eclipse since 1925. The next total eclipse in NYC will take place on May 1, 2079. We'll experience another partial eclipse on April 8, 2024.

So, if you’re planning on getting a good look at the Great American Eclipse, here are the details on when and where to view the solar eclipse in New York City:
When

Monday, August 21 at 2:44 p.m. – The best time to view the eclipse is between 1:30 p.m. and 4:00 p.m. (weather permitting). The actual event occurs at 2:44 p.m. The eclipse will last only three minutes, so be prepared!...
From The Twitterverse:

2017 Solar Eclipse with Joe Rao from Michael Kozel on Vimeo.

and take a look at these instructions describing how to to safely watch the partial solar eclipse in NYC- use eclipse glasses.



More in depth information on tomorrow's Solar Eclipse from the American Museum of Natural History.



If you're planning to watch the Eclipse tomorrow off Roosevelt Island, Curbed, DNA Info and NYC Parks have some suggestions.

UPDATE 8/21 - Waiting for the start of the eclipse at Roosevelt Island Pizzeria - with safety glasses on.


UPDATE 8:30 PM - Pictures from the Solar Eclipse.

By ROOSEVELT ISLANDER at 7:37:00 PM 0 comments

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