MISS LIC BY ALAN CAPPER In November 2013 I underwent heart surgery, a valve replacement. Unfortunately, there were complications from the operation and the net result is that I have spent over 44 weeks in rehabilitation, in a wheelchair, and have to learn to walk again. I miss Long Island City greatly and have had much time to think about what I love about it. Firstly, it has become a real community. I cannot walk down Center or Vernon Boulevard without bumping into someone I know. This is especially true if you are a dog owner and part of the growing group of dog owners. Then there are the views. They are breathtaking, especially when the early morning sun takes the river, giving it a unique and extraordinary light. Often, in the stillness, the skyline is reflected as a mirror image undisturbed on the river. The early morning river offers two things: police boats and ferries, which are the first to disturb those still waters. I miss the geography. The piazza, as I’ve come to call it, and the four piers are such a pleasure to walk. Some of the new buildings on Center Boulevard are extraordinary and if you stand at the river end of the boulevard and look back through the whole development, you see a great urban view, and I always felt a great satisfaction in its completeness. Of course, there is the park with its extension to the ferry station and the new café. We have one of the most spectacular parks in New York. The walk from 48th Street to the ferry station gives unparalleled views of the river, especially at its widest part by the ferry. The ferry itself is a wonderful thing and no matter how often you take the ferry to Brooklyn, the scenery is always thrilling for every passenger. One of the great joys of my life was walking Elvis, my poodle, three times a day, each time thinking that I was certainly walking through the most beautiful park in New York and maybe even more than that. Oh the restaurants! I lived next door to Shi, opposite Skinny’s and a stone’s throw from dozens of other restaurants, with more to come. The cuisines in the neighborhood range from Japanese to Mexican to Vietnamese — just to name a few. I love the old Italian restaurants as much as the new ones, and the choices grow almost every week. I loved the arrival of the flea market. Apart from the great variety of sellers, to wander over there on a Saturday morning for breakfast from one of the many excellent food vendors from Japanese to donuts was always such a treat. At the LIC Flea you can really see the community of Long Island City and the diversity of races, ages and cultures all mingling together. My Manhattan acquaintances often say something like, “Oh, Long Island City. That’s rather up and coming isn’t it?” If they come to Long Island City they’ll see that it has arrived already! So there’s much to miss about Long Island City and I was not expecting such progress in terms of building and development in the seven years that I have lived there. There has been the growth of the neighborhood and the establishment of one of the greatest areas on the East River. One of the frustrating things about being away from it is that I know it is constantly changing with new restaurants and stores — and I’m missing all of this. I cannot wait to get back and catch up, relax and enjoy this increasingly unique and vibrant place.
LIC082014
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