8 The QUEE NS Courier • march 5, 2015 for breaking news visit www.queenscourier.com George Clooney, Bill Murray and Sofia Coppola stop by Astoria’s Taverna Kyclades BY CRISTABELLE TUMOLA AND ANGY ALTAMIRANO [email protected] @QueensCourier Astoria is becoming the next Hollywood hot spot. Bill Murray brought some of his famous friends to Astoria’s Taverna Kyclades restaurant this week, including George Clooney, who was just spotted filming his latest movie in the neighborhood. Murray must be a fan of the eatery, located at 33-07 Ditmars Blvd. and known for its fresh fish and Greek fare, because he stopped in twice with his film buddies. On March 2, he came by during lunchtime with Sofia Coppola, who directed Murray in “Lost in Translation.” They were also accompanied by a man who appeared to be her brother — writer, director and producer Roman Coppola — and a group of four to five people. They stayed for about 30 minutes, according to waiter Nikolaos Tsarouhas. He said the staff was surprised when Murray walked in and so were the customers. “I saw him and I remembered him from the movie ‘Ghostbusters,’” he said. “He was really nice, very kind and quiet.” The following day, during lunchtime again, according to the restaurant’s Twitter, Murray “loved Taverna so much he brought a friend.” And that friend was Clooney, who is in town to shoot “Money Monster,” costarring Julia Roberts, Page Six reported. Clooney is filming scenes for the Jodi Foster-directed thriller at the nearby Kaufman Astoria Studios, according to the Daily Mail. The Oscar winner recently directed and acted with Murray in the 2014 WWII drama “The Monuments Men.” Murray even gave a toast at Clooney’s wedding to Amal Alamuddin last fall. This is the first time that any of the actors have been to the restaurant, Tsarouhas said. But star sightings in Astoria and other areas of Queens are becoming increasingly common as more TV and movie producers are choosing to film on local streets and at area studios such as Kaufman Astoria and Silvercup. Community Board 9 chooses Lisa Gomes as their new district manager, angering BP Melinda Katz BY ERIC JANKIEWICZ [email protected] @EricJankiewicz Members of Community Board 9 selected Lisa Gomes to fill the long-vacant post of district manager — a move that Borough President Melinda Katz blasted as an attempt by the board to “steamroll this important decision” before new members join the board. “Over six months have elapsed since the former district manager tendered her resignation,” Katz said. “The length of time it has taken the board to move this forward demonstrates the ongoing governance issues which have been prevalent on Community Board 9.” Katz was so upset about the move that she issued a press release several hours before the meeting on March 3. “It’s perplexing at best as to why Community Board 9 feels it is absolutely necessary to steamroll this important decision upon a board that may or may not be the same in 28 days,” Katz said in the statement. Community Board 9 covers Kew Gardens, Richmond Hills, Ozone Park and Woodhaven. Queens’ longest-tenured district manager Mary Ann Carey resigned last year in October and since then Community Board 9 was without a leader. The board members made a decision on the night of March 3 during a closed meeting that lasted for over an hour. But just as the board members were about to heed Katz’s urging to select a new district manager, the borough president sent a letter to the board asking them to postpone the decision until April, a request that baffled board members. “I think it’s ironic that the borough president highlights how long the process has taken as a potential problem and then urges us to take even more time,” a community board spokesman said. “That seems a little weird to me. Especially when one of her former staffers happens to be a finalist for the job.” The board members went ahead with the voting process between three candidates and ultimately voted to appoint Lisa Gomes to the district manager’s post. The former Katz staffer was not selected. “Gomes’ familiarity with Community Board 9, with its members and with its neighborhoods, made her a strong candidate for the job,” the board spokesman said. “With her at the helm we are preserving institutional memory and maintaining continuity even while she has pledged to improve the way the office is run.” Lisa Gomes served as a temporary district manager since October and she served as a board staff member for over 20 years. THE COURIER/Photo by Angy Altamirano Photo via Instagram/tavernakyclades Bill Murray and George Clooney with Taverna Kyclades manager Konstantinos Daniil.
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