After a hiatus caused by some personal and professional stuff, I’m back at it. I finally managed to find an apartment. Still in Queens (yay!), but with a working kitchen, abundant natural light, and hardwood floors. I decided to continue renting and save some more money for a co-op. The housing bust isn’t ending tomorrow.

Court Square Wine And Spirits

To celebrate my wonderful new place and begin the task of ingratiating myself to potential moving help, I stopped at Court Square Wine and Spirits (24-20 Jackson Ave.).  Located across from the Citibank building in Long Island City, this shop has a limited selection, but I think that’s fine when all the bottles are good. It’s really fine when the staff is incredibly knowledgeable and friendly (but not in your face). I once stopped in here to see if I could find something to go with a meal that included Korean hot pepper paste, raw fish, and yuzu. The wine they recommended (a Gruner Vetliner) worked really well, and I’ve since seen it on several wine lists. Each time, I felt ahead of the curve. Thanks, Court Square for making me less of a wine idiot!

Isn’t that a great name? Sugar and Joe is an adorable little cafe on the south end of Sunnyside. My apartment hunt has brought me to untrod sections of my very own neighborhood, causing me to hunt for caffeine at entirely new places. (Quick aside: I think I’m almost done with the hunt. I decided to rent for a while longer and save for a bigger down payment. I’ve seen a few great places this week and feel like the tide is turning.)

Sugar and Joe

Back to Sugar and Joe (42-20 Greenpoint Ave.). It’s been open for less than year on a stretch of Greenpoint better known for empanadas than macchiatos.  It has free wi-fi. Did I mention that it was adorable? The staff is friendly, although not exactly efficient. But hey, this isn’t Starbuck’s. They have a menu, though I didn’t order from it. I just had a muffin and some coffee. They were both alright. As I’ve said before, I like strong coffee. Sugar and Joe doesn’t make that. Not even close. The muffin was dry. I bet the other pastries are better. The cupackes looked good. Next time I’m over there, I think I’ll try one. My friend had a chai and really enjoyed it. My advice, bring your laptop, settle into a table, order an espresso, and stay away from the muffins.

Andy Roddick trying yet another slice backhand

If you’re heading out to Flushing Meadows, why not take the opportunity to see a little bit of Queens? (Anna Wintour is doing it, so there’s no need to be afraid, kiddies.) Prices at the U.S. Open are steep, while the rest of Queens is dirt cheap.

If you’re taking the 7 express train–which is your best option–stop off at 61st-Woodside and get some grub.

A short walk west on Roosevelt will bring you to Donovan’s Pub (5724 Roosevelt Ave.), home to one of New York’s best burgers. According to the obsessives at Burger Rankings, it’s actually number 2, right behind Peter Luger. Donovan’s is a lot cheaper than Luger, since it’s basically just an Irish bar and grill in Woodside. The burgers are awesome, though.

You say you don’t like burgers? That’s okay. If you walk a few block in the other direction, you will reach New York’s absolute best Thai restaurant, Sri Pra Phai (6413 39th Ave.). I don’t feel the need to equivocate on this one; it really is the best. It’s the kind of place food writers take famous chefs when they want to impress them. I didn’t just make that up, it happened with a Times writer and one of 2009’s best new chefs.

Sri Pra Phai

If you’re feeling more adventurous, go one stop past Willets Point to the end of the line, Flushing-Main Street. Flushing’s culinary delights are legendary at this point. You really can’t go wrong. Heck, you could just take a walking tour of the carts near the train and have a fantastic meal. However, I’d recommend using this handy guide instead. Be advised that a few of the places on the list have closed, but those have almost all been replaced by similar restaurants in the exact same place.

The U.S. Open has officially begun. I stopped by last week during qualifying rounds and saw a few of the top contenders practicing.

Juan Martin Del Potro

The teal-clad goliath at left, Juan Martin del Potro, is poised for a breakthrough. During practice he looked very, very tall and also very skilled. His footwork has improved and he was making his opponent, Gilles Simon, look like a club player. Del Potro has been in the top 10 for a while and should be winning majors any day now. But probably not before Andy Murray, who recently moved into the number 2 ranking past the ailing Rafael Nadal, who writes a pretty funny blog for the Time of London during the U.S. Open every year.

Andy Murray

Murray has been picked by scores of sports writers to win the U.S. Open this year. I can say that he looked a hell of a lot more focused during practice this year than he has in years past. There was a lot less grousing and whingeing (it’s like bitching, but with a Scottish accent) and a lot more effort.

I was lucky enough to get tickets to opening night this year (thanks, Mr. Sung!). Night sessions on Arthur Ashe can drag into the wee hours, especially when Venus forgets how to play tennis for two long hours. There is a bright side to midnight tennis, though, especially for fans in the nosebleed seats. At some point, the people with good seats leave and the nice folks at the USTA hand out passes to the huddled masses so they can go sit courtside. We moved from seats in the Upper Promenade (the very top of the stadium) to row BB, which was three rows back from the court. Roddick remarked in his press conference after the match that the late-night fans are a little more raucous/drunk. I think we were all just psyched to be courtside in seats we could never afford in real life, and also drunk.

The Magical Pink Courtside Pass

Himalayan Yak

Nepalese food can be found at several outlets in Queens, although it’s usually paired with Japanese food. Strange, since the two nations share neither geography nor much culinary ground. Himalayan Yak (72-20 Roosevelt Ave.) serves Nepalese along with the food of neighboring Bhutan, India, and Tibet. Makes much more sense.

So, Himalayan food? It runs the gamut, from tripe so spicy it makes sweat roll down the back of your neck to subtle momo, which are dumplings with a thick coating of steamed dough. They do serve yak, though it’s a rare special rather than part of the regular menu owing to the difficulty of acquiring yak meat. In addition to Dhoepakhatsa (the spicy tripe) and tsel momo, we also tried sandeko bandel (roasted sliced boar), lamb sekuwa (cross between a kebab and satay), aloo zira (tasted like Indian food), bhaled (steamed bread), achar (pickled spicy radish), and beef thenthuk (hand-pulled noodles in soup). The tripe, radish, aloo, and noodles were great. The momo were a little plain. I didn’t try the boar, but one who did said it needed more flavor. The sekuwa was good, but wasn’t particularly interesting. And the bread was a little too chewy. Still, I’d recommend it. On a previous visit I tried the national dish of Bhutan, whose name I of course can’t remember. Someone on yelp said it was similar to frito pie. I can’t agree, since I’ve never tried frito pie, but I’m pretty sure the Bhutanese dish contains velveeta and would be awesome with nacho chips. The world is indeed small.

After cooling off with some ices, we were ready to brave the heat once more and walk around. Next stop was Empanadas Cafe, which is also called Empanadas del Parque (56-27 Van Doren St.). This teeny tiny corner restaurant is run by three siblings and is known for making gourmet empanadas with really fresh ingredients.

Empanadas

You choose between three types of flour–corn, white, or organic whole wheat–and a wide variety of fillings, including plenty of vegetarian options and even a few dessert empanadas (hello, Nutella!). We tried bacalao, camarones, and chorizo. They put each empanada in a little bag and mark the variety, so you won’t accidentally give your vegetarian friend your coveted ham, cheese, and pineapple. I thought that was smart. In addition to the dessert empanadas, they also have a display filled with popsicle-esque desserts. They looked like paletas, and you know how much I love those. However, I’d just had a lot of Italian ice, so the treats will wait for another visit.

After walking off the empanadas, we made one more stop. I can tell you that we saved the best for last, though we didn’t do it by design. Sometimes you just get lucky. If you find yourself in Corona and have time for one and only one thing, run your hungry self over to Tortilleria Nixtamal (104-05 47th Ave).

Fish tacos at Tortilleria Nixtamal

I will begin by admitting that I love tacos. I love the taco trucks that dot Queens like so many oases in a late-night drunken haze. I think Nixtamal make some of the best tacos I’ve ever had. Their claim to fame is fresh masa. It turns out they are the only place in the city to get such a thing. Tortillas made fresh elevate everything. Their dense chewy texture can’t be replicated in their store-bought cousins, no matter how authentic and earnest the purveyor might be. The fish tacos I had were particularly amazing. They use skate wing, which I coincidentally had about a week before for the first time. It stands up well to grilling and has a really great, not-too-fishy flavor. The texture is sort of like pulled pork. Works well in a taco. On the weekends, they also serve carnitas, which they make in a huge vat outside. You can buy them per taco, or per pound. If you live in the neighborhood, I bet it makes great takeout. And did I mention that the place is manned by its incredibly friendly owner, who will come by to make sure you like everything? He’s not obtrusive, he just wants to make sure you’re happy. His friendliness spills over into every aspect of Nixtamal, which felt a little like having lunch in a friend’s backyard, thanks to the picnic tables and generally laid back demeanor of everyone around. It’s destined to become one of my most recommended places in Queens.

Tortilleria Nixtamal

I’ve been eating my way around Corona, just in time for U.S. Open tennis. For those of you going out to Flushing Meadows, I’d recommend stopping for snacks in Corona first. From any of the places I’m going to recommend, you can simply walk to 111th St., which is the Western edge of Flushing Meadows-Corona Park, then head toward the World’s Fair Plaza (aka the spaceships from Men in Black), and you’ll end up at the National Tennis Center’s entrance. Easy.

Leo's Latticini

Leo’s Latticini, the famed sandwich purveyor, was closed. This ended up being a good thing, since we had more of an appetite to try other places. I’m planning on going by again during the U.S. Open’s qualifying tournament, which is free, by the way.

After striking out at Leo’s, we headed over to another institution, the Lemon Ice King of Corona (52-02 108th St.).

Lemon Ice King of Corona

The day-glo hues of our selections (pistachio and watermelon) were a little weird, but I guess it’s fun for kids. Ices in hand, we walked across the street to find some shade and watch bocce in the park.

Bocce

Now, E is a bocce purist. He is an avid player of petanque, the French equivalent, and is a stickler for the rules. For him, this boils down to “no bowling.”  I think measuring tape is also involved, but I’m a novice. The Corona brand of bocce seems to involve a lot of bowling and not a lot of throwing, pitching, or whatever you call it. Still, it makes a nice entertainment while you’re trying to down your sticky sweet, bright green pistachio ice, without the aid of a spoon. Spoons only come with the big sizes; with the smaller cups you’re supposed to just go face first. Fun, but not great for the cleanliness of hands, pants, or, in my case, toes.

I was walking down Queens Blvd. yesterday at around 6:45 p.m., after getting some tuna at the fish market. As I passed McGuinness’s Pub (yes, in this sea of Irish pubs, someone had the balls to call one McGuinness), I heard a snippet of conversation between two guys. With apologies to my friend Mario, here’s what I heard.

Older guy: I’m from Queens. I get along with all the races. Italians, Germans, Koreans . . . not Greeks so much.

Slightly younger guy, shrugging: Well, yeah. What’re ya gonna do?

I guess Astoria is the issue here? Did the Irish in Sunnyside used to brawl with the Greeks in Astoria? And why would you hate the Greeks? Have you tasted their food? (If you haven’t, get yourself over to Zenon Taverna, Taverna Kyclades, or Aliada.)

I continue my pursuit of a less humble abode. I began looking for a cheaper apartment so I could save more for a down payment on a co-op next year (I’m still doing this), but co-op prices in my part of Queens recently began sinking like a stone. So, I’m also going to open houses and considering a purchase. Now, you’d think that because prices are sinking, the market is in the tank, and people are wary of big purchases that sellers and their real estate agents would be doing their best to convince you to buy their home.

Well, that’s what I thought. I could not have been more wrong. I’ve gone to advertised open houses to find that the broker hasn’t shown up, or more frustratingly, she’s put out balloons and signs but made no provision for you to actually get into the building. No phone number, no apartment number, no instructions for getting past the locked door. When I have made it in, I’ve found broken plumbing, dirty dishes, piles of clothes on the floors, locked doors (of course I don’t need to actually see the bedroom), non-working elevators,  water-damaged ceilings, and bugs. I’ve talked to brokers who made disparaging comments about colleagues in their own offices and about the sellers themselves. Why bother having an open house at all? You’re not going to sell the place. Is that the point? Is it farce? All of the places I’m talking about are still on the market, and some have been for more than six months. A friend of mine (who doesn’t live in New York), recently sold her house. She constantly talked about the hard work of cleaning for open houses, decluttering, getting herself and her kids out of the way, and, at least once, baking. I think I expected the same level of motivation from sellers here. I am so naive. I blame HGTV. They always make it look so easy.

One of my favorite things about New York living is grocery shopping. Back in the days when I had a car, a huge apartment, and a kitchen that could fit enough food for a small island nation (Hello, Kiribati!), I went to a big box grocery store and got everything in one fell swoop. Since moving to NYC, I’ve found that I shop more often and in more places. And I love it. Everything is fresh, and it all tastes good.

V & V Bakery

Bread and baked goods are a glaring example. A friend of mine is a recent immigrant to the U.S.  from a village in Eastern Europe. She searched hi and lo for hearty, dense, bread. The kind of thing that doesn’t keep for weeks on end. Such hearty fare can be found at V & V Italian Bakery, under the tunnel at 61st and Roosevelt. V&V also has a whole case full of delicious Italian butter cookies. Buy a pound to take to a party or to work if you want to ingratiate yourself with your office manager. Or, if you’re feeling selfish, just get a few to eat with a mug of coffee. Ahh, happiness in a flaky bit of sweet dough.

Cookies at V&V Italian Bakery

Excellent loaves of bread are also ready for you at La Marjolaine (50-17 Skillman Ave.). This slightly larger pastry shop also has tables and wi-fi in addition to excellent coffee and a real neighborhood vibe. If you want all the local gossip, you can be sure you’ll get it here if you sit around long enough. You can also get cakes, tarts, and tiny pastries beautiful enough for a birthday.

Beverages at Long Cheng Market

And now for the Queens-y part of the story. There are a lot of odd little groceries selling things you didn’t know you needed, because you didn’t know they existed. I wandered into Long Cheng Market (at 57th and Roosevelt) looking for fish sauce and Sriracha. I found those. I also found these three chewy challenges. Having recently conquered my aversion to beverages that require the aid of teeth, I took the plunge and bought one. I also got an unripe mango, some shell-on shrimp, extra firm tofu, and a package of rice stick noodles. That’s probably not relevant, but it does make the point that you can pretty much buy everything you need and a lot of things you don’t at the various neighborhood markets along the 7.