Jackson Heights Insider

Hey neighbor, I just recently got back from Web Summit (in Lisbon, Portugal), which is basically Disneyland for tech people. Lights. Stages. Badges everywhere. Fun, sure, but my heart kept wandering back to Jackson Heights. I found myself surrounded by fancy robots doing handstands and still thinking “I miss my corner store guy who calls…

Hola amigo, Do you ever notice how the best conversations in Jackson Heights don’t happen at big events, but over a good meal? Someone passes the salt, someone else shares a story, and suddenly you’ve got new ideas and a new friend. That’s the spirit behind our community dinner happening next Tuesday, November 18th at…

Hey neighbor, Big day in the neighborhood… we’re voting for our next mayor! 🗳️ If you haven’t voted yet, this is your moment. You can find your closest polling place here. And if those ballot questions have you scratching your head, our friends at Epicenter NYC made a super clear cheat sheet that explains it…

Hi neighbor! You’ll see some photos below from a busy week around the hood. We were out representing Jackson Heights at Queens Tech Night with Epicenter NYC and Astoria Live, connecting with small business owners through the Queens Success Collective, and chatting about local media at the World’s Borough Bookshop. Oh – and this very…

Hey neighbor, Ever notice how music can make Queens feel even more like home? Meet Kacia Flórez, a Colombian-Ecuadorian singer-songwriter born and raised right here in Jackson Heights. Her songs mix the folkloric sounds of Latin America with modern Queens energy, and you can explore her music and story on her new profile in the…

Hey neighbor! Ever wish you could meet more folks from around Jackson Heights without having to plan a thing? We’ve got you. Our first community dinner is happening on November 18, and it’s a fun, low-stress way to share a meal and support a local restaurant, and help sustain this newsletter. Here’s how it works:…

Hola vecina/o! Last week I was talking about the importance of “third spaces” – those cozy spots where you’re not at work, not at home, but somehow feel completely yourself. I think it’s fair to say that Espresso 77 nails it. Dating back to 2010, Afzal and Julie turned an architect’s dream into the kind…

Hey neighbor! My friend Tony Bacigalupo once wrote about the best gathering spots in his town of Norwalk, and it got me thinking about what that looks like here in Jackson Heights. Apart from the obvious ones like Espresso 77, The Queensboro, Travers Park, Jax Inn Diner, EJ’s barbershop and Nancy Blakes, here are some…

Hey neighbor, Usually I like to start this newsletter with good vibes, little wins, and neighborhood cheer. This week, though, it’s impossible to ignore something heavier. If you’ve ever eaten at The Queensboro, you probably know Dino – he’s been there since the early days, always smiling and welcoming everyone. Sadly, he was recently taken…

Hey friend, It’s always uplifting to meet neighbors who roll up their sleeves for the community. Yesterday I caught up with Jonathan Forgash from Queens Together. His group helped feed more than 300,000 people during the toughest days of the pandemic, and they’re still working to support restaurants across Queens. It’s great to see the…