WORLD WORLDWIDE USA New York NY New York City NYC the city THE CITY News Journal Update - THE CITY SCOOP: Beloved Queens Restaurant Relocating to Nassau County

 

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If you know anyone who might like this newsletter, send it to them. If this was sent to you by someone else, subscribe here — it's free!  Dear New Yorkers, A beloved Cuban restaurant in Queens is relocating to Nassau County, and its owner has a message to local diners: “You can’t love something from afar — you have to go visit.”  Rincón Criollo has been a fixture in Corona, Queens since 1976, when brothers Jesus Rene and Rodobaldo Acosta opened the eatery on Junction Boulevard near what was then the heart of Corona’s Cuban community.  The restaurant retained the same name as the place their family ran in Santiago de Las Vegas, Cuba, from 1950 to 1962, when it was seized at gunpoint. It has become a neighborhood fixture, whose decor and chef, Pablo, have stayed the same since it opened. The family points to the pandemic, which hit Corona hard and forced the restaurant to shift to takeout, as a big factor in the decision to close. Its outdoor dining setup consisted of one small table. Workers spent six months cooking for World Central Kitchen, which prepared meals during the pandemic for local people, including the staff at NYC Health + Hospitals/Elmhurst and at New Immigrant Community Empowerment. Kitchen staff cooked between 1,500 and 2,000 meals daily. But now Esther Acosta and her brother Rudy — who, in 2011, took over the restaurant from their great uncles — will close the doors of Rincón Criollo at the end of August.  Read more here. Some other items of note: One chapter of the United Federation of Teachers will vote again on a contract that the chapter initially rejected. The UFT’s occupational and physical therapists, who were dissatisfied with the contract, have now been split from other members of their chapter — leaving them on their own as they attempt to bargain for a better contract. The iconic jingle of an ice cream truck heading down the block is a telltale sign of summer. But while frozen treats may be sweet, the exhaust noisily spewing from the trucks is not. Now, some are warming to the idea of powering the trucks with batteries instead of generators. While it’s a big up-front investment, eliminating fuel costs and pollution — plus the health benefits — has its appeal. Do more cameras for congestion pricing breed more “ghost” cars and plates? Albert Fox Cahn of the Surveillance Technology Oversight Project digs into that and much more on a new episode of the FAQ NYC podcast. Listen here. For the latest local numbers on COVID-19 hospitalizations, positivity rates and more, check our coronavirus tracker. Weather scoop by New York Metro Weather Wednesday's Weather Rating: 8/10. Much lower dew points will have it feeling more comfortable out there, with partly cloudy skies expected. A bit warm at times with high temperatures in the upper 80s and we'll watch for a few isolated late-day storms. Still, the vibes are pretty dang good. Things To Do Here’s what’s going on around the city this week. Thursday, Aug. 10: Salsa in the Bronx, part of the Rise Up NYC Concert Series, featuring El Gran Combo de Puerto Rico and Hector Acosta “El Torito,” plus sets by DJs. Orchard Beach, 6-9 p.m. Free. Friday, Aug. 11: Jazz Está Morto: Arthur Verocai with Orchestra is the first-ever NYC performance by the renowned Brazilian artist, who will perform his seminal self-titled and often-sampled 1972 debut album in its entirety for Lincoln Center’s Hip-Hop Week. Damrosch Park, 7 p.m. Free. Friday, Aug. 11-Sunday, Aug. 13: The 10th annual Taiwan: A World of Orchids exhibition at the Queens Botanic Gardens. More than 900 pots of orchids, plus Taiwanese art, food and culture. Free with admission.   THE KICKER: Spike Lee hosted a stoop sale in Fort Greene last weekend, which became a pilgrimage for many fans eager to meet him. One person drove all the way from Wisconsin. Thanks, as always, for reading. Make it a great Wednesday. Love, THE CITY P.S. Love THE CITY? Our nonprofit newsroom runs on support from readers like you. Donate here.

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