Ah Forest Hills, New York, obscurely set in Central Queens, yet renowned for the small, glorious moments in its history. We Forest Hills natives have grown up in a very unique neighborhood, where all of us appreciate and reminisce about the past, for its residents live in a liminal state — past and future are simultaneous. Kids grow up knowing this Neverland sentiment, the idea that you can’t get this kind of fairytale land in New York anywhere else. So, let’s take a stroll down memory lane and celebrate the marks of a Forest Hills dweller.
1. Growing up, Austin Street was where everyone hung out.
You went to all the street fairs, summer mini-concerts and often saw your teachers!
2. Therefore, you also remember back when there was a Baskin-Robbins on the corner of Ascan Avenue (and blessed the moment Chipotle opened).
3. You know Forest Hills is famous for being the landscape of many movies.
"Spiderman" (the Tobey Maguire series), "Blue Bloods," "Remember Me," "Wolf of Wall Street" (OK fine, that was Rego Park), just to name a few.
4. You know what “The Gardens” is.
And it's beautiful.
5. You basically know your way around the Gardens.
6. You actually have a rough estimate of home values in the Gardens.
7. But you might not live in the Gardens.
You love taking walks through the area, though.
8. A celebration always called for some Eddie's Sweet Shop and a movie from Cinemart Cinemas across the street.
9. You feel lucky that the 71st Avenue/Continental Station has the E, F, R, and M.
"The only train that runs in YOUR neighborhood is the B?"
10. You work out in Forest Park.
"Birds flyin' high...you know how I feel..." - Michael Bublé
11. You do not think the Forest Hills Snapchat geofilter does the place justice.
Not even worth including. *shakes head*
12. You were pretty hyped when West Side Tennis Club became a concert venue.
Remember that time Ed Sheeran serenaded the whole neighborhood? He was literally two minutes away from you (shriek).
13. You knew of Forest Hills High School’s glory days.
14. You remember the picture of the 'Everybody Loves Raymond' cast in Lillian’s Pizza
Ray Romano grew up in the area!
15. You probably like Bareburger.
Forest Hills has a great variety of food and fun!
16. Even though Queens Boulevard is nicknamed “Boulevard of Death,” you jaywalk anyways.
17. If you went to JHS 190 Russell Sage, you’d stop at Tokyo Teriyaki, BJ’s Drugs or good ol’ McDee’s on the way home.
FOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOD.
18. You lament over the excruciatingly sluggish service of the Q23 bus.
19. Although Trader Joe’s, Staples, PetCo and Michael’s have all opened on Metropolitan Avenue to make life a little more convenient, you try to remember what it was like before the big companies settled in.
20. No matter where you go, you’ll always have a little smile on when people don’t know where or what your secret beloved Forest Hills is.
