QUEENS CHRONICLE, Thursday, October 5, 2017 Page 52
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The ribbon-cutting ceremony was hosted on the Penthouse under the wedding pergola. From left, celebrating here are Terrace On The Park Controller Eleni Thermos, Dimitrios Kaloidis, George Makkos and General Manager Bruno Marques.
Terrace on the Park, which has received upgrades, offers beautiful views of Flushing Meadows PHOTOS BY NEGLAH SHARMA Corona Park.
Terrace On The Park unveils upgrades ‘Nearly every inch’ of iconic Queens venue renovated in five-year project by Neglah Sharma Chronicle Contributor
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Terrace On The Park’s $9 million facelift — the largest in the upscale venue’s history, was unveiled last Wednesday at an intimate grand opening tour. The ambiance and milieu radiated of gild, glitter and old-school glamour, as the first group of arrivers waited eagerly for the tour to commence in the confines of the Oak Room. According to General Manager Bruno Marques, the five-year revitalization was undertaken to “preserve the heritage,” while making it “new again for New Yorkers.” The official ribbon-cutting ceremony was hosted under the wedding pergola on the sunlit Penthouse, arguably the facility’s crown jewel due to its 360-degree panoramic views of Manhattan’s and Queens’ skylines. Marques said that “Before the renovation, the place was still beautiful” but a technical and aesthetic overhaul was in order for the
cent r ally locat ed sit e g iven cu r rent technology. “This project has involved improvements in nearly every inch of Terrace On The Park, from the front doors to our rooftop deck and gardens,” Marques said, adding that their crew had “a vision of the future that is just as big and breathtaking as our views.” A sumptuous dining experience followed the ceremony with culinary creations served by a friendly and watchful staff, under the direction of Executive Chef Joseph Cerquiera, a native of Portugal and former contestant on “Iron Chef.” The cuisine, as diverse as Queens borough itself, is a seemingly endless list of custom creations conceived by Cerquiera using only “the freshest and finest ingredients.” “Chef Cerquiera is very diverse, and we do a lot of Mediterranean, American, South Asian, Portuguese, Caribbean, Italian, Greek cuisine, with glatt kosher fare available,” Marques said. A self-proclaimed animal-lover, Cerquiera
explains that all meat is halal, or kosher. “Halal and kosher — I don’t know if it can be interchangeable, but we get our kosher meat from Mauzone kosher catering. They come in and prepare in a parallel kitchen, and the rabbi blesses the food.” In response to Cerquiera’s statement, Arthur Klass of The Jewish Press, a Brooklyn-based weekly newspaper targeting the Orthodox explained the basics of kosher and halal meat preparation: “With kosher and halal, the ritual slaughterer must have a razor sharp knife, it’s usually 18 inches, and cut with one clean sweep so that the animal doesn’t feel pain.” “The company spares no expense in the ingredients,” Cerquiera said. Suspended by four pillars, and constructed by the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey to serve as the heliport for the 1964 New York World’s Fair, the site now boasts ultra-fast fiber optic Wi-Fi service with integrated simulcast systems for multimedia presentations, advanced programmable
LED-lighting and custom-made carpets in contemporary hues. Two additional spaces were conceived, including a new Promenade, a trio of private gardens, a downstairs Chapel, resulting in a total of five separate event space options. “We have amazing events booked simultaneously throughout the day. We’re really excited,” sales director Jennifer Jolly said. The Penthouse, giving a breathtaking vantage point of Queens and Manhattan, also received LED-lighting additions, handcrafted plaster panels and new height-enhancing coffered ceilings, with the reconfiguration of the adjoining rooftop featuring two-tone stonework and new landscaping. The Grand Ballroom, The Crystal Ballroom and The Regency Ballroom along with their adjoining bridal suites underwent updates including zebra-wood panels, floor-to-ceiling windows, gilded accents, drapes and polished granite stonework, along with glittering new sconces and Q crystal chandeliers.
Bob Holden lands the GOP line in November by Christopher Barca Associate Editor
The Republican Party line in November’s City Council District 30 race is officially Bob Holden’s. Queens County GOP officials voted last Wednesday night to grant Holden what’s known as a Wilson Pakula certificate, allowing the self-described moderate Democrat to run as a Republican in his second effort to defeat Councilwoman Elizabeth Crowley (D-Glendale). Holden, the longtime president of the Juniper Park Civic Association, was
Democrat running on three other lines soundly defeated by Crowley in last month’s Democratic primary, losing by by more than 25 percentage points. The prospect of Holden getting the GOP line had been rumored for about two weeks. Bob Turner, who served as county party chairman until last Wednesday when Joann Ariola was voted his successor [see separate story], told the Chronicle early last week that he hoped Holden would accept the nod. “We will be working very hard to give
him that [Council] seat,” Ariola said in a Thursday interview. “Bob Holden is a lifelong leader in that district.” The civic leader had told the paper last Tuesday that, if offered, he would be honored to accept the GOP’s help. “I would be foolish not to take a major party’s line,” said Holden, who is also running on the Reform, Conservative and Dump de Blasio lines. Until last Monday, the Republican Party had a candidate for the seat — which rep-
resents all or parts of Glendale, Maspeth, Middle Village, Ridgewood, Woodside and Woodhaven — area attor ney Joseph Kasper. However, Kasper had no active campaign, was not registered with the city’s Campaign Finance Board, had not appeared at any events or debates and does not live in the district. That was all rendered moot when the Queens GOP nominated him at its convention as a candidate for Queens Supreme Court, making Kasper, who has sought judgeships numerous times in the past, Q ineligible to run for the Council.