F: Is for Fitness over the River!

Last week I attended an opening of a new luxurious fitness club. City View Racquet Club is 80,000 square feet geared towards tennis and squash with the added attraction of a spa. Located on the rooftop of the iconic Swingline Stapler building in Long Island City they claim it is minutes of midtown Manhattan. The answer is 45 minutes on the 7 from 42nd Street. Make sure you catch the local because if you don't you will be dumped way out of your way. Who knew Queens needed an express train. Thought it is beautiful, what I didn't get was the why's until I checked out their competition. Roosevelt Island Racquet Club charges $150 for initiation and $1,550 a year, while CityView's prices are $1500 for an a initiation fee and $2000-4000 for yearly dues. Neither of these prices include court fee's which run $30 at City View and $36-80 at Roosevelt. If you play once a week Roosevelt would end up costing $1500 more in court fees. In terms of tennis there are 7 courts at City View however their competition in Roosevelt Island has 12. Though I do not play racquet ball the seven Har-Tru courts and four squash courts are why you join. The cost for playing here is only $10 per person. This $10 million state of the art facility, simply put is elegant and spacious. The state-of-the-art fitness facilities and in house spa make this an great event space. My favorite part about attending was that they did it as a benefit for children living with AIDS in Africa. Maru-a-Paula School played traditional sounds and had the attendee's joyously wanting to join in, helping these talented kids.

By the way the spa services are by the White Tea Spa also located on 14th Street. This is where Verika Seddik does semi-permanent make-up. Verika will be featured on the Tyra Banks Show today at 5:00. Be sure to tune in and see why I have ranted about her in several columns. After you watch Verika do her thing log onto www.tryashow.warnerbros.com and support her. For it is a F.A.C.T that art needs to be appreciated and nurtured and Verika is definitely an artist of the highest caliber.






(offering a variety of massage techniques to help you work out that tennis elbow). 43-26 32nd Pl between Queens Blvd and Skillman Ave (718-698-3664