is this a decent area? safe? easy to reach the city from there?

Rego Park is a very suburbanized, family area of Queens. It's deathly dull if you don't have a car, because places to hang out are a little too far of a hike from each other. No street life whatsoever. Big Jewish and Central Asian (things ending with "stan") population. Lots of long, purely residential blocks. Nearest interesting shopping/dining strip is on Austin Street in Forest Hills, two local subway stops away; there's also a mall (yes, a mall!) nearby. There are some great Asian restaurants on Queens Boulevard, too, but you REALLY want a car to navigate Queens Boulevard comfortably.

Commute isn't bad - if you're very near a subway stop you can get to a Midtown office building in maybe 35 minutes. If you're going to downtown or need to take a bus to the train, add time.

I grew up there, and I was never bored.

Hop on the subway, and you go all over the city in a flash.

Even Forest Hills itself has tons of cool stuff to do.

You cannot be serious!

John

P.S.: BTW, a good friend of ours got his car stuck in reverse in the Macy's parking structure on Queens Blvd...(or was it Alexander's Dep't Store?) Anyhow, he negotiated exiting the parking structure in reverse...and then proceeded to drive along the Boulevard in reverse...until a police officer intervened...oh well...true story, actually!