Astorian Weekend Edition 30.08.07

Welcome to the end of summer; that gets a frownie face from me. This weekend, of course, is Labor Day, so enjoy a few more days off before you have to put away your summer whites. I hope you have one last picnic (hello Astoria Park!) or BBQ (Randall's Island, anyone?) to attend. I'll be making a batch of something to share with friends this weekend.

Friday night consider going to an art opening, right here in Astoria. Argentinian native and LIC resident Graciela Cassel’s latest work consists of mixed media boxes in acrylic, wood and plexiglass. The opening reception is Friday starting at 6pm at the ArtHome Gallery (29-28 Newtown Avenue). There will be an open bar and live music; h'ors d'oeuvres will be served. Please RSVP to arthomenyc@gmail.com if you plan on going.

This weekend, there's plenty of jazz at Waltz-Astoria (Ditmars and 23rd)- Samba Saurus on Thursday, the Howard Britz Jazz Trio on Saturday, and the Naughty Waltzers on Monday. They've also got a happy hour going on - on Thursday from 8:30-10:30, buy one drink, get second 1/2 off! I had a mimosa there the other day and it was tasty. They've renovated their space, and it looks really nice. On Thursday there's jazz at the Beer Garden, too, part of their regular series.

On Monday, hit the last street fair of the summer, sponsored by the 30th Avenue Business Association. It's on 30th Avenue between 29th & 42nd Streets and lasts from 11-6. I can almost smell the grilled corn and mozzarepas from here!

The ever-eclectic Candy Plum boutique (36th Street at 30th Ave) is having a great sale this week and into the weekend. For every $20 you spend, get a $5 gift card! All clothing is on sale, plus they have a fabulous selection of earrings. The vibe is always fun there, too.

There's a new sushi restaurant in town! Sakura, on Ditmars near 36th Street, just opened and I've heard good things about them. Prices are great and the menu is extensive. Particularly notable if the ume shisho roll, apparently hard to find around here. Definitely worth a try. Also, my tip for your sweet tooth - Il Bambino has the best cupcakes in town. Their chocolate peanut butter cupcake is to die for, simply fabulous. They've also made a few changes to their menu, too.

And while it's not in Astoria/LIC, one of the world's major sporting events has been going on this week in Queens, the US Open. It's a short ride from Queensboro Plaza on the 7 train to Flushing Meadows Corona Park. Get the scoop on queens.about.com, along with tips to make your US Open experience the best ever.