Sweetleaf Cafe - Excellent Coffee in Long Island City

This weekend I was able to catch the penultimate day of Sweetleaf's Free Coffee Week event, and I am kicking myself for not visiting sooner. It is, bar none, the best coffee I've had in the borough, and some of the best coffee I've had in NYC.

They serve the much-lauded Stumptown Coffee, and it is strong and delicious, not to mention fair trade. They offer American coffee ($1.75) and espresso-based coffee drinks ($2.25-$4.00) on the menu, as well as a variety of in-house baked goods (muffins and other treats).  They also sell Nunu Chocolates, which are wonderful - the hand-dipped salted caramel is my favorite so far.

The staff is really nice and accommodating, and owner Rich answered my questions about the store and products, and even passed on some brewing tips (which were a huge help!).  You can also buy Stumptown beans from them - 12 oz bags run from about $12-14, depending on the kind of bean you get.  I bought a bag of the Columbia El Jordan, brewed it this morning, and found it to be one of the smoothest cups of coffee I've had in quite a while.  I can see myself returning again and again for good coffee and fantastic beans for home brewing.  And those chocolates... mmm...

Definitely check them out - you won't regret it!

Sweetleaf Coffee & Tea
10-93 Jackson Ave, LIC
917-832-6726

Hours: Mon to Fri 7:30am–7pm; Sat 8am–7pm; Sun 10am–6pm

Astorian Weekend Edition 25.06.09

I can hardly believe that it's going to be a hot, sunny weekend. There are tons of fun indoor--and outdoor--goings-on to enjoy:

Shop for some cool art this Friday at Socrates Sculpture Park’s Makers Market Preview from 6 p.m. – 8 p.m. Unique products such as ceramics, glassware, jewelry, furniture and even motorcycles will be on sale. The price of a ticket is $50, which includes cocktails and hors d’oeuvres—plus it’s tax deductible. 32-01 Vernon Blvd (at Broadway), LIC. 718.956.1819

Visit Bistro 33 on Saturday for dinner when they’ll showcase French Onion Pork Chops, (pictured above) the winning dish of Monday’s Best Dish Battle competition. Mike Szczepanski, the creator of this entree did a great job—now it’s time to check out Chef Gary’s spin on it. 19-33 Ditmars Blvd, Astoria. 718.721.1933

Love to dance? Check out Dancing in the Park this Saturday from 3 p.m. – 6 p.m. in Astoria Park. The event, organized by Martinez Dance Studios will feature salsa dancing. RSVP to 718.932.4344 or info@martinezdancestudios.com.

Get involved in a wonderful cause this weekend by attending the Fourth Annual Relay for Life, helping to fight cancer. The event starts on Saturday at 6:00 p.m. in Astoria Park and continues throughout the night with festivities such as live music, karaoke and relay races. A $10 donation per person will get you into the event. For more information, contact Taliah Duchatelier at 718.263.2225 ext 5511, Astoria.relay@cancer.org or www.relayforlife.org/Astoria.

Are you a wine connoisseur? Visit LIC’s wine store, Vine this Saturday for a tasting of wines from Long Island’s North Fork region. The tasting will run from 2:00 p.m. – 8 p.m. with experienced North Fork wine experts on-hand from Bouke wines and from Paumanok Vineyards. 12-09 Jackson Avenue, LIC. 718.433.2611

Dutch Kills - An Interesting and Acquired Taste

After a long lead-up to the highly-anticipated Dutch Kills bar in LIC, I finally paid them a visit last week and liked what I experienced.

Atmosphere:
The bar is located in a semi-shady area on Jackson Avenue and there's absolutely nothing worthy of mentioning around it--however, as soon as you step in, you feel transported into another world.

Dark brown wooden furnishings deck the place from wall to wall and table to table. It's a bit dark and narrow as you step in and walk towards the bar, but once you get there, a charming, nostalgic vibe prevails. There's an old fashioned cash register and a grand piano in the back with saw-dust on the floor. And the best part is that all the barmen are dressed in vintage uniforms of high-waisted pants, suspenders and in some cases bowties. They're super nice and accommodating to your every need. I asked my barman to custom make my drink, and he happily obliged, fixing up the best classic daiquiri (pictured above) that I've had in a long time.

Drinks:
Dutch Kills features themed cocktails named after Queens neighborhoods such as "The Steinway" "Flushing" and even "Astoria." Beers and traditional spirits are served as well, embellished with unique little touches. For example, a scotch on the rocks was served with a huge chunk of solid ice. It made for good presentation and was fun for swooshing around the glass.

Costs:
Prices are on the expensive side for Queens and range between $7-$9 (beers are $7, signature cocktails and custom drinks are $9).

Overall, I do think it's worth a visit, as it is so different from the rest. Plus, did I mention that the barmen are skillful and cute?

Dutch Kills Bar - 27-24 Jackson Avenue, Long Island City, NY 11101
718.383.2724
E/V/G/R Train to Queens Plaza
www.dutchkillsbar.com

HipNoHop This Weekend

Just got this in my email box - it sounds promising!

HipNoHop

What: Let the local musicians entertain you with free music that blends all sorts of rhythms together. BBQ (veggie burgers or hot dogs/hamburgers) will be available for purchase in the patio area.

When: Sunday, August 19, 4PM-7:30 PM

Where: LIC Bar, 45-58 Vernon Boulevard.

Who: No cover charge; Dogs and children are welcome!

Opening Reception for Emerging Artists Exhibit at Subdivision in LIC

Subdivision art. in LIC is the home of an emerging artists exhibit running from July 28 to September 15. Artists exhibiting include:

• Brendan Carroll
• Leidy Churchman
• Ann Flaherty
• Rubens Ghenov
• Andrea Moreau
• René Smith
• Rachael Wren
• Mika Yokobori
• Elizabeth Zans

There's an opening reception tomorrow night from 6-9pm, too; what I've seen on the website looks pretty good. So, if you're in the mood to see some new art, this is the event for you! By the way, here is a flickr set of some of the images from the show (thanks to the artblog for that pointer).

Subdivision art.
48-18 Vernon Blvd
Long Island City, NY

Talk about the New Gourmet Market in LIC

A little while back, I posted about a new gourmet market coming to LIC, a project by the Manducati's people. Over on Queens West, they've been discussing the possibility of a wine shop, but that doesn't seem to be a potential reality. But, there are already enough wine shops in LIC. Anyway, if you'd like to read the thread, go here.

And apparently Manducati's is a pretty awesome restaurant as well. I need to go soon.

Exciting LIC Food News

From Eric at Long Island City:

So the Manducatis family is back, this time they are about to open up a high end gourmet market right Vernon Blvd, its about 5000sqft and will have everything from cheeses, to olives, breads, wine and even gelato…

Not sure exactly where on Vernon, but I'm guessing its further into LIC. But the news is very exciting!

Water Taxi Beach Open This Weekend!

The fabulous sandy beach at Water Taxi Beach is open this weekend due to the awesome weather predicted. From the guys themselves:

The beach is coming together for the 2007 season. Although we officially open on Friday of Memorial Day Weekend, weather permitting we will be open every Sat & Sunday in May.

Since the weather looks good for this weekend, we are expecting to open Saturday at Noon (Sunday's at 1pm).

Until Memorial Day Weekend, we will be serving ONLY Beef Dogs and Beer.

Excellent! Looks like its time to make a visit there...

[Photo from Streetsblog]