Astorian Weekend Edition 15.10.09

Well, it's mid-October already, and it's hard to believe the holidays are just around the corner!  Halloween is almost here, changing our clocks is coming up, and it keeps feeling like fall around here.  Enjoy these cool, crisp days around neighborhood, perhaps enjoying a bowl of warm soup at Il Bambino (34-08 31st Ave), a hot potato at La Papa (25-13 30th Ave), or a pot of tea at Himalyan Teahouse (33-17 31st Ave).

Thursday night brings a fashion event to Astoria via KrisTees and Candy Plum.  Their second annual Fashion: Astoria Style show should be a lot of fun, taking place at Central Lounge (which has sushi!). Doors open at 6 p.m., show begins at 8 p.m., and entrance comes with your RSVP (astoriafashion@gmail.com or call 718.721.2299).  Central Lounge is at 20-30 Steinway.

The first game of the ALCS and NLCS (Baseball Championship Series) starts Friday, and the Yankees are in it to win it. Newcomer YOLO is a nice place to catch the game (by the way, they have a $22 happy hour special that includes a pitcher of beer and a large plain pizza), and I'm sure neighborhood favorites like the Irish Rover and McCanns will be busting with excitement to see the home team triumph. The ALCS games (Yanks vs Angels) take place on Friday and Saturday, with a game time of 7:57 p.m. for both.

Head over to Socrates on Saturday for their Halloween Harvest Festival. Fun for all for sure. That night the Astoria Symphony kicks off their season with a concert of Mendelssohn, Beethoven and Schnittke at the new Frank Sinatra School for the Arts (35-12 35th Ave).

Finally, Sunday hails the start of Rioja Restaurant Week.  Both 718 (35-01 Ditmars) and Sweet Afton (30-09 34th St) will be participating.

Astorian Weekend Edition 24.04.08

Green is so the new black! Well, for this weekend at least. There are so many Earth Day events going on this week, just check with the Astoria/LIC Waterfront Community group to pick one that suits your taste.

EVERYTHING MUST GO! I'm sure everything is gonna go on Saturday at the last show at the Flux Factory (38-38 43rd St). Starting at 7 p.m. and free, come dance the night away with the "Make It Go Dance Party". There are going to be cool performances and all kinds of surprises, so go say your farewells!

Rain or shine, Sunday is Kite Flight: Plastic Play at Socrates (32-01 Vernon Blvd.). 11 a.m. - 2 p.m. turn your old plastic bags into cool recycled kites; then fly them in the park!

Also on Sunday, enjoy the first party of the season at Water Taxi Beach (2nd St & Borden Ave). Beach. Here. Now. will be packed full of DJs and will cost $20 in advance, more at the door. The party goes from 1 to 10 p.m.

If you find yourself hungry and outside, stop over at Akti and eat while enjoying the hustle and bustle of 30th Ave. The seafood is delish and they have a cool inventive way of using the menu.

Astorian Weekend Edition 18.10.07

On Thursday from 7-9:30pm, join a new division at Break (32-04 Broadway) and earn yourself a free cuestick! The APA meets up regularly on thursdays there anyway- but get there today and score a stick :)

So there is more then corporate coffee making going on at the Starbucks on Steinway! Who knew? Coffee Tub Productions is presenting the 4th edition of their monthly musical showcase series. It's going on from 7 to 10pm on Friday. The event's organizer Sean Tubridy says "The Showcase has become a hot spot for local talent to hone their chops before moving up to the Manhattan and Brooklyn open mic scene". Personally I think its funny that alot of the artists are current/former employees of the joint! Are we looking at a retro beatnik coffeehouse jam? Not sure, but at least its something.

I went to the NY Cares back in the spring and found it very "neighborhood-ingly" fulfilling. If you missed out on the fun- you've got another chance this Saturday. Check the site and look for a local group and location and jump right in!

Just an FYI, Il Bambino (34-08 31st Ave) is ripe for the eating :) The menu has changed up a bit since I last visited, so maybe you'll want to stop over and pick out new favorite or two!

On Sunday, if the "Fall" weather stays friendly- go check out the uber cool installation at Socrates (Broadway @ Vernon). The Emerging Artist Fellowship Exhibition has some of the most interesting pieces I have seen at the park. Like this huge metal crow- i'm totally fascinated!

foto credit Newell the Jewell - The scarecrow is part of Groundswell by Rachel Owens at Socrates Sculpture Park

Astorian Weekend Edition 27.09.07

Well, this is the last weekend of September - October is just around the corner and I expect the full reality of fall will hit me then. This warm/hot weather this past week has kept me in the mindset of summer. Can't put the summer clothes away just yet! And you can hang on to the last bit of summer with a trip to PS1 in LIC. Their summer line up of exhibitions is there for just a bit longer, just until October 8. Get there to see Peter Young, Jack Whitten, and many other before their works come down.

On the art-related front, this weekend the Women's Studio Center in LIC (21-24 44th Avenue) presents their annual Members Exhibition, Small Works, Big Ideas. They're having an opening reception on Friday from 5-8pm. Come by to see a variety of media, from painting, to sculpture, to bronze work, among others. I stopped by this week and saw a lot of wonderful pieces. My favorite is a little bronze horse - it's really lovely. It's definitely worth a trip.

And on Thursday, the Art-O-Mat holds a reception for 11101:The Space at Art-O-Mat, The Space's residency there. The Space "has been providing free studio, rehearsal, and performance space for the creative arts" in LIC since 1999. The reception is at 6pm with live banjo music by Johnny Coughlan and Friends. Art-O-Mat is located at 46-46 Vernon Blvd.

On Saturday, the LaGuardia Performing Arts Center (LPAC, 47th Avenue at Van Dam in LIC) presents the Pasha Dance Company, Korea’s elite dance troupe, in their US debut. They will perform its signature piece, Mok-Ryeon, Ascendable the Cloud Nine, which is inspired by Dante’s Paradise and Buddhist thought. They use contrasting colors and choreography to tell the story of the Buddhist disciple Maudgalyayana. They will also present Everlasting Mass Communication, winner of the Korean Ministry of Culture’s Best Dance Production in 2006. 8pm, General Admission: $20 / $10 Students.

On Friday, see the documentary City of Water at Socrates Sculpture Park from 7-9pm. The description: "With New York City's waterways finally coming back to life, this short documentary explores the aspirations of public officials, advocates, environmentalists, recreational boaters and regular New Yorkers for their waterfront as development along its shores proceeds at a gold-rush pace. The documentary features interviews with Majora Carter, Dan Doctoroff, Cathy Drew, Joy Garland, Philip Lopate, Nydia Velazquez and others."
It's probably a good idea to rsvp for this at rsvp@mas.org

For eats, maybe stop by Cafe Soleil on Astoria Blvd or Patisserie la Brioche D'Or on Steinway Street, both new to the neighborhood. Water Taxi Beach is still going strong, with DJ Victor Franco spinning there Saturday night. Great dogs and burgers can be had there.

More fun, here.

Astorian Weekend Edition 13.09.07

One of my favorite events is happening this weekend, the Shoreline Cleanup. The big one will be in Astoria Park, starting around 9am, going until around 1pm or so. Check-in is on Shore Blvd across from the war memorial, and you'll most likely see me helping out there. It's a terrific event and a great way to contribute to the community. Be sure to wear sturdy shoes (that means no sandals or flipflops). And if Astoria Park is too far from you, from 11am-2pm that day there's a shoreline cleanup at Gantry Park. Gantry Park is located at at 48th Avenue and the East River. For more info, contact GantryParkFriends@aol.com.

Later that day is the re(Cycle) Plays at Socrates Sculpture Park. This is a free event with a bunch of local theater groups participating. From the press release:

THE (re)CYCLE PLAYS is a free outdoor festival of live performances in theatre, dance, and music with green themes. A dynamic mix of artists will recycle titles from the medieval Cycle Plays and pair them with today's leading ecological issues. This series of short performances will cycle throughout the day on multiple stages.

Also on Sunday, Flux Factory (38-38 43rd Street) is starting a new project, DeluxeFactory. There's a capitalist element to it, which I'm sure will be twisted by FF in their own inimitable way. Saturday at 7pm is the opening party, plus the gallery is open during the weekend.

The Astoria Symphony has a performance this weekend, too. They'll be performing the music of Wagner, Huff, and Brahms. On Sunday at 5pm they'll be playing in Astoria at St. Joseph's Catholic Church (43-19 30th Avenue). Tickets are $12 apiece.

Thursday night the Creek and the Cave in LIC (10-93 Jackson Ave) they're showing Kill Bill 2. I was there last Thursday and had a great time. The food is tasty, the beer is great, and it's fun to be outside in the back watching a movie. Kill Bill was terrifically violent but such a well-crafted film. I'm really curious to see how things happen in the second installation.

If you want to do some shopping this weekend, we've got great boutiques here in town: Kristees (24-01 23rd Avenue), Candy Plum (30-98 36th Street), Loveday 31 (33-06 31st Ave), The Blooming Company (22-75 31st Street), and Mimi's Closet (21-10 31st Street) come to mind. Such cute stuff!

And maybe a trip to Dolce Italia will be in your plans? I understand that apart from the delicious pastries they also sell bread. Pair that with some great feta and olives from Angelo's Food Emporium ( 31-27 Ditmars Blvd) up the street, and a bottle of Greek wine from Omega Wines over on 23rd Ave (29-15 23rd Street), and you're set. Don't forget some gelato later at La Guli (29-15 Ditmars Blvd)!

The (re)Cycle Plays

THE (re)CYCLE PLAYS

at Socrates Sculpture Park
Saturday, September 15 (rain date September 16)
1 - 6pm

A free Community Eco-Festival featuring:
Confluence Theatre Company
Athena Kokoronis
Adam Matta
New Perspectives Theater
Studio 42
The Subjective Theatre Company
Anne Zuerner/The Roxanne Lola Movement Machine

Special appearance by The Rude Mechanical Orchestra
Festival design by Nicole Frankel and Robert Morris
(lineup subject to change)


THE (re)CYCLE PLAYS is a free outdoor festival of live performances in theatre, dance, and music with green themes. A dynamic mix of artists will recycle titles from the medieval Cycle Plays and pair them with today's leading ecological issues. This series of short performances will cycle throughout the day on multiple stages.

• Sets constructed from salvaged materials

• Powered by 100% bio-diesel

• Ye Olde Eco-Faire will showcase grassroots environmental groups

• Green Kids! area presented by Wingspan Arts with music by Astrograss for Kids

www.recycleplays.com
info@recycleplays.com
718-956-1819

Socrates Emerging Artist Fellowship Exibition Opening

Astorian Weekend Edition 16.08.07

Looks like a nice, comfortable weekend coming up! Highs in the upper 70s with a little bit of clouds. This will be a great weekend for a couple of bike-related events going on. Friday, it's all about the kids: Teach Your Child to Ride a Bike! That's the name of a class being given from 10am-1pm at ARROW (35-30 35th St.), for kids and their parents (a parent of guardian MUST attend). The class will provide expert guidance on how to balance,start, stop, and steer. It's free, and the NYC Dept. of Transportation will be giving away free helmets, on top of it all. Also, there will be a raffle of donated bikes and scooters from Recycle-A-Bicycle. Pre-registration is required online or by calling 212 932 2453 x159.

On Saturday August 18, from 12-3pm, Recycle-A-Bicycle is having a bike sale at their LIC location (46th Avenue at 5th Street). Six kids through the Summer Youth Employment Program have been working at Recycle-A-Bicycle in LIC for the last 7 weeks to learn basic bike mechanic skills, and this is the final project. There will be adult bicycles and a few children's bicycles- all recycled and refurbished. Cash and credit cars will be accepted, and the sale will take place rain or shine.

There's also fun at Hellgate Social this weekend - music, djing, and movies on the back patio. Always a good time. And speaking of movies, MOMI has some interesting looking films about complex realtionships, including Drive, He Said, Charley Varrick, and Play Misty For Me.

Socrates Sculpture Park continues its pan-arts event,Float. Saturday and Sunday, from 12-7:30pm, come see different kinds of artwork, live performances, and videos by emerging artists Robert Boyd, William Lamson, Ola Vasiljeva, and Shana Moulton. Moulton's Whispering Pines video series ends with a performance on Sunday. Jan Rothuizen's Missing is a tree covered in posters for lost pets, possessions, and people. Sheila Ross and Laura Ten Eyck's installation, Yurt City, will also be on display.

Warm Up at PS1 (22-25 Jackson Ave in LIC) features DJ Spun w/Ben Cook, Eric Duncan, Woolfy Projections, Dewanatron & Ray Sweeten, and Zach Layton, going on from 3-9pm. It's a $10 admission for everyone but locals (bring proof of your Astoria/LIC address/zip to get in free). According to Flavorpill: "Rong Music hosts a lineup that's thick with dubbed-out beat makers, psychedelic incantations, and a proper dash of disco punk. Beyond the spinners, live sets include funk-fueled bass lines, temperamental synths, and all forms of robotic love." Head to Water Taxi Beach afterwards for Akalepse, and great dogs.

Food-wise, there's the aforementioned dogs at WTB. I hear that the pizza at Frankie's (31st Street between Ditmars and 23rd Ave) has changed a bit - an extra garlicky sauce, apparently. I don't necessarily think that's a bad thing. My fave really is Michael Angelo's on 23rd Ave (near 29th Street), which made me a fantastic Marghareta slice the other day. They have a back garden as well, which is so nice in the warmer months. But the place I'm most interested in is the new vegetarian/vegan restaurant run by the same people that run Sai Organics (30th Ave between 36th and 37th Streets), that is finally open!. This new restaurant is in the old Keystone Diner spot, 30th Ave just west of 31st Street. They are serving 100% organic food, too. This is very exciting!

More fun, here.

Astoria, a Smarter Travel Destination

Today, SmarterTravel published an article called Take a walk on the local side of five top cities, and Astoria is one of them! Barcelona's Born neighborhood, London's Shoreditch neighborhood, Paris' 12th Arrondissement, and Seattle's Ballard district are the other four. The article mentions the usual suspects (MOMI, Beer Garden, Socrates), and it was nice to see both Astoria Park and delicious Mombar get some attention. Our friend John's site on Queens was also mentioned as another great Astoria resource.

Astoria is the place to be!

Astorian Weekend Edition 09.08.06

There's music at the park on Thursday, The Glenn Miller Orchestra will be over near Shore Blvd. and the river. Come after work and bring a blanket and some munchies- it starts at 7:30pm For more info: call (718) 728-7820 or visit www.centralastoria.org

Friday, Recycle-A-Bicycle's Summer Ride Club is in effect! Come and learn some urban cycling skills like traffic maneuvering (this should be handy for us city folk). This is an early one, 10am-3pm at their training center at the corner of 46 Ave. and 5th St. for more info: rideclub@recycleabicycle.org

Saturday is Children's Day at Queensbridge Park (41st Ave and Vernon Blvd). From noon-3pm, kids can learn to ride their bikes and just hang out and enjoy the day. There will be picnicking at 3pm to maximize the socializing! Sponsored by Queensbridge Park Committee

Summer is definitely still here by the looks of Steinway on Sunday- yet another Street Fair! We love those :) Catch it between 28th and 34th Avenues.

Saturdays and Sundays in August are filled with art at Socrates (Broadway at Vernon Blvd.) with the FLOAT installation. It's a biennial series of time-based and ephemeral works installed and performed throughout the Park- they've got it all- live music and art.

If the hunger strikes, try the new Valverde (corner of Steinway and 36th Ave) for some fresh Mediterranean flavors. I got all this delivered for $45 and 2 people were super satisfied.

Get Your (free) Yoga On at Socrates

JIA friend Jayme forwarded me this:

Date: Wed, 9 May 2007
From: Monique Schubert

Greetings Friends!

Calling all yogis and yoginis, students, serious practitioners and spiritual seekers! It's that time again - time for yoga in the park!

Yoga classes at Socrates Sculpture Park are starting this Saturday!! Classes will be running from May 12 - September 29 this year!! Still meeting from 11-12noon.

For more info about the park, including directions and a calendar of all the amazing events going on this summer go to:

http://www.socratessculpturepark.org/

Hope to see you all there!!
OM Shanti,

Monique