Astoria Weekend Edition 15.09.06

Looks like we'll be heading back to summer by Sunday! Sunny and highs in the low 80s. Very exciting. And summer to me means ice cream. Did you know there is a brand of ice cream that was created right here in Astoria? It's 5 Boroughs Ice Cream, the brainchild of a couple from Astoria. They currently have five flavors, each one representing a different borough in NYC. Queens is represented by the town of Astoria (yay!) and the flavor is Bakla-Wha?. It's baklava ice cream! The chunks of baklava in the ice cream are from Astoria's own Victory Sweet Shop. Astoria also shows up in their SoHo flavor, which uses hazelnut biscotti from Rose & Joe's Bakery. Sadly, the ice cream is not available in Astoria! For shame. There is a way to remedy this, though. What a better thing to do while it's raining?

Someone on astorians.com suggested that this weekend should be considered "Astoria Pride Weekend," due to all the wonderful Astoria-centric things going on this weekend. First, on Friday the AMMI is showing A Guide to Recognizing Your Saints. This was filmed throughout Astoria during the summer of 2005, and is based on the autobiography of Astorian Dito Montiel, who is also the director. Montiel will be there to introduce both screenings. And if that wasn't great enough, food from Astoria restaurants will be sold in the courtyard starting at 6:00 p.m. Tickets are $10 general, and free for Museum members. Call to RSVP (718-784-0077).

Saturday holds two awesome events: The Shoreline Cleanup and Socrates Sculpture Park's 20th Anniversary Party. Come help beautify the shoreline! For the Shoreline Cleanup, sites include Astoria Park, Hallets Cove, and Socrates Sculpture Park. Tools, gloves, and good company provided, as well as free snacks for all volunteers. The event will be held rain or shine, although a thunderstorm will cancel. The times and locations are as follows:

10am-12pm:Socrates Sculpture Park, Broadway at Vernon Blvd
10:30am-3pm: Gantry Plaza State Park, 49th Ave at the East River
12-3pm: Socrates Sculpture Park ’s beach at Hallets Cove, 31st Ave at Vernon Blvd
12-3pm: Hallets Cove North, 31st Ave at Vernon Blvd
12-3pm: Astoria Park, War Memorial at Shore Blvd

For information on the cleanup at Gantry Plaza State Park, please call 718-340-8307. For information on all other events, please call 718-706-8044 or email Emily.Maxwell@parks.nyc.gov. For information on the day of the event, please call 917-902-9165.

Also know that from 4-6pm will be a Shoreline Cleanup Celebration at Socrates Sculpture Park, where volunteers will be honored in a ceremony at the 20th Anniversary Celebration! The full Celebration event will be from 12-6pm that day (rain date September 17th). It's a party for friends and neighbors and the entire community of artists, volunteers, patrons, elected officials and businesses that helped create and sustain the Park since 1986. Totally free.

Sunday, check out the Astoria Alive Street Festival. Should be a beautiful day to be out and about. Sponsored by the Astoria Restoration Association, it will be on 31st Street between Ditmars Boulevard and 21st Avenue. Food, games, and the requisite fun will be had that day.

Astoria.....so awesome!!

More fun, here.