Astorian Weekend *New Year's Edition* - 01.01.09

Happy New Year Astoria!

We hope that you had a fun and eventful evening last night. And while you're probably still recuperating from last night's celebrations, we wanted to bring you the latest and greatest happenings for this New Year's weekend.

There's a new Greek taverna in town, which replaced the old Anna's Corner and the more recent Athens Taverna. The new eatery is called Psitopolio Ta Vlahika and it offers pretty much the same type of cuisine as its predecessors but at more competitive prices. They've refurbished the space so it looks brand spankin' new. 31-01 23rd Avenue, Astoria. 718.545.4000

Enjoy a lovely brunch at some of our Astorian favorites:

Ovelia - For $10 - $13 you'll get a hefty brunch entree with a coffee and a morning cocktail. One of my favorites here is the tiropita toast, which is a flat bread made with feta cheese. 34-01 30th Avenue, Astoria. 718.721.7217

You can never go wrong with Grand Cafe's $11.50 brunch special (pictured above), which includes adorable little breakfast muffins, coffee served with a delicious pirouette cookie, a morning cocktail and an entree. 37-01 30th Avenue, Astoria. 718.777.7321

And don't forget to check out our latest brunch favorite, Vesta. Meg provides a great recap of their dishes here. Personally, I can't wait to try their hangover pizza! 21-02 30th Avenue, Astoria. 718.545.5550

Another fun activity for this weekend is shopping--especially on Ditmars.

Check out Inside Astoria for their 50% holiday sale, where you can get cool holiday cards and funky home items. 37-20 Ditmars Blvd, Astoria. 718.956.4000. Nook n' Crannie also offers unique, gently used vintage furniture. 29-18 Ditmars Blvd, Astoria. 718.204.8399. Or get some fun jewelry on sale at Mimi's Closet . 21-10 31st Street, Astoria. 718.726.0971.

The Best of 2008, JIA Style!

Here it is, the last post of 2008.
"It was the best of times, it was the worst of times..." Mr. Dickens new what he was talking about! But for this post, we'll concentrate on the good. Just cause that's how we roll.
So here are the top 5 Astorian bits from the 3 of us:

From Meg-

Opening of Vesta. This new trattoria in western Astoria blew me away with great food and atmosphere, and dedication by the owners and operators to make my stay truly enjoyable. Plus they are doing 80's night for their New Years feast!

Little Soap Shop. This independently-owned boutique sells soaps, lotions, and candles that are all natural and non toxic. Plus, they smell great!

A good latte at Chocolate Spoon. I was pleased to find a place that made a good latte - strong, but not bitter with creamy foamy milk on top. Nice people, too.

The Tap Project. "A campaign that recognizes clean and available tap water in our communities and helps UNICEF distribute clean water to children around the globe." A number of Astoria restaurants participated.

The proposed sale of 21.29 acres of Con Ed property to buyer/developer Steel Equities for a FedEx ground facility DEFEATED. I was pleased with this result.

From Foodista-

There are so many wonderful places that I enjoy visiting in Astoria. From delicious eateries to quaint boutiques and relaxing spas, I never have to travel far to get what I need.

1. Ovelia's Brunch - This is by far my favorite venue for brunch, especially in the summer when it's nice and open for you to enjoy the sunshine. The vibe is social and loud--they play dance music and the clientele is young and hip. Some of my favorite brunch dishes include Yia-Yia's omelette, eggs benedict and the tiropita toast. And the best part is that brunch will only set you back $10-$13, including coffee and a morning cocktail. 34-01 30th Avenue, Astoria. 718.721.7217.

2. Bistro 33 - An intimate eatery, it's won over my heart--and my stomach--over the past year. From amazing classic dishes such as braised lamb to inventive Asian cuisine such as crawfish tempura, Bistro has never disappointed and always over-delivered. It's a fabulous brunch option too and I recommend trying the blueberry silver dollar pancakes. Bistro has become quite the show-stopper this year, rated as a favorite by Sex and the City's Cynthia Nixon and also a taping location of ABC's Ugly Betty. 19-33 Ditmars Blvd, Astoria. 718.721.1933

3. Artopolis Bakery - Although hidden in Agora Plaza shopping center on 31st Street near 23rd Avenue, this treasure won't stay a secret for long. It boasts some of the most delicious bread that I've ever tasted--especially their herb flat bread. They specialize in Greek pastries and make some of the flakiest baklava in town. They've also been featured on Al Roker's "Roker on the Road." 23-18 31st Street, Astoria. 718.728.8484

4. Spa Hydra - My favorite place to unwind, I've gotten some of the best massages here. Their facilities are nicer than some of the top spas in Manhattan--and the prices are a bit gentler too. 35-11 36th Street, Astoria. 718.267.7991

5. Esculon Jewelry - I've been hooked on Alexandra Mihaescu's funky jewelry designs. She makes contemporary fashion jewelry at reasonable prices. My most recent purchase, the Golden Dotty Earrings have become a huge hit with all of my friends--so much so that I've purchased 3 more pairs for some of my closest buds. The compliments on these babies just keep pouring in!

From Flooz-

• Cafe Soleil ... didn't start off great for me, but has really come into its own. I see it as a bit of an underdog, but think they have great potential to become a go to spot in the area.

• Comedy came to Astoria, laughs were had and good times aplenty!
(Mezzo Comedy Club and Comedyland at the Beer Garden)

• The return of Mano's Papaya! Oh how your cheap tubular treats and fruitie drink concoctions were missed.

• All the filming bringing celebrity watching to the hood.

• The first ever Astorian Beer-lympic's. I mean, come on- what isn't there to love about THAT???

Have a safe happy and prosperous new year friends, and see you back here in 2009

Happy New Year Astoria!

Last year we ended off '06 with a summary of Astoria's biggest ups and downs , it worked out so well we decided to bring you the key hits and misses of our Astorian Adventures, the 2007 edition: (in no particular order...)

• Go to spot for random movies & drinks- Hell Gate Social.
• Lil Bistro 33 became Bistro 33 in a new location and one of our all time favs.
• Le Petit Prince closed but to fill the void we got Patisserie la Brioche D'Or & La Marjolaine
• We became inundated with Mexican & Japanese restaurants
• The fires in Greece brought about action in the neighborhood
• 36th Ave became the place to be or its getting there anyway! (Aces, Cafe Triskell, Arepas Cafe & more)
  
• Meister-burger tastiest burger- Sparrow
  
• Architectural Horror- Castle Astoria & Alpha/Omega- hard to believe i know, but it's a TIE!!!
• Biggest treat - pie a la mode from Oleput
• Weirdest opening... 7/11?
• Quirkiest event at the BG - Harry & the Potters played for the muggles!
• Biggest brush with big stars was of course the return of Peter Parker to Queens with Spiderman week
• Strangest date spot became White Castle on Valentines Day!
• Alien vs. Predator? No! Wine vs. Beer - wine bars invade Astoria in 2007 (Crescent and Vine, Rest-Au-Rant, Vino di Vino)
• Astoria stepped into greener ways with the addition of Turbines in the East River
  
• JIA's new best friend: NY Magazine, who linked to us more than anyone else - thank you!
• Best and most varied wine tasting: Vine Wine. Runner up: Waltz, which held a number of wine tastings this year.
• Funnest place for little gifts: Marco Polo Gift House
  
• Best new restaurant has to be of course, Il Bambino. I seriously doubt you will ever hear a negative peep out of us! We love Darren and the gang, keep up the delicious work :)
  
• Most important friend to animals continues to be Francis's Friends- remember them if you're in a "donating" mood!
  
• Best place for free giveaway art was and is Silver Age Comics, which holds Free Comic Book Day every year
  
• Best place for free public art: Socrates Sculpture Park
• Best new crepes: Cafe Triskell
  
• Dumbest suggestion for Astoria had to be creating a parking lot over the Grand Central Parkway.
  
• The tastiest gyro to touch these lips all year were from BZ Grill
  
• Oddest crime committed in Astoria: Finger twisting
  
• Rose and Joe's continues to entice us with the tastiest Sicilian slice!
  
• Best non-bakery pizza: Sophia Loren at Michael Angelo's

So there you have it, some good- some not so good, but all ours! We hope you have had a wonderful year here in our lovely nabe and that you continue to take advantage of all Astoria has to offer in 2008. Have a happy and a healthy wherever you may be and see you around hopefully!