Astorian Weekend Edition 04.02.10

So, this weekend is an unofficial American holiday - Superbowl Sunday.  The Foodista has a rundown of 10 Superbowl party offerings in town, and such variety!  A lot of fun is to be had... as well as good eats!

Since it's going to be a little chilly this weekend, perhaps consider making a visit to one of our many museums in town.  From the Museum of the Moving Image, to the Noguchi Museum, to PS1, there is a lot to see out there. Then stop over at Il Bambino (34-08 31st Ave) for a nutella hot chocolate to warm up.

Astoria Indies continues its Thursday film series at Bohemian Hall, with Adventures of Power, starring Adrian Grenier. "Adventures of Power is an epic rock n' roll comedy about the American Dream, love, and air-drumming. A Sundance fave, AoP walks the fine line between clever and stupid with grace and panache.‚" 8 p.m. at the beer garden (2919 24th Ave).

Friday night at Waltz (23-14 Ditmars Boulevard) brings you local talent in the form of The Ultimate Show - Steph Allen, Jon Christopher (both The Ultimate Singer Songwriter finalists), and Joe Jung, winner of The Ultimate Singer-Songwriter contest, will be playing from 8-11 p.m. $10 Drink minimum, no cover.

Finally, for something completely different, head to LaGuardia Community College (31-10 Thomson Avenue) to see Target Margin Theatre's production of The Really Big Once (a work-in-progress). This experimental theater piece incorporates the letters of Elia Kazan and Tennessee Williams on one of their most celebrated failures, Camino Real. This workshop will be followed by a Q-and-A with the company. The show starts at 8 p.m. on the Mainstage and it's free! For reservations, email: rsvp-lpac@lagcc.cuny.edu.

Photo:  (cc) pkeleher on flickr

Astorian Weekend Edition, 14.01.10

Happy Martin Luther King Jr. Day holiday weekend!  I envy you lucky ducks that get Monday off.  This is a great weekend to relax and enjoy your time away from the office, and remember what this man did for our country.

On Monday, the MOMI has a bunch of great stuff going on that appeals to both kids and adults.  Be sure to check out the video games while you're there, one of the coolest parts of the place, IMO.

This weekend is a good opportunity to stop by KrisTEES (24-01 23rd Avenue) to check out their big winter sale. Save from 25-60% off on coats, dresses, blouses, handbags, and lots more. Ethereal Boutique (47-38 Vernon Boulevard, 1L) is also having a sale this weekend, with party dresses, winter merchandise, and furnishings available.

At Parrot Market on Ditmars (31-12 Ditmars Blvd), they receive a delivery of a very delicious Romanian sweet bread every Friday. It's a yeasted bread dough with a swirl of walnuts and chocolate inside. Really delicious, and at $9.99 it's a special treat. It's especially good toasted with butter. If you can stop by for a loaf, I highly recommend it. While you're there, take a peek at the cured meat products in the back refrigerator, the olive bar, and the homemade phyllo pastries.

On Saturday, the weather is supposed to be stellar, temperature-wise. I've been running in Astoria Park this week, and have loved seeing the amazing sunrises we've had. It should be nice enough for a brisk walk with a friend - and bring your dog with you if you'd like to socialize with other dog owners, as Saturday mornings are filled with dogs romping around (supervised by their humans, of course).

Brunch is coming to Sweet Afton (30-09 34th Street)! I was fortunate enough to be invited for a preview of their brunch last weekend, and it was awesome. I'll post more about it later, but for now, take a look at Judith's rundown of a wonderful new brunch menu in the neighborhood.

MOMI Open MLK Day

In the latest email blast from the Museum of the Moving Image, they indicated they will be open on Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, which is on Monday, January 18. A lot of kids are home that day (alas, I am not), so the Museum is providing a number of distractions. From the email:

MUSEUM OPEN ON MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR. DAY
The Museum will be open 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Monday, January 18 and will present screenings of the animated African folk tale Kirikou and the Sorceress and workshops for children.

The Schedule:

Kirikou and the Sorceress
In Tut's Fever Movie Palace
January 18
12 and 2 p.m.
1998, 74 mins. Directed by Michel Ocelot. English-language version.
In this exuberant and charming animated feature, based on an African fairy tale, an indomitable young boy wills himself to be born, and battles an evil sorceress. The film has vibrant colors, and a lyrical musical score by Youssou N’Dour. Suitable for all ages. Contains innocent nudity.

Moving Pictures Workshop
January 18
12:30, 2:30, and 3:30 p.m.
Ages 6-12. 45 mins.
Children discover what makes moving images move and make their own Thaumatrope—a nineteenth-century optical toy—to take home. Materials fee: $5 per child / Free for Museum members. Space is limited; register when you arrive at the Museum.

MOMI: Spring Break Family Fun

The Museum of the Moving Image has lots of activities for families throughout next week. I wanted to pass them on to you:

SPRING BREAK FAMILY FUN
Museum open Monday–Friday, April 13–17, 2009
10 a.m.–5 p.m.

Motion Workshop (for children 6-12)
Daily at 11:30 a.m.
30 mins. Children learn the basic principles behind how moving images move and make their own Thaumatrope—a 19th century optical toy—to take home. $5 materials fee / Free for Museum members. Space is limited. Register when you arrive at the Museum.

Animation Workshops (for children 8 and up)
Daily at 12:30, 2, and 3:30 p.m.
60 mins. Children make their own stop-motion animations and share them online. Click here to view a sample animation created by a workshop participant. $10 materials fee / $5 for Museum members. Space is limited. Register when you arrive at the Museum.

Screening: A Grand Day Out
Daily at 11 a.m., 12, 1, 2, 3, and 4 p.m.
In Tut's Fever Movie Palace
1989, 23 mins. Directed by Nick Park. In this Academy Award-nominated short film by Aardman Studios, the inventor Wallace and his canine sidekick Gromit take a trip to the moon to replenish their cheese supply. Shown in Tut’s Fever Movie Palace, a large-scale artwork by Red Grooms and Lysiane Luong. Suitable for all ages.

Classic Video Arcade Games
In Behind the Screen
Fourteen classic arcade games, including Donkey Kong, Ms. Pac-Man, and Space Invaders, all playable, in the interactive exhibition, Behind the Screen. Tokens are four for $1.

$5 suggested admission (includes screening).
Free for Museum members and children under 8.

Movie: Killer of Sheep

This came in my email box from the Museum of the Moving Image, and it sounds intriguing:

World Cinema Showcase
KILLER OF SHEEP
Friday, April 3, 2009, 7:00 p.m.
At LaGuardia Performing Arts Center, 31-10 Thomson Ave (at Van Dam St), Long Island City
U.S. 1977/2007, 83 mins.

The best-reviewed film of 2007 was made 30 years ago, but not released until it was restored last year by the UCLA Film and TV Archive. A landmark of African-American independent cinema, Charles Burnett's Killer of Sheep is also a neo-realist drama steeped in the lyricism of the blues, about a South Central slaughterhouse worker (Henry G. Sanders) who struggles to support himself and his family.

Tickets: Free for Museum members / $10 non-members / $8 CUNY students. Members RSVP to 718.784.4520. Advance tickets available online ($2 surcharge) and on day-of-show at the LPAC box office (718.482.5151).

Astorian Weekend Edition 18.01.08

Well, to be honest, there are not really any Astoria events happening this weekend - most calendars are empty! However, it is a 3-day weekend for a lot of us, the 21st being Martin Luther King, Jr. Day. MLK Day is very important, so here's a little history about it.

On your day off, maybe go out for lunch. Here are some of my favorite places in town to have lunch:

Il Bambino
Luna de Juarez
Sunswick
Wave Thai

I also noticed today that La Guli Bakery (29-15 Ditmars Blvd) is still serving gelato, which is very cool (no pun intended). So if you are craving ice cream in this chilly weather, La Guli is for you. And did anyone hear the Mr. Softee truck last week?

I also wanted to remind you about the free wifi at Time Cafe, and I learned that Tell Astorya Cafe also has free wifi. So, take your laptop out with you this weekend for some sippin' and surfin'.

The MOMI is also showing a couple episodes of the serial Captain Marvel. I love watching shows at Tut's Fever. Be sure to visit the Museum itself while you're there - it is so cool!

Perhaps the best thing to do this weekend is sleep in! Enjoy your long weekend.

Astorian Weekend Edition 20.12.07

Well, this is your last weekend to shop before the big day! A number of local Astoria places are having sales, too. Candy Plum (30-98 36th St) has a special on earrings - with every purchase of $50, receive a free pair of selected earrings! They also have gift certificates. The Museum of the Moving Image (36-01 35th Ave) is holding a store-wide sale with discounts of 10% (and 25% for Museum members) - they've got collectibles, books and DVDs (that Bladerunner DVD looks particularly good!). And Vine Wine (12-09 Jackson Avenue) in LIC is offering a 15% discount on cases (their Wednesday night tastings are pretty great, too).

For wellness related gifts, head over to the SPAce website (29-09 Ditmars) and order a gift card online! I hear very good things about the massages there, and their haircuts are extremely reasonable and well done. The Yoga Room (32-32 Steinway) is offering a number of discounts through December 31, too, for you and a friend.

For good eats, stop by Mundo (31-18 Broadway), which also has a new art exhibit up. They've got some new menu items, and the same wonderful ambiance. And gift cards! Il Bambino (34-08 31st Ave) just celebrated their one year anniversary in town - I was there last night and the food was delicious, as usual. They've been making soup lately, and the butternut squash soup I had was phenomenal. I've heard lots of good things about their other soups as well (I believe they change daily). Finally on the eating front: fantastic meatballs. The newly opened Philoxenia (32-07 34th Ave) makes excellent, almost tubular shaped meatballs (in a Greek style) which are very good, and Cassino in LIC (47-18 Vernon Blvd) makes some of the best Italian meatballs I think I've ever had. Really nice people run it, too.

This weekend also marks the Winter Solstice. This marks the shortest day and longest night of the year, and that just means more sunshine will come our way each day, bit by bit. Happy Eid, too!

Astorian Weekend Edition 22.11.07

Happy Thanksgiving from all of us at Joey in Astoria! We hope you're having a great day with family, friends, and loved ones. If you're still looking for a place to have dinner, you can try Neptune (31-05 Astoria Blvd) and Bel Aire (31-91 21st St) as far as diners go, or Brick (30-95 33rd St) for something more upscale. Also Zenon Taverna (34-10 31st Ave) is having Thanksgiving dinner, with a few Greek items thrown in.

Friday after Thanksgiving is often referred to as Black Friday, the start of the Christmas shopping season. The term was coined in the 70s, indicating the period where retailers are in the black. Not interested in partaking in the shopping storm? Read JIA friend John Roleke's take on avoiding Black Friday in town. And Friday night at sunset, check out dj onda Skillet at AeroTropic: World Series upstairs at Mezzo Mezzo (31-29 Ditmars Blvd). That place has all sorts of things going on, it seems.

This weekend is a fantastic one for classic films at the MOMI (35 Avenue at 36 Street) Saturday they're showing Meet Me In St. Louis (2pm), The Wizard of OZ (4:30), and Singin' in the Rain (7:00). Sunday is the magnificent Gone With the Wind (2pm) and Brokeback Mountain (6:30). Every single one of these is worth seeing! Note that the Museum is closed on Thanksgiving.

For something a little different, movie-wise, head to Hellgate Social (12-21 Astoria Blvd) on Sunday at 8:30pm to see Jingle All the Way, starring California's own Governator, Arnold Schwarzenegger as a frazzled dad. I was there for movie night last Sunday and it was awesome. Loved the relaxed vibe and the Polish beer I had was excellent. Stop by Saturday night for DJ Lo-Fi, who will undoubtedly be spinning great tunes.

Great recent eats include Guacamole (38-07 Broadway), Rizzo's Pizza (30-13 Steinway St), and I hafta say - check out the coffee at Cafe Expresso (not a typo) on Steinway (25-51 Steinway St). I had a cappucino there recently and it was really good! Oh, and by the way - Rose and Joe's Bakery (22-40 31st Street) is making little baby cream puffs that are extremely tasty.

Enjoy your holiday weekend!

Astorian Weekend Edition 11.10.07

Head over to LIC at 9pm on Saturday to hear local musician Richard McGraw play at Dominies Hoek (48-17 Vernon Blvd.). He'll be playing with some great musicians, and you can enjoy the music with one of their self-proclaimed "best chicken sandwich[es] in the neighborhood", along with a nice cold one. Anyway, I'm a big fan of Rich's, so I hope you'll all go and support one of Astoria's great singer songwriters.

Waltz Astoria also has a weekend full of music. Saturday gives us a double bill of acoustic musicians Tim Miller and JustinBadger ($3 cover,$7 drink minimum), and on Sunday is the New Talent Showcase, Music Edition ($5 cover, $7 drink minimum).

This weekend come by the Beer Garden for a family puppet show! Sunday at 11:30am is A Bohemian Rhapsody, presented by Sean Keohane. The Beer Garden says, "His expressive and richly costumed puppets were hand carved by traditional artists in the Czech Republic. Each of his Czech-centric shows will be in English with some Czech."

This Saturday, Housing Works Thrift Shop in Long Island City is having their monthly warehouse sale. Come on out to Housing Works warehouse to pick through the clothes that do not make it into their stores. Fill a bag for $20. 10-4pm, 48-49 35th Street.

Tell Astorya Cafe (37-05 28th Avenue), has a lot going on throughout the week. Fridays are Independent Film nights, and every Sat starting at 2pm they've got a jazz trio playing. Coffee and desserts are available. Stop by and say hi and relax with a hot cup of joe.

Recently I was over at the Museum of the Moving Image - there's more than just the movies there. The museum itself is pretty awesome and super informative about filmmaking history. Every hour or so there are talks given by museum staff with opportunities to ask questions. I saw a demonstration about sound editing and it was fascinating. One of the coolest things in the whole museum is Gregory Barsamian's "Feral Fount". Here's a good description:

"Feral Fount" is a rapidly rotating armature affixed with 97 small sculptures, each differing slightly from the preceding one; the armature's dizzying spin, combined with the effect of a strobe lamp, make a convincing case that the viewer is seeing a drop of water transform itself into a bomb shape and eventually into a paper airplane that shatters a dish at the bottom of the sculpture.

Also fun is watching the serial The Adventures of Red Ryder, shown in Tut's Fever, the little screening room they have there. While the acting is a bit cornball, they really knew how to craft a great cliffhanger. Red Ryder shows at 1pm and 3pm and is free with admission.

The best thing I can recommend this week for eats is the sushi at Kumo (Ditmars and 37th Street). I've ordered it a couple times in the last few weeks and it's always been fresh and tasty Good prices, too. Total yum and an affordable way to satisfy the sushi craving.

More fun, here.

Extra Weekend Event!

I just received the Museum of the Moving Image's weekly email and saw that they are showing several excellent noir films by the great Fritz Lang this weekend. Here's the lineup:

Saturday, September 29

4:30 p.m.
THE BLUE GARDENIA
Fritz Lang, King of Noir
1953, 90 mins. 16mm. With Anne Baxter, Richard Conte, Ann Sothern. Unsure if she murdered a man the drunken night before, a telephone operator falls for the reporter covering the story. In Lang's penetrating and paranoid view of post-war American bachelor culture, the heroine has to fend off predatory men- including the reporter, who wants to convict her, and marry her.

6:30 p.m.
THE BIG HEAT
Fritz Lang, King of Noir
1953, 89 mins. 35mm. With Glenn Ford, Gloria Grahame, Lee Marvin. Lang's 1950s masterpiece chronicles corruption through all levels of American society, as an honest cop takes the law into his own hands after his wife is killed and he is removed from the force.

Sunday, September 30

3:00 p.m.
WHILE THE CITY SLEEPS
Fritz Lang, King of Noir
1956, 100 mins. 35mm. With Dana Andrews, Rhonda Fleming. Lang surveys the entanglements of a team of reporters united professionally even as they backstab each other personally. Meanwhile, a serial killer stalks in the background. Lang's ensemble thriller/comedy/media satire/anti-romance was one of his favorites of his films.

5:00 p.m.
BEYOND A REASONABLE DOUBT
Fritz Lang, King of Noir
1956, 80 mins. Archival 35mm print from George Eastman House. A reporter (Dana Andrews) attempting to expose problems with the judicial system frames himself for murder, but the evidence to prove him innocent goes up in smoke. No other work so clearly displays Lang's passion for plot twists, as the audience and the protagonist find themselves trapped in a series of tales within tales.

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!