Sculpture Installation at Two Coves Garden

Artist Bernard Kevickas has created a new sculpture installation on the western end of Two Coves Community Garden, and is having an opening reception this weekend. I've seen the progress on it and it's worth checking out. Here are more details:

WHAT: Reception for Sculpture Installation
WHEN: Saturday August 15th, 3-6pm
WHERE: Two Coves Community Garden
DIRECTIONS: Main Avenue, 30th Avenue, and Astoria Boulevard

Two Coves Community Garden and the artist Bernard Klevickas are pleased to present a new sculpture installation at the western triangle of the garden located at Main Avenue, Astoria Boulevard and 8th Street in Astoria, Queens.

In bridging a passion for art and gardening Bernard Klevickas with the support of members of the community garden has created a living sculpture composed of flowering plants. Titled "Bridge Across Generations" a fabricated aluminum structure suspends living plants as a symbolic bridge across racial, generational, cultural, and geographic divides. The concept of this design came about as a response to a request by the Two Coves Garden coordinator, Garrett Ramirez expressing a need for an object that would stand for unity and inspire the creating of a more vibrant community.

The initial idea for a bridge came from Claudia Coger, President of the Astoria Houses Tenants Association with members of the City Housing Authority Senior Center at Astoria Houses across the street from the garden. The sculpture is intended as a living art work in which plants are nurtured by the community gardeners.

The Two Coves Community Garden is in a unique position in that the land is maintained by gardeners and in the process of gardening individual plots a community has evolved which works to beautify the surrounding area. The garden is open to the public according to the guidelines of Greenthumb, accessible to gardeners on a broader basis and is secured at night.

A reception will be held Saturday August 15th from 3-6pm, the event will coincide with Astoria Houses Family Day.

For full PRESS RELEASE, images and directions visit: http://www.bernardklevickas.com

For information about Two Coves Community Garden visit: http://www.twocovescommunitygarden.org

Astorian Weekend Edition 02.07.09

Summer is always a great time in Astoria. You can go for a swim, do some yoga, or just sit in a cafe drinking a cold frappe in one of the Greek cafes on 30th Ave. Or grab a beer with some friends.

For something completely different, head over to Two Coves Community Garden for their open gardening session. From 11-2 every Saturday (location), people in the community are welcome to come by and get their hands dirty by sprucing up the community plot. Hellgate Social (12-21 Astoria Blvd) is just down the way from the garden and that same day at 2 p.m. they are hosting a 4th of July pig roast and clambake. Can I hear a YUM??!?? Oh, and Sunday they're doing BBQ, too! All you can eat, 10 bucks, 4-9 p.m.

If pork and clams aren't your style, hit Bareburger (33-21 31st Avenue) for some (albeit mildly pricey) organic meat and veggie burgers. I hear the chocolate peanut butter shake is teh yumz, and the ostrich burger is a treat.

Of course, it's Independence Day on Saturday, and we hope you have fun plans with family and friends. Show some care if you are in Astoria Park on Saturday, as a merry band of community-minded Astorians are planning on doing a cleanup of the park on Sunday morning. It's totally grody to pick up rotten food, so please dispose of properly!

And if you DO end up inside at some point this weekend, consider RSVPing for one of the Flux Factory's Going Places (Doing Stuff) Part II, "Best Summer Ever" Edition. Email rsvp@fluxfactory.org with your name, phone number, and the tour you are interested in (details, check it out). It sounds like some crazy fun!

Astorian Weekend Edition 14.05.09

This weekend hails It's My Park Day around the city, and in Astoria the place to be is Astoria Park. The festivities take place from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m., rain or shine, but will be canceled in the event of thunderstorms. There will be opportunities to clean up the shoreline, clear weeds and debris from the park’s War Memorial, and plant flowers in order to beautify it in time for Memorial Day. Also, there will be a tour of the Astoria Park Alliance’s Butterfly Garden, family yoga, water safety education for adults and children, drum instruction for children, tennis lessons for all ages.

Further west, join Two Coves Community Garden on Saturday from 12 - 4 p.m. for their Victory Garden themed event. They'll be holding free workshops on canning, pickling, composting and container gardens. There is also a potluck/picnic planned, so if able, please contribute (you can still share in the meal even if you don't bring a dish). Two Coves Community Garden is located at the triangle where Astoria Blvd, 30th Ave, and 8th St meet.

On Friday from 7 a.m.-10:30 a.m. Transportation Alternatives will be handing out snacks, coffee and schwag at the entrance to the Queensboro Bridge. May is Bike month, so consider enjoying some time away from the subway and on your bike. And celebrate bike FROM work with the T.A. Queens Committee. Join them for an evening snack and some good company at the base of the Queensboro Bridge, Thursday, May 14 and Wednesday, May 20, 5 p.m. Queens side of Queensboro Bridge.

On Sunday, head over to 24, a new wine bar over on 24th Ave and 26th Street. I was over there the other day and I thought it was pretty cool. Try the white ale from Pennsylvania - it's light and creamy at the same time. You also might consider stopping in at the newly opened Manos Papaya for a hot dog and a smoothie.

Happy spring, everyone!

Astorian Weekend Edition 26.03.09

Thursday brings us the Carnaval a Brick Cafe, a fashion show featuring local designers. Stop by to check out the goods, have a drink, and maybe even buy something! Later that night head to Waltz for a musical benefit for Autism. $5 at the door and a $10 food/drink minimum. Festivities start at 8 p.m.

Maybe work on your Queens Sky postcard? What a cool project.

On Friday there's samba at Cavo (42-18 31st Ave)! Four amazing samba dancers start the show at 8:30 p.m. Come enjoy food and drink and dancing!

If you are curious about what's up with the Two Coves Community Garden, take a stroll down 30th Ave and check it out. They are doing a lot of planting right now, but being near a vibrant open space is always refreshing. On your way, consider stopping in Frank's Bakery (36-02 30th Ave) for some tasty apple strudel, or on your way back, drop in at Vesta (21-02 30th Ave) for a glass of wine and some food.

Two Coves Community Garden in the News

As I've written here before, Two Coves Community Garden is at risk: the Parks Department and Goodwill Industries' want to impose a decade-old design for a park on 75% of the garden's space. This would uproot the garden and eliminate one of the most exciting, educational, and positive elements in the community: local residents gardening and growing food and flowers together, developing connections and friendships, and providing a natural oasis of calm and beauty in the area.

The garden has gotten a lot of attention lately, so here's a rundown of the latest articles so you can get a better idea of what's been going on:

Two Coves Community Garden threatened by park plan [Astoria Times]
Community Gardeners Fight Parks Department Takeover [Queens Gazette]
Parks Finally Has Money to Address Two Coves [Queens Ledger]
Two Coves Garden seeks permanency in Astoria [Queens Chronicle]
And the Two Coves Garden website

If you feel strongly about supporting the future life of the garden, please consider writing or calling Councilman Peter Vallone and/or Queens Parks Commissioner Dorothy Lewandowski. Here's their contact info:

Councilman Peter Vallone Jr.
22-45 31st Street
Astoria, NY 11105
718-274-4500
vallonejr@council.nyc.ny.us

Dorothy Lewandowski, Queens Parks Commissioner
Queens Borough Office
The Overlook
80-30 Park Lane
Kew Gardens, NY 11415

I also have seen pre-stamped, pre-written postcards at places like Sparrow (24-01 29th St) and Il Bambino (34-08 31st Ave), so if you are near either of those, pick up a postcard and send it on!

Save Two Coves Garden!!

While at the Queens Holistic Moms meeting last night (which was pretty awesome), I learned that Two Coves Garden is in danger of losing the community garden! I think this would suck pretty badly, as the garden is a very important aspect of the community. Here is the notice of this sad situation:

One of the largest and most popular community gardens in New York City is threatened by the Parks Department and Goodwill Industries' decision to impose a decade-old design for a park on 75% of the garden's space.

Over the past two years, a vibrant grassroots community organization turned a neglected lot into the urban oasis that is today Two Coves Community Garden. This diverse community of more than 200 active urban gardeners, participants in a 1,300 sq ft community plot (including local school participation), and even more visitors and supporters actively care for and maintain the site as volunteers under a city license. Now this unique and beneficial addition to Astoria could be lost forever. The waterfront neighborhood surrounding the garden is blessed with seven parks and recreational areas already. Two Coves Community Garden is the only connection to the dynamic urban agriculture movement praise by First Lady Michelle Obama, Cornell University and - ironically - the Parks Department itself!

I do love this garden, as I worked on beautifying the space early on and am happy to see how it's evolved.

One thing you can do to help is attend the Community Board 1 meeting on Tuesday, March 17 at 7 p.m. Let the Board know you support this amazing urban garden!

Details:
Community Board 1 Meeting
Tuesday, March 17th
7:00 pm
Astoria World Manor
2522 Astoria Blvd

Anyone who attends can sign up to speak for 2-minutes during the public comment segment, in support of the garden.

Hope to see you there!

Photo credit: (cc) Meg Cotner

Astorian Weekend Edition 23.10.08

On Thursday at 6:30 p.m. the Queens Public Library Steinway Branch (21-45 31st St.) presents Friend or Frenemy? A Guide to the Friends You Need and the Ones You Don't."It's time to give friends their due—and bid frenemies adieu—say Andrea Lavinthal and Jessica Rozler, bestselling authors of The Hook-Up Handbook. Join them for cupcakes as Jessica and Andrea share their tips on how to treat your BFF right, find the real friends on your social network, and drop-kick those losers and abusers who only pretend to have your best interests at heart."

On Saturday Trinity Lutheran Church (31-18 37th St.) holds their annual Halloween Party. The event lasts from 12-4 p.m. Wear your costume and enjoy games, dancing, and there will be snacks for sale. "Lots of candy" has also been advertised.

Saturday is also It's My Park Day! Head over to Two Coves Garden for a day of fun-filled activities for all to enjoy. There will be live music, a potluck, an instrument-making workshop for children, a worm bin demonstration for indoor composting, a soil workshop, recipe sharing, a children's costume parade and you'll get to plant daffodil bulbs. The event lasts from noon to 4 p.m., and is located at the triangle between Astoria Blvd, 8th Street and Main.

Later that night, Queens Green Drinks hosts their monthly event at Build It Green! NYC (3-17 26th Ave.) - the best place in the City to buy or donate low cost salvage surplus building materials. Green Drinks is an informal socializing and networking for environmentally minded folks. The soiree lasts from 4-6 p.m. For more info, contact queensisgreen@gmail.com.

Sunday night Hellgate Social (12-21 Astoria Blvd.) continues their Sunday Night Cinema. This week: Made, Jon Favreau's directorial debut (he directed Iron Man). It stars Favreau, Vince Vaugh, and Peter Falk... and some gangsters. And although it's not on the weekend, it's important to note that Hellgate Social presents Recession Mondays - $3 select bottled beers, or $7 select bottled beer and sandwich all night.