Astoria Weekend Edition 28.04.06

This weekend should be nice and sunny, a welcome relief from that gross rain from last weekend. That sure was a bummer, and it cancelled a few things having to do with the Earth Day Celebration. Activities have been rescheduled for this weekend, and on Saturday there are a bunch of things to do at both Rainey Park and Socrates Sculpture Park, the LIC Boathouse (free canoe rides!), as well as a Waterfront Walking Tour put on by the Greater Astoria Historial Society. The full details can be found on the Astoria/LIC Waterfront website.

The Street Fair season is also beginning this weekend, and on Sunday the fair will be on Steinway Street between 28th & 34th Avenues, sponsored by the Central Astoria LDC. Come out and eat some street meat, enjoy the sun, and pick up a few things, all between 11am and 6pm.

For something a little different, stop by The ARTSPACE at the Athanasiades Cultural Center (30-98 42 St, corner of 31st Ave) and check out the work of figurative and comic book drawing artist Dionisios Kavvadias. On Sunday there is an opening reception from 12-4pm for his show RetroActive: A Collection of Old and New Drawings. And on Sunday night, head over to the Irish Rover (on the corner of 28th Ave and 38th Street) for Quiz Night at 7pm. This is going to be a regular Sunday event. Bring yourself and a few friends, then form a team and compete for cash!

More fun, here.

Fog on Sunday

I was heading back from an awful allergic day in NJ when driving over the Queensboro Bridge, i spied the prettiest sight. The fog all the way up the water to our own little Hellgate Bridge... or as far as i could see at the time!Even though my allergies were telling me to get the heck inside, i couldn't resist stopping by the park for some pictures. Here's a glimpse through my lens...

times like these i can snap away for hours!

i didn't even bother with color correction on most of these because i liked the effect that naturally happened with all the blue.

Astorian Weekend Edition 21.04.06

Happy Earth Day!
Planning some remodeling? Need some materials for your fixer upper? Well we've got the right place for you right here near home. Build It Green! NYC is New York's only non-profit building supply store, now thats a great way to keep those landfills not so full.

On Sunday, there is an event in Manhattan that is near and dear to me. The MS Walk will be taking place at the South Street Seaport. Granted its not in Astoria, but hey if you're looking for a good deed-look no further! I've been walking for the past 5 years for my best friend who suffers from MS, and its actually a super fun way to do something important-helping to find a cure.

If you are staying local, go shopping over at the Vespa showroom. How cool is that? I plan on going to pay them a visit soon. Now with the weather finally clearing up, everyone's buying bikes - wouldn't it be so cool though to bust out one of these classic little beauties? They can do all sorts of customizing and repairs there too. Stop by on your way to the train since they are right off the 59th St. bridge on Crescent. Be sure to take your shades...they have some crazy colors!

Oh, don't forget to go join the local Hellgate CSA this summer for fresh local produce all season long! The enrollment has started and they have a nifty new site and blog so you can stay on top of your veggies. Talk about a green weekend!

image courtesy of HellGate CSA

Too gross for just one blog

this was originally posted to my other blog Gud Stuf NYC

is anyone else happy to see the meat supplier on Astoria Blvd. and 37th Street go? that place always had such a foul smell and seepage all over the sodewalk. thank goodness it happened before another hot summer, it was really unbearable walking by there on most days. i think it was called Napoli & Sons (but i might be wrong just cause the signs are gone and my memory sucks!) As you can see by the note on the gate, gross!

_______________________________

OK, here's my why i felt the need to post this here and not just on my other blog. I walked by this place on my way home yesterday and to my surprise...the place next door also had that notice on it. The flier must have already been there but in my disgusted state, i guess i missed it the first several times i walked by. So next door was a religious type place, a church or some kind of version of one. They closed within a year and that was awhile ago. But here is where my alarm kicks in... to the left of the vacant church is our beloved San Antonio Bakery! Does this mean that it's got rats? Do they not know it yet? Are we in for some bad news? I am keeping a close eye on this one. I mean, they are only 2 storefronts over from the gross meat place, all the walls could be infested... ugh

Spa Week

Today I learned that this week is Spa Week in NYC (4/17-23). This means that each spa treatment you go for this week - at participating spas - is $50. Sometimes this a super savings! It's worth checking out. Two Astoria/LIC spas are participating, the Bare Beauty Laser Hair Removal spa on 23rd Ave. in Astoria and the SpaHydra on 36th Street in LIC. I can't vouch for the quality of these spas, but it's nice to see that some spas in Western Queens are participating. Of course there are lots of spas in Manhattan and some in Brooklyn (and even a couple on Staten Island and LI!). The sucky thing about the website is that they make you register. I registered, so here is the link that might work for you if you want to search for some spas that will provide what you're looking for, without having the register.

Enjoy, and get yourself all pampered (you too, guys) on the relative cheap!

Old world looking Astoria

Walking down 36th Street the other day made me feel like i was back in Portugal, maybe even Deutschland somewhere. I had never really looked around this block that is known for its sprawling front yards. The buildings there really are cool to look at. This top one is just so random that it sticks out like a sore thumb, well its not so sore cause i think the building is really quite nice to look at-it just may be on the wrong block is all.This bottom photo could really be in a Portuguese aldeia

So yeah, take a look around now that the weather is getting oh so much better! There are so many really cool things in this neighborhood. Being first generation in America, its really cool for me to see that i can still get the "feel" of my family's world in my world. There's no place i'd rather be!
(the sentimental-ness of this post has got to me my allergy medication kicking in, i want to be out more checking out stuff but i'm stuck indoors quite a bit...stir crazy maybe? dang flowers!)

Astorian Weekend Edition 14.04.06

Well, this weekend is a big one for some of us - the completing of our tax returns. I admit, I'll be filling them out at some point this weekend. It's also the end of Holy Week, the most important time in the liturgical year in the Western church. And it's the middle of the 8-day Jewish celebration of Passover. Like I said, it's a big weekend! It's also supposed to be a warm weekend, so I hope you get a chance to spend some time outside - go for a run, a walk, play ultimate frisbee in Astoria Park, kayak on the East River. And enjoy some gelato, ice cream, or a frappe at one of Astoria's many Greek/Euro Cafes. Spring is here!

You can celebrate completing your tax returns on Saturday by attending the wine talk at Waltz. $20 gets you wine, snacks, and an education. On Sunday, pop on over to PS1 for Coloring Book: An Interactive Project, from 2-5pm. This free event invites members of the public to fill in, reinvent, and contribute their creativity to a book of images based on the work of Edvard Munch and Tracey Emin. And of course, there are great movies at our own Museum of the Moving Image, including Beastie Boys music videos.

More fun, here.

another.....cafe?

Yup, methinks its going to be another Astorian favorite....a cafe! Surprise! On 30th Ave. and 36th St. it used to be a cafe with a chicken place next door if i'm not mistaken. I guess they felt the need to expand to 2 storefront's worth of cafe'dom. This is fast becoming an epidemic. I can maybe accept 1 new cafe a year-but do they all have to be in spitting distance from each other? Do we really need that much caffeine and sidewalk seating? Ugh, this topic can go on forever i'm sure with both pros and cons ( i've got to believe that the cons outweigh the pros.) The whole thing just gives me a headache. Is it weird that i've lived here for a little over 5 years and still have not stepped foot into a cafe? Its not a coincidence believe you me! Just thought i'd put the sighting out there.

For another take on cafe's in the nabe, a new blog run by 2 local girls on a mission. Alpha Astoria chronicles their attempt to hit every Greek cafe in Astoria this summer. I really wish them the best of luck with it... this is a task that i am not jealous of at all. Like the proverbial train wreck, i will be checking in for their next review!

"You got robots doing it—it's unfair"

So says conductor Joe Nunez, who makes the subway announcements on the W line, in reference to the results in from the new Straphangers campaign focusing on the clarity of subway annoucements. The W - which apparently stands for "worst" - is said to be pretty bad, and is at the bottom of the heap. Apparently the annoucements are garbled (27% of the time) or non-existent (15% of the time). The 4, 5, and 6, whose annoucements are made by those pesky or lovable robots - depending on your point of view - got the highest rating. Conductor Nunez maintains that the W is the "bastard son of the line" but I think we'd all agree that that moniker really belongs to the G, the saddest subway line around. Sad because the MTA seems not to care much about it, as it never goes to Manhattan, and has a crappy schedule and arrival record.

What do you think of the clarity of subway annoucements on the N or W (or R, V, G, E, F, or 7 for that matter)? As for me, subway annoucements-schmubway annoucements, my ire is reserved for the evil 1 train.

Astorian Weekend Edition 07.04.06

Wanna spend some tax return money to spring-ify your wardrobe and/or house? Well, the folks at Plum Boutique can help. They've gotten together a bunch of local artists' and designers' wares under one roof for our shopping pleasure. There is something for everyone (and at crazy "un-new york" prices too.) Your sales will go far to help continue the creative environment that Astoria is fast becoming. Are you crafty? Maybe you can turn your habit into something lucrative there as well. They take stuff on consignment, which for us little guys could be a step into a new career! Of course i couldn't pass up an adorable vintage wallet for myself...only 10 bucks, thats it there in the pic.

Mmmmm, the smell of fresh bread and pastries.... up and around 37th Street you can occasionally get a whiff of the doughy love. Ever wonder why? Well I think it's got be the Artisan Baking Center at 36-46 37th Street. I need to investigate more, but it seems like the classes there are on a more "professional" basis...I may have to wait for my big baking break!

I never give you guys a place to hit up for a fancy nightclub experience. Lucky for us, Astoria even has some of those to offer! Get your best duds on this weekend (maybe some you picked up at Plum?) and head over to 20 Steinway St. - Central Lounge. Go early and have some grilled octopus and all sorts of typical Greek fare, stay late and cut some "rug."

If performances are more your thing, and you want to see something sad, happy, crazy, frank and then some- head on over to The Chocolate Factory Theater and catch Saturday's final show of Cary Curren's Cary From The Cock. Also at The Chocolate Factory but in the Gallery is an exhibit by Patrick Neal, Nightfishing. His modernist paintings will be up until April 13th.

Astoria Weekend Edition 31.03.06

What great weather we finally had this week! Saturday will be rainy (yet warm) but Sunday should be nice and sunny. It has been great running weather and I hope you all are able to get out and frolick in the warm spring weather. I'll be rehearsing and performing a bunch this weekend (which means staying inside, boooo), but if I wasn't I'd be out and about in the nice weather, maybe going for a run down by Astoria Park, having pancakes at Zorba's (29-05 23rd Ave.) or having some fresh juice at Fresh Start (be sure to pick up their "Buy 6 Get the 7th Juice Free" card). To Laiko up the street has homemade Greek yoghurt with honey, something I've been meaning to try. Hey, on Sunday afternoon (around 3pm) there's Ultimate Frisbee going on at Astoria Park! Sunday's gonna be a great day for that sort of thing!

But apart from hanging in Astoria, go recognize your natural or recently adopted connection to Greece on Sunday at the Greek Independence Day Parade in Manhattan. It starts at 1PM and goes down 5th Avenue from 59th Street to 79th Street. And Saturday, April 1 is April Fool's Day, which means it's not the April Fool's Parade on 5th Avenue. Yeah...yeah, that's right...sure, sure it is...

For your mind, body, and soul, this weekend you might think about checking out the Yoga Room, which has locations in both Astoria and LIC. There's a couple of classes going on this weekend, which you can check out here. The Spring Detox class sounds pretty good, and a nice thing to do on a rainy day. On rainy Saturday, you might mosey over to the Sculpture Center in LIC to catch a couple exhibits that are leaving after this weekend. Both the Anya Gallaccio and the Michael Ross exhibits end April 3. On Sunday, the Art-O-Mat is hosting the Performance Poets Association, with a free poetry reading from 2-4PM that afternoon.

Sunday is also the start of Daylight Savings Time. Remember to turn your clocks forward an hour Saturday night.

More fun, here.

April 1, just the day not the fool part!

OH THE HOTNESS!!!

SPARROW BAR
corner of 24 avenue and 29 street

They're throwin a big ole 80's HAIR PARTY!

Eighties music, dance, drink, hair...

This may just be the way to introduce myself to the Sparrow family
Long Live the 80's!

Iced Martha's News

Normally I'd say "hot" in place of "iced" but that would not complement the content of this post. As I stepped into Martha's Country Bakery (36-21 Ditmars Blvd.) this morning, I spied G E L A T O. A nice big display case of it! Gelato is one of my favorite things to eat. Some outside vendor makes this gelato but the bakery clerks promise that they will be making the gelato themselves very soon. Nice. I didn't try it, not really wanting to eat gelato for breakfast this particular morning, but I hope to try it soon. As far as prices, a small serving is $2.95. They have flavors that range from vanilla to peanut butter and jelly. I think it is worth checking out, for sure.

Miscellanea

I posted earlier this week about Trader Joe's opening, as well as the Shake Shack, two fabulous non-Astoria places worth a trip to. Trader Joe's is a bit nuts right now with the crowds, but it is full of terrific stuff that is quite affordable. The staff is really good natured and the checkout lines move quickly. I got my dried apples and apricots - both unsulphored - for the muffins that I've been meaning to make (I'll let you know how they turn out). However, I am bummed that TJs has discontinued their Moroccan Tagine Sauce. Looks like I'll have to make my own. And a little Astorian bird told me that hamburgers at the Shake Shack are really amazing. They aren't huge, but are incredibly delicious. Even the tomato and lettuce were good. I may actually eat a hamburger there, the first real beef hamburger I'd be eating in 20 years - yes, I went vegetarian in 1986, kids. However, I am no longer. I'm also excited about trying their frozen custard.

And the response to my Mundo post is really getting me excited about trying it! Nice to see so many vegetarian options. Even though I am no longer a veg. I do enjoy the food, and cook vegetarian food primarily at home.

Maybe someone here can help me out - I am utterly in love with the bells played at the St. Irene Chrysovalantou Greek Orthodox Monastery on 23rd Ave and 37th Street. It's usually the same tones, but every once in a while the pitches change (and sometimes the rhythm). I'm assuming real people are striking these bells, too. Does anyone out there have insight on these bells? The bells are ringing right now, actually, and they have rung a total of three times this morning. Love it!

I often run down by Astoria Park, and have been watching the renovations on the old Eagle Electric Plant on the corner of 24th Avenue and 19th Street. This article talks about it. It's going to be a co-op (studios and 1-3 bedroom apartments) with shops on the first floor, as well as an underground parking garage. There's an earlier article from the year 2000 that says studios will run $90K and 3 bedrooms $275K . BWA HA! A more current estimate, at least for a 1 bedroom, is $375K.

An addition to this weekend's events outlined by our wonderful flooz: our fellow Joey Tamara is hosting a ginormous multi-family stoop sale this weekend. It sounds like there will be a lot of great stuff there, plus she's making hot cider and snacks for the event. Tamara is, as I understand, a fabulous cook and friend of Astoria's roving gastronome Zora, who writes often about her life in Astoria. The sale will be this Saturday and Sunday 10-4, at 30-85 30th Street. Check it out!

Good News from Mundo

I have heard so many good things about Mundo! I haven't tried it yet, but really want to, and will once my bank account gets back in the black. In the meantime, I enjoy living vicariously through my fellow bloggers in their trips to the restaurant, and also via the newsletter that the restaurant sends out (contact them to be put on their distribution list). The good news is that they now deliver! It's a limited area, the borders being 36th Avenue to 30th Avenue and Crescent to 40th Avenue. Bad news for us in the Ditmars area, but good for you in central Astoria. But it's cool nonetheless. They have a downloadable .pdf takeout menu as well as a page on the site for your perusal. Worth checking out!

Weekend Edition 24.03.06

It really is spring... i don't lie, April showers are getting a head start this weekend!

If pigging out this winter has got you down stay tuned for the newest season of our beloved local Hell Gate CSA for your fill on fresh veggies-its about to start (June-Sept.). A little birdie told me that this year we will have tomato, flour, and honey in there with the usual yummy veggies...AND the new distribution point will be the ever popular Freeze Peach, hooray!

Leave work on Friday and go get your girl time going at Athena's Nails at 31-11 30th Ave. $20 gets you a kick butt mani/pedi. Whats the big deal you ask? They are so well stocked with workers that the girls who are waiting on clients come around and give you lovely, LOVELY massages. Not a full on one, but if they see you sitting for too long, they just sidle on over and give you about a 5 minute rubdown to get the blood going! I've been going there for years and really do love the place. The staff is sweet and attentive and the place is pretty meticulous with their tools and cleanliness. Went last night and got my spring flower fix in (well in hopes of spring anyway)

On my way home from my nail appointment, i saw that Astoria Billiards- 30th Ave between 35 & 36 Street was closed by the city. Hmmmm, it had one of those orange signs out front. Let's keep this one on the radar and see what gives.

This Saturday the new show FLUXBOX opens at the Flux Factory. Apparently the building will be transformed into a giant music box...artsy enough for ya? I think they call this stuff "sound sculpture", well whatever it is-its indoors (rain remember?)

The Albatross Bar is advertising their Sunday nights as Pub Night- all about Darts, Pool and even Chess! This may be just the right way to end the weekend and get ready for the work week. They are also hosting an open mic night during the week with the clever name Loose Lips. I think this is a really good thing that the local spots are starting these nights, we don't have enough comedy/writing/expression type events.

Next Tuesday, or any Tuesday for that matter- hit up some Tai Chi! Go for it at 2pm at the Broadway Library (40-20 Broadway, 718-721-2462) get the stress out. Did i mention it was free? Can't ask for more, free workouts!
On your way home from there, scoot on down to Politos Pizza on Broadway off Steinway and destroy your diet with one of their loaded slices. Last night was a "what the heck" kinda night at my house, as you can see $15 will buy you a ton of pie. Oh and the mushrooms...cheese...oozing all over the place. If you are eating an individual slice there, they top it a mile high for an even better bang for your buck!

Enjoy!

New! Beta! Blog! Search!

Recently I discovered our Google Overlords have developed a new Google Blog Search, the function of which is pretty explanatory. Type in Astoria, NY or Astoria, Queens and see what comes up!

In Other News...

It's nice to see the different cultures and people getting along here in Astoria. From Greek News:

Members of the Dar Al-Dawah Mosque in Astoria, their associates, friends, and neighbors conducted a community understanding and involvement activity that has become known as the Annual Interfaith Dinner. Their flyer indicated that they were honoring Greek Orthodox Metropolitan Paisios of Tyana, Abbot of St Irene’s Chrysovalantou Monastery, The Muslim American Society, and The Jewish Tanenbaum Center. These three honorees coincidentally represent what Muslims refer to as people of The Book; they are members of the Abrahamic faiths.

Read more in the article.

Weekend Edition 17.03.06

Well, another weekend is upon us. And it's not just any old weekend, it's St. Patrick's Day weekend! Be Irish for a day and partake in the fun. Of course, you can attend the 5th Avenue Parade in Manhattan on Friday, the most popular parade in the city all year. It starts at 11:00 a.m. on 5th Avenue around 44th Street. In Astoria, McCanns Pub (36-15 Ditmars Boulevard) is offering free corned beef and cabbage throughout the day. From 7-10 pm, $25 gets you an open bar and buffet at Crehan's Bar (41-04 31st Ave.). The Shannon Pot in LIC also invites you to join them on St. Patrick's Day. Other possible suspects are Gibney's (32-01 Broadway) and The Irish Rover (37-18 28th Ave.)

On Saturday, P.S.1 in LIC presents a talk and roundtable discussion on the topic “Regarding the Avant-Garde.” Participants include n+1 (Brooklyn's journal of politics, literature and culture) editors Mark Greif and Keith Gessen, n+1 art critic Dushko Petrovich and artist Eliza Newman-Saul. On Sunday, Jessica Stockholder discusses her past work and her current exhibition at P.S.1, Of Standing Float Roots in Thin Air.

If you are in the mood for new music (I often am), come check out Astoria's own Lost Dog New Music Ensemble performing six new works by New York composers David Fetherolf, Silas Nathaniel Huff, Jonathan Pieslak, Erin Rogers, B. Allen Schulz, and Stefan Weisman. The concert starts at 7:30 at Good Shepherd Methodist Church, 30-44 Crescent Street, Astoria, Queens (Crescent Street at 30th Road). Or, stop by Waltz-Astoria Saturday night for a wine tasting. For $20, you get the opportunity to taste a number of different wines and learn about them at the same time.

On Sunday consider taking a tour of neighboring Roosevelt Island. The 92nd Street Y is organizing a Roosevelt Island hike this Sunday at 11am. Cost is $25 and reservations are recommended. Later that day, come by Freeze Peach between 4 and 8pm and say hi, as I'll be preparing and serving coffee, tea, and snacks to help raise $$ for the Hell Gate CSA.

And on top of it all, throughout the weekend great movies are playing in town at the Museum of the Moving Image.

As always, more fun, here.

It's So Big It Needs Its Own Post

Of course, the most obvious big event this weekend is on Friday --- that would be St. Patrick's Day. However, as far as I'm concerned, an even bigger event on Friday is the OPENING OF TRADER JOE'S UNION SQUARE. Hooray! I am so excited! I am a big fan of the TJs, plus the option of buying wine and beer from them finally is a reality here in NY. Personally, I dislike the antiquated "blue laws."

OK --- and if that isn't good enough news, the Shake Shack is opening back up on Tuesday, March 21 at 11am. In case you don't know, Shake Shack is the fabulous hamburger place, a "roadside food stand" in Madison Square Park. Oh blessed burgers, fries, and frozen custard come to me! Yes, yes, it's not in Astoria or Long Island City, but it is worth the field trip to Manhattan.