This Weekend In Queens

January 26, 2012 / Queens Buzz. Weather. Thursday and Friday there's a 90% chance of rain during the day, dropping to 10% in the evening on both days. For the weekend it will be clear with the temperatures in the mid to high 40's during the day and the 30's at night. MTA Subway. This is the second weekend of construction [ends April 2nd] on the #7 subway line between Queens Plaza and Times Square beginning Friday at 11 pm and ending at about 6 am Monday morning. Use shuttle buses for LIC and the N, Q, E & F to go into NYC.

On January 23rd, 2012 the year of the dragon officially began. At Flushing Town Hall where they talked about the dragon year as being creative and energetic and one of the better years [see photo]. We'll have more on Chinese New Year celebrations in Flushing on Monday.

Thursday, there's an art exhibit opening reception at Space Realty / Holiday Inn in Dutch Kills from 6 - 8 pm [art]. There's also a Co-op / Condo Town Hall Meeting in Jackson Heights at the Jewish Center beginning at 6 pm [social]. And a seminar about the NYC Culture funding process at Materials for the Arts in LIC from 5 - 8 pm [art]. And a history lecture at the Queens Historical Society about the Fading Ads of NYC beginning at 6.30 pm [history]. Advance Man continues its run through the weekend at Secret Theatre in LIC beginning at 8 pm [theater]. There is also a wine tasting in LIC beginning at 4.30 pm [members calendar]. The Members Calendar also includes a reading and concert in Corona on Saturday, and a YMCA Open House in Jamaica and a Soccer Brunch in Woodside - both on Sunday.

On Friday, Flushing Town Hall presents Korean musician Sunny Kim performing modern music that's a mix of electronics and jazz [music]. Thalia Theatre in Sunnyside opens a new production entitled Tango Five Senses beginning at 8 pm and running through the weekend [theater]. Jackson Heights 3 AM moves to Queens Theatre in the Park and runs through the weekend beginning at 7.30 pm on Friday [theatre]. Tea For 3, a one day only, original production begins at 8 pm at LaGuardia College Performing Arts Center in LIC [theater].

On Saturday, the Greater Astoria Historical Society presents a film entitled Queens - A History beginning at 1 pm [history]. The NY Irish Center is offering a class beginning at 2 pm which will help you begin the process of tracking down your Irish ancestry [history / culture]. At the Crossing Art Gallery in Flushing beginning at 3 pm there's a conversation with a contemporary dancer from China [art].

And on Sunday, PS1 presents an opening exhibit by Henry Taylor, a contemporary American artist who paints on a multitude of objects [art]. At 3 pm there's an Asian Crawl beginning at 3 pm in the new pedestrian mall at 74th and 37th Road in Jackson Heights [social]. For these and other events / things to do, check the Queens Events calendar, and use the search function or Business Directory to obtain telephone numbers, websites and maps. Enjoy.

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Ming Wong At MOMI Persona Performa - Ming Wong At MOMI Museum of the Moving Image Steps Out In Astoria January 21, 2012 / Astoria / Film in Queens / Queens Buzz. People were lined up outside of the Museum of the Moving Image [MOMI] on both Thursday and Friday nights. They were waiting to see Ming Wong’s performance art production entitled Persona Performa. The production title tidily summed up its essence – an art performance based on an Ingmar Bergman film entitled Persona, which was being performed for Performa 11, the fourth biennial visual arts festival in NYC. Artistic director, Ming Wong, developed the piece during his residency at MOMI in 2011. He told us that the inspiration for the production came from the minimalist architecture of the museum and an Ingmar Bergman film, Persona, which is generally believed to be one of the ten best works of cinematic art. Click here to read our report of Ming Wong Persona Performa at the Museum of the Moving Image in Astoria.

The Laughing Devil Comedy Club In LIC No Angels At The Laughing Devil New Comedy Club Opens Doors To Press & LIC January 18, 2012 / Long Island City LIC / Performing Arts / Queens Buzz. I attended the Grand Opening night of the Laughing Devil Comedy Club in Long Island City Queens tonight. They had a full line up of comedians, who they had charged with lightening up the Queens NYC press corps, which wasn’t exactly a roomful of jokesters. Steve Hofstetter, one of the club owners, is shown in the photo to your left. Steve was the first comedian on stage. I arrived shortly before he walked off stage and the next comedian, Moody McCarthy, quipped how Steve hadn’t exactly set the house on fire. But the night was young and the time soon began to fly as we were treated to a full barrage of laughing gas, some of which was delivered by comedians from Queens. Steve returned to do a second set, which turned out to be one of the more entertaining performances of the night. Click here to view our full report about the Laughing Devil Comedy Club in LIC.

Newtown Creek Clean Up In Queens Remediation Of Newtown Creek Begins In Queens & Brooklyn After 150 Years Of Environmental Destruction, Remediation Of Newtown Creek Begins January 21, 2012 / Long Island City, Sunnyside, Maspeth & Brooklyn / Green in Queens / Queens Buzz. Every good process begins with information gathering, so that the decision makers have all of the relevant information they need to make sound decisions. After the information gathering / research is done, and the decisions are made, then the actual execution of the [clean up] process begins. And so it was that on October 27, 2011, I visited the Newtown Creek Superfund Public Meeting – Queens at LaGuardia Community College in Long Island City. There were more than ten representatives, largely from various departments within the EPA, on hand to answer questions and provide information to the public about how the federal government process to clean up Newtown Creek. Click here to learn more about the history and EPA clean up of Newtown Creek which shapes the border between Queens and Brooklyn.

Figgy Pudding Short Play Fest - Cafe Marlene Figgy Pudding Short Play Fest Xmas Comedy at Café Marlene in Sunnyside December 1, 2011 / Sunnyside / Theater in Sunnyside / Queens Buzz. Sofia Geier, founder of the Unity Stage Company, has put together a comedic treat of nine quick one act plays that draw upon holiday traditions, providing cheer by cynically poking fun at people, places and patches out of the spirit of Christmas past ... and present. I attended one of their dress rehearsals several days prior to opening night. The plays included some sharp turns in the road and a small sag in the middle. But the general production quality, playwrights' humor and professional acting kept me amused for most of the hour and a half the plays ran. Click here to read more about the Unity Stage Company’s nine one act plays in the Figgy Pudding Play Fest at Café Marlene running Thursday through Sunday, December 1 – 4, beginning at 8 pm.

Jackson Heights 3 AM - 167 Theatre Jackson Heights 3 AM Third Of A Trilogy About Jackson Heights January 18, 2012 / Jackson Heights / Performing Arts in Jackson Heights / Queens Buzz. I just returned from previewing Jackson Heights 3 AM. It’s the third of a trilogy put together under the direction of Ari Kreith of Theatre 167 about the Jackson Heights neighborhood. The play is as mixed as the neighborhood, combining comedy, tragedy and romance to portray the late-night life in the multi-ethnic neighborhood of Jackson Heights. The cast of actors and actresses did a great job of caricaturing a wide swath of late night personas, as they drew us into the post midnight hours along Roosevelt Avenue; journeying into some of the drama and humor that might generally accompany a late night voyage into NYC urbanity in northwestern Queens. Click here to read our review of Jackson Heights 3 AM by Theatre 167.

Crossing Art Gallery in Flushing Public & Private Lives Converge in Urbanity December 12, 2011 / Flushing / Art Exhibits in Queens / Queens Buzz. I visited the Crossing Art Gallery in Flushing Saturday for their opening of Personal.Spaces. The exhibit theme is about personal space in public places. An example of such is shown in the artwork to your right, where countless people are sharing public space, close enough to touch one another, but all living very separate lives. Living within their Personal.Spaces. The Flushing art gallery did a nice job of dimensionalizing the theme through a number of different works from a multitude of artists, many of whom either work or live within the NYC area. Click here to view a brief report, including photos of the Personal.Spaces art exhibit at the Crossing Art Gallery in Flushing.

The Wedding - York College Performing Arts Center The Wedding ... Community Theater With Redemptive Theme Can One Marry A Billionaire And Still Keep Their Sense of Self? December 12, 2011 / Jamaica / Theater in Queens / Queens Buzz. Saturday afternoon I made my way to the York Performing Arts Center in the Jamaica neighborhood of Queens to see a new play entitled The Wedding. The play was written by Beverly Morrison Caesar for Arts in Christian Theatre [ACT] which is associated with the Pentecostal Church on Guy Brewer Blvd. Beverly’s plays contain a redemptive message and are performed by volunteers from the church and surrounding community. I spoke to Beverly about how the play originated and how she combined theater, pantomime and a fashion show all in one grand performance. Click here to read more about The Wedding at the York Performing Arts Center in Jamaica Queens.

Greek Restaurants In Astoria Greek Restaurants In Astoria Cavo - Modern Greek Cuisine In Queens Astoria Neighborhood / Astoria Restaurants / Queens Restaurants / Queens Buzz. Cavo is one of the leading modern Greek restaurants in NYC.  Cavo is located in the heart of Astoria, just off Steinway Street, only a few blocks walk from the N subway stop. We had occasion to visit Cavo recently, where we were able to enjoy the restaurant's modern Greek cuisine, airy decor and well mannered clientele.  You may click here to read a review of one of the leading Greek Restaurants In Astoria - Cavo.

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Astoria Furniture Stores Have It All -Queens

Astoria Shops / Astoria / Queens Buzz. The furniture stores located on the southern end of Steinway Street in the Astoria neighborhood of Queens seem to have something to offer to just about everyone. This part of Steinway is a furniture shopper's mecca, offering plenty of choices from classical colonial, to urban apartment living to bedding to suit nearly every spine.

I took a quick trip there, which is easily accessible via the N, W, G, R or V subway lines and within a sturdy walking distance from Long Island City, Astoria, Sunnyside and Woodside. Just up the street from Steinway is Broadway, where you'll find the Omonia Cafe where after a good morning or afternoon of shopping, you can kick back along one of the sidewalk tables ane enjoy a bit of coffee and some delicious baked goods. Click here to learn more about the furniture stores in Astoria Queens.

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Mens Clothing Styles - Queens

Shopping Queens / Astoria / Queens Buzz. Esquire Men's Clothing Store continues to serve the greater Astoria and Queens area, as it has for nearly thirty years.

The shop is owned and managed by Frank and Kevin Adhami, and their father, who is in his eighties, still visits the store on an almost weekly basis.

Esquire is located along Steinway Street between 30th and 31st streets. The store contains a wide selection of men's coats, suits, casual wear, shoes and men's accessories like belts and ties.

This story will provide some information about the store itself as well as fashion recommendations for the Spring and for job hunters.

Click this link to view a story written on Men's Clothing In Astoria Queens NY.

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Queens Farmers Markets Still Open

Jackson Heights Is Year Round

Astoria Sunnyside Woodside Jackson Heights Long Island City LIC Flushing Jamaica / October 17, 2011 / Queens Buzz. The Jackson Heights Farmers Market became the first and the only year round farmers market in Queens effective in 2011.

Click the link below to see a listing of the Queens Farmers Markets including links to maps. Click the other link below for a listing of the Queens Street Fairs schedule of 2011 including dates and maps showing their locations. Please note that the Jackson Heights Farmers market information remains the same [days & times], except for the seasonal dates which we recently changed.

Click here for our updated posting of Queens Street Fairs - Queens NY. Click here for a listing of the Queens Farmers Markets. You will always find both street fairs and farmers markets for the current month in the Queens Events section of the site [see top tool bar for button / link].

Helen Marshall - Queens State of the Borough Address 2012 Queens State of the Borough Address 2012 Boro President Helen Marshall Informs Us We’re Holding Our Own January 24, 2012 / Flushing / Queens Government & Economy / Queens Buzz. Today I attended the Borough President’s State of the Borough Address in the Colden Auditorium at Queens College in Flushing. Queens College President Dr. James Muyskens opened the program, followed by City Council Speaker Christine Quinn. There were hundreds of people in attendance. The audience included government officials, members of the police, fire and sanitation departments, a number of community board members, educators, healthcare administrators as well as members of the press. Helen Marshall’s address covered education, healthcare, parks, the economy, business, development, aviation [the airports], culture, historic preservation and awards to a few denizens of the borough for outstanding work. In the photo Queens Borough President Helen Marshall looks a graphic which includes the plans for the new technical center planned for Roosevelt Island by Cornell University and Technion. Click here to our report with photos of the Queens State of the Borough Address 2012.

Queens Real Estate

Astoria, Jackson Heights, Long Island City LIC, Sunnyside, Woodside, Flushing, Jamaica

Queens NY / Spring 2011. These links will take you into sections & reports on the Queens real estate market in Queens beginning in 2009.

These reports include reviews of apartment rental prices, as well as condo, co-op and home prices and availability in the Queens market.

We have also done neighborhood specific reports about Astoria real estate, LIC / Long Island City real estate, Jackson Heights real estate, Woodside & Sunnyside real estate, Flushing Real Estate and Jamaica Real Estate.

While we found these neighborhoods mirrored / trailed many of the national trends, we found some interesting differences, including differences from neighborhood to neighborhood.

Click here to read the Queens Real Estate market analysis 2009.

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