5 Boro Bike Ride In Queens

Bike Ride Start Time is 7.45 am and End Time 6 pm

May 2, 2012 / Long Island City & Astoria / Bikes & biking in Queens / Queens Buzz. On Sunday, May 6th at 7.45 am the 5 Boro Bike Tour will begin at the southern tip on Manhattan just north of Battery Park.

5 Boro Bike Tour Course & Map

The bike tour is the biggest of its kind in the USA, hosting approximately 32,000 cyclists each year who travel of 40 mile route between the hours of 8 am and 6 pm on a Sunday when NYC auto traffic is diverted to accommodate the tour.

Click here for a map of the 5 Boro Bike Tour 2012 in Queens.

Flamenco Dancing In Queens

American Bolero Brings To Queens The Dance & Music Of Old Spain

March 16, 2012 / Astoria / Dance in Queens / Queens Buzz. I went to watch the American Bolero Dance Company perform Tablao Flamenco on Friday night. There were eleven performances by a panoply of dancers and musicians, who sensually revived the heart and soul of ancient Andalusia and colonial Spain.

The performances were exciting to watch. The dancers’ hard heels struck the wooden stage floor, in a staccato rhythm. And as the taps resounded in the air ... the cantadores emoted the melodies of Spain's Medieval past, filling the theater with vibrations of the spirit.

The dancers’ fast-footed movements, belied the beautiful tranquility of their lithe upper torsos and slender arms, flowingly extended up into the air, entrapping us as we watched. In the photo to your right is Gabriela Granados, dancing the flamenco in Astoria.

Click here to read the rest of our review of Tablao Flamenco – flamenco dancing in Queens.

House Rules Of The Internet Age

Astoria Realtor Goes From Finding Homes To Building Families

February 27, 2012 / Astoria / Queens Buzz. I met Kim Parshley a few years ago. Kim is a Queens resident who makes her living renting apartments and selling houses for Halvatzis Realty in Astoria. Kim has a disarming charm that fits the moniker of ‘the girl next door’ and she sees herself as a Matchmaker. In her youth she helped her friends make connections, and as an adult she matches apartment hunters to apartment owners.

In the summer of 2010, while working on another story, I met an older Astoria native with whom I became fast friends. He had a warm avuncular charm and a welcoming home that made me feel comfortable right away. Kim had also recently met this man, and like myself, she quickly took to him as if he was family.

Click here to read more about one of the new social networking websites in Queens.

Musical Saw Festival 2011 In Astoria

What’s The Buzz – Tell Me What’s A Happening

July 16, 2011 / Astoria Neighborhood / Live Music / Queens Buzz. I attended the 9th annual Musical Saw Festival this year. It was held at the Hellenic Cultural Center just off Crescent Street in Astoria. And while I had read about the festival for the past two years, and seen videos of it on the internet last year, I can now assure you that it’s not nearly as good as being there.

I arrived midway through the four-hour festival and many of the headlining talent had finished playing. But as a novice whose sole interest was to experience the festival, exactly who was playing didn't matter as much as it might to an aficionado. I had come to see, hear and talk to people who play music on their saws.

Click here to read more about and see photos of the Musical Saw Festival in Astoria Queens NYC.

St Markella Festival In Astoria

14th Century Saint From Greek Island Of Chios Honored

September 19, 2011 / Astoria Neighborhood / Queens Buzz. I visited the parish of St. Markella this Sunday as they were winding down their weekend long celebration in honor of St. Markella. They had closed the block on 26th Street between 23rd Avenue and Ditmars Blvd, creating a warm, relaxing, village-like feel to the public occasion.

The local parishoners had brought home made dishes of stuffed tomatoes, skewered lamb, mixed vegetables, moussaka, baclava and other desserts and delectables to celebrate the occasion. I talked with several people affiliated with the church including Father Michael. And in the report that will follow sometime in the future, we'll provide a bit of history and a slide show of St Markella in Astoria.

Michael Halberian: 1927 - 2010

Steinway Mansion Owner Dies

December 30, 2010 / Astoria / Queens Buzz. Michael Halberian, owner of the Steinway Mansion in Astoria, died Monday evening around 7 pm. We have unofficial reports that he died of cardio obstruction pulmonary disorder. Michael turned 83 in November.

Michael is survived by two children, Michele Kazarian and John Halberian [wife Stephanie]; his sister, Rosemary; five grandchildren including Jackie and Katie Kazarian and Christopher, Meg and Jack Halberian; and neices and nephews.

Services will be held at 2 pm at the Armenian Church of the Holy Martyrs in Bayside. The church is located on the corner of Horace Harding Expressway [LIE] and Oceania Boulevard.

Later this weekend we'll post more about the life of Michael Halberian and the historical Steinway Mansion for which he so loved and cared. Michael is shown standing in front of the Steinway Mansion in the photo above circa the 1930's.

Queens History Is New York's History

19th Century Queens Pioneers With Big Ideas

Steinway & Sons Legacy Permeates NYC & Queens

Manhattan NYC & Astoria / December 7, 2010 / Queens Buzz. In our effort to inform Queens Buzz readers about the full historical significance of the Steinway Mansion, we traveled into one of Queens' outerboros: Manhattan.

We visited Steinway Hall, which is located on 57th Street between 6th and 7th Avenues, and which is owned by Steinway & Sons pianos - some 85 years later. Once again, I stepped through a time warp, similar to the one into which I stepped when I visited to the Steinway piano factory and more recently the Steinway Mansion, both of which are located in Astoria in Queens.

Steinway Hall was built by Steinway & Sons piano company in 1925, following the erection of Carnegie Hall, which had just supplanted the old Steinway Hall located on 14th Street, as NYC's cultural centerpiece. Click here to read more about Steinway Hall in NYC including numerous photos, or click this link to visit the Steinway Mansion section of Queens Buzz.

Astoria Maps - Overview

Click to view three maps of Astoria: 1) Map of Shopping Districts In Astoria with links to shop home pages on this site, 2) Map of Astoria Restaurants that have been reviewed on this site, and 3) Map of cultural attractions in Astoria most for which there are reports about them to be found on this site.

Click here to view Astoria Maps - Maps of Shops, Restaurants and Cultural Attractions in Astoria Queens.

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.

Astoria Restaurants - Restaurants In Astoria

Astoria / Queens Buzz.  This section contains restaurant reviews of the restaurants in the Astoria neighborhood of Queens NY.  Astoria has some of the finest ethnic restaurants in the city of New York.  Some of its better known ethnic restaurants are of Greek, Egyptian and Italian origin.

Click here to enter the Restaurants In Astoria section of the site.

Choosing Florists For Wedding Flowers In Queens

Wedding Flowers, Bridal Bouquets, Boutonnieres, Banquet Table Flowers In Astoria Queens

Astoria Neighborhood / Shopping Queens / Queens Buzz. As any Queens mother will tell you, planning your wedding isn’t an easy project. There are a mind-boggling number of details. And given your wedding is a once-in-a-lifetime event, great effort goes into making sure that every last detail is perfect.

Wedding flowers play an important role in the aesthetics of your wedding as they garnish the visual background of the event and present a lasting visual remembrance in the minds and hearts of your family and friends. The Queens bride’s personal sense style are on display on her wedding day. The style reveals itself in the color of the bridesmaid dresses and and couture of the bridal gown, as well as through the ambient beauty of the decorative wedding floral arrangements chosen to decorate the wedding ceremony, wedding hall and wedding feast.

Click here to learn more about what to look for when choosing wedding flowers / wedding florists in Astoria Queens.

All Natural Hand Made Soaps

The Little Soap Shoppe In Astoria

February 7, 2011 / Astoria / Queens Buzz. I found a unique little shop just off Ditmars Street on 36th Street about six months ago.  The name of the store is The Little Soap Shoppe and its owner is Vivian Dritsas.  Vivian is an enthusiastic local producer of handmade soaps who I enjoyed meeting.  Before I left she gave me a soap sample to take home to try out.

A few weeks later I tried the raw cut of handmade soap and I instantly noticed the difference.  The lemongrass soap I used is one of four of the handmade soaps reviewed in this story.  Click here to read more about the Little Soap Shoppe in Astoria Queens.

Business & Real Estate In Astoria

Real Estate, Realtors, Condos, Apartments, Prices & Market

Astoria Real Estate / Queens Real Estate / Queens Buzz. This is the Astoria Real Estate section of the site.

Click here to view reports about business and real estate in Astoria Queens.

Astoria Real Estate

Astoria / Queens / December 2009. This is a report on Astoria real estate. The report includes a discussion of supply and demand in the Astoria real estate market, as well as for apartment rentals. Financing and demographic shifts are also included in this report and we have included links to related Queens real estate reports, home pages and real estate classifieds. 

Click here to view our report on the market for Astoria Real Estate.