Queens International & Chinese New Year 2012
Giants vs Patriots in Superbowl
February 1, 2012 / Queens Buzz. Weather. This weekend it will be mostly sunny and dry, with highs in the high 40's and lows in the low 30's.
MTA disruption - #7 Subway into NYC. Work on the #7 subway continues this weekend, so starting 11 pm Friday night until 5.30 am Monday, you'll have to use shuttle buses from Queensborough Plaza to LIC, and the Q, N, E, F and R to get from Queens into NYC.
On Thursday and running through the weekend The Cherry Orchard begins at 7.30 pm at the LaGuardia Performing Arts Center in LIC [theater]. Henry V begins its run at the Secret Theatre Company at 8 pm in LIC [theater]. There are also wine tastings in LIC, and a computer show in Jamaica and a cake decorating party in Astoria - both on Sunday [Member Calendar].
On Friday, innovative violinist Hahn-Bin performs beginning at 8 pm at Flushing Town Hall [music]. Jaleel Shaw & the Roy Haynes Quartet will treat the audience to some 'saxy' jazz at 7 pm at the York College Performing Arts Center in Jamaica [music]. And Jackson Heights 3AM begins its final weekend at 7.30 on Friday at Queens Theatre In The Park in Flushing [theater].
On Saturday, the Chinese New Year Parade 2012 begins at 11 am in Flushing [you can easily find it by going to the end of #7 subway line] and ends by 1 pm [kids]. The Flushing Town Hall is presenting the Lunar New Year Dance Sampler which begins at 2 pm [dance]. Saturday evening the Queens Museum of Art hosts the opening reception beginning at 6 pm for the Queens International Art Exhibit, one of their very fun and creative art shows [art]. Also on Saturday night at the Queens Theatre In The Park in Flushing there are two comedy shows being given by comedian Larry Miller at 5 pm and 8 pm [theater]. In LIC at the NY Irish Center there's an Irish House Party beginning at 7.30 pm [dance / music] which will include a mix of musical and dance performances [dance].
And on Sunday the NY Giants face the NE Patriots in Superbowl XLVI beginning at 6.30 pm in Indianapolis. Click into the Queens Events section of this site for details. Enjoy.
Astoria Neighborhood
Persona Performa - Ming Wong At MOMIMuseum of the Moving Image Steps Out In AstoriaJanuary 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. |
Long Island City Neighborhood
No Angels At The Laughing DevilNew Comedy Club Opens Doors To Press & LICJanuary 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. |
Remediation Of Newtown Creek Begins In Queens & BrooklynAfter 150 Years Of Environmental Destruction, Remediation Of Newtown Creek BeginsJanuary 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. |
Woodside / Sunnyside Neighborhood
Figgy Pudding Short Play FestXmas Comedy at Café Marlene in SunnysideDecember 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 / Elmhurst Neighborhood
Jackson Heights 3 AMThird Of A Trilogy About Jackson HeightsJanuary 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. |
Flushing Corona Neighborhood
Chinese New Year 2012 in FlushingFlushing Town Hall - Building Cultural BridgesJanuary 25, 2012 / Flushing / Ethnic & Religious Culture / Queens Buzz. I attended the opening ceremony at the Flushing Town Hall celebrating the Chinese new year. Flushing Town Hall is a neighborhood and Queens borough cultural center, which has easily become one of the leading places in Queens and NYC, where one can familiarize themselves with authentic Asian cultures. Flushing Town Hall presents many exhibits and programs, which nurture an environment of cross cultural understanding. They are also an important location for innovative theater performances, jazz, and world music, of which you can read more about by using the search function on this site. One of the reasons for Flushing Town Hall's emergence as an Asian cultural center is that Flushing is the home to the largest Chinese community in New York, equaling – if not surpassing - Chinatown in Manhattan. And New York City is home to the largest Chinese community outside of China. This year is 2012 AD in the western world, but to the Chinese this is the lunar year 4709 and the year of the lucky dragon. Steve Chen of Crystal Window & Door Systems in Flushing [current exhibit sponsors], speaks about the Antique Chinese Windows and Doors collection currently on exhibit at Flushing Town Hall. Click here to read more about the upcoming Chinese New Year Parade 2012 in Flushing Queens and Chinese Culture. |
Jamaica Neighborhood
The Wedding ... Community Theater With Redemptive ThemeCan 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. |
Queens Restaurants
Valentine's Day Restaurants & Dinners In QueensQueens Restaurants / February 1, 2012. Valentine's Day is only a weekend away. It's a time when lovers far and wide enjoin in the great romantic dinner at a nice romantic Queens restaurant, for a night out on the town. If the night is done right, it comes complete with a thoughtful card, a small box of candies and her favorite flowers; followed by a nice romantic dinner in Astoria, LIC, Jackson Heights, Sunnyside, Flushing or Jamaica. The origins of Valentine's Day are not well documented. It's believed to have been named after Saint Valentine who was apparently a Catholic martyr who died over 1500 years ago. Today the holiday is not associated with religion so much as flowers, candies, cards and dinners. And the holiday spokesperson is now Cupid, a Roman god of desire, and from what we hear, quite a mischief maker. Click this link to go to a brief guide of Queens restaurants for Valentine's Day where you will find links to fun or romantic Queens restaurants we've reviewed. It's worth noting that most of these reviews are positive because we've selected some of the best restaurants in their categories in Queens. It's also worth noting that most of these restaurants do not currently advertise on this site, so there wasn't any quid pro quo. Perhaps one day we will begin selling them onto the site, because we have a large discerning dining audience like you. Enjoy. |
Queens Shopping
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.
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.
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].
Real Estate & Development In Queens
Queens State of the Borough Address 2012Boro President Helen Marshall Informs Us We’re Holding Our OwnJanuary 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.
