The First Annual Jackson Heights Poetry Festival

to Take Place this May

The Most Culturally Diverse Neighborhood in the U.S. brings togetherCommunity Schools and Organizations to Promote

Diversity Appreciation through Poetry

From May 15-17, 2008, Jackson Heights will open its doors to both the local community and NYC at large to celebrate the cultural diversity of Queens and the poetic talent of its students.

The Jackson Heights Poetry Festival is a 3-day event involving workshops taught by professors and poets, a poetry slam, and a series of readings at an all-day outdoor-poetry-extravaganza.

Leading up to the festival, a poetry contest will be held in public and private middle and high schools throughout Queens for students in grades 6 – 12, and winners will be featured at the festival.

Events:

WORKSHOPS: Thursday May 15, 6:30 p.m. – 9:00 p.m.

The Garden School 33-16 79th Street, Jackson Heights NY, 11372

POETRY SLAM & OPEN MIC: Friday May 16, 9:00 p.m. – 11:00 p.m.

Restaurant and Lounge Novo 78-23 37th Avenue, Jackson Heights, NY

THE OUTDOOR FESTIVAL: Saturday May 17, 10:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.

The Garden School 33-16 79th Street, Jackson Heights, NY

Noted Poets and Educators Taking Part in the JHPF Events:

Patrick Rosal, Jai Chakrabati, Richard Marotta, Lee Schlesinger, Michael Dumanis, Bill Zavatsky, and the first woman to be named the Poet Laureate of Queens, New York, Ishle Yi Park.

Sponsors/Organizers/Supporters:

New York Council for the Humanities

Jackson Heights Beautification Group

NYS Senator John D. Sabini

NYS Assemblyman José R. Peralta

NYC Councilman Hiram Monserrate

Dime Savings Bank

Marina Yoffe, Co-Founder/Director

Sarah Heinemann, Co-Founder/Director

Contact info: JHPFest@gmail.com or (347) 517-1506

Online Contest submissions are due by Tuesday, April 22, 2008. Finalists will be announced online May 1, 2008.

For more information, please visit www.jhpfest.org

Kite Flight: Plastic Play on Sunday, April 27

KITE FLIGHT: PLASTIC PLAY
Sunday, April 27, 2008 at
Socrates Sculpture Park
11AM - 2PM
Free / Rain or Shine!

Socrates Sculpture Park and The Noguchi Museum are proud to present the sixth annual kite making workshop and flying event. This free hands-on workshop will take place at Socrates Sculpture Park and welcomes children of all ages to participate.

This year, children and their families will find an excellent new use for plastic bags by transforming this durable, and light weight material into beautiful recycled kites! Kite designs are provided by artists Miwa Koizumi and Marco Scoffier who will draw inspiration from the Park's fantastic view of the Manhattan skyline. Participants will have the opportunity to build and decorate their kites, then fly them in the Park.

Advance registration is not required, but space is limited, so come early! The workshops are free and will be held - rain or shine - under a tent in the education area at Socrates Sculpture Park; all materials and supplies will be provided.

THALIA SPANISH THEATRE presents its SPRING session

BILINGUAL THEATRE WORKSHOP FOR YOUNG AND BEGINNING ACTORS.

Experience an intensive theoretical-practical acting workshop at Thalia Spanish Theatre, taught by the prestigious Ecuadorian actor and director Franco Galecio. The class will culminate with a special performance for invited guests, including industry professionals.

The fee for the entire twelve-week session is $150. The classes are on Mondays, from 6pm to 9pm. The workshops begin April 7 and continue through June 23, with the final performance for the general public, critics, and industry professionals, on June 25.

For more information and to register, call 718-729-3880, or visit the theatre’s website: www.thaliatheatre.org.

Sponsored by Citibank, Con Edison, Independence Community Foundation, The New York State Council on the Arts, the New York City Dept. of Cultural Affairs, and New York State Assemblywoman Catherine Nolan.

THALIA SPANISH THEATRE

41-17 Greenpoint Avenue, Sunnyside (Queens)

Subway # 7 Local to 40^th St. Station. Buses Q60, Q32 to Queens Blvd & 41^st St.

www.thaliatheatre.org

THALIA SPANISH THEATRE ANNOUNCES ITS BILINGUAL THEATRE FOR CHILDREN WORKSHOP/TALLER DE TEATRO PARA NIÑOS

Thalia Spanish Theatre is proud to announce the return by popular demand of its BILINGUAL THEATRE FOR CHILDREN WORKSHOP, directed by award-winning actress, Soledad Lopez incorporating mime, masks, puppetry, and theatre, to explore our children's diverse cultural backgrounds.

The class will be taught by bilingual actresses/instructors Angelica Ayala and Mariana Buoninconti. It will accommodate both Spanish and English-speaking children.

Classes are Saturdays mornings from April 5 to June 21, 2008 (12 classes) from 10am to 12pm. The workshop concludes with a performance for the community of a unique multi-disciplinary piece performed by the children, at Thalia Spanish Theatre. The theatre is a professional, fully-equipped space, wheelchair-accessible and centrally located.

The fee is $150 total; there is a discount for families who enroll several children. The age group is from 5-14 years old.

ENROLLMENT IS LIMITED. For information and reservations contact Soledad López or Kathryn Giaimo at (718) 729-3880, or visit the website at: www.thaliatheatre.org

Thalia Spanish Theatre is located at 41-17 Greenpoint Avenue in Sunnyside, Queens.

The Theatre for Children Workshop is sponsored by Citibank, Con Edison, Independence Community Foundation, The New York State Council on the Arts, the New York City Dept. of Cultural Affairs, New York State Senator George Onorato, and New York State Assemblywoman Catherine Nolan.

WORLD PREMIERE Flamenco Musical at Thalia Spanish Theatre

THALIA SPANISH THEATRE, celebrating its 30^th anniversary, presents

The BILINGUAL WORLD PREMIERE of

a FLAMENCO musical

PICASSO FLAMENCOunt of Orgaz

Written by the Spanish artist

PABLO PICASSO

ENGLISH version by JEROME ROTHENBERG

Flamenco music, singing and dance fuse with Picasso’s poetic text, projections of his paintings, and Picasso-inspired masks, to create an unforgettable “total theatre” experience.

Original Music by BASILIO GEORGES

Choreography by AURORA REYES

Associate Director HECTOR LUIS RIVERA

Audiovisual RUBEN DARIO CRUZ Masks by JANE STEIN

Designed, Produced & Directed by ANGEL GIL ORRIOS

with AURORA REYES, ERIKA DE JULIA, SILVIA SILLER,

KATHY TEJADA, ANGELA PEREZ,

WALTER GUZMAN, HECTOR LUIS RIVERA

and the special collaboration of dancer

YLOY YBARRA as PICASSO.

Guitarists: BASILIO GEORGES and JED MILEY

Keyboard: OCTAVIO BRUNETTI Percussion-Bass: SEAN KUPISZ

SIX WEEKS ONLY! APRIL 18 to MAY 25, 2008

alternating performances in ENGLISH and SPANISH

IN ENGLISH: FRIDAYS at 8 PM & SATURDAYS at 3 PM

IN SPANISH: SATURDAYS at 8 PM & SUNDAYS at 4 PM

TICKETS $30 STUDENTS & SENIORS $27; Special group rates

At THALIA SPANISH THEATRE

41-17 Greenpoint Avenue, Sunnyside (Queens)

Subway # 7 Local to 40^th St. Station. Buses Q60, Q32 to Queens Blvd & 41^st St.

INFORMATION & TICKETS (718) 729-3880

www.thaliatheatre.org

Thalia Spanish Theater--Concerts 2008

SATURDAY MARCH 29 at 3 PM & 8 PM

FLAMENCO Guitarist DANIEL CASARES DIRECT FROM SPAIN!

BACK BY POPULAR DEMAND! The hottest young FLAMENCO GUITARIST of Spain will perform his best compositions. At age 26 he has just released his 4th CD “CABALLERO” [Gentleman], and has won many international awards.

SUNDAY MARCH 30 at 4 PM

ZARZUELAS (SPANISH OPERETTAS)

The most beautiful arias and duets from the best-loved Spanish operettas.

With: Soprano ILYA MARTINEZ , Baritone RAFAEL LEBRON, Tenor DAVID ROBINSON, Mezzo-soprano PATRICIA CAY, and Pianist OCTAVIO BRUNETTI.

SATURDAY APRIL 5 at 8 PM

Yosvany Terry’s RAICES AFRO-CUBANAS (AFRO-CUBAN ROOTS)

An extraordinary saxophonist & percussionist and his ensemble achieve LATIN JAZZ FUSION in this piece inspired by the YORUBAN cultural traditions of his native CUBA.

With: Saxes YOSVANY TERRY, Dancer FELIX “PUPI” INSUA, Piano OSMANY PAREDES, Bass YUNIOR TERRY, Lead vocalist & percussion PEDRO MARTINEZ,

and Percussionists ROMAN DIAZ & MAURICIO HERRERA

SUNDAY APRIL 6 at 4 PM

CANCIONES ROMÁNTICAS (ROMANTIC LATINO SONGS)

The most popular songs from the best Latin American Romantic Music.

With: Singers LEONARDO GRANADOS & JOHANNA CASTAÑEDA,

Violin ALI BELLO, Bass ABRAHAM SAENZ, Piano AMY MILLÁN,

and Percussion TONY DE VIVO.

TICKETS $25 For any TWO concerts $ 44 (save $ 6).

For all FOUR concerts $ 80 (save $ 20)

Sponsored by the Music Program of the New York State Council on the Arts.

At THALIA SPANISH THEATRE

41-17 Greenpoint Avenue, Sunnyside (Queens)

Subway # 7 Local to 40^th St. Station. Buses Q60, Q32 to Queens Blvd & 41^st St.

INFORMATION & TICKETS (718) 729-3880 www.thaliatheatre.org

Love to Garden?

The Queens Botanical Garden makes small gardens available to members of the community age 55+ to grow vegetables. You seed, water, pick, eat, and make new friends during April-to-October season. If interested, leave message at 718-886-3800 ext. 525.

Queens Ledger on Barnett Ave

03/13/2008
DOT's Sunnyside stroll leads to new traffic plans
By Jeremy Walsh
A long-neglected thoroughfare in Sunnyside Gardens will soon get a makeover from the city Transportation Department. DOT Commissioner Janette Sadik-Khan toured the site along with City Council Speaker Christine Quinn (D-Manhattan) last week, developing a series of short-term solutions until capital improvements can be made.
As a result, Barnett Avenue may become a one-way street later this spring, pending a resolution from Community Board 2 on whether the street should run westbound or eastbound. CB 2 Chairman Joe Conley said the board would take the issue up at its April 6 meeting.In addition to the one-way conversion, Sadik-Khan suggested using some of the space gained to add painted parking spaces and incorporate a walking area on the asphalt between the new parking spaces and the shoulder.Residents who use the road were pleased by the news."This was always the back street of Sunnyside and it needs development," said resident Dorothy Cavallo, who has lived in the neighborhood for 50 years.Resident Ciaran Staunton said he and others have been complaining for years about the state of the road, which runs parallel to the Long Island Rail Road tracks between 48th Street and Woodside Avenue. The narrow road is open to two-way traffic and allows parking along its northern side. All that and a lack of sidewalks create a hazardous situation for neighborhood residents who walk to Starbucks Tower Square, the major shopping center at Woodside Avenue and Northern Boulevard, Staunton said."In fact, Ms. Quinn almost got hit the last time she was here," Staunton said. "It wasn't done on purpose, but the publicity would have been good."City Councilman Eric Gioia (D-Sunnyside), who grew up in the neighborhood, agreed that the street needed serious improvement."This has been unsafe and unsightly my entire life," he saidBut further improvements, such as building sidewalks, will have to wait until 2012, when the city Environmental Protection Department will get $1.9 million for capital improvements, Conley said.Quinn and the DOT also visited a residential block of 46th Street, where residents have been clamoring for speed bumps since the death of an 11-year-old girl in 2004. Hallie Geier was walking her dog when she stepped out from between two cars and was fatally struck by an oncoming motorist, Conley said."Anything we could do to make it safer for the children would be worth doing," said CB 2 member James Van Bramer."People take the corner, see the green light and race for it," said resident Tonia Moore, 36, who circulated a speed bump petition last year among her neighbors. "We have to slow the traffic down."Michael Primeggia, deputy DOT traffic commissioner, said the DOT would conduct a study of the street. If a suitable spot is found, work on the speed bump could start as early as June, he said.

Sunday March 30th: Crossing the BLVD performance

Sunday March 30, 3pm

Crossing the BLVD performance of monologues, sounds and images of new immigrants and refugees with Warren Lehrer and Judith Sloan. Post show discussion moderated by Brian Lehrer, talk show host WNYC radio and wnyc.org

Goldstein Theatre, Queens College
All seats $12. Order online or call: 718.793.8080.

About the Performance: As immigration policy is being hotly debated around the country in terms of national, economic, and cultural security, Crossing the BLVD presents the very human stories of why new immigrants and refugees have migrated to the United States and what their experiences have been since they came here pre- and post-9/11. Writer and artist, Warren Lehrer is the tour guide providing commentary and perspective as actress and oral historian Judith Sloan "channels" many of the people they interviewed on their three-year journey around the world through the borough of Queens. Sloan's vocalization work and movement bring these characters to life. Their performance is illuminated by projections of Lehrer's stunning photographs of the subjects, urban landscapes, objects they have carried with them from home to home, and Queens' landscapes, along with Sloan's soundtrack of original music, sounds, and voices.[Soundtrack includes music by Scott Johnson and Gogol Bordello.]

"Immigrant life as told in the intimate, rich, comic, ironic and sad stories so often seen but not heard in America's big cities..." The Washington Post

"A turbo-driven Eyewitness guide...BLVD is a demonstration of the way you can explore the world without leaving home." The Guardian, London

"An offbeat ethnic tour of one of the country's most ethnically diverse counties. Riveting stories..." The New York Times

"Crossing the BLVD boldly carries the tradition of oral history into the 21st Century... Electrifying! Eve Ensler, author, oral historian, performer The Vagina Monologues

Winner Brendan Gill Prize, Municipal Art Society of New York 2004

The performance is held in conjunction with Lehrer and Sloan's Multimedia Exhibition of the same name at Queens College's Godwin-Ternbach Museum. The exhibition includes 90 portraits, story excerpts, 14 sound stations, and an interactive Mobile Storybooth. It runs through June 28 and will be on view before and after the performance on March 30th.g

Queens Rocks Now Has Free Community Forum

So check it out, yo--

We've just launched a brand new free online forum. Post your own neighborhood reviews, classifieds listings, or talk amongst yourselves.

Register in your own name, if you dare...

Open to all who call our mighty borough home.

Organic and Biodynamic Wine Tasting in LIC

Organic and Biodynamic Wine Tasting at Hunter’s Point Wines & Spirits in LIC

If you are going to drink wine, why not drink wine that tastes good and is good for the planet? Sustainable farming techniques rely on healthy soil, not chemical fertilizers, weed killers, insecticides, and other synthetic chemicals. Come to this free wine tasting to learn more about what it means to be a “certified organic” or “biodynamic” wine.

WHAT: Organic and Biodynamic Wine Tasting (FREE)
WHERE: Hunter’s Point Wine & Spirits, 47-07 Vernon Boulevard, LIC
WHEN: Thursday, March 20th from 6-8 pm

RSVP: Lynne Serpe at 646-202-0825 or Robyn Sklar at robynsklar@gmail.com

This event is co-sponsored by 3R Events, a project of Lynne Serpe and Robyn Sklar. Lynne & Robyn are long-time Green Party members who don’t just vote green - they live green. They organize monthly green events in LIC/Astoria that are fun and educational, not boring and preachy.

Hunter’s Point Wines & Spirits is an independently owned and operated store in Long Island City, NY. Owner Paul Huston graciously offered his store for this event. Hunter’s Point Wines & Spirits holds free wine tastings every Thursday and Friday from 6-8pm. Take the 7 train to Vernon Boulevard, walk 3.5 blocks north. Please call 718-472-WINE for more information.

The organic, biodynamic and sustainably farmed wines that will be available for tasting are from Small Vineyards, which specializes in single estate wines from all regions in Italy, customarily picked by hand and always earth-friendly. Production at the estate must be 10,000 cases or less. Guest Lorenzo Gaeteschi will be pouring a wine that he makes himself: an estate grown Merlot that he makes 300 cases of only.

3R Events will hold the first annual “Queens is Green Fashion Show” on April 26 at Green Space in Long Island City, highlighting green fashion designers with a Queens connection. Please contact Robyn Sklar at robynsklar@gmail.com or Lynne Serpe at 646-202-0825 for more information, or for an application to submit designs.

The Latest Addition to Skillman Ave - Trash Cans

While this may sound pathetic, my mood went from average Friday anticipating the weekend joy to near elation when I walked out of my house and looked up the block this afternoon. As if delivered by a secret fairy garbage-mother, four NYC trash cans appeared on the corners of my block at 47th street and Skillman Avenue at some point this morning. My jaw nearly dropped as I discovered that they also appeared on the corners of 46th and Skillman (I haven't ventured further today, so I'm not sure if they appeared elsewhere down the avenue as well.)

Not only does this hopefully mean people won't feel compelled to throw their wrappers and trash on the sidewalk for lack of better options, but as a long-time dog owner it also (hopefully) means that less-diligent dog owners will stop giving we responsible canine-parents a bad name by properly and easily disposing of dog waste!

So thank you Eric Gioia, if you had a hand in this, and if not, thank you fairy garbage-mother wherever you are!

Queens Arts Connection 2008 + Call for Photographers-Deadline March 17

The Queens Museum of Art (QMA), the Queens Council on the Arts (QCA) and the New York Foundation for the Arts (NYFA) will present a free networking event at the QMA for artists and cultural groups of all disciplines. 19 New York City arts services organizations will share information about their programs, presentation spaces, and funding sources. The afternoon’s schedule includes a raffle, live music, and an informal networking reception.

In addition, artists will have the opportunity to participate in a peer-sharing slide/video/reading slam during the event (in five minute sessions).
Queens Arts Connection 2008

Saturday, March 22, 1 - 7 pm
Schedule of Events

In the Café & Large Triangle Gallery, 1st Floor

1 - 3 pm
Sign Up-registration & Informal Networking
Browse Arts Service Organization Tables

3:30 – 4:15 pm
Dance in Queens Application Seminar with:
Paz Tanjuaquio, Topaz Arts & Hitomi Iwasaki, Associate Curator QMA

4:30 - 6:30 pm
Complementary Refreshments & Informal Networking
Slide/Video/Reading Slam-share your artwork with other participants.

In the Theater, 2nd Floor

2 – 2:20 pm
Welcome by presenting organizations: Queens Museum of Art,
Queens Council on the Arts, & New York Foundation for the Arts

2:20 – 2:45 pm
Performance by Mahina Movement
Raffle of two $50 QMA gift shop certificates

2:45 – 3:15 pm
Linda Park presents NYFA Source tutorial

3:15 – 4:15 pm
Gary Dayton, Arts in Education Associate at NYSCA presents a
workshop on "How to Become a Teaching Artist"

Administration Offices & Library, 2nd Floor

4:30 – 6:30 pm
Portfolio Review for Visual & Video Artists:
Hitomi Iwasaki, QMA Associate Curator;
Erin Sickler, QMA Curatorial Assistant; Herb Tam, Exit Art Curator;
and Cecilia Jurado, Y Gallery Curator

4:30 – 6:30 pm
Portfolio Review for Dancers with Paz Tanjuaquio, Topaz Arts

For more information, click here.

Queens Onstage

From reader Darren Cardosa:

I enjoy your blog. Thanks for the posting about the Sunnyside crime
spree. I live in Sunnyside and appreciate the heads up.

I am producing a show and wonder if it is something you would consider posting on the site. Both of us in the show and producing it are Queens residents. Any place we can get mention of the show is a great help. Thank you very much for your time.

Sincerely,
darron cardosa

Here's the listing:

Minnie Pearl Does Broadway

Grand Ol’ Opry and Hee Haw legend Minnie Pearl is down from Heaven for three nights to sing all the Broadway songs she never got a chance to perform. From A Chorus Line to The Wiz, Minnie belts out show tunes like only she can. She’ll tell stories and jokes and there will even be a door prize! Assisting her onstage is the often talked about but never before seen Uncle Nabob. Cabaret artist Mark Alan Jones stars as Minnie Pearl with Darron Cardosa as Uncle Nabob.

Don’t Tell Mama
343 W 46th St. between Eighth and Ninth Aves.
212-757-0788
Saturday March 8, 6:00 PM
Sunday March 9, 7:30 PM
Monday March 10, 7:00 PM

Subway: A,C,E to 42nd St-Port Authority
$12 cover + two drink minimum

3 Queens Teens' Stories of Legal Emancipation, Foster Homes & Group Homes

WNYC’s Radio Rookies

presents

OUT ON MY OWN

Stories of Living Away From One’s Parents

Listen online


Three NYC Teens’ Experiences with Foster Care, Legal Emancipation,and Life in a Group Home

(February 19, 2008--New York, NY) – Most teens dream of independence from their parents’ rules, restrictions and terminal lack of cool. But living away from parents brings a host of other challenges for teens, including feelings of loneliness and trying to find a sense of security and of home where they can.

Radio Rookies, WNYC’s Peabody Award-winning youth journalism program, presents OUT ON MY OWN: Stories of Living Away from One’s Parents, three searing tales of New York City teens growing up in separate places from their moms and dads.

* Monday, February 25: JORDAN opted to become legally emancipated from his parents at 15, wishing to escape an emotionally challenging relationship in order give himself the opportunity to succeed.

* Wednesday, February 27: STAR was living in a foster home when she learned – through a televised news report – that her father had murdered her mother. Years later, the news media has moved on to other tragedies, but Star is still here. She’s about to age out of the system, and she hopes she can overcome her past and chart a new course.

* Friday, February 29: KRYSTLE is living in a group home, but would love to return to her mother…if the circumstances that separated them can be healed.

“I’ve learned so much, and I’m not afraid to state what’s real,” said Star about reporting her story. “Everybody goes through something…If you don’t sugarcoat it, people will be like: ‘Look at that girl, what she’s been through. And look—she’s ok.’”

All stories will air on WNYC during Morning Edition, which airs on 93.9FM, AM 820 and via live webstream at www.wnyc.org from 5-9:30am. They will also be available for on-demand listening and podcasting at www.radiorookies.org.

Going Green in Queens

DATE:
Saturday, March 8, 2008

TIME:
10:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.

LOCATION:
The New York Hall of Science
Flushing Meadows Corona Park
47-01 111th Street
Queens
(Free parking or shuttle available from the 111th Street 7 train station)

DETAILS:
Do you want to “go green?” Come to the first annual “Going Green in Queens,” a free environmental, educational and networking event. Parks & Recreation, Partnerships for Parks, the Queens Civic Congress and Queens Coalition for Parks and Green Spaces will host informational workshops on street trees, alternative energy sources and composting. Other topics to be discussed include construction materials, waterfront accessibility, and how to work with your local government.

To RSVP, please call 718-343-6779 or email GoingGreeninQueens@gmail.com. For more information, please visit www.nyc.gov/parks or call 311.

Sunnyside's own Jeremy Karaken on NPR

From Jeremy:

On Friday, March 14th, set your dials to NPR and Radiolab, as they discuss my play The Sweet Sweet Motherhood with Lee Silver, my collaborator. They'll be discussing the scientific, as well as the moral implications of human-animal hybridization.

As they say on the networks, check local listings.

Or, simply go to www.radiolab.org and look for Show #404

(So-Called) Life
Show #404
Friday, March 14, 2008

What are the consequences when humans start playing with life? The human imagination has always dreamed up fantastic creatures, but now biotechnology is making it easier and easier for us to actually create forms of life that have never existed before. In this hour, Radio Lab looks at the uneasy marriage between biology and engineering, and asks what counts as "natural?"

We enter the world of bioengineering with scientist Lee Silver from Princeton University. Silver tells us about a strange creature created by scientists back in the 80s, called a "geep," and shares his recent collaboration effort, a play by playwright Jeremy Kareken that explores the implications of combining humans and other animals.

Keep an Eye Out: Sunnyside Neighborhood Watch

Lynn and I were informed by our landlords, and later saw the fliers posted around the neighborhood, that in the last month there have been 3 break-ins on 47th Street between Skillman and 39th Ave., and one stolen vehicle. It seems that the break-ins were usually accomplished by kicking in basement doors, or by going through sliding glass doors - all between 11am and 3pm. So please be on the lookout for any shady characters walking down the street with 3 laptops and a crowbar - that kind of thing. And take a minute to think about the security of your house/apartment. Secure those sliding glass doors with a door jam or locking bar, get an alarm system if you're really paranoid, and at the very least post BEWARE OF DOG signs on your back doors.

It should go without saying that you should have renter's insurance, and please make sure to backup all those files on your computer! I personally use SyncBack which is completely free and does it's thing every Saturday night at about 3:00am without me having to lift a finger. And every month or so I make a DVD backup of the latest month's files and store it at my office in case we did get broken into and lost everything (or in case all three of my hard drives failed, which is not outside the realm of possibility).

Three break-ins in a month is bad, but it certainly could be worse. In 1990 there were 2,062 burglaries in the 108th precinct. In 2007 there were just 564 - an 84% drop!

Keep your eyes and ears open and use common sense. Unlike the guy parked near our apartment who left a bunch of cash on his dashboard ...

Queens Gets Indoor Public Pool

The official press release:

CITY OPENS FIRST INDOOR PUBLIC POOL IN FOUR DECADES

Aquatic Center Opens in Largest Recreation Facility Ever Built in a City Park

Deputy Mayor Robert C. Lieber, Parks Commissioner Adrian Benepe, Economic Development Corporation President Seth W. Pinsky and Senior Vice President David Kane, Queens Borough President Helen Marshall, USA Pools Corporate President Troy Legg, local elected officials and community members gathered today to celebrate the opening of the new Flushing Meadows Corona Park Aquatic Center, the first indoor public pool to be built in four decades. Competitive high school swimmers, synchronized swimmers, divers, senior citizens and children were on hand to test the water and show the flexibility of the space, which allows competitive and recreational swimming to take place simultaneously.


The Olympic-size swimming pool is housed in the new Flushing Meadows Corona Park Natatorium and Ice Rink building, which was built in partnership with the Economic Development Corporation. The building, which also houses the NHL-regulation ice rink that will open later this year, is the largest recreation complex ever built in a City park and will serve as a year-round facility for competitive and recreational use. The $66.3 million project was funded and envisioned by Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg, Queens Borough President Helen Marshall, former Mayor Rudolph Giuliani, former Queens Borough President Claire Shulman and former Parks Commissioner Henry J. Stern.


“One of the hallmarks of our five-borough economic development strategy is to invest in things that make New York City more livable, and this fantastic new aquatic center – the first indoor public pool built in this City in more than 40 years – is a terrific example of that,” said Deputy Mayor Lieber. “The Economic Development Corporation and the Parks Department, together with Borough President Marshall, have created a fantastic addition to Flushing Meadows Corona Park and a place where local and citywide residents can come to learn, play and have fun.”

“From a valley of ashes to World’s Fairs grounds to a stunning contemporary building with soaring masts—the new Flushing Meadows Corona Park Pool and Ice Rink marks an important milestone in the history of the park and our city,” said Parks Commissioner Benepe. “Not only have we introduced modern design to public space for the first time in decades, but we have made a world-class swimming facility available to all New Yorkers. We thank our partners, the Economic Development Corporation, for their support in managing this project, as well as Mayor Bloomberg, Queens Borough President Helen Marshall, former Mayor Giuliani, former Borough President Claire Shulman and former Parks Commissioner Henry Stern for making it a reality.”

“This new pool and soon-to-open ice skating rink will fill this building with the sound of laughter and squeals of excitement for thousands of youngsters for generations to come,” said Queens Borough President Helen Marshall. “I am happy to have provided more than $10 million in funding for this facility. However, we could not have reached today’s opening without the support of Mayor Bloomberg who we hope will swim here one day.”

The Building

Inspired by the 1939 and 1964 World’s Fair pavilions, a cable-supported canopy roof is suspended over the 110,000 square foot building. Designed as part of the 2012 Olympic bid, the design allows for the walls running the length of the facility to potentially be removed for expansion to a larger venue with a temporary bleacher structure. Like the construction of the Works Progress Administration era, simple materials are used to create stunning architecture. In this case, pre-cast concrete panels are punctuated with color glass tiles to create the exterior and a three-story glass lobby provides a dramatic introduction to the building.

“This building is a feat of architecture and structural engineering, with its elegant and exceptionally efficient cable-stayed roof design; not dissimilar to the construction of the some of the great bridges of the world,” said Economic Development Corporation Senior Vice President David Kane. “Additionally, the way in which the building is sited, with such tremendous views of Flushing Meadows Corona Park and the grand yet inviting nature of its spaces, is a signal of the City’s commitment to design excellence and to the creation of public architecture worthy of our great City.”

In 1999, Mayor Rudolph W. Giuliani and Queens Borough President Claire Shulman envisioned a new indoor pool in Flushing Meadows Corona Park. Conceived as an intermediate size pool, it was enlarged to meet Olympic standards and an indoor skating rink was added. Construction of the foundation finished in 2001 during the administration of Parks Commissioner Henry J. Stern but following 9/11, it was halted due to funding constraints. In 2003, the project was designated to be part of the City’s bid for the 2012 Olympics and Parks partnered with the Economic Development Corporation to implement the new project. A revised design was developed by Handel Architects, LLP in association with Hom & Goldman Architects.

On January 17, 2008 Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg delivered his seventh State of the City address from the floor of the ice rink.

The Pool

The Olympic-sized pool (25M x 50M), located on the second floor with dramatic views of the park, meets international standards, is ADA-accessible and features ten lanes, surge tanks and overflow gutters. Movable bulkheads can configure the pool into three 25-meter swimming areas, allowing for different programming to take place at once. One-third of the pool has a movable floor that can adjust the depth from just a few inches to 7-feet, 4-inches. The middle section is also 7-feet, 4-inches deep and the third section, the diving tank, is 12-feet, 4-inches deep to allow for diving from the pool’s three diving boards—two 1-meter and one 3-meter. A mezzanine bleacher section seats approximately 414 spectators and an adjacent outdoor terrace will feature additional seating. Public locker rooms, toilets and showers are situated on the second level below the seating.

The new Aquatic Center will be operated and staffed by USA Pools, which has an established reputation in the industry will offer services such as aquatic instruction and added lifesaving training for lifeguards, while saving the city and its taxpayers money.

“USA Pools is excited about the opportunity to work with the City of New York and the Parks Department as we provide effective pool management, highly trained lifeguards and aquatic programming to the New York Community,” said USA Pools Corporate President Troy Legg.

The Park

Flushing Meadows Corona Park, one of New York City’s prized flagship parks, comprises 1,255 acres of beautifully landscaped lawns, lakes, fountains, athletic fields, playgrounds, and a zoo. The park is also home to the Queens Museum of Art, Shea Stadium and the Billie Jean King USTA National Tennis Center. Once a dumping ground for ashes, the area was transformed in the 1930s by former Parks Commissioner Robert Moses into a site for the 1939 and 1964 World’s Fairs. Both of the World’s Fairs left behind a number of prominent structures in the park, such as the Queens Theater in the Park, the Unisphere, boathouse, marina, the Hall of Science, the New York State Pavilion and Towers, and Terrace on the Park. The Flushing Meadows Corona Park Natatorium and Ice Rink is located within the park at Avery Avenue and 131st Street in Flushing, Queens.

3/2--St. Patrick's Day Parade in Woodside and Sunnyside

Starting at 2pm!

Starts at 43rd St and Skillman Ave in Sunnyside
East on Skillman
North on 56th St
East on Woodside Ave
Ends at 61st St and Woodside Ave

Or head to the Rockaways today at 1pm for an even bigger parade.

Sexy T-Shirts--They Heart Queens

Please do check out Ciara Elend's Queens-inspired t-shirts.

We at Let's Meet Up In Queens thank her for her sponsorship!

45th Ave ISO Spanish Speaking Good Samaritan

...to tell K*ke's Mexican that they might have a branding issue.

It's around 49th St. I may not be a member of the tribe, but I practically plotzed when I saw the sign. Part of me thinks it should stay that way, if only because it's so rare to experience actual shock while out on a walk around the neighborhood.

Of course, even if they do change their name, they're competing with the MAGNIFICENT de Mole on 48th Ave and 45th St in Woodside. I have eaten there 5 times since learning about it only 3 weeks ago.

Sugar – Sweet Temptation--Event at Nourish

Thursday, February 28 at 7pm
Nourish NYC presents:
Sugar – Sweet Temptation

Please join us for an evening talk session with:

James Duignam HHC, AADP.
Holistic Health Counselor


Understand how sugar affects your health, such as how it:

* Interferes with weight-loss
* Speeds up the aging process (wrinkles!)
* Raises cholesterol levels
* Contributes to diabetes & heart disease


Join us to learn:

* A quick overview of your digestive system
* Which carbohydrates are good versus bad
* Natural and Artificial sweeteners


We look forward to seeing you for a fun evening at Nourish NYC as part of our ongoing health series.

RSVP inside store, or:
Phone: 718-433-4443
Email: info@nourishnyc.com

Pictures of the Hawk

Taken by reader Brian Haimes--thanks!

Sunnyside Hawk

Reader Sarah writes:

I haven't seen any posts about this, and just wanted to know if anyone else has noticed the beautiful hawk hovering over Queens Boulevard most sunny days this winter? I see him (her?) from the 40th Street platform often in the late morning/early afternoon, either calmly circling on the thermals, or perched on an antenna on one of the taller buildings. He seems to favor 40th just north of the boulevard. I'm tentatively identifying him as a red-tailed hawk, but I'm not an experienced birder. Once I let 3 trains go by, hoping he'd come closer. Must remember--put binoculars in handbag!

Back on the Map: Revisiting the New York State Pavilion, a Queens Museum of Art Exhibit

Opening Reception: Sunday, January 27, 2008, 3:00 – 6:00 pm

3:00 Valerie Smith, Director of Exhibitions at QMA, will give a brief "gallery talk"

4:00 Demonstration of conservation techniques (UPenn)

4:30-6:00 Refreshments and music (music will be records of bands that played at the Pavilion)

*The event is free and open to the public.


PHILIP JOHNSON’S TERRAZZO ROAD MAP GETS A FACELIFT IN 2008
The Queens Museum of Art collaborates with UPENN conservation team and Parks Department to refurbish a historic gem from the 1964/65 World’s Fair.

Queens, NY (January 18, 2008) - Also known as “The Tent of Tomorrow,” the New York State Pavilion was considered one of the best architectural monuments at the 1964/65 World’s Fair and certainly one of the most iconic of structures to survive. The Queens Museum of Art is pleased to help revitalize this historic monument with its new exhibition, Back on the Map: Revisiting the New York State Pavilion at the 1964/65 World’s Fair on view from January 27-May 4, 2008 in conjunction with Anthony Auerbach, Empire State Pavilion. Back on the Map seeks to inform and engage the public about architect Philip Johnson’s New York State Pavilion and its main exhibit: a large-scale, terrazzo floor replica of the Texaco Road Map of New York State. A fusion of Pop Art imagery and traditional craft techniques, the map pavement was a crucial component of “The Tent of Tomorrow.” In addition to the works of Pop Artists Roy Lichtenstein, Andy Warhol and others displayed on the exterior of the adjoining Theaterama, the Road Map helped solidify the Pavilion’s status as a landmark of 60s avant-garde culture.
Built as a temporary structure for the Fair, the Texaco Road Map along with the Pavilion has suffered from over 30 years of weather exposure and vandalism. This year, however, the Map returns to the spotlight for a long-overdue comeback. A culmination of conservation activities by the City of New York Department of Parks & Recreation in collaboration with The Architectural Conservation Laboratory at the School of Design at the University of Pennsylvania, the exhibition at the Queens Museum of Art will feature restored sections of the Texaco Road Map and elaborate the project findings through text panels and an interactive Web site. The exhibit will also allow visitors the opportunity to witness the restoration process up close as conservators restore portions of the Road Map in the Museum’s galleries.
Please join us for the opening of Back on the Map: Revisiting the New York State Pavilion at the 1964/65 World’s Fair and the companion exhibition, Anthony Auerbach: Empire State Pavilion on Sunday, January 27 from 3-6 pm.

FAMILY WORKSHOP
Please join us for the next installation of the MetLife Foundation Presents First Sundays for Families at QMA on Sunday, February 3 from 1-4pm. The Museum will host a dynamic family workshop inspired by the Back on the Map exhibition. Families of all ages can join an interactive tour of the Museum’s galleries followed by a demonstration with on-site conservation experts. Participants will then map their own neighborhoods in mosaic as part of an artist-led workshop. A dance workshop, led by dancer Susan Thomasson of City Center, will encourage families to participate in an interactive movement program based on the spaces and rhythms of New York City.


ORGANIZATION AND SUPPORT
Back on the Map is supported by The National Endowment for the Arts, The Samuel H. Kress Foundation, New York City Department of Parks and Recreation, and the School of Design, University of Pennsylvania.

Anthony Auerbach is supported in part by the NYC Department of Cultural Affairs and New York State Council on the Arts.

The MetLife Foundation Presents First Sundays for Families at QMA

DIGITAL PHOTOGRAPHY
Available upon request. Please contact Krista Saunders 718.592.9700 x221 or ksaunders@queensmuseum.org.

# # #


The Queens Museum of Art was established in 1972 to provide a vital cultural center in Flushing Meadows Corona Park for the borough’s unique, international population. Today it is home to the Panorama of the City of New York, a 9,335 square foot scale model of the five boroughs, and features temporary exhibitions of modern and contemporary art that reflect the cultural diversity of Queens, as well as a collection of Tiffany glass from the Neustadt Museum of Tiffany Art. The Museum provides valuable educational outreach through a number of programs geared toward schoolchildren, teens, families, seniors and individuals with physical and mental disabilities.

The Museum’s hours are: Wednesday – Friday: 10:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m., Saturday and Sunday: 12:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m. Admission to the Museum is by suggested donation: $5 for adults, $2.50 for seniors, students and children, and free for member and children under 5. For general visitor information, please visit the Museum’s website www.queensmuseum.org or call 718.592.9700.

The Return of the G Spot

Saturday afternoon I was heading over to Stop & Shop and popped my head inside the mysterious windowless warehouse known around here as The G Spot. The big letter G in concrete relief stands for Punta G, translated in English means G spot.

I noticed new exterior lighting had been installed and a beehive of activity inside. When I inquired about all the action, in broken English, a worker promised "dancing and drinking coming soon" he said they'll open for business by the middle of this year. I'm so depressed at the thought of this place and the crowds it will bring.

Back in of May 2006, there was a mini-uproar when word spread that there was a strip club coming to the corner of 48th street and Barnett Avenue. It was on the TV news.

Just across the street, The Paradise Billiard Club is a popular spot for underage drinking. The pool hall rents out a private room for parties that are incredibly noisy and go on all night. I fear the TV cameras will be back one day to report news of a violent crime. This intersection is literally a disaster waiting to happen.

There are so many promising things happening in Sunnyside, so many young families everywhere. There's a children's park diagonally across from the G Spot. Even if the owners have backed away from the original plan to open a strip club, the G spot should not open as a disco. How can these low rent, sleazy nightclubs be allowed to spring up in a residential neighborhood? What can we do?

Seeking Ad Sales Rep

Sell ads in Let's Meet Up In Queens, earn commission. Email Claire at clairedeveron -at- gmail -dot- com if interested.

Seeking Contributors

Let's Meet Up In Queens is seeking new contributors to cover local businesses, events, and restaurants in:

Astoria
Long Island City
Woodside
Elmhurst
Forest Hills

If interested, please contact Claire at clairedeveron -at- gmail -dot- com.

We don't pay per post; however, all ad revenues are split among contributors based upon post volume.

Socrates Sculpture Park Emerging Artist Fellowship--Apply Now!

SOCRATES SCULPTURE PARK
2008 APPLICATION GUIDELINES:

-SPRING EXHIBITION
-EMERGING ARTIST FELLOWSHIP PROGRAM
-OPEN SPACE

APPLICATION GUIDELINES ARE NOW AVAILABLE ON OUR WEBSITE: WWW.SOCRATESSCULPTUREPARK.ORG

DEADLINE: MONDAY, JANUARY 28, 2008

ABOUT SOCRATES SCULPTURE PARK
Socrates Sculpture Park was an abandoned landfill and illegal dumpsite until 1986 when a coalition of artists and community members, under the leadership of sculptor Mark di Suvero, transformed it into an open studio and exhibition space for artistsand a neighborhood park for local residents. Once a rubble-strewn lot, it now flourishes as an ever-evolving natural landscape.

Located in an industrial neighborhood in Long Island City, Socrates is a waterfront park that overlooks the Manhattan skyline; the site is an affecting and inspiring place for artists to work and a spectacular setting for the presentation of public art. To date, Socrates has hosted close to 700 artists and currently attracts more than 72,000 visitors annually.

Socrates Sculpture Park is the only site in the New York Metropolitan area specifically dedicated to providing artists with opportunities to create and exhibit large-scale sculpture and multi-media installations in an outdoor environment that invites interaction between artists, artworks and the public. Socrates is world renowned as a laboratory where experimentation and innovation expand, reinvent and redefine the tradition of art in public spaces.

APPLICATION PROCEDURE

Artists seeking an opportunity to produce and exhibit their work at Socrates Sculpture Park are strongly encouraged to visit the Park before submitting their application. Applicants must take into account the site's rugged, urban outdoor environment and be aware that sculptures installed in the Park must meet safety requirements and be able to withstand the effects of weather and public use. Visiting the site will give applicants a clearer idea of the factors that effect installations at the Park and an overview of the facilities that the Park has to offer, including the tools and equipment available in the studio and the materials and resources available in Long Island City.

Artists can apply for one or more of the following exhibition categories:
·Spring Exhibition
·Emerging Artist Fellowship Program
·Open Space

If you are applying for more than one exhibition category, you only need to send one application package.

Grants and fellowships are not available to artists who are enrolled in a school, college or university program.

Spring Exhibition

From May through August 2008 Socrates Sculpture Park will present an exhibition based on interpretations and responses to the motivations, goals, realities, politics, and practices of recycling. This will be an expansive exhibition encompassing many perspectives about the concepts and methodologies of adaptive re-use, and will include projects that address the creative transformation of the by-products of production and consumption. Whether celebrating the global trend toward "green" or critically examining the motives and results of a world-wide focus on sustainability, the works in this exhibition will share a common theme of re-purposing wasted or cast off resources - both material and intangible.

For this exhibition, Socrates will provide artists with funding, administrative and technical assistance, a one to three month residency in the outdoor studio, and access to facilities, materials and equipment to create a new work - or will assist with shipping and rigging to place an already existing work - to be presented in the Park. The amount of financial support available to artists is contingent upon the requirements of their project and the funding that Socrates receives to support this exhibition.

Eligibility:

Participation in the spring exhibition is open to all artists, nationally and internationally, but Socrates will not provide any housing or transportation. Artists living outside New York will have to make their own living and travel arrangements.

Emerging Artist Fellowship Program

Fellowship artists are selected through an open application process. Proposals are reviewed by an advisory committee composed of past EAF recipients, prominent curators, artists, writers, and gallerists who work in collaboration with the Park's Executive Director to select the fellowship recipients. Socrates staff members then meet with the artists individually to discuss their proposal in greater detail and assist them with the development, engineering and fabrication of the project.

Emerging Artist Fellowship recipients are granted financial support in the amount of $5,000, a two to six month residency in the outdoor studio, and access to facilities, materials, equipment and technical assistance to create a work for the annual Emerging Artist Fellowship Exhibition (opening September 7, 2008). Fellows are also given the administrative assistance to do additional fundraising for their project, procure in-kind support and pursue future commissions, residencies and placement for their work.

Eligibility:

Fellowships are awarded to artists who are not yet well established, must be New York State residents and are in need of financial assistance.

Open Space

Socrates also produces single artist projects and collaborations that are presented as separate exhibitions throughout the year. Through the Open Space program, Socrates provides artists with funding, administrative and technical assistance, a one to six month residency in the outdoor studio, and access to facilities, materials and equipment to create a new work - or will assist with shipping and rigging to place an already existing work - for exhibition in the Park. Funding for this program varies from year to year and the amount of financial support available to artists is contingent upon the requirements of their project and the grants that Socrates receives to support the Open Space exhibitions.

Eligibility:

This program is open to all artists, nationally and internationally, but Socrates can not provide any housing or transportation. Artists living outside New York will have to make their own living and travel arrangements.

Information about Socrates Sculpture Park and application guidelines are now available on the web:
www.socratessculpturepark.org

SOCRATES SCULPTURE PARK
32-01 VERNON BOULEVARD (AT BROADWAY)
LONG ISLAND CITY, NY 11106
TEL: 718-956-1819 FAX: 718-626-1533
WWW.SOCRATESSCULPTUREPARK.ORG
EMAIL: INFO@SOCRATESSCULPTUREPARK.ORG

Arrow, Environmental Group, Launches New Website

From an email I received:

We have just designed a new website and I'm proud to share it with you as a start to a greener year! I hope you will visit the site soon to sign up to our e-mail list . Also, please take a minute to forward news of ARROWONLINE.ORG to other people you know who are concerned about our environment and want to take simple steps to make a real impact, both locally and for the whole planet.

We are creating the site to be an ongoing "bulletin board" of information about recycling venues, opportunities and ideas of how to reduce your waste, and up- to -date information about ways you can participate in improving the parks and open spaces in your community. We will also feature event and program information for ARROW, NYC Parks and Sanitation, and other information for Western Queens.

The Butcher Block: Not Just for Meatheads

I have lived in the vicinity of my current apartment for nearly a decade, but like any neighborhood in New York City, I find myself constantly discovering new utopias almost weekly, with some literally around the corner. Back in 2003 there was a large fire in the neighborhood that burned down several storefronts and left the skies thick with black smoke. One of the places that burned was the famed "Butcher Block" Irish grocery store and Delicatessen that I had heard about for years, but never ventured into. Jokes abounded that the Butcher Block would be selling well done steaks on special for weeks to come, but being the righteous vegetarian I occasionally am, I thought "one less place selling dead animals, whew." Who knew I would be so wrong.

The Butcher Block reopened soon after at a larger location a block or so away and until two weeks ago I still had not ventured inside. Any place with a large wooden cartoon cut out of a man with a pig in a headlock outside does not necessarily signal "vegetarians welcome." However in an attempt to find some new obscure cheeses in our neighborhood, I suggested to Paul we check the place out to see what they had.

When we walked through the door, I needed to look behind me to double check that I hadn't just stepped off a Tarmac from an Aer Lingus flight. As far as I could tell, we had left Sunnyside and entered Ireland. The entrance of the store is filled with Irish/European candy and chips. I immediately scanned the shelf of Cadbury looking for something I devour in bulk every time I go to Europe, the elusive Bourneville bar.

Only distributed in Europe, this is the ultimate bar of dark chocolate one could ask for, and let me just say I've sampled a few. Cadbury has a "Royal Dark" bar they sell in America, but if you look at the back you will see it is made by Hershey and tastes like a watered down, sugared up, larger version of the real thing. In the past I have relied on European friends and a distributor Paul found online to occasionally get these treats. As Paul can testify, the minute we get off the plane in Europe I head to a drug store to buy some of these bars that literally leave me speechless.

I scan to the left, nothing. To the right, nothing. Then I look straight ahead and see an entire box of them just sitting there, European wrapper and all. Dramatic music cued up and credits rolled as The Bourneville Supremecy started up featuring me as the leading lady. I turned to Paul, and like Dorothy learning that all she had to do was click her heels to get what she want at the end of the Wizard of Oz, I said "I've had the power all along!" They were RIGHT HERE!!!

Paul wasn't listening to me though, as he too had discovered a plethora of his European dream foods, chewy candy without gelatin in them (gelatin's a vegetarian, no no) and enough different flavored chips to sink the island of Manhattan. While my weakness is chocolate, Paul is a big chip fan, and if you ever want experience a wide variety of chips lets just say the English and Irish have cornered the market.

There were bags of crisps in every style and taste imaginable. I look in Paul's arms and said, "Ummm are you buying Barbequed Chicken flavored potato chips?" He said, "Yeah, look at the bag it says suitable for vegetarians!" I looked and saw that these chicken chips were made with the use of "Flavourings" so how one attains chicken flavour without actually involving a chicken, is kinda beyond me, but he was enamored. They had steak chips, vinegar, salt, literally things you would never actually consider putting in a potato chip are available at this store. After trying the chicken chips, Paul does report that one shouldn't, perhaps, try to make potatoes taste like poultry as they were less than stellar.

We continued to roam finding all the products we adored while in Ireland. I think one of the most interesting things to do in another country is simply roam around the supermarket and look at all the cool packaging and options available elsewhere. The ability to do this in my very own neighborhood was something I was kicking myself for not discovering earlier.

Now I don't want to give the impression that the Butcher Block is some sort of vegetarian paradise. There is indeed more meat there than one can fathom, but my mind was so ecstatic about the Bourneville finding that I completely ignored that. We left the store and it's Irish accents behind and like I always do when getting my first Bourneville in Europe I rip open the package and pull out a little square like a heroine addict getting a fix. Paul asked, his mouth full of chewy gelatin-free candy, "Is it good?" and I raised my arm to tell him to stop speaking, this chocolate is so good it leaves me SPEECHLESS.

I still can't believe it has taken me this long to discover the magic of The Butcher Block, but since it did burn down once before I am savoring the Bourneville bars as if they are a secret stash smuggled directly from Ireland. I may be able to now get my supply without a passport, but I'm not taking any chances!

Video on LIC

We don't endorse the rah-rah attitude towards development, but otherwise this video was fun:

Walkable Sunnyside

From reader Mary:

I live on 50th and Skillman and I thought this Walk Score web site was cute -- it really shows how great Sunnyside is, with everything you need close by and easy (maybe too easy) to walk to (though obviously most neighborhoods in New York will score high on the site) -- here's the link!

Just don't let too many people know about this...

Sunnyside Real Estate: Not so Sunny

Paul and I took a jaunt to an open house being held down the block from us. Not that we're really looking to buy a place, but as we are the types who love walking the dog through the gardens at night simply to get glimpses of people's living rooms, walking through someone else's home is like invited voyeurism!

From the front the place isn't one of the houses in the gardens that seems particularly great, nor is it on one of the prime blocks. It is a house with two, two bedroom apartments, a garden and a large terrace off the second floor. However, the place looks like it hasn't been touched since it was built. And I don't mean that in a retro-cool-all-original-details kinda way. The kitchens looked barely functional, with floors as grimy as the 7 train during a rain storm. There was peeling paint and wallpaper on the walls, water damage on the ceilings, and hard wood floors that looked like they might collapse. The garden hadn't been tended to in ages, and the basement seemed like a good setting for Hostel part 3.

Now in an age when all you hear on the news is about foreclosures and watch shows about how people across the country put in stainless steel appliances, granite countertops, and throw in flat screen TVs to attract buyers, it amazed me how many folks were trolling this place with intense interest. It particularly amazed me because the sellers were asking 729K for this little moneypit of theirs! 729K!!!

Paul and I left shaking our heads, further cherishing our rent stabilized gardens apartment, and realizing now more than ever "the Manhattanites are coming!!" and that the only home we could probably afford sits somewhere in Cleveland!

Inside Sunnyside--New Neighborhood Website

Check out Inside Sunnyside dedicated to Sunnyside, with classifieds, photos, and a calendar of neighborhood events. Looks like they're open to suggestions.

TOPAZ ARTS OPEN HOUSE 12/1/07

TOPAZ ARTS’ 7th Annual OPEN HOUSE: “SEEN and UNSEEN”
Saturday, December 1, 2007, 3–6pm: free admission

TOPAZ ARTS announces its 7th Annual Open House on Saturday, December 1, 2007 from 3pm to 6pm. Now in its seventh season of providing programs andspace for the performing and visual arts, the multi-faceted arts center TOPAZ ARTS opens its doors for an afternoon of celebrations, featuring an exhibition of new work by visual artists Philip Brutz (stereoscopic photography) and Alan Ulrich (sculpture), an exclusive silent auction ofartwork by emerging and established artists, followed by the premiere of new poetry in performance “The Beauty of Ghosts” by Luis H. Francia at 6pm.

A feast for the arts and the community, the Open House event is free from 3-6pm and includes complimentary food and drink. The performance of The Beauty of Ghosts on Saturday, December 1 at 6pm and Sunday, December 2 at 3pm has a suggested admission of $10. TOPAZ ARTS is located at 55-03 39th Avenue in Woodside, Queens. Subway directions: #7-train to 61 St. or the R, V, G trains to Northern Blvd. Details and directions are available at www.topazarts.org.

A Park for Drunkards!

Say! I got an idea. Let's grab a coupla drinks and go hang out with the dirty bastards at Noonan park.

Tell Gioia - The Super Hero of Sunnyside all about it.

Where's My TV At?

In between the "a" and the "t," as my old English teacher might say.

Or gone into premature reruns because of the writers strike.

One of us is a WGAeast member hoping that our employers, collectively known as the AMPTP (the modifier "dastardly" is optional), come to their senses so we can go back to work.

Here's a video that explains why we are on strike:



And here's another video that tells you a little more about the AMPTP:

Wear Your Love For Queens--Or Eat It

Online vendor Queensbound emailed us to ask if we'd tell you about her online store, where she's selling t-shirts, tote bags, stickers, and chocolates emblazoned with an "I Heart Queens" logo. Designer Clara Elend lives in Sunnyside and has this to say about her work:

Much of my art is inspired by New York City, and particularly by Queens. This borough is full of diversity in its residents, architecture, landscape, and art. Often overlooked by outsiders, Queens and it's working class aesthetic inspires a love and loyalty in its residents. After living in Queens for three years and falling in love with it, I noticed that there were no cool, well-designed shirts about Queens. So I decided to make my own shirts and created Queensbound to pay homage to this kick-ass place.

These shirts are great for when you put the gang together for a rumble down at Newtown Creek with some Soc's wearing Greenpoint neighborhoodies.

Zog Sports Winter League Sign Up

After a great fall season in Queens with our Touch Football and Outdoor Soccer leagues, ZogSports is back with Dodgeball and 3-on-3 Basketball in Astoria this winter. ZogSports, the charity-focused, social, co-ed sports league for young professionals in their 20s and 30s, is excited to bring even more members of the Queens community into ours!

ZogSports has spent the last four years helping young New Yorkers break the monotony of the typical day – work/gym/bar/home - by offering sports leagues, trips, social events, and volunteer opportunities. To date, they have brought together 33,000+ participants and given more than $290,000 to charity.

Participants can sign up as an entire team or as an individual/small group and we’ll place them on a team. Teammates get to know each other at the organized post-game happy hours at local bars.

Dodgeball

* Where: PS 235 Academy for New Americans (30-14 30th Street) in Astoria
* When: The league will begin the first week of January and runs through early-mid March. We play Tuesdays and Thursdays (about 1 game/week). All teams will play their games on a mix of nights and game times. Games start at 7:15, 8:15 and 9:15pm.
* What: It’s like you remember from elementary school, but we use Nerf-quality balls instead or hard rubber. It's 6 on 6 with at least 2 women on the court. Each "match" is round-robin, 4 games against 2 opponents. There will be 2 divisions of play: Players/Sorta Players and Casual/ Extremely Casual.

3-on-3 Basketball

* Where: PS 126 - Albert Shanker (31-51 21st Street) in Astoria
* When: Games will begin the first weekend of January and run through early April. The league will run on Saturday afternoons with games beginning from 12:00pm-4:00pm.
* What: Just like the name, it's 3-on-3 and you need at least 1 woman on the court at all times. You'll play a three-team round robin format. Each "match" is a 6-game round-robin, in which each team plays 4 11-minute games against 2 opponents (with sudden death overtime). The matches last 80 minutes. There will be 2 divisions of play: Players/Sorta Players and Casual/ Extremely Casual.

As a philanthropy-focused organization, ZogSports donates a portion of all proceeds to charity, and helps all participants Play For Your Cause by making donations to winning teams’ charities of choice. Teams have the opportunity to win both on the field as well as off, with awards given for Best Team Name, Best Team Spirit, and Best Happy Hour Team. ZogSports also partners with local charitable organizations to promote/co-sponsor their events, and organizes charity events of its own.

Traders Joe's in Under an Hour--No Kidding!

My friend Sarah and I took a trip to the new Forest Hills Trader Joe's today. Trader Joe's is always my first port of call when I travel to LA, for snack foods and Greek-style yogurt and frozen delights to keep me from spending money at the city's generally underwhelming restaurants (though they have us way beat on Mexican and sushi).

You might be thinking, what kind of crazy person goes to a new Trader Joe's on a Saturday afternoon? I mean, haven't we learned by now that weekend shopping in Queens can be a nightmare of epic proportions? I have never been more homicidal then the day the Target had no shopping carts on the third floor. None. Not a one.

But I'm here to tell a happy tale.

We got parking right away. The lot was crowded, but not overflowing.

Inside, it was a bit of a madhouse, but only because it seemed like everybody knew each other. Everybody was catching up with friends, happy to have bumped into them next to the whole wheat pasta or while reaching for the same box of pluots. Such a far cry from the outright hostility from other customers that you routinely encounter at Pathmark. (And I am the worst of sinners in this regard.)

The aisles are a bit cramped, but it can't really be helped--there are some structural pillars that block your way. Best strategy is to park your cart at the end of the aisle, where there is plenty of room, and walk up and down.

The selection is just as marvelous as I'd hoped, and I had to work really hard to keep within my budget. Wesley urged me "don't spend too much money." Not difficult, because unlike Whole Foods, Trader Joe's is known for reasonable pricing. I bought some freezer meals that will be great after the baby shows up (any day now).

I finished shopping before Sarah, because she was not operating under the same unreasonable budgetary constraints as I was. Plus, she likes to read the labels looking for low sodium and superfoods. So I finished before her. There was room by the manager's office for me to hang out and be out of the way. I asked a manager if he minded if I sat on the floor (oh, my aching back!). And do you know what he did? He got me a freaking chair, people. Like, with a back and everything. If you've ever been pregnant in Queens you know how rare it is to get any special treatment--like a seat on the subway.

We sailed through check out and were waited on by very friendly, cheerful check out clerks and baggers. And you will not believe what happened next. Did you know that they have an employee in the parking lot to help you put your bags in the car and to return your shopping cart? So you don't have to? I have never heard of such a thing.

We left the parking lot smiling. And back at home, Wesley and I at the shit out of some Trader Joe's chocolate chip cookies.

Flashy Video about Forest Hills

A little fluff piece about Forest Hills that was sent to us:



How much does it reflect the reality of the neighborhood? It seems to be downplaying or ignoring any Queens-ness in favor of praising luxe condo life and mall stores...

Nourished on the Boulevard

Just made my second visit to Nourish NYC, Sunnyside's new alternative to schlepping things home from Whole Body.

The store is beautifully designed, with a restful, spa-like atmosphere and the kind of selection that makes a natural/organic-junkie like myself swoon. I spent a little more than I intended but felt the pricing was appropriate.

Owner Claire Carson lives in Sunnyside and was very helpful when I stopped by today to stock up on prenatal vitamins and a calcium supplement. She really wants to hear from people in the neighborhood about what products you want to be able to buy without using your Metrocard or paying shipping fees.

There's a juice bar that also offers a selection of organic teas that I'm interested in trying.

It's a welcome (if luxurious) addition to the neighborhood. I hope for peaceful coexistence with the more downmarket health food store just up the street.

Macbeth/Socrates Saturday/Sunday

Come check out The Red Door Theatre Company's production of Macbeth this weekend at Socrates Sculpture Park as part of their 7th Annual Halloween Harvest Festival.

SATURDAY 10/20: The festival takes place, rain or shine, starting at 11am
MACBETH will start at 3:30 pm

SUNDAY 10/21: two shows! One at NOON and one at 3pm.

And it's all free!

Halloween Harvest Festival--Socrates Sculpture Park

OCTOBER 20, 2007, 11AM-3PM (RAIN OR SHINE)
FREE

with a special performance of William Shakespeare's Macbeth by The Red Door Theatre Company at 3:30PM

Medieval costume making workshops with Socrates Sculpture Park artists: Jane Benson, McKendree Key, Catarina Leitão, and Deborah Fisher

Enjoy jugglers, stilt walkers and musicians from Circus Amok

Play spooky games with Free Style Arts Association

Enter a raffle and win a pumpkin, carved or painted by a Socrates Sculpture Park artist

Have your face painted by Agostino Arts

Experience Electroception with artists Lilah Freedland and Mitch Miller

Dress up your dog for the third annual Canine Costume Contest
at 2pm or just watch the show!

Plus, you can purchase a treat from the famed
Once Upon a Tart!

This program is made possible by a generous grant by Con Edison.

Socrates Sculpture Park is grateful for the support of the City of New York, Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg, Queens Borough President Helen M. Marshall, Assemblywoman Catherine Nolan, City Council Speaker Christine C. Quinn, City Councilmember Eric Gioia, and the City of New York Department of Parks &
Recreation, Commissioner Adrian Benepe.

Additional support has been provided by Hunters Point Condos

Neville Dance Theatre's Memento Muerto

This event is not happening in Queens, but it features my friend Karen, who has lived in Astoria for as long as I've known her, going on a decade now! I caught this show a few years back and it's a great family event.

TICKETS NOW ON SALE: www.smarttix.com or 212.868.4444

Neville Dance Theatre's expanded narration:

Memento Muerto

A 'Days of the Dead' Dance Narrative

Thursday-Saturday
October 25, 7:30pm – Halloween Reception
October 26, 7:30pm
October 27, 7:30pm

The 14th Street Y Theatre
344 E. 14th Street @First Avenue (L, Q, R, 4,5,6 subways)

General Admission $20 / Halloween Reception $25

Halloween and Mexican Day of the Dead traditions come to the stage in Neville Dance Theatre's expanded dance narrative Memento Muerto. Ghosts, spirits, skeletons and even La Muerta (Lady Death) enter the land of the living and utilize ballet, Flamenco, Mexican and Argentine Tango to take viewers on an emotionally charged journey along the paths of family unity, cultural tradition and the everlasting bonds of love.

The evening's program also includes premieres of:

THE RAVEN- a dance drama based on Edgar Allan Poe's poem.
NIGHT MOVEMENTS - a contemporary ballet work
FLAMENCO SEGUIRIYA - with guest performer Silvia Siller and musicians Dominico Caro and Jed Miley.

"wide ranging and imaginative" -Jeni Breen, Sandra Cameron Dance Center

"impressive…I was struck by the company's strength and versatility of
disciplines" -Aurora Reyes, Flamenco Latino

"…a moving medley of dances that create a journey through life and
death" -Professor David H. Chisholm, University of Arizona

STARRING:

Allison Jay (Movin' Out - Ballet Met)
Chi-Tsung Kuo (Jennifer Muller/The Works)
Karen Lacy (Metropolitan Opera Ballet)
Jennifer Yackel (Richmond Ballet - Ballet Theatre of Maryland)

Plus: Fayzah Claudia Chisholm, Romina Rodriguez-Crosta, Ammon Dennis, Travis Gallagher, Miha Glockenspiel, Brenda R. Neville, Michelina Piazza, Dante Polichetti, Emily Santoro, Silvia Siller.

Don't miss this enchanting holiday celebration of traditions both old and new!

www.nevilledance.com

718.963.2009

Sunnyside Gardens Park Pumpkin Patch and Oktoberfest

Saturday, October 13th, 2007

(Rain date Sunday, October 14th, 2007)

Sunnyside Gardens Park
718-672-1555
48-21 39th Avenue
Between 48th and 50th Streets
(take #7 train to 46th Street)
Sunnyside, Queens New York
Noon to dusk

3 Acre Park Open to All for the day!
Pumpkin Patch
Children’s Arts & Crafts
Oktoberfest Barbeque
Autumn Produce Greenmarket
Face painting
Music