2007 Street Fair Schedule

It's all been approved for 2007! Whether you like them or not, they're baaaa-aack.

April 29-Central Astoria LDC, Steinway St. between 28th and 34th Avenues
(1 day, 4 blocks).
May 16–21-St. Demetrios Cathedral, 30th Drive between 30th and 31st Streets
(May 16 for set up, May 21 for dismantle, 4 days, 1 block).
May 28-Broadway Astoria Merchants & Professionals Association
Broadway between Crescent and 47th Streets
(1 day, 17 blocks)
June 20–24-St. Antonio Abate Society of Castrofilippo,
Ditmars Boulevard between 35th & 38th Streets
(June 20 set up, June 24 for dismantle, 4 days, 3 blocks).
July 15-Friends of Community Board 1, 30th Avenue between 29th and 42nd Streets
(1 day, 13 blocks)
July 26–29-St. Irene Chrysovalantou Church, 23rd Avenue from 35th to mid 37th Streets and on 36th Street from 23rd Avenue to under the Amtrak overpass
(4 days, 2 blocks)
July 29-114th Precinct Civilian Observation Patrol, Broadway between Steinway and 47th Streets
(1 day, 7 blocks)
August 12-Steinway Street B.I.D., Steinway between 28th and 34th Avenues
(1 day, 4 blocks)
August 16–19-Borgetto Cultural Association, Steinway St. between 25th and 28th Streets(Aug. 15 for set up, 4 days, 1 block)
August 18-Dutch Kills Civic Association, 36th Ave. between 29th and 35th Streets
(1 day, 6 blocks).
September 3-30th Avenue Business Association, 30th Avenue between 29th and 42nd Streets
(1 day, 13 blocks)
September 20–23-Hellenic Orthodox Traditionalist Church of America (St. Markella), 26th Street from 23rd Avenue to under the Amtrak trestles
(4 days, 1/2 block)
October 14-Broadway Astoria Merchants & Professionals Association, Broadway between Crescent and 47th Streets
(1 day, 17 blocks)

The Weekender-New Year's Edition

Thought I died? Moved away? Just didn't care about the hood?
Pfffffffffffffft.
It's the usual, work sucking the life out of poor lil ole me, the holidaze and out of town guets. Mostly the work part. Hard to look up the haps when I, ya know, have to do real work at work.
I need more hours in the day to get everything I need to do done. I stink at time management.
But let's get to the business at hand; I'm sure no one is interested in my personal life. If you are, you're not in for anything very interesting...mostly a lot of bitching.

The weekend is all about New Year's Eve. Party like it's 007. If you don't have the muster, do what I'm doing, drinking 007s. (orange vodka, orange juice, 7-up...yum) I propose that be the official drink of 2007! Let it be heard throughout the land.
The downside of NYE is the ridiculous covers to drink before midnight at an open bar with obnoxioulsy loud music, a few trinkets and maybe some pub grub all the while either not being able to drink $80 of liquor or not being able to get to the bar to get your money's worth. I say find a friend (this year) or be the friend (last year) who will have their buds over to have a place to drink and eat and just hang out til midnight, when the cover is over and bars thin out a bit.
I only know of one really cool bar not charging a cover:
Hell Gate Social
Doors will open at 9:00pm with DJ Shimmy starting off the evening with his mix of funk, soul & rock n roll.
11:00pm - Live performance by The Intersoul Project with the first of 2 sets
11:45pm - We will watch the ball drop in Times Square and ring in the New Year with a champagne toast
12:15am - DJ Qi will take us into the New Year with a set of electro, rock & some old school hip-hop
2:00am - The Intersoul Project returns with a funktified second set with the famous New Orleans style keyboard player Jonathan Batiste
2:30am White Castle for everyone as DJ Eric takes us to the early morning hours with new wave, deep house and rock n roll
All that and no need for a lame cover charge.

If you want to ring in the new year all grown up fancy pants style I suggest the $85 prefixe 5 course dinner at Brick Cafe.

January 1st, either straight from the bar, or after a night's sleep head out for brunch. Asotira has loads to choose from: Cup, Cafe Bar, Michael's Diner, Euro Delights, Mary Maguires or Dillingers. Unfortunately my fave brunch spot is no more; Le Sans Soucci has closed. I lament the loss of a truly unique and delicious restaurant in the neighborhood.

Whatever you decide to do, be safe and if you have them leave the car keys at home.

Happy 007!