Friday, May 30, 2008

The Weekender

Well, we couldn't publish remotely last week, so I'm sorry if you missed out on any fun haps while I was exploring Philly. Great town by the way. But on to our favorite topic what fun there is to be had in Astoria over the weekend. The weather is getting nicer, summer hours are kicking in and the town is coming out to play.

Since we have so many cool things that happen on a weekly basis, especially in the summer, I'm going to be starting off each week with a new little section I like to call On Repeat.

Tonight-as is the case every Friday, Mezzo Comedy Club-Astoria's only one-brings us the funny haha. However, this week's show doubles as a fund raiser for our councilman-Peter Vallone Jr.
Socrates has the exhibit Waste Not Want Not-photos to come shortly (probably right after I finish this post). They also have Yoga and Capoeira on Saturday mornings as well as Tai Chi and Pilates on Sundays.
Down the road a ways, the LIC boathouse will get you all set up to take a canoe or kayak ride in the river. Keep up the good karma and help tidy up the beach area while you await your turn.

Now on to more fun stuff:
Tonight Hell Gate Social has a Mod/Garage Rock Fiesta, along with an in house art exhibit from Printmaker Erin Keeley & Illustrator Kate Lavoe.

Saturday at 12, Socrates has an artists workshop: To the Rescue! with Shaun Leonardo Socrates’ resident superhero Shaun "El C" Leonardo needs your help! Using fabric, paint and recycled materials, participants construct their own superhero costume complete with a discussion on special powers and how to be a great hero.
Saturday night at 9, Waltz Astoria presents a classical series, featuring owner and pianist Song Zhang.
Also Saturday Hell Gate Social spins the tunes. I just love the way they phrased it: Dj Who takes us to the Milky Way Galaxy on a starship made of groove.
Heads Up: the Beer Garden will me charging "a small admission" on Saturday to Help support the students of our Czech and Slovak school as they raise monies for their programs. Our school children perform for us in their national costumes at our festivals and celebrations. We applaud their effort to learn and live their heritage proudly keeping the mission of Bohemian Hall alive and strong. No listing of what the cost will be.

Sunday night Hell Gate Social presents Wild Zero as part of their weekly outdoor movie night. Why's it a perfect fit for a bar? Well, because it's an action-packed Japanese Rock N' Roll zombie flick that comes with a built-in drinking game, that's why. At certain moments in the film a beer mug will pop up on screen which means the viewers have to take a shot. Anyone seen not drinking will be ejected from the premises (That's a lie. Maybe...)After the movie viewers will compete for prizes, fame, and the lamentations of the women. I've got a ton of dvds to give away and maybe a few more surprises...Come enjoy this flick in our backyard garden as soon as the sun sets.

Also Sunday, the return of pub quiz to the Rover at 7:30. $10 team buy in.

Looking ahead: Monday is the start of the newest exhibit at the Greater Astoria Historical Society- The Story of the Greek American Immigrant Experience.

Make it a great one!

Friday, May 16, 2008

The Weekender

Oh glorious weekend, how I have awaited your arrival!

In the usual news this weekend Waltz brings us tunage, flipping last week's showcase to focus on the menfolk tonight along with it's Classical series tomorrow and a Sunday night showcase. And the Mezzo Comedy Club has two sets of the funny ha has.

I was going to post how next week is the start to Street Fair season when I realized there's actually one right now! The St Demetrios Cathedral Fair is taking place on 30th Drive btwn 30th and 31st streets. I know it's small, so let's call this a warm up to the one on Broadway on Memorial Day.

Socrates is having a fun workshop for the kiddies at 12 Using an array of colorful socks, children and their parents spend an afternoon turning orphaned socks into a beautiful collaborative sock garden.

Down the road a spell Rainey Park will be having a Waterfront Celebration. LEARN about the amazing programs offered in the neighborhood. MEET organizations and individuals who are doing interesting work and JOIN their efforts. CONTRIBUTE to the creation of a community vision. ENJOY fishing, kayaking, live music and more! The fun starts at 1 and goes until 5.

Starting this week, and continuing Sunday and each Sunday until October, is the return of the Hallets Cove Canoeing and Kayaking! Courtesy of our good neighbors at the Long Island City Community Boathouse. Pay it forward, since it's free, and help clean up the beachfront while you're there.

The Seeds of Love girls are at it again this Sunday, raising money for Relay for Life. They're setting up shop at the Astoria Alive Street fair, on 31st street between Ditmars and 21st Avenue. I've never heard of this fair before, but apparantly it's an annual event. Go figure. Here's what I know from the Seeds of Love gals: Come on over for our fabulous clothes and an awesome raffle.There will also be lots of food, crafts and entertainment at this street fair.Proceeds from our sales will go to Seeds of Love and the American Cancer Society's Relay for Life of Astoria.

Also this Sunday, and the Sundays following through June 10-3pm: Join the students and teachers of Recycle-A-Bicycle for an urban cycling adventure. Learn on-the-bike riding skills and safe maneuvering in city traffic.

Whatever you do folks, as usual, MAKE it a GREAT one!

Heads up! Not sure if we're going to get published next weekend since I'll be enjoying a road trip to Philly. Maybe I'll post early, maybe from the road, maybe an abbreviated version~you never can tell with me.

Friday, May 09, 2008

The Weekender

Let’s just pretend I didn’t pay any attention to the weather forecast this morning, shall we?

Tonight check out (which I hope to do, if my date doesn’t work late) the awesome line up Waltz has for their Lady Songwriters Showcase. Annie Fitzgerald, Allison Cipris and Shannon Zell hit the stage tonight starting at 8pm for a $10 cover (links to their music on Waltz's site). While there I hope to try their new sangria, which sounds lovely. I’m in the market for a tried and true sangria recipe. I have a few (untried)but well, I’m afraid that it just won’t be good and I’ll have wasted a perfectly good bottle of wine. Anyone out there have one to share?

Also tonight, the Mezzo Comedy Club has 2 sets, one at 9 and one at 11. Check their site for all the funny folks and details.

Over the course of the weekend newcomer (and hot spot on my list to visit-ps damn you for opening up the street from my previous apartment after I moved!!) Winegasm offers a few fun things to do. Now some people have a problem with the name because of the other gasm it brings to mind. There's a store called Shoegasm and I don't hear anyone complaining. Place looks cute and who wouldn't welcome a nice wine bar to the Broadway area. In terms of relaxed non pub drinking 30th avenue is having all the fun, why not Broadway? So anyhoo, according to their website Thursday through Saturday enjoy happy hour from 5-7pm (a weekend happy hour, oh lovely) with 2 for 1 drinks and $15 Sangria pitchers (yay, another batch to try). A heads up for next Thursday 7-9pm "Around the World in 7 winesall inclusive food and wine tasting. I'll have to contact them and report back on cost and reservations. Since Waltz doesn't seem to be doing theirs anymore it's nice to know there's another one in the hood. Fridays are theme nights. What tonight is, I don't know! And weekends they're doing brunch, though the menu is not on the site. The only thing about them is, right now I think they are kind of pricey. But depending on their traffic and clientel we'll see how that evolves. I still want to try them out. I'll consider it part of my stimulating the economy (which reminds me to check if that came in yet).

There’s a couple of biking events going on this Saturday. Can you believe I actually forgot how to ride a bike? In all fairness, I was never any good. But as my friend Nikki learned the hard way after pulling me out of a few ditches and then me running her over on her bike yes, it is possible to forget how to ride. So this first event seems right up my alley! Well, if I still owned my pink Huffy that is. From 9am-5pm at the Recycle-A-Bicycle training center (corner of 46 Avenue and 5th Street) check out Savvy Cyclist. A free, one-day "introduction to cycling" program for adults and mature teens who want to improve their cycling skills. This class is ideal for new cyclists who want to learn the basics, those returning to cycling from a long hiatus, people who want to be more independent on their bike, and those who feel a little nervous while cycling in traffic. If you do not know how to ride a bike (that is, start, stop, balance and steer without falling down), this is not the right class for you. Participants must know how to balance and control a bicycle. More dates upcoming. Note that there is a $20 deposit for this. As long as you show up you won't be charged. Check out the site for all the deets.

For those of you who still have that skill check this out. Saturday (Rain or shine) Socrates Sculpture Park will present the first annual LIC Bike Parade (Registration 11:30 am Workshops Noon - 3 pm Parade 3 - 4 pm.). This free family and community event will invite children of all ages to explore the creative and functional potential of adaptive reuse, by using repurposed materials to repair and decorate their bikes! There will also be bike decorating, bike repair consultations, riding safety tips and helmet fitting. After all this the participants will parade their bikes around the park and down Vernon to Queensbridge Park. Pretty nifty.

Or if you're just not about the bikes just go to Socrates to gawk and to check out the new exhibit, Waste Not, Want Not.-a group exhibition themed around the interpretations and responses to the motivations, goals, realities, politics, and practices of recycling. It is an expansive exhibition encompassing many perspectives about the concepts and methodologies of adaptive re-use, and includes 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 share a common practice of re-purposing wasted or cast off resources.

You know, Saturday is another big day in town for Green Events. We've got the 2 aforementioned bike events, the Socrates exhibit with a green theme and this: Astoria Stop 'N Swap 11am - 4pm at 3-17 26th Ave. (at 4th St ). Here's the deal bring: Gently used clothing, Plants, Kitchen items, Office supplies, Books and magazines, Games and toys Etc… Don't bring: Furniture/large items, Drugs/medications, Weapons/dangerous objects, Adult movies/magazines, Pets/pet hair covered items. You don't need to bring anything to take anything, but it might help if you brought a bag with you. A nice eco friendly reusable tote bag would probably work very well (sorry I've really been digging the ones I picked up at the Stop & Shop. Those suckers hold a lot, AND you can sling it over your shoulder). I may make my way up there to see what kind of books are lurking around. Even though I am running out of room on my bookcases.

Pub Quiz Sunday at the Rover-the Royal Wii will be in attendance in some form or another.

Neighborhood Scuttlebutt:
Hell Gate Social is now serving food. Well they have been for a few weeks. I just forgot to include it in the Weekender that corresponded. Oops! Here's what they have to offer:
beef: caramelized onion, shitake mushrooms, horseradish cream cheese onion stratto
turkey: applewood smoked bacon, avocado, charmoula aioli baguette
pork: pickled vegetables, cilantro, thai chili aioli baguette
vegetable: shitake mushroom, roasted tomato, caramelized onion, avocado onion stratto
salad: arugala, bacon, avocado, red onion, tomato vinegrette
Unfortunately everything seems to have something I can't have-meat (I don't eat red meat or pork and after 13 years without, it may kill me) Even the salad. Yes I see a vegetable option. I just happen to be violently allergic to mushrooms. Which is too bad since they are so good for you, and from what I have heard-tasty to boot. Between the meat and mushrooms I’m not cut out to be a food reviewer. (although I have a backlog of those to post for you).

And the Beer Garden is finally ready! Word on the street is that some Astorians took advantage of the lovely weather last weekend and got their beer on at the Garden. Sa-Weet!

Weather it's sunny or rainy this weekend, make it a great one folks (and yes I spelled whether incorrectly on purpose. Guess it's not a funny pun if I have to explain it, eh?).