BORO MAG

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MARCH 2018 VOL 8:3

BOROMAG.COM

Raising THE BAR

FLOAT THERAPY IN LIC PAGE

LISTEN TO THIS LOCAL MUSIC

ASTORIA APARTMENT MIXES OLD & NEW

WOMEN’S IMPROV GROUP

Page 16

Page 32

Page 44

Page 50

Page 38 The World's Fare See page 42

MARCH 2018 I BOROMAG.COM

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CONTENTS As winter turns to spring, it’s time to try something new. One of our reporters tried out Sensory Deprivation Float Therapy at SacredWaters Wellness Center, which houses the only spa of this kind in the borough. Read about her experience to pique your curiosity (page 16). Spice up your playlists with some new music, courtesy of a few local bands (page 32). Sample some wine at Basil Brick Oven Pizza’s new wine bar (page 38). And try your hand at improv with a local women’s group (page 50).

If you’d like to share any news with us, email katrina@boromag.com. You can also connect with us on Instagram (@boromagazine), Facebook (facebook.com/boromag) and Twitter (@BOROMAG).

KATRINA MEDOFF editor-in-chief

MUSIC TO OUR EARS

32

6 TREND SETTERS

Street style in Astoria

10 GREEN SCENES

Readers Instagrammed green photos for St. Patty’s Day

16 FLOAT THERAPY

Deprivation Float LIC Sensory Dental Associates Therapy in LIC

Wishing you a season full of new experiences, Katrina Medoff

22 ARTIST VICTORY

5Pointz graffiti artists awarded $6.7M

23 SAFE SHOPPING

Crosswalks on Steinway Street

SOMETHING OLD, SOMETHING NEW

32 MUSIC TO OUR EARS

Check out these local bands

44

38 RAISING THE BAR

Basil Brick Oven Pizza’s new wine bar

DEPARTMENTS 12 MARCH 2018 EVENTS 25 BORO DEALS & DISCOUNTS

Exclusive savings, discounts and freebies for the month of March

in Astoria, LIC and Sunnyside

26 MAP IT DIRECTORY

Your go-to guide for the best shops, food, art, nightlife and more in western Queens

28 MAP IT: WESTERN QUEENS

44 SOMETHING OLD, SOMETHING NEW Interior design in Astoria

50 SAY YES TO IMPROV

Astoria Women's Improv class

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Katrina Medoff // ART DIRECTOR Mickhail Kurov WRITERS Hayley Bridgewater, Danielle Brody, Marie Grillo, Angela Matua, Katrina Medoff, Estelle Pyper, Marie Torio, Lisa Yakomin PHOTOGRAPHERS Marie Torio SALES REPRESENTATIVE Graziella Zerilli // PUBLISHED BY Joshua and Victoria Schneps All materials Copyright © 2015 BORO / All rights reserved. Opinions and claims made by advertisers are advertisers’ claims only. BORO Magazine accepts no responsibility for any claims made by advertisers.

BORO Magazine reserves the right to publish any images without providing photo/image credit. No part of this publication may be reproduced without permission of the publisher.

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LIC MARCH 2018

WE KEEP THE TOOTHFAIRY

OUT OF BUSINESS.

ociates

THE DENTIST OFFICE. REINVENTED.

LICDentalAssociates.com | office@licdentalassociates.com| @ LICDentalAssociates 5 0 - 02 5 t h S t re e t , Su i te B | Lo ng Isla nd C i ty, Ne w Yo r k 1 1 1 0 1 | 7 1 8 . 5 3 0 . 6 5 3 9

STREET STYLE

TREND SETTERS

BY MARIE TORIO

O

@PHOTOSBYMARIETORIO

n a cool but sunny Saturday morning, it was a delight to look around and see western Queens residents walking around, brunching with friends and enjoying their days off. As you will see, Astorians’ looks did not disappoint.

In fact, they were quite impressive.

I love when the chill isn't as harsh and the day is warming up and locals all get creative in showing off their own personal edge. I noticed outfits that were bold, shimmery, buttoned-up, and casual but stylish.

Astoria resident Christa (@christaramus) works for Yelp and said her style is “unique but comfy and simple but bold.” She was awesome to photograph.

She gave me all the poses in order to highlight the bold print on her ensemble and knew how to rock those boots and bucket bag.

Michael, who runs a theater company, was enjoying a day of shopping and defines his style as “eclectic.” I liked how he paired his tan coat with a funky scarf and button-down shirt. Casual with style.

Jennifer (@auntumnleavez) lives in Astoria and is an accountant. She describes her style as “laidback,” and I totally agree — but I would add that she knows how to add the right amount of shine to her leggings and sneakers. I loved her coat adorned with sequin sleeves, and don't even get me started on her purse! Gorgeous!

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MARCH 2018

Manny, born and raised in Astoria, is a drafter for Rigging Consultants (@riggingconsultants). His cable-knit sweater, dress shoes and sunnies came together nicely for a day of hanging out with friends.

Morgan works for a local bar and described her style as “random and based on mood.”

Her mostly black look was perfectly accessorized with a wide-brim hat, fuzzy scarf and tassel detailed crossbody.

Agata (@agata. slowikowska1) works for Citibank and proudly credited her sister Elena Barwiska, who is a personal stylist, for her ensemble. Agata calls her style “classy with a kick.”

You can tell her look had some thought behind it.

The subtle pops of red caught my eye. Shout out to those chunky heeled velvety boots and chainlinked crossbody bag.

Khalid (@tothemaxfilms) is a graphic designer who calls his style “casual.” You can't go wrong with a brown and navy combination as he has done here.

His motorcycle jacket, denim and cuffed brown boots bring this look together nicely.

MARCH 2018 I BOROMAG.COM

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I N S TA I M A G E S

GREEN SCENES

@ astoriaboutny

By KATRINA MEDOFF

KATRINA@BOROMAG.COM @KATRINAMEDOFF @KATYA_M22

@ a_daily_dose_of_diesel

@ lenibriscoe

@ iamkourm

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I

n honor of St. Patrick’s Day, we asked our readers to tag us (@boromagazine) in their green-colored photos from Astoria, Long Island City and Sunnyside. We wanted to flood the magazine with all shades of green, from lime to emerald! We got pics of parrots, plants, pups and more. Here are some of our favorite shots.

MARCH 2018

@ soosiesawyer

@ david_kes

@ muttcitybitch

@ lifeamongleaves

@ michael_cabie

NEXT THEME: SPRING For the April issue, we’re asking you to tag @boromagazine in your photos of spring in Astoria, Long Island City or Sunnyside.

We’re looking for shots of sunny skies, flowers, kids on the playground, dogs walking on the sidewalk — anything to do with the month’s theme. @ focalfogle @ barre3lic @ shourjya.mookerjee

MARCH 2018 I BOROMAG.COM

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MARCH EVENTS Find more events at www. BOROmag.com/Events TUESDAY, MARCH 13 Event Title: Stand-Ups Improvise TED Talks Time: 9 to 10 p.m.

Location: Q.E.D. Phone: 347-451-3873 Address: 27-16 23rd Ave., Astoria URL: StandUpsImprovise.com THURSDAY, MARCH 15 Event Title: LIC Cosmonauts’ Guild book discussion: “The Prey of Gods” by Nicky Drayden Time: 6:30 p.m.

Location: Book Culture LIC Phone: 212-865-1588 Contact: cosmonautsbc@ bookculture.com Address: 26-09 Jackson Ave., LIC URL: bookculture.com THURSDAY, MARCH 15 Event Title: Immigrant Jam Time: 7:30 to 9 p.m.

Location: Q.E.D. Phone: 347-451-3873 Address: 27-16 23rd Ave., Astoria URL: qedastoria.com FRIDAY, MARCH 16 Event Title: Abby Norman on “Ask Me About My Uterus” Time: 7 to 8 p.m.

Location: Astoria Bookshop Phone: 718-278-2665 Address: 31-29 31st St., Astoria URL: astoriabookshop.com

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FRIDAY, MARCH 16, AND SATURDAY, MARCH 17 Event Title: Take Root Presents Laura Beirne Dance Works & Zehnder Dance Time: 8 to 10 p.m.

Location: Green Space Studio Phone: 718-956-3037 Address: 37-24 24th St., Suite 301, LIC URL: danceentropy.org SATURDAY, MARCH 17 Event Title: Family Program Moving Image Studio Time: 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Location: Museum of the Moving Image Phone: 718-777-6800 Address: 36-01 35th Ave., Astoria URL: movingimage.us SATURDAY, MARCH 17; SUNDAY, MARCH 18; SATURDAY, MARCH 24; SUNDAY, MARCH 25 Event Title: Dessert Goals Dessert Fest Time: Noon to 6 p.m.

Location: Sound River Studios Phone: 718-433-9288 Address: 4-40 44th Dr., LIC URL: dessertgoals.com SATURDAY, MARCH 17 Event Title: “Ragtime” the Musical Time: 2 to 5 p.m.

Location: Frank Sinatra School of the Arts Phone: 718-361-9920 Address: 35-12 35th Ave., Astoria URL: franksinatraschoolofthearts.org

MARCH 2018

TUESDAY, MARCH 20 Event Title: Drink & Draw Time: 8:30 to 10:30 p.m.

Location: Q.E.D. Phone: 347-451-3873 Address: 27-16 23rd Ave., Astoria URL: qedastoria.com THURSDAY, MARCH 22 Event Title: Everything is Falling Apart Time: 7:30 p.m.

Location: Q.E.D. Phone: 347-451-3873 Address: 27-16 23rd Ave., Astoria URL: qedastoria.com SATURDAY, MARCH 24 Event Title: Come Together: Music Festival and Label Market Time: Noon to 9 p.m.

Location: MoMa PS1 Phone: 718-784-2084 Address: 22-25 Jackson Ave., LIC URL: momaps1.org SATURDAY, MARCH 24 Event Title: Audrey Dimola’s book release and performance Time: 3:30 to 5:30 p.m.

Location: Q.E.D. Phone: 347-451-3873 Address: 27-16 23rd Ave., Astoria URL: qedastoria.com SUNDAY, MARCH 25 Event Title: General Book Club Her Body and Other Parties Time: 1 to 2 p.m.

Location: Astoria Bookshop Phone: 718-278-2665 Address: 31-29 31st St., Astoria URL: astoriabookshop.com

SATURDAY, MARCH 31 Event Title: Standup Comedy for Beginners Time: Noon to 2 p.m.

Location: Q.E.D. Phone: 347-451-3873 Address: 27-16 23rd Ave., Astoria URL: qedastoria.com SATURDAY, MARCH 31 Event Title: Screening & Live Event - “The Breadwinner” Time: 1 p.m.

Location: Museum of the Moving Image, Redstone Theater Phone: 718-777-6800 Address: 36-01 35th Ave., Astoria URL: movingimage.us SUNDAY, APRIL 1 Event Title: M. Wells Sugar Shack Time: Noon Location: M. Wells Steakhouse Phone: 718-786-9060 Address: 43-15 Crescent St., LIC URL: magasinwells.com FRIDAY, APRIL 6 Event Title: Open Mic Time: 5 to 7 p.m.

Location: Q.E.D. Phone: 347-451-3873 Address: 27-16 23rd Ave., Astoria URL: qedastoria.com

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MIND + BODY

FLOAT THERAPY

By HAYLEY BRIDGEWATER @HAYLEYREE3

From the moment I entered the door at SacredWaters Wellness Center in Long Island City, I could tell I was in for a life-changing experience. I am no stranger to the high-speed, hustle-hard New York City life, but my continual quest (as a strength coach, athlete, writer and human) is to find balance, recovery and renewal in my small amount of free time.

That’s why I went to SacredWaters. According to its website, it’s is the home of the only Sensory Deprivation Floatation Spa in Queens, and I have been interested in Sensory Deprivation Float Therapy for some time; I’d heard its praises from combat sports athletes, my own mother and the popular podcast “The Joe Rogan Experience.” I was determined to give myself over to whatever was going to happen, eagerly and completely.

Once inside the wellness center, I felt my shoulders drop a bit. I was instantly

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MARCH 2018

aware that I was moving at a very different speed than the energy of this space. I was intrigued, but also a little apprehensive.

I met Tara Summers, the resident “Den Mother,” who was equally as welcoming as the space, and she showed me where I could put my shoes and belongings. She eased my mind by providing me the details of the process and some insight into what I could expect.

To ease into the experience, as well as to preserve the environment, I entered the sound proof room, undressed and took a

shower before sliding open the door to the float tank inside. As I turned around and shut the door, I was instantly aware that I was turning off the outside world. I could hear nothing but the water and the quiet, twinkling music. I could see nothing but a dim blue light.

I sat down, centered myself in the warm, buoyant water, and placed my arms against the sides. As soon as I did, I effortlessly floated, and my journey had begun.

I can sometimes have a difficult time relaxing, but do have vast experience in

“breathing my heart rate down,” and so that was my first approach to settling myself in the environment. My mind was racing, and I had to repeatedly remind myself to focus on my breath. As soon as I adjusted to breathing in the humidity, I decided to touch the buttons on the side of the tank, turning the music and the lights off.

Instantly, all I could hear was my breathing in my ear-plugged ears and the sound of the blood coursing though my body.

My heart rate quickened, my body jerked,

and I went back to the business of trying to calm myself.

As I brought myself back to deep, relaxed breathing, I slowly started to realize that I couldn’t feel the chronic pains that I have lived with for years. As a matter of fact, I just kept getting lighter and lighter.

Shortly after, I couldn’t feel my extremities, my spine, neck or head. And then, as I was told would happen (but didn’t initially believe), I could not feel the water that I was floating in. For lack of any words to describe it, I felt suspended in nothing

— no gravity, no light, no feeling — nothing but the sound of my breath. There is no telling how long I was in this state; the world had been erased.

Eventually, the tinkling of music brought me back to full awareness when the float experience was concluded. The literal details of the post float involve another shower, a walk across a grounding moss mat and warm tea in a comforting nook. As this can be different for everyone, I will only suggest that you take your time and listen to what your body is tell-

MARCH 2018 I BOROMAG.COM

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MIND + BODY

ing you it needs during your return to “the outside world.”

This kind of experience can be intensely personal, and I was told that it could bring many things to the surface. This was defi-

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MARCH 2018

nitely true of my experience; I was emotionally impacted by Sensory Deprivation Floatation in personal ways. I won’t go into details about my specific emotional journey, but I will confirm that I will be

Photos courtesy of SacredWaters

back. My life bombards my nervous system with sensory input of every make and matter, and I am incredibly eager to see what it could do for me as a recovery modality as well as providing an opportunity to work through some personal growth. I slept better that night than I had in years. I also noticed that I was working from a much more settled place as a strength coach — and the people I work with noticed, too. Even now in the weeks following, I am still processing the experience.

SacredWaters is very much set up to operate as a community as opposed to a business. Through my correspondence and interaction with Summers, I was aware how committed they are to the well-being of those who step through the doors. In addition to Sensory Deprivation Float Therapy, it offers a host of other wellness services, such as Reiki, tribal body art, reflexology and past life regressions. There are also classes and events, including a free community meditation every Thursday at 6:45 p.m.

SacredWaters is offering $25 off a first float to anyone who brings in or mentions this article. For more information on rates, visit sacredwaterslic.com.

SacredWaters Wellness Center 5-35 51ST AVE., LIC 718-752-1414 SACREDWATERSLIC.COM CONNECT@SACREDWATERSLIC.COM IG: SACREDWATERSLIC FACEBOOK: SACREDWATERS

MARCH 2018 I BOROMAG.COM

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MARCH 2018

Get Lucky

MARCH 2018 I BOROMAG.COM

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A R T S + E N T E R TA I N M E N T

Photo courtesy of Flickr/iamNigelMorris

ARTIST VICTORY

5Pointz graffiti artists awarded $6.7 million after developer whitewashed artwork

BY ANGELA MATUA @ANGELAMATUA

After a threeweek trial in November, a Brooklyn judge had ordered developers to pay $6.7 million to 5Pointz artists who had their artwork destroyed to create residential towers.

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The abandoned building at 45-46 Davis St. in Long Island City had for years been used as a blank canvas for graffiti artists to create artwork that attracted locals and tourists. The developer, Jerry Wolkoff, allowed them to use it for this purpose until he decided to build two residential buildings on the property.

In November 2013, Wolkoff whitewashed the building overnight while the artists had been trying to save the space from demolition. Then, in August 2014, the property was demolished.

In 2015, 21 artists filed a lawsuit against the Wolkoff family, which owns G&M Realty, claiming that the property’s owner committed an illegal act by painting over their work without giving them enough warning to take it down and save it. They evoked the Visual Artists Rights Act of 1990, which states that protections against destruction of works are afforded to authors who create art of “recognized stature.”

MARCH 2018

A Brooklyn jury last November found that 5Pointz developer Jerry Wolkoff acted illegally when he painted over almost 50 pieces of graffiti at the famed Long Island City site. After months of deliberation, Judge Frederic Block awarded the artists $150,000 for each of the 45 works, according to Artnet News.

“If not for Wolkoff’s insolence, these damages would not have been assessed,” Block wrote in the decision. “If he did not destroy 5Pointz until he received his permits and demolished it 10 months later, the Court would not have found that he had acted willfully.”

Jonathan Cohen, known as Meres One, was the director of 5Pointz and one of more than a dozen artists named in the lawsuit. In an Instagram post, he uploaded a video of him clinking glasses of champagne with a copy of Frederic Block’s book titled “Disrobed: An Inside Look at the Life and Work of a Federal Trial Judge.”

The apartment buildings on the site will also include about 12,000 square feet for artist studios.

EXPLORE YOUR BORO

SAFE SHOPPING

Steinway Street will receive mid-block crosswalks to make it easier for pedestrians to shop

BY ANGELA MATUA @ANGELAMATUA

Photo courtesy of Flickr/iamNigelMorris

P

edestrians trying to shop along Steinway Street in Astoria have to walk more than 500 feet to reach a crosswalk. A local councilman, along with the Department of Transportation, is looking to change that.

Councilman Costa Constantinides and the DOT announced on Feb. 23 that three new mid-block crosswalks and traffic lights would be installed along the busy thoroughfare. Constantinides first announced his plan to add traffic mitigation measures on Steinway Street in his State of the District speech last year.

Steinway Street, which stretches from Northern Boulevard to Berrian Boulevard, currently has no mid-block crosswalks and

blocks measure up to 1,000 feet. The new crosswalks and traffic lights will be installed from 30th Avenue through 34th Avenue.

The agency will also add painted curb extensions and planters to shorten the crossing distance.

The thoroughfare has been the scene of 249 traffic-related injuries and 95 pedestrian injuries in the past five years, according to DOT data.

“These traffic mitigation measures will greatly improve the Steinway Street experience for pedestrians, shoppers and small business owners,” Constantinides said. “If the street is safer and easier to cross, shoppers will be able to walk between stores more safely.”

Marie Torniali, executive director of the Steinway Astoria Partnership, said the improvements will help boost foot traffic for small businesses in the area that may have been overlooked.

“The Steinway BID is very excited to see these long-awaited pedestrian-friendly improvements to the Steinway streetscape being implemented,” she said. “The blocks on Steinway are easily the length of two city blocks and walking to either end is a chore.

Mid-block crossings will make it easier and safer for shoppers and residents to cross the street.”

These changes will be installed this spring as part of the first phase of the project. The next phase will include working on a plan for a public gathering place.

In his state of the district speech last year, Constantinides announced his desire to form a community working group to discuss bringing a meeting space to the area, citing examples like Union Square and Madison Square in Manhattan.

Plans for the public gathering space will begin after the initial safety measures are installed.

Photo courtesy of Councilman Costa Constantinides

MARCH 2018 I BOROMAG.COM

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MAP IT DIRECTORY RESTAURANTS

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ASTOR ROOM (C,2) 718-255-1947 34-12 36th St., Astoria www.astorroom.com

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BAREBURGER 718-777-7011 33-21 31st Ave. Astoria www.bareburger.com

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BAREBURGER 718-204-7167 23-01 31st St., Astoria www.bareburger.com

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BAREBURGER 718-937-2273 49-19 Vernon Blvd., LIC www.bareburger.com BOHEMIAN HALL & BEER GARDEN (B,1) 718-274-4925 2919 24th Ave., Astoria www.bohemianhall.com BREAD BOX CAFE (A,4) 718-389-9700 4711 11th St., LIC www.breadboxcafelic.com BURGER GARAGE (B,3) 718-392-0424 25-36 Jackson Ave., LIC www.theburgergarage.com BUTCHER BAR (C,2) 718-606-8140 37-08 30th Ave., Astoria www.ButcherBar.com

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BZ GRILL 718-932-7858 27-02 Astoria Blvd.

Astoria, NY 11102 www.bzgrill.com

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CRESCENT GRILL (B,3) 718-729-4040 38-40 Crescent St., LIC www.crescentgrill.com

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DIWINE (C,2) 718-777-1355 41-15 31st Ave., Astoria www.diwineonline.com

159

DUTCH KILLS CENTRAAL (B,3) 718-606-8651 38-40 29th St., Long Island City www.dutchkillscentraal.com

12

FLO LOUNGE RESTAURANT (C,2) 718-204-6096 37-20 30th Ave., Astoria

231 12

FRESCO'S CANTINA 12-14 31st Avenue Astoria, NY 11106 347-808-7338 www.frescoscantina.com

181

HIBINO LIC (A,4) 718-392-5190 10-70 Jackson Ave., LIC www.hibino-lic.com

249

HIGHWATER 917-745-0407 34-20 Broadway, Astoria www.thehighwaternyc.com

112

IL BAMBINO (C,2) 718-626-0087 34-08 31 Ave., Astoria www.ilbambinonyc.com

248

IIL Falco 718-707-0009 21-50 44th Drive, LIC www.ilfalcolic.com

13

LENG THAI (B,2) 718-956-7117 33-09 Broadway, Astoria www.lengthainewyork.com

125

LAS MARGARITAS RESTAURANT LOUNGE (C,2) 38-01 Broadway, Astoria 718-777-1707 www.lasmargaritasny.com

220

MAIELLA 4610 Center Blvd., Long Island City 718-606-1770 www.maiellalic.com

133

148

MURASAKI 718-482-7088 46-44 Vernon Blvd., LIC www.murasakinyc.com

182

NOSH BOROUGH (B,1) 347-746-5542 25-17 Astoria Blvd., Astoria noshborough.com

150

OFF THE HOOK (B,1) 718-721-2112 28-08 34th St., Astoria (one block from 30th A) www.offthehookastoria.com

20 45 61 22 245 74 74

194 194

Piatto Wood Fire Pizza 718-361-2751 1-50 50th Ave., LIC www.piattolic.com QUEENS COMFORT (C,2) 718-728-2350 40-09 30th Ave., Astoria www.queenscomfort.com

RÈST-ÂÜ-RÁNT (B,2) 718-729-9009 30-01 35th Ave., Astoria www.rarbarlic.com SAC’S PLACE COAL OVEN PIZZA (B,2) 718-204-5002 2541 Broadway, Astoria www.sacsplace.com SAC’S PLACE COAL OVEN PIZZA (B,2) 718-204-5002 2541 Broadway, Astoria www.sacsplace.com

244

SALT & BONE 917-832-7822 32-07 30th Ave., Astoria www.saltandbone.com

28

SHI (A,4) 347-242-2450 4720 Center Blvd., LIC www.eatdrinkshi.com

55

SKINNY’S (A,4) 718-806-1068 47-05 Center Blvd., LIC

227

T-SWIRlL CREPE 917-832-6815 36-16 30th Ave, Astoria www.t-swirlcrepe.com

216

THE BONNIE 718-274-2105 29-12 23rd Ave. Astoria www.thebonnie.com

250

The Inkan 718-433-4171 45-02 23rd Street, LIC www.theinkanrestaurant.com

18

199

26

PENTHOUSE 808 (A,3) 718-289-6118 8-08 Queens Plaza South, LIC www.penthouse808rooftop.com

RETRO PIZZA CAFE 347-612-4460 Fax: 347-813-4039 41-02 Broadway, Astoria

MANDUCATIS RUSTICA (A,4) 718-937-1312 46-3 Vernon Blvd., LIC www.manducatisrustica.com

MEZZE PLACE (B,2) 718-777-2829 31-18 Broadway, Astoria www.mezzeplace.com

OVELIA (B,2) 718-721-7217 34-01 30th Ave., Astoria www.ovelia-ny.com

183

170

3

ORO RESTAURANT & LOUNGE 718-729-1801 41-17 Crescent Street, LIC www.orolicrestaurant.com

QUEENS ROOM 347-987-3994 36-02 Ditmars Blvd., Astoria queensroomnyc.com

24

247

229

31

VESTA (A,2) 718-545-5550 2102 30th Ave, Astoria www.vestavino.com

184

VIA VAI (B1) 31-09 23rd Ave, Astoria 347-612-4334 viavai-ny.com

200

VICTORY GARDEN CAFÉ 718-274-2087 2169 Steinway St., Astoria www.victorysweetshop.com

THE LAST WORD 31-30 Ditmars Blvd., Astoria www.tlwastoria.com TRU ASTORIA 35-19 Ditmars Blvd. Astoria 646-878-6000 www.truastoria.com The Thirsty Koala 718-626-5430 35-12 Ditmars Blvd., Astoria Australian dishes at this relaxed eatery features many gluten-free & veggie options. www.thethirstykoala.com POKE WAVE 917-868-1084 35-07 Broadway, Astoria

MARCH 2018

52

LOCKWOOD SHOP (C,2) 718-626-6030 32-15 33rd St., Astoria www.lockwoodshop.com

161

51

LOVEDAY 31 (B,2) 718-728-4057 3306 31st Ave., Astoria www.loveday31.com

90

228

NOMAD CYCLE LLC 718-786-5600 36-58 37th St. Astoria www.nomadcycle.com

PETS

WILLIAM HALLET (C,2) 718-269-3443 36-10 30th Ave., Astoria www.williamhallet.com

201

32

YAJAI (B,2) 718-956-9559 33-16 30th Ave., Astoria www.yajaithaifood.com

CHÂTEAU LE WOOF 718-626-WOOF 30-02 14th St., Astoria www.chateaulewoof.com

54

14

ZENON TAVERNA 718-956-0133 34-10 31st Avenue Astoria, NY 11106 www.zenontaverna.com

CITY VET (A,4) 718-433-1334 45-44 Vernon Blvd., LIC www.cityvetnyc.com

29

ORNELLA TRATTORIA ITALIANA (B,1) 718-777-9477 29-17 23rd Ave., Astoria www.ornellatrattoria.com

239

219

MEET THE MEAT 23-92 21st St., Astoria 917-832-7984 www.meetthemeat.net

MOJAVE RESTAURANT (B,1) 718-545-4100 22-36 31st St., Astoria www.mojaveny.com

235

MALAGUETA RESTAURANT (B,2) 718-937-4821 25-35 36th Ave., Astoria www.malaguetany.com

191

MICHAEL’S CAFE (B,3) (located inside Four Points Sheraton) 347-536-3633 27-05 39th Ave., LIC www.michaelscafeny.com

ASTOR BAKE SHOP (A,2) 718-606-8439 12-23 Astoria Blvd., Astoria www.astor-bakeshop.com

34 138 139

BROOKLYN BAGEL & COFFEE COMPANY 718-777-1121 35-09 Ditmars Blvd., Astoria (C,1) 36-14 30th Ave., Astoria (C,2) 35-05 Broadway, Astoria (C,2) www.bkbagel.com

189

IL FORNAIO BAKERY (B,2) 718-267-0052 29-14 30th Ave., Astoria

190

OK CAFÉ (B,1) 718-440-8789 22-04 33rd St., Astoria www.okcafeastoria.com

37

SWEETLEAF (A,4) 917-832-6726 10-93 Jackson Ave., LIC

234

PINK CANARY DESSERTS 718-729-1819 13-11 Jackson Ave., Long Island City www.pinkcanarydesserts.com

FOOD SHOPS 39

FOOD CELLAR (A,4) 718-606-9786 4-85 47th Rd., LIC www.foodcellarandco.com

195

FOOD CELLAR 718-606-1888 43-18 Crescent St., LIC www.foodcellarandco.com

211

MET FRESH AND ORGANIC SUPERMARKET Located in the heart of Astoria on 34-14 Steinway St.

167

YOGURT LA CREPE (B,1) 917-832-6930 29-02 Ditmars Blvd., Astoria www.yogurtlacrepe.com

WINES & SPIRITS 36

ASTORIA BIER & CHEESE (C,2) 718-545-5588 34-14 Broadway, Astoria

27

ASTORIA PARK WINE AND SPIRITS (B,1) 28-07 24th Ave., Astoria www.astoriaparkwineandspirits.com

38

ASTORIA WINE AND SPIRITS (C,2) 718-545-9463 3412 Broadway, Astoria www.astoriawines.com

187

GRAND WINE AND LIQUOR (B,2) 718-728-2520 30-05 31st St., Astoria www.grandwl.com

SHOPS 143 21

ASTORIA BOOKSHOP (B,2) 718- 278-2665 31-29 31st St., Astoria www.astoriabookshop.com BABYNOIR (B,1) 646-470-4728 26-16 23rd Ave., Astoria www.babynoir.net

186

THE BRASS OWL (C,1) 347-848-0905 36-19 Ditmars Blvd., Astoria www.thebrassowl.com

49

INSIDE ASTORIA (C,1) 718-956-4000 28-07 Ditmars Blvd., Astoria

50

LIC: LIVING (A,4) 718-361-5650 535 51st Ave., LIC www.licliving.com

56

223

224

LIC VETERINARY CENTER (A,4) 718-383-8387 48-18 Vernon Blvd., LIC www.licvets.com

196

218

MY DOG NEEDS A WALK 347-323-4549 23-12 29th St., Astoria www. mydogneedsawalk.com

95

40

NYC PET NANNY 25-74 36 St. Astoria NY 646-298-5301 www.nycpetnanny.com

230

NYC PET SERVICES 31-21 31St. Astoria, NY 11106 718-350-1635 www.nycpetservices.org

233

POOCHES SPORT & SPA 718-391-0800 47-31 Center Blvd.

Long Island City, NY www.poochesspa.com

75

STEINWAY COURT VET (C,2) 718-728-2822 32-41R Steinway St., Astoria www.steinwaycourtvet.com

121

BAKERIES 33

198

FLORISTS 160

OFF BROADWAY FLORIST (B,2) 718-728-2828 3204 31st St., Astoria

44 137

FLORESTA (A,4) 917-612-4446 51-02 Vernon Blvd., LIC 4-85 47th Rd., LIC

47

NYC FARM CHIC FLOWERS

130

PETALS AND ROOTS (B,2) 718-267-1700 31-27 31st St., Astoria www.petalsandroots.com

SERVICES

180 57

206

174 59

122 62

175

157

168

ADMIRAL LOCK AND KEY (C,2) 718-274-2491 37-17 Broadway, Astoria www.admirallockandkey.com

64

178

ASTORIA 35 LAUNDRY & FINE DRY CLEANING (B,2) 718-392-9692 3505 34th St., Astoria Astoria35laundry.com

65

119

ASTORIA CENTER OF ISRAEL 718-278-2680 27-35 Crescent St., Astoria www.astoriacenter.org

177

ASTORIA CLEANERS (B,1) 718-545-0680 28-19 Astoria Blvd., Astoria astoriacleaners.com

209

AVENUE CHEMISTS PHARMACY 718-545-1010 45-01 30th Ave., Astoria

129

BLUE BIRD CHILD CARE 347-832-0103 25-58 48th St., Astoria www.bluebirdchildcareastoria.com

207 114 77

236

BOOKKEEPING & PAYROLL SERVICES SPARKLELINK 718-812-9616 3537 36th St., Astoria CRESCENT APOTHECARY (B,1) 718-777-1110 25-01 Ditmars Blvd., Astoria www.crescentapothecary.com DR. PANAGIOTIS PAGONIS, M.D. (B,2) 718-278-0300 30-16 30th Ave., Astoria www.drpagonismd.com GREATER ASTORIA HISTORICAL SOCIETY Quinn Building, 4th Floor 35-20 Broadway, Astoria www.astorialic.org

45

134 66 17

147

K

161 90 198 56 223 224

ENERGEA (C,2) 929-296-9314 34-13 38th St., LIC EnergeaNYC.com FERRARI DRIVING SCHOOL (C,2) 718-278-6679 3232 Steinway St. GOTHAM LASIK 718-440-3131 30-80 21st St., Astoria www.gothamlasik.com HERO COMPUTER REPAIR NYC 347-670-4376 Apple/Mac Computer Repair Specialist hero@iamhero.net | www.iamhero.net SAVIGNANO accountants & advisors 718-707-0955 47-46 Vernon Blvd., LIC www.savignano-cpa.com 718-707-0295 41-18 Crescent St., LIC www.savignano-cpa.com

196

THE LEARNING STATION MONTESSORI INC. (C,2) 347-523-0906 31-32 47th St., Astoria www.thelearningstationmontessorischool.com

95

MATHNASIUM (C,1) 718-726-6284 43-32 Ditmars Blvd., Astoria www.mathnasium.com/astoria

180 57

MONTESSORI KIDS OF LIC (B,3) 347-746-5542 5 Court Square, LIC mklic.com MPN LAW FIRM (C,2) 718-777-0400 3403 Broadway, Ste. 200, Astoria

206

MY DOG NEEDS A WALK 347-323-4549 23-12 29th St., Astoria www.mydogneedsawalk.com

174

QNS COLLECTIVE (C,3) 718-280-5122

158 67

59

122 62

TUCK-IT-AWAY STORAGE (B, 3) 718-519-8282 37-19 Crescent St., Astoria www.tuckitaway.com

232

UNLIMITED BODY NY 27-18 23RD Avenue Astoria, NY 917-650-4369

93

MUSEUM OF THE MOVING IMAGE (C,2) 718-784-0077 36-01 35th Ave., Astoria www.movingimage.us

SUPER NOVA TATTOOS (C,1) 718-274-5712 38-01 23rd Ave., Astoria www.supernovatattoo.com

73

YOGA AGORA (B,2) 718-626-0680 33-02 Broadway, 2nd Fl., Astoria www.YogaAgora.com

94

NOGUCHI MUSEUM (A,2) 718-204-7088 9-01 33rd Rd., Astoria www.noguchi.org

237

OTTER HOUSE STUDIOS 718-786-5900 28-39 Review Ave. LIC www.otterhousestudios.com

149

QUEENS COUNCIL ON THE ARTS (C,2) 347-505-3010 37-11 35th Ave., Astoria www.queenscouncilarts.org

215

Q.E.D. 347-451-3873 27-16 23rd Ave., Astoria www.Qedastoria.com

146

ROGALLERY.COM (C,3) 800-888-1063 or 718-937-0901 47-15 36th St., LIC - by appointment www.rogallery.com

110

SCULPTURECENTER (B,3) 718-361-1750 44-19 Purves St., LIC www.sculpure-center.org

BEAUTY 164

151

251

DOLLFACE 718-844-7874 31-13 23rd Ave, 2nd flr., Astoria www.clubdollface.com

81

195

EUROPEAN WAX CENTER LIC (A,4) 718-482-9299 4545 Center Blvd., LIC www.europeanwaxcenter.com

THE FACE & BODY SHOP 718-204-9390 40-21 23rd Ave., Astoria www.thefaceandbodyshop.com

83

97

226

LUXY LADY 718-786-1880 10-17 Jackson Ave., LIC www.luxyladysalon.com

BREAK (B,2) 718-777-5400 3204 Broadway, Astoria www.break-ny.com

84

98

72

PRIMP AND TEASE SALON (A,4) 718-472-2001 5-02 50th Ave., LIC

BRICK BAR (B,2) 718-267-2735 30-95 33rd St., Astoria www.brickcafe.com

SOCRATES SCULPTURE PARK (A,2) 718-626-1533 32-01 Vernon Blvd., Astoria www.socratessculpturepark.org

197

112

46

REDKEN SALOON SALON (C,2) 718-956-3366 36-17 30th Ave., Astoria www.redkensalon.com

THE BREWERY BAR & KITCHEN 718-777-8007 49-18 30th Ave., Astoria www.thebrewery.nyc

TEN10 STUDIOS (A,4) 917-449-9539 10-10 47th Rd., LIC www.ten10studios.com

85

SHADE ORGANIC SPA AND SALON (C,1) 718-278-7892 36-05 Ditmars Blvd., Astoria shadebarspa.com

217

192

DOMAINE WINE BAR (A,4) 718-784-2350 50-04 Vernon Blvd., LIC www.domainewinebar.com

THE ART HOUSE (C,2) 516-724-1562 31-06 35th St., Astoria www.gabrieleperici.com

86

212

STUDIO NOVA 718-392-4962 37-01 36th Ave., Astoria www.studionovanyc.com

DOMINIES OF ASTORIA (C,2) 718-706-6531 34-07 30th Ave., Astoria www.dominiesnyc.com

THE PAINT PLACE (NYC Painting Classes & Parties) 31-21 31st St Astoria, NY 11106 929-522-0086 www.thepaintplaceny.com

99

145

KATCH BREWERY & GRILL (B,2) 718-777-2230 3119 Newtown Ave., Astoria www.katchastoria.com

SCULPTURE SPACE NYC (C,3) 718-806-1709 47-21 35th St., LIC www.sculpturespacenyc.com

96

222

LOCKED -ESCAPE ROOM NYC 718-274-9700 22-56 31st St., Astoria www.escapelocked.com

THE SECRET THEATRE (B,3) 718-392-0722 44-02 23rd St., LIC www.secrettheatre.com

111

MOSAIC CRAFT BEER & WINE BAR (B,1) 718-728-0708 25-19 24th Ave., Astoria www.mosaicastoria.com

203

PASSAGE IRISH BAR AND KITCHEN 917-832-6680 40-11 30th Ave., Astoria www.passageastoria.com

BRIDAL BOUTIQUE 185

THE COTTON BRIDE (B,3) 718-729-9878 Fax: 718-729-9740 39-13 23rd St., LIC www.thecottonbride.com

FITNESS ASTORIA COMPLEX (C,2) 718-729-7163 34-38 38th St., LIC www.ascsports1.com

157

VOICE MUSIC STUDIO (A,1) 646-309-3429 23-11 21st St., Astoria

120

CKO KICKBOXING (C, 1) 347-669-0494 40-06 Astoria Blvd., Astoria www.ckoastoria.com

EVENTS

45

TEALICIOUS 718-278-8579 38-01 23rd Ave., Astoria www.tealiciouscatering.com

HOTELS 134 66 17

CLUB FITNESS (B,2) 718-545-0004 31-11 Broadway, Astoria

165

CRANK CYCLING STUDIO (A,4) 718-606-6309 4630 Center Blvd., LIC www.cranknyc.com

76

CROSSFIT DYNAMIX GYM (C,1) 718-606-0381 36-05 20th Ave., Astoria www.dynamixgym.com

166

THE ROCK HEALTH & FITNESS CLUB (B,1) 718-204-1400 22-15 31st St., Astoria

156

PERSONALIZED PILATES (A,4) 347-563-3933

RAVEL (A,3) 718-289-6101 8-08 Queens Plaza South, LIC www.ravelhotel.com

142

SAGE STUDIOS 347-927-2439 29-20 23rd Ave., 4th Floor, Astoria

240

Salsa In Queens 347-669-3589 34-27 Steinway St., Astoria salsainqueens.com

TATTOO SHOPS

147

42

FOUR POINTS SHERATON (B,3) 718-786-8500 27-05 39th Ave., LIC, www.fourpoints.com

Z NYC HOTEL (A,3) 212-319-7000 11-01 43rd Ave., LIC www.zhotelny.com

BODY LANGUAGE TATTOO 347-808-0497 32-02 34th Ave., Astoria www.bltnyc.com

NIGHTLIFE/BARS

131

154

RENAISSANCE EVENT HALL (A,1) 718-274-4590 27-34 21st St., Astoria www.renaissanceeventhall.com

SHADE ORGANIC SPA AND SALON 718-278-7892 36-05 Ditmars Blvd., Astoria

BAROQUE (C,1) 718-274-2777 19-44 Steinway St., Astoria www.baroquenyc.com

175

65

REJUVENATE FACE AND BODY (B,1) 718-626-4434 26-17 23rd Ave., Astoria www.Rejuvenatenyc.com

43

VESPA QUEENS (B,3) 718-786-7772 37-43 Crescent St., LIC www.vespaqueens.com

FOUNDRY (A,3) 718-786-7776 42-38 Ninth St., LIC www.thefoundry.info

188

HAPPY DAY NAIL SPA (B,2) 718-728-8886 31-35 31st St., Astoria

GIGI SALON (C,2) 718 -777-7755 34-17 30th Ave., Astoria www.gigistylingstudio.com

71

VARDIMAN EYEWEAR (C,2) 718-204-5037 34-18 Broadway, Astoria www.vardimaneyewear.com

64

SPAS

CARL CLARKE AESTHETIQUES (B,2) 347-631-0922 32-12 Broadway, Astoria

www.qnscollective.com RCN (A,3) Digital TV and High-Speed Internet Services 212-842-7981 33-16 Woodside Ave., LIC www.rcn.com/boromag

FAT CAT TATTOO (B,2) 718-267-1326 31-32 31st St., LIC www.fatcattattoos.com

80

THE YOGA ROOM 718-274-0255 38-01 35th Ave., Astoria (C,2) 718-786-7962 10-14 47th Rd., LIC (A,4) www.the-yoga-room.com

225

WORKOUT FACTORY 5-25 47th Ave. LIC

79

PILATESWORKS 10-91A Jackson Ave., LIC

REAL ESTATE

88

STUDIO SQ. BEER GARDEN (C,3) 718-383-1001 35-33 36th St., Astoria www.studiosquarenyc.com

89

SWEET AFTON (C,2) 718-777-2570 30-09 34th St., Astoria www.sweetaftonbar.com

217 105 30

AMORELLI REALTY 718-204-2828 3601 30th Ave., Astoria www.amorellirealty.com BEAUDOIN REALTY GROUP (A,4) 718-505-9220 78-27 37th Ave. #5, Jackson Heights www.beaudoinrealtor.com DOUGLAS ELLIMAN (A,4) 917-386-6164 47-37 Vernon Blvd. www.elliman.com

101 140 136 141 103

MODERN SPACES 718-784-1110 10-63 Jackson Ave., LIC (A,4) 47-42 Vernon Blvd., LIC (A,4) 29-20 23rd Ave., Astoria (A,4) www.modernspacesnyc.com

214

THE BEAST NEXT DOOR CAFÉ & BAR 718-482-7507 42-51 27th Ave., LIC www.thebeastnextdoorcafebar.com

100

ASTORIA FINE ARTS DANCE (C,1) 718-247-0740 38-01 23rd Ave., Astoria www.asfa-dancestudio.com

246

128

ASTORIA PERFORMING ARTS CENTER @THE GOOD SHEPHERD UNITED METHODIST CHURCH (C,2) 718-706-5750 30-44 Crescent St. (@30th Road), Astoria www.apacny.org

LIC Dental Associates 718-530-6539 50-02 5th St., LIC www.licdentalassociates.com

135

KAUFMAN ASTORIA STUDIOS (C,2) 718-706-5300 34-12 36th St., Astoria www.kaufmanastoria.com

MOUNT SINAI QUEENS (B,2) 24 Emergency Care Primary Care & Specialty Physician 718-932-1000 25-10 30th Ave., LIC

221

ART

92 113 127 199

LAGUARDIA PERFORMING ARTS CENTER (C,3) 718-482-5151 31-10 Thomson Ave., LIC www.laguardiaperformingarts.org LIC SCHOOL OF BALLET (B,3) 718-781-1169 44-02 23rd St., Studio 216, LIC www.licsb.com MOMA PS 1 718-784-2084 22-25 Jackson Ave., Long Island City www.momaps1.org

WELLS FARGO HOME MORTGAGE (C,2) 718-310-4303 3501 30th Ave., Astoria www.wfhm.com

HEALTH & WELLNESS

STEINWAY FAMILY DENTAL CENTER 718-728-3314 32-50 Steinway St.,Astoria www.alldentalneeds.com

BANKING

104

QUONTIC BANK (B,2) 718-215-4000 31-05 Broadway, Astoria www.quonticbank.com

102

SUSSEX BANK (B,1) 347-472-1727 28-21 Astoria Blvd., Astoria www.sussexbank.com

MARCH 2018 I BOROMAG.COM

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A R T S + E N T E R TA I N M E N T

MUSIC TO OUR EARS

BY MARIE GRILLO

Spring is so close we can taste it. To brush off the winter doldrums, I suggest seeing live music that we can experience right in our neighborhood. If you haven't noticed already, the local music on the western Queens circuit is seriously impressive.

As I meet more bands and go to more open mics, I continually unearth more talented, ambitious musicians that help shape the Astoria music scene. Here are a few to check out this month.

Jeanne Marie Boes

JEANNEBOES.COM FACEBOOK: JEANNEMARIEBOES TWITTER/INSTAGRAM: @JEANNEMARIEBOES YOUTUBE: JEANNEBOES

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Photo credit: D. Dimola

A songstress stylish enough to be a French film star, Jeanne Marie Boes is, like myself, actually an Astoria native. Her mix of rock and blues-laden tunes are heavily influenced by male powerhouses like Billy Joel and Frank Sinatra.

Like her influences, she is a soulful crooner.

Boes’ vocal style is strong and alluring like Fiona Apple or Lana Del Ray. Describing what inspires her music, Boes explained, “I’ve always been inspired by love – both the thrilling and heartbreaking points of view." As an audience member, you definitely feel the love.

Boes said that she’s thankful for the music community in her hometown of Astoria: "I’ve met some of the most talented songwriters and musicians I could ever imagine meeting – and I’m so grateful."

The effervescent Jeanne Marie Boes often shows up at local venues like The Irish Whiskey Bar, LIC Bar, The Quays, Joe's Garage and more.

"My most primary goal is to release as much brand-new material and content as I can – both audio and visual. But I also hope to perform all over New York City and beyond through the remainder of this year," Boes said. Her goals may sound ambitious to some, but we at BORO believe she will achieve them.

Jeanne Marie Boes has an upcoming show on March 10 at 9 p.m. at Espresso 77 in Jackson Heights.

Check her website for the latest updates.

Paul Maged Paul Maged is a modern confluence of ‘90s grunge riffs like Pearl Jam and Soundgarden, metal vocal stylings reminiscent of Iron Maiden and Rush with a pop/rock infusion like Greenday and The Killers.

There is a creative clarity to his anthemic sound.

"I have a rock band mentality inside of a singer-songwriter,” Maged said. “At my core, I would describe my sound as alternative rock with pop, singer-songwriter and R&B styles mixed in.”

Maged thoughtfully compares the different music scenes that inhabit our city, and guess which scene wins?

Photo credit: Sean Gill

“The Astoria music scene is more welcoming in my experience and more raw and honest, which I dig,” he said. “You'll see everything from experimental, singer-songwriter to full-blown rock, punk and hardcore. I rehearse a lot at Astoria Soundworks and like checking out the local scene when I'm not gigging.”

Maged has a provocative sound, and the subject matter of each song stands out.

“I have been called a ‘socially conscious rocker’ because I'll write about issues like climate change, gun control, political correctness and just how our overall society is evolving, both good and bad. I also write about my personal experiences, relationships, loss, love and everyday emotions that we can all identify with,” Maged said.

Spring is coming, and that means new musical endeavors for Maged.

“My second EP in this trilogy is going to be released, which I'm very excited about.

It's called ‘The Glass River’ and the official release date is March 28. It will be available on iTunes, Spotify, Amazon and all those places. And I'm excited because the last EP (‘Light Years Away’) was written up in the Huffington Post and a couple other big online sites, so I'm hoping that coverage continues with this one.”

PAULMAGED.COM FACEBOOK: PAULMAGEDMUSIC TWITTER: @THEMAGEDMAN INSTAGRAM: @PAULMAGEDMUSIC YOUTUBE: PAULMAGEDMUSIC MARCH 2018 I BOROMAG.COM

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Photo credit: Elise Levitt

A R T S + E N T E R TA I N M E N T

The Repressions

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Describing their melding of spiritual, political, punk and harmony is no easy task. Not even for Dragon who has settled on “art therapy/funk/rock/vaudeville” to describe their style – “Although we hear the words ‘punk’ and ‘folk’ quite often as well,” she added.

Nate Lay helps to describe the evolution of The Repressions’ musical style.

“Since I have joined the band, our collaborations have become more harmonically centered, with

MARCH 2018

Original artwork by Nate Lay

The Repressions’ fusion of chemistry and consciousness creates a hybrid of an ethereally aggressive, folk/ rock sound. Barbara Dragon (lyrics, vocals, guitar, graphic art) and Ben Absurdo (lead guitarist) have a friendship dating back decades. However, it wasn’t until they’d both arrived in Astoria (Absurdo in 2003, and Dragon in 2010) that they began their musical marriage. Rounded out by third member, Nate Lay (guitarist, vocals, graphic art), The Repressions’ music is a great deal more than the sum of its parts.

emphasis on tonal shifts and deepening of themes already present in the songs Barbara and Ben composed,” Lay said.

Their love affair with the Astoria music scene continues, as it began, Absurdo explained: “We were greeted with kindness, affinity and support at best, and fascination at worst. Eventually, we realized the true participants in the Astoria music scene were weirdos just like us. And now we ain't so scared o' yas."

Check out The Repressions at SingleCut (19-33 37th St., Astoria) on March 30. Their soulful approach to making lovely music will definitely leave an impression.

Original artwork by Nate Lay

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A R T S + E N T E R TA I N M E N T

The LeftOvers

Photos: RJT Photography/Instagram @theleftoversmusic

If you are looking for energetic, rabblerousing musical inspiration as a backdrop to moments where anything can happen, like falling in love or getting into a bar fight, look no further than The LeftOvers.

Melodically pleasing yet fervent, The LeftOvers bring a freshness and vitality to the western Queens music scene that take hold of their audience and doesn’t let go. The LeftOvers is made up of Josh Honigman on guitar and vocals, Keith Jabinsky on rhythm guitar, Steve Roscigno on drums and Nick Kottis on bass.

Honigman is the captain and the songwriting heart of the band, bringing the almost fully formed songs to the rest of the members, who then puts the final seasoning on them. Jabinsky brings the catchy hooks; Roscigno brings the noise and a splash of punk to the mix; and Kottis holds down the back beat or “the spine of the whole operation,” Roscigno explained.

Their musical collaboration has lasted for an impressive 15 years.

“We were just 12-year-old punks who wanted to play as loud and fast as possible,” Roscigno remembered.

“Although now we prefer a more folk garage rock sound, it’s safe to say that there is still a underlying shade of the punk that got us started.”

And the band has an affinity for the local music scene.

"I think the most attractive part about the Astoria music scene is that there is no one scene for one sound. It is sort of a musical tapestry each show we go to,” Roscigno said.

Not only will you love the musical stew that is The LeftOvers, they will leave you wanting seconds. You can catch them on May 16 at The Shillelagh Tavern (47-22 30th Ave., LIC).

36

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FOOD + DRINK

the Bar Raising the Bar Basil Brick Oven Pizza debuts new wine bar

BY LISA YAKOMIN

A local pizzeria restaurant is probably the last place you'd expect to find an upscale wine bar, but for Ugo Mattei, coowner of Basil Brick Oven Pizza on Astoria Boulevard, the new addition made perfect sense.

A

native of Campania, Italy, Mattei has been managing restaurants in New York City for over 20 years, and longed to bring the food and flavors of his childhood to the neighborhood he now calls home.

“I love living in Astoria,” Mattei said.

“It's a multicultural neighborhood, with great people who are looking for traditional Mediterranean cuisine, but also want to eat healthy.

There are plenty of restaurants here, but I felt that we needed something that was truly authentic, with great atmosphere, a big selection of wines, and also affordable.”

Established in 2011, Basil Brick Oven Pizza was already a local favorite when Mattei took over in 2016, with a diverse list of 37 specialty pizzas and a traditional menu of hearty Italian fare. What was once a 15-seat pizzeria had grown to a 50-seat dine-in restaurant, but Mattei saw even more potential there. As a first step to realizing his vision, Mattei set to work expanding and elevating the menu.

He brought in chef Fabio DeSantis, adding lighter seafood dishes and Southern Italianinspired entrees with nuanced flavors, accompanied by freshly prepared sauces.

“All of our sauces are made here,” Mattei said. “It takes three hours every morning, and nothing is done commercially; we like to say that we make it the way Grandma would do it.”

It is also their dedication to using imported ingredients that sets the restaurant apart, Mattei said.

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“We have everything flown in from Italy twice a week — fresh cheese, herbs, tomatoes — that's what makes the difference.”

The desserts at Basil are also made inhouse each day, created by expert pastry chef Antonio Diaz. Popular choices include tiramisu, panna cotta and ricotta cheesecake.

After securing a liquor license in late December 2017, Mattei was finally able to combine his lifelong passion for great food with his expertise as a certified sommelier, replacing the restaurant’s gelato area with a fully stocked wine bar with cozy, informal seating.

“We needed something like this in Astoria,” Mattei said, “something in the style of New York City, where wine lovers can come and enjoy a nice glass of wine at an affordable price.”

Since then, Mattei has personally selected more than 120 different vintages stored in Basil's ever-growing wine cellar, where the inventory is already at over 5,000 bottles, procured from wineries all over the world.

One of the most popular wines at Basil is the Aglianico, a deep, complex red made from black grapes that are indigenous to Mattei’s native Campania, where his family still owns land, and his father and grandfather continue the tradition of making their own wine.

The wine list at Basil changes on a weekly basis, ensuring a steady flow of regular customers eager to try the latest arrivals.

“Every week, we have new wines coming in,” Mattei said. “We taste, sample and shop around for the best quality wines we can find, and then we get them at the best price, so that it stays affordable for our customers."

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Prices range from just $10 to $12 per glass, or $30 a bottle. There are also some higherend choices for those seeking to indulge with a nice Barolo, super Tuscan or Meritage. Of course, there are also plenty of wines suitable to accompany the restaurant’s signature menu item: hand-tossed, Neopolitan-style brick-oven pizza, which Mattei recommends pairing with a dry, red Malbec. (This explains the extensive selection of a dozen Malbecs on the wine list.)

Although some menu items remain consistent throughout the year, Basil is also known for switching things up with a variety of seasonal selections. Their spring 2018 menu will feature grilled octopus, homemade squid ink pasta, grilled fresh fish selections served over arugula and chef DeSantis’ much-anticipated

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roasted lamb, a favorite during the Easter holiday season.

“We season the lamb with white wine and fresh rosemary,” Mattei said, "and we let it sit to infuse the meat with flavor. Then we roast it in the brick oven so that it’s crispier outside, but still juicy and delicate inside.”

Another exciting dining option set to return this spring: starting in March, Basil will resume its Passport to Italy Tasting Dinners. The restaurant will host a series of customized dinners featuring a four-course tasting menu (appetizer, pasta course, entrée and dessert), highlighting the cuisine from a different region of Italy each month, and each course paired with a different wine or spirit that perfectly complements the dish. First-time attendees receive a realistic-looking “passport,” and earn stamps

Photos courtesy of Basil Brick Oven Pizza

restaurant, reminiscent of the open-air cafés so popular and pervasive in Europe.

“What we strive for with everything — the food, the wine, the atmosphere — is authenticity,” Mattei said, and the new patio will be no exception. “It will feel like being back in Italy, right here in Astoria.”

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Photos via Instagram/@basilbrickoven

from the various regions each time they attending a tasting. After collecting six passport stamps, diners are rewarded with a magnum of Italian wine. Tasting menus last year included dishes from Tuscany, Campania, Venice and Sicily, with guest chefs from each region spotlighting their signature favorites. Seating for the Passport to Italy tasting dinners is limited to 40 people, and reservations must be made in advance. Cost is typically $50 to $65 per person, all inclusive.

Now that his vision of offering freshly prepared Italian cuisine, paired with high-quality, reasonably priced wines in a comfortable, relaxed setting has been realized, Mattei has even more expansion plans in store: in April 2017, he will open a gourmet food shop next door to Basil, stocked with hard-to-find, high-quality products imported weekly from Italy. Antichi Sapori (which translates to “Old World Flavors”) will be a traditional salumeriastyle shop featuring over 30 different Italian cheeses, 20 varieties of handmade, imported pastas (including organic and gluten-free options), as well as freshly prepared foods and sauces.

There’s also a long-awaited project that Mattei plans to debut by next summer: a patio with outdoor seating in the back of the

MARCH 2018 I BOROMAG.COM

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INTERIOR DESIGN

SOMETHING OLD,

Something New 44

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Photo: Estelle Pyper/BORO

BY ESTELLE PYPER @ESTIE_PYPER @ESTIEPYPER

A

J Riccio and Joaquim Rabinovitch were married in Astoria last September (you may recognize them from their stunning wedding photo the on the cover of our February issue) and have lived together in their apartment on 45th Street for five years and counting. Over the years, they’ve decorated the old apartment with vintage thrift pieces and original art.

Rabinovitch, who works for the Department of Transportation, was born in Paris but has lived in Queens most of his life. He convinced Connecticut native and former Brooklynite Riccio to join him.

“She totally didn’t like it at first,” Rabinovitch said.

“I didn’t!” Riccio agreed. “I was like ugh, I have to go to Queens. Then I explored and I was like, this place is really great. It’s amazing and it’s such a tight-knit community that I just instantly changed my mind.”

As an artist, Riccio cherishes the creative environment in Astoria, and it shows in her design taste. “In Brooklyn you kind of have to prove yourself, like, ‘OK, why do you think

you could be an artist here?’ But here it’s like, ‘Oh you’re an artist? That’s cool. Let’s do something together!’” Riccio said. And she’s taken advantage of the collaborative community in the past — like designing business cards for Queens Comfort (commissioned by owner Donnie D’Alessio).

But the couple’s artistic involvement in the community doesn’t stop there. Their local wedding in itself was a work of art.

“In a nutshell, it was an art gallery wedding,” Riccio said. “We gathered all of our artist family members’ paintings and we hung them in a venue in Ditmars [T Studio].”

Since they were paying for the wedding themselves, the couple had to get creative

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with the décor, food and drinks. They commissioned about 50 pieces of artwork from family and friends; Rabinovitch’s mother provided the food; and Riccio designed coasters of the couple’s faces as well as original wine labels that they stuck to Trader Joe’s bottles. The next day, they opened up the space to the public as a free “art gallery.”

“We didn’t want to do anything traditional,” Rabinovitch said. “We wanted to do something different and very ‘us,’ so we put a lot of effort into personalizing it. It was one of the hardest projects we’ve ever done,

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and to see it happen was just incredible.”

Many of the original pieces and knickknacks from the wedding now decorate their apartment. They complement the antique pieces of furniture throughout the space — an elegant mix of old and new.

The living room transports you back to the Victorian era with an ornate, cranberrycolored rug in the center. On top rests a vintage wooden coffee table that the couple scored from Craigslist.

“We’re super into going to antique stores, thrifting, all that stuff,” Rabinovitch said.

“Everything you see here is basically from Craigslist or the street,” Riccio added.

“This couch has been here since Day One. I found it on Craigslist.”

The L-shaped couch is the one thing that brings you back to the present, but it contains the space nicely. Against the wall sit two chairs with padded seats and arm rests, found at a church estate sale in Connecticut. A fold-down table behind the couch was abandoned on the street, and the vintage telephone on top of it is from a thrift store, as is the old-timey radio nearby.

The walls above the chairs are covered in a collage of framed pictures: postcards and old maps of their travels, a vintage map of Astoria, artwork from the wedding, and various other prints — including a bust of Sherlock Holmes and a top-hat-wearing sloth.

But the most expensive piece of artwork is hidden in plain sight. Above their makeshift bar area across the room hangs an original Salvador Dali print of a horse surrounded by colorful butterflies.

“When I was born my mother gave me this,” Rabinovitch said. “I’m never getting rid of

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INTERIOR DESIGN

this. Personally, I don’t think it’s particularly that beautiful, but it’s been in my family for years. It’s my first birthday present. But she does like it.”

“I do,” Riccio said. “It’s butterflies; it’s horses; it’s just great.”

Nearby, the TV sits on a stand that Riccio built. Instead of dropping hundreds of dollars on a custom piece, Riccio knew she could do it herself. The console is thin and long with stained wood, and the shelves are connected with adjustable metal rods.

Riccio also constructed a tall wooden rack in the kitchen to house their cooking appliances, as well as a long worktable in their bedroom for her art.

Arguably the most impressive part about their whole apartment is that everything is hung using command hooks.

“Like college,” Riccio said.

Most of the walls are made of plaster.

“That was the only drawback to this apartment,” Rabinovitch said. “It was specifically stated in the lease: you cannot put any holes in the wall.”

But you would never know. They’ve gracefully made due, hanging heavier pieces with

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Photos courtesy of AJ Riccio

Velcro command strips, and using the apartment’s picture molding for hooks and string to hold frames.

“So it’s not just aesthetically we wanted to do that,” Rabinovitch explained. “We had to; there was no choice.”

Even the pop of gold molding on the wall surrounding the pictures in the living room is an illusion: it’s gold tape, since they aren’t allowed to paint, either.

They also had to get creative with no closet space in their bedroom. They put an exposed rack of clothes next to the bed, framed on either side by tall bookshelves used for pants, shirts, sweaters, perfume and other items.

“We have two closets in the whole apartment. Two,” Riccio said. “So we have no place to put anything. We really want to use our vertical space.”

With countless limitations, they’ve made it work. Looking ahead, they’re hoping to redo the kitchen and replace some furniture, but one thing’s for certain: they’re not leaving Astoria anytime soon.

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SAY YES

to Improv

By DANIELLE BRODY

50

MARCH 2018

Normally, yelling, “I want to eat that baby!” wouldn’t go over well, but in Astoria Women’s Improv class, Jen Jurek encourages participants to say anything and go with it.

“Y

ou have to say yes; you can’t say no,” Jurek said.

On a Tuesday night, Jurek enthusiastically watched as the several women in her class played “Emotional Uber,” acting out a carshare gone wrong, and “Machine,” stepping up one by one to become part of a human espresso-maker, complete with sounds and movement.

“We get to be silly and say whatever is on our minds,” said Rasna Defeis, who lives in Astoria and is taking Jurek’s class for the second time.

“It lets you unleash.”

That’s one of the reasons Jurek wanted to bring improv to women in her neighborhood, to help them bond with each other, “show the funny” in a safe space and escape the mundane — jobs, kids, relationships.

Jurek, who had a career in musical theater and directing, has always incorporated improv into her work, whether in a warmup with fellow actors backstage or coaching adults for auditions, to pull out the “weirdness” and “humanity” in their performances.

Once she had her first child two and a half years ago, Jurek left her job at the time as the assistant to a cantor at a synagogue, and was getting to know more moms.

She started Hallet’s Cove Theater to pursue performance of all forms, and “spread the love” in her own way.

Her first local productions were full-scale, interactive puppet shows in local stores and children’s spaces like Raising Astoria and Okabaloo. She provides the set and her handsewn “trash puppets” with original storylines and accompanying music.

“My rule was, I had to be fired,” she said.

“They had to fire me; that’s the only way I’d stop."

The opposite happened: She gained a following, attracting full houses to her shows.

Her characters continued to develop and become more “bizarre,” she said.

Eventually, Jurek thought the moms she was connecting with might be interested in creative performance themselves.

“I’m home, I’m meeting members of my community [and thought], ‘I wonder if people around here want access to improv,’” she remembers thinking.

While there are plenty of great places to do improv in Manhattan, Jurek said not only can it be expensive, but it can also feel intimidating.

She offered her first all-female improv class last fall — 1.5-hour sessions once a week, wine included. The class concluded with a 45-minute performance for an

audience at the Astoria comedy space Q.E.D., where the women acted out some of the games they had practiced in class.

The second class, which includes the seven original participants in addition to new people, started in early February.

“This is special. I just wanted to make it a a safe place for women to lead and be led,” Jurek said of her improv class.

Defeis said she was intrigued when she saw information on an Astoria moms Facebook page, and hadn’t often seen the opportunity to try improv in her own neighborhood.

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Photos by Danielle Brody

She thought it would be a good creative outlet to change up her everyday routine. She said she also enjoyed meeting a group of new women in the neighborhood.

Jurek’s choice to offer the class to only women was intentional.

“It’s my form of political activism. Here we are, women, marching in the streets,” Jurek said. “How do we bring everyone together in a way that’s positive and powerful? Humor is power. You can command a room if you say the funny thing."

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Jurek said while she is open to including men one day, restricting the class to only women allows the participants a sense of freedom that might be compromised if a man were there.

“You throw a man in the mix, suddenly the dynamic changes,” she said. “It’s just nature.

What would happen if it was just us?”

María Militano said she joined the class as form of self-care to release the stress of her job as a social worker in the Bronx, and “belly laugh” one night a week. She said she enjoys Jurek's enthusiasm that pushes the group to work together and be in the moment.

“I like being part of a group of badass woman,” Militano said.

Jurek's role in class is a catalyst for “play” and creativity. She teaches new games and encourages participants to get out of their comfort zone and be bold, to say something and run with it. She makes sure people follow her basic rules: kindness, making their partner look good and supporting each other.

One of the warm-up games is “Got your back.” The women walk around and repeat the phrase and give each other

an imaginary gift that has been hiding behind their backs. She also adapted the traditional improv phrase in her class from, “Yes, and,” to “Oh, I love that and.”

“You can’t say that without some kind of emotion attached to it,” Jurek said.

Defeis said Jurek has a kind, gentle way of giving criticism and communicating the lessons in classes. She said her positivity is refreshing.

“She’s very high-energy,” Defeis said.

“I think she’s intentionally like that to raise the overall creativity and emotion.

She promotes silliness, fun and laughter and is accepting, no matter what the outcomes.”

The experience can build camaraderie, make people feel trusted, and build new connections in the brain by saying things that would normally not make sense, Jurek said. The enjoyment people get out of the experience can be transformational, she added.

“When you delight or surprise yourself, you’ve just changed,” Jurek said. “That’s powerful.”

Photos by Danielle Brody

When asked who else could benefit from improv, Jurek touched on nearly every industry: accounting, human resources, therapists and more.

“If you’re a banker, get in an improv class immediately. Everyone who’s a frustrated actor working around creative individuals should get into an improv class,” she said. “Introverts, writers, poets: improv is for you. Everyone with a job that’s not improv should do improv.”

In her own community, Jurek wants to expand offering improv to other neighborhoods like Sunnyside and Long Island City and to businesspeople for teambuilding.

“I want to reach people who are already talking in groups,” Jurek said. “[Improv] levels the playing field. You all act ridiculous; let’s do it together.”

She produced Hallet’s Cove Theater’s first full-length production, “A Feminine Ending” by Sarah Treem, with a first-time female director, which showed in Astoria First Presbyterian

Church in late February, and is teaching a three-hour improv workshop in Sugar Loaf at the Seligmann Center in the Hudson Valley this spring.

Jurek said she wants to continue to bring theater of all kinds and fun into the lives of as many people as possible and make it accessible, showing them they can do it, too.

“People want to do it,” Jurek said. “I want to pull people in. [It’s] the ‘Yes, and’ movement.”

For more information about Hallet’s Cove Theater, visit jenjurek.com. The next Astoria Women’s Improv performance is April 3 at 7:30 p.m. at the Q.E.D. Jurek is also performing puppet shows at Raising Astoria and Okabaloo on March 18 and March 25, respectively.

Photos courtesy of Jen Jurek

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