MAY BORO 2012

VOL 2:06 MAY 2012

ASTORIA // LIC // SUNNYSIDE

CREATE // CULTIVATE // INSPIRE

FOOD Edible Inspiration pg. 7

Theater Shakespeare Breathes Life Into Dead Building Pg. 15

LIC ARTS OPEN Festival enters its second year pg. 27

COMMUNITY 4 Great Volunteer Opportunities pg. 35

at in the A b s e Su tor st s nn ia, po ys LI ts id C e ,

INSPIRATION issue

from the editor Dear Western Queens,

This month’s theme – INSPIRATION! We live in an endlessly inspiring city. It didn’t take long for the BORO team to find their stories for this issue. Western Queens is filled with inspiring characters and initiatives.

A common thread throughout is that each story strives to positively influence the reader and ultimately the world. This goal is at the core of BORO’s mission. I hope we accomplished that through this issue. Let the read be your spring-board into a positive day.

JULIAN LESSER editor-in-chief

What inspires you? Email your story to info@BOROmag.com and we’ll post it on the BORO website.

FEATURES

5 CITY HARVEST

Pics from our BORO Party on April 11th at BREAK!

7 FOOD

DEPARTMENTS 18 MAP IT DIRECTORY

Your Go-to Guide For Astoria and LIC’s best shops, food, art, nightlife and More.

Edible Inspiration

19 MAP IT: ASTORIA & LIC MAP

13 GREEN

23 MAY 2012 EVENTS

New Beginnings: Clean Bodies, Clean Markets

15 ROMEO + JULIET

Shakespeare Breathes Life into Dead Building

40 DISCOUNTS & PROMO PAGE

Exclusive savings, discounts and freebies for the month of May in Astoria, LIC and Sunnyside.

27 LIC ARTS OPEN

Arts Festival celebrates its second year.

31 The Path to Self-Reliance

How Queens Entrepreneurs Became Their Own Bosses

35 4 GREAT VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES

Local Community Organizations That Could Use Your Help

37 HAPPY MOTHER’S DAY, MOM!

The BORO team shares how their mothers have inspired them.

/ BOROmag

@BOROmag

COVER: Photo by Bradley Hawks

advertise in boro ads@BOROmag.com // 914.426.2939 www.BOROmag.com/advertise BORO HOURS: Mon-Fri 10AM-5PM

editor-in-chief and publisher julian lesser creative director philippe trinh // editor john lee // copy editor norm elrod art directors paul connolly, alt // graphic designerS alberto michieli, emma cason-pratt, sydney auerbach staff writers bradley hawks, ben mims, daniel crown, lillian shaw, rebecca mcnamara, matthew taylor, brett jones // staff photographers javier ibañez, daniel pando, jesse winter // sales and marketing nadine auerbach // webmaster janmichael guzman distribution manager sadee brathwaite online editorial coordinator matthew taylor // created by JKL Projects Inc *This magazine is made from FSC paper, printed with soy ink and 100% recyclable. Please recycle after use.

BORO Magazine published by JKL Projects. All materials Copyright © 2012 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.

4 | BOROMAG.COM | MAY 2012

BORO CITY HARVEST FUNDRAISER+party pics Thanks to everyone who came to the party! We raised $3500 for City Harvest!!!!

WE’RE STILL RASING MONEY! DONATE TO OUR SKIP LUNCH FIGHT HUNGER TEAM. Visit: www.skiplunch.org and click “Donate to a Team” and then enter “Julian Lesser” to find the BORO Team! REMEMBER, $10 helps feed 37 Kids. Every penny counts. Donate till June 8th.

Thank you to everyone who joined the party! Thank you to our venue sponsor: Break Bar and Billiards. Thank you to our food sponsors: Skinny’s, Manducatis Rustica, Burger Club and Alewife. Thank you to our raffle sponsors: Alewife, Astor Room, Astoria Fine Arts Dance, Astoria Market, Brooklyn Bagel and Coffee Company, Brown’s Army+Navy, Design For You, Inside Astoria, Laughing Devil Comedy Club, Leng Thai, Manducatis Rustica, MexiQ, Penthouse808, PNT Fitness, RCN, Skinny’s, Tantra Lounge, Wells Fargo and The Z Hotel.

6 | BOROMAG.COM | MAY 2012

FOOD

Edible

Inspiration For May, BORO visits four very different (but exceptionally delicious) restaurants with menus drawn from four unique sources of inspiration: a childhood affinity for pork and local cooking, classic French technique, Greek cuisine with a contemporary flare, and a 70-year-old family tradition with roots in Bangkok.

Story + Photos Bradley Hawks Maple Bacon Popcorn at Alobar

Chef Ian Kapitan of Alobar

Pork Tenderloin at Alobar

Alobar Deep below the rustic dining room of reclaimed wood and stained glass windows, in a pristine subterranean cavern, hog jowl dangles in front of a massive industrial fan maturing into guanciale. Pork is the headliner at Alobar; it even adorns the truffled maple popcorn served as a bar snack. But the walk-in refrigerators are neatly stacked with fresh produce, glistening bundles of arugula and magentaskinned onions.

Wild Mushroom Toast at Alobar

Seeing “Amish Pig Tails” on the menu at Alobar, one might expect a wax paper French fry bag with crispy curly-Q spirals. Pig tails, which look absolutely nothing like curly fries, actually resemble sticky glazed ribs. Chef Ian Kapitan grew up in a predominantly Mennonite area near Toronto, and his Alobar recipe is actually a variation from an old 1970s Mennonite cookbook his family used.

The goal at Alobar is to introduce three-to-four-star caliber cuisine in a restaurant where customers feel welcome dining three to four times a week. Having previously worked in high-volume “food factories,” Chef Ian is now enjoying “dialing in all of [his] past elements… pounding people with big flavors.” While he hopes to eventually introduce some molecular gastronomy, “right now, we’re learning not only about the food, but about the space, how the humidity downstairs impacts our processes, the water…

It’ll take a whole calendar year to really learn all of those elements.”

8 | BOROMAG.COM | MAY 2012

The focus is also on “everything from the greeting to the farewell,” explains owner Jeff Blath, believing the comprehensive dining experience in the area is often subpar to that in Manhattan. “We are trying to balance the food with the décor and service, bringing all of those facets together.”

ALOBAR | 46-42 Vernon Blvd, LIC | 718-752-6000 www.alobarnyc.com

L’Artiste Though classic French training seems to be a hallmark of several chef bios, Astoria and Long Island City are home to less than a handful of actual French restaurants. What Western Queens may lack in sheer quantity, however, L’Artiste more than compensates for in quality.

Butternut squash with a drizzle of truffle oil, creme fraiche, and fennel frond.

Chicken Roulade, chicken stuffed with mushrooms, wrapped in Swiss chard atop pureed butternut squash.

Seared duck breast with butternut squash puree and baby spring vegetables with beurre noisette sauce.

Dining room in L’Artiste

Simple black and white-striped banquettes line the periphery of the sundrenched dining room. The space is accented with vintage tchotchkes and memorabilia — an old film projector, a Singer sewing machine—collectively evoking a sense of nostalgia.

“I hope you came hungry,” smiles Youssef Echaybi, the charming owner, to each and every patron. He greets each guest moments before an amuse-bouche arrives at the table, to whet the anticipating diner’s palate.

Executive Chef Louis Santos (born in El Salvador, and trained at the French Culinary Institute) prepares dishes derived from classics. But they are anything but antiquated.

Escargots, though typically not visually appealing, are gorgeously presented in a creamy truffle-kissed garlic broth, shimmering with the bright reds, greens and oranges of a spring vegetable medley. The roulade – chicken stuffed with woodland mushrooms and gift-wrapped in shiny jade leaves of Swiss chard atop a pedestal of pureed butternut squash – reaches new heights of flavor.

Each meticulously constructed plate is as delectable in sight as it is in taste.

Trout, lavishly stuffed with a salmon and scallop mousseline, is brightened by violet fingerlings and market cauliflower the color of a sunset. At a surprisingly accessible price point, L’Artiste serves up edible art even the most unseasoned Francophile is certain to enjoy.

L’ARTISTE | 42-20 31st Ave, Astoria 646-309-7504 www.lartisterestaurant.com MAY 2012 | BOROMAG.COM | 9

FOOD

Thymari The menu at Thymari is peppered with the standard glossary of Greek cuisine: dolmades, feta, saganaki, kalamari, spanakopita, and Kalamata. But the Chef carefully applies subtle nuances to the seemingly familiar recipes, rendering them quite atypical of the usual Astoria Greek taverna.

The shrimp saganaki, a prime example, appears in a clay dish, lavishly arranged with jumbo prawns in a robust sauce from vine-ripened tomatoes, with sequins of scallion and snowdrops of feta. These are the familiar flavors upon first bite, though they gradually fade, revealing a whisper of something faintly reminiscent of anise.

The secret ingredient — masticha — is an oil drawn from raisin-like berries found in Northern Greece.

Classic “dakos” Greek bread salad, a base of ouzo-soaked barley rusks, layered with tomato compote, crumbled feta, capers, kalamata olives, fresh thyme, and extra virgin olive oil

Mussels in butter wine sauce with garlic and Greek saffron

An entirely different saganaki, this time with cheese, involves a delicate Arachova feta encrusted with sesame seeds. It is pan-fried, then ribboned with a sash of wild berry compote, a culinary divination straight from Olympus.

“I love serving and entertaining, making people feel at home,” explains owner Konstantinos Batalamas, who also designed the restaurant. A sunny openfront café and bar fades into an expansive, dramatically lit dining room, which also doubles as a Greek photography gallery.

“We are offering our own interpretation, not just trying to be any other taverna,” Batalamas adds.

In addition to freshly interpreted Greek favorites, a few flavorsome newcomers pop up, like a bouquet of mussels in a golden broth of Krokos (Greek saffron), or a Greek custard made from strained and whipped homemade yogurt draped with a luxurious walnut amaretto caramel.

Thymari also boasts the largest selection of Greek wines anywhere in the area, with over 50 bottles, as well as a playful mix of cocktails, including a baklava martini.

THYMARI | 32-07 34th Ave, Astoria 719-204-2880 | www.thymari.com

10 | BOROMAG.COM | MAY 2012

Thymari features a beautiful selection of over fifty wines, featuring several from award-winning Greek boutique vineyards

Bakaliaro: Cod, pan-seared and oven-baked, over aromatic fava puree with roasted red pepper sauce and micro greens

MAY 2012 | BOROMAG.COM | 11

FOOD

Kha Nom Jeeb: Steamed shumai with shrimp, chicken, and shitake mushrooms.

Brunch cocktails include Sake Mary, Pommosa, and Jasmine Tea.

Leng Thai Seekers of true Thai flavors can order from the “Season’s Special” section of the menu at Leng Thai. Everyone else, whether a first-timer or a veteran, can enjoy many other selections with heat adjusted to their liking. At Leng, the surprisingly eclectic menu features many expected favorites, interspersed with dishes considered more Korean in origin, like bulgogi or steamed pork buns.

Leng Thai is the loving project of Nong Worawutchainan and his partner, Kay Siricharoen. The restaurant is named in honor of her father, who ran his own restaurant in Bangkok beginning in the 1940s. No stranger to the New York restaurant scene, Worawutchainan served in the kitchens at Bangkok House and Kelley & Ping. Siricharoen was a longtime manager of Carnegie Deli. “We knew we wanted to live our life here [in Astoria],” explains Worawutchainan, “so we decided to open our restaurant here.”

Pad Thai Kai Haw: Cross-section of the shrimp Pad Thai noodle omelet

The narrow, richly colored dining room opens to an intimate back room, beyond which lies a lush, flowered bamboo garden patio, where diners can enjoy noodles and curries al fresco. The Asian-inspired lunch and dinner entrees are not the only recipes modified for the American palate. A recently introduced brunch menu rather creatively caters to the neighborhood’s busiest ‘tween meal. Dishes like a classic Pad Thai are made into a delicately thin omelet that envelopes the sweet peanut tossed noodles.

Brunch cocktails are equally inspired, with plum wines studded with lychee and fresh berries, Mimosas deepened by pomegranate, and a Bloody Mary spirited with sake.

LENG THAI | 33-09 Broadway, Astoria | 718-956-7117 www.lengthainewyork.com

Visit www.BOROmag.com/food for more stories about food in Western Queens.

12 | BOROMAG.COM | MAY 2012

MAY 2012 | BOROMAG.COM | 13

GREEN LIVING

New Beginnings Clean Bodies, Clean Markets Story Gianna Cerbone-Teoli

Socrates Sculpture Park Greenmarket

M

ost people start spring by cleaning out the closet, replanting the garden or putting bulbs in the windowsill. I want to talk about another new beginning, one that starts from within. Let’s start spring by cleaning out our bodies and making a conscious effort to consider what we put in them.

I come from a background of making pasta and gelato, but I don’t overindulge. I believe in moderation. For example, I once had a customer who was on a diet. She was suffering and didn’t know what to eat. My advice to her was to “eat a simple piece of grilled fish with some steamed vegetables and enjoy. If you eat clean and healthy you won’t have to count the calories.”

It is imperative that we consume fruit and vegetables. Try adding one to each meal; you’ll notice a difference in your overall mood and health. And be sure not to overcook them, either; the less cooked they are, the more nutrients you’ll get. Using supplements is okay but I can’t emphasize enough the importance of obtaining your nutrients through natural foods.

Here are a few suggestions to get your spring eating on track: Buy food at Greenmarkets!!! Eat locally.

Think fresh when you’re at the market/store. Don’t overbuy. Purchase only what you need for one to three days.

Stop at a fruit stand for your snack instead of a convenience store for a Powerbar or a bag of chips.

Eat more fish and legumes Drink water instead of coffee.

When you take care of your body, you’ll find that your mind and spirit follow. Your new beginning starts with change. We are fortunate to live in a city with endless choices and opportunities. Consider your opportunity to make choices a blessing. Find more greenmarkets online at www.grownyc.org/ourmarkets.

Peace, beets, kale, mangos and sunshine.

Mamma Gianna

LOCAL Queens GREENMARKETS Socrates Sculpture Park Greenmarket Vernon Blvd & Broadway.

Open Saturdays 8AM-4PM 6/23-11/17 14 | BOROMAG.COM | MAY 2012

Astoria Greenmarket 14th Street between 31st Ave and 31st Road. Open Wednesdays 8AM-3PM 7/11-11/14

Sunnyside Greenmarket Skillman Ave between 42nd & 43rd St. Open Saturdays 8AM-3PM 6/2-12/22

Jackson Heights Greenmarket 34th Ave @ 77th St. Open Sundays 8AM-3PM Year-Round

MAY 2012 | BOROMAG.COM | 15

theater

Shakespeare

Breathes Life into Dead Building

Director Tim Eliot and the Empire Rouge Theater Group prepare for their epic performance of Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet.

Story Daniel Crown

A

t first glance, the abandoned garage at 26-15 Jackson Avenue in Long Island City appears fit for a clandestine rave. The floors are made of concrete, the walls are covered in graffiti, and the entranceway is dominated by a rusty roll-up door. As Tim Eliot, artistic director for the theater group Empirical Rogue, describes the garage: “It’s the sort of place that makes you go, ‘Wait. What am I doing here!’”

Starting May 19th, the answer to that question will come by way of theatrical intervention. Eliot and a crew of four actors – all alumni of Harvard University’s American Repertory Theater – will use the space to perform a site-specific take on William Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet.

Some hardcore fans may find the industrial aesthetic of downtown LIC a tad incongruous with the play’s classical spirit, but Eliot disagrees. He draws numerous parallels between the political climate of the play and the recent economic issues that forced entire blocks of this area to fall into disuse. “In Verona, unprecedented economic opportunity and competition fed insecurity and inspired a culture of tribalism and violence,” he says. “In LIC, large-scale real estate speculation was hobbled by a larger housing crash, creating a lot of dysfunctional space.”

16 | BOROMAG.COM | MAY 2012

Sponsored by chashama, a non-profit that helps local artists turn vacant buildings into temporary exhibition halls, Empirical Rogue intends to imbue the space with “positive function” for the first time since its glory days as Moe’s Taxi Garage.

While Eliot expresses immense excitement over the storytelling opportunities the garage presents him, he also understands that the arrangement is temporary. Just like that of a certain pair of star-crossed lovers, the dream marriage between old-world art and forsaken modern-day real estate is destined to meet reality – eventually.

“We all know that in a couple of years this space is going to be viable again,” Eliot says. “Eventually the block is going to be leveled, and another high-rise is going to go up. But in the meantime, we have this beautiful opportunity to bring the community in and create a new understanding both of this piece and of the times that we live in.”

Show Runs May 19th – June 17th, 2012 (4 weeks) (different performance times, but typically 8 p.m.) Audiences of up to 64 per night, for 18-24 total performances. www.empiricalrogue.org Tickets: $15.00 chashama | 26-15 Jackson Ave, LIC | empiricalrogue@gmail.com

MAY 2012 | BOROMAG.COM | 17

18 | BOROMAG.COM | MAY 2012

restaurants 2

Aliada (b,2) (718) 932-2240 29-19 Broadway, Astoria

6

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

3

Avenue Cafe (c,2) (718) 278-6967 35-27 30th Ave, Astoria www.avenuecafenyc.com

4

Bareburger (b,2) (718) 777-7011 33-21 31st Ave, Astoria www.bareburger.com

23

Bear (a,2) (917) 396-4939 12-14 31st Ave, Astoria www.bearnyc.com

5 7 26

Brick Cafe (B,2) (718) 267-2735 30-95 33rd St, Astoria www.brickcafe.com Bread Box Cafe (A,4) (718) 389-9700 4711 11th St, LIC www.breadboxcafelic.com Burger Club (b,2) (718) 777-7788 32-02 30th Ave, Astoria www.burger-club.com

8

Burger Garage (B,3) (718) 392-0424 25-36 Jackson Ave, LIC www.theburgergarage.com

35

Butcher Bar (c,2) (718) 606-8140 37-08 30th Ave, Astoria www.ButcherBar.com

9 10 17 11 12

Cavo (C,2) (718) 721-1001 42-18 31st Ave, Astoria www.cavoastoria.com Café via espresso (C,1) (718) 545-3290 2409 Steinway St, Astoria www.cafeviaespressoastoria.com Diner 24/7 @ Z Hotel (a,3) (212) 319-7000 11-01 43rd Ave, LIC www.zhotelny.com DiWine (C,2) (718) 777-1355 41-15 31st Ave, Astoria www.diwineonline.com El Ay Si (A,4) (718) 389-8781 47-38 Vernon Blvd, LIC www.elaysi.com

13

Fatty’s (B,1) (718) 267-7071 2501 Ditmars Blvd, Astoria www.fattyscafenyc.com

14

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

36

L’artiste (c,2) (646) 309-7504 42-20 31st Ave, Astoria www.lartisterestaurant.com

MAP IT DIRECTORY

53

leng thai (b,2) (718) 956-7117 33-09 Broadway, Astoria www.lengthainewyork.com

30

Veslo (b,2) 718-728-0549 32-11 Broadway, Astoria www.veslonyc.com

204-5031 48 (718) 2401 23rd Ave, Astoria

15

LIC Market (B,4) (718) 361-0013 21-52 44th Dr, LIC www.licmarket.com

31

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

728-4057 49 (718) 3306 31st Ave, Astoria

16

Linn (B,2) (718) 204-0060 2913 Broadway, Astoria www.linnrestaurant.com

29

626-6030 50 (718) 35-11 34th Ave, Astoria

86

Locale (b,2) (718) 729-9080 33-02 34th Ave, LIC www.localeastoria.com

william hallet (c,2) (718) 269-3443 36-10 30th Ave, Astoria www.williamhallet.com wWinegasm Bar and Eatery (c,2) (718) 932-3331 31-86 37th Rd, Astoria www.winegasmeatery.com

117

(b,2) 118 Lucas (718) 786-5200

34-55 32nd St, Astoria www.lucassteakhouse.com

32

18

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

19

MexiQ (c,2) (718) 626-0333 37-11 30th Ave, Astoria www.mexiqny.com

33

20

Ornella Trattoria Italiana (B,1) (718) 777-9477 29-17 23rd Ave, Astoria www.ornellatrattoria.com

34

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

21 22

Mundo (b,2) (718) 777-2829 31-18 Broadway, Astoria www.mundoastoria.com

bakeries

37-15 30th Ave, Astoria www.pitapanny.com

Brooklyn Bagel & Coffee Company (C,2) (718) 777-1121 36-14 30th Ave, Astoria www.bkbagel.com (C,1) 35-09 Ditmars Blvd, Astoria (C,2) 35-05 Broadway, Astoria Malu (A,4) (718) 729-6258 12-09 Jackson Ave, LIC www.amomandpopshop.com

37

Sweetleaf (A,4) (917) 832-6726 10-93 Jackson Ave, LIC www.sweetleaflic.com

food shops

www.sitenyc.com

pets 51

City Vet (A,4) (718) 433-1334 45-44 Vernon Blvd, LIC www.cityvetnyc.com Steinway Court Vet (c,2)

728-2822 52 (718) 32-14R Steinway, Astoria www.steinwaycourtvet.com

florists Floresta (A,4)

612-4446 54 (917) 51-02 Vernon Blvd, LIC 4-85 47th Rd, LIC www.florestanyc.com/blog

services

Ark locksmith 24/7 Service (c,2)

932-LOCK (5625) 114 (718) 30-10 37th st, Astoria www.Astorialocksmith.com Cats Eye Promos (a,2)

956-8600 41 (718) 28-14 14th St, Astoria www.catseyepromos.com

Hero computer repair nyc

Computer Repair Specialist 56 Apple/Mac 347-670-4376

38

Astoria wine and spirits (C,2) (718) 545-9463 3412 Broadway, Astoria www.astoriawines.com

464-4515 119 (917) 41 East 11th St, 3rd Floor NY

39

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

777-0400 57 (718) 3403 Broadway, Ste. 200, Astoria

24

Rèst-âü-Ránt (B,2) (718) 729-9009 30-01 35th Ave, Astoria www.rarbarlic.com

25

Sage General Store (b,4) (718) 361-0707 24-20 Jackson Ave, LIC www.sagegeneralstore.com

28

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

44

Belief (B,1) (718) 721-4444 29-20b 23rd Ave, Astoria www.beliefnyc.com

Skinny’s (a,4) 718-806-1068 47-05 Center Blvd, LIC

45

babyNOIR (B,1) (646) 470-4728 26-16 23rd Ave, Astoria www.babynoir.net

47

Inside Astoria (C,1) (718) 956-4000 28-07 Ditmars Blvd, Astoria

36-18 30th Ave, Astoria www.sugarfreak.com

Site (C,2)

27

Queens Kickshaw (c,2) (718) 777-0913 40-17 Broadway, Astoria www.thequeenskickshaw.com

Freak (C,2) 116 Sugar (718) 726-5850

www.loveday31.com

Astoria Park Wine and Spirits (b,1) 28-07 24th Ave, Astoria www.astoriaparkwineandspirits.com

1

55

Loveday 31 (B,2)

Astor Bake Shop (a,2) (718) 606-8439 12-23 Astoria Blvd, Astoria www.astor-bakeshop.com

40

Penthouse808 (A,3) (718) 289-6118 8-08 Queens Plaza South, LIC www.penthouse808rooftop.com

pan (c,2) 109 Pita (718) 204-1633

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

www.kristeesny.com

shops

hero@iamhero.net | www.iamhero.net IOBY(In Our Backyards) www.ioby.org

MPN Law Firm (C,2) www.mpnfirm.com RCN (A,3)

TV and High-Speed Internet 59 Digital Services 33-16 Woodside Ave, LIC (212) 842-7981 www.rcn.com/boromag Syndex Web Design

841-5228 60 (914) www.syndex.info

Vardiman Eyewear (c,2)

204-5037 62 (718) 34-18 Broadway, Astoria www.vardimaneyewear.com Video Express (c,2)

63 (718)626-0846 3408 30th Ave, Astoria

KrisTEES (B,1)

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MAY 2012 | BOROMAG.COM | 19

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MAP IT DIRECTORY evenTS (a,3) 64 FOUNDRY (718) 786-7776

42-38 9TH St, LIC www.thefoundry.info

Renaissance Event Hall (A,1) 65 The (718) 274-4590 27-34 21st St, Astoria www.renaissanceofastoria.com

hotels 66

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

17

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

tatToo shops Nova Tattoos (c,1) 67 Super (718) 274-5712 38-01 23rd Ave, Astoria www.supernovatattoo.com

beauty 71

Gigi Salon (c,2) (718) 777-7755 34-17 30th Ave, Astoria www.gigistylingstudio.com

AND Tease SALON (a,4) 72 Primp (718) 472-2001 5-02 50th Ave, LIC

Saloon (c,2) 46 Redken (718) 956-3366

36-17 30th Ave, Astoria www.redkensaloon.com

fitness

Ramakrishnananda Yoga and

art

105 Meditation Center (c,1)

1(888) 474-1218 20-29 38th St, Astoria www.ramakrishnananda.com Yoga Agora (B,2)

90

73 (718) 626-0680

33-02 Broadway, 2nd Fl, Astoria www.YogaAgora.com

80

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

spas Rejuvenate face and body (B,1)

81 (718) 626-4434

26-17 23rd Ave, Astoria www.Rejuvenatenyc.com

nightlife / bars alewife (a,4)

116 (718) 937-7494

5-14 51st Ave, LIC www.alewifequeens.com

the art house (c,2)

112 (516) 724-1562

31-06 35th St, Astoria www.gabrieleperici.com

100

2919 24th Ave, Astoria www.bohemianhall.com

Flushing Town Hall

102 (718) 463-7700 x 222

137-35 Northern Blvd, Flushing www.flushingtownhall.org

92

Domaine Wine Bar (A,4)

Laguardia Performing Arts Center (718) 482-5151 31-10 Thomson Ave, LIC www.laguardiaperformingarts.org

93

94 95

85 (718) 784-2350

50-04 Vernon Blvd, LIC www.domainewinebar.com Laughing Devil (a,4)

68 (347) 913-3845

4738 Vernon Blvd, LIC www.laughingdevil.com

Kaufman Astoria Studios (C,2) (718) 706-5300 34-12 36th St, Astoria www.kaufmanastoria.com

113 (C,3)

84 (718) 267-2735

30-95 33rd St, Astoria www.brickcafe.com

Museum of the Moving Image (c,2) (718) 784-0077 36-01 35th Ave, Astoria www.movingimage.us Noguchi MuseuM (A,2) (718) 204-7088 9-01 33rd Rd, Astoria www.noguchi.org ReisStudios (A,3) “An international community of established and emerging artists” (718) 570-3663 43-01 22nd St, LIC www.ReisStudios.com SCULPTURECENTER (B,3) (718) 361-1750

110 44-19 Purves St, LIC www.sculpure-center.org

Yoga&Healing Arts center (c,2) Mosaic Cafe and Lounge (B,1) 58 Anthea 111 (718) 728-0708 (718) 606-0049

96

The Secret Theatre (B,3) (718) 392-0722 4402 23rd St, LIC www.secrettheatre.com

Fitness (b,2) 42 Club (718) 545-0004

97

Socrates Sculpture Park (A,2) (718) 626-1533 32-01 Vernon Blvd, Astoria www.socratessculpturepark.org

98

Ten10 Studios (A,4) (646) 271-5353 10-10 47th Rd, LIC www.ten10studios.com

34-01 45th Street, Astoria www.antheacenter.com 31-11 Broadway, Astoria www.clubfitnessny.com

76

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

77

Heart and Soul of yoga (c,2) (718) 932-2567 At 35th St. and Broadway, Astoria www.heartandsoulofyoga.com

78

Seek Fitness (B,1) (347) 924-9004 27-18 23rd Ave, Astoria www.seek-fitness.com

79

PNT Fitness (A,4) (347) 396-5809 10-68 Jackson Ave, LIC www.pntfitness.com

25-19 24th Ave, Astoria www.mosaicnyc.net

Raven Head Public House (C,2)

43 (718) 777-7565

3804 Broadway, Astoria www.ravenheadpublichouse.com Studio Sq. Beer Garden (C,3)

88 (718) 383-1001

35-33 36th St, Astoria www.studiosquarenyc.com Sweet Afton (C,2)

89 (718) 777-2570

30-09 34th St, Astoria www.sweetaftonbar.com Tantra Lounge (b,2)

70 (718) 937-4574

35-50 31st St, Astoria www.Tantraloungenyc.com

Yoga & Meditation Hatha Yoga Pranayama Sakshi Meditation Kundalini Tratak Japa First 2 classes are FREE !

22 | BOROMAG.COM | MAY 2012

3501 30th Ave, Astoria www.wfhm.com

57th St and 7th Ave, NY www.carnegiehall.org

Break (B,2)

Brick Bar (B,2)

Wells Fargo Home Mortgage (c,2)

103 (718) 310-4303

Carnegie Hall

83 (718) 777-5400

3204 Broadway, Astoria www.break-ny.com

astoria fine arts dance (c,1) (718) 247-0740 38-01 23rd Ave, Astoria www.asfa-dancestudio.com

101

107 (212) 247-7800

Bohemian Hall & Beer Garden (B,1)

82 (718) 274-4925

5 Pointz (B,4) (317) 219-2685 45-46 Davis St, LIC www.5ptz.com

real estate Modern Spaces (a,4) (718) 784-1110 10-63 Jackson Ave, LIC 47-42 Vernon Blvd, LIC 29-20 23rd Ave, Astoria www.modernspacesnyc.com

99

UNDERPENNY (A,4) (917) 517-1492 10-13 50th Ave, LIC

GET YOUR BUSINESS LISTED! Want your business listed in our directory?

Call: (914) 426-2939 Email: ADS@BOROmag.com

NEW STUDENT

SPECIAL*

$

49

One month of unlimited yoga/Pilates classes

Two Studios. One Membership.

ASTORIA • 38-01 35th Avenue • 718.274.0255 LIC •10-14 7th Road • 718.786.7962

www.the-yoga-room.com Expires: 5/31/2012

*Offer only available to students NEW to The Yoga Room

MAY 2012 | BOROMAG.COM | 23

MAY EVENTS

5/3 6PM-10PM (SHOPPING)

5/7 4PM-2AM (FOOD+DRINK)

5/13 9AM-5PM (FOOD)

FREE | Daly’s Pub 917-658-3065 | 31-86 31st St, Astoria

FREE | Rest-Au-Rant 718-729-90009 | 30-01 35th Ave, LIC

$22.95/PERSON | Astor Bake Shop 718-606-8439 | 12-23 Astoria Blvd, Astoria

“MUSIC IS MEDICINE” SHOPPING EVENT www.designforyou.biz

BEER & BACON ALL NIGHT HAPPY HOUR www.rarbarlic.com

MOTHERS DAY BRUNCH

www.astor-bakeshop.com

5/3 @ 7PM (MUSIC)

5/7 6:30PM-8:30PM (ARTS+CRAFTS)

5/13 @ 12PM (BODY+SOUL)

$70 | The Metropolitan Museum of Art 212-570-3949 | 1000 Fifth Ave, NYC

$40 | babyNOIR 646-470-4728 | 26-16 23rd Ave, Astoria

$25 | PNT Fitness 347-396-5809 | 10-68 Jackson Ave, LIC

CHANTICLEER IN ENGELHARD www.metmuseum.org

JAPANESE BOOKBINDING www.babynoir.net

5/3 9PM-12AM (MUSIC)

5/7 @ 8PM (NIGHTLIFE+ENTERTAINMENT)

FREE | Rest-Au-Rant 718-729-90009 | 30-01 35th Ave, LIC

$20 | The Laughing Devil 347-913-3845 | 47-38 Vernon Blvd, LIC

VINTAGE PEOPLE

www.rarbarlic.com

SHE-DEVILS: WOMEN IN COMEDY www.laughingdevil.com

5/5 ALL DAY, ALL NIGHT (FOOD+DRINK)

5/8 11AM-12:30PM (BODY+SOUL)

FREE | Skinny’s Cantina 718-806-1068 | 47-05 Center Blvd, LIC

FREE | Ramakrishnananda Yoga and Meditation Center 888-474-1218 | 20-29 38th St, Astoria

CINCO DE MAYA FIESTA-DRINK SPECIALS, PROMOS, & GIVEAWAYS! www.skinnyscantina.com

5/11 (FOOD+DRINK)

www.socratessculpturepark.org

EXPLORING NEW COMPOSERS

www.laguardiaperformingarts.com

5/15 8AM-10AM (REAL ESTATE)

LIC PARTNERSHIP’S REAL ESTATE BREAKFAST $40/MEMBERS $50/NONMEMBERS | Court Square Place, UN Federal Credit Union 718-786-5300 x 21 | 24-01 44th Rd, LIC ww w.licpartnership.org

BEAR’S 6 MONTH BIRTHDAY

5/15 6PM-8:30PM (ART)

www.bearnyc.com

FREE | Jeffrey Leder Gallery 917-767-1734 | 21-37 45th Rd, LIC

FREE | Bear 917-396-4939 | 12-14 31st Ave, Astoria 5/11 9PM-11:30PM (MUSIC)

5/5 5PM-11PM (COMMUNITY)

FREE | The Queens Kickshaw 718-777-0913 | 40-17 Broadway, Astoria

FREE | TEN10 Studios 646-271-5353 | 10-10 47th Rd, LIC

FREE | Socrates Sculpture Park 718-956-1819 | 32-01 Vernon Blvd, LIC

www.ramakrishnanandayoga.com/astoria

www.qsac.com/steps

LICSPOT.COM LAUNCH PARTY

“CIVIC ACTION: A VISION FOR LONG ISLAND CITY” OPENING

$15/ADVANCE; $20/DOOR; $10/STUDENTS | LaGuardia Performing Arts Center 718-482-7200 | 31-10 Thomson Ave, LIC

$5 | Astoria Fine Arts Dance & Fitness 718-274-0740 | 38-01 23rd Ave 2nd Floor, Astoria. www.asfa-dancestudio.com

$25 REGISTRATION FEE | Astoria Park 212-244-5560, x. 2035 21 Hoyt Ave North, Astoria

5/13 2PM-6PM (ART)

5/13 @ 8PM (MUSIC)

FIT BODIES PILATES MAT CLASS (SUMMER SHAPE-UP SERIES)

NEXT STEPS: A WALK/RUN FOR AUTISM

www.pntfitness.com

FREE HATHA CLASS

5/9 4PM-5PM (BODY+SOUL)

5/5 8:30AM-1PM (BODY+SOUL)

SUMMER OUTDOOR BOOTCAMP

REDUCTIVE: SELECTED GROUP EXHIBIT www.jeffreyledergallery.com

SCONE KALB BERNARD TRIO

5/15 7PM-8PM (BODY+SOUL)

www.thequeenskickshaw.com

$5 | Astoria Fine Arts Dance & Fitness 718-274-0740 | 38-01 23rd Ave 2nd Floor, Astoria

www.LICSpot.com

FIT BODIES PILATES MAT CLASS (SUMMER SHAPE-UP SERIES)

www.asfa-dancestudio.com

5/5 @ 8PM (THEATRE)

IMPROVIUS MAXIMUS

5/15 7PM-9PM (ART)

www.secrettheatre.com

FREE | SculptureCenter 718-361-1750 | 44-19 Purves St, LIC

PANEL DISCUSSION: THE BOLLINGER PHENOMENON

$10 | The Secret Theatre 718-392-0722 | 44-02 23rd St, LIC 5/5 9:30PM-12AM (MUSIC)

www.sculpture-center.org

DJ SATURDAYS-WE ARE RELATED

FREE | The Queens Kickshaw 718-777-0913 | 40-17 Broadway, Astoria

5/19 @ 2PM (THEATRE)

THE MERMAIDS TALE

www.thequeenskickshaw.com

5/5 10PM-4AM (NIGHTLIFE)

CINCO DE MAYO CANTINA PARTY

NO COVER | Tantra Lounge 718-937-4574 | 35-50 31st St, Astoria ww w.tantraloungenyc.com

5/12 @ 1:30PM (FILM)

WALLACE & GROMIT IN “THE CURSE OF THE WERE-RABBIT”

$10/CHILDREN; $15/ADULTS; $40/FAMILY 4-PACK | The Secret Theatre 718-392-0722 | 44-02 23rd St, LIC www.secrettheatre.com

5/19 & 5/20 @ 8PM (ENTERTAINMENT)

CAUGHT IN THE ACT

5/6 @ 9AM (BODY+SOUL)

FREE W/MUSEUM ADMISSION | Museum of the Moving Image 718-777-6800 | 36-01 35th Ave, Astoria

$25 | PNT Fitness 347-396-5809 | 10-68 Jackson Ave, LIC

5/12 @ 7PM (MUSIC)

5/20 @ 7PM (DANCE)

THE ART OF SHOPPING

$30; $15 DAY-OF FOR PEOPLE UNDER 30 | The Metropolitan Museum of Art 212-570-3949 | 1000 Fifth Ave, NYC

$10 | Green Space 718-956-3037 | 37-24 24th St, LIC

www.kristeesny.com

5/12 @ 8PM (MUSIC)

5/6 1PM-3:30PM (BODY+SOUL)

$15/ADVANCE; $20/DOOR; $10/STUDENTS | LaGuardia Performing Arts Center 718-482-7200 | 31-10 Thomson Ave, LIC

SPIN-A-THON: 90’S FOR 90 MIN www.pntfitness.com

5/6 12PM-5PM (SHOPPING) FREE | KrisTEES 718-204-5031 | 24-01 23rd Ave, Astoria

BUILDING RESILIENCY WITH JOE SOMODI

$45; EARLY REGISTRATION $40 | Anthea Yoga & Healing Center 718-606-0049 | 34-01 45th St, Astoria www.antheacenter.com 24 | BOROMAG.COM | MAY 2012

www.movingimage.us

METROPOLITAN MUSEUM ARTISTS IN CONCERT

www.metmuseum.org

EXPLORING NEW COMPOSERS

www.laguardiaperformingarts.com

$15 | Circus Warehouse 212-751-2174 | 53-21 Vernon Blvd, LIC www.circuswarehouse.com

FERTILE GROUND

www.greenspacestudio.org

5/21 8PM-9:30PM (BODY+SOUL)

KUNDALINI MEDITATION

FREE | Ramakrishnananda Yoga and Meditation Center 888-474-1218 | 20-29 38th St, Astoria www.ramakrishnanandayoga.com/astoria

MAY 2012 | BOROMAG.COM | 25

MAY EVENTS 5/25 @ 8PM (NIGHTLIFE+ENTERTAINMENT)

TED ALEXANDRO

5/3 @ 7:30PM; 5/4-5/5 @ 2:30PM & 7:30PM; 5/6 @ 2:30PM (THEATRE)

www.laughingdevil.com

$5 | LaGuardia Performing Arts Center 718-482-7200 | 31-10 Thomson Ave, LIC

$20 | The Laughing Devil 347-913-3845 | 47-38 Vernon Blvd, LIC 5/26 @ 10:30PM (NIGHTLIFE+ENTERTAINMENT)

TED ALEXANDRO

$20 | The Laughing Devil 347-913-3845 | 47-38 Vernon Blvd, LIC www.laughingdevil.com

5/27 10PM-4AM (NIGHTLIFE)

MEMORIAL DAY PARTY

LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS

www.laguardiaperformingarts.com

5/3-5/19; THURS/FRI @ 8PM; SAT@ 2PM & 8PM (THEATRE)

THE SECRET GARDEN

$18; $12 STUDENTS/SENIORS | Astoria Performing Arts Center 866-811-4111 | 30-44 Crescent St, Astoria www.apacny.org

EVERY TUESDAY NIGHT (FOOD+DRINK)

DISCO TACO TUESDAYS W/$3 TACOS

FREE | Skinny’s Cantina 718-806-1068 | 47-05 Center Blvd, LIC www.skinnyscantina.com

EVERY WEDNESDAY @ 7:30PM (NIGHTLIFE)

SKINNY’S SEXY SALSA WEDNESDAYS

FREE | Skinny’s Cantina 718-806-1068 | 47-05 Center Blvd, LIC www.skinnyscantina.com

EVERY THURSDAY @ 9PM (MUSIC)

LIVE JAM @ WGM

NO COVER | Tantra Lounge 718-937-4574 | 35-50 31st St, Astoria

5/4-5/13; TIMES VARY (FILM)

FREE | Winegasm Bar & Eatery 718-932-3331 | 31-86 37th St, Astoria

5/30 6PM-7:30PM (BODY+SOUL)

FREE | Museum of the Moving Image 718-777-6800 | 36-01 35th Ave, Astoria www.movingimage.us

EVERY FRIDAY 10PM-4AM (NIGHTLIFE)

www.tantraloungenyc.com

FREE HATHA YOGA CLASS

FREE | Ramakrishnananda Yoga and Meditation Center 888-474-1218 | 20-29 38th St, Astoria www.ramakrishnanandayoga.com/astoria

ONGOING 5/1-5/12; TUES-SAT @ PM; SUN @ 3PM (THEATRE)

DEINDE

$18 | The Secret Theater 718-392-0722 | 44-02 23rd St, LIC www.fluxtheatre.org

5/2-5/6 @ 3PM, 7PM, & 9PM (THEATRE)

TREASURES: A COLLECTION OF FOUR SHORT PLAYS $18 | The Secret Theatre 718-392-0722 | 44-02 23rd St, LIC www.secrettheatre.com

26 | BOROMAG.COM | MAY 2012

FASHION IN FILM FESTIVAL: IF LOOKS COULD KILL

5/12-5/20 @ 8PM (NIGHTLIFE+ENTERTAINMENT)

LAUGHING DEVIL COMEDY FESTIVAL

$15-$20 | The Laughing Devil 347-913-3845 | 47-38 Vernon Blvd, LIC www.laughingdevil.com

5/18-5/27; TIMES VARY (FILM)

WES ANDERSON’S WORLDS

FREE | Museum of the Moving Image 718-777-6800 | 36-01 35th Ave, Astoria www.movingimage.us

EVERY TUESDAY 9PM-11PM (COMEDY)

WHINE & CHEESE COMEDY SHOW

FREE | Rest-Au-Rant 718-729-90009 | 30-01 35th Ave, LIC www.rarbarlic.com

www.winegasmeatery.com

LIVING LARGE FRIDAYS: $300 MAGNUM BOTTLES ALL NIGHT NO COVER | Tantra Lounge 718-937-4574 | 35-50 31st St, Astoria www.tantraloungenyc.com

EVERY SATURDAY 10PM-4AM (NIGHTLIFE)

INTERNATIONAL SATURDAYS

NO COVER | Tantra Lounge 718-937-4574 | 35-50 31st St, Astoria www.tantraloungenyc.com

Find more May events at www.BOROmag.com/Events

MAY 2012 | BOROMAG.COM | 27

ART

LIC Arts

Open This Month!

Plus, What Makes Our Neighborhood Unique As An Arts Haven?

Story Matthew Taylor

From May 12-20, the second annual LIC Arts Open (LICAO) will turn western Queens into a culture lover’s dream, featuring open studios, sculptures, performances and even a day-long block party. Such a celebration is a tribute to a rising neighborhood that, as LICAO Director Richard Mazda puts it, is ready to become “internationally famous as a destination for an arts festival.” The growing regard for LIC as a respected arts community inspires questions: How did the neighborhood get where it is today? How is it unique compared to other art centers? And finally, where is LIC headed?

A BIT OF HISTORY Mazda cites sculptors Mark di Suvero, who created Socrates Sculpture Park on an abandoned landfill in the 1980’s, and Joel Shapiro, recipient of the inaugural LICAO Lifetime Achievement Award, as two of LIC’s artistic pioneers.

Their work in the area ran concurrent with the founding of establishments such as PS1 (now MoMA PS1) in the early 70’s and 5Pointz (originally the Phun Phactory) in the 90’s – both now acclaimed NYC arts destinations.

Carol Crawford, president of the nonprofit group LIC Artists (LICA) was making art in Jamaica, Queens, when artists first began using the warehouses and industrial spaces that had fallen into disuse in LIC. She found the area “very lonely because of all the day buildings; artists were scattered and kept to themselves.” They were nonetheless drawn to the area, though, she says, because of the “residential neighborhoods tucked against industrial buildings. The oddangled streets made pockets for people to live and work.”

ART BY (STARTING TOP LEFT) Bertille de Baudinière, Deborah Trella, Hayon Jay Lee, and Tomasz Bogacki.

28 | BOROMAG.COM | MAY 2012

As Mazda explains, “The derelict buildings were an attractive proposition. Artists are always the first to colonize desolation.

They see perfection in rubble, dirt and bleakness. LIC had a lot of that to offer.”

MORE RECENT MATTERS In 2001, Brazilian artist Juvenal Reis moved from Dallas to New York, ending up in LIC. “I didn’t know anything about [the neighborhood],” he admits, “but the location was wonderful. It was wide open and quiet.”

He soon grew tired of his small studio and rented a larger space in an old manufacturing building to subdivide among high-quality artists. What began as 3,500 square feet in April 2002 is now the 70,000 square foot Reis Studios, a workspace featuring a gallery, communal space and over 180 private studios. Situated nearby is the LIC Art Center, a five-story building with galleries, dance classes and Mazda’s own Secret Theatre.

LICA, on the other hand, has no permanent home. The organization, which operates on small annual membership fees, seeks to cultivate community through events and ongoing dialogue with artists. As Crawford says, “when artists come together, they are grateful for real communication.”

ART BY (STARTING TOP LEFT) Jack Diamond, Amir Ben-Moshe, Jean-Patrick Guilbert, Barry Stern, Amy Geller, and Carol Crawford.

In that spirit, LICA puts on Show & Tell events at galleries on the first Monday of every month. These shows allow artists to share work and collaborate on projects. Crawford’s biggest wish is to create ways for “local artists to have shows together more regularly, to have artist-run spaces that aren’t controlled by people just looking to make money.”

MAY 2012 | BOROMAG.COM | 29

ART

THE ROLE OF THE FESTIVAL Reis and Jeffrey Leder, who personally runs a two-year-old gallery in a historic LIC brownstone, are Co-Directors of Development for the LICAO. Leder says the festival has already helped “foster the spirit of camaraderie in the LIC art world.”

Mazda sees the festival as a prime opportunity to showcase a “full spectrum of multidisciplinary art” that isn’t found in art neighborhoods with narrower demographics. “Artists here range from fresh out of high school to their 80’s,” he says.

Leder also points to the unique balance between art and business in LIC as a fundamental component of the festival’s success. “There is a strong mutual respect between the two entities here,” he says, and that allows for expansion. This year’s festival will include large exhibitions throughout Queens Plaza, which wasn’t involved in 2011. “This festival is going to surprise you,” says Mazda. “There’s a feeling that the [LICAO] can hit a record.”

LOOKING FORWARD While there is a great deal of excitement about the state of the arts in LIC, Crawford has some cautionary points as well. “Current development is insensitive to the needs of the artistic community,” she says, alluding to the imminent destruction of 5Pointz to build high-rise condos, as well as the paradoxical trend of neighborhoods pricing out the artists that made them attractive to begin with. “It’s important to preserve the mixed community. The LICA has the power to be the core of artists banding together.” Leder’s perception of the business community’s good will toward artists was reinforced in this year’s LICAO fundraising, however. The festival’s largest sponsor? Court Square Diner, a 21-year area mainstay. Mazda says, “Steven Kanellos, the diner’s owner, wanted to show his appreciation to the artists who long ago helped transform the area from a desolate place full of crime and prostitutes.” Kanellos, perhaps, recognized early on an undeniably powerful element of our neighborhood: what Crawford describes as the “generosity and humanity of most artists.”

LIC Arts Open | www.licartsopen.org LIC Artists | www.licartists.org Reis Studios | 43-01 22nd St., LIC | 718-784-5577 www.reisstudios.com Jeffrey Leder Gallery | 21-37 45th Rd., LIC 917-767-1734 | www.jeffreyledergallery.com

ART BY (STARTING TOP LEFT) Paula Elliot, Carolyn Ard, Alyssa D’anna, Donna Levinstone, Victoria Febrer, and Eleanor Rahim.

30 | BOROMAG.COM | MAY 2012

MAY 2012 | BOROMAG.COM | 31

YOUNG ENTREPRENEURS

The Path to Self-Reliance How Queens Entrepreneurs Became Their Own Bosses

F

Story Daniel Crown

ew things are more synonymous with “The American Dream” than self-employment. But while anyone can dream of being his or her own boss, only a special breed of person can take life by the horns.

Jacob Morvay first met Steve Hofstetter at the Dog Run at Hunter’s Point South. They now co-own Laughing Devil.

To quote the great Vince Lombardi: “The difference between a successful person and others is not a lack of strength, not a lack of knowledge, but rather in a lack of will.”

To help inspire you into action, we highlight the stories of two standout local businesses. Everyone involved took calculated risks and subsequently flourished. Will you be next?

Laughing Devil Comedy Club The story of the Laughing Devil Comedy Club begins with a serendipitous encounter fit for a post-millennial bromance flick. Jacob Morvay, an accountant, first met Steve Hofstetter, a stand-up comedian, at the Dog Run at Hunter’s Point South. “It was his first day with his dog,” Morvay chuckled as he recounted the tale. “He looked nervous.”

For Morvay and Hofstetter, a casual conversation about pet care soon blossomed into a friendship. The duo, along with their respective wives, began to paint the town red on double dates. As their relationship evolved, Hofstetter, who already owned a piece of three comedy clubs outside of New York, began to vocalize his intentions to open another one somewhere in the city. “One night he was talking to me about what that would be like,” Morvay said, “and in jest I began to change the conversation from ‘his’ club to ‘our’ club.”

The next day, Hofstetter approached Morvay to gauge his actual interest. After mulling it over, the accountant agreed.

Citing a lack of Queens-based entertainment venues, the pair immediately seized on their own neighborhood, Long Island City, as a perfect spot for what would ultimately become the Laughing Devil.

The strategy proved sound.

“For more than 5 million people, we’re the closest fulltime comedy club,” Hofstetter said. “We’re the only club between Manhattan and Bellmore.”

32 | BOROMAG.COM | MAY 2012

This neighborhood-centric approach to comedy has paid immediate dividends for the duo. The Laughing Devil has turned a profit every month since its grand opening in December 2011. While Morvay may have been nervous from the outset, he’s glad that he went for it.

“It’s kind of cool to own your own bar,” he said. “I mean, we have 14 beers on tap. It’s nice to know that anytime I want one I can stroll around the corner and grab it.”

Laughing Devil Comedy Club | 4738 Vernon Blvd, LIC 347-913-3845 | www.laughingdevil.com

MAY 2012 | BOROMAG.COM | 33

YOUNG ENTREPRENEURS

Supernova Tattoos Andreana Verona knows a thing or two about inking. She is a 20-year veteran of the industry, and the art of tattoo has long been the only constant in her otherwise itinerant life.

“When I started, I was a different person,” she said.

“Experience changes you. But the tattooing itself is always the same.”

While in most cases the metaphor of “life as a journey” rings a bit trite, literal truth far outweighs romantic conceit in Verona’s story. Her pre-Queens history in the tattoo business reads like a travelogue.

She got her start in her native Italy in 1992, working alongside a longtime boyfriend. After four years, the couple separated, spurring a brief stint tattooing in Madrid. She then spent a year in Puerto Rico before ultimately settling in New York in 1998. After a three-year stay at Astoria’s Studio Enigma, she moved on to a parlor she co-owned.

Creative differences eventually divided the partnership, at which point she was finally ready to branch out on her own.

She opened Supernova Tattoo in 2004 and hasn’t looked back since.

“When you have a partner, there’s always some kind of problem,” she said. “Owning your own business, there’s a lot more freedom; though with that comes a lot of new challenges. Sometimes I feel like I need a 48 hour day.”

If Verona has a lot to do, it’s only because business is booming. The artist recently upgraded to a bigger space on 23rd Avenue, which she hopes can accommodate the increase in patronage.

Despite the stresses of the move, Verona points out that the benefits more than make up for any loss of sleep. “I like the pressure,” she says. “It’s a rush. When you make it on your own, it’s much more of an accomplishment.”

Supernova Tattoos | 38-01 23rd Ave, Astoria 718-274-5712 | www.supernovatattoo.com

34 | BOROMAG.COM | MAY 2012

With 20 years of industry experience, safe to say Andreana Verona knows a thing or two about inking.

MAY 2012 | BOROMAG.COM | 35

VOLUNTEER

Volunteer In Your Local Community

4 Great Organizations That Could Use Your Help Story Matthew Taylor

V

olunteering is a remarkable way to get involved in the local community, and it’s no secret that helping others feels great. Still, you can come up with an infinite amount of excuses not to volunteer, particularly in New York, where time is such a scarce resource.

BORO, though, has taken the first step for you, and is happy to share four incredible places to volunteer right here in western Queens. The time commitment and organizations themselves vary, meaning there’s something for everyone. Even an hour or two can help create tangible change, so we encourage you to devote some time and energy to volunteering – not next week, not after your summer vacation, but NOW!

City Meals on Wheels Volunteer, Jason Darensbourg delivering food in NYC.

A volunteer helps paint the small spots on the wall at a QSAC facility.

City Meals On Wheels

Quality Services for the Autism Community

City Meals on Wheels delivers nutritious food to elderly homebound New Yorkers throughout the five boroughs.

Volunteers are welcome to help deliver meals during weekends, holidays and emergencies. A list of locations where volunteers are needed is available – along with an application – on the City Meals on Wheels website.

If you’re looking for something more local, Sunnyside Community Services (also affiliated with City Meals on Wheels), offers a volunteer program for individuals who are able to commit to one hour per week for six months. These volunteers do not deliver food; rather, they go on weekly “friendly visits” to homebound seniors, providing company, conversation and even escorted visits to doctors. The bonds that form during these visits are powerful for seniors and volunteers alike.

City Meals On Wheels | 355 Lexington Ave., NYC 212-687-1234 | www.citymeals.org Sunnyside Community Services Location | 43-31 39th St, Sunnyside | 718-784-6173

36 | BOROMAG.COM | MAY 2012

Quality Services for the Autism Community (QSAC), an organization dedicated to ensuring people with autism live meaningful and fulfilling lives, provides volunteers with what they describe as “a custom experience.” From helping for three hours at one of their many special events to serving three days a week as part of the front desk team – which is completely run by volunteers – QSAC offers a multitude of opportunities to get involved. Banks and other large companies often sponsor large-scale projects for QSAC and bring employees on site to help. The volunteer application on QSAC’s website helps tailor your experience, whether you’re looking for clerical work, hoping to paint facilities or willing to devote your energy in any number of other ways.

Upcoming QSAC events include a 5K run/walk in Astoria Park on May 5 and the group’s annual gala/fundraiser on June 12.

Quality Services for the Autism Community Various locations throughout Manhattan and Queens 718-728-8476 | www.qsac.com

A volunteer sits in daycare and reads a children’s book with a little boy in the LIC-based Hour Children program.

Hour Children

Ali Forney Center

Linda Manzione, Program Director of LIC-based Hour Children, says that volunteering here has a special impact because it directly benefits the lives of children and adults in at-risk populations. This nonprofit provides care for children with incarcerated mothers and helps families through the process of reunification. The name is inspired by the various hours that dramatically affect these children’s lives: the hour of the mother’s arrest, the hour during which they can visit her and the hour of her return.

The Ali Forney Center provides safe housing and support for one of New York City’s most vulnerable populations: homeless LGBT teens. While there are no day centers in Queens, the 15-bed Astoria shelter prepares breakfast and dinner and aims to cultivate what Bill Torres, Director of Community Resources, describes as a home-like environment.

Volunteers can dedicate their energy to a wide range of areas, including after-school programs, food pantries, licensed daycares/nurseries and Hour Children’s thrift stores located throughout Astoria. Call for more information, or apply by filling out the application on Hour Children’s website.

Hour Children | 13-07 37th Ave., LIC 718-433-4724 x. 220 | www.hourchildren.org

The facility prefers volunteers who can help on a consistent basis. Torres says that the duties are “very much a collaboration” between volunteers, from helping with meals to talking with teens about their days to working with them to process difficult events. For more information, email btorres@aliforneycenter.org. If you are ready to apply now, email volunteer@aliforneycenter.org.

Ali Forney Center | 212-991-0853 www.aliforneycenter.org

MAY 2012 | BOROMAG.COM | 37

inspiration

BORO

’S MOM

Sunday, May 13 is Mother’s Day. We asked the BORO team to tell us how their mothers have been an inspiration in their lives.

Tell us how your mother has inspired you!

Email info@boromag.com with your story and maybe you’ll see it on BOROmag.com.

1 Nadine Lesser: Julian Lesser

My mother has inspired me with her strength and creativity. She has always taught me to trust my gut and follow my dreams. She has supported my ventures, sometimes with hesitation - but that has taught me to review, research and question. Thanks Mom! Sending you lot’s of love! – Julian, Editor, Publisher and Founder

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2 Phu Trinh: Philippe Trinh

Polly Trinh is one of the strongest women I know. She survived cancer and a recent loss of her own mother. Today she is a mother of three: a doctor, graphic designer, and fashion designer. She continues to be the source of all our artistic talent, strength and success. Today is about you mom, we love you beyond words! – Philippe, Creative Director

3 Letitia Cason: Emma Cason-Pratt

All my life, my mother has worked with children battling cancer. My mother’s thoughtfulness, patience, and compassion for others has been a source of inspiration for me to be always thankful for what I have and to remember that you never know what battles others are fighting.

– Emma, Graphic Designer

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4 Cathy Enright: Matthew Taylor

My mom’s positive attitude and perseverance have inspired me. Though she has faced plenty of obstacles in her life, she remains one of the most optimistic, consistently upbeat people I know. These traits have taught me how to remain positive even in unlikely circumstances.

– Matthew, Online Editorial Coordinator

5 Joann Hawks: Bradley Hawks

Much of the very best of who I am is a direct reflection of my mother, Joann Hawks. Most importantly, she taught me the importance and power of unconditional love— inspiring me to love others (and myself ) not in spite of what they are not, but because of everything they are.

– Bradley, Staff Writer and Photographer

6 Darlene McNamara: Rebecca McNamara

My mother is the only person I know who mails two cards per birthday—because one is never enough. She is loving, generous and sticks to her convictions. She has taught me to always keep candy in the candy dishes, and always make time for family. – Rebecca, Staff Writer

38 | BOROMAG.COM | MAY 2012

6

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Home Mortgage Consultant Office: (718) 310-4303 Cell: (718) 809-0353 matthew.adessa@wellsfargo.com www.wfhm.com/matthew-adessa NMLSR ID 150138

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Home Mortgage Consultant Office: (718) 310-4314 Cell: (917) 374-9976 Paul.Papoutsakis@wellsfargo.com www.wfhm.com/paul-papoutsakis NMLSR ID 86741

Wells Fargo Home Mortgage is a division of Wells Fargo Bank, N.A. 2012 Wells Fargo Bank, N.A. All rights reserved. NMLSR ID 399801. AS622384 4/12-7/12

MAY 2012 | BOROMAG.COM | 39

Boro deals & discounts Be local and enjoy the below offers from some of Astoria and LIC’s best merchants.

Offers available through May 31, 2012. Bring BORO or coupon below to redeem discount.

Limited to 1 use per reader. Merchant restrictions may apply.

FREE Churros Dessert with meal.

1 FREE Glass of wine or dessert with your meal (sun-thurs).

5% OFF your order with BORO Magazine. 15% OFF

1 FREE drink and comedy show with meal on Tuesday nights 9PM-Closing.

1 FREE Signature Cocktail with your meal.

your next visit..

WINEGASM 1 FREE glass of wine with your meal.

$20 OFF any 6 foot natural heroe sandwich. 1 FREE pint with any sandwich sun-thur.

LOCALE $79.99 for the RCN bundle package

(Digital TV and High-Speed internet).

1 FREE dance or fitness class for new stu-

1 FREE Glass of Wine or Dessert with meal. Redeemable mon-thurs.

Limited to select wines.

Excludes prix fixe.

1 COMPLIMENTARY glass of wine with your meal. Redeemable mon-thurs.

dents with ad @ Astoria Fine Arts Dance.

time color clients (tues-thurs).

Complimentary Blowout for first

15% OFF entire purchase.

10% OFF when you spend $100 or more.

2 weeks unlimited classes for $40.

$50 Summer Slimdown. 30 Days of nonstop classes.

1 FREE premium Cocktail thur-fri (Before

15% OFF all hourly legal fees.

10% OFF any wine purchase.

$49 for 1 month unlimited yoga and pilates

$10 OFF your visit with BORO Magazine.

Want to learn more about advertising?

Call us at (914) 426-2939.

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classes. Offer only available to New students.