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restaurants // shopping // green living // nightlife // art // culture // entertainment // nutrition //

a new year try new thingsCheCK out our suggestions for 2011

great

DisCounts

at the b

est sp

ots

in Astoria

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LIC

Shop, eat and play locally and support our community. Enjoy the below discounts from some of Astoria and LIC’s best merchants. Sign up for the BORO newsletter at BOROMAG.COM to receive additional exclusive BORO Insider promotions all month long.

Offers available through Jaunary 31. Limited to 1 use per reader. Merchant restrictions may apply.

10% off all wine purchases with this coupon.

inside access to special promotions from our advertisers and supporters

1 free glass of wine or dessert with your meal with this coupon.

1 free glass of wine with your meal with this coupon.

1 free dessert with your meal with this coupon.

25% off any Growler fill with this coupon. 10% off your bill. free wheatgrass shot with $25 purchase with this coupon.

1 free red sona with this coupon. 1 free cup of coffee with $20 to-go purchase with this coupon.

1 free cup of coffee with the purchase of any breakfast item from 7 a.m.-10:30 a.m. with this coupon.

15% off your order with this coupon. 1 free glass of wine with your meal with this coupon.

20% off detox Wrap throughout the month of January with this coupon.

10% off with this coupon. 15% off through 1/16/11 with this coupon. 10 days of unlimited classes for $20 or 30 days of unlimited classes for $79 with this coupon.

20% off all printing and design with this coupon.

10% off all merchandise with this coupon. 20% off all merchandise with this coupon.

20% off complete pair of glasses with this coupon.

1 free coffee, tea, or espresso, 1/2 price cappuccino or latte with any purchase on 1/20/11 with this coupon.

Join “3 month Weekly flower arrangement program” and get 1 additional week free with this coupon.

10% off for first-time clients with this coupon.

BuGATTI

Brooklyn Bagel &

Coffee Company

Place your promotion in BORO Magazine. Contact ads@boromag.com to learn more.

inside access to special promotions from our advertisers and supporters

leTTer from The edITor

Welcome back to BORO—your monthly go-to guide for everything Astoria/LIC. Thank you to all the people who’ve contributed to BORO’s launch and ongoing success. Without the love and support from writers, designers, advertisers, distributors, and readers this project wouldn’t have taken off as it has. And without such an interesting neighborhood, we’d have nothing to share with you.

Happy New Year, Astoria/LIC! Because it’s a new year, we’re covering new things, and suggesting more new things in this month’s issue. Our neighborhood is a continuously developing hot spot for restaurants, nightlife, art and inspiration. There’s plenty happening. We have cool new things for you to try and interesting new people for you to meet. Hopefully you’ll find new ways to keep your life fun, healthy and full along the way. So, join the BORO team. Be brave. Be adventurous.

Claim 2011 as a year of exploration. We certainly have.

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editor and publisher julian lesser // copy editor norm elrod // creative director paul connolly // art directors alt, philippe trinh // contributing designer alberto michieli // staff writers daniel crown, jared killeen, christopher de la torre, rebecca mcnamara, suzanne sitelman, mickey z // staff photographers javier ibañez, alex marshall, daniel pando // sales and marketing nadine auerbach webmaster janmichael guzman // editorial assistant sadee brathwaite

ADVERTISE IN BORO:

ads@boromag.com // 914.426.2939 // www.boromag.com/advertise

All materials Copyright © 2010 BORO / All rights reserved.No part of this publication may be reproduced without permission of the publisher.

4 FOOD Welcome to the neighborhood

10 BODY & SOUL Hot yoga to fight the cold weather

20 GREEN LIVING Keeping the “R” in resolution. 6 ways to green Astoria/LIC in 2011

22 ENTERTAINMENT & NIGHTLIFE Raising the bar. Your new home away from home: El Ay Si

28 ART A Queens cultural gem is refined: Museum of the Moving Image

8 CHEF PROFILE Mundo serves the world. Why multi-ethnic cuisine belongs on the menu

12 JANUARY EVENT LISTINGS

14 MAP IT: ASTORIA / LIC Your go-to guide for Astoria and LIC’s best shops, food, art, nightlife and more

18 BEAUTY Rejuvenated. A new you for the new year

24 ENTERTAINMENT Sorta secret underground comedy club

26 ARTIST PROFILE Art imitates life: Portrait of Astoria / Jason Villegas

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*This magazine is made from fsC paper, printed with soy ink and 100% recyclable. Printed in lIC, new York. Please recycle after use.

Photo by Javier IbañezSubmit your Astoria / LIC photos to photos@boromag.com

*This magazine is made from fsC paper, printed with soy ink and 100% recyclable. Printed in lIC, new York. Please recycle after use.

Submit your Astoria / LIC photos to photos@boromag.com

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WelCome To the neighborhooD

Story Alia Akkam (editorial director of TheQNote.com)

A YeAr Ago, t H ese joi N ts HAd Yet to op eN; Now t H e Y Are some of o ur fAvori t e lAi rs

Good GruB hAs AlWAYs Been A hAllmArk of The neIGhBorhood.

MexiQ Kitchen & Drought / photo Daniel Pando

On a Saturday morning, the sunlight-drenched dining room of liC market fills with locals seeking a taste of chef/owner Alex Schindler’s chicken liver hash or griddled bread pudding. Friends huddle over cups of creamy hot chocolate at Astor Bake shop later that afternoon. In the evening, a couple flees their apartment for speck pasta and romantic candlelight at Bugatti Café. From warm moussaka to homemade marinara sauce sopped up with a crusty slab of semolina bread, good grub has always been a neighborhood hallmark.

Yet in 2010 the Astoria and Long Island City culinary scene brightened even more, with the addition of welcoming eateries flaunting homemade desserts, killer beer lists and farm-fresh produce. The beloved vesta uses locally sourced ingredients whenever possible (kudos to the modern Italian restaurant for recently introducing a pop-up farmers’ market manned by the crew from Brooklyn Grange). A few of this year’s new kids on the block

build upon that commitment, showing how shopping for greenmarket goods ~ and championing thoughtful eating ~ has become more prevalent among Queens foodies.

five restaurants— MexiQ , Astor Bake Shop, Bugatti Café, Burger Garage and LIC Market—are among the 2010 additions to Astoria and Long Island City’s expanding culinary scene. Here’s what we love about them:

mexIq kITChen & drAuGhT: When Dimitri Paloumbis of Break and Don Philippou of Cava opened MexiQ , a

Mexican-accented BBQ joint, they hoped people wouldn’t just eat a taco and run. “We want MexiQ to become a place guests will make part of their weekly routine,” notes Paloumbis. Beer, it seems, is the perfect complement to consulting chef Julietta Balesteros’ cuisine, which includes Adobo-rubbed ribs and Mexican-style fried chicken. Paloumbis noticed how popular the 18 lines of craft ales are at Break, and expanded the concept, now offering 48 different beers on draught; “We have temperature-

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MexiQ Kitchen & Drought Burger Garage / photo Javier Ibañez

Astor Bake Shop / photo Bradley Hawks

Astor Bake Shop / photo Bradley Hawkscontinued on next page

controlled dispensers that ensure each one is poured at 32 degrees so it’s nice and cold.” Brunch includes unlimited pours of Mexican beer. A monthly dinner series pairs microbrews with special dishes.

AsTor BAke shoP: When Hell Gate Social first set roots in an out-of-the-way stretch of Astoria Boulevard five years ago, we were skeptical. But, propelled by friendly banter and affordable cocktails, the masses made it their watering hole anyhow. Now that Astor Bake Shop’s moved in next-door, the scene here is vibrant even during the daylight hours. Every morning, the talented George McKirdy treats us to his fluffy biscuits and gooey sticky buns straight out of the oven. We dig the hearty specials ~ meatloaf sandwiches, corn-studded goat cheese quiche ~ paired with artisanal coffee. But we especially love how McKirdy’s managed to elevate the simple egg sandwich with his rendition, served on a house-made Portuguese roll. McKirdy’s dedication to fresh ingredients delights the hardworking gardeners of nearby two Coves Community garden (where McKirdy gets the mint for his iced tea), craving a snack before picking up a shovel. It also points to a larger trend: the locavore movement taking hold in Queens.

ground daily by butcher Pat LaFrieda—sizzle on the grill. The space resembles a modern-day filling station, and the amiable cook is willing to chat. There’s nothing fast about the food here: produce is farm-fresh and the French fries, made with Idaho potatoes, are hand-cut. The red and black booths and Abita root beer on tap invite lingering. But Burger Garage is also a good stop

for a quick, filling lunch.

lIC mArkeT: Schindler at LIC Market is another chef who takes the sustainability credo to heart. Community building plays a large role in how we choose to operate our restaurant. “Whether it’s buying from local farms, being a distribution point for a local CSA or featuring a local artist’s work on our walls, it is very important to us to play a role in making LIC a great place to live and work.” He’s hoping LIC Market becomes a destination for folks in other boroughs, and his formula is already working. Loyalists come to eat sweet and sour kale and shredded brisket sandwiches, and shop at the

market. Schindler created a homespun mini-grocery in the front of the restaurant, stocked with house-pickled Serrano peppers and other treats made in the kitchen.

“There are old, traditional Italian restaurants in the neighborhood, and there are new, funky ones, but we’re taking a no-nonsense approach instead,” says Jason Arcaro, an Astoria resident of 13 years and GM of Bugatti Café, just off 31st Avenue. The owners themselves designed the space, and Arcaro loves its hushed, intimate appeal. The same attention to

detail has gone into Bugatti Café’s menu. The chef, a native of Parma, churns out simple, authentic dishes likehomemade taglierini pasta and roasted veal and spinach ravioli. There’s even an Italian-inspired burger, nestled in a brioche roll and topped with a sliver of Parmigiano-Reggiano. But we might be most excited about the generous $14.95 brunch, which includes coffee, mimosa and dessert to accompany our steak and eggs. Once the warm weather hits, and Bugatti opens its glass doors to the sidewalk, we predict many a Sunday afternoon holding court at a table here.

BurGer GArAGe: If we’re going to splurge on a burger, it better be a quality one. Brothers Jim and Adam Pileski feel the same way. And that’s why they opened old-timey Burger Garage, where you can pull up a stool and watch your burger—100% Black Angus USDA-certified beef

resemBlInG A modern-dAY fIllInG sTATIon...

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lic market

Story Jared KilleenPhotos Philippe Trinh

Ask Canalp Caner, co-owner of Mundo, why he put organic soy Keftedes on the menu, and he’ll tell you: “Because we like them.” This is the sort of amicable logic that prevails at Mundo. Mr. Caner, who opened the Astoria restaurant six years ago with co-founders Guillermo “Willy” Lucerofabbi and Pinar Senveli, does not abide by a conventional recipe book. Rather, like a chemist, he prefers experimentation. He’ll try something new—say, replacing the lamb in traditional Turkish meatballs with soy. If everyone likes it, it goes on the menu. It’s that simple.

Mundo’s culinary range resists ethnic classification. Caner and Senveli, both Turkish, draft a new menu

mundoserves The WorldwHY multi-etHNiC CuisiNe BeloNgs oN tHe meNuStory Jared KilleenPhoto Philippe Trinh

Mundo Owners: Canalp Caner, Willy Lucerofabbi, Pinar Senveli

every six months, showcasing an array of Mediterranean cuisine, such as Ottoman Dumplings and falafel. There are also original dishes from South America (Lucerofabbi was born in Argentina), including Argentinean Beef Empanadas and Terma, a digestive seltzer drink. Over the years, Mundo has developed a reputation as a haven for adventurous vegans and vegetarians. But carnivores are just as likely to salivate over tasty plates, such as the signature Red Sonja (soft lentil paddies with bulgur, scallion and spices).

The best part is that Caner and Senveli are constantly inventing new recipes. Note the recent debut of a vegan appetizer called Peruvian Causa, which usually contains

chef PROfILe

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either shredded chicken or tuna, but which Caner has rendered meatless. Also promising is a variation of the popular Glühwein, a house beverage of German origin, comprised of red wine, cloves, cinnamon and fruit and served hot. Also, a new mixture from Catalonia, is white wine-based and contains roasted coffee beans. At Mundo, German and Spanish cocktails coexist peacefully.

The same sense of cosmopolitan cooperation that pervades Mundo’s menu also characterizes its clientele. “We want to promote friendship. Our customers always become friends,” says Lucerofabbi, who plans to install communal tables in the restaurant. Local artists show their work on the restaurant’s walls, treating dinner at Mundo like a vernissage. It’s also a favorite spot for receptions and parties. When asked why he chose Mundo to host his upcoming holiday banquet, Adam Vore said simply, “These guys do the best work in Astoria.”

The owners of Mundo want their clientele to be happy and healthy. For them, it’s all about creating a positive spirit that carries over to their customers’ personal lives. Beginning in January, Mundo will begin holding a symposium on Wednesday nights to discuss the advantages of alkaline water—which is available at the restaurant. It is this inventiveness, this compassion toward their clientele, which makes Mundo special. In Astoria, where culinary variety is custom, Mundo is king.

23 mundo

10-12 servings

14PAGe

Learn about Mundo’s alkaline symposium at boromag.com.

Bring in Boro and receive 1 signature Red Sona - free.

Peruvian veGAn CAusA 10-12 servings

How to prepAre:7-inch round ring-moldAdd 1 layer of the potato mixAdd 1 layer of the beet and mushroom mix Add another layer of potato mixAdd 1 full teaspoon of mashed avocado on topAdd the pepper and onion mix on top of everything

lAYer #1 and #3:6 potatoes (boiled)1 cup extra-virgin olive oil1 tablespoon Peruvian yellow aji½ teaspoon black pepper¾ teaspoon saltMix all ingredients in a separate bowl

lAYer #2:1 cup chopped mushrooms (blanched)1 cup chopped beets (boiled)½ cup chopped dill½ teaspoon salt¼ teaspoon black pepper4 ounces extra-virgin olive oil1 ounce lemon juiceMix all ingredients in a separate bowl

toppiNg:1 red onion julienne cut1 red pepper julienne cut1 green pepper julienne cut2 ounces extra virgin olive oil½ teaspoon salt

1/3 teaspoon black pepper½ tablespoon Peruvian yellow aji1 ounce chopped parsley1 ounce lime juice

Mix topping ingredients in a separate bowl.

Winter is a hard time to stay active. Many of us are motivated to do little more than stay at home on the couch, where it’s warm. But when the cold, dark months drag on, and drag us down, physical activity is what we really need. Exercise not only improves overall health and wellbeing, it helps fight seasonal affective disorder (SAD)—the depressive symptoms that take hold when the weather turns cold.

One answer to the winter blues is hot yoga, as I discovered recently. Hot yoga—officially known as Bikram Yoga—is a series of 26 poses over 90 minutes, practiced in a 105-degree room. Talk about beating the cold!

Warm temperatures enhance many of yoga’s benefits. Muscles stay looser and are stretched more deeply, promoting flexibility and minimizing the risk of injury. Perspiration increases, helping to detoxify and purify the body. The extreme heat becomes a focal point, allowing the participant to better concentrate on breathing and relaxation, which are so important to yoga. The effects—inside and out—are immediate and noticeable.

Hot yoga can be incorporated into anyone’s exercise program, whether you’re a yoga novice or enthusiast. But any new exercise routine, particularly one this extreme,

requires a facility with supportive and knowledgeable instructors and proper equipment. I found The Yoga Room to be such a place… and so much more.

The Yoga Room has a location in LIC and another in Astoria. Both offer classes in different styles of yoga and Pilates, at levels ranging from beginner to advanced. The recently renovated Astoria and LIC space’s offers a beautiful ambiance that put me in the right frame of mind from the moment I walked in. I would need it.

That first class was intense. The warmth made even the most basic positions much more challenging. As I stretched and strained and struggled, my teacher’s inspirational words—“steady breathing, steady mind, steady body, steady life”—kept me going. The motivation led to triumph. I completed my first hot yoga class. The exhilarating feeling of accomplishment, not to mention all the other benefits, made the effort worthwhile.

A sense of inspiration and accomplishment helps make The Yoga Room a special place. Zhana Galjasevic, a Croatian immigrant, arrived in America in 1986 with her son, Marco. She became an avid yoga fan and began teaching in facilities in and around Astoria before starting her own business in 2003. For Zhana, yoga is about rejuvenation. These exercises awaken the body

hoT YoGA To fIGhTStory Julian LesserPhoto Javier Ibañez

tHe Cold weAtHer

BodY + soul

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and spirit, better preparing oneself for this day and the next. Sharing this feeling with others motivates her.

Marco eventually became a yoga enthusiast as well. In 2007, unhappy with his job and suffering the loss of a failed relationship, he started to put on weight, soon tipping the scales at over 200 pounds. Marco looked at himself in the mirror one day and thought, “I am fat and unhappy and unhealthy!” He decided to change. A 30-day challenge at The Yoga Room turned into three months; Marco lost 30 pounds. The experience changed his life, giving him back his health and turning him on to his calling. He soon joined his mother at her studio, becoming a program instructor.

Marco is a personal success story, though he credits his mom for the studio’s success. Both mother and son are living lessons in what a person can do when they try. It’s never too late. So don’t let the cold weather stand in the way of a better you. Try hot yoga, or start a new exercise regimen. Whatever you decide, get out there and get active.

Hot Yoga tip: Don’t focus on the practice. Focus on how you will feel after the practice—rejuvenated, alive, detoxified and energized!

Owners / Instructors: Zhana Galjasevic and son, Marco

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The YoGA room, AsTorIA

The YoGA room, lIC

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JAnuArY evenTs is happy to provide a listing of the hottest events in Astoria and LIC each month.

For a more comprehensive calendar visit our online guide at www.boromag.com/events

suBmIT Your evenT for free To events@boromag.com

1/8 2–5Pm (Art)JefferY leder GAllerY: ArT lovers And TheIr doGs212-924-8944 | 105 44th rd, 3rd floor, licwww.jeffreyledergallery.com

1/8 – 1/11 TImes vArY (theAter)The ChoColATe fACTorY: seleCTIve memorY reTurn enGAGemenT!718-482-7069 | 5-49 49th ave, licwww.chocolatefactorytheater.org

1/8 All dAY (ShopS)CreATors’ Co-oP: 1-dAY sToreWIde sAle26-16 23rd ave, astoriawww.creators-coop.com

1/15 @ 8Pm (MuSeuM)museum of The movInG ImAGe: GrAnd oPenInG lATe-nIGhT ArT PArTY718-784-0077 | 36-01 35th ave, astoriawww.movingimage.us

1/16 @ 1Pm (ShopS)CreATors’ Co-oP: free BookBIndInG ClAss 26-16 23rd ave, astoriawww.creators-coop.comRSVP: creatorscoop@gmail.com

1/17 10:30Am-5Pm (MuSeuM)museum of The movInG ImAGe: free museum dAY And movIe sCreenInGs718-784-0077 | 36-01 35th ave, astoriawww.movingimage.us

1/22 @ 10Pm (Nightlife)el AY sI: keITh BrAzIl (dJ ArTIsT) sPInnInG All nIGhT718-389-8781 | 47-38 vernon Blvd, licwww.elaysi.com

1/23 @ 2Pm (Body ANd Soul)TrAnsmIssIon medITATIon: InTroduCTIon Course 718-200-7965 | 32-18 35th st, Basement, astoriawww.transmissionmeditation.org

01/23 12 – 6Pm (MuSeuM)momA Ps1: serGeJ Jensen & lAurel nAkAdATe 718-784-2084 | 22-25 Jackson ave, licwww.ps1.org

1/12 – 1/16, 1/19 – 1/23, 1/26 – 1/29 @ 8Pm (theAter)The seCreT TheATer: The sIxTh AnnuAl lonG IslAnd CITY one ACT fesTIvAl718-392-0722 | 44-02 23rd st, licwww.secrettheatre.com

1/8, 1/15, 1/22, 1/29 @ 10Pm (Nightlife)hell GATe soCIAl: monTh of musIC718-204-8313 | 12-21 astoria Blvd, astoriawww.hellgatesocial.com

All monTh mon – Thurs 4 – 7Pm (Nightlife)sWeeT AfTon: WInTer hAPPY hour$4 drAfTs, $5 mIxed drInks, $6 WInes, $6 hoT sPIked CIder718-777-2570 | 30-09 34th st, astoriawww.sweetaftonbar.com

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lA PAPA (B,2)(718) 777-78792513 30th ave, astoriawww.lapapaonline.com

lIC mArkeT (B,4)(718) 361-0013 21-52 44th dr, licwww.licmarket.com

lInn (B,2) (718) 204-00602913 Broadway, astoria www.linnrestaurant.com

loCAle (B,2)(718) 729-908033-02 34th ave, licwww.localeastoria.com

m. Wells dIner (B,4)(718) 425-691721-17 49th ave, licwww.mwellsdiner.com

mexIq (C,2)(718) 626-033337-11 30th ave, astoriawww.mexiqny.com

monIkA’s CAfe BAr (C,2)(718) 204-5273 32-90 36th st, astoria www.cafebarastoria.com

mundo (B,2)(718) 777-282931-18 Broadway, astoria www.mundoastoria.com

Pomme CAfe (C,2)(718) 545-430137-19 Broadway, astoria www.pommecafeny.com

sAGe GenerAl sTore (B,4)(718) 361-070724-20 Jackson ave, licwww.sagegeneralstore.com

sAnfords resTAurAnT (B,2)(718) 932-956930-13 Broadway astoria www.sanfordsnyc.com

sevA (C,2)(718) 626-444030-07 34th st, astoriawww.sevaindianrestaurant.com

shI (A,4)(347) 242-24504720 center Blvd, licwww.eatdrinkshi.com

vesTA (A,2)(718) 545-5550 2102 30th ave, astoria www.vestavino.com

WATer’s edGe (A,4)(718) 482-0033401 44th dr, licwww.watersedgenyc.com

WIneGAsm (C,2)(718) 932-333131-86 37th st, astoria www.winegasmeatery.com

YAJAI (B,2)(718) 956-955933-16 30th ave, astoria www.yajaithaifood.com

bakeries &coffee shopsAsTor BAke shoP (A,2) (718) 606-8439 12-23 astoria Blvd, astoria www.astor-bakeshop.com

BrooklYn BAGel & Coffee ComPAnY (C,2)(718) 204-014135-05 Broadway, astoria

BrooklYn BAGel & Coffee ComPAnY (C,1)(718) 932-828035-09 ditmars Blvd, astoria

BrooklYn BAGel & Coffee ComPAnY (C,2)(718) 777-112136-14 30th ave, astoriawww.bkbagel.com

CommunITeA (A,4)(718) 729-770847-02 vernon Blvd, licwww.communitea.net

CreAm BAkerY (A,2)(718) 545-380031-78 steinway st, astoria www.creambakeryny.com

CrAnkY’s CAfe (A,4)(347) 738-492148-19 vernon Blvd, licwww.crankyscafe.com

PArIsI BAkerY (B,2) (718) 728-5282 30-17 Broadway, astoria www.parisibakeryastoria.com

sWeeTleAf (A,4)(917) 832-672610-93 Jackson ave, licwww.sweetleaflic.com

food shops

AsTorIA WIne And sPIrITs (C,2)(718) 545-94633412 Broadway, astoriawww.astoriawines.com

BrooklYn GrAnGe fArm (C,3)(917) 204-5644 37-18 northern Blvd, licwww.brooklyngrangefarm.com

fresh sTArT (B,1)(718) 204-786829-13 23rd ave, astoria www.fsorganic.com

5 nAPkIn BurGer (C,2)(718) 433-272735-01 36th st, astoriawww.5napkinburger.com

AlIAdA (B,2)(718) 932-22402919 Broadway, astoria

Avenue CAfe (C,2) (718) 278-6967 35-27 30th ave, astoriawww.avenuecafenyc.com

BAreBurGer (B,2)(718) 777-701133-21 31st ave, astoriawww.bareburger.com

Bel vIA (A,4)(718) 361-751047-46 vernon Blvd, licwww.bellaviarestaurant.com

BrICk CAfe (B,2)(718) 267-2735 30-95 33rd st, astoriawww.brickcafe.com

Blend (A,4)(718) 729-280047-04 vernon Blvd, licwww.blendlic.com

BreAd Box CAfe (A,4)(718) 389-97004711 11th st, licwww.breadboxcafelic.com

BuGATTI CAfe (C,2)(718) 626-111531-05 34th st, astoria

BurGer GArAGe (B,3)(718) 392-042425-36 Jackson ave, licwww.theburgergarage.com

CAvo (C,2) (718) 721-100142-18 31st ave, astoriawww.cavoastoria.com

CresCenT And vIne (B,1)(718) 204-47742503 ditmars Blvd, astoria

dIWIne (C,2)(718) 777-135541-15 31st ave, astoria www.diwineonline.com

fATTY’s (B,1)(718) 267-70712501 ditmars Blvd, astoriawww.fattyscafenyc.com

Il BAmBIno (C,2)(718) 626-008734-08 31st ave, astoria www.ilbambinonyc.com

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nATurAl fronTIer food mArkeT (A,4)(718) 937-939912-01 Jasckson ave, licwww.naturalfrontiermarket.net

sAI orGAnICs (B,2)(718) 278-172630-21 30th avenue, astoriawww.saiorganics.com

vITAlITY And heAlTh orGAnIC mArkeT (C,2)(718) 777-847746-03 Broadway, Astoria

shoPsclothing & gifts

BelIef (B,1)(718) 721-4444 29-20b 23rd ave, astoriawww.beliefnyc.com

CAndY Plum (C,2) (718) 721-2299 3098 36th st, astoria www.candyplum.com

CreATors Co-oP (B,1)(917) 751-817726-16 23rd ave, astoriawww.creators-coop.com eThereAl (A,4)(718) 482-888447-38 vernon Blvd, licwww.etherealnyc.com

InsIde AsTorIA (C,1) (718) 956-4000 37-20 ditmars Blvd, astoria

krIsTee’s (B,1)(718) 204-5031 2401 23rd ave, astoria www.kristeesny.com

lovedAY 31 (B,2) (718) 728-4057 3306 31st ave, astoria www.loveday31.com

sITe (C,2)(718) 626-603032-90 36th st, astoriawww.shopsiteonline.com

florists

dITmArs floWers And GIfTs (B,1)(800) 772-609029-11 ditmars Blvd, astoria www.ditmarsflowershop.com

floresTA (A,4) (917) 612-4446 51-02 vernon Blvd, lic www.florestanyc.com/blog

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restaurantsfood

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nIGhTlIfeBohemIAn hAll & Beer GArden (B,1) (718) 274-49252919 24th ave, astoria www.bohemianhall.com

BreAk (B,2)(718) 777-54003208 Broadway, astoriawww.break-ny.com

CAnz (C,2)(718) 545-226940-11 30th ave, astoriawww.canzusa.com

domAIn WIne BAr (A,4)(718) 784-235050-04 vernon Blvd, lic

The Creek And The CAve (A,4)(718) 706-878310-93 Jackson ave, licwww.creeklic.com

de JA vu (C,2)(718) 267-821233-22 28 ave, astoriawww.dejavunewyork.com

el AY sI (A,4)(718) 389-878147-38 vernon Blvd, licwww.elaysi.com

hells GATe soCIAl (A,2)(718) 204-8313 12-21 astoria Blvd, astoria www.hellgatesocial.com

mIx CAfe And lounGe (C,2)(347) 642-4840 40-17 30th ave, astoria www.mixcafelounge.com

PenThouse808 (A,3)(718) 289-61188-08 Queens plaza south, licwww.penthouse808rooftop.com

rAPTure lounGe (C,2)(718) 626-804434-27 28th ave, astoria www.rapturelounge.com

The sPArroW TAvern (B,2)(718) 606-226024-01 29th st, astoriawww.thesparrowtavern.com

sTudIo squAre Beer GArden (C,3)(718) 383-100135-33 36th st, astoria www.studiosquarenyc.com

sWeeT AfTon (C,2)(718) 777-257030-09 34th st, astoria www.sweetaftonbar.com

pets

The JumPInG BulldoG: A BouTIque for CATs And doGs (B,1)(718) 274-2510 28-10 23rd ave, astoria www.jumpingbulldog.com

kITTY And doGGIe lounGe: dAYCAre And sPA (A,4)(347) 642-402248-18 vernon Blvd, lic

services

AsTorIA’s BICYCle rePAIrmAn (C,2)(718) 706-045040-21a 35th ave, astoriawww.bikerepairman.com

BuIld IT Green! (A,1)(718) 777-01323-17 26th ave, astoriawww.bignyc.org

mATTed lIC (A,4)(718) 786-8660 46-36 vernon Blvd, lic

modern sPACes (A,4)(718) 784-1110 10-63 Jackson ave, lic www.modernspacesnyc.com

ondemAnd PrInTInG (C,4)(718) 392-0500 30-02 48th ave, licwww.ondemandprinting.com

reCYCle-A-BIke (A,4)corner of 5th st and 46th ave, licwww.recycleabicycle.org

suPer novA TATToos (C,1) (718) 274-5712 37-12 ditmars Blvd, astoriawww.supernovatattoo.com

vArdImAn eYeWeAr (C,2)(718) 204-503734-18 Broadway, astoria www.vardimaneyewear.com

vIdeo exPress (C,2)(718)626-08463408 30th ave, astoria

foundrY (A,3)(718) 786-777642-38 9tH st, licwww.thefoundry.info

hotelsrAvel (A,3)(718) 289-6101 8-08 Queens plaza south, licwww.ravelhotel.com

BodY + soulbeauty

AThenA nAIls (B,2)(718) 278-45973111 30th ave, astoria

GIGI sAlon (C,2)(718) 777-7755 34-17 30th ave, astoria www.gigistylingstudio.com

PrImP And TeAse sAlon (A,4)(718) 472-2001 5-02 50th ave, lic

fitness + health

AsTorIA skATe PArk (A,1) in astoria park at Hoyt ave n. and 19th street

heArT And soul of YoGA (C,2)(610) 585-861332-18 35th st, Basement, astoriawww.heartandsoulofyoga.com

neW York sPorTs CluB (C,2)(718) 932-14002856 steinway st, astoriawww.nysc.com

seek fITness (B,1)(347) 924-900427-18 23rd ave, astoriawww.seek-fitness.com

TrAnsmIssIon medITATIon (C,2)(610) 585-861332-18 35th st, Basement, astoriawww.heartandsoulofyoga.com

YoGA AGorA (B,2) (718) 626-068033-02 Broadway, 2nd fl, astoria www.yogaagora.com

The YoGA room (C,2)(718) 274-025538-01 35th ave, astoria www.the-yoga-room.com

The YoGA room (A,4)(718) 786-796210-14 47 rd, licwww.the-yoga-room.com

reJuvenATe fACe And BodY (B,1)(718) 626-4434 26-17 23rd ave, astoria www.rejuvenatenyc.com

The ArTs5 PoInTz (B,4)(317) 219-268545-46 davis st, licwww.5ptz.com

kAufmAn AsTorIA sTudIos (C,2)(718) 706-5300 34-12 36th st, astoria www.kaufmanastoria.com

momA Ps1 (B,4)(718) 784-208422-25 Jackson ave, lic www.ps1.org

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

soCrATes sCulPTure PArk (A,2) (718) 626-1533 32-01 vernon Blvd, astoriawww.socratessculpturepark.org

underPennY (A,4) (917) 517-149210-13 50th ave, lic

mAP IT dIreCTorY

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Want your business listed in our Map It Directory? Contact ads@boromag.com to learn how.

event spaces

spas

Rejuvenate Spa owner, Evelyn Gatzonis, follows a simple ideology: always provide customers with compassion and wisdom. And this approach guides her beauty philosophy too. As one of the few spas in Astoria to offer a more “holistic and conscious approach” to beauty and skin care, Rejuvenate treats customers with only the most natural, toxin-free products.

According to Evelyn, clear, youthful-looking skin is the foundation of beauty. Skin is the barometer of one’s internal balance, a signal to the body when something is out of alignment. Evelyn and her staff consult with clients about their fitness, nutrition and health, providing valuable insight on how to achieve that elusive internal balance. This evaluation of a client’s overall well-being lets Evelyn offer individualized treatments that help relieve common skin imperfections, such as dryness, blotchiness or acne. It’s Evelyn’s holistic approach to beauty that distinguishes her spa from most others.

Despite Rejuvenate’s unique service, Evelyn insists that many effective skin care treatments can easily be created at home using simple, natural ingredients found in any regular pantry. Honey, for example, has great hydrating and anti-bacterial properties. By following Evelyn’s at-home instructions, one can build a simple skin care regimen that will help create a new, more beautiful self!

She advises applying these masks for about 10 – 15 minutes as needed (twice per week).

Evelyn even offers valuable tips for guys. Men should shave with Shea or coconut butter—instead of typical shaving creams that can dry out and age the skin—and apply 3 – 4 drops of tea oil mixed with distilled water afterward for rehydration.

Evelyn’s holistic approach to beauty is quite simple: taking better care of oneself, both inside and out, using only natural, toxin-free products, will lead to a clear and more youthful complexion. Create an at-home beauty regimen from these simple rules and produce a new, more beautiful you!

Learn more about Evelyn Gatzonis at boromag.com

fACIAl mAsk:For a simple moisturizing facial mask for all skin types, mix/blend the following ingredients: • Organic oats • Small amount of water • 1 teaspoon of honey • Plain yogurt

For mature skin that requires an anti-aging facial treatment, mix/blend: • 1-2 teaspoons of honey • 1 Egg white

Story Suzanne SitelmanPhoto Philippe Trinh

body + Soul

A New youfor the New yeAr

81 reJuvenATe fACe And BodY

Owner Evelyn Gatzonis

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AsTorIA’s BICYCle rePAIrmAn reCYCle-A-BIke

BuIld IT Green!

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KeePing thein resoLution6 WAYs To Green AsTorIA/lIC In 2011Story Mickey Z.

There’s never been a better time to live green. Since january is an excellent month for new beginnings, we have a suggestion: let’s keep the “r” in resolution by embracing a whole bunch of other r’s.

ready? Here are six r’s to consider for a greener 2011:

1. refusejust say no; this is as basic as it gets. The less we consume, the less we need the other five R’s. Keep it simple; downsize your electronics, your home and your life. Only buy the food, clothing, cleaning supplies (and everything else) that you will actually use. To quote the immortal Tyler Durden, the Fight Club character who rails against consumer culture, “The things you own end up owning you.” Own your freedom instead.

2. reduCeWhether you call it precycling or reduction, it typically involves:• Choosing products that come with less packaging • Bringing your own shopping bag• Opting for a BPA-free, reusable water bottle• Shopping at thrift shops and used goods stores

3. re-useAn old towel becomes a dishrag. A pickle jar becomes a pen jar. Organic, fair-trade, shade-grown coffee grinds become dye, cleaner or deodorizer. How you choose to re-use is your call. The green point is: view disposal as a last resort. Even when you’re stumped for a re-use angle, there’s always freecyling—giving the used item to someone else for free.

local Action: Head to the Queens Craigslist “free” section and post “free box of stuff on my stoop!!!” They will come from all over to collect. It’s a proven method of passing along stuff you shouldn’t throw away but also can’t sell.

Green lIvInG

4. rePAIrWe know about planned obsolescence: nothing is built to last, which keeps the consumer cycle rolling. Learn basic, DIY repair skills to toss a monkey wrench into that cycle, and use that monkey wrench at the same time.

local Action: Get started by visiting Andres Jimenez at his shop Astoria’s Bicycle Repairman or get involved with Recycle-a-Bike in LIC.

5. reCYCleWith roughly 20 million tons of electronic waste thrown away each year, it’s clear we need to up the recycling ante. On a smaller scale, if we reduce (see #2) our consumption and re-use (see #3) what we have, we lead by example and create less personal waste. ARROW, which stands for Astoria Residents Reclaiming Our World, is an excellent resource for local recycling news.

local Action: Visit Build It Green!, New York City’s only nonprofit retail outlet for salvaged and surplus building materials. Buy materials, furniture and appliances to redesign your home, apartment or business.

6. roTOtherwise known as composting, rot is a process by which natural materials decompose through natural chemical reactions, often aided by fungi, bacteria and insects. It’s nature’s recycling program. We can resolve to rot in 2011.

local Action: Email the Western Queens Compost Initiative at wqnscompost@gmail.com to learn how to compost in Astoria and LIC!

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Booklets

Bookmark

s

Brochures

Business C

ards 

Calendars 

   

Door Hang

ers

Envelopes

Flyers 

Greeting C

ards

Letterhead

Newsletter

s

Postcards

Posters

Pocket Fo

lders

Rack Card

s 

Table Tent

s 

Vinyl Bann

ers

Paperless Orders Electronic Proofing Eco-Freindly Papers Direct Imaging Soy & Vegetable Inks Waterless Printing

Our commitment to sustainability is fundamental to our  business and practiced at all levels of our organization.

Order at:www.ondemandcolor.comor call 1-718-392-0500 email: jobs@ondemandcolor.comUse promo code: BORO

all printing and design20%OFF

CONVENIENTLY LOCATED IN L.I.C.30-02 48TH AVENUE 3rd FLOORLONG ISLAND CITY, N.Y. 11101

52577_BORO-DEC.indd 3 11/18/10 4:43 PM

el AY sI (pronounced “LIC”) on Vernon Boulevard is the best dive you’ve never heard of. The restaurant-bar just celebrated its first birthday, and so far it’s been nothing but great for owners Jonathan Duke and Xerxes “X” Novoa. The venue has flown comfortably under the radar. But now they’re starting a weekend party that will make the bar your new home away from home.

With the closing of Max Fish—a dive bar and Lower East Side institution—many New Yorkers are reminded of how precious their local bars really are. It’s a dynamic Duke and X understood even before opening their bar last year. X managed The Orchard on the LES before teaming up with Duke for El Ay Si; they have a combined 25 years of experience. And the recipe works.

Now the duo brings the same “local” feel to Queens—giving bar goers in their 20s and 30s a spot to call their own. “I like laid back,” says X. “I like a good hole in the wall.”

El Ay Si is similar to something you might find on the LES because it’s green. Most everything in the railroad-style space is recycled; ceiling beams are from a space nearby, and the 19th century French doors at the entrance are also salvaged. “Raising El Ay Si was organic,” says Duke. “Very trial and error. We practically lived in the space before construction to get a feel for it.”

Now the duo is investing in a weekend party Duke hopes will bring more life to the hood. “DJs Love on the Run and Keith Brazil will be here,” he says. You can enjoy a Jim Jam, the bar’s signature cocktail that infuses bourbon and triple sec with fresh lime and muddled blackberry and orange. But if beer’s your choice, you can grab a 24-ounce Tecate “brown bag special” for $6. Draft beer is also available. “Owning a restaurant is more a lifestyle than a business,” X says. Time to get this party started.

Raisingyour new hOme AwAy froM hoMe

The BArStory Christopher de la Torre

Photos Alex Marshall

enTerTAInmenT + nIGhTlIfe

88 el AY sI

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Raisingyour new hOme AwAy froM hoMe

JIm JAm CoCkTAIlMakes 1 Large 16 oz Drink

Muddle 5 blackberries and 3 orange slices.

Add the following and shake:½ oz lime juice¼ oz lemon juice¼ oz simple syrup¾ oz Cointreau1 ¼ oz Jim Bean

Coat a glass with Angostura bitters.Add ice.Strain mixture over fresh ice.

Garnish with a basil leaf (slap leaf first to release the leaf ’s natural oils) and blackberries.

Enjoy!

Created by El Ay Si Mixologist Jenifer Faulkner

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sorta seCret

Story Daniel CrownPhoto Sean Donnelly

UNDERGROUND

ComeDy CLub

Peter Moses

Keep AN eYe out, AstoriA. A NumBer of tHe NeigHBorHood’s Best worKiNg ComediANs Are BriNgiNg tHeir ACts BACK Home. literAllY.

Like most innovations, local comedian Peter Moses’ stroke of genius was birthed out of necessity.

For years, he and a group of Astoria-based comedians put on a comedy show in Ochi’s Lounge, a long-established outlet for independently produced comedy shows, located in the basement of Manhattan’s Comix Comedy Club. When the club came under new management in September, however, the shot callers decided to renovate the room and then promptly moved to shut it down. According to Moses, without any prior warning, many local comedians suddenly found themselves scrambling for new venues in which to perform.

Moses and his roommates, Bryan Bruner and Evan Jacobs (also comedians), ultimately decided to try something new. “We live in Astoria,” Moses remembers spitballing with his roommates. “We have a big enough apartment. Why not just do a show from our living room?” What resulted was the “Sorta Secret Underground Living Room Comedy Show.” Actual credit for the idea remains up for debate.

A few weeks later the comedians moved some furniture around, sent out a Facebook invitation and proceeded to put on a world-class comedy show from the comfort of their very own living room. The first show’s diverse roster featured some of New York’s most successful underground comedians, including Last Comic Standing contestant Sarah Tollemache, radio host Dave

Greek and veteran songster Henry Phillips. Subsequent performances have also included television’s Nick Cobb and Luke Younger.

It’s no secret that Astoria, with its affordable rents and its close proximity to the city, has become a haven of sorts for some of New York’s best young comedians. And according to Moses, there is enough interest from local artists that the “Living Room Comedy Show” will happen monthly for the foreseeable future.

For Moses and his friends, the show serves as more than an amusing novelty. He admits the idea is unprecedented. But he also believes that it might detach the comedians involved from the constricting marionette strings that control New York’s mainstream comedy world. The booking process can be arbitrary, leaving many talented artists at the whim of other people’s varying allegiances.

“We might make a couple of bucks,” Moses said. “But the best part is that we get to put on a show that we like, put up comics that we enjoy, respect and want to see more of, and then introduce them to people who might not go to a comedy club.”

entertainment

Potential attendees can RSVP and obtain an address for the next show (taking place on Saturday, Jan. 15) at sortasecretcomedy@gmail.com. The show will also stream live at www.sortasecretcomedy.com.

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ArT

Jason Villegas / photo Javier Ibañez

work has been shown in galleries throughout the world, including the Socrates Sculpture Park here in LIC, where one of his totem pole installations is currently on display.

Jason is fascinated with how consumer-driven trade-marks evolve from indigenous symbols. His work dem-onstrates how society reprocesses native, mythological signs into brand labels, which are respected and valued. As these trademarks become global representations of consumerism, the recycled images are shared with these same indigenous communities, but are given new meaning. Mimicking this cyclical process, Jason uses second-hand, brand name clothing to create much of his artwork.

Jason believes that society also transforms celebrities into mythological representations. Their images be-come larger-than-life symbols, inflated with consumer-driven value. Ironically, as his celebrity portrait collec-tion becomes more successful, Jason struggles to balance his own popularity with genuine artistic expression. He fears that fame might change his creative process.

As Jason confesses, “It’s hilarious that what I had as a commentary has now come full circle… and I myself am a slave to what I was talking about in the beginning.” Only time will tell whether consumerism or creativity wins out in Jason Villegas’ art. But he refuses to take his work too seriously, which is a good sign. And he continues to have fun.

ArT iMitAteS life: Story Suzanne Sitelman

“Life imitates art” is the proverb that best suits Jason Villegas as he poses below his newest series of celebrity portraits fashioned out of recycled fabric. The wall of pop icons is part of a larger exhibition that will soon be on display at the McClain Gallery in Houston, Texas. The textile portraits, featuring artists such as Willie Nelson and David Bowie, have become the most profit-able series in Jason’s vast collection.

Created from various cloth cutouts, the extraordinary depictions capture the essence of these pop stars, their fabric eyes conveying surprising humanness. Though these images are well admired, Jason regards this col-lection’s popularity with mixed emotions. Like many artists, Jason fears that his newfound economic success might pigeonhole his artistic expression. He struggles to maintain the balance between creative ambitions and financial desires.

After graduating with a Fine Arts degree from Rutgers University, Jason moved to Long Island City and then Astoria. He quickly fell in love with a community that supports what he terms as “do it yourself artists”—in-dividuals who independently create, curate and exhibit fine art for the sake of creative achievement, without the need for fame or glamour. When asked about his New Year’s resolution, he simply states, “to find a job that will allow me to stay in Astoria.”

As an artist, Jason describes himself as a social histo-rian. He attributes his popularity to an ironic sense of humor and unbiased approach to his subject matter. His

POrtrait Of astOria / ArTIsT JAson vIlleGAs

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On January 15, 2011, Astoria’s Museum of the Moving Image—the country’s only institution dedicated to the art, industry and innovation of screen culture—reopens its doors. Still housed in its original building, the museum is now twice as big, with new screening and production rooms, additional educational programs and a striking new physical expression. The renovation marks a significant step for one of New York City’s most unique institutions.

Museum of the Moving Image first opened in 1988, seven years after Rachel Slovin, then the executive director of the Astoria Motion Picture and Television Foundation, introduced the idea. The museum’s mission was to advance the public knowledge of all things screen. Slovin became its founding director, and guided the institution up to

and through the recent renovation. After overseeing the inauguration, she will retire. “I leave with an extraordinary sense of accomplishment,” she says. “Very few people have the privilege of creating an institution from nothing and knowing it will live long after them.”

The museum will not only survive, but also thrive as a must-see for New Yorkers and tourists alike. Thanks to a $67 million budget, funded by various organizations, government funds and individuals, the building has been redesigned and expanded—from 50,000 to 97,700 square feet—by architect Thomas Leeser. “The museum is a victim of its success and needs the space and amenities that a $67 million renovation and expansion will provide,” says Queens Borough President Helen Marshall, a supporter. “Museum of the Moving Image

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MUSEUM OF THE MOVING IMAGE REOPENS AF TER A T WO-YEAR RENOVATION AND EXPANSION

Rendering of Museum of the Moving image

Story Rebecca McNamara

• “Signal to Noise,” a late-night art party on January 15 ($15 advance ticket or $20 at the door)• Free admission on January 17 (MLK Day), which includes a screening of an archival 35mm print of the 1970 documentary King: A Filmed Record, Montgomery to Memphis

Check out the full list of programs for “Celebrating the Moving Image” at www.boromag.com.

Exciting programs and exhibitions will continue long after the inaugural celebration. According to Chris Wisniewski, deputy director for education, the expansion lets the museum expand its programming and serve twice as many students as before. “The museum will be introducing hands-on workshops and demonstrations in the new Experimental Production Studio, expanded programming for elementary school students, and new seminars and institutes for teachers, as well as new weekend and summer programs for children, families, adults, and seniors,” he says. Programs address all types of screen culture—film, TV and digital, as well as historic and contemporary. “We focus on using them to open up a world of other topics for students, from history and politics to math and computer science.”

There is certainly no shortage of ways to start a discussion. Museum of the Moving Image has 125,000 objects in its collection, according to its website. The artifacts cover a wide spectrum and include behind-the-scenes photographs of 1920s film productions, Wizard of Oz sheet music, a 1916 35mm motion picture projector, over a thousand film stills, a 1975 Casper the Friendly Ghost-themed board game, paper advertisements, a 1978 Jaws 2-themed Marvel Super Special comic book and much, much more. Even at twice its previous size, the museum can display only a small portion of its collection at any one time. With so much memorabilia and so many new spaces to show it, Museum of the Moving Image is sure to surpass all expectations.

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is unique and we are very proud to have it here in Queens.”

neW fACIlITIes InClude:• Redesigned ground floor and three additional floors• 267-seat theater• 68-seat Celeste and Armond Bartos Screening Room• Ann and Andrew Tisch Education Center• William Fox Amphitheater for student orientation• High-tech digital learning suite• Nam June Paik Experimental Production Studio• Café and museum store• On-site space for collection storage, improving access for researchers• 10,000-square-foot courtyard garden• Upgraded technology for “Behind the Screen,” the core exhibition that covers 15,000 square feet and offers “a comprehensive, interactive exploration of how films and television programs are produced, promoted and exhibited”• New entrance made of mirrored and transparent glass, with the words “Museum of the Moving Image” in three-and-a-half-foot-tall letters

The opening kicks off six weeks of programs collectively titled “Celebrating the Moving Image.” The inaugural festival will honor both the museum and screen culture itself. “Museum of the Moving Image embraces screen culture in all its forms and aspects,” says Slovin. “To do justice to our subject matter and show off our wonderful new capabilities, we needed nothing less than a six-week celebration.”

oPenInG Weekend WIll feATure:• Film screenings, including the premiere of a newly restored 3D digital version of The Mad Magician (1954)• Artist talk by Paul Kaiser of the OpenEnded Group• Musician Sxip Shirey performing as a one-man band on handmade instruments, accompanying Georges Méliès silent films• Family workshops three times a day

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Museum of the Moving Image is located on 35th Avenue at 37th Street in Astoria and is open Tuesday to Thursday, 10:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Friday 10:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. (free admission 4 to 8 p.m.) and Saturday to Sunday 10:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. Admission is $10 for adults; $7.50 for seniors and college students; $5 for children ages f ive to eighteen and free for museum members, children under f ive years of age and teachers with valid ID.