This year’s LIC Arts Open Festival starts with a party/benefit at the Reis Studios on Wednesday, May 15th.
If you haven’t picked up a brochure for the Arts Open feel free to virtually browse through one online!
Don’t forget Beer and Meatball Festival this Sunday!
9 May
Just in case you forgot, we’ve got an awesome event happening this Sunday in LIC:
It’s that time of year again where you can enjoy numerous meatballs and beer together, without feeling too guilty. Year number 2 has some interesting meat purveyors…oh yeah, and the beer sounds pretty sophisticated too!
Fest Will Showcase Chef Preparations of wild game, organic farm fed beef, pork and more from celebrated local chefs and more than 30 Craft Beers.
The 2nd ANNUAL “BEER BALLS” MEATBALL & CRAFT BEER FESTIVAL is happening May 11, 2013 at the Alewife NYC.
Make buy to get your tickets here.
LIC favourite in Downtown CD launch
8 May
Shelly Bhushan is a singer who commands loyalty all the way from LIC to her home town of Dallas, Texas. A regular performer at the LIC Bar and across New York, Queens-based Shelly is a singer with great soul and power with three previous albums to her credit, plus lead vocals on a swing band album. She launched her new album “Something Out of Nothing” in front of a capacity crowd at the Rockwood Music Hall, stage 2, last Sunday, May 5th; performing most of the songs from the new album in a well-honed set where the sound, lighting and, above all, the musicianship showed off the quality of Shelly’s music.
Shelly Bhushan, Jeneen Terrana, Theresa Hoffmann and Anthony Lanni
In talking about the album Shelly says:
““Something Out of Nothing”? Well, my entire song-writing journey started off with not even wanting to write. I just wanted to sing. I moved to NYC with nothing. I fronted a band. We broke up. I had no material. I started writing because I had to. And I wrote for years until I felt I had nothing left to say…One evening, looking out over the NYC skyline in all its majesty, I bathed in the darkness, wondering why I felt I had nothing to show for my time in New York. Was it time for me to leave? This moment sparked the creation of “NY”, a.k.a. “Unrequited Love Song”, a song about the City being the most evil and wonderful love interest. The writing of this song opened me up to observing the world in a new way: finding beauty in the mundane or marvellous. I took joy in the wonder of living through a little house plant, undying love in the face of troubling times, or feeling so directionless that you surrender to the wind. This album is a collection of those thoughts, a soundscape created by me and the band of gentlemen who have stood by my side over the years: John Celentano, Harry Cordew and Ben Hoffstein.
Making this record has been one of the best and most creative experiences I’ve ever had.”
Joined on the stage for Shelly’s show were her regular band with extra vocal and guitar support from long-time collaborators Jeneen Terrana and Theresa Hoffmann (“Little Embers”), guitar from Anthony Lanni and extra keys/laptop from Angela Ortiz.
by Eric Hathaway
LIC Community Clean up this Saturday
7 May
This Saturday, May 11th at 10am come and help clean up your neighborhood with LIC-ECO:
WHO: LIC-ECO is a grassroots organization made up of residents and businesses in the Hunters Point neighborhood of Long Island City, Queens, dedicated to a better, greener and healthier environment.
All participants are volunteers from the local community. There are over two-dozen members involved in planning the May 11 campaign.
WHAT: Due to the lack of regularly scheduled street cleaning in this previously industrial neighborhood which has grown tremendously in recent years, many residents, particularly parents with young children, decided to take part in a DIY clean-up, designed to be an annual campaign day before Mother’s Day.
This clean up campaign is sponsored and supported by many local groups including the City of New York Clean Community Campaign, LIC Partnership, Assemblywoman Cathy Nolan, Council Member Jimmy Van Bramer, Green Mountain Graphics, Earth and Sky Healing Arts, QueensWest Health and Wellness, Ipodmeister, Shine Electronics, Malu Ice Cream, Food Cellar, Tannic Inc., Flip My Pancake Graphic Design, Balance Spa and Modern Spaces Real Estate
WHEN: Saturday, May 11, 2013 - 10 a.m. to 12 noon (rain or shine)
WHERE: 48th Avenue between 5th Street and Vernon Blvd. in Hunters Point, Long Island City
Peruvian restaurant to finally open “in three weeks”
6 May
Construction has re-started at the old Crossroads Diner where a Peruvian restaurant was scheduled to go up over a year ago.
According to one of the workers there the Peruvian restaurant should be up and running “in three weeks”.
The restaurant is located on the corner of 11th Street and 48th Ave.
Happy Birthday LIC Spot!
Here’s a gift to all of our followers!
6 May
It’s hard to imagine that we’ve been around for a whole year already! And to celebrate our one year anniversary we’d like to announce our open forums for anyone to use.
The link is to RIGHT and it’s relatively easy to post anything your heart desires. Please keep it civilized and have fun connecting with your neighbors.
Again, thank you for sticking with LIC Spot for a whole year. We hope you’ll follow us for many more years to come!
Billions of Cicadas returning to East Coast (and LIC)
6 May
A plague is upon us, and we’re not even talking about the Citi Bikeaggedon or the nightmare snakehead fishtastrophe: billions of cicadas are expected to emerge all across the East Coast and even Long Island City this month. After 17 years of being dormant underground, the cicadas will storm the land in May, put on the cicada equivalent of Barry White, and start mating like a bunch of horny penguins.
The good news for LIC is that the eggs were laid 17 years ago under the oldest trees. That means that our brand new waterfront will be spared.
Do you remember the great cicada outbreak in 1996 in LIC? Were you here?
PNT Fitness gets into gear in LIC
1 May
Tara Faye, owner and manager of PNT Fitness
Get into gear with the help of Tara Faye, owner and manager of PNT Fitness. PNT is a private gym located on Jackson Ave. Once a second floor studio apartment, the space was transformed into a place to sweat it out.
Tara’s love of fitness runs in her family. She was introduced to group fitness at a young age by her mother, who was also an instructor. Tara began teaching fitness classes while she was a student at Wagner College. After she received certificates in group fitness, personal training, and spinning she began teaching in gyms all around the city, renting out studios to hold her own classes.
PNT fitness has been a part of the neighborhood since January of 2011. It was originally owned by three people, including Tara. A little more than a year after opening, Tara took over the business and today runs the whole operation single handily. And that’s not all she does… Tara also works full time as a senior production accountant at a theater management company…and she’s recently engaged. Tara seems unfazed by her busy schedule and talks about managing both her careers with ease.
PNT offers a variety of fitness classes. From spinning, to cardio, to weight training, eight talented instructors will surely rock your body. Tara caps off each class at 10 people, something she says allows her and her instructors to really get to know their students. The fitness guru says her small classes still allow for great energy but also makes it possible to focus on form and technique, ultimately making sure each student is getting maximum results.
Classes vary in length and skill level. From seasoned spinners to newbies each class has something different to offer. Some classes arecardio based, others focus on toning, and a couple incorporates both. PNT also offers a spinning class called “Cycle Virgin”… perfect as a refresher course or for first time spinners. Tara welcomes each student into this class by spending one on one time with each them, making sure they are set up correctly on the stationary bike. But don’t let the name fool you…the 30 minute class is just as intense as any other. Once you’re comfortable, get ready to work it out while learning basic drills and skills along your ride.
Tara teaches 10 classes a week on top of personal training. While she loves to teach all of her classes, she admits her “insane kickbox camp” will always be one of her favorites. She is proud of the class she developed herself and says it’s designed to live up to its name…incorporating intense intervals of cardio, kickboxing, and boot camp regimens. Her widely popular class has even been recognized by CBS New York…featured as one of the “NYC’s 5 Best Boot Camps.”
Every Tuesday at PNT is “community night.” Where some classes are offered at discounted prices. There are no membership fees at this private gym, and no contracts. Check out www.pntfitness.com for more info, including class descriptions and weekly schedules.
by Anne Weslowski
High end Japanese restaurant coming to LIC!
1 May
Hibino in Carrol Gardens
We’ve just confirmed that a new Japanese restaurant will be opening up in Long Island City.
Hibino, a popular high-end restaurant in Carrol Gardens, will opening a restaurant on Jackson Ave., where the Los Amigos deli used to be (next to PNT Fitness).
Hunters Point Library gets vandalized
30 Apr
What it looked like a few days ago.
The new library isn’t up yet and we’re getting reports that the canvas drawings for the Hunters Point Library have been gashed over a dozen times.
As we reported last week, the library is scheduled to break ground sometime soon. Is this a sign of things to come?
