Stephen Sondheim’s Follies, currently in performance by the Astoria Performing Arts Center (APAC) through the end of this month, expounds on such universal themes as love, innocence, loss and nostalgia. First performed on Broadway in 1971 where it won seven Tony awards (with two additional revivals), Follies begins in 1971 with the reunion of several… Read more »
Category: BOAST review
Trattoria Ora: A New Italian Restaurant in Western Astoria
A few weeks ago, I was walking home from the Astoria ferry and noticed a cute little Italian restaurant had popped up at 18th and Astoria Boulevard. My favorite foods are bread, cheese and pasta so I was eager to check out this new place that was less than five minutes from my apartment. So a… Read more »
Ha’s Chinese Has Opened
Ha’s Chinese opened last week in the same location as The Queens Kickshaw, and is run by the same people. We really liked The Queens Kickshaw, and guess what, we really liked Ha’s—a vegetarian Chinese restaurant that serves unique dishes. The front of the restaurant has been moved in about three feet, so don’t expect any… Read more »
A Trip to the Newly-Opened Astoria Provisions
Astoria Provisions is closer to the newly-opened neighborhood ferry stop than it is to any subway station, so that makes it a great excuse to take the ferry either to or from a meal. (It is where Astor Bake Shop used to be.) Once in the neighborhood, people are sure to be drawn into the restaurant’s… Read more »
New Spring Menu at Kurry Qulture
Kurry Qulture has been on our radar for quite some time. We were finally able to check them out this week, and we were not disappointed. We tried a wide variety of excellent Indian cuisine. Located on 30th Avenue, it used to be the cocktail bar Bourbon & Vine. I visited Bourbon & Vine a few times,… Read more »
Review of Raisin
Grasping for a Glimmer of Sunshine: Lisa Huberman on Raisin at Astoria Performing Arts Center There’s something that is so comforting about jazz music on a rainy evening—the melancholy mixed with seductive combination of nostalgia and longing. Astoria Performing Arts Center’s deeply felt, soulful revival of Raisin left me warmed and transported on the misty… Read more »
Review of Tikka Roll House
I sat down at the new Tikka Roll House this past week with a craving for good Indian cuisine. I was not disappointed. It’s been open for a few months now, and I’ve been curious as to how their rolls were, since I had never had this type of dish. I first decided to try… Read more »
Classes for Aspiring Writers at QED
There’s a debate that always seems to crop up amongst aspiring writers these days: Should you get an MFA, or move to NYC? The answer is usually inconclusive. But when people like prominent humor writer and Vanity Fair editor Mike Sacks offer classes for $40 a pop at QED in Astoria, it seems the NYC… Read more »
Much Needed Comedy on a Cold Night: Q.E.D.’s Relationsh*t
Q.E.D. is exactly the type of venue Astoria has always needed. It’s a place that advocates for the arts by offering classes, events, shows—and most importantly, comedy. This past Friday night, my boyfriend and I braved the below-freezing temperatures (well okay, we took a heated Uber) and went out to see Q.E.D.’s Relationsh*t, an irreverent… Read more »
Review of Repeater: A Little Show About Big Songs
On a rainy Tuesday, I went to check out Repeater: A Little Show About Big Songs at QED here in Astoria. I have seen a few shows at QED before, but this one was new to me. Comedians Evan Barden and Pat Cartelli host a monthly discussion about a single song that their monthly guest… Read more »
Featured BOAST Location
MoMA PS1
22-25 Jackson Ave, Long Island City, (718) 784-2084, momaps1.org
An exhibition space rather than a collecting institution, MoMA PS1 devotes its energy and resources to displaying the most experimental art in the world, and supports innovation in contemporary art. Warm Up, a popular program on Saturdays in the summer, takes place in the courtyard where DJs spin and people dance for hours.