Vacation in sunny Hunters Point, Long Island City, Queens this holiday weekend!

***Friday, August 30***

FACE OF CAIN (Bronx, NY)
http://www.myspace.com/faceofcain
Multi-man band.

JULZ A (Manhattan, NY)
http://www.myspace.com/squeezebox
One-man band.

ANDREW SCANDAL (Brooklyn, NY)
http://www.myspace.com/ascandal
One-man band.

9:00 PM
$5

The Creek and the Cave
http://www.thecreekandthecave.com
10-93 Jackson Ave.
Hunters Point, Long Island City, Queens, NYC
1 stop from Brooklyn & Manhattan!

G to 21 St
7 to Vernon-Jackson
E-V to 23 St-Ely Av
B-61, Q-67, and Q-103 Bus

=========================================

UPCOMING SHOWS IN THE NABE (plan ahead!):
+9/7: Virgil Shepard Walters, Hezekiah Jones, Living in Polaroids @
The Creek and the Cave
+9/14: The Spinning Leaves @ The Creek and the Cave
+9/21: The Macpodz @ The Creek and the Cave
+10/12: Southeast Engine @ The Creek and the Cave
+10/19: Casper & the Cookies, Stuoporhero @ The Creek and the Cave
+11/2: Murder Mystery @ The Creek and the Cave

http://www.licpop.com

Posted by Amol at 12:20 PM | Permalink

Apparently these survey things work. The MTA did a survey and they found out exactly what any rider could have told you. The trains are too crowded!

The report card from the MTA

Now this is a tough one to solve! There's only one big line going through the heart of Queens to Manhattan. The 7 is already the most frequent train, and the longest number of cars, and the bench format seating already accomodates the most total passengers...

The NYT reports that they are going to add more non-peak hour 7 trains (since they are already maxed out on peak frequency).

Posted by Amol at 08:33 AM | Permalink

Forgotten NY took a walking tour of everything old in LIC (via Curbed)

Posted by Amol at 08:15 AM | Permalink

The Purves buyers' forum is having a get-together: "If possible, can you post that the Purves Street condo buyers are getting together tomorrow evening, 7pm at Dominie's Hoek, 48-17 Vernon Blvd., between 48th and 49th Aves."

Posted by Amol at 01:51 PM | Permalink

There's a new forum for the Fusion building near Queens Plaza.

Say hello to your neighbors if you are moving in there

Posted by Amol at 01:50 PM | Permalink

Great images of LIC from nomap

Posted by Amol at 08:42 AM | Permalink

Kind of an interesting multi-location condo project with one "brand", one marketer, and so on. See the multiple locations for the Hunters View and One Hunters Point projects.

View Larger Map

View Larger Map

View Larger Map

Posted by Amol at 11:46 AM | Permalink

A record number of LIC mentions in the news this week. A few meriting big news, but also some smaller ones:

- Epic walker. OMG he walked all the way to LIC!! More
- Movies at Socrates. More
- "Float" exhibition at Socrates gets some press. More
- Outward Bound, the kids learning/adventure organization is based in LIC. More
- The Starbucks Workers Union is based in LIC. Who would have thought we'd be home base for the great campaign against Big Coffee? More
- It's about the views of Manhattan, not from Manhattan. More LIC mentions along with Wburg and other condo capitals. More

Posted by Amol at 11:22 AM | Permalink

One sometimes wonders whether there are any actual artists working in LIC because walking around doesn't really give that young, scruffy artist vibe. (Or does it? Maybe LICNYC is way too focused on the one-condo-tower-per-block development pattern.)

But then you get under the covers and you see that the Richard Meier Model Museum, or the big barn taken over by Bjork and Matthew Barney, or the big Gagosian Serra warehouse nearby, or...well, you get the idea. (More on some of these later.)

One of the cooler things that passed through the radar recently was the Ice Sculpture studio hosted here in LIC. More.

Posted by Amol at 11:08 AM | Permalink

You may remember a couple years ago when Bloomberg budget-cutting tried to close the firehouse here in LIC. It survived.

It was again in the news this week; those firefighters that got hurt at the recent fire and collapse at the WTC site were stationed out of LIC. More from NYT.

Posted by Amol at 11:01 AM | Permalink

Most of the cool kids at Warm Up are not local denizens. But you do get the sense that LIC is an increasingly happening 'hood when the style photographer is quote Saturdaywear from Jackson Ave rather than Orchard Street (too many white polo shirts over there).

Oh, and Williamsburg gets a mention too.

From the NYT Magazine

Posted by Amol at 10:55 AM | Permalink

This week in LIC features a top-notch lineup anchored by one of my favorite songwriters anywhere, Fred Thomas, who is probably best known for his work with pop outfit Saturday Looks Good to Me. A longtime Michiganian and sometime Oregonian, he's recently relocated to Greenpoint, and this will be his first show in Long Island City.
Fred's songs will remind you you're still human; we all need that sometimes. Also aboard is a rare NYC set by sibling duo the Wallace Bros., this time featuring a full band, as well as Lariats, a new side project by Song Corporation members.

***Friday, August 24***

FRED THOMAS (Brooklyn, NY)
http://www.myspace.com/fredthomassongs
Of Saturday Looks Good to Me, Flashpapr, and Lovesick!

WALLACE BROS. (Ypsilanti, MI)
http://www.myspace.com/wallacebros
With a full backing band!

LARIATS (Brooklyn, NY)
http://www.myspace.com/lariatsnyc
Featuring members of The Song Corporation!

9:00 PM
$5

The Creek and the Cave
http://www.thecreekandthecave.com
10-93 Jackson Ave.
Hunters Point, Long Island City, Queens, NYC
1 stop from Brooklyn & Manhattan!

G to 21 St
7 to Vernon-Jackson
E-V to 23 St-Ely Av
B-61, Q-67, and Q-103 Bus

=========================================

UPCOMING SHOWS IN THE NABE (plan ahead!):
+8/31: Face of Cain, Julz A, Andrew Scandal @ The Creek and the Cave
+9/7: Living in Polaroids, Hezekiah Jones, Virgil Shepard Walters @
The Creek and the Cave
+9/14: The Spinning Leaves @ The Creek and the Cave
+9/21: The Macpodz @ The Creek and the Cave
+10/12: Southeast Engine @ The Creek and the Cave
+10/19: Casper & the Cookies, Stuoporhero @ The Creek and the Cave
+11/2: Murder Mystery @ The Creek and the Cave

http://www.licpop.com

Posted by Amol at 10:23 AM | Permalink

Support a charity and play ball this fall with Zogsports' organized touch football.

Posted by Amol at 02:09 PM | Permalink

LICNYC went for a stroll to McGoldrick park (great great park -- especially for shady book reading or dog running) and happened on...

Pretty much unattended. Big Richard Serra that apparently didn't move while in Chelsea. The space looks tailor made for mega-sculpture. More from Restless

Posted by Amol at 12:25 AM | Permalink

Don't miss the last few Warm Ups. If you want to know a secret: anybody who receives mail to zip code 11101 can get in for free, on the short VIP line, and if you show up after 6 or so the whole entry thing is super easy. Some secrets.

Less secret -- the party gets really going around 7 as the DJ tries to rock it before the closing bell (9pm).

Pay attention and you may even run into Rick Rosa while there!

Posted by Amol at 12:23 AM | Permalink

We already talked about the Hunters Point Condo last week with a picture of their progress. It's two buildings actually -- both 12 stories. They may be about the same size each, but they have a nice infrastructure-neighboring vantage -- the bridge and the LIE. So they should have good long views of the city. From the outside, the design looks a lot like the Echelon.

The Echelon is a developer-style, fairly dense building of about 100 units on Jackson, right where the Pulaski Bridge from Brooklyn lets out onto 11th Street (the "Park Ave of LIC").

It's now fully sold with about 10% of the units rented. Apparently the developers preferred to rent out the lucky last and save them for selling later -- when all these other Jackson 5 giants turn the street from the somewhat bare avenue into a bustling stroller straightaway.

Anybody live in the Echelon? Say hello in the forums.

Posted by Amol at 02:00 PM | Permalink

Now that the Arris is open and the Purves is nearly open, with the UNFCU headquarters staff getting their lunches on weekdays, and Citi 2 almost ready for showtime, it would be hard to argue that LIC is all about the waterfront. The mega-transit utopia of Court Square (E, V, G, 7 and all hail the B61, river dwellers!) plus its busy weekday economy are a demonstrable counterweight to all the browsy, strolly neighborhoodiness of Vernon Blvd.

But, lo! East of Court Square is the rest of Jackson Ave. The first big project, that you may be aware of is the Fusion building behind the parking lot:

And there is the planned transformation of this parking lot into a mongo office tower by Tishman:

You know, I'm sure about the Metlife office building across Queensboro plaza and there are a few buildings like this View59 project that are bringing condos to that side of the bridge:

But check out Orchard Street and Queens Street, both spurs off Jackson Ave. They look a lot like Purves used to look and they each have huge warehouse buildings that are underused:

And behind the parking lot structure is another bunch of nice buildings near Hunter Street

Prediction? Construction.

See these pictures in the gallery

Posted by Amol at 01:53 PM | Permalink

Another entry for the "Queens on the edgy culture roadmap" folder

Posted by Amol at 01:51 PM | Permalink

From the Gantry Park

Posted by Amol at 01:43 PM | Permalink

NY1 has a video series on the past of LIC and how it got to be this way, embedded in their larger Queens series of late.

Posted by Amol at 03:09 PM | Permalink

Each of the next few weekends see the Float performances at Socrates. This year it's a bunch of video artists who have their work on display.

Posted by Amol at 03:03 PM | Permalink

It's fun to co-exist with the traditionally big LIC industries, like taxis and taxi insurance and taxi driver food joints.

More pics

Posted by Amol at 01:53 PM | Permalink

Keep an eye out when you head past the bridge to Roosevelet Island in Astoria.

You may see them working on the river power turbines.

NYTimes

Posted by Amol at 11:41 PM | Permalink

All the cool kids are riding bikes these days. Just try walking in Williamsburg without getting hit by one. Lucky you, though, because:

On Saturday, August 18, from 12-3pm, we are having a bike sale at our LIC location at the corner of 46th avenue and 5th street.

This event is the final project with our Summer Youth Employment Program participants. Six kids have been working at Recycle-A-Bicycle in LIC for the last 7 weeks to learn basic bike mechanic skills. They have also gained job skills and earned bikes for themselves with extra volunteer hours. As part of their curriculum, they have repaired bicycles and organized all aspects of a street sale to learn about retail. This program is operated in partnership with Henry Street and Jacob Riis Settlement programs and funded by the City of New York Department of Youth and Community Development.

More

Posted by Amol at 01:41 PM | Permalink

This guy will be coming down soon. They have been vacating tenants. In its place will be a building only second to Citibank's big tower. See more pictures from the area, including buildings like the Fusion and so on.

Posted by Amol at 09:26 AM | Permalink

There is a big two-tower project going up in the little corner next to the Pulaski Bridge -- apparently there will be two matching, black brick 10 story buildings. Here is a sign of progress.

PS if you are wondering what the deal is with WQDS the radio station. Well, stop. Tune into WPS1 instead.

Posted by Amol at 02:59 PM | Permalink

Long Island City-based Amie Street.com has an eye-catching proposition -- pay from 0 to 98 cents for a song download, based on its popularity. And now the company has an undisclosed amount of funding via a Series A round led by Amazon, announced this morning. -- from AlleyInsider

Posted by Amol at 08:51 PM | Permalink

Blend is coming soon to Vernon Blvd, in between the delightful Communitea and even more delightful Lounge47. Blend is going to be a fusion Latin restaurant -- hmm. Isn't that what La Vuelta is? Perhaps it has a better location than the incredible cuisines of La Vuelta (order the quesadilla or just about anything; they are amazing).

Posted by Amol at 09:33 AM | Permalink

New work is on display at the Socrates, which is generally just a fun place to spend a weekend day.

From the NYT:
“Social Dress New Orleans — 730 Days After,” an outdoor installation by Takashi Horisaki, a Japanese sculptor and performance artist based in New York, is on view in Socrates Sculpture Park in Long Island City, Queens, until the fall. Earlier this month in New Orleans, where he used to live, Mr. Horisaki applied layers of latex mixed with paint to create a textured 3-D print of a condemned Lower Ninth Ward house. The thin but strong rubber skin was transported to New York, where it was stretched over a frame that mimics the original structure.

Posted by Amol at 04:39 PM | Permalink

Today at PS1 -- Psychic TV. Edgy, yes but you will dig it. And remember, LIC residents, you get in faster and freer.

Tomorrow at McCarren -- I'm from Barcelona and Blonde Redhead. Indie superstars at the pool for free.

Posted by Amol at 03:38 PM | Permalink

LICNYC took a closer look at Purves Street, a quait little industrial dead end street near Court Square that pretty much tells you the whole story of the LIC transformation. (map)

Purves Street is one block North of Court Square. You may know it because SculptureCenter is on that block, the Maya Lin designed renovated industrial fabrication building that houses avant garde installations, performance, mixed media, painting, and...well, sculpture. Very very occasionally, they'll even have a party.

Or you may know it for the even more recent building with blue and white aluminum cladding -- the more economical and more view-friendly condo tower just steps away from the flashier Arris project next door.

LICNYC knows it as a quiet little street with a pile of abandoned tires at the end of the block, convenient DOT truck parking for big yucky trucks, and even an entire parcel or two that those guys "own" (the DOT, we mean) and don't use for much of anything except storing orange traffic cones.

There's also Nastasi's back entrance -- that's the dude who fixes Lamborghinis and Ferraris and also the owner of the building next to the Citibank tower that is soon-to-be Sovereign Bank.

There are 5 or 6 more buildings on the block that are auto repair, construction, or demolition type users. Across Jackson Ave is one of the best lunch places in the five boros (and definitely in LIC) -- Sage American Kitchen. You must check it out some time.

Well, all that is changing fast. Another big project is going up on Jackson Ave and while Mr. Nastasi doesn't look like he needs to sell we think the other buildings on the street will soon feel tired of the condo shadows and go condo for themselves. Au revoir Purves!

Check out the gallery pictures for a closer look.

Posted by Amol at 02:52 PM | Permalink

Snippet in the local Chronicle about Vernon Blvd. It's big news!

The Bricktown Bagel & Cafe may be just over a month old, but Aracelis Del Ray says her shop already has a set of regular customers. Steady patrons include construction workers, tenants of newly built housing complexes nearby, and commuters from New York City. The cafe is close to both the Queensboro Bridge and the Queens Midtown Tunnel leading into the city, and she is confident new construction in Long Island City will bring in even more customers.

Read more

Posted by Amol at 04:36 PM | Permalink

***Friday, August 3***

BAHIA! BONGO [AKA Ooh La La] (NYC)
Members of The Timbres

THAT'S HIM! THAT'S THE GUY! (Michigan)
http://www.myspace.com/thatshimthatstheguy
"...Charming and haunting at the same time." -THE MUSE'S MUSE

PICNIC, LIGHTNING (Michigan)
http://www.myspace.com/dylanjamesbrock
Dylan Brock & Ian Link

9:00 PM
$5

The Creek and the Cave
http://www.thecreekandthecave.com
10-93 Jackson Ave.
Hunters Point, Long Island City, Queens, NYC
1 stop from Brooklyn & Manhattan!

G to 21 St
7 to Vernon-Jackson
E-V to 23 St-Ely Av
B-61, Q-67, and Q-103 Bus

======================================

***Saturday, August 4***

ARRAH AND THE FERNS (Indiana)
http://www.myspace.com/arrahandtheferns
""If you're one of those people that like banjos and cute indie pop music, then this might just be the best thing you've heard in a while." -SKATTERBRAIN

+ a showcase of bands from WRONG ISLAND RECORDS

8:00 PM
$5

The Creek and the Cave
http://www.thecreekandthecave.com
10-93 Jackson Ave.
Hunters Point, Long Island City, Queens, NYC
1 stop from Brooklyn & Manhattan!

G to 21 St
7 to Vernon-Jackson
E-V to 23 St-Ely Av
B-61, Q-67, and Q-103 Bus

========================================

PLUS! Patrick Elkins plays a rooftop party Saturday night in 87-95 Dobbin Street apt 205 in Greenpoint and the Sidewalk Cafe Sunday!

and Arrah and the Ferns play again at the Cake Shop on Sunday, and might be busking Bedford Ave this weekend as well!

========================================

UPCOMING SHOWS IN THE NABE (plan ahead!):
+8/4: Arrah and the Ferns + Wrong Island Records Showcase @ The Creek
and the Cave
+8/10: Umberto, Karl Sturk @ The Creek and the Cave
+8/10: Arrah and the Ferns @ Dominie's Hoek
+8/17: Le Rug, The Tiger Passion, The Decks @ The Creek and the Cave
+8/24: Fred Thomas, Wallace Bros., Lariats @ The Creek and the Cave
+8/31: Mordus, Tears of Cain, Face of Cain, Julz A @ The Creek and the
+Cave
+9/7: Hezekiah Jones, Virgil Shepard Walters @ The Creek and the Cave
+9/21: The Macpodz @ The Creek and the Cave
+10/12: Southeast Engine @ The Creek and the Cave
+10/19: Casper & the Cookies, Stuoporhero @ The Creek and the Cave
+11/2: Murder Mystery @ The Creek and the Cave

http://www.licpop.com

Posted by Amol at 03:24 PM | Permalink

The Five Star Punjabi Diner is great. The local paper visited recently. But remember our take.

Posted by Amol at 04:56 PM | Permalink

The centers of gravity for property development in LIC so far have been along the waterfront (and its echo along Vernon Blvd) as well as the cluster of projects for residential and commercial use around Court Square. The magic that connects them is Jackson Ave, and last year's Echelon opening was the first big project there.

Rising quickly and tucked next to the Pulaski Bridge/11th Street is another big new project -- Hunters Point Condos. More on these as we hear more. For now, LICNYC is going to go make a field trip and see if we can get some pics of the build site. Stay tuned.

Posted by Amol at 03:46 PM | Permalink