Continuing the video festival, here is a BrandonZ's favorite web video about LIC

Posted by Amol at 05:03 PM | Permalink

From a reader: Thought you'd be interested in seeing a short videocast on Long Island City. We take a look at some of the filming being done there, the noshing going on at at a massive fortune cookie factory and we take a bite out of some of L.I.C's real estate. Here's the scoop:

http://www.intothebox.tv/

Posted by Amol at 10:40 AM | Permalink

The increasingly nice grocery (C-Town) on 21st has extended their hours
again. Open till 9pm.

Posted by Amol at 01:38 PM | Permalink

Check out the picture of friendly Mr. Smith, whose big Hunters Point Condos project seems to be moving toward half sold after only several weeks on the market.

Nevermind the market in Miami...apparently LIC is very strong.

Posted by Amol at 08:21 PM | Permalink

This very amusing Bollywood video was filmed at the 5ptz building near Court Square

Posted by Amol at 06:58 PM | Permalink

One of NYCs great struggles is hotel accomodations, especially as the holidays roll around. Call up in midtown and you will find $400 and $700 per night rates. Lately, there is a more value-oriented hotel boom in LIC. For example, this place:

The Comfort Inn near Queens Plaza. It ain't great. But it's fine. We had a chance to talk to someone who stayed there recently and they weren't thrilled. The TV didn't have cable, the room was pretty noisy with street noise, and well...it was a bargain at least! Only $120 or so per night. And just steps from the subway. A link

Posted by Amol at 11:44 AM | Permalink

Gioia, our local councilman, writeup in the Daily News. What are his intentions?

Veterans shelter near Fresh Direct reopens. Er, hurray?

No dorms for CUNY Grad Center on the waterfront?

Posted by Amol at 10:57 AM | Permalink

Have you walked the halls at PS1 lately? It's cold out; it's warm in there. And they have a lovely cafe catered by super-awesome Sage. So go. Here's what's new:

‘ADEL ABDESSEMED: DEAD OR ALIVE’ For more than a century, artists have given up on idealization, the dominant aesthetic vision at least since the Renaissance. Instead of showing us what we could be, artists have reflected back to us an imperfect image of who we are and the world in which we live. This shifting attitude has resulted in a variety of artwork that is troubling, ugly and rooted in the baser instincts of human nature, as demonstrated by the Algerian-born artist Adel Abdessemed in his first solo New York exhibition, now at P.S.1 Contemporary Art Center.

More at NYT

Posted by Amol at 10:55 AM | Permalink

As you scurry off to your holiday party, you've got lots of convenient choices to drop in on for supplies. A few years ago, when LICNYC had its first holiday party, the only option was the Liquor shop on Vernon near 50th. Now there is lovely Vine Wine on Jackson near 11th Street, Court Square near the Citi building, Hunters Point across from Communitea, and...well, who needs more than that.

By the way, how many journos does Talitha of Vine Wine know at the big papers...??

Posted by Amol at 10:04 AM | Permalink

You may not know it, but all kinds of lovely businesses hide behind LIC addresses. Apparently, Santa's workshop is here too. From the WSJ:

Unbeknownst to most consumers, is the year-round planning it takes to execute this explosion of retail cheer that lasts a few weeks before disappearing as suddenly as it arrived. In Manhattan, some of the highest-profile work is performed by a small Long Island City, N.Y., firm called Holiday Image Inc. With $10 million in projected sales this year, the company handles decor installation from start to finish for New York City stores including both Tiffany and Cartier (a unit of Switzerland's Cie. Financiére Richemont SA), Barneys, Macy's, and Fortunoff as well as office buildings and hotels such as the Essex House. It also works with large retail chains like Gap Inc. and LVMH Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton SA's Sephora to create designs that can be replicated nationally.

"The way I see our business is not just as a Christmas decorating business," says Matthew Schwam, chief executive officer of Holiday Image. "We are a global sourcing business."

This "sourcing" for the Christmas holidays actually begins in October the year before, when Mr. Schwam and other company executives travel abroad to research the latest trends in holiday displays. Holiday Image taps more than 500 factories in nearly two dozen countries, including China and India. Some venues desire only a simple tree and a few wreaths in their lobby; that might run around $10,000 including installation, maintenance and storage from year to year. But other stores have more grandiose visions that can run hundreds of thousands of dollars.

Posted by Amol at 10:02 AM | Permalink

The Michiganders are back! Innundating LIC QNS this weekend is a horde of some of best songwriters from the Mitten State. Want your heart to break over and over while you down another beer (everyone needs that, this time of year)? These shows are the only place to be. In all sincerity, this is some powerful stuff. Some of these folks have international acclaim, some are unknown outside their home base, but pound-for-pound (and especially dollar-for-dollar) you be hard-pressed to find better bills this weekend in New York City.

***Friday, December 7***

MISTY LYN & THE BIG BEAUTIFUL (Ann Arbor, MI) http://www.myspace.com/mistylynmusic
"As lonely as getting caught in a snowstorm but comfy at the same time." -METRO TIMES

MATT JONES (Ann Arbor, MI)
http://www.myspace.com/mattspainting
"Some rare singers have the gift to captivate at first notes, this is Matt Jones' case. But this initial attraction is progressively converted into a complete addiction." -YOU CRAZY DREAMERS

CHRIS BATHGATE (Ann Arbor, MI)
http://www.myspace.com/chrisbathgate
"Such a melancholy treasure." -HARP MAGAZINE

JIM ROLL (Ann Arbor, MI)
http://www.myspace.com/jimroll
"Difficult to pigeonhole but recommended to those who like their Americana with a noir-ish tang. Four Stars." -Q Magazine (UK)

Music starts at 8 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 both Manhattan & Brooklyn!
7 to Vernon-Jackson
G to 21 St
E-V to 23 St-Ely Av
B-61, Q-67, and Q-103 Bus

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

***Saturday, December 8***

MISTY LYN & THE BIG BEAUTIFUL (Ann Arbor, MI) http://www.myspace.com/mistylynmusic
"As lonely as getting caught in a snowstorm but comfy at the same time." -METRO TIMES

MATT JONES (Ann Arbor, MI)
http://www.myspace.com/mattspainting
"Some rare singers have the gift to captivate at first notes, this is Matt Jones' case. But this initial attraction is progressively converted into a complete addiction." -YOU CRAZY DREAMERS

JIM ROLL (Ann Arbor, MI)
http://www.myspace.com/jimroll
"Difficult to pigeonhole but recommended to those who like their Americana with a noir-ish tang. Four Stars." -Q Magazine (UK)

CHRIS BATHGATE (Ann Arbor, MI)
http://www.myspace.com/chrisbathgate
"Such a melancholy treasure." -HARP MAGAZINE

KARL STURK (Brooklyn, NY)
http://www.myspace.com/theambitiousbrothers
Solo work by ex-Ambitious Brother.

Music starts at 8 PM
FREE

DOMINIE'S HOEK
http://www.myspace.com/dominieshoek
48-17 Vernon Blvd.
Hunters Point, Long Island City, Queens, NYC
1 stop from both Manhattan & Brooklyn!

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

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

OTHER UPCOMING SHOWS IN THE NABE (plan ahead!):
+12/08: Zevious, Third Space, Knucklebean @ The Creek and the Cave
+12/14: The Antlers, Spanish Prisoners, Beat Radio @ The Creek and the
+Cave
+12/15: The Red Hook Ramblers, Square Struts, Annie Crane & Eric
Wolfson, Peaks and Valleys @ The Creek and the Cave
+12/22: Eric Sosa @ The Creek and the Cave
+12/28: Locket, Living in Polaroids, Lizz Dieleman @ The Creek and the
+Cave
+01/04: LIC-BZ-BIRTHDAY SHOW: Fred Thomas (ALBUM RELEASE SHOW!),
Creaky Boards, The Beets @ The Creek and the Cave
+01/11: Aldenbarton, Bridges and Powerlines, Molly-Jean @ The Creek and
+the Cave
+01/12: Afuche, Amo Joy, Jumping Flea Circus @ The Creek and the Cave
+01/18: The Bridesmaids @ The Creek and the Cave
+01/19: Born at Sea @ Dominie's Hoek
+01/25: Karl Blau, Stebmo @ The Creek and the Cave
+02/01: The Lavenders, Dave Unger @ The Creek and the Cave

http://www.LICpop.com

Posted by Amol at 08:53 PM | Permalink

If you are heading to Miami for the big art shows this weekend, you will appreciate your local SculptureCenter mavens' suggestions.

Director's Picks: Miami
There is so much to do in Miami, its easy to miss some terrific art. Here are a few things happening outside the halls of the art fairs that I am looking forward to seeing. Also, make sure to put Sunday, January 13, 2008, 4-6 pm on your calendar for the opening of Tom Burr's Addict-Love and New In Practice Projects by Forde, Drew Heitzler, Alix Lambert, Haley Mellin, Leyden Rodriguez-Casanova, Erik Smith, and Agathe Snow.

I hope to see you in Miami or at SculptureCenter soon!

Mary Ceruti
Executive Director

1. Michael Portnoy
Talus
NADA Art Fair, The Ice Palace
11400 North Miami Avenue
Thursday-Friday December 6-7 11 am to 7 pm.

If you are headed to NADA, definitely don't miss Michael Portnoy's Talus, an abstract gambling event on the lawn of the Ice Palace. Michael Portnoy, artist and performer, acts as croupier, leading players/participants through ritualistic, vertiginous gaming sessions around an ultramarine dice table. Curated by Liutauras Psibilskis and presented by Future Audience.

Talus is a preview of Ilinx Casino, which will open at SculptureCenter on May 4, 2008.

2. Jeppe Hein
Modified Social Benches A - K, 2006
Art Positions
Beachfront at Collins Park between 21st and 22nd Street
City Hall, MBCC Entrance D, Collins Avenue

Missed Jeppe Hein's Illusion at SculptureCenter? I would absolutely check out Modified Social Benches A - K. These playful sculptures stem from Hein's consideration of social space and how environments shape the veiwer's behavior.

3. INTERCLUB Miami Beach
Cinematheque
512 Espanola Way (west of Dexel Avenue)
www.interclubmiamibeach.com

INTERCLUB Miami Beach sounds great - I'll definitely be sure to stop by one night. INTERCLUB Miami Beach is comprised of classic independent art films from the 1970s, performances, and the freshest moving image art. There will be events every night, some by invitation, some for a wide audience. A mixture of now and then, the strange, the ecstatic, the fast, the slowed-down, the elevated, the self-conscious and flowing...

Artists: David Adamo, Michel Auder, Fia Backstrom, Olaf Breuning, Salvador Dali, Sylvie Fleury, Rainer Ganahl, Michal Jurewicz, Los Super Elegantes, Maripol, Jonas Mekas, Nam June Paik, Michael Portnoy, Aida Ruilova, Agathe Snow, Mai Ueda, Marianne Vitale, Ultra Violet, Andy Warhol, Vita Zaman and more!

4. Talk by sculptor Tom Otterness
December 9, 9:30 am - Noon
Breakfast in the Park
Hosted by The Patricia & Philip Frost Art Museum at Florida International University
SW 107th Avenue & 8th Street
www.frostartmuseum.org

Join SculptureCenter Board Member Tom Otterness for Breakfast in the Park at the Frost Art Museum.

5. Performances at Art Positions Curated by Jens Hoffman
Art Positions
Beachfront at Collins Park between 21st and 22nd Street
www.artbaselmiamibeach.com

There is a series of six performances curated by Jens Hoffman (Director CCA Wattis Institute for Contemporary Art, San Francisco), but the two that caught my eye that I will try not to miss are:

Marepe - Thursday, December 6, 8 pm
Roman Ondak - Friday, December 7, 5:30 pm

Marepe
This performance by Brazilian artist Marepe consists of two dancers dressed in costumes inspired by Brazilian TV game shows in which the participants compete to fill their clothes with inflated balloons. The artist redesigned the costumes in such a way that they could contain a much greater number of balloons. The dancers, whose costumes are empty, enter into a circular arena formed by the spectators. Within this arena are inflated balloons with which the performers fill their costumes. When the costumes are full they begin to burst each-others balloons with pins. This duel-dance deflates the bodies in a sonorous choreography that alludes to war and bombs. After bursting most of the balloons the performers remove their clothing and hang it on a winch that lifts them into the air leaving them on display like flags bringing the performance to a conclusion.

Roman Ondak
Slovak artist Roman Ondak will present Concealed Episode (2007), a newly conceived performance piece that looks at South Florida's particular relationship with Cuba. The work relates to the ongoing immigration of Cubans to the United States and the specific relationship of these two countries. Taking into consideration that most newly arriving Cubans land in the US after an often hard and difficult journey, Ondak will transform the stage of Art Perform into a target area for a Cuban parachutist. The parachutist will jump out of a small airplane circling the sky above South Beach. Before the touchdown of the parachutist a group of Cubans will prepare the landing area, marking the exact location of the stage with four red glowing signal torches.

Posted by Amol at 08:49 PM | Permalink