Repetition @ The Texas Firehouse (their site)

The Texas Firehouse is proud to present Repetition, curated by Robert Deeds. Featuring work by the finest artists that both Texas and New York have to offer, Repetition is an exhibition comprised of artists whose works are heavily rooted in the concept of dynamic visual rhythm. With each artist delivering their own interpretation of what it means to depart from the standard applications of static work.

The presence of rhythm creates predictability and order in a composition. Visual rhythm may be best understood by relating it to rhythm in sound.

In addition to the art show, Garth Stevenson will perform a piece for double-bass and surround sound. Our very special musical guests will be Tigerbeat6 and Monitor Records recording artists Indian Jewelry. If you haven't seen Indian Jewelry yet, you are way past due. A host of DJ's will round out the evening, ensuring that the night will be most memorable.

Posted by Amol at 10:44 AM | Permalink

If you know where this happened, please spread the word.

Apparently, a dog can get electrocuted from "stopping" near a pole...and it just happened last week.

Posted by Amol at 11:17 AM | Permalink

The super cool businesses with warehouses and HQs around LIC really boggles the mind. Did you know about the #1 fortune cookie factory in the USA? Right here. Net-a-porter? Right here. The secret vaults where the Christie's and Sotheby's auction goods are stored?

And...1 800 MATTRESS

Posted by Amol at 11:15 AM | Permalink

Get ready. Warm up is coming.

And the setting will be sweet -- Public Farm One. The new installation for the summer at PS1. More from the Village Voice

Get ready to party every Sunday 3-9pm starting July 5th.

Posted by Amol at 11:13 AM | Permalink

No doubt, some cat ladies in this solid though poorly maintained apartment house had a lot to do with the odd shape and position of UNFCU.

No longer. Their palace of solitude is vacated and coming down.

In its place? LICNYC assumes a commercial building or two.

Posted by Amol at 09:56 AM | Permalink

The builders of the Hunters Point Condos helped put up this mural -- Off the Wall by the People.

Posted by Amol at 10:55 PM | Permalink

The big movie studios are expanding

NYT reports on Kaufman Astoria. And NYMag mentions Silvercup's plans.

Posted by Amol at 10:49 PM | Permalink

The Queens Chronicle recently did a love story about LIC real estate -- the views! the schools! the exciting new developments! -- which triggers a natural question. Are things still rocking in LIC? Or, is LIC more like Manhattan (gravity-defying, Euro-driven, the class of the market) or more like Forest Hills (mortgage-threatened, hit by Wall St job cuts and high gas prices, middle class)?

The answer, according to our friend Patrick Smith of Brown Harris is: "The average resident in the market for luxury housing in the area makes a six-figure income. " Meaning, it's more like Midtown.

Manhattan keeps rocking. Above is the average price per square foot, nearing $1,500 this quarter.

And here:

Well, this is Queens. Of course, it's mostly Rego Park and Midwood etc etc. LIC is in the 700-800/psf range this year.

So...if you figure the development of LIC makes it "more like Manhattan", the movement from one curve to the other is what tells the story of where prices are going.

Stay tuned.

Posted by Amol at 10:40 PM | Permalink

After many years in LIC, LICNYC finally had a chance to check out the remote and mysterious Water's Edge.

It's off in some corner, nobody goes there, what's the deal? Well, the deal is they have a great view, very few customers, and astonishingly high prices. It's a zombie restaurant, living off its location and steadily deteriorating in every quality dimension -- the interiors are decades old and worn, the food is utterly boring and uninteresting for a destination cuisine place, the view can be had for free at Gantry Park, and the service is a mix of unwashed and confused waiters managed by doddering and blue-haired Maitre D'-type hosts. Oof. Not good.

So now you know. But if you are in the area...check out Bjork and Matthew Barney's boat.

Posted by Amol at 10:35 PM | Permalink

liQcity has a note about Con Ed's massive lot on the waterfront in LIC. Apparently it's a "learning center". LICNYC just thought it was a place for ConEd union families to watch the fireworks on July 4th.

Nevermind the huge power plant just north of the Queensboro bridge. That bad boy is getting BIGGER, not smaller (watch the fine print).

But the $500MM value of the learning center should could be put to better use. Like carbon recapture. Or, say, lower rates.

Daily News item

Posted by Amol at 10:18 PM | Permalink

The absolute marvel of LIC is how great the views are of midtown, and that's the appeal of the Water Taxi Beach. It wouldn't take much to take this very simple pleasure and knock it out of the park. Put up a bar, be friendly, play music that people like, provide a comfortable setting. You wouldn't even need the sand.

It's really shocking how terrible the Water Taxi people have managed to make their little beach bar. It is offensive in nearly every possible way.
1. Cover charge. Tonight it was $20! They don't disclose this till you get their either. Read any other materials and you hear "free" or $5. Get there....all the way there....on foot...and find out it is 4x.
2. Security meatheads. LICNYC got yelled at for showing up with a dog. Apparently it is cruel to bring a dog to a waterfront and tie her to a tree while you have a beer.
3. Terrible music.
4. Poor selection of everything.
5. And apparently, a draw that self-selects a rather...call it "townie" crowd. It's a more Archie Bunker scene than Beastie Boys, to put it rather obliquely.

So LICNYC had to ask: are we the only ones who think so? Here on Citysearch they've managed only 1.5 stars out of five, with angry reviews about... well all the same stuff above. "Misleading Cover Charge", "Atmosphere A+ Management F- ", "Fun place, condescending staff, and... ", "Avoid on all nights", "Obnoxious Security! ". Man!

So where to go instead? It's a warm day. You want to be outside. Have a few beers. Get off the beaten track of bar patios etc. The answer: Bohemian Beer Garden in Astoria, on the N, W train. Hands down the best outdoor bar in New York. How to get there

More about the place, which is a giant outdoor beer garden -- German style (or Bohemian...one supposes).

Posted by Amol at 09:56 PM | Permalink