It's Queens Fall 2016

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QUEENS PLUS: INSIDE THE MIQ STORE, VIC BAGRATUNI & MORE

THE MAGAZINE

FALL 2016 | Volume 7.3

It’s List

TOP

15

MOVERS & SHAKERS

Ya-Ting Liu

MAKING CONNECTIONS

CUT CREW

THE COOLEST BARBERSHOPS IN QUEENS

ON THE GO THE BEST FOOD TRUCKS IN QUEENS

FALL 2016

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It’s

QUEENS THE MAGA ZINE

Publisher

Walter H. Sanchez

Executive Editor Shane Miller

Senior Editors

Ben Fang Patrick Kearns Jen Khedaroo

Editorial Assistants

Jamie Rosenberg Sylvie Williams

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Volume 7 Number 3 – Fall 2016 It’s Queens is published quarterly. Postmaster, send all address changes to It’s Queens – PO BOX 780376 – Maspeth, NY 11378. It’s Queens is a consumer magazine covering the people who move and shake Queens, from real estate trends to transportation, politics to entertainment, It’s Queens will bring our readers the ins and outs of the borough.

It’s Queens is wholly owned and published by the Queens Ledger/Greenpoint Star Weekly Newspaper Group. We know enough about the borough, covering it week in and week out since 1873. Bulk mail Flushing, NY Permit #652. Copyright ©2016 It’s Queens. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or part without the permission of the publisher is prohibited. Any news or feature solicitation for publication in It’s Queens should be done so without expectation of use and without expectation of return to solicitor. Send correspondence to editor@itsqueens.com . Subscriptions are $7.95 per year. Inquiries for subscriptions - Mail to PO BOX 780376, Maspeth, NY 11378. (718) 639-7000. www.itsqueens.com

On the Cover: Ya-Ting Liu

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Plus Yoga!

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36

Contents 19 The It’s List FEATURES

It’s Queens ranks the Top 15 Movers & Shakers that make Queens the city’s most exciting borough.

32 Making the Cut

From tattoos to fashion, these Top Barbershops are definitely on the cutting edge.

36 Keep on Truckin’

60

The borough’s Top Food Trucks have got you covered when you need lunch on the go.

41 Vic Bagratuni

Rego Park’s Vic Bagratuni is following his dream to make it big on the big screen.

60 ‘Body’ of Work Jackson Heights’ Micheal Mejia turns the skin into fabulous works of art.

32 41 19

DEPARTMENTS

10 Buzz

What’s hot and what’s not in Queens.

12 Technology Edwin the Duck isn’t just for bathtime.

14 Made in Queens That’s all QEDC’s new LIC store stocks!

53 Entertainment

The Meadows Festival brings top-notch performers to Queens.

56 Events

12

A rundown of the hottest things happening this fall & winter. www.itsqueens.com Fall 2016 • 7

Rub Elbows With Our Movers & Shakers

A

s Brooklyn and Manhattan level off, it’s evident to anyone who takes a look around that Queens is where it’s happening these days, and the Top 15 Movers and Shakers (Page 19) we profile in this issue make our borough work in so many ways, from developers to business leaders to the heads of nonprofits.

And activists, too. Michael LoCascio – number 15 on our list - came out of seemingly nowhere to shed light on the city’s failures handling the incredible homeless surge in New York. The mayor is now scrambling to save face.

Topping our list is Ya-Ting Liu (pictured), executive director of Friends of the BQX, a group working to make a complex transportation plan – the city’s first light rail - a reality on the Queens waterfront. She is getting business leaders, legislators, civic groups and stakeholders in two boroughs behind the plan. An enormous task, but she is getting it done.

For those of you who want to meet our Movers & Shakers in person, visit itsqueens. com for details on a November 17th event recognizing them at Il Bacco on Northern Boulevard in Little Neck from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m.

It’s only $40 to attend and will be a networking experience you will not soon forget. There will only be approximately 100 tickets available, so check often for updates.

Food trucks are here to stay (or move, depending on when you get there). Queens is known for its wide selection of food, including its neighborhood street vendors. If you’re from Maspeth surely remember Teddy the Hot Dog Guy, who parked his cart near Grand and Hamilton Avenue every day for three decades. People came from all over Queens for his dogs.

We see the same happening with food trucks. Check out our picks for the five best in the borough (Page 36).

Some of the other things you’ll find in this issue of It’s Queens includes a list of the borough’s Top Barbershops (Page 32), places where patrons go for more than just a cut and shave; and Vic Bagratuni (Page 41), a Rego Park native whose dream of acting in the movies is one step closer to reality after landing a role in an upcoming major motion picture.

We hope you enjoy the new issue of It’s Queens, and don’t forget to watch our website for your chance to meet our Movers & Shakers.

Walter H. Sanchez Publisher

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Queens Buzz A quick rundown of what Queens residents are talking about, as well as what they no longer care about.

HOMELESS HOTELS

SHARED WORKSPACE

Mayor Bill de Blasio has declared war on communities in Queens this season with his fruitless homeless policies, but some neighborhoods are fighting back. The mayor has repeatedly said he doesn’t want homeless people to stay in hotels or facilities without kitchens, but his administration is doing it anyway. The Department of Homeless Services and nonprofit shelter providers have made it clear they will use any type of hotel, appropriate or not, to house the homeless, but communities like Maspeth, Elmhurst and Woodside have banded together to fight the city over their misguided tactics. And with the homeless population burgeoning to over 60,000, we don’t think this issue is going away anytime soon.

As office space in Queens continues to shrink or become prohibitively expensive, startups are turning toward an increasingly popular alternative: shared workspaces. Freeroaming entrepreneurs can have a conference room and private meeting spaces for as little as $250 a month. Two such examples are Spaces, a new shared workspace inside the Falchi Building in Long Island City, and WeWork’s new location at Studio Square in Astoria. They provide a viable solution for businesses that might not be able to afford their own offices, but perhaps only need a small working space to get their company off the ground. For tech startups that want to minimize cost, Create NY Space, another co-working facility, and Queens College have teamed up to start a new Tech Incubator, where startups can rent a spot on its campus for a measly $50 a month. Business startups may also want to check out QNS Collective, another shared workspace on 38th Street in Long Island City.

STREET FESTIVALS

Street festivals have been a staple in Queens communities for nearly two decades, but a festival closes down streets in your neighborhood and far too often hurts local business owners rather than help them. Vendors at these fairs peddle the same exact merchandise week after week, one week in Astoria, the next in Woodhaven, then in Maspeth and again in Ridgewood. The rides are a rip-off, and the food isn’t anywhere near as delicious as you’ll find at the food trucks we feature in this issue. Fewer and fewer people in the community view street festivals as great one-day events that celebrate neighborhoods. It’s time to rethink the festivals to see how we can make them fun, fresh and exciting again.

GO WEST, GO

For a period of a few months, the hottest rezoning topic in Queens was the Flushing West project, a proposal to remake a gritty part of the neighborhood on the banks of the Flushing River. It was primarily a project to help meet the ambitious affordable housing promises of the de Blasio administration, but opponents quickly began to call attention to the fact that there was little to no planning done on how the project would affect the rest of Flushing’s taxed infrastructure, primarily the 7 train, which runs at nearly 100 percent capacity during rush hour as is.

When the de Blasio administration pulled the plug on the plan, everyone went back to their normal lives, by which we mean being packed on the 7 train and waiting in long bus lines on the streets of downtown Flushing.

CURTAIN CALL

POKEMON GONE

No app grew as fast as Pokemon Go after it was released this past summer, with Forbes estimating app revenues at $500 million in just 60 days. But we don’t need to tell you that - anybody who wandered into a Pokemon hotspot and found themselves in the middle of 50 or so people frantically fiddling with their phones knew about the app, even it you didn’t know the first thing about Pokemon. But like most tech fads, excitement about the app has fallen off dramatically. Back to the doghouse, Pikachu!

It was nothing short of a star-studded summer in Forest Hills this year. The series of summer concerts returned to the historic Forest Hills Stadium at the West Side Tennis Club, bigger and better than ever. See if any of these names ring a bell: Bob Dylan, Van Morrison, Dolly Parton, Paul Simon…and those were just some of the biggest names. This year, the promoters put together an eclectic lineup that featured a little something for everyone in what is quickly becoming one of the best outdoor concert venues in New York City. But alas, all good things must come to an end, and like the summer the concerts are over, too. We know we can’t wait to see what they have in store for 2017.

10 • Fall 2016 www.itsqueens.com

www.itsqueens.com Fall 2016 • 11

TECHNOLOGY

OUT OF THE TUB, INTO YOUR HEART While it may look like your standard run-of-themill bath toy, rest assured that Edwin is no ordinary duck.

Developed by Indianabased pi lab, Edwin the Duck is more than just a bath toy. While Edwin can certainly make cleaning up fun, in part thanks to a waterproof speaker that can play music from any bluetooth-connected device, it’s so much more.

Where Edwin really makes the leap from rubber ducky to your child’s new best friend is through several free apps – more are being developed regularly for both Apple and Android devices – that interact with the duck Through Edwin’s primary app, you child can tap, tilt and toss Edwin to help him solve puzzles and play multiple games that also double as learning tools. When your child tires of that, Edwin’s builtin speaker plays songs that your child can sing along to.

Parents can also download the Sleepy Time app, which allows them to control Edwin’s built-in night light and adjust the illumination, as well as play soothing sounds and lullabies, all on a timer.

Through the Wellness app, Edwin can also function as a forehead thermometer, and with the Bath Time app parents can monitor water temperature and get other helpful tips.

Edwin is durable, too, which means he’s perfect for taking on the road.

Place him in the charging nest overnight, and the battery will last for up to 12 hours.

Last year, Edwin was awarded the prestigious KAPi (Kids at Play Interactive) Award at the Con12 • Fall 2016 www.itsqueens.com

sumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, an award given to companies who have moved the dial in kid’s interactive media.

“That was the moment that Edwin’s existence was validated,” said Don Inmon of pi lab in a statement after his company received the award. “Our CES experience both on the show floor and as winners of the KAPi helped our business skyrocket.

Edwin the Duck also scored highly in several categories when it was evaluated by the national Lekotek Center’s Able Play System, including cognitive, communication and social/emotional skills.

Edwin the Duck is available at Target and the Apple Store, including the location in Queens Center Mall. It retails for $99.99.

For more information, visit edwintheduck.org.

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MADE IN QUEENS

AT THIS STORE, IT’S ALL Are you looking for quality products ranging from jewelry to food made by your neighbors but don’t know where to begin? It’s Queens suggests you head over to Long Island City and pay a visit to the new Made in Queens store.

Made in Queens opened it doors to customers this past summer, and offers locally produced and manufactured items. It’s a prime example of sustainable and conscious retail.

It’s the little things that count at Made in Queens. The store sells clothing and jewelry, home goods, knickknacks, and even food.

With a shopping and lounge space, you might find yourself spending the whole day roaming the Long Island City space.

“We don’t have a lot of things that say Made in Queens, just some t-

BY SYLVIE WILLIAMS

MADE IN QUEENS

shirts, but what we do have here are things that are unique to each manufacturer and items that are made locally,” said Sante Antonelli, director of Business Services at Made in Queens. “There is a story and personality behind each product.”

Made in Queens was opened under the direction of the Queens Economic Development Corporation. With each product sold, Made in Queens is helping local businesses thrive and flourish.

Unlike mish-mash flea markets where you usually find local products, QEDC intended to give Made in Queens a more “home-like” atmosphere, comforting yet trendy.

No customer is forced to sort through piles of random clothing searching aimlessly for the right t-shirt.

14 • Fall 2016 www.itsqueens.com

Sante Antonelli, Suzanne Green and Derek Aman of the Made in Queens store.

Each month the store is refreshed in a sense, as the products on sale revolve around an everchanging theme. For instance, the first month the theme was “Queens Has it All,” which showcased the ethnic and economic diversity of the borough.

Each customer was made conscious of their

purchase decisions and the many stories the borough has to share.

What’s innovative and distinctive about the shop is the white card unique to each product that shares a quirky and interesting detail about the item or artisan, such as the producer’s favorite restaurant (in Queens of

course!), why the product is special, or where the product originates.

“We ask vendors questions like ‘How is this Queens or locally central?’”

Antonelli added. “For most stores, you don’t know anything about the product, like where it comes from or who made it, here you do.”

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It’s

QUEENS

Top 15

MOVERS

The Event to Recognize and Award the Top Fifteen It’s Queens the Magazine’s List of Movers & Shakers in Queens.

THE MAGAZINE PRESENTS

SHAKERS in Queens

Thursday, November 17, 2016 | 6:30pm - 8:30pm Il Bacco Restaurant 253-24 Northern Blvd. Little Neck

The

15

Tickets are $40 and Include: Two Free Drinks (Wine or Beer) and passed Hors d’oeuvres.

Thank you to our event sponsors!

“Learn why our editors picked these individuals, who truly embody the spirit of Queens. Their work has ‘moved’ and ‘shaken’ Queens over the past year and inspires all of us to be better at what we do.”

Walter H. Sanchez

Publisher, It’s Queens The Magazine

Ya-Ting Liu Judge Joseph Zayas Dennis Walcott Michael Meyer Mike Luba Chris Mullin Laura Raicovich Michael Mattone Tom Grech Tyler Morse Hope Knight Anthony Lopez John Choe Rachel Thieme Michael Locascio

Featuring

Queens Borough President

Melinda Katz

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THE IT’S LIST

MOVERS & SHAKERS You know a Mover & Shaker when you see one: they’re the person who stands out in the crowd that inevitably forms around them when they walk into a room. They’re well-connected go-getters who make headlines and keep projects and ideas moving forward. Our It’s List is a diverse roster of newsmakers, everyone from the woman pushing one the biggest transit projects in the borough to one of the most well-respected names in the legal profession to the man looking to restore integrity to a library system barely removed from financial scandal. These are the biggest Movers & Shakers in Queens.

www.itsqueens.com www.itsqueens.com FallFall 20162015 • 19 • 19

THE IT’S LIST

15: Mike LoCascio Community Activist Maspeth

On a scorching day in early August, the Department of Homeless Services visited the Maspeth Library for a meeting with local legislators and community leaders to discuss a possible homeless shelter at a local hotel.

The meeting was intended to be invite-only, but Michael LoCascio found out about the meeting from someone who overheard the captain of the 104th Precinct discussing it at an event the night before. So he decided to attend.

Representatives from DHS, the mayor’s office, and homeless service provider Acacia told about 30 people - and LoCascio – that the 110-room Holiday Inn Express off Maurice Avenue would be converted into an adult family shelter within 60 days.

Technically, it was the start of the “community input” phase.

LoCascio, a member of Community Board 5 and athletic representative for the CYO at St. Stanislaus in Maspeth, immediately began working the 500 families in his sphere of influence.

Within eight days of that first meeting with city officials, he organized a town hall at Martin Luther and spread the word with the help of local businesses and the media.

It was the beginning of a contentious protest against the shelter that has since spread borough-wide, calling into question the city’s very use of hotels to house the homeless.

The fight took on a complex life of its own, including those who wanted to broker a solution behind closed doors, those who wanted to yell, scream and threaten, and those who wanted to find an alternative site.

Through it all, LoCascio was a voice of reason. Behind the scenes, he worked the press and elected officials to change the narrative from a community in the throes of a NIMBY fight to a tangible discussion about the city’s homeless policies.

14: Rachel Thieme Executive Director Sunnyside Shines BID

On any given day, the public plazas underneath the 46th street 7 train station is filled with people sitting, eating lunch or reading.

The idea for these community-oriented public spaces, which became a reality in 2014, was masterminded

by Rachel Thieme, the energetic and tireless executive director of the Sunnyside Shines Business Improvement District (BID). Since she took the position in 2012, Thieme has thrown free concerts, brought kid-friendly activities, and human-sized chess and other games to the plazas.

Thieme comes from a background of serving local communities, starting on the West Coast. She supervised a meal program for homeless teenagers in her native Seattle, and later managed the expansion of the food pantry network with the San Francisco Food Bank.

Thieme moved to New York and received a master’s degree with distinction in city and regional planning from Pratt Institute. She worked on technology projects for a public tran20 • Fall 2016 www.itsqueens.com

sit agency and later for economic development organizations in Brooklyn.

Since taking the helm at Sunnyside Shines, Thieme started Sunnyside’s own restaurant week, when the neighborhood’s residents can check out cool new eateries. This year, 30 restaurants offering a diverse mix of cuisines participated.

She’s also revitalized the annual Taste of Sunnyside event, which allows local restaurants to showcase their products to hundreds of hungry locals and visitors. Thieme smartly moved the event outdoors onto the plaza and set up a large tent, blocking out the rumblings of the overhead train and preventing pigeons from spoiling the event.

Though Sunnyside is a largely residential neighborhood, Queens Boulevard and Greenpoint Avenue have become commercial successes in no smart part to Thieme’s relentless efforts to promote and advocate for Sunnyside’s business and residents.

THE IT’S LIST

13: John Choe

Executive Director Greater Flushing Chamber of Commerce

It’s not the easiest task to bring together Flushing’s burgeoning and diverse business community. With so many different characters, cultures and languages, even communication can be a difficult thing to navigate.

For the last two years, that unenviable role has belonged to John Choe, executive director of the Greater Flushing Chamber of Commerce, which launched in 2014.

Whether it’s informing business owners about city rules and regulations, organizing night markets, or figuring out how to clean up the neighborhood’s ongoing trash problems, Choe has played an outsized role in the community’s happenings.

Choe, who was born in South Korea and lived in Australia until he was 15, first moved with his family to Staten Island, where he attended Susan E. Wagner High School. He studied history at SUNY Bingham-

ton, was awarded the prestigious Woodrow Wilson fellowship in public affairs and international relations, and received his master’s degree in public policy from the University of Chicago.

After winning even more fellowships and working at multiple city agencies, Choe found himself working for then-Councilman John Liu as his chief of staff. When Liu was elected city comptroller in 2009, Choe was appointed his policy director after a failed bid to replace his boss in the City Council.

Choe has since returned to serve the greater Flushing community. He took an active part in the now-abandoned Flushing West redevelopment, created a lending circle program to help local entrepreneurs, and started seminars and workshops for small business owners.

With Flushing rapidly developing and changing, Choe has been a leader in advocating for the business community. Working with local elected officials and organizations, the chamber is paving a new path forward for Flushing’s growing population of new immigrants and longtime residents, with Choe leading the way.

12: Anthony Lopez Executive Director Zone 126

Improving children’s education is a daunting task. A child only has one shot through the education system, and it can make or break their direction in life. When you add in compounding factors like poverty, hunger, politics and even bullying, potential solutions can often be complex and difficult to navigate.

But that’s the goal for Anthony Lopez, the newly minted executive director of Zone 126.

Zone 126 is a nonprofit organization that seeks to transform the lives of children and families in Astoria and Long Island City through education. Lopez, who started his new job on August 1, is tasked with collaborating with community partners to bring more resources into struggling schools to help children in their studies.

Lopez, a South Bronx native, knows what he’s up against because he’s a product of the public school system. The oldest of eight siblings, Lopez thrived in school due to help from a number of mentors and programs. As a high school

student, he was a part of an Upward Bound program at Columbia University where he learned how to run an office, fundraise, and lead the student council.

At age 28, Lopez became the first executive director of the New York chapter of the I Have A Dream Foundation, which he helped expand onto the national scene. By 35, he moved on to lead Aspira New York, the country’s first Puerto Rican youth-led education advocacy group.

His career took a different turn when Lopez began opening some of the first charter schools in the Bronx, and he was instrumental in turning around the Dr. Richard Izquierdo Health and Science Charter School.

With 30 years of experience in his pocket, Lopez decided it was time to return to leading an education nonprofit.

Although he is a relative newcomer to western Queens, he’s already taken steps to familiarize himself with the leaders, parents and schools of the community. As the 2016-17 school year began, Lopez was busy outlining his vision for community partners to collaborate in the future. www.itsqueens.com Fall 2015 • 21

THE IT’S LIST

11: Hope Knight

President & CEO Greater Jamaica Development Corporation

As Jamaica becomes an increasingly important commercial, transportation and residential hub in Queens, one key player in all the change is Hope Knight, president and CEO of the Greater Jamaica Development Corporation.

Knight assumed the position in May 2015, replacing urban planning pioneer Carlisle Towery, who led the organization for four decades. Raised in East Harlem, Knight was with the Upper Manhattan Empowerment Zone for 12 years before taking the helm in Jamaica.

With the Greater Jamaica Development Corporation, Knight was similarly tasked with inviting public and private investments into the neighborhood. That also means convincing businesses to stay in Jamaica and help make it a more sound commercial corridor for its current companies.

It appears Knight and GJDC are on the right track. Projects are already in place for institutions like York College, the AirTrain and the Jamaica Performing Arts Center, all of which resulted from the organization’s advocacy. Through grants, government contracts

and other projects, GJDC operates an annual budget of more than $10 million and a staff of 70 people, all overseen

by Knight.

Just months after she joined GJDC, Knight was appointed to the City Planning Commission. In this role, she helps oversee development throughout the city, much like her day job managing the development of downtown Jamaica.

Last year, Borough President Melinda Katz and the mayor also announced the 21-point Jamaica Now Action Plan, a strategic list of moves to energize Jamaica as a commercial and residential neighborhood.

That includes improving the neighborhood’s streetscape, launching a new entrepreneurship program and developing new mixed-use buildings.

Knight is at the center of all that, and she holds the key to unlocking the revitalization of a neighborhood that has already shown glimpses of its economic potential.

10: Tyler Morse CEO MCR Development

Tyler Morse went from ski instructor to co-founder of one of the country’s major hotel operators, serving as CEO and managing partner of MCR Development. As one of the seven largest hotel owners and operators in the country, Morse has overseen the exponential growth of MCR since co-founding the company in 2006.

Morse and his company own and manage 88 hotels in 23 states. One of their latest projects is the transofrmation of the former TWA terminal at JFK Airport into a hotel complex.

The MCR CEO received his MBA from Harvard Business School and a B.S. in business administration from the University of California at Berkley, where he is currently a member of the Policy Advisory Board for the Fisher Center for Real Estate and Urban Economics.

Before founding MCR, Morse tried several different professions. He served as the president of Bliss, an upscale spa and beauty products company, an investment banker at Morgan Stanley and the aformenetioned ski instructor in both the U.S. and Chile. Now he is transforming one of the most iconic pieces of architecture in the borough.

22 • Fall 2016 www.itsqueens.com

THE IT’S LIST

9: Tom Grech

Executive Director Queens Chamber of Commerce

Thomas Grech often says that Queens is no longer a borough people travel through, but the place people travel to. Under his organization’s guidance, that phrase rings true.

Though he’s only served as the executive director of the centuryold Queens Chamber of Commerce for one year, Grech has been at the forefront of advocating for business owners. Through networking opportunities and educational workshops, the chamber has helped local entrepreneurs create thriving and innovative companies in the diverse borough of 2.3 million people.

Grech, an Astoria native, came to the chamber after decades leading companies in several different fields. His impressive resume boasts titles like “senior vice president,” “managing director,” and even “assistant professor of business” when he taught at Farmingdale State College.

With his friendly and approachable demeanor, Grech worked for decades in the publishing and printing industries as vice president

of RR Donnelley & Sons Company, vice president of Merrill Corporation, and senior vice president of Xlibris.

Switching over to the energy field, Grech became managing director of JJT Energy, a natural gas and electric commodity supplier, before managing sales and new business for CCI Energy Solutions.

After decades as an accomplished business leader, Grech decided to help others in his home borough of Queens by leading the chamber.

But Grech’s activity isn’t limited to just business. He’s been a girl’s basketball coach, an involved parent, member of the superintendent’s advisory council, and even president of his alma mater’s alumni board of governors.

His involvement with the Boy Scouts, Catholic Charities of Brooklyn and Queens, and the York College Foundation show that he’s helping develop strong leaders like himself through education and mentorship.

At a time when Queens is quickly becoming a residential and commercial hotspot, Grech advocates for businesses, small and large, to thrive in the borough where he grew up. Leveraging his experience in so many industries, he’s primed to help lift Queens into economic success.

8: Michael Mattone Executive VP & CFO Mattone Group

As executive vice president and chief financial officer of the Mattone Group, a company with more than two million square feet of property in the New York Metropolitan area, Mattone manages the financial strategy of the company and is responsible for the financial forecasting of individual development projects and acquisitions.

The Mattone Group is a commercial real estate group that works with their clients to find or develop properties that fit their needs. They work on all aspects of commercial real estate, from cost analysis to site selection to construction overview. Mattone alone has brought in more than $600 million in acquisition, development and refinance for the company.

Mattone received his B.A in Economics from the University of Pennsylvania and his J.D. from St.John’s University School of Law, where he served as a member of the Law Review. He currently serves on multiple boards, including Queens Economic Development Corporation and the Queens Council of the Boy Scouts of America.

www.itsqueens.com Fall 2016 • 23

THE IT’S LIST

7: Gregory Brown

President Queens County Bar Association

Gregory Brown is the president of the influential Queens County Bar Association, which since it’s inception in 1876 has helped attorneys make their way through the courts of Queens. It’s a referralbased industry like no other, and the Bar Association is how new attorneys meet others in the legal profession, one of the largest industries in Queens.

As new president, Brown is focused on getting young attorneys involved with the Bar Association.

The monthly Queens County Bar

6: Chris Mullin

Head Basketball Coach St. John’s University

• Fall 2016 www.itsqueens.com 24 24 • Fall 2016 www.itsqueens.com

Bulletin is read cover to cover by the industry. Seasoned lawyers, judges and court officials write and read the bulletin with passion.

Brown is transforming the bulletin into a publishing outlet for second and third-year law school students by pushing faculty at the nearly dozen law schools in the New York area to encourage students to write briefs for the bulletin. “It’s a great way for people to notice these smart students,” he says.

Two-time Naismith Basketball Hall of Famer. Two-time Olympic Gold medalist. Three-time Big East Player of the Year. Five-time NBA All-Star. Former Mr. New York Basketball.

Chris Mullin’s list of accolades from his collegiate and professional basketball career is endless.

As a star for the Red Storm, the Brooklyn native led St. John’s to the Final Four and won the John R. Wooden Award in 1985. With three stints as the Big East Player of the Year, he’s the only player to have achieved that distinction.

In Mullin’s NBA career, mostly with the Golden State Warriors, he was known for being a member of the fun, fast and ferocious Run TMC trio with teammates Mitch Richmond and

Tim Hardaway. Though they didn’t get far into the playoffs, Run TMC’s fast-paced playing style rejuvenated fans in the Bay Area and cultivated a diehard fanbase.

Mullin was also a member of the 1992 Olympic “Dream Team.”

Though no one can compare to NBA legends Michael Jordan, Larry Bird and Magic Johnson, Mullin made his presence known in the USA’s gold-medal run in Barcelona. What Mullin lacked in speed, he more than made up for in accurate shots and craftiness.

After multiple stints in the front offices of the Warriors and Sacramento Kings, Mullin returned home to become the head coach of his beloved St. John’s Red Storm in 2015.

His first season was rough. Ending with a 8-24 record, including 1-17 in conference play, the Red Storm struggled with young players trying to find consistency in their play. Mullin has acknowledged that the team is in a rebuilding of sorts, and that before reaching success, players will have to learn how to handle tough situations.

But it’s only going up from here.

With a year of coaching under his belt, Mullin has many players returning and strong recruit class, and he hopes for a promising second year leading the team he once carried to the Final Four all those years ago.

THE IT’S LIST

5: Mike Luba

Concert Promoter Forest Hills Stadium

For decades in the 80s and 90s, Forest Hills Stadium was underused, neglected and in a state of vast disrepair.

In its prime, the concert and sports venue, which opened in 1923, hosted legendary bands and artists like the Beatles, Jimi Hendrix, the Rolling Stones and Frank Sinatra. It produced many memorable summers for music and tennis lovers alike.

It was the original home of the U.S. Open, before the tournament moved over to the National Tennis Center in Flushing Meadows-Corona Park. It was in Forest Hills where Arthur Ashe and Althea Gibson broke tennis’ color barrier.

Despite such history in one venue, when tennis moved out, concerts went along with it, as more and more local neighbors complained about the out-of-control noise. Soon, the stadium became a shell of its former self.

In comes Mike Luba, a prodigious concert promoter who hails from Long Island and now lives in Chelsea. Luba, with his boutique agency Madison House Presents, engaged the commu-

4: Michael Meyer President F & T Group

nity and stadium owner West Side Tennis Club to form a plan to revive the legendary stadium.

Thanks to a multi-million dollar renovation that included a new stage, handrails, benches and, perhaps most importantly, sound-suppression measures, Forest Hills Stadium hosted the British rock band Mumford and Sons in 2013. The rest, as they say, is history.

Luba helped transform the defunct venue, which was nearly sold to make way for condos, into a thriving place for concertgoers. The stadium has recently hosted legends like The Who, Van Morrison, Dolly Parton, Bob Dylan and Paul Simon, and welcomed the return of professional tennis.

Forest Hills Stadium can once again challenge Madison Square Garden as a rival venue for live music, and we all have Mike Luba to thank for that.

If you walk up and down Flushing, chances are you’ll see many projects that have touched the desk of Michael Meyer. Meyer is the president of the F&T Group, which focuses on large-scale projects, usually in central business districts.

The F&T Group is a real estate development and services company that works on financing, site acquisition, design, construction, marketing and property management. The company is headquartered in Flushing and has been around for over 30 years, creating a diverse portfolio of large-scale projects, including Queens Crossing and One Fulton Square.

After graduating from Harvard Business School, Meyer went into international trade services with the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey at the World Trade Center before joining and becoming president of the F&T Group.

The organization was formed in 1996 by developers and Taiwanese immigrants Michael Lee and Sunny Chiu. Along with Meyer, they helped transform downtown Flushing into one of the busiest commercial districts in New York City. To date, F&T Group has nearly 5 million square feet of development either under construction or in the works.

The most prominent of those developments is Flushing Commons, F&T Group’s grand plan to transform a former city parking lot into a 1.8 million-square-foot mixed-use complex. The first phase of the project, which includes a 14-story residential building with 148 condos and an 11-story building with 75 office condos and 1,000 underground parking spots was topped off in March.

Meyer is behind these projects that have made Flushing what it is today – a cultural, residential and commercial destination with much to offer its residents and businesses alike. www.itsqueens.com Fall 2016 • 25

THE IT’S LIST

3: Dennis Walcott President & CEO Queens Library

Several months ago, the Queens Library system was in a state of disarray.

Its former leader, Thomas Galante, who served as president and CEO for more than a decade, was plagued with scandal.

He was fired in December 2014 for his excessive spending habits, including tens of thousands of dollars on his corporate credit card on dinners, concerts, and sports memorabilia. He infamously spent $140,000 to renovate his private office, including adding a $27,000 smoke deck.

After firing several board members, the Queens Library system had to bring in new leadership to steer the ship back on course.

That’s when they hired Dennis Walcott.

Walcott came into the position this past March with a lifetime of public service experience. He served as schools chancellor under Mayor Michael

Bloomberg from 2011 to 2013. Before that, he was deputy mayor for education and community development in the Bloomberg administration.

Although he lacks a formal background in the library field, Walcott was raised in the system. He got his first library card at the St. Albans branch while in elementary school. He graduated from Francis Lewis High School, then got his bachelor’s and master’s degree in education from the University of Bridgeport in Connecticut.

He later went back to get a second master’s degree, this time in social work, from Fordham University.

A Queens residents all his life, Walcott came into the job as leader of the Queens Library system with an eye for transparency. He helped lobby the City Council to secure baseline funding for six-day service throughout all city library systems, and has worked recently to install surveillance cameras in many Queens libraries.

Although he’s just getting started, Walcott has already left an impression that he will be a steady leader for a library system that includes more than 60 branches and has 11 million visitors annually.

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THE IT’S LIST

2: Joseph Zayas

Administrative Judge Queens County Supreme Court

It wasn’t always a given that Judge Joseph Zayas was going to end up on the right side of the law. Growing up in the housing projects and on the streets of West Harlem isn’t typically how the first chapter of the story of a well-respected and successful man of the bench begins.

“In the event that this truly is a tale of two cities, I have been a part of those two cities,” says Judge Zayas. “Even to this day, I might find myself at my niece’s birthday party in the South Bronx, and the next night at a black-tie event at the Waldorf Astoria.”

Judge Zayas was raised in the Frederick Douglas Houses after his family moved to New York City from Puerto Rico in the 1950s. He ran the streets and spent most of his days in high school enjoying his school’s generous perk of a DJ in the lunchroom through most of the midday, enjoying the atmosphere while his grades steadily slid.

That started to change his senior year. “I realized I was going to be a loser if I didn’t turn myself around,” he recalls.

He studied hard and eventually ended up at Fordham University’s College at Lincoln Center, where he graduated magna cum laude in 1985. In 1988,

he graduated from Columbia University’s School of Law. To hear a humble Judge Zayas tell it, from there it was just a bunch of lucky breaks.

“The lord has blessed me with a lot of interesting career opportunities and fortune,” he said. “I feel like he has prepared me for this.”

As an attorney with The Legal Aid Society’s Capital Defense Unit, he found himself as the primary coordinating counsel in the People v. Darrel Harris, New York State’s first capital trial since the re-enactment of the death penalty under then-governor George Pataki. The death sentence of Darrel Harris was eventually vacated by the Court of Appeals.

In 2003, he was appointed a judge by Mayor Michael Bloomberg. Several reappointments later, he now serves as Administrative Judge of Queens County Supreme Court, where over 3,000 indictments are filed each year before 25 justices.

In addition to his administrative responsibilities, he presides over felony trials and the county’s Youth Court, as well as the calendar of old cases.

Judge Zayas is also involved with the Latino Judges Association and Latino Lawyers Association of Queens County. In 2014, he received the “Trailblazer in Justice” award from Governor Andrew Cuomo.

Judge Zayas has lived in Queens for 23 years, currently residing in Little Neck, enjoying life with his three children, one grandchildren and high school sweetheart Catherine, who he met in the high school cafeteria when he should have been in class. “So it wasn’t a compete waste of time!” he jokes.

www.itsqueens.com Fall 2016 • 27

THE IT’S LIST When Mayor Bill de Blasio first proposed the idea for a streetcar connecting the waterfront neighborhoods along Queens and Brooklyn, many were skeptical.

How would it be funded? Would it cause more traffic and congestion? Why not just add a new bus line?

Enter the Friends of the Brooklyn-Queens Connector (BQX), a nonprofit group that first developed the idea. Now, it’s tasked with selling the plan to the people.

Friends of the BQX is led by Ya-Ting Liu, a veteran in transit and environmental advocacy. In a sit-down interview recently with It’s Queens, Liu spoke about the challenges of selling what would be the city’s first new rail system since the subway began serving customers more than a century ago.

“The current transit system is not reflective of the travel needs of New Yorkers now,” Liu said.

“From an equity perspective and a quality of life perspective, we have to expand our transit system in a way that is reflective of people’s live-work patterns.”

One of the main arguments for the creation of this emissionsfree, battery-powered streetcar is the increasing number of residents and workers who no longer need to step foot in Manhattan.

According to data from Freinds of the BQX, 400,000 people are expected to live in ten waterfront neighborhoods by 2045, and 344,000 people are anticipated to work there.

To keep up with the economic and population growth, there needs to be better infrastructure between the two boroughs, proponents argue. They project an annual ridership of 15.8 million by 2035 and 52,000 people daily.

The project still has many details left unresolved. The city hasn’t established what route the proposed streetcar would take, such as if it will run down 21st Street in Queens or closer to the waterfront. Although the BQX aims for fare integration with the MTA, meaning a single Metrocard

28 • Fall 2016 www.itsqueens.com

swipe can get a rider on both the subway and streetcar, it’s not a done deal yet.

Liu said she understands the skepticism, which is often based on people’s lived experiences.

“As a New Yorker, it’s like you’re asking people to suspend their disbelief from their day-to-day encounters with transit,” she said.

“You understand it because that’s the state of where our infrastructure is.”

That’s where the Friends group is stepping in. Made up of representatives from educational institutions, civic and neighborhood groups, cultural sites, business organizations and real estate firms, Friends of BQX is striving to reflect the diversity of the corridor, Liu said.

1: Ya-Ting Liu

Executive Director Friends of the BQX

She described the group’s role as educating and engaging the public about this “unprecedented public transit project” and build support for it.

“We’re trying to build the support, lay the groundwork and soften the opposition or identify who the opposition is,” Liu said. “What the Friends group is, we’re trying to really show that there are voices that actually want this. It’s on us, we have to go find them.”

Although plans are still in the works, Liu floated ideas of teaming up with cultural institutions like MoMA PS1 on media campaigns.

For example, if the Long Island City arts center was having a party or event, Friends of BQX could set up a booth and speak directly to residents and visitors. They can then take photos of supporters holding up signs and begin a social media campaign.

These are the types of activities that the group can do, Liu said, which is why they’re an asset to the project.

“We get to do things like polling, and we have more educational and engagement and advocacy tools at our disposal,” she said. “I can work with organizations that deal with new immigrants and do materials all in different languages. I can have a whole ethnic media outreach strategy.”

Prior to leading Friends of the BQX, Liu worked on city policy and legislation for the New York League of Conservation Voters.

She helped push the passage of the City Council’s five-cent plastic bag fee.

“That effort really required coalition building and really engaging member by member in a conversation to get past the knee-jerk reaction of a fee,” she said.

Liu said that type of doorto-door outreach is she is employing when selling the BQX proposal to community members.

If everything goes right, according to the group’s timeline, the city won’t break ground on the project until 2019, with an anticipated start date in 2024. Before then, the BQX plan needs to go through the Uniform Land Use and Review Procedure (ULURP) review and approvals from community boards, elected officials and the City Planning Commission - and then a bidding process.

Taking it one step at a time, the city is currently conducting a feasibility report for the streetcar, Liu said. She said she’s hoping to see “a real piece of transit” from the study.

For now, Liu will continue reaching out to local communities in Queens and Brooklyn. She doesn’t know what will come out of the feasibility study, but she knows what she’s looking for.

“In order for this thing to work, it has to have speed, reliability, efficiency and it has to be integrated,” she said.

(Benjamin Fang)

“W

hat the Friends group is, we’re trying to really show that there are voices that actually want this. It’s on us, we have to go find them.”

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MIDWAY FH CAR PARK

TOP BARBER SHOPS

A CUT ABO E Barbershops have come a long way, evolving from a spot to get a simple trim or buzz to a place to socialize and get the local neighborhood buzz. While some places still like to keep the classic feel, others are turning their shops into much more. Walk into a barbershop these days,and you might find yourself in a hip-hop atmosphere, a sports car garage, or even a tattoo parlor, leaving with some ink to match your new ‘do. We searched Queens to find the Top 5 Barbershops that provide an innovative atmosphere and unique experience while still providing their customers with the best quality cuts.

5

BY JAIME ROSENBERG

THE HUSTLE BARBERSHOP 135-22 HILLSIDE AVENUE JAMAICA

Hustle is the go-to place if you’re looking for a five-star barbershop with an old-school hip-hop vibe.

The barbershop is full of experienced and talented barbers that can tackle any men’s haircut, from buzzcuts to mohawks. Hustle also plays host to exhibitions featuring artists like painter MYSE1. The shop’s motto “no hustle no profit” can be seen on their wide selection of apparel, including snapbacks, sweatshirts, t-shirts and socks. Open for 11 years, the barbershop still sees its original customers, said barber Ralph Padilla. “We keep it old school, this is a neighborhood barbershop,” he said

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4

TOP BARBER SHOPS

GQ - GENTLEMEN’S QUARTERS 127-10 ATLANTIC AVENUE RICHMOND HILL

This barbershop combines an unlikely pair: haircuts and tattoos. With outlandish haircut designs ranging from a picture of Lebron James to a Transformer, there is nothing the barbers at GQ can’t do. Feeling some color? Just ask the barber to give you a hot pink mohawk joined with eccentric lines on either side in turquoise. Doubling as both a barber and a tattoo artist, part owner Truth can couple that new do with a new tattoo. Opening the barbershop two years ago, Truth, who has been a barber and tattoo artist for 30 years, said tattoos weren’t originally in the plan, but later on it was decided to add that side of the business.

3

QUEENS FINEST 77-20 QUEENS BOULEVARD ELMHURST

When you want to open up a barbershop in a place that’s out of the box and will be sure to wow everyone, what do you do? If your Queen’s Finest owner Mikki Azacon, you open up your barbershop inside an automotive shop. “It’s different and it’s something no one’s done before,” said Azacon. The barbershop, which offers haircuts for anyone ranging from little kids to old men, also doubles as a brand that offers a clothing line. Azacon said his goal is to keep Queens on the map.

The barbershop’s customers have been spotted all over the country repping the city in his clothing. www.itsqueens.com Fall 2015 • 33

2

TOP BARBER SHOPS

CUTTY’S HAIR STUDIO 87-14 PARSONS BOULEVARD JAMAICA

With celebrities such as Flo Rida, Big Sean and visitors from all over the world as clientele, Filthy Rich has made its mark on the barbershop scene. Richard Mendoza opened the shop in 2006, and said since then he has focused on creating an all-star team that’s warm, friendly and has a sense of humor in order to create a welcoming atmosphere for the clients; the team describes themselves as a family. Although there’s a long list of celebrities that come into the barbershop for a cut, Mendoza said they have a very mixed and cultured clientele, making the shop unique. On the pricier side, M e n doza assures that the shop’s clients are paying for a good quality haircut, “walking in filthy and coming out rich.”

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Cutty’s Hair Studio is a sight to see, with bright colors, license plates from across the country and street signs covering the walls and ceiling.

The barbershop is also home to the barber responsible for the iconic designs on the head of late Knicks great Anthony Mason. In addition, owner Freddy Avila is the man behind the signature haircuts of the Knicks that defined the team’s tough image in the 90s. Once labeled the “Rembrandt of Barbers,” Avila’s approach to cutting hair has been compared to the way a painter approaches a canvas, and he has been known to hire barbers with similar talents.

FILTHY RICH 63-12 ROOSEVELT AVENUE WOODSIDE

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TOP FOOD TRUCKS

BY JAIME ROSENBERG

FOOD ON

Food trucks used to be the workingman’s lunch – cheap, hot and mobile, easily parked outside a construction site in a neighborhood with few other dining options to serve hungry workers. But in today’s foodie culture, people are seeking out food trucks instead of the other way around. Yes, the food truck has come a long way, now serving up high-end regional niche cuisine that competes with some of the city’s best restaurants. And in a borough as ethnically diverse as Queens, there’s a mobile version of just about every ethnic option out there. Here’s the borough’s Top Five Food Trucks, just make sure you get there before they drive off!

5

TRADITIONAL XINJIANG BARBECUE 41st Avenue & Main Street Flushing

If you’re looking for some good barbecued meat that won’t break the bank, the Traditional XinJiang Barbecue Cart is the place to be. From chicken to lamb kidney, the cart has it all for meat lovers. The meat skewers hover above charcoal so that when the juices drip onto the charcoal, the smoke that comes back up is filled with flavor. The skewers are then finished off with seasoning to complement the juicy meat.

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CHICKEN, LAMB & BEEF SKEWERS

TOP FOOD TRUCKS

THE GO

4

THE FISHERMAN’S DOG

3

AMDO KITCHEN

LOBSTER ROLL

111-30 Beach Channel Drive Rockaway Park

Right on the water and giving a good name to roadside beach food, The Fisherman’s Dog provides great food with a great view. Opening in 2012, the food truck is known for their lobster rolls, always fresh and perfectly seasoned. The truck also has an assortment of fish to offer, from blue fish tacos with homemade chilli to an octopus roll, as well as some meat options like chicken quesadillas.

Want to stay a while? Take a seat at the nearby picnic tables and enjoy the view.

37-57 74th Street Jackson Heights

Ambdo Kitchen offers five-star momo dumplings with a twist. Handmade on the spot, the Tibetan dumplings have a perfectly steamed dough exterior complemented by the freshest meat and a small amount of soup inside. Accompanied with the dumplings is pickled radish and spicy hot sauce. Customers can choose between eight pieces of round pockets filled with beef or half moons of chicken for just $5. Can’t get enough of the momos? You can bring home a pack of 50 or 100 pieces.

BEEF MOMO www.itsqueens.com Fall 2015 • 37

2

TOP FOOD TRUCKS

EL REY DEL TACO TRUCK

33-01 30th Avenue & 31-01 Ditmars Boulevard Astoria

With two Astoria locations, El Rey Del Taco Truck can satisfy any taco lover’s cravings, even if it’s 1 a.m. The El Rey Del Taco Trucks are the perfect go-to spot for late night foodies. Aside from tacos, both carts offer nachos, tostadas, burritos, quesadillas, gyros and tortas, all in generous portions. With two layers of soft tortillas, fresh veggies, juicy and tender meat and multiple sauce options, the cart has enough to keep you coming back for more.

CHICKEN TACOS

KING OF FALAFEL & SHAWARMA 30-15 Broadway Astoria

1

You can’t miss this bright colored food truck with the #YEAHHHHHBABY hashtag on its front. Since 2002, the King of Falafel & Shawarma has been a go-to place for Middle Eastern food lovers. The falafel is crunchy on the outside, soft on the inside and the meat is tender and juicy. All the vegetables are fresh and everything is packed with flavor. Can’t pick just one thing? Try the teaser, which gives you a little bit of everything. Whether you’re a meat lover, vegan or gluten-free, there’s something for everyone.

FALAFAEL AND SHAWARMA 38 • Fall 2016 www.itsqueens.com

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KEEP ON

WORKING REGO PARK’S VIC BAGRATUNI CHASES HIS LIFELONG DREAM OF BECOMING AN ACTOR

BY BENJAMIN FANG

www.itsqueens.com Fall 2015 • 41 www.itsqueens.com Fall 2016 • 41

For as long as he can remember, 26-year-old Vic Bagratuni wanted to be an actor.

Growing up in an artistic household, everything was an artform.

Both of his parents are musicians, and he comes from a long line of artists, actors and directors.

“Everything that I did from a very young age on was pointed toward the theater,” he said.

Bagratuni was born in Armenia. At age 2, his family moved to Germany, where his parents still live. After he graduated from high school, he moved to New York to study acting, first at the Lee Strasberg Institute and then at the Actors’ Studio.

He lived in Rego Park with his aunt, who has resided in the neighborhood since the early 1990s. Even after he decided to move out, Bagratuni stayed in the neighborhood. He lived there for

42 • Fall 2016 www.itsqueens.com

almost six years, and still visits occasionally.

“Queens has such a great variety of cultures coming together,” he said. “It’s pretty clean, secluded and beautiful.”

When he wasn’t practicing his craft, Bagratuni spent his time in the borough’s peaceful parks.

Whether it was the grassy lawn at Astoria Park or the active Flushing Meadows-Corona Park. He said he felt inspired by them.

“I remember going there and spending a lot of time reading plays and looking at the scenery,” he said. “I don’t know why, but there was a certain vibe that I very much liked.”

In his half-dozen years in the Big Apple, Bagratuni said he ran into a few celebrities, including idols like Al Pacino and Christopher Walken. He met Pacino while he was an intern at the Actors’

Studio, where Pacino served as one of the artistic directors.

“One evening, I was just having my shift and I was in the office. The doors rings and I look up,” Bagratuni said. “He marches in and gets his email, and I’m like, ‘wow.’”

They had a brief interaction, where Bagratuni asked him questions about acting. He later called it an inspiring moment. He also met Christopher Walken randomly inside a cafe. They had a ten-minute conversation, where Bagratuni told the actor how much he appreciated his legacy.

“That’s why I love New York so much, because these people are available,” he said. “It means so much to young actors to actually meet their idols.”

After finishing his classes, Bagratuni moved to Los Angeles to pursue his lifelong dream. He has appeared in the hit film The

Wolf of Wall Street and the HBO television series Boardwalk Empire. He also played Joey Calco in the television documentary series “Inside the American Mob.” But success didn’t come easy.

He said he faced a lot of rejection, and advises other aspiring actors to be prepared to hear the word “no” a lot. He said he learned how to be patient, even after being rejected for auditions.

Then came an opportunity he couldn’t pass up.

Bagratuni was cast in a leading role in the upcoming film Men of Granite, which is about a group of poor immigrant boys in the 1940s who overcome the odds to win a basketball state championship in Granite City, Illinois. Based on a true story, the film is currently in production, and may be released next year.

Bagratuni plays John Markarian, an Armenian member of that fateful team who still lives in Granite City today. The actor said at the time, Granite City was still an industrial town, and immigrants from eastern Europe, including Hungarians, Macedonians and Bulgarians, had begun arriving in flux.

“All sorts of cultures were compiled on one side of town, and the other side was this old establishment of rich and middle-class Americans,” Bagratuni said.

There’s the inevitable clash between the two, and in the middle of the conflict is basketball. The immigrant boys grew up playing the sport and eventually make it onto the local high school team, but face heavy discrimination from the town.

“We go against all odds because we literally can’t play bas-

ketball in a professional sense, but we know how to do it,” he said.

“But then we win the championship.”

In the film, Bagratuni plays alongside Oscar-winning actress Shirley MacLaine, who plays a supportive teacher, and awardwinning actor William Hunt, who

“Of course I want to do blockbusters, of course I want to make money,” he said. “But if you only think about money, then you end up being greedy and not doing artistic work. I think in this business, what lasts long is quality and relationships and what you establish.”

plays the coach.

A year and a half ago, Bagratuni went to Granite City to interview Markarian. The actor said Markarian gave him “all the freedom” to study and interview him.

Ultimately, he gave Bagratuni

sound advice for the role. “At the end of everything, we just had fun,” Markarian told Bagratuni. “So I want you to have fun with it.”

Meeting the man he would later portray was just part of Bagratuni’s technique. He read the script and tried understand the character. He would look at the pivotal points in the character’s life to understand his characteristics. Then he would look at the physical attributes and compare.

“I look at myself and say, ‘How do you look like and how does the character look like?’” he said. “How are you different from the character? Where is he from?”

But no matter how much an actor prepares, Bagratuni said, it goes out the window when the camera starts rolling.

“You’ve done your homework, just trust and go with it,” he said. “Whatever comes in the moment organically, just embrace that and go with it.”

Bagratuni said he related to the character a lot. They’re both Armenian, but more than that, they’re both immigrants in a country that isn’t always receptive to newcomers.

The movie protrays the racial tension in Granite City, including a scene where the boys were beat up. The actor said he was never treated badly, partially because he grew up in diverse cities, but he still sometimes has the feeling of being a foreigner.

“He was caught between cultures, Armenian culture and American culture,” he said.

“Everything that happened with the [Armenian] Genocide versus the new world.”

Bagratuni wouldn’t say if this was his big break in acting. There are too many things out of his control, he said, like distribution or marketing.

“I just did my job and that’s all,” www.itsqueens.com Fall 2016 • 43

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he said. “I learned that you have to just do your job and with everything else, there are other people who will take care of it.”

He certainly hopes it’s a big moment in his career. Bagratuni said many people do a lot of independent films or web series, but they don’t get much exposure because audiences are often small, which means publicists can’t market it as well. But again, that’s not something he’s worried about it.

“What I want to do is just get auditions. Audition as much as possible and then get the next thing and next thing,” Bagratuni said. “When you pursue an acting career, if you think about money and fame, then you can go home.”

“I’ve met a lot of people here who actually think that way, and then the quality lacks in their work,” he added. “Money and fame and everything you want, you only achieve through hard work.”

His long-term goal is to be a successful working actor. More than anything, he yearns for artistic freedom and to do the types of films he wants and make his own decisions.

“Of course I want to do blockbusters, of course I want to make money,” he said. “But if you only think about money, then you end up being greedy and not doing artistic work. I think in this business, what lasts long is quality and relationships and what you establish.”

If he ever gets to that point and has that platform, he would take after Leonardo DiCaprio and speak out about relevant issues to society, Bagratuni said. He would pay it forward and give back through foundations and charity work.

For now, he’s going to keep working at his craft. Competition is always fierce in the film industry, Bagratuni said, because it’s hard to tell how many people are actually going for the same role or pursuing the same goal.

Vic Bagratuni with award-winning director Werner Herzog.

“At a certain point, you really start to cherish what you have and just keep on working,” he said.

“There’s no comfort zone. It’s all about the work and all about getting better and better as an actor and a human being.”

In August, Bagratuni came back to New York to see his family. He said it’s nice to get away from the craziness of Los Angeles once in awhile, and enjoy the seasons on the east coast.

“I want to see the fall,” he said.

“I guess I’ll stay until it gets really

cold in New York.”

Bagratuni still considers Queens home because he lives bi-coastally. He said he’s not sure why, but he feels very connected to the borough where he spent six important years preparing for the thrill of following his dreams.

“I like passing through places that were in my memory so I know where everything is. You know the spots, the scenery,” he said.

“Walking the streets here, it has an impact on you. It’s home, your immediate home.” www.itsqueens.com Fall 2016 • 45

The Jim Raia Investment Group, located in the heart of Ridgewood, Queens, has been helping clients invest their money wisely for over 16 years. Jim Raia has a proven track record of successfully building financial plans for his clients, and his nearly two decades of proven success make him an expert in all levels of investment.

FINANCE

Jim Raia, President

WHY YOUR INVESTMENT PORTFOLIO SHOULD INCLUDE REAL ESTATE INVESTMENT TRUSTS

A Real Estate Investment Trust (REIT) is a company that owns or finances income-producing real estate.

In essence, REITs are like mutual funds that own property instead of companies.

Some REITs specialize in shopping centers, others in timberland (forestry), self-storage units, or apartment buildings.

Today, a broad range of investors are using REITs to help achieve investment goals of diversification, liquidity, dividends, performance and transparency.

Three specific advantages of REITs are: REITs offer high-dividend yields, REITs receive favorable tax treatment, and REITs give diverse exposure to real estate assets.

“A great reason to invest in REIT’s, without a doubt, is their rich dividends,” said said Jim Raia, President of the Jim Raia Investment Group.

“REITs can pay generous dividends and they tend to be “uncorrelated” with the stock market, meaning that if your stocks are down, your REITs may be up.,” said Raia, who recommends portfolio diversification by investing in REITs. REITs earn money through leases or rents and distribute most of their earnings as dividends to investors. So, if you want to get your feet wet in real estate investing, REITS make it easier to buy and sell real estate without having to deal with physical property.

“Another good reason to invest in REITs is their intrinsic tax advantages,” said Raia.

While it’s true that most REIT distributions don’t meet the definition of “qualified” dividends, which are entitled to a favorable tax rate,

By John Sanchez

REIT dividends are not subject to the double taxation that can take a big bite out of most income investors’ profits.

As long as a REIT pays out more than 90% of its taxable income to shareholders, its profits are not taxed at the corporate level, which allows REITs to pay out higher dividends.

Raia explained that there is a common misconception that REITs perform like bonds.

“Real estate is a separate asset class from stocks and bonds, and investing in REITs offers an

opportunity to diversify your portfolio with exposure to the real estate sector,” Raia explained.

Raia is always on the lookout for new exciting investments to offer. One of these new investments allows you to be a landlord for some of the nation’s biggest companies.

His hard working, genuine, and trustworthy qualities have helped many Ridgewood, Middle Village, Glendale, Maspeth, Astoria and surrounding Queens residents.

Raia recommends reflecting on your financial

situation, hearing the opportunities available through his investment firm, and making an informed decision to achieve your financial goals.

“Financial planning does not only incorporate the aspirations of the client during their own life, but also the financial legacy that he or she wants to pass on to loved ones” said Raia, a father of two.

Jim Raia’s office is located at 66-74 Fresh Pond Road in Ridgewood. He can be reached at 718.386.1135 or jimraia@yahoo.com.

E Y E W E A R

Fall Style sponsored by MK Vision

1

At MK Vision Center in Forest Hills, our opticians are all professional and looking to make your glasses feel the best they can. Our eyewear stylists work closely with you to help you select the perfect frame for your special event or new look. We believe that something that is on your face all day needs to be PERFECT. Fit, color, size & weight and meticulously adjusted to fit your face. MK Vision Center 107-29 72st Ave, Forest Hills, NY 11375 | 718.575.8288

RESEARCH DIFFERENT FRAME STYLES Research. Research. Research.

She’s wearing the Mott & Bayard Borough Collection from Mott Optical. The collection combines an incredible international fit and a classic, yet stylish design. An elevated nose bridge results in an international fit and a thinner acetate material makes the frames lighter and more comfortable for wearing.

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KNOW YOUR FACE SHAPE When it comes to finding the perfect fitting glasses, a lot depends on your individual face shape. Different frame styles can either play up or play down your unique facial contours, so learning what works best for you is key. A round face has softer angles with slightly wider cheekbones and an equally wider forehead and jaw. A square face has more angular lines with equally wide cheekbones, forehead and jaw. A triangle face is the widest at the jaw and gradually narrows through to the forehead. An oval face is the most versatile to fit, with slighly wide cheekbones and a gentle narrowing at the forehead and jaw. If you are unsure which face shape you hve, ask a MK Vision eyewear stylist today.

2016 Sun Collection | In Store at MK Vision

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MottOptical.com

MK Vision Center

CENTER THAT YOU TRUST You should try on your frames & shades before you buy. A good optical center will have various custom and designer frames & sunglasses available. Their Experts should be able to guide you through the process of trying on different frames & shades to find the perfect fit. An optical store in a good community setting is a big factor!

2016 Sun Collection In Store at MK Vision

3

FIND A LOCAL VISION

STAY UP TO DATE WITH THE LATEST TRENDS Visit websites, blogs, & social media pages of eyewear style companies like MottOptical.com and stay up to date with the latest eyewear trends. Look at what celebrities and other popular figures are wearing. Look for promotions, such as MK Vision’s 20% off all sunglasses for a limited time.

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Bleecker Black | In Store at MK Vision

4

AVIATORS’ VERSATILE STYLE CAN FIT ANYONE Aviators never go out of style because they never leave the fashion scene.

This style is perfect for adding that chill, cool edge to a simple outfit.

That’s because they’re sporty and classic. The aviator shape has gone through some changes over time.

In 2016, you will see the rise of the modern oversized aviator. A fusion between the classic style and a bigger, they give a more masculine, sturdy approach. Even though they still preserve the classic teardrop shape of the lens, they’re a little bit big and large.

That makes them stand out from the classic aviator shape.

INNOVATIVE EQUITY SOLUTIONS

HOW THE

HECM

FINANCIAL TOOL IS IMPROVING RETIREMENT PLANS A HECM Can Provide You With The Extra Cash You Need For Retirement

The retirement landscape is changing as we speak. Longer life expectancy, rising health care costs, and poor equity returns over the last decade are just a few of the issues confronting retirees. One local financial firm is making sure that their local community is aware of the financial tools available to them.

Middle Village Resident, Mark Fuchs, is making sure that his local community is aware of the financial tools available to them.

His firm, Innovative Equity Solutions, has a primary objective of providing seniors and their families with honest and caring service, while educating them on all aspects of Home Equity Conversion Mortgages (HECM’s).

If you are a homeowner, and at least 62 years of age, a Home Equity Conversion Mortgage can give you the extra cash you need to live comfortably.

By accessing the equity in your home, A HECM will grant you a line of credit, monthly payments, or a partial or lump sum payment. An untapped line of credit becomes an increasing supply of taxfree cash that can be used any way the homeowner chooses.

This means that if you are granted a HECM, and you leave the line of credit available, it can protect you from a housing market crash or if the value of your house goes down.

Here are a few ways that HECM’s are being used as a financial tool: *Defer Social Security pension payouts therefore significantly increasing the monthly payout amount *Draw on tax-free funds to reduce tax liability *Postpone drawing down retirement assets giving assets more time to grow, *Increase your cash flow by eliminating monthly mortgage payments, *Have access to a low cost, non-cancelable line of credit with a compounding growth rate , *Protect your portfolio performance in a down market.

“We approach Reverse Mortgages as a “family affair”, specifically involving all members of a senior’s family, and their trusted advisors to make sure the decision is the right decision for the senior and their families,” said Mark Fuchs, Founder and President of Innovative Equity Solutions.

Mark Fuchs was a top producing loan officer and manager for Professional Mortgage Solutions Inc. from 2001 -2008. Since then he has been serving the senior community, working strictly as a Reverse Mortgage loan officer and consultant. He has worked for Wells Fargo, Bank of America, Genworth Financial.

“In the past, the main purpose of a HECM was to help seniors fulfill cash needs by allowing residents to pull equity in their homes. Today, many seniors are finding that even if they don’t particularly need to fulfill a cash need, they can take advantage of the benefits of a HECM as a tool to use strategically in retirement planning,” said Fuchs.

Conversion Mortgage (HECM), were made in October 2010. The non-cancellable line of credit that borrowers control can be paid back at any time without a penalty. This may provide a significant risk management solution to practitioners and retirees.

In the past the high cost of obtaining a reverse mortgage was considered a big determent, but that has realized a dramatic shift.. In todays competitive market most companies offer programs with drastically reduced closing costs. There are even a few NO CLOSING COST programs to take advantage of.

To highlight ways that a HECM can help you, Fuchs provided two case studies: Mr. and Mrs. Smith from Glendale were living on a fixed income based on withdrawals from their portfolio. They thought they had more than enough money when they retired, but at 80, they realized that that their withdrawals in a down market would eventually deplete their portfolio. They were worried about outliving their money, so they applied for a HECM and received a 0 closing cost line of credit. Since then, they were able to to manage better through a volatile market and strengthen and lengthen their retirement portfolio.

In this example, a HECM prevented the couple from being forced to sell their portfolio assets in a bear market. The HECM allowed them to draw money from their home while allowing their portfolio to grow.

In another example, Mr. Thomas, a 90 year old retired fireman, needed care but did not want to go into a nursing home. Although he was receiving a sizable pension and social security, it was not enough for the around-the-clock home care he needed. His children decided that it would be best for him to tap into the equity in his Forest Hills home. Monthly HECM Tenure payments enabled him to make up the shortfall. He is now able to stay in the comfort of his own home and receive the care he needs.

“The most challenging part of my job is to educate seniors who have misconceptions about how the program works. My goal is to have them keep an open mind look at the facts. Once that is accomplished they are able to make an informed decision and determine if a HECM is the right solution for their needs. .I find my work rewarding because many seniors are burdened by financial stress.

In many situations a reverse mortgage will eliminate or significantly reduce that stress and help them achieve the quality of life they deserve.” said Fuchs.

You can contact Mark Fuchs at 917-705-8919 or email him at mark@innovativeequitysolutions. net for a free consultation.

Revisions to the Home Equity

48 • Fall 2016 www.itsqueens.com

Mark Fuchs, Innovative Equity Solutions

Sponsored Content

Can A Woman’s Sixth Sense Help Save Lives?

Five Signs That Alcohol or Drugs Are Affecting Your Family They say that a woman’s “sixth sense,” or intuition, is a powerful tool.

In their multi-faceted roles as significant others, parents, grandparents, siblings, etc., women face the challenge of balancing their careers while managing their households.

As complex as their lives have become over the years, women continue to play a vital role as the first line of defense to help their families in their time of need, especially when faced with the consequences of a loved one’s alcohol or drug use.

Maybe it is this sixth sense that makes women remarkably perceptive when things are amiss in the family.

As a licensed marriage and family therapist, Kerri-Lynne Black works closely with women and teens who struggle from the devastating effects of their personal or loved one’s substance use. She offers insight on the early warning signs to look for to determine if professional help is needed: 1. Alcohol or drugs are necessary for you or a loved one to feel relaxed and confident, especially to deal with the stresses of work, school, parenting, finances, and more.

2. Your partner or spouse always has a “good” explanation for drinking or using drugs, and this is negatively affecting your relationship.

3. Your child’s grades and attendance are suffering in school and you have observed changes in his or her behavior such as irritability, lack of motivation, and withdrawal from the family.

4. You or a loved one have operated a vehicle while under the influence, and have risked facing legal repercussions as a result

of your drinking or drug use.

5. Money that is supposed to cover household expenses or family responsibilities is instead misused to purchase alcohol or drugs.

If you answered “yes” to any of these signs, Ms. Black suggests that it’s time to seek immediate help by speaking to counselor.

Early involvement is the key to successful long-term results. “Oftentimes, women in households can serve as the voice of reason for their families and can help put back together the broken pieces,” according to Black. Even if their loved ones or children refuse to get help, she recommends that women should still seek counseling for themselves to help find healthier ways to cope.

To address the diverse needs of the entire family, Outreach, a non-profit organization that first opened its doors over 35 years ago, offers a vast array of counseling services that target the individual needs of each family member.

For women and women with children, Outreach offers gender-specific individual and group counseling sessions in a safe, supportive environment with on-site babysitting services included. In addition to offering 24/7 residential care for teens, Outreach offers counseling services during after-school hours and recreational activities that encourage positive socialization.

For those who may not have a personal history of using alcohol or drugs, the program offers help for significant others who have been affected by a loved one’s substance use.

If alcohol or drugs are affecting your family, call Outreach at 718.849.6300 (Queens) or 718.383.7200 (Brooklyn). All phone calls are confidential. For more information, you can visit www.opiny.org.

www.itsqueens.com Fall 2016 • 49

5 Neighborhood Picks

Slide Bar-B-Q

It’s Queens the Magazine reporters ventured to Slide Bar-B-Q in Maspeth to discover why the neighborhood is raving about the two-year-old BBQ Restaurant / Bar. Over twenty patrons of Slide were asked what they love most about the trendy, modern BBQ restaurant. Here are the top five food & drink choices that were nominated. These 5 favorites are why Slide is quickly becoming the number one BBQ joint in Queens.

Slide Bar-B-Q | 65th Pl, Queens, NY 11378 | 718.565.0565 | www.slidebarbq.com

1

ST. LOUIS CUT RIBS

Dry rubbed in Slide’s own special blend of spices and smoked to perfection. The meat falls off the bone.

Served with choice of sauce, 2 sides and cornbread.

2

SLIDE’S BREW

3

CLASSIC SLIDER

Angus beef, Manchego cheese, plum tomato, Boston lettuce, caramelized onions and remoulade sauce. Prepared medium. Many say it’s the best slider they’ve ever had.

Slide’s brew is crafted just for them, and has an aroma of light bread and some citrus notes.

Full flavored, strong, but without the bloating and “gut rot” feeling afterwards. Excellent match with BBQ food flavors.

4

SMO-FRY WINGS

Spice rubbed, pit smoked, then fried, carrots and celery with slide blue cheese dressing.

50 • Fall 2016 www.itsqueens.com

5

THE HANGOVER

Get ready for this...

Hickory smoked bacon, fried egg, mac & cheese, angus beef and hand cut French fries layered high on Texas toast. The brunch special at Slide is only $11.95 and includes one filling entree and a cocktail.

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www.itsqueens.com Fall 2016 • 51

FALL SALES 2016 Taking Care of BIDness

“Wonderful Woodhaven Street Festival” on October 16, 2016 from 80th St to Woodhaven Blvd from 12-6 pm

DO YOUR fall SHOPPING ON WOODHAVEN’S JAMAICA AVENUE Spirare French Cleaners....84-20A Florence Cleaners……....….84-29

ATTORNEYS James F. Rooney, Esq......86-07 Marianne Gonzales Esq ..95-07

CLOTHING - ATHLETIC Sports Lane ........................ 85-15

AWARDS Capo’s Awards…......… 79-13

DRIVING SCHOOL Trama’s Auto School ...........87-15

BANK Queens County …....…...80-35 Savings Bank ................ 93-22 Chase Bank................. 84-01a Community Federal Savings Bank ............... 89-07

HOBBY STORE Planet Hobbywood LADIES’ APPAREL Wood Story………......…….80-33 Rainbow Shop .................. 85-12 Baby Blue Ladies ............. 91-17

BAKERY Pan Ugo Bakery .......... 84-42 La Gitana Bakery.......... 90-12 Paneorama .................. 95-20

MEN’S Valerie’s Men & Women’s. 80-17 R.S. Army/Navy ............... 91-13

BEAUTY SUPPLY Sumi Eyebrows …….….79-17 Mehak Beauty Salon…..87-12 Pretty Beauty Supply… 87-16 Coco Nail and Spa…… 87-24 Miss Nails ……………...90-22 I Stars Beauty Supply…91-05

MEDICAL Yellowstone Physical Therapy and Medical Office…......…88-11 MULTISERVICES Woodhaven Multiservices. 87-09

BICYCLE SHOP Bike Lane……………….85-13

CONFECTIONARY Schmidt’s Candy .............. 94-15

BUTCHER - MARKET La Palma Meat Market ...84-25

FLORIST Park Place Florist…...… 88-16 Lands Flowers ……....……92-03

CATERING HALL Woodhaven Manor........ 96-01

FOOT CARE Podiatry ........................... 86-12 Podiatrist Doctor .............. 87-24 Woodhaven Footcare ....... 95-11

CELLULAR & PHONE RELATED STORES Orange Technology…… 75-12 Boost Mobile………… 80-10 Cricket Wireless…………80-27 Universal Multi-Services 84-11 Zee Wireless Corner.......85-07 T-Mobile ………….….….90-07 Sprint PCS .................... 90-24 CPR Wireless ............... 93-29 Cellular Explosion ......... 95-07

FURNITURE J&L Furniture……….......…78-19 The Home Furnishing Center……………..…...... 80-38

CIVIC ORGANIZATIONS WBID/Greater Woodhaven Development Corp............. 84-01b Woodhaven Residents’ Block Association .............. 84-20b CLEANERS Wash & Dry Round the Clock Laundromat………… .......… 78-07 H.M.Y. Laundry……............ 84-14

ICE CREAM Baskin Robbins ..................84-13 Go Natural Yogurt….......….89-18 Baskin Robbins ................. 92-17

LIQUOR STORES Dexter Wines & Spirits ..........75-13 Rich Haven Liquors .............. 85-11 Liquor Store ......................... 89-21 Deegan’s Wine & Liquors .... 95-19 MARKET C-Town ................................. 74-39 Compare…………................. 77-20 Sam’s Deli……….........…….. 80-01 Sam’s Grill……….........……. 80-08 87th Street Deli-…….........… 87-08 88 Deli and Grill…….........…. 88-01 Fish Store……….........…….. 84-30 Gratia Market …….........…… 84-31 Scaturro’s .............................. 84-39 85th Deli………..........…....… 85-01 Harry’s Grocery Store.............86-06 Jamaica Gourmet Deli........….89-02 Fine Fare…………...........……90-03 Bravo Supermarket.................90-28 Minimarket ............................ 95-13 C-Town Bravo ....................... 98-02 HEALTH Health Store Vitamins ........... 84-09 INSURANCE State Farm Insurance........... 79-22 Allstate ................................. 84-15 Ohlert Ruggiere .................. 89-11 JEWELRY Prime ................................... 91-04 PARTY STORE Paola’s Party Land .............. 89-06 PHARMACY Health Max .......................... 80-09 Duane Reade ...................... 80-30 Queens Care Pharmacy .......84-46 Rite Aid ................................ 89-10 Atlas Pharmacy…….........…..92-18 Medex Pharmacy ................. 96-02 SHOES KMC Orthopedic Shoes ........ 86-20 Payless Shoe Store .............. 89-22

INVESTIGATIVE SERVICES LaBella Investigations ........84-01

TATTOO PARLORS Liberating Art Ink..........………90-22 Beaver Tattoo…...........………94-02

OPTICAL Woodhaven Optical .......... 89-21 Evan David Optician ......... 90-08 Price Optical ..................... 93-01

PIZZERIAS Lane Pizzeria ........................75-19 Domino’s Pizza .....................78-02 A Taste of Italy .......................84-07 Sal’s Pizzeria .........................85-07

DeAleo’s Pizzeria ............90-10 Joe’s Pizza and Pasta…..95-08 PRINTING Beat the Clock ............... 97-13 RESTAURANTS May May Kitchen (Chinese Food) ............. 74-22 Fried Chicken Restaurant ....................................... 74-38 Golden Chicken ............ 77-09 King Wok Chinese Food ............... 79-09 Shanghai Kitchen .......... 80-11 Subway ......................... 80-28 And 92-12 Frank’s .......................... 80-29 Fresco Tortillas-China House ………..…..

84-17 Palace Fried Chicken......84-50 U-Me Sushi……..……….85-03 Double Happy Chinese...85-18 The New Pops .............. 85-22 Thai Restaurant ............ 86-05 Kentucky Fried Chicken..87-17 Tropical Restaurant....... 88-18 Ho Wan Take-Out ......... 88-22 McDonald’s ................... 91-01 Avenue Diner (Formerly Forest View Restaurant) .......... 91-06 Carnival House (Chinese) ...................................... 92-09 Dunkin’ Donuts ............. 84-13 &.................................... 92-17 Popeye’s Chicken ......... 92-20 Hetmans Polish Deli..….94-14 Manor German Deli ...... 94-12 Independence Café..…. 94-16 Dumpling House ........... 95-12 Cheung King ................. 97-17 El Anzualo ..................... 98-01 UPHOLSTERY Imperial Upholstering .... 86-08 VARIETY United Tae Kwon Do ..... 79-16 99¢ Store…………..…….80-16 DD II……… .................... 80-19 GEM ............................... 84-33 Variety Store……...……. 85-08 Hallmark Cards .............. 86-03 Discount Express ........... 91-04 Priceless ......................... 91-07 $5 And Up-Deals….....…. 96-01

25 BLOCKS OF “SMALL TOWN” SHOPPING | 718-805-0760 718-805-0202

Credit Cards Accepted in Located exit 17 on the Belt Parkway, Cross Bay Blvd. to Woodhaven Blvd. | Also by “J” Train and Jamaica Ave. Most Woodhaven Stores Most stores open late on Friday & Saturday. Also some are open on Sundays.

LEt WooDhAvEN’S StoRE KEEPERS PERSoNALLy ASSISt you William de Blasio, Mayor, City of New York 52 • Fall 2016 www.itsqueens.com

and many more!

E N T E R TA I N M E N T

MICHAEL

Mejia

THE JACKSON HEIGHTS RESIDENT HAS REACHED NEW HEIGHTS IN THE CRAFT OF BODYPAINTING MORE ON PAGE 60 www.itsqueens.com Fall Fall 2015 2016 ••53 53 www.itsqueens.com

fall music

The Meadows fesTival

takes over Citi Field

Jordan Wolowitz

Founders Entertainment, a concert experience company, has managed to reinvent summer music festivals in New York with their highly successful annual Governors Ball.

And after nearly two years of development, the company’s idea of a fall festival within the five boroughs is finally coming to fruition.

The Meadows Music and Arts Festival, which took place the weekend of October 1st and 2nd at Citi Field in Flushing Meadows-Corona Park, presented quite the impressive lineup.

During the two-day event, music lovers had the opportunity to watch performances from more than 42 artists across four different stages. Performers include Grammy-winner Kanye West and J.Cole, who attended college at St. John’s University, as well as Damian “Jr. Gong” Marley, Cage the Elephant, Mac Miller and Zella Day. 54 • Fall 2016 www.itsqueens.com

Tom Russell

According to Tom Russell and Jordan Wolowitz, partners of Founders Entertainment, although The Meadows will be as diverse as Governors Ball, the new festival is meant to slightly differentiate itself with more pop and radio-friendly music. While on the other hand, Governors Ball tends to skew more alternative.

For must-see artists, Wolowitz recommended Kygo and Chance the Rapper, who he deemed “the young artists who are really making the leap to headliner status.”

“As concert promoters, we’re constantly looking for who’s going to be the next headliner, or the headliner for Governors Ball in 2018 or 2019,” Wolowitz said.

West, who was unable to perform at Governors Ball due to the inclement weather, performed to the festival’s largest crowd.

When searching for the right venue in their hometown, the or-

ganizers shortlisted areas including Governors Island, Randall’s Island and Flushing Meadows Corona Park. Ultimately, they reached a deal with Citi Field and Metropolitan Hospitality, a subsidiary of the New York Mets.

“It was a few years after Governors Ball was really dialed in, after we had a couple years of success and sellouts, that we started looking at what would work for us as a company,” Wolowitz said. “Governors Ball was in a really good place at that point and we started to look at how we could grow.

“It became abundantly clear to us that the fall was an ideal time to do our next big event,” Wolowitz added. “College kids are back at school, and there are a lot of people here who would want a music festival, and the weather is, quite frankly, spectacular in the fall. It’s almost like going to a festival in San Francisco in the summertime.”

While it’s difficult to predict whether or not The Meadows will garner the same amount of support and backing that Governors Ball has, there is hope that the festival will have the same type of impact on the local economy over the following years.

In 2015, the economic development and site location consulting firm Angelou Economics found that Governors Ball provided $24.5 million in benefits to the city and $6.2 million in local tax revenue.

Among a sea of incredible food vendors, the Festival of Queens was a gem. The Arepa Lady, La Esquina Del Camaron Mexicano, Pata Paplean, Dhaulagiri Kitchen and Tortas Neza offered up authentic cuisine from Mexico, Colombia, Thailand and Nepal.

Momofuku Milk Bar, Ramen Burger, Bareburger, Asia

Dog, Davey’s Ice Cream, Sweet Chili and Hippie Dips were all vendors at The Meadows.

“We’re working with local Queens restaurants who are known for their really amazing, ethnic foods from around the world,” Russell said prior to the event.

To spice up the festival even more, The Meadows incorporated several art elements. Working with Queens-based graffiti and performance artists, there were unique art structures and pop-up performances throughout the weekend.

Art installations included Queens-themed murals by Dek, Minus, Lovenotes, Reup, Doug Aldrich, Ye Park and Chris RWK. “One of the things we like to do is surprise and delight our attendees,” Russell said. “It’s something that always keeps our fans on their toes and we’ll be following suit by really embracing the local community to make this something unique and special.”

Besides music and food, festival organizers have teamed up with local organizations to give back to the Queens community. A portion of the festival’s proceeds were donated to the Queens Library and Answer the Call, a charitable organization affiliated with the New York Police and Fire Widows and Children’s Benefit Fund.

BY JEN KHEDAROO

Shea Stage

Cage the Elephant performs on the Queens Blvd Stage.

Headliner J. Cole View from Queens Bridge

Festival of Queens Davey’s Ice Cream

Grimes performs on The Meadows stage.

Food vendors from around the city.

Jack Garratt

Queens Mural

www.itsqueens.com Fall 2016 • 55

E N T E R TA I N M E N T C A L E N D A R The complex relationships within the autism community are explored through the story of teenage Adrian, his classmates, and the adults who influence and impact their lives. As struggles arise, who gets to make what decisions - and who gets to share in the triumphs? From the classroom to home, we follow the journey of a community of strangers becoming a family. By Phillip Dallmann. Part of Queens Theatre’s 2016 New American Voices Fall Reading Series | Queens Theatre, 14 United Nations Ave S, Corona

Queens County Farm Children’s Fall Festival

OCTOBER SATURDAY

22

10 AM - 6 PM Greenpoint Avenue Festival Organized by the Sunnyside Community Services. | Greenpoint Avenue from Queens Blvd to 44th Street, Sunnyside 11 AM - 9 PM Maze by Moonlight Find clues, solve puzzles and make your way out of the maze. Feel up to the challenge? Bring your flashlight! | Queens County Farm, 73-50 Little Neck Parkway, Floral Park 2 PM Special Effects Makeup Class Have you ever wanted to freak out your friends with make-up? Learn basic techniques to create bruises, cuts, abrasions, wounds, sores, bullet holes and burns. | Q.E.D., 27-16 23rd Avenue, Astoria 2 PM & 8 PM Keigwin + Company Keigwin + Company is back at Queens Theatre with a special tribute to Leonard Bernstein. The company showcases Larry Keigwin’s 56 • Fall 2016 www.itsqueens.com

unique and electrifying style of contemporary dance. Also occurs on Sunday, October 23 at 3 PM | Queens Theatre, 14 United Nations Ave S, Corona 7 PM Amber Lamps It’s Halloween! Come and party with the Amber Lamps, Astoria’s finest in Punk Rock.

Bring friends, put on your costumes and have a great time! | Shillelagh Tavern, 47223 30th Avenue, Astoria 8 PM Straight on ‘Til Morning

8 PM Judy Collins With special guest Ari Hest. $40-$50; Special Meet & Greet tkts: $50. | Kupferberg Center for the Arts @ Queens College, 65-30 Kissena Blvd, Flushing SUNDAY

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3 PM The Capitol Steps The clever and zany Capitol Steps performers, who have worked in a total of 18 Congressional offices and represent 62 years of collective House and Senate staff experience, MOCK THE VOTE days before we head to the polls! Before what could be the most historic election of our time, the candidates get the onceover by some of the greatest satirical minds performing for live audiences and heard on

the radio. The Capitol Steps ensemble tells us What To Expect When You’re Electing!

After all, has there ever been a funnier election season?

Did you ever want to hear Donald Trump sing a rock song, Bernie Sanders sing a showtune, and Hillary Clinton do stand-up comedy? It’s all the greatest moments of the campaign – live! | Queensborough Performing Arts Center, 222-05 56th Ave, Bayside 7 PM - 10 PM Drums of India Comprised of four master drummers from India, this ensemble has thrilled audiences throughout the Indian continent. | Kupferberg Center for the Arts @ Queens College, 6530 Kissena Blvd, Flushing FRIDAY

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11 AM Kings from Queens!

Enjoy a delicious buffet lunch while celebrating the music and legacy of an amazing collection of musicians from Queens such as Paul Simon, Louis Armstrong, Tony Bennett and more! | LaGuardia Plaza Hotel, 104-04 Ditmars Blvd, E. Elmhurst 6:30 PM - 9:30 PM Haunted Lantern Tour Mix history with halloween fun in an outdoor, walking haunted lantern tour of the historic

Water Battery @ Fort Totten.

Event also runs on Saturday, October 29. | Fort Totten Park, 514 Abbot Rd., Bayside 8 PM Halloween for Murder A Comedy Murder-Mystery Dinner. Enjoy an evening of Crime & Cuisine. $45 per person. Call 718-721-7777 for tickets. | Riccardo’s, 21-01 24th Avenue, Astoria.

SATURDAY

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11 AM - 3 PM Halloween Harvest Festival Come one, come all to this year’s circus-themed Halloween Harvest Festival! | Socrates Sculpture Park, 32-01 Vernon Blvd, LIC 11 AM - 7 PM Haunted House Step inside our Haunted House for a thrilling and chilling spooky adventure!

Recommended for ages 6-12, but adults will find it creepy too!! This event also occurs on Sunday, October 30. | Queens County Farm, 73-50 Little Neck Parkway, Floral Park Noon - 3 pm Halloween Festival Enjoy a spooky, fun-filled afternoon with crafts, games, rides, music & much more!

Little Bay Parking Lot, Story

Road, Bayside 1 PM - 4 PM K9 Korral Halloween Costume Contest for Dogs Prizes for Best Costume/Best Original/Best Team.

Free refreshments will be served.

Judging begins at 2 PM. $5 entry fee for non-members/ Free for members (bring your membership cards). | 85th Street & Park Lane South, Woodhaven 8 PM Dia de los Muertos Dia de los Muertos is a captivating work about the unending relationship between the living and the departed featuring passionate live music, larger-than-life characters, and breathtaking dance for all ages.This event also occurs on Sunday, October 30 at 3 PM. | Queens Theatre, 14 United Nations Ave S, Corona

9 PM - 2 AM A Night at Studio 54 with Jellybean Benitez “Halloween Edition.”

Costumes are welcome, however no masks please. 21 and over. | Resorts World Casino, 110-00 Rockaway Blvd, Jamaica

In the Car with Blossom and Len

SUNDAY 10 AM - 12 PM Halloween Dog Costume Celebration Bring your dog dressed in their best costume for this fun event. There will be prizes! | Little Bay Park Dog Run, Cross Island Pkwy btwn Utopia Pkwy & Totten Ave, Bayside

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10 AM - 6 PM 36th Avenue Astoria Festival Organized by the Dutch Kills Civic Association. | 36th Avenue from 29th to 35th Streets, Astoria 11 AM - 3 PM Halloween Scavenger Hunt Follow our spooky Halloween

map and pick up clues along the trail. There will be prizes for those who complete their map and Halloween treats for all! | Meet at Albert H. Mauro Playground, 73rd Terrace & Park Drive E., Flushing 11 AM - 4 PM Children’s Fall Festival A festival of Halloween fun for children of all ages! Everyone is encouraged to wear their costume. | Queens County Farm, 73-50 Little Neck Parkway, Floral Park Noon - 4 PM Halloween at the Garden Show off your Halloween costume and bring your trick-or-treat bags! Free with Garden admission. | Queens Botanical Garden, 43-50 Main Street, Flushing MONDAY

Paul Taylor Dance Company

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4 PM & 8 PM Grease Sing-a- long Enjoy Halloween dressed as your favorite Grease character!

Open to all ages.| Flushing Town Hall, 137-35 Northern Blvd., Flushing 8:10 PM Official Q.E.D. Halloweeen Show & Costume Contest Join us for a night full of laughter and ridiculous costumes for a hilarious Halloween themed comedy show. |Q.E.D., 27-16 23rd Avenue, Astoria

www.itsqueens.com Fall 2016 • 57

$25 material fee. Registration Required - Visit www. queensbotanical.org for more info. | Queens Botanical Garden, 43-50 Main Street, Flushing 2 PM The Door Was Open Like a darker surrealist Alice in Wonderland inspired by the paintings of Magical Realist painter, Remedios Varo.

For ages 8 and up. Free! | Flushing Town Hall, 137-35 Northern Blvd, Flushing A Christmas Carol

NOVEMBER FRIDAY

11

In the Car with Blossom and Len Throughout their childhood, Holly and Fern’s parents were wildly unpredictable, endearingly neurotic, and blatantly dysfunctional. Now, in their eighties, they are facing the biggest crises of their lives, and it’s up to Holly and Fern to lend a hand. In the Car with Blossom and Len is a smart, biting and poignant comedy about growing up and growing old - not necessarily in that order. Ongoing until November 20. Check queenstheatre.org for tickets and the schedule. | Queens Theatre, 14 United Nations Ave S, Corona 8 PM Coreyah Coreyah is a Korean world music band comprised of four Korean traditional instrument players, a guitarist and a world music percussionist. | Flushing Town Hall, 137-35 Northern Blvd, Flushing SATURDAY 11:30 AM Meet and Greet with “The Shark” Damon John Meet one of the stars of “Shark Tank” taking place at 10:15pm in front of Sound Booth at Bar360. 21 and over. | Resorts World Casino,

19

58 • Fall 2016 www.itsqueens.com

110-00 Rockaway Blvd, Jamaica

3:30 PM Tour of Fresh Pond Crematory & Columbarium As part of the 200th Anniversary of Middle Village, we will tour the Fresh Pond Crematory, built in 1884.

Refreshments will be provided.

This event is free. | 61-40 Mount Olivet Crescent, Middle Village 8 PM KC & The Sunshine Band The band’s sound is timeless as is their mission of getting people out of their seats to celebrate. Songs you can expect to hear include: That’s The Way I Like It, Get Down Tonight, Boogie Shoes, Keep It Comin’ Love, Please Don’t Go, I’m Your Boogie Man, Give It Up, Shake Your Booty and many more. | Queensborough Performing Arts Center, 222-05 56th Ave, Bayside 9 PM Classic Soul Jam Dance Party Featuring Cuba Gooding & The Main Ingredient, Peaches & Herb, Blue Magic, Tough of Class, Greg Hill and more. | Resorts World Casino, 110-00 Rockaway Blvd, Jamaica SUNDAY 1PM Floral Design Workshop: Holiday Centerpiece Try your hand at creating your own holiday centerpiece!

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4

SUNDAY

Christmas in the Garden & Tree Lighting Get into the holiday spirit! Live musical performances, photos with Santa, holiday crafts, tree lighting, and blowout sales at QBG Shop!| Queens Botanical Garden, 43-50 Main Street, Flushing 12 PM - 5 PM St. Nicholas Day Join us to celebrate the Dutch “Christmas”.

Mulled Cider, crafts, holiday singing. Visits with St. Nicholas. Tree lighting at 3 PM. | Onderdonk House, 1820 Flushing Avenue, Ridgewood

DECEMBER

2

FRIDAY

7:30 PM Five Boroughs Music Festival – Brooklyn Rider Combining an eclectic repertoire with a gripping performance style that is attracting legions of fans. | Flushing Town Hall, 137-35 Northern Blvd, Flushing 8 PM The Piano Guys A highly original blend of classical music with pop that has led to over 500 million YouTube views. | Kupferberg Center for the Arts @ Queens College, 65-30 Kissena Blvd, Flushing

3

SATURDAY

10 AM - 6 PM NY Wintercon NYC’s only sci-fi/ fantasy/comic con in Queens, returns for a third year of amazingness! Visit the official website nywintercon.com for details as they develop! Also runs on Sunday, December 4. | Resorts World Casino, 110-00 Rockaway Blvd, Jamaica 7:30 PM Cinderella The State Ballet Theatre of Russia performs Cinderella, the enchanting story of wishes that really do come true. | Kupferberg Center for the Arts @ Queens College, 6530 Kissena Blvd, Flushing

9

FRIDAY

7:30 PM A Christmas Carol This fresh, delightful musical production transports audiences to Victorian England, where Ebenezer Scrooge, is visited by spirits from the past, present, and future, who change his life forever.

Event runs until December 22. Check queenstheatre.com for tickets and the schedule. | Queens Theatre, 14 United Nations Ave S, Corona SUNDAY

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1 - 5 PM Holiday Historic House Tour And Market Celebrate the holiday season and learn about the unique histories of this tour of seven historic sites in Flushing and Corona (trolley available). | Flushing Town Hall, 137-35 Northern Blvd, Flushing 2 PM & 8 PM Paul Taylor Dance Company Paul Taylor continues to shape the American art of modern dance that he helped create beginning in 1954. Also occurs on Sunday, Dec. 18 at 3 PM | Queens Theatre, 14 United Nations Ave S, Corona

FAMILY OWNED AND OPERATED FOR 81 YEARS! CATERING • EVENTS • FREE DELIVERY www.itsqueens.com Fall 2016

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59

ARTWORK BY MICHAEL MEJIA 60 • Fall 2016 www.itsqueens.com

BY JEN KHEDAROO Being a contestant on “Skin Wars,” The Game Show Network’s highest rated show ever, is an accomplishment in itself. But artist Michael Mejia rose past many in the competition and made it to the final four due to his creative and detailed bodypainting pieces.

The body art competition show, hosted by Rebecca Romijn, features weekly bodypainting challenges centered around a particular theme. The judges are the legendary Rupaul, Craig Tracy and Robin Slonina. Mejia, who is from Jackson Heights, became a standout with pieces such as the vivid “Octopus” and the spellbinding “Death Tarot.”

Art has always been a part of his life, mostly due to encouragement from his mother, Amparo Pena. “She is the sweetest, coolest, most open-minded mother anyone could ever have,” Mejia said.

As a child, Mejia and his family moved to Bogota, Colombia, where he briefly decided on pursuing a career in a traditional field like engineering. But shortly after moving back to the United States, Mejia attended the School for Visual Arts, where he studied graphic design and fine art.

While in school, he did bodypainting as a part-time gig to make some extra money. When he graduated, he was still left with a body painting kit so he practiced developing fine art pieces.

“I was never like ‘I want to be a body painter, that’s my dream,’” Mejia said. “It sort of just happened and I’ve learned that I’m really good at it. I want to continue with bodypainting, but I also want to do more with visual and performance art as well.”

His experiences in Colombia have helped with expressing himself in his craft. His family moved to the country after his father left them, and being around the culture proved to be beneficial.

“Because of the circumstances and everything that has happened throughout my life, my art has definitely been affected,” Mejia said. “I make a lot of emotional art and a lot of those emotions come from being in Colombia.”

“Skin Wars” depicted Mejia as a sweet, peculiar artist, and his emotional and vulnerable side also showed during

challenges such as the breast cancer challenge, which he ultimately won with his piece “Light and Dark.”

A day before the challenge was filmed, Mejia received a phone call from his uncle in Colombia saying that he had been diagnosed with stomach cancer and his wife had breast cancer.

The morning the episode aired, his uncle passed away.

But his aunt eventually defeated her breast cancer and is now a survivor. The breast cancer challenge was one of the most difficult challenges, he said.

Besides competing on “Skin Wars,” Mejia has worked with a number of celebrity clients, including Jason Derulo and Timbaland.

Since the show, Mejia has maintained a friendship with Romijn. He accompanied her on a recent trip to the “Wendy Williams Show” to promote the show. As a gift to the show’s host, Mejia bodypainted a portrait of her onto a model’s back.

His newly gained followers have been a huge bonus to being on the show. Mejia said that they don’t just “like” his artwork on social media, but they truly connect. He receives about ten messages a day from people of all backgrounds, from teenage girls to senior citizens, “They’re my fuel, they feed me with so much energy to keep creating because they really love it and it speaks to them,” he said.

“Skin Wars” has been the highlight of his career thus far because it’s allowed him to be more open and engaging when it comes to his art.

“Whenever I was down or was coping with something, I would make art about it, but I wouldn’t share any of the pieces because it was like my therapy,” Mejia said. “Because my art is now being seen, the steps that I take from now on are going to matter so much more. This a time where I can make a change in the world, even if it’s small.

“Plus watching yourself on TV is good for your ego, like ‘wow I look so cute!’” he jokes.

You can follow Mejia’s work on his website or social media accounts under the name @michaelmejiaart.

www.itsqueens.com Fall 2016 • 61

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WHY YOUR INVESTMENT PORTFOLIO SHOULD INCLUDE REAL ESTATE INVESTMENT TRUSTS

Five Signs That Alcohol or Drugs Are Affecting Your Family They say that a woman’s “sixth sense,” or intuition, is a powerful tool.

In their multi-faceted roles as significant others, parents, grandparents, siblings, etc., women face the challenge of balancing their careers while managing their households.

As complex as their lives have become over the years, women continue to play a vital role as the first line of defense to help their families in their time of need, especially when faced with the consequences of a loved one’s alcohol or drug use.

Maybe it is this sixth sense that makes women remarkably perceptive when things are amiss in the family.

As a licensed marriage and family therapist, Kerri-Lynne Black works closely with women and teens who struggle from the devastating effects of their personal or loved one’s substance use. She offers insight on the early warning signs to look for to determine if professional help is needed: 1. Alcohol or drugs are necessary for you or a loved one to feel relaxed and confident, especially to deal with the stresses of work, school, parenting, finances, and more.

2. Your partner or spouse always has a “good” explanation for drinking or using drugs, and this is negatively affecting your relationship.

3. Your child’s grades and attendance are suffering in school and you have observed changes in his or her behavior such as irritability, lack of motivation, and withdrawal from the family.

4. You or a loved one have operated a vehicle while under the influence, and have risked facing legal repercussions as a re-

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sult of your drinking or drug use.

5. Money that is supposed to cover household expenses or family responsibilities is instead misused to purchase alcohol or drugs.

If you answered “yes” to any of these signs, Ms. Black suggests that it’s time to seek immediate help by speaking to counselor. Early involvement is the key to successful long-term results. “Oftentimes, women in households can serve as the voice of reason for their families and can help put back together the broken pieces,” according to Black. Even if their loved ones or children refuse to get help, she recommends that women should still seek counseling for themselves to help find healthier ways to cope.

To address the diverse needs of the entire family, Outreach, a non-profit organization that first opened its doors over 35 years ago, offers a vast array of counseling services that target the individual needs of each family member.

For women and women with children, Outreach offers gender-specific individual and group counseling sessions in a safe, supportive environment with on-site babysitting services included. In addition to offering 24/7 residential care for teens, Outreach offers counseling services during after-school hours and recreational activities that encourage positive socialization.

For those who may not have a personal history of using alcohol or drugs, the program offers help for significant others who have been affected by a loved one’s substance use.

In essence, REITs are like mutual funds that own property instead of companies.

Some REITs specialize in shopping centers, others in timberland (forestry), self-storage units, or apartment buildings.

Today, a broad range of investors are using REITs to help achieve investment goals of diversification, liquidity, dividends, performance and transparency.

REIT dividends are not subject to the double taxation that can take a big bite out of most income investors’ profits.

As long as a REIT pays out more than 90% of its taxable income to shareholders, its profits are not taxed at the corporate level, which allows REITs to pay out higher dividends.

Raia explained that there is a common misconception that REITs perform like bonds.

“Real estate is a separate asset class from stocks and bonds, and investing in REITs offers an

opportunity to diversify your portfolio with exposure to the real estate sector,” Raia explained.

Raia is always on the lookout for new exciting investments to offer. One of these new investments allows you to be a landlord for some of the nation’s biggest companies.

His hard working, genuine, and trustworthy qualities have helped many Ridgewood, Middle Village, Glendale, Maspeth, Astoria and surrounding Queens residents.

Raia recommends reflecting on your financial

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Three specific advantages of REITs are: REITs offer high-dividend yields, REITs receive favorable tax treatment, and REITs give diverse exposure to real estate assets.

“A great reason to invest in REIT’s, without a doubt, is their rich dividends,” said said Jim Raia, President of the Jim Raia Investment Group.

“REITs can pay generous dividends and they tend to be “uncorrelated” with the stock market, meaning that if your stocks are down, your REITs may be up.,” said Raia, who recommends portfolio diversification by investing in REITs.

A good jewler is like a diamond – bright, beautiful, valuable, and always in style.

If you’re thinking about hiring a personal trainer to get ready for the summer, this article isn’t for you. If you’re planning on hiring a fitness coach that will give you the knowledge and training you need to improve your body and health for the rest of your life; meet Jasiyah Bey.

REITs earn money through leases or rents and distribute most of their earnings as dividends to investors. So, if you want to get your feet wet in real estate investing, REITS make it easier to buy and sell real estate without having to deal with physical property.

“Another good reason to invest in REITs is their intrinsic tax advantages,” said Raia.

While it’s true that most REIT distributions don’t meet the definition of “qualified” dividends, which are entitled to a favorable tax rate,

By John Sanchez

If alcohol or drugs are affecting your family, call Outreach at 718.849.6300 (Queens) or 718.383.7200 (Brooklyn).

All phone calls are confidential. For more information, you can visit www.opiny.org.

Every love story is beautiful but ours is my favorite

A Real Estate Investment Trust (REIT) is a company that owns or finances income-producing real estate.

situation, hearing the opportunities available through his investment firm, and making an informed decision to achieve your financial goals.

Luis Flores founded Lafyes Jewelry in 2005, and for the past 10 years, the Maspeth community has allowed him to take his business to the next level.

Besides a vast selection of bridal jewelry, fashion jewelry and watches, Luis has something far more unique to offer.

“As a result of social media, people have developed hyper unique

“Financial planning does not only incorporate the aspirations of the client during their own life, but also the financial legacy that he or she wants to pass on to loved ones” said Raia, a father of two.

Jim Raia’s office is located at 66-74 Fresh Pond Road in Ridgewood. He can be reached at 718.386.1135 or jimraia@yahoo.com.

tastes; depending on what they have seen online.” said Flores.

he visited his uncle who was a jeweler.

“They want part of what they see from one ring, another feature from a different ring and a small style aspect from a third ring,” said the Maspeth Jewler.

He soon fell in love with the craft, and the more he learned about jewelry, the more he knew that it was what he wanted to do for the rest of his life.

Since Flores designs and manufactures jewlery in his store, he is able to make the hyper specific ring or any custom piece of jewelry that his customer desires.

“I went to Luis to talk about the engagement ring that I knew my fiance wanted,” said John, a resident of Maspeth who we spoke to.

“I have the best jewelry design software in my store on Grand Ave., and customers get to preview their jewelry before I go ahead and craft their piece,” said Flores.

“I showed him pictures of 3 different rings that her sister sent me. Luis educated me on the weight, color, clarity and cut of diamonds; how they are graded and the price range of the different grades,” said John.

In 1994, Flores arrived in New York with the goal of becoming a mechanical engineer. His dream changed, over 20 years ago, as

“Luis crafted the most beautiful and unique ring (pictured above) at a price that was less than

what every diamond website told me the price would be,” said John. “I am so happy I went to Lafyes for this - and I am forever grateful to Luis!”

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“The best part of this industry is the satisfaction we get from our customers,” said Flores. “I am here to do my best every day.”

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Maspeth residents have been flocking to Lafyes not just for the best prices, but because Flores understands how important and emotionally valuable jewelry can be.

Flores also assured us that he works directly with diamond manufacturers, and his diamonds are certified and conflict free.

Lafyes is located at 65-43 Grand Ave. Maspeth, NY 11378. Luis can be reached at (718) 894-0360.

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NASM Certified Master Trainer, Jasiyah “Jai” Bey, specializes in performance enhancement and corrective exercise training.

After working at various local gyms, such as: 24 Hour Fitness, Retro Fitness, and Dolphin Gym; Coach Jai now re-shapes bodies and minds at his own Training for Warriors studio, located at 67-15 Central Ave. Glendale, NY. Working with men and women of all ages, Coach Jai works to set high goals and develops an efficient, effective plan to reach those goals. “When you believe in yourself, it’s contagious,” said Coach Jai, who was featured on season 7 of The Biggest Loser.

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www.itsqueens.com Fall 2016 • 65

GET SOCIAL THE BEST PLACES ON SOCIAL MEDIA TO CONNECT WITH YOUR NEIGHBORS

FACEBOOK

QUEENS NY BUSINESSES & EVENTS

This group’s Facebook page is all about supporting local businesses and events.

Businesses from around the borough have joined, so you have the latest scoop on the opening and closing of businesses, restaurants’ specials, sales, exposition, shows, etc.

JAMAICA CENTER FOR ARTS & LEARNING

Jamaica is home to a thriving arts community.

This page represents JCAL, a non-profit organization that offers visual, performing and literary arts, arts education and artist programs to encourage participation in the arts and to contribute to the cultural enrichment of Queens and the Greater Metropolitan area.

TWITTER

@BAYSIDEBID

The Bayside BID represents a diverse and vibrant community with its up-scale restaurants, shops and unique cultiural activities. This account offers a glimpse into the borough’s hidden gem that is struggling to remain a secret.

@QUEENSARTX

Queens Art Express is a spring arts festival of events, exhibitions, performances, and great places to eat in the vibrant cultural communities of Queens. Need a space to create your artwork? Interested in panel discussions? Queens Art Express has you covered.

• Fall 2016 www.itsqueens.com 66 •66 Fall 2016 www.itsqueens.com

@EDIBLEQUEENS

This account tells the story of how Queens eats, cooks and drinks.

Check it out to learn of the newest cafes and food trends around Queens. As a bonus, they also tweet out special community events!

@ITSINQUEENS

The It’s in Queens Twitter account is a part of the Queens Tourism Council, which promotes places to stay, play, eat, appreciate art, watch sports & enjoy family fun in Queens.

IN QUEENS INSTAGRAM

@EATASTORIA

@FORESTHILLSSTADIUM

@JACKSONHEIGHTSQNS

@LONGISLANDCITY

EatAstoria is your Instagram destination for the best dishes that can be found in Astoria. Looking for the perfect Bloody Mary or the latest ice cream trends? You can visit EatAstoria for frequent updates that will leave the inner foodie in you quite satisfied.

Follow along with this Jackson Heights account to check out the happenings in the neighborhood. There are farmers markets, bakeries and architectural gems just waiting to be discovered and JacksonHeightsQNS aims to do so.

Forest Hills is quickly becoming one of the borough’s most popular neighborhoods. With its shopping and various specialty cuisines, the icing on the cake is the Forest Hills Stadium. Follow this account to get updates on acts performing there. Summer 2017 is just around the corner!

It’s probably Queens’ most talked about neighborhood. And the LongIslandCity Instagram account offers up artsy photos, cityscape shots and recommendations on local businesses.

www.itsqueens.com Fall Fall2016 2015• •6767 www.itsqueens.com

INTRODUCING THE CROSS COUNTY SAVINGS BANK LOAN CENTER. REDESIGNED FOR YOU. COMING 2017.

79-21 Metropolitan Avenue Middle Village, NY 11379 Open for all of your banking needs during construction.