LIC Courier

d n e r T l a c i Trop LONG ISLAND CITY COURIER LIC // ASTORIA // SUNNYSIDE VOLUME 7 NUMBER 14 JANUARY 2017

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s t r A e h t g n i r e t s Fo pply store in LIC

Only art su ee-owned is now employ

Food-FinrcluiedinngdlVyanessa’s

New eateries e coming to LIC Dumplings ar

d n o B y t i n u m m Co fit strives

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SEE IN PAGES17IDE www.qns.com I LIC COURIER I JANUARY 2016

CHECK OUT MODERN SPACES’ MOST RECENT NEWEST DEVELOPMENT

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A SELECTION OF EXCEPTIONAL PROPERTIES IN LONG ISLAND CITY

THE VIEW CONDO-MAGNIFICENT PENTHOUSE WITH 3 BEDS/3 BATHS | $5,588,000 46-30 Center Blvd PHA This grand and distinct one-of-a-kind 3 bedroom penthouse with an expansive wrap-around terrace is truly a private oasis in the sky. It boasts impressive cathedral ceilings, an elegant and sprawling sun-drenched living room with a fireplace, floor-to-ceiling all-glass windows, three separate sliding doors that lead to the dramatic wrap-around terrace to enjoy the most spectacular, breath-taking city and water views. There’s a spacious separate dining room, and right next to it is a large windowed-kitchen that’s fully equipped with high-end appliances. WebID 627830

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2 BED/2 BATH PENTHOUSE WITH A PRIVATE 348 SQ FT TERRACE | $1,998,000 26-26 Jackson Ave PH 1002 This new luxurious condo building was designed by the renowned architect Andre Escobar This enormous 2 bed/2 bath home boasts stunning open views from its floor-to ceiling windows, impressive cathedral ceilings, the sprawling master bedrooms comes with spacious a large walk-in closet and an en-suite bath, wood floors all through-out.

This sprawling 10th floor penthouse comes with a big storage unit. Also for rent, $4,800/ mo WebID 552577

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THE VIEW CONDO 3 BED/3BATH WITH HIGH CEILINGS & PRIVATE BALCONY | $2,748,000 46-30 Center Boulevard Apt 1107 Simply Spectacular! This sprawling sun-drenched extralarge one bedroom home with your own private balcony boasts the most amazing city and water views directly from your own living room that features floor-to-ceiling windows. As you enter, to your right is a generous coat closet with built-in shelves and to your left is an elegant kitchen fully equipped with high-end appliances and top-of-the-line fixtures The gracious living room boasts 11.5 ft ceiling and comes with double-pane floor-to-ceiling windows that overlooks the park, water and panoramic city skyline. WebID 626420

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LARGE PENTHOUSE-CONVERTIBLE 2 W/ 2 FULL BATHS $1,348,000 13-11 Jackson Avenue PhD 5 minutes from Manhattan’s Grand Central Station. The apartment boasts a huge bedroom with an enormous walk-in closet and build-ins, an en-suite marble bathroom with stand-up shower, washer/dryer. Newly replaced wood floors all throughout. The second marble bathroom comes with a Vitabath soaking bath-tub. The elegant and thoughtfully-designed open kitchen comes fully equipped with stainless steel appliances. WebID 553314

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EXQUISITE 1 BED/1BATH W/ A PRIVATE BALCONY |1,198,000 46-30 Center Boulevard Apt 1107 Simply Spectacular! This sprawling sun-drenched extra-large one bedroom home with your own private balcony boasts the most amazing city and water views directly from your own living room that features floor-to-ceiling windows. As you enter, to your right is a generous coat closet with built-in shelves and to your left is an elegant kitchen fully equipped with high-end appliances and top-of-theline fixtures The gracious living room boasts 11.5 ft ceiling and comes with double-pane floor-to-ceiling windows that overlooks the park, water and panoramic city skyline. WebID 635851

As an experienced LONG ISLAND CITY specialist, she can provide you an expert advice.

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CONSTANTLY SETTING EVERY RECORD, SILVETTE REPRESENTED THE HIGHEST PRICED CONDO EVER SOLD IN QUEENS. Licensed Real Estate Salesperson, Nest Seekers International

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NEW YORK | HAMPTONS | NEW JERSEY | MIAMI | BEVERLY HILLS | LONDON 2016 Nest Seekers International is a Real Estate broker. All material presented herein is intended for informational purposes only and has been compiled from sources deemed reliable. Though information is believed to be correct, it is presented subject to errors, omissions, changes or withdrawal without notice.

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I LIC COURIER I JANUARY 2016 5

Letter from the Editor

NEW BEGINNING

Angela Matua EDITOR-IN-CHIEF @AngelaMatua

We’re waiting to hear from you!

Address your “Letters to the Editor” to 38-15 Bell Boulevard, Bayside, NY or send an email to amatua@qns.com @AngelaMatua Your feedback is very important to us!

Victoria Schneps-Yunis PUBLISHER

It’s been more than a year since I became editor-in-chief of the LIC Courier and I’m glad to start off the new year with a great new issue.

In this issue, you’ll find that a local nonprofit is working to open a community center in Long Island City. Renew Queens envisions a space where Queens residents can take classes, seniors and children can participate in programming catered to them and those looking for work can find career advice. The group plans to open the long-desired space in Feburary.

We also feature a new poke restaurant called PokeLICious, which opened in Decemember. Poke, esentially a fish salad, is a popular dish in Hawaii and has recently exploded in rest of the country.

Katie and Sam Kim wanted to provide Long Island City diners with a sit-down restaurant that provides an eclectic mix of poke and will also start serving Korean fried chicken for dinner in February.

In real estate news, a renovated warehouse will be home to a Vanessa’s Dumplings and Two Boots Pizza. The Factory in Long Island City has been offering production space along with retail space to clients and Long Island City residents will reap the benefits with several new restaurant options in the new year.

Artist & Craftsman Supply, the only art supply store in Long Island City, has been serving the community for almost three years. In addition to providing materials for artists, students and families, the shop is a resource for major television shows like ABC’s “Quantico” and Netflix’s “Luke Cage”, where production employees purchase tape, posters, paint and more. The store recently became 100 percent employee-owned, which gives them more freedom in terms how to run their store and which cities to expand to.

If you’re looking for an event or art exhibit to attend this month, make sure to check out our calendars.

Story ideas are always welcome and you can send them to amatua@qns.com.

6 JANUARY 2016 I LIC COURIER I www.qns.com

LONG ISLAND CITY COURIER

Publisher Victoria Schneps-Yunis Co-Publisher Joshua A. Schneps Editor-in-Chief Angela Matua Art Director Michael Kurov Graphic Artists Ron Torina Nirmal Singh Advertising Sales Alan Gottlieb Contributors Natasha Pogrebinsky Sasha Pogrebinsky Greater Astoria Historical Society Orestes Gonzalez Schneps Communications 38-15 Bell Blvd. Bayside, NY 11361 718.224.5863. Fax 718.224.5441 www.qns.com e-mail: editorial@qns.com ads@qns.com Entire Contents Copyright 2016 by LIC Courier Magazine LIC Courier Magazine is published monthly. No such ad or any part thereof may be reproduced without prior permission of LIC Courier Magazine. The publishers will not be responsible for any error in advertising beyond the cost of the space occupied by the error. Errors must be reported to LIC Courier Magazine within five days of publication. Ad position cannot be guaranteed unless paid prior to publication. Schneps Communications assumes no liability for the content or reply to any ads. The advertiser assumes all liability for the content of and all replies. The advertiser agrees to hold LIC COURIER MAGAZINE and its employees harmless from all cost, expenses, liabilities, and damages resulting from or caused by the publication or recording placed by the advertiser or any reply to any such advertisement.

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I LIC COURIER I JANUARY 2016 7

Inside 10 What’s New

New Community Center Coming to LIC

12 Orestes LIC

Winter Portraits

14 Real Estate

New Developments

18 Community News

The Factory Adds New Eateries

19 Community News

Movie Theater Coming to Sunnyside

20 Art

Artist Creates With Recycled Materials

22 Food

10

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New Poke Spot Opens in Long Island City

25 LIC Partnership

Join the BID

26 Chef’s Corner Resolutions

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27 Mixing It Up

The Russians Did It

30 Education

Western Queens Kids to Receive Money for College

32 Legends

On The Way To Prosperity

34 Art

Artist & Craftsman Supply is Now Employee-Owned

46 Sunnyside Shines

34

p

22

p

52 Art Calendar

See It

54 Calendar

8 JANUARY 2016 I LIC COURIER I www.qns.com

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8/24/2016 1:03:17 PM

What’s New

Building Community A new nonprofit thinks it’s about time that Long Island City residents have a community center to call their own.

Renew Queens, which is in the process of getting its 501(c)(3) certification, recently purchased a building at 47-20 11th St. in hopes of creating a centralized space for residents to take classes, collaborate on projects and mingle.

“The idea of a community center has been in the works for years,” said Seth Bazacas, director of Renew Queens. “Tons of neighborhood leaders and business owners talked about it, so it’s been in the hearts of a lot of people for a long time.”

Bazacas said he and the four board members of Renew Queens have been working this past year to get the space set up. They’ve been talking to several existing organizations such as the YMCA, senior centers, The Bridge and artists who are willing to teach art classes to the community.

“On one level we really hope to be a partnership space for other great organizations in western Queens,” he said. “We hope to offer things to help renew the vibrancy of the neighborhood in a way that can be sustainable for people.”

The space, which can fit about 75 people, will have one large community room, office space for employees, a computer room and a room for counseling sessions.

Bazacas said the nonprofit also hopes to teach ESL classes in addi-

tion to programming for children and seniors. Senior luncheons, family movie and music nights, basketball tournaments and career counseling will also be offered.

The center will open as soon as February, and Bazacas is still looking for volunteers, partnership opportunities and people willing to donate money to make this center a reality.

“We can’t get the doors open soon enough it feels like,” he said.

“There’s been overwhelming support.”

The Elks Lodge, a historic building at 21-42 44th Dr., was purchased last year by developers who want to convert it to apartment buildings. Many residents argued that the space would better serve Long Island City’s growing population as a community center.

The developers eventually won out, but Bazacas and other board members, some of whom have lived in Long Island City for 20 years or more, believed the need for a community center was too great, especially with the influx of new families.

“I hope that it becomes a place that the neighborhood feels ownership of, a space for community where relations can be made and people can have resourcing that they need for a sustainable life here in New York,” he said. “I believe the model is scale-able to any gentrifying neighborhood in Queens.”

If you’re interested in receiving updates on the organization’s next steps or volunteering or donating, sign up for the mailing list here.

10 JANUARY 2016 I LIC COURIER I www.qns.com

Photo courtesy of Shutterstock

BY ANGELA MATUA

“I hope that it becomes a place that the neighborhood feels ownership of, a space for community where relations can be made and people can have resourcing that they need for a sustainable life here in New York.”

SETH BAZACAS Director of Renew Queens

New community center in LIC will provide classes and ‘help renew the vibrancy’ of area

www.qns.com

I LIC COURIER I JANUARY 2016 11

Orestes’ LIC

BY ORESTES GONZALEZ

Winter Portraits It snowed on Saturday, which marked the first real snowfall of the season.

On our block, everyone was enjoying the event by either playing in the snow or shoveling the sidewalks for the first time.

Before this happy but brief period ends (just wait for the third snowfall!) , I decided to do some winter portraits of the neighbors.

If I do another winter portrait series in March, I’m sure they wont look the same!!

Editor’s note: Orestes Gonzalez is photographer, writer, architect and resident of LIC since 1989. He has traveled to over 45 countries, documenting the rich heritage of mans intervention on this planet. His column,ORESTES' LIC documents scenes that leave a mark on our great city. Take a look at his latest images: www.orestesgonzalez.format.com, or go to his daily Instagram feed: instagram@setseroz

12 JANUARY 2016 I LIC COURIER I www.qns.com

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Real Estate

Office Space

BY ANGELA MATUA The two-story building at 11-20 46th Rd. will become a four-story, 33,798-square-foot office building.

The current 13,917- square-foot building was home to Alexandra International, a Russian goods wholesaler.

According to city records, the developer Caerus Group originally planned to build a 23-unit apartment building but filed new plans for office space in October. The structure would include two rooftop decks, expansive windows and some room for parking, YIMBY first reported. The office space

would attract technology, arts, media and information industry tenants.

The building is set to be completed in summer 2017, according to Caerus Group’s website.

There have been several new warehouses converted into office space in the neighborhood in the past year, including properties at 47-25 34th St. and 30-02 48th Ave. Mayor Bill de Blasio recently announced that Long Island City may be the new home of a burgeoning biotechnology hub in the city. He plans to invest $500 million in creating a life sciences campus and related lab space.

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Photo courtesy of Caerus Group

This Long Island City warehouse will become office space for tech, arts and media companies

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Real Estate

BY ANGELA MATUA

Hottest Nabes

Two Queens communities are among the hottest in NYC: report

BY ANGELA MATUA StreetEasy‘s annual list ranking the city’s top 10 hottest neighborhoods is dominated by Brooklyn, but two Queens neighborhoods made the list this year.

The real estate listing site looked at four factors to put the list together, including the annual change in sales and rent price, recent population growth and annual change in StreetEasy page views per listing. Bayside was fifth on the list while Astoria filled the 10th spot.In Bayside, the median sales price for a home in 2016 was

$438,000, while the median rent price was $2,250. Astoria’s median sales price was significantly higher at $795,000. The median rent price for an apartment was $2,295.

In her analysis, StreetEasy economist Krishna Rao predicted that more people will turn to home ownership in 2017 since rents will continue to outpace income growth. So it’s not surprising that more suburban neighborhoods like Bayside made the list.

“The minimum wage is increasing and incomes are inching upwards, but it’s an uphill battle when rents are already so high across the city,”

Rao said. “For those who have saved for a down payment, we expect to see more people – especially millennials – taking advantage of a slowing sales market and buying homes as rents continue to rise.”

Queens rents increased 4.1 percent year-over-year to $2,870 this November, outpacing both Manhattan and Brooklyn. Rents in the borough are expected to continue increasing by 2.4 percent over the next year, followed by Manhattan (2 percent) and Brooklyn (1 percent).

Other neighborhoods such as Kingsbridge in the Bronx and Yorkville www.qns.com

in Manhattan made the list, partly due to the addition of the Second Avenue subway line, according to Rao. With changes in transportation like the 7 train extension to Hudson Yards and the upcoming L train shutdown and M train repairs, buyers and renters will take these factors into consideration when choosing where to live.

“This year’s list is all about the trade-offs New Yorkers are willing to make, whether that means extending your search by one neighborhood in exchange for a nearby park, or extending your commute to find a singlefamily home,” Rao said.

I LIC COURIER I JANUARY 2016 15

Real Estate

Rich Venturers

Skyrocketing number of upper middle class Queens residents are renting

BY ANGELA MATUA

Still, the share of Queens renter households making $50,000 or less sits at 51.7 percent while the share of renter households making $50,000

Photo via Shutterstock

People making a hefty salary have been flocking to Queens, a new report has found.

Real estate listing company Rent Café recently released a report outlining the number of affluent renters and homeowners in each borough. The report found that Queens saw the second highest influx of rich renters from 2005 through 2015, after Brooklyn.

For the purpose of the report, affluent renters and homeowners consist

of households making $150,000 per year or more.

The number of affluent renters in Queens jumped from 8,500 in 2005 to 29,500 in 2015, a 247 percent increase. The number of affluent homeowners in Queens is more than double the amount of renters, but that number increased by 111 percent in the last decade from 30,090 to 63,623.

16 JANUARY 2016 I LIC COURIER I www.qns.com

to $75,000 is 18.8 percent, the report found. About 11.9 percent of renter households make $75,000 to $100,000 and 10.9 percent of renter households make $100,000 to $150,000.

Only 6.7 percent of renter households in Queens make $150,000 or more, which is 3.2 percent less than the New York City average.

NYC has the most high-income renters in the country, 211,482 households, which is more than all the affluent renters in San Francisco, Los Angeles, Chicago, Houston, San Jose and San Diego combined.

A recent report by StreetEasy predicted that in 2017, more New York City residents will look to purchase homes rather than rent because of the increasingly high cost of rent.

But the influx of renters in almost all boroughs, excluding Staten Island, may signal that people’s attitudes toward renting are changing. To view the full report, visit Rent Café’s website.

The amount of affluent renters and homeowners in Queens skyrocketed in 2015.

New Heights This is what the future tallest building in Long Island City will look like

BY ANGELA MATUA

Photo credit MAQE via Hill West

Architects working on Long Island City’s looming Court Square City View Tower have recently released renderings for the future tallest building in the neighborhood.

Flushing-based developer Chris Jiashu Xu filed plans for the mixed-use

ing and storage. The rendering also depicts several storefronts on the first floor. Plans show that about 20,000 square feet are allotted for retail on the ground floor. Construction is slated to begin this year and is expected to be completed in 2018.

CityRealty first reported about the new renderings.

The property will still beat out other future towers, including the planned 70-story Queens Plaza Park, which would rise 915 feet.

building at 23-15 44th Drive last February. The plans were altered last May so the building would span 79 stories and 984 feet instead of the formerly proposed 963 feet. But, according to architectural firm Hill West’s website, the plans have been scaled back to construct a 66-story tower with 802 units.

The property will still beat out other future towers, including the planned 70-story Queens Plaza Park, which would rise 915 feet.

The design is described as “sleek” and “monolithic” and two shades of glass — “neutral blue” and “clear green” — will cover the exterior. A mezzanine lounge will overlook a pool on the third floor and the fifth floor will contain an outside terrace.

Other amenities include a fitness center, sauna, spa, yoga room, parkwww.qns.com

BY ANGELA MATUA

Rendering courtesy of Simon Baron Development

Real Estate

Luxury Huge loan will help build the newest luxury apartment tower in Long Island City

BY ANGELA MATUA Quadrum Global and Simon Baron Development have recently secured a $150 million dollar loan from AIG that will go toward the construction of a 42-story tower in Long Island City.

Located at 29-26 Northern Blvd., the building will have 467 apartments and amenities such as an indoor swimming pool and fitness center. Construction has already started and the building is set to be finished in early 2018.

The real estate development firms have partnered before to erect several apartments at the site of the old Paragon Paint Factory at 45-40 Vernon Blvd., which has been met with resistance by Long Island City residents.

Matthew Baron, president of Simon Baron Development, called Long Island City “one of the great emerging neighborhoods in New York City.”

“We’re excited to be a large part of the growth here in LIC,” he said in a statement.

I LIC COURIER I JANUARY 2016 17

Community News

Photo courtesy of Costar Group

“What we’ve been doing at The Factory is bringing a lot of retail that’s extremely under-served in Queens and were bringing in brands that have a strong presence in Manhattan and Brooklyn.”

JAY FEHSKENS senior asset manager

Food-Friendly Warehouse

Two Boots Pizzeria, Vanessa’s Dumplings and more coming to LIC building The Factory

BY ANGELA MATUA Taking a page from Chelsea Market, The Factory, a commercial warehouse in Long Island City, will be the home of several established food tenants.

Located at 30-30 47th Ave., the 10-story building was previously a warehouse for Macy’s. In 2014, Atlas Capital purchased the building and has led a renovation and leasing plan that has attracted retailers with a large presence in other boroughs.

Ralph Lauren, Madewell and Gwynnie Bee have all moved in.

According to Jay Fehskens, senior asset manager for the property, the owners have admired the old Chel-

sea Market model, when retailers would set up a production facility and incorporate a retail space into the building.

“What we’ve been doing at The Factory is bringing a lot of retail that’s extremely under-served in Queens and were bringing in brands that have a strong presence in Manhattan and Brooklyn,” he said.

Two Boots Pizza will run a production facility and its world headquarters in the Long Island City space and will

Customers will also be able to pick up food items from the 47th Avenue location.

Lastly, Papillon will open a regional baking operation and a retail component where customers could purchase salads, soups and sandwiches.

Fehskens said the area has dramatically changed in the last few years, ushering in a younger workforce.

“Instead of being a quiet back office location its really becoming populated by a younger generation,” he said.

COFFEED, a chain of coffee shops that originated in Long Island City, also has a presence at The Factory.

The three retailers will move in between February and April. Once they do, the internal lobby will open up to the public, who will be able to purchase the food items.

Fehskens said he hopes to mimic the time at Chelsea Market when “you [could] see the bread being made and smell it. That way you have the full experience throughout the lobby.”

also have the capacity to facilitate quick orders and sell its pizza from The Factory location.

Vanessa’s Dumplings, which has locations in Manhattan and Brooklyn, will also move its wholesale production facility at The Factory.

Owners have also offered amenity packages to draw retailers in. Since July, the Breakroom @ The Factory has offered a rotating supply of food trucks that tenants can choose from, and employees have the option to vote for their favorite offerings.

In the next 12 months, the building will also welcome a fitness center and an establishment to purchase drinks after dinner. The building also includes bike storage, “which is a great factor for the overall neighborhood in reducing car traffic,” he said.

18 JANUARY 2016 I LIC COURIER I www.qns.com

Community News

Sunnyside Cinema Movie theater is part of the plans for a new eight-story building in Sunnyside

BY ANGELA MATUA Sunnyside may be getting its own movie house once again.

Plans for a new mixed-use building in at 38-01 Queens Blvd. will also include a chain movie theater on the first and second floors.

The site is currently occupied by a two-story building was home to the Liberty Brass Screwing Co., a company selling automatic screw machine products. Curbcut Urban Partners,

Platinum Realty Associates and RW Real Estate Group purchased the building last December and have knocked it down to construct an eightstory glassy building in its place.

According to the Commercial Observer, Curbcut Urban Partners is currently talking with a movie theater to move into a 38,000-square-foot space. That would leave about 2,000 square feet for other retail businesses and Benjamin Malinsky, the acting project manager, told the Commercial

Observer that they may also look to add another story.

The former Sunnyside Center Cinemas, which was located at 42-25 Queens Blvd., shuttered in 2015 and the closest movie theater in the area is UA Kaufman Astoria Studios.

“There’s an incredible need for a movie theater,” Malinsky told the Commercial Observer. “There’s one in Astoria and after that it’s silent.”

The 146,000-square-foot building is dubbed QB38 Tower and will

also include medical facility space.

Elevators will be big enough to accommodate gurneys. Malinsky told the Commercial Observer that developers may add about 8,000 square feet of space in the basement level.

The building is slated to be completed at the end of 2018 and SBLM Architects are responsible for the design. Amenities will include a rooftop deck, outdoor terraces and 98 underground parking spaces.

“There’s an incredible need for a movie theater.”

Photo by SBLM Architects

BENJAMIN MALINSKY Acting Project Manager

www.qns.com

I LIC COURIER I JANUARY 2016 19

Photos by Michael Kelly Williams

Art

Jazz-inspired Art

Artist and teacher showcases his handmade recycled works at LIC warehouse

BY ANGELA MATUA Long Island City nonprofit that allowed teachers to pick up free school supplies at its warehouse this summer is also the material source for a new art exhibit that is inspired by jazz.

Michael Kelly Williams, an artist and public school educator for 30 years, used recycled materials found at Materials for the Arts (MFTA).

The nonprofit, which is operated by the Department of Cultural Affairs, with support from the Department of Sanitation and Department of Education (DOE), provides free materials to teachers — from binders to paper and computer chairs.

His solo exhibition “Found and Funky” debuted on Dec. 15 at the warehouse located at 33-00 Northern Blvd. Williams spent four months scavenging the 35,000-square-foot

A

facility that has more than 40 aisles of materials.

The exhibition includes mixed media and assemblage works and will be on view until April 8. “Found” represents the “affirmation in discovering new objects” while the term “Funky” is used to “pay homage to a popular jazz term meant to convey praise of an art piece having achieved its highest form.”

20 JANUARY 2016 I LIC COURIER I www.qns.com

Williams includes references to popular jazz musicians throughout the exhibit including Eric Dolphy, John Coltrane, Thelonious Monk and Pheeroan akLaff.

“My work expresses who I am, and I feel I’m working out of vari-

there is now a synthesis of all I have studied. I am reaching for a unique vision in my work yet one that is linked in tradition. My reoccurring themes are music, myth, spirituality and poetry.”

Kelly used a range of materi-

ous traditions,” Williams said in a statement. “There is a strong folk art tradition in my hometown of Detroit utilizing found objects. Stylistically

als for his work including cowrie shells, a film canister and cables.

His piece “We See,” which was named after a Thelonious Monk song, is mounted on a wooden ophthalmologist sign. The arrangement of materials “cohere into an interpretation of Monk’s ancient, rhythmical sensibility as well as a dissonant elements and a wry sense of humor.”

The MFTA artist residency program gives artists production assistance, free studio space and materials for the warehouse. Williams’ work has been shown in galleries across the United States and countries such as China and Morocco.

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I LIC COURIER I JANUARY 2016 21

F Food

USING OOD

Long Island City duo open poke and Korean fried chicken joint

BY ANGELA MATUA

Photos by Angela Matua

After operating out of a small space in Long Island City’s Bricktown Bagel, the owners of Korean Style Fried Chicken (KSFC) have ventured out on their own to open a poke and Korean fried chicken hybrid restaurant.

Katie Kim, 29, and Sam Kim, 30, opened PokeLICious at 5-37 51st Ave. on Dec. 16. The duo, who are not related, has lived in Long Island City for five years and wanted to introduce their take on poke and Korean food to the area.

“We like to help grow our neighborhood and we also like to serve our Korean food and food that we can serve to our neighbors,” Sam Kim said, “There are not much restaurants [in the area.] There are a lot of bars [but] not [many] restaurants were you can serve food.”

Though they both enjoyed running KSFC, which as primarily a take-out spot, Katie Kim’s love of poke spurred

her to open a place where both dishes could be served. In the mornings and for lunch, customers can purchase a variety of poke bowls and for dinner, Korean fried chicken and rice bowls will be served along with beer. The Beer Closet, which operated in the same space, will continue to offer its selection of beers at PokeLICious and the duo hopes to have KSFC up and running at the location by the end of February.

Customers can choose between five poke bowls in a small, which costs $10.95 and comes with three scoops of protein, or a large bowl for $12.95, which comes with 5 scoops of protein.

Poke is a raw fish salad that originated in Hawaii. It has become popular nationwide, partly because of the recent pivot by Americans to eat healthier food, Katie Kim said.

PokeLICious’ menu is strongly inspired by the duo’s love of traveling.

Each bowl is named after a city they have visited and includes ingredients

22 JANUARY 2016 I LIC COURIER I www.qns.com

Food that are popular in each country’s dishes. For example, the Tokyo poke bowl includes ginger and eel sauce while the Mexico City poke bowl includes Pico de Gallo, mango and pineapple.

“Other poke places, they offer spicy tuna, [which is] classic poke but were different from the other places [in that] our signature bowl is based off of the countries [that have] famous seasoning and food,” Katie Kim said.

Patrons will also be able to create their own bowls and choose from different bases like green tea white rice and from a plethora of seasonings, toppings, sauces and garnishes. In the spring, PokeLICious will also offer fresh juices.

Sam Kim will still keep his day job as a real estate broker and Katie Kim

www.qns.com

will work on PokeLICious full-time.

She said that she has always wanted to work in the food industry and encourages others who are interested to pursue it.

“We’ve been always wanting to go into the food industry,” Katie Kim said.

“We’re really young and we don’t have a lot of money but that’s how we started with Bricktown Bagels. If you’re really interested in the food industry there’s always an option even if you don’t have that much money. People think that if you want to operate a restaurants it costs a lot of money but there’s always a way.”

PokeLICious is open from 11:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. but that will change when KSFC begins to operate.

I LIC COURIER I JANUARY 2016 23

Female Sexual Medicine of Long Island, P.C.

Do you lack desire for sexual intimacy?

Is there no longer pleasure, is it painful, is it affecting your relationship, is it affecting your life?

You should know that although it is not normal, this is very common, so you are not alone!

43% of women suffer from sexual dysfunction.

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v Hypoactive Arousal Disorder Lack or decrease of female sexual excitement

v Lichen Sclerosus Abnormal thickening and discoloration around the vagina causing itching and or pain

v Dyspareunia Vaginal pain during intercourse can be associated with penetration or upon entry

v Clitoral hyposensitivity A decreased sensation to the clitoris

v Orgasmic Disorder Lack of or an inability of the woman to climax during sexual intercourse

v Persistant genital arousal disorder (PGAD) An abnormal painful sensation of constant orgasm in women

v Decreased Libido Decreased sexual desire in women

v Vestibulodynia Pain at the opening of the vagina, making sexual intercourse difďŹ cult or painful

v Vaginal dryness Lack of or absence of vaginal moisture during or in the absence of sexual activity

v Non-coital sexual pain Pain with external genital stimulation in women

v Pelvic pain Pain pertaining to the pelvic region including lower abdomen, external genitalia, vagina, or rectum

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216 Mineola Ave. Suite #001 (Lower Level) Roslyn Heights, NY 11577 24 JANUARY 2016 I LIC COURIER I www.qns.com

LIC Partnership

Join LIC Partnership Happy New Year! For those businesses and organizations looking to make 2017 better than 2016, one suggestion is to become a member of the Long Island City Partnership.

LIC Partnership Members benefit from free access or deep discounts on the many ticketed events throughout the year, access to and listing in our Membership Directory, exclusive marketing opportunities and more. Learn about becoming a member by visiting LICQNS.com or contacting (718) 786-5300.

Save the date for LIC Partnership’s upcoming events from networking nights to full conferences:  Member-2-Member with John Sabini & Associates January 25th, 9:00-10:30 AM

 LICP Conference Room Business Breakfast with Bank of America Wednesday, February 15th, 8:00-10:00 PM  LICP Conference Center – Queensboro Room LICP Networking Night Tuesday, February 28th, 5:00-7:00 PM  Oro Restaurant and Lounge Real Estate Breakfast Thursday, March 16th, 7:30-10:00 AM  The Learning Center at Con Edison LICP Networking Night

Wednesday, April 5th, 5:00-7:00 PM  Edison Price Lighting Gallery LIC Springs Saturday, May 6th, 12:00-5:00 PM  Along Vernon Blvd. between 50th and 46th Aves.

LIC Summit Tuesday, June 20th, 8:00-2:00 PM  Museum of the Moving Image Stay in the loop with LIC Partnership, at LICQNS. com, subscribe to our e-newsletter, and follow us on social media.

www.qns.com

I LIC COURIER I JANUARY 2016 25

Chef’s Corner

BY NATASHA POGREBINSKY

Roasted Cod

with Vegetables (serves 4)

Preheat the oven to 475F. In a mixing bowl, toss all the veggies and 1 cut lemon, add salt and pepper to taste. Spread in a single layer on the sheet tray and roast about 15 minutes.

Season the fish with salt and pepper. Pre-heat a sauté pan and add 4

teaspoons of oil. When the oil is very hot, almost smoky, carefully place two fillets in the oil and do not move. Allow a crust to form then remove and repeat with the other two fillets. Place all the seared fillet on top of the roasted vegetable tray, seared side up. Finish cooking in the oven for about 10 minutes.

Ingredients: 1.5 lbs of green beans 4 large carrots, peeled, large dice 2 red onions cut into large wedges 2 lemons, sliced into quarters 2 sprigs fresh parsley - chopped 2 sprigs fresh tarragon – chopped 4 teaspoons vegetable oil 4 teaspoons of extra virgin olive oil (for garnish) 4 Cod Fillets (6-8oz pieces)

26 JANUARY 2016 I LIC COURIER I www.qns.com

Mix finely chopped herbs with extra virgin olive oil and juice of ½ lemon.

To serve arrange the roasted vegetables on a plate, top with roasted cod, fresh herbs, and the herbal extra virgin olive oil. Serve with fresh sliced lemons, and optional side of rice.

Chef Natasha Pogrebinsky Exec. Chef at The Starlight, Williamsburg www.bearnyc.com www.ChefNatasha.com

A great way to start off the year eating right is to focus on more veggies and seafood. Lots of people get intimidated by cooking seafood at home, but it’s actually super easy and fast, and great for a quick weeknight meal when you want some filling comfort food but don’t want to spend hours at the stove. In this recipe I am using cod, but it can easily be substituted with your favorite like a salmon filet, tilapia, flounder, or even snapper or trout. This dish will leave you feeling satisfied, but still light and healthy.

Happy New Year!

Mixing It Up

BY SASHA POGREBINSKY

The Russians Did It: Part 1 We have to find humor in our daily lives, and with a great cocktail in hand, a very interesting conversation can begin. Taking current events into account, why not celebrate the latest scandals with a fun drink, a great conversation piece to get the party going? Some of the most popular Russian inspired drinks we all have come to know and love are the Moscow Mule, the less known but equally fascinating Ninitchka, the Katinka, the dark and stormy Black Russian and the playful Volga Boatman. Let’s explore the great Volga River with a cheerful classic cocktail: The Volga Boatman.

Named for Europe’s longest river, which stretches for 2,300 miles from the Valdai mountains into the Caspian Sea. Rumor has it that the drink was invented by a skipper who used it to bribe the local port authorities in order to smuggle some very highly

prized trout and caviar. It’s both sweet and sour, unexpectedly soothing, yet dangerously strong. It’s playful color is deceivingly innocent,

leading to easy consumption; you’ve been warned! Look for Part 2 next month for more Russian-themed cocktails and anecdotes. Nazdorovye!

The Volga Boatman 4 oz vodka 2 oz Kirsch ( a clear sourcherry liqueur) 1 oz Tangerine Juice (juice of 1 tangerine) Sliced Tangerines for Garnish ½ oz sour cherry juice SAS

HA P

OGR

E

BI N Combine all ingredients, SK Y shake well with ice. Strain into a chilled cocktail glass, garnish with sliced tangerines and a drop of sour cherry juice.

S A SH A P O

GR E

BIN

SK

Y

Sasha Pogrebinsky Mixologist/Restaurateur Infusionist and Master Pickler www.TheStarlightNYC.com

www.qns.com

I LIC COURIER I JANUARY 2016 27

Dr. Johanna C. Figueroa, M.D. Female Pelvic Medicine and Reconstructive Surgery” Monalisa Touch: a novel fractional CO2 laser therapy for gynecologic health.

Now there’s something you can do about it that really works.

When estrogen levels decline after menopause, many changes occur. Millions of women experience changes in their gynecologic health that interfere with their personal lives as a consequence. Many women suffer silently, and those who seek Now there’s a better way.

Ask your doctor if Monalisa Touch is right for you.

Monalisa Touch: fast, simple and safe Monalisa Touch laser treatment is a simple procedure that takes less than 5 minutes.

It delivers both immediate and lasting relief. And it’s clinically proven to work.

• Requires no anesthesia • Minimal side effects • No downtime • Symptom relief after just one treatment • Thousands of women successfully treated since 2012 A new procedure that patients have called “life-changing” Monalisa Touch delivers gentle laser energy to the vaginal wall tissue that stimulates a healing response in the vaginal canal. A typical course of treatment is three procedures over 18 weeks. improvement after treatments 2 and 3.

Q: What happens during treatment?

A: The procedure will seem similar to your annual exam, and will likely be even quicker. Your healthcare provider will insert the laser into your vagina and deliver laser energy “pulses.” The total procedure time is less than 5 minutes.

Q: Does it hurt?

A: The laser energy itself is virtually painless. Some patients report mild discomfort dryness.

Q: How soon can I expect results?

A: Many patients have reported that they experience relief right away. Virtually all patients have experienced relief by the second treatment.

Q: How long does treatment last?

A: Monalisa Touch provides lasting results.

A once-a-year single treatment is recommended to maintain symptom relief. * This can be done quickly and conveniently during your annual checkup.

Monalisa Touch helps restore gynecologic health.

That’s something to talk about.

Dr. Johanna C. Figueroa, M.D.

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www.urologyandpelvichealth.com 28 JANUARY 2016 I LIC COURIER I www.qns.com

By Eduardo Cerchiara ecerchiara@queenscourier.com

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I LIC COURIER I JANUARY 2016 29

Education

COLLEGE Planning Western Queens kindergartners will receive money toward college tuition from the city

BY ANGELA MATUA ayor Bill de Blasio announced on Jan. 5 a new initiative that will give students in School District 30 hundreds of dollars to put toward a college savings account.

The NYC Child Savings Account program will provide about 3,500 kindergartners from schools in Long Island City, Astoria, Sunnyside, Woodside, East Elmurst and Jackson Heights with $100. The money will be put into a scholarship account this fall and up to an additional $200 in matching funds will be transferred during the first three years.

Approximately 10,000 children will be a part of the initiative during its first three years, and kindergartners enrolled in School District 30 public schools will be automatically enrolled in the free initiative. If the pilot program is successful, every child in a New York City public school will eventually be enrolled.

The mayor first announced the initiative in November.

“All of NYC’s kids deserve the chance to attend college and pursue their dreams, regardless of their family’s economic status,” de Blasio said in a statement. “We hope to see this

program continue to grow so families across the five boroughs can start saving early for their children’s future.”

The Gray Foundation, which focuses on funding initiatives related to healthcare and low-income children in New York, have contributed $10 million in seed money. It was founded by John Gray, global head of real estate at Blackstone Group and his wife, Mindy.

“All of NYC’s kids deserve the chance to attend college and pursue their dreams, regardless of their family’s economic status.”

BILL DE BLASIO MAYOR NYC Kids RISE, a new nonprofit, will oversee the accounts and will look to raise additional private funds to support the initiative and to eventually expand it.

The city conducted an analysis of all 32 school districts and chose School District 30 because it was “both representative of the public school population with respect to poverty levels, ethnicity, English language learners and students with disabilities, and also

30 JANUARY 2016 I LIC COURIER I www.qns.com

had the infrastructure in place to support the pilot program.”

“Providing students with financial tools and the benefits of long-term savings plans helps make college more attainable for our youth,” said Councilman Daniel Dromm, who chairs the Council’s Education Com-

mittee. “All students should have the opportunity to attend college regardless of their economic status, and this initiative is an investment in our children’s future. I am thrilled that the pilot will be launching in School District 30, where many families struggle with the financial burden of college tuition.”

Photo courtesy of the Mayor’s Office

Education

Similar initiatives exist in San Francisco, Oakland, Indiana, Nevada, Oklahoma and Boston.

Several city offices will collaborate on this effort, including the Department of Consumer Affairs and its Office of Financial Empowerment, which will help families create financial sav-

ings plans through their financial empowerment centers.

The program will have both a scholarship component and family savings component. In conjunction with NY’s 529 College Savings Program, an investment account run by the state, a portion of funds invested in the scholarship

program will go to every student enrolled regardless of their family’s income.

Family members and relatives will also be able to contribute their own money into the 529 plan and can benefit from compound earnings.

Debra-Ellen Glickstein, the former executive director of the Office of Fiwww.qns.com

nancial Empowerment, will serve as the executive director of NYC Kids Rise. Julie Menin, Commissioner of the Mayor’s Office of Media and Entertainment, who came up with the program in her previous job as commissioner of consumer affairs, will also help spearhead the initiative.

I LIC COURIER I JANUARY 2016 31

Legends

“On the Way to Prosperity!”

Greater Astoria Historial Society 35-20 Broadway, 4th Floor | L.I.C., NY 11106 718.278.0700 | www.astorialic.org

Gallery Hours: Mondays & Wednesdays 2-5 PM Saturdays 12-5 PM Exhibits ~ Lectures ~ Documentaries ~ Books Walking Tours ~ Historical Research Unique & Creative Content

For more information visit us on the web at www.astorialic.org

This image adapted from an invitation to the Long Island City Athletics 33rd Annual Masque Ball, 1909.

32 JANUARY 2016 I LIC COURIER I www.qns.com

N

ewly minted Long Island City found its purpose when transportation options between Flushing and Manhattan were no longer reliable.

Stagecoaches, dating from colonial times, had limited seating and could only make two daily trips to New York.

Travel, over rutted muddy cow paths, was a nightmare. The other option, ferry boats (in service since about 1820) could not run when the East River froze over – as it often did in during the brutal nineteenth century winters. Even worse, competing boats often rammed into each other as they raced through the dangerous Hell Gate. Terrified passengers, after barely escaping disaster during one such harrowing ride, even sued the steamboat company in 1853.

It was no surprise that the 2,000 residents of the Village of Flushing started to agitate for a railroad. After the Long Island Railroad bypassed the village by laying its trackage down the middle of the island, irate residents decided to raise capital for their own line. In 1852 they chartered the Flushing Railroad, a rail line tasked with linking Flushing to a Manhattan ferry terminal, a task that proved initially impossible. Residents in Williamsburg and Greenpoint did not want the nuisance of another town’s locomotive noise and soot.

These were not issues for Queens.

Eager to develop Hunters Point, its developers had no qualms about persuading the Flushing line’s promoters to locate their terminus in their com-

munity – even going as far as donating $20,000 of land for a ferry dock.

On June 26, 1854 the new railroad began service. Their station, a shanty with open sides, was on the southeast corner of 54th Avenue and 5th Street.

Their line ran from Flushing, through Elmhurst (then called Newtown), then along the bank of Newtown Creek, and from there, to the East River. The rail line leased two steamboat ferries, “Enoch Dean” and “Island City” for service to Fulton Street in New York.

Service soon fell apart. In September 1855 the “Enoch Dean” was withdrawn. The “Island City” was sold in May 1858. The Flushing Railroad was bankrupt by the following year.

As luck would have it, the Long Island Rail Road, also stymied by Brooklyn’s ban on locomotives, was seeking a location for a ferry terminal on the East River. Again Hunters Point tendered an offer which was promptly accepted.

On September 3, 1859 the Long Island incorporated the “New York and Jamaica Railroad Company” to build a new main line from Jamaica to Hunter’s Point. After securing control of the bankrupt Flushing Railroad, they were able to use that road’s right of way along Newtown Creek and to share joint use of the existing rail yard and dock on the East River.

In 1861 the Long Island Rail Road opened service to Hunter’s Point with a network that embraced all of Long Island.

Newspapers crowed: “Hunters Point is now launched on the way to prosperity!”

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I LIC COURIER I JANUARY 2016 33

Art

E T S O

F

By Angela Matua

In the middle of a Long Island City block peppered with nondescript factories lies the only art supply store in the neighborhood.

The area, which is known for its tight-knit artist community, is teeming with artists who are working out of increasingly costly studio space. One art supply store, located at 34-09 Queens Blvd., is hoping to make it easier for them to do their work.

From paint and canvas to yarn and slabs of stone, Artist & Craftsman Supply is a one-stop shop servicing students, teachers, professional artists and production studios.

It has been the only art supply store in such an artsh e a v y

neighborhood for three years, and last month, it made a change: it is now all employeeowned.

The company was founded in Maine by Larry Alderstein in 1985.

Since becoming fully employee-owned, staff members have greater control of each store and can make bigger decisions about expansion efforts, according to Regional Manager Trevor Sparks.

LIC’s sole art supply store, for major TV shows, is

T

HE

34 JANUARY 2016 I LIC COURIER I www.qns.com

Art

RIN

“Nick [Jussen] is the [general] manager so we trust him to run the store properly and not oversee too much,” Sparks said. “We run independently.

It allows every-

G

one to hit their mark how [it] needs to be hit.”

The Long Island City branch is one of 35 national locations and opened its doors to artists in May 2014. According to Sparks, the company knew that there was a dearth of art supply stores in the area and were persuaded to open a Queens location after finding a prime location with affordable rent.

The building was home to a Breyer’s ice cream factory and most recently acted as a fabric store.

The 10,000-square-foot space contains racks of materials and also includes a space for teachers interested in conducting art classes.

A range of classes have been taught at the space including clay classes, drawing and painting and a workshop to help high school students refine their portfolios for college applications, according to

Jussen. Each of the six employees at Artist & Craftsman Supply are also artists.

which provides materials now employee-owned

Photos by Angela Matua

S

T R A

www.qns.com

I LIC COURIER I JANUARY 2016 35

Art “Our main thing is just being here for the artists and community,” Jussen said.

“We try to help out the community as much as we can with donations, whatever we can do.”

In addition to students from LaGuardia Community College and Aviation High School, families in Sunnyside and Astoria have been loyal customers, Sparks said. The company also donates supplies to local organizations like Long Island City artists and gives 10 percent discounts to many working artists.

Before Artist & Craft Supply opened, many artists made trips into the city to visit Pear Paint on Canal St. But Artist & Craft Supply filled a void soon after Pear Paint’s April 2014 closure.

“Besides being one of the only places to get real art supplies in Queens, Cristina Ferrigno from Artist and Craftsman Supply has been a great supporter and sponsor to our group, Long Island City Artists Inc.,” said Edjo Wheeler, board member of local nonprofit Long Island City Artists. “They have come out to support our art shows at the Plaxall Gallery, donated a lot [of] very needed drawing materials for our life drawing workshops and gave our members some very appreciated discount cards. We’re glad to have them in the neighborhood, instead of always having to go into Manhattan and usually paying more.”

Long Island City has also increasingly been the backdrop for large television productions. It is home to Silvercup Studios, and shows such as “Quantico,” “Jessica Jones,” “Luke Cage,” “Daredevil” and “Orange is the New Black” have frequented the store for supplies.

Poster board, tape, markers and paint are usually purchased in bulk.

Their online store allows customers to

36 JANUARY 2016 I LIC COURIER I www.qns.com

Art order supplies from anywhere in the country and online prices are usually cheaper, according to Sparks. Materials for online purchases are shipped from the flagship store in Maine.

Employees will also stock up on supplies that specific artists need. If a customer is working on a project and needs a unique item for a sustained period of time, Jussen will work with the artist to coordinate shipments.

Anxiety has risen among local artists about the rising rents for studios and Sparks has heard chatter about artists moving further out into Queens or, in some instances, Brooklyn for more affordable space.

“In the beginning it was, ‘We can get studio space out here and now I’m hearing more and more, ‘I’m going farther out into Queens,’” Sparks said.

“Even Greenpoint seems a little but cheaper for people studio-wise.”

But Artist & Craftsman Supply has continued to give out discounts and hopes to foster a stronger relationship with the Long Island City community.

They’ve donated supplies to the local YMCA and Sunnyside Gardens Park and have donated poster board to those participating in the Women’s March on Washington.

“I think [people are] just really happy to have a source of materials and supplies much closer than they normally would,” Jussen said. “We’ve had strong reaction from the families in Sunnyside and we do try to reach out to the community and sort of make sure they’re aware that were a resource for them.”

If you are interested in teaching a class or asking a question about supplies, visit the Artist & Craftsman Supply website.

www.qns.com

I LIC COURIER I JANUARY 2016 37

Compassionate Care for Four Generations Every funeral detail is handled according to each family’s personal and religious preferences.

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MoMA PS1

Self-Interned, 1942: Noguchi in Poston War Relocation Center Wednesday, January 18, 2017 thru Sunday, January 7, 2018

On view October 23, 2016–March 5, 2017

Museum of the Moving Image Martin Scorsese December 11–April 23, 2017 Changing Exhibitions Gallery

Martin Scorsese is the iconic American film director. His wide-ranging body of work is at once distinctly personal and rooted in a profound understanding of the art and history of cinema. He is also a consummate New Yorker, and his movies capture the intensity and energy of his home city. Martin Scorsese, the first major exhibition about the director’s deeply intertwined career and life, explores Scorsese’s remarkable half-century of filmmaking within the context of his personal history and his love of cinema. Drawing extensively from Scorsese’s own collection, the exhibition includes production material from his key films, objects from his childhood, behind-the-scenes images, and large-scale projections of scenes from his work. It is organized thematically: Family, Brothers, Men and Women, Lonely Heroes, New York, Cinephile, Cinematography, Editing, and Music.

22-25 Jackson Ave • LIC 718.784.2084 • MoMAPS1.org 38 JANUARY 2016 I LIC COURIER I www.qns.com

JANUARY 2017

The SculptureCenter

Projects 105: Cinthia Marcelle Projects 105 presents Education by Stone (2016), a new site-specific installation by Cinthia Marcelle (Belo Horizonte, Brazil, 1974) and the artist’s first solo exhibition in New York. Marcelle is known for her installations, performances, and videos, which stage forms of labor to produce poetic situations. Occupying MoMA PS1's Duplex gallery, the installation will insert chalk, a pedagogical material to which she has returned throughout her career, in the building’s formerly scholastic space. Numerous rods of chalk will be lodged into the fissures and openings of the gallery’s brick walls from floor to ceiling, revealing the material’s inherent instability and fragility.

ITY

35 Ave at 37 St • Astoria 718.777.6800 • www.movingimage.us

February 19, 2017, marks the 75th anniversary of Executive Order 9066, the notorious wartime directive that authorized the internment of Japanese citizens and American citizens of Japanese heritage living in the Western United States. This exhibition explores Noguchi’s extraordinary decision—despite being exempt from internment as a resident of New York—to enter the Poston War Relocation Center, in the Arizona desert, hoping to contribute something positive to this forcibly displaced community, to which he had never felt more connected. In Noguchi’s words, “Thus I willfully became part of humanity uprooted.”

9-01 33rd Road at Vernon Blvd.

Long Island City, NY 11106 718 204-7088 • www.noguchi.org

www.qns.com

I LIC COURIER I JANUARY 2016 39

Transportation

SUBWAY REPORT CARD

Believe it or not, the 7 train is rated among the city’s best subway lines; A train is worst

BY ANGELA MATUA Queens’ subway lines go from one extreme to the other, depending on where you’re riding.

The annual “State of the Subways Report Card” found that some lines running through the “World’s Borough” are ranked the best in terms of service, while others need to make major improvements.

The New York Public Interest Research Group (NYPIRG) collects train data every year to gauge the rider satisfaction of each line. Factors such as the amount of scheduled service, regularity of service, breakdown rate and cleanliness were accounted when ranking the 20 lines.

This year, three lines emerged as the best — the 1, 7 and L trains. The 7 runs through Queens, making stops in Flushing, Corona, Jackson Heights, Elmhurst, Sunnyside, Woodside and Long Island City. It ranked first in amount of scheduled service and cleanliness.

It ranked 12th in regularity of service, 10th in breakdown rate, 14th in crowding and 10th in accurate and frequent in-car announcements.

But the spotty service in Queens has caused headaches for borough commuters and has even lead to the creation of a Facebook page, 7 Train Blues, to document and complain about the line.

Unsurprisingly, the A train was considered the worst train line this year

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along with the 5 train. The A train runs through Manhattan, Brooklyn and the Queens neighborhoods of Ozone Park, Howard Beach and the Rockaways.

It ranked 10th in amount of service, 18th in regularity of service, 14th in breakdown rate, 9th in crowding, 12th in cleanliness and 14th in in-car announcements.

The report also found that Subway regularity decreased since last year’s report. Subway lines meeting the “wait assessment” standard—which measures the regularity versus gaps and/ or bunching in service—decreased 1.4 percent, from 78.8 percent regular in our last report, to 77.4 percent regular in the period ending December 2015.

Four lines improved in the wait assessment standard including the F line, which passes through Jamaica, Kew Gardens, Forest Hills and Long Island City. But 16 lines, including the 7, A, E, M, N and R worsened.

NYPIRG has been tracking the state of the 20 subway lines since 1997. The group argues that the report card helps to fulfill the public’s desire for transparency in government and helps groups advocate for better service, providing key statistics to make arguments for more frequent service or better maintenance.

For a full list for the best to worst Subway lines, check out the report card at www.straphangers.org.

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I LIC COURIER I JANUARY 2016 41

Advertorial

Odds Are Good For Significant Tax Reform

John Savignano

2017 starts with one set of rules... but we expect there will be major changes.

Odds are good for significant tax reform. Donald Trump has made overhauling taxes a priority.Trump also wants to nix parts of Obamacare. If congress acts fast, we could see significant revisions to taxes and the Affordable Care Act as early as 2017.

Some filing due dates have changed. Employers are required to file W-2s with the federal government by Jan.31.

This earlier deadline matches the date for sending copies of the forms to employees. The Jan. 31 due date also applies to 1099s

reporting nonemployee compensation. Returns of partnerships are due 2 1/2 months after year-end...

March 15 for calendar year firms.

Those needing more time can request a six-month extension. The due date for most regular corporations is 3 1/2 months after yearend... April 15 for calendar year firms. Corporations can request a five-month extension.

The filling date for owners of foreign accounts is moved up to April 15.

Also, taxpayers for the first time are able to request an additional six months to file.

The 2017 standard mileage rate for business driving falls to 53 1/2 cents a mile. $510,000 of assets can be expensed in 2017, and this figure phrases out dollar for dollar once over $ 2,030,000 of assets are put into service during the year.

Small start-ups can opt to claim $250,000 of R&D cost to offset payroll taxes. Businesses that hire the long-term unemployed get a tax credit.

Tighter rules apply to preparers of returns that claim the child credit...

And the American Opportunity Tax Credit. Preparers have to

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document how they figured a filer’s claim was valid.

The 2017 standard deductions go up a bit. High-incomers itemized deductions starting at a higher level in 2017. Personal exemptions stay at $4,050 for filers and their dependents in 2017. The 20% top rate on dividends and long-term gains starts at a higher amount for 2017.

AMT exemption go up for 2017.

The Social Security wage base increases in 2017 to $127,200.

Social Security recipients will see a tiny 0.3% hike in their benefits in 2017.

For most, the 2017 monthly Medicare Part B premiums average $109. However, the basic premium increases to $134 a month for some people.

Upper income seniors also pay more for Parts B and D coverage in 2017.

The income levels to qualify for the health premium credit in 2017 go up.

The annual cap on deductible contributions to HSAs rises to $3,400 in 2017.

The limits on deducting longterm-care premiums are higher in 2017. The threshold for deducting medical expenses on Schedule A

jumps to 10% of AGI for taxpayers who are 65 or older.

The adoption credit can be taken on up to $13,570 of cost. The estate and gift tax exemption for 2017 rises to $5,409,000. U.S. taxpayers working abroad have a larger income exclusion...$102,100.

The 401(k) contribution limit remains $18,000, but folks born before 1968 can put in $6,000 more.

However, the paying limit for defined contribution plans goes up to $54,000.

The 2017 limits for IRAs and Roth IRAs also stay steady at $5,500, plus $1,000 as an additional catch-up contribution for taxpayers age 50 and up.

Among the batch of business and individual tax breaks that expire on Jan. 1: The exclusion of up to $2 million of forgiven debt on primary residences. Credit for installing energy-efficient windows and exterior doors in one’s home. Credits for biodiesel and other alternative fuels. Plus accelerated expensing write-offs for some Broadway and film production costs.

Please contact us if you have any further questions.

Sincerely, John Savignano, CPA

Business

MexiBBQ in Astoria closes after six years but will reopen with new concept soon, owners say

BY ANGELA MATUA MexiBBQ, an Astoria favorite that fused barbecue and Mexican food, shuttered its doors recently.

The restaurant and bar, located at 37-11 30th Ave., was owned by James Paloumbis and John Bortolis. They’re also the duo behind Gossip Coffee, which is located a few storefronts away at 37-04 30th Ave.

We want to thank you all for your patronage and making us one of the premier “go to” places in Astoria.”

Photo via Google Maps

The owners, in a message on MexiBBQ’s website, thanked customers for attending and said they would be closed for a short while before opening a new establishment at the same address.

“We want to thank you all for your patronage and making us one of the premier “go to” places in Astoria,” the note read. “We have had an amazing time being part of your birthday celebrations, burger and beer Mondays and of course your hangover brunch.

So for all of our staff we say a VERY BIG THANK YOU!!!”

The note also said that MexiBBQ “will be closing for a short time while we regroup but please stay tuned as we have more tricks up our sleeve!”

It is not clear what the new establishment will offer.

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Sunnyside Shines

SUNNYSIDE STRING SCHOOL We’re so pleased that the Sunnyside String School has relocated to their very own space in Sunnyside, right above the Fresh n Save Marketplace on 46th Street and Greenpoint Avenue. Inside, owner Choi Fairbanks has created a wonderland of children’s programming and music instruction that nurtures kids’ imaginations and innate talents.

The Sunnyside String School offers lessons in violin, cello and other instruments, but they also offer a huge variety of other programming that we’ve just learned about – everything from Lego and art classes to camps and movie nights, and even an all-kids orchestra and a kids’ rock band. Parents will be delighted to hear about her Friday Night Out program – a special movie night for kids, which allows parents to enjoy a date night (perhaps at a local Sunnyside restaurant!?).

Choi has called Sunnyside home over the past 12 years, and is a parent herself, with her musician husband Jeff Fairbanks. She loves the diversity of the neighborhood, and feels it is an exciting and welcoming place to raise her family and her business. She is a cellist with a background in jazz and classical music, and enjoys teaching and engaging with kids through music and other arts.

The Sunnyside String School has been open for the past 8 years, and was previously located in All Saints Church. Her students come from all over the neighborhood, as well as Jackson Heights, Astoria and even further out in other Queens neighborhoods. She loves her new space in the heart of the neighborhood and encourages parents to check out the class schedule on Facebook.

46 JANUARY 2016 I LIC COURIER I www.qns.com

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Art Calendar

January NOGUCHI MUSEUM

9-01 33rd Road 718-204-7088 “Self-Interned, 1942: Noguchi in Poston War Relocation Center” On view through Jan. 7, 2018

February 19, 2017, marks the 75th anniversary of Executive Order 9066, the notorious wartime directive that authorized the internment of Japanese citizens and American citizens of Japanese heritage living in the Western United States.

This exhibition explores Noguchi’s extraordinary decision— despite being exempt from internment as a resident of New York—to enter the Poston War Relocation Center, in the Arizona desert, hoping to contribute something positive to this forcibly displaced community, to which he had never felt more connected. In Noguchi’s words, “Thus I willfully became part of humanity uprooted.”

SCULPTURECENTER

44-19 Purves Street 718-361-1750 “Cercle d’Art des Travailleurs de Plantation Congolaise (Congolese Plantation Workers Art League)” On view through March 27 Creating sculptures with cacao as a primary material, the artists that comprise the CATPC are plantation workers who harvest primary material for international companies. In the Congo, as elsewhere, plantation workers are grossly underpaid for their contribution to global industry, whether to the $100 billion chocolate industry or to the production of palm oil, broadly used in common household products. The Congolese plantation laborers cannot actually afford to live off of the wages they receive for their work and survive without basic amenities such as clean water and electricity. By using material sourced from cacao plantations worldwide instead to make artworks, the members of CATPC can occupy another place in the global value chain, one normally reserved for middle class artists.

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DORSKY GALLERY

11-03 45th Avenue 718-937-6317 “Disarming Geometries” On view through March 26

Artists have used geometric abstraction since ancient times to make sense of the world around them and record their stories. Artists are also employing geometry, without representational imagery, to allude to spiritual concepts in an effort to understand our existence. Others are attempting to forge connections to the natural world by finding common patterns and symmetry in our surroundings. Several artists in “Disarming Geometries” choose to interrupt images with geometric patterns, cutting away, reconfiguring, and engaging materiality as a way of addressing the instability of our times.

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I LIC COURIER I JANUARY 2016 53

Calendar

January SUNDAY, JANUARY 29 @ 4:30PM SCREENING AND LIVE EVENT Craving the Y Chromosome: Teknolust with Director Lynn Hershman Leeson and biologist Stuart Firestein Museum of the Moving Image 36-01 35th Ave. 718-777-6877 movingimage.us

SUNDAY, JANUARY 29 @ 12PM DOUGHNUTS & FRITTERS COOKING CLASS Q.E.D. Astoria 27-16 23rd Ave. 347-451-3873 qedastoria.com

SATURDAY, JANUARY 21 @ 4PM SCREENING IT’S ALWAYS LATE FOR FREEDOM

SUNDAY, WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 22 @ 5PM JANUARY 25 @ 8PM CREATIVE WRITING BARELY MAKING IT MONDAY, JANUARY 30 The Creek and the Cave WORKSHOP: @ 6:30PM Jackson Ave. WOULD YOU RATHER? 10-93 718-706-8783 SWING DANCING/ Museum of the Moving Image The Astoria Bookshop creeklic.com LINDY HOP 36-01 35th Ave. 31-29 31st St. 718-777-6877 (718) 278-2665 WORKSHOP FOR movingimage.us astoriabookshop.com BEGINNERS SATURDAY, QED Astoria JANUARY 28 @ 4PM 27-16 23rd Ave. 47-451-3873 SATURDAY, SCREENING qedastoria.com JANUARY 21 @ 3PM MONDAY, JANUARY 23 @ 8PM AND LIVE EVENT SOCRATES Wall Writers TUESDAY, IT’S EVERYBODY’S SCULPTURE PARK Museum of the Moving Image JANUARY 31 @ 11PM EAF16: Dylan Gauthier’s Kite BIRTHDAY 36-01 35 Avenue.

Flying Performance 5 The Standing Room RAPID FIRE OPEN MIC 718-777-6888 32-01 Vernon Blvd.

718-956-1819 socratessculpturepark.org

4738 Vernon Blvd.

347-309-7666 standingroomlic.com

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movingimage.us

The Creek and the Cave 10-93 Jackson Ave. 718-706-8783 creeklic.com

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