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QUEENS QUEENSCHRONICLE, CHRONICLE,Thursday, Thursday,April April9,9,2026 2026Page Page184

Nature blooms across Queens parks

by Kristen Guglielmo Editor

Warmer air and fresh bursts of color are setting the stage as the city Parks Department rolls out a full slate of hands-on volunteer days, family festivals and guided outdoor adventures throughout the borough, giving residents plenty of reasons to get outside and shake off winter.

For more information, one may go online to nycgovparks.org/events.

On April 18, from 12 to 4 p.m., the Musician’s Oval at Archie Spigner Park in St. Albans will transform into a mini carnival for Springfest Family Fun Day. Packed with games, inflatables, pony rides, arts and crafts, live entertainment, an egg hunt and even a trackless train, the annual event, sponsored

by Councilmember Nantasha Williams (D-St. Albans), promises high-energy fun for all.

The focus turns to community stewardship on April 21, from 12 to 4 p.m., at the Trees of Life Organic Garden at 106-16 173 St. in Jamaica. During a volunteer day host ed w it h pa r t ner s Got h a m Greens and NYC GreenThumb, neighbors can help lay down woodchips and compost, clear weeds and tend to the chicken run, all while learning the ins and outs of maintaining a shared green space.

On April 22, from 1 to 3 p.m., the Urban

Park Rangers will lead an Earth Day hike and litter cleanup at Powell’s Cove Park, at 130th Street and 11th Avenue in College Point, combining waterfront views with hands-on service.

A few days later, on April 25, from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m., volunteers can head to the Idlewild Park Preserve Environmental Science Learning Center, at 149-20 Springfield Lane in Springfield Gardens, for tree and shrub planting.

Volunteers should dress in sturdy boots or shoes, long sleeves, long pants — all clothing that can get dirty — and anyone under 18 should be accompanied by a chaperone.

Spring migration takes center stage April 26, from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at Oakland Lake in Alley Pond Park, at 46th Avenue and Cloverdale Boulevard in Douglaston, where birders of all skill levels will meet to join the Urban Park Rangers to spot hundreds of species making their annual journey.

The program is designed for beginners and seasoned birdwatchers alike, turning a casual walk into a guided look at one of the season’s most active natural events.

On May 2, from 10 to 11 a.m., those ages 8 and up can join a guided bicycle tour starting at Beach 109th Street and the boardwalk at Rockaway Beach, traveling along Jamaica Bay. The free ride offers a scenic way to expe-

The city Parks Department is offering a full slate of events in Queens throughout the spring, including at Alley Pond Park, above, where visitors on April 26 can join in on its Birding: Spring Migration event.

NYCGOVPARKS.ORG PHOTO rience the beauty of the shoreline.

The next day, May 3, from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., visitors can explore stories of activism and community during an Asian Pacific American Heritage Month walk at Evergreen Cemetery in Highland Park, at Bushwick Avenue and Conway Street in Ridgewood.

The ranger-led program highlights the lives and legacies of notable Asian-American figures connected to the city, set against the backdrop of the cemetery’s historic landscape.

On May 24 through 25, from 6 p.m. to 7 a.m., the Parks Department will host an overnight family camping event in Bayside’s Fort Totten designed to help participants connect with nature and each other. Spots are limited and assigned through a lottery, with registration open from May 11 through May 14.

And, on May 25, Memorial Day will mark the reopening of city beaches, the unofficial moment when park plans start coming with extra sunscreen and a spot on the sand.

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by Stephanie G. Meditz Editor

Spring is perhaps the most difficult season for figuring out what to wear.

It started on March 20, and since then, the weather has been a toss-up. You could open your door to what feels like a summer day, or a sharp, unexpected chill could send you right back inside to reach for your puffer coat.

“It doesn’t feel like the seasons have changed,” one employee at Ridgewood thrift store Other People’s Clothes said.

But there’s a fashionable way to tackle the challenge. Strategic layering can equip you for anything Mother Nature throws at you, and practicality and trendiness need not be mutually exclusive.

Take trench coats, for instance — as Elle magazine put it, they’re nothing new, but everything old is new again. They’ve been remodeled in various ways on the runway this year, whether they have a modern drop-waist or a more vintage feel.

Either way, you can’t go wrong with throwing the not-too-heavy, not-too-light jacket over your outfit. It’ll keep you warm in a spontaneous April shower, and a neutral beige, taupe or light gray can give your wardrobe a reprieve from the darker hues typical of winter. And, it’ll go with almost everything, no matter how adventurous your

color palette may be.

There’s no need to shy away from color this year, either — Other People’s Clothes worker Mackenzie Dorware said she’s been seeing a lot of kelly green and red. Elle said some designers’ spring collections feature a resurgence of primary colors, with bright yellows and blues in addition to fire engine red.

The store has racks organized by color, and there was indeed plenty of red on display during the Chronicle’s visit last week, among other hues. But, as ever, there was plenty of black.

“Neutral colors, that’s what I’ve seen today, but I feel like also more colorful stuff is coming in,” employee Ella Brockway said, mentioning that pink and orange have been on the rise.

One might spruce up a basic outfit by adding a colorful outer layer. A trendy ensemble might consist of wide-leg pants, a white T-shirt or button-down and a cardigan in your favorite color. Pair the look with heels or dress shoes for the office, or style it casually with a pair of sneakers.

But Queens folks are dreaming of the warmer days ahead, and understandably so.

Brockway said customers have been buying shorts lately, specifically longer, vintage denim ones. That’s consistent with the ongoing Y2K craze, especially among young people.

Page 519QUEENS QUEENSCHRONICLE, CHRONICLE,Thursday, Thursday,April April9,9,2026 2026

Versatile styles to outsmart nature

Bright red hues and vintage aesthetics are all the rage this spring, as one can see inside Other People’s Clothes in Ridgewood.

PHOTOS BY STEPHANIE G. MEDITZ But popular fashion nowadays is influenced by the ’80s and ’90s, too. Per Elle, vintage athletic wear is once again fresh, so go ahead and reach for that polo or windbreaker.

Denim is another wardrobe staple, and for spring, you may look to trade your black or dark wash jeans for a lighter pair.

Dorware said fabrics such as linen, cotton and silk are in, the latter of which is especially popular at the store. Plenty of women reach for a satin midi skirt or a slip dress with lace

detail for an elegant, dressy look in warm weather.

Matching sets also are in — the TJ Maxx in The Shops at Atlas Park in Glendale had plenty of shirt-and-skirt pairs last week, and one could find monochromatic loungewear and athletic sets, too.

As for patterns, stripes and polka dots are back. Shocking no one, florals are everywhere again, joining the flowers that are just starting to bloom across the city.

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Easy recipes for light but filling food

by Peter C. Mastrosimone Editor-in-Chief

With the new season may come an urge for new recipes. Here are just a handful one might try out, from the easiest imaginable to a little more complex, but nothing difficult. They’re all online, where you can find further details, notes and the personal back stories behind them all.

Temperatures are in degrees fahrenheit.

Baked chicken breasts Other than pasta from a box, you’d be hardpressed to find a simpler main course than boneless baked chicken. Just how one does it varies, but Ali at Gimme Some Oven has a fivestep method posted at gimmesomeoven.com/ baked-chicken-breast.

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Ingredients • 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts, pounded to even thickness • 1 tbs. melted butter or olive oil • 1 tsp. kosher salt • 1/2 tsp. freshly-ground black pepper • 1/2 tsp. garlic powder • 1/2 tsp. smoked paprika Instructions Brine the chicken. (Check the label of your chicken breasts. If they have already been prebrined in a sodium solution, please skip this step.) Fill a large bowl with 1 quart of warm water and 1/4 cup kosher salt. Stir to combine until most of the salt is absorbed. let them them sit sit in in Add the chicken breasts and let tes, or you the mixture to brine for 15 minutes, can also also cover the bowl and refrigerate for up to 6 hours. Removee the nse chicken breasts from the brine, rinse at them with cold water, then pat them dry with paper towels.

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. hee Season the chicken. Place the chicken breasts in a single layer in oth a large baking dish. Brush on both th melted lt d butb t sides (turning once) evenly with the ter or olive oil. In a separate small bowl, whisk the salt, pepper, garlic powder and paprika until combined. Sprinkle the seasoning mixture evenly over the chicken on both sides.

Bake for 15-18 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through and no longer pink. Cooking time will depend on the thickness of the chicken breasts, so I recommend using a cooking thermometer to know exactly when the chicken is fully cooked. The thickest part of the breast should measure 165 degrees.

(If you want the chicken to be a little bit browned and crispier on top, you can turn the

broiler on high for the final 3-5 minutes of the cooking time and broil the chicken until it is cooked through and golden on top. Keep a close eye on it, however, so that it does not overcook and/or burn.)

Rest the chicken. Once it is cooked, remove the pan from the oven, transfer the chicken to a clean plate and loosely tent the plate with aluminum foil. Let it sit for at least 5-10 minutes.

Serve warm and enjoy!

Oven-roasted celery fries With the simplest entree, how about the simplest side? Cut up celery, throw it in the oven and you’ve got a whole new taste, which healer Christina Rice of Christina the Channel calls her “most recent obsession” in her recipe at tinyurl.com/y35jh26b.

Ingredients • about 6 or 7 celery stalks (or a full bunch) • celtic sea salt • black pepper • oregano • thyme • avocado oil • Option: Primal Kitchen Avocado Oil Mayo Instructions Preheat your oven to 415 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Wash and dry your celery stalks. Cut the stalks into fry-length pieces (It’s up to you exactly how long. I like them about 2 inches).

Toss tthe he ccelery el with avocado oil, salt, pepper, Toss oregan and thyme until all pieces are oregano c well coated.

The stalks should glisten with oil. I usually do about equal pa of all spices, but a little less parts p pepper.

Make sure you can see oregano and thym thyme on every stalk — that’s how I a know I’ve added enough.

Lay the stalks out on the baking sheet in a single la layer so they all cook evenly.

P t the th celery l Put in the oven for about 40 minutes, or until the edges start to brown and they’re soft to the touch! I also like to flip them halfway through cooking (if I remember).

Eat them on their own or dip them into some Primal Kitchen Avocado Oil Mayo.

Veggie-loaded vegetable soup Soup is good any time of year, and Alexis Joseph of Hummusapien has a recipe posted at hummusapien.com/vegetable-soup about which she says: With hundreds of 5-star ratings, this really is the best homemade Vegetable Soup!

Perfect for a healthy, hearty lunch or dinner.

Boneless baked chicken breast is simple and versatile, while vegetable soup is another staple that’s welcome any time of year.

PHOTOS BY STEVE JOHNSON / FLICKR, LEFT, AND SCOTT VEG / FLICKR

Roasted celery is about as simple as it gets, but a good side.

PHOTO BY PETER C. MASTROSIMONE

Made with good for you, fiber-rich ingredients like kidney beans, carrots and tomatoes. Super comforting, easy to make on the stovetop in under an hour, and so flavorful. Everyone asks for the recipe!

They are smooth and creamy on the inside with a delicious chocolate and peanut crunch on the outside. Plus, you can add in some protein to give these better for you treats a little boost!

Ingredients • 2 tbs. extra virgin olive oil • 1 large onion, diced • 4 cloves garlic, minced • 3 medium carrots, diced • 3 stalks celery, diced • 2 medium potatoes, peeled and diced (I use Russet) • 2 tsp. Italian seasoning • 4 cups vegetable broth plus 1 cup water (I like Better Than Bouillon) • 2 15-oz. cans diced tomatoes • 1 cup corn kernels (I used frozen) • 1 15-oz. can kidney beans, drained and rinsed • 1 bay leaf • 1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped • 1 tbs. freshly squeezed lemon juice, or to taste • 1 1/2 tsp. kosher salt, or to taste, plus freshly ground black pepper

Ingredients Frozen yogurt filling (added protein) • 1/4 cup runny peanut butter (ingredients should just be peanuts and maybe salt) • 1 cup yogurt of choice (I use coconut) • 2 tbs. mini chocolate chips or chopped chocolate • 2 tbs. vanilla protein powder of choice

Instructions Heat oil in a large dutch oven over mediumlow heat. Once hot, add onion and 1 tsp. kosher salt and cook for 5 minutes, stirring often. Add garlic, carrots, celery, and potatoes and cook for 5 more minutes, stirring often. Add Italian seasoning and cook for 1 more minute.

Add broth, water, tomatoes, corn, beans, bay leaf, and several grinds of black pepper. Bring to a boil and then reduce the heat to low and simmer, covered, until the vegetables are tender, about 35 minutes.

Remove from heat and stir in parsley and lemon juice. Remove bay leaf and season to taste with salt (don’t be shy, I added lots of salt!) and pepper. Serve hot with crusty bread.

Instructions Combine all of your filling ingredients and stir together until fully incorporated.

Line a baking sheet or f lat plate with parchment paper.

Scoop about 1/4 cup of the filling and make four circles on the parchment lined sheet or plate. Press a popsicle stick into each circle if you wish, or leave it as is. If using a stick, be sure to cover it with the filling.

Sprinkle peanuts over the top and press them in gently. Freeze for 2 hours.

Melt the chocolate and coconut oil together in the microwave in 30 second increments, stirring between each increment.

Once melted and smooth, use the chocolate to completely cover each frozen yogurt bar.

Place each coated bar back on the parchment to allow the chocolate to harden.

Enjoy right away or keep in an airtight Q container in the freezer.

Peanut butter chip frozen yogurt bars What about dessert? Kayla at Kayla’s Kitch and Fix tells us at tinyurl.com/yd8zj4vr how to make a healthy and easy remake of the classic Buster Bar from Dairy Queen.

Frozen yogurt filling (no added protein) • 1/2 cup runny peanut butter (ingredients should just be peanuts and maybe salt) • 1 cup yogurt of choice (I use coconut) • 2 tbs. mini chocolate chips or chopped chocolate • 1/4 tsp. salt Chocolate Coating • 1 cup chocolate • 2 tbs. coconut oil • 2 tbs. peanuts (optional)

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Swing and serve it up this spring

by Stephanie G. Meditz Editor

After a long, brutal winter, people in Queens and beyond are itching to get some sunshine. And what better way to do that than with some low-impact exercise in the great outdoors?

Golf lets you take a leisurely stroll through the greens as you practice your swing and bask in the relative quiet. One can make a reservation at Queens’ cityrun courses by visiting golfnyc.com and clicking on his or her venue of choice under the “tee times” tab.

In Bayside, the 8,000-squarefoot Clea r v iew Pa rk Golf C ou r s e sit s s out h of t h e Throgs Neck Bridge. Golf NYC says it is the busiest 18-hole course on the East Coast, perfect for organized events and r e l a x e d outings. It plays at more than 6,300 yards, and is par 70.

Visitors can enjoy views of the Manhattan skyline from the highest point in Queens at the Douglaston Golf Course. The par-67 course is located near the junction of the Cross Island and Grand Central parkways.

Woodhaven’s Forest Park Golf Course, which was designed in the 19th century and renovated about a century later, plays at more than 6,000 yards, per Golf NYC. Sitting just off the Jackie Robinson Parkway, it

boasts a vast expanse of greenery, three water holes and a clubhouse.

A relatively small but mighty course is available to golfers in Fresh Meadows.

Though the 18-hole, par-64 Kissena Golf Course plays at 4,665 yards, it presents a challenge to the average player.

Golfers who don’t often pick up a club or are intimidated by vast, open courses might be more well-suited to mini golf. Flushing Meadows Pitch & Putt, located next to the Billie Jean King National Tennis Center, has a full mini golf course with waterfalls, bridges and more. That and its pitch-and-putt course, with 18 holes ranging from 40 to 80 yards, are both fully lit for night play, according to GolfNYC. If golf isn’t quite your speed, perhaps you’d rather be serving up backhands as you run back and forth across the tennis court.

Players can access outdoor courts at numerous Queens parks. Permits are needed to play, from early April through the Sunday before Thanksgiving. One can purchase or renew a permit online at nycgovparks.org/permits/tennis-permits/apply.

Just some of Queens’ courts are at: • Archie Spigner Park, at Merrick Boulevard and 172nd Street in St. Albans; • Astoria Park, at 21st Street and Hoyt Avenue;

Whether you practice your serve at Cunningham Tennis or your swing at the Clearview Park Golf Course, you can get moving this spring.

PHOTOS BY BUD TAYLOR, LEFT, AND VIA FACEBOOK / CLEARVIEW PARK GOLF COURSE / FILE • Baisley Pond Park, at 155th Street and 118th Avenue in Jamaica; • Crocheron Park, at 215th Place and 33rd Avenue in Bayside; • Flushing Meadows Corona Park, on Meridian Road east of the USTA National Tennis Center; • Forest Park, at Park Lane South and 89th Street in Woodhaven; and • Juniper Valley Park, at 62nd Avenue and 80th Street in Middle Village.

A full list is available at nycgovparks.org/ facilities/tennis.

In the event of an April shower or unseasonable cold, year-round indoor tennis is available at the Cunningham Tennis Center in Fresh Meadows and Commonpoint Queens Tennis and Athletic Center in Queens Village at the edge of Alley Pond Park. For bookings or more information about each, one may visit cunninghamtennis. org and commonpoint.org, respectively.

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by Naeisha Rose Editor

It’s hard for some people in certain neighborhoods to get fresh food, but thankfully more farmers markets throughout the World’s Borough will be back during the spring and summer seasons to add to the year-round ones.

GrowNYC, a nonprofit that operates more than 60 seasonal and year-round markets, is celebrating its golden 50th anniversary this year and is also entering its 16th year partnering with NYC Health + Hospitals/ Elmhurst.

“This longstanding collaboration continues to demonstrate a strong demand for fresh, healthy fruits a nd veget able s a mong t he diverse populations served by the hospital,” said Sarah Weisbecker, the regional manager of food access and agriculture for GrowNYC, via email. “Farmers bring not only high-quality produce, but also herbs and vegetables that reflect the cultural traditions of the neighborhood.

“Families from local preschools and participants in the nearby WIC program visit the market for tours and hands-on nutrition education, gaining valuable knowledge about cooking and healthy eating.”

The Elmhurst Hospital Greenmarket, located at 41st Avenue from 103rd to 104th streets, returns June 9 and runs through Nov. 24. It is open Tuesdays, from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Alina Moran, CEO of the hospital, said that accessing affordable, freshly grown fruits and vegetables in Elmhurst can be a challenge for many in the community.

“Having a weekly farmers market right outside our doors gives our patients the support they need to make healthy food choices for themselves and their families,” said Moran via email. “Our staff also enjoy the opportunity to buy locally grown produce and farm-to-table products.

“We are thrilled to welcome back the market for another successful season!”

GrowNYC also operates the Corona Greenmarket at Roosevelt Avenue from 103rd to 104th streets, which returns June 12 and runs through Nov. 20, Fridays, from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m., and the Flushing Greenmarket, located at Sanford Avenue and Union Street, which returns July 8 and runs through Nov. 25, Wednesdays, from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.

One year-round market is the Sunnyside Greenmarket, located on Skillman Avenue from 42nd to 43rd streets, open Saturdays.

Others include the Jackson Heights Greenmarket, located on 79th Street between 34th Avenue and Northern Boulevard, and the Forest Hills Greenmarket, located on Queens Boulevard at 70th Avenue, which are both open on Sundays.

All three are open from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Page 923QUEENS QUEENSCHRONICLE, CHRONICLE,Thursday, Thursday,April April9,9,2026 2026

Grown good and fresh for Queens

GrowNYC’s Elmhurst Hospital Greenmarket in 2025 had cucumbers, jalapeno peppers and more.

It returns on June 9, starting at 8 a.m.

PHOTO COURTESY GROWNYC To learn more about GrowNYC, visit grownyc.org/locations.

The Queens Cou nt y Far m Museu m, which celebrated its 50th anniversary last year, has been selling its produce for more than 33 years, said a spokesman for the museum, located at 73-50 Little Neck Pkwy. in Floral Park.

Its farmers market returns May 13 and runs through Nov. 25, Wednesdays to Sundays, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Times and dates for its

Jamaica Hospital Medical Center and Astoria farmers markets will be announced later this year at queensfarm.org.

“For this season, we have peas, carrots and leafy greens for the spring, tomatoes and eggplants for the summer and honeynut squash and kabocha for the fall,” said the spokesman.

“Our farmers do very well and accept SNAP and city health bucks.

“This is also an opportunity for the community to meet the farmers.”

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QUEENS CHRONICLE, Thursday, April 9, 2026 Page 10 24 For the GUIDE latest news visit qchron.com SPRING 3 2026

Day trip: Titanic-al history tours The ship that never arrived in New York City has never left since

by Michael Gannon Senior News Editor

On April 14, 1912, the world’s newest, most luxurious passenger liner, RMS Titanic, was on its maiden voyage when it struck an iceberg and sank early the next morning, killing more than 1,500 people, from members of wealthy New York society families to immigrants in steerage.

Since then a handful of shipwrecks have suffered far worse death tolls, and a dozen have seen 1,000 or more, but only the Titanic continues to grip and fascinate authors, historians and buffs who never stop looking to learn more.

A nd wh ile Ma n h at t a n h a s changed a lot in the 114 years since 705 survivors docked at Pier 54 on the West Side, there still are places that have strong historic ties to the world’s most famous shipwreck.

Two walking tours with professional guides take about two hours.

Macy’s in Herald Square in 1912 dedicated a memorial to its owners, Isidor and Ida Straus, one any shopper or visitor on a store tour can find in plain sight. Farther uptown a virtual reality entertainment company offers virtual tours of both the ship and of the wreck itself more than 12,000 feet beneath the Atlantic.

All are family-friendly, though the virtual reality tour is limited to ages 8 and older.

The Titanic Walking Tour with Dave Gardner has its next two scheduled trips April 11 and 12 beginning at 1 p.m. at Astor Place in Manhattan and ending at Chelsea Pier, formerly Pier 59, where the ship would have docked. Tickets are $39.98 at nyadventureclub.com.

“I do the tours during the year when there are requests,” Gardner, a licensed city tour guide, told the

Chronicle. “But I always do them around the anniversary of the sinking because it’s like Christmas — it’s date-based, so it always fills up.”

Astor Place is named for an ancestor of John Jacob Astor IV, who died in the sinking. A popular stop is a seemingly nondescript Wegmans grocery store at Fourth Avenue and East Eighth Street.

“That’s where they had an old wireless telegraph on the roof at the time,” Gardner said. “That was where David Sarnoff claims to have been the first person in the continental Unites States to have news of the Titanic’s sinking.”

Gardner has actually had a descendant of a survivor on the tour.

“Michael Goldsmith is a descendant of Frank Goldsmith, “ Gardner said. “Some years later, Frank Goldsmith was in South America attending a soccer match. Something bad happened for one of the teams.”

T he c rowd b ega n yel l i ng, screaming uncontrollably.

“His legs began shaking and gave out and he was quivering. And he gradually realized that all of the screams at the same time brought that night back. He survived, but he heard all of those screams in the water.”

Gardner still speculates about why the Titanic continues to fascinate new generations of people.

“I wish I knew,” he said. “I wish I could tell you.”

He points to the sinking of the Lusitania in 1915.

“There were some rock stars on the Lusitania,” Gardner said. “But it has never had the huge following that the Titanic has had ... With the Titanic you had the maiden voyage.

There was such drama. If she’d made 10 trips and then sank, it would still be story, still have the great loss of life. But the drama here is that is that she was making her

Andrea Janes, left, is the founder of Boroughs of the Dead tours. At right, Macy’s in Herald Square has honored Ida and Isidor Straus since shortly after their deaths in 1912.

PHOTO BY ALICE TEEPLE, LEFT, AND COURTESY MACY’S

maiden voyage.”

Gardner credits the opening of the High Line in 2009 with making the Pier 54-Pier 59 part of the tour easier.

“Before that I had to deal with the [West Side] highway,” he said.

The tour’s Facebook page has photos of actor Victor Garber, who portrayed ship designer Thomas Andrews in the 1997 blockbuster “Titanic.”

“He was just passing by,” Gardner said. “He stopped and talked with people, posed for pictures. He was great.”

Andrea Janes, founder of the tour company Boroughs of the Dead: Macabre NYC History Tours, has definite views on the continued interest. Her company will have its annual Titanic tours on April 11 and 18 at 4 p.m. and April 15 at 7 p.m.

“What I think beyond the stock answers — I think it’s because people see themselves in the Titanic,” Janes said. “It had such a diverse strata of society. Everyone can imagine themselves in that position, because we know so much about every person who was there that night. So much information is available.

“I think it cuts beyond logic. It gets inside you and grips you. You feel an immediate intimacy. You feel like you could be one of them. We’re immigrants. We’re New Yorkers. It’s us. We are them.”

He r c om p a ny’s n a me wa s inspired by the cemetery belt that runs through Queens, which always had intrigued her.

“I found out Queens was called the Borough of the Dead,” she said.

“When I decided to start the tour company I asked, ‘What if it could be all the boroughs?’”

The tours meet in front of the Great Hall at Cooper Union School at the intersection of Third Avenue and East Seventh Street. Tickets are $40 at boroughsofthedead.com.

“I love a good ghost story,” Janes said. She took a job with a ghost tour company, but was disappointed with what she felt was a lack of historical accuracy. She decided to stake out on her own, doing her own research and writing her own tour talking points.

“This is New York,” Janes said.

“You don’t have to make things up!”

She continued, “We definitely have a lot of historical information and ethics-grounded research. But we’re about 70-30 focusing mostly on the spiritual, the paranormal.

The eerie, the uncanny, the omens, the coincidences, the synchronicity.”

Dave Gardner leads his Titanic walking tour through lower Manhattan, visiting sites that have historic ties to the famed shipwreck.

COURTESY PHOTO One example is Jane Hotel in Greenwich Village, where the surviving Titanic crew members stayed while they awaited a trip home.

“The Jane Hotel is a funny haunting story because the traditional idea of a haunting is a ghost, the spirit of a departed person,” Janes said. She said the modern happenings are considered residual hauntings, often the psychic imprinting of emotionally charged experiences.

“These sailors were obviously traumatized,” she said. “They’re lang uishing, wonder ing when they can get on with their lives.

They have PTSD. They’re having nightmares, f lashbacks. They’re not getting paid. Their paybooks were clocked out at 1:40 a.m. on April 13.”

The company has been criticized for looking at the Titanic through a paranormal lens, though Janes said in this case it is very appropriate.

“When you think of the history of seafaring and maritime travel, an enormous psychological part of the voyages always had elements of the supernatural in it,” she said. “When you think about sailors, I think they are the most superstitious lot. Their fate is in the hands of the gods.

“The best sailor in the world, at the end of the day, if it’s you against a 60-foot breaker, you are quite powerless. You are quite small. We associate so much of the sea with the supernatural.”

At Macy’s, the Straus memorial has moved around since it was donated by store employees in 1912.

Isidor Straus, 67, was offered an available seat in a lifeboat, but

refused while women and children were still onboard. Ida, 63, refused to leave his side.

Richard Mitchell, a guide with Macy’s Visitors Center in Herald Square, said it is in the vestibule on 34th Street between Seventh Avenue and Broadway about midblock.

He said many groups, usually visitors from overseas, book tours of the famous store in advance.

“But we also have walk-up tours if guides are available,” Mitchell said.

The tours detail the history of the store, founded in 1858 by Rowland Hussey Macy, and the life of Isidor Straus, who bought the store with his brother, Nathan.

“I also bring up modern things, like the Titanic,” Mitchell said. “I also bring up 2023 and OceanGate.”

The ship’s curse over the Straus family did not end in 1912. Isidor and Ida’s great, great-granddaughter was married to Stockton Rush, founder of OceanGate, whose submarine, Titan, imploded on a voyage down to the Titanic’s wreck, killing him and four passengers.

In “Titanic: Echos From the Past,” Eclipso Immersive Entertainment at 555 West 57 St. brings guests to the ocean floor to explore the wreck, and then whisks them to the surface to visit the ship.

“Walk through bustling thirdclass cabins, the lively engine room, and the ship’s iconic grand staircase,” the company said in a press release. It ends with the collision with the iceberg. Tickets start at $31 from eclipso-entertainment.com.

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Page 11 25 QUEENS CHRONICLE, Thursday, April 9, 2026

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