Ins&Outs TV recently visited Testaccio restaurant, a new addition to the Vernon Blvd. strip in LIC. The classic Roman-Italian eatery boasts a modern design and features a traditional menu with a contemporary twist. Testaccio is located at 47-30 Vernon Blvd., Long Island City, NY 11101.
Bareburger in Astoria not only prides itself on being delicious, but being organic. The booths are made from biodegradable materials, all wood is recycled or reclaimed, toilets are low-flush, the ceiling is comprised of tin from an old barnyard, the floors are made out of bamboo, and the list goes on. John Simeonidis of Bareburger said there are 250 different ways to put together your burger and the burger size (6.5 oz) is the perfect portion. Simeonidis said eating organic is not only tastier and healthier, but better for the environment. Appease your palate (and the earth) at 3321 31st Ave., Astoria, bareburger.com
The 40,000 square-foot Club Fitness in Astoria offers a variety of classes and Ins&Outs was there to peek in on three of them. Traditional Capoeira class with Professor Abara looks not only fun, but as a good way to sweat it out! The Brazilian martial art “hides inside the dance,” Abara said. Salsa dancing with Ricky Ricardo Villa every Monday is great for beginners and experts alike. Villa says the class is a mix of dances, Ballroom, Cha Cha, Rumba, and Jive, just to name a few. Doing the Boot Camp class with Calvin Stewart will whip you into shape! “When you come in here, long as the music play, you can stay all day!” Stewart said. 31-09 Broadway in Astoria. For more information visit, clubfitnessny.com
Hot off the presses! The new issue of Ins&Outs is here!
You can pick it up at most of the stores on Vernon Blvd., and if you're not local, you can always subscribe online!
In this issue: "A Tale of Two Beer Gardens," Studio Square and Bohemian Hall duke it out, "7 on the 7," featured galleries on our favorite subway line, "A Theater Grows in LIC," a profile on The Chocolate Factory, "The Sands of Rhyme," Jamaica-based rapper shares all, Open Studio with Jaime Arredondo, the details on what's coming to Hunter's Point South, a profile on LIC's new gallery Space Womb, our farewell to summer photo spread, and much more!
Pick up your copy today!
Jumelle Designs Winter 2010 Collection
On Monday, September 21, Jumelle Designs revealed their Winter 2010 collection. In a fashion show at FOUR in Melville, NY, models stomped down the runway in some seriously cool garments. Long Island-based sisters Tikimia and Eileen traveled to Japan to get super special fabrics to make their pieces unique. For more information, visit JumelleDesigns.com.
Queens Restaurant Week
Queens Restaurant Week, organized by Borough President Helen Marshall, will start on October 5 and last until October 15.
Participating restaurants will offer special $25 prix-fixe menus. Some restaurants will even serve lunch for two for $25!
In these 14 days, you have the opportunity to feast like a globetrotter without ever leaving the borough! From French in LIC to Asian in Flushing, be sure to wine and dine yourselves while discovering Queens.
John Solo is the owner of ever-popular Grand Café in Astoria, which turns four years old this year. Open until 3 a.m. on weekends, it’s a bustling diner/lounge on a busy corner in the heart of downtown Astoria. Solo’s motto of “no smoking, no soccer, and no Greek music” seems to be working pretty well for the place, offering customers a change from the usual.
But in his spare time Solo chases more creative pursuits, like acting: He has appeared on shows such as Law and Order. In his latest project, he tried his hands at production, teaming up with friend Justin Foran to write and produce a 15-minute movie called Hope.
Hope is the story of shy 12-year-old Sean from the Queensbridge housing projects, who leaves home after his mother dies and his father loses his job, and ends up in Washington, D.C. on Inauguration Day. With the help of the spirit of Obama’s inauguration and a new friend, he regains “hope” in his life.
Shot all over Queens (including Grand Café), at times the mini-movie feels like a love story to our fair borough. But the film crew also traveled to D.C. to shoot during the inauguration, offering a number of realistic crowd shots.
Created on a $10,000 budget, Hope is the first effort of Solo’s and Foran’s How Dare You Productions. It will screen on Friday, Sept. 25 for the 13th Annual BET Urbanworld Film Festival, at the AMC Loews on 34th Street in Midtown. For more information, visit hope-themovie.com.
LIC Fashion Week!
Saturday, Sept. 12, a crowd filled Evandro Motors which hosted LIC Fashion Week. With a background consisting of luxury cars and bikes, models stomped down the runway in this year’s hottest fashions.
Feral Childe showed off their spring 2010 collection, “The Hills are Alive,” which was inspired by The Sound of Music. Alice Wu, half of the Feral Childe design team, told Ins&Outs, "We created an alternative narrative, brought to life by our signature matchings of richly textured fabrics, hand-drawn textile prints, and construction details. This season, look for alpine mushrooms and cherries, wild pigs, mirror lakes, lighting bolts, rainbows, and chalets."
Joel Voisard had an inventive collection using statement jewelry to spice it up.
Rockaway Beach showed off pieces with a classic 40’s and 50’s feel, with a futuristic twist. "Our inspiration for the fashion show is the vintage Barbie and the Robot Siren in the movie Metropolis," Mui Ying Kwan, RockawayBeach designer said.
Sohung Designs sent feminine, complicated, and elegant pieces down the runway.
From Sumie Tachibana we saw a lot of blacks and whites. Her designs have a slight sexiness which would be perfect for any cocktail party.
Skin-Deep Beauty
Astoria-based Akiyo has been practicing henna for seven years in the tri-state area. She's transformed henna design into a new art, offering services like Luxe Glow, a waterproof glitter body art which lasts for about a week and is a great accessory for parties and special occasions. Akiyo offers many styles, including traditional Indian, Moroccan, and Arabic, as well as contemporary designs. She can adorn you for bridal showers, birthday parties, holiday parties, sweet 16s, you name it.
In this video, Akiyo shows Ins&Outs her techniques. For more information visit akiyohenna.com.
Astoria Music Now! 2009
The second annual Astoria Music & Arts festival in Astoria Park July 25 was a huge hit, with four stages featuring local musicians, many artists showcasing their work, and lots of fun in the sun. Ins&Outs interviewed the organizers of the event, as well as performers like Astoria-based rapper Hops and Brooklyn-based experimental duo Hank & Cupcakes. Check it out!
Ins&Outs Visits Da Franco Ristorante Italiano
Our borough is full of authentic ethnic restaurants, but Astoria's Da Franco stands out with its homemade ingredients. The mozzarella is made in owner Franco Spatola's factory out in Ridgewood and delivered fresh daily. Opened in May, Da Franco offers a casual dining atmosphere, quality ingredients, and a variety of classic Italian dishes, from chicken parmigiana to a fried seafood platter brimming with calamari, red mullet, and fresh sardines, as well as over 30 types of pizza. A testament to pizza done right, Da Franco’s pies are crisp, flavorful, and near perfect. Spatola has been in the restaurant biz for years, and his expertise is apparent upon first sauce-filled bite.
