Queens World Film Festival March 5-10

The Queens World Film Festival started in Jackson Heights three years ago, and continues to blossom.

This year it will be held March 5-10 with films showing in multiple locations, including the Museum of the Moving Image, the Jackson Triplex in Elmhurst, the Secret theater in Long Island City, and the Renaissance Charter School and P.S. 69 (both in Jackson Heights).  The opening night will be at the Museum of the Moving Image with an evening of 7 shorts from Australia, Belgium, Germany, Italy and the USA.  The show starts at 8pm and will be followed by an opening night party where you will be able to meet filmmakers showing work at the festival.

Tickets for almost all events, which are primarily short features are still available, the exception is the showing of MikeyBoy, a feature length film shot in Queens and taking place in Ozone Park, about an young Albanian who has to return home for his arranged marriage.

Click here for the complete schedule

Happy New Year!

Wishing anyone who checks in here now and the a happy and prosperous 2013.   I know I have been rather quiet of late, but I haven't forgotten my beloved Woodside. I've just had my hands full.  Hoping to have a bit more time to add content soon.

Sandy Update

This should have gone up over a week ago, but the strains of other parts of my life delayed it.  As the photos below show Sandy reaped a bit more havoc even in my immediate part of Woodside.  And as we all know the effects on gas supplies remain.  Last Sunday the BP station on Queens Boulevard across from the Big Six Towers was hit with gas line, both for cars and people with jerry cans, sorry no pictures of that -- had forgotten to reinsert the memory card in my camera.

Surviving Sandy in Woodside

I hope and assume that if you are reading this, you are safe.  It was difficult to get a picture of  Hurricane Sandy at its worst at night, and this one taken yesterday afternoon does not do justice to the force of the wind even in the afternoon, but the howling in our buildings' hallway as well as outside will stay in my memory for a long time.

Now that the worst is over, it is clear that in Woodside we escaped the worst and for that we should be thankful.  According to ConEd's information, four of the five outages in our area are affecting single customers, while the remaining outage is affecting 11 customers.  That may mean those outages will be lower priority and slow to be restored, which will be a big inconvenience for those involved,  I haven't been out and about since before the storm, but from my balcony I could not see any trees down, but that is very much a preliminary assessment based on limited information.  Our hearts go out to those who suffered more, even as we begin to consider how to deal with the disruption we will face in the coming days as the MTA deals with flooding it suffered.  I hope those of you who read this are safe.

Jin's Big Apple Goes Organic

Ever since I returned from vacation, I've been so busy that I have not had the creative energy to keep this blog going on a weekly basis.  It isn't that there aren't things to write about.  There are, but it takes spare thinking time to recognize them.  For example, on return I couldn't help but notice the improvements the folks at Jin's Big Apple had done.  The new shelves were to be honest badly needed,  and it was nice to see the expansion of their organic products so that now they are only carrying organic dairy products.  Yet even with my concern about food, the obvious need to note this hear just didn't come into my head, chocked full of concerns about my new part-time teaching gig as it was.  Yet, really I think this is a great thing for our neighborhood,  and it is yet another sign that the limited availability of local and organic problem does not reflect lack of interest on the part of Woodsiders.

Queens Walk to End Alzheimers 2012

Not exactly a Woodside event, but it was great to see several hundred people turn out
for the second annual Queens Walk to End Alzheimers in Flushing Meadows.   Saw a group representing Sunnyside, but none officially representing Woodside, perhaps that will change
next year.

Local Foods Availability, Is Woodside Falling Between Two Stools?

On returning from vacation, I was pleased to learn that our Councilman Jimmy Van Bramer was involved in setting up a new food program in the Queensbridge housing to allow for greater availability of fresh locally grown fruits and vegetables.  The situation in Long Island City was especially bad, as it often is in areas of low-income housing.

Here in Woodside we have several fruit and vegetable shops to choose from, not to mention supermarkets, and two excellent butchers, so at first glance there would seem little reason to be concerned.  Yet, since moving here a year and half ago, I've been struck by the fact that the vibrant local food cultures in Jackson Heights and Sunnyside seem to be leaving Woodside behind.  To be sure with green markets in both those locations, I can't say it would make sense to have a green market here in Woodside, and I have heard there is a Community Supported Agriculture program based at St. Jacobus at 72-01 43rd Ave, but that is hardly at the center of Woodside.  Nor does it seem to be well publicized and I suspect I'm not alone in thinking we can do better.

It would be great if we didn't have to hop on the 7 train to get great locally produced foods.  If you are a Woodsider, and you've never done so check out the Green Market in Sunnyside on Skillman Ave between 42nd and 43rd Streets on Saturdays June to December or the one in Jackson Heights on 34th Ave between 77th and 78th Streets, which is open Sundays year around to get a feel for what we are missing.  It's not just locally grown fruits and vegetables, you can by meats and excellent locally caught fish, and even New York State wines but if you don't know about these outlets for great food it is easy to think there is no real need for to add to the diversity of quality food available in Woodside.