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September 16-30                                                                                        Like us on Facebook  Follow us on Twitter
Sept. 18, 11 am-3 pm. Lunch with Snowday Food Truck: Don't miss this farm-to-truck experience featuring maple-themed dishes.This truck is operated by clients of Drive Change, a nonprofit that trains and employs formerly incarcerated youth. Items are between $3 and $10. Dutch Kills Green, 41st Ave. & Northern Blvd., LIC

Sept. 19, 8 pm.
Jason Mraz and Raining Jane in All Five Boroughs: Two-time Grammy winner Mraz broke record with his single, "I'm Yours." He's now touring with his new album "YES!" in which he collaborates with his longtime friend, Raining Jane. $25-$75. Colden Auditorium, 65-30 Kissena Blvd., Flushing

Sept. 19-28. Astoria Restaurant Week: Celebrate Astoria's unique food culture with fellow foodies. Dine for as low as $15 per person. Don't miss the Kickoff Party on Sept. 16. Astoria

Sept. 20, 10 am-5:30 pm.

The World of the 7 Train:

 The official Queens borough historian leads a fascinating trek. Tour ends with lunch in Flushing. $40. Advance registration required.

Sept. 20-21, all day. World Maker Faire: Make, learn, invent, recycle, play, and be inspired by crafts, engineering, science and technology. $17.50-$70. Hall of Science, 47-01 111th St., Corona

Sept. 20, 12-3 pm.
Hands-on History: We the People: Happy Constitution Day! 19th century arts & crafts and tours to learn about Rufus King. Free. King Manor, 150-03 Jamaica Ave., Jamaica

Sept. 27, 1-5 pm. Bayside Day: Celebrate Bayside Day's 100th anniversary with a vintage auto parade, wine garden, and games. 
Bayside Historical Society, 208 Totten Ave., Fort Totten


Sept. 27, 12-6 pm. Picnic Days: Enjoy the beautiful Onderdonk House and gardens with your friends. It includes grills, picnic tables, plus tours of the historic grounds. $5. 1820 Flushing Ave.  

Sept. 27, 9 pm. Legends of Hip Hop Volume II: Party featuring Fatman Scoop, Coolio, Rob Base, and Chubb Rock$30. Resorts World Casino NYC, 110-00 Rockaway Blvd., Jamaica
 
Sept. 27, 5:30 pm. Oktoberfest (Flushing Style) - Kimchi & Sauerkraut: Enjoy home-style German-American cuisine as well as Korean-American dishes that unite the pickled cabbage. $25. Voelker Orth Museum, 149-19 38th Ave., Flushing
Outdoor Festivals
Sept. 20, 1-8 pm. 
82nd St. & Roosevelt Ave., Jackson Heights 

Sept. 21, 12-6 pm. 
Broadway from Crescent to Steinway, Astoria 

Sept. 28, 12-6 pm. 
Shop Forest Hills Fall Festival: Austin St. from 69th to 72nd roads, Forest Hills

Sept. 21. Carnaval de la Cultura Latina: Junction Blvd. between Roosevelt & 37th avenues, Corona

Sept. 21, 11 am-5 pm. 
Kaufman Arts District
Exhibits & History
Opened Sept. 11. 
Andy Warhol's Photo-Aesthetic and Beyond: Silkscreen prints and photographs. Queens College.

Opened Sept. 12. 
Also like Life: Films by Hou Hsiao-hsien, a leading figure of Taiwanese New Wave Cinema.

Sept. 17 & 20. 
Christine Wong Yap: The Eve Of: Pop-up visual art exhibition in LIC.
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Melisa's September Picks
Good Eats: Summer might be at the end of its rope, but we're entering the bright side of colder weather when we talk about Autumn-friendly food. There is nowhere better to get a sampling of Queens' leading eateries than along the 7 train line. Hop off at the following destinations to indulge in wallet-friendly, mouth-watering, inspirational eats.
  • Flushing- Main Street

We start our trip with Biang, located in the Asian enclave of Flushing. The spicy and sour lamb dumplings in broth take center stage at this venue, which are best preceded by an order of delicious quail eggs on toast as an appetizer. The stylish wood-paneled walls coupled with table candles make Biang the perfect place to relax.


 

If you've only got 20 minutes to spare, head over to White Bear. For just $5, you can experience the best wontons in chili oil that NYC has to offer.

 

No trip to Flushing would be complete without bubble tea to round out your meal. Joos, a new tea-and-juice bar, one of more than 15 other specialty juice venues in Flushing, matches quality and price with its 2-for-$3 deal. Bring a friend!

  • 82nd Street- Jackson Heights

At the next stop, embrace the last vestiges of summer with a cholado at Bakery de Las Americas in the hyper-diverse Jackson Heights. The mouthwatering fruit salad enveloped in condensed milk makes for a satisfying treat.

  • Hunters Point Avenue
End the night with drinks at a duo coffee shop and bar, Sweet Leaf, right by the LIC waterfront. Whether you'd rather relax with an espresso or a specialty drink, such as the Long Island City Special with rum, agave and lemon juice, you'll find cozy chairs to sink into and large windows for people-watching.
 

Wander Streets: Sunnyside is a vibrant neighborhood in western Queens near the 7 train line. To begin your exploration, I suggest you hop off at 46th Street, also fittingly known as Bliss Street. Sunnyside is as historic as it is bustling with new energy. You'll get a sense of being lost in time as you stroll along 46th street and Skillman Avenue, which is part of the Sunnyside Gardens Historic District. A short walk back to Queens Boulevard, however, reveals that you're very much in the present: cultural centers (such as the Turkish Cultural Center) interspersed with trendy new cafes and thrift stores line the street, clearly pointing to a neighborhood in transition. Expand your view from micro to macro by climbing the stairs back to the elevated 7 train for a breathtaking look at the Manhattan skyline, but not before relaxing for a beat at the bustling public plaza located directly under the train!


 

Unique Treats: Year round, a day (or night) at the Queens Museum is an unparalleled experience. Featuring community-conscious art, the museum isn't just for show; it regularly hosts fun events for families and children and will unveil a number of new exhibits throughout September. Among these new exhibits is Anonymous, described as "an exploration of changing attitudes towards self-expression, attribution, and identity in contemporary Tibetan art." Be sure to head over on Sept. 21 for the unveiling...I'll definitely be there!


 

Bonus! If you'd like to score an aerial view of NYC without ever taking flight, be sure to check out the phenomenal panorama of NYC located in the heart of the museum.

 

Historic Feats: Intrigued by architecture? Head over to College Point to check out the Poppenhusen Institute. Not only pleasing to the eye with its rustic exterior, the institute is rich with history, as it was once the location for the country's first free kindergarten.

 


 

Melisa Tekin is a third year CUNY student pursuing dual degrees in Urban Economics and Marketing. She makes no distinction between work and play and can be found perusing the neighborhoods of Queens collecting not only demographic information of the patrons of a newly installed plaza, but also sampling an empanada or two.