#MonthlyPicks | May’17 by Clarissa McNair
BY QEDC It's In Queens
Local residents chime in on their favorites place to eat, learn, walk, and have fun. This month’s picks are by Clarissa McNair.
Wander Streets:
I have only been in Queens for a few months so I’m still exploring, but my bicycle always seems to take me on Sundays to The Museum of the Moving Image at 36-01 35th Avenue. It is termed a “media museum” and is in a building that used to be part of the present Kaufman Astoria Studios. It opened in 1988 and was first called the “American Museum of the Moving Image.” Anyone over the age of two will find it mesmerizing. Portraits of the stars, their wigs, their costumes go back decades, but the museum also lets one see the newest technology behind the special effects. There is a spacious café in startling pristine white overlooking a garden, several floors of exhibits, and several auditoriums where films are shown.
Historic Feats:
The Greater Astoria Historical Society in the Quinn Building at 35-20 Broadway is a small treasure. The executive director, Bob Singleton, knows the most unusual tidbits of the history of Long Island City and Astoria, and gives tours with great humor, packed with information. Those who came before us and why and how this area developed over the decades are fascinating, but what I like most are the black-and-white photographs. Free. Go. And join! The lectures are fabulous. How could anyone resist one called “Alligators in the Sewers?”
Unique Treats:
Head back to Omonia Café at 32-20 Broadway and stand over the glass cases of pastries that look like jewelry; the cakes and pies are works of art! Difficult to choose just one. Typical Greek desserts sit beside contemporary delights like Oreo cheesecake. Order coffee or a glass of wine and treat yourself. Maybe you will burn off the calories by trying to learn to say “thank you” in Greek to one of the charming staffers!
Good Eats:
Calamari fritti is a dish I could happily eat for breakfast and all day long. And I have! For the best fried squid I have found in Astoria, go to Omonia Café at 32-20 Broadway. Though better known for coffee and pastries, I always order calamari fritti. Nothing more pleasant than a table there in summer when the walls are open and the entire restaurant takes on the spirit of an outdoor café. Royal blue is the dominant color, and Greek is the dominant language. For excellent Indian food, I go to Saffron at 44-04 Broadway, which has a very nice patio in the back. I recommend any dish with lamb, but everything I’ve tried is perfection. There is a 15 percent discount when you phone your order plus free delivery. Once in awhile a really good pizza is a necessity of life. Try Retro Café at 41-02 Broadway. I love the Italian movie posters on the walls, and the homemade brownies are the best. I imagine someone in the kitchen baking them just for me. I really like Baharai Estiatorio at 31-14 Broadway. Reasonably priced, very nice service, white tablecloths, and very good Greek food. Any appetizer is a full meal for me. I was there with a friend a few weeks ago, and we asked for more bread. Minutes passed, and we asked again and were told it was just coming out of the oven!
Clarissa McNair, whose nickname is Cici, is a private detective and novelist. In her spare time, she writes memoirs and tutors English reading, writing, and grammar–all ages. She arrived in Astoria after four years in Paris and Rome and is delighted by her new neighborhood. Catch her at www.greenstarinvestigations.com, www.mcnairwrites.com and clarissamcnair@gmail.com.