#MonthlyPicks | What Ellen Kodadek Loves About Queens
BY QEDC It's In Queens
Local residents and borough enthusiasts chime in on their favorite places to eat, learn, walk, and have fun in this monthly column. The January 2021 picks are by Astoria resident Ellen Kodadek, Executive and Artistic Director of the popular cultural institution Flushing Town Hall.
Good Eats
My neighborhood go-to place is Sanfords on Broadway in Astoria. The food is delicious, the place is always buzzing with a lively crowd (pre-pandemic, of course!), and the staff is super-friendly. I highly recommend the pulled pork sandwiches (the must-order for my daughter whenever she visits from overseas). As I love the diversity in the neighborhood, I love the lamb saag at Seva on 34th Street in Astoria (they have a fabulous delivery special) and the huevos rancheros at Viva el Mariachi on Broadway. Oh, and in Flushing where I work, you MUST order the No. 6 dumplings at White Bear near the Roosevelt Avenue-Prince Street intersection.
Unique Treats
I love The Noguchi Museum, which is very meditative. It’s a place to visit when you want a sense of calm, peacefulness and contentment. I feel the same way about Socrates Sculpture Park, which was transformed from an industrial dump into a big, outdoor park with changing sculptures each year. I sit on a bench, gaze at the East River, and enjoy its calm with a good book and a thermos of coffee. (And it’s right near Costco, so that’s a plus!).
Wander Streets
There’s nothing in New York City like the Roosevelt Avenue stretch through Jackson Heights: the food, the diversity of cultures, and the vibrancy. “Little India” has amazing food from India, Tibet, Nepal, and Bangladesh, and you can buy saris and tons of bangle bracelets; there’s also incredible food from Colombia, Peru, and Mexico; you can get the best tacos from taco stands and even buy cowboy boots! I love the mix of cultures, commerce, and communities. At Flushing Town Hall, we celebrate our global communities – and so does Roosevelt Avenue!
Historic Feats
I encourage everyone to visit the Lewis Latimer House Museum and discover the namesake’s long-ignored role which changed the world. In 1881, Latimer, an African-American son of escaped slaves, patented a carbon filament for the incandescent lightbulb. His invention helped make electric lighting practical and affordable for the average household. So thank Lewis every time you flick the light switch!
Ellen Kodadek is the Executive and Artistic Director at Flushing Town Hall, where she has worked for the past 13 years and has launched Flushing Town Hall at Home amid the pandemic. Learn more at www.flushingtownhall.org.