MonthlyPicks/Valerie Green
Great Eats
The Greek restaurants in Astoria tend to be fantastic, and I enjoy trying different ones. However, if I had to name a few, I’d go with Taverna Kyclades on Ditmars Boulevard, Stamatis on 23rd Avenue, and Agnanti Meze just off Astoria Park. There’s nothing like octopus when it’s prepared properly and fresh calamari never disappoints.
I’d add that exploring ethnic food in Queens (aka The World’s Most Diverse Borough) is a favorite pastime. When something brings me to a neighborhood, I always check out what’s on the menus there.
Wander Streets
The LIC Waterfront and Astoria Park are beautiful places to visit and I’ve been impressed by how the areas have developed and revitalized over the years. The sunset view from LIC Gantries is spectacular and I have great memories of performing and watching other artists perform there. (Editor’s note: See Live at the Gantries)
Unique Treats
I have my reliable spots to enjoy culture and entertainment, but I’m constantly discovering hidden gems. For example, the Louis Armstrong House Museum is world famous and a “must-see,” but the borough has many more historic houses, such as Flushing’s Voelker Orth Museum, which offers a spectacular view into German-American life at the turn of the 20th century and has an awe-inspiring Victorian garden. (Editor’s note: Valerie performs there in the above photo from VOM’s Facebook account.) Continuing with the reliable-hidden theme, the music is always incredible at Terraza 7 in Jackson Heights, but we have great free concerts in local parks all summer. Add the restaurants, beaches, and museums, and Manhattan starts to seem far away and expensive.
Historic Feats
The two World’s Fairs in Flushing Meadows Corona Park are particularly interesting. Before the internet, people needed a place to come together and share their cuisine, art, fashion, and inventions. We pulled it off twice while creating beautiful architecture and sculptures that still remain today. Those structures add charm to Queens life. When you pass them on the Long Island Expressway or Grand Central Parkway, you feel nostalgic and think about the past.
Though her head is uncovered in the above photos, Valerie Green wears a lot of hats. The Celtic Park resident creates choreography, performs, presents dance programs, and runs Green Space Studios and Dance Entropy. (She founded them, too!) She’s also a Certified Practitioner in Core Energetics and Body/Mind Fitness whose 10-session Somatic Healing program starts on Feb. 25 and runs until July 1.
