Fit for Queens

Epic walk no. 2: Queens

Neighborhoods: Flushing, Forest Hills, Glendale, Ridgewood, Bushwick

Parks: Queens Botanical Garden, Flushing Meadows-Corona Park, Forest Park

Queens Botanical Garden

Sustainable symmetry.

Boys and Flowers.

Orchards.

Flushing Meadows-Corona Park

Half the the park seemed to be entirely devoted to soccer, the other half contained decaying artifacts of the 1939 and 1964 New York World’s Fairs. The fountains were devoid of water. The structures built to impress the world now lay rusting. A dilapidated tribute to the greatness of the past:

The Observation Towers.

The Unisphere.

The Rocket Thrower.

Public Displays of Affection.

Side note: This is also the location my favorite Flight of the Conchords song was filmed.

We stopped by the Queens Museum of Art, which is housed in the building that was the New York Pavilion in the ’64 fair. We stumbled upon a map of the New York City Water Supply and watershed systems and an exhibit dedicated to Detroit foreclosures. The primary purpose of the stop, however, was the Panorama of the City of New York–a model of NYC built to scale, complete with airplanes on strings flying out of La Guardia. Every street and every building was included. It was built for the 1964 fair and was last updated in 1992. There were pink markers that represented foreclosures. Sign of the times.

We planned on renting our boats in Meadow Lake, but it was occupied by a dragon-boat regatta. It looked like it was accompanied by some sort of festival, but upon further examination, we found it was mostly just corporate-sponsored booths providing auto insurance and things of that nature.

The next neighborhood we walked through was Forest Hills. The neighborhood Forest Hills, Michigan (a suburb of Grand Rapids) strives to be, but never will due to the proliferation of hideous McMasions on undersized lots. This Forest Hills is filled with tasteful, Tudor mansions and privately owned streets.

Sweet Religion.

Upon my request, this walk was very park-centric. I was craving nature, and I found it in New York City. Forest Park was lush and green and had a carousel (!), which unfortunately was not working.

Glendale provided a sharp contrast to the towering Tudor homes of Forest Hills. Working-class, Americana–complete with gnomes!

Main Street, USA.

“Upper Ridgewood” is primarily a Polish Neighborhood. I wasn’t aware I liked Polish food until I ate the most delicious meal at a restaurant called Kredens.

The row houses of Ridgewood.

Ridgewood has lots of fruit stands–the mark of a good neighborhood.

Ridgewood seemed quiet and reserved until we ventured closer to Bushwick. The city went from a small Polish town to a lively Hispanic fiesta in a few blocks.

Timely graffiti in Bushwick:

Our epic walk devolved into Bushwick bar hopping, which started at a comic book-themed whole-in-the-wall, and continued to an eclectic nonsense bar with live music known as Goodbye Blue Monday. We then ventured to Beauty Bar and a few others I can’t recall.

The entire walk ended up being nearly 15 miles.

P.S.

This picture wasn’t taken on the walk, but is a testament to our youthful spontaneity and lawlessness (We were technically trespassing on a dock in Hunters Point, Queens. I took this picture before a less-than-friendly exchange with the local police).

Coney Island, Baby

Its gritty. Its grotesque. Its the anti-Disney. Welcome to the World’s Playground.

The Beach: Cloudy Coney.

Roller Derby! Dream Land Roller Rink.

The Pier.

All American Baseball. Go Cyclones!

So into it. 

Deano’s Wonder Wheel Amusement Park

Amusement: Shoot the Freak! 

The Wonder Wheel. Thrills!

The Cyclone.

Very Special People.

Topless sirens holding hotdogs make Brandon blush.

Wild Women & Wise Guys

Please come again!

Strange Powers, indeed.

Kickball, What Else?

My summer has essentially been overrun by weekly activities: Movies in Grant Park, Veggie Bingo, movies in Humboldt Park, and now, Sunday Night Kickball. There will be an pick-up game every Sunday from now until the end of time (or at least until it gets cold). The festivities take place at 6:30 pm in Holstein Park in Bucktown. The park itself is rather small, but the lights turn on when it gets dark, making it perfect for our purposes. Hopefully the nice Bucktown families don’t kick us out before the season is over. Here are some pictures from our first game:

Oh yeah, and there is also a Facebook page, because nothing is official until its on Facebook.

(Photos courtesy of Ramsey Beyer.)

Wednesday Night Riots

Two reasons my Wednesday nights are spoken for:

1. Veggie Bingo

Every Wednesday night from now until September 9th, the Hideout is hosting Veggie Bingo. All proceeds go to an organization called Neighbor Space, a nonprofit, urban land trust dedicated to preserving and sustaining community-managed open spaces in Chicago. In addition to the bar-wide bingo game, there are hot dogs and tofu pups, vegetable prizes and a copious amount of bicycles.

The Details:

What: Bingo!

Where: The Hideout, 1354 W. Wabansia

When: Wednesdays, 6-8 PM, from July 8-September 9

Who: The Hideout, NeighborSpace, and Irv and Shelly’s Fresh Picks

Why: To raise money to help Chicago’s gardens grow. Cards are 1 for 1 dollar or 6 for 5.

See Soup and Bread--a blog about soup, bread and bingo for more details.

Pictured above are two bona fide bingo-winners! Ava is a hot dog model. Hot.

2. DIY Movies: Sunset Cinema in Humboldt Park

Members of Thunder Horse, a local video-art collective, put on movies in a vacant lot in Humboldt Park (almost) every Wednesday night. The bike-in theater is complete with amenities such as a full-service concession stand serving hot dogs, popcorn and PBR. The screen is toward the back of the lot and framed by two majestic (thunder?) horses. Thunder Horse is keen on selecting cult-classics from the twenty-somethings generation rather than the black and white classics shown in Grant Park. The first time I attended, they screened Clueless–the classic epitome of 90′s consumerism meets weird, incestuous teenage love story. Unfortunately I missed, Don’t Tell Mom the Babysitter’s Dead, which they screened the week before. Friday was last Wednesday’s flick. Not my favorite, but it was a neighborhood request and I appreciated the local interaction.

Unfortunately, there is no movie tonight, but you should join us next time! The lot is located on Evergreen and Rockwell. Read the Article in Time Out Chicago for more details.

Casiotone for the Painfully Alone, The Pains of Being Twenty-Something

Casiotone for the Painfully Alone (Chicago, IL)  played last Friday night at the Hideout with Cryptacize and Serengeti & Polyphonic.

After waiting for a friend and then giving up and frantically riding my bicycle towards the industrial river bend, I arrived to see a large “sold out” sign perched in front of the two-story house that is known as the Hideout. With much remorse and a sense of regret, I approached the guy selling tickets and moderating the affair. He confirmed that the show was indeed sold out, but I should wait in case someone leaves. I met some interesting guys in fedoras who were also waiting. They claimed to be in the band. I called their bullshit and they conceded and laughed. It took all of five minutes to get in.

The Hideout is a bar located in an industrial area by the river–Elston and Wabansia. The former speakeasy was said to have been hastily built in two days, and remarkably is still standing and structurally sound. There is a small bar is in front and double doors lead to the “concert area.” The walls are adorned with taxidermied aquatic life replicas and the rafters are lined with strings of white lights. Behind the stage, there is a simple wooden sign that says, “the Hideout.” The drinks are reasonably priced and the bartenders friendly. Last time I was there I saw a blues/ragtime band called, Devil in a Woodphile, complete with washboards and harmonicas.

I arrived in the middle of the Cryptacize set, and don’t think I saw enough to give a fair review. I wasn’t into it. I  remember the word “mediocre” coming to mind.  I did overhear (I happened to be situated by the merch table) a slightly awkward conversation with a band member and some adoring fans who were convinced they would be playing at Pitchfork next year. Its funny how bands get “pitchforked,” but I think that merits another post altogether.

The drum machine-infused melancholy provided by Casiotone definitely made the trip worthwhile. I love the simplicity of his music and his deep voice that is both comforting and sad. It makes me want to photograph urban decay. The songs are mostly focused on everyday mundane events, spaces and people. Songs about leaving/moving/hometowns/ holidays/smoking/drinking/families/futures/being twenty-something in general. What can I say? It speaks to me.

I regret that I don’t have better photos, but apparently lo-fi photos are a thing.

Awfully cute video for White Corolla:

The LSAT is invading my life

Real LSAT answer choice:

D. Linda is grumpy only if she does not have her coffee in the morning, and Linda does not have her coffee in the morning only if  she runs out of coffee. Therefore, Linda runs out of coffee only on days that she is grumpy.

Expect more posts after June 8th.

Great Chicago Spaces and Places Festival

Great Chicago Spaces and Places Festival is this taking place this Saturday, May 16th. This means free, historic architecture tours all day! Nerd Alert!

Don’t worry, Segways not included.

There is one problem: there are so many tours, I’ll never be able to choose! Here are some that stood out:

• Architecture River Cruise (boat)
• From Civil War to Civil Right and Beyond (bus)
• Chicago Chocolate Tour (walking)
• Downtown Deco (walking)
• Gyros and Burritos: A tour of Greek Town and Pilsen (trolley)
• Logan Square Historic Boulevards (trolley)
• Roots of Reform (bus)

And for the Batman geeks among us, there is also “the Dark Knight Revealed.”

See the full list and tour descriptions here.
Click here for more information about the festival.

Lets go!

826 Robot Prom a.k.a. I need a date

Event Alert!

826 Chicago, a nonprofit writing/tutoring center (the original, 826 San Francisco, was co-founded by Dave Eggers), is hosting Robot Prom this weekend at Pulaski Park Fieldhouse. I would love to go, but I am dateless.

What: 826 Chi’s Prom 2009
Theme: “Robot Armageddon”
Where: Pulaski Fieldhouse
When: This Saturday, April 25th at 8 p.m.

A few months ago, I participated in 826 Chi’s Moustache-a-thon, and while I did not win, I met a lot of amazing people. I hope I can find a date/robot getup in time!

Tea Time

Last Wednesday was tax day, and Chicago was infiltrated by it’s fair share of tea-baggers. The party was at  Kluczynski Federal Plaza, only a few blocks away from my work. I decided to take a stroll down there during my lunch break.

The lack of focus of the rally was astounding. Most people seemed to be against paying taxes and big government spending. It also brought out Ron Paulian liberatarians, anti-choicers, and I even saw one sign that said, “English Unites Us All.” Here are some pictures I took from my phone:

Kluczynski Federal Plaza

Chicago Tea=Congress Helping Itself Carelessly to All Gains of Others, We’re Taxed Enough A$$holes.

The fact that 95% of Americans received a tax break this year is somehow irrelevant. Also, ‘Free Markets, not Free Loaders.” So spending tax dollars on an unfounded war in a country you probably can’t even find on a map is somehow more justified than spending money on social services that actually help people in this country? Great.

Equal Division of Unequal Earnings is Communism. Good thing we don’t do that in this country!

The Gadsden Flag? I don’t quite understand the connection. Are they supporting federalism? Would they prefer to only pay state taxes? Return to colonialism? Benjamin Franklin 2012!

“Presidential FAIL: Yes We Can’t!” That one is not even creative.

“Dear Congress: Stop it! Signed the Taxpayers” and” In God We Trust, Obama and Congress eh… Not so Much.”

“Obamahood” and his merry thieves.

Look! Its a family affair! Don’t worry girls, school is not important.

I really get upset when people exploit children for their own political agendas. The girl all the way to the left’s sign says “get your hands out of my daddy’s pockets.” Her daddy was standing proudly behind her while stangers, protesters and onlookers took pictures and gave them positive affirmation. “Great signs girls!”

I knew I had to leave when I thought about confronting the smug-looking father and asking him (1) if he made over 200,000 dollars and year (because if not, then he received a tax break) and (2) if he really thought his aversion to paying taxes justified taking his daughter out of school.

“Get your hands out of my daddy’s pockets, Stop stealing my future, and Wake me up in 2012.”

This girl would like a pony and a lifetime supply of candy.

This little girl want you to know that the Constitution is not a toy. I agree whole-heatedly. I wonder if she (or her nutty parents) has read the Constitution, or more specifically, Article I Section 8 which states, “The Congress shall have power to lay and collect taxes, duties, imposts and excises, to pay the debts and provide for the common defense and general welfare of the United States.”

I don’t quite understand the give-Pelosi-giant-red-lips approach.

This girl would like you to stop spending her future. Although you can’t read the sign, her friend would like you to stop spending what she has earned, which, I’m guessing isn’t much since I don’t think she’s of legal age to be legally employed.

There were a myriad of signs much more poignant and offensive than the ones seen above. One I especially liked was a picture of Obama as a pirate. The campaign logo was the eye patch. Topical.

Special thanks to Santelli for starting this absurdity with his infamous rant, and to FOX News for vigilantly promoting the protests.

More coverage of Chicago’s Federal Plaza Tea Party: The Chicagoist The Chicago Tribune The Huffington Post

A Nervous Tick Motion of the Head

“Its kind of weird,” he said, “riding a tour bus into your hometown.”

Last night I saw Andrew Bird at the Civic Opera House. As testament to his popularity, he sold out the Ardis Krainik Theatre not one, but two consecutive nights. He wooed the ladies with his quirky anecdotes spoken in his ungodly low voice, and awed the audience with his whistles,  loop pedal and violin. All the while  gramophones spun effortlessly in the background.

The Civic Opera House was breathtaking. It was built in 1929 (although recently refurbished), and is described as a hybrid of art nouveau and art deco styles; the result is immaculate and the sound unparalleled. Our seats were located on the very top balcony, accessible through the fifth floor. When we went to take our seats, I was struck by how high we were. The steep stairs gave me the feeling that I was going to trip and stumble to my untimely demise. It is the feeling you get we you step a little too close to the edge of an insanely tall building—a slight flutter of the heart accompanied by an unparalleled exhilaration. I love that exhilaration, which perhaps, is why I am infatuated with heights.

It occurred to me as I was watching Andrew Bird’s set, that even as a skinny man, accompanied only by his instruments and his loop pedal, he was perfectly suited to play in such a royal setting.  His music was emotional and dramatic, and demanded a grand stage. He was eventually joined by his band. The percussionist was well-equipped to play the drums and the keyboard simultaneously. Fitting.

Halfway through “Fake Palindromes,” during what seemed to be the culmination of his set and the entire night, something unexpected and tragic happened. He dropped his violin a swift awkward motion. Then he stopped. He stared at the ground for a moment. His band eventually stopped, too. After the crowd’s collective gasp, he muttered, “oops,” and then proceeded to collect the remnants of his prized instrument. The violin was in two pieces. Visibly distraught, he mustered, “well, at least it’s a clean break.” He did not finish Palindromes, but instead played the rest of the set and the encore on the guitar.

UPDATE: Andrew Bird posted a picture of his violin on twitter. Oh, Twitter.