Long Island City event round-up; October 20th-25th

A tree grows in Queens too. Socrates Sculpture Park, Long Island City

Tuesday 10/20

• Chocolate Factory Theater hosts their FREE bi-monthly THROW gathering in which spectators can watch and provide feedback for artists testing out new works. “After each experiment, guest curator Sarah Maxfield moderates an informal conversation between artist and audience [...] It may not pay as well as a focus group, but it’s a hell of a lot more fun.” 5-49 49th Avenue, LIC, 718.482.7069

• Bar Domaine hosts the local Steve Blanco Trio, twice a week on Tuesday and Friday. 9pm-midnight. 50-04 Vernon Blvd, LIC, 718.784.2350

Wednesday 10/21

• Bring in the creepy holiday (Halloween!) season as the Secret Theatre, in association with Jeff Crosley, produces Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa’s ‘The Mystery Plays’ from October 21st-24th @ 8pm & Oct 24th @ 4pm. “The play is a pair of interconnected one-acts inspired by the medieval tradition of mystery plays: biblical stories dramatized by local guilds,” but “as envisioned by Aguirre-Sacasa, the plays are drawn more immediately from the horror/thriller tradition of such genre icons as H.P. Lovecraft and Rod Serling.” 44-02 23rd St, LIC, 718.392.0722

• Flux Factory presents LEDs4N00BS at 7pm, the first of their artist-in-residence guided workshops. “The artist informs us that the event will focus more around the workshop, with a short introductory course on the history (not so much “science”) of LEDs – then we’ll make some toys!” RSVP to nick@geekathon.net; space is limited. $5 suggested donation. 39-31 29th St, LIC

• Don’t miss one of the last Movie Nights at The Space. On 10/21 and 10/28, the featured film is 1999’s ‘Spaced: The Complete Series’ (a 3-disc series). Slacker 20-something artist Tim (Simon Pegg) and his brooding writer flatmate Daisy (Jessica Hynes) do everything possible to avoid adulthood in this surreal sitcom described by star Pegg as “a cross between ‘The Simpsons,’ ‘The X Files’ and ‘Northern Exposure.’” 42-16 West St, LIC, 718.752.0331

• Shi Restaurant is hosting karaoke on Wednesday nights. 4720 Center Blvd, LIC, 347.242.2450

• The impending El Ay Si is hosting free Chef’s tastings this week, on Wed & Friday at 7-9pm, & Saturday 7-10pm. 47-38 Vernon Blvd, LIC

Thursday 10/22

• LICBDC presents Networking After Hours at Dutch Kills Bar, 6-8:30pm. Travel back in time to the 1890s, exchange business cards, and sample historic Queens cocktails at Dutch Kills Bar. $10 for LICBDC members & $15 for non-members comes with one drink ticket and snacks. To register, pay online. 27-24 Jackson Ave, LIC, 718.383.2724

• Art opening at Court Square Wines & Spirits, featuring unusual local art from the artists of Tres Faux Studio. Also featuring free tastings of premium scotch whiskey, wine, and liqueurs. 5-8pm. 2420 Jackson Ave, LIC, 718.707.9911

• It’s Ladies Night every Thursday night at Shi Restaurant, offering drink specials. 4720 Center Blvd, LIC, 347.242.2450

• Modern Spaces is hosting an art opening for local artist Juan Pablo Bohorquez. It’s a free event and will be catered by El Ay Si. 47-34 Vernon Blvd, LIC

Friday 10/23

• Custom framing/gift shop Matted LIC presents an exhibition of the work of Harry Kane, a New York illustrator who has done work for pulp magazine covers, Alfred Hitchcock books, The Three investigators, and Advertising Guru, as well as companies such as Ronzoni, Eastern Airlines, TWA, The World’s Fair, Detective Stories, Gourmet Magazine, American Express and many more. The exhibition focuses on his early book covers and interior pulp magazine illustrations, including science fiction and love interests. 6-8pm. 46-36 Vernon Blvd, LIC, 718.786.8660

• Bar Domaine hosts the local Steve Blanco Trio, twice a week on Tuesday and Friday. 9pm-midnight. 50-04 Vernon Blvd, LIC, 718.784.2350

• Court Square Wine & Spirits hosts FREE wine tasting events every Thursday & Friday of the week from 4:30-7:00pm. 2420 Jackson Ave, LIC, 718.707.9911

• The impending El Ay Si is hosting free Chef’s tastings this week, on Wed & Friday at 7-9pm, & Saturday 7-10pm. 47-38 Vernon Blvd, LIC

Saturday 10/24

• Manducatis Rustica will begin serving its long-awaited weekend brunch, starting this weekend, from 11-3pm every Sat & Sunday. Not to be missed. 46-33 Vernon Blvd, 718.937.1312

• Testaccio is holding their Grand Opening party from 7-9pm, to celebrate opening of their Rome-inspired restaurant, of course. 47-30 Vernon Blvd, 718.937.2900

• The Blood Dumpster presents their ‘Visions’ exhibition at Local Project Gallery, opening reception 6-10pm. “‘Visions’ is a multimedia exhibition on perceiving that which exists outside of the visual ‘reality.’” Exhibition runs through November 8th. 45-10 Davis St, LIC

• The LIC Greenmarket is open in Hunters Point every Saturday until Nov 28th, 8am-3pm. Rain or Shine. 48th Ave between Vernon Blvd & 5th St, LIC

• It’s My Park Day at Queensbridge Park, 10am-2pm, rain or shine. “The event will give residents of LIC and Astoria a chance to spruce up Queensbridge Park after an event-filled summer. Within a few hours, volunteers will take part in several projects, including painting, planting and general park cleanup. Arts and crafts activities for all ages will round out the day.” Vernon Blvd & 41st Avenue, LIC NOTE: This event has been postponed due to the severe weather forecast; info about the rescheduled date coming soon.

• The impending El Ay Si is hosting free Chef’s tastings this week, on Wed & Friday at 7-9pm, & Saturday 7-10pm. 47-38 Vernon Blvd, LIC

Sunday 10/25

• Manducatis Rustica will begin serving its long-awaited weekend brunch, starting this weekend, from 11-3pm every Sat & Sunday. Not to be missed. 46-33 Vernon Blvd, 718.937.1312

• Socrates Sculpture Park presents their 9th annual FREE Halloween Harvest Festival from 11am-2pm, rain or shine – the theme is glam rock! Featuring the 6th annual Canine Costume Contest at 1pm, a special outdoor performance of ‘The Legend of Sleepy Hollow’ from the Red Door Theatre Company at 2pm, a live concert by Audra Rox, and the chance to become a rock star with the help of Socrates Sculpture Park artists (costume making materials FREE of charge). Also featuring a Giant Instrument Jam with Freestyle Arts Association, Transformation! Facepainting by Agostino Arts, and harvest foods from Sage General Store. 32-01 Vernon Blvd @ Broadway, LIC, 718.956.1819

• P.S. 1’s fall exhibitions are opening today, 12pm-6pm. “Kick off the season with P.S. 1’s fall opening celebration. On view: ‘1969,’ ‘100 Years (version #1, ps1, nov 2009),’ ‘Between Spaces,’ and ‘Robert Bergman: Selected Portraits.’” And if you haven’t already at a Warm-Up this summer, experience the ‘Afterparty’ by MOS in the courtyard, on view through October 26. 22-25 Jackson Ave @ intersection of 46th Ave, LIC, 718.784.2084

Continuing

• The Center for the Holographic Arts and Flux Factory present ‘Ana Maria Nicholson – Into the Night,’ “an exhibition of large format holograms that capture the hidden dimensions of the body,” running at Flux Factory through October 24th. Saturdays 12-6pm and by appointment. 39-31 29th St, LIC

• Deitch Studios presents The Open, an exhibition of works by 31 emerging artists in the New York community. In Deitch Studios tradition, the exhibition program will include a Sunday School (every Sunday during the exhibition run, 6-8pm), with talks and workshops on topics suggested by the artists in the show. Exhibition runs thru October 25th. 4-40 44th Drive, LIC

• In partnership with the LIC Community Boathouse (LICCB), Socrates Sculpture Park offers FREE canoeing and kayaking in Hallets Cove through October 25. 718.228.9214

• Now Playing at Chocolate Factory Theater: John Jesurun’s ‘Liz One’, through October 31st @ 8pm. “Black-Eyed Susan plays Elizabeth I of England as revealed through her private diaries. She struggles with a revolving set of presences to disentangle, un-write and finally rewrite her own biography.” 5-49 49th Ave, LIC, 718.482.7069

• AES Gallery presents Argentinian artist Cristián Pietrapiana’s first solo exhibition, ‘pietrapiana paintings,’ through October 31st. “In ‘pietrapiana paintings’ Cristián gives the viewer an intímate look at figures in isolation [and] engages the viewer through the forceful close-up of the human figure against a tender landscape.” 44-02 23rd St, Ground FL, LIC, 718.249.9359

• Brandon Schreck’s ‘New Works’ exhibition runs at The Space’s Fardom Gallery through October 31st. His work is “dense, flattened, and austere. His generously layered canvases crush scenes of nature and urban landscape into lush, abstract compositions.” 25-17 41st Avenue, LIC

• Space Womb Contemporary Art Gallery presents Jongwang Lee Solo Exhibition, through October 31st. Gallery open Thurs-Mon 12:30pm-6:30pm, Tues & Wed by appointment. 22-48 Jackson Ave, #1, LIC, 917.670.1342

• Dean Project gallery presents their new exhibition ‘Mirror on Mirror Mirrored’ featuring Karlos Carcamo, Nicholas Kashian, & Barbara Weissberger. Through November 19th. More info in PDF. 45-43 21st St, LIC, 718.706.1462

• SculptureCenter’s Fall shows continue through November 30th. Check out the newly opened exhibitions: Grand Openings, A Voyage of Growth & Discovery, & In Practice Fall 2009. 44-19 Purves St, LIC, 718.361.1750

• Socrates Sculpture Park’s EAF 09: Emerging Artist Fellowship Exhibition is on view through March 2010, featuring 16 artists awarded fellowships with the Park to create and exhibit their work in the outdoor studio. 32-01 Vernon Blvd (@ Broadway), LIC, 718.956.1819

Beyond

• Materials for the Arts presents a family-friendly Ribbon Cutting Event (to celebrate their recent 10,000 SF expansion) & Masked Marvelous Cocktail Party on October 27th in their LIC space, featuring food, drink, and entertainment, 6-9pm.

• The Grand Guignol lives at the Secret Theatre as they celebrate Edgar Allen Poe’s bicentennial with stories such as ‘Tell Tale Heart’ and ‘The Raven’ along with an original play, ‘The Poacher’s Game.’ Tickets $15 or $10 if in costume on 31st. Oct 28th-29th @ 8pm, Oct 30th @ 10pm, Oct 31st @ 8pm and also @ 10pm followed by the Secret’s annual Halloween Party and BBQ (PS: “Heads up [or off] — come and try out our working guillotine!”).

• LICBDC presents a Small Business Preparedness Seminar on October 29th from 8-9:30am at Sunnyside Community Services in Sunnyside. No charge to attend; continental breakfast & networking. RSVP: contact Indra @ 718.786.5300 x 21 or ismith@licbdc.org.

• Save the date: Queens Council on the Arts presents their 3rd annual Queens Arts Connection citywide networking event on Saturday, November 7th, 2-5pm at the United Nations Federal Credit Union in LIC. Open to the public, with attendance by hundreds of artists and informational networking and presentations by 25+ citywide arts and culture organizations each year. Register online here.

• ‘EDOKKO: Growing Up A Foreigner in Wartime Japan’ on November 8th @ 3pm at Noguchi Museum. Isaac Shapiro, a founding Noguchi Museum trustee & longtime friend of Isamu Noguchi, will read from his soon to be released memoirs which chronicle his family’s travels under persecution during the early 20th century and his subsequent career in law and the arts. FREE with museum admission.

• Green Space Dance Studio presents their Take Root series on November 14th @ 8:30pm (tickets $15), featuring Jen Browne & Ryan McNally, and their Fertile Ground new works showcase on November 15th @ 7pm (tickets $10), featuring Yoshito Sakuraba, Kaitlin Hines, Coreen Robledo, Fumihito Shimizu, and Djuna Passman. More information here.

• Save the date: LICBDC presents their B-to-B Networking Expo on November 18th at Terrace on the Park in Flushing Meadows-Corona Park. 150 exhibitors and 3,500 attendees are expected. Register now for exhibit tables and luncheon tickets. For more information, contact Indra Smith at 718.786.5300 x 21 or ismith@licbdc.org.