Domaine, bar a vins - 50-04 Vernon Blvd @ 50th St, 718.784.2350

Tucked away quietly on Vernon between 50th & 51st Street’s, is Domaine, a cozy and beautiful French wine bar (bar a vins). Owned by the fabulous proprietors who brought us Tournesol, the hood’s iconic French bistro just two doors down, Domaine serves up an exquisite selection of ‘old & new world’ wines along with killer snacks of raw oysters, artisan cheese (hello), sliced prosciutto, and shrimp cocktail. In a word: YUM.

If you’re dragging yourself up the subway stairs after your “lengthy” commute back from Manhattan, you only have to hobble about 5 feet to the quiet entrance of Domaine. It’s dark. It’s rustic. It’s romantic. It’s French. Perfect for a date (almost too perfect), yet acceptable for savoring a luxurious wine that you definitely don’t have sitting on your kitchen counter. At $8-15/glass, it’s a deal for the quality and selection. As usual, the carafe’s and bottles are more economical, so if your wallet’s a bit light from the holiday shopping frenzy, bring friends.

Hit up the joint on Thursday nights for live jazz. »

Robert Prichard & Michael Waldman of Queensbridge Theatre, LIC

Well folks, say hello to the Queensbridge Theater. LIC’s getting its first rock club this summer. It’s a bit of a hike from the south side of LIC, and not really accessible by subway, but still - it’s more art in the hood. And they have some really cool ideas which actually take into consideration the needs of the surrounding community…which can’t always be said about the new arrivals.

“Adopting the slogan “Downtown Has Moved to Queens,” [Robert Prichard,] the former Lower East Side stalwart is partnering with developer Michael Waldman to open what he called a “rock ‘n’ roll supper club, similar to a Bowery Ballroom or a Mercury Lounge with a restaurant—a first for Long Island City, a first for Queens.

Scheduled to open this summer, the 5,000-square-foot Queensbridge Theater, located at 37-31 10th Street, may be somewhat unique in concept. (After the nighttime entertainment ends at 4 a.m., the proprietors intend to open back up just three hours later for breakfast, with homemade bread baked fresh on the premises.)

“We want to bring in artists and performers on all levels,” added Mr. Prichard, who plans to book the space not only for concerts, but also for Off Broadway plays, art exhibits—even after-school programs: “We want to offer the community the facilities we have during the day,” he said. “Bring in musicians and teach the kids how to play music and then put ‘em up onstage.”“

*Long Island Rock City [Observer]

From the Queens Council on the Arts:

“Celebrating the rich musical and ethnic tapestries of Queens in boisterous style, Live at the Gantries, LIC’s new summer performance series begins tonight in Gantry Park at 7pm.”

The free, outdoor performances »

Under Public Farm One aka P.F.1., at P.S.1., Court Square, Long Island City

Nothing marks the arrival of summer in LIC quite like the PS1 Warm Up parties. If there is any entity that can lay claim to putting LIC on the mainstream radar, it’s PS1. While many complain about the nuisance factor of the Warm Up party attendees’ disruptive passage from PS1 to Water Taxi Beach in their endeavor to continue partying, it’s really a cool event. This year, the courtyard installation kicks up more than a few notches with an urban farmland installation entitled ‘Public Farm One’. Aka P.F.1.

Having checked out the installation sans throngs of swaying hipsters »

Hanging at Gantry Park for ‘Live at the Gantries’ by the QCA, Long Island City

The ‘Live at the Gantries’ summer performance series brought to us by the QCA continues tonight at Gantry Park with Blue Pipa, Chinese folk music.

“Along with her accompanying musicians, Min Xiao-Fen of Blue Pipa is renown for her exploration of traditional and modern music from all cultures. Famed for her virtuosity and fluid style on the pipa, she has recorded and performed with Björk.”

The show starts at 7pm.

• Queens Council on the Arts Event Info
• Blue Pipa website