Astoria Gets Ready for Halloween with Delicious Sweet Things

With just two weeks away, Halloween is quickly creeping in, and it's fun to see that places in the neighborhood are getting ready.  While on a stroll through 30th Avenue and Ditmars, I noticed a few awesome Halloweeny things that caught my attention.  Make sure you check out these creepy, scary and beautiful windows and pop in for a treat.

Leli's Bakery - The best Halloween window I've seen so far is at Leli's with their creepy crawler cakes that you see above.  Not only are these creative and colorful, they exemplify amazing pastry and fondant work.  Aside from these impressive cakes, they also have Halloween themed cookies, cupcakes and other yums.  35-14 30th Avenue, Astoria. 718.626.8090

La Guli Pastry Shop - On my way to get a haircut yesterday, I noticed the beautiful Halloween desserts in their window, including fondant cakes, gorgeous marzipan pumpkins and ghosts.  It looks like they have decorative sugar cookies as well, which are simple but always a big win with the kiddies.  19-15 Ditmars Blvd, Astoria. 718.728.5612

Martha's Bakery - While the Halloween decorations are still in the works, there are plenty of pumpkin flavored treats available such as cookies, cupcakes, a pumpkin apple cheesecake, pie and even sheet cake.  Go orange! 36-21 Ditmars Blvd, Astoria. 718.545.9737

What other kinds of Halloween treats have caught your eye?

Astoria Halloween Mini Guide

Hi Astoria!

I sincerely hope that everyone is doing well and has survived the big storm with minimal damage.  In a time of  need and when our community needs us most, it's important to support our local businesses, as commerce has been severely affected, and especially our beloved small businesses.  As we give our local heroes some much deserved props, here are some fun things you can do to help, starting tonight on Halloween.  Hope you have fun doing it!  There's also another fun round-up of things to do tonight on partner site, We Heart Astoria.

Bear - Stop by for their Halloween/Hurricane special featuring deviled eggs with mackerel, a cucumber sandwich on focaccia bread, a fabulous homemade pumpkin pie and much more - all these items are just $5.  12-14 31st Avenue, Long Island City. 917.396.4939

Veslo - Sure their big Saturday night Halloween partay is over, but they're fully open for business tonight and serving their delicious Dalmatian specialties such as octopus salad, an Adriatic shellfish combo, goulash, gnocchi in a hearty veal sauce and more.  32-11 Broadway, Astoria.  718.728.0549

Sac's Place - Featuring fun Halloween menu specials, come in for dinner and enjoy their homemade, comforting dishes such as bocconcini mozzarella with red & yellow roasted tomatoes; spinach fettuccine with ham, peas & mushrooms in garlic oil; grandma Dorothy's homemade apple pie and others.  25-41 Broadway, Astoria. 718.204.5002

Thymari - Ring in a lovely Halloween dinner at this modern Greek taverna.  They're not only known for their delicious Greek meze but also for fancy cocktails, including an apple cider martini that's available now (and especially for Halloween).  32-07 34th Avenue, Astoria. 718.204.2880

BareBurger - All BareBurger Astoria locations have been reopened, so why not go in and enjoy a fabulous burger and a shake in costume?! Bring the kiddies along with you and treat them to a cubby meal, served with your choice of carrot sticks, apple slices and fries (and an organic juice box).  33-21 31st Avenue, Astoria.  718.777.7011; 23-01 31st Street, Astoria.  718.204.7167

Return of Sushi at Bistro 33

Halloween is coming, and with that, so is a special sushi resurgence at Bistro 33.  For those of you who've lived in the nabe for a while, you'll remember that sushi used to be a staple at Bistro 33, but the menu has since then been taken over by other, more classical bistro fare.  I remember those sushi days well and always loved their inventive house rolls, which were prepared with a lot of thought and regard for ingredients.

If you come in during Halloween next week, you can enjoy sushi and sake all night long.  The extravaganza starts at 5:30 p.m. and goes on all night - come in costume and get your sush on!

Bistro 33 - 19-33 Ditmars Blvd, Astoria, NY 11105

718.721.1933

N/Q Train to Ditmars Blvd (last stop)

www.bistro33nyc.com

Happy Halloween - 3 fun things to do

Image by graphicshut.com


As you all know today is Halloween - the fun-filled silly holiday where we try to look scary cool (and only some succeed).

Since most of the big Halloween parties have now passed (this Saturday and Sunday), tonight is a little more low key and devoted to the kiddies.  But...there's still plenty of fun stuff to get involved in and here's a very short list of some quick things you can do to ring in the Halloween spirit.

1.  Get a spooky looking cupcake or cake from Martha's bakery - they have a new variety with shaved chocolate on top, which is fantastic  - 36-21 Ditmars Blvd, Astoria.  718.545.9737

2.  Enjoy specialty drinks at Mojave and some free candy to boot - while their big Day of the Dead party was this Saturday, they're still ringing in Halloween, so pop in, have a bit of their delish food and soak in the festive atmosphere - 22-36 31st Street, Astoria.  718.545.4100

3.  Party it up at Hell Gate Social's Halloween bash, which starts at 9 p.m. with live music, $3 drafts and no cover - costumes are a must of course.  Thanks for the tip, Meg.  12-21 Astoria Blvd, Astoria.  718.204.8313

Whatever you do have a safe and wonderful time!

Halloweeny Whoopie Pies

Since I've been on my crazy travel schedule, I realized I've been ignoring baking, which I inherently missed.  My chance to reignite my passion for sweets came last night when a).  there was snow on the ground and therefore a perfect excuse to stay in and b). Dan had a Halloween themed brunch at work.  Naturally I had to equip him with something good.

I started looking through my trusty culinary sources such as Bon Appetit, cookstr, the Food Network Magazine but didn't find anything that looked doable or particularly inspiring.  In the end, I turned to the Queen of all things creative and delicious, Miss Martha Stewart, with her Halloween Whoopie Pies.  
Always dreaming of making these soft cakey treats, I've eaten them dozens of times but never actually created them myself.  Martha's recipe was approachable and adaptable too, as I died the homemade filling with orange food coloring in honor of Halloween, instead of coating it with orange nonpareils, like she did.  They came out wonderfully - soft, chocolatey and moist with a decadent cream filing that begged for a glass of the cold stuff. Milk, that is.

I was excited to learn they were a big hit at Dan's work brunch and the proof was in the empty tupperware he brought home.  Mission accomplished.  I hope you enjoy these treats too for Halloween or eat whatever goodies you can get your hands on.

Halloween Whoopie Pie recipe, courtesy of Martha Stewart.  

Astoria Halloween Roundup - Spooky-ky-ky!

It's that time of year again - when we dress up, look silly and make any excuse to party hardy.  To get you thinking about your Halloween celebration, I've put together this list of really cool stuff that's going on in and around Astoria.  I wish you all a very spooktacular Halloween!

DiWine - Enjoy DiWine's disco themed Halloween party this Saturday night.  Make sure to show up in costume to receive some extra perks and also enjoy drinks specials such as $6 cocktails and $5 pints.  The fun starts at 10 p.m. and will last all night. 41-15 31st Avenue, Astoria.  718.777.1355

Veslo - Start the partying early at Veslo, as they're having their shin-dig on Friday night - and this one will be wild.  Featuring a costume contest with some pretty stiff prizes such as a 46" HDTV, $100 and a $50 Veslo gift card, you're not going to want to miss it.  Come by at 11:00 p.m. and party your socks off.  32-11 Broadway, Astoria.  718.728.0549

El Ay Si - Putting a new spin on a Halloween celebration, El Ay Si is hosting a Spooky Speakeasy Sunday, complete with flappers, silent movies, The Charlston...think you get it.  Costumes are highly encouraged, as the best ones will be handsomely rewarded.  Come by as early as 4 p.m. and do catch their expected "magical performance." 47-38 Vernon Blvd, LIC. 718.389.8781

Bohemian Hall & Beer Garden - You can always count on the Beer Garden to throw an awesome party, and this year there are two - one for the adults and the other for the kiddies.  The adult one is this Saturday, starting at 9 p.m., complete with a costume contest, live music and the kiddie one is this Sunday from 2 p.m. - 4 p.m.  Come to one or both! 29-19 24th Avenue, Astoria.  718.274.4925

Studio Square - Known for their parties, Halloween is always a big deal here.  Experiencing it first hand last year, it was a great time, and people really take the costume aspect seriously (first place prize are 2 Jet Blue round trip tix).  A live DJ, a costume contest and plenty of drinks specials will grace you that night, starting at 9 p.m. 35-33 36th Street, Astoria.  718.383.1001

Rest-Au-Rant - If you're looking for something more low-key, head over to one of my favorite wine bars in LIC.  Enjoy the festive atmosphere with party favors, food, drinks specials and costume prizes to boot, starting at 9 p.m.  30-01 35th Avenue, LIC.  718.729.9009

Waltz Astoria - In true Waltz fashion, Saturday night will bring a Halloween Social, which starts at 7 p.m.  You'll indulge in plenty of live music, hors d'oeuvres, a buffet and more.  There's an initial cover of $12 but after that the food and music is free.  Drinks are separate.  Enjoy, and don't forget to wear a costume.  23-14 Ditmars Blvd, Astoria.  718.95.MUSIC

Astoria Brewhouse - This cheery bar always has something lively going on during Halloween.  Their Saturday night costume contest promises some exciting winnings such as a $100, $50 and a $25 bar tab pick-up, so prepare to drink your heart out.  Show up anytime after 10 p.m. and stay all night.  28-50 31st Street, Astoria.  718.728.0050

Hellgate Social - A favorite spot for Halloween, this year they're stepping it up with a "Lost in Space" theme Halloween party, full on with aliens and other extra terrestrial embellishments, including themed drinks.  There's no cover and costumes are a must.  Walk in anytime after 6 p.m. and stay as long as you'd like.  12-21 Astoria Blvd, Astoria.  718.204.8313

Cavo - Another Halloween favorite, they roll out the big guns with a serious costume contest with up to $2,000 in prizes.  There's no cover but it's best to show up early, as it gets crowded (before 10:30 p.m.).  While you're there, enjoy fabulous cocktails, wine and lovely appetizers.  42-18 31st Avenue, Astoria.  718.721.1001

DiWine Halloween Debauchery

Image by DiWine

You may have noticed I’ve been MIA last week, and that’s because Dan and I took a much needed vacation break in Playa del Carmen, Mexico. I’ll have plenty of delicious things to report on that, but before we get to exotic eats, I want to highlight a fun happ in our neck of the woods.

With Halloween right around the corner, Astoria and LIC haunts will no-doubt bring the fun and debauchery to the next level. I’ll be doing my usual round-up of various local events, but wanted to give you a heads-up of one particular offering I was just informed about.

The event comes from friends at DiWine, as they will be throwing a Disco party on Saturday the 29th, no doubt the night to celebrate this spooky holiday. Here are the deets:

DiWine’s Disco Isn’t Dead Halloween Shin-Dig
Saturday, October 29th from 10 p.m. – end of the night

Luckily, there is no cover and you’ll also be able to enjoy drinks discounts. There may be more fun stuff coming down the pike, and I’ll keep you posted as DiWine updates their Twitter feed.

$6 Halloween drinks specials
$5 Six Point Pints

And don’t forget to come in your best costume!

DiWine – 41-15 31st Avenue, Astoria NY
718.777.1355
R/V/G Train to Steinway Street
www.diwineonline.com

A Spooktacular Halloween in Astoria

Happy almost Halloween Astorians!  As I usually do, I've prepared a menu of festive Halloween to-dos happening in and around Astoria.  It's great that the celebration falls on a Saturday this year, which means tons of fun parties, drinks specials and costume fun.  And just in case you're wondering, that's a picture of me in my friend Moses' Freddy mask.  Thought it made my Bond Girl outfit a little zestier.  Whatever you end up doing, hope it's spooktacular!

Cavo - The celebration starts early this year and you can either come by on Thursday, Friday or Saturday.  Each night promises a different style of music and costume fun - including Friday and Saturday night costume contests with some really great prizes including $1,000 in cash.  42-18 31st Ave, Astoria, NY 11103. 718.721.1001

The Bohemian Hall & Beer Garden also isn't wasting any time when it comes to Halloween fun.  Every night this week, they're having a Jack O'Lantern contest.  The winners of all five nights then compete on Sunday to see who'll take home a $250 cash prize.  Drinks specials such as a $20 Tasters Special go from 5:00 - 10:00 p.m. on Friday and Saturday.  29-19 24th Avenue, Astoria NY 11102.  718.274.4925

Studio Square Beer Garden - A big Fear Garden party is in store on Saturday night, complete with a live DJ, costume contest and fabulous cash prizes.  They'll be featuring shot specials all night.  If you're interested, there will be another party sponsored by Gooth magazine upstairs in their private event space. Enjoy the party hop!  35-33 36th Street, Astoria NY 11106.  718.383.1001

Ovelia's annual Halloween ball starts at 11 p.m. on Saturday with no cover and plenty of good music and costume eye candy.  Order a yummy nibble while at the bar, especially their homemade Greek dips.  34-01 30th Avenue, Astoria NY 11103. 718.721.7217

Sunswick is hosting an unusual albeit intriguing Suns Wicked Haunted Dungeon Ball on Saturday night, starting at 9:00 p.m. $5 will get you in, as well as award you with a free shot and a look-see of the haunted dungeon.  $4 pints of Witches Brew will also be served.  Get ready! 35-02 35th Street, Astoria NY 11106.  718.752.0602

Cafe Bar's Halloween party is on Friday night.  Come in costume and enjoy their Happy Hour from 11 p.m. - 1 a.m. with $4 beers, mixed drinks and house liquor specials.  $6 pumpkin martinis will also be served. 32-90 36th Street, Astoria NY 11106. 718.204.5273

Mojave is also fun to check out on special occasions such as this one. Costumes are encouraged and they'll be featuring drinks specials. The food offering will remain as is, which is always delicious.  22-36 31st Street, Astoria NY 11105. 718.545.4100

5 Napkin Burger is doing something totally different on Halloween day with a 50's High School theme. You'll not only hear 50's music but you can choose from a variety of burger and sushi specials, as well as a festive pouring of Captain Lawrence Pumpkin Ale.  35-01 36th Street, Astoria, NY 11106. 718.433.2727

Astoria Brewhouse never misses a beat when it comes to a good party.  Their Friday night costume contest will be in full swing, along with karaoke and plenty of drinks specials.  28-50 31st Street, Astoria NY 11102. 718.728.0050

Cream Bakery - If you're looking for something sweet, make sure you check out Cream Bakery's Halloween themed cupcakes in various flavors such as vanilla, banana, red velvet and more.  They sport fun designs such as a marshmallow pumpkin face, candy corn and more.  31-78 Steinway Street, Astoria NY 11103.  718.545.3800

Last Minute Deal for Halloween

I just found out that in addition to 718's Halloween bash, which offers a DJ and a ladies 2 for 1 drinks special between 10p and midnight, they will also be featuring FREE shots of Imperial Vodka from 11p - Midnight.

Pretty cool if you're looking to save some dough.

Make sure to wear a costume, as there will be prizes. The party starts at 10:30p and will go on until 4a. Enjoy!

718 - 35-01 Ditmars Blvd, Astoria, NY 11105

718.204.5553

N/W Train to Ditmars Blvd (last stop)

www.718restaurant.com

Celebrate Halloween in Astoria

Image by www.celebrating-halloween.com

With Halloween just around the corner, I thought that you'd find the below happs useful when making plans. The good news that most restaurants don't charge a cover and booty shakin' is almost always involved. Have fun!

As my Joey in Astoria colleague, Meg mentioned, Mojave will have food, dancing and an open bar from 10:30p - 2a. The party officially starts at 10p and there is a $50 charge for this all-inclusive evening. 22-36 31st St, Astoria, NY 11105, 718.545.4100

Indigo will have a costume party at 9p or 10p. There's no cover charge and prizes will be awarded for 1st, 2nd and 3rd place. 1st place gets $250 in cash! They'll also have a DJ and karaoke too. 28-50 31st Street, Astoria NY 11102, 718-728-0050

718's annual costume shindig starts at 10:30p. They're offering a seasonal dinner, which starts at 5:30p and the party will continue until 4a with DJ Leon on the ones and twos. Ladies drink 2 for 1 from 10p - midnight and drinks generally range between $4-$9. 35-01 Ditmars Blvd, Astoria, NY 11105, 718.204.5553

Cavo's costume party is definitely glam and they go all out--especially with the prizes. 1st prize winner gets a 4 night hotel stay in Vegas and the 2nd and 3rd prizes aren't too shabby either. The party starts around 9p - 9:30p and there is no cover. 42-18 31st Ave, Astoria, NY 11103, 718.721.1001

While Ovelia won't be offering any food specials, they are having a masquerade ball, which starts at 11p. 34-01 30th Avenue, Astoria, NY 11103, 718.721.7217

Interested in a more private affair? Contact Bar 36 for their private Halloween party, which starts at 10p. 36-05 30th Avenue, Astoria, NY 11103, 718.715.4420

Feast on a scary soup and sandwich combo at Cafe Bar, where a 1/2 sandwich and soup is only $9. They'll also have a DJ spinning some spicy Cuban beats. 32-90 34th Avenue, Astoria, NY 11103, 718.204.5273

Want to keep your Halloween low-key? Visit Locale where there are no specific specials but you will be able to gawk at all the staff in costume. They have cute waiters so it might be worth it. 33-02 34th Avenue, Astoria, NY 11106, 718.729.9080