Long Island City Restaurant Gives Local Art a Home

Dan Dougherty and his brother, Shaun — the owners of Crescent Grill restaurant in Long Island City — are proud to house local art in their eatery as part of the LIC Arts Open. The Crescent Grill — located at 38-40 Crescent St. — features its own art venue, known as Dougherty Gallery. 

As part of the LIC Arts Open, the restaurant featured five large acrylic paintings by New York City artist Suzanne Pemberton, as well as oil, acrylic and mixed media paintings and drawings by other city artists, including Joseph Meloy, Mike Serafino, Brandon Sines, and Paul Zepeda. They also featured actual New York City parking meters that were modified by artist Conrad Stojak. 

Dougherty said the May 16 event was a success and he was pleased to be participating in the LIC Arts Open for the fifth year as a gallery.

“It provides an opportunity for new people to come to Dougherty Gallery and Crescent Grill and further reach out to the community,” he said. 

For the artists, there’s an opportunity to display your art and build a connection with the community. Serafino’s connection to Long Island City runs through his work as a studio manager and assistant at a long-time LIC artist’s studio.

“I’ve been working in the neighborhood since 2006,” Serafino said. “My personal work has been exhibited at Crescent Grill Gallery in at least 10 shows over the course of the last few years.”

He considers his style of artwork to be experimental and adventurous.

“Most of my work has an element of chaos and chance in which I will try to find a moment of clarity and order,” Serafino said. “The works are often searches for a feeling rather than executed preconceived ideas. I use virtually every type of paint in my studio; oil, acrylic, watercolor, gauche, enamel, encaustic and ink are all found splattered on the floors and walls. Each has their own strengths that can be necessary for a project or balanced against one another to bring material contrast into a piece.” 

Two of his favorite pieces in the show are: “Antibes” and “The Whale Hunt.” Serafino cites traveling and a constant appetite for reading about science as the main two inspirations for his work.

“The visual component to travel impacts my subsequent art. Whether it is the new landscapes or the culture of the place I’m visiting, travel always affects a change in my mind which comes out in the studio upon return.”

As for being a part of LIC Arts Open, Serafino called it “an invitation to join and art community that isn’t captured by the commercial gravity of the nearby Manhattan art megalopolis.”

“There is a [do it yourself] aspect to the community — the sense that it is a place being created, with much opportunity available for whoever has the courage to seize it,” he said. “Additional­ly, I sense an esprit de corps among the Long Island City artists that we’ve all chosen this path for a good reason; that a life spent creating and expressing are worth the struggle in this city.”

Pemberton has been painting landscapes for many years moving to what she refers to as “more abstract interpretations of land and seascapes in the past few years.”

She said uses acrylic paint and acrylic inks to create layers that convey the atmosphere in and around the sea.

Pemberton has been working out of the Reis Studios in Long Island City for the past four years and said she is proud to be a part of the LIC Arts Open.

“The LIC Arts Open brings together fellow artists and the community which otherwise wouldn’t happen,” said Pemberton. “Arts should be an integral part of any healthy community.”

Meanwhile, Zepeda said that he considers his style of work to have roots in Modernism. He works in oil paint — often incorporating gold or silver leaf — and also dabs in watercoloring and an oxidation process that he says creates rust and patina on canvas.

“I am inspired by the beauty of the world around me which may be found in everything from the human form to flowers, seascapes and architectu­re,” he said. 

One of his pieces that he said he is particularly happy with is the rust patterns created in “Rusty Subway Car.” Zepeda has an “NYC Subway Token Series,” which he says has proven to be a popular one.

“Curating for and being a part of the LIC Arts Open for the last few years has given me exposure to the wonderful community of people in Long Island City as well as giving me the opportunity to meet and share the work of my fellow artists in the area,” said Zepeda. “The exhibitions I help put on at Crescent have grown to be a staple of the LIC events calendar with monthly receptions on every third Thursday.” Posted 12:00 am, May 30, 2018  ©2018 Community News Group

SHI SHINES FOR SKYLINE AND BRIGHT PAN-ASIAN CUISINE

Condos line Center Street in the Hunters Point section of Long Island City, one of the Queens neighborhoods that became an alternative to living in Manhattan.  Some years back a ferry was created to go to and from East 34^th Street in Manhattan. Along with living spaces that are still in construction come the eateries from food trucks to fine dining, such as SHI, an Asian Fusion enterprise owned by brother Shih and Skinny Lee, Taiwanese-American siblings.

Enter through a Chinese treasure of wooden doors into a welcoming lounge with cushiony chairs and sofas.  Few seating at the bar encourages people to relax, listen to the music, or even get up and dance.  I would imagine that locals meet up here to socialize.  Yes, they do have a “happy hour.”

SHI is quite large with several areas of dining accommodations.  On a busy night the noise level can be a bit up there.  You can opt for outdoor seating with a view of the Manhattan skyline.  Sunset and after makes it easy to point out the Empire State Building, Chrysler Building and the United Nations as the restaurant is located a few blocks from the ferry landing.  Check out the swing chair in the patio. 

There is a sushi bar on one end. You are welcome to stand and watch the chefs create.  Chef Lai comes from Hong Kong and Seow Chan the General Manager 

of SHI is from Malaysia.  She was most helpful in the selections of food especially in describing the menu items and country influence.  I went with my friend Deveka who loves spicy food.  I have some tolerance. 

Sushi?  That means sake!  That’s an influence I learned from “Rocky” Aoki.  A small bottle of Junmai Dai Ginjo was quite refreshing and smooth, sharing and drinking slowly, toasting with “Kampai.”

We start with some sushi appetizers. There was a special called Thunderdome. Slices of avocado create the dome.  Underneath it is stuffed with spicy tuna. It sits in seaweed salad that wasn't spicy allowing for the tuna to stand out. Topped with red fish roe.

Next is tuna, yellow tail and amberjack sashimi with a Medusa Roll that has salmon, mozzarella cheese and jalapeno topped with caramelized onions. They are certainly not stingy with the size of the sashimi. I loved the textures from the cheese and onions.

An appetizer that intrigued me was the Lychee Calamari. Pieces of lychee nut blended into the batter as well as some batter dipped lychee. Calamari not rubbery and lychee gave a different sweet taste. Dipping sauce is a sweet chili.

Onto the entrees, we first indulged in the Chicken lettuce wrap of chicken (obviously), fried noodles, raisins, and peanuts. They use Boston lettuce. Hoisin sauce on the side (I think it was the right side).  

Fried flounder fillet with sweet chili sauce. Fresh sautéed broccoli accompanied this.  Hey, you have to have veggies. Chili sauce is mild and "spicy tolerable" for me.

Next was a Vietnamese dish of rice noodles with chicken, crushed peanuts, scallions, red onions, carrots and bean sprouts. Sweet chili sauce served with this one, too. 

Beef Beancake. Tofu beancake had some "chew". Beef (Did that surprise you)? Jalapeno peppers. Needed to pick them out. Deveka didn't have to. 

It was at this point that we ordered a drink called “Freshy” which is made with lychee juice, cucumber juice, a bit of lime juice shaken, topped with soda & served on the rocks in a tall glass.  A must to try.  

We did have to save a little room for dessert (There is always a doggy bag).  Banana wrapped in egg roll wrapper, fried and served with ice cream.

Shi also has a “to go” section which is located on the outside with a separate entrance.   Seow tells me that most people ordering tend to get appetizers such as vegetable spring roll, bacon wrapped shrimp, dumpling, or lychee calamari. As for entrees they get the more common sesame chicken, general tso chicken, lo mein or fried rice.  As for sushi the popular ones are California roll, spicy tuna roll, salmon roll, or sashimi.

There is a dj on Saturday evenings playing “house music.”  SHI is not a nightclub setting.  I do recommend reservations (Phone number (347-242-2450) as it is such an “in” place.  Address is 47-20 Center Street.  www.shilic.com  

CANCELLATION TURNS FOOD AND FUNNY

I was all set to see Craig Meyer do his show, Almost Elton John, at QTIP when I received an email informing me of the cancellation.   Along with looking forward to seeing the show, I needed a night out.   What is there to do in Queens?  Engine search to discover a comedy club in Long Island City and not the one that seems to find its way on the Queens Tourism website and calendar of events.   Club is called Creek and Cave at 10-93 Jackson Avenue. 

Free comedy show on a Saturday evening?  What’s the catch?  None.  Not only is there no cover, there is no minimum.  My friend and I decide on the 8 p.m. show as well as sampling some of the Mexican cuisine menu.  

Deveka sets her GPS.   I think the “annoying lady voice” wanted us to get there later than we wished to be as she first took us to an address that wasn’t placed.   Heaven’s knows where “farkin annoying lady voice” was trying to do with directions.   We finally arrived to nearby street parking and entered the restaurant as there is a separate door for entrance to the club.

Seated, menus given, Brian warmly greeted us asking the age old question, “What would you like to drink?”   One called Soder read, Muddled cucumber and Simple Syrup, Soda, Lemon, Lime. Served with cucumber” sounded tasty as well as being decorating with a sprig of mint leaf.   No alcohol, but I guess with the lemon and lime I could say that I was “on acid”.

Must try the made from scratch guac!  Thumbs up! Out comes the chips and salsa.  

I was interested in that Chef Victor de Larosa

makes his own pulled pork. Ordered a flauta to find that the tortillas are made on the premises.    We shared the app (short for appetizer, not the computer thing) and each delved into our own  Steak Fajita Platter of steak and veggies with added shrimp.  Platter came with tortillas, black beans, rice, cheddar cheese and sour cream.   We probably could have shared this one but Deveka wanted hers with roasted jalapenos.  

Desserts are a treat here!  Creations with churroz.   Two circular with ice cream in the middle.  Choice of Mexican chocolate that has a kick of cayenne or salty caramel.   Another dessert utilizes a tortilla stuffed with banana and pineapple.  

 

Time for the show, Brian offered to bring in the desserts.   You can go through a door that leads into the club.   Seating is both chairs in the back and cabaret style with small round tables.  We sat in the front.  Menu of app food and drinks in case you wish.   Someone quietly comes around taking your order during the show.

This show called “Shoot the Shite!” that had a few comedians doing the emcee position with their comedy as well as four other comedians.  

All of the shows here are free of charge, but I suggest you take advantage of the food and drink menu. Prices are pretty reasonable. Food is quite good.  There are some shows that do charge to include food such as a “BBQ” listing when for $5 you get a hot dog and fries.  A VIP ticket of $40 will get you seat in the studio, food and unlimited drinks. 

I also brought Esther and Eunice, my rubber chickens.  In response, one of the comedians slipped out to buy me a huge whoopee cushion, which which after testing, got autographed.
  www.creeklic.com