Qi Shu Fang Brings Chinese History to America

On August 31, 2001 George W. Bush sent a congratulatory letter to Ms. Qi Shu Fang of Woodhaven saying, “Artists who draw on the traditions of their ancestors help to ensure the continued vitality of the arts in America”.   Another letter was sent by Hillary Rodham Clinton congratulating her for being selected as a recipient of a 2001 National Fellowship of the National Endowment for the Arts.

Qi Shu Fang is the President of and performer in the Peking Opera Company of which the company’s mission is to “foster a deeper cultural understanding between East and West”.  Performances have taken place in all parts of the country making history by staging a critically acclaimed complete performance of The Women Generals of the Yang Family at the New Victory Theatre on Broadway.  Just last year, the Peking Opera Festival took place at Flushing Town Hall where Ms. Qi had the leading role.

“I have been performing Peking Opera all of my life,” said Ms. Qi . “Having studied martial arts I created a stir in Beijing when I acted the lead role in ‘Three Battles with Zhang Yue’e.’  In Japan I am known as one of that country’s most beloved Peking Opera star.”

It was in 1988 that she and her husband moved to New York City and established the Qi Shu Fang Peking Opera Company.  Her husband, Ding Meikui is the Vice President and Managing Director who was born to a family with four generations’ experience in Peking Opera. He has traveled throughout the United States promoting Chinese culture and the arts to the American public.

This year the Qi Shu Fang Peking Opera Company will be hosting the Peking Arts Festival which will take place at NYU’s Skirball Center for the Performing Arts on Sunday, September 20^th.  Of the large cast, 80 will be coming from China.  “It will be composed of three shows,” Ms. Qi said. “The first will be martial arts.  That will be followed by a love story about a princess falling for a younger man giving him a gift of a special sword.”  The third show, “The Three Inch Lotus” points toward history with the subject of feet binding to make women’s feet small in order to marry into an upper class family. 

Wanting to keep introducing Chinese culture to the United States and this show will be free to the public. The performance will be in Chinese with English subtitles.  Tickets are purchased through the Skirball Center. 

“Next year,” said Ms Qi, “I will be having the lead role in the Peking Opera Festival.”  

NEW YORK POPS POPPED IN FOREST HILLS

Boston has their “Pops” and so does New York.  It’s probably not advertised enough as being the largest independent pops orchestra in the United States and the only one in NYC specializing in popular music.  On August 6^th they made a musical dent to Forest Hills with their inaugural season at Forest Hills Stadium. Broadway star Sutton Foster graced the stage along with Collin Donnell and Megan McGinnis. 

Steven Reineke, is the orchestra’s Conductor and Musical Director where Carnegie Hall is the home territory.  The debut concert was part of the New York Pops Summer Series that continued the next evening featuring genre-defying “little orchestra” Pink Martini. 

Foster delighted the audience singing John Denver’s “Sunshine on my Shoulders”, (a favorite of her mother), Cole Porter’s “I Get a Kick Out of You”, “Anything Goes”, “Down with Love” and “Singing in the Rain”.  Then she told the audience about Mabel, her rescue dog.  Foster brought Mabel on the stage and serenaded her with a takeoff on “Maybe This Time”….Mabel, This Time.  

Joining the stage were two other Broadway stars, Colin Donnell and Megan McGinnis.  Each sang a solo and duet with Foster.  It was “Fit as a Fiddle and Ready for Love that showed off the song and dance with Donnell.  McGinnis and Foster were in the Broadway musical Little Women as they sang a duet called, “Flight”.  

In between the singing the New York Pops provided some great music.  One medley was all about theme songs from both old and new television shows as the crowd mumbled out loud when they recognized the name of the show. 

FOOD SHOPPING ONLINE: KEYFOOD

Fresh Direct and Peapod are the two most popular online food shopping venues that deliver.  While Fresh Direct has their own warehouse, Peapod is connected with Stop and Shop.  You cannot, however, pick out your food and therefore have to depend upon them for the shopping.  There are a few supermarkets that do the same including the Keyfood (now called Dynasty) located in Rego Park on Woodhaven Blvd. 

Howard Beach’s Keyfood started selling the delicious goods from Russo’s on the Bay.  At some point you would be able to get some of the products at this Rego Park location.  I went online to test it out on what they choose to see if they shopped well for me. I live in their delivery zone and the minimum is $40 with a $5 charge to do the shopping for me with no charge for delivery.  To compare, Fresh Direct has a minimum of $30, delivery charge of $5.00. Peapod want’s a $75 minimum with a delivery charge of $9.99.

I noticed a few flaws when going online with Keyfood and called the store directly.  Many of the products are not offered and prices are not the same.  On the positive end, you can refer to the weekly flyer for what’s on sale.  I wanted to try something they that totally prepared at their deli counter and opted for two types of chicken wings (Buffalo and BBQ) at a price of $5.99 per pound.  Tears were emanating from my eyes with the Buffalo.  My stomach bothered me for many hours after having both. 

I love shaved steak.  I can usually get that at Trader Joe’s.  I asked if they could get it that thin and Jose, the GM, said that I could.  As for the cut, I chose eye round as it was recommended via online research as being a cheap but excellent cut for that use.  Flyer price was $5.99 per pound.  It takes about 45 seconds for this to cook and goes great in either stir fries or sandwiches.  I tend to use ginger and scallions. 

I called in my list and was gotten back with on what was there or wasn’t along with the total.  I was even able to use my credit card just the way I did for Fresh Direct and Peapod.  It was soon after that the food was delivered.  I did not have to wait for a time slot. 

All was fine except for the beef.  It was cut thin but not shaved.  I called and asked if they are able to do this and was assured by Jose.  He told me to keep it in the refrigerator and someone would come and pick it up while exchanging it for the shaved beef.  The store closes at 10 p.m. and it is almost 9 p.m.  No pick up or phone call.   Yes, I finally called to hear Jose tell me that he had forgotten and complained about how he works 16-hours a day.  I guess this Keyfood doesn’t deliver when it comes to keeping agreements. 

THE CATSKILLS COMES TO FLUSHING TOWN HALL

The Catskills Comes to Queens is a premiere food and wine tasting being held at Flushing Town Hall on August 1 from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. This one-of-a-kind tasting event is being produced by Joseph Distefano, owner of New York Epicurean Events that will take place both indoor and at the outdoor gardens.

“All of our chefs will be working with local meats - grass fed beef, heritage pork etc. - sourced from Carmen Valley Farms, Delancey, N.Y., and Larry's Custom Meats, Hartwick, N.Y.” Distefano said. “We've also partnered with AgriForaging, Margaretville, N.Y., which will be sourcing local produce. Some of the other farms they are working with include Straight Out of The Ground and Fossil Farms.

“While no Catskills products will be for sale,” Distefano continued, “all of our chefs will be working with products from the Catskills, including syrup from Brookside Maple, Delancey, N.Y., which Chef Natty Felder of The Astor Room will use in his maple cured Berkshire pork belly with grits and red pepper jelly. Danny Brown will be using foie gras from La Belle Farms in Ferndale, N.Y., in his terrine of foie gras and guinea fowl. Tastings of cheeses from Vulto Creamery, Walton, N.Y. will be available as will chocolate from Fruition, Shokan, N.Y.”    

Michelin-starred chef Hugue Dufour will be preparing a gigantic tagine of lamb and Michelin-starred Danny Brown will be preparing a terrine of foie gras and guinea fowl. Dufour and Brown are just two of the more than 20 chefs who will be cooking at the festivaI. I like to think of it as putting the best product in New York State in the hands of the best chefs at the city's best  venue.

Other confirmed dishes include: Beef tongue sliders with pickled green heirloom tomatoes and black birch bark mayo. FYI tongue is pickled then smoked over maple and oak. Will Horowitz, Ducks Eatery/Harry & Ida’s; Rabbit mortadella hot dogs from Ed Cotton of Sotto 13; Crispy beef tripe with Sichuan peppercorn and jalapeno from Landhaus; Cold smoked beef rib steaks from Fletcher's Brooklyn BBQ; Whole hog from Arrogant Swine; Galactic brisket from Alchemy/John Brown; Braised short rib with tamarind and fruit chutney from Alfonso Zhicay of Casa del Chef Bistro; and Maple cured pork belly with sour cream grits and red pepper jelly from Natty Felder of The Astor Room.

The event marks the rebirth of Josh Bowen's Alchemy Texas BBQ slated to open later this summer.  “Libations will be poured from our friends at Keegan Ales, Awestruck Ciders, and Roscoe Brewing Co.”, Stefano added.

WHAT: The Catskills Comes to Queens, a premiere farm-to-festival food and wine tasting featuring more than 20 chefs as well beer, wine, and cider, and live entertainment 

WHEN: August 1, 6 p.m. to 9 p.m.
WHERE: Flushing Town Hall, 137-35 Northern Blvd., Flushing, New York 11354
WHO: More than 20 chefs and culinary artisans including, Chef Hugue Dufour of M. Wells Steak House, Chef Ric Orlando of New World Home Cooking, Chef Danny Brown of Danny Brown Wine Bar & Kitchen, Chef Graziano Techie of Mint, Pitmaster Josh Bowen of John Brown Smokehouse, Pitmaster Big Lou Elrose of Charred, Fruition Chocolate, and Vulto Creamery, plus brewers, vintners, cider makers and live entertainment. TICKETS: $95/$76 members through www.flushingtownhall.org

Lincoln Center in the Park

The Lincoln Center Local: Free Screenings series, which offers streams of programs from Lincoln Center’s growing digital content collection to libraries and community centers, including world-class performances from Live From Lincoln Center and other previous live events, has expanding to new venues and new locations this summer. The series is part of Lincoln Center Education’s mission to bring high quality resources and programming options to communities beyond Lincoln Center’s campus in Manhattan.

Free Screenings will be shown on an outdoor screen this summer at the Queens Theatre in Flushing Meadows Corona Park on each Tuesday in August at 8:00 p.m. Showings include Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street with Bryn Terfel, Emma Thompson and the New York Philharmonic on August 4, the Villalobos Brothers on August 11, Yo-Yo Ma with the New York Philharmonic (2013 Opening Night) on August 18, and the 2012 Richard Tucker Opera Gala featuring some of opera’s leading voices on August 25. In case of inclement weather, the screenings will be held at an indoor space at the Queens Theatre.

“At present, there are just over 30 options of past performance arts events that we offer in the Lincoln Center Local: Free Screenings series”, said Eric Gewirtz, Associate Director, Public Relations. “They range from classical, to world music, to theater, to jazz, and more. Queens Theatre is the only outdoor venue in New York City to present these events.”

Marketing Manager, Thibuld Courtois approached Lincoln Center Education for this project. “With several showings to choose from I selected these particular movies to portray the diversity of the borough”.  Violinists Villalobos Brothers, for instance, have been acclaimed as one of today’s leading Contemporary Mexican ensembles. Their original compositions and arrangements masterfully blend and celebrate the richness of Mexican folk music with the intricate harmonies of jazz and classical music.

“We will be setting up a 25’ x15’ screen on the festival lawn located behind the theatre and requesting that people bring chairs, blankets as well as their own picnic baskets”, Courtois remarked. “In case of inclement weather, the movies will be shown inside at the 472-seat theatre.” 

In addition screenings will take place in 19 new locations across the five boroughs of New York City. Details about screenings, locations, and times throughout the summer are available at LincolnCenter.org/Local and LincolnCenterEducation.org.