Meet celebrity cat sensation Lil Bub, take a Zumba class, create your own Lego character head, and do more at these events around Queens
Saturday, Jan. 30
Bring your little detectives to the Alley Pond Environmental Center from 1:30 to 3:30 p.m. to uncover the clues that could help you find hidden animals. Learn how to identify footprints and other clues they leave in the park! The program includes a story, craft, detective game, nature walk, interaction with live animals and a snack. This program is limited to 12 participants from the ages of 5 to 6. Fee is $23 per child. Pre-registration is required. Reserve your spot at alleypond.com. 228-06 Northern Blvd., Douglaston.
Get rid of your old gadgets without the $100 fine! Recycle them responsibly at these free e-waste collection events from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., rain or shine. Locations include the Waldbaum’s Shopping Center on 77th Street between 30th and 31st avenues in East Elmhurst, and Rosemary’s Playground on Fairview Avenue between Woodbine and Madison streets in Ridgewood. For more information on what can be recycled, contact the Lower East Side Ecology Center at lesecologycenter.org or 212-477-4022.
Longtime Douglaston resident Junko Fisher will take you on a musical tour of Japan at 3 p.m. at the Douglaston/Little Neck branch of the Queens Library. She will sing songs from each region, from the southern islands of Okinawa to the main island of Japan. Refreshments will be served. Seating is limited; first-come, first-served. 249-01 Northern Blvd.
Brush up on your spelling bee skills. Any and all lexicographical nerds are invited to come down to Astoria Coffee for the Drunk Vocab Bee, co-hosted by Astoria Bookshop and Trivia NYC. Compete for prizes while partaking in Astoria Coffee’s wine and beer selections from 8 to 10 p.m. A panel of judges will hand out scores for technical merit and artistic presentation. 30-04 30th St.
Take one last walk through the garden on this winter afternoon from 2 to 4 p.m. Artist Mayen Alcantara will be at Queens Botanical Garden for the closing reception of her exhibit “A Score in Graphite and Blue / To Walk a Minute More.” Alcantara will lead a walk through the garden and create a site-specific piece for QBG! 43-50 Main St.
The Queens Museum will be holding a book launch and panel discussion from 3 to 5 p.m. of “Zhang Hongtu: Expanding Visions of a Shrinking World.” Join us for a conversation about the book and exhibition with Jerome Silbergeld and contributors Eugenie Tsai and Lilly Wei. The museum is located inside Flushing Meadows Corona Park in Queens.
Bring your kid to a New York Hall of Science woodworking class this weekend. In this intro class, students will learn how to create mini wooden Lego heads using simple hand tools. Students can also turn their creation into a Pencil Pet! This workshop is great for kids ages 6 and older. Admission is $3 per child/adult pair, plus NYSCI admission ($1 for members). The workshop will be held at 1, 2:30 and 4 p.m. 47-01 111th St., Corona. Got to https://nysci.org/event/make-it-custom-wood-lego-heads/ to book your spot now.
Having a hard time with the cold? Come learn how our animals deal with this stressful time, when food is scarce and the weather is harsh. Alley Pond Environmental Center will be holding the Winter Survivor Young Discoverers Club from 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. for children ages 8 to 12. Learn about the adaptations and tricks animals and plants employ to survive the winter. Experiments and crafts will be included. This program is limited to eight participants. The fee is $25 per child. Pre-registration is required. Sign up at alleypond.com. 228-06 Northern Blvd., Douglaston.
Sunday, Jan. 31
The Queens Museum’s Open A.I.R. Artist Services Program invites you for a roundtable discussion about independent filmmaking in Queens with award-winning filmmaker Milton Xavier Trujillo and his film crew from 2 to 3:30 p.m. Trujillo will discuss filmmaking in immigrant communities, navigating the industry as an undocumented filmmaker, and various aspects of DIY independent film production. He will also be screening part of his most recent movie, “Histories and Auguries (For a Certain Place),” which was in part shot at the Queens Museum’s Panorama. For questions and more information email sespinoza@QueensMuseum.org.
Butter get down to New York Hall of Science this weekend to whip up a batch of your own homemade butter! Students age 18 months and older will discover exciting ingredients and experiment with new flavors from 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Cooking can get messy, so come in old clothing that can get dirty. Admission is $8 per family, plus NYSCI admission ($5 for members per family). NYSCI is located at 47-01 111th St. in Corona. Go to https://nysci.org/event/little-makers-butter-up-4/ to book your spot now.
Come show you Zumba moves! This fitness class at EmblemHealth Neighborhood Care Center is a friendly and fun introduction to the Zumba formula with modified moves and pacing for active older people. Please let your doctor know you will be taking part in this class. The class is from 1 to 2 p.m. at 206-20 Linden Blvd., Cambria Heights. To RSVP, call 866-539-0999.
Up and coming singer-songwriter Jen Lowe will be performing a super intimate house concert in Boerum Hill at 3 p.m. When Jen’s not drumming for Jazon Mraz, this New England-based artist writes some songs of her own. Drink some wine, eat some cake, and listen to the gentle caress of Jen’s voice as her guitar draws you in. RSVP at https://concerts.shrub.ca/rsvps/show/jen-lowe-2/.
As a part of the exhibition “Jim Henson’s World,” the Museum of the Moving Image will be holding a screening and live event at 1 p.m. of “The Muppet Show: Comic Legends.” This compilation of “Muppet Show” moments features comedic legends from Steve Martin to John Cleese, Bob Hope to George Burns. Tickets are $12 ($9 for students/seniors, free for members). Order tickets online at movingimage.us. All tickets include same-day admission to the museum. 36-01 35th Ave.
The Museum of the Moving Image will be screening “Titli” (2014) at 4:30 p.m. as a part of its exhibition “India’s New Wave.” This film defies all the flashy expectations of Bollywood to bring you a gritty bildungsroman with amateur actors, shot on Super 16mm film. The film will be shown in Hindi with English subtitles. Tickets are $12 ($9 for seniors/students, free for members). Order tickets online at movingimage.us. All tickets include same-day admission to the museum. The museum is located at 36-01 35th Ave.
Monday, Feb. 1
Get a glimpse of the forgotten neighborhood of Ravenswood at Greater Astoria Historical Society at 7 p.m. This lecture and exhibit will reveal the many faces of the community over the years, from home to upper class gentry to center for industry. Now Ravenswood stands on the cusp of change, as high-rise buildings regain control of the northwestern waterfront of Queens. Fee is $5 or free for GAHS members. GAHS is located on the fourth floor of the Quinn Building at 35-20 Broadway in Long Island City.
Looking for a job is stressful, especially if you’re doing it alone. Join fellow job seekers for tea, cookies, stress relief and networking from 10 to 11 a.m. at Queens Library Central Branch. The library is located at 89-11 Merrick Blvd. in Jamaica. For more information and to pre-register, call 718-990-8625.
Don’t know what skills to put on your resume? In a competitive job market, it is important to know how to market yourself and your skills to potential employers. This workshop at Queens Library Arverne branch will help you identify and learn to market your job-related skills. The workshop is from 1 to 3 p.m. To pre-register, visit jobmap.queenslibrary.org. For more information, call 718-634-4784. The library is located at 312 Beach 54th St. in Arverne.
Enjoy a staged reading of the Bard at Queens Library Windsor Park branch from 5:30 to 7 p.m. The series presented by TITAN Theatre Company continues this week with “The Comedy of Errors,” a slapstick comedy where love and felicity triumph over all obstacles. The library is located at 79-50 Bell Blvd., Bayside.
Join the Day Book Club from 2 to 3 p.m. at Queens Library Windsor Park to read this month’s selection, “The Girl You Left Behind” by Jojo Moyes. The novel is the story of a Parisian woman who fights to keep her family safe during WWI, but who is ultimately forced to serve the Germans when Paris falls. A modern-day battle ensues over her portrait, its history and its worth. 79-50 Bell Blvd., Bayside.
Tuesday, Feb. 2
Didn’t win the Powerball? Don’t worry. Rego Park Jewish Center will be holding Cash Bingo this Tuesday for all those who want to try their luck. Doors open at 6 p.m. and games start at 7 p.m. Admission is $4 per person, which includes 12 games free. Special games are an additional charge. There will be food concession. Bingo will be held in the Crystal Ballroom. The center is located at 97-30 Queens Blvd. in Rego Park and is handicap accessible. For more information, call 718-459-1000 or visit rpjc.org.
Artist Georgia Sagri will be presenting a new performance at SculptureCenter as a part of “The Eccentrics” exhibit currently on view. The performance “Sunday Stroll Undone and Redone” (2015) starts at 7 p.m. Tickets are free but extremely limited, and must be reserved in advance. For more information on the artist and to reserve tickets, visit https://sculpture-center.org/eventsEvent.htm?id=113503.
Bayside Historical Society will be hosting a Yoga at the Castle monthly series every Tuesday in February from 12:15 to 1:15 p.m. The series is $32; walk-ins are $10 per session. This is gentle and restorative yoga for beginners over 50 years old. The class includes all equipment: mats, blocks, blankets, straps and bands. Pre-register and save $10. Call 718-352-1548 to sign up and reserve your spot.
Get out of the cold and watch an independent movie at the Queens Library Central Branch from 2 to 4:30 p.m. every Tuesday during February. This week’s selection is “Dope” (R, 2015), the story of a group of nerdy teenagers who are thrust into the world of high-profile drugs when they are invited to an underground LA party. The library is located at 89-11 Merrick Blvd. in Jamaica.
Wednesday, Feb. 3
Are you a senior in need of Medicare? A trained Medicare specialist will be at CCNS Bayside Senior Center on Wednesdays from 9:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Come learn about the different options and pick the best insurance or savings plan for you. You must call ahead for an appointment at 718-225-1144. Bayside Senior Center also has activities, trips, catered lunch from Russo’s on the Bay at 11:30 a.m., and more. The center is located at 221-15 Horace Harding Expwy. in Bayside.
Want to cook up an intimate Italian meal? Learn how to make gnocchi with private chef and founder of Majella Home Cooking, Michelle Capobianco at Alley Pond Environmental Center from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Make dough and form the Italian potato dumplings by hand. Michelle will also demonstrate how to make two seasonal vegetable sauces that pair well with gnocchi. This program is limited to 12 participants and is for adults only. The fee is $20 ($14 for members). Pre-registration is required. Go to alleypond.com to reserve your spot. 228-06 Northern Blvd., Douglaston.
Need help filing your taxes this year? The NYS Tax Department is offering free tax-preparation assistance at participating libraries from January to April. If your income did not exceed $62,000 in 2015, you qualify to e-file at no cost. The Queens Library at Lefferts will be holding this program from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. every Wednesday in February at 103-34 Lefferts Blvd., Jamaica.
Own a business in Long Island City? Want to learn how to finance it? Come to the Long Island City Partnership Business Breakfast from 8 to 10 a.m. at the LIC Conference Center. There will be a networking breakfast, lectures, and one-on-one meetings with lenders, government representatives, banks and policy experts. This event will be held in the Queensboro Room. It is free, but registration is required. Register at licpartnership.org/events/biz-breakfast. 27-01 Queens Plaza North, Long Island City.
The Rego Park Jewish Center is proud to be part of this great legacy since its founding in 1939. A traditional Conservative Synagogue, the Center understands as its primary purpose, the preservation and fostering of the time-honored traditions and ceremonies of our people in a spirit of authenticity, intelligence and warmth.
