Ridgewood's Regina Rex and more in the QNYC Evening Edition for Friday September 28, 2012

Artists at Regina Rex in Ridgewood – great art is happening here

Anne Shisler-Hughes brought us a great article on what’s happening at Regina Rex, located in the massive industrial building that is 17-17 Troutman in Ridgewood. Currently the studio space is showing Yesterday Amphoric, featuring eight works by three artists, Ginny Cook, David J. Merritt, and Rosemary Mayer. The exhibition aims to examine “the impact of historicity, memory and death on the corporeal and material life of objects.” There are some beautiful pieces displayed, and it’s worth checking out.

By the way, tonight and Sunday, Regina Rex will be hosting lectures by the performance collective Lucky Pierre, part of an event entitled Emerson Takes a Walk: Self Reliance. On Friday, artist Michael Thomas, who will play the American philosopher Emerson, will walk from Coney Island to Regina Rex, ending the journey by speaking at 8pm. On Sunday he will walk from Grant’s Tomb in Harlem to Regina Rex and give a talk at 4pm. It’s free but advance reservations are suggested to secure a space.

Ridgewood also loves Parrot Coffee

The folks over at the new Ridgewood-focused food blog, Ridgefood, have professed their love for their favorite neighborhood grocery, Parrot Coffee (GMAP). It really is a marvelous place (there are locations in both Astoria and Sunnyside, too). Specifically this week, they praise the goat gouda, the Schweppes Bitter Lemon Soda, and their spinach pie. They even share a recipe for a tasty sounding cocktail, the Bitter Lemon Fizz, which includes the bitter lemon soda, vodka or tequila, and fresh herbs like mint or basil. Yum.

MP Taverna is slated to open soon

The old Mezzo Mezzo space on Ditmars has been shrouded in plywood for months, but we’ve learned that this sad sight might not be around for too much longer. MP Taverna (a second location of the Roslyn restaurant led by Michael Psiliakis), which is going to inhabit that space on the corner of Ditmars and 33rd Street (GMAP), might open as soon as October. We know locals will be happy once they open and that space becomes a lively corner again. Also, we are looking forward to the M. Wells Steakhouse opening up near Court Square in LIC later this winter.

You, too, can become a fitness instructor

The NYC Parks Department is offering you a chance to learn to be a fitness instructor. More from Parks:

This fall, NYC Parks will offer a comprehensive 8-week training program designed to train individuals to become fitness instructors for Shape Up NYC. Topics will include: basic anatomy, exercise physiology, injury prevention, music, cueing and body toning with light weights. After 8 weeks, participants will get practical experience by leading one Shape up NYC class per week for a 6-month period. Upon completion of the training, participants will receive an NYC Parks Certificate of Completion, and will be equipped to pass a nationally accredited certification exam.

The Steinway piano factory has gotten quite a bit of attention lately

Joanna Eng tells us about both a recent photo spread and an interview that has brought some attention onto the Steinway piano factory; they produce around 1,500 pianos a year in the northern reaches of Astoria. Yes, this is just one more awesome element that makes Astoria great. The Steinways have been in the Astoria area for decades since the 19th century, and the name still has deep meaning to musicians everywhere.

Photographer Christopher Payne photographed pianos at all stages of the manufacturing process, finding beauty in the wood, mechanical parts, and the work that goes into make a Steinway piano. You can see these photos on exhibit at the Bonni Benrubi Gallery on 57th Street in Manhattan, but only through tomorrow – Saturday, September 29.

Local Astorian Nancy Ruhling, in her Astoria Characters column, also recently profiled piano tuner Wally Boot, who works at Steinway & Sons. In his words, “Pianos enter this room looking like a piano, but leave sounding like one.”