Clothes With Character
Take A Long Look Inside Mimi’s Closet
 An electric range of ephemera line’s Mimi’s walls. |
By Jennifer Polland
On a sunny Saturday afternoon, a slender woman sat on a plush chair in a corner of Mimi’s Closet, a boutique in Astoria, hand-sewing a pair of intricate-looking pants. When a customer entered the cozy mint-colored store, she jumped up and greeted the client with a coy smile. This is just another workday for Mimi Yamanobe.
Yamanobe is the owner of Mimi’s Closet, a small boutique in Astoria. She is also a devoted fashion designer who created Motomimi, a fashion line that is simple, feminine and casual. She stocks her boutique with her own designs, and various jewelry and accessories designed by local artisans.
Mimi, below, shows off some of her shop’s wares.
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“I love clothing,” Yamanobe said, making sure to point out that she was wearing one of her own designs (a striped dress with a delicate feminine collar). “I always have. Making clothes is just something I love doing, and my dream was to have my own store where I sold my own clothes.”
Mimi’s Closet opened in May 2006, but for Yamanobe, designing is nothing new. She began designing clothing in her native country Japan at the age of 18. Inspired by the fashions she saw on TV, Yamanobe fell into costume design, creating costumes for Off-Broadway shows, films, live performances and more.
Excited By Fashion
She seems to have a difficult time articulating exactly what she loves about fashion, but she doesn’t need to. When she talks about fashion, she instantly becomes animated.
“When I sew, I’m always thinking, ‘I have to make more,’” she said excitedly.
Yamanobe describes her style as “casual,” “cute,” and “sexy,” but all of her designs are remarkably conscientious of the female body. Many of her dresses and blouses flaunt ribbons or delicate string that wrap around a woman’s waist, flattering women of all different shapes and sizes.
“We all have different shaped bodies, so I’m always thinking about what could be good for a woman’s body,” she said.
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 Outside, Mimi’s Closet looks like a classic boutique.
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Yamanobe plucks a cropped velvety jacket with a satin ribbon – a piece in the Motomimi line – from the rack, and demonstrates how the ribbon ties directly under a woman’s chest. This is a style that flatters everyone, she explains.
Yamanobe emphasizes that her clothing is not just for people with model-esque bodies. Rather, she hopes that women of all ages and all sizes will enjoy her clothing.
As she is discussing this, she greets a middle-aged, slightly overweight woman who begins to browse the racks, examining various fitted jackets. In the back, a young, slim and stylish blonde emerges from the fitting room in a printed baby-doll dress. Yamanobe rushes over to her and starts fiddling with the fit of the dress.
“My clothes are for women of any age,” Yamanobe said. “All women want to enjoy fashion, no matter how old they are or what their bodies look like. That’s why I enjoy this business.”
Although she does cater to women of all sizes, Yamanobe only carries sizes small and medium in her store. But, she regularly designs custom-made clothes for her clients – for a $50 fee.
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 Inside, Mimi greets her customers.
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Motomimi is a refreshing break from the mass-produced designs sold in stores like the Gap and H&M. But, the Motomimi line is not cheap. Yamanobe’s clothing ranges from about $40 to $400. A blouse may cost between $78 and $120, and dresses start at $148.
But perhaps the price is worth it for the personalized attention that goes into each piece of clothing. Yamanobe said that she pores over each item of clothing for hours at a time.
“When I shop, I think about shapes and materials,” Yamanobe said.” “I think about combining different fabrics and patterns to make styles that you cannot find anywhere else.”
One Of A Kind
Mimi’s Closet is the only place people can find Motomimi, and for Yamanobe, that is the key to success – especially in a place like Astoria.
When she moved to New York City in 1993 from Japan, she found herself nearly lost amidst the hustle and bustle of Times Square, where she was stationed to work for a company that designed costumes. Three years ago, she moved to Astoria and fell in love with what she calls the “neighborly small town feel.”
“Astoria is a safe place, it’s not expensive, and people are really nice here,” Yamanobe said. “It’s peaceful, comfortable, and it feels like a family.”
Yamanobe looked at Astoria, and saw a business opportunity: Astoria was the perfect spot for her boutique. So in May 2006, Yamanobe opened Mimi’s Closet on 31st Street with her business partner, Asa Nagamatsu.
“When I was looking for places to open my store, I looked all over the city,” Yamanobe recounted. “I liked the Lower East Side in Manhattan, but then I thought that Astoria can become like that in the future. Many young people live here, there are many cafés, and there is a great beer garden. We need more boutiques because we want more young people in Astoria.”
Not Just Mimi
For Yamanobe, her boutique isn’t just about promoting Motomimi or building the character of Astoria. She remembers how difficult it was to make it as a young designer, and she hopes to help other local designers by selling their wares in her store.
“One day a few years ago, I was carrying my original bag and a lady stopped me on the street and said, ‘Can you make that for me?’” Yamanobe recalled. “That was my first opportunity, and young artists need that. The other designers here are my friends, and they need a place to sell their designs.”
Mimi’s Closet sells jewelry and accessories by various local artisans and designers. Ashley Brodie is a Sunnyside-based jewelry designer who creates jewelry that looks as if it has been weathered. Among other brands, the boutique also carries DujeuxDesigns, hand-crafted chunky jewelry that is designed by Céline Dujeux, an artisan living in Astoria.
Ultimately, Yamanobe is hoping to offer her customers unique wares and a pleasant shopping experience. She said that she may want to open another store in the future, but for now she is concentrating solely on her designs and on the success of Mimi’s Closet.
“Everything here is one-of-a-kind because everyone needs something special,” Yamanobe said. “If I stay here in Astoria, maybe I can make a good change.”
Mimi’s Closet is located at 21-10 31st St. in Astoria. For more information, call (718) 726-0971 or visit www.mimiscloset.net.
Master Of Words
Queens Poet Laureate Honored By His Post
 Julio Murzán (third from l.) stands with former Queens poet Laureates(l. to r.) Hal Sirowitz, Ishle Yi Park and Stephen Stepanchev. |
By Liz Skalka
Julio Marzán almost appears too cool to hold a bureaucratic title: Queens Poet Laureate. Moreover, he admits that his job doesn’t involve much beyond attending the occasional poetry reading.
“I had no idea who the committee was composed of, what it entailed,” Marzán said of applying for the position, though he added that his being chosen came as “a pleasant surprise.”
The engaging 61-year-old from Little Neck casually attributes his being selected to “politics,” and said he’ll describe what the position entails once he does something. He jokes, of course, and that’s part of his charm.
The Best Choice
Marzán, who has lived in the borough for 36 years, was chosen to be Queens’ fourth poet laureate in May. To be considered for the title, candidates need to have lived in Queens for at least two years, have published poetic works and have composed poetry that in some way reflects the borough.
As a former visiting professor at Harvard University and as a native of Puerto Rico, Marzán can speak broadly about Latino literature. For Marzán, the art lies in the classics, which he says are overlooked nowadays. “Nobody wants to go back and read the literature that’s there,” he said. This is the crux of Marzán’s argument against the Latino literature being produced today, and a theme in his work.
Marzán also laments the decline of the English language and its lack of clarity. “We don’t listen to all the crap we say to ourselves,” he said with a slight grin, referring to colloquialisms. “[They’re] being used everywhere and we’re defenseless.”
Clearly, one can refer to Marzán as one of the borough’s resident scholars. He has been a professor at Nassau Community College for 15 years. He has also written two books of poetry – “Translations Without Originals” (Reed Books) and “Puerta de Tierra” (University of Puerto Rico Press) – as well as other works in various genres.
Marzán has incorporated Queens settings into his works, but only as a jumping-off point; the location may be Queens, but the themes are universal. “The cultural differences are sharp and they create the opportunity to create a metaphor rather than actual maps,” he said.
In his poem “Utopia Parkway,” Marzán used Queens as a setting:
“Airport fumes/ always transport me/ to that island/ no longer mapped/ and my wheels/ touch that life/ always dreamed/ from New York.”
A Late Bloomer
Marzán began composing poetry while in college, though not much thought went into his decision to do so. “One day I was in the subway and I didn’t know what I wanted to do and for some reason I decided this was what I wanted to do… I can’t explain it, it just happened,” he said.
He then enrolled in a writing course at Fordham University, where he received his Bachelor of Arts degree, and was praised highly by his professor. Since then, Marzán has received numerous awards for his work, including the Dylan Thomas Memorial Award presented by The New School.
Though Marzán’s three-year tenure as Queens Poet Laureate got off to a slow start this summer, his schedule for the upcoming months is filling up quickly. He will do readings Sept. 17 at the Noguchi Museum in Long Island City, Oct. 13 at the Queens Museum of Art and Oct. 17 at St. John’s University.
Marzán is currently working on several books and continues to write poetry. Although, like any artist, his process is intricate and his works often take a while to complete. “Every syllable strikes a chord,” he said, “and when it’s right, it’s right.”
Making Their Mark
More Of Boro’s History Gains Landmark Respect
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 The Sohmer & Co. Piano Factory is one of Queens’ newest landmarks.
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By Juliet Werner
This year the Landmarks Preservation Commission designated two Queens sites as landmarks. In February, Astoria’s Sohmer & Co. Piano Factory was recognized as an essential remnant of Queens industrial heritage. And in June, Sunnyside Gardens became a historic district.
A structure must be 30 years old to qualify as a landmark and must fall into the category of individual landmark, interior landmark, scenic landmark or historic district, according to the LPC Web site.
Not So Easy
Throughout the year, LPC receives a high volume of requests for landmark status. As a result, the procedure for designation is painstakingly thorough. A request for evaluation can either come from within LPC or from the community. Once an evaluation form is completed, it is considered multiple times before it makes its way to a commission vote. If approved, the proposal is paired with research provided by the Department of City Planning and presented to City Council for a final vote.
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 The Richmond Hill Republican Club may be a landmark, but it remains bounded up.
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Queens enjoys a wide array of landmark buildings including the Ridgewood Savings Bank on Queens Boulevard in Forest Hills. The bank, founded in 1921, was designated on May 30, 2000 because of its modern classical style architecture and due to the fact that it was the first branch of this now thriving bank franchise. Architects Halsey, McCormack & Helmer chose the triangular lot for its proximity to the newly-opened subway.
The Richmond Hill Republican Club, located on Lefferts Boulevard, was designated on Dec. 17, 2002. Selected for its historic significance – Theodore Roosevelt, Harry Truman, Richard Nixon and Gerald Ford all spoke there – the club provided the Richmond Hill community with a thriving political epicenter. The structure remains today, but has been boarded up.
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The original Ridgewood Savings Bank is an icon in Forest Hills.
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The Ralph Bunche House on Grosvenor Road in Kew Gardens, was selected not only because it was constructed in the new-Tudor style in 1927 by the famous Brooklyn architects Koche and Wagner, but also because it belonged to a Nobel Peace Prize Winner/UN trustee/advisor to three different Secretaries-General. These accomplishments are especially extraordinary given that Bunche was a black man working in a time when racial discrimination was still heavily prevalent.
To learn more about Queens’ many landmarks, visit www.nyc.com/html/lpc.
Stories And Song
Cafés Help Build A Queens Community
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 Stephane Wrembel performs at Waltz Astoria.
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By Jennifer Polland
More European-feeling than many other parts of New York City, Astoria is brimming with quaint cafés. But here, some cafés are transforming themselves into more than a place to drink coffee and meet friends: they are becoming art houses and performance spaces. Two cafés in Astoria, Waltz-Astoria and Tell Me Astorya, stand out as full-fledged cultural spaces – and they both make a mean cappuccino, too.
So What’s Your Story?
Tell Me Astorya, a café located at 37-05 28th Ave., opened in March 2007. Owner Dega Omar is a filmmaker who is originally from Somalia by way of Canada. When she moved to Astoria five years ago, she was impressed by the arts in New York City and the diversity of Astoria, but she felt that there wasn’t a strong community of documentary filmmakers, like herself, in Astoria.
“The idea for the café was slowly brewing for many years,” Omar said. “I’m an artist – a filmmaker. I’ve lived in Astoria for five years now, and I thought having a café that shows art and film, and brings the community together would be great.”
Every day, Tell Me Astorya presents a different event to the community. Monday is poetry night; on Tuesdays the café shows children’s movies during the daytime; Wednesday is conversation night, which is an open forum for political and social discussions; Thursday is open mic night; Friday is music night, when local bands perform; and Saturday is Jazz night. Sundays are a day of rest.
Attuned to the needs of Astoria, Omar said that she wanted to create a space where members of the community could gather to see good art, film and music, and talk openly about social, political, and artistic issues.
“The idea behind the café is that people in the community need a place to gather,” Omar said. “We don’t want to be just another café. We want to be a meeting ground for people who want to talk about things and see great art because art is really what we’re about. Art always lights the spirit.”
Keeping 3/3 Time
Waltz-Astoria, a café located at 23-14 Ditmars Blvd., was inspired by similar motivations. The mission, quite simply, is to promote music. Co-owned by Bill Everson and Song Zhang, Waltz-Astoria opened in 2005, and has been rapidly building momentum as one of the premier music cafés in Astoria. The café has become so popular, that it underwent a recent expansion to accommodate the crowds who flock there for music, coffee and comedy.
“Our goal here is to push music,” Zhang said. “We offer listeners a chance to hear good music and find the next great talent. And we offer musicians – who don’t necessarily have the money necessary to put their songs out there – the chance to perform and find their fans.”
Like Omar, Zhang is an artist. The 27-year-old native of China is an accomplished pianist. She has been living in Astoria for 10 years, and she saw a need for an arts space and local hangout in the community.
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 Open Mic at Tell Me Astorya.
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“I am a musician – a pianist,” Zhang said. “I had a piano studio in Astoria for a while. Having taught music, and knowing what music has to offer, I thought it would be nice to create a space like this. We’re a little bit off the beaten path, and it feels like an escape. We’re trying to create a place that offers something to the community.”
Waltz-Astoria caters to the community with various artistic events. Tuesday is comedy night and Wednesday is open mic night, but musicians perform year-round. The intimate space is decorated with paintings by local artists. Bookshelves line the walls, tempting customers to browse through the eclectic titles – all of which are for sale – as they sip their frothy coffee drinks. And in the center of the café lies a grand piano, reminding customers of the core purpose of this space: music.
“This is an acoustic venue and the type of music we do here has to fit the setting,” Zhang said. “We don’t present loud, heavy-metal music. It’s more about jazz, classical, singer-songwriter, opera, Brazilian, and just general acoustic music. We are even starting to get into world music and R&B.”
 Outside Tell Me Astorya. |
Some of the musicians who frequently perform at Waltz are Warren (D.) Kimmel & Zen Roses, Stephane Wrembel, and the Casenave Jazz Duo. Waltz also offers comedians the chance to perform on Tuesday nights – a show that has definitely made some noise in the community with its chalk advertisements. Hosted by comedian Matt Taylor, some of the comedians who have headlined the Tuesday Night Comedy show are Moody McCarthy, Jesse Joyce, and Jon Fisch.
“We offer musicians a place to start, a chance to show their music, find their following, and become what they want to be,” Zhang said. “Waltz is the kind of place where you discover new stars. You never know who someone is going to be in 10 years. We offer them opportunities to show off their acts before they become famous. The same goes for comedians— some of them have already become famous.”
Hanging Out At Home
But more than the performances, Waltz-Astoria has become a hangout, a place where the comedians come to write material, musicians come to hear music, and people come to socialize.
“This place is also about community,” Zhang said. “If you come here often enough, you’ll notice that it’s the same people who come here. It’s a little family that we’re building here, and it’s a nice feeling to see that people have that kind of contact with each other.”
Tell Me Astorya is a relatively new café, and it is still looking to find its niche in the community. But, Omar said, it is already becoming home to many Astoria folks – and that is exactly what she hoped would happen.
“Some people are newcomers to Astoria – people who are young, who may have moved here from other parts of the world – and I think that my café makes people feel that they have some connections in Astoria,” Omar said. “I think that people really feel at home here.”
Fore more information on Tell Me Astorya call (718) 726-1710. For more information on Waltz-Astoria call (718) 956-8742 or visit www.waltz-astoria.com.
Salsa Sizzles In Queens
Latin Dance Studio Keeps The Beat In Glendale
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Lorenz Latin Dance Place offers affordable dancing classes to adults.
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By MICHAEL CUSENZA
There’s a medium-sized air-conditioning unit protruding from the 65th Place-side wall of Lorenz Latin Dance Studio in Glendale.
On a sticky, muggy Friday night when the atmosphere is so hot and thick it feels as if you’re walking through a sauna instead of down Myrtle Avenue, this oasis of arctic air is a wondrous sight.
At least it should be.
It’s “Salsa Social” night at Lorenz. Every Friday dozens of salsa enthusiasts and curious wallflowers gather at the cozy studio to get their weekly fill of mambo music and moves. The sensual nature of the dance combined with the pulsating rhythms and packed house produces a blood-pumping, sweat-inducing atmosphere that can make the 83-degree night outside the wide wooden door feel like a meat locker.
But no one seems to mind.
It’s the dance that keeps them inside. And it’s the fun, welcoming environment provided by Howie Lorenz and his wife, Pat, that keeps them coming back.
Howie, 51, has been dancing for 19 years and teaching dance for 13 of those years.
“I figured I’d better open my own studio before I get too old to do it,” he said with a laugh.
After years of dancing at studios all over the City, and paying exorbitant prices to do so, the Lorenz couple, who live in Glendale, decided to open their own place on the corner of Myrtle Avenue and 65 th Place.
“We had a dream to open our own studio, and that’s what we did,” Pat Lorenz said. “We wanted to provide quality dance lessons at affordable prices because we had experience ourselves being charged an arm and a leg.”
When it opened in July 2004, Lorenz Latin Dance Studio only offered evening classes because Howie and Pat work during the day: Howie’s a machinist and Pat is a legal secretary. Due to its growing popularity the studio now offers daytime classes, boasts five instructors and several levels of courses covering salsa “on 2,” merengue, bachata, cha cha, tango and even ballroom dancing. The studio also houses three competitive dance teams: the Lorenz Latin Dancers, the Mambo Clasico Dancers and the Lorenz Junior Elite Dance Team, all of which will compete at the 2007 New York Salsa Congress Sept. 1 and 2.
“Other studios don’t make you feel comfortable,” said JP, a carpenter from Wantagh, Long Island, who has been dancing for the past five years. “The instruction [here] is broken down with simplicity. They teach at a progressive level.”
Pat Lorenz explained that the studio has capitalized on the diversity of Queens and has been warmly received by the Glendale community.
“There’s nothing around here [dance-related] for adults to do,” she said. “So the combination of having something for adults and affordable pricing has worked well for us.”
But, as Howie noted, it’s the dance that attracts a diverse clientele, some of which travel from as far as New Jersey and Westchester, to the Lorenz Latin Dance Studio. There’s something about salsa.
“It’s hot, it’s sexy, it’s appealing to the eye, it’s energetic, it’s fast-moving,” Howie said passionately. “Once you understand the music, you feel it inside you. It’s a feeling, definitely a feeling. And it feels good.”
For more information on the Lorenz Latin Dance Studio visit www.lorenzdancestudio.com.
History On Celluloid
Queens Classic Theaters Discover New Lives
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The Midway Theater now has nine screens inside.
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By Juliet Werner
Queensites, like their counterparts across the nation, attend the movies for an escape. This concept, cinema as a break from the real world, has been bolstered over the years by everything from film theory to Oscar speeches. But it is also true that movies cater to the audience. Most major studios these days run test screenings so that by the time the movie comes out, it’s a surer bet. If movies are a cultural barometer, the same could be said of movie theaters.
Reel Changes
The ever-changing demographics of Queens determined the fate of the borough’s historic theaters. Though the Valencia and Newtown Theaters are both presently churches, they serve very different congregations. The historic 1942 Midway Theater located on Queens Boulevard in Forest Hills, wasn’t converted into a church per se, but it could be called a shrine to convenience.
In 1997 the Heskel Group purchased Midway for $9 million and renovated it into a 9-screen multiplex. The exterior remains, but none of original interior design was maintained. The lobby includes an expansive concessions stand and arcade-style video games.
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 The Cameo Theater is now a residence.
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The Eagle Theatre – formerly the Earle – in Jackson Heights is representative of the path that many Queens theaters take; it was a run as a porn-house, shut down and then later reopened as Bollywood theater.
The Cameo Theater in Astoria took the reverse course. First opening in 1941, the theater was built by the architectural firm of Phinean & Zolat. As Greek immigrants flooded the neighborhood, the Cameo began playing foreign films and changed its name to the Olympia Theater. That approach eventually failed, and the Olympia became a XXX house. When neighbors and local churches complained, the theater was shut down and today the building houses a store with apartments above.
Also in Astoria, the Ditmars Theater opened in the mid-1930s and played American fare before adjusting to cater to the Greek community. It eventually closed due to low attendance and is now a post office.
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The former Boulevard Theater now hosts a dinner theater club.
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Still Entertaining
One theater in Queens, the former RKO Keith’s Richmond Hill Theater, is unique in that it no longer plays movies, but still provides entertainment for the community. Located on Hillside Avenue, with the glamorous marquee still intact, the RKO is used as a bingo hall and flea market space.
Once multiplexes were introduced, single-screen theaters became obsolete and closures were inevitable. And as the 21st century progresses, developing technology may drive multiplexes out of business. But no amount of change can detract from the beauty of an old-fashioned theater marquee.
Speaking From The Heart
Afrikan Poetry Theatre Helps Shape A Community
 (l. to r.) John Watusi Branch standing with Councilman Leroy Comrie. |
By Liz Skalka
The theme for the Afrikan Poetry Theatre’s 30th anniversary celebration last year was “Serving Two Continents” – an appropriate motto for an organization that seeks to bring African culture to New York City.
The center, located at 176-03 Jamaica Ave. in Jamaica, is adorned with art from Africa and boasts a stage where performers in spoken word poetry, as well as musicians and lecturers, can engage audiences. The center was established in 1976 by John Watusi Branch and the late Yusef Waliyaya, and has been in its current location since 1979. It had previously been located on Merrick Boulevard.
Not Just Words
The organization’s name is deceiving, as over the past 31 years it has grown to feature far more than spoken word poetry. It just drew to close a summer full with programs for children and teens – a major focus of the organization’s efforts.
The center’s Summer Youth Employment Program gives 300 children ages 14 to 16 the opportunity to work at libraries, museums, schools, day camps and day care centers for an hourly wage. “It’s really a job training program,” said Branch, the theatre’s executive director. He added that the program oftentimes provides teens with their earliest job experience.
Shapel LaBorde, 15, a student at Long Island City High School, participated in the employment program last year and was hired this summer to work outside of the program as an administrative assistant at the center. “A lot of my friends don’t have jobs yet,” she noted.
More Than Art
In addition to the employment program, the center also offers cultural workshops for teens and children in areas such as crafts-making and dancing that will resume this fall. The center also organizes a teen drumming circle that meets in St. Albans Park. In addition, every year the center aims to take a group of students on a trip to Africa, where they take on service projects in small towns. Branch is currently traveling with a group of students in Ghana. “We serve the community of not only New York and southeast Queens, but several countries in Africa,” Branch said.
The center also has a number of year-round activities. An open mic night is popular among adults and teens alike and takes place on the first Friday and second Saturday of each month. Branch, who says he comes from a more traditional school of spoken word poetry, appreciates what a younger generation brings to the art form. “A lot of them have a lot of say and a lot of skills,” he said. “I’m very open.”
In addition, the center has a jazz concert series as well as lectures and forums featuring activists, authors and artists. A jazz series and film series will both resume in October and each takes place once a month.
Though the center currently offers a variety of programs in its current location, it’s working with more than $3 million in funds to help renovate its facility. A fire a few years ago left the upstairs of the center damaged. The funds will be used for a gut renovation and to create a new art gallery and library.
For more information about the Afrikan Poetry Theatre, call (718) 523-3312.
