30 The Queens Courier • OCTOber 17, 2013 for breaking news visit www.queenscourier.com LICFLEA&FOOD WOOF! MEOW! Celebrate Halloween with your pet at LIC Flea STELLA & SPARKLE JEWELRY www.stellaandsparklejewelry.com Stella & Sparkle Jewelry was founded by Jelie DeVries and Anthony Ruaix in January, and in the past month-and-a-half they have moved from Florida to New York in order to share their hand-crafted jewelry with LIC Flea-goers. Between the two of them, about 90% of Stella & Sparkle Jewelry’s merchandise is hand-made, and 25% of their business is custom orders. DeVries and Ruaix use natural stones in their work, and, in Ruaix’s words, do their best to put a “modern twist” on the styles that they create. Their current best-selling items include their Druzy and Agate Collections, and they also offer earrings, necklaces, studs, natural stone rings, and much more. Stella & Sparkle Jewelry will be at the LIC Flea on Saturdays and Sundays. There will also be several Christmas promotional sales during November, more information on which can be found on their website, www.stellaandsparklejewelry.com. VINT AND YORK EYEWEAR www.vintandyork.com When Larisa Ginzburg, and Dmitriy Israel founded Vint and York in late March of 2013, they knew what their goal was: to give people the opportunity to wear the fashions, and styles of their choice, at prices they could afford. “We both have a background in the optical field,” said Israel. “We saw the need for affordable, beautiful, eyewear that is not only high quality, but affordable. Most designer brands are very expensive; People wind up spending hundreds of dollars to buy a pair of frames they love, and then paying hundreds more to get their prescription filled. Our frames are of equal, or higher quality, they’re easily comparable to the designer brands, for a fraction of the price, including the polycarbonate prescription lens, and premium coatings optical stores charge an, arm, and leg for.” Vint and York is its own distinctive brand, it’s team designs the products, and is fully involved in the manufacturing, and production process; Resulting in a variety of cool, colorful, and unique frames, allowing each, and every customer the right to express their style. You will not find Vint and York in chain retailers: the eyewear is sent directly to the consumer through their website, including its bestselling items such as the Hell K, and Billy B models; Both of these frames appear to be hand-finished wood, and while they are actually made of highest-quality acetate. Vint and York also has a collection of sunglasses coming next month, which will be outfitted with the same Carl Zeiss vision lenses leading name brand designers use, for an exceptionally lower price; These lenses ensure best protection for eyes, and optimum vision performance. The website for Vint and York, www.vintandyork.com, is full of special features that provide for a top notch customer experience; If you are not sure what your pupillary distance is – let our opticians Photo Courtesy Spoil My Bitch measure it online. Customers may perform virtual try-ons right on the website prior to purchasing. Be sure to check out the frame trial feature on their site as well, which allows you to try five frames at home, for seven days. In addition to being at the LIC Flea & Food Market this Saturday and Sunday, Vint and York will also be appearing at the Chelsea Market in Manhattan beginning on October 21st, and at the LIC Holiday Market in December. For more information, visit Vint and York’s website at www.vintandyork.com. BUTCHER BAR butcherbar.com For country home cooking in Astoria, Butcher Bar is the place to be. When Matthew Katakis founded Butcher Bar in 2011, he knew he wanted to create something unique to the neighborhood. After researching the ways animals are raised, modified and processed before we eat them, Katakis decided to do his part to put a stop to it, and opened a restaurant where all the food served is either natural, local, organic, or in most cases, all three. “Our food is completely fresh,” Katakis said. “We don’t even own a freezer. We support the local economy in that all of our vendors are 300 miles away or less, and we also support local farms in the tri-state region. All of our food is made daily, and we stay away from things like corn syrups and other artificial enhancers.” Butcher Bar offers a wide selection of ribs, pork, burgers, chops, briskets, and much more. It also sells raw meats that customers can either take home or have Butcher Bar’s team cook up for them right on the spot. Butcher Bar’s chefs use a “slow and low” technique to cook their meats, which means that the temperatures at which they cook are lower than usual. Although this means the food takes longer to cook, it also yields several benefits, such as the preservation of vitamins, enhanced tenderness in the finished product, and overall reduction of sodium levels. Katakis and his staff employ the “slow and low” technique at the Flea too. “The thing that makes us different from other vendors is that our product requires 12 to 14 hours of preparation, depending on temperature, etc.,” said Katakis. He purchased a 500-gallon hard wood smoker from Georgia that can cook up to 250 pounds of meat. Butcher Bar staffers show up at the Flea at 8 p.m. Friday – “the first ones in the parking lot.” The meat goes in at 9 p.m. and is ready to serve Saturday morning at 11 a.m. Then, after everyone else goes home, “a team member stays behind on Saturday to add oak wood every 15 to 30 minutes so that we keep that constant temperature.” Katakis said that ribs, which take four hours, are especially popular, and that they also offer the “monster sandwich” – half brisket and half pulled pork – as well as homemade coleslaw and other delicious dishes. Butcher Bar is located at 37-08 30th Avenue, Astoria. Call 718-606-8140 for reservations. You can also sample their fare at LIC Flea every Saturday and Sunday. Our four-legged friends are coming to LIC Flea & Food for an early Halloween. With just two weeks before the spooktacular holiday, LIC Flea is hosting a pet costume contest this weekend. On Saturday, October 19 and Sunday, October 20 visitors will be able to bring their four-legged furry friends to participate in the first pet costume Halloween contest. If you don’t have a costume for your pet, LIC Flea vendor Spoil My Bitch mobile pet boutique will have a selection of costumes for small to big dogs you can purchase. Options include a fantasy dragon, duck, sailor, basketball player, sailor and even a cow. “I’m so excited,” said Spoil My Bitch owner Roger Quesada, whose two-year-old Miniature Schnauzer Nina will also be at LIC Flea in costume. “When I started this business I wanted to sell cute outfits and I didn’t know how big the costume business was for dogs. It will be really fun to see people coming to the event and dressing up the animals.” Kiki Pet Photography will be taking photos of all the participants and a winner will be awarded on Saturday, October 26. Prizes include LIC Flea & Food Bucks, a gift card from Ricky’s, a free 20-day potty break packaged from LIC Dogwalk, a free dog consult from Pooch Pals, a free office exam from City Vet and a discounted photo session with Kiki Pet Photography. The contest is also sponsored by LIC Doghouse and TF Cornerstone. Visitors will also be able to donate clean dog items and unopened food and treats to “Rock & Rawhide” for dogs in need. Those people looking for a furry friend to call their own will also have the chance to adopt a pet through the pet adoption agency Zani’s Furry Friends, which will be at LIC Flea. Even with the cute pets in costumes, people will not be left behind. The following weekend on Saturday, October 26 and Sunday, October 27 visitors of all ages are welcomed to come in their best Halloween costume and have their pictures taken. Winners will be selected to get LIC Flea & Food Bucks and the chance to be published in The Queens Courier. You can sign up for the contest online at www.queenscourier. com/lic-flea-pet-costume-contest or at the LIC Flea, located at 5-25 46th Avenue in Long Island City.
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