FOR BREAKING NEWS VISIT www.qns.com JUNE 30, 2016 • TIMES 23 buzz QUEENS With the help of Wilson’s Tea, Ridgewood’s metal bar Bierleichen turns into a daytime freelancers’ oasis BY MARIA GOTAY editorial@ridgewoodtimes.com @RidgewoodTimes Visit any of Ridgewood‘s many coffee shops on weekdays and you’ll fi nd them packed with freelancers and telecommuters pounding away on their laptops while sipping some hot java. But what if you’re a tea lover looking to beat the crowds and get some work done? One local tea shop and a bar have teamed up to offer Ridgewood freelancers an alternative “offi ce” space. Wilson’s Tea now has a new residency at metal bar and beer garden, Bierleichen, located at 582 Seneca Ave., with the aim to make a good daytime use of bar’s peaceful space with beautiful skylights, big wooden tables and a backyard, while bringing some of the fi nest teas to the neighborhood. Bushwick-based Wilson’s Tea opened one year ago at the corner of Wilson Avenue and Hart Street, inviting the community to try original tea blends sourced from all around the world as well as treats from Queens Bakery. Now, they’re bringing the herbs over to Ridgewood, where tea shops are scarce. On the menu, you’ll fi nd The Breezy, a hibiscus kiwi strawberry blend, and The Berry Bomb, a lemon raspberry green tea, both served over ice. Iced teas are only $3. Hot teas include balanced and juicy blends like the Bohemian Raspberry and Blend 1776. You can also enjoy coffee from Maspeth’s For Five Roasters for as little as $2.25 for a cup of hot coffee and $3 for iced coffee. Eric Gutierrez, owner of Wilson’s Tea, is a Mexico City native who’s lived in Bushwick since 2009. Gutierrez sees his daytime partnership with Bierliechen, which is owned by friend Adam Collison (who also owns The Drink in East Williamsburg and The Bounty in Greenpoint), as a win-win for the neighborhood. By relaxing Bierleichen’s usual playlist (no heavy metal) and brewing up aromatic blends, he’s setting the scene for freelancers to have a productive, tea-fueled day as opposed to hunting for a table at one of the packed coffees shops nearby. Gutierrez wants customers to be able to come in the morning, unpack their gear, and settle in for the day. That could mean a coffee and breakfast burrito for lunch, a cup of tea in the afternoon, a game of pool or foosball during a break, and sticking around for a Belgian beer once the place turns back over to a bar at 4 p.m. Talk about hitting all our favorite drinks in one session (all the while on the clock!). Alex Lahr, a freelance illustrator, was doing just that midday on Thursday when the Ridgewood Times stopped by. A friend of the business owner, he’s been using the bar as his offi ce “very, very often” since the pop-up began a few weeks back. He likes to spread his equipment — pens, a sketchpad, Wacom tablet, laptop — across a wide wooden table. “I don’t have to wrestle with people for a seat,” he reasoned, motioning to the vast space of long tables and empty seats. Not only are there at least 50 seats inside the cool, quiet hall, but there’s also a shaded backyard. Freelancer heaven! Wilson’s Tea inside Bierleichen is located at 582 Seneca Ave., Ridgewood, Queens, and is open Monday – Friday 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Saturday – Sunday 9 a.m.-4 p.m. RIDGEWOOD TIMES/Photos by Maria Gotay Six summer concerts in Juniper Valley Park to celebrate 200 years of Middle Village BY ANTHONY GIUDICE agiudice@ridgewoodtimes.com @A_GiudiceReport Celebrate Middle Village’s bicentennial with six summer concerts at Juniper Valley Park. The 2016 Juniper Valley Park Summer Concert Series kicks off on Tuesday, July 12 with “Swing Night” as the Gerard Carelli Orchestra takes the stage. The Gerard Carelli Orchestra is part of the Carelli Collective, a wide array of New York’s bands, DJs, orchestras and soloists. Take a trip back in time when big hair and spandex were all the rage on Tuesday, July 19 as the White Wedding Band presents “80s Tribute Night.” They will be playing many of the biggest hits of the decade from favorites like Billy Idol, The Cure, Bon Jovi, Journey and more. The music from the 1950s gets the spotlight on Tuesday, July 26 at the “50s Doo Wop” night at Juniper Valley Park. The New York Exceptions Band will be Doo Wop-ing throughout the night for the audience. Tuesday, Aug. 2 will be a special night at Juniper Valley Park. The Summer Concert Series will be sharing the park with the 104th Precinct during the NYPD National Night Out Against Crime. The band performing that night will be Generations, as they jam out to classic rock favorites. The following week on Tuesday, Aug. 9, it will be “Italian Night” at Juniper Valley Park. Elio Scaccio and the Tony Valente Trio will be bringing the sounds of Italy to Middle Village. The fi nal day of the 2016 Juniper Valley Park Summer Concert Series will take place on Tuesday, Sept. 24, with the Middle Village Bicentennial Celebration. Celebrate 200 years of Middle Village with music, games and more. All concerts will take place at 80th Street and Juniper Boulevard North and will start at 7 p.m. Be sure to bring a lawn chair to enjoy the shows. The concert schedule and acts are subject to change. The 2016 Juniper Valley Park Summer Concert Series is presented by the NYC Department of Parks & Recreation and the Juniper Park Civic Association. The series is co-sponsored by the Juniper Valley Park Conservancy, Crifasi Real Estate, O’Neill’s Restaurant and Queensboro UNICO.
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