Growing up as one of thousands of Asians living in the Bayside/Flushing area of Queens was boring to say the least. I struggled with the dearth of cultural significance found in this humdrum town (that of the true Americana influence), one void of the hyperactive surging energy found in the city streets of Manhattan. I was surrounded by tricked out honda civics driven by short little Asian boys awkwardly assimilating to a quieter, cheesier hip hop culture rife with badass pretensions and bling-a-lings. Suffice it to say I hated growing up in Queens, riding the 7 train to follow my mother to work sewing buttons in a sweat shop (no joke, child labor in the 90’s was as gruesome as it was in the 80’s, which isn’t saying much but…), attending Korean Christian churches and singing in the praise team, watching Korean dramas and dancing to poorly choreographed Korean pop songs.
Only after escaping the heinous town did I barely begin to appreciate the cultural diversity of the borough. Queens has the most highly concentrated number of ethnicities in the world and naturally boasts a ridiculously diverse gastronomic menu.
So why am I rambling on about Asians and Queens on Greenpointers? Well, as an Asian who grew up in Queens who now lives in Greenpoint (where all things awesome and relevant happen ((insert irony here))) I proudly announce the very first Asian Feastival.
Asian Feastival explores all the Asian Cuisines found in Queens whether it be Chinese, Indian, Japanese, Korean, Malaysian, Pakistani, or Thai. If you’ve never tried kalbi, yak momo, mini dosas, or idiyappam now is your chance to give into your consumptive indulgences and expand your culinary palette (and leave Greenpoint for once).
The all day festival will feature tastings from restaurant favorites like Baohaus, panel discussions with blogger/writer Cathy Erway and Francis Lam, and cooking demos/talks teaching you all about Asian spices, the role of rice in Asian cuisine, the Asian fusion fiasco, and sustainable seafood. You can also buy typical fruits and veggies at the on-site Asian farmer’s market, take a food bike tour to local farms in Queens, and enjoy a walking culinary tour of Flushing. It promises to be a belly filling experience, one that I am most stoked to attend (pending awkward encounters with past church praise team members).
wow, sounds like a cool event. technically speaking, i'm originally from Flushing, but it sounds like a different experience than yours because i was so young and not Asian. i love looking at my kindergarten and first-grade class pics from Q24 — it was such an interesting mix of kids. but my old neighborhood is pretty much gone now and it's all Indian and Chinese there. i'm not complaining though. i love going to Flushing for the food.