Jackson Heights Life

Here are some walking tours of Jackson Heights and surrounding areas... great ways to learn about the neighborhood's food, architecture, and history.  

Jackson Heights Beautification Group's Historic Weekend
Held every June, the JHBG Historic Weekend includes many ways to explore Jackson Heights, including a self-guided tour of the neighborhood's private interior gardens, and escorted walking tours of the historic district.  See the JHBG website for more information.

Sunnyside to Jackson Heights
Urban geographer Jack Eichenbaum leads two walking tours in the Sunnyside-Jackson Heights area.  "The first walk concentrates on inter-war residential and industrial developments with open space. The second walk follows Roosevelt Ave, the #7 elevated train built on its right-of-way, and late twentieth century immigrant commerce."  Schedule information can be found on the Municipal Arts Society website or through the Brooklyn Center for the Urban Environment.

Noshwalks: South Asian Jackson Heights and Latin American Jackson Heights
Myra Alperson's Noshwalks provide a great introduction to the delicacies of many NYC neighborhoods.  Schedule information can be found on the Noshwalks website.

The Queens Jazz Trail
The Queens Jazz Trail map provides a self-guided walking tour of the neighborhoods and residences of many great jazz musicians.

Are there any others?

Travelvideo.tv
Context Walking Seminars Open in New York and London
Feb 26, 08 | 11:28 am

Leading walking tour company recruits historians and other scholars to lead “walking seminars” in New York City and London. NYC launch timed for NY Times Travel Show.

London and New York City. — Context, the network of scholars who lead critically-acclaimed walking tours in several European cities, announce their expansion to New York City and London. The group will begin organizing walks on a weekly schedule in both cities, as well as privately for individual customers, at the end of February.

“New York is a return for us,” says Context founder Paul Bennett. “I was an architecture journalist here before we moved to Rome and started Context.” Under Bennett’s direction, Context New York has developed a series of thematic walks that include several topical walks of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, a seminar on the archaeology of Manhattan, evening walks of the Chelsea art galleries, and visits to the chocolatiers of Soho. The group will also be offering, in mid-March, a walk on immigration in New York that will focus on the Jackson Heights neighborhood of Queens and a stroll of Central Park with a landscape historian.

As is the case with its work in other cities, all New York walks are led either by a scholar or expert in a relevant field. The thirteen “docents” comprising Context New York hail from the fields of historic preservation, art history, architecture, cuisine, and archaeology. As with its other cities, group size will be kept small (6 people maximum) in order to maintain an intimate, conversational atmosphere that customers often liken to being in a college seminar class.

...

To learn more about Context visit its website at: www.contexttravel.com


[Follow link at top for complete article]

Institute of Culinary Education walking tours are coming up on 6/14 and 7/12...
http://www.nysun.com/food-drink/taste-of-summer/76761/

There will be a Queens Jazz Trail Tour on Saturday, June 7, 2008 at 1pm.

Looks like Noshwalks will be spending some time in Queens in the coming weeks.

Latin American Jackson Heights
Sunday, June 28, 2009   â€¢  1:00 PM
We’ll nosh our way along the culinary boulevards of Roosevelt & 37th Aves and sample specialties of Colombia, Uruguay, Mexico, Ecuador and Argentina & more. Depending on the weather and the crowds, we will have a “mini-lunch” at one of the truly favorite restaurants of Noshwalks founder Myra Alperson or order the food to take to a nearby park. Meet 1:00 PM, Capitol One Bank, 37-02 82nd St. & 37th Ave. Take 7 train to 82nd St. & Roosevelt Ave., walk 1 block north to 82nd St. & 37th Ave. You can also take the E, F or R to Broadway at 74th Street and walk to 82nd Street. 

Special Noshnews exploratory tours in Elmhurst
Tuesday and Wednesday, June 30 and July 1, 2009
Help Noshnews/Noshwalks founder Myra Alperson wind up her research for issue 22 of Noshnews. We’ll visit a number of destinations that will be featured in the newsletter. No fee; just share the tastes and provide feedback. You’ll pay for your own beverage and anything you want for yourself on site or to take home. You must e-mail ahead of time – meeting time and place will be provided privately. Very small group.

Rego Park & Corona
A new version of a Queens Noshwalk
Sunday, July 12, 2009  •  1:00 PM
This “hybrid” tour combines New York City’s own “silk route” with the vibrant “Little Ecuador” - a new Noshwalks destination. We’ll find a shopper’s and taster’s delight at Uzbek, Tadjik, Persian and Russian markets and bakeries, clean out our palates with a visit to the renowned Lemon Ice King of Corona and then conclude in the heart of New York City’s Ecuadorian community. Be prepared for a range of tastes, from kebabs, tandoori bread, and other Central Asian specialties in Rego Park to the savory tastes of South America! Meet 1:00 PM in front of Queens Bazaar Food at 94-02 63rd Drive. Take R or G train to 63rd Drive. Exit south side Queens Boulevard, turn left (south) on 63rd Drive, walk two blocks. Tour ends near the 7 train.

Astoria in Three Continents
Saturday, July 18, 2009  •  1:00 PM
You’ll see Greek, south Asian, Colombian, Middle European & other ethnic restaurants, bakeries & markets in this popular neighborhood as we explore shops and snackeries along 30th Ave., the North African/Middle Eastern stretch of Steinway St., and Astoria Boulevard. Our last stop include a huge Greek supermarket and a Bosnian kebab place. Meet 1:00 PM at Athens Square Park (at 30th Avenue and 30th Street). Take the N train to 30th Ave., walk one block west (towards Manhattan).

For more info:
(212) 222-2243
noshwalks.com
I think most tours are $40 or $35 for subscribers.