Don Garber is no stranger to Queens. The commissioner of Major League Soccer was born and raised in Flushing, where his grandfather owned a store on Main Street. He went to John Bowne High School, and his first job after graduating from college was in Woodside. You could say that the borough has made him what he is today, and now is he looking to give something back.
Earlier this year, Garber and MLS made the surprising announcement that the league wanted to bring “The World’s Game” to the most ethnically diverse borough in the country. Garber unveiled plans to bring a professional soccer franchise to Queens, which would play in a brand new stadium in Flushing Meadows-Corona Park, constructed on top of the Pool of Industry, a relic from the 1964 World’s Fair. The new stadium would be surrounded by immigrant communities from Latin America, Europe, and Asia, where soccer – or football, as they would know it – is wildly popular.

While the stadium is still in the planning stages and much more needs to be worked out before professional soccer is a reality in Queens, Garber and MLS are determined to see the sport gain a foothold in the borough. It’s Queens recently interviewed Garber about why he thinks a soccer franchise would succeed in Queens, his time as commissioner, and about growing up in the borough.

It’s Queens: When did the idea for bringing a MLS franchise to Queens first originate, and when did you realize that this might actually be a possibility?

Don Garber: It has long been a dream of ours to have a team in New York. About a year and a half ago we put a team together to work with us to find a location for a stadium in New York and we are thrilled about the prospect of bringing professional soccer to Queens.

IQ: What is it about Queens that you think would make it a successful place for a MLS team?

DG: In addition to being close to transit and being physically suitable, one of the key pieces we looked for was finding a place where our neighbors are passionate about soccer. It became very clear to us very quickly that Flushing Meadows was a perfect home for soccer.

IQ: How involved is MLS in the local community in other cities that have franchises?

DG: Very. One of the things that sets MLS apart and the sport apart is that we are deeply involved in the communities that we play in. Our non-profit arm, MLS W.O.R.K.S. addresses important social issues and serves as a platform for the League and our team’s philanthropic programs.

IQ: Is there any truth to the rumors that David Beckham could be a part-owner of a team in Queens?

DG: No. David has been an important part of Major League Soccer during the last six seasons as a player and ambassador, and we hope to have him continue as an owner of an MLS expansion club someday. However, his agreement with MLS does not allow him to exercise his expansion option for New York City.

IQ: Speaking of David Beckham, how big was it for MLS to lure Beckham into the league? What do you think his impact has been on the league?

DG: When David arrived in MLS he stated loudly that he wanted to help grow the interest and popularity of MLS and soccer in America and win championships with the LA Galaxy. He accomplished all of those things and contributed greatly to a period of tremendous growth for the League. MLS today is far more credible, valuable and well positioned globally today than it was when he joined the League in 2007.

IQ: Lastly, are there any fond memories you have of growing up in Queens you would like to share, and how big would it be personally to bring a MLS franchise to the borough you grew up in?

DG: I have countless fond memories of growing up in Queens. My grandparents came to this country and they moved to Queens and it is where I spent the majority of my childhood. My grandparents settled in Flushing, my grandfather had a store on Main Street, my mother and my grandmother taught public school in Flushing, I went to John Bowne High School and my first job after college was in Woodside. Very importantly I know when my grandparents came here they probably could never have dreamed that a kid from Queens could be fulfilling our dream of having this great game having a
home in Queens.

By LISA A. FRASER

Pia Toscano was glamorous as usual when she performed for a local Howard Beach event in October.

The former American Idol contestant and now recording artist, was clad in a bedazzling short, silver, sequenced dress and six-inch heels, which accentuated her already long legs as she performed her single, “This Time” for her friends, family and attendees at Russo’s on the Bay’s hosting of the annual fundraiser for the Angels on the Bay charity.

For her, it was great to be back home in Queens.

“Things like this, being here is so special to me. I’ve performed here over the last four years,” she said as she spoke with It’s Queens that night. Toscano, a wedding and events singer up to her record deal, always performed around the borough with her band, Current Events, also on hand that night.

The fact that it was her birthday and also her grandfather’s birthday held an even more special significance. “It’s amazing,” said the 23-year-old. “I’m so glad that I could sing with my band again, I miss them. They’re the ones that brought me to where I am now.”

The band made a special cake for Toscano and presented it to her after her performance – to her surprise.

All through the night, the young starlet barely had a chance to sit for more than a few minutes as admirers and fans asked for photos and autographs. But it wasn’t something she minded in the least bit.

With her mega-watt smile and down-to-earth charm, Toscano gracefully accepted compliments and well wishes, and she graciously posed for photos and signed autographs.

And when she performed, her powerful voice filled the room as she belted out her single, “This Time,” as well as flawless covers of Alicia Keys’ “New York” and the classic, “Stand by You.”

For Toscano, the journey to where she is presently has been “quite the ride.”

Her shocking elimination broke the hearts of many Queensites and Idol fans. But within 24-hours after her departure from the show, she scored a record deal with Interscope Records.

Toscano just wrapped up the American Idols LIVE! concert tour in the Philippines and is now working on finishing up her debut album, which will be released in January.

Originally set to be released in November, the album was pushed back because, among other reasons, she and her team wanted it to be the perfect representation of who she is.

“I’m a down-to-earth girl. Family for me is first and foremost, I love my family time,” she said. “I like to lay low, I like my quiet time and I could be a little shy at times but I just like to have a good time.”

Though she wouldn’t reveal the name of the album, she promised it would be an eclectic mix of sounds.
“If [fans] don’t get the chills or they don’t want to get up and dance, I’ll feel like I’ve failed,” she said. “I want people to be able to relate to my story.”
The best part about her success, Toscano says, is making her family proud. “My family for sure has helped keep me grounded,” she said.

And about Queens, the Howard Beach native has an infinite appreciation for the borough.

“Queens has watched me grow and allowed me so many opportunities to perform when I was nobody,” she said. “That’s what special to me.”

On her rise to fame, Toscano says everything about the journey has been surprising.

“It’s all new to me. But most surprising is to know that you’re a role model,” she said. “I’ve always looked up to all those big voices – Whitney Houston, Mariah Carey – and now I guess I’m kind of that person for a young girl too, to look up to and that’s the best and most rewarding feeling ever.”

By Heather Senison

Boarder and rider Phyllis Schwab grooming her horse Roxy

In the constant bustle of New York City, it can be hard for residents to find a serene place to clear their minds. Many take trips to the countryside upstate, to the beaches on Long Island, and to neighboring states – but there is an escape that can be found without leaving Queens: horseback riding.
Lynne’s Riding Academy, located at 8803 70^th Road in Forest Hills, offers English riding lessons in its 80-foot ring. After riders take enough lessons to be comfortable with the unpredictable, but exciting situations horses can pose, they are offered lessons outside in Forest Park.
Katie Raszewski, a 28-year-old Jackson Heights resident who has ridden at Lynne’s for 2 ½ years and now is a volunteer at the barn, said the facility offers a way for fast-paced city slickers to take a break.
“It’s amazing that [Lynne’s] is in Queens because you don’t have to travel,” Raszewski said.“You’re in the middle of the city but it’s very quiet and you don’t feel like you’re there.
“Anybody who lives in the city knows that it’s amazing to just get out of it for a second,” she said. “Even if you don’t have the money to go so far out, you can just come to Queens, just for the day, and feel like you can mentally regroup.”
In addition to changing your scenery and providing physical exercise, riding horses is an excellent hobby for the brain and soul,

she said.
“Riding gets you out of your head,” Raszewski said.   “It doesn’t matter what’s going on in your life, it doesn’t matter who you’re mad at, what bills you have to pay, what’s happening, what’s going on,” she said. “The minute you get on a horse, for me and I know for a lot of other riders, all of that goes away.”
It is necessary for riders to forget about their lives outside of the barn so they can focus on their communication with the horse, she said.
“You have to give your 150 percent to the horse and focus on them,” she said. “It’s truly an escape.”
As for a favorite horse, Raszewski said she couldn’t decide which one to pick.
“As a rider,” she said, “you have your favorites because of their own personalities but they’re all so different that it’s hard to pick a favorite.”
Lynne Holzhauser, the barn’s owner, inherited the stable from her father, who owned it for decades prior, Raszewski said. The barn offers lessons and boarding. It currently has 26 horses including boarders, she said.
She said Holzhauser is the reason why people prefer ride at her academy instead of the few others that exist in the five boroughs.
“Lynne’s an amazing riding teacher,” Raszewski said. “She’s very patient, which for any teacher of anything, is a key factor.”
Prices range from $45 for a 30-minute private lesson, $70 for an hour, or $45 for an hour group lesson. However, Raszewski said Holzhauser makes sure her students can handle horses in a group setting, where they tend to be less well behaved, before they can ride in a group lesson. She said there are about seven instructors at the barn total, including Holzhauser.
The stable offers lesson packages, such as five 30-minute private lessons for $214 and five 45-minute private lessons for $285. It also hosts birthday parties and pony rides.
Lynne’s also offers therapeutic riding lessons for people with emotional and physical disabilities, veterans returning from war, first responders and others with special needs through GallopNYC, a citywide program.
For more information, visit Lynnesridingschoolnyc.com or, for the therapeutic riding program, Gallopnyc.org.

Everyone’s been to the beer gardens in Astoria, so forget about those. Scratch all of Long Island City as well – there’s only so many ways to paint LIC red, and they all end with an illegal nightcap in Gantry Plaza State Park.

When it comes to nightlife in Queens, there’s more to the borough than its two hippest neighborhoods. From old-school Irish taverns to upscale Chinese dance clubs, the country’s most diverse county has something for every kind of late-night rabble-rouser. Brooklyn may be the new Manhattan, but Queens stands on its own.

To prove this, It’s Queens went in search of the best taprooms in less-heralded neighborhoods. We set our sights on well-known watering holes and unknown holes in the wall, fancy cocktail lounges, and “my cousin Mario swears by this place” kind of places. Consideration on our pub crawl was given to all of the essentials – location, drink selection, special features, clientele, music, and service. It was also given to the wholly unscientific whims of our driver, Elis Gomez, who stopped his Cadillac Escalade SUV wherever he damn well pleased. Elis knows the best bars, as well as the best after-hours duck joint in all of Flushing, among other secrets.

8:04 P.M. Neir’s Tavern | 87-48 78th Street, Woodhaven | (718) 296-0600

“What’s a-matter with you?” Robert De Niro asks a money-flashing wiseguy in the famous Goodfellas scene shot at Neir’s Tavern in Woodhaven. “Are you stupid or what?” Cadwallader R. Coldon certainly wasn’t. He’s the improbably named, politically connected racetrack manager who founded the tavern in 1829. Neir’s has served German conversation water almost without interruption ever since, making it arguably the oldest bar in Queens and one of the oldest in all of New York. De Niro’s character Jimmy Conway didn’t want fancy visitors, and neither do Neir’s regulars. The narrow, low-ceilinged bar is a no-frills trip down memory lane. It has cheap drinks ($3 Budweiser; $4 Jameson’s) and live music from local acts a few nights per week. Well-worn armchairs make do for décor; a 2009 renovation restored the original mahogany bar and some fixtures.
The night we visited the bar, on stop one of our tour, Jimmy Young was the featured performer. The former backup singer for Salt-N-Pepa wore a fedora, slacks and sharkskin shoes. “We’ll bring you the best entertainment that we can,” he promised. After trying out some new material, Young set to work fixing the karaoke machine, which was having some problems. A woman named Linda was waiting impatiently for the chance to sing “Love Me Tender” by Elvis Presley.

10:32 P.M. Rockaway Beach Inn | 88-22 Rockaway Beach Boulevard, Rockaway Beach | (347) 246 7433

Don’t be fooled by the name; this hard-scrabble bar is no romantic getaway. Located a few blocks from the Atlantic Ocean in a brick building that looks like a factory, Rockaway Beach Inn is the perfect working-class hangout.
After a day on the beach, unwind at RBI’s with a half-dozen pints of Coors Light ($2.25 each), then use the conveniently placed handrail to steady yourself on the way to the john before making the long trip home.
While you’re at it, talk pipefitting with the union plumbers at the bar, and don’t take offense when they call you a “mainlander,” that’s the term peninsula natives use for their borough neighbors across Jamaica Bay. Someone going “uptown” in the Rockaways is headed west, by the way (downtown is in the opposite direction, Christopher Columbus). RBI’s keeps it spare and simple. Comfortable booths line the wall facing the bar, which is tended most nights by a friendly woman named Mary, and for fun, there’s a dartboard and pool table, which has a pair of eight balls, but is missing the two. A man smoking a cigarette inside offered to find it for us.
“Are you sure? We can just play with two eight balls.”
“What do you wanna do that for?” he asked with a hint of disdain. “What are you missing again?”
The two, Eric said.  The man nodded and disappeared behind a door. A few minutes later he came back with a five ball and handed it over without a word. He was too big to argue with, so we leave it alone.

12:13 P.M. Night Tale | 133-22 39th Avenue, Flushing

The lounge at the Sheraton East LaGuardia Hotel in Downtown Flushing closes way too early, but around the corner on a back street behind a gaudy Korean karaoke palace is a small nondescript club called Night Tale. It’s where twenty-somethings from Flushing go to play dice games and pound pitchers of Hennessy and tea.
The game – called “Liar” or “Bullshit” in English – involves a blue dice-rolling cup, shots of liquor and fourth-grade math. The drinking part is easy, but overcoming a language barrier while trying to add multiples of three in a strobe-lit, smoke-filled dungeon can get complicated quickly.
Our recommendation? Stick to your Hennessy and watch the locals go at it. Because let’s face it: visitors from elsewhere in Queens are no less foreign at Night Tale than mainlanders at RBI’s. It’s a different world, where the regular rules don’t apply.

“Our recommendation? Stick to your Hennessy and watch the locals go at it.”

Queens can get fancy in a hurry if you’re on the right guest list. We weren’t, but after a brief negotiation the manager of Play on Queens Boulevard promised VIP treatment and ushered us past a long line of people waiting to get in. He ignored Joe’s tie-dye sweatshirt, or maybe one look at Terrence was enough to convince him that were not prepared to follow the dress code. At least we pulled up in an Escalade..

2:08 A.M. PLAY | 77-17 Queens Boulevard, Elmhurst | (718) 476-2828

Play is one of the borough’s most exclusive venues, despite its location on a boulevard better known for its number of car crashes than happening nightspots. There’s a gleaming bar, a regulation-sized four-lane bowling alley, hookah lounge, live DJ’s and good-looking go-go dancers.
Everything is top of the line, including the prices and the clientele, if what you like are muscleheads, hipsters and beauty queen dreamers with an expert knowledge of the Long Island Expressway. The place also attracts a diverse smattering of well-heeled locals.
“That’s the great thing about Queens,” said Thane Gevas, the club’s owner. “You have Italians, Greeks, Japanese, everybody. Put them all in a room together…” his voice trailed off. It’s worth a trip to find out what happens. Just remember: leave the tie-dye at home and don’t drink too many “Sneaky Pete’s” (rum martini; $10), or else you’ll roll gutterballs all night.

3:19 A.M. Sean Og’s | 60-02 Woodside Avenue,Woodside | (718) 899-3499

Last call is cause to celebrate, because we’ve made it this far without fighting a bouncer or crashing our car. So we roll to Woodside, where those two things are most likely to happen after a long night on the town. That is called logic. And dedication. Logical dedication, the best kind.
At this late-night hour the pub-heavy intersection of Woodside Avenue and 60th Street, where they converge on Roosevelt Avenue under the elevated train, is the liveliest in Queens. There are several dives to choose from. If they all look the same you’ve probably had too much to drink.  Just and pick one; times’ a wasting.
Saints and Sinners has been a favorite for years, but these days the more popular option is Sean Og’s, a traditional Irish pub that stays packed until it is required by law to stop serving alcohol. (No fear: the bar is open 118 hours per week, out of a possible 168.) Og’s has 23 beers on tap, good deals on pitchers ($10 domestic; $15 imported), and an attractive interior with plenty of room for large parties. There’s even a stained-glass window.

4:26 A.M. We’re headed to Spanish Harlem. If that’s not in Queens it doesn’t matter anymore. Peter is hoping a bodega will sell us some boiling water (priceless) for a special tea pick-me-up.  Elis the driver has not taken off his crisp gray suit jacket, or loosened his tie. As long as we’re headed uptown, he says, he knows of a great little spot.