Before heading out to a museum, always read the fine print under the visitors section regarding the hours and entrance fees.  I’m finding that many of the museums either of certain days and times have free admission and or the entrance fees really are “pay what you wish” and that the full price admission ticket is only “suggested”.  

Friday nights, the Museum of Moving Image in Queens has free admission.  I made my way out there to see the “Matthew Weiner’s Mad Men” exhibit which is on view through December 6th.   This exhibit takes you through the historic events and other influences and the idea generation behind the brilliant minds of the writers and directors.  It gives you a look into wardrobe throughout the decades and some props used in the show.  You can also see inside the room that the writers spent many hours, Betty Draper’s kitchen and other views inside the real Mad Men era of NYC.  The museum (or Weiner) restricted all photos – which leaves me with nothing else to say except that its definitely worth a look.   

Finding myself in a neighborhood I rarely visit, of course, I had to find a local place to have dinner.  My partiality for movie studios and NYC history, led me to a restaurant outside the 90 year old Kaufman Astoria Studios which has been the production house of some more recent shows such as Nurse Jackie and Orange is the New Black.  Read up on its history and legacy here  http://www.kaufmanastoria.com/our-legacy/

The restaurant I ate at is located just outside the studio’s doors and is called The Astor Room.  It was back in the 1920’s when the movie studio opened to use as the commissary for the actors and crew who at work in the studios.

You can see in the above picture, the remnants of what reminds me of a cafeteria from when I was in grade school. Today its a cozy spot with a menu far from the likes of a cafeteria menu.  The restaurant has live music and happy hour specials.

The museum, studios and restaurant together make Astoria a destination for good old fashion fun and another view into a snapshot in time from long ago.