Anchored by the legendary Kaufman Astoria Studios at 34-12 36th St, this up-and-coming district comprises more than 24 blocks of Queens' cultural heart – you can say you knew it before it became the new Chelsea. In addition to key institutions like the Museum of the Moving Image, the KAD puts on events, workshops and public art pieces around the area (see the website for a calendar), and there are plenty of restaurants and bars to pop into between gallery visits.
Incidentally, Kaufman Astoria Studios clocks in at one of the world's oldest continuously used movie studios in the world.