Malverne-West Hempstead Set Stage For Feature Film

Look for "A Good Man" shooting around the neighborhood.

Be on the lookout for a man in a cowboy hat hoisting a camera and a team of actors filming around Malverne and West Hempstead. "A Good Man," the latest project by filmmakers Steve Strangio and Dan Marquardt is currently in production and the duo has chosen various locations within our two Patch communities to shoot the scenes. This will be the first full-length independent movie for Strangio and Marquardt, who have collaborated on a number of short films in the past, which have appeared on Patch. So what is "A Good Man"? Well, that's precisely what the film attempts to answer as its characters share both comedic and dramatic moments while navigating the dating scene, forming relationships and reflecting on what makes a good man. The …

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Journey To...

VIDEO: Journey To San-Dee Lanes

Join our hilarious travel host Steve Strangio on an adventure to this Malverne hot spot.

Very few people can say they have achieved perfection, but on his latest Journey, Patch's travel host, Steve Strangio, caught a rare glimpse of it. Steve's previous adventures in Malverne and West Hempstead have landed him on a horse (for his first time), a farm tractor and a massage table. He's taken you behind-the-scenes of our local cinemaand he has gone where no man has gone before, to a ladies-only gym.  Click on the video above to join Steve on his latest quest as he hits San-Dee Lanes in Malverne. (No rental shoes required.) Then, vote in the poll below to tell us which of Steve's trips has been your favorite!

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Rom-Com Films Inside Hempstead Lake State Park

Patch talks to the director of 'Sorry,' a short romantic-comedy shot at McDonald Pond.

Should you apologize for cheating on someone if you're not dating exclusively? If your relationship status on Facebook reads "It's Complicated" you may have run into this awkward situation, which is the premise of the romantic-comedy "Sorry," a short film shot in Hempstead Lake State Park earlier this month. The duo of Steve Strangio (screenwriter) and Dan Marquardt (director), the filmmakers behind last month's "Psycho Consensual" teamed up again for this project and returned to the West Hempstead-Rockville Centre landmark. "Hempstead Lake State Park is a perfect location to film any type of movie and I firmly believe that this location should be used more often by filmmakers," said Marquardt, a Rockville Centre native who left ‘Corporate…

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VIDEO: Steve's Christmas Shopping List - Part II

Steve continues his search for presents at local businesses.

A rainy day did not stop our favorite 'Journey-man' from venturing out into the neighborhood to continue is holiday shopping. After picking up presents at merchants in Malverne and West Hempstead, Steve moved on to Rockville Centre, where he found a shop that catered to his inner child, and a 'pretty' new store owned by two lovely Malverne ladies.  From there he continued into Lynbrook, where he was able to cross off more people on his shopping list by picking up a tasty treat from a unique bakery and hopping aboard the Polar Express. (We were suprised he didn't start doing the Loco-Motion!) Click on the video above to join Steve on his latest shopping excursion to learn about some of the great gifts you can buy from the small businesses …

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'Psycho' Film Shot in West Hempstead

Is it a thriller? A love story? Watch this short film shot in Hempstead Lake State Park and decide.

You could meet your soulmate on Match.com or you just might find true love while fleeing for your life in the woods. After watching Steve Strangio's latest project, Psycho Consensual, we didn't know whether to classify it as a thriller or a rom-com, but one thing's for sure. I will be watching my back for any weirdos wearing a Scream mask during my next jog through Hempstead Lake State Park in West Hempstead. The park once again set the scene for a short film, written by Strangio, a local man who you may also recognize from his signature "Journey To" videos on Patch. Only this time Strangio teamed up with director Dan Marquardt and the mood of this piece is more fun and quirky, and has less gravitas than the last film he wrote and produced…

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Hempstead Lake State Park Sets Scene For Short Film

"Till the End" shot in West Hempstead landmark.

If you found out the world was ending, what would you say to the person you love in your final moments together? This was the question explored in a short film, "Till the End," shot earlier this month in Hempstead Lake State Park in West Hempstead. It's one of two movies that were recently filmed in the scenic location, both written by local man Steve Strangio, who many of you know from Patch's "Journey To" series. Strangio, who received his Bachelor of Arts in Communications from Hofstra University, has written and produced 14 short films and 20 stage plays. He was also a writer for 15 years for Cracked magazine. His credits also include many T.V. shows and he even produced several pilots for NBC. Patch recently sat down with the …

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VIDEO: Journey To Our Town Grille

Join our quirky travel host as he visits a 1950's style luncheonette in Malverne that will make you want to hand jive.

Sitting at the countertop of Our Town Grille enjoying a homemade chocolate malt shape and admiring the 1950s' style decor, you'll feel as if you travelled back to simpler times. It's the charm of this quaint luncheonette in Malverne, as well as the tasty food and friendly service that have made it a fixture in the community, living up to its name. Here, the cook knows how everyone likes their eggs, the window displays are created with love and careful precision and you're likely to spot a familiar face or two. So take a break from 2011 and join Steve Strangio as he travels to a place where the good ole days live on. (No, Delorean needed. Just click on the video above to start the journey.)

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PREVIEW: Travel Back in Time to 1950s Luncheonette

A sneak peek of Steve Strangio's visit to Our Town Grille in Malverne.

I’ve always been a fan of cozy places where you can sit down, get a great meal, be surrounded by regular folk, and just enjoy a moment in time. The Our Town Grille is just that place. On every one of my “journeys” I seek to arrive at the answer to a question that I have been pondering. This time I wanted to know why some restaurants need to have a theme. We’ve all been to restaurants where that idea goes a bit overboard. I mean, why do I need a wacky moose head hovering over me while I’m trying to eat my potato-chip-encrusted chicken? However, the theme at Our Town Grille in Malverne is more of a natural outgrowth of the location and a gentle homage to the previous owners of this location. It's what makes this place so special. Jerry …

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Journey to... Malverne Cinema and Art Center

Steve Strangio discovers a place where indie films are flourishing in Malverne.

As an independent filmmaker himself, Steve Strangio, the host of Patch.com's "Journey to" series, had a passion for his latest adventure. Join him as he goes behind-the-scenes of the Malverne Cinema and Art Center to learn about the challenges independent filmmakers face and why audiences seek out these non-mainstream movies. Steve chats with cinema owner Henry Stampfel and even moonlights as an usher and concession stand worker, ripping tickets and dishing out popcorn. Click on the video above, sit back and enjoy the show!

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PREVIEW: 'Journey to' Coming to a Theater Near You

On his latest journey, our hilarious travel host is going behind the scenes of Malverne Cinema.

Most people know of Malverne because of Malverne Cinema, a unique movie theater that showcases mostly independent flicks. They may not know that this place actually has five theaters and a new attitude. It was a clear choice for my latest journey. Owned by Anne and Henry Stampfel, this quaint local landmark has been around for as long as I can remember. (It's also the very same place that debuted my first short film ironically titled “Journey to the Strip Mall.” )  My film was featured as part of the Long Island International Film Expo, which is now held at the couple’s other theater in Bellmore. Taking a journey to this cinema in Malverne has long been on my list of things to do (next to world domination and finding a quiet place to watch…

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