✨ Business Spotlight: 🧘‍♀️ She Built This Herself — Meet Kaza Pilates

🗳️ It’s Primary Day — Here’s What Astoria Is Voting On

🏆 The Knicks Parade Was Everything

⚽ The World Cup Is Here — Queens Is the Place to Watch It

You walk in and the first thing you notice is that this space was built for you to breathe. Twelve reformer machines lined up in a clean, purpose-built studio. No crowds. No co-ed awkwardness. No pretending you know what you're doing while someone watches. Kaza Pilates is a women's-only reformer Pilates studio right here in Astoria, and it was designed from day one to feel like exactly that. A space where you show up, do the work, and leave feeling better than when you walked in.

The woman behind it is Gloria Monroy. Born in Chicago, raised in Mexico, back to Chicago, and living in Astoria for 14 years now. She built this place herself. And when we say that, we mean literally. Gloria is the owner, the operator, the instructor, and the social media person. Every hat. She wanted a space where women could work out and feel safe, full stop. That became the tagline, and it became the studio. Before the doors even opened, she brought everyone along for the ride with a TikTok series called "46 Days to Open Up a Pilates Studio." It went viral. And then the studio opened and backed it up.

Kaza Pilates is reformer-only, beginner-friendly, and genuinely welcoming to women who have never touched gym equipment in their lives. Gloria has members who started on day one with zero experience and haven't missed a beat since. They also offer "mama classes" for moms who can't get childcare. Bring your baby in the stroller, get your workout in. No guilt, no side-eyes. And if you're planning a birthday party, bridal shower, or baby shower that's a little more memorable than brunch, you can book the studio on weekends during off hours for a private Pilates party.

Here's the part worth paying attention to: Kaza Pilates is offering Astoria Insider readers an exclusive deal. $299 for your first month of unlimited classes using code ASTORIAINSIDER. If you've priced out reformer Pilates anywhere in Manhattan or even elsewhere in Queens, you know that number hits different. Gloria will have a code ready for anyone who mentions the newsletter.

The studio is only three months old, but the weekends are already filling up. And what Gloria is building goes beyond the workout. Kaza Pilates has become a space for real community events. Recently they projected a Knicks playoff game outside the studio for the neighborhood to enjoy, completely free of charge. Inside, there have been themed nights like Y2K and Arabian Nights. Creating opportunities for people to connect beyond Pilates has become a core part of what the studio does, and Gloria runs something new every month.

If you want to check out Kaza Pilates, the best way to connect is through their social media at https://www.instagram.com/kaza_pilates/ or find their website at: https://www.kazapilates.com/ That's the fastest way to reach Gloria and stay up to date on classes, events, and openings.

Kaza Pilates is exactly the kind of place Astoria needs more of. A woman who built something real, by herself, for her community. Go see what she made.

Today is Primary Election Day in New York City, and for Astorians the race to watch is the 36th Assembly District. Diana Moreno, who won the seat this past February in a special election after Zohran Mamdani vacated it to become mayor, is now defending it for a full term against challengers Mary Jobaida and Kevin Coenen. The 36th covers most of western and central Astoria — this is the seat that represents this neighborhood, and the one that launched our city’s first Queens-born mayor.

Polls are open today from 6am to 10pm. Find your polling site at vote.nyc. Off-year assembly primaries notoriously have low turnout, which means your vote carries more weight than usual. The 36th has been a proving ground for progressive politics in this city; whoever comes out tonight shapes the next chapter of that story.

Queens voters are also weighing in on state Senate and congressional races today. Mayor Mamdani has made several endorsements — a first test of whether the borough’s most prominent political export has real pull over local races. Check vote.nyc for your full ballot before you head out. Go vote.

👉 Find your polling site at vote.nyc →

Last Thursday, New York held its breath and then let it all out at once. The Knicks championship parade through the Canyon of Heroes became one of the largest gatherings in New York City history. Mayor Mamdani — who grew up watching those same Knicks the way all of us did — called it “may well be the largest parade in New York City history,” and the crowds backed him up. Confetti six inches deep on Broadway. Strangers hugging strangers.

Jalen Brunson was the toast of the city. His 45-point Game 5 performance against San Antonio — 13 straight in the fourth quarter when it mattered most — sealed the Knicks’ first championship in 53 years. For anyone who was at that parade, or watched from a bar stool on Steinway Street, it was one of those days you’ll still be telling people about in 20 years.

Astoria turned out. The neighborhood felt electric all day — the kind of collective joy this city doesn’t manufacture on demand. It showed up because it was real. And if you went: you were part of history. If you stayed back: next time, don’t.

👉 Full parade coverage at CBS New York →

The FIFA World Cup 2026 is running through July 19 across the USA, Canada, and Mexico, and if there’s one borough in the country built for this tournament, it’s Queens. The most linguistically diverse place on earth — home to more than 160 languages — has its own official fan zone running through June 27 at USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in Flushing, inside Louis Armstrong Stadium. Live match broadcasts, 40+ artist performances, and cultural programming in a stadium setting.

For something closer to home: free outdoor watch parties are happening at the Paseo Park plaza along 34th Avenue in Jackson Heights — a stretch that becomes one of the world’s great streets on match days. And Ample Hills Creamery’s Astoria location has debuted a World Cup Sundae in honor of the three host nations (USA, Canada, Mexico). Get one. It’s summer in Queens.

The tournament finale is July 19. Queens Botanical Garden in Flushing is hosting a free outdoor watch party for 1,000 guests, with local food and drinks. Mark the calendar. For now, find a bar with a big screen, bring your flags, and enjoy one of the rare weeks when every language in this neighborhood is cheering for something at the same time.

👉 Find World Cup events and watch parties in NYC →

Astoria Insider is inviting local businesses and organizations to be featured in its growing community newsletter.

The platform highlights local news, events and community stories, providing businesses with an opportunity to reach a highly engaged local audience and showcase what they offer.

From restaurants and shops to services and community groups, all are encouraged to participate and share their story with readers across the Astoria and surrounding areas. Don’t own a business? That’s ok… Know of one that should be featured?

Those interested in being featured can reach out to learn more about available opportunities and upcoming editions. Click the button below to feature your business or send an email to [email protected] with your business details and we’ll reach out!