Category: Astoria

Biking in Astoria

Bikes & boats, oh my!

Citibike makes it to Astoria! Not completely, yet. But, they’re here! I done seen ’em with my own eyes. Might I recommend riding one to the new Astoria Ferry to enjoy a boat ride to where you’re going? The Ferry (at the end of 30th Ave, on the south side of the Astoria Homes) is…
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Awwwww…

My man Andrew Jimenez and the Bicycle Repairman Corp featured in the Queens Times Ledger. It is the best bike store in Astoria and perhaps all of Queens (I don’t know, I haven’t tried them all).

REBNY: Support Development and Rent Increases in Astoria! (and Vote for Costa)

Can you believe there’s a landlord PAC (political action committee)? Of course you can. REBNY, the Real Estate Board of New York, gives a lot of money to local and state politicians through “Jobs for New York.” (You’re not against “jobs” are you?!) The goal of REBNY: public altruism, of course. Well, and would it…
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Where Rapelje and Pleasure Intersect

I got thinking about Astoria history. A lot of it is hidden in plain sight. The more hipster inclined, myself included, get off on the old street names. SITE is changing its name to Lockwood. We can enjoy a beer at Suswick or Hell Gate, a meal at Pachanga Patterson, have Van Alst cater a…
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Astoria Jumps the Shark

The headline reads: “Trendy Consignment Shop Buffalo Exchange Opening New Store in Astoria.” The text says, “Hip consignment shop Buffalo Exchange opening its first Queens location in the neighborhood”! Ditmars is all but dead to me. Buffalo Exchange is a national chain of about 50 stores that started out west. The only reason they’re in…
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Lynne Serpe for City Council District 22

The good news is that our next City Council Representative will be an improvement because it won’t be Peter Vallone Jr. That’s great news. But it doesn’t mean we’ll have a good person in City Hall. Much less a good person who actually cares about bikes, pedestrians, and mass transit. And with no incumbent in…
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Bikes and Peds

I understand pedestrians don’t want to get run over by bikes. In truth most bikes don’t want to hit pedestrians. So it’s a disservice–even dangerous–to simply have crosswalks cut through bike paths with nothing telling the pedestrian to look for bikes. The city generally just tells bikes to yield to pedestrians. I’m not against this.…
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An Astoria Bookshop!

Finally… A real book store in Astoria! Astoria Bookshop will be opening its doors at 31-27 31st Street. I can’t wait. For those who don’t know, Astoria had a bookstore until 2011. But Seaburn Books was a horrible bookstore (not withstanding the fact that Sam, the owner, is a swell guy). There was very little…
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