Astoria

Astoria WAS a good value in the early 2000s. It's a different story now. Landlords are getting greedy with rents approaching Manhattan prices! Yet, it's Astoria! The subway line to Astoria is one of the worst in the city. I don't care what anyone says, it is terrible. I use it daily for commuting and the delays are daily, not to mention the super-packed trains. This combined with the soaring rents means Manhattan is quickly becoming the better deal. The N/W trains work find in Manhattan, but often stop or delay or reroute at 57th. Very inconvenient. So tired of it. Finally, despite the constantly increasing rents, there are no good groceries here (no Trader Joe's, no Whole foods etc.) The restaurants and cafes are average. The population is diverse but noisy 24/7. As I said, it was a deal when 1 bedrooms could be had for 1G back in the early 2000s. Now with 1 bedrooms in excess of 2G there is just no point.

Astoria is one of the most diverse places in the world - I once read an interesting piece in National Geographic stating something to that effect, anyway. Each time I go here I enjoy a different Greek restaurant, as there are a lot of them in the area. It struck me as a place that's rather quiet during the evenings - most of the residents probably head into the city for weekend partying.

Manhattan dwellers will probably be doing a bit more walking out here than they are used to - at least when it comes to catching the local public transportation. But that is a small price to pay for a quiet city dwelling that is so close to some of the best neighborhoods in Manhattan.

I have visited and stayed Astoria many times and my favorite thing about this neighborhood is how close it is to Manhattan! It only takes me about 15 minutes to get into work since I work right off the N/R/W line! It is great, lots of times I want to stay at my friends in Astoria rather than go back to my home in Brooklyn!

Another great attribute is all the Greek restaurants that you can go to here. One great place is the restaurant 718. I would definitely check it out!

Another place that MUST be checked out is the cannoli at La Guli Bakery. It is one of the best cannoli's that I have ever had in my life and it is located on 2915 Ditmars, close to 31st St and the final stop of the N subway.

Astoria is a popular neighborhood in northwest Queens bounded to the north and west by the East River. The area has kept its longtime residents happy while attracting many new ones.

It boast a convenient trip to Manhattan, urban but with space and greenery, and decent, but appreciating real estate prices. Once known only as a hub of Greek life, Astoria is home to immigrants from around the world, and young people who have fled pricey Manhattan and Brooklyn. Eating and cultural options have grown, earning it a reputation as a gem of Queens. Astoria has always been known for Greek food (it is the Greek capital of NYC), and lately it has gained a reputation for fine dining and innovative cooking.

Astoria Park is smack on the East River with gorgeous views of Upper Manhattan and the Queensboro and Hellgate Bridges. The arts are picking up steam in Astoria. Local culture is led by the innovative American Museum of the Moving Image. It is one of the finest museums in New York City for kids, for adults, and definitely for movie aficionados.