Astoria

On our first day in Astoria, I already like it more than Brooklyn, but I suppose that's the excitement of moving to a new place. I really did like Brooklyn--but Astoria has a lot more restaurants that I like. I prefer Asian food, and found that there are a lot of restaurants right by my new sublet, including a ramen place. There is a small Japanese grocery store around the corner.

This area is more urban and less quiet, but it seems to be full of young professionals, so there are a lot of bars nearby. It is less convenient for the dogs, since we do not have a yard. The building we live in is very so friendly, so our dogs already made some new friends, including. Shiba-Inu named Hachi. Supposedly Hachi was a dog do loyal that he would wait for his owner at the train station every day--even after the owner died, Hachi would wait there. "Max would never do that for me," my boyfriend remarked. "Someone else would give him food and he'd be like, 'sweet, my life moves onward!'" Well apparently Max really likes Hachi, because we have a new problem that Max will stop outside Hachi's door and refuse to move, and then whines and yips!

As I write this, I am having a pleasant dinner by myself, and sat down to a plate of perfectly done takoyaki, which look like meatballs, but are filled with a mixture of flour and octopus. It sits of a bed of lettuce and is perfectly golden brown, crispy on the outside, and hot and mushy on the inside. It is topped with bonito flakes, which sway gently due to the heat. 

The perfect reward after a move, which is always stressful, is a hot shower, a nap, and a good meal. 

For a long time, I used to think that Totto Ramen was the best in New York City. I used to go there and wait for over an hour for Totto; there was a bar nearby so I would have a drink while waiting. There were residential apartments across the street, and I used to think it would be nice to live there so I could put my name down at Totto's and then hang out at home, or work out a deal so they would let me do take out. I've been back to Totto, and started to feel disappointed because they were getting worse. I now realize that they were not getting worse, rather other ramen places were just getting better.

Tamashii ramen, where I am at today, is better than Totto. Their miso ramen is thick and flavorful, with a perfectly done soft boiled soy sauce egg. I might just be very hungry, but I thought everything about it was excellent.  

Across the street, there is a dollar store which has a lot of my favorite, unhealthy snacks from childhood, including microwaveable pizza rolls. There are familiar chains that I like, including bonchon, and a hot pot place! 

I used to think if I stayed in New York, I'd live in Brooklyn, but now I think I have to revise and live in Queens.

Last day in Brooklyn, last month in New York

In less than a month, I will be moving to Switzerland.

When I first came to New York, I loved it--it is the most exciting city in the world. Every day there are events to go to, and almost every major musician has a concert in New York. There are so many cafes, bars, and restaurants that it is impossible to try all of them within one lifetime. Within a year however, I started to become more critical of the city. While being a very fun city, it is also a very dirty city, and incredibly crowded. I thought for sure that I would leave it after law school, but ended up staying for a year...then a few more years...and then I reached a point where I was sure I would probably be in New York for a long time, if not most of my life.

I love New York, but I will admit that I am looking forward to living in a city that is a bit calmer, cleaner, and quieter. I moved from Manhattan to Brooklyn a few months ago, and have been enjoying it. Last week, I went to see Lady Gaga in concert, for the third time. We managed to get last minute tickets at Citi-Field, on the floor, only seven rows from the stage! Unfortunately, it rained the entire evening--and Citi-Field has no cover. It was one of the coldest summer days, and despite wearing a poncho, I was freezing. Lady Gaga played piano and sang in the rain like a real trooper, which really impressed me. However, I think I will think very carefully before buying tickets to an outdoor concert again.

There are many good bars in this area, one of which is a Tiki Bar called Super Power, which features tropical drinks, and oyster happy hours. It is also more spacious and dog friendly. I have two dogs now--a mystery mix who is pretty lazy and very food motivated, and a samoyed, who loves to run. I recently started "urban mushing", which sounds ridiculous, but has proven to be a really effective way to make sure my dog gets enough exercise; it actually is really fun too. I bought a razor scooter (which supposedly is NOT what should be used an can be quite dangerous), and a waist leash. I tie my samoyed, Max, to my waist, and then he pulls me through the city on the scooter. Before trying this, I knew he was a fast runner, but it's completely different when being pulled. I've learned how to control the speed better, but he has the capability of going very fast. There is a circular track by the Brooklyn Museum, which I take him to.

One negative thing about crown heights is that there is more crime, especially compared to Manhattan. During our first month here, my boyfriend's bike got stolen, and I was followed home by a guy on a bicycle who would not leave me alone--luckily there were police cars outside my apartment (someone escaped from a psychiatric ward and they were looking for him in the local bar), so the guy left as soon as he saw the squad cars. During the past month, there was a young man who sexually assaulted four women in the area. Luckily, he was caught.

I was hoping having a wolf like dog would help serve as a deterrent, but so far it hasn't. At the park, I met an elderly lady with a white husky named Lulu--she said she goes out at midnight, and when she seems someone, she makes the dog sit and says, "Killer, wait. WAIT. WAIT." Apparently that works for her. Max however, is too happy looking. He always has his tongue hanging out, and really looks more like a friendly bear than a guard dog.

Given the short time frame before my move to Europe, I am subletting a place in Queens, so at least I'll have a chance to explore a new neighborhood before I go.