OK, I know there are lots of Brazilians in Astoria. And I know there are lots of Greeks. And I know that ‘-aki’ is the diminutive in Greek. But I still don’t know why some crappy-ass jewelry store on Ditmars would name themselves “Brazilianaki.” The suspicious thing is that the shop doesn’t look substantially different from when it was clearly a Korean-run joint with a name like “Hello Gift Center” or something.

That’s just one thing I saw when I went up to my old stomping grounds last night. (Uh, people, if there’s still 20-78 by my name in your address book, it’s wrong and has been for more almost nine months. Luckily, Aaron still acts as a package holding service, but he takes a cut of the cookies you mail.) Another thing in Ditmars-land: a hipster Thai place, called Wave Thai. Which would be exciting, except it’s where the Hungarian deli used to be–the Hungarian deli that stocked duck fat and had the most enthusiastic woman owner ever, the Hungarian deli where I discovered I just am not so into head cheese. But since I’m probably part of the reason she didn’t stay in business (I OD’d on duck fat and couldn’t go back in), Wave Thai is probably a good trade up for the people who still live up there.

Farther up that block of 31st St., the photo studio is out of business, which is tragic because those portraits of people with their pets always made my walk home so much better.

And back close to the train, there’s a new Cold Stone Creamery. Man, those things are popping up everywhere. They’re like the Commerce Bank of ice cream, but fortunately smaller. Because damn, that Commerce Bank at Ditmars is ugly. Very shiny, but ugly. It’s getting very chain-store up there. Makes me almost glad I’m down at super-scruffy 36th Avenue, with all the Brazilians. The little Brazilians.