William Grimes, former restaurant reviewer for the New York Times, is probably the single most famous current resident of Astoria. Brooklyn has all those big-time novelists–what-ever. We’ve got Grimes, and he tells us about when live chickens show up in his backyard.

Now he writes in “Queens Now Has Less Feta, More Jellyfish” in the NYT about why Astoria, and Queens in general, is so fabulous.

For me, Astoria is not a satellite of Manhattan, it’s the gateway to Queens, a jumping-off point for the borough that, when it comes to ethnic diversity, knows no equal. For me this is not an abstract demographic issue. It is as real as the food on my plate.

That’s what I’ve been trying to say for years. Go read, and weep at the bounty we Queensians are relishing every single day.

P.S. Athena’s nail salon even gets a name check! I saw “Athena” out on the street the other day, in civilian clothes. It was very disorienting.