QUEENS! I don't mean the band or any royalty...

After quite the hiatus, I felt compelled to update this blog with new findings in our current neighborhood, QUEENS! More specifically Astoria, Queens, New York (yes it is necessary to use all location descriptions).

Non-standard addresses is one of the many reasons Queens has a hard time fitting into the NYC borough scape but reserves it's hyperlocal feel. I recommend Queens-specific maps to traverse the largest borough or a local that can explain the difference between 31st Road, 31st Street, and 31st Avenue. We have farms (labeled as museums - much to the dismay of this country girl's heart), 100+ years old German-style beer halls, and the most ethnically diverse urban area in the world.

Slim and I moved to Astoria in 2010, and we have fallen deeper in love with our neighborhood every year since. So much so, that when we recently relocated apartments we only moved one and a half blocks from our original place!

We are in the process of purchasing furniture for our new apartment, and the search led us to a broader area than we typically frequent in Astoria with new favorites.

The first stop was a meal on Ditmars Blvd. - one must have a nice base before any large purchases, of course. After checking a few Yelp reviews, we headed over to Fatty's Cafe and had a great brunch, which included an entree and drink (mimosa, bloody Mary or limeade) for $15 per person. Overall, the meal was good, but the return trip is based on one entree option alone - MOFONGO!

I have been a bit obsessed with finding a legitimate version of this Puerto Rican staple since our trip there last year. The most alluring reason to eat mofongo is if you have a big night planned that you know will include more than a few adult beverages. And it's delicious.

This sweet little man joined us for the meal:

Fatty's Cafe Decor

After brunch, we strolled to Nook n' crannie that had a lovely collection of antiques and mid-century pieces. We found some interesting items but nothing that fit our current needs.

We hit several other shops that we hoped would have something of interest but no luck. On to next weekend - the search continues!

Overall not a great day for shopping, but we had good luck with food and drinks, since we found a little bar to sneak into during the downpour yesterday, Dominies. They serve Astoria's newest brewery, SingleCut Beersmiths, on tap, which my beer-making boyfriend appreciates.

I have a feeling a post with more details on that is in the near future. To finish, a little treasure I found on 31st Street near Ditmars... 

More about the dedication here