Reasons to live in Astoria

Ny boroughs can be different but all share
The Duane Reads, Chase banks and the summer mister softy ice
Cream truck with its lullaby music as well.

Being ready to take my days off in Europe today I woke up gratefull
to be here(maybe it is my unconscious fear of plane foreseeing
A nostalgic feeling of NY). I then
Came up with 10 reasons to live in Astoria
1- you can shop at a Greek, Brazilian, Spanish or Italian supermarket.
2- you will pay less for more space
3- you can actually see a bigger sky than in Manhattan
4- you can shop at Cosco
5- you can get to La Guardia airport in mere few minutes
6- you pay only 70$ for an off the hook/ 5 stars fitness gym - club fitness
7- you don't bump on yellow cabs everywhere
8- you have a movie theater just across a moving image museum and a bowling house
9- You own a garage and your car being half way in the side walk is not a problem!
10- it is the borough with the least crime rates

Wow that was easy
Does anyone have anything else?
Please enlighten me!

Cafe Triskell- A hidden flavor in Astoria

      While walking through my neighborhood attempting to find an American diner to fulfill my craving for a fresh omelet, I came to a small, cute French restaurant at 36th Avenue in Astoria, Queens: Cafe Triskell.

       How lovely and cozy Cafe Triskell is! Customers watch the chef cooking while eating at the bar. The bar decor is filled with postcards from all over the world. The rest of the decor reminds me of Spanish drawings. The restaurant has no more than 10 tables. The menu is hand written on a blackboard, which for some reason makes me think that if the decor is so rustic, the food will taste homemade as well.

             

       The restaurant was packed for brunch the first time I went there.  As soon as I arrived, I was greeted by a man that did not look like a waiter at all. I was nervous since the place was packed and I didn't know what to get. Once I expressed my uncertainty to the "waiter," the serious look on his face quickly turned into this genuine, knowledgeable and willing smile of a man with a strong French accent who happens to be the owner and chef of Cafe Triskell. 

   I have since come back several times, and every time I am stunned with such delicious and inexpensive food. The dessert menu offers a nice variety of sweet crepes. The butter and sugar crepe was fantastic: perfect crunchiness and sweetness. Although French food tends to be a little higher priced than other cuisines,  Cafe Triskett's menu has French onion soup for $6.75 and salads for $8.95. Sooner than later I found out why.

      

     The sympathetic French chef, Philippe Fallait, whose specialty is in pastries, opened his business three years ago. His goal is to make peoplehappy. "Food business is about building relationships, and that is why we have to make people happy so that they will come back," Mr. Fallait said.

     In a capitalistic country such as ours, it is hard to find someone whose mentality is like Mr. Fallait. He impressed me as a generous, professional, sympathetic human being whose love for life is expressed in making people happy through his art of cooking!

    In a city like New York where friends come and go all the time, to opt for Cafe Tristell, you not only will be eating delicious french food, but you will also be making nice friends!