Astoria Life: New York Minutes

Musings from the Queen of Queens, or My 6 years of living in Queens and greater NYC, where I moved to work for the water department and ended up, among other things, traveling the world and appearing on a billboard on Times Square.

Wednesday, September 24, 2008

Central Park Zoo!

I finally went to the Central Park Zoo today, after 4.5 years of always walking by it.

There is a zoo in every borough, apparently, and this is the first one I have gone to in NYC.

There was a polar bear sunning himself on some rocks. Must be adjusting to global warming.

I also saw some sea lions, sea otters, bats, and puffins and penguins. I also saw all these tropical birds and snakes in the "Rainforest Zone". There was a mouse in the bird cages, eating food. I am not sure if he was supposed to be there!

All in all, a great afternoon outing.

Sunday, September 21, 2008

snakes on a train!

I was going up the stairs of the Broadway station on the N line when I noticed that the guy in front of me had a small live snake coiled up in the transparently thin plastic bag in his hand. He had the top part open a bit to let in air.

Suffice it to say, I waited for the train on the opposite end of the platform from them.

Last game at Yankee Stadium

Carrying on this inexplicable recent tradition to get rid of all New York icons, the Yankees played their last game at Yankee Stadium today.

I don't know what to say.

Sunday, September 14, 2008

September's donation: Acid Violence Survivors

This month, my donation was sent to the Acid Survivors Foundation (ASF) www.acidsurvivors.org

"Acid violence is a particularly vicious and damaging form of violence in Bangladesh where acid is thrown in people’s faces. The overwhelming majority of the victims are women, and many of them are below 18 years of age. The victims are attacked for many reasons. In some cases it is because a young girl or women has spurned the sexual advances of a male or either she or her parents have rejected a proposal of marriage. Recently, however, there have been acid attacks on children, older women and also men. These attacks are often the result of family and land dispute, dowry demands or a desire for revenge."

Sunday, September 07, 2008

Goodbye to RENT

And Rent, the groundbreaking Tony-award-winning musical based on La Boheme, is having its final performance tonight. It is being filmed and released in movie theatres September 24, 2008.

Seriously, what is this? Get rid of New York icons day?????

Goodbye to Astroland

After 46 years and a few years of going back and forth with Thor Equities, Astroland, the fun little rides on Coney Island's boardwalk, is closing today.

The Wonder Wheel and the Cyclone will remain, but it is just not the same. :^(

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Friday, September 05, 2008

ear candling

Four years after first learning about it (see "It's all in your head ..." July 13, 2004), I got my ears candled at Vada Spa in the West Village.

I was pretty nervous as I had to lie down while a paper funnel was lit on fire and put in my ear canal (yes, you read that right.) But I figured I shouldn't make any sudden moves and just let it happen, and it was all rather peaceful after that.

And it definitely leared a crapload of wax out of my ears. GROSS! And I can hear tons better now.

www.vadaspa.com

Monday, September 01, 2008

Happy September from this Virgo!

I love September, it signifies Fall and new beginnings, even to those of us who are not in school (like me) or do not have a birthday this month (not like me).

Therefore, happy September!!!!