The neighborhood that I’ve chosen to focus on this semester is Astoria. I find Astoria to be fascinating in that it is almost another “city within a city” in that there are many different diverse parts of Astoria. In my opinion, Astoria is one of the busiest parts of Queens and houses just about anything a person might want, ranging from shopping strips, diverse foods, and even a small range of attractions.

Although Astoria is not my hometown neighborhood in Queens, it is one that I often find myself wandering around. My own neighborhood in Queens, South Richmond Hill, is what I would call a sleepy little town in which there is not much diversity. Unlike E.B. White’s explanation of Manhattan, in which a person is provided the “gift of privacy” and “gift of loneliness”, South Richmond Hill does not offer this.

However, I feel that Astoria is able to offer such gifts, in that it is almost as busy as Manhattan. Just as the article, “Tourists Have Landed in Queens. They’re Staying.” referenced Queens as one of the number one tourist attractions, I feel that Astoria may be the leader in bring that fame and excitement to Queens.

I feel that Astoria is able to attract much foot traffic because it is one of the most diverse neighborhoods in Queens. There is something in Astoria that can appeal to anyone. During my times in Astoria, I’ve noticed a population of many Greeks, Italians, Egyptians, Hispanics/Latinos, Asians and scattered Black/African American populations.

As a Psychology major who’s studied Human Development, it is interesting to see how the diversity of Astoria can affect children as they grow up. Astoria appears more “family oriented” than Manhattan since it provides one family homes as well as apartments that are larger than most closet-sized apartments in Manhattan. Astoria appeals to me since it appears to be a more relaxed version of Manhattan.