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all ended up here. Astoria has everything: all
ages, all races, all kinds of food, and it feels
safe. I plan on staying here for as long as I can.”
The main room in Fensterheim’s apartment
is the living room, which also serves
as his bedroom. Above the bed is a Russian
Orthodox-style painting which was left to
him by one of his grandmothers.
“I think it was painted in Lebanon, though
it could be Russian,” he mused.
Below it is the bed, creating a cosy nook in
the room. The sofa is decorated with colorful
Aztec-printed cushions, and opposite that is
an entertainment center that Fensterheim
has pieced together over his time spent living
in the apartment. Two copper-accented
speakers frame the television and turntable.
“My neighbor Alex masters records for
a living, and he came over and helped me
pick out the speakers,” Fensterheim said.
I asked Fensterheim if he frequently
blasts his music and throws parties.
“Thats the thing,” he replied, “I don’t. I literally
do not ever enjoy listening to music,
because I get so anxious. I had a vision that
I would sit on my couch and light candles
and listen to music, but it just doesn’t happen.
They’re too loud!”
Fensterheim could certainly not be accused
of being an inconsiderate neighbor!
Above the sofa on the wall hangs three
prints.
“They are by the artist Andrew DeGraff, a
Maine-based illustrator,” Fensterheim said.
“Each piece is based on the journey a character
takes in Star Wars.”
Another piece that caught my eye was
a painting sitting on Fensterheim’s desk.
“My grandma painted it,” he told me.
It seems clear where the artist streak
comes from.
As we were concluding the interview,
we sat down and Fensterheim lit two aromatic
candles.
“Oh hey, these I bought from Etsy,” he
said. “Actually, the woman who makes
them lives here in Astoria.”
Apparently there is nothing you can’t
find here in Astoria: candles, the best
paninis in New York (“You have to try Il
Bambino,” Fensterheim said) and, of
course, a 5-foot, fire-breathing dinosaur,
lovingly preserved in the kitchen. Best
place for her, I'd say...clever girl.
Photos: Ruthie Darling/BORO