7
Astoria/Long Island City
To paraphrase 18th century English writer Samuel Johnson’s
comments about London: “When one is tired of Long Island
City and Astoria, he is tired of life.”
Astoria and Long Island City are booming with new residential
buildings, restaurants, bars, cultural attractions, and hotels. Plus,
the high-energy area is only one subway stop from Grand Central
Station on the 7 train and one stop from Manhattan’s Upper East
Side (and more specifically the Bloomingdale’s) on the N train.
Then there’s the new ferry service from 33rd Street in Manhattan
to LIC Landing and Astoria via the East River. It’s a boat ride
with Midtown Manhattan in constant view. A one-way pass costs
$2.75 or the same amount as a ride on a subway or bus. Plus, the
trip only takes a few glorious minutes.
The other news is the constant upgrade and expansion of Gantry
Plaza State Park, which covers 12 acres of East River shoreline.
With direct views of Midtown Manhattan, the park contains
playing fields, fishing piers, a promenade, and outdoor furniture
in a site that was once a dock facility with gantry cranes. A
120-foot-long and 60-foot-high neon Pepsi-Cola, sign, which
actually has NYC landmark status, adds to the mystical, urbanrural
feel. (The soda maker used to operate a bottling plant in the
67
northern portion.) The pier area has become a popular spot for
dance, music, and theatrical performances.
Many of the hotels, restaurants, and cultural attractions are
mentioned in other parts of this guidebook. Nevertheless, here