JIM HAMILL
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QUEENS

NEW YORK CITY
Queen's is my favorite borough (with the only caveat that I've yet to take a deep dive and explore the Bronx). I like Queens because it's not Manhattan or Brooklyn. This is where New York City feels its most diverse...its most melting potish...its most NYCish. It's great neighborhood (Astoria, Woodside, Jackson Heights, Ozone Park, Jamaica, Forest Hills, Flushing, Murray Hill) after great neighborhood, and I believe, each of these is better than anything you'll find on Manhattan. There's just more personality here. Less corporate.

FLUSHING  MEADOWS  CORONA  PARK
So the real attraction of Flushing is the Chinese food halls. Arguably the best Chinese food, the best/most authentic Chinese food halls outside of China/Hong Kong. And if you come all the way out here, and eat a bunch of Chinese food, you may as well burn off the calories taking a walk through Flushing Meadows Corona Park.
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Hey it's the UFOs from Men in Black​.
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​APRIL 19, 2019 "CIRCUIT"
Aqueduct and Resorts World combine horseracing, slots, and table games in a single complex making gambling easier for all of New York's degenerates. And make no mistake, create no fantasy in your mind that this may be a glamour location. It isn't. Particularly the racetrack. It's an unfiltered underbelly of New York and mankind. 
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​Neir's Tavern hails itself as the most famous bar you've never heard of. Everybody has heard of McSorley's, one of New York's oldest bars, but if it's old bars you are after Neir's is older, having been established in 1839. The tavern is " famous" as a filming location of Goodfellas where the gang celebrates after the Lufthansa heist.  If the bar were in Manhattan itd be a pilgrimage but because it's deep, deep in Queens you've never heard of it.  Today it's a quality neighborhood bar. 
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Sey Coffee - Good coffee but Brooklyn is really, really strange. Everyone is trying really, really hard to look like they are from Portland. I'm wearing a polo from Uniqlo and jeans from Banana Republic and I'm the one who looks different while everyone else looks the same.

Singlecut Brewing opened in Queens in 2012, the first brewery to open in Queens since the end of prohibition in 1933. Microbrewing has been a thing since the late 80s / early 90s but Queens didn't get their first microbrewery until 2012. That's pathetic. Fortunately Singlecut makes up for the delay. The brewery keeps the flavors simple with only minor twists; I ordered a pilsner that had a hint of lemon rind. That hint was just enough.  The decor is simple and sleek.
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The wow factor of Singlecut and why I will return to Astoria was the lively seen on Ditmar Boulevard. Restaurants had outdoor seating and all appeared to be hopping on a gorgeous spring day.   ​Bridge and Tunnel Brewing is an obscure area but I liked the trek. I ordered a passion fruit IPA and after a day of trudging all over New Jersey and Queens the passion fruit was a welcome burst of refreshment. The brewery was a bit small but the more of these Queens gets the better.
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Lhasa Fast Food is the greatest Bourdain restaurant ever, with apologies to the Hong Kong noodle guy. I loved the setting. I walked around Diversity Plaza which was a hive of activity. The restaurant is located in the back of the building behind a cell phone store with no street signage. The momos were better than any i are in Nepal. The meat had a few onions and other flavors mixed in and the dumplings had the perfect taste and texture. 7 dumplings for $6. Unbelievable place and I'll need to return. 
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Forest Hills:
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  • Lifetime Travels
    • Best Of... >
      • 2014 World Travels
      • Videos
    • Africa >
      • Egypt
      • Ethiopia
      • Kenya
      • Tanzania
    • Asia >
      • East Asia >
        • China
        • Hong Kong
        • Japan
        • Macau
        • South Korea
        • Taiwan
      • Indian Sub-Continent >
        • Bangladesh
        • India
        • Maldives
        • Nepal
        • Sri Lanka
      • Southeast Asia >
        • Brunei
        • Cambodia
        • Indonesia
        • Laos
        • Malaysia
        • Myanmar
        • Philippines
        • Singapore
        • Thailand
    • Europe >
      • Balkans >
        • Bosnia and Herzegovina
        • Bulgaria
        • Croatia
        • Moldova
        • Montenegro
        • Romania
        • Serbia
      • Eastern Europe >
        • Czech Republic
        • Hungary
        • Kazakhstan
        • Russia
        • Slovenia
        • Ukraine
      • Nordic >
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      • Western Europe >
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        • Germany
        • Ireland
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        • United Kingdom
    • Middle East >
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