| Hello from New York City (5) - A Local | | | | Chinese dumplings. All the time she |
| Expert Takes Us Through Queensby: | | | | explained to us the multicultural |
| Susanne Pacher | | | | character of Queens, and that one of the |
| Yesterday was a pretty interesting day, | | | | main subway trains (the 7 train) is |
| the weather was cool and overcast, with | | | | called "The International Express" |
| rain coming in during the latter part of | | | | because it cuts through all sorts of |
| the afternoon. A few weeks ago I had | | | | ethnic neighbourhoods. |
| booked a meeting with one of the Big | | | | A quick jump onto this very subway |
| Apple Greeters, an organization of local | | | | later, which runs on elevated tracks |
| NYC volunteers that takes out-of-town | | | | through a good chunk of Queens, so you |
| visitors around the city and shows them | | | | can actually see the neighbourhood, and |
| local sights and shares local | | | | we arrived in Jackson Heights, an area |
| information. The service is a great way | | | | with a lot of Latin American immigrants |
| to link up with a local New Yorker, and | | | | and further west we saw lots of South |
| best of all, it's free of charge. | | | | Asian (Indian, Pakistani and |
| We were supposed to meet Suzanne, our | | | | Bangladeshi) stores. For a Torontonian |
| greeter, at 11:00 am at the 71st Street | | | | seeing all these ethnic stores is not |
| subway station, but we got a late start | | | | all that unusual, since we have a lot of |
| after breakfast and there were some | | | | that in Toronto too, but I am sure these |
| delays on the subway system, so we | | | | ethnic neighbourhoods must be quite |
| didn't meet Suzanne until 11:50 am. | | | | unusual and unique for people who come |
| Suzanne is a former highschool teacher, | | | | from smaller less international places. |
| in her sixties, and a very friendly and | | | | We then took the 47 and 19 Queens bus to |
| outgoing individual. We felt bad about | | | | a neighbourhood called Astoria, where a |
| being late, but she said it wasn't a | | | | lot of Greek immigrants congregate. We |
| problem at all. She was extremely | | | | ended up having dinner in a little |
| gracious and helpful throughout our | | | | quaint and cosy Greek restaurant called |
| entire time with her. | | | | Zygos Restaurant ("zygos" means "libra" |
| Suzanne started the tour by taking us | | | | or "balance") where we continued our |
| through a very upscale Queens | | | | nice conversation with Suzanne, our |
| neighbourhood called Forest Hill | | | | local expert. Suzanne has been a greeter |
| Gardens, which is a neighbourhood with | | | | for the last 12 years and has studied |
| private streets where local residents | | | | all areas of New York City. She said she |
| pay higher than normal taxes for | | | | travels, by herself, into all areas of |
| additional services, such as more | | | | NYC, including Harlem and the Bronx, and |
| frequent garbage pickup etc. Suzanne | | | | she loves exploring and sharing the city |
| indicated that these homes go from | | | | that she loves with people from all over |
| anywhere from US$ 1 million and up. | | | | the world. |
| Everything was blooming and many local | | | | When we left at about a quarter to 7 pm, |
| handymen, gardners and maids were on the | | | | Suzanne had spent more than 7 hours with |
| road. We also had a chance to visit the | | | | us and we had really gotten to know each |
| old US Open Tennis Center which is | | | | other quite well on a personal level. We |
| located in an amphitheatre right next to | | | | also we ended up exchanging email |
| the Forest Hill Country Club. | | | | addresses and we extended mutual |
| On from there we took a bus to the | | | | invitations to stay in touch and I said |
| Flushing neighbourhood, an area with | | | | I'd love to take her around whenever she |
| lots of Chinese and Korean stores, where | | | | comes to the Toronto area. |
| Suzanne treated us to same savory | | | | |