Happy New Year Astoria!

Last year we ended off '06 with a summary of Astoria's biggest ups and downs , it worked out so well we decided to bring you the key hits and misses of our Astorian Adventures, the 2007 edition: (in no particular order...)

• Go to spot for random movies & drinks- Hell Gate Social.
• Lil Bistro 33 became Bistro 33 in a new location and one of our all time favs.
• Le Petit Prince closed but to fill the void we got Patisserie la Brioche D'Or & La Marjolaine
• We became inundated with Mexican & Japanese restaurants
• The fires in Greece brought about action in the neighborhood
• 36th Ave became the place to be or its getting there anyway! (Aces, Cafe Triskell, Arepas Cafe & more)
  
• Meister-burger tastiest burger- Sparrow
  
• Architectural Horror- Castle Astoria & Alpha/Omega- hard to believe i know, but it's a TIE!!!
• Biggest treat - pie a la mode from Oleput
• Weirdest opening... 7/11?
• Quirkiest event at the BG - Harry & the Potters played for the muggles!
• Biggest brush with big stars was of course the return of Peter Parker to Queens with Spiderman week
• Strangest date spot became White Castle on Valentines Day!
• Alien vs. Predator? No! Wine vs. Beer - wine bars invade Astoria in 2007 (Crescent and Vine, Rest-Au-Rant, Vino di Vino)
• Astoria stepped into greener ways with the addition of Turbines in the East River
  
• JIA's new best friend: NY Magazine, who linked to us more than anyone else - thank you!
• Best and most varied wine tasting: Vine Wine. Runner up: Waltz, which held a number of wine tastings this year.
• Funnest place for little gifts: Marco Polo Gift House
  
• Best new restaurant has to be of course, Il Bambino. I seriously doubt you will ever hear a negative peep out of us! We love Darren and the gang, keep up the delicious work :)
  
• Most important friend to animals continues to be Francis's Friends- remember them if you're in a "donating" mood!
  
• Best place for free giveaway art was and is Silver Age Comics, which holds Free Comic Book Day every year
  
• Best place for free public art: Socrates Sculpture Park
• Best new crepes: Cafe Triskell
  
• Dumbest suggestion for Astoria had to be creating a parking lot over the Grand Central Parkway.
  
• The tastiest gyro to touch these lips all year were from BZ Grill
  
• Oddest crime committed in Astoria: Finger twisting
  
• Rose and Joe's continues to entice us with the tastiest Sicilian slice!
  
• Best non-bakery pizza: Sophia Loren at Michael Angelo's

So there you have it, some good- some not so good, but all ours! We hope you have had a wonderful year here in our lovely nabe and that you continue to take advantage of all Astoria has to offer in 2008. Have a happy and a healthy wherever you may be and see you around hopefully!