The King of New York

From a distance the crown almost looks like solid gold. But as I walk farther up 30th Avenue in Astoria, I can tell there is something not quite right about it. It is glinting, sure, but I realize the crown is made of curled paper. It’s from Burger King. I am now only a few paces behind the man wearing it, who looks like he might be homeless.

Piano Piece

What I knew when I left my apartment, thinking of pianos, as I often do, was that I turned right and saw a piano alone on the street.

My Neighbor Cries a Chain Link Fence

Last night I heard him - the guy who pouts and steams outside on the fence smoking cigarettes with a rippled back - I heard him scream at you...

From Ditmars Blvd. (the Last Stop)

From Ditmars Blvd. (the Last Stop). Abigail Frankfurt's homage to Allen Ginsberg’s America

Reading series: Wednesday! 8pm

Everyone’s Glass Onion

There is something unsettling about having a therapy session at the home of your therapist. It is on par with a Halloween night of childhood trick or treating and having to step through the threshold of a nameless neighbor’s doorway for handful of candy corn or tootsie rolls. Your seven-year-old nose inhales a waft of […]

Supporting Mick Jagger’s Habit

Mickey Z. takes his Mom to a head shop in Astoria, Queens.

Dom’s Wife

As a teenager, the author savors the streams of extravagant verbal abuse pouring out of a neighboring apartment

Power (Outage) to the People

I slept on my fire escape one night last week but it wasn’t due to martial strife or a daredevil spirit. Rather, the sight of yours truly three flights up sporting boxer shorts and a death grip on the bars came courtesy of Con Edison (with a nod to Mayor Bloomberg). The lights first dimmed […]

Waiting to be Deciphered

A mysterious message on a sidewalk in Astoria holds out boundless possibilities of interpretation

Schooling at 204 Center

Recalling lessons learned while staying warm, staying busy, and playing basketball at JHS 204 in Astoria

Seeing Socrates

A stroll down a gloomy, overcast, trash-strewn memory lane