Astoria in black and white

Today, I capitalized on my time off from work by trudging through the neighborhood to get a glimpse of Astoria Park and the East River in the snow. I haven't really "played" in the snow since childhood, so I really enjoyed crunching through to said destination, watching a father and son pummel each other with snowballs, and witnessing what I can only describe as the Hell's Angels of snowmobiles. Everyone seemed a bit happier on the streets as well, which is slightly odd considering that many New Yorkers border homicidal when it merely rains. But I got plenty of smiles walking about, as though I had become a fellow warrior, fearlessly bearing this unruly weather with my other brave Astorians. 

In any case, I'd thought I'd share some images of a snowy Astoria, if you happened to be smart and stayed inside with a nice cup of tea.

Fearless Athena does not mind the inclimate weather. 

30th Ave. 

A shot down Crescent Street. 

Corner of Crescent and 24th Ave. 

Finally, the park. I had this crazy notion that I would be taking a solitary stroll. Not sure what I was thinking with school out today.

Snowboarders and sledders. 

And to the water, the quite ominous water! Coming down the hill and crossing over Shore Blvd, the wind picked up, the snow morphed to hail, and the icy East River was a choppy grey. It seemed vacant enough, but lo and behold, city of ever-ambitious artists--I encountered several other people happily getting pelted by hail to capture the eerie Triborough in a haze of snow. 

A misty view of the Hellgate, looking east. 

Lonely seagull. 

Heading up Shore Blvd, into oblivion. 

Hellgate looking west. 

Lonely lamp post. 

And back into cheerful territory. 

I appropriately ended my icy escapade at Igloo on Ditmars, where I enjoyed a hot chocolate and a mushroom barley soup, watching the neighborhood come to life out the window, treading, trudging, playing, shoveling. But overall...business as usual.