Marissa’s home in the Sunnyside community is the urban sanctuary I’ve been hoping to find for my now-and-then weekend visits to the big city.
Marissa was a friendly, gracious, and caring host. Since I’d never been to Queens, I appreciated her waiting for me to arrive that evening and being available by phone as I made the 10-min walk to her home.
No matter how much fun you have in New York, you’re going to eventually wear yourself out. Having been up since 4 am that day, I loved being ushered into the welcoming, cozy guest room. Once settled in and confident I was in a safe place for the night, I collapsed in the comfy bed and slept soundly.
I loved the neighborhood, which is multi-age, multi-ethnic, multi everything. It’s full of older brick apartment buildings, most an easy walk to a multitude of small businesses, from butcher shops to pharmacies. It would take a month to visit all the little corner coffee shops. restaurants, bars, and pizza places.