But the ducks still love it.

(You can see College Point, where I walked yesterday, across Flushing Bay.)

A bit more pleasant than the last one

And the garbage begins.

(LaGuardia Airport, that is.)

Believe it or not, these boxes, at least the ones that still work, use an ancient mechanically triggered telegraph system to communicate with the Fire Department.

For an extraordinary look into the past, read this 1901 New York Times piece on alarm boxes.

Outside a tiny Parks Department green space on a traffic island. Perhaps the work of the animal-loving Henry Stern?

Site of the last one-room schoolhouse in Queens. The area inside the walkway is designated the "Phillip 'Earthman' Saccone Garden", "Earthman" being another nickname assigned by Henry Stern.

Given little attention by the city's Landmarks Preservation Commission, Queens started its own (short-lived) Queensmark program. I didn't know anything about this program until I noticed a plaque on the side of the house with the spiral Christmas lights in the yard. As it turns out, this entire block of houses was Queensmarked: "This row of Tudor style homes with tile roofs was built in the 1920s to cater to a middle class looking for a uniform, almost suburban ambiance."

After 60 years, there's a new design on the way. Some photos of its debut can be found here.

that these "rides" have managed to survive into the 21st century. I don't think I've ever seen one in use, but it's not at all uncommon to find one sitting on the sidewalk outside a bodega.

Hanging on in mid-January

Another oddball Henry Stern creation. On the eastern side of this little triangle, you'll find four illustrated concrete tablets containing the lyrics of the first stanza of "High Hopes".

I'll leave the door up to your imagination.

As far as I can tell, this is the only New York consulate outside of Manhattan.