Astoria had many distinct smells coming from restaurants, the streets, and special occasions. From our second trip’s visit to Astoria Park, we smelled freshly-cut grass and water from the nearby East River as we mentioned in our field notes. Other than that, there were smells of nature as we walked through the residential area of Astoria-Ditmars. At one point, we passed through people grinding up wood. That process produced a very strong smell of wood and dust.
Halal carts are a very New York thing. When we entered the Astoria-Ditmars area that’s the first thing we smelled. As we walked pass various restaurants, I noticed familiar smells like Chinese food and unfamiliar smells from a dish that smelled a lot like vinegar. These difference smells show the diversity of Astoria through its ethnic cuisines.
The number one reason a child under 14 in Astoria goes to the hospital is asthma. This has to do with the pollution effects of the several power plants. This is one of the most pressing concerns of residents and officials alike. There have been substantial changes in recent years including the deconstruction of one power plant.
