#MonthlyPicks | What Does a Public Education Advocate Love about Queens?
BY QEDC It's In Queens
Maura Fitzgerald is Vice President for People & Culture at Helen Keller International. The opera enthusiast, who studied music at Queens College, lived in Jackson Heights and Astoria before buying a house in Sunnyside in 1998. Once firmly rooted in the borough, she raised her two daughters with her husband, John Jainschigg, here, while serving on the board of the Our World Neighborhood Charter School. Please read her #MonthlyPicks column for September 2022.
Good Eats
My entire family likes to go to SoleLuna in Sunnyside. It’s a friendly place, and the Italian cuisine is authentic, but adventurous.
We also order Mexican food from De Mole, which has a few branches in Queens. The food is so good that my daughter, Gaynell, insists we order it almost once a week.
Unique Treats
Because real estate is cheaper than in Manhattan and Brooklyn, I appreciate the fact that we can afford more space with a garden on a tree-lined street, and my commute to a Manhattan office is remarkably fast. I can still have time with my family after work and get to enjoy a real community and nature.
I also love the diversity. My family is multi-racial, and we live on a block with several other multi-racial families. My children grew up with friends of all races, creeds, and socio-economic backgrounds.
Wander Streets
I’m a fan of the LIC Waterfront, all the way from Socrates Sculpture Park to Hunter’s Point South Park. The landscaping is well-integrated. It’s “Urban meets Nature” with grass, rockscapes, the East River, and of course, spectacular views of Midtown Manhattan.
Historic Feats
I’m still amazed by the borough’s recent agricultural history. I studied at Queens College with people who remembered farms in Flushing. The borough just keeps changing.