Thirty years ago I moved from my hometown in Queens to an apartment on Manhattan’s upper west side. I remember the thrill of crossing the 59th Street Bridge to start my new life and I never looked back…for a very long time. But now friends and family are drawing me back and soon I’ll be making that journey across the bridge again to go back home. This blog is about my memories of growing up in Queens. The inspiration came from my daughter Maia, who has asked me to tell her my childhood stories regularly for as long as I can remember. Thank you Maia for helping me keep these memories alive and most of all for listening.