Your local guide

Write a piece about a typically "local" experience from where you come from as though it's an entry in a travel guide.

When I grew up, we lived in Astoria, New York two blocks from Astoria Park which is right on the East River. The gorgeous Triborough Bridge crosses the East river and leads us in Astoria right to the upper East Side in Manhattan. It's just a short hop, skip and jump across the river. If you can't afford the real estate in Manhattan than Astoria is the ideal place to live, affordable and so close to Manhattan.

Each and every time any of our relatives would come visit us from France, Astoria Park was the first stop on their tour because since the flight in was always late in the day, Astoria Park was the best first stop because at night you had the magnificent skyline of Manhattan all lit up at night alongside the completely lit bridge. It is one of the breathtaking sights that you don't forget. Moreover, coming in late from Europe, you're tired so how much easier than to have a gorgeous first sight of New York only two blocks away from your family's house. We would spend some time feasting on the bejeweled vision and plan for the next day, where we would go and the things and sights that we would visit.

This is always full of such fond memories.