Astoria

So...I went to Astoria (hold for applause).  I went with my friend Benjamin Shpres.  I will post his reaction first and if you are still reading you'll get to see what I have to say.  While this may seem lazy please remember I commuted an hour (each way!) to go to this location so you can suck a fat one.  Ben's thoughts:

While the surrounding street may look like a rusted junkyard,everything within this NYSC screams new. The machines even havestickers if they're super-new, encouraging people to use (ordangerously test?) them.  The layout is all on one floor, which is helpful. The natural light from the windows also helps makes the place motivating. However, in classic NYSC fashion, there is not enough of room in the stretching area. Also, I don't know about you, but it annoys me when there's
a) only one water fountain location
b) poorly placed clocks (making it hard for me to time my workout)
The locker rooms had very Equinox-looking wood-paneled lockers. It almost made me forget not to use the low-brand lotion NYSC offers.  Despite minor inconveniences though, I would definitely recommend this NYSC above some other ones.

I agree with Ben about a couple of things: stretching area, only one water fountain, it being one floor...  This location is obviously newer and while it feels large I think it's actually just "spacious."  Not as many machines so they seem spread out.  Can't agree about the locker room though; the lockers were the larger styled lockers but why does this newer location have curtains on the shower stalls instead of the nicer frosted glass doors?  The showers were tall but still felt cheap.  Also...I just can't get over the view from across the street.  It's still haunting me.

My grade: B+

16th and 8th update

Remember me?  Hi. 2 things:

1. about a month ago I went to 16th and 8th and it's been renovated!  Apparently not recently either (whoops).  Looks nicer but really was just a re-decoration more than anything.  Machines are still old and now there's no Body Blo or whatever the scary body dryer was that existed in the locker room (pro? con? you decide).  Oh also I forgot where the lockers were and I wandered around like an ass for about 2 minutes until some straight guy saw the confusion on my face and just pointed them out; it was the nicest thing anyone has done for me at the gym in a long time!

2. I'm going to the Astoria location today (is there more than one?).  My friend Benjamin Shpres who has guest commented once before is the instigator of this trip.  Assuming I don't fall asleep on the train and miss this visit completely, an update (a real one not the bullshit I wrote in the paragraph above) is forthcoming.