Today's morning subway and bus commute should be a lot smoother (unless you need to stop at Grand Central) than yesterday's messy commute. There were a number of subway disruptions and diversions due to flooding from the rain, which left many straphangers frustrated. But why did pouring rain stop the subway? Well, here's what the MTA says:

NYC Transit utilized portable pumps and pump trains to help clear 600 feet of 2-foot-deep water across all four tracks on the Queens Boulevard line near 65th Street in Queens today. As a result, service was restored on the E, F and R lines just before rush hour, although commuters should expect some delays.

An adventurous appetite for ethnically authentic and delicious victuals in our fair city's outer boroughs often yields both delights and disasters. This is a tale of a delight, three to be precise. more ›

The NY Times looks at how Astoria's Steinway Street has evolved into a magnet for big chain. The accompanying graphic shows a one block stretch complete with Gap, GapKids, Starbucks, Bath & Body Works, and Victoria's Secret - and four banks, natch! According to the Real Estate Board of NY's retail committee chairwoman Robin Abrams, the shift is occurring because chains are have either "saturated" or are "priced out" of Manhattan, and they are finding the "can do business in the boroughs." And having a big chain as a tenant is probably less of a hassle than an unknown entity for outer-boroughs landlords (not to mention a reason for them to charge more). more ›

Passionate men cook great food. And Ali is one of the most passionate men you’ll ever meet. That’s all you need to know before you go to Ali’s Kabab Café in Astoria. more ›

Merguez is the hot dog of Morocco. In fact, this spicy lamb sausage may be nudging out couscous as the dish most associated with this North African country of so many culinary delights. In America, you find merguez most often at trendy restaurants, but in Morocco it's a more casual treat you can get on the street. It's also all over Paris, where it joins paté and jambon as standard sandwich fillings. But if you venture to the far reaches of Astoria, you can experience merguez the way it ought to be, at a corner joint called Little Morocco. more ›

Mayor Bloomberg finally made his way to Astoria yesterday to be briefed on the situation leaving thousands of Queens residents and business owners have been with little or no power. Yet he nor Con Ed could not explain why power had been out for four days. Mayor Bloomberg did say, “I cannot explain why we’re in this situation. It’s an intolerable situation.” And the Mayor and Con Ed don't know when power will be back on. What is known is that there were multiple manhole fires, cables just seem to be melting all around, and Rikers is using back-up generators! more ›

- And sometimes we wish this bus driver was our bus driver - unless we're the guy outside more ›

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On Monday, the president and CEO of a local school was shot in the butt at the Steinway Street subway station in Astoria. David Cary Hart, executive at Drake Business School, didn't even realize he was shot until he looked down to see what hurt so much. The Post reported that witnesses told police that the shooter, who ran from the scene, was in his 20s; they also noted that a school administrator called Hart very well-liked. Today, the Times notes that as police are trying to find a motive, Hart may not be well-liked, since there were manylay-offs at the school recently. Drake helps people develop skills to find jobs such as medical office assistant, accounting support, and computer support specialist. Hart is still in the hospital, in stable condition. more ›