The media image I have of the Bronx and Queens are not flattering. I envision exceedingly rundown areas, or of old, uninspired rowhouses like that seen in “All in the Family.”
Do either of these borroughs have upscale sections–sections with visual beauty that would really surprise outsiders?
P.S. Please excuse me if I sound condescending. Chalk it up to ignorance about New York.
Top upscale sections:
Bronx: Riverdale (click for pics) Mansions, and everything!
Queens: Forest Hills (click for pics) Classic architecture, and more…
Both boroughs are actually quite diverse. Check out views of.com for visuals of various sections around the country.
Queens: Forest Hills, Jamaica Estates (like the burbs!), Little Neck
Bronx: Riverdale, Tuckahoe, there’s some nice stuff around Fordham too.
If you want a real dump, go to Brooklyn! 
Where I grew up, Bayside was not rich, but certainly nice and no dump. From what I’ve seen it has gotten even better in the past 20 years.
Don’t believe what you see on tv.
I live in Auburndale (a neighborhood between Flushing and Bayside). Parts of these neighborhoods are nice, but it is quickly changing. Downtown Flushing is completely dominated by Asian businesses, which isn’t a bad thing aside from the fact that most shop signs are only in Asian languages and cater solely to Asians. The Asian population is slowly creeping eastward along Northern Boulevard toward Bayside.
Ah, Flushing. I like to call it Chinatown II: The Sequel.
There’s some pretty nice condos around there on Roosevelt Ave and whatnot.
Forest Hills is split in half: there’s the regular, midlde-class part, with lots of co-ops, and there’s the Gardens, which is full of beautiful old houses (and the well-known tennis club). My dad lives in the former; Geraldine Ferrarro lives in the latter.