Archive for December, 2010

Put some Spice in Your Life

Wednesday, December 8th, 2010

Written by Megan Soyars

I was raised in San Antonio, Texas, the tex-mex capital of the world. Down South, we like our food bursting with flavor. Salsas, jalapenos, and chile peppers garnish plates in many restaurants. I thought I knew spicy while I was spooning Pace salsa on to my chips con queso, but I had no idea how far the heat barometer could go until I tried Indian curry.

My first taste of Indian food was in college. A whole group of us headed out to Taj Palace for my roomie’s birthday one night. I first tried the naan (a type of flatbread), which was soft and delicious. Then I moved eagerly on to the curry chicken. Spooning some up with reckless abandon, I shoved a steaming spoonful in my mouth. I nearly spit it back up. It was good, don’t get me wrong. But it was hot. At least, for my unprepared taste buds. My friends, spotting my agonized expression, asked me what was wrong. They probably thought I needed the Heimlich maneuver or something. Thankfully, I wasn’t choking; I was only a wimp.

“It’s too spicy,” I mumbled as I blinked back tears. My friend reached over and grabbed a spoonful for himself.

“It’s not too hot,” he assured me after swallowing, a feat which I likened to walking over a bed of hot coals. “This is really good. So…are you gonna finish it?”

I ended up stocking up on naan that night, while my friend enjoyed the rest of my plate.

But whether you’re a mild taster like me, a spice daredevil like my friend, or somewhere in between, you can enjoy the flavorful plates at Curry Kitchen. Located at 40 W. 8th St., Curry Kitchen offers a variety of Indian foods, ranging from their fiery chicken curry, to their savory tandoori fish, to their warm, home-made naan. And at around $10 an entrée, this is an affordable way to get a taste of India. Curry Kitchen also frequently offers student discounts. So print out this 10% coupon and head down to Curry Kitchen to “spice” up your meal time.

Also, don’t forget to check out our website to get Curry Kitchen’s Student Loyalty Program Card, up this week! And if you’re an Indian food guru (no pun intended) check out our discounts for Indian Cafe and Indian Taj, also featured on our website.

-Megan, Trinity University

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Get a New ‘Do

Monday, December 6th, 2010

Written by Megan Soyars

I have to say, one of the greatest haircuts I’ve gotten was in the City. I laid down a fi’ty plus tips, but walked out of the salon feeling like a million bucks. Feathered layers that fell just to my shoulders, and bangs that, for once, didn’t make me look a kid. (I’d tried bangs before in high school, but the stupid bowl cut look had made my age seem to drop into the single digits.)

Five months later, I needed a cut, but unfortunately at that time I was living in Wyoming. There were only two stylists in town, and after glancing into both shops, I chose the one which was not populated by balding cowboys and blue-haired old ladies. Two hours later, I walked out of Kathy’s Cuts  feeling like I needed a bag over my head. Gaw, what had happened to my chic city cut, I mourned.

I’m now back living in the City, and ready for another cut. Soon, my po’dunk look will disappear under the savoir-faire and sleek scissors of a NYC stylist.  I’m considering heading to Shampoo Avenue B for my New Year’s make-over. If you’re also looking for a make-over, you should consider them, too!

Shampoo Avenue B Salon, located in the Village on 42 Avenue B, is a soulful little salon. Ghetto-fab grafitti splashes across the walls, spiky chandeliers hang from the ceiling, and everything exudes that funky, feel-good vibe. You’re not only coming for a cut, you’re also coming for the atmosphere. So slide into a sleek leather chair and shimmy off with a great new ‘do.

The stylists at Shampoo Avenue B have worked for big-name celebs like Jimmy Page, Gerard Butler, and the band Shiny Toy Guns, but they pamper you with the same celeb service. Get a cut, coloring, highlights, or their trademark Brazillian Blowout. And don’t forget to use that student discount! A regular cut starts off at only $60, but with this 20% coupon, you can walk out of the salon with a Hollywood look for only thirty bucks! So head down to the Village today. Get a great look, a funky vibe, and A-list service.

-Megan, Trinity University

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Get Rejuvenated!

Friday, December 3rd, 2010

My roommate likes to remark that New York City is making her face ‘look old.’

Each morning, she hogs the bathroom mirror, anxiously examining her aging visage. She swears to me she’s getting wrinkles.

“You’re twenty-six,” I rejoin. “You’re too young for wrinkles.”

She shakes her head at me and frowns. It is my imagination, or did that frown create crow’s feet around her eyes; deepen the lines on her once smooth forehead?

“It’s this horrible air here!” she declares to me. “I need a facial.”

It’s true—the city rarely blesses us with a beneficial breeze. In the summer, the relative humidity (sometimes rising to 80% in this lovely coastal city) leaves our skin greasy and make-up smudged. Winter weather and old-fashioned heating units then combine to dry out that once-sweaty skin. And throughout all seasons, we’re bombasted by smog, pollution, and that particularly odoriferous subway air.

If, like my roommate, you’re in need of a facial, check out Pearl Beauty Clinic and Spa on 27 West 8th Street. At Pearl, you can “take part in NYC’s most exclusive relaxing and rejuvenating experience” at a not-so exclusive price. Present this coupon and a valid student ID to receive a 25% off discount. Get an anti-aging chocolate facial, gold facial, diamond facial, or microdermabrasion for $95-$125.

Aside from facials, Pearl Clinic Beauty and Spa offers a number of other beautifying services, including exfoliation, waxing, massages. And for those into body art, Pearl can give you delicately intricate henna tattoo! Now you can look great at a great price. So when you descend into that stale subway air after a revivifying appointment with Pearl, you can smirk as you peruse the worn visages of your fellow commuters. You just got a facial.

Also, don’t forget to sign-up for Campus Clipper’s email blasts to receive Pearl Beauty Clinic and Spa’s holiday special 50% coupon!

-Megan, Trinity University

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Vagabonding in NYC

Friday, December 3rd, 2010

Written by Megan Soyars

Soon after I arrived in New York City, I found myself unemployed, friendless, and—worst of all—homeless.

I’d headed up to NYC from Texas on a something of a romantic whim. I’d seen the Big Apple portrayed glamorously in movies and television, I’d listened to Alicia Key’s New York, rocking my head to the beat and thinking, I could make it there. Life in the city drew me like a moth to flame, and just like a moth, my journey was unplanned and perilous. I simply packed up my bags, bid my parents farewell, and hopped on an overnight flight.

When I arrived in NYC early next morning, exhausted yet disparately exhilarated, I called up my friend to let her know I had arrived. I’d made arrangements to sleep on her couch for a week or two till I found my own place. She responded to my call with a devastating message—her grandmother had fallen ill and was moving in to live with them. In other words, I had no place to crash that night. I made some desperate scrambling and secured a $65 room at the YMCA for the next two days. Then I called up another random friend, who agreed to let me sleep on her futon for three or so weeks. But then she kicked me out early. Once again I was a vagabond.

After a month of hostel-hopping throughout the city, I was desperate to find a permanent place. I was tired of moving, tired of suffering through uncomfortable beds and loud hostel-mates, tired of throwing away clothes and toiletries to lighten my load.

While my fellow hostel-mates (all international kids around my own age) headed to the Empire State Building, the Statue of Liberty, and other bustling attractions, I sat hunched over my laptop in the lounge, scouring the housing ads on Craigslist. Then I made a discovery—a discovery that turned around my hapless situation and ultimately made my experience in New York City an inspiring one.

That discovery was the existence of Centro Maria Woman’s Residence. Centro Maria is one of several boarding houses in NYC. These boarding houses provide a safe and peaceful place to stay for hundreds of young people. Depending on the house, a person pays between $400 to $1,000 a month for a furnished room. Many of the rooms are single, but some are double or triple if you’d prefer a roommate. Several residences also provide meals, usually two a day.

So everything was provided for me at Centro Maria. I had a clean, furnished room, complete with a bed, dresser, desk, chair, and sink. I was given free home-cooked, delicious meals twice a day. I had access to a library, TV lounge, and computers. And all for $720 a month! But not only that, I was given a sense of community.

Centro Maria is run by the Sisters of Mary Immaculate. The Sisters genuinely care about each woman in the house. It is like having several moms who are all ready to lend a helping hand. I also have a great roommate; she is from South Korea and studying English here. And I’ve met so many friends during breakfast and dinner in the dining room downstairs.

I still remember how lonely I was when bumming from hostel to hostel during my first months in New York. I’d lay awake at night, listening to my hostel-mates chatter in their own language as they packed up their luggage for a midnight flight. I’m so thankful that I found Centro Maria, and I know the residence is a great option for students like you.

Perhaps you’re living somewhere temporarily, or somewhere that you don’t want to be. Maybe you’re tired of the dorms, or your roommate, or you’re running out of money and need an affordable place to live. Consider Centro Maria! You don’t only get a room here; you get a family. And who knows—maybe I’ll see you at the residence soon!

Contact Centro Maria at 212-757-6989 or cenmariany@mindspring.com to secure a room. Or check out the many other NYC boarding houses available at this website.

And, if you’d like to know more about student housing, pre-order our $9.95 NYC Student Guide today by emailing us at clip@campusclipper.com.

-Megan, Trinity University

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Get a slice of this

Wednesday, December 1st, 2010

New York is known for its pizza. Ginormous slices, oozing with cheese and tomato sauce and all the right toppings, with a super thin, crunchy crust.  Growing up in a small town in Texas, good pizzas joints were few and far between. So when I finally landed in NYC, I immediately started sniffing around for some of their world-famous pies.

I sampled slices everywhere; from ritzy restaurants like Una Pizza Napoletana and Patsy’s Pizzeria, to greasy Mom-and-Pop places, to those $1-a-slice joints like Two Brothers. While noshing on gourmet pizza at Una Pizza Napoletana was a delectable experience, it was also detrimental one. Detrimental to my wallet, that is. One 12” pie could set me back twenty dollars. So Two Brothers became my staple. They were located just down the street from my internship, so during my lunch break I hopped in the always-lengthy line. I could shove the “brothers” a crumpled George Washington extracted from the depths of my purse and get a full belly out of it. But I was also doing without enmities—their pizza was usually cold, and there was no place to sit or stand in the tiny shop. So I usually found a place on the street where I could wolf down the slice without getting jostled by too many walkers. I longed for a happy medium—a nice restaurant atmosphere and an affordable price.

Fortunately, I’ve since discovered Metro G Cafe. I could always head downtown to their location on 21 Waverly Place when I got a hankering for pizza. The Cafe serves what I would call “gourmet fast food”. This may seem like an oxymoron, but Metro G Cafe pulls it off skillfully and sumptuously. You can get a quick, delicious meal at a great price. Try their wraps, salads, and of course, their pizzas.

And don’t forget to use your student discount when you bring this coupon!  Get a FREE SLICE of pizza any purchase.  Now here’s a great way to get your cheese fix.

-Megan, Trinity University

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A Guide to the Social Scene

Wednesday, December 1st, 2010

After graduating from college, I spent a summer working on a dude ranch in Wyoming. The closest town boasted several hundred people and two nightlife scenes—The Rustic Pine Bar and the Whiskey Creek Salon. Needless to say, my friends and I weren’t presented with many options during a Friday night on the town. After my season at the ranch ended, I headed to what felt like the other side of the world—that eclectic, multifarious mess that is New York City. I stepped out my front door and fell into a medley of bars, restaurants, and dance clubs. I was gleeful at the options, but they left my head spinning. Where should I head that night? Unless the friends I was with suggested something, I was utterly lost. It wasn’t like choosing between the rock/country vibe of Whiskey Creek or the slightly more upscale ambiance (i.e.—no deer heads on the wall) of the Rustic Pine.

But if you have our new book—the NYC Student Guide—handy, you don’t have to be stuck in a conundrum like I was my first weeks in NYC. The Guide informs you of the hottest places to hit around the city. No matter what your passion–salsa dancing, indie band concerts, or wine tasting, the Guide lets you know where you can find it.

Aside from suggestions on the social scene, our book also provides you with advice on studying, roommates, internships, and jobs; basically all you need to know about living your student life in NYC. And as you head out tonight, be thankful you have more places to party than the Rustic Pine! Thanks to the Guide, you know just where to find ’em.

E-mail us at clip@campusclipper.com to pre-order your copy of the NYC Student Guide at the affordable price of $9.95.

-Megan, Trinity University

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