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Bookworm Agenda

Monday, July 11th, 2011

Check out Alabaster Bookshop for cheap books and browsing fun.

I’ve always been a bookworm. As a kid, I’d stay up way past by bedtime devouring a book page by page. My favorite part of the school day in my Elementary years was story time and any independent reading assignments were seen as a sort of academic blessing. Because I’m an avid reader it’s not much of a surprise that I truly enjoy browsing and buying books from bookstores, or even just raiding the shelves of my local library. I feel that choosing a book for yourself is very much a part of the fun and experience of reading, also I find books are one of the nicest gifts to give or receive. Another thing, I really love the feel of the pages against my fingers when flipping a page and even the smell of pages, yet in today’s world more and more I notice that Amazon’s Kindle and Barnes & Noble’s Nook are replacing the tangible beauty of the book. Friends and family question me as to why I don’t invest in an electronic reader when I love to read as much as I do and here’s why: I love books just as much as I do reading them.

I feel that books and reading are essentially one and electronic readers cheapen the experience of reading. I enjoy judging a book by its cover, reading the blurb, and searching for a book in the aisles of a bookstore, or on the streets of Bedford Ave. in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. I like penning my name behind the front cover of a book after having finished reading one. I’m completely aware of the perks of having an electronic reader and I also like the idea that it’s an eco friendly device, but the core of my opinion is that as electronic readers gain popularity my childhood obsession is becoming a thing of the past! And I don’t like it one bit.

The only thing I can do is continuing to buy books used and new from bookstores as a way of pledging my allegiance to books in print form. I don’t even like buying books online because it’s just not as fun. A few bookstores I’m particularly fond of are: Alabaster Bookshop, McNally Jackson Books, Strand Bookstore, Cobble Hill Community Bookstore, and Bookcourt. Alabaster Bookshop is located on 4th Ave. between 12th and 13th Street just around the block from the famous Strand Bookstore. Alabaster is the place to go when in need of a used book at a cheap price. Not only that but the small store has an extensive selection of fiction as well as books sold for  a mere 2 dollars on the outside.  Alabaster is old school and sans database so searching for a book here is more of an adventure, and you’re more likely to unexpectedly find a book of interest. Strand is 18 miles worth of books and is well known for their staff picks as well as their Strand 80, which is a pick of 80 of the most popular books amongst Strand customers. Cool fact: Patty Smith worked at Strand during her early years and beginnings in New York. It’s pretty much a guarantee that you’ll find just what you’re looking for because Strand is colossal and filled to the brim with books. It’s basically a nerdy paradise.

McNally Jackson Books interestingly categorizes their books by nation and they also have a great in-house café too. If you’re looking for that Dostoevsky head to McNally Jackson’s Russian literature section or if you feel like dissecting some short stories by Flannery O’Connor browse their American literature section with a cup of Joe. Cobble Hill Community Bookstore is probably my favorite of all because it’s everything that a bookstore should be. It’s a neighborhood staple and also wonderfully unorganized; you can find such treasures in mountains of books piled on top of one another. It is very charming and the prices are great too. Just a block or two from the Cobble Hill Community Bookstore is Bookcourt, which is quite the opposite of its neighbor. It’s two floors of hyper-organized, well-cultivated book sections. They also have in-house events and shoot out weekly emails with announcement and specials, which is incredibly convenient.

Because I’m a starving college student, student discounts are always of the utmost importance to me when splurging on items outside of necessities. Luckily  Namaste Bookshop provides student savings and I’ll be sure to check out this bookshop specializing in Eastern philosophy and health books. You can also buy yoga related items as well as oils/incense at this relaxing spot. If you’re a fan of books then show your support and buy a book or two from one or more of the bookstores mentioned!

Anjelica LaFurno (Baruch College)

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Summer Gaming Conventions GO!

Friday, July 8th, 2011

Who says gamers are anti-social? Photo © otacracy.com

The summer is half over, and there are still plenty of gaming conventions coming up in the next two months where gamers can not only play but also commune with their fellow geeks. Personally, I’m playing games pretty much every day anyway, but cons are where I can meet up with other people like me who are as enthusiastic about RPGs as I am, people in front of whom I don’t have to contain my enthusiasm for gaming in favor of social propriety. So slap on your best night elf costume, grab your 20-sided dice, and join the party at the following upcoming conventions.

Historicon (July 7-10, 2011 in Valley Forge, PA)

Historicon is the largest miniature wargaming convention in the U.S., and it’s happening right now. This year’s theme is the American Civil War, but that’s just the overarching topic for the convention, and there will be a variety of settings for games all weekend. If you’ve ever wanted to get into wargaming, check the schedule for games that say “rules taught at table,” and be ready to interact with people’s kids. For the experienced wargamer, there is a schedule of tournaments with trophy prizes.

Admittedly, the modern college gamer isn’t mainly into strategic wargaming. For the less hardcore/mentally middle-aged, there is…

Otakon (July 29-31 in Baltimore, MD)

Though not specifically a gaming con, Otakon is the largest otaku culture convention in the Northeast, servicing enthusiasts of anime, manga, video games, and Asian culture. Anime cons always have a game room, and Otakon’s is full of popular arcade consoles, TVs connected to home gaming consoles like Xbox, and LANed computers. Of course, there are tournaments for games popular with the otaku crowd, particularly music games like Dance Dance Revolution and fighters like Naruto Shippuden. The competition may not be as fierce as it would be at a dedicated gaming convention, but there are upper echelon gamers that show up to tournaments no matter who hosts them in addition to crouching tigers, hidden dragons among anime watchers, so coming in first will still be a challenge.

Though Baltimore is far for the NYC college student, there should be plenty of others making the trip. Find people who are chipping in for a bus on the Otakon forums or at college anime clubs. Pack some entertainment for the three-hour bus ride and some snacks from Morton Williams to share.

DexCon (July 6-10, 2011 in Morristown, NJ)

This convention is already in full swing, and pre-registration is required to enter most of the events. However, DexCon is one of the most encompassing gaming conventions in the Northeast, and it is definitely worth looking forward to next year if you plan to compete or role-play. In addition to wargaming, they feature conventional role-playing, LARP, real-time strategy (e.g. StarCraft), and console games of all kinds. If you’re not preregistered, you can still buy a day pass and enjoy gaming at events that have space. Don’t forget to spend all your money at the dealers’ room; there’s nothing like leaving a con with an armful of swag and merchandise.

Once the semester starts, there won’t be many opportunities to run away to game for whole weekends, so I find it best to take advantage of the summer to immerse myself in gaming and the community that accompanies it. But then again, New York Anime Festival and Comic Con is in October…

-Avia Dell’Oste

@Hunter College

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Record Store Fun

Wednesday, July 6th, 2011

Sound Fix of Williamsburg, Brooklyn.

Music has always been an integral part of my existence, so much so that I enjoy nothing more than listening to music. It’s that simple. If you’re music-obsessed like me, then I suggest planning a day of record store fun. I define record store fun as visiting several different record stores in the span of one day and browsing for jewels in the form of CD or vinyl. I find my record store visits are usually affordable, keeping in mind my average college student budget, mostly because of the wide array of albums that can be bought used. Another thing—if you’re itching to buy a new album before it’s on sale, independent record stores tend to have lower prices than chains like Best Buy. I’d like to recommend a few record stores that you can visit alone or with friends. But it’s always more fun with friends, for sure!

My intention is not to critique or rank any of these record stores against one another. Instead I’d like to just suggest a few that I think are worth your time. The first that I’d like to discuss is Other Music, located in NoHo. Other Music is the best place to find an obscure album in many different genres. Although small, the store has a wide selection of used CDs, but it’s lacking in the arena of used vinyl. However, Other Music makes up for this with their great selection of new vinyl and new CDs. Another plus, Other Music is very well organized and you’re bound to hear some great tunes while browsing for that album you’ve been looking for. Two other great record stores in the area are St. Mark’s Sounds and Rockit Scientist. St. Mark’s Sounds is a popular staple in the East Village, and is a rather wide space.  There is an immense CD selection that will appeal to just about anyone. Rockit Scientist is right across the street from St. Mark’s Sounds, and although it’s smaller, it gives a nice shot of nostalgia for an enthusiast of underground classics. My last record store suggestion within the borough of Manhattan is Village Music World of Greenwich Village. Village Music World is student discounts and student savings friendly! You can use a Campus Clipper coupon and receive a 2-dollar discount on any CD you decide to purchase.

There are three record stores I shall recommend in Brooklyn, and they are: Earwax, Sound Fix, and Academy Records. All of these record stores are located on the north side of Williamsburg, separated from each other by only a few blocks. Academy Records is the go-to place for your vinyl desires and also has a small but rich used CD selection. Sound Fix is the most hyper-organized of the three and is probably my favorite of all because of the super friendly staff. And also it’s a guarantee you’ll find many treasures from their used CD selection. They also have very convenient listening stations as well as handy descriptions of albums that decorate the walls. Earwax has a wider selection of used CDs than the other two, allowing you to score that album you’ve been searching for by an artist no one else knows or cares about it.

Record store fun can be a nice break from the worries of the everyday, and it’s always nice to return home with something that you can enjoy over and over again. Another thing, many of the record stores mentioned here hold record store day events, which involve musicians performing for free within the store. If you love all things music, then I say check out these places and have some fun!

Anjelica LaFurno (Baruch College)

Visit my tumblr here

Image credit: thedailyswarm.com

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Gaming to a Beat in the City

Friday, July 1st, 2011

Where do we go now?!?!

To me, music gaming is all about the arcade. Guitar Hero and Rock Band may be nice party games, but in my years as an arcade rat, my friends and I spent countless weekends and dollars working up a sweat playing Dance Dance Revolution and other music games. If you’re interested in a type of gaming that requires more than pushing buttons, or just need to know where to go to find a functional machine in the area, here is a list of my favorite places to drop quarters and Dance Dance.

Port Authority Bus Terminal (8th Ave. & 42nd St, 2nd Floor Arcade)

This is one of those arcades attached to a bowling alley, but it just so happens to be inside the busiest bus station in the world (literally—ask my friend, Wikipedia). Fortunately, the bus patrons are too busy trying to get back and forth from work and home, so the arcade is never crowded, usually occupied only by tired tourists with kids. Despite its less than cozy feel (the bowling alley next door is super upscale), I rate it so highly because it’s never a long wait to play any game, and the DDR Supernova machine is in excellent shape. If you’re a beginner, you might not want to go at rush hour, since passengers for a bunch of NJ buses line up right outside, and you’ll be in full view. Also, avoid the expensive food and drinks in the bus station and pick up a lunch elsewhere, like a Subway sandwich using a Campus Clipper coupon, and use the savings on more games!

Eight on the Break (Dunellan, NJ)

8otb is the mecca for music gaming in the Northeast. Not only is it a great arcade in general, with almost every fighting game ever created in addition to pool tables and the latest racers, it houses popular music games like DDR and its American counterpart In the Groove in addition to games that are super rare in the states. This is by far the most convenient place to find Beatmania IIDX, Pop’n Music, and even Keyboardmania all in one location. If you want to make the trek from the city, take the PATH train, which has a stop right across the street from the arcade and makes trips back to New York late into the evening. It’s definitely worth the ride.

But before you go, make sure there aren’t any tournaments going on, which will either make it impossible to get time on the machine of your choice or make the place maddeningly crowded, or both.

Next Level Arcade (40-13 8th Ave, Sunset Park, Brooklyn)

Even though this arcade doesn’t have DDR yet, I have to mention it because of its history and its bright future. In the past year, the iconic Chinatown Fair arcade that had serviced hardcore gamers for decades closed its doors due to rising rent prices. For an arcade rat like me, CF was the only place that really felt comfortable as somewhere to come every week, hang out, see the same people I always do, and play popular and classic games, all in the beauty of Chinatown where it was tucked away in a section of Mott Street generally not frequented by tourists.

Well, rumors of its relocation have finally come to fruition, and a few months ago, the owner of the old CF opened the doors of Next Level Arcade in Sunset Park, Brooklyn. Currently, the only music game they have is DJMax Technika, but they will be slowly reopening all of their old games over the next year in addition to possibly installing an in-house bubble tea café. Though the new Brooklyn venue allows for greater possibilities and a snazzier atmosphere, it will be the returning clientele of dedicated gamers that will make the new CF feel like home.

-Avia Dell’Oste.

Check out my blog RP Your Life!

Get the great Student Discount I mentioned and more by clicking.

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Storm King

Wednesday, June 29th, 2011

I never even realized that I liked sculpture gardens all that much– until I visited Storm King Arts Center. My parents wanted to take my grandmother somewhere interesting, since she’d come all the way from Japan and had, for the past few days, only been to the grocery store.  My dad in particular, who speaks no Japanese, wanted to do something that everyone could appreciate equally, since the language barrier is most problematic for him. So this past Sunday, my parents, my grandmother and I packed into the car and headed to Mountainville, NY.

Several sculptures by Mark di Suvero

After pulling into the parking lot, we piled out and looked around. Storm King is enormous—wide and grassy, with a pond on the south side and incredible views of the Hudson Highlands, with sculptures of every kind scattered throughout its approximately 500 acres.  We had no idea where to start, so we asked one of the Arts Center employees with a helpful and appropriate “Ask Me” button.  She told us about the tram that drives around the park from designated stations; we decided that would be the best way to experience the park, particularly for my grandmother.  The tram is a perfect way to get an overview of the park, especially for those who have never been, like us.  For visitors who’d rather walk, there are plenty of trails, and a station to rent bicycles. There are also tours available, but visitors are encouraged to explore on their own, at their own pace.

It honestly left me in awe.  I had no idea I would enjoy it that much; I’m the type of person who goes to art museums about once or twice a year and loves the experience, but doesn’t actually visit any more frequently.  But Storm King is basically a giant, widespread, colorful and gorgeous playground, and anyone who is even slightly interested in sculpture or just likes being outdoors would love this place.

Kiss, by Darrell Petit

From the tram, we passed many of the major sculptures, from Mozart’s Birthday, by Mark di Suvero, which looks slightly like an unwound elephant, to Darrell Petit’s Kiss, in which two giant pieces of granite incline quietly towards each other and touch. There were sculptures that moved, such as George Cutts’s Sea Change, which is unimpressive in photos but looks remarkably like ocean currents when in motion.  Other amazing works include Maya Lin’s Storm King Wavefield, a work of environmental art that sculpts the landscape itself to look like waves (Maya Lin also designed the Vietnam Veterans Memorial), and Lichtenstein’s Mermaid, the racing boat painted in 1995.

After doing the basic tour by tram, my parents and grandmother headed to the Visitor’s Center and Museum while I went back to my favorite sculptures by foot.  They are absolutely incredible in person, unbelievably enormous and unique against the landscape.  I wanted to pitch a tent and stay for a week.

Storm King Arts Center is a bit of a trek and it costs to get in ($8 for students, $12 for adults), but it is absolutely, 100% worth it.  My family came in the late afternoon, but there are plenty of places to picnic; next time I think we’ll pack some sandwiches and make a day of it.  I don’t think we’ll be bored for a minute.

Ana DiCroce

(Image credit: Ana DiCroce)

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Central Park Summer Fun

Thursday, June 16th, 2011

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2486/4038996120_853b9fd610.jpg

For twenty-six years New York has been host to the Summer Stage arts festival.  It runs from June 7th to September 2nd and takes place in all five boroughs.  What is so great about this festival is not only the variety of shows but that most of them are free! They have all genres of music (alternative, rap, world music, Latin, opera), theater, dancing, and even comedy! There are over a hundred performances spread out between the five boroughs—18 different park locations in total. City Parks Foundation, which is a nonprofit organization that created this festival to promote art, culture and fun to NYC, provides these events. I took part in the festival and went to see the musical performance of The Script in the Central Park venue, Rumsey Playfield. And it was a great experience. Tickets were $30.00 and we were able to lay a sheet down to sit and eat before the concert started.  The food inside the venue is not just draft beer and plain ol’ hot dogs; they have the option of pizza, Asiadog and wine. For those of you who are not aware of what Asiadog is, they are hot dogs that have an Asian twist of topping on them. I’ve never had something like those hotdogs before in my life: they are delicious. Leave it up to New York to twist the classics and make gold out of them.  My advice when going to any of the performances would be to get there as early as possible! And if you bring along a sheet, you hold your spot in front of the stage and just relax. If you also don’t want to spend money on venue food eat before hand (Maybe a burger from 123 Burger Shot Beer) Listed Below are some events that I thought were note-worthy but if you go to Summer Stage’s website you can get the entire listing of dates and events.

Shows in Manhattan:

Lee Fields & the Expressions (music), June 25th 4:00 pm, Rumsey Playfield, Central Park, Cost-Free

“Comedy Central Park” starring Jim Gaffigan (Comedy), June 29th 8:00 pm, Rumsey Playfield, Central Park, Cost-Free

The Metropolitan Opera Summer Recital Series (Opera), July 11th 8:00 pm, Rumsey PlayField, Central Park, Cost-Free

Ratatat (Music), July 13th 6:30 pm, Rumsey Playfield, Central Park, Cost- $30 in advanced/ $40 the day of the show

Amitage Gone! Dance (Dance), July 15th 8:00 pm, Rumsey Playfield, Central Park, Cost-Free

Henry V by William Shakespeare (Theatre), Preformed by The Classical Theatre of Harlem, August 5th 8:00 pm, Marcus Garvey Park, Cost- Free

Shows in Queens:

“A Salute to Hip-Hop” Feat. N.O.R.E and Funkmaster Flex (Music), July 21st 7:00 pm, Queensbridge Park, Cost-Free

Hezekiah Walker (Music), July 27th 7:00pm, SpringField Park, Cost-Free

Kool Moe Dee (Music), July 19th 7:00 pm, Queensbridge Park, Cost-Free

Shows in Brooklyn:

Talib Kweli (Music), June 21st 7:00 pm, Red Hook Park, Cost-Free

We Are Scientists/ Milagres (Music), June 23rd 7:00 PM, Red Hook Park, Cost-Free

Dance Grand Moultrie (Dance), June 25th 7:00 PM, Red Hook Park, Cost-Free

Shows in Staten Island:

The Sugarhill Gang (Music), August 2nd &:00 PM, Tappen Park, Cost-Free

The Budos Band (Music), August 3rd 7:00 PM, Tappen Park, Cost-Free

Shows in The Bronx:

Slick Rick (Music), July 12th 7:00 PM, Crotona Park, Cost-Free

Xcstacy (Music), July 13th 7:00 PM, Crotona Park, Cost-Free

Summer Shakeup! (Theatre), July 16th 10:00 AM, Crotona Park, Cost-Free

Jackie Aqel

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A Beginners Guide to Willyburg!

Tuesday, June 14th, 2011

My Grandma always said to me growing up, “There’s nowhere better than Brooklyn!” Even then, and still now, there was no possible way I could have disagreed with her. She saw the beauty in her hometown of Williamsburg, Brooklyn before gentrification was normatively associated with the area. In other words, Williamsburg was effortlessly cool before being branded so by the Hipster invasion. Some complain that the influx of Hipsters and the influence of their subculture will decimate an already existing culture. There is certainly some truth to that belief commonly held amongst natives, yet I’d like to celebrate and focus attention on the treasures of this area both new and long established. After all, if it were not for the newcomers there would never have been the much deserved attention and interest in Williamsburg. Here are five things to do and see in the urban paradise of Williamsburg, Brooklyn:

1. Eat Something Sweet

-Fortunato Brothers
289 Manhattan Avenue (between Ainslie & Devoe St)
Brooklyn, NY 11211

Fortunato Brothers is the ideal Italian pastry shop in the heart of a once predominantly Italian-American neighborhood. Here you can indulge and enjoy traditional Italian pastries like cannoli, sfogliatelle, and pastiche. Not only are their pastries great, but also Fortunato’s is well known for their homemade gelato flavors. I highly suggest sitting down with a friend for the café experience, order one of their heavenly hot drinks (cappuccino, espresso), and listen in on the Italian jabber of the older, dapper regulars.

Forget Neverland! Just take a trip to Greenpoint, Brooklyn and enjoy a scrumptious donut!

-Peter Pan Donut & Pastry Shop
727 Manhattan Avenue
Brooklyn, NY 11211

A celebrated Polish bakery that is so well know even Tina Fey of 30 Rock has raved over how amazing their donuts really are. Popular donut choices are the red velvet, coconut crème, jelly, and my own personal favorite, the classic white crème. They also serve coffee for a mere buck and the place has a cool, retro atmosphere as well. So I say sit on a swivel seat, have a cup of coffee, and enjoy a yummy donut! If you can’t make it to Brooklyn for the day, I suggest stopping by Just Sweet Desert House in Manhattan to get your sweet fix!

2. Enjoy the Great Outdoors

McCarren Park is a nice retreat from urban nuisances.

-McCarren Park
780 Lorimer Street
Brooklyn, NY 11211

McCarren Park is the place to be if you’re looking to spend the day outside, soak up some rays, and take part in athletics. The 35-acre park consists of a baseball field, soccer field, running track, and handball courts as well as bocce courts. On Saturdays the park becomes a farmer’s market filled to the brim with fresh produce and homemade baked goodies. This year the park will be the home base for the Northside Festival, which will ooze live music from artists such as: Wavves, Guided By Voices, and Beirut!

3. Check Out Cool Sounds

There are three premier record stores in Williamsburg and they are:

-Sound Fix
44 Berry Street
Brooklyn, NY 11211

The most organized of the three Sound Fix is an oasis for those obsessed with music. They have an extensive collection of both used and new albums from alternative artists that are both classic and contemporary. Also listening stations are available to customers so that they can preview albums.

-Academy Records
96 N. 6th Street
Brooklyn, NY 11211

Academy Records is vinyl heaven in a nutshell. The vinyl collection at this particular record store eclipses both Earwax Records and Sound Fix. You can also find used CD’s at their cheapest here! It is a sort of “school” for the true record enthusiast!

-Earwax Records
218 Bedford Avenue
Brooklyn, NY 11211

Although the most expensive, Earwax has the most variety of the three. They have a great selection of different artists and genres, which is a guarantee that you will walk out with just what you wanted. This place is bound to remove the wax from your ears and fill it with cool sounds for sure!

4. Dance with the Giglio! (July 6- July 17, 2011)

-Feast of Our Lady of Mount Caramel
275 N. 8th Street
Brooklyn, NY 11211

An annual festival held by Our Lady Of Mount Caramel Church for over 100 years now is a guaranteed fun time with friends. You can eat traditional festival food (zeppole, sausage and peppers) and dance with the Giglio. The Giglio is a large statue carried by a large number of men while a band plays music and people dance. It is a tribute to an Italian saint Paolino di Nola and the feast is one of three Giglio feasts conducted nationwide. It’s not to be missed!

5. Experience Live Music

-Music Hall of Williamsburg
66 N. 6th Street
Brooklyn, NY 11211

The Music Hall of Williamsburg is one of the many Bowery Presents venues in New York City. A young crowd flocks here primarily on the weekends to listen to live music, and the 21+ group has the added perk of a swanky bar on the lower level. I’ve personally seen live acts such as Wavves, Sonic Youth, and Best Coast. Every performance I’ve attended here has been a satisfying musical experience. If you’d like to get your mosh on (depends on the band) or just listen to some pretty darn cool music, here are some upcoming shows:

  • The Low Anthem, Wednesday 6/15
  • Flying Lotus, Wednesday 6/22
  • Peter Bjorn and John, Thursday 9/15

Anjelica LaFurno

Visit my tumblr here

Do the right thing and check out these Williamsburg spots and for great student discounts visit  http://campusclipper.com!

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The Whole Jersey Shore

Tuesday, June 14th, 2011

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While most young New Yorkers have heard of Seaside Heights from the wildly famous show The Jersey Shore, many of them don’t know what the whole shore really consists of.  The beach towns of New Jersey stretch all the way from Sandyhook NJ to Capemay NJ with boardwalks and music and nightlife that, in ways, out-do Seaside by a long shot. Not to bad mouth Seaside Heights—my family for years has been traveling from Westchester to Seaside since I was a baby; it’s just that in recent years I’ve traveled up and down the coast and found new treasures that need to be shared and should be explored by all.

From Penn Station on 7th avenue at 33rd street, there is a train line (New Jersey Transit Line) that runs down the shore of NJ. For the fee of $14.00 New Yorkers can take the train down to all types of Beach towns and cities! Depending on what type of vacation you’re looking for (orientated towards family fun, romantic couple time, or fun with friends) there are a range of spots to suit your needs.

Long Branch, the first (and probably one of the nicest!) real beach town you’ll reach while riding the train is known for its clean beach, romantic restaurants and family fun events. Long Branch is the perfect town to take a family or couples vacation too. They have nights where everyone is allowed to go and make bonfires and spend the night under the stars. The beach has a long history of being one of the nicer beaches in New Jersey and is full of surfers (When I asked my surfer friend to describe it all he said was, “it’s got greeaaattt waves”) and restaurants of all different types. It is a great town to walk around, window shop and end your day at a restaurant. It’s a casual, calm sort of town that you would want to visit at least once in your life.

You can take a stop next at Asbury Park, NJ—where the legend Bruce Springsteen began his musical career—and take part in the thriving music scene.  Around every corner there is a coffee shop playing live music. Asbury park is known for its underground clubs all the way to their large music halls. With Festivals planned throughout the summer, any music buff would be crazy to skip over this city!

But if music isn’t a great interest of yours in the summer time heat, travel just two more train stops and hit up Belmar for the beach and nightlife. Belmar is like the northern Seaside Heights—the main difference being that most New Yorkers inhabit Seaside during the summer while native Jerseyians tend to flock to Belmar instead.  Just like Seaside Heights there are bars and pubs and restaurants all along the boardwalk and during the day the Beach there is clean and full of young people.  Belmar is an ideal spot for a vacation with friends. Belmar is best during the day; you can get the ultimate beach day in New Jersey if you head to Belmar! Like most beaches in New York and New Jersey, there is a fee of $7 for a daily beach badge. To save money though, I suggest bringing your own drinks and food with you to the beach so you don’t have to leave the beach and miss out on the sun! The town of Belmar isn’t loved only for the beach but also for hosting the New Jersey Seafood Festival in late May which brings in a crowd! People from all over the Tri-state area come to try all different types of seafood for a surprisingly cheap price. The Festival alone is worth the trip down, you don’t want to miss out on all that good food!

However, if you still plan on going to Seaside Heights (the desire to catch a glimpse of Vinny fist pumping and Snookie eating some pickles is too hard to resist, I understand) I strongly suggest taking a car.  Without one, the trains take you only as far down as the town of Bay head. It takes about 2 and a half hours and is still a good 15 minutes cab ride away from Seaside. It’s a challenge, but if you’re planning on spending the week there, renting a house with a group of friends, it may be well worth the trip! In Seaside Heights there’s a beach (10 dollar daily badges!), a carnival where you can go on big rides and eat delicious carnival food, bars that on Friday nights are 18 to enter, 21 to drink, and even a water park! But because there is so much to do, money quickly goes, so if you’re going for longer than a weekend, I highly recommend going to a local supermarket and making your own food to save some cash for going out.

But hey, if worst comes to worst and you’re low on cash, don’t have the spare time, and can’t make it down to the shore at all, you can always go to Future Tan Salon and Spa and get a mystic spray tan and look the part of someone that spent the weekend in the warm Jersey sun even when you didn’t!

Jackie Aqel

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Make New Friends and Keep the Old: Wet, Hot, New York Summer

Tuesday, July 27th, 2010

This past weekend, College Girl was up in the city visiting me.  We devoted about two hours only to talking about her split with Navy Boy (after which I promptly defriended him on facebook – I am of the opinion that it’s totally appropriate for friends to hold grudges for each other when one half of the friendship is too nice to be mad on their own behalf, but I digress) and the rest of the weekend enjoying New York City in the summer.

I have no job, and all of my friends know this.  They know that my life is primarily dictated by how much money my parents are willing to give me at any given time, and seeing as how College Girl is their favorite friend of mine, they weren’t too hard to get money from for the weekend.  However, I set myself to the task of finding free things to do, and as most of us either know or are learning, there’s plenty to do in the city that’s free.  I think I’ve seen a few blogs from some of the other bloggers dedicated entirely to the city’s free events scattered throughout the summer.

Brooklyn Bridge Park and Bryant Park both have movies showing throughout the summer, sponsored by SyFy and HBO, respectively.  In Brooklyn, every Thursday you can see a movie with the sun setting on Manhattan in the background and music provided by a DJ.  Their selection is varied, from Dreamgirls to Rear Window to The Big Lebowski and I’m counting down the days until August 26th when they’ll be playing Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade.   Bryant Park is showing old school Hollywood movies, with classic favorites Rosemary’s Baby and Carousel. These two parks aren’t the only places showing free movies throughout the summer, but they’re my two favorites.

College Girl got to New York via the Megabus right around noon, just in time for a day of thunderstorms.  I have this standing theory that whenever I have a visitor, the weather is going to be bad, and the rain starting just as she texted me that she was in her cab is my case and point.  We wandered around my area of East Harlem for a while, not completely out of the rain even with umbrellas, before an impromptu trip to Whole Foods for ice cream, waffles, and pie.  Let it be known that from my stop on the 6 to the Whole Foods at Union Square takes about half an hour, but it’s definitely worth it for the blueberry pie.  After that we decided on an easy night of Chinese food and “Degrassi.”  Laughing at the absurdity of a tornado warning in New York that night, we both relaxed and caught up on each other’s lives, hoping that the next day would bring nicer weather and a chance for me to show off what I’ve learned about the city from living in it on my own for a year.

One of the best things about the city in the summer, not even taking into account the free opportunities offered, is Central Park.  With that said, Central Park is the perfect place for those with few funds to hang out.  Every summer Central Park is host to Shakespeare in the Park, often boasting big name actors that love their craft so much they are willing to put on a free show.  Tickets are hard to come by, free as they are, and can be gotten through an online lottery or standing in line for hours.  Saturday was The Merchant of Venice, and as much as I enjoy Shakespeare I wasn’t that interested until I saw the name Al Pacino.   I haven’t lived in the city long enough to be  immune to the appeal of stars like him, and again, the fact that such a thing is free, blows my mind.

Central Park also has its Summer Stage, and since we were unable to get tickets to Shakespeare in the Park, College Girl and I walked around until we literally stumbled upon a crowd of people all heading to, what we soon discovered, a free performance of the  Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater.  With the air cooling thanks to the sun going down, we watched the Alvin Ailey dancers with the soundtrack of live blue music in the background, and it was maybe of my favorite experiences of the city so far.

-Mary K

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Posted in Friendship, onEntertainment, onLove, Out On The Town, Outside Manhattan, Relationships, Student Maximu$ Summer/Fall 2010, Uniqueness in NYC | No Comments »

Saving A Lot on Traveling

Thursday, November 12th, 2009

I am so excited and blessed to report that my mom just yesterday asked me if I would come home for Thanksgiving. This is not a gift I normally receive. I haven’t been out of Manhattan for any college Spring Breaks and I haven’t seen a Thanksgiving dinner in front of me since I was seventeen. She offered to pay for my ticket as my Christmas present, when I found the cheapest round-trip option. After booking on VirginAmerica.com (Expedia.com and Priceline.com show decent packages, but really do not have the best one-way prices, and therefore present far more expensive round-trip options than the sources themselves. Although, American Airlines’ quotes were outrageous outside the bargain websites. Try the airline site first, and then Expedia, is my conclusive advice.) – I’m lucky enough that Virgin flies for cheap from New York to LAX. You’re going to have an entirely different list of prices with less popular/busy airports – I’m all set to finish up my papers and research I have to do this week, and get packing!

Then I’ll come to the morning of, and I’ll be so ready to cart myself out the apartment doors and grab a cab and go. But I know now how much that will cost. $45 for the trip to JFK. Plus tip. Which makes it $60 (tipping nice drivers well is something I believe in. I think they’re very important to this city). If I’m smart, and I think about saving some of that 60 for something else I want, all I have to do is not actually take a cab. I can take the subway if I bring a smaller amount of luggage, or I can just take a shuttle and save like $20 without spending any extra hassle. Or bothersome lugging. That’s where we come in!! We bring you Supershuttle.com (and 2 coupons!)

Supershuttle.com for fare quotes from any zip codes to any airport

Hit up the website and put in your zip code. From my neighborhood, in the East Village, it will cost me alone $23.00 to get shuttled, with all my luggage, to JFK. And if I have friends traveling the same day, they’ll only have to pay $10 each. Both prices are way less than $45 + tip!! We’re also giving you 10% off (so -$2.30 for me). Or if your fare is less, use the coupon in our magazine for $2 off.

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