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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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Posted in onSavings, Outside Manhattan, Uniqueness in NYC | 2 Comments »

Meeting Fellow Vegans in the City

Sunday, July 10th, 2011

Not THAT kind of vegan club!

Being in such a small minority, vegans must face others that disagree with our principles every day, and not everyone understands. Even if someone isn’t belligerent or overly defensive, mere good-natured joking can hurt if it feels like a friend is belittling our beliefs. Of course, there is no escaping people who don’t have the same moral systems, whether it has to do with food or not. However, a good way to reinforce one’s confidence with his/her choices is to seek out others who feel the same way, and college is a great place to meet with like-minded people. Here are some ways that you can start connecting.

Start by looking for your college campus’ vegan club. If the school website doesn’t have an up-to-date list of clubs, check with the student resources department. While you’re there, look for any bulletin boards maintained by student services, which can have notices for many different clubs. Any areas where students gather, like near cafeterias or student lounges, are also popular places to post flyers. Besides “vegan,” other keywords to look for are “vegetarian,” “animal rights/equality/liberation,” “anti-vivisection/cruelty,” and “humane.”

If the school doesn’t yet have a vegan club, you can opt to start your own. Each college’s process for creating a student-run organization will differ, but it usually starts by submitting a request to student services with a name and mission statement. You may or may not be required to collect signatures as proof of student interest, but that would be a perfect opportunity to start publicizing your budding club around campus. Once approved, gain members by posting flyers, informing your classmates, and playing up opportunities to run for council positions. Remember to advertise free refreshments in the flyers!

For students who would rather socialize outside of school or are graduating soon, the city is a  platform for vegan organizations of all kinds. Take advantage of search engines and social networking sites to find groups whose events are in line with your interests, whether they be social meals or activism. For example, the LGBT and friends group VegOut NYC hosts potluck dinners on every third Sunday of the month. Also, try searching “vegan” on Meetup.com to see upcoming gatherings that you can join to meet new people in safe, public environments like restaurants. The New York City Vegetarian Meetup Group even offers the opportunity to organize meetups by contacting restaurants for reservations and creating an event on the group page.

When I first became vegan and suddenly found myself surrounded by people who were attempting to understand my new lifestyle choice, I got tired of having to explain myself all the time while trying to avoid offending people and still convey my important message. Just like it’s nice to find a person who likes the same music and movies as I do, sometimes I relish being able to talk about my personal food and ethical preferences with people who just understand. Reaching out to connect with other vegans can be a cathartic experience, and I highly recommend it to any budding or weathered herbivore.

 

-Avia Dell’Oste
@Hunter College

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Posted in onCollege, onFood, onLife, Relationships, Student Activism, Uniqueness in NYC | 2 Comments »

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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Fuerza Bruta: Look Up Review

Wednesday, July 6th, 2011

This past weekend I had the pleasure of experiencing the off-Broadway hit Fuerza Bruta: Look Up. I had seen plenty of ads for it on the subway and thought it was definitely of interest to me, but never quite committed any time to going. Luckily, my brother bought me tickets to a showing of Fuerza Bruta for my birthday.

The "running-man" crashing through a wall.

Right off the bat, I have to say this show probably isn’t for everyone. It is not your normal theater-going experience. For one, you will have to stand the entire time because the spectators and performers share the stage. I enjoyed this because there are points in the show where you get to interact with the performers and take part in their seemingly random dances and confetti-fests. The performers themselves are very friendly and want to get you involved. The “running-man” of the show, John Hartzell, even took a photo on stage with my girlfriend, who attended the show with me.

Also, you will be forced to move from place to place on the stage for changes in the set. This can be very uncomfortable because the stage crew will pack you and your fellow audience members together like sardines. At times this can detract from the experience of the show. It can also be discouraging to shorter audience members if they end up behind someone very tall. However, if you are a real New Yorker, you spend half your life standing around, side by side, with people you don’t know during commutes on the train or bus. I wasn’t bothered too much by this aspect of Fuerza Bruta, but if you think you may be, you have been warned.

As for the actual show, I have to admit there is nothing spectacular about it. The show doesn’t have any dialogue, though I’m positive I saw the performers shouting to each other every once in a while. However, whatever they were saying was drowned out by the loud, electro music that set the tone for the entire performance. The show also doesn’t have spectacular choreography for the portions that involve dancing. The dancing, in fact, basically involves the performers dancing and you dancing along with them.

Half of the time you will be watching a man in a white suit run, get shot, and attempt to continue running, crashing through walls and barriers along the way. The other half of the time you will watch an overheard pool, home to the spectacle of four performers who will swim, smash and stare at their onlookers imperviously, knowing there is a secure barrier between their fun and your wonder.

Performers in the overhead pool.

Despite the fact that Fuerza Bruta seems to be a hodge-podge of disconnected acts, I found the visual spectacle of it all very interesting. Without giving away too much, I will let you know that many bungee cords are involved; moving strobe lights illuminate the stage; performers will be as close as next to you and as far as the ceiling; smoke and confetti will cover the stage (and possibly you); you will get wet, and it can vary depending on how much you interact with the show. For the record, my girlfriend and I were soaked and it was exhilarating. Like I said, this is not your normal theater-going experience.

If you are looking to go out for an hour, dance, get pushed around, get wet, and watch an unexplainable show all at the same time, then this show is for you. I enjoyed it because watching Fuerza Bruta felt like being in a club that was conceived by Dali but run by Duchamp. It is quite artistic, from the music to the set to the pool to the performers and to the way all of those things mesh together. At the same time, however, the show achieves nothing (though a quick flip through the program will reveal that that is exactly what’s at work). I align the show with club-going because I think the type of people who will enjoy the show most are younger individuals who like to dance and party and bask in the nothingness that is achieved by doing so.

For students who are interested, a student discount is available for Fuerza Bruta showings during the Student Rush. The Student Rush occurs two hours before each show time and makes $25 tickets available to college students on a first-come, first-serve basis (actual price is $79). For more information about show times and Fuerza Bruta: Look Up, visit www.fuerzabrutanyc.com.

–Christopher Cusack, Hofstra University

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Posted in onEntertainment, onFun, onMusic, Out On The Town | 5 Comments »

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)

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Fathom Events/The Lord of the Rings

Tuesday, July 5th, 2011

Over the past three weeks, Fathom Events had a special showing of The Lord of the Rings trilogy in their extended editions, one each weekend for June 14th, 21st, and 28th. The Lord of the Rings films, based on the books series by J. R. R. Tolkien, follow Frodo Baggins, a hobbit, on his adventure through Middle Earth to destroy the last of twenty powerful rings, forged to bring power to he/she who wears one. Each wearer of the ring is soon corrupted by the evil forces with which it possesses, and the movie’s adventure is both a battle on land against armies of Orcs and other evil creatures, as well as of the mind, in an attempt to thwart the call of evil. Until the ring is destroyed—only possible in the fires from which it was made, in the fires of Mount Doom, smack in the middle of antagonist, Sauron’s, territory—it will continue to be sought by those in power greedy enough to desire more. This trilogy is a fantasy adventure film series classic, gaining rave reviews across the world, a definite worthy use of your time, despite their length of about three hours each (for the non-extended versions).

Back to Fathom Events, a company that aims to set up “live one-night entertainment events, engaging business events, and even church worship” for the public to attend. Fathom Events puts on many different types of shows, including performing arts, sporting events, concerts, original shows, and classic films. Though they do cost money, they’re a great way to spend time and bring more culture into your life. Some things coming up in July include a live showing of Wimbledon, Giselle, many operas, the Israeli Philharmonic, and more.

If you’re looking for something to do this summer, or even past this summer into the year, this should definitely be on your list. And if you don’t want to spend the extra cash, you can recreate the movie theater experience at home with popcorn and sodas bought inexpensively from your local super market, such as Morton Williams.

/elizabeth Kaleko, Tufts University

Image from: lotr.wikia.com

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Posted in Movies, onEntertainment, onFun, onMusic, onValues | 2 Comments »

Bookstores with Grandma

Sunday, July 3rd, 2011

One of the things my grandmother and I have in common is that we both love to read.  Although the language each of us reads in primarily is different—my grandmother is Japanese and speaks no English, my own Japanese has certain gaps in it—at the heart of it, we both love stories.  My grandmother will read just about anything, from novels recommended by my aunt, to manga about pirates, to crime and suspense stories.  In Japanese, I tend to stick to manga, mostly because there are so many pictures. Not only do the pictures help enormously with comprehension, they also make reading more enjoyable and less frustrating for a painstakingly slow reader like me.

Image credit: genjipress.com

So it was a perfect idea for the both of us to check out some of English-Japanese bookstores in Manhattan.  We started at Book-Off, on 45th Street.  Book-Off is a used bookstore, and customers can sell back books here as well.  The main floor contains English books, and although the selection isn’t endless—particularly being a medium-sized used bookstore—there is still a substantial amount of books in various categories.  There are also plenty of shelves that carry books for only a dollar!  This floor also has used CDs, primarily J-Pop and K-Pop, for any enthusiasts that are looking for a deal.

The basement floor mainly carries manga, as well as some instructional books.  There are both manga in English and Japanese, with English copies generally running for about six or seven dollars a volume. Price depends fairly heavily on the series, and this is especially apparent with the Japanese volumes.  Again, there are several shelves of books that are only a dollar, some series running for three, but the more popular series or the newer volumes cost about five or six dollars a volume.  I was however, able to find the first few volumes of a series I’d been meaning to start on the dollar shelves, and it’s finds like this that make Book-Off worth a visit.  The second floor carries Japanese novels, which I don’t know a lot about personally, but my grandmother seemed pleased with the selection!

Image credit: pwpbooks.blogspot.com

Books in hand, my grandmother and I then headed towards Kinokuniya Bookstore, which is located by Bryant Park.  Although a little more expensive, Kinokuniya has a generally wider selection than Book-Off.  The main floor and basement carry novels, textbooks, and other similar books, both in English and Japanese. Kinokuniya also sells Japanese stationary, T-shirts, figurines and other knick-knacks, many of which make great gifts for those who are interested in Japanese culture.  The second floor of Kinokuniya carries manga and anime, and the selection in both languages is impressive.  There is also a café facing the window on this floor that sells lunch foods and desserts.  The café is great, but on the small side, and quickly becomes crowded around lunch time.  My grandmother and I were there at around 4:30, though, and were able to find a table easily; I’d definitely recommend going at an hour between meals.  At times like this it’s totally acceptable to take your time with a book, which is part of what makes it so enjoyable.  Although it’s the great deals at Book-Off that make it one of my favorite bookstores, the café, the selection, and the other fun items at Kinokuniya make it definitely worth a look as well!

Anais DiCroce

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Posted in Family, onFun, onShopping | 2 Comments »

How to Get Tickets to Late Show with David Letterman

Friday, July 1st, 2011

Are you a fan of Late Show with David Letterman? Guess what, you can watch the show live for free! The entire audience of the show consists of fans who get free tickets to the show. So, your chances of getting a ticket could be high. But there is one strict requirement – you have to be a fan of the show. In order to verify that you are indeed a regular viewer and a fan, you will be asked a trivia question related to Late Show which you must answer correctly.

You can visit the show’s website and obtain tickets by:

  • Filling out the Online Ticket Form
  • Going to the Ed Sullivan Theater and submitting an In-Person Request
  • Calling them at 11am on the day of the taping you wish to attend and getting Stand-By Tickets.

Sometimes members of the show’s crew can be seen walking around in Times Square wearing the Late Show t-shirts and going up to random tourists in Times Square and inviting them to watch that day’s show. If you happen to spot one of them, you can always try stalking them and requesting tickets and you might just get them, provided you answer the trivia question correctly.

The questions are not really something to be worried about as they are supposed to be simple and something that any frequent viewer of the show can answer. Like, what is the show’s stage manager’s name? Answer: Biff Henderson.

If you are lucky enough to score tickets to the show, you will have to be there at 3.30pm as the show is taped at 5.00pm. Note that there are no cameras, phones or large bags allowed in the theater. And, if you fail to provide an ID or are under 18 years of age you will be turned away. There are two shows taped on Monday and one show on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday.

Besides Late Show with David Letterman there are several other popular talk shows hosted in NYC like The Daily Show with Jon Stewart, Late Night with Jimmy Fallon, The Tyra Banks Show, The View, Live with Regis and Kelly, The Rachel Show, The Nate Berkus Show, The Today Show, Good Morning America, and so on. Most, if not all, of these shows offer free tickets and they all have individual processes of giving tickets, but a little bit of online research will help you a great deal.

If you are a student visiting New York, check out The Campus Clipper iPhone App which allows you to have the coupons right in your pocket. The great deals include an all you can eat lunch buffet at Jackson Diner, an Indian restaurant for only $9.95. And, special discounts at Zen Palate, a vegetarian restaurant.

Bushra Tawhid

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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!

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Posted in onEntertainment, onFun, Out On The Town, Outside Manhattan | 2 Comments »

Spend an Hour (Or Two) at Teany Café

Friday, July 1st, 2011

The inside is just as bright and sunny. Photo © foodworksnyc.com

I’m a big fan of cozy places that let me take my time eating a meal while I’m reading a book and sipping tea. This is exactly what I got at Teany Café in SoHo.

This vegan-friendly tea-and-sandwich paradise has enough atmosphere to make it worth frequenting without even considering the food. It’s a small place—practically a hole in the wall—but fixed up to look like a cute West Village café, complete with outdoor seating and fresh flowers on the tables. They play music inside, which isn’t everyone’s thing, but I enjoyed their selection of popularly accessible indie hits. The servers are sometimes difficult to wave over, but the food comes quickly, and what’s the rush anyway?

As for the food, I appreciated that, although they are not an exclusively vegan establishment, their menu is full of vegan options and presents them with clarity. It’s the mark of a considerate business not to only accommodate different diets, but also t0 make it easy for the customer to see her options without having to ask the server a million questions. I got the vegan BLT, and the smoky tempeh combined with Veganaise eliminated any remnants of longing for pork belly that lingered in my taste memory. They also have plenty of fresh salads and some heartier fare like macaroni and cheese, but Teany’s menu is best suited for light meals and sipping on drinks while chatting with friends.

I can’t consider a review for Teany complete without mentioning their tea selection, which they present in a separate menu book with pages and pages of different kinds of tea, 98 varieties in total. To compare, the menu they gave me for food was one double-sided sheet. To get the best value, order a pot and split it with a friend. Or just drink the whole pot yourself while reading. Pair it with one of their amazing desserts, all of them delicious, moist, and cruelty-free, and I can sit there contentedly for as long as it takes to solve an amNY sudoku. However, I wouldn’t try a New York Times crossword puzzle unless it’s the middle of the day, since I’m sure the place can get crowded on weekend evenings.

Try out Teany Café at a discount by using the Campus Clipper coupon below and take advantage of student savings. With the coupon and your student ID, you can get a whopping 20% off! Be assertive when trying to catch the attention of the waiters, and then enjoy a relaxing meal, imagining yourself at an expensive café and knowing that the bill will be a lot smaller than in your dreams.

-Avia Dell’Oste.

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