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MAKEUP IN A MINUTE

Friday, October 8th, 2010

written by MEGHAN QUINLAN
illustration by JULIEE YOO

In the city that never sleeps, makeup can help you look ready for a night on a town, and then cover up the fact that you never slept. The transition from my rural hometown to the big city wasn’t difficult makeup-wise (considering my expertise with mascara and lipstick since beginning annual dance performances at age five), but throughout my years in college I have perfected some of my practices. Everyone has their own beauty routines and makeup preferences, but some tips remain universal – such as how to transition from day to night while on the run, and what to do when you’re running late to class. So, read on for my helpful hints to keep you looking fresh and ready to go in a city where you can’t afford to be off your game!

QUICK APPLICATION
In New York City, you want to look refreshed and chic – and this doesn’t require heavy makeup. Sure, you can take the time to apply meticulous eyeliner and artistic eye-shadow, but I was always one of those girls running late to my morning class and developed my own quick makeup routine. My suggestion, based on years of early morning dashing? Right before heading out the door, apply a healthy coat of jet-black mascara (mascara is the essential tool here – it brightens the eyes and draws the focus away from dark under-eye circles caused by sleep deprivation), and some eyeliner if time allows. Cover up any blemishes with spot concealer and run out the door – you can pinch your cheeks to get the circulation going in place of blush as you wait for the elevator or street light, and chap stick or lipstick is a cinch to apply while on the run. It’s quick, easy, and simplistically chic.

FOUNDATION AND COVER-UP
One of my biggest beauty pet peeves is that thick coat of foundation that turns your face a different color than the rest of your body. Foundation and cover-up are helpful tools to even out blotchy skin tones and eliminate blemishes, but use them as minimally as possible – daytime is not the time for thick stage makeup. Plus, extra layers can easily melt off in hot subways, giving your face the appearance of anything but flawless and natural. Additionally, it’s essential to pick the right shade of foundation and cover-up. As with any beauty task, the solution to finding the right look is sampling and experimenting… but don’t go buying five shades of foundation just to find the right one! At nicer stores such as Sephora there will generally be samples (a good tip is to smear the sample on your wrist to match facial skin tone – except for your tan summer months), and once you find a shade that works you will usually be able to find the same (or a similar) product in a cheaper drugstore. Just in case, however, keep your receipts – as a drugstore clerk in high school I remember being frustrated at customers returning make-up, but it’s generally permitted in stores so take advantage of this next time your selection goes awry.

DAY TO NIGHT
I’m constantly on the go and will often be running around all day without a chance to stop home and change. As a dance student, keeping a change of clothes in my over-sized bag is second nature (and it’s not unusual to find changes of clothes in the bags of other New Yorkers, either), but what about makeup? To make your face appear ready for nighttime adventures, you typically make the makeup a little darker and heavier than for your casual daytime appearance. My trick is usually to re-apply mascara, add heavier eyeliner, and some lipstick or tinted lip balm. These are all small and easy to pack in your bag, and can be applied even in a public restroom or in front of a small mirror. Skip extravagant eye-shadow or smoky eyes and leave it for another night when you have more time to get ready – a fresh coat of eyeliner and some refreshed lips is all you truly need.

TAKING YOUR TIME
In the rare New York minute that you have nothing else to do with, consider trying a new makeup trick. Pull out some eyeliner, black or dark colored eye-shadow, a mirror, and some makeup remover (just in case of errors). Pulling off a smoky eye (by applying eyeliner and smudging, then putting dark eye-shadow in the crease of your eye and a slightly lighter shade on the rest of the lid, and smudging the entire eye as desired) will probably take some practice, but the effect is sultry and exciting for a more intense nighttime look. Be sure to use creamy eye-shadow and liner for the most effective results. For an intense daytime look when you have the time, experiment with colored shadows or liners on your eyes – I personally like to use subtly unique eyeliners such as green or plum, but I know others that like to go far-out and use wild, bright eye shadows. You can always pull off avante-garde in a place as wild as New York City, so admire the high-fashion ads and magazines and try a look out for yourself next time you’re bored. If you don’t know how to do it, you can simply experiment, ask a friend, or find a how-to in any beauty magazine.

A NOTE ON BRANDS
Living in New York, it’s tempting to shop around in Sephora or other alluring beauty stores. While I do enjoy the occasional Sephora splurge, I do most of my cosmetic purchases at drugstores such as Pricewise, Duane Reade, or CVS. No one can tell what brand your mascara is after it’s applied, and chances are, no one cares. So save yourself a few bucks, and stick with drugstore buys. I gravitate towards Cover Girl for the mascara and eyeliner in particular, and you’ll even find great deals on such cosmetics periodically – so stock up when it’s a buy one get one free sale, or cheaper than usual. You might need to sign up for the store’s free discount card, but the few minutes is worth the savings, both on cosmetics and your other drugstore purchases.

This article is a sample from Campus Clipper’s student guidebook, “NYC Student Guide” for sale fall 2010. Pick one up to get more advice from savvy students like Meghan at a bookstore near you!

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From Sugarless to Sweetly Cheap: Dessert

Monday, October 4th, 2010

written by Maya Klausner

As dinner draws to a close, you are craving something sweet but are reminded of the bitterly thin state of your wallet. Chains like Pinkberry and Dunkin Doughnuts can get the job done, but sometimes one needs a little splendor with their Splenda. Even with its sumptuous supply of lavish restaurants, New York City can sometimes feel more limiting than an airplane menu if your fiscal position is unfavorable and can even lead you to desert the prospect of dessert.

However, where there is a sweet tooth, there is a way.  New York City is full of undiscovered gems, some of which dwell in unsuspected corners. For example, decadent French patisserie and bistro, Payard, at 714 Madison avenue between 63rd and 64th streets, might deter you with its aureate aura and $22 appetizer portion homemade Foie Gras Terrine. However, the new Francois Chocolate bar may surprise you, with a menu that boasts an extravagant variety of cakes and tarts that transport your taste buds from the second floor of a jewelry store to Paris, and not at the cost of airfare. Payard offers an assortment of specialty macaroons for $8, an assortment of cookies for $8, and a selection of their homemade chocolates for $8. In addition, they generously price their succulent house-made chocolate mousse grand-pére Payard at $7.

One can also bypass the Upper East Side overpriced curse at one of New York’s favorite Italian restaurants, Serafina, with its two locations on 29 east 61st street and 1022 Madison Avenue. Both restaurants have a tempting dessert menu with a Fritelle di Mele, (apple fritters dipped in vanilla bean sugar,) for $7.95 and an assortment of gelato and sorbet for $4.95 or biscotti for $3.95. And when looking for a quick, but uncompromised treat, skip the sit-down/slow-down and enter the express lane on 79th and Madison at their takeout shop with its colorful display of gelato, freshly made smoothies, and buttery croissants.

For a more inclusive experience, visit Chikalicous Dessert Bar, located at 204 East 10th Street, at their intimate 20-seat eatery, where customers can engage in savory repartee with the chefs and sommeliers who serve the food themselves. Upon entering under the whimsical dusty pink canopy into a cozy dining room bursting with the seductive aromas of frosted cupcakes, crispy pastries, and baking chocolate cakes, one gets the idea they are not in the frozen dessert aisle at Food Emporium anymore. Their daily menu features a $14 prix-fixe that will give you more than your New York City cynicism bargained for with an amuse bouche, dessert, and petits fours. Enjoy a unique experience with individual recipes like their lemongrass Panna Cotta with Basil Sorbet, or their Warm Chocolate Tart with peppercorn ice cream and red wine sauce. They also boast an array of signature desserts for those loyal returning customers who can no longer fight off the Chikalicious twitch. These include their red velvet cupcakes, adult chocolate pudding, molten lava cake, and chocolate éclairs. All of these desserts strike a harmonious balance between golden crispiness and warm, gooey centers, The chocolate éclair reaches a perfect fusion with its warm exterior while the inside yields a soft, chilled chocolate mouse.

While the lesser known spots can add a little extra thrill to your experience, sometimes a serving of familiarity can be just what the stomach ordered. Ice cream empire Haagen-Dazs, has enhanced their menu and spruced up their ingredients for an even more scrumptious experience than you remember from when you were six years old. Try their new ‘five’ products, which only use five natural ingredients that blend into a pure and delicious treat and come in a variety of flavors such as caramel, strawberry, lemon, mint, ginger, and passion fruit. The beloved ice cream favorite also offers a new variety of specialty desserts with their all-natural ice cream or sorbet Dazzlers, made with three scoops of Haagen-Dazs ice cream and three layers of toppings. If you are still longing for something sweet after a ‘Dulce split’ or  ‘Mint chip’ Dazzler, seek medical assistance: these rich desserts are packed to the brim with three creamy scoops, layered with fresh toppings, and drizzled with caramel and chocolate syrup. If their prescribed combinations do not suit you, put on the chef’s hat and create your own ice cream sundae, choosing from their boundless selection of flavors and toppings. In addition to their standard ice cream parlor prices, Haagen-Dazs also offers special deals and coupon codes at their plentiful locations sprinkled about the city. Indulge your stomach without indulging your wallet with free coupons that can knock up to 40% off of shakes, sundaes, and gourmet cakes.

So while frozen yogurt in paper cups can be a cheap, quick way to sate that sugary hankering, how much Tasti-D-Lite and Red Mango can one person eat before feeling like a giant human health-conscious cone? You may be attracted to the light prices, but not as enthralled by the dietetic limitations of these frozen treats. With an economical approach to opulence, your post meal experience can be rich, (even if you’re not.)


Maya Klausner is a writer for Campus Clipper. You can read more of her tips on food, fun, and entertainment in the Campus Clipper guidebook, “NYC Student Guide” due out this fall.

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Posted in Cheap Eats, onFood, onValues, Student Maximu$ Summer/Fall 2010 | No Comments »

KENNETH MOLLOY: A NEW-YORKER TELLING STORIES

Monday, October 4th, 2010

Written by Jon Reitzel & Photography by Aehee Kang Asano

Kenneth Molloy, a senior at New York University, is double-majoring in Dramatic Writing (through the Tisch School of the Arts) and Classics (through the College of Arts and Science.) In the February 2010, Kenneth’s original play “Ghost of Dracula” had a month-long run in the Wings theater the West Village, where it sold out every night. The production was produced, directed, and performed entirely by students without any aid from the university. I’ve seen “Ghost of Dracula” twice, and both times it managed to completely draw me in, crack me up, and leave me cheering for an encore. Between the grotesque violence (be ready for lots of fake blood,) the literary pedigree (yes, that Dracula,) the tongue-in-cheek humor (there are spontaneous musical numbers,) and the explicit sex scenes (it’s all in good taste) there’s really something for everyone. “Ghost of Dracula” was accepted into the New York Fringe Festival, and recently completed its second run – once again, to great success. I sat down with Kenneth in his 3rd Avenue apartment to ask him about life as both a student and a successful playwright, what it’s like working with other students, and why theater and New York are so inseparable.

Q: What was it like to see your original play performed?

It was pretty awesome. That was probably something that attracted me to dramatic writing more than to prose or poetry: getting to see my work unfold in the visual realm and have others partake in it outside of my own head.

Q: Was it important for you, and for the other people involved in the production, to work with students?

It definitely makes it a more facile, easier experience, to be able to relate with someone with school, and to like, you know, understand working around finals and mid-terms and that sort of thing.

Q: You’ve recently been accepted to the New York Fringe Festival, which has to be very exciting.

Yes, I agree. (Laughs.)

Q: How did that happen? What was the process?

Fringe is a huge production. The entire thing is just like, two people who actually work for Fringe and a bunch of volunteers. It’s a huge thing, it’s really amazing, it’s really . . . this is going to sound lame, but it’s a beautiful thing that all these people are invited to share their shows, their work, in this enormous thing with a largely volunteer force. But as a result, there’s a lot of minutiae that has to be taken care of, and everything needs to go like clockwork, so it’s definitely a different experience from a rag-tag, sort of grassroots production. It is really exciting, and it’s good experience for me; I mean, I would recommend it to anyone – the process is really easy. There’s a small entry fee, but definitely get involved, it’s cool.

Q: The goal of the Campus Clipper Talent section is to show students that they can use their talents both to make money and also to help their community. How would you say theater has affected the community in New York City?

In terms of New York, when you go off-off-Broadway into that community, it’s something that is very uniquely New York, where you get voices that are endemic to the city and that really sort of capture the experience of living here. It is the real, extant, live experience of interacting with other people from your community in an actual place. You know that they are from here, at least are living here: those are New Yorkers on stage, and you are a New Yorker in the audience. There’s New Yorkers telling stories that are drawn from New York, for New Yorkers; so it’s definitely part of the community here, I think.

Q: For students coming to New York for the first time who say “I can’t afford to go to a play” or “I know nothing about theater,” do you have any dos-and-don’ts or advice you would offer them?

There are a lot of plays that are cheaper than a movie. Our show is cheaper than a movie; it was, and I believe it will continue to be cheaper than a movie. You just really have to look outside – student rush is one option, but beyond that you can get great seats for a lower-tier show if you look outside of Broadway or even off-Broadway to off-off. You can see great shows there that eventually move up and become world-famous.

Q: So now that you’ve conquered Fringe, what does the future hold?

I’m going to keep doing what I’m doing and hope people keep approving. In the immediate sense, I’m shopping around my recently completed full-length play, “Catiline: Historia Arbitrabitur,” a topical historical drama about a poorly-conceived revolutionary conspiracy undertaken at the twilight of the Roman Republic. Because we’ve never ever seen that on stage before. (Laughs.)

Q: Is there anything you want to add?

Ladies, I’m single. (Laughs.)

For more information, search for Ghost of Dracula on facebook. To read my full-length interview with Kenneth, uncensored and uncut, check out campusclipper.com.

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Walk Right In

Wednesday, August 11th, 2010

I’m writing this with a cold towel on my forehead and a mug filled with Chamomile tea, but sadly this isn’t a West Village fashion statement or a way to prepare for an acting gig. Instead it’s the harsh reality of getting over strep throat. But I’m not writing this to vent or for anyone to feel sorry for me. I’m writing this to let you know about a quick way to see a doctor and get a prescription (Before I start I have to say that the first thing you should do is go to your school’s medical center and see what they can do for you. These health clinics are run with you in mind so don’t put off something for fear of confidentially or even laziness; if you’re not feeling well just make an appointment at the health center – I guarantee no one wants to hang out with a sick person.)
Since it’s the summer and I’m not in school at the moment I went to my insurance company’s website (in this case Empire Blue Cross Blue Shield) and used their search function to get a list of doctors by specialty and distance from my apartment. The problem is that I apparently picked the one week of the year when most of the doctors in this city are on vacation to get sick. I called 15 offices and I got nowhere.
I was suggested a plan B by a friend’s mother who’s a nurse and this turned out to be a great option and the one I’m highly recommending to you. Maybe you already know about these, but many regular pharmacies like CVS, Duane Reade, and Walgreens have convenient walk-in clinics. A walk-in clinic is a small clinic at a drugstore where they have an on-site doctor who will give you a checkup. They also take a plethora of insurance plans, which is also a major plus. I went to a Duane Reade in the Upper East Side (unfortunately CVS and Walgreens don’t have any locations in Manhattan), and after waiting 10 minutes I was seen by a doctor’s assistant who checked my blood pressure, asked me some basic questions about my medical history, and took a nice swab of the back of my throat to check for strep. I was then seen in a second room by a great doctor who asked me some more questions and confirmed I had strep after the test results were ready (about 5- 10 minutes after the assistant made me gag and took the swab). The best part of the visit, however, may have been the fact that a minute after the doctor wrote me a prescription a pharmacist was filling it at the in-store pharmacy. As I waited, I bought Tylenol, Advil, and water and read a magazine. 15 minutes after I brought my prescription to be filled it was ready for pick up. I was impressed by the expediency of the whole process and how easy it was to get diagnosed and have a prescription filled. If any of you find it a hassle to see a doctor, or even if you don’t, these walk-in clinics are efficient and a great way to get better in no time at all.
In the meantime I’m spending my days locked away in my apartment watching movies I missed out on in the theatres – anyone have any suggestions?

-Roni Tessler

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To Be Or Not To Be…

Tuesday, August 10th, 2010

Let’s face it- higher education can be very expensive these days and living in a city like NY where nothing comes cheap doesn’t remedy the situation.  As a student, I found that my bank account was so often burdened by an array of bills- credit cards, phone bills (I swear, I barely use my phone!), transportation, buying a decent meal.  Any pocket change that I managed to come across was often devoted to things of great importance- hanging out with friends or attempting to keep up with the latest fashion trends (life is a runway, you gotta work it, honey).

These days, however, the dwindling economy leaves little to no room for many to even entertain these notions.  Many are just struggling to make ends meet. An inevitable concern for students is the ever rising cost of college textbooks. With its poor buyback value (bookstores will only buy used textbooks for a fraction of  its purchase price) and lack of relevance once classes are over, students are often reluctant to fork over so much change for a textbook.

Our friends at Shakespeare and Co. are trying to make students lives just a bit simpler with their rent-a-textbook deals. Their site, http://rental.shakeandco.com, makes renting and receiving books (delivered in as little as 24 hrs) a cinch and with over three million books in stock,  its more than likely that you will find exactly what you’re looking for at a fraction of the cost.  Love to use that neon highlighter or scribble side notes onto your text? NO PROBLEM. Shakespeare and Co. encourages you to do so without getting penalized for vandalism.

So if you’re looking for a cost effective, worry free way get your textbooks for the coming semester, Shakepeare and Co. is definitely the way to go! Hurry though- classes are right around the corner!

-Milka Adera, The New School ’12

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Home

Saturday, July 31st, 2010

There’s a recent trend within the youth culture in New York City which may have been growing, or might already be in full swing, but it’s bothersome either way. It’s when people who move to New York City from another city, or another town, simply refuse to say anything good about their hometown, or worse yet, find fault in hometown pride.

I was at Siren Fest a couple weeks ago, and I saw this amazing band called Screaming Females. They were an excellent band, they were from New Jersey, and they were proud of both. After the set, walking through the masses, I overheard someone complaining that “they kept mentioning they were from New Brunswick like it’s something to be proud of.” To that person, I say: so what?

There’s a lot that’s said about the wide range of people, nationalities, and cultures that can be found within New York City. Though that’s very much true, it doesn’t all come from people from other countries. A lot of the time, the uniqueness of people found in this city come from people with their hearts truly rooted in other parts of the States. New York City does not exist in a vacuum. It thrives on being a cultural sponge, soaking up what’s best from different parts of America, and feeding off of those who take pride in the land that they call home, and doing what that place does best, but in NYC.

I’ll admit, when it comes to hometown pride, I do sit in a comfortable seat. It might seem a lot easier to be proud of being from Brooklyn, NY than some place like, I don’t know, Dearborn, MI, but I’m not from there, so I wouldn’t actually know. But what I do know is that a sense of place is the most essential thing a person can have. It’s what feeds us emotionally, personally, and creatively. I mean, what would the world be like if Bruce Springsteen decided that he wasn’t proud of New Jersey? It’d be a lot worse off, I can tell you that.

Now, I’m not calling for pride of the overeager, chest-thumping nature. Nor am I telling anyone who isn’t from New York not to be happy and proud calling it their home. But there’s something about knowing where you’re from, and being proud of that, and bringing the best of it to New York City that makes it such a great place to live.

-Andrew Limbong

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Why Is It So Hot in the Subway?

Thursday, July 29th, 2010

image credit: blogout.justout.com

As I was listening to the news on TV while cooking my light dinner, I heard something like “there is about 105 degrees inside the subway stations in New York City.” 105 degrees the temperature there is, indeed.

An ex-camper, I love walking long distances, and I do walk whenever it is possible and not too far. Now that it is so hot in the city, walking is not as pleasant as always. And still, waiting for a train is even harder to tolerate.

Imagine: you are standing inside a station for about 10 minutes. You inhale hot air, far from being fresh, not mentioning the smell of garbage or something even worse that people, not too concerned about others, left there. Sweat is rolling down your back. Your hair is all wet and sticky. A little relieved, you see a guy selling bottled water, which seems a bit refreshing for a moment – until you ask him for the price. And you keep wondering: where the hell is the train? And also: why is it so hot in the subway?

Overheated and wet, you get on the train that finally arrives. Sitting inside, you indulge in fresh air and think, “God bless air conditioners.” However, your happiness doesn’t last long: you are slowly feeling colder and colder, as your wet clothes and hair, soaked in sweat, do not feel so good and refreshing anymore.

If you find yourself complaining about being cold now, then just get off on the next station and wait for another train in 105 degree heat. And think about other countries that do not have air conditioning either in their public transportation system or their homes, so maybe, you have really nothing to complain about.

Ekaterina Lalo

Check out my blog at www.nycvalues.blogspot.com

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Networking: the art of knowing a guy who knows a guy.

Monday, July 5th, 2010

I attended a pretty blah networking workshop the other day but managed to walk away from it with some  not-so-blah food for thought:
Networking–you can and should always be doing it. Although workshop instructors make it out to be a science, it’s really more of a life philosophy. It’s the the acknowledgment that anyone we meet at any point can take us to new and exciting places regardless of whether they help us out or we help them out.

Networking is about coming to terms with the fact that by yourself you are a pretty small entity, but with links to others, your reach is infinitely broader and your possibilities increase exponentially.

Sound good? Okay, so where do you start?

With the very next person you encounter.

It means genuinely taking an interest in the people around you without a specific end goal in mind. After all, you can’t pin point a goal until you have some information, so just go information digging. Make it your mission to keep searching until you discover something about the person that
surprises, intrigues, or excites you. Keep exploring till you hear yourself saying: “Oh! Really?” And focus on listening, asking open ended questions, and thinking of how you or someone in your network could help this person out. Introduce people to one another whenever the opportunity arises. Remember also to network with people you already now. The person who is now your physics homework buddy can also turn out to be an event planning guru or know someone who is.
So connect yourself, connect others, then reconnect–as long as it’s genuine and you are interested in the give as much as the take. Let’s make this world a more collaborative sandbox.

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Late Night Creations

Friday, July 2nd, 2010

written by Sabina Ashbaugh

We always substitute an egg with two tablespoons of vanilla soymilk—a slight variation that leaves the dough runny and easier to mix with the cracked wooden spoon. The timer is set for 12 minutes, not 14 as the cookbook suggests, with a reminder at the six-minute mark to switch the top and bottom trays in the oven. Despite these careful discrepancies, accumulated over countless nights, our creations are never completely predictable. We speculate whether it might be the heat of the dimly lit kitchen, and that volatile summer breeze that seeps in through the windows and seems to soften the contours of the room.
Despite our many trials, my sister and I never fully plan our baking efforts, or even carefully measure out the ingredients of our amended recipes. The soymilk substitution, now a permanent step in the cookie making process, came from a late realization that the egg carton was deceptively empty. As if to support this impulsiveness, the planned desserts baked for family dinners—the pumpkin or apple pies, the blueberry cobblers, the cinnamon buns, the madeleines—are never as good as the spontaneous endeavors to satisfy late night cravings. The immediate satisfaction of these creations quickly assuaged the worries and anxieties amassed during school or work. Tasks divided and ingredients laid out, my sister and I get to work setting right the wrongs of the day.
It has been a year now since I moved away from home. Some months have flown by while others have painstakingly inched to a close, with pangs of homesickness and late night baking cravings that seemed to arise out of nowhere. Family, a concept that had seemed so natural and tangible just a year ago, has slowly been abstracted to stand for that sense of place so radically reconfigured after leaving for school. In times of stress, I often caught myself about to call the house with a confused plea of “What should I do?”
With distance I have come to realize how often I unintentionally underappreciated this form of support. I cringe at the thought that the ease and spontaneity of those nights spent baking are a lost bridge between my sister and I—treasured memories to look back on fondly but ones impossible to recapture. And yet the removal of this crutch has also forced me to examine how I will right the wrongs of the day in my own way—not by baking, but through the careers and choices that lie ahead.
Moving away is an exciting step towards independence and deciding how and what one wants to change in the world. In the midst of so many choices, the advice offered by family is a means of grounding oneself in times of transformation. Finding a niche in college involves exploring how one will contribute to society and improve the lives of others, but it also requires the recognition of the debt owed to those at home.
Growing up compels us to accept these recipes, relationships, and plans for future change. Family rituals become memories as traditions are re-made. It is important to maintain ties with those that helped us get where we are, and continue to want to see us succeed. Helping others starts by looking out for and appreciating those at home, and paying tribute to those left behind.

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Cheap Eats Vegan

Friday, July 2nd, 2010

written by Christina Roylance

Think being a vegetarian means expensive specialty restaurants, and lots of drama when you go out to dinner with friends? Do you feel that you’ll have to be the most finicky customer of all time and waiters will hate you? This could not be further from the truth.  Living in NYC is getting easier and more enjoyable every day to be a vegetarian or vegan.  There’s tons of options, and you don’t need to drag everyone to your all-veg restaurants; there are simple ways to get cheap awesome vegetarian food by being knowledgeable about good places and keeping a few things in mind.
NYC is a mecca of different cultures and backgrounds. Ethnic foods abound in the city, and there’s often cheap, local places for whatever foreign flavor you want–Indian, Thai, Japanese, Italian, Middle Eastern, Mexican, whatever.  Many of these cuisines are sensitive to vegetarians, and can easily be requested vegan, as long as you know what to ask for.

Middle Eastern food is a great resource for vegetarians.  Falafels are cheap, vegetarian fast food sandwiches: deep fried tahini balls with hummus and veggies!  It’s a great, simple, yet filling option.  Aldiwan Lebanese restaurant is located on A if you want a sit-down Middle Eastern dinner.  It also has a great selection of vegetarian appetizers, as well as a tasty vegetarian Mousaka entrée that’s big enough for two.

At lunchtime, there’s always Indian food all-you-can-eat buffets for cheap.  Indian Taj on Bleeker has a $10 deal that’s even cheaper with a Campus Clipper Coupon.  Indian food is hearty and flavorful, and you can just ask the servers which dishes do not have any meat or cheese.  These buffets are usually huge, so there’s bound to be a selection of vegetarian things to eat.

Thai food is a personal favorite of mine.  Entrées tend to be large so you can cut the cost by splitting dishes.  There are always a great deal of vegetarian options, but just ask if there are any eggs in the dish and it’s easy enough for you to be accommodated.  Boyd Thai on Thompson has great vegetarian options, and vegan treats and desserts available as well!

Mexican cuisine is great because if that’s what you’re craving, you can either get fast and cheap take-out style places or sit down to dinner.  Vegetarian and vegan burritos are easy since you often custom order them.  With rice, beans, veggies, and guacamole, (and cheese and sour cream if you’re not a vegan) a vegetarian burrito is filling and quick.  Try grabbing one from Burritoville, and use your Campus Clipper Coupon to save $1.

Surprisingly, lots of sushi restaurants can accommodate vegetarians as well, with veggie filled sushi rolls. It is important to make sure the restaurant doesn’t use fish sauces or oils in the preparation though if you’re a strict vegetarian.  Sushi Yawa on 8th street has tons of vegetable rolls (cucumber, avocado, sweet potato, spinach, and more!), and a bunch of vegetarian appetizers as well.  Plus, everyone I know loves sushi, so non-veg friends will be happy to accompany you.

Italian food is everyone’s favorite–who doesn’t love pasta?  It just takes a few easy questions when ordering your pasta dish to know if it’s vegetarian or vegan.  Just ask if there’s meat in the sauce, request no parmesan, and ask for your food cooked with olive oil instead of butter.  Most dishes are prepared that way already, but if you just check it should be easy to make any changes.  Grotta Azzurra in Little Italy has an affordable $10 prix fixe for lunch, as well as a Thursday night ladies night, with free appetizers and half-off on drinks!

So just because you’re vegetarian or vegan doesn’t mean eating out has to be boring or expensive!  You can still eat your favorite things; just be a little conscientious and ask the right questions.  You don’t have to miss out on any great deals or fun nights out just because you have different dietary needs.  So remember to use Campus Clipper coupons to get the best deals, and be sure to experiment and have fun.

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Posted in Cheap Eats, onFood, onHealth, onValues, Student Maximu$ Summer/Fall 2010 | No Comments »

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