Student Eats in East Village

June 30th, 2011
PorkBuns

Pork buns of Momofuku fame.

The sole ambition of a college student with free time is to find something to do without accomplishing anything. Because after all, it takes a lot of effort to juggle going to classes, doing homework, participating in clubs/athletics and other extracurriculars, writing papers, reading assignments; the list goes on. With so much being accomplished on a weekly basis by students, when free time does roll around, sometimes you just want to turn off your brain and find something to do that requires no effort. When all of your free time escapades succeed or fail, hunger may beckon.

Whether you dorm or commute, there are reasons to covet a decent meal. Resident students know that no matter how good on-campus eateries may be, there’s always going to be a craving for a home-cooked meal or a dish from your favorite restaurant back home. Commuter students can relate because setting aside time to eat can be tough when you have to spend time traveling to and from school.

For students of New York City, I’ve outlined a few recommendations for when that free time rolls around:

  • Pommes Frites – If you are ever in the mood for a simple snack, Pommes Frites is the place to go. They specialize in making delicious Belgian fries, cooked to a perfect crisp. They offer a generous variety of sauces (20+) and they are a must have with your order, especially if you’re looking for a change of pace from ketchup, mayo and mustard. Service is quick and they even offer samples of the sauces before you pick so take advantage. Located at 123 2nd Ave between E. 7th Street and St. Marks Place
  • Punjabi Deli – I have had my fair share of Indian food and can safely say that Punjabi Grocery and Deli is an excellent spot if you’re craving Indian food or looking to try it for the first time. Be forewarned: much of the food is pretty spicy. But it is one of the most inexpensive Indian food joints and they offer various vegetable Indian specialties over rice or roti, samosas and even chai tea. It’s a small establishment, but definitely worth trying once. Located at 114 E. 1st Street between 1st Ave and Ave A
  • Momofuku Noodle Bar – Momofuku is definitely a unique Asian fusion establishment. It is a popular spot for dinner so you should definitely expect a wait or arrive at opening. Their ramen noodles are delicious, though a bit pricy. You can enjoy a large dinner of two whole fried chickens (one southern fried, one Korean fried), however the chicken is by reservation only. If all else fails for you here, you may find solace in ordering the pork buns. They are so good you are going to want to place an order of pork buns to go after you’ve tried them. Located at 171 1st Ave between 10th and 11th Streets
  • Oaxaca – Oaxaca Taqueria comes to Manhattan after seeing success with its 3 Brooklyn storefronts. The restaurant is sleek and clean upon entering and they have plenty of interesting taco options from chicken, pork or fish to vegetarian selections like potatoes or beans. They also have great savings during taco happy hour featured on the coupon posted below. Definitely check them out if you’re looking for tasty, cheap tacos. Located at 16 Extra Place off of E. 1st Street

–Christopher Cusack, Hofstra University

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Posted in Cheap Eats, onCollege, onFood, onFun, Restaurant Reviews, Uniqueness in NYC | 2 Comments »

Wilfred, the Man-Dog Show

June 30th, 2011

http://debritz.net/files/wilfred.jpg

I’m not a huge fan of tv, but when a good show comes around I can’t resist the desire to work my day around getting home to catch an episode. I watch True Blood, Boardwalk Empire and Dexter; all shows that require me to spend quality time at my sister’s house every Sunday night because my house doesn’t get HBO and Showtime. I’ve noticed that I tend to seriously follow only elite shows. But the average college kid doesn’t get the premium cable channels that such shows often run on, and as the summer ends and my precious shows run over into September, I have to scramble to find internet sites that will allow me to illegally watch movies and tv episodes that my basic cable college television prevents me from seeing. I even had to start buying movies from DVD Funhouse because I no longer had access to my sister’s massive movie collection.

I needed to find an alternative, find a show that wasn’t so hard to keep track of, no matter what season it was. All spring I gave every show a shot. I watched Swamp People, Deadliest Catch, Say Yes to the Dress, 16 and Pregnant (Yikes!), Intervention… the list goes on and on. If a show aired in March or April, I probably caught an episode or two of it. It wasn’t until last week that I caught the season premier of the show Wilfred on FX. The show follows a man named Ryan (Elijah Woods) that after a failed suicide attempt begins to see his neighbor’s dog, Wilfred (Jason Gann), not as a dog but as a man in a dog costume.  To everyone else, Wilfred is just a dog, but to Ryan, Wilfred is a trouble making, foul-mouthed Australian man. Wilfred has come into Ryan’s life at the time when he needs him most and gives him courage to go on with life. Though Wilfred is very smart, he’s a dog, and his animal instincts and doggy habits make him an incredibly funny character.  I couldn’t help but burst out laughing when Wilfred begins chasing after a car screaming “I’m going to kill you!!!!” and when Wilfred and Ryan are out to lunch and a waitress asks “does your dog normally eat nachos?” and you realize how crazy Ryan must feel.  By the end of the episode, Wilfred smokes a pack of cigarettes (he states he smokes because he has an oral fixation) and frames Ryan for breaking and entering their neighbor’s house.  The show continues this Thursday at 10 pm. I know I’ll be catching it. Will you?

-Jackie Aqel

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Independence

June 30th, 2011

Summer vacation is by far the longest break of the year, as it should be, of course, but contrary to popular belief, some aspects of the lengthened time span are not always positive ones. What I’m talking about are parents—those old, often heterosexually paired people who inhabit your house, encroach on your personal space, lay down the rules, and maddeningly prevent any privacy.

While winter and spring breaks are short enough to prevent Child Verses Parent outbreaks, summer does not have that time privilege. Since returning to the dwelling location of my parental units, “Leave my alone” has become a main staple in my verbal diet, muttered under my breath as doors closed, or shouted aggressively into their faces, it’s a phrase that can be uttered in many different circumstances.

I’m sure that almost every teenager who’s had to deal with parents has likewise had to deal with the consistent nagging that comes along with their presence. Sometimes it’s enough to drive me up a wall. But recently it’s been driving me up a wall and back again, getting under my skin far more than it has before. I believe I can account this to two main reasons: The first being that I’ve tasted independence in my first year at college, and have now had it rudely stripped away; the second being that fact that I’m on crutches, which has lead my parents to hover around me much more than they would have regularly.

Starting with the first reason: a return from college stripping me of privileges. This reason is much more universal, and I’m sure you’ve experienced it. The initial shock when you find out you are once again bound to a curfew, or the dread which sets in when your discover you can no longer write your schedule yourself. It varies from household to household, but it’s always present in some degree.

It’s immensely difficult for me, at times, to remember that my parents are only trying to look out for me, and do what’s best. Being forced to return home by 1:30 am seems like the end of the world when the rest of my friends can be out until 4, or 5, or later, but I don’t really think my parents would devise a special plan with the specific purpose of ruining my social life (would they?). Getting used to being under house rules is a drag, I know, but I just have to recognize that some battles can’t be won, and soon I’ll be back at college, and then off to live on my own, anyway.

The second reason, my crutches, is where things get tricky. As my family members try only to help me through difficult tasks, I can’t help but be driven crazy by their constant baby-ing. I know that they’re only trying to help, but it gets really tiring having them leaning over my shoulders constantly, even if it’s only to ask if I want their help. And I know it’s harsh of me to blow-up on them angrily, but can’t they see that I’m going absolutely crazy being unable to do things for myself, and that if I’m angry, they should just leave me alone? Yes, I should be more patient, but they, too, need to recognize when to back off and let me try to function on my own.

Being at home is all about giving and taking, relearning how to function in a complex environment that isn’t always centered on your own desires. It is overly frustrating at times, but a necessary skill to have, because it can be a lesson expanded to many different endeavors in your future. And if things ever look a bit too hectic to handle, just head to one of the great spas with student discounts offered by Campus Clipper, and pick up on the family sessions after a massage.

/elizabeth Kaleko

Image from: www.jewishjournal.com

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Storm King

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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Screen-Printing On A Budget

June 29th, 2011

Excess ink is scraped off the screen and saved for later

Like many college students, I’m currently matriculating only thanks to a generous scholarship. During the school-year, academic and extracurricular success tends to outweigh my motivation to find a job, and the lack of transportation bars me from most part-time or full-time work. Money is tight for college students these days, but that’s no excuse to neglect your American entrepreneurial spirit. Being your own boss means more responsibility, but the ability to mold your working hours around your free time is priceless. In my first few years of college, I found a decent scheme to make pocket money: screen-printing.

What is screen-printing, you ask? If you’ve ever seen a graphic t-shirt or a poster for a concert, chances are you already know what a screen-printed product looks like. The process is quite simple: take a wooden frame and stretch silk over it until it’s taut. Then, using a chemical amalgam which hardens when exposed to heat, create your desired design on the silk. When ink is forced through the screen, only the portions without amalgam allow the ink through, thus replicating your design as many times as you’d like.

Although professional-quality screening with chemical amalgams can be time-consuming and require expensive equipment, it’s quite easy to duplicate the process using contact sheets (essentially plastic, with one side coated in adhesive). Simply trace your desired design (backwards) onto the contact sheet, and cut the unneeded parts out with an x-acto knife. Apply the sheet to a silk screen and you’re ready to start making some shirts! A dorm shower affords a great space to not only wash off the silk screen between printings, but to hang shirts to dry. For best results, hit the freshly-dried designs with an iron on low heat. This helps preserve the design by bonding it with the fabric, so that it doesn’t come off in the wash. Buy shirts in bulk in a variety of popular sizes, and get an idea from other students (= potential buyers) of what sorts of designs they’re interested in.

Popular and recognizable characters make great subjects

The only problem with using contact sheets is that they degrade rather quickly. However, you’re guaranteed at least twenty or thirty printings if you treat your screens with care and wash them off with cold water, as hot water can remove some of the adhesive that holds the contact sheet to the screen. For an even cheaper option, buy the silk by itself, make your own screen, and do the stretching yourself.

All of the materials you’ll need to go into business as an on-campus screen-printer are available at Dick Blick Art Supplies, including silk screens, contact sheets, and fabric paint, and bulk t-shirts can be found easily on Ebay. Keep in mind that each screen will allow you to print one color at a time, so the more screens you buy, the more involved your designs can be. Look up a tutorial on color-separation screen-printing if you’re interested in making more complex pieces.

Bryan Menegus

Image Credit: instructables.com (w1n5t0n, slimguy379)

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Grandma Love

June 28th, 2011

Kay Thomas: A Living Legend

My grandma is an indestructible force to be reckoned with. She’s a 76-year-old Italian woman with a sailor’s mouth and bones that won’t break (she recently fell off of a ten foot tall gazebo that she was repairing and was completely fine.) At every family gathering, she sports a “Beer Pong Legend” t-shirt and is the first to get a game started. And after she found out I switched from fastfood junkie to health-conscious vegan, she went out of her way to ensure there was a separate section of veg food on the table whenever I visited. If the previous sentences don’t make it obvious enough, allow me to be clear: I love her dearly and can only hope that my 60s and 70s will be as entertaining and awesome as hers have been.

Anyway, last summer, she and my mother helped me move from my Upper East Side apartment to my 25th street abode. Unlike my old place, my new home was a four-floor walk up. It made getting my dresser, chair, bed, etc. up the non-air-conditioned building and into my room an exercise in patience. My mother and I complained with every step as we tested how much heat and weight a human body can stand before it gives out. While my mother and I struggled to bring up odds and ends, dismantling furniture in the hopes it would ease our climb, Gram was barely breaking a sweat. She probably did the same (if not more) work than my mother and I combined.

She also came prepared, having bought me cleaning supplies and a vacuum. Knowing that I am domestically challenged, she made sure to explain the different kinds of cleaners, and demonstrated how to use them. After we settled things as best we could, we realized it was midway through the afternoon, and everyone was starving. Though our hunger was present, our exhaustion dictated that if we were going to find a place to eat, we would need to go somewhere nearby. Hot, tired, and ready to devour the first edible thing we came across, three generations of Thomas family women trekked a block south to ‘Inoteca. It ended up being the perfect choice.

The majority of the menu was in Italian so my grandma impressed everyone with her bi-lingual skills. And our inability to decide on one item from the menu wasn’t a problem, as we were able to split several different dishes including some incredible bruschetta. Although ‘Inoteca isn’t the cheapest of places, you can use the coupon featured below to get a great discount.

When family visits, sharing a meal can be difficult if you have some picky eaters in your group. It’s nice to have a few go-to places that you can always suggest. And whenever you can use a student discount, you will probably get bonus points with your family. Not to mention, they may be more inclined to slip you a $20 when they depart, as Gram did before she and Mom headed back home.

-Alex Agahigian-

I have lots of other things to say

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Rehashing a Music Debate, or: Someone Stole My iPod

June 28th, 2011

music is my boyfriend, music is my girlfriend

In the uplifting whirlwind of my past week (I signed a lease!  I locked down another job!  My parents came to persuade me to go home to North Carolina, and they failed!), I’ve suddenly found myself in another slump, and one that I would’ve expected after I moved to New York, not before: two days ago, someone stole my phone and iPod from my makeshift bedside table while I was walking my friend out to his car.  I’m a txting junkie, so the loss of the phone was, of course, a blow, but what hit me more was the iPod theft.  I love music.  All my friends love music.  We snobbishly listen to our music on big DJ headphones and tweet Starfucker lyrics with #STRFCKR.  At least once a summer I listen to Abbey Road on vinyl with them.  Yeah, I’m one of those people.  I wear v-necks and neon and sunglasses indoors—especially at night.

I Skyped my parents (praise to the Internet for existing), and they reactivated my old phone with the T9 keypad and sticky battery pack and Fedexed it to me (it arrives this morning.  I’m anxiously awaiting the email from my campus mailing center).  So the phone situation is almost fixed.  Now for the iPod.  What to do in this age of music, when losing your mp3 player sentences you to dull, loud train rides and awkward eavesdropping on the subway?  Not to mention, that’s at least 24 gigs of essential music that I’ve painstakingly ripped and downloaded that I’ll have to sync to another iPod… when I can afford one that can store the vast amounts of 320 kbps files that I’ve organized on my external HD.

But enough obnoxious audiophile talk—or maybe not.  The last time my iPod went on the fritz, I was in high school, and I put everything on CDs and wandered around with an old school DiscMan, switching out CD for CD at every opportunity.  It was kind of a drag.  CDs take up space, the DiskMan takes up space, no matter how many mixes I made I’d always want to listen to a song on a different CD next, I couldn’t see the album art, etc.  This time, I’m far from my backup DiskMan and giant case of CDs (both bought and burned).  I have to resort to opening my laptop just to have something playing while I read, clean or pack.  And I’m beginning to notice, perhaps with my snobbily developed ear, that some of my favorite songs are showing signs of wear.  I hadn’t ripped them in lossless FLAC form, or I’d opted for the smaller 128 kbps file size, and now I could tell: there were gaps in the music, in some of the instrumental layers, that flickered or shorted out completely as the song played on.  On other songs, the sound modulated from left to right, but never in true stereo.  I know, I know.  The horror, the imperfect quality of my music!  And how could I fix this, if I didn’t have the original CDs I’d ripped them all from!?  (I could replace them quickly, but I have a personal squick about buying music from iTunes.  It has everything to do with the DRM and overall file quality and nothing to do with the pirate-revulsion at paying for music.  Let’s not get into the debate on piracy, I don’t have enough words.)

And what was worse: how am I going to listen to these soiled tracks on my daily commute—by leaving my laptop open while I read some Bret Easton Ellis?  Don’t be absurd.  That takes up way too much space.  Only grownups open their laptops on the train, and that’s because they have spreadsheets to look at and Powerpoints to polish.  I’m just a student, a youth who doesn’t know how to go anywhere without something in my ears.  If only I had my Walkman and some sweet, CD-quality music piping in through my Klipsch headphones.

I’m not delusional about what this post is roundaboutly advocating.  The fight for physical music isn’t really much of a fight at all, and hasn’t been for a long time, with record stores inexorably losing ground to other dealers like Amazon, which offers non-DRM tracks and almost CD-level quality, and to the entire torrent culture, which can get you or anyone else with an internet connection the FLAC and portable-friendly 320 kbps (or even 192 kbps) versions of nearly any album for free in five minutes.  And admittedly, portable music itself pales when you listen to the same track on a more powerful machine like a laptop, desktop, or amp.  Honestly, vinyl wins the audiophile debate on every front.

But I’d still like to make the case for the humble CD, the technological link between big, fragile, warpable vinyl records and tiny pocket-sized, low-quality mp3 players.  A CD is solid.  It’s material, it takes up some space.  If you’ve bought it new from Best Buy or used from a record store like P-rex (near where I live right now), it doesn’t matter—it’s going to sound just as good in your CD player.  All the layers will be balanced, the bass will have the perfect, intended depth, and the highs will be crisp and clear.  And there’s so much art that goes into an album package: the cover art, the liner notes, the top of the CD itself.  There’s still something to be said for artists who release albums and not just a list of singles.  There’s still something to be said for the feeling of holding a CD and knowing that you own whatever tracks are on it.  If your computer crashes or your external HD reformats itself, you’re okay.  You have the original CD version, which is nicer to listen to anyway.  Plus, no one’s going to steal a five-year-old DiskMan and a six-pound CD case.

If you’re still the type to buy CDs or at least download tracks of CD quality (burn them onto actual CDs!  Burn them now!), then luckily for you and me there are still many record stores around the city that cater to our obsessive audiophilic needs.  While I’m still in New Jersey, I have P-Rex, which deals in many, many used CDs and records as well as blank CDs with enough storage for larger high-quality downloads.  In the city, though, I’ll probably head to Village Music World.  They’re not paying me to say that, they just have a $2 student discount off any CD, and I’m student-poor.  I already have to spend money on another DiskMan.

x
Robin

I tweet while I’m at work. I have yet to master hashtags.
My personal blog: a collection of music and other pop culture things I like.

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New York Attitude

June 28th, 2011

When you live in New York, it’s easy to forget about compassion. The Big Apple is known for many things: the diversity, the culture, the crowds, the cabs. But when you think about the city, compassion is usually not the first word that pops into your head. Perhaps loud or busy, but probably not sympathetic or understanding.

And that’s understandable. I mean, it’s easy to write all New Yorkers off as jerks just because a guy on the street shoved you around, or cursed you out, or that car driver blew past you riding the end of a yellow light. On a rainy day, the thought of New York City can conjure up the image of taxis splashing pedestrians with mucky puddle water, or bike riders unexpectedly flying out of traffic, headed straight at you.

Taking this mind set is not just overly pessimistic—it’s the easy way out. If you never let your guard down, then you’ll stay safe, right?

Wrong.

When I’m off in a different city, I try to rock the NYC attitude, I admit it—jaywalking like I’m late to meet Michelle Obama, giving cars obscene hand gestures when they piss me off—but I don’t think I could say that that too-cool New York scowl is a permanent fixture on the faces of our pedestrians. Since going on crutches three weeks ago, I’ve seen the faces of compassionate New York City workers popping up everywhere to give me a hand. In fact, one time a taxi driver just stopped for me without me having to hail him, to ask if I needed help, and conveniently enough, a taxi was just the help that I needed. When I’m hobbling around, everyone nearby suddenly becomes chivalrous: holding doors, stepping out of my way, providing directions to elevators, etc. Yes, there are the few who stay rude despite my condition, such as the bus driver who saw that I wanted to get on, but whose doors were already closed, and just shook his head and drove away, but I find these types of people are surprisingly few and far between in this city that’s supposedly known for its cold heart.

From my experiences over the past three weeks I’ve come to recognize the prevalence of the Fundamental Attribution Error, which is the tendency of people to underestimate the impact of situational factors in other people’s behavior, and at the same time overestimate the influence of dispositional factors on their actions. In other words, we often automatically attribute bad features to a person when they do something improper instead of considering their story, their perspective, in explaining why they might have done so. When I have a brace on my foot and crutches under my arms, people shed their Fundamental Attribution Error tendencies because they can directly see my back-story, or at least get an idea of it, and why it’s causing me to act the way I am.

I think that if all New Yorkers (and everyone else) were to start recognizing that every individual has a unique personal experience that leads them to take the actions that they do, we can create more compassion throughout the city, and that would be a great thing. If people could start taking down the NYC-guard that they’ve built up around themselves, the city could be a much nicer place to live.

/elizabeth Kaleko

Image from: www.lovingthelittlethings.com

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Beyoncé: 4 Album Review

June 28th, 2011

Beyoncé Knowles’ fourth studio release, aptly titled 4, hits shelves this week. Beyoncé has been hard at work since her last album release. Her productivity has been cited as “overwhelming” to Columbia, her record label. Beyoncé continues to be one of the most talented and hardest-working singers in the world. It is because of this fact that fans are sure to be pleased with her latest project.

The album opens with a beautiful number in ‘1+1’, a ballad that finds Beyoncé crooning in a way other artists simply can’t (and at times maybe in ways others don’t want to). What’s impressive, however, is the soulful feel that the track possesses. Beyoncé delivers real R&B, or what today’s popular radio stations have made old R&B. ‘I Care’ takes a turn towards showcasing Beyoncé’s vocal intensity while still being a meaningful song with old-school production value as the drums boom and the synth keys vibe.

The third song, ‘I Miss You’, changes the pace without changing how enjoyable the album is. The song feels sappy because of simplistic production and generic lyrics. Anyone could have performed this song and have made it decent, but as Beyoncé often does, she makes it her own. From here, we move into one of the singles of the album ‘Best Thing I Never Had.’ Though it has pop appeal, there’s more to this song than meets the ear. It’s radio-friendly, but still manages to contain a wealth of compositional appeal with unwavering piano play and significant lyrics.

Beyonce

Beyoncé's '4' deluxe edition album cover.

At this point, 4 takes a hip-hop intermission with ‘Party’. Accompanied by Kanye West and Andre 3000, Beyoncé does nothing special, allowing doubled vocals to fill out the simple-but-effective ‘Ye produced beat. Keeping in line with the album’s old-school appeal, however, the beat samples Slick Rick’s ‘La Di Da Di’ and sounds more like a classic rap party jam than today’s club-centric rap music.

Next on the agenda is ‘Rather Die Young’, debatably Beyoncé’s finest moment on 4. It includes everything we expect from Beyoncé vocally and continues to back-track through musical generations compositionally, sounding very inspired by The Supremes, particularly during the chorus. Then there is ‘Start Over’, the first song that doesn’t possess the same classic influence as everything else on the album thus far. Beyoncé attempts to make-up for this with a high-volume performance which you can hear here.

The volume doesn’t turn down as 4 presents us with ‘Love On Top’. This is a very fun song and once again very throwback R&B melodically. The album stays fun and light with ‘Countdown’, a track laden with brass horns, prominent percussion and even steel drums. Also very interesting is the “countdown” chorus that goes, “My baby is a 10/We dressing through the 9/He pick me up in 8/Make me feel so lucky 7/He kiss me in his 6/We be making love in 5/Still the one I do this 4/I’m trying to make a 3/From that 2/He still the 1.” The horns don’t disappear as the album continues with ‘End Of Time’. The song has a repetitive chorus and doesn’t stand out vocally, but it keeps the album balanced by maintaining the fun, fast-paced attitude that characterizes the middle of 4.

Beyoncé delivers a strong finale with ‘I Was Here’. Though emotional in its own right, it lacks something that the rest of the ballads on 4 seem to own: uniqueness, classical influence and a bit of experimentation. ‘I Was Here’ is very by-the-book and though an excellent way to wrap things up, not quite a show-stopper.

Ironically enough, the show doesn’t stop with ‘I Was Here.’ For whatever reason, ‘Run The World (Girls)’, a song that would fit better with the up-tempo middle section of the album, appears as the final track on 4. If ‘Run The World’ needed to remain last, ‘I Was Here’ should have been moved to better serve the continuity of the album that way it could really go out with a bang.

Overall, fans of Beyoncé and fans of R&B will be very pleased and pleasantly surprised considering the fact that the singles used to promote the album don’t highlight the things that really make 4 an impressive body of work.

–Christopher Cusack, Hofstra University

Photo Credit: © Copyright Columbia Records – 2011

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Posted in onEntertainment, onMusic, Reviews | 1 Comment »

When the price of pizza can become a problem

June 27th, 2011

Ever since I can remember, I’ve loved pizza.  Like most everyone that I know, I love pizza with all my heart, soul, and taste buds, and it’s been a staple of my diet for pretty much my whole life.  My taste for a good slice has grown up with me, and long gone are the days of my childhood when I ate solely cheese pizza, and wouldn’t deign to eat the crust, no matter how hungry I was.  But with a more sophisticated pizza palate comes certain demands on the wallet that can become, well, demanding.

That's what I'm talkin' about

When I moved to New York to start going to college, I became acquainted with some of the city’s finest slices, and despite the onerous price of a simple slice from a top-notch NYC pizza place, my constitutional love and need for pizza obliges me to grab a couple at least every few days.  As New Yorkers know well, when it comes to pizza (and everything else) the city simply has the best. I like to try new places, but above all others, my favorite slice comes from Joe’s on Sixth Ave, across from Minetta Lane.  A slice from Joe’s is huge and thin, with melted mozzarella sitting on top of a delicious sweet tomato sauce, always fresh from the oven due to the spot’s brisk business, and it’s basically my ideal slice.  I love Joe’s pizza with or without a little extra parmesan or red pepper, at lunchtime or late night (open until 4 a.m.!).  The only problem with my devotion to Joe’s pizza is the price.  At $2.75 per slice of plain cheese, Joe’s is not exactly cost-effective.

Which brings me to the other best thing about eating in New York.  In addition to offering the best of the best, the city has more pizza places than anyone could ever try, among them a number of places that sell dollar slices.  With a steady diet of slices that cost only a dollar, even the most cash-strapped pizza lover can indulge his every craving.  Of these cheap pizza paradises, the best and certainly best known is 2 Bros’, which just opened a second storefront a couple doors down from the original on St. Mark’s, between Third and Second Aves.  At 2 Bros’, you can find a line that ranges from a few people to a small mob, depending on the time of day.  But no matter how many people are on line, you will get to the front in less than five minutes, since 2 Bros’ has perfected the science of express pizza.  The fleetest fast food joint can only hang its head in shame at the speed of 2 Bros’, where there are generally more pizzas than you can count in various stages of preparation behind the counter, and one can see three or four customers served at the sole register in under a single minute.  And most importantly, 2 Bros’ meal deal of two slices and a soda costs the same $2.75 as a single slice at Joe’s.

For a pizza lover/borderline addict like myself, satisfying my pizza needs without spending too much cash comes down to compromise.  My inner connoisseur wants to get a fancy slice every time, without worrying about the price.  But in the end it’s not worth devoting too much budget space to pizza, especially when it can be an every-other-day habit.  So when I’m nearby, have some time, and it makes sense, I head to Joe’s.  When I’m in a rush, have been spending too much lately, or went to Joe’s the day before, I go to 2 Bros’.  And when I want something new, I try one of the city’s other eight million pizza places.

—Aaron Brown

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Posted in Cheap Eats, onFood, onValues, Restaurant Reviews | 3 Comments »

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