Central Park Summer Fun

June 16th, 2011

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

Shows in Manhattan:

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

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

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

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

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

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

Shows in Queens:

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

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

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

Shows in Brooklyn:

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

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

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

Shows in Staten Island:

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

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

Shows in The Bronx:

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

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

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

Jackie Aqel

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Inner Peace at the Crossroads of the World

June 16th, 2011
Mind Over Madness Yoga

Yoga lovers exercise in the middle of Times Square

For the residents and tourists of New York who have been to Times Square, you know how busy it can be. Or rather, how busy it always is. The bright lights, the honking of horns, the crowd, the noise… you get the picture. But what if you could be in the middle of Times Square amidst the noise and commotion, yet be completely separate and away from it at the same time? That is the mission that three yoga instructors set out to accomplish during this year’s summer solstice.

On Tuesday June 21st, Mind Over Madness Yoga will commence in between 45th and 47th Streets in the pedestrian plaza along Broadway. Nicole Nichols, Patrick Lynch and Douglass Stewart, three yoga instructors from local yoga studios, will lead an all-day yoga exercise event (separated into different sessions) in the middle of Times Square. This will be the 10th annual Mind Over Madness celebration welcoming the solstice.

All levels of yoga students are encouraged to come take part in this incredible event. If you want to be a part of Mind Over Madness, you do have to register by clicking here. Spots are limited and participants are limited to one session for the day, so those who are interested in participating should check it out now. There are four different sessions that run starting at 7:30 A.M. and ending at 7:30 P.M. Check-in for these sessions is located at Broadway and 48th Street (remember, register first!). Admission for the sessions is free.

As for those of us who don’t participate in yoga, if you are interested in seeing it in full force in the world’s busiest intersection, I recommend a visit to Times Square this Tuesday to check out the festivities. Take photos, watch the participants and instructors, and take an interest in what they are striving for on the longest day of the year.

The summer solstice is an event regarded in many different cultures as a period of rebirth or renewal for one’s body and one’s mind. Interestingly enough, the word “solstice” is derived from two Latin words, each meaning “sun” and “to stand still.” So, seeing yoga lovers come together in one of the world’s busiest commercial regions in an attempt to bring calmness and stillness to themselves and those around them under the lengthy gaze of our sun should be a spectacle to behold.

–Christopher Cusack, Hofstra University

Photo Credit: Adam Pantozzi

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Great Expectations

June 15th, 2011

Train platforms are where NYC commuter college students wait for trains that serve as vessels to higher education enlightenment.

I feel for most of my life that I’ve been anticipating the grand event of attending college. Barely out of elementary school and still I would speak to any adult willing to listen about what institution of higher education I’d like to attend and what my major in college would be. Every year my top choice school would change as well as the major along with the career I truly thought I’d pursue.  Today I know that I was not meant to be a veterinarian no matter how much my nine-year-old self would like to argue otherwise. I really hope time machines are not invented anytime soon for my own safety and benefit. I also now know that you don’t have to attend an Ivy League school to develop into a successful individual.  It is not the name of your college that determines your future, the work and effort you put in is what makes your own name all the more valuable.

It is common for college to not meet your expectations, this is especially the case when you attend a commuter college like I do, but that doesn’t necessarily mean it will be a bad experience. It will be different from what you imagined for many people, not for all.  However, different can translate to good I’ve learned. My image of college as a kid was deeply concentrated in the mirage reciprocated to me by the media. Attending a commuter college is like being thrown into a dry desert alone and searching for an oasis. At first I was angry with myself for choosing a college that wasn’t meeting my expectations, but gradually I realized they were biased ones. Yes, attending a commuter college is rather different from the experience of my friends who attend schools like Northeastern and just about every SUNY College, but there is something rewarding about knowing I can handle the trials and tribulations of a commuting college student. I can deal with the stress of chaotic commutes, now know New York City like the back of my hand, and juggle a part-time job in the mix as well. This is not easy, yet I find it helpful because it’s a realistic experience unlike the typical college setting.  The commuter college is representative of the real world where life’s necessities aren’t catered to you personally; you yourself must go out and get them.

Don’t get me wrong it’s not only hard work because that would be plain depressing! Attending a commuter college means I have access to the fun and great eats that can be found in surrounding neighborhoods. I personally think the subway is tons more magical than that closet entrance to Narnia. Also, there are great places to eat and see by walking distance too, like Papou’s Pizza. I didn’t expect my college experience to involve falling in love with the hustle and bustle of New York City. I enjoy the fast pace and do-it-yourself attitude about the commuter lifestyle. It’s not what I expected but I’ve learned to adapt. And that’s a necessity in a world where the survival of the fittest theory reigns true in every realm. I plan on surviving because my commuting student experience has taught me to do just that. But again, I really do hope that time machine isn’t anywhere near finished.

Anjelica LaFurno

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Everything I Learned in Life, I Learned From Gaming

June 15th, 2011

If you don't stand in fire in game, why would you do it in real life?

After all the years of schooling, careful parenting, and going to (and dozing off in) church, it turns out that all of my life lessons ended up coming from video games. Aside from the usual “don’t stand in fire” and “turtles are jerks,” there have been more than a few jarring epiphanies leading to advice that helped me immensely in academics, work, and social life. Feeling skeptical?

1. If I want something done and done right, I have to do it myself.

I learned this while raiding in World of Warcraft (read: playing with 10-25 people at the same time to solve intricate battles). Sure, I had to trust my team and work as a cohesive group from week to week, but when it came to killing a rogue monster or fearing it away, I learned not to wait for someone else to do it while the leader yelled that we were going to die.

This advice has worked for me in real life, too. At a job, all of the employees work together toward a common goal, whether it’s customer service, meeting a deadline, or building something. But if it’s a choice between focusing on my job and letting something important in the office not get done, and taking a few minutes out of my time to ensure the continued smooth operation of the workplace, I tend to choose to take initiative for the good of the team as long as I’m not neglecting my own duties.

2. If I don’t work towards fulfilling dreams and life goals, I will eventually go crazy.

The original The Sims games were great, but when The Sims 2 introduced the aspirations system, it became a work of microcosmic genius. Fulfilling minor wants like kissing a significant other or gaining skills improved one’s mood, which in turn gave the extra boost required to do jobs well. What really spoke to me was the “Lifetime Want,” a life goal that, once achieved, would put a character in a perpetual good mood state for the rest of its virtual life.

And when a Sim went through day after day not fulfilling any of its desires, the poor thing would actually get depressed, sob randomly, and eventually have to see a shrink. It’s like the Sim is me! I could spend the rest of my life getting by with achieving minor wants, or I could set a (realistic) life goal and work towards a more lasting happiness. Oh the choices in the life a Sim… er… human.

Another thing I learned from The Sims was that ordering Chinese takeout and pizza is expensive and fattening, but that was a little less poignant. Be like a Sim and cook with your own groceries, and use the Campus Clipper coupon for Associated Supermarkets at the end of my post.

3. Some things are more important at certain times than other things.

Despite the confusing wording, this was a pretty harsh lesson for me. I used to sit at my computer playing games for so many hours a week, it was like a full-time job. Honestly, I still play a lot; it’s the hobby that I enjoy. But during the last couple years at my first university, video games were trumping every priority I previously had, including class, homework, and hanging out with the friends I used to see every week. It wasn’t until I dropped out of school and had to get a full-time job to support myself that I finally cut down on my gaming, because I didn’t have the money for it.

Above everything, the big lesson here was to manage my time. Now, I’m back in school, working part-time, and still playing video games a good deal, because I know that at certain points in the week/semester, assignments and exams will have priority, and at other times when I have a little room to slack off, I can hang out in my virtual world without guilt.

These “life lessons” may seem silly if one has already learned them from other, more traditional sources like parents and social interaction, but they are essentially the same, no matter what the source. It is a skill for people to be able to glean information from a variety of experiences and use it to grow. Whether someone is a gamer freak or a mountain climber, the world is waiting to be studied and learned from.

-Avia Dell’Oste.

Cross-posted to my blog RP Your Life!

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View From the Top

June 15th, 2011

I’ve spent a great deal of my life in NYC. My parents work together in the city and I would spend my summers traveling in with them to answer phones and play secretary for their company. After work everyday, my mother and I would go on adventures through the city and do all sorts of things. I’ve walked every street in Manhattan, seen Broadway shows, cheered at parades and walked through the museums. But what haven’t I done? Ventured into the Empire State Building, the very symbol of New York! When I realized that it was one of the few important places I haven’t visited in NYC, I decided to take action and buy tickets for my boyfriend and I to go.

Online tickets range from about $22.00 to $55.00 dollars for adults (ages 13-61) depending two factors. Firstly, there are two floors, the 86th and 102nd floor. You can see just the 86th floor for about $22.00 a person or bump up the price to $37.00 and see both floors. The second factor is the choice of waiting in line or buying express pass tickets that include both floors and allows you to cut the expected long lines for $55.00. Being a paranoid individual, and fearful that long lines would ruin the experience, I opt for the $55.00 tickets and decided to make them my Valentine’s Day present for my boyfriend.

The night of Valentine’s Day came and after dinner in a small Mediterranean restaurant in lower Manhattan (if you’re in the mood for Mediterranean, a closer option to the Empire State building for you could be Ole Kebab), I forced my boyfriend in a cab and told the driver “33rd and 5th please!” it was already 11:45 PM but since the Empire State Building’s Observatories closes at 2:00 AM (last elevator ride up is at 1:15 AM but you can stay till 2:00) we had plenty of time. When we got there the building was quiet and only had a few wanderers around. The man behind the front desk told us to take the escalator up the stairs and follow the signs. We went up and followed a maze of hallways! It was a long walk where it seemed lines would have formed. We got the front of the line immediately (express passes are definitely not necessary for late night visits!) and after walking through a metal detector, made it to the first elevator. Up to the 86th floor we went! When we got there, it was unbelievable. From up there you can see EVERYTHING. Even Brooklyn! All the lights reminded me of when you’re on a plane overlooking a city at night and everyone is fighting to look out the plane’s windows to see the city. It was magical and because it was Valentine’s Day, it was very romantic. There were only couples around us—which I’m sure isn’t normally the case. We ventured outside and because it was mid-February the wind was furious. As we turned the corners the wind would come from a different direction and we would scream and laugh and huddle together to fight against it as a unit. Then we went to the 102nd floor where it was amazing but there was no outside to go to so it wasn’t the same as looking out from the 86th floor. So as a struggling student without money to throw around, go experience the empire state building; just learn from my mistakes. Make sure to go at night when the tourist crowds have dispersed so you won’t need an express pass and if you’re really tight on money seeing just the 86th floor for a special occasion is worth the $20.00 on its own.

Jackie Aqel

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Avoiding Conflict at a Group Meal

June 15th, 2011

Nothing is more obnoxious at dinner than getting attacked for your food choices.

No matter how proud you are about your healthy eating choices, there are always a few people with whom, even if they claim to be understanding and open-minded, you would just rather not get into a heated debate. Usually, they are the type to easily start said heated debates without realizing they raised their voices, and before you know it, you wish you hadn’t even brought up the topic of climate change/political efficacy/favorite color at all.

Though you may not be able to avoid every potential “friendly intellectual discussion” they want to have, there are a few ways to at least circumvent frustrating situations while eating out with friends. First, when collectively deciding where to go for dinner, it’s best not to throw out suggestions that are obviously specialty restaurants. Even if the name gives no hint, once the group arrives there and sees that the menu has absolutely no meat on it, your friends could feel tricked. Since you would like others to accommodate your food choices, try to think of their preferences too. If you are trying to avoid gluten, suggest a restaurant that you know has gluten-free options. If you are a vegan, throw out names of places that you know will have food you can eat but also has meat and vegetarian dishes.

Of course, after going through all of the motions of democracy, you might end up at a restaurant you have never been to and didn’t have time to research their menu. If there’s one thing that might set off your opinionated friends into an unsolicited rant, it’s watching you take fifteen minutes to order because you’re asking your server for comprehensive lists of ingredients. But you’ve been to restaurants before, and the menus for certain ethnic cuisines are practically the same citywide. Once you’ve researched one restaurant and found which dishes are safe, you can assume to a degree for other places with similar styles. A little research into pasta types will let you know which kinds have eggs, and looking up traditional recipes for Japanese foods will let you know where soy can be hiding. This can cut down on the number of questions to ask the server and avoid placing a focus on you. Great places to try for big groups are Indian restaurants with their diverse meat and vegetarian options and choices of rice or bread. Use a Campus Clipper coupon to get 15% off on a weekend when you bring 4 people or more at Cuisine of India!

Even if your friends are aware of your dietary choices, they may forget in their attempts to be generous and offer you a bite of their order. Rather than going into the reasons why you can’t share their meal, a simple “No thanks. I’m good.” will suffice. To avoid further insistence, either immediately return to your previous conversation and/or return their action by offering them some of your food. Keep the dialogue going so that it doesn’t linger too long on the table and its trappings.

When all else fails and someone decides s/he really wants to talk about why you don’t eat dairy in an opinionated and gregarious manner, let him/her go through the spiel. Chances are s/he just wants to voice opinions about it, and whether or not you respond matters less than getting the rant out of his/her system. Even if you aren’t in the mood to debate, other people might want to jump into the discussion, which will take the pressure off of you to be the sole interlocutor. If you are in a group setting, the rest of your party most likely wants the same thing you do: to hang out with friends while eating good food and having lively conversation with more laughs than speeches. If you’ve picked the right friends, they won’t let one person gang up on you or bring everyone else down.

-Avia Dell’Oste.

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How to Manage Your Time For… Gaming?

June 15th, 2011

Can I go to class now, please?

PC gamers and console junkies alike can attest to not only the increasingly social nature of video games, but also the greater acceptance of gaming as a group activity since the first Xbox came with internet capability. While party games like Mario Kart were always popular and took advantage of the fact that people hanging out together required entertainment, classic and modern MMOs (massively multiplayer online games) like World of Warcraft and console games like Halo and Call of Duty call on people from all over the country and all walks of life to organize and play together. For college students, this means fitting gaming into a schedule, just like class or work, and keeping up with the demands of other players who might not be as busy, which can be difficult and frustrating. After all, no one wants to be left behind by his/her friends, even ones that are strictly online.

If you are getting into online gaming or have been gaming for years and are having trouble keeping up now that you’re in college, here are some tips to keep your head afloat in both work and play. Just like schoolwork, online game obligations can take up a lot of time, so it should be managed and incorporated into realistic schedules that don’t overlap with each other. For example, each semester, I look at my class schedule and syllabi and note which nights (or mornings, if you do your best work early in the day) that I know I will have something school-related to do, like weekly response papers that are due every Thursday and Calculus homework due every other Tuesday. Since it’s important to do assignments well and on time, Mondays and Wednesdays would be my days that I need a few hours just for studying.

Then I look at my gaming schedule. It might be weird to hear about someone having appointments for gaming, but when other players depend on you, it’s important to be on time for them like you’re on time for class (hopefully). If my clan/guild/group likes to play together from 9pm-12am on Wednesdays and Saturdays, I should make sure that whatever assignments I have to do on Wednesday gets done before 9. Many guilds on World of Warcraft raid in the middle of the week, so Sundays are great for doing all of the major assignments you know you won’t have time for on Tuesdays. Games that require load times or other periodic breaks are good for doing required reading though the frequent interruptions are less ideal for math or science problems or anything that requires an extended thought process.

When you’re having trouble managing your time because you procrastinate over deciding whether to play or write a paper, you may have to reassess your self-control. If doing work ahead of time isn’t a possibility because you don’t have the discipline, it might be a good idea to switch clans to one that plays only on the weekends, be involved with a smaller number of games, or play the games more casually, i.e. single-player instead of in a group. Despite wanting to prove to ourselves that we have the ability to do everything by sheer will power, it isn’t always realistic. Admitting one’s flaws and rearranging our schedules to account for procrastination is better than making idealistic plans and not getting the work done at all.

No matter how well you manage your time, finals week is always a difficult strain on your already packed schedule. But not everyone in your clan or guild is unemployed or a housewife, and it has always been my experience that when I take time off for finals, plenty of other players are doing the same, even guild leaders. Explain to them which days you will be missing and why. If it’s the kind of guild that requires 100% attendance, it isn’t a good fit for a student anyway since no matter how important your clan is, it’s not worth failing your classes for. Find a comfortable balance between your school and social gaming obligations, but always makes sure it tips a little to the school side.

And with all that time sitting at your computer or console, make sure to eat! Check out this awesome coupon for Whole Foods Market that lets you get all the ingredients for peanut butter and jelly sandwiches for some sweet gaming fuel at a discount.

-Avia Dell’Oste.

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Clicking for Change

June 15th, 2011

Is it possible to make change with the mere click of a mouse? Social media has forever changed the image of the socially conscious individual. The political uprisings this past spring in the Middle East and North Africa prove this to be true. If it were not for sites like Facebook and Twitter these revolutions would not have had the global awareness and impact that they did. The ability to connect through these tools has become an essential agent to making a difference in the world.

As a freshman in college you can at first feel very small (I know I did) and so very far away from what’s going on in the rest of the world, yet social media has filled this gap permanently. It is important to note that the most effective way of making a difference is by getting out there but for college students it’s easier said then done to just drop everything. This is why it’s important to educate oneself with world events documented via Facebook pages and tweets because it’s a step closer to being a worldly individual, also, in today’s world we are all so much more capable to be just that. Social media is in a way amateur journalism because the crises experienced around the world are related directly by the most legitimate source: the people who experience such events.
During the uprisings of Spring 2011 I realized this was the first time in my nineteen years I was conscious of revolution and also saw what it looked like. To be honest, revolution for most of my life equated to what I read in American history textbooks and The Beatles White Album. A perfect example of how interconnected the world is today is reflected in my own experience this past spring. I followed the protests in Iran via facebook pages like 25 Bahman, which aims to bring to light the plight of the Iranian people under the illegitimate rule of President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. The fact that an average NYC college student like me could experience this on what is meant to be a social networking site shows how social awareness has changed immensely. On this particular Facebook page videos uploaded by Iranian protesters documenting police brutality and updates of progress as well as setbacks. The majority of global outreach by way of social media involved the youth of such troubled nations like Egypt, Yemen, Iran, and Bahrain. College students essentially ran this youth revolution; social media was such an effective tool, Hosni Mubarak of Egypt and Ali Abdullah Saleh of Yemen were forced to resign from their Presidential posts. Internet can serve as a catalyst for change and that’s why it’s such an immense threat to foreign dictators. An example of this is China’s censorship of Google. President Obama and Hilary Clinton have both addressed that Internet usage should be encouraged globally and it’s an attack on individual rights to disallow Internet connection to the masses of a nation. The fact that not everyone is allowed  internet access makes it only more valuable and something to be greatly appreciated.

The revolution brought to you by Facebook.

If foreign college students can oust Presidents by mass text (Honduras ex-President Manuel Zelaya), organize protests on facebook, and update the entire world better than CNN can by way of tweets, than NYC students are just as capable of making change for causes relevant to their lives. In high school I created a facebook event promoting a local protest of a hate crime that took place in my own Queens neighborhood. Facebook made it exceptionally easier for me to reach a great number of people to bring about awareness for LGBT acceptance. My first experience with activism was rooted in facebook messaging and its endpoint for me was handing out anti-hate fliers at a televised protest, which you can do too if you stop by the Advanced Copy Center. The first step to being socially conscious is to make yourself aware, so I suggest following foreign facebook pages, twitter accounts, and blogs to keep yourself up to date with world events. This is a good addition to reading both national and foreign news publications. There are also several websites out there informative about how you can help and where, even if it’s just by clicking a mouse. For example, www.change.org is a website that allows people to electronically sign petitions for free as an aid for social change. These petitions are for just about every cause imaginable, like the public support for Saudi women to drive. All it takes is just one click for a better world! Social media and the internet have infiltrated the realm of civic duty and that’s a good thing considering you’re reading this on the internet this very moment.

Anjelica LaFurno

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Students Can Afford to Watch Broadway Shows, Too

June 14th, 2011

We all know that Broadway shows can be very expensive. But that does not mean that the pleasure of witnessing some of the world’s finest theatrical works has to be out of reach for average students. In an effort to encourage the younger audience to attend the shows, the theater companies offer a variety of discounts.

For instance, anyone between the ages of 18 and 35 can simply call HIPTIX at 212-719-1300 and join for free. Members can buy tickets to the Roundabout theatre productions for only $22, including fees. Each member may only purchase two tickets at a time and the person you are buying the ticket for will also have to be between the ages of 18 and 35. The shows include The Importance of Being Earnest, which is a really good deal as the regular tickets for the play start at $102. You can also buy tickets for Anything Goes amongst other Roundabout productions through HIPTIX. Membership may also get you invitations to after parties where you can mingle with fellow theater lovers.

Schooltix also offers discounts to various shows, including Phantom of the Opera! The cheapest ticket with this discount for Broadway’s longest running show is $26, and even though these tickets are for the rear mezzanine, it beats having to get standing room only tickets, which is the only type of rush tickets for Phantom. The discounts vary from show to show and may also depend on the seats. Other Broadway discounts include shows such as Catch Me If You Can, Chicago, Mary Poppins, Rock of Ages, and Mamma Mia!

You can also sign up with Playbill, free of charge, and receive 10%-50% discounts on Broadway, off-Broadway, Opera, Restaurants and Hotels.

Bushra Tawhid

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A Beginners Guide to Willyburg!

June 14th, 2011

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

1. Eat Something Sweet

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

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

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

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

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

2. Enjoy the Great Outdoors

McCarren Park is a nice retreat from urban nuisances.

-McCarren Park
780 Lorimer Street
Brooklyn, NY 11211

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

3. Check Out Cool Sounds

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

-Sound Fix
44 Berry Street
Brooklyn, NY 11211

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

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

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

-Earwax Records
218 Bedford Avenue
Brooklyn, NY 11211

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

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

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

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

5. Experience Live Music

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

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

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

Anjelica LaFurno

Visit my tumblr here

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

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Posted in onEntertainment, onFood, onSavings, Out On The Town, Outside Manhattan | 1 Comment »

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