A Few Words of Introduction

May 21st, 2012

My dad has always been a big film buff. You could say that’s been passed down, definitely in my upbringing, though possibly genetically as well. I watched Disney when I was younger just like any other kid, but then there were the others–Cinema Paradiso, Zorba the Greek, basically the complete works of Jack Lemmon–not your standard childhood viewing. Back then I’d start protesting as soon as he put in the VHS and I noticed that the movie was in black and white. This was a sure sign of heavy themes and thought-provoking commentary on the human condition.  What kind of kid wants to have to think when he’s watching a movie? But years later, I look back on those grainy black and white films and I know beyond a shadow of a doubt that they’re the reason I don’t spend weekends watching Michael Bay movies. I think I would have liked cinema regardless of my upbringing, but I’ve got my dad to thank for having some semblance of taste.

Did I introduce myself? My name is Andres Oliver. I’m a 21-year-old student at Emory University majoring in creative writing and Japanese, and this summer I’ll be doing movie reviews for The Campus Clipper. This means my film likes and dislikes will be out there for the world to read, discuss, and quite possibly debate hotly over dinner, creating new friends of enemies and tearing families apart. Ok, I’ll tone it down. I love movies, but this is the first time I’ve been given free rein to comment upon them in a public space, so forgive me if I get a little carried away. Some of my favorite films include Blade Runner, Once Upon a Time in the West, The Lord of the Rings trilogy, and Sleuth. I’ll be covering recent films as well as some of the older ones that might not be as familiar to college students. There’s a lot of material to pick out–race relations, gender portrayals, violence and profanity–and I’ll be doing the picking. Look forward to a summer’s worth of material

Andres Oliver, Emory University
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Pursuing a Musical Dream

May 16th, 2012

It’s not often that college students get to spend their free time producing Hip-Hop beats for famous artists.  However, when Kenny Blum, who produces under the name Kenny Beat, is not in class, he is likely in the studio focusing on his musical talents.

For Kenny, a student at Berklee College of Music, music has always been a major part of his life.  Kenny originally began producing music his sophomore year of high school, and began to take music production seriously after placing second in a nation wide competition for students.  Kenny’s decision to pursue music as a serious career has turned out to be a great decision, as he has already produced tracks for numerous artists such as Kendrick Lamar, Smoke DZA and Dom Kennedy.

Kenny’s brief rise to critical acclaim serves as a great source of inspiration for all students looking to pursue their talent.  At under 21, Kenny has already been able to receive tremendous credit from the media.  As made clear by Kenny, anyone who seriously dedicates themselves to fulfilling their dream has the chance of making it in their industry.

If you are looking to follow a similar path as Kenny, be sure to stay musically focused.  For some inspiration, check out Kenny Beats’ Twitter page at @kennybeats or his website, kennybeats.com

For anyone interested in music, the following coupons are now available for use at Karaoke Boho in NYC:

Michael Turzilli, Quinnipiac University
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Jackson Diner: Yes I want Indian food for cheap

May 4th, 2012
I love Indian food. The mixture of herbs and spices excite my tastebuds in ways that normal American food cannot even hope to compare. So what if you smell like curry afterwards? The wonderful spicy flavors and marinated meats are worth it. However, Indian food is typically on the pricey side. The places I have visited before have a minimum of $20 per dish. Though the food is superb, as a college student I cannot afford that. Which brings me to my latest find: Jackson Diner.
Jackson Diner Cheap Indian Food

Welcome to Jackson Diner!

An Indian Buffet at lunch time, this might make you think that the food quality would be less. Even I did not expect too much at first. Maybe it would surpass the quality of Chinese buffets, but would it reach restaurant quality for only $11?

I could only find out by trying it out.

Entering Jackson Diner I noticed they have a color theme of red and brown. The outside of the restaurant is misleading. While it seems cheap with plastic looking red doors and signs promoting their Indian Buffet, the inside is full of rich browns and little red accents. The buffet is to your right, the bar to our right. Along the walls you see chimes, sculptures, and other cultural art pieces. Looking closer to these pieces you can see how much work went into their tiny metallic details or wood cut images. The buffet is an interesting experience in itself. Lining the wall are insets containing cultural artworks. A glistening green almost mosaic centers the buffet section with art pieces and statues in square insets to it’s left and right. The owner Mr. Singh is a sweet man. He explained how he purchased all the pieces personally from India. In a bustling place like this I felt that the artwork could be overlooked. Coming from a family of artists and craft dabblers, the delicate details caught my eye.

While picking your buffet dishes to the background music of Bollywood songs and people chatting, mostly Indian but there are plenty of non- Indian customers as well; they have grouped the dishes from a straight line towards the entrance, the first half being vegetarian and the latter half being the meat section. At the very end is salad and rice pudding. A very simple, thoughtful and efficient presentation.

The best thing about a buffet is that if you do not know what to get you can just settle for a little bit of everything. First plate was rice, with tandoori chicken, chicken tiki marsala, cabbage, Curry Pakoda, and salad. They also give you unlimited naan and water. As colorful as the plate was it all surprisingly balanced each other out.

authentic Indian Food

A dish of many delicious wonders

The Naan was soft and just a little crispy at the edges. Just the way I like it. No cheap pita bread-like substances here.

The curry and chicken tiki marsala worked well with the rice. I would have liked a little bit of each on my fork and then follow it with a bit of cabbage. The cabbage was plain but had a slight flavor, as cabbage should. It balanced out the powerful flavors from the chicken dishes.

While people always say to me that they love Chicken Tiki Marsala what won me over was the Tandoori chicken. The deep red color led me to think it would be spicy but the level of spice was just enough to tease your tongue but not burn it. The chicken was tender and I could almost peel sections of it off because it was that well cooked. There was a bone in the center which usually turns me off but the bone was soft and broken. It was easy to take out and added to the chicken’s well cooked testament. I have gone to Italian restaurants that charge $15 dollars per dish (that being cheap) and was given dry unlovable chicken. For $11 I could have this Tandoori chicken all I wanted. Jackson Diner really impressed me.

The rice pudding was the last thing I had to try. I could find nothing wrong with it. Inside they had grapes and cashews, which added a very sweet touch.

The summary of my visit to Jackson Diner and trying out their $11 buffet: Great food. Great price. Lovely art pieces. Sweet Owner. I’m definitely coming back.

 

For more pictures and details on the food at the Jackson Diner check out my blog!

 

Sophia, Rochester Institute of Technology

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If it Ain’t Broke, Why Go Broke Buying A New One?

April 29th, 2012

I’m a person who eats, lives and breathes all things creative. Okay, maybe not eat because that’d be a bit odd but you get my point.
One of my creative indulgences has always been photography. Cameras, particularly the type I like to work with, aren’t exactly cheap. I currently own a Nikon D-60, which by 2012’s standards would be considered outdated. What are they up to now, the Nikon 25,000?
I’m joking of course, but Nikon has added a ton of new models to their line up since I first got my little D-60 about four years ago.

The little Nikon that could.

If you’re like me and enjoy the arts and photography in particular, you know that sometimes there is a need to keep up with the changing technology in photography, only if you’re a total tech head.

But if you indulge in the simple pleasure of creating art with a camera, there are tons of ways to tickle your every photographic whim while sticking to that college budget.

First, don’t go selling your car just to buy the latest camera model. You know for a fact that in another six months or so, the company is just going to release yet another, fancier version of the ‘latest’ model so don’t waste your money; it’ll only lead to heartbreak.

Instead of spending the money you originally planned on using to buy that new model, spend the money on pimping out the camera you currently have. For example, instead of buying a new camera for my little D-60, I instead opted to upgrade my lens. Now, my pictures are just as great as those that are taken with a D-5,000.

A new lens enhanced the quality of my photos for way less than the price of a new camera.

Another great way to further your endeavors in photography is to shop around vintage stores for old film cameras. If you have any knowledge of darkroom photography, this can be a great way to take your photography to the next level. In today’s tech savvy world, it’s rare to come across a photographer who actually knows how to work with film.

However, if you have no prior knowledge of film photography but have the time and patience to learn a new skill, buying a cheap, used film camera and learning on your own doesn’t hurt.
And what do you do if find yourself with a broken camera and face the temptation of filing for bankruptcy just to buy a fancy new camera?

Fix it! It’s way less expensive to fix a used camera then to buy a whole new one. However, if you truly want to buy a new camera, at least go through less expensive sellers like Ebay or Amazon rather than big name stores where they jack up the prices.

To save a bit of money getting that broken camera fixed, be sure to use this student discount and look for other student discounts when purchasing any electronic items. Remember, it never hurts to ask!

Janet, College of Saint Elizabeth, 2012

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Cabin in the Woods: You think you know the story?

April 23rd, 2012

 I saw the trailer for this movie a month ago and it started as any other horror movie would start: A bunch of young people going off into the woods only to later be murdered by some unknown monster. Typical and predictable. Then in the middle of the trailer words appear in an eerie white font, “You think you know the story?” and I thought to myself, “Yes, I do think I know the story but prove me wrong because now I am interested.” What they showed next was a mixture of flashing images of force fields, monsters, blood, people screaming, things twisting, stuff turning and finally what really won me over was the name of the writer: Joss Whedon.

I am a big fan of this man’s work. He wrote Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Angel, Firefly, and several X-men comics. He is a talented writer who can really perfect characterization and take typical concepts and twist them into an extraordinary experience. He also has a quirky and sometimes disturbing sense of humor.

Onto the movie itself, Cabin in the Woods was AMAZING. The movie tricks the audience into thinking they know what is going to happen and then the movie morphs out of your expectations creating an environment of thrills, suspense, and excitement. The movie switched between moments of complete comfort of knowing what was happening to the group of protagonists, moments of complete horror, and moments of oddly placed humor which adds to the disturbing effect Whedon creates so well.

The movie overwhelmed my expectations. Yes, a lot of parts of the movie seemed obvious such as the old man warning them that they won’t be able to get back, the characters being foolish enough to play with items and read out demonic latin words that lead to blood and sacrifice. Yes, that is a bit cliche  and not hard to predict. However, it is not a movie that takes itself seriously. It is fun and meant to play with the audience with its campy spirit. The acting and characterization were perfect and the twists either scared me (like they should have), shocked me, or a combination of the first two followed by spontaneous laughter or disbelief at what was going on.

Also, there is a suprise guest at the end, though not everyone would know or appreciate this addition.

I have come to a conclusion that Joss Whedon never dissapoints and that this movie is given the rating of AWESOME. Go see it for yourselves if you don’t believe me. Don’t look for spoilers though. That just ruins the entire movie.

For after movie munchies, remember to take advantage of student discounts and the great offers at Campus Clipper.

Sophia, Rochester Institute of Technology

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NY Tofu House: Yummy Tofu

April 13th, 2012

 

I’ve passed this place more times than I can imagine but have never actually went in. As a poor college student, I can’t afford nice Korean food. (Unless it’s Woorijip in K-Town). The green awning with its brightly lettered “NY TOFU HOUSE” just screamed, “You can’t afford this so just keep walking and wistfully glance back a few times.”

 But finally, I got a chance to visit this place. The front was empty when I walked into the restaurant but the back was where most of the customers were seated. It was cozy with wooden walls and warm lighting. I went in the afternoon around 3pm so there weren’t a lot of people and I received plenty of space and attention without noisy neighbors.

As soon as I sat down, I already felt at home. The dark wood tables were a lovely touch to the whole “cozy tofu house” feel. It didn’t take me long to order. I automatically knew I did not want my usual bulgogi or kalbi anything. Everytime I go to a Korean restaurant, the safest thing for me to order is the bulgogi. Seeing as this is a tofu house, I definitely had to order tofu. For the appetizer, I got the Monkey Balls (yes, because the name caught my attention) and the Seafood Jigae (or Tofu Stew).

While waiting I noticed that they had the most adorable chalkboard displaying their daily specials. I want a chalkboard in my house now.

The Side Dishes: Banchan

 

The banchan was three dishes instead of the usual five or six I have had at most restaurants. I’ve heard that Yelp reviewers were very dissapointed at this. Honestly, it didn’t bother me that much. I’ve gone to places that give you 5 little dishes and I’d only eat from 3 of them anyway because the others tasted a bit off. Though I really wished they had the potato salad one.

The salad was a pleasant little surprise for me. I expected it to have one of two typical sauces: either the usual orange sauce usually seen in Japanese restaurants or a bland diluted oil and vinegar sauce that tastes nothing short of a dish of leaves and water. Instead, this salad had some sort of peanut sauce that tasted surprsingly good with the salad. Lettuce never tasted so good that wasn’t in Caesar  or Italian.

On to the appetizer: THE MONKEY BALLS

 

Looked too good so I ate one before taking a picture.

 

I put this in caps because I am born in the year of the monkey in the Zodiac system and am partial to hilarious names involving monkeys and food. In other words, I couldn’t resist.  Tiny sized balls were presented before us on a plate. Fried, delicious and the slightly tangy yet spicy orange sauce drizzled on top made it almost perfect. My only problem was that there should have been more since the dish was a tad pricey in my book.

The yummy main dish: SEAFOOD JIGAE

 

A small little black pot of bubbling tofu and another pot of smoking rice. Such a cute pair. The tofu was mildly spicy (just the right amount spice and temperature for my sensitive taste buds). There were two shrimps (still shelled) and two clams. I did not mind the small amount, though I’d prefer my shrimp without the shell please. Unless that is some Korean tradition I am unaware of. The tofu stew itself had a nice light seafood flavor to it.

All done!

In short, I finished everything. Gone to very last drop of stew and bits of rice that I couldn’t scrape out of the bowl. The portions were perfect. I do not like coming out of a restaurant feeling over-stuffed and this left me feeling satisfied and warm. The waiters were friendly when I asked for water, rather than some places where waiters don’t even offer a smile.

A brief run down of NY Tofu House:

-Good food

-Good Portions

-Cozy environment

I would suggest lunch time personally since I don’t like overcrowded environments, but I do like it when the store has people in there. I hear they do not have their liquor license yet so sorry, no late night Korean food and booze gatherings (just the Korean food).

Also, I found that the stew was very well priced (around 8 bucks) but the Monkey Balls were more than a normal appetizer price.

Savings can be life savers. You can use this student discount to save money while enjoying your Korean food.

 You can never have too much delicious Korean food. 🙂

 

Sophia, Rochester Institute of Technology

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Voice Recorders

March 30th, 2012

I have always wanted to get my hands on a voice recorder, like the ones writers or reporters used in old movies for interviews. They seemed so handy and special, being able to hold tiny bits of moments in your life that you could replay. My sister got one yesterday for a meeting she wanted to record.

Not the exact model, but just as attractive!

This little guy wasn’t exactly cheap. With a price tag of $790, not only can it record, it also has usb compatibility, an extra micro sd slot (for more storage), can store up to 72 hours (or until the battery wore out), crisp clear recording sound and finally my favorite: different modes. These modes alter the recording to the type of room you were in such as a big auditorium or a close up conversation. It also has voice activation. Great for black mail. Joking!…or not…

Once my sister brought it home, we both started playing with it, testing out how well the sound played back when recording from different distances. It performed very well, even when I spoke softly a few feet away. This is truly a professional device, and worth all the money it cost.

So what can it be used for? Other than personal pranks and singing, it also can be used to interviews, meetings, lectures, possibly concerts (have yet to see how well it’ll record in a crowded booming room), or even daily settings when you want to record somewhere you have been. You can also record a song you hear somewhere and then turn it into an mp3 file when you get back to your laptop.

Electronics are amazing these days and what used to be a simple on and off fuzzy recording device is now a multi-purpose recorder, music player, and spy device (for fun of course. no harming anyone please!)

Now let’s say you don’t want a recorder because your phone/camera does everything you want anyway. For the future mishaps here is a student discount to help you out.

 

Sophia, Rochester Institute of Technology

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NYC The Official Guide

March 26th, 2012

With the arrival of Spring, also comes the innate urge to go out more and soak of the sunshine. However, not everyone can afford events. Believe it or not, there is always something free to do in  the city. A simple Internet search goes a long way.

NYC The Official Guide is just one site I came across that effectively dispalyed what I was looking for- free stuff to do. They have a weekly updated list of free events in New York City to help give ideas for things to do for the price of nothing ( except possibly a metrocard ride). For this week of March 21-27, though much of the events have passed, some are still going on.

Today March 26, Macy’s opens its flower show called Brasil: Gardens in Paradise. It will feature many beautiful, tropical flowers from the forests of Brasil. This will also be displayed outside of the Macy’s at Heral Square for pucblic viewing. Check it out for yourself. This exihibit will be up from March 25th to April 7th.

Another event is for art lovers out there. Lisa Lebofsky has her debut in a solo art show. Her ethereal artwork uses the interesting combination of pain on metal.  Her work will be displayed at the Milavev Hakimi Gallery from March 27 to March 31.

Of course there are always more free things to do that  are not quite as fancy but still enjoyable. Parks are beautiful places to lounge in, even between classes, during this season. The Farmer’s Market in Union Square allows you the chance to try samples of organic food as well as offering some delicious items for cheap if you look hard enough.

Cheap is the next best thing to free. Many places offer student discounts, so it never hurts to ask. Stores and restaurants near your school may do student discounts because of all the business potential they have being in close proximity to a university, so be sure to ask!

So save and have fun and remember to check around for free things to do. Not everyone has to spend $13 dollars for a movie ticket to entertain themselves.

 

Sophia, Rochester Institute of Technology

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Spring is Abloom with Sunshine

March 22nd, 2012

Spring is here!

The First Day of Spring, Tuesday, March 20th, was welcomed with a huge helping of sunshine and fresh air.  Spring kicked off earlier this year than in the past, meaning a brighter, warmer time for everyone this season.  I left for work this morning in a long sleeve floral print tee, tossing on a dark gray hoodie just in case, and was pleasantly surprised by the sudden shift in temperature in just a mere two days.  The weather dares me to slip into a pair of strappy sandals and rock the cat-eye sunglasses like a boss, a challenge I gracefully accept with the coming months of clear skies and occasional breezes.  I prepare to retire my favorite leather boots in favor of Rainbow flip flops, sandals that pile up in front of every Southern Californian’s door mat.

Quintessential Southern Californian

Biking around Central Park.  Watching the sun set over the East River.  Eating a not-quite-yet-defrosted ice cream sandwich in front of the Bethesda Fountain.  These are all the things I’ve done since winter has slyly slithered away with its tail tucked between its legs.  With the exception of the $4 ice cream brick, the newfound sun is promising.  The liberation from wooly socks is refreshing, as are the crisp breezes that send a chill through my fat stubby toes.  My sandals harbor no bitterness while they’ve been in storage for the winter months; in fact, I swear they hugged me when I took them out for a brisk walk to the market.  As confident as I felt, no pair of sandals is complete without a clean set of digits.

Vada Spa has got you covered with a full array of beauty services.  For beach babies looking to hit the waves, you can get a Brazilian or full leg wax special for just $18.  To top it off, get your toesies in shape with a pedicure for $18 as well; don’t forget that a hot shade of nail polish goes a long way on your toes!  These student savings are available on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays with your student ID.  Take advantage of the quickly-rising Spring heat with Campus Clipper student discounts today!

Go get your beauty on, girlfriend (or gentlemen.  Hey, even guys need a spa day)!

Angeline Dinh, Pepperdine University

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Bareburger

March 21st, 2012

New York might well be one of the best places in the world for food. The City has been the gateway to the USA for over a century with over a third of all Americans able to trace their ancestry through Ellis Island, and with such an astonishing mix of races and peoples from all over the world, diversity is the watchword in NYC. It’s no surprise that all these peoples kept their local cuisines going – many of them have managed to keep whole languages going!

With so much choice in food in New York, it can be hard keeping track of it all. You would certainly be forgiven for thinking that Pizza was devised here, the way it has taken hold… But the only, really, truly American food, has to be the humble hamburger, which like so much of US culture, seems to have gone on to dominate the World! Like all food that has found its way to New York, it seems to be popular, and there are now so many interesting hamburger restaurants and joints, and variations on the concept it can be impressive, if not rather overwhelming.

I had the pleasure recently to try one of the newest and more rapidly developing restaurants selling their own version of this timeless classic, Bareburger. After an initial start in Brooklyn, this small but rather excellent little chain is now franchising across the city. I had the pleasure of trying it at 85 2nd Ave along with my better half; Bottom Line Up Front: Tasty burger. Do you need to know more?

The restaurant itself is on a fairly quiet corner, a few blocks down from St Marks. It is a really bright space, decorated with a slight, modern twist on classic rural Americana – though the fork chandelier made me feel slightly wary! The service was quick, pleasant and very knowledgeable. The hamburgers themselves are close to a design-your-own set up, where you can specify the meat and the bun with selections including Beef, Turkey, Elk, Boar, Portabella Mushroom, Brioche Bun, Lettuce Wrap, Wheat Flour Wrap or a Multi-Grain Roll. Wanting to get the best comparison, I took a classic beef/roll combo, but I’ll have to return to try the Elk now…

A Classic American Feast!

Aside from the content, there is also the style to consider, with a further fourteen menu choices for your burger. I took the ‘Supreme’, while my date went for the Maple Bacon Cheeseburger. We were not disappointed at all. The presentation was really excellent and both burgers were juicy, tasty and different enough that we could be certain Bareburger has its own signature and style. The food came in the classic basket, with a simple bu t very effective selection of sides – we took the onion rings and fries. Even the beverages were organic, and my blueberry soda went really well with the whole meal, that unusual, organic edge of a healthy drink (without being so-called ‘health food’) perfectly complimenting the natural food.

Food Goes in Here

You do not get hamburgers in the UK like you do in New York, and I love them. I have a running list in my head of the top 5 places, but it just doesn’t seem like enough (or even reasonable to try and rank them!), and now I have another one to juggle in there. Bareburger has nine (soon to be ten) outlets across the City. If you like your hamburgers, if you like to support good organic food, and particularly if both, you need to check them out. We have a student discount coupon for you right here!

Dan
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