There’s a New Burger Joint in Town

July 18th, 2011

Over the last few years, one of the biggest trends in New York City eating has been the proliferation of restaurants that specialize in providing you with very tasty hamburgers. From Shake Shack (the way uptown one on 86th St.) to Goodburger (the way downtown one by Wall St.) to countless smaller places, burgers have come to mean far more than just a Big Mac or a soggy diner burger. The proprietors of this new generation of burger places don’t just want to feed you, or even just to feed you well––they want to show you that a hamburger can be a delicacy, even if it only costs seven (or ten or twelve) dollars and takes five minutes to prepare. To the many devotees of these tasty burgers, I’d like to introduce a new contender: Burger House, on Broadway between 11th St. and 12th St. 

Burger House opened its doors earlier this summer, and has been gaining in popularity among locals and the summertime students of nearby NYU and the New School ever since. It offers a unique take on the gourmet-yet-inexpensive burger craze, billing itself as a “zen grill.” But don’t worry: there are no gimmicks or overdone ambiance, just a wide selection of burgers and sandwiches and some crispy french fries. When it comes to decoration, Burger House keeps it simple, but the food shows no lack of imagination. As you can quickly tell from one of their sidewalk demonstrations, the chefs at Burger House take their work very, very seriously, and their creations are more than just another tasty burger or sandwich.

There is a breadth to the menu at Burger House that is almost startling, with a half dozen kinds of meat (or veggie) available on a burger. While many burger places might offer ten different burgers in the menu, usually the only thing separating the choices is toppings. But at Burger House, you can get bulgogi beef or shrimp meat on your bun, making their menu many times more complex and intriguing than that of the typical burger joint. There are also eleven sandwiches on offer, with just as many choices of filling as the burgers.

the savory, melty, tasty Kalbi Cheese Burger

But it’s not just the abundance of choice that makes Burger House special; the care and attention to detail paid on each dish is exceptional, and the burgers are also exceptionally tasty. The Kalbi Cheese Burger is especially delicious––its rib meat is sweet and savory and will melt in your mouth. The bulgogi beef is juicy and nicely textured, and not to be found at just any burger joint. And of course, for a burger place to be any good, the fries have got to be enjoyable, and I’m happy to report that those at Burger House make the grade: they’re freshly crispy, with a little crunch on the outside, and have some seasoning that gives them a nice flavor without overpowering the extra flavorful burgers.

Out of dozens of downtown burger places, there may be a new favorite to be found on Broadway behind an unassuming storefront and a simple name. Time will tell whether Burger House can build a big, dedicated fan base and prove itself to be the equal of the other popular burger joints in the area, but whether it becomes a landmark like Shake Shack or not, it has already contributed to the burger culture with a unique menu and some high quality food. If you’re interested in a burger unlike any you’ve ever had, I suggest you check it out.

[For the menu and more, visit the official website at http://www.burgerhousenyc.com/]

—Aaron Brown

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Wild Ginger: Pan-Asian Vegan Cuisine

July 15th, 2011

If you've never tried tempeh, this is the place to start loving it. Photo © Veganfriendly.com

For years, Wild Ginger in Soho was one of my favorite places to go for a vegetarian dinner even before I was vegan. Inside, the dining room is incredibly small, but unlike most other Manhattan restaurants, the management doesn’t pack the place with as many tables as possible and make all the customers bump elbows with the blind dates next to them. If there’s anything that I dislike the most when I’m eating out, it’s having to listen to people being so awkward with each other that it makes me feel nervous for them. In contrast, Wild Ginger’s tastefully arranged tables with plenty of space between them in addition to a dark and earthy décor make the place feel cozy instead of bustlingly busy.

Personally, I think their appetizers are the best items on the menu, and they host a great variety of dumplings, including shumai and samosas. I’m also a big fan of tempeh, and Wild Ginger cooks their Satay Tempeh well and doesn’t over-sauce it. As for a main course, one can enjoy their hot or cold Asian noodles, in soup or dry, without having to worry about weird ingredients like fish sauce or meat extracts that traditional Asian restaurants may use. They also have soy protein prepared in many different styles, so whether you like it sweet and sour or black peppered, there are plenty of options for a filling mock-meat meal.

When I go, I like to customize my dinner by getting a couple appetizers and one of their salads, which are generously portioned and beautifully served with unique mixtures of ingredients. Try the Watercress Salad with avocado, beets, alfalfa sprouts, and a sesame sauce for healthy filler before you decide on which amazing dessert to order. My favorite is the Vegan Cheesecake despite how small of a portion I get because it has such a great texture without being too heavy. If I’m splitting with someone, the Peanut Butter Bomb is rich, chocolate-peanut buttery, and huge. You can even ask for a scoop of vegan ice cream on the side. The waiters are always super nice and never keep me waiting for very long no matter how packed it is. Even if I’m just getting takeout, they won’t hesitate to bring me a cup of tea when I ask (and sometimes even if I don’t).

Though the prices might be a bit steep for an everyday lunch, they offer a 15% off coupon with student ID through the Campus Clipper. Wild Ginger in Soho is conveniently located a couple blocks away from NYU’s Broome Street dorm and is a short walk from Lafayette. Take advantage of the student savings with the coupon below, and enjoy a great vegan/vegetarian meal for less at Wild Ginger!

-Avia Dell’Oste
@Hunter College

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Saving on Sushi on St. Mark’s Place

July 11th, 2011

In the bustling crowd of downtown cuisine, one of the best and most ubiquitous options is sushi. Although all of New York’s Japanese places could never match the dizzying number of Chinese restaurants, there are sushi spots all over the city, and in certain areas, like around St. Mark’s, they are almost as densely packed as Chinese places are everywhere, which is ideal for the young and cash-strapped, in search of student savings, since competition (as any econ major could tell you) drives prices down. It also offers you, the customer, a choice of about a dozen different sushi joints on the three blocks of St. Mark’s Place.

the undeniable Godzilla roll from May's

Everyone loves sushi: it’s prepared quickly, fun to order, fun to eat, and can be affordable on almost any budget. Restauranteurs can dream up all kinds of mind-blowing decoration and ambiance, but there’s really nothing like walking into a sushi place (any sushi place) and seeing a grim-faced chef roll up and chop up sushi rolls at lightning, finger-endangering speed. It’s the Japanese food equivalent of watching a fat Italian man spin pizza dough in the air, but it’s way better, since there’s very sharp knives involved. How could anyone manage not to enjoy such appealing food? I know that some people have a problem with the whole raw-fish-and-seaweed side of sushi, but I’d say that anyone over age twelve that can’t get past a little seaweed is making a grave mistake by missing out.

With so many choices, it can be difficult to decide which sushi spot to go to. Here are a few of the St. Mark’s sushi stops:

—Yoshi Sushi is located at the east end of St. Mark’s, right across from Tompkins Sq. Park, and is a great option for their student discounts. It’s a smallish place, but they have great deals (like a big bento box for $5.95) and a great location, and they deliver! But most importantly, the sushi is high-quality. I’m not an expert, but I know that their BBQ beef mango roll is both original and delicious.

—Kenka, right on the busiest block of St. Mark’s, between Second and Third Ave, offers a ton of menu choices in addition to sushi, including some more unusual options, like tongue, liver, and other animal parts that are generally not found on sushi menus. They have so many dishes that the menu is huge and heavy in your hands, and can provide more than a little light reading. The place’s popularity might actually make it a little less enticing: there’s usually a wait, it’s very loud inside, and it’s not that cheap, as far as sushi spots go. But the food is great, and pitchers of Japanese beer are only eight dollars. If you can handle the wait and the noise, Kenka’s definitely worth it—and you get free cotton candy after your meal!

— May’s Ku E Ban is on Second Ave, right next to Pommes Frites, and could be indispensable to a sushi-loving student. When you really need a roll or two, but you really can’t afford to spend much on it, May’s is there for you: they have an amazing deal, available all the time, that offers half price on sushi as long as you spend over eight dollars. I don’t think I need to emphasize how awesome this deal is. There aren’t many places at all where you can get a ton of good sushi for the price of all of the change lying around your room. May’s doesn’t have the cool atmosphere of Kenka, or the innovative dishes of Yoshi, but it does have an ample supply of cheap sushi.

So the next time you’re trying to decide from the billions of food choices downtown, and feel like a little sushi, take a stroll down St. Mark’s, and find one of these places between the bars, thrift stores, and head shops that fill out the street. Or try one of the sushi places that I’ve never tried before. Whatever kind of sushi spot you prefer, there’s probably one to be found. Comment, and tell us about the other sushi places in the area!

—Aaron Brown

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Bookworm Agenda

July 11th, 2011

Check out Alabaster Bookshop for cheap books and browsing fun.

I’ve always been a bookworm. As a kid, I’d stay up way past by bedtime devouring a book page by page. My favorite part of the school day in my Elementary years was story time and any independent reading assignments were seen as a sort of academic blessing. Because I’m an avid reader it’s not much of a surprise that I truly enjoy browsing and buying books from bookstores, or even just raiding the shelves of my local library. I feel that choosing a book for yourself is very much a part of the fun and experience of reading, also I find books are one of the nicest gifts to give or receive. Another thing, I really love the feel of the pages against my fingers when flipping a page and even the smell of pages, yet in today’s world more and more I notice that Amazon’s Kindle and Barnes & Noble’s Nook are replacing the tangible beauty of the book. Friends and family question me as to why I don’t invest in an electronic reader when I love to read as much as I do and here’s why: I love books just as much as I do reading them.

I feel that books and reading are essentially one and electronic readers cheapen the experience of reading. I enjoy judging a book by its cover, reading the blurb, and searching for a book in the aisles of a bookstore, or on the streets of Bedford Ave. in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. I like penning my name behind the front cover of a book after having finished reading one. I’m completely aware of the perks of having an electronic reader and I also like the idea that it’s an eco friendly device, but the core of my opinion is that as electronic readers gain popularity my childhood obsession is becoming a thing of the past! And I don’t like it one bit.

The only thing I can do is continuing to buy books used and new from bookstores as a way of pledging my allegiance to books in print form. I don’t even like buying books online because it’s just not as fun. A few bookstores I’m particularly fond of are: Alabaster Bookshop, McNally Jackson Books, Strand Bookstore, Cobble Hill Community Bookstore, and Bookcourt. Alabaster Bookshop is located on 4th Ave. between 12th and 13th Street just around the block from the famous Strand Bookstore. Alabaster is the place to go when in need of a used book at a cheap price. Not only that but the small store has an extensive selection of fiction as well as books sold for  a mere 2 dollars on the outside.  Alabaster is old school and sans database so searching for a book here is more of an adventure, and you’re more likely to unexpectedly find a book of interest. Strand is 18 miles worth of books and is well known for their staff picks as well as their Strand 80, which is a pick of 80 of the most popular books amongst Strand customers. Cool fact: Patty Smith worked at Strand during her early years and beginnings in New York. It’s pretty much a guarantee that you’ll find just what you’re looking for because Strand is colossal and filled to the brim with books. It’s basically a nerdy paradise.

McNally Jackson Books interestingly categorizes their books by nation and they also have a great in-house café too. If you’re looking for that Dostoevsky head to McNally Jackson’s Russian literature section or if you feel like dissecting some short stories by Flannery O’Connor browse their American literature section with a cup of Joe. Cobble Hill Community Bookstore is probably my favorite of all because it’s everything that a bookstore should be. It’s a neighborhood staple and also wonderfully unorganized; you can find such treasures in mountains of books piled on top of one another. It is very charming and the prices are great too. Just a block or two from the Cobble Hill Community Bookstore is Bookcourt, which is quite the opposite of its neighbor. It’s two floors of hyper-organized, well-cultivated book sections. They also have in-house events and shoot out weekly emails with announcement and specials, which is incredibly convenient.

Because I’m a starving college student, student discounts are always of the utmost importance to me when splurging on items outside of necessities. Luckily  Namaste Bookshop provides student savings and I’ll be sure to check out this bookshop specializing in Eastern philosophy and health books. You can also buy yoga related items as well as oils/incense at this relaxing spot. If you’re a fan of books then show your support and buy a book or two from one or more of the bookstores mentioned!

Anjelica LaFurno (Baruch College)

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

Girly Reads

July 10th, 2011

Many summers ago I read a book—the name of which I have finally managed to forget—and it was, to say the least, depressing. It was a gloomy story about two sisters in which all of the characters were lonely, depressed and incapable of feeling joy. As if that was not miserable enough, the few people in the protagonist’s life die, leaving her lonelier than ever. This book could singlehandedly drive the peppiest person in the world into a funk. Since this dismal experience I have taken to reading chick lit novels. They are funny, not preachy, and they always have a happy ending, and thus are always good for some light reading.

The following is a list of the chick lit novels that I enjoyed reading the most:

P.S. I Love You by Cecelia Ahern: This book is worth reading even if you’ve already seen the film version of it. It is the touching and hilarious tale of how Holly tries to start a new life following the death of her husband. Interestingly, she does so with the help of her dead husband, as it turns out he had written her a dozen letters while he was suffering from the brain tumor that took his life, to help her move forward after his death.

Bergdorf Blondes by Plum Sykes: The nameless narrator and her best friend, Julie Bergdorf, live an exaggeratedly glamorous life in New York. Julie is a kleptomaniac who comes from a wealthy family that once owned Bergdorf Goodman. The narrator hails from Britain, and her mother insists that she marry the Earl next door. Everyone around them is engaged, and Julie becomes determined to get engaged, too. The girls are sweet, funny, frivolous and unrealistic. The book gently and humorously mocks how ridiculous society can get without getting too harsh or negative.

Debutante Divorce by Plum Sykes: In this book, a divorcée is the trendiest thing to be. The characters in this one are slightly deeper than those in Bergdorf Blondes, but the overall tone is the same. Newlywed Sylvie Mortimer becomes BFFs with divorced heiress Lauren Blount, whom she meets on her honeymoon after her husband, Hunter, abandons her to attend to his work. Even though Sylvie and Hunter have a great relationship, Sylvie’s confidence in her marriage and Hunter’s fidelity begin to falter as circumstances get suspicious.

Twenties Girl by Sophie Kinsella: Lara gets visited by the ghost of her great aunt Sadie, who was a flapper in the twenties and who demands that Lara look for her missing necklace, without which she cannot rest in peace.

Remember Me? by Sophie Kinsella: After a car accident, Lexi rises from a coma to discover that she has completely forgotten the past three years, during which time her life has miraculously transformed into everything she ever wanted. Things turn sour for Lexi when she finds her personality had changed, too, and her new life is not as perfect as she had thought, and she desperately tries to put the pieces of the puzzle together.

Shopaholic series by Sophie Kinsella: Currently there are six books in this series. It is about the life and shopping addiction of the charming, impulsive and overly optimistic Becky Bloomwood. All the books are hilarious and worth reading but Kinsella loses her touch a little in the last one, Mini Shopaholic, which is not as good as the other books.

Something Borrowed and Something Blue by Emily Giffin: Something Borrowed is narrated by Rachel, who, despite being a “good girl”, ends up sleeping with the love of her life, Dex, who also happens to be the fiancé of Rachel’s lifelong frenemy, Darcy. Its sequel, Something Blue, is narrated by Darcy has been betrayed by her best friend and ex-fiance and has a baby on the way. She flees to London to visit a childhood friend, Ethan, and to attempt to recapture the glamour of the life she had.

Speaking of books, check out Shakespeare & Co. where you can rent your textbooks. And, to look for great student discounts you can visit www.campusclipper.com.

Bushra Tawhid, Baruch College

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Movies with a Language Barrier

July 10th, 2011

When there is a language barrier involved, it can be hard to find an activity that pleases everyone.  We found this out one night when my dad, my grandmother (on my mom’s side) and I were home one night, in search of something to do.  My grandmother is Japanese and speaks no English, my dad is American and speaks no Japanese, and I am half-Japanese with an eight year old’s grasp on the language. My mother, the main translator, was out on a reunion with old friends, and my sister, the one who often lightens the mood, was at a birthday party.  It was an impasse.  Maybe in another situation we would have tried an activity without words, like a game of catch or some other sport.  But as much as I love my grandmother, I didn’t imagine a pickup game of soccer would be her thing.

Image credit: moviemikes.com

It was my dad’s idea to put on a movie.  He found some Japanese films on Netflix, and, hoping they were subtitled, put several of them on instant. To our dismay, most of the films, even the ones from the foreign film genre, were dubbed over with English voices.  Not only was this disappointing, but in our case, it completely defeated the point of watching a Japanese movie at all.  So when we finally found a movie with the original Japanese voicing and English subtitles, we were so glad that we just agreed to watch it, without even really considering what the story itself was. It turned out to be a drama, titled High and Low, about a businessman who has to decide between his company and saving his chauffeur’s kidnapped son (guess which he decides).  Although it was a wordy film, the acting was great to watch, and this made it enjoyable for everybody.

Although I didn’t think of it at the time, another movie option would have been something wordless, like a silent film.  Silent films are something of a rarity these days—I’m not particularly a fan, and it seems that few other than dedicated film-lovers would choose a film without dialogue. However unlikely, my sister is a fan of Abbot and Costello, and she swears the films are accessible to anyone. They’re not too popular now, but I can’t imagine a more appropriate time for a silent film than when language itself is the problem.

Other times, when my dad isn’t around, we watch animated movies in Japanese.  Although a relic from when my sister and I were younger, all of us still have something of a weak spot for cute characters, and Miyazaki films are prime material for that.  Our favorites are My Neighbor Totoro and Kiki’s Delivery Service. My sister or I might miss a few key points if the characters talk too fast or use more sophisticated words, but animated movies in general are pretty easy to follow even with a spotty understanding of the language being spoken.  Not only that, but they almost always have a happy ending, and none of us would have it any other way.

Movie nights are a great way to connect with people regardless of differences. DVD Funhouse offers student discounts; with these student savings, everyone will be pleased.

Ana Dicroce (American University)

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Meeting Fellow Vegans in the City

July 10th, 2011

Not THAT kind of vegan club!

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

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

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

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

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

 

-Avia Dell’Oste
@Hunter College

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Summer Gaming Conventions GO!

July 8th, 2011

Who says gamers are anti-social? Photo © otacracy.com

The summer is half over, and there are still plenty of gaming conventions coming up in the next two months where gamers can not only play but also commune with their fellow geeks. Personally, I’m playing games pretty much every day anyway, but cons are where I can meet up with other people like me who are as enthusiastic about RPGs as I am, people in front of whom I don’t have to contain my enthusiasm for gaming in favor of social propriety. So slap on your best night elf costume, grab your 20-sided dice, and join the party at the following upcoming conventions.

Historicon (July 7-10, 2011 in Valley Forge, PA)

Historicon is the largest miniature wargaming convention in the U.S., and it’s happening right now. This year’s theme is the American Civil War, but that’s just the overarching topic for the convention, and there will be a variety of settings for games all weekend. If you’ve ever wanted to get into wargaming, check the schedule for games that say “rules taught at table,” and be ready to interact with people’s kids. For the experienced wargamer, there is a schedule of tournaments with trophy prizes.

Admittedly, the modern college gamer isn’t mainly into strategic wargaming. For the less hardcore/mentally middle-aged, there is…

Otakon (July 29-31 in Baltimore, MD)

Though not specifically a gaming con, Otakon is the largest otaku culture convention in the Northeast, servicing enthusiasts of anime, manga, video games, and Asian culture. Anime cons always have a game room, and Otakon’s is full of popular arcade consoles, TVs connected to home gaming consoles like Xbox, and LANed computers. Of course, there are tournaments for games popular with the otaku crowd, particularly music games like Dance Dance Revolution and fighters like Naruto Shippuden. The competition may not be as fierce as it would be at a dedicated gaming convention, but there are upper echelon gamers that show up to tournaments no matter who hosts them in addition to crouching tigers, hidden dragons among anime watchers, so coming in first will still be a challenge.

Though Baltimore is far for the NYC college student, there should be plenty of others making the trip. Find people who are chipping in for a bus on the Otakon forums or at college anime clubs. Pack some entertainment for the three-hour bus ride and some snacks from Morton Williams to share.

DexCon (July 6-10, 2011 in Morristown, NJ)

This convention is already in full swing, and pre-registration is required to enter most of the events. However, DexCon is one of the most encompassing gaming conventions in the Northeast, and it is definitely worth looking forward to next year if you plan to compete or role-play. In addition to wargaming, they feature conventional role-playing, LARP, real-time strategy (e.g. StarCraft), and console games of all kinds. If you’re not preregistered, you can still buy a day pass and enjoy gaming at events that have space. Don’t forget to spend all your money at the dealers’ room; there’s nothing like leaving a con with an armful of swag and merchandise.

Once the semester starts, there won’t be many opportunities to run away to game for whole weekends, so I find it best to take advantage of the summer to immerse myself in gaming and the community that accompanies it. But then again, New York Anime Festival and Comic Con is in October…

-Avia Dell’Oste

@Hunter College

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Shopping For Summer

July 7th, 2011

Shopping for summer is always fun, and this summer there are a lot of great options to choose from. Here are a few things that I really liked:

[portfolio_slideshow]

To look great in your new summer outfits, try out Beach Bum Tanning where you can get two weeks of free tanning by purchasing a full-size bottle of lotion. You can also check out www.campusclipper.com to look for great student discouts.

Bushra Tawhid

Image credit: www.express.com, www.zara.com, www.hm.com, www.forever21.com, www.betseyjohnson.com

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onLove: When Friends Pay a Visit

July 7th, 2011

One of the great things about living in a vibrant city like New York is that my friends from back home are always more than willing to come visit me. Especially now that summer is in full swing, plenty of out-of-town friends are staking their claim on available weekends and planning overnight stays at my apartment. These get-togethers are usually marked by touristy outings, drinks at what is deemed to be a “classy” wine bar or lounge, and people-watching in Union Square at 2AM.

While I do love my friends dearly, gone are the days of having a large, three-bedroom apartment with multiple roommates and plenty of space for people to crash at the night’s end. Now, in my humble one-bedroom abode, I have a futon shoved haphazardly into my kitchen area, which is usually an uncomfortable 90+ degrees thanks to my refusal to buy an air-conditioner (equal parts laziness and thriftiness.) The other sleeping arrangement I can offer my guest is for us to share my bed. But two sweaty, adult bodies on a full-sized mattress pretty much negates my sad little desk fan, which spins madly in the night as it struggles in vain to keep the room cool.

Of course I preface any potential visitation with a disclaimer, warning my guests that my apartment is nothing like the glamorous ones they may have seen on sitcoms and other television shows based in NYC. But no matter how much I try to prepare my friends for the harsh reality of non-luxury New York City apartments, it seems as though I never do a good enough job, because many arrive and their eyes instantly widen in surprise. Beads of sweat form on their brow, the inevitable result of walking up four flights of stairs. And their discomfort is apparent as they take a quick survey of my cluttered, cramped space.

After the initial shock wears off, there is always another concern hovering in the air: What are my friends going to do the entire time they’re here? For some, this is their first time in New York sans elementary school field-trip itinerary. Your friend will turn to you for advice on where to go, what to see, where to eat… and you’ll be expected to provide answers. So the awkward but necessary question comes shortly after my friend gets settled.

“Uh… what do you wanna do?” I ask, hoping my inquisition will not be met with silence, a shrug, or a hasty “I dunno, what do you wanna do?”

In order to avoid being caught in an awkward verbal ping-pong match, where half-hearted ideas are lobbed back and forth for several minutes, try to keep a few fail-safe plans tucked away in the back of your mind.  Even if you just spend an hour regrouping at an air-conditioned cafe, your friend will appreciate your taking the initiative. Also, this is a great time to take advantage of all the student discounts and fun activities the city has to offer. A trip to a museum or impromptu elevator ride to the top of the Empire State Building will help remind even the most jaded New Yorker that the city is teeming with diversity and life. And local knowledge coupled with the enthusiasm and excitement that a visitor brings can lead to a great bonding experience.

If offering up your couch isn’t a realistic option, friends can still visit—just work out another arrangement before they arrive.  There are plenty of affordable hotels, and some are even offering reduced rates during the summer. Blue Moon Hotel on Orchard Street (between Broome and Delancey) is offering a student discount of 10%.  As a compromise for their staying elsewhere, you can offer to treat your friends to a lunch or pay for their ticket to one of the exhibits you end up visiting.

-Alex Agahigian, NYU-

I have lots of other things to say

Photo Credit: wirednewyork.com

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