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

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The Whole Jersey Shore

June 14th, 2011

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While most young New Yorkers have heard of Seaside Heights from the wildly famous show The Jersey Shore, many of them don’t know what the whole shore really consists of.  The beach towns of New Jersey stretch all the way from Sandyhook NJ to Capemay NJ with boardwalks and music and nightlife that, in ways, out-do Seaside by a long shot. Not to bad mouth Seaside Heights—my family for years has been traveling from Westchester to Seaside since I was a baby; it’s just that in recent years I’ve traveled up and down the coast and found new treasures that need to be shared and should be explored by all.

From Penn Station on 7th avenue at 33rd street, there is a train line (New Jersey Transit Line) that runs down the shore of NJ. For the fee of $14.00 New Yorkers can take the train down to all types of Beach towns and cities! Depending on what type of vacation you’re looking for (orientated towards family fun, romantic couple time, or fun with friends) there are a range of spots to suit your needs.

Long Branch, the first (and probably one of the nicest!) real beach town you’ll reach while riding the train is known for its clean beach, romantic restaurants and family fun events. Long Branch is the perfect town to take a family or couples vacation too. They have nights where everyone is allowed to go and make bonfires and spend the night under the stars. The beach has a long history of being one of the nicer beaches in New Jersey and is full of surfers (When I asked my surfer friend to describe it all he said was, “it’s got greeaaattt waves”) and restaurants of all different types. It is a great town to walk around, window shop and end your day at a restaurant. It’s a casual, calm sort of town that you would want to visit at least once in your life.

You can take a stop next at Asbury Park, NJ—where the legend Bruce Springsteen began his musical career—and take part in the thriving music scene.  Around every corner there is a coffee shop playing live music. Asbury park is known for its underground clubs all the way to their large music halls. With Festivals planned throughout the summer, any music buff would be crazy to skip over this city!

But if music isn’t a great interest of yours in the summer time heat, travel just two more train stops and hit up Belmar for the beach and nightlife. Belmar is like the northern Seaside Heights—the main difference being that most New Yorkers inhabit Seaside during the summer while native Jerseyians tend to flock to Belmar instead.  Just like Seaside Heights there are bars and pubs and restaurants all along the boardwalk and during the day the Beach there is clean and full of young people.  Belmar is an ideal spot for a vacation with friends. Belmar is best during the day; you can get the ultimate beach day in New Jersey if you head to Belmar! Like most beaches in New York and New Jersey, there is a fee of $7 for a daily beach badge. To save money though, I suggest bringing your own drinks and food with you to the beach so you don’t have to leave the beach and miss out on the sun! The town of Belmar isn’t loved only for the beach but also for hosting the New Jersey Seafood Festival in late May which brings in a crowd! People from all over the Tri-state area come to try all different types of seafood for a surprisingly cheap price. The Festival alone is worth the trip down, you don’t want to miss out on all that good food!

However, if you still plan on going to Seaside Heights (the desire to catch a glimpse of Vinny fist pumping and Snookie eating some pickles is too hard to resist, I understand) I strongly suggest taking a car.  Without one, the trains take you only as far down as the town of Bay head. It takes about 2 and a half hours and is still a good 15 minutes cab ride away from Seaside. It’s a challenge, but if you’re planning on spending the week there, renting a house with a group of friends, it may be well worth the trip! In Seaside Heights there’s a beach (10 dollar daily badges!), a carnival where you can go on big rides and eat delicious carnival food, bars that on Friday nights are 18 to enter, 21 to drink, and even a water park! But because there is so much to do, money quickly goes, so if you’re going for longer than a weekend, I highly recommend going to a local supermarket and making your own food to save some cash for going out.

But hey, if worst comes to worst and you’re low on cash, don’t have the spare time, and can’t make it down to the shore at all, you can always go to Future Tan Salon and Spa and get a mystic spray tan and look the part of someone that spent the weekend in the warm Jersey sun even when you didn’t!

Jackie Aqel

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The Cuisine of Northern India on the Upper West Side

March 29th, 2011

street view

Located on the Upper West Side, “Indus Valley,” a cozy place that has been in business since the end of 2003, brings not only the food, but also the spirit of Northern India to New York City. A cute addition to authentic Northern Indian cuisine, which is, by the way, the most popular in India, the name of the restaurant shows good taste as well . Apparently, Indus Valley was the place where one of the earliest civilizations in the world was formed, with its own language, traditions and of course, food.

Besides the name, what pleases the guests right upon entering “Indus Valley” is warm and pleasant fine dining atmosphere. You can sit by the entrance looking out to the street from large glass windows, or proceed to the dining room, chic and especially bright in sun light, although it is also animated by candles later in the evenings. The tables are covered with snow-white tablecloths, and there are brass cups for water on the tables, which creates an impression that we are not in a restaurant in Manhattan, but in a modern and large Indian house.

Speaking of that, the staff makes the customers feel at home as well, with professional smiles and kind answers to any questions those who are not knowledgeable about Indian cuisine may ask. Believing that hospitality is the key to great service, the wait staff does a great job and encourages guests to come back for dinner some other day.

Since the food is essentially something everyone goes to a restaurant for, “Indus Valley” has a lot of things for you to try. Both chefs who run the kitchen are originally from Northern India, and the food they are making is something they grew up with, and it tastes a lot like homemade. The restaurant is therefore perfect for local families who don’t cook every day and tourists who stay in the hotels in the area, as you get a delicious meal for an affordable price (the cheapest entree is $11.95, and the most expensive is $20.95).

When ready to give it a shot and have a dinner at “Indus Valley,” you may choose to start with a soup, a salad, or an appetizer. Ask for the lentil soup, as this is the most favorite one of the restaurant’s customers (find out why when you try). You could get a Kuchumber salad with it as well. Despite its odd name, it’s really what it sounds like, a Julienne of cucumbers, tomatoes, onions, green peppers, fresh coriander leaves and fresh lime juice. The salad is light and refreshing, and it’s a great beginning of the meal.

Tandoor at "indus Valley"

Another thing on the menu that you shouldn’t miss is the variety of home baked breads that are made in a traditional clay oven, Tandoor. A pancake-like piece of bread is put on the wall of the oven, and is being baked there for two or three minutes until it’s taken out, browned and mouth-watering, by means of a metal poke. With the choice of whole wheat and white breads, you can have yours with dry fruits and nuts, garlic, or even lamb. The breads can be served with a dip as an appetizer (yogurt, mint and cilantro, tamarind and onion relish dips are available upon request), or as an addition to your meal.

As bread is not the only thing that is made in Tandoor, you may also go for Tandoori specialties with chicken, lamb, halibut or sea bass. Vegetarian tandooris are also served if you fancy one. The average price for those dishes is $15, which isn’t bad for a dinner in a fine dining place, and the taste makes it worth it.

If your choice is not a tandoori, you have probably set your mind on having a curry, which means “gravy.” Meats or vegetables are cooked slowly with various spices, herbs and nuts, filling the gravy with distinctive flavors. The most popular choices in this category are Chicken Tikka Masala, boneless cubes of Chicken marinated and grilled in clay oven and simmered in a tangy sauce or light cream and tomatoes, and Kashmiri Roganjosh, lamb cubes in an exotic sauce of green and cardamoms, Kashmiri chilies, cloves, cinnamon leaves, mace, coriander, ginger, garlic, onion, yogurt and fennel. Try those or discover your own favorite.

To complete the meal in a pleasurable way, spoil yourself with one of the homemade desserts or a Lassi, a yogurt-based drink (mango flavored one is recommended as the most delicious).

Not satisfied with that? Ask a server for everyday specials. Also, if you stop for lunch, there is a prix fixe menu, which includes a soup, a salad or a samosa with vegetables of the day and a dessert. On the weekends, there is a buffet for $13.95, so you can pay one price and eat whatever you want. And if you are in college, there is a student discount for you, so check out the coupon at the end of the post and save yourself some money.

With affordable prices and authentic dishes, stopping by “Indus Valley” should not hurt even the tightest student savings plan, so check it out and see if this will be your “must-go” spot on the Upper West Side, worth a train ride even from Downtown Manhattan.

Ekaterina Lalo

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10 Things I Do on My Blackberry

March 1st, 2011

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When cell phones first appeared, they were nothing more but the means of communicating with people while you are not at home. Now that more and more of us get smartphones, a mobile device is not only for calling and texting; it serves as a portable computer with variety of functions. Here are 10 things I use my Blackberry Bold 9700 for:

  1. Writing papers. Sometimes I have an hour between my classes, and I usually try to spend it wisely, so I got used to typing my papers on my cell phone. When I come home, I e-mail the text to myself, copy and paste it into a document, format it and read it over before printing it out. I usually find a lot of mistakes, but the most part of my job is done here, and it often takes less than 30 minutes to complete the paper if it’s already typed.
  2. Taking photos. Even though I have a digital camera, it is not always with me. Once I was doing a restaurant review, and my editor e-mailed me asking for a picture. Luckily, I was in the city, not too far from the place where the restaurant was located. Unluckily, the camera wasn’t in my bag, so I took pictures on my cell phone, which I hadn’t done before, as I didn’t think that the quality will be good. Let me reassure you, though, that pictures came out nice, and my editor got them via e-mail in the following five minutes.
  3. Listening to music. A big I-pod fan, I recently found out that it’s easier to put music on my Blackberry than on my I-pod (no I-tunes required for my phone). Moreover, with Pandora Internet radio I can listen to my favorite songs wherever I am, and the only thing I need is 3G network (which I have with T-mobile) and good reception (doesn’t work on the subway inside the tunnel).
  4. Looking up words. The best application I have ever got is the one from dictionary.com. Wherever I am, I can check the meaning of any word and find synonyms for it through the thesaurus, which is also on my cell phone. It saves me space, as I don’t have to carry my paperback dictionary with me, and it makes finding words easier, as you only have to type them in. Sometimes I am not sure how a word is spelled, so I usually check it out. If I make mistakes, the dictionary gives me suggestions, and I get the correct spelling. This is perhaps the most useful free application for me as a writer, and I am glad I found out about it.
  5. Checking the weather for the day. I used to put on channel 12 with local news and weather, but I am often in a hurry, and I don’t have time to wait for the weather forecast to appear on my TV screen. With a Blackberry application, “The Weather Channel,” I can quickly find out what the weather is like, how it will change later and even what to expect for the next day. It is free, quick and helpful, as it saves you a trip back if you forget an umbrella, and it starts drizzling.
  6. Locating places on the map and getting directions. With my Google Maps application, I can make sure where any local business is and how to get to it by car, walking or public transportation. It also helps to go to www.mta.info to get updates on service changes, as the Google app does not have information on that, and since many bus routes were changed last year, I prefer to double check the information I get from Google. As far as local businesses are concerned, I can always check their reviews before I go there, and even call them to ask if they offer any student discounts or specials.
  7. Staying in touch with my social networks. I hardly ever use Facebook on my computer. All messages and invitations I get are coming to my cell phone, and I check them. I also registered for Twitter on my Blackberry, and it took me about six months to actually start using it on my laptop. It’s just so easy to update my status and check my page on the go that I go to the actual web page on the computer only to see pictures more clearly, as on my cell phone they appear small and unclear.
  8. Talking to my friends on ICQ. When I moved to New York from Russia, most of my friends were left behind in my country, and I don’t get to talk to them too often. But I found a way to connect with them through my cell phone, as it is always with me, and I can exchange short messages with people I care about every day. With the time difference (eight hours), it is so convenient to say hi to them while I’m in the train going to school or in a cab coming back from a club, the times I would not normally be able to get to my computer.
  9. Recording appointments and birthdays. This can be done on any cell phone; however, due to the connection with Facebook, I often find out about birthdays of my Facebook friends through my Blackberry calendar (I would never know otherwise), in addition to the actual page. Last year, in July, I was reminded of my boyfriend’s birthday three times: once through Facebook, once through my cell phone calendar (thanks to Facebook) and once through the same calendar (I put his birthday on his contact information). With so many reminders I would never forget the date even if I tried hard.
  10. Ordering books on Amazon. Getting textbooks became easier. I like to compare prices before I buy a textbook, so before I had my Blackberry, I would always go to my school bookstore to find out how much they asked for the book I needed. Then I would come home and check amazon.com. If the price was better, I ordered online, which added up a lot to my student savings. If it was cheaper or about the same in the bookstore, I came back next day and purchased books in the bookstore. Now I check Amazon’s prices during my breaks after each class, so when I get to the bookstore at the end of the day, I know if I should buy it there or not.

Ekaterina Lalo

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Breakfast Is a Must

February 28th, 2011

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Even if you were studying all night before or couldn’t fall asleep pondering where to get more student discounts on food and clothing, you still have to wake up early enough to have breakfast. I know, it is so easy to make (or even buy) a cup of coffee and run off to college. But do you realize that having or skipping breakfast has a direct influence on your mood and the way your day will go?

Believe it or not, it does.

First of all, when you are hungry, you have no desire to learn or do anything. All you can think of is a loud purring of your stomach, which is so embarrassing in the silence of a class when the only voice heard is the professor’s one. “Where is that apple that I left in my refrigerator?” you think, reproachfully, “It may have been so useful right now.”

Secondly, while you are struggling to concentrate on what your professor is saying, your stomach acid is working hard on the walls of your stomach. I am sure you have heard that if you don’t eat, the acid that is meant to digest the food that is not there still does its job, and your stomach gets hurt. Why do it to yourself if even small things like a bowl of cereal or a cup of fruit helps to avoid it?

Third, food gives you energy. When you don’t eat, you usually feel powerless and what’s even worse, you bring your bad mood to people around you. You feel easily irritated, angry with others for no reason and probably, do something you will later regret. This, too, can be easily avoided if you eat before you leave home.

You may argue, of course, that you don’t feel hungry when you wake up. If this describes you, then you are, in most cases, guilty of snacking late at night, when your stomach is not prepared to digest food. When I learned that the food is broken down easier during the day than throughout the night, I made it a rule to eat no later than four hours before I go to sleep (it’s good to never eat after 8pm; however, if you study in the evenings and come home after that, then make sure that you don’t have dinner right before you head to bed). My problem is also that when I fill my stomach, I suddenly become active, and I often have a hard time falling asleep. Just by giving up late snacking, I managed to lose a couple of pounds, improved my sleep and became accustomed to waking up in the morning craving for breakfast.

Let’s say this was persuasive enough, and you are now convinced that your breakfast is a must. What should you eat? It all depends on how hungry you feel and whether or not you like to eat a lot in the mornings.

Note that the best strategy is to include a piece of fruit into your every meal, and breakfast is no exception. Your other options may be a light sandwich or a toast with butter, jelly or a slice of cheese, or a cup of oatmeal. I got so used to making quick oats that I hardly ever bother to cook hot oatmeal anymore, even though nothing is easier than that. All you have to do is to bring some water or milk mixed with water to boiling, and then stir oats into the boiling liquid. Make sure to stir thoroughly while cooking, and then cool off your culinary masterpiece, and enjoy it. It is much healthier to make your oatmeal from scratch rather than boil water for an instant one, but if you have little time and no other option, that will do as well.

By the way, quick oats are usually more expensive than those that you have to cook, so if you make it a habit to make your breakfast in the morning, this may add up to your student savings. Not only is it cheaper to buy a big box of farina (it’s a great breakfast meal as well, if you like the taste), it also saves you from buying a danish or a doughnut while at school, which are fattening and expensive on campus.

Another quick morning meal you can easily make is an egg platter. Two or three eggs your way with sausage, salami, or a beef frank is my usual choice. The greatest discovery for me was Hebrew National salami, as if you go to your local deli and ask them to slice it a little bit thicker, you can fry it on a pan with no oil, in its own fat. Brown it for two to three minutes and serve with eggs or on a toast.

As far as toasts are concerned, if you have a toaster, you can always brown your bread and eat it dry or with butter. If you don’t have the equipment, though, you can put some milk into a bowl (you can mix an egg into it as well), and then dip a slice of bread into it. After doing this, brown your bread on a pan, and it will be soft, fresh and tasty.

From my experience, pancakes usually take a long time, so I usually make them when I’m not in a hurry, as I am not a big fan of quick mix packages. I mix flour, two eggs, a tablespoon or two of vegetable oil and a half cup of milk adding some yeast to it. It is best to let it stand for an hour, and then start cooking. It is a time-consuming breakfast, though, and I seldom have time for it.

All in all, no matter what you prefer to have, you should always eat something in the morning before leaving. Just remember that breakfast is a must, as a good start defines the way your day will go. Therefore, begin your morning with something you and your stomach enjoy, and energize yourself for great deeds.

Ekaterina Lalo

Visit my blog at http://nycvalues.blogspot.com.

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Reserve: Unforgettable Thai Experience

February 27th, 2011

Walking into Reserve, on 3rd Ave between 28th and 29th, I felt all the chaos and exhaustion of my day melt into the warm, red walls. A low light hovered over each table, with wine bottles stacked in every which direction. Even the bottoms of bottles protruded from the walls around the bar in the back, somehow without cluttering the small restaurant, but tinting the ambiance with the theme: a Thai inspired wine bar. While Thai restaurants are known for spicy foods in cozy nooks, Reserve adds an unexpected twist to the Thai experience: wine. I’m sure you’ve been to a number of Thai restaurants and been remiss about the quality of beverages, well, partner Luck Watanasuparp felt the same way. Luck’s family owns a number of Thai restaurants throughout New York, including All Luck and Thai Select, but this is her own venture in the restaurant business, at which she is doing amazingly well and loving it. Luck wanted to pair the four flavors of Thai food: Spicy, sweet, sour and salty with fine wines that would enhance each other when combined. The restaurant serves over fifty different wines, all within affordable ranges with a few higher priced bottles tossed in.

Reserve has been open for less than a year now in the Gramercy neck of the proverbial woods. Tucked among hot clubs and loud joints with drunks bouncing and stumbling out the doors or shouting from in between the cracks in the walls, Reserve is an oasis. It’s small, quiet, and personal. This is the perfect place to bring a date, or close friends when you want to sit down with a little background music and a lot of great food.

If you’re looking for something exciting and loud, why not head to Reserve for dinner as a calm before the storm?

The service is four star, with the shock of street cart prices. Before glancing at the menu, I assumed that it would be a stressor on my limited funds, but was pleasantly delighted to find that it’s cheap. I don’t mean New York City cheap, which is irrelevant to the rest of the world, but Kansas cheap, Mississippi cheap. I once ate a large, amazing meal at the Ajax Diner in Oxford, Mississippi for eight dollars, and this brought me back to the economy of the south, inducing a school girl giggle at the prices. I’ve spent more money on dirt, have I made my point?        

I brought two close friends of mine with me for dinner, and we lived like kings. We started with a Losen Bockstanz Resiling, a sweet wine, and paired it with spicy beef, duck wraps, and crab cake tapas. Everything was tender and cooked to perfection. The duck wraps, rich, fatty duck wrapped with fresh veggies in a flour tortilla roll, sushi style, was paired with a thick, sweet sauce. The large crab cake, enough for the three of us, was surrounded by three elegant sauces. The spicy beef was mixed with equally spicy and salty sautéed veggies. We indulged in a mango salad, larb pizza (with chicken and melted Mozzarella) and a curry green pizza. We ate slowly, discussing the flavor combinations and our awe at the portions. For very little money, the three of us left full, but not overstuffed, and feeling like we ate a healthy meal that tickled our tastes. Our cheeks blushed from the sweet wine as we walked out in a euphoric daze.

If you’re feeling bogged down by the sometimes treacherous city, tired of the rain and cold, and never having enough money to go out, Reserve is the place to go. It will pick up your spirits without draining your bank account. Long Island or Jersey commuters can even walk from Penn Station on their way home from work or class. Keep Reserve on your list, because you simply can’t miss out on all it has to offer for the economically challenged taste buds that require more refinement.

Written by Ashley Teal, Campus Clipper Blogger

See my Blog, Still Life With Teal

Or follow me on Twitter @amteal

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Two Left Feet

February 18th, 2011

Photo courtesy of njpacflickr

I’ll state it plainly—I don’t know how to dance. I discovered that I suffered from the disability of possessing two-left feet during elementary school gym class.

Our gym teacher, a formidable and muscular woman named Miss Bea, who had a graying mullet and graying Nike tennis shoes, gathered us together near the bleachers and declared that we would be square dancing today.

I had never heard the words “square” and “dancing” in the same sentence, so I had no idea what Miss Bea was talking about. The look of disconcertment on my face must have caused her to single me out.

“Megan!” she barked. “I want you to pick a partner. Ya’ll over six there, you partner up too. Everybody else’ll watch. This is a demonstration.”

Needless to say, our demonstration turned out to be a disaster, mainly due to my “disability.” The eight of us arranged ourselves in a square. My partner, Kyle, gave me a pleased but cheesy grin, a grin that quickly turned into a grimace as the demonstration wore on. Kyle’s red high tops were stepped on, his glasses were knocked askew, and he might have somehow got elbowed in the ribs. My partner probably suffered more injuries due to a square dancing demonstration than he would have if Miss Bea had sent us outside to play contact football.

Once class ended, I slunk away as quickly I could. Thankfully, next period was lunch, where I could lock myself in the girl’s bathroom and bemoan my lack of finesse on the dance/gym floor. Fast forward fourteen years and I’m still no Ginger Rogers, though I do know how to square dance!

I’ve considered taking a dancing class to improve my skills, but have never been able to muster up the courage. What if the instructor declares me hopeless? What if, through some twist of fate, Kyle reappears from my past as a dance student? However, the Sandra Cameron Dance Center has me reconsidering my hesitation.

Located down in trendy SoHo, the Sandra Cameron Dance Center offers instruction for Tango, Salsa, Ballroom, and Swing. The staff is awesome, the classes are fun, and instruction is offered on all levels, whether you’re a beginner like me, or a virtuoso who wants to hone his skills. Sandra Cameron offers classes every weekday, so you’re sure to be able to fit it into your hectic school schedule. But best of all, the classes are affordable! A single month-long course costs only $80! And with this awesome student discount, you’ll be saving even more. Save $25 off any course with your student ID.

I know I could benefit from taking a class at the Sandra Cameron Dance Center. If I ever happen to run into Kyle again, he’ll be glad I did! This time, I’ll sweep him off his feet amidst the hay-bales at our local square-dancin’ barn.

–Written by Megan Soyars, Campus Clipper Blogger

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Good Yellow in the Snow

February 17th, 2011

Photo thanks to Psychology Today

Despite all the fantastic holidays that accompany the winter season, the hot chocolate and snow fights are over by January, and now you’re just trying to keep the once snow, gray muck off your shoes. There are a few strange days where the sun is out and the temperature spikes for a few hours, but mostly it’s gray and icky out there with little light peering through the clouds, let alone through the skyscrapers of Manhattan. So, how do you keep your spirits up? Here are a few little happiness tips to cut through the gray:

Wear Yellow: It is the happiest color, after all. This is Martha Stewart’s suggestion, and I thoroughly promote it. So, it’s not time for your spring line to come out, why not tuck a little yellow into your wardrobe? How about a yellows tie with your button down, a few yellow hair clips, even yellow underwear (after all, it’s really for you!). The things that other people can see can spread the smiles. If your dorm, apartment, or workspace is a little dreary, why not bring a yellow soaked photo, or a few little yellow plants to brighten it up!

Just Dance: Get your heartbeat to match some pop music and really kick it up. Space is sparse in this city, but you can move a few tables, grab an ihome, and put on some dance tunes for a little party. Even if it’s just you and a hairbrush dancing in front of the mirror, make it happen and you’ll expend a little energy towards your own joy.

Give: It’s always good to remember that there are others out there who have it worse than you do. After all, you’re probably getting a college degree and have a roof over your head, so you’re already blessed. Volunteer at a shelter, soup kitchen, or outreach program. You don’t have to be a big brother or big sister, but giving just a little bit can be great. Get some friends together and make a little gift basket for a person you frequently see struggling. Not a people person? Volunteer at an animal shelter, you’ll get some furry love for your attention, which is my favorite kind.

Move Around: Make time for you and your beau to take a nice, long walk in a new neighborhood. Getting some fresh air, even if it’s cold, can be a real pick me up. No beau, drag your best friend out of the apartment, and if they’re unwilling, offer them a small prize for the outdoor exercise. No friends? Get an extra gig as a dog walker. You may have to pick up a little poo, but you’ll get paid to take a pooch out for an hour.

Even if these things don’t do it for you, making the conscious effort to mix it up a little and get out of your every day slump can brighten your cob-webbed endorphin transmitters.

Find some yellow undies at La Petite Coquette

Also, check out ATTITUDE for something sparkly:

Written by Ashley Teal, Campus Clipper Blogger

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MAN TESTED, LADY APPROVED

February 10th, 2011

Agreeing on a flick for a night at home shouldn’t be a terribly difficult decision for most couples, but sometimes a girl needs a little warm and fuzzy happy ending romantic comedy and no amount of rhetoric can make a guy settle down to some tear filled giggles. Then, there are the guys who agree to a chick flick and suffer through ninety minutes of watch checking and sighing, waiting to cash in their newly earned brownie points. Ladies, take it easy on them, and especially with Valentine’s Day around the corner.

Here’s a list of chick flicks, man tested, ladies approve:

Knocked Up: It’s criminal to have never seen this flick, or not to find it a source of quotable, comedic material. Seth Rogan and Katherine Heigl play a pair whose one night stand ends in conception and begins a whirl wind relationship where, like their child, everything is unplanned. Warning: may temporarily kill libido, best watched with committed partner.

Breakfast at Tiffany’s: Guys, don’t write this one off just because it’s got Audrey Hepburn in it. This is a staple in everyone’s film diet, and should not be ignored due to media attention and age. Nothing blows up, but this Truman Capote adaptation involves two escorts, Holly Golightly and Paul Varjak, jaded and living in New York, avoiding love and trying to make it. The score is amazing, and once you hear it, you’ll notice it popping up everywhere, even in Minority Report. If you have to choose between Breakfast at Tiffany’s and Casablanca, for a movie night, Breakfast at Tiffany’s is the more lighthearted choice.

Going the Distance: Don’t let the cover deceive you! The case for this flick looks like a made for TV movie, but it’s nothing if not brilliant. This star studded cast includes Drew Barrymore (on her A game), Justin Long, Charlie Day (Always Sunny in Philadelphia), Jason Sudeikis (30 Rock), Christina Applegate, & Jim Gaffigan. Barrymore and Long play a couple attempting a long distance relationship from New York to San Francisco. While the plot is easily identifiable, the candid conversations will keep you, and your beau, stifling laughter so you can hear the next line. I would easily label this as the best romantic comedy of 2010, hands down.

When Harry Met Sally: This is another must see for all movie goers. If you haven’t seen it yet, you’ll recognize a lot of other films imitating this one, monumental chick flick. From writer Nora Ephron (You’ve Got Mail, Sleepless in Seattle, Julie & Julia, etc), the queen of romantic comedies, is the story of a twenty year friendship that tackles the crux: can men and women be just friends? Be wary of the debates this will bring up, as it’s known to cause an argument or twenty, but if you take it with a grain of salt, this one is sure to keep you giggling.

Life as We Know it: This Katherine Heigl film takes off in the comedic department where Knocked Up left off. An unlikely pair are given custody of their mutual friend’s child after the couple passes away and they struggle to find where they fit into their new lives. This one is smart, funny, and on the girlier side, so choose wisely. Ladies, be prepared to shed a few tears in front of your movie partner.

If you and your other half are tight on cash, why not pick up some take out and rent a movie for Valentine’s Day? Keep things light, funny, and romantic with one of the choices above, and take it easy on the fiscal expectations.

Written by Ashley Teal, Campus Clipper Blogger

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Bare Burger

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