Author Archives: Loribeth

36 hours by Loribeth

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36 Hours in Manhattan, Below 59th Street

By Loribeth Alban

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Goldfish and Sculpture by Henri Matisse

Friday

  1. Art and History, 4 P.M.

Upon arrival New York, might seem overwhelming but the MoMa (The Museum of Modern Art) could be a great way to unwind and get lost in the artwork. There are six floors of exhibits that interest people from all backgrounds like the comparison of old and modern architecture, or exhibits with artifacts and pictures from both the 1960-1969 and 1880’s-1950’s collections. Some of these pictures will intrigue you and leave you in awe. Be prepare to sit and admire different styles of art, also have a camera to take picture because you can. Admissions is free Fridays 4pm-8pm and every other day is $25 for adults.

  1. Herald Square, 7 P.M.

The best place to go in Herald Square is Macy’s, after all it was originally established in 1858 in New York City as a small dry goods store and developed into one of the largest retailers in the world. Enjoy exploring several floors of jewelry, clothes, beauty products, houseware, shoes, accessories and much more. The best time to come visit is during the holiday season for the annual Thanksgiving Day Parade. People come from all over the world to just to come and be a part of it.

  1. K Town, 9:30 P.M.

After traveling all day, a great place to eat and near Macy’s is Korea Town. Stop by Food Gallery32 where you will multiple windows serving different food, desserts, or drinks. As soon as you arrive go to the window to the left and order a pork bun, it is spicy and delicious, for only $3.50 as a snack on the side. There’s other great options to choose from and a whole meal including dessert can be under $20. On your way, out you can pick up bungeoppang, a bread in the shape of a fish stuffed with different fillings such as custard, Nutella, and red bean. If you have a sweet tooth, walk a couple of steps to Tous Les Jours where you choose from an array of sweet breads, cakes, and other desserts. Grab a cup of coffee or tea and enjoy!

Saturday

  1. Farm to Table Brunch, 10 A.M

Foragers Table in Chelsea serves some of the fluffiest pancakes you will ever eat. You must order the Orange Blossom Ricotta Pancakes ($19) served with Valley Farm maple syrup. But as a starter you can also get the scone with fresh cream and blackberry jam ($8) and a cup of coffee ($3.75). It’s a little pricey but it is worth it, the meal is over $30 for one person.

  1. Highline, 12 P.M.

Originally a railroad for travel and commerce, it was recently renovated and made into a park. Here you will see various artworks, flowers and sometimes a lot of people taking pictures. The scenery is beautiful and viewing the sunset from up there can be breath taking. Walk through, around and take some amazing pictures with Chelsea piers and the Hudson River as your background.

  1. Union Square, 2:30 P.M.

Annually during the Christmas season there is a Union Square Holiday Market from November 17th – December 24th. It is hard to miss, painted red and white with Christmas decorations around it will get you in the holiday spirit. There are several little shops selling food, hot drinks, accessories and more. If you do want to purchase anything make sure to have cash and maybe you can pick up some souvenirs for family and friends back home.

  1. Strand, 5 P.M.

Is a book store that originally established in 1927 and currently located on the corner of 12th street and Broadway. Any book lover would enjoy coming here with over 2.5 million books used and new in stock, it is easy to spend hours observing, learning, and reading. They also have a rare book room on the last floor and dollar books for sale outside. Enjoy this book utopia where you can find just about any genre of book you desire. Aside from that there also other supplies and cool items you can buy inside, such as socks, bookmarks, notepads, coloring pencils, etc.

  1. Marks Place, 7:30 P.M

Known for it night life but also where many can get piercings and tattoos. If that peaks your interest, there are multiple shops ready to assist you. You can also find many bars and food places, here you can decide where you wish to go and what food to try. You should stop by CoCo Fresh Tea and Juice where you can choose from many different teas hot or cold. I would suggest the vanilla milk tea with bubbles (hot) and Bubble Gaga (cold), but there are many other options as well. You can take it on the go or sit in the seating area where they have outlets if you need it. They have one dollar pizza across the street at 2 Bros, Spot Dessert Bar down the block where they serve Chocolate Green Tea Lava Cake that you will love if you enjoy chocolate and green tea, sushi bars, Papaya King, and others. So many options to choose from but St. Mark’s will give you the New Yorker experience.

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  1. Fraunces Tavern, 11 P.M

After eating you can get a drink in one of the oldest bars established as a landmark in 1719. It also has a museum on the second floor which has artifacts from the Colonial Era, Revolutionary War, and the Early Republic. Open arrival there are three different sections: the dining area, the whiskey room, and the bar area. The drinks range between $12-$16, but the scene is very alive with live music and conversation. A must try is the Tavern Punch ($14) but it is strong so sip slowly. If you come early you can go to the museum upstairs, it is free Friday at 2pm and Saturday and Sunday at 1 and 2 pm. Every other day and time admission is $7 for adults and it opens 12pm-5pm Monday through Friday and 11am-5pm Saturday and Sunday.

Lodging

If you can you should look for an Airbnb for the time you can you should look for an Airbnb for the time you are going to stay in New York or you can stay at the Westin Times Square for $491 a night. Make sure to use other booking websites because they can offer lower rates and package deals

 

 

https://www.moma.org/visit/index

https://macysinc.com/about-us/macysinc-history/overview/default.aspx

http://www.strandbooks.com/strand-history

http://frauncestavernmuseum.org/about/

 

 

Group 3: Loribeth, Bao Yu, Emily, Robert, Destiny (Tuesday Class)

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Loribeth (Director of Food and Beverage): Reports to the general manager and is responsible for the efficient and effective operation of the following departments: kitchen, catering, banquet, restaurants, room service, minibars, lounges, bars, and stewarding. I am in charge of exceeding guests’ expectations in food and beverage offerings and service, leadership, identifying trends, finding and keeping outstanding employees, training, motivation, budgeting, cost control, finding profit from all outlets, and having a detailed working knowledge of the front-of-the-house operations. During our trip to Le District what I found most interesting is the service, all the workers were focused on preparing for the day and serving customers at a fast pace. They were more focused on selling their product than interacting with customers. Also, the Tartinery in the food court upstairs served Rose and would pair with a chicken tartine. This is important knowledge because it creates a higher average bill and the customer appreciates the suggestion. Overall, Le District was well kept and all the workers had knowledge of the product they were selling.

Bao Yu (Restaurant Manager): “As a restaurant manager, my responsibility is to plan menus, manage budgets, training staff and so on. Also, I need to deal with customer service issues as well as to ensure that the food quality coming out of the kitchen is the best it can be. During the trip, I went to the market, there are food courts and grocery sections. I can see how the workers treated their guests and how they sell their products. They also have free samples for guests to sell them new products. I also found a personal hygiene issue, during observation, one of the workers grabbed lettuce without wearing gloves.”

Emily (Executive Chef): “Reports to the Food and Beverage Director, maintains cost control, oversees menus and recipes, ordering and purchasing and inventory control, check in with night cleaners in the morning and make sure utilities are working, check that employees are on task, check walk-ins, and consider the consistency in quality of the food on a daily basis. On our trip to Brookfield Place, I observed that in the sushi bar in the food court served overflowing sake into a shot glass and box. This practice was interesting to see as an executive chef because it showed hospitality and welcomed guests to the operation through traditions of Japanese culture. What stood out to me in Le District was the server at le boucherie who knew the flavors of the meat she was serving and was capable to answer my questions about food.”

Robert (Beverage Director): “My food and beverage job title is beverage director and his/her responsibilities are to supervise the ordering process and storage of beverages, prepare a beverages list, overseeing and train the staff, maintaining cost control, and assist guests with their beverage selection.

The two most significant observations that I saw in Le District were the employees preparing foods and stocking up inventories for lunch rush hours. We arrived and went inside pretty early so there was barely any customers interacting with the employees. I also saw baristas make and served coffees hastily to remove the long line. I saw one barista took the 7th customers on-line by looking up over the counter, point to the customers and asked “how do you want your coffee?” Overall, employees were courteous and knowledgeable, the floor is clean so do the display glasses. Display foods looked very appealing and in order.”

Destiny (Catering Manager): “The catering manager has more to do then just providing food, such as making sure clients are delighted with a room set up, the service provided and the food. Also checking that all hotel rules dealing with their department are met and followed. They also have to coordinate with the “banquet chef” to see the arranged service and menus. During our trip I went to Sprinkles cupcakes. On their wall I noticed they provided information on ordering cupcakes for any occasion. With ordering for any occasion you can have your cupcakes designed any way you wish and all prices were listed for the customer. Also, the Black Seed Bagel had written on their menu all the service they provide, such as catering and under they listed their email and phone number for customers seeking more information about their services.”

Loribeth Alban: New York Hall of Science (Tuesday)

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The New York Hall of Science was originally established in 1964 as part of the World’s Fair in Flushing Meadow, Queens. While other institutions after the World Fair closed the New York Hall of Science remained opened and has since then been through multiple renovations. It remained open as a resource for students until 1979, when it was closed for major renovations. It reopened in 1986, under the guidance of, the physicist, Alan Friedman. It shifted its focus from science fiction to science relevant in the lives of everyday people. It is currently the only hands-on science and technology center in New York City. It has more than 450 exhibits to explore biology, chemistry, physics. It serves over 500,000 visitors annually, with an additional 50,000 participating in off-site, school-based and community outreach programs.

History: 1964 World’s Fair

Loribeth Alban (Edit)

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Hello,

I previously studied Professional Pastry Arts at International Culinary Center but I am currently pursing a BA in Hospitality Management at City Tech because I want to learn all the aspects of hospitality to become well rounded in all areas of the industry. The best quality I have is being open minded; I am always willing to learn something new. This quality has helped me in every job I’ve had, it will help in school and one day to achieve my goal of owning my own bakery and/or restaurant. I look forward to learning more skills and improve the ones I have acquired.Â