Author Archives: Daniela Brito

36 Hours in Brooklyn

1 Reply

36 Hours in Brooklyn

In this city full of tall buildings and crowded street travelers will find Brooklyn to be a homey place but rich in culture wherever you decide to go.

BK

Bushwick, Brooklyn

Daniela Brito

May 14, 2018

With Brooklyn being only one of five boroughs that make up New York City, it can get overshadowed by the sky scrapers and flashing lights of Manhattan. Despite that, Brooklyn’s population makes it America’s fourth largest city. The culture of the city has continuously evolved from an industrial era bringing in many immigrants and along with them, new food and architecture style. Gentrification has changed the culture of Brooklyn to what has now emerged as a hot spot for modern culture with art literally on the walls, thrift shops, and trendy bars on every corner. The extensive transit system makes it easy for travelers to explore all parts of Brooklyn as well as all of New York City. 

36 Hours in Brooklyn

Friday

 3 p.m. Bushwick Art Collective

For your first stop in NYC take a stroll through Bushwick, one of Brooklyn’s up and coming neighborhoods. Take advantage of Citi Bank’s bike sharing program or join one of the free walking tours of Bushwick where you will find great small cafes and restaurants. A main draw for everyone is the art that covers the walls turning the industrial city into one of vibrant color. The idea for the Bushwick Collective was conceived by native Joe Ficalora in an attempt to bring new life into his neighborhood. The first murals emerged in 2011 and continues to attract international and local artists. Take a stroll down Troutman St and enjoy bright, thoughtful pieces scattered through Bushwick starting at the corner of Troutman and St. Nicholas Ave.

BAC

Bushwick Art Collective

5 p.m. Biggie Mural

Hip hop culture runs through the veins of Brooklyn. The music rich borough has bred many of the world’s most influential and respected rappers and artists. Take a stroll through Bed-Stuy and visit the massive mural immortalizing Brooklyn bred mc Biggie Smalls. Represented by art collective Spread Art NYC, Scott “Zimer” Zimmerman and Naoufal “Rocko” Alaoui created this image in 2015. This two-story hulking image sits at the corner of Bedford Ave and Quincy Street where it will remain for years to come as a Brooklyn landmark.

 6 p.m. Williamsburg Bedford Ave.

For a taste of modern day Brooklyn culture get off the L train at Bedford Ave. in Williamsburg. The streets are filled with trendy young people eating at hip, new restaurants, or having a drink at one of the many bars coming up in the area. Travelers can also shop for unique fashion at the thrift shops and vintage stores where local designers are showcasing their work.

Saturday

 9 a.m. It’s the water

 Start your day off right with an authentic New York City bagel and coffee at Montague St Bagel. These hand rolled bagels are shaped and baked on-site every day. There is an endless menu with flavored cream cheese, in addition to wraps, and sandwiches. Tucked in the lower level of a residential red brick building, enjoy the outdoor seating and view of the architecture down Montague Street.

Bagels

Montague Street Bagels

 

10:30 a.m. Architecture

Any where you go in Brooklyn you can find different kinds off architecture. This is due to time and different cultures that came into Brooklyn.  You can walk down the street and find old brownstones next to new condos. You can walk the Brooklyn Heights Historical District where many buildings have been preserved to maintain the traditional charm of the city.

1 p.m. Halaal and Promenade

In today’s busy New York City lifestyle, food carts and trucks have become a major staple in daily life. Whatever you feel like eating you will find it. Enjoy one of the city’s most popular food cart styles, halaal. You can find a great halaal meal of rice with chicken and toppings like olives, chickpeas, and corn at any one of the carts set up on any major street corner. Not only delicious, a full plate will only costs around $6.

2 p.m. Transit Museum

Millions of people use the NYC transit system everyday making it the preferred method of travel to get around the city. This is celebrated at the New York City Transit Museum. Set on the corner of Schermerhorn St. and Boerum Pl., here you can learn all about the development of the New York City Metropolitan area. It is set in an old 1936 subway station so pay attention because if you walk too fast you may miss it.

Transit Museum

 5 p.m. Fulton Street

Want to do a little shopping? End the day walking down Fulton Ave. which stretches straight through the Brooklyn Heights area. Spend the night shopping and eating. Running straight down this street are a variety of stores for clothes, shoes and eating places. You can find all of the popular chain stores together in this area.

 Sunday

1 p.m. Coney Island Pier

A stop at the Coney Island Pier is a must before leaving New York City. Right off Coney Island Beach, enjoy the ocean views. The pier is a real NYC cultural hot spot but almost feels like another world. Take a walk down the pier and grab an authentic Nathan’s hot dog. With various shops that line the pier and a nearby amusement park, it’s easy to get lost on the Coney Island Pier for hours.

3 p.m. Remember 9/11

On September 11, 2001 New York City faced a major terrorist attack which took many lives. End your visit with a short ride to the Brooklyn Wall of Remembrance where the city pays tribute to over 400 NYC first responders who gave their lives in the efforts to save others. The faces of those who made the ultimate sacrifice are engraved on this three panel, 30 foot tall memorial reminding us of the people behind the names of those who saved many.

Biggie

Bushwick, Brooklyn

IF YOU GO

Whether you are looking for luxury or affordability, New York City has no shortage of hotels to stay at. One Brooklyn Hotel right off of Brooklyn Bridge Park offers travelers a luxurious experience while maintaining an environmentally sustainable business. The extensive transit system allows travelers to see all that Brooklyn and New York City has to offer at only $2.75 per person.

Feelings about the One Hotel

1 Reply

How did I feel about going to the One Hotel? in short I loved it. I have honestly never been to such a luxurious hotel. from the look down to the smell in the corridors, everything is planned and kept up with nicely. all the staff were polite and everything was set up so perfectly. it had a great combination of luxury upscale and comfort. one of the best accents were the floor to ceiling windows that let in a ton of light. I loved their commitment to being environmentally friendly and sustainable and that is obvious in the construction and everyday functions of the hotel. They even push their guests to do the same. The One Hotel was absolutely beautiful. I hope to work in some place similar or even stay at a hotel just like that one.

One Hotel visit by Daniela and Daniel

1 Reply

This week in class we visited the beautiful One Hotel at Brooklyn Bridge. Walking around with my partner Daniel, we were able to pick up on key industry terms and point out important things to look for in a hotel.

  • Average Daily Rate: the average daily rate is the average price a hotel is charging for a room on a given day. Although I cannot remember the average daily rate exactly I remember it was between $300-400.
  • FAM trip: stands for familiarization trip. It is a trip you take somewhere to get familiarized with the the operations of an establishment. Our trip to the hotel was a FAM trip.
  • Housekeeping standards: housekeeping standards can vary depending on the brand and market of the hotel. The one hotel has high standards in everything including housekeeping and that was obvious in the suite we visited and the untouched event spaces.
  • Occupancy: occupancy is the percentage of all rooms occupied at a given time. I don’t remember the occupancy rate at the One Hotel but it was over 50%.

This is one of the many amenities at the hotel. A hammock set up by a huge window in the corner of a room with a beautiful view. I have never seen that.

An example of the housekeeping standards. Perfect set up of an unused event space.

This is the restaurant on the premises of the hotel.

There is significant historical importance to the area. A potential draw for some tourists.

 

 

 

 

*All photo credits to Daniela Brito

Dani Brito (Edited)

3 Replies

eager to try things and learn

_____________________________

Hello everyone. My name is Daniela Brito. This is my first semester at City Tech, but I am not new to college by any means. I have an associates degree from Bronx Community College in Office Administration and Technology. I took a lot of time off trying to figure out where I want to be and I’m still a long way away. My goals are to finally complete my bachelors degree in a field that interests me and not just a general degree. I hope to gain technical skills as well as insight into the industry from professionals and other students. I am drawn to the hospitality industry. I enjoy learning about food, meeting people, and arranging events. I am currently working at Eataly; an Italian specialty market and restaurant. I come into contact with a lot of food and different people eager to try things and learn. I look forward to using this first semester with the department of Hospitality and Management to explore the industry more and see where in it I belong.