You are my serendipity

Posted on May 5, 2016 by Mandy Mei

“In 1998, I came to NY to become a Jazz singer. In 2008, in order to support an artist friend I knew for 10 years, I organized the first exhibition named “A Slice of the Life of an Artist.” Feedbacks from the audience brought unexpected support and comfort to the artist, which inspired me to realize the power of art exhibitions. It not only supports the professional career of underrepresented artists, but changes their life. In this sense, Ouchi Gallery was born. In Japanese, “ouchi” means home, a place where people relax, find comfort, and get connected.”

–AI

My Favorite Five Dishes That My Mom Makes

Posted on May 4, 2016 by Jessica

Mother’s Day is just around the corner and today I am not writing about a restaurant I’ve tried , but instead I would like to share with you seven dishes that my mom makes that I absolutely love. My mom is one of the best chefs I know because she really does put a lot of heart and soul in cooking and the food. When we have a feast to honor our ancestors, mom is always the one that cooks and every time the feast is always delicious. Although I know how to cook already, I want to be as great as my mom is.

This is my mom’s Pan-Fried Salmon with Tomatoes that I absolutely adore. This is really my favorite salmon dish and full of flavor and deliciousness. I thought it was a complicated recipe, but apparently it’s very simple and I have tried making it before and it’s easy!

This is Zongzi or Joong and it’s a traditional Chinese food made with glutinous rice stuffed with different fillings and wrapped with bamboo leaves. My family and I typically make and eat these during the fifth month of the lunar calendar. My mom always makes these and adds a lot of fillings and makes her own salted eggs. Her joong is always number one to me.

These are Fa Gao and it is a Chinese cupcake-like pastry, mostly consumed on Chinese New Year, but my mom does make these when she has the time. I truly enjoy eating the Fa Gao my mom makes versus the ones from the Chinese bakeries because it’s usually colored with food dye. My mom doesn’t use food dye at all and she uses brown sugar instead of white sugar. They are extremely fluffy and moist!

This is my mom’s famous Vermicelli with dried shrimp and she makes this just about every Chinese holiday or for our birthdays or whenever we request for it. It’s extremely tasty and it never gets tiring to eat. This dish also represents longevity.

Another food that my mom makes during December for a Chinese holiday is called tong yuan which can be eaten savory or sweet. We often eat the savory version for breakfast or dinner. For the savory version, my mom usually adds mushroom, cabbage, shrimp, chunks of dried scallops, scallions, and chicken or pork. It’s really an enjoyable food and soup to have especially during winter.

These are some of my favorite dishes that my mom makes.

What are your favorite dishes that your mother makes? What do you like most about it?

Things I want my Daughter to know: Love doesn’t hurt

Posted on May 4, 2016 by Samantha

Ava,

Since you were born you’ve probably heard “I love you” thousands of times. You’ve heard it being said to you and to the people around you and at 7 years old, you probably have a simplistic definition of the word. For you “love” is the way people take care of you, brushing your hair, tucking you into bed at night and cheering you on at school events and for now and years to come this idea will serve you well. One day however you’re going to grow up and have a more panoramic view of the world and of love. At some point love won’t just be mommy coming to your play at school or putting little notes in your lunch box, no, at some point love will be something you seek from a partner, someone who knows and keeps all your secrets. Though the idea of you growing up and finding someone you love frightens me, I want you to know that of all the many things love can be, painful, should never be one of them.

Love does not hurt, love isn’t heavy or burdening, love isn’t ostracizing or tiring. It’s important that you never feel like you owe something to the person you love, remember love is not a commodity that can be bartered or exchanged; it is a mutual and constant contribution to one another’s lives. Love is good morning notes next to the coffee machine, love surprising your partner with peanut M&Ms because it’s their favorite when they’ve had a rough day. I want you to have positive experiences of love Ava, I want you to never doubt that you’re lovable and that you deserve the best. If ever you feel like what you have is less than love it’s okay to leave and it is okay to have love for a person but not be in love with them. Love is a freeing experience it makes you feel light and open to life so I caution you, if you ever feel the love you have casts shadows on your life, on your happiness, it is time to move in a different direction.

Most of all Ava I want you to understand that in life we will love many people. We will love people intimately, like family and as close friends and all these types of love are necessary to us growing as a person. Sometimes though, like flowers, love has a season and we must move on to preserve our own garden. When love stops feeling freeing know that it’s not your fault and you just cannot fix it sometimes. This doesn’t mean the love that once was is any less significant it just means that there is more out there for you and you have every right to find it.

Gluten, It’s Everywhere

Posted on May 3, 2016 by briannavasquez

Image by: abby

Have you ever had any diet restrictions? Has it ever led to embarrassing moments of harassing waiters, vigilantly viewing menus or even food labels to be certain whether there is an ingredient in the food item that you cannot consume? Anyone with a food allergy must face this awkward occurrence every time that they decide to dine out, which often discourages them from eating out altogether. For people who are struggling with gluten allergies or celiac disease, visiting a restaurant can be an utterly terrifying experience because they have to be completely sure that they do not consume any form of the protein … gluten.

Now thanks to the revolutionary advances in technology, there is a new innovative device which will readily compute whether a food item contains gluten. This small device, which can easily fit in a pocket or purse of any sort, can provide a better customer experience within minutes as it tests for the presence of gluten in food. It is called Nima and it is manufactured by 6SensorLabs, a San Francisco-based startup company. It aims to lower the anxiety that is endured when those suffering from gluten-sensitivity are eating at restaurants by offering a sense of dietary freedom.

Image by: bajar de peso rapido

The Nima uses small disposable capsules to test food in order to avoid cross-contamination but the device has not been completely perfected because it cannot guarantee that an entire meal is free of gluten, it can only be completely safe based on the portion of the meal tested which can lead to false negatives. This has led to the development of other devices similar to the Nima, which will detect other food sensitivities or allergies such as nuts or dairy ingredients in certain products.

The Nima sensor can be pre-ordered as a starter kit online for about $200 for the device unit and three capsules while additional capsules can be purchased separately for about $50 for twelve capsules. The device should be available by the summer of 2016 if production allows for it.

Never Give Up – You’re Closer Than You Think

Posted on April 29, 2016 by Pamela

Most successes are not overnight successes. They take time to achieve and while life can be hard, staying the course will increase your chances of being successful. You should be proud that you are trying and stay positive. Remember, a positive attitude yields positive results and you are closer than you think.

Yet, I know it’s not easy. As a mature student who has taken a very long road to graduating, with one more semester to go, I can truly say that it’s worth pursuing.

But see below for tips from wikiHow on never giving up:

1. Develop a more positive attitude. Though you may find it nearly impossible to be positive if you feel like you’ve tried everything and nothing is working for you, it’s important to stay as optimistic as you can if you want to never give up. Being positive makes you see all of the good things in your life that you may be missing out on because you’re focusing on the negative things. It will also make you more open to more opportunities and possibilities because you’ll be looking at life with a “can do” attitude.

It’s true. Being more positive will not only make it easier for you to deal with challenges, but it will help you embrace new ones. If you’re bitter or focused on all of your failures, then you won’t be able to move forward.
If you catch yourself complaining or whining, try countering your negative comment with two positive ones.
Though you shouldn’t feel like you’re faking it when you’re acting positive while feeling sad on the inside, you should know that the more you fake it, the more you’ll slowly begin to see the brighter side of life.
One way to be more optimistic is to surround yourself with happier people who make you appreciate life more. If all of your friends are negative and discouraging, then yeah, it’ll be hard to have a positive mindset and to feel like you shouldn’t give up.

2. Learn to embrace change. If you want to work on developing the right mindset for not giving up, then you have to be able to roll with the punches and to not only accept change, but to thrive in it. Sure, you might have been thrown for a loop when your boyfriend broke up with you out of nowhere or when your family announced you were moving to a new city, but you have to learn to adapt to a new situation, to focus on whatever aspects of it exist, and to make a game plan for thriving in a new situation.

As Sheryl Crow once said, sometimes “A change will do you good.” Even if you’re shocked or thrown off guard, tell yourself that this could be the very best thing for you.
Look at change as an opportunity to learn something new, to meet new people, and to become a more well-rounded person. Though you may not see any positive aspects of the situation just yet, you should be proud of yourself for handling it with grace and for moving forward.

3. Learn from your mistakes. If you want to be able to not give up, then you have to get into a mindset that allows you to come to terms with the mistakes you’ve made and to learn from them so you don’t keep having the same old problems. Though you may feel only discouraged or embarrassed when you first make a mistake, you should take a step back to understand what you did wrong and make a plan for not making the same mistake the next time.

Though nobody wants to make a mistake, mistakes help you learn how to avoid future problems. For example, you may feel like you really messed up by dating a possessive boyfriend who ended up breaking your heart, but this mistake earlier in life may save you from picking the wrong husband in the future.
Don’t be in denial about the fact that you could have acted differently. If you’re so focused on looking perfect all the time, then you won’t ever learn.

4. Know that there will always be more opportunities for success. If you want to work on never giving up, then you have to have the mentality that there will always be more ways to succeed in the future. Though it’s important to live in the present, you should work on getting excited about the future instead of thinking that it has nothing to offer you; if you have the attitude that you’ve missed the boat somehow, then good opportunities will never come because you won’t be able to see them.

You may feel that, because you didn’t get the dream job you’ve been on three rounds of interviews for, that you’ll never find a career that suits you, but in the long run, you’ll see that you’ll be able to find plenty of jobs that also feel like that perfect fit, even if it takes a while to get there.
You can also work on opening up your definition of success. Sure, you might have thought that true success would be selling your novel when you were 25, but at 30, you may see that success can also be found in teaching literature to eager high school students.

I hope these tips are inspiring to you and help you to never give up. Feel free to add your comments on never giving up.

Night Display

Posted on April 28, 2016 by Konyca

It’s always fascinating seeing the bridges at night, its like a Christmas tree. Most times, on the said holiday like Memorial Day and Fourth of July the bridges are lit in colors relating to the holiday.

Personally, I love seeing those bridges lit up at night. Thirty minutes after the sun has set blue hour emerges, giving it a spectacular view, while the colors from the bridge reflects on the water.

Is it crazy enough?

Posted on April 28, 2016 by Mandy Mei

This week I would like to feature an important figure in science. A few weeks ago, I went to Professor Sylvester Gate’s physics talk about the recent discovery of gravitational waves by the LIGO team. He is also known for his work in supersymmetry, supergravity and string theory, and received the National Medal of Science from President Obama in 2013. Above is a quote he said during his talk, and I thought it can be inspiring for any creative out there. Just remember to take chances and have crazy ideas!

To read more on the recent discovery, click here: Gravitational waves detected 100 years after Einstein’s prediction

Dining Solo at Two Hands

Posted on April 27, 2016 by Jessica

There’s this little cafe called Two Hands that I’ve been interested in trying for a long time. I was supposed to have lunch and coffee with my friend, but my friend ended up showing up late, so instead of just waiting around I ended up experiencing the restaurant and cafe by myself.

Gorgeous, white interior, natural light and very inviting/trendy, and just super chill and hip customers. Two Hands is quite small with limited space and the wait can be anywhere from 1 – 1.5 hour, so be prepared.

I ordered the Matcha Latte ($5.00) which was served in a mason jar, no surprise here. The Matcha Latte was unsweetened, but very refreshing and delicious!

I also had The Good Life Salad ($13.00) which was baby spinach, carrot, chickpeas, quinoa, golden raisins, sunflower seeds, and avocado with mint pesto. The salad was a little pricey, but very good and filling! The mint pesto gave the salad a very refreshing taste to it and the combination of the sunflower seeds and avocado gave the salad a nutty flavor to it.

Overall, I enjoyed the experience at Two Hands. Two Hands is focused mostly on creating healthy, simple. and delicious foods. It’s definitely a place worth coming with a friend or someone that enjoys healthy food and a relaxing and mellow atmosphere. I would definitely come back here, but with a friend next time for sure.

Do you enjoy eating at cafe? Which cafes do you like to go to?

NY Hangout: A Raceway in our Backyard

Posted on April 25, 2016 by AmoniB

I am a proud uncertified sponsor of the term All Work and No Play Will Make Anyone Dull. This weekend was no exception. On Friday I went to a bar in Queens with my coworkers to celebrate the promotions of two Sistas (non relation black women who are sisters by national blood), I ordered tons of appetizers. On Saturday I was headed to Atlantic City on the whim had to turn back and then enjoyed a party celebrating the life of Kai before heading to a Queens Bowling Alley with my cousins for my uncles Lodge. And finally on Sunday my cousins, friends and I enjoyed the Pole Position Raceway in Long Island.

Upon entering we was a little confused. It seemed like so much to don and although the cashier wasnt friendly or giving us information we needed we managed to figure out that we had to register on iPads before purchasing the tickets. It was $30 per adult for a few rounds and you only race with your party. Kids are have the price and there were other packages and memberships.

While we awaited our race we played games at the arcade which outlined the indoor road. They also had great sitting area with refreshments but we BYOB’d

Procrastination – Breaking the Habit

Posted on April 22, 2016 by Pamela

Now that it’s spring break, I decided to use it to get ahead of my studies. Even though I am guilty of procrastinating at times, I really try my best to overcome the habit. But I am not alone and many people have the same habit. So how do we overcome it?

What I usually do is create two to-do-lists. The first one is a daily list with everything that I have to do for the entire day. As I go through the day, I check off each item on my list. It feels good when I am able to cross things off and see my list getting smaller. Sometimes it’s even necessary to set a time for things to be done. This prevents me from putting things off until later. I also make sure that the important things get done first. If there is something that does not get done that day, it goes on the following day’s list.

The second list is the long-term list. This is an ultimate list and as I accomplish things, I check them off. I get a sense of accomplishment knowing that I have done what I needed to do. I know it’s easier said than done, but force yourself to do it. It’s a good habit that, if developed, will give you clarity. Your list will be large at first, but will eventually grow smaller as you complete your tasks.

The main thing to remember is that no one is perfect and everything takes time. But be your own motivator and reward yourself when it’s done. Maybe give yourself a special treat because we all need reinforcement. And just like I do, have positive people in your life who can encourage you to stay on task. Telling someone what you plan to do further confirms your commitment to doing it.

Lastly, don’t worry about the distractions. Believe me, they will come. Just practice doing one thing at a time and don’t overwhelm yourself.

I hope this has been helpful and if you have any questions, feel free to let me know.

We can do this!

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