Night Time In Fall

It’s gets very beautiful at night in New York, however during the fall it is even more beautiful during the night. During fall the days are relatively shorter than the nights, thus there’s quite a lot of time for the fall to show its magical colors at night.

The colors may not be as vibrant and visible as during the days. But it is still indeed breathtaking and enjoyable to witness. Especially during the fall, the sky displays a variety of wonderful colors illuminating the sky every night. It gets really spectacular, it’s like the sky is trying to send a message or it wants to show its feelings. Nonetheless, it’s just such a nice phenomenon to see. Moreover, the lively way the lights of the city contrast with the night is something amazing that also take place in the fall. It makes going outside even for a stroll worth every seconds.


strung lights across a city street at nightBrooklyn

 

strung lights across a city street at nightChinatown – Manhattan

 

a bridge walkway at nightManhattan Bridge – Manhattan

 

a hand held through a break in a wire mesh fenceManhattan Bridge – Manhattan

 

 

 

Soup Dumplings make their mark in Downtown Brooklyn

the Yaso Tangbao food shop

Image Credit: Downtown Brooklyn

After going to school and working in Downtown Brooklyn for over three years, it’s hard to find good, authentic, and tasty Asian foods (in my opinion).  Approximately a month ago,  Yaso Tangbao made their print in Downtown Brooklyn located on a relatively quiet, but very commercial block between Fulton and Willoughby Street. Yaso Tangbao is a counter-serve, fast-casual dumpling restaurant.

I waited about a week after it opened to finally try it because I wanted to hear feedback from my colleagues and on Yelp first. I went on a Friday afternoon with my boyfriend for lunch and it was quite crowded! There are a few communal tables along with benches for you to sit and eat, as well as smaller tables ideal for two people, and counters with seats. The service is pretty quick and the staff here are very friendly and nice too.

dumplings

The main star of the restaurant are the soup dumplings or xiao long bao. Yaso Tangbao offers two types of xiao long bao – one with pork ($8.50) and one with a mixed blue crab and pork filling ($11.00). My boyfriend and I tried the pork xiao long bao and truth be told, I wasn’t expecting them to be as good as they. The soup dumplings were freshly-made, each one squirting out a rich and savory broth and a chunky pork filling. It was absolutely delicious and goes well with the soy and vinegar sauce.

a noodle dish

 

We also tried the chicken curry pan-fried noodles, but it wasn’t really what we expected. The noodles were on par and crunchy! The sauce and chicken on the other hand wasn’t on par. There wasn’t much taste to it and the sauce was watered down. I don’t think we would order this again.

All in all, we enjoyed our experience at Yaso Tangbao. The xiao long bao are phenomenal and I would definitely return just to try them again. I highly recommend Yaso Tangbao if your in the area and don’t know what to do for lunch. This is definitely a spot/restaurant worth checking out.

What new restaurant/cafe have you tried lately?

The Dedication

I love sleeping in late on a weekends when I don’t have work or school. I mean like who doesn’t right? However I do get up quite early most weekend mornings to photograph the sunrise. Its no easy task for me since I tend to silence my alarm, suck my teeth and grumble to myself but believe it or not within a few minutes my feet are planted flat on the floor and I’m wide awake. Only dedication gets me out of that bed and the results are always worth it.


 

sunrise behind a city bridge“Each morning we are born again. What we do today is what matters most.”  Lenox Hill Manhattan, NY 6:49am

-Buddha

 

sunrise behind a city bridge“True love is like ghost, which everyone talks about and few have seen.”  Lenox Hill Manhattan, NY 7:00am

 

the ocean at sunrise“Your location doesnt change your identity.” Fort Tilden Queens, NY 7:31am

-Joel Osteen

 

a person at the ocean at sunrise“Life isn’t about finding yourself. Life is about creatig yourself.”  Fort Tilden Queens, NY 7:37am

-George Bernard Shaw

 

the Brooklyn bridge at sunrise“One small positive thought in the morning can change your whole day.”  Dover St Manhattan, NY 7:52am

-Unknown

 

the Brooklyn bridge at sunrise“Opportunities are like sunrises. If you wait too long, you miss them.”  Dover St Manhattan, NY 7:55am

-Unknown

 

Video: BEAUTY ON A BUDGET

I show and tell how to get beauty on a budget. This one is not just for the ladies. Guys, you can also do buy inexpensive items or get free products too! (i.e.: skin care, body wash, razors. Check out the tips….


Questions to the Viewers: What are other ways to be frugal? | Has anyone tried my method and have something to share?

New York City Skyline

It is never tiring to admire the beautiful skyscrapers that make up the New York City skyline. NYC is widely known for its skyscrapers and they attract millions of people each year to come visit and enjoy the sublime view they display. Those skylines give New York City its identity and set it apart from other cities in the world.

There are many sights that are worth visiting over and over anytime ones gets the chance. Each sighting is a different story, it’s never the same depending on the perspective you are looking at them or also your state of mind during at the moment. There are many places you can go to have a perfect views of skyscrapers such as parks, on a bridge or on a roof top. But each places give its own unique perspective of a skyline and they are all special in their own ways. Wherever you go admire the beauty of NYC skyline, you will be satisfied.


 

a city skyline by water with cloudsManhattan Bridge – Manhattan

 

a city skyline by water at nightBrooklyn Bridge Park – Brooklyn

 

a city skyline by a bridge with cloudsBrooklyn Bridge – Brooklyn

Cuny Students Fight Back

a flyer that says "#MILLION STUDENT MARCH: JOIN THE MARCH JOIN THE MOVEMENT" over red fists

Do you ever think Cuny tuition is too high? Are you having a difficult time paying your fees? Do you think tuition should be free? Well if you do, you aren’t alone!

Students and faculty in 115 locations, took part in the Million Student March this past Thursday. The purpose of the march was to seek tuition-free college educations, cancellation of all student debt, and $15 hourly wage for campus employers. “We expect this to be a long struggle,” said James Hoff, English professor at Borough of Manhattan Communication College, and organizer of the CCNY group. He says that more than 40 million Americans are holding $1.2 trillion in student debt, and one in four borrowers has difficulties in paying off the loans.

The movement, which was widely organized on social media, used the hashtag #Million Student March. This was the second highest trending topic in the United States on Twitter by 5 p.m. on Thursday. Photos and videos posted on Twitter, where #MillionStudentMarch was trending worldwide, showed marches involving dozens to hundreds of demonstrators at schools not just in NY, but including Texas State, the University of Massachusetts at Amherst, and Depaul University in Chicago.

Dealing with mounting student loan debt has been a focus for candidates vying for the White House in 2016. Democratic hopeful Bernie Sanders, who has vowed to make tuition free at public universities and colleges, and has pledged to cut interest rates for student loans, tweeted in support of the movement on Thursday afternoon. His rival Hillary Clinton has said she would increase access to tuition grants, let graduates refinance loans at lower interest rates, and streamline income-based repayment plans.

Obama has promised to make all community Colleges free, and while I would hope it would apply to 4 year schools as well, I’m not so certain it can be done.

Notes of your past

 a card that says "And that's life, I guess, throwing out notes of your past."
“Throwing out work that you’ve done does make you sad because that’s your work.. that’s you from years ago. Back then you might have been a “different” person. Each and every one of those notes can remind you of your life at the particular time period the note was written in.
And that’s life, I guess, throwing out notes of your past. This could be a great quote.”
Name: M. Caka
Age: 21
Major: Computer Science

 

Everyone’s favorite season

What’s your favorite season? Mine? I’m still debating about it. Each has its own special characteristics that I love but autumn? Oh man! Its indescribable.

Its that special time of year when the weather begins to get cooler and the nights noticeably longer; which means we get to sleep longer. Yay! Usually by mid October to the beginning of November is when autumn shows its “true colors” and the leaves start falling, giving it a beautiful scenic view.


 

houses on a bank reflected into the water“Autumn, the years last, loveliest smile.”   Port Washington Long Island, NY 10:30am

-William Cullen Bryant

 

fall leaves on the ground“Autumn carries more gold in its pocket than all other seasons.”  Port Washington Long Island, NY 10:45am

-Jim Bishop

 

a close-up of a fall leaf“Wild is the music of the autumnal winds amongst the faded woods.”  Port Washington Long Island, NY 11:14am

-William Wordsworth

 

trees on edge of a body of water“Life starts all over again when it gets crisp in the fall.”  Port Washington Long Island, NY 11:52am

-F.Scott Fitzgerald

 

a forest“Autumn, the season teaches us, that change can be beautiful.”  Port Washington Long Island, NY 12:17pm

-Heather A. Stillufsen

 

a road through a forest “No spring nor summer beauty hath such grace as I have seen in one autumnal face.” Port Washington Long Island, NY 12:41pm

-John Donne

Professional Chef in Minutes

a latte coffee in an ambient restaurant setting

Image by: fstop186

Have you ever dreamt of making a meal that has the sophistication of chef Julia Childs? Or create an unforgettable meal that is not only artistic but delicious? To achieve this, it seems almost reasonable to attend a cooking class or two (or three) to create an epic meal. But there is easier way to be able to surprise your guests at dinner with the vast amount of online meal kit services. With the help of companies such as Plated, Blue Apron, Munchery and Hello Fresh as well as many others, making an extravagant meal is simpler yet you can still impress many with your meal. These companies essentially will have a variety of meals to choose from with serving sizes, after this is chosen the price is determined and it will then be sent to your home. The package consists of each ingredient which has already been carefully scaled, weighed, and measured so all that is required is to follow the detailed directions (some will even have pictures) in order to yield the delicious meal. Many compare these sites to GrubHub and Seamless but it is actually extremely different in terms of service as these are offering to deliver takeout orders instead of a pre-packaged meal that can be home-cooked.

chicken fajitas being made from a recipe

Image by: shubbe

Plated offers numerous options for meals whether beef, vegetarian, poultry, seafood, and dessert which are available for two persons.  The menu changes each week but has at least seven menu items delicately created by Plated chefs. The meals can be ordered a la carte or as a complete set after a weekly subscription has been applied which allows for 20% off all plates as well as the chance to receive some bonus complimentary plates if you refer a friend. The monthly membership costs only ten dollars a month but eight dollars per month if it is purchased in advance for the entire year. The company prides itself on the origin of its ingredients that are sustainable, fresh, and antibiotic-free. The food delivery is packaged with step-by-step recipe cards along with the pre-portioned food to avoid food waste and to lower the preparation of the meal in a recyclable refrigerated box on the selected date of delivery.

roasted chicken served from a followed recipe

Image by: wingerz

Blue Apron is a well-known online meal kit service that provides exquisite meals in the selection of either a two-person or four-person options. The site offers how-to videos which teach cooking tutorials that are commonly used when cooking a meal. Blue Apron has a free sign-up which does not have a contract so you can opt out at any time although you must still abide by a subscription which is a flat rate for three meals per week, meal weeks can easily be skipped and shipping is always free. Similar to Plated, they accommodate each customer’s dietary restrictions as long as it is include in their profile. The package of food will be prepared just like Plated but Blue Apron puts the food in an insulated bag so the food will not retard and can last longer. There is also a subscription for wine which is carefully paired with the food that you have purchased for monthly deliveries of six wines that have been designed to serve only two people.

If interested, in these services, I have places some links below for coupons and promo codes although I am not promoting these services in any way, it is all simply a meal suggestion.

Plated:

http://www.promopro.com/merchant-Plated-coupons-deals-31203.html

http://www.goodsearch.com/plated/coupons

http://www.retailmenot.com/view/plated.com

Blue Apron:

http://dealnerd.net/coupon-codes/blue-apron/

http://www.retailmenot.com/view/blueapron.com

https://www.groupon.com/deals/blue-apron-8-napa-sonoma

Bye bye Cosby

two gold coins with a red "DENIED" stamp over both

The trustees of the City University of New York, will take back an honorary doctorate granted to Bill Cosby in 1995, by the John Jay College of Criminal Justice.

“We’re saying that had we known then what we know now, we would not recommend that Mr. Cosby receive this honorary title,” college president Jeremy Travis said on Monday.

Travis said the action was  warranted due to the claims against Cosby.

“We now know of … women … who have claimed that he took advantage of their relationship, often aided, according to them, by various substances added to drinks,” Travis said. “In at least one instance now, he acknowledged that he engaged in this practice of taking advantage of women and doing so with the aid of, in this case, Qualuudes.”

This isn’t the first honor taken away from Cosby, since these claims have come out. And I’m sure it won’t be the last. Cosby himself has not been charged yet, and some have said that since he has not been charged, none of his achievements should be taken away.

Hmmm not sure I agree with those people.