Coffee Break

Posted on May 10, 2018 by briannavasquez

The summer weather is slowly settling in and we are starting to get a taste of what summer will be like aside from all the pollen that is creating havoc on everyone’s immune system. Every time that I leave home, a cough or a sneeze isn’t too far from occurring but other than that, I am enjoying this beautiful weather…a frequent cool breeze and the amazing feel of being sun-kissed by the warm heat of this weather is getting me a tad bit excited for the summer. It is as if I can already hear the sounds of Mister Softee’s ice cream truck and reminisce of the aromas of the beach as well as the fragrant smell of barbeques…that is what summer is to me. And I am so ready to welcome it. I am stoked for all that comes with summer memories.

Being that City Tech is located in the Downtown Brooklyn area, it is the host to many coffee shops. I love coffee and summer only makes the need for coffee more precedent. If I cannot have my coffee whether hot or iced, I am just not myself in the summer heat. It is sort of like those Snickers’ commercials where they describe that you are not you when you’re hungry…so you can have a Snicker. Yeah, that is me without coffee in the summer. Coffee is one of those things that comfort you…in the winter time, it is nice to have to as a hand warmer and it is great to help warm up your practically frozen body as it melts you from the inside out as well as in the summer, when it cools you from the sweat-pooled days of summer that houses way too many heat waves. Everyone knows based on my previous posts that I have a true love for frozen desserts, whether it be ice cream, sorbet, gelato, or frozen yogurt. I am always psyched to have this category of desserts because I find it to be very delicious. I absolutely love anything frozen. So, regardless of the ever-changing weather switching between summer and spring or your crazy college schedule, if you are ever in the mood for coffee, ice cream, frozen yogurt with an array of topping options, and acai smoothie bowls. Then, I have the perfect place for you.

It is called the Brooklyn Beanery which is located along Court Street literally right across the street from the movie theater which makes for the perfect afternoon place to hang out as it has a café feel integrated within the outlay of the establishment. There is a small and intimate seating area but it sells an assortment of ice cream which is supplied by Hershey’s brand which is breathtakingly delicious as well as frozen yogurt that is on a flavor rotation aside from the traditional flavors of chocolate, vanilla, and original. But there is a huge counter dedicated only to toppings for your frozen yogurt that varies from fresh fruits like blueberries, mangoes, and strawberries to candy like m&m’s, fruity pebbles cereal, mochi, or cheesecake bites. This place also has many prepared coffee selections, it is a small shop which can easily be overlooked but you will not regret stopping in for a treat. The prices are affordable and it usually doesn’t get very busy so there is a place to sit down and get away from the hectic schedule that is life if for only a few minutes.

Dear Summer….Hasta Luego

Posted on September 12, 2017 by Neffi

I’m packing my summer up in a crate until next year. As I sit here reflecting on these past two months, my intention for this post was to say “omg what summer? Blah blah” but then I went on Instagram and coincidentally saw my girl Stef’s post and she said:

“Dear summer, instead of focusing on how quickly you came and went, I will make the BetterLifeChoice to celebrate all of the amazing moments your presence allowed me to have”.

So ok you win Stefanie! I won’t say that the summer TRIED it with its “sneak peek/ trailer/ coming to theaters soon near you” behavior……and how this whole time I was thinking this was just the free trial. A test run. A tryout. A sample. An intro. A pre-game. Ok ok I’m done lol, I won’t say any of it.

In my “pack tha summer up” crate I’m throwing in bodak yellow, the show Power, Woodland Restaurant weekend brunches, frozen strawberry margaritas, cat eye sunglasses, rooftop happy hour, and late night patio moon watching. I’m also throwing in my cousin’s’ wedding, BBQs, restaurant outdoor seating (which I LIVE and DIE for), Nike slides with fresh white pedis, off the shoulder everything, rolled ice cream, my birthday (Aug 19th Leo Nation baby!), the eclipse, some things I shouldn’t say on the internet LOL, and Venti Starbucks pink drink; My “All summer 17” essentials.

I DID play myself though because I haven’t been to the beach OR a pool all summer but it’s been real y’all. I enjoyed it. I’ll tell you what I did take some time to do though.

I worked a lot.

Working on some of the relationships in my life.

I worked on my relationship with ME.

I stopped criticizing myself and stressing scales.

Stopped avoiding crop tops and spaghetti straps.

I stopped holding my head down and avoiding conversation and social media when I had an acne flare up because I decided that slice of pizza was looking too right and calling my name.

I started listening.

I said no…and didn’t feel guilty.

I slowed down.

So I could see, feel, hear, notice,

Be present.

I stood in front a room of 30 plus people last Thursday facilitating mindfulness and I asked “When’s the last time you just sat and just stared up at the sky and the moon?” Only me and a few other people had our hands up.

This summer I took time to acknowledge and thank the sun, moon, and stars for doing it’s job everyday and never calling out of work like we do every now and again lol.

As we wrap the summer up it brings up these nostalgic feelings of being out with your friends, family, bae, having your toes out, all that good stuff. Good music, good food, just vibez all around. So like Stef, I’m gonna celebrate all of the amazing moments summer allowed me to have, all of the beautiful memories I’m packing up in the crate. I hope the summer was good to you mi amors because it was great to me.

Until we meet again 90 plus degrees!

P.S In case you didn’t know, it’s National Encouragement day.

https://nationaldaycalendar.com/national-day-of-encouragement/

Send a text to or call people you love today.

Especially those you haven’t spoken to in a while,

or someone whom the ways of the world may be hitting home for them right now…that surprise love is EVERYTHANG.

Tell them you love them, encourage them to keep going.

Sometimes those two words are exactly what someone needs right at the moment you bless them with it.

….Keep Going. love ya

The Best Things I’ve Ate This Summer So Far

Posted on July 29, 2016 by Jessica

I think you already know by now that I always look forward to the summer because it’s the time of the year where I have more flexibility, have more time to go out and enjoy food with my family, boyfriend, and friends, and an opportunity to try restaurants and places on my list.

Since summer is half over, I’d like to share with you some of the tasty drinks and dishes that I’ve experienced and enjoy during the summer so far:

This Lobster Bisque from Island Creek Oyster Bar in Boston, MA is lobster heaven! It’s by far the BEST lobster bisque I have had! It’s bright, warm, and inviting and has rich lobster flavors and juices.

During my Memorial Day weekend trip to Boston, I also visited Quincy Market and this one spot called Boston Chowda Co. I saw that they had Maine Lobster Pie which was filled with their Rockport lobster bisque and topped with their seasoned Ritz Cracker crumbs. The pie was absolutely wonderful and delicious! It was extremely creamy and the lobster meat was full of flavor! Who would have thought a savory pie could taste so amazing?

I am a sangria lover! Last month, my boyfriend and I went to our friend’s birthday dinner which was at a Portuguese restaurant and they had White Sangria, so of course I had to have it. It was actually very light and refreshing, but didn’t have strong aromas like a red sangria does.

Since my internship is close to 42nd street in the city, I’ve been making a lot of visits to Jamba Juice for their freshly made smoothies. My favorite one so far is the Gotta Guava smoothie which contains guava juice blend, frozen peaches and strawberries, and sherbet with pineapple ice. It is super refreshing especially on a hot day and full of tropical goodness!

I came to Piccoli Trattoria with my boyfriend and friends for a double date dinner and an item we ordered that I found absolutely divine was the Proscuitto E Peccorino which is fig jam, Proscuitto de Parma, and Gorgonzola cheese on a toasted rustic bread. It’s super tasty with a mix of salt and sweetness from the fig jam and Proscuitto. I really enjoyed this appetizer and it’s possibly one of the best ones I’ve had so far.

I’ve also visited a new ramen spot in Brooklyn Heights with my boyfriend and two other friends as well. I’ve tried Tonkotsu Ramen in a lot of ramen restaurants, but so far my favorite one is from the new ramen restaurant: Kogane Ramen. I really enjoyed this particular bowl of ramen because it had the right amount of fattiness and pork bone based broth. The noodles were straight and cooked al dente. I took my time eating this ramen so I was able to enjoy and savor every taste and texture in this bowl.

My boyfriend and I celebrated our 5.5 year anniversary at one of my favorite restaurants, one that I’ve spoken previously about on The Buzz: Mussels & More. One dish that we tried was the Lobster Ravioli which I absolutely enjoyed! They were quite big and they were truly delicious and the sauce went extremely well with the toasted bread that they gave us on the side.

I guess it’s pretty apparent that so far this summer, most of my favorite dishes are seafood and lobster related. I enjoy seafood very much except for oysters and scallop (for personal reasons). I’m excited for the food places I am planning to visit for the rest of this summer and to see what they offer.

What are some dishes or drinks you’ve enjoyed or tried this summer?

Neptune Oyster – The Longest Wait For Food

Posted on July 15, 2016 by Jessica

During Memorial Day weekend, my boyfriend, our two friends, and I did a weekend trip in Boston, MA. I did a search on restaurants in Boston on Yelp and Neptune Oyster was at the top of the list. I didn’t read any reviews, but I should have because nothing prepared me for what happened at Neptune Oyster.

Our friend told us Neptune Oyster has a 4.5 star rating on Yelp with over 3000+ reviews which is tremendous. We arrived on the street of Neptune Oyster at 3:30PM on a Saturday and made a reservation which we found out would be a 4 hour wait, so we had to return back at 7:30PM. After 2-4 hours of sight seeing, walking, and sitting at a cafe, we returned back to Neptune Oyster at 7:15PM and found out our wait time has extended to 8-8:30PM,so altogether nearly a 5 hour wait. We got a call around 8-8:15PM, but when we arrived we still had to wait for a seat.

The restaurant is very dark, dim, tight and small inside. The staff here are very friendly, knowledgeable and helpful. We started off with appetizers:

The Fried Ipswich Clams came with a tartar sauce and was market price: $21.00 which isn’t expensive at all. The fried clams were fried to perfection, juicy and full of clam deliciousness inside. I liked the tartar sauce a lot because it was rich. We also had Razor Clams which I thought was excellent and delicious. My boyfriend and our friends also ordered oysters from the raw bar and I ordered a shrimp cocktail since I am not a fan of cooked or raw oysters at all.

We got two bowls of the Wellfleet Clam Chowder, one bowl per couple. The clam chowder is a popular menu item, but honestly I thought it was alright. It’s definitely very filling because there’s a lot of cream and chunks of potatoes. There’s a good amount of clams in the chowder, but I just felt it was okay, not the best.

Another popular menu item at Neptune Oyster is their Maine Lobster Roll – toasted roll, available hot with butter or cold with mayo (available without roll). We both ordered it hot, but little did we know that it wasn’t the best route.

The lobster and roll were both submerged with so much butter that it was too overwhelming. However, the lobster was delicious and so were the fries. The butter did make my boyfriend feel slightly sick, so he wasn’t able to finish his half of the lobster roll.

All in all, I feel the five hour wait was definitely too much and an experience I never want to experience again at any restaurant. Was the five hour wait really, really worth it? I feel like it wasn’t because the food wasn’t five stars in my opinion, maybe 3.5. Would I return? No, because a five hour wait is crazy and it can definitely drive a person hangry. I’ve definitely had better seafood dishes before without having to wait so long.

What was the longest wait you’ve ever experienced at a restaurant? Was the wait worth it?

Summer is FALLing into its Place

Posted on September 10, 2015 by AmoniB

Model Amoni B, Photographer: Heaven Sent Photography, Overlay: straightouttasomewhere.com

Welcome back students, faculty, staff and visitors. My name is Amoni B and its an honor to be blogging with City Tech for another semester. I hope all of my readers are enjoying their summer, whether you were traveling, learning in school, giving back to your community, splashing in water themed parks, visiting galas and museums, enjoying sport events like the US Open, dancing at the Labor Day parade, and even working. I must also shine light on the #BLACKLIVESMATTER movement. Although the years of damnation and recent events in the US and Dominican Republic aren’t much to smile about, I am happy that there is more awareness and even more self-embracing being spread.

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Gallery above : Images of how me and my readers spent their Summer. 1. Stacey Brown celebrated her award with a meal 2. Lawrence Brown Paint-balled 3. Leona Brown-Straus is loved 4. Sam James worked construction 5. Leslie Brown posed in New Orleans on vacation 6. Steph Dashian attended a wedding 7. Genesis & Derek stayed cool 8. Amoni B takes flight 9. Stacey Brown went to the pool 10. Omari plays in the pool 11. Robin Pugh and Derek in the yard 12. The grill

Today I am spreading love. I love you all and hope you will enjoy my post to come. You can check out my past post here: Amoni B on The Buzz. In the future I will be covering events from fashion to being social responsible. I will also show some awesome DIY done in the past and future, because what’s better than being self-sufficient and awesome. And my readers can feel even more awesome when they give back.

Heart Hands by TakeEverythingBack

Amoni, What is giving back?

Well, giving back is like paying it forward, a term used when one person helps another so that in return they help 3 others. Ways to pay it forward include helping others, donating your time, and building your neighborhood whither physically or by giving knowledge. It helps your social growth, helps to spend your time wisely, and it makes you feel all warm inside. During the summer I traveled and participated and promotions and events. I also gave back by donating my time, donating my material and technology, helping people with their ideas and business forming, and participating in non-profit organizations, like Habitat for Humanity. On my downtime, and if someone hasn’t already came to seek my help, I look for open opportunities to volunteer. Such opportunities can be found on volunteer.org, idealist.org, at your local schools and community center, or by looking up your favorite organizations. Hopefully this upcoming fall you can find time to spread the love as well.

Disclaimer: All information is solely my opinion and I am not being paid to promote organizations and companies mentioned in this post.

QUESTIONS FOR THE READERS: How did you spend your summer? | Do you volunteer? | What are some ways you give back/pay it forward? | What topics would you like to see me discuss? | What events would you like me to cover?

The 10 Best Things I’ve Ate This Summer

Posted on September 9, 2015 by Jessica

Welcome back to Fall 2015 all faculty and city tech students! It feels good and exciting to be back at City Tech as this will be my last year at City Tech and of college. It’s exciting and scary at the same time.

Anyway, hope your summer was blast and you had a chance to eat a lot of yummy foods! I know I did. I had a list of places I wanted to try this summer and I was able to accomplish most of it as well as get to try foods I never tried before. I’d like to share with you the 10 best things I ever ate this summer –

1. Strawberry Refresher from Starbucks

I love almost all foods and drinks that are strawberry related, so when I heard Starbucks came out with a Strawberry Acai Refresher – I was ecstatic. I gave it a shot and fell head over heels with it. There’s a slight tartness to it, but you can definitely taste the strawberry-ness in it and it’s absolutely refreshing. If you haven’t tried it yet, give it a shot.

2. Bisque Mussels from Mussels & More

During the summer, I ate at Mussels and More with my friends and boyfriend twice because it was just that good! One of the items we tried was the Bisque mussels (lobster, brandy, garlic, tomato, and cream) and it was truly the best mussels I’ve had so far. It was rich and savory. The mussels were cooked just right!

3. Linguine with White Clam Sauce from Mussels & More

Another item I’ve tried at Mussels & More is Linguine with white clam sauce in many restaurants, but none as good and savory as the one from Mussels & More. You can just taste the love and effort that was put into this dish.

4. Steamed lobster from Larchmont Yacht Club

Over the summer, I attended my boyfriend’s company picnic at Larchmont and that’s where I had one of the best lobsters of my life! They were serving steamed lobsters with butter and I had two lobsters to myself and they were absolutely tender, moist, and with a little sweetness as well. So simple, yet so delicious!

5. Rice Cakes with Shredded Pork & Preserved Mustard from Nan Xiang Dumpling House

This is one of my favorite dishes that I love to order at most Shanghainese restaurants! Last month, my boyfriend and I had dinner at a Shanghainese restaurant in Flushing and that’s where I’ve had one of the best rice cakes with shredded pork and preserved mustard. The rice cakes weren’t soggy and cooked just right and the preserved mustard, weren’t preserved this time, in fact it was fresh and crunchy.

6. Roast Pork Taco from Tacos El Bronco

My friend introduced me to Tacos El Bronco and I tried the roast pork taco. It was hands down the best taco I’ve had so far. It was warm, vibrant, and delicious! The guacamole had a nice and rich creaminess to it and the taco wasn’t spicy at all. The roast pork was really tender and moist. Everything was on point!

7. Cookies n Creme Ice Cream

Ice cream is one of my weaknesses, but I forgot how much happiness an ice cream on a cone can bring to me. My manager treated my company to ice cream and Italian ices one afternoon and I got myself a cookies n creme ice cream and boy was I happy.

8. Roasted Corn & Jalapeno Crab Bisque from Hooked

I normally don’t order soups at restaurants, but I decided to order the roasted corn & jalapeno crab bisque from Hooked as many of my friends did to while we were in Ocean City, MD for Labor Day weekend. The bisque was surprisingly not spicy at all, despite jalapeno being in the name of the bisque. I really enjoyed the bisque. It was hearty, warm, creamy, and irresistibly delicious!

9. Affugazi Affogato from Brooklyn Farmacy & Soda Fountain

I always wanted to go to Brooklyn Farmacy & Soda Fountain and I did go this summer not just once, but twice! The first time I went with my friends, I ordered the Affugazi Affogato which was absolutely delightful. It was like chocolate and espresso heaven! I really enjoyed the large scoop of vanilla ice cream encased in the hardened chocolate shell. The chocolate shell was difficult and almost impossible to break through. The two shots of espresso was good and powerful stuff!

10. Horchata from Las Margaritas

I’ve always been curious about horchata, so I gave it a shot at Las Margaritas when I was out with friends one night. Every Spanish/Mexican restaurant has their own way of making horchata I am sure, but the one from Las Margaritas was very refreshing and perfect for a summery day. The horchata I had a bit of cinnamon or maybe nutmeg in it and it was a nice touch to it.

I really enjoyed this summer and give myself a lot of credit for trying a lot of new foods, drinks, and restaurants. It’s been an exciting experience!

Summer FUN!

Posted on May 22, 2015 by Amanda

What a relief, we have finally approached the end of the spring semester! That means no more homework, no more studying and more SLEEP! So now that Summer is here (well a month away if you want to be technical) what do you guys have in store? Having bbqs? Going to the beach/pool? Going to Six Flags? What’s something that you’re doing this summer that is BRAND NEW. Well for you I mean. Something you’ve never done before…..like going jet skiing, ziplining, or even sky diving! One of the things on my “Summer 2015” bucket list is to attend as many festivals as possible. I’ve only been to the Italian Festival so I am excited to see what these other themed festivals are about.

For those of you that may not know a festival is it is basically “an event cardinally staged by a community, centering on and celebrating some unique aspect of that community and its traditions.” There are so many types of festivals, for instance music, film and even color!

So you haven’t attended? Don’t worry, as mentioned before I’ve only been to the Italian Festival haha. Tomorrow I’ll be attending the Color Run at Citi Field for the first time and words cannot describe how excited I am!! Although tomorrow’s event is sold out, there is still a chance for you yes YOU to go. The next Color Run will be held on July 11^th at Aviator Sports and Events Center in Brooklyn, NY!

Here are some photos of previous Color Run events:

Image By: Hannah E.

Image By: Dana Amihere

Image By: Zachary Strain

Image By: Melissa Romero

After seeing those images doesn’t it just make you want to go out and have fun!? It sure does for me!! Tomorrow I will definitely be coming back here on The Buzz to fill you guys in on the details of this festival. Hope to see you at the next one! 🙂

Amanda’s Personal Review: Hey guys! As promised, i’ve come back to inform you guys about The Color Run. First of all, let me start of by saying that this was one of the best experiences in my life! As New Yorkers, we don’t really come across “happy” people so attending an event where all you see is ear to ear smiles and everyone just wanting to have fun is simply AMAZING! For those of you whom aren’t avid runners, don’t worry, you can run, jog and even walk if you like! As I mentioned before, they will be holding this event at Aviator Sports and Events Center in Brooklyn, NY on July 11th so I hope you guys attend! Out of all the event’s/places I’ve reccomended to you all this is one you guys must put as #1 on your bucket list! Here’s the link for futher information https://thecolorrun.com/night/brooklyn/

Here are some photos I took:

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