Anticipation has been building for quite some time among the senior class as to who our graduation speaker would be. From Ellen Degeneres to Michelle Obama, early on the rumor mill was in full force. Over the past 4 years, we’ve had Hillary Clinton, Bill Clinton, Alec Baldwin, and Sonia Sotomayor speak at commencements. Naturally, we were excited when, after much delay, word finally came: David Boies. Initially, we were hoping someone had gotten a bad tip, after all, what is a David Boies anyway? One senior posted the following Facebook status:
I Paid $250,000 For This Degree And All I Got Was David Boies
April 24th, 2013 by Abe GutierrezLocal Debates: Should We Keep The Pledge of Allegiance In Schools?
February 15th, 2013 by Ava Kiai and Abe Gutierrez
This week, we had a staff conservative and a liberal debate whether or not it is appropriate to have public school students K-12 stand and recite the Pledge of Allegiance. Since it is not legally mandatory to do so, the 45 states which maintain the observance of the Pledge of Allegiance as part of the public school day routine treat the brief salute with varying degrees of formality. Let us know what you think in the comments.
Opening Arguments
Abe Gutierrez (arguing for the observance of the PoA): “Every country in the world asks for something of their citizens. Some ask them to serve in the army for a number of years, others put a cap on the number of kids they may have. The United States asks nothing more than to recite a pledge of allegiance from all citizens in exchange for the cornucopia of opportunities She gives us. That is it. Read more…
Choza Taqueria Adds Mexican Flair to MacDougal Street Melting Pot
February 4th, 2013 by Abe Gutierrez
You walk through the streets of a sleepy Mexican village on a Sunday morning, the ground beneath you is a mixture of haphazardly laid cement and dirt. The village begins to gather in their Sunday best for church, the main social event of the week. Once mass is let out the townspeople are flanked with vendors, taking this opportunity to sell their goods to the townspeople: balloons, toys, CDs, crucifixes, clothes, and most importantly, food. The food is of utmost importance—aguas frescas, elotes and of course, tacos.
The tacos deserve special attention: the most authentic tacos are actually incredibly simple, meat on top of a double layer of small tortillas. The double tortillas are essential, as the juices from the meat make the tortillas prone to rip apart, so a second layer of tortillas helps protect from that, as well as making sure you are satiated from the tiny morsel of food. The taco is served plain, however a plethora of condiments and salsas are on a table next to the vendor, allowing you to fully customize.
Guy Fieri Unleashes “Guy’s American Kitchen and Bar” Unto Times Square
September 12th, 2012 by Abe Gutierrez
There are few things that New York City food snobs enjoy more than belittling chain restaurants that we all seem to think dot the Midwest. Whether it be TGI Fridays, Club Applebees, Chilis, or Outback Steakhouse, foodies turn into hyenas the minute molten chocolate cake a la mode or blooming onion type dishes are spotted on the menu. Culinary elitism is one of the hallmarks of this fantastic city, so when Guy Fieri, the colorful television host and chef whose trademark bleach blonde hair and tacky shirts have made him the butt of many a culinary joke, announced he was opening his first NYC restaurant (in Times Square, no less), food nerds everywhere were on the prowl.
Fieri could have exercised the culinary finesse he exhibited during while on “The Next Food Network Star.” He could have taken this venture seriously and distanced himself from kitschy restaurants he’s become known for, and ditched his Snookie-of-the-food-world persona once and for all.
Eating Eighth Street: A User’s Manual
September 4th, 2012 by Abe Gutierrez
Eighth Street is a hallmark of the NYU experience, whether you realize it or not. In fact, today being the first day of classes, there is a decently high probability that you will grab lunch at one of the establishments which dot the sidewalks between Broadway and Avenue of the Americas can be very intimidating for freshman, but once one familiarizes themselves with all that 8th Street has to offer, it will be difficult to justify going anywhere else to grab a bite to eat.
BBQ
21 West 8th Street (between 5th Ave & Macdougal Street)
BBQ on 8th street is, well, whimsical. During the day time, a casual frozen Long Island Iced Tea and surprisingly tasty pulled pork wrap will send you to your 2pm class with a solid buzz for under $10. This place is extremely cheap, and if day drinking isn’t your thing, swing by at night for a dirt cheap place to pre-game. The crowd is absolutely awful, but this isn’t the type of establishment you go to for the scene– not when there is an Early Bird special that you don’t have to be over 55 to enjoy, which includes Soup and an entire half of a chicken with a choice of baked potato, mashed potatoes, rice, or french fries, all served with cornbread for $5.
Eat Your Way Through Finals: A User’s Guide
May 4th, 2012 by Abe Gutierrez
It is everyone’s favorite time of the year again. Whether you’ve already begun to feel the wrath of exams or will be here all the way until May 15th, no one has time to cook these days. In order to cope with the hours you will spend buried in textbooks, here is a list of the best places that deliver to campus late-night (or are walking-distance and open late night–strolling is a great way to maintain sanity):
99 Miles to Philly: While their namesake cheesesteaks are good, most people agree that their waffle fries make all the difference. With an abnormally large surface area and just enough grease to seep through and dampen the brown bag, 99 Miles to Philly can provide you with some much needed comfort while you try and cram all those Organic Chemistry reactions into your knowledge-saturated head. Read more…
The Neon Sombrero Of “Gonzalez y Gonzalez” Returns To SoHo
May 1st, 2012 by Abe Gutierrez
Gonzalez y Gonzalez, the SoHo landmark that shuttered a few months ago, has reopened its neon sombrero-topped storefront with a new menu and layout - but with the same vibrant energy that made it a hot spot in its prime a few months ago. The employees made a concerted effort to get together and reopen the restaurant, in one of NYC dining scene’s most heartwarming stories of the year.
But what is a good reopening without a bit of controversy? When G y G shuttered a few months ago, Chipotle decided to buy half the space and turn it into one of their ubiquitous metallic-themed burrito factories. They were able to establish a contingency whereby G y G would be allowed to sign a lease so long as they did not sell burritos or tacos at their locations. Read more…
Taboonette: A Welcomed New Restaurant in The Village
April 10th, 2012 by Abe Gutierrez
The Village is on new-restaurant fire these days. Over the past few months, owners in the area have been opening up new places left and right. While some have been hits and others misses, the fact that there is such a strong surge of casual dining around campus has provided a plethora of options for NYU students looking for good meals at reasonable prices.
One of the newcomers (it have been open for about a month) is Taboonette, which markets itself under the portmanteau “Middleterranean”: Middle Eastern and Mediterranean food seamlessly blended together. With a diverse set of menu options as well as a cozy interior and friendly service, Taboonette serves high-quality, delicious meals for a reasonable price – perfectly suited for those days when you wake up to a disgusting amount of work and Upstein breakfast burritos won’t quite cut it.
Taboonette is located on a quaint little portion of 13th Street between 5th and University. Upon your entrance, the tiny restaurants greets you with an interesting wall of wooden logs flanking you on one side and an open kitchen on the other. Throughout the restaurant, space is utilized masterfully, with the cash register, baked goods and a little bar sitting area all located on the same counter (but without cramping). Read more…
bring10: A New App With The Potential To Break Groupon
March 30th, 2012 by Abe Gutierrez
Any introductory marketing class across the country preaches the same thing: we are living in a time of mass customization. We are spoiled and want things catered to us specifically.
So it seems almost counter-intuitive that we often adapt our behavior to take advantage of deals that we might not even want in the first place. This was part of the rationale that led the founders of bring10 to come up with a different model for these temporary discount websites, and essentially flipped that mantra on its head.
bring10 is a new app on the iPhone and Android. Its also compatible with any other smartphone that takes a demand-driven approach to the deal-a-day model. Traditionally, these websites have deals up temporarily, and consumers select the deals that are most appealing to them. bring10, begun by students one summer in the SVA dorms, essentially does the opposite–you tell them what you want, when and where you want it, and the app connects you with businesses matching your specifications, who then respond with tailored offers. Read more…
Dorado Tacos On University Place Soothes Jaded Californians
March 22nd, 2012 by Abe Gutierrez
Mexican food in NYC is constantly under attack for its (often feeble) attempts to be authentically Mexican while still attempting to appeal to the preconditioned New York tastebuds. Perhaps this is what makes Dorado Tacos, a fairly new taco shop on University Place and East 12th, such a diamond in the rough.
Dorado gets right the subtle things that so many similar Mexican food joints get wrong: real Mexican cola (complete with sugar and glass bottles), well-seasoned chorizo, tapatio available at the tables, and generous prices. A tiny space in a fantastic location solidify Dorado’s place as one of the top Mexican restaurants in the city. Read more…
