Hidden behind a mysterious exterior, there's more to Punta Dura than meets the eye - that's what my friend and I concluded a few weeks ago, when we visited the restaurant. A family-owned business that has been running for more than 15 years, it offers savory Northern Italian and Croatian dishes in a fancy setting. Two large halls adorned with mural paintings of Italian streets and the warm interior lighting create an
elegant atmosphere for dinners and private parties. On weekend evenings, they are animated with live traditional music. The HBO
producers of The Sopranos television series perceived the
location as the perfect venue to film the first season of the show,
according to the owner's daughter Diana Radovic.
Punta Dura began as a small restaurant, which gradually expanded on the ground floor of the building at 41-15 on 34th Avenue in Astoria, NY. Owned by Ms. Radovic's father, who emigrated from the Croatian island
Vir, the venue was given the island's
Italian moniker, Punta Dura ("stony point"). Legend has it that the rocks that circumvented the island acted as a natural fortress, which prevented the Italians who sailed
along its shore to advance.
The chef/owner puts heart and soul in every dish he prepares, to confer the authentic Italian or Croatian flavor. He moderates the heavy Croatian dishes that sometimes require whole cream or bacon by forgoing the high-cholesterol ingredients. Perhaps this light culinary style is the reason why customers say the food at Punta Dura has an extraordinary quality.
The menu features appetizers including various salads such as the "Punta Dura" House Salad, containing mixed greens drenched in balsamic vinaigrette ($6.75) and the Arugula Mozzarella Salad, a mix of apples, walnuts, cherries, fresh mozzarella, and lemon olive oil vinaigrette ($9.75). My friend and I shared the Caprese, a classic Italian appetizer featuring fresh mozzarella with ripe, baby tomatoes, infused with olive oil ($10.75).
My main course was a whole fish, de-boned skillfully in front of us and served with potatoes, broccoli, and carrots on the side. The main dishes range from $12.75 for simple pasta dishes to $29.75 for the meat specialties, such as Nodino di Vitello, broiled veal chop with broccoli, crusty baked potatoes, and peppers; they're delicious and worth the pennies. For dessert, I chose the Vanilla Chocolate Mousse, a delicious piece of cake (and I speak as a proud dessert connoisseur). My friend had a slice of Tiramisu, which she praised as one of the tastiest slices she's had outside of Venice.
Next time you're in an intrepid and classy mood, why not go to Astoria and have dinner at Punta Dura? For international and out-of-state students, it's a nice venue to take your parents or friends for dinner when they come to visit. They will surely be impressed by the Italian and Croatian dishes served impeccably in an upscale, yet affordable setting.
For more information about reservations, please contact the restaurant at (718) 721-2137 or e-mail at Diana@PuntaDura.com.
"The Titanic docks in New York City," read the posters on the L.I.R.R. trains, promoting the Discovery Times Square Exhibit
in Manhattan. Last Friday, two Romanian Adelphi students - my friend
Anca Constantin and I - decided to see what it was all about.
First
things first: before boarding the imaginary ship that sailed us 97
years back in time, as any legitimate passengers, we received our
tickets. The organizers reprinted each boarding pass with snippets of
information about the passenger's life and the people who accompanied
them, which were handed out to visitors before they entered the exhibit.
Anca received the ticket of Henriette Yrois, a French top model
accompanied by wealthy American filmmaker William H. Harbeck. Henriette
enjoyed playing cards, traveled second class on the "unsinkable ship,"
and was thought to be Harbeck's lover. I received the ticket of a
Spanish lady, Maria Josefa Perez de Soto y Vallejo, who had recently
married a rich man named Victor Penasco y Castellana. Embarked on an
adventurous honeymoon, they visited various countries and decided to
make the transatlantic journey to New York on impulse. Although Maria's
mother-in-law had warned the couple it was inauspicious to travel by
sea on one's honeymoon, the newly weds booked first class cabins on the
Titanic.
The exhibit included technicalities regarding how the
ship was built and glass cases shielding artifacts recovered from the
depths of the
ocean, such as change purses, perfume bottles, necklaces, plates, and
silverware. Visitors could observe duplications of first and third
class cabins, walk through fake third and second class hallways, and
hear the clamor of the boiler rooms. Additionally, there were many
stories on display, conveying the circumstances that led various
passengers to board the ship. For instance, one family chose the
Titanic because its staff allowed children to attend dinner in the
dinning room, while other ships did not. Unfortunately many middle
class families who were planning to forge new lives in America, booked
third class cabins to save money, which minimized their chances of
surviving the hapless disaster.
Perhaps
one of the greatest ironies is that people were reluctant to leave the
ship because they thought it was unsinkable. Due to the chaos that
arose when it was obvious the Titanic was going under, the 20 lifeboats
on board were filled only halfway or one third of their capacity. The
evacuation was so disorganized that first class
passengers managed to save more than three dogs, while humans were freezing in the water. Although the lifeboats could have rescued nearly 1,115 people, more than half of the 2,223 passengers on the Titanic died.
The
exhibit ended with a list of all the survivors and people lost during
the tragedy. Ultimately, Maria's mother-in-law was right: the
transatlantic journey proved to be inauspicious for couples. They
either died together, as Henriette and William, or were separated -
Victor, as many other men, perished, while Maria, as many fortunate
first class women, lived to tell the tale.
Procrastination - now that's a word whose meaning cuts to the chase. It originates from the verb "to procrastinate," or "to put off intentionally or habitually," which traces its root from the Latin verb procrastinare ("to leave for the following day, to postpone"). Whether you say it in Romanian (a procrastina), Italian (procrastinare), Spanish (postergar), Norwegian (åutsette), French (atermoyer), or Dutch (te talmen), you're basically doing the same thing: wasting time. Below is a video portraying this nasty habit.
An Outstanding Education... The Honors College is a wonderful, global academic environment where international and American students meet in round-table classrooms adorned with posters of famous art works and bookshelves filled with intelligently-written novels. Here, each course is the perfect combination of challenging materials, which are the basis for academic-level discussions among students led by professors with standards and assignments worthy of Ivy League schools.
Back in Romania, when it came down to deciding what school I would go to, I immediately chose Adelphi upon receiving an envelope with a letter from Dean of the Honors College Richard Garner. It was accompanied by various fliers announcing $10-tickets to see performances at the Metropolitan Opera House, the New York City Opera, the Guggenheim, and Broadway shows. There was also a copy of Symposium, a magazine that features papers and literary works of Honors College students. It gave me a clear idea of the outstanding education I would receive if I came to Adelphi, "only 45 minutes from New York City," as read on Adelphi's Web Site.
During the three years I've been attending courses at Adelphi, I've seen several operas including Mozart's "The Abduction from the Seraglio," and "The Magic Flute" and Giuseppe Verdi's "Aida," among others. I've also had the chance to see dancers perform in several editions of the "Works in Progress" series at the Guggenheim, and many other cultural events. These events are meant to help students become acquainted with opera, theater, and ballet performances they otherwise wouldn't have had the chance or the inclination to attend and to make them well-rounded individuals.
...and Extraordinary Cultural Events in New York City There are not many college students who can afford to pay $100 or more for an opera ticket or a Broadway show starring a Hollywood actor or actress. Last spring, a few lucky honors students who were swift in purchasing tickets to the Broadway play Equus written by Peter Shaffer, had the opportunity to see Daniel Radcliffe (a.k.a. Harry Potter) perform right before their eyes. This semester, other students will see Cate Blanchett in A Streetcar Named Desire at the Kennedy Center in New York.
Last Tuesday, I was lucky enough to see the Broadway staging of Shakespeare's Hamlet with Jude Law as the Prince of Denmark. Needless to say, he carried the whole show with his amazing performance. He delivered the lines wittily and made incredible soliloquies, and that's selling it short. I had seen some of the films he made (Cold Mountain, in which he co-starred with Nicole Kidman, was partly shot in Romania) and thought he was a good actor, but his live performance determined me to wait and take his photo. When Jude came out, the crowd was restless and I was somewhere in the back. It seemed I would return home without an autograph. Fortunately, I managed to move up front thanks to the kindness of a lady who freed her spot because she had received the coveted signature. Seizing the moment, I offered my playbill. Jude Law signed it and responded to my "thank you" smile with an enchanting "you're welcome" smile. An international student from Romania, exchanging smiles with Jude Law in front of BroadhurstTheater in New York City: The Honors College made the impossible happen. (left: Jude Law, seconds after he signed my playbill.)
Little Italy offered New Yorkers more choices of delightful Italian dishes between September 10 and 20 than on any other days of the year during the 82nd Annual Feast of San Gennaro on Mulberry St. Described as New York City’s "longest-running,
biggest and most revered religious outdoor festival in the United States," the festival disseminated the enticing smells of the doughnut-like funnel cakes, zeppole (a Napolitan pastry), as well as the mouth-dripping sights of cannoli (a Sicilian specialty), gelato, cotton candy, chocolate and cheese cakes.The Feast was organized by Figli di Gennaro (the Sons of Gennaro), a not-for-profit
community organization that has operated
the Feast for nearly 15 years.
The Origins of the Feast Although the Feast has a party-like atmosphere, it is an annual celebration of the Patron
Saint of Naples, which began on September 19, 1926, when newly-arrived Italian immigrants brought their tradition to celebrate the martyrization of San Gennaro in 305 A.D. Initially, the Festival lasted for one day, but over the years, people decided to prologue the celebration to 11 days. Every year on September 19,
a religious procession winds along Mulberry and Mott Streets, between Canal and Houston St., with the Statue of San Gennaro. The procession begins immediately
following a Celebratory Mass held at the Most Precious Blood
Church on Mulberry St., the National Shrine of San Gennaro. The rest of the 11 days are also special because more than 35 Italian restaurants in Little Italy outdo themselves as they try to please their customers' taste and smell senses.
The Festival's Attractions Good food was not the only attraction. Numerous vendors displayed thousands of bracelets, sarongs, hippie dresses, and Murano glass jewelry. People threw balls in targets to win stuffed toys representing cartoon characters as Scooby Doo and Spiderman. Others could have the scene immortalized by an old painter who skillfully depicted the atmosphere in pastel colors.
Keeping San Gennaro Happy Figli di San Gennaro, Inc. puts the processions amassed from the Feast to good use. For the past 10 years, the company has been able to donate approximately $1.8-million to worthy causes helping children and education of the Little Italy community and beyond, to the rest of the five boroughs of New York.
What do you have for breakfast? Many people have pancakes, fried eggs, or cheesy omlets. No matter what country you're from, you most often find yourself eating cereals for breakfast. Some are full of fiber, while some are filled with sugar or chocolate; some only require a cup of milk, while others require boiling to be ready to serve. Americans invented cornflakes, the Swiss came up with Muesli, Romanians sometimes eat cornmeal soaked in milk, while the Scottish eat porridge. Who invented them and why do people of all ages love them so much?
Cornflakes were invented during the temperance movement in the 19th century in a little town called Battle Creek, MI. Reverend Sylvester Graham pioneered the idea of eating wholemeal flour and vegetables. Granola was developed by one of his followers who noticed that if one baked a lump of wheat with water, the mixture would become edible over night. Later on, Seventh Day Adventist John Harvey Kellogg used Graham's flour formula to design a cure for the the daily sins of society. He believed foods with a high-fiber content were dietary and made it easier for people to uphold morals. Kellogg, his wife, and his brother worked successfully to find the perfect cereal formula in the kitchen of the sanatorium he ran. One of Kellogg's patients, Charles Post, who suffered from chronic dyspepsia, came up with his own cereal formula. He went one step further by marketing his product. William Kellogg, however, added an ingredient that made the cornflakes truly desirable: sugar.
Muesli is a popular kind of breakfast cereal invented by Maximilian Bircher-Benner, a Swiss physician who lived during the first half of the 20th century and was one of the first proponents of healing through eating habits. Muesli, also known as granola, is a mixture of raw grain flakes, dried fruits, nuts, and seeds. This mixture is sometimes sweetened with sugar or honey. It is eaten with milk, yoghurt, or fresh fruits, and remains one of the healthiest breakfast choices worldwide.
Cornmeal is a corn-based food popular in Greece. If you take ground dried corn and mix it with boiling water, you get a cereal meal of thick consistency. In Romania, cornmeal is called mamaliga and it's the country's version of the Italian polenta.
Porridge is oatmeal cooked with water or milk and it originates from Scotland. It is served with salt, sugar, or milk. An eighteenth century cookbook gave a recipe for "Water Gruel," made of oatmeal and water, and flavored with butter and pepper. This dish could be served with wine sauce, sherry, and dried fruits by the aristocrats.
What greets you when you come back from work or school? Is it a cat rubbing against your legs and expecting to be shown some petting love, or is it a cheerful puppy jumping and barking, genuinely excited to see you? Perhaps it's a turtle or goldfish? Whatever species or breed your pet is, it has something in common with many other creatures around the world: it has been adopted by a loving homo sapiens to be fed and offered shelter in exchange for affection and an unconditioned patience to listen to everyday problems.
A Brief History Dogs were seen as a symbol of fidelity in Ancient Greece and Rome. The European ancient people's lap-dog of choice was the small Melitaen, imported from Malta, from Carthage, the city scraped off the face of the earth by the Romans in 146 B.C., to mark their victory at the end of the Third Punic War. There is also a large collection of historic artifacts portraying Greeks, Romans, and Galls with canine companions. Cats started off their collaboration with humans by efficiently hunting rodents, so people resolved to keep them around to protect their crops. The ancient Egyptians, who had developed a method of storing their crops, greatly appreciated the hunting abilities of cats, and gradually took them in their abodes. Their independent and adept nature lifted cats to the status of god-like creatures, making it illegal to export or kill a cat. While dogs have always been considered "man's best friend" due to their extraordinary team spirit, cats' arrogant and aloof nature retrograded them from their godly position, only to be considered evil creatures in the Middle Ages. Cats soon regained their esteemed reputation in the New World, by using their old mouse-catching tricks, and in time, became the world's favorite felines.
Pets on Various Continents
The common cats and dogs may be the Europeans' pets of choice, but they are extraordinary in their behavior. Take for example a German cat named Zoro, who hid inside a fully loaded washing machine and had to be rescued by the fire brigade. The furry creature came out unharmed. Teddy, a formerly Albanian starving puppy, was recently saved to a life of happiness, by being driven across the continent, to England. My Romanian tomcat Matzi (right, striking a pensive pose, as he takes a break from books and typing), who has traveled to Italy and Austria (his favorite city is Venice) sometimes turns on the lights or the TV, to watch his favorite music channel, VH1.
Asia has its cool pets as well. Dogs, cats, and birds are the most popular pets in China. Even though Chinese people sometimes eat dog meat, they do love them. An interesting phenomenon occurs in Japan, where people rent dogs, cats, rabbits, birds, rabbits, and turtles for limited periods of time, due to lack of space and apartment regulations banning animal companionship. For instance, imagine renting your dog for the afternoon - you'd probably renew your subscription diligently.
The most common pets in Australia are cats, dogs, ferrets, guinea pigs, and rabbits. Horses and other farm animals are also popular pet choices, since the country has many wide-range farms where all sorts of creatures can run the wild fields. One unique pet to all the other regions of the world is the kangaroo, but you certainly can't keep this pet confined between the walls of your apartment - it needs room to hop.
In Africa, cats and dogs are popular, but elephants, tigers, leopards, and zebras are also among the animals people living on this continent treat as pets. All is well, as long as the exotic wildlife are not brought too close to urban areas, which requires them to be chained for precautionary measures.
Oddest Choices of Pet Companions You wouldn't believe what people take in their houses for companionship. While most people enjoy the company of cats, dogs, hamsters, rabbits, turtles, birds, and goldfish, other people try to be more creative. Below are some of their choices:
Insects. Does the sight of a cockroach looking for free food in your kitchen disgust you? Well, some people don't mind them; they go above and beyond to show some love by adopting such strange creatures as hissing cockroaches. There are some who face their arachnophobia by welcoming tarantulas into their homes. Other, less frightening, yet odd choices include worms, caterpillars, and stick bugs.
Ducks, geese, chickens, pigs, cows, sheep, and horses all belong in farms. Why someone would adopt a pet horse is clear: they are elegant, poised creatures whom anyone would be proud to own, although they are quite expensive to care for (all that grooming, special nutrition, and need for exercise can add up quite a tab). But pigs? They are peaceful, unless they're wild hogs or plain hungry pigs, but they do have their quirks. Pigs are cantankerous creatures who need to live a mapped-out lifestyle. They require their sleeping area to be close to the toilet, and they must not be accustomed to being given undivided attention as piglets because they will possibly develop a destructive behavior if you won't find them as cute when they reach adulthood.
Possums, raccoons, skunks, and hedgehogs - you'd expect to find these animals roaming the outdoors. Surprisingly enough, some pet owners who do not wish to be confined by social parameters established thousands of years ago, according to which having a cat or a dog is the norm, are happy to take such creatures into their back yards or homes.
I'm not sure if this happens to all international students - people telling you that you'll gain a significant amount of weight if you eat enough fast food in the United States - but it certainly happened to me. "Isn't fast food the same anywhere in the world," I wondered, as I resolved I would stay away from fried chicken and other fried foods, which I never really liked. My first transatlantic flight confirmed the fears that had been slowly taking shape over the summer preceding my freshman year. Traveling on board of a Lufthansa aircraft, I was offered three hefty, yummy meals (pasta, pizza, panini - how could I have said "no" to that?). After I had ingested a total of zero nutrients for twelve hours, as I was recovering from my first jet lag, I undoubtedly woke up hungry. I gave the U.C. cafeteria a try. You know how they say you shouldn't go shopping for food when you're hungry? It's true. I got granola cereals and did the unusual: had pancakes as well. The person who cooked them must have thought I was rather feeble because he gave me three large ones. I forestalled the nutritional disaster I was fearing - at much higher proportions than the situation called for - by asking my mom (who's a general practitioner) what I should include in my healthy eating diet. I also did a bit of research by browsing through online health magazines, and came up with a good system based on small portions and regular meals, which has worked nicely for the past four years.
Tips for a Healthy Diet Last fall, I took the Writing for Newspapers II class offered by the Communications Department. I chose a pragmatic topic for my "how-to" story: how to stay healthy on the run. Dr. Mariaehel Sammis, nutritionist at the Northport Wellness Center, was kind enough to answer my question:
Raw nuts, fresh fruit, and trail mix granola are smart snacks because they offer a high nutritional content to keep you going throughout the day.
Proteins are a very important part of a healthy nutrition. If you're like me and don't like meat, try mixing it with vegetables. Dr. Sammis mentioned cold cuts wrapped around cucumbers or hummus with vegetable sticks.
Plan your meals and set your eating hours straight by eating breakfast, lunch, dinner, and two snacks in-between between to keep your hunger at bay.
Whatever you do, don't fall for finger foods, such as potato chips and cookies - your "romance" will be short-lived and you'll be left tired and hungry for more of those high-carbohydrate foods.
Where to Exercise On and Off Campus A healthy diet is all about eating well and including exercise in your daily schedule, is it not? But when you have exams and papers due, exercising is the last thing on your mind. Here are a few exercise options on and off Adelphi's campus: On campus, Adelphi's Center for Recreation and Sports offers group fitness classes and intramural sports that you could join to burn some calories. Off campus:
Walk from Adelphi to the Nassau Boulevard L.I.R.R. train station is not a waste of time when you're going to Manhattan.
Stroll on the streets surrounding the campus or down to Garden
City's 7th Street or Franklin Avenue, when the weather's nice
During the summer months, try something more extreme. As an intern for AAA New York's Car & Travel
magazine, I paradoxically don't own a car, so I've resorted to walking
50 minutes twice a day, three days a week, from Adelphi to AAA's
headquarters on 1415 Kellum Place, Garden City. It may sound daunting,
but it's free and good for you, so put on those sneakers and start walking.
I've been an international student at Adelphi for three years and I've lived on campus from the beginning. My parents always thought it would be safer and more convenient for me, and I agreed. I have nothing but good things to say about my three-year residency in Earle Hall (other than the occasional fire alarms in the middle of the night, it's really a great place to live).
This summer, I've decided it's high time to move off campus - why not embrace the adventure and "grow up" by moving into my first house? And it turns out I made the right choice - moving into your first house is a great experience: buying furniture, arranging it in your room, decorating the walls, putting your clothes in a permanent closet and chest of drawers, knowing that you won't have to pack everything up at the end of the summer/semester are just a few of the perks.
Finding a New Place On Adelphi's message boards, which any student can access by signing in to their Adelphi account, there is a section titled "Available Housing." That's one of the ways to go about finding an off campus room. All the people who post on this message board are part of the Adelphi community, so you might think to yourself, if they're good enough to be accepted by Adelphi, they must be decent people. Furthermore, you have something in common with all these people: you all want to be close to Adelphi.
Another avenue you could try is Craig's list. Everyone uses it when they're looking for a new place to live, so based on the honor code and the need of people to help one another (landlords finding tenants, and people finding places to live), it should be safe. The search engine is user-friendly: you just have to go to the home page, choose your preferred housing option, search for the area you want to live in, and browse through the results. Be nice and courteous when contacting the author of the post: you might be dealing with the person in the future.
Word-of-mouth is as good as any Web engine, when it comes to finding a place to live. A smart friend who already lives off campus is the go-to person, if you ask me. That's how I found the place I moved to, and I'm more than happy with my abode.
Make It a Nice Abode Sometimes, you'll get a little inheritance when you move into a new place. The girl who previously lived in my room was kind enough to leave me her old desk, which I'm more than happy with. The rest of the furniture - the bed, chest of drawers, bookshelf, and swivel chair - I bought from IKEA. It's a really nice home starter's option because the things they sell won't empty your purse, offer a pretty high quality, and flatter your ego (I must say, I felt quite astute after I put together my furniture, with the help of the IKEA tool box).
It takes a while to completely furnish your dream room, and as you get closer to that image in your head, you'll see there will always be some twitching to do, but that's the fun part. Just go with the flow: furnish and decorate a little bit any time you have some extra money, and make sure you enjoy it. The final product will surely be worth your time and money: there's nothing quite like studying at your own desk, sleeping in your own bed, and picking clothes out of your wardrobe.
Now that school's out, students find themselves with a lot of time on their hands, and not many ideas how to spend it. If you're an Adelphi student working on campus, as many international students do, and you're on the prowl for good, yet cheap eats, why not try something in the area? Many students are familiar with the Garden City locales, but what's beyond this posh little village? One of the nearby towns is Mineola, NY. Since the Adelphi Shuttle Bus service offers rides to the L.I.R.R. Mineola train station, you should take advantage of exploring new eateries in the locality. Below are a few suggestions of eateries in Mineola, selected for their vicinity to the train station and of course, their accessible prices and good food.
Caffe Rossini - 106 Main St., Mineola; 516-877-7850
Only 5 minutes away from the Mineola train station if you use Adelphi's shuttle bus service and hop off at that particular stop, Caffe Rossini offers casual rooms with nice seating, and good food with affordable prices for college students. The antipasti range from $3.00 for potato fries (add $4.00 if you want them with mozzarella cheese), $6.75 bruschetta, to $9.00 for the house specialty, including shrimp. The pasta prices range from $9.50 for spaghetti with broccoli, to $11.00 for tortellini con piselli, tortellini pasta in a special sauce with ham. Specialty pizzas range from $15.50 for a small Rossini Special with mushrooms, sauseges, and pepperoni, to $23.95 for a large Stuffed Meat, containing sausages, pepperoni, and mozarella, among others.
Located only a 6-minute walk away from Mineola train station and boasting a chic facade, Eleanor Rigby's is dedicated to playing the best of classic rock to its customers, so if you're a Beatles' fan, this is a great place to get a bite to eat. If you go on a Friday or Saturday night at 9:00 p.m., the restaurant will showcase some of Long Island's talented musicians, playing familiar rock n'roll tunes. What else except entertainment, you might ask? The food, of course. For the entree, you can get the McCartney and Wings, a traditional buffalo or BBQ style served with carrots, celery, and home made blue cheese dressing, for only $7.95 or $8.95 (for those with hardier appetite). Sneakily titled "The Octopus Garden," the seafood section of the appetizers section includes baked clams for $8.95 or the shrimp cocktail, for $10.95, among others. The restaurant's signature dish is the Chicken Pot Pie, and it's accessible at $8.95. The lunch menu includes the "Wrap Music" section, with the Caesar Chicken Wrap for $8.95. The Mexican food section features the Sgt. Pepper Fajita, chicken or steak with peppers, guacamole, salsa, Jack cheese, and other spicy goodies, for $9.95. It's good to know that the dinner menu ranges from the $7.95 Caesar Salad to the Seafood Fra Diablo, including jumbo shrimp, fresh little neck clams, and calamari served with linguini in marinara sauce, for $17.95.
Jane Cafe - 92 Main St., Mineola; 516-742-0031
If you're in the mood for Asian food, Jane Cafe, a Korean and Japanese restaurant only 6 minutes walking distance from the Mineola train station, is the place to go. It's nice to know that this locale proudly sports a good review in Newsday. The jap chae (stir-fried cellophane noodles) and the seafood pancake are some of the most delightful eats on the menu. "Sushi is ultra-fresh," as Joan Reminick reports for Newsday's online version of Explore Long Island. If you're going with friends, you might think about ordering the steamed dumpling appetizers, which come 10 to each order, along with the soy-based dipping sauce. Meat lovers should try the galbi, Korean barbecued beef dipped in garlic sauce or the sliced pork grilled with vegetables in spicy sauce. The price range is "inexpensive" (under $15), yet some of the dishes are "moderate" ($15-$25), according to Ms. Reminick of Newsday.
Samba Grill - 124 Old Country Rd., Mineola; 516-750-5762
Brazilian restaurant, only 7 minutes away from Mineola train station and "directly across from the Nassau County courts," according to a Newsday review, is the "buffet-style Brazilian eatery" Samba Grill. Those interested can delight their taste senses with bacalhau (cod fish with potatoes), peixe ensopado (fish stew), or rabada (oxtail). Meat lovers will be happy to know that there is a generous variety of meats offered at this restaurant, such as chicken, turkey wrapped in bacon, and pork spare ribs. All starving students will be even more excited: everything here is sold by the pound, "$4.99 per pound for hot and cold buffet, salad bar plus barbecued meats or $6.99 per pound for barbecued meats alone," according to a Newsday review for the Long Island Restaurants on exploreLI.com. So, enjoy!
Every semester Adelphi’s International Student Society (ISS) organizes a show combining music, dance, and theater to present features of the various international cultures that international students bring at Adelphi. All students, faculty, and administration are invited to these events, which take place in the University Center ballroom. During the International Tea Party in the fall semester, international students bring foreign tea to table and entertain the audience, trying to educate them about their cultures. In the spring semester, International Night is the event to look forward to. Good food, exotic dances, foreign costumes, comedy skits, and music performances are the perfect ingredients for a memorable evening.
Lost in Translation
This semester, International Night’s theme was “Lost in Translation,” and focused on stereotypes Americans have about various foreign nationalities. The event had a high turnout, with participants filling the entire ballroom, sitting at tables adorned with rolled flags, small plastic airplanes, globe-shaped key chains, and caramels. The ballroom stage was transformed into a catwalk, elongated with an extension on the sides of which were placed tables, so those occupying those sits felt as if they were attending a fashion show.
For two hours, the audiences were entertained and learned about foreign cultures. Two fashion shows were presented as boarding flights to various exotic countries including Trinidad, Nepal, and El Salvador. The stereotypic comedy skits that have become a tradition of the biannual events organized by ISS featured an Indian man trying to convince a cautious American business man reluctant to go on any trips or take any chances in a foreign country, that he could take him to “the most beautiful beach in the world.” Music was brought to the forefront by two piano performances, one showcasing a “Nocturna” by Polish composer Frederic Chopin, and "Besaid Island" by Japanese composer by Japanese composer Masashi Hamauzu, while two students from China and Bulgaria performed pop and rap voice solos. The extraordinary Indian, Arabian, and Gypsy dance performances by members of ISS, as well as a professional African performance that combined the drum rhythms typical to African countries with the energetic movements showcased by St. Benedict's School of Dance taught by Professor Frances Rhymes from Adelphi's African American and Ethnic Studies Center.
Be sure to come see the International Tea Party next fall. You’ll get to experience foreign tea and food, learn new things, and have a night to remember.
March is the first month of spring, but it comes with the caveat that winter might still surprise us with snow storms and cold weather every now and then. April's warmer weather, however, makes you feel spring is here and nature is waking up from its slumber. Warm weather augurs the long-awaited, upcoming summer break, but until then, there are a few things you could do to shake off the winter lethargy and refresh your senses.
On Campus Why not become more attuned to Mother Nature and go outside to study on a sunny Saturday or Sunday? You only need a blanket, your book, a highlighter, and a friend, if you can agree not to distract each other. The fresh air and uplifting scenery on the Earle Hall quad, Levermore Lawn, or the lawn in front of the University Center will surely give you the motivation to put effort into studying. You could also listen to your classical tunes: you'd be surprised what a great team nature and classical music make when they combine forces.
Off Campus If you want to go beyond the borders of the campus, why not hop on a train and explore the possibilities of outdoor outings?
Central Park My personal favorite section in Central Park is the one by the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Itâ??s quite easy to get there: take the train to Penn Station, then the 1, 2, or 3 subway trains to Times Square; take the S Shuttle to Grand Central, then the 4, 5, or 6 trains to 82nd Street. Walk over from Lexington to 5th Avenue, and you'll see the park. Enter, and start your exploration.
The Conservatory Water is an artificial lake, which you might have seen in films showing people playing with small radio powered sailboats. This lake is located on the East Side from 72nd to 75th Street.
At the northern end of this lake at East 74th Street, youâ??ll find the Alice in Wonderland section of the park. It was designated that way for the bronze statue depicting the famous tea party scene in Lewis Carroll's book The Adventures of Alice in Wonderland (http://www.centralpark.com/pages/attractions/alice-in-wonderland.html).
At the western edge of the Conservatory Water, youâ??ll find a statue of fairy tale writer Hans Christian Andersen. This sight will surely bring out the child in you.
The Belvedere Castle, located high-up on the Vista Rock in the midst of the park at East 79th Street, it was designed in 1865 by Calvert Vaux and Jacob Wrey to oversee the splendors surrounding it. Itâ??s interesting to know that this edifice also serves as a weather station (http://www.centralpark.com/pages/attractions/belvedere-castle.html).
Located at the southeast corner of the park, between Fifth and Sixth Avenues, the Pond in Central Park offers breathtaking natural views and instills tranquility.
A wonderful locale in the park, Strawberry Fields was named for The Beatles' member John Lennon who had taken many walks on the park's pathways. You can find it on the West Side, between 71st and 74th streets (http://www.centralpark.com/pages/attractions/strawberry-fields.html).
Coney Island is a New York City neighborhood that features more than 35 amusement rides and attractions. You could visit the New York Aquarium at Coney Island, take a joy ride on Deno's Wonder Wheel (http://www.wonderwheel.com/) or on the World Famous Cyclone (http://www.coneyislandcyclone.com/index.php). You can also visit the Coney Island Museum, where you have fun stuff to look at, listen to lectures, or see films (http://www.coneyisland.com/museum.shtml).
The Bronx Zoo is another place where you can spend a nice spring Saturday afternoon. The first time this zoo was opened to public eyes was November 1899. It was created by the Wildlife Conservation Society of New York City, whose goal has been to "advance wildlife conservation, promote the study of zoology, and create a first-class zoo" since its foundation in 1895 (http://www.bronxzoo.com/about-wcs.aspx). Today, you can several wildlife exhibits, including the African Plains, the Congo Gorilla Forest, Jungle World, Madagascar!, and Tiger Mountain. You can also see the Sea Lion Pool. The indoor exhibits include the World of Reptiles and World of Birds exhibits, as well as the Russell B. Aitken Sea Bird Colony and Aquatic Birds (http://www.bronxzoo.com/plan-your-trip/exhibits.aspx).
Living on campus is a wonderful idea for international students, as
well as anyone whose home is more than an hour away from Adelphi. But
what is a foreign or out-of-state kid to do when he or she hears the
bells of graduation ringing and knows that two years from now, on
campus housing will no longer be an option?
Nassau Boulevard, Garden City, NY As
you may know, there are a few houses on Nassau Boulevard South, only 15
minutes away from the Garden City campus, resided by Adelphi students.
Of course, that's the ideal living arrangement, especially if the price
you have to pay each month is convenient: you won't waste money on
commuting, since you have the university, the shuttle bus, and at least
two supermarket chain stores nearby (Stop & Shop and Pathmark). If
you think you've missed your chance to live off campus by prolonging
your comfortable residence in Adelphi housing, don't give up. Consider
the "real" world, how and where did everyone find housing? The key is
determination and persistence to find an affordable place that you can
call your own.
Suffolk and Nassau County If you check out Craig's list these days, you'll notice that most of the houses in the price range of a student are located in Suffolk County or further east in Nassau County.
Unfortunately, almost none of these towns are located on the Hempstead
railroad branch; rather they are all on the Babylon or Huntington/Port
Jefferson branches. If you moved to a town near the end of the Babylon
branch, take Massapequa for example, you'd have to take the train all
the way to Jamaica station as if you were going to New York City, then
take the Hempstead-bound train to Nassau Boulevard, as if you were
coming back from Manhattan. And it's not just the physical hassle to
consider: your money is on the line as well, since the monthly tickets
from the end of the Hempstead and Babylon lines to Jamaica will reach
almost $400! If you've got your heart set on living in Suffolk County
for one reason or another, it would probably be more convenient to buy
a car or weekly tickets.
Queens Every
international or out-of-state student has Manhattan on their mind when
he or she comes to the New York metro area, but few can afford to live
there. One of the closest places to live and be as closest to New York
City as possible is Astoria, Queens. The hits that you'll come up with
when doing a search for apartments for rent in Astoria, whose owners
will not involve broker fees, look rather promising.
However, it's going to be a long haul if you don't have a car: you'll
have to take the subway from Ditmars Boulevard to Penn Station in New
York, then take the L.I.R.R. all the way to Nassau Boulevard. It's not
impossible, but requires a lot of stamina.
Brooklyn
Did you know you could take the L.I.R.R. from Brooklyn directly to
Nassau Boulevard? You just have to find a way to get to the Flatbush
Avenue L.I.R.R. station. Plus, right now, there are three pages'
worth of results when you look for apartments to rent under $850.
Assuming that you've heard the stories that Brooklyn is not the safest
of the five boroughs, think positively: most of the people living there
are decent people just like you, looking to spend as little as possible
on living expenses.
Now that spring break is just around the corner, some students might
find themselves wondering how they could spend this blissful week when
they don't have to wake up in the morning, or rush from one building to
another to attended classes and participate in campus activities. It's
a little rough for international students because their home countries
are thousands of miles away, so it's not worth the while and the money
to fly to see mom, dad, your siblings, and pets for a week. What can
you do?
Here You may not
realize it, but the Garden City campus during spring break isn't such
an awful place to be. Since the campus greens are starting to open
their eyes and shake off that winter drowsiness around this time, the
campus will be super quiet and will give you time to relax, study, or
just sleep, to replenish your forces for the rest of the semester. The
downside of spending a little more than a week on campus without your
roommates is that boredom and loneliness might be on the prowl and will
see you as a sitting duck. Don't panic; why not fight it off with
productive academic activities instead? Also, the meal choices are not
too varied during breaks because most of the students go home or on
trips. Look at the silver lining: you can make this an excuse to go out
and about, see a movie, do a little shopping (or window shopping if you
don't have too much money to spare), and enjoy a meal or two off
campus! Also, don't forget that the shuttle bus schedule changes during spring break.
There Let's
see...what can you do off campus? Go to Manhattan, perhaps? You know that
feeling you get when you're swamped in homework up to your ears? Well,
this is your chance to break free, hop on the next train, and go to the
City. The Metropolitan Museum of Art
on 1000 Fifth Avenue at 82nd Street doesn't require you to pay an
admission fee: you can give as little or much as you like. Greenwich
Village in downtown Manhattan has many cheap eateries, cool bookstores
and record stores, and a bohemian atmosphere to offer. You could also
go explore a certain part of Manhattan you've been meaning to see, but
haven't had the opportunity because of the heavy school workload. So
remember, there's always something to do in New York City!
and Everywhere It
may be a little unrealistic due to the present economic environment,
but this is just a thought: why not fight the odds (if your part time
job or your parents' allowance is pays well enough) and change the
scenery completely and go to Washington D.C., Boston, Chicago, San
Diego, or Miami? You might be thinking that it's too late to plan a
trip now, but just humor yourself and go to Expedia, Travelocity or Orbitz
to search for cheap flights. It's worth a try: you might even find a
reduced package that includes the airfare and the hotel. Whatever you
decide to do, enjoy your spring break!
Ever seen those red and white string bracelets that international
students from Bulgaria wear around their wrists at the beginning of
March? They are called Martenitsa and Romanians also have a tradition
celebrating the advent of spring called Martisor. Of course, there's a
logical reason behind these Eastern European traditions.
History "Martisor"
means "little March" and its etymology is thought to have come from the
Ancient Roman celebration "Martius." Avid to conquer and build an
empire, the Romans deemed the war god Mars important enough to make the
first day of this month coincide with the first day of the year. That's
why they celebrated New Year's Eve on March 1st. Mars was both
protector of war and agriculture, symbolized by the white and red
colored strings, peace and war, or spring and winter, depending on
which of the two symbols you would focus on.
Symbolism Both
Martisor and Martenitsa have more or less the same symbolic meanings,
celebrating the advent of spring, starting with March 1st and ending
with the day when you see the first blooming tree. Tradition says you
should wear the Martisor amulet or the Martenitsa bracelet made out of
two entwined white and red strings, because they are harbingers of
optimism and good weather, fertility, and well-being. However, the
legends and some of the traditions behind these charms are somewhat
different.
Romania - Martisor March
1st is the official beginning of spring in Romanian folklore. Every
year during the last days of February, flower markets all over Romania
are flooded by people buying and selling little charm amulets to give
to their friends and loved ones for good luck. The amulets are made of
two entwining red and white strings and a small charm, such as a
flower, a little animal, a horse shoe, a green clover, basically
anything that is considered a harbinger of good luck.
The first version of Martisor
in the territory of today's Romania was initiated by the ancestors of
the Romanian people, the Dacians, who put up a good fight before they
were finally conquered by the Roman emperor Trajan who built a column
in Rome in honor of the battles he thought to defeat them. Before the
Romans came along, the celebration of spring was called "dachia
dragobete," the end of winter. The Dacians attached little gold,
silver, or metal coins to a thin, twisted black and white wool rope
worn on the wrist or pinned over the heart to provide good luck for the
future and protection to the wearer. The twisted black and white wool
rope signified the everlasting balance between summer and regeneration,
winter and death. Furthermore, the amulets were thought to enhance
fertility. When trees started to bloom, people would hang their amulets
on branches.
There are several Romanian legends that
explain the origins of the "Martisor" celebration, but the most
interesting is one dating back from the Roman occupation of the ancient
territory Dacia. It is said that the Sun wanted to enjoy a human life,
so it left its place in the sky and became a young man. He was
kidnapped and imprisoned, which led many people to lose hope that they
would ever feel the warmth of the sun, hear the birds sing or flowers
bloom again. However, a warrior gave his last breath to save the sun;
his blood was spilt on the snow, and a rose grew on that spot.
Tradition says that young men make white and red strings to offer the
girls they love, but today, men, women, and children give each other
the amulets for good luck.
Bulgaria - Martenitsa The Martenitsa
tradition is thought to have begun sometime around the year 681 A.D.,
when Bulgaria was founded. Old Bulgarians call March the "birch month"
because this is when the birch trees start to bloom. It is also said
that in the early morning of the first day of March, young children
must go outside and meet Baba Marta or Grandmother March with a smile
on their face, so the weather would be sunny for the rest of the year.
On this same day, people should set fire in their yards, then jump over
the blaze and through the smoke three times facing the sun, in order to
be purified from and guarded against evil forces. The lady of the house
then decorates children and animals with martenitsas. Bulgarians also
give each other small woolen dolls called Pigo and Penda, which are
also known as Martenitzi.
Elderly women sometimes
entwine coins, beads, iron rings, hairs of horsetail, or snail shells,
according to tradition, to create charms against evil. Furthermore,
children wear their martenitsa on the right wrist, around their necks
or near their hearts. Martenitsas are also tied on young animals and
fruit trees. People wear these talismans until they see a stork or a
fruit-tree branch. Some tie the amulets to the branch of a blooming
tree, while others put them under the rock, biding Baba Marta not to
bring the cold and hoping for a hasty return of spring and the warm
weather.
Originally from Alba-Iulia, Romania, a city forged on the ruins of the Roman settlement Apulum, I am a communications and political science major. I have always been fascinated with music, writing, history, cats, and fairy tales. Currently a student writer for the Office of Public Affairs, production editor and staff writer for the Delphian, Adelphi's student newspaper, secretary of the Pre-Law Society, and member of the International Student Society at Adelphi University, I am a junior in the Honors College. My dream is to one day write for Rolling Stone, covering the likes of Radiohead, Snow Patrol, and the Cardigans. Lending an ear to today's music scene, writing, and playing with my clever cat Matzi are some of the ways I like to spend my free time.
features appetizers including various salads such as the "Punta Dura" House Salad, containing mixed greens drenched in balsamic vinaigrette ($6.75) and the Arugula Mozzarella Salad, a mix of apples, walnuts, cherries, fresh mozzarella, and lemon olive oil vinaigrette ($9.75). My friend and I shared the Caprese, a classic Italian appetizer featuring fresh mozzarella with ripe, baby tomatoes, infused with olive oil ($10.75). 
