Views from above 63 floors up

KAPLAN ASPECT’S NEWSLETTER

Volume 1, Issue 1 December 2008

Hey, the Holidays are here! • 3 Schools

It is time to get rid of • 3 Days
your grammar book and
explore a week full of • Free!
traditions and events.
East Village Dec 22nd
And forget about ice Empire State Building
skating in Bryant park or Dec 23rd
watching the Christmas Midtown Dec 24th
tree at Rockefeller.
There are so much better Current and
things to do! future students are
welcome to attend!
For many students this is their
first holiday abroad, far, far Bring a friend and
away from friends and fam- There is more than Christmas in December. be registered to
ily. But instead of feeling win!
homesick, follow our guide to dominant society. The cele- ing restaurant, delicious food for
a vacation full of fun and brations culminate in a feast reasonable prices. They also
happenings. and gift giving. offer a varied menu and films Find us on Face-
which change daily. book and RSVP
Christmas and New Year’s There are also Islamic holi- www.monkeytown.com
Eve is probably the most well
now!
days in December. This year
known of the upcoming holi- the Islamic New Year Eve Mahattan
days, but there are more holy appears 29th Dec. Many Check out “City Bakery” to get
days to come. Muslims use the day to re- the best and most famous hot
member the Hijra or migra- chocolate in the city. 3W 18th St. Winter Special
Hanukkah is a Jewish holiday, tion that the Islamic prophet
which is known as the festival Muhammad did to Medina. Queens Programme!
of lights. It is eight nights long According to the Islamic cal- “PS1” is a gallery that is a part
and may occur from late No- endar it’s year 1429 now. of MOMA. It is located in Long Are you finishing school
vember to late December on Island City. Their indoor exhibi- soon?
the Gregorian calendar. Of course you don’t have to tion is really popular. Are you wishing you could
be religious to enjoy these www.Ps1.org
Another holiday that is to be holidays, just open your mind stay longer?
celebrated in December is and try a new tradition. “Crescent and Vine” is a cool wine Now You can!
Kwanzaa, a week-long Afro- Happy holidays! bar. They sell not only wine but
American tradition. Kwanzaa also beer, so you can try various Extend for 12 weeks-Get
was created by an Afro- Brooklyn beers and wine. 4 weeks free!
American social activist in “Union Hall” is a bar with live 25-01 Ditmars Blvd.
1966. It was the first Afro- music and books. It consists of during the holiday season.
American holiday and it is three floors, so you can get Extend for 8 weeks-
said that it was created to something different on each New Years Eve Get 2weeks free!
give blacks an opportunity to floor. The club Pacha and the restau-
celebrate themselves and www.unionhallny.com rant/lounge The Rooftop always Extend for 4 weeks-
history, rather than simply have good parties. Under 21? Get 1week free!
imitate the practice of the “Monkey Town” is a fascinat- Go to Webster hall.
Our choice You should be dancing!
As many of you know, with each other no matter
NYC is the most well- where they're from or what
known arena for jazz language they speak.
around the world. On the small island of Man-
Many brilliant jazz musicians hattan, you can dance with a
have been walking around bunch of friends every night if
Harlem and curling up with you're willing to spend your
musical instruments since the time more actively. You'll grab
1900s. romantic opportunities both
Back in the 1920s, Swing dancing and meeting native
dancing, which I'm going to American friends.
Princeton is wondering about introduce and strongly recom-
mend learning, was started by "Have you never danced
the purpose of life. The most famous dancers in
the black community in NYC. before? Give it a shot!!"
the world, Skye Humphries
Great laughs For those of you who love
jazz, I'll bet there is nothing
and Frida Segerdahl.
Sooyoung Choi
England, France, Sweden,
guaranteed better than swing dancing to
the big-band jazz music. Korea and so on.
Swing dancing is the most Just as many international For more information:
What? Avenue Q, popular dancing style in every students travel to study Eng- www.yehoodi.com
musical single state and even across www.dancemanhattan.com
lish, many of the dancers
Where? The Golden the ocean in places such as travel to dance holding hands www.youshouldbedancing.com
theatre, 252 West
45th Street
Avenue Q is maybe the
most fun play now running Time for relaxation and appreciation
on Broadway.
The story is about the
college student Princeton, There are a million things you can see enormous land-
who comes to New York to do every day in NYC, scapes, views of the Hudson
and struggles to find the and yet you might have River and the upper west
true purpose in life.
The only hood he can af- wandered around look- side.
ford to live in is Avenue Q, ing for something grunt- One thing I really want to
where he meets the cute ing, "What am I going to share with you is that The
monster-girl Kate, and a do?”, “What am I doing Cloisters will be holding a
lot of other new, weird holiday program: Medieval
here?”, ”Where am I You’ll find this marvelous Food on December 27, 28.
friends. chapel and exhibition room
What's unique about Ave- heading?" in The Cloisters.
This will be a unique experi-
nue Q is that the play ence to travel back in time
mixes actors and puppets. Cloisters museum and gardens, and eat European medieval
I want to make your life less
It can seem strange, but it the branch of The Metropoli- food.
trivial.
works, and it's very enter- tan Museum of Art and archi- Moreover, this is a great way
More often than not, you
taining. tecture of medieval Europe, is to spend less money during
wonder how many fun and
The dialogue and the like a small castle. The collec- the holiday season and the
satisfying experiences you
songs are hilarious. The tion is comprised of nearly New Year.
could have on the tightest
song "Internet is made for five thousand works of reli- It’s only a dollar!
budget.
porn", by itself, makes the gious art from medieval (admission:donation)
Have you ever felt bored or
play worth the money. Europe, dating from the ninth Why not invest a day to be
irritated whenever you hang
Jennie Lorentsson to the fifteenth century. You spiritual and frugal simultane-
around Time Square or Cen-
can see exquisite stain glass ously while getting rid of eve-
tral Park and you need to
Find cheap tickets! windows, tapestries, sculp- ryday stress?
dodge people or be aware of
www.playbill.com hawkers? tures, and buildings which re-
www.broadwaybox.com flect themes of Catholicism. Check this out at
The Cloisters may deliver
Or visit the box office the There is also a beautiful park www.metmuseum.org/cloisters.
something else into your heart;
day of the show. so-called tranquility. The named Fort Tryon Park and
The hidden treasures of Greenwich
"This area is perfect. It's
so beautiful and the peo- WHAT’S THE BEST
ple care for each other." THING ABOUT
Susan Richardsson has been YOUR HOOD?
living on Bankstreet for 50
years. She remembers a time
when there was only one res-
taurant in the area. Now there
is a lot of them, from cheap
falafel eateries to expensive
first class restaurants where
you have to be a member to
get in. Cyrus Rockwood:
Greenwich is a pretty big "I love this area; the trees,
area and one of the most fa- the plantings, the dogs, the
mous streets is Bleecker, and cafes. It's like living in a
that is where most of the tour- small park. My favorite café
ists and NYU-students hang is Tartine, on the corner of
out. But there is so many more, If you’re looking for great jazz music Smalls is the place to
be. 4th St. and 11th St.
and better, places to go to.
Go for a walk in the block
between Greenwich avenue a small shop compared to
and Greenwich street, and Barnes and Noble, but it’s
you’ll discover dozens of wonderful. Don’t get fooled
small, cozy and friendly by the title, you’ll find a lot
places. more than biographies here.
The neighborhood is really Very helpful staff. 400 Susan Richardsson:
friendly (hey, the Friends live Bleecker St. "This is like the old New
here) and the old brown- York, it's so beautiful. The
stones, which are now pro- Smalls. Enjoy great jazz music place on 4th street is my
tected by law, gives you the and a glass of wine in their favorite restaurant. Sevilla,
feeling of being in a different cozy basement. 183 W 10th on the corner of W. 4th St.
city. St at 7th Ave. The cover is and Charles St. is also very
$20 and includes a drink dur- good.
To do and see ing the weekdays.
The Friends home. On the
corner of Grovest. and Bed- Cheap & tasty eats
ford St. Taim, Israeli mini restaurant
with delicious falafel and a
The home of Carrie Brad- humus made in heaven. The stair to Carrie’s hide-
shaw, 66 Perry St. 222 Waverly Pl out in Greenwich.
The pier at the end of Christo- Ghandi cafe, Indian cousin. The city bakery, organic cof- Francis Pecick:
pher street gives you a mar- Good Indian food and beer, fee and cookies. Try the oat- - I can recommend a visit to
velous view of New Jersey. cheap. meal and raisin cookie! the vintage shop Jamiola.
283 Bleecker St 175, 7th Ave. It's kind of high end, but the
Biography book shop. This is Jennie Lorentsson cloths are beautiful.

Green students one of the latest schools Kaplan on Facebook! find out about upcoming parties
Students and schools around to join this green ini- Don’t miss the chance to join and events, or to check out
the country are hoping to make tiative. The bottled Kaplan Aspect’s group on Face- party pics and pick up gossip.
a difference to the environment water industry and book.
by switching to a water filtra- the transportation of bot- There you will get the latest
tion system from cooled bottled tles causes a severe strain on news and special offers from
water. New York University is the environment. the school. It’s also the place to
 The winner of the essay contest
Ongoing events
during the break
New York Botanical Gar-
den: Holiday Train Show
Hey, and welcome to my place!
Ends Jan 11/09
This annual family favorite I’m New York City, your new best friend. You have
returns with model trains
traveling a magical land- probably heard a lot about me. And, probably all
scape featuring 140 repli- of it is true. I’m the coolest, hottest, most exciting
cas of NY landmarks made
from plant parts.
and most wonderful city on Earth.
www.nybg.org

The Metropolitan Sometimes other cities claim to

Opera be the best, but they’re not.
Lincoln Center.
Two hundred orches- As you already know, I’m full
tra seats are avail- of fun stuff to do. I’m the
able for $20 for hometown of thousands of
regular performances restaurants, nightclubs, cafes,
Mon-Thu boutiques, shows, bars etc. I
Current Production– promise you’ll never get
La Boheme, Thais, La bored in my company.
Rondine, Orfeoed Euridice
www.metroperafamily.org Is this your first time here?
Let’s start with some simple
facts. The best things with me
Upcoming Events! are for free; walking and
getting lost in new neighbor-
Alma NYC hoods, watching the multicul-
Part of BAMcafe Live Me, my self and I. Don’t you just love me?
tural mix of people in the
The epic dance floor ex- streets, relaxing in Central
perience offered by the money on a hotel room or a
Park and, at last, just feel my residence, you have come to
Brazillian music collective. heartbeat.
At the helm is first genera- the right place. I have a lot of
tion Brazillian and native friendly roomies to offer. If
Don’t let all the noise stress you put your mind to it, you
New Yorker DJ True, you out. Think of them as the
blending in samba, pa- can find really nice rooms and
soundtrack of your new life. roommates surfing the internet.
gode, and drums&bass-
plus a little extra holiday Craigslist is the site. If you’re
spirit-into foot– stomping staying here for more than a Jennie Lorentsson from
Neo-Brazillian fusion couple of weeks, that’s the Sweden is the winner of the
Grooves.
www.bam.org
”Before the fun smartest way to save money. Kaplan Aspect Essay contest.

The Swingers and

begins, I want to The second smartest way to
save money, and also another
my soul and my personality.
It’s the mix of black break
great thing about me, is to eat
Flappers Ball
A swing dancing extrava- warn you…” cheap. You know, I’m full of
delicious food, just have a
dancers in the park, stiff white
men on Wall Street, lovely
queers in the Village, stroller
ganza Tuesday,30 DEC.
Live Swing Jazz-Lavay look around. Every corner packs in the Heights, and the
Do you think I look big? Come offers you spicy tastes for a clubbers in the Meatpacking
Smith&Her Red Hot Skillet
on! All handsome models are few bucks. Don’t worry; the district who make me so per-
Lickers
tall. Think of me like your drinks can be cheap too. fect.
@ Connolly’s 121 West
elder brother, I’m a little bit
45St.6th Ave/Broadway
messy, but I really care about If you happen to get lost or Before the fun begins, I want
www.connollyspubandresta
you and wouldn’t let you get just need to know where the to warn you…before you
urant.com/index.html
hurt. nearest halal/pretzel/veggie know it, you will have fallen in
bar is, my streets are full of love with me. I just wanted to
One of the best things about friendly citizens. Do not hesi- tell you before you join the
me is that there’s so much to tate to ask them. They’re the party of your life. Cheers!
choose from. For example, if friendliest bunch of people
you want to spend your who are my blood, my heart, NYC