Follow video blogger Nick Dee as he checks out The Lite Choice a soft-serve ice cream company throughout New York City that serves only all-natural and organic ice creams that are low in calories and fat and have NO corn syrup or artificial additives! This ice cream is seriously delicious!
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Upon first arriving in the city as a freshman at NYU, the excitement of the city’s environment enchanted and drew me in as it had famously done for so many others. All the things that draw people to New York—its large crowds, the promise of meeting new people, the aromas and shouts that rise from the streets—convinced me I was at the heart of not just any city, but the epitome of a cosmopolitan utopia whose movement offered endless possibilities.
After a semester of pursuing the premed track, however, I began to find myself wearing of the commotion outside. Union Square, once an exciting intermingling of sights and sounds, was now a site of chaos to be avoided. The fellow passengers on the subway became overbearing, and the cars increasingly claustrophobic. Expounded by the stress of classes, internships, and jobs, my friends and I began to find the constant movement outside made living in the city a trying experience.
I had never attended a yoga class coming to school. Rather, I used to joke about and tease those friends of mine who religiously attended classes at the local center. I lumped it with trends such as the obsession with organic food—a middle class affirmation of their bohemian alternativeness.
After weeks of daily exposure to the urban environment, the monotony of my class schedule began to affect both my body and mentality. Along with returning to my dorm exhausted, I began to grow more anxious about my assignments. By the time a fellow classmate told me I could attend a $5 yoga class at Life In Motion, I was perturbed enough by my lack of energy to try the form of exercise I had long dismissed as a passing craze.
That yoga is an exercise of both mental and physical capabilities is key to understanding why participants profess leaving with a new sense of balance. By targeting specific muscles and areas of the body, instructors force people to focus on their bodies and let outside concerns fall away. As I followed the directions to stretch and reach, any thoughts not related to stabilizing my body “sunk into the floor’, as one instructor aptly put it.
To move about the city and face the affronts to personal space it often requires a certain degree of internal composition that can be especially difficult for students to attain. The greatest benefit of the class was forcing me to recognize how compromised this balance had become. To fully take advantage of the city, one must at times distance oneself from the flux of bodies and ideas that make it dynamic.
-Sabina, Student Maximus Blogger
NYU 2013
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Upon entering Pudding Stone, favorably located in the crest of the West Village, not only did the weather beg for such a chic, open-air dining experience, but my coin purse was happily chiming to this wine bar’s student-friendly pricing.
The decor of the restaurant is trendy, yet not obnoxious: One interior wall is brick, cleverly pocked with hollows where candles flicker, and the opposing wall is adorned with four Marilyn Monroe prints by Warhol. The electro pop music in the background weaves both the ornamentation of the restaurant and the commotion of street together. Along with indoor tables and stools at the classy bar near the far end of the establishment, sidewalk seating is also available. I chose to sit by the open windows, which on an unusually warm April night, offered a gentle breeze, completing the relaxed dining scene.
For my appetizer, I ordered the crab cakes with lemon remoulade. A couple of years ago my mother and I attempted to make our own from scratch, but unlike Pudding Stone’s perfect combination of crispy outside and moistly flaky inside, our homemade creations were just a little burnt. Pudding Stone’s perfect crab cakes sat atop a crisp house salad embellished with sliced mango and partnered with a dollop of tangy tartar sauce. Although only one cake sat on my plate, I could have easily devoured three more.
Now even though Pudding Stone is known for their impressive wine list, I decided to save that for the entrée. Instead, I chose to have a bottle of Colomba to compliment my appetizer. A white ale brewed with spices, it was a nice alternative to the darker, more bitter stouts I typically have; it was a lighter, sweeter breed.
I have long come to the realization that I am, to the highest possible degree of the title, an utter salmon junkie. With this acknowledged, choosing my next plate was simple: wild Alaskan salmon with eggplant puree. When asked what temperature I wanted it, I went with medium so as to keep the fine balance of raw and overdone in check. My dish was presented with a healthy dose of freshly steamed asparagus, a splash of eggplant puree to cradled the fish, a side of hot sauce for extra flare, and a lemon wedge for that oh so necessary zing.
I’ve had a lot of salmon in my 22 glutinous years of life, and I can sincerely say that Pudding Stone prepared my dish without flaw. Its tender, slightly- salted meat made my mouth water before even my first taste. Its accompanying puree was light and tangy. I was afraid it would overpower the flavor of the salmon, but it was divinely complementary. To be honest, I could have foregone the dab of hot sauce on my plate. Its spice reduced the taste of the salmon, but it provided a variety, so I went along with it. That and c’mon, who doesn’t love hot sauce?
Not ordering a glass of wine at Pudding Stone is like going to Hawaii and skipping the beach — you’re missing the best part. At first the wine list was a bit intimidating, but my waiter was very helpful and gave me a few sound suggestions. I ended up choosing an Ella’s Blend grenache, a French red wine. The grenache, a widely-planted wine grape, gave it exceptional body and a sweet fruitiness, which, paired with the salmon, made for an all around delicious meal.
No dinner is complete without dessert, and I had been dreaming of crème brûlée throughout the entire meal. Crème brûlée, French for “burnt cream,” is a dessert consisting of a rich custard base topped with a contrasting layer of 
caramelized sugar. While I waiting for my dish (which I should mention arrived in five minutes flat), I replayed a decadent scene from my all-time favorite French movie “Amelie,” in which the main character gains a little too much pleasure from cracking the surface of her homemade crème brûlées. I was hoping that my dessert would be just as ripe. Happily, it was. The surface was perfectly crisp. Breaking through the sweet shell, reaching the creamy bottom of warm custard, and feeling the opposing textures in my mouth, was, in one word, heavenly.
I thoroughly enjoyed my dinner at Pudding Stone. With a relaxed ambiance and plenty of wine (nudge, nudge), it is ideal for a snug, romantic date that won’t leave you broke.
-Angela M, Student Maximus Blogger
Baruch ‘09
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So I’ve recently started working for Student Maximus Magazine as an intern. My role here is to spread knowledge of the magazine to other college students and to get them interested. Everyone knows that living in New York City can be (is) very pricey, but imagine doing that strictly off of the weekly allowance given to you by your parents. Well, that is what myself and many other college students in this city are doing. Now it is true that we don’t have to pay rent and most of us have a meal plan, but what about when you want to go out? Maybe to try a new restaurant or shop at a new boutique or do basic activities that “used” to be apart of our weekly schedules? Like tanning, getting your hair and nails done, or yoga? As a college student, if we are given the opportunity to not only enjoy those activities again, but to save money while doing it we will and be unbelievably happy about it.
That is exactly how my friends responded when I introduced them to the Student Maximus Magazine and all the AMAZING discounts and coupons that are offered inside it. One of my friends loves doing yoga. Its her opportunity to relax and cleanse, so when I showed her the coupon in the magazine for the Bikram yoga at Bikram Yoga Manhattan, offering 30 days for $30 , she was so excited and couldn’t wait to use it (which she did 2 days later). I also gave some magazines to a group of girls who live down the hall from me. They couldn’t wait to thank me for them when they saw the coupons for the airbrushed tanning (in preparation for Spring Break). As for the rest of my friends, including myself, we could not wait to use all the coupons that offered any form of a discount on food. They recently tried a sushi restaurant that offered $3 off of your meal. We also have plans to use the coupons offered for the pizzerias, diners, and dessert spots in the city. Any opportunity to save money is a good one.
-Leah Davis-McNeill
Pace University 2013
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Economic migraines are common amongst the populous nowadays, and we as thrifty consumers should be able to deal with them properly: with drink. Mind you, by no means is this a call for alcoholism. This is simply a cheerful reminder that today’s bars are in the most generous of moods.
If your birthday’s shortly approaching, hop on a sled and make your way over to the Creek Bar downstairs of Eight Mile Creek restaurant and take complete advantage of their complimentary offers. After all, who doesn’t enjoy a night of free drinking to celebrate their special day? Top that off with free calamari and wings, and by jove, even I’m sold.
-Angela M, Student Maximus Blogger
Baruch ‘09
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2010 could not have started off more devastatingly: a natural disaster took well over a hundred thousand lives in Haiti, one of my good friends was brutally attacked in front of her apartment in Brooklyn, and my mother was diagnosed with cancer. In times like these, it is almost impossible not to notice the massive shift in everyone’s attitude; sworn enemies bury grudges they have held for years, the amount of donations made to charities increases dramatically, and people become generally more compassionate towards one another. While this charitable spirit is certainly a more than welcome change, I cannot help but be distraught that people seem to ban together only when things are going wrong.
I have often been plagued by the thought, “what can I do”? As a college student, I cannot donate large amounts of money that I do not have, nor can I do much to implement social change. But just because I cannot change everything, does not mean that I can change nothing. I may be just one person, but my actions have far-reaching effects. The choices I make affect not only my friends and family, but also my classmates, my co-workers, and even the people I encounter briefly on the street. So what I can do is rather simple—follow the principal that is common to almost every ethical system in the world, The Golden Rule: do unto others as you would have done unto you; “love your neighbor as yourself”; what goes around, comes around.
I know this sounds corny, but you really can make a big difference by doing the smallest things like holding the door for someone, offering to help someone who is lost, or even by taking a second to realize that you are part of something bigger than yourself and that your actions have consequences.
I know that this is something that everyone learned back in elementary school, but I have come to realize that somewhere along the way I have forgotten it. I can think of plenty of moments in my life that I am not too proud of; times that I hurt someone purposefully or failed to help someone when I easily could have done so. I can also remember times when my already foul mood has been made worse by seemingly small things that other people said or did to me.
It is so easy to be oblivious to how we project ourselves and how we treat others, but these things are also the easiest to change, and that is where I am choosing to start. By affecting change locally, I am beginning my commitment to influence the world globally.
For more writing by Emily Stern, go to adventuresofanavidreader.blogspot.com
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Spring Break is approaching steadily and among thoughts of tanning, shorts, and school-free weekdays lurks the reminder that you’re a student on a budget so tight you can barely breathe. Relax! Despite the media’s portrayal of NYC’s high-rolling lifestyle, there are fun and free things you can do in New York City if you stay here during break. Everyone knows about New York’s famous museums, such as the Guggenheim or the Met, but most people do not realize that the City has over 80 different museums, 60 of which are in Manhattan. With so many to choose from, there really is a museum for everyone, whether he or she is interested in music, art, transportation, history or culture.
For book, art, and music lovers, the Morgan museum (on Madison and 36th Street), is quite the hidden gem. It houses rare and original manuscripts from writers such as Lord Byron, Charlotte Brontë, and Percy Shelly. Paintings by Cezanne, Van Gogh, and Ruskin are displayed, as well as autographed and annotated scores from Beethoven, Mozart, and Chopin. For Dylan fans, you can even view the original scrap of paper on which he wrote the lyrics to “It Ain’t Me Babe” and “Blowin’ in the Wind.”(http://www.themorgan.org/home.asp)
Now I know what you are thinking: museums are expensive. Admissions to most museums run from ten to fifteen dollars for students. However, at almost all of New York’s museums, that donation amount is simply suggested, which means it really is okay to give what you can. The other week, I visited the Natural History Museum with three people and we gave a total of 76 cents for our tickets. No one at the box office even blinked. If the museum prices are not “suggested,” you can always go on Friday night, when the Museum of Modern Art, The Morgan, and The International Center for Photography—among others—have completely free admission.
Los Angeles may be the entertainment capital of the world, but many shows are taped in New York. Talk shows like Saturday Night Live, The View, and The Daily Show give away free tickets to help fill their studio audiences. Not only do you get to meet celebrities and see how a television studio is run, but they also give away gifts like DVDs, clothes, and even trips.
If you enjoy spending your free time outdoors, New York’s many parks are a great place to relax. Central Park is beautiful and massive, covering over a square mile of New York City. It contains lakes, ponds, walking trails and biking paths, a Zoo, two ice-skating rinks, Belve-dere Castle, and the Strawberry Fields memorial site, dedicated to the memory of John Lennon. The Central Park Conservancy offers many different tours of the park year round. Or, if you’d rather go to a park of a more manageable size, Bryant Park is a great option. The park provides free yoga, tai chi, knitting classes, and wireless Internet. Bryant Park is also home to “Piano in the Park,” where some of the best pianists from all over the city play free concerts every weekday at noon.(http://www.bryantpark.org/calendar/piano.php)
For those who like to get wet, the Downtown Boathouse at Pier 96, Pier 40, and 72nd street offers free kayaking on the Hudson on weekends, holidays, and some weekday evenings (weather permitting). No previous experience is required and Downtown Boathouse provides all the necessary equipment. There is no need to make a reservation, but be prepared to wake up early if you want to go on one of the longer trips, as they start at 8 am. http://www.downtownboathouse.org/
So before you break the bank for a cliché Cancun vacation, you might want to consider what this city’s backyard has to offer: history, culture and entertainment well within the folds of your wallet.
For more writing by Emily Stern, go to adventuresofanavidreader.blogspot.com.
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“He does internet things.” So reads the headline of Nick DiRamio, a freshman at NYU’s Website. It’s a tagline and while it describes some of what he does, it’s barely the tip of the iceberg.
Nick DiRamio is in his first year studying Film and Television, but whenever he can make the time to do something outside of coursework, he’s developing his Website, creating video blogs, tweeting for about 200 followers on Twitter and posting his original music online.
Nick recently sat down with Student Maximus Magazine to chat about himself and his interests. Originally from New Hampshire, Nick began creating electronic pop music in high school. “I got heavy into songwriting… wasn’t skilled enough to compose my own music.”
Nick began working on his music after “playing around with some computer programs.” “It wasn’t until after I became confident in my music that I started to tell people about it,” said Nick.
Nick decided to create a website and post his music there. He’s created more than 20 songs, eight of which can be heard on his last album – Nickotine Addiction.
“It just happened organically,” Nick said, describing the latest version of his website. It’s updated throughout the day.
Nick said his website is a promotion to “be yourself”, an idea that influences the creation of his music.
“My music reflects past experiences in trying to find out who I am and just being confident … not trying to make other people happy,” he said, “Hopefully people get that from my music…” just be yourself, enjoy yourself, have confidence in who you are.”
Two of his latest song releases, “Talk Sh*t” and “Don’t F*ck With Me”, are examples of how Nick expresses what others won’t express when dealing with people who may not be so happy with who you are.
Nick said the lyrics of “Talk Sh*t” are a declaration to not letting others bother you.
“There are people out there who want to push your buttons. Don’t let those people put you down,” he said, “Negative energy is a waste of time … ‘Positive energy’ is the message I’d like to send out.”
Nick said the key to remaining positive is to keep in mind that you should never give up; “never get to the point where you think it’s impossible to succeed.”
Currently working on more positive music, Nick said his next album would feature less of a techno-like sound. He said that although he is influenced by the pop music of Lady Gaga and enjoys the sounds of rappers Lil’ Wayne and Drake, listeners will get more of an all-natural Nick Dee sound.
But the positive energy doesn’t stop there. Nick has decided to take the unfortunate effects of the earthquake in Haiti and channel his talent to the people of that country. The proceeds from Nick’s album will go to the Help For Haiti Foundation.
For more information on Nick DiRamio and to check out what he is currently up to, listen to his music and watch his video blogs, visit his website www.NICKDEE.net.
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For more writings by Aramis M. Grant, visit aramisslovely online.
Student Maximus 