NYC: A Food Lover's Paradise

One of the many perks of going to school in New York City is the almost endless options you have when it comes to food. Seriously, think of almost any cuisine and there is probably a restaurant in New York that offers it. During my time at Fordham, I have tried all different kinds of food -- some more traditional (like the delicious, warm, and gooey chocolate chip cookies at Levain Bakery) and some more exotic to my pallet (like having dim sum at a restaurant in Brooklyn's chinatown). 

Fresh-baked cookies from Levain Bakery

The best part is that you often don't even have to go very far to get a taste for all that New York's culinary scene has to offer. Arthur Avenue, which is just off Fordham's Rose Hill campus, has some of the best Italian food in the world. And if you're the type that just likes to stick to the basics like pizza, there are some delicious pizzerias on Arthur Ave and just off campus as well.

So whether you prefer to stick to the basics or love to branch out and try interesting and different foods, New York and Fordham offer it all!

Pizza and garlic knots from University Pizza located on Fordham Road

Club Spotlight: Fordham Jetés

Do you know what 5th position is?  Have you ever performed in or attended a production of The Nutcracker?  Can you call yourself a bonafide bunhead?  If you answered yes to all three of these questions, then The Jetés is the club for you at Fordham!

We are Fordham’s student-run classical ballet company.  The Jetés were established as a club at the Rose Hill campus almost exactly a year ago.  Since then, we have performed selections of Swan Lake at various campus events, danced variations from The Sleeping Beauty at Maroon Mainstage during family weekend, and even presented our own version of The Nutcracker in December!

We have exciting things coming up for this semester as well.  We have outreach performances scheduled for local Bronx public school students as well as for the retired Jesuit community at Murray-Weigel Hall just off campus.  Our executive board members are in the midst of casting and choreographing for our full-length production of The Sleeping Beauty ballet, which will take to the stage in Collins Auditorium on April 21st and 22nd.
If you danced throughout high school, there’s no reason to give it up in college!  We hold auditions twice a year, once at the beginning of fall semester and again at the beginning of spring semester.  Pointe experience is not necessary, but certainly a plus as most of our featured roles are danced en pointe.

We’d love to hear from you!  Search us on Youtube to see previous performances and follow us on Facebook and Instagram (@fordhamjetes) to get a behind-the-scenes look at our rehearsals and shows!

Club Spotlight: Sláinte: Fordham Irish Dance

Sláinte (slahn-che)

From Old Irish

interjection

1. Cheers

Are you a prospective Ram looking for an easy way to join the Fordham community? Look no further than the many unique clubs that our school has to offer! From acapella groups, to business societies, to dance teams, Sláinte is just one of your options -- and, in my humble opinion, it's the best one!

Sláinte is Fordham's one and only Irish dance club. We finally became an officially recognized club this year, which means we have the opportunity to compete as a real Irish dance team! Some experience as an Irish dancer is required to audition; however, there is no need to be currently competing! When I visited Fordham on Accepted Student's Day two years ago, I instantly found Sláinte's table and was so happy to see that I could continue doing something I love at a place that I love! As a student athlete, I have a rigorous practice schedule -- I swim for almost 20 hours a week -- but I can assure you that it is very possible to be involved in anything that Fordham has to offer!

Sláinte Members 2016-2017!

Sláinte has made their presence known on campus through many performances. We have participated as an act in ASILI's "Taste the World" event; opened for The B-Side's, one of Fordham's many talented acapella groups; helped raise money for pediatric cancer research by performing at Fordham Dance Marathon; partnered with Gaelic Society to create the first annual Irish Night, a night devoted to celebrating Irish culture through live music by The Narrowbacks, food and baked goods provided by members of Sláinte and Gaelic Society, and, of course, Irish dancing! Now that we are an official club with a very official budget, Sláinte will travel to Villanova University in just a few weeks to compete in the Intercollegiate Irish Dance Festival!

Sláinte is a group of people who are proud of their Irish heritage, and we hope we can share our culture through dancing with the rest of the Fordham community for years to come! If you are interested in learning more about Sláinte, feel free to like our page on Facebook. Go Rams, and, in true Irish fashion, "sláinte!"

RA Outings

Blog by Elizabeth Madock

Ice Skating with my RA in Bryant Park!

This photo of me was taken during my first weekend at Fordham, 

during an RA event on the Hudson River. 

Fordham students live in the city that never sleeps, and that means we have a whole world of excitement and adventure at our fingertips. However, it can be more than a little intimidating for an out-of- town student to pluck up the nerve to explore the Big Apple! If you’re considering attending Fordham but are nervous about trying to conquer the city, fret no more: Fordham knows that new students might be a little freaked out about the prospect of figuring out the D train from the S train and has, as such, developed a way for incoming freshman to get used to the greatest city in the world with a little guidance along the way.



Enter your Resident Assistant. While RAs are best known for hosting floor meetings and helping everyone figure out how the washing machines work, here at Fordham they also host events for their resident students. While these events could be as simple as putting together an end-of- the-week ice cream social for you and your floor mates, or as elaborate as finagling some free hot yoga classes at the trendiest yoga studio in Manhattan, many of the events the RAs put on involve a trip to the city.



During these events, the RA’s know that incoming freshman might not be totally comfortable with the subway system, the order of the streets, or the overall hustle-and-bustle of New York City. Instead of throwing you to the wolves, however, they’ll teach you all the tips and tricks of the trade as you visit such hot-ticket locations as the Metropolitan Museum of Art for a little culture, the Hudson River for some kayaking, or even the Bryant Park ice rink during the Winter Village festivities. Plus, most events are free, as the RAs have a budget to buy the tickets and the Metrocards that might be necessary for whatever you’re exploring. If you attend these events, you’ll begin to gain some familiarity with the way the city works (and when it’s appropriate to run to catch a train!). I promise that NYC isn’t nearly as intimidating once you’ve explored a little with someone who knows their way around, and eventually you’ll be an old pro, hopping on the MetroNorth train to have some adventures with your new friends.

A Night Out: College Night at the Frick Collection

Earlier this month, my best friend and I ventured over to the east side to visit the Frick Collection for College Night. The Frick Collection puts on College Nights, which include free admission with your university ID, approximately once a month, with a variety of different activities and docent-led tours. The collection is small enough to finish in one night, and spans a wide variety of artists and movements.

Frick Collection Gardens, Photo by Gillian Bashaw

Photos are not allowed in the gallery, but fortunately, they are allowed in the Frick Collection's stunning gardens. For College Night, these gardens were outfitted with a string ensemble, tables for socializing, and a table of refreshments. The gardens provide a truly relaxing atmosphere to take a break between exhibits or just spend time in good company with friends.

Once we finished walking through the collections, we made our way to the gift shop. While I'm naturally a fan of trinkets and souvenirs, I was happy to see that there were prints of almost every work in the museum in various sizes ranging from about $2-$15. I was able to buy a couple of my favorite paintings of the evening in a postcard size, and now my bedroom walls are just a little more artistic.

The Frick Collection is located at 1 East 70th Street and is about a 20-30 minute walk from Fordham Lincoln Center. Upcoming College Nights are scheduled for May 6th and June 24th. The Frick Collection is a hidden gem that is not to be missed!

New Experiences: The Metropolitan Opera

It’s amazing how my time at Fordham has led me to discover new things that I otherwise would have never experienced. This is especially true in terms of my newfound love of the opera. It all started in my first semester at Fordham. In my philosophy of human nature class, my professor allowed us the opportunity to earn some extra credit by going to see the opera Aida, by Verdi. Wanting to earn a few extra points, and also curious, I decided to go.

The Metropolitan Opera House is located at Lincoln Center, and is only a 5 minute walk from Fordham’s Lincoln Center campus in Manhattan. Utilizing Fordham’s intercampus shuttle, and dressed in my very best, I arrived to the opera house not knowing what to expect.

The Metropolitan Opera House located at Lincoln Center

The building was absolutely beautiful. The staff was very friendly and helped direct me towards my seat. But perhaps even more beautiful than the theater was the opera itself. The sets were stunning, the dancing was extremely graceful, but above all the singing was phenomenal. Despite not knowing any of the words being spoken (the opera was in Italian), the opera was incredibly emotional and moving, both happy and sad. It was like nothing I had ever experienced before.

Since then, I have gone to two more operas my sophomore year, La Boheme and Madama Butterfly both by Puccini. Being a student at Fordham, I have been able to buy steeply discounted tickets and sit only a few rows away from the stage, making my experience even more incredible. I even made one of my best friends by going to the opera.

The Interior of the Opera House

Before coming to Fordham, I had no interest at all in opera. It is only because Fordham is constantly encouraging me to try to new things and broaden my experiences that I was able to discover my love for classical opera. Going to school in New York City allows for many new experiences, especially when one is a student of Fordham University.