Taste The World Celebration

On Friday October 24, ASILI, or The Black Student Alliance at Fordham, hosted their third annual Taste The World Celebration. This year more people attended the event than ever before, with nearly 300 people lined up at the door. This event, which took place in McGinley Ballroom, celebrated the rich traditions of cultural diversity, and was open for all students to attend.  The students that went feasted on delicious cuisines of all different cultures, including sushi, pernil, lasagna, cannolis, macaroni and cheese, and roasted chicken. They also were able to sit and watch performances from some of Fordham's most talented performing groups including Fordham Flava, The Ramblers, The Satin Dolls, Expressions Dance Alliance, Sláinte: Fordham Irish Dance, and other awesome individual performances. The emcees were absolutely hilarious, keeping the audience amused the whole time, and the event was an entertaining and fun way to begin the weekend.

The event's logo!

I am part of Expressions Dance Alliance, and when our group was asked to perform at the event, we were so excited. We chose two dances that we performed last semester to rework: Ooh La La and Last Love Song. On the Thursday before the show, we performed our rehearsed dances for the ASILI board, who put up little previews of all of the performing groups on social media to get other students excited for the performances to come the next day. We then quickly picked costumes that would work for both dances, and got ready for the performance the next day. All of the performing groups got there early to help set up, rehearse on the performance space one more time, and take a group picture. Then at 7:00 PM, it was showtime. 

The Expressions dancers before they perform!

Each group did an incredible job, and it was so cool to see a little presentation from all of the groups at one event because they all usually have their own separate shows. ASILI did a great job organizing everything, and I am already looking forward to next year's event. Everyone attending definitely left feeling like they did get a little taste of the world and some impressive entertainment while they were at it. This is one Fordham event you should be sure not to miss!!

Confirmed by Eggplant Rollatini: Why and How I Chose Fordham

Spring Preview 2012 awaiting my eggplant 

I chose Fordham for the eggplant rollatini. The exact moment I knew Fordham was for me I was sitting in Amelia’s authentic Italian restaurant on Arthur Avenue just outside campus. I was a senior in high school, still deliberating between Fordham and Boston College, and my family and I decided to venture off campus for dinner after attending Fordham’s Spring Preview event for admitted students. Well, let’s just say that ordering that eggplant rollatini was ultimately the best decision of my life so far.

Students playing on Eddie's green

Now, the deliciousness and abundance of off campus food was certainly not my only factor in choosing Fordham to be my home for the following four years- it simply confirmed my decision. Since I did not know what I wanted to major in, I knew that a Jesuit school would give me the opportunity to take a wide variety of classes to help me figure out my interests and strengths. I applied to a variety of Jesuit schools, among others, and visited each campus. I remember being absolutely struck by the beauty of Fordham’s campus and I loved that students were outside lounging on the grass on such a beautiful day. I really sensed a community. Two years later as I walk to class everyday, I always look around me and think how beautiful Fordham’s campus is and how lucky I am to be a part of this community.

Sunday morning run in Central Park

Another important factor that contributed to my choice to come to Fordham is its location in New York City. I have lived in suburbia Connecticut my but the “hustle and bustle” of city life has always appealed to me. What makes Fordham so special is that it really is the best of two worlds- providing a green campus and community to live in, and also providing close access to New York City. This makes Fordham truly a unique university. Having New York City right at my fingertips has lead to so many opportunities and experiences that I would not have been able to find elsewhere. For example, I intern two days a week on 7^th avenue at GroupM ESP, a sports marketing company. I’m not sure how many college sophomores have the opportunity to have such real work experience during the school year. Additionally, I have attended multiple Broadway shoes, went to many concerts, and ate at some truly amazing restaurants- all just a subway ride away.

One of my favorite weekend activities is to go for a run either right outside campus in the Botanical Gardens, or take the Ram Van down to Lincoln Center and go for a run in Central Park. Each time I do this, I realize how beautiful New York City is and how unique it is that I am a part of not only Fordham’s community, but also a part of New York City’s vast community. 

Now, would I have chosen Fordham without the most delicious mozzarella laden eggplant dish that I have ever tasted? Yes, but the deliciousness certainly confirmed my good vibes about Fordham, New York City, and my day at the Spring Preview. Palumbo’s, the bakery we went to after dinner for cannolis, might have also have been contributing factor….

Did I forget about the desserts???

Our Favorite New York City Eats

New York City, known as the center of the universe, (coined in one of our favorite Broadway shows, Rent) is chock-full of places to go and food to eat!!! I’ve put together a list of some of my favorite restaurants in NYC, ranging from Italian, to sushi, to mac n'cheese.

1. Sotto 13 (pizza and tapas): One of our favorite Italian restaurants in all of NYC! Our personal favorite dishes include the veggie pizza and broccoli rabe orechiette (seen above). Check out their website here! 

2. Motorino: Located on the lower east side and known as Rachel Ray and Mario Batali's favorite pizzeria, Motorino has the best personal pies of downtown. My favorites include their famous brussel sprout pizza and their meatball pie. Take a peek at their site!

3. Nobu 57: For all those sushi lovers that are willing to splurge a little for some delicious rolls, Nobu 57 is perfect. It has a really cool vibe, and the sushi is to die for. My favorite would definitely have to be their spicy tuna roll and their mochi for dessert. Check out their website here!

4. Benihana: f you're in the mood for some awesome hibachi or a fun sushi plate, Benihana is most definitely the way to go. It's a super fun experience and the food is amazing. We love their hibachi filet mignon with fried rice, of course. Click here to check them out.

5. Room Service: My favorite Thai place! It's on Columbus Ave and 47th, a pretty nice walk from our LC Campus. They have great drinks, incredible dinners, and the coolest decor -- including this huge chandelier that sits in the middle of the dining room. We love their vegetable dumplings and their pad see euw. Check out their menu or order-in here. 

6. El Mitote: Located on the Upper West Side, El Mitote is one of my favorite Mexican places in all of Manhattan! The design of the place is super quaint and fun, and you'll never get tired of the food. Our favorites include their guacamole and their chorizo quesadillas. Check out their Google+ Page here.

7. Rosa Mexicano: Literally right across from Fordham Lincoln Center and a block up, Rosa Mexicano has the best guacamole you'll ever have. It's a staple for us LC folk, and our favorites include the baja fish tacos (see above), chicken quesadillas, and chorizo taco rolls! Take a peek at the experience here. 

8. S'MAC: If you're in the mood for some comfort food, we highly recommend S'mac, an all around mac and cheese place. They make and can create any mac and cheese of your liking and their warm meals are perfect for a chilly day. Check out their menu here!