Wednesday, June 22, 2016

Subway Surges

Anyone who has tried to take the NYC subway recently, especially at peak times, has experience the struggle I am about to touch on.

As the population of New York City rises, it only makes sense that subway usage would increase. Well it has, and to be honest, I'm not happy about it. Now I'm surely not the only one that has this opinion, but I figured I would share my thoughts on the topic.

To start, commuting at times when everyone is trying to get to work has become nearly impossible. The subways have become so crowded that I, and many others, have to wait for 2 or 3 trains to pass by before getting on one that actually has room. Once I get on a train, there are obviously no seats left, and I am forced to stand crowding up against others.

Overcrowding is now causing massive delays, which is probably what I have the biggest problem with. One of the reasons I love living in New York so much is that I can get where I'm going with ease. However, these delays are making me late, and I'm not going to lie, I can get pretty impatient.

New York City has allocated $14.2 billion dollars to improve the subway system, but in my opinion, I don't think that is enough. Spending money on new railways and cars won't totally solve the problem. I think that New York City needs to revamp the entire system to handle the new load. To me, it would make sense to adapt the schedules to be able alleviate some of the crowding that occurs.

I'm no expert on New York City's transit system, but it just seems to me that they'll need to really invest, not only money, but a lot of time to solve this problem and New York back on track.

Tuesday, June 21, 2016

Setting the Statistics Straight


We all have our opinions of whether or not Wikipedia is a trustworthy source of information. However, it continues to be a source of information for people around the world.

While browsing the Tourism in New York City Wikipedia page, I noticed they had a chart that was not up-to-date, nor entirely accurate compared to what NYC & Company officially reported. Each year NYC & Company releases updated tourism statistics showing how they have changed year to year, but this Wikipedia page was not kept up-to-date.


I went ahead and completed the chart, as well as made corrections, eliminating the discrepancies between the two sources.


Hopefully now that the chart has been updated more people can benefit from the page, especially the now correct statistics, and Wikipedia can be seen as more of a reliable source than before. 

Here, find the link to NYC & Company's report that I based my changes off of:
Also, here is the link to the Wikipedia page mentioned above:



El Rio Grande, Tex-Mex Done Right

El Rio Grande, a Tex- Mex restaurant in Midtown Manhattan, is a restaurant that everyone needs to try out. Located at 38th and 3rd, conveniently close to my office, it has become a lunch and dinner spot that professionals and locals flock to.

Upon my first glance at the restaurant, I noticed their plentiful outdoor seating. It was 80 degrees and sunny, so my coworkers and I took advantage of the patio. Now although it is located off 3rd Ave, the outdoor seating is tucked away, so much so that I didn't even notice the bustling traffic. 

It was my first time at El Rio Grande, but my coworkers were regulars. El Rio Grande hands down has some of the best steak nachos in the city. Each nacho is individually crafted to ensure the toppings are evenly distributed and that you get the perfect bite each time. We ordered them for the entire table to share, but honestly, we could have each eaten full portions on our own.

Image result for steak nachos el rio grande
Steak Nachos, El Rio Grande 


For my entree I tried the Ensalada de Pollo. Full of fresh ingredients like avocado, pico de gallo, and grilled chicken, this salad is definitely one of my favorites. By ordering this, I was able to enjoy staying healthy but still getting that Mexican flare that I love.

If you enjoy authentic Tex-Mex and are in the area, El Rio Grande is the place to go, you won't leave disappointed. 

Tuesday, June 14, 2016

5 Reasons to Love Living in New York City

Moving to New York City just over 2 years ago was probably the best decision I could have ever made. In fact, I was so determined to move to Manhattan, I only applied to colleges that were commutable to and from the city.

Living in New York City has lived up to and exceeded the expectations I had before moving. Here are some of  the reasons I find living in the city to be so amazing.

1. The Neighborhoods
With 5 boroughs to choose from, there is something for everyone. But even within each borough, the vast number of neighborhoods offer completely different options. Each neighborhood has a distinct personality and flavor. For example, living in Astoria would offer a completely different experience than living in Brooklyn Heights. That's the beauty of it though, depending on specific tastes and preferences, you can find a neighborhood that would suit you. 

2. Public Transit or Walking
New York City has easily accessible public transit options, including the subway, bus routes, taxis, and even the Metro North. These options make it easy to get from one place to the next in the shortest amount of time possible.

But even better than that, walking might even be a better way to get around the city and to where you need to go. This way, you get in exercise and aren't stuck in traffic or affected by any bothersome transit delays. 

3. Diversity
I will run into different types of people every time I step outside. To me, it is amazing to see people with such different backgrounds all come together to live in one city. Meeting many different types of people opened by eyes up to new and exciting cultures, and truly put life into perspective, which I might not have been able to experience had I moved anywhere else. When people say that the United States is the melting pot, New York City and its residents really do make that statement true. 

4. Culture
Whether it is the hundreds of restaurants or the dozens of museums, New York City is full of culture. Right outside my door I can experience something new through the arts, food, sports, etc. No day in Manhattan is the same as the day before. Each time I try a new spot for lunch or see a performance at Lincoln Center, I come across something totally new and exciting. 

5. Career Opportunities
As a college student, career opportunities are definitely something I have to think about and keep in the back of my mind. New York City is an ideal place to jump start a career, especially for a business student like myself. Its a place where I can work for a firm that has been around for decades, try out a job at a boutique company, or even work to jump start my business. New York City is full of opportunities, no matter what field someone is looking to get into. 

These are just 5 of  the reasons I find living in New York City an amazing opportunity, The list goes on and on, but I felt these were the ones worth mentioning the most. 

New York City Tourism


New York City is known as being one of the biggest tourism destinations in the world, but how many people flock to the place that myself, and millions of others, call home? 

To be exact, 58.7 million people visited New York City in 2015 alone, and that number was expected to increase to 59.7 for 2016. Tourism is a huge part of New York City's economy. These visitors generated $61.3 billion in revenue and helped to support 359,000 jobs related to the tourism industry.

But what draws people from all over the world to New York City? According to NYC Go, New York City's official tourism guide, these are the top 10 attractions tourists check out:
  1. The Skyline via One World Observatory
  2. Times Square 
  3. Broadway
  4. Central Park 
  5. The Metropolitan Museum of Art
  6. The Museum of Modern Art
  7. Rockefeller Center
  8. Statue of Liberty Monument
  9. Macys Herald Square
  10. Yankee Stadium 
Of course, there is so much more to see beyond this list, but those are the attractions people make a point to see when visiting New York City. Definitely be sure to check out as many as possible on your next visit!

Tuesday, June 7, 2016

A Summer in Manhattan

Hey everyone, my name is Miranda and I am coming up into my Junior year at Fordham University. Fordham has campuses both in Manhattan and the Bronx, so I will be spending my entire summer in New York City. I will not only be taking classes, but also working full time, but that doesn't mean I won't have time to enjoy the city and have a good time!

I am so excited for what New York will have in store for, not only my self, but my friends as well. Spending an entire summer in New York City means that I will have plenty of opportunities to explore.

I plan on sharing with all of you what I find to be the very best things to do or see in the city during the warmer months, especially things that will stay on budget for students and young professionals. There is plenty to do in the city to have fun without having to break the bank! 

I look forward to being able to give all of you an idea of what New York has to offer for summer fun, I hope you enjoy!