Flushing, NYC February 27, 2023 Most cities have their own Chinatown, a place to explore Asian cuisine within an authentic community. Growing up in NYC, I visited Chinatown almost weekly, exploring new foods each week and documenting them with my best friend Sara. Our favorite food was Xiaolongbao, and we went to 20 different places in the city throughout our adolescence, exploring what the city has to offer for the best soup dumplings. However, we decided to journey 45 minutes out of Manhattan’s Chinatown to Flushing, Queens, where another Chinatown resides. Flushing is vastly different from Manhattan. There are far less
New to Toronto? The Ultimate Guide February 27, 2023 Are you curious to know what it’s like to move to a brand new country as an international student? Well this is ‘New to Toronto, the ultimate guide!’ I am Yasmina Bizri and I moved to Toronto around 2 years ago and I decided to share my newest adventure with all of you guys to share my personal experiences, as well as some tips and tricks on how to settle down in the easiest and fastest way possible! Moving to Toronto can be very challenging and quite daunting at first however; when you
Premier League 2022/2023: The rise of Arsenal FC February 27, 2023 For many soccer fans around the world, the English Premier League has been the most competitive league for various reasons. The quality of all teams involved, the commercial appeal and the unpredictability nature are what makes the Premier League so special in the eyes of fans. However, this season can potentially be the best in recent memories. How is that even possible with an already brutal and exciting league? It all comes down to one name that has surprised everyone this season: Arsenal Football Club Historically, Arsenal is a great
Quick and Easy Gifts for Birthdays, Valentine's Day, or Just One of Those Days! February 20, 2023 Is it just me or does the year seem to be flying by? How can it be Valentine’s Day already? I feel like just yesterday I was stressing over what courses to take and now I’m already stressing over how many gifts I’ll have to think of for the various holidays and birthdays I’ll be celebrating this year. It can be so frustrating to come up with clever gift ideas. But I’m here to help! Here are 3 of my go-to gift ideas
The Concept Album: How Music Tells a Story February 20, 2023 When many people think of a concept album, many classics may come to mind- Tommy by The Who, The Wall by Pink Floyd to name a few. A “concept album” can be defined as an album that follows an overarching narrative or theme. Music’s ability to convey these themes and ideas is not only a masterful feat in storytelling, but makes a great listen too. Below I have compiled a list of a few of my favourite concept albums released in the 21st century. Each of these albums tells a
Adult Animation That’s Making a Difference January 30, 2023 If you’re an animation fan, it’s safe to assume that you’ve definitely experienced your fair share of “animation’s just for kids!” type rhetoric. In a way, it’s true: children’s programming absolutely shines in the animation world, especially in Ontario. But similarly to children’s programming, animated productions targeting adults are just as innovative, impactful, and entertaining, with their own prosocial messaging and focus on what it means to be a human. Below I have compiled a list of some of my favourite animated adult television series. The way that each series celebrates and
New Year's Resolutions January 29, 2023 So it’s been 2023 for almost a month now, and I can proudly say I didn’t give up on any of my new year’s resolutions! That’s because… You guessed it, I didn’t make any. I know, I know, you’re probably thinking “Don’t you want to improve yourself?” And obviously, I do, but being in university is stressful enough as it is, why do I need to add on all the weight of ‘becoming the best version of myself’ within a certain time frame? The end of the year is meant to be a joyous holiday
The Truth About the Michelin Star January 24, 2023 The Michelin Star is the ultimate title a restaurant can achieve. It’s earned based on food, service, and the overall restaurant experience. Getting a Michelin Star is the hardest thing a restaurant can do, with about 2,100 restaurants in the entire world having the title. Now imagine two stars. There are only 300 of those, and 100 three stars. One day my mom barged in my room to tell me she’s gone behind my back and hired me to be a host at a 2 Michelin Star restaurant in NYC, where
Vision Boarding Your 2023 January 24, 2023 A new year has begun and what better way to kick start it then to indulge in some form of art therapy! Vision boarding is an activity that I have recently gotten into. I have known about it for quite a while, but last year is when I decided to go for it and try it out for myself. Vision boarding is essentially a collage that you put together to plan out and visualize how you want particular areas of your life to look for you. You don’t necessarily have to
NYC vs Toronto food December 05, 2022 It’s no secret that NYC is one of the most famous cities in the world, gathering millions of tourists per year to experience the culture through sightseeing. Many people come to NYC expecting the food to be amazing, since that’s kinda where people go to live out their chef dreams. I can’t deny that some of NYC’s food isn’t absolutely incredible, but it’s not what you would expect. After living in Toronto for about 5 years of my life, and NYC for 10, I can confidently say Toronto is where I’ve had some
Netflix: The Fallen Series’ Edition December 05, 2022 Netflix is the number one streaming service in the world, highly noted for containing the best TV series and movies to watch at your disposal and is probably the platform I use quite frequently to indulge in such. But being so distinguished is not the only thing the entertainment platform is notorious for. As Netflix grew in popularity, so did their content. The production of their original movies and series attracted audiences and kept them longing for more, including myself. But with the growing number of original series being produced, the numbers
How to Throw a Great Party on a Student Budget Posted on November 28, 2022 As the year ends, we often think of everything we’ve done throughout the year and what we plan to do next year. For me, that’s parties. I’m obsessed with throwing parties. I plan them months in advance. Parties for my parents, my grandparents, my dog… Anyone. But it can be hard to throw parties that look like the ones in movies and shows, especially as a university student on a budget. So, here are some tips and tricks for throwing a Pinterest-Worthy Party with a
Small Island Girl Chasing Big City Dreams Posted on November 28, 2022 Bermuda From clear blue salty waters to snow covered sidewalks, the transition from living on a small island to a big city has been an interesting one. As the semester comes to an end, I have now begun to reflect on my first three months of living in Toronto. They have been challenging, thrilling, spontaneous, tiring, fun-filled, but most of all new. I’ve been presented with new opportunities, I’ve made new friends, created new memories, and embarked on this new journey as an international student hailing all the
Children’s Animation that is Making a Difference Posted on November 28, 2022 Over the past few years, children’s programming has seen an increase in storylines that celebrate their target audience: children. These shows, at their core, stress the importance of imagination and play, and tell stories that children can relate to. The medium of animation allows these narratives to cater to the imagination of children by achieving feats that would either be impossible or too expensive in a live action production. Below I have compiled a list of some of my favourite animated children’s television series. The unique prosocial messaging and
A Gay Couple on TV Isn’t Gonna Turn Your Kids Gay Posted on November 28, 2022 Steven Universe (2013), created by Rebecca Sugar, is a show that’s personally touched me in strengthening my sexuality. It’s a children’s show that ran on Cartoon Network from 2013-2019, which cultivated a strong fanbase that primarily consists of the LGBT community and its allies. Throughout the show there were intense loving and hateful relationships illustrated in its 6 years of running. Rebecca Sugar made sure to include LGBT representation within the relationships portrayed, with gay couples shown giving verbal affection, kissing, and even getting married. It