Thursday, September 20, 2012

Manhattan Hotels: Shimmie Horn

Shimmie Horn
New York City is one of the top tourist destinations in the world. Manhattan is brimming with art, culture, cuisine and endless shopping opportunities, making it the busiest, most popular place in the region. Shimmie Horn's hotels, which include the Hotel Chandler, the Hotel Belleclaire, the Iroquois and the Washington Jefferson, are all located in Manhattan, right at the center of the borough.

Wednesday, September 5, 2012

Newark’s Newest Charter School Opens: The 100 LEGACY Academy


The 100 LEGACY Academy Charter School, in partnership with an independent board of directors, opened a high-quality middle school in Newark, New Jersey this past fall, 2012.

The co-ed school is only one of four new charter choices for Newark students that opened last fall. The 100 LEGACY Academy Charter School sets itself apart from other educational choices in the area by its emphasis on Science, Technology, Engineering and Math, known at the STEM curriculum. The school also focuses on preparing its students for college, including a mentoring program with the 100 Black Men of New Jersey organization.

“Our goal is simple and straightforward, but it couldn’t be more crucial -- to educate, encourage, and mentor our students, thereby preparing them for college and career,” said 100 LEGACY Board President Michael R. Clarke. “Our school leader and dedicated teaching staff will work tirelessly to ensure that these young men and women of Newark and Irvington have the best chance of becoming successful individuals.”

The school is located at 75 Morton Street in Newark and will service the children and families of the Newark and Irvington school districts. This year the school offers grades 6 through 8, but is planning on adding one grade level each year until they have all the grades through 12th.

The name LEGACY is representative of the school’s goals for its student population:

L eadership Development
E ntrepreneurship
G lobalization
A cademic Achievment
C haracter Development
Y outh Empowerment

“Newark is in the midst of a historic reform of its school system and the development of high-quality charter schools is a crucial element of this turnaround,” said Aquila Haynes, Victory Education Partners’ Director of School Development and Partnerships. “We are confident that this partnership between the school’s Board and 100 Black Men of New Jersey will result in a tremendous education for hundreds of young people in Newark and Irvington through 100 LEGACY Academy Charter School.”

Sunday, September 2, 2012

The Expense of New York Babies


A study has shown that raising a baby in New York City is the most expensive place.  According to Bundle, parents will have spent approximately $1m on their children by the time they move out.  This figure is almost twice as much as the average state in America.  The fact that the city is home to exquisite (and pricey) toy stores like FAO Schwartz, Toy Tokyo and Kid Robot.   But what might come as quite a surprise is that Minneapolis and Tulsa – places that don’t have the kind of allure New York City does – has a bill of $600,000+.



So what should a parent do if they want to significantly slash their child-rearing costs?  Moving to Madison, WI, could help.  The average cost of raising a child there is a mere $200,000.  Milwaukee and Indianapolis aren’t bad choices either for keeping on a budget.



Given this data, it would seem that parents would try to limit the spending they can control, on their offspring.  But this isn’t the case.  Indeed, in another survey conducted, New York City was at the top of the list for parents who spoil their kids the most.  But perhaps this figure was impacted by some of the city’s more extreme shopping sprees, such as those endured by Beyonce and Jay-Z who clearly wanted the best for their babies.  The crib came in at $3,500 and the bathtub – studded with diamonds – cost $5,200.  The nursery measures 2,200 square feet.



Brooklyn ranks as no. 2 for the kids who get the most (in terms of money spent that is).  What is now popular in the borough are the cafés like Sit and Wonder that offer babyccinos – small decaf cappuccinos or frothy steamed milk and foam – a trend that began in Australia around 10 years ago.  Brooklyners were able to enjoy the beverage starting from a few months ago. Although there has been criticism on the drink.  Paul Caligiore, an Australian coffee expert, argued that the beverages: “interrupt workflow, create milk wastage and can be served at a dangerous temperature to a vulnerable consumer.”



Expensive Babies: Impact on the Economy



But if it is becoming so expensive to raise children, how are potential parents reacting to this?  Some people are deciding not to have kids altogether because of the expense.  They have been especially turned off the idea following the 2008 financial crisis which has taken away the option of retirement for many people.  Indeed, according to the National Center for Health Statistics, in 2011, the amount of births dropped to a 12-year low.  This has negatively impacted spending so greatly that industries from pregnancy kits to education and everything-in-between has lost out. It makes sense that consumption increases when people have children.  But the question is, just how much does it have to go up?  Hopefully it will not be on the same scale as New York City so that it becomes unaffordable, overwhelming and thus off-putting for people to start a family.