Reviews
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National Council of Teachers of English
English, Websites, Organizations
I think years ago I might actually have been a member of this organization, but I can’t remember for sure. In any case, they have a lovely mission statement: “The Council promotes the development of literacy, the use…
Total Health the Chinese Way
Mandarin, Books, Sports/Fitness
Since I am interested in health and fitness, reading about Traditional Chinese Medicine was one of the things I did to try to get a better sense of Chinese culture. This book did not in any way enhance my language…
Bastille Day on 60th Street
French, Fairs/Festivals/Parades, Kids
This event takes place annually on 60th Street from Fifth Avenue to Lexington. I haven’t been to it that I can remember, but it is sponsored by the French Institute Alliance Française and is billed as a family-friendly…
VocabuLearn Russian
Russian, Audio Lessons, Vocabulary
VocabuLearn Russian, once published by Penton Overseas in CD format, is no longer offered through that company, but it may soon find a second life on the Internet, as VocabuLearn for a number of other languages has. VocabuLearn is a…
Rio Market
Portuguese, Food and Drink, Shopping
Rio Market sells many Brazilian products: food, beverages, cosmetics, etc. It includes a travel agency and a restaurant as well; together, they take up a large swathe of the Astoria block on which they reside. A Brazilian customer leaving…
SocialEyesNYC
General, Websites, Fairs/Festivals/Parades
This website includes listings of events around town, to enable you (according to its tagline) “see the city like a native ‘New Yawkah.’” I am including it here primarily because of its extensive list of fairs, festivals, and parades, which…
Portuguese Language Meetup Groups
Portuguese, Classes/Conversation, Social
New York City is crawling with Portuguese Meetup groups. To see if there is one in your own area, type in your zip code here! Language Meetup groups vary substantially in emphasis. Some are very focused on the language…
Lower East Side Tenement Museum
General, Museums/Cultural, Kids
This remarkable little museum teaches visitors about New York City’s immigrant past. You can enjoy it in several ways. First, you can tour 97 Orchard Street, which was constructed in the middle of the 19th century and served as home…
Japan Society
Japanese, Museums/Cultural, Classes/Conversation, Kids
For New Yorkers interested in Japanese language and culture, the Japan Society is a remarkable resource. Events here embrace many spheres of human activity: politics, finance, food (I even noticed a talk on the power of miso!), music, and more. …