Reviews
Hundreds of resources to help you teach yourself
BBC Gaeilge (Irish)
Irish, Audio Lessons, News, Radio/TV/Video/Film, Websites, Kids
The BBC website offers free Irish lessons. I am only just beginning to familiarize myself with the site, but I believe there are three levels available—Level 1, Level 2, and Level 3. I tried the first lesson from Level 1 and liked it!…
Irish Arts Center
Irish, Museums/Cultural, Organizations, Classes/Conversation, Kids
The Irish Arts Center has been around for more than 40 years. This cultural organization is “dedicated to projecting a dynamic image of Ireland and Irish America for the 21st century, building community with artists and audiences of all backgrounds,…
Schoenhof’s Foreign Books
Arabic, Dutch, English, French, General, German, Greek, Hebrew, Hindi, Irish, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Mandarin, Persian, Polish, Portuguese, Russian, Spanish, Swedish, Yiddish, Websites, Bookstores/Libraries, Kids
Founded in 1856, Schoenhof’s claims to have the “largest collection of foreign books in North America.” As a student at Harvard, I used to shop at their main store in Harvard Square for my language and literature course materials. I…
Oxford Learner’s Spanish Dictionary
Spanish, Books, Dictionaries, Kids
What makes this a learner’s dictionary as opposed to a regular dictionary is that this one has word tips and examples for the language newcomer. I am sort of a hard-core traditionalist about dictionaries, so I didn’t take…
Kinokuniya Bookstore
Japanese, Bookstores/Libraries, Shopping, Kids
This enormous three-level Japanese bookstore is centrally located in the middle of Manhattan. Kinokuniya’s wares are not confined to books. The store also sells magazines. It sells comics (lots). It sells stationery. It sells gift items. A café…
German-American Steuben Parade
German, Fairs/Festivals/Parades, Kids
This annual September parade down Fifth Avenue is more than 50 years old. According to its website, it has “grown into the largest event of its kind in the United States.” The purpose is “to celebrate German-American culture and traditions, and…
Greek Music & Video Superstore
Greek, Bookstores/Libraries, Shopping, Kids
The Greek Music & Video Superstore in Astoria has a lot more than just Greek music and videos. They have Greek religious objects, Greek books for children, Greek flashcards, clothing with Greek on it, and more!
Chinatown Lunar New Year Parade & Festival
Mandarin, Fairs/Festivals/Parades, Kids
With wind chill, I think the day of the 2013 Chinatown Lunar New Year Parade & Festival in Manhattan’s Chinatown was about 16 degrees Fahrenheit. That’s cold. And no one seemed to care. It is hard to get clear and…