Are you looking for a fun activity for any age?

Do you like to eat delicious food?

Have you ever wanted to feel like you’re in Japan without leaving NYC?

Now that the weather is nice, check out NYC’s outdoor Japanese Food Festival:

JAPAN Fes

Photograph: Courtesy of Japan Fes

Time Out says:

Crowds flock to this delicious pop-up, which runs from spring through the fall, transforming parts of NYC into a sliver(1)of Japan. This massive festival attracts more than 250,000 people every year. This year, it’ll be held 20 times during the season running through October 28, making it the biggest JAPAN Fes yet. Locations include Chelsea, Astoria, NoMad, Park Slope, the East Village and more. 

Snack on treats from 750 vendors inspired by Japanese and East Asian street food like takoyaki (octopus balls), sushi, gyoza, Korean-style rice hot dogs, Taiwanese popcorn chicken, and much more. After you’re full, shop for Japanese crafts and gifts featured at the event.

Here’s the full JAPAN Fes schedule for 2023:

April

— April 15 in Chelsea
— April 29 in Chelsea
— April 30 in Astoria

May

— May 20 in NoMad
— May 21 in Park Slope

June

— June 4 in Midtown West
— June 17 in the East Village
— June 18 in Park Slope

July

— July 2 in Astoria
— July 15 in Chelsea

August

— August 26 in the East Village
— August 27 in the East Village

September

— September 9 in the Upper East Side
— September 16 in Chelsea
— September 17 in Chelsea

October

— October 7 in the East Village
— October 8 in the Upper West Side
— October 28 in the East Village

Vocabulary:

Sliver: a small, thin piece of something cut or split off a larger piece.

References: 

1. Japan Fes New York is back for 2023 with a massive foodie festival (timeout.com)
2. Sliver- Oxford English Dictionary

April Fools’ Day

I want to tell you… I just gave birth to 5 babies last weekend. Isn’t that exciting? Oh, you don’t believe me? Okay then, I stole some money from a bank on Saturday night. Now do you believe me? (Actually, I hope you don’t.) April 1st, or April Fools’ Day, is the day when we play jokes on people. Do you have it in your country?

Vocabulary:

a fool– someone who doesn’t understand what is happening

to tease– laugh at, make fun of someone, joke about something

to play a joke (on someone)– to do something funny that another person doesn’t know about or suspect at first

container– something that holds something else, like a box, a bottle, or a jar

to play a trick (on someone)– same as play a joke

in the spirit of fun– with an atmosphere of fun, just for fun, lighthearted

April Fool’s Day started in the sixteenth century in Europe. Before that time, New Year’s Day was celebrated on April 1st. Then a new calendar was introduced called the Gregorian calendar. January 1st became the first day of the year, but many people did not know about it. So those who continued to celebrate New Year’s Day on April 1st were teased. They were called fools.

Nowadays we play jokes on people on April 1st. For example, someone might put salt in the sugar container so another person could “accidentally” put it in their coffee. Or someone might change the time on another person’s alarm clock so that person would unknowingly wake up earlier or later than planned. Or maybe a person would tell a lie to make someone else shocked.

After we play the trick, we say “April Fool.” Then the person realizes they were fooled. It is generally done in the spirit of fun and doesn’t cause any real harm to anyone. Do you have any great jokes to play on anyone on April 1st? Try it out. Just don’t forget to say “April Fool” when the other person begins looking a little confused.

Reference: April Fool’s Day (5minuteenglish.com)

Spring has sprung upon New York City!

Now that the winter is melting away and the weather has started to become warm. It’s time to get excited for fun outdoor activities to enjoy the weather. Below check out 5 Springtime activities from TimeOut magazine to celebrate the season.

1. Cherry blossoms

Cherry blossoms in NYC offer New Yorkers a brief but gorgeous pop of beauty, which is why we flock in droves to see them when they bloom each spring. From the Brooklyn Botanical Garden to Central Park and even some hidden spots around town, we’ve rounded up the best places where you can gaze at the delicate pink flowers.

Cherry blossoms bloom in NYC based on each year’s weather, but they usually begin in earnest by late March. With the warm winter in 2023, we’re already seeing some cherry blossoms start to arrive in early March.

2. The best outdoor art in NYC this spring

Photograph: By Rashmi Gill / The installation of Shahzia Sikander’s “Witness.”

New York City is full of free outdoor art that you don’t even have to go to a museum to see. Sculptures, murals and photographs can be found in its parks, sidewalks and on its buildings!

Best of all, it costs you nothing to pay a visit. Below, find the best outdoor art in NYC to brighten up a spring day.

3. The Orchid Show at The New York Botanical Garden

Photograph: By Rossilynne Skena Culgan / Time Out

The Orchid Show at The New York Botanical Garden this year explores the healing power of the natural world through dynamic designs by landscape artist Lily Kwong.

Your ticket will get you daytime access to The Orchid Show, plus all the rest of NYBG’s outdoor gardens and collections. If you want to visit after dark, check out Orchid Nights where you can admire the flowers under the twinkling lights of the conservatory with music in the background and a cocktail in hand.

NYBG’s Orchid show runs through April 23, 2023.

4. The Macy’s Flower Show

Photograph: Eugene Gologursky/Getty Images for Macy’s, Inc.

Revel in forthcoming warm weather at the annual Macy’s Flower Show 2023. NYC will be budding with blooms all over, but nothing beats roaming the sweet-smelling foliage that suddenly appears at one of the city’s best department stores: Macy’s Herald Square.

This year’s show runs from Sunday, March 26 through Sunday, April 10.

5. Queens Night Market

Photograph: Ali Garber

It’s hard to get good food on the cheap, but for seven years, Queens Night Market has prided itself on offering the city’s best eats for just $5-6.

The foodie festival will return on April 15 and runs on Saturday nights through the summer at the New York Hall of Science in Flushing Meadows Corona Park.

SH!!!!!!!!!

“Shh! The baby is sleeping! 

“Sh” is the sound people use to (usually rudely) say “Be Quiet!” 

If you wanted to express this in writing, you  have now seen that it is written as “sh” or “shh”

Did you know that in American English there are other ways to write the same sound?

Think about how you would say the name of the picture below!

Ocean- sounds like O-Shuhn.

Or 

What would you call the hair growing above the men’s lips?

Mustache- sounds like – Muhs-ta-sh

Depending on the word, “sh” can be written as an “x”, a “t”, “ch”, a “ss” or even the letter “c”.

Take a look below at the list of words, used by our very own University Settlement teacher, Lynne!

Spelling the “SH” sound:

ship, sheep, wish

chef, machine

mustache, creche

sure, sugar, insure

ocean, crustacean

issue, assure

action, fiction, faction, action, station, mention

fusion, vision

cushion

flexion, anxious, noxious

initial

brochure, chalet, parachute, champagne

musician, special, racial, delicious, social, official

expression, mission, Russia, expression, passion, profession

conscience, consciously

Practice!

Comment sentences below using as many words that contain the “sh” sound!

For example: The brochure on racial expression is on the cushion! 

I used the “sh” sound 4 times!

Whadya do on Valentine’s Day?

Just 2 days ago we celebrated the day of love! And whether you spent it with your family, your partner, or yourself, people will ask, “What did you do on Valentine’s Day?” or maybe “What did you do for Valentine’s Day?” 

There is only a small difference between these 2 phrases (on vs. for), but the meaning is almost the same in this case.

Because this is NYC, no one will ask you slowly and clearly, instead it will probably sound like,

“Whatdya do fer Valentine’s Day?”

This is called assimilation ( uh- SIM-uh-lay-shuhn). Assimilation is when two sounds come together and merge into a new sound. It usually happens when people talk fast!

For example: “What did you do?” when spoken by a fast-talking New Yorker becomes “Whatdya do”, mixing or assimilating the letters “t”, “d”, and “y”.

You may also hear people say “Whatcha” as is “What did you”.

There are many other assimilated sounds in English as there are in any language!

Below are some examples in English:

His daughter = “hiz daughter”

Winter Break = “Winner break”

Atlanta = “Atlana”

White paper = “Why paper”

Are there any words or sounds that are assimilated in your language?

And, of course, I must ask, “ Whadya do for Valentine’s day?”

Resources:

Assimilation (Grammar) Definition and Examples (thoughtco.com)

Assimilation (phonology) – Wikipedia

Phonetic Assimilation: Types and Examples | StudySmarter