The World's Best Steak

I went to have lunch with my friend today. It is his last day in New York before he goes back to Switzerland. His wife and he picked the place and I must say they made an excellent choice.

He place we went to is called Keens Steakhouse. It is located on 36th Street between Fifth Avenue and Sixth Avenue in Manhattan. It is a pricey restaurant but definitely one of the best steakhouses in New York.

I took a look at their menu online this morning before meeting with my friend. I quickly learned that the prices were above normal but that the quality and size were of the best standard possible. The steaks are very big and perfectly broiled.

They also have a delicious set of side dishes including mashed potatoes, grilled vegetables, and cream spinach. The spinach is fantastic and will even delight people who usually do not like it. Keens Steakhouse also owns the largest collection of churchwarden pipes, most of them located in the ceiling, which contributes to its very relaxed environment.

I had the Prime Filet Mignon with mashes potatoes and cream spinach. It was definitely the best steak I have ever had. It was perfectly tender and all side dishes matched perfectly. I would definitely want to go back to this restaurant as soon as I can. However, it is pricy and not a restaurant normal people can visit every day.

I am going to plan for the Washington DC trip today. I am going to write down what I want to do and try to create a daily schedule without too many constrictions because I want to be able to enjoy the trip without having to worry about what I have to do next.

I received all my grades today. My GPA is still 4.0, which feels good. I am looking forward to next quarter and it will definitely be interesting to study international trade, professional selling, management simulation, and ethics.

My previous quarter was definitely relaxing compared to other quarters but I think the following one will be busier since I am taking more advanced courses. However, I only have classes twice a week, which will feel more peaceful. I will definitely have to study at home a lot too though so it does not really matter whether one have classes twice a week or four times a week. It is really the amount of credits that counts.

It is getting extremely hot in New York. The average temperature is approximately 85F and the humidity level is usually very high. The weather in Seattle was definitely more comfortable last year and I miss that a little.

Polaroid Cameras

I went to a “goodbye party” at my friend’s apartment yesterday. He lives on the 56^th floor in Midtown Manhattan and the apartment has an amazing view. I enjoyed my time there and it was nice to meet some people.

I met one of my friend’s who share the same interest in photographing as I am. He actually brought a Polaroid camera to the party and I was quite amazed by it. I have seen it before but I have never really been able to take a closer look at it.

I was able to take a few pictures and it is always interesting to see how the picture comes out. It almost feels like looking at a “Harry Potter” picture because the picture evolves fairly slowly.

I am definitely in the mood to buy a Polaroid for myself but it can be quite hard to find one. They are not very common today but there are instant cameras from other brands. I found one Polaroid for $164 online, which I am pretty tempted to buy. It is definitely something that is fun to bring to parties and small events.

The aches from my run in Central Park are starting to go away. I could barely walk yesterday when I woke up and walking in stairs was a painful dilemma. I was expecting this to happen though since I have never run that far in my whole life. Also to add, I had not exercised in a few months.

Most personal trainers and athletes claim that people loose their stamina in just two weeks. That would basically mean that if someone is running six miles and does not work out in two weeks it would be extremely difficult for that person to run the same six miles again after those two weeks.

I personally do not believe this. I believe that people loose some of their stamina over time of course. However, after I started to work out in Sweden about four years ago, I have always been able to go back and run as far as before even though I have not exercised in months.

I personally believe that everything is in peoples’ mind. People will simply be able to run for one hour if they themselves believe in it. Of course it is hard to run for one hour if you have never done it before.

I feel more motivated to start exercising again now that I know I still have the stamina to do so. I will use my exercise bike more often again and I am thinking about going to Prospect Park to jog at least a few times every month.

Michael Jackson 1958 – 2009

I got an A in contemporary American history. It was honestly no surprise but it still feels good to see the final numbers. I humorously made a few comparisons to Sweden on the test, which I believe my professor liked.

I urge everybody to take at least one contemporary history class. It is extremely interesting to see the similarities of what happened years ago and compare it to what is happening today. One example is the economy and the increasing trust, Americans give to the government. Another example might be Iran and what is happening now. It looks very similar to the riots in the late 1970s, however, for a slightly different purpose.

I received a complete king size bed and two mattresses from my great friend yesterday. I have been very excited about it but I was nervous whether the movers would show up or not. They did show up and they successfully delivered everything in a satisfying fashion.

The bed is marvelous. It was extremely difficult for me to get up this morning because of the high level of comfort. The downside is that it is hard to get motivated and to engage in other activities for the day.

I am going to attend a party at my friend’s house today. It is the last night for him in New York and he is leaving the city the next day. I am already looking forward to visiting him in the future because we have gotten along very well together here in New York.

I also received my international drivers license yesterday. It is basically just a small book explaining what kind of license I have. It is actually not a license itself so I have to bring my original license and complement it with the international license. They both work together and should be enough to make the New York City Police Department happy.

“The King of Pop,” Michael Jackson past away on Thursday due to cardiac arrest. I personally believe that he was the biggest icon of the 1980s and he has without a doubt influenced a huge amount of today’s artists.

He was a very mysterious person but I hope he primarily will be remembered as one of the world’s greatest artists. His death has been covered in the news intensively, not only in the United States but also in the rest of the world.

One thing that hit me was that it seemed like most people really did not like him before he past away. Now, however, it is hard to find people not sympathizing his death. People really should appreciate the things they have instead of the things they lack.

It feels wonderful to have a break. However, I have been really busy lately so I am really looking forward to go to Washington DC in four days to just relax and contemplate the city. I will, of course, post pictures from my trip on the blog.

Central Park Jog

This quarter has finally come to an end and I am done with all my finals. I am still waiting for my grades to be posted but I feel good about everything I did. I would be surprised if I do not get 4.0 again this quarter.

My history test was actually interesting. I had excellent notes prepared for the final and I think I was able to answer all questions without missing out on anything. The test asked questions concerning the Watergate Scandal, Women’s Rights Movement, the Civil Rights Movement, and the Vietnam War.

I think the war in Vietnam is interesting to talk about. I am not biased when I say this, but I do not believe that it was a total American loss. Militarily, the United States fought very well while politically, it was a disaster. I could talk about this for hours but I decide not to do that today, and I can understand if people have different opinion about it.

My very good friend is graduating this quarter and is going back to his home country. I will miss the time we usually spend together but I am, at the same time, very happy for him. He wanted to jog in Central Park before leaving the city and he asked if I would like to join him.

I definitely thought it was a good idea so we met this morning since the weather finally was improving. I had not exercised in months so I was very doubtful in how long I would be able to run. However, mentally I knew I could do it since I have run long distances before.

We decided to run the longest trail, which is approximately 6.1 miles. Without stopping a single time, I surprised myself by running the whole way. I am definitely proud for being able to do that especially since I have gained some weight since I came to New York. Also, my friend is in excellent condition so I knew he would not have any problems running 6 miles.

It was a very fun experience to run in Central Park. The environment is, obviously, very beautiful, which makes it much easier to run. My legs are pretty tired right now, but I am sure the real pain will not reveal itself until tomorrow morning.

I am very happy that many of you have contacted me with question concerning Berkeley College. Many times, the only thing separating people from studying abroad is the right information. I am happy to answer all your questions and I definitely encourage you to get in contact with me if you are thinking about applying. My email address, which is chhenriksson@gmail.com can be found on my profile page.

My fiancée introduced me to a Chinese dish called Chow Fun. I think it is healthy and it tastes extraordinary well. It is basically just thick noodles with chicken, beef, or shrimp. I really like it and it is usually very affordable, especially in Brooklyn. A restaurant close to my home only charges $4 for it.

Rain

The last days have been very wet. It has been raining for quite some time now and it is interrupting the U.S. Open Championship each day, which is taking place on Long Island, New York. Tiger is not doing too well, which I feel is unfortunate but I still have hopes he will improve his game.

I am soon going to compare my statistics test with a classmate of mine, and I have to turn it in on Monday. My last test will take place on Tuesday and I feel well prepared for it. My notes are very complete and I am allowed to use them for the test.

There are many sales taking place this weekend. Old Navy has half of for all men’s wear and Macy’s has a huge sale on bed linen. I am considering upgrading my bed to a king size one but I have not decided it yet. I will therefore wait to buy the bedclothes.

The restaurant Applebee’s is offering a good deal right now. People can get one starter and two main courses for $20 with the main courses including choices such as lime chicken and sirloin steak. It is definitely something students should check out if they feel they want to go out for a nice meal.

Many people I have talked to say that Applebee’s is a pretty poor restaurant. However, I was there yesterday and I thought it was excellent food for $20. I started of with mozzarella sticks and had a 7 oz sirloin steak following.

I had a second interview yesterday. I thought it went pretty well but I will have to wait for them to make a decision. Some companies prefer to communicate directly with the school instead of the future intern. Berkeley College has a great placement program so I have good hopes that I will find an internship for the summer.

I would like to let everyone know that I happily will answer everyone’s questions. If you are a future Berkeley College international student and need someone to take a look at an apartment you found, I can help you do so. I can also help you with questions regarding New York, applications, and other relevant questions concerning Berkeley College.

It is not hard to apply and it does not take much time to do. People should not be afraid of tests, language issues, or culture differences. Berkeley College is a great college and the staff will help everyone get comfortable in the new environment.

My experience is that most people have questions concerning similar issues regardless where they are from. Questions about housing are very common, which is understandable.

I have heard that Berkeley College is planning to buy buildings in Brooklyn and make housing available to students that way. This is only an idea so far and nothing is official yet. However, it is an encouraging sign and it would make it easier for students to study abroad.

Interview

I had to wear suit in school today because I had an interview in the afternoon. Professors are always curious why someone is wearing a suit and I got the same reactions today. However, I like wearing suits and I would not mind wearing it every day.

My interview went moderately well. I was hoping to get a decision the same day but it did not turn out that way. I am expecting a call within a week and I am hoping I will get the opportunity to contribute to the company’s success.

I need to take an online quiz later. My professor accidentally posted the wrong test, which surprised many students. I actually called my professor to notify him about the issue and he fixed it almost immediately. I need to wait for tomorrow though because I just realized that I cannot access it. It is probably because I already accessed it and students are only allowed to take it ones.

I had a review for my test in international economics today. The test will cover exchange rates, trade regulations, and macroeconomic policies. It is quite a lot to study but definitely an interesting topic.

I usually have plenty of finals last week each quarter but I only have one this time. At least I only count it as one because the other ones I have are online or take-home tests. The one I have is in history and it might be challenging.

History is one of my favorite subjects together with various business and finance classes. We are talking a lot about financial and political policies, which interest me a great deal. The test will probably cover what happened in 1965 to 1980 including the Watergate Scandal and the war in Vietnam.

I went out to buy groceries in Chinatown last weekend. It is amazing what kind of food they are offering there. Among different live creatures, the one I found most surprising was the live toad as seen on the picture. I would never eat toad no matter how convincing a chef might sound.

Other than toad and a few other creepy things, grocery stores in Chinatown offer excellent food. They have fresh seafood, poultry, and meat of great quality and to an extremely affordable price. I definitely recommend it.

"Think Responsibly"

Yesterday, I received a t-shirt I ordered from The Economist. The message is: “Think Responsibly.” The shirt is a little too big, but I was hoping it would shrink in the laundry.

I sent out my resume to a marketing company today. I am hoping to hear from them next week because they explained on their website that they were looking for interns. It looks like a fun firm to work at and I am now awaiting responses from three companies.

I was hoping to find an internship starting July 6^th. That is one day after I am coming home from Washington DC and the same day classes start at Berkeley College. I think it would be extremely valuable for me to work at a few firms before graduation. All students are required to do one internship for credits, but I want to do more than that even though it would be unpaid and not give me any credits.

I need to go out to shoot a few new pictures for the blog. I am running out of pictures from my Canon 5D camera and I have not been taking pictures lately. I will definitely try to shoot some more next week and on my trip to Washington DC.

Touring the White House has become difficult since September 11, 2001. It is understandable but disappointing. It is still possible to do it, but people need to be in a group of ten and requests must be submitted through one’s Member of Congress. I will probably stay outside the White House.

Next week is theoretically the last week for this quarter at Berkeley College. There is a final week after that one but the regular schedule is not followed. Instead, classes are scheduled based on finals and deadlines. I believe I only have two tests that week so I will have plenty of time to read “The Economist,” and prepare for my trip.

I hope most people like the new design of my blog. I felt that change was needed and my opinion is that the new design is more stylish and it makes the blog easier to read. I also decided to enlarge the picture size. The old design made the pictures too small and some of them simply got too big after clicking on them.

I am looking forward to the next quarter. It will be an interesting experience to take the online class in professional selling. I am also looking forward to the management simulation class where students use a computer program that simulates a business environment and forces students to make decision that has direct impact on profit, sales, and costs etcetera.

The break is not very long. It lasts for ten days, which does not give much time for travelling. However, I feel that it is enough for me because I am only staying in Washington DC for five days. I will probably spend the other five days wisely at the beach or in other relaxing environments.

News Sources

There is a lot of huff going on about what news channel to watch. MSNBC is known for being liberal together with many other channels such as CNN, while Fox News is assumed to be conservative.

I am not sure that it is entirely accurate to categorize news sources like this. I definitely do agree that MSNBC is liberal since they have confirmed it themselves. Also, the commentators may seem to be more to the left than in other networks.

I have watched Fox News since many years back, and it has always appeared to me that they are reasonably objective. They do have shows with people like Bill O’ Reilly and David Asman with moderate conservative views, which may be seen as being biased. My experience is that Bill O’ Reilly usually is bashing liberals, as well as conservatives, with his opinion of right and wrong.

Watching Fox News in New York can be challenging, and many people form an opinion of others who watch it. I have experienced people coming up to me while I am looking at the Fox News website asking me, “You know it is a conservative news network right?”

I honestly to not believe that there is anything such as a truly objective news source. Someone’s opinion will be reflected in a way, whether it is from sponsorship or news anchors. I believe it is up to each individual to watch news from different networks and form their own opinion.

I noticed that, especially Swedes, believe American news media is biased. That is because the country itself demonstrates a perfect society and everything in Sweden is objective. I hope you can see the sarcasm.

I studied media in Sweden for three years at a very liberal school. One great thing that I learned was that as in most countries, the majority of journalists in Sweden are very liberal.

I am not sure if I discussed the news networks in Sweden during the presidential election in the United States. I found the Swedish media to be far more biased than the major American networks.

Sweden is a socialistic country and Obama was therefore the candidate to support. However, news media constantly illustrated Obama in his best shoes and with no negative comments. Most Swedes did not know who McCain or Palin was. When the networks talked about Obama’s opposition, they portrayed them as crooks or extremists.

It is easy to form an opinion. However, I believe people should watch at least two different news channels and try to see if they differ in any way. Sometimes, I like to watch the network I do not agree with because it shows me the news from an angel I am not used to.

Questions?

I am waiting for a quiz to be posted by my professor in management. He told the class that he already had posted it last Wednesday but I cannot see it on blackboard. I have sent him an email and I am waiting for his response.

I will get back my test in statistics next week. I compared my test with two other students and we all had the same answers. Therefore, I should get a top score, unless we all are wrong, which is unlikely.

I really want everyone to know that if anyone has any questions about Berkeley College, New York, or any other related issues, I will be glad to help. I have been in New York for two years now and I feel that I sit with information that is helpful for all international students.

There are several issues that come up for international students. Most of them include housing, expenses, and application forms. It can sometimes be hard to find people who can help out and I would really want to help anyone interested in applying to Berkeley College.

I just received notice that Berkeley College is looking to expand. I have heard that they are looking to buy another building, which would be interesting. There is a dentist office in one of the buildings and they are moving out soon, which will create more office space.

I am going to plan my trip to Washington DC this weekend. There are several things I want to do including a segway tour. My professor in history also recommended me to visit the Lincoln Memorial Center, and the National Gallery of Art. I am not sure I will go to the art gallery but I will definitely go to the Lincoln Memorial Center.

I will also go to the Holocaust Museum. There was actually a shootout there two days ago. One guard was killed but it seems like they are open again. I have heard that Washington DC is a beautiful city but the suburbs can be quite dangerous.

I will visit Arlington because I want to visit Pentagon and the cemetery. Arlington is not a dangerous suburb though. I am also looking forward to have hotel breakfast. I have not had that in many years and it is always something I look forward to when staying in hotels.

I am going to change the format of the blog a little. I want some change in the layout so I will see what option I have. I do not want to do any major changes however.

I decided to post a picture on Saint Patrick’s Cathedral today. It is a beautiful building and it is quite amazing that it is located on 5^th Avenue in Manhattan, which is seen by many as a very modern street.

Trip!

I finally booked my trip but I am not going to Miami. I realized that July 4th is during my break and I would love to celebrate it more than I did last year. I basically only saw the fireworks in New York that time.

Miami would be quite a gamble with the hurricane season going on right now. The weather would probably either be very rainy or extremely hot. Though I would want to go there sometime, I decided not to do it on this break.

Celebrating 4th of July in New York could be fun but I wanted to take advantage of the break. I decided to look up hotels in Washington DC and found an outstanding deal for a four night stay in a four star hotel.

It must be extraordinary to celebrate the national day in the capital of the United States, and I am really looking forward to it. There are so many museums, monuments, and buildings I want to visit.

I visited the career center at Berkeley College today. Understandably, students who need an internship for credits will be taken care of before other students. However, one company is looking for ten interns and I think I might have a shot.

I will update my resume and prepare a cover letter for the position. Berkeley College will actually help me to send it in. Berkeley College has an outstanding placement record so I have good hopes to find something for the next quarter.

There is a political party in Sweden called the “Pirate Party.” Their main objective is to legalize the downloading of movies, games, and other copyrighted material on the internet. They got a 7% share of the votes in the European Union election by Swedish voters, which to me was very surprising.

Personally, I feel that their proposal is ridiculous. It does not make sense to me to allow Swedish or European citizens to download copyrighted material for free on the Internet, which has been produced for millions of dollars by foreign companies. I will be strictly against it unless they can find a solution where developers get paid fairly for their work.

The reason I bring this up is because I have talked to a few students about this issue. Most Americans are surprised by the lunatic proposal and understandably against it. If I develop something, I do expect to get paid for it.

I am going out for lunch in an hour. There is a great Chinese buffet in Brooklyn that only charges $15. The food is of excellent quality and definitely worth the money. A lot of people go there to have crab legs but I prefer the spicy Chinese dishes.

Trip?

I got a 90 out of 100 on my quiz in management. I am not perfectly happy with it but it is an A and that is after all, all I want. I have to turn in a take-home midterm in statistics tomorrow and I think I got everything right. I will double-check everything later this evening just to make sure I have not made any stupid mistakes.

I am trying to figure out what to do during the break. I have had plans to go to Miami but I am not sure anymore since my fiancée needs to study for a big upcoming test. An alternative would be Washington DC, which is closer to New York.

Finding an internship at a large corporation can be tough in today’s economy. There are plenty of small firms looking for extra help but large corporations are often not as flexible. I have experienced this lately, but I am trying to keep my hopes up.

As discussed in my management class, there is a pattern of people working in small companies to stay employed within different small firms through their career. I certainly do not believe that it would hurt with an internship in a small business but I am primarily trying to find an internship at a corporation.

One worrying factor is that students graduating now will earn less money than people graduating in better times. This was discussed in an article in the Wall Street Journal and I hope that the economy will be on its way to recover when I graduate.

Today in my international economics class we discussed President Obama’s plans to increase taxes. I personally believe that this will hurt the economy and I share this opinion with my professor and a few students.

It is going to be interesting to see what will happen within a year. I certainly do hope that the stimulus package will boost the economy enough but there is a risk that high inflation and taxes will damage the economy further.

I have been expecting the dollar to weaken lately. However, last week it strengthened quite a lot against the Swedish krona. It looks like the krona is recovering modestly today and I hope it will continue doing so. Maybe it is time for Sweden to adopt the euro?

It seems like many future students are worried about finding apartments in New York. I have talked to a few students who applied to campuses in New Jersey instead of New York because Berkeley College offers housing there.

The only thing I can recommend them to do is to go to craigslist.org and try to find something there. People who can afford a broker certainly has an advantage, and I would recommend everyone who can afford it to contact one.

New York is full of graffiti. It can be quite an experience to walk through some neighborhoods because of their colorful neighborhoods with all kinds of different graffiti. Some of it looks deteriorating, but I am sure a lot of it could be called art.

The Recession

I have been asking myself whether students, like myself, are really hurt by the recession. My case is special since I am an international student and my wealth would be more conveniently measured by looking at the spot exchange rate.

There are of course the people who suffer most during recessions, workers. The United States labor force consists of 155 million people and some of them are most likely students.

Wealth decrease and workers, as well as students, suffer because of it. It could be a student who pays the tuition by himself and has a part time or full time job. It could also be a student whose parents support his education. Regardless the situation, the struggling economy will make it hard for both students.

The situation changes for international students. However, it is important to understand that this recession is global and the same problems regarding wealth might occur in other nations too.

It is very likely that the dollar will weaken because of the huge debt in the United States. This will obviously help international students. I have experienced periods when I have transferred certain amounts of money from Sweden to the United States and received $2,000. When transferring the same amount of money a year later, I would only receive $1,200.

These are rough numbers but it should give people an idea of what can happen to international students. It can certainly hurt people transferring larger amounts as well as it can benefit some when the dollar weakens. 

Being a student during a recession is certainly an advantage compared to being in the labor force assuming tuition costs are covered and no paid job is needed during the time of study.

One thing that really benefits students is that prices go down. This might not always be the case due to inflation but it is true for this recession. Some firms have to liquidate; others have to compete during shrinking demand.

Prices are going down and sales are an extremely common sight in New York these days. This is true for retail stores as well as supermarkets and grocery stores. With a weakening dollar, this is a very favorable situation for international students.

It is a good time for coming to the United States to study. The recession does not only make it somewhat more affordable for people, it also gives people the opportunity to study markets, macroeconomics, and finance in an extremely interesting time. 

To Live Cheap

I was assigned two midterms today. I will do the one in statistics this weekend and the second one in management as soon as I get time for it.

This week’s edition of The Economist is extremely interesting. They have a special about American businesses and the articles really line out what people can expect in the next year or so. The main point is that the economy will recover but it goes way deeper than that.

I want to talk a little about how students can leave cheap in New York. It is a struggle for most students to afford the expensive rents in the city. Also, college tuition and living costs can be quite overwhelming sometimes.

I would definitely recommend sharing an apartment with someone. I was able to pay as little as $300 a month by sharing with three other people. I was quite lucky to find this but similar deals are out there somewhere.

Many international students are afraid of living outside Manhattan such as in Brooklyn, Queens, and Bronx. There is no reason to ignore these places even though there are some neighborhoods people should avoid.

I do not know Queens that well; Brooklyn, however, can be a wonderful place to live. Most places west of Prospect Park is good with a few exceptions.

When it comes to living expenses such as food and travelling there are plenty of good alternatives. I would definitely recommend going to Chinatown in either Brooklyn or Queens to buy fruit, lunch, and groceries if you like Chinese food.

Almost everything is cheaper in Chinatown and it is quite an experience to walk there and get a taste of another culture. I would also check out large grocery stores such as Pathmark and Target. Target offers great deals and they are many times unbeatable when it comes to prices and quality.

There is not much one can do about travel costs. I would recommend buying the 30 day unlimited metro card, which is the most valuable subway card available. It costs $81 right now but the fare will increase to $91 in a few weeks.

The unlimited card can be used on buses and subways and it allows people to travel an unlimited amount of times around the whole city. The subway is great in New York. However, I wished it were a little cleaner.

I will try to talk a little more about how to save money in these tough times. However, it looks like the dollar will weaken, which might be good for international students.

I took the picture at Governors Island. I really liked the picnic area and the weather was perfect for playing sports and getting tanned.