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This NYC bar serves a beautiful Georgia O’Keeffe-inspired cocktail

This NYC bar serves a beautiful Georgia O'Keeffe-inspired cocktail

Just a few months after the “Georgia O’Keeffe: To See Takes Time” exhibit wrapped up at the MoMA, Bar Calico at 23 Lexington Avenue by 24th Street, inside the Freehand Hotel in Gramercy, has added a new cocktail inspired by the iconic artist to its menu.

Dubbed Prickly Pair, the drink pays homage to the late O’Keeffe in more ways than one. As explained in an official press release, visually, the sip reminds of the floral motives that characterize many of the painter’s works.

The name is also a reference to her marriage to Alfred Stieglitz, responsible for her very first show in New York.

“The relationship was complicated, due in part to O’Keeffe’s career eclipsing Stieglitz’s,” reads the press release, “enter the ‘Prickly Pair.'”

Prepared using a vodka base, the cocktail features a sweet prickly pear puree, which is actually a watermelon-like fruit that grows in the arid climate of the Southwestern desert, near New Mexico, which is where O’Keeffe owned a house that she used as a private escape. See what they did there? 

Bonus points: Bar Calico will donate $1 of every Prickly Pair ordered to the Breast Cancer Alliance throughout the month of October.

Head to the drinking den to enjoy a freshly made version of the cocktail right now or, perhaps, concoct your own at home. Here is the full recipe:

Ingredients:

1.5 oz St. George Basil Eau de Vie
.75 oz Absolut Elyx Vodka
1 oz prickly pear juice
.75 oz lime
.75 oz Orgeat
Egg white
Lime zest

Method:

Combine all ingredients in a shaker without ice first and shake to emulsify the drink. Next, add ice to the shaker and shake to dilute. Strain into a nick and nora or coupe. Garnish by grating lime zest over the cocktail.

* This article was originally published here

Math disabilities hold many students back. Schools often don’t screen for them

person using black desk calculator

Laura Jackson became seriously concerned about her daughter and math when the girl was in third grade. While many of her classmates flew through multiplication tests, Jackson’s daughter relied on her fingers to count, had difficulty reading clocks and burst into tears when asked at home to practice math flashcards.

At school, the 9-year-old had been receiving help from a math specialist for two years, with little improvement.

“We hit a point where she was asking me, ‘Mom, am I stupid?’” Jackson recalled.

One day, when having lunch with a friend, Jackson heard about a disorder known as dyscalculia. She later looked up a description of the learning disability that impacts a child’s ability to process numbers and retain math knowledge. “I was like, ‘Oh my gosh, this is my kid,’” Jackson said.

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The Education Reporting Collaborative, a coalition of eight newsrooms, is documenting the math crisis facing schools and highlighting progress. Join our live expert panel for families, “Solving The Math Problem,” at 8 p.m. Eastern on Tuesday, Oct. 17, at https://st.news/mathwebinar. Members of the Collaborative are AL.com, The Associated Press, The Christian Science Monitor, The Dallas Morning News, The Hechinger Report, Idaho Education News, The Post and Courier in South Carolina, and The Seattle Times.

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Nationwide, hundreds of thousands of students face challenges learning math due to disabilities like dyscalculia, a neurodevelopmental learning disorder caused by differences in parts of the brain that are involved with numbers and calculations. There are often obstacles to getting help.

America’s schools have long struggled to identify and support students with learning disabilities of all kinds. Kids often languish while waiting to receive a diagnosis; families frequently have to turn to private providers to get one; and even with a diagnosis, some schools are unable to provide children the help they need.

That’s slowly changing — for some disabilities. Most states have passed laws that mandate screening early elementary students for the most common reading disability, dyslexia, and countless districts train teachers to recognize struggling readers. Meanwhile, parents and experts say schools neglect students with math disabilities like dyscalculia, which affects up to 7% of the population and often coexists with dyslexia.

“There’s not as much research on math disorders or dyscalculia,” as there is on reading disabilities, said Karen Wilson, a clinical neuropsychologist who specializes in the assessment of children with learning differences. “That also trickles down into schools.”

Math scores in the U.S. have remained dismal for years and only worsened during the COVID-19 pandemic. Learning struggles for some may be due to dyscalculia or other math learning disabilities, yet few teachers report their students have been screened for dyscalculia.

Experts say learning the most effective methods for teaching students with math disabilities could strengthen math instruction for all students.

“If it works for the students with the most severe disconnections and slower processing speeds, it’s still going to work for the kids that are in the ‘middle’ with math difficulties,” said Sandra Elliott, a former special education teacher and current chief academic officer at TouchMath, a multisensory math program.

Some signs of dyscalculia are obvious at an early age, if parents and educators know what to look for. Young children might have difficulty recognizing numbers or patterns. In elementary school, students may have trouble with math functions like addition and subtraction, word problems, counting money or remembering directions.

Even after Jackson learned about dyscalculia on her own, her daughter’s Seattle-area public school was doubtful the third grader had a learning disability because she was performing well in other areas. Teachers suggested Jackson spend extra time on math at home.

“For so many parents, they assume the school would let them know there’s an issue, but that’s just not how it works,” said Jackson, who ultimately wrote a book, “Discovering Dyscalculia,” about her family’s journey.

Students with dyscalculia often need a more structured approach to learning math that involves “systematic and explicit” instruction, said Lynn Fuchs, a research professor in special education and human development at Vanderbilt University.

Part of the problem is that teachers don’t receive the training needed to work with children with math disabilities. At least one state, Virginia, requires dyslexia awareness training for teacher licensure renewal, but has no similar requirement for math disability training.

“It’s pretty rare for undergraduate degrees or even master’s degrees to focus on math learning disabilities with any level of breadth, depth, quality or rigor,” said Amelia Malone, director of research and innovation at the National Center for Learning Disabilities.

Without more widespread knowledge of and support for dyscalculia, many parents have had to look for specialists and tutors on their own, which they say can be particularly challenging for math, and costly. In 2019, Jackson started pulling her daughter out of school for part of each day to teach her math at home.

“I am not a math teacher, but I was so desperate,” Jackson said. “There’s no one who knows anything, and we have to figure this out.”

At the tutoring organization Made for Math, specialists have found children with dyscalculia need repetition, especially to understand math facts. Some students attend tutoring up to four days a week, at a cost of up to $1,000 a month.

“It’s hard because it’s not something schools are offering, and kids deserve it,” said Heather Brand, a math specialist and operations manager for the organization.

There are pockets of progress around the country in screening more children for math disabilities, but movement at the federal level — and in most states — is “nonexistent,” said Malone, of the National Center for Learning Disabilities.

New York City is one district that has prioritized math disability screening and math instruction in the early years. In 2015 and 2016, the city spent $6 million to roll out a math curriculum featuring games, building blocks, art projects and songs. The district has also introduced universal math and reading screeners to try to identify students who may be behind.

There are ways that all schools can make math instruction more accessible, experts say. In elementary schools, activities that involve more senses should be used more widely, including whole-body motions and songs for teaching numbers and hands-on materials for math operations.

Jackson said her daughter could have benefited from a wider variety of methods at school. When the teen returned to school-based math classes in high school, after several years of learning math at home, she achieved an A in algebra.

“When you really understand what it is to be dyscalculic, then you can look around and decide what this person needs to succeed,” Jackson said. “It’s not just that you’re ‘bad at math’ and need to buckle down and try harder.”

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The Associated Press education team receives support from the Carnegie Corporation of New York. The AP is solely responsible for all content.

The post Math disabilities hold many students back. Schools often don’t screen for them appeared first on New York Amsterdam News.

* This article was originally published here

Co-Founder Of Noma, The ‘World’s Best Restaurant,’ Opens New Brooklyn Hotspot

Mads Refslund, chef and co-founder of the Copenhagen restaurant Noma, the “World’s Best Restaurant,” just opened ILIS, a new wood-fired kitchen and restaurant in Greenpoint, and if there’s one thing we can say about it it’s that they’re offering New Yorkers a pretty unique dining experience.

And, considering Refslund has been working on the restaurant for years, we wouldn’t expect anything less.

ILIS, from the Danish words for fire (“ild”) and ice (“is”), focuses on plants, seafood, and wild and sustainable North American bison and venison, the only four-legged animals you’ll find on the menu.

Interior of ILIS with a booth, tables and chairs, and brick walls
Source / ILIS

The ingredient-forward dishes will be served raw/chilled (incorporating the “is”) or cooked over a large open fire  (bringing in the “ild” aspect).

What makes the space unique is their dining policy–guests are required to order at least five dishes (a minimum of $150) in the dining room.

It’s not exactly a tasting menu, however, as there’s flexibility on choice of course, manner of preparation (i.e. hot or cold), and length of the dining experience. Whether a guest wants to dine for 1.5 hours or 4 hours, Refslund doesn’t want them to feel trapped by a set menu or time.

Fish being cooked over an open flame
Source / ILIS

To begin the dining experience, carts of seafood and produce are presented tableside. Afterwards, guests select the ingredients of their choosing as well as deciding whether they’re prepared hot or cold (or both).

Opening menu dish examples include Shigoku Oysters with green almond and cucumber, a Surf Clam fashioned into a flask, sealed with beeswax, and filled with a chilled clam drink with tomato water and smoked dashi, and BBQ Eel “On The Cob,” wild caught and brought to chefs live, brined for 48 hours, then smoked. A marigold flower is used by the guest to brush it with tare (a savory Japanese glaze).

A clam
Source / ILIS

There will also be a shared dish for the table, which is only served in one preparation (such as a whole roast wild duck). Each dish is delivered personally by the chefs.

As for the restaurant itself, it’s housed inside a 4,500-square-foot former rubber factory warehouse. The open concept space features a 14-seat bar and a lounge situated at the entrance and a large open kitchen in the center with 58 wrap-around seats.

According to Mads and the team all the best dinner parties wind up in the kitchen, and that’s exactly what they want ILIS to feel like.

Chefs in a restaurant kitchen
Source / ILIS

Aging compartments for meat, game, and fish, as well as temperature controlled compartments for plants and flowers can also be found in the space, and plants and flowers will be dried on workstations and hanging from walls and the ceiling beams, doubling as eye-catching art pieces.

Reservations can be made on ILIS’ website, and a very select amount of lounge tables are available for walk-in. The bar is also fully walk-in.

A casual Saturday service will eventually be offered, and a 1,500-square-foot private dining room space adjacent to the restaurant is set to open later in the season.

📍 150 Green Street, Greenpoint

🗓 Tuesday – Friday, 5:30 p.m. – 12 a.m.

The post Co-Founder Of Noma, The ‘World’s Best Restaurant,’ Opens New Brooklyn Hotspot appeared first on Secret NYC.

* This article was originally published here

Avoiding Common Mistakes In Commodity Trading: Tips For Success With The Best Online Brokers

The #1 source in the world for all things Harlem.

Commodity trading, the buying and selling of raw materials and natural resources, offers substantial opportunities for investors. But successfully navigating this intricate market calls for strategy, expertise, and the proper partners. This post will discuss some common mistakes made by commodity traders and offer advice on how to select the best online brokers to help…

The post Avoiding Common Mistakes In Commodity Trading: Tips For Success With The Best Online Brokers appeared first on Harlem World Magazine.

* This article was originally published here

Last Month Was NYC’s Wettest September In Over 100 Years

After weekends of endless rain, it’s safe to say that New Yorkers have had enough of Mother Nature’s jokes. But unfortunately, the rain doesn’t plan to let up anytime soon with Friday and Saturday’s forecast showing precipitation.

In fact, last month actually smashed NYC rain records, proving to be the wettest September in more than a century! Out of September’s 30 days, it rained for 14 of them. According to Spectrum News, NYC saw three times the amount of typical rain for the month with a total rainfall of 14 inches. That’s just shy of NYC’s wettest September on record with 16.85 inches in 1882.

If you haven’t guessed already, majority of September’s rain can be credited to the flash flood that occurred on Friday, September 29th. The severe storm was responsible for more than 30% of the month’s rainfall.

Cars driving through a flooded street in NYC
Dan Shure / Secret NYC

Areas like JFK experienced record shattering totals with rainfall surpassing 8 inches—the highest on record. Moreover, Central Park saw the sixth wettest day in 141 years and the Brooklyn Navy Yard had more than 7 inches fall.

The month actually began as a scorcher with three consecutive days reaching in the 90s. Yet, by the end of the month, temperatures plummeted into the 50s.

So what weather can we expect for the rest of the year? Well according to meteorologists, we’ll experience higher temperatures than normal this fall. Yet, come winter NYC we’ll see a ‘frosty, flakey, slushy’ season.

The post Last Month Was NYC’s Wettest September In Over 100 Years appeared first on Secret NYC.

* This article was originally published here

United Airlines’ New Boarding Process Will Save Up To 2 Minutes Of Boarding Time

The process of boarding a place is about to be less of a headache–at least if you’re flying United Airlines–as the airline recently announced in a memo they’ll be rolling out a more efficient boarding process later this month, and those stuck flying in the dreaded middle seat are going to want to listen up.

The new boarding process, referred to as WILMA–which refers to “window, middle, aisle”–calls for those flying in window seats to board the plane first, followed by middle seat flyers and then those in the aisle seat.

According to the airline, this new process will save up to two minutes of boarding time–and we all know every minute is precious when it comes to flying.

Group three will now include flyers in window seats, exit row seats, and non-revenue travelers. Group four, which as of now includes those flying in the middle and aisle seats, will be limited to only middle seats. Group five will include only aisle seats.

In addition, they also created a group six for those flying in restricted basic economy that don’t have a carry-on option.

People standing in the aisle when boarding a plane
Unsplash / Lukas Souza

Pre-boarding, as well as boarding for groups one and two, will remain the same.

For families and other flyers who share a reservation, all members of the group will be able to board in the earliest category based on their tickets. In other words, if a family is taking up an entire row, all travelers in that reservation can board in group three.

The new boarding policy will go into effect this month on Thursday, October 26th.

United Airlines isn’t the only airline rolling out new policiesJetBlue recently implemented a Family Seating Guarantee earlier this month.

The post United Airlines’ New Boarding Process Will Save Up To 2 Minutes Of Boarding Time appeared first on Secret NYC.

* This article was originally published here

Two HBCUs named among world’s top music business schools

Howard University, the renowned historically Black college in Northwest, D.C., finds itself in esteemed company alongside institutions such as the Abbey Road Institute in London, the Berklee College of Music in Boston and Spain, and the Liverpool Institute for the Performing Arts in Liverpool, England. These distinguished higher education establishments have earned a spot on Billboard’s prestigious list of the best schools for music business degrees.

Billboard’s selection process, which refrains from ranking the institutions, is based on a comprehensive evaluation that includes executive recommendations, alum feedback, information furnished by each school, and a decade’s worth of reporting on music business programs. Publishers said the decision not to rank the schools stems from Billboard’s acknowledgment of widespread criticism surrounding conventional college ranking practices. American University, also located in Northwest, D.C., secured its place on the list, emphasizing Washington’s significance in music education.

Of note, Howard University is one of only two historically Black colleges and universities recognized on the list, the other being Tennessee State University in Nashville. Howard’s remarkable achievement is underpinned by the establishment of the Warner Music/Blavatnik Center for Music Business in 2021, made possible by a generous $4.9 million donation. Billboard highlights the center’s one-year fellowship program, which offers invaluable coaching, mentorship, and real-world industry exposure through collaborations with partner organizations. The program is specifically designed to combat the underrepresentation of Black executives and professionals within the music and entertainment sectors.

According to Billboard, one of Howard’s standout offerings is the course “The History of the American Music Industry: What Isn’t Black Music.” This unique perspective aims to give students a comprehensive understanding of the industry’s roots and evolution.
Billboard’s methodology emphasizes more accessible public colleges and universities, focusing beyond the traditional music capitals of New York, Los Angeles, and Nashville. The publication underscores that attendees of these top music business schools are primed for success in an increasingly intricate music industry landscape.

“The schools listed are selected through executive recommendations, alumni information provided by honorees from our multiple power lists, information requested from each school, and a decade of reporting on these programs,” the Billboard publishers explained. Notably, the publishers said students could find robust curricula in cities such as Philadelphia, Memphis, and New Orleans, as well as in Syracuse, N.Y.; Kennesaw, Ga.; Stillwater, Okla.; and Cleveland, Miss.

This extensive list encompasses the Valencia, Spain, campus of Boston’s renowned Berklee College of Music, the esteemed BRIT School located outside London, LIPA, and the BIMM Institute, the largest provider of contemporary music education in Europe.
“By any measure, the colleges and universities here offer impressive opportunities for students seeking an edge in music-industry careers — running campus record labels, devising business plans, volunteering at top festivals, traveling to major music industry events, and meeting with leading artists and executives,” Billboard affirmed, while also solidifying Howard University’s place among the foremost institutions in the field of music business education.

The post Two HBCUs named among world’s top music business schools appeared first on New York Amsterdam News.

* This article was originally published here