Life presents us with a myriad of uplifting and daunting experiences, and at times, we confront overwhelming challenges. During these moments, a therapist can act as a compassionate mentor, guiding us through the turbulent journey and fostering resilience along the way. Whether you’re grappling with anxiety, depression, relationship difficulties, or embarking on a path of…
Preceding Juneteenth, the New York City Department of Small Businesses Services (SBS) unveiled an online business directory listing over 3,300 Black-owned businesses across the city. The SBS’s Black Entrepreneurs NYC (BE NYC) spearheaded the endeavor.
While Black people comprise 22% of the New York City population, they only own 2% of the city’s small businesses. Supporters of the website called the Shop Black initiative positive for the community, entrepreneurs, and the general economy. The launch of the directory also coincided with the historic Black holiday, Juneteenth, which celebrates the liberation of slavery for all people across the United States.
“When we support our Black-owned small businesses, we support the entire city,” said
Commissioner of the Department of Small Business Services Kevin D. Kim. “The Shop Black NYC directory serves to boost Black entrepreneurship by encouraging New Yorkers and tourists alike to shop Black and shop local, which in turn allows our neighborhoods to grow and prosper as new businesses take root.”
SBS created BE NYC in 2019 to address racial disparities between entrepreneurs and generate more Black-owned businesses. The organization obtains this goal by developing Black entrepreneurs in emerging industries, connecting with community members, and giving access to equitable financing.
Before the inception of this director, there was no central list of Black-owned businesses in New York City outside of the state’s certified Minority and Women-Owned Business Enterprises. Kenneth Ebie, BE NYC’s Executive Director & Chief Development Officer, was tasked with creating the comprehensive list of companies.
He said this initiative will help Black-owned businesses generate revenue through an online presence. BE NYC will add businesses to the directory through social media promotions and its relationships with the borough chambers of commerce, as well as from its engagement with communities at events and activities across the city.
“The Greater Harlem Chamber of Commerce is proud to partner with the New York City Department of Small Business Services as it announces that it has reached an outstanding milestone of having 300,000-plus businesses to be listed on its Shop Black NYC Directory,” said President of the Greater Harlem Chamber of Commerce Lloyd Williams. “Congratulations to the amazing SBS Commissioner Kevin Kim and his outstanding associate, Kenneth Ebie.”
Growing Black businesses is an arduous and necessary task to reach equity in one of the largest economies in the world. More than one in five New Yorkers are, yet they still lack the necessary funds, education, and experience to survive in this market, according to BE NYC’s 2020 report.
The report found that while the majority of Black-owned businesses started with a passion for business ownership, many vital factors challenged success. Access to capital, guidance, customer outreach, and affordable workspaces were the critical limitations to starting their businesses. With the help of BE NYC and its community partners, the initiative aims to demystify the process and help entrepreneurs follow their passions.
“Knowledge is power,” Ebie said. “With Shop Black NYC, we are empowering all New Yorkers with access to information on over 3,300 local Black-owned local businesses that they can support during this important holiday and throughout the year. Equally importantly, listed businesses will benefit from a direct pipeline of valuable information and business resources available from SBS, supporting their ability to survive, thrive and continue to enrich the fabric of our great City.”
The UAE has applied ESR to confirm that units working within its authority are involved in considerable economic activities. These regulations’ goal to encounter international standards for fair taxation. To fulfill ESR, businesses must classify and understand the relevant activities that fall under its zone. In this article, we will see the various range of…
The stands at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn were packed for Sunday afternoon’s New York Liberty game against the Phoenix Mercury. No doubt, people were eager to see Britney Griner’s first game in the city since being released from a Russian prison last December in a prisoner swap after being detained in the country for 10 months. Griner was arrested on February 17 and found to be in possession of vape cartridges that contained cannabis oil, which is illegal in Russia. The 32-year-old from Houston, Texas was subsquently sentenced to nine years imprisonment in a penal colony.
Back in comfortable surroundings, Griner shared warm hugs with Liberty coach Sandy Brondello, who previously coached the Mercury, and her Olympic teammate Breanna Stewart. Griner sat out the game due to a sore hip. Also sidelined for the Mercury was long-time Mercury star Diana Taurasi, one of the greatest players in women’s basketball history, who was nursing a sore hamstring.
“It was definitely great seeing BG; it was my first time seeing her since she’s gotten back. So, it was a little emotional seeing her, but also I’m really proud of the way she’s kind of handling everything on and off the court,” noted Stewart. “She’s an inspiration to really everybody, and I’m just happy she’s home safe and back with us in the WNBA,” said Stewart.
The Liberty prevailed over the Mercury 89–71 to improve to 7-3. When the WNBA schedule began on Tuesday night, the Liberty had the third best record in the 12-team league behind the 10-1 Las Vegas Aces and 9-3 Connecticut Sun. The Mercury were last at 2-8. Stewart continued her MVP-worthy season with 28 points, seven assists and 14 rebounds. Jonquel Jones, the 2021 WNBA MVP with the Sun, had her first double-double with New York, contributing 13 points and 11 rebounds.
All 10 active Liberty players saw minutes—Sabrina Ionescu did not play due to a hamstring issue. “I thought they’ve been doing well in practice, so they should be rewarded for that,” said Brondello of her bench. “They competed well. We’re going to need them as we move forward.” The game also marked the return to the roster of Brooklyn native Epiphanny Prince. She was re-signed by the team to a hardship contract late last week after starting the season with the Liberty then being released
Marine Johannès continues to show impressive play, contributing 10 points, three assists and three steals. “I made some mistakes, but I think I tried to not think about the last action too much and I just played confident,” said Johannès. Stewart praised Johannès’ ability to see the floor and find the open player.
The Liberty is on the road for a game tomorrow against the Atlanta Dream and then return to Barclays Center on Sunday afternoon to take on the Washington Mystics.
Like a kind of culinary Groundhog Day, the international brand known as the “50 Best” is back for a second time in 2023, naming that very number of restaurants with that particular qualifier, plucked from all over planet Earth. When we last heard from the consortium earlier this year, it was honoring half-a-hundred bars with similar designations, and NYC’s own Double Chicken Please flocked to the tip-top.
“The World’s 50 Best Restaurants” for 2023 were announced at a ceremony in Valencia, Spain on Tuesday, June 20. A panel of more than 1,000 “culinary experts” weighed in on the eventual awardees, up several hundred opinions from the list’s inception a couple of decades ago. “Before this, no one had dared take on the task of including the entire restaurant industry, in all its global diversity, in a single ranking system,” the 50 Best’s “about us” page reads.
Presently, the 50 Best divides this big blue marble into 27 regions. Voters follow a selection system detailed by the organization here.
Few surprises bloomed from the fruits of those rules around New York City in this reliably self-promoted edition.
In Midtown East, Atomix lept to the number 8 spot from last year’s 33 slot. A little farther uptown, Midtown West’s Le Bernardin held steady at 44. And elsewhere, this year’s number one position went to Central in Lima, Peru, last year’s runner-up. See all the winners on the 50 best website.
I just came from a two-week taste of Japan. I ate primarily in Tokyo. WOW!!! The food in the subways is better than at many restaurants in NYC, Los Angeles, or Miami. The little hole in the wall joints served beer and all sorts of savory snacks. The numerous malls tend to have food halls in the basement that carry a wide variety of sumptuous desserts and meals. Below are several food families and concepts for you to consider when eating in Japan. Just remember that there are no garbage cans on the street, so walking and eating is not generally done. The Japanese food that is in North America is different to a degree from what is served in Japan. Itadakimasu, which translates to “I hereby partake,” is the premeal salutation! One says this with delight and often while visiting this fantasy food nation!
Fish: The fish was as fresh and flavorful as I had ever tried. Have it in sushi, sashimi, or in tempura!
Curries: The curries that go on top of rice were thick, rich, and aromatic. Some have meat in them, while others are vegetarian. Curry is drunk as soup and sometimes tops noodles or meats.
Bento: Boxed meals often served at lunch or sporting games in subways
Tempura: Tempura is an artform. Food is battered and then fried. It is filling and sometimes fluffy.
Dumplings: Dumplings are made every way imaginable and filled with everything from cheese to chicken and chive. They can be steamed or fried.
Kakigori: This is shaved ice that has fruit, cream, and flavor added to it. There are parlors to sit on a hot day and enjoy this traditional treat.
Futomaki: Thick rolled sushi
Mochi: Steamed rice that has been pounded into glutinous cakes and used in desserts. Often has a filling in the cake, such as red bean.
Konbini: Konbini are convenience stores that are open 24/7 and sell prepared foods, treats, and drinks.
Soba Noodles: Made in multiple colors from different ingredients and can be served at every meal. This is the foundation of many meals. People add curry, soy sauces, vegetables, meats, and eggs to the soba.
Miso Soup: A clear, brothy vegetarian soup that often has tofu in it.
Katsudon: A bowl of rice topped with a deep-fried pork cutlet. Add curry and it becomes a filling meal.
Nikujaga: Hearty, flavorful potato and beef stew often served over rice or soba.
Sake: Japanese rice wine with an alcohol content of about 17% that can be served warm or cold. Sake can be added to seltzer to make it sparking. Cake baked with sake is moist and delicious.
Okonomiyaki: Okonomiyaki is like a Japanese pizza pancake that guests make themselves on a hot table at a restaurant. It tends to have egg, flour, and cabbage as its base. People then add meat and vegetables to their liking. Top it with a glorious glaze, and you have a nourishing meal.
Buns: Buns are filled with meats, fish, scallions, and vegetables and measure around four inches in diameter and served steaming hot.
Macha: Green tea that is ground up for drinking and adding to desserts. It is high in caffeine and antioxidants.
Gotchisosama: This is the formal salutation at the end of meal that translates to “That was a sumptuous meal!” The majority of the meals and snacks I ate in Japan were memorable, mouth-watering, decadent, and very fresh.
There’s a new (affordable) way to escape the city for an Italian getaway!
Norse Atlantic Airways, a low-cost long-haul airline based in Norway, just added flights between JFK and Rome. The inaugural flight took off from New York on June 20, 2023, and kicked off a season of Italian travel at an affordable rate. The daily flights mean booking travel is flexible, whether you’re booking a long weekend or kicking off an extended trip and just need to land in Europe.
The flight from JFK departs daily at 12:30am and lands at Rome Fiumicino Airport at 3:15pm local time the same day. It’s ideal for getting nearly a full night’s sleep on the plane and landing in Italy just in time for aperitivo hour.
Photograph: Steve Freihon
Flights from Rome depart at 6:55pm local time and land in New York at 10:30pm. Since you’ll be on an Italian schedule, you’ll be ready for bed and wake up the next day (hopefully) refreshed, if not missing Rome a little bit.
Norse Atlantic exclusively operates Boeing 787 Dreamliner aircraft. In the Economy cabin, every passenger has their own entertainment system. The Premium cabin offers a 43-inch seat pitch and 12-inch recline. When booking with Norse Atlantic, passengers can choose from a range of fares: Light, Classic and Flextra, which includes more baggage, two meal services and increased ticket flexibility. Light travelers can pack a backpack and a sandwich and save some cash for panini and spritzes after landing.
“We are thrilled to launch our inaugural service between Rome and New York JFK, connecting two vibrant cities with deep historical and cultural ties,” said Bjorn Tore Larsen, CEO Norse Atlantic Airways. “Our commitment to delivering affordable long-haul travel experiences without compromising on quality is at the core of Norse Atlantic Airways’ vision. We look forward to welcoming passengers on board and providing them with exceptional service and value on this exciting new route.”
Can’t make it to Italy this summer? There’s always Little Italy, no flight or luggage required.
