Gram Gets Involved: MADRE Donation Drive!

MADRE Donation Drive:

How can YOU help?

A Columbian girl benefitting from art supplies donated to the Trading Art for War campaign!

You may have noticed (or briskly walked past on your way to your first class at 8:50 while thinking 'It is way too early to be up right now') some bins and canisters on your floors, or in the laundry room, or at the front security desk. So what are these about?

Remember MADRE? That awesome women's rights organization we're partnering with this semester? Well, these bins are YOUR chance to help them out. And it's pretty easy. Here's some info on what you can donate and how you'll be helping:

Programming

Keep an eye out for programming we're going to be doing here at Gram that will dedicate our proceeds and profits to the MADRE organization! Just by attending and contributing you'll be helping us help women in need. Which is super rad.

Might be some cupcake decorating and midnight breakfasts in the near future...

Donation Bins

How am I helping?

MADRE has a number of causes that are in need of supplies, among these being their Back To Safety, Back To School campaign in Kenya and Trading Art for War in Columbia.

What should I donate?

Some of the things we're looking for...

- First aid supplies (ex. bandaids, neosporin)

- Reproductive resources (ex. condoms, lubricant)

- Hygienic and Beauty supplies (ex. tampons, shampoo)

- Art and School supplies (ex. markers, notebooks)

You can see the full list of supplies MADRE needs right HERE!

Both the change jars and donation bins will be in place until December, so feel free to drop something in whenever! And don't forget about the awesome programs we have coming up that will be in addition to the donations we'll get from the drives.

And as always, if you're interested in learning more about MADRE's campaigns, check out their page right over here!

Greetings: Back to School 2012

Hello!

Greetings and salutations! My name is Alyssa and I am the new RA for the 1st and 2nd floor!  :D I am a second year Cartooning major and coincidentally the ONLY cartooning major on the RA staff this year! What does that mean? It means: get ready for lame puns and Family Guy and Spongebob references. ALL YEAR LONG.

So I'm new to this whole blogging thing (meaning I'm not really sure what to say but oh well; firstworldproblems) but what I get to do this year on the blog is...

*drumroll please*

MAKEUP!!!

Yes, one of the loves of my life and favorite hobbies. What I will try to mainly post this year is reviews, tips and tricks of the trade and much, much more! Please note: the only qualification I have is a modeling certificate from modeling school which looked pretty much like this:

Runway-FFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFF

Makeup application and process: A++++++++++++++++++++

That being said, these posts will be only my honest to god OPINION. You are in no way obligated to listen/heed a word I say.  :-)

I decided to kick start the year off with makeup must-haves for back to school. I interviewed my fellow RA's and my RHD Stefaine about their top three products and they responded (albeit reluctant if not for my badgering). However I will start with mine:

Alyssa

Top Back to School Beauty Products

I don't feel like I'm ready to face the world without:

1. Foundation: Revlon Color Stay for Combination/Oily Skin in Golden Beige 300

Reason: This foundation has the most outstanding full coverage of any drugstore product I've tried and even some high end ones and at 13.99 a bottle that lasts me MONTHS it is a great buy. I get stress acne especially during school and I need great coverage.

2. Waterproof Mascara: (currently using) Urban Decay Cannonball Waterproof Mascara

Reason: I'm a crier. I cry for everything so I only use waterproof mascara. This mascara lifts and separates so it looks like I'm wearing really good falsies but it still keeps my lashes feathery soft and not at all clumpy and stiff.

3. Bronzer: (currently using) Urban Decay Baked Bronzer in Baked

Reason: I feel like contouring my face well makes me look more adult and put together.

As far as my fellow RA's and RHD Stefaine what was their number one product that they couldn't live without for back to school?

MASCARA!!!

That's right. The answers to these questions varied more than I expected from girl to girl but one thing that almost all of them had in common was mascara was a must-have. Kerin and I are blush/bronzer girls; we have that in common but the rest was mascara! If nothing else, expect all the Gramercy Girl RA's to have pretty eyes and long lush lashes. (Apparently, I am the only one who so desperately NEEDS full coverage foundation. FOREVER ALONE.)

This is me.

 C'est la vie. Ah well, that does it for me for this round of makeup (this is getting so long jeez). Thanks for reading guys!

You're friendly neighborhood cartoonist,

Faerie Queen Alyssa~*

WebRep

currentVote

noRating

noWeight

Folk For The Fall: Music with RA Kerin

Ha, I love alliteration. Welcome back ladies! Today was a sad, sad day for my closet; my extensive short short collection was officially put out of commission due to temperatures below 70 degrees. Which means it's fall. And with the changing seasons comes a new blast for my iPod. In the fall, it's always folk.

Last year's favorites Mumford & Sons are about to drop a new album, 'Babel', that I'm dying to get my hands on, but here are the three bands I've been jamming out to right now, all of whom have awesome records you should pick up.

As usual, click through and take a listen in Spotify:

The Lumineers - Self-Titled (2012)
Favorite Track: Flowers In Your Hair
Can't not-smile and listen to this record. There are some really great tracks on here, but the under-two-minute-long "Flowers In Your Hair", which is also the opening record, just puts me in the best mood. Also check out "Slow It Down" and "Stubborn Love".

Trampled By Turtles - Stars and Satellites (2012)
Favorite Track: Midnight On The Interstate
These guys mix it up between really soft, sweet tracks and some super-folky banjo-heavy riffs. Reminded me a lot of Mumford & Sons the first time I listened. "Midnight On The Interstate" makes me cry when I listen in the right mood but so do "Beautiful"and "High Water".

The Head and the Heart - Self-Titled (2011)
Favorite Track: Rivers and Roads
Folky-and-eclectic all at once, The Head and the Heart are definitely a unique one. Their tracks sound pretty stripped down and simple, but that doesn't mean they're not fantastic. "Couer d'Alene" and "Honey Come Home" are two completely different tracks, both great in their own way, but "Rivers and Roads" is the one I'll listen to on repeat easily.

Enjoy, as always!~

Good Eats NYC: Pushcart Coffee

Pushcart Coffee

Corner of Clinton St and East Broadway

Hand lettering and delicious food? What a combo.

Pushcart Coffee is my favorite little place to grab lunch when I'm on the Lower East Side. I'm not a coffee drinker but I've heard theirs is to die for-- personally, I go for the Toasted Peanut Butter and Blackberry Jam on a freshly-made Croissant. Mmm. Everything is under ten bucks and the location is pretty cute on the inside, not to mention all the people in the shop are super friendly. I definitely recommend stopping in and grabbing a bite if you're in the area!

Curious? Their menus can be found on their website right over here.

Gram Gets Involved: What Is Our Cause?

Gramercy and MADRE Team Up!

Welcome back ladies! Hope you've all had a great summer and are gearing up for the start of a new year. I know we are, and this time with a brand new cause; working with MADRE, a women's rights initiative.

Lovely ladies in MADRE's Farming for the Future initiative. Also, chickens.

I know, I know-- it's your busiest/thesis/senior year and you've got three jobs/an internship/all nighters scheduled for every day of the week. But what if helping out this semester was super easy, even with the year being all kinds of art-school crazy?

We're all women who are lucky enough to be going to art school in one of the greatest cities in the world, but there are so many women who aren't as fortunate as us. That's where MADRE comes in; they help women all over the planet, from Peru to Brazil, Africa to Afghanistan, who are in need of just about everything, clean water, school supplies, rape kits and medical attention just some of the few things that this organization provides. You can check out more about their cause on their website.

This semester we're teaming up with MADRE to help out women in need all over the world. Throughout the next few months we'll be hosting fun events like cupcake decorating, a dollar-for-dinner night and even an art exhibition that you can submit to and sell your work in! Not to mention donation bins and cans on every floor for any loose stuff or change you might have laying around. Yep, it's as easy as showing up to eat unhealthy food or dropping some nickels in a can.

So get involved this year! Help out fellow women in need by partnering up with Gram and MADRE and stay tuned for the information on the fun events we have planned in their honor!

Art to Watch: Jonathan Levine Gallery

Jonathan Levine Gallery

West 20th St between 10th & 11th Ave

Jonathan Levine Gallery is one of NYC's illustration hot spots with a rotation of shows that always impress, and it's looking like this fall is pretty stacked with some of *my* personal favorites that are definitely worth checking out. With two gallery spaces, there are two artists showing solo exhibitions at the same time-- more bang for your buck.

September 8th - October 6th

Audrey Kawasaki

Jeff Sofo

October 20th - November 17th

Ashley Wood

Jeremy Geddes

Check out more info about the exhibitions and space at Jonathan Levine Gallery's website!

NYC This Week: San Gennaro Feast

Feast of San Gennaro in Little Italy

September 13th - 23rd

Mmmm, Italian food. Yum!

If you're jonesing for some Italian cuisine or want to immerse yourself in the rich Italian culture, there's no better place to do so in NYC than at the San Gennaro Festival! It's open for 11 days, but September 19th is the peak day to check out an amazing parade. Here's some more info:

Although this is an annual celebration of faith, the Feast of San Gennaro is known the world over for its festive atmosphere, an 11-day event featuring religious processions and colorful parades, free musical entertainment every day, a wide variety of ethnic food delicacies, charming restaurants and cafes and even a world-famous cannoli-eating competition! The central focus of the celebration takes place every September 19th, the official Saint Day when a celebratory Mass is held in Most Precious Blood Church, followed immediately by a religious procession in which the Statue of San Gennaro is carried from its permanent home in the church through the streets that comprise Little Italy.

Still curious? Check out San Gennaro's website right here!

Welcome Back! From RA Kerin

Hey fellow meowmeows of Gramercy,

For those of you who don't know me in some capacity-- you've probably, at the very least, seen me at your floor meetings and bopping around in a pair of obnoxious pink headphones-- I'm Kerin, the Head RA here at Gram.

I was an RA here last year (5th and 6th floor vets, what up) and loved it so much that I wanted to take on a little bit of a different role this year as the Head RA. Why does that matter? New things for me means new things for you. Get excited.

Here are some of the things I'm gonna be heading this year that I hope y'all will help me out with:

MADRE Donation Drive
You're probably going to see signs for this one up and around the building. This year we're going to be working with MADRE, a Women's Rights organization that helps underprivileged women all around the world. They have some seriously amazing causes and we'll be doing some great programs this semester where proceeds and donations will go towards this group.

Lounge Gets A Makeover
Our beloved lounge is getting beautiful, people. It's going to get a fresh coat of paint and (hopefully) some new furniture sometime in the next month, and once it's all done we're looking to turn the space into a year-round gallery that'll display the art of the lovely and talented Ladies of Gram (that's you, collectively). Stay tuned for more details on that one.

The Blog!
Ah yes, you have found the blog in question. This year I'm going to be taking this bull by the horns and hopefully posting some things that are interesting to you guys-- artists and shows to watch out for, cute furry animals, programs that are coming up. The other lovely ladies-- Twig, Ashley and Alyssa-- will be sharing their love with the blog as well monthly, as well as RHD Stefaine. Even better? We're looking for YOU to post something up here, whether it be your art or cute pictures of your animals.

Cute pictures of animals is the fuel that runs Gramercy, clearly.

Those are only some of the things that are upcoming this year. I'm super excited to get my hands dirty in it and make Gramercy the community that we all come back to-- a gorgeous place on a beautiful park with some beautiful ladies to share it with.

If you're ever looking for me or have any questions, drop by and leave me a note or knock on that little door beside the security desk. Or hit me up on the Gramercy Facebook-- we're always checking that one.

Cheers, babydeers,
Head RA Kerin

The Gramercy Roof Re-Opening BBQ 2012

Thanks to everyone who came out for the awesome re-opening of the Gramercy Rooftop on 9/2/12.

Welcome to Gramercy!

Welcome to (or "welcome back" for our awesome returning residents ; ) to the Gramercy Residence.  We've already kicked off this year with the exciting re-opening of the Gramercy Roof deck and Gramercy Gals BBQ on September 2nd.  Thanks to everyone who came out and you can see pics from the event on the facebook page.

Please be sure to check the blog throughout the year for updates on what's happening in our community and please get involved this year!

If you'd like to post for the blog, contact Head RA Kerin, for more details.  You can also look forward to hearing about an amazing organization with whom we'll be coordinating our community service efforts this year in a coming post.

Happy new school year 2012!
RHD Stefaine
: )