Dry Bar Beauties- May 30, 2013

Teenz in the City Girls had a wonderful time prepping for the school dance together. The girls used hopstop to find our walking route to Dry Bar on 34th Street. The girls chose their blowout style and enjoyed their first experience getting a blowout together! We also had delicious yogurt together on this warm afternoon. We returned back to school to change into their dance outfits and danced the night away!

Before:

 

After:

 

 

May 11th, 2013

Dave &  Busters

This past week, Teenz in the City headed to Dave & Busters to celebrate one of our group member's birthday. We were thrilled by the turn out of this group and it was great to see everyone's support to come out to celebrate! While at Dave & Busters we had the opportunity to play a variety of games together, enjoy a delicious lunch and of course have birthday cake!! We are looking forward to celebrating future members birthdays to come!

Monday May 20^th  2013- Madison Square Eats—Eat your hearts out

This week, our Teenz in the City Girls group headed to Madison Square Park to Madison Square Eats. This is a month-long outdoor, market that has 30 different restaurants from some of the city’s most raved about eateries. We used our N,S,E,W acronym to follow our directions and travel to Madison Square Park. Upon arrival to the park, we explored all the different food vendors and decided on a refreshing ice cream treat! Afterwards, we explored the surrounding neighborhood including 5^th ave and Madison Square Park. What better way to celebrate a beautiful Spring day !  

 

 

IHOP  Saturday May 18^th

This past weekend, Teenz in the City headed to IHOP for a delicious brunch! We practiced our travel training skills using hopstop.com to determine the best travel route to and from our location. We reviewed how to purchase a metro card and took the 6 train downtown to Union Square. Upon arrival, we used our table etiquette to order from the menu and engaged in reciprocal conversation skills throughout our meals. We discussed the important task of figuring out the bill and how to determine an appropriate tip. Afterwards, we explored a fantastic street fair on 2^nd avenue which was a real treat and great way to enjoy the beautiful spring day.

Little Italy
April 27, 2013

This past weekend, the group went to Little Italy for a delicious Italian lunch and cultural experience. We used hopstop.com to determine to best travel route to reach our destination. We decided on the 6 train to spring street and followed our maps on our iphone to reach Little Italy. Upon arrival, we discused the history of the area and explored many different restaurants and shops. As a group, we decided on a restaurant for lunch and were amazed by our delicious Italian lunch! Afterwards we ventured to a little Italian bakery for some sweet treats.

Chocolate by the bald man & Union Square
April 22, 2013

The girls of Teenz in the City enjoyed an afterschool treat at Max Brenner! We used hopstop to decide that taking the 6 train was the best option to arrive in Union Square. We continued to work on table manners and appropriate conversation skills while eating. Following the delicious waffle fries and chicken, we went shopping nearby in Union Square. Money management skills were reviewed in order to understand each girl's budget for the outing. Overall, we had a great outing and look forward to next week's trip to Brooklyn when we make our own jewelry.

 

Making our own pizza!

April 14, 2013

 

This past weekend we were able to make our own pizza at Tappo Pizzeria! We used hopstop to figure out that walking was the best route to make our way there. When we arrived, the manager provided us with a tour of the kitchen and explained how the pizza is made each day. Each Teenz in the City participant was provided with their own dough to make a pizza on their own. While cooking, the teens engaged in reciprocal conversation and worked on their table manners. In addition, we worked as a group to determine the tip and amount owed by each teen. A great Saturday afternoon was had by Teenz in the City yet again!

NBC STUDIOS
April 15, 2013

This week we had the privilege of a private tour of NBC Studios in New York City! We used hopstop.com in order to determine the travel route to our destination. Each participant had a printed out copy of the directions to follow. Upon arrival to the studios, we were greeted by our fantastic tour guide Emily who told us about her job as a producer of The Today Show, and answered all of our questions about her career and NBC studio history. We had the opportunity to see the studios where the today show, Dr. Oz and Saturday night live are filmed. It was such a great experience!!!

Make Meaning

April 8, 2013

 

 

This past Monday, the girls group of Teenz in the City headed to Make Meaning on the upper east side for some special girl time and arts & crafts! In order to arrive at our destination, we practiced our travel training skills and the girls were responsible for looking up the directions on hop stop and printing out these directions to follow order to arrive at our destination. En route, we reviewed our N,E,S,W acronym and the importance of reading street signs to ensure we are walking in the correct direction. While at make worked on our own ceramics and candles while listening to some of our favorite pop songs. We had a great afternoon together!

Johnny Rockets Diner-- GIRLS GROUP
April 8, 2013

After school this past Monday, the girls of Teenz in the City headed to Johnny Rocket's for some food from the 50s! The girls used hopstop to locate the destination and decided that the subway was the best way to reach our destination. With printed out directions in hand, the girls continued to practice their NSEW acronym to figure out when we were heading north, south, east or west. We chatted about this past weekend and the girls continue to enjoy getting to know one another outside of school, while working on becoming better travel trained!

 

 

Grazie!!
April 6, 2013

This past weekend, Teenz in the City headed to Times Square to dine at Olive Garden. We used our hopstop application and determined that traveling by subway on the R train would be the most efficient travel route. We followed directions to arrive at the subway and reviewed how to refill our metrocards. Upon arrival to the restaurant we were greeted by a delicious basket of warm breadsticks. We practiced ordering our own food and determing each person's contributions to the total bill owed.

 

GYU-KAKU
March 20, 2013

This past weekend we headed to Gyu-Kaku for some delicious Korean BBQ. We used our travel skills in order to figure out the address of the restaurant. We feasted on a delicious lunch and really enjoyed having the opportunity to cook our own food on our table in front of us. We got to make delicious smores for dessert! We worked as a group to figure out our bill in order to determine appropriate tip, fun was had by all :) tax and total amount owed. Fun was had by all :)

 

Girls Just Want to Have Fun!!

March 25, 2013

This past week, our girls group practiced our travel training skills in order to determine the address to our destiantion. The girls were very receptive and responsive to these skills and took on a leadership role in order to arrive at Tasti-Delite for a refreshing after school snack. We worked on ettique while ordering our frozen yogurt and money managment while paying including getting appropriate change. After our treat, we headed for manicures and girl talk!

 

 

Bowlmore Bowling Fun
March 16, 2013

 

We had a wonderful birthday celebration for one of our Teenz members this past weekend. We practiced travel training by taking the subway to Union Square and headed to Bowlmor Lanes. The teens practiced money management by paying for their own shoes and game, as well as working on how to divide a bill based on what each teen ordered. The concept of a tip being included on the bill was reviewed as well! Finally, we had lunch at Cosi (the birthday boy's choice), and headed back by taking the subway uptown. The group had a terrific time and is looking forward to making birthday celebrations a continued part of Teenz in the City!

Big Daddy's Diner
March 11, 2013

 

Our Teenz in the City GIRLS group had a great outing this past Monday where we worked on travel training by subway to Big Daddy Diner. The girls used their hopstop app to decide the best route of travel. We decided on the 6 train and went over how to scan your metrocard to determine its balance. We also reviewed how to swipe a metrocard when getting on the platform. It is always important to remember to swipe the metrocard with the black stripe facing your body! While at Big Daddy's the girls enjoyed the milkshake happy hour special and dined on delicious food. We reviewed appropriate table etiquette, manners, and determining the bill. The girls had a wonderful time and look forward to more fun next Monday!

 

Alice's Tea Cup

February 25, 2013

 

 

Our Teenz in the City GIRLS group headed to Alice's Teacup yesterday to enjoy some afternoon tea, sweets and girl time. Prior to leaving for our outing, we used hopstop and google maps to figure out the location of Alice's Teacup and our travel route. We gave each girl a printed out copy of the hopstop directions to reference during our travel route. We were impressed with how much information the girls absorbed from the prior week and their generalizion of the skills. At Alice's we engaged in reciprical conversations with each other and worked on reading their peers' social cues and facial expressions. We reviewed appropriate tipping procedures and how to figure out the total bill. The group followed their hopstop directions back to our home base successfully! Fun, laughter and sweet treats were had by all!

Jonny Rockets--The Original Hamburger
February 23, 2013

This weekend we utilized our travel training skills and took the subway to Johnny Rockets in midtown. We reviewed the steps to purchase a metro card from the machine and each member had the opportunity to purchase their own card. The teens followed hopstop directions and lead the way to Johnny Rockets. We learned that the first location of Johnny Rockets opened in 1986 in Los Angeles, California. At the restaurant, students engaged in reciprical conversations and shared something unique about themselves in order to get to know our new members better. The students dined on delicous milkstakes, hamburgers and fries. Upon the return home, we were faced with an unexpcted situation as we learned that the downtown 6 train was not running. Together as a group, we problem solved and decided on an alternative route to get back to our home base. This was a very important lesson in travel training as there are often many route changes for the MTA. We now know we need to be always listening, paying attention, flexible and most importantly know who to advocate to for assistance.

 

Girls Group-Travel Training

We had a great girls group this week! We used hopstop and google maps prior to leaving for the outing in order to figure out the directions to our destination. The girls were very engaged in the process and quickly learned how to navigate these websites. We followed the directions on our iphones which led us to walk southeast to arrive at our destination. Upon arrival, we reveiwed formal language including how to order and pay for their own yogurt and used our math skills to provide exact change. The girls enjoyed this social time together and shared what they each did over February break. We are really excited about this new girls group and we are looking forward to next week's outing!

NYC Transit Museum
February 16, 2013

Teenz in the City had a great outing to the NYC Transit museum this past weekend. We learned about transit past and present, explored art and architecture, and went behind-the-scenes to the shops and yards that serve our region's mass transit system. The coolest part was going down to the old Court street station and exploring the old trains from the early 1900's, and comparing the differences from today's trains. We also had the opportunity to create our own electricity! We were happy to welcome a new member to our group this week and continue to be impressed by the ongoing communication among all group members.

 

GIRLS GROUP-- Bread &  Butter intro session

February 11, 2013

 

This past Monday marked the start of our new weekly girls' group! We decided on Bread & Butter for our first session this week. First, we purchased after school snacks and worked on how to pay a cashier. Each girl also completed an independence survey assessing how confident they feel about taking the subway or taxis, managing their money, and interacting with their peers. Each girl also set personal goals in regard to what they would like to get out of their sessions with Teenz in the City. We collectively came up with 15 ideas for outings we hope to do as a girls' group in the coming weeks!

Chocolate & Winterwonderland

This past weekend Teenz in the City traveled via subway to Max Brenners--Chocolate by the bald man in Union Square. We enjoyed a delicious lunch and sweet chocolate desserts including waffles with chocolate sauce and chocolate smores pizza yum! We learned that Max Brenner's childhood dream was to open up a restaurant after his love for Willy Wonka and the Chocolate factory movie. After lunch, the group headed over to the park and played in the snow! This was such a great outing!!! What is better than chocolate and snow?!

 

Dave & Busters
February 2, 2013

Teenz in the City headed to Dave & Busters for a morning of fun & games! We had the group look up the address on their iphones, and the group took on a leadership role to get us to our destination. Once we got to Dave & Busters, the teens played many games including deal or no deal and an awesome 3 way game of air hockey! Everyone won many tickets and we were able to trade them in for some great prizes. We chowed down on some delicious lunch and discussed our weekend superbowl plans. Fun was had by all!!!

Ripleys Believe it or Not

January 26th, 2013

 

 

This past weekend, Teenz in the City went to Ripleys Believe It Or Not in Times Square. We used google maps on our iphones to determine the travel route and address to Times Square. Upon arrival, we were amazed by the exhibit, in particular the tallest man, tongue curling mirror, six-legged cow, and a life-size albino giraffe. We learned that fact is indeed stranger than fiction!!! After the exhibit, we headed across the street for a lunch and engaged in conversation about all the new facts we learned. This outing was a really great time for all!!

Benihana- NYC
January 19, 2013

Back by popular demand, the teens requested a hibachi lunch at Benihana. We used safari to locate the exact address of the restaurant and took a taxi on the way there to practice hailing a cab, verbally communicating the address to the driver, and paying/determining an appropriate tip. At the restaurant, the group was amazed by the talented chef and his tricks! In particular, a volcano made out of onions was a crowd pleaser. The menu allowed each of the teens to select an option that they enjoyed. The teens used hopstop to figure out how to take the subway on the way home. They were very resourceful and followed the directions to be the leaders back to our home base!

Our Global Kitchen: Museum of Natural History

January 12, 2013
                            

This weekend, Teenz in the City had a great time visiting a very special exhibit called Our Global Kitchen: Food, Nature, Culture at the Museum of Natural History. During this exhibit, we learned about growing, transporting, cooking, eating, and celebrating food. The exhibit also examines contemporary issues of environmental and human health, food security, and feeding the world's growing population today and tomorrow. We even got to sample some delcious healthy treats and learned more about organic foods. The group used hopstop to travel to the museum. We engaged the group in a discussion regarding alternative routes and weekend train schedules. We reviewed how to purchase a metrocard from the metrocard machine. Fun, Friendships, learning & laughter was had by all!!

Our visit to the holiday train exhibit at Grand Central station

 December 15, 2012

On Sunday, Teenz in the City visited the eleventh annual holiday train exhibit at Grand Central station. The group was reminded to use their i-phones to determine the best travel route to Grand Central. We were impressed with how familiar the group is becoming with the subway system and knew which train we should take before looking direction up on hopstop! It shows that all their hard word is paying off. Upon arrival, we explored the Grand Central Terminal which we learned turns 100 in 2013 and we were able to enjoy this celebration! In a brand new layout built, model Metro-North and New York Central trains depart from a miniature Grand Central on their way North on a 34’ long, two-level layout. Vintage model trains from the Museum’s collection are on display joined by stunning New York Central railroad posters harkening back to Grand Central’s heyday as the nexus of long distance and commuter train travel. Afterwards, we explored the infamous food court for some delicious snacks and walked around the shopping area for some of their unique shops.

Holiday Market & French Fries for all!

 December 8, 2012

Teenz in the City had a great day together yesterday! We met at our meeting spot and engaged the group in a discussion regarding the weather as it was raining and our original plan for the day was to head to the Union Square holiday market which was an outdoor market. The group engaged in a good conversation on flexibility and change of plans due to weather! All members were very flexible and decided to give the holiday market a shot and if it started raining any harder we could easily leave the market. We engaged the group in some travel training, in particular a discussion on metro cards and how to check your balance of our metro cards using the machine and headed downtown via the 6 train to arrive to Union Square. Upon arrival, the group explored the Union Square holiday market and explored many different booths including art work, scarfs, gazets, gizmos, puppets & more! Afterwards, we worked up quite an appetite and headed to lunch at Wendy's in Union Square which won the group vote. It was great to be together and enjoy in the holiday spirit :)

We were our own chefs!

                                    
December 1, 2012

Teenz in the City had an awesome outing this past Sunday! The group practiced travel training skills by reviewing how to purchase a metrocard from the metro card machine and using hopstop to determine the best travel route to our outing location of Gyu-Kaku a Korean BBQ restaurant. We were able to cook our own food at our personal grill embedded in our table! The group determined that taking the subway uptown 2 stops would be the best travel route. Upon arrival to 51st street, the teens had hopstop open on the ipones and had to follow all the steps / directions to find the restaurant. They were very resourceful and did a great job! We sat down for a delicious feast of Korean BBQ. Since our group has several students in it who are true "foodies" and members who love to cook so we thought this outing was the perfect place to dine. The teens took some time looking over the menu to decide what they wanted to order, advocating for themselves asking the waitor many questions, as this was the first time the group was having Korean food. The group feasted on chicken, rice and grilled vegetables for our main course and ordered smores which we made right in front of us. We had a great time together and looking forward to the next outing!