RESTAURANTS
Sushi Rail
By: Veronica Muñoz 10C
I bet once in your life you have ran out of cash, and you literally can’t afford anything; then, you start looking for the cheapest prices on everything like clothing, cravings or food. In the past days I decided to visit a delicious and affordable restaurant in Bogota, Colombia. This one is for sea food lovers, especially sushi, it’s called Sushi Rail.
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Located in one of the busiest places of the city, Centro Comercial Atlantis, the place has a very different and unique dynamic from the rest of restaurants; It’s self service! When you go in the first thing that captures your attention are the conveyor belts that are situated all over the restaurant rotating small dishes with approximately 4 sushi in each dish. The waiter’s job basically reduces to 0, why? Because the customer is the one in charge of choosing and picking his own food from the conveyor belt next to them, and the waiter is in charge of bringing you the drinks. The restaurant’s menu is divided in different sections, with different prices, numbers and colors. The first color in the menu is blue, in the section you can find sushi up to 3,200 pesos, Isn’t that the cheapest? If you decide you want a sushi from the blue section, you just have to look up in the conveyor belt the sushi with the blue dish and the number of the sushi you’re looking for. The same goes for the orange dishes (5,900 pesos), the green dishes (7,700 pesos) and the black dishes (10,700 pesos) which are the most expensive ones. Every time you take a dish from the rail it comes with a little number attached to it, a number designed to be put it in a bowl that is placed in the table to keep track of how many and which sushi you have eaten so far. At the end you give that to the waiter and they can give you your check.
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Now the pros and cons, of course a huge advantage of this restaurant is that you don’t have to wait for your food at all, you just pick it up from the rail as many times as you want, as easy as it sounds. Another clear advantage are the amazing and affordable prices for fresh and delicious sushi of many kinds. About the disadvantages I can’t say anything bad about it; in my personal experience, food was amazing, service was amazing, prices were even more amazing, I can just say, what an awesome experience!
In general, this is a very recommended restaurant for those who don´t want to spend much or can’t spend much, the dynamic of the place will make you fall in love with it and eventually visit it a couple of more times.
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By:Laura Suarez 10A
CANOA
For all sushi lovers, Canoa is the brand new favorite Japanese restaurant. Canoa is not like the traditional oriental restaurants, this is a sushi-bar, a perfect place for a friend’s night out. This Japanese “tabern”, is inspired on the izakayas, typical oriental neighborhood bars where it’s customary to ask for different dishes at the center which are accompanied by a couple of cold beers.
Two months ago my parents went out on a date and they came all crazy talking about this new sushi place and how delicious its food was, although it was a little expensive. My sister and I decided to go and prove what my parents were talking about, as soon as we got there we realized why not many people knew about Canoa. It is not located in a commercial place, it’s literally hidden in the middle of a neighborhood. But as people say, the best places are hard to find, they are not always in the most popular places. As soon as you enter the restaurant you can notice its beautiful design, which has an old style with a rustic touch. As I said before this restaurant counts with a bar too, and an amazing wide range of liquors. The menu has a great variety, not only for sushi but for noodles, teriyaki beef, crab rolls and many others. From my experience I really recommend this place for you to go with your family or friends, its food is extremely delicious.
Italia Rústica: the perfect restaurant for a date
How can you decide where the perfect place is to take that special someone for a date? When taking into consideration that a date is a romantic scenario, the best way of choosing a place is looking for the most romantic one. Anyways, that’s not the most important thing. If you’re going to a restaurant you must look for a place in which you know you are not only, going to feel comfortable, but also knowing the food is going to be delicious and perfect in price for your budget. Italia Rústica offers all the above.
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The restaurant is in the gastronomic area of Usaquén; it is as well most known for its original and representative decorations and architecture of Italy, which makes you feel in such country once you step in. They also have great taste in music; it gives the perfect touch to make the perfect Italian setting. The restaurant is small, which makes the experience much more personal; the waiters are all dressed according to Italy’s way of dressing, they are efficient and are always looking for ways of improving your experience. Since the place is small, they have time to satisfy everyone perfectly, not to mention their politeness and great attention. Though all what I’ve mentioned is quite important, the thing I liked the most of it was the food.
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Once you smell it you know it’s going to be delicious. They offer an extensive menu that includes traditional Italian dishes and the best of southern Italian flavors which leaves you with lots of choices and new food to try, also the menu includes vegetarian options that are delicious. The restaurant offers as well, private zones, parking lot, menu in different languages, Wi-Fi, delivery and Bar. If you want to go, it would be wise to make a reservation because most of the time it´s full of people, but you can also go without one. When I went I ordered as an entry the CARPACIO ESCANDINAVO DI SALMONE AFFUMICATO; that is smoked salmon carpaccio with feta and dill. For the main dish I ordered SPAGUETTI ALLA CARBONARA CLÁSICA that is carbonara spaghetti with smoked bacon and white wine. Finally, for dessert I tried the RICOTTA NERO – BIANCO that is ricotta cream, chocolate biscuit and white chocolate. Everything was delicious.
I recommend Italia Rustica because the food is delicious, the setting is perfect for its Italian concept and because the staff is super friendly and efficient.
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By: Isabela Camejo 10A
Books
One Plus One = One Amazing Journey
Jess Thompson just wanted to take her daughter to the Math Olympiad, but her plans were ruined when she was stopped by the police, who confiscated her car, leaving her, her daughter, her stepson and Norman, their huge dog, stranded on the side of the road. And just when Jess thought her luck couldn’t get any worse, Ed Nicholls came to the “rescue”, surprising everyone (even himself). They embark on an unconventional road trip that will change the life of everyone inside Ed’s car, even Norman’s. Was it destiny that Ed found them? Would it have been better if he hadn’t stopped to help them or was it the best decision of his life? With One Plus One, an amazing novel by Jojo Moyes, you will embark on a journey, with the characters and their occurrences, that will make you curious about what’s going to happen next; thus, allowing you to get lost in the words and phrases, yet preventing you from getting bored and ditching it.
Saying One plus One is a love story would be underestimating it. For me it was a love adventure. This book is not like the romantic novels that only portray one kind of love: the attraction type, in which two people who are perfect for each other have love at first sight and spend the rest of the story holding hands and always end up being the perfect couple everybody wants to be. This story is about many kinds of affection: the love of a mother towards her children; the love of mathematics (which is extremely rare nowadays); and the love you feel towards the book as you read it. It is not just a novel to read and forget, it’s a story to soak up and learn from.
Although the theme of “exciting road trips” is not a new one, Jojo Moyes manages to make a great, unique story out of it. It has compelling and relatable characters. Also, a plot that may not be a little fantastic but it still manages to lure you more into the book as you read. Additionally, it reflects current issues from a close point of view.
I would recommend this book to anyone who is dealing with lack of hope. Whether you’re a teenager or an adult, I’m sure that after you read this book, your perspective towards money, opportunities, love or even math, is going to change.
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By: Ana Sofia Padilla 10C
IF HE HAD BEEN WITH ME
If he had been with me by Laura Nowlin is my all-time favorite book. I recently read it and, although it is a heartbreaking story that got me multiple times to the verge of tears, it is a must read. It’s a story which deals with issues of friendship, first loves and family in the most intense way I have come across in a long time. The book starts off with the most heartbreaking chapter which lets you know how things will end up but still get you hooked with the story.
The author makes you feel like you are reading your story, like reading a diary. That is why it is so interesting. It is all about going through puberty and being a teenager who does not understand her feelings. When I got the book, I did not plan for it to be so good; nonetheless, i did not plan for me to love it like I did. I have now read it almost 6 times and I cry every single time. That´s how powerful and meaningful the story is. I can totally relate to Autumn, the main character. If He Had Been With me is a roller-coaster of emotions.
Autumn and Phineas are best friends since birth, literally. Their mothers are also best friends, so they were with each other before they're even born. As they grew up, they drift apart though. It is the heartwarming tale of missed chances and what might have or not happened if Autumn and Phineas would’ve embraced their feelings for each other since the beginning. I recommend this book if you like love stories that you can read easily and finish in just one sitting. I hope you read it!
By: Camila García 10B
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Movies
FEEL THE ADRENALINE WHEN WATCHING “NO ESCAPE”
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By: Carolina Rodriguez 10C
Nowadays, love, action, horror, comedy and even classic movies are a routine, every scene leads to a predictable ending. No different feelings are provoked. Have you ever experienced this? Having a thousand options on Netflix and choosing one can be the worst when planning a movie night. If you are tired of looking for a movie that generates an impact on your life and makes you feel not only adrenaline, but at the same time it can be a movie that keeps in touch with realistic situations, there’s no better option than watching No Escape!
No Escape tells the story of a businessman (Jack) who moved with his wife and two daughters to Southeast Asia. After arriving there, they find themselves in the middle of a national crisis; due to the result of the confrontation of the citizens against the authorities, turning the city into a zone of civil war. While they seek for a way to escape from the city, they realize that foreigners are being executed immediately. They must confront this war by being constantly between life and death. As if it wasn’t enough with the foreigner’s execution, they must deal as well with a group of killers following Jack’s family’s path; the question is, Why? Because they were Americans? Because they were the only white colored?
It should be noted that during the film there are a hundred deaths without much sense. Another thing to have in mind, is that it’s recommended to watch the film with family, not because of the action scenes, but because it shows the importance of it. Jack, the protagonist, shows the viewer how he did everything only for protecting his wife and daughters, nothing was impossible for him when saving his beloved ones.
No Escape can be classified in a suspense / action genre. This film is highly qualified. On Netflix, it appears close to a five- star punctuation. I can guarantee that the movie is so interesting that you are not going to have the chance to blink, every scene will take your full attention. The most amazing thing when watching this movie is the feeling of adrenaline. The viewer will never feel as a spectator, everyone is going to be transported to the No Escape world. Are you ready to feel this tension?
To All the Boys I´ve Loved Before
By: Laura Cubides 10A
To all the boys I’ve loved Before is a romantic-teen movie, released by Netflix on August 17,2018. This movie is the story of a teenager named Lara Jean, who has never openly admitted her crushes; instead, she wrote five letters about how she felt. Imagine, what if all the crushes you ever had found out how you felt about them? Tragic, right? Well, that’s exactly what happened to Lara Jean. She discovered that her secret box of letters had been mailed, causing all her past crushes to confront her about the letters. As she learns how to deal with her past loves face to face, she discovers that something good may come out of these letters after all. Any guesses? This is the perfect movie to watch a Friday night with some popcorn; you will get caught in an impressive way, since nothing turns out to be how you had imagined. If you are a fan of teen romance, it will be easy to find many positive aspects of this movie including messages about self-confidence, honesty, and family unity. But wait, you thought that was everything? If you are not only a fan of teen movies, but also a fan of teen-based literature, congrats! The film is based on a three book series that tells more details about Lara Jean’s stories; which you will want to read after seeing the film because you're going to be left with a lot of intrigue to know what happens next.
