Take Class on Fire Island in Summer 2013!

Plan a trip to the beach this summer that includes a Fluent City workshop! Dive in and get exposure to French or Spanish without committing to more than a quick hour and a half lesson outdoors. Fire Island workshops are held on Saturday mornings by the pool or on the beach with backup classrooms used in inclement weather. Get an overview of how the French or Spanish language works, pick up a few key phrases, and meet a few new friends to grab a drink with later that night if you choose to stick around for the day!

If you have friends who spend their summers at Fire Island, pass on the word that we will also be hosting our regular group classes during the week.

The Hotel Colors_postcard_front

Parlare in Italiano Night at the Bushwick Starr!

Want an evening of theater, Italian and free booze? Yep, we thought so. All month (May 8-25th)  THE HOTEL COLORS, a new play by Eliza Bent, will be in performances at the Bushwick Starr. The play takes place in Italy so the production staff are celebrating by throwing Parlare in Italiano Night on Thursday, May 9th. Here are just a few of the perks for attending…

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Booze and Schmooze: German Meetup NYC May 9th!

German Meetup NYC Night!
Thursday, May 9th at 7:30pm

Schmooze and booze with a group of young working professionals visiting from Frankfurt, Germany. Fluent City is hosting a bilingual German meetup at Harefield Road and wants you to join! Come practice your German, meet a few penpals and have a drink or two! Non-German speakers also welcome. 21+

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New York’s Other Chinatowns

by Michelle Kiefer

Sky Foods in Flushing, Queens

One of the best things about New York is the ability to travel to a neighborhood that feels like a foreign country right in the middle of the city. Those looking to get a taste of Chinese culture typically head to Manhattan’s Chinatown, but the fastest growing Chinese communities in New York are actually located in the outer boroughs, in Brooklyn’s Sunset Park and Queens’ Flushing. Unlike Manhattan’s Chinatown, where you’re just as likely to stumble into a souvenir shop as you are a Chinese market, a trip to either of these neighborhoods feels like it should require a passport. Your Mandarin skills will serve you well here, but whether or not you have a Chinese dialect up your sleeve, your strategy should be the same: head straight to these neighborhoods’ eateries and markets to experience the best of New York’s other Chinatowns.

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The Art of Literary Translation

Fluent City is pumped for our panel on the art of literary translation going down at WORD (126 Franklin St, Brooklyn, NY 11221) this Friday, March 29th at 7pm. The panel was originally cancelled due to a storm (silly New York weather) but it is finally happening and we want you to join! Fluent City sits down with moderator and award-winning author Jordan Schnee to get a preview of the discussion that will happen this Friday.

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Join us for a Spanish game show taping on April 9th!

Join Fluent City for a live taping of Spanish game show Minuto Para Ganar (Minute to Win It), hosted by Marco Antonio Regil, host of the Mexican editions of Family Feud and Dancing with the Stars! Fluent City will be in the live audience on April 9th at the 1pm taping. The taping should go until about 6pm and guests are welcome as long as you RSVP!

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Fluent City’s 12 Favorite Moments of 2012 in Pictures

by Mandy Menaker

It has been a terrific year at Fluent City. During 2012, Fluent City added Japanese, Russian and Hebrew classes. Our 10 Brooklyn classrooms and rented Manhattan classroom spaces were filled to capacity. We secured a convenient and terrific Manhattan space by Times Square. In addition, we raised over $1000 for Sandy relief and the New York Food Bank through our commitment to donate a percentage of signups in the weeks following Sandy. Our Williamsburg space became home to several orphaned organizations in the aftermath of Sandy including the Bellavue Survivors of Torture. We got closer with our regular coworkers, the funny folks over at Hypervocal. We even became a film set used by College Humor, Practical Jokers and Brooklyn Independent Television! Yep, 2012 has been pretty excellent. Here are 12 of our favorite moments of 2012 in pictures:

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Where to Hear Arabic Language Online and in New York City

by Christopher Ibraham

Students often ask me where to check out Arabic music, poems, shows, gatherings and more. Here are a few of my favorite videos online and New York City places to hear Arabic language. Please comment and let me know if you have places to add to this list!

Here is some cool stuff to check out online regarding getting your ears tuned to the sounds of Arabic:

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The 2012 Holiday Gift Guide from Fluent City

by Mandy Menaker

Finding the perfect holiday gift can be stressful, but we’ve got you covered with suggestions for a few ways to personalize and package a language class. Your picky roommate, boyfriend, sister or best friend will love any of these affordable gift ideas. You can get a little selfish and grab a class for yourself too. After all, signing up for a class together is the perfect way to continue seeing a relative weekly after the holidays are over! Let us help you select the perfect gift with our 2012 Holiday Gift Guide…

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Best New York Russian Restaurants

by Darya Chernina

Fluent City’s Russian Professor weighs in with her top NYC picks for experiencing Russian food and culture. She comments, “I’ve been to all, so they are Darya-approved :-) ”

Places to eat and listen to some Russian:

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