Category: The Vision Room Blog

Last weekend  was unarguably on of the most stylish nights for the books.  The Vision Room had its big 2022 debut with stylists Charles Reynolds from The  Pluglicist  to coordinate a high fashion look for social media’s style icon,  Hennessey Carolina.

Everyone was there but we give credit to the following brands that showed huge support and love. Now lets get in to these looks.

First up we have, Charles Reynolds (left), in a dripped in handmade Arcoa  (@arcoa.ny) and Air Jordan kicks. Charles he was looking sleek and ready to fly.

Next we have Xavier Banks (right), who graced us with his fashionable presents,  wearing a jacket by Arcoa  (@arcoa.ny), shirt by Revery, and shoes by Rick Owens (@rickowensonline). As per usual, he always smashes any look. 

Finally we have Hennessey Carolina (center) our pièce de résistance,  in a snow stopping Daniel’s Leather fox trench coat ,  gorgeous black laced one piece by Shane Justin, and Christian Louboutin pumps.

In great words of Fat Joe, these bombshells reminded us that  “Yesterday’s prices [will never be ] today’s prices. Together, this trio keep the city that never sleeps on its toes. 

By Neha Seenarine

There are plenty of listicles on the internet about the best fast-food, French fries. This simple side dish has sparked controversy on which restaurant serves the best. What makes my list more trustworthy than others? Nothing, it is all about preference. 

(Photo by Nathan Dumlao on Unsplash)

What makes the perfect French fry?

French fries is the only acceptable food that your friend can stick their hand in your plate for. The perfect fry to me is seasoned shoestring cut. I am not big fan of potato wedges or steak-cut fries because I think there is too much potato inside. I prefer a good crunch. 

Most fast-food restaurants stick to the straight cut for its simplicity. We usually see crinkle-cut in Chinese takeout and Curly cut and waffle cut varieties can be find found at local diners. However, Arby’s and Chick-Fil-A serve different cut fries and that is one of the things that makes their menu diverse from other fast-food restaurants. 

A major flaw about French fries is that they get soggy quickly because, they are not meant for a catering event, just something quick like your lunch break. 

This is where my spiel on French fries ends, here are my top five choices:

(Photo by JC Gellidon on Unsplash)

1. Five Guys – Cajun Fries

Five Guys is not stingy with their servings. You order a small, they will give you twice the amount. The fries are seasoned perfectly, and it is served in a cup. It is easy to be on-the-go with your Five Guys fries. I am not sure who the five guys are, but they are doing a great job. The only downside is not everyone can enjoy Five Guys’ fries, they are made in peanut oil and the probability of allergies would be an issue. 

1. Popeyes – Cajun Fries

Again, the Cajun fries. I guess we can see a pattern on my preference. The fries are thinly cut with some flakiness to it. Popeyes’ fries keep me going back to their orange box for more. A big flaw is the portion. Maybe it’s me, but a large order of Popeyes’ fries is barely sharable for more than two people.

1. Wendy’s 

Wendy’s fries lack seasoning, but there is a nice thin cut to them. They are a bit bland, but nothing that ketchup can’t fix. There is a great dipping sauce that can stir some controversy – it is the Wendy’s Frosty – personally, I would dip in the chocolate Frosty.

1. Chick-Fil-A – Waffle Fries

Enough with the straight-cut fries! Chick-Fil-A’s waffle fries hold a nice flat shape. Also, it seems to hold sauces much better when dipping. Although I am not a fan of Chick-Fil-A’s mission statement, their fries are worth the try.

1. McDonald’s

The Classic. You cannot go wrong with McDonald’s fries because it is a perfect cheap buy when you need a snack or you need to satisfy a child and there is location in every 15-minute. The fries overall are a bit salty for me. It is not my first choice, but it is not unbearable to eat.

I am from the East Coast. I have not had the opportunity to travel and try regional fast-food restaurants like In-N-Out, Jack in the Box, or Raising Canes. When I do, I will be sure to update this list. 

Written by Samantha Stemmer

(Kast Media)

After 14 long years without the comedy and drama that Fox’s The O.C. provided, Rachel Bilson, who played Summer Roberts, and Melinda Clarke, who played Julie Cooper, have partnered with Kast Media to produce the podcast “Welcome to the OC, Bitches!” The podcast features both Bilson and Clarke re-watching the entire series as both cast members and fans, revealing the behind-the-scenes scoop with each episode featuring different guest stars.

The podcast, which is scheduled to produce over 100 episodes, premiered on April 27 and will release episodes weekly on Tuesdays. The first episode featured series creator Josh Schwartz, who is also responsible for creating teen drama Gossip Girl. Bilson, Clarke, and Schwartz discuss the casting process, creation of the show and development, and all their favorite moments of the pilot episode.

The second episode, which was released on May 4, “The Model Home with Patrick Rush,” features Bilson and Clarke sitting down to watch the second episode of The O.C. with the main casting director of the series, Patrick Rush. Rush tells Bilson and Clarke the hardest roles to cast and his favorite lines from the second episode of the series. Rush also starts to get some of the “tea,” asking Bilson about her relationship with Adam Brody.

(Kast Media)

On May 11, the third and most recent episode of “Welcome to the OC, Bitches!” centers around the third episode of the T.V. series “The Gamble,” and welcomes guest star Peter Gallagher. Peter Gallagher, who plays the character Sandy Cohen, was the first member to be cast on the series and brings a lot of enthusiasm to the podcast as he shares his audition experience. 

While fans might not have gotten The O.C. revival or reboot they dreamt of, this podcast is the perfect solution. Fans can dive back into their favorite 2000s teen soap for around an hour and a half every Tuesday to relive the series and find out all the actor’s gossip and inside scoop. Bilson remarked that they will welcome many other guest stars to the podcast and even added that they hope Mischa Barton, who played Melissa Cooper, will join for an episode too.  

The next episode of “Welcome to the OC, Bitches!” comes out on May 18 and can be found on a multitude of streaming services including Spotify and Apple Music, additionally each episode can be found on YouTube. We at The Vision Room cannot wait to see who next week’s guest star will be. 

By Neha Seenarine

(Photo by Dalelan Anderson on Unsplash)

Our world is reliant on technology, but what if it was taken away from us?

We are dependent on our phones, television, and laptops to navigate our life for us. We would not know how to drive to a new restaurant without a GPS app or what to wear without checking the Weather app before we hit the shower. Luckily, I can explain what happened to me in a day without technology in 2021. A storm hit my town and took out my electricity. I imagined the power would be restored after an hour or two because that is usually the case with bad weather. However, I was in for the longest day of my life. 

Seventy seven percent of people responded that they believe society as a whole relied too much on technology to succeed according to a study by Penn State. When people say all their work is on their laptop, it is true. I had my phone running on cellular data until the battery died. I sat there thinking about all the work I could have gotten done. I could have finished school assignments, written an article, or update my Pinterest boards if I really wanted to. 

“The type of entertainment we get from technology today is known as ‘passive’ entertainment,” according to the University of People, which is like being on autopilot.  This could be anything from binge-watching a show on Netflix to listening to a podcast. It does not require much effort. Passive entertainment, or passive leisure, is different from active entertainment or active leisure, which involves the exertion of physical or mental energy.

Communication Technology has soared, and we have taken technology for granted. We use social media to pass time and abuse search engines to answer all our questions. I was not able to see my emails or follow up with a friend on how they are doing today and the funky memes they saw. I am so used to my mother texting me if I am ready for dinner. Texting lacks facial interaction and the steps we could have made across the house.

It seems that I was out of the loop for a day. However, it was nice to be away from all the blue light seeping into me. I would recommend taking a break from technology whether it is a few hours or a weekend. It allows you to reflect and be exposed to the things around you. Your phone can break, but the external resources around 

Date: December 20th , 2020

Location:  Above Art Studio New Brunswick, NJ

As Told by JimmySoDope

Newark, NJ has a historic relationship with poetry. After all, our mayor is a poet himself and the son of critically acclaimed author & poet Amiri Baraka.  When I heard that the Brick City battle rapper/entrepreneur Tsu Surf was hosting the “SPOKEN WORD” event presented by his Raw Bunch record label & the non for profit Detox The Hood, I wasn’t shocked whatsoever. I was even more excited when I got wind of the secret location, the world famous Above Art Studios in New Brunswick.

A statement that Surf said his first time on stage pretty much set the tone for this article and the evening as a whole, “You can lie in rap, but you can’t lie in poetry.” Every poet mirrored this truth with superhuman displays of honesty and vulnerability. I caught up with Tsu Surf’s manager and the event’s coordinator Qua to ask him how they arrived at the decision to enter the battle rapper into the spoken word space. He replied, “I love Surf. I work with Surf, manage Surf but this isn’t about him. It’s about the other poets. I’m using Surf as a platform to shed light on the people. I’m setting the stage for these poets and then with the proceeds we are helping out the less fortunate.”

I inquired about Ashley The Poet’s creative process and she shared with me, “I cry when I write. That’s how I get my poems to be the way I need them to be. I write so I can change somebody in the crowd. I need somebody in the crowd to feel me. I get in tuned to the exact feeling I had the moment I went through what ever in writing about.” When I asked if she’s still healing from her experiences that have been catalysts for her art, she replied, “The healing process never ends!”

The socially distant event delivered on every level. The paintings on the walls and easels of the Above Art Studios space were top notch as they are notoriously known for. The complimentary Pinot Grigio didn’t disappoint. The poets really performed from a place of love, gratitude and vulnerability. On stage they were full of audacity and wisdom, off stage they were dropping jewels as well. JaNai Aka Ki’Nu said “Everything I do is to support our people. I feel like the Black Man does not get enough recognition and praise so when I get on a stage that’s the first thing I address.” When I asked Poetree about her performance approach she told me, “I speak from experience. From who I am. I could get on stage and just start spitting but speaking to the audience allows me to FEEL first.”

XVIIDUKE said, “It feels good to be free. When you’re free you are real.” I asked him what was his underlying message he wanted to get across with his poems, he responded, “Question everything and remain in love because we are love!” And love was the energy that everyone felt! The audience was thoroughly engaged. They laughed, clapped and snapped their fingers when poets pulled on their heart strings.

A conversation with the author of “Tripping Over Canvases” and co-owner of Above Art Studios, Donte T Muse had a different tone. We spoke of how they were able to keep the art gallery thriving while so many businesses crumbled during the economic downfall caused by the pandemic. He explained how entrepreneurs could have taken preemptive measures to make their businesses recession proof! Donte did however have a message for those of us who are now learning that entrepreneurship and group economics are not trends but an absolute necessities if we are to rise as a community. “Love what you do. Pursue your talents and passions. Your passions are directly tied to your purpose. If you follow those things, everybody wins because you’re a piece of the puzzle.”

Qua confirmed SPOKEN WORD was initially scheduled for the 1st quarter of 2020. Obviously Covid-19 had other plans. All in all, I couldn’t think of more powerful and purposeful way to end the year. Before the night was over, Surf assured that SPOKEN WORD is indeed a series and for the next event we can expect him step aside as the host and step in as a featured act. Stay tuned….