Greetings! I’m Ariane Marchese from Bayside, Queens. I’m a Cuban Chinese mix and I’m a Physics major. When I’m not in school I’m Starleeter. As Starleeter, I voice-act for video games and animations and make translyrics for Asian music so that singers can sing foreign songs in English and expand the genre to the English-speaking audience.
There’s a Thai café located a block away from my local library. When I first moved into the neighborhood, I didn’t think much of it. Even so, it’s lit up “open” sign caught my attention. When I started volunteering as a tutor at my library, my mom would come after my hours to walk me home. As we passed by the café, we both admitted that we wanted to see what was in there. Now, every Saturday I tutor kids at the library. When I’m ready to go home, my mom walks home with me and we order sandwiches and Thai iced teas no matter the season.
I lost count of how many years I’ve been tutoring just as I lost count of how many times I’d order Thai iced tea from that small café. Walking in there feels so refreshing yet homely. It’s so small that there are only three little tables set up for at most three people to sit at and the walls are a warm and calming orange that it makes me feel at ease everytime I walk in. Other restaurants make me feel intimidated with their large staff and big seating areas. As much as I enjoy eating food in these expanded or extravagant places, the simplicity of the café gives me the most relaxing atmosphere for me to enjoy my meal. I also remember talking about my numerous stressful and humorous moments with my mother on the small table by the window. Many of my memories and feelings are tied to that small Thai café on the block next to the library. I couldn’t imagine what my childhood would have been without it.
Ariane Marchese
Airmarches
arianekmarchese@gmail.com
Bayside
