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Games to Play on Your Break

Friday, June 17th, 2011

I can only slice so many fruit before I need something new.

It’s been a while since Cut the Rope became the popular game to play while sitting on the subway. If you’re looking for something new to fill up your time while commuting or sitting in the student lounge in between classes, check out these brand new puzzle titles that will keep the cogwheels in your brain turning as the clock drags.

Critical Mass (PC and iPhone)

Though it will be available first as a PC game, the iPhone version will become a portable version of the Wii game Art Style: CUBELLO, which received rave reviews back in 2008 despite its simplicity. In Critical Mass, a 3D mass of cubes floats in the center of the screen, and Bubble Bobble style, the player has to place their own colored cubes to match four of the same color, knocking off those cubes from the mass. The player wins when all the cubes are gone.

Admittedly, the game’s concept isn’t new, but the play style of Critical Mass is unique because of its 3D space. It also has different modes to spice things up with a timer or a set number of available cubes. Of course, you can forgo the timer and think the puzzle out at your leisure while on that three-hour break between classes. Be warned: the puzzles take strategy.

Essentially, the game is Bubble Bobble in 3D. And admit it, Bubble Bobble was the best game ever invented. Critical Mass is set to be released on June 20th on PC with the iPhone version to be announced. Personally, I can’t wait. Unfortunately, it won’t be available for BlackBerry, but if you have a DSi, you might want to try out this next game.

Hidden Photo (DSi)

This game is basically a photo hunt but with an added twist that the DSi brings. Not only are there puzzles included with the game, but also the main attraction is the ability to take pictures of your own with the DSi camera and make those into new puzzles. I can’t think of anything more perfect for sitting in high traffic areas like subway cars and college study areas. That guy sleeping in the library might not be getting any of his work done, but at least he’s providing you with some entertainment.

Unlike Critical Mass, which has the potential to become a popular puzzle game across many demographics, you probably have to already like photo-hunting games for Hidden Photo to be worth it. If you’re interested, you’ll be happy to hear that as a DSiWare game, it’s available super cheap, and is downloadable straight to your DSi from the DSi Shop for only $4.99.

That’s all the reviews I have for this week. I’m Avia, your Campus Clipper source for gaming news and insights for the college student. Check out my WoW blog at RP Your Life! and look below for a free coupon for my favorite burrito place!

-Avia Dell’Oste.

Check out my blog RP Your Life!

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Central Park Summer Fun

Thursday, June 16th, 2011

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For twenty-six years New York has been host to the Summer Stage arts festival.  It runs from June 7th to September 2nd and takes place in all five boroughs.  What is so great about this festival is not only the variety of shows but that most of them are free! They have all genres of music (alternative, rap, world music, Latin, opera), theater, dancing, and even comedy! There are over a hundred performances spread out between the five boroughs—18 different park locations in total. City Parks Foundation, which is a nonprofit organization that created this festival to promote art, culture and fun to NYC, provides these events. I took part in the festival and went to see the musical performance of The Script in the Central Park venue, Rumsey Playfield. And it was a great experience. Tickets were $30.00 and we were able to lay a sheet down to sit and eat before the concert started.  The food inside the venue is not just draft beer and plain ol’ hot dogs; they have the option of pizza, Asiadog and wine. For those of you who are not aware of what Asiadog is, they are hot dogs that have an Asian twist of topping on them. I’ve never had something like those hotdogs before in my life: they are delicious. Leave it up to New York to twist the classics and make gold out of them.  My advice when going to any of the performances would be to get there as early as possible! And if you bring along a sheet, you hold your spot in front of the stage and just relax. If you also don’t want to spend money on venue food eat before hand (Maybe a burger from 123 Burger Shot Beer) Listed Below are some events that I thought were note-worthy but if you go to Summer Stage’s website you can get the entire listing of dates and events.

Shows in Manhattan:

Lee Fields & the Expressions (music), June 25th 4:00 pm, Rumsey Playfield, Central Park, Cost-Free

“Comedy Central Park” starring Jim Gaffigan (Comedy), June 29th 8:00 pm, Rumsey Playfield, Central Park, Cost-Free

The Metropolitan Opera Summer Recital Series (Opera), July 11th 8:00 pm, Rumsey PlayField, Central Park, Cost-Free

Ratatat (Music), July 13th 6:30 pm, Rumsey Playfield, Central Park, Cost- $30 in advanced/ $40 the day of the show

Amitage Gone! Dance (Dance), July 15th 8:00 pm, Rumsey Playfield, Central Park, Cost-Free

Henry V by William Shakespeare (Theatre), Preformed by The Classical Theatre of Harlem, August 5th 8:00 pm, Marcus Garvey Park, Cost- Free

Shows in Queens:

“A Salute to Hip-Hop” Feat. N.O.R.E and Funkmaster Flex (Music), July 21st 7:00 pm, Queensbridge Park, Cost-Free

Hezekiah Walker (Music), July 27th 7:00pm, SpringField Park, Cost-Free

Kool Moe Dee (Music), July 19th 7:00 pm, Queensbridge Park, Cost-Free

Shows in Brooklyn:

Talib Kweli (Music), June 21st 7:00 pm, Red Hook Park, Cost-Free

We Are Scientists/ Milagres (Music), June 23rd 7:00 PM, Red Hook Park, Cost-Free

Dance Grand Moultrie (Dance), June 25th 7:00 PM, Red Hook Park, Cost-Free

Shows in Staten Island:

The Sugarhill Gang (Music), August 2nd &:00 PM, Tappen Park, Cost-Free

The Budos Band (Music), August 3rd 7:00 PM, Tappen Park, Cost-Free

Shows in The Bronx:

Slick Rick (Music), July 12th 7:00 PM, Crotona Park, Cost-Free

Xcstacy (Music), July 13th 7:00 PM, Crotona Park, Cost-Free

Summer Shakeup! (Theatre), July 16th 10:00 AM, Crotona Park, Cost-Free

Jackie Aqel

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Everything I Learned in Life, I Learned From Gaming

Wednesday, June 15th, 2011

If you don't stand in fire in game, why would you do it in real life?

After all the years of schooling, careful parenting, and going to (and dozing off in) church, it turns out that all of my life lessons ended up coming from video games. Aside from the usual “don’t stand in fire” and “turtles are jerks,” there have been more than a few jarring epiphanies leading to advice that helped me immensely in academics, work, and social life. Feeling skeptical?

1. If I want something done and done right, I have to do it myself.

I learned this while raiding in World of Warcraft (read: playing with 10-25 people at the same time to solve intricate battles). Sure, I had to trust my team and work as a cohesive group from week to week, but when it came to killing a rogue monster or fearing it away, I learned not to wait for someone else to do it while the leader yelled that we were going to die.

This advice has worked for me in real life, too. At a job, all of the employees work together toward a common goal, whether it’s customer service, meeting a deadline, or building something. But if it’s a choice between focusing on my job and letting something important in the office not get done, and taking a few minutes out of my time to ensure the continued smooth operation of the workplace, I tend to choose to take initiative for the good of the team as long as I’m not neglecting my own duties.

2. If I don’t work towards fulfilling dreams and life goals, I will eventually go crazy.

The original The Sims games were great, but when The Sims 2 introduced the aspirations system, it became a work of microcosmic genius. Fulfilling minor wants like kissing a significant other or gaining skills improved one’s mood, which in turn gave the extra boost required to do jobs well. What really spoke to me was the “Lifetime Want,” a life goal that, once achieved, would put a character in a perpetual good mood state for the rest of its virtual life.

And when a Sim went through day after day not fulfilling any of its desires, the poor thing would actually get depressed, sob randomly, and eventually have to see a shrink. It’s like the Sim is me! I could spend the rest of my life getting by with achieving minor wants, or I could set a (realistic) life goal and work towards a more lasting happiness. Oh the choices in the life a Sim… er… human.

Another thing I learned from The Sims was that ordering Chinese takeout and pizza is expensive and fattening, but that was a little less poignant. Be like a Sim and cook with your own groceries, and use the Campus Clipper coupon for Associated Supermarkets at the end of my post.

3. Some things are more important at certain times than other things.

Despite the confusing wording, this was a pretty harsh lesson for me. I used to sit at my computer playing games for so many hours a week, it was like a full-time job. Honestly, I still play a lot; it’s the hobby that I enjoy. But during the last couple years at my first university, video games were trumping every priority I previously had, including class, homework, and hanging out with the friends I used to see every week. It wasn’t until I dropped out of school and had to get a full-time job to support myself that I finally cut down on my gaming, because I didn’t have the money for it.

Above everything, the big lesson here was to manage my time. Now, I’m back in school, working part-time, and still playing video games a good deal, because I know that at certain points in the week/semester, assignments and exams will have priority, and at other times when I have a little room to slack off, I can hang out in my virtual world without guilt.

These “life lessons” may seem silly if one has already learned them from other, more traditional sources like parents and social interaction, but they are essentially the same, no matter what the source. It is a skill for people to be able to glean information from a variety of experiences and use it to grow. Whether someone is a gamer freak or a mountain climber, the world is waiting to be studied and learned from.

-Avia Dell’Oste.

Cross-posted to my blog RP Your Life!

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How to Manage Your Time For… Gaming?

Wednesday, June 15th, 2011

Can I go to class now, please?

PC gamers and console junkies alike can attest to not only the increasingly social nature of video games, but also the greater acceptance of gaming as a group activity since the first Xbox came with internet capability. While party games like Mario Kart were always popular and took advantage of the fact that people hanging out together required entertainment, classic and modern MMOs (massively multiplayer online games) like World of Warcraft and console games like Halo and Call of Duty call on people from all over the country and all walks of life to organize and play together. For college students, this means fitting gaming into a schedule, just like class or work, and keeping up with the demands of other players who might not be as busy, which can be difficult and frustrating. After all, no one wants to be left behind by his/her friends, even ones that are strictly online.

If you are getting into online gaming or have been gaming for years and are having trouble keeping up now that you’re in college, here are some tips to keep your head afloat in both work and play. Just like schoolwork, online game obligations can take up a lot of time, so it should be managed and incorporated into realistic schedules that don’t overlap with each other. For example, each semester, I look at my class schedule and syllabi and note which nights (or mornings, if you do your best work early in the day) that I know I will have something school-related to do, like weekly response papers that are due every Thursday and Calculus homework due every other Tuesday. Since it’s important to do assignments well and on time, Mondays and Wednesdays would be my days that I need a few hours just for studying.

Then I look at my gaming schedule. It might be weird to hear about someone having appointments for gaming, but when other players depend on you, it’s important to be on time for them like you’re on time for class (hopefully). If my clan/guild/group likes to play together from 9pm-12am on Wednesdays and Saturdays, I should make sure that whatever assignments I have to do on Wednesday gets done before 9. Many guilds on World of Warcraft raid in the middle of the week, so Sundays are great for doing all of the major assignments you know you won’t have time for on Tuesdays. Games that require load times or other periodic breaks are good for doing required reading though the frequent interruptions are less ideal for math or science problems or anything that requires an extended thought process.

When you’re having trouble managing your time because you procrastinate over deciding whether to play or write a paper, you may have to reassess your self-control. If doing work ahead of time isn’t a possibility because you don’t have the discipline, it might be a good idea to switch clans to one that plays only on the weekends, be involved with a smaller number of games, or play the games more casually, i.e. single-player instead of in a group. Despite wanting to prove to ourselves that we have the ability to do everything by sheer will power, it isn’t always realistic. Admitting one’s flaws and rearranging our schedules to account for procrastination is better than making idealistic plans and not getting the work done at all.

No matter how well you manage your time, finals week is always a difficult strain on your already packed schedule. But not everyone in your clan or guild is unemployed or a housewife, and it has always been my experience that when I take time off for finals, plenty of other players are doing the same, even guild leaders. Explain to them which days you will be missing and why. If it’s the kind of guild that requires 100% attendance, it isn’t a good fit for a student anyway since no matter how important your clan is, it’s not worth failing your classes for. Find a comfortable balance between your school and social gaming obligations, but always makes sure it tips a little to the school side.

And with all that time sitting at your computer or console, make sure to eat! Check out this awesome coupon for Whole Foods Market that lets you get all the ingredients for peanut butter and jelly sandwiches for some sweet gaming fuel at a discount.

-Avia Dell’Oste.

Check out my blog RP Your Life!

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Students Can Afford to Watch Broadway Shows, Too

Tuesday, June 14th, 2011

We all know that Broadway shows can be very expensive. But that does not mean that the pleasure of witnessing some of the world’s finest theatrical works has to be out of reach for average students. In an effort to encourage the younger audience to attend the shows, the theater companies offer a variety of discounts.

For instance, anyone between the ages of 18 and 35 can simply call HIPTIX at 212-719-1300 and join for free. Members can buy tickets to the Roundabout theatre productions for only $22, including fees. Each member may only purchase two tickets at a time and the person you are buying the ticket for will also have to be between the ages of 18 and 35. The shows include The Importance of Being Earnest, which is a really good deal as the regular tickets for the play start at $102. You can also buy tickets for Anything Goes amongst other Roundabout productions through HIPTIX. Membership may also get you invitations to after parties where you can mingle with fellow theater lovers.

Schooltix also offers discounts to various shows, including Phantom of the Opera! The cheapest ticket with this discount for Broadway’s longest running show is $26, and even though these tickets are for the rear mezzanine, it beats having to get standing room only tickets, which is the only type of rush tickets for Phantom. The discounts vary from show to show and may also depend on the seats. Other Broadway discounts include shows such as Catch Me If You Can, Chicago, Mary Poppins, Rock of Ages, and Mamma Mia!

You can also sign up with Playbill, free of charge, and receive 10%-50% discounts on Broadway, off-Broadway, Opera, Restaurants and Hotels.

Bushra Tawhid

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A Beginners Guide to Willyburg!

Tuesday, June 14th, 2011

My Grandma always said to me growing up, “There’s nowhere better than Brooklyn!” Even then, and still now, there was no possible way I could have disagreed with her. She saw the beauty in her hometown of Williamsburg, Brooklyn before gentrification was normatively associated with the area. In other words, Williamsburg was effortlessly cool before being branded so by the Hipster invasion. Some complain that the influx of Hipsters and the influence of their subculture will decimate an already existing culture. There is certainly some truth to that belief commonly held amongst natives, yet I’d like to celebrate and focus attention on the treasures of this area both new and long established. After all, if it were not for the newcomers there would never have been the much deserved attention and interest in Williamsburg. Here are five things to do and see in the urban paradise of Williamsburg, Brooklyn:

1. Eat Something Sweet

-Fortunato Brothers
289 Manhattan Avenue (between Ainslie & Devoe St)
Brooklyn, NY 11211

Fortunato Brothers is the ideal Italian pastry shop in the heart of a once predominantly Italian-American neighborhood. Here you can indulge and enjoy traditional Italian pastries like cannoli, sfogliatelle, and pastiche. Not only are their pastries great, but also Fortunato’s is well known for their homemade gelato flavors. I highly suggest sitting down with a friend for the café experience, order one of their heavenly hot drinks (cappuccino, espresso), and listen in on the Italian jabber of the older, dapper regulars.

Forget Neverland! Just take a trip to Greenpoint, Brooklyn and enjoy a scrumptious donut!

-Peter Pan Donut & Pastry Shop
727 Manhattan Avenue
Brooklyn, NY 11211

A celebrated Polish bakery that is so well know even Tina Fey of 30 Rock has raved over how amazing their donuts really are. Popular donut choices are the red velvet, coconut crème, jelly, and my own personal favorite, the classic white crème. They also serve coffee for a mere buck and the place has a cool, retro atmosphere as well. So I say sit on a swivel seat, have a cup of coffee, and enjoy a yummy donut! If you can’t make it to Brooklyn for the day, I suggest stopping by Just Sweet Desert House in Manhattan to get your sweet fix!

2. Enjoy the Great Outdoors

McCarren Park is a nice retreat from urban nuisances.

-McCarren Park
780 Lorimer Street
Brooklyn, NY 11211

McCarren Park is the place to be if you’re looking to spend the day outside, soak up some rays, and take part in athletics. The 35-acre park consists of a baseball field, soccer field, running track, and handball courts as well as bocce courts. On Saturdays the park becomes a farmer’s market filled to the brim with fresh produce and homemade baked goodies. This year the park will be the home base for the Northside Festival, which will ooze live music from artists such as: Wavves, Guided By Voices, and Beirut!

3. Check Out Cool Sounds

There are three premier record stores in Williamsburg and they are:

-Sound Fix
44 Berry Street
Brooklyn, NY 11211

The most organized of the three Sound Fix is an oasis for those obsessed with music. They have an extensive collection of both used and new albums from alternative artists that are both classic and contemporary. Also listening stations are available to customers so that they can preview albums.

-Academy Records
96 N. 6th Street
Brooklyn, NY 11211

Academy Records is vinyl heaven in a nutshell. The vinyl collection at this particular record store eclipses both Earwax Records and Sound Fix. You can also find used CD’s at their cheapest here! It is a sort of “school” for the true record enthusiast!

-Earwax Records
218 Bedford Avenue
Brooklyn, NY 11211

Although the most expensive, Earwax has the most variety of the three. They have a great selection of different artists and genres, which is a guarantee that you will walk out with just what you wanted. This place is bound to remove the wax from your ears and fill it with cool sounds for sure!

4. Dance with the Giglio! (July 6- July 17, 2011)

-Feast of Our Lady of Mount Caramel
275 N. 8th Street
Brooklyn, NY 11211

An annual festival held by Our Lady Of Mount Caramel Church for over 100 years now is a guaranteed fun time with friends. You can eat traditional festival food (zeppole, sausage and peppers) and dance with the Giglio. The Giglio is a large statue carried by a large number of men while a band plays music and people dance. It is a tribute to an Italian saint Paolino di Nola and the feast is one of three Giglio feasts conducted nationwide. It’s not to be missed!

5. Experience Live Music

-Music Hall of Williamsburg
66 N. 6th Street
Brooklyn, NY 11211

The Music Hall of Williamsburg is one of the many Bowery Presents venues in New York City. A young crowd flocks here primarily on the weekends to listen to live music, and the 21+ group has the added perk of a swanky bar on the lower level. I’ve personally seen live acts such as Wavves, Sonic Youth, and Best Coast. Every performance I’ve attended here has been a satisfying musical experience. If you’d like to get your mosh on (depends on the band) or just listen to some pretty darn cool music, here are some upcoming shows:

  • The Low Anthem, Wednesday 6/15
  • Flying Lotus, Wednesday 6/22
  • Peter Bjorn and John, Thursday 9/15

Anjelica LaFurno

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The Whole Jersey Shore

Tuesday, June 14th, 2011

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While most young New Yorkers have heard of Seaside Heights from the wildly famous show The Jersey Shore, many of them don’t know what the whole shore really consists of.  The beach towns of New Jersey stretch all the way from Sandyhook NJ to Capemay NJ with boardwalks and music and nightlife that, in ways, out-do Seaside by a long shot. Not to bad mouth Seaside Heights—my family for years has been traveling from Westchester to Seaside since I was a baby; it’s just that in recent years I’ve traveled up and down the coast and found new treasures that need to be shared and should be explored by all.

From Penn Station on 7th avenue at 33rd street, there is a train line (New Jersey Transit Line) that runs down the shore of NJ. For the fee of $14.00 New Yorkers can take the train down to all types of Beach towns and cities! Depending on what type of vacation you’re looking for (orientated towards family fun, romantic couple time, or fun with friends) there are a range of spots to suit your needs.

Long Branch, the first (and probably one of the nicest!) real beach town you’ll reach while riding the train is known for its clean beach, romantic restaurants and family fun events. Long Branch is the perfect town to take a family or couples vacation too. They have nights where everyone is allowed to go and make bonfires and spend the night under the stars. The beach has a long history of being one of the nicer beaches in New Jersey and is full of surfers (When I asked my surfer friend to describe it all he said was, “it’s got greeaaattt waves”) and restaurants of all different types. It is a great town to walk around, window shop and end your day at a restaurant. It’s a casual, calm sort of town that you would want to visit at least once in your life.

You can take a stop next at Asbury Park, NJ—where the legend Bruce Springsteen began his musical career—and take part in the thriving music scene.  Around every corner there is a coffee shop playing live music. Asbury park is known for its underground clubs all the way to their large music halls. With Festivals planned throughout the summer, any music buff would be crazy to skip over this city!

But if music isn’t a great interest of yours in the summer time heat, travel just two more train stops and hit up Belmar for the beach and nightlife. Belmar is like the northern Seaside Heights—the main difference being that most New Yorkers inhabit Seaside during the summer while native Jerseyians tend to flock to Belmar instead.  Just like Seaside Heights there are bars and pubs and restaurants all along the boardwalk and during the day the Beach there is clean and full of young people.  Belmar is an ideal spot for a vacation with friends. Belmar is best during the day; you can get the ultimate beach day in New Jersey if you head to Belmar! Like most beaches in New York and New Jersey, there is a fee of $7 for a daily beach badge. To save money though, I suggest bringing your own drinks and food with you to the beach so you don’t have to leave the beach and miss out on the sun! The town of Belmar isn’t loved only for the beach but also for hosting the New Jersey Seafood Festival in late May which brings in a crowd! People from all over the Tri-state area come to try all different types of seafood for a surprisingly cheap price. The Festival alone is worth the trip down, you don’t want to miss out on all that good food!

However, if you still plan on going to Seaside Heights (the desire to catch a glimpse of Vinny fist pumping and Snookie eating some pickles is too hard to resist, I understand) I strongly suggest taking a car.  Without one, the trains take you only as far down as the town of Bay head. It takes about 2 and a half hours and is still a good 15 minutes cab ride away from Seaside. It’s a challenge, but if you’re planning on spending the week there, renting a house with a group of friends, it may be well worth the trip! In Seaside Heights there’s a beach (10 dollar daily badges!), a carnival where you can go on big rides and eat delicious carnival food, bars that on Friday nights are 18 to enter, 21 to drink, and even a water park! But because there is so much to do, money quickly goes, so if you’re going for longer than a weekend, I highly recommend going to a local supermarket and making your own food to save some cash for going out.

But hey, if worst comes to worst and you’re low on cash, don’t have the spare time, and can’t make it down to the shore at all, you can always go to Future Tan Salon and Spa and get a mystic spray tan and look the part of someone that spent the weekend in the warm Jersey sun even when you didn’t!

Jackie Aqel

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Reserve: Unforgettable Thai Experience

Sunday, February 27th, 2011

Walking into Reserve, on 3rd Ave between 28th and 29th, I felt all the chaos and exhaustion of my day melt into the warm, red walls. A low light hovered over each table, with wine bottles stacked in every which direction. Even the bottoms of bottles protruded from the walls around the bar in the back, somehow without cluttering the small restaurant, but tinting the ambiance with the theme: a Thai inspired wine bar. While Thai restaurants are known for spicy foods in cozy nooks, Reserve adds an unexpected twist to the Thai experience: wine. I’m sure you’ve been to a number of Thai restaurants and been remiss about the quality of beverages, well, partner Luck Watanasuparp felt the same way. Luck’s family owns a number of Thai restaurants throughout New York, including All Luck and Thai Select, but this is her own venture in the restaurant business, at which she is doing amazingly well and loving it. Luck wanted to pair the four flavors of Thai food: Spicy, sweet, sour and salty with fine wines that would enhance each other when combined. The restaurant serves over fifty different wines, all within affordable ranges with a few higher priced bottles tossed in.

Reserve has been open for less than a year now in the Gramercy neck of the proverbial woods. Tucked among hot clubs and loud joints with drunks bouncing and stumbling out the doors or shouting from in between the cracks in the walls, Reserve is an oasis. It’s small, quiet, and personal. This is the perfect place to bring a date, or close friends when you want to sit down with a little background music and a lot of great food.

If you’re looking for something exciting and loud, why not head to Reserve for dinner as a calm before the storm?

The service is four star, with the shock of street cart prices. Before glancing at the menu, I assumed that it would be a stressor on my limited funds, but was pleasantly delighted to find that it’s cheap. I don’t mean New York City cheap, which is irrelevant to the rest of the world, but Kansas cheap, Mississippi cheap. I once ate a large, amazing meal at the Ajax Diner in Oxford, Mississippi for eight dollars, and this brought me back to the economy of the south, inducing a school girl giggle at the prices. I’ve spent more money on dirt, have I made my point?        

I brought two close friends of mine with me for dinner, and we lived like kings. We started with a Losen Bockstanz Resiling, a sweet wine, and paired it with spicy beef, duck wraps, and crab cake tapas. Everything was tender and cooked to perfection. The duck wraps, rich, fatty duck wrapped with fresh veggies in a flour tortilla roll, sushi style, was paired with a thick, sweet sauce. The large crab cake, enough for the three of us, was surrounded by three elegant sauces. The spicy beef was mixed with equally spicy and salty sautéed veggies. We indulged in a mango salad, larb pizza (with chicken and melted Mozzarella) and a curry green pizza. We ate slowly, discussing the flavor combinations and our awe at the portions. For very little money, the three of us left full, but not overstuffed, and feeling like we ate a healthy meal that tickled our tastes. Our cheeks blushed from the sweet wine as we walked out in a euphoric daze.

If you’re feeling bogged down by the sometimes treacherous city, tired of the rain and cold, and never having enough money to go out, Reserve is the place to go. It will pick up your spirits without draining your bank account. Long Island or Jersey commuters can even walk from Penn Station on their way home from work or class. Keep Reserve on your list, because you simply can’t miss out on all it has to offer for the economically challenged taste buds that require more refinement.

Written by Ashley Teal, Campus Clipper Blogger

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MAN TESTED, LADY APPROVED

Thursday, February 10th, 2011

Agreeing on a flick for a night at home shouldn’t be a terribly difficult decision for most couples, but sometimes a girl needs a little warm and fuzzy happy ending romantic comedy and no amount of rhetoric can make a guy settle down to some tear filled giggles. Then, there are the guys who agree to a chick flick and suffer through ninety minutes of watch checking and sighing, waiting to cash in their newly earned brownie points. Ladies, take it easy on them, and especially with Valentine’s Day around the corner.

Here’s a list of chick flicks, man tested, ladies approve:

Knocked Up: It’s criminal to have never seen this flick, or not to find it a source of quotable, comedic material. Seth Rogan and Katherine Heigl play a pair whose one night stand ends in conception and begins a whirl wind relationship where, like their child, everything is unplanned. Warning: may temporarily kill libido, best watched with committed partner.

Breakfast at Tiffany’s: Guys, don’t write this one off just because it’s got Audrey Hepburn in it. This is a staple in everyone’s film diet, and should not be ignored due to media attention and age. Nothing blows up, but this Truman Capote adaptation involves two escorts, Holly Golightly and Paul Varjak, jaded and living in New York, avoiding love and trying to make it. The score is amazing, and once you hear it, you’ll notice it popping up everywhere, even in Minority Report. If you have to choose between Breakfast at Tiffany’s and Casablanca, for a movie night, Breakfast at Tiffany’s is the more lighthearted choice.

Going the Distance: Don’t let the cover deceive you! The case for this flick looks like a made for TV movie, but it’s nothing if not brilliant. This star studded cast includes Drew Barrymore (on her A game), Justin Long, Charlie Day (Always Sunny in Philadelphia), Jason Sudeikis (30 Rock), Christina Applegate, & Jim Gaffigan. Barrymore and Long play a couple attempting a long distance relationship from New York to San Francisco. While the plot is easily identifiable, the candid conversations will keep you, and your beau, stifling laughter so you can hear the next line. I would easily label this as the best romantic comedy of 2010, hands down.

When Harry Met Sally: This is another must see for all movie goers. If you haven’t seen it yet, you’ll recognize a lot of other films imitating this one, monumental chick flick. From writer Nora Ephron (You’ve Got Mail, Sleepless in Seattle, Julie & Julia, etc), the queen of romantic comedies, is the story of a twenty year friendship that tackles the crux: can men and women be just friends? Be wary of the debates this will bring up, as it’s known to cause an argument or twenty, but if you take it with a grain of salt, this one is sure to keep you giggling.

Life as We Know it: This Katherine Heigl film takes off in the comedic department where Knocked Up left off. An unlikely pair are given custody of their mutual friend’s child after the couple passes away and they struggle to find where they fit into their new lives. This one is smart, funny, and on the girlier side, so choose wisely. Ladies, be prepared to shed a few tears in front of your movie partner.

If you and your other half are tight on cash, why not pick up some take out and rent a movie for Valentine’s Day? Keep things light, funny, and romantic with one of the choices above, and take it easy on the fiscal expectations.

Written by Ashley Teal, Campus Clipper Blogger

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BE ANNOYINGLY HAPPY

Tuesday, February 8th, 2011

Happiness, to me, was always a shiny yellow ball that, when I reached a certain point in my life, would descend upon me in an ethereal manner and consume all my fears. Well, that’s so untrue I don’t know where to begin. In matters of love and romance, happiness cannot be achieved between two people, no matter the compatibility of interests, unless each individual is independently happy.

How then, can you be happy if you don’t have everything you want, or even need? The answer is annoyingly simple: it’s not a matter of having what you want, but wanting what you have. This does not eliminate ambition, or instill placency, it simply stifles the all consuming self pity that can hinder one’s ability to achieve. Shiny, happy people do well in life, but how do you become one of those people?

Power of Food: If you pour sugar into the gas tank of a car, it doesn’t run, it clogs up the work and creates a mechanic’s nightmare. Now, imagine your body as a car, you put the wrong things in and you’ll get little in return. This doesn’t mean that you can’t have fats or sweets, but if you’re feeling lethargic and run down, the first instinct is to grab for the comfort foods. The fuzzy end of the lollipop is where you’ll find yourself in this situation, because that cheeseburger or candy bar will only dig you deeper into exhaustion. Find things that are healthy, but taste good. I always feel better after I eat a salad, but I don’t stick to low fat dressing with plain lettuce. I spice it up with crumbled goat cheese, craisins, chopped walnuts, and a variety of other cheeses, dried fruits, and nuts, and maybe some croutons or parmesan. Add flavor to your healthy foods, at least you’re eating a salad. I love to warm up pineapple and bananas in a frying pan and sprinkle them with cinnamon. You have to enjoy what you do and eat, because what’s the fun of being skinny and energetic if you constantly starve yourself?

Physical Fun: What ever happened to just running because it was fun? When was the last time your friend chased you through a park and it wasn’t because you slept with his girlfriend or stole his iPod? It’s a struggle to go out there and exercise if you’re not hard wired for it, but once you get on a roll, you might like it. The key is to find something that gets to excited, something that holds your attention. I like to box and to row. I can’t afford to row, so wherever I’m living I find a place that offers boxing. I recommend a private trainer for the first couple of times, and most places will offer some kind of deal. I’m often surprised that I pay someone to make me work until I feel like passing out, but I feel great after and my energy level goes through the roof. I have friends who play Frisbee, join soccer teams, jog, do pole dancing and strip tease classes, take dance lessons, and they all rave about how much more motivation they have when they exercise, they just had to find something to maintain their interest. Even if it’s watching TV while you work out, whatever does it.

Self-Hypnosis: Alright, I know this sounds crazy, but you can actually talk yourself into being happier. A lot of us are naturally inclined to find the negativity in a situation before they look to the positive. Here’s a little trick that’ll get you smiling more: when you walk into work in the morning, before you do anything, write down three things you’re grateful for. After fifteen days, you’ll start to see a significant improvement in your demeanor because you’re training your mind to naturally try to find positive things in your environment. This also works when you’re fighting with your hubby, sit down, breathe, and tell him or her three things about them that you’re grateful for. Verbalizing makes it more tangible. I like to list three things I’m grateful for before I go to sleep at night, out loud, and it helps calm me into a state where I can more easily fall asleep, and it prepares me for the morning. Mind over matter, just try it.

Healthy people are happy people, and happy people make great partners. Try a few of these tips, and maybe sit yourself down and ask what it is you want in life. Even if you know you want to be in better shape, have better skin, a better job, a new pair of sneakers, etc, verbalizing it will make it easier to visualize and eventually obtain. Trust yourself.

Written by Ashley Teal, Campus Clipper Blogger

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