It’s that time of year.

Need a study break? Like free food?

In case you haven’t been benefiting from the Blog meal credit cooperative yet — or even if you have — come on down to the libraries tonight and tomorrow for the semesterly tradition of Pizza Nite! If you haven’t been before, you really ought to check it out. It’s quite the scene.

TONIGHT (Tuesday): SciLi basement
Tomorrow (Wednesday): Rock lobby
Both at 9pm.

Expect crowds. (Also, apples.)

All for you. Those boxes are all for you.

The ever joyous and festive Cinco de Mayo tends to fall during a not-so-festive reading period for Brown students. Sure, this timing may be less than ideal, but engaging in the Cinco de Mayo festivities is a welcome break from the tedium of studying. Need a study break? Here are six reasons why you should check out the 3rd Annual Cinco de Mayo Block Party, taking place today from 12-6 p.m. on Westminster between Eddy and Clemence.

1. Face painting. Everyone needs to regress a bit, especially during finals.
2. Mariachi de Brown. Bet you didn’t know we had a mariachi band.
3. Curious as to where all your favorite food trucks are? They may or may not be on dishing out on Westminster. Go say hello to Like No Udder, Sprout, Mijos, and PVD Pudding Pops, among others.
4. Writer’s block? You can write Happy Cinco de Mayo messages on a Mini Cooper courtesy of ZipCar.  Get those creative juices flowing.
5. Stressed? Smash a Pinata…or two.
6. If you’re of age, get your tequila fix at the Block Party’s outdoor bar. It’s a beautiful day, and margaritas are calling your name.

See you there!

Image via.

As a senior, I’ve seen a lot of bars and restaurants come and go throughout my four years on the Hill. Liquid Lounge was replaced by the English Cellar Ale House. Toledo, the infamous pizza-in-a-cone restaurant, was replaced by Sahara Hookah. Chipotle replaced Roba Dolce  some random restaurant that had no customers. And Marley’s was replaced by Hercules Mulligan’s (until that too closed).

On Monday, Gourmet Heaven opened, replacing Via Via in terms of its location, and replacing surpassing Tedeschi in terms of its purpose. Within 48 hours of opening its doors, the specialty food store has gained widespread approval, and I’ll even go as far as to say endless amounts of love, from Brunonians.

If you haven’t been yet, remove yourself from the rock (Rock?) you’ve clearly been living under and go check it out for yourself. And, if you’ve already graduated, I’m sorry to say this so bluntly, but you missed out. Even the opening of Froyo World doesn’t even compare to this newest addition. Though there are hundreds of reasons to be a fan of Gourmet Heaven, here are the top 5: [Read more →]

So apparently it’s not new (#freshmanproblems), but Joedega is making a comeback on College Hill. This aesthetically pleasing truck “proudly serves fresh, locally roasted coffee from small farms around the globe.” I’m in! Just in time for reading week, Joedega’s extensive menu of brewed coffee, espresso, lattes, and teas will keep you pumped up for some quality time in the Rock.

The truck, which is posting up on Brown and George today, promises to be a savior for all those who were missing the iced coffee from Providence Coffee Roasters. And if caffeine isn’t your thing (congrats!), Joedega has a promising smoothie menu! Go check them out and keep supporting the ever-growing plethora of food trucks on campus.

The semester is not quite done, and neither is Aaron Fitzsenry’s culinary creativity. To send us into Spring Weekend and finals with full stomachs, he has some exciting specials planned that you won’t want to miss.

Tonight there will be a “Sweet Things Special” at Jo’s.  Games will be set up in the dining room, and you can expect chocolate-dipped strawberries and pretzels, ice cream floats with Gifford’s L.L. Bean ice creams, candy, some new varieties of fresh baked mini cookies, and grilled pound cake. At the “Three-Burners” station, Aaron will even be whipping up Bananas Foster Blondie sundaes.

Next week in the Blue Room, keep your eyes out for for Iced Coffee Floats on Wednesday, April 24. To kick off Reading Period on Friday, it will be offering Frozen Parfaits with either froyo or sherbert, fresh berries, fancy granola, and whipped cream.

Finally, on Friday, May 3, Dining Services will be throwing a BBQ Picnic on Pembroke field. According to Aaron, they will be “pulling out a grill and doing ribs, BBQ pulled chicken sliders, fresh lemonade punch, and a bunch of other things that I feel like bringing to a picnic.” 

Make sure to check out all of these events, and give Aaron a big “THANK YOU” if you happen to see him!

My first Geoff’s experience was four years ago when my family and I made the trek up I-95 for my older sister’s college visits. While I wish the instant I sunk my teeth into that superlative sandwich was the moment I knew Brunonia held a spot in my future, I remember being unimpressed by its flavor and only semi-appreciated the giant barrel of free pickles. Then again, I made the rookie mistake of creating my own boring sandwich. I now know that the extensive sandwich board serves to work in your favor — don’t mess with it. Four years later and over three months into my freshman year, I ventured down Meeting Street for a second taste — and, as my friend’s Instagram caption reveals, a meal that is truly “heaven between two slices of bread.”  Although the making of these sandwiches is debatably art, and the vibe of the establishment certainly plays into its deliciousness factor, here are some ways to recreate a Geoff’s original with the simple swipe of your ID: [Read more →]

Something special is landing in the Ivy Room tonight. Because Aaron Fitzsenry “felt like Ivy Nights needed a little love in the Fried Rice department,” he decided to “make it a party.” You ready for this?

Existing items at the Fried Rice bar include: Peppers, carrots, tofu, egg.

New items to expect: Pineapple, green peas, mushroom, broccoli, sprouts, water chestnuts, baby corn.

Finishing sauces include: Sriracha, sesame Mirin sauce, sweet chili, wasabi/ginger, hoisin.

In other Brown Dining news, The Gate is going to see a “Gnocchi Gnight” sometime soon. Additionally, many of you may have noticed that Jo’s has started off the semester with a risotto bar. Design your own version—whether you add roasted red pepper coulis, basil pesto olive oil, or just have it straight up, it’s bound to be delicious. Follow-up specials will be loaded waffle fries and the crepe bar. Get excited, I know I am.

Free pizza, anyone?

You know the drill: Pizza Nite repeats itself tonight at 9 p.m. in the SciLi FriSC.

Photos from last night at the Rock: [Read more →]

It’s that time of year again. The impending doom of finals also means that Pizza Nite is upon us once more. In this semesterly tradition, the library staff brings out boxes and boxes and boxes of pizza… and did I mention more boxes? (And cookies and brownies — and some apples to be healthy.)

Let them eat pizza. Rock tonight (Tuesday), SciLi tomorrow (Wednesday), both at 9 p.m.

The Blue Room — home to no shortage of desert specials — will feature cookie sandwiches today starting at 4 p.m. What exactly is a cookie sandwich, you ask? Aaron Fitzsenry, culinary manager for retail dining, explained in an email to us:

— You pick a couple fresh cookies, like choc chip, oatmeal, cranberry and white choc, or double choc mint. This is chocolate heavy.
— You pick either Espresso Fudge Ripple or Caramel Caribou (with choc cups) ice cream and we make an ice cream cookie sandwich. Really chocolate heavy.
— You get to enjoy this monster with a cup of Mocho, my cappuccino/cocoa mix.  And marshmallows.  Lots of mini marshmallows.