Interesting things are afoot within the V-Dub. If you’ve been by the coffee dispensers at any point within the past few weeks, you may have noticed that the familiar Cafe Blend has been replaced by an intriguing new variety, one that’s guaranteed to get all you Bears out there Buzzing with excitement (you know they thought long and hard about that one).

According to sources within Verney-Woolley, Bear Buzz possesses approximately the same amount of caffeine as Cafe Blend (the exciting ‘Buzz’ label notwithstanding) but contains a differing blend of Arabica and Colombian beans. We sent our resident coffee expert to get the final verdict on Bear Buzz’s quality: [Read more →]

As fun as this looks, we should have better manners

Call me the Lucifer of the Ratty. Last year I cut every line, smuggled food out every visit, and once I found myself snatching the serving utensil at the chef’s corner out of someone’s hands before they had served themselves.

I never questioned the ethics of what I was doing last semester because…well, I was hungry. But this year I’m turning over a new leaf.  Why?  Last time I cut the student centipede, the two ladies at my back kindly reminded me that there was a long file of Brunonians behind me (awkwarddd). My heart must have grown three sizes that day, because later I was at the V-Dub and paused at the thought of taking the last two chicken parmesan cutlets.

But why should I feel guilty? I am the overlord of the omelet line, sultan of the salad bar—that chicken is mine! As I was doing laundry that night, a stranger accosted me in the basement, calling me “THAT GIRL WHO TOOK MY CHICKEN.” He broke me.

I don’t want to be that chick who took the chicken, and neither do you, so here are some guidelines for being polite in the cafeterias while still doing good by your tummy:

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The newly introduced experimental concept of “bowl that holds non-negligible amounts of food/drink”

“Bowls” in the Ratty: We all know them. We all hate them. Until now (now being like a week ago, but I’d say that’s a pretty fair turnaround on getting a post written and published). For the longest time, a FlogDailyHerald piece on the offensively bad design of the Ratty bowls, which were probably the greatest problem confronting Brown and/or humanity in the past 30 or so years, had been gestating, gathering steam, being meticulously edited, scheduled for release at the perfect time, positioned to change our understanding of tableware/life as we know it… vaguely discussed every so often. Well, no need anymore. Thanks to the tireless efforts of Brown UCS, the Ratty now features bowls that hold more than half a ladleful of soup. The significance of this development can’t be put into words, but if we did put it into words, the words would be “life-changing,” “globally important,” and “infinitely better.”

UNFORTUNATELY, there is much work left to be done. For one, the mug size at the very Sharpe Refectory now boasting improved bowls has inexplicably plummeted, and the hot chocolate machine has been spotted failing to produce hot chocolate on multiple occasions. More importantly, the plastic cups remain fun-sized versions of the V-Dub’s big boy cups, because apparently mass-ordering normal cups became too expensive halfway through and we decided to downgrade so we could preserve funds to operate the SciLi during a blizzard do, uh, whatever it is we do with our funds. So, yeah, good work, Ratty-bowl-changers. Now fix our mugs and cups.

Image via.

How do we even begin to explain waffle cake? We can’t. This is simply something you must try for yourself. The V-Dub holds endless possibilities. Here’s how to make your very own. (You’re welcome.)

1.  Get a mug. Any mug will do!

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As a freshman, the meal plans at Brown can be confusing. Like, really confusing. In the words of wisdom from my senior friend: “Get the Flex460 plan. I could explain it, but I won’t. Just do it.” Though I feel like I have come a long way since my pre-frosh days—I finally know how to stumble back to my dorm on Wednesday nights make it to my classes on time—I, for the life of me, cannot comprehend the multivariable calculus that is the meal plan system.

When I’m coming home in the wee hours of the morning (1 a.m.) and am looking for some pizza from the Gate, I can hardly tell the difference between left and right, let alone credit and points. After starving from studying all day in the Rock, how are you supposed to make a calculated decision about the best meal option? Screw it—say what comes to mind first, and hope for the best.

Once you overcome the first obstacle (or come to terms with never understanding the system), you will realize that you are just embarking on a journey full of choices. What type of food do you really want? You can go to the Ratty, V-Dub (can someone please confirm it’s going to start opening on weekends?!), the Gate, Jo’s, and many others. The possibilities truly are endless (like the lines in the Ratty). Be wary though, each location has different hours of operation and payment methods. Word of advice to fellow frosh: Check out the Brown Dining Services website, Brown Menu, or our sidebar (on left) for details. They’re a godsend.

But for those of you who are too lazy too busy to click on that extra link, fret not, for­­ I have compiled a list of my go to quick and easy ways to most effectively use your meal credits around campus: [Read more →]

Tao — “the way.” The notion’s metaphysical vastness is alarming. “The way” to what? Taoism, an Eastern belief system, would contend that it is “the way” to best interact with and understand nature in order to lead a happy life. But college students consider “the way” pretty often, too. “The way” to get “the right” level of intoxicated. “The way” to check BlogDailyHerald in a 10-person seminar. “The way” to get a high-paying good job after senior year. Someone’s probably even pondered “the way” to avoid yielding to cars at Brown and Waterman. There is one question, however, that almost every Brown student contemplates at some point in his/her undergraduate education: what is “the way” to best utilize the meal plan? Everybody has his/her own answer to this all important question, but BlogDailyHerald will offer some insight on the pros and cons of meal plan taos after the jump.

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It’s St. Patrick’s day, and, naturally, BUDS is pulling out all the stops.  For lunch, they’ve set up multi-part build-and-frost-your-own cupcake stations in both eateries, with sugar shamrock garnishes included. Dinner will feature some pseudo-authentic Irish fare (sorry, Ratty, the cupcake trend began in New York, not Dublin), with corned beef brisket and colcannon potatoes.  Diners not wearing green will be forcibly removed.

In a move that stunned almost all Pembroke dwellers this morning, Brown officials have decided to do away with the celebrated “PB&J” and replace it with simply “P&J” for this week.  Although this shift toward a simpler menu may promote better health, peanuts and jelly between two slices of bread sounds strangely off-putting. The reception across campus, moreover, has been mixed.

“Are you kidding me?” Michael Presser, Pembroke resident, exclaims. “The butter is clearly the best part of peanut butter.” Perhaps there is truth is Presser’s words. For example, what would ice cream be without the cream? Where would science fiction be without the fiction? And who would want to attend The Vagina Monologues without the Monologues?

“This is an utter outrage,” roars freshman Trevor Olds. “Can peanuts be smothered all over my body? I don’t think so.” It seems that this issue is affecting students in more than just ways gastronomical, however peculiar.

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Diners at the V-Dub today will quickly notice that the normal, reusable tableware has been temporarily replaced by disposable dishes. The dishwasher is on the fritz, according to signs up in the dining room, leaving Brown diners with no choice but paper plates.

Wait, what? Why??

Who can explain this tragic situation? Please comment if you have info!

Update: Apparently the V-Dub is not closed tonight (September 27th). Must have been some sort of internal error with the website. See Ratty vs. V-Dub on the sidebar for the menu.