|
5/1/2012 |
It's almost that time of year. I can taste the salty breeze, the fresh lemonade and the juicy watermelon. The school year is comin’ to a halt and summer is rollin’ in fast. Some may begin to wonder what they're going to do with their free time. Well here is a small list of ideas that will help you start planning ahead!
|
|
4/30/2012 |
For all you graduating seniors, trust me, I know.
I know exactly how you feel. You can't wait for all your work to be done and finals week to come and go. Unfortunately, there’s a price to pay. Once finals week is over, then it’s cap and gown time… completely bittersweet.
We have one week to check everything off our list. If you haven’t started yet, it’s absolutely crucial to let your hair down. Now is the time. Have you gone to Mr. J’s one last time? Have you gone downtown to Kline’s, Dave’s or Jack Browns? Have you dared to streak the Quad? (2 a.m. is the best time to accomplish this!) These are the things that will sum up your experience here at JMU. Take advantage of this last week and try not to stress about finals too much!
In comparison, some of you may be ready to move on and start another chapter in your life. You’re over house parties, silly papers to write and making dumb mistakes. All you can think about is going home and finding the right job. But if you’re like me, the thought of entering the real world kind of haunts you in your sleep. Well, we can't stop time and the countdown has official began. May 5th is approaching fast and it’s time collegiettes; time to prepare for what we’ve all been working so hard for:
Elle Woods shouting, “We did it!”
The past four years have been memorable, and probably the best years of my life. Graduation will be sad, but the thought of it being on Cinco de Mayo not only makes me even happier, but helps me with my bittersweet blues.
|
|
4/10/2012 |
Ladies! It’s officially springtime, and the weather is consistently getting better! Why not take advantage of your time away from home and explore what’s surrounding you? Believe it or not, there are a few fun things to do in the small community of Harrisonburg! Here’s a list of the top five:
1. CrossKeys VineyardsIf you’re 21, this vineyard is not far from JMU at all. Enjoy a great afternoon filled with beautiful scenery and delicious vino. The Tasting Room is open daily from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m., and the “Grape to Glass” Tours are available daily at 12 p.m., 2 p.m. and 4 p.m. Get the girlfriends together and sip on some red and white wine! Also, check out their website for more information!
2. White Oak Lavender Farm
Unique to the Shenandoah Valley is a family owned lavender farm! Go straight down Port Republic Road, past the CVS, and on a road to the right you’ll find a beautifully landscaped farm. With rows of various lavender plants, the family business makes and sells its own products. Enjoy the peace and serenity the farm has to offer along with all the animals!
3. Rooftop Dining
Weather permitting, head downtown to your favorite restaurants! Check to see if they offer outside seating, or even better, rooftop seating. A local favorite, Dave’s Taverna, offers seating on their heated “Taratsa”. Also check out Pennybackers’ rooftop options and Jack Brown’s tables outside. |
|
3/21/2012 |
It’s that time of spring again, ladies! March Madness… when all the men in your life are glued to the television screen flipping back and forth between college basketball games. When you’re in class, take a look around. Most likely the guy sitting in front of you is watching ESPN Live on their computer. Essentially, the only things on guys’ minds are which team they picked for their bracket, how many upsets there will be and as long as they’re beating what’s-his-name they won’t be mad.
There’s only one thing for you to do: fill out your own bracket! Even if you don’t follow basketball or the tournament has already started, the challenge of guessing the winning team is fun enough. For your convenience, here’s a little background to all the madness... |
|
2/22/2012 |
Who knows your deepest, darkest secrets? Who knows your weirdest habits and doesn’t judge you? Who knows that you hate tomatoes but you love Bloody Marys? Who do you call to vent about your weekend stories? By now, you should have realized I’m talking about your best friends.
The best friends that know you’re still in love with your ex.
The best friends that know you have OCD and just laugh about it. The best friends that are always there for you at 3 a.m.
But what happens when those close friends become the far-away friends? When those close relationships become long-distance relationships? Word around town is that long-distance relationships don’t work… especially in college. So what can you do to make sure you don’t lose the people that you’ve intertwined your life with? |
|
2/9/2012 |
First of all… why do we celebrate Valentine’s Day? Who exactly is this Saint Valentine? Middle Ages, chivalry, Geoffrey Chaucer, blah, blah, blah. But let’s be honest. Valentine’s Day represents a number of different things that can lead to a variety of circumstances. With only twenty-one years under my belt, I’ve come to learn that Valentine’s Day has countless options that you’ll find yourself relating to.
Option One: Honeymooners
Valentine’s Day is going to be a blissful, loving and beautiful day for you and your special love bug. You tend to reminisce about your relationship and start to relive why you’re together. Obviously, an exchange of nice gifts is in order, along with a nice dinner, which most likely will lead to something even nicer after dinner. Essentially, you and your guy make everyone sick with your happiness. Happy Valentine’s Day! |
|
1/18/2012 |
All right ladies… it’s that time of year. Real winter temperatures are setting in, snow is starting to fall, and you’re cozy at your place wondering why your guy isn’t there with you. I’ll tell you why! To be perfectly honest, he doesn’t want to be around all your roommates talking about how the first week of classes went. He doesn’t want to watch chick-flicks and glamorous upcoming award shows. No. He’s ready for some football!
Not just any football… the NFL PLAYOFFS football! What better way to a guy’s heart? The golden ticket, the perfect key, the yellow brick road is being able to have a decent conversation about sports. Fortunately, now is the perfect time to get your head in the game.
Instead of staring at social media sites all day, meander your way over to ESPN.com or download NFL Mobile for your iPhone. Get the low down on who’s playing whom, who’s the team to beat, and which team belongs to which conference. (I doubt anyone would mind reading a thing or two about Tom Brady or his Uggs.) Learn what a “Quarterback Sneak” is or how scoring a “Safety” works. If anything, at least learn that “BJ” on the back of the ref’s shirt stands for “Back Judge!”
|
|
1/16/2012 |
How many times have you sat around and thought, “There’s nothing to do in Harrisonburg?” How many people knew that an Irish pub opened under 865 Apartments?
Corgan’s Publick House, conveniently located, serves traditional Irish food while surrounding you with European culture. A fresh draught Guinness, shepherds’ pie, cottage pie, bangers and mash, burgers… you name it, it’s on the menu.
From my recent experiences abroad, a traditional pub is what American culture needs: a nice cozy place to relax with friends, listen to live music and enjoy a chilled Guinness. That is exactly what this place has to offer: great food combined with a great atmosphere. With hopes of attracting families and students, Corgan’s Publick House is the perfect getaway from classes to relax in Harrisonburg’s closest “Ireland.”
Make sure to check it out and keep the business strong!
Cheers! (As they would say in Ireland!)
Opening Hours:
Sunday: 11 am - 11 pm
Monday: Closed
Tuesday: Wednesday: 11 am -12 am
Thursday: Saturday: 11 am - 1 am
|
|
12/15/2011 |
Well, this is depressing. My days in London are at their end. By the time you all read this, I’ll have already flown across the pond and will be sitting in my house in Virginia Beach… crying. But before I go down memory lane, I’ll tell you about these last two weeks I’ve spent at my second home. Since my last post about Paris, I’ve “celebrated” Thanksgiving and have basically spent every British Pound that I had.
Let me remind you: England doesn’t celebrate Thanksgiving. So of course Christmas decorations have been up since November 1st. Oxford Street is blinding with Christmas lights. Every shop window is dazzling with holiday cheer. It was really hard for us to even feel like it was Thanksgiving. Trying to find a restaurant with traditional Thanksgiving food was virtually impossible. My roommate and I hesitantly booked a reservation. Poppers, confetti, and balloons were on every table. There was no stuffing, no mashed potatoes, no mac n’ cheese, but there was turkey and pumpkin pie! Our conclusion: great effort for trying but it felt like New Year’s Eve. So if you’ve been jealous about all my excursions, I was jealous about how everyone gladly gained five pounds on Thanksgiving eating traditional comfort food and watching American football! Not to worry though, my mum’s gladly recreating a Thanksgiving meal for Christmas!
|
|
11/30/2011 |
Bonjour!
First thing's first, I need to establish my obsession with France. I am determined that I was definitely French in my past life. My blood turns to glitter at the mere thought of the Eiffel Tower. I am utterly fascinated by the language, the culture, the food, the wine... essentially everything! My number one goal in life, besides somehow managing to score a decent job after graduating, is or was to go to Paris. I listen to French music. I watch French movies. My apartment has approximately seven pictures of famous French attractions. I've studied the language since 7th grade. All of these things combined (if you haven't figured it out) means that I am French, whether it's on my birth certificate or not. Therefore, with extreme self-containment, I barely held in my excitement for this past weekend's trip to the most romantic city in the world: Paris.
We arrived late Thursday night. Besides the fact that our hostel was no where near any points of interest, didn't have a Parisian feeling at all and wasn't anything that I had hoped for, nothing could make me think negatively about the city. I knew French citizens absolutely detest everything and everyone not French, don’t appreciate anyone trying to speak their language, and absolutely hate Americans; however, knowing these aspects allowed my expectations to not exceed themselves. I could have gotten my purse stolen, but I still would’ve loved everything about Paris. To ignite my excitement, the group met outside Notre-Dame the following morning.
|
