A Review of the Caffeine Scene on Grounds

Classes at UVA have started again, which means my consumption of caffeine has increased exponentially. Usually I make coffee or tea at home in the morning to save money, but sometimes I need a little between class “boost” to get through my last few hours on grounds. I have spent the past four years scoping out the various on-grounds café options, and here is my report card:

(haha first, here is a picture of me drinking coffee)

Alderman Café: Located conveniently on the fourth floor of Alderman, this spot serves Greenberry’s coffee, a variety of baked goods, and frozen yogurt. Although it is the perfect location for a “stacks” dweller, the line gets ridiculously long during peak hours. If you make it to the front of the line and order your drink, you have to stand awkwardly close to strangers while you wait for it to be prepared. Once your drink is ready, you have to pick it up (without a hot sleeve or traveler lid) and walk the dangerous three feet back through the line to the service counter to put on your lid and sleeve yourself. The coffee is good and this location stays open until 11PM, but the poor design and high traffic of this café leads me to give it a B-.

Clark Hall Café- I like this café because it is located in a little nook off the main entrance of Brown Library, surrounded by paintings of naked people. The lines get REALLY long between classes, but I am always amazed with how quickly they move; the baristas yell back to the people in line and start making their drinks before they get to the register so the café runs very efficiently despite its small size. The cups and sleeves station is out of the way of traffic, so it is much safer than Alderman. I give this spot an A.


The Fine Arts Café- This spot serves local food and Java City. It is probably the swankiest on-grounds dining option available-- unfortunately it is off the beaten path for most undergrads unless you are in the A-School. Despite the location, this spot gets an A.



Java City at the Bookstore- This place never has a line! If you are a perspective student getting souvenirs from the bookstore with your parents or you parked in the Newcomb garage and need to kill time before class, this is the spot for you. Otherwise, the hours are pretty bad (they are only open weekdays and close at 3PM) and it isn’t close to any classes. This location gets a C.


Poolside Café- The thought of drinking a cup of coffee and then trying to work out makes me wanna…. Give this place an F.


Starbucks- This location in the new South Lawn area is brand new. I just went here with a professor last week and I was suprised to see that it was exactly like any commercial Starbucks (not some watered-down, limited menu type-crud). Unfortunately the baristas are still VERY slow and I have been "cut" in line all three times I have been here. I temporarily give this place a C+, but I look forward to improvement.


West Range Café- If you are in the College, this is the best location for a between class cup of Joe. They are efficient and polite. I also love the sweet man who works the register in the morning. A+.



Wilsdorf Café- If I were an E-School student, I would definitely hit this spot more often. They are super fast and have lots of good snacks. Also a great study spot for those awkward 40-minute breaks between classes. A.

Looking into the past

Like photography and all things vintage? Check out 'Looking into the past' on Flickr to compare snapshots of buildings, statues, roads and people with the present day scene!

Here is my favorite...

Thomas Circle in Washington D.C.

Make your own teapots/cups

http://www.lazydaisyceramics.com/

Considering that I am in a Do-It-Yourself craze, this place makes me really happy. It's always nice to get new mugs and teapots, but one that is designed by you is even better. I'm planning on looking into getting some of my sisters to go out and try this place in Cville, and I hope you do too!

-Aditi

Celeb Greeting Cards?

I've heard of celebrities debuting a perfume or a clothing line. Branding yourself certainly isn't a new concept. But I couldn't help but stop and look when I saw Taylor Swift's new...greeting card line? The "line" is sold in American Greetings stores and has 43 styles.

guest etiquette

so I've been seeing a lot of posts around the blogosphere lately about hosting guests in your home. many sites are recommending that you put together some kind of packet for your guest with details about the house, things to do in the area, emergency contact, etc. I get where people are coming from with this, but it all seems a little impersonal to me.

of course, having fresh towels, maybe a spare toothbrush, an alarmclock, etc. available to your guests is a must. but chances are, if someone is staying in your home (if that is your sorority house, family mansion, or very, very old but *charming* college house in my case), they are probably close to you. personally, I wouldn't want my friends to feel like a concierge if I am staying with them, and frankly I would feel like they didn't want me around if I found a list of activities in the area.

what do you think? how much is too much if you're having a friend stay with you?

I ♥ paper.

seriously, I love paper. there is just nothing like it. lately I've been following this awesome blog from a paper store... just for the inspiration.

they just came out with the cutest calendars, and I am totally in love! personally, I use a lilly calendar which I had color-coded by activity, but that just became too complicated.

compulsive organization aside, there are still a million reasons to love paper. I'm a big fan of personalized stationary and hand-written notes. they are completely underrated and under used. in case anyone is interested, I found an article explaining the circumstances under which one would want to write a note. they list gift thank-yous, invitation responses, condolences, business lunches, invitations to a friends' home, and apologies. I'd add to that: a thank-you for a party, birthdays and thinking of you.

of course and email is nice as well, especially if you are in a pinch (no stamps, no nice paper, pen is out of ink, etc., etc... trust me, I'm in college too). but if you have a minute or two there's nothing more personal!

My constant craving

Are you a lover of ice cream?
STOP.
You need to make the transition to frozen yogurt. I'm not talking about the frozen yogurt you find at Arch's on the Corner or in the frozen aisle at the grocery store. I'm talking about the good stuff. Stores are popping up all around the country, selling tangy frozen yogurt that REALLY IS good for you. Not only is it low in sugar, fat, and calories, but it is crammed with live, active cultures (aka the healthy bacteria).
The most basic frozen yogurt offering is a tangy, plain flavor. However most yogurt stands offering a plethora of flavors that you can mix in: Chocolate, Honeydew, Mango, Key Lime Pie, Green Tea, Madagascar Vanilla Red Velvet Cake Batter, Cafe Latte...you name it. And as if the many flavor options were not enough, there is always a sort of "toppings bar" containing items such as chocolate shavings, fresh fruit, granola, chopped nuts and graham crackers.
Don't know were to find this delicious treat? Here is a list of the most popular stores...
Pinkberry
Iceberry
Yogen Fruz
Fruity Yogurt
Red Mango
Yogurt Land