Around the Horn

I don’t cook much, and tossing a salad is a big step for me. Going to any dining hall is a treat because the only effort exerted is the energy required to walk up stairs. So, when my friend Patricia invited me to her dining event “American Classics Gone Green” at the Carl Becker house, I jumped on the opportunity. Patricia is enrolled in NS488, and their final project is to oversee a large dining function, from facilities to food management. Cathleen, Delana, and I went for the food.
The dinner featured mac-and-cheese, cassaroles, grilled cheese, and other home-cooked favorites, ALL made from local grown ingredients. With the outrageous gas prices these days (the Lins are reporting over $4.00/gallon in California), there is a lot more push for buying local grown foods to cut down transportation costs. With closer drop off destinations, less pesticides are used, and local people are pleased. I’ll eat a sweet potato fry for that.

We are so happy, so green, and so full.

Coursenroll for Juniors was last Monday. This was the first time that I finally had dibs on classes before anyone else. No more waiting lists, no more runs to the departments to get into specific classes. While the University had its own glitches with PeopleSoft, the new software that replaced our Just the Facts enrollment program, I did end up with the classes that I wanted.

My Fall semesters have always been fully loaded with important courses. While the same applies for Fall 2008, my distribution and major requirements are dwindling, and I find myself with a much “lighter” schedule that I anticipated.

Up to bat:

1. Introduction to Wines: This is every Senior’s must-take class. Apparently this class is harder than most, since not everything is about wining and dining.

2. Green Cities: In the College of Architecture, Art, and Planning. This is to fulfill my International Relations Concentration coursework.

3. Development of Economic Thought: A lot of econ majors and non-majors have good reviews on the professor, George Boyer. I also need two more 300-level econ courses to complete my major.

4. Foodways: Social History of Food and Eating.  I like food.  I like socializing.  This will be one of my fun courses.

5.  Asian American Urban Experience.  This is a seminar that I’ll be taking pass/fail.  Just something that I’m interested in listening in on, no pressure to make the grade.

So, all the previously heavy schedules have made way for classes that I just want to take.  with no pressure to complete distribution requirements, senioritis is imminent.

Yes, because all I’ve been doing these past couple of days is exploring restaurants!  I was invited to a focus group dinner at Taverna Banfi, the restaurant located in the Statler Hall.  I’ve always thought of Taverna Banfi as the upscale dressy/conservative restaurant that is reserved for special occasions, but after going for dinner tonight, I’m here to promote to the student masses.  Banfi’s before renovation was the conservative stuffy restaurant;the new revamped Taverna Banfi is bright, welcoming, and accessible.  While Banfi’s is perfect for a date or special celebration, it is also a wonderful on-campus option for casual weekday dining.

The first things you notice when you walk in are the large comfy chairs and open atmosphere, like walking into an open (what’s the Italian equivalent to a hacienda?) home.  The walls are colorful yet subtle.  The window views are to die for.  I had the pleasure of dining with 3 fellow hotel students who were doing their project on Banfi’s marketing strategy.  As with many students, I had no idea of the accessibility and convenience of Banfi’s on campus–not to mention the reasonable prices.  I ordered the house salad as an appetizer, the gnocchi as my entree, and topped off with tiramisu for dessert.  The service (mostly hotelies) was prompt and very gracious.  The food is deliciously rustic, and the chefs are careful to maintain authenticity with their preparation.  If sit-down dinners aren’t your thing, Banfi’s also offers an antipasti selection in their wine bar.
So, if you are looking for fine dining on campus, want to spice things up from your usual RPCC dinner, head on over to Banfi’s for some delicious Tuscan food.  Molto bueno!

Sunday Brunch is a double whammy, providing the perfect opportunity to chat and catch up with friends and an excuse to gorge on hearty and greasy fare.  While no restaurant or diner can compare with the myriad of brunch options offered at RPCC dining hall, Ithaca has lots of brunch venues.  The Carraige House, located on the corner of Buffalo and Stewart Avenues in Collegetown is a cutesy cafe offering delectable waffles and pancakes.  Just across the street, the ABC Cafe also offers a variety of organic and healthy breakfast items.

Right on College Ave. next to the famed Collegetown Bagels, I went to Rulloff’s for a brunch date with my friend Matt.  The restaurant is named after Edward Rulloff, the famed serial killer that roamed Ithaca during the late 19th century.  Rulloff’s is appropriately decorated like an older study/pub/drinking room, with dark forest green walls and old books and pictures.  I’ve only been there for dinner a few times before, and it was weird to walk into the dimly lit restaurant in the daytime.  But, Rulloff’s Brunch is apparently the thing to do on Sundays; the place was hopping when I walked in at 11.  The service was quick, the food was delicious, and people watching was continual, especially by the window.  If you’re looking for a casual sit-down place with good eats at a reasonable price, Rulloff’s is it.

While Mann Library on the Ag Quad is amazing for evening study sessions, I’m a regular at Olin Library’s Libe Cafe between classes. Just like my daily hit of green tea, Libe Cafe offers me my hit of social interaction for the day. There is no need to hike to the Ag Quad when I have a free hour. I also don’t have the focus to open my monetary policy textbook anytime before 8 pm. The chatting volume serves as my white noise catharsis, and if it ever exceeds my decibel tolerance, my ipod always does the trick.

Libe Cafe has an assortment of seating options. There are plenty of cushiony arms chairs, a couple of high table stools, and my go to option, the 2-seater arrangement. There’s a table with enough room to fit a laptop or spread your work out, and you have two marvelous views in the library: the Arts Quad and the Libe Cafe social scene. And with an extra seat, there’s always room for another regular to stop by and chat.

Kappa Delta held its Date Night at the Johnson Museum, one of my favorite spots on campus.  This is a great way for our sorority to explore Cornell instead of just having a social schedule consisting of formals and crush parties off campus.  And unlike last year, where we had the 6th floor conference room to enjoy the foggy-windowed panorama of Ithaca, we were allowed to walk around the downstairs exhibits this year.  So, how about those pre-Colombian clay pots?
While I try to visit the museum when I can, I was surprised to hear that a handful of sisters (and their dates) had never stepped into the museum.  Other than the temporary exhibits (which we had access to), the Johnson has a expansive collection of permanent works that it rotates on a regular basis.  And again, the AWESOME 5th floor view is something worth checking out.