CUCblog

Monday, May 12, 2008

Annual Greek Festival

Attend the Annual Greek Festival held at the Saint Sophia Greek Orthodox Cathedral in downtown Washington, DC.

If for no other reason, go for the delicious Greek food and delicacies.

The festival will be held May 16, 17 and 18 from 12 noon to 9 p.m. each day.

The Saint Sophia Cathedral is located about one block from the National Cathedral

For more information, click here.

Labels: Can Your College Do This?, events, restaurants, student life, washington dc

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Friday, February 08, 2008

Valentine's Day---Last Minute Plans?

If you are stressing about how to make restaurant reservations for Valentine's Day--or if you don't even know where to start--OpenTable.com offers a great service that should be able to help you out.

OpenTable.com makes it easy to decide which restaurant to reserve a table at, based upon popularity, price, menu or location (among other criteria). They also show which restaurants are most often reserved at, so you use this recommendation to choose wisely where to take your sweetie-pie on Valentine's.

After making your restaurant reservation, there's only one thing left to do...don't forget the flowers!

Labels: Can Your College Do This?, events, restaurants, washington dc

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Thursday, September 20, 2007

Burritos all around.

After a cursory count on Google Maps, there are at least (emphasis on the "at least") 22 Chipotle restaurants within 10 miles of CUC.

We love those burritos!

Check out a more detailed map with addresses here.

Labels: Can Your College Do This?, restaurants

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Wednesday, September 05, 2007

Take the afternoon off.

The Old Post Office Pavilion, located right off the Federal Triangle Metro station, is one of DC's little-known secrets. Sure, it's busy during the day, but it's filled mostly with nearby office workers taking a leisurely lunch break. Even during peak tourist season, the Old Post Office is far enough from the Mall that it doesn't have tourist overflow problems.

What does that mean for you? A great time, and not a whole lot of crowds.

The best part about the Old Post Office Pavilion is the food. With dozens of international vendors, there really is something for everyone. Here's a partial list of what awaits:

Everything Yogurt: Smoothies, gourmet pretzels and salads.

Georgetown Deli: Fresh sandwiches on a variety or breads.

Greek Taverna: Middle Eastern cuisine.

Hosoi Sushi: Authentic Japanese Sushi.

Hot Dog Mania: An assortment of gourmet hot dogs and toppings.

Indian Delight: Authentic Indian cuisine.

Pavilion Burrito: Enjoy delicious tacos, burritos, fajitas and other Mexican fare.

Pavilion Pizza: Enjoy a slice of specialty pizza or a whole pizza pie.

Quick Pita: Middle Eastern fare.

And, no trip to the Old Post Office would be complete without a trip up the 315-foot-tall Tower, which provides breathtaking views of the city. Right now, the Post Office and Tower are open Monday through Saturday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Labels: Can Your College Do This?, restaurants, washington dc

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Tuesday, July 31, 2007

DC Restaurant Week Starts Aug. 6

THERE ARE LOTS of ways to get an education when you are in college, and next week provides another opportunity for those interested in sampling world-renowned food. Monday, August 6, marks that start of Washington's annual Restaurant Week, where 'Washington, DC's finest restaurants offer awe-inspiring, multi-course meals prepared especially for this gourmet event.' These kinds of promotions are common in cities known for great cuisine.

But the best part about Restaurant Week is that the prices are often drastically reduced, particularly if you choose to go for lunch. Here are just some of the restaurants that are participating in Restaurant Week -- remember, these are some of the best places to eat in all of DC.

Bistro Bis (French)
Bombay Club (Indian)
Cafe Atlantico (Nuevo Latino)
Capital Grille (American Bistro)
DC Coast (Contemporary American)
iRicchi (Italian)
Kindead's (Casual Elegant)
Oceanaire (Fish & Seafood)
Zaytinya (Mediterranean)

So if you are in town a bit early (the semester starts in about on month), take some time to 'educate' yourself by trying some of the finest dining in all of Washington.

Labels: Can Your College Do This?, restaurants, washington dc

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Tuesday, April 03, 2007

Starbucks University

A NEW VERSION of an old joke goes like this: Why did Starbucks cross the road? To get to the customers on the other side.

Not so much funny as insightful. The point here is that Starbucks has a business plan that includes opening stores across the street from existing stores. You can read a great story on this concept in today's Wall Street Journal. But what does this have to do with college?

Well, a new study conducted by educational researchers at Stanford University suggests that college students often make decisions about where to attend college based on...yes, here it comes...how many Starbucks are near the school. Now, that's oversimplifying the study to be sure, but the point is that location (defined here as 'is there a Starbucks close by') plays a huge role in where people go to college. Researchers say that the modern coffee shop is so critical to the 'college experience' that students want to make sure that the school they attend can give them that experience.

Not exactly the way your parents picked a college! So is this a good way to pick what school you are going to attend next year? Probably not. But just in case it is, we did a bit of research of our own and found out that there are 33 Starbucks within a 5 miles radius of Columbia Union College (yes, you read that correctly). Here are the closest few (and a link to all 33 right here.)

Sip on that for a while, then leave us a comment and let us know if the 'coffeeshop experience' is something you identify with.

Labels: campus visits, Can Your College Do This?, restaurants, student life, washington dc

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Friday, March 23, 2007

Does DC Have Character?

YOU'VE GOT TO check out this week's edition of Weekend in the Washington Post because it attempts to answer that very question. And you might not be surprise to find out the the Post thinks the answer to the question is...Yes, Washington has character! You'd expect that from the hometown paper, but it's worth reading the paper to find out why the answer is Yes.

Those of us who live in the Washington area know why we love it here: the history, the culture, the nature, the spirit of activism, and the endless number of things to do on a given day just gets the list started. Take this weekend, for example; look at some of the things you could do if you were in Washington:

The circus is in town. The 136th edition of the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey circus will be at three venues in DC between now and April 15.
Numerous classical concerts are playing at the Music Center at Strathmore, the Washington Performing Arts Center, The Barns at Wolf Trap, and the Kennedy Center for Performing Arts.Legendary New Orleans jazz pianist Allen Toussaint is playing the weekend at Blues Alley.
Numerous performances and exhibits that are part of the Shakespeare in Washington Festival that runs through July 2007.
Go to the 'Wings over Washington Kite Club' festival on the national mall (the weather is going to be great!).
If you love Opera (some people do, you know), check out the Washington National Opera's production of Wagners 'Die Walkure'.
Of course, if you don't want to spent any money you could bike along Rock Creek Park, watch the planes land a Gravely Point, hike up Sugerloaf Mountain, visit some museums, or have a picnic at the Iwo Jima memorial.

Just a few things you could do this weekend. Do you have this many options in your hometown?

Labels: Can Your College Do This?, events, restaurants

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Tuesday, January 16, 2007

CNN Highlights DC's 'Lesser Known' Areas

CNN.COM HAS A feature on their travel website dedicated to Washington, DC's 'lesser known' areas -- areas that have recently seen dramatic improvements.

Washington is known for its fantastic views, stunning monuments, marvelous (and free!) Smithsonian museums, ethnic foods, and wide open spaces. But there is so much more that the average tourist never gets to experience. One nice thing about being a student at CUC is that you have an enti

re year to explore all that the city has to offer. The CNN article highlights some of the new-and-improved hot spots in town.

CUC students are quite fond of places featured in the story; places like Ben's Chili Bowl, Cafe Saint-Ex, and Cake Love. Ben's Chili Bowl has been open since the 1950's and has served food to people like Dr. Martin Luther King, Duke Ellington, Robert DiNero, and Bill Cosby. Cake Love is a cafe and bakery that is featured regularly on the Food Network.

And in case you are wondering, Ben's Chili Bowl and Cake Love are less than 5 miles from the CUC campus.

Labels: Can Your College Do This?, restaurants, student life

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Friday, October 06, 2006

This Weekend's Best

IT'S THE WEEKEND and that means it's time to find some fun things to do in DC. I went to the Communications Department and asked some students for their top options for this weekend. In addition to the usual plans (head to Georgetown, catch a movie, Sunday morning at a local cafe, etc.) some other plans are emerging. A sample:

Eric Clapton will be performing at Verizon Center. A bit pricey, but worth it if you love Clapton. Call 202.397.7328 for ticket info.
Hockey is back and the Washington Capitals have their home opener on Saturday night.
The Duke Ellington Jazz Festival runs through October 8. Lots of free concerts and some at the Lincoln Theatre that you have to pay for.
Every one's favorite street festival, the Taste of Bethesda runs all weekend. Bethesda is known for some of best restaurants in the DC area and this festival gives you a chance to sample all the food -- at really cheap prices.
In the mood for autumn? Try picking pumpkins and sampling great apple pie and cider at Butler's Orchard -- just 20 minutes from campus.

This is, of course, just a small sample of choices you have for things to do this weekend. For much more info, check out the Washington Post Weekend section.

Labels: events, restaurants, student life, washington dc

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Wednesday, September 27, 2006

Restaurant Review: Pizzeria Paradiso

ONE OF THE best parts about going to school in the Washington, DC area is that there are few places in the country with better restaurants. CUCblog wants to keep students and prospective students in the loop as it relates to the hottest, trendiest, and -- of course -- most affordable places to get a bit to eat in the area. The following review comes directly from the Columbia Journal -- the official CUC student newspaper.

"Do you enjoy pizza, but are tired of the traditional Pizza Hut or Domino's? With its wood-oven baked pizzas topped with a quality tomato sauce, delicious cheese, fresh garden herbs, an honest olive oil, and vibrant toppings, Pizzeria Paradiso offers an exciting change from the typical pizza.
The menu boasts pizza creations like the Quattro Formaggi, made with four cheese, parsley and garlic; or the Siciliana, made with tomato, zucchini, eggplant, peppers, red onion, capers, garlic, oregano, mozzarella, and pecorino. these creations costs between $9.95 and $10.95 for an 8" pizza.
While you can expect great pizza from Pizzeria Paradiso, be prepared to wait in large crowds. Be prepared for a lot of squeezing-in at the original Dupont Circle location, which is no bigger than a studio apartment. Here, families and first-dates spill onto the front stoop while they wait for one of the handful of tables. The newer Georgetown location, the dinner spot of choice for many any undergrad, is roomier.
So if you've got some time to go walking around Georgetown or Dupont Circle and want a change from the traditional pizza, remember Pizzeria Paradiso."

PIZZERIA PARADISO
2029 P St., NW
Washington, DC.
202.223.1245
METRO: Foggy Bottom

Labels: restaurants, student life

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