The Bowdoin Orient

This week's warmer temperatures inspired the Foodie to dine al fresco in downtown Brunswick. Getting a Cote's cone was a given, but she didn't know which wiener stand to choose! Danny's, Wrappers, and Pop's all look inviting, and one might think they serve equally good fare. The Foodie has discovered, however, that each stand has its own virtues.

Rest in peace, Benzoni's. Your calzones were great?particularly that "red, white, and green" one. I'm sorry to see you go. Especially because Masque and Gown and the crew team are going to have to find a new place for their annual banquets! Your replacement, Back Street Bistro, has cleaned up and quieted down 11 Town Hall Place, but it seems that your management took all the kitchen's spices with it. Playing it much too safe, Bistro's chef sends out mostly bland dishes that don't live up to expectations the swanky new décor and high prices set. And I couldn't find Nick Carter, Brian Littrel, or A.J. anywhere.

Ten years ago, it was the domain of doting grandmothers who made baby blankets. Since then, however, knitting has become hip, and young women?and men?are crafting everything from iPod cozies to legwarmers. Eager for stress relief and a creative outlet, college students in particular have taken to knitting in full force, and anecdotal evidence suggests that Bowdoin students are picking up on the trend.

We can't stay in the Bowdoin Bubble forever. In 115 days, the class of 2005 will face the "real world," and while some seniors are feeling pressure to figure out their next step, others aren't too concerned about their immediate future. Others still are already employed for the fall.

The Foodie had been avoiding her first lobster roll since she first stepped on Maine turf. "It's mayonnaise!" she cried. "Twill bubble over the fluffy roll and mask every delicate flavor!" Time was running out, though. She is a senior, after all, and part of a Bowdoin education is trying new things. So, just as the Foodie had convinced herself to take Physics 061 way back when, she rustled up enough courage to order what had the potential to be a mayonnaisey mess.

Erin Westaway '05 felt a secret kinship with a mystery man last year. She didn't know his name?only that he also owned a pair of the same squishy, brightly colored shoes she wore every day to class. "I would occasionally see him in the dining hall," she said, "and I felt like I should talk to him." Other students noticed, too. "I'd say at least once a week people would come up to me," Erin recalled, "and [say], 'I've seen someone else with your shoes.'" Erin still hasn't met Andrew Combs '06, the proud owner of the yellow pair she saw around campus, but as of this fall, she has more company. It seems that in ever-increasing numbers, Polar Bears are purchasing Crocs, the featherweight resin clogs full of holes that were once Erin and Andrew's sole domain; a quick glance around Smith Union reveals several pairs in royal blue, fluorescent pink, and bright yellow.

Students may find this cozy spot to be a refreshing respite from the stale quality of other Brunswick joints, not only because of its funky décor but also because of its high quality food, which, according to the menu, is made with locally-grown, organic ingredients whenever possible. Prices are a bit high for Brunswick?$8.50 for most entrees?but the Foodie is willing to pay such prices for food that doesn't taste like it came out of a can.

Carved wooden sculptures of Captain Mike, with his grizzled beard, sun-yellow raincoat and glossy black boots, guard every corner of Captain Mike's Family Restaurant on Bath Road in Brunswick. These totems add a little color to an otherwise drab block of red brick, fake wood, and gravel-colored wall-to-wall carpeting, which might have been a Wendy's in a former life. The Foodie didn't go to Captain Mike's, however, for the atmosphere.

The waitresses weren't in rollerskates, and Roy Orbison didn't croon from the speakers, but Fat Boy Drive-In on Bath Road still transported the Foodie and Foodie Friends back to the Baby Boom. Amidst the All-American (i.e. greasy) food, inflation-immune pricing and astroturf-green striped awning, the Foodie half expected Howdy Doody and Princess Summerfall Winterspring to pull up next to her in a Chevy Bel-Air.

The Foodie may now bring her attention to Star Fish Grill, a pricey seafood restaurant on Pleasant Street where she recently celebrated her entrance into the alcohol-consuming world. The Foodie prefers Star Fish to Brunswick's other upscale establishment, Henry & Marty, because it lacks pretension.

"How many chances do you really have, aside from in college, to learn about somebody else's life?" asks Eliztaicha Marrero '04. Marrero explains that too often, students can graduate from Bowdoin College not having taken the opportunity to learn from the various experiences of their classmates.

The Foodie followed her nose to the Women's Resource Center last week to find a secret coven of snackers. They had discovered the WRC's alter ego, Créperie de la Lune, which unmasks itself every Friday afternoon from 3:00 to 4:00 p.m.

Hari Kondabolu '04 didn't expect much from Nikolai von Keller, Tony Handel, Kariyushi Rao, Adam Paltrineri and Dan Yingst. When he enlisted the five first years at the beginning of last semester to make sketches for his comedy show, Laugh Out Loud, he "thought they would be 'okay,' at best."

The Foodie had not engaged in culinary combat for two months, and she was feeling a little out of shape. Her tastebuds had dulled and her jaw muscles were weak. The bayonet she attached to her fork had gotten rusty.