EXPRESSIONS
- Cheap eats Ross Brooks
- Food for thought: Ospreys report on Boathouse Grille experience
- Osprey TV plays films of many genres Robert Orndoff
- Security updates at Jacksonville Beach clubs keep some at home on weekends Jeanine deBoer
- Osprey Idol showcases varied campus talents Robert Orndoff
- Oddball Antics Mike Pinree
Cheap eats
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Saying that college kids eat anything free is cliche as saying babies cry on an airplane or tourists wear socks with sandals. But some kernel of truth must lie behind this assertion. After all, hundreds of students each semester willingly hand over their social security numbers to credit card companies for a free pizza.
But it doesn't have to come to this: There are plenty of eateries close enough to campus for a cheap meal between classes, and a number of other restaurants near off-campus hot spots. So, if you've had your fill of 99-cent cheeseburgers but aren't quite rich enough to afford a steak from Ruth's Chris, pay attention: You're getting the scoop on some cheap eats.
St. Johns Town Center
Five Guys Famous Burgers and Fries
If the need for a burger and fries hits you, there is no better place to satisfy your cravings than Five Guys. The store carries two sizes of burgers - little and regular - both of which can be accessorized with cheese, bacon, or both for the health-conscious consumer.
Little burgers are priced near $5, and regular burgers are closer to $7. However, no matter what burger you order, all condiments and toppings come free.
A regular order of fries costs $2 and comes with a standard extra helping of fries tossed in your bag. A regular burger with fries and a drink totals out at just over $10, which isn't too shabby for a meal that really sticks to your ribs.Maggiano's Little Italy
While the prices on the Maggiano's dinner menu might cause students
to do a double take, the restaurant's happy hour should give students more than enough reason to smile.
From 2 p.m. to 4 p.m., the restaurant offers half-off on all its appetizers, most of which are regularly priced under $10. Belonging to a restaurant known for its family-style dinning approach, Maggiano's appetizers are large enough to make a full meal from just one or two of them.
The fried mozzarella is excellent, as are the jumbo lump crab cakes and fried calamari. For those seeking out more of a liquid lunch, drinks during happy hour are buy-one-get-one-free, and the bartenders serve up a number of specialty martinis and cocktails you won't find at your average happy hour.
The Beaches
Angie's Subs
A staple for UNF students since time immemorial, Angie's Subs is located on Beach Boulevard as you cross over the San Pablo River. The restaurant's interior is eclectic, to say the least, with stuffed boar heads on the walls and surf videos playing constantly on the televisions.
The 7-inch subs are all under $5, and the large 10-inch subs are less then $7. Salads, cole slaw, potato salad and cookies are also available, along with fresh brewed sweet tea and standard fountain drinks. The Peruvian sub is the number one seller, but the Dirty Gringo and Jack Del Rio Grande are also quite tasty.
3rd Street Diner
Setting your sights on something more than a sandwich? If you happen to be in
Jacksonville Beach, 3rd Street Diner is always a wise choice. The menu is as varied as they come, with breakfast, lunch and dinner served at all hours of the day or night, and the diner stays open 24 hours a day to keep its
patrons satisfied.
Their massive egg omelets are more than enough for the hungriest of eaters, and the malted waffles with whipped cream and strawberries are excellent.
Breakfast isn't your cup of tea? 3rd Street Diner has plenty of hot or cold sandwiches, salads, and soups, all for under $10. The diner also specializes in Greek food, and their slouvakes and gyros top the competition in Jacksonville.
Southside
Wasabi Japanese Buffet Near Phillips Highway
on Southside Boulevard is where you'll find this hidden treasure for fans of sushi buffets.
The lunch buffet costs only $8.99, and includes the sushi bar as well as the Japanese buffet. Lunch runs from noon to 3 p.m., and is manned by half a dozen chefs who keep the sushi coming for their hungry clientel. Rolls range from simple tuna and rice to the deep fried stone rolls and dynamite rolls.
India's Restaurant
Raw fish and rice not your thing? Give India's Restaurant a try. Their $6.95 lunch buffet runs from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. and comes complete with tandoori chicken, naan, curried peas and cabbage, rice, and a few other items that change on a day-to-day basis. A full dinner menu is available after 5 p.m.
Good eats under $10
Five Guys Famous Burgers and Fries
Location: 4413 Town Center Pkwy
Drive from campus: Five minutes
Average meal price: Under $10
Maggiano's Little Italy
Location: 10367 Midtown Pkwy
Drive time from campus: Five minutes
Average meal price: Half priced appetizers and buy one get one free drinks from 4 p.m. until
6 p.m.
Angie's Subs
Location: 1436 Beach Blvd.
Drive time from campus: 15 minutes
Average meal price: Five dollars for a small sub, seven dollars for a large
3rd Street Diner
Location: 223 9th Ave. S.
Drive time from campus: 20 minutes
Average meal price: Eight dollars
Wasabi Japanese Buffet
Location: 9041 Southside Blvd.
Drive time from campus: 15 minutes
Average meal price: $8.99 lunch buffet
India's Restaurant
Location: 9802 Baymeadows Rd.
Drive time from campus: 15 minutes
Average meal price: $6.95 lunch buffet
Contact Ross Brooks at features@unfspinnaker.com -- PERMALINK -- TOP OF PAGE
Food for thought: Ospreys report on Boathouse Grille experience
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Kamlin Lambert Sophomore, Biology Ordered: Ham sub combo for about $7 "The food seems pretty much the same as Wackadoo's. It [the resturant] looks about the same also, but it's quieter." |
Ryan Kunz Junior, Business Marketing Ordered: Chicken Caesar wrap with waffle fries for about $6 "I'm in love. It's better than Wackadoo's. It has a better menu and better food." |
Brittany Austin Junior, Electronic Media Ordered: Club sub for about $5 "It's nice. Everyone is pleasant and welcoming. The food is good, and it has a nice setting and setup. It's my first time here and I enjoyed it." |
T.J. Allen Junior, Biology and History Ordered: Barbeque pork sandwich with fries for about $8 "It's a lot nicer than it used to be. It's cleaner, the staff is friendlier, it's not as run down. If I couldn't go off-campus, this wouldn't be a bad place to spend a Saturday night." |
Contact Laurel Wright at features@unfspinnaker.com -- PERMALINK -- TOP OF PAGE
Osprey TV plays films of many genres
What infamous former rapper uttered the ridiculous lyric, "Go ninja, go ninja, go!" in 1991?
That's right, the always entertaining (but for all the wrong reasons) Vanilla Ice.
And you can catch him doing it again on Osprey TV - that's Channel 118 on campus - this September in "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II: Secret of
the Ooze." Only this time, you can sneer at all the ridiculous plot points that made perfect sense to you as a kid - such as the fact that radioactive waste isn't harmful, it makes things better!
Or that an entire army of criminals can simply hide from New York City police in a junkyard! And don't forget: Sausage links are a perfect substitute
for nunchakus.
For those of you who don't remember, "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II" is the second movie in the TMNT franchise that started with a comic book in the early '80s, became a television series in 1987, and has just recently added a new animated motion picture to its ranks. But "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II" is the jewel of the franchise.
The first movie was much more serious than the show had ever been and "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles III: Turtles in Time" was ridiculous for sure, but not in the tongue-in-cheek fashion that makes "Secret of the Ooze" so much fun to watch as
an adult.
So if you're living on campus or just need something to do between classes, find a television on campus, tune it to Channel 118 and enjoy this blast from
the past.
Cowabunga, dudes.
We have all seen enough of Jim Carrey's dramatic work to know that seeing his face on a poster with a cold stare instead of a goofy smile is reason
to worry.
But his latest film, "The Number 23," is not without
some positives.
Carrey's nervous energy, which worked well in movies like "Ace Ventura: Pet Detective," "The Mask," and, "Liar Liar," also aids him in the mystery thriller, as it's been turned around to create a sense of paranoia and suspense that gets heavier as the film goes on.
His ability to create split personalities is also central to the film as he plays both a friendly family man who holds down a job as a dog-catcher and a mysterious multi-tattooed private eye who has a thing for fatalistic women.
Both of these characters
become obsessed with the
number 23.
And everything in the script seems to magically revolve around it. From character's names to their favorite colors and the number of keys on the saxophone Carrey plays. And not all of them are obvious.
One could probably watch this movie three times and not catch all the subtle references to 23 that are worked into the film. In fact, very quickly, the number itself becomes a character, haunting and hunting Carrey for things he may or may not have done in
the past.
Be warned: If you are looking for a quick flick with lots of action and little required brain power, this is not the movie
for you. If you're looking for a strange suspense thriller with lots of hidden clues and several plot twists, you could do worse than to watch "The Number 23."
Contact Robert Orndoff at features_staff@unfspinnaker.com -- PERMALINK -- TOP OF PAGE
Security updates at Jacksonville Beach clubs keep some at home on weekends
Recent changes in security at clubs in Jacksonville Beach have some patrons feeling frustrated.
To deter the possibility of weapons inside of clubs, many club owners have began enforcing regulations regarding what size and type of purses are allowed inside. Some have forbidden purses altogether. One club at the beach, Freebird Live, has increased their security to include the forbiddance of purses, employing the use of electronic wand checks, and also briefly patting down people as they enter.
"It was my first time there, and it pissed me off," said April Gudsel, a recent patron of Freebird Live. "It made me wonder, what the hell happened here before that it's come to this?"
Gudsel said she and her friends were unaware of the recent changes to the entry policy and unprepared for what they encountered at the front door.
"It was a huge inconvenience because you keep all the stuff you need like your wallet, cell phone, etc., in your purse," Gudsel said. "We had to walk all the way back to our car in heels [...] then you have no pockets if you're wearing skirts, like we were, and by the end of the night, you lose stuff."
Other clubs in Jacksonville Beach have maintained their entry policies. Robert Christensen, a bouncer at the front door of the Ocean Club, said they haven't had an excess of instances that would warrant the club changing its entrance policy.
"What we do is we start at the left toe of the person who is trying to get in and then we look all the way up to the top of their head and back down their right side," Christensen said.
Jacksonville Beach resident Gwen Haugen said she encountered the changes in security when she recently went out to the Atlantic, another club at the beach. Haugen said she couldn't get in because her purse was
too big.
"After the Atlantic episode, I don't like to go to the clubs," Haugen said.
"I like to have my purse with me. I don't like to carry just my card or loose cash."
Contact Jeanine deBoer at features@unfspinnaker.com -- PERMALINK -- TOP OF PAGE
Osprey Idol showcases varied campus talents
Simon Cowell, eat your heart out.
Students gathered Aug. 23 in the Robinson Theatre to watch their peers perform in the African American Student Union's Osprey Idol, an event modeled after the television show American Idol. Singers and musicians performed their acts and a panel of three judges critiqued them on style, presence, and energy.
Acts ranged from a capella performances of originally written songs to live band covers of R&B classics, and performers were as different in their approaches as they were in their performance.
Jasmine Peterson, a junior Spanish major, admitted that her band, GWAR Kelly, had not practiced as a group before the show but that they were "going to win it."
Peterson's band's name comes from a mix between the thrash metal band GWAR and the R&B singer R. Kelley, and their performance captured this subtle dichotomy. The lead guitarist was head-banging while the trio of singers was rapping to TLC's
"No Scrubs."
Joshua Jackson, a senior public relations major who won second place with a solo saxophone performance said, "My main goal tonight is having something for freshman to see."
Jackson is also a member of the winning group Key of G, a self-styled neo-soul band.
Kia Nicole, a recent University of North Florida alumna and vocalist for Key of G said she was there to support AASU. Key of G has been playing together for about three years and is hoping to record a promotional CD.
Not every singer had a band to back them up though. Three of the acts were lone a capella singers. Schnider Joseph, a senior psychology major, wrote and sang an original piece without instruments, but the audience almost immediately picked up the beat and began clapping along.
Members of AASU handed out prizes in the form of gift cards to people in the audience between acts.
Between the last act and the announcement of the winners ,they spent about 20 minutes handing out prizes.
During this time about a quarter of the audience left. Those who remained until the end had positive things to say about the event.
Eric Bryant, a senior majoring in sports management, said he
enjoyed the performances.
"It was a blast," Bryant said. "I look forward to coming to the next AASU event."
Courtney Cooper, a freshmen majoring in health administration said, "Osprey Idol had a really good mixture of people. It was the best event I've been to so far."
This is the third year that AASU has hosted Osprey Idol.AASU director Anthony Pinckney believes that the event is the highlight of UNF's Week of Welcome.
Contact Jamie Williams at espinnak@unf.edu -- PERMALINK -- TOP OF PAGE
Oddball Antics
NICE UNIFORM, ARE YOU A DOORMAN OR SOMETHING?
A man was arrested for suspicion of drunk driving in New Port Richey, Fla., told the officer he thought he was in Rochester, N.Y. Then, while handcuffed and in the back of the cruiser, he asked the cop what he did for a living. The man refused to take a Breathalyzer test, but the policeman was pretty sure he was guilty.
ON BEHALF OF THE MEN OF THE COMPANY, WELCOME BACK
A woman was fired in Sydney, Australia, for getting drunk and having sexual relations in a hotel hot tub with two male employees at a company party while nearby "embarrassed women co-workers cringed." She appealed her firing to the Industrial Commission and was reinstated.
I JUST HAD A DRINK TO CELEBRATE THE NEW WHEELS, OFFICER
Only hours after buying a $400,000 Lamborghini, a man in Orlando crashed and was arrested for drunk driving.
AND OOK-LAY OUT FOR THE OLICE-PAY
Aware that police might be listening in on his mobile phone conversation, a gang member in Bankstown, Australia, used Pig Latin to organize an attack on another gang. Instructing his colleagues to bring shanks and bats, he said "ank-shays" and "at-bays." The cops were easily able to figure this out.
NOW THAT YOU MENTION IT, I THOUGHT IT WAS A BIT STRANGE
A man, who was arrested for exposing himself at Beasley Park in Florida, explained to the cop that he thought he was at a nude beach. The cop asked him, if he thought this was the case, why did everyone else have clothes on.
THAT'LL TEACH YOU TO MESS WITH ME, DEAR
During a spirited discussion about her job at Hooters, a man in Orange Park assaulted his wife, so she called the cops on him. When they got there, she told the officers that her husband also had a stolen car in the garage, a $180,000 Aston Martin.
CERTAINLY, HOW MUCH WOULD YOU LIKE?
While narcotics police in Eugene, Ore., were in the process of arresting a drug dealer in his apartment, one of the dealer's customers knocked on the door and asked one of the officers if he could buy some methamphetamine. He was arrested.
YOU CALL THAT EVIDENCE?
An employee installed a video camera in the ladies room of a Seattle movie theater, but a woman noticed it and called the authorities. The man was identified because he inadvertently filmed himself while he was putting the camera into place.
FLAP! PECK! NO! CRASH!
Burglars stole a pet owl from a home in Devon, England, and drove off with it in a stolen car at a high rate of speed. As the police chased them, the bird attacked the two men forcing them to throw it out the window before crashing into a parked car.
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