So now that Up Coffee is dead and Joe Coffee has a monopoly on campus, it’s Bwog’s duty to tell you which Joe is the best Joe. Thus, I visited all three locations on campus, Pulitzer, Dodge, and NoCo, and drank one large ice latte from each location. The reason for the choice of drink was so that I could taste the flavor of the coffee without burning my tongue and also judge the quality of the milk that they use. But also note that I know nothing about coffee or milk so take this with a grain of salt. I also didn’t realize they charge a dollar extra for ice (a large hot latte is about $5, a large ice latte is $6) and by the time I found out it was too late to change my mind.

First up, NoCo Joe. It’s the most classic Joe Coffee. If you know about only one Joe on campus, you know about this one. Though the location isn’t convenient, there are rarely empty tables because people sitting down aren’t there for a quick coffee break; they’re ready to stay and study for hours. There’s good lighting because of the pleasantly bright overhead lights and the sunlight that pours in through the full windows is not too harsh because the cafe faces northeast. The marble floor, white tables and chairs, and the ceiling art installation (?) make for an aesthetic environment. Levi Cohen, CC ’21, stated that “NoCo Joe is superior for the views and the aesthetic,” and that there are more seats but they tend to be taken up by “groups of people in suits and very nice clothes.” Jake Tibbetts, CC ’21, asserted that more seats are not a positive feature, as he likes to drink his coffee in solitude. Generally, there’s a mid-to-high level of noise and chaos.

The line is rarely short but goes quickly and the service is very efficient. There is also a separate booth for people looking for a quick cup of regular hot coffee. Despite their efficiency regarding coffee, Lexie Lehmann, CC ’20, remarked that “it’s of note that the one time [she] went to NoCo Joe, they were out of chai concentrate, so [she] had to walk all the way to Dodge to get [her] chai latte.” I must also mention that a mere few minutes after she gave me this statement, she discovered that NoCo Joe was out of chai concentrate again. She also said that she thought NoCo is “good right before [they] close.”

On the other hand, my ice latte was prepared pretty fast when I visited. The ice in it was ground ice, which might cool the coffee more quickly but also melts more quickly. As for the taste of the coffee, personally, I’m not a fan of Joe’s coffee. It’s a sour and fruity coffee, and I like a coffee with a clean, dark bitterness. This is just personal preference. The milk in my latte balanced out the sourness enough that I didn’t mind it too much.

Dodge and Pulitzer Joe after the jump

A spicy, healthy snack that’ll help you get A’s on all your midterms!! Wow!

Midterms season is upon us. In fact, you have a midterm tomorrow, and you just can’t spare the study time to leave your dorm for a dining hall trip, but you’re starving. All you need is an afternoon snack! Wait! You remember the John Jay and Ferris take-out boxes full of random ingredients in your mini-fridge. Too many hard-boiled eggs, some hummus… you’re good to go! Follow our recipe below for the perfect midterm snack–made entirely out of food gathered from John Jay and Ferris!

Disclaimer: Make sure you grab your ingredients with a meal swipe–John Jay and Ferris both offer take-out boxes for you to bring back to your dorm.

This week: Hummus Deviled Eggs

Appliances: just a bowl, really

Ingredients:

• 5 John Jay boiled eggs
• a splash of Tabasco
• pinches of salt & pepper
• a squirt of lime juice
• a quarter or so of a take-out coffee cup of hummus
• a spoonful of spicy brown mustard
• srirachaaa

More after the jump

Don’t believe a word she says.

This Tuesday, Arts Editor Riva Weinstein returned to the Harriman Institute for the opening of painter-historian Anne Bobroff-Hajal’s exhibit “Playground of the Autocrats,” and her talk, “Peasants, Clans, and Effervescent Absolutists.” What is an effervescent absolutist? Why does Russia keep slipping back into autocracy? Why does that baby have a mustache? All will be revealed below.

Take the last 450 years of Russian history. Add in a slice of Monty Python, a chunk of political cartooning, a generous helping of Where’s Waldo, a vaudeville soundtrack and a distinct odor of the Brechtian macabre, and you’ve got Peasants, Clans, and Effervescent Absolutists: a spectacular new exhibit by painter and historian Anne Bobroff-Hajal.

Bobroff-Hajal’s paintings are overwhelmingly visual. Fashioned in the style of polyptych icons, the huge canvases overflow with color and tightly-packed information. Ivan the Terrible leers as boyars (pre-17th century nobles) cling to his robes. Colorful skeletons grovel at Stalin’s feet. Peter the Great maneuvers a fantastic winged boat. A mustachioed baby Stalin listens, while the tsars of old give him advice on how to maintain power by exploiting the peasantry.

It’s easy to believe that Bobroff-Hajal first conceived this project as an animated film. The larger-than-life characters – like a winged Catherine the Great, supported by her subjects on stilts – spout lyrics to music from the traditional tune Kalinka: “You’ll want to bring back serfdom quick so you can reign nonstop!/But you can’t call it serfdom, Joe, ‘cause that would be a flop!” By weaving “satirical stories” into her pieces, says Bobroff-Hajal, she’s hoped to make some of the complicated tragedies of Russian history accessible and entertaining to the public.

And it’s not an easy task…

isn’t she beautiful

The Milstein Center will be holding its ribbon cutting ceremony today at 2:30pm. After the ceremony, there will be tours and demonstrations throughout the building until 5:30pm. Stop by to see all of the exciting new resources for Barnard and Columbia students!

You can read more about the event here.

Photo via Barnard

not cute

Newly flu-immune GSSC Bureau Chief Andrew Chee brings you the key highlights from tonight’s General Studies Student Council meeting. If you want to experience the action front and center, be sure to stop by the Jed Satow Room in Lerner every Tuesday at 8:15pm.

President Raisa Flor delivered some updates regarding the Alumni Affairs team, the upcoming Giving Day, and the Silent Auction. GS hired 4 people recently solely to improve alumni affairs and connect undergraduate students with alumni more effectively.  Giving Day is an event in which students are challenged to give back to the school, culminating in a series of competitions, where students’ donations will be matched by the trustees upon reaching a certain number of gifts. Giving Day is set for October 24, so keep your eyes peeled for further information as the date approaches. In addition, GSSC will be allocating funds toward the Food Pantry for the Silent Auction, as well as two tickets to the GS Gala. The Silent Auction is an event taking place on October 10 in Lerner 555 from 6 to 9pm, which aims to raise awareness of and combat the stigma associated with food insecurity. For anyone wishing to donate items or services (e.g. DJing, personal training sessions), make sure you email thefoodpantry@columbia.edu or send them a message on Facebook.

Committing to Carbon Neutrality

Meredith, BC/JTS’21 and Ariana, CC’21 came in to speak about their campaign for Columbia to commit to carbon neutrality in its sustainability plan, as well as to garner support from the student council and student body at large. They believe that a commitment to a pledge will serve as a positive example for students to emulate in order to be more green, and that the university will make back its financial investments in sustainability in the long run. Although Columbia will not be a leader in this sector, as many other universities have already made or completed formal commitments to carbon neutrality, it “hopes to align with New York City’s goal of 80% reduction by 2050 and a short term goal of 35% reduction by 2020”, the latter of which they are about to reach. As the largest property owner in New York City, Columbia can however be a leader within the city, and collaboration with the state would be likely and an effective move. As Columbia would need to release its data regarding its own carbon usage and emissions before further steps could be taken, the ball is now in their court as Meredith and Ariana ramp up the pressure on them and gather support from the general student body. Moving into the discussion, Meredith and Ariana stated that they plan to involve alumni as much as possible and avoid any and all potential financial repercussions for students in the form of tuition increases. Furthermore, a member of audience stepped up to state that, “[As a private sector energy consultant], 2030 is a very aggressive date, but very doable.” Let’s hope Columbia makes the right decision as world leaders and protects the environment.

But where are the mashed potatoes?

queen

Happening in the World: Rédoine Faïd has been recaptured after escaping from jail through a hijacked helicopter in July. The French gangster was detained north of Paris, and officials worry he will escape again.

Happening in the U.S.: A Times investigation revealed that Trump received about $413 million from his father’s business, discrediting his claim of being a “self-made billionaire”. The money was mostly acquired through tax schemes and evasions.

Happening in NYC: On October 4, 2011, an unidentified body was dug up in Elmhurst, Queens. While police officials believed it to be a homicide, they now know it was the preserved body of a woman from before the Civil War. A new PBS documentary titled “The Woman in the Iron Coffin” airs on Wednesday and will reveal the woman’s identity.

Happening on Campus: From 11:30am-12:30pm, the STEM Education Journal Club will hold a meeting in room 520 of Mudd Hall. The club will be discussing “Lockhart’s Laments”.

Movie of the Day: Little Miss Sunshine

Photo via Wikipedia Commons