How Cantaloupe might appear, were it an animal.

Sunday brunch conversation in John Jay deliberately blurs distinctions and crosses boundaries we take for granted.

Girl: Cantaloupe? Isn’t that an animal?

Antelope via Wikimedia Commons.

Freshwoman food expert Alison Herman attended John Jay’s Chinese New Year Brunch with unspoiled hope for a fine dining experience. Follow along as she goes through an essential Columbia experience: John Jay ethnic dining. 

Accompanied by fluorescent mood lighting

In addition to the hordes of first-years freshly mesmerized by their very first Frontiers lecture of the semester, hundreds of Columbians packed themselves into John Jay this morning in the hopes of finding good eats at the annual Chinese New Year Brunch. The food was decidedly different than normal, but, as with all special dining events, one question lingers on everyone’s minds: is standing in line for half an hour and skipping discussion section really worth it?

The line for the main dishes brought to mind nightmares of Lerner package center in early September. Luckily, eggrolls and potstickers, the essential component of any pseudo-Chinese meal, could be found tanning under the heat lamps at the pizza station. Deep-fried finger food, filled with indeterminate ingredients (overheard: “Does that have meat in it?” “I’ve had three of them and I still can’t tell”), helped time pass exponentially faster.

Once a full plate of food and a table with a clear view of CU Lion Dance was secured, the main course proved something of a mixed bag. So-called “bok choy” translated into carrots and a few tiny green specks steamed into oblivion, while the adzuki beans were at best interestingly mealy and perfectly seasoned to tastelessness, but often induced a what-did-I-just-put-in-my-mouth grimace.

Read more…

First everyone’s favorite sandwich shop is closed for remodeling, and now everyone’s favorite dining hall the place you thought would be like Hogwarts until you tried the food is getting a makeover too. We saw some improvements on John Jay at the beginning of last semester, but it would appear that big changes are still to come. Maybe a sick hardwood floor? New tables, maybe with inset chessboards? Arcade systems? Fondue fountains?

We’ll let you know more as we find out, but if you’re on campus and happen to notice an earth-mover or army of construction workers, send us a picture. Happy Holidays!

Cleared out.

One of the John Jay elevators is down for maintenance, making those already painfully long and awkward elevator rides that much longer and more crowded. It appears that resident freshpeople are getting a little angsty about the whole situation. Just a little.

 Tipped by Sophie Qian and Alex N

Bwog received tips that a few moments ago, there was an arrest outside of John Jay residence hall. A man was reportedly tackled by a plainclothes cop, and subsequently more NYPD and Public Safety officers came to help with the situation. Before the apprehension, an officer shouted at a CU student, “Stop that man!” Apparently multiple bystanders chased the man, who was later handcuffed and led away. Public Safety had no comment for Bwog. No word on whether this is related to the earlier purse snatching incident, but we’ll give updates as we receive them.

Continuing our assistance for pre-frosh picking housing preferences, here is the second installment of Freshpeople Housing Review, in which we examine that most august residence hall, John Jay.

John Jay is the other 100% first-year dorm. Rather than the double-double purity of Carman, the vast majority of JJ rooms are singles. There are a few “walkthrough doubles,” which are two rooms, one of which connects to the hallway, and one with is only accessible by “walking through” the first.

Though some hardcore Carmanites accuse John Jay of being socially stunted, steadfast Jay residents contend that by propping doors open and hanging out in the lounge, it is actually more social. JSingles give you the option of either propping your wide when you want people to stop by, or shutting it when you need to work or just take a break from Columbia.

Floormates studying together can take a late night study break over greasy JJ’s Place food without even leaving the building. And in the dread months of winter, sharing a roof with the dining hall makes getting the day started much easier. Plus, Health Services is in John Jay, so you can snag free condoms on-site.

Just the Facts:

• Nearby places: Closest to John Jay Dining Hall and JJ’s Place! This is perfect for running down mandatory first-year meal plans. John Jay is also next to Amsterdam and all its wonders.
• Bathrooms: Floor bathrooms, male and female.
• AC/Heating: No AC, there is central heating.
• Kitchen/Lounge: Each floor has a decent sized lounge, though the furnishings vary from nice TVs and lounge chairs to 13″ TVs and one chair. Each floor has a “kitchen,” composed of a grimy sink and microwave.
• Laundry: One laundry room in the basement with 6 washers and 9 dryers.
• Computers/Printers: JJ has no dedicated computer lab; Hartley’s lab is accessible through the link without going outside.
• Intra-transportation: Two sluggish elevators. Lines are common. But beware if you’re on the 15th floor; the elevators only reach 14. This makes moving in and out a hassle for these “Penthouse” residents.
• Wi-Fi: In the main lounge; only Ethernet for the rooms. Read more…

Remember how we told you a few months ago that Morningside Heights is a den of filth? About that… it kind of still is.

As much as we hate to believe that it’s true—we really, really love those corn muffins—it has come to our attention that Café 212 has a super high rating due to many health violations. Its 62 violations are listed in the following screenshot from the NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene’s site:

For a point of comparison, Hewitt scored 23 and John Jay got a 12. Café East, which is located just across the room from 212, came in at a 7. (Cherish the use of the words “scored” and “came in at a…”—it’s probably the closest we’ll get to athletic jargon for a while.)

Wikimedia“>

These things retail for like 3 dining dollars or something

It’s that time when Dining gives away piles of packaged snacks to gauge what to stock at JJ’s and Blue Java next year. Ahoy annual Food Expo! It’s happening now until 2pm in John Jay.

*You gotta swipe. bummer.

Nudity via Wikimedia

Have any major changes come to our little neck of Boringside Heights? Sort of. It seems that Dining knows how hard it is to hold a cup of coffee or tea while rushing to class (or sneaking drinks into Butler). This convenient Starbucks-style latte lid was spotted in John Jay by a perceptive and caffeine-addicted Bwogger.

Some funny business on JJ5–fliers were posted for the non-existent “Columbians For A Cold Earth” with the slogan “Promote, Protect, Preserve, Provide, Procreate, Prokaryote.”

The fictitious faction of conservationist folks were planning the “Polar Bear Vigil” when, oh the irony!, it was cancelled by recent snowfall.

Keep on keepin’ on JJ5!

Because of the snow, Dining has confirmed that a couple changes in the normal dining facility schedules will occur today. Take note:

• Ferris Booth is closed
• The cafe on the ground floor of Dodge is closed (though we only went there for James Franco sightings, anyway!)
• Cafe 212 is open
• The cafe in Butler is open
• John Jay opened at 9, and will remain open through 8 pm

Image via WikiCU.

BwogWeather was hungry this week. Special thanks to Arvin Ahmadi, AJ Garcia, Wilma, Columbia Dining Services, Victoria Dunn, Aaron Gomes, and congratulations to our new BwogWeather intern, Pauline Baudon.

In a letter to SEAS students tonight, ESC President Chris Elizondo announced tonight that John Jay Dining Hall will most likely open again on Fridays and Saturdays by next semester. In the email, Elizondo writes that ESC and CCSC passed a resolution collaboratively asking Dining Services to open John Jay on the weekends. If John Jay is open for business on the weekends this semester, it’ll put a period on one of this semester’s controversies. The email (reprinted below) also mentions an initiative to “improve and modernize the current sign-in process for students that live in all Columbia dorms.” Today was a big day for changes!

Read more…

With dishes named in honor of KCST’s upcoming production of Coriolanus!

Photo by Alison Goldberg

Tipster Danielle Benson sent us a photo of this sign, found in the John Jay elevator. Apparently, certain elevator patrons have been removing light bulbs from the ceiling and smashing them on the ground. Clearly, the John Jay community is now speaking out against this gross violation of elevator etiquette. If smashing light bulbs was meant to relieve midterms stress, perhaps the culprits should’ve smashed things on Low on Wednesday with AMSA instead. In these trying times, constructive stress relief is key.

Play nice, first years.