That was a long week...

I think this is a much needed weekend for everybody. This has been quite the stressful week for a lot of students and I am not just talking about academics. You probably know what I'm talking about and I really don't want to get into it.  I thought TNH did the right thing by covering the suicide on campus -and explaining their coverage- especially when the administration didn't send out any type of email to alert students. Something like that shouldn't be swept under the rug on a college campus. It is a tragedy and it deeply impacted many students. UNH is a community and when we lose one of our members it hurts on many different levels.

Yesterday I was told that a student was hit by a bus earlier this week, possibly on Monday. I have yet to here much about it, how severe it was, but I have been told by several people that it did happen. Tack that on to the two Gables buses rear-ending one another and it was not a good week for the transit department.

This is family weekend, so I hope that people will get out and enjoy it. I wrote a quick piece for TNH's Family Weekend Special section on late night food around Durham. I actually wrote a full column on it last year so it basically highlights the main points and without all the alcohol discussions: (Side note, for my next column I emailed the EE about my idea and I asked if it sounded like I would be encouraging drinking and if that would be a problem. He replied by saying something like "don't all your columns encourage drinking?" Touche.

There are several great options to score some late night food around Durham and UNH.

The Durham House of Pizza (D-Hop), which is located right downtown, is famous for their $1.50 slices after 11 p.m. Slices with all difference toppings, which are huge and delicious, are constantly being cranked out, so despite long lines there usually is not a long wait. D-Hop has a great atmosphere and it can be the best place on campus for some food and free entertainment, which is usually a great thing, but if you are with mom and dad you may want to avoid that crowd. Also located downtown is Franz’s Food, which is new to the late night scene. Franz has some of the best food on campus, so late night is sure to be a success for their shop.

Another great place to cure the late-night hunger monkey is Kurt’s Lunchbox. Kurt’s is conveniently located in C-Lot behind The Mills dorm. My Kurt’s recommendation is the classic cheesy fries, or snotty fries, as any true Kurt fan would know. His cheesy fries are famous for a reason and it would be a shame to attend UNH without ever eating some. Kurt also makes delicious grilled cheese, hotdogs and other fried snacks. On a warm night Kurt’s will provide a lot of entertainment and hilarious conversations will be had and overheard.

As tasty as Kurt’s and D-Hop are, plus the hilarious situations that occur there almost any night, they both shut down at 2 a.m. on the weekends. So, if you are out past 2 a.m. and in need of some grub Wildcatessen is the place to go. It is conveniently located under Stillings in Area 1.Wildcatessen is also open until 4 a.m. on weekend mornings and they specialize in subs, salads and burgers. Wildcatessen has some other tasty options including waffle fries, chicken tenders, and mozzarella sticks. 

Have a good weekend.

Stay classy, not UMassy.

Like a Pro: Late Night Eats

Last week I shared some of my personal pros and cons about various parties around campus. Parties are a great way to have some fun for an evening, but even the best parties must come to an end. Whether the night ends due to a visit from Durham’s finest, quiet hours or you just can’t stand to hear “Party in the USA” one more time, your night is far from over. On weekends the dining halls close at 8 p.m. so after a long night of partying, or just hanging out in a dorm room, it can be a top priority to get some food. Factor in all the exercise from dancing, fist pumping, or playing Beirut all night and hunger can become a real problem. Luckily UNH has several great options for those of us who get the late night munchies.

The most obvious choice for a hungry drunk on campus is the Durham House of Pizza, or DHop as everyone calls it. DHop is famous for their $1.50 slices after 11 p.m. It is very cheap and delicious so if you have the dollar bill blues it doesn’t put a big dent into your pocket. Through some investigative journalism, meaning I asked my older brother who used to work at DHop, I found out the secret for the great taste in every bite. There is extra sugar in the sauce, but you didn’t hear it from me. DHop has a great atmosphere and on a warm night it is the best place on campus for some food and free entertainment. My recommendation: whatever slices have the most toppings piled on. Trust me, it will be delicious and filling.

Another great place to cure the hunger monkey is Kurt’s Lunchbox. Kurt’s is conveniently located in C-Lot for anyone living in Area Two and it is a much shorter walk than DHop for anyone living out in the boonies of Area Three. I live in the Upper Quad and there have been nights where I will gravitate towards Kurt’s from the smell alone. While on the topic of lunch trucks, I went to Irie Taco the other day and it was phenomenal. I told him he could give DHop and Kurt’s some great competition if he started staying late night. Anyways, my Kurt’s recommendation: The classic cheesy fries, or snotty fries, as any true Kurt fan would know. His cheesy fries are famous for a reason and I’m not one to fix something that isn’t broken.

As tasty as Kurt’s and D-Hop are, plus the hilarious situations that occur there almost any night, they both close at 2 a.m. Not too long ago both would stay open as long as people showed up but semi-recent Durham ordinances have forced them to close up shop early. That happened around the same time DHop added 50 cents to their late night slices; thanks Durham. So, if you are out past 2 a.m. and in need of some grub, Wildcatessen is the place to go. It is conveniently located under Stillings in Area One, which is very close to many apartments and the infamous frat row. Wildcatessen is also open until 4 a.m. on weekend mornings and they specialize in subs. If you have the ability to you can order ahead online, which is great for any dorm room partiers. Wildcatessen is apart of the UNH Dining system, so don’t even joke about stealing from there or you could get in trouble. My recommendation is their steak and cheese sub, but they are all very good.

Sometimes students pass out without eating after a late night out, it happens to the best of us. After waking up in a haze with your clothes thrown around the room, or still on, some hangover food is essential. As a side note, waking up with strange things in your room can be very amusing but also confusing. Last week my room was a mess and it was filled with balloons. Still haven’t figured that one out yet.

A very popular choice for a late brunch is The Bagelry located at Mill Plaza. Others like the Mei Wei Asian Cuisine Restaurant, which used to be the China Buffet. However, the dining halls also have some great choices. My top choice for a hangover brunch is a chicken patty with some of those chopped breakfast potatoes at Holloway. I would argue that is the best thing to eat if you are still feeling some effects form the night before. Wherever you choose to eat, make sure that you’re having fun and staying safe.

Stay classy, not UMassy.