Study Spot: Caribou Coffee

As the midterm season dawns upon us, we college students fight to find a desk at the library, or a quiet place in the student center to cram as much information into our overstuffed brains as possible. Although fighting to the death over a chair in the library can be fun, I've found it much easier (and a lot less stressful) to study at a small coffee shop, local or a franchise.

My all time favorite coffee house to study at has been Caribou Coffee. Its quiet atmosphere and delicious food and beverages makes it the ideal place to cram for an exam, or just kick back and relax.

Photo by: Maryem Abdulla

Typically, my brain food involves a lot of carbs, calories, and fat. Something about heavy food keeps me going while I have to read a book and a half or write a seven page paper. However, Caribou Coffee's menu has great health conscious options. Whenever I study in the morning, I almost always get a Egg White and Turkey Bacon Daybreaker, which is both tasty and healthier than most breakfast sandwiches. With the whole wheat brioche roll, turkey bacon, egg whites, swiss cheese, and spinach florentine spread, it's the perfect way to start any study session.

Even though my usual order of the Mint Condition Mocha (with milk chocolate and 2% milk) isn't the healthiest option, considering it's a whopping 580 calories, the two shots of espresso prepares me for hours of studying dense material.

As a semi healthy establishment, Caribou Coffee has a whole list of "lighten up" options which are low in calories and fat, so it's the best of both worlds. The nutrition value of all their drinks and food are listed on their website, which makes it easy to decide what to order.

Photo by: Maryem Abdulla

Whether you are a carefree foodie like me, or a strict health buff, Caribou Coffee has fantastic options for everyone. So if you decide to indulge in a super chocolatey drink, or stick to lighter option, have fun, eat up, and enjoy!

Review: Conte Di Savoia

Conte Di Savoia has been a family favorite for years. Growing up, every Sunday afternoon my parents would take my siblings and me to the little Italian deli to grab a quick lunch. Throughout the years, my family became good friends with the mom and pop shop owners, which makes it all the more enjoyable to visit.

Photo by: Maryem Abdulla

As the economy declined and small businesses started to go under, Conte Di Savoia remained alive and well. It's charming atmosphere and friendly workers is only one small aspect of their success. Along with the homey feel, their delicious sandwiches, salads, and seafood always leaves a customer coming back for more.

Although many small shops change as they grow, Conte Di Savoia maintained it's charm as the years went on. Despite the fact that they haven't expanded into a franchise business, the small shop still manages stick to their philosophy to provide the best possible products and outstanding service as they did in 1948 when it first opened. As a loyal customer, I definitely agree with their claims, as their food is the same amazing quality as it was 18 years ago when my family first discovered it.
Photo by: Maryem Abdulla

My usual order of turkey provolone has always been my favorite, however I decided to step out of my very narrow sandwich comfort zone and ordered a turkey pastrami. Although it is a little different from what I'm accustomed to, the fresh bread and savory ingredients complemented the meat nicely, and made it an overall tasty lunch.

Whether you decide to try their sandwiches, salads, or fine wines, have fun, eat up, and enjoy!

Battle of the Froyo

College students are known to be three things: tired, broke, and froyo obsessed. Nobody likes the first two, but the latter offers something none other can- the comfort of guilt free ice cream when things get stressful, rough, and out of hand. Since frozen yogurt has become a new trend, it is often difficult to find the perfect vender to buy the delicious treat from. The two most popular franchises I have seen in Chicago are Pinkberry and Red Mango, both fantastically yummy.
Photo by: Maryem Abdulla
Although popular in California and New York, Pinkberry is a fairly new concept here in the Midwest, and it took the city by storm. At only $2.50 ($3.95 with toppings) it's a great way to satisfy a sweet tooth. Although the texture of the frozen yogurt can be a little runny after a while, the pleasant and serene atmosphere makes its few flaws hard to notice.
Photo by: Maryem Abdulla
By contrast, Red Mango has been around the Chicagoland area since 2008 and quickly became popular. Like Pinkberry, a small cup of froyo is only $2.50 (with extra charges for toppings) and with the huge variety of dry and fruit toppings, you can't go wrong with it. The laid back feel to the store is always inviting and it somehow always makes me want to come back for more.
Although both are delicious and fairly cheap, my top choice for a frozen treat would definitely be Red Mango. Its rich flavor, yummy toppings, and the truly frozen-till-you-eat-it texture makes me happy to be alive. Whatever your preference may be, have fun, eat up, and enjoy!