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Cheap Halloween Eats at Chipotle and Saxbys

Halloween Cheap Eats

Did you know that Halloween’s tomorrow? That’s right, T-1 day until one of the greatest days of the year, and restaurants everywhere are upping their promotion game.

First up is Chipotle, a little-known Mexican restaurant that’s looking to expand beyond its current M Street location — oh, who am I kidding? Beloved by hungry college kids everywhere, Chipotle is bringing back Boorito, a special promotion that gets you a THREE-DOLLAR BURRITO if you come in with a costume on Halloween from 5 p.m. to close (10 p.m.). That’s right. A glorious Chipotle burrito for $3. Let that sink in, much like your teeth will sink into a delicious burrito if you wear a costume and walk into your neighborhood Chipotle. Of course, if burritos aren’t your thing, you can get a burrito bowl (my personal favorite), an order of tacos or a salad for the same low price of $3. As if this wasn’t amazing enough, proceeds from Boorito up to $1 million will go to the Chipotle Cultivate Foundation, which aims to create a “more sustainable and healthful food supply.” What’s not to love?

Social media sidenote: Chipotle is also offering a costume contest for its customers, so if you tweet or Instagram a photo of yourself at a Chipotle (in costume) with the hashtag #ChipotleBooritoContest, you could win up to $2,500 for the most creative costume, best group costume or scariest costume.

Another local chain offering deliciousness on Halloween is Saxbys. If you pop into Saxbys on Halloween from noon to 7 p.m., you get a free small pumpkin spice latte (#PSL). You don’t even have to wear a costume — although it’s encouraged.

So if you feel like getting some yummy coffee or a filling burrito (nothing says carbo-loading like a warm tortilla, am I right?), head over to Saxbys and Chipotle tomorrow and get your almost-free Halloween treats!

Photos: urbancdn.com 

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Free Food Alert: Head to ShopHouse on Wednesday

ShopHouse Free Bowl

There is almost nothing that brings more joy to a college student than the word “free.” It’s the free things in life that make us smile and jump up and down in our pajamas in the living room (or is that just me?).

So what, you might ask, is the only thing that makes me happier than something free? The answer to that is easy: Food. Free food, the two critical “F”s, are two of the most joy inducing, make-my-day words I could hear. Did you notice what happened when you read “free food”? Your mouth curled into a smile, your vision got blurry, you lost focus on anything school-related and all that was ever bad or stressful melted away. Let me repeat myself: FREE FOOD.

We at 4E have featured the magic that is ShopHouse Southeast Asian Kitchen before. For the whole month of October the ShopHouse at 2805 M St. NW is offering free drinks to all Georgetown students, and this Wednesday (10/8), ShopHouse is having another killer free bowl day from 4 to 9 p.m. for anyone with a GOCard. I know you don’t need any more convincing to go. You’ve already added it to your calendar, started a dashboard countdown and made plans to go with friends. So what am I here for? Well, to help you channel all that excited energy into some productivity, I will help you pick an order. Let’s review how the ShopHouse menu works, shall we?

Pick a base: Rice, noodles or salad. Obviously this is not only a difficult choice but perhaps the most crucial decision you will make. Rice says, “I’m sophisticated, mature and enjoying a culturally ambiguous meal.” Noodles say, “Let’s just have some fun!” Salad pretty much speaks for itself. No matter what you choose, we respect you for making it to ShopHouse and indulging in free food. Go with your heart.

Pick a protein: Chicken, steak, pork and chicken meatballs or tofu. Just my two cents: Do not deviate from your norm here. There is never a right time to experiment with new meats.

Pick a veggie: Now this is the place for experimentation and adventure. We are looking at kale, corn, squash or green beans. Not only do they have completely different colors and flavors, they have different spice levels (can you handle the heat of the green bean?) and different personalities. Which do you pick? Whatever the moment selects for you.

Pick a sauce: Tamarind vinaigrette, green curry or red curry. Read the fine print so you know what you are getting yourself into.

Top off your bowl with garnishes and toppings. Remember to enjoy it primarily because it’s good food. But you should also enjoy it a little more because it’s free. Feel free (pun!) to go all out and have no fear. This is the time to let your hair down and enjoy the pleasure of a free ShopHouse meal.

Photo: siliconbeachclearly.com

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Nutella Madness Returns to DC

Nutella Truck

Well, here’s the news all you Nutella lovers have been waiting for. Starting June 14, the Nutella truck has been making its sequel debut, straight from God’s heart into your arms and bellies. You might have been caught off guard by the word “sequel.” Could this magical event have possibly occurred before without your knowledge?

Never fear, because last time around, the 4E had you covered with the full scoop! This time around is the same, except even better because Nutella is celebrating its 50th anniversary! So get your dancing shoes on, warm your stomachs up and enjoy the birthday of your best friend ever.

This weekend, the truck is going to be at the Freedom Plaza (1455 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW) for something called the Safeway BBQ battle. We’re not exactly sure what this is, but it sounds amazing. The truck will be around from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., so make sure to stop by and pick up your free samples with bread and waffles. I’m just going to give you, the reader, a few seconds to take that in. Free samples of Nutella are available this Saturday and Sunday! According to the weather forecast, the weekend won’t even be as painfully hot and gross as these past few days have been. You’re basically obligated to stop by the truck!

Follow the comings and goings of the Nutella truck, and the Nutella corporation in general, at https://nutellausa.tumblr.com/. And spread the word — everyone should get a taste of freedom (that is, a taste of Nutella at Freedom Plaza).

Special thanks to DC Dining Guide for the heads-up.

Photo: imgur.com

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The 4E Guide to Picnicking

picnicwithclassWell, it’s that time of year again. Zyrtec commercials are back on the air, winter coats are going on sale and chilling inside is suddenly not socially acceptable because you could be “lawn-ing.” You now face a new dilemma: How do you experience your two favorite activities, eating and enjoying the weather, at the same time? Fortunately, this very problem was solved just two-ish centuries ago with the invention of the picnic. So for your last golden days at Georgetown this year, before the wacky summer of love you’ve got planned, grab some friends, head to the lawn and use our tips to have a ballin’ picnic!

Nail the tunes
Maybe you love the sound of birds chirping or other natural noises. Maybe you hate it. Either way, it doesn’t hurt to put together a killer playlist that includes both the “commercial with hair flowing in the wind” feeling and the “me and my friends are just chillin’ on the stoop” vibe. You don’t really know how the afternoon will go, and you want to be prepared for any setting. We recommend one of our 4E summer playlists.

Plan your outfit
Clothing choices for picnicking are difficult and require a bit of forethought. Something pastel says “I’m preppy, happy and enjoying my youth” from the front but “I was too shortsighted to consider grass stains” from the back. Anything too dark may save you from green-butt syndrome (which is real) but will make you seem too serious for the occasion. Also remember that the outdoors comes with nature. Watch out for creepy crawlers and the occasional wind gust.

Bring good eats
This should be an obvious tip for picnicking anyway, but I figured it was necessary to emphasize. Whether it’s a sweet treat from Pinkberry or Ben & Jerry’s, something you picked up from Sweetgreen or a homemade feast that you prepared, food is a necessity for picnics. Just be sure to bring utensils and definitely don’t forget to clean up after yourself.

Bring a football, volleyball or Frisbee
If you are anything like me, you haven’t sat cross-legged on the ground for more than a few minutes since sitting around the magic rug in third grade. Pro tip: If prolonged sitting isn’t your thing, bring something that gets you up and moving. An impromptu Frisbee toss among friends is a perfect picnicking activity — you can enjoy the weather while getting an excuse to skip Yates!

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So those are a couple of tips for the perfect spring picnic. This weekend is supposed to be killer in terms of the weather, so be sure to get some Vitamin D with your friends! Happy picnicking, Hoyas!

Photo: crestwood-elementary.com

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Awkward Moments at Home

AwkwardLife back home is sweet. Home-cooked meals, a couch for watching Netflix, pajama days until the end of time. But what happens when you leave the front door and face the outside world? As a college student returning home to the site of some of your most glorious (or embarrassing) days, there is huge potential for awkward moments or encounters. Be on the lookout for some of these common awkward moments:

Running into a teacher at the grocery store 
So, you’re psyched to go grocery shopping with your mom. Who wouldn’t be? It’s been months since you’ve walked through the aisles, smelled the fresh fruit, sampled gourmet cheeses and actually had a fridge big enough to hold it all. As you walk past the milk in your sweats, eyes wide at all the varieties of milk that actually exist, your freshman year math teacher wanders by and catches your eye. She wants to know everything about school, what you’re majoring in, what math classes you’ve taken. You nod and smile and answer the right questions, even though you look like you’ve just been hit by a car and you just want to keep staring at the milk.

Going to a spin classes with your younger sister
Your friends are all still at school but you are dying to hit up SoulCycle to get a little workout in, pre-bathing suit time. You reluctantly take your little sister and all of her annoying middle school friends with you. You pick a bike in the back and try and tune out the incessant chatter of small children, giving the older, more sophisticated members of the gym an apologetic glance as they roll their eyes. But it’s too late. Your mom is thrilled you are doing something with your sister, and she is already bragging to all of her friends and setting up a time for tomorrow. You are stuck for the week.

Finding out that your favorite Thai food place is out of business
You’ve got the perfect evening set up. Head to the absolute best Thai food restaurant for an early dinner, then hit up the movie theater next door to catch up on all those films people are always talking about. You’ve timed it all out, set up the details with friends, and are out the door. But after a third time circling the spot, you are beyond confused. You call them up and find out they’ve gone out of business. So much for dinner plans. Too bad you missed the going away party.

Seeing the high school freshmen that have been friending you
You’ve been ignoring these friend requests for a while now. Overeager freshmen from your high school have been friending you faster than Road Runner tearing down the mountain cliff. You’ve ducked, dipped, dived and dodged them well. That is, until now, when a posse of them come right at you on the street. You recognize them, whether or not you’ll admit it. They recognize you, even though they play it “cool” in front of their “college friends.” You quickly look down, but they know you know them. The damage has been done.

You may not get tangled in all of these snafus before you head back to the Hilltop but there’s a chance you may experience one of them. Our best advice: Don’t leave your house. Or do. You may as well embrace the awkwardness, knowing most of the people you run into aren’t Hoyas and you are. Poor things.

Photo: talesofatwentysomething.wordpress.com
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The Best Thing to Happen on Super Bowl Sunday (Other Than the Super Bowl)

Puppy Bowl 2014Chips? Check. Five large pepperoni pizzas? Check. A friend to help you finish them? Check. Now what? The worst part about Super Bowl Sunday is all of the hours before the Super Bowl when you have nothing to do. Everybody knows there’s no point in expending energy or doing anything but sitting on the couch watching the game.

At least that used to be the case, until some genius in a fancy apartment in Manhattan invented the Puppy Bowl. You heard me: It’s like if football and puppies mixed and the result was a lot of puppies running around being adorable. And there’s even a kitten halftime show, featuring a particularly bold kitten parachuting into the stadium. Think it can’t get any better? How about the fact that, aside from a few (hopefully) animal-trained humans, the referees are largely penguins standing next to large blocks of ice. I honestly couldn’t make this up even if I wanted to.

You might be asking why such greatness exists on Earth right about now. The Puppy Bowl is staged to raise awareness for pet adoption, and all featured puppies and kittens (60 and 30, respectively) are up for adoption! If you like what you see, make a call and you could have a Puppy Bowl champ to love. This year’s lineup is expected to be the most talented bunch yet. Without further ado, here are our top four picks for the 10th annual Puppy Bowl, airing Feb. 2 at 3 p.m. on Animal Planet. Be there or it will be your biggest regret of 2014.

american-eskimo-puppies brody

Name: Brody
Breed: American Eskimo Dog
Age: 15 weeks
Why we pick him: Brody plays football simply because he loves football. He is happiest running around the stadium, chasing after the ball. That passion will take you places.

brittany-spaniel-puppies-560x403 laney

Name: Laney
Breed: Brittany Spaniel Mix
Age: 13 weeks
Why we pick her: Her back leg is ready to pounce. This girl’s got game and she isn’t afraid to show it. Better watch out, pups.

basset-hound-560x340 lily

Name: Lily
Breed: Basset Hound
Age: 13 weeks
Why we pick her: Her eyes are so full of wisdom. She’s also got the largest ears of the bunch, so she is always in the know.

puppy-bowl-2014 abdiel

Name: Abdiel
Breed: Labrador/Terrier Mix
Age: 13 weeks
Why we pick him: He’s got his game face on. Always.

All Puppy Bowl photos courtesy of The Small Screen Scoop – Click the link to see the full lineup!
Cover photo: stuffpoint.com
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Staffers of the Week: Victoria Edel and Addie Fleron

Once a week, The Hoya recognizes a staffer who has done a particularly awesome job – now you can get to know about them, too. As part of our Leavey 421 series, we post quick interviews with each Staffer of the Week. This week we’re featuring two amazing Hoya staffers: Victoria Edel and Addie Fleron.

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Name: Victoria Edel
Year: College
School: 2014
Major: History and Government, English Minor
Hometown: Brooklyn, N.Y.
Position on The Hoya: Wash-up and Guide Columnist

Why did you earn staffer of the week?
I worked with the Personnel Director Addie Fleron to put together our first staff retreat.* We herded together all the current Hoya leaders with many of the past to reflect and talk about where we’re going, where the paper is going and how we can do better for ourselves and Georgetown.

*I’ve heard from alums that we used to have these, so technically this is the first in recent memory, but there has been a pretty big gap since the last one, at least.

What is your favorite part about working for The Hoya?
Everyone who works for this newspaper is really weird in the best possible way. Some of my best friendships were forged at 2 a.m. over Pop’ems and intense discussions about font choices, and I’m pretty sure that sort of stuff isn’t happening anywhere else on campus.

If you could make a band with any two people, who would they be?
Mindy Kaling and Aubrey Plaza, not because we would make anything worth listening to, but because I just want to be their best friend. And who knows — if we put our heads together maybe we could give Andy Samberg and The Lonely Island a run for their money. Give me a call, Mindy and Aubrey, and we can make it happen.

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Name: Addie Fleron
Year: College
School: 2016
Major: Medieval Studies
Hometown: Westfield, Mass.
Position on The Hoya: Director of Personnel

Why did you earn staffer of the week?
With Victoria, I helped organize the first leadership retreat for members of The Hoya’s board box.

What is your favorite part about working for The Hoya?
My favorite part about working for The Hoya is definitely getting to hang out with all the great people! Somehow we manage to make the tiny, champagne-covered office a great place to be.

If you could make a band with any two people, who would they be?
I’m hoping I get to pick actual musicians for this question because I am not musical. In which case we would have to go with Adam Levine and Pink. Partially because I want to see what mash-up that would create.

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Valentine’s Day Contest: WIN FREE STUFF!

UntitledLove to laugh? Like to love? This year we are giving away FIVE pairs of tickets to a hot comedy show on Valentine’s Day so you and your special someone (and maybe your third wheel) can have a steamy, romantic evening watching each other laugh so hard you choke on your sparkling apple cider.

The tickets are for a Feb. 14 show that will be held at The Arc Theater and features D.C. comedians Nema Williams and Ed Blaze alongside special guest HOPE FLOOD. Oh, did we mention that we’re giving away these tickets FOR FREE?

All you have to do to win is tweet the sauciest pickup lines possible to @thehoya4E. (Keep ’em clean, though.) The 4E staff will then try them out on unsuspecting bachelors/bachelorettes to determine our favorites, and then we’ll announce our contest winners who will be off to a night of laughter, footsies and projectile soup. Don’t forget your bib!

To get your wheels spinning, we’ve provided two of our favorite pickup lines for inspiration. May the love be ever in your favor:

1. Did it hurt when you fell from heaven?

2. Do you like pepperoni? Cause I want a pizza dat.

See? This is why you guys get to make up the pickup lines and we’re the ones giving you free comedy show tickets. Get those creative Cupid juices flowing, kids.

Photo: pure-adventures.com
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Staffers of the Week: Zoe Bertrand, Shannon Reilly and Emory Wellman

Well, it’s that time of the week again. Each week we recognize a staffer who has gone above and beyond the call of duty. This week, the honor goes to three former abroadies who were sorely missed while they were away. Congrats Zoe, Shannon and Emory!

bertman

Name: Zoe Bertrand
School: College
Year: 2015
Major: Women and Gender Studies (with a focus on poverty and globalization)
Hometown: White Plains, N.Y.
Position on the Hoya: Contributing Editor, formerly Senior Layout Editor

Why did you earn staffer of the week?
I made an exceedingly attractive garf for the cover.

What is your favorite part about working for The Hoya?
The photo computers. Lol, just kidding, it’s probably getting to spend so much time with the awesome people who also work for The Hoya.

Where did you study abroad?
Pune, India.

What is the best part about being back on the Hilltop?
Seeing all my friends again! And I’m taking some really cool/interesting classes.

If you could be a character from any TV show which one would it be and why?
Eliza Thornberry. She can talk to animals!

 shannon

Name: Shannon Reilly
School: College
Year: 2015
Major: Psychology
Hometown: Sparta, N.J.
Position on the Hoya: Contributing to copy section

Why did you earn staffer of the week?
I earned staffer of the week for staying at the office far into the night with the other wash-ups helping out with the first production night back from break.

What is your favorite part about working for The Hoya?
My favorite part about working for The Hoya is the wonderful people I get to work with and hang out with while I’m here. (I also have a love-hate relationship with the abundance of super unhealthy snacks that are always in the office.)

Where did you study abroad? 
Copenhagen, Denmark.

What is the best part about being back on the Hilltop?
The best part about being back on the Hilltop is the energetic atmosphere on campus and the Corp chai lattes that help me keep up with it.

If you could be a character from any TV show which one would it be and why?
If I could be a character from any TV show, I would probably want to be Lily from “Modern Family” because she always comes up with the sassy one-liners endearing to family and fans alike, but doesn’t seem to have too many responsibilities – that would be the life.

emory

Name: Emory Wellman
School: College
Year: 2015
Major: Government, Biology and History minors
Hometown: Boxford, Mass.
Position on the Hoya: Contributing Layout Editor, formerly Senior Layout Editor

Why did you earn staffer of the week?
Frankly, I’m not really sure… I came up to the office bearing Pop-ems, laid one page which then had to be redone when stories were switched and helped Kennedy (Layout Deputy) with some logistics. My main accomplishment was decimating a bag of ginger cookies.

What is your favorite part about working for The Hoya?
Definitely the people. And the elusive but oh so rewarding feeling of submitting the paper by deadline.

Where did you study abroad?
I was at Trinity College Dublin in Ireland!

What is the best part about being back on the Hilltop?
Wisey’s Oreo cookie cookies and getting to see everybody who I have sorely missed over the past four months.

If you could be a character from any TV show which one would it be and why?
Captain Kirk from “Star Trek: The Original Series.” Fearless leader, melodramatic, snazzy dresser, popular with the opposite gender and emerges from (almost) every situation unscathed. Most importantly, he gets Spock and McCoy as his BFFs.

 

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You Seek, We Write: The Hilarious Search Terms That Lead to 4E

Search TermsWell, hello there 4E readers. We here at the blog would like to think that our incredibly informative and entertaining pieces fill the voids of readers desperately searching for a way to brighten their day. Believe it or not, there are many ways Fourth Edition readers come across the quirky abode that is our website. Some viewers come from The Hoya website. Others arrive through our Facebook promotions, and quite a lot arrive from search engines.

Now, you might be wondering, what do you have to type into a search engine to end up on 4E? Well, thanks to our site statistics, we’ve tracked it and figured it out. And for your reading pleasure, we’ve compiled a list of our favorite searches that landed Google users on the pages of our blog. So next time you are soul searching on the World Wide Web, try typing in one of these stellar search phrases so you can see the best of what we have to offer. (Or just bookmark our site and go there.)

Georgetown-Burnetts-1“How to drink hot cinnamon flavored vodka”

As with many things life, questions cannot be simply boiled down to the why. They must also include the how, and we at 4E are here to guide you through those difficult decisions by providing a vast array of choices and advice that will hopefully lead you to answer to that question. Our variety of articles including how-tos, different drinking games (many of which are themed) and recipes will help every Hoya spice up a social gathering.

Wait a second, did someone say spice up? That’s right, this search phrase featured none other than then the highly contested, frequently talked about, hot cinnamon flavored vodka! Never forget that Hoyas help Hoyas when venturing into new territory, so we are always here to help.

“Surprised Patrick”

Some things are better seen than heard. Surprised Patrick’s face expresses feelings a Hoya can experience several times throughout the day. Like when there are no treadmills free at Yates, the pasta line is non-existent or the Internet is working in a dorm room.

“Calories in Thomas Sweet ice cream”

At 4E, we like ice cream, too! But to be honest, we don’t know the answer to this one and we actually don’t want to. Here’s a link to the Thomas Sweet website, though, just in case you dare to find out.

tumblr_mt60vbyJfw1s8shk6o1_400“Honey Boo Boo”

Perhaps the greatest thing about Honey Boo Boo (and clan), is that she is never too shy to say what she is really thinking and never too humble to declare her accomplishments loud and proud. Whenever you are having a bad day, turn to Honey Boo Boo and 4E and remember that if we both exist and everyone is still smiling, you can make it through, too.

“Are you supposed to say your name in a card for your Secret Santa”

With any holiday season comes gifts, often in the form of fun games involving secrecy. Hoyas have asked us for sage advice to the question, “Are you supposed to say our name in a card for Secret Santa?” Well, we have consulted significantly on this issue and ruled that secret is secret only if it is secret. Therefore, a resounding yes. But keep it a secret.

“Georgetown rat problem”

Yes, there is a bit of a rat problem here at Georgetown. We know. But really, the infestation is all just a matter of outlook. On one hand, you can think of our rats as disgusting, foul, disease-infested vermin. Or, on the other hand, you can think of them as just another friendly, diverse addition to the Hilltop community who happen to appear at night. Like armadillos. And who doesn’t love armadillos?

As you can see, those who stumble upon the Fourth Edition have quite the array of Internet searches. Some are looking for answers to practical questions. Some need a sympathetic story or a light-hearted laugh. Whatever the reason, 4E is always here for you in your time of need. Keep reading and keep asking the most of us, Hoyas!