Column writers strike out to do restaurant and food reviews

SACRAMENTO, Calif., USA - The intrepid columnists of the column-writing class at CSU, Sacramento are heading out this week - and weekend - to review area restaurants and their fare, with a column due next Tuesday morning (by 8 a.m.) about their experiences.

The students are heading out in groups of three or more, and are in the process of picking restaurants - and times and dates - to do the research (eating!) for the reviews.

The assignment is similar to one given annually to the class, in which a group goes out to a restaurant, usually with each group member choosing something different off the menu.

Last year, I went with a group to Hoppy's Brewery where the beer was fabulous. The food? Well, the group wasn't all that hoppy (or happy) with it - or the bill.


Fine dining magazine


Budget dining

The choice of restaurants is completely up to the students, with transportation, budget and timing being major obstacles for many of the students, who juggle school, work, families and a modest amount of recreation.

In a few cases, some students are likely to pick on-campus eateries for reviews.

The Sac State campus does have a wide assortment of restaurants, including the University Center, a dining room in the University Union that serves lunches and is frequented by some faculty and many administrators, including campus president Alexander Gonzalez.


Alexander Gonzalez

Good turnout for CSU, Sacramento rally - despite the heat

SACRAMENTO, Calif., USA - A crowd of about 200 faculty, students at staff took part in a noontime rally at CSU, Sacramento today, the first of many such activities as the three groups get together to fight the fee increases visited on students and the furloughs (pay cuts) forced on employees.

Some of the student speakers were choked up as they tried to explain how much the fee increases (32 percent total for this year alone) were hurting their ability to even go to college. Several faculty gave fairly rousing speeches, despite a sound system that was below inadequate - a bullhorn with a microphone attached.


Student speaker at today's rally

The sound system - such as it was - was still considered illegal by campus police. The police had banned the use of any amplification and told the leaders of the CFA to simply raise their voices when they spoke. The bullhorns were used anyway, a protest themselves of the campus administration's attempt at keeping the rally from growing very large.

Had the flames been fanned sufficiently (and loud enough for people to hear), it's possible the group might have marched on the offices of CSU, Sacramento President Alexander Gonzalez.

That would have made for some good theatre, and perhaps grabbed more media attention.

Regardless, the 25 students enrolled in my Column Writing class attended and this week will be writing columns - their first attempts.


A 'loud' speaker


Sign in the crowd