Posted on 1 Comment on Ravioli Ravioli Whats in the Ant Eatery

Ravioli Ravioli Whats in the Ant Eatery

If you live in Mesa Court, you most likely would have heard about the Ant Eatery. It is the designated eating spot in Mesa Court and it looks good being the first floor of the Mesa Court towers. Its got a modern feel to it, with big windows and outside patios. If you got a 7-day meal plan, chances are that most of your meals would be eaten there. It has a wide selection of food, ranging from burgers to pasta. It alternates from day to day, so most of the time there would be different food choices available, unless you are a burger person then by all means, eat burgers all day since that is never off the menu. It even comes with a ton of desert options as well, from ice cream to brownies if you have a sweets craving. It is a fine dining experience if you can afford it and everything is all you can eat, making that freshman 15 a reality within a few weeks.

Sometimes there are really good days at the Ant Eatery, where they have special promotions or food for the season. For Halloween, they offered a special pumpkin ice cream and pumpkin spice hot chocolate, which in my opinion was really good. Some of you folks might not enjoy pumpkin which is ok, as they offer spiced apple cider as well during those times. And just recently they had a night where they collaborated with the food trucks around campus to bring you food truck food such as Vietnamese sandwiches and mac and cheese balls. I highly recommend nugget night and wings Wednesday for their late night courses since their nuggets are great and the buffalo sauce is top tier.

Sometimes you might just get sick and tired of the same type of food at the Ant Eatery and need to diversify. However, other food places actually require cash and money is tight since you spent it on something you didn’t really need but was cool so you wanted it. Theres where creativity comes in. Tired of all the normal sauces on your burger and just can not perfect that one burger place’s taste? Try using the salad bar’s sauces on your burger. Oriental and honey mustard might just be the taste you are looking for in a burger. Tired of the same burger all the time? Try adding hash browns to it which is usually served during breakfast or brunch, A nice crunchy burger tastes good and fills you up too. Not too hungry and just want a light dinner? Try a crispy chicken patty with a side of plain rice. Works for me every time. Sometimes all the pieces are there, but just spread out. It is up to you to build the perfect meal in the Ant Eatery.

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Zot Snaps

Not quite selfies, but I’ve been really busy with midterms so here are some pictures from earlier in the year. UCI is such a unique school with its own campus culture, showcased in our love for Harold and Maude, the cutest duck couple ever, or our campus wide good luck charm, Swagman. Finishing up my first year, here are some of my zot snaps, showing off special parts of our UCI culture.

Infinity Fountain

The infinity fountain, located near Rowland Hall, is really pretty and used for graduation photos a lot! Fun fact: when I was on campus during Summer Bridge, my friend Carmen and I could not find this fountain. If you’re looking for it, walk along the edge of Aldrich Park and you’ll see it.

These pictures are from Summer Bridge when my friends and I stepped into the fountain before our freshman year, fulfilling a tradition for good luck. The people you go into the fountain with are believed to be your best friends throughout college. Then, before you graduate, you’re supposed to go in again, like a symbolic way of ending your time at UCI.

I would totally recommend going in, but be careful because I’m not sure if we’re allowed to? Also the water actually goes pretty high so wear shorts and I’m warning you in advance that your feet may turn blue from the paint at the bottom of the fountain. That’s not quite something anyone told me but now you guys will know!

Aldrich Park

This picture is during one of the Vietnamese Student Association meetings, led by yours truly and all the other interns. It was Way Back Wednesday, so we used Aldrich Park’s spacious fields and inviting atmosphere to play childhood games like Duck Duck Goose and Red Light, Green Light. Aldrich Park is definitely an iconic part of UCI. It’s right in the middle of the school which makes it nice to cut across to get to classes. Many people also nap in the park by laying down blankets or hanging up hammocks between the trees. It’s also a really nice place to have a picnic! That’s still on my UCI checklist because I wanted to have one Friday but it was rainy?

Seaside Donuts

Not on campus, but definitely part of UCI’s foodie culture. This donut shop is in Newport Beach, about 10 minutes from campus. It’s a really common after event for club meetings and just all around great spot to hang out. The donut shop is open 24/7 and for some reason, it’s so much better at night. I’ve never really seen people go in the morning, but at night, it’s crawling with hungry college students, looking for a bite to eat. I would recommend the ham and cheese croissant warmed up with a green thai iced tea on the side. It’s two of their most popular items and you’ll see why once you have them! This picture is blurry because it’s actually a polaroid from one of my roomie dates at Seaside. You definitely have to go to Seaside as a UCI student, it’s part of the culture.

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“Zot Snaps”

As we’ve mentioned in previous posts, UCI is a school with a wide variety of interesting and useful resources. My fellow bloggers and I took some time to take some stylish selfies by particularly cool places, and here they are.

Antrepreneur Center

Do you have a particularly cool or interesting business idea? If so, this is the place for you! Located by the Paul Merage School of Business, the cleverly named Antrepreneur center is a place where you can propose your business ideas and potentially have them backed by experienced people who know how to help your idea succeed. Even if you don’t have a specific idea, the Antrepreneur center may still be useful to you. Every so often they’ll hold an information session where interested students can learn more about entrepreneurship in general. Be sure to stop by!

Gateway Study Center

The Gateway Study Center is located across from Langson Library, and is in my opinion one of the best places to study. If you find that the dorm study rooms are too noisy to concentrate, and the Library is too cramped, the Gateway Study Center might be just the place you’re looking for.  It’s full of computer labs, study rooms, and collaboration rooms for you and your friends to utilize. You can even reserve rooms if you need a private space for a certain amount of time. Be sure to check this place out next time exam season comes around.

Chick Fil A

 

And last but certainly not least, we have Chick Fil A. Although technically not on campus, I think it’s close enough. Just across the street from the flagpoles, Chick Fil A and other restaurants at the UTC are perfect for when you get tired of Pippins or the Anteatery. Sometimes it’s a little too tempting to head over and buy and unhealthy amount of chicken nuggets, but it’s definitely worth splurging on every once in awhile.

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February 14, 2018

Ahh yes, February 14,Valentines Day. But it was also the same week as Ash Wednesday for Catholics, and Lunar New Years! So it was a pretty eventful day for me with a Valentine’s Day dinner at the Anteatery, Ash Wednesday mass on campus at the Crystal Cove auditorium, and VSA tet general meeting.

The first event was Valentine’s Day dinner at the Anteatery on Tuesday, February 13. Around week 2, Mesa court residents received an email about a special Valentines Day dinner and people could RSVP to go with a significant other or friend. It was semi formal attire with a full five course meal, all for free at the Anteatery. I was lucky enough to be one of the few who RSVPed early enough to get a spot with my friend. Personally, I love dressing up so my roommates helped me curl my hair, do my makeup, and pick out an outfit for the dinner. The food was surprisingly good and I was so impressed it came out of the Anteatery. There was a crab cake salad, mushroom tortellini, and so much more. United Voices, an acapella group on campus, to come perform for us! It was such a nice experience because it make Valentine’s Day a little less stressful and a lot more fun. I would definitely recommend this for incoming freshman! I’m so glad I got to experience this.

Ash Wednesday was the next day on February 14, and as a Catholic, I fasted and abstain from meat so I am so thankful the Valentine’s Day dinner was the night before. For those unfamiliar with Ash Wednesday, it marks the beginning of Lent, a season of fasting and prayer in preparation for Easter. There is a special mass where Catholics can receive ashes as a sign of repentance and an outward symbol of their faith. The University Catholic Community held mass on campus at Crystal Cove which was amazing and so so convenient. I was actually so excited because there were so many people there for a mass that isn’t even mandatory. It was so cool to see everyone gathered there for mass and be part of a huge community.

Lunar New Year was also that weekend so for VSA’s general meeting, staff members wore our traditional ao dais. As an intern, I wore my ao dai too to celebrate the new year by playing games with the members and get into the spirit. So those two days were pretty eventful for me. On Valentines Day, I passed out flowers to all my friends to brighten their days, had my traditional Vietnamese ao dai on, and had ashes on my forehead for quite an eventful day. There are so many events at UCI going on, so reach out and find one that speaks out to you!