“Due to limited supply, we reserve the right to hold the kitchen sink.” This is just one of the quirky anecdotes found on the menu of a quaint and locally known restaurant named Pargo’s. Each time I would pass by Lynnhaven Mall, this restaurant I had never heard of always caught my attention. With a name like Pargo’s, I figured the only type of food in which they served was Mexican, but I was indeed wrong. They always attracted a large crowd, because every time I would pass by, many people would be dining inside.

There is only so much cafeteria food a second-semester freshman like myself could stand; therefore, it was time to give this restaurant a chance. With the company of my friend, we went there to eat and relax after a long day of classes. Pargo’s is a chain of restaurants which can be found in areas ranging from Virginia to Georgia. It offers a wide variety of foods which would suit even the pickiest eater, like myself. Upon entering the restaurant, you feel as though you are in an English tavern, which is pretty cool for a “Mexican” restaurant, which is what I originally thought the restaurant was. The server who seated us was extremely friendly. Even when she used the classic line, “If we can do anything to make your experience here at Pargo’s even better, please let me know,” I felt as though she actually meant it.

Upon being seated, we were given menus by our waiter, who arrived only one minute after we were seated! It was then that I realized that Pargo’s might possibly become a place I visit frequently when the Grille, Dining Center and dorm room leftovers become lost causes. Upon examining the menu, I realized that the restaurant was not Mexican, but wholesome American delicacies. What really caught my eye was the inexpensive prices, which is great for a college student. The menu contained everything that will appease any picky eater, which ranged from pasta, thick and juicy steaks, burgers and even items for vegetarians. When the waiter took our drink orders, of course I ordered a non-alcoholic strawberry daiquiri, from which the waiter deducted $1.50 of the regular $3.50 price.
Waiting for only three minutes, the drinks had already arrived, and the waiter was ready to take the food order. My friend ordered a BBQ Bacon Burger for $6.75 that came with fried Pargo's (spicy curly fries). While looking at all the delicious delicacies that were on the menu, a dish named Rasta Pasta for $9.95-which contained penne pasta, shrimp, sausage, broccoli, and chicken breast marinated in Alfredo sauce-caught my attention. Was it because I was extremely hungry and I had nothing to eat that day? No, it was because this was all my favorite foods made into one dish.

While waiting for the food to arrive, I started to look around and examine my surroundings a little more closely. I saw that there was a TV above every single booth, and all the booths were in a circular shape around the bar. Also, I happened to listen to the music playing over the speaker system. What type was it? None other than 1990s soft rock music hits such as Mariah Carey, NSYNC, Babyface, and more. This only led me to believe that this is the absolute perfect place to take a girl for a first date, or for a celebration.

When the food arrived, I looked at my watch and realized that they prepared the food in a record time of 15 minutes! At as many restaurants as I have eaten, this is perhaps the fastest time that food has arrived. The first thing I noticed and I think others will as well, is the extremely large portions. You are getting the amount that you pay for, which is a positive in my favor. When I took the first bite of my pasta, I was truly amazed because everything was cooked and seasoned to perfection.

I could tell that my friend was enjoying his food as well, because he was eating and not speaking, is a sign that the food is pleasing. During the 20 minutes in which we ate, the waiter came by four different times to make sure that everything was going OK; which led me to believe that he wanted a good tip, and I felt that he did indeed deserve one. When we finished eating, the check arrived with a total of $25.19. This is below the average amount for two people to eat out. This was a good thing! When we paid the waiter the total amount of the food and the tip, he recited another classic line, “Please come back and see us again.” This is the first time in which I actually believed that the waiter meant what he said.

So overall on a scale of one to 10, Pargo’s receives a perfect 10 because it contains all the elements of a college student’s restaurant pick; quick service, good prices and large portions. If you and that special someone are trying to find that place to go for the first date or you want campus food relief, I highly recommend dining at Pargo’s.

In your face, honest, and sometimes overwhelming, the film “Monster’s Ball” is not about interracial relationships, but more specifically about two people finding comfort in each other. Starring Billy Bob Thornton as Hank and Halle Berry as Leticia, these two characters are real, weak and politically incorrect. The film takes place in Georgia, where Leticia works in a diner with an overweight son and an ex-husband on Death Row, played by Sean “P. Diddy” Combs. Hank works as the corrections officer, performing the execution of Combs’ character.
At first, Hank and Leticia do not realize their connection. Director Marc Forster does not dwell on this, but rather moves forward with the film. Where many films would deal with this situation, this film’s strength is avoiding it and moving on. Hank and Leticia’s realization of their connection is irrelevant. This is more apparent at the end of the film, where a would-be disastrous situation is left alone.

All of Forster’s decisions about the characters and confrontations add to the film. Hank’s obsessive compulsive disorder, his abuse and his internal conflicts with life demonstrate how real these characters are. Throughout the film it is apparent that Hank went through life without loving anyone, even his own son, played by Heath Ledger. The audience understands Hank’s hatred more clearly when they observe Hank’s father, whose many prejudiced views have had an impact on Hank. Hank’s son, however, is less affected by his grandfathers racism, and in the film his family sees this as a weakness. Leticia, on the other hand, is battling with her self-worth. She is a bad mother who beats her son for being overweight and has an alcohol problem. Through tragic deaths, these two emotionally distant characters seek comfort through physical gratification.

Several sex scenes in the film are possibly uncomfortable, even for a liberal crowd, but they demonstrate the flaws in the characters. One sex scene involving Hank and Leticia is not romantic or stimulating, but instead is a little disturbing. They do not kiss, they do not look deeply into each others eyes, they do not have sex to show their love for each other, but instead to simply feel better. By their next sexual encounter, the two become more affectionate and softhearted. Their emotional need for each other that led to physical gratification turns into the emotional support they were both searching for.

Not a single actor seems out of place in this film. Thornton and Berry do not limit their performances. They feed off each other and would not be convincing if one were missing. Throughout the film Thornton’s representation of Hank’s actions are consistent and never contradictory. Berry has been nominated for an Oscar for her performance in “Monster’s Ball.” Berry is convincing, honest and refuses to give in to racial cliches. Unlike many musicians turned actors, Combs’ performance is magnificent. Like Hank and Leticia, Combs’ character has moments of internal conflicts and unspoken emotions that the audience can feed off. Combs fits well with the rest of the cast.

Not just about romance, and not just about racism, this film prevails because of its representation of flawed characters. Most films focus on plot and visual style, causing the characters to be caught in the clutter. This film avoids many confrontations and controversies and decides to focus on hope.

After a three-year hiatus, Jewel has returned. A relaxed and refreshed Jewel has released probably her best album to date. “This Way” is a collection of newer, upbeat, more ambitious sounds than we have come to expect from Jewel.

She has already established herself in the music industry with numerous awards ranging from Grammys to Environmental Awareness recognitions. Most of us have come to know Jewel as a beautiful, poetic, gentle voice that can sometimes be tedious to listen for long periods of time. “This Way” shows much more of Jewel’s musical style, along swith her gifted voice and poetic writing. The songs are upbeat and more radio-friendly than her previous albums. She seems to have gotten a little sassier and bolder in her statements and experiments with new sounds and rhythm. For those of you who have heard or seen the “Standing Still” single and liked it, you will love the rest of the album.

There are 12 tracks on the album with two bonus live tracks. The two live tracks are traditional Jewel, with guitar in hand and voice only. The remaining tracks blend a variety of musical influences like pop, folk, blues, country and rock-n-roll, giving her a wider variety of music.

On “Everybody Needs Somebody Sometimes” she is sassy and bluesy. In “Break Me” she falls into the country music category, stemming from her folk roots. And in “Serve the Ego” she mixes odd beats and low rhythms to her varying singing style to form a sort of mesmerizing pop song. Jewel has also become more political in her poetry. In “The New Wild West” she sings “Each man for himself/A nation of civilized steeples/and lonely peoples.” On the jacket of her CD she writes “this is about how there is no land left to settle, and that the ‘last frontier’ we have left to civilize is ourselves.”

Out of 14 songs, only four are slow love songs. This is quite a change for Jewel. The best tracks are “Serve the Ego” and “Standing Still.” None of the tracks are less than great. Jewel has already proven her gift and talents. On “This Way” she has shown us that styles can change for the better. Her second album proved to follow the sophomore jinx of many artists, but her fourth will show us she is back, stronger and happier than ever.

For those of you who love and prefer Jewel’s folksy, solo style of singing, you may be surprised by this album. It is much more uplifting than previous albums and true Jewel fans will definitely want this one in their collections.