Community Blog

On September 4 from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm, travel down the James River in style with a recreational sit-a-top kayak and take in the sights and sounds of summer…while we still have it to enjoy!  This section of river provides relatively easy paddling with occasional fast moving riffles.

Guides will provide an in-depth safety talk and lesson on paddling fundamentals.

Instruction, equipment and transportation all included in the $25 fee ($35 if not registered – registration deadline is September 2).

Meet at the Blacksburg Community Center by 8:50 am.

Gobblerfest 2010 will be held TODAY, Friday, August 27 at 3 pm outside Squires Student Center on the Virginia Tech campus and into the Downtown Blacksburg business district on College Avenue and Draper Road. Everyone is invited!

The event is free and open to the public. There will be family-friendly attractions like inflatables and games with musical performances by Cross Ties, Three Minute Lovin’, and more.

Details are available at gobblerfest.org. Be there to take part in this annual tradition.

For more information contact Krisztina Roder at (540) 231-5431 or gobblerfest2010@vt.edu.

It’s the first weekend after the start of fall classes and some of you might be in need of a movie night out!

YOU’RE IN LUCK. This weekend is the perfect time to visit a theater instead of staying at home with your Netflix account. Why? Because Regal Entertainment Group is giving away a free popcorn to fans who “like” their Facebook Page.  Come on Tech students… say it with me…FREE!

Simply visit the Official Page of Regal Entertainment Group and “like” the page. Once you do a FREE POPCORN coupon will appear on the screen. Print it out and head over to the New River Valley Stadium for a show. I recommend getting there early because popcorn will be flying! Take a break after a tiring first week of classes and enjoy the smaller things in life like FREEBIES!  It’s a great weekend to visit due to all the new releases… check them out here:

• The Last Exorcism
• The Switch
• Takers
• Lottery Ticket
• Nanny McPhee Returns
• Piranha 3D

Enjoy your popcorn and your FIRST weekend back at school!

Ever since college I’ve struggled with not being able to fall asleep at night. I wouldn’t go as far as to call it insomnia because it doesn’t happen all the time. Mainly if I’m dealing with something overly stressful, planning for an upcoming event or if my schedule drastically changes.  It’s like my body wants to shut down but my brain won’t let it. Talk about frustrating.

I’ve tried so many different tactics to help me get to sleep but none of them seem to work. I was actually surprised when ambient music, television and even pulling consecutive all-nighters failed to help. I’ve always been nervous about taking over the counter drugs because of that long list of possible side effects on the back of the boxes. I thought I would just have to deal with being tired all the time until I caught wind of some natural and safe remedies to try.I thought I would discuss a few in case you were suffering from a lack of sleep… especially those of you starting classes soon!

Lavender (Aromatherapy) - Pick up some lavender spray for your pillow or buy it whole (it’s pretty cheap!). I actually stuck a pouch of lavender in my pillow case. It’s just enough aroma therapy to help me fall asleep. I was surprised but it really works!

Yoga or Meditation – I’ve found that by taking time to relax my body and mind before I try to fall asleep it helps in clearing everything out so my brain and body will finally get into cahoots. If you can relax your mind enough beforehand, you won’t lay in bed thinking about how you WISH you were asleep. Again, I was a skeptic, but it works for me!

L-theanine - Try this supplement if you have a harder time staying asleep once you get there.  It’s an amino acid that helps you stay calm and alert during the day while helping you get a deeper sleep at night.  Green tea contains L-theanine but you’d have to drink a gallon for it to really effect your sleep. Try Suntheanine instead!

There are a handful of other natural remedies like these that will definitely do the trick.  Like I said, I’ve tried most of the other atmospheric tactics and refuse to put possibly dangerous drugs in my body, so these natural and safe remedies are right up my alley! Try them out and see what you think.

Do you have any other ways to help yourself sleep?

When it comes to glitz and glam, Adam Lambert has more than enough to share with the whole world. And that’s exactly what he’s doing.

The 2009 American Idol runner-up is chin deep in his Glam Nation Tour promoting his first album release since barely missing the Idol title.  The buzz around Lambert has been on quite a journey in a short time. What started as sheer amazement (for his beautiful voice and talent for performance) quickly turned to a slightly less friendly SHOCK when his less than ‘family friendly’ stage performances brought concern to television stations like ABC.  Said to be the most controversial American Idol contestant in the history of the show, Lambert doesn’t have a shy bone in his body.

To the surprise of fans and haters alike, his tour has continued on without a hitch. Bringing glam rock to cities all over the world, it looks like this theatrical musician is nowhere near giving up. You can see Adam Lambert for yourself next week on August 26. He will be performing live at the Roanoke Civic Center’s Performing Arts Theater. The show kicks off at 7:30 pm and you can get your tickets online or by calling the box office.

Whether you love him or hate him, you have to admit, he’s done more than enough to be a well-known name in pop culture. If you indeed are a fan, this is sure to be one performance you won’t want to miss!

I’m sure you have all been to Macado’s and probably love it as much as I do, but I went last night and just felt like singing it’s praise a little more, JUST in case someone out there in Blacksburg has yet to pay them a visit!

Macado’s is my all-time-favorite sandwich shop… and so much more! It’s the type of place that you can take the whole family to, swing by on your way through town or make a quick pit stop mid-bar hopping.  With the longest sandwich list in the history of man kind, you could probably go there once a week for a year and never have the same things twice.  And trust me when I say that EVERYTHING is delicious. *Okay I haven’t tasted everything, but I’ve yet to hear a complaint from friends and family. * My personal favorite is the Reuben, which happens to be the Saturday special!  Oh yea, that’s another thing. Macado’s features daily specials and a drink menu to die for!  PLUS, the best Macaroni and Cheese IN THE WORLD. I promise, I’ve checked! Sometimes you go to restaurants and you can tell that the servers hate their job. Macado’s isn’t like that! You’re always greeted with a friendly face and the service makes you feel right at home.

Like I said, I know that most people are probably big fans of Macado’s but after going again last night, I remembered how much I love it! So, if you’ve never been… it’s time to change that. And if it’s been a while, why not pay them a visit and remind yourself how great it is?

What do you get when you compile the best of the best in action hero icons all in one film.

Lots of gun powder, dirt, explosions, testosterone and muscle. At least that’s exactly what you are going to get TODAY with The Expendables.  Allow me to list just SOME of the all-star cast in this film:

• Sylvester Stallone
• Jason Statham
• Jet Li
• Steve Austin
• Bruce Willis
• Dolph Lundgren

… and that’s not even the half of it.  Nowhere else in cinema will you find this many action stars on one screen. The Expendables, in a nut shell,is about a team of mercenaries who travel to South American in their attempt to overthrow an evil and dangerous dictator.  Not much more needs to be said when you think about the brilliantly concocted cast. I, for one, am ready for some explosions! Check out showtimes today!

I have a confession. When it comes to cooking, you are more likely to find me doctoring a slip-up than actually cooking. I’m not dangerous, but if there is a chance to cut myself in the kitchen, it’s probably going to happen. Sad, I know.

If you suffer from the same kitchen-induced accident proneness, have no fear! Gourmet Pantry has JUST the ticket to keeping you safe and band-aid free while preparing meals at home! You may know the Gourmet Pantry for their vast inventory of cooking supplies but what you may not know is that Gourmet Pantry offers cooking classes to help you boost your culinary status. They are holding a class tomorrow, Wednesday, August 11, all about knife skills. Not just how to handle them safely, but how to handle them like a pro! *Watch out Emeril*

The class begins seating at 6:00 pm and the course itself starts at 6:15 pm at Gourmet Pantry on Main Street.  The Knife Skills course will be around 2 1/2 hours and feature lessons on chopping, cutting, slicing and dicing! From veggies to whole chickens, you will get hands on experience and learn facts about knives that may surprise you! Instructor Roya Gharavi will give you need-to-know information on caring for your knives, knife techniques and a slight history as to why knives are made certain ways. You won’t have to worry about bolting out to the first aid kit any longer!

The cost is $55 per person. Knives and cutting board are provided as well as a light dinner and knife prep snacks. Call 540.951.1995 to register or swing by!

We have a brand new poll ready for you and it really gets you thinking!

If you could only have ONE food for the rest of your life, what would it be? I’m talking breakfast, lunch, dinner, midnight snack, the works! Imagine… only one food, forever and ever. Think about it!

I’d have to opt out for chocolate… because even though eating nothing BUT it wouldn’t be the best for me,  if I didn’t have it at all I would be really depressed.

We have listed a few favorites in the poll to the right.  Select your answer or comment back to this post with something not on the list!

… the LORD of La Mancha!

Just hearing (or reading) the words puts a song in my head and a smile on my face.  The Man of La Mancha is an exciting play within a play. The story surrounds the adventures of the ‘mad’ knight Don Quixote. Don Quixote is actually being played by a character based off of Miguel de Cervantes (author of the novel entitled Don Quixote de la Mancha which was also made into a ballet) who is awaiting a hearing with the Spanish Inquisition. Confused yet? You won’t be when you see the play!  Showtimers Community Theater in Blacksburg is currently showing this wonderful play, under the direction of Jayne Brill.The run ends this coming Sunday, August 8 so don’t waste any time in getting your tickets!

This is my favorite rendition of the play’s most recognizable song . It’s somewhat comical that my favorite version is performed by Linda Eder while it is normally sung by Don Quixote de La Mancha.

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