Spring 2016 Issue 18

RESTAURANT WEEK

SERVES UP GREAT, AFFORDABLE FOOD SEE PAGES 7-11 FOR PIPE DREAM'S RESTAURANT REVIEWS

Friday, April 8, 2016 | Vol. LXXXIX, Issue 18 | Binghamton University | bupipedream.com

Celebrating 70 Years as the Free Word on Campus

BU biology prof. pioneers artificial skin Robert Van Buskirk has found success in the biotech industry Haley Silverstein Pipe Dream News

to come as well. For him, speaking Yiddish is what makes the club great and student involvement would help expand the program and bring new perspective.

“There’s things they say in Yiddish that you can’t say in any other language,” Miller said. “We go through all the expressions because they’re

From engineering human skin to discovering cancer-treating devices, Robert Van Buskirk, a professor of biological sciences at Binghamton University, has influenced the biotech field one invention at a time.

Van Buskirk has taught at BU for nearly 30 years, and has been able to share his experiences with students through his classes.

“I look at teaching as a byproduct of what I do,” he explained.

After receiving his bachelor’s and master’s degrees from the University of Vermont in 1972 and 1975, respectively, he went on to receive his doctorate in cell biology from Harvard University and a postdoctorate in biological chemistry at Harvard Medical School in 1985.

Van Buskirk began teaching at BU in early 1990. His interests in tissue engineering, or the process of making artificial skin tissue in the laboratory, brought him to biotech company Merck Millipore in Boston where he worked as a consultant during his summer vacations.

“We developed a very unusual device which strongly suggested to us that, for the first time, we might be able to take human skin cells and build artificial human skin,” he said.

Today, a company called MatTek Corporation sells the engineered human skin internationally to pharmaceutical companies, cosmetic companies and science researchers, and Van Buskirk’s focus has shifted elsewhere. In addition

SEE YIDDISH PAGE 4

SEE BIOTECH PAGE 4

Yee Man Chan/Contributing Photographer A group of senior citizens pose at their weekly Yiddish Club meeting. Members meet every Thursday from 1-2 p.m. and have done so for almost 20 years.

Local senior citizens bond with Yiddish Members converse over coffee at Vestal JCC, welcome student participation Stacey Schimmel Pipe Dream News

For dozens of senior citizens in the Binghamton area, every Thursday brings a chance to gather at the Vestal Jewish Community Center (JCC) to catch up over coffee. There’s only one rule: they have to speak Yiddish.

Joe Miller, 89, moved to Binghamton in 2004 from Plainview, New York,

knowing no one in the Binghamton area except for his son. One day in 2009, in hopes of finding friends, Miller found an advertisement in the Press and Sun-Bulletin for a Yiddish Club that met weekly. Miller has been a regular ever since, and is currently the oldest member.

The Yiddish Club meets every Thursday from 1-2 p.m. and has done so for almost 20 years. Many members

come weekly, but due to their age, some miss meetings for doctor’s appointments or because of inclement weather.

When Miller first joined, the group had 25 members, but about half have been lost due to old age or relocation.

Now, according to Miller, there is no one to replenish those who left. They welcome new members, and he said students are welcome and encouraged

Sexual assault survivor aims to empower victims

Campus hosts Kristen Hodge as keynote for Sexual Assault Awareness Month Zachary Wingate Pipe Dream News

Kristen Hodge is a wife, mother, businesswoman and sexual assault survivor. And on Tuesday evening, she spoke to students at Binghamton University about her story.

The Interpersonal Violence Prevention (IVP) program, which is a part of the Dean of Students Office at BU, started off Sexual Assault Awareness

Month in the Mandela Room with Hodge as the keynote speaker. She talked about her life and the road from rape victim to survivor to advocate and certified rape counselor.

Doris Cheung, a case manager and advocate at the Dean of Students Office, said she wanted someone to speak to students about their own experiences in college and was grateful that Hodge was

SEE HODGE PAGE 2

Downtown housing to open charitable store

The Printing House complex plans to donate shop's profits to local charities Peter Brockwell Contributing Writer

Shopping at local businesses is an easy way to give back to the community, and a new housing development in Downtown Binghamton is looking to take efforts a step further.

A student-run nonprofit convenience store is slated to open inside of the currently renovating Printing House apartment complex on Chenango Street.

Set to open this August as students begin to move in for the academic year, it will be managed by nationwide student

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housing company Campus Evolution (CE) Villages and will vend food, drinks, medical items and cleaning supplies — all while donating 100 percent of its profits to charity.

CE Villages has yet to decide on the local charity that will receive the store’s profits. But Gretta Dare, the company’s vice president of marketing and leasing, said she hopes the BU student body will be able to weigh in on the decision.

“We have actually invited the local community and students to let us know

SEE STORE PAGE 2

Kevin Paredes/Pipe Dream Photographer Dr. Rachel Adato speaks to students about her journey from medical school to the Israeli parliament. Adato, Israel’s first female gynecologist, currently advocates for female education and realistic body standards in mainstream media.

Israeli doctor, politician talks adversity

Rachel Adato fought bias as Israel's first female gynecologist Derek Schuster Pipe Dream News

As Israel’s first female gynecologist, Dr. Rachel Adato faced her share of adversity. On Tuesday evening, she came to Binghamton University to tell her story.

Adato spoke to a group of about 30 students in an event organized by campus organizations including Bearcats for Israel, Stand With

ARTS & CULTURE

OPINIONS

The theatre department gears up for its alumni conference

A columnist discusses not being afraid to stray away from your plan for college,

See bupipedream.com for more

See page 12

Us, Hillel at Binghamton and the Binghamton University Zionist Organization. She shared her journey from medical school to a seat on the Israeli parliament.

Joshua Seed, president of Bearcats for Israel and a senior double-majoring in geography and Judaic studies, said the group brought Adato to BU to inspire students to never give up on their dreams.

“Her story is representative of

women who are trying to push themselves,” Seed said. “It tells all of us that if there’s something that we care about a lot, we have the opportunity to change it.”

After serving in the Israeli military, Adato enrolled in the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. She cited this as one of the times in her life where she felt extreme discrimination, as women

SEE ADATO PAGE 2

SPORTS

Men’s lacrosse set to play home game against UMass Lowell on Saturday,

Despite a strong first half, women’s lacrosse falls at Albany,

See page 13

See page 14

2

NEWS

bupipedream.com | April 8, 2016

DT apartments to house nonprofit STORE FROM PAGE 1 what charity they would like to see us support,” Dare wrote in an email. “We have sent emails out to those that have visited our communities, reached out to the University and we’re hoping to gather even more suggestions.”

On a day-to-day basis, the store will employ BU students regardless of whether they live in the building, with CE Villages acting as management ensuring the success of the store. Dare wrote they plan to absorb the initial opening costs into the company, but they have not yet worked out the operating costs or how much they will pay their employees.

Dare claimed that the store would consider donating to a different charity each year, so that multiple local causes can receive aid. She believes that the convenience store will not only provide an easy way for students to make a difference, but it will also allow CE Villages to reach out to the greater Binghamton community.

“The opening of this store ultimately impacts two areas that we are passionate about,” Dare wrote. “One, offering a way for students to be able to give back to the community that they reside in during their college years. [And] two, to positively impact every community that we serve.”

Rowan Engelhardt, a sophomore double-majoring in English and psychology who currently lives Downtown, said he felt that the store would be a great addition to the neighborhood that would help students give back to the Binghamton community.

“I think the new store could provide meaningful service opportunities for students while benefiting our local community at the same time,” Engelhardt said.

“Given its convenient location and the fact that it will give to charities, I hope tons of people will be inclined to give their business to the store over others in the area.”

Binghamton City Councilman Conrad Taylor, a sophomore majoring in political science, said he felt that the store was

an exciting opportunity for BU students that could also assist the community.

“The fact that it is studentrun is an awesome way to continue integrating students into the Downtown Binghamton community in a positive way,” Taylor said. “And job experience for young people definitely never hurts.”

Taylor also added that he is excited by the nonprofit and philanthropic nature of the convenience store.

“The fact that the store is a nonprofit with proceeds going to local charities is the cherry on top,” Taylor said. “It sounds like this will be a business that contributes to Binghamton in multiple ways.”

TI think the new store could provide meaningful service opportunities for students while benefiting our local community at the same time — Rowan Engelhardt BU Sophomore

Sarah Simone/Contributing Photographer Kristen Hodge speaks in the Mandela Room of her experience as a sexual assault survivor. The keynote speaker for Binghamton University’s Sexual Assault Awareness Month, Hodge is a certified rape counselor and advocate who aims to empower victims and raise awareness of the importance of consent.

Rape survivor shares road to activism HODGE FROM PAGE 1 open to the task.

“I really want students to know they are not alone and we are here to help in any way you need,” Cheung said.

After being introduced by Cheung, Hodge described the first time she was sexually assaulted during her sophomore year of college at the University of Iowa, when she was pinned down by a male student in his bed.

“I know I had said ‘no’ and I know my body language had said ‘no,’” Hodge said. “But at that moment I was 19, I was scared and I was frozen.”

Hodge said she did not tell a single person after her attack and, in doing so, remained a victim. She said that she did not speak to anybody about the event

until nine months after getting married, when she was attacked again on an early morning run and dragged into the woods.

“I realized I couldn’t keep silent because if I did that I would continue to be a victim and I would be somewhat responsible if this man did this to somebody else,” Hodge said.

Hodge said that by speaking up for herself and doing whatever she could to help other victims, she became a survivor and reclaimed her power.

“We don’t get to choose the life we are given,” Hodge said.

“But we do get to chose how we live that life, and I’ve chosen to live it as a survivor. I’ve chosen to take that power back from my attackers to empower myself.”

According to Cheung, college students are in the demographic which is most likely to be

sexually assaulted in America.

One in four women and one in 15 men will be sexually assaulted while in college, and Hodge said one of the main ways to change rape culture is to change the way we view and talk about sexual assaults. She emphasized that a dialogue needs to emerge among men in order to combat the issue of sexual assault.

“It doesn’t matter how much you had to drink or what you were wearing, it doesn’t matter if you think you led them on — ‘no’ means no,” Hodge said.

Mark Ochweri, a senior majoring in economics, said he attended the event because he wanted to become a better ally in understanding gender dynamics in rape culture.

“The moment that stood out most in my mind is when the women in the room started

describing how the male gaze intersects with their lives,” Ochweri said. “Narratives of how fear prevails even the most common tasks was very touching.”

IVP offers confidential, private or anonymous support for anyone who wishes to speak to someone about assault experiences. Cheung said she and her office provide different avenues of support depending on what a victim wants or needs, and she hopes having Hodge speak would empower other victims to seek out help and support.

“We cannot just think that it doesn’t happen and not talk about it,” Cheung said. “We have to talk about it, we have to try and do something about it and change the culture around it.”

Israel's first female gynecologist speaks on campus ADATO FROM PAGE 1

made up only 10 percent of the students during her time as a student.

She said the discrimination did not stop there. After schooling, she decided she wanted to be a gynecologist — a role no woman had held in the country before. She was told by the department head that he would not train her because it was not a position for women,

but she persevered and went on to become the country’s first female gynecologist.

Adato said she shared her experiences in order to inspire and convince the audience that they should always seize opportunities when they arise.

“Never say no when you want to do something, if you believe in something go ahead with it,” Adato said. “Whenever you have a chance to change something and you really think you have

the opportunity to do it, do it.”

Adato went on to run Hadassah Hospital in Jerusalem and during that time she was asked by the prime minister of Israel to be a founding member of then-new center-left political party, Hatnuah, in the Israeli legislature, Knesset. She accepted, describing it as an opportunity to make a change in her life.

In office, Adato said she decided to concentrate on

healthcare because it was what she knew best, but also said that she started her fight alone.

Adato spearheaded what became known as the “Photoshop Law,” making Israel the first country in the world to pass something of its kind. The law limited the use of unhealthily and unrealistically thin models, which she said she felt passionately about. She said that this topic is often ignored since many people only focus

on obesity, and not weight issues on the other end of the spectrum. The law would go on to inspire other countries, including the U.S. and France to enact similar laws.

She also cited her education as a fundamental factor in accomplishing what she wanted to do.

“It’s important to know the importance of having an education,” Adato said. “[Education] gives you power;

only if you are educated can you have these opportunities.”

Elana Marlowe, a sophomore majoring in business administration, said she found Adato’s progress, as well as Israel’s in general, inspiring.

“How much of an effort that’s been made in Israel is really incredible,” Marlowe said. “I didn’t know a lot about it before this event, but it seems like Israel can be a model for other countries.”

ACT 2: WHAT’S YOUR NEXT MOVE?

THEATRE ALUMNI CONFERENCE: APRIL 8-10 IN FINE ARTS BLDG. CAREER SUSTAINABILITY • DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION • AUDITIONING • FILMMAKING • THEATRE SKILLS IN OTHER FIELDS • PLAYWRITING • DIRECTING • NETWORKING

Check out the conference schedule, info and panelist biographies at binghamton.edu/theatre

PAGE III Friday, April 8, 2016

Address: University Union WB03 4400 Vestal Parkway E. Binghamton, N.Y. 13902 Phone: 607-777-2515 FAx: 607-777-2600

Pipe Line LOCAL NEWS

Poster Pride

Spring 2016

Binghamton Woman Accused of Theft

Mobile Meth Lab Police discovered a mobile methamphetamine lab early Wednesday morning after a traffic stop in the town of Dickinson, according to the Press and Sun-Bulletin. Matthew Najarian, 35, and Jessica Palmatier, 34, of Binghamton were found in the vehicle, and they were found cooking meth at the time. Both suspects were arraigned before the town of Dickinson judge and remanded to the Broome County Sheriff’s Correctional Facility without bail.

Ardenia Ervin, 36, of Binghamton was accused on Thursday of felony counts of criminal possession of stolen property and identity theft, according to the Press and SunBulletin. Police say she stole a credit card and then made several purchases in Binghamton and Johnson City.

Ervin was ticketed to appear in both Binghamton and Johnson City municipal courts.

Downtown Demolitions

Suspect in UT Austin Killing Still At Large

On Tuesday morning a two-story house on 102 Liberty Street in Binghamton’s North Side was demolished, according to the Press and Sun-Bulletin. The demolition was the first of seven houses within a five-block radius that will be brought down before the end of the month, overseen by the Broome County Land Bank which took ownership of the foreclosed properties last May. The houses were taken down as an overall project by the city to decrease blighted housing.

editor-in-ChieF* Nicolas Vega editor@bupipedream.com MAnAging editor* Emma C Siegel manager@bupipedream.com neWs editor* Alexandra K. Mackof news@bupipedream.com Asst. neWs editors Carla B. Sinclair Pelle Waldron Gabriella Weick oPinions editor* Lawrence Ciulla opinion@bupipedream.com Arts & CuLture editor* Odeya Pinkus arts@bupipedream.com

NATIONAL UNIVERSITY NEWS

On Tuesday morning University of Texas Austin student Haruka Weiser was found dead, according to NBC News. Police said that the suspect was still unknown, despite surveillance video of a man lurking in the area, and they have called for the public’s assistance in identifying the suspect.

The police have said that the victim was assaulted, but declined to comment further about the nature of the crime at this point in the investigation.

This Day in History April 8, 1908

Harvard University votes to establish the Harvard Business School.

“We are going to continue to make the case to Republicans in the United States Senate that they should fulfill their constitutional responsibility.”

— Josh Earnest, the White House press secretary on President Obama’s trip to the University of Chicago to discuss his Supreme Court nominee, Merrick Garland.

Corrections Pipe Dream strives for accuracy in all we publish. We recognize that mistakes will sometimes occur, but we treat errors very seriously. If you see a mistake in the paper, please contact Editor-in-Chief Nicolas Vega at editor@bupipedream.com.

Web: bupipedream.com

sPorts editor* E.Jay Zarett sports@bupipedream.com Asst. sPorts editors Jeffrey Twitty Orla McCaffrey PhotogrAPhy editor* Franz K. Lino photo@bupipedream.com Asst. PhotogrAPhy editor John S. Babich

Franz Lino/Photography Editor Museum patrons view the posters on display in the Binghamton University Art Museum. The spring exhibition, “Graphic! Lurid! Sensational!

Exploitation and B-Movie Posters” was guest-curated by Brian Wall, a BU associate professor of cinema and art history. The exhibition features 35 vintage posters, drawn from a collection of over 400, that are part of the John McLaughlin Collection in the Special Collections of the Binghamton University Libraries.

Fun editor* Benjamin T. Moosher fun@bupipedream.com design MAnAger* Samantha Webb design@bupipedream.com design Assts.

Aleza Leinwand Sihang Li

Police Watch That’s Creative TUESDAY, April 5, 8:40 a.m. — Officers were contacted by the resident director (RD) of Oneida Hall in College-in-the-Woods to report criminal mischief, said Investigator Patrick Reilly of Binghamton’s New York State University Police. The RD noticed that an unknown suspect had used some kind of acid laundry detergent to spell out the word “cock,” burning it into the floor. There are no known suspects and maintenance was called to remove the writing.

Impractical Politics TUESDAY, April 5, 11:44 a.m. — UPD was contacted late Tuesday morning to report writing on the ground outside of Lecture Hall, Reilly said.

When police arrived, they observed messages written in chalk such as “build a wall,” and “Trump maga.” Photos were taken and maintenance was called to remove the markings from the ground.

A lighter take on campus crime Derek Schuster Police Correspondant

Trashy Trespasser WEDNESDAY, April 6, 12:51 a.m. — Officers responded to Oneida Hall in College-in-the-Woods for a report of an intoxicated male trespassing in another resident’s room, Reilly said. The suspect, a 19-year-old male, awoke the victim, a 20-year-old female, and was found on a couch in her common room, vomiting in a plastic bag. When police arrived and tried to question the suspect, he became combative and had to be placed in handcuffs.

He was transported to UHS Binghamton General Hospital and will be referred to Student Conduct.

Gnarly Wipe Out WEDNESDAY, April 6, 11 p.m. — An officer driving on Glenn G. Bartle Drive observed a skateboarder obstructing traffic by the parking garage, Reilly said. The suspect, a 19-year-old male, was not wearing any reflective material, which is required by law. As he was being ID’d by the officer, the officer noticed a forged Pennsylvania state license in his wallet. The suspect was referred to Student Conduct for disorderly conduct.

CoPy desk ChieF* Katherine H. Dowd copy@bupipedream.com Asst. CoPy desk ChieF Rachel Greenspan LeAd Web deveLoPer* William Sanders web@bupipedream.com neWsrooM teChnoLogy MAnAger* Rohit Kapur tech@bupipedream.com Asst. neWsrooM teCh. MAnAger Henry Zheng editoriAL Artist Elizabeth Manning business MAnAger* Michael A. Contegni business@bupipedream.com distribution MAnAger Nathan Dodge distribution@bupipedream.com Pipe Dream is published by the Pipe Dream Executive Board, which has sole and final discretion over the newspaper’s content and personnel. *Positions seated on the Executive Board are denoted by an asterisk.

Pipe Dream is published Tuesdays and Fridays while classes are in session during the fall and spring semesters, except during finals weeks and vacations.

Pipe Dream accepts stimulating, original guest columns from undergraduate students, graduate students and faculty. Submissions should be 400 to 500 words in length and be thus far unpublished.

Submissions must include the writer’s name and phone number, and year of graduation or expected year of graduation. Graduate students and faculty members should indicate their standing as such, as well as departmental affiliation. Organizational (i.e. student group) affiliations are to be disclosed and may be noted at Pipe Dream’s discretion. Anonymous submissions are not accepted.

Any facts referenced must be properly cited from credible news sources. Pipe Dream reserves the right to edit submissions, and does not guarantee publication. All submissions become property of Pipe Dream. Submissions may be e-mailed to the Opinion Editor at opinion@ bupipedream.com.

stabilizing: res week

panties :destabilizing

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NEWS

bupipedream.com | April 8, 2016

Through Yiddish, memories shared

YIDDISH FROM PAGE 1

Neil Seejoor/Pipe Dream Photographer Robert Van Buskirk, a professor of biological sciences at Binghamton University, poses in his office in Science III. Professor Van Buskirk’s career took him from Merck Millipore, a biotech company in Boston, to CPSI Biotech, another biotech company in Owego, New York, where he assisted in the development of technology that helps treat various forms of cancer.

Prof. makes biomedical discoveries

BIOTECH FROM PAGE 1

to teaching the principles of cell biology and stem cell biology at BU, he researches in the field of translational science. This interdisciplinary branch of the biomedical field focuses on innovation in cancer prevention, diagnosis and therapies.

Van Buskirk works on these innovations as the vice president of CPSI Biotech, a biomedical technology greenhouse company he started in 2003.

“We made medical devices and laboratory devices,” Van Buskirk said. “They are very unique and designed to treat a variety of different cancers.”

In addition to researching ways to treat cancer, Van Buskirk invites students from Binghamton to the lab in Owego, New York, to show them real-life applications for their studies.

“We make sure that we are as open as possible to be able to bring students in just so they can see that now all laboratories are like biology 117 and 118,” Van Buskirk said. “This is a real working laboratory where the results have to translate into money, in terms of products and sales. It gives them that true sense of what that high risk of bio-tech is.”

Van Buskirk was also formerly the vice president of the

NASDAQ-traded biotechnology company BioLife Solutions, Inc. He helped develop wet solutions, which are liquid solutions that contain stem cells, and are now incorporated in over 300 stem cell therapy trials worldwide.

“What’s important about [these solutions] is that means you can ship stems cells around the world,” he said.

According to Christopher Tufo, a former student of Van Buskirk and a senior majoring in biology, part of what makes Van Buskirk a successful teacher is his unique perspective.

“I thought it was interesting that he was able to actually impact the biomedical field,”

he said. “I’m going into cell and molecular bio research and development and his class is a part of the reason why.”

Jessica Young, a senior majoring in integrative neuroscience, said she enjoyed learning about the real-life applications when she had him as a professor.

“Taking a lot of science classes, I liked the breath of fresh air by incorporating the business side of stem cells instead of only the rote science,” she said. “Not only is he very knowledgeable about the information, he is in the field himself and can share personal stories and research to back up his information.”

S U M M E R ‘16 @ SUNY Broome

hysterical and you can’t convert them to English, it’s impossible.

It’s a fun language and [it’s] disappearing.”

Members of the group often reminisce on past memories, childhoods and places in Brooklyn, where many of them grew up. Aside from politics, the group can talk about anything, though most talks touch on food, recipes from their grandmothers and Jewish holidays.

“I felt I was right at home,” Miller said. “People were from Brooklyn and Queens. They knew what an egg cream was and how to find a good pastrami sandwich.”

Anyone can join the group, regardless of religion or knowledge of Yiddish. They offer help in learning the language — not in a formal instructive way, but to teach words and correct grammar. Miller describes the group as full of cultural Jews more than religious ones, and many of their discussions focus on Jewish culture and tradition.

“It’s just bringing back our life the way we knew it and the old times in the city,” Miller said.

“We talk about these things and recollect: Coney Island, Jan’s Ice Cream Parlor on Jamaica Avenue, Sheepshead Bay, Manhattan Beach, the whole scene.”

Member Mickey Greenberg, the youngest in the club at 70 years old, said he joined the group primarily to feel a connection with his grandparents. He said they spoke Yiddish in their home and read the Yiddish newspaper, Der Forvitz.

“Whenever my parents did not want me to understand what they were saying, they resorted to Yiddish,” Greenberg wrote in an email. “The Yiddish group has exceeded my expectations in

so many ways. A terrific bunch of people sharing a love for the language!”

According to Toni Grekin, the director of the club, the group is made up of a variety of people who agree and disagree, some of whom are loud and passionate and others who are gentlespoken and polite.

“Some of us speak too much (me), some of us speak just enough, and some don’t speak at all, just enjoying the sound of it,” Grekin wrote in an email.

“We talk a lot; we listen a little; we sing a little, we act a little, we tell jokes a little and we LAUGH A LOT!!!”

It's just bringing back our life the way we knew it and the old times in the city. We talk about these things and recollect — Joe Miller Binghamton Club Member

Why is Summer Term such a great deal?

•

• • •

Take a course on campus — or online, from wherever you happen to be.

Get a jump on your degree program and graduate early.

Catch up on courses you’re missing.

Lighten your course load for the fall.

Full Term: May 31 - August 5 Term 1: May 31 - July 1

Term 2: June 13 - August 5

Term 3: July 5 - August 5

Term 4: June 27 - August 5

Admissions: (607) 778-5001

On campus or online, take the courses you need this summer.

For more information: www.sunybroome.edu/ summer

F UN Friday, April 8, 2016

Restaurant Week Coupon

Ben Moosher Lil Continues the Dark, Angsty Fun Page Tradition

Lil Manning

FREE RESTAURANT WEEK MEAL Bring in this coupon, along with your BU ID and your gun to get a FREE meal this Restaurant Week.

Use the Promo Code "SIT DOWN. ALRIGHT EVERYBODY SIT THE FUCK DOWN. I HAVE A GUN. YOU! YOU, BRING ME A MENU AND A GLASS OF WATER. OK. NOW EVERYONE CHILL OUT." After a few deep breaths, and confiscating any cellphones and jewelry, feel free to order whatever you want!

Coupon not redeemable after Restaurant Week, but honestly, who's going to stop you?

RELEASE DATE– Saturday, August 4, 2007

Los Angeles Times Daily Crossword Puzzle Edited by Rich Norris and Joyce Nichols Lewis DOWN 1 Home of the Shah Faisal Mosque 2 Fictional name literally meaning “merely almost.”

3 Cross-country adventure, maybe 4 Key of Beethoven’s “Eroica” symphony 5 Medium setting 6 Musical syllable 7 Carry on 8 The stuff of legends 9 Former Kazakhstan port city that’s now landlocked 10 Dizzy jazz?

11 “Father Knows Best” family 12 “Whale Rider” extra 13 Deck out 14 Longship crewmen 20 Relief pitchers 23 Big laugh

24 NYC transp. line named for two boroughs 27 It’s most likely to succeed 28 Runs out of 30 Sitcom fodder 32 Bemoan 33 Year-end periods 34 As often as not 35 S. Gerard in “The Fugitive,” e.g.

40 Kind of symbol 44 Arizona neighbor 46 False step 47 New home subcontractor 48 Raison __ 49 Harder to dig up 50 Origins 52 Actress Gershon 53 “Don’t look at me!”

56 Backing cry 57 Point

ANSWER TO PREVIOUS PUZZLE:

Lil Manning and "Savage" John Babich

Across 2. Word for "Penis" 7. Another name for "Penis" 8. Big word for "Penis" 9. "Penis," in other words Down 1. "Penis," some might say 3. Male genitalia, of sorts 4. "Penis" 5. Guess 6. Euphemism for "Penis" Word Bank: Dick, Cock, Junk, Wang, Meat-meter, Member, Schlong, Yogurt-Nozzle, Penis

ACROSS 1 Brightness measure 7 Hank Aaron or Mia Hamm 15 One often seen in curls 16 Explorer of the Southwest 17 Yellow Teletubby 18 It may be under the rug 19 Like some elephants 20 Coke, e.g.

21 Overthrows, say 22 Ice cream flavor 24 Ocean 25 Invoice abbr.

26 Sound catcher 27 Sponges 29 Small municipality, briefly 31 Toasting line 36 Tennis score 37 Cause to crack up 38 They have their orders 39 Handicap aids 41 Castigate 42 Be inclined 43 Commuter’s choice 45 NASA excursion 46 Training ctr. that once included a mock Vietnam village 49 Press agent?

51 Security interest 52 Punkie, e.g.

54 Rouge alternatives 55 Undivulged 57 “Camptown Races” syllables 58 __ & Teicher, ’60s-’70s keyboard duo 59 Nicaraguan president 60 It counteracts closeness 61 Hanging ornament

Across-dick Puzzle

Sloth #2

xwordeditor@aol.com

By Frederick J. Healy (c)2007 Tribune Media Services, Inc.

8/4/07

8/4/07

Lil Manning

Listen I'm not some spacefilling monkey to place wherever. I'm not even a monkey. That last comic didn't show the real me, okay? I got potential. I AM potential. I've starred in more commercials than I can count on my toes and I can't even count. That last comic, they told me I would be the top dog (sloth?) and that all eyes would be on me. But really. You were all looking at the apple, weren't you? It's a blatant direspect toward me and my family. That's right, I have a family. My husband and children depend on me for income and piecemeal like that last comic isn't gonna cut it. Yeah. My husband. You thought I was a guy? That's sexist. Now you think I'm a female? That's homophobic. I'm a sloth, it doesn't matter what gender I am. I'm a sloth and I need work and I'm not going to get it with borderlinecommercialized prostitution of my presence for this "space filling" because the editors are too dumb to come up with content.

A series of events celebrating research, scholarship and creative activity

Keynote Making Friends With Failure Scientist and author Ainissa Ramirez will highlight the role of failure in the process of discovery across the disciplines

7 p.m. April 12, UU-Mandela Room

Student presentations and posters 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. April 15, UU-Mandela Room

For the full Research Days schedule, visit go.binghamton.edu/researchdays.

Sponsored by Academic Affairs, Division of Research, McNair Scholars Program, Undergraduate Research Center

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ARTS & CULTURE

bupipedream.com | April 8, 2016

Restaurant Week SPRING 2016

ARTS & CULTURE PRESENTS Number 5 offers your money's worth, and so much more

Franz Lino/Photography Editor

Baked French onion soup and bread with garlic herb butter

Nicolas Vega and Franz Lino Pipe Dream Editors

the average bill at Number 5 hovering around the $50 range, there is no skimping on quality.

At Number 5, it’s evident An often-overlooked part from the first bite you take of any restaurant experience that the three-course meal is the bread and butter. But you are being served is here, the homemade Italian worth more than Restaurant garlic and herb butter, along Week’s $30 price tag. Despite with the fresh-baked bread,

was excellent and kicked off the meal on a high note.

For the first course, we ordered the baked French onion soup. This dish was a personal favorite for both of us, and we were excited to see Number 5’s take on it. Spiked with Applejack Brandy and covered in delicious provolone cheese, it certainly did not disappoint. The humble origins of the soup don’t go unnoticed either — the simple broth, onions and cheese are at the forefront of our appetizer. The rustically cut onions perhaps could be a point of contention, as some pieces were very large, but the effect is evident: a simple soup done well that tastes great because of the superb ingredients.

The owner of the restaurant, Jim McCoy, sat down with us and explained his philosophy.

His clientele consists of

returning customers — namely, students, parents and traveling businessmen — and to keep the regulars coming back requires absolute excellence in his restaurant’s food. Number 5’s commitment to great ingredients is a running theme throughout its menu.

Number 5 is, first and foremost, a steakhouse, and though they offered a nice-sounding cedar plank salmon and a tempting grilled vegetable risotto, we stuck with the red meat.

The petite Greek tenderloin, which has been gracing plates at the restaurant for over 30 years, was cooked to a perfect medium-rare. Number 5’s use of only USDA prime meat is evident in the tenderloin, as the fat is distributed beautifully through the cut of meat. The lemon, butter, garlic and oregano sauce

was also excellent, though perhaps a tad heavy on the tartness.

The sirloin steak followed a similar trend — excellence in taste starts with excellent ingredients. The crust on the steak was nicely salted, crisp, with sautéed mushrooms and sauce that were simply perfect.

No room for complaints.

The mashed potatoes that accompanied both of our main courses continued their high standard. With a buttery touch and garlic infusion, the potatoes were a great companion to the cuts of meat. The skins left in the mashed potato were a nice touch. If you’re not feeling mashed potatoes, they do have a vegetable du jour.

By the time dessert rolled around, we were both already stuffed. Still, we soldiered on — determined to down every bite set in front of us by

Binghamton’s most famous steakhouse.

The homemade Chocolate Decadence did not fail to live up to its name. It is a rich, flavorful — and also flourless — chocolate cake. Alone, it would make for an excellent dessert, but when paired with the homemade whipped cream, it became the perfect cap for an excellent meal.

The root beer float didn’t fail to meet the tone of the night. The vanilla ice cream was tasty and creamy and their homemade whipped cream topped it off. Once again, this whipped cream cannot be overstated; it was simply too good.

Number 5’s business, unfortunately, like many other local restaurants, hinges on making regulars out of BU students and their parents. In us, they found two new customers.

Rebecca Kiss, Raquel Panitz, Stephen Ruiz/Pipe Dream Photographers

Chatterbox

Uncle Tony's

Czech Pleeze

For more reviews, visit bupipedream.com

At The Colonial, an inventive, fun twist on classic bar food James Sereno Arts & Culture The Colonial, the new kid on the block for the Downtown bar scene, entered Restaurant Week ready to show that it has much more to offer than just a stop on a weekend night. Located at 56-58 Court Street, patrons can enjoy a friendly staff, entertaining atmosphere and music that ranges from Elton John to The Weeknd.

This week, the restaurant is offering a $15 lunch and a $20 dinner. Both options include an appetizer, an entrée and a dessert. While both menus look delicious, the dinner menu has a few more options.

I chose to go to dinner, where the meal begins with a choice of tofu wings, a Caesar

salad, deviled eggs or a creamy tomato soup (served with grilled cheese strips, of course). The tofu wings are fried tofu bites that come with the choice of either a buffalo, BBQ or house sauce, and a side of celery and bleu cheese. Of the four appetizers, this one stood out the most. It brought a unique and delicious spin to the usual wing appetizer. Any fan of regular chicken wings should definitely consider this item to start.

There are five options available for an entrée. These range from the Colonial burger, which is no different than a burger at most restaurants, to the Portobello and Pepper Slammer. I, however, chose the Southern chicken sandwich.

This enormous dish is available

grilled or fried and is topped with a delectable chipotleranch sauce.

Each entrée is served with a side of crispy fries and, for an extra dollar, you can top them off with either a truffle parmesan, Buffalo bleu cheese or gravy.

Already stuffed from the first two courses, dessert came down to an option between banana pudding or a waffle sundae. Choosing the waffle sundae, the dish came as a waffle with a scoop of vanilla ice cream, topped with whipped cream, strawberries, blueberries and raisins with chocolate sauce on top.

While the waffle sundae was a phenomenal dessert overall, the raisins felt out of place in the dish. For fans of the dessert, the sundae will also be making an appearance on

The Colonial’s brunch menu on Saturdays and Sundays from 11:30 a.m.-4 p.m.

Jordan Rindgem, a coowner of The Colonial, indicated that the eatery did not venture too far from its regular menu for this Restaurant Week. The tofu wings appetizer and the guac burger entrée, a burger filled with taco-seasoned meat, cheddar, lettuce and pico de gallo, were the only menu items that had never been served at The Colonial, but will soon be added to the regular spring menu. Another fan favorite mentioned was the fish and chips entrée, a cajun Guinness-battered haddock with tartar sauce and malt vinegar, available on the Restaurant Week menu.

From start to finish the

Kevin Paredes/Pipe Dream Photographer

the Colonial burger, part of the dinner menu

staff was very friendly and often checked in to make sure the meal was going well.

Wait times between each course lasted no longer than 15 minutes each, which left good time to make room for the decent-sized portions.

Both the bar and bathrooms

are kept very clean, even though the establishment is filled with large crowds during the late nights and weekends.

Overall, the Colonial provided a very enjoyable experience and warrants a second visit.

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ARTS & CULTURE

bupipedream.com | April 8, 2016

The Shop brings Brooklyn vibes to Binghamton's Downtown Odeya Pinkus Arts & Culture Editor

would be a shame. It’s light, refreshing and sweet, but not overwhelming. And it’s got the bubbly kick you want out of a carbonated drink, without the feeling that you are getting cups of pure cane sugar poured down your throat.

For our meal, we got to try the quinoa and spinach salad, the red pepper eggplant whip, Swiss and Havarti crepe and the prosciutto, Havarti and Swiss pizzetta. All I can say is, with these three menu items, you really can’t go wrong.

The quinoa salad has a good vinaigrette and a nice mix of textures, with sliced cherry tomatoes offering sweet bursts of flavor as you consume this light dish. As for the pizzetta, the tomatoes really make it special. The bread and cheese is soft and warm, but the tomatoes bring it home. It’s a fun take on pizza and will make you feel fancy, even if just for a day. A big highlight for me was the crepe. It was filling and substantial, and you can smell the swiss cheese-y goodness before it even gets close to your mouth. I don’t even like eggplant and the peppers were a bit strong, but all-in-all this dish was delicious and the ingredients came together to create something that

To sum it up, The Shop is nothing short of a delight.

From ambience to customer service, this establishment is the cool Brooklyn coffeehouse that Binghamton revivalists dream of. For a $12 lunch or a $20 dinner, you can enjoy a variety of dishes, next to candlelight and exposed brick; who could ask for more? And when you stop by, make sure to say hi to the owner Eugenie, as her friendly demeanor and welcoming attitude is the cherry on top of a great experience.

The Shop is a place that is built from scratch, and this is an ideal that you can find executed in all aspects of their product. The staff prides itself on homemade decorative items such as self-shot photographs of street art and the restaurant continues to grow with its brand new and expanded kitchen. To start off our meal, we began with a house-made pomegranate soda (offered during lunch) and hummus with chips (offered at dinner).

Our advice: make time for the soda. While the hummus and chips are fine, it’s pretty basic and to not try this special drink

Tamar Ashdot-Bari/Pipe Dream Photographer

The Swiss, Havarti, red pepper eggplant whip crepe

shouldn’t be missed.

The nice thing about The Shop is that you won’t leave feeling terrible about yourself.

The food is satisfying yet light, and is well worth the $20 dinner or $12 lunch. That being said, don’t leave without dessert. The highlight was by far the vanilla bean rose water cupcake. With a sugar-coated rose petal placed gently at the

top, this cupcake is impossible to dislike. That being said, be prepared for its small size. It’s definitely a micro-cupcake, but perhaps that is a part of its charm, and its delightful consistency makes up for its size. If you want something richer, go for the espresso dark chocolate cupcake. And if you are really into espresso, try the drink. The drink itself

is not really for me, but I was impressed by its addition of rum cream (something you could really taste within it) and house-made honey whipped cream.

Another notable mention is the house brew with maple bourbon cream. This is a good cup of coffee, and if you don’t get it, make your friend get it and take a sip when they aren’t looking.

If you haven’t discovered The Shop yet, be sure to stop by. Bring your textbooks and take advantage of the couches and outlets — perfect for a homework or study session.

Bring your friends and take advantage of their large window — perfect for people watching.

And our biggest tip: go with people. Order everything and try it all.

Delicious desserts prove that Citrea is more than just pizza

Emma C Siegel/Pipe Dream Photographer

The Citrea pizza, with shrimp, lemon and jalapenos

Ben Moosher Fun Page Editor Citrea stands out as being unique: it is not a burger joint, brewery or a steakhouse.

Even calling it a “pizza place” isn’t entirely fair, as Citrea boasts a shifting menu that is incredibly ambitious,

especially with respect to its peers.

For Restaurant Week, I sampled two salads — the pear salad and house salad — both of which were tasty.

Citrea locally sources as many of their ingredients as possible, which was evident after tasting the freshness of

the salads. The Pear Salad is probably the weaker of the two, as the gorgonzola and vinaigrette overpowered the pears. Though the pear is supposed to serve as the star of the dish, it’s treated almost as an afterthought, and the dish would have felt the same had it been replaced with

green apples.

I would have liked to see the bacon in the house salad cut a little thinner and cooked a bit crispier to add to its role as a textural presence. This is admittedly nit-picky though, as the ranch had superb consistency. It was seasoned excellently and finally, after eating at restaurants for years, I saw a new variation of a crouton. Although this seems like a small detail, it illustrates the amount of respect that Citrea has for its craft.

Citrea serves homemade ketchup with its fries instead of just placing a standard bottle of Heinz on the table, and the difference is noticeable. The tomato taste is pungent in the ketchup, in a good way; proof of the extra effort that Citrea takes to prove how fresh its ingredients are. The fries themselves, however, left a little more to be desired, as the garlic oil was almost nonexistent. I was also disappointed to see some black in a few of my fries.

Next came the crispy brussels sprouts. The sprouts were tasty on their own, but the mustard vinaigrette added a little too much to the dish.

Also, my plate barely had any bacon and I left wondering why its presence was necessary to the dish.

Unfortunately, the pizza was the lowest point of my experience at Citrea, mainly due to the presentation and execution of the wildly creative variations. Citrea’s self-serve presentation, while whimsical, leaves its customers hacking at watery and paper-thin dough. This led to a difficult first bite because toppings, and even pieces of dough, would fall off the slice before they hit my mouth.

This is a shame, as Citrea’s pizza has the potential to be excellent. It should be noted that Citrea’s crust is up there with some of the best New York style crust I’ve ever had, complete with a perfect salt consistency and “fluff.”

It’s truly the light at the end

of the slice. The toppings are ambitious and playful, especially the combination of shrimp, jalapeño and lemon.

It is just unfortunate that these bites were marred by the dough.

The dessert, conversely, marked a high point, as the semifreddo — a cherryvanilla frozen custard — was sublime in taste, presentation and creativity. Hopefully, the owners at Citrea will consider including this as a yearlong treat from its current seasonal status. The zeppolle would have benefited from powdered sugar over sugar crystals, as well as a dollop of whipped cream, but was also excellent.

Citrea’s high points are certainly high, especially in regards to the freshness of their ingredients, creative pizzazz and philosophy. While far from perfect, Citrea is a restaurant on the rise. I look forward to seeing where its adventurous menu, and the staff that create it, goes in the future.

Sake-Tumi features Asian-fusion cuisine with delectable desserts Franz Lino Photography Editor At Sake-Tumi a new chef managed a Restaurant Week menu that was ambitious in both variety and flavor.

Having earned a local reputation for more than just its sushi, Sake-Tumi’s selection offers several excellent options.

For our dinner, we opted to start with gyoza. These pork-and-chicken-filled dumplings were fried to a delicate crisp, giving a classic start to start the meal.

The chef was kind enough to let us try all of the main dishes on the Restaurant Week dinner menu. First, we tried Korean tacos served with kimchi coleslaw and wonton chips. Both the pork and beef options were delicious, but we definitely recommend pork over beef for the classic Korean barbecue taste. The tacos may command the most attention on the plate,

but the fried wonton chips and kimchi slaw should not be overlooked.

Next, we tried the new firefighter roll with soft-shell crab, eel, cream cheese, spicy mayo and avocado. Each piece required at least two, solid, delicious bites. The eel gave the dish a nice texture and great flavor that would make the new sushi chef’s predecessor proud.

The following two dishes were the weakest of the evening. First came a bowl of ramen, with scallions, soft boiled egg, Wakame (a seaweed variety) and bamboo shoots. The broth, which was lacking in quantity, had both shellfish and pork. However, the pork flavor didn’t really come through, leaving the shellfish’s fishy aftertaste as the most memorable part of the soup. The Saikoro steak was served with white rice, ponzu sauce, scallions, chili threads and plum chutney.

The meat was tough,

although not overcooked, and the rice was cold, clumpy and clashed with the sauce.

The final entrée that we tried was a red pepper coconut chicken curry with bamboo shoots, leeks and chili threads. The chili threads seemed unnecessary, but the curry was perfectly applied and the chicken and vegetables mixed well.

The flavors were deep but not overpowering, spicy but reasonable, and just plain tasty.

After our huge meal, we didn’t think we had room for dessert, especially when the waiter placed odd-looking balls of dough on the table.

Even before we put them in our mouth, a waitress described the dessert perfectly to us: a cold dough with the consistency of pizza. We eventually figured out that it was mochi — ice cream wrapped in a Japanese dough. It was unbelievably good. We also sampled the

Franz Lino/Photography Editor

Gyoza, lightly fried pork and chicken-filled dumplings

apple bread pudding tempura with miso caramel sauce and vanilla ice cream, a dessert that managed to be warm, cold and delicious all at once.

If you’re planning to go

to Sake-Tumi this weekend, we recommend the gyoza for your appetizer, followed either by the firefighter roll if you want sushi, or the Korean tacos if you’re not

feeling fish. For dessert, your best bet is the mochi ice cream. Ideally, go with a date or a group of friends and share — you’ll want to try it all.

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ARTS & CULTURE

April 8, 2016 | bupipedream.com

Little Venice combines classic Italian dishes with a family feel Ebony Derr Contributing Writer

If one thing could be said about Little Venice, it’s that it encompasses everything Restaurant Week is about. It’s a small, familyowned business that has taken pride in its food and authenticity since 1946. In everything from its decor to its cuisine, Little Venice provides its patrons with a slice of culture in the city of Binghamton.

As for the cuisine, Little Venice’s Restaurant Week menu includes the usual appetizer (referred to as ‘antipasti’), main course (‘secondo’) and dessert (‘dolci’), featuring a variety of dishes that are sure to appeal to everyone.

For the antipasti course, we sampled the chicken alfredo Italian egg rolls and the caprese. The presentation of these two dishes gave off an upscale restaurant vibe, which was more than justified by their taste. The egg rolls come as a pair, sliced into four equal parts, and filled with chicken

before being served with a side of creamy house-made Alfredo sauce. The caprese features seasoned tomatoes and mozzarella topped with a basil leaf. It’s a suitable and delicious alternative for vegetarian customers to enjoy.

For the secondo, we tried the shrimp scampi dish as well as the rigatoni with house-made vodka sauce and pancetta, a Restaurant Week-only dish. The shrimp dish features house-made linguini with garlic and butter. So while the dish itself was very delicious and the buttered shrimp is perfectly cooked and seasoned, it may not be suitable for those who are expecting their Italian food to come with a savory red sauce. If customers are looking for such a dish, they’ll be satisfied by the rigatoni with vodka sauce.

The pasta, which is also made in-house daily, was not your boxed and boiled pasta; something freshly made like this is hard to find. Paired with a creamy vodka sauce and pancetta, an Italian bacon made of pork

belly meat, it’s no wonder why they save this dish for Restaurant Week.

Although the two dishes we sampled contained meat, vegetarians have the option of the ravioli dish, which features ravioli stuffed with ricotta cheese along with house-made pasta sauce.

Although we weren’t able to sample the ravioli, co-owner Gina Minichino shared that it is her favorite pasta dish at the restaurant.

For the dolci, we had two more Restaurant Weekonly specials, the spiced carrot cake and the brownie sundae. The carrot cake, which doesn’t include nuts or raisins, was topped with a dollop of cream cheese frosting, and served just a little colder than expected.

However, it was still as satisfying as it was moist and sweet. The frosting was quite literally the icing on the cake for this dish.

The brownie sundae, which consisted of chocolate chip fudge brownies served over vanilla gelato, is definitely a dessert that will satisfy those looking for something

Rebecca Kiss/Contributing Photographer

Shrimp Scampi, shrimp sautéed in butter and garlic served over house-made linguine

frozen and sweet. The presentation of these dishes is stylistically minimalist and altogether classy, bringing the meal to a satisfying ending.

If you’re looking for a place to eat this Restaurant Week, or if you just want to try some of the different tastes offered in Binghamton, then Little

Venice is the place for you.

You’ll enjoy high-quality, authentic and homemade Italian food along with the kindness and hospitality of the employees.

Alexander's Cafe & Sweet Endings provides a personal touch relatively empty dining room, whose walls were covered in pictures of attractions throughout Binghamton and its surrounding area. The restaurant features a funky vintage-diner eating room separate from the open kitchen where Nichols himself helps whip up the meals.

We were brought all three courses at once, and dug in.

For my appetizer, I ordered the broccoli salad: a sweetand-savory mix of broccoli, craisins, red onions and other Caleb Schwartz/Contributing Photographer veggies tossed in a honey the Greek Roast Panini, part of the lunch menu dressing. It was a delicious Carla Sinclair special nod to those with a having fresh, quick and quality mix of flavors that went well Assistant News Editor sweet tooth. food. with the creamy sauce. My date The two-year-old restaurant, The Restaurant Week menu, ordered the house salad, which Though tucked away near located on 34 Chenango St., which offers a $12 lunch, he described as good but only as the Greater Binghamton is the brainchild of Endicott features a collection of salads, exciting as the staple tomatoesTransportation Center, native Alexander Nichols, who soups and sandwiches for onions-cucumber-leafy greens Alexander’s Cafe & Sweet said he opened up the shop appetizers and entrées, followed dish can be.

Endings offers a hearty menu after years of working in the by locally sourced desserts.

For the entrée, I ordered to satisfy Downtown residents’ restaurant business. He says My companion and I entered the Chinois salad, which sandwich cravings, with a the restaurant is focused on around 3 p.m. and sat in the is a mix of Napa cabbage,

red onions, wonton strips, cashews, scallions, carrots and red cabbage in the cafe’s homemade Chinois dressing.

The salad was good; it wasn’t the most exciting thing in the world, but it was hearty and all the vegetables complemented each other. The wontons also provided a satisfying crunch to the otherwise leafy dish.

My companion, however, was enthralled by his selection.

He ordered the Greek roast panini, with roast beef, feta, spinach and a garlic aioli, which he described as delicious.

Nichols prefaced our meal by calling that dish his favorite out of the selection, partially due to the roast beef that they prepare themselves. He says that they trim, season and slow-roast it for two hours.

Between bites, my date noted how well the warm feta went with the roast beef, which he emphasized was as good

and as fresh as Nichols had promised.

For our “sweet ending,” I had the mini cheesecake. I’m not much of a dessert person, but I very much enjoyed the dollop of cheesecake in a soft angel food cake-esque envelope.

It was small, but a good palate cleanser. My date had the cherry pie cookie tart, a rich sugar cookie with a tart cherry pie filling, which he enjoyed.

Though Alexander’s Cafe is on the smaller side now, Nichols said that with the growing number of students living Downtown, including the Printing House student residence opening across the street, he plans on expanding the hours to better accommodate students for next semester. Overall, it’s a cute place that is looking to grow, but even in these early stages, it’s worth a Restaurant Week visit.

A grandmother's chicken and waffles live on at Muffer's Kitchen Richard Kersting Arts & Culture A fast favorite for lovers of soul food and fried chicken, Muffer’s Kitchen is Binghamton’s little slice of down-home cuisine located at 62 Glenwood Ave. A family operation, Muffer’s offers a fairly simple menu that ensures every meal is cooked “just like Mama used to make.” While most of their Restaurant Week specials are just expanded forms of their regular menu items, Muffer’s is also using the week to experiment with other soul food favorites.

According to owner Damien Cornwell, the recipes and traditions employed by Muffer’s have their roots in Alabama. In the 1930s, Cornwell’s grandparents moved from Alabama to the Binghamton area, where they had 16 children. Growing up, Damien and his 63 cousins took to affectionately calling their grandmother “Muffer.”

The restaurant is a tribute

to the memory of the late matriarch.

For the entrées, Muffer’s dinner menu consists of either pork chops or fried chicken, each coming with two soulful sides such as collard greens and baked beans in addition to a deliciously moist corn bread.

While only side dishes, Muffer’s sides definitely aren’t side notes. Each is substantial and packed with flavor, serving to enhance the meal rather than merely supplement it.

While its other offerings served to be delicious, Muffer’s biggest draw is definitely its fried chicken.

Crispy, tender and always cooked to perfection, it’s the type of chicken you can’t cook without love, care and respect that the 80-plus yearold recipe commands. This isn’t just fried chicken, this is soul food.

For lunch, Muffer’s is experimenting with a familiar dish to fans of soul food: a plate of chicken and

waffles. Do yourself a favor and give this dish a try. Both the waffles and the chicken would be great on their own.

But together, served with a choice of either caramel syrup or lemon sauce, they complement each other in perfect harmony. Muffer’s is experimenting with the dish over Restaurant Week to see if it will fit in its normal menu, but it definitely leaves a lasting and mouth-watering impression.

At a price of $15 for lunch and $20 for dinner, Muffer’s also offers appetizers and desserts. Both lunch and dinner offer an appetizer choices of chicken soup, fried mixed vegetables or a mixed green salad and a dessert choice of sweet potato pie or chocolate cake, with the former highlighting of the dessert offerings. The sweet potato pie is sweet without being sugary and instead relying on the delicate sweetness of nutmeg and cinnamon. It’s a fresh and pleasant endnote to a very

Kevin Ren/Contributing Photographer

Chicken and waffles, part of the restaurant’s lunch offerings

filling meal.

If nothing else, Muffer’s Kitchen provides a good meal at decent prices. The food is simple, and that’s where it draws its success.

By carefully seasoning and cooking the food, Muffer’s achieves at delivering intense flavor from unpretentious ingredients.

Muffer’s Kitchen is a

welcoming space. As a family operation, you can taste that everyone involved is personally invested in the success of the restaurant and the quality of food.

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ARTS & CULTURE

bupipedream.com | April 8, 2016

Don't let its name fool you; Whole in the Wall is full of charm

John Babich/Assistant Photography Editor

Pasta, with the restaurant’s famous basil pesto

Kara Brown and John Babich Pipe Dream Staff Whole in the Wall offers a health-conscious, trendy menu with its variety of delicious vegan, gluten-free

and locally grown options.

Lacking in pretentiousness, its food is homemade with care and respect.

Although Whole in the Wall is usually only open Thursday through Saturday, the restaurant will be open

Tuesday through Saturday for Restaurant Week. A threecourse lunch is available for $12. The dinner menu is available for either $25 or $30 for a three-course meal or four-course meal, respectively.

We opted for the fourcourse dinner. Although mostly an abridged version of the typical menu, the Restaurant Week menu was full of options for both myself, as well the photographer, who is a vegan.

As an appetizer, we split the falafel bites and the mini-tempura broccoli florets. From their crescentlike shape to their creamy interior, the falafel bites were not your average falafels.

The velvety texture of these bites allowed for the falafel to hold its shape, providing a more enjoyable experience.

The broccoli tempura tasted exactly how you would expect it to taste with a slight al dente crunch underneath the crispy tempura batter. Dipping into the tofu-garlic dressing added a needed flavorful bite to the florets. We just wished that there were more of them.

For our second course, we sampled the minestrone, which was the soup of the day, the creamy mushroom

soup and the vegan-friendly Japanese miso soup. The minestrone was delicious and delightfully hearty, and the creamy mushroom soup was rich and flavorful. The miso soup was less salty and better than the average, despite the lackluster tofu cubes.

The entrée section of the menu was the largest and most varied, with options ranging from enchiladas to a pierogi lasagna. Being that Whole in the Wall is famous for its pesto, we had to get the pesto pasta. This pesto was much thicker than your typical basil sauce and full of flavor. The dish could have used more salt, but being served at a health-conscious restaurant, its absence made sense.

The vegetable stir fry can be ordered in a variety of ways — with chicken, tofu, or tempeh — we tried the tempeh, a meat substitute similar to tofu but made of fermented soybeans. Lightly cooked zucchini, broccoli,

carrots and onions were served over a bed of brown rice, dashed with tamari and garnished with a lemon.

Though tasty in the first few pieces, the large tempeh cubes overpowered the dish with their nutty, fermented taste.

For dessert, we tried the only two Restaurant Week options — the raspberry chocolate chip brownie sundae teaser and the fat-free mango sorbet. The raspberry brownie sundae stole the show. The contrast between the warm and gooey brownie and the cool raspberry and whipped cream topping was extremely pleasing. The only vegan dessert option offered was a mango sorbet that lacked the care of the previous courses, having an artificial mango taste delivered with overt sweetness. This aside, the cold, smooth sorbet was refreshing after the meal.

Overall, we left feeling stuffed and satisfied from this good dining experience.

When looking for adventure, Zona & Co. Grille has you covered Odeya Pinkus peppers, chilies and sofritoArts & Culture Editor infused vegetable stock. The thin broth mixed delightfully If you’re looking for big with the vegetables laced flavor in a small restaurant, within. then Zona & Co. Grille is As far as entrées go, I your Restaurant Week go-to. was impressed by what Zona Located across the street from was bringing to the table, 20 Hawley, Zona is perfect for literally. They get an A-plus for those looking for an edible presentation, with everything adventure. coming out in new jawThe aesthetic of this place dropping plates. I tried the was comfortable and relaxed, lobster macaroni and cheese, with “Friends” playing on a which came in an impressively TV and Vance Joy singing in sized portion. The sauce was the background. The staff is creamy, hearty and heavy, courteous, friendly and made so don’t plan on running a the experience the enjoyable marathon after you come here; time that it was. But now, for while you sit, just indulge. An the food. additional bonus: the lobster For an appetizer, we meat sitting at the top. The sampled the Frito pie and the pasta itself had more to be sweet potato, corn and green desired in its consistency, but chili chowder. To start, the the lobster had a texture that Frito pie should be your go- satisfied. to. It’s a beef-chili with jack Our next dinner option cheese, onions, refried beans consisted of the ramen and sour cream. Yes, this is all burger. This was an incredibly good, but the real delight in adventurous meal, with this dish came from the Fritos. a turkey burger sitting in Everything you need to enjoy between two ramen patties. this dish is already there, from While my first bite of the the refreshing sour cream to ramen was disappointing — I the crunch of the Fritos. As didn’t love the crunch — once for the chowder, I wouldn’t I bit into the parts soaked in pick it over the Frito pie, but General Tso’s sauce I realized it definitely gets an honorable the true potential of this dish. mention. It’s a light chowder The zucchini and carrot pieces featuring corn, potatoes, added a welcome vegetable

Samantha Webb/Pipe Dream Photographer

always interesting bread pudding,” offered as part of their dinner menu

portion.

Our last sampling was of the blue raspberry BBQ chicken.

This dish brought sweetness to barbecue in a pleasant way.

The mangos and strawberries added something to this dish that I could really appreciate.

This being said, I didn’t love the chicken itself, but the

sauce-soaked rice bed below it was a treat.

As far as desserts go, this is where Zona & Co. Grille really shine. As a person who has always loved rice pudding, Zona’s rendition does not disappoint. It’s cold, light and sweet — but not too sweet. We also tried the

Pre-Veterinary Society Weekly meetings: Mondays at 8pm in the New Union Room 324. Any and all are welcome, especially animal lovers and pre-vet students!

“always interesting bread pudding,” which lived up to its name and was warm, sweet and complemented well with whipped cream. It featured raspberries, blueberries and Nutella. Surprisingly, it also featured ancho chile pepper, a true testament to the adventurous spirit that lies

within this new menu.

Zona & Co. Grille prides itself on flavor and freshness — two ideals that they definitely accomplish, with the fresh crate of lobsters that came in each day, and their farm-to-table ideology. For those who want their dining to be a journey, Zona is the place for you.

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11

ARTS & CULTURE

April 8, 2016 | bupipedream.com

Rediscover Lost Dog Cafe with cheesesteaks and cheesecakes Odeya Pinkus Arts & Culture Editor If there is no current rule that you need to go to Lost Dog Cafe before you graduate, then there should be. Known for its signature rigatoni àla vodka and dietary accommodations, Lost Dog is a Binghamton staple. Whether you choose a signature dish or something brand new, you’ll be pleased with the service, food and your overall experience.

We tried their lunch specials, which include entrées like the rigatoni àla vodka, grass-fed NY strip steak and two different types of burrito bowls: chicken and quinoa. If you’ve been waiting for an opportunity to get this delicious pasta dish, then get it and walk away happy, especially for the price of $12. But if you’re looking to venture on the wild side of the menu, the burrito bowl will not disappoint. Served with a delicate lime on the top, this dish consists of beans, rice, pico de gallo, avocado cream and either grilled chicken or quinoa. This dish was tasty, but what made it stand out was the undeniable warmth it brought. The chicken was expertly grilled, with the flavor accentuating and complimenting the rest of

the dish.

And while this dish made me happy and warm inside, the real treat of this restaurant was the grass-fed cheesesteak. I can safely say that this made me happier than most of the people I encounter on a day-to-day basis. The cheesesteak comes with a side of either fries, mac and cheese or salad, but for an extra 75 cents you can get sweet potato fries. My advice: splurge. These crispy bites are a welcome and complementary addition.

But back to that main course.

This sandwich was warm, tender and as cheesy as the heart could possibly desire.

Horseradish and blue cheese sauce is not something that I would usually like, but on this sandwich, everything came together.

As for the dessert, if you have even a minor interest in cheesecake or crème brulee, then their hybrid dessert is a necessity. Getting a bite of these crème brulee cheesecake bars is truly a treat. Lost Dog also offers a lemon cupcake with raspberry buttercream frosting. While the cupcake could do more for its consistency, the lemon flavor is worth it. This being said, the real standout is the raspberry frosting. Delicate and tasty, this frosting is nothing like the sugary,

Kaely Hankison/Contributing Photographer

the grass-fed cheesesteak, offered as part of the lunch menu

headache-inducing frostings you’ll find in other places. A third option includes a sugar cookie. While simple, the true gem of this cookie lies within its softness. I underestimated it before picking it up, but

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while tearing it in half to share with my accompanying photographer, I was truly amazed. As she tried the dessert, she commented on how it really tasted as if it were made from scratch.

The last dessert option is an Oreo-stuffed brownie, which was personally not my favorite and doesn’t live up to the other options.

Lost Dog Cafe is a restaurant known for its

vegan and gluten-free options, and in its Restaurant Week menu, this expertise shows. Whether you have specific dietary restrictions or not, you’ll find something brand new to love here.

OPINIONS Friday, April 8, 2016

Flaws are what make us unique Life's experience exposed me to society's ridicule of insecurities Chelsea Strong

Contributing Columnist

TREAT YOURSELF Binghamton’s spring Restaurant Week has begun and we’re excited about the scope of this semester’s offerings.

The latest edition of this biannual event is bringing the largest variety of participating restaurants, with more locations featured for lunch and dinner than ever before.

The discounted meals are a call for customers to get out in the city, simply by enjoying a good meal with friends. And while you devour your first nonSodexo and non-microwavable meal in recent memory, you’ll be serving a good cause — a portion of all Restaurant Week profits are donated to a local cause or charity each year.

Restaurant Week provides every excuse to get out and explore what Binghamton has to offer. The University encourages

such a strong culture of giving back and helping the local community — an admirable sentiment — but it is easy to get altruistic tunnel vision. Students are citizens of the city, and Restaurant Week is the perfect opportunity to take advantage of discounted patronage.

Binghamton has more to it than Lost Dog and Number 5 dinners that help make parent visits more palatable. Grab some friends and head Downtown — find your new favorite spot to grab a hearty meal at the end of a long study session or to fuel up for a night out.

Money also matters and Restaurant Week is a relative bargain. We understand that

$25 for a dinner might seem expensive, but trust us, this week it is worth it. The set fee gets you a three-course meal at most locations, and a good amount of them let you substitute a drink in for a dessert or appetizer.

Lunches are even cheaper, ranging from $10 to $12 for a two to three-course meal.

Students rarely think twice about dropping $10 in the Marketplace or the Chenango Room. Hold on to your bills this week and grab a bus, spend an afternoon on an affordable lunch that will fill you up for the rest of the day. And let’s face it, you’ll feel a lot better than if you had choked down a Labretti.

More than anything, it’s

important to get out there and give it a shot. Students are trapped in a bubble alongside Vestal Parkway, that frequently only extends to State Street and maybe a hangover-fueled diner trip. Restaurant Week will open up students to the more authentic side of Binghamton. Sophomores are getting ready to move offcampus, and can get to know their future neighborhoods early on. Seniors can find a great new spot for their post-graduation family dinner. There’s nothing to lose, and a whole city to gain.

Find a spot that looks up your alley or take a risk: no matter what you pick this Restaurant Week, we’re sure you’ll come away pleasantly surprised.

Views expressed in the opinion pages represent the opinions of the columnists. The only piece which represents the views of the Pipe Dream Editorial Board is the Staff Editorial, above. The Editorial Board is composed of the Editor-in-Chief, News Editor, Opinions Editor, Sports Editor and Arts & Culture Editor.

Constantly comparing oneself to peers in how fast they can run, or how thin they look in a mirror, has a very negative impact on today’s youth.

Even more specifically, it is likely that eating disorders such as anorexia and bulimia become instinctual and the “norm.”

The young woman continued to mention that when she joined a larger and more well-known dance studio, the pressure was on. She claimed that her innocence was taken away in her dancing because of the countless days spent in the studio alongside her fellow dancers comparing how many carrots each of them ate. It is apparent that the parents of each child only fed into this behavior by competing with one another through their daughters.

I can recall, as a past athlete, this same culture adapted among my teammate’s parents. Carpools to each game became a time to look at one another’s stats from the last game, instead of peering over one another’s NV2s to view text messages. I remember hearing one of my friends from my high school basketball team harp on the fact that a smaller jersey size increases a runner’s speed.

In retrospect, and as I read more on the way, I notice that sports are becoming less of something a child does in their free time and more a focus on the future. I notice how damaging the created atmosphere was and still seems to be. In order to decrease the rapid growth of society’s youth leaning toward mental health instances due to the 21st century’s focus on image, we must first hone in on the cause of this effect.

In every sport or art form, there will always be flaws. When these activities are seen as a future for a young girl or boy, it is likely for insecurities to arise. I am someone who is closely related to a dancer who has experienced the downfalls of being a part of this culture, and I myself, as someone very involved in sports since a young age, have faced my own demons in this field.

Studies have shown that disorders among adolescents have started earlier and earlier, as the pressure and competitiveness increase in just the simple activity of joining a team.

Parents are out of the know and talk about how they are becoming less aware of when their child begins to compare themselves to those around them in their dance company, cheerleading team or softball team, to name a few. An 18-year-old ballet dancer educated me about how detrimental it is for our society to strongly focus on body image and neglect its influences on children. She defines the duration of her childhood, having to be put in front of a mirror every day, as a period when it was difficult to look at herself and analyze every little thing.

In my many years as a “team player,” working together toward a common goal taught me collaboration and communication skills.

While my coaches encouraged a little “healthy competition,” they did not always instill much self-esteem. After interviewing the ballet dancer, I learned that this issue is also — Chelsea Strong is an prevalent in much of the art world. undeclared freshman.

Planning out college doesn't always work well

I tried drawing out my four years at Binghamton, from classes to internships; then I set myself free Anita Raychawdhuri

Columnist

I’ve been a planner for as long as I can remember. At my freshman orientation, I wrote out a plan for the next four years: the clubs I’d join, the internships I’d participate in and the classes I’d take each semester. I had everything set, even down to a neat little plan B. In some ways, planning served me well. I fully attribute being able to graduate in three years with

research and internship experience, my to-do lists and forward thinking.

Unfortunately, the downfall of planning is that you simply cannot prepare for everything. When life throws you a curveball, you’re sent into a tailspin of horrendous anxiety. What can I say? It happened to me. After a breakup, graduate school plans falling through and a few other hiccups, the detailed plan I made freshman year was destroyed.

I panicked, realizing that I was unhappy with the way my future was looking and heartbroken that my plan hadn’t come to fruition.

I felt numb, terrified and angry.

I couldn’t comprehend what had gone so wrong and spent hours wondering where the glitch in my plan was. The highly motivated and successful Anita faded away into a disillusioned and exhausted person.

Then, after a few days in a slump, I decided to get over it. I would much prefer if things had worked out the way that I planned for them to, but my new path will be an adventure that I am sure to cherish retrospectively. Recently, I applied and was accepted to a program I’d dreamed of doing since high school but never did

because it didn’t quite fit “the plan.”

It felt strangely emancipating to finally make choices purely based on me and the moment, rather than some mythical future that I’d romanticized in my head.

I’ve been working on letting go, being more flexible and proceeding without a guide map. I’ve learned that I can’t control the emotions of others. I can’t will success and I can’t guarantee anything, no matter how much I prepare. As clichéd as it sounds, I’ve realized that all I have control over is doing my best, whatever that may be. Coming to terms with this has been difficult.

We are encouraged to set up a plan for ourselves, advice which is helpful, but can also be stifling, not to mention horrendously disappointing if things turn out differently. My plan made me obdurate. I only wanted one thing and I wanted it to happen at a certain time and in a certain way. My world literally felt like it was falling apart when my path diverged.

When I strayed from my plan, my life didn’t really crumble as I thought it would. I was given a beautiful opportunity to discover myself and make choices free of any constraints. This is one of the only

times in our lives when we are really able to make choices for ourselves, and have so many choices to make.

Take control of your life without a set plan. Don’t limit yourself, like I tried to do. Do what makes you happy, rather than worrying out a grand game plan that will lead you to an end you may not even want in five or 10 years. Do what makes you happy now, actually explore and don’t be afraid of the unknown. Be more open, and be comfortable with letting go.

— Anita Raychawdhuri is a senior majoring in English.

Failure shouldn't define you; might bring you success

Defy society's image of perfection, because the fear of failure should not dictate the way you live your life Sarah Saad

Columnist

Upon receiving my first big exam grade at Binghamton back, I was excited and nervous. I opened up Blackboard, checked my grade and saw a beautiful 68 radiating toward me. This was the worst grade I had received since gym class in 11th grade (the gym uniform just didn’t do me justice). Fortunately, there were a handful of poor grades to follow.

Fortunately? You read that right.

‘Perfection’ is a word our society routinely preaches. We claim, “that girl has a perfect body,” or, “their relationship is perfect,” and even, “she’s a genius, her grades are absolutely perfect.”

Perfection is the ultimate goal.

We strive to develop a lifestyle free of flaws, a lifestyle in which very few individuals can critique and our desire for this lifestyle is only natural. Humankind is a species that continues to develop and improve for its own survival.

Between biological advances, technological advances and even

social advances, we challenge ourselves to be the greatest we can be and that’s necessary. The attempt to achieve perfection is the motivation that enables us to excel as a society and I applaud our pursuit of perfection in that sense. Yet, the pressures to achieve perfection in our lives have forced us to fear anything that falls short.

The first moment that I failed felt shattering. I distinctly remember calling my mother crying, to further have my roommates console me. I felt ashamed and scared. I thought

‘failure’ isn’t OK. Yes, we see motivational posters with an image of Walt Disney, along with the comfort of his rejection from Kansas City Star, and this is reassuring. But when it happens to us, we feel isolated and rejected.

We treat failure like a disease and this is not productive.

I strongly believe that the moment we fail, we are one step closer to success. That moment of failure is so important, because it teaches us that the fear of failure is irrational. It takes away the anxiety that paralyzes us in our most important moments. It

enables us to recognize that small failures truly provide us with no harm, only if we don’t allow them to. The moment you receive your test-failing grade back, you can either waste time to mourn, convincing yourself to think that you’re unintelligent, or you can just approach your failure from a new perspective. You can take that “F” and understand it is a microelement in the true span of your college career, and go to tutoring, or go to your professor or just ask your friend for some help.

To be ashamed of your failure

is the worst thing you can do.

Whether we are talking about our education or our friendships, success and failure are not independent from one another.

Success is accomplished by acknowledging that perfection is unobtainable.

Instead, understanding that failure isn’t the barrier to your success will in fact enable you to realistically achieve a successful lifestyle.

— Sarah Saad is a junior double-majoring in human development and women, gender and sexuality studies.

13

SPORTS

April 8, 2016 | bupipedream.com

Bearcats seek to snap skid

BU aims to improve offense against UML

Kyle McDonald Pipe Dream Sports

Provided by BU Athletics Junior first baseman Brendan Skidmore currently leads the America East with six home runs..

BU to face UMass Lowell

Baseball looks to win third straight AE series

Noah Bressner Pipe Dream Sports

The Binghamton baseball team started out the season by losing 14 of its first 18 games. Early on, the pitching staff struggled and the offense fell silent when it mattered.

Head coach Tim Sinicki shuffled the lineup and swapped pitchers into and out of the rotation, going full throttle to reverse those disappointments before America East (AE) play began.

Since then, the Bearcats (10-15, 6-0 AE) have won six of their last seven games, outscoring opponents, 42-21. After two impressive three-game sweeps of conference opponents Maine and Albany, BU seeks its third-consecutive AE series victory as it continues conference play against UMass Lowell (11-13, 1-5 AE) this weekend.

“Baseball is a game of high repetition,” Sinicki said. “When you play more, it certainly brings out the best in your players.”

Although spirits are high after Binghamton’s recent success on the field, Sinicki refuses to let the team become complacent. In his 22 years of coaching Binghamton, he’s learned that many things can derail teams in the midst of hot streak, even when everything seems to be clicking.

“The only thing I’m confident in is that we’re playing good baseball right now,” Sinicki said. “That’s the only thing we can control. We hope to be able to play well in all areas like we have the past two weekends.”

In contrast to the Bearcats’ impressive conference record, the River Hawks have lost five of their six AE games. UMass Lowell was, however, more successful in its non-conference slate — winning 10 of 18 contests.

“They’re a good team,” Sinicki said of UML. “It’s going to be a big test for our program. Hopefully some of the good things we’ve been doing in games and in practice will translate into some wins.”

After garnering a conferenceleading .533 batting average over this past week — which helped BU go 3-1 in that span — junior first baseman Brendan Skidmore was named the AE Player of the Week.

His play was particularly impressive in last weekend’s series against Albany during which he recorded five RBIs on six hits. After recording a two home-run game, Skidmore now leads the conference with six homers.

Skidmore has now been named AE Player of the Week twice this season. The junior was moved fulltime to first base this season after splitting time between first base

AMERICA EAST

and shortstop in his freshman and sophomore years.

“He’s made the move to first base really seamlessly,” Sinicki said.

“I think the fact that Brendan is comfortable at first base and he’s not thinking about his defense too much is contributing to the fact that he’s been really comfortable at the plate.”

Binghamton will tab redshirt junior Jake Cryts to start Saturday’s opener, with senior Mike Bunal set to follow in the second half of the doubleheader. Redshirt sophomore Jake Wloczewski will start the final game on Sunday.

After pitching to a 3.96 ERA last year, Bunal struggled in his first four games of this season, allowing 19 runs in 15 innings pitched. Bunal has since won two of his last three starts, allowing just five earned runs in 19 innings pitched.

“Mike tends to overthink things,” Sinicki said. “He’s going back to the simplicity of what he knows how to do and that’s probably best for him.”

First pitch between the two teams is scheduled for noon on Saturday from Edward A. LeLacheur Park in Lowell, Massachusetts, with a second game directly following. The series is set to conclude with a single game on Sunday.

The Binghamton men’s lacrosse team is set to return home this weekend looking to end a twogame skid against America East (AE) opponent UMass Lowell.

The Bearcats (2-6, 1-1 AE) are coming off consecutive road losses in which the offense has not looked particularly dangerous.

BU was defeated, 15-6, by sixthranked Towson before their first conference loss of the year to Hartford, 17-9, last Saturday.

The offense has been crucial to BU’s success this season. After an 0-3 start to the season in which BU averaged just six goals per game, the offense seemed to have turned a corner. Binghamton went 2-1 in a three-game stretch in which its offense averaged over 12 goals per game, but the attack has not produced the same sort of numbers since.

For the Bearcats, the doubledigit goal mark is an important one. They haven’t won a game this season when the team has scored fewer than 10 goals.

“It starts with getting the ball,” BU head coach Scott Nelson said when asked about the team’s offensive struggles. “In the last game against Hartford, our offense actually did okay, but we just didn’t have the ball enough.”

Another problem for the Bearcats has been the team’s tendency to give up large scoring runs. In their last two losses, the Bearcats have allowed opponents to score three or more unanswered goals six separate times. This includes a 7-0 run by Towson and a 5-0 run by Hartford, each of which put the games out of reach for BU. “We have to get the ground balls,” Nelson said. “We have to win some face-offs and we’ve got to get some stops on defense and help each other play better team

defense.”

Binghamton’s opponent this weekend, UMass Lowell (2-9, 0-3 AE), has had struggles of its own.

UML’s offense averages only 8.64 goals per game, which is just slightly lower than BU’s 8.75 goal average. Like BU, UMass Lowell has had success when it’s hit the double-digit goal mark. The River Hawks are 2-2 when scoring over 10 goals, but have yet to win when scoring fewer than 10.

Nelson believes that the contest could be high-scoring, which could tilt the contest in BU’s favor.

“If we get enough possessions, it could turn out like that,” he said.

“We’d like to get the ball going up and down the field and get a lot of opportunities.”

UMass Lowell’s defense has seen its own struggles this year, allowing teams to average over 11 goals per game against it. Despite this fact, the River Hawks have been in many close games throughout the season. Five of their nine losses have been by three goals or fewer.

“It’s about working hard and loving the game,” Nelson said when discussing the upcoming matchup. “We’ve got a good group of guys, they’re bright, they get it, they know what’s going on. They’ve had a great week of practice.”

The Bearcats hope to continue their success in the face-off circle when they take on the River Hawks. UMass Lowell has won only 37 percent of its face-offs this season, which pales in comparison to Binghamton’s 52 percent. BU is also set to return to its home field for the first time since March 22.

Binghamton has been victorious in its last two home games.

“I think they’re excited for it [to return home] and it’s the same message we always give,” Nelson said. “Stay very positive, we’re in a great place and we’re certainly going to continue to work to get better.”

The game between Binghamton and UML is set to begin at 1 p.m. on Saturday from the Bearcats Sports Complex in Vestal, NY.

Rachel Tomei/Contributing Photographer Senior attack Johnny Maher carries a five-game point streak into Binghamton’s matchup with UMass Lowell this weekend.

UPDATES

E.Jay Zarett Sports Editor

UMBC hires Ryan Odom as head men's basketball coach The first of two America East (AE) men’s basketball coaching vacancies has officially been filled. On Thursday afternoon, UMBC formally introduced Ryan Odom as its next head coach.

Odom comes to the AE school via LenoirRhyne University in North Carolina. Odom served one season at the helm of the Division II program, guiding Lenoir-Rhyne to its first appearance in the NCAA Division II Regional Final and a 21-10 overall record. Lenoir-Rhyne won just eight games in 2014-15, the season prior to Odom’s arrival.

From 2010-14, Odom served as an assistant at UNC-Charlotte, a Conference USA affiliate, and in 2015 was elevated to the position of associate head coach. In January 2015, Odom served as interim head coach at the school, where he registered an 8-11 record.

“I think [UMBC] is a sleeping giant,” Odom said at his introductory press conference, made

available by the school on YouTube. “High academics, honors University … You can attract high-quality people, achievers who want to do really, really well, not only in basketball, but in life.”

Former UMBC coach Aki Thomas was fired in March after compiling a 28-95, 15-51 AE record over the last four seasons. Odom inherits a team that finished in eighth place in the conference last season and never finished higher than sixth in the America East during Thomas’ tenure. However, UMBC is set to return one of the most explosive, offensive backcourts in the AE next season in rising junior guards Rodney Elliott and Jairus Lyles. Elliott, the 2013-14 AE Rookie of the Year, averaged 12.8 points per game in 2015-16, while Lyles, a second team All-Conference member, took the AE by storm, pouring in 23.0 points per game while shooting 47.2 percent from the floor.

SBU's search for Pikiell's replacement reaches 16 days The head coaching position of the reigning America East (AE) champion, Stony Brook, still remains vacant. After registering a 192-155 record in 11 seasons at SBU, which includes earning four AE regular season titles and guiding the Seawolves to their first-ever AE postseason title and NCAA tournament berth, Steve Pikiell left the helm of the program in order to become the head coach at Rutgers on March 22. The Stony Brook athletic department announced that it would be conducting a national search for its next head coach, which has been ongoing for the past 16 days.

Regardless of who is at the helm, Stony Brook may be due for a step back next season. After recording five straight seasons of 20 wins or more, SBU will lose guard Carson Puriefoy and forwards Jameel Warney and Rayshaun McGrew to graduation. All three were members of an AE All-Conference team the last two seasons.

According to multiple reports, one candidate rumored to be in the mix at SBU is Pikiell’s former associate head coach Jay Young. Young served on Pikiell’s staff for all of his 11 seasons at Stony Brook and was instrumental in the recruitment and development of Warney, the three-time AE Player of the Year. Warney has drawn NBA interest and could potentially be picked in June’s draft. Young was also in the mix to become the next head coach at Central Connecticut State, but former University of Connecticut star and NBA player Donyell Marshall was hired to that position. However, according to a report by Jerry Carino of the Asbury Park Press, Young has agreed to join Pikiell’s staff at Rutgers, meaning that he is unlikely to be hired by SBU. According to that report, Stony Brook’s search has focused on coaches who are currently assistants at highmajor programs.

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BASEBALL

BU to face UMass Lowell in three-game series See Page 13 Friday, April 8, 2016

Raquel Panitz/Pipe Dream Photographer Senior goalie Erin McNulty had a game-high eight saves in Binghamton’s 14-4 loss to Albany on Wednesday.

Bearcats drop fourth straight, fall to Albany, 14-4 After close first period, BU defense falters in second half Matthew Pilotti Pipe Dream Sports

Following a heartbreaking overtime loss to New Hampshire on Saturday, the Binghamton women’s lacrosse team looked to clear its mind and start fresh.

Unfortunately, the Bearcats’ performance on Wednesday afternoon proved disappointing, as it took just a few minutes into the second half for the Bearcats to lose their shot at redemption.

Binghamton (4-8, 0-2 America East) couldn’t climb out of a 4-0 hole, dropping its fourth consecutive game, 14-4, to Albany.

“We just got kind of defeated by a couple of quick goals in the second half that we weren’t able to recover from,” BU head coach Stephanie Allen said.

The Great Danes (6-3, 2-0 AE) brought the fire early, scoring four consecutive goals in the first 10 minutes of play. The Bearcats didn’t register a shot until over six minutes in, when freshman midfielder Rebecca Golderman’s attempt was saved.

Although down early, BU played a strong first half, consistently chipping away at Albany’s lead.

Golderman ended the Albany rally by converting a broken play into a goal for her teamleading 20th of the season. Ten minutes later, senior goalie Erin McNulty launched a long pass to Golderman, who maneuvered her way down field to score her second of the game and cut the Albany lead to 4-2. After another Albany goal made it 5-2, Golderman picked up a hat trick with 45 seconds remaining to send the Bearcats into the locker

room trailing, 5-3.

Any momentum that the Bearcats had gained before the half quickly faded. Albany controlled the first draw out of halftime and wasted little time in answering back. Great Danes junior attack Dakotah Savitcheff converted just 30 seconds into the half, jump starting a 9-0 run that pushed the score to 14-3. “[Albany is] an incredibly talented team,” Allen said. “They do a good job being patient with their opportunities and capitalizing their possessions with goals.”

McNulty, as the defensive anchor for the Bearcats, may have had her play overshadowed by the score. Tallying eight saves, she made key stops that put BU in a position to remain in the game. There were a number of unfortunate looks or fouls,

however, that paved the way for Albany to get easier shots on net and be more successful.

After being held scoreless for 26 minutes, senior attack Sophia Racciatti closed the scoring when she finished a pass from junior midfielder Callon Williams in the back of the cage. The goal made the score 14-4, which would hold until the final buzzer.

Swept up in the frustrating loss were a few bright spots for the Bearcats. Golderman secured nine of 10 draws for BU, a singlegame program record. Her three goals also extended her point streak to 10 straight games.

The Bearcats will hope to rally around her strong play.

“To get nine of 10 draw controls is pretty outstanding and exceptional for a freshman,” Allen remarked. “She continues to perform under the toughest of

AMERICA EAST

WOMEN'S LACROSSE STANDINGS: 1.

2.

STONY BROOK: 2-0 AE, 8-3

VERMONT: 1-2 AE, 5-7

ALBANY: 2-0 AE, 6-3

3.

5.

6.

BINGHAMTON: 0-2 AE, 4-8

NEW HAMPSHIRE: 2-0 AE, 5-6

7.

4.

UMBC:

1-1 AE, 7-4

conditions.”

On the defensive side, senior defender Allie Rodgers registered her 65th caused turnover of her career, setting the Binghamton program record.

UMASS LOWELL: 0-3 AE, 1-11

Binghamton is set to return to action on Tuesday for a non-conference matchup with Colgate. First draw is set for 4 p.m. from the Bearcats Sports Complex in Vestal, New York.

On BU uniforms, ‘Binghamton’ takes center stage Athletics initiatives key to bolstering brand

Nicholas Waldron Pipe Dream Sports

Raquel Panitz/Pipe Dream Photographer, Emily Earl/Pipe Dream Photographer, Via Pipe Dream Archives Binghamton Athletics Director Patrick Elliott has made a concerted effort to have BU teams’ jerseys feature the name “Binghamton” and not the nickname “Bearcats.”

If you take a walk around Binghamton University on any given Friday, there is a chance that you will be greeted with a sea of green. If you are lucky, you might even see Baxter and some of his friends celebrating “Green Day Friday,” and BU Zoo, the official student-run cheering section of Binghamton Athletics– led initiative that promotes school spirit on campus by urging students to sport green every Friday.

Green Day Friday and other initiatives like it are a recent trend. Juniors and seniors probably remember a time where school spirit was nothing but a concept they heard friends at Penn State or Michigan speak of.

Nowadays, students are starting to show pride in their school.

Wearing green and setting attendance records at sporting events are important steps in BU’s quest to build school pride.

A lot of the credit for the increase in school spirit has to go to the administration.

Binghamton’s athletic director, Patrick Elliott, entered his position determined to increase school spirit, demand more athletically and academically

from student-athletes and spread BU’s footprint.

“We are all Bearcats and we should be celebrating each other,” Elliott said about the way in which he views the school spirit initiative.

Another interesting method Elliot has used is his branding of the University on the uniforms of all Binghamton sports teams. Think back to the NCAA Tournament that just finished on Monday. In the first round, Maryland faced off against South Dakota State. The Jackrabbits — a mid-major Division I program — wore jerseys that simply said “State” on the front, giving people no indication as to who they are or where they’re from.

If you take a look at Binghamton, whether the baseball team is playing in the College World Series, or if the men’s or women’s basketball team is playing a conference game on ESPN3, the uniforms will always have “Binghamton” on them. Not Bearcats, not BU, only Binghamton. This is calculated, as Elliott has placed an emphasis on the value of name recognition on the state, national and even international levels.

“It is really important from a branding perspective that the Binghamton name is out

there,” Elliott said. “People may not know who we are, so part of having Binghamton on our uniforms is being a unified institution, but also clearly telling the world who we are.”

With the help of Elliott, Binghamton has had an opportunity to increase its name recognition due to its appearances on the national stage. The Binghamton baseball team competed in back-to-back NCAA Regionals in 2013 and 2014, televised on ESPN3, wearing jerseys with the University’s name spread across their chests, while the Binghamton softball team competed against national competition in an NCAA Tournament Regional in 2015 in front of over 1,000 people.

Arguably, the greatest success of Elliott’s initiatives may have came in the spring of 2015 when track and field stars Jesse Garn and Keishorea Armstrong earned All-American honors at the NCAA Outdoor Championships wearing pinnies that bore the Binghamton name.

With Elliott’s new initiative, Binghamton University is set to garner increased name recognition from around the country if the athletics programs continue to improve and play on bigger stages.