A smoothie a day keeps the doctor away

Nestled in Midtown Row lies a new smoothie restaraunt for students and visitors alike. The Juicing Life Bar is a new juice bar that offers both blended drinks and cafe options for those on the outskirts of campus.

Juicing Life Bar provides an array of cold-pressed juices, smoothies, smoothie bowls, wellness shots (perfect for when you can feel a cold coming on) and even liquid meals. I was particularly interested in their smoothie collection for a quick pick-me-up and took my roommate with me for the ride.

Current Midtown can be quite the hike for students living on campus without a car, reducing the accessibility of the juice bar.

Once inside, you are struck by the fun and cool atmosphere of the cafe. The store’s interior is full of fun colors as well as an Instagram-worthy, geometric mural right in front of the door. In my opinion, the music and atmosphere make this juice bar the perfect place for casual studying and light homework. Pair that ambiance with good drinks and a large food selection, and you never have to leave.

At first, looking at the menu can be pretty daunting since there are two for food and drink, respectively, and an abundance of options. To keep it simple amid so many choices, my roommate and I decided to go for the smoothies. Personally, I like a more simple smoothie, so I opted for the Peach on the Beach smoothie, which consisted of strawberry, banana and peach. My roommate, on the other hand, is a bit more adventurous, so she got the Juicy Dreams smoothie, which consisted of strawberry, banana, pineapple and mango. Altogether, the smoothies were relatively pricey. Nevertheless, we paid and waited for our drinks. They were pretty fast, especially since we were the only customers, so our order was ready in about five minutes.

Upon receiving my smoothie, I was slightly impressed with how big the cup was. Some high-end health places usually give smaller portion sizes, but my Peach on the Beach was a pretty good size. It was also a delicious drink too. From the taste of the smoothie (and the fruit bits that were trapped in my straw at times), I could tell that the smoothie was made from real fruit. My drink was a classic smoothie with a twist of peach, and I finished it pretty quickly after I got it. My roommate’s drink definitely had more of a tropical feel, and

I was surprised by how much you could individually taste each fruit in it. In my opinion, the smoothie tasted good enough to be about nine dollars and is a good option when you have room to splurge a bit. My overall review of Juicing Life Bar Cafe is a positive one. With its funky and relaxed atmosphere, this place would be the perfect hangout for someone trying to both get some work done and get their vitamin boost. However, this applies most conveniently to those who live in Midtown or near the area or those with a car. Unfortunately, underclassmen may not completely reap the benefits of this new hangout spot. Their various smoothies, juices, smoothie bowls, sandwiches and wraps provide a healthy yet still yummy option. They even have a few vegetarian options, which expands the food choices for nonmeat eaters. Even though it may be relatively pricey, the Juicing Life Bar is a good place to eat on occasion. I would definitely recommend these refreshing smoothies in the summertime heat and humidity. Therefore, I would suggest everyone try Juicing Life Bar at least once, if not to just try it out, then to grab a quick pick-me-up that doubles as one’s daily fruit intake. The cafe could act as a great stop in between an outdoor run or a nice place to sit down and relax after a stressful day. So, I give Juicing Life Bar an 8/10, with points deducted for pricing, proximity to campus and a slightly cluttered menu.

I love sweet things, especially all things chocolate. As a result, I have developed a slightly absurd obsession with hot chocolate and have consumed a lot of the beverage, and I have high standards on what makes a good hot chocolate. However, my hot chocolate naughty and nice list currently can only be found in my head, so I think it’s time I shout it into the oblivion as well.

Like many others at the College of William and Mary, I have taken Research Methods, so I know that any decent analysis must clearly describe their criteria to establish credibility. I will judge on cost, taste and flexibility. Cost is self-explanatory, but for reference all prices will come from what is listed on Target.com. Taste will be pretty subjective — personally I am not a huge dark chocolate fan, so I prefer a rich milk chocolate flavor for hot chocolate. I will be judging the taste based on the mix being prepared with milk. Flexibility is the variable that will need the most explaining: I am technically (definitely) lactose intolerant, so sometimes for the sake of my sanity and stomach, I will do the unspeakable and make hot chocolate with water. Since I have to commit such a heinous act for my health, it’s very important to me that a hot chocolate mix be consistent in taste and texture regardless of the liquid it is prepared with. My list will focus on three hot chocolate mixes: Swiss Miss, Starbucks and Ghirardelli.

Overall: -3/10. This may be a hot take, but I absolutely hate Starbucks hot chocolate.

Cost: 4/10. Starbucks comes in at $7.49 for an eight pack or $0.94 per pack. Honestly, the price probably is not too bad if compared to the price of buying a hot chocolate at an actual Starbucks location, but I simply think it tastes so bad that it deserves a bad cost ranking.

Taste: 0/10. As mentioned earlier, I do not like Starbucks hot chocolate. It does nothing for me with its very chalky taste and utter lack of sweetness. Deep down inside, I only wanted to write this article as a hate letter to Starbucks for their hot chocolate, because, seriously, why is it so bad? What did society do to deserve such a mediocre hot chocolate from one of the largest hot drink sellers in the world? Trust me, I have given Starbucks hot chocolate several chances, but each and every time I have felt cheated and deprived of the joy of my favorite drink.

Flexibility: 8/10. I may be a hater, but I will be an honest hater: the one time I made Starbucks hot chocolate with water instead of milk, it held up very well. I still do not like it though.

Ghiradelli

Eight count

Overall: 9/10. The Ghirardelli hot chocolate mix is an underrated gem on the hot chocolate aisle. It is not a hot chocolate I think I could have everyday, but it is a true pleasure.

Cost: 6/10. Ghirardelli comes in at $6.49 for an eight pack or $0.81 per pack. On the pricier side for hot chocolate mixes but definitely worth it.

Taste: 9/10. A rich, creamy, delightful taste of chocolate with the bonus treat of little chocolate chips in the drink! Nobody in the game (to my knowledge) is doing hot chocolate mix like Ghirardelli is, a very luxurious experience.

Flexibility: 10/10. Ghirardelli hot chocolate mix is a superstar in terms of flexibility. Incredibly consistent whether it’s milk or water.

Swiss Miss Milk Chocolate Hot Cocoa Mix

— 8 count

Overall: 7/10. Swiss Miss hot chocolate is easily the most popular grocery store hot chocolate mix. Very classic and nostalgic; it instantly reminds me of the pre-Christmas streaming of Polar Express in elementary school, so it automatically gets a couple brownie points.

Cost: 10/10. Swiss Miss comes in at $2.19 for an eight pack or $0.27 per pack. Out of all the mixes being judged, Swiss Miss gives you the biggest bang for your buck price-wise.

Taste: 9/10. As mentioned above, Swiss Miss is a simple, dependable hot chocolate. Personally, I really enjoy the smooth texture, and the flavor is very nice and not too rich.

Flexibility: 5/10. Legally, you can make Swiss Miss with water. Morally, you should not make Swiss Miss with water. The times I have had to resort to making Swiss Miss with water have been dark days. If your mornings go like mine, you’ll make your coffee, tea or hot chocolate 10 or so minutes before you head out the door so that it is drinkable on your walk or drive to your destination. Without fail, the hot chocolate separates into murky water at the top and thick chocolate syrup at the bottom during these ten minutes. While it’s only a minor inconvenience to stir it back up, it’s still disappointing.

In all, among the three grocery store hot chocolate giants, Swiss Miss is the clear choice if you are looking for an everyday hot chocolate. Swiss Miss delivers great taste at a very affordable cost if you are willing to overlook the flexibility issue. If you are looking to splurge for a self-care night, I highly recommend Ghirardelli’s hot chocolate mix. A tad bit pricey but very worth it for the taste and flavor.