C A M P U S D I N I N G M AG A Z I N E
Must-V isit Food Destinations
Winter Staycation
Tips for Planning the Ultimate Winter Break
2021 Gift-Giving Guide: Food Gifts Everyone Will Love
DEC 2021
forward Happy holidays from Thompson Hospitality! We hope that you are taking this season to recover and treat yourselves to the pleasures of leisure. This year has been a teachable moment personified, where we have all had the chance to learn about the values of family, friendship and authenticity. Now, as the new year looms, we want to take the time to celebrate. This year, we have pushed the limits of contemporary dining services, providing all of our campus communities with a luxury experience to remember — all while keeping our partners as safe as possible during the COVID-19 pandemic. We have made countless strides to better ourselves, and we could not have done it without the cooperation of our outstanding partners. This year may have taken us all by surprise, but nevertheless, we persevered. All good things come to an end — and this year is no different. What will remain, however, is our commitment to keep moving +Forward.
Maurice P. Jenoure, Chief Operating Officer
Dina Zaikouk, Vice President of Operations
Together We Thrived. Together We Move Forward.
Must-Visit Food
Destinations
Despite the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic, the food industry is back on its feet and stronger than ever. From the smallest of towns to the largest of cities, the food scene is bustling with energy. For foodies, the U.S. is full of hot spots for the best cuisine. These are a few destinations for foodies to hit over the winter break!
New York City, NY New York City is a melting pot at heart, home to Irish, Italian, Chinese, Puerto Rican, and Latin American habitants, among other cultures. In such a culturally rich environment, New York City’s culinary arts have been heightened by ethnic foods and beverages. Besides a traditional pizza joint, you can find a Jewish deli, a pupuseria, and a cozy cafe. On the streets, you’ll find decked-out taco trucks, pretzel stands, and paletas selling frozen treats. There’s an endless amount of food to try! ————————————————————————————————————————————— Los Angeles, CA With a sprawling metropolitan area and a flourishing population of nearly four million, the food scene in Los Angeles is growing just as fast as the number of its inhabitants. Santa Monica, Downtown Hollywood, Culver City, and Koreatown are only a few of the “dining neighborhoods” in LA, where there are more restaurants than places of residence. Each area is home to specific cuisines, like the Tokyo-style dark ramen in South Bay, or the birria tacos on the streets of Venice. Wherever you go, there is bound to be a great dish waiting for you! President and CEO of the Philadelphia Convention & Visitors Bureau, Julie Coker Graham is one of the only African American women to lead a major convention and visitors bureau in the top 50 U.S. markets. Based in Philadelphia, Julie has become a familiar face in the city’s tourism industry. She has previously worked as Senior Vice President of Convention Sales at the Philadelphia Convention & Visitors Bureau and General Manager at Hyatt Regency Philadelphia.
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must-visit food destinations
Charleston, SC Charleston, SC is a quaint southern city sitting right on the East Coast, offering an eccentric mix of fresh seafood and southern comfort food. If you’re a local, you’ll know all about the Low Country boil, consisting of corn, shrimp, sausage and potatoes boiled with Old Bay and other spices. The boil is only one example of Charleston’s seafood delights; on almost every corner, you’ll find spots that serve fresh oysters, fried fish and much more. You’ll also find restaurants serving down-South classics, with popular BBQ and brew spots. ————————————————————————————————————————————— Chicago, IL Eating in Chicago requires knowledge of multiple terms. For instance, the Chicagostyle hot dog refers to a hot dog topped with tomatoes, pickle spears, peppers, diced onions and mustard. The deep-dish pizza refers to the pie crust covered in mozzarella and topped — yes, topped — with tomato sauce. Chicagoans do food their way, and that’s why you’ll love the culinary scene that offers exceptional dishes. ————————————————————————————————————————————— New Orleans, LA Home of the most extravagant Mardi Gras celebrations, New Orleans offers more than just a lively party scene. Gumbo, crawfish, jambalaya and po-boys are some of the greatest creations to come out of the deep southern city. They even have their own signature dessert: Bananas Foster. Whether you’re headed to breakfast, lunch, or dinner, you’re sure to have a hearty meal in New Orleans.
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Winter Staycation: Tips for Planning
the Ultimate Winter Break
Finally — it’s winter break, and the stress of the academic year is staved off for a little while. For a little over a month, you’re free to do absolutely nothing, if you so choose. Sleeping until the middle of the day or getting a part-time job are great for passing the time, this staycation plan will give you something worthwhile. Here are some steps to create an in-home, luxury staycation!
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onday: The Set-Up M To get your staycation started right, you’ll need to take a day to shop. First, make sure to stock up your fridge and pantry with foods that will last all week. Be sure to get ingredients to make your favorite meal and comforting midnight snacks. You’ll also want to get decorations for the theme of your staycation — whether that be “rustic campfire” or “tropical luau.” You can also use this day to get ahead on tasks you may have to do. uesday: Movie Night T On the first day of your staycation, you don’t need to worry about paying for a movie ticket or being ushered into a crowded theater. Tuesday, you’ll be hosting a classic stay-at-home movie night. During the day, decide which movie (or movies) you’ll be watching. Invite any friends, and make sure to set up the menu early — nobody wants to get up in the middle of a movie. Set up a fort or lay out some blankets to get movie night started right!
Dec 2021
winter staycation:tips for planning the ultimate winter break
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ednesday: Spa Day W By the middle of the week, you’ll want to take the time to focus on self-care. What better way to take care of yourself than a spa day! To get the full spa day package, you’ll want to run a warm bath and pull out a face mask. Make sure to light some candles and put on music if you’d like. Your spa day can also consist of at-home manicures, pedicures, waxing and anything else to maximize your self-care routine for the day. hursday: DIY Day T Arts and crafts aren’t just for children. There are a ton of neat projects available online, in magazines and on television. You’ll need to choose an activity or two beforehand so that you can pick up any materials you need from the store. Whether it be finishing an adult coloring book, or investing in glassblowing tools, there are plenty of activities to keep you busy on DIY day! riday: Airplane Mode Day F Throughout the week, you’ve probably checked your phone at least a million times. You’ve scrolled through your endless Instagram timeline, checked on all the Twitter hashtags, and tried every filter Snapchat has to offer. On the last day of your staycation, it may be a good idea to take a break from your phone. Turn on Airplane Mode to disable your wi-fi, Bluetooth and the majority of the functions of your phone. This will give you the chance to enjoy the gift of having nothing to do. Grab a book, make a new recipe, go for a run or do some meditation to end your staycation on a good note.
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Food Gifts 2021 Gift-Giving Guide:
Everyone Will Love
Buying gifts can be a stressful process, and that’s okay; people can be really hard to shop for. Either the pants you bought for your sister are too big, or the speaker you got for your dad doesn’t connect to his particular phone. Finding the perfect gift for the holiday season is challenging. Despite our differences, there’s one thing that we all have in common: our love of food. Non-perishable food items (or foods with a long shelf life) are a great gift for family, friends, and loved ones. From the barbecue master to the popcorn lover, you can’t go wrong with an edible gift! Here are some yummy gift ideas for the holiday season!
Chocolates Whether it’s for your sweetheart or your mother, chocolates are always a sweet gift to make their holiday season. Ghirardelli, Godiva and Dove have tasty samplers, chocolate bars and more to make your loved ones happy. Russell Stover even offers sugar-free boxes of chocolates for those looking at keeping healthy. Nuts Gourmet nuts are a non-perishable snack that everyone loves. You could bring them to a holiday party to share with your friends, or box them to give as a gift. Harry & David, Virginia Diner and Williams-Sonoma have a large array of gift boxes with chocolate-covered peanuts, honey almond cashews and countless other arrangements to make your gift special!
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Spices/Herbs From the enthusiastic grill master to the creative aunt that loves trying new recipes, spices, rubs and herbs make a lasting impression in a loved one’s life. You could get herbal tea to help your family members unwind. You could try buying new dry rub blends to please your barbecuing best friend. These ideas are a great way to spice up the gift-giving season! Cookies Over the last few years, cookies have become one of the most popular food gifts in the country. This sweet treat also offers a lot of flavors, shapes and customization to make the most out of your gift. Get a 24-count set to get your holiday party started right, or buy a smaller pack as a gift for a friend! opcorn P We all have that family member who loves popcorn — they simply can’t get enough of it. The gift of popcorn seems like an obvious choice, but how much popcorn is enough popcorn? Garrett Popcorn Shops, The Popcorn Factory, The Hampton Popcorn Company and Funky Chunky are just a few places that deliver popcorn by the bucketload — literally. You can customize a mix of unique flavors for a tasty snack for your friends!
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SMART New Year, New Me:
Goals for the New Year
In November 1981, Management Review, a business review journal, published a paper by George T. Doran. Titled “There’s a S.M.A.R.T. way to write management’s goals and objectives,” Doran set a standard for creating goals in the world of business management. The process of making SMART goals would continue to influence not only the business world but every aspect of professional and personal life. Today, we can use the acronym to create obtainable goals in our everyday lives. As the new year looms, we want to encourage you to consider the importance of creating a practical and authentic sense of ambition. Losing weight and saving money are great resolutions for the new year, but using this model, you’ll be creating resolutions that can endure the ups and downs of the year ahead.
SPECIFIC
When you start making a goal for the new year, you want to make sure to be as specific as possible. For instance, instead of “saving money,” you should outline a specific range or dollar amount that you want to reach by the end of the year. Instead of “reading more books,” name exactly how many books you want to read, and when you want to be finished with them. The more specific your goal, the easier it will be to stick to it.
MEASURABLE
If you want to accomplish your goal, it would be best to set up checkpoints throughout the year to track your progress. There should be an indicator that you are successfully progressing through the year by evaluating how you’ve done over the past interval. Whether that means weighing yourself at the end of each week or journaling at the end of each meditation session, there should be something to measure your improvement.
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ATTAINABLE
We all want to make the largest goals we can so that we can say, “I really did that,” in the end. Your goal, however, should not be so big that it can’t be achieved. Resolutions can be fun, but they can end in disappointment if you make a goal too big. Starting a business from scratch is a brilliant idea, but it may take more than a year to get off the ground. In that instance, you should allow for a longer timeline, or focus on individual tasks that can be achieved within the year to lead to the larger outcome.
RELEVANT
It’s easy to get swept up in all the excitement of New Year’s. Consequently, lots of people make goals just for the fun of it. You know how it goes — the gym is always more packed in January until it trickles down to those that were originally going. If you plan on making a resolution and want it to last, make sure that you’re making a goal that will genuinely improve your life.
TIMELY
The last thing you’ll want to determine includes a lot of the information mentioned in earlier sections — you have to make your goal timely. The purpose of a New Year’s resolution is to accomplish it within a year, but long-term goals are welcome, too. You’ll want to set clear checkmarks so you can see how you’re progressing. You can also use these marks to readjust the timing of your goal if you’re moving slower or faster than originally planned.
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Celebrating
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and His Legacy Each year, we celebrate the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. As a result of his role in the American civil rights movement, he was able to leave a legacy of skillful activism and impressive determination. Dr. King’s name will forever be linked to the topic of acute activism. Over the last year or so, the example he set has been apparent in the public demonstrations held by #BlackLivesMatter supporters. This year, we want to recognize the essential role that his family played in solidifying their legacy, and how it continues to impact us all today. Coretta Scott was born in 1927 in Heiberger, Alabama, years before she met the man who would become her husband. Scott studied music at Antioch College, and it was there that she became politically active. Her experience with the local school board proved how prevalent racial discrimination was in her life, and she was moved to do something about it. She joined the Antioch chapter of the NAACP and became an active member of the civil rights movement. Eventually, Scott transferred to the New England
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Conservatory of Music, where a friend introduced her to King. The two engaged in political discussions over dates, and by June 3, 1953, they were married. The two began building their legacy as trailblazers in the civil rights movement, and that didn’t stop with the birth of their children: Martin Luther King III, Dexter King, Yolanda King and Bernice King. The four siblings share the responsibility of carrying out their family’s legacy today. Yolanda King, the first-born, was invested in the arts. Aside from being leading a public life of activism, she was a great public speaker, wrote numerous children’s novels, and refined her father’s legacy as a civil rights leader. After having a stroke in 2005, King’s health began to decline, and she was later diagnosed with ovarian cancer. In 2007, just months after her mother’s death, she passed away. Martin Luther King III has made his presence known in the realm of acute activism. From participating in protests to working alongside former President Barack Obama, he has taken to develop policies that will protect African Americans from discrimination. In 2008, he
married Arndrea Waters, and had Dr. King’s only grandchild — her name is Yolanda Renee King. Dexter King serves as the chairman of the King Center for Nonviolent Social Change, a not-for-profit organization empowering Black people to take action against social injustice. Through research, education, training, advocacy and activism, the King Center promotes a nonviolent philosophy for creating a more equal society. A week after her fifth birthday, Bernice King witnessed the death of her father, and it changed her life forever. After being arrested alongside her mother and siblings at numerous demonstrations, she decided to pursue ministry at Ebenezer Baptist Church. As an activist and a minister, she has continued on the path her parents laid the foundation for. The King family’s legacy still influences our lives to this day. We see it in John B. King’s work toward education reform for children of color. We saw it in the revolutionary activism displayed by Fred Hampton and his chapter of the Black Panther Party in Chicago. We saw it in Colin Kaepernick’s decision to take a knee as the national anthem was played before NFL games.
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Marketing Contacts Cindy Horstman, Regional Marketing Director envelope chorstman@thompsonhospitality.com phone (804) 640–4136 Daniela-Gabrielle Smallwood, Regional Marketing Director envelope daniela.smallwood@thompsonhospitality.com phone (571) 444–7430