Tag Archives: late night

Scene

CAB Late Nights are Back

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Sierra Combs
Contributing Writer

I walked into the first Late Nights event of the semester, unsure of what to expect. Would it be a hazy room full of deep hipsters, spilling out their complicated hearts via poetry? Would there be snapping instead of clapping? Or perhaps it would be a cacophony of sounds, with some impromptu karaoke thrown in-between? Contrary to my imaginings, I was greeted with a warm café vibe. Students sat huddled around small round tables, with a crowd amassing along the sides of the room, enjoying USF’s talent. The ambiance was laidback, with students quietly chatting and snacking. Continue reading CAB Late Nights are Back →

Front Page, News

Chris and Al's Late Night Coffee – Where Have You Bean?!

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Attention caffeine addicts: no need to smuggle in illegal coffee machines into the dorm rooms. Chris and Al’s is a new campus coffee shop that has the solution to late night caffeine hankerings.

The stand sells coffee, tea and light snacks after the Market Café’s operating hours.

For some students, Chris and Al’s is the long awaited savior from sleepy eyes of planners and procrastinators alike looking to get their study on way after the sun sets.

“There’s no one else on campus with coffee open this late. Crossroads is a very comfortable place to study, and there needs to be a place that provides access to coffee to students who want to study this late,” said Grant Lai, junior exercise and sports science student.

Chris and Al’s is the brainchild of students Christian Simon and Alex Fan, and operates out of Crossroads’ counter, selling the same items from the daytime menu. Their plan was propelled by a request on the Market Café’s suggestion board, and a Foghorn article regarding the lack of late night, on-campus coffee spots.
“USF is all about giving back to the community, and that has inspired us to make a change when we see a need, and at the same time, give back to our peers,” said Fan. “We hope the school can see a reflection of their values in us, support us as we continue, and hopefully make Chris and Al’s a permanent late night coffee source long after we graduate.”

The coffee shop opened on Monday after weeks of developing a business strategy with Student Leadership and Engagement, Associated Students of USF, and the Bon Appétit Management Company.

Simon, a junior English major in the 4+3 law program and Fan, a senior business student and ROTC member, is committed to retaining a high GPA in order to work their nocturnal venture.

Simon and Fan are also in discussion with the USF Bookstore to create a student book fund with Chris and Al’s profits. Under this plan, 20 to 25 percent of the shop’s proceeds will be used toward supplying books to a student in financial need, as decided by Federal Student Aid, and One Stop Enrollment and Financial Services.
Chris and Al’s launch drew in hoards of curious customers in search of a late night caffeine fix — the success attributed to their gung-ho attitudes, and sharp attire of white collars and formal ties.

“Chris and Al are really fun. The café’s atmosphere is entertaining, and it’s because they have great personalities and seem to enjoy what they’re doing,” said Emily Bogden, junior psychology student. “I can understand why there are so many ladies in line tonight. They’re not bad looking.”

Simon and Fan started the shop with no experience in the java world. All they had were two nights of training, one of those nights being opening day. Stephen Davidson, co-manager of Crossroads, assisted the duo on Monday to control long lines, help out with drink orders and ensure the night ran smoothly.
“They’re doing really well for their first night. Just look at how busy they are. There’s a constant cycle of customers. Chris and Al are fast learners,” said Davidson on opening night.

Chris and Al’s is still in its testing phase, and their operating days are still in discussion with Bon Appétit. The shop is open between 7:30 p.m. and midnight, and will be open four nights a week, either between Sunday through Wednesday, or Monday through Thursday.

Opinion

USF's Dire Nocturnal Coffee Shortage

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I will be the first to admit my raging coffee addiction.
By the end of last semester, I needed at least three large cups of dark roast to get me through the day. Although I’ve since cut back on my daily coffee dose, I’m still very groggy and unfocused if I’m not adequately caffeinated.
This inability to focus without caffeine is especially a problem when I, like so many other students, have to stay up late in order to meet my daily responsibilities. Inevitably, the fact that there isn’t any coffee on campus after 8 p.m. begins to severely impede upon my work ethic after a certain point in the night. The lack of coffee on campus after such an early hour (early by college student standards) is utterly inexplicable.
Of course, there are a few late-night coffee options off campus, but none of them are particularly convenient or practical. I’m not too fond of having to trek through Laurel Heights around midnight, hoping that I can find a seat at the 24-hour Starbucks, just so I can keep doing my homework or Foghorn assignment.
I know I’m not alone in this problem. If you go to any local place that’s open after the cafeteria closes and serves passable coffee, there is always at least one USF student seeking out a caffeine boost. The symptoms of this problem are very evident on campus, if you look around the library at night, there are a noticeable number of people either glancing despairingly at their emptied coffee cups or suppressing a yawn.
I have absolutely no explanation as to why USF insists on limiting the amount of coffee available on campus. Most students lead incredibly busy lives, trying to balance work, a social life and studying. It seems unreasonable to simply not have something that might help people get their responsibilities done, especially when Bon Appetite has the resources to provide students with coffee past 8 p.m.

The adverse effects of caffeine withdrawals are prone to striking at the latest hours—and at the least convenient times.
Anyone who has been even mildly dependent on caffeine (like me) can recall at least one time when they went too long without their fix and describe the crippling migraines and waves of nausea. Trying to complete assignments and battle the urge to just curl up and focus on not getting sick is an almost impossible battle, but one that is commonplace amongst college students. It’s frustrating to feel like I’m racing against my own dependency on coffee in order to get my homework done, but it’s even more aggravating to know that this problem could easily be fixed if Bon Appetite simply chose to make coffee available in the evening.
USF has at least two options in providing students with coffee; Outtakes, which is open late, and the coffee bar. Outtakes more than likely has the capacity to keep their already existing coffee machine running on a consistent basis, and the coffee bar can surely be kept open later. If the needs of students are held in high regard, why is something this basic being ignored?

Scene

Tips on How to Survive the Late-Night Munchies

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Being in college means two huge things in the food world: functioning on coffee, and eating during super late hours at night. Sadly San Francisco is not New York, where everything is open until two in the morning. What’s a college kid to do in times of late night munchies?

There are plenty of places in the City that will satisfy your late night snack attacks, study sessions and Wi-Fi needs. Most places close up early, but keep your eyes opens and you might just find a new favorite place to chow down at 2AM.
Of course there’s always the twenty-four hour Safeways, but sometimes that’s not enough. Here are a few good places to go when the late night cravings commence:

Blue Danube
(Clement Street between 4th and 5th) Hours: Mon-Thurs, Sun. 7A-10P Fri & Sat 7AM-11PM
This cute café/ coffee shop is the perfect place to grab a cup of coffee or a small bite to eat. There is plenty of comfortable seating and space to study. My only complaint about this place is that you have to pay for Wi-Fi, but still, it’s open later than most cafés.

NOPA
(Divisadero between Fell and Hayes)Hours: Mon-Fri 6P- 1A, Sat & Sun 11A – 1A
This place is a bit on the expensive side, but is completely worth it. The atmosphere is really laid back and the food is amazing. My favorite late night snacks are the spicy chickpeas ($3) or the fish and chips ($4). They also have a full dinner menu if you want to get something more substantial.

The Grove
(Various locations)
Hours: Open until 11:30PM
I’ve mentioned several times before that I love this place. The seating is really relaxed and there are comfy couches everywhere. It’s easy to come here late, grab a seat, and get a snack, dessert or just a plain cup of coffee. There is a required purchase for Wi-Fi access (for every $5 you get 30 minutes).

Mel’s Drive-In
(Various Locations)
Hours: Open until at least 1AM
For all your late night, greasy diner fare, Mel’s is the place to go. They have your standard burgers and milkshakes, as well as “fancier options”, such as the turkey sliders topped with goat cheese and arugula. There are several locations spread out in the City and are all open late.

El Farolito
(Mission between 23rd and 24th)
Hours: Mon-Thurs, Sun 10A-3A Fri & Sat 10A- 4A
Honestly, I love this place. Not only can you find me stumbling into El Farolito on any given Saturday at 3A, but the people who work there are really friendly and make your food fast. The portions are huge and extremely inexpensive. Get a burrito and agua fresca and finish your night right.