The just-ended semester was at least one of my best and more importantly, my last! Mid-May was even more special because my family visited to see me get hooded and enjoy what Columbia has to offer. What Columbia had to offer us is food. Due to some planning, improvisation, and luck, we had a variety of excellent food with no repeats. We went to places like Osaka, the new Chim’s Thai Restaurant, Q’s Chinese Restaurant, Mississippi Fish Shack. We even went to Steak & Shake, which may not sound so special but it was actually my family’s first meal in Columbia way back in 2001 (they also have good food). The tour of restaurants ended at the Calypso’s Buffet in Isle of Capri, which I’ve never been to before. The food was pretty good and I couldn’t say “no” to unlimited frog legs. If you haven’t been to one of these places, they all get our seal of approval (and my parents would know since they ran the best restaurant!).
Besides the food, I also showed my parents a few of Columbia’s sights. Our campus tour took us through the Museums of Anthropology and Art and Archaeology as well as the State Historical Society. On the way back from the Fish Shack on Ash Street, I took my family on a impromptu visit to Shelter Gardens. This hidden park was a very nice place to visit, even though it was cold, windy, and threatening to rain.
It will soon be time for me to visit my family. In one week, San Diego. In two weeks, Seattle, and in three weeks, Alaska!