The biggest salad in Berkeley, and something for the Dancers

The second day I got to Berkeley (after I woke up from my 18 hour jet-lag coma), I was famished - so I grabbed... a salad. OK I was coming out of the gym and was feeling a little nauseous. Anyway, that was my first experience of the 'American serving size'. It was a $5 salad, but it was absolutely humongous. I couldn't finish it in one meal, which is saying a lot, 'cause I like to think I can put away my food.

Since then, I have grown very much accustomed to this 'American serving size' and I'm not sure how I'm going to cope when I go back to Perth and see these tiny ant-food sized servings on my plate. But, on Sunday, again, coming out of the gym - famished (as always) - my friend suggested I try what is renowned as the biggest salad in Berkeley.

The place is Cafe Mattina, and shit yes, they are huge. I got the chef salad with double meat - lean pastrami and turkey. Feast your eyes on this mamma:

At t = O min

At t = 15 min

On other food related events, I recently tried out a different dining commons at another residence hall (there are 8 UC operated residence halls: Units 1, 2 & 3, Foothills (mostly Engineers), Stern (Girls only), Bowles (Guys only AKA 'Hogwarts' since it looks like a bloody castle), Clark Kerr (athletes), and I-House). Then there are about 5 or so main dining commons, some of them serve more than one residence hall, for example Units 1 & 2 share Crossroads, and Foothills, Stern & Bowles share the Foothills DC. I-House, Clark Kerr and Unit 3 have their own DC's.

So I've always been eating out or at I-house (I'll post up a video of the I-house DC later). But this time I tried out Foothills, which is the only a-la-carte DC (every other one is Buffet). So although it means you have to order using your meal points, rather than serving yourself and swiping meal points, it does mean the quality of the food is better. And damn, I have to say, the place looks nice. I guess once you've eaten at the same DC for a whole semester, anything else looks appealing.


Plus, they have carpeted floors and even leather couches in the actual dining hall, and plasma TV's, and slushy machines - brain freeze here I come.

Alright, on to the dancers. So you've seen the cheerleaders at the Cal Football games, well here's another taste of 'em at the Bonfire:

But here's the main student group - 'Movement' - who do Jazz, Hip-Hop, Swing & Contemp:



To be honest, I think the dancing back home is better. Maybe I'm just biased to you lovely TDC girls but I also think the American's have... a different way of doing things. It's hard to explain in words, but let me put it this way: you can definitely feel the love on the d-floor in the clubs.