Farmers market

You may not know it, but on Saturday mornings, the Park Blocks outside the Smith Memorial Student Union and Neuberger Hall transforms into a foodie’s paradise. Picture it: heaps of organic vegetables and fruit—picked that morning—mounds of musky mushrooms and loads of loaves, dusty with flour and still warm from the bakery.

Eat fat, die young

We are lucky to live in a city that can marry eating, to a fun night out on the town (drinking), without robbing us too much of our hard-earned cash. The trouble actually is: Where do we go? With so many great places to eat and drink, the choices can be overwhelming. Here are a few old Portland stand-by eateries. The trouble actually is: Where do we go? With so many great places to eat and drink, the choices can be overwhelming. Here are a few old Portland stand-by eateries.

Bill would aid families of fallen soldiers

Soon, immediate family members of deceased soldiers and disabled veterans hurt or killed since Sept. 11 will likely qualify for a tuition waiver at Oregon University System schools and Oregon Health and Sciences University. Senate Bill 1066, introduced by Gov. Ted Kulongoski, has been approved by Oregon legislators and awaits the governor’s signature.

In four movements

If the idea of French music makes you think of a pleasant combination of romance and passion, finished off with a dash of pretense, you may want to go check out the ballet this weekend.

A mother and a student, plus 40 hours a week

For senior Melyssa Sharp, free time is a luxury she hasn’t had in a long time. As a single parent to a 10-year-old son, Sharp has three part-time jobs and is a full-time Portland State student. For Portland State’s student parents, successfully juggling the demands of family, work, finances and school can be a constant challenge–and some say it’s often schoolwork that gets left for last.

Lukewarm at best

It’s been more than six months since Aramark returned to the Portland State campus, and finally they’ve gotten comfortable in their freshly remodeled food court in the Smith Student Union. During all the fanfare that marked their arrival, Aramark promised improvements in food consistency, affordability and even more efficiently planned space for the students, faculty and staff who eat there regularly. But have they delivered?

Food for thought

Sure, it looks like a restaurant. It may even smell like a darn good one at that. But, it is not. Food for Thought, Portland State’s cooperatively run vegetarian cafe, is actually a glorified bake sale. As a student group, the finances rely heavily on a hefty wedge of the student fee pie to continue to operate smoothly.