Off campus cuisine: Couzie’s on Carnarvon

Couzie’s is a goodie!

By Natalie Serafini

Does cafeteria food fail to cater to your taste buds? Not digging the Dougout? Then grab your finest bib and try to avoid drooling on the person next

to you, because we’re here.to offer salvation for you students looking to humble your hunger, without having to wear out your shoes getting there.

Up the street and around the corner from all the hubbub that is Columbia sits a little cafe called Couzie’s. It’s

a small restaurant attached to a car repair shop, which had me assuming that the food would be mechanical, but I’m happy to say that despite my initial apprehension, Couzie’s is full of pleasant surprises.

There’s graffiti on the outside, abstract art deco on the inside, and red- and-white walls plastered with Canucks posters. In other words, Couzie’s offers a rather eclectic decor. A large | chalkboard lists their food selections: All-Day Breakfasts, Panini, Burgers, and $5 Poutine.

I decided to hit up Couzie’s for lunch and had the Milano Panino ($7.44) while my associate had the

Veggie Breakfast Wrap ($5.57). The food was delicious and served hot.

My friend made a note of the fact that her wrap didn’t unwrap— definitely

a plus if you want to avoid using five napkins in one sitting. We discussed sharing a slice of their pies (they offer lemon meringue and seasonal pies for $3.99) but unfortunately they were

all out. Instead, we went on to split two muffin tops (Seinfeld reference!): The Orange Cranberry and the Apple Oatmeal for $1.67 each. The Orange Cranberry was very light with a subtle zest, while the Apple Oatmeal had a lot more substance to it. Both were equally fantastic!

As cool as Couzie’s may be, there are still a few things standing in their way of greatness. Their hours are rather awkward, open weekdays from 8 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., weekends from 9 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., and closed on Mondays. They had also run out of a lot of their menu when we went—there was no pie, and the eggplant in my panino was replaced with avocado. This was probably just unfortunate timing on my part, and isn’t a big deal unless you have your heart set on pie, but it was

still a disappointment. The service was also a little slow, but our waiter was very friendly and the food more than made up for it.

All in all, Couzie’s offers quality food for reasonable prices. Lunch there definitely fits into a student budget, with meals that can add up to less

than ten dollars. Even better, Couzie’s remains somewhat secluded from the majority of the activity surrounding the New West SkyTrain station, so there weren’t any insane lineups. It’s a great place to go on a break between classes, or perhaps just to wait while your car is being repaired next door.

Eating disorders: more than a food problem

The mental illness of ED can push its victims to new extremes

By Tabitha McCarl — Interrobang (Fanshawe College)

LONDON, ON (CUP) — It’s 5:30 a.m.; I can’t get back to sleep. My body aches all over, even though I take as much Tylenol as I am safely allowed (if not twice as much, most days) just to get by. I tiptoe down the stairs to my basement, trying not to wake my still- _Sleeping family, and start my two- to

three-hour run on my treadmill. I know that I should stop, especially since I'll be going for an hour (or longer) swim at the YMCA that evening, after I’ve completed my four-hour shift at work and my schoolwork. I have decided

to treat myself and eat half a carton of strawberries for dinner. That is all that I will eat today besides water and the orange that my parents will monitor me eating after my morning shower. I will

cry three times for various reasons, or no reason at all.

My parents’ eyes are full of worry every time I look into them, sometimes brimming with tears after our daily argument over what I eat.

This is what almost every single day of my life looked like three years ago. No, I wasn’t trying to fit into a special dress. I was anorexic. I devoted almost a year-and-a-half of my life to making the number on my bathroom scale go down. After a few months of this mission, the devotion was no longer my choice.

Many people believe that those with eating disorders are taking vanity to new extremes. In reality, the eating disorder has pushed its victim to new extremes. People also believe the misconception that fad dieting is harmless, but if the circumstances are right, that two-month summer boot camp can turn into something that will change your life forever.

While their weight is the main focus of those with disordered thinking, countless other issues are present as well. Depression, self injury, self hate, obsessive compulsivity, perfectionism, thoughts of suicide, strained relationships at work and in school life; these issues (and many others) can all come wrapped in the same package as the eating disorder (ED). Some researchers say that malnutrition and stress cause such problems, while others say the ED is formed partly

because some of those issues are already present. Whatever the case,

up to 80 per cent of those with eating disorders suffer from major depression, 25 per cent self-injure and almost 40 per cent attempt suicide.

There are many contributing factors related to the formation of an ED, but definite causes have never. ~ been established. Major life changes, like moving away from home for the first time, low self-esteem, a bad family life, personality disorders and cultural expectations are a few of the contributing factors for some people.

Most people suffering from EDs refuse treatment, not just because they fear weight gain, but because they fear losing control over their lives. Eating disorders have the highest mortality rate of any mental illness, which is why recovery is so crucial. Often, treatment and recovery aren’t possible unless family and/or close loved ones are part of the process. Eating disorder support centres offer an array of resources and supports for those who know someone with an ED. It can be nearly impossible to persuade someone with the illness to receive treatment without proper knowledge of what the disorder really entails.

To read about what ED rehab programs are available for you or a loved one, visit www.canadadrugrehab. ca/Eating-Disorder-Treatment.html, which lists treatments by province.

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