REVIEW OF MEXICO/MINESWEEPER

A VISIT TO MEXICO AND MINESWEEPING FOR WUSSES

 

Graphc by Connor O'Brien, Photo Editor

By Leo Portugal, Culture Editor

    Minesweeper is a computer game where the objective is to locate all the mines as quickly as possible without uncovering any of them. Mexico is a country located south of the United States. I would have to say that I love Mexico and Minesweeper equally. Just how much do I love these two M-word things? Read on to find out!
     Minesweeper is pretty cool because as you play, a little smiley-face guy is on the screen watching you sweep for mines. At first, you think he’s just a laid back guy who just watches you sweep for mines with a smile on his face, but then he gets really freaked out every time you’re about to click something and looks a little bit like this, 8O. If you win a game of Minesweeper, the smiley-face guy puts on some cool shades. If you click on a mine, the smiley-face guy gets less smiley and gets Xs for eyes and is dead. While you’re playing it looks kind of like Sudoku with bombs, but it’s really nothing like Sudoku and the guys who planted the mines might have just made it look like Sudoku to lure you into a false sense of comfort and familiarity.
     Mexico is pretty cool because it’s where most of my family comes from. Besides producing my family, which I love, it has also created tamales, flan, tres leches cake, and piñatas, which I also love.
     My second favorite Minesweeper-related activity is teaching people how to play Minesweeper. It’s a simple game, really. The numbers tell you how many mines are next to that tile. I must be a bad teacher though, because my students tend to explode.
     As I write this, I just finished a pretty long Minesweeper session. I am in Mexico right now, and it’s the middle of the night. There’s no internet, and there’s a thunderstorm. Everyone I know here is sleeping. This is one of the few scenarios where I’d actually play Minesweeper. And write a review for Minesweeper. I’m pretty bored. Or I would be bored, if not for Minesweeper! Thanks Minesweeper.
     Are you ever bored? While I love Minesweeper, and am happy to share the idea of playing Minesweeper to curb your boredom, I will now happily offer you other fun boredom crushers. Try to type the alphabet as fast as possible: abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz. Bam! I did that in just a few seconds! I’ve been practicing. Time yourself and have fun with it. And now I’ll share a fun game I’ve been playing that I invented. The goal of my game is to flex as many muscles as possible at one time. Use your muscles to play too! Try flexing biceps, triceps, toes, face muscles, and whatevs. This is also a good spectator sport. Maybe I should write a really positive review about this flexing game so that the world will finally realize that it is truly a game worth playing. I should probably just go to sleep.
     All-in-all, Minesweeper is a pretty good game. Pro tip: make sure to turn on the sound so that you can hear the explosion sound effect when you explode. That pinball game that also comes with Windows software is decent, too.
I went to Mexico with the simple plan to drink as much water as possible just to be contrarian, and because I love diarrhea (it’s so much easier to poop than regular poop), but I left with so much more. I discovered a lot about my heritage, my family, and myself in Mexico, much in the same way that I uncovered numbers and blank tiles in Minesweeper.

ROOTS GOURMET

A TASTY NEW COFFEE SHOP IN LONG BEACH

By Michael Mermelstein, Music Editor

    Roots Gourmet opened up at the tail end of last semester to little or no fanfare. However, over the break this little coffee shop has garnered a lot of attention for its healthy twist on South American favorites. Nestled in the Market Place next to the Trader Joes, Roots Gourmet may not be in the best location for a café, but they make the most of the situation by creating a tasteful outdoor dining area.
     My first introduction to Roots Gourmet was through their coffee, and this remains my most frequently ordered item. The espresso served far outpaces that of their next door neighbor and competitor, Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf. The roast on the beans offered at Roots ensures a balanced and slightly sweet shot from which many of their delightful drinks are built. The Espresso Cubano takes the espresso shot and pours it into a cup coated in sugar, which if you need some sweetness is a damn good way to go. The trademark of Roots’ espresso selection has to be their Espresso Cortado, a short espresso with cream that packs all the flavor and energy of a latte in a concentrated dose. Roots Gourmet also offers loose-leaf tea and the ever-popular Kombucha.
     If my excitement over Roots Gourmet’s beverage menu has lead you to believe they falter in the food department, let me apologize. The grub at Roots is nothing to gloss over. Sort of an attempt at Pan-American food, the menu is stacked with hits like Empanadas, Albondigas soup, and the heavenly Cubano Sandwich. The Albondigas soup has already become something of a local favorite. A fresh batch is made daily and once it is gone, it’s gone. Make sure and order it early and you wont miss out on the luxurious broth filled with hearty turkey meatballs and spinach. Served with some toast for dunking, you have yourself a perfect lunch. The Cubano, on the other hand, is a meal in itself. Stuffed with delish pork cuts and set off with the classic pickles and mustard combination, Roots Gourmet’s version of the Cubano does not disappoint. Everyday you are sure to find special menu items, from new soups and empanadas to gluten free pastries. The level of quality on display is admirable in such a cramped little kitchen. Now that the spring semester has started, be sure to drop by this little gem and get some great grub.