Category Archives: Entertainment

Entertainment, Movies/TV/Theaters

Five best restaurants in the Highland area

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If you’re a student looking for places to eat in the Highland area, don’t look any further, here are the five best restaurants around (in no particular order).

The Cleveland Wok is a high quality Chinese buffet featuring staple items like egg rolls and sweet and sour chicken. They have great service and the food is fairly priced. However, parking is hard in the street; you most likely will have to park in the back of the bank next to it. The Cleveland Wok deserves to be on this list because they have excellent value and service.

The Neighborhood Cafe is much more than a cafe. It provides breakfast, lunch, and dinner along with happy hour specials. It is on Selby and Snelling, but if you take the 84X after school, which is right next to the school buses, you can get there fast. The Neighborhood Cafe deserves to be on this list because of the big portions they serve for a good price. It also has a cozy environment and the staff is friendly.

Smashburger is a chain restaurant that serves not only burgers, but also chicken sandwiches, salads, and shakes. The burgers come in a large variety of options, along with the create your own option. One of the unique burgers they offer is the Buffalo & Blue Cheese burger, that has buffalo sauce and an egg bun. The atmosphere is very hipster-like and relaxed. It deserves to be on this list because of the wide variety Smashburger provides.

The Highland Grill is a little more pricey than the other options, but the food is definitely worth it. The Highland Grill provides a large array of American breakfasts and entrees. The atmosphere of the Highland Grill is very social; on warm nights you can usually find people relaxing just outside the restaurant socializing while enjoying their meal. It deserves to be on the list because of its beautiful decoration and chic style.

Which Wich, a restaurant that specializes in subs and sandwiches, is located on Ford Parkway right next to the Walgreens. For a sandwich shop, they have a lot of variety. From vegan options to seafood. The food is reasonably priced and uses high quality ingredients. The wait is usually not that long and you can either eat in or take out. It deserves to be on this list because of it’s creativity in sandwiches.

Advice/How To, School Life, Travel/Food

College visit tips and tricks

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College visits can be daunting and hard to prepare for. After a few visits, you start to figure out how to prepare for future visits. Here are a few tips and tricks that I have come up with after going on multiple visits.

  • Wear comfortable clothing – Since most tours include a campus tour, you will be moving around a lot. Wearing comfortable clothing will help you focus more on the actual tour and not worry about your aching feet or your warm sweater.
  • Stay hydrated – Most college visits can last a few hours. When you take the campus tour you will be taking lots of stairs and you will be walking around quite a lot. Staying hydrated is key to making sure you won’t be distracted by how thirsty you are.
  • Take notes – College visits almost always include an admissions presentation. There is always important information that you’ll need to know so it is a good idea to bring a small notepad with a pen or pencil. When you go back to compare the admission requirements, it will be easier with the notes you took during the presentation.
  • Talk to a current student – It is always important to talk to someone who is currently attending the college because they have first hand experiences. During some admission presentations, colleges will have a student panel and you can ask your burning questions.
  • Visit centers of student life – If you visit while school is in session, make sure to visit a dining hall or student union. This will give you an idea to what the student atmosphere is like and you might even be able to try some of the food because of course that’s very important.
  • Ask about campus safety – While on a campus tour, make sure to ask your guide about campus safety. Most colleges have on campus security and emergency call stations located around campus. It is very important that you feel safe while on campus.
  • Ask about financial aid – Some colleges have a large number as their sticker price but this should not be a deal breaker when you decide where you want to go. Many colleges have scholarships that you are automatically entered into when you apply. For example, colleges will give you a certain amount of money if you meet certain criteria like your GPA and ACT/SAT scores. Also, filling out the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) will help you understand how much the government is willing to give you in terms of student aid.
  • Visit residence halls – When on a campus tour, make sure you check out the residence halls. Colleges usually have many different types of rooms like a single, a double or suite style. Visiting halls will make it easier to choose the type of room you want when you apply for housing/residence.
Movies/TV/Theaters

Batman vs. Superman: Dawn of Justice

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Have you heard the hype about the new movie Batman vs. Superman: Dawn of Justice? Well we can’t stop talking about it.

Based off of trailers, the new movie is about Batman (Ben Affleck) going head-to-head in combat with Superman (Henry Cavill). To learn more about the movie, here are the links to a few of the trailers:

https://youtu.be/0WWzgGyAH6Y

https://youtu.be/NhWg7AQLI_8

https://youtu.be/fis-9Zqu2Ro

Based on the premise of the movie, let me ask you a question, who would win in a fight, Batman or Superman? Each have strengths and weaknesses that would both help and hurt them in this fight. Here is a list of their strengths and weaknesses:

Batman

Strengths – Weapon master, skilled in martial arts, high level of human strength and intelligence.

Weakness – Batman has no known weakness with the exception that he is mortal and can die.

Superman

Strengths – X-ray vision, super strength, heat vision, super speed, and he can fly

Weakness – Kryptonite is Superman’s biggest weakness.

Now that you know about each superhero, Who do you think would win in a head-to-head fight, Batman or Superman? We asked a few of our Highland students and teachers who they think would win.  There results were:

Batman won with 51 votes while Superman received 31.

So, we know whose side Highland Park is on, however, if you want to see who really wins go see the movie which is 2 hours and 31 minutes long, rated PG – 13, and comes out on March 25.

Entertainment, Movies/TV/Theaters

Beats vs. Bose

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In the world of audio and headphones, it’s all about Beats and Bose, the top dogs in the industry. Which is better? Is there even an answer to such a question? As with everything else, they each have their pros and cons. Let’s go over them here.

Beats is the marketing master in the headphones industry. Having professional athletes wearing them in public and in their commercials. Beats are recognized world-wide as a high end brand for audio products. A reputation any of its competitors would do anything for. For this reason, people perceive them as “the best” instead of seeing them for being simply the most popular.

On the other hand we have Bose, the main rival competitor to Beats. They may not have the best appearance out there for headphones (gray, white, silver) but they’re still as good as Beats. Their brand has literally become synonymous with quality, especially for those audiophiles that care for highs, lows, frequencies, and the like. While their bass and volume are more leveled (less dramatic), keen ears will be able to recognize a quality that screams quality and is worth every penny spent.

So in the end, overall Beats and Bose are very similar, however, I would choose Beats over Bose as they are more comfortable and have a better sound, overall, in my opinion.

Baseball, Entertainment

MLBaseball is right around the corner

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With spring training starting up mid-way though February we know baseball season is right around the corner. The 2016 Major League Baseball season is tentatively set to begin on April 3, 2016. The season is going to start with a Sunday night World Series rematch between the New York Mets and the Kansas City Royals at Kauffman Stadium. The regular season is scheduled to end on Sunday, October 2, 2016. The schedule was released in September 2015.

At the start of spring training, there’s been movement in the World Series futures as the Toronto Blue Jays now have the best odds of any American League team to win the World Series. Slow down though before placing a wager on the Jays, as history isn’t on their side. Over the last 20 years, only two teams who’ve lost in the ALCS or NLCS went on to win the World Series the following year. That’s only two of 40 teams, giving the Jays a whopping 5% chance based on the results since the Wild Card era began in 1995.

Entertainment

Plane spotting

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Don’t you just hate getting stuck seated next to that guy on the plane? The person who can take one look at a jet and knows right away which company manufactured it and which family it belongs to, but can also throw in some random facts about its performance. With so many online resources allowing aviation fanatics to track planes and share their favorite photos and experiences, plane-spotting has become a more alluring hoby than ever. Ready to grab your binoculars?

Here are some tips and tricks to get you started.

Identifying an airplane from a distance is a skill that comes with familiarity and the only way to gain that is to be around airports and ogling at airplanes as regularly as one could. According to planespotting.com “There is of course the overall shape of the airplane to note, but there comes a point where one plane looks like another. So there are other details that one could look to for clues.”

Where to begin?  

Matt Falcus, founder of the web site airportspoting.com, and author of World Airports Spotting Guides, says it can get tricky because many airliners do indeed look similar, especially those built by Airbus and Boeing, the two main manufacturers. However, you can start to distinguish airliners by the number of engines they have, or by whether they are a large long-haul aircraft which travel long distances, or a short/medium haul aircraft which travel on domestic or regional fights.

There are also clues in the shape of the nose, tail position, wing shape, number of doors, the landing gear, the position of the horizontal stabilizer near the tail and even the shape of the cockpit windows.

If you’re close enough to see the registration number, located on the side of the plane near the tail, a quick online search will give you plenty of details on the aircraft, including when it was made and by which manufacturer, which airlines have flown it and the type of engines it’s fitted with.

At the end of the day plane spotting is an interesting hobby, and I feel as if everyone should at least try it and see if they like it.

Travel/Food

Shamrock shake

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It’s that time of year again, when people start looking forward to drinking green frosty drinks. I looked at three shamrock shake recipes, a regular shake, a diet shake, and a lactose free shake.

The first recipe I wanted to look at was the traditional shamrock shake. It looks super easy and you might just have the the stuff to make it in your home. Here is what you need:

  • 3 cups vanilla ice cream
  • 1 3/4 cup whole milk
  •  1/2 teaspoon peppermint extract
  • green food coloring
  • whipped cream and cherry (if wanted)

In a blender put in ice cream, whole milk, peppermint extract and food coloring.

Mix until smooth.

When adding food coloring add just a few drops.

In this case a little goes a long way.

The next recipe I looked at was a diet shake. What you will need is:

  • 3 1/2 bananas
  • 5 spinach leaves
  • 1 tablespoon mini chocolate
  • 3/4 teaspoon peppermint extract
  • 2 tablespoon low-fat wiped cream

Put all the stuff in a blender and mix it up. With the food coloring a little goes a long way. If you feel that you are having a hard time hiding the spinach leaves with the amount of peppermint extract just add a little more at a time to hide the taste.

The last recipe I looked at was a lactose free shamrock shake. What you will need is:

  • 2 cups vanilla soy milk ice cream
  • 1  1/4 cup unsweetened vanilla almond breeze
  • 1/4 teaspoon mint extract
  • 8 drops food coloring

Mix in blender until smooth.

Books/Art, School Life

Highland Winter Arts Show

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Highland Park Senior High is having a Winter Arts Show at Edgcumbe Presbyterian Church (2149 Edgcumbe Rd, St Paul, MN 55116).

The art show will take place from February 14th to March 14th, Tuesdays through Wednesdays, from 1pm to 4pm, and Thursdays from 10am to 1pm

This art show will be showing paintings, photographs, sculptures, and anything artsy. The art show is to represent Highland’s art department, and to bring Highland into the community. Also, it is for connecting and promoting the accomplishments of students. Everyone is welcome: parents, children, and anyone who knows about this can come.


Advice/How To, Entertainment

March horoscopes for Zodiac signs

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Capricorn (12/22 – 01/19)

March is the month of health for you. Focus on your physical and mental health. Make a beneficial change in your routine. Go to the gym or incorporate healthier alternatives in your diet. Better yourself, and accept love. This is a good month for romance, with feelings blooming around the full moon on the 23rd. Open your heart while making sure that these new beginnings are healthy for you.

Aquarius (01/20 – 02/18)

March is the month to recognize your power. Realize the role you play in situations and the effect you have on others. Take responsibility for your part in conflicts this March and try to make peace in a stressful situation that may arise.

Pisces (02/19 – 03/20)

March is the month to find balance. Instability may become a problem this month for you, do your best to find a way to cope and steady these outside stressors. Focus on your goals and find a balance in order to accomplish them.

Aries (03/21 – 04/20)

March is your month for self-control. Urges and impulsive behavior will be your biggest self conflict. Focus on the positives and remember that feelings and emotions aren’t always reasonable. Remember to use your logic and common sense. Keep level headed and you could do big things this month.

Taurus (04/21 – 5/20)

March is the month to focus on your career and goals. Work for what you want in life and earn what you receive. However, make sure while doing this you don’t isolate yourself and get consumed within your craft. In your spare time, spend quality times with understanding friends. People who accept your newly busy lifestyle are the ones to keep around during this time.

Gemini (05/21 – 06/21)

March is the month of new beginnings. Take risks and try new things. Find new hobbies, interests in career paths, and social atmospheres. Go new places and reach new levels in your life. If you have a dream this is your time to chase it. Run on your ambition this month.

Cancer (06/22 – 07/22)

March is the time to find your inner peace. Complications will overwhelm you. The little things may begin to add up and you will feel as if all the weight is on your shoulders. You may need to find a source of relaxation. Try things like working out, meditation, a musical instrument, a painting class. Find your outlet. This is a time of acceptance for what things truly are.

Leo (07/23 – 08/22)

March is the month of insight. Listen to yourself and process your observations on a deeper level. This will help you when having to read the people around you and making judgements on their intentions. Protect yourself but make sure not to come to conclusions too fast. Insight is not factual.

Virgo (08/23 – 09/22)

March is the month of good vibrations. Within yourself and those around you. Release a good aura and it will influence those around you to as well. There will be some complicated situations that may arise near the end of the month. If you don’t allow yourself to be overwhelmed, these issues will soon resolve themselves.

Libra (09/23 – 10/22)

March is the month of expression. Share your thoughts and feelings, show your true personality, be bold with your moves, and make positive statements. You have a voice and this is your time to use it. You may find that people in your life have more of an interest in your opinions than you once thought.

Scorpio (10/23 – 11/21)

March is the month to follow your dreams. Whatever you set out in life to do should be pursued. You have the determination and drive. Make your dreams a reality. You can do whatever you set your mind to. Just be sure that it is a healthy decision and will benefit your life. Avoid making reckless moves that will throw you off track.

Sagittarius (11/22 – 12/21)

March is the month to embrace things. You can’t control everything around you and some things won’t change no matter what you try. Acceptance is key for a content life with moments of happiness. It is okay to be proactive, but sometimes you just need to go with the flow and see where it takes you.

Entertainment, News

Making a Murderer

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Making a Murderer is new Netflix television series based on the trials of Steven Avery. 

Avery was originally imprisoned for 18 years by the State Wisconsin for rape, a crime he did not commit. Because of his false imprisonment, Avery was planning to sue the Manitowoc police department for $36 million dollars, but was accused of the death of Teresa Halbach before his case could be resolved.

Avery was sentenced to life in prison for the murder of photographer, Teresa Halbach in 2005, though he says he is not guilty and that “The murder is still out there.”  

On Halloween, 2005 Halbach went to Avery’s property to take photographs of cars for sale, when she was mysteriously murdered. Avery’s nephew, Brendan Dassey confessed that he helped his uncle kill Halbach, but later confessed that he was lying. Dassey was also sentenced to life in prison.

The Manitowoc police department found a lot of evidence that pointed towards Steven Avery being guilty of the death of Teresa Halbach, but he is still fighting for his freedom.

This series will take you through the trial of Steven Avery, and go further into the details of the Teresa halbach case.