Diversions

If you’ve been to the Dining Hall or the PalaDen lately, you’ll notice a new condiment on display. Whether you slap on a spoonful or buy three tubs like I do, the hummus and salsa from Roots Organic Gourmet is taking Furman by storm. This Asheville-based company has been in business since 2006, making mouths water with local flavors and ingredients. Besides their eight variations of hummus, Roots also offers three flavors of salsa and even Tzatziki sauce.

It may have an unfamiliar name, but the Numismatic Club is a new and innovative organization that aims to help students explore art, history, and culture — all through American coinage. Junior Jack Schley formed this special interest club devoted to numismatics, or the study or collection of currency, last year with the help of faculty advisor and history professor Jason Hansen, and the club now boasts about 30 dedicated members interested in studying coins as tangible connections to the past.

1. Frockets, v-necks, and tanks 2. The new informal recruitment rules 3. The return of yoga pants and leggings as pants 4. Philanthropy events 5. Tailgates

Brett Eldridge is a popular country singer whose hit song “Don’t Ya” made it to number one on Billboard’s Country Airplay chart, and thanks to FUSAB, he’ll soon be performing at Furman. Amidst busy touring, the country music star took the time last week to talk with The Paladin about his musical journey and life on the road.

Director Ron Howard is known for making some of the most critically acclaimed yet accessible films of the past two decades, including “Cinderella Man,” “Frost/Nixon,” and “A Beautiful Mind.” This fact makes the subject of his latest film, “Rush,” the chronicle of a long-standing rivalry between two Formula One drivers, somewhat curious, as Formula One has not garnered the kind of fanfare in the United States that it has in Europe, where it is one of the most popular professional sports.

Sometimes you need a quick trip off campus to recharge and relax. Other days you might decide to try a change of scenery when you can’t afford to leave your studies behind. In Flat Rock, N.C., you can have the best of both worlds in one day.

There’s been a lot of fuss recently about the Paladen and Einstein’s changing their hours to redirect traffic towards the Paddock, so I decided to check out the new restaurant to see how it stacks up against other on campus fare.

Four weeks into the school year, you may find yourself with a rapidly-filling schedule of academics, extracurricular activities, sporting events, and the like. If you don’t have the time or energy to devote to a hike, consider visiting Campbell’s Covered Bridge and Poinsett Bridge.

Once a week, about six students gather in the Trone Center’s student media suite and sit around a conference table for upwards of six hours, talking and laughing, at times locked in visibly tense exchanges but quite evidently enjoying themselves. It may not look like much to the uninitiated passerby, but for members of the Tabletop Gaming Club, the game of Dungeons and Dragons they’re playing goes past appearances — it’s an immersive role-playing experience that places them in league against mythical monsters in fantastic imaginative worlds.

The Greeks have given us many things — democracy, philosophy, geometry — but perhaps their greatest legacy doesn’t end with a “y.” It starts with one: yogurt. I have reason to believe Greek yogurt is literally the food of the gods.

Last Wednesday, Noah Guthrie, a bluesy-pop singer-songwriter and YouTube star, performed in the Trone Center courtyard. While Guthrie may be an unknown name to some, the 18-year-old is well on his way to becoming a household name with popular YouTube hits like his cover of LMFAO’s “Sexy and I Know It.”

The Peter Wexler Digital Museum Gallery opening, an invitation-only event held on Sept. 10 in the Thomas Roe Art Building, was nothing if not a gala. The event was held in honor of Peter Wexler, a set designer and conceptual artist who has worked on numerous Broadway musicals and operas.

In just a couple weeks, Furman University’s Pauper Players will be performing their first production of the year — “Company” — a musical comedy that addresses one man’s attempts to come to terms with his own loneliness in light of the complexities of his friends’ relationships.

The 1975, an indie/alternative band from Manchester, England, has released their first full-length album, and it doesn’t fail to satisfy. Their self-titled debut displays a wide range of styles across its tracks and has sounds reminiscent of Vampire Weekend, The Neighborhood, Cobra Starship, and San Cisco.

Students passionate about astronomy and sharing their love of scientific exploration would find a great community of like-minded peers in the astronomy club. Physics professor David Moffett leads the group and provides members with the valuable resources and knowledge they need to study the stars above.

More students attend classes at Furman’s Herring Center on a yearly basis than do regular day students in Furman’s normal undergraduate courses, and the center offers hundreds of classes.

Whether dragged to River Falls Lodge for contra dancing or the Handlebar for swing, the story tends to be the same. After the initial experience, some go back only occasionally, but others, like Furman senior Allison Davey, are hooked for life.

My friends and I recently pulled ourselves out of the weekend food rut by making a simple Indian dish called chicken makhani or Indian butter chicken. With lactose intolerant friends in our group, we made a few simple adjustments to the original recipe and ended up with a darn good meal.

Nine Inch Nails’s eighth studio album, “Hesitation Marks,” misses the mark and fails at making any lasting progress into the future of music.

This is a great time of year for outdoor activities as the temperatures cool off and the leaves begin to change. Weekends are ideal for day hikes and camping trips, and even a few hours after class during the week gives a chance to take a study break and enjoy a breathtaking view. Jones Gap and Caesar’s Head State Parks are within 40 minutes of campus and are the perfect settings for a variety of activities.

If you are looking to enjoy a few drinks and a different musical experience, consider Jack n’ Diane’s, a new piano bar downtown on North Brown Street that is well-worth a visit.

Most students aren’t aware of the existence of Furman’s table tennis club. Fewer know that this organization once fielded a nationally competitive player, and almost no one knows that its genesis constitutes one of the most hilarious con jobs in our school’s history.

It is true that being a Furman student can involve living in the “bubble” of campus life. But don’t let your four years here go to waste! Take time to explore Greenville and its environs, and you may be surprised by what you will find.

You put on your all-black outfit, all clothes you don’t mind getting glow stick fluid on and shoes that will hopefully protect your toes from getting trampled. This isn’t your first go round, and you know what to be prepared for. You briefly consider smearing on some eye black, too, but you toss the idea. You don’t want to look like you’re trying too hard; leave that to O-Staff, who will be wearing every piece of white clothing they own.

John Mayer’s new album “Paradise Valley” pleases the ear with a variety of instruments and an updated jazz and southern rock sound, reminiscent of early rock bands such as the Eagles, the Allman Brothers, and John Mellencamp.