The University of Idaho Argonaut

File photo by Ilya Pinchuk/Argonaut University of Idaho students cheer on the football team during the Homecoming parade last fall. Showing Vandal pride unites the school and community.

Places to know in town and on campus for incoming freshmen

Editor’s note: This is collection of two writer’s opinions for incoming students.

Newcomers to Moscow this fall will likely find it to be one of the most eccentric small towns they’ve seen. For many, it may take time to get used to the lack of mainstream stores and restaurants. But for each absence of conventional business, there is a unique replacement embedded with Moscow culture.

Restaurants
Outside large chain restaurants, Moscow’s smaller venues offer dining customers a variety of flavors for every palate. The morning after a late night — when fixing yourself breakfast is not on the agenda — is a great time to make your way to the Breakfast Club. They provide  hearty breakfast in a comfortable dining atmosphere that makes them popular. It is best to get there early to avoid waiting for a table.
For a place that opens later in the day, Loco Grinz offers a variety of Hawaiian plate lunches. Their cuisine is different among other Palouse restaurants and the food is often served quick and steaming.
— JP

La Casa Lopez is one of the best restaurants for dinner with friends. It’s a popular Mexican food restaurant located next to the Breakfast Club on Main Street. It is usually busy, especially on Wednesdays for its special, 2-for-1 margaritas.
Another renowned place to eat downtown is Moscow Bagel and Deli, known to most as the bagel shop. The shop offers a huge selection of bagel sandwiches, and is always packed with people around 2 a.m.
—KH

Coffee
When there is time to stop and enjoy caffeine for more than a minute than stop by one of many places to relax. Bucer’s Coffee House Pub offers more than the early-morning coffee or late-night beer. The pub is a place to slow down and enjoy time with a friend or book. One Word Café uses local Troy roasters to deliver fresh coffee. The at-home atmosphere is a quiet place to utilize free Wi-Fi and enjoy pastries.
—JP

Moscow also hosts a wide variety of coffee shops to choose from, but a local favorite is Sisters’ Brew. The small shop on Main Street has a great atmosphere to study, relax or visit with friends. It is filled with comfy couches and chairs, tables, window seats, books, games, and of course good coffee.
For coffee on the way to class, check out Boticelli Espresso, a drive-thru coffee hut in the WinCo parking lot. It’s cheap, usually pretty quick and they give you chocolate-covered coffee beans with your drink.
—KH

File Photo by Perry Hanson/Argonaut Ashley Rich steams milk at Sisters’ Brew Coffee House located on Main Street.

Groceries/supplies
For students who make the extra effort at dinner and go above and beyond the box of noodles, there are important venues to know about. Among crafts and live music, local farmers and growers sell their fresh foods at the Moscow Farmers Market. Every Saturday until October 30, fruits and vegetables from several types of local potatoes to juicy Asian pears are available in abundance at Friendship Square in downtown.
If tenderloin roasts or flank steaks are on the menu then Vandal Brand Meats has the goods. Inspected by the Department of Agriculture, the wide variety of beef, pork and lamb products is guaranteed safe. These sausages and bratwursts are popular at tailgates before home football games.
—JP

File Photo by Jake Barber/Argonaut Organic fruits and vegetables are one of the many food items available at the Moscow Food Co-op. Music and other events also bring customers into the store.

For conventional grocery shopping, Moscow has three major grocery stores spread out around town: WinCo foods, Safeway and Rosauers. WinCo is usually the cheapest option, but those who don’t live in that area can go to Rosauers, 
Because Moscow’s Walmart will be closing in October, students will have to travel to Pullman to shop the Walmart Supercenter for living essentials. They should also be able to find what they need at the Palouse Mall, which offers a small, but quality, selection of stores, such as Ross, Macy’s, Bed Bath & Beyond, Old Navy, Big 5, Zumiez and Hastings.
—KH

Jake Barber/Argonaut Customers shop at WinCo foods on the Moscow-Pullman Highway Sunday afternoon. In past years, the beginning of the fall semester proves to be a busy time for Winco.

Pets
If your four-legged friend is the one who needs food then be sure to know your local support service for upkeep on your furry companion. From swimmers to flyers, a one-stop shop for critters can be found at Palouse Pets. It has the tools and toys to keep the barkers happy and the hairy ones clean.
If the playful puppy needs more outside time with the roommate the Moscow Dog Park on the east side of town offers a social opportunity for both master and pet. Take advantage of the open space designated for dogs to let them play uninhibited.
—JP

Getting active
If the urge to move to the swinging sounds of today’s beats taps your soul than head to CJ’s Night Club for all-ages-welcome dancing. There is a country night on Wednesday and Thursday is swing night. The cover charge is $5 to get into the upstairs dance hall for the night.
Create memories you can bring home and take a friend to Wild at Art in the Eastside Marketplace to paint bisques. Their once-fired clay pieces include all sorts of dishes, candleholders and figurines.
—JP

Moscow is home to an array of businesses that would have a hard time surviving anywhere else. One in particular is Tye-Dye Everything, a family-owned shop hidden behind Mikey’s Gyros on Main St. The employees tie-dye everything in the store, from shoelaces to hats. They also sell items such as hand-crafted jewelry, peacock feathers and incense.
Falling Moon Tattoo Studio is a small shop that is a professional, clean place for anyone looking to get a piercing or tattoo. The staff is friendly and knowledgeable about their work, and the prices aren’t too expensive, depending on what the customer is looking for.
—KH

Outdoors
To get away from the town, the best place to relax and take in some nature is UI’s new Arboretum. It is located in a valley next to the golf course on Nez Perce Drive. The Arboretum is filled with trees, flowers, trails, ponds, geese and frogs, and is especially beautiful in the spring when plants and flowers begin blooming.
—KH

A night in
While winding down from school or work, pick up a movie or a book from local merchants. Reading for school is not always the most inspirational of activities, so make sure the need for the desired read is fulfilled at BookPeople of Moscow. Like most bookstores if the store does not carry it, they can get it. If time reading has caused a need for down time than watching movies may be more enjoyable. Main Street Video has been in town for 25 years and carries more than 27,000 DVDs.
—JP

Maintenance
For those needed repairs that are sure to arise from everyday wear and tear, be sure to know the friendly businesses that can offer support. If your computer quits working be sure to know Computer Crazy. It is home to experts on hardware and software. They repair and sell not just computers but video games as well. If riding through town has built up the mileage on the old bike wheels, go to Paradise Creek Bicycles for a tune up. Located downtown, they sell parts and services to maintain bikes and ice-skating gear as well.
—JP

Medical services
Students should take note of the hospital and other healthcare providers in Moscow. Student Health Services is a good place for students who need to see a healthcare provider for minor issues. Moscow Family Medicine also has another clinic open to all Moscow residents. QuickCARE. Finally, Gritman Medical Center, but students may want to avoid the hospital for anything except an emergency or a serious health issue.
—KH

Sporting events
Cheering on the Vandal athletes is one of the best ways to show your school spirit and a fun way to get involved at college. The Kibbie Dome is the primary spot for UI athletics and houses the UI ticket office, where students and faculty can buy admission for concerts, games and other events in the area. The other main location for sports is in Memorial Gym, located on campus above the library. Some fitness classes are held there, and it is also where volleyball games and many intramural sports are played.
Central campus buildings

Three major campus buildings to know are the Student Union Building, the Idaho Commons and the UI Bookstore. The SUB hosts school panels, debates and other events. The Financial Aid Office, Registrars Office, Vandal Card Office and Information Desk can also be found there. Right across the street is the UI Bookstore, where students can find textbooks, school supplies and Vandal gear.
The Idaho Commons is. It is home to the main food court and Disability Support Services and Information Technology Services. New this fall will also be Einstein Bros. Bagels in the former location of Common Grounds, a coffee shop. Because the Idaho Commons is connected to the Teaching and Learning Center, where many classes are held, it is where most students gather between classes to eat, study or hang out with friends.
—KH  

For a visual of some of these places, and a few others in the Moscow area or on campus, visit the link below to view a map with marked locations.

http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?hl=en&ie=UTF8&msa=0&msid=111717012432300845082.00048ae8446f075a6ea48&ll=46.731743,-117.011304&spn=0.014354,0.038581&z=15