Oftentimes, smells are the
strongest way to bring back memories. The smell of Axe body spray always
reminds me of my first boyfriend, who would lather that stuff on like he was
being paid for product placement. The delicate aroma of brisket, present in any
respectable New York Deli, forever reminds me of my Grandma’s house. If only
the smell was undercut with lint and mothballs, then it would truly be an exact
replica of the scent of my Grandmother’s abode.
So,
what scents around Columbia will forever remain etched in my memory? The first
in our installment “Smells Around Columbia” is familiar to all who dare step
through its glass doors. Café 212, the multiethnic cuisine smorgasbord on the
first floor of Lerner, lets off an odor so strong and disgusting that I am
shocked I continually purchase food there. Upon entering, your nostrils are
first confronted by sushi, smoothies, and yogurt. I have nothing against each
one of these products, but the tangy smell of yogurt and the fishy smell of,
well, fish do not belong in a blessed union. Moving further, you see a variety
of baked goods and dairy products (due dates?), followed by a make your own
pasta station, followed by a sandwich station, followed by a salad station. Of
course I love variety, we all do, but I don’t need each food item to beat each
other down for real estate space in my olfactory system.
We
came to Columbia to learn valuable lessons, to debunk common myths, and to
leave perhaps a little bit wiser. If nothing else, I will graduate knowing that
the old adage “too much of a good thing” rings true. I like the smell of donuts
in the morning, and the salty smell of the sea when I’m at the beach. But to
have each nostril harassed by sweet, sugary baked goods and the tang of seaweed
salad at 8 AM? Cool it, Café 212. Unless you like being known as the only
building with BO.
BUT WAIT! Is Café 212 the only
building in need of the hot chocolate man from the Old Spice commercials?
Find out in our
next installment of “Smells Around Columbia”!
