How do you spend your Wednesday and Thursday nights? Celebrating superheroes Wonder Woman and Thor, of course! Next week is a VERY exciting week for the NIU community because it is special dinner week. Each semester the dietetic interns of NIU host a special dinner at the dining halls of Neptune and New Hall. Check out my chat with some of the interns behind the scenes of the 2018 Fall Semester festivities:
Maddie Squier (Dietetic Intern at Neptune and one of the masterminds of the Neptune Hall’s Wonder Woman themed Special Dinner)
Why did you chose Wonder Woman as the theme to your special dinner?
M: My mom really liked the Justice League cartoons when she was growing up and so I grew up watching them, too. I think it’s really cool that there is a female superhero who is just as powerful and kicks just as much butt as Superman.
What can people expect to see at your special dinner?
M: You can expect to see a lot of comic book themed decorations, a lot of cool photo opportunities, and a lot of puns. Possibly a popcorn machine, but you didn’t hear it from me.
Why should people come to your special dinner?
M: You should come to our special dinner to see all the cool decorations, win prizes, and enjoy food you wouldn’t normally see in the dining halls. We also encourage costumes, so if you need to test out your own superhero costume or need ideas for a Halloween costume, this is the place to do it.
I don’t know about you, but that sounds like a great time. Join Maddie, along with Haley, Sara and Kelli, as they put on a wonderful feast to celebrate Wonder Woman and girl power everywhere.
When: 4-8 p.m., Oct. 17
Where: Neptune Dining Hall
Cost: free for anyone with a meal plan
Contact: dining@niu.edu with questions.
Georgia McArtney (Dietetic intern at New Hall and one of the masterminds of New Hall’s Thor themed Special Dinner)
Why did you chose Thor as the theme to your special dinner?
G: It’s beenfun to explore the Nordic background of Thor and include a Nordic influence in our menu with such items as dill salmon and rye bread. It’s also fun to incorporate the superfood theme alongside our superhero, as Nordic cuisine is rich in superfoods such as berries and fish. The Thor movies feature some extravagant feast scenes, so we’ve pulled on those themes to design our decorations and influence the atmosphere of the event.
What can people expect to see at your special dinner?
G: We are super excited to have Thor himself at our special dinner. Thor will be walking around welcoming guests to his feast and available for photo opportunities. Our menu is very diverse — alongside the Nordic inspired menu, we’re offering some classic favorites like pretzel bites, a burger bar, and DIY caramel apples. When you walk into special dinner, we want it to feel like you’re experiencing a fall feast in Thor’s home planet of Asgard.
Why should people come to your special dinner?
G: We are going to have delicious food, a real life Thor, prizes, a photo booth, Viking decor…what else do you need?
Well, you heard it here: Thor, himself, will be making appearance. Join Georgia, along with, Alexandra and Elizabeth, as they celebrate Thor and his Nordic background.
When: 4-8 p.m., Oct. 18, prize drawings held every 30 minutes.
Where: New Hall
Cost: free for anyone with a meal plan
Contact: dining@niu.edu with questions
