Hannah Bartels

   Barrio is an up-and-coming restaurant chain with several local Ohio locations. These locations include a few in Cleveland, one in Strongsville, one in Kent and many other areas. 

     With Barrio being as successful and popular as it is, the chain owners are hoping to eventually create more business in other states. Barrio’s popularity is quite obvious to anyone, and its reasons why are well known by everyone. 

     Unlike most chain restaurants, Barrio offers a unique take on the ordering process. Rather than reading a traditional menu and ordering through a waiter or waitress, customers are provided with small notepads that follow a bubble-in format.

     This format allows the customers to freely express their creativity by filling in bubbles to create a unique and personal taco. This is a nice option because there is a very large variety of choices.

     Customers may choose different meats, fish, different sauces, salsas, cheeses, lettuce and much more. None of the toppings are very traditional, which is why Barrio is so different from other taco restaurants like Taco Bell. 

     The topping options and bubble-in menus are nice, however, it is not very realistic for the typical customer. The large variety in toppings makes it difficult to find items that coordinate. Barrio is incredibly unique and requires the customers to have an expanded palette and open mind to trying new combos.

     For people with more limited taste palettes, the restaurant offers a smaller menu with pre-made tacos. This is not a typical order though, because most people want to experiment with their own combos.

     Before the meal, unlimited chips and salsa are also brought out to satisfy the customers. The appetizer is nothing special but still a delicious snack.

     For some people, it is not the food that draws them to Barrio. It is the atmosphere. 

     From down the block, I could see a line coming outside of the restaurant, and it peaked my interest. There is also a very interestingly detailed mural of skeletons that plaster the walls. Interesting light fixtures hang from the ceilings. 

     In addition, the atmosphere is very lively and noisy. There are lots of happy people there and many different groups of people come. Barrio attracts families, couples, friends, and many college students.

     Barrio is a very rapidly growing restaurant and has something special to offer all customers. I would not recommend this restaurant to people who prefer simple foods, but I would recommend that everyone tries it, because it offers qualities other than tacos that people may love.

Ayla Morris

   Homecoming: the most pivotal point of most high school students’ year. Almost everyone in highschool goes to homecoming every year. A lot of people’s favorite part is dressing up.

     “I like dressing up fancy and seeing everyone else’s fancy dresses too,” junior, Claire Hawes, said. 

      Not only do students get to dress up for the dance, but they get to get excited for the dance by dressing up for spirit days.“I love spirit weeks i always go all out for every day they make school so much more fun,” Hawes said. 

     Student council plans for all the homecoming events leading up to the dance, and the dance itself. 

      “It’s very hectic with all the different committees and planning things other than StuCo stuff, but it’s really cool to see how it all comes together in the end, especially the festival”, Williams Boggs said. 

     Students enjoy taking pictures in their nice clothes and then following that with dinner. Many fancy dinner places are packed on homecoming night. 

      Homecoming also comes with court. On court there is one freshman couple, one sophomore couple, two junior couples, and four senior couples on court. Students run for all kinds of reasons. 

     “We ran because we have been dating since freshman year and have ran for court before but didn’t win. We just kept trying each year and I think it will be really fun and add to the homecoming experience,” Hawes said. 

     Many students opinions differ about the actual dance. Half of the students do not care for the music when the other half love it. It changes every year. 

   “I hope they play good music, I’m really excited to see what the dance committee puts together,” Boggs said. 

     The dance is an exciting time for everyone. Many students are excited for it. 

     “I’m excited about the dance. I am excited about hanging out with my friends,” junior, Joshua Christy, said. 

    The theme of the dance is Old Hollywood. The theme changes every year and students opinions of it always differ. 

     “It’s okay, but I don’t know what old Hollywood even means”, Christy said. 

  The dance is always a good time for many students and is sure to be again this year.