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Thursday, July 10, 2025

The Avenue

THE AVENUE  |  FOOD

A Freshman’s Guide to Dining in Gainesville

Whether looking for a casual bite to eat, a study spot or a restaurant to grab drinks with friends, Gainesville offers freshmen an endless variety of options. With an expansive array of eateries, the food scene continues to boom with culinary fusion and ingenuity. Here’s a guide to six fan favorites and underrated restaurants for freshmen and Gainesville newcomers. 


THE AVENUE  |  ART AND THEATER

Rate and review: Trap

Director M. Night Shyamalan’s “Trap” is honestly just that — a trap. The movie, which sells itself as a nail-biting thriller, is more effective as a comedy. The newest installation in the Shyamalaniverse is a near-perfect theater experience — if you don't think too hard about the plot. 


A reptile sits on decor in a terrarium at Florida Man Reptiles on Thursday, July 18, 2024.
THE AVENUE  |  LIFESTYLE

Gainesville’s Florida Man Reptiles opens doors

In the swampy outskirts of Gainesville, the iconic alligator may steal the show among the reptilian ecosystem. But on Southwest Archer Road, Florida Man Reptiles showcases its very own population of nearly 100 reptiles and amphibians. On July 1, its doors opened to the public to shop from a selection of snakes, bearded dragons, turtles, frogs and more. 


THE AVENUE  |  MOVIES AND TV

A Cannes-do attitude: Why you don’t need a music degree to make music

It’s 2003. John Fulford’s bachelor’s degree in finance stares back at the phone that never got a call back for a second interview at the bank. He instead tunes his guitar, scrabbles some more lyrics and burns another CD. It’s 2006. His master's degree in international business is itching to make it out of Gainesville. Instead of waiting on that phone to ring, he rings TV producers in Los Angeles pitching his abundant cache of music.  It’s 2024. Comedy-drama film “Anora” wins the top prize at the Cannes Film Festival — the Palme d’Or. His music is in the soundtrack, and his career is at its peak.



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