Just in time to commemorate the 2nd anniversary of the earthquake that devastated Haiti, leaving 316,000 people dead and millions displaced, an alumni-directed documentary chronicling two brothers’ return to the country has been released for online viewing.

“Lift Up,” which was co-directed by Huguens Jean ’03, ’11, Ph.D., electrical engineering, and Philip Knowlton ’03, visual arts, recently completed a year-long international film festival tour during which is was awarded the Amsterdam Film Fest Van Gogh Award, Documentary Directing and the Williamsburg Film Fest Outstanding Achievement, Feature Documentary award.

The film follows Jean as he and his brother, Clifford Muse, ’11, information systems, returned to Haiti in March 2010 to honor the memory of their grandfather, whose funeral they missed because of the earthquake. Read more about the documentary here.

Just in time to commemorate the 2nd anniversary of the earthquake that devastated Haiti, leaving 316,000 people dead and millions displaced, an alumni-directed documentary chronicling two brothers’ return to the country has been released for online viewing.

“Lift Up,” which was co-directed by Huguens Jean ’03, ’11, Ph.D., electrical engineering, and Philip Knowlton ’03, visual arts, recently completed a year-long international film festival tour during which is was awarded the Amsterdam Film Fest Van Gogh Award, Documentary Directing and the Williamsburg Film Fest Outstanding Achievement, Feature Documentary award.

The film follows Jean as he and his brother, Clifford Muse, ’11, information systems, returned to Haiti in March 2010 to honor the memory of their grandfather, whose funeral they missed because of the earthquake. Read more about the documentary here.

Grilled Cheese and Co was recently named on the Top 10 Best Grilled Cheese in the U.S. list on Delish.com, overcoming competitors from New York, Boston, Chicago, Washington state, and a plethora of California based restaurants. Located right here in Catonsville, the choices range from crab infused, Maryland-style delights to hand-crafted NASCAR favorites. Kenny Wallace designed his own entree with provolone cheese, turkey breast, pickles, and honey-mustard sauce.

Isabelle Garcia, a graduating senior at UMBC, has this to say about her experiences at Grilled Cheese and Co:

“When I first went inside the restaurant, I was impressed by the creativity in the menu. Before I got inside, I only expected a couple of variations of simple ham and cheese sort of sandwiches, but Grilled Cheese had everything from the Crabby Melt (my personal favorite) to the Veggie Delight Sandwich.

I got the crabby melt and it was heavenly – it was messy (I had to eat it with a fork and knife) but it was so good that I had to embrace the messiness. They definitely don’t skimp on the crabby filling (hence the messiness) and they make it fresh, right in front of you. When you get your sandwich, it’s wrapped in white paper, but it’s so fresh that you can see the steam fogging up the paper a bit. When you take a bite out of the sandwich, you’ll burn your mouth, just a little, but it’s not so hot that you can’t taste the soft, creamy combination of crab and cheese with the crispy, buttery toast.

You also have the option of grabbing a cup of fries with it. Some people like their fries really thick; others like them thin. If you belong to the latter, then you’ll hit a jackpot with these fries. They’re very long and thin, crispy fries – almost like a hybrid between a potato chip and a fry. Since they’re so thin, they’re also really light…but don’t worry because Grilled Cheese and Company gives you a lot of them. The only downside to these fries? They’re pretty addictive.

Really, there’s nothing bad to say of this place. It’s clean. The service is good and they make the sandwiches pretty fast. The sandwiches are also a pretty good size, so you definitely get your money’s worth. And if you’re worried about the cost – don’t be. It’s not exactly the dollar store of sandwiches, but the food is pretty affordable for what you get.”

Head over to 500 Edmondson Avenue in Catonsville to try your own grilled cheese sandwich!