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Vol. CXXXIV—No. 74
Friday, September 10, 2010
columbiaspectator.com
School of the Arts grad student dies Tara Riesner remembered for kindness, writing talent BY ALIX PIANIN Spectator Senior Staff Writer
alex golec for spectator
THE FINANCIER | Vince Morgan speaks at a candidates forum at Mt. Morris Ascension Presbyterian Church in Harlem. While Morgan used to be Rep. Charles Rangel’s campaign manager, he is now a community banking officer running against the congressman.
For Morgan, journey from Rangel’s assistant to competitor BY KIM KIRSCHENBAUM Spectator Senior Staff Writer In a bustling congressional office in the heart of Harlem in 2002, one of Charles Rangel’s campaign directors was assigned an ardu- chasing ous task: to teach charlie the then-72-yearold congressman This is the how to use a laptop. third piece in And so began Spectator’s a weekly ritual series on for Rangel and the crowded his young cam- primary race paign director on for Charles Friday afternoons, Rangel’s conwith the latter ex- gressional plaining the ins seat. and outs of a new Dell laptop, and the former struggling to catch on to this Internet
phenomenon that younger generations had already mastered. “It was always a pleasant experience, because it was just me and him and it wasn’t this bravado of a Congress person,” his now-former campaign director Vince Morgan told Spectator while sipping iced tea at Harlem’s Chez Lucien restaurant. “But we’re going into a new time now. Things are moving faster than ever, and it’s not as simple as just saying, ‘I’m gonna sit down and teach you the Internet.’ We need someone who’s going to be able to grasp these new things.” And that’s why Morgan, a community banking officer for TD Bank, is now fighting to unseat Rangel. He was the first to announce back in October 2009 that he would run for the seat, only to be told by those close to him that
trying to take down one of the most senior and influential members of Congress was downright quixotic. “People were just shocked that I could announce that I was running against him,” Morgan said. “They said, ‘Don’t do that, you’re gonna get struck by lightning, Rangel’s the lion of the House.” Indeed, times have changed as Rangel entered what has been widely declared the twilight of his career. He faces a growing ethics controversy and a public trial slated to begin Sept. 13—the day before the New York Democratic primary on Tuesday. And as leaders within Rangel’s own party call for him to step down, Morgan says it’s his turn to assume the 15th congressional district seat. Half Rangel’s age and often told he’s a dead ringer for President
Barack Obama, Morgan embodies the new guard of Harlem politics: young, invigorated, and anxious to tackle the slew of problems in Harlem that he said Rangel has failed to address in recent years. He took great pains during the interview to separate himself from Rangel, erring on the side of paranoia at times—especially when the song “Ain’t No Stoppin’ Us Now” started playing at the restaurant, which just so happens to be Rangel’s campaign theme song. “Did you plan that on purpose?” he quipped, yet still seemed to ask with an underlying seriousness. But there are at least a couple of similarities between the two men: They both grew up poor, and both were high school dropouts. SEE MORGAN, page 2
Demolitions draw ire from some, shrugs from others BY LEAH GREENBAUM Spectator Senior Staff Writer
leah greenbaum for spectator
DEMOLISHED | A tractor demolishes a nearby brownstone. The University plans to create a parking lot there for CU vehicles.
A gaping vacancy at the end of 115th Street, just before Morningside Drive, plays out one of the Upper West Side’s most commonly told stories. This past summer, Columbia demolished a set of brownstones that were deemed by some to be historic and by others decrepit. This move came despite protests from a group of passionate preservationists and local politicians. The University has plans to pave the lot, currently strewn with red brick rubble, and create a parking lot for Columbia vehicles. Barbara Hohol, a resident of Morningside Heights for more than 50 years, said it’s painful to see her old neighborhood go, but wonders what sense there is in holding on to it. “If they tried to tear my building down, I’d fight like hell to save it, but I know it’s not worth saving. I live there, so I know how poorly it was built,” she said. Harry Schwartz, a longtime resident who headed up the coalition to save the brownstones,
said he disagrees. He claims that reports from the New York State Historic Preservation Office, Landmarks West, and Columbia’s own graduate Historic Preservation Program show that the buildings, erected in 1898, were in fact historic and worthy of preservation. The three brownstones that Columbia purchased in 2002 formerly sat at 408, 410, and 412 115th St., and, for the last year, had been shrouded in scaffolding and black tarp. Nancy Kricorian, who lives in an apartment on Morningside Drive overlooking the site, said she was disappointed that the buildings were demolished abruptly, amid protests from residents and local politicians, such as Assembly member Daniel O’Donnell. “I think they did it because they were afraid of people organizing to protest it, so they just went ahead and got rid of them [the brownstones],” she said. According to a sign posted on the fence surrounding the site, the buildings were demolished SEE DEMOLITIONS, page 2
School of the Arts student Tara Riesner died Wednesday. Riesner, was a third-year student in the writing division of the Arts MFA program. She graduated from Biola University in southern California and had been studying short fiction writing at Columbia. Professors in the department described her as sweet, quiet, kind, and a talented up-and-coming short story writer. Riesner took her own life. SoA alerted its students and faculty of her passing Wednesday afternoon via email. Riesner’s family is currently in town and has been meeting with faculty and administrators, including School of the Arts Dean Carol Becker. “It is a great loss for our community,” Becker said. “Tara was a very talented young writer. It’s always a blow to the community when you lose a young person like that.” SoA administrators held meetings Wednesday evening for any students or faculty members who needed group support. Becker said Columbia’s Counseling and Psychological Services office had been accommodating, in particular by extending their hours to provide more time for Riesner’s colleagues. Faculty members within the writing
department opened their doors Wednesday for students seeking support, according to Becker. “We’ve been trying to create situations where people can talk if they’d like,” Becker said. Binnie Kirshenbaum, professor of professional practice and chair of the creative writing program at SoA, said Riesner was a beautiful writer and a promising member of the
“Tara was extremely talented, really an artist.” —Binnie Kirshenbaum, creative writing chair program. “Tara was extremely talented, really an artist. She had a wonderful sensibility,” Kirshenbaum said. “She just had this lovely aesthetic about her.” “It was not the least bit commercial,” Kirshenbaum added. While Becker anticipates that there will be an on-campus event to remember Riesner, the school hasn’t decided what form it will take and is still in discussions with the family. alix.pianin @columbiaspectator.com
NEWS BRIEF
Bollinger: Kluge took wide view in his University philanthropy According to University President Lee Bollinger, John Kluge, CC ’37, was an unusual donor: a philanthropist who was eager to give back to the University as a whole, rather than picking and choosing favorite schools or niches. Kluge, one of the University’s most generous benefactors and a close personal friend of Bollinger ’s, died Wednesday at the age of 95. In 2007, the billionaire businessman pledged $400 million to Columbia, the largest amount ever donated exclusively to student aid. Among the programs he enabled were the Kluge Scholars Program, the Kluge Presidential Scholars program, and the Kluge Faculty Endowment. Kluge, Bollinger said, felt an “enormously loyalty” to Columbia. “I think this was someone who felt that the education he received, the experience he received, had shaped his life,” he said. Kluge was also competitive and determined to keep Columbia in the best possible shape and at the top of its field. “He was loyal to the whole University,” Bollinger said. “That was
one of the things that marked his philanthropy. ... I think that it is unusual, something we’re trying to encourage more of.” Bollinger and Kluge agreed to allocate Kluge’s part of the 2007 pledge—$200 million— for financial aid across various schools within the University, both graduate and undergraduate. The next installment of his donation will come out of his estate. On a personal level, Bollinger said he typically saw Kluge every few months, and the two would spend several days together. “Over the years, we have built up quite a friendship,” he said. “I regarded him as a very, very close friend. He loved Columbia, but he was very loyal to people and very idealistic.” Kluge’s belief in what could be accomplished at the University was particularly striking, Bollinger said, considering Kluge’s success as a businessman in “very practical affairs.” “He was completely decent through and through,” Bollinger said. “I admired him tremendously and miss him.” —Alix Pianin
OPINION, PAGE 4
SPORTS, PAGE 3
EVENTS
WEATHER
Carrots, not sticks, for Darfur
Women’s soccer aims for fourth straight win
First Friday
Today
Tomorrow
To end the conflict in Darfur, Rhonda Shafei supports representation and relaxed sanctions over separatism.
With two solid wins under its belt, Columbia hosts local rivals Fordham and Stony Brook this weekend with hopes to continue an early-season winning streak.
74 °/ 57 °
79 °/ 63 °
Columbia Queer Alliance throws its first First Friday dance of the semester. Sept. 10, Lerner Party Space, 10:30 p.m.
Potluck Dinner Bring your own dish and mooch off others at the Potluck House. Sept. 10, 606 West 114th St., 7:30 p.m.
NEWS / SPORTS
PAGE 2
SEPTEMBER 10, 2010
Brownstones to become parking lot DEMOLITION from front page
christina phan for spectator
PARKING | What used to be a brownstone is now a lot by 115th St. and Morningside Drive.
over the summer because of safety concerns. “After a thorough examination of properties at 408, 410 and 412 W. 115th Street acquired by the University in 2002, it was determined that due to the deteriorated conditions of the buildings, the University would need to have the buildings demolished,” according to a statement from Facilities spokesperson Daniel Held. The quiet block is mainly occupied by seniors and law school students, many of whom do not share their neighbors’ commitment to the buildings. “They were sort of an eyesore,” said a third-year at Columbia Law School, who requested anonymity to avoid the ire of his neighbors.
“Shortly after I dropped out, I went to a friend’s house one day and her mother looked through the window and said, ‘You’re no longer welcomed here—my daughter doesn’t hang out with high school dropouts,’” Morgan said. “That was a wake-up call for me.” But that woman soon became an ally. With her help and the aid of some close friends, Morgan enrolled in a two-year college in Chicago and later matriculated into the four-year Howard University—one of his congressional opponents, Joyce Johnson, attended school there as well. After college, he worked for a telecommunications company but lost his job when the dot-com bubble burst—a loss that would lead to one of his greatest career gains. Morgan was interested in economic development, so he became an intern for Rangel, who had authored legislation for the Upper Manhattan Empowerment Zone, an economic development organization. He quickly rose through the ranks at Rangel’s office, landing a full-time job as special assistant of constituent services within six months. Before becoming
campaign director, he worked with constituents to address the grievances they brought to Rangel’s door—literally. “I opened that door at 9 a.m. and was responding to whatever was on the other side of that door— hundreds coming in unexpected, unannounced,” Morgan said. “A senior citizen would come in who didn’t get her Social Security check because it was stolen from her mailbox, and that check was often the difference between them eating or getting their medication.” He said it’s his experiences from that post, along with his current job as a community banker, that allows him to identify the most pressing issues facing the neighborhood—and will enable him to, he hopes, fix them. At the top of his agenda is addressing affordable housing, or the lack thereof—an issue that has become a lightning rod for controversy as gentrification makes its way through Harlem. “I work on a lot of deals with developers that come to us, and they try to build affordable housing, and those deals are much more complex than the cookie-cutter deals for market-rate housing,” Morgan said. “So I know how to get affordable housing done, what
the parameters are, what the funding sources are, how these deals are constructed.” And to some local residents, the idea of having a financier in office is an attractive one. “I like Vince,” supporter Shawna Werner said at an NY-15 candidates forum on Wednesday night. “I think he’s a straight-up guy, and I like the stuff he’s done with finance. I think he can help us with any money problems we have.” But the issue Morgan is most passionate about—and the first topic he launches into—is education, thanks in large part to his own education difficulties, which he says make him all the more determined to help struggling adolescents like he once was. Many schools in Harlem need serious restructuring, he said. They remain bogged down by lack of funding, low teacher retention and limited classroom resources, leading to a high drop-out rate in Harlem high schools: nearly 100,000 Harlem residents over the age of 25 do not have a high school diploma. “We need to go take stock of every school here,” he said. “A start would be to create some sort of financial incentive for teachers.”
GOLF
she and other neighbors would like a say in what will one day replace them. “We think it’d be inappropriate in the long-term to have an enormous parking lot on this block that would increase the traffic and be a detriment to the residential parts of this block,” she said, adding that the block is already over-trafficked because of the loading dock used by St. Luke’s Hospital. Hohol said she supports the University’s growth but would like to see more retail spaces for local businesses in the area. “I hate to see the old neighborhood go, but on the other hand there are just some things that aren’t worth the time and effort to save,” Hohol said. leah.greenbaum @columbiaspectator.com
NEWS BRIEF
Morgan embodies young guard in Harlem politics MORGAN from front page
“They weren’t really contributing to housing for people on campus or for people anywhere else. I think we’re sort of happy to see them go if it one day means better housing and development for the area,” he said. The student added that after a bulletin was posted in his building—of mostly graduate students—urging residents to protest the demolition, five or six people scribbled phrases such as “Who cares?” on the sign. One friend even typed and posted his own satirical response. Held said that the University does not currently have a longterm development plan for the site and Facilities has not yet set a start date for construction of the parking lot. Even though the brownstones are gone, Kricorian said
But financial incentives and increased school funding in general are hardly novel ideas for a politician to put forth, and to receive money for such proposals often requires negotiations between experienced, senior politicians—something Morgan is not. To step into the House as a freshman congressman and convince a cash-strapped Congress— already sparring over spending and earmarks—to allocate more money to his district would be a challenge. And this would be compounded by the fact that local residents were once used to federal monies flowing into their district from the senior representative Rangel. Morgan is not concerned, though, and even suggested that he would try to have his former boss show him the ropes if he were elected. “Remember that whoever goes into Congress goes in at the bottom of the seniority level, and you’re at the bottom of the rung and you’ll be at the bottom for a while,” he said. “But this office is as much about personal experience as it is about the aptitude and capacity to lead and be the physical embodiment of what this district represents.” kim.kirschenbaum @columbiaspectator.com
No new Barnard dean yet, but search to conclude this semester The search for Barnard’s new dean is in full swing, according to administrators, though no names have publicly emerged as frontrunners. Dean Dorothy Denburg announced over the summer that, at Barnard President Debora Spar’s request, she would step down as dean and assume instead the position of vice president for college relations. In an email to the student body, she referred to the move as “simply changing hats.” Since then, a steering committee has been assembled to select a new dean. Its members met regularly over the summer. According to Barnard spokesperson Sun Min, the committee has since narrowed the number of candidates being considered. The steering committee is composed of faculty, students, and alumnae. Student Government Association President Lara Avsar, BC ’11, and Jorie Dugan, BC ’11, both sit on the panel, as do professor Flora Davidson, chemistry professor Dina Merrer, Diana Center donor
Diana Vagelos, BC ’55, Alumnae Affairs Director Erin Fredrick, BC ’01, and provost Elizabeth Boylan. Chief Operating Officer Gregory Brown serves as committee chair. The student members, Brown said, are crucial to the committee. “A strong connection is necessary between the dean and our student body,” he wrote in an email. Barnard has also hired an outside agency to help with the search. “Building on Dean Denburg’s legacy, the new dean must relate well to students,” Brown wrote. “We are looking for a leader who will serve as an advocate for students and student life. The new dean will also be a competent and experienced manager as well as an excellent communicator.” He added, “Another key characteristic is someone who has a respect for tradition and a willingness to innovate.” The committee plans to wrap up the search process sometime this semester. —Alix Pianin
WOMEN’S TENNIS
Lions begin fall season at Rutgers Invitational
Top four women’s tennis players travel to VA for William and Mary Invitational
This weekend marks the return to the links for Columbia’s men’s and women’s golf teams. Fresh off a team trip to the home of golf in Scotland, the Columbia men’s golf team will begin the fall season at the Rutgers Invitational tournament this weekend. The team is led by senior and three-time all-Ivy firstteam selection Clark Granum, who missed out on the individual title last season, falling to Penn’s Scotty Williams in a playoff. Staying on top is never easy, but coach Rich Mueller explains that the team’s recent success stems from an attitude that “focuses not on winning tournaments, but thinking about making good swings.” Mueller adds that this helps the team “do all the little things that allow success by focusing on the process, rather than the result.” Expectations are high for this talented squad, and they look to start strong this weekend at Rutgers. Meanwhile, the women’s team will head to Ann Arbor, Mich., to open its season in the 18-team Wolverine Invitational. Coach Kari Williams called the event “a
To get back into the swing of things after a long summer, the women’s tennis team will participate in the William and Mary Invitational this weekend. Competing in the tournament will be Columbia’s top four returning players: senior Natasha Makarova and sophomores Nicole Bartnik, Chelsea Davis, and Katarina Kovacevic. “This invitational should be an exciting one,” head coach Ilene Weintraub said. “It’s a three-day
COLUMBIA AT RUTGERS Piscataway, N.J., Sept. 10-11, 8 a.m. COLUMBIA AT WOLVERINE INVITATIONAL Ann Arbor, Mich., Sept. 11-12, 8 a.m.
great opportunity for the team to send a message to the rest of the Ivy League with a strong finish,” as the Wolverine Invitational typically attracts some of the strongest teams in the country. This will prove to be a difficult test, however, as every team in the field is ranked higher than the Light Blue. Although this team is young, coach Williams believes that it “is much improved, has brought in a great recruiting class, and expects to be highly competitive in the Ivy League.” Columbia returns juniors Lynda Kwon, an all-Ivy selection in 2009 and a player of the year candidate, and the consistent Robin Lee. A lot is expected of the pair of freshmen joining the lineup, Michelle Piyapattra, the No. 24 recruit in the country, and Jane Dong. —Kamal Yechoor
COLUMBIA AT WILLIAM AND MARY Williamsburg, Va., Sept. 10-12, all day
tournament that should be very good experience for the girls who are playing. It gives them a chance to see some really tough programs early in the season, like Maryland and Virginia.” “Playing the tougher teams we’ll see this weekend is a good way to start the year,” Weintraub said.
The girls attending will face some of the same competition as last season, including Maryland, which blanked Columbia 7-0 last spring, as well as Ancient Eight rivals Harvard and Penn. After defeating Penn last season in the Ivy Championships, the Lions are expected to have a solid shot at victory again during the Invitational. The competition is scheduled for Sept. 10-12 in Williamsburg, Va. —Lauren Seaman
CROSS COUNTRY
Columbia to race at UVM with 33 newcomers welcomed to program The men’s and women’s cross country teams will get a fresh start to the season in Burlington, Vt. with 33 new runners total recently brought into the program—16 to the men’s squad and 17 to the women’s. The Light Blue men are coming off a victorious season as the 2009 Ivy League Team Champions in cross country. The squad also boasts achievements in the Indoor and Outdoor Heps, which included the six
COLUMBIA VS. VERMONT Burlington, Vt., Sunday, 11 a.m.
individual and relay championships titles. The squad welcomes particularly strong distance and middle distance runners to the program, which will help continue the team’s great success. On the women’s side, there will also be plenty of high expectations as the young Columbia team came in third
in the league just last season. The program will showcase its solid distance runners as four Lions newcomers run the 3200m under 11 minutes, and two runners clock in just seconds over 11 minutes. The Lions will race against Vermont and Lipscomb University this weekend on Sunday, Sept. 12 at 11 a.m. at the University of Vermont in Burlington, Vt. —Lauren Seaman
VOLLEYBALL
Light Blue to host Columbia Classic Following a 1-2 performance at the St. John’s Tournament to begin the year, the Light Blue will host the Columbia Classic from Sept. 10 to Sept. 11 in Levien Gymnasium. Columbia will welcome Lafayette, Central Connecticut, and Iona for the weekend event. Columbia has played all three teams in recent years, defeating Central Connecticut 3-0 and Iona 3-1 in 2009, and narrowly triumphing over Lafayette 3-2 in 2008. Although the Lions won only one match last weekend, the St. John’s Tournament can still be described as promising. Columbia has showcased strong play despite recent losses as most of their sets were lost by narrow margins. In the St. John’s match, Columbia lost 3-0, but lost the sets 2521, 28-26, and 25-19. The freshmen also made
COLUMBIA CLASSIC
FIELD HOCKEY
At Vonnie Gros Classic, field hockey looks to build on 2-0 start
Levien Gymnasium, Sept. 10-11
their mark in the tournament. In Columbia’s 3-0 win over St. Francis, freshmen Madeline Rumer and Christina Campbell combined for 23 kills on 43 attempts with just two errors. In addition, setter Colleen Brennan has already notched her first double-double, recording 18 assists and 10 digs in the St. John’s match. Having the presence of a second setter in Brennan significantly reduces the burden on sophomore Kelsey Musselman, who was the Lions’ sole setter last season. Columbia plays Lafayette at 7 p.m. on Friday, Central Connecticut at 11 a.m. on Saturday, and Iona at 7 p.m. on Saturday. —Michael Zhong
The Light Blue will be looking to build on its 2-0 start to the season when it travels to West Chester, Pa. this weekend for the Vonnie Gros Classic. Columbia will face West Chester on Friday before taking on Villanova on Saturday. West Chester (3-0), like the Lions, has yet to drop a game this season, defeating Fairfield, Sacred Heart, and Lehigh in its opening games of the season. The Golden Rams will unleash a herd of newcomers, including Molly Herlihy, who made her first career goal just three minutes into West Chester’s game against Lehigh. Columbia has some strong
COLUMBIA AT VONNIE GROS CLASSIC West Chester, Pa., Friday, 6:30 p.m. COLUMBIA AT VONNIE GROS CLASSIC West Chester, Pa., Sunday, 2 p.m.
returning players of its own, including all three of Columbia’s All-Ivy League honorees—Julia Garrison, Leti Freaney, and Katie DeSandis. The Lions also welcome four new players to the squad, who will be led by Columbia tri-captains Garrison, Lauren Byrne, and Caitlin Mullins. But the freshmen aren’t the only fresh faces on the team as the program also welcomes a
new coaching staff of Marybeth Freeman—the program’s fourth head coach and former associate head coach at Maryland—as well as Katie Grant and Samantha Carr, who will be joining Freeman on the coaching sidelines during the new season. Villanova (0-2) is winless so far this season, falling to Monmouth 2-1 and Maryland 5-0. The Wildcats’ lone goal of the season came off the stick of junior back Jordan Lynn. The Lions are scheduled to play at West Chester on Friday, Sept. 10 at 6:30 p.m. They will then take on Villanova at West Chester on Sunday at 2:30 p.m. —Lauren Seaman
SPORTS
SEPTEMBER 10, 2010
PAGE 3
AJIT PILLAI / SENIOR STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER
TO THE BACK OF THE NET
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Junior Ashlin Yahr and the rest of the Lions will look to extend their win streak this weekend in their games against local competition Fordham and Stony Brook.
Women’s soccer to host local rivals during weekend competition BY SARAH SOMMER Spectator Senior Staff Writer After quickly building a two-game winning streak, the Columbia women’s soccer team will look to achieve its third and fourth consecutive victories this weekend. The Lions will host Fordham on Friday and Stony Brook on Sunday. Columbia (2-1-0) opened its season with a 2-1 loss to Central Connecticut State but rebounded from that defeat in its next two games. The Lions scored three goals against Hartford and one against Iona, shutting out both opponents. Senior captain Kelly Hostetler scored in the 10th minute of the Lions’ win over Iona. She also converted a penalty kick in the 81st against Central
COLUMBIA VS. FORDHAM
COLUMBIA VS. STONY BROOK
Baker Field, Friday, 7 p.m.
Baker Field, Sunday, 1 p.m.
Connecticut State. Hostetler’s two goals this season match the total number she had scored entering the year. The Lions have generated numerous scoring opportunities, taking 15 shots (10 on goal) against Hartford and 19 shots (nine on goal) against Iona. But for all of their chances, they scored only four times in that stretch. “It’s not always a just game,” head coach Kevin McCarthy said of soccer. “Posts and crossbars and referees and many different things can be obstacles in finishing.” Freshmen Beverly Leon and Chelsea Ryan have each taken five shots this year.
Ryan took four of hers—two on goal— against Iona. If she and Leon continue to be aggressive on the attack, they could find the back of the net this weekend. Even without scoring, Leon and Ryan have contributed to Columbia’s success. “They’re producing in many ways on the pitch in terms of winning balls, connecting passes, making sure that we’re retaining possession,” McCarthy said. “The goals and assists will come.” Fordham (3-2-0) enters the weekend having lost its last two games. The Rams dropped a 1-0 decision to St. John’s and a 4-1 decision to Hofstra. But senior
forward Michelle Ancelj, who has already scored three goals this season, could be a threat. Columbia has not faced Fordham since 2006, when the Lions suffered a 2-1 loss. Stony Brook (0-5-0) will travel to Sacred Heart for a Friday matchup before facing Columbia. The Seawolves most recently endured a 2-0 defeat by Maryland. Stony Brook was shut out in four of its five losses this year, scoring only in a 4-2 loss to Siena. Senior defender Debbie Aller and junior midfielder Rachel Silverman made the Seawolves’ goals in that match. The Lions last took on Stony Brook in 2008, with Columbia rolling to a 4-0 victory. Senior forward Keri Nobil and
junior forward Ashlin Yahr, who have each scored a goal this year, tallied one goal apiece in that win. This season, Columbia has shown it can do some damage in the final third. Now, the Lions will try to perform at a higher level than they did in their last two victories. “We need to carry the momentum we have but also build on that,” Hostetler said. “We have two big New York rivals coming up this weekend, and we’ve got to come out hard, to play our game, play our soccer, to dominate them, and show who’s the best team in New York.” Columbia is scheduled to host Fordham on Friday, Sept. 10 at 7 p.m. and Stony Brook on Sunday, Sept. 12 at 1 p.m. at the Columbia Soccer Stadium.
A heart for the underdog from Boston Red to Columbia Blue
T
he way I see it, I was groomed for a football program like Columbia’s. For those of you who don’t know, VICTORIA I’m a Red Sox fan. JONES And I’m not the type of Red Sox fan Batting a that sees a game every few years. Thousand I’m the type of fan that semi-jokingly threatens to burn her roommate’s brand new Yankees cap, just because she brought it into the room. I grew up outside of Boston, and for us Massholes, sports loyalties are serious business. Now, anyone who knows anything worth knowing is well aware that before 2004, it was tough to be a Red Sox fan. The Yankees were kicking ass and taking names, and chants of “Nineteeneighteen” taunted Bostonians whenever the Bronx Bombers came to town. The Curse of the Bambino hung heavy at times, but somehow, come game time, Fenway Park was always packed with the forever faithful. I have spent countless summer nights at ballgames, celebrated my bat mitzvah in the bleachers, and ushered in my 20th birthday from the stands on the first base side. Wherever I am, hearing “Sweet Caroline” makes my heart ache for bleacher seats. I wear my Red Sox cap with pride—even in Yankee Stadium—and have accumulated several official game balls, including one Jonathan Papelbon tossed to me personally last summer and, as far as I’m concerned, this means he’ll be calling me up any day now for our first date. All of this to say that I’m a Sox fan through and through, and part of what makes Boston so special is that I was just as much of an addict all the way back in 2001, when my favorite boys barely finished over .500 with an appalling 82-79 record, as I was after they won the World Series. For those who actually frequent Baker, it’s apparent that the Columbia Lions are pretty similar to the pre2004 Red Sox. I consider it a quite well known fact, though I know “well known” is an exaggeration, that our football team hasn’t won the league since 1961—and even then, we tied for first. Although the Lions don’t often grace the top of the Ancient Eight
standings, swarms of students still show up each Saturday to cheer for the Light Blue. The Columbia community may not fill the seats at Baker quite like Bostonians do at Fenway, but we do have shirtless undergraduates covered in chest paint more often than you’d think. Too much of our student body would find it impossible to believe, but our athletic teams do, in fact, have dedicated followings. I’ve been to at least one swim meet at Uris Pool where it was tough to find a seat. If you showed up too late to the championship baseball games in the spring, it was standing room only because the stands at Robertson Field were packed. Even our football team can draw an enthusiastic crowd, for the Homecoming game at the very least. Like these students, I always love being in the stands, even if history predicts that we’ll probably lose the game. Despite the sense of semi-justified athletic apathy often felt around campus, I’m going to go to every football game this season. If I hadn’t trekked up to Baker a few times last year, I wouldn’t have gotten to see freshman, now sophomore, Sean Brackett scrambling around in the pocket during his first game. If I hadn’t gone, I would have missed seeing senior Austin Knowlin break the school’s career receiving record. Just because the Lions don’t win most games doesn’t mean that I stop going or stop rooting for them. Sure, it’d be nice to see coach Norries Wilson smile at a post-game press conference, but I’m not going to hold my breath for that no matter what the scoreboard says at the end of the game. So the moral of the story is: I was born for a football program like ours, and I know I’m not the only one. Over the last two years, there have been plenty of students beside me in the stands. We’ve been intently focused on football, basketball, and baseball games when we probably should have been studying. And I’ve been a part of more than my fair share of sold-out crowds at Fenway. My teams might not win as often as I would like, but there’s just something that keeps me coming back for more. I love that dirty water, and I think our boys look damn good in baby blue. Victoria Jones is a Barnard College junior majoring in French. sports@columbiaspectator.com
JASPER L. CLYATT / SENIOR STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER
OUTRUNNING THE OPPOSITION | No. 24 Francois Anderson darts past his opponent during a game against Penn.
Light Blue soccer to compete in Mayor’s Cup XXXV BY MRINAL MOHANKA Columbia Daily Spectator In a bid to lift the Mayor’s Cup XXXV, Columbia will face instate rivals Hartwick and Syracuse this weekend. The Lions will attempt to avenge last weekend’s pair of defeats to Sacred Heart (2-1) and Boston University (20), despite the absence of Light Blue freshman defender David Westlake, who fractured his tibia and fibula in a clash with Lions goalkeeper Alexander Aurrichio. On a positive note, the Light Blue created a whole host of chances, and will be looking to convert its chances into goals this weekend. “The score-line was not in our favor, but it was a solid performance in both games,” head coach Kevin Anderson said. “We out shot our opponents and created plenty of chances. We limited the number of chances they created, which was good as well. But there is plenty of growth still to come from this team.” Freshmen Henning Sauerbier and David Najem have started their Columbia careers brightly, and will be hoping to improve as they play with the more experienced members of the squad moving forward. “They’ve come in when needed and
COLUMBIA AT HARTWICK
COLUMBIA AT SYRACUSE
Oneonta, N.Y., Friday, 7:30 p.m.
Oneonta, N.Y., Sunday, 12 p.m.
done what’s been asked of them, which is what I expect from everyone on this team,” Anderson said. “They’re both good players, and are going to improve over the course of the season.” Upperclassmen Francois Anderson, Nick Scott, Nick Ayers, and Bayo Adafin have looked menacing going forward, and will be looking to provide the clinical touch that the Lions have lacked. The backline last weekend looked solid for the most part, with senior Hayden Johns, juniors Jesse Vella and Ronnie Shaban, and sophomore Brendan O’Hearn protecting Aurrichio. Junior co-captain Mike Mazzullo pulled the strings in midfield and will be looking to build on a strong showing. The game against Sacred Heart was the first time these four composed the defense in a competitive situation, and their understanding of each other’s positioning is certainly going to improve as the season progresses. “Better execution of our game plan is going to be vital. And we’re going to take it one game at a time starting with Hartwick,” Anderson said. The older generation of Columbia
fans will have fond memories of the Columbia-Hartwick clash where the Lions downed the Hawks 2-1 in 1983 and beat them in the national Round of 16, when Columbia was ranked No. 4 in the nation. The teams last met in 2005 when the Hawks emerged victorious by a 2-0 score line. Hartwick’s campaign has opened with back-toback defeats as it was beaten 5-1 by Iona College before going down 3-2 to Cornell thanks to a dramatic three-goal comeback by the Big Red in a span of just under four minutes. Syracuse’s season has gotten off to a bad start as well. It is also hoping to bounce back from consecutive defeats in its opening pair of games. It was on the receiving end of a resounding 5-1 thrashing by Siena, but produced a spirited display against reigning Atlantic Conference champions Adelphi before eventually going down 1-0 in the second period of overtime. Columbia has not met Syracuse in recent seasons. The Lions’ game against Hartwick is scheduled for Friday, Sept. 10 at 7:30 p.m., and they take on Syracuse on Sunday, Sept. 12 at noon.
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SEPTEMBER 10, 2010
International A separated Sudan or a new consolidation plan? Southern Sudan is co-governed by Khartoum t’s difficult to go to a top priority to the U.S., and that the U.S. Suicide and the secessionist Sudan People’s Liberation must take a harder stance against al-Bashir. Columbia and not symIpathize Movement as a result of the Comprehensive with minorities. However, President Obama’s envoy to the Peace Agreement reached in 2005, which end- nation, Scott Gration, has openly favored a liberal arts Prevention Week bentWith ed a 22-year civil war between Sudan’s norththat promotes a using incentives with Khartoum to improve BY ALICIA ALLEN-MARQUET
CORPORATE BOARD BEN COTTON Editor in Chief
EDITORIAL & OPINION
September 6-11 is International Suicide Prevention Week. In my freshman year, I distinctly remember overhearing a group of students joking about the high suicide rate among college students across the country. Cornell has to put up fences at the edge of gorges, and NYU dormitories must lock all doors that have roof access. Although these students were only joking and commenting on their decision to attend Columbia, I hope that if they had stopped to think about the gravity of depression, an illness that takes nearly a million lives a year, it wouldn’t have been something for them to laugh about. Suicide rates at U.S. colleges and throughout the world have been on the rise. This is the end of International Suicide Prevention Week, and perhaps it is time to ask ourselves why, when one person every 18 minutes commits suicide, depression remains a taboo subject in our society. We often feel guilty and ashamed if we are depressed. After all, there are starving children in war-torn nations all around the world who have “real” problems. What do we have to complain about? However, this feeling of guilt that surrounds mental illness only feeds the depression and prevents people from getting the help they need to get better. Depression can affect anyone. Depression crosses all socioeconomic, gender, and cultural borders that otherwise divide us. It has touched and taken the lives of Marilyn Monroe, Sylvia Plath, Mark Rothko, and Vincent van Gogh, and, for many of us, it has taken our loved ones. No one is out of depression’s reach. Though we often picture depression as being a lifelong struggle that only affects those who have experienced severe trauma, it can take a matter of weeks for a person who is healthy and happy to become seriously depressed. It is no surprise that Plath’s autobiographical novel “The Bell Jar” is widely read: Many people can relate to her account of coming to grips with depression, which she describes as being stuck in a “bell jar” in which “the world itself is the bad dream.” Depression sets in once sadness takes over someone’s life and prevents him or her from functioning normally. The National Institute of Mental Health lists the following as the main symptoms of depression: persistent sad, anxious, or “empty” mood; feelings of hopelessness, pessimism, guilt, worthlessness, or helplessness; and loss of interest or pleasure in hobbies and activities that were once enjoyed. These symptoms can lead to an inability to make plans for the future, because living another day feels impossible. Plans for the future can mean anything from packing for next week’s spring break trip, to doing laundry in order to have clean clothes, to applying for summer jobs and internships. It is important to encourage those who are depressed to seek psychological counseling, but also to remember that people who are depressed need their friends and family to support them throughout their illness. A gesture as simple as picking up the phone and calling your friends or loved one, or bringing them dinner and eating a meal together, can go a long way toward letting them know they are loved. The most important things you can do are to ask the person how they are and make sure that they acknowledge the problem. This week is International Suicide Prevention Week. Take a moment and consider your family’s and friends’ mental health. Help keep yourself and those you love out of the bell jar. The author is a Barnard College junior majoring in East Asian Languages and Cultures.
holistic analysis of all issues scientific and liter- RHONDA ary, Columbia graduates SHAFEI students who critically The evaluate norms. While the Core Curriculum may Politics of seem West-oriented, it’s Hummus seemingly impossible to avoid the discussion of Orientalism or racism in any Core class. It may be this academic cognizance of persecuted peoples that sparks sympathy. But perhaps more simply, Columbia’s liberal environment and physical situation in the midst of Harlem encourage an acknowledgement of social injustice. We are trained to sympathize with the outnumbered, the disenfranchised, and the slighted. We are inclined to side with minorities across the world who seek to voice their nationalism. In resource-rich southern Sudan, a nationalist movement is emerging in anticipation of a referendum seeking the independence of the region from Sudan proper. Our liberal education prompts us to support the southerners’ call for secession in January 2011. A familiarity on campus with non-governmental organizations critical of the northern government, such as Amnesty International or Save Darfur, and popular antipathy toward Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir also make us side with the south. But a closer analysis of this politicized region reveals why we should check our gut feeling and support Sudanese reconciliation. The predominantly non-Arab, Animist, and Christian southern region of Sudan has fallen victim to persecution, resource shrinking, and disenfranchisement at the hands of al-Bashir’s predominantly Arab Muslim government.
ern and southern regions. To placate southern calls for independence, the CPA granted the south autonomy until 2011, divided oil income in half between the north and south, and removed the mandatory implementation of Sharia law in the south. Despite these terms, SPLM, led by Salva Kiir, has staunchly opposed reconciliation with the north. Kiir hails from the Dinka tribe of southern Sudan, the majority ethnic group in the region. Besides the Dinka, southern Sudan is rife with diverse tribes of varying political interests. Herein lies the first complication of secession. Southern Sudan has already seen internal feuds among its tribes. In 2005, the Ngok Dinka clashed with the Misseriya over resources in the southern city of Abyei. If the south secedes, a Dinka, Kiir, will become president of the newly independent state, infuriating other tribes seeking their own autonomy. Secession will open the door to the nationalist aspirations of all of the south’s tribes. A second consideration is the reality of political agency in Sudan. The human rights problems Arab nations such as Sudan face are largely due to the leaders who rule these countries, not geographical makeup. It is explicitly clear, even without formal indictment by the International Criminal Court, that al-Bashir is despotic and undemocratic. That being said, there is no indication that the situation of the southern Sudanese would improve under Kiir’s rule. Numerous allegations have been made against Kiir for stifling and silencing opposition parties in the south. Southern Sudan is already causing a noticeable rift between the Obama administration and the U.S. State Department. The State Department’s position on the matter reiterates that the January referendum is
the dismal conditions in the country and the mistreatment of southerners. A strictly oil-centric reading of this issue would conclude that the U.S. should support southern secession because the south is oilrich. However, estimates show that the oil in Sudan is, in fact, drying up, and production is expected to drop drastically within the next decade. A strictly geopolitical reading would support secession because China has cozied up to the northern government. However, a closer reading would also show that the China National Petroleum Corporation holds over 40 percent stake in multiple oil consortiums in the south, disproving the argument that the region is still up for grabs. In order to avoid further strife in the south, the U.S. should promote the consolidation of Sudan over its separation and begin stressing the importance of giving every Sudanese citizen the right to vote and achieve representation. Sticks—à la Bush-era sanctions and harsh rhetoric—have failed to get al-Bashir to budge. It is time to take out the carrots, as per Gration’s recommendations, and use incentives such as relaxed sanctions to achieve greater democracy. At face value, secession is the simplest and most just solution to heal southern Sudanese woes, but it should be the very last resort. Before physically restructuring a nation, every attempt should be made to save it. Rhonda Shafei is a Columbia College junior majoring in history. She is an executive board member of the Columbia International Relations Council and Association and the secretary general of the 2011 Columbia Model United Nations Conference and Exposition. The Politics of Hummus runs on alternate Fridays.
Lit Hum and the examined life BY CHRISTIA MERCER
P
lato famously wrote in “Apology”: “An unexamined life is not worth living”. If Plato is right, then Lit Hum encourages students and instructors alike to live a worthwhile life. Yeah, that’s right, a worthwhile life. The official name of Lit Hum is Literature Humanities: Masterpieces of Western Literature and Philosophy. Unsurprisingly, Lit Hum readings pose significant philosophical questions. What shapes a worthwhile life? How do suffering and loss play a role? What temptations lead us astray? How does the agency of human beings differ? How and why are some people (e.g., women, servants, slaves) denied agency? How do family, friends, or divine being(s) limit life’s options? What role do family, friends, or even art and story telling play in a worthwhile life? In the end, what is a worthwhile life good for? The texts of Lit Hum offer radically different responses to these questions. The answers of the “Iliad” are not like those of Augustine’s “Confessions” or Montaigne’s “Essays,” much less those of Virginia Woolf’s “To the Lighthouse.” There is an intellectual challenge at the heart of Lit Hum. Why should we care about the bratty guys disagreeing with one another at the outset of the “Iliad,” and why should we engage with a culture that treats women like these brats treat Briseis? The challenge is to push through such offensive features to discover the sophisticated fictionalized world beneath. Once we acknowledge the complexity of the poem’s moral universe, we are able to recognize its subtlety and beauty. In the poem’s sixth book, we journey with Hector out of the war zone into the comforts of Troy, and then join him in conversation with his wife, Andromache. Not only has Andromache lost her parents and siblings to an earlier war, but she sees clearly what will
After Office Hours
Each Friday, a professor will share scholastic wisdom readers won’t find in lectures. Suggestions regarding which professors to feature are welcome. happen if Troy is defeated. In portraying her moral insight as she asks her husband to attend to the needs of his family and city rather than seek a warrior’s glory, Homer offers a stark picture of what will happen if Troy falls. When Hector admits that he cannot “shrink aside from fighting,” we join Andromache in mourning the future devastation of this marvelous city and the certainty of her enslavement. As offensive as aspects of the story are to us, the losses, loyalties, and loves of this collapsing world are compellingly familiar. In the end, the poem does become a story about us. This tension between the unfamiliar and the familiar is the challenge of Lit Hum. The trick is to take seriously the remoteness of the values of our texts while recognizing ourselves within them. We have to walk a fine line. If we make our readings too much about us, we lose what they are; if we only examine them as archeological objects, their relevance for us today is diminished. But how exactly does all of this Lit Hum speak to Plato’s point about the unexamined life? By asking us to explore a series of fictionalized moral universes, Lit Hum asks us to examine each carefully. We learn about different ways of being in the world, about different ways of living a human life. Not only do we compare these diverse universes, we eventually reflect on our own. The comparison between their values and ours elicits an analysis of our own lives. Before we know it, we are examining our moral universe and our place in it. If Plato is right and an unexamined life is not worth living, then Lit Hum does encourage us to live a worthwhile life. To help with our examination of Lit Hum texts, as well as our own self-examination in relation to them in the 21st century information age, we have created a Lit Hum website. The Fall Semester’s materials will be launched this Sunday, Sept. 12. The site has three main
goals—to offer background materials related to the assigned readings, to include centuries of responses to Lit Hum works, and to build better connections between Lit Hum and other parts of the Core Curriculum. There are resources drawn from theater, music, opera, dance, visual arts, and much more. Many of these are taken from the materials of Art and Music Humanities. For example, Bernini’s “Rape of Persephone” is a striking marble rendition of the first lines of “Hymn to Demeter” while Henry Purcell’s “Dido and Aeneas” offers an important operatic treatment of the fourth book of “The Aeneid”. One of the most exciting parts of the website is that it includes performances of plays (e.g., Peter Hall’s production of Aeschylus’ “Agamemnon” and Mark Cullingham’s version of Euripides’ “Medea”), musical responses to our texts (e.g., Luigi Cherubini’s opera, “Médée”, and Simon Indelicate’s “The Book of Job: The Musical!”), and edgy pop-cultural renditions. Be sure you check out Hedwig (from John Cameron Mitchell’s “Hedwig and the Angry Inch”) singing Aristophanes’ speech in the “Symposium,” Tom Lehrer’s song about Oedipus Rex, and Led Zeppelin’s “Achilles’ Last Stand.” Lit Hum can impact our lives in profound ways. Our website increases the chances for self-examination by asking us to confront the unfamiliar and familiar and compare our responses to generations of readers. If we let it, Lit Hum will change our lives. If we let it, our snazzy new Lit Hum website will encourage us all to think differently about our texts and to examine ourselves in relation to them life. Journey. Explore. Enjoy. Examine. The author is Gustave M. Berne Professor of Philosophy and the Chair of Literature Humanities.
STAFF EDITORIAL
Casual Friday: Forever Young C
ollege can be stressful, and there are moments when we wish we were back in kindergarten. Which is why we would like to thank Columbia Dining Services, which, by offering reusable take-out containers this semester, now make us feel that way every time we head to the dining hall. For those who do not have a meal plan (congratulations), allow us to explain the origin of the take-out container. Many moons ago, the EcoReps on the Dining Advisory Committee suggested reusable containers. After much product searching and testing, a suitable vessel was found. We’re all for environmental friendliness. And, in all sincerity, there are some real benefits to this plan. A lot of work obviously went into it, and we believe the powers that be in Dining are sincere in their desire for positive change. So we’re willing to overlook the fact that students will have to carry their containers through the hallowed halls of wherever their classes are, hearkening back to the days before their mothers trusted them with lunch money (or, alternatively, to the days when they were chased through middle school for continuing to carry a lunch box). We are not, though, going to pretend that the logistics of this plan are any more practical than those we devised for our schemes back in preschool. All first-years and registered upperclassmen should have received a token in their mailboxes—“should” being the operative word. Those who do not bring a token cannot redeem it for a reusable box, and thus must pay 50 cents to use an option that is technically part of their meal plan. Those who manage to get a box (which is no meager feat—perhaps Dining
thought it would be fun to make finding these tokens as exciting as finding one of Willy Wonka’s famed Golden Tickets) must return it the next time they come to John Jay and exchange it for another (clean) box. Perhaps the best part—yes, better than taking dirty boxes to Lit Hum, better than not receiving the token you were supposed to, and better than not being able to decorate your box with stickers of the Disney princess of your choice because you need to return it—is the way Dining left it to us, your intrepid correspondents, to figure all this out. Apparently, there was hope for “buzz marketing” and EcoRep promotion—but EcoReps don’t make posters because they’re bad for the earth. Which means that this was all a bit of a surprise. Like a Christmas present! Or a new puppy! Or any of the other things we asked for incessantly as children! Let it not be said that Dining does not care about its students. On the contrary, Dining cares immensely for its students. It thinks its students are five years old, true. But it cares nonetheless. * * * The Editorial Board would be remiss if it did not acknowledge the recent passing of John Kluge, Columbia alumnus and benefactor. Kluge, who had previously donated $100 million for a scholars program to be created in his name, pledged $400 million to be given to Columbia after his death. To say that this was generous does not begin to express the kindness and consideration of the gesture. But Kluge was more than what he bequeathed to Columbia. We will remember him not only for the programs developed with his donations and in his name, but for his lifelong dedication to his school and ours.
JODY’S DRAWINGS!
JODY ZELLMAN
SEPTEMBER 10, 2010
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SEPTEMBER 10, 2010
Weekend
ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT • FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 10, 2010 • PAGE B1
rose donlon / staff photographer
Walk of fame PLAYING ALONG
|
ROSE DONLON / STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER
Critically acclaimed indie band The Walkmen played songs from their new album “Lisbon,” due out on Sept. 14, at a Governors Island concert with Grizzly Bear in August.
The Walkmen explore new territory with ‘Lisbon’ BY CHRISTINE JORDAN Spectator Senior Staff Writer
“When we started in New York it was a true New York operation.... We all played and recorded there and we were very much centered in your guys’ area” —Pete Bauer, organist and bassist of The Walkmen
Throw a band in Williamsburg to build a recording studio. What do you get? Fingers crossed, a record. Throw a band in Harlem to do the same. Now what do you get? Evicted by Columbia—at least, if you’re The Walkmen, you do. Four years and one album after saying goodbye to their studio—Marcata Recording—The Walkmen are set to release their sixth studio album, “Lisbon,” on Sept. 14. Peter Bauer, the organist and bassist for the awardwinning five-piece band (with a single in the top 20 of Pitchfork’s Top 500 Tracks of the 2000s, for one), spoke to Spectator about the record, its creative process, and the group’s past in Columbia’s backyard. “When we started in New York, it was a true New York operation,” Bauer said. “Three of us lived in a house in Harlem. We all played and recorded there and we were very much centered in your guys’ area.” But he said that this past was far behind The Walkmen—“New York isn’t as much a part of what we do now.” With a new record that seeks refuge in simplicity and also takes its name from Portugal’s capital city, it’s possible that The Walkmen couldn’t be further from their New York yesterday. Nonetheless, they may just be stronger for that. eviction party Columbian tales of eminent domain tend to be
painted with a similar emotional color palette—idealism splashed against protectionism, aggression against helplessness, and steps forward against cries for steps back. The Walkmen’s story, however, defies all familiar patterns. The house that The Walkmen built opened in 2000—an analog studio in an abandoned Nash Rambler car factory at Broadway and 132nd Street in West Harlem. What would become Marcata had a spiral ramp that went down a quarter of the building, but that wasn’t going to deter the band from setting up shop. When the project was complete, Maracta was not only a home for the young band and a place to record their first five albums, but also a fully functioning studio that hosted other notable bands, like the French Kicks. Above all else, Bauer said that Harlem for The Walkmen was an “area that’s a cheap place to do something like making music” at a time when it would have been impossible to find the money to make a record. “It’s definitely still a thing for bands to need to have money to focus on making a record,” he said. “This was a way we made that work.” The Walkmen did more than just make do with the studio—it became a part of their direction. The band became known for working with Marcata’s space to create a vast, expansive sound on their tracks. Then, in 2006, Columbia gained control of the Nash Building as a part of the Manhattanville expansion and Marcata closed, with The Walkmen recording
SEE WALKMEN, page B2
Eataly takes students on culinary journey overseas BY KAVITHA SURANA Columbia Daily Spectator Students returning to campus may not have noticed, but this summer, New York moved a whole lot closer to Italy. Eataly—a 50,000-square-foot Italian mega-market on Fifth Avenue that’s twice the size of its flagship store in Turin, Italy— opened on Aug. 31 to a crowd of food lovers waiting to eat their hearts out. Among the hungriest waiting were, of course, the college students looking to get a first taste of the city’s newest gourmet delight. Columbians tempted to explore this soon-tobe city staple will not be disappointed by its culinary offerings. This “temple” to food, as chef, restaurateur, and Eataly partner Mario Batali called it in a New York Magazine interview, includes seven sit-down restaurant spaces, a Lavazza coffee and dessert bar, a soon-to-open rooftop beer garden, aisles of fresh and imported groceries, a bookstore, and even an Italian travel agency booth for those with the inspiration (and budget) to take a trip overseas. With so much packed into one space, Eataly’s floor plan can be overwhelming to the unprepared. For students short on time and money, the best option might be to pop into the entrance off of Fifth Avenue and visit the wing of food bars. Here, students can get their fill of panini, coffee, desserts, and, of course, gelato. These bites are a great way to sample some high-quality Italian cuisine without breaking the bank. Mini tiramisus are the most
popular, and there are three kinds to sample, with each costing about $5. That said, a leisurely trip through Eataly can definitely fill an hour or two of the average Columbian’s lazy Sunday. Shoppers can whet their appetites while gazing at what other people are eating, since each dining section is set up with a bar showcasing the chefs at work. Try chicken from the Rosticceria ($10 for a full rotisserie chicken) or bread (the rustic fig bread, $5.80 for a loaf, is the perfect combination of chewy and sweet). For special occasions or when parents are in town, a full meal at Eataly is a spectacular choice. Manzo, a fine-dining steakhouse, is the only restaurant at Eataly that takes reservations, while the rest of are casual affairs—though perhaps still above the average student’s price range. As an alternative to a sit-down meal, students can even stand at a section full of tall tables to snack on cheese and meats with wine. Sample a carpaccio of sunchokes ($9) at the vegetable eatery or try the delicately stacked Lasagna alla Norma with eggplant, tomatoes, and mozzarella ($16) at the pizza and pasta section. The pizzas, creations of the Naples-based chain Rossopomodoro, are not to be missed. Adding a glass of Sicilian Nero D’Avola wine, a rare brand likely unfamiliar to most students, will run you $6.80. While browsing the rest of the space, one may notice some
SEE EATALY, page B3
embry owen / senior staff photographer
EATALY IT UP | The Italian mega-market at Eataly New York touts a tremendous array of fresh produce, meats, desserts, and other products.
page b2
Best of
WEEKEND
september 10, 2010
BARBECUE While aficionados might say the South is the only place to get quality barbecue, New York City has plenty of joints to satisfy carnivorous cravings on a student’s budget. Note to Memphis, Raleigh, Dallas, and all the rest: These Yankees know their stuff. Here are just a few of the best places at which to dig into some quality fixins. —BY ZOE CAMP
Dinosaur Bar-B-Q
Rub BBQ
Dinosaur Bar-B-Q, conveniently located about a 15-minute walk from campus at 646 West 131st St., advertises itself as “a honky-tonk rib joint.” The ribs are certainly delicious, but for students watching their wallets, $11.50 nets the delicious Chicken and Pork Deluxe—a barbecue chicken sandwich topped with succulent pulled pork and American cheese—as well as two sides. Though the chicken is unfortunately a bit dry, the buttery bun, rich cheese, and melt-in-your-mouth pork are more than enough to compensate for the dish’s sole shortcoming. For people with smaller appetites, there’s always the Swag Sampler Plate ($5.95 for a single carnivore, $9.95 for two). The platter comes loaded with spicy, beer-soaked shrimp, chicken wings, fried green tomatoes, and deviled eggs—perfect fuel after a busy first week of classes.
For some good, Texas-style ’cue, hop on the 1 train and get off at 23rd Street. Right across the street, Rub BBQ serves up some serious brisket, a coarser, sweeter version of classic pulled pork, and some of the best cornbread in the city. A quarter pound of any of Rub’s classic meats is $4. There’s the sweetand-smoky pulled pork—definitely more savory and food-coma-inducing than either Dinosaur’s or Pies ’n’ Thighs’. For students looking to up their cholesterol by several points and have a damn good time doing it, try the burnt ends. These fatty, crisp cuts from the tip of the roast are buttery and almost sin-
The fatty, crisp cuts from the tip of the pork roast are buttery and sinfully decadent. Add some sauce, and it’s hard not to swoon. fully decadent. Add some of the accompanying sauce, and it’s hard not to swoon. And don’t forget to wash these goodies down with some sweet tea. Rub’s rendition is like liquid candy and complements the orgy of protein nicely. Sweet tea, a quarter pound each of pulled pork and burnt ends, and some pillowy cornbread cost only $14.02 with tax and yield plenty of leftovers.
Fashion’s Night Out encourages students to shop around
anthony clay for spectator
SOUTHERN COMFORT A plate of barbecue chicken at Dinosaur Bar-B-Q will satisfy Columbia carnivores, and the joint’s relatively low prices keep both stomachs and wallets full. |
The folks at Pies ’n’ Thighs cook their pork shoulder the way Carolina pitmasters have been doing it for decades.
Pies ’n’ Thighs Pies ’n’ Thighs is certainly out of the way—it’s four blocks from the Marcy Avenue subway stop on an unassuming corner in South Williamsburg. But Columbians willing to make the trip are in for some of the best North Carolina-style pork barbecue north of the Mason-Dixon Line. The folks at Pies ’n’ Thighs cook their pork shoulder the way Carolina pitmasters have been doing it
The Walkmen explore new territory with ‘Lisbon’
FASHION from page B4
WALKMEN from page B1
collections. This event may not be wallet-friendly, but it’s definitely an opportunity to meet some of the most innovative designers in the industry. If a guy friend doesn’t appreciate the ingenuity and business-savvy of Alexander Wang, he will at least appreciate the opportunity to meet Sports
one final Harry Nilsson cover album as a tribute to the studio. The story may just be the happiest case of eminent domain Columbia’s ever seen. “The place was a sinkhole of money,” Bauer said of Marcata. “The rent was climbing, and we were thinking, ‘Thank God. Let’s get the hell out of here.’”
Fashion’s Night Out aims to bring a touch of sartorial glamour into everyday life. Illustrated cover girl Bar Refaeli—and take the hottest profile photo on Facebook—at Armani, located at 717 Fifth Avenue, from 8-10 p.m. Giorgio Armani Beauty will also be offering complimentary makeovers for any plebeians who would like to spruce up before a photo with the Israeli supermodel. The hungry fashionistas at Fashion’s Night Out can venture over to sample sweets from CupcakeStop, Street Sweets, the Treats Truck, and the Van Leeuwen Artisan Ice Cream trucks at Lord & Taylor, located at 424 Fifth Avenue, from 6-11 p.m. Food trucks and fashion on Friday? Sounds like quite the thing for the adventurous (and alliterative) soul. At Barneys, located at 660 Madison Avenue, from 6-11 p.m., Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen and Lazaro Hernandez and Jack McCollough of Proenza Schouler will be judging a karaoke contest, so students should come ready to strut their stuff and sing their hearts out. Rag & Bone designers David Neville and Marcus Wainwright will also challenge shoppers to a game of ping-pong. This is the place to be to impress the fashion industry—or embarrass yourself. Or, instead of singing karaoke, watch Cynthia Rowley, Eugenia Kim, Naeem Khan, Nicholas Kirkwood, Nicole Richie, and Norma Kamali belt out a song or two at Bergdorf Goodman, located at 754 Fifth Avenue, from 4-11 p.m. Pet lovers will enjoy the doggie fashion show, with pieces by designers such as Georgina Chapman of Marchesa, James Mischka of Badgley Mischka, and Thakoon.
JOEY SHEMUEL / SENIOR STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER
MAKE ME UP | At Fashion’s Night Out makeup counters, students can get free makeovers.
for decades: unsauced, with plenty of smokiness and just a tad of vinegar, chili pepper, and salt to taste. Combined with sweet, crunchy slaw on a warm roll, this pork sandwich is the perfect balance between salty, sweet, smoky, and savory. Plus, it only costs $10, and that includes a side dish—the best choice being the pork-laced, pleasantly chewy collard greens. Pies ’n’ Thighs is a cheap, satiating, and downright delicious way to end a day of thrifting, hipster-watching, or simply hanging out on the other side of the Brooklyn Bridge.
finding “lisbon” If anything, the band’s uprooting encouraged exploration, both literal and figurative. During the process of recording “Lisbon,” The Walkmen took two trips to Portugal. “The place had a quality to it, and that was what we loved more than anything else,” Bauer said of playing a show and spending time with the band in Portugal’s largest city. That quality, it seems, cultivated the band’s productivity—The Walkmen wrote 29 songs for the album, with the intention of releasing the ones that didn’t make the cut for the 11-track “Lisbon” as B-sides. “We put everything together when we’re recording. It’s a full band process,” Bauer said. “And we wrote so many songs we couldn’t even figure out how to record all of them.” In the first wave of studio time, the band recorded many horn-based tracks, the only one that survived the cut being its first single, “Stranded.” “We loved the sound of the horns, but the album found its energy when we started simplifying everything,” Bauer said. “We played newer versions with a really good, formulated groove—nothing unnecessary,” he said. “The energy comes across when it’s more fun to play.” walking the walk Listening to The Walkmen is not something that can be done casually. Slow or fast tempo, the band’s music has a distinctively brooding quality to it, insistently tasking each listener to unravel it layer by layer. “We always want our music to have a strong mood,” Bauer said. That mood is uniquely defined by the vintage tone of Bauer’s organ, Hamilton Leithauser’s drawn out vocals, and Matt Barrick’s powerhouse drumming. These core elements coalesce particularly well on “Angela Surf City,” which takes off into a rush of drums and wailing highs, and on the unexpectedly jangly “Woe Is Me.” Some of the album’s most successful moments occur when it takes a step back for a breath of air. The album’s final three tracks show a particularly comfortable face of The Walkmen, more careful than ever to give each piece of the ensemble its due space. And finding such comfort, according to Bauer, was largely inspired by identifying and focusing on what they do well. “We wanted an A+ for The Walkmen,” he said of the record, “not anyone else.” “Lisbon” will be streaming in its entirety on NPR. org until the album’s release on September 14.
courtesy of nicholas bergery
BEAT CONTROL At the 2010 Howl Festival, performance artists revive and retool the spirit of the famous Allen Ginsberg poem in the streets around Tompkins Square Park all weekend long. |
Music, art, and poetry of annual Howl Festival to bring Beat back to Lower East Side BY TIM BARKER Columbia Daily Spectator Fifty-four years ago, Allen Ginsberg, CC ’48, published his poem “Howl,” as an ode to his bohemian friends “who ate the lamb stew of the imagination or digested the crab at the muddy bottom of the rivers of Bowery.” This weekend, the East Village will play host to a three-day festival in honor of Ginsberg and other downtown artists. The 2010 Howl Festival will take place Sept. 10-12 in Tompkins Square Park, at East 7th
The 2010 Howl festival offers a wide variety of artistic and cultural performances, some inspired by Ginsberg himself. Street and Avenue A. The programming will include live music, poetry readings, and performance art. There is no charge for admission to the festival. The event has been held annually since 2003, when it was launched by a group of East Village artists and businessmen. They were concerned with the changing face of the neighborhood, which was beginning to show signs of gentrification after decades as an inexpensive haven
for artists. For the organizers, Allen Ginsberg and “Howl” epitomize the area’s cultural legacy, which over the years also included jazz musicians like Charlie Parker and graffiti artists like Jean-Michel Basquiat. This year’s festival offers a wide variety of artistic and cultural performances. Some are inspired by Ginsberg himself, such as a group reading of “Howl” and a “Hip Hop Howl!,” described as “a massive live mix tape showcase.” Other musical offerings include a tribute to the cellist Arthur Russell, and a “cabaret-style” Broadway revue by Rosie’s (as in O’Donnell) Broadway Kids. There are also performances which blend Indian and African music with the rock traditions of the East Village. Readings by contemporary poets highlight the ongoing literary scene in New York. Poets Eileen Myles and Emanuel Xavier will perform readings. The Sunday evening climax is “Low Life 4: Beat Girl,” a performance centered on the history of Beat artists on the Lower East Side. The twohour affair draws on spoken word poetry, drag and burlesque theater traditions, and Japanese Butoh dance. According to the Howl mission statement, one goal of the festival is to let young people “experience first hand the high value of a creative life.” Columbia students looking to explore the literary traditions of their city, as well as the continuing legacy of one of their school’s most famous alumni, will find the festival a creative way to spend this first weekend of the semester. A full schedule of events is available at the event’s website, www.howlfestival.com.
september 10, 2010
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Women should take female Viagra as it comes
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courtesy of magnolia pictures
HIGH STAKES
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At the Brooklyn Academy of Music’s current film series, vampires gets some attention outside of “True Blood” and “Twilight.”
BAM film series brings bite back to now-ubiquitous vampire genre BY LILY CEDARBAUM Spectator Staff Writer When was the last time there was a vampire on television or film who inspired genuine fear? With current vampire culture revolving around creations like “True Blood” and “Twilight,” these would-be frightening mythical creatures are rapidly becoming domesticated. The Brooklyn Academy of Music’s current film series, “Bela Lugosi’s Dead, Vampires Live Forever,” attempts put the bite back into vampires. With presentations of 33 different films throughout September, the series will showcase what it meant to be a vampire before Edward Cullen and other pulseless teen heartthrobs showed up. “Twilight” fans need not steer clear, however—many of the characteristics of modern vampire films are also found in these genre classics. There is still sex appeal and wispy femme fatales who get sucked dry, and Nosferatu has a tousled coif similar to Robert Pattinson’s.
If you’re looking for good old-fashioned fear with a hint of sympathy, look no further than Bram Stoker’s “Dracula,” directed by Francis Ford Coppola. Gary Oldman exudes the charisma and maturity one would expect from the eponymous Count, along with a positively heartstopping Romanian accent. Winona Ryder also succeeds as the damsel in distress. Some of the special effects may seem a bit campy now, but when it premiered in 1993, the film was respected for these details, winning Oscars for sound effects, makeup, and costume design. A less chilling experience may come from watching “Vampire’s Kiss,” starring Nicolas Cage and Jennifer Beals. Director Robert Bierman shines a completely different light on the genre. Cage plays a volatile man, with Beals driving him out of his mind—not much of a character challenge for him, really. There is classic vampirism, but also the suggestion of insanity and hallucination—a surreal and horrifying combination. Cage’s ridiculous accent and Beals’ outrageous ’80s haircut add a touch of humor.
BAM’s series also includes a film that proves there is hope for modern vampire culture yet: “Let the Right One In,” a Norwegian film from director Tomas Alfredson. It mirrors other modern vampire hits in that it makes a vampire appear to be the best and most loyal of friends, but it still has the bite most American vampire stories are missing. The relationship between the human boy Oscar and vampire “child” Eli, while endearing, is defined as one of unconditional servitude for life before Eli inevitably disposes of Oscar. There is also an unsettling overtone of pedophilia that will most likely be dropped just in time for the American version of the film to be released this October. The refreshing difference in all these films is that, while some sense of sympathy or pity may be achieved, it is not enough to make us trust the fanged predators. Spanning decades, continents, and countless mythical temples, this series certainly has something for all types of filmgoers, whether they’re Team Edward or teamless. With any luck, BAM will bring back to life a more traditional undead.
Marclay exhibit at Whitney makes its own kind of music MARCLAY from page B1 his works by noted musicians. Many of the concepts work like a Dadaist exquisite corpse, linking seemingly unrelated components to form an entirely new and original score, such as “Prêt-a-Porter,” a piece in which models wear clothing adorned with musical notes and musicians play them. Another piece, “Box Set,” uses found boxes decorated with musical notes to create a score. The boxes are stacked inside one another like Russian dolls and the performer unstacks them, playing each note as he or she goes. These pieces come off as somewhat cutesy, but students with some knowledge of art history would recognize the element of chance as a possible nod towards Surrealists who used similar methods, like collaging words or found objects, to create art. Marclay’s work lifts the Surrealist reference to another level by adding sound to the collage, yet it seems that it is the concept on paper, rather than the experience of the piece, that is most entertaining. The centerpiece of the exhibit is Marclay’s newest experiment, a giant chalkboard of musical staff lines. Visitors are encouraged to mark on the lines and musicians interpret and play the “score” periodically. Most of the marks are far from strictly musical, and people seem to enjoy drawing figures such as ducks, hearts, or clowns instead of notes. It’s easy to spot graffitilike chalkboard writings such as “Rachel was here!” or “California is better!” alongside “poop” written repeatedly. It is unclear if these were quite the interactions with the piece that Marclay had intended, but they certainly provide a challenge of creativity for the musicians. Arguably the most compelling part of the exhibit is the performance of “Screen Play.” This piece has more potential to engage the viewers intellectually and absorb them in a unique unstructured experience in a way that some of the other pieces cannot. “Screen Play” consists of found black and white film footage overlaid with colored animated lines and dots —abstract forms yet vaguely reminiscent of musical notation. This “score” is meant to be interpreted by a small ensemble. The musicians use accordions, trumpets, and computer generated sound to provide the score, often incorporating daily objects and unorthodox methods to create unique sounds, such as blowing heavily through a trombone to make the sound of wheels. The result of the collaboration between moving image, colored lines, and ensemble music is mesmerizing. It is striking how unrelated images on the screen, such as an image of a bowling ball cutting to a separate image of a woman picking up a ball then to a balloon flying into the air, could suddenly turn into a story using the music as the glue to unite it. The music is an atonal blend and never quite “matches’” the visuals, but somehow it provides an emotional force for the piece. Since “Festival” is a live collage, nothing is repeated exactly the same way, and visitors to the exhibition never know what to expect in a performance. Prepare to go with an open mind and sample some of these unconventional artistic experiences.
New import Eataly takes students on a culinary journey overseas EATALY from page B1 unique offers on display. At the fishmonger, a giant monkfish pokes his face out next to octopus and squid, and the butcher sells fully skinned rabbits—products better marvelled at than actually sampled, perhaps. The fresh produce section also has unusual fruits such as kiwano melons native to Africa and rambutan from Indonesia. Though these selections are exotic, the real treats for those familiar with Italian culture are the products difficult to find outside of Italy, such as Mulino Bianco cookies, burrata and scamorza cheeses, and wines and coffees authentic to the Piedmont region, often served up by native Italians. Traveling through the endless halls of Eataly is an opportunity to experience Italy through one of its cultural hallmarks—its cuisine.
embry owen / senior staff photographer
ITALIAN FEAST | At Eataly New York, Columbia students can eat their hearts out at sit-down and stand-up restaurants that fit a variety of budgets.
recently opened the paper to discover that this summer was the hottest New York had ever seen. We all felt it and reacted in different ways, but what intrigued me the most as I sat on the scalding curb in Brooklyn VALERIYA eating a $3 taco, or escaped to a SAFRONOVA bar with the atmosphere of an icebox, was how much people Sex in talked about sex. It was inserted the Lion’s into nearly every conversation—analyzed, laughed at, and Den frowned at. People couldn’t get enough of the dirty talk, especially me. There’s lots to discuss in this column over the next few months, but I’d like to start with something that’s gotten even the New York Times’ panties in a bunch: female Viagra. I can’t count the number of times I’ve heard someone say, “Well, obviously, women don’t have nearly as many orgasms as men.” This statement is pretty depressing to me. We’ve supposedly gone through a sexual revolution and have become more open about sex. “Sex and the City” and Playmates are fixtures of American pop culture. So why do I hear the same exact statement over and over? Why do 70 percent of women in the United States not orgasm during sex? Drug companies think they’ve found the beginning of a solution—albeit not an answer—to my question in the form of Flibanserin, a drug that studies show may raise a woman’s “sexually satisfying events” in the span of a month from 2.8 to 4.5. Sounds good, right? Not so much, since placebos increased the number to 3.7, making me wonder whether the patients simply needed to believe that they could feel good. Though the Food and Drug Administration rejected the drug because of side effects such as dizziness and nausea, it did encourage the pharmaceutical company, Boehringer Ingelheim, to continue its research. I’m sure there are plenty of women who are excited by this news. Now that a pill can alleviate anything from a headache to depression, we often want a quick fix. Since Viagra first came out, drug companies have tested various alternatives for women. It took them a while to figure out that increasing blood flow to a woman’s genitals, the way Viagra does for men, was too simple a solution. As many researchers are finding out, a woman’s desire is multifaceted—it cannot necessarily be manufactured with a pill. Lori Brotto, lead psychologist on a study of hypoactive sexual desire disorder for the upcoming edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, discovered through her research that most women respond physically when watching porn videos. She believes the problem lies in the mind-body connection, which is why the female version of Viagra has to be completely different from the blue pill. Pfizer’s Viagra helps men with the physical aspect of being turned on—it creates an erection when a man is already mentally engaged. What companies are trying to create for women targets the brain and hormones, rather than a specific area of the body. Consider the fact that Flibanserin was originally intended to be an antidepressant, with sexual stimulation being one of its side effects. If the only hurdle were a physical response, lubrication would have solved the problem long ago. Unfortunately, a woman’s lack of sexual desire can be rooted in anything from depression to stress to a negligent partner. What scares me about all the ideas for a female Viagra is that they seem like shortcuts. Neither the companies nor the patients are questioning whether women who lack sexual desire might be better off with therapy or a re-evaluation of their partners, rather than a pill. Our society is quick to self-diagnose and self-medicate, rather than engage in a long-term process of introspection and self-assessment. A friend of mine was in a long-term relationship with a guy she thought was her future husband. After about a year of dating, she suddenly stopped wanting to have sex. She blamed it on stress, herself, and anything else she could think of. It wasn’t until a few months after they broke up that she realized the problem wasn’t her—it was him. She wanted sex, just with other people. Her body had reacted early on to the problems in her relationship. This story makes me wonder how many other women blame themselves rather than external problems for their lack of sexual desire. Clearly, women want this drug—the projected revenue for a female Viagra is $4 billion. And it’s not at all surprising that drug companies are all over a so-called pink pill—they go where the money’s at. But it’s up to us as a society to understand that a woman’s libido isn’t a paint-by-numbers picture. You can’t just throw some medicine at the right places and hope things work out. Valeriya Safronova is a Columbia College junior majoring in East Asian Languages and Cultures. Sex in the Lion’s Den runs alternate Fridays.
Students can hit newly-opened Taberna for sangria, not tapas TABERNA from page B1 restaurants in the city, including Tia Pol where Taberna head chef Jennifer Cole last worked. Cole spent years in Spain doing her tapas homework, but some of her flavors still don’t make the grade. The croquetas ($9), a fried, ball-shaped staple, were filled with “Madrid style” pork stew that was only made more bland and mushy by the chickpea paste served alongside. The tender Cazuela de Gambas al Ajillo garlic shrimp were cooked flawlessly, but the simple flavor could be easily conjured up in any dorm kitchen. At $9.50 for four skimpy pieces,
they could be prepared on campus for much cheaper, too. Where the food lacked, though, the service shined. Icy water and a chef ’s taster, such as a seasonal shooter of melon gazpacho, appear upon being seated, and the servers are happy to help balance a meal made up of multiple small dishes. Pair the Queso de Cabra al Horno ($8), a rich and creamy goat cheese round delicately offset with rosemary honey, with the Pimientos Shishito al Estilo de Padron ($8), a Spanish equivalent of edamame. The cheese dish is one of the restaurant’s best, and the peppers, although neutral tasting at first, have a
surprisingly fiery aftertaste. Taberna’s three coveted sangrias are red, white, and rosé cava ($8 per glass). The red strikes a hard-to-find balance of not too sweet, not too tangy and is served simply with one or two chunks of peach. The rosé cava, on the other hand, is unconventionally made with sparkling wine and served with lemon slices and maraschino cherries. It makes for a refreshingly fruity blend, but it’s not for everyone. The best option for students might be to eat before, grab a spot at the classily comfortable leather-stooled bar, and spend the rest of the night deciding on a favorite color of sangria.
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Picks
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joey shemuel / senior staff photographer
CLOSET RAIDING
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At Fashion’s Night Out 2009, students had the chance to explore popular but pricey stores like Barney’s.
Fashion’s Night Out encourages students to shop around BY NOEL DUAN Spectator Staff Writer
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Hit newly opened Taberna for sangria, not the tapas
For stylish students who want a break from Friday nights at Campo and on Frat Row, the second annual Fashion’s Night Out on Friday is the perfect escape from campus. From celebrity sightings to limited edition designer collections, Fashion’s Night Out is a global celebration of fashion that aims to bring a touch of sartorial glamour into everyday life. Out of the hundreds of events to choose from, here are five students should check out—including one that might even suit a
SEE TABERNA, page B3
SEE FASHION, page B3
Christian Marclay exhibit at Whitney Museum makes its own kind of music
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BY ALLISON MALECHA Spectator Staff Writer True to the “wine-trumps-food” tapas style, Taberna has been serving up three kinds of sangria and even-smaller-than-expected small plates on the Upper West Side since June 3. Located on Amsterdam between 80th and 81st streets, Taberna is a cellar-like space with red candles flickering from an exposed brick wall and wine barrel shelves outfitting one corner. Although it’s perfectly intimate for an off-campus date, Taberna feels a little quiet for a girls or guys night out. With most dishes in the $8-$9 range, Taberna is more moderately priced than most tapas
Sports-Illustrated-reading frat boy. Humberto Leon and Carol Lim’s store, Opening Ceremony, is the epitome of downtown cool, with loads of pieces from the likes of Alexander Wang, Band of Outsiders, Rodarte, and Proenza Schouler. For just one night, from 5-12 p.m. at the Ace Hotel, located at 29th Street and Broadway, there will be a pop-up shop modeled after the Les Puces de Saint-Ouen flea market in Paris. Designers—yes, the designers themselves—will be selling exclusive pieces from their
BY KAVITHA SURANA Columbia Daily Spectator
courtesy of the whitney museum of american art
MAKE A MARCLAY | Pieces like Marclay’s “Screen Play,” a single-channel video projection, are on display at the Whitney.
Participating in the artwork becomes possible at the Whitney Museum’s latest exhibit, “Christian Marclay: Festival.” Marclay’s work as an artist explores the intricacies that exist between sound and visual elements, often using spontaneous interactive musical arrangements and found objects to create a unique type of performance art. The exhibit, showing at the Whitney through Sept. 26, pays homage to Marclay’s creative vision with a collection of his pieces and daily performances of
SEE WHITNEY, page B3