SCAN Winter 2013 by The Connector

SCAD Atlantaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Student Magazine Winter 2013 | Vol. 5 No. 1

ABOUT SCAN SCAN is a quarterly student magazine of the Atlanta location of the Savannah College of Art and Design. All editorial content is determined by student editors. Opinions expressed in SCAN are not necessarily those of the college. ÂŠ 2013 SCAN Magazine. All rights reserved. No part of this magazine may be reproduced in any form without written permission from the publisher.

4 FAUX-TOGRAPHY Will instant photo apps destroy or enhance photography?

6 LOVE IN TECHNICOLOR A personal essay on interracial relationships.

CONTENTS

DON’T FLOAT THE MAINSTREAM Take a look at SweetWater Brewery.

16 A DOG’S LIFE Liz Enright illustrates a world run by dogs.

18 STREET ART The beautiful streets of Atlanta.

28 THE COLLEGIATE’S GUIDE TO DOWNTOWN DECATUR Two collegiates take you through downtown Decatur.

32 STUDENT SHOWCASE Two SCAD Atlanta students are featured.

36 NOTE TO LITTLE MISS HOT PANTS An open letter to the SCAD student in hot pants.

STAFF

ERIN WHITE | EDITOR-IN-CHEIF

TREY VEAL | ART DIRECTOR

JAY BOWMAN | CREATIVE DIRECTOR

BRITANY PONVELLE | ART DIRECTOR

NIKKI IGBO | OPINIONS EDITOR

CAITLIN O’GRADY | COPY EDITOR

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CONTRIBUTORS STAFF PHOTOS

DON’T FLOAT THE MAINSTREAM

Hastings Huggins

Writer: Jonathan O’Connor Photographer: Amie Brink

FAUX-TOGRAPHY Photographers: Russell Cambron Emma Dobbs Rose M. Barron Taylor A. Griswold Shoccara Marcus

STREET ART

A DOG’S LIFE

NOTE TO LITTLE MISS HOT PANTS

Illustrator: Liz Enright

Illustrator: Catlin Scroggie

Photographer/Writer: Ryan Patrick

THE COLLEGIATE’S GUIDE TO DOWNTOWN DECATUR Writer: Anya Mathis Photographer: Amie Brink

LOVE IN TECHNICOLOR Writer: Meoldy M. Benjamin Photographers/Models: Oktawian Otlewski and Stephanie Marie Eley

INTERESTED IN BEING PUBLISHED IN THE CONNECTOR OR SCAN? Email Erin White at editor@scadconnector.com or stop by the Spring House computer lab at 11:30 a.m. on Fridays.

F A U X - T O G R A P H Y

TECH & GADGETS SCAN // WINTER 2013

WRITER | Erin White am both amazed and disgusted by Instagram. While I like the idea of a photo sharing platform, I ultimately think this one falls short. When I talk about Instagram with other artists the thing that inevitably comes up is how it’s affecting the photography community. Will “real” photographers become obsolete? Will they suddenly become irrelevant and unemployable because with Instagram everyone is a photographer? At first, I was unsure how to evaluate this, but after spending a long while scrolling through my news feed the answer became apparent. Of course Instagram won’t replace more traditional photography. Why? Two reasons. First is, the people using Instagram are generally, with exceptions, not photographers. Don’t misunderstand me; I don’t think a degree or a fancy camera makes someone a photographer, I’m basing this only on subject matter, composition and purpose. I can’t help but notice the majority of photos that I see are of the users themselves. And if not the users, the users bedrooms, or their cats or their lunches. I see holiday Starbucks cups and outfit-ofthe-day shots. I see nothing. I learn nothing. I feel nothing. My second reason is because using Instagram requires almost zero creativity. Sure, composition might come into play while taking an initial photo, but that can be remedied with the cropping feature. Next, users get to choose from 18 different filters to slap over an image to make it look “interesting.” And that’s it. That’s all you can do. There’s no room from originality or a

creative process; you can only function within the parameters set for you. This simply cannot compete with real photography. It can sometimes mimic the result, but who would choose an intimation over the real thing? What people photograph says something about who they are. Like many things in the Digital Age, Instagram is saturated with throwaway images of no real substance. It’s the visual equivalent of Twitter: constant idea vomit. But, please, don’t let Instagram’s surface deter you. Somewhere deep down, in the bowels of Instagram, lies an exception. This exception is the only thing that makes Instagram worth the free download. This little corner is where all the “good” photography lives. What is “good” photography, you ask? For me, it’s a picture that makes your viewers stop and consider. It’s the art of taking something mundane or common and showing it in a new perspective. This is subjective, of course, but I bet you know how to spot a photo like this, and I bet 98 percent of your news feed isn’t it. If you’re anything like me you’re familiar with that impulsive twitch telling you to delete Instagram altogether. And for that I want to remind you that it’s not all junk. Once you peel back that shallow first layer you might be amazed at what is lurking underneath. It will probably take some digging through pictures of OneDirection and puppies and margaritas, but in return you will find things that inspire and excite you. And that right there is the true heart of Instagram.

SEX & HEALTH SCAN // WINTER 2013

WRITER | Melody M. Benjamin PHOTOGRAPHERS and MODELS | Oktawian Otlewski and Stephanie Marie Eley y heritage is richly diverse and hardly classifiable, but growing up, and even now, people assume I’m biracial. I appear to be biracial, so I’m assumed to be biracial, and so I’m treated biracial. My appearance represents a dichotomy of black and white that some people still aren’t comfortable with, especially in the South. I spent my childhood in Kendall Park, New Jersey, and moved to Georgia with my family when I was thirteen. The move was scary, riddled with strange vernacular, Rebel flags and an unfamiliar history. However, the feeling of not fitting in was all too familiar. Being too light or too dark didn’t change when I moved to the South. For instance, some of my classmates, who were also neighbors, decided they agreed with the Nazi philosophy. They singled me out. I was the “halfbreed.” I stood for everything that they had learned to hate. I represented a mixed-race, a dilution of classification. It’s a bit harder to hate something that could be blood-related. I think that’s called self-hate. 7

My mother’s side of the family is heavily diverse. Our skin colors are variations of beiges and browns. Our heritage consists of a blended plethora of European, Native American, Hispanic and African Cultures. Society tells us that we are to identify as being black, and when forced to classify myself, I do identify as being black. But, if I identify with one part of my heritage, am I not discounting the rest? My mixed heritage is the result of several interracial relationships. Because of this, interracial relationships fascinate me. I hope that one day people we’ll become too convoluted to label, unifying us as a single race — the human race. Atlanta is a city enriched by diversity. Our city represents a diverse demographic, but you still find predominantly white, black, Asian and Hispanic neighborhoods. This clustering concerns me because we’re not reaping the benefits of the diversity. Sure we can go to an Ethiopian restaurant when we want or visit a Vietnamese or Korean nail salon at our discretion, but this is only tolerance, subjugating diversity. Intimacy is important to the depth of relationship. We must be willing to share experiences with people different from ourselves. The more the color lines blend, the more our neighborhoods will too. Interracial relationships are intricate and delicate. We’ve learned to rely on labels and neat associations, and even I, who hate them, have a love-hate relationship with them. I love culture and enjoy identifying things as I learn about them, but I hate that we’ve learned to pack things into tupperware and label them. Well, these leftovers have an expiration date. According to USA Today, in 2010 15 percent of couples married outside of their race or ethnicity. Further, 35 percent of couples who married interracially live in the West, and states with “20 percent or more of interracial couples live 8

USA Today’s survey reveals that interracial coupling is becoming increasingly common and that it would

Although I understand socioeconomic compatibility as a very real issue, some people write off dating outside of their race even when presented with suitable options. Many times it boils down to preference. Some people compare their taste in potential mates to things like

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Georgette Blay, an African-American design student at Portfolio Center, believes that whites would be more inclined to date interracially if they were presented with more counterparts from different races. Blay admits that she doesn’t fit the curvy phenotype that a lot black men desire and that her upbringing and socioeconomic background make her more compatible with white men. She’s open to dating other races, but she hasn’t been presented with compatible alternatives. I think this is why whites are more likely to consider dating Asians than any other outside race. According to an article by the New York Times, a 214-page study conducted by the Census Bureau revealed “Asians are the highest-earning and best-educated racial group in the country.” Further, “among Asians 25 or older, 49 percent hold a college degree.” This also explains the pockets of racial diversity throughout the Atlantaarea. Neighborhoods are defined by class, by financial means. Unfortunately, race can reveal socioeconomic conditions.

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Because of the rise in interracial relationships, people are becoming more ethnically diverse. It’s difficult to say who you’re not interested in based on race because races are becoming less identifiable. The physical traits that some don’t find attractive are not limited to a particular sect of people. This speaks to the level of ignorance that still remains. It was always a pleasure to come across a Match.com profile that had no racial preference; however, those were far and few between. When I increased the distance between myself and other matches, looking outside of the South, I noticed a lot of white men in Florida, New York and the West coast didn’t have a racial preference.

be even more popular if whites were more open to interracial relationships. So, what’s the deal with Atlanta? Atlanta is a blue city in a red state, and most of the interracial relationships that I’ve witnessed were in the metro area. Southern states are known to be more traditional and far less progressive than other states. Atlanta represents a unique demographic. There’s a blend of forward-thinking people in a climate that’s unwelcoming.

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west of the Mississippi.” There are some pairings that are quite common. USA Today reveals that 36 percent of Asian women and 24 percent of black men marry outside of their race. However, whites are least likely to date interracially than blacks, Latinos or Asians. I’ve spent a fair amount of time immersed in online dating. On Match.com in particular, I took notice of who was open to dating someone like me. Match.com allows for your dating preferences to be seen by onlookers. There’s a category where you can select what races you’re willing to date. I was disappointed by the number of white men that were not open to dating black women. A lot of white men in Atlanta, however, were interested in dating Latinos and Asians. This is interesting because lots of Latino women look like me; some are black, biracial or multiracial. This is a case, among others, where race isn’t as simple as skin color.

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food, style and music preferences. I understand the connection, but I don’t think being a vegan is quite the same as dismissing an individual based on their race. Is there anything wrong with having racist preferences? It’s one thing to attract or be attracted to a certain type of person, but I think it’s another when you write someone off entirely because of their race. After visiting different forums on interracial dating, a common trend I noticed was that people felt that they would have nothing in common with someone of a different race. I decided to dig a bit deeper and see if there was any evidence of race being an aspect of compatibility. Race never came up in my research. Issues of communication styles, levels of ambition, emotional intelligence, sociability and agreeableness came up frequently. Even religion, education and socioeconomic backgrounds proved to be an aspect of compatibility, but there was no research to suggest race alone determined compatibility. Interracial dating is one element of progression. I think people who are more likely to date outside of their race are far more enlightened than those who are not. I have yet to hear an intelligent reason for not dating outside of a particular race. Among some black women, I have heard ethnic pride as a reason. Is it not possible to take pride in your race without limiting your options? Nightline did a study on black women and their marital status. It revealed that 42 percent of black women were unmarried. Some issues that came up were finding black men who mirror their qualities and finding men of other races who’ll date them. As a woman of color, there was a time that I assumed white men were not interested in me, so I decided I wasn’t interested in them. It wasn’t until I met my most recent boyfriend, who is white, that my theory was diffused. Although he and I experienced the woes of life and relationships, 10

being open-minded presented a new realm of dating for us. Our relationship played a pivotal role in both of our lives. We experienced unconditional love and appreciation in an unprecedented way. He is the love of my life, even though we shared some defining differences. Our communication styles and personalities were vastly different. However, we’re as close as two people can be, and for us, race was never a reason to not be together. It’s not an issue that you’ve never dated outside of your race; it’s an issue if you’d never date outside your race. I challenge you to really consider your reasons for dismissing someone because of their race. You may discover there are bigger issues at play. Excluding an entire race of people isn’t the same as not listening to country music or not eating red meat or liking tattoos. Every person is an individual

and a race isn’t like a genre of music, allowing you to discard wholly (even this is hard to do). Consider each person you meet an opportunity to connect. There may be things you haven’t experienced because of preconceived notions. You could be missing out on life.

Dedicated to the love of my life, Officer Sean L. Callahan. May you be as lucky to love and be loved as I have been.

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Donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t Float the Mainstream

ENTERTAINMENT SCAN // WINTER 2013

WRITER | Jonathan O’Connor

PHOTOGRAPHER | Amie Brink

Like many college students, Freddy Bensch and Kevin McNerney spent a lot of time around beer. Bensch and McNerney, however, chose to surround themselves with beer more often than the average partygoer. Their love of beer brought them to work at a local brewery near the University of Colorado, Boulder. The brewery gave the pair beer in exchange for clean kegs. The more experienced they became with beer, the more popular the two became. They grew to love beer far more than the average innocent keg-stander. Bensch and McNerney wanted beer to become a major part of their life. It was this small beginning that set what would eventually become SweetWater Brewing Company into motion. A company whose motto reminds drinkers “Don’t Float the Mainstream.”

Atlanta what it had been missing and by February 1997 SweetWater Brewing Company had its official beginning in Atlanta.

When Bensch and McNerney graduated they were faced with the decision to get a “real job” or to go into the brewing business. For them, the decision was an easy one. Beer would always take priority. They enrolled in the American Brewers Guild in California where they learned the process of making beer. When there, they made the beer they enjoyed drinking, a skill they hoped would serve many beneficial purposes. In 1996 Bensch and McNerney were drawn to Atlanta because of the 1996 Summer Olympic Games. They were interested in the Atlanta beer scene and how it compared to what they had grown accustomed to. As they tasted the beer, they noticed that the West Coast was underrepresented in Atlanta’s beer world. With this information in hand, they decided to give

At first, SweetWater had difficulty finding a places that would sell the product. Bensch and McNerney found themselves in an old van wandering around trying to sell their beer. SweetWater found a home with a couple bars in Virginia-Highlands that were willing to take a chance on them. Bensch and McNerney eventually saved up enough to buy a 25,000 square foot space in Midtown Atlanta that has the capacity to brew 100,000 barrels of beer a year. The rest is history. I became a bit of an explorer when I moved to Atlanta. As a newbie to this city I was bent on finding the best local gems the city had to offer. In my journeys, I landed on SweetWater Brewing Company as a potential local beer I could get into. I am somewhat of a beer snob. I know what I like and I am rarely surprised by how something tastes just by taking note of the color and smell. I checked out SweetWater’s website to plan my six tastes. The brews they had available made me nervous because I tend to prefer things on the lighter side of life, but I continued surfing to find when I could try the local hotspot. SweetWater has tours every Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday, from 5:307:30 p.m. and Saturdays from 2:30 - 4:30 p.m. During the tours, drinkers are able to taste what SweetWater has on tap for free. All guests are allowed six samples of SweetWater’s brews, 13

but if you spend $10 you get a souvenir pint glass and longer pours on your samples. SweetWater’s slogan, “Don’t Float the Mainstream,” really applies to the way they choose to make their beers. On a tour of SweetWater, guides will tell you that SweetWater is committed to the freshness of every beer adorning the SweetWater label. At SweetWater, beers are not pasteurized. This gives them a 90-day shelf life before the Hop Cop will come and confiscate them to prevent drinkers from having anything less than the freshest SweetWater has to offer. It wasn’t until I heard this fun fact in my tour that I realized that there was an actual person whose job was travelling around to the different spots where SweetWater has established a home and checking the dates to ensure quality. If SweetWater drinkers find a location that isn’t selling the freshest SweetWater then they can report the offender to the Hop Cop via email at hopcop@sweetwaterbrew. com. At SweetWater, they take quality seriously. They will restock a store that has older SweetWaters to make sure that the customer always gets what they deserve. After doing my research, I was ready to go to SweetWater and see how their beer stacked up to the others I’ve had. While waiting in line for the tasting room to open I decided that I was going to go for the $10 souvenir glass. As I waited, I noticed how mixed the crowd was. There were people there who were barely legal drinkers to those who looked like they should have retired from the sport years earlier. The male to female ratio was pretty evenly split with a slight advantage to the men. Once I got into the tasting room the verdict was in. Everyone buys the souvenir glass. From my highly astute 14

observations in line, I had gathered that, for the most part, these people had been to SweetWater at least once before. It quickly became apparent that people weren’t spending the $10 for the glass. When I really thought about it, $10 for the amount of “sample” SweetWater gives you is pretty amazing. It is definitely recommended that a designated driver be factored into whatever equation you derive for your SweetWater adventure because the words “sample” and “tasting” are very misleading, especially if you don’t eat beforehand. Ready for my late liquid lunch, I had six beers pre-picked to have for my tastes before I toured the brewery. The six tickets I was given were going to go towards SweetWater’s 420 Extra Pale Ale, Georgia Brown, LowRYEder IPA, Blue, IPA, and the Exodus Porter. To be extra snobby, I took some mental notes on how I felt about each of my samples. Here were some of the standouts: 420 Extra Pale Ale Typically, I would not like something this dark, but the 420 Extra Pale Ale wasn’t too heavy on the hop and had a

crisp finish making it way more inviting for someone who usually steers clear from IPAs. This is a definite must try for anyone who thinks they don’t like IPAs. It may make a believer out of you. Georgia Brown I decided to continue with another beer that I incorrectly assumed would

be one I would highly dislike. When I think of brown ale, I think about coffee and, for whatever reason, the idea of a beer tasting like coffee is highly unappealing to me. On first sip I tasted notes of caramel and chocolate. The Georgia Brown finished with a hint of hop before going down. I’m not going to lie, this beer was not my favorite, but I was pleasantly surprised that my fear of coffee beer had been unsubstantiated. LowRYEder IPA This was the most pleasant surprise of the bunch. I thought that the 420 was a good hoppy beer for those who don’t typically like hops, but this was even more inviting. Although the beer had definite hops, whatever they did to it made it taste so clean and refreshing that even the lightest of beer drinkers could at least appreciate a sip from their more adventurous friends. The LowRYEder IPA is the newest of their year-round brews, but it has already become an award winner with a bronze medal at the Great American Beer Festival. Blue This beer was hands down my favorite of my samples. It was the lightest in both color and alcohol content, but packed one of the bigger flavor punches in the pack.

do amazing things and see machines that are most likely off but would otherwise be bottling the barrell liquid into glass. And you typically are lucky to have one person in the tour who, unlike you, understands everything about the process and knows every scientific question to ask to make you feel even more dumb about how little you know about something you probably consume too much of.

It’s good to get carded.

Unlike these typical tours, the SweetWater tour guide drank as he gave us the inside scoop on how SweetWater got its start. Instead of going into details that people at the American Brewers Guild would go into, the guide just mentioned the steps in the beer making process while pointing at different machines. He included a cheers when answering each question and encouraged drinking and having a good time with the tour. From what I understand, going on a tour earlier on would probably be more informational. What really stood out, though, was how consistent SweetWater was on all fronts. “Don’t Float the Mainstream” is a motto that is represented throughout the SweetWater brand.

The name Blue is most likely in reference to its predominant flavor and aroma, blueberries. Blue would be a great picnic or outdoor beer due to its refreshing quality. I would highly recommend this to light beer lovers everywhere.

SweetWater doesn’t try to be anything other than itself. It started with two friends enjoying beer and now aims to spread that love with the people of all legal ages who come to try their unique brew. SweetWater Brewing Company is a local Atlanta gem that is worth a visit. If you are one of the many who decide to purchase a $10 glass, I would make sure one of your friends decides to enjoy the smaller, free tastes so you have a ride back. I’ll definitely be back to see the new creations SweetWater has in the future.

I’ve been on brewery tours before but this tour was more relaxed. In the past, tours I have been on typically followed the same couple guidelines. The guide was always more sober than you. You get to see big barrels that

If you want to visit SweetWater or find out where their beer is sold, check out their website http://sweetwaterbrew. com or just pop by their brewery on 195 Ottley Drive in Atlanta during tasting hours.

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ILLUSTRATOR | Liz Enright I try not to limit myself by medium because an artist’s tools should be as varied as the works they tackle. That needling urge, the impetus that drives me to create is the narrative. I believe in the power of stories and I want to share them with people in as many ways as possible. Sometimes a story is better told with words. Other stories require only a solitary image. Comics combine both images and words, elegantly, tersely, to reach a similar conclusion. I strive to underscore life’s quirks, to figure out a character’s piping, and to tell a good story.

ART & DESIGN SCAN // WINTER 2013

PHOTOGRAPHER and WRITER | Ryan Patrick

ART & DESIGN SCAN // WINTER 2013

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Atlanta is saturated by a melting pot of cultures, influences and ideas. You may not notice at first, but if you really examine the surroundings youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll find a city full of various art forms spanning from architecture to sculpture to graffiti. Pieces that are both subtle and bold. This is a selection of photographs showing a handful of the many murals that are intricately laced throughout the entire city. These murals provide a distinct vibrancy to Atlanta that showcase the many different styles and personalities that are critical parts of our culture.

The Collegiateâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Guide to

Downtown Decatur

FOOD SCAN // WINTER 2013

WRITERS | Anya Mathis and Erin White

PHOTOGRAPHER | Amie Brink

hile shopping for the perfect yarn for a new knitting project, I stumbled upon the area of Downtown Decatur, less than 10 miles from Midtown. Upon further investigation, I fell in love with the downtown district. Its historical charm, small town hospitality, and welcoming residents remind me of home. Downtown Decatur has dozens of bookstores, galleries, apparel shops, but most importantly, exceptional restaurants. Many of which are located on the Square. In Atlanta, it’s not hard to find great places to eat. Each district has its favorites. Little 5 Points has The Vortex. Old Fourth Ward has Pizzeria Vesuvius and Highland Bakery. East Atlanta has The Flat Iron and Holy Taco. West Midtown Design District has Six Feet Under, Osteria del Figo, and Taqueria del Sol. Piedmont Heights has Fat Matt’s Rib Shack and Sheik Burritos ‘N Kabobs. Really, I could go on.

THE NEIGHBORHOOD PUB

Like the aforementioned districts of the city, Downtown Decatur has its own local showstoppers. At first, it may seem rather daunting to select an eatery from the area’s diverse establishments, but have no fear; we’ve compiled a simple guide to assist you on your next Decatur-based culinary adventure.

Intrigued by the idea that a burrito can rage, I ventured into The Raging Burrito and ordered its namesake. Although it was a challenge to finish, the raging burrito is an absolutely delicious vegetarian burrito and I’d order it again. Their burritos are aptly named “fatties” because they’re stuffed to the point of explosion with fresh veggies,

Brick Store Pub In Britain, the pub functions as a meeting house, ale house and a restaurant serving piping hot food to visitors and regulars alike. Each pub is location specific and characterizes its community. The Brick Store Pub alludes to the style, function and menu of a traditional British pub, but with a modern American twist. Vintage brick walls are accentuated by old wooden floors and tables. Upholding its reputation of “no televisions, no neon, no obnoxious music, and no major domestic beers,” Brick Store emphasizes quality conversation and spirits. Menu highlights include the Shepherd’s Daughter’s Pie, Bavarian pretzels with horseradish mustard, and a fantastic beer selection. The Brick Store Pub is located on Decatur Square.

THE BURRITO BAR The Raging Burrito and Taco

well seasoned rice, and some type of addicting magic that quenches all burrito cravings. Load up on their freshly made house salsa: spicy and full of bright flavors. Special menu features include several vegetarian options as well as an extensive gluten free selection. Located on the Square.

THE CULINARY SOPHISTICATE No. 246 At No. 246, indulge your inner epicure with modern Italian dishes that build bridges between food and art. Sleek and contemporary with a touch of industrial and rustic, the decor is simple yet striking. Bare Edison light bulbs hang from the ceiling next to large windows, giving a classy metropolitan vibe. Their inventive cuisine incorporates classic Italian nuances with their trademark boldly creative and contemporary flavor profiles. My favorite is the ricotta zeppole with roasted figs and honey anglaise. The richness of the ricotta balances the sweetness of the figs and honey. Whether you’re trying to impress your friends, family, business associates, significant other or just your own palate, No. 246 is where I’d send you. The service is great and the wine list is long.

THE QUAINT CAFE

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Sweet Melissa’s

Leon’s Full Service

Strolling down the sidewalk in downtown Decatur, I began salivating like Pavlov’s dog when I smelled something akin to my grandmother’s kitchen on Saturday morning. Following my nose, I made a beeline for the door of Sweet Melissa’s. I discovered an eclectic Southern tea house-style establishment. Since 1989, this family owned and operated restaurant has graced Decatur with the sweet aromas of yogurt pancakes, tahini tofu, buildyour-own omelets, and huevos rancheros, to name a few. Sweet Melissa’s is the perfect spot for brunch with the girls or a casual lunch with mom. The home fries are fierce contenders with my Nana’s fried potatoes, which is saying something. They’re crispy and seasoned to perfection, adding ketchup is practically a sin.

Leon’s has been named one of Food & Wine’s 50 Top Bars for a reason. The restaurant name proclaims its philosophy derived from the days of full service gas stations when service, hospitality, and customer satisfaction were top priority. When possible, Leon’s uses produce from local growers and farms to achieve the highest level of freshness and quality. Regulars know Leon’s for their crispy bacon in a shot glass with a side of warm peanut butter spread appetizer, unrivaled bourbon and beer selection, the infamous pub frites menu, and the hearty main dishes. Being from Kentucky, I was impressed with the bourbon list featuring quite a few aged small batch, single barrel, and specialty bourbons. Remember to save room for their signature spiced apple cobbler with brown sugar whipped cream.

THE ULTIMATE SPORTS BAR Twain’s Billiards and Tap I’m always on the lookout for a place to watch games, and my current favorite is Twain’s Billiards and Tap. Twain’s has it all: HD televisions, billiards, darts, food, and beers brewed in-house. There’s even a jazz quartet every Tuesday. Twain’s is a full-service brewpub, restaurant, and pool hall open for brunch, lunch, dinner and late-night festivities (after 9 p.m.). Folks come from all around for the good beer, good people and good times. If you’re stopping by on a weekend evening, be sure to arrive early.

Recommendations To really Decatur it up like a local, keep these tips in mind. > Plan where you’re going. Most of the restaurants on the Square do not have parking lots. Use directories to figure out the location of the restaurant to plan where to park. Bring changes for metered parking, too. > Arrive early. If you’re looking for sit-down eats on a Saturday night, get there as early to avoid waiting.

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> There’s a MARTA entrance? The nicest MARTA entrance/exit I’ve ever seen is located right in Decatur Square, making transportation very convenient.

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SHOWCASE:

CODY HARD INTERACTIVE DESIGN and GAME DEVELOPMENT 4TH YEAR

s a game designer, I am incredibly passionate about designing memorable, worthwhile, and enjoyable experiences. I try to create games in the same way that I play them: by coming up with intriguing ways to solve and overcome problems, and then learning from the successes and failures of my ideas.. Recently, Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve been incredibly interested in the field of mobile game design. Since so many people have smart devices, we have the ability to bring games to a new audience and a larger portion of the population. Mobile games are the beginning of a new age of game design, and I couldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t be more excited.

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SHOWCASE:

GHERI THOMAS FASHION DESIGN, ILLUSTRATION [MINOR] 5TH YEAR

like to think of myself as a simple person. I have simple needs and enjoy simple pleasures. My illustrations are just one of those things that bring me joy. They are rarely the same subject or theme; however, I tend to draw women quite more than men, children, animals, or landscapes. To be honest, I never gave much thought as to why I draw women the most. Maybe it’s because women are the most exploited creatures on this planet. They’re often selling products with the help of pushed up cleavage and a smile. I’ve heard theories that I’m only drawing myself over and over again. If that’s true, then what does that say of my self-image? I’ll leave that to my viewers to debate over.

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Note to Little Miss Hot Pants WRITER | Nikki Igbo

ILLUSTRATOR | Catlin Scroggie

ear Young Lady Who Appears to Be Suffering from Heat in Both a Literal and Figurative Sense,

are barely covered by your shorts. I know why you felt comfortable enough wearing that get-up to school.

I’m not mad at you. I want to put my arm around your shoulders and give you a friendly squeeze. The truth is that I see a bit of my younger self in you. While some of our fellow classmates may whisper behind upheld palms or shake their heads in disapproval, I know exactly where you’re coming from. I know why you chose today’s fashion ensemble despite the cool temperatures predicted in today‘s forecast. I know why your butt cheeks

You were a late bloomer in high school, weren’t you? While other teenage girls had cleavage, hips, boyfriends and hickies you were a card-carrying member of the itty bitty you-know-what committee. Your face was pretty. Your hair was long and luxurious. But from the neck down, it wasn’t difficult to mistake you for a boy. You were a gangly collection of sharp angles and flat surfaces both coming and going. You hid your lack of

feminine wiles in unnecessary layers of baggy clothes. With each passing year of your adolescence, you willed your body to take a curvier shape. You imagined yourself in tight little black dresses, tight little turtleneck sweaters, tight little skinny jeans with zippers at the ankles. You, however, lacked the appropriate form to fit into any of those things. Still you hoped. You did your bust-increasing exercises in the bathroom mirror. You made sure to sleep on your back or your side at night. You did step aerobics to round out your backside. You

even tried to trick your mom into ordering you Suzanne Somer’s Butt Master (LBX) while it was on sale with the ThighMaster Gold for a low, low price of $29.99. But you saw no results. You resigned yourself to being a bookworm nerd with no social life. A curious thing happened the summer just before your senior year of high school. As you drove from state to state in the backseat of your parents’ charcoal gray Hyundai Sonata touring college after college, you wore no bra. It was too hot. In June there was barely anything to lift anyway. In August, after visiting Oklahoma, Louisiana, Alabama, Georgia, Ohio, New York, Illinois and then crossing back to California, you changed. You emerged from the car a size zero with C cups. You became a babe. You started to feel more confident wearing your scoop neck t-shirts and your tailored striped slacks with the suspenders. You took your hardearned part time job money and you began to build your new wardrobe. You bought all the tight, little things you could find. So, here you are today in our college cafeteria. You have arrived at womanhood and no one else knows or understands what a trying journey it has

been. You know that it is rather risqué to dress this way while attending your classes but you don’t care. You are a special force and your body is your ally. You don’t have to get permission from your parents to wear anything like your buxom friends did in high school. You are a young adult with carte blanche to be as naked in public as you’d like. Go ahead. Take advantage of it. Do it now while you still can. While you can still eat anything you want and not have to spend a sweaty second in anyone’s gym. Do it before that next big summer of change. Before that summer of eating a steady diet of Jack-in-a-Box big cheeseburgers with that hot guy with the long curly hair. You will spend hours upon hours with this guy in the apartment he shares with his cousin smoking pot, having sex, playing RPG games on Xbox and making trips to the drive-through. Your body will continue to get curvier in a good way before starting to get rounder in a very bad way. Your boobs will get heavier. Your backside will get rounder. You will like this. No, you will love this. But then cellulite will begin to march its way up the back of your thighs. You will start to develop muffin-top. You think a larger size in pants will solve the problem. You won’t mind being a size four. But then the muffin-top will keep expanding and you will find yourself with a belly. No longer washboard abs. You’ll have a full-fledged pooch. You’ll be slower and less aerodynamic. You will begin to make more modest decisions in your apparel. You’ll give up midriff tops. You’ll hate low-rise jeans. You will appreciate tailored blazers and dresses with high waistlines. You will begin to realize the importance of earrings, necklaces and bracelets. You’ll restyle, cut, experiment with and recut your hair. You’ll do just about anything to draw attention away from your expanding midsection.

You will find yourself searching online for diet plans and exercise techniques. You’ll buy those stupid magazines at the supermarket checkout that promise to give you flat abs in 30 days. They won’t. You’ll practice portion control. Then you’ll find a recipe for pumpkin cheesecake and you will binge eat. You’ll feel guilty and return to your diet and P90x fitness regimen but eventually you will get used to the fact that you may end up being a size 10 just like your mom. My dear, one day you will be sitting in your college cafeteria as a graduate student pursuing an MFA in writing. You will see some undergrad prancing about the space wearing something completely inappropriate for the environment. You won’t judge her. You’ll smile. You’ll remember the folly of your youth and you’ll say a prayer for that girl. You’ll wish her well in her journey of self-discovery. You’ll hope that she appreciates her own mind and her beautiful body. You’ll defend her wardrobe choice against fellow classmates whispering behind upheld palms. Then you’ll write her a letter. Sincerely, Nikki 37