The Current - Jan. 12, 2012

THE CURRENT Your weekly dose of arts and entertainment • Thursday, January 12, 2012

This week we’re obsessed with...

REALITY TV

sweetspot

Evanston bistro finds new home Six years ago, the only thing Lorenzo Mascherini and James Watson were frosting was glass. The two first went into business together in 2006, designing linens and small household furniture items, but were quickly discouraged by friends and family members who voiced concerns about the sluggish housing market. After renting an Evanston storefront, the two discussed their prospects in the furniture market and decided to reassess their decision. “What can we do that people will enjoy all year round, no matter what the economic conditions are?” Watson said. “Food. Good food.” The next day, I Dream of Sweets was born and this past Monday, the bistro relocated to a bigger space at 824 Noyes St., just a half mile from campus. Now operating with a fully functional kitchen, Mascherini and Watson are able to offer Evanston a restaurant with a mix of travel and home. The dining area offers interior design reminiscent of your neighbor’s living room: creatively mismatched stools, chairs, tables and couches. The walls are lined with gleaming mirrors,

vintage radios and childhood games. While familiarity characterizes the feel of I Dream of Sweets, Mascherini and Watson mix it up by offering comfort food from faraway places you’ve only seen in coffee table books. The menu is a fusion of Southern comfort food andEuropean influences from the Florence-born Mascherini. It boasts delicacies like homemade sweet potato poundcake and baked mac and cheese. It’s a small operation with fewer than 10 employees; Mascherini and Watson do the most of the cooking themselves. And although neither of them attended culinary school, both are surethey learned all they needed to know from growing up watching their mothers in the kitchen. Mascherini and Watson are dedicated to their business, looking to offer the Evanston community a gathering place that feels like home. They spent months perfecting the décor, each piece specifically selected and arranged to create the most welcoming vibe. “We’re here several hours of the day,” Watson said. “So it needs to feel like home to us.” Leslie Luning and her four-year-old

THAT’S MY

JAM Patrick Schnettler

daughter, Jenet, snacked on a chocolate chip cookie while waiting for friends. “It’s great!” Luning said. “We really could use a place like this.” Although they had not visited the old location, Luning expressed her excitement about having a new option for ice cream. Over the next few months, Mascherini and Watson are planning to offer events to the community such as an exhibition by photographer Hugo Forte. As the discussion turned towards community outreach, the two became enthused with the prospects of live music, Monday night movies and Flamenco performances. They voiced dreams of the walls being covered with local artistry, not the uniform variations of brown seen in other coffee houses. Mascherini and Watson eventually realized their dreams, though the tools they used to get there changed from hammers and screwdrivers to pastry bags along the way. Hoping to become an integral place in the Evanston community, the two offer a piece of their home with each pastry from I Dream of Sweets. -Liz Steelman

McCormick junior Patrick Schnettler admits he may not be the most mediafriendly guy. Television has no place in his busy schedule. But the Interfraternity Council president-elect spared a few moments to share his love for ’90s bands and give his grandmother a shout-out on her latest book. Excerpts: THE CURRENT: What are three songs you’d put on a mix tape of your life right now? Patrick Schnettler: I’ve always been a huge Dispatch fan. I think “Bang Bang” would be an all-time favorite. They’re a ’90s band. All my favorite music is ’90s bands. It’s what I grew up with and I kind of stuck to that. I

INSIDE:

Jordan Cohen hits iTunes, Page 2

Learning the two outﬁt rule, Page 3

I sat down with my bracket and started filling it in. Who would make it to the end? Who would get cut early on? After a little research and a lot of guesswork, I had finally narrowed it down to one— the winner—the woman who would get the final rose, and most likely, a televised marriage proposal and gigantic Neil Lane engagement ring. Cleary, I’m not talking about March Madness or any other sports tournament. For me, the most interesting thing to predict on television is the outcome of reality shows. To be honest, “The Bachelor” brackets that my best friend and I filled out were made more in jest than as a sign that we believe that the series, now in its 16th season, can actually result in “true love.” But, week after week, we still watch it. Admitting that I watch “The Bachelor” (and a lot of the shows that I follow) is difficult at times, especially during the obligatory introductions at the beginning of almost every RTVF class I take. While some of my classmates are naming obscure, avant-garde or foreign films as their favorites in an effort to appear to have the most highbrow, refined taste (or maybe they’re just that cool), I’m thanking my lucky stars they don’t know about all my not-so-guilty pleasure reality television show addictions. Needless to say, there is a giant stigma attached to so-called lowbrow television. While I understand how ridiculous such shows can be, I think that they are still an important part of our culture. If 7.6 million people tuned in last week to watch MTV’s gang of glowing fist-pumpers on the fifth season premiere of “Jersey Shore,” that’s got to say something about our society, and there has to be a reason. While one could argue that the taste of average audiences has declined so much that only pure ridiculousness captures their attention, this

phenomenon can also offer a sort of insight into the human condition. Perhaps audiences enjoy watching absurd characters and over-the-top lifestyles because they serve as a sort of escape from mundane, everyday life. This quarter, I’m taking a class taught by RTVF assistant professor Max Dawson about reality television through the lens of the highly successful CBS hit “Survivor.” I can’t explain how excited I am to study a genre so underrepresented, especially in the academic world. I think that Professor Dawson, and the course in general, will really break some ground in the way students, and hopefully those outside Louis Hall 119, look at reality television. But from a purely non-intellectual standpoint, I love these reality shows simply because they depict the polar opposite of reality—both my reality and the reality of many others. Never in my life will I drink and party like the cast members of “Jersey Shore” or “The Real World.” Although it would doubtlessly be a life-changing experience, I’m much too content with heat, electricity and indoor plumbing to audition for a spot on “Survivor.” And thank goodness I don’t have to—I can experience these things vicariously through reality stars, observe their antics like some sort of poorly-designed psychology or sociology experiment and then go back to being me. Even bachelor Ben knows that reality television is not the same as real life. In the first episode of the latest season of “The Bachelor,” new bachelor Ben Flajnik mused, “I’ve never juggled 25 women” in his wannabe-sentimental, overly cheesy introduction. Really, Ben? Dating 25 women at the same time isn’t something you’re used to? Huh, that’s interesting.

think “Free Fallin’” by Tom Petty, it’s a classic, and “Semi-Charmed Life” by Third Eye Blind. It was stuck in my head all day.

obsessively check weather.com and I have absolutely no idea why I’m really concerned about what the weather’s going to be like at 2 a.m., but that is a habit of mine.

THE CURRENT: Last movies you saw that you loved or hated? PS: The last movie that I saw was The Muppets. It was kind of entertaining but at the same time, a complete waste of $10. My roommate made me watch A Clockwork Orange and it totally creeped me out. I’ve had nightmares ever since. THE CURRENT: Let’s talk about the Internet. Fill in the blank. If you got paid for browsing _______, you’d be a millionaire. PS: This is kind of funny. Weather.com. I

TV to tune into this season, Page 4

-Megan Patsavas

THE CURRENT: What is the last book you read that wasn’t for class? PS: The last one I read was my grandmother’s book, Reaching for Venus by Mary Schnettler. She uses a lot of family stuff to inspire her stories and her characters, so it’s interesting. There isn’t a character based on me or my uncle but it’s a mesh of people. That’s the way she explained it to me, and I saw that as well. -Colleen Park

“Fuck You, I Love You, Bye...” Page 4

Page 2 | The Current

Diversions &

Excursions Evanston Event: The Human Resources Manager Where: Evanston Public Library Community Meeting Room When: Monday, Jan. 16 from 7:00-8:45 p.m. Check out The Human Resources Manager, a 104-minute film in Hebrew, Romanian and English with English subtitles, is Israel’s official entry for the 2011 Academy Awards Best Foreign Film category. Chicago Event: Refinery29 Street Style Open Call Photo Shoot Where: The fountain at Wicker Park When: Sunday, Jan. 15 from 12:00-2:00 p.m. Put together your chicest winter ensemble, practice your signature pose and head to a free photo shoot with Refinery29 photographer Amy Creyer this weekend. Your picture could even end up in an upcoming story on how Chicago stays stylish in the winter.

Q &A

Few of us rang in the New Year with our own single on iTunes, but Weinberg freshman Jordan Cohen spent his break producing original music in his basement studio. Known by his moniker Jordan Henry, Cohen dropped his single “Cloudy Without a Chance” on iTunes last week. He talked to The Current about the experience of recording and making music as a typical college student. Excerpts: THE CURRENT: How did you come up with “Cloudy Without a Chance?”

Weinberg ’15, Musician Jordan Cohen: I just sang it one night. Later, I was babysitting and saw Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs, and I felt really stupid, and I thought, “Why isn’t my song in this movie?” THE CURRENT: What influences your music most? JC: Depends on the type of music. What I put out was inspired a lot by James Morrison. He has that kind of raspy tonality and he puts a lot of heart and soul into his music.

On Campus Event: Malaria No More Benefit Concert Where: McCormick Auditorium in Norris When: Thursday, Jan. 12 at 7:00 p.m. Come check out the Malaria No More Benefit Concert sponsored by the NU American Red Cross. Featured performers will include Brown Sugar, ReFresH, and Mee-Ow!

The Bienen School of Music faculty and guests will perform famous chamber pieces by Martinu, Respighi, and Beethoven this Friday. Student tickets are only $10! -Genna Krecicki

5

words for...

Jordan Cohen

-Chelsea Peng

Event: Winter Chamber Music Faculty Festival Where: Pick-Staiger Concert Hall, 50 Arts Circle Dr. When: Friday, Jan. 13 at 7:30 p.m.

Thursday, January 12, 2012

Odds & Ends

THE CURRENT: Take me through the process of writing a song. JC: I don’t spend a lot of time, actually. “Cloudy Without a Chance” only took about an hour to write. I think mistakes are part of the music, so I like only doing one take, and things like that. Sometimes when I’m lying in bed, I just think of things, and when I do, I sing it into my iPhone recorder and I remember it. Then I lay it down, fiddle around with chords with the guitar and piano. Then I start recording with drums for timing. THE CURRENT: What inspires you to write? JC: Girls are very easy to write about. Every time something begins or ends there’s something to write. Maybe because

YOUR TWO

CENTS Compiled by Brian Lasman

The Current Editor in Chief Megan Patsavas

it’s what we truly think about. In case you couldn’t tell, I don’t think too much about my music. I just kind of rhyme and go. THE CURRENT: What made you decide to actually record something? JC: I kind of got into recording because me and my friends decided to make a rap video, which I produced, and I sang the hook. One of my friends said, “Hey, you’re kind of good at that,” but I really didn’t like my voice. The first song I recorded was for a girl, actually, and my friend put me in front of a huge crowd and threatened me so I would sing it. THE CURRENT: Did that pan out for you? JC: It led to a year-long relationship, so yeah, it did. THE CURRENT: Who are your biggest advocates? JC: My friends have been pretty good about spreading the word. They bought it. I didn’t tell them to or anything, but they bought it. My good friend Eric Schoenbach has been really great too. He was the one that threatened me until I brought my instruments to campus. I don’t know why so much of my music starts from me being threatened. THE CURRENT: What are your plans for the future? JC: I hope to drop my album, All the Roses, before the end of the year, maybe by the end of summer when I’ve had some time. I’m thinking it might be a pretty eclectic album: a little acoustic, vocal, maybe some of the remix stuff I do. Everything. “Cloudy Without a Chance” is available on iTunes. Find out more about Jordan Henry’s music at jordanhc. com. -Simone Alicea

Annalynne McCord Compiled by Megan Patsavas AnnaLynne McCord, the “90210” star who showed off a little more than her necklace on Twitter. The Daily and The Current staffers respond: “Only accident is her fame.” -Shelly Tan “A necklace isn’t a top.” -Allison Lasher “So... Beyoncé had her baby.” -Liz Steelman “At least she Instagramed it.” -Elyse Roth “Nine o two one NO.” -Kathryn Vogt “Does ‘Weiner’ ring a bell?” -Derrick Clifton “Showing off the family jewels?” -Jillian Sandler “Re-teated that one. Er, re-TWEETED.” -Ashley Fetters “Did you say TwitPic or TitPic?” -Jacqueline Andriakos “She meant to do that.” -Josh Walfish “Brett Farve says nice work.” -Sean McQuade “Let’s just rename it ‘Titter.’” -Samantha Caiola “Who posts almost-nude photos anyway?” -Britta Hanson

What will Beyoncé and Jay-Z’s baby’s first word(s) be?

“I’m a single lady.” -Anna Shanggua, Weinberg ‘15

“Fierce.” -Andrew Abtahi, Weinberg ‘14

What is the worst part about this abnormally warm weather?

“We can’t complain about it as much.” -Paul Green, McCormick ‘15

“I grew out my winter beard for this.” -Eric Meszaros-Jones, Weinberg ‘14

Assistant Editors Jacqueline Andriakos Colleen Park

Design Editor Tanner Maxwell

Assistant Design Editor Alice Liu

twit picks Compiled by Margaret Kadifa

@laurasverchek: can’t seem to do anything productive.. it’s still break right? #indenial (Jan. 4)

@andsilv: On the train with my professor creepin on her lecture notes #pleasenoquiztoday (Jan. 6)

@MattBellassai: You know you’ve created a scene in lecture when you’ve showered an entire row with a venti Starbucks. But it’s ok, I charged them each $2.25 (Jan. 5)

@MHernandez13: That awkward moment when you put too much wasabi on your sushi and end up crying in the middle of @norriscenter. It was really good, though! (Jan. 8)

@FakeMorty: Northwestern is proud to announce the new NU Really Shallow Swimming Pool on the Norris Lawn (Jan. 6)

@AlexNitkin: As someone who holds grammar sacred, misplaced modifiers really bother me. @ APStylebook #HellYeah201-1 (Jan. 8)

Thursday, January 12, 2012

the back burner amber gibson

Healthy eats for 2012 Your New Year’s resolution to eat healthier may have already gone bust during Sunday’s dining hall hot cookie bar. If it hasn’t, I’m impressed with your self-discipline. However, just because you have one gluttonous day does not mean the rest of the year is lost. You can definitely make healthy dining choices, even when eating out, without sacrificing taste. In Chicago and Evanston, restaurants like Union Sushi, Hota, and yes, Edzo’s Burger Shop, can help you ease the guilt of that cookie binge. If you’re out for sushi at Union Sushi + Barbecue Bar (230 W Erie St., Chicago), try black instead of white rice in your maki roll. There’s a dollar upcharge per roll, but it’s totally worth it. Black rice doesn’t quite have the nutty

sexy, can I? felicity amethyst

Timing is everything One of sex’s eternal questions is “when?” When is the right time to spread your legs or let someone travel all the way down the goodie trail? When will be the exact perfect moment-- with too soon putting you in the hook up zone and too late being, well, not a lot of fun. It can be a pretty

I’d App That Name: Simplenote Developer: Codality Price: Free Requirements: Compatible with iPhone, iPod touch, and iPad. Requires iOS 3.0 or later Released: Feb. 28, 2011 Category: Productivity Sometimes taking notes on your iPhone isn’t the easiest task, but Simplenote helps streamline the process. The best part of Simplenote is that your notes automatically synchronize with your computer and other iOS devices with its over-the-air syncing feature. It also allows you to customize your notes with tags like ‘to do,’ ‘journal,’ and ‘blog.’ So the next time you have stuff to remember, you can simply write it in your Simplenote! -Yoona Ha

The Current | Page 3

Columns

taste of brown rice, but it’s firmer than white rice. At Union, Chef Chao cooks his black rice with a little vinegar to enhance the flavor. With fewer calories and carbohydrates and more protein, fiber and antioxidants, black rice wins easily in nutrition. In my none-tooscientific taste test, black rice tasted better too. Here, flavor and health go hand-in-hand. Evanston sushi joints like Koi, Kansaku and Sashimi Sashimi don’t offer black rice yet, so you’ll have to head to Union in River North. Newly-opened Hota (2545 Prairie Ave., Evanston), which used to be Jacky’s on Prairie, offers healthy gourmet dining at a college price point. The priciest lunch entree is steak with arugula at $16. I’ve got my eye on the barramundi with a cured lemon-tahini sauce and couscous-chickpea salad ($14). Sandwiches, including the Mediterraneo ($11) with oyster mushrooms, smoked squash, fresh mozzarella and parsleyoregano salsa, are served on either a Bennison’s baguette or sourdough that Chef Jonadab Silva makes himself. Silva says he carefully considers the nutritional content of all his dishes, trying to craft a well-rounded meal full of flavor.

You’ll eat well at Hota, but not at the expense of your waistline or wallet. You can even find healthful items in the least likely of places. Take my perennial favorite, Edzo’s Burger Shop (1571 Sherman Ave., Evanston). Sure, I generally get an eight ounce charburger, truffle fries and a milkshake, but did you know that Edzo’s serves up a really tasty portobello burger ($4.79) too? Skip the bland Morningstar veggie patty for marinated portobello cap

topped with roasted peppers, onions and a little herb mayo. You can even ask Eddie to hold the mayo if you must. Granted, going to Edzo’s with the objective of eating a healthy lowcalorie meal is a little like handing your AmEx black card to a shopaholic with instructions to window shop. So not happening. I’m not suggesting you go in with the goal of eating healthy, but for those with more will power than me, it is possible.

stressful decision. The expansive array of made-up rules that we let mandate when is the right time to finally go all the way is absurd: seven dates, two months after your first kiss, a week after you become exclusive, yadda yadda yadda. Look, I get it. It’s easy to fall into these hard and fast rules because they take out the guess work. When you’re working from a formula, everything becomes a little bit easier. That’s true, unless it’s four years ago and you’re me in a high school honors physics class. But, so what if it’s been three months and you still aren’t ready to do the deed? And what exactly do you think

will happen if instead of a seventh date at a miniature golf course, your seventh date is spent banging on the bathroom floor, Shaggy style? What we’ve got to come to terms with is there is no one-size-fits-all way to decode the exact right moment to get it on. By using the same tired old rules of conduct, we take the thought out of making an important decision. And by important, I don’t mean it’s pivotal or profound, necessarily. I’m not saying that your decision to smang it needs to be a huge deal; it just holds some weight. If not emotionally, then maybe for your body, or maybe for your partner. If we’re not looking at each person,

each relationship, each moment in time on its own and giving it the specific thought it deserves, we take away what makes the decision personal. Like sure, dessert comes after dinner. But what if it’s 4 p.m. and you’re passing by Andy’s Custard and all you really want is to guzzle some hot fudgey goodness? We cannot leave our lives, sexual or otherwise, to arbitrary, impersonal rules that pigeon-hole us into making decisions that might not actually be right for us. We have to look into ourselves to know whether we should take the plunge, whether it’s time to get down or time to go home. So, when the time feels right, get laid, Wildcats.

in March 2011, so it’s extremely likely that we’ll see Apple’s new iPad in a few months. Apple’s modus operandi with these annual updates seems to be focusing on gradual improvements rather than revolutionary changes, so the iPad 3 will presumably feature an improvement in processor power and storage capacity. The iPad 2 will likely be made much cheaper to compete more directly with competitors such as the Kindle Fire. 3. Wii U. Nintendo’s strange, sortatablet-based next generation console is expected to be released in the second half of 2012. Its most exciting new feature is its controller, which has a 6.2 inch touch screen on a motion-sensing, tablet-like body. Only one of these controllers can be used at a time on the Wii U and apparently whatever game you’re playing can be streamed straight to the controller’s screen, allowing users to view additional information about the game they’re playing. Nintendo plans on allowing its fans to use their Wiimotes and 3DSs as controllers as well, because why not? The console itself looks to be

technically on par with the Xbox 360 and Playstation 3. More information should be available in a few days during CES 2012. 4. Android updates galore. While Apple fans await the newest version of the iPhone, Android fans will likely be basking in a plethora of quickly-obsolete upgrades. Analysts expect quad-core tablets and phones to be released in 2012, which will be blazingly fast and probably have a battery life of several minutes. Expect Ice Cream Sandwich, the delicious and newest version of the Android OS, to be available on most phones and tablets this year. 5. Super energy-efficient OLED TVs. While these already exist, expect to see a lot of companies showing off their larger, longer-lasting and cheaper OLED TVs this year at CES. OLEDs, which use organic compounds to emit light, have much deeper blacks and are generally brighter than LCD screens. At the same time, this technology is much more energy-efficient and considerably less useless than 3DTVs.

technically speaking richie hoffman

2012, looking forward 2012 promises to be a landmark year in consumer electronics. As last year’s (or last month’s) generation of devices become obsolete, here are a few updates to watch out for: 1. The iPhone 5. Following Apple’s established updated pattern of new iPhone, modified version of that iPhone, and then newer iPhone, we’re probably going to see the iPhone 5 and it’s probably going to be on shelves this autumn or next winter. Safe bets for new features include 4G data and NFC, which will allow you to forego credit cards and use your phone to make transactions, really simplifying things for muggers. 2. The iPad 3. The iPad 2 came out

hits&misses Beyoncé and Jay-Z’s first child, a baby girl, was born this Saturday. In true celebrity fashion, the couple chose an original name, Blue Ivy. Rumor has it Blue is for Jay-Z’s Blueprint albums and Ivy stands

clothes lines elyse roth

The two outfit rule

for IV, the Roman numeral and the couple’s favorite number. Their daughter’s career has already begun; her cries are featured on the track of JayZ’s new song “Glory.” Kate Middleton celebrated her 30th birthday this Monday with a celebratory dinner with family and close friends.

Zooey Deschanel ended 2011 filing for

divorce from husband Ben Gibbard (the frontman of Death Cab for Cutie) and soon after a posting of a cute song about New Year’s Eve with Joseph Gordon-Levitt on Youtube. Let the dating speculations begin. Never ones to miss a chance to make money and steal the limelight, Kim, Khloe and Kourtney Kardashian will be made into limited-edition Barbie dolls dressed in apparel from their store, Dash. Russell Brand and Katy Perry are divorcing after 14 months of marriage, reportedly because

Ah, shopping. Coming out of the holiday season, it’s not something most people want to think about, let alone do. But as the horror of frantic bargain hunters and inhumane crowds wears off, most of us will venture back out into the retail world all too soon. Now that it’s January, we’re seeing bright, new “resort” or “prespring” collections on the floors of our favorite stores. So just as you’re getting settled into your knee-length-or-longer parka, the sartorial gods begin taunting you with warm weather brights and you’re obviously going to want to shop. I’m not here to discourage some retail therapy when winter blues and too many layers (and not the good kind) get you down. I’m here to help. Too often, by the time it’s warm enough to wear the perfect spring piece you bought in the dead of winter, it’s been shoved into the wardrobe coffin, tags and all. Well, I have the perfect solution for your purchasing woes and it’s more useful than your credit card on any shopping trip you make: it’s the two outfit rule. Next time you find yourself in the fluorescence of a store with purchase potential, stop before you pick up that cute item you just have to have, and think. Picture that item, whatever it may be, with two different combinations of clothes you already have in your closet. This insures that you will have something to wear it with (without spending any extra money). If you buy it, you won’t get bored because you have more than one way to wear it. “Dangers” abound when you buy an item with an outfit of other items you have yet to buy in mind—what if those other items don’t exist? Imagining a potential buy with clothes you already own will give you ways to remix your wardrobe and will save you from spending money only to send your not de-tagged item of clothing to the closet morgue. As an additional tip, be creative with your two outfit imagination. If I’m buying a top, I often try to think of a day outfit and a night outfit to maximize the occasions for the shirt. You can also imagine a seasonal transition, which will be helpful when buying spring clothes in January. How can you wear your new buy before it’s as warm as the happy people playing in the catalogs wearing whatever you just bought? If you take this into account,, you’ll get more wear out of something you’re loving right now for the price. As someone who can never pack a suitcase under the 50 pound limit, I’ve found that when you employ the two outfit rule, you’ll never look with disdain at your wardrobe and whine about having nothing to wear. You also won’t stare longingly at a new item of clothing, willing the lifeless garment to automatically inspire the rest of an impeccable ensemble.

their personalities are too opposite. The real surprise is how long their marriage lasted. But, any couple can brag after the Kim and Kris Humphries marriage ordeal. AnnaLynne McCord of “90210” “accidentally” posted a topless photo of herself to Twitter, which was apparently taken to show off a new necklace. We understand, because everyone totally takes pictures of their new jewelry with no shirt on. -Iman Childs