Fall Fest 2015 3 Starbucks’ Secret Menu
4 Renaissance Festival
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6 Fall travel
10 Top 10 Halloween movies 12 Local fall festivals 17 Blood moon 20 Fall fitness Follow us on social media
21 Fall beauty products
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A NINER TIMES PUBLICATION Editor-in-Chief
WRITERS AND CONTRIBUTORS
CIRCULATION TEAM
Creative Director
John Lineberger, Angie Baquedano, Hunter Heilman, Leanna Pough, Indira Eskieva, Candice Kelly, Kristen Cheatam
Student Union Loading Dock Team
Jordan Snyder Andrew Hocutt Marketing Director
Tia Warren, Ashley Lyons, David Mendez, Darrell Hayden Jr.
Matt Lorenz Niner Media Adviser: Wayne Maikranz
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MARKETING AND SALES
Marketing Adviser: Kelly Merges
Business Manager: Laurie Cuddy
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Graphics & Production: Megan Van Emmerik
Office Manager: Mark Haire
STARBUCKS’ SECRET MENU FALL IN A CUP LATTE john lineberger Lifestyle Editor
In celebration of Fall Fest, I scoured the secret menu this week looking for a good drink that symbolized the fall season. It wasn’t very hard, because within the first few moments I came across this little creation called the “Fall in a Cup Latte.” Being the pumpkin spice lover that I am and seeing that this drink uses it as a base, I knew immediately that this is what I was looking for. I headed upstairs to Starbucks, gave them my order and tried it out. Here’s the recipe: -Pumpkin Spice Latte -Add Caramel Syrup (1.5 Pumps Tall, 2 Pumps Grande, 2.5 Pumps Venti) -Add Chai Syrup (1 Pumps Tall, 1.5 Pumps Grande, 2 Pumps Venti) -Top with whip cream, pumpkin powder and caramel drizzle I have to say that, although this thing is expensive, it is really, really delicious. I know that pumpkin “spice” entails that the drink is going to have a kick to it, but I’ve never really noticed it before now. Adding in that chai syrup takes the PSL to a new level of spice and warmth for me, and without losing much of that staple pumpkin flavor. The caramel is a nice addition, but I didn’t really get to taste it until near the end of the drink, probably because it had settled and the spice flavor was too overwhelming. In the future, stirring this drink before tasting may get all of the flavors balanced out for a better experience. I am definitely going to suggest trying this drink if you have some extra money to
Photo by John Lineberger
splurge with. It will cost you $4.95 for a tall and $6.12 for a grande, so you can expect to be spending more than normal. So, if this drink interested you, go try it! If not, come back next time and we’ll have another item off of Starbucks’ secret menu that may be more to your liking.
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welcome to the renaissance festival john lineberger Lifestyle Editor
October has struck again, and that means the Carolina Renaissance Festival is back for its annual month long festivities from Saturday, Oct. 3 to Sunday, Nov. 22. The Carolina Renaissance Festival is a medieval amusement park featuring 12 theatre stages, over 100 arts and craft shops and demonstrations, games, a jousting tournament, music and tons of medieval themed food. It is an enormous event every year, pulling in thousands of people from North Carolina and neighboring states— so much so that the grounds have been increased by five acres this year to compensate for the ever growing crowd. Here’s a breakdown of the festival’s main attractions:
THEATRE All around the grounds you will find theatre stages set up with a constantly rotating schedule of performances. The Carolina Renaissance Festival provides a wide array of shows for comedy, sword swallowing, acrobatics, sword fighting, pirate shenanigans and old tales. The most popular performance is the Tortuga Photo courtesy of Carolina Renaissance Festival 2015 4
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Twins, a group of male comedians, but beware— their show is specified for adults. It may contain content unsuitable for children. My personal recommendation is Barely Balanced. They are a trio of hilarious acrobats that attempt dazzling stunts and charm the audience with their free flowing jokes and cracks at one another. If you stay for their final show of the day then you even get to see them do all of their stunts while juggling fire. You can also catch Jamila Lotus at the top of every hour starting at noon. She performs music, dance and amazing aerial acrobatics using a long veil that hangs above her.
with a pickpocket to drink, which is half lemonade and half iced tea, then head over to get the sausage on a stick. Sounds like a weird breakfast combo, but both are delicious and food that I only ever get to have when I’m there. For lunch, I tend to go with the beef stew bread bowl, but the giant turkey legs or the fish and chips are solid options as well. As we leave at the end of the day, there is a bakery near the entrance to the festival that serves amazing cheesecake that we get on our way out.
SHOPS AND BOOTHS
The jousting tournament is a three-part event taking place at noon, 2:30 and 4:15. Depending on which side of the stands you sit on, you’ll be given a knight to root for as they compete against the other knights in jousting games with an over-arching storyline that culminates in part three. The jousting tournament is probably the biggest event of the festival. It attracts huge crowds of people and is filled with energy as each side cheers for their respective knight. You can even buy flags and shields with your knight’s colors on them to show support for the event. If you want to attend this year, tickets are $23 for adults, $11 for kids ages 5-12, and free for children under the age of 5. They also offer discounts to senior citizens over the age of 60 and military veterans. Parking is free. On a last note, the weekend that you decide to go is important. Each week is themed. There are weekends for Celtic music, pirate’s Christmas, Halloween, Brewfest and several more. Be sure to check out their website at Carolina.renfestinfo.com to see all of the themed weekends and look through everything else that the Carolina Renaissance has to offer.
There are tons, and I mean tons, of shops everywhere throughout the festival. A lot of newcomers to the festival get lost in this. They spend all day browsing through the rows and rows of pottery, ceramics, jewelry, clothing, weapons, accessories and more, and never even get around to seeing the shows. You can even get services like a massage, henna tattoo, photographs and hair braiding. My favorites for this are Pearl’s Revenge, a pirate clothing store, Argenti Jewelry, a silver and gold jewelry store and Pepi Puzzle Rings and Pewter, a puzzle ring store. Don’t let the abundance of stores intimidate you though— the event lasts seven and a half hours, giving you ample time to browse through everything and still catch a few of the performances you were looking forward to.
FOOD There’s so much of it, and it’s all amazing. The Carolina Renaissance festival serves a wide variety of food and drinks. You’ve got your giant turkey legs, sausage on a stick and bread bowl soups. Even for those that are not into the themed food, they also serve things like fish, pizza, salads and french fries. Plus beer, lots of beer. When I go every year, I like to start out
JOUSTING TOURNAMENT
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Fall travel destination: stone mountain, Ga.
Photo courtesy of Angie Baquedano
angie baquedano Intern
Breathe in—breathe out. Do you smell that? That particular smell, that pumpkin spice, apple pie, “I can’t wait for Thanksgiving” smell. Fall is finally upon us ladies and gents! This is by far my favorite season and, for anyone who knows me, this comes as the ultimate shock since I did most of my growing up in the beautiful city of Wilmington as a Wrightsville Beach Local. Summer should be my favorite season, right? Nope! Fall is where it’s at— sure you cannot exactly spend the day swimming your worries away at the beach during this time but that is what nature gave us mountains for! Before I moved to Wilmington, I lived in the beautiful state of Georgia, about thirty minutes away from the beautiful and now a top-hiking destination of Stone Mountain Park. As a child I practically lived hiking up the world’s largest exposed granite monolith, Stone Mountain. About two weekends ago when fall was beginning to set in, I traveled back home, and you better believe my GPS was set straight to Stone Mountain. 6
The park is three and a half hours away from campus, which for me is nothing because Wilmington is the same except in the opposite direction. I urge everyone to pack his or her bags, wake up early and kick off that Carolina Tar for some good old Georgia clay. Fall is the perfect time to adventure out to Stone Mountain, especially with their annual Pumpkin Festival! Fall weather is perfect for hiking and there just so happens that Stone Mountain has five hiking trails throughout the park and a walk-up trail to the top. It is a mile long and entirely doable. The five other trails have their unique traits— for example, there is the Songbird Habitat trail that is excellent for bird-watching as the name suggests. When I went back home two weeks ago, I opted for the mile walk up path, and I have got to say the hike was absolutely worth it. It was a bit cloudy on the day that I went but on a clear, haze-free day you can see 60 miles out from the top. It’s stunning, not too crowded, but not too empty which is nice for safety
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reasons and just personal enjoyment. There is also the Summit Skyride at the top of the mountain, which is just a tram that can take you down or bring you up, for those not too fond of conjuring up a sweat. If fishing is your calling, look no further. What’s a gorgeous mountain without an enormous lake to match it? There you can spend from 6 a.m. to midnight catching bass, our notorious catfishes and many others. Heed my warning— the catfish may not be a Georgia local, but it sure puts up a fight like one. Wear your life jacket; you are in for a ride. There is an endless amount of things to do at Stone Mountain Park. You can check out the museum where you will learn fun facts such as that the Centennial Summer Olympics were held at the park in July 1996. You can also go through the gift shops at both the top and bottom of the mountain, ride the train around the mountain, play on the eighteenhole golf course or even just bask in the sunshine while breathing in the refreshing Georgia air.
Also surrounding the park is the historic Stone Mountain Village, a cute little town next to the mountain in which people live at. Here you will find the best fudge, vintage items and smoothies you’ll ever come across. I cannot express how wonderful of an experience it is to visit Stone Mountain. And for you avid Instagrammers –-I got a killer picture at the summit. Also make sure to stick around for the fabulous laser light show, which is an Atlanta tradition and it’s FREE. The show begins at 8:30 p.m. and it has been completely revamped with fire effects. I have not been able to check out the updated version, but I hear it’s breathtaking and this will be going on until the end of October. Stone Mountain is a Georgia Gem that should never be overlooked. If you’re wanting a weekend getaway but don’t know where to go, please take my advice—pack up a sweater, some good hiking shoes, a cup of apple cider and venture on into peach territory. I promise you will not regret it.
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top 10
movies for halloween hunter heilman Asst. A&E Editor
It’s that time of year again. To help prepare for the big night, here’s a list of the top 10 best and most iconic horror films for Oct. 31. Not all of these are masterpieces, some are, but without some of these movies, Halloween just wouldn’t be the same. 10. “It Follows” (2015) The most recent film on this list, “It Follows” is a stylish throwback to the classic ‘80s style of horror filmmaking while staying fresh, original, subtle and terrifying. 9. “A Nightmare on Elm Street” (1984) A classic in every sense of the word, the late, great Wes Craven crafted one of the most iconic horror film villains of all time, Freddy Krueger, in this charming, clever, yet ultimately riotously scary low-budget slasher. 8. “The Cabin in the Woods” (2012) Want some laughs with your scares? How about epic world-building? Look no further than “The Cabin in the Woods.” Taking the typical slasher film and turning it on its head 1000 times over, it’s better to experience the film for yourself. The less you know, the better. 7. “Silent Hill” (2006) The most thematically resonant film on this list, “Silent Hill” is not only a terrifyingly effective horror film, but is beautifully poetic and emotionally engaging. As a dramatic endeavor, “Silent Hill” is the best that horror gets. Photo courtesy of Vortex 10
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6. “Carrie” (1976) My favorite film on the list, “Carrie” serves more as a disturbing character study than that of a straightforward horror film, but to say that the prom finale of “Carrie” isn’t horrifyingly jarring would be a complete understatement. 5. “The Descent” (2005) It’s not often you see a horror film consisting primarily of female characters. It’s also not often that you see a film as violently tense as “The Descent.” Probably the best horror film of the 21st century, “The Descent” might not have icon status, but it certainly deserves it. 4. “The Texas Chain Saw Massacre” (1974) Shocking for its time, shocking in 2015. “The Texas Chain Saw Massacre” was a trailblazing horror film that was a rare commodity in it being both incredibly violent and incredibly scary, something that is not often seen today, not in its 2003 remake and especially not in its 2013 “sequel,” “Texas Chainsaw 3D.” 3. “Saw” (2004) A staple of my childhood that I stayed away from until later, the “Saw” series was one of the most consistent horror series of its time, with a new release every Halloween from 2004 to 2010. While the later films focused far more on the elaborate torture traps than that of any real thrills, James Wan’s 2004 original is a raw and harrowing look at human desperation. 2. “Friday the 13th” (1980) The original “killer in the woods” film, the first series in the “Friday the 13th” series might not include the titular Jason Voorhees character, but the iconic nature of this series and each iconic kill scene paved the way for many future horror films. Pay your respects here. 1. “Halloween” (1978) How could this not be the No. 1 choice for best Halloween horror film; it’s literally called “Halloween.” Luckily, John Caprenter’s low-budget slasher flick rests on its tense, suburban atmosphere over its kill scenes, creating a sense of uneasiness in its pedestrian setting on the titular pedestrian holiday, changing how we see Oct. 31 forever. Photo courtesy of New Line Cinema
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LOCAL FESTIVALS TO BRING IN THE SEASON
Breakin’ Convention. Photo by Paul Hampartsoumian
Leanna pough A&E Editor
Breakin’ Convention Street Jam Blumenthal Perfomance Arts presents Sadler Wells Theatre’s Breakin’ Convention, the largest hip-hop theatre festival in the United Kingdom. The international festival features performances by Charlotte and international hip-hop stars. WHEN: Oct. 9-10 WHERE: Levine Center for the Arts COST: Prices start at $19.50
Carolina Renaissance Festival History comes alive at the annual 16th century style festival of the Carolinas. With six acres of fun, there is something for everyone. Enjoy jousting knights on horseback while feasting like a king. Live comedy, music, dance and more! Time travel to the artisan market place for unique souvenirs; handmade candles, jewelry and 12
leather work, one of a kind gifts from the days of Camelot. WHEN: Saturdays and Sundays, Oct. 3Nov. 2 WHERE: 16445 Poplar Tent Road Huntersville, NC COST: $23
2015 International Festival UNC Charlotte hosts its 40th annual International Festival. The event includes art, crafts costumes, a colorful marketplace and international cuisine to represent the cultures of over 50 nations. Indoor and outdoor stages feature music and dance from various countries. Afterwards, attendees are invited to enjoy fireworks from 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. WHEN: Oct 17 10a.m. to 6p.m. WHERE: Jame H. Barnhardt Student Activity Center
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COST: Free Admission and Parking
Latin American Festival The Latin American Coalition celebrates its 25th Latino Americano Festival, a true cultural experience. Its Rumba stage features Latin rock, salsa, pop and the talents of local and international artists. This year highlights acts like, Panteon Rococo, Ana Tijoux and Diana Fuentes. Experience the diversity of Latin American culture through food, performance arts and handmade crafts. WHEN: Oct. 10th (4-10 p.m.) and Oct. 11 (12-8 p.m.) WHERE: Symphony Park at South Park Mall, 4400 Sharon Road, Charlotte
COST: 1 day pass $10 / 2 day pass $15 / Children 10 & under are free.
Geek Gala Charlotte Geeks’ annual charity event is the geekiest Halloween party in the Carolinas. The gala includes Gameday, Gala Quest and a short film festival –good fun for a great cause. This year benefits the Children’s Home Society of North Carolina. Be ready to monster mash and thriller! Special guest performers and the schedule of films will be announced soon. WHEN: October 24 WHERE: The Big Chill -911 E Morehead St. COST: $32.50
Latino Americano Festival. Photo courtesy of the Coalición Latinoamericana A Niner Times Publication
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BLOOD MOON LOOMS OVER WORLD EXCEPT CHARLOTTE
Photo courtesy of Tribune News Service
indira eskieva Intern
Starting early last week, many Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram users were excitedly awaiting Sept. 27. For researchers, this date was important for its scientific significance. Most of Earth’s population; however, was looking forward to seeing an especially large, scarlet moon. Scientifically known as the harvest moon, or super moon, this rare phenomenon occurs when the sun, Earth, and moon line up almost perfectly to form a super moon total lunar eclipse. The super moon that was visible to most of America on Sunday night was part of a lunar tetrad – a series of four total eclipses. Another name for the super moon is the super blood moon. Although the term blood moon originated from Biblical prophesies, in recent years it has become the mainstream way to describe a super moon. Scientists predicted that the super blood moon would be visible at 10:11 p.m. on Sunday until 11:23 p.m. Many Charlotte residents were disappointed to find that due to the overcast clouds and rainy weather, the super blood moon was not visible in the Queen City. The official Twitter account for the city of
Charlotte @CLTgov tweeted late Sunday night, “No #SuperBloodMoon for #CLT.” “I stayed hopeful up until midnight that I would be able to see [the super blood moon], but eventually I gave up and had to go back inside,” said photographer and Charlotte resident Casey Washington. The upside for many was that even if they were not able to see the super blood moon in person, they were able to look at pictures of it live from around the globe. NASA TV had live coverage of the super blood moon streaming on their website. Later that night and early Monday morning, other parts of the country boasted the photos they were able to take of the super blood moon on social media sites. Many comedic accounts used the super blood moon as an opportunity to tease people’s photography skills. Even celebrities shared their photos, comments and opinions. It was a unique sight for stargazers and astronomy devotees, but Charlotte residents should not lose their hope of seeing an enlarged, red moon just yet; the next super blood moon is expected to occur in 2033.
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Fall into fitness candice kelly Intern
Autumn is the time of year when many people let their health fall to the wayside. A lot of us have too much pumpkin spice on the brain to realize that as the weather gets cooler, stomachs get bigger. Stores have started stocking their shelves with candy corn and mini snickers, and the pumpkin themed sweets can be overwhelmingly tempting. But making your sweet tooth happy can leave your body feeling tired and neglected. There are a few simple ways that you can be more conscious of what you eat and how it affects your body. The biggest hurdle in maintaining a healthy lifestyle is not what you eat, but rather how much you eat. Portion size is a critical component that many weight loss plans and fad diets neglect to mention. If your usual diet consists of two double cheeseburgers and a large fry, try switching to a single burger and a small fry. You will eat less calories and not feel that tired, sluggish feeling that accompanies an overstuffed stomach. When you make a conscious effort to pay attention to how much you eat, it helps avoid overeating. Overeating usually happens when people aren’t aware of proper portion sizes. For example, most people grab some chips and dive straight into the bag. After an hour of TV you may find that half of the bag is gone. It’s hard to know you’ve had enough when you have nothing to limit your consumption. Nutritionists suggest separating foods that come in large packages into individual serving sizes to avoid the TV binge. Another trick to beating the fall fatness is substituting. Swap out ice cream for frozen yogurt, exchange pizza for a panini. There are tons of resources available that offer more nutritious food options. By making simple changes, you can have the flavors you love without all the calories. But substituting doesn’t mean getting rid of your tasty treats 20
forever. A lot of us make the mistake of saying “I’m on a diet, I can’t eat cake for three months.” If you make certain foods forbidden, you are more likely to crave them and stray from your meal plan. When you have cravings, it’s okay to indulge once in a while. Eat that slice of cake, just don’t have any ice cream with it. Skipping meals is another mistake many people make in the name of being healthier. When you don’t have a consistent eating pattern throughout the day, your body goes into starvation mode, storing the fats and calories in fear that it will be a long time until you get another meal. This process slows down your metabolism—causing you to gain weight faster than if you were to eat more frequently. Skipping meals also makes you feel hungrier and increases your chances of overeating. It’s better to have 4-6 small meals a day than to skip lunch and have a huge dinner. Any diet plan that guarantees visible results within two weeks or less is a scam. Sure, you may lose 5 pounds, but as soon as you go back to your regular lifestyle, you’re likely to gain the weight back plus a few extra pounds. The problem with fad diets is that they focus on losing water weight, which reduces bloating, but doesn’t burn any fat. This may work fine if you want to drop a few pounds for a special occasion with a quick turn around, but if your goal is a slimmer, healthier you, it’s worth investing in a more extensive meal plan. The average weight loss is one to two pounds per week through balanced meals and 30 minutes of daily physical activity. Even if you aren’t trying to lose weight, having a more health conscious lifestyle has tons of medical benefits and is proven to help you live longer. So the next time you sit down to eat, really think about what’s on your plate.
Fall Fest 2015
Combat the season shift with these beauty products kristen cheatam Intern
Bronzer As the season changes and the sun begins to hide behind the dim fall clouds, the colors of the summer began to fade along with your luminous summer sun kissed skin. Bronzer is the next best thing to a tan, and has less harmful health effects. Not only does bronzer give the illusion of a sun-kissed glow, but it can also define the facial bone structure. To help give your face the perfect definition try contouring, which is applying bronzer at the strike points where the sun hits your face. There are many shades, varieties and formulas of bronzer combinations, and it’s important to know which ones best suit your skin type. For dry skin, I would recommend using a cream bronzer such as Urban Decay Naked Skin Bronzing Beauty Balm, which retails for $35 at Sephora. Cream bronzers are very lightweight and easy to apply. Powdered bronzers are best for oily skin because they do not dip into your pores like a cream bronzer. The best formulated powder bronzer is the Too Faced Milk Chocolate Soleil, which retails for $30 at Ulta. A cheaper option is NYC Smooth Skin Bronzer. For the girls with olive/yellowish undertones in their skin, using a neutral or cool toned bronzer will help avoid mirroring an orange. So choose your bronzer wisely ladies, and torture the fall with sun-kissed golden skin.
Dewy luminous foundation The cool fall air is no joke, especially when it sucks every ounce of moisture from your skin and leaves your face looking dull. It’s time to retire the translucent powder and matte foundation until spring and revive your skin with a luminous, dewy foundation. Usually dewy foundations are aimed towards dry skin, but even the oiliest skin can benefit from the extra glow. NARS All-Day Luminous
Foundation, sold at Sephora for $48, is one of the best foundations, and it’s true to its name. This lightweight, cake-free foundation creates the perfect glaze of highlight on your cheekbones. According to NARS, the best way to apply this foundation is with your fingers because it gives off a blotchless, even finish. For a cheaper option, Maybelline Fit Me Dewy Smooth foundation gives the same glowing effect.
Bold dark lip colors The leaves get darker, and so should your lips. It’s an unspoken commandment in the beauty bible. There’s an art to applying dark lips. First off, it’s extremely important to find shades that coordinate with your skin tone. Burnt orange does not suit everyone. Some colors will look terrible on you, but don’t get discouraged. It happens to the best of us, and if you keep searching you’ll find the perfect shade. Dark red lipstick is the easiest to distinguish between because the blue toned, or neutral reds typically flatter all skin tones. Stay away from red lipstick with orange undertones. Deep plum purple is the most popular fall lip color and looks amazing on almost everybody. When choosing deep colored lipsticks, look for a highly pigmented matte finish formula to reduce the chance of the lipstick transferring onto clothes or traveling to other parts of your face. Before applying a dark lipstick, it’s important to apply moisturizing chapstick and a lip liner, such as Nightmoth by MAC, because it acts as a barrier between your lips and skin to hold the lip color in place. NYX has a ton of incredible matte lip creams at an affordable price that feature perfect fall colors. However, Transylvania and Copenhagen are the only shades that have the perfect pigment.
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