ORANGE Issue III by ORANGE Magazine

EDITOR’S NOTE Helping put together the first ORANGE PDF issue last spring, Kris and I couldn’t know the amount of growth and change ORANGE Magazine would undergo in one short year, or that we would have the incredible opportunity to be at the head of such a talented and ambitious team. We watched our staff double in the fall, and then double again this spring. At the beginning of this year, we launched a new website with a new logo. We went from publishing weekly to publishing daily, and this April we hosted another successful 5-1-Tunes Fest at Spiderhouse Ballroom. On top of that, we are developing our own ORANGE app that will launch in the app store this fall. There was a moment during 5-1-Tunes, when the room was packed and the music was loud, where I looked at Kris, and we really took in everything that ORANGE has accomplished in the past year. But we couldn’t have done it alone. ORANGE founders and former co-editor-in-chiefs Jane Claire Hervey and Becca Chavoya created an encouraging space where students can find themselves as journalists, creatives, photographers and as people. Our dedicated readership motivates us to continue sharing the stories of our community. And of course, this publication would be nothing without the talented, hard-working team of editors, directors and content creators. Kris and I stand in awe of the work that went into this spring issue, and this entire semester. It’s not always easy, but every day at ORANGE is a necessary learning experience, and we’re only getting better. Kris and I can only hope to continue strengthening the foundation of ORANGE. In 10 years, when we go onto the ORANGE website and see a group of talented students doing an even better job than we are, we will know that all the hard work we put in, all the late nights, all the business and administrative stress was worth it. Thank you for taking the time to check out our third issue. We hope you enjoy our magazine as much as we have enjoyed putting it together.

ORANGE MAGAZINE TABLE OF CONTENTS

6 UNLIKELY BALLERINA

20 KEITH FROM SINGAPORE

32 Experiencing Russia

44 FOOD TRUCK FEATURE

52 5-1-TUNES: CHIPPER JONES

60 NAKED YOGA

75 UT FASHION BLOGGERS

80 FRIENDS & NEIGHBORS

unlikely

ballerina Story by Mia Uhunmwuangho Photos by Hannah Vickers For dancers, it’s like an unwritten rule in the book of girlhood. You fall in love with the beautiful dancer and how she’s able to defy gravity, then land gracefully on her toes each time. You imagine yourself on stage, basking in the applause while effortlessly spinning in the spotlight. And then, you decide that you want to be her, to possess her elegance and fluidity. The glitz and glamour of this seemingly envious world sucks you in, but discovering what happens behind the curtain might make you wish that it spit you back out. Ballerinas are expected to be incredibly talented and disciplined, on top of maintaining a tall, svelte and fair-skinned physique. Each ballerina seems like an identical copy of the next. It’s a world where one must stand out in ability and poise, while simultaneously fitting in. But what happens when you can’t fit in, when you don’t meet the standards of beauty? What happens when your skin is too dark, your body is too curvy and your kinky hair won’t lie perfectly in a bun? Meet KaCee Dobbins, 19, a black ballerina who’s defying the stereotypes one tutu at a time. “I didn’t really have a black ballerina to look up to,” Dobbins says. “I didn’t have a Misty Copeland.” Tellingly, at the New York City Ballet, only

two percent of female dancers are of color. Copeland, a ballerina who became the first black soloist in 20 years at the American Ballet Theater, was called the “unlikely ballerina” because of her darker skin, short height and curvy physique. She reached this prestigious status in 2007, long after Dobbins began dancing. Although Dobbins admires Copeland, the celebrity dancer was an exception when it comes to representation. There was no one in Dobbins’s personal life she could relate to the same way. But a lack of representation didn’t stop Dobbins from dancing. She began in elementary school, and by high school she was one of the top dancers in her grade. She attended a fine arts school in Fort Worth, and as she climbed up the totem pole of success, Dobbins began to notice that things were changing. She was made aware that her skin was not the same color as that of the other girls.

The realization came when she made the jump from traditional to modern ballet. “In traditional ballet you wear the pink tutus with pink tights, so it didn’t matter what color I was underneath it,” Dobbins says. “But

“I didn’t really have a black ballerina to look up to.” modern was more pedestrian, more human.” Modern meant showing more skin. Dobbins explains, “Our legs were bare, which meant that the color of my skin had to match the color of my shoes and clothes.” Dobbins soon learned that nudecolored apparel was difficult to find

for darker skin tones. “Nude is more geared towards the whiter skin tones than darker ones,” Dobbins says. “There were some girls who could walk into a dance store and say, ‘I want a nude shoe that’s my color,’ and it would match their skin perfectly. That was never an option for me.” When she approached her ballet teacher with her problem, she was told to dye everything, which meant that she had to hand dye all of her tights, leotards and shoes by herself. She used tea to darken the apparel without damaging it. “I could take their darkest shoe or leotard, and I still had to dye it a significant amount, just to make it my color,” Dobbins says. Her brown skin affected other parts of dance life. To avoid looking washed out, Dobbins had to use different lighting during performances than what other girls used. Other girls helped each other apply makeup, but Dobbins had to do hers alone

â&#x20AC;&#x153;It felt like I was having to accomodate my body to the clothes instead of having the clothes accomodate me.â&#x20AC;?

because no one knew how to do makeup for darker skin tones. She was always carefully placed on stage because, as Dobbins recalls one of her dance instructors saying, “We can’t have two black girls next to each other. It messes up the color line.” The constant awareness of her skin at the fine arts school began to take its toll on Dobbins. “I felt like I was having to work twice as hard just to be on the same level as everyone else,” she says. Being brown was not the only obstacle she faced. Standing at 5-foot-1-inch with a curvy physique, Dobbins doesn’t fit the typical description of a ballerina. Many of the girls she danced with were slender and petite, so costumes that worked for their bodies would often pose problems for her, Dobbins says. “It felt like I was having to accommodate my body to the clothes, instead of having the clothes accommodate me.” It often took a series of embarrassing events to persuade her teachers to find clothes that worked for her body. She vividly remembers a time when the costume required tight spandex shorts. “Since I have larger thighs, the shorts would constantly ride up,” Dobbins says. “During lighting rehearsal, we went through the whole dance, and by the end of it, my butt was hanging out of the shorts.” Only a day before the actual performance, Dobbins’s instructor realized they needed to find something new. All the dancers had to be dressed the same, so when an article of clothing didn’t fit Dobbins, everyone to change. This left her feeling somewhat ostracized, she says. “Whenever we had to make changes, the other girls would say, sarcastically, ‘Does this work for you, KaCee?’” She experienced this feeling of exclusion when it came to doing her hair as well. Ballerinas are expected to go through a series of several hairstyles during a performance. From buns to wavy locks, Dobbins struggled to manipulate her hair into certain styles. “Hair was a really big thing for me. My texture was different. A lot of girls could switch between styles easily and a use tons of products,” she says. “But the products that worked for them didn’t work for me.”

Other resources for ballerinas of color have popped up in Austin, like Brown Girls Do Ballet, an organization that coordinates ballet performances and provides tools and scholarships to “Hispanic, African ancestored, Asian, East Indian and Native American girls enrolled in ballet programs.” Though Dobbins didn’t have access to such an organization, she credits her positive self-image to a sound support system, beginning with her family. “When I was little, I would always ask my dad, ‘What’s your favorite color?’ He would always say, ‘You, KaCee. You’re my favorite color,’” she says. “I didn’t realize it until I got older, but he was saying that I’m beautiful. I’m brown, and I’m beautiful.” She may not have had a Misty Copeland, but many girls now have a KaCee Dobbins. Click here for video coverage of KaCee’s story.

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Through all the tea, spandex and hairspray, Dobbins remained resilient. She never stopped doubting herself, even when she felt like she was facing these struggles alone. She now teaches young girls to defy stereotypes in her student organization, Bend Bandits, which brings dance to children in low-

income communities.

THE CHURCH

UNDER THE BRIDGE STORY AND PHOTOS BY DANIELLE SMITH The highway roars overhead, the concrete ceiling acting

from checking into a homeless shelter, and at a point

as a barrier between the fast-paced buzz of Austinites

he describes as “rock bottom,” Featherstone’s Catholic

going about their day and the people below. Some are just

upbringing urged him to reach out to God. As a razor blade

looking for a shady spot to rest, and others are dressed up,

rested next to him, Featherstone asked God to give him a

excited to worship. A volunteer band plays loudly. This is

reason to live.

no ordinary church service, but one thing is clear: anyone is welcome.

Soon after this moment, Featherstone found out about Church Under the Bridge.

With a firm handshake and a smile that hovers under a grey handlebar mustache, Mike Featherstone proudly

In 1992, Mission Possible! Austin started with the intention

introduces himself to me as the Street Liaison. The ballcap

of bettering this city. In 1993, Church Under the Bridge

on his head reads, “Jesus is my BOSS,” and a silver chain

started as an extension of its community outreach,

with a large cross dangles from around his neck as he

providing church service from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. every

wipes down a table with a faded blue terry cloth. “The best

Sunday under Interstate 35 between 7th and 8th streets.

Church Under the Bridge story is myself,” Featherstone

With the help of more than 30 volunteers, an average of

says.

200 people attend the service each week. Many think of Church Under the Bridge, which is also connected with

He had a job, a wife, two stepkids and a home, but he

a pregnancy resource center and a battery prevention

lost it all and became more severely dependent on

center, as a “church for the homeless,” but Featherstone

alcohol than he already was. His pride prevented him

insists it is a place for anyone. On a Sunday morning in 2005, Featherstone came to a Church Under the Bridge service for the first time. “It was like God was reaching his finger out and tapping me on the head, telling me, ‘This is for you,’” he says. In what he describes as a “born again experience,” Featherstone says he suddenly had a strong desire to share “God’s word” and serve the community. That desire to serve did not go unrecognized by Beau Hamner, who has been the director of street ministry for Mission Possible! Austin for the last four years. “He was willing to do just about anything and wasn’t above any task,” Hamner says. “That impressed me.” The staff at Mission Possible! agreed that Featherstone was an

ABOVE: MIKE FEATHERSTONE STANDS IN THE FELLOWSHIP ROOM AT THE MISSION POSSIBLE! OFFICES IN EAST AUSTIN. THIS ROOM IS WHERE BIBLE STUDIES AND BIRTHDAY CELEBRATIONS ARE HELD AND MEALS ARE SERVED TO THE COMMUNITY.

important part of the organization, and they hired him full time. He says his favorite part of the job is the relationships he has made with people and the opportunity he has to share the word of God with them. “We see people’s lives change around here,” Featherstone says. “Mine certainly did.”

On this Sunday, an attendee named Sara is wearing a black

At the end of the service, Featherstone is bent over, black

band tee with the sleeves barely covering a tattoo, and thick

trash bag in hand as he cleans up. With a smile on his face,

black eyeliner around her eyes. Sara tells me that she comes

he hollers after me, thanking me for coming and reminding

to Church Under the Bridge because it provides some things

me to come again next week.

that she really needs but doesn’t get from the Salvation Army, where she’s been living for the last two months. “I mostly just come for the free shit like shampoo, razors and deodorant,” she says. “But there’s also the social aspect where you can meet new people, which is cool.” Church Under the Bridge has partnered with several other charities and churches around the area to provide necessary services to those attending. “It has become a spot where the homeless know they can go and get spiritual needs taken care of as well as physical needs,” Hamner says. On Sundays, Missy McManus sets up a table with a sign reading “Free Prayer” with her husband Rob and her son Trevor. Every other Sunday, the church provides a meal, and on the fourth Sunday of every month, the church offers free haircuts. Those in need receive hygiene kits and zipper bags with canned food, water bottles and gum from Bags

“We see people’s lives change around here,” Featherstone says. “Mine certainly did.”

of Grace. “We want to show that we value people’s lives,” Featherstone says. SARA IS A 22 YEAR OLD FROM MINNESOTA WHO CAME TO TEXAS ON A GREYHOUND BUS. SHE IS CURRENTLY LIVING AT THE SALVATION ARMY.

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THE

HEARTLESS

MACHINE

STORY by bri zamora

photos by PAULA HORSTMAN The sounds of buzzing, hammering and clanking echo throughout a dark garage-turned-workshop hidden in a small suburban neighborhood. Surrounded by precariously placed power tools, nondescript metal bits and enough brass instruments to outfit a marching band, Austin-based artist Chris Locke skillfully wields a blow torch, fusing metal to metal with a bright blue flame. As a husband, artist, author, mechanic and teacher, the D.C. native turned Austinite assumes many roles but first and foremost he assumes that of creator. Versed in welding, woodworking, drawing, sculpting and theatrical set construction, Locke experiments with an array of mediums and forms to fuel his insatiable desire to create something from nothing. “I always felt

FLYNN: A TRUMPET IPHONE AMPLIFIER PUT TOGETHER BY THE HEARTLESS MACHINE

like creating was my niche, my place in the world,” Locke says.

Worried about the environmental effects of our culture’s consumerism, Locke’s “THIS SCULPTURE CAPTURES THE EXACT MOMENT WHEN THE DAPPER YOUNG ROBOT BECOMES SELFAWARE.” -LOCKE

artwork relies heavily on social commentary addressing the concepts of waste avoidance and sustainability. “In my work there is a lot of contrast between old and new, science and art, man and machine,” he says. “I like to play around with this contrast to show how wasteful and materialistic society has become.” Locke’s concerns with sustainable consumerism manifest themselves in his Analog Tele-Phonographers, passive acoustic audio amplifiers made for iPhones and iPads. Locke makes his one-of-a-kind docking stations from salvaged brass instruments, stainless steel and surplus machine parts. The docking stations harness the sound coming from a device’s built-in speaker and provide a louder, richer tone without using batteries, electronics or electricity. “I’m taking something disposable that’s meant to be cutting edge but also designed to be obsolete as quickly as possible, and I’m pairing it with something that has been around for centuries, something that will last longer than any of us,” Locke says. His desire to become an artist emerged around sixth grade but was promptly squashed. “When I told people I wanted to become an artist, they would say, ‘You won’t make any money doing that. You can’t do that. You have to choose a real job,’” Locke says. “And it took me a long time to realize that it is never

CHRIS LOCKE MELTING PARTS OF A TRUMPET IN HIS GARAGE STUDIO.

appropriate to say that to anybody

Locke says. “There is no way you are the only one out of the billions of people

about anything.”

walking around on this planet that loves what you love. Someone will always support you.”

Hesitant to pursue his interest in art, Locke attended film school, dropped out and worked several odd jobs before finally gaining the courage to pursue a Bachelor of Fine Arts from

LOCKE’S WORK IS AVAILABLE FOR SALE AT HEARTLESSMACHINE.COM/SHOP.

George Washington University. Locke then moved to Austin with his wife, where he balances time between creating his own art and being a middle school art teacher. All too familiar with the self-doubt perpetuated by naysayers, Locke strives to ensure his students that they are capable of making a living pursuing their interests, whatever they might be. “I tell these kids if they want to play to dance someone will watch and if they want to bake someone will eat,”

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guitar someone will listen, if they want

PoTIGY

Where Litter is reconsidered

STORY AND PHOTOS BY DAHLIA DANDASHI Lucas Ingram and Philip Nelson’s passion for the environment, love for the outdoors and knack for volunteer work sparked an idea with a lot of potential to grow. After college graduation, the Minnesota natives and college best friends packed their bags, left the cold and moved to the Dirty South. Now, Austin is home to their unconventional and eco-friendly company, Potigy. Ingram, 26, says his love for environmental care comes from helping out at his local church with family and friends in Woodbury, Minnesota as a kid. He and his family built houses and worked around the community. “My family loves to give back and volunteer their time instead of just donate money; they always wanted to see an actual end result,” Ingram says. Nelson, 28, says with his parents as business owners,

it was only a matter of time before he followed in the family footsteps. Growing up in Perham, Minnesota, Nelson built things with his dad and handmade gifts for family and friends. “My mom owned a flower shop and home décor store,” he says. “She expected me to eventually run a creative business of my own as well.” Ingram and Nelson shared a vision. The duo loved the outdoors and wanted to have a sustainable side project outside their jobs in sales and finance. With Nelson’s background in marketing and business management and Ingram’s background in mathematics, the best friends created Potigy in November 2014. With $2,000 dollars from their personal checking accounts, the two started Potigy by bootstrapping. They wanted to start a business quickly and have an immediate impact on the environment. They bought display units, marketing materials, small tools, cleaning

utensils and business cards. After a glass of wine and some cocktails, the pair came up with their company name. They used the word prodigy as a base for a strong name to represent their brand. “It’s because our product is smart,” Nelson says. “Why wouldn’t you use what you’re going to throw away?” Potigy makes home décor pieces out of mostly recycled materials. The pieces are handmade by the duo and created with pots, containers and purchased succulents. With help from family and friends, Nelson and Ingram hold clean ups around the city to collect the materials for their products. Along with concrete to mold their pots, they use trash, paper and plastic they find while scavenging. Afterwards, they place the succulents from East Side Succulents into their pot molds. Though they can’t use all of the materials they pick up, they make sure throw away all the trash and recycle all they can. Potigy pieces can now be found in 12 retail stores around Austin. Clients can also order from their already-made lines or make special orders. Depending on the piece, prices range anywhere from 12 to a few hundred dollars. Ingram and Nelson justify their higher prices by citing the labor that goes into them. The two hand-make everything themselves with the help of small tools, like sanders and chisels. “You have to be willing to spend a few dollars for our pieces,” Nelson says. “Everything is handmade.” Ingram says Potigy is spreading like wildfire around Austin, making it difficult for the two to keep up with requests. On average, the team receives 10-15 requests for pots per day. “It’s a blessing and a curse,” Ingram says. “Luckily, our families are supportive and bring down materials or supplies to help out.” Though the company is fairly new, Potigy is bringing in revenue and sustaining the duo’s lifestyles. “We aren’t in debt, but the cash flow does fluctuate,” Nelson says. Different clients have different payment plans. “The money always comes in, we just aren’t sure if it’s going to come on delivery or in 30 days times.” So far, Potigy has sold approximately 1,800 pots.

Lucas ingram and Philip Nelson show off some handmade pieces during Austin Fashion Week

The pair is slowly making changes to their company, recently leasing an office space and manufacturing warehouse 15 miles west of Austin in Dripping Springs. To additionally speed up and increase the production process, Nelson and Ingram also plan to increase their staff size. “We want to hire employees but we also want to always keep it small,” Ingram says. “We want to know everybody in the company.” Nelson and Ingram say they would like to keep their company organic and personal. Though they have a website to show their lines and models, their success is based off of word-ofmouth and through social media. “Companies, boutiques and people reach out to us via email or Instagram,” Nelson says. “If someone comments or likes our photo, we go deliver them something within a few hours.” From their website and social media to their marketing functions and finances, the duo do it all to ensure that they keep learning as their business continues to grow. “Trial and error is super important to us,” Ingram says. “That will

“it’s because our product is smart. what wouldn’t you use what you’re Going to throw away?”

help us reach our ultimate goal, which is to expand to other markets.” Eventually, they want to go national and ship to bigger cities like Los Angeles or San Francisco. Mockingbird Domestics, a local modern furniture store, appreciates the personal touch Potigy provides customers. “Lucas and Phillip kept in touch with us from concept through their first prototypes,” Allison Beyer, manager of the store, says. “We appreciate being included in the process and feel like our feedback is considered.” Beyer also says she loves the unique character Potigy has given planters through shapes, textures and color.

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Nelson and Ingram have recently quit their jobs in sales and finance plan to pursue Potigy work full time. As Potigy continues to grow, Ingram and Nelson want to continue teaching people about sustainability and social responsibility.

The streets of Austin are littered with mysterious individuals, but there is familiar face among this strange crowd. Shaggy, as he prefers to be called, has been dressing up in a green T-shirt and cruising the streets of Austin in his Mystery Machine for 10 years in search of volunteer opportunities that benefit the local community. Interview by teddy barbour ORANGE: What does Mystery Inc do? Shaggy: We dress up like the characters from “Scooby-Doo,” and we show up to different non-profit events in the van. We do PR for events and photo-ops and entertain kids while their parents are volunteering. We’ve also done volunteer work as well. We’ve done events for Habitat For Humanity. O: How did you come up with this idea? S: I really liked Scooby and Shaggy, and thought that I could combine that with my love of volunteering and make that an icon to help out the community. We’ll go to events, and a kid will come up smiling ear-to-ear, and that right there is why I do it. We can totally make somebody’s day. It’s a culmination of me

seeing that there is a need out there and not enough people doing stuff. O: What has been your favorite reaction to Mystery Inc from people around town? S: We have a local fan who has down syndrome, and her name is Jackie. One day, I was driving to go do a video shoot in the Mystery Machine, and she was at a bus stop on the corner. She got really excited and started jumping up and downe, ran two blocks and completely missed her bus to come meet me. She had a Scooby-Doo shirt on, Scooby-Doo armbands, a Scooby-Doo backpack and a Scooby-Doo hat. She is completely fanatic. She has definitely been our biggest fan and is very inspirational, too.

O: Do you get into character when you’re dressed up as Shaggy? S: Oh definitely! When the little kids are around, they’ll quiz me on my knowledge to make sure that I’m Shaggy. They really know their stuff, which means I have to know my stuff. It’s really awesome because it was a show that was only on for four or six years, and they revived it. It’s cool to see that almost after four decades it still has an awesome following. O: Last but not least, what is your favorite episode of Scooby-Doo? S: I like the Gilligan’s Islands and the Globetrotters when they were all in the same episode. I enjoy the celebrity guest stars episodes.

The Barber on

WHEELS

ERS INTERVIEW BY KRIS SEAVASSO GR PHOTO BY SAMANTHA

We spoke with San Diego native Rio Mursinna — also known as the UT Barber on Wheels — who skateboards around campus offering free haircuts to fellow students. think that paying for a haircuts or having to schedule that time into an already super busy schedule is something they need to worry about. So I figured, I’ll come to them, and I’ll give them a free haircut. ORANGE: What’s the story behind UT Barber on Wheels? Mursinna: Since I was about 16, I’ve been cutting my own hair. It came up in conversation with friends a couple of times that I hadn’t paid for a haircut in a while, and they wanted me to cut their own hair… It was kind of all thanks to a couple of friends that it totally spread. I hold the mentality that college students have a lot to worry about, and I don’t

O: What’s the incentive for you? M: I just love meeting new people and getting to talk to people. And not being lazy, staying productive with my day, which is easier to say when I don’t have as much going on. O: Do you have a shop? M: I go up to [clients’] rooms. It’s a winwin situation. They don’t need to leave,

but I don’t have to clean up a bunch of hair in my room. I’d have to start charging if I did that — it’s a mess. O: What would people be surprised to know about the UT Barber on Wheels? M: Maybe that I really believe in the idea that if you can just add something to a community or a society without expecting anything in return, there’s just gonna be more of that generosity around. I’ve found people who are willing to do really cool things, just as favors. There are amazing people on this campus, and they’re doing great things. It’s cool to be part of that exchange.

STORY BY EMMA WHALEN // ILLUSTRATIONS BY Elizabeth warner

The spring semester treated some UT students better than others, but it’s safe to say there was rarely a dull moment. Between a dress tricking people’s eyes, Zayn leaving One Direction, and Madonna kissing Drake, there was always something to troll the internet for. Here’s a month-by-month recap of the semester’s most buzz-worthy moments.

ie l r a sch

rsial ntrove ting o c f o ffices romp t the o ie Hebdo, p weeting a e l p l ders t 12 peo r Char glish. defen killed spape h t n i w a e w ” in En n m e h i n h l c r c u e a n g e A f sp l Fre m Ch atirica t freedom o lates to “I a and s s u n es abo , which tra debat e i l r a h isC #JeSu

u #jes

#deFLategate

flated footballs accused of using under-in re we ts trio Pa nd gla En The New lts. The ensuing ainst the Indianapolis Co ag win ip nsh pio am Ch ial media. in their AFC m and to anyone on soc tea the to ce yan no an an nied media storm was lichick and Tom Brady de quarterback duo Bill Be d an ach co al stic my t Bu to win the Superbowl. the rumors and went on

ultur c y m t c e p #res arty

trol” p a “border pa s and Texas Fiji held b ore som rero w s st e u g h and them, at whic tle to reprim lit id d T U s. march to poncho cted with a a re rs e st te respect for and pro demanding se u o h ji Fi s dents that the Texa Hispanic stu f o n o ti la u p the po mpus. percent of ca makes up 21

#OUsae

after UT’s Just months ol” scandal, “Border Patr SAE Oklahoma’s as banned Fraternity w s after video from campu embers surfaced of m galong to a leading a sin olent song. racist and vi

#whiteandgo

#blackandbl

A picture of a dr ess performed dark magic on the ey es of poor, inno cent souls who saw either blue and black or white and gold . Families were torn apart, relationships w ere tested and everything we knew to be true seemed a lie.

#rotman20

Texas Travesty editors Xavier Rot nofsky and Rohit Mandalapu ran this yea r’s satirical campaign for Student Govern ment president and vice president — and they won. One of the policies they hope to enact is requiring members of student government to wear plastic wra p to meetings to “promote transpa rency.”

#kyliejenner adonna #m An unlikely duo took the stage at Coachella for

the first and definitely last time when Madonna launched her face onto Drake’s and held him as if she was sucking the youth out of him. His pained expression said it all. She is a dementor, and his soul belongs to her now.

BUZZ

n Kim Kardashian is know re, for having a large derrie so naturally Kylie Jenner needed to be known for large lips. Joining in Kylie’s never ending quest to have the fullest lips in the land, people around the world filmed themselves sucking the air out of shot glasses to create a sudden increase s of blood flow that inflate e. lips to an unnatural siz

KEITH FROM

SINGAPORE

Story by Emily Nash / / Photo by Benjamin Torres From Singapore, to America — and back to Singapore: Student mentally prepares to serve his home country again

He flew all the way to Dallas from Singapore with his mom

opportunities than Singapore did in the 15 years he spent

to visit his dad. As he packed his suitcase to go back home,

there. Then, he got a letter in the mail: Nov. 24, 2011 was

his father said to him, “Stop packing. Your mom and I need

his enlistment day for the Singaporean military. There was

to talk to you.”

nothing for him in Singapore. “Having stopped my plans for the military to go fight for a country I didn’t care about was

Keith Padraic Chew was 15 when his parents left him

pretty daunting and scary,” Chew says.

alone in Dallas. According to Chew, now 22, schoolwork in Singapore was much more rigorous than American

After his senior year of high school, Chew left for boot camp

schoolwork, which discouraged him. When he failed his

on Pulau Tekong (better known as Voodoo Island) off the

freshman year of high school, his parents decided that

coast of Singapore. The island was a prisoner of war camp

Chew needed a change. “My parents said, ‘All right, here is

during World War II and made some soldiers uneasy. “A lot

rent for a couple months, and you can use the car. You’re

of kids had a rough night sleeping the first night. I slept like

registering for school tomorrow. You can figure the rest out

a baby,” Chew says, laughing. “It’s one of those situations

yourself,’” Chew says. “They flew off and left me by myself.”

where you’ve been alone so long, and you’ve been in new situations so much that it doesn’t phase you anymore.”

Keith finished high school in Dallas, living alone and paying the bills mostly on his own by doing odd jobs for his friends’

Chew describes bootcamp as mental torture. For a few days

parents. After living in the U.S. for a few years, he learned

he trained in the jungle, which was known as field camp.

to love America. Chew says America offered him more

Field camp entailed running fire drills or lining up behind

trees and firing at people, getting yelled at by sergeants, pitching and taking down tents and repeatedly crawling up and down a hill. “The physical part is not tough, and I feel like a lot people mistake that,” Chew says. “If you’re remotely fit, you’re fine. You just need the mental fortitude to go on, and that’s what basic training pushes you to do.” Chew says he will never forget when, after a long, exhausting day of intense training, his sergeant told the soldiers to take a knee in the mud. They were all tired and bleeding. Men beside Chew cried — some couldn’t even look up. The sergeant then told the soldiers

Chew’s relationship with his parents

Chew received a letter stating that

to close their eyes and imagine a

— especially with his father, because

his last day of service would be on

brutal scene: “As you eat dinner with

Chew did not get along with him

Nov. 23, 2013, allowing him to leave

your family you hear sirens above you.

when he was younger — have warmed

a couple months early to go to

Then, all of the sudden, they blow up

up. He sees his mother and siblings

college. Now, he’s a sophomore at

right in front of you. The sirens you

once a year when he flies back to

UT, triple-majoring in humanities

heard were from a plane that dropped

Singapore. He sees his father, who

with a concentration in war, security

a bomb on your house. You couldn’t

works in the United States, every six

and intelligence; Asian cultures

defend your family at that moment, so

months. “I cleaned up my act, and

and languages; and Middle Eastern

what makes you think that no matter

I got my life in order,” Chew says. “I

languages and cultures.

how hard you train, you can defend

do blame them for leaving me in

As a triple-major, Chew naturally

your family as a soldier?” With that image in Chew’s mind, he couldn’t go on. He broke down and started crying. The sergeant also handed everyone an envelope. “In it was a letter from my mom,” Chew says. “She knew what I was going through, and she knew that I didn’t want to do this. It was not an experience I wanted to go through. There was no point. I decided that I wanted to fight for America — no matter what — over Singapore. In the letter the first words she wrote were, ‘Son, I’m proud of

spends a lot of time on schoolwork.

“Having stopped my plans for the military to go FIGht for a country I didn’t care about was pretty daunting and scary.”

you.’”

When he’s not busy with school, Chew says he’s into sex, drugs, and alcohol. “Just kidding!” Chew says, laughing. “I think human interaction is important, so I like hanging out with my friends a lot. I also watch a lot of TV because Netflix isn’t available when I go back to Singapore. I just do whatever a regular civilian would do.” But Chew recently received an email informing him that he owes 102 days of service before he’s considered a reservist soldier, which means he has to report for duty should the country

Dallas without a solid explanation to

have a call for arms. He goes back in

At that moment, Chew realized his

help me understand, but with time, I

May. “It’s a little daunting,” Chew says.

parents supported him despite leaving

understood.”

“But after everything I’ve been through

him alone in a foreign country. Now,

and after I thought I was done,

“I want to serve with the best of my ability. The life of service, forever and ever.” knowing in the back of my mind that I’d have to go

Chew says he’s currently reading a book titled

back inevitably helped.”

“Redeployment” by Phil Klay that perfectly describes his current situation — some people live all their lives

Once Chew finishes his service, he will nationalize as a

in white (peace), others live their life in amber (mid-

U.S. citizen, giving up his citizenship in Singapore and

alert), then there’s the one percent who live their lives

never serving for Singapore again. After college, he

in red (constant paranoia). “Right now I’m living more

wants to work for the government. He says it sounds

in white than I am living in amber, and it’s nice,” Chew

cliche but is true nevertheless. “I want to serve this

says. “I miss this, and I long for the day that I can live

country with the best of my ability,” he says. “The life of

in white, but I don’t think I can ever live in white again

service, forever and ever.”

completely.”

FORTY ACRES FUNGUS By Julia Farrell

It’s tiny, it’s moldy and it’s burnt orange.

a home right here in Austin,” Alper told the Alcalde.

It’s the “Bevo fungus,” a never-before seen strain of fungi recently discovered by researchers at

But fear not, fellow Longhorns — the fungus

UT’s Cockrell School of Engineering.

is not among us, as it is well contained in the school’s laboratory.

The fungus was named after the college’s adored mascot, Bevo the Longhorn. Its full name

Researchers are continuing to experiment

is Ustilago Bevomyces, but that’s a mouthful to

with their new discovery through genome-

say, and we can all agree that it’s much more

sequencing and bioprospecting. For all you

fun to call it “the Bevo fungus.”

science junkies out there, you can read up on Alper’s full analysis here.

Hal Alper, associate professor in the McKetta Department of Chemical Engineering, led his

For now, the Bevo fungus is still in its prime.

team of researchers in the quest to discover the

But don’t you wish that you could have learned

microscopic creature. “We gave it this name to

about this little guy back in entry-level biology?

pay respect to the place where the organism

Seriously, there’s no way you could ever forget

was isolated, and to make sure it always had

the “Bevo fungus” on an exam.

I wish my professor knew... Story by Karla Pulido / Photos by Emma Whalen Denver elementary school teacher Kyle Schwartz

level is translated across classrooms and grade levels –

wanted to know what her third-grade students wanted

and especially to a university like The University of Texas

her to know, so she passed out Post-It notes to her

where it’s easy to blend into the other 50,000 students.

classes and had them complete the sentence “I wish my teacher knew…..”

ORANGE asked UT students to respond to the same answer: “I wish my professor knew…”

BUZZ

question Schwartz asked her third-grade students to The want for your teachers to know you on a personal

SHOULD I POST THAT? WHAT WOULD MA GRAND SAY?

“WHAT HAVE I HT BROUG HIS UNTO T ?” EARTH

WE GET IT. The Internet is a big place, and we all want to rule it. But you don’t get to Internet stardom by being sloppy with your posting – check your drafts against ORANGE Buzz’s fool-proof post buster. B Y E M I L Y G I B S O N

ARE YOU JUST DRUNK AND MAD?

“WHY DO I DO ” THINGS “NICE”

WHAT WOULD FUTURE YOU SAY?

“HELLA” I’M ACTUALLY TOO SOBER

I’M NO T AN ANIMA L

DID YOU JUST COPY THE POST FROM TUMBLR EW

YES POST THAT.

I! WM N0T! DRINK!

DID YOU USE OVER 5 HASHTAGS?

!!!BUT IT’S FUNNY!!!!

#HOW #ELSE #WILL @PEOPLE #SEE

edit THAT.

STORY BY LAUREN L’AMIE

ILLUSTRATIONS BY JILLIAN LOWE

Ever since the early days of anonymous internet chatrooms, the Golden Rule of the Internet is this: once it’s out there, it’s out there forever. The Internet is not temporary. We know that. And our online presence is a digitized extension of real life — which also makes it a place to share the same kinds of human interactions we have always shared offline. We took a look at some of today’s most popular apps made exclusively for dating or private messaging to debunk the Golden Rule and find a safe space to get intimate on the Interwebs.

SEXT EXCHANGE Yes, you too can have sexts quite literally slide into your DMs. To join the exchange, follow the account @ sextexchange on Twitter, and wait for a follow-back. Once the bot follows back, Twitter users can direct message the account with any message beginning with the word “sext:” and the bot will send back an anonymous response message, also beginning with “sext:.” If you like a sext, you can reply back with either a “yes” or a “;)” and if you hate it, you can reply “no,” “:(“ or “flag.”

THE 411 Sext Exchange was started as a kind of social media experiment on the part of Brendan Adkins and Patricia Lockwood, who credit themselves in the account’s bio, which also states “Be careful, be generous, be kind” then lists its location as “in your pants.”

THE PROBLEM

Users can send and receive “self-destructing” pictures and videos, both of which are set to appear for a no more than 10 seconds.

THE 411

Though some apps are structured to facilitate private messaging or “disappearing” content, the administrators of those apps, like Snapchat CEO Evan Spiegel, are hardly proponents of sexting. “You can’t build a business off sexting,” Spiegel told the New York Times in 2013, “It’s such a specific-use case. This is about much more than that.” Snapchat is huge. Recent reports suggest that the app may be home to around 200 million monthly users, which makes it difficult to determine just how many of these users are actually using the app for sexting. Plus, most users may want to keep their private messages, you know, private.

THE PROBLEM Snapchats can easily be screengrabbed. The app sends users a notification if someone snags a screenshot, but then...the screenshot still exists. Snapchat has yet to develop a feature that entirely prohibits people from taking screenshots. Until they do, we rank Snapchat at a low 4 out of 10 on the privacy scale.

BUZZ

Because the bot sends strangers’ responses at random, conversations rarely stay on track –but that can also be part of the fun. There is also a general sense of discomfort with sending even vaguely intimate messages via direct message, but since the conversations rarely veer toward raunchy, there’s little to be concerned about. As far as privacy is concerned, Sext Exchange is absolutely anonymous.

SNAPCHAT

SEEING green

STORY BY ELIJAH WATSON / PHOTO BY MARY K CANTRELL / ILLUSTRATIONS BY CHARLOTTE FRIEND

Colorado. Washington state. In 2012 the two states

aggravated assault and expelled.

legalized the recreational use of marijuana, a historic

However, most marijuana-related offenses come from

decision that continues to divide respective residents,

students smoking on campus, even in their own dorm

as well as people across the country.

rooms. “The towel under the door, blowing smoke through a dryer sheet — I still smell it,” Alan Sanchez,

Now, the states are focused on adapting to the

aerospace engineering sophomore and resident

change — including its colleges. Because most schools

assistant, says. A citation could result in suspension,

receive federal funding, they must comply with the

as well as over $150 in fines and fees. However, the

federal Drug-Free Schools and Communities Act. So,

university is readjusting their approach, taking a more

smoking on campus or possessing pot under 21 is still

educational route and easing up on enforcement.

considered illegal. But to students such as Brendan, an environmental studies major senior attending the

Still, Colorado colleges are trying to remain one

University of Colorado Boulder, nothing has really

step ahead of the change. “The student government

changed. “It’s business as usual here,” Brendan says.

conducted a symposium on marijuana for 4/20 this

“But with weed.”

year, and talked about the impact it has on business, student success and other things,” Melissa Zak, CU-

A Green Friendly Campus?

Boulder Police’s Deputy Chief, says. “And it was great

The students of CU-Boulder have been getting high

because it demonstrated they aren’t just about getting

since the late ‘90s, celebrating 4/20 with their own

high and partying. That’s the beauty of a college

4/20 Smoke-Out celebration. Although school officials

campus: the exchange of information, creation and

tried to stop students with barricades, sprinklers and

ideas.”

tickets, the event continued until 2011. The following year school officials closed campus on 4/20, allowing

As Colorado colleges continue to adapt to the changes

only faculty, students and staff members entrance.

brought about by legalized recreational weed, so too are colleges in Washington State.

“There were like 200 police officers and they had sprayed like some fish oil or fish guts so no one would

What’s going on in Washington?

want to go on campus anyways.” At its height (between

Spread across Seattle’s Elliott Bay Park and Myrtle

2008 and 2011) 4/20 Smoke-Out had between 8,000

Edwards Park is the city’s annual Seattle Hempfest.

and 10,000 participants.

Created in 1991 as the Washington Hemp Expo,

tape surrounding the fields,” Brendan says. “They even

Hempfest has become a three day event that calls The CU-Boulder Police Department’s encounters with

itself a “cannabis protest rally,” but felt more like

pot on campus range from innocent and naive to

a celebration last year. Bands such as Bong Hits

dangerous and fatal. One incident involved a student

For Jesus and The Herbivores performed on one of

bringing edibles (food made with marijuana) to a

Hempfest’s stages, while patrons passed around

potluck, which participants unknowingly consumed.

bongs, joints, pipes and vapes full of weed to each

The student was charged with eight counts of

other.

s s e n i s u b s ’ t “I re, e h l a u s u s A .” d e e w h t i w But Washington received a grant from the state’s Among those patrons were college students, some of whom work within Washington State’s booming marijuana business. Michelle Chance, a 22-year-old who attends Olympic College in Bremerton, WA, is also a budtender. Budtenders are the bartenders of the marijuana industry: to be one requires extensive knowledge of marijuana, as well as recommending the appropriate prescription to customers. “I have a lot of patients and they’re very sick,” Chance says. “Marijuana makes a difference on their good and bad days, but it’s really nice to see them on their good days.” Similar to Colorado, colleges in Washington State also abide by federal law, so smoking on campus is prohibited. However, some campuses are taking advantage of marijuana’s growing presence in the state, and using the substance for innovation and research.

A breathalyzer and some studies. Since marijuana is still classified as a Schedule I substance by the Drug Enforcement Administration, it’s difficult for universities to research or conduct studies on pot. Still, colleges in Washington State continue to do so. The University of

attorney general in 2013 to provide education and training on the use of marijuana for chronic pain. In 2014, Washington State University conducted a study on male and female rats to see if gender makes a difference in responses to marijuana. “I’m glad that we are seeing increasing investigation of the effects of the various compounds in the cannabis plant,” Rebecca Craft says in an email. “I think there’s considerable untapped therapeutic potential in those chemicals.” Craft, a psychology professor at WSU and who led the study on marijuana response differences between genders, has been researching drug differences in females for years. WSU is also the home to another cannabis based project: the creation of a marijuana breathalyzer. Development of the handheld device, led by WSU chemistry professor Herbert Hill, began in 2014. Testing was expected to begin between January and June of this year. “After the passage of I-502 I was talking with a colleague who works with the state police,” Hill says in an email. “They are worried about the increase in drugged driving as a result of the change, and pointed out they do not have a tool for

determining drugs in breath as they do for alcohol. I thought we could develop one and have a PhD student working on it.” Currently, officers must use blood tests to determine if THC is present in a driver’s blood, and the results are never immediate. Although Hill’s device will not initially be able to provide an exact amount of THC in a driver’s system, it will show officers if there is even some active THC present to determine possible arrest or intoxicated driving charges. According to the Washington State Toxicology Laboratory, 18.6 percent of blood samples taken from suspected impaired drivers in Washington tested positive for active THC in 2012. That number rose to 25 percent of tested blood samples in 2013, the first year I-502 was in effect. As the marijuana industry continues to grow in Washington State, it will be interesting to see what steps the state takes to better regulate both medical and recreational marijuana. But at least its colleges are keeping busy with the change.

Where does that leave Texas?

marijuana, instead of arresting them. The proposal failed

Texas is taking small but progressive steps towards its

to get passed by the UT Student Government, and even if

marijuana policies. The Marijuana Policy Project is currently

it did the UT police officers still have to abide by state law

creating separate bills for both medical and recreational

first.

pot (although there’s more focus on the former), which will be reviewed during the 84th Texas Legislative Session

The legalization of marijuana in Texas, whether medicinal

that began in 2014. “Medical marijuana is finally getting

or recreational, isn’t going to be easy. But, as Colorado

its due [in Texas], and if we can get it right the first time it

and Washington State has shown the rest of the country,

could actually impact the entire country and the world,”

legalized marijuana is more than being able to smoke

Shaun McAlister, the Executive Director of the National

cannabis in the comfort of your own home.

Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws (NORML) chapter in Dallas-Fort Worth, says. “However, if Texas doesn’t

Maybe one day Austin will be like its Colorado counterpart,

get medical marijuana right the first time, we may never

Boulder: a place that promotes active and healthy lifestyles,

have a chance to get it right again.”

while supporting legalized marijuana. Until then, it’s nothing but a hazy dream in the minds of pro-pot Texans,

As long as Texas keeps marijuana illegal, possessing it will

anxious to see Texas become a part of a change that’s

come with consequences — especially for college students.

occurring across the nation.

At UT, possession of two ounces of marijuana or less is a Class B misdemeanor; four ounces or less but more than two ounces is a Class A misdemeanor. The maximum punishments for the former is 180 days in jail and a $2,000 fine; the latter, one year in jail and a $4,000 fine. In March of 2013, pro-pot students proposed that UT police officers only issue citations for students possessing

This story was made possible by the Helen. M. Powell Traveling Fellowship.

TYPES OF

STONERS

STORY BY RILEY NEUHEARDT // ILLUSTRATIONS BY LAUREN NAIL

The countrywide push for marijuana legalization has never been stronger, and news about the drug is everywhere. So are pot lovers themselves. Pot smokers come in many forms. They may all be prone to the same munchies, but here’s a rundown of the five most distinctive types of ganj-imbibers.

oner the psychadelic stvarie ty, the psychedelic stoner is the

ng The most stereotypical of the cannabis-lovi d. His wardrobe consists of an ample wee with ciate asso kind your parents probably hedelic rts, and he proudly wears jandals. A psyc amount of tie-dye and Bob Marley t-shi talk and high e “chill” ambient music when he’s stoner will always want to listen to som y reall -gliding. Or swimming with dolphins. Or about how wild LSD would be. Or hang like?” stions like, “What does water even taste anything. He’ll also ask the important que

the quiet stoner

feel variety. When the quiet stoner begins to Every group of stoners is familiar with this the into them ing socially interact, thus turn high, they forget how to form words and to eating alone in the corner. They may seem weird kid that’s just kind of sitting there — but don’t be alarmed by their presence be plotting and scheming in their silence, ersation. they’re just tired or can’t relate to the conv

the paranoid stoner

At one time or another, most people have been this stoner. They just needs to know if their clothes smell like weed. And can you please take that picture off your Snapch at story? Does anyone have eyedrops??

the lovey-dovey stoner This stoner only has

eyes for you. And their be st friend’s cool Instagram picture, and tha t really soft dog lying by their feet, and probably a bag of Do ritos. The lovey stoner jus t wants to curl up, relax and wallow in the good vibes. They pro bably thrive on cliché phrases about love and war and Ins tag rams them with #quoteofthed ay.

er the intellectual ston roximately 40

BUZZ

able to access app With just one hit, this stoner is y acity. You know this because the percent more of their brain cap t you of the exact dollar amoun told you – along with informing this year with weed legalized, Colorado taxpayers are saving all behind closed doors and how what the government is doing The nt. ed us for this very mome of human evolution has prepar high, olutely everything when they’re intellectual is an expert on abs have deep philosophical talks. and they’re always looking to

M IXED

SI G ALS N Two students discuss the struggles they face being multiracial Interview by Emily Nash Photos by Mary K Cantrell

Chelsea Tijerina Sociology Senior

Nashwa Bawab

Journalism Freshman

“So… what are you?” ethnicity. While the Census Bureau gave That’s the question multiracial people

people the option to select more than

I’m these two different things. I am

have been asked probably more than

one race in their questionnaire, many

proud of it, and I think it’s cool. Whenever

once in their lifetime. But getting asked

multiple-race Americans still have trouble

someone hears my name, they’re like,

that more or less annoying question is

relating to the media and sometimes

“Oh, where does that name come from?”

only a fraction of what multiracial people

even the world as a whole.

because that’s the least offensive way to ask me what I am. But I don’t think it’s

deal with regularly. Being the butt of jokes and stereotypes and having a small

We interviewed journalism freshman

offensive when people ask.

crisis when reaching the race/ethnicity

Nashwa Bawab and sociology senior

portion of paperwork and checking

Chelsea Tijerina. The interviews have

O: Do you ever feel like you don’t entirely

the dreaded “other” box are a couple of

been edited for clarity and brevity.

fit in with either side of your culture? NB: Yeah, I can definitely attest to that.

peeves most multiple-raced Americans ORANGE Magazine: So to start off with,

It’s hard to connect with people when

what races are you?

you’re in a cultural gathering, and you

The 2000 census allowed Americans

Nashwa Bawab: Arab and Hispanic. My

don’t feel like you’re 100 percent in one

to select more than one race for the

dad is Jordanian, and my mom is from

category. Oh, that’s another thing I want

first time — then, 2.4 percent of the

Ecuador.

to talk about actually: the other box.

races. In 2010, the number of people

O: Do you think that people are

O: Ah, yes of course, the race/ethnicity

who identify with more than one race

sometimes scared to ask you what your

boxes. Which box do you check?

increased from about 6.8 million people

ethnicities are?

NB: This is very important to me. I hated

to about 9 million people, jumping 32

NB: I guess I don’t get asked too often.

checking the other box. I mean, it feels

percent.

People don’t know what I am, and then

like I’m betraying the other part of me if

when they hear my name, I think they

I only check one. I guess they have it for

No matter how multiracial people

can assume that I’m Arab. I feel like

census stuff, but it feels demoralizing.

respond to the question “What are you?”

people are more shocked to learn that

When other people are filling out

most would agree that it is unnerving to

I’m Hispanic and Arab, which is kind of

paperwork, that’s not something they

be categorized into one culture, race or

exciting for me. I like to tell people that

think about. They just check a box and

can relate to.

population identified with two or more

keep going. That’s something that I’ve

do other things besides what you would

always had a dilemma over. It’s like every

normally expect.”

hard not to. O: Well, growing up it was hard for

time I take a test I have an existential crisis about what my identity is. It’s

O: Do you know or know of anyone else

you to identify with a culture, so it’s

awful. Sometimes they don’t even have

who is half Hispanic and half Arab?

understandable. How do people react

the other box. Why do they think that

NB: I don’t think so... There has to be

when you respond with, “My race doesn’t

everyone can fit into these five different

more, right? That’s the thing, it’s hard to

matter”?

categories? It’s just a weird experience.

connect with other people in the media.

CT: Confused. Intimidated because it’s

It’s rare to see this sort of mixture. Is it an

so blunt and straightforward. Not many

O: What other issues did you face

anomaly or something? Oh, I do know.

people are used to getting that. I’d love

growing up?

Two cousins on my mom’s side… wait,

to see a place where people don’t take

NB: Well, I didn’t want to be white per

actually no, they’re not. Dang it. I guess

it so seriously, where it’s not about your

say, but it was that assimilation type

I’m one of a kind.

background, but it’s about how you think

thing where I wanted to be like everyone

and how our mentalities connect. But I

else. I didn’t feel like I was different

O: The obvious first question: what races

embrace all of my cultures. I don’t want

race-wise until I got older. When my

are you?

people to think that I’m not proud of my

dad suggested that I wear the hijab, I

Chelsea Tijerina: I am Spanish, Mexican

background — I am, but it doesn’t own

didn’t want to be different. It’s not that

and Native American on my dad’s side

me. I don’t let it dictate who I should be.

I was ashamed of it, I just didn’t want to

and Scottish and Irish on my mom’s side.

It’s a big part of me, but it’s not all of who

stick out, so I said no, which worked out because I’m not religious at all.

I am. If anything, it’s minute compared to O: Do you identify with any of these

my opinions, thoughts and beliefs.

cultures? O: How did that change as you grew up?

CT: I actually had a lot of difficulty finding

O: You’re going to grad school for

NB: As I got older, I started to figure

my own identity. My social environment

advertising and focusing on diversity in

out who I was. I saw my background

when I was growing up was mostly

media. Did you become interested in this

more, and I saw the way minorities were

around Hispanic people. Honestly, I never

because you grew up in a non-diverse

treated in the United States. That made

felt like I fit in anywhere. My Hispanic

place?

me want to be proud and want to help

friends would make fun of me because I

CT: Yeah, when I was growing up I felt

out both sides of who I am. That’s why I

had a lighter complexion, because I had

like advertising lacked so much diversity.

want to be a journalist, because I want to

different habits, different ways of talking.

I felt like none of them were talking to

be another voice. There are only a limited

I had a few friends who were white, and

me. What I really want to do in grad

amount of voices for Hispanic people and

I would hang out with them for a while,

school is look at advertising, specifically

for Arab people, especially when they’re

but I don’t know, I never really felt like I

how people impact the images and

women. I definitely became empowered

fit in.

campaign. I want to to be in the industry

because of it. It’s an empowering thing to be of two different races.

and make an impact. O: You seem confident about your identity now. How did that change as you

O: Any last thoughts or comments?

O: Do you want to expand on the

got older?

CT: I think it’s important that [multi-raced

empowerment thing a little more?

CT: I’ve gotten a lot better than how I

people] get talked about. This is our

NB: Yeah, so when I was growing up,

used to be. I definitely feel connected to

future everyone’s getting mixed up. Once,

there was really no one who connected

certain people; not in a cultural sense,

one of my professors said that we’re not

with me [in the media]. There aren’t

but just in their personalities. If we think

a melting pot, but a salad. And I think

fictional characters who are mixed or

the same, then there’s a connection. I

we’re melting into a soup. I hope I live to

Arab or Hispanic in itself. I don’t know

don’t have identity problems now. I’ve

see the day where everyone is all over the

if you’ve seen “Persepolis,” but it’s great.

grown a lot, a whole lot.

place. I think it’s so beautiful. It’s messy,

It’s a graphic novel/movie about this

but it’s awesome. O: You mentioned that when people

was into punk and stuff. That movie is

ask you where you’re from or what your

something I connected with, that made

ethnicities are, it really bugs you.

me feel empowered. I think it’d be great

CT: Oh, hell yeah, if you want to get on

if other women and girls could look up to

my bad side, that’s a good way to do it.

me as a journalist and say, “There are girls

Ask me that question. I guess it’s kind of

out there who are mixed race, and they

ignorant of me to think that way, but it’s

BUZZ

girl who’s not necessarily religious; she

MISHA THE BEAR GREETS CUSTOMERS AT RUSSIAN HOUSE NAZDOROVYE.

Experiencing Russia

STORY BY MELYSSA FAIRFIELD PHOTOS BY YANHUAN JI

According to Salkey, she chose the name “NaZdorovye” because it translates to “cheers to your health” in Russian, a phrase that she wishes upon each guest that visits her restaurant. The couple originally had their sights set on New York for their grand venue, but once they visited Texas, they decided being the first and only Russian restaurant in Austin would be a greater opportunity. “We decided we wanted to be this cultural island in the middle of Texas,” Salkey says. Salkey moved to the United States at the age of 17 to play basketball at Georgetown University and continued playing professionally back in Russia. As for Gribkov, his 25-plus year cooking repertoire includes working in Russia, Germany, France and Ukraine. While Gribkov had enough expertise to create a shining menu, the pair wanted to make sure that the restaurant wasn’t just about great food, but about capturing Russia as a whole. One of their biggest goals is to spread the culture to those who don’t know much about it. “Most of the people that come here have never had Russian food before,” Salkey says. “The most common question I hear is, ‘What is Russian food?’ That’s a weird question, I mean, what is American food? Explaining what Russian cuisine is VARDA SALKEY, CO-OWNER OF RUSSIAN HOUSE NAZDOROVYE.

in a few words is absolutely impossible.” The menu includes many fish and vegetarian dishes, negating the stereotype that Russian food is mostly

s you walk into Russian House NaZdorovye for the first time, something magical happens. As you leave the bustling realm of downtown

Austin behind, a new world of Russian culture unfolds before you. Upon entrance, you are greeted by Misha the stuffed bear, who dons a cap and a t-shirt that reads “Keep Austin Russian.” She seems to be motioning with her frozen paw to the open closet against the right wall, full of heavy coats, hats, military outfits and other traditional

red meat. Roman Butvin, one of the managers at the restaurant and a native Russian, explains where part of the “meat eating, vodka drinking” Russian stereotype comes from. “The food in all the parts of the world is defined by the climate,” Butvin says. “There is a legend story that says since Russia is colder, the people have to eat lots of calories and meat for substance. The legend explains that the reason Russians drink lots of vodka is to dissolve all of this meat they have eaten.”

Russian wear. The owners and staff encourage you to dress up, take pictures and most of all, have fun. Russian House NaZdorovye was opened in November 2012 by Varda Salkey and Vladimir Gribkov, a husband and

food +drink

wife who followed their dream of opening a restaurant that would bring Russian culture to life in America and make customers feel like welcomed guests in their home. “We wanted to spread the word of what Russian culture is, and cuisine is culture,” Salkey says. “We wanted this to be a place where people get familiar with the food and different cultural aspects. Our designs are different from room to room to show different variations of Russian culture.”

MEAT-FILLED PELMENIS AND SOUR CREAM BOTH MADE IN-HOUSE AND FROM SCRATCH.

ven though explaining Russian food in a nutshell is nearly impossible, the menu at Russian House gives guests an accurate and lengthy impression.

Items include appetizers, lunch, dinner, gluten free options, happy-hour plates and brunch. Some of the most popular items include Russian caviar served on a variety of food vessels or alongside a shot of vodka, pelmeni — a dumpling filled with pork, beef, and veal — and a variety of cold or hot fish. Though the focus is on traditional Russian cuisine, Salkey says the menu includes a mix of European tastes. “We went for the most traditional and worldknown Russian dishes like beef stroganoff, borsch and or Georgian.” Salkey says. “It’s been mixed so much, even

GRILLED EGGPLANT ROLLS STUFFED WITH CHEESE, MUSHROOMS, TOMATOES AND GARNISHED WIH DILL.

with French cuisine, so it’s really like all of these pieces put

Bull, Enforcer, Brigadier, Spy and Boss. Each time you

together.”

taste a certain number of flavors, you level up and receive

pelmeni, but a lot of our food is Ukrainian, or from Uzbek,

a prize. Prizes include discounts off of your next bill, free Of course, the question that many people will wonder

food or vodka, a t-shirt and ultimately, your picture on

when discussing Russian food and culture is, what about

the “Boss Wall.” Since sampling all 75 flavors in one sitting

the vodka? Not to worry — Russian House NaZdorovye

would be both dangerous and arguably impossible, the

stocks over 75 vodkas infused with endless combinations

restaurant keeps tabs of progress on a personal card and

of fruits, vegetables, herbs and spices. Flavors range from

encourages visitors to space out their flavors and come

sweet pear and cinnamon to spicy juniper and garlic. For

back often.

the ultimate vodka connoisseur, Russian House boasts a “Vodka Club,” where patrons climb the ranks of Associate,

The flavor that most accurately captures the essence of

THE DINING ROOMS MIX ELEGANCE WITH COMFORT TO MIRROR THE INSIDE OF A TRADITIONAL RUSSIAN HOME.

Russian cuisine and taste is known as “Chef Vladimir’s mix,” which contains over 35 exotic herbs and spices, including Siberian ginseng root, foxberry leaf, pine buds, sorbus fruits, cranberry, Catanzaro herbs and sweet basil seeds. The assertive mix gives the vodka an earthy and defined taste that strays far from sweet vodkas more typically

DIY VODKA

INFUSED

found in American cocktails. Gribkov places the mixed spices and vodka in the sun for two weeks, then stores

INGREDIENTS/ MATERIALS

the container in a dark, dry place for the remainder of six months, shaking the concoction every day to ensure even infusing. Offering great food and vodka isn’t enough for the ambitious Salkey and Gribkov, which is why they schedule bands, throw Russian culture nights and host language and cooking classes. There is always something new happening at Russian House NaZdorovye; visiting this restaurant isn’t just another night of dining or drinking, but truly a one-of-a-kind Russian experience.

• Any combination of herbs, spices, fruits, vegetables or others to your heart’s desire • 1 liter of good quality vodka • Large container with tight lid or jar • Cheesecloth or coffee filters • Decorative bottle or mason jar

“WE DECIDED WE WANTED TO BE THIS CULTURAL ISLAND IN THE MIDDLE OF TEXAS.”

• Bowl

DIRECTIONS • Prep your infusion ingredients. Wash and chop fruits and veggies, cut herbs to a useable length, etc. • Pour the liter of vodka into the large container or jar, making sure you have enough room for the fruits, veggies, herbs or spices you’ll be adding for the infusion. • Add the infusion ingredients to the vodka in the container. • Close the container, making sure it is sealed tightly and store in a dark, dry place for at least 4 days, up to 2 weeks for infusions that have milder-flavored add-ins. Shake at least once a day to insure the ingredients open up and the flavors infuse evenly throughout the vodka. • Once the vodka is done infusing, strain it through a cheesecloth or coffee filter into a bowl and transfer into your decorative bottle or Mason jar. • Enjoy your vodka straight or in a fun cocktail, adding ingredients that accentuate the infused flavors.

VODKA SERVED WITH RUSSIAN RED CAVIAR.

onboard Edna Lu STORY BY SAM LIMERICK / PHOTOS BY KRIS SEAVERS

When strangers board Guisepi Spadafora’s tea bus, they can expect a hot cup of tea and an enlightening conversation. For the past seven years, Spadafora has traveled the western United States in his environmentally friendly bus, handing out free cups of tea to thousands of people. He has dedicated his cross-country travels to promoting a lifestyle built on the pillars of genuine human interaction and environmental sustainability. This spring, Spadafora parked his bus in Austin for an extended stay. He made appearances at South By Southwest, the Texas Tea Festival and Eeyore’s Birthday Party celebration in Pease Park. Over tea, in his tiny but cozy living room, he invited Austinites to their share ideas and partake in conscientious thought. The ritual of tea drinking exemplifies humanity’s intrinsic desire for meaningful social interaction — a fact that Spadafora says he stumbled upon accidentally during his days as a video editor in Hollywood before he began his tea travels. “It turns out that tea’s most amazing medicinal benefit is that it cures loneliness,” he says. Following this epiphany, he was inspired to take to the open road. After

seven years of living out of the tea bus, he has never looked back. The completely rebuilt and retrofitted bus Spadafora has called home since he launched his North American tea tour has a name: Edna Lu. Edna’s inner workings epitomize Spadafora’s framework of values. One look around the interior of the bus speaks volumes — potted herbs and lettuce grow by the window, comfy cushions for guests line the interior’s periphery and a wood stove offers heat in the winter and allows Spadafora to heat kettles or cook food. The bus itself is a 1989 model, and the engine has been converted to run on waste oils from a deli or restaurant. “I have built more direct relationships with the things I consume,” Spadafora says. Part of the Free Tea Party’s mission is showing his visitors and new friends the importance of coming into closer contact with the products and services they use. This includes not accepting money for services rendered and not paying for services needed whenever possible.

THE TEA BUS, NICKNAMED EDNA LU, PARKED IN FRONT OF SPIDERHOUSE CAFE. Spadafora is not anti-money, but he maintains that money is

that’s just how the tea bus works, Spadafora says. His answer

a “disconnector” and can separate people from the natural,

to sustainable ethics are extreme, and he acknowledges

non-monetary exchange of goods and services humanity has

not everyone can rearrange their lives so extremely. But he

exhibited throughout history. Spadafora cites the practice

says there is a way for people to achieve sustainable values

of barn raising — a Mennonite and Amish practice where

in their own lives. “Have a hands-on approach,” he says. “If

the entire community gathers to cooperatively build each

something breaks, fix it. If you want food, grow it.”

new barn more effectively than any one person could — as an example of the natural reciprocal altruism he hopes to

Learn more about the philosophy, mission and history of

inspire in visitors to the tea bus.

Guisepi and Edna Lu at freeteaparty.org, or shoot Edna Lu a friend request at facebook.com/freeteaparty.

To sustain himself, Spadafora collects throwaway produce from restaurants or grocers, which he cans and ferments to eat on the road. Or he offers favors — often manual labor — in exchange for a meal or a service. He especially loves washing dishes. “Other people hate doing it, but for me it’s meditative,” he says. This idea of modern barting might be foreign to many, but

“It turns out that tea’s most amazing medicinal beneFIt is that it cures loneliness.”

A TASTE OF KOKO INTERVIEW BY ASHLEY LOPEZ PHOTOS BY KRISTEN HUBBY Instagram feeds are transitioning from pictures of people to crisp, mouthwatering snapshots of food. Instead of looking restaurants up online, chances are you refer to your favorite foodie’s Insta as a guide to your city’s best eateries. In a food-driven city like Austin, posting a foodstagram is almost inevitable. But before this social media food craze was even a thing, 25-year-old Jane Ko was already on the scene. The foodie behind the “A Taste of Koko” food blog/Instagram began documenting her Austin eats as a UT student back in 2012, and her presence has only grown since then. Some of the most popular posts on her blog include “100 Things You Need to Eat this Summer in Austin” and the “Ultimate Guide to Best Brunches in Austin.” ORANGE met with Ko over some boba tea at Tea Haus, a new spot on Anderson Lane, per her recommendation. She shared some of her weirdest food experiences and her future endeavors. HOW DID YOU GET INTO THE AUSTIN FOOD SCENE? I didn’t like my nutrition degree, and I didn’t want to be a dietician. I never really connected with the concept of eating healthy. So I was like, “You know what? I’m gonna start a food blog.” It was originally simple stuff in my kitchen that a college student would make, and from there, it transitioned into restaurant coverage and finding hidden gems in Austin. WHAT IS YOUR DAY JOB? Professionally, I’ve done social media and marketing full-time for over five years now. I actually quit my job two months ago so I have just been doing my blog.

AUSTIN DRINK OF CHOICE? I’m a girly-girl, I like my bubbles. Anything mixed with champagne or moscato. WHAT WOULD YOUR LAST MEAL IN AUSTIN BE? If this were the case, it would make me very sad. I would have to say barbecue. I know you can’t get good ol’ Texas BBQ anywhere else. To narrow it down, I would have to say the brisket and beef ribs at La Barbecue. WHAT’S IT LIKE WHEN YOU AND SOME FRIENDS GO OUT TO EAT? I think I’m really OCD when I go out to eat with friends. I usually like to encourage everybody to get something different and kind of nudge them towards

getting something that I want to try, like, “Hey, hey, get this! And then we can share right? You’ll let me have a bite?” My friends and boyfriend will tell you that they usually don’t eat food when it comes right out because I spend 10 to 15 minutes trying to take pictures of it. WHAT ARE SOME FOODS THAT YOU DON’T LIKE? I don’t think there’s anything I don’t like. The quality of certain things is what bothers me, but I typically eat everything. Chicken feet and frog legs kind of gross me out. WHAT’S THE WEIRDEST THING YOU’VE EVER EATEN? I went to Taiwan and Hong Kong for my 21st birthday, and I

went to this shady night market in Taipei. It’s one of those places your parents tell you not to go to because it’s not safe and people do sketchy things. There are restaurants there that serve exotic animals, and one of them is a freshly butchered snake. I thought I was going to die that day, to be honest. We had six shots from different parts of the snake, including its blood, bile and venom –– and I took all of them. My parents still don’t know to this day. WHAT DO YOU THINK THE AUSTIN FOOD SCENE IS LACKING? Austin is definitely lacking Asian cuisine. I don’t cook it at home, and I don’t go out to get it in Austin because it’s just not good. Either it’s Americanized and then you’ve got the fancy places that are overcharging for it –– there’s not really anything authentic. And we really need a dim sum place here as well. WHO ARE SOME FOOD BLOGGERS THAT INSPIRE YOU? I actually don’t read that many food blogs. I read a lot of fashion and style blogs and get most of my inspiration from there. It’s odd because I write a food blog, but a lot of my design and the way I take my photos come from style blogs. Some websites I look at are Refinery29, Brit + Co., Apartment 34 and Camille Styles. WHAT’S THE ONE THING YOU COOK BEST? My boyfriend calls it the “chicken from the kitchen.” It’s chicken breast, and I marinate it in buttermilk so it tenderizes, then I just bread it in Cornflakes crumbs and bake it. It’s kind of like a healthier fried chicken. But we pretty much eat out every meal. DO YOU EVER CRAVE FAST FOOD, LIKE CHIPOTLE OR CHICK-FIL-A? I don’t personally. But if I’m not cooking, and we are not going somewhere, then that’s what my boyfriend picks up. WHAT’S THE LAST NEW PLACE THAT REALLY LEFT AN IMPRESSION ON YOU? Italic. I’m such a big fan of the Elm group. They own 24 Diner, Arro, Easy Tiger, and prior to them opening Italic,

I was obsessed with Arro. Anytime someone would ask me what my favorite restaurant was, I would say I don’t have a favorite, but my current obsession is Arro. Italic is the newest restaurant opened by the Elm group and it’s rustic italian cuisine. The space is beautiful; it’s on Sixth and Colorado Street. They have a floating wine cellar that holds 100 bottles of wine and one of the best steaks I’ve had. IF YOU COULD REINCARNATE INTO AN AUSTIN DESSERT, WHAT WOULD IT BE? Arro’s chocolate pot de creme. IF YOU COULD HAVE DINNER WITH ANY THREE PEOPLE WHO WOULD THEY BE? I got to meet the cast of Spy during SXSW, except Jason Statham because his body guard pulled him away from me. So I would like to have him at dinner, you know, with his British accent. The Rock, he seems kind of interesting, and Julia Child. If she wants to cook the meal, I’m okay with that. It’s an odd crowd, but it’ll be an interesting dinner. FAVORITE FOOD INSTAGRAMS? I love looking at accounts from other cities because I want to know where to go when I travel. I usually stalk people of that nature. There’s this girl from Dallas who has a beautiful page — her name is Karen Lau. I actually follow a lot of photographers because they give me

ideas on how I need to take my pictures. WORDS OF ADVICE? Be focused on what you want to achieve and don’t pay attention to distractions. Have a goal in mind. ANY UPCOMING ADVENTURES? I’m going on a cruise in early May. Along with food I also do some travel, so occasionally I will get approached by a company, and they’ll say, “Hey, we want you to create some content and we will send you off, just have fun and do a couple of posts about it.” It’s gonna be in the Mexico area so I’m really excited. WHERE DO YOU SEE “A TASTE OF KOKO” IN FIVE YEARS? I hope that I will still be doing my blog. Right now I have been doing city guide of Austin, but I have been entertaining the thought of adding on other contributors from different cities like Los Angeles and New York or even Asia. I wouldn’t mind having published a book or something of that nature. I have also had companies approach me about doing a cookery line, so I imagine that could be a future possibility as well.

TRAILS + EATS story by sarah roberts / photos by kristen hubby

Ranked the 14th healthiest city in America by the ACSM

like flax meal, acai, hemp seeds and kale among a sea

American Fitness Index, Austin is home to some of the

of fruits. “We ensure our smoothie ingredients are 100

fittest people on the planet. Not surprisingly, one can find

percent organic,” manager Danika Trierweiler says. “We

an abundance of trails and parks in the city, as well as

make sure that we taste-test every recipe for quality

many options to choose for post-workout grub. To make

control, and we really try to stay on top of quality and

hitting the trail easy, we paired outdoor adventures with

customer service.” The PB & J smoothie, Joy Ride and

the best quick stops for healthy fuel.

cranberry almond chicken salad are their bestsellers, she adds.

SHOAL CREEK TRAIL & PEASE PARK Shoal Creek Trail, which runs through Pease Park, is one of the more popular trails among UT students. The trail is wide enough for biking, running or even taking the dogs on a leisurely walk, and it leads into a cute, family-friendly

BARTON CREEK GREENBELT

park. When you need to get in that afternoon workout,

Ideal for leisure hiking and exploring, the greenbelt is a

check out Shoal Creek Trail, and then head over to Food

staple of Austin’s outdoors. If you’re looking for serenity

for Fitness Café to refuel.

and a low-intensive mind-clearing, hit the trail and enjoy the flourishing greenery, rushing water and rocky cliffs. After you’ve reached peace, wander over to the Soup Peddler for a hydrating fix.

TOWN LAKE Perhaps one of the most popular running loops in Austin, Town Lake — also known as Lady Bird Lake — is the trail to be on year-round. While the trail is suited for all types of cardio, the reservoir is what sets Town Lake apart. Water activities are offered to the public, including stand-up paddle boarding and kayaking. When you’re exhausted from that kick-butt workout on Town Lake, venture over to

FOOD & FITNESS CAFE Located on North Lamar Boulevard, Food for Fitness Café is the ultimate pick-me-up after a jog around Pease Park. Colorful, spunky walls line the outside of the shop, while the inside ambiance is quaint and crafty. They offer eclectic smoothies, each packed with healthy ingredients

Juiceland for a refreshing smoothie to revitalize.

thE SOUP PEDDLER

Just up the street from Town Lake sits a shaded, almost

After a long hike on the greenbelt, unwind with healthy

whimsical hut full of bright colors and greenery.

and refreshing options at the Soup Peddlerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s colorful

Juiceland is extremely convenient for all runners, bikers

picnic tables, the perfect place to grab a bite or fresh-

and stand-up paddle boarders leaving the lake. Although

pressed juice. In addition to juices, the menu also offers

known for their delicious smoothies, Juiceland also

smoothies, homemade soups, salads and pressed

offers an array of fresh-pressed juices, cleansing shots

sandwiches.

and cultural salads to refuel you after a long, hot day outdoors.

food +drink

JUICELAND

OUR FAVORITE Date Spots in austin ALEJANDRA: JUSTINE’S BRASSERIE Justine’s Brasserie is the place to go for a taste of France and its romanticism with your significant other. This upscale restaurant offers excellent French cuisine and beautiful scenery, as if you’re right in the heart of Paris giggling with your date, sipping wine and eating delicious escargot. It’s almost impossible not to fall in love with this place. Justine’s is open late for last minute dinner plans and after your meal, you can hit the dance floor. Plus, this little slice of France offers a photobooth run by Lumiere Tintype and a beautiful garden.

ASHLEY: HALCYON Before spending way too much time on Instagram and Yelp trying to figure out where you and your boo should go for your next outing, look no further than Halcyon. Nestled on the corner of Fourth and Lavaca streets, this spot is ideal for planning future adventures with your main squeeze over a cup of coffee and s’mores — that’s right, you can make s’mores there at your table. Halcyon means peaceful and carefree, which is exactly how you should feel when you’re enjoying a sweet treat with that special someone.

caroline: the grove If you and the “sig-o” are looking for an an excuse dress up a little for once and enjoy some quality eats, The Grove has about anything and everything you could ever crave for a night out. Their specialty is the “small plates and samplers” portion of the menu, giving you an excuse to get cozied up to your date and share some bites. After bae is stuffed and ready to leave a happy camper, make sure you two get a pic together in front of the endless strands of twinkly lights.

charlotte: elaine’s pork and pie Just a short drive from campus, Elaine’s Pork and Pie is a charming restaurant with a homestyle feel. Choose from the pulled pork sandwich or tacos (warning: your hands will get messy), and pair that with a slice of homemade pie. If the weather is nice, opt for outdoor seating under the oak tree and order a refreshing frozen lemonade with raspberry puree. After your meal, take a stroll in the community garden behind Elaine’s and say hi to the chickens that roam the area. With a tasty menu and prices that won’t hurt your wallet, Elaine’s is a great option for a laid back date.

darby: brick oven As a college student, it can be exceptionally easy to fall into a routine of sweatpants and delivered food, especially if you can do so in the company of a significant other. Break the monotony by dressing up and heading to the Brick Oven on 35th. Situated in North Campus, the quaint Italian eatery is an independent franchise of the Austin classic. The quiet location offers an intimate atmosphere, excellent pasta and an impressive wine list. With its solid service, Brick Oven on 35th is a great spot to bring a date.

jenna: searsucker austin Searsucker Austin is the number one place for a special occasion date night with your significant other. The eclectic ambiance adds diversity to your dining experience, and the restaurant has an indoor/outdoor element, which is perfect for the weekend brunch menu on a sunny day. If you are in the mood to splurge, we recommend trying one of their succulent seafood dishes. Or if you and your date are in the sharing mood, the endless amount of appetizers will appease any craving — without hurting your bank account. And who doesn’t love sharing, especially if it’s with the person you adore?

melyssa: pinthouse Pinthouse Pizza a casual pub-style joint with long bench tables and bartops. The self-titled “brewpub” boasts 40+ craft beers, so order a few and compare flavors with your date. The pizza is made from scratch and can be topped with a variety of meats, veggies and cheeses for a relatively low price. Sharing a pizza pie is a great way to save money and have a romantic meal. Plus, let’s face it, it’s important to know what kind of toppings your date likes to see if this relationship is really going to work out.

sarah: eastside cafe East Austin’s food scene is booming, and if you’re looking for a place to mix things up on date night, Eastside Cafe the place to go. Just a short drive from campus on Manor Road, the cafe prepares nearly every dish from and various vegetarian-friendly options. The restaurant itself is a small house surrounded by greenery and a white fenced porch — which makes for a cozy chat while waiting for your table. Whether you feel like sitting down for brunch or grabbing that third date dinner, Eastside Cafe is nothing short of a lovely experience.

food +drink

scratch. Brunch, lunch and dinner are accompanied by a gluten-free menu

Food Truck Feature

Story and Photos by Caroline Richardson Avery Harris says she never imagined herself starting a food truck. “I can honestly say that it would’ve never crossed my mind,” says the wide-eyed 24-year-old. But after spending 11 months in 11 countries with The World Race, Avery Harris finds herself in Austin and in the food truck business nonetheless. The mission of The World Race, a Christian humanitarian trip, is to serve the impoverished, enslaved, orphaned and sick all over the world. Harris was a participant in this sabbatical race after she graduated with a communications degree from Texas A&M in 2013. Her plan was to enter the corporate world after her year abroad. But she could not forget all that she experienced during that year and felt called, as she explains, to continue to fight for injustice worldwide as she returned to the states. “When I was in Cambodia, I was thinking about how I would come back to the states and do what I did in Thailand,” she says. “I still wanted to fight the sex trafficking that I saw when I was to come back to the U.S.” While in Thailand during her fourth month out of the states, Harris wondered about her future. Despite her innate hunger to discover how she would use her experience abroad in her career as she returned, she knew that planning her future while serving would be too much on her plate.

Just as Harris began to no longer fear the future, she

and it was my favorite,” she says, explaining her

says an idea came to her.

inspiration for SAvery. “I’ve always loved cooking but had written it off as a hobby.”

Sitting on the balcony of her Cambodian apartment, looking out onto the misty capital city of Phnom

Finally able to live out her dream, Harris officially

Penh, she was, “given this idea in just 30 minutes,”

opened SAvery for business on April 18. In joyful

she says. “I have a journal entry where it’s just all

celebration, many came from all over the metroplex

there. I knew I was to bring awareness to America.”

to enjoy gourmet grilled cheeses, cookie dough eggrolls, warm embraces and light-hearted

With no knowledge of how or where she would do

conversation with the owner.

this, Harris thought of Austin. She lived in Nashville, Tennessee the summer after her junior year and

In order for the 24-year-old to manage her own truck

always envisioned herself ending up somewhere

and cook, she says she must stay organized, which

like it. When Austin popped into her head, she said

includes planning each seasonal menu in advance.

it reminded her of Nashville, and she knew it was

In the winter, Harris serves a Frito pie sandwich with

meant to be. “I thought, ‘How am I going to do this?

chili and corn chips. This summer, the menu will

Am I going to go up and down Sixth Street?’” she

include a pretzel bread press with ham, muenster

jokes. “Then this crazy idea of a food truck literally

cheese and savory parmesan sauce. “I think of things

just came to me.”

I love and then how I can put it into sandwich form,” she says.

Without any professional culinary experience, she began brainstorming the eccentric idea of starting

When you buy a hot, gooey grilled cheese and

her own food truck to fight human trafficking in

delicious hand-cut fries from SAvery, 10 percent

the capital. “And a year later it happened,” she says,

of the purchase goes toward Wipe Every Tear. The

disbelief still in her voice. “Every job I’ve done in

organization helps women caught in the trafficking

the past has led up to this. I worked at a camp for

industry, providing them another chance at life, as

a summer, and I was convinced I was going to be

Harris would put it.

a counselor. And all I ended up doing was kitchen work. Now I know why.”

Longtime friend of Harris’s and UT sophomore Savannah Lovelace digs into her favorite cheesy

Looking back, Harris says, destiny seemed to know

delight, The Blues. “SAvery is different mostly

what it was doing in her life.

because of the cause,” Lovelace says. “When you meet her or just see her working, you can feel her

“In Nashville, they had a grilled cheese food truck,

passion for it. The fact that you know your money

is going to help prevent human tracking makes the

People crave it, and not many businesses combine the two

experience much more meaningful.”

anymore,” Tucker adds.

“When someone first meets Avery, they would not be

Although the Austin food truck scene is incredibly

surprised at the way things have come into play,” first-time

competitive, Harris says, “I have complete peace with

customer Ellen Tucker says. “She’s just got that spunk. Those

whatever happens.”

joyful people who just roll with things, things just happen to them.”

With a full heart and stomach, customers leave the truck eager to return.

Customers appreciate that Harris serves them with a smile. “Service and relationship is a lost art in business.

Summer eats: Staples orange

RECIPES AND photos by Kristen Hubby and Ashley Lopez

ingredients

Garlic Thyme Pork Chops

2 cups apple cider vinegar

Mix the apple cider, hot water, salt,

over medium-high heat. Sear the pork

1 cup hot water

sugar and mustard powder together

chop about 4 minutes per side.

1 tablespoon salt

in a large container until the salt and

Place the skillet in the oven and roast

Âź cup sugar

sugar dissolve. Chill mixture in the

for 10 minutes, flipping the chop at

2 teaspoons mustard powder

fridge. Once itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s cold, place the pork

the 5 minute mark.

chops in the brine. Make sure they are 2 bone-in pork chops

completely submerged and let them

Bring the skillet back to the stove and

1 tbsp oil

brine overnight in the fridge.

set the heat to medium-low. Add the

2 tbsp butter

butter, garlic, and thyme and baste

2 garlic cloves, crushed

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

each side of the chop for 2 minutes.

3 sprigs of fresh time

Rinse the pork chops and pat dry.

Check to see if pork chops are

6 cherry tomatoes

In a cast-iron skillet, heat the oil up

thoroughly cooked, and serve.

Serrano Zucchini Salad ingredients 1 Serrano pepper finely chopped (2 if you like it spicy) 2 Tbsp chopped mint 1 Large zucchini 1 Clove garlic, minced 2 Tbsp red wine vinegar 6 tsp olive oil Kosher salt to taste

Preheat the grill medium to low. Chop serrano pepper, mint. Mince the clove of garlic and combine the marinade ingredients. Set aside. After stove has heated, drizzle a cast iron pan with olive oil and place zucchini slice face down. Flip occasionally until golden brown or brown, depending on how you prefer it. After the zucchini is done, place zucchini on a serving plate and drizzle the marinade on top. Make sure to not overdo the marinade because the zucchini will absorb oil.

Cinnamon Crunch Bread Pudding ingredients Creme Anglaise: 1/2 cup whipping cream 1/2 cup milk 2 Tbsp granulated sugar 3 egg yolks 1/2 tsp vanilla Optional: Splash of Bourbon Pudding: 2 cups whole milk 3/4 cup heavy whipping cream 4 large eggs 1/2 cup granulated sugar 1 tsp. vanilla 1/2 tsp. kosher salt 7 cups stale bread, cut into chunks Cinnamon Crunch Topping: 1/2 cup brown sugar 2 tsp. cinnamon 2 Tbsp. butter, melted

In small saucepan over medium heat, add cream, milk and 1 tablespoon of sugar. Heat until bubbles form around edge of the pan. Meanwhile, in a separate bowl, whisk egg yolks with the remaining 1 tablespoon of sugar. When cream mixture is ready, whisk a small amount into the egg mixture, then add more, a bit at a time, until you have added about 1/2 a cup or so. Stir the tempered egg mixture back into pan with the rest of the cream and cook, stirring constantly, until thick enough to coat spoon — about 2 to 3 minutes. It shouldn’t boil. (Test by dipping a spoon into mixture. It should coat the spoon and you should be able to run your finger through it and it will leave a clear line). Pour sauce into a bowl. Stir in vanilla and bourbon (if using). Place plastic wrap directly onto the surface of the sauce and refrigerate until cold, at least 1 hour. Sauce will thicken slightly as it cools. Heat the oven to 350 degrees with rack in the center of the oven. Prepare a single 2-quart baking pan or several smaller pans. In a medium bowl, whisk together the milk, cream, eggs, 1/2 cup of sugar,

vanilla, and salt until the mixture is smooth. Spread your bread chunks out evenly and in a mostly single layer in your baking dish or dishes. Pour custard mixture over bread but don’t cover bread completely. Pour only enough in to come up about 3/4 of the way so that the top of the bread is exposed. Allow to sit 15 minutes, adding more of the custard mixture as the bread soaks it up, again no higher than 3/4 of the way up. Meanwhile, prepare the cinnamon crunch mixture by combining the brown sugar and cinnamon and pouring in the melted butter. Stir to combine. Evenly distribute the cinnamon crunch mixture over the top of the bread pudding, using as much or as little as you like. Set the filled baking dish into a larger roasting pan and add enough very hot water to the pan to reach halfway up the sides of the baking dish. Bake until custard is set and top is lightly browned, about 50 to 60 minutes. Remove from water bath and let sit 5 to 10 minutes before serving. Serve warm and pour prepared creme anglaise over the puddings.

orange music roundup

best austin front person

Jeff Bebe, frontman of fictional rock band Stillwater in the movie “Almost Famous,” summed up his job pretty well: “You know what I do? I connect. I get people off. I look for the guy who isn’t getting off, and I make him get off.” Sure, Austin’s vibrant scene owes itself to all sorts of musicians. But there’s no denying the frontman or woman serves as the glue that holds everything together onstage. They’re the face of the band, the ones most likely to leave a lasting impression on the audience. Without them, it’s pretty much open mic night, and we all know that’s just code for shitty, drunk karaoke.

Tess: Eric Braden (Big Bill) Whether he’s jumping into the crowd to join the mosh pit or screaming lyrics at the crowd, there is no doubt that Eric Braden is one of the most exciting frontmen to watch in Austin. Fronting the self-proclaimed “cartoonpunk party slop” band Big Bill, Braden is eccentric and animated from beginning to end of each set. Even in an empty venue, he’s busy running laps around the stage, pumping himself up before each set. From his off-thewall stage presence to outlandish get-ups, Braden definitely does his part to keep Austin weird.

Bel: Matthew Melton (Warm Soda) You could tell Matthew Melton is in a band just from seeing him walk down the street. His whole image screams ‘70s, looking permanently like an extra from Dazed and Confused and fronting a band who could’ve provided the whole soundtrack. Having worked with Melton a few times, I’ve found him to be incredibly passionate about Warm Soda, always double checking every detail to make sure things are perfect. He’s no phony retro-rocker either — everything about Melton’s look and sound is genuine, and I couldn’t imagine him sounding, dressing or being any other way.

Maria: Laura Patino (Holiday Mountain) The best way I can describe Patino is like a 100-pack of glow-in-the-dark Crayola crayons, sprinkled with a bit of glitter and a topped with a slice of rainbow cake. During Holiday Mountain’s shows, her fairy-like aesthetic, wild stage presence and reggae-inflected voice make it nearly impossible to keep your eyes off of her. You can’t even think of the band without Patino’s fuschia bob and neon legwarmers coming to mind, as well as the way she effortlessly changes tempos and slams funky notes on the keyboard. The first time I saw the band, I had no idea what to expect. I’d never heard their music, but I knew that they were notorious in the Austin music scene. After that night, and after seeing Patino completely dominate the stage, I knew why.

Jenna: Carrie Fussell (Calliope Musicals) With her green hair and glittery blue eyebrows, Fussell brings a whimsical magic to psych-rockers Calliope Musicals. She dances across the stage in time with the beat, putting her lyrics into motion and demonstrating a vocal range that spans from sugary-sweet high notes to low growls. She radiates energy in every performance, and the audience gives it right back to her. At last month’s Untapped Festival, Fussell jumped off the stage and into the pit to hug friends and sing to the crowd, shattering the wall between artist and fan to establish a real connection. Whether playing a small, dark club or a festival stage, Fussell and Calliope Musicals create an experience viewers won’t forget.

Bryan: Aryn Jonathan Black (Scorpion Child) Rock and roll isn’t dead, but Scorpion Child gave it a much-needed kick in the ass with their eponymous 2013 debut, shifting between bluesy stomping jams and hyperspeed stoner rock. Black channels his inner Robert Plant and David Coverdale without sounding contrived, and his denim vests and cowboy hats scream Texas more the stage like a rag doll, head banging and leaping off the bass drum in a way that makes you think of “High School Musical,” if “High School Musical” wasn’t a lame children’s movie. Here’s a dude who knows how to work up a sweat. Plus, he’s been rocking a killer beard lately.

music

than London. He tosses the microphone stand around

5-1-TUNES: CHIPPER JONES

STORY BY BRYAN ROLLI // PHOTOS BY TESS CAGLE

Charlie Martin and James Lambrecht are already sitting across the table from each other at Epoch Coffee when I pull up a chair. They don’t seem to mind my lateness: they’ve been making small talk for the last 10 minutes, which is easy when you’ve known each other for the last 20 years. The only difference is that now, instead of playing makebelieve guns and riding bikes, they’re actively pursuing a music career as Chipper Jones, a fastrising staple of the Austin music scene with one eye firmly rooted on the bigger picture. The two friends grew up in the same suburban neighborhood in Dallas, but lost touch after Lambrecht moved to Austin in 1998. They reconnected in the fall of 2013 when Martin, then a senior at UT, learned through Facebook that Lambrecht also went there. “One day I was riding my bike home on Guadalupe, and he came up beside me on his motorcycle and was like, ‘Hey Charlie!’” Martin says. The two made plans to catch up the following week. Martin had been playing drums in a folk band called Fellows, and Lambrecht had a solo project under the moniker Thousand Mile Channel, a guitar-heavy instrumental endeavor that would eventually become the template for Chipper Jones’ sound. “The first thing we did was play music, and that’s probably what broke the ice and kind of mended everything,” Lambrecht says. “And it was just so funny, that it just immediately had a total romance-bromance blossom.” Wait. Did I hear that right? “It’s a serious bromance,” Martin assures me. “Bromance. That’s what Chipper Jones is,” Lambrecht says with a sheepish grin.

The duo began playing each off each

Lambrecht is learning to pull back

different ground but are very similar,”

other’s strengths and personal tastes

and create space, still using loops

Martin says.

to forge their own sound. Lambrecht

to satisfy his urge to make a busier

employed dozens of guitar loops to

sound.

create a dense, multilayered sound. Meanwhile, Martin wanted to play simple backbeats that would support the melody, rather than compete with it. His minimalist style, highly informed by the electronic and dance music he listened to, complemented Lambrecht’s busy lead work. The result? Well, even they’re not quite sure.

After building a substantial fan base in Austin, Chipper Jones embarked on

“BROMANCE. THAT’S WHAT CHIPPER JONES IS.” - JAMES LAMBRECHT Chipper Jones began gigging around

their first lower Midwestern tour last July, and their first west coast tour in January. “Both tours were — I wouldn’t say brutal — but very sobering, honest debut tours,” Lambrecht says. “It was definitely kind of silly of us to leave a job for a month and go and play shows to five people, or maybe 20 people on a good night.”

Austin in early 2014 and released their “That’s what we’re trying to always

first EP “Two Rooms” in April of the

Maybe he’s right, but the sheer

figure out. To me, it’s kind of

same year. They signed with Raw Paw

amount of people they met and the

blossomed into a very electronic

Records, a label that also functions as

firsthand experience of roughing it

music-influenced style, performed

a publisher and creative platform for

on the road were invaluable. It also

with traditional instruments like guitar and drums,” Lambrecht says. “Just real groove-based, instrumental music.” In the process, they’ve both learned to give and take from each other: Martin has been adding more complex drum flourishes, while

local artists, shortly thereafter. “Deciding to sign with Raw Paw was really identifying and feeling a really potentially dynamic relationship and collective, because all the artists cover

prepared them for their current East Coast tour with electronic artist Corduroi, and a late summer West Coast run they have planned with math-folk band Hikes — both Raw Paw label mates.

CHARLIE MARTIN AND JAMES LAMBRECHT PERFORM AT SPIDERHOUSE BALLROOM.

The duo just released their newest

Lambrecht says.

single, “Tropics | COSM,” on April 24 via

still very much a fantasy, I think that’s kind of where it needs to be in our

Raw Paw. Recorded by Kevin Butler at

While the two are constantly looking

minds. I don’t think we should think

Orb Studios, the songs boast a more

to expand their sound, they’re not

we have it yet at all, and I don’t think

polished, hi-fi sound than the raggedy

interested in expanding their actual

we ever should.”

“Two Rooms,” with each guitar loop

band. “I think we like the challenge

getting its own track to flesh out the

of being responsible for this bigger

It’s getting late. Mondays are Chipper

sound.

sound that we’re making, because

Jones’ practice day, and they’ve got

we’re very much at the mercy of

dozens of samples, melodies and

While the band definitely enjoyed

our technical abilities, as well as the

iPhone recordings to sift through.

the upgrade to a professional studio,

technical abilities of the gear we’re

Martin needs to expand his rhythmic

they hope to wed the rawness of

using,” Lambrecht says. He and Martin

palette — sleepy 4/4 beats aren’t

the EP with the precision of the new

both envision having more gear to

gonna cut it. Lambrecht needs loops,

single on their full-length, which

free them up creatively, while also

loops and more loops, a gargantuan

they plan to finish by the end of the

demanding more of their attention

sound to match the group’s

year. “We would kind of be excited

onstage.

gargantuan vision. There’s just one

about writing the album as we’re

thing standing in the way of a full-

recording it, whereas if we were to

More than that, they both envision a

length album that could catapult

try and do exactly what we did with

day where they can quit their day jobs

them to the next level: themselves.

this new release, it would be kind of

at Ramen Tatsu-ya and make music

an intimidating process, and might

for a living. “It is still such a farfetched

Sounds like a lot of pressure for two

potentially scare away the sound

idea to think this could be what we do

dudes. But that’s just the way they like

that we really are trying to go for,”

full-time,” Lambrecht says. “Though it’s

it.

5-1-TUNES Video: Enyeto VIDEO BY JONATHAN GOMEZ

There’s one word to describe the electronic music of producer Marshal Spaulding: energy. Spaulding’s project, Enyeto, has been pumping out catchy, powerful tracks for the past three years, and his first full length album was released in February. Enyeto performs an instrumental version of his first single, “Casey” in this 5-1-Tunes video feature.

Attendance Records Austin creatives bring music back into the classroom with nonprofit organization STORY AND PHOTOS BY TESS CAGLE

In 2011, when public schools in Texas faced a $5 billion cut

Records, an in-school program that connects students

to their budgets, eyes turned to fine arts programs across

with community creatives, four years ago. Carrens, who

the state. As schools recalculated their expenditures

has been involved with nonprofit work for seven years,

down to the last penny, it became clear that the majority

originally developed the idea while working in public

of funding would go to standardized testing preparation,

schools through another program.“I was seeing firsthand

while the arts would bare the brunt of the cuts.

how it was affecting the kids I was teaching,” she says. “This program kind of encompasses all of the arts in one.

Austin, a city brimming with creatives who have an

You get music, art and writing in school.”

appreciation for the arts, was no exception. However, that same community of creatives responded with a grassroots

The program, provided at Anderson High School and

non-profit called Attendance Records.

Reagan High School, is divided into two parts: students learn how to create a zine and how to design, write and

Executive director Jenna Carrens founded Attendance

produce their own album. Artists and musicians from

the Austin community work alongside the students,

all come together. “We literally start with nothing. We

guiding them through the process. Some of the

start with a blank sheet of paper and build from there,”

musicians who have worked with Attendance Records

she says. “They just blossom throughout the process.

include Mother Falcon, Marmalakes, Walker Lukens

Watching these kids grow is something really special.

and the Eastern Sea.

To be a part of that and encouraging that is really wonderful.”

Program director Lizzie Buckley is one of the teachers who visits the high schools twice a week. She and

Lukens and the Eastern Sea returned to Reagan High

her fellow teachers work with students in the

School at the end of the process and performed the

Advancement via Individual Determination (AVID)

songs to the kids. Lukens says for the most part, the

program, which is typically geared toward students

kids were embarrassed to have their work performed

who will be the first in their family to go to college and

in front of their peers, but he also thinks they may have

may not necessarily have the means to pursue music

learned how to channel their feelings. “I started writing

and art independently. “Some of them just have really

songs when I was a teenager, and like most other

brilliant ideas, and they’re willing to be so authentic,”

songwriters I know, it was a deeply personal endeavor

Buckley says. “Some of the things they share are so

for me — much more confessional than it is nowadays,”

deep because these kids have been through so much.

he says. “Maybe it opened up one of those kids’

We feel very privileged that they’re willing to share and

imaginations in a new way. Maybe it solidified that

they want to put it out there.”

they should never show their verses to adults.” Lukens says the experience was a “fun challenge to make

“It’s kind of good to be grounded again and realize that there are still kids in the education system that need attention.” - MEGZ KELLI Walker Lukens and the Eastern Sea recorded “The World, Differently,” the fourth and most recent album on Attendance Records. “The kids wrote lyrics independent of us,” Lukens says. “We chose a handful of texts that we liked and molded them into arrangements as we set them to music. For the most part, we were taking away from what the kids had written — removing verses, creating refrains, et cetera.” Once Carrens received approval from the kids on the songs, the musicians recorded the album at Estuary Recording Facility. The songs on the album cover a wide range of topics: the opening title track looks at the world through the eyes of a dog while and “Dear Lover” expresses the pain that comes with being in a long-distance relationship. Once an album has been recorded, Attendance Records holds an album release party and gives each student a copy, pressed to vinyl. Buckley says this is her favorite part of the process, when she can see it

someone else’s words into a song while respecting their intent.” Garage-pop band Growl and hip-hop duo Magna Carda are recording Attendance Records’ 2015 album. They finished tracking the songs in April, and the release date is set for September. Megz Kelli of Magna WALKER LUKENS PERFORMS AT THE ALBUM RELEASE PARTY FOR “THE WORLD, DIFFERENTLY.”

JENNA CARRENS, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF ATTENDANCE RECORDS, SPEAKS AT THE ALBUM RELEASE PARTY OF “THE WORLD, DIFFERENTLY.”

Carda says the experience took her back to her own time

you a better person.”

in high school. “It reminded me of where I was and what I was feeling in high school and reminded me of my

Carrens says it’s important to keep the arts in public

growth,” she says. “In the high schools, just from reading

schools because it builds confidence and gives students

the kids’ content, you could see that they’ve been

something to look forward to. Buckley agrees, and

through some things. It’s kind of good to be grounded

says pursuing activities like music and writing provide

again and realize that there are still kids in the education

students with an outlet. “There are a lot of times that kids

system that need attention.”

struggle to find their voice because there are all of these pressures around them, their environment is often really

The members of Growl say that they hope the kids they

stifling growing up,” Buckley says. “Once you’re older,

worked with learned that being emotional is acceptable.

you kind forget that all these things like heartbreak and

“I think when you’re 15 or 16 is a really good time to start

those little things mean so much to them at that time.

writing music,” lead guitarist Sam Houdek says. “It’s that

The fact that they have a medium to express that is

age when you’re still trying to figure out who you are, it

something that is really special for them.”

helps give you your own identity.” Lead singer Santiago Dietche adds that songwriting helps teens process their feelings. “So much of adolescence is about this emotional compass that’s just going on the fritz,” he says. “Puberty is a weird fucking thing.” Lukens, Magna Carda and Growl all agree that the arts are an important component of a high school education. “I don’t think schools consider music as important math and science focused because that’s where jobs are,” Growl bassist Johnny Lee says. “But there’s a whole separate half of your brain that’s getting ignored.” Lukens agrees: “Being familiar with the arts makes you a more well-rounded person. Being more well-rounded makes

music

curriculum, especially in Texas, and everything is so

MERDURHAUS: THE DIY Label

STORY AND PHOTOS BY BELICIA LUEVANO When Phil Hutchinson and Hugh Vu moved into their

you be in my band, you suck so you stay in that band,’”

current house in Austin, they had no idea that a UT professor

Hutchinson says. These early jam sessions led to the

had previously been murdered there. But they decided to

formation of Baby Bleu, Hola Beach and Loafer, some of

run with the slightly morbid joke, turning their new living

the first bands on the label.

quarters into a record label and hotspot for their creative friends — dubbed, appropriately, Merdurhaus.

Merdurhaus has released 15 albums since its inception in the spring of 2014. “We wanted our shit out there

The idea to start a record label stemmed from Hutchinson’s

because no one else was gonna do it,” Hutchinson says.

desire to help his musically inclined friends showcase their

At first, they only planned to throw one combined

work to the public. He worked on campus radio station

release party for Baby Bleu, Hola Beach and Loafer last

KVRX, where he met Vu and made plenty of friends who

May, but after Hutchinson returned from a summer in

were interested in music. The two had a constant stream

Los Angeles, they decided to keep pushing forward and

of visitors at Merdurhaus looking to jam, but no bands had

expanding the project. Since then, the label has signed

formed yet. “We all started hanging out and saying, ‘I have

bands like Tamarron, Secret Daughter and Comforter.

these songs and these songs, you two be in my band, you and

Merdurhaus adds new bands to its ranks organically.

sure everything runs smoothly. “I wanted to help them put

“It’s basically how the whole roster of people have come

their stuff out because to be honest, they’re pretty lazy and

about, us knowing each other and meeting each other and

wouldn’t put it out themselves,” he says. “I help out everyone

meshing as friends and people that can work together,”

keep it all together, or try to.”

Hutchinson says. Instead of actively seeking out new talent, he’d rather get to know musicians on a personal level, and

Members of Merdurhaus appreciate all Hutchinson does

then decide if they’d be a good fit for the label. “I didn’t

for the label. “For better or worse, he gets me to do things I

know the dudes from Comforter at all. Loafer started playing

would have never done on my own,” Baby Bleu singer and

gigs with them, and we became friends with them, so I was

guitarist Andrés Chablé says. “He gets me to play shows in

like ‘Let’s put out shit,’” he says.

front of people I don’t know, and that’s what I love about Phil.”

The label’s show at Holy Mountain on April 23 demonstrated how much Merdurhaus has grown in its first year. Three

Hutchinson describes Merdurhaus as a “DIY” label. Bands

of its bands — Loafer, Comforter and Tamarron — played

record with or without his help, although all the music

alongside another touring Austin band, The Rotten Mangos,

comes to him eventually, since he presses it to tape and

to a packed house. “A year ago, if this would have happened,

distributes it. “We’re doing cool stuff because it’s music that

there would be no one here,” Hutchinson says. Several

I feel isn’t being made by anybody else in Austin right now,”

members of other Merdurhaus bands came out to support

Hola Beach bassist Chris Nordahl says. “We’re not really part

their peers. “Whenever a Merdurhaus band plays a show,

of a defined scene, we’re doing our own thing.”

there will be people there. We’ll go out, support them, drink. That’s what it’s about,” Hutchinson says.

While Merdurhaus has grown exponentially in just 12 months, Hutchinson wants to continue building a name

Hutchinson functions as the glue that keeps the growing

for the label beyond the confines of the city. “I want to do

amount of musicians on the label together. While he

bigger and cooler shit and get outside of Austin,” he says. “I

doesn’t perform himself, he’s the one buying the tapes to

don’t want to be just an Austin thing and held down as an

record, releasing new music, booking shows and making

Austin entity. I want to be a label based in Austin.”

WHICH

BAND SHOULD YOU JOIN? QUIZ BY BELICIA LUEVANO / ILLUSTRATIONS BY JILLIAN LOWE

do you do on have to get 1 What 4 You a tattoo, what is a Saturday night? A. Head to the loudest party in

it?

West Campus.

A. Traditional rose tattoo.

B. Each Saturday is different. I

B. Hummingbird! Spaceship!

make zero plans, but the party

Anything colorful!

always finds me.

C. A favorite quote on my

C. Hang in my dorm, or explore

ribcage.

Austin on my own.

D. An obscure picture only I

D. Chill with a few friends.

would understand.

describes 2 What how you were in with everyone.

argument, how would you solve it?

B. Artsy and eccentric.

A. Someone else in the

C. Cool and smooth, no one

friend group can take care

messed with me.

of it.

D. Sat in the back of class,

B. Force them to hug, then

daydreaming probably.

take them out for burgers.

high school?

A. Super friendly, I got along

C. No one ever fights around

Restaurant of choice? A. Olive Garden. B. Amy’s Ice Cream. C. Hopdoddy Burger Bar.

music

D. Austin’s Pizza.

friends 5 Two are in a heated

me, it’s always chill. D. Let them figure it out.

Mostly A’s: Roxy Roca Your classic vibes make you perfect for this huge self-proclaimed “powerhouse Southern soul” band. You love being around people, and with eight other band members, you’ll always be in good company. Your impeccable style and extroverted nature will add even more energy and swing to their live shows. The only question you need to answer next is whether to go brass or woodwind. Mostly B’s: Holiday Mountain You’re carefree, you’re eccentric, you’re colorful, you’re perfect for Holiday Mountain. You may have been called weird once or twice, but you don’t mind, and neither would your bandmates. Maybe you can even dye your hair pink to match lead singer keyboardist Laura Patino. Your bubbly attitude is a perfect fit for the band’s dancepop sound. Mostly C’s: Zeale You need some serious skills to rap alongside Zeale. He’s performed with AWOLNATION, Imagine Dragons and Blue October, so obviously he’s cool and knows great people. Based on this survey, you do too. You’re smooth and clever, and your rap game is fire, but you make it look easy. Once the show is over, you and Zeale will probably just chill in the hotel and play some video games. Mostly D’s: Baby Bleu You’re cool, calm and collected, and you’d be a perfect addition to the Baby Bleu trio. Who needs to be stumbling the streets of West Campus at 3 a.m. when you could be having a chill night with your best buds? This band can switch from electronic pop to shoegaze, so while you may be down to relax most of the time, a party or two never hurt anyone.

naked ORANGE sports editors bare all

yoGa story by rahul naik and caden kinard illustrations by charlotte FRiend

RAHUL: Ass naked. Both my legs extended are above my head. I’m in a dimly lit room of middle-aged men and ORANGE’s Assistant Sports Editor, Caden. This is a situation I never thought I would find myself in, but that’s exactly what I was faced with on a Wednesday night in April. CADEN: I’m definitely not above the influence of society’s taboo on raw skin. Nudity is uncomfortable, and preceding naked yoga, many thoughts were bouncing through my fully clothed self’s head. Where is it? How well lit is the room? How hard is the yoga? How many euphemisms can I use before my editors start getting angry? Obviously I was only thinking of the hard-hitting questions, but seriously, this is an unconventional hobby. Was naked yoga a hyper-sexualized version or freeing ordeal that preaches approval of one’s own body? RAHUL: My quest to join Austin’s exclusive League of Extraordinary Yoga Men began last year when I attended the occasional free yoga class on campus and around the city. After I mastered the art of bumming free classes, I graduated to the Tuesday night yoga bike ride. The natural progression in yoga level would take me to trying something like acroyoga next, but I skipped straight to naked yoga. At the time it felt like skipping a grade in school, but in retrospect, doing yoga in my birthday suit is more like skipping two.

CADEN: Rahul rode shotgun as I drove to 1810 Briarcliff Boulevard, the location of exposed yoga. The weather was poetic — a gloomy afternoon, perfectly reflecting our mood. Rahul and I made apprehensive jokes, not knowing what to expect from doing downward dogs with our manhood on full display. After a 15 minute drive from West Campus, we trudged into Kirkwerks. RAHUL: Kirk, a bald man as welcoming as a foreign tour guide, greeted us with enthusiasm. He beamed at the fact that we were first-timers. Caden and I took a subtle step away from each other upon the simultaneous realization that we looked like a couple hoping to bond over this unclad undertaking. CADEN: The studio itself was dimly lit by strings of bulb lights, subtly disguising the fact that half of the ceiling was caving in. Rahul and I sat on our mats, clothed. I had to use a community naked yoga mat, which definitely was not my first option, but nobody would lend their mat to me once I explained what their donation would be for.

RAHUL: Unable to do much other than sit in the changing area and make some nervous small talk, Caden and I awaited the arrival of our fellow classmates. “It’ll be just like the locker room in high school. No big deal,” I said to Caden. “Yeah, no biggie,” he said back as nervous chuckles ensued. “Actually, my high school locker rooms were pretty private, so there weren’t naked dudes walking around everywhere.” “Oh. Well my school’s locker room was pretty crappy, so I saw a lot of naked guys,” I said. More nervous laughter. This is what our interaction had been reduced to. I couldn’t care less about Caden’s high school locker rooms, and he couldn’t care less about mine. Our nerves and insecurities were getting the best of us. Thankfully, more people began to arrive, diverting our attention from the newfound awkwardness in our friendship. CADEN: Once they passed the entrance, swords were unsheathed, cheeks were unveiled and stripped stretching began. RAHUL: Caden and I remained in the changing area as clothed outcasts. Time dwindled, though, and I moved to stand up. Caden followed and gave himself a pep talk, hoping it would motivate him to pull down his pants. The pep talk worked, and I was then the only person in the room with pants on. Giving in to the peer pressure, I loosened my pants and let gravity do the rest.

CADEN: Okay Caden, stop being a weirdo. It’s go time. Chin up, trousers down. Garmentless, I sat on my mat waiting for yoga to start, and once Kirk said go, I completely forgot about being naked. Holy shit, was this yoga hard. I’m dripping sweat 10 minutes in, hamstrings screaming, exerting so much effort to keep up with all these surprisingly fit men. RAHUL: Tree pose. Child pose. Downward dog. Upward dog. Upward plank. Side plank. Everything was burning. Everything was sweating. My drenched, naked self, struggling to keep up with everyone else in the room (aside from Caden) robbed my yoga mat of all its innocence. My mat probably gained three pounds of the weight I lost to sweat. The music reverberating throughout the studio revolved between traditional Indian music, Kenny G-like smooth jazz and instrumental chill-out music. I twisted, turned and maneuvered my way into various positions and postures, careful to maintain awareness of my imaginary ball of chi. CADEN: We sat in an oval shape with Kirk in the middle, so it was hard to avoid seeing everyone else naked. But the experience wasn’t sexualized at all. It was purely about ourselves and the yoga. For an hour and 15 minutes, we pushed our bodies to their elastic limits. RAHUL: That was the beauty of it. Caden and I, and everyone else in the room, had become one with the art form and the entire experience. Yes, it took a lot to mentally prepare ourselves for this experience. But as soon as we let go of all inhibitions and realized that it was more than doing yoga naked in front of other dudes, we could truly enjoy the liberation.

From the Treadmill to the Squat Rack: How you can beneFIt from weight traininG BY SARAH ROBERTS I’ve always been active, but it wasn’t until I started weight training that I genuinely loved exercise. No keeling over, no heart jumping out of my chest and no swearing to give up. With the right knowledge and nutrition, precise and balanced exercise will shape your body into a lean, fit machine. If you’re a newbie to weight training — or just looking for ways to improve your technique — use these tips to make the most of your time at the gym. Ditch the cardio and pick up some weights An issue I always faced throughout my personal fitness was the controversy over cardio. I’ve done everything, from running outdoor trails to slaving away on the elliptical at Gregory Gym. But this type of caloric burn is kind of like Vegas — what happens on the treadmill stays on the treadmill, due to a little thing called Exercise Post Oxygen Consumption (EPOC). According to the National Strength and Conditioning Association, during the time after you perform physical activity, your oxygen consumption is elevated, thus increasing your metabolic rate. When you engage in low intensity cardiovascular activity (like running, jogging, cardio machine use), your EPOC is very low. I only find cardio beneficial for my health. Activities like walking, jogging and biking all increase blood circulation and metabolic rate and lower your risk of disease. To achieve a lean, strong and toned physical shell, combine weight training with high intensity aerobic exercises. Your EPOC levels are extremely elevated when you perform moves like weighted squats, deadlifts, pull-ups, burpees and jump squats. Steve, a fitness blogger over at NerdFitness, says you can even “burn calories at an accelerated rate of reportedly up to 38 hours after your exercise.” So if you’re looking to simultaneously burn fat and gain muscle, step off the treadmill and spend that time with some weights. Stress less If ditching the boring cardio and eating more food alone hasn’t convinced you to pick up some weights, then surely the idea of less stressful workouts will. I’ve observed many people burning themselves out at the gym with long sessions of strenuous exercise. It’s easy to overdo it with heavy weights, but it’s also easy to get in just the right amount. I train five times per week for one hour at a time, which is plenty for my body. Some people train three times, others seven times a week, depending on preference. I prefer to exercise Monday,

Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday and Sunday with gym-free rest days on Thursday and Saturday. Resting is absolutely crucial for gains, as your body is using the time to repair all the tissue you’ve torn in the gym and build it up leaner and stronger. I recommend isolating body parts for different days in the gym. By doing so, you give the rest of your body parts a break to repair and build muscle. If you’re looking for somewhere to start, try grouping: biceps and triceps, legs, shoulders, back and glutes. I incorporate abdominal work once or twice a week on non-lower body days. I see no reason to overwork your abs — everyone has them, it’s just a matter of eating clean and keeping your body fat percentage down by performing high intensity interval training exercises to make them visible. Keeping your core tight with every exercise you perform works them plenty and also helps with proper form. It’s possible to leave the gym plenty sweaty and accomplished without dreading going back because of how overworked you are. Food, food, food If you’re interested in health and fitness, you’ve probably read many opinions over diet relevancy. In my world, exercise makes up 25 percent of physique, while nutrition conquers the other 75 percent. It’s all about what food you’re fueling your body with daily. Of course, it’s important to be knowledgeable about what exercise you’re performing, but if you’re already in the gym, you’re bound to be doing something beneficial. It doesn’t matter how many crunches or squats you do — if your diet isn’t nutritious and balanced, you will not see results. Something I’ve discovered with weight training is that I’m extremely hungry afterward. Even if I’m only burning 300 to 400 calories in a static workout, I’m starving once I finish. On top of that, my stomach growls every hour to two hours. Even if I’ve got a plate loaded with baked chicken, brown rice, copious amounts of vegetables and a serving of fruit, I will undoubtedly be hungry an hour and a half later. In other words, if you’re hitting the weights heavy, you’re pretty much forced to eat more delicious and nutritious food. Oh, what a beautiful sentence that is. Disclaimer: All things stated in this article are based off of personal opinion, and all professional sources are cited. Always consult your doctor before starting a new exercise program.

BEST SPORTS

MOMENTS illustrations by charlotte FRiend

Elise Cardenas:

bottom of the leaderboard. But his legacy and 19 PGA Tour wins overshadow his lackluster finish at Augusta.

Texas natives stole

Crenshaw’s solemn, final bow and Spieth’s record-

the scene at the 2015

breaking emergence at the tournament gives the

Masters Tournament.

golfers’ home state of Texas a huge moment of pride.

The end of an era came with the welcome

Jacob Murphy:

of golf’s newest star. Jordan Spieth, 21,

There have been endless memorable moments from

earned his green

this past year in sports. As a sports fan, it is hard for

jacket at the Masters,

me to choose just one. But I’m from Houston, and

prompting endless

the most unforgettable sports moments for me will

comparisons to Tiger

always ultimately come from a team in my East Texas

Woods. His 72-hole

hometown.

score of 18 under par tied Tiger Woods’s

While the Astros and Texans failed to make the playoffs

record-setting 1997

for another year in a row, I have never been more proud

scorecard. Along with a

of my home’s basketball team, the Rockets, for how they

handful of other records,

played this regular season. Finishing the year with a 56-

Spieth also took the

26 record, their best since their first championship run

title for most birdies

nearly 20 years ago, the team had grabbed the number

at the Masters with a

two seed in the Western Conference and the third best

total of 28, passing up

record in all of the NBA.

previous champion Phil Mickelson.

What was truly amazing was not the record, but the way that record was achieved. The adversity the team

But Spieth was not the

went through to get to this point was astonishing. There

only former Longhorn

was no other playoff contending team, or even team in

walking the course at Augusta. Before fans cheered

general, that dealt with more injuries over the course of

for Spieth’s win, a different kind of ovation took over

the season than the Rockets did. It was remarkable to

the 18th hole. Ben Crenshaw, 63, said goodbye to

see the players that stepped up in the absence of others

the Masters after his 44th tournament. The two-time

— none more so than MVP candidate James Harden.

Masters champion finished the 2015 tournament at the

When it came time for the selection committee to choose four teams to compete in the inaugural college football playoff, it was all but a foregone conclusion that Alabama, Oregon and Florida State would be selected. The fourth and final spot was a more difficult decision, but the committee selected Ohio State over Big 12 Co-Champions Texas Christian University and Baylor University. The reasoning behind the decision was that Ohio State was presented to the committee as the Big Ten Conference Champion, while TCU and Baylor were presented as cochampions. The snubbing of the Big 12 from the first ever playoff gave rise to nation-wide criticism of the conference. While here at UT we were busy mocking our in-state rivals (oops, sorry TCU and Baylor), many mocked the Big 12’s slogan of “One True Champion.” Analysts, players and fans across the country believe the Big 12 needs to reform its process of naming the champion by either including a conference championship game or declaring a tie-breaker in the case that two teams finish with the same conference record. The conference owes it to its teams to ensure they have the best opportunity possible to be selected for the playoff. Since the selection, Big 12 commissioner Bob Bowlsby has stated that the conference will The best part for me was watching a true superstar

reconsider how it names its championship, although

emerge onto the scene. No one in the NBA had to

no decision has been made yet.

carry their team as much as Harden had to this year. Watching Harden, the deserving MVP and one of the

The Big 12’s process of declaring a champion is sure

most lethal offensive threats in the NBA this season,

to have a huge impact on Texas football as Charlie

made for the the best sports moments of the year.

Strong attempts to build the program into a title contender. We may look back on this year’s selection

Corey Tatel:

of playoff teams as the turning point that forces the conference to declare a tie-breaker that could

One of the biggest moments in sports this year was

eventually be an enormous factor in the Longhorn’s

the selection of the first ever College Football Playoff.

pursuit to regain national glory.

The end of the Bowl Championship Series era and the dawn of a new era in college football was not only a huge moment for the sport, but it also had huge implications for the future of Big 12 Football and, by

sports

extension, Texas Football.

Rookie Guide:

Quidditch

Story by Selah Maya Zighelboim / Photos by Jenah Forey Texas dominates in Quidditch, as it does in other sports, having won the national championship for the past three years. Unlike other sports, though, Quidditch brings up a lot of questions, like, how do you play Quidditch on the ground? Well, ORANGE has your back. Here’s a guide to answering those tough questions, as demonstated by the stars of the Texas Quidditch team.

Members of the Texas Quidditch team pose with equipment.

A. What you need to play: In a

either team, who wears the snitch

game of Quidditch, two teams

— a tennis ball in a sock tucked

face off against each other. Each

into the back of his shorts — that

team needs at least seven players

the seeker needs to try to grab

— one keeper, two beaters, three

from the runner.

chasers and one seeker. Every player is required to play with a

B. What the keepers and chasers

broomstick between their legs

do: The keeper’s main goal is

for the entirety of the game. In

to defend the hoops from the

addition, the game has three

opposing team’s chasers, who try

dodgeballs and one volleyball

to throw the volleyball through

for the teams to compete over.

the hoops. Each successful score is

The game also includes a snitch

worth 10 points.

runner, a player independent of

Keeper Freddy Salinas defends the goal posts.

C. What the seekers do: Eighteen minutes into the game, the snitch runner comes onto the field. The seekers try to grab the snitch from the back of the runner’s shorts, similar to flag football. When a seeker successfully obtains the snitch, that seeker’s team wins 30 points, and the game ends. D. What the beaters do: The beaters try to stop the opposing team’s chasers from scoring by throwing dodgeballs at them. If a beater hits a chaser, that chaser must drop any ball and touch his team’s hoops before playing again.

D Seeker Rajan Makanji wrestles snitch runner Augustine Monroe for the snitch.

Beater Michael Duquette throws a dodgeball at chaser Marty Bermudez.

THE PLAYERS Marty Bermudez Position: Chaser Major: Civil Engineering Hometown: Brownsville, Texas “I never really read the books. I watched a couple movies. I was not a huge Harry Potter fan, but I decided to give it a try for the sport aspect. It draw a lot of interesting openminded people. It takes a certain type of person to play Quidditch.”

Shelby Manford Position: Beater Major: Environmental Science Hometown: Cloudcroft, New Mexico “You don’t need to be an athlete, but everyone who plays the sport will tell you that they rarely think of Harry Potter when they’re actually playing it. If you want an interesting, challenging sport that’s different from anything you’ve ever played and includes a lot of different skills, you should come try Quidditch.”

Interview by Sarah Roberts Photos by Lauren Ussery

Math Professor by Day Weight Trainer by Night Amanda Hager’s office, tucked away on the 10th floor of

underwear, and I told her when I hired her that I was

Robert Lee Moore Hall, is where all M302 math problems

not in this to lose weight. I wanted to get stronger — I

are eventually solved. The decoration is plain, but Hager

wanted someone to teach me to use that squat cage

makes up for it with her lively attitude, crimson-rimmed

thing over there, and she wouldn’t do it. She was like,

glasses and head of curls that bounces when a student

“No, no, you need high reps, you need to cut weight, and

finally understands a homework problem. In the corner

you need to eat nothing but avocados.” She just wasn’t

of Hager’s office, atop a filing cabinet, sits a small, shiny

hearing me. So it was things like that — everyone saying

trophy dedicated to weight training.

terms like ‘long-lean core’ and ‘sculpt your abs’ — that I knew that wasn’t me, but I couldn’t figure out what was.

Hager — who currently completing a graduate degree at UT — is a competitive weightlifter, among an increasing

And then I just wandered into this other gym and fell in

but still small number of women who participate in

love immediately because the only thing that mattered

competitive weight training. We asked Hager what it’s

was how fast you could do things, how heavy you could

like to be a math professor by day and a serious iron

do things. Like feats of strength and fitness and your

pumper by night, and we discovered a whole new

body type didn’t matter to anyone. And gender didn’t

meaning of strong, independent woman.

seem to matter to anyone, and it just lit me on fire, man. I just got obsessed. Then I discovered there was this

O: When did you start getting into weight training and why?

whole other world of Olympic style weightlifting, and

Hager: I started with marathon running. I’ve run eleven

O: Have you always been into FItness?

I’ve been gradually transitioning into that.”

marathons and then transitioned to CrossFit and then weight lifting. I was searching for a gym that would

H: I would say so. In eighth grade I was a wrestler, so it

take me seriously. And there’s really a lot of sad stories

was not my first time in a singlet. Actually, I was the only

behind this, like, I had a trainer who made me weigh

girl on our wrestling team, and that was really rough,

in every week. She made me get on the scale in my

but I had coaches I really liked. It was cool until the boys

bullied me... I did cross country in high school and all through

did with my time. But there was just this voice in the back of

college and grad school. I was always into distance running.

my head — all the things you read and all the things you see — people saying, ‘You’re gonna look like a man,’ and I’m like,

O: Why did you decide to pursue a career in teaching rather than FItness?

‘That shouldn’t matter to me.’ Finally, what snapped was I thought, ‘Come on, you’re thirty

H: Probably because I did not realize I was into fitness

years old, you’re married, what do you have to prove? Am

seriously until I was 31 and already in my career. My husband

I trying to catch a mate? What is stopping me?’ And then

frequently says, ‘I think you would be happy as a personal

finally the tipping point was I said, “If I don’t like the way my

trainer.’ And I could — I have my certification as a weightlifting

body looks, I will turn it around and do something else, and

coach, but it’s not a popular sport – I don’t think there’s a

my body will go back to the way it looked and it will be okay.’

living in it. And I’m happy here. So I just threw myself into [weight training] and told myself

O: Do you compete with women or men? Or both?

I would give it six months to a year to see what happens. I think I look a little different, but not that different — it’s crazy. And if you watch the Olympics, and you look at those

H: Only ever women. Or there are men present, but they have

ladies, you’re like, ‘No way is she picking up that much!’ It’s

their own division. The differences are really big in weight

not like it’s crazy bodybuilding, or they’re super ripped like

lifting — it’s really frustrating. Some random new guy comes

an anatomy photo. They just look like women. Except they’re

in the gym, and he’s lifting 200 pounds and my max is 185,

lifting 300 pounds, and it’s beautiful. It’s the most amazing

and I’m like [pouting face].

thing.

O: There is a lot of controversy over women in weight training because it’s looked at as a man’s sport. What do you think about this, since you’re not only invested IN the FItness world but you also compete? H: Competing in it is actually the comforting part because you’re surrounded by people who are like-minded. I think starting was the hardest part, and I confess that I went through this phase where I was like, ‘What am I gonna look like?’ I keep saying, ‘I never wanted to lose weight.’ I wanted it to be performance goal, based entirely in choosing what I

diy face masks you can eat STORY BY ESTEPHANIE GOMEZ PHOTO BY DAHLIA DANDASHI We’re ready to shed our winter skin with these DIY face masks, created by celebrity facialist Joanna Vargas. The masks are made out of ingredients you can find in your pantry and take less than 10 minutes to make. The best part? You can make a snack with the natural ingredients after you hydrate, brighten and exfoliate your skin.

IE OOTH ning Mask M S Y te BERR m the Brigh W A STR edients fro

gr ith in w e d erries Ma trawb s f o 1 cup gurt es yo c n u 8o lk nks of mi ) p u c ional o chu t t ¾ p n i o ( s a anas anan 2 ban cut b d n a s berrie nder ooth straw o ble p is sm t u n e i e r s c u i t t l x S dien til mi ingre nd un e l Pour b d ce an Add i

BRIG Ingre HTEN dient s ING M ½ cup of yog ASK ¼ cup urt of hon ¼ cup e of ma y shed straw berrie Pour y s ogurt in a b In a sm o w a or unt ll containe l il r Pour i it has a flu , warm hon id con nto b e ow sisten y for 15 sec Take a cy onds handf l Use sp u oon to l of strawb erries Scoop mash and c t t ut int and s he mashed he strawb o slice tir the e s t r a s wberr rries ingred Mix in i e s into g ie the bo there redients un nts wl ar ti Apply e minimal l it is a ligh t pink small to you chunk c Rinse r s visib olor and off wi face; leave th wa l o e n for 10 rm wa minu ter tes

HYDRATING MASK Ingredients 1 ½ cups of yogurt ¼ cup of honey ½ avocado Pour yogurt into a bowl Cut an avocado in half, carefully spooning it into the bowl In a small container, warm the honey for 15 seconds or until it has a more fluid consistency Pour honey into bowl and mix ingredients with a spoon until the mixture is consistent Apply evenly to your face and leave on for 20 minutes Rinse off with warm water

BAKED EGGS IN AVOCADO Made with ingredients from the Hydrating Mask ½ avocado 1 egg 8 ounces wheatgrass juice Preheat the oven to 425 degrees Scoop out about two tablespoons from the center of the avocado. Place the avocado in a small baking dish and crack an egg into the avocado half Bake for 15-20 minutes, or as long as you want your egg cooked Pour yourself a glass of wheatgrass juice to complete this healthy breakfast dish

AT-HOME FACIAL Ingredients 3 tablespoons of honey 2 tablespoons of wheatgrass juice ¼ cup of yogurt Take a packet of powdered wheatgrass and mix with 8 ounces of water in a separate cup (skip this step if you’re using premade wheatgrass juice) Pour yogurt in a bowl In a small container, warm honey for 15 seconds or until it has a fluid consistency and add to bowl Measure two tablespoons of wheatgrass juice and add to bowl Mix the ingredients until mixture is consistent Apply to your face; leave on for as long as you like Rinse with warm water

CHAMPAGNE COCKTAIL

Pour the orange liqueur, strawberries and honey in a blender or food processor and blend until smooth Fill half a glass with the mixture, then fill the rest of the glass with champagne

style

Made with ingredients from the all the masks mentioned above 4 strawberries 4 teaspoons of honey 4 shots of orange liqueur Champagne

SWIMSUIT SHOPS

IN AUSTIN Story by Angela Bonilla and Maddy Hill Photos by Maddy Hill Summer has arrived once again, bringing sun, surf and sand

along with it. This year’s swimsuit trends include high-waisted bottoms and retro cuts, mix-and-match prints and trianglecut tops. Austin has plenty of popular retail stores to shop for swimsuits, but lesser-known swimsuit stores offer unique swim looks as well. Curlee Bikini (http://www.curleebikini.com) Curlee Bikini, an online swimwear shop, is the quintessential Austin swimsuit brand. The company is owned by Mallory Curlee-Green, whose hand-crafted swimsuit designs derive inspiration from living in Central America, Costa Rica in particular. “In Central America, the women are comfortable with their bodies,” Curlee-Green says. “You see them in bathing suits embracing their curves and loving their bodies. The men love the curves on the women.” After living in Costa Rica, Mallory moved to California where she started Curlee Bikini and began her online store in 2010, on Earth Day. Curlee-Green uses leftover, sustainable fabric from other designers to prevent waste. Buying from a third party limits her designs but adds to the uniqueness of the swimwear — most pieces are one-of-a-kind for the client. “It’s very rare that there is a duplicate,” Curlee-Green says. The inspiration for the Summer 2015 collection is Cuba, specifically the colors of the buildings. When envisioning the collection, she thought of a French woman on vacation in the ‘60s and put her in Cuba to get the bright colors and tropical feel. “The design I wanted to come up with had a retro but modernised look,” Curlee-Green says. The Curlee Bikini swimsuits are a great way to stand out in Austin. “People really love handmade, and they really want be hands on in the process where they want to standout in Barton Springs,” Curlee-Green says. Clients can purchase swimwear in Culee-Green’s studio or order her swimsuits on Etsy. The Bazaar (http://thebazaaraustin.com) Tucked away off East Riverside Drive, The Bazaar offers a

sensory overload to its shoppers. The store, owned and

and one-piece swimwear made by designers hailing

operated by women since 1966, sells everything from

from Hawaii and California. Pentecost has exclusivity

makeup and wigs to lingerie and swimsuits. “I think the

with the designers, meaning no other store in Austin

store is unique and original,” manager Deanna Powers

can carry these trendy suits, making Still & Sea a go-to

says. “We’ve always tried to stay away from the norm

swimwear shop.

and cookie-cutter styles.” Pentecost first realized the need for a unique Owner Gay Sullivan opened The Bazaar as one of the

swimsuit store in Austin when she moved from San

first stores in the Austin area to sell mix-and-match

Francisco three years ago. Thanks to the Texas heat

swimsuits, and the store continues to offer mix-and-

and the outdoor nature of Austinites, she had many

match tops and bottoms to customers today.

opportunities to wear her swimsuits from home around the city. “People would ask me, ‘Where did you get your

The swimsuit portion of the two-building shop is

swimsuit from? I want something just like it,’” Pentecost

available to shoppers year-round. Some of The Bazaar’s

says. “I realized there was a void in the market.”

most popular swimsuits are Esther Williams brand, which have the classic design Williams wore in films

There is no shortage of Brazilian-style swimsuits in

throughout the 1940s and ‘50s. Versatile and flattering,

Pentecost’s store, teeny tops and bottoms being a

these swimsuits come in a range of colors and patterns,

staple in California swim style. Still & Sea focuses on

including black with red cherries. “They hide things you

helping women feel confident in their body image, and

want to hide, and look cute while they do it,” Powers

Pentecost attempts to make the shopping experience

says. The Bazaar is in touch with the pin-up-style

of each woman who comes in the store fun and

swimsuit trend and carries high waisted bottoms with

personal. “Wearing a swimsuit is such a fragile, delicate

‘50s-style tops to mix and match.

thing,” Pentecost says. “People don’t believe it, but less coverage on your butt makes your butt looks better.”

Swimsuits aren’t just about style. Each swimsuit at The Bazaar comes with care instructions to ensure they last

Still & Sea is also supporting the high-neck swimsuit

more than one swim season. Affordability and quality

trend for summer. A great option for pool parties or

meet style under Sullivan’s reign. “They have to stand

looking glamorous at the beach, these swimsuits give

out and be wearable and have a good fit,” Powers says.

more coverage than typical string bikinis but are just

“That’s what Gay prides herself on in the swimsuit area.”

as flattering, if not more. Although many people stray away from high-neck swimsuits for fear of awful tan

Still & Sea (http://www.stillandsea.com)

lines, Pentecost encourages shoppers to try them on

Paper flowers hang in the front window, floor cushions

anyway — they don’t seem to disappoint.

offer a place for shoppers to sit in the back of the store near the dressing rooms and a rainbow of swimsuits

Swimsuits are a great way to show your personal style

line the walls of Still & Sea. The laid-back, beachy decor

in the summer heat, so this season make yourself stand

of the shop is indicative of owner Brigitte Pentecost’s

out and splurge on a swimsuit that isn’t trending on

Hawaiian roots. Still & Sea, which has been open since

Pinterest.

last March, offers its customers top-of-the-line bikinis

THE UT FASHIONISTAS: STORY AND PHOTOS BY CALLIE

PARISH

A LONESTAR STATE OF SOUTHERN In a cozy side room at the eclectic Walton’s Fancy and Staple, Kate Padgitt explains that fashion blogging is a profession in a rapidly growing industry. While the industry is in its infancy, Padgitt intends on blogging full time after graduation in May. When she decided to get serious with her blog, A Lonestar State of Southern, Padgitt created an Instagram account. “I think that was one of the tickets to my success, as weird as that is to say,” she says. Next she began affiliate blogging, which involves linking featured clothing back to the original website in order to make a small commission from followers who purchase each product. Padgitt’s blog is reflective of her cheerful persona and humble roots. She describes her aesthetic as vibrant, youthful and fun. Padgitt believes her blog’s personality is part of its success. Most bloggers focus on beautiful imagery, but Padgitt’s favorite part of blogging is writing, where she connects with readers. With blogging, the followers will come or they won’t, but Padgitt says it really doesn’t matter as long as you do something you genuinely love.

REJOICE IN THE JOURNEY Jillian Savage has always loved clothing. As a child, she was that little girl in a delicate, frilly dress that played outside messily in the dirt. Now a marketing major, Savage runs lifestyle and fashion blog Rejoice in the Journey. While Savage loves all things bohemian and preppy, her style is a mixture of multiple aesthetics. “I definitely went through a little phase there, where I was trying to wear all the styles other people were doing, and I felt like that wasn’t really me so much,” she says.

Jillian

Now, Savage describes her style as fresh. She keeps up with blogs like Gal Meets Glam, Pink Peonies and The Barefoot Blonde, which she looked to as inspiration before finally taking the blogging plunge. As Savage experiments with her style, she has been approaching brands to do collaborations and ultimately get Rejoice in the Journey on the blogging map. She advises beginning bloggers to keep with it, even in the early stages.

OUR TOP BLOGGERS LAX 2 ATX Although she liked the idea of starting a blog, Michelle Akhtarzad never felt the urge to do it until she made the big move from Los Angeles to Austin. Her blog, LAX 2 ATX, represents her masculineinspired style, which can be seen in her cheetah print sneakers, silk bandana print shorts, lace inset top and beautiful handmade jewelry. Akhtarzad, a sophomore textiles and apparel major, draws inspiration from blogs like The Man Repeller as well as style icon Jane Birkin. Her blog’s content includes personal style posts, lookbooks for other brands and even mood boards with a central theme. Akhtarzad says she dresses for herself and not to impress others. “Don’t let what other people think of your style affect you. Just do yourself and really focus on being true to what you like,” she says.

DEV’S LIST If Devin Custalow had to describe her blog’s style in one word, it would be effortless. Sitting under a shaded tree in ripped denim jeans and a white tee, Devin shares her favorite place to take photographs for her blog — The UT Tower. Underneath the archway facing The Texas State Capitol building, she says the light is perfection. Custalow, a corporate communications major from Boston, has always loved fashion. Though it may sound cliche, when Lauren Conrad from “The Hills” snagged a job at Teen Vogue, Custalow realized her own aspirations in the fashion world. “If I can’t be the next Anna Wintour, I guess I’ll be a stylist,” she jokes. When Custalow initially started her blog, she intended to write about high end fashion. Quickly realizing her college budget would not allow such a luxury, her blog transformed into looks for everyday expensive than they are. “Create your own style,” she says. “Let it be unique for yourself and yet identifiable for others.”

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wear, which is ultimately about finding pieces that look more

STYLE LOOKBOOK Style editor Dahlia Dandashi and assistant style editor Maddy Hill set out to create their perfect summer looks — and find some of the greatest colored walls in Austin. This summer, they can’t get enough of jelly shoes, simple crop tanks and patterns on patterns.

DAHLIA DANDASHI

trend. It’s easy to find affordable twin sets in stores or online, and I’m obsessed with finding identical or similar patterns and cooking them into an outfit. Here, I kept the color green consistent from head to toe. Though my top and shoes aren’t from the same store, they complement

SUMMER LACE

each other. The leafy green top pairs perfectly with the

I’ve found myself levitating toward

creepers. If pattern sets aren’t really your thing, sport a

pieces that have some sort of lace or chiffon element to show off a cute

white blazer with matching shorts during the day or black on black for date night.

swimsuit or bralette. The key is to grab something that looks classy and won’t show too much but also gives your skin some breathing room in the heat. This white and black mini-dress looks great for a day at the pool or can work with some black leggings and a fancy bralette for a night out.

MADDY HILL FLORALS:

BOYFRIEND FLANNELS

I’m all about cloth shorts in the

In the last few months, I’ve become obsessed with

summer. Austin gets so hot that I

dressing like a 14-year-old boy. I love grabbing a men’s

can’t stand wearing denim because

flannel and wrapping it around my waist to add texture

it sticks. I bought these shorts from

and layers without overcrowding an outfit. A flannel can

Manju’s while they were still open, and they are extremely

work with boyfriend jeans or high waisted shorts, and it

versatile. Wear them for a more relaxed look, or strap on

pairs perfectly with some combat boots or converse. Who

some wedges and a nice blouse for a night out on Sixth.

said you can’t look tough and stylish at the same time?

Here, I’m wearing a Brandy Melville crop top for extra ventilation but staying modest with my floral kimono

FLOWY PANTS

from Forever 2I. If it gets too hot, I can always take off my

The bigger, the better. It’s no question that baggy pants

kimono and show off the back of my top. Pair this look

are back in (and I couldn’t be happier). These oversized

with retro sunglasses and laidback sandals for the perfect

pants can be paired with a slim-fitting shirt or baggy crop

Austin vibe.

top, depending on your desired look. Find high waisted My go-to jewelry is dainty gold necklaces made by local

around. You don’t want to overdo the pattern and take

designers that sell at small boutiques. I never feel like an

away from the pants — wear solid colors for your shoes

outfit is complete without bracelets, and I always have

and top to help accent the bottoms. To add some height, I

my friendship bracelet from Tuleeni Orphanage on my

grabbed my denim Jeffrey Campbells.

wrist. I try and purchase bracelets in gold, bronze, nude and white so they are easy to mix and match later. Pearl

COORDINATES Coordinates, or twin sets, are a la mode this year. Matching tops, bottoms and shoes have sparked a new

earrings are a must.

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capris or pants with a fun pattern to base your outfit

EMBELLISHED KIMONO/SMOCK After visiting Austin Fashion Week, I have been investing in bold, unique statement pieces. My wardrobe is very functional, with plenty of solid tees and tanks that match everything and can be layered, so this summer I’m spicing it up with artistic pieces. This kimono was a great find from Buffalo Exchange — the gold sequins and intricate design make it stand out. I’m wearing it with simple sandals, but for a night out I would pair it with wedges or embellished sandals that lace around the ankle. BOYFRIEND JEANS This is a classic West Coast-inspired look. Destroyed boyfriend jeans are perfect for when the temperature dips into the high 60s, especially at night, and this red jersey crop top shows just enough tummy for summer. White converse add a down-toearth element to this look. I topped the outfit off with wayfarer sunglasses. STRIPES AND JELLY SHOES I created this look ground-up, after finding this amazing pair of red jelly shoes from Buffalo Exchange. The last time I saw these things was when I was five years old, and when I saw they were only $24, I had to buy them. Next, I found this striped knee-length pencil skirt to break up the outfit and add dimension, and I re-used my Brandy Melville crop top. I will definitely be wearing this effortless look to brunch this summer. It’s classy while still showing some skin in the middle.

FRIENDS & NEIGHBORS STORY AND PHOTOS BY MIRANDA CHIECHI

ustomers describe it as comfortable and eclectic

Upon graduating from UT with a marketing degree,

— the garage that everyone goes to, or your best

Bradshaw lived in New York City, where she started the

friend’s apartment, but sunnier.

boutique I Heart with a close friend. After more than five years of living in the Big Apple, she moved back to

Nestled in East Austin, the little white house sits with a

Austin with the dream of combining a boutique and a

quaint porch and windows framed by curtains. It looks

cafe. She had to make adjustments for the new store, like

like an average home except it has the name, Friends &

moving away from featuring new designers to focusing

Neighbors, inscribed above the porch.

on vintage items. “Austin is a whole new market for me in a way because it’s so different from when I was younger,”

Inside the weathered white doors, bursts of turquoise,

Bradshaw explains. “New York is like a completely

pink and mustard greet customers. Each room — some

different beast.”

filled with vinyls, others with vintage clothes or bathroom luxuries — has a different story to tell. There’s a coffee bar

But Bradshaw had learned a lot in New York, and she

with seasonal homemade syrups and a small grocery area

used those lessons and her experience in the industry

offering wine, hot sauce and spices.

to take her idea of a simple boutique and expand it to include a coffee bar and groceries. She partnered

The whole space comes together in the backyard, which

with Greg Mathews and Jade Place-Mathews, who run

is complete with tables, benches and a tie dyed purple

local restaurant Hillside Farmacy, to bring the boutique

teepee where the community gathers for events and

and cafe together for a haven space called Friends &

workshops. “There’s so many different things to explore

Neighbors.

here, and I think that’s what’s so much fun,” owner Jill Bradshaw says.

The charming white bungalow on East Cesar Chavez Street was an ideal location for the store. Inspired by vintage styles, Bradshaw knew she wanted the bungalow to resemble a 1950s and ‘60s theme and designate each room for a specific purpose, like using the bedroom as a changing room. “I like to think of each room being a small fantasy of sorts,” she says. Bradshaw says she discovers unique boutique finds for the shop online or through recommendations from friends. She selects boutique items that are fresh and marketable. “I don’t want to bring in something that’s the same everywhere else,” she says. For the cafe, she brings in a variety of products and brands, including Stumptown Coffee Roasters and Casa Brazil, a local

coffee brewster. Friends & Neighbors barista Emily

Bradshaw says it’s meant to be a calm environment

Jackson says the approachability of the coffee, as well

where you can just hang out in the background and

as the beer and wine selection, makes the spot unique.

escape. Adelin Karius, one of the store’s regulars, says the

“Everything is really accessible to any customer that

atmosphere is one of her favorite things. “My apartment is

comes in here, from the Tejano grandfather down the

really small, so it’s almost like when I leave my room, I go

street, to the hipster that owns a business around the

to the living room,” Karius says. “That’s what it’s like here.”

corner,” Jackson says.

Jackson loves the community aspect of Friends &

The shop also offers local products like chai tea by

Neighbors, saying it is one of the main reasons she enjoys

Evergreen Chai, a local brewer that hand delivers to

working there. “I know a good majority of the customers

Friends & Neighbors, bloody mary mix from Lauren’s

that come in, and the ones I don’t know are just like

Garden and caramels by Jackson herself that will soon be

friends I haven’t met yet,” she adds.

sold in the store. Friends & Neighbors is not just another shop. It’s a Along with food and shopping, Friends & Neighbors —

community gathering place. Bradshaw says, “We want

which has been featured in Free People blog and The

people to stay awhile, enjoy themselves here and think of

New York Times Style Magazine — hosts a multitude

it as kind of like a home away from home.”

of workshops and events to get the community more involved. From weaving workshops, acoustic nights in the and Mario Kart tournaments, Friends & Neighbors is a gathering place for the community to come together.

style

backyard, painting classes, launch parties for magazines

CONTRIBUTORS EDITORS IN CHIEF Sarah Jasmine Montgomery

Kris Seavers

MANAGING EDITORS Samantha Grasso

Selah Maya Zighelboim

COPY EDITOR Kris Seavers CREATIVE DIRECTION AND DESIGN Jesus Acosta

Samantha Grasso

Sarah Jasmine Montgomery

COVER PHOTO Sarah Jasmine Montgomery COVER DESIGN Jesus Acosta CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS Tess Cagle, Mary K Cantrell, Miranda Chiechi, Dahlia Dandashi, Jenna Forey, Charlotte Friend, Emily Gibson, Samantha Grasso, Maddy Hill, Kristen Hubby, Yanhuan Ji, Jillian Lowe, Alejandra Martinez, Jenna Million, Lauren Nail, Callie Parish, Caroline Richardson, Kris Seavers, Danielle Smith, Benjamin Torres, Lauren Ussery, Hannah Vickers, Elizabeth Warner CONTRIBUTING DESIGNERS: Jesus Acosta, Catherine Alvarado, Charlotte Burnod, Tess Cagle, Kyle Cavazos, Darice Chavira, Melyssa Fairfield, Emily Gibson, Samantha Grasso, Paula Horstman, Courtney James, Jillian Lowe, Sarah Montgomery, Katie Samuelsen, Kris Seavers, Selah Maya Zighelboim CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Teddy Barbour, Angela Bonilla, Charlotte Burnod, Tess Cagle, Elise Cardenas, Miranda Chiechi, Dahlia Dandashi, Melyssa Fairfield, Julia Farrell, Emily Gibson, Estephanie Gomez, Maddy Hill, Kristen Hubby, Darby Kendall, Caden Kinard, Lauren L’Amie, Sam Limerick, Ashley Lopez, Belicia Luevano, Alejandra Martinez, Jenna Meltzer, Jenna Million, Jacob Murphy, Rahul Naik, Emily Nash, Riley Neuheardt, María Núñez, Callie Parish, Caroline Richardson, Sarah Roberts, Bryan Rolli, Kris Seavers, Danielle Smith, Mia Uhunmwuangho, Elijah Watson, Emma Whalen, Bri Zamora, Selah Maya Zighelboim ORANGEMAGAZINE.CO