The Hoya Guide: Feb. 24, 2012

the guide friday, february 24, 2012

the weekly magazine for life on the hilltop

AGED TO PERFECTION Winner of The Hoya’s Photo Essay Contest

Food Trucks Offer Curbside Alternatives

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Shelves of Stories at Bridge Street Books

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Tramer’s Take on Best Picture Nominees

this issue 3 lifestyle 5 10 food&drink 12 art&culture entertainment 13 hilltop

red square roundup // hide & seek

food trucks // center stage

serendipity // ching ching cha

black movements dance theatre // friday music

oscar preview // sleigh bells

followus

8

CHEERS TO TRADITION IN FLORENCE, ITALY

This month, The Hoya’s Board of Directors held its first photo essay contest, taking submissions from aspiring photographers, journalists and artists. This week, the guide presents the work of the contest’s first place winner, Mimi McCormick. Her images capture moments in the lives of the elderly in Florence, Italy, where McCormick is studying this semester. The photos are set against the backdrop of the famous art and architecture of the timeless city and explore the idea of preserving tradition. Check out McCormick’s work on the photo wall at The Midnight MUG from Feb. 26 to March 3.

COVER PHOTO BY MIMI MCCORMICK

soundbite

TWITTER TRENDING NOW @THEHOYAGUIDE

Follow the guide on Twitter and stay up to date on events on the Hilltop, the best food around and the most amusing entertainment news. You can also catch our exclusive online content.

the guide

Connor Gregoire, Editor-in-Chief Steven Piccione, Guide Editor

Upasana Kaku, Executive Editor Suzanne Fonzi, Managing Editor

Corrections and Clarifications If you have a comment or question about the fairness or accuracy of a story, contact Executive Editor Upasana Kaku at (202) 687-3415 or email executive@ thehoya.com.

Chris Bien, Photo Editor Remy Samuels, Layout Editor Samantha Randazzo, Copy Chief

General Information THE GUIDE is published each week during the academic year with the exception of holiday and exam periods. Address all correspondence to: THE HOYA Georgetown University Box 571065 Washington, D.C. 20057-1065 The writing, articles, pictures, layout and format are the responsibility of THE HOYA and do not necessarily represent the views of the administration, faculty or students of Georgetown University.

Signed columns and cartoons represent the opinions of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent the editorial position of THE HOYA. Georgetown University subscribes to the principle of responsible freedom of expression for student editors.

THE HOYA does not discriminate on the basis of age, gender, sexual orientation, race, disability, color, national or ethnic origin. © 2012. THE HOYA, Georgetown University twice weekly. No part of this publication may be used without the permission of THE HOYA Board of Editors. All rights reserved. THE GUIDE is available free of charge, one copy per reader, at distribution sites on and around the Georgetown University campus. Additional copies are $1 each.

Victoria Edel, Deputy Guide Editor Alex Sanchez, Deputy Guide Editor Bethany Imondi, Deputy Guide Editor Mairead Reilly, Contributing Guide Editor Leonel De Velez, Deputy Photo Editor Sari Frankel, Deputy Photo Editor Christie Shely, Deputy Photo Editor Zoe Bertrand, Deputy Layout Editor Jessica Natinsky, Deputy Layout Editor Emory Wellman, Deputy Layout Editor Nikita Buley, Deputy Copy Editor Emily Perkins, Deputy Copy Editor

Editorial: (202) 687-3415 Advertising: (202) 687-3947 Business: (202) 687-3947 Facsimile: (202) 687-2741 Email: editor@thehoya.com Online at www.thehoya.com

girl meets world VictoriaEdel

“Fat people, incredulously to the people who make television shows, are people too, and we feel all these things. We just also happen to like cupcakes.”

omglol :) :P :D :|

Happy Songs — “Glee” actors Lea Michele and Cory Monteith are allegedly dating. We wonder if their real dates involve impromptu Journey numbers.

Te-bowing Out — Denver Broncos backup quarterback Brady Quinn insulted golden boy Tim Tebow in an interview with GQ. He better watch for thunderbolts.

U-S-A, U-S-A — Stephen Colbert is releasing a children’s book, I Am a Pole (And So Can You!), about a flagpole’s search for identity. Patriotism has never been this cool.



She’s So Lucky — Britney Spears might become a judge on “The X Factor.” Her extensive experience with mediocre pop music wil come in handy on this reality show.

saywhat?

“

I’m not that good looking. I think I’m a pretty weird-looking guy.

- Ryan Gosling

”

hilltop

redsquareroundup feb24

headphone disco

gpb movie

feb24

Friday, Feb. 24 10 p.m. to 1 a.m.

Bulldog Alley

Friday, Feb. 24 and Saturday, Feb. 25 7:30 p.m. and 10 p.m.

ICC Auditorium A true story of underdog success, Moneyball tracks the Oakland Athletics’ remarkably successful 2002 baseball season. Despite the team’s lack of financial support, their general manager (Brad Pitt) and assistant GM (Jonah Hill) manage to lead the team to win 20 consecutive games.

Don’t miss this unique opportunity to listen to two disc jockeys simultaneously spinning two different styles of music, broadcasted through a special set of wireless headphones. Choose between DJ Beach and DJ Dimmy for this “silent rave,” a dance party where you control the music you rock out to. drhorrible.com

feb25

rave at riverside

rottentomatoes.com

dr. horrible’s sing-along blog

Saturday, Feb. 25 10 p.m. to 2 a.m.

Riverside Lounge

Friday, Feb. 24 11:59 p.m.

Poulton Halll

Collaborasian and What’s After Dark promise music, food and glowsticks! Enjoy free admission and food in this event featuring DJ Rickie Koo. The Rave at Riverside is sure to be an awesome event that will keep Hoyas entertained until the early morning hours with good music and better dancing.

Come participate in Mask & Bauble’s wonderful midnight tradition by coming to see Dr. Horrible’s Sing-Along Blog. The play is a musical comedy that tells the story of an aspiring supervillain and the complicated love triangle that arises between himself, his nemesis and the girl they both love, Penny. syltonsupply.com

hide&seek

feb24

flux.net

The photos onleft theisleft an example ofof what appear in &Hide Thetwo photo on the theare complete image last will week’s Hide &Seek Seek, but for next on campus is the photo right? challenge.

Canweek: you finWhere d the location of the photo on on thethe right?

lastweek

findme

findme

Chris bien/the hoya

RISKY BUSINESS In 2009, the Rafik B. Hariri Building opened as the new home of the McDonough School of Business.

Chris bien/the hoya all photos leonel de velez/thehoya

2.24.12 | the guide | 3

lifestyle Curbside Kitchens Serve Convenient Cuisine FOOD TRUCKS DELIVER TASTE AROUND THE DISTRICT SHEENA KARKAL Special to The Hoya

T

he District is home to some of the country’s best food, but it’s not always found in a restaurant. In recent years, food trucks have become more plentiful in D.C., bringing delicious treats to all corners of the city. This small business industry shows real promise and reflects the diverse culture of the area.

Their mobility is well adapted to the schedules and palates of D.C.’s busy inhabitants. In recent months, more trucks have made the trip over to campus to feed hungry Hoyas.

Patrick Rathbone, a member of the D.C. Food Truck Association, owns the Big Cheese truck, which offers delicious variations of the classic grilled cheese.

His truck’s inspiration is simple: “Cheese, really. Good cheese.

Craft cheeses — with a ‘c,’ not a ‘k,’” he said. They incorporate artisan cheeses from Cowgirl Creamery and local farmers.

One spicy option at the Big Cheese truck, “Thrilled Cheese,” includes chipotle cheddar cheese, jalapenos and guacamole on sourdough. Thrilled Cheese is just one example of their many innovative varieties.

“We like to spotlight selected cheeses by limiting the other ingredients in the sandwich … so the flavor can really stand out,” Rathbone said.

To accommodate the burgeoning food truck industry, city council has proposed updates to the 30-year-old regulations on food trucks. The old laws include a requirement for food trucks to move if there isn’t a queue, which can hurt business.

Despite this somewhat problematic political scene, food truck owners continue to be optimistic.

Rathbone said, “[The changes] aren’t perfect, but they’re far better than what’s there now.”

The Big Cheese makes its way to Georgetown when it can, often staying near campus during the late lunch hours.

Another distinctive food truck,

4 | the guide | 2.24.12

D.C. Empanadas, offers innovative fusions of the traditional blend of meat and spices.

“My whole idea was that you can get a world of culinary flavors inside the empanada. We incorporate Thai- and Indian-inspired flavors; one empanada is almost like a samosa, another has Asian sesame chicken with vegetables,” Anna Bran-Leis, owner and operator of D.C. Empanadas, said.

D.C. Empanadas also has a weekly special. One of Bran-Leis’ favorites includes a Cuban-style empanada with slow-cooked pork, spicy guava sauce and caramelized onions, which was inspired by another food truck, El

stayed away from campus — The Fojol Bros. food truck, a self-described “traveling culinary carnival,” offers quirky interpretations of Indian, Thai and Ethiopian cuisines. To complement their spicy dishes, they also offer “lassipops,” which are frozen fruity yogurt pops.

The owners enthusiastically support environmentally friendly cooking and make sure their meals are delicious and healthy.

The Big Cheese isn’t the only truck offering a delectable twist on American cheese. Brian Arnoff, chef and owner of CapMac, a food truck that offers a delectable twist to a timeless feel-good

“[Food trucks haven’t] really been a part of Georgetown culture, unlike at GW, where students line up in large groups for lunch.”

bonapetitfoodie.com

travel.usnews.com

— Anna Bran-Leis, D.C. Empanadas

Floridano.

D.C. Empanadas doesn’t often come to Georgetown’s campus, but Bran-Leis plans to bring her truck to the front gates this coming Tuesday for lunch. She explained that food trucks would be more likely to come to campus if they noticed there’s a good market here. “[Food trucks haven’t] really been a part of Georgetown culture, unlike at GW, where students line up in large groups for lunch,” Bran-Leis said.

She believes that if there were more visible signs of student demand, trucks would be more likely to make the trek, and the Georgetown community would come to enjoy the unique offerings of food trucks, like D.C. Empanadas, on a more regular basis.

But, not all food trucks have

food, mac and cheese, has taken to the streets with this American classic. “[Mac and cheese] is something everybody loves and something everyone can relate to … it’s a great base to play with,” Arnoff said.

One of his favorites is the popular “Sloppy Mac,” classic mac and cheese with beef bolognaise sauce.

Another favorite is the Chicken Parmesan variety, which includes fresh herbs, shallots, Parmesan cheese and Chef Vicky’s bechamel served over rigatoni.

CapMac tries to incorporate unique ingredients, sometimes switching up the cheese featured.

“It’s a fluid menu that changes frequently,” Arnoff said.

CapMac plans to make its way to the Lau steps to serve up its hearty, flavorful dishes this coming Monday.

weloved.com

oldtownhome.com

FOOD TREK With delightful twists on everything from mac and cheese to empanadas, food trucks serve up a journey.

lifestyle Coming this spring is a food truck Plaza and Franklin Square on other for beloved local restaurant Crepe days, making these prime locations to Amour on M Street. Just like in the visit if you are interested in sampling store, Crepe Love will serve made-to- more than just a few trucks at a time.

Trucks also gather at the Navy Yard order crepes in savory and sweet varieties. They also plan on serving freshly and Union Station on a regular basis, brewed coffee, a perfect accompani- but much of the time, a truck’s location simply depends ment to the melt-inon traffic and parkyour-mouth, Nuteling spots, making la-filled crepes. find them on twitter!

Twitter a great tool One thing all Disfor trucks looking trict food trucks to keep the hungry have in common is The Big Cheese masses up-to-date. their reliance on @bigcheesetruck In the end, food social media to tell trucks are a great fans where they plan way to indulge in to stop every day. To D.C. Empanadas many different cuitrack your favorite sines at your doortrucks, just follow @dcempanadas step. They provide a them on Twitter or unique experience check out foodtruckFojol Bros. that allows for more fiesta.com, a website interaction between that tracks the Twit@fojolbros vendors and their ter feeds of various customers, and trucks and pinpoints CapMac D.C.’s abundance of them on a live map. food trucks is heavThe website is also @CapMacDC en on earth for any a great resource for foodie. While Hoyas finding out who will might have to venbe participating in ture away from camFarragut Friday, a weekly gathering of many different pus to enjoy these culinary delights, food trucks in Farragut Square Park more trucks have made their way to the Hilltop, providing students with a every week.

Trucks also congregate in L’Enfant respite from endless Leo’s meals.

Q & A

sari frankel/the Hoya

GOOEY GOURMET The Big Cheese Truck makes gourmet grilled cheese sandwiches.

What’s the last book you read for fun?

“Lord of the Flies — It’s of my favorite books and I read it twice a year. It’s a really short book.”

“I read Living Poor by Mortiz Thompson, a past peace corp volunteer.”

Luca Soldaini (COL ’13)

Brittany Blizzard (COL ’12)

“Bossy Pants by Tina Fey — I read it for comedic relief, to laugh out loud ” Mizra Germovic (SFS ’14)

“Water for Elephants because my mom got me a Kindle and it was pre-loaded onto it” Alison Link (SFS ’14)

2.24.12 | the guide | 5

lifestyle

centerstage

Reading Between the Lines: Combatting Illiteracy With Charity

Charlie Long Special to The Hoya

Sohayle Sizar has a passion for life. Whether it’s discussing a savory meal at Cafe La Ruche, a recent trip to Qatar or the pressing issue of illiteracy, the College sophomore displays an inexhaustible zeal for each new challenge and experience. For the past six years, Sizar has run a book drive called Bring on the Books aimed at reducing childhood illiteracy. With this year’s drive beginning after Georgetown students’ return from spring break, Sizar met up with the guide to talk about both his goals and his inspirations for the drive.

How does a program like Bring on the Books fit in at a place like Georgetown?

As college students, we have children’s books at home that we don’t read. Instead of letting them sit at home, let them sit in the hands of a child. Even college students, who aren’t the richest in society, can still make a difference, and I realized books were where they could make this difference.

What inspired you to start Bring on the Books?

At the very beginning of my childhood,

I didn’t have many friends. I was raised in a very homogenous community and being different didn’t give me any advantage in making friends. A book was a door to a new world for me — I may not have had a friend at school, but I had a friend in a book. I was going to another world where anything could occur.

Once collected, where will the books go?

They’re going to D.C. Reads, the D.C. family court system and pediatric health clinics in impoverished areas of the District.

Christie shely/The Hoya

LITERARY LOVER Sohayle Sizar (COL ’14) runs a book drive, Bring on the Books, in order to spread literacy and passion for education.

Are you working with anyone else on the program?

At Georgetown, I’ve had great support from GUSA, the Corp, Campus Ministry, the Georgetown Law Center and so many others. Nationally, we’re also working with the Reach Out and Read Foundation, the Brookings Institution and the Presidential Correspondence Office.

scattered, path, and at the end of the day, whether it’s English, Arabic, Chinese or Hebrew, we all should have the opportunity to have a book when we’re growing up.

Beyond reducing illiteracy, is there another, bigger goal at play?

The short-term goal, you’re right, is [reducing] illiteracy, but the overall broader aspect is something much more powerful. I believe that How is the program there’s greatness connected to the in all of us — evWhite House and its ery person — and interfaith challenge?

I think those who One of the bigare less fortunate, gest things is givespecially children, ing back to the do not have the incommunity, but clination to recoganother aspect of nize this. Through interfaith is that it’s — Sohayle Sizar (COL ’14) the program, I want encompassing all to reach into their diversities and all hearts, grab that people. In many of greatness out and the communities of D.C., not everyone has English as their first put it within their sights. That’s what language, so we accept books regardless of drives me. That’s my eventual goal. Books language — a human approach to the is- are one avenue [through which] we can sue of illiteracy. The fact is we’re all bound manifest this growth, especially in those together by a single bond on a single, but children who don’t have as much.

“A book was a door to a new world for me — I may not have had a friend at school, but I had a friend in a book.”

Christie shely/The Hoya

BOOK WORM Sizar channeled his lifelong love of books and learning into his project, which benefits children throughout the city.

6 | the guide | 2.24.12

lifestyle

Embracing Your Inner Hippie Is Key to Career Success the 20-something transition

W

BrookeBerger

ith internship application deadlines rolling in, campus has been bustling with chatter about when interviews are and who has received offers where.

Despite all the stress and pressures that surround finding the perfect summer internship, it is important to stop and recognize that whatever internship or job you find this summer doesn’t have to define what you do for the rest of your life. In fact, doing something that isn’t necessarily related to your career of interest may prepare you more than you might think.

When I first came to Georgetown, I had no idea what career path I wanted to take. And even though I have a slightly better idea now, I still know

that my interests can change with to be successful but have out-of-thethe wind. I’m sure I’m not the only box interests or other creative pasone who feels a bit of pressure to sions. The Type-A Bohemian may have a plan — to want to be a lawyer, be a premed student who likes to paint in his free doctor, banker, time or someone scholar, et cewho has an intera. However, terest in being a I recognized I recognized that one of the lawyer but loves that one of best parts of being a 20-somefood blogging. the best parts thing at Georgetown with little to This is becomof being a no idea about what she wants ing increasingly 20-something common among at Georgetown to do is that I have time to try 20-somethings — with little to new things and figure it out. and it’s a good no idea about thing. what she Having a wide wants to do variety of experiis that I have ences, not necessarily all related to time to try each other, discerns what we really new things and figure it out — and I’ll be more love. Having experiences that don’t marketable for doing that. There’s fit into a prescribed box of what no time like the present to be a Type- makes a “good” lawyer, doctor, banker, scholar, et cetera, can make you A Bohemian.

Type-A Bohemian is a term that a better person for the job because refers to an emerging group of you have knowledge of a broader young people who have the drive context. And, of course, there are

the personal benefits of doing the things you love, even if they’re not “marketable.” Your college experience shouldn’t always be about resume building.

So as frantic talk of finding the elusive summer internship continues into the spring months, we 20-somethings should take a moment to stop stressing, embrace the Bohemian and let the Type-A guide us to whatever potential experience excites us. We should stop trying to fit ourselves into those boxes and realize that even if we don’t land the exact internship or job that we want this summer, other experiences can get us where we want to be, too. Not to mention, they might give us something to talk about in interviews besides the bad state of the market.

Brooke Berger is a junior in the College. She can be reached at berger@ thehoya.com.THE 20-SOMETHING TRANSITION appears every other Friday in

Indie Bookstore Outlives Competitors

O

FLICKR.COM

SPINE UNBROKEN This Pennsylvania Avenue bookstore appeals to the niche tastes of its cult following and the needs of the casual browser alike.

pen the door and the smell of books fills through the air with the unmistakable scent of ink on newly bound pages. Shelves cover every spare inch of the walls and books overflow onto the floor and up the stairs. Books are packed so tightly into the store, it seems as though they could pour out of the upstairs windows.

French pop plays from the speakers overhead.

In the aftermath of the closing of Barnes & Noble, a local independent bookstore lives on.

A small bookstore on Pennsylvania Avenue, Bridge Street Books, has been a Georgetown staple since its founding in 1980. In fact, according to manager Rod Smith, some people claim to stay at the nearby Four Seasons Hotel in order to simply have better access to the shop.

The question remains, if Bridge Street Books has a large enough client base to outlast Barnes & Noble, how is it that so few Georgetown students have set foot inside this eclectic haunt?

Maybe it is the bookshop’s unassuming air. Nestled between an abandoned storefront and a Mediterranean restaurant, Bridge Street Books is easy to miss. Without the book-filled tables that stand in front of the shop, one might walk right past the brick building without ever noticing it.

The few Hoyas who do stop in are often sent by professors. For his Modern Poetry class, Mark McMorris asks his students to buy their

KALEY BEINS Hoya Staff Writer

books at Bridge Street. “I think he sent me to Bridge Street Books because he valued an independent bookstore,” said Jenn Polloch (COL ’14), a student in Morris’ class. “I think today, especially with electronic books, they’re very much a dying breed. He though it was important for us to give them our business, not buy into the college textbook market.”

However, these tables are sure to catch a reader’s eye. With titles ranging from Einstein on Israel to Bardisms: Shakespeare for Every Occasion, the display draws an eclectic crowd.

“We definitely have regulars from a great variety of stripes. Philosophy buffs, government workers, military people, foot traffic, ” Smith said.

Smith, an avant-garde poet, moved to Georgetown in 1987 and began working at Bridge Street Books shortly thereafter.

“Books are what I do in several directions,” he said, adding that many of the store’s employees are authors or writers in some capacity.

Bridge Street Books differs from many other bookstores in that customers directly influence the selection by requesting books for the store to purchase.

Smith explained, “We pay attention to backlists and what’s considered important in different fields rather than just what’s new.”

As if on cue, a deliveryman entered with the day’s book shipment, and Smith was drawn away.

2.24.12 | the guide | 7

Italy loves its wrinkles A

s entertaining as the “Real Housewives” television series is — I admit, I thoroughly enjoy it at times — I worry for the protagonists. Most of these women have lost the ability to show their emotions and are left instead with just one expression in order to whisper, cry, laugh, scream and smile. Thanks to lip injections and Botox, the catty verbal scenes look more dubbed than a poorly translated foreign film from the 1950s.

Living in Italy has been incredibly refreshing. Here I am surrounded by everything old.

I walk on cobblestone streets that were laid down between the fifth and 11th centuries, I gaze at artistic and architectural masterpieces created hundreds, or even thousands, of years ago and I am expected to be knowledgeable about the more fermented wines and moldier cheeses. Italians preserve the past both literally and figuratively through restoration and tradition.

Italy loves its wrinkles. And it has a lot of them. I can attest to that.

After living in Florence for two months, the giant Duomo and little streets, with their many gelaterias and panini stores, have all faded into the background a bit. But what still captures my attention whenever I’m out exploring the city are the old, whitehaired, pipe-smoking and slow-moving Italians.

I was in a cell phone store when I first interacted with an Italian local. She was probably about 75-years old, five-feet tall and was sporting a fabulous, knee-length rabbit fur coat with a matching hat. While in line, she turned to me and began to complain about the wait. She didn’t seem to notice that I, too, was wearing a backpack and thereby fit in perfectly with the group of American girls that had flooded the store, but, if she did, she didn’t seem to care.

She wore messy red lipstick, had a little upturned nose and was easily the snarkiest woman I have ever come across. We spoke — me in

mimi mccormick

Winner of The Hoya’s Photo Essay Contest

riences render the elderly one of the most fascinating aspects of Italy. I have observed every single old man or woman that I’ve passed in the streets or seen in restaurants.

Unfortunately, I haven’t had my camera with me during my most endearing encounters, like when I dropped a pack of bobby pins and an 80-year-old woman strenuously attempted to bend down to pick them up, squealing delightedly about how adorable she thought the pins were. Another memorable moment was when an 87-year-old man auditioned on “Italia’s Got Talent” and had better dance moves than what half of the Georgetown student body has. The crowd was on its feet.

I did, however, manage to capture a few charming elderly characters that I’ve come across, all of whom were behaving as if they were in their 20s.

Whether they are yelling at a soccer game on the television in a quiet and fancy cafe, confused in Rome after losing their walking tour guide or pushing other passengers aside so they can get the best seat on the bus, these men and women are more alive and filled with character than anyone I have met thus far in Italy.

So, cin cin (“cheers,” in Italian) to walking canes and magnificently large moustaches and wrinkles that symbolize years of wisdom and laughter.

“This combination of demographic transformation and my own personal experiences render the elderly one of the most fascinating aspects of Italy.” my rusty Italian — a little bit about her coat.

She told me that I was a sweet girl, and then she suddenly called out a sales associate who had clearly ripped off one of the other students in the store. This interaction sparked my interest and love for the elderly Florentines.

I learned, after a conversation with my host family, that Italy has an aging population.

While the adults continue to age, Italy’s younger couples are delaying the thought of children, if they have considered it at all.

For me, this combination of demographic transformation and my own personal expe-

this photo essay will be displayed in The midnight mug from feb. 26 to march 3.

food&drink

Scrumptious Sundaes Are No Accident At Serendipity 3, Dessert Comes First katherine foley Hoya Staff Writer

 SERENDIPITY

I

3150 M St. NW cuisine: American and desserts price: $$$$

sn’t it a little fabricated that such a “happy accident,” like Serendipity 3, was purposely built in D.C.?

Following its two predecessors in New York and Las Vegas, Serendipity 3 opened up on M Street last May. The original restaurant welcomed customers for the first time in 1954 in the heart of New York City’s Little Italy, where it was the first restaurant to offer frozen hot chocolate.

When I first walked into the buzzing venue on Friday a little past 8 p.m., I was a little overwhelmed. My date and I had made reservations, much to my relief as there was already a line forming outside the door. Once inside, I wasn’t quite sure what to make of the atmosphere. The decor looked me to be a mix of Ruby Tuesdays and classic New York from the 1950s; all the lights, furniture and decorations looked like they had been found at a highend thrift store.

In addition to the overwhelming atmosphere, an equally eclectic mix of pop music blared from the stereos over the rambunctious chatter of all the customers. Even though we were seated in a fairly

intimate booth, I felt like I had to shout to both my date and the waiter, an overly-enthusiastic man who took our orders while crouching down to our eye level.

The menu itself is even a production, complete with oversized and obnoxious fonts. Serendipity 3’s culinary team tempts visitors with a wide choice of American cuisine, so there is something to satisfy every kind of craving and appetite, including a sweet tooth like mine.

Before I made the choice to order an eggwhite omelet with avocado and crabmeat and my date picked his ahi tuna salad, we both scoped out the real reason we had come: sweet treats. The desserts are not to be missed. This is extremely important to note: If you visit Serendipity 3 and fail to order beyond an entree, you have failed in your mission as a customer.

Perhaps it was because I was looking forward to the dessert (in our case, a redvelvet sundae with white chocolate ice cream) that I had such low expectations for dinner, but I was pleasantly surprised by our main meal. Usually venues that primarily advertise their sweeter side tend

happyhour the french Kiss Although Valentine’s Day has passed, that doesn’t mean that the kisses have to stop.

Made with raspberry liqueur, pineapple juice and vodka, this fun and flirty cocktail is sure to please.

10 | the guide | 2.24.12

CHRISTIE SHELY/ THE hoya

MIND YOUR MANNERS The dessert haven’s decor is old-timey with a twist. to lack when it comes to the savory, but my omelet was grilled to perfection. And while I had been overwhelmed by the atmosphere at first, and our waiter seemed genuinely concerned that my date’s tuna was seared to the perfect pink., it was — against all my expectations — a really nice time.

I was in a good enough mood by the time our dessert came out, but my mouth almost dropped when we were brought our sundae: I’ve never seen so much chocolate goodness condensed into one giant bowl. My only complaint was that, even between the two of us, we couldn’t put much of a dent in it. After our entrees, the $9 scoops weren’t exactly cheap, but the cost was worth being a little stuffed to enjoy a few bites.

Without appetizers or alcohol, we averaged about $20 each — doable, but on a college budget you may want to make it a once-in-a-while experience. I’m not ready to be a regular at this place; however, if you’re looking for an adventure away from the front gates, Serendipity 3 can offer you a stimulating getaway.

dishes you have to try: forbidden broadway sundae

chocolate blakout cake, chocolate and vanilla ice cream and hot fudge topped with whipped cream

red velvet sundae

chocolate ice cream, scrumptious red velvet cake, hot fudge, whipped cream and rainbow sprinkles

asian chicken salad

assorted greens, grilled chicken, candied almonds, crispy wontons and honey-soup ginger dressing nestled in a coconut shell

A weekly roundup of some of the best shots, mixes and punches.

+ 1 oz. Smirnoff vodka

+

1/4 oz. Chambord raspberry liqueur

+

3/4 cup fresh pineapple juice

1 twist lemon peel

food&drink

New Spot for a Spot of Tea ELIZABETH GARBITELLI Hoya Staff Writer

J

ust a stone’s throw from the intersection of M Street and Wisconsin Avenue, Chinese teashop Ching Ching Cha lies lost and nestled between the busy storefronts of preppy Rugby and melodramatic Italian staple Filomena.

That’s part of the appeal.

Step inside and you instantly feel far away. Ching Ching Cha is part shop, part tea house, so lining the walkway inside, you’ll see bags and bags of loose-leaf teas — a selection unparalleled in the neighborhood. This makes the experience more authentic than getting your fix from a Teavana. They also have imported tea tins that have an ultra-tight seal to keep the leaves fresh, so you can bring a bit of Ching Ching Cha home with you.

Besides the tea leaves, they also sell authentic cast-iron kettles, hand-painted teacups and other kitschy (and expensive) accessories.

You can buy some tea and wares, but you should stay for the actual tea event.

There are a few tables and a seating area where you can take your tea the traditional way — sitting down. You have to take your shoes off, so make sure to wear socks.

The menu features a combination of Chinese offerings, both sweet and savory in order to compliment their wide selection of gourmet teas. They have Mongolian style dumplings with lamb, chicken and vegetable, which shouldn’t be missed.

For sweets, they serve up lotus seed paste wrapped in a puff pastry, coconut tarts and almond cookies. They also have tea meal sets, which include soup, a vegetable dish and one of their house dishes, either chicken curry, miso salmon or steamed teriyaki tofu.

You can opt for either the meal or just a small dish depending on your appetite. If you do opt for small plates, definitely pick at least one savory option. Those types of

Fresh Foods Can’t Suffice market to table

 CHING CHING CHA 1063 Wisconsin Ave. NW Washington, D.C. cuisine: Chinese price: $$$$ dishes go better with tea than you’d imagine.

As far as the tea menu goes, it can’t be done justice in a short review like this.

They have a variety of teas, each with a written description and level of strength — green, black, white, oolong, herbal, artisan combinations and more. They all sounded wonderful. Plus, it’s an added excuse to make return trips and try the ones you missed!

In addition to getting a tasty tea meal, guests really can savor the quiet and off-the-beaten-path feel of the place. My friend and I stayed for at least two hours just catching up, and the place was almost completely empty. You get a little bit of the serene, and you don’t have to walk too far.

I’m a huge fan of traditional British cream tea with its golden scones, rich clotted cream and finger sandwiches (when I lived abroad in England, I went every single week to afternoon cream tea), but Ching Ching Cha’s traditional Chinese tea is just as tasty and very refreshing. Lesson learned — just because there aren’t scones doesn’t mean you can’t have tea time. So when you get sick of your frappuccinos and iced lattes, take a step off Wisconsin and get a taste of something a little more serene than coffee to-go.

ELIZABETH CHEUNG FOR THE HOYA

TIME FOR TEA Ching Ching Cha offers its customers a wide variety of teas; the eclectic selection compliments the food well and is a refreshing substitute to coffee.

BethanyImondi

E

veryone has a food weakness, and mine is green bean casserole. I know it may seem strange that instead of a chocolate cake’s fudgy center or an apple pie’s buttery crust, I prefer the cliche side dish that graces every holiday table, but I just love its hypocrisy. Considering that the main ingredient of the casserole is green beans, one might expect it to be healthy; however, it is really far from it. All you have to do is look at the recipe and see cream of mushroom soup and fried onions to know that this casserole is a diet buster.

Despite my love for fresh produce and making things from scratch, I look forward to every holiday meal when the traditionally prepared green bean casserole sits, piping hot, on the table. If you have ever read the label on the back of a cream of mushroom soup can, you know that while mushrooms are listed as the second ingredient, the majority of the “soup’s” flavor comes from laboratory-made compounds. Onions are also in the recipe, but, like the mushrooms, they are debased of any nutritional value after being coated in flour and oil.

After really thinking about how unhealthy the dish may be, my mom de-

cided to try whipping up a homemade green bean casserole for our Thanksgiving feast two years ago. We boiled fresh green beans, sauteed onions and mushrooms in a buttered skillet and then added some sour cream to make our own version of cream of mushroom soup. After topping it with grated mozzarella cheese and cornflake crumbs, we put in it the oven, almost too anxious to wait the 20 minutes required for cooking. Once it emerged from the oven and sat on the table for perhaps more time than it took to bake, I dug in with a spoon. I had a spoonful of green beans and a blob of cheese resting on my plate.

Needless to say, my mom and I realized the validity of the age-old adage, “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.”

Green bean casserole might be one of those few instances where fresh ingredients don’t always mean better-tasting food; however, the majority of the time, using items found in the produce section instead of the canned food aisle of the market will create healthier, flavorful meals. In the recipe below, the list of ingredients is really flexible — use rice instead of quinoa, chop peppers in place of mushrooms or choose scallions over onions. Why microwave a container of Easy Mac when you can have a hearty saute of real ingredients?

Bethany Imondi is a junior in the College. She can be reached at imondi@ thehoya.com. MARKET TO TABLE appears every other Friday in the guide.

mushroomquinoasaute INGREDIENTS

1/2 cup cooked quinoa 1 Tbsp. olive oil 1/2 small onion 6 white mushrooms, wiped clean and sliced

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

Pinch of salt 1/4 tsp. thyme 1 clove garlic, minced 2 Tbsp. grated Parmesan

Prepare the quinoa according to the package directions. Set aside.

Heat the oil in a small frying pan over medium-high heat. Add the onion and stir constantly for about two minutes or until translucent.

Add the mushrooms and salt. Stir constantly and cook for another three to four minutes until the mushrooms are golden brown and have given off some of their liquid.

Add another pinch of salt, thyme and minced garlic. Cook another minute, then add the quinoa and cook as if stir-frying to combine all the ingredients.

Turn off the heat and transfer the saute to a bowl. Add Parmesan and mix to combine.

ADAPTED FROM BIGGIRLSSMALLKITCHEN.COM

2.24.12 | the guide | 11

art&culture

BMDT Keeps Audience on Toes MAURA HOHMAN Special to The Hoya

B

lack Movements Dance Theatre is kicking off its latest season this Friday, Feb. 24 with an entertaining and compelling performance in the Davis Center for the Performing Arts’ Gonda Theater. “Reflections: We Speak Their Name” maintains the integrity of BMDT’s mission statement, which explains its “artistic vision to express the African-American experience through dance.”

This voice is strong throughout the whole performance, but a diverse group of performers and choreographers yields an eclectic assembly of dance and music. “Reflections” boasts pieces choreographed by renowned artists Katherine Smith and Princess Mhoon, BMDT’s artistic director, Alfreda Davis, and several students.

Each audience member will be inspired by some aspect of BMDT’s performance, even if he or she is not particularly interested in dance. “Reflections” contains several poems, some with choreography and some without, and several pieces that verge on drama because of the raw emotion that the dancers flawlessly convey. It opens with a prelude set to poetry, backlit by blues and reds. The girls transform their bodies to portray rushing water in accompaniment to the recitation of a poem about “human spirit.” The content of the poem then turns to Africa, and the performance begins.

From the first moment of the performance, the audience knows it is about to observe an abstract portrayal of human suffering. “Reflec-

tions” moves back and forth from pieces set to pop music to dances with a distinctly more ethnic feel. The lack of a predictable pattern keeps the audience on their toes about what’s to come and unsure about whether they will cry, laugh or be simply too immersed in the show’s aesthetic presentation to think anything at all.

One piece, an original poem performed by Vivian Ojo (SFS’ 14), is particularly captivating. The words of the poem itself are extremely powerful. Though Ojo’s movements are not as choreographed as others, her body conveys the final message of dance as a means of rebellion and revival. Ojo’s poem leads the rest of the performance to diverge from the first section’s focus on physical and emotional suffering, symbolized by synchronized ensemble pieces and heartbreaking solo performances.

The inclusion of other art forms besides dance may be unexpected due to BMDT’s renown as one of Georgetown’s most prominent dance groups. However, the diverse nature of the show makes it a must-see. The performance speaks to the triumph of the human spirit, rather than focusing on the sufferings of a single group — though, admittedly, there is a prevailing sense of female empowerment throughout the show. Reflections: We Speak Their Name is sure leave the Georgetown community wanting more from this performance and in heightened anticipation of the Black Movements Dance Theater’s next season.

Friday Music Series AARON BROADUS GROUP FEB 24 at 1:15 pm // McNeir Auditorium

Led by Georgetown music professor and Pep Band Director Aaron Broadus, this jazz/R&B group is bringing its unique style to campus. Broadbus recently recorded his new single, “Keepin’ It Real,” with Grammy Awardwinning saxophonist Kirk Whalum.

SAHEL MARCH 16 at 1:15 pm // McNeir Auditorium

Named for a stretch of land between the Sahara Desert and the Sudanian savannas, this group performs a wide variety of Afro-diaspora music. Their unique style, mixing zouk, reggae, Mbalax and samba/bossa nova has been heard at famous venues throughout D.C.

THOMAS PANDOLFI MARCH 23 at 1:15 pm // McNeir Auditorium

Julliard graduate Pandolfi performs an all-Liszt program, highlighting the work of the great composer. Pandolfi is sought after by audiences worldwide and has been lauded by critics for both his technique and passion.

Vasily Popov and Ralitza Patcheva MARCH 30 at 1:15 pm // McNeir Auditorium This husband-wife duo performs a Schubert program on piano and cello to complement the PostClassical Ensemble’s “Schubert Uncorked” performance the next day, which will feature an orchestral rendition of Schubert’s “Arpeggione Sonata.”

Suely Mesquita APRIL 13 at 1:15 pm // McNeir Auditorium

This acclaimed singer/songwriter from Rio de Janeiro, who has written and recorded for international artists like Pedro Luís and Zélia Duncan, performs an array of songs from her new album, Microswing.

Jacqueline Horner-Kwiatek APRIL 27 at 1:15 pm // Gonda Theatre

HANSKY SANTOS/THE HOYA

SHAPING IDEAS The performance group is best known for their modern choreography, but “Reflections: We Speak Their Name” incorporates a variety of expressive art forms.

12 | the guide | 2.24.12

This world-renowned vocalist from the quartet Anonymous 4 will be singing “Leading Ladies,” a program featuring a wide range of female writing — from Emily Dickinson to a Russian mail-order bride — set to music by American composers Aaron Copland, Gregory Spears, Daniel Thomas Davis and David Arbury.

entertainment Plus-Size Plots Less Than Meaningful saved it for me. Lauren was fat, but she had confidence. She didn’t deny it or shirk the label, and it didn’t keep her from having the types of relationships she desired. Lauren knew she was a diva and she owned it.

VictoriaEdel But of course, there’s the problem again — Lauren’s only characteristic was that she was am fat. I don’t say that in some self-depre- fat and loved it. Any plot lines that surroundciating way, hoping for pity or friends who ed her were only about this one thing. While will tell me, “No you’re not, you’re beauti- it was refreshing to see Lauren and Mercedes ful” (and for the record, fat and beautiful are deal with some of the issues of fatness, it was not mutually exclusive). I say it because it’s limited.

Television tells me that my life should be an oft-quoted fact that the average American woman is a size 12 and I am larger than the defined by my weight. Skinny girls do every“average American woman,” thus making thing on television — they fall in love, fight me fat. Rationally, I know there’s nothing with their parents, run television shows, wrong with my weight (I usually know this become secret agents, serve as White House emotionally as well, but that changes from Press Secretary and find themselves in inaptime to time). But, my self-esteem only exists propriate love triangles. Fat girls don’t do in spite of the negative messages I constantly these things, at least, not without worrying receive from television. A television show about their weight.

Sure, there are rarely features a fat television shows that person, and when feature fat women — it does, he is usually The thing is, I don’t live my Melissa McCarthy won male (Kevin James an Emmy for “Mike and Drew Carey both life pushed to the side. My and Molly,” ABCFamcarried sitcoms). weight isn’t life defining; it’s ily had a show about When it does feature a not even close. teenagers at a fat camp fat woman, she is usuand Lifetime has a ally older. Young, fat show called “Drop woman are virtually Dead Diva” about a supermodel who dies and invisible.

This is a wider trend in television. When a wakes up in a fat lawyer’s body. In all these young, fat actress is shown, her entire charac- shows, though, the character’s weight is essenter is based around the fact that she is plus- tial to the plot. Zooey Deschanel’s “New Girl,” sized and she’s usually extremely unhappy while hilarious, would never get made about a fat girl. Fat characters are often pushed to the about it (hello, every weight loss show ever).

In middle school, I was obsessed with “De- side, forever secondary characters.

The thing is, I don’t live my life pushed to grassi: The Next Generation.” It was about all these cool, Canadian teenagers (obviously, I the side. My weight isn’t life defining; it’s not needed to re-evaluate my definition of “cool”) even close.

You could easily read this and wonder why who starred in the ultimate soap opera. I secretly watched it in my room at night, awe- it matters. It matters because fat women, on struck at what high school life was supposed average, make less money than their skinny counterparts. It matters because fat women to be like.

During one of the earlier seasons, “Degras- (and men) are less likely to attend college. si” featured a character named Terry. She was Sometimes, media portrayal is half the battle plus-sized and became a model, but she also to changing opinions.

I once told someone that Adele is my spirit had really poor self-esteem and dated this creep named Rick who abused her and then animal, which is a joke, but only partially. To put her in a coma. She never reappeared on- me, Adele is so cool because she’s just doing screen. On the one hand, it was kind of neat her thing, making music and being aweto see a chubby girl as a character on televi- some. She writes songs about love and loss besion. On the other, her plot lines only dealt cause fat people, incredulously to the people with her weight. Other characters’ plots ex- who make television shows, are people too, plored different parts of their lives — why did and we feel all these things. We just also happen to like cupcakes. it only matter that Terry was fat?

“Glee” is one of my favorite shows. It started out with one fat character, Mercedes, and added another in its second season, Lauren Victoria Edel is a sophomore in the College.

Zizes. The second season is generally regard- GIRL MEETS WORLD appears every other Friday ed as pretty bad, but Lauren single-handedly in the guide.

girl meets world

I

Duo Continues Reign On Sophomore Effort MAIREAD REILLY Hoya Staff Writer

F

ull disclosure: I’m totally out of the loop on music. Exactly what you want to hear from a music reviewer, right? I spent the fall in the Middle East, and when I returned to America it was like waking up from a pop music coma. My friends were ready to kill me when I was still excited to hear “We Found Love” and “Without You” on the radio.

So when I decided to review Sleigh Bells’ new album Reign of Terror, I knew nothing about the band, except for a vague hope that Christmas music was somehow involved. [Spoiler alert: It isn’t.] My standard Wikipedia search wasn’t reassuring, informing me that a) my absence last fall is no reason not to have heard of Sleigh Bells and b) the “noise pop” duo’s music had been primarily featured in video games and the MTV version of “Skins.” Not a great beginning.

I started the album and instantly felt old: The first track gave me a headache. As hard as I try to be cool and open-minded, I’m a sucker for a melody, and “True Shred Guitar,” the live-recorded opener on Reign of Terror, doesn’t have a discernible one.

My tolerance for incomprehensible screaming has deteriorated since I grew out of my pseudo-rebellious phase, and the first track was giving me flashbacks to overcrowded mosh pits. But I toughed it out, and by the time I got to the fourth track on the album, “End of the Line,” I was hooked. The sometimes danceable, sometimes toned-down beats and distorted vocals make for a listening experience that is at once atmospheric and engaging.

nme.com

 REIGN OF TERROR artist: Sleigh Bells songs to download: “Crush” and “Leader of the Pack” song to skip: “Comeback Kid” Established Sleigh Bells fans should appreciate vocalist Alexis Krauss and front man Derek Miller’s continuation of the style established on the band’s 2010 debut, Treats, while expanding its scope, especially with lyrics. Miller wrote a number of songs in reference to family tragedies he experienced over the past year, and the emotion is felt in his music. Newcomers may struggle a bit at the beginning but should ultimately be converted to the duo’s edgy sound.

Individually, the songs aren’t especially memorable — the heavy vocal distortion makes some tracks hard to differentiate, and many are musically similar to “Kids,” the duo’s breakthrough hit from Treats. Upon a closer listen, though, most tracks have a unique spin. “Leader of the Pack” sounds vaguely like the ’60s pop song of the same name, while “D.O.A.” features a track of finger snaps that is incongruous but catchy. “Road to Hell” is eerily romantic, especially given its name. The only lemon (after the offputting opener) is “Comeback Kid.” Krauss’ falsetto rapping sounds like anything but a comeback.

The tracks on Reign of Terror are generally short; the brevity makes the album worth listening to as a whole, though all 11 songs aren’t noticeably coherent. Turn it on for a study session: The beats will keep you motivated but the lyrics aren’t distracting.

Whether you’ve heard the hype or live under a rock like I do, you should give Sleigh Bells’ sophomore effort a listen — and then follow it up with some holiday Pandora if the lack of actual sleigh bells is just too disappointing.

2.24.12 | the guide | 13

entertainment

JEREMY TRAMER Hoya Staff Writer

Oscar Contenders Leave Audiences Grouchy 9. war horse

ROTTENTOMATOES.COM

Any enthusiasm I had for War Horse unceremoniously disappeared a mere 10 minutes into the film, when I came to the devastating realization that the movie’s equine protagonist was either unwilling or unable to talk. If The Blind Side taught us anything, it was that making a movie in which the main character never says a word is rarely a good idea. War Horse does its best to make up for its silent star, but the film remains painfully boring at times, and its focus on the horses prevents us from getting to know any of the underdeveloped human characters in depth. It seems director Stephen Spielberg couldn’t decide whether he was making a war movie or a children’s movie, and unwisely tried to make War Horse a hybrid of both.

8. the descendants Nearly every character in The Descendants is a walking cliche: from the misbehaving teenage daughter and her ludicrously idiotic meathead boyfriend to the evil developers hell-bent on building a hotel over pristine wilderness. Even the main protagonist Matt King (played by a criminally overrated George Clooney) is also by-the-book, as a lawyer too caught up in his professional life to notice his wife is having an affair. At least they are more dynamic characters than Matt’s wife, who gets far too much screen time considering she is literally in a coma for most of the movie (incidentally, this same critique could be applied to every character Mark Ruffalo has ever played). There is a glaring lack of any real curveballs to interrupt the predictability of The Descendants, and its beautiful Hawaiian setting can’t hide the fact that it is a generic film.

ROTTENTOMATOES.COM

7. moneyball

ROTTENTOMATOES.COM

I hate to pick on The Blind Side again — wait, no I don’t. People need to stop making Michael Lewis books into movies. Although Moneyball is a much better film than The Blind Side, its stakes were so low that there was no real drama. A scene in which Billy Beane (Brad Pitt, in a much less impressive performance than his role in The Tree of Life) yells at his team for horsing around in the locker room after a loss serves as a microcosm of how I see the film: If the players don’t even care if the team is winning, why should the audience? Beane keeps talking about how badly he wants to “change the game,” but the reasons behind this desire are unconvincing, and it’s unclear whom these changes would benefit. The real-life situation upon which Moneyball is based was not interesting enough to merit a film, and the script largely avoided taking any sorely-needed dramatic license.

6. the help The Help was entertaining and at times inspiring, but I could never quite shake the feeling that the movie was playing it way too safe in its portrayal of race relations in 1960s Mississippi. We are shown an almost offensive lack of nuance: Most of the racism is blatantly overt, and the overarching subtle racism that actually pervaded Southern society at that time is mostly ignored. The film’s main antagonist (Bryce Dallas Howard, in the most embarrassingly over-the-top portrayal of a Southern lady since Sandra Bullock in The Blind Side) is one-dimensionally evil, while Emma Stone’s heroic Skeeter is improbably virtuous. I don’t buy that the racism which seemingly has infected everyone around Skeeter has somehow completely passed her by. That said, Viola Davis and Octavia Spencer were both superb as two stoically struggling maids, and The Help earned its satisfying happy ending.

ROTTENTOMATOES.COM

5. extremely loud and incredibly close

ROTTENTOMATOES.COM

14 | the guide | 2.24.12

Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close received only 46 percent positive reviews on Rotten Tomatoes, a shockingly low figure for a Best Picture nominee. But nearly every negative review I’ve read refuses to judge the movie at face value based on its merits as a film, complaining unconvincingly instead about how the film disrespects or even exploits the memory of 9/11 victims. I would argue that films like World Trade Center and United 93, which caused much less of an outcry than Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close, were much more exploitative of 9/11, as they were essentially 9/11 reenactments rather than creative attempts to tell the story in a new light from a fresh perspective. If the main character’s father in Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close had died in a car accident instead of on 9/11, the overall story arc and sentiment would only be marginally different, and the naysayers would be able to see the film for what it always was: masterfully acted, sufficiently engaging and emotionally spot-on.

oscar.org

entertainment

4. HUGO

3. THE TREE OF LIFE

Um, what was the deal with the random explosion that killed Hugo’s dad near the beginning of the film? He was just kind of walking around one day, and then BOOM, he got brutally fireballed! Completely out of the blue! I can’t find any satisfying explanation on the Internet, and most people seem just as confused as I was. But if you allow yourself to move past this bizarre mystery, as any reasonable person should be able to do, you’ll probably love Hugo as much as I should have loved it. Martin Scorsese’s masterful use of 3D imagery should put to bed any last complaints that people still have about the recent 3D resurgence. The film was charming, though not terribly complex, and it is ultimately a kid’s movie that doesn’t quite have what it takes to hold its own among the year’s top, more mature films.

The Tree of Life was the last of the nine nominees I watched, and an hour in, I had already decided I was going to rank it No. 1 on this list. But then the film stopped being experimental and spent the next hour focusing on a relatively pedestrian plotline. I was expecting it to become clear why the film stopped for 20 amazing minutes during the first hour to walk us through the history of the universe, but it didn’t, and notoriously reclusive writer-director Terrence Malick refuses to give interviews explaining his motives. The film wisely returned to its dream-like abstract nature near the end, but the mundane hour in the middle was a huge disappointment. Despite first-time child actor Hunter McCracken’s transcendent performance (he was much better than the young lead actors in Hugo and Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close), the film as a whole came up a bit short of true greatness.

2. THE ARTIST

1. MIDNIGHT IN PARIS

It will be an absolute travesty if George Clooney wins Best Actor for his role in The Descendants (which many people are predicting he will), when Jean Dujardin’s profoundly charismatic performance in The Artist was easily the best acting I saw this year. The Artist lovingly recreated the style and feel of 1930s silent films, and the impressive novelty of watching a well-made 21st century silent movie never really wore off.

Also, a Best Supporting Actor nod for Uggie, the show-stealing Jack Russell terrier, wouldn’t be so far-fetched (pun intended).

The film, however, didn’t do a great job of mixing drama and comedy, to the extent that its most serious and most overtly humorous moments generally felt out of place. This strange dichotomy cost The Artist the top place on my list.

ROTTENTOMATOES.COM

newreleases “The First Time I Ran Away” M. Ward // A Wasteland Companion



MARIA MIRACLE Special to The Hoya

“So Good”

B.o.B // Strange Clouds



On “The First Time I Ran Away,” M. Ward — half of indie folk band She & Him — employs simple and cheerful melodies to create a wistful song perfect for top-down highway driving.

MERGE RECORDS

I’m admittedly a sucker for Woody Allen, so take it with a grain of salt when I tell you that Midnight in Paris is the only one of the nominees without any noteworthy flaws. The casting of Owen Wilson was somehow a stroke of genius, and Corey Stoll should be given a Best Supporting Actor nomination for his delightful portrayal of Ernest Hemingway. Woody milked every last drop out of the film’s inspired premise, and it’s comforting to see that he hasn’t yet lost a beat. But while Midnight in Paris was definitely a great film, the 2011 Best Picture field is the weakest in recent memory. This is my third consecutive year ranking the nominees for the guide, and had Midnight in Paris been in the field for 2009 or 2010, it wouldn’t have cracked my top three either year.

Produced by Ryan Tedder of OneRepublic, “So Good” sees the return of the B.o.B we know and love. This radio-friendly pop anthem is sure to be a staple on spring- break playlists this year.

GRAND HUSTLE RECORDS

“Disparate Youth”

Santigold // Master of My Make-Believe



“Disparate Youth” is the first single to be released from Santigold’s upcoming sophomore album. It is reminiscent of earlier hits with its eccentric beats coupled and Santigold’s trademark vocals.

DOWNTOWN RECORDS

2.24.12 | the guide | 15

bestbets

friday The blend of traditional and fusion belly dances at the Ooh La La Belly Dance and Sideshow Revue will make your eyebrows rise and your jaw drop. The event will also feature mind-bending exotic sideshow performers. After the performance there will be a disc jockeyed dance!

Where: Montserrat House, 2016 Ninth St. NW When: 9 p.m.

Info: montserrathouse.com Price: $15 at the door Metro: U Street/African-American Civil War Memorial/Cardozo (Green and Yellow lines)

abby reutzel Hoya Staff Writer

ottoman ornaments

saturday Join DJ Will Eastman as he spins great music from a variety of genres, with a focus on indie rock and dance music. This monthly event, which has been going strong for over 10 years, is sure to be a good time filled with exciting music, dancing and drinks.

Where: U Street Music Hall, 1115 U St. NW When: 10 p.m.

Info: (202) 588-1880 Price: $10 Metro: U Street/African-American Civil War Memorial/Cardozo (Green and Yellow lines)

- meagan kelly

sunday If you’d rather watch the Oscars somewhere other than your common room, then you’re in luck! The awards show will be shown in an actual theater in Arlington. Commentary will be provided by local film critics, and the event will include games, contests and trivia.

Where: Arlington Cinema & Drafthouse, 2903 Columbia Pike, Arlington, Va. When: 6:30 p.m.

Info: dcfilmsociety.org Price: $20 Metro: Pentagon (Blue line)