the guide
the weekly magazine for life on the hilltop
october 12, 2012
Taking Time Off The Gap Year Experience
Derby in the District: On a Roll
G4
Costume Ideas For the Uncreative
G7
A Look Back With Affleck’s ‘Argo’ G14
THAN JUST this issue 8 MORE BACKPACKING lifestyle 3 10 food&drink arts & 12 entertainment pardon my french | center stage
fago de chao | burleith bartender
casual vacancy | macklemore
nextissue
Most students have at most a summer long break between the end of their high school careers and the beginning of their college ones. But a small group of students choose to take a year off in order to travel, volunteer or work, often in hopes of doing something that will change their lives. While many of them learned a lot on their gap years, they encountered the obstacles that come with visitng a country where you don’t speak the language or know anyone. Some honed their language skills, others taught, but all were changed by their memories.
COVER PHOTO BY KAYLA NOGUCHI
soundbite
THE HISTORY BOYS ARTS&ENTERTAINMENT
MASK & BAUBLE
Next week, the guide will review Mask & Bauble’s production of “The History Boys,” the play that inspired the 2006 movie. We’ll see how well they’ve translated the coming-of-age story to the Poulton Hall stage.
the guide Sarah Kaplan, Executive Editor Steven Piccione, Managing Editor Hunter Main, Copy Chief Emory Wellman, Layout Editor Leonel De Velez, Photo Editor Nicole Jarvis, Deputy Guide Editor Sheena Karkal, Deputy Guide Editor Emily Manbeck, Deputy Guide Editor Chris Grivas, Deputy Photo Editor Zoe Bertrand, Deputy Layout Editor Kyle Hunter, Deputy Layout Editor Jessica Natinsky, Deputy Layout Editor Shannon Reilly, Deputy Copy Editor Jamie Slater, Deputy Copy Editor Sean Sullivan, Deputy Copy Editor
Connor Gregoire, Editor-in-Chief Victoria Edel, Guide Editor Corrections and Clarifications If you have a comment or question about the fairness or accuracy of a story, contact Executive Editor Sarah Kaplan at (202) 687-3415 or email executive@thehoya.com. 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. 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
MAIREAD REILLY/THE HOYA
NicoleJarvis Page 5
“Every time I re-watch Rent, Ferris Bueller’s Day Off or season five of ‘Doctor Who,’ I feel like I’m visiting with an old friend.”
omglol :) :D :l :0
PEANUT GANG Charlie Brown is coming to the big screen in 2015. Here’s hoping that Linus has finally given up his blanket. LOVEBIRDS David Cross (“Arrested Development”) and Amber Tamblyn (The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants) got married, combining two strange fandoms. COMPLETE PASS Reggie Bush’s Armenian girlfriend Lilit Avagyan is pregnant. We’re still weirded out by how much she looks like Kim.
FRESH PRINCE It’s been revealed that the Will Smith spent a night in jail in 1989 for an alleged assualt. We wonder what Uncle Phil said to him.
saywhat?
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“How dare this little girl! … If I had been Mariah, I would have walked over to Nicki and strangled her to death right there.”
”
— Stevie Nicks on the Nicki Minaj-Mariah Carey catfight
lifestyle
Editors’ Picks
HARD TRUTHS FROM SOFT CATS
ELLIE GOULDING
ZASMAGAZINE.COM
Check out our online review of this recently Billboard-topping artist’s new album. Her lyrics center on recent changes in her life and take a deeper, darker turn so expect a similarly new feel in her sound. All the songs on this album are written and coproduced by Goulding herself, so see what we have to say about her flexing her musical muscles.
If you’re already feeling down on yourself, at least you can laugh about it with this hilarious tumblr. Smiling cartoon cats lounge in various positions and — as the blog’s name would suggest — provide short quips about the hard truths of life, cushioning the blow with their cuteness. If cats could talk, they would probably say exactly such condescending things. HARDTRUTHSFROMSOFTCATS.TUMBLR.COM
‘THE BACHELOR’
‘SESAME STREET’
MUPPET.WIKIA.COM
Since the ’70s, Sesame Street has introduced children to song, dance and education in a fun and endearing way. As “grown-ups”, we still love what they do, and can’t imagine the need to do away with something that makes up the quintessential American childhood experience. Not to mention that Guide Editor Victoria Edel can’t fulfill her dream of being the celebrity guest if it is cancelled.
appyhour Instapaper
price: $3.99 When you don’t have the time to read long articles or blog posts online, this app gives you a way to read them later and save them for offline reading (in other words, during a boring lecture). This is definitely an app that will come in handy if you’re tired of dealing with SaxaNet’s spotty service, or when you need something to read on the Metro.
REALITYREWIND.COM
the apps that will make you love your favorite gadgets even more
Chipotle
price: free
No matter where you are in the city, the Chipotle app tracks down the nearest burrito assembly line location. You can go ahead and customize your delicious meal and order it for immediate pickup. This is perfect for those who want “food with integrity” on the run, while also eliminating the need to wait in the tedious line down on M Street.
If it wasn’t obvious enough already, now we know that no one can find everlasting love on “The Bachelor” or “The Bachelorette.” Last Friday, the show’s most controversial pair, Ben Flajnik and Courtney Robertson, called it quits, delighting the franchise’s most devoted of fans. Now, rumors are circulating that its most recent couple, Emily Maynard and Jef Holm, may not be making it down the aisle after all.
SHEENA KARKAL & EMILY MANBECK Hoya Staff Writers
Pic Stitch
price: free
For those who are obsessed with Instagram, Pic Stitch provides even more ways to play with photos. With a simple layout, this app has collaging and framing functions, among others, and it will let you export your new creations to Twitter and Facebook. Now available for iPhone 5, it can send your pictures to Walgreens for in-store pickup.
10.12.12 | the guide | 3
lifestyle A NEW TYPE OF JAMMING DC Athletes Dominate Roller Derby Scene EMILY MANBECK Hoya Staff Writer
T
he players roll out onto the track which has a rotating roster for players decked out in bright colors and who cannot commit time to the All full of excitement. They play roll- Stars. The league started in 2006 and er derby, the fastest-growing contact sport for women, according to ESPN. played its first public bout in 2007 at They’re fierce competitors who must the Dulles SportsPlex. Currently, the be speedy, strong and energetic in or- DCRG has 65 members, who range in der to win. But the women who play age from their early 20s to mid-40s. Acthis sport as amateurs lead different cording to Majority Whips player and DCRG Media Chair Emily Gerston, lives during the day. This action-packed roller skating some of these members have come to game secured a place in the entertain- the sport as novices and others as exment world after it was featured in perienced skaters, but all have an unthe 2009 movie Whip It and is now bridled passion on the track. “It is tough to determine whether being considered for the 2020 Olymone player is betpics. The sport ter than another has also gained because roller popularity in derby has so Wa s h i n g to n , “Roller derby is a sport. ... It many positions D.C., with the has an image of entertainment, … but really, all D.C. Rollergirls but is one of the most intensely [of our] skaters league bring someRoller derby athletic and strategic sports thing special to combines athI’ve seen and played in my the league,” she leticism, speed life.” said. and strategy. By day, most Moving on roller skates, two — DCRG Media Chair of these women teams of five Emily Gerston work as nurses, teachers, lawmembers each yers, marine play the game, called a bout, while skating in the biologists, editors, writers and artists. same direction around a track. There On nights and weekends, however, are a series of “jams,” during which they become fierce roller derby players each team’s jammer, a single-point- and are known by personalized names. “Outside of roller derby, [these womscoring skater identified by a star on her helmet cover, attempts to skate en] would not encounter each other laps around the opposing team. Every … we have to come together to make time she passes a person, her team this thing work, and we have a do-itscores a point. Each jam ends when yourself mentality in everything we one team’s jammer laps every member do,” Gerston said. To become a member of the team, of the opposing team. Throughout the jam, teammates try to clear the way athletes must be at least 18 years old for their jammer and block the other and have health insurance. If they team’s jammer from scoring. In this make the first cut of tryouts, the DCRG way, the skaters play defense and of- offers an annual training boot camp, called the Fresh Meat Camp, to imfense concurrently. The DCRG is the only flat track fe- prove and perfect their skills. Once male roller derby league in the D.C. accepted into the league, new area. This league comprises four home members are required to attend teams — Scare Force One, DC Demon- two practices a week for 12 weeks Cats, Majority Whips and the Cherry and volunteer as trainers, schedBlossom Bombshells — and one travel ulers, promoters, advertisers and team, the All Stars, made up of the best fundraisers for the league. As the Media Chair, Gerston superplayers from the four home teams. The league also sponsors a secondary inter- vises a committee that aims to spread league travel team, the Skaters on Tap, the word about DCRG. Overseeing
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lifestyle tasks like buying advertisement space in newspapers and radio shows and finding sponsors, Gerston serves as the first point of contact for anything mediarelated. “It’s an interesting job, we’ve come a long way in a short time, and I’m always on my toes,” she said. Gerston, who joined the league in 2010 after moving to the District from San Jose, Calif., discovered and fell in love with the sport during college when she found herself with free time. “I was bored … and I found myself on a Saturday night with nothing to do. [I] looked around, said ‘What’s this roller derby thing,’ checked it out and was totally hooked ... I [even] wrote my thesis on roller derby as well.” Working for a D.C. newspaper outside of the derby, Gerston’s skating persona is “The Oxford Commakaze,” a nickname that she says reflects her love for copy editing. According to Gerston, players can have their names designated to them by their teammates or can choose them based on personality traits or individual hobbies. Other skaters in the league go by “Hoova Dayum” and “Dual Hitizen.”
The DCRG strives not only to cultivate a sense female empowerment among its members but also to promote enthusiasm for roller derby as an athletic activity. “Roller derby is a sport. … It has an image of entertainment, but it is one of the most intensely athletic and strategic sports I’ve seen and played in my life ... it’s mindblowing,” Gerston said. According to Gerston, the news that roller derby might be included in the 2020 Olympics has increased the sport’s popularity. “It’s exciting to be known and legitimized a little bit, and it’s starting to reach a critical mass where people know it and understand it, and it’s only going to get bigger and better from here” Gerston said.
DCRG’s “Lucky Season 7” double-header bout will start Saturday, Oct. 13, at 4:00 p.m. at the D.C. Armory. Scare Force One will play the Majority Whips in the first bout, while the Cherry Blossom Bombshells will compete with the DC DemonCats in bout two. General Admission tickets may be ALL PHOTOS DCROLLERGIRLS.COM purchased through Ticketmaster FIERCE COMPETITORS The athletes of D.C. Rollergirls battle each other weekly in a sport or at the door. whose popularity is currently surging.
pardon my french
Midterm Mantra: Socks, Food and ‘Doctor Who’
F
all is a weird time of year here at Georgetown. The weather gods can’t quite decide if it’s autumn or not, Columbus Day has come and gone and the stress of midterms has even the most balanced and levelheaded students twitching over their Red Eye in the Lau cubes at 3 a.m. It’s the time of year when everything I have going on starts to get to me. I get bogged down and distracted by the little things and lose almost any semblance of the mental and social stability I had in August. I start to navigate under the assumption that I am Chicken Little — and that the sky is falling down around me — while everyone else remains calm, cool and collected in the face of our impending doom. This is all hyperbole, of course, because I know most other students feel the same way. Georgetown students always strive to be the best, and that kind of pressure manifests itself differently for different people. Personally, as I have dealt with this attitude every season, I have developed a series of foolproof methods for bringing myself
back to reality and generally improv- ing to watch. You don’t even have to ing my health, morale and ability to watch something new. Make some popcorn and kick back with your fahold a coherent conversation. The first — and easiest — way I im- vorite movie or your favorite television prove my day is by wearing some ar- episodes. For me, every time I re-watch ticle of clothing that makes me happy. Rent, Ferris Bueller’s Day Off or season I find it really hard to have a bad day five of “Doctor Who,” I feel like I’m viswhen I know I have knee-high socks iting with an old friend. There are the decorated to look like Van Gogh’s inside jokes, the familiar scenery and just enough of a break “Starry Night” hidden with reality to make under my boots. I only the hours of studying wear them because afterwards a bit more they make me hapbearable. py and nobody else Finally, for Hoyas knows about them like me who just need — until I inevitably NicoleJarvis to be alone someget really excited and times, nothing refostart showing them off. Wear something that makes you cuses my energy like a solo adventure look fabulous, and it will help make outside the Georgetown bubble. It doesn’t need to be particularly far, you feel fabulous. Another easy way to turn around a but moving out of our incredibly lousy streak is to take an hour or two tight-knit comfort zone allows me to and dedicate that time to something relax and breathe without comparother than worrying about home- ing myself to that girl I can still see work. As soon as you decide that you around the corner of my cube who aren’t obligated to focus, you can catch is somehow breathing normally and up, guilt-free, on those new episodes of finishing our 30-page political theory “Downton Abbey” you’ve been mean- assignment.
My advice is to find something you love and seek it out. I have always loved art museums, and Mark Rothko is my favorite artist. For me, it’s a nobrainer to hop on the GUTS bus to Dupont Circle and visit the Phillips Collection and its world-class Rothko Room when I’m feeling in over my head. It might sound a little crazy, but that room always helps me “find my Zen.” I can leave feeling confident that no matter what stressful situation I may be in, I can and will get through it — and I will kick its ass. This season is hard for everyone. Your classmates may look like they’ve got it all figured out, but appearances can be deceiving. For all you know, they are looking at you wondering how you pull it all off. We are all in the same blue and gray boat careening toward the deadly waterfall of December, and we all need a break. Don’t worry, though. There are just six more weeks until Thanksgiving break. Nicole Jarvis is a sophomore in the College. PARDON MY FRENCH appears every Friday in the guide.
10.12.12 | the guide | 5
lifestyle
centerstage
ACOUSTIC PROGRESSION Sophomore Musician Expands Range
JERROD MACFARLANE Special to the Hoya
Peter Fanone (COL ’15) is a tried-and-true disciple of the musical and theatrical communities at Georgetown. He’s been honing his crafts since age four and getting better every step of the way, including perfecting his method acting firsthand at the Yale Theatrical Conservatory over the summer and shaping his musical voice back in the studio at his alma mater, Georgetown Prep. Since coming to Georgetown, he’s been highly involved in music and theater, acting in Mask & Bauble shows and singing with the Georgetown Chimes a capella group. Fanone is also focusing on his music career. In 2011, he released his first album, Dreams, Fate, and Everything in Between, and he recently released his new single, “Santa Maria.” What is your inspiration for your love of theater and music? I think it really started for me in elementary school. I went to a Montessori where we were actually required to participate in the school show every year, and the entire class would do it,and that’s kind of where I found my love for it. My first show was as Linus in [“You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown”], and then I hit [it] off from
SPOTLIGHT What’s on your iPod now? “I Will Wait” (Mumford & Sons) Favorite television show? “Mad Men” Favorite movie? Wedding Crashers Favorite professor? Barbara Mujica Favorite food? Pasta Favorite book? Angels and Demons Favorite quote? “Have no fear of moving into the unknown. Simply step out fearlessly knowing that I am with you, therefore no harm can befall you.” - Pope John Paul II
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Courtesy Jim McCormick
there, continuing into high school and college. But for music, I think it began much earlier — I started playing the piano when I was 4. I went to a Filipino piano teacher who my nanny knew, and I really loved it and stuck with it, participating in a lot of competitions and winning a few gold cups. And I learned guitar kind of on my own and had a few lessons here and there. What was your inspiration for your album Dreams, Fate and Everything in Between? I started writing music in seventh grade, and I drew mainly from artists like Billy Joel [and] Elton John [and] also Coldplay and kind of pianoheavy artists. And I kind of grew from there, and now I’m going towards the indie rock scene, kind of like the Decemberists and Bon Iver. “Friends for Now,” my first single after my first album, is my first ... nod in that direction. The way I was able to record my album was through my high school, Georgetown Prep, which actually opened a recording studio my sophomore year and had a staff [that] was able to help me. Are you currently working on a second album? I haven’t come up with a name yet, but I’ve finished the first song, and it’s going to be very folksy, incorporating harmonica and a number of new things I haven’t used in my music before. “Santa Maria” was my first true
ARIEL POURMORADY/THE HOYA
SONG AND DANCE Peter Fanone, a sophomore in the college, began creating and performing music at a young age. rock song, jumping off from Dreams, Fate and Everything in Between. Are you working on anything in theater? I’m in “The History Boys” with Mask & Bauble, and I play [the character] Scripps. It opens in two weeks so we’ve been going full speed ahead. It takes place in the ‘80s in Britain at a public all-boys school, which would be similar to a private school here in the States. It’s about a group of guys in a specific class who are being bred to go Oxford and Cambridge and all the best universities, and there is a very particular way that the headmaster and all of the teachers go about doing this. The headmaster shows little interest for the kids as they go through this transitional phase, challenging their sexuality and why they’re going through this college application process at all. [The play explores] the teacher-student relationship and how far that can extend [along with] issues of becoming too friendly with … stu-
dents. My role is one of the Anglican students who acts [as] a moralistic figure within the play and is friends with all of these guys and doesn’t judge their decisions, whether they … are homosexual or find other things about themselves you might expect a religious person to take offense to. Do you have a personal take on the subject matter because you had a different experience from the students in the play? It’s interesting because I’ve kind of had two very different learning experiences, one [that was] very liberal, where you’re taught to be the best at whatever you want to be. Then, the second experience at Georgetown Prep, which was a part boarding [and] part day school where I was a boarding student, [was] similar to the show, [so] I could connect to the all-boys dynamic and the teacher-student relationship.
lifestyle small-screen obsessions
Primetime Soap Operas: A Cure for Midterm Blues
N
ot all television shows are created equal. Though some, like “The Wire,” pride themselves on gritty realism, others aim for something different. Primetime soap operas revel in absurd situations, emotional manipulation and outlandish resolutions. They’re pretty awesome. Primetime soap operas also happen to be the perfect antidote to midterm woes. Especially now that it’s starting to feel like fall in Georgetown, this is your opportunity to spend your postexam daze curled up on your couch drinking some tea and watching TV. ABC seems to have the primetime soap market cornered right now, with the standouts “Grey’s Anatomy,” “Revenge” and now “Nashville” among them. The beauty of these shows? They are wonderfully ridiculous. This season, the doctors of “Grey’s Anatomy” have already suffered through a plane crash that (spoiler alert) killed multiple main cast members. The characters of “Revenge” are splitting their time between their Hamptons man-
The Lowdown on Halloween Costumes
A
s preteens, much of our knowledge of high school came from those cliched, generation-encompassing movies — The Breakfast Club from 1985, Clueless from 1995, and, of course, Mean Girls from 2004. While these movies might be partly responsible for our lingering social awkwardness, we can’t shake the timeless lessons we’ve learned from these classics. Perhaps none has been as important as this wisdom passed down by Cady Heron (Lindsay Lohan): “In the regular world, Halloween is when children dress up in costumes and beg for candy. In Girl World, Halloween is the one night a year when a girl can dress like a total slut and no other girls can say anything about it.” Thankfully, we’ve found that you don’t have to be scantily clad on Halloween to have an amazing costume. In our experience, clever costumes will attract more attention from the object of your affection than indecent exposure could. We’re really bad at planning Halloween costumes ahead of time and usually scrape something together last minute, but this year, we’re determined to plan ahead and to help you do that, too. With only a few weeks left till the big day, decide now and avoid the late rush at American Apparel for neon leotards and bright leggings (really, that happens every year).
to success. These talented actors deliver what could be silly lines with finesse, which will be the show’s main strength. So if this week has been one long struggle for you, check out a nighttime soap. The best ones are only occasionally serious but never laughable. (Hint: Probably avoid The CW, except for “The Vampire Diaries,” which started its fourth season last night and is the perfect guilty pleasure.) These characters’ worlds usually don’t involve school — at least not any realistic representation of it — so you can be rid of your problems for a 45-minute burst. Once you’re done watching the episode, your subconscious will have had some time to readjust; your subpar econ grade, the philosophy paper you’ve been struggling to write and the midterm you still have coming up next week won’t seem quite as horrible.
sions, fancy rehabilitation centers and vengeance against those whom she government safe houses. The song- feels have wronged her, often seemstresses of “Nashville” are, after only ingly without justification. Yet flashthe pilot episode, embroiled in inter- backs to her troubled past create the weaving love triangles that will make context for her current actions and help to provide insight into the emoyour head spin. Your life is probably nothing like tions that lie behind her often-icy glare. The show also has any of these shows, a certain self-awareness but that is what makes that works to its benthem perfect for when efit: The writers clearly you want to put your know that the show is own problems on the at its best when it is over back burner for a little the top. while. When was the BridgetMullen Hopefully the freshlast time you faked your man drama “Nashville” own death? Still, it is when these shows balance their fan- can embrace its soap-y elements in a tastic elements with solid dialogue similar way and strike its own balance and complex characters that they are of seriousness and ridiculousness as at their best. Yes, although they are its first season continues. With a wonthe frothiest that television has to of- derful cast led by Connie Britton and fer, they still have the potential to be Hayden Panettiere and rounded out complex shows. Escapist viewing isn’t by strong supporting players (watch out for Clare Bowen and Sam Palladio; necessarily mindless viewing. “Revenge,” for example, has a hero- their haunting, beautiful duet at the ine at its core who rides the fine line end of the pilot will get to you, even between being sympathetic and heart- if you’re not a country music fan), less, with her continued attempts at the show seems to be well on its way
There’s a fine line of decency that’s crossed — probably intentionally — every year. This doesn’t only apply to how much skin you’re showing, but also to how vulgar the joke you’re going for might be. If your costume could be interpreted as sexist or racist, you probably want to stay away from it. One easy rule: If you’re ashamed to be tagged on Facebook in your costume, maybe there’s not enough of it on you. Also, lest we forget how cold the end of October can be, remember that last year it snowed on Halloween. Plan accordingly. Spice it up this year by being both original and hot. You can create a witty or “punny” costume that will show off all your assets, including your personality. One easy way to do this: Embrace the nerd. Yeah, there’s always the standard sexy librarian or hot doctor, but revamp those trite themes by picking from lesser known favorite cartoons or video games. Be the Powerpuff Girls, the Mario Bros., the Fresh Prince of Bel Air or Captain Planet — we’re all suckers for nostalgia, so these won’t have to be particularly well executed to impress your friends. Don’t be afraid to gender bend: Be a Spiderwoman or the Powerpuff Boys (honestly, we would be really excited to run into them on Prospect). In general, we recommend group costumes. Taking yourself way too seriously
Bridget Mullen is a sophomore in the College. SMALL-SCREEN OBSESSIONS appears every other Friday in the guide.
VICTORIA EDEL & SHEENA KARKAL
is more fun when you have someone beside you. Dressing as Pikachu is less weird when your friend is Ash Ketchum. After their reunion at the Olympics, we’re fully expecting to see at least one set of Spice Girls, but we’d be impressed if we ran into any other ’90s pop bands as well — *NSYNC anyone? It’ll be tempting to do something political, since Halloween is less than a week before Election Day, but we don’t recommend it. Four years ago, high schools were rampant with Joe the Plumbers and Sarah Palins, so unless you have a really unique and clever idea, avoid this. People are always inspired by the summer movie season, so we suppose Batman and Spiderman will make appearances. If you’re a ginger, consider going as Merida from Pixar’s Brave — all you’ll need is a bow and arrow. Anyone else just needs the right accessories and a braid to go as Katniss Everdeen, but we have a feeling that this, too, will be a little overdone. Guys, if you want to turn the tables on who’s supposed to be slutty for Halloween, might we recommend going as Magic Mike? Though, you might want to make sure you have a Channing Tatum-esque physique before going this route. To review: be original, get at least one friend to join in the fun and remember that October is a pretty cold month.
Hoya Staff Writers
STEVEN PICCIONE/THE HOYA
AUTUMN COLORS Black and orange aren’t the only colors to consider this season.
10.12.12 | the guide | 7
Minding the Gap VICTORIA EDEL Hoya Staff Writer
W
hen Kayla Corcoran (COL ’15) landed in Jordan less than three months after her high school graduation, she had three bags, no knowledge of Arabic and no idea what the next 10 months would hold. “I got on the plane with a copy of Eat, Pray, Love with the idea that I was going to find myself,” she said. “I actually hated the book so much I wanted to leave it on the plane when I got off.” Corcoran, who spent a gap year teaching at King’s Academy, an international boarding school in the city of Madaba, didn’t have the trip she expected. “I didn’t find myself, but I don’t think that’s a thing,” she said. “It was the hardest experience of my life.” Corcoran is part of a small portion of American students who choose to take a gap year — a yearlong break between high school and college during which students typically travel, work or volunteer in ways they can’t when school is in session. According to a 2011 study by the Higher Education Research Institute at the University of California Los Angeles, only 1.2 percent of firsttime college freshmen decided to take this nontraditional path. The Georgetown students who spent their gap years abroad found this time to be a mixed bag of great rewards and
difficulties. Corcoran, who first considered taking a gap year after she was chosen to represent her high school at an international conference in India, hoped that her time in Jordan would force her outside her comfort zone. “For the first time, I was in this environment where everything was uncomfortable for me, and I loved it,” she said of her time in India. “I realized there was so much more out there for me to see and do.” Corcoran served as a junior fellow at King’s Academy, interning in the school’s academic support department, tutoring students in English and math and helping students develop organizational and time management skills. She also took an Arabic class and a seminar on Middle Eastern history.
COURTESY EMILIA BRAHM
Though Corcoran set off for Jordan with lofty expectations of a life-changing year, she was caught off guard by what she encountered, including going through growing pains as a firsttime teacher. “I had this travel experience but also the problems that come with being a teacher. I had to alter my expectations about how my students were learning, how to teach them better,” she said. By Christmastime, Corcoran strongly considered returning to the United States but realized that if she did choose to leave, she would regret it. “The year was up and down. I’m not sure I’ve ever been so lonely in my life,” she said. “At moments I really wanted to come home, but at other moments I felt … immersed in wonder.” These moments made up for the times she felt homesick: Corcoran viv-
idly recalled her visit to Egypt in November 2010, only a few months before protesters flooded Tahrir Square to call for the deposal of former President Hosni Mubarak. “That was a crazy experience. There were very few women on the streets and none with their hair uncovered,” she said. Corcoran witnesed international soccer frenzy first hand when she accompanied Egyptian friends to a soccer game between the Australian and Egyptian national teams. As one of the only westerners present, she had to convince members of the wild crowd that she was not Australian. “Soccer games get really touchy. People really love their soccer,” she said Her time in Jordan and travelling throughout the Middle East motivated Corcoran to pursue an Arabic minor at
COURTESY KYLA MCCLURE
EDUCATIONAL ENTERPRISES Emilia Brahm (COL ’16), pictured left, split her year between an Arabic language program in Morocco and two internships in Poland. Kyla McClure (COL ’15) volunteered at Helping Honduras kids, where she worked in an orphanage and at a school.
Georgetown. “It ended up being quite serendipitous that I had decided to come to Georgetown because Georgetown has the best Arabic program in the country,” she said. “So it ended up being exactly the place I needed to be for what I wanted to do.” Kyla McClure (COL ’15) also spent her gap year volunteering. She decided to spend six months in Honduras working at Helping Honduras Kids, an orphanage she visited during a weeklong trip in high school. “I felt I needed that year to take that time to do some learning outside of school … actually teaching instead of being taught,” she said She worked at the orphanage and its associated school in La Ceiba, a tourist town on the Caribbean coast that contains a jarring contrast of wealthy hotels and poor districts. McClure stayed in a volunteer house where cockroaches frequently fell from the ceiling and a rat once stole $200 worth of Honduran lempira from her to use as part of its nest. Although her living conditions were less than luxurious, seeing the problems that her students endured proved most difficult for McClure. “The kids I worked with, a lot of them were very poor. A lot of them have behavioral issues. Their dads weren’t present, they suffered from abuse, both physical and sexual,” McClure said. “It’s hard because you care about these kids so much.” In the end, McClure found she gained more from her students than she gave. “It had the outward experience of, ‘I’m going to help people and it’s not for me,’ but it was for me. I benefitted more than I ever helped those kids, but hopefully their investment in me will benefit them,” she said. “It was an enriching experience of living in a completely different world.” Aidan Dugan’s (COL ’15) gap year was a world apart from McClure’s. After studying German for five years, Dugan spent a year in Alfeld, Germany, a small town south of Hanover, on a scholarship from the U.S. Department of State. Dugan enrolled in a German high school and held an internship in the state parliament. “I had family members who had [taken a gap year], and they said it was really good for growing as a person,” he said. “You work so hard during high school, to take time off so when you come back you’re ready for school again and revitalized and ready to work [is important].” Despite his familiarity with the language, Dugan still faced the same challenges other students do while living in a different country. “Life as an exchange student is really awkward,” he said. Unlike Corcoran, who was inspired to pursue Arabic more intensely because of her gap year, Dugan stopped studying German after his year in Alfeld.
“When I was in high school, German was my favorite class, so I was like ‘I’m going to be a German major,’” he said. “After coming back fluent in German, I decided I didn’t want to.” Emilia Brahm (SFS ’16) also received a scholarship from the U.S. Department of State that helped fund her year abroad. She spent four months in Morocco learning Arabic before moving to Warsaw, Poland, to live with her mother’s family and intern at a think tank and non-government organization. The two trips posed very distinct problems. “My first semester was very planned, but my second semester was very loose, and I was on my own,” she said. “[In Poland], I had to make my own way and be independent and make my own connections, which was definitely hard.” Like Dugan, Brahm felt that a gap year offered a much-needed break from academics before jumping into the next step of her academic career. “In high school I was overbooked, so it was nice to have a year off to refresh myself,” she said. In Morocco, Brahm learned conversational Arabic in Marrakesh at the Center for Language and Culture in
“The host family does everything they can to embrace you, but there’s a disconnect because the cultures are different.’” — Madeleine Ringwald (COL ’16) a small class alongside two other students. She also taught English classes and traveled throughout the country, with trips that included a hike up the Atlas Mountains. Morocco was also the site of one of her most surreal memories, when she and her friends attended a film festival that paid tribute to Mexican cinema. Tired of waiting in a long line for general admission tickets, the group tried to sneak in through what they thought was a back door. “This guy points us down this hallway … opens the door for us, pushes us outside, and we realize that we’re on the red carpet for the premiere of this movie,” she said. “We were wearing dresses and heels, so we decided to work it [and] pretend we’re supposed to be here.” The girls posed for photographers, waved to excited fans and ended up in the third row of the theater. From this prime spot, Brahm saw her favorite actor, Gael Garcia Bernal, take the stage. In Poland, Brahm’s think tank focused on the intersection of law, society and technology. As part of her job there, she worked on international projects and was able to utilize her new Arabic skills and her native English lan-
guage. In both countries, she found that the people she encountered were very receptive to her as an American. “People love America,” she explained. “They hate America’s politics. They don’t like Bush. … They want to know if it’s like the movies, if you really have cheerleaders.” But Madeleine Ringwald (COL ’16) struggled to balance her American identity. Ringwald lived with a highranking family in Portoviejo, Ecuador, where anti-American sentiment was a continual presence. “My extended family … would get really impassioned when they were COURTESY EMILIA BRAHM speaking about everything the United States was at fault for in the world. They hate the United States and how involved they are abroad, but then they hate the United States because we don’t help Ecuador enough.” Listening to these criticisms was tough for Ringwald, but she strove not to respond to them. “[The program coordinators] tell you when you’re going on exchange that you’re staying with this host family who really graciously accepts you into their home, so don’t bring up politics with them.” This, on top of the fact that Ringwald didn’t speak any Spanish when she arrived in Portoviejo, made her year in Ecuador was emotionally tryCOURTESY MADELEINE RINGWALD ing “The host family does everything they can to embrace you, but there’s a disconnect because the cultures are different. … At the bottom of it, you’re not part of their family,” Ringwald said. Even though these aspects of her time in Ecuador were unsettling, Ringwald was still nervous when she had to transition back to normal academic life. “[In Ecuador] I had zero responsibilities. No one expected anything of me because I … didn’t speak Spanish,” she said. “It was basically like a bum year. I got things done, but not in a conventional sense.” She’s also struggled to relate to her COURTESY KAYLA CORCORAN friends who did not go through the year she did. “Their lives had stayed on a steady track ... [while] I was chucked into a foreign country completely alone with no one to speak English with,” she said. “It’s a completely different experience.” Corcoran has similar trouble communicating with friends about her time abroad. “[In Jordan,] I was horribly lonely and frustrated, but that’s not really the thing people want to hear. People want to hear the Eat, Pray, Love story.” At the same time, Corcoran felt that her gap year was — overall — a positive one. MAIREAD REILLY/THE HOYA “It gave me a perspective on my life that I didn’t have before, and for that AROUND THE WORLD Students spent I’m very grateful,” she said. “Now I their years throughout the globe, often visiting historical significant areas. know what I’m capable of.”
food&drink Brazilian Restaurant Beefs Up Barbecue Eduardo gueiros Hoya Staff Writer
FOGO DE CHãO
1101 Pennsylvania Ave. NW cuisine: Brazilian price: $$$$
T
his past weekend, Taste of D.C. dominated culinary headlines across the city. Right across from the event’s entrance, however, Fogo de Chão awaited with promises of meat and more meat — and an awesome salad bar if you’re into greens. The famous restaurant chain offers an authentic Brazilian churrasco experience, which is essentially a “beefed” up version of a barbecue, offering more meat than you could imagine. Indeed, as you are seated in the spacious main dining area, the waiter explains the culinary adventure on which you are about to embark. Essentially, all you need to know about is the renowned double-sided card, one side being green and the other red. When you are ready to be served meat, you turn your card green side up, at which point waiters holding giant skewers and machete-esque knives start swarming your table with 15 different types of meat, ranging from beef and chicken to pork and lamb. The red side, on the other hand, signals that you need a break from this flavorful overload on your stomach. Before you get to the meats, however,
you can hit the salad bar. This area sits at the center of the dining area and provides delicious offerings, including grilled and roasted vegetables, fragrant cheeses and cured meats, as well as delicious Brazilian side dishes. Although the temptation to eat starters from the salad bar is powerful, I would advise you to exercise restraint, since there will be plenty more eating once the main event begins. Personally, I avoid the salad bar almost entirely, having decided after years of churrascaria experience back home in Rio de Janeiro that the salad bar is an unnecessary evil that gets in the way of the best part of the meal. But the choice is yours. Caramelized bananas, garlic mashed potatoes, crispy polenta and pao de queijo, a warm cheese bread, accompany that plethora of meats. These side dishes are placed on your table and refilled almost immediately after they are finished. The sides are wonderful additions to the avalanche of beef and chicken, and they prove to be perfect snacks while you take a break between protein binges. To help wash down all you eat, the restaurant offers a number of Brazil-
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YELP.COM
YELP.COM
RIO MEATS D.C. Fogo de Chão provides patrons with an unlimited amount of meats, including beef, chicken, pork and lamb. ian drinks — in addition to traditional choices — that provide a refreshing taste to complement the savory food. I especially enjoyed the Guarana, a smooth, sweet soda made from a fruit of the same name, and the caipirinhas, alcoholic beverages made from the sugar cane run cachaca, a fruit of your choice and sugar. Finally, it comes time for dessert. Though not included in the price, the desserts prove to be just the end you need to your meat feast. Serving traditional options in addition to some Brazilian favorites, the restaurant makes a papaya cream that perfectly blends sweet flavor with smooth texture.
a weekly review of the blogosphere’s best recipes
cinnamon apple cupcakes
s’mores cheesecake
artandthekitchen.blogspot.ca
overtimecook.com
Embrace the fall season with this light yet flavorful dessert. Combining the flavors of cinnamon, brown sugar and apples, this treat is a tasty, carb-loaded alternative for those messy caramel apples. Spun-sugar topping is totally optional.
Want to relive those late summer bonfires, but don’t have the equipment for it? Recreate your s’mores in this cheesecake — complete with bittersweet chocolate, graham cracker crust, and toasted marshmallow topping.
10 | the guide | 10.12.12
Even if you do not enjoy eating beef, chicken, pork or lamb, you will like this restaurant. The salad bar truly is spectacular, and the restaurant offers a lower-priced option that features only this buffet-style spread. The prices are a little on the expensive side, but considering the amount of food you eat, it is somewhat reasonable. It should be noted, however, that the lunch price is significantly lower than the dinner one. Fogo de Chão really does bring part of Brazil to D.C., and the traditional churrasco is definitely worthy of comparison to one prepared in the homeland itself.
food&drink
Satisfy Your Late-Night Sweet Tooth kelly lui Special to The Hoya
S
o it’s late on a Friday night, and you and your friends have just escaped from a bad party. Instead of feeling bored and out of fun options, do what I did when I found myself in the same situation last weekend and check out Kramerbooks & Afterwords. Located right across from the Dupont metro station and just two blocks away from the GUTS bus Dupont stop, Kramerbooks is easily accessible, although you may miss it the first time if you’re searching for a typical restaurant exterior. Kramerbooks & Afterwords is actually a fusion of an independent bookstore and a cafe, with the cafe tucked away at the back of the store. If you identify yourself as a bibliophile and dessert-lover like myself, be prepared to drool over this place. The ambience awed us, even as we stepped into the store. The interior of the cafe is simple but cozy, with extensive use of deep red and glass, which gives it a curious, vintage look. The cafe also provides outdoor seating that is perfect for people watching. On top of the fact that it is surrounded by books, there is live music every night from Wednesday to Saturday. We were seated promptly by a friendly waitress. After examining the dessert menu, my friends and I ordered pumpkin pie topped with cinnamon ice cream, wild berry pie with vanilla ice cream and banana-apple bread pudding topped with cinnamon ice cream. The food was amazing. The wild berry pie was served warm, and the sweet and sour taste of the fresh berries was balanced and paired well with the vanilla ice cream. The pumpkin pie with cinnamon ice cream was even better. The
KELLY LUI FOR THE HOYA
PIE IN THE SKY Kramerbooks is the perfect place to satisfy a sweet tooth.
KRAMERBOOKS 1517 Connecticut Ave. NW cuisine: Dessert/American price: $$$$ pumpkin puree was rich, creamy and aromatic and the combination with cinnamon ice cream was a winning touch. However, my favorite was the bananaapple bread pudding. I could truly taste the bread and egg in this dish instead of a plain, sweet flavor. Additionally, the bread pudding had my favorite texture: slightly chewy and moist. Topped with raspberry sauce, caramel and cinnamon ice cream, it totally awakened my taste buds. After enjoying the incredible desserts and some good conversations, we got the bill — the desserts cost around $8.50 each, but are definitely worth it. The bookish side of Kramerbooks & Afterwords is worth mentioning as well. Its comprehensive stock covers everything from children’s books to travel journals to more serious literature. I liked the place so much that I returned for another meal there — this time, for lunch. I ordered the Fettuccine New Orleans, a pasta dish tossed with chicken breast, shrimp, and cajun spices. This meal did not wow me as the desserts had, as the pasta was a bit bland and the shrimp was not very fresh. Dissatisfied, I decided to give it another chance by ordering an apple crumble pie with streusel topping (the cafe offers desserts at reduced price when combined with lunch). Luckily, the pie was great. It came in a generous portion, and once again, the flavor was perfect. The tangy, slightly sour taste of the apple lumps was appetizing, and the crunchy toppings added an extra dimension to the delicious pie. The bill for my meal was $20 without tax (the entree was $14 and the dessert $6). Kramerbooks & Afterwords is a great late-night dessert and hangout spot. And even though its lunch menu was mediocre, I would certainly recommend it as a nice place to have a chat with a friend over a piece of delicious pie or to enjoy a book from its own collection.
burleith bartender
Cocktails for a Crowd
D
on’t give in to the temptation to make, and there’s no mess. In my last column, I talked about to hydrate a crowd at a party the easier way, with cheap using ratios to build recipes, and alcohol and cheap mixers. Taking one of the reasons they’re so useful the time to make cocktails at your is that you can scale recipes up quite friends’ parties, if done right, can easily. With pitcher drinks, you can be extremely rewarding. The most take your favorite recipe and simply obvious upside is that everyone scale it up according to your ratios. drinks better. You get more control All you need to do is stir with ice over how much alcohol you’re dol- and set them on the counter next to ing out, and you can cut off anyone a stack of red cups. Every now and then, visit the kitchen who’s had too much. and keep the pitchers Of course, there’s an topped off. element of class to it. There are a few People like it when things to remember drinks are made for when making cockthem. Being the pertails this way. On one son in control of the PrestonMui hand, drinks such as booze is a pretty easy daiquiris and marway to make friends. There are, however, some down- garitas are normally shaken because sides. You’ve got to carry a lot of citrus juice is hard to mix with alcoequipment over, and you’ll inevi- hol, and these drinks require some tably forget a jigger or your paring dilution. For these drinks, you’ll knife when you leave and will have need to add ice and stir vigorously to make another trip in the morn- to emulate a properly shaken drink. On the other hand, some drinks ing. If there are a lot of people, you’ll have almost no time to make some- shouldn’t be diluted. Martinis, for thing for yourself to drink, and if example, are stirred to avoid diluyou’re doling out the alcohol, it’s tion. If you stir pitcher martinis not a great idea to be drinking too with ice, at some point the ice much anyways. You will also likely will melt, and everyone will be make a large mess, and your shirt drinking watery martinis. To avoid will get wet. Finally, it’s a lot of work: this, mix the drinks beforehand, put them in the refrigerator and there’s a lot less time to play pong. So, we need a way to make drinks add ice only immediately before that taste good, can serve a lot of serving. If you want to get fancy, people without too much work and use large ice cubes; Alton Brown aren’t too messy. The typical college recommended freezing water in answer is jungle juice, but jungle balloons in order to obtain large juice is by definition a dangerous spheres of ice. mixture of the half-empty bottles in your cabinet. Not a good idea. Preston Mui is a senior in the ColPitcher drinks, on the other hand, lege. BURLEITH BARTENDER appears are perfect. They’re delicious, easy every other Friday in the guide.
party-pleasing pitchers pitcher palomas
Two cups 100% agave tequila Six cups grapefruit soda A few limes Refrigerate all ingredients and a pitcher. Add lime juice, tequila and ice. Stir vigorously. Shortly before serving, add the grapefruit soda.
pitcher martinis
Two cups dry vermouth Six cups gin Stir ingredients without ice in a pitcher and refrigerate. Before serving, stir lightly with ice.
10.12.12 | the guide | 11
arts&entertainment amplify
Winning, Losing and Somewhere in Between
A
s Heidi Klum says, “One day you’re ing first single, but the rest of the recently in, and the next day you’re out.” released Halcyon falls flat. A plethora of The model and Project Runway instruments and electronic effects tries host was referring to fashion, but we to conceal Goulding’s unnaturally high music nerds know that a similar concept vocals and weak lyrics that seem most holds true in our world. The music in- fitting for the dance floor. A wholly fordustry, like fashion, is a cutthroat arena gettable album, Halcyon’s critical success of artists constantly competing against depends on the success of its remixes. each other and, more importantly, competing against their former selves. Once The xx — In between an artist hits it big, she needs to release English pop band the xx became an a solid follow-up unless she wants to say overnight sensation upon the release her sweet goodbyes to her music career. of its self-titled debut album in August When it comes to follow-up albums, 2009. The band’s minimalist, sometimes some artists fall victim to the “sopho- haunting sound doesn’t have the mass more slump,” while others return with appeal of Adele or Coldplay, but people an even stronger secwho follow music came ond work. Most artists, to know and love the though, hit somewhere xx for the refreshingly in between, retaining edgy but simple sound it their fame but not necesbrought. sarily keeping their moNot surprisingly, xx’s mentum going. follow-up, Coexist, was AlliePrescott Inspired by the recent one of the most highly release of an awful sophoanticipated albums of more album, I’ve come up with a list of the year. Its September release was hyped some prime examples of a sophomore even further thanks to “Angels,” the slump victor, victim and in between. album’s first single. Beautifully understated, this love song became a staple of Adele — Victor every indie kid’s mix CD for his crush. Unless you’ve been living under a rock, “Angels” is a wonderful track, and it you’ve heard Adele’s sophomore album, is representative of the rest of Coexist in 21, and, if sales records are any indica- that it sounds almost exactly the same as the styles of the xx’s first album. Coexist tion, you probably love it. Adele turned a breakup into a gut- is a solid B+ of an album, and the xx are wrenchingly beautiful, intimate and soul- likely to be able to sustain themselves ful album, and unlike some works of art, with its existing momentum. Unlike El21 has an astounding amount of mass lie Goulding, the group won’t have to appeal. It’s only gone platinum and dia- depend on remixes. mond in about thirty countries, and that Of course, a sophomore slump is somewas after winning four Grammys for her debut album, 19, in 2009. The takeaway thing partially determined by individual lesson here is that if you want to avoid the taste — a number of music critics would sophomore slump, learn a thing or two disagree with me about the stagnation from Adele. Or get dumped and write a of Coexist, and I wouldn’t be surprised if lot of jazzy, relatable songs about it. Halcyon earns a significant degree of commercial success. But take a listen to the Ellie Goulding — Victim albums mentioned here, or go find some Like Adele, Ellie Goulding enjoyed a other artists with multiple releases, and healthy amount of commercial success judge for yourself who the winners and after her debut album, Lights, was re- losers are. The reasons why some make it leased. Its hit title track has been on U.S. and some break it are constantly in flux, charts for well over a year, and the album but no matter what, the possibility of the itself is made of electro-pop dance tracks sophomore slump always looms large. — no two the same — and virtually all successful songs in their own right. Unlike Adele, Goulding didn’t make Allie Prescott is a junior in the Cola second album worthy of much praise. lege. AMPLIFY appears every other “Anything Could Happen” was a promis- Friday in the guide.
12 | the guide | 10.12.12
Post-Potter Novel Fills The Vacancy
abby keeble Special to The Hoya
W
hen Harry Potter and the Sor- characters. Fats embodies the general cerer’s Stone was published selfishness and nastiness of human in 1997, the world of magic, nature that Rowling emphasizes reDumbledore, lightning-shaped scars peatedly throughout the novel. He and He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named was lives by his own standard of morality, born. Suddenly, every kid dreamed of that “the difficult thing, the glorious getting a letter from Hogwarts on his thing, [is] to be who you really [are], 11th birthday instead of a bike. Reach- even if that person [is] cruel or dangering the final page of Harry Potter and ous.” Fats acts on his impulses and dethe Deathly Hallows was a horrible re- sires, and many of his decisions hurt ality; our time at Hogwarts was done. those he cares about the most — his The Casual Vacancy, J.K. Rowling’s best friend and his pseudo-girlfriend. first post-Potter novel, was worth the Though Fats’ mistakes seem egregious, read for me just to experience another they are actually easily comparable to story from the mind of the creator of those of other of Rowling’s characters. Harry Potter. While some of them may claim to folThe Casual Vacancy tells the story of low more traditional moral standards, the town of Pagford after the seeming- they simply try harder to hide their ly insignificant death of town coun- motives as wives plot against huscilman Barry bands, children Fairbrother. Fairplot against parbrother was one ents and friends of the few plot against councilmembers friends. who fought for J.K. Rowlthe town’s coning’s first novel The casual vacancy tinued support of for adults is captiauthor: J.K. Rowling the Fields, a lowvating and addicter-class housing ing from beginning to end. Those development that had been assigned to Pagford to sup- looking for another Harry Potter won’t port. Barry’s main opponent in his at- find it, but fans of Rowling’s storytelltempts to support the Fields was How- ing will not be disappointed. Overall, ard Mollison, a local entrepreneur and The Casual Vacancy relays a grim and fellow councilman who resents that heartbreaking picture of human tenPagfordians must waste their hard- dencies that will leave you unsettled, earned money on the “ambitionless” but the honesty and relatability of its and “hopeless” residents of the Fields. characters make it a must-read. Rowling shows the reader the widespread aftershocks of Barry’s death through continued snapshots of the lives of the citizens of Pagford and the Fields. Krystal Weedon is one of the most striking of these characters. Krystal is a resident of the Fields whom Councilman Mollison strongly dislikes, not only because of where she comes from but because she is a bully to his granddaughter. But Rowling doesn’t let us pass judgment lightly, exposing Krystal’s fractured home life and her mother’s multiple failed attempts at heroin rehabilitation as motivation for her actions. Krystal’s best and only hope at a better life was the now-deceased Fairbrother, whose rowing team gave Krystal’s life a direction it had always lacked. NYTIMES.COM Krystal’s classmate Fats Wall is one A CASUAL RETURN Rowling writes anof the darkest characters Rowling other novel about evil, but this time creates in this study of complicated without Voldemort.
arts&entertainment
photoessay
Some Beauty Found in Lau S
ome may deem Lauinger Library the eyesore of our otherwise picturesque campus. Its dark, boxy exterior, coupled with its dimly lit, dingy and dated interior, can make you feel like you are stepping onto the set of a second-rate Brat Pack movie. What was meant to be a modern interpretation of Healy Hall now feels more like a cheap knockoff. Such a dreary study environment can drag down spirits and generate fatigue before you even crack open a book. With this in mind, I set out to find the charm hidden somewhere in the glass and concrete block known to generations of Hoyas as Lau. There has to be some beauty lurking on one of its floors or hidden among the shelves. What I discovered surprised me. Although Lauinger’s ashen gray exterior is dull, this blandness makes the surrounding landscape seem much more vibrant. Bright pinks, greens, oranges and reds really pop against the gray stone. Exploring the stacks of books, I discovered a new perspective in Lau. While the long, evenly spaced aisles of books create an impressive, if predictable, lin-
by caitlin desantis ear look down the fifth-floor staircase to feel your heart begin to race. The rectangular spiral of silver metal creates a visual vortex that induces instant vertigo. If Alfred Hitchcock had made a film at Georgetown, there is no doubt that this staircase would have been where the big chase scene would have taken place. If you wander though the stacks, you’ll find incredibly detailed book covers, bound in fine, rich leather with intricate and lustrous embellishments, as beautiful as any work of art. One of the best spots to study is the fifth floor, where there are two tables that look out onto the Potomac River and Arlington. Look up from your studies, and you have one of the best views on campus. Lauinger even deteriorates in a bizarre and quirky way. The paint on the door to the third floor has chipped away to reveal layers of light blue, baby pink, silver, white and teal paint. Resembling an allknowing evil eye, I feel as if it is watching me when I pass by, making sure I have done all my work to the best of my ability. In that regard, Lau is a lot more like home than I ever realized.
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10.12.12 | the guide | 13
arts&entertainment
RETURN TO THE TOP Affleck Comes Back in Actor-Director Role W HUNTER MAIN Hoya Staff Writer
ith the release of Ben Affleck’s new movie, Argo, the muchmaligned star has finally overtaken his friend and former writing partner Matt Damon with an Oscarworthy creation all his own. For the past 15 years, there has been no cinematic duo quite like Affleck and Damon. Friends since childhood, the pair took roles both together (School Ties) and apart (a few Kevin Smith films for Affleck, Courage Under Fire for Damon) before winning the Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay in 1997 for Good Will Hunting. Likeable, good-looking and talented, the duo seemed to have a bright future. Fast forward to 2004. Damon was starring in two different critically acclaimed movie franchises: the intense, serious Bourne series and the relaxed, fun Ocean’s films. Affleck, however, seemed to be taking the celebrity route. His romance and subsequent breakup with Jennifer Lopez may have attracted tabloid attention, but the movies released immediately after that relationship — Daredevil, Gigli, Paycheck, Surviving Christmas and Jersey Girl — were uniformly terrible and, unlike the almost-as-bad Michael Bay movies he made post-Hunting, uniformly boxoffice flops. While Damon was on the way up, his friend became a walking punch line. But a funny thing happened on his
way to the bottom: Affleck stepped out of the limelight and began directing. His first movie, Gone Baby Gone, was met with unexpected critical acclaim not just for Amy Ryan’s outstanding, Oscar-nominated performance, but also for the unexpected adeptness Affleck had for pacing in the thriller genre. For a first-time director, he exuded a remarkable amount of confidence. His next picture, The Town, was a thriller on a larger scale, with flashier set pieces, action-filled scenes and — possibly because of this — a different sort of intensity than his previous film. Despite also being a crime movie that takes place in Boston, The Town is an altogether different type of thriller than Gone Baby Gone, but one that Affleck pulled off just as successfully. The Town also reaffirmed Affleck’s strength as an actor, with the director holding his own against a talented cast. The movie ended up making almost $100 million, a respectable amount for an R-rated picture. Perhaps, people started thinking, behind the camera is where Affleck belonged all along. His newest film Argo, which he directs and stars in, synthesizes the best parts of his two previous films into an Academy Award-worthy movie. The first in Affleck’s oeuvre to be set outside of Boston, Argo tells the story of a bold CIA mission to extract six would-be hostages from 1970s Iran by having them
AHEAD OF THE REST Ben Affleck stands out in a crowd with his unexpected directing chops and acting skills. pose as a Canadian film crew “filming” and bureaucracy; the rescued aren’t spies, after all, they’re diplomats. the titular movie. Affleck stars as Tony Mendez, the CIA The ensemble cast is strong, with the extraction expert in charge of the mis- standouts being the aforementioned sion who, in seemingly every frame, Cranston and Alan Arkin, who plays is consoling himself with tobacco and the mega-producer recruited to add alcohol to nurse his guilt about being legitimacy to the fake movie and who unable to spend time with his son. This will likely garner an Oscar nomination. subplot is done with little fanfare, a He and John Goodman, who plays a strong, restrained decision that pushes makeup artist with major Hollywood the main story to the forefront while contacts, do a fantastic job in the unadding depth to Affleck’s character — expectedly humorous Los Angelesand a welcome departure from the in- set scenes. The decision to play these effective romancscenes for laughs es of The Town. underscores the apparent ludicrousAs a director, Affleck uses ness of the plan and close-up reaction shows how different shots more than the worlds of interARGO ever in Argo, national relations and the movies reand these largely starring: Ben Affleck, Alan Arkin, ally are. wordless reacBryan Cranston Damon is having tions are chara quiet year, with acteristic of the his only role being bottled-up culin the upcoming ture of the CIA and make the occasional outpourings Promised Land. Oddly enough, that of emotion — most notably from Bryan film reunites Damon with Hunting Cranston as Mendez’s boss — that much director Gus Van Sant, and Damon is more effective. co-writing the script, only his second The crowded scenes in Tehran are since his Oscar win. In a year where Dadeftly handled despite their size, and mon seems to be returning to the past, Affleck makes the right choice in fore- it only makes sense for Affleck to do the going shootouts and other visceral set same. However, he could be doing so in pieces for tense, slow-burning journeys a different way: in a return to the Oscar through the dangerous Iranian streets podium.
ALL PHOTOS ROTTENTOMATOES.COM
SECRET INTELLIGENCE The documents detailing the film’s story were only declassified in 1997, 18 years after the events in Tehran.
14 | the guide | 10.12.12
arts&entertainment
Getting in Tune With Nature
New Releases
zach gordon Hoya Staff Writer
katrina yeh
S
oon, female singer-songwriters with ethereal voices will claim a new genre. While you may be familiar with the more popular Ingrid Michaelson, there’s another girl with some quality pipes who deserves your attention: A Fine Frenzy. Focusing on the beauty and wonders of Mother Nature, Pines , her third studio album, reaches an even more ethereal, fairy-like level. A Fine Frenzy, whose real name is Alison Sudol, first came into the public eye in the spring of 2007 with her debut album One Cell in the Sea. Led by the hit “Almost Lover,” Sudol quickly became recognized for her prowess as a pianist and her strong, raw vocal ability. She set herself apart from the rest of the singer-songwriter pack of the time with her warm smile, bubbly personality and, most notably, her bright red hair. Her first effort showed her relative naivety but was beautiful nonetheless. With her second album in 2009, Bomb in a Birdcage, Sudol showed great progression. She developed her vocal capacity while delivering a new slew of both fun and catchy songs. A Fine Frenzy has always managed to use the tone of her music to convey her messages. When listening to her music, it’s easy to feel emotionally connected, despite the fact that her lyrics are sometimes convoluted, or too metaphorical to really understand. Pines once again showcases her incredible ability to inject emotion into song. A concept album about the wonders of nature, Pines is a direct extension of Sudol’s imagination and definitely worth a listen. Each song leads perfectly into the next and together put forth the idea that nature is both incredibly
“Don’t Make ’Em Like You” | Ne-Yo feat. Wiz Khalifa
A blend of R&B and hip-hop, this track presents a successful partnership between Ne-Yo and Wiz Khalifa. Neither of the artists strays far from his usual style, but the catchy melody and upbeat nature of the song creates an enjoyable listening experience. CONSEQUENCEOFSOUND.NET
THE GREAT OUTDOORS This album creates a desire to be one with Mother Nature.
“HALCYON” | ELLIE GOULDING
powerful and absolutely beautiful. There is a steady progression from more sadder sounds to excited, joyful beats and lyrics. The album’s opener, “Pinesong,” is a solemn address to nature, a declaration of Sudol’s desire to be with nature. The album becomes increasingly cheery, slipping back into depressed tones here and there. Later, the anthem-like percussion easily counterbalances these sadder points. The penultimate song on the album, “Now Is the Start,” is highly optimistic, which seems like a good place to end it. But the record comes full-circle, ending with the long, gentle and beautiful “Untitled (Grasses Grow).” The album’s message is clear: You can’t escape nature, and you shouldn’t want to. The last lyrics, “The place you’ve been looking for all along,” is an obvious reference to the wonderful, natural world of the album. It’s not a scary place if you’re willing to explore, so dive right into it and give this album a listen.
“Halcyon” is an authentic Ellie Goulding piece, as it includes all the elements of what makes Goulding a truly unique singer. With just the right balance of vulnerability and more complex electronic beats, this single consistently surprises the listener as it twists in and out of various moods and styles.
Rap Duo Debut Steals Show
Y
ou’ve probably heard their hit song “Thrift Shop,” but there’s more to this duo than a retro fur coat. Seattle-based rapper Macklemore and
THEVERSED.COM
IT TAKES TWO Macklemore’s debut is an unexpected and deserving hit.
Hoya Staff Writer
producer Ryan Lewis have worked together since 2009, but The Heist is the pair’s first full-length effort. Mere hours after its official release, the album hit number one on iTunes. The unsigned duo was rightfully stunned; a work produced independently over the course of three years full of a cycle of drug abuse, sobriety and relapse was somehow an instant success. Regardless of the underdog story (he’s sober now), the album shines as it grapples with profound themes over expert production. On the album’s first track “Ten Thousand Hours,” Macklemore drops some of his boldest beats. In typical rap fashion, he looks to establish himself amongst some of music’s greatest. Always the anomaly, Macklemore switches to some of his more unusual qualifications. He takes the opportunity to brag about impressive SAT scores and a love for street artists like Basquiat and Keith Haring. From one type of bombast to another, the album shifts to “Can’t Hold Us,” an uplifting piano-pounding, stomp-along flash of
Soundcloud.com
IDOLATOR
“SKYFALL” | ADELE
The theme song for the upcoming 007 installment Skyfall, Adele’s rich tone conveys the combination of mystery, glamour and danger that comes with being James Bond. In true spy fashion, Adele delivers another perfect hit with a song full of melody and raw suspense.
studio genius from Ryan Lewis. Macklemore holds nothing back; his flow is precise, and the low bass kick coupled with horns that appear halfway through propel it further. Clearly, Macklemore and Ryan Lewis don’t delay gratification. “Thrift Shop” is even catchier. Layering unconventional vocal samples over some of the funkiest saxophone this side of the ‘70s, Macklemore takes a subject so ordinary and mundane and turns it into a swaggering proclamation of frugality. Of the fifteen tracks on the album, this one is most likely to be heard from the sidewalks on Saturday nights (and send kids of every economic strata bargain hunting on Sundays). “Same Love,” which after three partyfriendly tracks is likely to hit listeners like a ton of bricks. As much as diehard fans will defend Macklemore’s originality, it’s not difficult to find similarities and influences in the music world. But they’d be hard pressed to find a rapper who has hit the mainstream so forcefully with a message of marriage
MOVIEWEB.com
will curiel Hoya Staff Writer
equality. Eloquent, straightforward and disarming, Macklemore gives a remarkable social commentary, confronting stereotypes and the negative portrayal of homosexuality in rap with a calm but knockout delivery. In stark contrast, he does this over some of the most basic instrumentation on the album (a single piano and barely-there drumbeat) while Seattle singer Mary Lambert provides the hook. Between the faux-alligator leather, goldlettered album cover and the thoughtprovoking introspection of their songs, Macklemore and Ryan Lewis present a confusing duo — maybe intentionally. In a scene of auto-tuning and tired subject matter, perhaps the rap world needs a shock to the system. In the triumphant and humble “Starting Over,” Macklemore reflects on sobriety and relapse, hoping to provide, as he raps, “an example of starting over.” Although they are just getting started, maybe Macklemore and Ryan Lewis are the example raps needs.
10.12.12 | the guide | 15
bestbets
table for two — katrina yeh
on campus
MIDNIGHT MADNESS Friday, 8 p.m. — McDonough Gymnasium
Start basketball season right with our annual Midnight Madness celebration. This year’s festivities will introduce us to the new crop of male and female Hoya hoops stars. Don’t miss a performance by the notorious Doug E. Fresh. Show your support for Hoya basketball.
GPB PRESENTS “MOONRISE KINGDOM” Saturday, 8 p.m. and 11 p.m. — ICC Auditorium
Take a break from studying this weekend to see Wes Anderson’s acclaimed comedy, Moonrise Kingdom, The film follows two 12-year-olds, confused and in love on an island off the coast of New England, as they elude the adults in their lives and go on an idiosyncratic and humorous adventure. It’s one of the best reviewed movies of the year and boasts a superb cast.
Georgetown Chimes & Phantoms Concert Saturday, 5 p.m. — Healy Lawn
Georgetown continues its fine a capella tradition with the first visiting groups of the year. The Chimes and Phantoms are hosting Elon’s Twisted Measure and Haverford’s Harmonic Convergence for what is sure to be a fantastic sampler on Healy Lawn for those who’ve been seeking their a capella fix. Welcome the fall properly with some amazing singing.
Far Away
Thursday-Saturday, 8 p.m. and Sunday, 2 p.m. — Davis Performing Arts Center
Come out and support Georgetown Theater Department as it puts on Caryl Churchill’s “Far Away.” This dramatic work traces the descent of protagonist Joan, who suffers a traumatic experience and spirals into mental chaos. This show is worth the price, so make a beeline to the Davis Center and grab a ticket.
around town friday
saturday
sunday
Head over to the French Embassy and enjoy an evening of live music, short films and food. It will please newcomers and Francophiles alike. It’s a fantastic way to get a firsthand look at the nearby French Embassy and perhaps find an internship for the summer.
Hang out with the team from the Daily Show, including John Hodgman and Al Madrigal, for Indecision Tour 2012. Mingle with your peers at George Mason and loosen up the political dialogue for a night.
The Jewish Literary Film Festival Opening Night is going to be a uniquely awesome event. Critically acclaimed writer Michael Chabon will be reading from his novel Telegraph Avenue.
WHERE: 4101 Reservoir Rd. NW WHEN: 8 p.m.-1 a.m. INFO: ambafrance-us.org PRICE: $20 in advance, $25 at the door METRO: Just walk.
WHERE: University Route 123 & Braddock Rd. Fairfax, Va. WHEN: 8 p.m. INFO: cfa.gmu.edu PRICE: $10-15 METRO: Vienna Square/Fairfax-GMU
WHERE: Washington Hebrew Congregation 3935 Macomb St. NW WHEN: 7:30 p.m. INFO: washingtondcjcc.org PRICE: $20-$50 METRO: Dupont Circle
JERROD MACFARLANE Special to The Hoya