IN THE STREETS DROPPING THE BALL
REFINED NINA GARCIA
Q&A WITH MARIE CLAIRE’S CREATIVE DIRECTOR
FROM NOTHING TO SOMETHING
Fall 2014
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on OUR cover 7 10
Our fashion shoot features five BU students. Lauren Moulton (SAR ‘16), Jonathan Lieblich (CAS ‘15), Bari Seigerman (SED ‘16), Sebastian Prieto (CAS ‘17) and Aneesha Joshi (CAS ‘15)
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CAMPUS BIDDIES What is a Biddie?
FOOD 23 FOODSTAGRAM Did You Really Eat That?
DAVID CARR New York Times Columnist Teaches New Media
26 FOOD AT YOUR FINGERTIPS Dinner Served at Your Door
CITY 15 TAKE A HIKE Outside City Limits
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18 BOSTON ON THE
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SILVER SCREEN Movies Filming in Boston
MUSIC MUSIC PLAYLIST A Guide to the Classics CONTEMPORARY MUSIC Why BU Does Not Have a Program
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15 FASHION
55 ARTS
47 NINA
61 HOTHOUSE PRODUCTIONS
52 STREET STYLE
64 REDUCE, REUSE, RECYCLE
TRAVEL 55 ÉTRANGER Impressions in a Muslim Country
SPORTS 77 DROPPING THE BALL Are Professional Athletes Exempt from the Rules?
From BU to Big Time BU’s Best Dressed This Fall
58 OFF THE GRID
Disconnecting in Ecuador
Experience in the Classroom
Does It Work the Second Time?
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82 COACH STEDING
Turning the Team Around
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EDITORS-IN-CHIEF MANAGING EDITOR PUBLISHER PHOTOGRAPHY DIRECTOR CREATIVE DIRECTOR ART DIRECTOR COPY EDITOR EDITORS “apple pie”
ONLINE PHOTO EDITOR WEB DEVELOPER SOCIAL MEDIA MANAGER ASSISTANT PUBLISHER EVENT COORDINATORS PR COORDINATOR COPY EDITING TEAM PHOTOGRAPHY TEAM DESIGNERS ILLUSTRATORS ADVERTISING TEAM PUBLIC RELATIONS EVENT PLANNING WRITERS
MEREDITH HOOBLER & ASHLI MOLINA
“red and green KELLY GAUTHIER chocolate pretzel treats” SAMANTHA BLANK BRENTON BOCKUS CODY LEWIS EDEN WEINBERG SONIA SU VANESSA RODRIGUEZ, Arts KATIE SMITH, Campus “gingerbread JESSICA BACCHI, City We asked our cookies ” newest staff: KATE RADIN, Fashion ELISHA MACHADO, Food VICTORIA WASYLAK, Music KELLY LANDRIGAN, Sports CARLY HOFF, Travel CARA DIFABIO “pumpkin donuts ” WILLIAM TEO GIANNA FISCHER NICOLE ZUBATA ALYSSA LODGE & GENEVIEVE WHEELER AVA VARASTEH WILLIAM LEPAGE, TAYLOR MAZZUOCCOLA, SAMANTHA PETERS, STEPHANIE SNOW, REBECCA TAN, ELIZABETH VANDERAU BRIGID KING, ANTHONY MAITA, BARRON ROTH, GRACE STAUFFER, TIFFANY TOPOR, STEPHEN VOCATURO, KEVIN WELDON, JACKY ZENG, IGOR ZHANG
What is your favorite holiday treat ?
KARINA CROSS, CASSIDY KELLY, RUBIN QUINTEROS FIGUEROA, SOPHIA RICHARDSON, MARTINELLI VALCIN, CAT YU CASSIDY EARLY, JORDAN FORD MIRANDA CHARTOFF, OLIVIA COFLIN, MAEGAN JERNIGAN, ELEANOR KING, ARIELLE SHUTER, MARIA SIMEONOVA CARA DIFABIO, HAYLEY GONZALEZ, ALISON ORTIZ, JOHANNA SCHLUTER, SOPHIE TURK JENNA FUSFIELD, ALISON ORTIZ, TIFFANY STAWIARSKI, ELIZA SULLIVAN ARTS: CALLIE AHLGRIM, RIVAH CLEMONS, JONAH EATMAN, ADRIEN GATES, KYLIE OBERMEIER, MARIA POPOVA // CAMPUS: CALLIE AHLGRIM, CASEY CARROLL, GRACE GULINO, EDEN MARCUS, KATIE TAMOLA, SAM WONG, SARAH WU // CITY: JONAH EATMAN, ALEXANDRA KAPIK, EDEN MARCUS, JOSH MARKOWITZ, KERI MCALPINE, ANNA NOVIKOVA, SIDD PATURE, KENNY RAMOS, EVAN ROBERTSON, BRENDAN ROSS, GENEVIVE SCARANO, DANI SEGELBAUM // FASHION: ARA BUTLER, ALEXIS CHESTNOV, SUMMER FORD, EMILY GOLDMAN, DANNY MCCARTHY, EMILY MITLAK, NATALIE ODRICH, SAMANTHA PETERS, BRITTANY PONTBRIAND, TARA RUDOMANSKI, CAROLINE STATILE, HAILEY SUSSER, AVA VARASTEH, SARAH WU // FOOD: CLARA BURR-LONNON, JACQUELYN BUSICK, KATIE CAMPISI, JULIA FERREIRA, KELSEY KING, RACHEL LOWE, CORINA PINTADO, JORDAN TILLERY, GENVIEVE WHEELER, SARAH WU, CARA ZIMMERMAN // MUSIC: CALLIE AHLGRIM, LAUREN BUKENBERGER, JULIANNE LEE, KERI MCALPINE, ALI MCEACHERN, KYLIE OBERMEIER , RUEBEN QUINTEROS FIGUEROA, KENNETH RAMOS, JENNA REYES, ERIN SCHROETER, TIFFANY TOPOR, MIA TRENTADUE // SPORTS: BRITTANY BELL, ALEXA GALLOWAY, GRACE GUILINO, ZACH HALPERIN, CHRIS PICHER // TRAVEL: TONI ANN BOORAS, ELLA CLAUSEN, SEAN HACKER TEPPER, MEREDITH RICHTER
““chocolate. I only like chocolate treats.”
CO-PRODUCERS CINEMATOGRAPHER BROADCAST TEAM 4
JADA MONTEMARANO & PETER ZAMPA JOSH JASON WILL DOWSETT, JENNA FUSFIELD, MELANIE HUBBARD, ALI MCEACHERN, ALISON ORTIZ, CAROLINE STATILE, OLIVIA STATILE, IGOR ZHANG
CONTRIBUTORS SUPPORTERS
STORES
Boston University Faculty Professor Safoura Rafeizadeh Dean Micha Sabovik
American Apparel 138 Newbury St. 617-536-4768 @americanapparel
College of Communication, Boston University College of Communication Graduate Program, Boston University Study Abroad, Boston University Insomnia Cookies, Catharine Gatlin Marketing Manager Hair Styling Christianna Gilbert (SAR ‘16) FB: Motion Hair Designs Makeup Styling Tiffany Stawiarski (COM ‘16)
THANKS OUR FALL 2014 ISSUE WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN POSSIBLE WITHOUT THE HELP OF MANY OUTSIDE PARTNERS AND STUDENTS WHO SHARE THEIR TALENTS, INSIGHTS AND TIME. WE WOULD LIKE TO THANK EACH AND EVERY NEW AND EXISTING RELATIONSHIP, AND LOOK FORWARD TO OUR CONTINUED PARTNERSHIP IN THE FUTURE.
Converse 348 Newbury Street 617-424-5400 @Converse Crush Boutique 264 Newbury Street 617-424-0010 @CrushBoutique H&M 100 Newbury Street 855-466-7467 @hmusa LF 353 Newbury Street 617-236-1213 @LFstores Lou Lou 222A Newbury Street 857-265-3952 @loulouboutiques Marimekko 140 Newbury St. 617-247-2500 @marimekkousa No Rest For Bridget 220 Newbury Street 617-236-5650 @norest4bridget
HAVE YOU HEARD? >> DAILY STORIES thebubuzz.com >> WEEKLY VIDEOS thebubuzz.com >> SPECIAL EVENTS >> THE MAGAZINE
/@#THEBUBUZZ
Steven Alan 172 Newbury Street 617-398-2640 @steven_alan THE BUZZ | FALL 2014 | 5
Editors' Note
Fall 2014 OUR LIFE AT BU has been both a destination and a journey. We wanted to stand out and leave our mark. With this issue of the magazine, our goals were to push boundaries, stretch ourselves and strive for a better product. We focused on moving forward with purpose, instilling quality and challenging our comfort zones, all while infusing our artistic vision into the magazine. After all, a magazine’s design is just as important as its content. We continue to embrace everything BU, Boston and beyond. We are fortunate enough to attend a school that fosters and encourages passion, creativity and curiosity. We’ve reached out to every corner of our school to make this issue the most representative of BU’s dynamic community. With so many varying personalities, we have made it so each and every student should be able connect to at least one story in this issue. Sleepless nights and Friday meetings are only bearable when working with passionate and committed people. Our fall 2014 staff dedicated hours of their time and sacrificed T’s Tuesdays for the sake of producing a meaningful, engaging magazine. This issue truly reflects the talent and devotion of the team behind the pages—writers, editors, photographers, designers, creative and publishing minds alike. And we invest so much into this because we love producing content that’s relevant to our time and to our students. As we reach our destination, we have closed yet another issue of the Buzz. It’s strange leaving a chapter of your life to which you’ve dedicated so much time. Now we leave it in your hands to open. Ready to #getbuzzed?
- Meredith Hoobler and Ashli Molina EDITORS-IN-CHIEF
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CAMPUS
BIDDIES WHY BU’S FAVORITE WORD HURTS
BY KATIE SMITH PHOTOGRAPHY BY BARRON ROTH
THE BUZZ | FALL 2014 | 7
THE BU BIDDIE IS AN OFTEN-SPOKEN -OF CREATURE, BUT THE TERM AT BU HAS AN AMBIGUOUS AND DEROGATORY DEFINITION. Merriam-Webster’s idea of a biddie is the most conservative and arguably the most hilarious. The word allegedly became a common term in 1601, though bandage skirts, vodka sodas and first-year college students definitely did not play into the original definition. “A young chicken,” read the first entry. “A hired girl or cleaning woman,” read the second. The anonymous Urban Dictionary contributors have a different idea. Entries vary in both grammatical correctness and general meaning. Some mention specific schools. “A biddie, while difficult to define accurately without avoiding confusion, is a college-aged female who falls under some, most or all of these,” the highest-voted definition declared. Following the general description is a list of characteristics, including short and/or petite, obsessed with yoga pants, gullible and only interested in becoming a “desperate housewife.” Different still is BU’s own definition of a biddie, which changes drastically depending on whom you ask. Most cannot even decide if it should be spelled with an “–ie” or a “–y.” An anonymous survey of BU students yielded results ranging from “drunk, slutty freshmen” to “stupid sorority girls” and back again. A few commonly used adjectives to describe a biddie include promiscuous, drunk, loud, unintelligent and freshman. A majority of these characteristics most likely have been applied to many BU women at one point or another (save for the lack of
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intelligence, of course). People often criticize biddies for going out often. But isn’t that what college is for? One survey respondent (CAS ’15) said how one spends his or her free time should not determine intelligence or work ethic. “I think that in some ways, women label other girls as biddies to make them feel better about themselves, even if they too are considered a ‘biddie’ sometimes,” the student said. “To me, it’s kind of like the term ‘bitch.’ Girls use it offensively towards other girls, but also throw it around casually with their friends.” The idea is reminiscent of the scene in Mean Girls when Tina Fey gives her pep talk. “You guys have got to stop calling each other ‘sluts’ and ‘whores,’ ” she said. “It only makes it okay for guys to call you ‘sluts’ and ‘whores.’ ” We use “biddie” the same way we use “bitch” or “slut.” It is derogatory when aimed at women we don’t know and a term of endearment when used in a group of friends. Some people do benefit from the existence of biddies—namely men. Male respondents’ opinions were positive. “I kind of admire them for being themselves,” one male student (COM ’17) said. “I think I’m glad to live in a world with biddies.” Ashley Mears, an assistant professor of sociology in CAS and a former model, focuses on the separation of gender in the modeling and fashion industries in her studies. She recently wrote “Who Runs the Girls?” in The New York Times, which provides an in-depth account of the Manhattan club scene. Male club owners train models to make appearances and party with male clientele— all in exchange for drinks, “networking opportunities” and other favors.
There seems to be a sad parallel between the “models and bottles” concept and biddies. People don’t want to be friends with them, but guys want them at their parties. The same phenomenon often happens at fraternity houses—not just at BU, but also all across the country. Brothers walk around house parties with handles in their fists and only let certain “acceptable” girls party with whichever Greek letters hang from the balcony. “As a fraternity member,” one survey respondent (SMG ’15) said, “I love [biddies].” Mears said she first heard of biddies when she arrived at BU six years ago. “I heard the word ‘biddie’ when I talked to someone about the Final Club parties after seeing The Social Network,” Mears said. “I know some people at Harvard who did explain that, yeah, women get brought in on trucks, and it is called the ‘F*ck Truck.’ There, biddies are drawn in contrast with the ‘RUHG’—the ‘Regular Ugly Harvard Girl.’ ” The word separates groups of BU women from the rest of Boston’s college crowd. Their personalities, actions and even their clothing options turn invalid and shameful. BU women are alone in this—that’s how the rest of Boston sees us. “BU women are thought to be more suitable for parties, more attractive, less intellectually or academically oriented than Harvard women,” Mears said. It is a hard fact to choke down, but the stereotype of a “BU bitch” that exists in endless quotations of The Social Network makes it tough to refute. With Harvard and MIT across the river and the rest of the Ivy League schools a short drive away, it’s not surprising that BU falls into the ranks of slutty, attention-seeking middle sisters of the academic world.
What about men? Sure, we have our bros who don their Nantucket Reds and pastel button-downs when the April sun makes its first appearance, but the word “bro” is missing the promiscuity that completes a biddie. It begins with that double standard. If a man sleeps around, he’s just a player, and “boys will be boys.” If a woman does the same, her morals are questionable, if not wholly dismissed. Mears said that she believes the problem lies in what the term stands for and how it creates a “huge gender imbalance” and “double standard of sexual behavior.” “What’s the worst thing that a woman can be? A slut—sexually impure, sexually available,” Mears said. “It’s the denigration and policing of women’s sexuality, and it’s the framing of women as kind of vacuous and empty and only available for sex, but they’re then treated in a very hostile way for it.”
It helps to view the issue in sociological “erotic hierarchies.” The ideal man—strong, powerful, attractive and intelligent—is at the top. Below him are gay men, more effeminate men, men from different social classes and any others who may not fit that chiseled “Christian Grey” mold. In women’s erotic hierarchy, the heterosexual, societally beautiful, “pure” and usually white woman stands at the top. Below her are women who do not adhere to traditional beauty standards, homosexual women and so forth. Words like “biddie,” “slut” and “bitch,” could be a method of checking each other’s behavior, or it could just be cattiness. “Women police each other. Women are harsh on each other,” Mears said. “Why is it that women are hostile judges of each other? A
plausible theory is the fact that women have less power, so they hold on to what they can, and that they hold on tightly at the expense of other women.” This lack of power may also explain the lack of the biddie’s male counterpart. “Women don’t run the show,” Mears said. “They’re not running the parties and only having certain boys come through. When women really do control the shots, maybe then you would see it kind of flip into a term for a guy who’s just there for show.” Contrary to its definition, biddies are a complicated part of our university’s social system. We love them, we hate them, occasionally we are them, but no one seriously self-identifies as one.
I kind of admire them for being themselves. I think I’m glad to live in a world with biddies.
THE BUZZ | FALL 2014 | 9
DAVID CARR New York Times Columnist Teaches New Media BY GRACE GULINO PHOTOGRAPHY BY BARRON ROTH
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DAVID CARR’S OFFICE IS TUCKED AWAY IN THE BACK OF THE COM BUILDING, SPARSELY DECORATED WITH A PICTURE OF HIS DAUGHTERS, SOME TOY ROBOTS AND A COFFEE CUP.
It is clear that he is still moving in to BU, but he has come ready to face the challenge of being a professor. Carr joined the COM faculty in January 2014 and has been teaching the course entitled Press Play. It is a small seminar of graduate students and undergraduates that discusses the manufacturing and distribution of media content. Carr said it involves a fair amount of writing, but also focuses on using the right tools of search and social media to spread news. In short, Carr teaches his students how to utilize everything at their disposal in order to get news out. He hopes to teach his students that writing is “about the environment, the business environment they’re writing into.” “They’re taking things very seriously and so am I,” he said. He worries that he probably has too many guest speakers, gives too many writing assignments and does not do enough straightforward teaching, but he is hopeful that it will turn out to be a successful first try. “By the end of the second class, after the kids did an in-room writing assignment, I got the feeling that things were going to turn out okay. You really only get one crack at a college education and I want to make sure that I do a good job. My class here can see me constantly adjusting and changing and fixing,” Carr said. “[It] is very much a beta, what I am doing. We’re just going to start and stumble along.” Carr boasted that he “hit the jackpot” with his current students and enjoys reading what they write and teaching them how to be effective members of the media. Something he always stresses: “Don’t just write the story. Twitter it out, put it on Facebook, engage in comment, answer emails that came in. You get worn out. It will take its toll. It’s an hour-intensive career. So eat your Wheaties, drink your coffee.”
“It will take its toll. It’s an hour-intensive career. So eat your Wheaties, drink your coffee.” Carr’s credibility and history in the field of journalism has put his career at the university in the spotlight. Since his own college days, Carr has had an interest in, pursued and found a passion in journalism. “When I was graduating high school, it was 1974, when dinosaurs roamed the earth, and Woodward and Bernstein had just brought down a sitting president and being a journalist, unlike now, was really cool. It was thought of as something really interesting to be,” he said. The professor details his first published news story written about a police brutality incident in his native state of Minnesota. “My story ended up running on the cover of the little local weekly and I was just obsessed. Once I saw my name in print, that was like, ‘Wow.’ ” The gratification of writing and reporting was enough to keep Carr motivated and landed him a “few little internships,” which eventually led to positions at Twin Cities Reader and Washington City Paper. His most prominent reporting spot at The New York Times began in 2002, and even from Boston, he continues to write his “Media Equation” column. Along with the column, which discusses issues in and involving the media, he writes articles for the culture section of the newspaper. “I like that I’ve done a lot of different things. I wrote a game program for a hockey team. I did a column about my children for about 15 years. It was called, ‘Because I Said So.’ I wrote about drug policy. I was a cop reporter and I covered the Oscars for five years,” Carr said. “Every week, every time, every story, you learn something different.” Aside from writing countless articles for a respected newspaper, Carr also made time to write a memoir, which touches upon life with his kids and battle with drug addiction.
When asked what inspired him to write his book, Carr said, “I had a couple of children who were about to go off to college and I didn’t have enough money to send them to college so I tried to come up with something I thought was a very commercial idea.” One of his daughters is now a freshman at BU and writes for an on-campus publication. “She wanted to do anything but write,” he said. “And I didn’t blame her. I was like yeah, writing sucks until you’re done, and then it’s great.” Carr has been talking publicly about the future of journalism, with only positive thoughts. “I wouldn’t mind going into journalism right now. There are certainly more jobs than there were five years ago,” he said. Carr believes that thanks to the expansion of media onto devices like smartphones and tablets, today’s media is much better than it was when he first started out in the ’70s. “In my bag, I have an iPhone that takes pretty good video. I can capture audio. I pretty much have more power sitting over there than the whole newsroom I walked into,” he said. Carr sits at his new desk, satisfied with his mission to become a great professor. He may not be completely moved in yet, but he definitely looks comfortable where he is. “People work hard to become professors for a reason,” he said, “and it’s not like I’m going to be great at it. I still have things to figure out.”
THE BUZZ | FALL 2014 | 11
BU’S CELEBRITY BU’S CELEBRITY BU’S CELEBRITY HAYDEN PANETTIERRE: KALEY ROBERTS (COM ’17) NO. 1 CELEB: ROBERTS CONFESSED THAT “I ADORE GERARD BUTLER 100 PERCENT.”
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AZIZ ANSARI: RAJAGOPAL SRINIVAS (CAS ’16)
DOPPELGANGERS DOPPELGANGERS DOPPELGANGERS BEN AFFLECK: GEORGE MATTHEW (SMG ’15) “MY FAVORITE PART ABOUT BU IS A TIE BETWEEN THE CHEERLEADERS AND GRADE DEFLATIONS.“
HILARY DUFF: REBECCA ARCAND (COM ’15) “I JUST THOUGHT IT WAS A JOKE BETWEEN FAMILY MEMBERS AND FRIENDS BUT EVERYWHERE I GO, PEOPLE WHO I’VE NEVER MET ALWAYS POINT IT OUT.”
THE BUZZ | FALL 2014 | 13
SOCIAL TWEET, TAG, FOLLOW, GO.
BU AFTER MIDNIGHT
BY CAMPUS SECTION STAFF ILLUSTRATIONS BY SOPHIA RICHARDSON
There is no way you can make it through college without getting yourself into a little bit of trouble in the texting arena. Whether it’s your “friend with benefits,” your BFF from home or that random person who was in your group for a project during your sophomore year, you want to forget those moments. And we want to document them.
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1. GUILT TRIP What’s the best way to make someone feel bad about a not-quite break-up? Text them a line from one of their favorite movies, of course!
2. ....TOTALLY When autocorrect just gives up on you.
3. LATE NIGHT
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They’re flattering, they’re consistent and the whole arrangement’s über college—it’s the person you only see in the shadow of Friday and Saturday nights! His insinuation of anxiety is kind of great though.
4. WHAT HAPPENED LAST NIGHT What seems like a friendly invitation does not always end up being the best long-term decision you could ever make.
Names, numbers and potentially identifying details have been removed to protect the dignity of any guilty parties.
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CITY
BLENDING BUSINESSES Fusion Redefines Local Establishments BY KENNY RAMOS
PHOTOGRAPHY BY CARA DIFABIO
Responding to Boston’s progressive business landscape demands talent and creativity. Local businesses have been fusing related passions and interests into their business models. Ruta Laukien, a former Wall Street investment banker, unveiled a chic art galleryrestaurant hybrid called Liquid Art House this summer. She founded her enterprise on the idea that art exists all around us.
She said she hopes the gallery-restaurant fills a void for those who want to experience beauty in a casual setting, regardless of contemporary art knowledge. “My concept is a place that will combine a restaurant, lounge and an art gallery all in one, all of equal importance, blended together,” Laukien said.
This “liquid” concept not only appears in the name of the business, but also in the experience itself. Fine dining and art gazing become indistinguishable. The 10,000-square-foot space contains installation art and pop-up pieces from selected artists and designers. Each show reveals a new group of emerging artists
THE BUZZ | FALL 2014 | 15
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from around the world who transform the restaurant’s appearance with their for-sale work. On display until Jan. 5, 2015, the latest exhibition, “Ready to Bare,” pays homage to fashion, natural beauty and color, with works from international artists, photographers and designers. In the kitchen, Executive Chef Rachel Klein combines culinary mastery and vision. She blends Asian and Eastern European flavors to make a well-balanced menu that is both sophisticated and bold. Patrons can expect house-baked bread, decadent recreations of simple European dishes, desserts full of exotic Asian flavors and an array of experimental cocktails. Following the trend of fusion businesses, Liquid Art House merges fine dining with eclectic contemporary art in one space. “What’s magical about this place is that from the moment you enter it, you will not be able to distinguish what is art and what is not,” Laukien said. Boston skate shop Orchard shares this eclectic view by mixing retail, community outreach and art into one. The shop opened its doors in 2006 in Mission Hill but relocated its flagship store to Allston in 2010. A second location on Newbury Street opened in 2013. Orchard goes beyond retail by supporting the endeavors of its friends, organizing skate-related events year-round and running an art gallery above the Allston shop. Since the beginning, Orchard has supported its closest friends by carrying local brands such as Raw, Tasty Skateboards, Fancy Lad, Pueblo and Bedlam Trade. The shop stocks these lesser-known brands so that “people can relate, and it’s something that speaks to them. Smaller brands have more freedom to be themselves,” co-owner Armin Bachman said. Orchard also is its own brand. The creative direction for designs for each new collection requires a collaborative effort of the whole crew with Bachman’s guidance. The shop extends itself beyond sales by hosting skateboarding events regularly for local skaters. Events include skate jams, demos and signings by pro skaters and a ramp contest at the Allston shop during the winter. “These events give people something to be psyched [about], and it keeps the scene
close, especially during the winter,” Bachman said. “It’s fun to see everyone together.” Fostering a sense of camaraderie has led to more skate-friendly spaces throughout Boston. The Charles River Conservancy recently approved plans for a skate park along the Charles, for which Orchard received a $1.5-million donation from Vans. The shop has also been working to create smaller skate spaces in Brookline and Cambridge. Art has been closely linked to the shop since its inception. When Orchard made the move to Allston, it made sense to turn the 900-square-foot space into an art gallery. The shop curates each show. Admission is 21+ and free. Featured artists are usually skate-related or locals that Orchard associates with, such as Individuals Collective, who designed the Newbury store. This year, the gallery has exhibitions in the works, including Russ Pope in November and a Vans event for local photographer Rob Collins in February. Both Liquid Art House and Orchard set themselves apart from the others by not allowing the confines of a singular business idea to restrict them. Instead, they take an innovative approach by pursuing what they love to do. “Business is passion,” Bachman said. “We want to be the best we can be and share inspiration.”
ORCHARD WWW.ORCHARDSHOP.COM 297 NEWBURY ST. 617-262-4300 SUNDAY TO FRIDAY: 12 P.M. TO 7 P.M. SATURDAY: 11 A.M. TO 8 P.M. 156 HARVARD AVE. 617-782-7777 MONDAY TO FRIDAY: 12 P.M. TO 8 P.M. SATURDAY: 11 A.M. TO 8 P.M. SUNDAY: 12 P.M. TO 7 P.M. LIQUID ART HOUSE WWW.LIQUIDARTHOUSE.COM 100 ARLINGTON ST. 617-457-8130 SUNDAY TO WEDNESDAY: 5 P.M. TO 10 P.M. BAR OPEN UNTIL MIDNIGHT; THURSDAY TO SATURDAY: 5 P.M. TO 11 P.M., BAR UNTIL 1 A.M.
THE BUZZ | FALL 2014 | 17
TAKE A HIKE Outside City Limits BY JESSICA BACCHI PHOTOGRAPHED BY JESSICA BACCHI DESIGNED BY CAT YU
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n my last year at BU, I realized something wrong with the way I have been spending my time in Boston. Throughout the week, I trade off being between campus and my apartment, and on weekends I frequent the same restaurants and bars. I, like many studying in Boston, opt to brunch at trendy Newbury Street cafés instead of taking advantage of the incredible nature that exists just outside of the city. Coming from Northern California, an area of the U.S. known for its incredible natural beauty, I am only now addressing my disconnection with nature in Boston. There is a reason why we all chose to attend a school in an urban area, but sometimes escaping city life and spending time among the nearby nature can help us relax and refocus. When life gets hectic and weather is still bearable, taking a few steps beyond Comm. Ave. is a rewarding way to gain new perspectives and relieve stress. The Middlesex Fells Reservation in Medford is a popular destination for Boston residents. There are many hiking trails in Middlesex Fells. Just one trail can take five to six hours to explore, but there are also shorter and smoother trails for those less-adventurous nature lovers. There are about 2,575 acres of terrain suitable for hikers, dog-walkers, mountain bikers, horseback riders, rock climbers, cross-country skiers and picnickers. Following the Quarry Road trail up the Skyline Trail or along a few sneakier and steeper side paths, you reach Wright’s Tower in about five minutes. The top of the tower reveals an incredible vantage point of the Medford part of I-93 on one end and the downtown Boston skyline in the distance. On the other side of the lookout is a view of the endless trees and trails of the Fells, a reminder that both the city and wilderness are nearby. Not far from the Middlesex Fells Reservation, Mystic Lakes, a large and often unexplored area near Tufts, is also a great place to unwind. Upper Mystic Lake and Lower Mystic Lake combine at the Amelia Earhart Dam in the northwestern suburbs of Boston and provide an expansive area to swim, sail and relax. The homes surrounding the lake are gorgeous, and the water has a refreshing chill. Visiting is reminiscent of summers at a lake
house. The shores are perfect for picnics and sunbathing, and the area is much easier to get to than the beach. “The Mystic Lakes are one of the top five reasons I love going to school here so much,” said Tufts senior Jack Kisseberth. “It’s easy to forget that there are awesome places so close to us that aren’t hard to get to and don’t cost any money.” A bit more difficult to get to but equally as beautiful, the Blue Hills Reservation in Milton is another Boston getaway. Stretching more than 7,000 acres from Quincy to Dedham, the reservation is an oasis in the urbanity of Boston. There are more than 125 miles of trails. For those who enjoy a good climb, the Great Blue Hill boasts a 635-foot summit, making it the highest of the 22 hills in the Blue Hills chain. At the base of the reservation is Ponkapoag Pond with beach-y shores that are ideal for playing volleyball, hosting barbecues and swimming. As I learned during an introductory biology course, the Hammond Pond Parkway
in Newton is also nearby. The entrance, though hidden away in a super-mall parking lot, is not hard to find. Trees that reflect on the still waters of the great pond line the perimeter of the lot. The Parkway is the closest of the four spots to BU campus, though all locations are accessible by T. The pond is perfect for fishing, and there are formations of sandstone conglomerate and Roxbury puddingstone, which are both popular for rock climbing. There are easy trails around the entire reservation and as biology class taught me, some great bird-watching as well. “Getting out to Hammond Pond sophomore year through biology inspired me to get outside more in Boston, weather permitting,” Sophia Fidai (MED ’15) said. There are many reservations, hikes and lakes in the area to explore. Sometimes an environmental change can do more for the mind than we expect.
THE BUZZ | FALL 2014 | 19
SURVIVING BOSTON’S BY EVAN ROBERTSON PHOTOGRAPHY BY KEVIN WELDON
When fall rolls around and the blustery winter months loom ahead, Boston residents dread the chill of the first major freeze. Yet as cold and bleak as Boston winters may seem, imagine experiencing this seasonal change without a home. The city’s rising population of people who are homeless has reached more than 7,000 individuals. “The freezing winter will kill me before someone else on these streets tries to take my life,” said Nelly Callahan, of Hyannis, Mass. Once a wife and mother of two children, Callahan, 54, is now homeless and has survived for more than a year by begging on the streets of Boston and Cambridge. She said that she prefers to beg for money in Cambridge Square because she feels that the area is safer than other locations, such as the Downtown Crossing district. “I just don’t know what I’m going to do now that the weather’s changing. I’m going to live out my last days on the street, I guess,” Callahan said. Callahan suffers from alcoholism and fatty liver syndrome and is expected to only have several months left to live. Despite her prognosis, Callahan fears being homeless during the winter more than the threat of the disease. Given the increased danger that the winter months bring for the homeless community, the Boston Public Health Commission, which deals with public health in the city, attempts to reduce these risks by coordinating special campaigns. The Emergency Shelter Commission, organized by the BPHC, leads a citywide effort to get as much of the homeless population as possible into shelters on nights when the temperature drops below freezing. The BPHC holds an annual census in December to record the number of homeless people living on the streets. The most recent BPHC census, conducted last December, showed that there were about 7,255 men, women and children living without homes in Boston, a 3.8 percent increase from the previous year.
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HARSH WINTER
Family homelessness had increased overall by about 5.8 percent. The BPHC runs two shelters in Boston and funds transitional housing programs. “For general homelessness, we try to address the underlying cause of the issue before it arises through job training programs,” said Alex Moran, program coordinator for the BPHC’s Infectious Disease Bureau. Job training programs can help reintegrate the homeless into domestic and city life. Serving Ourselves, an organic farm run by homeless adults through the Friends of Boston’s Homeless organization at the BPHC Long Island shelter, provides more than 25,000 pounds of fresh organic produce for the homeless in Boston each year. Still, there are challenges to combating homelessness in Boston. “Substance abuse and mental health issues must be addressed to tackle the root causes of homelessness,” Moran said. “Many people overlook homelessness, and even though it’s natural to dismiss the issue, there are many ways one could fall into that situation, which we must take into account,” said longtime Boston resident Scott Cornell (CAS ’15). Moran said that homelessness cannot be eradicated by simple means, since it is usually caused by other life-threatening problems. One of the most volatile situations for the homeless, he said, is the winter months when the harsh weather conditions exhaust the already-limited resources the city has to manage homelessness. Although BU students may not directly interact with homelessness every day, as we stroll Comm. Ave. it is important to remember that situations are not always as simple as they seem. “Like I said,” Callahan said, “the winter will kill me before a crazy person does.”
IN THE STREETS THE BUZZ | FALL 2014 | 21
BOSTON ON THE SILVER SCREEN MOVIES FILMING IN BOSTON, HITTING THEATERS SOON BY DANI SEGELBAUM PHOTOGRAPHY BY BRIGID KING DESIGN BY KARINA CROSS
Forget Hollywood. Known for its historical culture, Boston has become a hotspot for major motion pictures. With its beautiful city landscapes and unique neighborhoods, Boston appears to be the perfect place to film movies. Next time you are out and about, keep your eyes open for your favorite celebrities shooting these films around town.
THE FINEST HOURS The Quincy Shipyard is now home to a new Disney movie. Set to release in 2015, the film is based on a real-life Coast Guard rescue mission that took place off the coast of Cape Cod in 1952 after two oil tankers were destroyed during a blizzard. Actors Chris Pine and Casey Affleck star in the rescue flick that will shoot most of its scenes in Chatham, Mass. The shipyard has previously served as the film location for blockbuster hits, including The Departed and The Equalizer.
TED 2 A story about a man and his teddy bear best friend, Ted, is back to film in Boston for its sequel. Boston native Mark Wahlberg stars in the film again alongside Amanda Seyfried and Morgan Freeman. The first film shot scenes in BU’s backyard, Kenmore Square, and the second film has chosen to shoot in areas around Boston, including the Boston Public Gardens. Cast members—including Amanda Seyfried who Instagrammed a picture at Quincy Market—have been recently spotted around Boston. Look for familiar spots in the film when it hits theaters in June 2015.
Films playing in theaters this fall that were also shot in Boston include The Equalizer, Tumbledown and The Judge.
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PHOTO COURTESY OF SNAPSHOTS BY SUSAN
BLACK MASS
Johnny Depp plays Boston’s famous mobster, Whitey Bulger, in the film Black Mass. The notorious Irish Mobster becomes an FBI informant in order to take down a Mafia family stepping onto his South Boston turf. Set to release September 2015, the movie was shot and completed at the end of this summer in various locations around Boston, including South Boston, Lynn and Cambridge. It features a star-studded cast with actors like Benedict Cumberbatch, Sienna Miller and Kevin Bacon. Make sure you keep an eye out for the BU band, who appear in a 15-minute portion of the film during the St. Patrick’s Day scene.
FOOD
FOODSTAGRAM DID YOU REALLY EAT IT IF YOU DIDN’T INSTAGRAM IT? BY ELISHA MACHADO DESIGN BY EDEN WEINBERG
THE BUZZ | FALL 2014 | 23
#INSTA Instagram handles (from left to right): @bonme // @pmelnick (consecutively) // @cameomacaron // @hrp840 // @tridentbooks // @ooo_mee // @bonme //@shenhann
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AWORTHY Whether you are walking to class on Comm. Ave. or taking a stroll along the Esplanade, you are bound to notice almost everyone absorbed in their phones. You are most likely among the “almost everyone.” College students are constantly glued to their phones waiting for the latest updates. As a result, businesses are taking advantage of their own social media accounts to reach wider audiences. As the presence of social media soars to new heights, food lovers have caught on to the trend. Instagram is full of filtered photos, ranging from the latest cupcake recipe to someone’s most recent restaurant experience, turning food into a new art form. Foodies think of their plates as a canvas rather than a means of daily nourishment. Viviana Gratacós (CAS ’17) said Instagramming her daily eats is a must. “I’m Puerto Rican, which means there [is] never a moment in my life that [does not] involve food,” said Gratacós. “I [feel] an incredible need to share my passion and experiences with other foodies.” Gratacós said she enjoys sticking to her roots by making and photographing traditional dishes from Puerto Rico, such as tostones, arañitas and mofongo. Gratacós said she would do anything to capture the perfect photo for Instagram. “I’ve waited about 30 minutes to get the perfect table with the best lighting at a restaurant,” said Gratacós. “I’ve stood up on chairs to achieve the best angle for the picture.” And Gratacós is not the only foodie willing to go to such extreme lengths to get an Instagram-worthy photo.
Phoebe Melnick (COM ’16) said she used her smartphone’s flash while at Sunset Cantina to take the perfect photo of Sunset’s signature nachos. “It was totally worth it,” said Melnick. “No one should ever feel embarrassed to take photos of their food.” Melnick said she thinks taking pictures of food has become more comfortable for many people. “There’s the whole ‘eating for Insta’ thing, but honestly, I’d be eating chili cheese fries and cake every day even if I wasn’t Instagramming it,” Melnick said. Melnick’s photography has not only cultivated her love of food, but has also sparked an interest in the work that goes into creating a delicious dish. Over the summer, Melnick went to culinary school to expand her knowledge and love of food. “In culinary school, everything we made [had] pastry crème or ganache, and it was the best for pictures,” said Melnick. Although social media networks such as Instagram may detract from face-to-face communication, they help expand the reach of small businesses. The Bon Me food truck, for instance, first made its appearance on the streets of Boston in 2011, after owners Patrick Lynch and Ali Fong won the Boston Food Truck Challenge. Erica Normandeau, Bon Me’s marketing specialist, said that Bon Me uses social media to inform customers of its food truck locations and daily specials. “Social media has made it much easier for us to communicate with our customers,” said Normandeau. “People love to post pictures of their food, and we love to engage with them.”
Instagram has also played an integral part in launching other small businesses. “Social media helped me drum up demand before the truck even existed,” said Kinesha Goldson, owner of French macaron food truck Cameo Macaron. Through Instagram, Goldson said she was able to find a local illustrator to design Cameo’s food truck. By creating a website and social media accounts, Cameo was able to open its food truck in early April this year, with customers lining up to taste one of their French-inspired treats. Chloe Chow (COM ’17) said that taking pictures of food is part of a “cultural phenomenon.” “There’s something about capturing the experience in a still photo that recreates the experience to share with other people,” Chow said. Chow became a foodie in high school, when she started traveling with her parents. By venturing to countries such as China, Spain and Germany, Chow expanded her palate, finding a new appreciation for the art that goes into making a dish. Chow said she enjoys photographing food, especially sushi for its meticulous arrangement with bright pops of color. Chow finds inspiration from her favorite food blogs, cooking shows and even Instagram hashtags, which include #foodporn, #foodgasm and #yum. Allston’s Kaju Tofu House, Back Bay’s Trident Booksellers and Café and Back Bay’s Max Brenner are the best local restaurants for food photography, Chow said. Next time you eat something, don’t forget to ask, “Is it Instagram-worthy?”
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THE BUZZ | FALL 2014 | 25
GREEN EATING HOW
BOSTON IS A
VEGAN FRIENDLY CITY
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BY KATIE CAMPISI PHOTOGRAPHY BY GRACE STAUFFER DESIGN AND ILLUSTRATION BY MARTINELLI VALCIN
Eating a vegan diet is not as hard as many people assume it is. All vegans tend to hear the same comments from non-vegan eaters—“I could never give up cheese!” and “I love meat too much!” But at BU and throughout Boston, the many vegan-friendly businesses make it easier to walk away from meat, dairy and eggs. With about 15 vegetarian and vegan restaurants in the Greater Boston area, vegans have ample choices for dining out. BU students are never further than a short T or bike ride from tasty and hearty vegan fare. While it is true there are many vegan options in the dining halls and a good number of restaurants off campus, a vegan diet is not as easily accessible to those outside the city. Laura Kakalecz (CAS ’15) is a longtime vegetarian-turned-vegan student activist and keeps this privilege at the forefront of her mind. “Being vegan can lend itself to a more wholesome fresh diet simply because so many processed foods contain animal products. But
it is important to keep in mind inequality in access to nutritious food and cultural norms may be a barrier to the vegan lifestyle,” Kakalecz said. People commonly ask, “What can vegans even eat?” Steamed lobster and clam chowder generally come to mind when Boston is mentioned. Or maybe even an overflowing box of Mike’s Pastry cannolis and a heaping plate of spaghetti and meatballs from the North End. For the small number of Bostonians living an animal product-free lifestyle, their idea of Boston cuisine looks more like a coconut milk ice cream sundae from FoMu or vegetable stir-fry from Life Alive. In reality, most vegans eat a wider variety of foods than they would as omnivores. The range of vegetables is a big one, and one that’s even worth a try for creative non-vegans. Just because you eat “normal” cheese does not mean you should not try to make some out of cashews. You may ask a vegan a million times where they get their protein, or wonder if they miss hamburgers or bacon more, but people ask these questions far too often. Vegans are normal people, too—I promise. Treating a vegan like an alien or using descriptors like “the vegan” is not going to help. “In my hometown I felt totally out of place being a vegan. Yet when I came to BU, I felt like my school respected and went out of their way to accommodate vegans,” said Jillian Richardson (COM ’16). There are a lot of vegans and vegetarians at BU and even more who “go veg.” The
community is a strong one, with organizations such as the BU Veg Society and the Boston Humane League right on campus. In a 2013 survey of veg-friendly schools, PETA gave BU Dining Services an A for their offerings. Although not all vegans are completely satisfied with the nutritional balance available, the fact that BU provides a vegan option for each meal in every dining hall is a huge step up from many universities. Off-campus choices are endless. Restaurants like Life Alive offer cooked and raw vegan cuisine, while others such as Veggie Galaxy give vegans and vegetarians a meat-free spin on their favorite classics. Even some meat-eaters are drawn to the vegan food joints around campus. Root, a vegan eatery sandwiched among three others at the corner of Brighton Avenue and Cambridge Street in Allston (also a vegan mecca), is well known on BU’s campus for serving delicious food, especially its weekend brunch fare. “Their breakfast burritos were so good that I didn’t even miss bacon,” said Annie Freeman (SMG ’15). FoMu, the vegan ice cream shop next door, drew in Vanessa Zarba (COM ’15). “I thought I would hate vegan food, but it’s actually delicious. This brownie is so good I want to die,” Zarba said while devouring one of FoMu’s vegan baked goods. No matter if you are on campus, on Brighton Avenue or elsewhere around the globe, keep in mind that it is not as hard as it seems to go on a plant-based diet.
THE BUZZ | FALL 2014 | 27
FOOD AT YOUR FINGERTIPS New Ways to Get Quick Food Delivery BY CLARA BURR-LONNON PHOTOGRAPHY BY BARRON ROTH DESIGN BY CAT YU Who doesn’t love to sit in their comfortable clothes and have food delivered directly to them? Sometimes we just don’t crave the dining hall. Time for alternative ways to keep us hardworking college students fueled. More and more services are providing home delivery of groceries and household essentials. Although you should expect to pay a delivery fee, the convenience and benefits of receiving delivery to your door undoubtedly outweigh its added costs. Consider the many advantages. Your order arrives when you want it, you can avoid overspending by setting your budget at the time of your order, you can minimize the stress of finding time to shop for those household essentials and someone else carries those heavy grocery bags (and even avoid Boston’s infamous inclement weather). Check out our picks of services to try. Happy delivery!
DRIZLY
Delivery Hours: Depends on your location
Drizly offers beer, wine and liquor conveniently delivered to your doorstep in 20 to 40 minutes. Drizly does not mark up the price on any product, so why walk to the liquor store when you can enjoy the convenience of ordering from home and get alcohol delivered to your door? Drizly carries between 1,000 and 3,500 products. Drizly’s stores are close to the consumer, resulting in fast delivery times. There is a $5 delivery fee in Boston. Order at drizly.com or via its free app.
BOSTON ORGANICS Delivery Hours: Monday through Thursday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
The service delivers produce and groceries to homes and offices from primarily New England farms, with no membership fee commitment or large up-front cost. You can select delivery for once a week or once every other week and create a “no-list,” which consists of products you never want to receive. Bakery items, nuts, dried fruits and dairy items are also available. A small box of one-half fruit and one-half vegetables costs $24. Boxes for $29, $39 and $57 are also available with your choice of ratio of fruit to vegetables. Expect 48 hours or less for delivery from the farm to doorstep. Sign-up at bostonorganics.com.
DOORDASH
HAPPYSPEEDY
Delivery Hours: Lunch: Monday through Friday, 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. Weekends, 1:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. Dinner: Daily, 5 p.m. to 10 p.m
Delivery Hours: Sunday through Thursday: 6 p.m. to 2 a.m. Friday and Saturday, 6 p.m. to 3 a.m.
Food from local restaurants generally arrive in 20 to 45 minutes. About 100 restaurants deliver to BU and its surrounding areas for a delivery fee of $6. And get this—your first delivery is free, and there is no minimum order requirement. Order ar doordash.com or via its smartphone app.
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HappySpeedy is an online convenience store that carries grocery products, frozen meals, snacks, desserts, beverages and household essentials. Consumers can expect their delivery in less than 30 minutes and 30 to 60 minutes during peak hours. HappySpeedy requires a $15-order minimum and $2.95 delivery fee. Order at happyspeedy.com.
Flashbacks to Classics BY KYLIE OBERMEIER PHOTOGRAPHY BY BARRON ROTH DESIGN BY CAT YU
Although buzzworthy new bands are great, sometimes you want take it back a few decades by listening to classic songs of the vinyl era. Check out some of the most memorable songs from the ’60s and ’70s.
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“CHAIN SAW” BY THE RAMONES
2
“BAD REPUTATION” BY JOAN JETT
Everyone loves the Ramones’ “Blitzkrieg Bop” and “I Wanna Be Sedated,” but this song from their first album combines every element of a great Ramones song. There’s a bouncy base line, bubblegum oh-oh-ohs, Johnny’s chain saw guitar (especially fitting for this song) and Joey’s odd pronunciations (here, it’s a phonetic “massacre”). Plus, it’s one of their many great songs inspired by horror movies.
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“WHITE LIGHT/WHITE HEAT” BY VELVET UNDERGROUND
THE BUZZ FALL 2014
“STRANGE MAGIC” BY ELECTRIC LIGHT ORCHESTRA
The original riot “grrrl,” Joan Jett was—and still is—a badass through and through. In this song, she sings straight over a supremely catchy guitar hook with a voice that sounds like she has smoked one too many cigarettes. She has said she does not give a damn about her bad reputation—and you can tell she means it.
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The Velvet Underground’s music varies from experimental, 17-minute-long jam sessions, to the catchiest pop ditties. “White Light” combines the best of those tendencies to make for a listenable, although still off-kilter, track. Lou Reed yelps about nonsense (“Sputter mutter / Everybody gonna go kill their mother”) over a pounding piano progression and “reverby” guitars. At the end, it all breaks down into a wonderful mess.
3
“GIVE HIM A GREAT BIG KISS” BY THE SHANGRI-LAS
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This hit from ’60s girl group The Shangri-Las is possibly the cutest song ever. Lead singer Mary Weiss describes her love interest, the ultimate ’60s bad boy, while the other singers dish out typical friendly concern (“Well, I heard he’s bad / Hmm, he’s good-bad, but he’s not evil”). The track is basically like “Summer Nights” from Grease but much better.
“Strange Magic” plays in The Virgin Suicides’ homecoming scene in a truly magical, perfectly ’70s-like combination of music and film. But the song is magical outside of the movie as well. Play it while slow dancing with a special someone, and forget that your homecoming was not nearly as amazing as that of the Lisbon sisters.
“ROCK ’N’ ROLL SUICIDE” BY DAVID BOWIE This is the final song from the classic album The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars, from perhaps the most eternally classic man alive, David Bowie. “Rock ’n’ Roll Suicide” builds from a slow, acoustic beginning to a booming, orchestral climax while Bowie yells, “You’re not alone!” It is truly moving. This should be the only song played at funerals during tear-inducing photo slideshows.
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MUSIC
VINYL REVISIONS
FROM NOTHING TO SOMETHING ST. NOTHING GAINS SPEED AFTER BOSTON CALLING
BY VICTORIA WASYLAK PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY OF ST. NOTHING
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E
lectropop, synthpop, nocturnal bedroom pop—call it what you want, but Boston’s own St. Nothing is delivering the beats. The band that formed only a year ago stole the Sonicbirds opening act competition and became an opener at the Boston Calling music festival, among indie royalty like Lorde, the 1975 and The National.
Boom clap, indeed. Lead singer Marco Lawrence (COM ’15) originally started the group as a solo project under the name Hall of Mirrors. Lawrence’s project received a few thousand Bandcamp and SoundCloud plays within months of posting his debut tunes. A Thailand radio station even spun “Keep” as early as 2013. Two band members later, the musical project has evolved from an Allston basement phenomenon into a major music-festival opener. Other band members Meredith Nero (CGS ’13, CAS ’15) on the viola and Sophia Carreras on the guitar now tour with Lawrence as a trio. “The name changed to St. Nothing in February when most of the songs we play now were written,” Lawrence said. Over the summer, the band reveled in modest local success, celebrating their first gig as the headliner as recently as July. Before that, the band supported larger acts at venues such as the Sinclair and the Middle East and played free gigs at places like the Café 939 and WTBU’s own “Folk U.”
“I WAS VERY HAPPY TO BE THERE PLAYING THE SONGS THAT WERE WRITTEN IN A BEDROOM A COUPLE YEARS BEFOREHAND.”
Fast forward to August 2014 and the band was competing with other Boston titles for a chance to open for acts like Lorde and Childish Gambino. “We entered in Sonicbids [songwriting contest] to be chosen to play that Boston Calling slot,” Carreras said. “We didn’t have recordings that reflected the current form of our music, so we entered a press kit with interviews, our music video for ‘Keep’ and videos from our then most recent show at the Sinclair.” Without much notice before the festival, Lawrence received an email announcing that St. Nothing had won the competition. “That was a pretty surreal moment. You have your hopes up when you apply for things like this, but I never really expected it to actually happen,” Lawrence said. Shortly after announcing that the band would be playing at Boston Calling, St. Nothing found themselves swamped with press requests, from Dig Boston to digital music magazine Vanyaland. Local media outlets flocked to the band while the three members scrambled to practice before their grand debut as a national indie act. Looking back weeks after the show, Lawrence said they stuck to their typical pre-show preparations. “We just practiced as much as possible, which is actually pretty difficult because Sophia lives in Amherst,” Lawrence said. “We tried not to overthink rehearsing.” “Some of our shows leading up to the festival were good practice for the crowd size, which was probably the most intimidating part for us,” said Nero. The day of the anticipated event was an awe-inspiring experience—the crowd, unsure of what to expect from the local opener, was amped to be at City Hall Plaza, and the band was equally shocked by the turnout of the strangers. “We were really surprised and excited to see that so many people came for a first act that they didn’t even know of yet,” said Nero.
The six-song set was the first of Saturday’s lineup and consisted of new material and songs from Lawrence’s debut album as Hall of Mirrors. “We played a mix of the new and old songs. We wanted to play our favorites from the shows we’d been playing over the summer,” said Lawrence. The band’s newest song, “Deals,” which they unveiled over the summer, was a delightfully dance-y yet hollow serenade. “Keep,” a celestial-electro lullaby and the last song of the set, was a sentimental moment for the entire band. “The last song was an emotional moment—I was very happy to be there playing the songs that were written in a bedroom a couple years beforehand,” said Lawrence. “It’s a moment I’ll be remembering for a long time.” Carreras echoed the same sentiment. “It hit me while we were playing our last song of the set ‘Keep’ how incredible this experience really was. Here we were, playing these songs that we put ourselves into, and to have an opportunity to share that with so many people is a gift,” she said. The band is now still feeling the rockstarlike experience. Along with recently being nominated for two Boston Music Awards and celebrating the one-year anniversary of the “Keep” music video, the band has been feeling the love from the Boston music scene. “We’ve gotten a lot of really nice press and some people have recognized us on the street or on campus from playing at the festival,” said Lawrence. The high of the performance has not quite worn off on Carreras, either. “Considering the number of incredibly talented artists around here, I’d like to personally thank Sonicbids and everyone involved for choosing us,” she said. “You’ve changed our lives.”
THE BUZZ | FALL 2014 | 31
OLD SCHOOL BLUES
BU’s Missing Contemporary Music Program BY KERI MCALPINE PHOTOGRAPHY BY BARRON ROTH
T
he BU School of Music in the College of Fine Arts is one of many music schools in New England. In the city of Boston alone, there are many well-known music colleges and conservatories that allow students to find a musical education match. But BU’s program, the oldest degreegranting music program in the U.S., has a lot to live up to. In an age where pop tunes get stuck in people’s heads for hours on end and becoming a DJ is as easy as downloading software onto your laptop, BU lacks a program for contemporary music enthusiasts. And why is that? The condensed reason seems to be that Berklee College of Music is right down the street. In fact, very few music schools have degree programs for contemporary music. The East Coast is generally more welcoming to classical and jazz music, with classical
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conservatories and programs like the one at BU. Hollywood is the mecca of modern music. If students want to study popular music, Berklee or California schools are their best options. “It’s a common complaint all across the [country] that people feel that there’s not a degree for the music that they make, that somehow the university doesn’t consider them worthy of a degree and more often than not it is just people not knowing what they’re talking about,” Erik Van Heyningen (CFA’ 15) said. “That sort of music is not a degree path, for the most part.” Though a degree in contemporary or popular music couldn’t hurt, it is not what creates the path to becoming a rock star or songwriter. Pop music does not require the same technical training that music schools like BU’s demand.
Pop music training comes from experience, not classwork. “How you develop your voice really comes from working in the field,” Van Heyningen said. Although CFA does not have a contemporary music program, the school as a whole offers students excellent opportunities. “Individual fire is really encouraged and facilitated,” Van Heyningen said. “They make it very easy to pursue what you want, how you want, while still keeping you in a rather traditional musical upbringing. They’re interested in developing artists, not machines.” Berklee is primarily a jazz school, but it also encourages the development of popular music skills. But that does not mean that they breed superstars. Jesse Baskin, 22, studies professional music and contemporary writing and production at Berklee.
“There are plenty of people who are trying to be pop stars at Berklee. What they will have over their non-music school contemporaries are all of these little artifacts of knowledge,” Baskin said. “A lot of people say [music theory] doesn’t matter, but it just shapes your view on music and your knowledge of it. You don’t have to know music theory to write pop songs. But would it help knowing what you’re doing? Definitely.” Berklee has been developing its reputation as a one-of-a-kind institution for years. It is currently introducing courses that are steering it toward a singer/songwriteroriented college, Baskin said. If BU were to add a contemporary music program, then it would incur heavy expenses and face overwhelming competition. It might not be a realistic goal, especially with Berklee right down the street.
Some student musicians feel that the university could be more supportive toward those interested in music who are not in CFA. BU has free concerts in the Metcalf Ballroom and open-mic nights, as well as events at BU Central, but some students still do not think they are enough. Marc Finn (COM ’16) formed his band Palm Spring Life with friends almost two years ago. It is not the lack of programs in CFA that troubles him, he said, but rather BU’s lack of interest in working with students to make the campus more music-friendly, which Finn believes is discouraging. BU is home to the student-run record label Rep Records, but compared to the equivalent at other schools of the same size, BU does not seem as supportive. Northeastern University’s student-run record label, Green Line Records, is an example
of a more harmonious relationship that allows students to be involved in a music community. Whether that means going to a concert put on by the label or having a group to get advice on starting a band, Finn said more inclusive groups would help students who are just starting off. “The environment at BU and the real lack of any decent music group really made it hard for us to get rolling,” Finn said. From storing equipment in West campus dorm rooms to playing at local venues like T.T. the Bears in Cambridge, Pat Mars (COM ’15) has come a long way in his musical career. Mars said that despite BU’s lack of music facilities for non-CFA students, it is still possible to succeed—all it takes is a bit of community, which one day may translate into BU becoming more involved. “When kids want to do it they find a way to do it,” he said. “Even playing in a dorm room.”
THE BUZZ | FALL 2014 | 33
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Refined
Less is more. It is an uncomplicated way of living, but one that is hard to adhere to, nonetheless. It is an absence versus a presence of all–a contrasting statement meant to emphasize and simplify and a fine balance to strike. Minimalism is the statement without the statement necklace, the pop without the overwhelming use of color. It is a style and a lifestyle to tone down and refine your senses. Sleek lines and cuts with non-fuss silhouettes; a neutral, muted color palette; a way of dressing that does not dwell on details and a way to use texture variation and layering to bring in your personality. It is a well-fitting outfit, a slick hairdo and the attitude to match. PHOTOGRAPHY AND LIGHTING DESIGN BY BRENTON BOCKUS ART DIRECTION BY EDEN WEINBERG STYLED BY KATE RADIN
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PRESENCE VERSUS ABSENCE [THIS PAGE] SEBASTIAN: STEVEN ALAN, ACNE STUDIOS CHET CREWNECK, $250; ACNE STUDIOS LOW WAIST, SLIM LEG DENIM PANTS, $200; NORSE PROJECTS TEXTURE SCARF, $125. LAUREN: AMERICAN APPAREL, PONTE MID-LENGTH PENCIL SKIRT, $42. LOU LOU, LOU LOU J&B CYD 65 METAL COVER CLUTCH, $65. STEVEN ALAN, LE MONT ST. MICHEL RIBBED SWEATER, $325. [OPPOSITE PAGE] BARI: AMERICAN APPAREL, LAME STRETCH BUSTIER, $52. LF, E-LADY PIPER LOW V-NECK DRESS, $152. LOU LOU, BLC DAGGER DANGLE EARRINGS, $10. NO REST FOR BRIDGET, MY DELICIOUS SHOES CUTOUT HEELS, $27.99. 36
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A WORLD OF BLACK AND WHITE [THIS PAGE] ANEESHA: CRUSH, VELVET BY GRAHAM & SPENCER CANDY PONTI JACKET, $169. LF, PARISIAN COLLECTION COCO CROPPED TANK, $68; RUMOUR BOUTIQUE ENVELOPE SKORT, $120; REPORT SIGNATURE ASHTIN BOOTIES, $120. LOU LOU, TOWNE & REESE ELYSE BRACELET, $35. MARIMEKKO, UMBRELLA, $99. [OPPOSITE PAGE] JONATHAN: AMERICAN APPAREL, CLASSIC SWEATSHIRT CREW, $55; SALT AND PEPPER HAT, $32. H&M, WHITE BUTTON DOWN, $14.95. LAUREN: LOU LOU, BEADED CIRCLE EARRINGS, $18; DAV RING, $18. MARIMEKKO, LUKKARI KNITTED DRESS WITH POCKETS, $278.
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THE BUZZ | FALL 2014 | 39
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LET THE ANGLES DO THE TALKING [THIS PAGE] ANEESHA: AMERICAN APPAREL, THE GRID PRINT LULU CROP TOP, $42; THE GRID PRINT LULU MINI SKIRT, $46. LOU LOU, FAD SPIKED BRACELET, $20. MARIMEKKO, POSE GIANT CLUTCH BAG, $159. NO REST FOR BRIDGET, NATURE BREEZE QUILTED BOOTIE, $42.99. BARI: AMERICAN APPAREL, THE GRID PRINT LULU CROP TOP, $42; THE GRID PRINT LULU MINI SKIRT, $46. LF, MEO LIMITED EDITION BLACK SUEDE ZIPPER BOOTIES, $185. LOU LOU, H&D WORD POUCH, $25; LEE BRACELET, $25; TOWN & REESE DAVIES BRACELET, $35. [OPPOSITE PAGE] SEBASTIAN: AMERICAN APPAREL, FINE JERSEY POCKET S/S T-SHIRT, $22. CONVERSE, CHUCK TAYLOR ALL STAR OX WHITE LOW-TOPS, $50. STEVEN ALAN, ACNE STUDIOS LOW WAIST, SLIM LEG DENIM PANTS, $200. ANEESHA: AMERICAN APPAREL, THE GRID PRINT LULU CROP TOP, $42; THE GRID PRINT LULU MINI SKIRT, $46. LOU LOU, FAD SPIKED BRACELET, $20. MARIMEKKO, POSE GIANT CLUTCH BAG, $159. NO REST FOR BRIDGET, NATURE BREEZE QUILTED BOOTIE, $42.99. JONATHAN: AMERICAN APPAREL, FINE JERSEY POCKET S/S T-SHIRT, $22. CONVERSE, CHUCK TAYLOR ALL STAR OX WHITE LOW-TOPS, $50. STEVEN ALAN, PRESLEY TIMBER CLASSIC SPECS, $145. THE BUZZ | FALL 2014 | 41
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INDUSTRIAL SIMPLICITY [THIS PAGE] BARI: LF, GRACE SHAG HAT, $75. MARIMEKKO, KUNNARI OVERSIZED KNIT CARDIGAN, $378. NO REST FOR BRIDGET, MAITAI KNEE-LENGTH BLACK DRESS, $32.99; MY DELICIOUS SHOES CUTOUT HEELS, $27.99. STEVEN ALAN, KAREN WALKER OVERSIZED BUG SUNNIES, $280. SEBASTIAN: AMERICAN APPAREL, FINE JERSEY POCKET S/S T-SHIRT, $22. CONVERSE, CHUCK TAYLOR ALL STAR HI SNEAKER, $55. STEVEN ALAN, ACNE STUDIOS LOW WAIST, SLIM LEG DENIM PANTS, $200; STEVEN ALAN REVERSIBLE BOMBER JACKET, $495. [OPPOSITE PAGE] ANEESHA: LF, RUMOUR BOUTIQUE LEATHER SCOOP SKIRT, $120; REPORT SIGNATURE TOBY BOOTIES, $155. STEVEN ALAN, HOPE PHILLY SWEATER, $373. JONATHAN: CONVERSE, CHUCK TAYLOR ALL STAR HI SNEAKERS, $55. H&M, BLACK BUTTON DOWN, $14.95. STEVEN ALAN, SKINNY TIE, $88. BARI: CRUSH, BB DAKOTA ELOY SKIRT, $108. LF , PARISIAN COLLECTION COCO CROPPED TANK, $68; NAANAA BLACK MIDI-DUSTER JACKET, $188. LOU LOU, PAN CUFF, $30.
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SAY THE MOST WITH THE LEAST JONATHAN: AMERICAN APPAREL, FINE JERSEY POCKET S/S T-SHIRT, $22. CONVERSE, CHUCK TAYLOR ALL STAR HI SNEAKERS, $55. H&M, DIVIDED BLACK FAUX LEATHER JACKET, $59.95. ANEESHA: LF, MATISSE MESSER LOAFER, $98. MARIMEKKO, TIMMA KNITTED PULLOVER, $278.
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“Everything should be made as simple as possible.”
–Albert Einstein
THE BUZZ | FALL 2014 | 45
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strategist, develop the next interactive platform, or
become storyteller across multiple platforms.
Position yourself as a professional in high demand in just one more year.
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Cinema and Media Production (MFA)
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GLITZ & GLAMOUR AT THE MFA Capturing Fashion in a Historical Context BY KATE RADIN AND SARAH WU PHOTOGRAPHY BY SARAH WU AND ASHLI MOLINA
THE BUZZ | FALL 2014 | 47
Clothes are not what typically come to mind when thinking about museum-worthy artwork. Paintings that mark various eras of expression or sculptures that depict historical and mythological figures are usually credited to be the masterpieces but Boston’s Museum of Fine Arts is trying to change that stigma. Nestled somewhere between the Egyptian mummies and priceless impressionist paintings by famous artists such as Monet, Degas and Van Gogh, the MFA seems to be making a conscious effort to bring a new twist to the mix by introducing a form of artwork that is often overlooked, particularly in Boston—fashion. Although Boston is not known for its fashion scene, in the past few years, the MFA has showcased displays that focus on fashion as a form of art, expressing a piece of history through its evolution over time. Exhibitions such as “Hippie Chic” and “Think Pink” have graced the museum floor. The MFA’s signature fashion exhibitions showcase various periods of clothing—not only showing the evolution of fashion, but also providing historical context to the pieces. The displays are popular, attracting a wide demographic. This has brought a unique take on the fashion world to Boston. The museum’s current venture teleports anyone who enters the gallery to Hollywood in the ’30s and ’40s. “Hollywood Glamour: Fashion and Jewelry from the Silver Screen” is the newest exhibition, taking museum patrons back to the era of Joan Crawford, Greta Garbo and Marlene Dietrich. Jazz, blues and swing music sounds from the speakers, chandeliers dangle from the ceiling and an old black and white film plays on a projector screen on the back wall. This is no ordinary display or gallery setting—it is an ambience, a piece of history preserved in a single space—a walk-in time capsule.
We are looking at the point when clothes reflect a bigger idea. 48
“We realized that no one has really done an exhibition that includes both the fashions worn on the screen, as well as the glittering gems,” said Emily Stoehrer, the Penny Vinik curator of Fashion Arts and one of the curators for the Hollywood Glamour exhibition. “This is the first time since [the 2006 introduction of ] the curator of jewelry position that a fashion curator and a jewelry curator have come together to work on a show.” A plaque on the wall in the exhibition reads, “These sumptuous dresses and dazzling jewels from Hollywood's golden age illustrate the idea that fashion can be an ideal vehicle for the imagination.” Faye*, an elderly woman who visited the exhibition at the suggestion of her sisterin-law, agreed with the sentiment that the fashion really had something to say about the culture and glamour of the era. “The jewels are a little much for [my] taste, but the center window is gorgeous,” said Faye about the display that features jewels by Trabert & Hoeffer-Mauboussin. The collaboration between jewelry firm Trabert & Hoeffer and Parisian house Mauboussin during the ’30s and ’40s not only ornamented celebrities and socialites, but also came out with affordable and customizable objects for customers during the Depression and World War II. The pieces in each fashion exhibition are equally rich in history and beautiful. For example, “Think Pink,” which ran from October 2013 to May 2014, focused on “the history and changing meanings of the color and [how] its popularity ebbed and flowed in fashion and visual culture from the eighteenth century to the present day,” according to the MFA. Described as “a pirouette of a show” by the Wall Street Journal, “Think Pink” was a huge success. Unlike the Hollywood Glamour exhibition, “Think Pink” featured pieces from varying time periods, such as 2005 Christian Louboutin Greissimo shoes, a sketch from 1978 and a woman’s hat from 1945 to 1955. The “Hippie Chic” exhibition that was held last year featured 54 era-specific outfits, dated from 1968 to 1976. While the ’60s and ’70s were a turbulent time in history, the fashion pieces proved to be fun and eclectic, influenced by the societal changes of the time. It was as much a time for feminist protests and gay rights as it was for
dip-dyeing, as fringe and protests both ran rampant. Drug experimentations and a sexual revolution were embodied by a cloud of brightly colored, quilted ensembles. Fashion during this era was about expression and liberation—and the retro garments showed it. Lauren Whitley, curator in the David and Roberta Logie Department of Textile and Fashion Arts, curated the exhibition and said she thinks that the fashion of the time was not just a byproduct of the movements, but a movement in itself. “Fashion was at the heart of many of these struggles,” Whitley said. The exhibition featured pieces that had secret pockets to conceal the newly released and highly disputed birth control pill, while less-structured styles were meant to rebel against the more conservative looks of the past. Retro patterns, ethnic inspired pieces, groovy cuts, Native American influence, lots of embellishment and highly individualized pieces spoke out against traditional, Parisian haute couture. “We are looking at the point when clothes reflect a bigger idea,” said Whitley, adding that the hippies were some of the first to truly innovate and rebel against the style norm.
This reverse trickle-down actually influenced designers of haute couture, instead of the other way around. Whether it’s about the glamorous elite of the ’30s and ’40s, thinking pink or the happy hippies of the ’60s, Whitley said, “the MFA is providing its patrons with solid evidence that fashion is far more than a pile of old clothes.”
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A Q&A WITH ONE OF THE MOST PROMINENT FACES IN FASHION BY KATE RADIN PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY OF NINA GARCIA’S PRESS OFFICE DESIGN BY RUBIN QUINTEROS FIGUEROA
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or fashion mavens, September is the busiest time of the year. Back-to-back fashion weeks fill calendars, while deciding what to wear to the numerous events takes up any free time available. In between the chaos (New York! Paris! Milan!), we caught up with Nina Garcia, Marie Claire’s creative director, “Project Runway” judge and BU alum, to talk fashion week, style and breaking into the biz. Kate Radin: Tell us about your time at BU. What did you study? Were you involved in anything in particular? Nina Garcia: I loved my time at BU. While I was there, I studied liberal arts and I was really focused on my schoolwork. I wasn’t sure exactly what I wanted to do at the time, so I tried to experience a bit of everything. KR: Boston isn’t particularly known for being a “fashion city.” How did you expand and explore your love of fashion while you were in Boston? NG: Magazines, movies and travel. Just experiencing culture in general is a great way to learn about and have fun with fashion—no matter where you are. KR: You left Colombia at a fairly young age to attend boarding school in Massachusetts. Did experiencing two very different cultures influence your sense of style or eye for fashion? NG: Yes, definitely. But I haven’t lost the influence of Colombia! I tell designers this all the time—no matter where [you’re] from, you don’t want to assimilate too much in one way. Being aware that your heritage is unique to your style really creates an opportunity to
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celebrate it rather than view it as a crutch. It is what makes you an individual and provides you with your own unique point of view. KR: Do you have any shows that particularly stood out to you during New York Fashion Week? Any upcoming trends that you look forward to experimenting with? NG: In New York, Michael Kors, Altuzarra and Rodarte were three of my favorites. Some of the trends that we have seen so far are summer suede, head-to-toe white, gingham, an Age of Aquarius trend, Tommy Hilfiger and Anna Sui and the return of the obi belt. KR: How about any up-and-coming designers and/or models that you think we should be looking out for? NG: Some new designers that I am watching are Off White by Virgil Abloh, Elle Sasson and Sandy Liang who just had a first presentation this past NYFW. Girls to watch are Nicola Peltz and Gigi Hadid. KR: We’ve been told a lot of work in the journalism industry comes from networking and being politely persuasive. What advice would you give to someone who is interested in pursuing a journalism career in the fashion industry? NG: While networking plays an important part in the fashion industry and the corporate world in general, really, the piece of advice I would give to someone pursuing a career in fashion and journalism is that you need to be confident enough to put your ideas out there, and you have to want it enough to put in the long hours.
KR: We’re all familiar with intern coffee runs. Now that you are at the other end of the spectrum, what do you look for in applicants? What is something that you really notice in someone that can help her (or him!) rise through the ranks? NG: Interns and assistants are really important to the day-to-day operations of a publication, and their responsibilities contribute to the overall success of the magazine. What really stands out for me is when someone is incredibly dedicated to their work and sees every task through—no matter how small. It is also really important to have a positive attitude and be aware of what is happening in the industry.
Now, I’ve expanded on [that] role to oversee the magazine as a whole.
KR: You’ve had all sorts of jobs at various magazines, from writing to editing, to being a fashion director and now a creative director. What is the difference between the various positions? Has one been more personally rewarding than the others? NG: Each position I’ve held has been rewarding in its own way and has collectively given me a well-rounded understanding of the fashion world. Writing is an amazing creative process, because it allows us to articulate the visual world and to communicate with one another about fashion. So in that regard, I’ve always liked to write. When I edit, which I still do even in the position I am in now, I am able to see tons of really cool products and choose what I think our readers will find most interesting and relevant. When I was a fashion director, I was really focused on all of the elements that went into the fashion section of an issue––from photographers to shoot locations, to styling.
KR: Three pieces in your closet that you would save in a fire? NG: Black Balenciaga pants, my favorite pair of Alaia shoes and at least one of my vintage Chanel jackets.
KR: Many people look at the fashion world as some elitist community. And then you see designers branching out and doing lines at Target and H&M. Do you think the “exclusivity” is dwindling? NG: Totally. Social media has brought fashion that used to only be available to attendees of shows to millions today. Not only is the visibility in fashion expanding, but designers are also becoming more accessible to those who may not have been able to afford them before with secondary lines and capsule collections for mass retailers.
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Hipster
GOES MAINSTREAM
Evolution of ‘Hipster’ BY ARA BUTLER AND DANNY MCCARTHY PHOTOGRAPHY BY TIFFANY TOPOR ILLUSTRATION BY JORDAN FORD AND KATE RADIN
In the beginning, spotting a hipster was like a rare unicorn sighting. Unless you had an affinity for unknown record stores or specialized in microbrews, chances were the mystical hipster eluded all of your typical activities and pleasures. Hipsters read books written by people whose names you couldn’t pronounce, had secret coffeehouses to perform their hipster rituals and knew of bands that were so new they basically didn’t even exist yet. Recently the mystery has faded, as the once above-quo personality type of the connoisseur-of-all-things-unique hipster morphed into a subculture. Hipsters became mainstream. Doc Martens have become the new Mary Janes, Urban Outfitters was crowned the town hall of fashion and skinny jeans have gone from ironic to iconic. The word “hipster” began in the late 1990s and gained prominence within the last five years. Its initial use in the shady streets of Williamsburg and San Francisco quickly spread outward in a flannel-like plague. The “hipster” culture’s next victim? Hollywood. Once celebrities embraced the hipster movement, it exploded. Trends that were once key hipster indicators, such as platform shoes, tattoo sleeves, handlebar mustaches and skintight jeans, found themselves on everyone from punks to preps. The alternative thick-rimmed
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glasses, glossy lavender hair, pale Tumblr beauties and smudged mascara quickly became mainstream. How can it be that the once-independent hipsters have strayed so far from their original meaning? The answer is simply social media. With sites such as Twitter, Tumblr and Instagram, tracking trends has been as easy as a quick tap on the keyboard. “People want the brand, [which includes] stores like Urban Outfitters, American Apparel and Free People,” said Michaela CushingDaniels (CAS ’18), a husky-voiced student with a Taylor Swift-esque blonde bob and a bold red lip. “Free People is huge,” said Melissa Smiley (SAR ’18), wearing black leather and eyeliner. When asked what Free People is, they describe it as similar to Urban Outfitters but pricier. “Ninety bucks for a tank top,” Daniels said. But the hipster love for thrift and recycled clothes makes it easy to avoid these pricey fashion brands. Part of the hipster appeal is its idea of affordable high fashion. It’s the everythingyou’ve-already-seen-but-new feel—the resuscitation of fashion’s past. Hipster style revolves around wearability, a sense of expression and a trial-and-error
approach to style. Boston culture in particular allows for experimentation. “It’s not like New York, where—although there’s a definite hipster culture—there is this intense pressure to be so high fashion,” Cushing-Daniels said. “There aren’t those social norms of how you have to look. You can make mistakes and experiment.” Dellaria salon stylists said they notice increasing experimentation with hair. “People are looking for something that can grow out easily,” said Dellaria stylist Stephanie Geib. “No one has the money to go to the salon every week.” Popular styles for the ladies include ombré and temporary dyes. For the guys, it’s buzzed sides and long tops, ready to be tousled or flipped to the side. “You want to create texture. Boys are using matte molding clays,” Geib said. “They can achieve an authenticity that belies all the work they’ve put into it.” Mainstream hipster fashion is a calculated messiness. It’s grungy, but not dirty. Casual, but not sloppy. Mike*, the general manager at Urban Outfitters, matched the hipster image to a tee with his beard, tight jeans, combat boots, grey beanie and tattooed sleeves. “In the beginning [hipster sub-culture] might have been going against [mainstream culture],
M
but now it’s its own thing,” Mike said. Mike said that hipster used to be exclusive to the Italian-movie watching, indie-music loving minority, but now transcends mainstream society. What began by sifting through our parents’ closets and dyeing our hair in our bathroom sinks transformed into a marketable trend anyone can achieve. “I don’t really know [what hipster means] anymore,” Mike said. “It used to be tight jeans and a flannel, but now everyone wears tight skinny jeans and a flannel.” The more mainstream hipsterdom becomes, the faster it loses the individuality that stood as its backbone for so long. “We’re seeing a transitional phase,” said Tom Djergian (CAS ’18). “I think it’s going to pass, but that it will also just change and hipster will become a new thing until it’s swallowed again.” But maybe we are using one word for two different movements. Past hipsters focused on the recycling of culture, but also the uniqueness of appropriating that culture. If the movement has lost some of its exclusivity, is it still hipster? Legitimate hipsters would say, “Hell no,” and maybe that’s okay. Words lose power and shift meaning—the “hipster” of 1960 is
not the “hipster” of 2010 and not the “hipster” of 2014. Our understanding of the word is changing and the movement itself is different. So by that logic everything is hipster, and nothing is. At least the mystification of hipster remains. *Mike requested to keep his last name anonymous.
I don’t really know [what hipster means] anymore. THE BUZZ | FALL 2014 | 53
STREET
STYLE PHOTOGRAPHY BY HAILEY SUSSER DESIGN BY KARINA CROSS
VERONICA CADAVID
NADAV HAZAN
HAYLEY KRUGMAN
JEANS: AMERICAN EAGLE SHIRT: SOPRANO SHOES: GAP
JEANS: AMERICAN EAGLE SHIRT: J. CREW
JEANS: CARMAR CARDIGAN: RUMOR SHOES: VINCE
WHY WE LOVE THIS LOOK:
WHY WE LOVE THIS LOOK:
WHY WE LOVE THIS LOOK:
// SMG ‘16 INSTAGRAM: @WHATTHAV
THE RIPPED JEANS
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// SMG ‘17 INSTAGRAM: @NADAVSWAG
THE BLUE ON BLUE
// SED ‘17 INSTAGRAM: @HKRUGMAN
THE FLORAL CARDIGAN
TRAVEL
eTRANGER THE BUZZ | FALL 2014 | 55
Impressions in a BY ELLA CLAUSEN PHOTOGRAPHY BY ELLA CLAUSEN DESIGN BY EDEN WEINBERG One day a week in Morocco, the streets of Rabat transform into an almost different city. As a non-religious American studying abroad in Rabat, Morocco, it is a strange and captivating experience to observe how people revolve around religion here. On Friday, the Islamic holy day, street markets that are bustling with excitement, movement and people at 10 a.m. are ghostly empty and quiet by 2 p.m. during afternoon prayer. Men and women far and wide switch from their Western wear to traditional Moroccan Jilabas and caftans. Mosques full of men all over the city overflow and leave people to pull out their prayer rugs and kneel in the street toward Mecca. Even the least-dedicated Muslim prays at the mosque on Friday. In Islamic countries, the Call to Prayer, or adhan, sounds loudly throughout the streets five times a day. Every mosque in the city belts their own version of the same call and together they meld into an odd symphony that can be heard from every crevice of the city, luring faithful Muslims to pray. It is a powerful and beautiful song. It is amazing to watch the obedience with which people emerge from their homes and flock to the mosques. The first call begins before sunrise and plays for almost 20 minutes on Friday mornings, loud enough to wake me from my slumber most weeks, although it plays for a shorter time every other day. It’s a not-so-gentle, “Hey, get your butt out of bed and get to prayer. Now”—but in Arabic and much more spiritual. Best of all is that without fail Friday is the day that families gather for lunch, leaving work or school for a couple of hours to be together over a heaping platter of couscous. Carefully prepared with vegetables and meat, Friday meals are the entire morning’s labor of the family matriarch. Couscous on Friday is a tradition that goes back generations beyond memory of when it began.
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In the U.S., it is easier to initially assume a person is nonreligious and then be corrected. It is quite the opposite in a non-secular country. Until told otherwise, all are Muslims. Even the King of Morocco, Mohammed VI, the most powerful political figure in the country, is also the highest religious authority in the land. Studying abroad in a Muslim country has its rewards and restrictions. The consumption of alcohol is haram (forbidden) in Islam, which is not exactly the favorite aspect of the 10 BU students on the program. Yet funnily enough, there are still bars and clubs that theoretically may be in business for foreigners but are full of young Moroccans. Islamic beliefs also require women to dress conservatively. The Quran does not specify how much a woman should be covered or how this should be done at all. It allows people to interpret this aspect for themselves through cultural and tribal traditions. More than half of the women in Morocco cover their hair with the hijab. The niqab, another option, is a veil that also covers your face, but not eyes, and has fallen out of favor, worn only by older women. Wearing of the hijab, or any form of garb that covers the head, is not, as popularly assumed, a religious choice but a cultural one. The hijab in Morocco is a way to show that you are educated and that you are a conservative woman to be respected, among other things—it is a form of expression and empowerment that is not in itself religious. Covering the hair with the hijab began with political movements following the Iranian Revolution in the 1980s. It was then that this trend took Middle Eastern and North African women by storm. But the hijab is a tradition from which young Moroccans in a new generation are moving away. Of those women no longer wearing the hijab in Morocco, all are either young, progressive or educated.
The definition between public versus private life here is acute. Islam is tied to this country by law and by definition. Moroccans are theoretically Muslims first and all other things second. Islam is a religion into which you are born and within which it is not socially acceptable to outwardly convert. But in Moroccan private lives, there may be acceptance in being agnostic, gay and progressive in other forms. While some urban and progressive young Moroccans may view themselves as agnostics or atheists, it is not acceptable to outwardly be anything but a Muslim. People often view non-secular Muslim countries like Morocco as being suppressive of women, grounded in the ways of tradition and not strongly forward-thinking. However, I have found this to be refreshingly inaccurate. Admittedly, my life as a foreigner conforms to a different set of rules than that of a native Moroccan. It is understood that I am not Muslim, and my actions may not be as shouma (shameful) as a native’s might be. But I have found that there is a great deal of respect for women, especially in the home. They are catered to and their opinions respected. Women are invited into jobs of all aspects in the public and private sectors. There is no pressure to cover your hair in public as a woman or foreigner, whatsoever. Moroccans are democratically minded, progressive people that, with a young population, are becoming ready to move from stifling traditions. It is refreshing to live in Morocco and see how things are becoming more progressive everyday. Islam is slowly being interpreted into the twenty-first century. Hamdullilah (thank God) how stereotypes, fears and warnings that I carried as a wayfarer into this country need not be heeded.
Muslim Country
THE BUZZ | FALL 2014 | 57
LIVING IN THE RAINFOREST
OFF THE GRID 58
BY SEAN HACKER TEPPER PHOTOGRAPHY BY SEAN HACKER TEPPER DESIGN BY EDEN WEINBERG ONE HOUR BY BUS. ONE HALF HOUR BY PLANE. ONE AND A HALF HOURS BY BOAT. TWO HOURS BY BUS. ONE AND A HALF HOURS BY BOAT. THAT’S HOW LONG IT TOOK US TO GET FROM QUITO TO THE HIDDEN TIPUTINI BIODIVERSITY STATION IN THE MIDDLE OF NOWHERE, EASTERN ECUADOR. TBS is situated along the Tiputini River in a unique portion of the Amazon rainforest that has been, relatively, less corrupted by human impact. It lies in between the territories of two tribes—the Waorani and the Kichwa. The tribes, especially the Waorani, have acted as a kind of human barrier for the region in the past, ambushing oil workers in the area to keep out industrial operations. My month at TBS was magical and has changed my outlook on life and the world around me. Fresh off a trip to the Galapagos Islands, 15 students and I began our journey into the rainforest. We were ready to explore the depths of the jungle. I was ready to go off the grid. Minutes into our voyage along the Tiputini River, somebody spotted a caiman with butterflies flying around its nose. Soon after, we experienced our first-ever torrential Amazonian downpour. It was the beginning of a true adventure. We were not living completely in the wild. TBS has a cafeteria, small screened-in cabins for sleeping, and a lab for all of our academic needs, including very limited Internet connection. During my first three days at TBS, it did not feel as though I was living in a remote environment. Our early days were filled with guided tours of the many trails of the station,
our nights hopelessly competing to connect to the Internet. For obvious reasons, we were confined to trails and set schedules. For a brief moment, I began to question what I was doing in the Amazon. It felt more like living in a zoo than in the rainforest. At TBS, the trails are well marked—but only when you’re on them. Step just off the trail and there’s a chance you will have trouble finding it again. I stepped off the trail, and I took it all in—the height, the color, the depth and the sounds. The immense ceiba trees towering over forty meters above me; the green that seemed never to end; the spots of brown and red from fallen, decomposing leaves and the harmonies of primates and birds calling and singing together. “At Tiputini, I can’t go for more than a few minutes without seeing something I’ve never seen before,” Dr. Kelly Swing, our professor from North Carolina who has been in contact with rainforests since the 1970s, said. “The diversity appears to be never ending, always reminding me that we humans know nearly nothing about nature.” Of course, our month in the jungle was not just about discovering ourselves. We were still in school and had projects to do. I chose to do projects that would best immerse me in the forest, rather than leave me with work to do indoors in the lab. I counted birds flying across the rainforest canopy at sunrise and sunset every day. I watched the jungle work on its most basic scale. Each project led me to a deeper appreciation of the brilliance of the non-human world. “[The environment] reminds you that you are part of something very large and the interconnectedness of everything around you
makes you feel more grounded and at home in yourself,” Victoria Dearborn (CAS ’15) said. As my time in the rainforest passed, I began to rely on it increasingly. I used it as an outlet to relieve any stress I may have felt, whether from schoolwork or from the “Big Brother”-like living conditions. I didn’t need Facebook or Twitter. I had indeed stepped off the trail and off the grid. I was living with nature. And I was enjoying it. My month away from technology was not without its problems. There are some realities of life today that cannot be ignored. I missed a job opportunity because I did not check my email frequently enough. But the truth is I did not want to check my email, nor did I really want to talk to my friends and family back home. They reminded me of a different and more complicated life. It is true that I had the benefit of the TBS and the shelter, food and protection it offered me. But the rainforest changed my perception of society. Its dynamism and sheer immensity gave me a new appreciation for life. At the most fundamental level of life, every organism, from the incredibly defensive armored millipede to the mighty harpy eagle, is just trying to survive. The jaguar may be pretty, but it does not care what the latest fashion blogs say. It just wants its next meal. For Dearborn, life in the city seems almost absurd after living in the rainforest. “One of the most startling things about going back after being in the rainforest for so long was seeing people dressed in expensive and trendy clothing to impress each other,” Dearborn said. “We were so distant from that having worn the same two or three sets of clothes for a month. It seemed—and still seems—gratuitous.” Even in the city, we need to get outside, to be part of nature. The jungle taught me to see the bigger picture. “Despite the fact that our very lives depend on a healthy environment,” Swing said, “a few of us have taken the time to understand what is out there beyond our tiny artificial worlds packed with technological conveniences.”
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COCKTAILS around the world BY CARLY HOFF PHOTOGRAPHY BY BARRON ROTH DESIGN BY MARTINELLI VALCIN
Sangria
Pimm’s Cup
Caipirinha
Negroni
Ingredients 1 bottle dry red wine ½ cup fresh orange juice ½ unpeeled lemon, sliced ½ unpeeled large orange, sliced ½ cup sugar ½ cup water ½ cup brandy ½ cup Cointreau
Ingredients ½-inch thick English cucumber slice 2 ounces Pimm’s No. 1 ½-inch thick lemon slice 4 ounces 7-Up, lemon-lime soda or ginger ale 1 lemon twist
Ingredients 1 lime 2 ounces Cachaça 1 tablespoon sugar Crushed Ice
Ingredients 1½ ounces dry gin ¾ ounces Campari ¾ ounces Italian vermouth 1 slice of orange
Instructions Combine wine, juice and fruit. In a saucepan, add sugar, water, brandy and Cointreau and bring to a simmer. Stir until sugar is dissolved, then add to the wine combination. Chill the sangria for at least one hour and at most 24. Serve over ice.
Instructions Gently mix the cucumber and lemon slices in a chilled highball glass. Pour in the Pimm’s and 7-Up, lemon-lime soda or ginger ale, and stir to combine. Add ice to fill the glass and garnish with the lemon twist.
Instructions Cut lime into wedges and muddle together in a rocks glass, adding the sugar. Pour in the Cachaça and put crushed ice on top. Stir, and this Brazilian specialty is ready to drink! Be sure to stir drink continuously to ensure that the sugar remains mixed while you drink.
Instructions Shake gin, vermouth and Campari over ice then strain into a chilled glass. Add orange for garnish.
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Pimm’s No. 1 is the key ingredient in this British staple. This liquor, which was in England in 1840, is still technically a secret known only to six people. While mixologists have their theories, no one can confirm for sure what makes up this beverage. Mystery, combined with a delicious citrus taste, makes this a staple for British drinkers.
Brazil’s national drink, which actually translates to “country bumpkin,” first came from São Paulo in 1918 and has grown to be a Brazilian Carnival specialty. The origins of the Caipirinha stem from an elixir used to cure the Spanish flu, with the liquor Cachaça, a Brazilian rum made from sugarcane, added to create the cocktail’s distinctive flavor. There are several different variations of this Brazilian favorite, all of which include exciting fruit combinations. But as is true with most things, nothing beats an original.
While the exact origins of Negroni are unknown, it is commonly believed that the popular cocktail was invented in Florence, Italy in the early 1900s. Rumor has it that Count Camillo Negroni was responsible for the drinks creation by asking a bartender to create a stronger version of the already popular Americano. After the success of the drink, the Negroni family opened a distillery in Treviso, Italy, which produced pre-made versions of the popular drink.
Inside the Student-Run Production Company
BY VANESSA RODRIGUEZ PHOTOGRAPHY BY KEVIN WELDON ILLUSTRATION BY JORDAN FORD DESIGN BY SOPHIA RICHARDSON
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ARTS
The Hardest Class You’ll Ever Love
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hen it comes to experiencing the professional world, one class here at BU stands out— Hothouse Productions. The intensive semester-long COM class does not simply create an experience similar to working for a production company—it actually is one. Hothouse acts as a fully functional, successful student-run production company. “Potential employers are always impressed with the fact that before even graduating, I had experience with producing content for a client, and this was not a small project,” said Courtney Schmidt, producer of the “Ignorance Is This…” project. The project was created to promote awareness about issues in family courts in America surrounding domestic and child abuse. “I was blown away by the final products,” said Dr. Joyanna Silberg, one of the “Ignorance Is This…” clients. “I thought they were beautifully and carefully done and very impactful. I was proud to be part of this project and will use these public service
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announcements in my work.” Before the start of each semester the class’s professor, Garland Waller— award-winning producer, writer and director– chooses the clients. For a fee of $500 the clients get production, shoots, editing and graphics. “Most of the time there is a waiting list of interested clients to choose from and they almost always find us,” said Waller. Most of the work that Hothouse does is for non-profit organizations. Through their projects, the students have helped shed light on serious issues around the world. Their most widely recognized work is the “Now You Know” video for The NO Project last year. “The quality of their work was outstanding,” said Juliette Sander*, the founder of The NO Project. “I was requesting something that was extremely challenging. It had to be a visual narrative that embraced three dimensions of modern slavery. And to address that in just one and a half minutes is really hard.”
The NO Project is a global campaign that brings awareness to the terrifying reality of human trafficking around the world. Their client for this project was based in Athens, Greece, and conferences around the world have used the video. “Students love the non-profit element,” Waller said. “It gives them a way to give back. It makes them feel like they are really helping—and they are.” “I’ve been out of school now for about a year and a half, and I have yet to work on anything that has meant so much to me,” said Isabelle Jones, the producer of “Now You Know.” Each team of about three students creates a video for a client during the semester. In the past, teams have created public service announcements and advertisements for organizations such as The Geena Davis Institute on Gender in Media and Boston Children’s Hospital. Because the class operates as a professional company, the students are
IT’S A LOT OF WORK, BUT AT THE END OF IT YOU KNOW FOR SURE WHETHER THIS IS WHAT YOU WANT TO DO WITH THE REST OF YOUR LIFE OR NOT.
required to hit the ground running. In their first class, Waller explains who their client is and how they should approach the project. By the second class, the students are already meeting with their clients and scouting locations for their shoots. Because the class is so rigorous, students are not allowed to register as they would for a normal class. Each student who would like to be considered for the Hothouse team must have a minimum 3.2 GPA, have completed a production class and explain why they would be a valuable asset to the team. The number of accepted students usually ranges between six and 15. This semester’s class has six. While as a class they only meet once a week, the students put in countless hours
of work outside the classroom. From early morning shoots to late-night editing, being a Hothouse student is practically a full-time job. “Honestly one of the hardest parts of Hothouse was the crazy hours. There were times when we were shooting at like 3 a.m. or 6 a.m.,” said Cody Brotter (COM ’13). When Brotter was a Hothouse student, he was responsible for writing the script for “Now You Know.” This was challenging, he said, as the video had no dialogue. “Film is such a visual medium. Any story should be able to be told visually,” Brotter said. “I got to think about what visual cues could translate through multiple countries.”
Not only do students leave the class with a professional video to show to potential employers, but they also gain contacts in the industry, production experience and life-long friendships. “I worked with the client [The NO Project] for even a year or so after I graduated,” Brotter said. “Also, almost every student from my Hothouse team is now living in L.A. so we still hang out together and make things together all the time.” At the end of the semester, each team also creates a production book, which includes everything from credits, correspondence with clients, public relations information, casting information, releases, the script and more. “It’s a lot of work, but at the end of it you know for sure whether this is what you want to do with the rest of your life or not,” said Waller. Elizabeth Newell (COM ’11) perfectly summed up the experience, “It’s the hardest class you’ll ever love.” *Name change to protect identity
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CONTEMPORARY CONFUS ION
Exploring Contemporary Art and Its Expanding Community in Boston BY ADRIEN GATES PHOTOGRAPHY BY JACKY ZENG DESIGN BY SOPHIA RICHARDSON
I
f you were to walk through NYC, you would pass hundreds of contemporary galleries, dozens of outdoor sculptures and a handful of modern museums. Walking the Freedom Trail in downtown Boston, you get to see hundreds of years worth of history and public statues of historical figures. It is peaceful and educational, but it is really all the public art you see in Boston. It is all historical— nothing contemporary. But while Boston is undoubtedly steeped in history and tradition, it is still open to art. The Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum and the Museum of Fine Arts are just two examples of the many art centers that are loved by locals and tourists alike. The MFA’s collection does tend to lean toward Boston’s colonial past, housing an unparalleled Art of the Americas collection that features Boston greats like John Singleton Copley. The number of museums with conservative tastes overshadows the handful of contemporary galleries and museums in the Boston area.
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Over the past few years contemporary art has taken root in Boston. The seaport-based Institute of Contemporary Art, for example, consistently hosts exhibitions that receive international attention. South Boston is home to many art galleries and the popular food and arts festival SoWa. The MFA has also made a tremendous effort in presenting contemporary art through the construction of the Linde Family Wing for Contemporary Art in 2011. Just a short walk from our campus on Newbury Street is the acclaimed Barbara Krakow Gallery that has hosted the likes of esteemed artists Robert Rauschenberg and Josef Albers. The presence of the nearly 100 colleges and universities, many of which boast prestigious art programs, fuels the art scene in Boston with galleries and spaces for artistic innovation. BU has the 808 Gallery located on Comm. Ave. and the Sherman Gallery in the GSU, among others.
The BU Art History Association organizes art talks and events beyond the static atmosphere of a gallery or museum, including art documentary movie nights and art talks with professors. The McMullen Museum of Art at Boston College and the Tufts University Art Gallery located at the Aidekman Art Center are devoted to showcasing contemporary art and fostering critical discussion, as well. Gregory Williams, a BU associate professor of contemporary art, said we should look beyond the epicenter of Boston and the immediate five or 10-mile radius surrounding it. “Students and art-lovers alike need to consider the contemporary art scene as not just the few galleries on Newbury Street or the South Boston area,” Williams said. “There is a range of spaces in the Greater Boston area that you need to take time to see. Once you add them all together, you see that there really is so much.” One issue surrounding the modest presence of contemporary art is that it has gained a reputation for being difficult to understand, which turns people who are unfamiliar with it away. “Whenever I think of contemporary art, I think of arguing with people over what is and what isn’t art,” said Tyler Craig (SMG ’15). “Because of my limited knowledge, I want to know the difference between contemporary art and random people doing random things.” Kelly McCabe (CFA ’15)said art may seem pretentious but is valuable. “Art is life,” McCabe said, “and I think the more people realize its value, the better it will be received.” This seems to be the fundamental problem that a majority of people have with contemporary art—it is open to interpretation. As a result, the importance of audience development and programming is essential to fostering a contemporary art community in Boston.
McCabe and other CFA students are in the preliminary stages of creating an “art-zine” so that people less familiar with fine art can get in touch with new ideas surrounding the local and global art world. CFA also hosts senior shows that exhibit work in a fun atmosphere that encourages conversation. The ICA offers pop-up gallery talks to provide a deeper context and facilitate dialogue. There are also opportunities for meaningful art-making related to the current special exhibition on view, as well as talks led by a curator or artist-on-view. Kathleen Lomatoski, manager of the ICA’s Family Programming, said that breaking down this wall of confusion is key to expanding contemporary art’s reach. Institutions like the ICA are constantly working toward a greater future in the contemporary art world. “We want to invite visitors to connect to art on view while acknowledging that their own experience and ideas are relevant to the understanding of a particular artist,” Lomatoski said. “We have worked to use language that is more widely accessible rather than relying exclusively upon the language of art historians or contemporary art historians. Overall, we are creating accessibility.” Zuna Maza Morganti (CFA ’15) said contemporary art is not confined to a museum. “An introduction to art does not always need to happen in a formal setting like museums when you have art schools in the area and artists unafraid to exhibit their art,” Morganti said. “And we can’t forget street art, of course. In my experience so far Boston’s contemporary art scene just feels inviting, much like the city.” Williams has an optimistic view on the contemporary art scene in Boston. “Energy has been building in the last couple of years. There is momentum,” he said. “There’s more going on here than people on the outside give Boston credit for.”
“ART IS LIFE AND I THINK THE MORE PEOPLE REALIZE ITS VALUE, THE BETTER IT WILL BE RECEIVED.”
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REDUCE, REUSE, RECYCLE TIME TO KICK HOLLYWOOD’S ADDICTION TO REMAKES BY RIVAH CLEMONS DESIGN AND ILLUSTRATION BY RUBIN QUINTEROS FIGUEROA
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ill Smith and Jay Z’s reimagining of Annie, based on the Broadway musical of the same name, is set to release on Dec. 19, among the many remakes released during 2014. Economic strategy explains the trend of remakes. Production companies hedge their bets when financing films by building on stories that have already proven to be popular. The successes of remakes such as The Parent Trap, King Kong and Godzilla supports this phenomenon. But remakes are not infallible. Recent 2014 releases Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and Endless Love bombed at the box office, despite large marketing campaigns. Creating a new interpretation of an existing film is not enough to guarantee profits. Hayley Puzo (COM ’16) said she blames capitalism for the rise in remakes. “Production companies are all about profit, and in their eyes, it’s a safer bet to recreate a film that did well previously than to risk money on an original film,” said Puzo. Despite monetary incentives, the growing “remake genre” possesses questionable artistic integrity. Whether filmmakers choose to reproduce an older film exactly or create their own interpretation of the story, the
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fact that another movie with the same plotline and characters exists diminishes its creative value. Deborah Jaramillo, a BU assistant professor of film and TV, said people could react to movie remakes just as strongly as they do for song covers. “Some covers should never be made— they sound too much like the original,” she said. “They aren’t adding anything new to the artistic value of the original song. Others transform the original with the new artist’s unique point of view. The same thing can happen with film, but it doesn’t happen often.” The nuances and themes of the original films are often lost in translation when remade for modern audiences. The 2007 film Disturbia, based on Alfred Hitchcock’s classic thriller Rear Window, attempted to revamp the single location suspense dynamic. But it ultimately became a gore-fest that incorporated little of the artistry that the original had. There are exceptions that justify revisiting movies. Adapting a foreign film for the domestic population is often necessary for audiences to understand and relate to the story.
“With so many creative minds, Hollywood could easily buck the trend of resurrecting pre-sold properties and begin to foster an environment that trusts in the potential of original, daring content.” It also prevents the need for subtitles and allows filmmakers to make tweaks in the film for the specific cultural group to which they market. In other cases, screenwriters and directors exhibit enough originality to make the remake worthwhile, such as the Coen brothers’ adaptation of the Charles Portis western True Grit. In their 2010 film, Joel and Ethan Coen successfully incorporated the elements of self-awareness and humor that both the novel and the 1969 film lacked. The modern take surpassed the original in critical acclaim and box-office profits. “It’s hard to go into a remake without already having preconceived notions about how the film will measure up to the original,” Charlotte Pawley (COM ’16). “There’s too much talent in Hollywood to merit the amount of recycled material that’s coming out of the industry.” But as media consumers, we should ask ourselves, “Do we really need a new Annie film?” Is the world a lesser place because we have not seen Jamie Foxx parade around New York City as Daddy Warbucks? The musical has already been adapted for screens twice in
the span of 30 years—neither of which was received well by critics. Why, then, is Hollywood becoming increasingly insistent on bringing old stories back for modern makeovers? With so many creatve minds, Hollywood could easily buck the trend of resurrecting pre-sold properties and begin to foster an environment that trusts in the potential of original, daring content.
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MAXIMO DAVIS
PHOTOGRAPHY PROVIDED BY MAXIMO DAVIS
THE WORLD OF A BODY ARTIST BY CALLIE AHLGRIM PHOTOGRAPY BY STEPHEN VOCATURO
BU STUDENT ARTIST MAXIMO DAVIS (SMG ‘16) LOVES TO EXPRESS HIMSELF THROUGH MANY MEDIUMS. FROM DOODLING IN HIS NOTES TO LIVE PERFORMANCES HE CREATES AND COLLABORATES. DAVIS FINDS HIS INSPIRATION WHEN STROLLING AROUND THE CITY, AND THROUGH DANCE AND MUSIC, PARTICULARY OLD FUNK. HERE’S WHAT HE HAD TO SAY ABOUT HIS ART.
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“CREATING AND DEVELOPING AESTHETIC IS NOT SOMETHING YOU NECESSARILY NEED GUIDANCE FOR. IF YOU CAN FIGURE IT OUT ON YOUR OWN, THEN YOU’RE GOLDEN.”
“I WOULD SAY THAT BODY PAINTING IS UNIQUE IN THAT IT ALLOWS ME TO VISUALLY CONVEY SENSATIONS AND FEELINGS IN THREE DIMENSIONS.” “SINCE STARTING THE BODY PAINTINGS, WHICH I ESSENTIALLY VIEW AS AN ACTIVE SERIES, THE STYLE THAT I’VE DEVELOPED KEEPS MOVING CLOSER AND CLOSER TO WHAT I LIKE TO DRAW IN MY SKETCHBOOK, BUT ALSO IN THE MARGINS OF MY FINANCE NOTES. I JUST NEED TO KEEP WORKING AND EXPLORING WHERE IT CAN TAKE ME.”
SPORTS BOTTOMS UP THIS PAGE// JESSE RICHARDSON-BULL (CFA ‘17) PRACTICES UPSIDE-DOWN ON THE SILKS.
AERIAL ARTS AT BU The BU Dance Program has a new and innovative way of combining core strength, arm muscle and artistry through aerial dance. Take a look at some of the students in a class open to all FitRec members. PHOTOGRAPHY AND ART DIRECTION BY STEPHEN VOCATURO AND BRENTON BOCKUS DESIGN BY EDEN WEINBERG
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BALANCING ACT THIS PAGE// DIANA WOJDYLAK (SAR ’17) IMPROVES HER FLEXIBILITY UNDER THE GUIDANCE OF TEACHER MARIN ORLOSKY-RANDOW.
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BETTER TOGETHER THIS PAGE// ADAM BARRAMEDA (CFA ’17) AND ALLISON MCDONOUGH (COM ’11) TRY OUT PARTNERING SKILLS.
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NEW HEIGHTS THIS PAGE// JULIANNA STAVROS (SAR ’14) SOARS ELEGANTLY THROUGH THE AIR.
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HANGING ON THIS PAGE// DIANA WOJDYLAK (SAR ’17) ADDS SOME ARTISTRY TO HER MOVES ON THE SILKS.
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DEFYING GRAVITY THIS PAGE FROM TOP// ADAM BARRAMEDA (CFA ’17) FLIES HIGH IN A STRONG POSE. // TEACHER MARIN ORLOSKY-RANDOW DEMONSTRATES A NEW SKILL TO THE CLASS. [OPPOSITE PAGE] DIANA WOJDYLAK (SAR ’17) PRACTICES HER AERIAL BACK BEND.
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Check out the Award-Winning
COM YOUTUBE CHANNEL Includes: COMlife COM in a Day #myCOM100
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Nominated/Won: Telly Award Shorty Award College/University Award for Excellence PR News Social Media Icon Award W3 Award College Emmy Davey Award
THE BALL BY ZACH HALPERIN PHOTOGRAPHY BY BARRON ROTH DESIGN BY KARINA CROSS
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WHERE IS THE HONOR IN PRO SPORTS?
DROPPING
P
rofessional sports leagues have faced a major problem in 2014—a problem with professionalism. Player misconduct off the field has dominated headlines in the NFL while racism among owners has stirred controversy in the NBA. With the pervasiveness of video and social media, the public has greater access to athletes’ actions now than ever before. And public outrage has never been more influential. In the NBA, Los Angeles Clippers owner Donald Sterling was recorded telling his mistress V. Stiviano that he did not want her bringing African Americans to his games. On Feb. 15, 2014, Ray Rice, the face of the Baltimore Ravens franchise and spokesman for their main sponsor, M&T Bank, punched his then-fiancée Janay Palmer in a casino elevator. The NFL only suspended Rice for two games, but when video from inside the elevator became public on Sept. 8, 2014, Commissioner Roger Goodell suspended Rice indefinitely. Later that month, Minnesota Vikings star running back Adrian Peterson was arrested on charges of child abuse. Many NFL players have also encountered trouble with the law this past year, especially for domestic violence. But the NFL has had a domestic violence problem for years and a history of turning a blind eye to domestic violence, according to ESPN’s Grantland, a popular sports and pop culture website. Goodell took over as commissioner in 2006. In 2005, nine NFL players were arrested on charges of domestic violence, but a single-game penalty was the only reason for suspension. It seems that the NFL only levies harsh punishments against their players because of public pressures. “The NFL is a brand and a company, and they want to be able to keep and play their best players regardless of players’ personal lives,” said Emily Goldman (COM ’16). “Seeing as how a lot of players are just benched and not thrown off of the team, whether tried or not by the law, shows that at the end of the day, it comes down to money [for the NFL].”
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Christopher Cakebread, a BU advertising professor, said player misconduct is important from a sponsorship standpoint. “It all comes down to television ratings,” Cakebread said. “If ratings are sustained, sponsors will ride out the negativity and stay with the NFL, as it is the most valuable live television programming available.” Public outrage in response to player misconduct has been a lot louder in 2014 than it was in 2005. The reason for this starts with the Sterling tape and the Rice video. Rather than just hearing a report about an NBA owner making racist comments, we actually heard the bigoted comments. Instead of reading a report about Rice’s domestic violence, we watched the tape. We not only heard Peterson admit to “whooping” his child, but we also saw a photo of the child’s cut-up leg. Ethical or not, recordings, videos and photos have a heavier impact on public opinion than a written story about an arrest would. When TMZ released the video from inside the elevator, public reaction reached a whole new level. The public was outraged when Goodell only suspended Rice for two games. The NFL and the Baltimore Ravens claimed that they had not seen the footage until the same day the public did, but with the NFL’s vast legal resources, this seemed hard to fathom.
Michael Harper, a BU School of Law professor and with expertise in sports law, said he agreed with the public consensus that the Rice incident was handled poorly. “It’s pretty clear that if NFL personnel, including the commissioner, did not view the tape, they should have,” Harper said. “And they had enough information that they should have viewed it. It looks like they didn’t want to view it.” The NFL’s handling of the various scandals has outraged many BU students, as well. “[Goodell] should be fired. He’s encouraging domestic violence,” said Annie Holcombe (SHA ’17). Andrew Battifarano (COM ’16) also said Goodell did a “terrible job.” “Rice should have been suspended indefinitely regardless. Two games were not enough,” Battifarano said. Other students felt differently. Although acknowledging domestic violence is a serious and all-too-real problem in our society, some believe that it is not the league’s place to discipline players. “Unless he was indicted on the charges, he should be allowed to play,” said Andrew Masotti (SMG ’17). “I am in no way condoning his actions but his personal life should be kept private. If he is going to be disciplined it should be through the legal system.”
The NFL is a brand and a company, and they want to be able to keep and play their best players regardless of players’ personal lives.
Harper also shed light on Goodell’s role in handling player conduct. “Can the penalty be imposed without any kind of legal offense? The answer is yes,” Harper said. “It can be for conduct detrimental to the integrity of or public confidence in the game of football.” Some students worry that player misconduct will negatively impact today’s youth. “The main viewers of football are guys,” Holcombe said. “So if [NFL players] are not being punished for domestic violence, the guys who watch may think they can get away with the same thing. They are going to think it’s a normal way to act, especially younger fans.” Others acknowledge that regardless of how professional sports leagues handle player conduct, issues such as domestic violence will still be a major problem. “With or without sports leagues’ interference, domestic violence will remain a problem until society grows and people seek help and raise awareness,” Goldman said. The question now is, if the domestic violence problem in the NFL or the racism issue among owners in the NBA continues, will fans quit watching their favorite sports? Will there ever be a breaking point? So far, the numbers say no. CBS has averaged 19.5 million viewers for its Sunday afternoon NFL games, through the first three weeks of the 2014 season, according to Reuters. Last season, CBS averaged 17.8 million viewers on Sundays for the year. Despite the scandals surrounding the NFL, viewership has actually increased. “By watching sports, I’m not part of the problem,” Ben Peterson (CAS ’16) said. “It’s so far out of my control. You have to rid yourself of culpability. I watch sports for the sheer enjoyment I get out of watching the games.” Another problem with the perceived lack of concern from professional sports leagues is the censorship being handed down by major sports networks like ESPN.
“I am in no way condoning his actions but his personal life should be kept private. If he is going to be disciplined it should be through the legal system.”
In late September 2014, ESPN executives suspended Bill Simmons, editor-in-chief of Grantland, for three weeks for airing his opinion of Roger Goodell on his popular podcast, “The B.S. Report.” “The commissioner’s a liar, and I get to talk about that on my podcast,” Simmons said. “Please, call me and say I’m in trouble. I dare you.” Journalists should not be punished for seeking the truth, but ESPN backed Goodell and the NFL. Since the new television deal in 2005, ESPN pays an average of $1.9 billion a year to broadcast Monday Night Football games, according to Bloomberg Businessweek. “We do not have a more important deal than the NFL,” network president John Skipper said in 2011. At the end of the day, does it really come down to money over morals in professional sports?
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STUDY ABROAD WORLD-CLASS INTERNSHIP AND STUDY ABROAD PROGRAMS.
/BUabroad
bu.edu/abroad
@BUabroad
See individual program descriptions at bu.edu/abroad for details. An equal opportunity, affirmative action institution.
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SEARCHING FOR SAVASANA Boston’s Top Yoga Spots BY BRITTANY BELL PHOTOGRAPHY BY BARRON ROTH AND ANTHONY MAITA
SOUTH BOSTON YOGA
South Boston Yoga on 36 West Broadway offers a variety of classic vinyasa, yin and soba classes. A great deal for college students to take advantage of is the 90-minute community class for a bargain of $6. “We have a studio that has 22 silk swings that are used for our aerial classes,” said McMillan Gaither, South Boston’s operations manager. “They are a combination of what you would typically expect in a yoga class, while employing the use of these swings. They help you do different postures, upside down and get you off the floor.”
NORTH END YOGA
Whoever said yoga was easy clearly has never been to North End Yoga. With classes such as Pilates Barre, “om” has a whole new meaning. Pilates Barre is a new take on traditional Pilates. Using moves that challenge core stability, strength and balance, barre uses your own bodyweight as resistance. Combined with regular Pilates, Pilates Barre helps you gain a stronger and sleeker physique. Looking for a more traditional yoga experience? Check out its vinyasa flow classes.
KARMA YOGA
With locations in Harvard Square, South End and Allston, Karma Yoga is an independent and holistic fitness studio that runs entirely on donations. “I love going to Karma because I get a quality yoga class without breaking the bank,” said Sophia Smith (SAR ’18). Students are asked to pay what they can when they attend classes with the average donation ranging from $5 to $16. Karma has mats and props free for use in class. Heated vinyasa flow, core vinyasa yoga and acroyoga are all classes offered at Karma.
BACK BAY YOGA
A sister studio of Sweat and Soul Yoga, Back Bay Yoga on the second floor of 364 Boylston St. is known for its black light yoga class. Other classes include vinyasa flow, yoga for runners and athletes, flyin’ vinyasa, hip-hop yoga and yin and restorative. “I love hip-hop yoga because it’s high energy, it’s playful and it’s fun,” said Cara Gilman, an instructor at Back Bay and Sweat and Soul Yoga. For those not quite comfortable with a class, the studio offers private sessions.
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BU’S NEWEST HEAD COACH READY TO IMPROVE WOMEN’S BASKETBALL
SLAM-DUNK STEDING BY KELLY LANDRIGAN PHOTOGRAPHY BY BRIGID KING DESIGN BY KARINA CROSS
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t is the beginning of a new era for the BU women’s basketball team. After bullying allegations, which led to the departure of four players on scholarships and the resignation of former head coach Kelly Greenberg, the BU Athletics department began a search for her replacement. It was not an easy task, as Greenberg had posted a 186-127 record during her 10-year stint at BU. On June 6, 2014, Mike Lynch, former BU Athletic director, announced the hiring of Katy Steding as the seventh head coach of the women’s basketball program. “When I saw that the opportunity was open here, I kind of made a beeline for it,” Steding said. “It was just an opportunity to combine my two passions, which are academics and basketball, at a really high level.” Steding brings championship pedigree to Terrier Nation, offering 14 years of coaching experience to the head coaching position. Her previous job as an assistant coach for two seasons with the California Golden Bears women’s basketball team
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allowed her to help lead them to their first Pac-12 title and two National College Athletic Association tournament appearances. Steding’s coaching experience extends beyond the collegiate level to the WNBA, where she was an assistant coach for the Atlanta Dream in 2008. Sitting in her office with her Team USA jersey framed on the wall, Steding jokingly said that if she had been asked 20 years ago if she was ever going to be a coach, she would have said no. “I think in life, you prepare yourself as best you can for whatever comes down the road, and if an opportunity comes up, and you’re not ready to take it, I think you let some stuff slip by,” Steding said. “It’s not like I was preparing myself for coaching necessarily, but I think a lot of things I had done in my life had prepared me for it.” Prior to Steding’s coaching career, she played for two WNBA teams—the Sacramento Monarchs and the Seattle Storm—and one American Basketball League team, the Portland Power.
She played basketball for collegiate powerhouse Stanford, becoming a threetime Pac-10 All-Conference selection, and finished her career ranking ninth scoring 1,586 points and fourth in rebounds with 864 boards. In 1990, Steding helped lead the Stanford Cardinals to their first-ever NCAA championship. Steding firmly believes that the combination of her playing and coaching experiences give her a unique perspective as a head coach. “I always try to approach the girls with an eye and an ear to what I would want to hear and be coached like,” Steding said. “My style of coaching is, above all, approachable. I want the girls to always feel like they can come and talk to me about anything, not just basketball stuff.” Positivity was the name of the game during practice, with every successful play, pass or basket followed by cheers and high-fives. With a new head coach in place, BU also upgraded Steding’s supporting staff. Cindy Blodgett, Taj McWilliams-Franklin and Stephanie Tobey all bring prior playing and coaching experience to the team as Steding’s assistant coaches. “I really tried to get the best people I could,” Steding said. “Each one of those women I would trust, not only with the
program when I’m out recruiting but I’d trust them with me. I’d trust them with my personal well-being because I know that they’re some of the best people I know.” To Steding, the purpose of a coaching staff is to challenge the players. Throughout practice, she allows her assistant coaches to take the lead on different drills, giving the players a chance for some one-on-one feedback that pays off on the court. “I just think that she’s trying to surround herself with people that she feels like can elevate the program in different areas, but also have different personalities so that there’s a unique dynamic within the staff that players should be able to relate to a coach, if not multiple coaches, which is important too,” Blodgett said. Steding and Blodgett were former teammates on the Sacramento Monarchs. Blodgett held her first coaching job at BU during the 1999 to 2000 season. Steding said that Blodgett was the first person to congratulate her upon the official announcement as the new head coach at BU. Tobey brings incredible recruiting talent to BU, which is necessary for the growth of the program. Both Blodgett and McWilliams-Franklin bring professional playing experience as well, which is a treat for the 10 rostered players. “We’re really loving having Coach Steding and the rest of the coaching staff here,” said Mollie McKendrick (MET ’15), the senior forward on the team. “They’ve all got amazing experience, and it’s kind of a privilege to have them share all of that wisdom.” MY STYLE OF COACHING IS, McKendrick said that it ABOVE ALL, APPROACHABLE. I is difficult to compare Coach Steding with Coach Greenberg, WANT THE GIRLS TO ALWAYS but added that they are FEEL LIKE THEY CAN COME AND both “incredible.” She said the biggest TALK TO ME ABOUT ANYTHING, difference is the change in style NOT JUST BASKETBALL STUFF. of play, as Steding favors an “up-tempo, fast game.”
“They’re somehow ready to go all-in,” Steding said. “I told them that the environment I crave is one of positivity, hard work, discipline [and] togetherness, and nobody even batted an eyelash.” “Katy is a very positive human being. She loves being around student-athletes and trying to make them be better than probably what they even expect themselves to be,” Blodgett said. “I think the players will easily be able to buy into Katy because she’s very authentic— what you see is what you get.” Steding believes that those fans that follow BU women’s basketball closely will be pleased with the hard work and commitment the team has brought to the court so far this season. “I think everybody here is just really focused on getting better as student-athletes, getting better as a team and getting back to a championship culture,” Steding said.
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EDITORS-IN-CHIEF
RE-VAMPED AND RE-DEFINED The Buzz staff created this issue with sweat, tears and many sleepless nights. So many new faces on staff called for a revamped staff page. We did it in such a way to show you who the students behind the scenes really are–no retakes. Meet the talented and passionate team that has made this magazine and this semester such a success. This issue could not have come together without each and every one of them! Until next time! #getbuzzed. 84
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