The Sandspur Volume 122 Issue 19

Issue 19, Volume 122 Thursday, March 17, 2016

2016 Grads get mad: tickets & tempers short page 4

Page NEWS Page #2 •• SECTION OPINIONS

Thursday, September 11, 2014 Thursday, March 17, 2016

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A push for student-led international opportunities

A staff writer stresses the need for students to take initiative and lead the planning of field studies and study abroad opportunities; Christina Fuleihan

Staff Writer

Global initiatives may originate in our own backyards or halfway across the world, but studying abroad remains one of the most effective ways to begin the lifelong journey of understanding diversity in today’s world and immersing oneself in intercontinental culture.

The Rollins curriculum generates global citizens—informed, service-minded young men and women with an understanding of the national and international concerns our generation will have to tackle in the coming years. Whether in the form of an Immersion or field study, service learning and study-abroad experiences offered by Rollins are not just onetime expeditions.

Rollins also offers several opportunities to reconnect with old trip-mates, and the bonds created during that one-week, two-week, or five-month experience will last a lifetime. After all, it is often the people you are with, rather than the area you traverse, that make an experi-

ence worthwhile.

However, while the trips are sure to be of high quality, the lack of variety concerning available field studies at Rollins means that not everyone will be able to visit the top spot on their bucket list as an undergraduate.

This year, students can choose between only nine Maymester options, and some of these programs are yearly staples on the Summer Field Studies list. This means that if one were to participate in Water, Sanitation, & Health (WaSH) in the Dominican Republic this year, he would have one less option next year.

Having only a few options for field studies remains a concern for students seeking experiences abroad. After all, longer semester programs abroad are not always an option, especially for those pursuing more rigorous course loads, such as those on the pre-med track.

It is true that having to choose between an exchange program in Hong Kong and an internship in Australia does not seem too unreasonable—oh, the calamities of first-world problems! And yet...

With field studies, there remains the issue that Rollins is failing to utilize its most important resources: its students.

Imagine our diverse student population putting heads together—not only as student facilitators, but as student planners. In fact, students are allowed to propose and plan some Immersion excursions, as long as they remain in the United States.

For funding purposes, Immersions attempt to stay as local as possible, with the one exception being the yearly trip to Abaco, Bahamas over Spring Break.

Unfortunately, field study and faculty-led summer programs may be proposed solely by faculty.

According to the Office of International Programs website, “a Field Study is designed and led by one or more Rollins faculty members and typically involves about 8 to 20 students, depending on the number of faculty participating in the trip.

“These programs should be developed with the intention of becoming ongoing programs since they take a substantial amount of work to establish.”

The opinions on this page do not necessarily reflect those of The Sandspur, its staff or Rollins College.

Supply and demand, funding, and the intended academic rigor of such programs—not to mention safety concerns—demand that a faculty member take the helm in organization and development of new international programs. Because of these constraints, the wealth of experiences and interests that students could bring to the table remains untapped potential.

Rollins students have successfully attempted to solve this student-led international excursions formula before. In 2009, two Rollins international students, Aditya Mahara and Raghabendra KC, from Nepal, formed the student-led service trip “Making Lives Better”.

This program is still up and running, long after they graduated, and will be going to Maharashtra, India this summer.

If students—with faculty approval and sponsorship, of course—began to take more of a lead in the planning and creation of acadmic trips, like Mahara and KC did, Rollins could offer more opportunities to experience different world cultures and further the education of students within global contexts.

Page 3 • OPINIONS

Thursday, March 17, 2016

Roommates: The good, the bad, and the ugly in a calm, nonthreatening way.

This is not the time to be hostile Writer or passive aggressive: there will Everyone I know, including be plenty of time for that if they myself, has had at least one bad do not respond well to a mature roommate experience. confrontation, but it is crucial to Maybe they are loud, messy, offer this mature confrontation pay bills late, break things, or—if first. you are really unlucky—a comIf your roommate does not bination of these. If you have not respond to polite and sincere had one, you probably will. Oth- communication, there are ways erwise, you probably are the bad to deal with that too. I cannot roommate. stress enough how therapeutic Dealing with a terrible ranting is. Find someone, a close roommate is incredibly frus- friend, relative, or someone you trating, but I like to think of it can trust who knows the situaas preparation for dealing with tion and will let you complain future children, who are basical- about your roommate from time ly the worst roommates imagin- to time. able. (I know I was, at least. SorSometimes you just need to ry, Mom.) complain, so find someone who Luckily, like most things in really understands this and is life, there are not going to try to appropriate offer you any bad ways of dealadvice. ing with terriJust go comble roommates pletely off the that do not end for a few Whatever the rails in murder/suiminutes—a nice, cide. full-blown tirade. problem is, The most Feel free to exagtalk to your obvious way gerate and be anto deal with a imated. The more roommate roommate who ridiculous you about it is bothering are when ranting, you in some the more likely in a calm, capacity is to you are to remain nonthreatening composed around confront her about it. Comyour roommate. way. This is municate the It is also improblem to her portant to keep not the time clearly. After in mind, when to be hostile all, she cannot dealing with a stop behavior bad roommate or or passive she does not any sort of undeaggressive; know is bothsirable living sitering you. Lett uation, that it is there will be ing yourself temporary. stew in a quiMaybe you plenty of time et rage over are stuck in a for that if they crappy lease with time only fuels your anger undo not respond someone who til one day you consistently forwell to a mature gets to pay their blow up at her, seemingly out confrontation. half of the elecof the blue. tric bill, or your If you roommate does are obsessive not appreciate the about the way the toilet paper beauty of a clean kitchen and refaces, let him know. If you hate fuses to wash dishes or take out that he leaves the shower curtain the trash. open, let her know. If you catch My heart goes out to you, him stealing your sundried to- because I have been there. mato basil Wheat Thins, threatBut the good news is leases en to call the police. Just kidding. are not forever, and come conPlease do not do that. tract’s end, you can kiss your Whatever the problem is, lease and your terrible roomtalk to your roommate about it mate goodbye.

Lori Iacone

“

English Professor offers advice on how to write the best possible essays Dr. Jones shares insightful and canny advice on essay writing and how to truly capture your reader’s attention from an English professor’s perspective.

Miranda Liu

Writer

In an interview about essay-writing advice for students, Dr. Jill Jones, a Rollins English Professor, said that most essays are, in a sense, an argument.

As writers, we are giving information to our readers. Just like when professors ask the “so what?” question, we need to keep the audience in mind and explain why the message matters to the readers.

When asked whether the thesis statement has to appear in the first paragraph, Dr. Jones mentioned there can be exceptions to that. Some people write a catchy first paragraph and put the statement in the beginning of the second paragraph, which is also fine as long as writers “keep in mind that readers need to know why they are reading.”

Dr. Jones also emphasized the extreme importance of specific examples and quotes, without which a passage becomes general and vague. Take graphic novel analysis as an example: it is necessary to discuss a specific scene, rather than giving generic commentary on the pictures.

As for sentences, Dr. Jones encouraged students to cut excess words: “I always tell students to simplify their sentences because I don’t care for wordy essays.”

And what are some ways to simplify a sentence?

The first tip is to get rid of extra phrases such as “it is for this reason that…” Look for extra words that can be deleted without changing the meaning of the sentence. The second suggestion is to utilize active verbs.

Writer should also make sure that there is a clear subject in each sentence. In terms of

word choice, Dr. Jones recommended that writers be precise and not use words they are not comfortable using: “Make sure you say what you mean to say.”

She pointed out that some people use words they do not actually know, which makes their sentences less accurate.

When asked about revision, Dr. Jones suggested doing it “almost always.”

She emphasized this, saying, “The difference between a good writer and an average writer is how much revision they do.”

But should we revise after each paragraph or after finishing the whole piece?

Dr. Jones mentioned she does not mind messy first drafts.

People can get good ideas after the first draft and sometimes you do not know whether a paragraph is necessary until you go through the whole essay once.

At some point, you will fig-

The opinions on this page do not necessarily reflect those of The Sandspur, its staff or Rollins College.

ure out what the argument really is. The truth is that some parts just do not fit into the main argument. In that case, they need to be thrown away, regardless of how well they are written.

Moreover, Dr. Jones addressed the purpose of writing.

She pointed out that we need to discover what really interests us so that our writing will be more fun to read.

If the writer gets bored while writing, the readers will feel even worse. Dr. Jones believed that we should write for readers and not for ourselves.

“If you are writing, you are writing for an audience. Why do anything with it, such as publishing it, if it’s only for yourself?”

It is therefore important to consider whether your readers will understand your writing and whether you are actually delivering your idea fully and clearly.

Page Page #2 NEWS 4 •• SECTION FEATURES

Thursday, September 11, 2014 Thursday, March 17, 2016

Staff Writer

Eric Hilton

News Intern

This past Wednesday, Eboo Patel, a member of Barack Obama’s inaugural Advisory Council on Faith-Based Neighborhood Partnerships and Thomas P. Johnson Distinguished Scholar, held a discussion at the Knowles Memorial Chapel.

Patel’s talk, called “Sacred Ground: Interfaith Leadership in the 21st Century”, revolved around the role Interfaith groups can play on campus and in the world.

Patel began his discussion with a story revolving around the life of Martin Luther King Jr. and his personal faith journey.

Patel revealed how he once asked himself why so many people discuss Dr. Martin Luther King, but never Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King. During his discussion, he explored the role that religion

played in Dr. King’s life and investigated the ways that Dr. King displayed his own faith as part of his public identity.

Patel went on to tell an interesting story about the way that Mahatma Gandhi influenced King’s understanding of Christianity. Even though Dr. King and Gandhi both identified with two completely different religions, he explained, Dr. King was still able to change his own perception of what it meant to be non-violent by studying Hinduism.

Patel emphasized that so much of what Dr. King learned and was eventually inspired by came from his close friends with different religious perceptions and backgrounds.

Dr. King’s Christian path intersected with almost all religions. While a devout Baptist minister, he still embraced diversity and allowed himself to be confronted with other points

of view in order to better inform his beliefs.

Patel then touched on how religious identity has changed in the 21st century and is becoming s a less-defining factor in most people’s public lives. He stressed that religion is not something that should be feared or kept secret.

Democracy encourages the publication of personal virtues, be they philosophical or religious; Patel made it very clear that religion has been shown to do good, citing the thousands of hospitals and schools in the U.S. that are operated and funded by religious institutions.

Patel closed out his speech by saying that one’s religious identity must be embraced and engaged head on.

“Diversity left unattended moves towards chaos and conflict. It must be engaged,” Patel asserted.

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Members of the Class of 2016 are struggling to decide who they bring to commencement. In previous years, up to six tickets were allotted to graduating seniors, but the number began to decline when the Class of 2015 was allotted five tickets each. Due to space and seating issues in the Warden Arena in the Alfond Sports Center, not everyone in attendance was able to see the ceremony during the last commencement. This year, each senior has four tickets at their disposal, forcing some seniors to pick and choose which of their family members and friends see them graduate.

Rollins College uses the ticketing system in order to limit the number of attendees in the venue.

“This practice of ticketing is very common at small liberal arts institutions, because small schools typically do not have large facilities to hold this number of people,” said Dr. Mamta Accapadi, Vice President of Student Affairs.

“It is a ticketed event to get a sense of the number of people we can expect in the building, because we have to be in compliance with the fire marshall, and there is a limit to the number of people that can be in that space,” she elaborated. “Given the limit, distributing tickets equitably among all seniors provides for fairness and equality.”

Some students, however, are concerned that the limited tickets will affect their graduation experience and that of their families.

“I think it’s a little unreasonable to have to pick and choose between your loved ones who can attend the ceremony, especially when it’s such an important part of transitioning into adulthood,” said Kayla Lucrezi ’16.

“I feel like the biggest issue was the lack of communication with us,” said Lenora Mendez ’16.

“I think in an ideal world we as seniors could have everyone and anyone we want at our graduations,” Ana Suarez ’16 explained. “But the space Rollins has doesn’t match their intake of students and now we all have to suffer for it.”

Interestingly, Hamilton Holt graduation is not ticketed, allowing students to bring as many family members as desired. The reason for this goes back to the same issue that A & S is currently experiencing with its graduating class: class size versus space.

“Holt graduation is not ticketed because they do not have the same number of students graduating in their class, so space is not an issue,” Dr. Accapadi said.

Some are calling for alternatives to ticketing for next year’s graduation.

“There are always alternatives to ticketing and we are considering all options. All of the options will require trade-offs,” Dr. Accapadi noted.

For example, changing the ticketing system to make it first come/first serve could result in some students having no family members at the event, while others could have several. Moving the event outdoors would make weather a factor; poor conditions could force the event to be held inside the Alfond Sports Center, again making space a concern.

Dr. Accapadi also pointed out that holding commencement off campus would take away from the Rollins traditions that have made graduation special for previous graduates.

Some seniors have started trying to buy or sell graduation tickets. Vallie Etienne ’16 commented on the students’ efforts to ensure their own family’s attendance at the event.

“The Class of 2016 group on [Facebook] is currently in shambles looking for extra tickets to buy off each other,” she said.

“It’s like, ‘Hey, here’s 1000 tickets, Hunger Games it out,’ which is also stupid because I like to think that we’re a community and if I had extra tickets I would just give them away.”

Suarez proposed a potential alternative method of ticket allotment to decrease the number of students selling their tickets.

“I don’t like that we each have a set amount – maybe at the beginning of the year it should be asked of each student how many they need and that way no one can sell them,” she said.

“Since that is not the case, then graduates are gonna make some tough decisions. The first of many in life.”

During his visit, Eboo Patel spoke on embracing the differences that come with various religious viewpoints and how interfaith can help engage students in conversations about faith.

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Graduation tickets cause controversy

Page 5 • FEATURES

Thursday, March 17, 2016

Photos by Natalie Hayes

Rollins welcomes Alumni

This past Friday marked the start of celebrations for Alumni Weekend. Several events were held on campus and a speech given by President Cornwell was broadcast on Twitter.

Sianna Boschetti

Staff Writer

Rollins College held Alumni Weekend on March 11-13.

Reunions were held for sports teams, Greek organizations, and individual classes, including the Class of ’66, who is celebrating their 50th anniversary this year.

Current students and alumni alike were excited about the opportunity to meet and celebrate life at Rollins—past and

present—over the weekend.

“Alumni Weekend is one of the best times at Rollins because it is the time you see the most Rollins spirit,” said volunteer Andrea Prather ’16.

According to the Rollins website, alumni had the opportunity to make a Rollins Story video throughout the weekend.

Participants were encouraged to share their stories of life at Rollins.

The What’s Your Story? pro-

gram asked alumni to share their favorite Rollins story, advice they would give to their firstyear self, and a choice they made at Rollins that ultimately shaped them as a person. These stories are available on the Rollins website.

For alumni who were unable to attend, the 21st Annual Grove Party and “A Conversation with President Cornwell” were documented online; they can be found on the Rollins Twitter.

During his talk held on Saturday morning, President Cornwell discussed his own college experience and the future of liberal arts education at Rollins.

He also mentioned his upcoming inauguration, to be held on April 9.

Other celebrations of alumni weekend included a faculty recital, an afternoon on Park Avenue, campus tours, and many more events centered in school spirit.

Awards were also presented to some influential alumni.

Prather commented, “Alumni old and new are always so excited to be back on campus. I’m always honored and grateful to be able to hear about their time at Rollins and why they chose Rollins as their second home.

“As a senior, it makes me reminisce about my time and all that Rollins has taught me as I begin to start my new journey into the ‘real world.’”

Page 6 • FEATURES

Thursday, March 17, 2016

‘The New York Times’ Journalist disscusses prison abuse Cameron Ochse

Writer

On March 8, a writer for The New York Times visited Rollins in the Suntrust Auditorium to discuss his research on Rikers Island. Rikers Island is in New York and is home to ten jails for prisoners who have not been convicted and are awaiting trial or cannot afford to pay bail.

Schwartz is known for his research that revealed a history of violence and abuse toward the prisoners on Rikers Island, many of whom are mentally unstable or being held for petty crimes. Main topics in his discussion included corruption in the criminal justice system and massive flaws that have yet to be solved.

Many mentally impaired prisoners are sent to Rikers Island due to the shutdown and cost of mental institutions in the United States, meaning that both those convicted of petty crime and those who have been declared mentally incompetent are put into the same environment.

Rikers is unable to meet the needs of some prisoners’ mental conditions, creating chaos and instability in the infrastructure of and daily life within the jail.

Schwartz’s writings focused on exposing the abuse received

by the prisoners from the guards within Rikers. Stories of men being handcuffed to chairs or strapped to beds then beaten senselessly were very common throughout the discussion.

Originally, Schwartz and partner Mike Winerip had intended to research the mental health of prisoners, but soon discovered the brutality being experienced at Rikers Island. Their works exposed this violence to the public.

Schwartz claimed that progress has been slow, but it is happening, and he remains confident treatment of inmates will be improved at Rikers.

Over 80,000 prisoners filter in and out of Rikers Island every year, meaning many are witness to the behavior at the jails. Some guards have even been given jail time due to their treatment of Rikers’ prisoners, but these moments of justice are rare scenarios.

Schwartz was able to hold a very interesting conversation with Rollins students and staff about the justice system and its flaws. His explanation of the overlapping effects of racism, lack of job opportunities after prison, and mental impairment within the system brought attention to America’s severely flawed system.

‘Orange is the New Black’ actress visits Rollins Cameron Ochse

Writer

This past Wednesday, Jackie Cruz flew into Orlando from her home in New York to visit Rollins. While Cruz is talented in more ways than just acting, she is most known for her role as Marisol “Flaca” Gonzales, the young and strong Latina with a powerful backstory on Netflix series Orange is the New Black.

Cruz often travels to schools to tell her story and inspire young adults. Raised in the Dominican Republic and Los Angeles, Cruz stated that she knew she wanted to be an actress ever since she saw Whitney Houston in The Bodyguard when she was six years old. Growing up with the dream of being an actress and singer, she said it was dis-

heartening to never see someone “like her” in movies.

By this, Cruz was referencing the lack of diversity portrayed in popular movies and television shows. Orange is the New Black is well-known for introducting audiences to women of different ethnicities, working to break the stereotypes associated with them. Latinas, African-Americans, Asians, and Russians are portrayed in this series that empowers women of every background.

In a dinner held before her talk in Bush Auditorium, Cruz discussed the frustrations of being a Latina actress. During auditions, she is constantly asked to have a thicker Spanish accent or to “act more Mexican”. These kinds of stereotypes are what promote the lack of diversity portrayed in Hollywood, but Cruz is

Photo courtesy of Elise Grzebieniak

Photo Courtesy of Wikipedia

determined to break them.

Cruz’s emotions towards being a Dominican actress were relatable to many people in the audience who have also had a hard time finding people like them in Hollywood.

Another struggle for Cruz growing up was her transformation after a tragic car accident where she was thrown from a vehicle window going 80 mph.

Cruz was temporarily paralyzed on one side of her face and had to go through rehabilitation in order to heal.

Cruz proved to be someone who is talkative, kind, and funny. After the talk, she stayed behind to give autographs and pose for selfies with students.

Cruz seemed to be enjoying herself the entire time. While at Rollins, she proved how much she cares about her fans.

Photo courtesy of Taylor Todd

Page 7 • ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

Thursday, March 17, 2016

Guitar group plays for Bach

A Latin American twist on cinema The Latin American Short Film Festival told some incredible stories that Hollywood would typically ignore.

Nicolas Nagaoka

Columnist

While many moviegoers tend to be distracted by the million-dollar effects and actors of Hollywood films, a select few last week chose a more unique film experience by attending the Latin American Short Film Festival, hosted by Associate Professor of Spanish Rosana Diaz-Zambrana on Wednesday, March 9. Dr. Diaz-Zambrana runs this annual festival with her Latin American Film Cinema class, selecting short films from all over Latin America that evoke emotion and complex philosophy.

“The goal of the festival since we started in 2005,” she said, “has been to bring students a thought-provoking selection that hopefully will make them critically reflect on themselves, their world, and other worlds they might not know about. In doing so, I hope to foment a critical dialogue around important social and global issues in Latin America which as global citizens, constitutes the core of our mission statement.”

This year’s selections included films from Brazil, Cuba, Peru, Mexico, Puerto Rico, and Argentina. Each film tells a distinct tale filled with symbolism that not only sets a parallel to Western views, but helps audiences understand Latin American culture and issues in under 20 minutes.

Dr. Diaz-Zambrana chose the short film genre because it is “an experimental and dynamic genre that it tends to utilize very unusual, provocative, and at times, unsettling approaches to storytelling which are ideal to spark the audience’s curiosity and intellect.”

All the films were fantastic, showcasing distinct storytelling and delivering messages of hope that sharply constrasted the cynical and dark messages often found in American cinema.

Some of my favorite selections were Juan & La Borrega (2011), the story of a clothing clerk who is thrust into a life-threatening situation, El Empleo (2008), the story of a man who takes a job in a strange world where the human workforce is

taken to an extreme level, and La Vieja Quinta (2015), the story of a retiree living peacefully until a noisy new neighbor moves in. All these films take on simple ideas that become more complex as the movie progresses. Juan & La Borrega heavily symbolizes male machismo. El Empleo portrays a cruel reality faced by the workforce, espcially the working poor. La Vieja Quinta emphasizes that no matter what people say up front, the hidden truth can be wildly different.

Professor Diaz-Zambrana said that her Latin American background inspired her to create this festival and teach her class.

“I am from Latin America, I teach Latin American Cinema, and as a consequence, I deliberately look for films that depict brutal dichotomies but also show the beauty that lays underneath those contradictions in Latin America.

“I enjoy creating a space for students where they will be exposed to other realities that at first glance seem foreign and strange but are so plainly human.”

I am originally from Paraguay in South America. It is inspiring and incredible to see that there are people who support Latin American cinema. Though not as popular or profitable as Hollywood flicks, these films can say much more to an individual than some multi-million dollar blockbuster. These are the films that can help people understand our culture and see that while Latin American culture is different from Western culture, there are parallels in each culture’s narratives that all can relate to.

My brother, who is also of Paraguayan descent, has recently completed his first Latin American short film. His work is similar to those we watched in this festival. He and many others try to make sense of this chaotic world, not only by offering a cultural bridge, but also by understanding that there are many other stories besides the ones we see in Hollywood. Gracias Profesora Diaz-Zambrana—this festival meant a lot to a young Paraguayan film critic.

The Romero Guitar Quartet gave an overall good performance as part of the annual Bach Festival, but the acoustics left something to be desired.

Esteban Meneses

Copy Editor

Judging from hushed snippets of conversation I picked up from concertgoers around me before the Romeros took the stage at Knowles Memorial Chapel on Sunday afternoon, I was not the only one wondering why we were all there — not “there”, to see this incredible, multi-generation family of virtuoso class ical guitarists, but “there” at the chapel.

The “Royal Family of the Guitar” is celebrating its 55th anniversary—founded in 1958 by patriarch Celedonio Romero— and continues to exhibit a degree of musicianship and musical finesse worthy of the epithet. The only problem at this Bach Festival engagement was that, at least from row N where I sat (only about halfway to the back from the first row), it was a strain to hear.

In general, and throughout the two-hour recital, the selections for solo guitar or guitar duo sounded much better, especially in mid-tempo and slower movements or sections. As a quartet (the current group consists of second-generation Pepe and Celin and third-generation Celino and Lito), and especially in up-tempo movements, fortes and upbeat strumming were dissipated and scattered back toward the apse and high ceilings of the 1932 chapel.

Why the recital didn’t take place instead at the more acoustically refined Tiedtke Concert Hall—also on campus at Rollins and designed for chamber and solo music—I don’t know. Whatever the reason, by and large the dispersed acoustics at Knowles Chapel hurt the group’s accomplishments in dynamics and ensemble interplay.

I wondered what it sounded like in the apse behind the performers, where nobody sat (understandably so), or on the second floor on the sides of the nave, where people could be spotted. The unamplified music of the Romeros seemed to be pulled up in that direction.

Let us take a look at what did happen rather than what

should have: By far the best per- scured any phrasing going on up formance was Celin’s (the eldest close. son of Celedonio) take on PreluCelino and Lito’s duo was dios No. 1 and 3 by Villa-Lobos. redeeming: they delivered an enHe applied an immaculate chanting performance of Granarubato touch, effectively empha- dos’ Danza No. 2, ‘Oriental,’ sizing notes and phrases with with Lito anchoring the piece touching tempo undulations. with a softly articulated ostinato Celin articulated notes and sub- that comes back and again, while tly stressed dynamics in a song- Celino took the main melody. like tone; the sadness of the main Two Romero originals were theme of the third prelude was included. particularly poignant.

One was the late Celedonio’s Pepe’s arrangement of As- ‘Fantasia Cubana,’ from his Suite turias, a classical guitar sta- Andaluza. A solo showpiece for ple, sounded Celino, the much better in performance the slow midincluded tindle section, gly harmonCelin articulated where his genics, a well-artle muting of ticulated notes and subtly the strings in trumming stressed dynamics sswell, certain phrasand es was a high a riveting in a songlike tone; point, as in his short section the sadness of elegiac rubato toward the toward the end. the main theme of end in which The acousC e l i n o the third prelude tics did not pertapped the mit the strumstring with was particularly ming parts to his right resonate as they hand directpoignant. should, a probly on the finlem that the gerboard.

Fantasia SevilT w o lana also had. The middle, slow- movements from Pepe Romero’s er section of the latter was much Suite Flamenca for quartet closed more incisive, fitting the general the program, with introductions pattern I mentioned above. by the composer.

Pepe and Celino performed Inspired by the Moors of as a duo for Joaquin Rodrigo’s Granada and the region’s allure, three-movement Tonadilla; the ‘En el Sacromonte’ includes soft interplay of the ‘Minueto pom- percussive blows on the guitar’s poso,’ especially during the fast bridge and rhythmic fingernail runs up the fretboard, was more drumming on the sides. I particuclearly discernible and accord- larly liked this movement for beingly impressive. ing less melody-driven and more In Boccherini’s Introduc- moody, evocative of a welcome, tion and Fandango, arranged surreal feeling. ‘Colombianas,’ for quartet, the meditative slow on the other hand, is much more introduction was followed by a melodic and festive—a synthesis muddle from all four guitarists of Colombian folk music and flaas the tempo swelled—again the menco rhythm. Like the encores, chapel’s deficiency in acoustics the piece is more about strumshone. This was the most un- ming and merrymaking, relyfortunate thing about the recit- ing a bit too much on flamenco al, obvious even in the opening strumming to achieve the denumber, La Revoltosa: When the sired effect. quartet played together, not only The 2016/2017 season of the did the forte high points project Bach Festival Society will be anweakly toward the open expans- nounced on March 31, the 331st es of the chapel, but the sound anniversary of the birth of J. S. in general was also muffled, Bach, after whom this great orgawhich made it difficult to discern nization, a pillar for arts and culdiscrete musical voices and ob- ture in Central Florida, is named.

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Page 8 • ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

Thursday, March 17, 2016

Restaurant review: Austin’s Coffee Hind Berji

Spring fashion arrives at Rollins Lea Warren

Columnist

It is the spring of suede this year, as ‘70s-inspired styles work their way down runways around the world. Ruffles, puffy sleeves, sundresses, fringe, and floral patterns have been seen everywhere lately. One popular style called “the X-factor” features a halter neck and off-the-shoulder sleeves. In the same vein, classic Spanish influences are increasingly prominent, from flowery headpieces to toreador-inspired patterns and woven red-and black-color palettes.

As for other colors, there are obviously this year’s Pantone colors (Rose Quartz and Serenity) as well as an abundance of crisp white and bright orange.

For shoes, mules and blocky sandals rule—often with interesting colors, patterns, and embellishments. For other accessories, clunky gold ornaments are in, as are half-moon handbags.

In the pant arena, paper bag waist lines are in and skinny jeans are out (though I personally will continue to wear my comfy old jeans until they disintegrate). Pleated skirts and dresses are all the rage, and netted shirts, skirts and dresses are blanketing runways.

Though a bit warm for Florida, marled knit (that thick, stretchy, sort of spotty-looking sweater fabric) can be found in the forms of crop tops, oversized sweaters, and knee-length pencil skirts.

And finally, denim. Lightweight denim is the next big thing, long-awaited following a recent rise in the popularity of jumpers and overalls. This season, denim is taking the shape of tailored jackets, stiff handkerchief shirts, fitted cocktail dresses, and adorable spring frocks.

On campus, pieces of these styles can already be seen. In fact, during a recent study session in the library, I noticed at least a dozen suede skirts, several jean jackets, an abundance of the dirty pink that is our Pantone color of the year, and four

marled knit sweaters.

In the world of fashion, the spring runway styles decide the look of the entire year. The styles worn by individuals in the media, the color palettes of every store, and the overall aesthetic for the year is dictated by spring fashions. Even beyond the expected area of influence, fashion can be seen affecting society.

Recently, I spoke with current theater student Maddie Crump ‘19 about the influence of fashion on the theater world.

In reference to modern styles from year to year, she explained that costume styles change based “on the context of the play” but spoke of modern fashion as an influence, saying “if the piece is more modern, it is more likely to have elements of current fashion trends.” Often in theater and in other contexts of art and media, class, time period, age, and so on are all established through clothes.

In fact, fashion can influence us in ways we may never have considered. There’s a quote from the 2006 film The Devil Wears Prada in reference to the effects of popular style on the world. In reference to one character’s disregard for fashion, another character, played by Meryl Streep, laughs, “You think this [fashion] has nothing to do with you. You go to your closet and you select...I don’t know...that lumpy blue sweater.…But what you don’t know is that that sweater is not just blue, it’s not turquoise.

It’s not lapis. It’s actually cerulean. And you’re also blithely unaware of the fact that in 2002, Oscar de la Renta did a collection of cerulean gowns….that blue represents millions of dollars and countless jobs…”

Though a bit comical in the context of the movie, this statement perfectly summarizes the weight that fashion carries in the modern world. It is actually quite beautiful how far-reaching the work of textile artists truly is, and how the constant innovation of our designers fuels the growth and change of how we look each and every day.

moved from Los Angeles to OrWriter lando, usually gets his coffee fix here around midnight. Since he’s The first thing you notice part of the late-night crowd, he’s is the denim everybody’s wear- prone to serendipitous, caffeinating. I’m talking Brooke Shields, ed conversations with strangers.

“Nothing comes between me “Austin’s is a very special and my Calvins,” high-waist- place in the city,” he said. “You ed denim. The second thing meet a lot of open-minded peothat hits you is the funky red, ple here. I’m from L.A. and evorange, and purple décor. The eryone’s open-minded there, but last thing you see is the coffee. sometimes it’s hard to find that If it weren’t for the bags of mi- in Florida. In Austin’s, nobody cro-roasted beans and aroma of thinks you’re crazy for talking to pressed sandwiches, you’d think them.” that Austin’s Coffee was a thrift Although the menu was the store, or maybe a shelter for sad, initial attraction for Pasko, it was nostalgic teenagers. The shelves the atmosphere that turned him in the back of the shop house a into a regular. Evan Anderson, used book collection ranging who was chatting with Pasko, from encyclopedias to self-help also enjoys the camaraderie: guides and romance novels. No- “Austin’s has really cool people. body reads these books, but that I’ve been coming here for years is beyond the point. Along with and know all the baristas and all the stacks of dated board games the people that hang out here. (all missing pieces), they add to It’s fun, and the community asthe shop’s ironic flair. pect is really what’s awesome.”

What seems to make AusAnderson remembers an tin’s so irresistible to the Orlan- evening when a band living out do and Winter Park community of a vintage Volkswagen bus is its location. It sits on Fairbanks played at Austin’s, unleashing Avenue in Winter Park, meaning what he described as some of that it attracts college students the most horrendous synthesizer from UCF and Rollins but main- music known to man. tains a steady patronage consist“The keyboardist was so ing of all age groups. The walls into the music,” said Anderson, are covered in random art and “that it turned from the most awposters advertising local plays, ful noise to something absolutely book readings, and bands. beautiful in how bad it was.”

Austin’s hosts a variety of The same can be said of Ausmusic, stand-up, and poetry tin’s Coffee. events throughout the week, and The atmosphere isn’t conTuesday evenings are especially trived, and it’s certainly less sopopular for the shop. When I ini- lipsistic than other coffee shops. tially heard about the Open Mic: Preston Hall, a long-time patron, Singer/Songwriter night, I had musician, and friend of the Ausmy reservations. I tend to avoid tin’s staff, noted that other coffee independent coffee shops in Or- shops like Stardust make people lando; I rank places like Downtown Credo Coffee, Stardust Video and Coffee, and Austin’s on a scale of utter obnoxiousness.

There’s a boiling point which, if reached, could result in a harsh exchange of words with a hipster. But I also had a nasty cold.

Warm, cozy coffee sounded, in my flu-induced delirium, like paradise.

It was fairly early in the evening, so I missed the late-night eccentrics that a 24-hour coffee shop like Austin’s can attract.

Posing uncomfortably on what looked like a urine-covered sectional, I found two distinctively different people having an unusually personal conversation.

They were sitting on the dangerously unstable counter stools, discussing their latest projects with a friendly openness that surprised me.

Jake Pasko, who recently

feel as if they are in “a bunch of little tiny bubbles that don’t interact,” whereas Austin’s is “one, gigantic bubble, where everyone interacts.”

According to Hall, Austin’s is great at “having certain types of people getting together and meeting each other.

“But they’re not even certain types of people,” he followed, “you get every type of person at Austin’s.”

Most independent coffee shops have the same set of employees and attitude. The baristas usually wear horn-rimmed glasses and have Kickstarter campaigns they’d love to tell you about. Austin’s, however, doesn’t give a damn about projecting a specific image of “hipness.” The owner, Sean Moore, thinks the magic of Austin’s is in its inclusive atmosphere. His philosophy? “Open your doors to everyone. The open-mindedness and creativity; you never put a cap on it.” Like Hall, Moore sees Austin’s as one of the few harmonious places in Orlando.

“You’ve got the rich and poor sitting together with nothing in common but a cup of coffee. The community we live in dictates that divide. Winter Park happens to be a place where you have the filthy rich and the filthy poor. All we offer them is coffee.”

Who cares about the awful Bob Dylan acoustic covers and slightly overpriced teas? The casual, devil-may-care attitude of the place grows on you. Austin’s is endearing in its cheerful griminess.

Either that, or they put something in the coffee beans.