Vol. 1 No. 23

04.16.14 - VOL. 1, NO. 23 - WACOWEEKLY.COM

FREE PUBLICATION

Style & Fashion

contents

04.17-04.23 meet the team PUBLISHER/EDITOR IN CHIEF Chris Shepperd EXECUTIVE EDITOR Matt Shepperd EDITORIAL DIRECTOR Sara Gilmore BUSINESS MANAGER Leisha Shepperd MANAGING EDITOR Chris Zebo CREATIVE DIRECTOR Bekah Skinner ASST. CREATIVE DIRECTOR Kaitlin Vickers WRITERS

Essentials: Play Listen Style Taste Look

3 4 6 13 14

Randle Browning Sara Gilmore Cheyenne Mueller Luke Murray Haili Z (allzedetails.com)

Cover Story: In this issue, we’re all about spring style and fashion. We go from the streets of Waco all the way to the streets of Paris (and we don’t mean the town in Texas).

INTERNS Haley Clark Katy DeLuna April Elkins Alex Gieger Brittany Holm Avery Moore Kelly Porter Heydy Sanches Kyla Spaugh Camille Youngblood

Waco Weekly is an independent, publication and is not affiliated with the city of Waco.

Style 6 - We went style hunting around Waco with Grae Apparel and laid out six outfits to fit the latest trends.

Style 9 - We went to Paris

Look 15 - Cheyenne gives

recently and noticed that a rundown of this spring is all about mixing week’s top 20 box office films. patterns and colors.

Opinions are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views and opinions of the editor, publisher or the newspaper staff. Waco Weekly is not liable for omissions, misprints or typographical errors. No part of this publication may be reproduced without the express consent of the publisher. © Copyright 2014 Campus Press LP

TEXAS BACK ROADS facebook.com/TexasBackRoads

Lyndon B. Johnson National Historical Park

By Jeremy Rinard of txbkrds.com

During his five plus years as president, Lyndon B. Johnson returned to his family ranch in the Hill Country 74 times, totaling 490 days--more than a quarter of his presidency. Because of the amount of time he spent there, the family ranch became know as the Texas White House. It was noted that as soon as Air Force One would cross the Red River, Johnson’s shoulders would begin to relax, knowing his boots would soon touch down on the land that he loved.

Although he reached the highest elected office possible, LBJ came from humble beginnings. He grew up poor and split his time between the family ranch near Stonewall where he was born and the town of Johnson City where he grew up. The tough times Johnson experienced growing up served as the inspiration for many of his legislative acts: upholding civil rights, improving education, helping the poor and protecting the environment.

In 1972, a month before LBJ died, the Johnsons donated their home and 690 acres of the family ranch to the National Parks Department. The national park consists of two parts: the Johnson City District (in Johnson City) that includes a visitor center, LBJ’s boyhood home, the Withers & Spaulding General Store, the Johnson Settlement, and the Johnson Ranch District (near Stonewall) that includes the president’s first school, a reconstruction of LBJ’s birthplace, his grandfather’s farmhouse, the Texas White House and the Johnson Family Cemetery where LBJ and Lady Bird were both laid to rest. The two parts to the park are a short 14-mile drive apart.

In 2008, the park began allowing private vehicles access to the ranch. A scenic drive through the pastures of the working ranch will wind you around the property, sharing information about LBJ, Lady Bird, and different aspects of the ranch including the show barn and the airstrip. The cattle roaming the property are direct descendants of the president’s own herd of Hereford cattle.

The ranch also has the president’s Lockheed JetStar C-140B, a much smaller jet assigned to him as vice president, which he joking referred to as “Air Force One Half.” The former hangar of the jet houses a small museum, gift shop, and a collection of the Johnson’s automobiles, including the infamous Amphicar he would use to surprise visitors. Johnson used the amphibious, German-made auto to take unwitting visitors on tours of the property. As they approached the lake, he would pretend the brakes went out and plunge into the water. The gift shop is also where you can purchase tickets ($3 each) to take a tour of seven of the 28 rooms of the Texas White House. The last tour of the Texas White House begins at 4:30 and the Lyndon B. Johnson National Historical Park closes promptly at 5 pm.

Insider Tip: There is a state park and a national park for Lyndon B. Johnson. If you want to skip the national park portion in Johnson City, you can head down the road to the state park for a free driving permit to the LBJ Ranch. The state park is located directly across the river from the LBJ Ranch and has a visitor center with a museum and many other features worth checking out.

The Lyndon B. Johnson National Historical Park Visitor Center is located in Johnson City, Texas. Take Highway 290 to Johnson City and turn onto Avenue F (you should see signs). Go two blocks and turn right onto Ladybird Lane. The parking lot and visitor center are on the left. To get to the Ranch, leave from the Park Visitor Center, take Highway 290 fourteen miles westbound to the LBJ State Historical Park. The national park is open everyday of the week 8am – 5pm except Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Years days. For more info visit nps.gov/lyjo/index.htm

wacoweekly.com • April 16, 2014 • WACO WEEKLY • pg 3

NEEDTOBREATHE Album: Rivers in the Wasteland

Release Date: April 15, 2014

Rating: Sounds Like: Future of Forestry Leeland John Mark McMillan

Reviewed by Kelly Porter

Tracklist:

Wasteland State I’m In Feet, Don’t Fail Me Now Oh, Carolina Difference Maker Rise Again The Heart Where the Money Is Multiplied Brother More Heart, Less Attack

With their latest release, Rivers In The Wasteland, NTB strongly follows up their most recent album, The Reckoning.

NTB has been very vocal about the desire to return to a more organic, acoustic-driven sound with their newest album. The 11 tracks take NTB fans back to the beginning -- Back to the roots of where their music started. Newcomers to NTB won’t find the standard fare blast of stadium rock that has been interwoven into their most recent releases. This album starts on a contemplative note with “Wasteland” and builds from there.

Co-produced by the band, this album should please new and old fans alike.

pg 4 • WACO WEEKLY • April 16, 2014 • wacoweekly.com

••••••

NEEDTOBREATHE consists of siblings Bear Rinehart (lead vocals, guitar) and Bo Rinehart (backing vocals, guitar) and their buddy Seth Both (backing vocals, bass).

Wastelands Difference Maker The Heart

LISTEN

Recommended Tracks:

Martina McBride

“Everlasting”

Release Date: Apr. 8, 2014

Reviewed by Haley Clark

Martina McBride is legendary in country music for her powerhouse vocals. Now she’s using those vocals to cover songs made famous by some of music’s greats in other genres. In her second cover album, Everlasting, McBride covers a variety of pop, blues, and soul classics that she fuses with her country sound.

She covers the Elvis hit “Suspicious Minds”, the Aretha Franklin classic “Do Right Woman, Do Right Man”, and Van Morrison’s “Wild Night”.

Collaborations are also thrown into the mix, with Gavin DeGraw lending his voice to “Bring It on Home to Me” and Kelly Clarkson’s vocals can be heard on “In the Basement”.

Paolo Nutini

“Caustic Love”

Release Date: Apr. 14, 2014 Reviewed by Haley Clark Scottish singer/songwriter Paolo Nutini had much success with his debut album, These Streets, which included hits “New Shoes” and “Last Request”. His second album Sunny Side Up, released in 2009, spawned four hit singles and is certified 5X platinum. Almost five years since his last release, Nutini is now releasing his third studio album, Caustic Love, following the success of his first two albums. The album’s debut single “Scream (Funk My Life Up)” was released in January and has already been a success with its bluesy, funk feel.

Nutini continues on the blues track with “Let Me Down Easy”, switches gears with a little R&B flavor in “One Day”, and goes soulful with “Iron Sky”. The album features new material and a new sound from Nutini that parallels his unique taste for music.

Ingrid Michaelson

“Lights Out”

Release Date: Apr. 15, 2014 Reviewed by Kelly Porter The track “Girls Chase Boys” off of Lights Out has people talking. Michaelson says of the song, “More than just being about my experience, its focus shifted to include the idea that, no matter who or how we love, we are all the same. The video takes that idea one step further and attempts to turn stereotypical gender roles on their head.

Girls don’t exclusively chase boys, we all know this. We all chase each other and in the end we are all chasing after the same thing: love.” The bold statement comes across in the lyrics and visually in the music video (“An homage to Robert Palmer’s ‘Simply Irresistible’”). Check out “Girls Chase Boys” and the rest of the tracks on Michaelson’s latest, Lights Out.

wacoweekly.com • April 16, 2014 • WACO WEEKLY • p 5

Style 2014 SPRING/SUMMER STYLE GUIDE FEATURING GRAE APPAREL The warm weather is finally here to stay, which means the sweaters have migrated back to the attic and your spring and summer wardrobe is making its permanent move to the front of the closet. We spent some time with Grae Apparel’s visual merchandiser, Leslie Medlin, to get the latest on spring and summer trends in Waco.

Here are a few of Grae’s key looks for the season, which are soon to be found not only in their Spice Village space but on an online store as well, set to launch this summer (graeapparel.com). In addition to these photos seen from our exclusive shoot with Grae, they have a spring/summer look book that can be picked up in store for free.

EFFORTLESSLY CLASSY @ THE VILLAGE HERBALIST FRONT PORCH

1

“We’re always trying to master the art of being comfortably dressy. This dress is super cute, but it’s actually knit, so it’s super comfortable to wear, making it effortlessly classy. If you get up close enough, there’s a great texture that makes the dress really vibrant, as if the robin’s egg blue wasn’t enough.”

“The dress has a really great bow on the back, so no matter which way you’re facing, it’s making a statement. We couldn’t resist adding this necklace. We chose it because of its floral patterned beads, which give it a lot of texture, and the color, which fashion is calling muted chartreuse, is both stunning and unexpected.”

“Take our advice and add these espiralldes wedges to your wardrobe, because they’re going to be your go-to shoe throughout the season. They’re comfortable, neutral, and take any outfit from being just average to perfectly put together.”

THE SUBTLE HEAD TURNER @ DICHOTOMY COFFEE & SPIRITS ROOFTOP DECK

2

“This outfit is the perfect combination of simplistic and ‘BAM! Head turn.’ Let’s just say everyone at the cafe was staring at her, for all the right reasons.”

“This jumpsuit was the first thing I grabbed for this shoot, because every woman deserves to own a well-fitting, classy jumpsuit for the spring and summer. Who doesn’t want to have the benefit of pants to keep you comfortable and airy, with the beauty and flow of a dress? That’s what a jumpsuit is. With this one being black, you can wear it literally anywhere.”

“Pair it with the great espiralldes wedges we have here to allow you to wear it out to dinner, or pair it with flats for a great day date.”

“These days, a floppy hat can be worn to pretty much anything. Wear it at your local coffee shop to keep the sun out while you read, or wear it out to make a statement or turn those heads we talked about.”

“Again, we add a great eclectic gold necklace and bracelets to give the outfit some class, but not too much. The necklace has a pop of color so that something on her stands out. Adding the pop of color actually adds depth to the outfit, so you don’t just see a sea of black, but you see the details intended in the way the garment was made.”

pg 6 • WACO WEEKLY • April 16, 2014 • wacoweekly.com

3

ATTENTION TO DETAILS @ CELEBRATE WACO // HIPPODROME

4

ECLECTIC CAFÉ CASUAL

@ LULA JANES

“This is the perfect outdoor cafe outfit, and Waco has a lot of those. The look of knit and crochet has made its way back into trends for the summer, so we love this top.

The way this one is made, it has a free-spirited feel, but at the same time it’s not too casual to make you look disheveled.”

“Grae loves a good pair of colored, easy fitting shorts. We probably have fifteen different pairs. I love the striking violet print that keeps the outfit from looking bland. It draws the spring/summer vibrance out of the outfit. The floppy hat makes its appearance again, because if you’re like us, you want to take a floppy hat everywhere you go this season.”

“And about the shoes, in our model’s words, they’re the perfect combination of an oxford and a sandal. The sides are open, so they’re breathable, but they have the top look of an oxford shoe, which again, can be worn many different places. That’s the key in spring and summer fashion, is picking pieces that can be worn for multiple occasions and in multiple settings.”

“The gold jewelry here is meant to be an eclectic mix that compliments the overall free look of the outfit. We especially love the fringe on the necklace for the very same reason. And might we just say that a touch of coral lipstick is our jam this season.”

“Gosh, I love this outfit. Especially, I just love all of the details of this outfit. At Grae, none of the clothes or accessories are really all that flashy, they’re just detailed.”

“The white maxi is a great daytime piece, but can also be used for all of your spring and summer adventures. The white makes you feel totally light, and really free, and then the embroidery accents at the bottom are what make the statement.”

“My favorite part about this outfit are all of the accessories.

The knot necklace gives a slightly exotic feel, but is also reminiscent of the nautical trend that’s coming back this spring and summer.”

“The bracelets and the rings are acutely colorful with an accent of gold to give the outfit just what it needs to allow you to go pretty much anywhere. The gold takes it from the beach or the backyard to a day of shopping and dining. Plus, with that bag, she’s saying, ‘I’m ready to shop!’”

“Let’s not forget the belt. It really does the same thing the jewelry does, and, no pun intended, it holds it all together. It takes what looked like a beach outfit and makes it an outfit I would go out in.”

wacoweekly.com • April 16, 2014 • WACO WEEKLY • pg 7

5

WEEKEND ADVENTURER @ DOWNTOWN FARMER’S MARKET // BICYCLE COURTESY OF OUTDOOR WACO “This outfit is casual and wearable, but expressive of the colorfulness of the season.”

“What we try to do at Grae is give you options that make you look great without having to try really hard.

I like this because it’s self-sufficient. It has so much texture and light to it, that all you have to do is throw it on. Essentially it has a life of its own.”

“The necklace partners the simple concept of the shirt and shorts, but it’s classy without being overdone. The bracelets are one of our staple pieces within the store, they’re called Lily & Laura. The great thing about them is that no two are alike, and they add a lot to an outfit, but they’re really casual. They add the perfect accent because they’re colorful and mix in with the shirt.”

“I like the shoes because they bring out one of the prints of the shirt. It’s like we took one of the stripes out of the shirt and said, ‘Let’s make some shoes out of it.’ Loafers are quintessential, I think, for spring.

They’re comfy but can be made to go with any type of outfit.”

pg 8 • WACO WEEKLY • April 16, 2014 • wacoweekly.com

6

@ ART O E N I N I M E F S T BOYFRIEND MEE

N ELM AVE

“Who doesn’t love that mixing denim on denim has come back — and loudly. And to the benefit of every Grae customer, we now carry denim. This denim in particular is super distressed and well washed, so it gives that feel of, ‘I’ve had these for three years and I still love them.’ They have the ever-wonderful boyfriend fit to maximize comfort and style.”

“We’ve paired the jeans with our beloved chambray top that has some neon accents on the shoulders and sleeves, making it more feminine rather than androgynous, which is what denim on denim sometimes achieves, and while we love a good ‘taken from the boys’ look, we prefer the added feminine touch to this classic top.”

“There’s no need to accessorize such a classic look as this. We love its simplicity.”

Style IN LOURVE WITH PARIS & PATTERNS

Daily Food and Drink Specials

NEW DOWNTOWN LOCATION Now offering FREE Business to Business Pickup & Delivery

SHOE SHINE & SHOE REPAIR NOW AVAILABLE!

By Haili Z A couple of weeks ago, I went to visit Paris. In the capital of fashion, I was sure to find answers on how to mix patterns. Everyone had their own sense of style around the city of lights. Residents and visitors still looked stylish even though they were all bundled up with layers upon layers in the 30 degree weather (to top that off it was raining the entire time). I curled up on a bus and took a route around the city which entitled me to a front row window seat to see the fashion. Even if I wasn’t on foot, I would find some way to see the street style and the city.

twitter.com/drycleanwaco Come by, let us facebook.com/drycleanwaco take care of Check us out on Wacoboard.com you!

254-755-0242

117 N. 7th St. Waco, Texas 76701

2013-14

As for my own wardrobe, I packed thinking I’d be venturing into 60 degree weather. After purchasing the Peter Pilotto line for Target, I mixed and matched the pieces together over tights to finally put the pieces to use.

Since the pattern on the shirt and skirt matched, I paired it together, and thank goodness for accessories! I had turquoise and white accessories on hand which brightened the outfit a bit – compared to the gloomy, rainy, and cold weather, the turquoise jewelry completely popped.

I toured the Louvre, Seine River, Notre Dame, the Jardin des Tuileries and Jardin du Luxembourg, and all of the little spots along the way – all in my mixed print pattern. If it’s comfortable walking around the city, you know it’ll be comfortable in the office, for work, or on the weekend for events and errands.

Mixing patterns and making them your own–creating your own style assembled through mixing patterns—is completely in, at any time. Kate Spade mixes in a lemon pattern this spring to shoes, pants, and dresses – a lemon pattern like this can be mixed with a bold plaid. Mixing like this is sophisticated and stylish. You can bring in bold, beautiful, solid colors when you feel that mixing too much pattern is just not for you. Try mixing in a bold pink, a bright yellow, or an emerald green; these pair perfectly with patterns whether its a skirt, shirt or a pair of pants.

Now, try playing with your own wardrobe and seeing what patterns you can mix and match! Contact me if you need any help doing so. Pair your own patterns together, or pattern with a bold color when in Paris. I know it’s When in Rome, but it just sounds better with Paris. Don’t you think?

M-F 7:00 AM - 6:00 PM | Sat 8:00 AM - 12:00 PM

Visit our website for more info PatricksDryCleaners.com

Questions? Feel free to email us

PatricksDryCleaners@gmail.com

The Village Herbalist Herb Shop & Holistic Health Center Bulk Herbs, Holistic Massage, Tea Bar, All Things Herbal www.wacoherbalist.com

wacoweekly.com • April 16, 2014 • WACO WEEKLY • pg 9

Style THE VERSATILE DRESS OF SPRING

By Haili Z Wedding season is upon us, and the light and airy bridal gown is scarce.

Until, the Gemma Gown. Although I’m married, trying on bridal gowns as an evening gown with a lot of sparkle is not off limits. As a petite girl, alterations are always in order and this gown fits like a glove.

I was trying on dresses and gowns until this gown caught my eye. I had to try it on, and it was the perfect excuse! The gown is the perfect trend to focus on for brides this spring and summer, for brides seeking a beach bridal gown, or something a little more airy, and sweet. It is light and airy with a vast amount of sparkle to make it completely formal. This trend is also amazing for brides opting for a beach wedding.

The dress I tried on is transitional enough to be altered into a hi-lo dress for prom. With neon accessories–bright fuchsias, yellows, and turquoise—it gives it the right amount of color to make it pop!

Gowns of this nature can be paired with shoes that sparkle in a silver and gold hue. You can also take a fun approach and pair it with colorful formal shoes. For brides who are taller than your groom, or girls attending prom that are taller than your date – pair it with formal flats that sparkle or have flats with a pointy toe.

Take a cue from the look this season: wardrobe is light and airy with an incorporated touch of sparkle and shine. Try the trend by incorporating sparkle into your wardrobe even in accessories.

A CLOSER LOOK

photos by Christa Elyce Photography

pg 10 • WACO WEEKLY • April 16, 2014 • wacoweekly.com

By Heydy Sanches

WHO WHAT WEAR by hillary kerr and katherine power The editors of the popular style website WhoWhatWear.com have written a book filled with fashion and beauty advice. Katherine Power and Hilary Kerr both share tricks that turn expensive high fashion into affordable street fashion. The former Elle magazine editors are fashion geniuses that really know what they’re talking about.

We all know most fashion-style books are the same; however, this book really gets readers to understand how to get runway style in real life. Katherine and Hilary eliminate couture fears and give readers all the tools they need to renovate their individual style.

Additionally, they recognize and include the latest Hollywood and runway looks. Style queens such as Rachel Zoe, Nicole Richie, and Rachel Bilson also express their insider style secrets along with images from runway shows.

STYLE

by lauren conrad Best known for her role in MTV’s The Hills, on covers of magazines like Cosmopolitan and Rolling Stone, or simply as a fashion goddess, Laruen Conrad’s book, Style, reveals how you too can manage a classy and unique look without being a cover girl— literally.

The best selling book unveils all the secrets to becoming a fashion queen and finding your own personal style.

Conrad describes how she’s cultured her own fashion tips throughout the years, and shows readers how to find their own inner beauty and outer style.

Lauren writes from personal experiences and doesn’t sound arrogant, like most celebrity writers. She truly wants to spread her message.

OVERDRESSED

by elizabeth l. cline Overdressed is a quick, easy, and informative book that will have you rethinking fashion and the way you buy clothes. Only a few decades ago, most people had maybe a handful of clothes in their closets.

These days, average shoppers buy at least 60 new pieces of clothing a year.

Elizabeth Cline’s book is a perplexing reflection held up to the current mainstream’s shopping habits.

Through her research, she goes over the old standards of quality and how they have worn out the face of new discount attitudes and habits of overspending. According to Cline, not only have most clothes lost their quality of material, but the average consumer has also lost their eye for what quality really means.

wacoweekly.com • April 16, 2014 • WACO WEEKLY • pg 11

S T H G I N S O Z BRA erts

downtown waco conc

eco and d d y z t kwhea and the Family Ban c u B : 1 1 lph April Rando t r e b Ro

104.1 FM

Y MYERS

June 13: WHISKE ies with The TOad

July

n Jovi E

xperien

Food Trucks Good Times Music Family Fun Great at INdian Spring Park

ce

brazosnightswaco.com

Presented By:

H-E-B / City of waco / Metro pcs la ley 104.1 / power 108 / kix 106.7 grande communications / American Income LIfe

Courtyard by Marriott / Tymco / Stripes® Convenience Stores / T-Mobile CEFCO CONVENIENCE STORES / Atmos Energy / Cargill / Dr Pepper

pg 12 • WACO WEEKLY • April 16, 2014 • wacoweekly.com

Won’t Regret Downloading

May 9: CIN Rick tre CO DE MAYO with vino and L a Ley

Blaz 4: H-E-B F e of Glor irework y: the B s with o

3 Apps You

FOREVER 21 - BY HALEY CLARK Forever 21 is the hip, trendy place to shop for everything from clothes to shoes to accessories, and the fashion on their hangers and shelves doesn’t break the bank. If you like shopping at the store, you’ll love the app. Instead of having a giant store with infinite things to look at, you can look at outfit ideas in one place on your phone. The app features a lookbook (where you can look at outfits created by their top stylists), a list of current sales and promotions (with exclusive mobile offers), a GPS store locator to find the nearest store, and a list of new arrivals. You can peruse many different items and buy what catches your eye with the shop section, as well.

FASHION KALEIDOSCOPE - BY KATY DE LUNA It’s as if Pinterest and ShopStyle got hitched and had a baby named Fashion Kaleidoscope. With the Kaleidoscope app, you can scroll through pictures of the latest outfits from around the world in a Pinterest-style layout. If you see something you like, just click on the picture and you’ll be able find out where you can buy the look. You’ll get a list of the stores that have a similar item along with the price and any sales that may be going on. You can also share what you find on Pinterest, Twitter, and Facebook, or save your favorite outfits to your Fashion Kaleidoscope profile.

POLYVORE - BY KELLY PORTER Whether you’re a fashionista or just someone who needs a little help in the fashion department, Polyvore is an ideal app. Polyvore allows you to “Get styling ideas for your favorite products from all the top stores” and to “discover latest styles trending” in pop culture. The app allows you to peruse millions of different looks, see trending brands as well as styles, create your own collages of different products, and more. For those lacking fashion-sense, you can follow others more fashionable than you and get ideas for an alternative to flip-flops and fanny packs.

TASTE

•••••• Like many Wacoans, spring means peas and onions and flowers and trips to the dog park and impromptu picnics and...allergies.

Last summer, Waco’s dusty, pollinated air sent me to the allergy specialist. I expected to leave with your typical diagnosis of hay fever.

Instead, I stomped out of the building with a crumpled list titled “No Allergy” that indicated about a dozen food groups that were completely “safe” for me.

When you get allergy tested, the results come back on a scale from “strong allergy” to “mild allergy.” It turned out that my list weighed heavily towards the “strong” and “moderate” sections. On top of the grasses and dusts and animals that I knew would show up on the allergy radar, my results included a litany of foods (foods?! guffaw!)

I had never really liked anyway, like cantaloupe, goat cheese, and shellfish. There were a few I wasn’t expecting, too, like wheat.

Wait, what?

For as long as I had known about the gluten-free diet, I had been a GF hater. I just didn’t believe in it. I didn’t understand how, suddenly, so many people could discover an intolerance to gluten. And as a cook, I found the gluten-free diet so annoying. I mean, it makes vegetarian cooking look like a walk in the park. How are you supposed to make gluten-free cake shine like the original? How can I throw a party without serving water crackers with cheese? Do you expect me to bread and fry everything in cornstarch?? And let’s not even start on cross-contamination.

In short, I wasn’t into it. So, discovering that wheat was right up there on my scale of allergic intensity with grasses and cats sent me into a tailspin of denial. For a while, I chose not to believe it. I decided that allergy testing was for pansies, and I wasn’t a pansy, and the only way to go on was to keep eating all the foods and prove to the others that minor food allergies are all in your head. I knew I wasn’t seriously allergic, like people who need epi pens, so I thought I could keep ignoring “gluten-free.”

These days, I’m more reasonable. I’ve quietly accepted my status a bit more. I guess I’ll never be fully convinced about my gluten-intolerance, and I’ll never stop eating pasta or baked goods. But I did seriously cut back on bread (unfortunate for someone in the pizza business). And on the plus side, I’ve started to view gluten-free cooking as a challenge instead of a hindrance. Every now and then, as is the case with these pecan pie bars, the GF version turns out to be the real show stopper.

I can eat these bars all day. To make matters even better, there’s no baking required here, and even the gluten tolerant love these things.

Bring a batch to a picnic, and don’t forget the antihistamines.

Chocolate Pecan Pie Bars: Gluten-free, Vegan, No-bake Makes an 8 x 8 pan of squares Ingredients: 2 cups dates, pitted 3 cups pecans halves 1 cup dried, flaked, unsweetened coconut 3 Tablespoons coconut oil 2 Tablespoons Steen’s cane syrup* ¼ cup water ¾ teaspoon salt 1 ½ cups dark chocolate chips

mixture into a smooth layer. Place in freezer while preparing other ingredients.

*Steen’s Cane Syrup is made by slow-cooking cane sugar. It’s a bit sweeter than molasses. You should be able to find it in a local grocery store. In a pinch, use molasses or another sugar syrup.

Filling Layer: 1. Back in the food processor, process 1 cup pecans until the size of pencil erasers or smaller, and set aside. In food processor, add remaining 1 cup dates, ¼ cup water, 2 Tablespoons coconut oil, and 2 Tablespoons Steen’s syrup to processor, and process well. When nearly smooth, add in the 1 cup pecan pieces and pulse briefly, only until combined.

Crust: 1. Toast pecans on a cookie sheet in a 375 F oven for 5-10 minutes, just until fragrant. Set aside to cool.

2. In a food processor pulverize 1 cup pecans and all the coconut flake until a coarse meal forms.

Add 1 cup dates, 1 Tablespoon coconut oil, and ½ teaspoon sea salt, and process until a smooth paste forms.

3. In a plastic-lined 8 x 8 baking dish, press crust

Chocolate Layer: 1. In a double boiler, melt chocolate chips without burning. Pour most of the chocolate onto the crust and spread into a smooth layer. Return dish to freezer. Reserve a few tablespoons of chocolate for drizzling and set aside.

2. Pour filling over the crust and chocolate, and spread until smooth. Gently press remaining 1 cup of pecan halves into the top. Drizzle with reserved melted chocolate.

3. Freeze for several hours, preferably overnight, then lift out with plastic and slice. Store in refrigerator or freezer.

wacoweekly.com • April 16, 2014 • WACO WEEKLY • pg 13

By Cheyenne Mueller

Mean Girls is on Netflix… That’s like So Fetch

The Grand Budapest Hotel Dramedy (R)

Every once in a while, there comes a movie that is not good… but great. Wes Anderson has done just that in The Grand Budapest Hotel, a film that is wholly entertaining while still maintaining his patented artistry.

Anderson has successfully avoided standard tropes common at the box office (extravagant explosions and/ or root-for-the-underdog feel-good movies), while, again, earning praise for his ingenuity.

The Grand Budapest Hotel is his best feature yet, even better than 2009’s Fantastic Mr. Fox and 2012’s Moonrise Kingdom.

And what a cast for this film. Anderson has a special affinity for a handful of actors and often casts them in his productions. Tilda Switon (who is nearly unrecognizable in the film), Jason Schwartzman, Bill Murray, Bob Balaban, and Edward Norton are all “Anderson regulars” who make small appearances in his recent endeavor.

As with all of Anderson’s films, Grand Budapest is intricate as a story within a story within a story that reveals the adventures of Mr. Gustave H (Ralph Fiennes), a legendary concierge at a famous European hotel in Zubrowka, and Zero Moustafa (Tony Revolori), the lobby boy who becomes his most trusted friend. The film’s first narrator is a “seasoned” writer (Tom Wilkinson) who recounts a particular conversation he had in his younger years (played then by Jude Law) with Mr. Moustafa (F. Murray Abraham), the then-owner of the now-lonesome abode, who in turn recounts his childhood assisting the charismatic concierge, M. Gustave H (Ralph Fiennes).

Dizzy yet? It’s understandable, and all part of Anderson’s meticulous filmmaking and story weaving.

Moustafa’s account takes the audience back to the ‘30s, when Gustave was the pulse of the grand hotel and the Budapest’s main attraction. Always smartly dressed in his royal purple uniform, not a hair was out of place. His “company” was always requested amongst a very particular type of clientele: rich, white, blonde, old, and needy. When one of his favorite patrons, Madame D (Tilda Swinton) is murdered, she leaves Gustave a priceless painting, causing the family to revolt, which serves as the catalyst for an extravagant escapade involving theft, murder, delicious cakes, an elaborate prison break, a humorously-murdered cat, and a series of helpful phone calls from fellow concierges.

The film is unbelievably charismatic and funny; but Anderson doesn’t deliver the quips outright. This is a movie where the laughter doesn’t come expectantly but is based off the viewer’s ability to understand layered wit. The Grand Budapest Hotel is 100 minutes long and rated R for language, some sexual content, and violence (but absolutely nothing is overdone).

pg 14 • WACO WEEKLY • April 16, 2014 • wacoweekly.com

Mean Girls is ten years old. I repeat – MEAN GIRLS IS TEN YEARS OLD. Feel old, don’t ya?

The millennial generation’s cult classic is finally on Netflix, which means that you can relive your favorite moments of girl world 24/7.

In case you’ve been living under a rock with absolutely no contact with any girl ever, Mean Girls follows Cady Heron (Lindsay Lohan), a 16-yearold raised in the African bush country by her zoologist parents who only thinks she knows about survival of the fittest. But the law of the jungle takes on a whole new meaning when the home-schooled teen enters public high school for the first time, becoming popular with The Plastics (the A-list girl clique at her new school) until she makes the mistake of falling for Aaron Samuels, the ex-boyfriend of alpha Plastic Regina George, cuing psychological warfare.

The screenplay for the movie was written by Tina Fey and inspired by Rosalind Wiseman’s best-selling parent-education book, Queen Bees and Wannabes: Helping Your Daughter Survive Cliques, Gossip, Boyfriends, and Other Realities of Adolescence, which was published in 2002 and contains no narrative at all. The original screenplay was much more explicit than the PG-13 film that was released; according to interviews with the cast, Regina’s character cursed like a sailor and several lines had to be edited because of their graphic nature (hint: “made out with a hot dog” was not in the original script).

Quotes from the decade-old movie can still be heard regularly, despite being released to theaters on April 30, 2004 when most of the collegeage students were in primary school. “You go, Glenn Coco!” is a favorite, being used to both legitimately congratulate someone and also serving as a smartass remark on occasion. Thanks, Tina Fey. The successful franchise even spurred a straight-to-DVD sequel Mean Girls 2 in 2011, but we try not to talk about that. We just… nope. No. Sorry to even bring that up.

“Ron for your lives!”

- that’s all you can do.

Answers

Across 1 Ski lodge drinks 7 Put up for display 11 “Danny and the Dinosaur” author ___ Hoff 14 Show off 15 Cookie with its name stamped on it 16 Actress Mendes 17 Furniture wheel 18 Club for shorter shots 20 “What’s that D.C. university, hon?” response (from a director and former pitcher)?

22 Fish hook 24 Through 25 Controversial director Riefenstahl 26 Affect adversely 27 Dubliner’s dance 28 Affirmation at the altar 31 Adjust a clock 32 Become more liked by 34 Like day-old bread 36 Premium-class TV dinner brand (from a fictional boss and an actor)?

40 Oldest of the “Animaniacs” siblings 41 Strainers 43 Miguel’s “more” 46 Part of iOS 47 Easter egg coloring 48 Put away 49 Volcano that erupted in 2002 51 Al and Peggy Bundy’s son 52 “Srsly?!”

53 Wine that can’t decide what it is (from a stand-up comedian and a fictional newsman)?

58 Video game starting point 59 ___ car (child’s ride) 62 Compass dir.

63 Advanced 64 Interlock 65 The Mavericks, on scoreboards 66 ‘90s Mariners star 67 Agree (to)

Down 1 Freon letters 2 Rock-___ (jukebox manufacturer) 3 Movement of money 4 Words before bounds or breath 5 Over again 6 “The Firebird” composer 7 Accord creator 8 Like Death Valley 9 “99 Luftballons” singer 10 Movie or party attachment 11 Sitcom, e.g.

12 Miss ___ (“Pee-Wee’s Playhouse” character) 13 “Heck!”

19 Down with something 21 18-wheeler 22 Prank 23 Goes on TV 27 The ___ Brothers 28 “___ Always Sunny in Philadelphia” 29 Short, short shorts 30 Skate park maneuver 33 Method 34 Snoopy ___-cone Machine 35 The night before 37 Allows 38 Common 39 “Are you for ___?”

42 Hog’s haven 43 Whimpered 44 Favorite daughter of Zeus 45 Whimper 47 Burrowed 50 Fed on 51 AKC category 52 “This is weird, but...”

54 First name of the “First Lady of Song” 55 Feral pig 56 “...___ dust shalt thou return” 57 Columbus vessel 60 Food preserver 61 Suffix with employ 2014 Jonesin’ Crosswords (editor@jonesincrosswords.com)

wacoweekly.com • April 16, 2014 • WACO WEEKLY • pg 15