Orange & Blue magazine - The Color Issue - Fall 2014

BLLBLUE oranGE EB THE COLOR ISSUE FALL 2014

ENDING THE

SEXUAL STIGMA

ONE CONDOM AT A TIME

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GRAD CAPS TO INSPIRE YOU

DRINK UP! DOWNTOWN'S MOST CREATIVE COCKTAILS

PLUS:

MEET GAINESVILLE'S LEADING CLAIRVOYANT!

1 LOCAL PEOPLE | FOOD & DRINKS | FASHION | LOVE & RELATIONSHIPS | GAINESVILLE COMMUNITY | HEALTH

WHAT'S INSIDE 22 7 of Gainesville's Most Colorful Places.............................................5 The Power of Perception...................................................................6 Love Knows More Than Black and White........................................8 Worldwide Artistry Brought to Our Local Market...........................10 Money Talks....................................................................................14 Visualizing the Colors of Your Soul..................................................16 Colorful Body Language From Around The World..........................18 Life as a Drag Queen.......................................................................19

Springing Into Fashion....................................................................22 Hair to Dye For...............................................................................26 Both Sides of the Needle: The Artist and the Canvas.......................27

The Burning Truth: Is Tanning Worth the Risk?...............................30 The Art of Healing...........................................................................31 Do You See What I See?...................................................................34 Protected With Pride........................................................................36 The Cause Behind the Color.............................................................38

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4 Ways to Add Green to Your Life....................................................40 2nd Street Speakeasy: Gainesville's Most Vibrant Bar.........................42 Pops of Color....................................................................................43 Krazy for Kebabs...............................................................................44 50 Shades of Beer..............................................................................46

50 Gameday TailGATORS...................................................................48 34th Street Wall: Painting History with Each Layer..........................50 Walking in Style...............................................................................54

Photos by Marisa Ross, Justine Giancola, Jennifer Hernandez, Cara Chiaramonte and Noelia Trujillo

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FALL 2014 STAFF EDITORS-IN-CHIEF: NOELIA TRUJILLO CARA CHIARAMONTE SENIOR EDITOR: RACHEL KURLAND COPY EDITORS: LAUREN RICHARDSON JENNIFER HERNANDEZ ART DIRECTOR: MARISA ROSS PHOTO EDITOR: JUSTINE GIANCOLA PHOTO ASSISTANT: JENNIFER HERNANDEZ VIDEOGRAPHER: MEGHAN PRYCE SOCIAL MEDIA MANAGER: NICOLE GERMANY Thank You...

To our advisers Nicole Irving, Diane McFarlin, Ted Spiker, Spiro Kiousis, Helga Williams, Matt Sheehan, Hal Herman, Mike Foley, Rob Witzel and the Summer Journalism Institute.

Orange & Blue is published semi-annually by UF College of Journalism and Communications students in the Applied Magazines course. This issue was printed by Colonial Press. Copyright 2014. All rights reserved. No part of this magazine may be reproduced or transmitted in any form by any means without written permission.

Orange & Blue is protected through trademark registration in the United States.

Send letters to Box 118400, College of Journalism and Communications, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611.

Cover and back page photo by Marisa Ross with assistance by Rachel Kurland Models: Joel Davila, Nathalie Bjilsma, Kate Pivacek, Emma Boslet, Marry Vuong, Warner Ward, Kelsey Martinez, Justin Galicz, Elise Rodriguez, Carla Prophete, Alanna Massey

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Letter from the Editors: Revitalizing Tradition For the past seven semesters, Orange & Blue has been published solely online — colorful pages turned with a simple click of the mouse. But this time, we decided to do something different. We decided to bring that color back to life.

It’s easy to see things in black and white, but our team went deeper. Throughout the next 56 pages, you’ll see the product of nine students who combined their individual skills and everything they’ve learned at UF to search Gainesville and its surrounding community to find what makes it so unique, so vibrant. From exploring the rich story behind a local clairvoyant to delving into the life of an art therapist at UF Health Shands Hospital, we found the blues, the reds, the oranges and the greens — the full color spectrum.

As you step into this amazing community we all call home, we challenge you take in the sights, sounds and colors that surround you every day.

You never know what splashes of color are around the corner!

Cara Chiaramonte and Noelia Trujillo Co-Editors-in-Chief

Fall 2014 Staff: (from top left) Marisa Ross, Rachel Kurland, Jennifer Hernandez, Cara Chiaramonte, Lauren Richardson, (from bottom left) Noelia Trujillo, Meghan Pryce, Nicole Germany, Justine Giancola

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OF GAINESVILLE'S

MOST COLORFUL PLACES

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Story and photos by Nicole Germany

1. Corks & Colors Studio Grab a paintbrush and head to Corks & Colors if you're feeling crafty. With a variety of activities offered, your masterpiece is just a few brush strokes away. You can learn how to paint a skull on a wine glass or create a funky feather work of art. corkscolors.com 352-373-8847

2. Satchel’s Pizza In 2003, Satchel Raye opened one of the most eclectic pizzerias in Gainesville. If you’re passing by for the first time, the floppy disc collage and the chandelier made of keys are sure to catch your eye. Satchel’s offers a wide range of pizza, calzones and beer. satchelspizza.com 352-335-7272

3. Butterfly Rainforest Exhibit Tucked away in the Florida Museum of Natural History, you’ll find a rainforest full of multicolored butterflies. This bright natural environment includes turtles, fish, birds and hundreds of flowers. flmnh.ufl.edu 352-846-2000

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4. DNA Bridge Vibrantly placed above Southwest 13th Street, the bridge resembles the molecular structure of DNA. Reopened in November 2012, the previously barbed wire-covered bridge is now a perfect place to take a run on a clear night.

5. The Church of Holy Colors Every square inch of the former church has been layered with splatters of paint. The space displays everything from large tree sculptures to psychedelic murals. When a new concept develops, the walls are painted white, and the process starts again. holycolor.tumblr.com 863-608-1861

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6. Devil’s Den Springs Scuba Diving Resort Hidden on a dirt road in Williston lies an underground spring open every day except Christmas. The water illuminates once inside, and steam rises from the surface each morning during the winter. devilsden.com 352-528-3344

7. Stage 7 Karaoke & Lounge Stage 7 is filled with flashing lights and glowing ambience. Enjoy a colorful redand-white melt snow martini by the bar or plan a group night in one of its ocean blue rooms. stage7gainesville.com 352-505-5156

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THE POWER OF PERCEPTION

Color fills our world, but there are many questions about how it works and why

By Jennifer Hernandez | Photo by Marisa Ross

Whenever I’m working on a big project, I enjoy looking out the window at the towering vibrant trees of north central Florida.

When I look at the way the sun shines on the leaves, making them glisten in different shades of sage or forest green, I feel relaxed and inspired.

These overwhelmingly positive vibes make it easy to assume most people would see and react similarly to these trees — or any colorful object for that matter. But there’s more to perception than what meets the eye.

We know certain colors lead to common thoughts and feelings, but a variety of factors, including psychology and culture, influence the way we perceive color. To understand its effect, we first have to look at the process of vision and how we give color meaning.

How do we perceive color?

Kendra Cherry, a psychology expert for The New York Times and About.com, describes perception as the way our senses recognize and respond to environmental factors.

Sensory response to color is often seen in consumers.

According to Kissmetrics, a customer intelligence and Web analytics site, color is one of the most powerful methods of design.

When aimed at buyers, red signals energy, which increases their heart rate and creates a sense of urgency, which is ideal for sale and clearance signs. Blue implies trust and security, characteristics businesses often want to showcase, and yellow’s optimism sells the idea of youthfulness.

To get a better understanding of how we actually see these colors, Clay Smith, an associate professor in the UF Department of Ophthalmology, said the eye itself doesn’t see color but instead captures particles of light called photons.

Vision primarily starts with photoreceptor cells called cones, he said. The cone’s center has a vitamin A molecule, which grabs the photons. Surrounding the cone are three proteins — red, green and blue photoreceptor pigments — which absorb the different wavelengths in the photons.

When the vitamin A grabs a photon, energy changes the shape of the red, blue or green protein, transmitting a nerve impulse to the brain, Smith said. The brain uses this message to identify what color we’re seeing.

Does color matter?

When it comes to our cuisine, Smith said color is vital.

Hunter-gatherers who foraged for food in the wild used different colors as signals for dangerous foods, such as toxic red berries. But today, color surprisingly doesn’t have the same significance.

“In our daily life, color is not that critical,” he said. “It’s not as evolutionarily important anymore, but there’s something pleasurable about it to us.”

Acute vision is more important in modern society, Smith said,

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because it helps us see fine resolution in texts, pictures and movement.

Our eyes are constantly moving, even if it’s just a little bit. If you were to numb your eyes so they wouldn’t move while trying to focus on something, the brain would completely wipe out that object from your visual perception. Having minimal movement in the eye helps us keep things in perspective and lets us distinguish one object from another.

Is color the same for everyone?

Keith White, a UF psychology and ophthalmology associate professor, said one color doesn’t cause a specific chemical reaction in the brain. Instead, all colors produce many different reactions. White said colors are culturally defined, and people develop associations with colors based on their unique experiences and cultures.

“In India, white would be the right color for a funeral, but in the United States, that would be the wrong thing to do,” he said.

Red is probably the only color that has a widespread meaning because most organisms bleed red, White said. However, the phrase “seeing red,” for example, implies anger or violence, whereas some people faint at the sight of blood. Thus, there’s no one-to-one correspondence between any color and a specific emotion.

Does that mean I’ve been conditioned by my culture to look for inspiration in those lush green trees? Not necessarily. Green has been scientifically found to motivate personal wellness.

In a 2012 study published by the “Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin,” four German scientists found a glimpse of green before a creative activity could enhance a participant’s performance in both word- and picture-based tasks. Stephanie Lichtenfeld, the study’s author, concluded green may be a cue that inspires motivation for improvement.

How are colors used in society?

Kay Tappan, a UF public relations lecturer, reiterated that color is very much culturally bound. She said red’s ability to capture attention and create excitement might be why some news organizations like CNN and BBC News use it as their signature color. She contrasted red’s alarming energy with blue's welcoming connotations.

“In the United States, the most popular color is blue,” Tappan said. “Psychologically, it conveys a sense of friendliness and openness, perhaps as a result of our associations with blue skies.”

This could be why a majority of social networking sites and media companies, such as Facebook, Twitter, Skype, FOX and CBS, use the hue in their logos and themes.

Although we’d like to assume our hearts naturally pitter-patter at the sight of red or mellow down when looking at a blue sky, these emotions essentially derive from cultural influences. These color theories help us give meaning to what we see. By understanding how we use color and realizing people don’t always see it similarly, we can better perceive the world.

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LOVE KNOWS MORE THAN BLACK

By Meghan Pryce Photos by Nicole Germany and Meghan Pryce

Some people think love is defined by pastel “Be Mine” candy hearts, red roses accompanied by dark chocolate or big, bright ruby bows fastened to presents. But love is not defined by color or by gifts.

For this couple and family, love has no bounds and isn’t restricted by color of any kind. Love doesn’t deserve judgment, but most of all, its definition shouldn’t be influenced by anyone other than those in the relationship.

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AND WHITE

A HIGHER STANDARD

THEY WERE CHOSEN

Charlie Brown Jr. and Shelby Brooks have heard it all: “It’s just not right,” “It’s not natural,” and “We weren’t raised that way.” What did they do to receive such comments? Brown is black. Brooks is white. And they’ve been dating for about eight months now. Brown said he loves how thoughtful Brooks is, especially when it comes to their relationship and how she treats her family.

“The fact that she really does care, and you can tell that it’s genuine,” the 22-year-old said without hesitation as he flashed a smile her way. Brooks, who is also 22, loved the compliments — you could tell in her laugh and giddy nature. Brown is her support system, she said, her confidant.

Depending on the day of the week, Emelie Mathews has between five to seven children. The 61-year-old and her husband, Archie, take in children who don’t have anyone else and do everything parents should do, financially and otherwise, for as long as they may need.

Emelie has a biological son named David, 39, whom Archie adopted, and she has been a part of Dominique LeGree’s life for 18 years and counting. LeGree and her two siblings are the only people Emelie and Archie took under their wing as children.

LeGree’s birth mother was a single mother of three, a drug addict who was in and out of jail and verbally abusive.

When LeGree was 11, her mother was in jail. She and her two siblings couldn’t go to certain church outings without a parent, so Emelie, who had just started a van ministry at the church, would give the three children a ride. After a while, Emelie and Archie decided to serve as the children’s church parents. The now 29-year-old considers Emelie and Archie to be her mother and father.

“For me, I had been hurt by so many black people,” she said. “If you put it in a color matter, a white person was always the person to provide for me and accepted me and said ‘I believe in you’ and always went that extra mile.”

Emelie and Archie would take LeGree and her siblings backto-school shopping, and they spent holidays like Christmas together, exchanging gifts. They would eat out and spend time together on Emelie’s 160-acre Alachua farm. Without hesitating, the Mathews even paid for LeGree’s out-of-state tuition and proudly dropped her off for her first day at Leavell College at the New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary.

Some people commend Emelie for what she does, but she doesn’t do it for the praise. As she lit up telling stories of the children growing up, it was evident she loved them whether they’re blood-related or not. After all, Emelie can relate because she was adopted.

Charlie Brown Jr. and Shelby Brooks let the criticism about their relationship roll off their backs. “When people talk about us, it makes us even closer,” Brooks said while laughing. “So I kinda like it.”

“He’s always positive, especially if I’m having a bad day or going through anything school- or family-wise,” she said.

Both have dated outside of their races before, so the only things that mattered when they decided to make things official were the qualities they valued in one another. Brooks was raised not to see color. But as a black male, Brown faced race issues his entire life.

His grandmother, who is biracial, told him about a time when her father was threatened to be hanged from a tree for walking down the street with her mother. Her story not only gives Brown a better perspective on how far black people have come but also reminds him how far they still have to go.

Although the couple mainly receives positive responses, some of Brown’s uncles joke that they always knew he would be with a white girl. You could tell in his demeanor that it irked him to be alluded to a black man who acts white. Brooks also faces some negativity from distant family members.

“I get so defensive if anybody has anything bad to say about him because I know how good of a person he is,” she said with a frustrated face. She said she feels like she brought the racism to him, as though the disdain from others about their relationship was her fault.

The couple recognizes it may not be fair, but sometimes it’s just the way the world is. Instead of avoiding racial issues, they talk about everything openly, and it strengthens their relationship. To combat the adversity and pessimistic opinions, they hold themselves to a higher standard because they know they will face criticism in the future.

“We’re just like everybody else,” he said. “We have disagreements just like everybody else. We love each other just like everybody else.”

From top left: David Matthews, his girlfriend Sheila McDonald, Tamara Gregory, Ieshiah Robinson, Archie Matthews and Emelie Matthews.

“I always treated it as I was special,” she said. “I was chosen instead of just had.”

Going to a racially diverse high school in New York gave Emelie perspective as well. Instead of distinguishing color, she said she just sees people. She tries to pass that on.

“It matters what kind of person you are inside,” she said.

“It’s not what we see, it’s how you act that makes a difference.”

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Worldwide Artistry Brought to Our Local Market

A Q&A with vendors from the Union Street Farmers Market Story and photos by Justine Giancola and Nicole Germany

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ach week, vendors and locals come together for delicious food, exotic art and locally made products, from handmade soaps to guides for feng shui. While strolling through downtown Gainesville’s own expression of color and pizzazz, the vivacious atmosphere vibrates from the beats of local musicians. This cultural community dates

back 11 years, when the first Union Street Farmers Market was held at the Sun Center in downtown Gainesville. The market relocated to Bo Diddley Community Plaza, where it is currently held every Wednesday, rain or shine, from 4 to 7 p.m. We picked our two favorite booths at the market to find out what makes their products so different.

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The Dragon's Hoard: Luis and Marianne

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wners Luis and Marianne Melendez have been selling stones and minerals collected from across the globe at the farmers market for about three years. While collectors purchase some, most stones are sold to those in need of something else; Marianne talks to her customers to determine which stone will help them with what they need in their lives. Whether it’s emotional healing, a connection with nature or simply luck, The Dragon’s Hoard brings a rare flair to the market. We spoke to Marianne to learn more: What’s the story behind your booth and the stones and minerals you sell?

These pieces are from all over the world. A lot are from Florida and Georgia, but we’ve also traveled to the Southeast and Southwest to find some. Sometimes we even venture as

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far as Brazil, South America, Germany, India and China. China is a great place to get a stone, such as jade.

Why do you sell your products here as opposed to somewhere else?

Take a look around you! I love the organics and the people. There’s always something new, always something fresh. Great people come and shop here. It’s a good place to be; very energetic, very full of life.

Do any of your pieces have a story behind them?

They all have a story behind them. For example, the Optical Calcite, or Iceland spar, is how the Vikings navigated around the world. When it was a rainy day and they couldn't see the sun, they'd hold it up to the sky and the light would come through

in a circle where the sun was because of the polarization of the stone.

How do you feel when you sell your stones?

I get attached to some pieces and don’t want to sell them, so I keep them at home until I absolutely have to sell them. I have a knack for knowing who needs what, and I feel gratified when I sell a stone that someone needs. Most of the time, I can determine what they need by talking with them and finding out what’s going on with them. It’s interesting because almost every person has a different need.

Someone might need consolation and for that I may recommend a rose quartz to them because it’s an emotional healer. I just find out what their story is and do my best to help them pick the stone they’re looking for.

Queen & Swan: Gita and Dhruva

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o-owner Gita Soto has spent a good portion of her life in India. Her mother gave her an Indian name even though she was born in England. Soto lived in India for eight years where she met her husband and co-owner, Dhruva Gorrick, while he was making block prints. Their booth has been profitable for about six months, and they strive to give shoppers an outlet to be both artistic and creative. The wooden block pieces resemble detailed stamps and can be used on anything, including cloth, wallpaper, skin or even as a decorative display. Soto took some time out of her day to speak with us about her experience.

What’s the story behind your booth and the pieces you sell?

These wooden block prints are hand-carved in India by a family there that works from home. We give a lot of our own drawings and designs to the artist, so we get a good fusion of Eastern and Western pieces. Some of the blocks are traditional motifs, such as paisleys, and others are just things like the Chrysler Building and the Empire State Building.

Why do you sell your products here as opposed to anywhere else?

Coming to the farmers markets is better (because) you’re able to get more personal and become interactive with your customers.

Plus, it’s a great environment, and it’s easier to reach out to the creative individuals who really want to know more about the pieces.

How many do you normally sell?

When we first started coming, they were flying like hotcakes. A lot of people had never really seen anything like them before and really thought they were amazing. It really varies what we sell each week. Sometimes we sell smaller ones because they’re cheaper and easier to use, but other times we sell more of the larger ones.

What do you feel when you sell one?

I know that every time we sell one, it’s going to be used for someone to do something creative with. It’s just great to know that each piece will be used for some type of art project that will create something amazing.

Why do you enjoy coming to the farmers market?

I love the farmers market because it’s an atmosphere like no other. There’s good energy and great people. You meet people, and you become friends with people. There are so many regulars that I see every Wednesday that we recognize and are personal with each other.

Have you connected with other booths?

Absolutely. I’m friends with all of my neighbors. My neighbor James and I trade quite often. We give him blocks, and he gives us his delicious tempeh. All the people around me I love.

Do you feel as though the farmers market brings the community together?

I think so. It’s somewhere for people to come eat tasty things, meet nice people and enjoy the positive vibes each Wednesday.

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T A M ONEY L K S One dollar, four perspectives: understanding how different people value the green

Story and

rl photos by Rachel Ku

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While strolling down West University Avenue, traffic signals blink and cars rush by as people push and shove to beat others to the restaurants and bars. As your glance falls to the ground, you spot a rusty penny blending into the dirty, cracked pavement. Do you bend over in the crowd to reach for one-hundredth of a dollar, or do you leave it?

Of course, we could always use a little more green in our pockets. It can provide security, safety, luxuries or bad influences. These four Gainesville residents agree money can’t buy happiness, but it definitely has an impact on how they live their lives.

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CHANIE GOLDMAN

had a simple childhood growing up in a Jewish community in Chicago. As the oldest of 13 children, she understood luxuries were not always an option — none of her siblings had their own bedrooms or TVs — but she never felt like her life was lacking. Now, with 13 kids of her own, the co-director of Lubavitch Chabad Jewish Center follows the same path of her upbringing.

“There’s no perfection in money or beauty or physicality at all,” she said. “If you can’t be happy being yourself, then all the money in the world isn’t going to get you anywhere.”

Goldman, 39, said Judaism follows the belief that people have the right to earn money, keep their money and use their money as they see fit, which should include helping others. One important part of Judaism is tzedakah, or charity. In Jewish communities, Goldman said people are always willing to help out with anything. Her children participate in tzedakah daily.

“If you do your part, God does his part,” she said.

She remembered something an old rabbi did years ago: Every Sunday, he passed out dollars so people could donate them to others in need.

“When you’re asking God for a blessing, you should (also) be helping someone else because when we help someone else, God’s more likely to help us,” she said.

CHLOE CEGELSKI

lit up with excitement when describing one of her best deals yet: two prom dresses — one emerald green with a beaded halter top, the other light blue with silver detailing and a beaded bodice — from Caché for the bargain price of $25 each.

The 19-year-old learned how to manage money by watching her mother shop with coupons at the grocery store, so her eyes always drift toward the sale racks. But because her family still manages the bills, Cegelski never had to get a job.

“Education is my job essentially,” she said.

However, the UF freshman still understands the value of a dollar. In high school, her friends constantly wanted to go out to eat, but she opted for a free, home-cooked meal instead.

Cegelski comes from a middle-class family and hopes to keep her future debt at a minimum after earning an industrial engineering degree. Although initially hesitant to admit it, she’s not worried about future fees. Now more independent in college, Cegelski relates to her fellow students’ needs to watch their spending habits, saying she can’t be so frivolous.

“I can’t be spending so much money all the time,” she said. “It does add up.”

JASON AUSTIN

knows what it’s like to have nothing. He was homeless twice while living in New York and manipulated by drugs and alcohol. Any money he acquired would go toward drugs. Now a recovering addict, the 22-year-old is trying to change for the better.

After moving to Florida almost two years ago, his girlfriend and her family saved his life. His girlfriend’s mother taught him tasks we take for granted, such as how to properly take a shower or how to communicate with other people. That, he said, is something you cannot buy.

Austin now provides for his girlfriend, their infant son and a baby on the way with two jobs — one in construction and one at McDonald’s. This new responsibility of managing family expenses is overwhelming, Austin said. Now that he has money, he’d rather be without it, fearing drugs and alcohol could consume him again. But the love and support from his family makes up for it.

“I know that I ain’t the perfect person, and I’ve made mistakes, (but) they were there for me,” he said.

PERRY MCGRIFF'S

father always told him one thing: Stay in school and get an education. No one can take that away from you.

Begrudgingly, McGriff took his father’s advice. He wanted to become a professional athlete, and he was on the right track.

He played football and baseball for UF in the late ’50s. After he graduated in 1960, he became a teacher, making about $4,800 his first year.

But McGriff wanted to pursue baseball. As an All-American player, he attended spring training but was not chosen to go professional. That’s when his father’s advice became a reality.

McGriff went back to school to take some insurance courses.

He became a State Farm insurance agent in 1962, making more than three times the amount he made his first year as a teacher.

McGriff, now 77, made about 13,000 insurance policies by the time he retired in 2010. He said the key to prosperous success is hard work.

“I can look back and say, ‘Yes, I was successful in my career,’” he said. “But the thing is, I never ever stopped working.”

At the top of his career, McGriff was making several figures annually, which he said created a certain standard of living. He said he’s neither rich nor poor, but he could purchase something if he wanted to. However long it takes to achieve success, McGriff said loyalty, honesty, timeliness and hard work will get you there.

“At the right place, at the right time, with the right attitude — sky’s the limit,” he said.

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VISUALIZING THE COLORS OF YOUR

SOUL

By Meghan Pryce | Photos by Marisa Ross and Justine Giancola

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One woman brings comfort to others through the messages of lost loved ones

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t all started with a strike of lightning.

At 12 years old, Gail Rhoads felt a surge of electricity spread throughout her body, and she landed in the middle of a field.

When her consciousness re-emerged, the world was different. It was as if her eyes were seeing through the energy above a flame — everything had a glassy, blurry coating.

The now 65-year-old clairvoyant said her physical and etheric bodies fused together, allowing her to see into two worlds at the same time. The etheric body is your soul form, she said, but for her, it’s the energy where she perceives aura colors.

“It was really an interesting time for me to grow up and to be so different,” she said.

Because she obtained her gift in the '60s, Rhoads didn’t have many resources to help her learn more about it. When she was 21, her mother died. Although they weren’t close, at around 2 a.m., Rhoads woke up to discover her room filled with moving lights.

She flipped the light switch on, and the lights vanished. She turned it back off, and the lights returned. Then, her mother’s energy appeared and said goodbye.

Rushing out of bed, Rhoads wrote a letter to her mother’s husband about this experience and was specific about the time it occurred. Years later, she learned the time she wrote in the letter was actually the exact time her mother died — a terrifying, unsettling situation for her.

In her 30s, Rhoads visited a medium from England. The first thing the medium told her was the story about her mother.

“That shook my universe even more because I was able to get over (what) happened with my mother in a sense,” she said.

After that, Rhoads researched and read about clairvoyants and mediums. For five years, she provided her services for free and learned as she went on. Rhoads thought sooner or later people would stop coming to her, but they never did.

Eventually, her services became so timeconsuming that she quit her teaching job at P.K. Yonge Developmental Research School

to provide her services full time, offering aura readings, past life readings, blessings and workshops to help people open their own intuitiveness and work with spirits.

During an aura reading, Rhoads lets souls who have a loving connection with her client’s path direct her. They pull her back and let her experience it, showing her the flashes of colors.

She also specializes in past lives. Souls show her lives of her clients and appear to her around the aura. She then uses this information to examine how a person’s past life is impacting his or her present life.

People in need of coping with the deaths of loved ones fly her around the world for her assistance. She’s been everywhere from Alaska, New York, Los Angeles and Colorado to Montreal, Austria and the Panama Canal.

Since the experience with her mother’s death, Rhoads has embraced her abilities.

During her 30-year career as a clairvoyant, she has never advertised her services but gets new clients by word of mouth.

"Some people go to psychiatrists. Some go to clairvoyants. It's all a different way of healing."

Joy Glanzer, a longtime client, met Rhoads on March 18, 2002 — the same day, her 21-yearold daughter, Sara, died in a car accident.

Sara hosted a St. Patrick’s Day party at her house. After guests left, Sara and her boyfriend decided to take a ride down a country road at 2 a.m. to see the stars. As they were driving down one of the dirt roads, the car hit a tree. Sara died instantly.

After Sara died, Glanzer, 59, thought about a large troll doll her father gave her that she passed down to Sara. She knew she needed to get it from Sara’s house because she was worried someone would not know the significance of the doll and take it. As she had that thought, the phone rang. It was Rhoads.

A mutual friend asked Rhoads to call Glanzer to comfort Glanzer and her family. The first story Rhoads told her was about a doll. At first, Glanzer thought Rhoads was mistaken because Sara didn’t like dolls. But when Rhoads described the doll as ugly, Glanzer realized Rhoads was talking about the same troll doll she thought about just minutes before.

“It just made me elated,” she said. “It immediately turned my grief into hope.”

Twelve years later, Rhoads still keeps the family updated whenever she gets messages from Sara. One story after the next, it became clear to Glanzer that Sara’s spirit was alive.

“Some people go to psychiatrists. Some go to clairvoyants,” Glanzer said. “It’s all a different way of healing.”

Katherine Cutler, 55, sees a therapist and Rhoads to help with the grief she has for her husband who died in March 2014. Shortly after, her brother and mother also died. When Cutler

Decoding aura colors with Gail Rhoads

Auras are color fields surrounding a person’s body that indicate how a person is feeling, their health and their characteristics. The outer aura varies because it’s connected to our emotions, while the inner aura is typically consistent unless a person undergoes a great deal of personal change. Red, orange and yellow are materialistic, earthbound colors in the outer aura. Blue, indigo and violet are spiritual, etheric colors.

RED represents anger and distrust. It's a powerful, strong color.

ORANGE is also a strong color, but it is more sociable than red.

YELLOW represents the mind and thinking energies. Its highest form is integrity. People with a yellow aura also like to be prepared.

GREEN represents balance between the spiritual and material worlds. It stands for constant growth and change and is about healing and balance. It also represents money.

BLUE is usually around people who are calming negotiators.

INDIGO represents spiritual sight from a higher dimension.

PINK represents nurturing, giving and motherly love. It’s also a truthful color.

PURPLE is an indicator of a person who has a belief in themselves or God. VIOLET indicates knowing your inner self.

WHITE is the color of protection. went in for her first session, Rhoads greeted her with a friendly hug. Her office is very eclectic, with wind chimes hanging by the window reflecting colors into the room from the sunlight. Cutler said it reminds her of her own life and makes her feel at ease.

Cutler met her soulmate in 1989. Losing him devastated her, and she still cries for him every day. But the sessions with Rhoads soothe her. Although she cries for her loss, she always leaves the sessions feeling better.

Without Rhoads’ services, Cutler is positive she would have gone off the deep end. Seeing Rhoads reinforces there is life after death, Cutler said.

The two speak regularly, and Cutler has taken about 10 people to see her.

“The most impressionable thing about Gail to me is that she is all about making people feel better about themselves and about the loss of the loved one,” Cutler said.

Although life events leading Rhoads down this career path have been traumatic, she said she’s grateful because she was able to find her calling: helping people grieve.

“It’s the most beautiful thing,” Rhoads said. “When I work with a mother who has lost a child and able to give her even a moment of a relief, it’s the most amazing thing in the world.”

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COLORFUL BODY LANGUAGE FROM AROUND THE WORLD

By Noelia Trujillo | Photos by Jennifer Hernandez

When traveling to foreign countries, it’s common to brush up on the local languages. But what people don’t tend to study before adventuring abroad is nonverbal communication. Although we kiss and hug to show affection in America, in countries like Saudi Arabia, those moves can land you in jail.

Stay out of trouble when abroad by learning the colorful and obscene meanings behind these six popular, innocent American gestures.

OK

USA: Yes, great or I approve.

Brazil, Germany and Russia: Flashing this symbol is not-so-OK because it vulgarly indicates an anus. In these countries and around Southern Europe and South America, you’d use this sign to call someone an “a**hole” or as a derogatory homosexual reference.

Thumbs Up

USA: Awesome or good job.

Iran and Afghanistan: On an obscenity scale of one to 10, this sign is an 11 in Persian culture. In Afghanistan, Iran and parts of both Italy and Greece, this means “up yours” or “sit on this.”

In several Islamic and Asian countries, it’s equivalent to “the finger.”

Bullhorns

USA: Rock on.

Spain and Italy: Whatever you do, don’t flash this gesture in front of the Vatican. Five Americans who flaunted the “devil horns” in 1985 were subsequently arrested for appearing as Satanists. Known as the original cuckold gesture, some Mediterranean countries also recognize the bullhorns as, “Your wife is cheating.”

The V

USA: Victory or peace.

Australia, United Kingdom, Ireland and New Zealand: In 1992, President George H. W. Bush attempted to flash a “peace sign” to protestors while touring in Australia. Instead, he held up the sign with his palm facing in — the equivalent to “screw you” or “up yours” in the land down under.

The “Moutza”

USA: Stop, wait or a call for attention.

Greece: The people of ancient Byzantium would smear charcoal and feces on the faces of criminals who were shamefully marched around town. This gesture replicates someone’s palm applying the excrements onto another’s face, and therefore, receiving the present-day, highly offensive connotation of “eat sh*t.”

Fingers Crossed

USA: Wishing for luck.

Vietnam: It doesn’t take much imagination to see that this gesture can parallel a female’s crossed legs. In Vietnam, crossing your fingers — especially when looking directly at someone — is rude because they’ll think you’re referring to them as lady parts.

Source: Diane Nagy, a senior lecturer at UF's Dial Center for Written and Oral Communication and College of Liberal Arts and Sciences professor.

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LIFE AS A

DRAG QUEEN Story and photos by Justine Giancola

One of Gainesville’s most outspoken, colorful drag queens graces the pages of Orange & Blue once again.

After being featured in our Summer 2014 issue, we just couldn’t get enough of Chastity Rose Della Cruize and her wonderfully unique personality.

Sitting outside of University Club in downtown Gainesville — my first time at a gay bar — I was unsure what to expect from Chastity Rose Della Cruize, a local drag queen. As I waited for her to arrive, I wondered what she would be like. Would she be sweet or sassy?

What would her makeup look like? What about her outfit? Before my thoughts could wander too far, the sound of high heels climbing the wooden staircase snapped me back to reality.

There she was, a striking brunette with legs for days and a smile lined with bright red lipstick that couldn't help but catch your eye. Her eyelashes had the volume people often long for, and her highlighted and contoured foundation looked professionally done.

“Hi, I’m Chastity,” the 29-year-old said in a voice deeper than you would expect from her appearance. “Interview before photo shoot?

Well then, I’m going to need a drink.”

Sassy it is.

Once the bisexual, crossdressing lesbian — as she identified herself — ordered a crisp appletini, she opened up like a book.

When Della Cruize came to Gainesville to attend UF in 2003, her first thought wasn't finding her classrooms or buying textbooks but rather locating the nearest gay bar. She promptly found University Club where she attended her first drag show and was inspired by a queen named Jasmine.

“She captivated the crowd,” Della Cruize said. “I thought, ‘I want to do that to a crowd some day.’”

Years later, she certainly draws that attention. Della Cruize has adopted a distinct drag style, incorporating punk rock music into a Tokyo-pop appearance. She uses a combination of theater, comedy and punk rock mixes to wow the crowd, differing from the average drag performance with upbeat pop melodies.

“I love mixing it up,” she grinned. “You never know quite what to expect with me.”

Della Cruize takes pride in her costumes, which she sews herself.

Threading one sequin at a time with a cocktail nearby, she enters a state of tranquility.

While she finds costume-making therapeutic, makeup tends to be more of a chore. The three-hour process requires a lot of patience and attention to detail. Granted an hour of the routine is dedicated to shaving, but the rest is pinning hair into place and putting on the perfect face. For Della Cruize, this means proper highlighting and contouring to make her nose appear thinner and detailed eye shadow to make her eyes look larger.

Once she’s all dolled up, she prides herself on her female resemblance.

When she first started out, Della Cruize admits she was “messy.”

She explained that performers need a drag mother — someone to help them learn the ropes and the art of drag. Although she has come a long way since then, she still calls herself a work in progress.

“You’re always improving in drag. If you think you’re done, then you clearly have no idea what competition is,” she said with a hint of attitude.

Della Cruize has had her share of fun as a performer, but sometimes the limelight gets a little too bright. The act of drag isn’t always well received, and she’s had first-hand experiences dealing with the “straight haters.” These people automatically assume drag queens are “sissies” and that they can’t defend themselves, she said.

Even in the gay community, she said men often dismiss queens because they aren't “manly enough.” Della Cruize made it clear that if anyone wants to try to take her down in a back alley, she’d win.

“I’ll throw down,” she said. “I’ll play pool, drink and burp.”

Although words don’t bring this fierce queen down, sour past

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relationships have. Della Cruize keeps her head and heels high as she delves into the not-so-highlights of her love life.

Between one boyfriend who attempted to kill her and another who was a convicted felon, she’s been unable to truly commit to anyone — even someone she really liked. Della Cruize said she dated a lesbian partner for a few months but knew she couldn't be in the same place as her girlfriend because of the emotional damage from her two previous relationships. After falling down a few times, Della Cruize is back on her feet and ready to meet someone she can settle down with.

“I’d like to find a nice, average guy with any weird tendencies who likes light hair pulling and dirty talking … and a car, a job and his own place to live,” she laughed, somewhat jokingly. However, she said she doesn’t think she’s going to meet the person of her dreams in Gainesville after years of soul searching.

“I’m going to need to move somewhere … I’m thinking Seattle,” she thought out loud. “I need to find someone as dark and gray as I am.”

Through all of her ups and downs, Della Cruize said she is lucky to have loving, supportive parents. Her mother, a Catholic from Long Island, has been there for her since the day she came out when she was a teenager. It took her father a bit longer to finally accept that his son wasn’t the boy he thought he knew. But Della Cruize said she knew he had truly come around when she received a text from him on the day of a drag competition that read, “I don't understand the nature of what you're doing, but you're still my son, and I want you to win.”

She said she couldn't stop crying.

The life of a drag queen isn't always easy, but Della Cruize said it’s all worth it because when she gets on that stage, she feels more herself than ever. And what could be more reassuring than feeling comfortable being yourself?

GETTING TO KNOW

CHASTITY

What do you do to prepare for a show?

First, I eat something because I’ll get dizzy on stage if I go out on an empty stomach. To get ready, I shave everything — and I mean everything. Then I put a base coat of silicone-based makeup on my face, neck and chest. I highlight and shadow to contour my face. Then I do my eye shadow and apply my lashes. Finally, I pin in my hair. By that time, I’m already wearing two control-top Spanx. My bag is packed, and I’m ready to go.

How do you choose your makeup colors?

I pick my eye colors based on the songs and costumes I’m using for a show. I usually go with brown and black shadows with some gold, but if it’s a more goth performance, I like all black or black with a little bit of purple.

"You're always improving in drag. If you think you're done, then you clearly have no idea what competition is."

What kind of makeup do you use?

My black shadow is La Femme, my powder is Mehron, and the purple shadow I was telling you about is MAC as are my lipsticks and glosses.

How do you choose what to make your costumes with?

I’ll have the theme picked out before I start making my costume. I pick the colors based on the theme, and then I buy the fabric from Jo-Ann Fabrics. I use mostly pleather and vinyl.

Where do you find shoes for your shows?

I actually ordered some online from a lingerie shop, but I’ll usually buy any shoes I can find in my size. These black heels are from Payless.

How much does a show typically cost considering makeup, hair, costumes, etc.?

If I’m using old stuff or stuff I already own, it’s about $20. If I’m starting from scratch with all new stuff, it would be about $100.

When you aren’t on stage, what kind of performances do you watch?

I prefer theatrical performances like with movie scenes. I also like comedic numbers. I like the individual performances at University Club, but Parliament House in Orlando would be my favorite.

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Dress: LF Stores, $124, Kimono: Henri Girl Boutique, $15 Shoes: Steve Madden, $50 Bag: Longchamp, $120

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Red dress: Tobi, $30 Kimono: T.J. Maxx, $16 Shoes: DSW, $70 Clutch: Marley Lilly, $30

Dress and jacket: Lucy Tran Collection Bag: Kate Spade, $299 Shoes: Shoedazzle.com, $40 Necklace: Forever 21, $6

Fashion: SPRINGING INTO

CULTIVATING THE

Chromatic LOOK

Photo story by Jennifer Hernandez

Bloom with style this spring in outfits that will brighten your day and make you feel empowered. Both ladies and gentlemen can take note from these Gainesville models, dressed in chatty colors inspired by the New York Fashion Week runway.

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All clothing from her own collection: Lucy Tran Collection RTW Spring/Summer 2015

Dress: Forever 21, $14 Cover up: Forever 21, $28 Brown wedges: Soda, $30

Floral blue dress: LOFT, $69 Black shoes: DSW, $40

Dress: Burlington Coat Factory, $20 Jacket: Hollister Co., $40, Shoes: Vans, $60 Earrings: Tobi, $12

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Shirt: Forever 21, $10 Shorts: J.Crew, $70 Shoes: Polo Ralph Lauren, $90

Shirt: Dillard’s, $50 Jacket: Original Penguin, $200 Pants: AG Jeans, $180 Shoes: Polo Ralph Lauren, $60

Shirt: Forever 21, $12 Romper (underneath): Forever 21, $20 Shoes: Charlotte Russe, $20

Top: Urban Outfitters, $40 Shorts: Tobi, $30 Shoes: Steve Madden, $70

Shirt: J.Crew, $50 Pants: Urban Outfitters, $30 Shoes: DSW, $70

Dress: Lucy Tran Collection Clutch: Target, $15 Heels: Forever 21, $25 25 Earrings: Forever 21, $4

HAIR TO DYE FOR

By Lauren Richardson | Photo by Justine Giancola

We’d all love to have the beautiful locks actress Tina Fey sports in Garnier Nutrisse hair color advertisements. The ads promote healthy treatments that nourish hair and leave it looking healthier than ever. This sounds great, but is the process really as easy as the commercials imply?

Trisha Samuel, a stylist at Beach Break Salon, said many people don’t understand the process of dyeing their hair and its effects, which makes it more challenging. Trust us … It will sound like a complicated chemistry experiment because that’s essentially what it is.

Here’s the breakdown: Madison Flint, a UF inorganic chemistry graduate student, said permanent hair dyes are composed of primary intermediates, coupling agents, oxidizing agents and alkalizing agents.

Primary intermediates oxidize in the presence of hydrogen peroxide and combine with coupling agents to determine the color of the dye. Alkalizing agents, like ammonia, expand the hair so the initial chemicals can deeply penetrate the hair’s cuticle layer.

Basically, once this process is complete, dye molecules cannot escape from the internal hair environment, and the hair changes color.

“Recent studies have shown that the chemical ingredients of permanent hair dyes possess only moderate to low acute toxicity levels,” Flint said. “Results of recent reproductive toxicity studies have also revealed that the chemicals in permanent hair dyes pose no risk of adverse reproductive effects.”

This means hair dye’s threat to human health is insignificant compared to the other toxins we could be exposed to daily, such as bisphenol-A in plastic bottles or electromagnetic field radiation from cellphones. The greatest risk factor to using dyes seems to be damage to the hair itself.

Pin Up Salon owner Caitlin Torrence said “untouched hair” feels and looks different than regularly dyed hair. Frequent, intense uses of chemicals could cause hair to become dry and fragile, causing it to break or fall out. Therefore, it’s important to use professional products daily to ensure hair stays in the best shape possible between dye jobs.

“Anytime you use heat on your hair there should be something used to protect from that heat, whether it’s from the blow dryer, straightener or curling iron,” she said. “And when you’re out in the sun a lot, some type of UV protector for the hair should be used.”

Samuel, who has been a stylist for more than a year, said the average person may not know it’s difficult to remove permanent dye or that red is the fastest-fading pigment. Torrence added that color should never sit in hair for more than 40 minutes, and frequent, extreme transformations, like dark brown to blonde, should be avoided.

Before you try to look like the women in the commercials all on your own, do your homework to find a stylist you trust. The chemical process behind dyeing your hair may be complicated, but a stylist can consider what type of hair you have to recommend the healthiest option.

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BOTH SIDES OF THE NEEDLE

THE ARTIST AND THE CANVAS Story and photos by Marisa Ross

With about 20,000 tattoo shops in the U.S. alone and nearly onefourth of all Americans sporting tattoos, the body art business continues to flourish. Although some invest in a tattoo as a coming-of-age mile-marker or one-time bucket list item, others have become more personally invested. To better understand the movement, I talked to a local tattoo artist who has seen the industry change as well as a couple who celebrates their love through their passion for tattoos. From both sides of the needle, I was able to learn about the artist and the canvas.

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ZZZZZZZ ZZZZZZZ ZZZZZZZ ZZZZZZZ ZZZZZZZ ZZZZZZZ ZZZZZZZ ZZZZZZZ THE ARTIST: Q&A WITH DAVE KOTINSLEY When some people turn 18, they want to get a coming-of-age tattoo. But when Dave Kotinsley turned 18, he wanted to create tattoos for others. This Anthem Tattoo employee has been professionally certified for 16 years, and after hearing his name around town, I asked him to tell me what it’s really like to work in the industry of ink.

Name: Dave Kotinsley, artist at Anthem Tattoo Age: 38

How long have you been interested in tattoos, and what initially sparked your interest?

I remember clearly the first time I saw a tattoo. I grew up in Cleveland, Ohio, on the west side, and tattooing was illegal. The first time I saw a tattoo was in a locker room at the YMCA. This big dude just walked in … and I couldn’t stop staring at him. From that moment forward, I started drawing on myself, my siblings and my friends with markers. I tattooed myself when I was about 13 with a needle and thread, which is kind of what you could call a jailhouse-style — it’s called a stick ‘n’ poke tattoo. I got my first tattoo when I was 16 … but I didn’t start professional tattooing until 1998.

What exactly does it take to become a tattoo artist? Tell us a little bit about the process.

It (a tattoo apprenticeship) differs from person to person. I think it’s definitely changed over the years in the brief time I’ve been a tattoo artist. When I started, an apprenticeship was really almost the only way to get your foot in the door. There

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are certainly people who were self-taught, whereas now the information I had to really work hard to try to get to (is) almost all on YouTube now. In a lot of ways, I could probably tell someone everything you need to know about tattooing in about 24 hours, but at the heart of a good apprenticeship is someone who’s willing to do damage control while you cultivate experience, and knowing how to do something with your mind is different than having the experience inside your body. There’s not a lot of thinking when you’re doing something craft-oriented, you know? Whether it’s knitting or tattooing or being a carpenter, your body develops a language — a muscle memory — and so that was what my apprenticeship was about … The old ways are kind of gone. All the information out there around Google is what it seems like, but nothing will ever replace a human teacher.

I’ve seen your portfolio at the shop, and I was really impressed with some of the portraits. They were really intricate. Do you consider yourself an artist across the mediums with different types of canvases other than body art?

When I was a youngster, art was definitely one of the things I loved immediately. My grandfather taught me how to draw; you know, just sitting in his lap, and he would draw trains and cars and sit there with me for hours. By the time I was in high school, I was pretty invested in loving art. I never went to college, but I did take a drawing class at Santa Fe back in ’99 with a guy named Matthew Newell that really changed my life.

Tattooing itself is more like a craft — almost like printmaking; you are taking an image and replicating it. There’s a lot of latitude for creativity.

If you could categorize them, what are the most popular tattoo requests you get?

When I first started tattooing, everybody was really interested in getting Chinese characters or dolphins. Over the years, I think that some of the media attention that tattooing has gotten has definitely made for a more sophisticated client. People are more interested in unique artwork. One thing I’ve definitely seen more people interested in is American traditional tattooing. There’s so many subcultures within (this) subculture.

Do you have a specialty?

I want to take care of my clients with whatever they want, whether it’s a tribal armband or black and gray portrait, and I’ve done my best to stay aware of what’s happening in the tattoo world at large and stay in touch with the people here in Gainesville.

What are some of the most unique, meaningful, intricate or wacky tattoo requests you’ve done?

The most important tattoo I ever did was 10 years ago, and it was an Asian-themed tattoo. It was a crane coming out of some water with a tree, and it was on a woman’s back, who became my wife. That’s the first time I met her. She drove up from Orlando to get tattooed by me.

ZZZZZZZ ZZZZZZZ ZZZZZZZ ZZZZZZZ ZZZZZZZ ZZZZZZZ ZZZZZZZ ZZZZZZZ THE CANVAS: TATTOOED ON HER HEART FACTS ABOUT TATTOOS

O Nearly 23 percent of Americans have tattoos.

O Of those who do

have tattoos, more than half have more than one.

O About 32 percent of people ages 30 to 45 have a tattoo.

O In the U.S., more

Through the relentless hum of a needle and a man named Jesus engraving Pink Floyd’s lyrics, “two lost souls,” into her thigh, Jessica Campbell held her boyfriend's hand for the first time.

Their fingers intertwined as he calmed her jitters with chatter. Campbell held on tight for three hours.

It started in February 2013. Ralph Sprandel walked from Keys Residential Complex to Bodytech Tattooing and Piercing to be with Campbell for her first tattoo. He smiled, told her he was proud of her and "welcomed her to the club" as the artist etched a seashell on her back. Although he was just a friend at the time, Campbell said she had an inkling about

"It's different than a lot of other couples going to dinner. We get a tattoo and won't forget that date."

her feelings toward him. It wasn’t until the tattoo on her thigh that things started to change. Last year, she spoke to her grandparents. After considering how she felt a little nervous around him, how often they exchanged texts and pictures and how she just felt some chemistry, she casually told them, "Yeah, we're probably going to date."

“I think (that second tattoo) was kind of like a catalyst,” Campbell said about the start of their romance, but also for their mutual love of body art.

Sprandel warned her she’d become addicted to tattoos, and he wasn’t lying. The couple visited Death or Glory

Tattoo Parlour about once every three months. Now, about a year and a half later, Campbell has been tattooed eight times. Sprandel currently has seven.

For them, the itch to get inked has to do with personal expression. Sprandel said he thinks of tattoos the way someone would admire a painting; the way art looks on skin is simply "astounding." Campbell, who grew up in a family of artists and admires figures like Kat Von D, said it is one of the most unique ways she is able express herself. Plus, the adrenaline rush she gets adds to the pleasure of new additions.

Although the pair hasn't added any couple-related tattoos, they plan to eventually. The experience of being able to get inked together is like no other bond, they said. In fact, tattooing has become a bonding experience for special occasions, such as their Friday the 13th date.

“It’s different than a lot of other couples going to dinner,” Sprandel said. “We get a tattoo and won’t forget that date.”

In response to criticism for the rapid pace the two have been tattooed, Campbell said it’s just like wearing values externally. Her tattoos, for instance, speak for her love of the ocean, a reminder to be thankful and some of her family history. Sprandel’s show his patriotism, musical tastes and favorite sports team.

Although her tattoos hold significance to her, Campbell said it’s not always important to have meaningful body art.

“If you have it on your body, it becomes part of who you are,” she said, “and your tattoo is only as permanent as your body on this earth. So in the end, I think it’s worth it.”

women than men have tattoos.

O Women are twice as likely to get tattoos removed than men.

O Today, businesses

exist solely for tattoo removal.

O Skin is pierced approximately 50 to 3,000 times per minute when getting a tattoo.

O The most popular spot for a tattoo is the lower back. The least popular spot is the neck.

O The Latin word for tattoo is "stigma," but the word "tattoo" itself derives from Polynesian roots that mean "to strike" (the skin).

Facts according to a 2010 study by the Pew Research Center

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THE BURNING TRUTH:

RISK?

IS TANNING WORTH THE

By Cara Chiaramonte and Noelia Trujillo

After just one day at the beach, white spots covered 12-year-old Kara Vachon’s stomach, arms and legs. Feverish and red, the girl’s skin became hot, and she was too uncomfortable to do anything for days.

Vachon had sun poisoning.

Two years later, a 14-year-old Vachon and her sister were enjoying their last day on the ship deck of a five-day Caribbean cruise. Her sister tans well without sunscreen, so Vachon didn’t apply any protective lotion. Bubbles soon formed on her chest, and her skin became warm.

Sun poisoning. Again.

At 17, Vachon spent an hour tanning in her backyard. Just an hour, she thought — no sunscreen needed. When she went inside, however, she noticed another sunburn but didn’t realize its severity until it was too late.

“In the middle of the night, I woke up throwing up and got extremely sick,” she said. “My sunburn was the worst I’ve ever seen.”

Hot, itchy, bright red skin accompanied the chills, sweats and a fever. Vachon even canceled a job shadow scheduled for the following day because of unbearable pain and discomfort. Her extreme sun exposure had taken its toll.

Lots of aloe later, the now 18-year-old UF freshman said being tan has become a social norm and a symbol of comfort and confidence for many young adults. Sometimes, she’s “just too lazy to put on sunscreen.” And she’s not alone.

"In the middle of the night, I woke up throwing up and got extremely sick."

According to a 2004 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention survey, 37.7 percent of white adults polled in Florida reported at least one sunburn the previous year. Furthermore, of 145 people ages 14 to 39 we randomly polled in the Gainesville area, 67 said they sometimes wear sunscreen or don’t wear it at all. Reasons for this included hating the smell and the “greasy feel,” being forgetful and not having enough time.

But what effect can baking your skin in the sun without protection have?

“The primary dangers to excessive exposure to UV (ultraviolet light) are premature aging of skin and several types of skin cancer,” said UF associate professor of dermatology Dr. Stanton Wesson.

These include basal cell carcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma and melanoma, skin cancer’s most dangerous form. Melanoma is the most common cancer among 25- to 29-year-olds and the second most common cancer for 15- to 29-year-olds, according to the American Academy of Dermatology. Avoiding UV light could decrease skin

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cancer diagnoses by 3 million yearly, but the sun isn’t the only source of UV light exposure.

Wesson said tanning beds create an “illusion of ‘self-tanning,’” and the previously mentioned health risks just grow as a result. Using a tanning bed increases the risk of skin cancer, depending on how often beds are used and for how long. Skin quality changes like irregular discoloration and wrinkles can also occur.

Vachon said she doesn’t use tanning beds because they’re unsafe, but she doesn’t like spray tans either because they look “blotchy” and “fake.” Wesson said there aren’t any “truly ‘safe alternatives’” to tanning, but spray tanning poses less danger. People may experience skin irritation or allergic reactions from its ingredients. However, it’s important to note spray tans don’t protect skin from the effects of UV exposure.

Sunscreen with at least SPF 15 to 30 should be used daily, and time spent outdoors should be in the early morning or late afternoon. Hours between 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. should be avoided, and Wesson also said it’s important to remember clouds don’t block UV light completely.

Skin cancer is the most common of all human cancers, according to WebMD. Is the trek for a tan really worth it? Now knowing this, Vachon says no.

“You can tan safely using sunscreen, or you can just get some color without having to necessarily tan, but putting yourself at risk for skin cancer is not worth being a shade darker,” she said.

THE ART OF HEALING Bringing color to hospitals one patient at a time Story and photos by Cara Chiaramonte and Noelia Trujillo

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A

t first glance, it appears like any other hospital wing: sterile and cold. Beeps and dings are heard ever so faintly coming from a corner room. Yet, as you peer up, painted murals of flowers, Winnie the Pooh, “Mario Kart” and “The Lion King” float above like animated friends in the clouds. It seems colorful, maybe even fun, and for a second you forget where you are. However, as a young girl is wheeled by with a nasal cannula providing oxygen through her nose, visitors are quickly reminded where they are.

Every day, 167 beds are changed and prepared for young patients at UF Health Shands Children’s Hospital. From life-threatening cancers to less serious illnesses, days that should be spent outdoors and with friends are suddenly consumed by doctors, needles, worry and fear.

However, with every dark cloud comes a silver lining. Art therapist Amy Bucciarelli is just that. Every day, she rolls her supply cart full of crayons, paint and paper through the hospital’s dimly lit hallways.

It is her cart of fun that brings a smile to 17-year-old Brianna Williams’ face. Bucciarelli enters the room to present relaxationfocused activities as the young patient, clothed in her hospital gown, sits up in bed. Williams carefully makes her selection and soon gets to work, dipping a piece of string in black paint and ever so slightly dragging it across a white sheet of paper. Her creation is an artistic display of swirls in various shades of black and gray. She smiles.

Bucciarelli, simply there to lend a comforting hand in the process, offers tips on re-dipping the string and adding color to the artwork with pastel crayons. Williams grins and continues to paint.

“I feel more relaxed,” she said as she finished her piece.

Williams didn’t want to give it a title. As Bucciarelli asked her if it reminded her of anything, Williams glances at it closely: A pelican, she said giggling. And just like that, Bucciarelli’s job was complete.

Bucciarelli is the sole art therapist within UF Health Shands Arts in Medicine, which she joined in 2012. Founded in 1990, the internationally recognized program improves hospital stays for patients and their families through visual art performances and activities. Art therapy, specifically, combines art with counseling.

“I’ve always loved art for as long as I can remember,” Bucciarelli said.

“Legend has it in my family that my first word was crayon.”

Bucciarelli said becoming an art therapist perfectly blends her family’s medical influence and her personal passion for art. Her father, who specializes in pediatrics, her brother, an emergency medicine resident, and her mother, a medical technician, are all associated with UF Health as well.

In her pursuit to combine her love of art and desire to help patients recover, Bucciarelli received a bachelor’s degree in religious studies from Stetson University and a master’s degree in art therapy from Florida State University.

“I always say I’m a counselor first, and then I use the art as my tool,” she said. “Instead of talking about thoughts and feelings, we make art about thoughts and feelings.”

Art therapy can be used in a variety of settings. Today, schools, assisted living facilities and mental health centers, such as eating

"Instead of talking about thoughts and feelings, we make art about thoughts and feelings."

Art therapist Amy Bucciarelli looks on as Brianna Williams paints during one of their sessions.

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disorder and psychiatric facilities, help patients cope with any depression and anxiety resulting from their diagnosis and their medical condition.

Bucciarelli, like her father, works primarily on pediatric units.

Her patients typically range in age from 3 to 25 and are often battling life-threatening illnesses like cancer, cystic fibrosis or gastrointestinal diseases. Some are in the hospital waiting for heart and lung transplants, and many school-aged patients frequently miss class due to their medical conditions.

“A lot of times, I am the few fun or great moments (patients) get to have in a really difficult hospital stay,” Bucciarelli said.

Because their days mostly consist of set schedules, patients don’t have much freedom in the hospital.

“If on that particular day they don’t feel like doing art therapy, that’s a gift I can give them to empower them to say ‘no,’” she said.

Her time with patients can be short, where projects are completed in one session. But a lot of Bucciarelli’s work is longterm especially with patients suffering from critical diseases. She calls these long-term creations “legacy projects,” and they can take weeks or even months to finish. She said these patient-driven projects, like books, toolboxes and art galleries, not only help patients feel a sense of purpose but also bring art to the health care setting in a way that makes patients “more than just a disease or a medical record number.”

But with every beautiful creation comes the reality of death.

“I think the flipside to (working with patients who die) is that I also frequently am the one that gets to make these (legacy projects) that are so meaningful to them before they die as well as to their family before and even after their death,” she said. “Their legacy, their mark in this world, continues to live on after them and continues to impact people positively.”

Through her work as an art therapist, Bucciarelli said she hopes people recognize this form of therapy as an “essential part of treatment” for hospital-bound patients.

For her, the inspiration from young patients’ perseverance and creative spirits, despite their medical circumstances, is neverending. She recalls one little girl who desperately wanted to create hearts out of Model Magic and color them during every one of their sessions together. Bucciarelli said she sometimes questioned the simplicity of the task but continued to do as the patient wished.

"Their legacy, their mark in this world, continues to live on after them and continues to impact people positively."

“One day, in the middle of working with her, she just started screaming, ‘My belly!’” Bucciarelli said as she grasped her stomach with her hands. “‘What do you need me to do?’ I said, and she’s like, ‘Just keep coloring the hearts!’”

At that moment Bucciarelli was reminded of the impact she and art therapy can have on a patient’s life. It is more than just crayons, hearts and paper. It is an escape from their reality for even just the tiniest of moments.

"My job is to color hearts," she said. "Sometimes, that’s what I’m there to do."

Brianna Williams keeps a folder of artwork next to her hospital bed.

Here are three of her pieces.

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SEE WHAT I U SE YO E? O D

By Lauren Richardson

Photo by Meghan Pryce

What do a pilot, a firefighter, an electrician and an air traffic controller have in common? None of them is colorblind.

Although colorblindness limits a person’s career options, UF student Kevin Marblestone said he’s not bothered by his inability to distinguish certain colors. If anything, being colorblind is a good conversation starter.

“It’s just a funny thing in my life,” the 20-year-old architecture junior said. “I’d rather have this problem than something more serious.”

There wasn’t an exact moment when he realized he saw colors differently than other people. His grandfather and brother are colorblind, so his mother recognized the signs when he was young. He has taken the Ishihara Color Test, which consists of randomly sized and colored dots that form numbers and shapes, multiple times.

“I fail every single one of them with flying colors,” he joked. “No pun intended.”

The specific color deficiency he has is commonly referred to as redgreen colorblindness. Basically, he struggles to differentiate brown-, red- and green-toned colors, especially the red-brown shade of bricks.

“In high school, my school colors were black and gold, and for about two years I thought they were black and green,” he confessed.

“I hate gold. It’s the worst color for me because I can’t see it at all.”

It may be strange to imagine not everyone sees the vivid green of summer grass the same way, but being colorblind isn’t rare.

According to the U.S. National Library of Medicine, about one in 10 men have some variation of colorblindness.

John Ash, an associate professor in UF’s Department of Ophthalmology, said we can see in color because of specialized cells in our eyes called cone photoreceptors. These cones specialize in blue, green and red light. Colorblindness occurs when one or more types of cones can’t function.

A colorblind person’s vision is the result of the remaining functional cone types, he said.

Colorblindness is passed genetically, and the genes responsible are located on the X chromosome. Because men only have one X chromosome, there’s a smaller chance they’ll receive a good copy of these genes and

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a larger chance they’ll be colorblind. Women have two copies of the X chromosome, so even if they inherit one bad gene, it’s likely the other chromosome will have a good copy. Women can be colorblind, but it’s rare because they must inherit two copies of the same bad gene, Ash explained.

So, how do other people react to Marblestone’s condition?

He said sometimes they think he’s “like a dog” or that he only sees in black and white. Although the term colorblindness implies a complete lack of colored vision, people who are colorblind actually see different shades than the average person. Marblestone compared it to reading a book in German.

“If you don’t speak German, you can see that there are words, but you don’t know what they mean,” he said. “I can see that there are colors. I just can’t identify them.”

But how does colorblindness affect his daily life?

Although red and green traffic lights seem like risky business, Marblestone said he’s used to the positioning of the lights. They only give him trouble if it’s a bright, sunny day. And when it comes to his clothes, he only wears colors he knows he can see. He owns a lot of blacks, blues and grays because cool-toned colors aren’t an issue, but brown shades get tricky. In fact, he thought peanut butter was green until just before college.

The only time being colorblind really presents a problem for Marblestone is when color is incorporated into his architecture coursework, he said. There are a lot of graphics, and he’s occasionally required to use specific colors for different things. If he has a hard time, he asks his friends for help. Otherwise, he tries to do his work in grayscale because it’s easier. Aside from a few inconveniences, Marblestone said colorblindness does not define how he lives life.

“After a while you can kind of tell what’s supposed to be a certain color,” he said. “Once someone tells you what color it is, you kind of see it that way, and you can label it in your head as that color.”

Red and green may cause him trouble, but at least Gators colors aren’t an issue.

“I don’t have a problem with orange and blue,” he assured. “If I went to FSU, I’d have a problem. I can’t see garnet or gold.”

“If you don’t speak German, you can see that there are words, but you don’t know what they mean. I can see that there are colors. I just can’t identify them.”

- Kevin Marblestone

A

E' S

R LO TE S

HE R

O

N

E OF THE ISHIH L P AR AM X A E C

T

The Ishihara Color Test is a color perception exam that assesses whether a person is red-green colorblind. The test was named after a University of Tokyo professor, Dr. Shinobu Ishihara, who first published these tests in 1917. The average Ishihara test contains a shape or number disguised in colored dots. A person with average color vision can see the different shades of red, green and orange in the photo on the upper right. A person who is red-green colorblind, like Marblestone, would see the photo a little differently. He explained he could see different shades of what he assumed were red, brown or green, but he couldn't tell which was which. He couldn't see the way the green streaks throughout the test or that the brown spots are concentrated in small areas. To him, they were just lighter and darker shades of color. Although he doesn't see in black and white, the picture on the bottom right is a representation of how it would be harder to distinguish colors from each other without average color vision.

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PROTECTED with PRIDE

By Jennifer Hernandez | Photos by Marisa Ross

Colorful condoms aim to fight negative stigmas and encourage sexual health

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Ashley Smith was driving to a party with friends when one of them found her stash. The friend picked up the condoms in the back seat and asked why she had them. Smith told him she carried them in case she needed protection and invited him to take a few.

“He commented on how I must have been really asking for sex,” Smith said.

She thought he dropped the subject, but as the night progressed at the party, the friend continued to shame Smith in front of others for having condoms.

“It was awful,” she said, “because he was reducing my sexuality to the fact that I carry condoms.”

Sex keeps the human race in existence, but its intimate aspects often make discussion and education about its safety complicated. Some taboos have led society to shame people — most notably women — for educating themselves about sex and taking safety precautions. However, some individuals and organizations advocate open discussions about safe sex and strive to eliminate negative stigmas about carrying condoms.

Wearing protection is essential for maintaining a healthy sex life. The Florida Department of Health reported there are 19 million new cases of sexually transmitted infections in the U.S. every year. These include chlamydia, gonorrhea and the human papillomavirus, which can cause cervical cancer in women — 857 new cases of cervical cancer were diagnosed in Florida in 2010.

ONE Condoms, in particular, wants to help promote sexual health by making the carrying and wearing of protection socially acceptable with its colorful and quirky wrappers. Arthur Kaynor, marketing manager for ONE’s manufacturer, Global Protection Corp., said the company addresses people in a language they can understand, with slogans like “Keep Calm and Carry ONE,” to facilitate conversations about safe sex. But do these brightly packaged condoms actually encourage people to carry protection?

Smith, a 21-year-old UF student, gets a good laugh from ONE, adding that the lively designs may or may not get people

to use condoms but definitely get them talking. Plus, it relieves the stress of buying condoms and is a smart way to make all genders comfortable about taking charge of their sexual health, she said.

“Sex is fun, exciting and generally really funny,” she said, “so it only makes sense to market condoms in the realest sense possible.”

Although Smith said she supports the condom revolution, she’s heard people say women who carry condoms are “kind of slutty,” which she believes is misguided and offensive. Women who acknowledge their sexual desires defy those ideas and become active partakers in sex rather than passive preys.

Samantha Evans, a GatorWell Health Promotion Services sexual health educator, said men have historically been the ones who decide how a couple stays protected and isn’t surprised such “archaic stigmas and thoughts” exist. Because men are usually the ones wearing condoms, some people assume carrying them is the man’s responsibility, she said.

However, Evans challenges women to empower themselves by carrying protection to create an equal responsibility to use it.

“Who wouldn’t want to be with someone who is sexy, smart and prepared?” Evans said.

Although negative stereotypes are present, UF student Ellen Kirkness, 20, said she seldom hears them because so few women carry condoms.

“It’s not something society is outwardly encouraging us to do,” she said. “It’s not expected of us, but we should expect it of ourselves.”

Proper Attire Condoms has made this its mission to do just that by collaborating with high-end clothing designers like Alexander Wang for the chic art on its condom wrappers. According to its website, the condom provider specifically aims to make women feel comfortable overcoming stereotypes and buying condoms.

When women carry condoms, people often assume they want to be sexual, not that they want to be safe, Kirkness said. But for her, choosing to carry a condom makes her more confident in her healthy sex life.

“Beyond safe sex, (carrying condoms is) about not leaving protection to chance,” she said.

Disclaimer: No matter what your condom preference, the Food and Drug Administration monitors the quality of all condoms sold in the U.S. to ensure protection when used correctly.

CONDOM DOS & DON'TS

Before you do the deed, make sure the condom is on properly.

GatorWell sexual health educator Samantha Evans shared some safe sex tips that might slip your mind when you’re about to get it on.

DO: Check the expiration date on the back of the condom.

DON’T: Carry condoms freely in your purse. There may be pointy objects that can puncture it. Many brands sell safe and discrete, palm-sized condom containers.

DO: Check for an air bubble in the sealed condom before opening it to make sure it hasn’t popped and isn’t damaged.

DON’T: Keep condoms in extreme temperatures. Condoms are best preserved at room temperature.

DO: Avoid using flavored condoms for vaginal or anal sex. They can give women yeast infections.

DON’T: Double bag it. Using two barrier methods can increase friction and risk of the condom breaking.

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The

CAUSE behind the COLOR

By Nicole Germany and Lauren Richardson

Although a little ribbon pinned to your shirt to raise awareness may seem insignificant, each colored token represents a greater meaning: staying strong, searching for a cure or remembering you’re not alone.

We researched causes that affect people around the world. Pink, for example, is often associated with breast cancer awareness in October.

Read on to see what other colors represent throughout the year.

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JANUARY National Glaucoma Awareness Month Glaucoma is an eye condition that damages the optic nerve and can lead to blindness.

According to the Glaucoma Research Foundation, it is the second leading cause of blindness, and about 2.7 million people older than 40 years old have it in the U.S. The foundation urges people to have their eyes checked regularly.

APRIL

National Autism Awareness Month

Autism is a developmental disability that influences the way a person can express themselves and interact with others. This “spectrum disorder” occurs every one in 68 births and can affect people at varying degrees of severity or mildness, according to the Autism Society. The cause of autism is still unknown.

JULY

FEBRUARY American Heart Month Cardiovascular disease is the No. 1 killer of men and women in the U.S., according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Heart attack, stroke and high blood pressure are all types of cardiovascular disease. Some are genetic, but some can be prevented through healthy lifestyles and management of conditions like diabetes.

MAY Lupus Awareness Month Lupus is an autoimmune disease that can affect many parts of the body. The immune system struggles to fight off viruses, bacteria and germs, according to the Lupus Foundation of America. Individuals with lupus can go through flares and remissions of the disease, and more than 16,000 new cases are reported yearly in the U.S.

AUGUST

MARCH Multiple Sclerosis Awareness Month Multiple sclerosis is a disease where the immune system attacks healthy tissue in the central nervous system. About 2.3 million people are affected by this disease worldwide, according to the National Multiple Sclerosis Society. MS interrupts communication between the brain and the body, and it and can cause pain, slurred speech and difficulty thinking and walking.

JUNE

National Scoliosis Awareness Month Scoliosis is a curvature of the spine.

According to the American Chiropractic Association, about 6 million people are affected by it in the U.S. Most diagnoses are mild, but severe scoliosis can be disabling.

SEPTEMBER

Juvenile Arthritis Awareness Month

Spinal Muscular Atrophy Awareness Month

National Suicide Prevention Month

Although arthritis is commonly mistaken as a disorder only impacting adults, about 300,000 American children have been diagnosed with juvenile arthritis, according to the Arthritis National Research Foundation. The average adult with arthritis suffers from varying degrees of joint inflammation. The immune system attacks the joints of those with juvenile arthritis, which can lead to permanent problems and even death if left untreated.

About one in 10,000 infants suffer from spinal muscular atrophy, according to Cure SMA. It’s a form of muscle weakness caused by a mutation in the gene that produces a protein crucial to the function of the nerves controlling muscles. SMA makes everyday actions like walking and breathing difficult, and it can be debilitating or even fatal.

Suicide is the 10th leading cause of death among Americans and the second leading cause of death among 15- to 24-year-olds, according to the Suicide Prevention Resource Center. Attempted suicides are also a part of the problem. For every 12 attempted suicides, one results in death.

OCTOBER

Domestic Violence Awareness Month

Domestic violence is a pattern of coercive and controlling behaviors that exerts power and control on another individual in the context of home and family, such as marriage or cohabitation. Society often stigmatizes the issue, and some victims become afraid to speak up about their experiences.

For help or more information, contact local domestic abuse advocate Peaceful Paths at its 24-hour hotline at 352-377-8255.

NOVEMBER

Individuals who consider suicide may feel hopeless or even talk about ending their lives.

If you or someone you know is having these thoughts, please call 1-800-273-TALK.

DECEMBER

American Diabetes Month

World AIDS Day

About 30 million Americans have diabetes, according to the American Diabetes Association. Diabetics are unable to produce enough insulin and, therefore, have too much glucose, or sugar, in their blood. The most common forms of diabetes are Type 1 and Type 2, and there is still no direct cure.

HIV makes it difficult for the body to defend itself against infectious diseases.

It's passed through bodily fluids and can develop into AIDS. According to the World Health Organization, about 39 million people have died related to AIDS. On Dec. 1, people worldwide raise awareness about the disease and for finding a cure.

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4 GREEN WAYS TO ADD

How to keep your plate colorful and nutritious Story and photos by Justine Giancola

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TO YOUR LIFE

"Eat your greens." You may have been told this at some point in your life, and I’m sure you probably dug in your heels. But there are plenty of fun, tasty and easy ways to get your daily servings of greens.

KALE

This veggie is also known as the super food. According to Verna Groger, owner of Strategic Health Solutions and dietician for Haven Hospice, kale has the highest concentration of vitamins, minerals and antioxidants. Baked kale, or kale chips, is a delicious snack that curbs your cravings while fueling you with nutrients like vitamins A and C. I hardly expect a flaky green vegetable when I think of chips, but this snack will keep you feeling full and satisfied without the guilt that comes from other sides like French fries. Arrange the kale evenly on a cookie sheet, drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle with your favorite seasoning and bake.

AVOCADO

Avocados are high in fatty acids, which is key in maintaining heart health. Whether you slice it up on a platter with a pinch of sea salt or mash it up to make homemade guacamole, it’s a healthy, filling delight. If you’re willing to splurge on a few calories, avocado toast is a tasty treat.

Choose your favorite bread to top with slices of the green goodness. If you want to get creative, spice up your toast with tomatoes, eggs, low-fat cheese, sweet onions, salt and pepper.

Groger recommended adding lemon juice to your leftover avocados for preservation.

ZUCCHINI With a high source of soluble fiber, this vegetable keeps the digestive tract clean. You can get creative with how you make it, too. Create zucchini noodles by using a spiral vegetable cutter, sold at stores like Wal-Mart and Target for about $15 to $40.

Microwave the noodles in a bowl for two to three minutes and season to your liking. Oil-based dressings and sauces like pesto work well with this side to make the healthiest version of pasta around.

SPINACH When prepared properly, spinach is quite indulging.

Groger said it’s high in vitamin K, which has several health benefits, like reducing the risk of osteoporosis. Sautéed spinach is a delicious way to eat this green. Add your leaves, olive oil, salt and chopped fresh garlic to a frying pan, and you’ll have a bold, nutritious side dish within minutes.

SUPER CHIPS An original recipe for kale chips

INGREDIENTS: Raw kale leaves Olive oil Badia Complete Seasoning

DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.

2. Arrange kale on a non-greased cookie sheet so that it doesn’t overlap.

Lightly drizzle olive oil, not letting it pool at the bottom of the sheet.

Sprinkle the seasoning to your liking, and then gently toss the leaves so all are coated.

3. Place cookie sheet on the middle rack of the oven. Cook for about 15 minutes or until the kale looks crispy.

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ND

S P E A K E A S Y 42

STREET

GAINESVILLE'S MOST VIBRANT BAR

By Meghan Pryce | Photos by Justine Giancola

In 1997, it was a somewhat well-kept secret. When Carey Meldon first came to 2nd Street Speakeasy, there was a code you typed into the door to get in. It changed every full moon. If you didn’t know the code, you could not enter. Period.

Visitors, who were trusted with said code, entered with a sense of privilege knowing others were left yearning to get inside. It was exclusive.

It was exciting. There wasn’t anything like Speakeasy in Gainesville at the time. There still isn’t.

Almost 17 years later, the bar looks almost identical, Meldon, 36, said — everything from the placement of the black-and-white photography to the barred windows. Now instead of an alternating door code, the menu varies every month.

“I think it kept its feel,” he said. “That indescribable quality every bar has that makes it unique. It’s been able to capture that and keep it for a long time.”

The hole-in-the-wall dive bar nestled in downtown Gainesville offers a fresh experience with its vintage character. Dimmed lighting highlights the wooden bar area with its stock of rich scarlet liquor bottles. The gothic-style chandelier, Victorian lamps with fringed ruby shades and red velvet couches take customers back in time.

Known as the “longest-standing bar in Gainesville,” Speakeasy is also popular for its dynamic menu and meticulous bartending. General manager T.J. Palmieri assists bartenders with their creations while piecing together an array of cocktails to create a complete picture.

“Drinks are all different flavor notes — a sweet drink, maybe a spicy drink, maybe something bitter, maybe something savory,” he said.

The ever-changing menu gives customers the chance to consistently try new drinks. Each menu has a diverse assortment, such as smoked tequila topped off with a flamed orange peel, a light, cotton-candy blue beverage made with New Amsterdam Gin or a sweet drink decorated with crystal-like sugar on the glass’ rim.

For Palmieri, “Louis Would Go,” a Fernet Branca-based beverage on the September menu, was his favorite but not for its taste.

“Louis Would Go,” is part of The Louis Salgar Fund. Salgar was a bartender in Miami who was murdered in his home. His family created a scholarship to support bartenders and help them hone their craft. For every “Louis Would Go” sold, $1 would be donated to the scholarship fund.

Previously, the dive bar created “Game of Thrones” and “Breaking Bad” themed menus with drinks modeled after characters from the popular series. For Halloween, the bar created a “The Walking Dead” menu, featuring bloody-looking drinks and peeled grapes as edible eyeballs to go along with the spooky theme.

Although its appearance hasn’t changed much since opening, the bar is continuously evolving as seasons and trends come and go. As the temperature drops, drinks will transition from light and summery to heavy — made with ingredients like egg whites, whole eggs and thick creams. The bar also mixes up a hard apple cider drink warmed in a Crock-Pot during the wintertime.

What's next for Speakeasy? Hopefully more of the same, Palmieri said, by using fresh, higher-quality ingredients and pushing the envelope with drink selections.

“If somebody wants a great glass of whiskey or a really great classic cocktail or something that they’ve never had anywhere before that’s made for them specifically, they should come to Speakeasy because we do all that really well,” he said.

POPS OF COLOR

The Hyppo adds a zesty twist to traditional popsicles

By Justine Giancola | Photos by Marisa Ross

Everything is then hand-blended until completely smooth, and once the taste has been approved, the mix is poured into pop molds and flash frozen for optimal texture.

“It makes (DiMare) feel better about his business knowing that he is supporting natural fruit growers,” Doupnik said. “It gives people a connection to what they're eating, and they can feel good about it … or as good as you can feel about a dessert.”

But why “the Hyppo”?

The name comes from Hypolita Street in St. Augustine where the first popsicle shop opened in 2010.

Horchata

Pineapple Cilantro

anero

When DiMare originally brainstormed ideas, he envisioned coffee. It wasn't until he traveled and discussed his ideas with a stranger that his plans shifted. A woman seated next to him on a plane said if he planned to open a store in Florida, it should sell popsicles.

Now, the Hyppo brand consists of four pop shops. Twenty additional businesses, otherwise known as “pop peddlers,” sell Hyppo products in addition to their own throughout the state of Florida. One “pop peddler” is even located in Georgia.

“For people, it’s like a cult following,” Doupnik said. “They just love it.”

Mango Hab

Bourbon Peach

Ginger Plum

Blueberry C

innamon

Once you walk through the door, you’re in for an experience, not just a dessert.

The Hyppo in downtown Gainesville puts a new spin on sweet treats with its variety of unique popsicles. You will not find the typical strawberry or grape flavor, rather creative blends of Pistachio Rosewater and Chipotle Peach fill the cases.

Since opening its doors in spring 2014, the quirkiness of the shop — engaging bubble lights adorn the walls and huge chalkboards listing the day’s flavor in flawless curly handwriting — and its products immediately fit Gainesville’s trendy vibe.

“You can buy a strawberry popsicle at the grocery store, but you can’t buy a Black Goat, which is blackberry and goat cheese,” said Hyppo crew member Abby Doupnik.

What foodie wouldn’t want to try that?

General manager Brent Smith said the inspiration for these unique flavors comes from real life experiences. Strawberry Basil, for example, came from a drink the Hyppo founder Stephen DiMare tried at an upscale cocktail bar.

Flavors are also chosen based on which fruits are in season.

Some interesting popsicles fit for the food adventurer are Mexican Hot Chocolate, Avocado Coconut, Pineapple Cilantro and Mango Habanero. A more subtle taste and a customer favorite, the Elvis, blends a combination of peanut butter, banana and honey.

Using and serving products made with natural ingredients is key for Hyppo. Even the Coke products on sale are made with evaporated cane juice, like the popsicles, without added processed sugar, Doupnik said. The products are created in the popsicle production kitchen at The Hyppo Headquarters in St. Augustine, where the “popsicologist” concocts these delectable treats by hand.

The pop-making process is more like a science. Smith said ripe fruit is first purchased from local farmers markets in Jacksonville and St. Augustine. The “popsicologist” adds fruit into a 5-gallon bucket along with extra secret ingredients necessary for each individual flavor.

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RAZY FOR KEBABS

THE BEST GRILL-FREE KEBABS FOR ANY TIME OF YEAR Story and photos by Cara Chiaramonte and Noelia Trujillo

Say goodbye to boring meals and snacks by converting them into simple, quick kebabs.

Our editors crafted these four colorful options to keep your daily eats light and fun — perfect for party platters all year long.

BERRY WAFFLE BREAKFAST

SALAD, SHRIMP AND A STICK

Toast six mini waffles for about 5 minutes. Place one mini waffle on the skewer followed by a banana slice and another mini waffle. Add two blueberries and repeat. For parents who rummage around the kitchen after their child’s sleepover trying to whip up breakfast, these kebabs are a huge timesaver.

Thread three cherry tomatoes, three pearl-sized mozzarella cheese balls, four cocktail shrimp and three folded leaves of lettuce on a skewer. These perfect additions to an outdoor barbecue allow you to enjoy your drink in one hand and a tasty appetizer in the other.

Ingredients • 8 mini waffles • 1 banana • 10 blueberries

Ingredients • 3 cherry tomatoes • 3 pearl-sized balls of mozzarella cheese • 4 cocktail shrimp • 3 leaves of lettuce

PB&J FOR THE STARS

DREAMY DESSERT

Cut a peanut butter and jelly sandwich into five pieces.

Separate each on the skewer with back-to-back strawberry halves. When the kids are home from school, this creative lunch will help them stay busy and entertained.

Place a homemade or store-bought brownie on a skewer.

Alternate each ingredient until the skewer is full of sweet treats. Drizzle chocolate syrup. Choose different colored fruits or candies to make these versatile delights match any themed party.

Ingredients • 2 tablespoons peanut butter • 2 tablespoons jelly • 2 slices of potato bread • 4 strawberries

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Ingredients • 3 brownies • 3 marshmallows • 3 strawberries • chocolate syrup

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FIFTY SHADES OF

By Nicole Germany | Photo by Marisa Ross

I

n a well-known college town like Gainesville, beer is usually a common party guest. But have you ever wondered where your favorite drink gets its good looks?

A common myth is that the darker the brew, the higher the alcohol content, but the shade of beer actually has nothing to do with how quickly intoxication kicks in. One thing the color does affect, however, is the beer’s taste. It’s no coincidence that your pint of Guinness Black Lager has a thicker, more bitter taste than that of a cool, tall glass of amber-colored Heineken.

“When creating beer, the percentage of alcohol has to do with the amount of barley used in proportion to the amount of water used,” said Sam Morris, World of Beer product manager at the Tioga Town Center location.

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But before your favorite beer is ready to be bottled and packaged, it goes through a complex malting process.

The barley first soaks in water for several days and later drains to sprout into green malt. After it has reached this stage, the green malt is transferred to a kiln where it goes through a treatment cycle specific to the type of malt being made.

“Kilning procedures for barley are similar to that of coffee beans in the way that the temperature directly affects the taste of the product,” Morris said. “The degree of the color and direct link with the higher kiln temperature and longer amounts of time determine what type of malt it will be.”

A lightly roasted malt produces a pale ale like Terrapin Rye Pale Ale, he said, while a malt roasted longer and at a higher temperature creates

BEER a dark or black beer like Dogfish Head World Wide Stout. Narrowing down the right beer to satisfy your taste buds can be a daunting task.

Fortunately, a standard color chart easily breaks it down.

In 1950, the American Society of Brewing Chemists adopted the standard reference method for brewers to measure color intensity of a beer or malted grain. The gradient moves from a yellow-golden color to an amber to an opaque black shade, depending on the actual appearance of the beer. The next step is identifying a brewski by its taste.

Some beers obtain their hues and flavors from pectin, a carbohydrate found in fruit. Pumpkin-flavored beer, for example, will have more of an orange tint, whereas strawberry-flavored beer will be more red.

Darker beers will have a more roasted taste, such as a chocolate or coffee flavor, whereas an amber-colored beer would taste more caramel and earthy, Morris added.

Whether you’re a beer connoisseur or a college student indulging for the first time, each beer has its own story. Regardless, we opt for the brew that bursts with both color and flavor. But what about you?

Are you a light beer drinker, or do you go for the rich, milky stouts?

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1. Charles Boyer, 18, decided to go the extra mile for the Homecoming game.

For him, it’s all about school spirit.

“My heart bleeds orange and blue,” he said.

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2. Jennifer Elder, 59, enjoys gamedays with her husband as often as possible. As alumni, they enjoy looking for old friends they haven’t seen in a while. Elder accessorized her outfit with an orange and blue scarf.

“It’s just lots of fun,” she said. “There’s a lot of energy in the air and excitement.”

3. Every home game, you’ll find Ernestine Jones, 56, cheering on her team.

“I love the Gators,” she said. “I guess I was just born and raised a Gator.”

GAMEDAY TailGATORS Story and photos by Meghan Pryce

Each fall, The Swamp at UF overflows with a sea of orange and blue during football season. Tailgaters wake up at the crack of dawn, climb out of their RVs and lug around grills and big screen TVs all in an effort to show their support for our Gators.

Even more impressive than their tented tailgating villages is how the Gator fans show their spirit through their fashion. Here are some of our favorites.

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4. UF alumnus Joseph Taylor tailgated with his wife, Karina, and their daughter Parker, who is about a year old, for the first time for the game against Louisiana State University.

“We wanted her to experience her first Gator game,” he said.

5. Jessica Lankin, 28, tailgates with her daughters, Ava, 6, Cadenmia, 4, and Lily, 2, for almost every home game.

“They love it,” she said. “They have a good time.”

6. Cody Fiol, 19, sported a repeat outfit after receiving glowing compliments about his “festive” shorts and bow tie.

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34th Street Wall Painting History with Every Layer

By Marisa Ross and Rachel Kurland | Photos by Marisa Ross

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e pass by it every day. Driving down 34th Street, we casually glance at the advertisements as colors whir by in a flash. Within hours, a new mural drips down another’s work of art, intertwining with thousands more that once smothered the canvas.

Up close, the wall’s layers peel away like a dry scab. Air pockets that developed within the paint have burst and are tight enough

to hold water reserves from the rain. Densely hollow bubbles of air trapped inside stretch with the texture of an indestructible bounce house. Inside, sacks of spider eggs stick between panels.

Shards of glass and leftover specks of paint shine on the sidewalk in the sunlight.

But this is just by observation. If we peel back the layers, how much do we really know about the landmark we pass daily?​

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35 Years of the 34th Street Wall 1979: The Florida Department of Transportation builds the 34th Street Wall.

August 1987: Jim Evangelista proposes a $20,000 project to paint a mural on the wall.

October 1987: UF Student Government opposes the mural project and establishes a student feedback hotline.

1989: Jeff Laskin sees a Salvador Dali tribute on the wall that inspires him to document the wall’s changes for a decade.

August 1990: Five students are killed near UF. September 3, 1990: Adam Tritt and Paul Chase paint a memorial to the victims of the Danny Rolling murders.

2004: UF’s Interfraternity Council becomes the new “Keepers of the Wall,” which was once a group that maintained the memorial panel of the wall.

2006: Although it is unknown when painting the wall became an official UF tradition, the 2006-07 UF Alumni Association F Book claims it has been one since the '50s, even though the wall wasn't created until '79.

April 2007: Matheson Museum creates its first digital exhibit through “Concrete Blog: Messages on the Wall.”

April 12, 2007: A UF art and history professor presents a lecture about the wall’s cultural communication and diversity.

Michael Wrobel's hobby for the past two years has been painting the 34th Street Wall. On a sunny October day, the 25-year-old tried to rid his last few cans of leftover spray paint.

The muralist who made the first real mark: Jim Evangelista Although it may not seem like a pressing issue in the community today, the debate over the right to freedom of expression and the appropriate use of public space through graffiti has been the center of controversy since the wall was built 35 years ago. At the heart of that debate was one Gainesville muralist who wanted to change the state of the wall’s vandalism.

“I opened up the floodgates of this argument that should not be,” Jim Evangelista said of his government-funded mural that sparked heavy controversy in the Gainesville community in the late '80s.

Before Evangelista successfully proposed his project to the Florida Department of Transportation, which initially built the wall to prevent hill erosion when the street expanded from two lanes to four, the wall was home to offensive political statements, love confessions and fraternity kegger announcements. Trashy advertisements and racial slurs were surrounded by garbage, spray cans and hazardous materials taggers left behind.

Evangelista said his motive for redecorating the wall was to promote respect of public space and to transform what many considered to be a “toxic waste dump” into a tasteful platform depicting endangered Floridia marine life.

For two weeks Evangelista painted his mural, and city residents, especially the UF student population, battled his plan to take over the wall. Student Government and city commission held meetings, which

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Evangelista attended, to discuss freedoms of the wall. Vandals told the muralist they’d cover his work with tar, students verbally attacked him, and opinions published in the newspapers were frequently about the wall. The now-Oregon resident’s mural has since been painted over countless times, but, like a boomerang, the heat of the debate continues to come back around.

The wall has become a community staple — an ever-changing, scenic bulletin board — and a city landmark. Evangelista’s painted effort may no longer be visible today, but the “event of the conversation (it ignited) was more of an art than the mural itself,” he said. Although messages on the wall tend to be less politically threatening than in the past, the question of propriety remains.

Since the tragedy of the 1990 Danny Rolling murders, only one panel of the wall — a black canvas plastered with the word “REMEMBER,” hearts and the names of his victims etched in red and white — has been relatively untouched out of respect. However, Evangelista said he believes the semi-permanent memorial has undermined their deaths, and they would be better remembered in another way like a statue on campus.

“That’s the memorial the community can give to an event — some spray paint on a trashed wall?” he said. “How do we honor people? We can do better.”

How is the wall maintained?

Preserving the wall and its history is an important part of the landmark, especially for the memorial for the five Rolling murder victims: Sonja Larson, Christina Powell, Christa Hoyt, Tracy Paules and Manuel “Manny” Taboada. UF Interfraternity Council service chair Jesse Shechter said he makes it a priority to touch up the memorial when needed.

He said people know what the memorial is, but no one really knows who maintains it. When spray painters streak the memorial’s black background or color in the hearts, Shechter and occasionally some “more artistic” assistants take on the job as a part of the IFC’s budget. Surprisingly, the 20-year-old UF junior has only had to touch it up twice in the past year.

The tragedy occurred more than 20 years ago, and though not everyone in Gainesville knows the story, they’ve seen those five names.

“There’s that one part of (the wall) that’s always the same,” Shechter said.

“These names are still here, and they have been there, and they’ll continue to be there.”

Is it legal to paint the wall?

Gainesville Police Department spokesman Officer Ben Tobias said graffiti is considered criminal mischief in Florida. GPD has made arrests for graffiti on buildings and public spaces but never for painting the wall.

“We’re not going to say it’s legal; we’re not going to say it’s illegal,” he said. But it is still defined as a crime in the state. Tobias said GPD is usually busy with other activities and emergencies more significant for the community as a whole.

“The law is there, but we have never made a priority of enforcing it,” he said. “The graffiti wall is something that’s been a part of Gainesville at the very core for a very long time.”

Although GPD does not pursue arrests at the wall, Tobias said the state considers graffiti to be a felony when $1,000 or more has been made in damages to the property or interrupted a business or public operation. A felony could cost almost $5,000 in fines and possibly up to five years in prison, he said.

Chris Cupoli, UF Alumni Association senior director of membership and philanthropy, follows GPD’s protocols considering painting the wall is a UF tradition.

Because it is a go-to Gainesville activity, he said he recognizes it as a tradition that already exists within and outside of the university.

“The traditions connect UF students to our alumni’s fondest memories,” he said.

Exactly how much paint is on the wall?

Orange & Blue investigated just how thick the layers of paint have become in the past 35 years. At the wall, the breadth ranged from flecks of crusty paint that detached with a gentle brush to barely flexible globlike chunks as large as 1.5 inches branching off.

A sheet of stacked paint layers had broken away, and our team used it as a sample to represent the entire wall. The speckled sample, which was about 11-by-13 inches, was about a quarter of an inch thick — comparable to the length and width of one sheet of computer paper. The thickness was roughly 60 pages of paper heaped together, weighing in at almost 1.5 pounds.

According to the UF Class of 2016 F Book, the 1,120-foot wall is 45 panels long, and some of them have more than 250 layers of paint. Based on the measurements from a study by Florida State University, each panel is about 20 feet long and varies in height.

If our team’s sample was a proper, average representation of the entire wall, the surface area, combined with the weight of the chunk, indicated there would be about 880 identical sections. Therefore, we estimated the wall holds about 1,320 pounds, or about 158 gallons of paint, which is equivalent to three sumo wrestlers or enough to fill almost four bathtubs.

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WALKING IN

STYLE

Eight recent #UFGrads share the meaning behind their cap decor

By Rachel Kurland and Lauren Richardson Photos by Rachel Kurland and Marisa Ross Photos courtesy of: Emily Branscome, Bekah McMurrain and Brianna Peters

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housands of people spend their last moments as UF students indulging in their final college milestone: graduation. Some focus on not tripping. Others try to get the best angle for a selfie. But how do you culminate your college experience into one ceremony?

These eight graduates bedazzled, beaded and blinged out their graduation caps to leave their last mark at UF. In a sea of black robes, their caps stood out among the rest.

Alyssa Wharton, 24

Environmental engineering, December 2013

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Wharton had a hard time deciding how to decorate her cap. Her adventurous college experience inspired her to drive to Michaels the night before her graduation ceremony and get crafting. At that point in her life, Wharton was excited and anxious for the future. She looked forward to the next adventure, which reminded her of the Pixar movie “Up.” “(That) chapter of my life was closing,” she said. “I don’t know what’s going to happen, but I’m open to whatever comes my way.”

Linzy Monahan, 22

Advertising with business minor, May 2014

Monahan planned her cap design a month in advance. It took seven hours to complete and about three or four cutouts to get it right. She loves all things UF — her parents even met on the third floor of Broward Hall — and wanted to recreate her love for the school, sports and her nickname, Lemon, on her cap.

“I wanted it to be about my full college experience,” she said.

Emily Branscome, 22 Psychology, May 2014

Branscome brought her cap to life. The monstrous octopus is wearing its own cap and holding a diploma, representing her move to Texas Tech University for her Ph.D. in counseling psychology.

The sinking pirate ship with a Gator flag illustrates her previous journey in The Gator Nation. It only took her a couple hours to create the sea scene, and she was committed to standing out. It balanced surprisingly well, Branscome said, and it was not heavy.

“I thought it was more uncomfortable to wear heels,” she said.

Sijun Li, 22

Public relations, May 2013; master’s in management, May 2014

Li has decorated two caps — one for her bachelor’s and one for her master’s. On her first cap, she chose to have a graduating Gator hold a diploma. That same Gator, Li said, would hold two diplomas for her second graduation the following semester. Li said she knew she wanted something easily seen from the crowd.

“It shows your personality in college, which is something you can’t really see on a diploma,” she said.

Brianna Peters, 23

Family, youth and community sciences, May 2014

Peters said she wasn’t completely sure what she wanted to do after graduation. Instead of choosing symbols referencing a future career, she opted for a Gators theme.

“I’m very school spirited,” she said. “I love UF, so I wanted it to be more about my time here.”

Peters said decorating her cap was a tradition she knew she wanted to partake in, and she’s happy to have it as a memory. She is now working toward becoming a nurse practitioner.

Lola Glanton, 23

Telecommunication, emphasis in sports broadcasting, May 2014

Glanton said her cap was an outlet for her excitement about graduating and The Gator Nation.

“My cap is a huge Gator to show school pride and to celebrate being the first in my family to get a bachelor’s,” she said.

Glanton had the opportunity to travel with the men’s basketball team. She said her coverage of its journey through March Madness had a major impact on her life, which is why the orange outline on her cap is made of glittery basketballs.

“You’ve made it this far,” she said, “and you should celebrate that.”

Bekah McMurrain, 24 Public relations, August 2014

McMurrain said she decorated her cap because all her friends were doing it, but once she started she realized how much it meant.

“Not only did the cap symbolize that I was graduating with my B.S. from a well-credited university, it meant that I was about to take the next step in life," McMurrain said. “(Caps are) an opportunity to express who you are and your dreams.”

She is currently pursuing a master’s in international business.

Mario Worlds, 26

Master’s of education, curriculum and instruction, August 2014

Worlds has always been asked, “Is that your real name?”

Because he grew up compared to the popular video game “Super Mario World,” he thought it would be the perfect 3-D image on his cap.

Worlds gathered his materials the night before his graduation. He found the Mario decoration on a keychain at Wal-Mart and said the jumping character represents him achieving his dreams.

Worlds is currently a UF doctoral student in language arts, reading and children’s literature.

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