picking up speed Northeastern’s ski team is back and better than ever
on the up Welcome to the NU age
boston's best music venues Concert halls you’ll want to make it to this season
a taste of culture A guide to Boston’s international eateries
PRESIDENT
Kristen McCleary
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
Jamie Ducharme
CREATIVE DIRECTORS
Cara McGrath & Erinn Scammon
MARKETING DIRECTOR
Marcy Teixeira
treasurer
Chris Benevento
webmaster
Hannah DeYoung
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Section EDITORS
Scott Oldano, Shelby Sih, Liam Synan, Monica Vallejo
Assistant Marketing Director Kristen Lobo
Social media director Sofia Rojo del Busto
Social Media Assistants Jordan Mandell, Molly Dunn
assistant online editors Nate Botelho, Lautaro Grispan
Copy editors
Alexandra Forzato, Brianna Hollis
WEb Photo Director
Katie Willaims
WRITERS
Chris Benevento, Nate Botelho, Sarah Darrow, Bianca Gracie, Ben Holler, Kristen Lobo, Maddy MacDonnell, Jake Orlando, Corlyn Voorhees
DESIGNERS
Sami Bartlett, McKenna Curtis, Alexis Galmin, Lautaro Grinspan, Roya Rakhshan, Kelley Schneider
PHOTOGRAPHERS
Alli Anastas, Grace Di Cecco, Seb Herforth, Jackie Keffas, Carolina Rodriguez, Katie Williams
MARKETING
Alexa Overington, Bianca Gracie Cover Photography by Seb Herforth
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CONTENTS front
Focus
Centerfold
Campus Crawl Bon Appetit
04 DIY Fashion 05 To Beard or Not to Beard 06 Best Music Venues In Boston
08 On the Up 16 Tales from Tinder
12 Picking Up Speed
15 Q&A with The Nor’easters 15 Meet Monica
10 A Taste of Culture 14 The Paleo Diet 16 Now That’s Wicled Good
interested in joining our staff? EMAIL US |
nuwoof@gmail.com
Visit our site | woof-mag.com WOOF | winter 2014
4 // Front
DO IT YOURSELF: FASHION Written and photographed by Sarah Darrow
Warning: Don’t let the simplicity of this DIY necklace convince you that you can conquer anything you find on Pinterest. I can’t lie, I’m not normally a DIY kind of person. I’m just not into the T-shirts turned into fringed scarves, and I don’t have bags of studs and stones just lying around. But as I was searching for a do-it-yourself project that seemed possible with my assortment of tools and spare material, I came across a necklace made with bobby pins and nail polish. You can create a whole statement necklace with bobby pins from end to end or keep it more minimalistic with just a handful. As hard as it is to part with bobby pins (since they always manage to disappear on their own), I knew that this necklace was something I’d actually wear. I went for a minimalistic approach in three easy steps.
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WOOF | winter 2014
step one Gather your materials. Find nail polish colors that you think look nice together. I chose black, white, dark gray and light blue. You’ll also need a necklace chain, so either take apart a cheap Forever 21 necklace or steal one of your roommates’ chains. (Sorry, roommates.)
step two Put down a piece of scrap paper or newspaper and begin painting your bobby pins. There is no pattern you need to follow, so make it up as you go along. You could make a striped pattern, create a color-blocked effect or just see where the brush takes you. Once painted, let them dry for two to three minutes.
step three Once dry, simply place the bobby pins on the necklace. All you have to do is slip them over the chain in whichever order you like. Voilá, you’ve got a brand new necklace! Now that you know how to make a statement with a one-of-a-kind necklace, use this idea for future birthday or holiday gifts, or make one for your own jewelry collection and wear it with something as simple as a gray V-neck or a button-down and sweater combo.
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Front // 5
TO BEARD OR NOT TO BEARD Written by Chris Benevento // Photos by Cara McGrath
For the average male student, college is more than just another stage of life — it’s a transition. A transition from boy to man; a transition from peach fuzz to real, unquestionable scruff. A time when beards are grown.
Don’t beat a dead horse First off, it is important to note that some people are not capable of any real facial hair growth. That’s life. It’s disappointing, but not the end of the world. It’s important to remember that clean-shaven is a style in itself and works better on some people.
Disappointment is common when it comes to facial hair
But with this transition to greatness comes confusion, for the path to manhood is fraught with many difficult decisions. Even the strongest of men have cast away the trimmer in frustration and reached for the Barbasol. These men may never learn their true potential. They will never know what style suits them best.
There came a time in my life when I realized that my facial hair was not genetically suitable for growing a chevron moustache as thick and dominant as those of Tom Selleck and Daniel Plainview. It just wasn’t going to happen. At the time it was a crushing blow, but it led me to the important lesson that…
The last thing you want is to arrive at the neighborhood barbecue as a 40-year-old with peach fuzz because you’re “trying something new.” The time is now.
…Emulation is almost always a mistake As I learned with my facial hair icons (we all have them whether we admit it or not), I would look ridiculous attempting to follow their path. Beards are about shaving your own way. While it may be fun to emulate Captain Morgan or Tom Hanks in “Cast Away,” it’s important to return to a day-to-day style that speaks to
your facial hair strengths. The consequences of getting lost in your icon’s beard are pat downs at the airport, weird looks picking up a younger sibling from school or even disappointment from a significant other, and no one wants that.
Have fun with it With all of the warnings out of the way, a final lesson: Have fun with it. Here at Northeastern, we have five years to determine what to do with the select amount of follicles (or lack thereof) on our faces. This is not simply a trivial decision to be made all willy nilly, but a responsibility — to ourselves. Beards have the power to instill hope, confidence and fear. They can even inspire during the darkest of times. Determining what you want your beard to convey is only the beginning of a great adventure more vast and complex than mankind itself.
So put away the razors, get out the precision trimmer and get growing. Grow wise. Grow strong. Grow thick.
WOOF | winter 2014
BEST
MUSIC VENUES
IN BOSTON written by bianca gracie photos by jackie keffas
WHEN
thinking about Boston, the first things that come to mind are the city’s collection of sports champions and its historical background. But The Hub’s best kept secret is its thriving music scene. Artists like Aerosmith, The Pixies, Dropkick Murphys and New Kids On The Block all call Boston their home, and the city’s knack for finding new talent begins with going to concerts. Here are 10 of the best music venues in Boston, from big-time arenas to local underground favorites.
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HOUSE OF BLUES 15 LANSDOWNE ST. The House of Blues chain has earned a reputation as a great music venue, and the Boston franchise is no different. It consistently creates festival-like concert experiences and draws mega crowds due to its open floor space and high-energy acts like Pretty Lights, Disclosure and Mac Miller. The venue’s location is perfect for Northeastern students as it sits right next to Fenway Park. It also has some of the best acoustics in Beantown. Act to check out: Dropkick Murphys on 3/15
WOOF | winter 2014
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Front // 7 THE MIDDLE EAST 472-480 MASSACHUSETTS AVE. For new bands looking for exposure or for students who want to watch their friends perform, The Middle East is the perfect discovery zone. A Lebanese restaurant by day and a nightclub/performance venue by night, this location has found a way to keep locals hooked: pairing delicious food with great rock music. Past acts include Mumford & Sons and Dropkick Murphys. “The Middle East Downstairs is a solid [venue],” said recent Northeastern graduate Zach Horn. “You are practically on stage with the band when you’re up close.” Act to check out: The Tossers on 3/4
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PARADISE ROCK CLUB 967 COMMONWEALTH AVE. Think of Paradise Rock Club as the concert version of the hipster music bible “Pitchfork.” What makes this venue so special is its ability to book a mix of alternative, trap, indie and pop music acts, while keeping its prices affordable for students. “I have seen some awesome shows at the Paradise: The Donnas, Amanda Blank, Peaches and Solange. Each show brought their own eclectic crowd of music lovers that came together for one night to share a once-in-a-lifetime experience that can never be recaptured,” said aspiring pop artist and recent Northeastern grad Michael Weferling. Act to check out: MS MR on 3/23
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BRIGHTON MUSIC HALL 158 BRIGHTON AVE. Combine the laid-back hipster mentality of Williamsburg with the cool dive bar vibes of Austin and you get Brighton Music Hall. A 15-minute walk from Paradise Rock Club in Allston, this smaller and younger venue (it opened in 2011) highlights indie and pop acts. Sky Ferreira, Albert Hammond Jr. and MS MR have all made appearances here.
T.T. THE BEARS 10 BROOKLINE ST. Right around the corner from The Middle East is another student favorite, T.T. The Bears. If you’re looking for a warm setting with an eclectic variety of bands, then this venue is just right. Many students rave about the acoustic performance sets, which give the artists a chance to connect with their fans. The energetic ‘80s night, held on Saturdays, is also a winner. “I went to my first ska concert there,” recalls fifth-year communications major Amy Henion. “I loved how small and intimate the venue was. No matter where you were standing you were always close to the stage.” Act to check out: How To Dress Well on 3/27
“The Middle East Downstairs is a solid [venue]. You are practically on stage with the band
when you’re up close.” - ZACH HORN
Act to check out: Wanting on 3/10
Want to check out the rest of Bianca’s picks? Visit woof-mag.com for the full list. WOOF | winter 2014
8 // Focus
On The Up Written by Liam Synan // Photos by Alli Anastas
When Northeastern broke the top 50 in the 2013 “U.S. News and World Report” college rankings, NUwave practically shut down under the stress of so much selfcongratulatory sharing. But what’s changed at Northeastern that brought about this climb in the rankings?
“Take a look at some pictures,” said professor Solomon Jekel, a 33–year veteran of Northeastern’s math department. When he started, he said, “there were no green common areas, and the classrooms and residence halls were ugly brick buildings.” Of course, there are still plenty of old brick buildings and they’re certainly still ugly, but the upscale new living, learning and recreational spaces balance them out, allowing those ugly brick buildings to give the university the character and sense of history one expects of a 115-year-old institution. A quick tour of campus is enough to demonstrate the school’s physical transformation. In the 14 years since 2000, Northeastern has opened 12 new buildings WOOF | winter 2014
and renovated 33 existing ones; two more are under construction. These new buildings look nice in alumni magazines and recruitment materials, but they’re not truly successful additions unless they enrich the student experience. Senior Grace Gartel, a future medical school student, explained that, “the same services have been here” for her whole academic career, but they were “just less easy to use.” When she started, neither the student center nor the library had been renovated. Today, she spends most of her time in afterHours or Snell, attesting to the usefulness of these renovations. More important than the campus, however, is the quality of student that Northeastern attracts today. When Professor Jekel joined
Focus // 9
the faculty in 1980 after completing doctoral and postdoctoral research at Dartmouth and MIT, “most Northeastern students were commuters,” he said. But today “the student community is much tighter.” And more competitive. For the past few years, the admissions office has had its pick of more than 40,000 applicants. “The school can select a higher quality student [now]. I don’t know if I would get in today,” said Craig Sands, a communications major from the class of ‘87. Ryan Howes, a 2000 graduate and the leader of the New Hampshire alumni chapter, agreed. “When we all get together, the running joke is that with our grades and SATs, we’d never get in today,” Howes said of his fellow alumni. In his era, Sands said, typical Huskies were “average or above average students…who knew they didn’t have the fortitude or interest to stay in school for four [straight] years.” For these students, Sands explained, work and entrepreneurial opportunities were more important than the academic experience. Today, the focus has shifted towards integrated learning because, according to Senior Vice Provost for Undergraduate Education & Experiential Learning Susan Ambrose, most faculty members believe that the strongest students are those “students who want to inquire across disciplines.” As the student body grew more competitive, concerns arose that some faculty members were not teaching at the level that the new generation of students demanded. The administration answered that worry by bringing back an old faculty development program, and by leveraging its talented student pool to bring in some of the best educators around. “Really good faculty members want to engage better students,” Ambrose said, speaking to the synergistic effect between faculty and students. Howes noted the change in the quality of faculty members, too. “Today, when I turn on the TV, I see Northeastern professors doing spot pieces for news organizations,” he said. “We never saw any of that years and years ago.” Ambrose is at least partially to thank for that improvement. After 25 years at Carnegie Mellon University, she joined the administration last year and immediately began to affect change. “The most important thing I [have been] able to do…was [create] the Center for Advancing Teaching and Learning Through Research,” she said, noting that a large
“The school can select a higher quality student [now]. I don’t know if I would get in today.” — Craig Sands, Class of 1987
problem in higher education is the emphasis placed on faculty research over teaching. To support faculty members in the transition to teaching, Northeastern re-established an education program for faculty in July. The increased focus on the science of learning doesn’t end with establishing faculty development. Ambrose is also bringing her experience in the learning sciences to the undergraduate population, with a major project underway to revamp the co-op preparation course curriculum. “In the past, for some students, it took until the third co-op to understand how to go back and forth” between full-time work and class, Ambrose said. Since the co-op program is meant to enhance learning, not just set students up with jobs after graduation, Ambrose said she is looking to “intellectualize the co-op prep course” and help students understand the different kind of learning that goes on while they’re on co-op. And though jobs aren’t the only benefit of the co-op program, they certainly are among them. “What I have that a lot of other people won’t is the resume,” said senior Gartel. Ultimately, the enhanced resume of a typical two- or three co-op-Northeastern student sets him or her apart in the job search after school, and the university has staked its reputation on minting graduates who are already well versed in the professional world—a reputation it backs up with a 90 percent success rate for placement into the workforce or graduate school after graduation. Despite Northeastern’s formidable growth, opportunities and climb in rankings, the fact remains that it is still not a top choice for many students. According to the “U.S. News and World Report,” Northeastern offered about 14,000 students admissions last year, and only about 2,800 accepted that offer. “I applied to all the top schools: Harvard, Yale, Brown, Columbia and Princeton, for example,” Gartel said, “and I was planning on transferring out [of Northeastern]. But I felt like I belonged here already and I didn’t feel like starting over.” There are many hurdles left to clear before stories like Gartel’s vanish, and many feel that the undergraduate experience will fall short in some respects because of the professional focus of a Northeastern education. Still, math professor Jekel likely speaks for most faculty and students when he said he is pleased with the school’s progress. “I’m really happy with the way the university has moved in the last few years,” he said. WOOF | winter 2014
10 // Bon Appetit
A Taste of Culture Written by Kristen Lobo // Photos by Jackie Keffas
With the abundance of fast-food joints and quick dining options around campus, many students are reluctant to spend the extra time or cash to savor a good meal. It can be even more challenging to take advantage of all the cultural dining opportunities near the Northeastern campus and in the greater Boston area. High-quality, authentic restaurants are often difficult to distinguish from the rest. It’s time to slow down and smell the spices. We teamed up with international students, clubs and faculty around campus to find great local restaurants that serve up an authentic cultural experience.
WOOF | winter 2014
n Teranga
For students looking for a unique taste, Ashish Gokaldas, vice president of the Northeastern African Student Organization, recommends Senegalese food from Teranga, located at 1746 Washington St. “This is a cute restaurant that I definitely recommend with dim lighting [and] a variety of African music—contemporary, old school classics, as well as new party tracks—and amazing food,” Gokaldas said. For seafood lovers, Gokaldas suggested ordering fataya, a savory pastry stuffed with fish filling, as an appetizer and choosing thiébou djeun, herbstuffed white fish cooked in tomato stew, as a main course. He also enjoys mafé, a hearty lamb stew served with rice.
Bon Appetit // 11
n Addis Red Sea
Gokaldas is also a fan of Addis Red Sea, a communal-style Ethiopian restaurant with locations at 544 Tremont St. and 1755 Massachusetts Ave. He praised the restaurant for the authentic experience it provides. “To really enjoy the food make sure you eat with your hands,” Gokoldas said, adding that it’s worth staying for a cup of coffee after dinner. A popular appetizer, he said, is Sambusa, a traditional pastry filled with a mixture of lentils, ground beef, potatoes and other vegetables.
n La Voile
For a taste of Europe, first-year economics major and Paris native Pierre Miribel recommended the French cuisine at La Voile, located at 261 Newbury St. Though the prices are fairly steep for a student budget, the authentic atmosphere makes the experience worth the extra change. Miribel recommends the saumon fumé, smoked salmon with salad and beans, and the famous French bread. “It’s fresh from the oven,” he said. Delphine Chauffier, La Voile’s manager, explained that the restaurant takes every measure possible to bring customers an authentic experience. “The chef is French, he’s been to French culinary school,” Chauffier said. “The staff are from different regions of France.” Maxime Messa, the restaurant’s wine director, echoed Chauffier, expressing the extreme detail with which the restaurant represents its heritage. “Everything is original from the landmark location in Cannes, France,” Messa said. “Even the seats are from the old location.”
n Kolbeh of Kabob
Moving to the East, and north to the city of Cambridge, Nima Rezaei, public relations manager for the Iranian Student Association and a computer science major, suggested Kolbeh of Kabob for Persian food. Situated at 1500 Cambridge St., Rezaei said Kolbeh of Kabob is a local way to try authentic Iranian food. Rezaei recommends ordering fesenjoon, chicken breast stewed in a pomegranate and walnut sauce and served with rice.“It has a rich, soursweet taste, which is rare,” Rezaei said.
n India Quality
As for Indian food, Chirag Kulkarni, first-year business major and member of Utsav, the South Asian student organization on campus, said to look no further than Indian Quality at 484 Commonwealth Ave. “Indian Quality had an Indian feel in the heart of Boston,” Kulkarni said. “The food came out in less than 10 minutes, and their waiters were very helpful in choosing the best dishes for what we wanted.” Kulkarni especially enjoys the saag paneer, which is homemade cheese with spinach and fresh spices, as well as navratan korma, or fresh mushrooms and mixed vegetables simmered in a creamy sauce with herbs.
n El Oriental
Adding some Latin flair to the list, Latino Student Cultural Center Assistant Director Sara Rivera recommends El Oriental de Cuba, a vibrant Cuban restaurant at 416 Centre St. A short ride away from Ruggles on the 39 bus, the quaint restaurant in Jamaica Plain is home to a delicious fusion of Caribbean food, Rivera said. “It’s very traditional food,” Rivera noted. “If you’re from Puerto Rico, the Dominican Republic, Jamaica, you can find something to enjoy there that would remind you of home.” Out of the many items on the menu, Rivera favors the Cuban sandwich. Stuffed with roast pork, swiss cheese, ham and special marinade sauce as well as extra toppings, Rivera said the sandwich is a taste of home. “It reminds me of being in my native country,” Rivera said. “And it’s a hefty sandwich.” Plus, Rivera said, the restaurant itself has a homey atmosphere, making its customers feel welcome and comfortable. “It’s relaxing,” she said. “It almost feels like your grandma’s kitchen back on the island.”
WOOF | winter 2014
12 // Centerfold
Captains Dan Wigmore and Victoria Hone
Centerfold // 13
Picking Up Speed Written by Shelby Sih // Photos by Seb Herforth In the 1970s, the Northeastern ski team was one of the best in the country. Fast-forward to 2012, and the team had been disbanded. Now, nearly 45 years after its glory days, the team is back and captains Victoria Hone and Dan Wigmore are looking to that 1970s team for inspiration to once again call the title theirs. On one of their weekends in Killington, V.T., this year, women’s captain Hone met a Northeastern skier from the 1970s team. “He was very excited to hear the team was getting back in the league and getting more competitive,” she remembered. His excitement is understandable, given the rocky history the team has had. After its success in the 1970s, the team lost funding and was disbanded for a number of years during the 80s. After returning to competition, the team hit another setback in the 2012-2013 season when it was left unable to compete due to a disciplinary suspension. Sophomore Emily Visnic was disappointed when she found out the ski team would be disbanded for her freshman year. After going to a ski academy for high school, one of the reasons she picked Northeastern was because it had both a ski team and a strong nursing program. “I wanted to ski but I didn’t want to major in something I wasn’t interested in just so I could ski,” Visnic said. What she didn’t expect was that she wouldn’t be able to ski at all. Unable to accept this fate, Wigmore and Hone worked tirelessly to bring the program back, going from more than 40 members to 18—and from varsity to a club team—to ensure that every skier was fully committed and shared the same focus. Only about five members are returning from the old team; the rest is mostly made up of sophomores like Visnic who couldn’t race last year. And despite the roadblock of last season, Wigmore said it was actually a blessing in disguise. “The year off did a lot of good for us because we could make all these changes that needed to be made and get the team back to where it was in the 70s,” he noted. Hone agreed. “It was a real fresh start and clean slate for the ski team, which is what we needed,” she said. Despite her previous disappointment, Visnic agreed that taking a year off was probably what was best for the team. “It’s always a wide
awakening when you get kicked off and can’t ski. You realize [breaking the rules] wasn’t worth it,” she said. Now that they’re back, the reformation seems to be working. As of press time, the men’s team is ranked seventh in the country, including varsity division three teams, and first in the country for club teams; the women’s team ranking has not been released. Both teams have won six of eight races. Perhaps more impressively, the team has achieved this success while raising $10,000 completely independently, taking care of all their race day responsibilities and having very few practices – challenges varsity teams don’t have to deal with. “One of the biggest challenges is we have to coordinate everything since it’s a club team. We have to find hotels, pay dues, drive ourselves to the races, fill out paperwork and make sure everyone’s on the same page,” Wigmore noted, adding that, “we’ve had a lot of support from the ski community.” Although they’re doing well internally, others’ perception of the team may be caught in the past. Visnic admitted that students she’s talked to around campus either don’t know about the ski team at all, or think of them as “a bit crazy.” Visnic said that reputation is behind them. “We already got kicked off so we aren’t going to do it again,” she said. Plus, the team recognizes that there’s only one way to change others’ perceptions: winning. Wigmore and Hone said they are both confident that the league championships are within their reach this season, but they’re looking even further into the future. “We could be a team that competes at a high level,” Hone said. “We’re doing everything ourselves now and we’re proving we can compete.” “I just want to see the team continue improving and Northeastern seen as a school where skiers can come,” Wigmore added, noting that Northeastern could fill a niche in the lacking Boston collegiate ski community. “We want to pave the way and help make the name for the school,” Hone explained. “We want to be the kids who helped make the team back to where it used to be in the 70s.”
We could be a team that competes at a high level. We’re doing everything ourselves now and we’re proving we can compete. -Dan Wigmore
14 // Bon Appetit
The Paleo Diet Grab your spear, it’s dinner time!
In today’s fad diet culture, few eating plans stand the test of time. Enter the paleo diet, a methodology that has literally done just that. As its name suggests, the crux of this eating style comes from the belief that Paleolithic humans had the right idea when it came to eating. The diet eliminates any foods—like dairy and grains—that were developed after the establishment of current agrarian methods, limiting dieters to produce, meat, fish and nuts. This is where the controversy lies: Some dietitians argue that removing entire food groups from one’s daily diet isn’t healthy, whereas others embrace the trend.
“This is where the controversy lies: Some dietitians argue that removing complete food groups from one’s daily diet isn’t healthy, whereas others embrace the trend.” Susan Reardon, a National Academy of Sports Medicine-certified personal trainer and an Institute of Integrative Nutrition certifiednutrition and lifestyle coach, says paleo is effective when it comes to losing weight.“The paleo diet works great,” she said, explaining that with the absence of both grain and dairy, two calorically dense food groups, paleo practitioners stick to healthy fruits, vegetables, nuts and animal proteins, which can benefit an active lifestyle. Nonetheless, Reardon agreed that, in some cases, cutting out major food groups could potentially lead to an eventual intolerance of the nutrients that are absent. In the case of the paleo diet, individuals could be at risk of developing intolerance to gluten, which is linked to the consumption of grains, or lactose, which is linked to the consumption of dairy. “Lactose intolerance occurs when the small intestine does not produce enough of an enzyme called lactase,” Reardon explained. “Your body needs lactase to break down, or digest, lactose.” WOOF | winter 2014
After all this, the question still remains: Is paleo healthy? The answer isn’t a simple yes or no. There’s no easy or definitive solution to this question because diet choices revolve around a person’s biological and personal needs, a principle that Reardon calls bioindividuality. In other words, all humans are built differently, and each individual must determine which eating style works best for his or her body. Some people, Reardon explained, cannot cut out dairy or grains due to their metabolic needs, while others may not have a problem doing so.
“It got boring. I’m not a great cook, so I had a hard time making different meals out of the same ingredients.”
Written by Nate Botelho Photos by Katie Williams
What’s on the menu?
Nuts
Doctor Gordon Adomdza, a Northeastern business professor, is one person who did so with ease. He embarked on the paleo diet two years ago after moving to the Northeast and finding that he had gained 40 pounds and was struggling to lose the weight. After searching for solutions, he stumbled across the paleo diet and gave it a try. It worked, but Adomdza said he did have some difficulty with the diet.“It got boring,” he admitted. “I’m not a great cook, so I had a hard time making different meals out of the same ingredients.”
Fruits and Vegetables
Both Reardon and Adomdza had the same sentiment: “It’s not for everyone.” The paleo diet is only healthy if it fits both a body’s nutrition and training needs. In the end, the safest way to approach this, or any, diet is by visiting an expert for a personal assessment of your own body’s needs.
Meat
Q&A WITH THE
Nor’easters Written by Corlyn Voorhees Photos by Carolina Rodriguez
With a third place finish at the Los Angeles A Capella Festival and a performance at the White House under their belts this year, the Nor’easters, Northeastern’s oldest a capella group, have certainly been busy. Here, President Johanna Martendal, along with members Ty Myers and Brian Leon, discuss their whirlwind year.
How did you get the chance to perform at the White House? Meyers: There was a Northeastern co-op that was working there this past semester. They reached out to us and told us that if we were interested in the opportunity, we could submit a formal application. We didn’t know if we would be selected to perform so it was really exciting for all of us.
What was your reaction when you discovered that you would perform for the Obamas and what was it like meeting them? Martendal: Most of us started crying. We thought he was going to be away for the Nelson Mandela funeral so we didn’t expect him to be there. Leon: It was surreal. They shook all of our hands, we introduced ourselves and we took a picture with them. Myers: They were so down to earth!
What has been your favorite performance so far?
Any future plans for the Nor’Easters? Martendal: We’re hosting an ICCA quarter-final here at Northeastern. Myers: We’re going to be recording a few new songs this spring and we do want to plan a tour eventually.
What is your favorite song to perform? Myers: Right now, Elastic Heart. It’s our newest song. It just screamed “The Nor’easters” to me.
All: Souljam. Leon: It was our first big a capella festival. It was a tremendous group bonding experience, being up on stage and feeling like we were invincible. Martendal: Souljam was the moment we all clicked and knew that it was the perfect sound for us.
Meet:
Monica Monica is a journalism major with a minor in communication studies and the Campus Crawl editor for Woof. Originally from Guatemala, she is an aspiring writer with a serious obsession with pandas. She also enjoys traveling and photography and believes that anything can be solved with a good cup of coffee. When she is not wandering around Boston, she loves to cook and work on all kinds of DIY projects found on Pinterest. Want to learn more about Monica? Check out her first-person narrative at woof-mag.com! WOOF | winter 2014
16 // Focus
TALES FROM TINDER Written by Benedict Holler and Jake Orlando
When Apple coined the slogan “There’s an app for that” upon releasing the iPhone 3G in 2008, few would have predicted how applicable that witty tagline would be a mere six years later. As smartphones have become increasingly ubiquitous, new apps are continually being developed, bringing us anything our hearts desire with the tap of a touch screen. Looking for a place to order takeout? Try Foodler. Download Uber and never have to hail a cab again. How about all alone at 3 a.m.? For many, that’s where the dating app Tinder comes in.
WOOF | winter 2014
Focus // 17
Tinder, the glorified “hot or not” app that’s turned the swipe of a touchscreen into a sexual advance, is basic but brilliant in its simplicity. See a picture you like, swipe right. See one you don’t, swipe left. You’ll be matched with users who also found you superficially interesting or hot enough to consider. As much of a fad as Tinder has become, when it comes down to it, is it really an original concept? As millennials, we share the unique experience of having our transition into adulthood align nearly perfectly with the rise of social media. For most of us, rudimentary predecessors such as AIM and MySpace coincided with our first experiences with drama, hormones and teen angst—all products and predecessors of sexual attraction. Just as our personalities have gradually fleshed out and we have begun to vaguely resemble full-fledged adults, social media has diversified and become more sophisticated. It’s been ingrained into the very fabric of our collective conscience that social media isn’t merely a tool for perpetuating our interactions with people whom we already know; it can be used to meet people with similar interests—or in Tinder’s case, mutual interest. There’s no doubt that our generation’s desensitization to technology has made us willing to use Tinder and place our hearts and egos in another’s smartphone-cradling hands, but the real question is whether Tinder can be taken seriously as a way to start a relationship. “It started just because we thought it was funny, then I starting using it more as a tool to meet people and maybe hook up, which I feel it’s pretty effective for,” revealed an anonymous male Northeastern student when asked about his experience with the app. But, as he went on to say, Tinder can also lead to its fair share of awkward situations.
“It was the weekend but there wasn’t much going on, so I took to Tinder and this girl wanted me to come over and hang out,” the student said. “So I went over to her place, and we’re hooking up, but her roommate was watching. I kept saying that her roommate had to leave, but the roommate wouldn’t leave, so I left. Then I got back onto Tinder and found a girl in the next building over and had a more successful night with her.” Unlike online matchmaking services, Tinder offers little to no insight into the lives of potential matches, but this adds to its reality— just as none of us have ever walked into a bar or party with concise overviews of the rest of the guests’ lives and interests, Tinder reveals only a potential date’s appearance. With Tinder, the initial attraction is purely physical. More often than not, the same applies to dating in real life. Without a doubt, the ability of the smartphone to seamlessly integrate the digital world into its users’ realities has made such pursuits more convenient. But does having 24-hour access to a plethora of social media apps truly enhance the human experience, or does it actually dilute it? One female Northeastern student’s experience suggests the latter. “I started using Tinder because everybody else did,” she said, adding that she was drawn to the app after getting out of a relationship. “I just wanted to be rebellious. I wanted to piss someone off. The funny thing is that [my match] happened to be 29 years old, and I was just 19.” On the subject of the eyebrow-raising age difference, she said that her Tinder hookup wasn’t a “creep,” but added that, “When I asked him if he cared that I was 19, he was like, ‘Well, younger girls aren’t looking to get
married tomorrow,’ and I was like, ‘Why don’t you want to get married tomorrow? You’re getting old too.’” So how did it go down? “He took me out to eat, and then we went back to his house. We hooked up, and then he drove me back to campus, and then I saw him again two weeks later, but after that, I was like, ‘You know what? I’m done.’ I just want to be with somebody who loves me again, you know? I don’t regret it, but I wouldn’t do it again,” she said. “I would never use it to actually find somebody, it was more for fun. It just helped me get over my hump, but I’d rather be with nobody than just anybody. I want something more substantial now, but for freshman, it’s totally an easy way in.” It seems that the scandalous nature of the app has caused many students, the anonymous female student included, to write Tinder off as a sordid means of making new connections. But all polarizing discourse aside, Tinder isn’t something that should be overanalyzed. It’s a useful tool to help you find yourself some no-strings-attached fun. “It’s a lot of fun,” said one Northeastern student, who asked to be identified as Gus. “When it goes badly, it’s because somebody is being too serious, so you can’t do that. If everybody is on the same page where you’re just messing around and maybe meeting up, then everybody can enjoy it.” So swipe left; swipe right. Swipe as much and as often as you choose, just know what you’re getting into—the sometimes fun, sometimes horrifying, always gossip-worthy world of smartphone dating.
WOOF | winter 2014
18 // Bon Appetit
Now That’s Wicked Good Written by Maddy MacDonnell // Photos by Grace Di Cecco WOOF | winter 2014
Bon Appetit // 19
All it takes is a quick stroll through the Back Bay to see how trendy cupcakes are—bakeries pop up seemingly every day, and they’re on practically every street corner. Tracy Noonan and Danielle Desroches are doing cupcakes a little differently. The mother-daughter duo is the pair behind Wicked Good Cupcakes, a company they founded in 2011 with a unique spin on the baked good: cupcakes in a jar. “Initially, my daughter and I were art students and we decided to take a cake decorating class together,” Noonan said. “We didn’t have plans of starting a business at that time. It was just something to spend some time together.” It didn’t stay that way for long. Noonan and Desroches launched their first location in October of 2011 in Cohasset. In an effort to prevent damage in shipping, they began packaging their cupcakes in jars, an idea that originally came from Noonan’s husband, who suggested it after having seen a show about canning. “I initially told him it was the dumbest thing I ever heard,” she said, “but we did eventually try it and we tested it.” After making sure all of the health and regulatory standards were met, they started shipping the jars all across the country.
In December of 2011, when a jar was confiscated by the TSA and the story got widespread press, the store’s popularity skyrocketed. It was this surge in business that led Noonan and her daughter to appear on an episode of “Shark Tank,” an ABC reality show on which entrepreneurs pitch their business ideas in hopes of receiving an investment. Noonan applied in April of 2012, and a week later received the phone call that all budding entrepreneurs want to hear: They were on. “We happened to be the pitch right before lunch break, which was great for us since they were hungry and were able to sample the jars. It was a little nerve-wracking but we felt like we were really well prepared,” Noonan remembered. “We really knew our numbers. We watched probably every episode and wrote questions down and rehearsed and practiced.”
as of 2013, Wicked Good Cupcakes took off. “People from Ralph Lauren to Maria Shriver ordered from us, a lot of people. Mindy Kaling just had some jars that were sent to her writers by someone and she was all over social media with it,” Noonan said. “One of the things, too, that’s really unique about our product is the fact that we can brand it for people. They are fun and they’re festive, and they’re very cute.” As 2014 unfolds, Noonan and her daughter are looking to expand even further. “We have another bakery in Pennsylvania, and they do the bulk of our jars for us. Also, the gentleman who is the head pastry chef there…is a French pastry chef, so we’re going to be introducing some new products that we’re really excited about,” including macaroons, petit fours, cake balls and cheese cake in a jar, all of which will be released in March.
“We didn’t have plans of starting a business it was just something to spend some time together.” Their efforts paid off when Kevin O’Leary, a Boston entrepreneur, decided to partner with the pair. With O’Leary’s investment, Wicked Good Cupcakes was able to expand, opening a storefront in Quincy Market and expanding its online business. With a growth of over 600 percent and a gross profit of over $2 million
“This year, going into 2014, I finally feel like I can sit down and think about things, put thought into things, and I’m now being proactive with the business,” Noonan said.“Customer service can be tough, and I feel like we’re in a very good place right now.”
Wicked Good Cupcakes currently sells nine flavors of cupcakes, including“The Wicked Good,” their signature peanut butter and chocolate chip cake packed with peanut butter icing and chocolate ganache. Each jar retails for $6.75 and includes two cupcakes. At the main location in Cohasset, the company also sells regular cupcakes and cakes.
WOOF | winter 2014
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