Page 4 | The Current
Thursday, October 4, 2012
Reviews
This week in the lives of the rich and famous...
Peeled If the closing of the Norris University Center’s Jamba Juice has gotten you down, one of Evanston’s newest culinary additions may be just the pick-me-up you’re looking for. Peeled, 940 Church St., touts an extensive menu of juices and smoothies catering to the traditional beverage seeker as well as the more gung-ho health nut. The classic strawberry-banana fusion comes together in the Strawberry Letter smoothie, while the Berry Bonds throws a curve ball of blue-green algae into the mix with a delicious berry blend. No fruit combination goes unexplored, so expect the unexpected ... and expect to enjoy it. And if you’re looking to add an extra kick, all-natural booster shots ranging from wheatgrass to agave to cayenne pepper are guaranteed to cure any funk you may find yourself stuck in. Though some of the more exotic ingredients need a bit more travel time to arrive in Evanston, the bulk of Peeled’s raw materials come from local farmers. Making the effort to use only organic and fresh produce, Peeled provides not only a nourishing product, but also one you can feel good about consuming. Each drink is made to order in plain sight. Customers get the assurance and satisfaction of seeing exactly what goes into their drink
TV Review “Modern Family” You may have noticed by now due to the excess of advertisements, but in case you’ve been under The Rock (or without a TV), ABC’s most glowing, unique and well-written television comedy is back for a fourth season. If you haven’t had the pleasure of witnessing this family-friendly phenomenon, rewind three seasons and you’ll feel as if you’ve always been a part of the Pritchett-Dunphy clan. On the other hand, “Modern Family” is the type of show that will open its arms to midseries viewers because it doesn’t take much backstory to embrace the humorous dysfunction. By television standards, this episode (titled “Bringing Up Baby”) is wholly entertaining and hilarious, especially for a show slightly past its prime. However, by “Modern Family” standards, it’s moderately disappointing. In the season premiere, the talented and Emmy award-winning cast welcomes us back into full-throttle chaos by picking us up right where they left us. For that reason alone, it feels almost like a re-run. Many of the intersecting storylines seem recycled as characters revert to underdeveloped versions of themselves. Again, the family struggles to please proud patriarch Jay on his birthday with a disastrous surprise. A familiar scenario ensues as Phil tries desperately to impress his firmly disapproving father-in-law. For the hundredth time, Cam and Mitchell have to settle for less than they bargained for in the baby department. Finally, the mere reintroduction of Haley’s washed-out,
Rommel Morales/The Daily Northwestern
– be it coconut or kale – and what doesn’t – added sugars and chemicals. The standout performer for me, however, was the gelato. Unique to Peeled’s Evanston location (owners also operate a store in Lincoln Park), this chilly treat is good enough to be a staple all year round. Devoid of any dairy product, the gelato offerings are completely vegan, providing an intimate experience with the tastes you’re actually looking for. Conventional flavors like Raspberry on-again-off-again boyfriend, Dylan, gives the show a repetitive vibe. Dylan serves as a symbolic representation of the few storylines in this show you wish would just go away. During the climactic moment in the episode, when the ironic tension of Gloria’s secret pregnancy is released, a swooping camera motion pulls us into the future. Like a cheesy flashback, we avoid the expected response and skip ahead to the interesting part. Now we know clearly what creators Steven Levitan and Christopher Lloyd have planned: They will move the focal point away from the overdone and potentially catastrophic pregnancy storyline and instead onto a more wellreceived baby storyline. Nobody (except Claire) wants to watch Gloria get progressively fatter all season while a string of moody women jokes come flying at the screen. We just want to see the baby. When structuring successful and complex television shows such as “Modern Family,” it’s sometimes necessary to stray from the constant stream of brilliant writing or fresh plot scenarios in order to play a game of catch-up for the viewers. Much like the occasional episode of AMC’s hit “Breaking Bad,” the series needs to take a step back and allow viewers to absorb old storylines before busting out the good stuff. By that logic, the season premiere of “Modern Family” is setting us up for something wonderful and enticing down the road. Don’t give up on the beloved quirky family quite yet — if any television show has the intense pressure of meeting audience expectations, it’s this one. Tune in to ABC next Wednesday (Oct. 10) at 8 p.m. for two new back-to-back episodes you won’t want to miss. — Haley Boston
and Lemon lie next to the more bizarre, such as Mango Jalapeno and Coconut Pistachio. The Avocado gelato was surprisingly sweet, with a creamy and thicker texture, but the Dark Chocolate truly boggled my mind. Perhaps it’s just my inner chocolate fiend talking, but the rich, almost bitter taste satisfied after merely a few bites. Nestled next to Noodles & Company on Church Street, Peeled is easy to get to and worth the walk for more ambitious
Music Review Owl City When I first listened to Owl City’s music, I got whisked off to a magical, whimsical world of sheer happiness and joy. His synthpop is very soothing and bright; it put me in a good mood. So, I recklessly bought a ticket as soon as I saw that Owl City — the musician formerly known as Adam Young — would be playing in Chicago on Oct. 6. When his new album “The Midsummer Station” came out in August, I instantly bought it to get myself pumped for the show. But with the concert approaching, I’m starting to have second thoughts. I have to admit that all the melodies are really catchy — a little too catchy, in that they are almost painfully commercial. Though the 2009 runaway hit “Fireflies” was a rare accidental Top 40 hit that Owl City recorded in his basement, “The Midsummer Station” is the most transparent bid for mainstream airplay imaginable. Every melody sounds tailor-made for Top 40 radio but lacks personality. Young has said he’s making an effort to step outside of the one-manshow approach of his earlier work. Apparently, he kept his promise and solicited help from a revolving door of producers, songwriters and guest vocalists for his fourth album. Young brings in production assistance from hit makers Stargatefor the Euro-house rave touches of “Shooting Star” and co-writes several songs with Katy Perry’s writer/engineer Emily Wright.
North Campus dwellers. Open late with plenty of seating and free WiFi, the fun, vibrant atmosphere makes it a great place to meet friends for a healthier, non-fast food option. Though prices typically sit in the $6 to $8 range for a smoothie, the end product makes for a great treat every once in a while. And your immune system will surely be thanking you when you’ve reached the bottom of your cup. — Katy Vogt
There’s a collaboration with Blink182’s Mark Hoppus, and the famous (or infamous) Justin Bieber-approved “Call Me Maybe” singer, Carly Rae Jepsen. Although he has a lot of big names helping him, his sound doesn’t really change too much on “Midsummer.” Strip away the pulsing beats, and the overall hooks and melodies of the album are pretty bland. Owl City hits his stride with album opener “Dreams and Disasters.” While it’s not necessarily a bad track, it’s a little too bubbly, as are “Speed of Love” and “Embers.” The knockout single,“Good Time,” is a feel good song, but it features shallow lyrics that are completely void of any substance: “Freaked out, dropped my phone in the pool again. Checked out of my room, hit the ATM. Let’s hang out, if you’re down to get down tonight. It’s always a good time.” What does that even mean? To his credit, Young did step out and try new things, such as adding a lot of electro house elements and dubstep into his music. What is missing from the mix is the imagery Young brought to his earlier singles, all of which seemed to include references to fireflies, emeralds, meteor showers and other fanciful things. If you are simply looking for a lighthearted, carefree experience, check out Young’s concert Saturday — I would love to sell my ticket. But to all you hardcore Owl City fans, just cross your fingers and hope Young can bring back that whimsical world again and craft some music worthy of “Fireflies.”
The Rundown
Food Review
Northwestern takes the 64th Annual Primetime Emmys by storm! In other words, two NU alumni were nominated and a whopping 50 percent of those alumni won awards this year. Julia Louis-Dreyfus was crowned champ for her unimaginable performance in the stressinducing comedy “Veep.” Anna Gunn, we apologize, but your character Skyler White on the addictive drama series “Breaking Bad” is extremely unlikeable against an otherwise heartwarming and endearing bunch. Ever wish your favorite TV series came in book form? Now you don’t have to! Lena Dunham, creator of HBO’s hit comedy “Girls,” has made a $1 million proposal for a collection of essays entitled “Not That Kind of Girl.” Keep your eyes peeled for this one — we’ve heard she may be the voice of our generation … or at least a voice of a generation. Apparently we aren’t the only ones who can’t stomach the estrogen-pumped jams of Justin Bieber. The 18-year-old pop star took Bieber Fever a little too literally last Saturday when he poured the contents of his troubled soul and stomach all over the stage. It’s a good thing most fans couldn’t tell the difference between the retching noise and this so-called music. The Cebu Provincial Detention and Rehabilitation Center is all about crime and punishment— and dance. After doing a “Thriller” flash mob years ago, the prison recently made the first viral spoof of “Gangnam Style.” Other detention facilities should learn from these jailhouse rockstars. How many naked pictures of the royal family need to be published before a million UK magazines no longer feel the need to take part in a vicious feeding frenzy? Just in case the rowdy ways of Prince Harry didn’t elicit enough bad publicity, Kate Middleton’s topless vacation photos are now floating around the web. As she tries desperately to sue the publications that released the photos, everyone in the world can already view them by perusing this new thing called the Internet. Johnny Lewis, the actor you either know from “Sons of Anarchy” or don’t know at all, was found dead last week after potentially murdering his 81-year-old landlord in her Los Angeles home. How did the cast of “SOA” respond? By tweeting things like “RIP Johnny (half sack) Lewis #SOA.” Glad you found it in your heart to promote the show, lovely costars. Apparently, with great death comes great publicity. — Haley Boston
— Angelene Sun
THE WEEK THAT WAS
Rafi Letzter/Daily Senior Staffer
Meghan White/Daily Senior Staffer
Mariam Gomaa/Daily Senior Staffer
Commemorating Harsha After the discovery of the body of missing McCormick student Harsha Maddula, the Northwestern community and his family united as one. Even with different beliefs, attendees came together in memory of Maddula during a vigil Friday on Deering Meadow. University President Morton Schapiro, other administrators and representatives from student organizations consoled Maddula’s family and fellow students.
NU football wins 5th straight game, ranked 24th nationally Cheers echoed out of Ryan Field on Saturday after the Wildcats’ fifth straight victory of the season. This time, the Cats bested the Indiana Hoosiers, their first Big Ten opponent. In the latest Associated Press poll, NU was ranked 24th in the nation. The Cats are now 5-0, and with one more win, they’ll reach the number they need for bowl eligibility. The Cats face the Penn State Nittany Lions on Saturday.
All-Campus Voter Registration Day The All-Campus Voter Registration Day took place Wednesday, initiated by Northwestern’s Center for Civic Engagement and NU Votes in an effort to encourage students to vote. Despite the complications of states with different voting requirements, NU Votes offered registration information and absentee ballots to promote students’ right to vote. — John Yang