The Hoya: The Guide April 19, 2013

the guide april 19, 2013

the weekly magazine for life on the hilltop

BY UPASANA KAKU

The Black House A Bastion of Change

Young and Restless: Finding Careers in Arts G4

A Cooler Spin on Spring Sandwiches

G9

The Merits of Pop Music With Selena Gomez G10

this issue 3 lifestyle feature 6 8 food&drink arts & 10 entertainment

guideonline GOING INTO ‘OBLIVION’ CRUISE DOES HEAVY LIFTING

The year is 2077, and Jack Harper (Tom Cruise) is about to rejoin the rest of humanity after helping extract the last of a war-destroyed Earth’s resources. A crashed spaceship and a mysterious woman, however, change his plans, reminding him of a past he never knew he had and changing his destiny. Read the guide’s review of this big-budget sci-fi thriller at thehoya.com.

awesome con d.c. | culture shock

This week, we’re exploring the history of black students on campus and the role of the Black House in joining together communities on the Hilltop.

JUSTJARED.COM

soundbite

dc on rye | protein bar

yeah yeah yeahs | disconnect

saywhat

“

He goes, ‘How does it feel to be the shortest superstar in the world?’

And I say, ‘It’s amazing.’

”

— Robert Downey Jr. quoting a conversation with Joaquin Phoenix

the guide Braden McDonald, Executive Editor Victoria Edel, Managing Editor Hunter Main, Copy Chief Zoe Bertrand, Layout Editor Leonel De Velez, Photo Editor Kim Bussing, Deputy Guide Editor Nicole Jarvis, Deputy Guide Editor Emily Manbeck, Deputy Guide Editor Alexander Brown, Deputy Photo Editor Chris Grivas, Deputy Photo Editor Erica Wong, Deputy Photo Editor Jessica Natinsky, Deputy Layout Editor Kennedy Shields, Deputy Layout Editor Ian Tice, Deputy Layout Editor David Chardack, Deputy Copy Editor Shannon Reilly, Deputy Copy Editor Sean Sullivan, Deputy Copy Editor

Danny Funt, Editor-in-Chief Sheena Karkal, Guide Editor Corrections and Clarifications If you have a comment or question about the fairness or accuracy of a story, contact Executive Editor Braden McDonald at (202) 6873415 or email executive@thehoya.com.

General Information THE GUIDE is published each week during the academic year with the exception of holiday and exam periods. Address all correspondence to: THE HOYA Georgetown University Box 571065 Washington, D.C. 20057-1065 The writing, articles, pictures, layout and format are the responsibility of THE HOYA and do not necessarily represent the views of the administration, faculty or students of Georgetown University.

Signed columns and cartoons represent the opinions of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent the editorial position of THE HOYA. Georgetown University subscribes to the principle of responsible freedom of expression for student editors.

THE HOYA does not discriminate on the basis of age, gender, sexual orientation, race, disability, color, national or ethnic origin. © 2013. THE HOYA, Georgetown University twice weekly. No part of this publication may be used without the permission of THE HOYA Board of Editors. All rights reserved. THE GUIDE is available free of charge, one copy per reader, at distribution sites on and around the Georgetown University campus. Additional copies are $1 each.

Editorial: (202) 687-3415 Advertising: (202) 687-3947 Business: (202) 687-3947 Facsimile: (202) 687-2741 Email: editor@thehoya.com Online at www.thehoya.com

DavidChardack Page 9

This past winter, I also made some friends who turned everything around for me. I had known them for a long time. ... Their names are Ben and Jerry.

newreleases ‘GIRLS’ | KID CUDI FT. TOO $HORT 

The third single from Kid Cudi’s most recent album, Indicud, is an easy listen that features a strong kick drum baseline and some catchy lyrics about his appreciation for pretty women. The added verse from Too $hort informs listeners — with more suggestive language — that women of all colors are worthy of the same lovin’. We would have been more convinced of the overall message had the song not ended with a farewell “b- - - - ” But that’s the Cudi we love.

GLOBAL GRIND

‘ENTERTAINMENT’ | PHOENIX 

This track (the first single from their upcoming album, Bankrupt!) has a feel that is reminiscent of their most famous singles: a bouncy pop song backed by simple lyrics about the difficulties of love. Luckily for Phoenix, this track is likely to garner more attention than hits from the past because they themselves are a bigger deal now. And with a less in-your-face hook than, say, “1901,” the track has lots of potential for long-term likeability.

STEREOGUM.COM

‘FALL DOWN’ | WILL.I.AM FT. MILEY CYRUS 

With each new hit song, will.i.am solidifies his place in the industry as a solo artist. And clearly there is no better way to make a niche for himself than with the help of the biggest names in pop (first Britney, followed by Bieber). This upbeat track features a side of Miley that we’ve never seen: hip-hop Miley with an electropop beat. While will.i.am is quickly becoming the master of club songs, this track is better seen as Miley’s exploration of a new, big girl genre. And it’s not half bad.

MTV.COM

lifestyle

Awesome Con: Nerds Strike Back

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uilding any event from the ground up is no easy task, and for Ben Penrod, the man behind Awesome Con D.C., conceptualizing and planning Washington, D.C.’s first ever pop culture and comics convention has been a labor of local love.

“This is the area I’m from,” Penrod said. “I know that there are a number of successful comic shops in the surrounding area — my partners at 3rd Eye Comics are in Annapolis — and there have been successful shows like Baltimore Comic-Con nearby. I know for certain that this is the kind of thing that people in this area have been waiting for.”

The programming at small conventions like Awesome Con D.C., which will be held April 20 and April 21 at the Washington Convention Center, can often make or break the fan experience, and Penrod has made a serious effort to accommodate a wide range of geek interests. There are three main types of programs at this year’s event: fansubmitted panels, including a gathering of steampunk cosplay enthusiasts; live podcast recordings like “Nerdpocalypse,” “The Carolyn and Joe Show” and “Trekoff;” and programs organized by Penrod himself such as Super Art Fight Live, question-and-answer sessions with the convention’s big-name guests and the weekend’s numerous costume contests. The convention will also feature

a kids’ room where young geeks can gather, and the Mind of the Geek game room, which will feature a rotating array of the most popular tabletop games in nerddom.

Comparing Awesome Con D.C. to cons like Comic-Con San Diego or WonderCon — which have exploded in size and influence in the past few years to fundamentally alter public conversation about popular nerd culture — may be easy, but the comparisons are misguided due to Awesome Con’s limited size and scope.

“In physical scope, [Awesome Con] is not that big — nothing is — we’re going to have a lot of comics dealers, artists and creators but we don’t have any of the other crazy stuff like at Comic-Con. We’re just not that physically large,” Penrod explained.

Though this may seem like a letdown for those expecting ComicCon-like extravagance, Awesome Con’s smaller size has many profound advantages to the hyper-commercialized larger conventions, which in many cases become giant ad campaigns for studios to build hype around their newest projects and are marred by massive lines and limited interaction with artists and actors.

“I think it’s going to have a more intimate atmosphere,” Penrod said. “Everyone will get to see everything that they want to and get the chance to look around and meet all of our special

guests and artists. They can meet everybody because the show isn’t that big.”

These special guests, including Nicholas Brendon (Xander from “Buffy the Vampire Slayer”), Billy West and Phil LaMarr (voice actors from Matt Groening’s “Futurama”), Ernie Hudson (Winston from Ghostbusters) and Theodus Crane (Big Tiny on AMC’s “The Walking Dead”), may be less prominent Hollywood figures than those who appear at larger events, but the opportunities for fans to meet and interact with those directly involved in the production of their favorite programs is something unique to smaller cons like Awesome Con. The ultimate success of Awesome Con D.C. rests in the hands of the local nerd community. If they embrace the intimate interactions small-scale conventions boast and fully embrace everything it has to offer, Awesome Con could begin to cement itself as the East Coast alternative to ComicCon. But if the D.C. community lives up to its own hype and is too wrapped up in its own political dramas to take advantage of everything Awesome Con has to offer, it could falter and end up another valiant, yet failed, experiment. Penrod, though, is confident in the work he has put into making Awesome Con a reality and has faith in the underground nerd community.

“You don’t realize that a lot of those

nicole jarvis Hoya Staff Writer

AWESOMECON.DC.COM

COMICS HIT D.C. Celebrites from famous comic franchises will appear at the inaugural Awesome Con. suit-and-tie people are still the kind of people who are going to be coming to this show,” he said. “It’s going to be nonstop awesomeness.”

Follow The Hoya’s extended coverage of Awesome Con D.C. this weekend on Twitter @thehoyaguide and online at blog.thehoya.com.

Constantly Calling on Nostalgia Lacks Originality At the guide, our staff is known for having strong opinions about pretty much everything. We’re taking stands on the pop culture issues that really matter, from tween stars to the movies that make us smile, and from catchy pop songs to the stories that dominate the Internet.

W

e love nostalgia. We watch old cartoons on Netflix, reruns of “The Golden Girls” and have seen The Breakfast Club way too many times. Nostalgia is a healthy and normal thing to have — as time passes, you only remember the parts you loved the most. But when we saw a rumor that the cast of “Friends” would reunite for another season, we had to say enough is enough.

That rumor has since been debunked, thankfully, but you have to understand our concern. It seems that

all Hollywood can do lately is recreate, reboot or revive things that should be left in the past. There’s Disney’s purchase of Lucas Films and plans to make more Star Wars movies. Michael Bay is working on a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle film, which can only go horribly wrong. Though superhero movies are awesome and Emma Stone and Andrew Garfield blew Toby Maguire and Kirsten Dunst out of the water, we didn’t need The Amazing Spider-Man and we wish someone would come up with a new idea besides a strong man in tights.

When you recreate something old, you have to build upon it and change it. That’s why Christopher Nolan’s Batman series works so well — it cast a character America thought it knew in a completely different light. If studios think they can just throw together the same old characters and tropes, stick

a new name on it and create something worthwhile, they’re wrong. They might make a lot of money, but they won’t make something lasting.

The one exception to our general disdain of reboots and retries is “Arrested Development,” which will be reappearing on Netflix next month. “Arrested Development” ended too soon, while the cast and crew were still bursting with ideas. That is the only reason why we’re not opposed to this project: It doesn’t seem like an attempt to cash in on nostalgic emotions, but a legitimate artistic pursuit. Obviously Netflix wouldn’t have picked it up if they didn’t think it would be financially advantageous, but we’re on board with this.

But we’re still just hoping that someone will fund a new idea — we know that people are having them, but studios are always more willing to fund

safe bets. We don’t want an Anchorman or Zoolander or Bridesmaids sequel. That doesn’t mean we don’t love those movies — we do — but what made them special was their uniqueness.

The Hangover 2, a generally unfunny rehashing of the original, proved that some comedies are better left untouched.

Let’s see movies about women that don’t rely on sexist stereotypes. Let’s see movies where racial minorities aren’t delegated to the background. Let’s see television shows about people who aren’t doctors or lawyers or detectives.

These days, Hollywood is lacking originality, so it’s about time we introduce new stories, protagonists and superheroes into the mix of popular culture. Because, let’s face it, the only way that the entertainment industry is going to continue to grow and thrive is if it stops repeating the same plots.

4.19.13 | the guide | 3

lifestyle BRUSHSTROKES TO high notes

Student Showcase Brings the Arts to Center Stage MERJAN BUBERNACK Special to The Hoya

F

rom the beginning of their educa- who adhered to the ‘conventional and tions, students are primed to focus traditional’ path of obtaining a sucon subjects deemed traditional cessful career and those students who and necessary by society. Elementary took a different route that really repschool’s reading, writing and arithme- resented their creative passions” Seon tic segue into high school’s English Oyewole (SFS ’14) wrote, Since his arrival on the Hilltop, OyeLiterature, AP American History and Calculus classes. The path continues as wole has served as an avid proponent of students finish university prerequisites the creative arts both on campus and and begin to declare majors. For many throughout Washington, D.C. His interstudents, the pursuit of traditional ests escalated after an internship with “Funkadelic studies, such F r e e s t y l e s ,” as English, hisWe’re just hoping that ... we a WRGW ratory or, often can help visual artists [by dio show at seems the only George Washroute to a seproviding] some hype for their ington Unicure and sucwork ... just [by having] this versity. There, cessful career. outlet for them to incorporate Oyewole was This orthodox able to colprogression arts into what they do at laborate and through acaGeorgetown. network with demia, howevmovers and er, leaves little shakers in room for the sethe music inrious development and cultivation of careers in the dustry. It wasn’t long before he develcreative arts. But some some students oped the idea to display young talent through The Young and the Restless look for another way.

“I saw a huge disparity in the George- Musical Showcase.

“The whole idea came about because town community between students I felt there was enough support by students who wanted a clear-cut path [to a career in] visual, musical and other creative arts. We wanted to form a group that would support these ideas,” Oyewole said.

YTR has been a collaborative effort in support of the ambitions of young adults looking to succeed in “untraditional” professions. Since its first installment in spring 2011, the program has featured devoted, budding artists, including Georgetown’s very own Tate Tucker (COL ’14), 18-year-old rapper and producer Matt McGhee and Pac DIV, a trio native to Southern California.

Oyewole explained that when selecting acts for the show, he considers the performers’ talent and experience as well as their ages.

“Usually I try to pick the artists that I am listening to and that are in my own age group,” he said.

The musicians previously showcased have come from across the country and COURTESY TATE TUCKER STUDENT STAR IN THE MAKING YTR display diverse talents in hip-hop, rap helped student performer Tate Tucker and other genres. As Oyewole noted, all of the performers, possess an undying launch his budding rap career.

— Amy Liu (SFS ’15)

4 | the guide | 4.19.13

COURTESY YOUNG AND RESTLESS

FUN IN THE FOOD COURT Hoya Court plays host to the annual The Young and the Restless Musical Showcase, which features up-and-coming student artists. resilience and passion for their craft.

They serve as quintessential examples of motivated young artists striving to elevate their careers in an industry that often seems impenetrable.

The third annual YTR — also called YTRIII — will be this Friday, April 19th at 9:30 p.m. in Hoya Court. Following tradition, the bill boasts three young, dedicated and blossoming acts. First off, Philadelphia native GrandeMarshall will perform original raps from his recent collaboration with Fool’s Gold Records. The second is, Phony Ppl — a band Oyewole has been following for years — which is known for their soulful sound and expansion of the urban music scene. Finally, TWO-9, a group of musicians from Atlanta, will showcase their refined hip-hop tracks.

In an effort to evolve the show and garner greater involvement from Georgetown’s artistic community, this year’s YTR festivities will be adding a live art aspect. Oyewole partnered

with the Georgetown Art Aficionados to curate a live art exhibit, which will feature artists painting and creating in real time while taking inspiration from the music and general scene of the program.

Amy Liu (SFS ’15), the treasurer of GUAA, played a major role in the creation of this exhibit. She is confident in the talents that will be displayed in the exhibit on Friday and relates the collective artists’ style to street art.

“I’m hoping that they will be really diverse, that they’ll be interesting with the live aspect,” Liu said. “We’re really excited [and] hoping it will be really interactive. It’s our first time doing [something like this.]”

The three artists who were chosen to participate in the live art exhibit are Ellie DiBerardino (COL’ 13), Megan Schmidt (COL ’15) and Michelle Stearn (SFS’ 15). They will each be given a blank canvas along with paint markers provided by Krink, an art supplier

lifestyle based out of Brooklyn that is one of the sponsors of the event. The artists are also encouraged to bring their own supplies to add personal flair to their creations.

All of the live artists have a unique style and skills. And while many, like Schmidt — who is also a cartoonist for THE HOYA — have taken formal art classes at Georgetown, artists on campus recognize that, due to stress from schoolwork in academic subjects and pressures from family and other entities to pursue “practical” majors, their personal artistic pursuits have been forced to take the backburner.

Most artists on campus have also noticed a general lack of recognition and support for the arts at Georgetown.

“I think visual arts [have] always just been a struggle on this campus, even trying to get submissions: It’s just very, very difficult. As a school, we are so much more focused on other things,” Liu said.

Liu also conveyed that Georgetown could encourage art appreciation by providing spaces — other than Midnight MUG or Uncommon Grounds — for students to showcase their original creations.

The idea of supporting the arts, of garnering recognition and of encouraging creative art career pursuits is ultimately the founding motivation for “The Young and the Restless.”

Aside from providing a venue to show off such young and unique talent, the program seeks to recognize the exten-

sive effort needed to pursue a career in the creative arts. Oyewole argues that, in terms of the work and effort required, little difference exists between pursuing a traditional degree and a more unorthodox creative career.

“If you want to get into the creative arts industry, you need a business plan.

You need to develop a lifestyle brand.

You can’t just say you want to be successful because you love it so much. It doesn’t work that way,” Oyewole said.

Establishing a career in the arts undoubtedly requires serious time, effort and maintenance. This image must be reflected in everything an artist does from creating music and paintings, to public appearances, to sustaining this image over time.

The third installment of YTR is certainly making great strides in recognizing the creative arts and related pursuits on campus.

“We’re just hoping that … we can help visual artists [by providing] some hype for their work … just [by having] this outlet for them to incorporate arts into what they do at Georgetown,” Liu says.

While Georgetown might not be the most conducive environment for launching a career specifically in the creative arts, it does provide the groundwork needed. Principles of hard work, dedication and perseverCOURTESY SEON OYEWOLE ance remain constant regardless of HANGING WITH THE IN CROWD Before Seon Oyewole founded the Young whether once pursues a traditional or and the Restless Showcase, he ran a group called theINcrowd, which less traditional path. planned events for the release of N.E.R.D’s album Seeing Sounds in 2012.

culture shock

Junior Year Reflections: That’s So Georgetown

A

little over three months ago, I found myself on a short flight back to Washington D.C., for the first time since last summer after spending my fall semester abroad in Turkey. Whether I had fully admitted it to myself or not, I was nervous. Ever the drama queen, I had convinced myself that coming back would feel like freshman year all over again, minus the (over)enthusiasm of NSO, the long (and loud) hallways of New South and the perennial supply of new people to meet. I was completely and totally wrong.

That’s not to say that this semester hasn’t been filled with a healthy dose of culture shock. First, there were the little things: leaving my GoCard in my Lau cubicle during an afternoon Wisey’s runs, thus barring myself from re-entry (embarrassing); relearning how to most efficiently navigate the halls of ICC (a true art); forgetting my key and getting locked out of my apartment. (Although as this has become a continuing trend, it may have nothing to do with my

Leo’s, Wisey’s and other Georgetown campus re-adjustment process.)

There were other adaptions, too: staples, but I hadn’t even thought of catching up with old friends and the fact that the faces I wanted to see making new ones, getting myself mo- across the table from me might have tivated for classes in the “real world,” changed. Now I’m just telling myself readjusting to the weather changes not to worry so much.

I think we hear the phrase “That’s from Istanbul to D.C. and figuring out something called “time manage- so Georgetown” thrown around a ment” (still working on that one). lot, often sarcastically, sometimes hashtagged for those inBut I think the weirdest clined to Twitter, and shock of all was realizing maybe somewhat unnecthat Georgetown had not essarily. This semester, changed, but me. though, I think I’ve gotten I don’t mean to sound to experience and better cliche, and I’m certainly not claiming that some AudreyWilson AudreyWilson appreciate these kinds of moments, from my first kind of divine, pseudo-European experience had enlightened glimpse of Healy from the plane winme in any way. It’s just that after miss- dow to the view from center court at ing out on a semester on campus, I Verizon Center after watching the had reshuffled all of my priorities Hoyas beat Syracuse (and the sadwithout really realizing it. I didn’t der scene from behind my computer think that I would be able to sit still screen after watching them lose to in the library long enough to finish FGCU — though I have to admit FGCU a book, but I didn’t know that what I did an awesome job thereafter) to the was interested in reading could have first spring day on Healy Lawn. I’ve shifted so much. I was initially wor- gotten off campus. I’ve taken great ried about re-adjusting to the food at classes and had great conversations

and even skipped out on obligations to see a famous speaker or two.

You see, you really don’t have to go abroad to experience culture shock right here on campus. Take a class you’ve come this close to registering for the last six semesters. Drop your work for an afternoon and go do something fun. Meet someone new.

Try a bacon cupcake at Leo’s. (I did see these the other day, so on second thought, don’t.) In all seriousness, it’s not that difficult to spice things up.

As I prepare for senior year, I’m feeling a familiar twinge of nerves.

Maybe I should just listen to one of my friends, who maintains that our junior year doesn’t actually end until convocation. Or maybe I should just heed my own advice and not worry so much. Well, back to my finals to-do list #sogeorgetown.

Audrey Wilson is a junior in the School of Foreign Service. This is the last appearance of CULTURE SHOCK this semester.

4.19.13 | the guide | 5

New Houses, Same Home

UPASANA KAKU Hoya Staff Writer

W

hen Conan Louis (FLL ’73) arrived at Georgetown in 1969, he was one of about 30 black students in the entire undergraduate population. There were no black members of the faculty or the administration.

Although the university admitted its community in terms of its ability to con- and socioeconomic groups. According to Williams, the program was the univerfirst black undergraduate in 1950, al- gregate and galvanize.” most two decades later, the student body According to Dennis Williams, director sity’s first serious attempt at integration, remained overwhelmingly white. As re- of the Center for Multicultural Equity & and its early participants were mostly cently as 1964, there was only one black Access and himself a student at Cornell black students who had graduated from student in the College.

University when the Black House was cre- the D.C. public school system. The pro“We took exception to the fact that ated, similar activism was going on at col- gram offered support for those students there seemed not to be the kind of sup- lege campuses across the country. Many of both academically and financially.

In part due to the Community Scholars port system that was necessary for African- the cultural centers, minority residence American students to survive and thrive at halls and ethnic studies programs that ex- Program, the number of black students the university,” Louis said. “We sought to ist today were founded during this period. at Georgetown began to grow in the early change that.”

Georgetown was also impacted by the 1970s. In September of 1970, The Hoya reLouis, along with other members of the movements sweeping the nation. In 1968, ported that 33 black students had been Black Student Alliance, which was formed Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated, admitted as part of a freshman class of in 1968 and chaired at the time by Wen- and riots erupted in Washington, D.C., 1,100; in 1971, the freshman class includdell Robinson (CAS ’71), decided to take and across the country. ed about 70. action.

According to Louis, the BSA was swept “Once some of these doors were “We went en masse to the president’s up in the political movement of the late opened, there was a large push from stuoffice — without an appointment, I might 1960s; in addition to working for change dents themselves,” Williams said.

At Georgetown, the Black Student Alliadd,” Louis said with a chuckle. “And the at the university, the group also brought president agreed to see us, and he agreed D.C. politicians to campus to engage in ance House was at the center of these efforts to drive change. to take steps addressing the issues that we discussion.

It was also in 1968 when Georgetown’s But the house was first and foremost a raised.”

Out of that meeting was born a com- Community Scholars Program was estab- gathering place for many black students. mitment by the university to enroll more lished to serve underrepresented ethnic In the first several years of its existence, the house was not black students, a residence and recruit black facinstead served as a ulty members meeting place and and create the a spot for students Black Student Alto drop in between liance House — a classes. meeting place, “There were refuge and secnot a lot of places ond home for you could go and many that has see someone who stood at the cenlooked like you,” Valter of the univererie Grasso (CAS ’75) sity’s black comsaid. Grasso was part munity since the of the first class that building’s foundincluded a substaning in 1970. tial number of black “It literally students and also became the cena member of just ter of Africanthe third class of American social life on campus.

It was a space where almost all of us hung out in women admitted to between classes, the College of Arts sometimes durand Sciences. “What ing classes,” Louis it represented for said, chuckling me was just this tiny ARIEL POURMORADY/THE HOYA again. “It totally While the Black House has changed locations through the years, moving from oasis in the middle transformed the O Street to 36th, it has continued to be a source of support. of campus where I

could just go and relax.”

Louis’ wife Gail, who enrolled at Georgetown two years after her husband, agreed.

“If you needed to clear your head, there was a place where you could go where it was safe to do so. ... When I went to class, often I was the only black person in the class, and it got a little tedious being expected to be the authority on all that was black,” she said. “But it was nice to be able to go someplace and say, ‘Can you believe what happened to me today?’”

Since many of the first black students at Georgetown were D.C. natives recruited through the Community Scholars Program, the majority of them did not live on campus, and the house was especially important to commuter students.

“There were changes going on in the university and not everyone was happy about the changes, so I think it was really important to have a place where people could go,” Gail Louis said. “The role was a great one as kind of a safe haven.”

Conan Louis recalls that the first floor was usually occupied by students relaxing between classes, playing the card game whist or catching a short nap, while the upstairs was a place to study, complete with a library of old textbooks.

The house played host to events ranging from holiday meals for students who could not afford to go home during breaks to Black Student Alliance meetings to parties.

“It was important … for something as simple as the kind of music that would be played at dances and parties on campus was simply not the kind of music that we were always interested in listening to,” Conan Louis said. “And so every month, six weeks or so, there was a party at the Black House.”

It has been more than 40 years since the Black House was established, and the university has changed in many ways.

Last year, 10 percent of the 3,316 admitted students were black, and the number of minority students admitted hit an alltime high. As the university has changed,

so has the Black House. After years on O Street, the house moved to its current location at 1410 36th St. NW, shortened its name from the Black Student Alliance House to the Black House and became a residence as well as a gathering place. But for many students, the house plays a similar role as it did as its founding.

Yasmin Serrato (SFS ’13), a current resident of the Black House, was first exposed to the house as a high school senior during Hoya Saxa weekend, a program that brings underrepresented admitted students of color to campus.

“The Black House was like a safe haven,” she said.

For freshmen in particular, the house can still serve as an important resource.

“It can be kind of overwhelming being a freshman or even a sophomore. The Black House just offers a safe space to have those conversations with people who may have had the same experiences as you just because of your color or the household you come from,” Sidney Wells (COL ’16) said.

Just as in the 1970s, the house is still a destination for students who want a place to study, grab a bite to eat or nap between classes.

“It’s just a resource for people who need it,” Carolyn Chambers (COL ’11), who lived in the Black House during her junior year, said. “If you need a place to watch your weekly shows or to do your homework, or if you need to take a nap on the couch, you can do that. The Black House just tries to provide whatever the community needs, whatever you can’t find anyw h e re else, you can probably find it at the Black House.”

Although the university has changed drastically since the 1970s, advocacy has remained an important goal of the Black House community. In the fall, it held

a Haunted House event on Halloween in partnership with What’s After Dark. After the event received two visits from Student Neighborhood Assistance Program and one visit from a Metropolitan Police Department officer within its first two hours, the residents decided to file a racial bias incident report and Aya Waller-Bey (COL ’14), a current Black House resident,

wrote an op-ed in The Hoya.

“It’s sad that this is a reality in Georgetown, but what we did is we raised awareness,” Serrato said. “We spoke up. As a house, we were able to make sure that people knew and that the issue was not silenced.”

David Price (COL ’14), another resident of the Black House, agreed that the house has a role to play in addressing diversity issues on campus.

“There are many Georgetowns,” he said.

“It’s a broader problem, but it trickles down to a Black House problem.”

But in many ways, the house has also expanded its role on campus. According to Chambers, during her time at Georgetown, the house began to open itself up to more multicultural groups. The university’s Students of Color Alliance now holds its weekly meetings at the Black House, and one of the house’s residents is a SOCA co-chair.

“The reason we did that was to anchor that facility as a kind of meeting space for all the different student groups of color,” Williams said.

The Black House put on a town hall meeting for Georgetown University Student Association candidates to address diversity issues this February. Waller-Bey said it is one of the programs she is most proud of from this year and something she hopes will become an annual tradition.

For Serrato, a first-generation college student, the desire to spread awareness

ARIEL POURMORADY/THE HOYA

people know what Black House is.’”

The current residents co-sponsored programs with 12 different organizations last semester and held a record 22 events in the house. According to Waller-Bey, the house this year has strengthened its presence on campus as a whole.

“This year, everything has evolved, and we’ve definitely thought outside the box,” she said.

One of the programs that current residents are most proud of is a series

of weekly discussions where students pick a topic, flip over an hourglass and talk until the sand runs down. Wells, a regular participant in the hourglass discussions, said the discussions have been valuable to him — although he said they would be more productive if a wider range of opinions were represented, with both more men and those of different ethnicities in attendance.

“It is a tremendous way to gain insight from your minority peers,” he said. “I find it amazing that these conversations are happening.”

Beyond its role in the community, the house has played an important role in the lives of students who ALEXANDER BROWN/THE HOYA lived or spent time there about the Black House was part of what throughout its history.

Conan Louis, who spent most of his free drove her to apply to live there.

“When I realized I was actually the only time in the then-Black Student Alliance Latina at an NAACP event, I was like, you House, said what he remembers most know, I don’t think people are aware that about his time at Georgetown was his inthis house is not just for NAACP or BSA,” volvement in the BSA. “I believe that it was that leadership exshe said. “That kind of sparked my interest in the Black House. I was like: ‘I want to perience that really helped to form who I live here. I want to make sure that other was and who I became as a result of my

Georgetown experience,” he said.

Louis has remained highly involved with the university, serving on the board of governors and as vice president for alumni relations.

For Chambers, living in the Black House taught her to always put the community first — even when that meant leaving the house open until late at night.

“We used to have people spending the night, staying up late doing homework, having meetings, coming in for food — all these different reasons,” she said.

Because the house has an open door policy, students are always coming in and out of the house.

“It can go from quiet study sessions, where we’re all just doing homework at the dining room table, to suddenly music playing, and a ‘Harlem shake’ video,” Serrato said. “I was literally studying at the dining room table, and next thing you know, I’m in this ‘Harlem shake’ video with these visitors, these 12 people who just showed up.”

Both Price and Waller-Bey will live in the Black House again next year, but because of university concessions to relocate Magis Row as part of the 2010 Campus Plan agreement with neighborhood groups, the house will move again next year after 20 years at 1410 down the block to 1308.

“It’s kind of like a next chapter, but to start a new chapter, you have to close the one behind it,” Serrato said.

“There’s a lot of history here,” WallerBey agreed.

Both Williams and the current residents hope to use the move to raise more awareness about the Black House and draw a broader range of students to its discussions.

“Originally, it was a sanctuary. It can still be that a little bit, but I think it is a little less necessary for any one place to be that,” Williams said. “It is a center of conscious activity in organization. It is place where people come together to get things done.”

food&drink Healthy Eatery Offers Savory Vegan Options

caitlin desantis Hoya Staff Writer

 PROTEIN BAR

T

he hardest part of adopting a vegan diet has been making sure to get enough protein, and although Leo’s offers a surprising amount of options — edamame, tofu and beans are quick go-tos — I can only sustain a Leo’s diet for so long before I begin to crave food that doesn’t come from a cafeteria.

Once I went vegan, I quickly realized that Washington, D.C., lacks good vegan and vegetarian restaurants. While many local eateries can accommodate those who follow the popular food trend, most just offer one or two meatless options. Sweetgreen allows you to mix and match vegetables and dressings with either falafel or tofu, but I wanted to find a restaurant that was a little more playful with its dishes.

Penn Quarter’s Protein Bar was just the place. The restaurant, which opened over the summer, specializes in high-protein food and drinks and makes ordering vegan easy. Not only does it have multiple vegan selections, but it also gives you the choice of making any meat or dairy-based item vegan.

My friend and I split two “Bar-ritos.”

The first was the “Vegan Original,” a

398 7th St. NW cuisine: Vegetarian price: $$$$ grilled whole-wheat wrap stuffed with marinated tofu, black beans, vegan cheese, quinoa and cilantro. Unlike the burritos from Chipotle or Qdoba, this one was light, yet still packed with flavor. The whole-wheat tortilla and quinoa added a nuttiness and texture that other burritos lack.

We also tried the chilled “Green City Vegan Bar-rito,” a refreshing combination of tofu, kale, pepitas, chickpeas, creamy vegan chia dressing and a mixture of romaine, spinach, kale, broccoli, carrots and purple cabbage. I particularly enjoyed the crunchy pepitas and crisp lettuce since they mixed well with the dressing, which was similar to ranch. Both “Bar-ritos” are packed with 28 grams of protein, which is nearly half of the daily recommended amount of protein for a typical woman.

Additionally, Protein Bar offers quinoa bowls, green salads and chili. It serves breakfast starting at 7:30 a.m., so you can start your day with a wellbalanced, protein-rich meal that will keep you full all day long. Breakfast includes breakfast “Bar-ritos,” scrambled eggs, oatmeal and quinoa bowls.

PQLIVING

RAISING THE BAR Protein Bar serves fresh “Bar-ritos” that provide nutritious, proteinrich alternatives to typical burritos or sandwiches, with meat and vegan options.

If you are looking for a good green juice, Protein Bar is the place to go.

They have four different raw juices to choose from that are pressed right in front of you to ensure their freshness.

I ordered the “Market,” which is the standard green juice mix of celery, kale, spinach, parsley and apple. Protein Bar also has a wide selection of blended protein shakes, creamy concoctions of protein powders, fruit, milk or yogurt and other creative additions, like cocoa malt and peanut butter. To accommodate vegans, the eatery also makes blended drinks with whey or soy pro-

happyhour

tein, almond milk, soy milk or soy yogurt. Most of the smoothies have 15 to 20 grams of protein for a 12-ounce serving. You can also add nutritional boosts such as the “Flu-Fighter blend” or the “Hangover blend” at no extra cost.

One of the best things about Protein Bar is that it is a good place for both vegans and meat-lovers alike to enjoy a healthy, well-balanced meal that is loaded with nutrition. Unlike many other restaurants that focus on nutrition, Protein Bar is reasonably priced and affordable for college students looking for their healthy food fix.

a weekly roundup of some of the best shots, mixes and punches.

Rosemary Greyhound

Royal Blue Cocktail

youngaustinian.com

pillsbury.com

Sit back and relax this weekend with a simple and refreshing take on a typical vodka cocktail. Chill 1 to 2 oz. of vodka, 3 oz. of fresh red grapefruit juice and 1 teaspoon of rosemary simple syrup. Shake with ice, pour into a highball and garnish with a rosemary sprig.

Impress guests with this sophisticated and jewel-toned cocktail. Moisten rim of chilled martini glass with lime wedge. Sprinkle sugar onto small plate, and dip moistened rim into the sugar to coat lightly. Fill cocktail shaker with ice. Add 1/4 cup cranberry juice, 1 oz. of vodka, 1 oz. of blue curacao and 1 tbsp. of fresh lime juice. Cover and shake. Strain into martini glass.

8 | the guide | 4.19.13

Putting a Chinese Twist On Classic Brunch EMILY CHIU & SIMON REDKO Special to The Hoya

T

he traditional Sunday brunch is a big part of Georgetown’s culture. While most students look for greasy comfort food to soak up whatever toxins are left in their bodies after a weekend’s worth of partying, it’s important to remember that there are other, more exotic options for the morning after. Dim sum — a Chinese culinary tradition in which diners choose small dishes ranging from sweet to savory — while not as popular in Washington, D.C., compared to other cities with larger Chinese-American communities, can still be found nearby early on a weekend morning.

We soaked up some much-needed rays on our stroll down to China Garden in Rosslyn, Va. While China Garden is open throughout the week, the dim sum is served only on the weekends. Because of this, business is usually booming during the weekends. The lines are typically a bit longer Sunday compared to Saturday as well. We arrived at noon, during prime dim sum hours, so unfortunately the wait for a table was about half an hour. Our party of four was seated near the front, far away from the steaming hot carts of dim sum being pushed out of the kitchen.

China Garden has a very traditional Chinese ambience, characterized by the large, round tables, the carts of dim sum being wheeled around and the sound of Cantonese being spoken in the background. This is a place that can suit everyone’s needs and is ideal for bringing either a close group of

YELP.COM

AUTHENTIC AND DELICIOUS China Garden serves their delectable fare by cart in typical dim sum fashion.

 CHINA GARDEN 1100 Wilson Blvd., Arlington, Va. cuisine: Dim Sum price: $$$$ friends or a large party. The concept of dim sum is unique in that it permits people to slowly eat small portions of food while casually sipping on tea, leaving more time to converse and reminisce on the calamity that was your weekend. The pace of the service is decent, considering how busy the restaurant generally is. You may have to flag down a waiter every now and then but, rest assured, your teapot will be refilled. The waiters were kind enough to locate certain dishes and bring them over to our table even though the actual cart possessing our desired item was far away.

The food itself is authentic, if not of the absolute best quality. Our party started off with the steamed and baked char siu bao, or barbeque pork buns, and the siu mai, which are small steamed dumplings filled with a combination of pork, prawns or both. Siu mai is a cult dim sum favorite; you really can’t go wrong ordering this one. We also ordered dan tat, or egg tarts, which were complemented by Jasmine green tea. The baked char siu bao was considerably better than the steamed version because the bread becomes much sweeter, resulting in a nice contrast between sweet and savory. The egg tarts were the highlight of the experience. The custard was fresh out of the oven and was surrounded by a sweet, thin, flaky crust. Although we felt stuffed by the end of the meal, more variety on the menu would have been appreciated.

Of all the various Chinese restaurants we have been to, Chinese Garden could probably be considered the best dim sum in the area. Unlike other Washington favorites, such as Ping Pong Dim Sum located in Chinatown, this restaurant actually serves its dim sum in carts, as opposed to ready-to-order, making for a much more authentic experience. While China Garden may not be the very best place around, especially if you are used to the Chinatown in New York or Los Angeles, this restaurant is still worth visiting due to the convenient location and reasonable prices.

food&drink dc on rye

On Becoming the Earl Of Ice Cream Sandwiches

A

Ice cream sandwiches are a combout two weeks into the spring semester, the gray, bone-chill- pletely different animal from the traing air of D.C. winters joins ditional savory delicacies I am used to. forces with the impending self-im- Ice cream sandwiches inevitably fall posed spring semester schoolwork apart and become messier and gooier struggles. It is the low point in every than any savory sandwich, so when I year, distantly removed from exciting eat any ice cream sandwich, I look for wintertime novelties of Christmas, different things. yet still impossibly far away from the For example, so much of the ice chocolate-filled holidays that are Val- cream sandwich experience depends entine’s Day and Easter. This past win- on the temperature. If the ice cream ter felt particularly harsh, and it was is cold and hard, the sandwich may easy to feel like I was sad and alone. stay together, but it also inflicts searBut this past winter, I also made ing cold pain on your teeth, which some friends who turned everything detracts from the usually sunny around for me; I had known them for and cheerful atmosphere that wara long time, yet I had never realized rants an ice cream sandwich. If it is how much we have in common. (We too warm, the sandwich falls apart did a lot of bonding over our shared almost immediately, and, although love of the Grateful Dead). My new your teeth are spared, the sugary ice friends and I also had in common cream coats the back of your throat that we become less useful in the win- with a sticky and syrupy sensation — ter months, and we thus grew closer which defeats the refreshing effects of than any other friends cold ice cream on a hot I have ever made. They summer day. were in my room every But ice cream sandday when I got back from wiches are special beclass, happy to see me, cause they remind us and I spent every moment the most classic moI could in their company. ments of being a kid: Their names are Ben DavidChardack sitting on the side of the and Jerry. pool after the lifeguards Ice cream is another one of those blew the kids-out whistle, running to foods that I was born to eat. Like sand- the shade at the end of a long soccer wiches, ice cream can be flavored in game, even sneaking into the freezer almost any way, filled with dozens to indulge in a secret treat and feel on of different confections and adorned top of the world. with virtually unlimited toppings.

After I paid for my Captain Cookie Through my friendship with Ben & the Milkman ice cream sandwich, & Jerry’s this winter, I developed a I walked through the front gates and strong connection with ice cream, found a few friends with whom I could which was a critical part of my over- share this incredible treat. I explained whelming feeling of joy one sunny my choices (vanilla ice cream with one Thursday when I learned that a food Nutella cookie and one peanut butter truck called Captain Cookie & the cookie) and divvied up several spoons Milkman was selling ice cream sand- so that we could chow down on the wiches — essentially the lovechild of nearly-perfect concoction. my two favorite foods — outside the The cold ice cream had melted just front gates. the right amount, so the sandwich The concept is simple. Captain was just refreshing enough to spare Cookie & the Milkman specializes in my teeth from the ice and my throat two things: cookies and dairy (local from the sugar. The cookies became milk or ice cream, depending on your saturated with creamy vanilla and mood). To order a sandwich, choose easily succumbed to the chopping from one of the classic cookie flavors motions of our spoons. The food was — such as snickerdoodle, chocolate great, but the sunny Copley lawn aura chip or peanut butter — that are avail- and the surrounding company made able daily, or the specialty one. Then the whole experience sublime. choose one or two ice cream flavors I look forward to sharing more ice — classics like vanilla or chocolate, cream sandwiches this summer. or the daily special ice cream. Captain Cookie himself will assemble the David Chardack is a freshman in sandwich from your chosen ingredi- the College. This is the final appearents in front of you. ance of DC ON RYE this semester.

4.19.13 | the guide | 9

arts&entertainment

‘Mosquito’ Bites With Strong Emotions

T

here are two sides to alt-rockers the Yeah Yeah Yeahs: the loud, tough, concert-rocking side (think “Heads Will Roll”) and the ultra-vulnerable, intimate side (think “Maps”). The two are so different at times that the groups can seem like two different bands from two different genres playing for two different kinds of audiences. The more polarizing of the two sides is the hard-rocking side, where the Yeah Yeah Yeahs often move into the experimental realm. Some appreciate how unique they are, while others find this side of their music downright bizarre. Mosquito, the band’s first album since 2009’s It’s Blitz!, is a return to the band’s garage-band basics. This is what makes the album a fun listen, but it’s also the album’s main weakness. There’s ample experimenting in the album, but at times, there is little cohesion. However, the band’s spirit and unfaltering uniqueness still powers.

The hard-rocking side opens the album with the debut single of the album, “Sacrilege.” The song starts with Karen O singing, softly piercing and containing her signature screams that sound more like

they belong on the battlefield than the recording studio, then building to a powerful crescendo backed by a full gospel choir. It is backed up by a looping guitar riff and pronounced drums. It’s a classic Yeah Yeah Yeahs rock song; crazed, urban and cool.

The album soon moves to the weird

 MOSQUITO

Yeah Yeah Yeahs beginning with the title track “Mosquito.” Karen O whispers “mosquito” over a beat that sounds like it’s from a voodoo tribal ceremony. The song is dominated by her frenzied screams, but the guitar and strong percussion help to build the manic nature of the song. It’s a song that either people will hate or will love; I myself lean toward the latter. The descent

into musical madness flops with “Buried Alive,” which features Dr. Octagon (also known as Kool Keith), and here, things get just too weird. The song is an aural overload, with way too many different sound elements and rapping that seem incredibly out of place on this garagerock album.

The best part of the album is when the ultra-tough Karen O persona falls away and we see her softer, quieter and deeply vulnerable side. “Subway” tells the story of a girl who loses her love in the subways of New York City. Karen O’s voice is quiet and subtle, at times just a whisper that is drowned out by the beautifully simple guitar, the synths and the sounds of a subway train passing by. The most touching of all is the closing track, “Wedding Song.”

A sharp departure from the craziness of “Mosquito” or “Buried Alive,” it is instead a mom-friendly love song. Downplayed guitar and a powerful drum beat back up the subdued vocal. It’s not hard to imagine the ever-dynamic O with tears falling down her face as she performs this live.

It’s undeniable that the Yeah Yeah Yeahs are back. Although Mosquito is

CONNOR VALAIK Special to The Hoya

PITCHFORK

PIERCING SOUNDS The Yeah Yeah Yeahs blends rock and soft songs in their new album, creating a different sound. a little manic, it comes together in the emotion that it elicits from its listeners, whether that be joy, confusion, heartache or love.

life plugged in

The Deeper Meaning of Bubblegum Pop

N

o matter how old you are or where you come from, everyone should be able to see the value in pop music. I’m kind of joking, but there’s definitely a place for cheesy pop music in everyone’s life, and some of my favorite artists and songs have been mindless, radio-ready pop. Christina Aguilera’s self-titled debut was the first album I owned, only to be followed by Destiny’s Child’s The Writing’s on the Wall. I’m a big Britney fan — I never let it phase me when my dad consistently refers to her music as “crapola” — and Avril Lavigne’s Let Go is easily one of my favorite albums of all time. In high school I even went through a major Danity Kane phase.

But as much as I love all of this wonderfully user-friendly music, no pop act has managed to take the same grip on my heart as my one true love. Selena Gomez. I’ve been a fan of Selena’s pretty much since the beginning, starting way back when she was a child actress on the Disney Channel show “Wizards of Waverly Place,” and although I was slightly wary of her highly calculated venture into music, I instantly fell for her band’s

10 | the guide | 4.19.13

first official single “Falling Down.” examples of sincere, straightforward Selena Gomez & The Scene quickly be- pop music. They may be easy to digest, came one of my favorite bands, and al- but that doesn’t make these songs any though I wasn’t completely blown away less enjoyable to listen to. by their first album, Kiss & Tell, in 2009, It was with their next album in 2011 it certainly didn’t disappoint me. In that the band really stepped out of the addition to “Falling Down,” the album Disney box, adding some new elements produced the charming “Naturally,” a to their catchy brand of pop such as the song that you all remember from every experimental synth in songs like “Love You Like a Love Song.” For fans, high school dance you went to in the ’09-’10 school year.

When the Sun Goes Down was Much in the same vein, “Tell highly anticipated after the reMe Something I Don’t Know” lease of both “Who Says” and was a semi-hit that exudes “Bang Bang Bang.” For me, the the same youthful sass. album was especially personal, There wasn’t much musiand “Who Says” became my cal development between the ZachGordon anthem during the college deband’s first album and their cision process. Waiting to hear second effort, A Year Without Rain, back from colleges was one of the most but the songs did show some personal traumatic, intimidating and distressing growth on Selena’s part and reflected periods of my life. As lame as it may sound, more mature reflections and emotions “Who Says” really helped me through it. on love and life. Much to my astonish- It’s a truly inspirational song in the unexment, I liked every song on the album. pected guise of bubblegum pop. “We Own Though some songs are cheesy enough the Night” became the soundtrack of my to make me cringe (see “Rock God”), friends’ and my last summer together and there are some serious treasures on the even prompted us to make the drive from album. “Round & Round,” “A Year With- Nashville to Atlanta to see her in concert — out Rain” and “Spotlight” are all great we were touched by her music.

I listen to a lot of music, and pop is but a small category of what I enjoy. Since I’ve started to look more critically at the music I like, I have come to realize that not all pop is what you hear on the radio — there is some great stuff out there if you’re willing to give it an honest listen and take it for what it is. You’d be surprised at the meaning you may find in unexpected songs, even “crapola” like Britney or Selena. I’ve come to realize something important: Truly bad music is rare, so never let preconceived notions dictate your taste. Here are my picks for the sassiest Selena singles.

“Falling Down” “Round & Round” “Spotlight” “A Year Without Rain” “Bang Bang Bang” “Who Says” “When the Sun Goes Down” “We Own the Night” “Love You Like a Love Song” “Whiplash” Zach Gordon is a sophomore in the College. This is the final appearance of LIFE UNPLUGGED this semester.

arts&entertainment

Low-Key ‘Ghost’ Haunts KIM BUSSING Hoya Staff Writer

F

olksy tunes slowly edging their way to the top of the charts is not a new phenomenon; groups like Mumford & Sons and Imagine Dragons have given listeners an indie reprieve from more typical synthesizer-driven pop. Iron and Wine’s Sam Beam has made his mark on the genre with eclectic, intimate albums that have often been compared to the works of Nick Drake, Simon and Garfunkel and Neil Young.

Beam’s newest release, Ghost on Ghost, is consistent with his other albums in that there is no consisPITCHFORK tency. In his typical style, the bearded PLAY IT COOL Iron and Wine’s album singer/songwriter attempts to draw boasts a relaxed but new sound. a refreshed sense of poignancy and reflection from his songs by pushing The latter is bouncy and features backthe boundaries he had previously set ground percussion while highlighting for himself. In his own words, Beam Beam’s luxurious vocals. “Low Light seeks to lose an “anxious tension” Buddy of Mine” is stylistically a deparfound in his previous four albums ture from “Caught in the Briars” and by instead infusing jazzy, subtle instead plays around with a sound piano and demure strings where that seems fit for a wine bar, with its he might have previously employed smoky jazz accents and meandering guitar-heavy melodies. Gone are rhythm. the bare-bones It is a tribute tracks that make to Beam’s masacoustic nods to tery as an artist long-gone eras, that he manages but Beam has to encapsulate enough control such a variety of IRON AND WINE over his music styles into an althat the change is bum that already Ghost on Ghost far from a downdeviates from the grade. The end restyle of his former sult is a polished albums and keep compilation of songs which may be a each song strong in its own right. departure from his more raw earlier Beam has personally expressed that work, but it should be praised for its it’s his goal for every one of his new impressionistic and exquisite style. releases to create something that he The effort to create a more relaxed never has before, and this becomes album is heavily evident in tracks such further apparent upon further exas “Joy” and “Winter Prayers.” In “Joy,” ploration of Ghost on Ghost. “Lover’s Beam employs whispered lyrics and Revolution” makes use of a much echoes to create a softer musical feel. larger ensemble that creates a bigBoth tracks take advantage of lilting band sense of grandeur and employs piano to create a superficially more a call-and-response chorus, if for tranquil sound expertly underscored no other reason than to mix things by the introspective musings of his up. And it works. Even with “Lover’s lyrics. While the former examines the Revolution” juxtaposed with the lazy, impact a significant other can have on crooning “Grass Windows,” the alyour life and the changes that affect bum remains strong. the simple things, “Winter Prayers,” The unique blend of styles makes masquerades as a low-key piece, bear- each song stand out on its own and ing resentment towards a lost love. In makes the album itself almost irrecharacteristic Iron and Wine fashion, sistible. There is a track to fit every whether the songs are slow or experi- mood, and the contrast between inment more with a pop influence, the strumentation and lyrics allows each lyrics boast more than the original song to not be restricted to a specific subtle brass section or humble-sound- musical classification. Ghost on Ghost ing vocals reveal. is the kind of album that can be conMore musically upbeat, but equally tinually revisited since each song is reflective, counterparts to “Winter distinguished enough but luxuriously Prayers” include “Low Light Buddy merges with the others to create a coof Mine” and “Caught in the Briars.” hesive album.



Life’s Struggles Duked Out In Cyberspace DENNIS LI Hoya Staff Writer

W

e like to think that we live in a employed a variety of techniques from his world of perpetual connection. past experience with making documenWith our access to computers and taries to provide that sense of realism. He phones, escape from loneliness appears to allowed for the actors to keep going after be only a click away, but in reality, technolo- delivering their lines, using some improvigy has made us possibly more isolated than sation to help them reach a higher level of ever. Disconnect takes this theory and ex- genuine emotion. plores how desensitized we have become.

This film is an extended glimpse into The film revolves around three parallel closed and private lives dealing with everyplots, minimally linked through shared day struggles. In one particularly moving characters. The first story centers on the scene, Rich Boyd unknowingly chats with Boyds, an affluent family headed by a lov- his son’s tormentor (Colin Ford). Instead of ing but distracted father (Jason Bateman). actual spoken dialogue, the two are miles Together with his wife (Hope Davis) and apart, communicating via instant messagdaughter (Haley Ramm), Boyd must deal ing. The two sit on their computers, the with severe consequences as the youngest words they type flowing across the screen. in the family (Jonah Bobo) becomes the tar- The conversation about fatherhood and get of cruel cyberfamiliarity dembullies. The second onstrates one of is about a married the film’s greatest but growingly disstrengths. Rather tant couple (Paula than describe Patton and Alexsome moral lesson DISCONNECT ander Skarsgård) about the dangers attempting to find of technology, it starring: Jason Bateman, Hope the man who stole shows that techDavis, Alexander Skarsgård their identities, nology itself is not leaving them on inherently somethe verge of ruin. Lastly, the movie looks thing that disconnects. Its consequences into the life of an ambitious reporter come from the ways we abuse it, but it also (Andrea Riseborough) who develops a re- contains the potential to achieve its origilationship with an adult-chat-room per- nal purpose: connecting people. former (Max Thieriot) in an attempt to Disconnect is a movie about modern capture a career-changing story. human relationships. It shows that deWhile each of the three stories suffers spite how far we may think we have profrom problems spurred on by the universal gressed, we all still seek the comfort of othobsession with technology, the film is not ers in times of loneliness. Like a mirror, it actually about technology. Instead, the cell reflects both the normalcy and discrepanphones and laptops only serve as catalysts cy of our everyday lives. This film, rather for opening conflicts that delve into deeper than dealing with the dangers of technolthemes. The film’s story and its resulting ogy, focuses instead on the dangers within message do not contain any novel ideas ourselves and the difficult challenges that about the relationship between humans arise when we try to escape the loneliness and technology, but this does not detract and reconnect with the ones we love. from the overall experience. Rather than pushing the envelope, the stories on screen are ones that we have heard about before or have experienced ourselves.

What furthers this feeling of familiarity are the performances of the actors themselves. While each of the three stories is quite distinct, the audience should have no trouble relating to them on some level.

Academy Award-nominated director Henry Alex Rubin sought to make a film ROTTENTOMATOES.COM that would have an eavesdropped quality UNCONNECTED The film focuses on to it. In his first narrative feature, Rubin internet issues gone wrong.



4.19.13 | the guide | 11

bestbets

spring in blossom — alexander brown

on campus GREEN SQUARE FAIR FRIDAY, 11 A.M. TO 2 P.M. RED SQUARE

Want to learn how to make Georgetown a more environmentally friendly place? Come to Red Square and watch it “go green” while learning about how Georgetown is becoming more eco-friendly. There will be a scavenger hunt with prizes, as well as free snacks and prototypes of recycling signs that will displayed around campus soon.

DANCING WITH THE HOYAS FRIDAY, 9 P.M. TO 10:30 P.M. COPLEY FORMAL LOUNGE

Watch your professors take over the dance at the seventh annual Dancing With the Hoyas, hosted by the Georgetown University Ballroom Dance Team. The setup will be similar to that of popular ABC television show “Dancing with the Stars,” and the night will be filled with special numbers by GUBDT members themselves.

STEP OFF OUR PLAYGROUND SATURDAY, 7:30 P.M. GASTON HALL

For all fans of dance, this is sure to be a fun weekend on the Hilltop. With the Georgetown University Step Team as hosts, the event draws in teams from schools all across the greater Washington, D.C. area and will be rife with fierce competition and amazing performances.

GEORGETOWN UNIVERSITY GOSPEL CHOIR CONCERT SUNDAY, 5 P.M. ST. WILLIAMS CHAPEL, COPLEY HALL

Georgetown’s Gospel Choir will once again be sharing ethereal song and spirit with the larger community of Georgetown this weekend. Joined by a number of special guests, the gospel choir, in addition to sharing its immense talent, will also be providing post-concert refreshments. Students should definitely attend, as it is sure to be an enchanting evening.

around town sunday

saturday

friday Fans of Shakespeare, rejoice: The Improvised Shakespeare Company — a theater troupe that creates fully improvised plays in Elizabethan style — has come to town. The group will be giving a performance at the Artisphere in Arlington this Friday.

Kick off your weekend on a healthy and charitable note with a 5K walk to raise money for MS research.

Whether you know someone affected by MS or simply want to show your support for the cause, Walk MS welcomes any and all participation and donations.

If free samples of local goodies don’t motivate you to wake up early on a Sunday, we don’t know what will.

This nearby farmer’s market boasts a huge variety of locally grown items, from vegetables to cheeses to tempting baked goods.

WHERE: 1101 Wilson Blvd., Arlington, Va. WHEN: 7:30 p.m. and 9 p.m.

INFO: artisphere.com PRICE: $25 METRO: GUTS to Rosslyn

WHERE: 3rd Street and Maryland Avenue SW WHEN: 9 a.m.

INFO: walkdcw.nationalmssociety.org PRICE: Free METRO: Federal Center SW or L’Enfant Plaza

WHERE: 20th Street NW between Massachusetts and Connecticut Avenues WHEN: 8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.

INFO: freshfarmmarkets.org PRICE: Free METRO: Dupont Circle

CASEY GUNKEL & CAITLIN SANDERS Hoya Staff Writer

COVER PHOTOS BY ALEXANDER BROWN AND ARIEL POURMORADY