Marketing in the music industry has changed drastically over the last few years with the advancement of technology, with more power shifting into the hands of the artists. Some artists have used social media to break major news or release new music; others have released music videos or video blogs to build up hype for upcoming projects. However, Kanye West has taken a far different approach. By performing on well-known platforms across the world, including America’s own “Saturday Night Live,” West is forcing everyone to watch and listen to him. With his new album “Yeezus” set to release June 18, West has returned to the United States after recording in Paris and is making his presence felt across the country and the world.

Rapper Kanye West has begun a music marketing campaign that is forcing people to watch and listen to his music. He has done so through both mild-mannered and extreme methods, the latter including projecting his face onto 66 buildings around the world. West’s new album “Yeezus” will release June 18.

It all began May 6 at this year’s Costume Institute Gala (also known as the Met Gala) when West proclaimed, “I am a god,” during one of the songs from his performance. A series of Vines (short, six-second videos) were the only evidence of this performance happening, and it left fans wondering what exactly West had further planned. Then West performed again May 16, but this time at the Adult Swim Private Party at Roseland Ballroom in New York. There he performed a clip of a new song featuring EDM-style production, and also a song tentatively called “Awesome,” in which he talks about just how awesome his girlfriend Kim Kardashian is.  Videos from his performance were leaked onto the Internet, and for the first time since the G.O.O.D. Music compilation “Cruel Summer,” fans got to hear new music from West.

On Friday night, however, West did something unprecedented. At 9:34 p.m., he tweeted out: “NEW SONG AND VISUAL FROM MY NEW ALBUM BEING PROJECTED TONIGHT ACROSS THE GLOBE ON 66 BULIDINGS, LOCATIONS @ KANYEWEST.COM.” Within an hour, projections began across the world in 10 different countries. Some of the most interesting locations included Wrigley Field and Millennium Park in Chicago, the Prada store on 5th Avenue in Manhattan, and the Pompidou Centre and L’Arc de Triomphe in Paris.

After the projection flashed a few images of old price tags and signs from retail shops, West’s face appeared sideways and then turned and stared out onto the crowd as he rapped the lyrics to his new song, “New Slaves.” From the moment the song begins, it’s clear that West is angry and is letting everybody know with his vivid and powerful lyrics. “You see it’s leaders, and there’s followers, but I’d rather be a d— than a swallower,” he recites on the bridge. Later on, West comments on the prison system in America before saying, “See that’s that privately owned prisons, get your piece today, they prolly all in the Hamptons, bragging ‘bout what they made. F— you and your Hampton house, I’ll [expletive] your Hampton spouse, c— on her Hampton blouse and in her Hampton mouth.” West’s final verses close angrily with, “Y’all bout to turn s— up, I’m ‘bout to tear s— down, I’m ‘bout to air s— out, now what the f— they gon’ say now?” The anger, sincerity and emotion in West’s voice captivates listeners and takes hold of their full attention as he delivers two of his most powerful verses to date.

West followed up the guerilla-style marketing with a performance on “SNL” that couldn’t have made the executives at NBC very happy. Instead of performing something the audience would know first, West debuted “Black Skinhead,” which he apparently rewrote before the performance. The track samples Marilyn Manson and features West screaming throughout a few points of the record. It’s rumored that this is the track that Daft Punk collaborated on with West, which adds even more firepower to this impactful record.

On the bridge, West raps, “So follow me up, cause this s—’s about to go down. I’m doin’ 500, I’m outta control now, but there’s nowhere to go now, and there’s no way to slow down, runnin’ out of time — moving fast, so just close your eyes and then enjoy the crash.” Although during the show it was sometimes difficult to make out what West was saying due to the pace of his raps and the distortion on his voice, he tweeted pictures of the handwritten lyrics after the show. West managed to sneak quite a few curse words in under the NBC censors; however, he tried his hardest to hold back during an angry and spirited performance of “New Slaves” to bring his night to an end. Both performances left fans in shock and awe, which is exactly the impact that West hoped to have.

Right now, nobody can come close to the sound and powerful lyricism that West is currently displaying. He’s never been afraid of what the media or people think about him, and that’s clearer than ever after hearing “Black Skinhead” and “New Slaves” over the weekend. West is clearly annoyed with some of the racial issues in our society today, and he’s been able to display this passionately and powerfully through these two new songs. If these tracks are a true representation of what “Yeezus” will bring to listeners, then we’re all in for quite a treat.

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Last week the Drexel community finally got to see the product of the Drexel Players’ last couple months of work as they close the 2012-13 season with “The Grapes of Wrath.” Preceded by two lighter performances, “The 25th Annual Putnam Country Spelling Bee” and “To Fool the Eye,” the adaptation of John Steinbeck’s classic is a much graver production and a powerful closing to a successful season. This particular stage adaptation was created by Frank Galati and enriched by original music from Michael Smith. Having been originally produced on Broadway, the show won a Tony Award in 1990. It is not surprising that such a solid rendition was chosen to create a lasting impression of the company near the end of the season, as well as to be the inaugural production of the brand-new URBN Annex Black Box Theater on 34th and Filbert streets.

Following up their productions of “The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee” and “To Fool the Eye,” the Drexel Players put on a show based on John Steinbeck’s Depression-era novel, “The Grapes of Wrath.” This stage adaptation was created by Frank Galati with music by Michael Smith.

The power of the evocation naturally has to do with the substance of Steinbeck’s novel — that is, the painful burden of caring for one’s impoverished and underprivileged family during the Dust Bowl of the Great Depression in 1938. Yet the age of the actors and the fact that the production was staged at a college theater gives it another dimension,  one of a coming-of-age narrative. Although it is obviously not the case in the novel, it seems like we can create an alternative reading based on the vivacity and youthful rebelliousness that actor Alex Cummiskey added to the character of Tom Joad, the leader of the family, as they make their crossing to California.

Another powerful aspect of the shift in reading the characters onstage is the focus on Ma Joad, portrayed by Alexis Pozonsky. Even though her nature as the fabric that holds the family together is present in the novel, it seems like Pozonsky’s powerful interpretation focuses much more on this feature.

However, it is not only the story of the Joads and director Nick Anselmo’s reading of it that makes “The Grapes of Wrath” an exquisite production in the Drexel Players’ repertoire. The original music by Michael Smith, using themes and based on the characteristic harmonies of the South, definitely adds a ton to this rendition of Steinbeck’s story. In fact, the beginning of the play has so much music, realized outside of the storyline, that the audience would think it rather a musical. Short interludes and musical themes make their appearance throughout the play as well, using music as the suggestion of the progression of action. It is a purely cinematic method, and its use onstage makes the play smooth and pleasurable to watch.

As it happens, viewers should not mind the show’s two-and-a-half-hour runtime but should instead let themselves become engrossed in the characters’ lives. For that reason, “The Grapes of Wrath” is truly a top-notch production right on Drexel’s campus. You have until May 25 to make your way to the Black Box Theater and support the Drexel Players in their stage endeavors.

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“We’re gonna party like it’s 1922, old sport!” is what you might be inclined to say at your next soiree after seeing “The Great Gatsby.” Out May 10, the 3-D extravaganza was directed by Australian director Baz Luhrmann, the man behind “Strictly Ballroom” (1992), “Romeo + Juliet” (1996), “Moulin Rouge!” (2001) and “Australia” (2008). Leave it to the director with a penchant for turning everything he sees into a set piece to create a period flick about the alcohol-saturated age of flappers, loose morals, lavish parties and opulent mansions. This is the fifth film adaptation of the classic 1925 F. Scott Fitzgerald novel that every high school student has had the pleasure of reading at one time or another.

Out May 10, Baz Luhrmann’s “The Great Gatsby” is the fifth film adaptation of F. Scott Fitzgerald’s classic 1925 novel of the same title. Leonardo DiCaprio plays the title character with Tobey Maguire, Carey Mulligan and Joel Edgerton co-starring.

Set in the age of American prosperity after World War I known as the Roaring Twenties, the movie follows the tragic figure of Jay Gatsby, a hopeless romantic chasing a fantasy. Narrated by “Spider-Man” actor Tobey Maguire as Nick Carraway, the film explores such themes as the unattainability of the American Dream, God and disillusionment with the Jazz Age. Filled with great acting and music, the real gem here is Leonardo DiCaprio, in his second collaboration with Luhrmann, who portrays the titular character with such excellence and subtlety that I can truly call him one of the finest actors of his generation. Honestly, where the hell is this man’s Oscar already?!

Staying true to the source material, Nick Carraway, a young Yale graduate from the Midwest moves to bustling New York City in the summer of 1922 to become a bond broker. Nevertheless, the filmmakers added some scenes to show his motivation for narration, which involve his love of writing. Carraway is played by Tobey Maguire, who brings some Peter Parker geekiness and naivete to the role. He moves to a small cottage house on Long Island, across the bay from his cousin Daisy and her husband Tom Buchanan. The soft-spoken Daisy is portrayed by Michelle Williams’ look-alike, Carey Mulligan (“An Education”). Mulligan was a perfect choice with her simple, pale face and bob hairstyle, already looking like someone straight out of the ‘20s. Joel Edgerton (“Zero Dark Thirty”) plays the hypocritical polo-playing Tom, who cheats on Daisy with the trashy Myrtle (Isla Fisher), the wife of mechanic George Wilson. Edgerton, who beat out Bradley Cooper for the role, was another perfect casting decision. His demeanor shifts with ease between geniality and malevolence.

For the first half hour or so, the movie builds mystery around the enigmatic Gatsby with fantastical rumors about his origins before he even shows up on screen. People describe him as a German spy, an assassin and a relation of the Kaiser, even at the grandiose booze-soaked parties he throws where all of New York — including politicians, gangsters and film stars — simply shows up crammed into automobiles. When he finally does appear, your patience will be rewarded with DiCaprio at the top of his game. Slipping into this role like a second skin, DiCaprio is as slick as he was in 2010’s “Inception” and as charismatic as he was in 2002’s “Catch Me If You Can.”

Gatsby’s wealthy gentleman facade is both endearing and humorous. He calls everyone “old sport” and claims to be the sole survivor of a rich family, an Oxford man and a war hero receiving an award from every Allied government for “valor extraordinary.” As the film progresses, Carraway befriends Gatsby, and the truth behind his great wealth and extravagant parties is revealed to be spawned from an incorruptible and impossible dream of being with the woman he loves.

All the actors work perfectly together, especially in a tense scene within a hotel room that brings a segment from the book to life with spot on accuracy. Other minor characters are also taken care of, such as Jordan Baker, Owl Eyes and Jewish gangster Meyer Wolfsheim. Even the godlike eyes of Dr. T.J. Eckleburg were included to watch over our characters as everything starts to go to hell.

Luhrmann does a nice job of sticking to the essence of the novel and an even better job of evoking the feeling of the 1920s in an almost over-the-top way that makes the film feel like a Broadway production that characterized his “Red Curtain Trilogy.” Known for his beautifully stylized form of filmmaking influenced by Italian grand opera, Luhrmann constructs an expansive form of New York that is charmingly vintage and art deco-inspired. We are transported back to a bygone era of three-piece suits, bootlegging, straw hats and coupes. This accomplishment reminded me of Peter Jackson’s work on 2005’s “King Kong” to recreate a 1930s version of Manhattan, though “Gatsby” takes place at least 10 years before the giant ape scaled the Empire State Building. This was also the second adaptation of a Fitzgerald piece to feature great set design, the first being David Fincher’s “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button” (2008).

Music also plays a major role in the film, much like it did in Luhrmann’s jukebox musical “Moulin Rouge!” The soundtrack, produced by Jay-Z, blends both modern music and jazz in an almost seamless fashion. Some notable and addicting tracks are the sexy “Back to Black” cover by Beyonce and Andre 3000, the heartbreaking “Over The Love” by Florence + The Machine, and Jack White’s intense cover of “Love is Blindness.”

Since the release of its first trailer last year, many people have been looking to this film as if it were the green light at the end of a dock. Originally scheduled for release back in December, it was pushed to May, only increasing the already high anticipation. Despite being based on an American classic, the $127 million-budget movie was filmed in Sydney and features more Australian actors than you can shake a stick at. However, for all its beauty and terrific acting, this adaptation fails to live up to the genius of the source material. At times, it becomes a little too grandiose and takes the focus off the obsessive Gatsby, a genuine man among sleazy rich folk who hide behind their money. Even inserting narration from the original text may fall a bit flat on the ear. But don’t let that discourage you from shelling out the 10 bucks at your local cinema. Luhrmann has proven himself the master of forbidden love stories. Filled to the brim with murder, deceit, car races, sex, money, booze, music and parties, “The Great Gatsby” is, in a word, great.

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Open Mic Night never fails to bring in a myriad of talents. From comedians to singers, it is very seldom that you will be bored at one of these Drexel events. Prior to attending, I was in touch with one of the people set to perform that night. Her name was Diana Chittester, a singer, songwriter, guitarist and performer all in one. She is what many would consider a quadruple threat. With experience on TV news programs like the FOX 8 Morning Show and features on PBS and Indie BOX, I was excited to learn about this small-town Pennsylvania girl. I called her up for a phone interview in order to gain some more insight on her musical world.

Drexel’s Open Mic Night was lucky to host Diana Chittester, a talented singer, songwriter and guitarist, who has been featured on both the Fox 8 Morning Show and PBS. The artist began her musical journey performing in coffee shops when she was 14. Her newest album “In The Skin” was released last may.

Q: What is your background like?

A: I was born in Pittsburgh, Pa., and about five years ago I moved out to Cleveland, Ohio. That’s where I started playing music professionally and touring. I started Fighting Chance Records, which is an independent record label that I use to get my own music out there, but it’s going to be taking on new artists here before too long.

Q: How old were you when you first started getting involved in music and why?

A: I started playing the guitar what I was 14, and I was playing around little coffee shops around campuses. When I started doing it professionally I was 24, and I’ve been working at it for about the past five years. It’s changed a lot even within the past year; I’ve released a CD called “In The Skin” back in May. When I released that album I went from working local bars and clubs to actually working regionally, and that’s what’s bringing me into the Philadelphia area.

Q: What message do you try to give out in your music?

A: Well, my background is that my father is a minister, and I grew up in a very strong religious upbringing. When I grew up a little bit, I came out to my family as a lesbian woman when I was 21 years old. That challenged a lot of my religious upbringing. Now as far as my message goes, I really embrace the idea of people connecting to one another as opposed to looking for reasons to disconnect. That’s what some of my religious practicing [was] kind of forcing me to do when I was younger, so the big message for me is looking for reasons for people to come together.

Q: What advice would you give to adolescents who are struggling with their sexuality right now?

A: Definitely to have as many conversations as you can have. Keep communication open between your friends, family and especially within yourself.

Q: What would you say is your music style?

A: We describe it as a very progressive indie cult.

Q: What are your ultimate goals?

A: Well, I’m excited to come up here, and getting ready to start a nonprofit, which will be referred to as a virtual safe zone. It’s going to be an online form for [lesbians, gays, bisexuals and transgenders]  and friends and family to get on and discuss with each other, ask questions [and] find resources. I’m really looking forward to that being launched here in the next couple weeks. With music, for right now, touring is my biggest goal. We’re working pretty regionally, and we’re hoping to expand that internationally. Long term is to be able to give back to the music community and launch new talents and artists.

Shortly after the interview, I set out to attend Drexel’s Open Mic Night in the Intercultural Center. I didn’t know what to expect, but I was happy to find that everyone performing was passionate and interesting. From comedians to singers, and even a poet or two, I was constantly being entertained by a new form of talent.

When Chittester’s name was called up, I was excited to put a sound to the music genre she had described. The first thing I noticed was that she definitely had a lot of stage presence, and once she started performing I was intrigued by her energy and style. She put a lot of movement and emotion into her performance, which it made it interesting for the audience to watch. Her music had stories behind it explaining situations and plights she’s experienced. It wasn’t just a musical performance but an opportunity for her to get her message across.

It’s difficult to put into words the style and passion of Diana Chittester, which is why I encourage everyone interested in this genre of music to visit her website at www.dianachittester.com. I’m not even an indie music fan, and I still enjoyed her music. All in all, I would describe her as a very talented young woman with not only power in her lyrics, but the power to help and inspire anyone going through a difficult time. After her performance and interview, I would say she is not only a great singer, songwriter, guitarist and performer but also an uplifting person looking to give back to the community in any way possible.

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To begin with a disclosure, the location of Brick American Eatery in the more residential neighborhood of Rittenhouse Square swayed my opinion of the restaurant more favorably than had it been placed in an area surrounded by skyscrapers. Located at 1708 Lombard St., the restaurant is nestled in a picturesque neighborhood of suburban and urban qualities, featuring tree-lined streets with tight, cozy rows of brick townhomes. Needless to say, I was entranced by the area. Therefore, the walk to and from the restaurant seemed to muddle my critical eye — or rather, my palette. Upon reflection, the menu was impressive, offering innovative spins on classic (and sometimes boring) American cuisine. However, the food itself fell short.

Found at 1708 Lombard St., Brick American Eatery is located in a picturesque neighborhood on the outskirts of Rittenhouse Square. The eatery serves delectable twists on classic favorites, offering such delights as duck nachos and short rib mac and cheese.

I had never heard of this place — which is surprising because I spend most of my free time searching for new restaurants to try — until my friend discovered a Groupon deal for the restaurant (see, I’m not alone in my food-related research). Because we are both heavy eaters, my friend and I concentrate our dining endeavors on restaurants with notably large portions, with Yelp being our “fact checker.” In this way, the Groupon voucher became our golden ticket to Willy Wonka’s chocolate factory … of food. I will admit it here and now that we could not finish everything. While this may seem normal for a regular human being, she and I pride ourselves in being members of the “Clean Plate Club.”

Granted, we ordered a considerable amount of food that would challenge the greatest CPCers. To start, we split the duck nachos and short rib mac and cheese. I personally preferred the duck nachos because the dish had a protein rarely enjoyed in my diet, and it was topped off nicely with an avocado mousse (essentially guacamole), melted manchego cheese and a Mexican crema. What’s more is that the chips unexpectedly matched the iconic ones typically reserved to Mexican restaurants. In terms of the mac and cheese, I was definitely underwhelmed. My dining partner did not have any complaints, but I just found it to be too similar to what I could make at home. I must give the restaurant credit, however, for the interesting array of small plates, including the ones we tasted, as well as an apparent Asian trend with vegetable lo mein and tuna wontons.

Nevertheless, I was completely satisfied with the entree. My friend and I both ordered the lamb burger, though there were plenty of other options to choose from, including a variety of salads, pork tenderloin with peaches and strawberries, homemade ravioli in a pesto cream sauce, cornbread chicken, and crab cakes. Even so, I cannot resist a solid lamb burger. Although I have tried better (see my review of Resurrection Ale House), Brick American Eatery offered a satisfactory version with a spicy onion jam, manchego cheese and Worcestershire sauce.

By this point in the meal, we couldn’t take much more, which worked in our favor because we had nearly reached the value of our Groupon. I should note that the prices are not reasonable for a college student on a budget. To be honest, I’ll treat myself to an expensive meal once in a while if the food is worth it; but in this case, it is not worth the price unless you have a deal.

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Play ball! Spring is finally here, and as the weather warms up, so does baseball season — and baseball-themed movies. If you can’t make it to the stadium to enjoy America’s greatest pastime, then perhaps your local movie theater will get the job done with the release of “42” (out April 13), a movie that explores the issue of race in sports during the mid-20th century. Written and directed by Brian Helgeland, screenwriter for “L.A. Confidential” and “Mystic River,” the biopic tells the incredible story of Jackie Robinson, No. 42 for the Brooklyn Dodgers, the first African American baseball player to play in the major leagues. The film is set after World War II and follows Robinson’s path from the Negro Leagues to baseball stardom, while showing the adversity he faced along the way. With a smart script that never forgets its love for the game, Helgeland creates an inspiring period piece packed with powerful performances, thought-provoking themes, and of course, plenty of baserunning.

Opening April 12, “42″ tells the inspiring true story of Jackie Robinson, the first black baseball player in the major leagues. The cast includes Chadwick Boseman as Robinson and Harrison Ford as Dodger’s owner Branch Rickey.

World War II is over, and all the great baseball icons are returning from overseas to resume their places on the diamond. However, as the movie opens with a montage of vintage 1940s footage, the narrator reminds us that we are not there to hear about Hank Greenberg or Joe DiMaggio. The narrator, Wendell Smith (Andre Holland), is an African-American sportswriter who follows Robinson’s career. Equal parts lanky and nerdy, he sits in the colored-only stands with a typewriter on his lap because he’s not allowed in the press box.

Before we even get a glimpse of Robinson, “42” introduces us to Branch Rickey, the innovative and far-seeing owner of the Dodgers who broke baseball’s color barrier, telling his associates that he plans on signing on a black player. Harrison Ford returns to the age of the fedora to play Rickey, a gruff, religious old man with a heart of gold who always wears bow ties and chomps on cigars. Still rugged as ever, Ford is at home in the role with ‘40s era slicked-back hair, displaying a surprising amount of emotion and humor despite his hardened exterior. Although he is dubbed “insane” by his peers, Rickey goes through with his plan, motivated by an instance of moral inaction from his past, which he later relays to Jackie in a heartwrenching scene. When questioned about his choice of Robinson, Rickey plainly states with a smirk, “He’s a Methodist, I’m a Methodist, God’s a Methodist. You can’t go wrong!” There is a flaw in the move, however, in that at other times, Rickey seems to be interested only in making money.

The film transitions to Robinson playing in an all-black league. It is here that the audience gets a sense of just how fast he was as he slides into and steals bases with panache. The title character is played by Chadwick Boseman, seen in “The Express,” an actor with the charm, charisma and smile of a young Denzel Washington. Despite this being his first major role, Boseman plays the role with the quiet intensity of a man of few words and many values. After all, the movie is not solely about the man but also about what he represented in a time where the Civil Rights Movement was still far off on the horizon. Nicole Beharie portrays Rachel Robinson, Jackie’s loving wife, who is both faithful and supportive. Between the years of 1945 and 1947, Jackie goes from the Kansas City Monarchs of the Negro National League, to the Montreal Royals (the Dodgers’ minor league affiliate) to the Brooklyn Dodgers with thrilling baseball sequences peppered throughout.

As always, I was impressed by the re-creation of the historical setting of the film, a post-WWII United States. You can’t get more American than that! Helgeland transports us back to the time right before television exploded in the 1950s, a time where people got news from radios, heard ballgames narrated by fast-talking sports announcers and dressed up for sporting events. A time where big-band music still reigned supreme. A time when segregation was more prominent than ever in sports stadiums and airports.

Thanks to the cinematography of Don Burgess (“Forrest Gump,” “Spiderman”), the movie is beautiful. The use of warm colors evokes the feeling of baseball season, with plenty of orange sunshine, blue skies and dazzlingly green baseball fields.

“42” constantly reminds us that this age in American history was anything but calm and simple. The powerful themes of race and segregation are the driving forces behind this film. The introduction of Jackie Robinson into the major leagues creates a turbulent whirlwind of vicious racism and debate. Although aware that it was coming, I was shocked by the deplorable treatment portrayed by segregationists in the film, such as a scene in which a Florida police officer kicks Robinson off the field just for being black. No matter what field he steps on, he is greeted with jeers from the crowds. They shout derogatory words and tell him he doesn’t belong in the white league and shout the N-word, which is used more liberally (and convincingly) here than in any Quentin Tarantino film. When they discover that he will play for the Dodgers, some of the then-current players draft their own “Declaration of Independence,” acting like a bunch of stubborn little boys and refusing to play. After a while, they do warm up to him, displayed through cinematic storytelling that reminds one of 2000’s “Remember the Titans.”

The film also serves as an important case study on how racism is passed from one generation to the next. In one notable sequence, a young boy shouts racial slurs at Robinson just because the crowd around him is doing so. Even the 1940s Philadelphia Phillies are shown to be villainous when their manager, Ben Chapman (Alan Tudyk), taunts Jackie while he is at bat. He cannot fight back, and we sympathize with the character, wanting to grab a wooden bat and smash someone’s head in on his behalf.

Needless to say, this film is inspiring, even in its cliche moments. When the music swells and you know Jackie is going to be successful, you don’t care because your heart swells too, with hope and pride for the future. As Babe Ruth said in 1993’s “The Sandlot,” “Heroes are remembered, but legends never die.” “42” is about Jackie Robinson, the enduring legend, the man who profoundly affected the people and culture around him forever. If you plan to see this movie, I recommend bringing along a hot dog, a bag of peanuts and perhaps an ice-cold beer.

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The regional second annual East Coast Beard and Mustache Competition, hosted by the Philadelphia Beard and Mustache Club, took place March 30 at the Theater of Living Arts on South Street from 8 p.m.to midnight. There were about 150 competitors along with approximately 800 audience members, all of whom were packed in the TLA in order to see the many different categories of facial hair on display.

The Second Annual East Coast Beard and Mustache Competition was held March 30 at the Theatre of the Living Arts. The event featured many different categories and showcased all types of facial hair.

The competition was split into several categories such as styled mustache, chops, goatee, W.T.F. beards (men who can’t grow facial hair too well), beards over 12 inches long, and many more. Judging appeared to be based upon three things. The first was bribing the judges with alcohol or food offerings, although food did not work as well as alcohol. The second and third criteria were the actual facial hair or representation of fake facial hair and how the crowd reacted to the competitor’s facial hair.

What stuck out most to my friends and me at this event were the mustaches and chops. The mustaches ranged from the Salvador Dali “‘stache” to mustaches that had many intricate tendrils of hair stiffened with gel in order to create loops. The person with the best chops looked like Yosemite Sam from “Looney Tunes.” The crowd had an extremely good time at the competition, and I honestly can say that I cannot wait for next year’s event.

The first world championship for showing off facial hair as we do today started in 1990 in Hofen an der Enz, Germany. Since then the World Beard and Mustache Championships have been held every two years. It was not until 2009 that an American was finally able to beat the German competitors who had won as overall champions since 1990. Today there is a beard and mustache competition held at the national level in the U.S. along with many smaller regional competitions.

One of the goals of this competition was to raise money for a Philadelphia organization called Operation Ava, an animal shelter whose main goal is to prevent dogs and cats from being euthanized. You can help Operation Ava by volunteering at their shelter, which is located at 860-863 N. 3rd St., or by fostering an animal.

If you wish to show off your facial hair or lack thereof, the Philadelphia Beard and Mustache Club holds meetings every third Sunday of the month at Tattoo Mom’s on South Street. The club’s meetings are free, and everyone is welcome to attend them as long as you have an appreciation for good facial hair.

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[/media-credit] Wyatt Cenac of “The Daily Show” performed a stand-up routine at the main auditorium for the 13th Annual CAB Comedy Show, one of many laugh-filled events during Comedy Week.

Wyatt Cenac of “The Daily Show with Jon Stewart,” who announced Nov. 26 that he will leave the show in December, came to Drexel Nov. 17 to headline the 13th annual Drexel comedy show. The show, presented by the Campus Activities Board, showcased Cenac as well as fellow Daily Show writer Travon Free and Drexel student Josh DeCristo. For almost two hours, the trio of comics entertained the jam-packed Main Auditorium with their hilarious stand-up routines.

The night started out with Drexel student Josh DeCristo warming up the crowd. DeCristo is a senior computer science major who won the CAB comedy contest to get the opening slot in the show. He poked fun at actor Nicholas Cage, Facebook and his weather professor. DeCristo worked past his nervousness after his first couple jokes hit home.

After energizing the crowd, Free took the stage. Free had gained some Internet fame by writing and starring in the YouTube series “The Gentleman’s Rants,” and he recently landed a job as a writer on “The Daily Show.” Free covered his days growing up in the infamous Compton neighborhood and his recent move to New York City. Interacting with the crowd at one point, Free joked around with a couple in the front row over the course of his routine. Closing with a very funny story of how he got banned from a Starbucks once, Free handed over the microphone to Cenac.

The capacity crowd erupted as Cenac took the stage and began his headlining set. He opened by thanking the basketball team for defeating the University of Pennsylvania earlier in the day so that he didn’t have to do the job of cheering everybody up. Over the course of more than an hour, Cenac covered a wide range of topics with an air of knowing exactly what he was doing. He compared children’s toy stores to strip clubs and reflected upon his irrational fear of khaki pants. One well of laughs that Cenac kept dipping into was a list of his own silly observations that he saved on his phone and would tweet if he had a Twitter account.

In a cool, calm and collected manner, Cenac stood behind the microphone stand as joke after joke hit home. Anecdotes about being misunderstood as a male nanny in his new apartment building and comparisons of the city of Dallas to Khloe Kardashian even brought some members of the audience to tears. Cenac had the audience eating out of the palm of his hand by the end of his set, and when he finally walked off the stage, the crowd was left applauding and shouting out for more.

The night ended with DeCristo coming back out to thank Cenac and Free for coming out, leading to another round of applause.

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Legendary music producer Ken Scott visited Drexel Oct. 23 to give a talk regarding his career and his new book, “Abbey Road to Ziggy Stardust.” He walked out in front of a near-capacity Stein Auditorium in Nesbitt Hall full of music industry students, older, longtime fans and curious onlookers alike. Scott detailed his experiences working with the likes of The Beatles, David Bowie, Lou Reed and many, many more.

[/media-credit] Music producer Ken Scott spoke to a packed Stein Auditorium Tuesday, Oct. 23 about his career as a music producer and to promote his book “Abbey Road to Ziggy Stardust.” Scott has produced music for legends such as the Beatles and David Bowie.

As the music industry began to pick up in both the U.S. and the U.K, Scott dropped out of school at the ripe age of 16 to seek a job as a recording engineer. His first interview was at EMI records at the studio that would later become known as “Abbey Road.” Scott emphasized that “you should always go with your gut instinct,” and it’s to that ideal that he attributes his success in making it through the interview to land the job at EMI.

Using a tight integration of PowerPoint and music clips to tell anecdotes from his book, Scott kept the crowd enthralled for over an hour and a half. Using sound bites from Paul McCartney, he recreated a conversation that he had with McCartney back when The Beatles were recording the famous “White Album.” After working with The Beatles, Scott decided to move into producing records rather than working as the head recording engineer. He produced a few of David Bowie’s early albums such as “Hunky Dory” and Beatle George Harrison’s “All Things Must Pass.”

Scott then delved into the more complicated technical details and techniques that he used to put together songs for the two of those albums. There was plenty of technical jargon like equalizing, limiting and dubbing to keep endeavoring music industry students and current recording technicians in the audience captivated as Scott went into the finer aspects of recording. He even managed to persevere with his talk after someone accidentally set off the emergency exit alarm, which kept its steady beeping up for a good 25 minutes.

After his main talk was finished, Scott opened up the floor for a brief question-and-answer segment. Before that began, Scott let everybody know that he is not a fan of questions that start with, “What was it like working with….” Questions that followed avoided that line and mainly regarded to specific types of hardware Scott used, and for the majority, questions seemed to come from older members of the audience. Some interesting facts were gleaned from stories that Scott told between debating what the best brands of microphones and sound boards to use are. For instance, he was once in studio for 24 hours straight to help The Beatles finish up recording the aforementioned “White Album.” Another fascinating tidbit was how David Bowie would often record his entire vocal live in studio in only one take. Scott commented that to the current generation that uses auto-tune and editing to make everything sound perfect and maybe even nonhuman, what Bowie did in studio was even more incredible.

Over the course of his talk, Scott discussed how he feels he led “a blessed life” filled with great experiences and interesting people. He went on to say that he didn’t need illicit drugs back in the ’60s and ’70s because hearing great music and sounds in the studio was his “drug.” By the end, Scott was very humble about his role in crafting some of music’s most well-known albums, often shunning applause when talking about his ideas and techniques that changed some songs for the better.

The event was hosted by the Antoinette Westphal College of Media Arts & Design. Following the event, Scott was available to speak with audience members and sign copies of his book.

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Doug Ellin, the creator of the renowned HBO series “Entourage,” visited Drexel Oct. 16 to discuss the show and provide insights as to how he got into the entertainment industry. The Bossone Research Center’s Mitchell Auditorium was filled to capacity with diehard fans and curious spectators who may have never seen a single episode. For over an hour and a half, Ellin captivated the crowd before him with stories and jokes that left all who came satisfied and glad that they went.

[/media-credit] Doug Ellin, the creator of the hit HBO series “Entourage” visited Drexel Oct. 16 to talk about how he broke into the entertainment industry and the inspiration for his show.

As the interview continued, Ellin began to open up more about the origins of some of the show’s more remarkable characters and episodes as well as how the show gained such widespread popularity. From the get-go, Ellin said he wanted to cast Jeremy Piven for the role of fast-talking agent Ari Gold. Piven turned out to be a perfect fit for the exuberance and guile that the character had, and he went on to win three Primetime Emmy Awards for Best Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series in his role as Ari. Another unique story is about how Adrian Grenier found himself being cast as the show’s lead character, Vince. As it turns out, Grenier used to be an intern in Wahlberg’s manager’s office and only got into serious acting when that manager, Stephen Levinson, recommended him for the role of Vince on “Entourage.”

Later on in the discussion, Ellin pondered about how “Entourage” turned out as popular as it did. The main theory that he posed was that everyone could relate to at least one of the members of the “entourage.” Most people could look through their group of friends and just say, “Well, he’s definitely our Turtle” or “He’s got a little Johnny Drama in him,” because viewers could connect so easily with the people they saw on television.

The second half of Ellin’s visit was spent doing a lively question-and-answer segment. Dozens of people raised their hands in hopes of getting to ask Ellin a question, but only 15 or so were lucky enough to be chosen. Questions ranged from what his current favorite TV shows are (“Breaking Bad,” “Homeland” and “Mad Men”) to how Bob Saget and Gary Busey are in person (Saget is a nice guy, Busey is a little eccentric), and finally what it was like to be on the set the day the series finale was shot (extremely emotional). Ellin talked about how he started out working in the mailroom of a production company and got noticed by a major executive while doing stand-up comedy, thus leading to his big break into film and writing.

Ellin’s closing statement told students that if they want to break into the entertainment industry they should have some skills and make sure that they are doing what they love. Ellin himself seemed to be enjoying where he ended up as he was swarmed by adoring fans with memorabilia in hand after the event ended.

The Kal and Lucille Rudman Institute for Entertainment Industry Studies hosted the event.

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In a city fast becoming recognizable for its array of restaurants with any number of options and substitutions for even the most celiac-prone lactose intolerant vegan, Fare does a spectacular job making adult-aged children like myself sit down and eat their vegetables with a smile and giving patrons a satisfying sense of actually being full without wanting to unbutton one’s belt and take a nap. Most importantly, Fare does this by sourcing all ingredients for literally all of its dishes from locations scattered around Greater Philadelphia.

Fare Restaurant has perfected its menu with simple yet satisfying dishes including vegetarian onion soup, fennel salad, the Grass-Fed Beef Burger and chilled tomato gazpacho. Fare uses ingredients from the Greater Philadelphia area.

Its dinner menu doesn’t reinvent the wheel. What you see is what you get: New American cuisine celebrating New American cuisine, though chef Tim Bellew simply doesn’t have to do so in order to make the point that subtle and bold flavors juxtaposed with one another from locally sourced ingredients prepared freshly can, for very affordable prices, bring out the gourmand in all of us.

Appetizers include vegetarian onion soup, made with a tomato broth, and cheddar accompanied by a fennel sandwich. There’s also the requisite elegant 21st century salads, such as a kale salad of crispy roaster lacinato kale with a tangy bacon dressing and a fried egg, which itself debunks the notion that things like kale or watercress salad are only ever placed on menus so people can order food on a first date and not instantly reveal secret cravings for 3 a.m. Wawa hoagies. There are intentionally rustic flatbreads. The vegetarian flatbread is garnished with tomato, eggplant, capers, olive and feta. Though it sounds like a culinary yawn when browsing the menu, the real thing in front of you is fresh, aromatic and soft enough that you won’t be able to imagine why anyone would ever bake bread any other way.

Fare’s intentional simplicity is charming and immediately puts diners at ease. A complimentary sampling of flatbread with hummus and olives puts a great twist on the idea of serving seemingly arbitrary dinner rolls. The hummus’ subtle tangy flavor plays off the sincerely juicy texture and flavor of the olives. Such a simple idea can be so innovative with Fare’s flawless execution.

Because it’s the middle of summer in Philadelphia, indulge in the chilled tomato gazpacho, a beautiful dish crowned with a truffled jumbo crab salad, basil, oil and chives. But with all the nouveau flavors, all you’ll be able to think of is just how brilliantly fresh the tomato tastes.

For a main course, try the Grass-Fed Beef Burger. This is dodgy, controversial territory, but just trust in a burger cooked medium-well. Anything longer than that will likely cause the burger to crumble. The brilliant, classic combination of the 8 oz. natural beef, melted Gruyere cheese, lettuce and tomato will persuade you to eat the thing whole, in one bite, as opposed to going through the typical tomato and lettuce removal ritual of contemporary burger-eating.

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The Drexel Dance Ensemble held its spring concert, titled “Piece of Mind,” the weekend of May 31 through June 2. The performance showcased the work of eight student-choreographers, a Drexel faculty member and a professional guest artist. I was lucky enough to snag an interview with one of these student-choreographers, Drexel junior and Miss Philadelphia pageant winner Lauren Bilski.

“It’s a very exciting time for the dance majors,” Bilski said of the biannual showcase. “It’s an opportunity for dancers from all majors to work together. … It’s always such an incredible performance.” Bilski was one of the show’s student-choreographers and was recently crowned Miss Philadelphia.

Just shy of 20 different majors are represented in the Dance Ensemble, and the work shown is indicative of the diversity of the dancers’ backgrounds. The pieces ranged from the elegant to the existential to the very light-hearted and almost satirical.

Bilski’s piece, “To Escape the Absolute,” was named after and inspired by the Robert Matta painting. It definitely lies on the side of elegance. Based on the idea of striving for perfection, this particular work is almost haunting in its beauty. The wispy ­flow of the costumes and the graceful, controlled choreography captivate the eye of the audience from start to finish and flutter in the memory long after.

One of my favorite pieces was the show’s opening performance, “Equilibrium,” choreographed by design and merchandising senior Samara Cifelli. The dance was set to live music played by Drexel’s own Wild Rompit. The piece had a very contemporary feel. The choreography ebbed and flowed out of synchronizing with the music’s rhythm.

I found myself amazed at how sharply and deliberately the dancers hit the beats of the music. Live music can change easily from performance to performance, and any little faux pas on either end would have been noticeable. Both the band and the dancers performed in perfect harmony and set the bar extremely high.

The second performance was a highly symbolic, very cerebral piece choreographed by senior dance major Eileen Moran. “Memory’s Trap” explored the combination of dance and video media. While an earlier performance was projected onto the stage’s backdrop, two groups of dancers moved behind giant frames hung onstage. A single dancer performed between the two. It appeared that dancers behind the frames were counterparts.

The costumes of the performers at stage left were treated to look dirty and torn, and their makeup was applied to look runny. The dancers on the right were left unblemished. Granted, it took a while for the connection to register. It wasn’t until the groups faced opposite directions that it became apparent that they represented two sides of the same concept. “Memory’s Trap” was definitely the most intellectually complex of the pieces and the only one performed sans music.

The Drexel Dance Ensemble performed May 31 through June 2 for its spring concert “Piece of Mind.” Four graduating seniors were presented with awards by Dr. Miriam Giguere.

Pieces like “CHAIRish” (Claire DeLiso and Katie Porkka) and “Thingamajig” (Leah Spangler) were welcome, upbeat examples of good old entertainment. “CHAIRish” had a chorus-line feel. Its choreography, however precisely executed, clearly made fun of itself.

“Thingamajig” was a Rube Goldberg machine of brightly clad human bodies knocking into one another and tumbling, but the piece somehow artfully managed to turn “clumsiness” into this intricate locomotive process. These colorful works, with their bright costumes (some of which included shiny pants), were a nice reminder that art doesn’t have to take itself too seriously.

On the final night of the concert, Miriam Giguere, head of the dance department, presented awards to four outstanding graduating seniors in the ensemble. Kristia Morabito, Caroline O’Brien, Eileen Moran and Ashley Jacobs were honored for their achievements in performance, choreography, academics and overall contributions to the dance department. Also honored was Kariamu Welsh, recipient of the 2012 Ellen Forman Memorial Award.

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The day started off on a high note with excellent performances by a number of up-and-coming rappers. Shabazz Palaces, a group that records some of the most intriguing and distinct hip-hop today, managed to port over its dense sound with a combination of sampling and live instrumentation. Their songs seamlessly bled into one another to form sets broken up by coordinated dance moves that made their act one of the more memorable of the festival.

Meanwhile, Mr. Mutha—–n’ eXquire and Danny Brown eschewed subtlety for boisterousness. While neither was particularly refined, they were both highly entertaining, if not extremely crude.

TUne-yArDs and St. Vincent played back-to-back sets in my personal highlight of the festival. While they were both constrained to abbreviated sets — and St. Vincent suffered briefly from technical issues — they packed in as much music as possible. They displayed huge amounts of energy and musical prowess. TUnE-yArDs is distinct from any other band currently touring; it prominently features vocal and drum loops recorded on the fly, saxophone, and ukulele. In addition, lead singer and drum-loop creator Merrill Garbus added a visual flair to her performance with face paint and neon tassels on the shoulders of her dress. Annie Clark, lead singer and guitarist of St. Vincent, astounded the crowd with virtuosic guitar playing.

James Murphy, lead singer and songwriter of the now-defunct LCD Soundsystem, played an assortment of 70s and 80s underground dance songs during his excellent DJ set. Long before he started his highly acclaimed and successful band, he was known in the New York area for his superb DJing, and Saturday’s set proved that he had lost none of his abilities.

Finally, The Roots took the stage, proving to be amply entertaining headliners. In addition to being a remarkably tight band, they were affable and fun. They supplemented their performance with several noteworthy performers, including Wale, De La Soul, and surprise appearances from Mos Def and DJ Jazzy Jeff.

While there were without a doubt some less-than-stellar performances early in the day, they were easily overshadowed by the wealth of excellent artists on display. The Roots curated an enjoyable lineup with something for everyone — a feat hoped to be duplicated for years to come.

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In honor of the Year of the Dragon, The Drexel Collection presents “The Iconography of the Dragon: East and West” exhibit, located in the Rincliffe Gallery on the third floor of the Main Building April 2 through May 11. The E. Rhodes and Leona B. Carpenter Foundation funded the exhibition.

The Drexel Collection is hosting an exhibit in the Rincliffe Gallery, which is located on the 3rd floor of the Main Building, showcasing different pieces of art dedicated to the Year of the Dragon. The exhibit will be open until May 11.

The exhibition displays works ranging from the 16th to the 19th centuries that originate from countries including China, Korea, Italy and France. Each piece of art displays a different region’s interpretation and symbolic use of the majestic dragon. The pieces are loaned by various museums, including the University of Pennsylvania’s Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology, the Philadelphia Museum of Art, the Brooklyn Museum, the Metropolitan Museum and several other notable museums.

The exhibit was divided into two categories: artwork from the East and artwork from the West. The regions have opposing symbolic interpretations and representations of the dragon. Eastern interpretations were derived from folklore while Western interpretations of the dragon were derived from the Bible.

“Since the logo for Drexel University is the dragon, it came to us a few years ago, actually. ‘Why don’t we have an exhibition of dragons?’ And then we realized that dragons of the East were different than dragons of the West,” Jacqueline DeGroff, curator of The Drexel Collection, said. This realization led to further research.

According to DeGroff, the dragon of the East was represented as kind and compassionate. Additionally, the Eastern dragon was often depicted as heroic and serpentlike.

“The dragon in Asian art represents the emperor himself. The emperor believed that he was a descendent of the dragon,” DeGroff explained.

Eastern countries would often create artwork that displayed the dragon reaching for a pearl, which symbolized the sun, the moon or everlasting life. In China, dragons made in honor of the emperor were depicted with five claws. Dragon depictions in artwork that were meant for the emperor’s family or higher officials had four claws, and works meant for the common people had three claws.

A plate titled “Iron Red Porcelain Dish with Five-toed Dragon with Sacred Pearl” depicts a dragon with five claws reaching for a flaming pearl. This means the plate was meant for an emperor. The plate originates from China and is loaned from the University of Pennsylvania Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology. The piece is dated between 1522 and 1566.

According to DeGroff, flames protruding from a pearl could mean that the pearl represents the sun. Oftentimes the dragon was thought to get as close to the sun as possible in order to shine bright and capture everlasting life.

Another notable piece of art from the East is titled “Cast Bronze Gong” from Brunei, Borneo. This piece, on loan from the University of Pennsylvania Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology, was used to wake the dragon in the people’s time of need, usually when there was a drought or flood. The dragon was deaf but would respond to vibrations, DeGroff said.

The dragon was considered to be a weather lord, and resided in the sea, river or sky. According to DeGroff, the dragon was believed to stop floods and end droughts.

This intricately designed bronze gong displays three serpentlike dragons surrounded by pearls and lotus flowers.

“The lotus flower at night closes up and then retreats into the water. In the morning it comes up again and then opens, which is similar to what the Asian dragon does as well,” DeGroff said.

A bell called “Bronze Garden Dragon Bell” from China was also used to awaken the dragon in a time of need. The Jacques Marchais Museum of Tibetan Art loaned this enormous and majestic bell.

The Western region of the world had a very different interpretation of the dragon. DeGroff explained that the Western dragon is depicted as cruel and aggressive and is often associated with the devil.

“Even though the serpent isn’t the dragon, over the years the serpent and the dragon became interrelated, and eventually when [people] referred to the devil, the image would be a dragon,” DeGroff said.

The dragon was depicted with wings and feet and was often shown eating human beings. For example, on loan from the Metropolitan Museum is a photograph of a copper sculpture from Northern Germany titled “Aquamanile in the Form of a Dragon,” in which a dragon is eating a monk.

The exhibit includes additional photographs with religious connotations that represent the dragon as an aggressor. One is of a sculpture titled “St. Margaret of Antioch,” which originates from Toulouse, France, courtesy of the Metropolitan Museum. The sculpture depicts St. Margaret emerging from a dragon who, according to DeGroff, had previously eaten the saint.

Drexel’s own Mario the Dragon, designed by Eric Berg and located on 33rd and Market streets, is thought to be similar to the Western dragon because of its wings and ferocious demeanor, DeGroff said.

DeGroff will host a lecture and reception April 25 in the Anthony J. Drexel Picture Gallery at 6 p.m., where she will further explore the Eastern and Western interpretations of the dragon. Admission is free and open to the public.

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Over the past few years, severe budget cuts throughout the Philadelphia School District have shortchanged students, offering minimal arts education and nearly no opportunity for students to participate in creative self-expression. Fleisher Art Memorial teamed up with Drexel University’s graphic design program to retaliate against artistic apathy by storming the streets of South Philadelphia in ColorWheels, a new Ford Transit that is so brightly coated it can’t be ignored.

Drexel joined forces with Fleshier Art Memorial with ColorWheels, which challenges youths in the Philadelphia School District to express themselves through art.

The vivid hues and sharp geometric patterns of the van will certainly garner neighborhood attention as ColorWheels visits children in their neighborhood communities. Described as “the Swiss Army Knife of art making,” it can transform into a mobile art studio for simple projects and host skill-building workshops, such as still-life demonstrations. It will eventually initiate “create-it-forward” projects, in which the work will build from site to site, allowing entire neighborhoods to contribute to the final project.

Additionally, instant exhibits will be set up during ColorWheels events so that those participating can not only make art but also enjoy it in the context of others’ creations.

The $35,000 initiative, financed by PNC’s Arts Alive program, is a nine-month process largely helped by design students Ilana McLean, Philip Gross, Catherine Lewandowski, Cara Brobst, Aaron Cichowski, Tyler Graham, Alexa Lareau, Scott Robertson and Andrew Stuber. The students began an independent study course under the direction of Jody Graff, director of the graphic design program, who, when approached by Fleisher about the project, envisioned her students helping to design both the look and brand identity for the ColorWheels van.

The process introduced students to Fleisher Art Memorial, its programs, and its vision for the ColorWheels venture. Once they understood Fleisher’s mission, Graff took her students through a creative, collaborative design process, which pulled their best ideas forward to provide an attractive, attention-grabbing graphic framework. The students were fully responsible for refining the logo and van graphics, where proportions, logo placement, color scheme and vibrancy were all major factors in the van’s final design.

Matthew Braun, executive director of Fleisher Art Memorial, believes that the Ford Transit is the perfect vehicle for their mobile artistic endeavor.

“It’s designed as a general utility truck, so it can be set up any way we wish with interior, heavy-duty shelving, and a roof rack to accommodate our mobile studio needs,” Braun said.

These needs are complex and include the space and materials for creative and fine arts such as silk screening, digital photography, painting and ceramics.

“It can maneuver easily through the narrow streets of Philadelphia, park just about anywhere, and is, quite simply, as adorable as can be,” Braun said.

Though the brunt of the design work is finished — the ColorWheels van was unveiled March 24at 8th and Christian streets for a ribbon-cutting ceremony at Fleisher’s home base — Lewandowski and Gross continue to design the print materials required for the program, including posters, magnets and postcards.

“As far as I know, there had been no previous collaboration between us and Fleisher, so I think it was exciting on both ends,” Lewandowski said. “They’re an amazing institution that really cares about their community and how they can enhance people’s lives through art, and it was a really rewarding experience to work with them and be a part of what they do.”

“We know that ColorWheels will help create greater access to art making, especially for people who encounter barriers to arts participation,” Braun said. “ColorWheels is designed to bring art making right to their doorsteps, playgrounds and community centers.”

And as for the work created by our own Drexel students?

“The final product is obviously superb,” Braun said. “They hit it out of the park.”

Last November, First Lady Michelle Obama presented the 2011 National Arts and Humanities Youth Program Award to Fleischer’s Youth Arts Programs. The award is the nation’s highest honor for out-of-school arts and humanities programs.

You can take part in the arts with ColorWheels at the Cambodian New Year Festival April 14, the Asian Pacific Association Festival May 19 and Artspiration! June 9. For more information on ColorWheels, visit www.fleisher.org.

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For those of us interested in fashion, it is crucial to know where our wardrobe pieces are made, what fabric is used and theoverallquality of the brand. We rarely look into the impact that our purchases make on the rest of the community.

For those less fortunate, such as the homeless roaming the streets of Philadelphia, the option to sport the latest trend — or finding suitable clothes for that matter — is an uphill battle. Not surprisingly,there is a consistent struggle to find proper clothing items while living on the street.

KNO Clothing was created by college friends to drive awareness and knowledge of the country's homeless situation.

Incoordinationwith KNO’s partners, when you purchase an item from KNO Clothing, 50percentof the profit is distributed to help end homelessness. In other words, your purchase provides an article of clothing to someone in need and helps fund organizations that house individuals in need.

Since the birth of this unique brand in November 2010,more than 500 articles of clothing have been provided to organizations that have housed more than 11,000 people.

Thomas and Caldwell emphasized the greatest benefit for customers that purchase pieces from KNO Clothing: “Not only do our customers make a difference nationally, but they are able to see differences regionally and locally. Our brand name, KNO Clothing, is a play on words, derived from ‘knowing’ or being aware of homelessness across the country.”

Thomas and Caldwell graduated from Messiah College together with bachelor’s degrees in finance and computer science. Although their degrees do not directly reflect their KNO Clothing venture, the two go-getters have always had an interest in fashion. Thomas explained that after a few years apart, Thomas and Caldwell “kept going back to the idea of starting a clothing company together” and decided to join forces.

Theiridea of starting a fashioncompanytogether was sparked when Thomas noticed Caldwell’s impressive T-shirt design abilities. Today, with help from a current designer, both Thomas and Caldwell are very involved in the creations of the brand and aim to sell only fairly traded and organic fabric wardrobe pieces. Additionally, the brand’s target audience speaks to a younger demographic, ranging from students in middle school to post-college and can be described as “fun, trendy and meaningful.” Prices range from $25 to $40, depending on the item.

For the brand’sfirst anniversarythis past November, KNO launched the “Knovember Campaign.” This campaign included selling 500 items in order to give 500 items of clothing away before the new year. The KNO founders have labeled their giveaways as “delivery events,” which have taken place in Harrisburg, Philadelphia, New York, Las Vegas and Houston.

Aside from impactingover120 communities within the past year, KNO Clothing is lookingintoworking on collaborations with other designers and marketingtheirbrandininnovative ways.Theirlatest partnership is with The Mutual, a charity focused on rewarding membersthatdonate $10 per monthtowardthe organization. The Mutual held an event for KNO Clothing Feb. 16 at the Brooklyn Brewery in Brooklyn, N.Y.

KNO sells clothing through its website and at events. For more information about KNO Clothing, or to start shopping, visit www.knoclothing.com and be part of the fight against homelessness.

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The Armory on 33rd Street was the place to be Feb. 18 as top disc jockey and Swedish House Mafia’s music prodigy, DJ Alesso, made his debut in Philadelphia. Drexel University’s Pi Kappa Phi fraternity was responsible for organizing this large-scale event. The doors opened at 8 p.m., and the show continued until 1 a.m. The opening acts included LA Riots, Kap Slap, Dubstef and Zenbi. The audience consisted mostly of students from Drexel, the University of Pennsylvania, Rutgers University, Temple University, the University of West Virginia and many more. The show is considered to be one of the top electronic dance music events Philadelphia will see in 2012.
DJ Alesso (Alessandro Lindblad) specializes in progressive house. He achieved worldwide attention and popularity in 2011 with wide support of his original productions and remixes from the likes of Avicii, Swedish House Mafia, Tiesto, Sander van Doorm, Kaskade and other well-established DJs. Alesso took the stage around 11 p.m. and entranced the crowd with tracks including “Calling” and “Raise Your Head,” ranked among the top hits of 2011, and his remixes of songs such as “Pressure,” “Good Love,” “Titanium,” “DEVolution” and “Heiress of Valentina.” The crowd went wild raging to his mixes, and as the night grew on, the energy levels just seemed to build higher and higher.
Pi Kapp brought about this event with the help of Art of Electronica (AOE). They bring a lot of big dance music shows to the area such as Dayglow, Avicii, and Dancegiving. AOE assisted them with the marketing, procurement and production. Through their promotion network, combined with the hard work of Pi Kapp, the event has been largely successful. It had top-of-the-industry lighting and sound professionals, sparing no expense on production, which ensured it was a truly epic show. Props to both AOE and Pi Kapp.
Let’s Rage Clothing sponsored the event, with 100 percent of the profits donated to Pi Kapp’s national philanthropy, PUSH America.  PUSH America is focused on helping children with disabilities by sponsoring accessibility projects as well as various programs that work directly with the children. Dave Polinow, chapter president of Pi Kapp, wrote, “Still crunching the numbers, but we

Drexel fraternity Pi Kappa Phi worked with AOE and PUSH America to bring popular performer DJ Alesso to the Armory for a long night of dancing, fast-paced originals like “Raise Your Head” and solid remixes last Saturday, Feb. 18.

’re hoping to make a great contribution to PUSH America. Your energy last night made all of the effort planning worth it!”
The event as a whole was very well planned. The entry was organized, and the fast-moving line ensured that no student would freeze standing out in the cold, which I am sure everyone was thankful for. The Armory could accommodate a good number of people, so the pushing and nudging stayed to a minimum. The crowd danced all night, and peers took in the music to add to their college memories. DJ Alesso truly did leave a footmark on the console of the Drexel Armory.

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After a great buildup of hype for performances by urban music stars Nicki Minaj and Chris Brown, both were incredibly disappointing. Minaj walked the red carpet appearing to be Little Red Riding Hood and brought a man dressed up like the pope with her. If that wasn’t strange enough, an exorcism occurred in a pre-song video and during a disappointing performance of “Roman Holiday.” The first few singles Minaj has released from her upcoming album, “Pink Friday: Roman Reloaded,” have let down many fans so far, and her performance at the Grammys didn’t help her cause. It left fans and viewers confused and quite horrified. It’s hoped that Minaj will take a step back and get back to the artist who wrote a better verse to “Monster” than Kanye West or Jay-Z.

Meanwhile, Chris Brown, who won the Grammy for Best R&B Album, managed to sing very few words during his performance of his new single, “Turn the Music Up,” as well as “Beautiful People” from his award-winning album, “F.A.M.E.” While his dancing was impressive, even that was lacking compared to past performances. Added to the fact that he wasn’t singing, it led to a pretty subpar performance.

This year’s Grammy Awards featured performances in memory of two legendary singers who passed away: Etta James and Whitney Houston. Alicia Keys and Bonnie Raitt teamed up for a duet performance of James’ “Sunday Kind of Love,” with Keys on piano and Raitt on guitar. The unique pairing gave a great tribute performance to James, who passed away Jan. 20.

Later in the night, Jennifer Hudson blew the audience away with her performance of Whitney Houston’s “I Will Always Love You.” The performance was put together quickly, as Houston’s death shocked the music community Feb. 11, the day before the show. Despite that, Hudson delivered one of the best performances of the night.

The show closed with an unbelievable performance from Paul McCartney. After performing “Golden Slumbers” and “Carry That Weight,” McCartney brought Bruce Springsteen, Joe Walsh and Dave Grohl on stage for an epic end to the 2012 Grammys as they performed “The End.”

Overall, this year’s Grammys were filled with ups and downs. While the award winners were much more deserving than in years past, the live performances could have been stronger. The two tributes, along with Adele’s and McCartney’s performances, made the Grammys worth watching this year.

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Stepping back a momentintothehistoryof the dance, we find ourselvesinthe 1940s, where an offshoot of Cuban and Afro-Cuban dances is emerging. This early salsa eventually evolved into area-specific styles, such as Puerto Rican or LA-style, and enthusiasts can be found worldwide. While it usually is a duo dance, there are line- and circle-dance versions. Salsa routines caneitherbe carefully orchestrated or crafted on the fly, opening up endless possibilities for the dancers.

Sophomore Claudia Gutierrez,presidentof Salsa con Cache, saysthatthegrouphas been running for five years after being created by a Drexelalumnus. However, the dancing lost some ofitstempo about two years ago. Gutierrez and Salsa con Cachevice president Lorenzo Albala are looking to bringinnew faces andpick upthe pace againinthe semesters ahead. Some events to lookforwardtoincludesocials, dance outings and a line-dancing event shared with theFilipinoIntercultural Society of Drexel University.

When I first stopped by a salsa session, I was greeted by a crowd of friendly faces of all ages. Experienced dancers and two-left-footers alike were ready for some fun. With enough partners to go around and a steady rotating flow, showing up solo isn’t a problem at all. To start off, we were given the basic footworkinthe form of a rock-step set to salsa’s signature ¾ beat. Eventually we moved on to more advanced sequences. If I happened to stumbleovermyself, my partners were alwaysmore thanwilling to offer pointers.Therewas always a laugh to be had, and the atmosphere was energetic and happy. Once I’m comfortable enough with the basics, I hope to move up totry outthe next level of classes.

Gutierrez and the other dedicated members of Salsa con Cache are striving to overcome the hurdlestheirbeloved dancegrouphas experienced lately to become ahouseholdname around Drexel’s campus. She urgesanyonelooking for a new cultural experience, a quick confidence-booster, a way toburnsome calories or an outlet for letting off someschool-related steam to stop by for somesalsa. As she says, “The friendshipsthatyou make on the dance floorlastaslongasyou are willing to keep on dancing.”

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As many Drexel University students have come to realize through the co-op program, dressing for success is no joke. To be taken seriously it is of the utmost importance to dress appropriately throughout the interview process.

Today, with such an unstable employment rate, job seekers must remember that the tiniest detail can make or break you. Dressing for an interview can play a large role in the interviewer’s opinion of you.

Phila. students learn the dos and don’ts of dressing for interviews and co-ops from Les Richards and Ann Taylor.

According to Forbes Magazine, Frank Bernieri, associate professor of psychology at Oregon State University, said, “Within the first 10 seconds of meeting your interviewer — otherwise known as the meet-and-greet – that person has decided whether or not you’re right for the job.”

Fortunately, students seeking an internship have the opportunity to attend Les Schwartzberg’s “Dress for Success” seminars. Les Schwartzberg, owner of Les Richards Menswear stores in the Shops at Liberty Place and the Cherry Hill Mall, has joined forces with local manager Tamara Aguilar from the Ann Taylor women’s store to produce these seminars for future interns. Schwartzberg visited Temple University and Drexel last November and brought his seminar to the University of Pennsylvania Jan. 24.

Les Richards is a full-line menswear store dedicated to producing modern apparel from a multitude of designers including Ralph Lauren and Calvin Klein. Known for impeccable tailoring for suits and sport jackets, Les Richards is a heavyweight in terms of dressing for success in the business community.

In coordination with Ann Taylor, Schwartzberg held free “Dress for Success” seminars at local universities including Drexel, Temple, and the University of Pennsylvania. The “Dress for Success” seminars consisted of a presentation showcasing affordable, stylish and appropriate business wardrobe collections. Additionally, these seminars provided college undergraduates with insightful interview tips and interview attire advice.

For instance, Schwartzberg emphasized the importance of preparation the night before an interview, the do’s and don’ts during interviews, and an internship-seeking student’s overall presentation throughout the interview process.

Tamara Aguilar discussed women’s suit options: “The pencil skirt sounds like it’s just for super-slim women. But actually it’s a very flattering silhouette for all sizes, and it always looks correct for an interview suit,” explaining that the length of the skirt is crucial. “Just remember, if you’re in a very conservative field like banking or pharmaceutical, you need to have a hem that comes down to the middle of your knees.”

In addition, Aguilar emphasizes that having a well-fitting suit directly correlates to confidence. “Don’t think about the number of the size when you’re buying for an interview suit. Just buy what actually fits well, regardless of the number.”

When it comes to dressing for an interview, keep it conservative and professional. Dressing conservatively displays your thought process and the maximum effort you put into preparing for the interview.

Schwartzberg claimed, “The greatest trick for wardrobe building for guys is this: If you buy a blue suit and gray suit, you get three outfits. The blue jacket can be worn as a navy blazer with the gray suit pants; you’ve got the perfect executive look, just adding a crisp white shirt. It also makes for easy packing if you go on an interview where there may be a dinner meeting after the formal interview.”

For more information about the Philadelphia store, located at the Shops at Liberty Place at 1625 Chestnut St., call 215-751-1144.

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Among the elaborate vocabulary of acollegestudent, one word frequentlyappearsinconversation: broke. There is no questionthatcollegeis expensive. At times it seemslikeablackholeinyour bank account and your wallet. Although frustrating and somewhat sickening to think about, such high expenses of education help students to develop thriftier spending-savvy habits. And so it goes for my excursion to Bistro 7, one of a number of establishments participatinginPhiladelphia’s greatly anticipated Restaurant Week.

Nestled in a side street of Old City, Bistro 7 displays the exterior of a color-blocked art studio and interior of an elegant contemporary bistro. Likewise, its menu is no less volatile, catering to the open-minded palettes of classical American with a modern twist. Granted, the menus offered during Restaurant Week are limited compared to their standard counterparts. In fact, critics of the annual event denounce these versions as “watered down” and not representative of the restaurant’s capabilities. However, I did not find any shortcomings in the selection at Bistro 7.

Chef and owner Michael O’Halloran remains faithful to the bistro’s inventive incorporation of organic ingredients into flavorful, hearty meals. Accordingly, the Restaurant Week menu featured three courses of three or four dishes, and customers chose one item from each group — an appetizer, an entree and a dessert. Needless to say, my accompanying foodie friends and I were more than ecstatic at the array of options, and we were not disappointed by any of our choices.

Each of us chose a different dish for the first course (conveniently, there were four of us and four options). Following the waitress’s advice, I selected the herb gnocchi topped with sage brown butter and garnished with cider-roasted butternut squash and toasted walnuts. Without a doubt, her recommendation was sound. The other choices were no less delicious: lentil soup, a seasonal salad and duck liver mousse.

Next came the headliner of the night: the main course. Proteins included free-range chicken (my choice), slow-roasted pork belly, trout filet and beef short ribs, which were accompanied by a variety of imaginative sides, including mascarpone polenta, maple-whipped sweet potatoes, ragout and ravioli. In short, Bistro 7 presented the freshness of natural ingredients without any forfeiture of flavor.

That said, the finale was a fireworks display captured on a plate. The warm apple crisp with vanilla whipped cream reminded me of Sunday dinners at my grandmother’s — home-cooked heaven. For chocolate lovers, their decadent chocolate mousse was an easy pick. If neither of these options fit your fancy, the quintessence of coconut was available in a coconut rice pudding garnished with toasted coconut and coconut caramel.

Restaurant Week at Bistro 7 was anything but “watered down.” For $35 plus tax and tip, we indulged in a positively filling meal representative of the restaurant’s usual menu. In fact, Bistro 7 regularly offers a five-course tasting menu for $35 Tuesday through Thursday.

If this whets your appetite, visit Bistro 7 at 7 N. 3rd St.

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With a whirl of feathers, pearls, poker chips and hot jazz tunes, the Arts Ballroom in Center City was swept back to the Roaring Twenties for a night of fun — Drexel’s 2012 Crystal Ball. Students dressed to the nines and gathered to eat, dance and be merry Jan.27 thanks to the hard work of the Campus Activities Board’s Traditions Committee and adviser Ed Kovacs. The winter semiformal has been a running tradition since at least 2004, giving a new and exciting experience with each passing year.

Drexel University hosted the 2012 Crystal Ball at the Arts Ballroom in Center City Jan. 27. This year's Crystal Ball transported guests back to the roaring 20s. The venue was full of old-fashioned decorations.

After a ballroom had been picked out, it was time to make it shine. To go with the 20s motif, members of CAB hand-selected period-appropriate decor, such as vintage glassware in a myriad of sizes and colors picked up at thrift stores. Flowers, favors, lights, tableware — every detail played a part in setting the perfect party scene, right down to the seat cushions.

Finally, the night arrived. Dressed in a glittering black dress and long silk gloves, I made my entrance on the arm of my fedora-adorned man. We were greeted by a ritzy scene plucked from the pages of “The Great Gatsby.” A quartet of musicians treated us to some jazz as we were directed to our assigned tables. This was a special treat, according to Sassaman, who commented that the only music usually comes from a disc jockey, but the 2012 theme cried out for that special touch of authenticity. Each place was marked with a complimentary jar of old-fashioned hard candies and toffees, including a strand of plastic pearls for the ladies and a deck of cards for the gents.

One of the highlights of the ball, naturally, was the luscious dinner. With perfectly juicy cuts of steak, rich lobster macaroni and cheese, creamy mashed potatoes and savory spinach ravioli, it was a spread to make Drexel’s dining hall green as the roasted asparagus spears with envy. A smiling bartender stirred up virgin beverages such as Shirley Temples and ginger ale-orange juice mimosas. Near the end of the evening, a selection of petite cookies, brownie squares and biscotti drew quite a line.

Throughout the evening, guests entertained themselves by trying their hand at the poker table on the second floor and taking black-and-white photo strips in CAB’s photo booth. At one point the members of the homecoming court were presented in anticipation of the king and queen’s coronation the following day at the basketball game. Once the band took its leave, the DJ took over and kicked off everyone’s favorite tunes. The ballroom exploded as people poured onto the dance floor to show off their moves, backed up by LMFAO, the Black Eyed Peas, Rihanna and other hot artists.

Watching the partying crowd, Sassaman remarked that apart from the moment when all 400 student tickets finally sold out, the best part of the entire Crystal Ball process was happening right then — seeing months of hard work come together in one fantastic night. As I boarded the bus home, I wholeheartedly agreed with her. The toil of the Traditions Committee truly paid off, giving these 400 Dragons a roaring evening they won’t soon forget.

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As the 20th annual Philadelphia Film Festival came to a close Nov. 3, Philadelphia film lovers were left once again in anxious anticipation for next year’s event. The Film Festival never ceases to keep expectations high and never ceases deliver on those expectations. There were few frills to the festival, short of a relatively modest opening and closing ceremony. There was no false flash or fluff to keep the festival an annual success, just a slew of artfully chosen movies from every corner of the world.

Considering the incredible success of last year’s opening film, “Black Swan,” it was impossible not to wonder how and if the Festival would be able to come out as strongly in 2011. It did not let the somewhat daunting task of meeting the high expectations of the Film Festival post-“Black Swan” get in the way of this year’s success. The Festival’s 20th year opened with the cheeky romantic comedy “Like Crazy” Oct. 20. This was followed later on in the week by other big “blockbuster-esqe” movies such as “Butter” (Jennifer Garner, Ty Burrell and Alicia Silverstone), “Melancholia” (Kirsten Dunst) and “The Good Doctor” (Orlando Bloom), which set the frame of more mainstream-like films played during the Festival. And appropriately, George Clooney starred in the closing-night film, “The Descendants.”
Each of these films received decent to rave reviews and were ultimately what gave the Philadelphia Film Festival its overall popularity. However, many movies fall between the cracks. Some of the best “meat” of Philadelphia’s Film Festival has been some of the more obscure, foreign films that don’t receive adequate recognition from Philadelphian moviegoers. This year, instead of spending most of my efforts with the bigger films of the festival and seeing the smaller films as side items, I decided to make the lesser-buzzed about (or not-at-all buzzed about) movies my focus. This idea turned out to be a very successful one.

One of the most notable movies of the festival was the Norwegian thriller “Headhunters.” Based on the best-selling Norwegian novel, this movie could have easily passed as a superbly made Hollywood film if it weren’t for the Norwegian dialogue and English subtitles. The story is about a successful headhunter from Oslo who has an especially keen eye in his field. Despite his talent he is not able to support the lavish lifestyle that his striking, leggy blonde-haired wife loves. Out of fear of her leaving, he showers her with gifts, homes and cars that are far beyond his economic means by stealing valuable art from his incredibly wealthy clients. He gets in over his head and quickly ends up on the fight for his life. I believe “Headhunters” is easily one of the best thrillers of the year.

The movie screened immediately after “Headhunters” was the Lebanese film “Ok, Enough, Goodbye.” Although I was ready to fall in love with the first Arabic-language film I had ever seen, I was almost lulled into my first Arabic-induced slumber during the movie. A story about a mother who is so tired of her 40-year-old life and son’s reliance on her, she packs up and moves to Beirut. The sudden move forces him to try to establish some normal relationships with other people (and eventually a parakeet, when all else fails), yet his static character dulled.

Next up, Ethan Hawke stars in a well-mastered bilingual film, leaving quite the impression on his enamored audience. “The Woman in the Fifth” is a beautifully done French and English psychological drama that chronicles an American man who travels to France to get visitation rights with his daughter. Unexpected twists make this movie much more than a romanticized drama.

The only Spanish-language film I got a chance to see this year at the Festival was “Medianeras,” an Argentinian film that ends leaving you feeling like you just played some kind of matchmaking video game. The two lead characters are perfect for each other yet have never met. The couple’s respective apartments are divided by a medianeras (wall of a building with no windows). Although the ending came a bit too late, the film still comes with a great recommendation.

The best is not always last, but it may be in this case. “Goodbye First Love” is a prime example of beautiful, romantic French filmography. This sun-drenched young romance that starts between Parisian teenagers Camille and Sebastian falters when Sebastian decides to venture to South America. Yearning to see more of the world, their relationship is prematurely forced into the adult world. “Goodbye First Love” has everything a romantic French film ought to have: love lost, new love and return of an old magic keep the film’s ending at bay. Camille, however, leaves a bit more to the imagination with her relatively static personality throughout the years. A film that left me watching the trailer dozens of times post-screening, “Goodbye First Love” is a film I cannot criticize too harshly.

The 20th annual Film Festival came to a close Friday, Nov. 4. Pictured above is a scene from “Ok, Enough, Goodbye,” starring Daniel Arzrouni and Nadime Attieh. The film was directed by Rania Attieh and Daniel Garcia.

Congratulations to the Philadelphia Film Festival for 20 years of bringing incredible and creative viewing experiences to our city. If you missed this year’s Festival, be sure to check it out come October 2012.

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The Technological Perspective

Kristy Jost’s work thus far has encompassed exploration of non-traditional and technologically advanced materials used for garment construction. She collaborates with the college of engineering (the A. J. Drexel Nanotechnology Institute and the Nanophotonics Group with head of the fashion department Genvieve Dion) to work on “smart clothes.” Her goal is to produce electronic textiles and clothes that are technologically forward, functional, wearable and pleasing to the eye. It is no surprise that one of her favorite designers is Chalayan Heussein, who focuses on creating beautiful transforming garments on the runway with the use of hundreds of wires to control them. This intelligent individual plans to begin her Ph.D. in materials science at Drexel University and continue her work on technologically advanced garments and textiles.

Kristy’s Senior Collection:

TT: What is your senior collection about?

KJ: My senior collection was inspired by the modern architecture of Santiago Calatrava, and the transparency and structure of carbon nanotubes. Technology and materials have been an ongoing influence in my work, so I chose to exclusively use neoprene and nylon horsehair to really sculpt architectural and futuristic forms across the body.

TT: How is your senior collection different from anybody else’s?

KJ: I wanted to use very different materials, such as neoprene and nylon horsehair, to sculpt different architectural forms.

TT: How many times did you change your idea for your senior collection?

KJ: Three times … it took three months to really like any of my ideas, and then I designed one skirt for a portfolio class and that was it! That skirt inspired the rest of the collection.

TT: What was your favorite fashion class you have taken at Drexel?

KJ: Couture – learning about the details of making corsets can be applied to almost anything, as the techniques are simple yet effective at creating a specific effect. And I loved making my evening gown!

The Artistic and Urban Perspective

Cassandra Kane has an impressive resume. Before coming to Drexel for fashion, she almost went to art school to become a painter. A member of the Pennoni Honors College, she participated in the Arts of Fashion competition and she is the winner of the Charles Evans Scholarship (a fashion award for best portfolio, in which a percent of senior tuition is covered). Kane’s interests in outerwear and sportswear were explored when she was offered an amazing co-op with designer Dennis Basso. She had many responsibilities, seeing as this was a small, high-end company, and she worked predominantly with furs. One of her favorite designers is Christopher Bailey for Burberry Prorsum because of his “incredible creativity using shearlings and furs, as well as his impeccable reinvention of tailored wools.” She also admires Ivan Grundhal and Anne Demuelemeester for their “blatant disregard for current trends in favor of truly unique style.” Kane’s off-beat and unique collection and beautiful drawings are sure to “wow” on the runway.

Cassandra’s Senior Collection:

TT: What is your senior collection about?

CK: My collection addresses the needs of powerful urban utilitarian amazons, visually fabulous while braving intense modern city life. Focused upon a blending and layering of textures, cozy machine knits, decadent furs, sharp airbrushed leather, shearlings and tailored wool, this collection embodies utilitarian, sophisticated street-wear. Many of my garments are designed with functioning storage space, incorporated within the body and collars of the garments, and detachable pocket harnesses as an alternative to traditional handbags. By combining these elements, I strive to give this urban workingwoman a uniform for conquering her world.

TT: How is your collection different from anyone else’s?

CK: I chose to work with difficult, more controversial materials including furs and shearlings after the positive experience I had working with a designer furrier company for my co-op. I also incorporated my own prints by creating stencils and airbrushing the leather and shearling in shades and patterns on accessories to compliment the outerwear. All of my accessories are also extremely integral to the garments, although they can be worn separately.

TT: How many times did you change your idea for your senior collection?

CK: I changed my ideas for senior collection countless times.

TT: What was your favorite class at Drexel?

CK: My favorite fashion class was tailoring as I am most attracted to designing outerwear.

The Provocative and “Costumesque” Perspective

Lauren Mukalian is extremely interested in costume. She studies certain time periods and is able to either design as if she were making something for that particular era or modernize the look while staying true to the period. Upon graduating, she hopes to move to New York City and design for a lingerie or costume designer. In the future, she hopes to design costumes for films. Her favorite designer is John Galliano for Dior, whose collections, she believes, are unique because they “are always based on a time period or event in history and are always over the top, while still remaining beautiful.”

Lauren’s Senior Collection:

TT: What is your senior collection about?

LM: My senior collection is a creative representation of the life of Lady Worsley, aka Seymour Dorothy Flemming, who was alive in the late 1700s. She led a very scandalous life full of affairs and had the very first publicized divorce. People followed her life in the papers just like people follow celebrity gossip today.

TT: What makes your work different from your other classmates?

LM: I chose to focus my collection on one specific person and time period, and gave my collection the feeling of costume as opposed to my classmates who did more wearable pieces.

TT: How many times did you change your idea for your senior collection?

LM: The main idea was there from day one. I have been researching Lady Worsley and the 18th century for about three years, so my idea just needed tweaking. I started out wanting it to be more historically accurate but ended up modernizing a lot of my ideas.

TT: Favorite fashion class you have taken at Drexel?

LM: A tie between lingerie, collection and tailoring.

The Natural Perspective

Kristin Eissler is a pre-med major turned fashion design major. Eissler draws inspiration from nature and designs her own beautiful textiles. Her senior collection almost looks like a walking kaleidoscope. Upon graduating, she will work for Destination Maternity in Philadelphia for the knit top division, but she one day aspires to launch her own line and prefers to design eveningwear. Her favorite designer is Alexander McQueen because his use of drama juxtaposes with exotic prints triggers her own imagination.

Kristin’s Senior Collection:

TT: What is your senior collection about?

KE: My senior collection is about my love for nature. I personally designed all the prints for my dresses. Each print is a collection of photographs from nature. The jewelry and headdresses I made are inspired by Native Americans.

TT: What makes your work different from your other classmates?

KE: My work is based on prints, powerful colors and dramatic silhouettes. That combination makes the difference.

TT: How many times did you change your idea for your senior collection?

KE: I have never changed my mind. It is the same concept I began with, although it grows and transforms in the process.

TT: Favorite fashion class you have taken?

KE: My favorite class was senior collection. I have dreamed of making my collection since my freshman year; no other class can compare.

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Cuba Libre is one restaurant in Philadelphia to which everyone must take a trip. It may be located in the heart of Old City, a section known for its nightlife, but this is one place that serves the rustic, simple homey foods that represent many of the islands of the Caribbean. My recent trip to Cuba Libre two weeks ago was bittersweet. It was the first time in a while that I was able to enjoy dinner with a bunch of good friends, even with our busy schedules of classes and co-op.

Cuba Libre's Philadelphia location celebrates its 10-year anniversary with a restaurant-wide overhaul, refreshing their menu, lighting and decor to include influences from executive chef Guillermo Pernot's recent trips to Cuba.

Starting at the end of May, Cuba Libre revamped some of the more classic dishes of the island, rebooted their entire menu, showcased more lighting in the dining area, replicated the aura of some of Ernest Hemingway’s favorite hangouts and displayed photographs of Chef Guillermo Pernot’s recent travels back to Cuba.

“My recent series of trips to Cuba reawakened my passion for sharing this culture with our guests, and as a result, we have created a variety of new ways to bring Cuban soul to the heart of Philadelphia,” Pernot said.

To start off, Cuba Libre’s piqueos, or small plates, like Cuban tapas, are a great way to dive into the cuisine. Instead of typical tortilla chips, guests are presented with Mariquitas Cubanas (plantain, malanga and yucca chips sided with a choice of three spreads). These were served as a variety of thinly sliced and fried root vegetable chips with an assortment of savory and sweet spreads. I personally recommend the black bean hummus and Haitian eggplant spread. Mama Amelia’s Empanadas is another good way to start the meal; while all are very tasty, my favorite is the one filled with chicken, corn, sweet peppers and Jack cheese. All empanadas are also served with a goat cheese-ranch dressing, and topped with a spinach salad and tomatillo relish.

As for bigger plates, the Ropa Vieja (shredded beef brisket stewed with tomatoes, red peppers, onions and red wine, served with maduros and white rice) is the perfect combination of savory, sweet and slightly acidic. For anyone that loves seafood, the Paella de Mariscos is a perfect blend of “bomba” short grain rice cooked with Maine lobster, shrimp, clams, mussels and squid. If you are someone that prefers a simpler dish, the El Cubano never fails to live up to expectations. The classic sandwich served here consists of sour orange marinated pork loin, Genoa salami, ham, provolone, Swiss cheese and a yellow mustard-pickle relish.

Moving on to desserts, the selection presented on the menu again displayed the beauty of all the island has to offer. The Tres Leches de Banana, a vanilla sponge cake soaked in three banana-flavored milks, caramelized bananas and a chocolate-banana mousse, was delectable. Not too sweet, this was a nice way to end the meal. A more decadent choice is the Torta de Chocolate, a chocolate soufflé tart layered with dulce de leche ice cream, chocolate-orange sauce and blueberry compote.

Also, don’t forget to get a drink. Many of their mojitos are a mix of Cuba Libre white rum, fresh pressed sugar cane, lime juice, a splash of soda, hierba Buena and fruit purees that leave guests wanting to try more than one.

Most of the dishes featured above have been edited or revamped as of May 23 when Cuba Libre rolled out their new menu. The first course section of the menu now includes 25 new piqueos, more ceviche, and salad and soup options, while new entrées include Dorado a la Plancha, seared Mahi Mahi with forbidden black rice; Vaca Frita, tender braised and crisped shredded flank steak; and Arroz con Pollo.

As Cuba Libre makes the transition into a new era, maybe it’s time we happily end another chapter of our lives. As the school year comes to a close, we look forward to making new and exciting changes, too.

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If you haven’t heard of the highly acclaimed satirical newspaper The Onion, you’ve probably been living under a rock. The Onion, founded in 1988 at the University of Wisconsin-Madison by juniors Tim Keck and Christopher Johnson, is one of the most entertaining news sources that will both make you laugh and really put worldly matters in perspective.

Features editor Joe Garden and senior writer Chad Nackers came to Drexel Wednesday, May 11, to speak at the Bossone Center auditorium. Garden and Nackers gave a hilariously witty multi-media presentation, covering issues pertaining to pop culture, politics and anything else that was newsworthy.

The Onion was Keck and Johnson’s chance to add a comical twist to demure newspapers that flooded the University of Wisconsin. “It was kind of a reaction against the self-serious publications at Madison at the time,” Garden explained.

“Madison, at the time, was full of other papers … but everything kind of took itself a little seriously,” Garden continued. “So, The Onion came along, and it didn’t take itself at all seriously.” 

The Onion's features editor, Joe Garden and senior writer, Chad Nackers spoke at Drexel Wednesday, May 11 in the Bossone Auditorium to discuss the start of The Onion and the different topics the paper covers.

Keck and Johnson did not expect The Onion’s success, and sold the paper a year later to Editor-in-Chief Scott Dikkers and Advertising Sales Manager Peter Haise. In 1996, The Onion’s website was launched, helping the newspaper spread to larger cities, including New York City, N.Y. The Onion News Network was later launched in 2007.

Garden began writing at The Onion in 1993, and later became the features editor. Nackers joined the Onion in 1997 at Appleton, Wis., and transferred to The Onion’s headquarters in New York in 2001.

One thing that Garden and Nackers were very good at was making the audience feel comfortable right away. There was no boring introduction; they just plunged straight into the comedy, leaving no time to waste. Sometimes it was hard to tell when this comedic duo was joking or telling the truth. At times though, it was quite obvious, such as when they claimed that The Onion was launched in 1763. They displayed a colonial-themed newspaper on the screen, with headlines announcing “Mule deaths of late,” and featured a list of Ben Franklin’s “inventions.” Did you know he invented math? I certainly didn’t!

The presentation was split into multiple sections, mainly based on different topics that The Onion concentrates on heavily, including “Politics,” “Obama’s White House” (yes, President Barack Obama gets his own section), “Sports,” “Gay Rights,” “Reader Response,” “Economy,” “Opinion,” “Entertainment,” “Education,” “Local,” “Photo Journalism” and “The Onion Taken Seriously.”

Interestingly enough, the “Politics” section mainly focused on vice president Joe Biden. The headlines about Biden ranged from “Joe Biden shows up to inauguration with pony tail” – featuring a picture of a smiling Biden sporting a long, grey ponytail – to “Shirtless Biden washing Trans Am in the Whitehouse driveway.” You could just imagine the picture featured with that headline. Eek! Garden and Nackers later presented a “Reader’s Response” section where Biden responded that he did not own a Trans Am, but in fact owned a ’67 Corvette. Joe, this is a satirical paper, calm down.

Other headlines ranged from “Man with rare purple and yellow skin is tired of being mistaken as a Vikings fan” to “Obama’s home teleprompter malfunctions during dinner.” Following this headline, they played a news clip displaying a picture of Obama and his family sitting at the dinner table, looking at a teleprompter saying “Mmmm” and “This is delicious.” Garden and Nackers presented headline after headline, leaving every person in the auditorium laughing hysterically. There were jokes to please everybody.

An issue that The Onion sometimes faces is that people don’t seem to understand that it is satirical. Many people read the paper’s outrageous headlines, and take them seriously! Garden explained that a woman once called The Onion angrily after reading the 1998 headline “Clinton Denies Lewinsky Allegations ‘We did not have sex, we made love’”.

“She was like ‘You don’t know what happened! Nobody knows what happened!’ and I was like ‘Well, this is a satirical paper,’” Garden said. The woman continued on arguing that there was nothing that said that The Onion was satirical.

Garden responded, “Well, that story is right next to another story that says “’86 Chicago Bears Return to Studio to re-record the Super Bowl Shuffle.” Garden – 1, ignorant woman – 0.

While it may seem easy to write ridiculous headlines like “Lady Gaga kidnaps Commissioner Gordon,” it actually takes a lot of work.

“Deadlines are a pretty good inspiration,” Nackers said when asked what inspires him to come up with ideas.

The Onion writers also need to make sure to always have pen and paper with them, because sometimes ideas come to Garden and Nackers at the most inconvenient times.

“I’ve actually had some [instances] where I’ve forgotten and then remembered, and then [my idea] became a full story, and I’m like ‘Oh God, I came that close to just losing it forever,’” Nackers said.

It would be an understatement to say that Garden and Nackers put on an incredibly funny presentation. It was unforgettable, leaving everybody in the audience wanting to run back home to hungrily scan The Onion’s website. Garden’s high-spirited charisma and Nackers’ chill demeanor gave the audience the chance to see the faces behind the witty articles of The Onion.

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