That about explains it. Now a self-proclaimed yuppie, I'm going to write about my adventures with my vegetarianism, equal addictions to J.Crew and expensive coffee, and being a student in an urban environment. I am a graduate student in social work, so the requisite number of "soap box" posts might appear, too. Welcome!
“Oh shit, I’m going to be late,” I scream in my head as I’m dashing down Randolph, still unsure of where the HarrisTheater really is. As a genius, I decided to go to my dance performance on November 21, 2009, the same day as the lighting of the Magnificent Mile. I am usually super early to performances, so this day I took a few extra minutes to do my hair and makeup, eat something before leaving. I was also going to a party for a friend afterwards, so I was looking forward to something light and fun to alleviate my awkwardness that I knew would come later to his going-away party (dancing? Yes. Social anxiety? Yes.). But no, the large groups of drunken high school students and puffy jackets that my mom calls “suburban coats” filled the “el” car that I was in, and I tried to read the book I had brought with me. My stuff was NOT going to get stolen, and I was going to get there!
Having already missed the chance to see Mikhail Baryshnikov (sp?), and many other jazz performances, I stuck with Step Afrika!, in conglomeration with the Chicago Human Rhythm Project. Not my first choice, but I was determined to enjoy it and learn something from the dance type.
I rush in and get a ticket, the man at the box office smiling, although whether it was because I particularly looked good, or because he could tell I was relieved to be able to buy a ticket. The ushers were letting people in, in between the performances. We could hear Michael Jackson echoing from the inside of the theater, so only the first performance by the drill team had begun. Based on the amount of Jackson’s songs that had been playing subsequently since his death, I concluded that I wasn’t missing much.
A big group of black women were in front of me, also just having gotten to the box office. We were ushered in, and told to take the seats furthest away, but closest towards the top balcony. I had bought the cheapest tickets, so I wasn’t expecting a good seat. However, this was still a good view. The HarrisTheater is underground, and I’d never been before. It is such an interesting layout, and from the time I got there, I knew I’d love it. The women flew in next to me, and after the drill team had finished up, the TrinityIrishDanceSchool had come in, and performed very percussive and intense work. The lighting kept changing, and you could see the characteristic curly wigs that the girls were wearing. All I could think of was “When did these girls start dancing?” Did they have the same worries as I did about being in a leotard, or were they rail thin from the militaristic stepping that they were performing? I had always seen many similarities between my Polish heritage and the Irish, whether it’s the characteristic potato dishes, excessive drinking, or in this case, folk dancing. Judging from the form of these girls’ dances and the formation of the Polish girls that we see in the Polish Independence Day parades, I could now understand the key difference in weight between the two groups. Polka dancing is much more laid back, although probably carries the same amount of historic and cultural significance. I’ll just tell my Polish cousins to join an Irish dance troupe to stay slim abroad.
A quick glance around, and you could see a definite class difference in the audience. I was in with the super excited black women (and some men, along with their dates), while the majority of the “elite” white men and women were sitting with their children towards the front. I reflected on Shakespeare’s time and how the poorest of people got penny tickets to stand toward the front; yet in the case in this theater, the blacks were pushed to the back of the theater like a city bus in Birmingham, Alabama. A hyperbolic analogy perhaps, but I still wondered who the audience was “meant” to be here, and why ticket pricing was not just one general admission price, with first come- first serve seating arrangement. After all, this is based on African dancing, and if I wanted to see a performance based in white Anglo-Saxon tradition, I would’ve stepped over to the Lyric Opera a few blocks away. Although being a snotty, white opera fan, that kind of trip wouldn’t be completely acting out of character.
After the Irish Dancers left the stage, following a very cute little girl’s solo at about the age of 5, many of the women sitting by me either completely left the theater, or went for a closer seat. I look at the ticket I had purchased, and glanced over to see that someone else was sitting in my seat. “Oh well,” I thought and came back to the seat that I sat at for the first portion. Step Afrika! was about to perform soon. I noticed that I was in a row to myself, and all of my cheering would be met by silence around me. I didn’t care!
The dancers took us on a journey through a variety of step dances. They began with a sort of everyday, contemporary street dance style, and I felt like it was a watered down version of the dancing that might go on in the South Side of Chicago, or as they were basing it off of, Harlem, NYC. I’ve seen Save the Last Dance enough times for me to know that mainstream is definitely not the same, although I’d rather the white kids in the audience get a taste of the culture that they will probably never experience face-to-face. A dance off between the men and women ensues, and the audience gets to participate in the winners. No one was surprised that the women cheered for the women, men cheered for the men. Of course there is a stylistic difference between each set, and at the end there is a “tie.” None of the women onstage are the anorexic types that you see in Ballet, and sometimes Modern pieces. After seeing The Seldoms perform, and meeting the coordinator afterwards, I wanted to offer her a sandwich rather that a round of applause! Real women, performing in a very real way. Women have such a sass and sense of competition during dance performances, but in this way it was woven into the dance and made it less uptight, and more proud than restrictive.
They continued to give us a tour of what it was like for stepping fraternities and sororities. Go figure that my experience at Loyola didn’t teach me where the Greek system had provided an outlet for African- American stepping. Then they danced in a setting prompted by the diamond mines in Africa. I haven’t researched it much, but based on my old roommate’s review of Blood Diamond, I can only infer that the conditions were normally horrendous. The fake “master” of the mine in the dance is stricter in the laughable sense, reminding me of the parents from Disney’s Peter Pan: “A little less noise there,” rather than death threats, and who knows what else. Dancing was seen as a reprieve, and I had an instant appreciation for the group for informing me about this dance, and its function in a society that I know nothing about.
Onward and upward, to the last segment: tap. My dad had rented a bunch of videos from the library after we had learned of Gregory Hines’ death when I was a kid. “You just need to know about talent,” he told me, and I saw his incredible dance style that is rivaled by everyone in the tap industry. The solo artist in this piece wanted everyone to participate, and soon we were all snapping with him. I got to snap! I’ve watched West Side Story over and over, and snapping during a dance is a strange fascination that I have. Probably also reminds me of a Greenwich Village poetry jam, but that’s just one Jack Kerouac book away from making this performance something it’s not. The girls in the audience screaming “Oh damn!” behind me, and I was still so excited to see the tap, all by myself, in my own row.
The group finally got together and ended with a big tapping group, ending the performance. I walked away, thinking “wait…that’s it?” I wanted to keep watching, and wanted to hit myself for the times that I had missed out on other performances. I would say that I have a new appreciation for this type of dance, but sadly I predict that I’ll forget all about it, and my next performance will be that of another Anglo-Saxon performance. But I think I’ll at least try to go to something else in the future. At the very least, I predict that I’ll show my kids some tapes of African dance one day, likewise to teach them what talent really is.
Thank God for Jonathan and Travis. They keep me so motivated to be veggie! (noun into an adjective....YES)
So Jonathan always keeps me in check about my protein (i.e. with cheese [which I'm shying away from] and with Odwalla shakes. In particular, I had their pumpkin protein shake recently, and decided to make it at home!
3/4 cup pumpkin 1 cup almond milk 1/2 cup ice
1 dash of cinnamon
blend well...delicious!
Little known fact is that coffee mugs also make good containers for smoothies on the go! (Especially the stainless steel kind) MY Gevalia mug (with way too much use, the top is broken past the point of convenient use) came from a free deal from the Gevalia coffee company. I'm not so big on their coffee, but a free coffee maker was particularly a plus when I moved into my first apartment. ------------------------------------------- Now I've already posted about my vegan chili, but I had to go again!
I always add a ton of carrots, as I feel that they take away from having "too much spice." Almost like a break. My dad used to always tell me to eat yogurt/ drink milk, but I find that anything OTHER than water works, too. I was with my friend Joty, celebrating Duwali, the festival of lights, with the Hindu Club at school, and I couldn't get enough of the curry! I used to think that I hated curry, but turns out, it was just thai curry...something about the tart doesn't jive with my tastebuds....
Anyway, so I needed to include some Trader Joe's products, because they're amazing. Basically, tomatoes, beans, chili spice, carrots....it was all organic and under 7 dollars. Travis and I had about 2 servings each, and I still had some leftover. DELISH! (as an aside, I hope my Dad's proud that I used my auto-settings on my digital camera to get that steam coming off of the chili....awesome!)
--------------------------------- Trader Joe's also makes college vegan shopping CHEAP.
Tofutti non-dairy cream cheese is about $2.50, and veggie burgers are always under $3.00. (Not to mention that they have Tofutti cuties and Soy "Ice Cream" in a chocolate flavor where you can actually TASTE the chocolate....amazing!)
I've been using the term "nosh" quite a bit, because I feel as though I graze like a cow most days....KIND Bars in particular are amazing (and give to the Peaceworks foundation) and raw nuts help me get through my work shifts/ class without having an audible stomach! A pound of almonds for less than $5? Sign me the fuck up.
Time for delish veggie burgers. I went a week or so without a few in my freezer, and it was so sad. It just seems like a nice base to have, especially since I am a meat-eater at heart. The meat that I miss is made up by the "patty-ness" and good spices in the veggie burgers (in this case, Morningstar, but I like just about any kind). In this photo I feature avocado (as my phrase goes, "avocados make any day a good one") , Tofutti cream cheese, and sourdough bread. The burger in the picture is NOT vegan, but there are many other varieties that are. Needless to say, it was amazing. Next up: Amanda, soapstress of the stars (like Travis and myself!) has begun another blog entitled "Broke Ass Beauty," and details her experiences with cheap cosmetics and bath and beauty products. I trust her opinion on just about everything, so I think you should, too. Check it out!
I have a serious problem....I can't leave the house without a spritz of perfume....
Although, since the holidays are approaching, Christmas shopping downtown is a surreal experience that is usually accompanied by a quick dash through the Macy's or Lord & Taylor, usually just for me to look for the newest scent that catches my nose!
And so, a brief list of some of my faves.....Who knows which one I'm wearing now?! :)
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Oh the Chanel no 5....everyone's favorite! Marilyn Monroe is said to have worn it. A word of warning to those who want this cheap: Don't buy it on eBay! I got it and proudly stated to my choir friends that I had found it on eBay for $30.....not my best purchase. It just wasn't the same! Hopefully there is a way that I could access this scent in some authentic, yet not purse breaking fashion, but until then I'll simply take a waft whenever I'm in the dept. stores... (and hopefully channel Audrey Tautou in the French Chanel biopic...stupid Chicago movie theaters) ------------------------------------------------------------------
Marc Jacobs! I was able to go to the Marc by Marc Jacobs store in NYC and could afford some stuff there! How about that?! And so with our American-Apparel-coolness, Scotters and I both entered and saw the interesting fashions that were coming up...but my favorite was always the perfumes :) Marc Jacobs just came out with Lola, and it also smells as cool as the advertisements. He's just a swingin' dude.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------- My dear friend Anne and I are big fans of Sex and the City...and gay people! :) We write letters of our version of "Poof!" magazine, based on a certain favorite show of mine. She, however, is a particularly big fan of Sarah Jessica Parker, and introduced me to her signature perfume, Lovely. I was able to get Covet: Pure Bloom, for a rather not-so-pricey price, and loved it! So, although I think that her acting abilities are at times questionable, she knows how to franchise a nice and *light* scent. ----------------------------------------------------------
A very memorable scent, indeed. I got this a few summers ago, shopping with my then, boss, now soapstress, Amanda. Other than being a huge fan of Scarlett Johansson (again, not due to acting abilities), I love basically anything that Calvin Klein makes. Although it is not readily made available in Calvin Klein stores, some perfumeries usually have it. I associated scents with many feelings and memories, and with this particular one, it's the feeling of giving into inhibition with a fleeting romance....but maybe that's just the commercial for it... ----------------------------------------------------------------- My darling old freshman Resident Adviser told me that sometimes men were just for giving you perfume, and allowed me to sample Amazing Grace. I've been a fan ever since! She bought a set for me for the following Christmas, and I can't even begin to say what a funny experience it was to try to squeeze the last of the lotion out, and twist off the top of the glass bottle just to get the last of it....phew! Although Baby Grace confuses me a tad....
As a scent, Amazing Grace just makes me feel graceful. ------------------------------------------------------------ Malachite, named after the color of green. A shade of green that, if I may be so bold, looks really good with my olive skin tone. I liked the color, heard of the perfume, and once again fell in love. It's definitely not as light as some of the others, but it's just...pretty. I guess my scent association with this one is mature.
For those going on the cheap or who maybe don't wear perfume as often, Banana Republic has minis available of their perfumes (good for presents, too!)
I'm thinking this may be my next one for once I'm done with the current scent, but with the coming season, who knows? After all, this was just a sampling of the ones I like, certainly not an exhaustive list.
Now if f only I could reproduce green tea lattes into a perfume.....
I'm a bit of a flirt. In fact, my friend Annette and I always laugh about a phone call I had with my current boyfriend when I was in her company when she overheard me say the following:
"Hey! So I really want to talk to you now, but I'm at my friend Annette's place eating ice cream. I'll call you later though and we'll flirt! It'll be awesome!"
We'd probably only been dating about a month, but whatever, it was a "disgustingly cute" moment. Now we're much meaner on the phone :)
So anyway, I have a tendency to like moderately famous people that most of my girl friends respond with..."ummm who?"
I thought after a grueling awful week of nothing but exams and papers, I'd put up a fun post!
Israel Nebeker, lead singer of Blind Pilot (pictured left) What else can I say about a wonderful man who plays guitar well, HAS to have some kind of Jewish heritage (always a good thing!), and he bikes....everywhere. He's got the whole broad shoulder thing going on, super laid back warmth, and a wonderful voice.
IN ADDITION: Blind Pilot is coming to Chicago! The day prior to Thanksgiving, they'll be playing at Lincoln Hall, and although I'm not sure if I can make it myself, I know that I'll definitely be spreading the word.
------------------------------------------- Steve McQueen (still a celebrity, but still!)
The prince/king/whatever of coolness. The days that I'm dressed in all black for work, my co-worker Brittany calls me a beatnik....and I immediately think of Mr. Hipster and my imagined gibberish-spoken love poems....just kidding!
Anyway, as an avid Natalie Wood fan, I actually found out about Mr. Handsome from the film Love With a Proper Stranger, a film that my friend Ally and I decided needs to come out on DVD about 10 years ago...Ms. Wood, after all, did receive an Oscar nomination for her acting as a first generation Italian immigrant unsure of whether or not she wanted to go through with an abortion in the 1960s....guess who plays the jazz musician/father of the child?
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Joseph Fiennes
The only time that I saw any version of Romeo and Juliet that didn't make me want to throw up. Rumour has it that's not only playing Vivaldi in a movie, but Darwin, too. Smart. Dudes.
Sondre Lerche! I found out about Sondre Lerche from Mr. Scottland, when we did one of our infamous CD mixes. However, this one featured Sondre's "It's Over" at the end of the CD. It had particular significance, as Scott was leaving for college (a year older than myself), and we were a little apprehensive about the state of our friendship as he embarked on musical genius school.
As you might imagine, the lyrics actually say /it's not over at all/, and I was completely happy to hear Scott's new "indie" sound.
THEN I saw him perform at Park West in Chicago, and got to meet him and tell him he was my favorite musician. The dialogue went as such:
Me: So, um.....yourmyfavoritemusicianeverohmygoodnessIcan'tbelieveI'mhere....sorry... SL: Yeah, wow, thanks though! Me: *superwide grin* Thanks! You're the best!
and then he signed my concert ticket. Yay! Good memories :)
I saw him again this year....still super sweet guy!
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Oh well, that's it for me on that, but there are plenty of other non- famousy men that I'll probably mention later...
Have a wonderful and safe Halloween! I might post pics of my costume....might ;)
I already mentioned it on facebook, but this girl is just too cute! She ALSO loves the cupcake making :)
I'm trying to see if I can get to a petting zoo/ animal sanctuary by the beginning of winter (which, in Chicago is about, I don't know, yesterday?)
More exciting news for my veggi-ness:
*Fakesgiving with friends!Mr. JZ and "As Gay as it Gets" writer are gonna do a fun Thanksgiving day...sans turkey! We'll see if I feel like trying the turkey alternatives ;)
Bought Alicia Silverstone's "The Kind Diet"- finally! I especially like the section on "flirting"....describes me so well! hehe!
My involvement with Oxfam at school has been helping me meet so many people who are wanting to make wonderful change in the world. And none of them are super extreme! Other than in kindness of course...
I bought a used black argyle sweater on ebay for $10. Hopefully it'll fit, and I can put up a post of the lovely gamine style that I love to support so much. I've pretty much decided that, excluding lingerie and workout clothes, I'm going to only buy used clothing- Chicago and Ebay make it was too easy!
Weeee! I have a ton of papers to write, but with the support of my puppy (aka my boyfriend, Andy) and my lovely friends, things are gonna get easier!
So I've been a vegetarian since Spring Break of 2009. This came at a good time, as spring-y foods lend themselves to the "wow, I still have 10 lbs. from winter" bullshit that we all go through. In addition, my roommate and I were halfway through our Spring semester at school, and her sustainability class had inspired her to also eat less meat. I made the plunge, and gave up all meat cold turkey...
Which brings me to my next issue. My only meat-based holiday that I had passed through so far was Independence Day, and trading in peach-mango smoothies instead of burgers wasn't too hard. (After all, I always have BBQ sauce on my veggie patties anyway.....so it wasn't like I was missing out on too much) But NOW, my desire to induce much needed sleep during the last week of November puzzled me. I had primarily given up meat because I felt that it was the best thing for my body. Seeing as though a lean baked turkey would probably not send my body into detox mode (like the much-missed Billy Goat's burgers.....no fries, chips!), I wanted to take some time to reconsider this decision.
After some reading about veggie Turkey-Day alternatives, I had made the final decision not to have an extra-marital affair with the diet that has made me feel lighter and happier than ever before. As my dear, darling friend JZ was telling me, an important figure who factors into one third of my decision to be a vegetarian, not eating it will just leave more room for other stuff that I like....PUMPKIN PIE! I'm such a pumpkin fanatic, I'm going to have vitamin A coming out of my ears by the end of the year!
Above all, this had just better not mean that I have to eat onions.....
