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(06/17/04 1:29am)
The Bloomington Garden Club will tour diverse and private gardens this weekend in its 15th annual Summer Garden Walk from 1 to 5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, which includes Hilltop Garden and Nature Center and Oliver Winery.\n"The summer garden walk is great because you are able to view so many different types of gardens, from very big to small and personal," said Pat Bartlett, a member of the Bloomington Garden Club.\nThe tour begins at Hilltop Garden and Nature Center, 2301 E. 10th St., and continues through the other gardens. Each year the club chooses different private gardens to appear in their walk. This year's gardens are selected to represent all of the many aspects of gardening. \n"Each garden in the walk is designed by the individual homeowner, except for Oliver (Winery), which has a master gardener," said Linda Blair, co-chair of garden walk.\nBloomington resident Marsha Barreiro has been involved twice with the summer garden walk. In 1991 and 1998, she showed her personal garden, which she described as colonial and simple. She said she looked forward to this year's walk.\n"There are so many wonderful gardeners in Bloomington and so many different types of gardens to see," she said.\nBarbara Shalucha, former IU professor of botany, founded Hilltop in 1948 to promote community gardening. The center is now a source of pride to many members of the community involved with it. \nHilltop is known throughout the world for its youth garden and educational programs. Young people ages seven to 16 are taught everything from composting to the ecological principles of organic gardening, and they are able to bring home their own produce. \nGarden plots are also available to all members of the community for an annual fee of $60. For more information about Hilltop, visit its Web site at www.indiana.edu/~hilltop. \nThere will be volunteers and garden club members to help answer questions and identify plants throughout the tour. There will also be some descriptions provided. \nDuring the walk, Hilltop will be offering garden tours and refreshments. The garden club will be arranging a flower show with over 100 different arrangements. The Limestone Daylily and Hosta Society is also participating in the event by contributing by selling plants from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. The majority of proceeds will go to Hilltop Garden and Nature Center programs.\n"Ninety-five percent of the proceeds will go to Hilltop and the other 5 percent will go to small non-profit organizations that will benefit the Bloomington community," Blair said.\nThis year the Oliver Winery, 8024 N. Highway 37, will be added as a seventh location. Locally owned and operated, the Oliver Winery has been opened to the public since the spring of 1972. The winery encompasses 15 acres of land.\n"The addition of the Oliver Winery is nice because it shows all of the things a commercial place of business can do," Bartlett said. "We will be able to view all of the flowers, stone accents and lighting that make the gardens look the way they do."\n-- Contact staff writer Jacquelyn Janowski at jjanowsk@indiana.edu .
(03/04/04 5:34am)
Bill Siegel, co-director of the Oscar-nominated documentary feature, "The Weather Underground," will present the film at 8 p.m. Friday in the Collins Living-Learning Center. \nSiegel, a Chicago-based educator, documentary filmmaker and co-founder of The Free History Project, has also worked on other documentaries such as "Muhammad Ali: The Whole Story" and "Hoop Dreams."\nThe directors of the film have both expressed high hopes for the documentary. \n"We hope the film can help spark discussions about activism and protest, as well as serve as a springboard for people to investigate the connections between recent history and today's situation," Siegel said. \nA question and answer session with Siegel will follow the film around 9:30 p.m.\nThe film tells a true story about a controversial group of young people who, during the 60s and 70s, tried to violently overthrow the government. They were strongly against the war in Vietnam and angry about the racism occurring in their country. Their demonstrations included bombing the Capitol building, breaking Timothy Leary out of prison and a string of other bombings, including two dozen public buildings during their "Days of Rage." In this way, they attempted to bring the war home to the United States. \n"We felt that doing nothing in a period of repressive violence was itself a form of violence," said Naomi Jaffe, a former member of The Weather Underground on the film's Web site, www.upstatefilms.org/weather/nytreview.html. "That's really the part I think is hardest for people to understand."\nThe movie raises a lot of questions and forces viewers to think about society and where they stand on certain issues. \n"We really made the film for young people trying to find their voice and role in the world and who may be largely unaware of this incredible period of youth activism and progressive politics of which the weathermen were a part of," Siegel said.\nSiegel said the film can help young people think about non-violent ways to dissent.\n"I think this is a tough time to be a young person figuring out the most responsible and effective ways to dissent if you are not satisfied with what the Bush administration is doing," he said.\nThe documentary explains that the group's actions began as a nonviolent movement and they adopted the armed struggle to make their statement heard loud and clear. \n"In light of Sept. 11, I think this film is very relevant. It is not pro-violence, but makes us consider the tactics we use to confront problems," said Yara Cluver, arts coordinator for Collins LLC.\nIU is just one of the many campuses where the film will be shown. Co-director Sam Green is also traveling around the country showing the documentary and facilitating discussion. The directors are hoping the hype from the nomination will get the film back in theaters and cause more people to want to see it. \n"I'm particularly excited to see the interest it is generating on campuses all over the country," Siegel said.\nOrganizers said the movie has been widely advertised and many students have shown interest. \n"I think it is great that the director is coming to present this Oscar nominated film," said sophomore Eric Rivera, a Collins resident. "I wish there was more of that sort of thing at IU; actually I wish there was a film department, period."\nMany of the members of the Weather Underground, now in their 50s and 60s, agreed to be interviewed. Some lived underground for years hiding from the FBI, but now, decades later, all have moved on. Many who were wanted by the FBI are now teaching at universities, running juvenile justice programs and working for foundations that promote women's activism. \nBut according to film's Web site, it seems ironic to most that when many of the members surrendered themselves, they were never charged because the FBI had violated so many laws during the hunt. \nThis documentary, five years in the making, shapes the story of "The Weather Underground" that some have forgotten, but many younger generations have never heard. \n-- Contact staff writer Jacquelyn Janowski at jjanowsk@indiana.edu.
(03/03/04 6:01am)
A small crowd gathered shortly after 9 p.m. Thursday night in the Indiana Memorial Union Gallery to read and listen to short works of personal creativity. The poetry slam began with a Union Board representative offering free coffee and cookies and opening the microphone to all in attendance, asking those interested to sign up on the clipboard. She then introduced the first poet on the list.\nHe began with a poem he titled "Dandelions." With his left hand in his pocket and his notebook in his right, he began to speak in metaphors and asked the question, "Can you really own love in the way you can own a cliché?" \nHe read a few more poems, adding in side notes such as, "That's a word I made up." He then left the small wooden platform, disguised as a stage, open for the next poet to be introduced.\nA somewhat jittery Ben James Derrick read his story "Man with the Glass Face" and followed up with his short poem "Lightning and Thunder." \nNext, a woman with glasses and a long, brown ponytail took the microphone and started off with her poem, "That Type of Love Sonnet," admitting "... I'm no good at sonnets," and later saying, "I'm a prose poetry junkie." She continued with three other poems, including "The Asylum," in which she explained her choice of 24-hour roadside diners for a night of pouring out her problems to a bartender. She brought the audience with her into the sticky-seated booths of the nearly empty restaurant she described. \nIt was obvious as the night continued in the audience and the poetry that life was being presented from many different perspectives. Compared to the rest of the crowd, a much older woman wearing a blue hat and a blue sweater that hung down a little past her knees spoke about memories and gave her perspective on education and economics, pointing out all education is important, not just the kind that will get you a fancy degree and a job paying a lot of money.\nA few were coming and a few were leaving as one performer announced, "This one is about drugs," and spoke about the morning after an acid trip and claiming things such as, "Not all writers are junkies, but all junkies are writers!" -- to which the crowd applauded. \nOne of the last to read was a man who has recently come to IU to study from Russia. He told the crowd about his flight and first impressions of America. He spoke about missing his wife and son. He read a total of three poems -- reading each in both English and Russian -- to meet the requests of the audience. Each time he read the Russian version, the crowd listened intently, although it was obvious most did not understand even a word.\nThe poetry slam was nearing an early end when the first poet on the list appeared on stage again claiming, "My poetry can be really terrible as long as I read it in a really exciting way." \nEveryone writes for different reasons. This slam gave everyone who read a chance to represent themselves through their own words. Although it was great as a forum of expression, toward the end, the same people came up to the mic and started to ramble. It wasn't as good as other slams I've been to, like a competitive one. Despite this, the slam allowed performers to express their own unique perspectives on life.
(03/01/04 5:31am)
Cafe Django hosts live jazz concerts every Friday and Saturday evening. The venue has had acts such as classical guitarist and IU professor Atanas Tzvetkov,The Ben Himpel Quartet and live jazz guitarist Cameron Mizell. \nThis Saturday evening, vocalist Janiece Jaffe and pianist Monika Herzig graced the cafe. The two musicians have a 15-year history in Bloomington's jazz scene. Herzig and Jaffe have known each other for more than 10 years and have often performed together.\nShortly after 9 p.m., the sound of jazz began to fill the cozy, crowded rooms. Jaffe performed ballads from her current CD "It Takes Two," as well as popular jazz classics. They began the concert with requests from the audience, such as "Autumn Leaves" and "Blue Bossa," a song from the "It Takes Two" album. As the sounds gained the attention of the diners, the duo took advantage of the laid back atmosphere. They set a romantic mood as they played tunes such as "(It's) Almost Like Being In Love." \nIn tradition of Nat King Cole, Jaffe and Herzig continued with their rendition of "Route 66," a catchy blues song about the Midwest highway, that has been a popular standard since 1946. \nAs the night went on, they played ballads such as "In the Wee Small Hours of the Morning" and "Angel Eyes." "Angel Eyes" is a song originally sung by Cole Porter that Jaffe remade for "It Takes Two." These tunes intensified the emotion of the musicians. Jaffe closed her eyes and listened as Herzig went into her piano solo. Herzig accompanied Jaffe quite well, playing at an appropriate volume but also taking advantage when she played her solo pieces. Jaffe refers to "Angel Eyes" as "one of those darker" ballads. The duo picked up the pace with "Love Is Here To Stay," a tune made popular by many performers, including Harry Connick Jr. \nBetween songs, Jaffe spoke of her love for the music of the late pianist Cole Porter. She also mentioned she and Porter share the same birthday.\nAs the concert came to an end, the pace of the music moved from slow and emotional to upbeat. Jaffe snapped her fingers and smiled as Herzig played the last song, "Bye Bye Blackbird" by Ray Henderson and Mort Dixon. \nThe concert ended on a high note as Jaffe thanked everyone for listening.\nAccording to www.acmerecords.com, Herzig holds a doctoral degree in music education and jazz studies from the IU School of Music and is now a part of the music faculty at IUPUI. Jaffe is a resident of Bloomington and started singing jazz at age 19, according to www.allaboutjazz.com.\nHerzig and Jaffe will be in Indianapolis March 19 at The Jazz Kitchen. They will also be performing March 28 in Bloomington for a concert benefitting Middleway House. Jaffe and Herzig both have CDs available. \nLive jazz is played from 9:15 to 11:15 p.m. every Friday and Saturday evening in the elegant setting of Café Django. There is a $3 cover charge. \n-- Contact staff writer Jacquelyn Janowski at jjanowski@indiana.edu.
(01/28/04 5:27am)
The 21st Annual National Conference on Outdoor Leadership will be held Feb. 4 through 7 at the Indiana Memorial Union. The theme of this year's conference is "Tools of the Trade."\nThe conference, sponsored by the IMU and hosted by both the Wilderness Education Association and IU Outdoor Adventures, was held at Bradford Woods two years ago.\n"The two state parks, two state forests, a national forest and a large reservoir within 30 miles of town was a strong attribute for the conference being held here in Bloomington," said David Calvin, program coordinator for IU outdoor adventures and executive director for WEA. \nWEA is a not-for-profit organization made up of professors, students and those in the field of outdoor education who seek to educate in environmental outdoor leadership skills. WEA has now been on IU's campus for three years, Calvin said. \n"In order to optimize the learning environment and increase the quality of recreation, outdoor leadership requires seamlessly blending technical skills with people skills so that course participants feel comfortable, confident and competent," said Greg Martz, IU outdoor adventures program coordinator and director of operations for the WEA.\nPre-conference workshops will be from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Feb. 4 and 5. These workshops include Wilderness First Aid and Wilderness First Responder recertification, a Risk Manager seminar and Basic Snow Techniques, among others. \n"The pre-conference activities should benefit all students who have an interest in outdoor leadership, outdoor education and environmental education," Martz said. \nA banquet Feb. 5 will begin the conference with a buffet and opening remarks at 6 p.m. in the IMU. The events will continue through the weekend and will include all meals and various workshops, ending with an optional breakfast at 8 a.m. Sunday. \nMany IU students will attend the conference as well as those from other midwest universities, professors and those interested in outdoor leadership. \n"I've never been to one of these conferences before, but I'm really looking forward to everything that I will learn and be able to take with me," sophomore Kathy Zaleski said. "I think IU has a lot to offer as far as resources." \nOne of the highlighted events will be 7 p.m. Friday when the keynote speaker, Gary Scott, will take the stage. Scott is a world record mountaineer and professional motivational speaker who recently published his first book, "Summit Strategies: Secrets to mastering the Everest in your life." \n-- Contact staff writer Jacquelyn Janowski at jjanowsk@indiana.edu.
(10/21/03 5:43am)
As day was beginning to turn into night and the air temperature was steadily dropping, a crowd of believers and those simply interested gathered at the Dagom Gaden Tensung Ling Monastery Saturday. The prayer flags surrounding the compound flowed in the breeze with tiki torches livening up the dusk.\nThis was the sight at one of the many Taste of Tibet gatherings at the monastery. The events are one of the ways the monks have been giving back to the community and socializing, as well as raising money for the monastery since they came to Bloomington in 1996.\nHolly Stocking, professor of journalism and student at the monastery, first visited the monastery in 1998.\n"The taste of Tibet is something that the monks like to do for everyone in the community" she said, adding that "people who come [to the monastery] regularly received an e-mail, but fliers were also posted around town." Whether this is the first time a person is attending Taste of Tibet or if they have been an active participant at the monastery for years, according to Stocking, "all people in attendance have gathered tonight to taste Tibet."\nCriminal justice professor Leon Pettiway -- or Lobsang Dorje, his Buddhist name -- helped prepare for Saturday's event by cooking some of the food.\nPettiway explained that monks view "Taste of Tibet" events the same way they view their lifestyle: one of the tenets of Buddhism is giving.\n"[I believe] Buddhism leads to enlightenment, for ourselves and to teach others, and that our main goal is to serve others," Pettiway said.\nThis philosophy is Pettiway's reason for joining Buddhism, and he doesn't see a conflict between being a monk and being a professor.\n"There isn't any conflict at all," he said. "In teaching criminal justice I have begun to see things from a different perspective, in a more compassionate way."\nThroughout the night visitors tasted rice noodles, dumplings, steamed and marinated vegetables, and other traditional Tibetan foods. Some gathered outdoors on the porch or in the chairs set up in the grass, others sat Indian style on the carpet inside the front room of the monastery as they ate and socialized.\nColorful works of art, from flags to photographs, were displayed throughout the front room of the monastery.\n"Prayer flags represent good fortune and positive energy," monk Jam Yang explained. "Each flag has writing on it and the color represents one of the five elements -- earth, air, fire, wind and water -- and as the wind blows past the flags it carries away negativity."\nWhether one was looking to find spiritual enlightenment or a great sample of Tibetan food, the Taste of Tibet had something for everyone to enjoy.\nAs neighbor and student of the monastery Mark Beebe said, "It's a great benefit to the community to have these guys here."\n-- Contact staff writer Jacquelyn Janowski at jjanowsk@indiana.edu.
(10/08/03 5:45am)
Windfall Dance School, a not-for-profit organization that accepts participants of any age, is celebrating its 25th year of teaching and performing, but they have not gotten there without a struggle. A passion for dance and determination has helped the school not only continue, but grow in the past 25 years.\nThe school was originally founded in 1978 by Debbie Knapp, Cindy Clark, Liz Monnier and Jackie Shilling Pullano, all alumni of the IU dance program. According to the Web site (www.windfalldancers.org) the company was first based on "the principles of creative exploration in movement, which is approached with vigor, excellent technique and artistic imagination." \nThe original Windfall Dance Company disbanded after only two years, but the school continued. In 1990, Kim Burden set out to recreate the Windfall Dance Company that exists today. \nWindfall has undergone some major challenges in the past few years, including moving all over downtown Bloomington because the company was unable to pay rent. \n"It was tough constantly moving and trying to keep students and dealing with the gentrification of downtown," said Susan Beard said, a 13-year veteran of Windfall and current instructor. "Our goal at this point would be to continue what we are doing and possibly expand into a second studio in order to offer more classes to our students."\nWindfall has been at its current location, 120 S. College Ave., for nearly four years and the school and company continue with many of the same values. Modern, ballet, tap, Irish step/African, ballroom dance and creative movement are just some of the classes offered for people of all ages.\nBeard said the current classes include children as young as three years old and beginning students as old as 70.\n"What makes Windfall special is both its perseverance and how the school is able to bring together people who want to dance with the acceptance of Windfall," Beard said.\nIU student Heidi Dollinger began instructing last spring. Dollinger said she enjoys sharing what she has done her entire life. When the opportunity arose, she chose to teach at Windfall. \n"Windfall is small and collective;" she said. "The atmosphere is comfortable because people are able to be relaxed and enjoy what they are doing and are not pressured into competitive situations."\nMany of the instructors and dancers have been a part of Windfall for over a decade. They share a love of dance and creative movement and put this energy into teaching and performing at the same school that brought modern dance to Bloomington, the instructors said. \nHeather Maritano danced at Windfall years ago as a young girl. Now a mother, she comes to the school to watch her daughter, Eva Marsh, practice and learn. \n"It's a really beautiful thing to see my daughter dancing and doing the same thing I did when I was her age," Maritano said. "Windfall has so much continuity within the community."\nThe new and older generations will celebrate the 25th year of Windfall in the spring with an open house where the students will perform. \n-- Contact staff writer Jacquelyn Janowski at jjanowsk@indiana.edu
(09/22/03 6:18am)
Members of the Zeta Tau Alpha sorority are hoping to break their own fund-raising record.\nLast year the sorority's philanthropy raised over $30,000 in donations for the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation for breast cancer awareness. \nJunior Ashley Stetter, philanthropy chair, said her sorority is dedicated to helping the foundation again this year. \nThe sorority began this semester by writing letters to family and friends to ask for donations, and this past week it has raised over $4,000. The members are also collecting a portion from all the money spent at Jimmy John's from 4 to 10 p.m. Oct. 1 and a percentage of the cover charge at Kilroy's Bar & Grill, 502 E. Kirkwood Ave., and Kilroy's Sports Bar, 319 N. Walnut St., all night Oct. 2. \nA large amount of the money raised for the foundation is also made by ticket sales for their annual "Big Man on Campus" competition, Oct. 17, at the IU Auditorium.\nJunior Courtney Lindahl, head of publicity and IDS employee, said she hopes the competition will sell out of tickets this year.\n"Along with trying to sell tickets we will also have T-shirts available for $10 and calendars available for $5 at the show," Lindahl said.\nThe theme of this year's BMOC event is "Bad Boys," which will feature impersonations of some of the infamous men through history, including Clint Eastwood, James Bond and rapper Eminem. Each fraternity on campus will submit a representative of its chapter for the event. The competition winner will be chosen on the basis of ticket sales made by each contestant and his talent and interview portion of the competition. \nMatt McLellan, a participant representing Sigma Pi fraternity, said the event is fun for all students to attend. \n"(Students) should expect to see a very entertaining show, while also promoting a good cause," he said. \nSurvivors of breast cancer will be taking the stage during the event to tell their personal stories at the event.\n"There will also be a candlelight vigil during the show, which is important because it reminds people of why they are there," Stetter said.\nTickets for BMOC are available through the IU Auditorium ticket box office, the ZTA chapter at 331-5589 and from BMOC competitors.\n-- Contact staff writer Jacquelyn Janowski at jjanowsk@indiana.edu.
(07/03/03 12:39am)
Many of us walk by it every day on our way to class, but what exactly is in the IU Art Museum? \nInside this building with no 90-degree angles -- which was designed by I.M. Pei and Partners -- are three permanent collections displaying Arts of the Western World, Ancient and Asian collections and art from Africa, Oceania and the Americas. These collections are always on display but often get new and highlighted works. \n"This art museum has a great collection; it is very representative of Western art," museum patron Juliet Foreshaw said.\nThere is also a special exhibition that recently displayed 20th-century German artist Max Beckman's sketches, portraits and prints as well as an exhibit of woven Asante and Ewe cloths made in West Africa, many of which were borrowed from local collectors. Although this exhibition closed Sunday, another special exhibit should be on display soon.\nThe art museum was established in 1941, but it has been at its current location only since its completion in 1982. It has since become one of the foremost university art museums in the country according to the IUAM Web site. The collection is represented by 35,000 paintings, sculptures, photographs, pieces of jewelry and textiles. They represent nearly every culture and period throughout history.\nThe first floor of the gallery has a collection that varies from 17th-century art works showing spiritual concern and sacred values to modern and contemporary collections and art ranging all the way up until the present day. There is also a collection of European and American Impressionist works created by artists such as Monet and Caillebotte.\nThe Ancient and Asian collection contains pieces representing the classical world of the Mediterranean within a span of 7,000 years. As the collection shifts to the Asian collection pieces from Tibet, Nepal, India and Japan, it includes paintings, bronzes and sculptures across the gallery.\nThe third floor gallery takes a different turn as it embraces pieces such as maps, photomurals and labels from Africa, Oceania and the Americas. An eye-catching display of African art is arranged geographically, showing the diversity among the ethnic and stylistic appeal of the objects. The third floor also offers a focal point, or a small changing exhibit, which complements courses being taught at IU and offers a chance for students as well as the public to take a closer look at specific cultures and objects. \n"The IU art museum has an amazing collection, including an encyclopedic collection -- major works of artists from many different geographic locations," said Nan Brewer, curator for Works on Paper. "We have one of the top collegiate collections of African art." \nThe galleries also include art from profound artists such as Pablo Picasso and Claude Monet. Graduate student Mike Butterworth said he enjoyed the art of the well-known artists.\n"This collection of art is very impressive," he said. "I'm very surprised by the range of artists and exhibits."\nDuring the month of July, the art museum will feature a series of events entitled "Jazz in July." These free performances will take place sporadically at 6:30 p.m. on Fridays through July 25 at the IU Art Museum Sculpture Terrace, located on the second floor. For more information, call (812) 855-5445. \nThe museum hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday and noon to 5 p.m. Sunday. Admission is free, but donations are encouraged and appreciated. For more information on the IU Art museum visit www.indiana.edu/~iuam/
(06/23/03 1:37am)
IU junior Rahsaan Bahati is hot. At least, according to People magazine he is.People magazine recently chose Bahati as one of the top 25 hottest bachelors, placing him with prestigious company such as Prince William and Ashton Kutcher in an issue that came out Friday. Bahati is majoring in telecommunications and computer animation with a minor in African-American literature.\nBahati is not only a student, he is also a full-time bicyclist. He began riding at the age of 14 in his hometown of Los Angeles and now rides for the professional U.S. Saturn Cycling Team. He also coaches the cycling team Major Taylor, which competes in the Little 500. \nAlthough Bahati is a member of the team, because of his professional status he is not able to ride in the Little 500. Major Taylor Foundation Inc., president and coach Courtney Bishop has known Bahati for more than three years. \n"Bahati is very unique and has set a great example for his team both athletically and academically, as he has made the effort to attack both hurdles of school and professional cycling," Bishop said. \nThe team is named after the first African- American World Champion cyclist, and Bahati's personal hero, "Major" Taylor. Taylor broke multiple records at the turn of the 20th century, and Bahati is following the same path. In 2000, Bahati won three junior national championships, and in 2002 he placed first in the International Pursuit and in the Collegiate Points Race National Championship. \nBahati made it clear that his goal is not only to continue to put out his best efforts during races but also to make a difference in the lives of young African Americans, according to www.lemondbikes.com, the Web site for Lemond Racing Cycles. He is the first professional African American in a decade to belong to a professional cycling team and said he wants to set nothing more than a good example in order to help him to inspire others to take up cycling.\nIt was because of these qualities and his charm that Bahati was recently chosen by People after an interview process and photo shoot at Malibu Beach. \n"I think that they had good reasons to choose Bahati. He is not only well-known in Bloomington, but is a legend in California," Bishop said. \nAfter looking at his photo, some IU students said they think there are hotter guys out there than Bahati, though.\n"I think that Vin Diesel is definitely one of the 25 hottest bachelors," freshman Rachel Blake said. "If there is an IU student on the list, they obviously did not look very far"
(06/19/03 12:39am)
The daily lives of those who live in the Amazon basin are being explored by the Mathers Museum of World Cultures, located at 416 N. Indiana Ave. "Forest Farmers of the Amazon Estuary," a temporary exhibit, was installed recently in the museum. It will be at IU for at least another three years, giving everybody ample time to see the new exhibit, which celebrates the daily lives of the farmers who live in this exotic locale.\nIn conjunction with the exhibit, many gathered June 12 in the Virgil T. Devault Gallery of the Mathers Museum to celebrate "Forest Tales, Forest Feast," an event put on by the museum and the Bloomington Storyteller's Guild. This was an event of Amazon storytelling and sampling exotic foods from Brazil. \nThe evening began with a story of the "Creation of Night." Abbie Anderson greeted guests and began telling her story to the crowd gathered around. \nAnderson is the Curator of Education at the Mathers Museum and is also part of the Bloomington Storyteller's Guild. She began telling stories with the guild last fall. \n"I love being able to share stories as well as do the research and learn along the way," she said. \nThe stories continued with "The Master and the Crocodile." This story belongs to a Malaysian Indian Tribe and was told with great animation and a sense of humor, keeping the crowd entertained. Another story, "Secret Footprints," was told by Brandie Hartman, who is a member of the guild as well as a School of Library and Information Science student at IU. \nHartman said she has been telling stories as long as she can remember. \n"I think tonight went really well; there was a great turnout and I loved how the younger children gathered in the front of the room on the carpets," Hartman said. \nContinuing with not only a great story but frog puppets and fabulous interaction with the crowd, the "Story of a Frog" was told as the audience was asked to make frog sounds in Spanish. Through the entire story, the storyteller spoke in both Spanish and English, making the story educational and fun for the audience. \nMoments later, another storyteller stepped up to tell her story, "The Wings of a Butterfly," originated by the Ticuna Tribe of Brazil, Peru and Columbia. The story was about a young girl who one day followed a beautiful blue butterfly into the forest and lost her way. After asking for the help of many forest creatures who resented her for her human status, she finally came upon yet another beautiful blue butterfly who turned her into a butterfly in order to fly across the river and return home. \nThe story of "The Crafty Chameleon" was animated and told as the conclusion of the storytelling part of the program. \nAfter the tales were finished, the audience migrated from the room out into the museum to look at the brilliant pictures and artifacts from Brazil and sample the Brazilian foods that had been prepared. Some of these foods included hearts of palm, feijoada (a vegan dish), biscoitos de maizenas (Spanish for cornstarch cookies), and acai fruit pulp and smoothies. The recipes for the dishes were all researched and prepared by the staff of the Mathers Museum. \nJudy Kirk, assistant director of the Mathers Museum, spoke of the importance of many of the foods that were available that evening.\n"Some of these foods are very rare to come by in this area, but we wanted to make them available because they are very important to the economy of the Amazon estuary," she said. \nFor more information on the events hosted by the Mathers Museum of World Cultures, call 855-6873 or visit www.indiana.edu/~mathers/new/programs/index.html.
(06/16/03 12:43am)
If you're into rock 'n' roll, live music and having a good time, Memphis is the place to be this summer. Not only is Memphis the home of Elvis, but also that of Sun Studio, the most famous recording studio in the world and the "birthplace of rock n' roll." This studio launched the careers of recording artists such as Johnny Cash, Jerry Lee Lewis and the king himself, Elvis Presley. \nMemphis has everything you could need, from numerous hotel accommodations, fabulous restaurants to a great nightlife scene. Dance clubs such as Alfred's, Backstreet Memphis and Denim and Diamonds are known to keep things moving until early morning. But don't stay out too late on your first night -- you have a big day ahead of you. \nThe Pyramid Arena also belongs to Memphis. This 32-story arena is the third largest pyramid in the world and is taller than the Statue of Liberty and Taj Mahal. This pyramid is not there to just look at; sound artists such as The Eagles, Dixie Chicks, Christina Aguilera, Justin Timberlake and the American Idol Concert Tour are headed there during the summer months. There are also tours available to view "The Gallery of Stars," "The Riverside Club," backstage and the dressing rooms.\nIf you have more educational pursuits in mind, Memphis offers plenty of museums and nature centers. The Lichterman Nature Center is one of America's newest and most innovative ones. It includes 65 acres of forest, a 10-acre lake and many wildlife resources. There are forest walks, a lookout tower, a greenhouse and -- of course -- a gift shop to buy Lichterman Nature Center mugs and T-shirts. \nWildlife preservation is also the goal of the Memphis Zoo. Many special events are planned throughout the summer, such as the "Wild World of Wines Benefit" and "Pandas, Paintings and Pagodas." The Memphis Zoo provides tours, classes and programs for learning and fun. It also has a new research and conservation department to "expedite conservation, research and sustainable development, in order to preserve our natural world," according to its Web site. \nThe Pink Palace Museum and Mansion is one of Memphis' largest. This mansion of pink-colored stone was once owned by Clarence Saunders. He pioneered the first self-service grocery store in Memphis and named it Piggly Wiggly. However, before Saunders could ever live in the mansion, he lost his fortune to the stock market and the house was soon bought and donated to the City of Memphis, which later turned it into a museum. A replica of the first Piggly Wiggly supermarket still stands in the museum, but Pink Palace Mansion also has a new IMAX theater and the Sharpe Planetarium. \nSpeaking of mansions -- you knew I would get to it -- Elvis Presley's Graceland Mansion offers tours daily. The tour of this 14-acre estate includes highlights such as a music room, Elvis' parents' bedroom, the "jungle" den, a racquetball building and Elvis' trophy building, which has his gold records, awards, costumes and photographs, among many other invaluable items of Elvis memorabilia. \nThe city of Memphis, with a population of 650,000, continues to grow residentially, as well as economically and socially. If you're looking for a short vacation full of excitement and new experiences, Memphis is only a state and a tank of gas away.
(06/09/03 2:15am)
Saturday afternoon the Bloomington Blues Festival kicked off at 4 p.m. with the first band, Gordan Bonham. The crowd, made up of frolicking young kids doing cartwheels, dancers, long-time blues fans and people out walking their dogs, collected around the stage in Bryan Park sitting on blankets and lawn chairs to listen to some local blues.\nThe Blues Festival was the first of a series of free events that are planned through the summer at Bryan Park.\n"(The City of Bloomington, Parks and Recreation) are now celebrating the 20th year of the summer series," said Community Events Coordinator Leslie Kaiser. "We really hope for the public to become aware of the series and all it has to offer." \nThe second band, The Nor-Tones began playing around 5 p.m. and shook things up a bit. Although the Nor-Tones are now a Bloomington-based band, they said they are used to playing unfamiliar cities. Singer Cathi Norton has been with the band for nearly 30 years and has toured the country. She said although they are used to playing out-of-state, recently playing Chicago Bluesfest, it was great to play for her hometown and all of her friends on such a beautiful day. \nAlong with being able to hear local music, one could also stop by the table set up by Bloomingfoods Market & Deli. Bloomingtonfoods Operations Manager Pete Kinne said they often set up tables to promote community events associated with the Bloomington Department of Parks and Recreation. Bloomingfoods presents natural food to the public in an accessible way. One could pick up a dinner at the booth, with options of shrimp and sausage jambalaya or vegetarian-friendly jerked tofu. Vegan cookies, banana bread, organic coffee and juices were also available. \nThe third band to take the stage was Code Blue. Within a few moments the presence and vocals of Bobbi Lancaster drew a crowd of dancers. The band was recently featured on the Live From Bloomington CD, but mainly played cover songs such as "Mustang Sally" and "Hound Dog." \nTwo concert-goers who often took stage on the dance floor were Sharon Stefanek and Steve Hedges. They said they had heard many of these bands before at Blues Night at the Vertigo Nightclub, and they came because of their love of blues music. \nThe two said the bands had great sound, short delays and the event seemed to be planned out well. \nThe event with a rhythm and blues band, The Dynamics. Bloomington is planning more events to come in the Performing Arts Series for the summer.\nFor more information on the upcoming Bloomington Performing Arts Series visit www.visitbloomington.com/att_cul_theat.html.