83 items found for your search. If no results were found please broaden your search.
(10/17/13 4:00am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>I’m going to make a bold statement here: autumn offers some of the best seasonal foods.Sure, summer has berries and sweet corn, and winter features ginger-flavored goods and dark, leafy greens, but I anticipate autumnal fruits and vegetables more than those of any other season. Which is why it saddens me that the widespread beloved dishes of this season are reduced to pumpkin pie, apple cider and candy apples. Don’t even get me started on pumpkin spice lattes.But first, let me make this clear — I love all the foods previously mentioned. If you were to deprive me of pumpkin pie on Thanksgiving or a candy apple on a sunny weekend day, I would be robbed of the fall spirit.Don’t do that to me.But I can’t help but be disappointed that so many delicious fall fruits and vegetables go ignored.Sweet potatoes, pears, butternut and acorn squash, persimmons and eggplants are only a few types of produce you could fill your bag with at the farmers’ market in the cool, fall months.But most people are apparently hooked on canned pumpkin puree, caramel sauce and, basically, a whole lot of sugar.So I’m giving you an excuse to break out of your 10-year-old eating habits with what I believe to be an ideal recipe for cool fall mornings.I’m giving you spicy sweet potato hash with creamy goat cheese.As students, we can’t always afford to put in great amounts of time and money into cooking, but that doesn’t mean our diets should suffer. This dish won’t make your stomach growl for too long while you’re preparing it. It won’t deplete your alcohol funds, and it will satisfy your ramen-numbed, flavor-deprived palate.It’s sweet from the potatoes and maple syrup, spicy from the curry powder and rich and tangy from the goat cheese. And you should top it with a fried egg. Go big or go home.Double the recipe and make it for your hungover roommates on a late Saturday morning, or fix it for yourself on a weekday when you don’t have evening classes. The beauty of this recipe is, though it may traditionally be seen as a breakfast dish, it doesn’t have to be confined to the morning hours.As college students, we know breakfast is an appropriate meal to eat at any time of the day. And if you absolutely must, satisfy your traditional fall cravings, and grab yourself a cup of hot apple cider to go along with it. I won’t disapprove. In fact, I’d tip my hat to you.Sweet Potato Hash with Goat CheeseServes twoIngredients:1 pound sweet potatoes (about two small potatoes) peeled and chopped in half-inch cubes1 tablespoon olive oil 1 teaspoon mild curry powder1 small white onion, chopped1 tablespoon maple syrup1/4 cup crumbled goat cheese+ salt and pepper to your taste+ eggs (optional)1. Bring a medium pot of salted water to a boil. Add the cubed sweet potatoes and boil for about four minutes or until tender. Drain the pot, and set potatoes aside.2. Heat a medium-sized skillet over medium-high heat, and add oil and curry powder, cooking for a minute so the curry powder is aromatic. Add the chopped onion, and cook until slightly browned and translucent, which will take about 10 minutes.3. Add sweet potato cubes, and cook for 5 to 7 minutes, or until golden brown. Add maple syrup, salt and pepper, and toss all ingredients, cooking for one minute.4. Once plated, top with the crumbled goat cheese. If you know what’s good, you’ll also top this with a fried egg.
(10/15/13 3:20am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Food is connected to your health because it nourishes your body with vitamins and nutrients. It’s connected to the economy because the money you use for food goes toward the vendor from which you bought it. It’s connected to social gatherings because every meeting is made better by the presence of cookies or drinks.In a less obvious way, food is also connected to the government.When you recognize how undeniably, extensively, dependently close this connection is, you can start to understand how detrimental the government shutdown is to the health and well-being of millions of U.S. citizens.The Women, Infants and Children Special Supplemental Nutrition Program is the platform that provides pregnant women, young mothers and children with nutrition classes, food vouchers and breast-feeding support.It’s extremely important to the 8.9 million kids and moms it supports, but as a discretionary program, not an entitlement program, it must be reauthorized by Congress to receive funding.Last week, North Carolina stopped issuing food vouchers to the 264,000 women, infants and young children in the state’s program.According to the USDA, most states are expected to run out of money by the end of the month.Low-income mothers’ and children’s need for nutritional sustenance doesn’t seem so discretionary to me.Food security is also in jeopardy for the elderly because the USDAs Commodity Supplemental Food Program is suspended.The program normally provides nutritious foods to the elderly who are at least 60 years old with an annual income less than $15,000, but because of the shutdown it has been put on hold.If you were to speak to some of the almost 595,000 seniors who depend on the program, they’d probably tell you they’re a little hungrier than usual.However, more than just low-income young mothers, children and the elderly are affected. The USDA continues to inspect meat and plants during the shutdown. However, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which tracks food-borne illness outbreaks, is working with a smaller surveillance team than usual.The country is currently suffering from an outbreak of multiple antibiotic-resistant strains of salmonella linked to raw chicken from multiple Foster Farms plants in California.More than 300 people have been affected.As a result, the CDC recalled about a dozen furloughed epidemiologists and other experts, but about 9,000 of the agency’s 13,000 employees remain on furlough.Though you can’t claim this is purely a result of the CDC’s depleted staff, you can’t say it isn’t linked.We live in one of the wealthiest, most powerful countries in the world, but the shutdown doesn’t make it seem that way.We might not all agree on questions regarding the debt ceiling or Congress’s behavior, but I think we can all agree everyone has a right to well-being, peace of mind and a little food now and then.— acarnold@indiana.eduFollow food columnist Amanda Arnold on Twitter @Amanda_Arnold14.
(10/10/13 3:36am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>IU President Michael McRobbie presented President’s Medals for Excellence to Anthony Droege, Phillip Tennant and Portia Maultsby, according to an IU press release.The winners were recognized with silver medals Oct. 8 at the University’s Academic Excellence Dinner. Droege is a professor emeritus of art at IU South Bend, Tennant is a retired professor from IU-Purdue University Indianapolis’ Herron School of Art and Design and Maultsby is a professor of folklore and ethnomusicology at IU Bloomington.The President’s Medal for Excellence is the highest honor McRobbie can award, and the medals are given to those who contributed service to IU or have accomplished greatness in the arts, humanities, sciences, education and industry.— Amanda Arnold
(10/08/13 3:38am)
Fried rice made with turmeric, shallots, jasmine rice and peas is a typical Burmese breakfast.
(10/08/13 3:36am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Food is a common denominator.Whether you’re an 80-year-old Buddhist monk in Japan or a 5-year-old girl in Norway, you eat. So, when I want to start to learn about a new culture, I start with what people eat.I was born and raised in Fort Wayne, a city that has welcomed between 6,000 and 10,000 Burmese refugees since 1991. Therefore, when I enrolled in J460: Reporting the World from Home and was told to write an international story with a local angle, I knew the culture into which I wanted to finally delve.Though the community is one of the largest in the country, it was one to which I had never been exposed.This was my chance.Before I did any reporting, I did what I had been wanting to do for months but had been holding off on — I bought Naomi Duguid’s “Burma: Rivers of Flavor,” a cookbook I had been admiring since its publication.I hadn’t bought it because I knew once I did, I’d want to spend all my time cooking myriad recipes for Burmese food, a cuisine I discovered last spring and with which I became enamored.And that’s how I ended up spending three days preparing my first Burmese meal.One day, I filled my pantry with shallots, lemongrass and jasmine rice.The next day I made the staple condiments, such as umami-filled toasted chickpea flour and shallot oil.Then, I got to the real cooking.My final meal consisted of ginger-lemongrass meatballs with turmeric and shallot fried rice, and it was delectable.Though eating the food I had prepared was an experience, the real payoff came later.I went home to Fort Wayne to interview three Burmese refugees this past weekend, and to show them my sincere interest in their culture, I did what I do best — talked about food.One refugee told me though he likes all food, at home he and his wife prepare the traditional Burmese foods I love.When I told another one of the refugees I liked lahpet thoke,a common Burmese salad of crispy roasted nuts and seeds, garlic slices and pungent fermented tea leaves, he widened his eyes in disbelief.He corrected my pronunciation, but I still felt pretty proud.After I shared my knowledge of their cuisine, the three men listed some of their favorite American foods — chocolate cookies, McDonald’s French fries and Chipotle burritos.While I went into the situation hoping to make the refugees feel comfortable by relating to their childhood, they did the same to me, listing what they loved about my culture.I was somewhat ashamed of these American foods, but I couldn’t help but smile.And I can’t deny it — I love a good chocolate cookie and McDonald’s French fry, too.— acarnold@indiana.eduFollow reporter Amanda Arnold on Twitter @Amanda_Arnold14.
(10/01/13 2:20pm)
Though it's often solely used for carving, pumpkin flesh, as well as the seeds, is edible.
(10/01/13 3:10am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Ask someone to make a list of everything that reminds him or her of fall.They are likely to include sweaters, the changing color of leaves and that crisp autumn air everyone loves to cite.There’s also a pretty good chance you’ll hear the drink that has swept America — the pumpkin spice latte.Ten years ago, Starbucks debuted this autumnal drink. Since then, we’ve seen the rise — or demise, I’d argue — of pumpkin-flavored treats.Pumpkin-flavored M&M’s, Coffee-Mate, Pop-Tarts, Hershey’s Pinnacle vodka and even Pringles adorn the shelves of grocery stores in the autumn months. Scientists have said people are drawn to pumpkin because of its association with fall. Because the season and pumpkin goods only come once a year, people leap to get their pumpkin fix.If you ask me, this is unfair to the other delectable flavors that should be associated with fall.Though I look forward to pumpkin pie on Thanksgiving, I also anticipate the arrival of apples, sweet potatoes, persimmons and other cold weather squash at the grocery store. I would be ecstatic to see bakers adding rich, maple-y sweet potato puree to their muffins and cookies, but maybe that’s just me.More than any unfairness to the other fruits and vegetables of the season, this proliferation of pumpkin-flavored goods is the most unfair to the poor, bastardized pumpkin. If you look at the ingredients of your beloved pumpkin treats, tell me if you can find pumpkin, cinnamon or nutmeg in the ingredients list.They’re likely to be at the very end of a string of more than 15 ingredients, if they’re even there at all.Food manufacturers have transformed the vegetable into an artificially flavored syrup whose high sugar content has addicted consumers across the world.Now, I’m not trying to act like I’m above processed pumpkin goods. If you put a pumpkin spice latte in front of me, which contains no real pumpkin, I’m going to drink it and enjoy it.That being said, I’ll also be fully aware that I’m not enjoying it because it tastes like my mom’s pumpkin pie, but instead because I like sugar.All I mean to say is that if you want to call yourself a true pumpkin fan who appreciates its real flavor, eat the real damn thing. Make pumpkin bread swirled with cream cheese, add some puree and ground cinnamon to your cookies, or even take advantage of pumpkin’s savory qualities and put it in a spicy Thai curry with pork over jasmine rice.If you tell me you like pumpkin and list a pumpkin-flavored processed food, you don’t like pumpkin.You just like sugar and artificial flavoring.— acarnold@indiana.eduFollow arts editor Amanda Arnold on Twitter @Amanda_Arnold14.
(10/01/13 3:05am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Martina Arroyo, an IU Jacobs School of Music distinguished professor emerita of voice, has been selected as a recipient of a 2013 Kennedy Center Honors award, according to an IU press release last Friday.This year marks the 36th year of Kennedy Center Honors, and the annual award is presented for lifetime contributions to American culture.Arroyo, a soprano opera singer, is one of five recently chosen to receive an award, and the prestige of the award is aparent in the recipients.The four others being recognized are artists Herbie Hancock, Billy Joel and Carlos Santana and actress Shirley MacLaine.The President and Mrs. Obama, members of the Artists Committee and the Kennedy Center Board of Trustees will receive the honorees at the White House.Arroyo started at Jacobs in 1993, and was recognized as a distinguished professor before her retirement in May 2007.Outside of her career at IU, Arroyo created a course that helped aspiring opera singers in New York City. After seeing success with the course, Arroyo created the Martina Arroyo Foundation in New York City in June 2003.The foundation still exists and works to instruct young singers in understanding public opera performances and applying that knowledge to personal aspirations.Today, it offers a Spring Role Preparation Class and Prelude to Performance, a summer intensive course.“The Kennedy Center celebrates five extraordinary individuals who have spent their lives elevating the cultural vibrancy of our nation and the world,” said Kennedy Center Chairman David M. Rubenstein on the Kennedy Center website. “Martina Arroyo has dazzled the world with her glorious soprano voice and continues to share her artistry with a new generation of opera singers.”Honorees will receive their medallions on Dec. 7, the night before the Honors Gala.For those interested in watching, the gala will be broadcast at 9 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 29, on CBS. — Amanda Arnold
(09/30/13 3:30am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>De Temps Antan, the band of three native Québécois, incorporates harmonica, accordion and various stringed instruments in its take on traditional call and response folk music.For Nomadic Massive, quick multilingual rhymes carry the eight-member band’s multicultural hip-hop beats.Though the two bands have distinct styles, band members said they believe they bring music of the past to the present music scene in Quebec.This past weekend, they brought a piece of Quebec to Lotus Festival. But before any of them took the stage, the Indiana Daily Student had the chance to speak to Pierre-Luc Dupuis of De Temps Antan and Lou Piensa of Nomadic Massive to find out more about their formation, influences and what they have planned for the future.IDS How did your band form? Dupuis We started to work together in another big, big band here in Quebec (La Bottine Souriante). Eric (Beaudry) and I joined the band in 2003, and André (Brunet) was playing with the band during that time.The second year we were working, we just decided to have another side project. Piensa The birth of our band came out of a project at the international Habana Hip Hop Festival in 2004 in Cuba. We were going down individually but were given a collective slot, so that’s what gave birth to our collaboration.We became friends as musicians and slowly as friends. When we came back to Montreal, we tried to keep that going. IDS How did you come up with the name for your band?Dupuis It’s a play on words. It’s the same as “de temps en temps,” (“once in a while”) but the way it’s written, “antan” means olden. This is why we decided to use this word. It made sense to call the band “once in a while” (in French).It’s not a side project anymore. It’s a main project now for us.Piensa We grew up in different parts of the world, and we wanted to go to various parts of the world. That constitutes the nomad. Massive comes from different parts of the world. It also comes from Jamaican dance hall music. They have what they call “massive” that goes around and performs collectively.That’s what we were — a big traveling group. IDS How did you decide to be a hip-hop/traditional French band?Dupuis Our first contact with the music was our family, so we had the chance to grow up in a big family where traditional music was very important. So we really learned how to sing or play a traditional instrument.When we were teenagers, we all played other music like jazz. André studied Indian percussion, and Luc played many kinds of music, like bass guitar for rock.Our musical background is very different, but we love all music.Piensa Everybody has a different story, but we all have a sense of identity in hip-hop that is reflected in our backgrounds. There’s a creative aspect, and there’s an international aspect. Also, social justice is at the root of hip-hop culture. It’s about bettering your community and making something positive out of a bad situation. We try to pass that on.IDS What sort of messages do you try to convey in your songs?Dupuis The lyrics are pretty basic. It’s more about the call and response song the traditional way. There’s a lead singer, and then the other guys will respond the lyrics. Sometimes we talk about travelers, sometimes about war, a lot about drinking. The traditional music is played during traditions, so traditional music and celebrations are close.We like to celebrate with the crowd, but it’s always also fun to just tone it down a bit during a show and get a little darker.Piensa We come from all different situations and cultural backgrounds and have something to share. In our songs, we try to push making the best of a situation and being part of a solution. The work that we do is related to hip-hop — it’s a tool. We all work outside of hip-hop and do work with the community, from working in a community studio in a music program to helping young people in trouble with the law. We also love to joke around and have fun too, though. We love to enjoy life and celebrate life. We like people to come party and get down with us.IDS What are your future plans?Dupuis We want to continue to tour, to play around the world. For the next year, we’re going to be on tour mostly all the year. A lot of shows in Europe. Piensa We want to keep working on a full album. Our last record was in 2009, but we did a mixtape and an EP this year in April. Right now we’re working on a new record.After this festival, we’re actually taking a break from touring to put together an interesting new record.Follow reporter Amanda Arnold on Twitter @Amanda_Arnold14.
(09/25/13 4:44am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Whitney Houston’s “I Wanna Dance With Somebody” played through the speakers as Action Bronson took the stage.Arms in the air, he danced along to Houston before grabbing the mic. Bronson and rapper Danny Brown’s 2 High 2 Die tour had officially taken hold of Bloomington.Canada may have denied Brown entrance earlier this month, but a full room of fans at the Bluebird Nightclub welcomed him and Bronson to the stage Tuesday night.The two rappers are currently performing together for their 2 High 2 Die tour, which commenced earlier this month and will conclude in the beginning of October. Trash Talk, a hardcore punk band from Sacramento, Calif., started the show at 9:30 p.m., and front row fans instantly started a mosh pit. Although Brown and Bronson were the main performers, putting on separate sets, audience members said the opener wasn’t a throwaway act.Colin Walls said he drove two hours from Crawford County in Illinois when he heard that not only Brown and Bronson would be touring, but also Trash Talk.“I like Action Bronson and Danny Brown, and I saw Trash Talk a year ago, and they’re all awesome,” he said. “I came for all three of them.”But before anyone took the stage, the IDS pulled Brown aside and got to ask the rapper MTV once called “one of rap’s most unique figures in recent memory” a few questions about the tour, his thoughts on musicians from his hometown of Detroit and his upcoming album, “Old.”IDS So you’ve been to Bloomington before — a long time ago. What do you think of Bloomington?Brown Last time I came, there weren’t even that many people. After we left, we went out to some bars and stuff and it was crackin’.As a city, it seems pretty cool. But as for the show, I don’t think I’ve really played a real show here yet. IDS Well now you’re here with Action for your 2 High 2 Die tour. How has that been going?Brown I mean, it’s always easy when you can tour with someone that’s your friend.And we’ve been kinda cool way before this even came about. It’s easy, you know?IDS And you have a new album, “Old,” coming out Sept. 30. What can we expect to hear style-wise that’s different from “XXX?”Brown I’m older. I’m more mature.I’ve been making music for a long time, so it’s like at this point, a lot of ideas that I had, I’ve perfected them.I know what works and what don’t at this point. It’s just maturity.IDS Is the name “Old” a reference to you being older now?Brown Well, no. “Old” is more depressing than “XXX.” But you’ve just got to hear it.You can’t really talk about music. Somebody told me talking about music is like talking about architecture. You just can’t really do it.You’ve gotta hear it, you’ve gotta see it.IDS Are there any big influences on this album? Brown I always rap about my life. Art imitates my life, my life imitates my art.So as far as influences go, it’s the music that was the soundtrack to my life, which was in Detroit.Whether it’s psychedelic sampling, J Dilla-esque type stuff, or it be techno-ghetto Juan Atkins music. And I also look up to Jack White because his whole thought process is about making music and just having that motivation.Jack White is an intense person about music, and I feel like I’m the same way.IDS What do you think you bring to the music scene today?Brown It’s not about what I’m bringing, it’s about me leaving behind a mark. I make music so after I die, you can listen to it. That’s it.It’s me documenting what I’m going through in my life, and when it’s over with, we’ll have something left.It’s not about me bringing anything — it’s about my leaving behind a time capsule. Follow reporter Amanda Arnold on Twitter @Amanda_Arnold14.
(09/24/13 2:16am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Twenty years ago, Indianapolis native and aspiring chef Steve Ells was inspired by Mexican eateries in San Francisco’s Mission District.From this inspiration, and with a loan from his parents, Chipotle was born.Since its beginning, Chipotle has been marketing itself as a healthy, environmentally conscious restaurant since it started serving naturally-raised pork in 2000. But fewer than two weeks ago, the Mexican chain took its agenda to another level.On Sept. 12, Chipotle released “The Scarecrow,” a short video that condemns cage-raised, antibiotic-ridden animals and Big Food companies.While Americans should see the video for a reminder of today’s distorted food production system, they should also see the video for what it is at its core — an advertisement.The clip follows an anthropomorphic scarecrow saddened by the world’s mindless loyalty to unsustainable factory farming run by industrial giant Crow Foods. Fiona Apple’s haunting rendition of “Pure Imagination” from “Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory” plays in the background. At this point, you feel guilty for supporting America’s corrupt corporate food system.But once the scarecrow leaves for the countryside and finds a fresh chili pepper — Chipotle’s logo — he begins making fresh food, and the mood lightens.It’s no secret that Chipotle is environmentally superior to the majority of convenience food restaurant chains. The meat is 100 percent naturally raised, the dairy contains no rBGH and tofu is being added as a protein option in stores across the country.However, Chipotle is still a chain restaurant.Though company members might want Americans to face the truth about Big Food corporations, they also want money.By making consumers feel bad about supporting restaurants that serve inhumanely raised meat, which is a majority of Chipotle’s fast food competitors, it’s driving customers away from the Golden Arches and closer to the Chili Pepper.This is not meant to be a condemnation of Chipotle, for I will still frequent the Kirkwood location when I’m in the mood for one of its irresistible burrito bowls.As I said earlier, the chain uses healthy ingredients and they make for a delicious product.This is more of a way to say this to consumers — don’t jump on a bandwagon without thinking about secret motives, which is applicable to everything from politics to pop culture.Thinking about food and its production can do more than just make your mouth water.— acarnold@indiana.eduFollow food columnist Amanda Arnold on Twitter @Amanda_Arnold14.
(09/18/13 2:19am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Grunwald Gallery of Art is welcoming five Berlin artists who have their artwork displayed in the Geist und Form exhibit to give lectures today through Friday.Geist und Form opened in Grunwald Aug. 30 and will remain on display until Oct. 11. The collection showcases the various painting styles in present-day Berlin and is part of the Themester 2013: Connectedness: Networks in a Complex World initiative. The first lecture will be delivered by Valerie Favre at 6 p.m. today in Fine Arts 102. Michael Markwick will speak at 6 p.m. Sept. 19 in Chemistry 122, and Mark Lammert will give the final lecture at 5 p.m. Sept. 20 in Geology 126.The program will conclude with a panel discussion with artists Favre, Lammert, Markwick, Adriana Molder and Jorge Queiroz at 7 p.m. Sept. 20 in Grunwald Gallery. Curator Jurriaan Benschop, a Dutch writer and art critic, will moderate.Though 10 artists have their work displayed in the exhibit in the gallery, only five will be able to speak. However, Betsy Stirratt, director of Grunwald Gallery, said the five artists represent a good range of approaches to painting.The artists will have the chance to talk about these approaches during their lectures.“You’ll hear the evolution of someone’s work from the beginning to the current painting that is being exhibited,” she said. “You might see the transition through different kinds of work, through their approaches, their influences, and even what motivated them to be a painter.”During the panel Friday, Benschop will have the chance to ask the artists questions and conduct an open discussion.“We’ll talk about the process of the artists’ work, and it’s a chance for them to explain something about how they make the work,” Benschop said. “We’ll also talk about the relation with Berlin and what the city has to offer them being an artist in this time.”Benschop said he’s excited to welcome the artists, not only because of their work, but also because of how far they traveled to come to Bloomington. Though only one artist was actually born in Berlin, all are traveling from the art-centric city.“It’s a great opportunity to see the work and to meet the artists in person,” Benschop said. “If you hear artists speaking about their work, it always adds something to your understanding.”Follow reporter Amanda Arnold on Twitter @Amanda_Arnold14.
(09/17/13 3:43am)
Typical matcha kits come with a chasaku (front) for scooping powdered matcha and a bamboo chasen for mixing the matcha with the liquid, and it is prepared in a chawan bowl. Amanda bought her set when she was in Hiroshima this past spring.
(09/17/13 3:04am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>IU Auditorium announced Friday the cast for “Ghost Brothers of Darkland County,” Bloomington-native John Mellencamp, author Stephen King and producer T Bone Burnett’s musical collaboration that will debut in Bloomington.The actors that make up the characters in the McCandless family, which includes some of the main characters, include Bruce Greenwood, Emily Skinner, Lucas Kavner and Joe Tippett.The show’s themes include fraternal love, lust, jealousy and revenge.The story takes place in Lake Belle Reve, Mississippi in 1967 and follows the story of the McCandless family. In this small town, two brothers and a young girl are killed. No one knows exactly what happened.No one except Joe McCandless. The rest of the show is spent watching Joe decide if he can tell the truth in time to save his troubled sons.The audience is left wondering if the ghosts left behind will help Joe, or if they will tear apart the McCandless family forever.The full cast is composed of 15 actors and a four-piece live band.Directors have worked on the musical for 13 years.Its debut follows the release of an album produced by Burnett that came out earlier in the year.Featured artists on the album include Elvis Costello, Sheryl Crow, and Rosanne Cash, and some of the songs are Mellencamp’s.The show is sponsored by Nature’s Way and WTTS 92.3.After the show premieres at 8 p.m. Oct. 10 in the IU Auditorium, it will go on to tour 20 cities throughout the Midwest and Southeast. The musical will return to the auditorium for another performance Oct. 23.Tickets range from $20 to $41 for students with a valid ID.Tickets may be purchased at IUauditorium.com and Ticketmaster.com, as well as at the IU Auditorium Box Office.— Amanda Arnold
(09/17/13 3:00am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>We’ve all been asked the question at least once.“Are you a tea or coffee person?”As someone who abhors narrow dichotomies — I can like both tea and coffee, just as I can like both meat and tofu — I tend to roll my eyes and respond by saying I appreciate both.Though, if I’m being honest, I’m a self-professed tea girl. The 11 containers of different kinds of green tea and matcha kit I bought in Hiroshima that occupy a shelf of my bookcase expose me. But more than any cup of tea or coffee, I like to break from America’s ritualistic guzzling of caffeine on the go and share light banter with someone over a warm beverage.Be it tea, be it coffee.So when Yuko Okumura, a cook I had corresponded with this summer, asked me to come to a talk and share a cup of tea at Sanshin Zen Community Center this Sunday morning, I set my alarm and had a Saturday night in.I arrived at the sangha just before 10 a.m., and while walking inside, I met Yuko and followed her.Once in the basement, I picked out a seating mat and pillow and awaited the entrance of Soto Zen priest. He talked about the meaning of religion and how it translates in other languages. He also spoke of peace of mind, and that very peace reverberated throughout the room.After the talk, Yuko brought in plates of paw paws and red grapes, as well as two steaming teapots of jasmine and echinacea tea. We all reached for teacups and teapots — my preference was for the jasmine tea — and held our hot cups of tea close. Attendees circled the room, stopping to chat after spending the past hour in silence. I sipped my floral tea and chatted to Yuko about the potluck she was preparing.No one was rushing, no one was anxious.Though tea and coffee offer the great benefits of caffeine, as I know all too well, one should remember how the beverages were first enjoyed hundreds of years ago.They were drunk slowly with groups of friends, colleagues and family. Meeting for beverages offered a break from everyday tasks, and the ritual was enjoyable.Time may have passed, but this principle hasn’t lost any of its truth.So, slow down one day. Think about the flavor of the drink, and enjoy the presence of another person or just yourself.Whatever you do, don’t discriminate. Tea and coffee are both wonderful things.— acarnold@indiana.eduFollow columnist Amanda Arnold on Twitter @Amanda_Arnold14.
(09/13/13 3:06am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>The New York Times described Jacquelyn Matava’s performance of composer Lee Hyla’s “House of Flowers” as “moving,” and she also received praise from the Connecticut Post. She’s a native of Farmington, Conn., but for the past few years, Bloomington has been her home.On Friday, she’ll show IU what she’s got.The Ph.D. student will perform her doctoral recital at 5 p.m.in Auer Hall in the Simon Music Center. The mezzo-soprano has plans to perform songs by members of Les nouveux jeunes, a group of French composers formed by Erik Satie.Aside from getting positive reviews from the press, she has also received many prestigious awards, such as winning the New Orleans district in the 2013 Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions.Matava went to Vassar College for her undergraduate degrees in music and economics. She later came to the Jacobs School of Music to pursue a master’s degree in vocal performance and is currently studying voice with Mary Ann Hart.Since being here, she has performed several roles with the IU Opera Theater, including the title role in Massenet’s “Cendrillon” in November 2012.Follow arts editor Amanda Arnold on Twitter @Amanda_Arnold14.
(09/12/13 1:43am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>The Mathers Museum of World Cultures welcomed its “Operation AB — Katyn The Destruction of the Polish Elite at the Beginning of World War II” exhibit Tuesday.The exhibit was organized by the Institute of National Remembrance in Poland and features historical photographs depicting violence in the Soviet Union.Among the images are those of the Soviet secret police, the NKVD, killing Polish nationals in an attempt to combat resistance.Organized into multiple thematic blocks, the first shows the Soviet-German political and military alliance and the invasion of Poland.Other sections portray criminals from the Katyn Massacre, AB Operation and profiles of victims.The final thematic block looks at the big picture of the operations and how little punishment the Third Reich and USSR officers faced for their crimes.The exhibit opened at 5:30 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 10, and was sponsored by the Institute of National Remembrance and IU’s Polish Studies Center.For more information, visit the Mathers Museum website at mathers.indiana.edu.The exhibit will remain open until Sept. 22.—Amanda Arnold
(09/10/13 2:47am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>VegIU, IU’s club dedicated to vegan and vegetarian diets, will hold its callout meeting at 8 p.m. Tuesday. The meeting will take place in Ballantine Hall Room 109.The group plans to talk about its history at IU and ask attendees what they hope for the club to achieve in the upcoming year according to its member email. Vegan and vegetarian food will also be served.Among the food will be cupcakes from Rainbow Bakery, a vegan bakery that opened in Bloomington less than a month ago.Traditionally, the group meets every other week to discuss vegan and vegetarian food-related topics. Such topics include the health, ethical and environmental effects of following a vegan or vegetarian diet.Apart from the biweekly meetings, members also hold special events, including dinners, speeches and film screenings.Though VegIU centers its meetings on vegan and vegetarian issues, the group says “vegans, vegetarians, omnivores” are welcome on its Facebook group.Meat eaters won’t be discriminated. For those who can’t make the callout meeting, VegIU will screen its first film, “Vegucated,” at 8 p.m. Sept. 17.— Amanda Arnold
(09/09/13 2:30am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>I’m a girl with rituals.I eat oatmeal for breakfast every morning. I read the New York Times on my iPad everyday before I get out of bed, and every Saturday, I go to the farmers’ market.My last habit is my personal favorite.From frequenting the open markets in Paris to going to the Alemany Farmers’ Market in San Francisco every Saturday for tamales and peaches, visiting farmers’ markets has become a habit of mine that transcends location, my mood and potential brunch plans.It’s something I do alone, and if you were to ask me if you could come along, I’d probably say no.When I go to the farmers’ market, I don’t like to feel rushed by another person. It’s a time for me to stroll slowly by the stands and spend as much time as I want talking to vendors about their growing methods and reasons for selling.I like to be able to self-indulge and admire heirloom tomatoes for ten minutes if I so please.If I want to wait in line for 10 minutes to buy Honeycrisp apples from Olde Lane Orchard, my favorite apple vendor, I don’t want to feel like I’m boring anyone.This weekend I picked up rainbow chard, half a dozen eggs, a red pepper, green beans and five Honeycrisp apples for $12. Though that $12 wasn’t much, I feel good about where that money went.Buying straight from the source is a rewarding feeling, as you know you’re supporting local vendors who grow produce because they want to. The vendors are like artists that spend hours perfecting their acrylic painting or functional pot.To them, food is their art.From Indiana papaws to black walnuts, the produce just tastes better. The peaches are juicier, the green beans crisper.Also, because the vendors are local, you know the food is fresh and in season. Though I crave sweet potatoes in the summer, I’m forced to wait for them to appear later in the fall when they’re in season.They taste that much sweeter.Going to the farmers’ market is about more than just the food for me, though. It’s my time to ruminate over my thoughts and find happiness in solitude. Doing this while listening to a man belt “Wagon Wheel” and watching people speak to eager sellers with the scent of lavender and basil heavy in the air, makes it that much more enjoyable.More than anything, I like farmers’ markets because they are gatherings of passionate people — vendors passionate about their food, artists passionate about music and organizations passionate about spreading their principles.It’s not always easy to find such a positive, refreshing environments these days. If not for the food, go for the atmosphere.Who knows? You might leave feeling just a little more enlightened than you were before, with a bag full of the reddest tomatoes you’ll ever have.— acarnold@indiana.edu. Follow food columnist Amanda Arnold on Twitter @Amanda_Arnold14.
(09/09/13 1:48am)
Amanda bought apples, rainbow chard, eggs, green beans and a red pepper from the Bloomington Farmers' Market.