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(02/19/14 1:54am)
What-A-Drag!, Spectrum's annual drag show charity event, will be held on Saturday, Feb. 22, in the Student Center Ballroom from 7 p.m. to 11 p.m. What-A-Drag! is open to the public for a $5 admission fee, which supports LGBT organizations and Auburn's Gay-Straight Alliance.
According to Darcy Corbitt, senior in psychology and Spectrum's director of social affairs, proceeds from What-A-Drag! will be donated to either The Trevor Project, Equality Alabama or The Transgender Law Center.
In a new competition-style performance, the winning charity will be chosen by the drag king or queen who receives the largest amount of tips throughout the performance. Audience members are encouraged to bring $1 tips for performers representing each of the charities.
"A drag show is a sort of symbol for the LGBT community, and it normalizes the trouble people could have with gendered performance by making it ridiculous--by making it extreme," said Ellen Dowdell, senior in sociology and English Literature and director of event planning for What-A-Drag! and Spectrum. "There's like an energy that comes from being together and being free to stand out."
The event is comprised of both amateur and professional drag performances and will be emceed by Daisy Pukes and Femma Nazi.
What-A-Drag! is Spectrum's major outreach event for the academic year, with members of both the University and local community in attendance.
Hayden Harris, senior in business management and assistant director of social affairs for Spectrum, said last year's What-A-Drag! event raised more than $1,000 for charity.
"For the most part, response has always been positive to What-A-Drag! People seem to enjoy it whenever they go," Harris said.
Harris said the event promised to be a lively one that appealed to a wide audience, whether they are active in Spectrum or not.
Dowdell pointed out that while Spectrum has roughly 100 members, What-A-Drag! has recorded close to 300 spectators in recent years.
"People who have never been keep comparing it to a fashion show, but it's not like that," Dowdell said, "It's more like a concert. Everybody's close and gathered in and excited about what's going on onstage. There's no sitting back, it's all forward motion, forward interaction with the performer."
Spectrum representatives and drag performers will present the charities they've chosen to support and share the Gay-Straight Alliance's message.
While the show ultimately spreads a deeper message about equality, What-A-Drag! steers away from too much gravity.
"In some ways it's a more positive, freeing, optimistic event because it's celebrating," Dowdell said. "It's exuberant. It's loud and unapologetic."
Auburn's Spectrum has teamed up again with Spectrum Troy, who will be sending performers and working behind the scenes.
"Members of other Gay-Straight Alliances state-wide have also been invited to contribute to this event, and Spectrum Troy has been very instrumental in this event's success in the past," Corbitt said.
For those who have never attended a drag performance, Dowdell explained that there is a difference between performing in drag and being a transgendered individual.
"It is important to note that drag is a performance, it is a gendered performance," Dowdell said. "People do it once a year. If they do it professionally they may do it several times a year, but it is different from being a transgendered individual, so no one should assume anything about gender based on what they see."
(02/17/14 9:47pm)
The invention of Siri for iPhones brought a new way to find restaurants, get directions and ask random questions only Siri would know. AroundMe is an app with similar qualities, but you don't have to depend on Siri deciphering your question before you get an answer.
AroundMe works for both travelers and locals. With 19 different categories, such as banks, gas stations, hotels, movies and more, it can be can be beneficial for anyone who is trying to save money or try new things in a familiar area.
Once the app is opened, it uses your GPS to locate things in each of these categories in a close radius. Some of the categories, such as nearby, which tells you what buildings are nearby, have a description of what the building is used for, how much it costs and when it was built.
If you want to figure out what bar to go to in a new city, you can click on the bar and see comments from other people via Foursquare. For Toomer's Drugs, one of the comments says, "Enjoy a glass of freshly squeezed lemonade. It is an Auburn Tradition."
The app also tells you how far the destination is from your location and shows you a map of how to get there.
Some of the categories include relevant information, such as the phone number and the website where users can find more information.
Foursquare also links photos users have taken of the location if they are available, so you can see if a place is ideal for a date or if it looks subpar. The deals category, powered by Groupon, tells you places nearby with good deals.
Another useful category for travelers is the gas stations section, which lists the prices for each gas station divided by unleaded, midgrade, premium, diesel and nearest. It also tells you the last time the price was updated.
The hotels category is rated by stars, lists the price and allows you to book your room by transferring you to booking-
.com.
If you're in a hurry and need a place to park, the app will show you places nearby and include the format of the parking and any restrictions on parking.
Although free, you can eliminate advertisements with a $2.99 upgrade. It's a simple app that doesn't have too many distractions.
You can get the information you need fast and efficiently.
(02/17/14 8:50pm)
The Curious Fox is as intriguing as its name suggests.
Tucked away in Downtown Opelika, walking into the intimates boutique is like stumbling upon a treasured secret. Hardwood floors creak as you walk in. Artisan jewelry and delicate lingerie are displayed on cream-colored walls like art hung in a museum. The aesthetic is minimalist and inviting. Eucalyptus and spearmint waft from a candle burning on the front desk.
The smiling brunette behind the counter is Saramia Arenas, an Auburn native who studied photography at Savannah College of Art and Design.
"When you think of a woman as a fox, it's a woman that's beautiful, confident, cool," said Arenas, who serves as manager, sales associate and buyer for The Curious Fox.
According to Arenas, intimate apparel plays an important role in boosting women's self-confidence. Taking the time to treat herself and feel attractive can change how a woman feels in and out of the bedroom.
"We aim to provide an experience that makes women feel empowered--a place where women can come to celebrate being a woman," Arenas said.
Pieces by Simone Perele, Mary Green and Montelle Intimates are laid out with simplistic visual merchandising.
The airy hues, handcrafted lace and China silk are presented to the shopper as delicate heirlooms--a far cry from flashy, overtly sexual designs found in major retailers.
"The idea from the beginning was to be the complete opposite," said Phil Moody, owner of The Curious Fox. "I just felt like we didn't want to give any kind of image to the women. I didn't want to project anything to them so they can just come and be whoever they wanted to be."
As a small business, The Curious Fox is a champion for shopping local. From pushing customers to sign up for credit cards to impersonal customer service, Moody explained that retail chains are treating shoppers like numbers.
"We as consumers are getting smarter and we're not falling for that as much," Moody said. "I think they've hit a tipping point where they don't deserve to be around. I think places like this deserve to be around, where knowledgeable staff will come help you and spend time with you."
Moody, a graphic designer from Lafayette, La., transformed the former office space in September 2013. While the boutique was his vision, Moody has handed the reins over to an all-female staff to ensure customer comfort and privacy.
"I want people to think of Saramia when they think of the Fox," Moody said.
In addition to promoting female empowerment and local business, The Curious Fox has a commitment to supporting local artists.
"People don't realize how important art is," Moody said. "Artists tend to be mini profits. They bring trends to the area because they see things and create things and if they're artists who are also business-minded, man, they can really do things."
After carrying Opelika-based artist Kate Manning's line of scarves and knitwear in December, The Curious Fox decided to seek out more homegrown artistic talent.
"We're a store, but we like to think of ourselves as very curated, similar to an art gallery," Arenas said. "We're always on the lookout for something cool and unique."
Arenas pointed out two fox paintings hanging on the wall by R.C. Hagans, an Opelika native. A curtain sewn and decorated by Jane Randall of Opelika's Jane Sweet Jane designates the dressing room area, and Oxford shirts designed by Moody's friends, Jonathan and Holly Powell, hang on a silver rack.
"I like the idea of investing in art and people, so I'll always have a piece of RC in here. I'll always have a piece of Jane. I'll always have a piece of Jonathan and Holly in here," Moody said.
Moody has also invested in the talent of Auburn University student, Ashley Kickliter. The junior in graphic design was recruited to produce editorial photography for The Curious Fox.
Kickliter said she was thrilled to be part of this small business.
"I'm a photographer and I've had a portrait business here since I was 16, but fashion photography is what I really want to do," Kickliter said. "They hired me to a shoot for them with models in their products and gorgeous sleep shirts."
The Curious Fox views their lingerie as an investment, and prices of apparel start at $20.
"Hopefully, the idea is that when people buy a piece, they love it, so it's almost like a piece of art that they've taken home," Moody said.
The Curious Fox also carries handcrafted luxury items from Freedom Soap Company and The Green Bottle Candle Company from Birmingham and artisan jewelry from Red Earth Trading Company.
Open only on weekends, The Curious Fox is located at 711 Avenue in Opelika, Ala.
(02/12/14 9:30pm)
April 27, 2011 will always be remembered as the day when one of the deadliest and destructive tornadoes tore through Alabama. As the F4 tornado ripped through Tuscaloosa, it destroyed thousands of homes, businesses and other buildings. At least 53 people died, according to AL.com. No one could have imagined this devastating aftermath. Tornadoes can be unpredictable, so it’s important to take the proper precautions. In the event of a tornado, staying in buildings such as apartments and trailers can be risky. College students, in particular, should always some kind of safety plan. Auburn Public Safety Director, Bill James, suggested those who live in non-sturdy structures, such as mobile homes, should try to get out when they hear warnings. James said the safest places to go are those made of concrete and steel.
“A lot of the people that live in the trailer parks out on Wire Road will go to the vet school just because you have a lot more of a sturdy structure there,” James said. “Some of the parks also have a more permanent structure at their office, and if that’s as far as you can get, then at least you get there.”
Once a tornado warning has been issued, those who live on the upper floors of apartments should try to get to a lower floor or the complex clubhouse if possible. The Auburn University Department of Public Safety and Security recommends staying away from windows and doors to prevent injury from glass or other flying objects and also using heavy items to protect your head. Lauren Massey, senior in finance, lives at The Grove apartment complex where and she and her roommates have a self-designated place to go during tornado warnings.
“We decided that when there is a tornado warning, we will go to my closet,” Massey said. “It’s the only room in our apartment that doesn’t have an outside wall.”
Once there are signs of severe weather, it’s always a good idea to be watchful and cautious. Auburn University established an efficient alert system to keep students up-to-date with the weather conditions. This system includes AU Alert messages, tone alert radios on campus and a weather monitoring radar system, which tracks storms across Alabama. Lee County also has outdoor tornado sirens that signal tornado warnings. Along with listening for the sirens, you should also keep an eye on the news and listen to the radio. More recently, phone apps have been a useful tool to stay updated with the weather, such as The Weather Channel app. Both tornado watches and warnings should be taken seriously.
“During a tornado watch, it’s business as usual on campus, but everyone should stay alert for changes in the weather and prepare to seek shelter should a warning be issued,” said Susan McCallister, associate director of the Department of Public Safety and Security.
The University also provides shelter during severe weather conditions to those who need it. Greene Hall on Wire Road and the University library are both open for students, employees and visitors. For more information about tornado safety and risk management visit the Department of Public and Security page on Auburn University’s website.
(02/14/14 5:15pm)
We've all heard the controversy about diet soft drinks and how they might be unhealthy: can regularly consuming these drinks lead to serious health risks such as obesity or even heart problems?
The common concerns that make diet soft drinks questionable to some people have to do with a key ingredient: artificial sweeteners.
People who typically drink diet soft drinks are those who are looking to lose weight or consume less sugar. These low-calorie beverages are offered as an alternative and contain 99 percent of water andartificial sweeteners.
Some believe that because diet soda contains artificial sweeteners, such as aspartame and saccharin, they feel like they are allowed to consume more calories in their diet.
Auburn University Nutrition Professor, Dr. Kevin Huggins, said that recent research has suggested that artificial sweeteners are also thought to cause a certain signaling to the brain that ultimately will cause an increase in caloric intake.
"From what I understand that's very preliminary research, and so we really don't have a good handle on that." Huggins said.
"Shape" magazine infers that diet soft drinks alone won't necessarily cause weight gain or weight loss.
Allegedly, weight gain will most likely depend on the individual's overall health.
Laurel Lee, a junior in elementary education, enjoys having a diet soft drink every now and then.
"I like the taste of Diet Dr. Pepper better than regular," Lee said. "And the idea of zero calories is more appealing than consuming a ton of sugar in one drink."
The supposed health risks of diet soft drinks make them not even worth drinking to some people.
Savannah Weber, a sophomore studying building science, believes that diet soft drinks are counterproductive and would recommend drinking water instead.
"[Diet soft drinks] may not have any calories, but the things that they put in them are so bad for you that you might as well just drink a regular one," Weber said. "If you're really trying to diet and get healthy, then you wouldn't want to be putting that crap in your body anyway."
Although there are many speculations floating around about diet sodas, no major health risks have been proven.
Ultimately, as long as consumers are moderately drinking a can of diet soda, serious health concerns shouldn't be an issue.
"Of course, you know, if you do a Google search on these things you can find all sorts of people linking [diet soft drinks] to bad health issues, and that's probably anecdotal, and you can't really rely on that," Huggins said.
(02/13/14 2:50pm)
After being eliminated from Oxygen's "Glee Project" in 2012, Auburn musical theatre graduate, Shanna Henderson has stolen Nashville's heart as a blossoming country music star.
The delicate Southern dialect, blonde hair and bright blue eyes could be misleading, but Henderson is nothing close to an antebellum damsel in distress.
Besides her powerful voice, the Real Town native has a fierce stance against cyberbullying and life experiences have proven her to be nothing short of a warrior for change.
"Bullying is so different now," Henderson said. "Everyone is hiding behind their computers."
In an age without iPhones and Twitter, the bullying Henderson experienced was upfront and more personal.
"The bullying I endured was about truthful facts," Henderson said. "People thought they knew my story, but they didn't know me. It was hard in the moment to overcome that."
Because of her mother's struggles with drug addiction, Henderson said peers degraded her by calling her a "crack baby."
The bullying, which began in kindergarten, reached a climax in high school when Henderson found the severed head of a deer in her mailbox.
With it, a note said, "You're next."
Henderson said that despite the torment, her grandparents encouraged her to avoid living like a victim.
"They said, 'You are not a victim, you will not be a victim, you will move forward and you will be okay,' and it really was their continued understanding that helped me do that," Henderson said.
Sharing her story on "The Glee Project", a reality show in which the winner appeared on the television show "Glee", set Henderson apart from her competitors in a way that revealed the drive and depth within the sunny blonde.
Henderson placed sixth in the show.
"One of the best things I learned at Auburn through BFA was about finding those experiences that really trigger an emotion and using those for your benefit and turning it into a positive," Henderson said.
When she isn't recording with famed songwriter Pat Alger, who wrote songs for Country greats like Garth Brooks and Trisha Yearwood, Henderson visits local schools to share her story of triumph over bullying.
"A lot of those kids that bullied me have apologized, and I've totally forgiven them because I guarantee to the victim of bullying--if you just continue to push through and ignore, you will come out on top on the other end--you will win," Henderson said.
As a motivational speaker, Henderson said she is occasionally approached by students who are being cyberbullied.
"I'll never forget a little girl coming up to me after hearing my story and giving her a little bit of hope--even if it wasn't enough hope to really change her perspective, it was enough to give her a little bit of light," Henderson said.
Her ability to seek out the positive in the midst of negativity, allowed Henderson to see her elimination from "The Glee Project" as an optimistic turning point in her career that solidified her goal to pursue a life in music.
"With one meeting and performance, Shanna Henderson got my attention," said Jennifer Bohler, Henderson's manager and publicist.
Also an Auburn graduate, Bohler has worked with artists ranging from Reba McEntire and Little Big Town to the Troubadour Kings.
"She understands things many people twice her age have yet to figure out. I think there is no limit to what she will accomplish in the entertainment world," Bohler said.
Alger, Henderson's writing partner and mentor, described his first songwriting session with Henderson.
"After an hour or so I also realized I was sitting across from a terrific soulful singer--the kind that has seen some things and survived but is still full of hope," Alger said. "She is obviously young but wise, full of crackling energy but also focused."
Henderson, who is also working on film projects and plans to write a motivational book, has kept close friendships with her Auburn Theatre classmates.
She has completed the pilot for Auburn grad, Kat Grilli's series "Broken Things," and lives with her best friend from her graduating class at Auburn.
She urged anyone seeking a career in the arts to maintain positive relationships by helping other artists.
Henderson is becoming known for her resilience as an artist and as a human being. When asked about it she replied matter-of-factly.
"You share what you are with other people," Henderson said. "I'd rather share a smile with someone rather than my pain."
Through it all, Henderson has proven to be a woman of substance, firmly rooted in the belief that any bad circumstance can turn out to a blessing in disguise.
(02/12/14 6:05pm)
Valentine’s Day is here, and Auburn restaurants are ready for the influx of couples to wine and dine for a romantic evening. Some places are even providing live music. If your cooking skills aren’t up to par, or you want to impress your significant other with a nice dinner, here are some restaurants in Auburn providing special Valentine’s Day menus. Ariccia Italian Trattoria & Bar is having special menu with two options. One column says, “for you,” and the other says, “for two.” Each option is $49 per person. The “for two,” column starts off with a choice between a dozen blackened chard grilled or raw oysters. Another option is the spinach and goat cheese ravioli. The second course can either be a mixed grill, which includes salmon, shrimp, chicken, Alabama sausage, NY steak, market vegetables and roasted potatoes, or a rack of lamb with herb crust, cast iron potato au gratin, spinach, roasted market vegetables and olive jus. For desert, they will have a chocolate and barista station with a variety of chocolates, a chocolate fountain and coffee. Amsterdam Cafe will have a special Valentine’s Day menu, which will not be released until closer to Valentine’s Day. The pricing will be similar to their regular menu. Hamilton’s will also have special Valentine’s Day features in addition to their regular menu, but the menu won’t be available until Valentine’s Day. If you haven’t had time or a special occasion to try Acre yet, this could be your time. Acre’s Valentine’s Day menu starts off with deep fried brie with puff pastry and red wine, cherry sauce and arugula, broiled Virginia oysters with pork belly crumbs and fennel butter, gulf blue crab and corn chowder with bacon bits and chives, or strawberry-walnut salad with bleu cheese, bacon, spinach and sherry-honey vinaigrette. The entrees include a butter-poached grouper with crispy fried Gouda grits and a pickled red onion-arugula salad topped with lemon-herb sauce. They will also offer seared diver scallops, fried pork belly, picked grapes, sweet potato puree, sherry molasses and fresh basil. The final two entrees are a crab and lobster pasta with angel hair, vegetables, tomato-basil butter and Parmesan cheese or a grilled filet mignon with whipped potatoes, haricot verts, and crimini-cabernet sauce. Finish the night off with sweet potato bread pudding, chocolate bette noire, or a raspberry sorbet “float.” Zazu Gastropub will be setting a romantic atmosphere with a live violinist to go along with their fixed-price $50 dinner menu. The meal will start off with one of three appetizers, including lump crab cakes and fried green tomato with house-made remoulade and baby arugula, sautéed langostino tails, or porchetta with pork tenderloin stuffed pork belly, shaved parmesan, and baby arugula. The next portion will offer soup and salad options including shrimp bisque, mixed greens, Caesar, baby spinach, and baby iceberg. The entrees are pan-seared filet mignon, pan-seared duck breast, mahi-mahi scallopini over house made papparedelle, roasted airline chicken breast, or low country shrimp and grits with Andouille sausage. Finally, for dessert they have crème brulee, chocolate and hazelnut pudding, or strawberry liquor-soaked sponge cake. Café 123 has reached their maximum reservation count for Valentine’s Day, and they will not be taking any more reservations or walk-ins.
(02/11/14 4:47am)
Women looking to empower each other need to look no further than Between Women, the discussion group created by Diamond Brown, junior in clinical laboratory science. Run by students for students, Between Women exists to unify and foster understanding between women of different backgrounds and cultures.
"It's geared toward LGBT women, but we welcome all types of women," Brown said.
After attending a Women's Initiative conference as a freshman, Brown was inspired by the success of the unified women who presented. Already familiar with Spectrum, Auburn's gay-straight alliance, Brown created a group to deal specifically with women's issues. She organized the group in fall 2012.
"We've been taking issues that women have and then applying that to the LGBT community." Brown said. "Like employment: 'How much do you get paid? If you're going to get hired, can you get fired legally?'"
Bonnie Wilson, coordinator for the Women in Science and Engineering Institute (WISE), helped Brown establish Between Women after teaching her in the WISE learning community course.
"It was literally just an idea, and she took it and ran with it and it's been great," Wilson said.
According to Wilson, Between Women provides a safe, intimate forum for discussing topics like domestic violence, relationship struggles and equality.
"It's smaller than other LGBT groups around campus, so it's very insulated, very protected and very private," Wilson said.
Brown explained the small size of the group allows more introverted women to feel comfortable expressing their opinions and sharing personal stories. Brown and her vice president, Sami Lee, junior in biomedical sciences, research the challenges women face in professional, legal, educational and domestic spheres before bringing them to the group.
"We do all the research for them, boil it down to something really simple--put it in layman's terms--and then give it to them and see what the think," Brown said.
According to Brown, this spark of discussion is critical to young adult women.
"You're going to go into the real world after this, and so you need to be prepared for what the real world has to throw at you," Brown said.
According to Lee, Between Women and its blog also provide a link between women and the resources they have access to as Auburn University students.
"Resources are out there that not a lot of people are aware of," Lee said. "Auburn University has a lot of resources available for women."
Between Women meetings are held once a month and are open to any women who are lesbian, bi, transgendered, or questioning and their straight allies. The group hopes by spreading awareness of the inequality against women and providing a platform for dialogue, they can enact change.
"The more people see that equality is needed in Alabama physically with their eyes, they can't hide it and pretend it's not there and be in denial about it," Brown said.
Between Women's blog can be found at http://aubetweenwomen.weebly.com/
(02/08/14 5:38pm)
Having a home birth is an option many Alabama women don't have and an option that can send midwives behind bars. The Alabama community is fighting for midwives, and some of them are here in Auburn.
Lisa Clark, vice president of the Alabama Birth Coalition, is the liaison between the ABC and the Alabama Midwives Alliance.
"We advocate for all midwives," Clark said. "[Both] Certified Professional Midwives, who are specialist in out-of-hospital births, but we also advocate for Certified Nurse Midwives who, in Alabama, are limited to attending only hospital births."
Certified Nurse Midwives are licensed in Alabama, according to the ABC's website, but the state has not authorized Certified Professional Midwives to practice legally.
"The Alabama Birth Coalition is a volunteer [. . .] grassroots organization just by moms who have had to go and give birth in Mississippi or other states, or who are passionate about changing the laws that criminalize [Certified Professional Midwives] from practicing within their scope of training," said Katie Hanna, regional board member. "The midwives have to be able to work under the doctor, and so the doctor has to sign off [. . .] so the midwives don't have any autonomy."
When Hanna first came to Alabama, she said she initially wanted to have a home birth for her son here, but couldn't find any midwives. Hanna had to go back to Brooklyn, N.Y., to have the home birth she wanted.
Jennifer Crook, lobbyist and Certified Professional Midwife, decided to become a midwife after witnessing a hospital birth of a family member.
"I had all these ideas in my head about what it would be like, and I walked into the room and it was not as I had imagined," Crook said. "There was a nurse in the corner monitoring a computer and not the mom. It was a perfectly normal low-risk pregnancy and birth, but the baby was born with abrasions on his face."
Crook said she walked away from that experience certain she didn't want birth to be that way for her, and so she began to look into midwifery.
Crook said she practiced legally in Tennessee.
"In Tennessee, I can be above board and I can make a transfer of care and carry charts and lab results and call a doctor on the phone and walk into the hospital and know that I'm protected by law," Crook said. "It's never a way to give the mom the best care, going into a pregnancy and birth, you know, wondering 'what if something happens where I need to transport . . . am I going to end up in jail?'"
Hanna said she doesn't think there is anything wrong with obstetricians, but she thinks the midwife model of care is much more personable. Hanna's midwife would spend an hour or more with her each visit, and came to her house for appointments at the end of her pregnancy.
"The midwife model of care is much more personable, much more in depth, and it just creates a very deep bond," Hanna said. "You can see your doctor the whole time in the hospital, but if they're not on call you get Joe-Shmo."
Hanna is a part of the Lee County Supporters of Alabama Birth Coalition, which is a group of moms and students who can come learn more about midwives and homebirths before making a decision.
"Women in Alabama really just deserve the choice to be able to have options in childbirth and not just be stuck with one model of care," Hanna said. "And they deserve that choice to be safe and comprehensive."
Hanna said she believes everyone knows what works best for them, and not everyone should have a homebirth, and not everyone should have a hospital birth. For more information about the Alabama Birth Coalition or local meetings with the group, call Katie Hanna at (818) 644-3111.
(02/04/14 10:35pm)
With Auburn's football season over, Saturdays will no longer be filled with tailgating. This spring could be the perfect opportunity to add variety to weekend activities. There are many events and locations available for entertainment Auburn students may be unaware of.
In Auburn, students can take a night off from Ramen noodles and Easy Mac for dinner, and head to Ariccia at The Hotel at Auburn University and Dixon Conference Center. On Feb. 13, Ariccia will have a craft beer dinner, featuring beers from Left Hand Brewing Co. and dinner by chef Fernando Cruz.
"This is actually the first brewery that we haven't done inside of Alabama," said Adam Keeshan, Ariccia's food and beverage director. "We met Left Hand Brewery through our Oktoberfest event this past October, so we thought it would be a neat idea to bring in a little bit larger of a craft beer company."
The dinner will be $49 a person for four courses, with a different beer paired with each course.
The first course will be roasted butternut squash soup, smoked pancetta and beer croutons paired with St. Vrain Triple Ale. The second course will be three house-blackened chard oysters, chives and lemon drops paired with their Sawtooth Ale.
The third course will be coffee crusted steak, glazed carrots, potato puree and nutty jus with their Fade to Black Ale V5. The last course will be a float and dulce de leche lava cake, with a Nitro Milk Stout.
For some daytime entertainment, the Columbus Botanical Gardens offers a relaxing day in nature.
According to Amy McMann, the office manager for the Gardens, the park has 22 acres of green space, a mile-and a-half long walking trail and a house that was built in 1896.
According to McMann, the botanical gardens have areas for picnicking and allow dogs as long as they are on leashes. McMann said the best time to go to the botanical gardens in the spring is mid-afternoon.
"The botanical garden itself is open every day of the year from dawn until dusk," McMann said. Their office is open Monday through Friday, from 9-5 p.m.
Auburn offers different options for thrifters, including Harvest Thrift Super Center, Goodwill and Angel's Antique. For shoppers who want to go thrifting outside of Auburn, Columbus has the Front Porch of the South, an indoor thrift mall with over 130,000 square feet on one floor. They sell antiques, vintage items, jewelry, handmade items and conduct live auctions.
"We sell things from antiques to brand new things that people bring in like phone cases," said Ashley Oschmann, cashier at the Front Porch of the South. "We sell some clothes, books, movies, pretty much anything you can think of."
Despite the absence of football, Auburn still offers plenty of ways to fill a Saturday.
(02/04/14 10:55am)
Music, smiles and good times were rampant in Opelika Saturday night for Covers for a Cause, a benefit concert that raised money for BigHouse Foundation.
Chandler Jones, senior in radio, television and film, helped put the event together and played one of the only sets with a full band.
"We had talked about it for a while, having just a big showcase of all the musicians and all the artists in the area, but this is the first event like that that we've done," Jones said.
The event was originally planned to be a Christmas show with proceeds going to BigHouse Foundation to distribute toys to foster kids, but the SEC Championship game fell on the same day. It was rescheduled to Sunday.
The show was held in a warehouse in downtown Opelika, and the walls were lined with vendors selling local goods. Curious Fox, Loyal Stricklin and John Emerald Distilling Company were a few of the vendors.
Sam Street, sophomore in marketing, talked about how he got involved with the event.
"It basically all started with Richard Patton, he owns the warehouse and he got everything set up," Street said. "He knew that I played, so when he was looking for local musicians to put on the concert he sent me a Facebook message."
Street played Folsom Prison Blues by Johnny Cash and Skinny Love by Bon Iver. Many different genres and decades were represented, including songs by Elliot Smith, Bob Dylan and Band of Horses; a local artist played each cover.
When Jones took the stage with his band he surprised the people who knew him by sitting down behind the drum set.
"That was my very first time to play drums," Jones said. "Literally, I've never played drums before. The first time was in front of 200 people, and I broke a drumstick."
After Jones played, all the performers joined the stage and collaborated with a cover of "The Weight" by The Band. There were at least 12 instruments going and almost everyone sang a line.
The Good Doctors took the stage after that and it only took a few songs before everyone that was left in the warehouse was dancing and sweating to the funky jams. Just when the party was really bumping, however, the lead guitarist walked off the stage.
Everyone else in the band looked just as shocked as the crowd, but quickly a chant of "we want the funk" broke out and the band responded with an improvised bass and guitar number.
That intermission lasted about a minute before the guitarist returned with a cigarette in his mouth and picked up his guitar with a smile.
Abbie Hale, senior in education, stayed for the after party and The Good Doctor.
"There wasn't anyone standing at the wall," Hale said. "Everyone was dancing; [The Good Doctors] were funky."
They were called back onstage for two encores.
(02/05/14 11:00pm)
College is the time in students' lives when everybody wants to know what their plans are for the future and what they're doing with their life. It can be overwhelming, especially when the student has no idea what they want to do.
Today, there seems to be an app for everything, and this category of life is no exception. LinkedIn provides a package of apps that can help students with job interviews, focusing on specific interests, and creating connections in the job market. There is the LinkedIn app, Pulse and Recruiter Mobile. The LinkedIn app is the most general of the apps.
"It's a feed of your updates from your network," said Charlton Soesanto, associate product manager at LinkedIn. "It might include things like people who changed jobs, people who moved recently, anything that your network is sharing, or any news that might be interesting based on the industry and your profile information."
Soesanto said the most important part of the app for college students is its ability to look people up so you can learn more about them.
"As a college student, I'd be really . . . interested in like finding new opportunities and kind of learning about what people do and what people have done to get where they are," Soesanto said.
If a user has a dream job, they can use the LinkedIn app to look up different people in that job, and see what jobs they had to get first as stepping-stones to the top.
It can also help users become more informed in their areas of interest, to narrow their job search down.
"Say maybe you're a pre-med student, and you're connected to other people that are physicians," said Krista Canfield, who works with public relations and mobile product for LinkedIn. "You might see what articles they're sharing about the industry, and news that's going on that day in their industry, or you might see that they changed hospitals and now they're working at another hospital, and actually that's the one you want to intern at."
Another app that LinkedIn has is Pulse. Pulse focuses on reading content, so they put the reading content first and foremost, Soesanto said.
"You have to keep yourself informed, you have to . . . know what's going on in the world . . . and that's where Pulse really comes in," said Ankit Gupta, LinkedIn Pulse's senior product manager.
With Pulse, users can subscribe to topics that they are interested in, or their favorite publishers, and other things that they prefer to show up first when they open the app.
Canfield said students can use the app for classes by browsing the most recent articles that have topics related to their class discussion for the day.
Gupta started working on Pulse in graduate school, as a class project unrelated to LinkedIn. Three years later, LinkedIn acquired Pulse in April 2013.
"For your job, for your industry, or as a student . . . in order to get the job that you want, in order to explore a bunch of industries that you're interested in, Pulse will be the one place to help you do that," Gupta said.
Recruiter Mobile is a third app under LinkedIn, that is not available for students, but Canfield said students should become aware of it for the future.
Joe Roualdes handles public relations for LinkedIn's Talent Solutions business. "It sells products and services to recruiters that help them find the best and brightest people on LinkedIn," Roualdes said. "Essentially any company you can think of is using LinkedIn from a recruiting standpoint."
Whether it is to find connections in the job industry, brush up on facts in the industry before an interview, or helping users become available in the job market, LinkedIn covers multiple bases.
(02/04/14 3:30pm)
Cell phone policies can vary from class to class, making it difficult to keep up with what classes students can or cannot use phones in.
Some teachers allow students to use their phones in class to live Tweet speakers or to check facts for group discussions.
Other teachers, however, don't want the distraction of cell phones in their class at all.
Charlotte Sutton, associate professor in the department of management, has adapted a unique policy for cell phone usage in her classrooms.
"I've just implemented a policy that if I catch you texting, then . . . Aubie will take your cellphone," Sutton said.
Aubie isn't actually in her classes, but Sutton uses a slipper version of Aubie to keep the student's phone for the rest of class.
"I have one in each classroom that I just leave there, and I keep the phone until the end of class," Sutton said.
According to Sutton, her method takes care of the issue without being a direct approach.
"That's one way of doing it that is perhaps not as confrontational as . . . it could be," Sutton said.
James Carver, assistant professor in the department of marketing, has a different policy for his class.
Carver said he is going to start asking the student to leave if they are using their cell phone in class.
"I've talked to individual students," Carver said. "It's getting to the point where people know that I'm trying to give them every benefit of the doubt, and now it's getting taken advantage of."
Carver said he knows teachers who will take up a phone if it goes off in class and kick the student out for a day.
Carver also makes the student put their phone in a basket at the front of the classroom for the rest of the semester.
Carver said he has had students complain that they are being distracted by other students using technology in class.
"I've had students come up to me and voice after class that fellow students were texting, Tweeting, Facebooking, Snapping, so on and so forth, and it was extremely distracting to them," Carver said. "If you look at it as each student pays the same amount of money, then they each deserve the same opportunity to learn."
Deron Overpeck, assistant professor in radio, television, and film in the school of communication and journalism, said if he sees someone texting, he will ask them to stop.
If it happens repeatedly, he will take the phone until the end of class time.
"I have told students that if they leave to take a call, that they should just go ahead and take the rest of their stuff with them because . . . class is over for them at that point," Overpeck said.
However, there may be exceptions.
Overpeck said he does allow students to discuss with him at the beginning of class if they know they have a family emergency, or something of that nature, going on and that they may need to step out and take an important call.
The Auburn University Student Policy eHandbook, states instructors are encouraged to include guidelines for classroom behavior in their syllabi.
The eHandbook also states, "examples of improper behavior in the classroom (including the virtual classroom of e-mail, chat rooms, telephony, and web activities associated with courses) may include, but are not limited to, the following."
The eHandbook then lists many disruptive behaviors, including distractive talking and cell phone usage.
"If you were going to into, let's say, an interview with an employer or . . . you have a job and you're in a meeting, then obviously you're going to turn your phone off," Carver said. "Why wouldn't you do the same in class?"
(02/04/14 1:00pm)
As more and more of my friends have had their 21st birthdays this year, it has dawned on me how much the birthday celebrating tradition has changed, and not just because we're getting older. I mean the way birthdays are planned, celebrated and recognized has completely changed, and I think it's because of social media and technology.
In middle school, I remember the days when my best friends would wake up before sunrise and sneak into school to decorate my locker with wrapping paper and balloons.
I would pretend to be surprised even though it would have been the end of my birthday happiness had it not been there.
I knew they cared because they chose lack of sleep to make me feel special, and I would do the same for them on their big day.
Now, waking up on your birthday can be followed by a feeling of dread as you check your Instagram and Facebook to see how many unfortunate looking pictures your friends have unearthed of you from Snapchat and selfies you thought would never see the light of day again.
Instead, they are added on Facebook and Instagram and you are tagged in them so your entire news feed can enjoy pictures of you at your worst.
Facebook makes it possible for friends to find pictures of you from your prepubescent days and share them for all of your friends to see in an instant.
An Instagram collage from friends has taken the place of wrapping lockers, and Facebook wall posts have taken the place of phone calls or birthday cards sent in the mail.
People you've maybe met once or twice, and who would never think of sending you a birthday card, can now write on your wall wishing you happiness and a safe celebration.
When is the last time you actually received an invitation in the mail to celebrate someone's birthday?
Before social media, going out and celebrating with your friends used to be more of a private matter.
Now, every embarrassing and awkward thing your friends make you do on your birthday can be set as a Snapchat story or Instagram video for the world to see.
The 21st birthday celebration is no longer safe. Every time you check something off your list of 21 embarrassing things to do on your 21st, there will be people Snapchatting and Instagramming your actions.
Social media has brought the good and the bad to birthday celebrations.
The days of locker wrapping are over, so embrace what may happen on your next birthday, because change is inevitable.
(02/04/14 12:00pm)
Music festivals are just around the corner. Do you know how to survive?
According to a festival regular, survival is easy. The real challenge is getting the most for your money and seeing all of your favorite shows.
Reed Stewart, senior in radio, television and film, has been going to festivals for years and has learned plenty of tips and tricks to share.
"My biggest tip would just be to always stay with someone," Stewart said. "If you're with a group or with a few people, I would never choose to peel off by myself whether you're going to the restroom, or concessions, or going to get a drink or something. It just gets so hectic with all those people running around every direction."
Stewart went on to explain the unreliability of cell phones in the midst of thousands of people. Stewart said messages don't send and calls don't go through, so a simple walk to the port-a-potty could be the last time you see your friends for the day.
Fernando Turpin, junior in English, has a different set of priorities.
"Don't sacrifice a band you really want to see over what your friends want to do," Turpin said. "You'll see [your friends] later, but the band you won't."
Staying together definitely makes things easier, but if you miss Paul McCartney framed by fireworks singing "Live and Let Die" in front of 100,000 screaming fans because your friend was too tired, you wouldn't be able to forgive yourself. Some things are worth going solo.
If you're going to a camping festival, staying clean and hydrated are among the hardest things to master.
"I know I'm gonna be relatively gross so what I do is wash my hair in the free sinks, then you basically use baby wipes to keep the rest of your body clean as well as you can," Stewart said. "But you just get used to being gross after a while."
Getting grimy is part of the experience of camping festivals.
As long as you're not so dirty that it gets dangerous, try to embrace it and don't hesitate to jump in the fountains.
When it comes to water, however, hydration is far more important.
Stewart goes to festivals with a specific budget just for water.
"I always plan on buying one to two bottles every hour," Stewart said. "Cause you're sweating, and there's just non-stop dancing and moving in the hot sun. If you're not throwing down the water then you're just going to dry right up."
At Bonnaroo, a popular summer music festival in Tennessee, you will often find staff throwing bottles of water into the crowd - but only if you can find the right stage.
"The stage names are the ultimate troll," Turpin said.
"Which Stage" and "What Stage" are the names of the two big stages at Bonnaroo. "This Tent," "That Tent," and "The Other Tent" are the names of the smaller tents; you can imagine the confusion that ensues.
Rachel Rubin, junior in communications, gave some advice for first timers.
"Don't have expectations going into [a music festival]," Rubin said. "Because it's going to be very different for every person."
If you are flexible, patient and love music, you're a perfect candidate for this year's roundup of music festivals.
(02/03/14 12:05pm)
Sunlight twinkled through the paper banner taped over Wake Up Coffee Company's front window a week before its opening on Tuesday.
Wade Preston, shouted down from a ladder while he sanded the whitewashed walls of the formerly sherbet-colored interior.
"We kind of did the opposite of what most people do when they find out they're expecting a child," said Preston, who owns the second location of the globally-minded coffeehouse started in 2009 by Bo Mann in St. Simon's Island, Ga. "We'd rather have our kid grow up knowing that her parents lived out their calling," he said.
The 2006 Auburn philosophy graduate met his wife while both were working for nonprofit organizations.
While living in North Florida the couple became close friends with Mann and regulars at Wake Up Coffee.
A mission trip to Liberia, however, solidified their dream to help further economic growth in developing countries by opening a branch of Mann's fair trade coffee shop.
"I think going to Liberia and just seeing how they live there and the difference that an education and opportunity can make in their lives. Individuals and families and entire communities are being transformed when they can find meaningful well-paid work. I think that's probably what got us hooked," Megan Preston said.
Preston left his position in college ministry at Peachtree Presbyterian Church in Atlanta, to train as a barista at Batdorf and Bronson Coffee Roasters and The Dancing Goat's Coffee Bar, eventually winning third in the Southeast Regional Barista Competition in 2012.
The Prestons then made the decision to spread the practice of fair trade coffee and retail goods to Auburn.
"Coffee is a $90 billion industry and it's predicated completely of people who live between the 20th parallels in some of the most economically depressed nations in the world," Wade Preston said, "It can be a tool to empower them or a weapon to oppress them depending on how it's used."
In order to ensure coffee bean farmers get a fair percentage of sales profits, Wake Up Coffee Company deals exclusively with fair and direct trade models.
The company also has partnerships with farmer-direct coffee importers, like Thrive Coffee.
Many bags of coffee in the shop are marked with the familiar Fair Trade label, but some remain unlabeled.
"Every time you have a Fair Trade logo on a bag of coffee, you're paying 25 cents to the Fair Trade organization. A lot of the stuff we do is more like direct trade. So we give the 25 cents directly to the farmer instead of paying for the little stamp," said Chandler Roberds, a junior in human development and family studies, and a barista at Wake Up.
Wade Preston explained that direct trade procedures are the best way to give the farmers a fair cut of the profits.
"Some of them are direct partnerships with folks that we know on the ground in places like Nicaragua, for example. We work on a direct trade partnership there--like we actually know the producer," he said, "Here's the farmer's phone number, if you speak Spanish you can call him."
Wake Up Coffee Company has made a $.25 million impact on developing countries since its opening, according to Wade Preston, who is eager to educate others about the importance of fair trade practices.
"If we can pay attention to the way we act as consumers--because that's what we are in America--if you can think of yourself as a responsible consumer then you can make a large impact on the world without being the type of person who can stroke a check for tens of thousands of dollars, and that's one of the reasons we exist," he said.
In addition to selling organic and fair trade coffee, Wake Up specializes in handmade artisan goods.
Megan Preston explained that while she will be running the coffee bar some and managing baristas, the majority of her responsibility revolves around the retail portion. "I'm buying from companies that work directly with artisan groups in the developing world and pay them a fair wage to create these products which help put them and their families out of poverty," she said.
One company Wake Up works with employs HIV-positive women in Ethiopia who make jewelry out of artillery shells that are gathered by farmers in fields of civil conflicts. Preston said she was excited to show people the difference their dollar can make in
impoverished countries and that there are alternatives to their usual spending habits. Wake Up carries fair trade jewelry and scarves as well as more practical home goods. Ultimately, Wake Up Coffee Company seeks to become a gathering place for the Auburn community.
"We want to make awesome coffee and awesome products, but more than anything just create a space for people," said Wade Preston. After the closing of Cambridge Coffee and Taylor's Bakery, the Prestons saw a need for a coffee shop on College Street. Wake Up Coffee Company plans to stay open until midnight with extended hours during exams so students can relax and study.
Later in the spring, Wake Up will carry craft beer on tap from Monday Night Brewing, wine and fair trade chocolate, and by the fall Wake Up Coffee's espresso truck should be up and running on campus. And though the last business to occupy 131 S. College Street closed after only a couple of years, the Prestons are optimistic about their location.
"To walk out the door and see Toomer's and Samford Hall--this is my office," said Wade Preston, "We want the heart of this shop to be about the same things that Auburn's about: about family, about community, about doing things the right way."
(02/03/14 12:03am)
When Cliff Hare purchased Auburn Art in 2011, he married two of his passions: art and Auburn football. "I grew up as just a huge Auburn fan and part of the community. After that, I spent eight years hanging out with every type of artist you can imagine," said Hare.
After graduating from Auburn with his degree in industrial design, Hare received a degree in photography from The Art Institute of Colorado.
Hare, whose great-grandfather's name is on the University's stadium, started his own tradition at Auburn Art in 2012 by holding a yearly competition to discover new artistic talent in Auburn.
"It was just a way for us to get that information out there and find new people who wanted to show off their ability and their Auburn spirit in a way that they previously hadn't had the chance to do so--kind of give all the artists around Auburn a bit more of a voice and a little bit more of a showing that they couldn't get," Hare said.
Most of the entrants are Auburn football fans.
"Some of our best artists like Scott Brannan, for example, are huge football fans. They go to every game--they're crazy. They're your nacho-eating, beer-drinking guys that love it, but they're also artists," he said.
For Brannan, the winner of Auburn Art's first contest, art has always been a way to express himself, but he had never considered a career in it.
The 2000 Auburn graduate was the first of his family to attend college and received a degree in health promotion with a minor in business.
"Back in 1996, when I graduated high school, Auburn was the only place I applied to go to school. There was pretty much no other option. It's always been Auburn," Brannan said.
Brannan's winning painting, "Tradition Lives Here," commemorates Auburn's 2010 season and features Cam Newton celebrating under the Toomer's oaks.
The win has allowed Brannan to showcase his abilities and sell new works at Auburn Art. His latest project, "Midnight on Toomer's," was a response to the Toomer's Oaks' poisoning in 2011. The depiction of Aubie under the trees has exploded in popularity.
"Midnight on Toomer's" t-shirts can be purchased at Tiger Rags and Auburn Art. A percentage of proceeds go back to the University to fund scholarships.
Lisa Mosow, 2013's Auburn Art competition winner, said that winning helped bring awareness to her art.
"Winning the contest, you become their featured artist for the year, so they're going to carry your art and promote you to people that you could never be able to get in touch with," she said.
The Auburn graphic design alumna was working on an independent project in Charleston, S.C., when her sister pointed out that the contest would give her a personal deadline. Her winning map of Auburn University was the first in a series of SEC campus maps.
"I know Auburn's constantly changing, and obviously I guess this is kind of my version of Auburn," Mosow said. She explained that as a graphic designer, she feels separation anxiety after completing a project for a client.
"I was thinking, 'Who would be the best client in the world?--and it would be me. I'm going to be my own client and make something that I love and hopefully other people will love it too, and I'm going to promote it and it will be part of my life forever,'" Mosow said.
For Mosow, combining her love for Auburn and her talents is a way to keep ties to the University even after moving to Charleston. She hopes that her prints can help other Auburn students cure post-graduation homesickness.
"It's so nice to be able to look on the wall and reminisce about college and Auburn, or be able to bring it up to friends or acquaintances and say 'This is where I went to school, I'm proud of it, it's on my wall, let me tell you about it,'" she said.
The next Auburn Art competition is set for the fall. According to Hare, the contest is open to anyone who wants to enter.
"We've had 5-year olds submit colorings of Aubie and we've had 90-year olds submit crochet or needle-point that says War Eagle," he said, "Anybody that wants to be an artist or show their work or anything like that can get their work out there."
And because Auburn Art is always looking for new talent, any medium is acceptable.
"There's no boundaries, anything you want to do, anything you want to show, we're open to checking it out," Hare said.
(01/28/14 7:26pm)
Covers for a Cause is a community potluck and concert to be held in Opelika, Saturday, to raise money for a local non-profit organization. Local musicians will be covering 40 different songs while local artists display and sell their work.
A portion of the proceeds will be donated to Big House Foundation. Big House is non-profit organization based out of Opelika that is "dedicated to meeting the needs and improving the quality of life of children in foster care."
The potluck and art showcasing starts at 6 p.m., so bring your favorite dish and a pocket full of cash. Music starts at 8 p.m. and will include Adventure the Great, Tea Cup, Lonely Wolves, Jen Coates and 15 other local musicians.
Loyal Stricklin, Mamma Mocha's Coffee Emporium, Richard Cecil Hagans and The Curious Fox Co. are some of the artists and vendors that will be set up selling their goods.
General admission is $10, student admission is $5 and all ages are welcome. Bring your own beer, and a lawn chair if you'd like.
(01/28/14 2:57am)
For patients looking for herbs, acupuncture, hot rocks, and relaxation, Paula Lord at Acupuncture for Southern Living can help.
Lord began using acupuncture after having severe pain from getting whiplash about every five years in Los Angeles.
After trying physical therapy, her symptoms were still getting progressively worse until she went to an acupuncturist and for the first time, felt relief. From there, she took an interest.
It took Lord almost seven years to complete her schooling in Eastern medicine including Korean, Vietnamese, Japanese, and Chinese.
"I had to get my degree and then get a masters in it," Lord said. "I went to Emperor's College in Santa Monica."
Lord said she learned for thousands of years, no matter what was wrong with someone, they went to a local person who looked at the body as a whole. This is where they differ from Western medicine.
"(Western medicine has) experts, a heart expert, a gut expert," Lord says. "They're not taking into account any other organ systems, but the body is a unit."
Lord gives her patients sheets that say what different body parts do in the eyes of Western medicine, and then also in Eastern medicine.
The sheets show what physical and emotional symptoms patients may have when different organs aren't working well, what foods to avoid or eat most, and what time of day an organ is at its peak. She also gives patients different herbs for their problems.
"Any time I prescribe herbs, I always have a big sheet of paper as to what organs its doing, what is its purpose, how many to take. . . [and] nutrition suggestions and lifestyle," Lord said. "You can't come in with a problem and not change anything and expect to get better. I try to get them to become active in their healing."
Lord's daughter, Katie Hanna, works at Acupuncture for Southern Living. Hanna helps with Gua Sha, hot rocks and Moxa, a healing herb that they light.
"What [Moxa] does is go around each needle and it acts like a laser," Hanna said. "It warms it up and makes it even more potent. It's really relaxing."
Hanna started acupuncture because she suffered from migraines since childhood. After two to three acupuncture treatments, her migraines were gone, Hanna said.
Bebe Macdougall, director of operations for Auburn security, also helps Lord. She said that patients come in for a variety of reasons.
"It all depends on the individual," Macdougall said.
They treat patients for acne, neck and shoulder tension, ADD, ADHD, digestion problems, and women trying to get pregnant, among other things.
There are three treatment rooms with soothing music where the needles are kept in sterile containers.
"I have super small (needles) for hands and feet, and if I have to do one on the face," Lord said. "Then I have medium and then I have larger for like the thighs and things like that."
Lord doesn't touch the part of the needle that actually goes in the body.
She does full body, but said that she mostly does it on the knee down, the elbow down and on the torso.
"Those are called distal points to make sure the organs are going all the way down and all the way up," Lord said. "It's signaling information to the organs on that channel, it's mainly to signal some action to happen."
(01/24/14 9:11pm)
Aaron Lee Tasjan will take you on a journey and drop you off somewhere both familiar and unknown. And when you get there, he'll break your heart and make you bend over laughing with only his voice and an acoustic guitar.
More than 50 people congregated at Standard Deluxe, a venue in Waverly, Ala., Sunday to listen to Tasjan sing. Littered with art, posters and memorabilia from past acts, the venue included a couple of houses and a small field bordered with pines.
Tasjan sat on a yellow metal chair on one of the porches and checked his small silver flip phone.
"I used to get nice phones," Tasjan said. "I had a couple, and I lost them. So, I kinda decided it wasn't a good investment anymore to buy nice phones."
He grew up in a small Ohio town where he graduated with a class of less than 100 students. Right out of high school, he bought a plane ticket to New York City where he learned how to survive. His biggest feat was finding an apartment through Craigslist that saved thousands of dollars in hidden fees.
Tasjan spent his years living in the Big Apple writing and performing music that people always told him sounded southern. He attributes this sound to his influences.
"My number one hero of all time is this guy named Kevn Kinney who is the lead singer of this band called Drivin' 'N' Cryin,'" Tasjan said. "He made this record with a guy named Peter Buck, and the record was called Macdougal Blues. I thought, there's probably no way that I'll ever do it, but if I could just write one song that was as good as anything on this record one day, I would retire. And I'm still trying to do it."
He laughed and joked through his interview, but when he took the stage there was a noticeable change in his demeanor. He was a born performer and he was in his element. Song after song sent ripples of laughter through the cold, crowded room, only to be met by intimate silence as Tasjan sang about hard truths.
"His act made me feel like I was from Ohio. He was a good storyteller," said Michael Brudi, senior in architecture. Musicians, and artists in general, have a stereotype of being narcissistic and thinking that no one understands them, but Tasjan doesn't fit any stereotypes. He talked about the beauty of words and how he didn't see music as a business, but rather as an opportunity to be great.
"I just wanna write the best song I can write, I wanna play the guitar the best that I can, and I wanna sing it for anybody that wants to listen to it and might get something out of it," Tasjan said. "I don't really know where that leaves me nowadays, but I'm really hopeful that I am able to keep doing it cause it is my favorite thing in the whole world."
His debut solo EP "Crooked River Burning" will be available this spring.
