“I Love My Hair!”

We all know about the children’s television show Sesame Street and its unique way of teaching kids different lessons. From ABCs to 123s, Sesame Street is the program many children learn from on a daily basis. Recently one of the writers for the show decided to write a song that would teach young African American girls about self-acceptance. The song is titled: “I Love My Hair,” and its sung by a little brown muppet with an afro meant to represent a little African American girl.

Joey Mazzarino, head writer for Sesame Street, wrote the song for his 5-year-old daughter Segi. He and his wife adopted Segi from Ethopia when she was a baby. As she got older and started playing with Barbie dolls, Mazzarino noticed a change it in his daughter. She would frequently complain about her hair, saying that it was “too poofy” and that she wanted it to be long, straight, and blonde like her dolls. Mazzarino became worried, and initially thought it was just a problem that white parents of African American children have. However he soon realized that this was an issue for most children in the black community.

Mazzarino wanted to tell his daughter, as well as all young girls that their hair is beautiful just the way that it is and that they should love it. And so, “I Love My Hair” was born! It premiered on the October 4^th episode of Sesame Street and since then it has become a viral sensation. With over a quarter of a million views on Youtube, this little muppet girl has been the topic of many conversations. She starts off by singing, “Don’t need a trip to the beauty shop, cuz I love what I got on top. It’s pretty and its brown, and it’s right up there”. Throughout the song she talks about the many different ways she can style her hair and why she loves it so much. This message has caused an outpouring of responses from women all over. Many women in the black community have struggled to teach their daughters acceptance and even shared the same feelings as Segi did when they were young.

You can watch the video on line at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=enpFde5rgmw.

Mazzarino says he’s happy to report that Segi loves the song -

And her hair.

As if watching the game wasn't stressful enough...

Watching the your favorite team play on Sunday has come a long way from beers and finger food. These days, Sunday looks more like a study hall with men, and women, on their computers checking their stats, switching players on/off the bench, and a bit of trash talking all around. The focus is no longer on your favorite team, it's on the individual players you've drafted. In a way these leagues force viewers to not only watch their team but every other team as well, opening viewers' eyes to the talent of other teams/players.

However, has the football spirit been broken? True football lovers stick to their team and their favorite players like glue. The problem comes when fans are cheering for both teams and even worse, certain players. For those of you yelling for Farve to throw the ball to Moss, then getting angry when someone else gets the catch, have you lost all faith in the TEAM? This is the problem with the fantasy world. The focus is on who's receiving, how many yards passed, and who scores the touchdown, not the fact that your team is getting points and winning the game.

Bring back the days when football revolved around the team, and their die-hard fans!

Salem Witches Still Exist

Walking through Salem, Mass. this time of year feels like you’ve been sucked into the movie Hocus Pocus, circa 1993. Cobblestone sidewalks filled with characters dressed as witches, pirates, and vampires is nothing out of the ordinary come October 1^st. For most people Halloween is merely a celebration on the last day of October, but in Salem the festivities are seemingly endless. Tourists and Halloween junkies from across the country take vacation throughout October to get a taste of the original witch city. Graveyard tours from the 1600’s, museum spectaculars, and haunted houses galore alongside food stands and psychic tables are small part of the festivities that occur daily in the downtown area. The best spooktacular souvenirs can be found in year-round shops that line the streets filled with magic artists and self-proclaimed witches. If you’re a television fanatic or history buff, the Bewitched monument resides in the main courtyard as well as various authentic witch trial monuments. Salem, Mass. continues to be the capital of all things haunted and one of the biggest Halloween attractions across the nation.

Here are some haunted happenings going on in the Philadelphia area throughout October.

Eastern State Penitentiary: Haunter Halloween Tours

For information: http://halloween.easternstate.org/halloween

Spirits of 76 Ghost Tours:

When: Throughout September, October and November


Where: Old City

Creamy Acres Farm Corn Maze


This six-acre NJ corn maze offers approximately three miles of trails. Open during the daytime on Saturdays in September and October, and Thursday through Saturday evenings in October.

Where: 448 Lincoln Mill Road
Mullica Hill, NJ 08062
856-223-1669

Lovers & Madmen Coffee is located on 40^th and Ludlow Street. Lovers & Madmen Coffee Lounge is a destination coffee shop featuring Counter Culture Coffee because of the social and environmental ethic responsibility that guides their company. They also serve many other gourmet products known for their respective standards for quality, environmental responsibility, and emphasis on local and organic ingredients. “Lovers & Madmen Coffee was opened with dual commitments – the first of which is to serve the best coffee & espresso, hands down. Our second commitment is to our community – to serving our community, and to seeing University City & West Philadelphia continue to thrive.”

I’ve had a great experience at this coffee shop. I discovered it one day when I was heading to the local Fresh Grocer to get some groceries. I can remember it was a rainy day and I was in need of some warmth and caffeine. Upon entering the coffee shop I was greeted with smiles, a soothing atmosphere, and great indie music that I love. Not to mention that the coffee itself was amazing, and on every beverage they make they create a heart out of foam on top. It was truly adorable and lifted my spirits. Lovers & Madmen is eco-friendly and cozy hidden gem of University City.

Daily Candy

After living in Philadelphia for 3 years I have come to the realization that I have not yet taken full advantage of everything the city has to offer. There are a number of events, restaurants, shops and entertainment venues to explore. While browsing the internet for these opportunities I stumbled upon a website called Daily Candy. It is a one-stop shop for fashion, beauty, culture, food and drink, home and garden, travel and gifts. In addition it can be specified to the Philadelphia area or any other major city. I had heard of the website once before but had not checked it out until now.

Each section of the website allows you to further narrow your search by selecting a category, by product, by neighborhood or by feature. The most recent featured article is called “Table for Two: 5 Best Places for a First Date”. It then lists and describes five different places each with a different mood or feel. The article suggest Franklin Fountain for ice cream, The Ranstead Room for cocktails, Chick’s Café and Wine Bar for a low key evening, Bistrot la Minette for a more romantic date and Tinto for a taste of a different culture. Following this is a link to yet another Daily Candy article stating: “Need more great date ideas? Check out our picks for this month’s nine must see films. After navigating through the rest of the website I realized how abundant it is with great tips on where to go in Philly. Next time I am looking for an adventure in the city I know the first place I will look, and maybe even this weekend!

The Gap Controversy

VS

Last week Gap decided without warning to change the logo on their website. Naturally, fans were not too happy with this decision as they did not understand the reason or cause for such change. Tony Spaeth, president of Identityworks, a consulting firm in Rye, N.Y. said, “The company got itself into a jam by putting out the new logo without explaining the change.” Someone had the 'brilliant' idea to change the logo so that it would coincide with Gap's new image. However, after the almost instant backlash Gap decided that this idea wasn't so brilliant after all, and decided to change the logo back to its original design.
My question however, is would fans really have been less outraged if Gap had explained the change to them beforehand? I for one am attached to certain logos for particular brands, and even though Gap is not one of them, I understand customer concern. One fan responded to the change back to the original logo by saying, "Thanks for listening. The blue box logo is truly classic. We love it as it is." For that reason alone I think that changing the logo would upset many long time fans of the brand.
Take also for example when Tropicana decided to change their logo last year in February. They wanted to go with a new clean look to emphasize the all-natural, fresh squeezed juice. Many loyal Tropicana fans were upset by the brand's redesigned logo - including myself! It featured a glass of orange juice against a white backdrop, instead of the familiar orange with a straw poking out the side. I for one thought that it lost its desirability. There was something about the image of that straw in the orange with the bit of juice dripping down that just made me go "mmm". When the logo changed I was not only confused, but I didn't have the same desire to buy the brand.

Jersey Shore Addiction

Love it or hate it, there is absolutely no denying that a certain recent MTV reality show has swept the nation – and Drexel’s campus. With “T-shirt time” and “GTL” as regular facebook status updates, poofs suddenly becoming a normal hair style and “grenade” being used as the new insult– no one can really explain why everyone is obsessed with Jersey Shore, they just are. I sat down with Phil Nolan, a senior film major who recently co-oped at MTV Studios in New York, who cleared up a few common assumptions about everyone’s new guilty pleasure.

1. The whole world is not as obsessed with Jersey Shore as we are – yet.
“Jersey Shore is still on the burner for a lot of countries, it is just reaching Japan now, for example. Japan generally takes American culture even more seriously than we do, so I would expect to see Japanese 'guidos' running around in less than a year.”

2. We’re not sick of them yet, and surprisingly neither is Phil.
“There were plenty of other shows for me to get sick of, such as The Hills. I had to do web content for the Hills, which meant watching entire episodes. It was dreadful.”

3. Hey, we’re not the only ones.
“It was a huge talking point around the office. I didn't think these people cared about it. I think it was brilliantly done, but everything that circulated about it was mostly rumor and here say. Everyone assumes its "Scripted Reality".”

4. There is a simple explanation to our obsession.
“It's just the right people tossed into the right room. You start off laughing then you realize that you have genuinely decent people in the house. Suddenly there's almost a plot.”

5. Surprisingly, fame really hasn’t changed the Situation.
“He was always a celebrity in his own head, so no he hasn't and can't change.”

Jersey Shore airs Thursdays at 10 pm on MTV.

Image credit: www.mtv.com

Somethin Pumpkin

With the leaves changing and the temperatures dropping I find myself having pumpkin fever and I know I’m not the only one. It seems like as soon as October comes around the flavor of pumpkin can be found at all of my favorite spots. Whether it’s a squirt of pumpkin syrup in my coffee or a pumpkin brew at my favorite bar, the taste is the perfect cozy addition to my fall routine.
When it comes to pumpkin coffees and teas I have a few favorites. The pumpkin spice tea from Green Line Café on 37th and Lancaster is perfect for tea drinkers who want the option of a warm pumpkin beverage that isn’t coffee. I enjoyed a large on my way to work on a crisp Friday morning. Plus the added benefit of this tea is that it is a fair trade product. Another seasonal beverage favorite is the pumpkin coffee at Dunkin Donuts. This drink is good for coffee drinkers who only want a little bit of pumpkin flavor without it being overwhelming. Dunkin also has a pumpkin latte for people with a little more of pumpkin hankering and If you are really feeling the flavor you can pair your beverage with a pumpkin doughnut or muffin. An added bonus of the Dunkin coffees and treats is the cheap price. The closest Dunkin to campus is on 34th and Walnut.
Savas on 35th and Lancaster is jumping on the Pumpkin bandwagon with their offerings of pumpkin beer. I picked up a “Pick a Pumpkin” beer guide brochure on their counter and got some great ideas. As someone who never had a pumpkin beer until a couple weeks ago I can tell you it’s a pleasant treat. My favorite is the Elysian Night Owl Pumpkin Ale which has the essence of a pumpkin pie but is still a pale ale so it isn’t too rich.
Another pumpkin treat close to campus is the pumpkin pie frozen yogurt at Kiwi on 36th and Chestnut. Kiwi offers a big spread off toppings to choose from. I topped my pumpkin pie yogurt with pieces of cheesecake, graham cracker crumbles, and chocolate sauce. It was a great treat on a warmer fall day and satisfied my current pumpkin obsession.

It's Movie Time In Philadelphia

October 14^th marks the beginning of the Philadelphia Film Society’s 19^th annual Philadelphia Film Festival. This year’s 10 day event will feature an impressive lineup of roughly 107 films from over 30 countries around the world. In addition to feature films, the festival includes VIP receptions and events as well as interesting panels with notable industry professionals. For a full list of events, screenings, reviews, and synopsizes visit filmadelphia.org.

Philadelphia movie lovers prepare to be thoroughly occupied from festival’s beginning to end. The festival opens with Darren Aronofsky's highly anticipated film, “Black Swan,” staring Natalie Portman, Mila Kunis, and Winona Ryder. Over 200 screenings follow opening night, and this year packing in more viewings around the festival’s six separate venues is easier than ever. The festival has implemented B-Side’s “Festival Genius” technology which works to help filmmakers connect to their audiences. Some highlights of the technology include: adding films to a personal calendar, ticket purchasing, reviews, festival updates, and personal calendar/favorites sharing capabilities. All of this can be done from the Philadelphia Film Festival’s website, or also, by downloading, and using, the B-Side app to one’s Smartphone.

On October 24^th, the festival culminates with concluding festivities. Awards will be given for the Documentary Feature, Narrative Feature, and Filmadelphia Feature competitions. Also, a prize in honor of the Philadelphia film scene’s leading heavyweight, Archie Perlumutter, is awarded yearly to the best film by a first-time director. There are plenty of eligible candidates this year. If you are just going to see a few, why not pick a film up for an award. After the awards ceremony, a final screening of Danny Boyle’s, “127 Hours,” starring James Franco will take place at Prince Music Theater. A celebration including local music and fun will end it all at Sigma Sound Studios.

Figure 1 Danny Boyle’s, “127 Hours,” starring James Franco

Figure 2 Prince Music Theater

Figure 3 Darren Aronofsky's, “Black Swan,” staring Natalie Portman, Mila Kunis, and Winona Ryder

Designing for Healthy Feet

After returning from a 6-mile walk around Old City to check out the Design Philadelphia Window Competition, my intention to focus on the displays had been completely diverted by an ache pulsating from my feet. I took on this endeavor wearing a pair of boat shoes, which I will admit, were not the most intelligent choice. My boat shoes have no arch support, no tread, and to make matters worse, I wore them sockless. Other than kicking the battered leather shoes off and sitting down, I did nothing to actually tend to my throbbing body. Lets face it; we regularly put our feet through the wringer and never give them much attention afterward.

The human foot is a complex organization of 33 joints, 26 bones, 20 muscles, and hundreds of ligaments and tendons all with the single goal to support us. Despite this we are constantly abusing our feet; cramming them into high heels, flats, sandals, boots and other pretty but painful contraptions. Even the tennis shoe is a culprit in the physical abuse of our feet. A study done in 2009 found that running in tennis shoes can be 16% more likely to cause damage than walking in high heels (D. Casey Kerrigan et al.). Dr. Daniel Lieberman from Harvard University explained in an article for the Daily Mail, “A lot of foot and knee injuries currently plaguing us are caused by people running with shoes that actually make our feet weak” (Christopher McDougall). Basically, the assets we favor in tennis shoes like supportive linings and foam or gel cushioning actually hinder our feet and can cause long-range damage. It turns out the pain from my 6 mile excursion was not induced by the lack of support in my boat shoes but from the excessive support of my tennis shoes.

To address this issue, Vibram, a rubber sole company has developed a line of athletic shoes called FiveFingers. The shoes look like pair of toe socks that have been reinforced by a rubber sole. The shape allows for the most natural weight transition and movement when exercising. As a result, the shoes encourage stronger and healthier feet. Similarly, the ever-popular Shape Ups by Sketchers and FitFlops have been advertised to strengthen and tone legs. Both styles have reconstructed the sole and lining of the shoes to increase muscle engagement when walking. However, these shoes appear to do the opposite of the FiveFinger style because they encourage an unnatural foot movement to increase strength. I cannot help but question whether the Shape Ups and FitFlops are in fact healthy options for our feet.

Biba Brings Class to the Univeristy Set

A different kind of class has come to University City in the form of Biba, the latest wine-beer-cheese restaurant from the team behind Tria. Jon Myerow opened his new venue, located in the Left Bank building at 3131 Walnut Street, on Friday October 8. The eatery promises a relaxed atmosphere mixing an environmental sensibility with an eye for modern design. The reclaimed wood bar hails from a 100-year-old water tower and sits beside a sleek glass-enclosed wine cellar. There is currently indoor seating for 32 between the bar, communal table and drink rail. Front opening windows and an outdoor deck are said to be in the works.

Biba's aim is to educate students on the beauty of basics, no entertainment or wifi to distract from the carefully considered menu. Twenty-six wines are offered by the glass and will be consistently priced at under $10. Ten beers, nine bottled and one on cask are served at room temperature with little or no carbon dioxide pressure. A dozen cheeses and a selection of charcuterie and chocolate make for the perfect after-school snack. The experience is simple and straightforward: good wine, good food and good conversation, whether with the well-read bartender or your closest friends.

Hours are 4 pm to midnight Sunday through Thursday and 4 pm until 1 am Friday and Saturday.