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Day: March 3, 2011

Leisure

Pay to cook your own pizza … and like it

If you’ve gone out looking for HomeMade Pizza Co., you very well might have walked right past. Tucked into a small, unassuming location across from Safeway on Wisconsin Avenue, this new restaurant hides an unconventional pizzeria behind its minimalist storefront. And despite the menu’s mouthwatering toppings—including chèvre, marinated artichokes, and poblano pepper—not a whiff of bubbling parmesan greets hungry customers. In fact, there is not a table in sight, nor any indication of a wood-fired pizza oven. Though chefs in white toques spin soft, flour-dusted dough into enticing, round pies behind the counter, HomeMade advertises itself based on the very service it does not offer

By March 3, 2011

Leisure

Hirshhorn eyes Blinky

According to the Hirshhorn Gallery’s press release, Blinky Palermo was “long celebrated throughout Europe.” He is, however, an “artist’s artist” who has “escaped America’s notice.” That is perhaps why Blinky Palermo: Retrospective 1964-1977, running now in the Hirshhorn until May 15, is his first retrospective in the states, despite his many active years. That is to say, the Hirshhorn is sending up smoke signals of desperation, the kind that usually tip off even the art-inclined that an exhibit isn’t really worth your time. Which is a shame, because the usual clichés actually apply here: the little-known Palermo’s paintings and sculptures really do deserve more attention than they’ve gotten.

By March 3, 2011

Leisure

Cupcake warfare

Do you ever walk down M Street and think to yourself, “Wow, I really wish Georgetown had another high-end, overpriced, nationally-famous cupcakery?” Probably not, since the line and television crew outside Georgetown Cupcake are almost as unavoidable as those ubiquitous pink boxes you eye with envy when you see them all over campus. But despite the fact that Georgetown’s overpriced confection market has been very much tapped, today, Sprinkles Cupcakes’s flagship D.C. location will have its grand opening—just a few blocks away from Georgetown Cupcake.

By March 3, 2011

Leisure

Nic Cage: Convict from Hell

The trailer for Drive Angry 3D proudly and brazenly plugs one of the more ridiculous plots in recent cinematic history—Nicolas Cage breaks out of hell and fights with a vengeance to save his infant granddaughter from a murderous biker cult. With an almost self-parodying premise (and grammatically questionable title), you might expect a certain level of self-aware schlock. For the first 10 minutes, it seems to have just that—you’re poised to make a two-hour descent into the guiltiest B-movie pleasure ever, as a hard-eyed Cage chases and dispatches three unknown evildoers. Cars blow up, cheesy dialogue is exchanged, and disembodied, three-dimensional limbs fly out of the screen straight at the viewer.

By March 3, 2011

Leisure

Critical Voices: Alex Ebert, Alexander

Alexander suggests that Alex Ebert has finally made up his mind about where he belongs in the music spectrum. Though currently fronting indie-hippie outfit Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros, Ebert previously spent time as lead singer of L.A. powerpop band Ima Robot, and even attempted to pursue a rap career. His solo debut, however, is clearly in the same vein of his most recent work, sounding much like he does when backed by his Magnetic Zeros. And although Ebert clearly has a talent for indie-folk, listening to Alexander all the way through will make the listener think that maybe he could do with a change of genre.

By March 3, 2011

Leisure

Critical Voices: Peter Bjorn and John, Gimme Some

In the age of iTunes, cover art is an oft-overlooked piece of an album’s appeal. This is an unfortunate casualty, because frequently cover art can offer insight about what kind of music to expect from the album’s tracks. Take, for instance, the cover of Peter Bjorn and John’s latest release, Gimme Some. It carries the image of a “funk mitten,” or a three-thumbed foam finger. This rather bizarre, colorful picture reflects the sometimes confusing pop-rock sound on the Swedish trio’s energetic but disjointed sixth album. Gimme Some, on the whole, is intriguing—it contains an almost equal number of praiseworthy and skip-worthy tracks.

By March 3, 2011

Leisure

Internet IRL: They see me trollin’

Those who take advantage of free speech can be inspiring. They can also be really awful, and sometimes really, awfully interesting. One of the greatest enjoyments I’ve derived from editing Vox Populi is observing how commenters respond to different posts. Many posts float by without being noticed, but others quickly erupt in an avalanche of opinions, humorous one-liners, and royal personages. And then, of course, there are the obligatory trolls. Trolling demonstrates the full potential of the first amendment in a domain where censorship is focused on larger problems, like covering up nipples and taking the fun out of hit singles by Cee-Lo Green

By March 3, 2011

Leisure

Banger Management: Mixing up success

In 2008, Chris Anderson, editor-in-chief of Wired, declared that “free has emerged as a full-fledged economy. Offering free music proved successful for Radiohead, Trent Reznor of Nine Inch Nails, and a swarm of other bands on MySpace that grasped the audience-building merits of zero.” Although Anderson cites artists of various styles, in no genre is “free” more prevalent than hip-hop. Mixtapes, which don’t directly generate any money for rappers, have become just as important to hip-hop stars as studio releases—if not more so.

By March 3, 2011

Sports

Starks steps up to fill Hoyas’ point guard void

Markel Starks, like most of his teammates, sat on the bench in shock as he watched Georgetown’s leader break his hand against Cincinnati. As Chris Wright’s backup, however, Starks was more affected by the senior’s injury than any of his fellow Hoyas.

By March 3, 2011

Sports

The Sports Sermon: Keep the Faith

When I heard Chris Wright, the Hoyas’ most important player, had broken his hand after colliding with a Cincinnati player, I immediately thought, “This can’t be happening again.” But as a junior, I have become accustomed to an annual letdown at the end of the season.

By March 3, 2011