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February 2011

Leisure

Shorts at E Street

With any mention of the Academy Awards, an argument about the merits of Black Swan versus The Social Network usually ensues. But while the Great Debate about Best Picture rages on, the oft-overlooked category of Best Short Film has generated Oscar buzz of its own at D.C.’s E Street Cinema. Too often, even the winning short films sink back into obscurity after the Academy Awards, and during the ceremonies, audiences scratch their heads at lists of nominations they have never heard before. Through ties with various cinemas as well as iTunes, the Academy has worked hard to change this attitude, making Best Short Film nominations available to theatergoers and iPad owners alike.

By February 17, 2011

Sports

Fast Break: Walker snaps streak with exceptional play

It was a tale of two point guards on Wednesday night as No. 9 Georgetown traveled to No. 12 Connecticut for a matchup of Big East powers. While Chris Wright scored 19 points for the Hoyas, the story of the game was UConn star Kemba Walker.

By February 17, 2011

Leisure

You won’t need 3D glasses

What’s the difference between “The Birth of Venus” and “David”? The answer seems obvious: one is a painting, the other a sculpture. But to abstract expressionist David Smith, the difference between the two art forms was not so vast. He sees them as separated by just one, easily adjustable distinction: dimension. The manipulation of that difference is the premise of David Smith Invents, a new exhibition open in DuPont Circle’s Phillips Collection through May 15. The exhibit features works of varying media—from clay to canvas to steel—which display Smith’s blurring of the line between two dimensions and three.

By February 17, 2011

Sports

Backdoor Cuts: I remember my first game

Freshman year, when I first started writing for the Voice, I lucked into one of the best gigs ever: men’s basketball beat writer. The previous year’s writer was going abroad, and from among a young staff, I got the nod. That meant press passes to every game, reserved seating on the baseline, and never waiting on the cold sidewalk.

By February 17, 2011

Leisure

Gallery cafe is buono, costoso

If you’re looking to add some culture to your routine, the National Mall’s various scientific, historical, and artistic attractions have all you need. And the National Gallery’s Garden Cafe is the place to head if you want to supplement your cultural nourishment with some actual food. The Garden Café marries art with cuisine, especially when, for particularly special exhibits, it recruits renowned chefs to create new, complimentary menus.

By February 17, 2011

Leisure

Critical Voices: Nicholas Jaar, Space is Only Noise

You might have heard some unavoidable Internet buzz about this new release. After dropping a smattering of genre-bending EPs in 2010, this experimental producer—barely old enough to drink—is releasing his debut. He’s got a keen ear for space and silence and his vocal-centric work suits headphones more than dance floors. No, I’m not talking about James Blake—this is Space Is Only Noise, the first full-length to come from 21-year-old Brown University undergrad Nicolas Jaar.

By February 17, 2011

Leisure

Critical Voices: Toro y Moi, Underneath the Pine

Today’s indie music is somewhat dichotomous: on one side are the simplistic, folksy, vocally-driven bands, and on the other there are chillwave electronic maestros. But on his 2010 debut Causer of This, Toro Y Moi (real name Chazwick Bundick) managed to slip between the cracks, landing in an altogether undefined genre with a combination of catchy melodic vocals and trippy electronic samples.

By February 17, 2011

Voices

Disneyland do’s and don’t’s

Summer jobs have long been the subject of coming-of-age teen comedies, elementary back-to-school essays, and of course, youthful scorn. All the same, they are usually the only way to make decent money before resuming an education (unless you really took Risky Business to heart).

By February 17, 2011

Voices

Recent debate fails to sway Texan on gun legislation

A few weeks ago I found myself sitting across from two of my friends listing off, bullet by bullet, why I firmly believe in the right to bear arms. It was unexpected, considering I’m not a staunch defender of the Second Amendment.

By February 17, 2011

Leisure

Banger Management: Singing the iTunes blues

During my four years of college, I have discovered a common musical phenomenon—the scattered, disorganized, and unlabelled iTunes libraries of my peers. Again and again, I have been amazed to find that my friends had not taken the same time to painstakingly organize their music collections that I had, filling in every piece of information iTunes accepts, from album year to artwork.

By February 17, 2011