The Ithacan Online

Beauty & brains

Thu, 30 Apr 2009 00:00:00 PST

Long striped skirt? Check. Gold coin earrings? Check. Rainbow-colored shoes? Check. As Katharyn Machan, professor of writing, puts on her outfit in the morning to wear to her classes, she runs through this list in her head.

With the band

Thu, 30 Apr 2009 00:00:00 PST

Weekday routines can blur into a stale monotony. What mark many of our college experiences are the weekends and how we spend them. This is part of a series of narrative accounts that capture pieces of the social scene in Ithaca.

In this snapshot, Senior Writer Jen Nevins follows die-hard music fans to a show.

The car stereo is blaring tunes by Perpetual Groove, but the sound is trivial against the choir of five excited girls packed in the black SUV. Their chatter resonates above all else, high against the roof of the car, on top of their dancing, moving, talking, singing.

Independent movie theaters combine on Commons

Thu, 30 Apr 2009 00:00:00 PST

To the unobservant eye, Home Dairy Alley is a dark, empty gap between Maté Factor and Center Ithaca. But beyond this breach is a paint-chipped door leading to a hidden gem: Cinemapolis, Ithaca’s nonprofit independent movie theater. The two-screen theater is as mysterious and interesting as the movies it shows.

A night to remember

Thu, 30 Apr 2009 00:00:00 PST

Combining the fashion and anticipation of the Oscars with the drama and flair of the Tony Awards, IC Players and Triple Threat Theatre will host the first Gorges Award Show on Sunday.

Revealing rules of the road

Thu, 30 Apr 2009 00:00:00 PST

“C’mawwwn in,” Johnny Wilson says in a cordial Southern drawl. He sits behind the steering wheel of his GMC van and imparts his first lesson of cab driving.

Poise under pressure

Thu, 23 Apr 2009 00:03:48 PST

Leaning back against the cushion at a table in IC Square, Ashley Dennis has a lot on her mind.

Unwavering faith

Thu, 23 Apr 2009 00:00:00 PST

By 7 p.m. on Monday, most people are winding down from a long day. But for the Twelve Tribes community of Ithaca, it’s time to celebrate. About 20 community members gather in a circle, hand in hand, while others fire up a CD player and offer homemade cookies and tea to those sitting in handcrafted chairs and sofas. Tonight is “M-Night,” a weekly event that takes place at their home on Third Street in Ithaca and whose name stands for Mondays, merrymaking, mirth and music. At this celebration, music and Israeli-style dancing are always on the agenda.

Classic fairy tale retains original vision at Ithaca Ballet

Thu, 23 Apr 2009 00:00:00 PST

In a glowing, decadent ballroom, men and women twirl around the room, laughing and chatting to each other. A prince stands, searching the crowd for the beautiful woman he had met earlier that day.

Classic play takes to the streets of New Orleans

Thu, 23 Apr 2009 00:00:00 PST

Nearly three and a half centuries after Moliere’s comedy “Tartuffe” offended the devout Catholics of King Louis XIV’s court, Ithaca College Theater is putting a new spin on the classic tale of hypocrisy and mistaken identity.

Students create DJ company to display their love of music

Mon, 20 Apr 2009 23:30:42 PST

Speakers are blaring and, holding headphones in his left ear, sophomore Justin Lee pushes the levers on his mixer with his right hand. New hip-hop beats wind through the house, while the crowd grinds on the busy dance floor. To Lee, this is euphoria.

IC Players reinact dry humor of a writer's life

Thu, 16 Apr 2009 10:04:55 PST

In Athens, approximately 500 B.C, two Greeks are in a heated debate over the ending of the play they are both writing. Both red in the face and veins bulging from their head, each one cannot decide whether to start a play backwards or forwards. One of them, Hepatitis, the writer, decides to walk forward and ask her “audience” what the ending of her play should be. The other Greek, Diabetes, an actor, becomes furious and decides to pull out his cell phone and call the only person who can deal with this fiasco, Woody Allen.

Fantasy-writing alumna to give storytelling tips

Thu, 16 Apr 2009 00:00:00 PST

Kristen Britain ’87 takes readers on fantasy-filled journeys in her national best-selling novel series, “Green Rider,” about an epic heroine who battles mysterious evil forces. She is also the author of several short stories and a cartoon illustration book.

Now living on Mount Desert Island off the coast of Maine, Britain supports herself by writing fiction novels full time. She will give a reading from her novel, “Green Rider,” and discuss her approaches to science-fiction writing during a presentation at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday in Clark Lounge. Staff Writer Aaron Edwards spoke with Britain about her inspirations in fantasy writing, her experience at Ithaca College and the importance of books in the Internet age.

Out-of-this-world car gains townwide notoriety

Thu, 16 Apr 2009 00:00:00 PST

Most people walk down the aisles of hardware stores looking for tools to fix leaky faucets or to choose a new paint color for their bedrooms. Ryan McGuire, an Ithaca resident, strolls down those same aisles in pursuit of inspiration.

New Collegetown café offers NYC-style dining and flavor

Thu, 16 Apr 2009 00:00:00 PST

Around midnight in Collegetown, the streets come alive. As crowds fill the streets, one building lures the late-night wanderers to its doors.

Friend or foe

Thu, 16 Apr 2009 00:00:00 PST

Hometown: Los Angeles, Calif. Political views: Liberal. Favorite TV shows: None. Interests: Oriental carpets, opera and bow ties.

Filter front man releases new compilation album

Thu, 09 Apr 2009 00:00:00 PST

Modern rock band Filter recently released “The Very Best Things: 1995-2008,” a compilation of hits, sound track cuts and radio edits. Singer Richard Patrick, the act’s sole remaining original member, started Filter in 1993 after leaving Nine Inch Nails. Managing Editor Joshua Mellman spoke with Patrick on VIC Radio March 20 about the retrospective, songwriting and touring the new album.

Student zines offer humor and fresh perspectives

Thu, 09 Apr 2009 00:00:00 PST

Distribution boxes on campus look much more crowded these days. Along with established campus publications like Buzzsaw and The Ithacan, three new magazines have been slowly joining the pile throughout the year.
Better Magazine, Cake and Ants in the Kool-Aid are written, edited and published entirely by students. They’re zines, photocopied independent magazines with specific niches and small circulations.

A shot in the dark

Thu, 09 Apr 2009 00:00:00 PST

Weekday routines can blur into a stale monotony. What mark many of our college experiences are the weekends and how we spend them. This is part of a series of narrative accounts that capture pieces of the social scene in Ithaca.

In this snapshot, Senior Writer Byard Duncan gives a play-by-play of three late-night intramural games in the Hill Center.

It’s 11 p.m. on a Sunday in late winter and, in a stroke of aching predictability, Ithaca College’s campus is cold. Lake winds shoot up South Hill, twisting past buildings and around corners with an almost predatory intent. Crystals of snow swirl high above the Hill Center, etching loops through the sub-zero air.

Aces that pay

Thu, 09 Apr 2009 00:00:00 PST

Devin Maguire sits deep in concentration, staring at the cards on the screen. He analyzes each play, debating how much to bet and carefully charting his next move. He clicks back and forth between games, making educated guesses about his opponents’ strategies.

Girl Talk samples top 40's and personal favorites on stage

Tue, 07 Apr 2009 17:23:22 PST

Girl Talk is a popular mash-up artist who blends the beats and vocals of today’s latest hits and creates completely new songs. His creativity and originality has won him many fans across the country. Working as a one-man band, Gregg Gillis has traveled all over the world playing his most popular mash-ups. Staff Writer Sherry Shen spoke with Gregg Gillis before his concert at Cornell University Sunday.