Overheards 04.05.2022
Low Carb, Low Intellect: “You're built like a box of angel hair spaghetti.”
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Low Carb, Low Intellect: “You're built like a box of angel hair spaghetti.”
The separation of screen and viewer—a separation rooted in unfamiliarity toward characters I’ve seen on screen for as long as I can remember, of plots and writing styles that are intended for a “general audience” that I don’t belong to. To be a part of the screen, to reach out and mix what’s being shown to you with your own experience, is often a rarity for those beyond the Eurocentric norm. The world of television and cinema is a universe I compartmentalized as wholly different from my own reality, and when comparisons were struck between the two, it became harder to find emotional value in either.
In Western art, we tend to look for the artist before the art, curious about the personal secrets hidden in their work. In Kaiser Ke’s (C ‘24) premier exhibit, Non Sequitur, collage is the medium for art that doesn’t need meaning to vibrate with historical, cultural, and compositional resonance. “A non sequitur means a statement that does not logically follow from the previous statement … that is the essence and beauty of collage,” Kaiser says.
Renée Fleming. Joyce DiDonato. Kelli O’Hara.
When I first speak with Mariella Satow, I have to bite my tongue to keep from interrupting her with stories about my 7–year–old sister, whom I will inevitably boast about before we sign off. In the background, the 2022 Oscars gear up: A few hours from now, Troy Kotsur will become the first deaf man to win an acting Oscar, and CODA will win Best Picture in a ceremony overshadowed by controversy.
“Put your hands up if you’ve never rocked out to a cello before,” The Happy Fits lead vocalist Calvin Langman asked at last week’s XOXO Tour concert while opening for The Maine at Union Transfer. With my hands in the air, I decided I’d become a cello convert. After their 2016 EP intended only for friends and family blew up on Spotify, Langman, along with guitarist Ross Monteith and drummer Luke Davis, decided to “try and make it work.” They dedicated themselves to producing songs dominated by cello, a secret weapon that is “all power chords,” making it ideal for rock music, Langman says.
The Academy Awards, aka the Oscars, is an annual awards ceremony that honors the greatest achievements in cinema from the past year, voted by just under 10,000 Academy members. Or at least it’s supposed to be about that. We all know that the 2022 Oscars will be remembered for many other reasons.
Dating online has a bad reputation already—the horror stories are endless and only seem to get worse with time. Television and media have illustrated distinctly the potential dangers of meeting a stranger online and getting a meal or a cup of coffee together. Hulu’s newly buzzed–about movie Fresh shows exactly that, in the initial scenes where Daisy Edgar–Jones’ Noa sits down for yet another failed date with yet another misogynistic douchebag. Maybe this feels familiar to you, maybe not, but this scene encapsulates the awkwardness and frankly, contemporary patheticness that revolves around first dates that are definitely not going anywhere.
Social media apps dominate college campuses. They act as methods for students to connect and share memes, struggles, personal antidotes, and anything else that crosses their mind. But a new generation of social media apps are embracing anonymity—from Snapchat to Yik Yak, apps are embracing the unseen. Most recently, a new app called Sidechat is making waves in the anonymous app space, blowing up on college campuses across the nation—but what exactly is it?
Amateur Tooth Fairy: *long pause* "Maybe I have a tooth fetish …"
On South 38th Street right underneath Penn’s Locust Walk pedestrian bridge, close to the Perry World House, you'll find a truck covered up with graffiti and colorful paints. It's Liam's Kitchen, or 大咖 ("daka"), a newly opened food truck on campus that promotes innovative Hong Kong cuisine.
Tucked away in the heart of Philly's Chinatown, Ocean Harbor is an incredible Cantonese style restaurant located at 1023 Race Street. The bright yellow sign hanging above the front entrance catches my eye from across the street, as it stands out against the sleek, modern gray tiling that makes up the bottom half of the exterior surrounding the doorway.
I walk into an orange cafe on Baltimore Avenue. It’s brightly lit, sunshine flooding every corner of the area. Ethiopian artwork and drapery in the colors of the country’s flag cover these walls, each contributing to a comforting feel. Color isn’t just an important aspect of Buna Cafe’s decor, it’s also fully embedded into the food, warmth of the hosts, and overall ambience of the place. Classic, colorful Ethiopian food with a vegan and vegetarian emphasis is what you’ll find at these wooden tables, with a food arrangement style straight from a family kitchen.
I have a habit of untying my shoelaces as I ride the elevator to my dorm, a byproduct of growing up in an Asian household. Rule number one: Take off your shoes when you enter someone’s house. This is a nod to the sanctity of the home, and the physical act of removing one’s shoes represents a mental shift from presenting oneself to the outside world to stripping away those layers.
Sky Cafe promised to be a South Philly hidden gem. The Uber dropped me off in a crowded South Philly strip mall with a mix of Vietnamese, Indonesian, and other Asian small businesses lined up along the block. I had to double–check I had the right address because the restaurant was hidden behind the posters and signs covering every square inch of the outside facade. The area is home to a strong and diverse Asian American community, furthering my excitement that Sky Cafe would be an authentic dining experience.
Last year, when asked where I wanted to go to college, I said somewhere with a snowy winter and good tacos. El Jarocho, located in South Philly near Passyunk Square, is certainly delivering on the taco front. Walking in, my friend and I were greeted with bright Christmas lights strung along the entry, family photos in the corner, and hand–painted walls, along with the friendly staff and a bounty of chips and sauces to accompany. With huge portions, authentic dishes (Where else can you try beef tongue?), and bold flavors coming straight from the kitchen you can see from your table, El Jarocho is certainly a worthy destination.
In an interview with Street last semester, Eastern State Penitentiary Vice President and Director of Operations Brett Bertolino spoke fondly of the vendors the Penitentiary employs for Halloween Nights—in particular, his soft admiration for the mission–based coffee shop The Monkey and The Elephant immediately piques my interest. Despite being located in Brewerytown, a sector of Philadelphia I have yet to visit in my Penn career, it registers as an immediate must–try.
Located in Philadelphia’s charming Old City just a short SEPTA ride away, Eggcellent Café offers is an Asian–owned casual brunch and breakfast spot that offers up fresh yet decadent bites every day of the week. Founded in late 2019 by Daniel Anggrianto, Eggcellent Café has quickly become a popular spot for brunch for good reason.
Moments after stepping inside Lulu Cafe I can sense its unique and welcoming character, which instantly stands out from your average Philadelphia boba joint. Located at 45th and Walnut streets, Lulu Cafe has a spunky, creative, and friendly atmosphere with a menu full of bubble tea and other snacks to match. I can tell the owner Janice Wang and the manager Tammy Chan are smiling at me beneath their masks as they usher me in and tell me to make myself at home, scurrying behind the counter to whip up a variety of the cafe’s bestsellers for me to try.
If you’re not sure what a “knock box” is, it’s the bin where the grounds of your espresso shot get discarded after it's been served to you with oat milk and a shot of hazelnut. It's also the punny name of the coffee shop at 45th and Osage streets that is a site for not only chai lattes and bagels, but a bonding space for community artists and businesses.