Austrian Politics

The Freedom Party, one of the youngest political parties in Austria which built its platform on anti-immigration, has been making strides as of late.

Far-Right, Anti-Immigrant Parties Make Gains in Austrian Elections

Not sure how I feel about this one. My Modern Austria class taught how this party was formed only in recent decades and taps into the public's desire for change from the SPÖ (Social Democrats) and ÖVP (People's party/former Christian Socialists)--immigration and the desire to preserve their Austrian-ness was one of the touchy topics that FPÖ tapped into. I admit, I find it hard to consider objectively, as my background in American cities has given me a subconscious expectation for ethnic diversity. However, the word is that the FPÖ is less anti-foreigners than it once was, so we shall see.

Drop and Run: How to Print a Blog

I have been terribly negligent. Classes have started and consumed my life, as usual.

No time to amend that now; just a quick note to anyone else out there who has a blog that they might like to print. A friend and fellow study abroad returnee showed me Blurb today, a photobook company that can directly incorporate your blog entries and pictures into a beautiful published book. Haven't had time to investigate yet how Blurb differs from other photobook companies, such as Picaboo or My Publisher, but I assure you that my friend's end product looked phenomenal. I'm going to have to try this out!


As a final thought to apologize for my briefness, the quote of the day by Edgar Allan Poe. Eddie is this week's author for my three-hour English seminar on Tuesdays; we emerged yesterday blinking at the bright sunshine and laughing rather maniacally at the minute details of life. Love it. Think we scared some freshmen along the way.

"Those who dream by day are cognizant of many things which escape those who dream only by night."

Embrace the madness. Tschussi!


Love, Lanna

A Heap o' Links

Clearing out some of my bookmarks...

First, on oil again. I really liked this article about the dip in barrel costs recently. Then there's this, a more amusing take on the oil issues.

An interesting post on McCain.

More on the cost of education and how the rising costs continue to perpetuate the cycle of poverty.

A supplement to wikipedia: Knowledge Rush

Notes from Wien: The Spanish Riding School has followed the Vienna Philharmonic and now finally has female members!

Also, check out some authentic Austrian recipes from the embassy.

Closing with an opinions article on Apple and the new iPod.

Enjoy!

On Palin and Oil

Today is Sarah Palin's big day. She's due to take the stage any moment now.

For my part, I'm rather curious to see what she will have to say. Prior to being named McCain's VP for the Republican ticket, she was completely off the map, a relative nobody outside of her native Alaska. In less than a week, the country has rushed to get to know everything about this woman--her background, her family, the skeletons in the closet, and why her inexperience is simultaneously a negative and redeeming factor. Sure, the Vice Presidential role is not necessarily a big one; you're the back-up without much official power, and the position is really whatever you make of it. But you are still one of the most influential people in the country, and there's a good chance you'll be doing a lot of diplomatic work. Important to make sure that you're ready and a fit for the job.

On most issues, I think Palin is getting more crap than she deserves. The press seems to be focusing on her personal life and pro-life, pro-contraception, abstinence-only education stance, digging up anything they can. In terms of her teenage daughter's pregnancy, I have to say, kudos to the family for sticking by their principles and keeping the child, despite the outcry of hypocrisy from the media. Instead, I'd prefer to shift emphasis to Palin's role with the Alaskan environment:

She's doubted global warming and pretty much worked against environmentalists' efforts for a cleaner Alaska. She actually fought to get the polar bears off the endangered species list. She initially supported the Bridge to Nowhere project in Alaska. And she supports drilling in the Alaskan National Reserve for oil... I don't care what the oil companies say, technology hasn't improved enough that that wouldn't destroy the environment. Even McCain is against that.

Palin, like many of the Pres or VP candidates that preceded her, represents more of the same in terms of the energy crisis. She is looking for the answers in the places we have found them before, but does not consider that it may be time to put that famous American Innovation into action, seeking not new oil, but new means of energy altogether.

...More on this to come. Now, to the TV!


EDIT: She's a very talented speaker and good at connecting with the crowd. But curiously, she spoke little of herself, and instead threw shot after shot at "the opponent" (never named) and lavished praise on McCain, telling the life stories that he should tell himself. This was her moment to shine and introduce herself to America; now I feel even more wary.

More on Oil, the Energy Crisis, and American Innovation to come.

The Cost of Education

American college tuition is expensive enough. Every student is overwhelmed with applications for loans, scholarships, grants, and financial aid, trying to make it a little less painful. Some of the richest universities have finally started to do their part to ameliorate this crisis, but many schools do not have the excessive endowment of Harvard or the Ivies to offer students such breaks.

And beyond the cost of tuition, housing, and meals, what else?

What about textbooks? After a semester of being abroad and not having textbooks, I had almost forgotten how expensive they can be.

I always do my textbook shopping on Amazon marketplace. It's important to shop around (be aware of your university bookstore's prices, check for discount reseller stores in your area, and check other websites), but Marketplace has consistently proven to be the most reliable and affordable option for me. You must often compromise dust jackets, clean pages, or wear and tear for a lower price, but I don't mind as long as I can still read it.

However, despite all that savvy shopping and saving, the costs can still be ridiculous. This year especially.

I just spent over $200. On ONE class. To top it off, I just did the math with the university bookstore's prices for new books. Had I bought all my books (five classes) from the school bookstore, it would have cost me $955. NINE HUNDRED AND FIFTY FIVE DOLLARS!!!!! For books.

This is obscene and absolutely ridiculous. We're only poor college students. We're just trying to learn. We don't have this kind of money!

Marketplace and other discounted resellers have saved me a pretty penny many times in the past. They're helping me out again this year, but sometimes it's just too much.

Transitions

This is the weekend of transitions in New York City. Most of the summer internships ended on Friday, and everyone is packing up their belongings to head home for a few days before school starts. The NYC schools are re-opening, so a flood of students are returning to the city, preparing for freshman orientation programs. The buses are packed, Penn Station is insane, and the taxis are constantly running between the airports--drop one off, pick another up. The interns jump on buses, trains, or planes to scatter and return to their corner of the country, while the NYC students get off those same buses, trains, and planes to move-in to their dorms and get ready for classes.

I'm here for only a few more days and will be joining that mass exodus soon. More entries still to come. Stay posted.

Goin' to Bethlehem

I traveled one last time for the summer this past weekend and went to Bethlehem, PA. This small city in the Lehigh Valley is a great get-away from New York.

Getting there: I took the Trans-Bridge bus from the NY Port Authority terminal to Bethlehem. Tickets work like those for a commuter bus, so you purchase a ticket to the location and you can get on any bus you want (no set date or time). Round trip cost about $40 from NYC; the ride was only about 2.5 hours each way, and the bus came frequently. Not bad!

Things to See Around Bethlehem: Bethlehem is a very relaxing place and a great break from the hustle bustle and crowds of Manhattan. In its heyday, it was the home of the great Bethlehem Steel Mill, the remains of which still stand by the river and rust away. (This otherworldly collection of massive brownish-red pipes, towers, cranes, and warehouses served a great otherworldly backdrop for some footage in the upcoming Terminator film). Bethlehem and the Lehigh Valley are also home to many colleges, and the town caters to its college populations. Finally, Bethlehem is a great location for the history buff; it was founded in the 1700s by Moravian settlers seeking freedom of religion and still has many signs of this long history.

However, I came to town for MusikFest, one of the many festivals hosted by the city. As such, there were plenty of crowds, but this had the feel of more of a carnival-craft fair-concert rather than a daily rush. This year, MusikFest started August 2 and continued until the 9th. Everywhere there were signs of the festivity--food vendors along the river*, craft stalls selling everything from quilts to sprinklers to Native American art. Stages were set up all over, and crowds gathered to hear rock, celtic, bluegrass, jazz, funk, opera, punk, and more unique performances, including the performers dancing on flexible stilts and the Phantom-like Bell Master who played the carillon. I loved it all. The Main Street was also very interesting, but packed around 9 at night as the crowds surged toward the stages and bars. I rather wished for more time on my visit to be able to check out all the fascinating little shops that lined the street. Ah well, that will have to be another trip.

Be sure to check the festival schedule before planning your trip--there always seems to be something going on, and something not to miss! However, even if it is a quiet weekend, there will always be something to do in Bethlehem, even as simple as a walk through the old cemetery, a drive up to an overlook of the steel mill, or a picnic in a park along the river. True to its name, there is a star on the hill above the city; it is turned on every night and lights the way to all those around.

*Most of the vendors refrain from using cash this weekend. Instead, the festival sets up booths by each entrance for visitors to purchase tickets worth 50 cents each. Visitors pay the food vendors in tickets rather than cash, and vendors later turn in those tickets to get their profits.

The Towers

I've been living in New York City for two months, but it wasn't until last weekend that I finally made the necessary pilgrimage to Ground Zero. I had not been to the site since August 2001, on a family trip to the city. It is a visit that I put off, but I needed to do.

It was confusing at first. I got off the subway and followed the swarms in the direction of the PATH station and "WTC" signs. I followed the crowds onto a tunnel-like pedestrian bridge that crossed above the site of the Towers. Tourists and cameras lined the walkway, peeking through the grates on the walls to try to get a view of the site below. Just seemed like a lot of cranes and dirt. There were a lot of families present with young children; I remember wondering how these children, who were born after the Towers ceased to exist, would find any meaning in the place that just seemed to be a construction site. I kept walking.

On the other side of the walkway, I saw the water and was determined to keep going. It was coming back quickly now--the dock, the playground, the restaurant. As I got closer, I saw Lady Liberty at last--my first clear view since arriving in this City. I saw Ellis Island. And I saw, as distinct as ever, the white Colgate clock on the opposite shore in Jersey City. For years, we parked our car in the lot beside that clock and caught the ferry across the Hudson, docking each time right below the WTC. The water and park were just as I remembered them. A large stone pathway for runners, a playground a bit farther north (I remembered playing there once after seeing Annie), lots of trees and space. The yacht harbor was even still there, as full as it had been at my last visit.

Turning, the World Financial Center, which I will always think of as the glass Marriott, looked as if nothing had changed--glass and steel, perfectly reconstructed. But there was a severe absence. It was not the construction site that hit me--that is what remains. It was the open space, the absence of two looming towers flanking the small glass building. I could almost see them as I looked up, their space carved out perfectly by the buildings around them, like the empty holes of a puzzle missing two crucial pieces. I had to look away.

Though the outside was deceptively the same, the inside of the glass Center was painfully different. The palm trees are there. The sweeping central staircase is in its rightful place. The glass and steel ceiling is as grand as ever. But the restaurant is gone. I remember sitting at that restaurant after a Broadway matinee, playing with my unwanted water by adding sugar packets and wetting straw wrappers. I don't remember what it was called or what I ate, but I distinctly remember entering the main front doors of the glass center and the restaurant being on our right. Its strange the details that the mind stashes away, the unusual bits of memory that remain vividly alive. It was semi-fancy, and I was being uncooperative that day. We sat at tables just outside the restaurant in the central plaza. There are some tables still there and benches below the palm trees. But the restaurant is gone. The space that once held it has been reconstructed.

The Financial Center which used to connect to the Towers now has large glass windows on its back through which visitors can solemnly view the abyss. There's not much to see. Surrounded by families and whining toddlers, yawning teens, and tourists wearing headsets to tell them about the site, it can be a discouraging visit. The World Financial Center feels like a shopping mall and visitors center; it is eerie to not see the suited men and business women rushing through, grabbing a coffee, and running off to their next meeting. At least Merril Lynch and Deloitte are still there. Maybe cynicism got the best of me; it was a weekend, after all, so naturally it would be devoid of workers and full of tourists. But regardless, I couldn't join the masses by the window; I had to retreat to a forgotten corner of the building and sit and think.

This entire entry has been transcribed from the post-it notes that I scribbled it on while sitting there.

Tor vs. Suvudu

It's the Summer of Sci Fi!

Two separate publishing companies have decided to launch sci fi blogs within the past few weeks. Tor.com is run by Macmillan (as part of its imprint Tor/Forge) and Suvudu is sponsored by Random House but seems less connected with the company. They have similar and pretty cool concepts--provide a one-stop-shop for sci fi fans for everything related to the genre--books, news, movies, comics, and more.

Both were launched in time for the San Diego Comic Con. Tor seems a little more established and interactive right now, with message boards and more frequent posts. However, Suvudu promises to incorporate such features and much, much more with a second launch around October. (In their defense, Tor has been working on their site since Feb-March '08 whereas the Suvudu initiative just started earlier this summer). Should be interesting to see how these shape up! With this competition to give fans the best service possible, it's a good time to be a sci fi fan. I've fallen away from the genre, but might have to get back into it!


In other news, Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog is back online! Check it out at Hulu. Joss Whedon, of Firefly and Buffy fame, continues to amaze.

Ulysses by James Joyce

Ulysses is often considered the crowning work of Modernism and consistently ranked as THE best book ever written. As such, many readers pick up the text determined to check it off their list of classics but are not warned of its difficulties. Thus, they drop it in frustration and leaving scathing reviews across the web. I ran into a number of these reviews (many of which were written by readers who never finished the text) and was determined to set things right. I enjoyed writing it, so I'll cross-post my review here. Enjoy, and I hope it helps alleviate this situation even just a little.

For reference, I recommend this edition of Ulysses (link to Amazon).

--------------------------------------
ULYSSES by James Joyce
First published in 1922



It is hard to classify Ulysses, and even harder to actually make it through. The book makes you work--it's not about the plot, but about the *experience* of reading.

In this book (I hesitate to call it a novel), the Plot decides that it's tired of being obvious and in the forefront, packs up its bags, and goes on vacation to let the words and Language itself take the centerstage. And Language has a ball--it's as if the words start dancing, laughing, and making fun of the reader as they play games. Just flip through and you'll see what I mean. An entire episode ("chapter") that's written as newsletter headlines? As a Q&A? as 50 pages of ONE SENTENCE?! Let alone the sentence-by-sentence text itself.

Language not only plays a game, but pushes its limits. In the experience of reading this text, you become very aware of where language breaks down. It's hard work to be a reader of Ulysses and have to piece together the puzzle of what's going on. Indeed, many times there's no way of knowing, but that's part of its beauty. This is not a pre-packaged cut-and-dry novel; this is a reflection of the realities and conflict in life. You need to become comfortable with confusion, conflicting voices, and not knowing what's going on. Test the waters with T.S. Eliot's "The Waste Land" or similar modernist works.

That being said, I still strongly recommend it. I read this text with a class, which was most helpful--our learned professor was a guiding light through the confusion and twists and turns and discussions helped lead us through. But there is an infinite sense of peace and accomplishment as you reach the last pages. Like the characters, you were lost, but found your way. The chaos of the world threatened to close in around you, but you found connection.

These words may mean nothing until you have survived the experience, but in the end you will find them to be some of the most beautiful words ever written: yes I said yes I will Yes.

-----------------------------

For a similar challenge dealing with the experience of reading, I recommend: House of Leaves by Mark Z. Danielewski
Also see: Waltzing Matelda: Belated Bloomsday

West Side Story Revival

A few years ago, I had heard talk of a revival of one of those old Broadway classics, West Side Story. I grew up on this musical and was thrilled at the chance to see it on Broadway myself. Unfortunately, talks of having a revival ready for fall 2005 died out quickly.

Now, it looks like it is finally happening. Though as the NYT announced, this will not be your standard revival. They are not merely adding a new song or scene, but using the story's cross-cultural message to create a new experiment for Broadway--a bilingual musical.

I mentioned this to a few people and received mixed reviews. Who wants to see a musical that they can't understand half of it? Sure, there will be translation screens, but how strange that would be! What about singing along to "America"?

Maybe I'm in the minority, but I'm in the opposite camp--I love the idea! Granted, I'm a huge linguaphile and I'm comfortable hearing another language and not understanding, but what better musical than West Side? Everyone is familiar with the basic story (what? two feuding families/gangs, two lovers, and a balcony?) and many people know the music. In the past, too many productions have been accused of casting "fake" Puerto Rican Sharks with very poor imitation accents; this production is seeking authentic, native speakers of each language and culture. Isn't that the story anyway--two separate cultures that struggle to mesh, but finally come together? Previously the audience has only been looking through the window in on this world; now we will be able to experience it.

And what better time then now, when Spanish is rapidly becoming the unofficial second language of the US? NYC subway cars are often divided with at least half the signs written in or including español. Many schools are beginning instruction in Spanish at a younger age. Has there really not been a Spanish musical on Broadway yet, or at least a musical incorporating a lot of Spanish? 

Regardless, West Side will always hold a special place in my heart, and this new interpretation takes it even further.  I can't wait!

The Quest for Gelato in America

New feature: Reviews (of restaurants, books, movies, or whatever I feel like talking about).

Today's review is of L'Arte Del Gelato, a gelateria in lower and midtown Manhattan. After spending a semester in Vienna (be sure to check out Zanoni & Zanoni near Stephansdom!) and 10 days in Italy, I have become very picky about my gelato. I'm not a fan of the American imitations that are basically just ice cream and sorbet. With nostalgia and a craving for the European flavors, I am determined to find authentic gelateria... and what better place than in New York City?

Background: For those who are unfamiliar with this artful cuisine, gelato is an Italian dessert that is often mistranslated as ice cream. However, it is creamier and more flavorful than ice cream or sorbet--ice crystals are broken and smoothed when the gelato is made, resulting in more flavor and less watery taste. L'Arte Del Gelato explains the differences in its own words. Like ice cream, gelato is often made from sugar and milk, but with minimal air; some gelato includes eggs and many have fruit. Some of my favorite flavors include Stracciatella (the best chocolate chip you will ever taste), Nutella, Melon, grapefruit, peach, mixed berries, and more. Many good gelaterias also offer experimental flavors, such as apple and rosemary or Twix.

The gelato options might look like this (picture from a 70-flavor gelateria in Firenze):

For more information, see Wikipedia.


The Location: After some googling and reading about the owner's return to Italy and dedication to the old gelato-making traditions, I decided that L'Arte Del Gelato would be my first stop. I tried stopping by the Chelsea Market location during the week, but discovered that that location closes at 7pm on weekdays. Yesterday, I instead tried the location by the NYU campus at 7th Ave and Bleecker street and had success! If I am not mistaken, the Friday and Saturday hours at this location are 11am-1am... not positive about weekdays, but give it a shot! It is right around the corner from the famous Jekyll & Hyde dinner theater, and with lots to do on 7th and on Bleecker (i.e. there was street fair this weekend).

The Details: I stepped in the small shop and examined the options. There were many of the usual suspects--Cioccolato, Nutella, Coconut, Banana, and many more. The workers were very eager to offer samples. I chose a small bowl ($4.50 for two flavors) and settled on my usual of Stracciatella and decided to try passion fruit. In addition to a decent portion of each flavor, the server surprised me by placing a free hefty sample of Frutti di Bosco (mixed berry) on top; she thought I might like this and it would help offset the two extremes of creamy Stracciatella and refreshing fruity passion fruit.

Still, I miss the 3-flavor huge portions of the 2 euro Blümen Tüte (flower cone) at Zanoni & Zanoni.


My Verdict: Not bad! The Stracciatella was excellent! If you have never had gelato before, I strongly recommend heading down and checking it out. The chocolate flakes were just right, and it was richly smooth and flavorful. However, the passion fruit could have been better. Though refreshing and rather flavorful, the consistency reminded me too much of the poor imitations; I had to let it melt a bit before I found it smooth enough.

I'll have to head back in a few weeks and try some alternate flavors--the Nutella looked very tempting! I'm curious as to whether all of the fruit flavors are too stiff, or if it was just a bad day for passion fruit. The mixed berry sample was rather good, but I'll just have to get more to be sure. More gelato to try--what a shame! :)

Bostonian Adventures

Nothing's quite like visiting (one of) the cradles of democracy for Independence Day.

Getting there: I took Lucky Star Bus from NYC to Boston, heading up Thursday afternoon to try to get ahead of the crowds. Despite some mechanical difficulties and delays (the bus broke down along the way), I would use Lucky Star again. The drivers were safe and the service was fine, especially considering the price--$15 each way! And for the record, the ride back was uneventful and we even made it in 4.5 hours despite lots of heavy traffic. Other buses include Fung Wah (the original Chinatown bus), Bolt bus, and Mega bus.

Events for the 4th: Friday we got up early and spent the day on the Esplanade for the free Boston Pops concert. We got in at 10:30 am (after stringent holiday security lines) and camped out with out trash bags, towels, and food to stake our location for the concert (which would start at 8:30pm). It was drizzling in the morning, but thank goodness that cleared up by the mid-afternoon! Many people had brought tents, chairs, coolers, blankets, board games, and more. Kat had made a gallon of pasta salad that we split. Mind you, I'm not usually a pasta salad fan, but this was phenomenal. We basically raided the fridge for anything healthy to put in--zucchini, cherry tomatoes, sprouts, shrimp, diced hard boiled eggs, kale, red and yellow peppers, goat cheese, and so much more! Kat lightly marinated the veggies in balsamic vinegar before adding them to the pasta. It was delicious!

But pasta salad was only the beginning. The Fourth is the day to be in Boston, it seems. Though there are thousands of tourists (the busiest time of the year!), there are also lots of free things. On our way to the T (subway) that morning, we received free granola bars. On a trip to CVS that afternoon, we were handed free containers of organic salad and (right on the next block!) free Pom juice... as much as we wanted! Excellent.

The Pops were quite good. By the time of the concert, the newscasters reported that there were 500,000 people there. Yep, arriving early was necessary. They started with a Bernstein tribute, which included Mambo! from West Side. They switched to some Sondheim, an abridged "Sweet Caroline", and others that I didn't recognize. In honor of the Red Sox's win over the Yankees, the conductor donned a Red Sox jersey and the Pops played baseball tributes, including the Sousa's "The National Game" (with rhythmic whacks with a baseball bat), the theme from The Natural, and a reading of "Casey at the Bat". The first act concluded with the Pops' annual rendition of the Tchaikovsky's "1812 Overture", complete with the cannons (the national guard had been practicing all day and freaking us out) and fireworks. (The main fireworks show was after the Pops finished, of course.) After Intermission, Rascal Flatts took the stage. They opened with "Life is a Highway" and played some of their other big songs, while we gathered our belongings and relocated to find a spot to watch the fireworks. We listened to the end of the concert by radio (one more from Rascal Flatts and then the Pops' "Stars and Stripes Forever") and at 10:35pm, the fireworks began over the Charles River! I've seen many many fireworks shows, but Boston surprised me by breaking out some new tricks. Very beautiful! In addition, they were well-coordinated with some pre-recorded music that everyone played over the radio. It was not only a visual display of art, but almost a dance to the music.


Things to See Around Boston: Saturday we went into Boston to explore the city. I met up with a group of friends from Vienna and enjoyed a mini-reunion in the States. We headed to Faneuil Hall (aka Quincy Market) for lunch. This huge market consists of hundreds of stalls of all different sorts of food. I eventually decided on the obligatory breadbowl of New England Clam Chowder--absolutely delicious! The canned versions or college-food versions can't compare. We walked for a while to the Old North Church, the graveyard, and along the waterfront, watching boats on the harbor and catching up. I was told that I *must* have a Boston cannoli before I left, so we headed to Hanover Street in the North End. We walked past numerous appealing Italian restaurants and eventually found Mike's Pastry. This famous location was ridiculously crowded, so we headed one block further to Modern Pastry. There was also a line out the door here, but much shorter. (Remember, Independence Day is the busiest time of year in Boston!). We waited only about five minutes and soon were order.

Modern Pastry offers the choice of a variety of cannolis. Shells: plain small ($1.50), plain large, large with chocolate-dipped edges ($2.75), or large and completely chocolate-covered shell. Filling: Ricotta, vanilla creme, whipped creme, or chocolate creme. I chose the chocolate-dipped edges and ricotta. The filling was freshly squeezed into the shell right after you order, and it is topped with powders sugar. We took our string-tied boxes from Modern Pastry and sat on a bench a block down to enjoy our prizes; we attracted quite a few stares from hungry passerbys who then headed to the bakery themselves. ^_^

From the North End, we wandered South for a while, exploring the posh Beacon Hill neighborhoods and finally ending up in the Boston Commons. I relived my childhood and found the "Make Way for Ducklings" statues and the swan boats. :) Also, the little kids wading in the Frog Pond were ridiculously cute.

To finish the day, we jumped on the T and headed to Cambridge and Harvard Square for dinner. We stopped at the delicious Pho Pasteur Vietnamese restaurant (the stir-fried noodles were amazing, and be sure to get some tea for only a dollar!) and topped it off with some ice cream from Lizzy's. Charles River Crunch= dark chocolate and toffee crunches. I'm sold. :) With our ice cream cones in hand, we wandered the grounds of Harvard and sat on the steps of some of those grand buildings. Unfortunately, I did not get a frappe, which I have learned is the quintessential (Bostonian) milkshake. I'll use that as an excuse for another trip. :)

Sunday morning we headed out for one last meal before I left. We chose an amazing breakfast joint in Somerville--the Ball Square Cafe. The Moroccan eggs and home fries were delicious (I sampled), but I ordered the french toast special--each slice consisted of two thick pieces of french toasted Challah bread sandwiching goat cheese and pears in the middle. I've never had anything like it, and it was amazing. Highly recommended! Also, the waitress was very friendly, the owner eagerly socialized with the guests, and the main chef (Omar) was very approachable in the back. It felt like a very friendly community oriented place--and the prices weren't bad either! (Rumor is that Omar used to be the main chef next door, but after a fight with the management there, he moved over to Ball Square Cafe and lowered his prices).


Final Thoughts: Boston felt friendly, interesting, and easy-to-maneuver. Also, I hadn't realized how many colleges are in the area, and so close to one another (MIT, Harvard, and Tufts are consecutive stops on the T). The T felt clean and clear; I'll post more on this later. For reference, rides cost $1.80 with the Charlie Card. Sometimes the crowds were overwhelming (read: heading back after the concert and fireworks), but for the most part it was a healthy break from the insanity of NYC. Not to say that Boston isn't crazy in her own way. :)

Beyond Genres: Recommendations

Tell me about a book that you read recently and enjoyed or a book that is an all-time favorite. Don't try to guess my tastes; what is one book that changed your life?

This is the question that I posed to friends, strangers, students, parents, family, and professors, creating the following list of recommendations from all genres. Popular book organizers (like Shelfari, GoodReads, and LibraryThing) allow users to display what they have read, and the sites generate a list of recommended books based on (similar to) what you have read. However, sometimes you desire something completely different that is still a good read. Thus, I started collecting book titles.

This list has been in the makings for years, but it only officially took off this past spring in Wien. For the first time, I have transcribed my pile of recommendations--notes on post-its, ticket stubs, napkins, or whatever scrap was handy--to form a full list. These are books were read and loved by a myriad of different people, with a vast variety of interests and tastes. If you are reading this, please continue the list and leave a comment with a favorite book of your own!

I purposely have not sorted by genre, and only grudgingly separated the non-fiction books at the bottom. Yellow titles or authors refer to those that have been strongly recommended by multiple people. Enjoy.

The List
-Khaled Hosseini, Kite Runner and A Thousand Splendid Suns
-Jonathan Safran Foer, Everything is Illuminated
-Margaret Atwood, (esp Blind Assassin, Robber Bride, and Handmaid's Tale)
-Milan Kundera, Unbearable Lightness of Being

-Neil Stephenson, Snow Crash (also The Diamond Age, Cryptonomicon, and the three-volume Baroque Cycle)

-Ian McEwan, On Chesil Beach and Atonement
-William Gibson, Neuromancer (followed by Count Zero and Mona Lisa Overdrive)

-John Cowper Powys, A Glastonbury Romance

-Mervyn Peake, Gormenghast novels

-Dante Alighieri, The Divine Comedy

-James Hogg, The Private Memoirs and Confessions of a Justified Sinner

-Keith Donohue, The Stolen Child

-Neil Gaiman, Fragile Things and Good Omens

-Charles Dickens, Bleak House

-Ovid, The Metamorphosis

-Albert Camus, The Fall (and The Stranger)

-J.M. Barrie, Peter Pan
-Lewis Carroll, Alice in Wonderland
-Michael Ende, Neverending Story (Die unendliche Geschichte)

-John Crowley, Little, Big
-Mark Z. Danielewski, House of Leaves
-Jonathan Franzen, The Corrections
-Herman Hesse, Demian
-Kim Stanley Robinson, The Years of Rice and Salt
-any & all Kurt Vonnegut
-William Goldman, Princess Bride
-Markus Zusak, The Book Thief
-Frank Beddor, The Looking Glass Wars
-Peter F Hamilton, Pandora’s Star and Judas Unchained
-Joseph Conrad, Heart of Darkness
-Wayne Barlowe, God's Demon
-The Bhagavad Gita
-Cormac McCarty, The Road
-Bret Easton Ellis, Less Than Zero
-Jon Meacham, American Lion
-John Irving, A Prayer for Owen Meany
-Norton Juster, The Phantom Tollbooth
-Lois Lowry, Number the Stars
-Eloise McGraw, The Moorchild
-Fyodor Dostoevsky, The Brothers Karamazov

Non-fiction:
-Steven Beller, Rethinking Vienna 1900 [To counter Schorske's widely-read Fin-de-Siecle Vienna]

-Greg Mortenson, Three Cups of Tea

-Michael Pollan, Omnivore's Dilemma

-Elizabeth Gilbert, Eat, Pray, Love
-David Sedaris, Naked

-Susan Faludi, Backlash: The Undeclared War Against American Women

Contributers: AR, MK, MW, BB, PW, KS, Mrs. S, KM, Prof. G, Prof. H, LS, LG, CR, DC, EB, PM, GN, BB, MA, KS, FP, KS, MS, SW, MD, DP, KC, and many others... THANK YOU!

Keep this list going, and comment with your own favorite texts or authors. What are some of your all-time favorite books? What's something that you read recently and loved? What book startled you or changed your perspective on life? What would you recommend (to anyone) from any author, any genre?

Fußball, Soccer, Football

EuroCup 2008 is winding to a close with Germany's last minute victory over Turkey. Tomorrow is Spain vs. Russia, and Sunday is the finals.

The EuroCup, held every four years, is supposedly the third biggest sporting event in the world (after the Olympics and the World Cup). This year it is hosted by Austria and Switzerland, two small countries that were sadly out of the running rather quickly (there was a joke for a while that neither would be able to score a goal during their own tournament!). The finals will be in Vienna: to the despair of the cultural centers, which have suffered from depleted ticket sales and admissions. [The State Opera--probably vying only with the NY Met as the top Opera house in the world--had to cancel a ballet. That's unheard of! And I admit, I cringe at the thought of rich fans defouling the beautiful Burgtheater.]

The Fußball insanity is very real. Even in early 2008, Wien proudly began to produce banners and signs to advertise the tournament. They extended the U2 subway line to go directly to the stadium. And like the NY Times article says, they did indeed add cleats to the statues outside the Künstlerhaus (formerly THE art institution and exhibition hall, right beside the Vienna Philharmonic's MusikVerein).

Sometimes it's hard for Americans to fathom; the closest would be comparing it to the USA's obsession with our version of football (a term which I never understand, as Amer football only uses the foot to punt...). Fußball--almost the same word in every European language--divides but unites. For continent-wide tournaments like this, it divides across national boundaries as each country roots for her own team. In many ways, the sport promotes nationalism with a fervor that's rarely been seen since the end of WWI. But it also unites and shows the strengths of countries that may be less politically or economically powerful. Former Eastern Bloc countries, notably Croatia and the Czech Republic, were some surprises who advanced well into the tournament (see Croatia's defeat of Germany. It was a big deal). However, the most successful underdogs or black horses would be Turkey and Russia. (Turkey defeated the former two countries with stunning/devastating last-minute goals). Despite heated political debates as to whether or not Turkey and Russia count as Europe and whether the former will be allowed into the EU, both countries were admitted into the Euro-centric tournament and have advanced to the quarter-finals. Indeed, with a large Turkish immigrant population throughout Europe and a strong anti-Turkish sentiment felt by the "natives", it would have been interesting to see how things played out had Turkey advanced once more.

There's something universal about dribbling a black and white ball, whether you're playing in a glamorous turf stadium in Wien, or on a dusty street corner in Brasil. To quote Aishah Schwartz, "[T]he beauty of soccer is that it transcends cultural, religious, and social divides. It demands dialogue and the forging of a collective identity, for no single player can score alone; the overall experience is a true test of tolerance and endurance. 'To be able to equip girls with just a ball and see them turn into ambassadors for athletics is the key to creating positive social change'" [see the full article on AYSE and girls' soccer in Afghanistan].

Bibliophiles rejoice!

There's a new bookstore in town!  Zoomii Books just opened its doors this week... well, figuratively. Zoomii is a new concept by web developer Chris Thiessen. I love this site already.

Catering to those of us who love entering a bookstore and browsing the shelves to find a new read but prefer Amazon prices, Zoomii is not just a virtual bookseller but a virtual book STORE (the books are on categorized shelves showing their covers and everything!). Just click, drag, and scroll to move around and browse the thousands of books. All books are from Amazon's catalog and all purchases go through Amazon, but Zoomii is a fun new way to find great books.

There's still kinks (sometimes the graphics take a while to load, some of the books are miscategorized), but it's a start. Even though I will still prefer the unique feel of small independent sellers (the musty smell of the volumes, the dimly-lit room, the old creaking board below your feet, the comfy chairs in the corner to curl up and sample an unrestricted "excerpt" before purchasing...), I buy the majority of my new books on Amazon. I'm not sure yet how much I'll use Zoomii when I'm not browsing, but heck: It's a lot of fun just to play with.

Check it out!

Wien in the Movies

Following nicely after my Bloomsday post, be sure to check out the film "Before Sunrise", especially if you have ever been to Vienna. Ignore the DVD cover and ads that promote this film as a cheesy romance chick flick... rather, this is a movie about dialogue and coincidence and how complete strangers find connection ... all in less than a day. (It actually takes place on June 16-- Bloomsday). The dialogue is incredible and thought-provoking.

The entire movie takes place in Vienna. I watched the film again shortly after arriving back in the States, and easily recognized Westbahnhof, Heldenplatz, the Risenrad in the Prater, the Kleines Cafe, the top of the Albertina, riding a Straßenbahn around the Ring (and seeing the Parliament and Volksgarten in the background), and more. My favorite was one of the later scenes (the second cafe, when the camera cuts to four different tables)... I instantly recognized this cafe as the Cafe Sperl, which I frequented. It is bizarre and thrilling to be watching these places on screen, as the backdrop of a film that I already love.

Its sequel is "Before Sunset", which takes place in Paris. I have never been to Paris, so I don't have the same intimate connection with the setting of that movie, but I still strongly recommend it.


In addition, if you are going to Vienna, be sure to rent "The Third Man" ('49). This is a classic and an excellent film, set in the late 1940s when Wien was still divided and occupied by Russian and Western powers. Additionally, check out "Amadeus" ('84), which is a famous and interesting portrayal of Mozart's life.

Some other films about Vienna (that I have not seen; these are some other titles recommended by a travel guide):
-Indien ('93)
-Funny Games ('97)
-Siegfried ('24)
-Dog Days ('01)
-Lovely Rita ('01)
-Der Bockerer ('81)
-Sisi Trilogy ('55-'57)

Send me your reviews if you see them.  Happy watching!

Belated Bloomsday

As a Lit nerd, I am upset that I somehow forgot to celebrate Bloomsday this year. Bloomsday, or June 16, is a day to celebrate James Joyce and one of his greatest works, Ulysses. In this text, which is often ranked as the greatest English novel of all time (though it is debatable whether the form is actually a novel), Joyce follows his main character Leopold Bloom on the streets of Dublin through the course of one ordinary day. June 16, 1904. Because of this incredible work, that ordinary day has become extraordinary.

I was actually in Dublin in 2004 only a few weeks after the centennial celebrations of the day--traditionally, a pub crawl through Dublin. I also noted that browse plaques had been installed by the sites mentioned in the work; that's right, everything in Ulysses takes place on real locations. Joyce was meticulous. Even though he never returned to Ireland after 1912 (Ulysses was published in 1922), Joyce did his research well and ensured that every location in the text is a factual 1904 location--streets, pubs, you name it! Pretty intense.

Though most of the world has never heard of Bloomsday and could care less, one rare bookshop in Philadelphia also holds celebrations for the day. This is the Rosenbach, which houses one of Joyce's original manuscripts. I want to this celebration last summer, and it was very well put-together--entertaining and enlightening! Plus, it was a huge gathering of English nerds. Naturally, I felt right at home.


So here's to you, James Joyce. Hats off to you, your works of literary genius, and the entire Modernist movement that Ulysses inspired. Happy Belated Bloomsday!

Offshore Drilling: Digging Deeper into the Hole

Bush is urging Congress to lift the ban on offshore drilling.

Why do I feel like we're only digging ourselves deeper into this hole of dependency on oil? Didn't we want to wean ourselves off of that because, oh yeah, it's a non-renewable resource. Let's think about that definition. If it's non-renewable, that means there's a limit. We're going to run out. One year or one hundred years from now, oil does not last forever. Maybe by damaging the environment, prices will go down a few cents... only to skyrocket again in a few months. But that's ok. By that point, a new president will be in office. Let the New Guy deal with it.

Europe hasn't solved the problem either, but at least they're ahead of us. Let's take some notes and focus on improving alternative sources rather than trying to cling to oil until it is completely exhausted. Improve the public transportation in cities, improve the speed and reliability of long-distance trains (esp Amtrak) to offer alternate means of transport. This would ease the oil squeeze slightly while alternative research is perfected.

I'm sure that I will have a more developed rant on this topic in the future. For now, I must call it a night.


Final Thought: When I began my planning for Europe, I was worried that I would need an International Driver's License in order to travel around the continent. I needn't have worried; I could get anywhere that I desired by train.
Not so in the States. This needs to change.

One Last Bow: Tribute to RENT

Rent opened in 1996 and soon became an international sensation. With a stage almost devoid of set and actors in everyday clothes, its appeal is in the complex characters who seem so raw, authentic, fascinating and yet universal. It is a story of love, loss, real life struggles, and friendship. This musical was a big part of high school for me, and I'm sad to see it close this September. At the Tony's last night, the current cast was united with the original cast to give one last tribute performance.