Category: Arts & Life

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Arts & Life Columns

Butternut Squash Lasagna

 

Katie Mancino | The Bucknellian

Katie Mancino
Columnist

Butternut Squash Lasagna

277 calories, 42 carbs, 8 g fat, 12g protein

Fall is in full swing, and since fall holidays are around the corner, I thought it was time to start busting out the healthy holiday recipes! Butternut squash lasagna is always delicious, but is usually filled with heavy creams and cheeses (I was drooling over a “Better Homes and Gardens” food blog recipe that tipped the scales at 700 calories). So, I decided to make a lighter version that had all the roasted cheesy flavor without all the fat and extra calories. It’s a perfect dish to impress friends or family, or to just enjoy yourself. Even though there’s a few steps, it’s actually a simple dish to assemble and is absolutely well worth the effort. I cut mine into six squares and put each serving in an individual Tupperware to enjoy throughout the week.

Ingredients: Makes 6 servings

  • 6 cups butternut squash, peeled and sliced into round disks (about 1 1/2 medium squash)
  • 1 Tbsp. olive oil
  • 2 Tbsp. Land O’ Lakes Light Butter
  • 2 Tbsp. all purpose flour
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 cups nonfat milk
  • Barilla No-Boil Lasagna Noodles (9 of them)
  • 3/4 cup Parmesan cheese
  • Rosemary
  • Thyme
  • Oregano

Directions

  1. Heat oven to 425 F. Slice butternut squash and toss with olive oil and 1 teaspoon each rosemary, thyme and oregano. Spread on a baking sheet and bake 15-20 minutes until soft.
  2. While squash is baking, prepare sauce. Over medium heat, melt butter, cook garlic in the butter for one minute then add flour (it will become a thick paste). Reduce heat to low and add milk, then simmer until it thickens into a sauce.
  3. Once squash and sauce are done, begin assembly in the bottom of an oven-safe glass dish by layering 1/2 cup sauce, top with 3 pasta noodles, a layer of the squash and 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese. Repeat so you have 3 full layers ending with squash and Parmesan on top.
  4. Bake 30 minutes and enjoy!
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Arts & Life Columns Humor Rees' Pieces

Rees’ Pieces: American Dreams

Ben Rees
Columnist 

The world is a cruel place and this November, our nation has an election that many believe will change things. Both sides of the political spectrum have incessantly bombarded the populace with terms, ideas and goals that are supposed to make citizens feel like the situation will get better. The reason these promises mean nothing is because our nation is made up of embittered voters and non-voters who complain about every promise political folk fall short of fulfilling.

The general populace needs to be a bit more imaginative; maybe everything politicians say isn’t a lie, and even if it is, let’s go along with it for a little while. Perhaps, if I may be so bold, my loyal fans will oblige me and permit me to weave them a dream of what our country could be.

In my America, nobody sues for dumb reasons. If a woman spills coffee on herself while driving, she won’t be able to sue because the cup doesn’t say “Caution: Hot.” Rather, she will understand that gnarled, rheumatic hands should stay on the steering wheel of her Buick instead of holding a Styrofoam cup; cup holders exist for a reason.

In a perfect America, Christina Aguilera is still cool, and sharks have eaten the entire staff of TLC. Our nation’s goal is to propagate intelligence, and television like “Dance Moms” has a quota instated on it. This means that those who watch smut TV for more than 20 hours per week will be zapped with a cattle prod by a government-sponsored agent. That’s what I call welfare.

I believe in an America with change … machines on every street corner, so no person will ever have to worry about parking violations. I believe in an America where nobody has to hope that he or she will win Norah Jones tickets. Instead, we will all be able to sit and hear her warble.

In this dream, no longer is America reliant on fossil fuels because sustainable energy is synthesized from a mixture of wind, solar rays and Obama’s basketball game sweat. Milk and honey flows from every sink, while energy drinks have been banned from stores for causing long-lasting testicular shrinkage–people understand no drink is worth turning grapes to raisins.

I believe in an America where words really do matter. All campaign speeches have to start with an original joke, and if nobody laughs, they cannot continue. How much cooler would Romney be if we believed he wasn’t a robot? The word “gubernatorial” would also be scrapped from the dictionary because nobody wants to vote on a goober.

All these ideas would make America so much better. Things would run more smoothly, and I truly believe we would all be happier. This November, dream away, because no matter who gets elected, a lot of things will stay shitty.

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Arts & Life Campus Events Music

Musical group gives voice to Chilean people: a representation of Latino culture

Molly Ford
Writer

Inti-Illimani, the Chilean instrumental and vocal Latin American music group, performed at the Weis Center for the Performing Arts on Oct. 11. The eight-member group utilizes over 30 instruments and numerous cultural and musical influences to create a distinctive, Chilean folk sound.

“The blending of traditional South American sounds, the versatility of the musicians and the soulfulness of their lyrics made me experience one of the best performances here at Bucknell,” Angel Hernandez ’13 said. “I couldn’t have asked for a better representation of my Latino culture.”

The performance was one stop on the group’s 45th  anniversary tour. Inti-Illimani became a voice for the Chilean people during a time of political unrest in 1967, and the group continues this mission today.

“I loved the performance, both for wonderful music and their extraordinary musicianship, but also because they continue to bear witness and give voice to people all over the world, and especially Latin Americans, who have struggled against oppression,” Professor of Geography Paul Susman said.

The group has performed at Amnesty International Concerts alongside Sting, Peter Gabriel and Bruce Springsteen, proving the group’s status as a cultural icon.

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Arts & Life Campus Events

Retreat fosters lifelong bonds and a vision for a better Bucknell

 

Courtesy of Laura Yeckley
Director, assisant directors and facilitars create lifelong friendships during the Common Ground Retreat.

Christina Oddo
Arts & Life Editor 

Common Ground continues to be a rewarding experience for students year after year during fall breaks. Common Ground is a free, five day diversity immersion retreat that takes place at the Cowan Forrest Brown Conference Center. Common Ground focuses on issues surrounding race, sexual orientation and gender. Thirty-five students participated this past fall break, lead by Director Capri Dubois ’13 and Assistant Directors Sam Lauer ’13 and Ana Aguilera Silva ’14. There were also 11 facilitators for the program.

Courtesy of Laura Yeckley
Thirty-five students break out of their comfort zones to learn more about one another.

“As a facilitator, Common Ground taught me that the things I say truly do have an impact on people,” Kate Albertini ’14 said. “One night, through tears and laughter, I encouraged participants to say ‘hi’ when they pass people they know on campus. At the time, I did not think it was that profound, but I can tell you that I have been so incredibly touched by all the amazing hugs and greetings I have both witnessed and received since returning to campus.”

Students take part in different activities that highlight topics about identity. The “Race Iceberg” is an activity that deals with racial and ethnic stereotypes, while the “Falling Stars” activity explores the coming out process. Different levels of discussions are facilitated in small and large groups throughout the retreat.

“I do not come from a very diverse background, and the diversity immersion retreat opened my eyes to the difficult experiences many Bucknellians are going through at home and on campus in relation to issues of race, sexual identity and gender among others,” Jennie Means ’14 said.

Favorite bonding activities among the participants include “Trees & Stumps,” “Mafia,” “Psychiatrist,” dance parties and campfires.

“What gives me the most hope for the future of Bucknell is the response members of the retreat have had since returning to campus,” Means said. “The experience we had together and the love and respect we now share is something that will not only help us maintain our friendships into the future, but will also drive us to make change on Bucknell’s campus and follow through on the action plan we created.”

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Arts & Life Columns

Trend Report: Outerwear

Kate Jansen
Columnist 

With recent temperatures dropping well below 40 degrees, I think it’s appropriate to dedicate this article to outerwear essentials. Here is a list of autumn accessories that will protect you from the cold.

1. The scarf. My favorite fall necessity is the scarf. Not only does it add a professional, collegiate flare to your sweater-and-jeans ensemble, but it shields you from those unreasonably cold morning breezes. What I love about this season’s trend is that scarves come in a variety of patterns, textures and sizes. Save shorter scarves for more formal occasions (like dinner dates and concerts) and longer scarves for daily accessories. In my opinion, infinity scarves are probably the most conventional, mostly because you don’t have to deal with figuring out the best way to tie it. Where does one come across scarves in the shopping world? Piperlime.com has a fantastic selection of inexpensive scarves and wraps, as does Madewell and Nasty Gal.

2. The jacket. If you are confused by which jacket you should be modeling by late October, have no fear! Popular coat designs this season are among blazers, double-breasted pea coats and parkas (conveniently listed in order from early fall to near-winter attire). Throw on a blazer on sunny days when the temperature doesn’t drop below 60 degrees. Paired with a light knit t-shirt, skinny jeans and ballet flats, blazers can complete a chic ensemble. Current chilly temperatures prove that it’s time to break out wool pea coats. This season’s selection comes in a variety of bright colors and patterns; I recently acquired an olive green tweed pea coat over fall break. Pea coats also pair beautifully with dark wash jeans and riding boots. Finally, when we are nearing the winter months (i.e. Thanksgiving break), make sure to invest in a parka. Coming from the East Coast, I am very familiar with this classic winter jacket (it has saved me countless times from death-by-shivering). The North Face and Patagonia offer a wide selection of parkas, as do online retailers like Piperlime and Zappos.

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Arts & Life Campus Events Review

Uptown to be new Fall craze

Anna Jones
Writer

Throughout September, Uptown, the University’s on-campus nightclub, has hosted many different events, such as a poetry slam, a dueling pianos performance, Sunday Night Football games, a club night, Trivia Night and more.

The year started off strong on Sept. 7 when Uptown partnered with WVBU to showcase student musicians and groups. This received much support from the student body.

“[Uptown] would like to have more students performing … in the future,” Uptown Manager Steph Wyld ’14 said.

Next, on Sept. 14, the Stadler Center for Poetry hosted their Poetry Slam at Uptown.  More than 100 people attended, including students from Susquehanna University who were also able to participate.

“This is one of our favorite events because it exposes students’ creative side and is really entertaining to attend,” Wyld said.

She reminds everyone to look forward to the second Poetry Slam of the semester on Nov. 2, as well.

Over Family Weekend, the Midwest Dueling Pianos made an appearance at Uptown. They played everything from Billy Joel to Bruno Mars, and even took requests from the audience. 

“Groups of students and families came out to see this entertainment … and we would like to make this an annual event,” Wyld said.

Club Night, on Sept. 28, was a dance party co-sponsored by the Latino Dance Corner, and more than 100 people showed up. The dance group led a workshop on Latin dance technique and DJ Ian Hackett ’15 kept the crowd dancing all night. Emilie Ratajczak ’15, Assistant Manager of Uptown said free soft drinks and snacks were served to the guests. Ratajczak also said that people actually had to be asked to leave at closing time because the event was so popular. The party was a huge success, with most people rating the event as a four or five on a five-point scale on the event evaluation.

Finally, NFL Sundays, happening all throughout the season, continue to be a big hit as always. Students watch the games on a large projection screen while enjoying the comfort of Uptown’s multitude of couches and free snacks. Another perk of watching the games at Uptown is the season long raffle of official merchandise. Fans can enter their name every quarter and winners will be picked at the Super Bowl Party in February.

“I love Uptown because it’s a great way to meet all sorts of new, interesting people in a very fun atmosphere,” Ratajczak said. “There will be plenty more dance parties in the future [along with] trivia, karaoke and pub nights.”

The first Pub Night for 21+ will be held on the Oct. 19, followed by Bison Haus on the 20. During Homecoming weekend, Vertical Horizon will be performing a free concert at Uptown.

“[The club] is really trying to bring back live bands … and [we] hope this will be a great success,” Wyld said.

Lastly, a jazz café is an event to look forward to in November.

Be sure to like the Facebook page (“Uptown Nightclub at Bucknell”), and to stop by the club sometime soon to enjoy it for yourself.

Categories
Arts & Life Columns Humor Rees' Pieces

Rees’ Pieces: Poor Planning?

Ben Rees
Columnist 

I don’t believe that everything happens for a reason, but I do wholeheartedly believe in a good plan. I respect well-thought-out endeavors, and I truly relish when someone throws a bit of humor into the mix. This sounds vague, but in every good plan, there should be something funny. For example, on a main drag right by my house, there are three businesses built from right to left as follows: St. [insert saint name here]’s Animal Hospital, Burger King and a discount fur mart. Let that sink in. Sick/dying animals, sub-par meat and a discount fur mart. Whoever in the city offices let that combo happen deserves a bottle of wine and a chocolate cigar. There is no way that this ordering is an accident, and I can prove that my strange town is not the only place where hilarious establishments remain incognito.

Look around campus. There are plenty of areas that are too strange to be accidents. Take a gander at President Bravman’s home. It is a beautiful piece of property that is exceedingly well maintained, but when I look at it, I seem to remember the importance of the phrase “location, location, locomotion.” The train that runs right behind it goes no faster than three miles per hour, which is clearly justification for its aggressive horn sounding.

We all know that the statue in front of Vedder looks like a penis. Everyone sees it, and everyone should be over it; however, someone needs to explain to me why administration put this phallic structure in front of a dorm. Living in Smith as a sophomore, all I heard most nights were entire halls walking back from registers at 10:30 p.m., giggling about the huge rock member in front of their building. If I haven’t yet proven to you that upperclassmen are far more capable of being mature around something like a large, onyx penis, then you must be hardheaded.

The Christy Mathewson gates are hugely sentimental, and they clearly have a place in the history of this campus. That being said, what are they keeping out? Isn’t the purpose of gates, to close something off? This is the first set I have seen that isn’t even connected to a wall. I know that it means a lot to walk through the gates, but isn’t that phenomenon somewhat stifled by my ability to simply stroll around them?

Somebody please explain the abdominal alcove in the gym to me. I’m not much of a frequent exerciser, but on the rare occasions I drag myself to the Krebs Family Fitness Center, I have trouble comprehending the area dedicated to bettering my core. They gave us the Harry Potter cupboard under the stairs and a foul set of gym mats for an exercise that everybody wants to do before they saunter home in their sweaty Greek crewneck t-shirts.

Before my position as a columnist is revoked, I just want to reiterate my message: look around for once. If, while walking outside, you take the time to objectively gaze at things, you will undoubtedly notice happenings and structures that were once foreign to you.  There are some really funny things going on in the world and trust me, a huge stone phallus and some disjointed gates are hardly the cream of the crop.

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Arts & Life Books Review

“The Casual Vacancy” falls short of Rowling’s Harry Potter series

Carolyn Williams
Writer

For millions of fans who have been waiting five years for the next novel from J. K. Rowling, author of the beloved Harry Potter series, her first work for adults, “The Casual Vacancy,” will be a bit of a disappointment.

In a drastic departure from the world of magical face-offs between good and evil we’ve come to expect from her, Rowling has chosen to write about a conventional, albeit imagined, British suburb called Pagford. In this seemingly idyllic vestige of simpler times, generations of families live within walking distance and everyone knows everyone else’s business. So, naturally, the small town is thrown into a tizzy at the unexpected death of Barry Fairbrother, and the subsequent empty spot on the Parish Council this death occasions; the formal term for such an opening is the titular casual vacancy.

But surprise, surprise, Pagford isn’t quite as nice as its shiny veneer would suggest. Due to an extremely unpopular land sale in the 50s, its borders include an addiction clinic and a subdivision of government housing called the Fields, which the painfully polite Pagfordians simply want nothing to do with. Chairman of the Parish Council, Howard Mollison, (an obnoxiously pompous figure, complete with simpering wife/lackey), sees his opportunity to finally do away with those pesky blue collar families, now that his greatest political opponent, Fairbrother, is out of the picture. A general struggle between many supporting characters ensues for the open council seat, and we are introduced to about 15 separate but interlocking characters who partake in the drama, ranging from the spunky but crass Krystal, a teenage resident of the Fields, to Samantha Mollison, the chairman’s sarcastic, bored daughter-in-law, to Gavin Hughes, whose unbearable timidity has him vacillating for most of the novel between an unhappy relationship with his social worker girlfriend, and an unrequited crush on his recently deceased best friend’s widow.

One of the biggest problems with “The Casual Vacancy” is Rowling’s obvious desire to distance herself from her past writings. Pagford is rife with drug addicts, adulterers, angsty teenagers and general unrest, to a degree that’s just unrealistic. Parts of this suburban setting and fairly mundane plot line are reminiscent of Tom Perrotta (“Little Children”), America’s suburban writer-du-jour. But, honestly, Perrotta does this setting much better; he makes suburban malaise and domestic disputes believable. Sure, the all-too-perfect façade of suburbia hides lots of secrets, but this is extreme. Every house on the block is not concealing stolen computers or bags of heroin. Pagford is a weird cross between “Weeds” and Wisteria Lane, a kind of Bermuda Triangle for paranoia and creepy secrets.

At least we can imagine the coronary Aunt Petunia would be sure to have if surrounded by so much juicy gossip. Between the stifling storyline and plodding pace, it would be a relief to see the loathsome Dursleys again–at least we know they’re good for a laugh. All in all, though, it’s admirable to see Rowling writing again after setting such an impossibly high standard with the success of Harry Potter, we also know quite well how very capable her imagination is, and “The Casual Vacancy” definitely falls far short of the mark.

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Arts & Life Featured

Live from Lewisburg: Q&A with Kenan Thompson

Christina Oddo
Arts & Life Editor

Arts & Life Editor Christina Oddo ’14 sat down and talked with Kenan Thompson after his stand-up performance, part of the 2012 Center Stage event, which took place on Sept. 29 on Sojka Lawn.

What is one of your funniest memories from when you were on “Kenan and Kel?”

“There are a lot. I remember one time me and Kel went to the mall just to see if anyone would recognize us. And we like stood in the middle of the mall for like an hour … nobody ever did [recognize us] … that was one of the dumbest things ever to try and test how famous we were. That’s what you do when you’re young.”

What is the best part about being on SNL?

“SNL is a special place. The main thing … is the alumni. It’s like going to college. I never graduated from college. I went for a couple of years and things didn’t go according to plan, so I ended up leaving. But being attached to all of those names … where we walk into our offices there is the wall where there’s a head shot of each cast member from the beginning. To walk through their history every day is unbelievable.

On the other side, being an actor, you don’t have to worry about your next season necessarily … it doesn’t happen [on SNL]. The main thing that I love the most are the people I work with. My cast mates are some of the greatest people I’ve met. We all have a very similar understanding of what we’re doing. We spend a lot of time together so we are very close. [They are] people I’ve known for 10 years now.”

Who is your role model?

“A lot of people. Really, really smart people intrigue me. It’s hard to pick one role model. When I was a kid I would be like ‘Bill Cosby!’ But I’m grown up now and I’ve read about art and literature, and I’ve been a few places. I look up to Obama, he’s the first black president … that’s huge, whether or not you agree with the issues at hand. As far as role models, my mom is one. I look up to my wife all the time, my family, the people who know me for being myself, instead of being who I am on TV. It’s kind of different; I’m a little laid back. I look to these people the most for honest reactions.”

What is your favorite part of your job?

“I’ve been myself. For 20 years, pretty much; it will be 20 years next year. A lot of the roles I’ve played have been in the vein of comedy so it’s been easy for me to just be me. What’s funny to me, even though it’s a different version of myself–like I am a little quieter I guess–I still get to be my sense of humor. That’s been my main blessing.”

What did you enjoy most about performing on campus?

“I loved it. I’ve never done an outdoor show before. I thought that was the coolest thing in the world. You could hear me. People were active; they were participating. The drive down was unbelievable. Fall foliage is just starting to come out. A lot of cops–I didn’t like that–but we made it. It just seemed like a magical night.”

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Arts & Life Columns Cooking Corner

Cooking Corner: Chocolate Chip Mini Muffins

Katie Mancino
Columnist

Chocolate Chip Mini Muffins

38 calories, 1g fat, 6 carbs, 1g protein

This is undoubtedly the best mini-muffin recipe yet and, possibly my favorite recipe ever! They are extremely delicious, packed with chocolate chips and the whole-wheat flour makes them extra hearty. Try making a double batch (or mix and match different mini muffin flavors available on my page piecesinprogress.tumblr.com/minimuffin) and freezing them four or five at a time in Ziploc bags for perfect on-the-go snack packs. These would also make fantastic regular sized muffins; you would need around three to four mini muffins worth of batter for each regular sized one.

Ingredients

  • 1 Tbsp Land O’ Lakes Light Butter
  • 1/2 cup Truvia Baking Blend
  • 1/4 cup Silk Light soymilk
  • 1 egg white
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • 3/4 cup whole wheat flour
  • 3/4 tsp baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/4 cup mini chocolate chips


Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 350 F (177 C).
  2. Cream together butter and Truvia until it makes a thick paste.
  3. Add soymilk, egg white and vanilla and mix well.
  4. Mix in all of the remaining ingredients.
  5. Spray mini-muffin tin with nonstick spray. Scoop one heaping tablespoon of batter into each cup so that you make 22 mini muffins (I find it helps to divide the batter into sections first).
  6. Bake 8-10 minutes until golden and enjoy!

Makes 22 mini muffins