Monday, November 30, 2009
Final Project Update
Weekly Post
I'm also going to take more notes on the atmosphere of the restaurant. It is an extremely colorful restaurant, with tons of books, art work on the walls, vibrant colors, and knick knacks. I want really detailed description so that readers can see the place without actually being there.
Tuesday, November 24, 2009
An Afternoon Alongside the Beauteous High Point City Lake
I was almost startled. After two years in High Point I had begun to think of the city as a land of concrete, red brick and shrubs. I seldom ventured off of my clean college campus, as a layer of dingy grime seemed to have lightly settled upon the rest of the city. That this pocket of natural beauty existed a mere five minutes east of my school came as something of a shock.
As my car shot across the bridge that straddled the lake, I felt like I had just taken my first breath after a lengthy submersion. Although the dead winter didn’t heighten its aesthetic appeal, it had the sophisticated beauty of a black-and-white photograph. The lake was opaque and still—above it, a crown of trees stood naked and shivering under the ashen sky.
Throughout the year, I crossed the lake in all seasons, at all times of day, in all kinds of weather. As I shot across the bridge I would turn my head to gaze at the lake—but before I could finish sighing of its loveliness I was forced to tear my eyes away, lest my car should drift into the oncoming traffic or off the bridge itself.
In spring I saw it blush with color as rosy petals burst forth from the fingertips of many dogwoods.
On the first day of warmth fishermen emerged from their respective dens, spotting the lake in boats that looked like over-sized tin trays with motors.
During vicious summer storms, the lake churned and mirrored the flashing intensity of the heavens above. In autumn the maple leaves blazed like fire upon water.
Every day, reeds stretched from below the glassy surface like the glistening arms of fabled nymphs, gesturing for me draw nearer—to step out of my car and approach the shore. I wanted to yield to them—to trek through the rugged undergrowth of the surrounding woods, the thorny briars tearing at my knees as I kicked my way to its unblemished shore—but I was always in a hurry to get from point A to point B and never bothered to stop.
But since there is a fluke spell of warm November weather and a brief interlude in my studies, I have decided that it is time to venture to the lake.
Down to the Lake
The vision I had of hacking through the thicket of brambles dissipates as I learn that there is an access just around the bend of trees, right off of Greensboro Road in Jamestown. I also learn that there is a community park—it lures in the High Point locals on this day of sun. Children play on swing-sets; a flock of nuns in blue robes flutter along a path.
I bring along my friend Melissa—a local herself—who wants to serve as a sort of guide as I embark into this mysterious frontier. She reveals to me the history of the land—history that predates the construction of the dam and the lake itself.
She leads me to a single-roomed cabin that served as a meetinghouse to Quaker settlers in 1819. The land beside the lake was once a plantation belonging to the Mendenhall family. The meetinghouse was only used on days of inclement weather, as there was a larger meetinghouse for the community a mile away that they would otherwise go to.
I walk down the hill toward the lake—although it is not yet five, it already glistening in the setting sun. Melissa points to a brightly colored kiddy-train, hibernating in a tunnel behind a gate for the cold winter months. We hop along the train-track planks to keep our shoes out of the soft slick mud.
I watch the lake ripple and bubble—when I turn back a moment later, a blue heron erupts from below the surface. As I try to draw closer it spreads its wings and withdraws to the other side of the bend.
We stand in awe as we watch the hue of the land change from sunset-gold to dusky-blue. But when the sun finally dips below the tree line and night sets in, we are ushered out by an employee.
I am left with a mixed sensation of elation and regret—the latter because I have failed to visit this lake in my first three years of school, and I will soon be leaving the city of High Point for good. But spring is just around the bend, and this year I will be present for the lake’s rebirth.
It’s hardly a wonder that Thoreau went to Walden Pond “to live deliberately.” Water is, after all, a traditional place of rebirth and enlightenment—a place that liberates us from the dreariness of civilization. In an era long past, bodies of water were even ascribed deities. A person would be hard-pressed to find an old-world religion that does not place some sort of significance on water and emersion.
There is a calling. The significance of water is deeply embedded in our nature; something more deeply meaningful than “we need it to live”—water is somehow linked to the human spirit itself.
We pass meetinghouse on our way to the parking lot. It now seems to belong to this old world. I think back to a day when it was still used—as a family of early-American laborers sat quietly circled in the single room, straining their spirits to hear God speak over the patter of rain, or the gusts of wind, or the deafening quiet of the silent snow outside. I wonder if they hear him?
Hello Gabane!
by: Caitlin Courtney
Look around and take notice of the dry, dusty red dirt roads, the giant hills towering overhead, and the smiling faces of the natives. This is Gabane, Botswana in a nutshell.
After arriving in Botswana’s capital city of Gaborone after a near 20-hour flight across the vast Atlantic Ocean from the east coast of the United States it is a relief to know that the village of Gabane is only a short distance away. Once you get there though, you are likely to feel that you are decades, even worlds away from where you just came.
Gabane is a lively village just outside of the capital. Rocky hills rise above this small town that is dotted with hundreds of small mud hut compounds with brown grass-thatched roofs. One reminder of the modern world is the satellite dishes propped upon almost every roof.
At each compound and all over town the people are carrying on with their everyday activities and lives. They pause every so often to stare down the out of place foreigners that are meandering down the roads of their village.
Foreigners are not something that they are used to but the townspeople welcome newcomers with open arms, open hearts, and open minds. After they are caught staring their faces light up with the most magnificent white tooth smiles. They are just as interested in you as you are in them.
Continue down the roads of Gabane and it is easy to see why people love it here. There are large trees sheltering many of the homes and around these trees there are families, school children, and animals alike.
Don’t expect a traffic jam in Gabane unless you find yourself stuck behind a mule or donkey cart or one of the stubborn goats that frequent the roads around the village. It is not uncommon to see a goat, whose curiosity has gotten the best of him wandering down the middle of the road with its head stuck inside of a bucket. In Gabane, domestic animals like cattle, goats, and donkeys run free and do as the please but they always find their way home eventually.
While all of these things are defining elements of life in Gabane the most important thing to see while there is the Gabane Pottery.
Gabane Pottery is owned by Martin Kabwe and it employs local women who have pottery skills. The pottery shop is housed in several circular shaped buildings made of mismatched stones placed perfectly together like an intricate puzzle. Kabwe is assisted by his wife Katherine and three daughters, Rachel, Helen, and Chongo. Of the three, Helen is the most talkative and bubbly.
Helen gladly describes the process of making the pottery. “It’s made just like is has been for years and years. Shaped and carved, baked, painted, glazed and baked again,” she informs, “and the clay used in the pottery can be found in the hills around Gabane”.
Frances Combs, a local artist in Gabane raves about the pottery found at Gabane Pottery. “It’s magnificent, you cant find it anywhere else in the world,” she states when asked what she thinks about the pottery, “I have so many pieces of that pottery…my favorites are the cups and bowls!”
Gabane Pottery is the most famous spot in Gabane and is most likely the only reason that most tourists venture into the town.
As the sun begins to set and you know its time to leave Gabane a feeling of sadness fills every fiber of your being. Leaving Gabane is not an easy thing to do. It is easy to get used to being around the friendly townspeople and to be in such a relaxed environment far, far away from the hustle and bustle of cities and countries all over the world. It is the perfect escape.
Jourdan's Travel Story-- Rocking the Suburbs
Rocking the Suburbs
Many people believe the town of Mount Lebanon is like any other community nestled about ten miles south of Pittsburgh.
However; this suburb overcomes the stereotypes of soccer moms and hard-working husbands and proves to be different than other towns in this area. Mount Lebanon, or “Lebo,” is unique with for having many famous people reside in the town, having not one but two main streets, and for housing President Barack Obama’s favorite pancake house.
Famous Residents
The Incredible Hulk
Sitting outside of the South Gym in Mount Lebanon High School is one of many trophy cases. Unlike the other trophy cases housing state championship and Western Pa championship trophies of many sports, this particular trophy case is dedicated to one person: Olympic gold medalist Kurt Angle.
Angle went grew up in Mount Lebanon and attended Mount Lebanon High School. During his time in Lebo, he played football and wrestled. Angle won the Pennsylvania State Wrestling Championship as a senior, and continued his wrestling career by winning an gold metal at the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta.
“I think there is a sense of pride going to the same school as an Olympic Athlete,” says Charlie Must, a junior at Mount Lebanon High School.
“As an athlete, we can look up to Kurt and strive to be as good at him in whatever sport we play,” said Must.
The Nerd
Dallas Mavericks owner, Mark Cuban grew up loving to learn. He attended Mount Lebanon High School where one of his teachers, Kathy Haines remembers him fondly.
“We called him “Nordy.” I taught Russian and that was the name he chose for class,” Haines said. “I must admit, his classmates were not very nice. I think they were annoyed because he was so smart.”
Cuban went on to attend Indiana University in Bloomington and eventually, he and a friend were the first to broadcast basketball games over the Internet.
Cuban Eventually went on to but the Dallas Mavericks basketball team and is known for his loud-mouth antics during games.
Super Mario
In 1984, Mario Lemieux was drafted to the Pittsburgh Penguins in the first round of the National Hockey League draft. Being French-Canadian, Lemieux couldn’t speak English.
A Mount Lebanon family hosted Lemieux during his first few seasons as a Pittsburgh Penguin, and eventually Lemieux bought a house in Lebo.
His infamous white house with the letters “M” and “L” carved in marble on each side of the massive entrance is the location of the Stanley Cup Champion victory party in 1991. The players were so excited; they jumped into Lemieux’s swimming pool with the famous trophy.
“My uncle, Steve, was a security guard at the time,” said Mount Lebanon Resident Katie White. “He and his friend were joking around in their uniforms and went to Mario’s house…they told them to keep it down during the party. Uncle Steve broke up the Stanley Cup victory party!”
Strolling Around Town
Just because a town has many famous residents, doesn’t make it wonderful, but having two main streets draw attention to Mount Lebanon.
Beverly Road
Having one main street in a town is always nice, but two is even better!
Beverly Road has many appealing qualities that has residents flocking there daily. From Bado’s Pizzeria, to Iovino’s Café, people always go to Beverly Road for a good meal.
Both Restaurants are owned and run by Mount Lebanon residents.
“I’ve lived in Lebo my entire life,” said Justin Vujevich. “I always support local businesses. I graduated with the owner, Jeff, it’s great!”
Other attractions on Beverly Road include a local ice cream shop, a coffee shop, and a sushi restaurant. It is also close to Lincoln Elementary School, one of seven elementary schools in Mount Lebanon.
Washington Road
While Beverly Road is a small version of Main Street, Washington Road, or “Uptown,” is larger, is the home of many local businesses.
Uptown is in the center of Lebo, all residents can walk there. Some main attractions include Ona Boutique, Potomac Bakery, and La Pomponnee Salon and Spa, but the most unique thing about Uptown are the First Friday Events held every summer.
Every first Friday of the summer months, all of the local businesses Uptown hold sidewalk sales, face painting events, and concerts.
“First Friday’s are always fun. I always take the children I babysit and they love it just as much as me,” said resident Sarah Uddstrom. “They always get their face painted and wear balloon crowns.”
First Fridays are fun for all ages and families often walk Uptown for the occasion. By the end of the night, you will see children jumping around like bunny rabbits because their face paint and sugar rush from eating ice cream.
Obama’s Favorite Pancakes
When President Barack Obama was visiting Pittsburgh while on the campaign trail, he made a special stop at Pamela’s Diner.
While eating the crispy pancakes Pamela’s Diner is famous for, Obama said that they were the best pancakes he has ever had.
Obama did not forget about these wonderful pancakes, this past Memorial Day, President Obama invited the owners, Gail Klingensmith and Pam Cohen, to make pancakes at the White House for his family and Troops.
“I love that Pamela’s Diner is right in Lebo,” said Uddstrom. “I try to go up there every time I am home from college, and during the summertime I am there so much!
“I think it’s pretty cool I can say Obama’s favorite Pancakes are in my town!” Uddstrom said.
Mount Lebanon proves time and time again that it is an excellent suburb of Pittsburgh. From professional athletes to pancakes, you just can't get enough!
Still Standing
Casey Williams* sat Indian style on her black futon. Her shoe-polish-black hair hung in her eyes as she fiddled with her nose ring. The black curtains that hung from the dorm’s windows allowed very little light to shine in and forced people to squint to find her bed when entering.
She was wearing her usual outfit: dark purple sweatpants and a band tee shirt. Her lack of shoes revealed her latest addition: a tattoo on her foot, dedicated to her father.
Casey was always close with her family. Being an only child, her parents made it their goal in life to make sure she was happy. She got everything she ever asked for. She always had friends in high school, came home everyday to an adorable log cabin in Vermont and a puppy named Terry that her and her family adopted from the animal shelter.
The First Loss
It wasn’t until her junior year that things began to change. Her mother, who was normally a healthy looking woman, dropped down to 95 pounds. She had felt sick for weeks but never told Casey or her husband. It wasn’t until the noticeable weight loss that they began to worry. After many hospital visits, chemotherapy, radiation and prayers, Casey lost her mother to brain cancer six months after being diagnosed.
The loss of her mother hit Casey harder than she expected. She began swirling into a darker world, a world where no one would know how to help.
At school when they had gym class, Casey would sneak out, go behind the bleachers in the gym, and cut her upper thigh with a razorblade to relieve her stress. “It was the only pain I felt I could control myself,” she said, avoiding eye contact. She carried band-aids in her sneakers and would cover the wounds to stop the blood from dripping down her gym shorts.
She got angel wings, dedicated to her mother, tattooed on her back with her mother’s initials and day she died.
The Boyfriend
Her junior year of high school also brought Jake Sulley* into her life. “Jake was the type of boy mothers told their daughters to stay away from. It would work out that we would meet after mine had just passed,” Casey shrugged.
Jake, father of a two-year-old girl, swept Casey off her feet. She loved his “bad boy” image of leather jackets and ponytails. “I even had my own helmet with my name on it for when we rode his motorcycle, looking back this should have been a red flag,” she admitted.
Casey’s junior prom was the first time Jake ever abused her. After Casey congratulated the prom king with a hug and a kiss on the cheek, Jake pulled her into the foyer of the hotel and grabbed both of her arms as tight as he could. “He just stood there, shaking me as hard as he could. He told me that if I ever touched another boy again he would find me and kill me. I believed him,” she said as her eyes welled up with tears.
She picked up a rubber band ball off the floor and nervously plucked its strings before she continued (she used to wear rubber bands around her wrists and snap them to her skin as a tool to keep herself from cutting herself). “He left bruises on my arms that began to show before Prom was even over,” Casey said.
For fear of losing another person in her life, Casey stuck with Jake. Every time he apologized, she believed him. Every time he begged for her to take him back, she did. The summer after her junior year Jake had pushed her down a flight of steps, attempted to push her out of his moving car, and hold her up to knifepoint at a steakhouse parking lot. He blamed his rough childhood and lack of parents on his crazy rants and always pleaded for forgiveness when he came to his senses.
College
Casey knew that if she wanted to stay alive, she would have to go to college far enough away from Jake that she felt safe, but close enough so that he would not catch on to her desperate need for distance. She chose High Point University, a long haul from Vermont but about two hours from the small Votech school Jake chose.
Her father was too busy with work to move Casey in so she drove, from Shrewsbury, Vermont to High Point, North Carolina alone. Her tiny Subaru was packed to the ceiling with clothes and room décor.
While everyone else’s parents came along for their children’s first step into adulthood, Casey made her bed and silently unpacked her things. Living with seven other girls in an apartment style dorm, she was fast to make friends and soon had many helpers.
Her first month of school flew by. She lived with a great group of girls, enjoyed her classes, and became involved in as much as possible.
The Phone Call
Casey zipped up her black North Face duffle bag with a weekend’s worth of clothes. She was planning on going to visit Jake for the first time after his refusal to come to High Point. While she was an hour away from HPU, she gets a phone call from her aunt:
“Casey, what are you doing? If you’re driving pull over I need to tell you something.”
Her heart started racing and she instantly forgot how to work a car. Everything suddenly seemed foreign.
Casey: “What? What’s going on? I’m on my way to see Jake.”
Aunt: “Honey, you’re father passed away.”
She slammed on the brakes in the middle of the highway like she had almost hit a deer. The car behind her had to swerve out of the way to avoid rear-ending her. She pulled herself together enough to pull over on the side of the road as she bashed her head against her steering wheel as if trying to break it with her skull.
Still on the phone with her Aunt, all she could do was breathe heavily on the line. Ironically, she lived in the North Carolina, so after over an hour of sobbing and confusion, she drove to her Aunt’s house to find out all the details.
The Second Loss
Her father died of pancreatic failure. He was sitting on his couch watching football when he felt like someone had stabbed him with an invisible knife. He was knocked to the floor in pain and somehow mentioned to call 9-1-1. He had been in and out of the hospital for reasons such as this but nothing to this degree. He passed away in the hospital that night.
Her Aunt was now the only family she had left. No parents, no grandparents, no siblings. It was now Casey, her aunt, and two cousins who had been in and out of rehab and prison for various reasons. This tiny family was now her only hope.
“I didn’t tell many people this, but I think three days after my dad died, I had a dream I was on the phone [with him] but it wasn’t a normal conversation, it was like I was talking to him, and he was already in heaven. I kept asking him, "Why did you leave? Please come back, I need you." I heard his voice, and he said, "It was my time, I had to go. I’m sorry baby, I’ll see you someday." That dream, hit me so hard,” Casey whispered.
Reality
When fall break approached, Casey did not go home like the rest of her friends. She stayed at school and did paperwork and made business calls.
“I would hear people talking about how they're going home soon and cant wait to see people. I would envy those people more than I’ve ever envied someone. I would have loved to go home, to a family, a normal life. I would do anything. I know that everything happens for a reason, but I can’t think of any reason good enough to have this as an excuse for it happening,” Casey said through small sobs.
She was 18 years old and planning her father’s funeral. She requested to get all the bills from her house in Vermont, forwarded to her campus mailbox. She was now in charge.
Thanksgiving came and she spent it at her aunt’s house. It was not until December that she would make her first voyage to Vermont, alone, to an empty house.
Strength
Even through all this tragedy, Casey has never let it bring her down. Though there were some rough times, suffering with self-mutilation and depression, after a year she has come out on top. She sold her house in Vermont and is currently self-paying her way through college. She joined a sorority and has a 3.5 GPA. She rid Jake from her life and hasn’t spoken to him in over a year. She is currently dating a new boy, who treats her like she is the only girl on the planet. They plan to marry in 2012.
She recently got a new tattoo, a peace dove on her inner wrist to symbolize that everything is calm.
“I pray every night to see my parents in my dreams, and I don’t most of the time. But sometimes I do, and those times, I always wake up with a smile on my face. As hard as these years have been for me, I feel like it will make me into a better and stronger person.”
I Made It Out
I Made It Out
By Lyndsay Rowley
The House of Kate's Former Boyfriend
"His friends saw me walking to my car crying, and I guess they confronted him the next day by telling him he was out of control, " Kate explains.
Kate pauses and looks to the ceiling, "Looking back, this was my breaking point. By the end of the next day I was apologizing to him for, supposedly, ruining his reputation."
Wiping away her streaming tears Kate mumbles, "The really low point was lying to my mother. I told her I had run into a tree branch when she asked me about my face."
Kate felt hopeless and unworthy of living. By the end of the next week Kate was hospitalized for malnutrition.
After Kate was hospitalized her parents made her start taking medication for her depression. Kate slowly began to get better.
With the help of a therapist, Kate's family, and her medication she began to eat again and gain some weight back. At the end of the summer,
She headed back to school still talking to
Kate puts her head down and mutters, "if it hadn't been time to go back to school I don't think I ever would have gotten away."
Kate never told her family about what
Kate explains, "if we would have gone to the same school, I don't really know if I would be here today."
Kate says that she learned from her experience and will never let a guy hurt her like that again.
Kate pauses and looks up with her wet eyes, "Looking back on what happened, I know things were bad but could have been worse. At least I made it out."
When a Dream Became Reality
Age 12
Spencer sat in a seminar on “how to become successful”. It was one of many that his father and step-mom had forced him to attend. During most of these seminars, Spencer sat with his eyes heavy as sand bags, listening to the drowning on of speakers who thought they knew the secret of how to rule the world.
To Spencer, the seminars were like the news, he’d listen to it, but none of it meant much to him. However, this day, Spencer listened to the speaker who seemed so confident with passion in the words he spoke. The main thing he took out of it was to write down his goals, and as a 12-year-old with the drive to play soccer; Spencer went home and did just that.
He wrote about graduating Edina High School with a 4.0, doing well on the track team, becoming the Varsity Boy’s Soccer captain, but most of all he wrote about playing soccer at a D1 school.
Age 14
Spencer had played soccer all his life, starting at the young age of four. He’d always been inspired to play at a high level, but after he wrote down he goals and knew what he wanted he started doing everything he could in order to achieve that goal. “Every day after school I’d get home and he’d be out in our backyard kicking around the soccer ball. Every day. I knew I’d read about people with that much drive, but I didn’t know that type of drive even existed,” said sister Mara of younger brother.
It was in the end of Spencer’s eighth grade year at Edina High School where he got a phone call. It was coach Tim Carter from the school of Shattuck St. Mary’s. The school was a preparatory school for phenomenal athletes, and they wanted Spencer for their soccer team.
After attending Shattuck St. Mary’s for a year, Spencer decided that being away form the friends he’d grown up with was not worth the high level of soccer. “I figured he’d made his decision. He chose friends over soccer which is understandable of a high school boy…but yes, I thought his chances of D1 were gone after he left Shattuck,” recalled Spencer’s father, David.
Edina High School
Spencer became a blessing to the Edina High School Varsity team when he showed up to play for them. While at Edina he became a four-year letter winner. Individually, he was voted team captain as a senior, earned NSCAA All-Region player, first team all-state, all-metro and all-conference honors, named to be on the ESPN Rise Magazine All-Minnesota team, led the Edina High School team in points as a junior and a senior, and was a three-year member of the Olympic Development Program team in Minnesota.
Aside from Spencer’s outstanding performance in soccer, where he also played on the club team Bangu Tsunami and won four state championships, he also fulfilled meeting his goals of doing well in other sports. Alongside with soccer, Spencer lettered in weightlifting and track. His success didn’t stop at making the Varsity track team. He was also named all-state in the 800-meter dash and was a member of the school’s record-holding 4x800 meter relay team.
With this much athletic success from a high school student, you wouldn’t expect much academically. Spencer shocked people when he became a four-year honor roll student and an AP honor scholar. He was also a member of the student leadership group and graduated with a 4.0.
The College Decision
He’d done all he could, working every spare moment to become the best soccer player he could be. “If I didn’t make it now,” Spencer said, “at least I knew it wasn’t because I didn’t put all of my effort into it.” Spencer awaited calls from scouters.
The phone almost didn’t stop ringing. Schools called from all over the country hoping to get Spencer on their team. There was only one problem...they weren’t D1 schools. “It wasn’t my goal to just play soccer in college. It was my goal to play D1 soccer and I wasn’t going to just settle because I though my opportunities were out.”
On March 20th, 2009, Spencer got a call that changed his fate. Columbia University in New York wanted him to play on their D1 team. Spencer feel quiet on the phone, his heart beat fast and he felt jittery as the coach spoke. He wanted to cry, to scream, to tell everyone he’d ever met and call all his relatives. He had made it. He accomplished biggest goal, and the feelings of worry and anticipation for the future flew out of his body like a flock of doves being released for the first time.
Columbia University
Spencer is now a huge contributor for the Columbia University Men’s Soccer team. He intends to major in political science and advance to law school after graduation. Spencer’s story reminds all that with the drive and determination to do something; anything is possible.
by Lizzie Buckthorpe
The cold air and mist surround you, confirming that you’ve arrived in the historic city of London, England.
People pass you left and right while snippets of British accents reach your ears. As a newcomer to the city you decide to take a bus tour in order to see everything you desire. After careful speculation you decide on the, “Big Bus Tour Company”, as the best way to experience the city.
Upon purchasing the twenty-two pound ticket you wait patiently at the covered bus stop for the next apple red double-decker to come along. To pass the time you open the glossy pamphlet the bubbly tender handed to you with your ticket purchase. It highlights all of the wonderful things you get to experience with the “Big Bus Tour Company” tours.
Namely it talks about the tour’s most popular feature, the fact that you can get on and off the tour as you please, as you would any regular city bus. So now, instead of just having to hear about all of the wonderful things about London while driving on past, you can get off and explore first hand the cites of the city.
Suddenly the glare of red comes into sight and you know that your bus has arrived. “Welcome to London,” says a chipper driver, adorned in a navy blazer with a matching top hat. You decide you want to sit on open-air second level in a hope to not miss any of the action.
After tackling the windy stairs you make it to the top of the bus and choose a seat. The tour guide in the front of the bus, a tiny man who looks rounder than tall, announces that he is very pleased you are all here and can not wait to share the city with you.
The first stop the bus comes across is Reagent Street. You have never seen shops like it before. They are lined like dominos, seeming to go on forever. You decided this is a place you cannot miss and hop off of the bus. You spend time darting in and out of the endless stores, marveling on all that they have to offer. An exchange student from High Point University, Margaux Cote, says, “I had never seen a place like it, it was shopping heaven!” As time continues however you realize there is much more to London that you want to see, so make your way back to the bus stop.
You again make your way to the open-air deck and find a seat. This time your guide is a young girl who seems eager to share all her knowledge with you. She exclaims that the next feature is Buckingham Palace. Excitement bubbles inside you, this is one of the things you have wanted to see the most. The guide explains that Buckingham Palace is the home of the Royal family of England and is guarded by the famous stoic guards.
Upon arrival you make your way off of the bus and over to the closest guard. He is dressed in their traditional attire of a brilliantly red jacket and fuzzy black hat. You decide that you want to try the age-old challenge of attempting to get them to crack a smile. After endless efforts, with no results, you give up and decide to move onto your next destination.
Back on the bus you hear that the next attraction if the Tower of London. The guide explains that this massive White Tower is home to a replica of the King’s Chamber along with the Crown Jewels of the Royal Family. However as you glance down at your watch you realize that there are so many other things you want to see and decide to save this attraction for later.
The next one on the list is the Merlin Entertainment London Eye. As you pull up to it your breath catches as you take in its size. The massive Ferris-wheel-type contraption looks like all of your fears of heights and small spaces all rolled into one. The guide speaks about how this is the best way to get a full view of the city in the shortest amount of time. However, due to your extreme fear of heights you decide to leave this stop to the masses of other visitors leaving the bus around you.
Another stop is announced, Kings Cross Station. Being an avid Harry Potter fan you perk up, knowing this is the home of the renowned “platform 9 ¾.”
At arrival you gather your belongings and make your way through the station. Your eyes are filled with visions of high copper ceilings and rustic pillars. You eventually find your goal, the space between platform nine and ten. To your delight there is a luggage cart place between the two as if it is going through the divider, just like the real thing. You take pictures by it, imagining you are accompanying Harry, Ron and Hermionie on the Hogwarts Express to wizarding-school.
You arrive back on the bus and settle back in to the metal chair. You marvel at all you have seen today. The convenience of getting on and off of the bus as you please made the day as easy as pie. As the sun winds down you decide that you have seen all you can for the time being and make the decision to return back, anticipation of your next destination building inside.
We're All Mad for Plaid
Peruse these stores’ shelves. Browse their websites. What is the common bond that ties all the stores together?
It’s not the clothing styles. It’s not the customer base. It’s a simple fabric pattern. It’s plaid.
Men's Cotton Shirt from Urban Outfitters
The fashion world agrees.
Each week on Vogue magazine’s website, fashion editors compile a “most wanted” list. On the list for the week of November 12? No less than 3 plaid items. A beige and blue plaid shirt dress by Pamela Robbins, a brown plaid hunting cap by Victor Osborne and a blue and red plaid dress from Marc by Marc Jacobs.
In a November 5 posting of her blog, “Slaves to Fashion,” GLAMOUR magazine’s Executive Fashion Editor at Large, Suze Yalof Schwartz posted about “4 Pretty Ways to Wear Plaid.”
Rather than just 4 ways, in actuality there are a plethora of possibilities for wearing plaid.
Try a look that is pulled together, yet still casual, as The Hills star Kristin Cavallari demonstrates.
Kristen Cavalleri shopping on October 20
Her tucked in button up paired with skinny jeans and heels was InStyle magazine’s “Pick of the Day” for October 25.
Or go with a more conservative look, as Ami Shupe, High Point University associate professor of theatre, demonstrates.
Professional Plaid
Her plaid is known as “buffalo plaid,” which is characterized by broad checks and two colors, usually red and black.
Even a black tie event is possible with plaid. In an upscale fabric such as taffeta or silk, plaid is appropriate for a formal event. Actor and style icon Sarah Jessica Parker proves this at a charity event last January.
Sarah Jessica Parker in Plaid Formal Ware
To be exact, Sarah Jessica Parker is proving tartan, not plaid, is doable as a formal ware pattern.
Yes, there is a difference between tartan and plaid. All tartans are plaid, but not all plaids are tartan.
For example, the luxury British fashion house Burberry, has a distinctive plaid pattern as their trademark. This symbol is in fact not authentic tartan plaid. It’s just a plaid, or check.
Why? Because Burberry is a British company, not Scottish.
According to Jeffrey Banks, designer, tartan collector and co-author of the new book, Tartan: Romancing the Plaid, the fabric has to be Scottish in origin in order to be considered a tartan.
Being Scottish is not the only requirement for a plaid to be a tartan.
In a CBS interview with correspondent Erin Moriarty, Banks said of tartan, "You can take it and literally turn it upside down and it will look exactly the same, right side up or upside down."
Anything that does not do this is just a plaid, or a check. Not an authentic tartan.
In photo after photo of Tartan, the book weighs nearly 6 pounds; Banks and co-author Doria de La Chapelle trace the trajectory of plaid. They follow the pattern from its beginnings in the 5th century Ireland, to its current status as choice fashion fabric of the stars.
Tartan originally became most prominent in Scotland, after Irish settled there, bringing tartan with them. The patterned fabric was used to distinguish the many clans who resided in the highlands and the islands of the country. Eventually colored stripes were incorporated into the pattern to signify the rank of the wearer. A high king, for example, would have a tartan with 7 stripes, one of which being purple, the color of royalty.
In the early 1900s, tartan had become popular with men and women of the British aristocracy. With this new found trend came an air of exclusivity to whoever wore the pattern.
In response to this stuffy feel, plaid has become the pattern of choice for rebellious groups throughout the years. It was used for statements from punk rock fans during the days of the Sex Pistols, to grunge fans in Seattle and beyond during Nirvana’s reign.
In more recent years, plaid has been popular with artsy hipsters who use thrift stores as their clothing shops of choice. Walk into any second hand store, and you are certain to find a wide variety of plaid shirts.
But today, it is a wide variety of people who wear plaid. No longer are people wearing it to rebel, or to show off their status.
Simply put, they’re just wearing it.
Spencer Hatcher, an HPU senior from Hagerstown, Md., is one such person. The 21 year old has a history of adventurous dressing. In high school, she once wore a tie dye cat collar, complete with tiny silver bell, as a fashion statement. She doesn’t always know why she thinks something is stylish.
“I don’t know why I like plaid, to be completely honest,” Spencer says, “I like the colors, I guess.”
Showing off everyday plaid
Whatever it is that draws her to the print, she is a loyal follower, owning at least 4 different plaid shirts. One is a typical button down, another has a more western style, another has an empire waist and bell sleeves, and one, which she stole from her mother, has a ruffle down the front.
“I guess I enjoy feeling like a lumberjack,” she jokes, surveying her pile of plaid.
No longer are lumberjacks the sole purchasers of plaid. Whether authentic tartan, plaid or check, it’s a popular pattern that’s attracting the masses.
For More Information on Plaid:
Travel Story -Final Verison
DOGS ALL AROUND
Much of High Point, North Carolina screams small town USA. From the quiet streets to the overwhelming home town hospitality, High Point could be pass for any other small town in American. But tucked away on Main Street is something refreshing, something unique, a place frozen in time.
The restaurant known as the Doghouse is like walking a back in time. The smell of hot dogs and hamburgers comes across feeling like the warm 4th of July. Hot dogs, chili dogs, hamburgers and French fries, no matter the time of year the menu at the Doghouse doesn’t change. Honestly the menu hasn’t change for close to 40 years.
Its not only the menu that hasn’t changed in 40 years, the décor, the ownership, and friendly service has also been around for just a shade under a half a century. Pictures on the wall reflect the culture of High Point the town.
An hour from Duke and North Carolina University this town has always been about one thing and one thing only: college basketball.
“We know how to appeal to our customers, and what they. And what they like is simple, basketball and burgers. It’s been that way for a long, long time.”
Patti Mitchell is a waitress and manager and her family has owned the restaurant for as long as she has been alive.
The doghouse is only open a few hours a day, from 11 am-2:30 pm, this ensures that every day, while the doghouse is open it is jam packed with loyal customers. The Mitchells are simple people who enjoy giving back to the community, and don’t want to be working long hard hours anymore.
The limited hours of operation, don’t seem to put a damper on anything. Each and every year the Doghouse wins some award from the city of High Point for its excellent food and service.
Patti Mitchell explains all the awards like this, “Duke and North Carolina are always competing for a national championship and these awards are like our own national championship.”
When they do win, which is often, it’s always “Dogs all around” for everyone in the restaurant.