Archive for June, 2011

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Super 8

Thursday, June 23rd, 2011

The other day I was fortunately able to convince my friend to go see Super 8, the new movie written and directed by J. J. Abrams. The movie follows a few pre-teens in a small Ohio town in 1979 as they try to write and film their own zombie movie to submit in a contest. But one night as the kids are filming they witness a fantastic train derailment, which then throws the town into a frenzy as air force militia try to keep the incident under wraps.

As the kids attempt to overcome their parents’ proscriptions and grudges so that they can finish their film, they delve deeper into the mystery behind the train accident and discover that the U.S. Air Force is attempting to hide something mysterious and terrifying from the townspeople. This movie is a great portrayal of a family trying not to fall apart and the bonds of friendship being tested, as well as a young budding romance—all tied up with a classic Steven Spielberg-style alien encounter, which makes perfect sense since the king of the blockbuster is one of the producers of Super 8.

Although I found the final scenes slightly predictable, I feel I definitely got my money’s worth from the great mix of emotions that the movie provokes, ranging from desperation, infatuation, fear, anger, and joy. I strongly recommend this film, and even if you’re not willing to pay the outrageous $13 NYC ticket price, try going to a matinee showing instead—they’re often half price, just check out the theaters near you to see which ones offer this discount.

And after, if Joe and his friends have inspired you, maybe you can try to write and film your own homemade zombie flick—or a romance, whichever you prefer! It’s a fun project to do with friends, and screening the finished product is a great way to bring people together and show off. Phototech can cover all of your camera repair needs if things get a bit heated and your lens cracks, as Charles’ does in Super 8, and all for a 10% off student discount.

/elizabeth Kaleko

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Posted in Movies, onEntertainment | 1 Comment »

New Age Breakup

Wednesday, June 22nd, 2011

The click of a mouse and now everyone knows you are single!

Everyone in their life experiences that dreaded moment of breaking up with someone or being broken up with, yet in today’s world this process has become even more complicated. There was once a time when you simply ignored phone calls or forced yourself not to call that past love or mistake, but now a clean break is almost impossible because of social media as well as texting.  Nowadays it is common for an ex to be merely a text away and oddly enough your “friend” on facebook, which can easily and constantly remind a person about their past relationship because of mutual tagged photos.  This makes it all so hard to completely disconnect with a person and stunts the process of closure that is usually very necessary at the end of a relationship.  Texting and the hyper-connection of social media are all fine and dandy if you can handle remaining friends with an ex but for most people it’s usually a source of upset and drama.

The event of breaking up has become in many ways embarrassing because “everyone” knows about the failure of a relationship when a person’s facebook status changes from “In a Relationship” to “Single”. The worst part is people can comment on the situation and facebook friends can even “like” your entrance into singlehood.  Instead of a reassuring phone call or face-to-face talk explaining to friends what happened, many times texting replaces what I feel is essential to moving on, which is just talking about it, especially with close friends. The times have changed and people have changed too. It has become a social norm to be insensitive to others during a never easy experience and to make moving on so much harder than it really needs to be.  It’s for that very reason that I feel when changing your relationship status on facebook you should immediately delete the post after doing so or make it private, unless it’s something you’d like to share with your facebook friends. But for most part, the experience is quite the nuisance, so to avoid the possibility of hurting your own feelings or your ex’s it’s probably not the best idea to advertise your breakup. However, when the times comes that you’d like to make others aware you are single, make it public on your info page to get the point across.

Heated debate exists around whether or not it’s okay to remain friends with an ex on facebook, my feelings and advice depend on whether the break up was “bad” or not. Everyone is curious as to what their ex is up to after breaking up but it’s not healthy to be updated every passing second of your life! If you find yourself checking their page obsessively and notice it pretty much always leaves you with a feeling of discomfort then I suggest not being friends with your ex on facebook. To forget someone these days you need to delete him or her from your electronic life, cell contacts, as well as from your own biting reality. On the other hand, if you find yourself not caring about your ex’s life appearing on yours newsfeed then you can leave it alone.  It’s usually okay to stay facebook friends if the breakup was mutual and ended without hard feelings.  It can be nice to see how people grow and change by checking out their facebook profile. But let’s be realistic the majority of breakups are messy and emotional catastrophes, so it’s almost a guarantee that your facebook wall could end up looking like a battlefield of love.

It’s important to do what’s best for you in a time were your discovering life on your own, or preparing to successfully share it with someone new. Some say it’s harsh to delete a person representative of your past but here’s the truth: they broke up with you or you broke up with them already, which is as harsh as you can get, so why not take the extra step to make yourself feel better? You need to get away from it all but that doesn’t mean you have to book a super shuttle ride to the airport and hop on a plane. I’ve also been told that deleting an ex from your contacts is necessary because many people text their ex’s at emotionally unstable times causing confusion about the state of the relationship. Being happy is what matters most and if you can’t find happiness while constantly being reminded of your ex then you should make the change that is necessary to evolve on your own, and free yourself from that particular relationship. After all, there is so much more out there than the simulated life you “live” on facebook and so much more to say when you’re not constricted to 180 words or less by text.

-Anjelica LaFurno

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Posted in onLove, Relationships | 3 Comments »

Good, Cheap Coffee: Not a Mirage

Wednesday, June 22nd, 2011

For many New Yorkers, there’s not much that is more essential to a productive workday than a nice hot cup of coffee (or three or four). In the so-called city that never sleeps, hard working natives need their caffeine fix, and the city offers almost limitless options to coffee drinkers. Sometimes it can seem as if there’s a Starbucks on every corner, with two food trucks waiting outside and a fancy fair-trade place a few doors down. It’s hard to imagine any better proof of New York’s collective coffee addiction than the fact that you can often get a coffee at three or four different places on any random block.

Contents are both caffeinated and cheap

But like all addictions, an honest jones for caffeine can become costly. Even for the less serious coffee drinkers, who keep it down to a cup a day, if that cup is a $3.25 caramel macchiato, then your lunch money might end up in a Starbuck’s cash register. Although Starbuck’s may be everywhere, and it provides the quintessential overpriced coffee, New Yorkers have plenty of other opportunities to fork over a few dollars for a cup of steaming joe. For the privilege of standing in a long line and then carrying a recognizable paper cup, one can head to one of the city’s many gourmet to-go coffee joints, like Oren’s Daily Roast. Or if you really want to make that three dollar coffee worth it, you can pop into a café style coffee shop such as Think Coffee, where you can sit, text, pretend to read, and try to figure out what your neighbors are doing on their laptops. If you get really lucky, there might even be a ragtag hipster band performing in the corner (paid in free coffee).

If you’re reading this, you probably don’t want to spend your budget’s precious discretionary dollars on coffee, and outside of an expensive treat, the various and complex -ato and -ino drinks are probably not for you. Luckily, for anyone on a budget, there are better, cheaper ways to get that caffeine wake-up than spending two slices of pizza on your morning drink. The best way to save money on coffee is to brew your own. It’s easy enough, and with any cheap coffee maker you can fill your apartment with that delicious coffee smell in a few short minutes. And for the real New York coffee snobs, you can simply get your favorite neighborhood coffee shop’s beans and brew high quality coffee on your own time, on the cheap. My favorite is Mud coffee (of the Mud truck), which can be found at the truck, at the storefront on 9th street, and in many neighborhood markets in the East Village (I also love Dunkin’ Donuts coffee beans). Even if a particular shop’s beans may cost more than you could pay for them at the grocery store, the overall cost of brewing your own coffee is still far, far less than that of buying it by the cup. This method is most likely a budgetary necessity for any serious coffee drinkers, whose daily intake may exceed four or five cups, especially later in the semester.

But what to do without a coffee maker? I recently moved into a furnished sublet for the summer, and although I love having my own room and living in Brooklyn, I was appalled to find that “furnished New York apartment” does not necessarily include a coffee maker. I enjoy having a cup in the morning and when I’m working either on schoolwork or on the job, and although I love a nice frappuccino, I really can’t afford to spend a lot of money on coffee. After a couple weeks of testing my various options around the neighborhood (Bushwick) and around Manhattan, I came to a conclusion that may be startling to the true coffee lovers, who sneer at Starbuck’s chain coffee as viciously as at McDonald’s fast food roast. I found that my best, cheapest option for daily coffee was not just very cheap and incredibly convenient, but located on nearly every corner. This morning, I enjoyed a tasty cup from the breakfast cart next to the subway, for the price of $0.75. It took about twenty five seconds to order, pay, and receive my cup, and for the perpetually tardy, such service is greatly valued. I appreciate a good, fancy cup of coffee, but I am by no means a snob about the drink, and I’m perfectly happy to sacrifice that fresh-from-Nicaragua taste in order to be able to afford lunch. I don’t love Starbucks, but I do love Dunkin’ Donuts, and McDonald’s coffee is really not bad at all (and it’s about as cheap as food truck coffee). I prefer to brew my own, since doing so is cheaper than paying by the cup, and I can buy whatever beans I want, but when it comes to convenience, price, and taste, I am convinced that there is no better place to grab your morning cup than at the corner breakfast truck.

-Aaron Brown

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Posted in Cheap Eats, onFood | 2 Comments »

Urban Social

Tuesday, June 21st, 2011

Hail a cab and head towards fun.

It is a common misconception that the only kind of social life in college that is obtainable and attractive is found in student dorms. But this is not at all the case for those who commute or are simply bored with the routine of beer pong and predictable frat parties. I remember a month or two into my first semester of college when I visited one of my best friends for the weekend at the celebrated private university that she attends in Boston. I was expecting to be wowed by her social life since I attend a commuter college in NYC, but I found it to be simply not my type of fun. I was surprised that in a place famed as a “College Town” there wasn’t much to do but roam from dorm party to frat party to dorm party again. The monotony of big school social life was just not exciting. I realize for some it really is but for me it just wasn’t.

I will admit it was rather nice knowing the streets were infested with people my age from all over the United States and the world, which I found to be inspiring in many ways. It seems youth is admired not just by the old, but by the young too. It was just slightly disappointing to realize that for all the different people from all the different parts of the world concentrated on those streets, individuality still fell prey to the uniform social life religiously followed by most college students. Don’t get me wrong––it was an interesting experience, and I continue to visit this particular friend throughout the year to get my fix of dorm life, since a change of scenery is always nice, but my heart and social life lie in the Big Apple.

New York City is a playground for college students because of its many hip neighborhoods as well as the easy access provided by the subway system. There is an abundance of things to do and see in the worlds of music, art, comedy, and of course nightlife. And don’t forget food! New York City is home to some of the world’s best places to eat, and also there are so many different types of cuisines to try, like great Indian street food, which you can find at Bombay Talkie in Chelsea. In simple terms: a city of immigrants makes for a city of delicious, diverse food choices. The city is also well known for its vast reserves of high quality standup comedy. Seeing standup is always fun when you’re with a group of friends because there’s the promise of drinks, food, and laughs. What more could you ask for after a week that most likely consists of sleep deprivation combined with the stresses of work and school? I highly suggest checking out the People’s Improv Theather, which is affectionately known as The Pit. The Pit is located right down the block from Baruch College and is very student friendly. Also New York is chock full of art museums and festivals to visit with friends during the day where you can soak up some culture and then later at night you can find a place to dine or drink on pretty much any New York City block. The club scene is probably the best in the nation, with many of the most popular ones concentrated in the Meatpacking District. There are also tons of live music restaurants (Café Wha? of Greenwich Village) and music venues (Music Hall of Williamsburg, Webster Hall, Bowery Ballroom, Mercury Lounge) where college students flock throughout the week to listen to bands that are the epitome of cool, both old and new.

I would take the variety of my commuter social life any day over the bland one experienced by those that neglect to push beyond the dorm, or attend college out of NYC. I’m not saying that there is no such thing as fun outside of NYC but there are certainly more options when it comes to having a college social life. Sometimes it takes a trip away from home to make you realize how great the city that you call home is in the first place. I learned that fun isn’t necessarily confined to the four walls of a cold dorm room, and instead it infinitely surrounds me once I walk out my door and rush to catch the train.

-Anjelica LaFurno

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Posted in onCollege, onFun, onTravel, onValues, Out On The Town, Uniqueness in NYC | 1 Comment »

Simple Plan: Get Your Heart On! Album Review

Tuesday, June 21st, 2011
AlbumCover

Simple Plan's 'Get Your Heart On!' album cover

The Canadian collective Simple Plan releases their fourth studio album today titled Get Your Heart On! This is their latest release since their self-titled album, Simple Plan, dropped in 2008. As expected, the band sticks to the blueprint that has made them successful—creating catchy pop-punk tunes for the masses. However, the album isn’t without its missteps.

From the onset, the album shows a lot of promise with a well-balanced opener in ‘You Suck At Love’. It’s a smooth song with a lively chorus that establishes the fact that Simple Plan isn’t trying to break the mold with this album. But it shows that this isn’t necessarily a bad thing either.

The album keeps the fun-loving mood alive as it moves into ‘Can’t Keep My Hands Off You’, a song about a musician’s love for his guitar, no matter how much he (or she) may think they can keep away from it. The track features Rivers Cuomo of the legendary rock band Weezer. His presence on the track is not only fitting, being an inspiration to rock artists everywhere, but it’s enjoyable.

From here, the album is somewhat of a toss-up as far as what works and what doesn’t. Songs like ‘Jet Lag’, ‘Loser Of The Year’, and ‘Freaking Me Out’ keep the energy of the Get Your Heart On! up and represent Simple Plan for what they are: a band that wants to write catchy songs that keep the show rocking. But the album is brought down by its attempts to slow things down. ‘Astronaut’ is an interesting composition that is fine musically, but falls short lyrically and feels forced conceptually. ‘Anywhere Else But Here’ is another slow song that tries to play itself off as a rock anthem, but ends up sounding more like a boring ode to lengthy, road-trip car rides that you don’t want to be a part of anymore.

Luckily, the album doesn’t end there. ‘Last One Standing’ is the kind of song fans buy concert tickets for (listen to it here). It shines because of its simplicity and its high-energy, no frills necessary, coming-at-you feel. Songs like ‘Gone Too Soon’ and ‘This Song Saved My Life’ show what Simple Plan is made of when it comes to pop-punk ballads. If all of the slower songs on Get Your Heart On! sounded like these two, it would be a solid album. Unfortunately, they don’t, and this deters from the album’s overall feel because although it opens and closes strongly, every good track in the middle of the album is interrupted by songs that don’t work.

‘Summer Paradise’ is a curious song made in collaboration with K’naan, a well-known Canadian rapper. I had high hopes for this song going in, thinking that Simple Plan would be able to show a little diversity with this number. Though it isn’t a bad song, it doesn’t stand out the way I hoped it would.

Knowing that the band completed 70 songs to choose from for this release, it’s a little upsetting that everything doesn’t feel picture perfect on this album. Putting its few faults aside, there is enough classic Simple Plan on Get Your Heart On! to make it a worthwhile purchase.

–Christopher Cusack, Hofstra University

Photo Credit: © Copyright Atlantic Records – 2011

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Posted in onEntertainment, onMusic, Reviews | 6 Comments »

How I’ve Been Handling Confinement

Monday, June 20th, 2011

Three weeks ago I underwent surgery on my foot to fix a bone structure issue that interfered with my ability to walk. I had attempted to prepare myself for the weeks that would come, where I knew I would be unable to walk, or for the first week, even move about freely. Yet when the time came when I was actually unable to leave my house, let alone my room, I realized I was in for a rough few weeks.

Despite my attempts to convince my parents that I could easily use my crutches to get around outside, they reminded me of the doctor’s orders to keep my foot stationary and elevated for at least one week. And even after that initial week, transporting was still nearly as difficult because my arms were not built to hold my body weight for extended periods of time, and balancing on one leg put quite a strain on my hip.

Everything that used to be easy was suddenly impossible. I had no hands if I was using my crutches, so even something as menial as carrying my plate from the kitchen to the dining hall was impossible. I dreaded showering for fear of slipping and falling on the hard ceramic, as hopping and jumping one-legged in a shower is not the safest of activities. Even three block walks would wear out my weak arms, and as I fell farther and farther behind my friends, despair would set in and I’d recognize all the things I once took for granted.

The last three weeks have definitely driven me stir crazy, more than I even thought they would. Even I reach a point where I’ve read too many books—the girl who got in trouble through sixth to tenth grade for reading during class! The books were great (check out The Pillars of the Earth, The Diamond Age, and The Help, if you’re looking for a good read), and so was having all the extra movie and television time, but those days were more than I could handle. Everyone me started driving me crazy and I became short sighted, expecting my sister or parents to be able to read my thoughts when I needed their help, or be free every moment that I needed their assistance. I knew I needed to do something, anything, just to stop from going crazy.

So I started doing crafts and other artsy things. I’m not the most artistic person in the world, but I do think most anyone can cut out pictures from a magazine and make a collage. I experimented with melting crayon onto wax paper. I fooled around with different techniques on Photoshop. Next week I plan on making coasters with my sister for the new apartment she just bought out in Boston. I find a lot of crafts ideas online, and others I just make up as I go.

I also try to make sure that I get outside every day, even if just to buy lunch. I’ve scouted out all the inexpensive places within crutching distance, such as Bagel Bob’s, Goodburger, and Nanoosh (which all offer student discounts), and spend some time with friends or my sister.

If you’re ever going stir-crazy, or just want a fun easy activity to do with friends on a slow day, crafts are a great way to spend your time—they keep your hands and brain occupied, and the finished products are often rewarding. Head over to Utrecht for a 10% off student discount with your ID, or 30% of with the printed coupon.

/elizabeth Kaleko

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2011 Northside Festival

Monday, June 20th, 2011

Guided By Voices playing at McCarren Park!

This past week from June 16 to June 19 the Northside Festival took place in Williamsburg and Greenpoint, Brooklyn.  I had the pleasure of attending this festival and its events this past Saturday, June 18. The Northside Festival is different from most festivals because, well, it’s in Brooklyn, for one, and it celebrates music, film, art, and ideas from the Northside. The objective of the Northside Festival is to shine a light on a borough that is often overshadowed by Manhattan, yet it seems clear that lately Brooklyn marks the spot for all that is new and hip.

The festival had various events that fell under the four aforementioned categories. My interest was specifically geared toward the music to be showcased in McCarren Park: a local park in Williamsburg known for its grand scale, Saturday farmer’s markets, and the many events held there. On Friday, June 17 Beirut headlined and the show was opened by singer Sharon Van Etten and the band Yellow Ostrich. I personally witnessed the amazing performance given by veteran cool kids and band Guided By Voices on Saturday, June 18. Three contemporary bands supported them: The Babies, Surfer Blood, and Wavves. Both shows were held outdoors on a stage sponsored by Steve Madden and for the Guided By Voices show a large crowd gathered of loyal GBV fans, but also a young assemblage of new ones. The four day festival had a lineup of both the well known and the complete unknowns that played shows at the many music venues and bars in the area. You can check out the lineup here.

But music wasn’t the only part of the festival I enjoyed! From the beginning of McCarren Park until about North 5th Street and Bedford Avenue the streets were closed off and local businesses handed out giveaways and discounts. My sisters and I took free photo booth pictures sponsored by the Brooklyn Winery, which was an indirect score for my mother because she got a discount offer. Also if you’re 21+ and happen to be in Kips Bay I highly suggest checking out Reserve Thai-Inspired Wine Bar. Many businesses previewed their products outside, like Brooklyn Charm that gave out free charm bracelets and necklaces.  They allowed passersby to choose their own charm and then it was made right before their eyes.  There was also an entire block that catered strictly to children showcasing kid friendly businesses. There were free percussion and guitar lessons, bike riding sessions, and even free gymnastics for toddlers. So the Northside Festival was pretty much for everyone: families, single adults, and teenagers hanging with friends.

Film was also celebrated at the festival with films being presented by L Magazine, Rooftop Films, Sundance Selects, and many more.  One film in particular, Nothing Yet, was directed and made by two under 21 college students. In the realm of art, many local art studios opened their doors to the public or showcased their work in the streets, like UGLY ART room. For the past three years, the Northside Festival has effectively celebrated the north side of Brooklyn, and will continue to do so. It is guaranteed fun that also helps out and promotes the creative community of Williamsburg and Greenpoint. So make sure to attend 2012’s Northside Festival or you’ll surely be missing out!

-Anjelica LaFurno

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Posted in onFun, onMusic, onSavings | 1 Comment »

X-Men: First Class

Monday, June 20th, 2011

You might be a bit hesitant after X-Men Origins: Wolverine flopped two years ago (and X-Men: The Last Stand, three years before that), but I would like to ask you to put your caution to the side and give X-Men one more chance. X-Men First Class was intriguing. It takes us back to the 1940s and then 1960s, explaining the child- and young-adult-hood of many of the characters such as Mystique, Magneto, and of course, Professor X. I found each person’s back stories to be fascinating, and as the story developed, I continually found my self in awe as I realized the turning point in each person’s life that led them to be who we know them as today, in the very first X-Men.

The movie opens as a young Erik discovers his ability to control metal in his attempts to return to his mother during their forced separation during the Holocaust (perhaps you remember this scene from previous movies). Antagonist Sebastian Shaw recognizes Erik’s skill and attempts to harness and train the boy’s power for himself by inflicting on him pains which increase his talent, yet create a mortal enemy. In another part of the world, a young Charles Xavier meets Raven, and together they grow into young adults, studying the intricacies of mutation and their implications on human evolution.

As Shaw attempts to spur nuclear war between Russia and the United States in hopes of creating a new super-mutated race from the nuclear after effects, it’s a race against time for Xavier and his newly found mutant friends as they try to stop the atomic war while simultaneously gaining acceptance as ‘humans’ in the outside world.

Battles between good and evil are only part of this movie, which also explores the character’s self-identities in a world telling them they are abnormal. A touching story of friendships made and broken, self-acceptance, and origins explored, X-Men First Class is definitely a step in the right direction in the franchise’s attempts to redeem itself.

Follow my footsteps and spend a day with a friend watching this movie at Regal Cinemas Union Square Stadium 14 , and dining at Burger Creations which offers a 15% student discount with your student ID and the coupon, which can be found in the Campus Clipper coupon booklet or online here.

/elizabeth Kaleko

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Posted in Movies, onEntertainment | 3 Comments »

Try Something New

Monday, June 20th, 2011

Now that the summer’s here, it’s time to step away from those complicated school assignments and step back to the fundamentals: reading. Despite being constantly encouraged when we were younger to read, we all know what it’s like to hit high school or college and forget what it means to read for pleasure. It’s easy to ask yourself Why should I read when I get the same value of entertainment faster and easier through a television show? There are many answers, but perhaps the most obvious reason is that it keeps your brain sharp despite the summer sun’s attempt to melt away your intellect. Getting caught up in a good story provides more than televisions twenty-minute quick fix for entertainment, and a good book will leave you thinking for days. Finishing a book also comes with a sense of accomplishment (and bragging rights among your friends!).

Take a minute and think about the last book you read. I think it safe to assume that most of you have read some or all of the Harry Potter series. Did you enjoy it? I’ll take your answer as a Yes. Did you continue on to read more fantasy or science fiction books? No? Why is that? Didn’t think you’d enjoy a fantasy book? Guess what? You already have!

Now, I’d like to propose something to you. Pick up a book this summer in a genre completely different than the one you’re used to; my suggestion, if you haven’t already, is in the science fiction category. They’re not so different from themes you’re already used to. They’ve got some romance, friendship, great characters, as well as thrilling adventures that keep you on the (metaphorical) edge of your seat. Delving into a new genre could introduce you not only to different styles of writing that help you as a writer, but also different people who share that genre with you. And you never know, you might find that you love this new world that you happened upon.

If you’re still hesitant, try something in the middle ground, like ‘Never Let me Go’ by Kazuo Ishiguro, the story of a girl growing up in a specialized school whose true purpose is kept a secret to the students. This book will leave you questioning the ethics of modern science while telling the touching tale of three best friends and how they reunite.

More than anything, take a break from the tight scheduling of college requirements this summer and try something new and different.

/elizabeth Kaleko

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Veganism and Family

Monday, June 20th, 2011

You wish they'd support you in everything, but that doesn't always happen.

When I first told my parents I had turned vegan, they were surprisingly supportive. I was expecting them to yell, to tell me how bad it was for my health, and pretty much refuse to accommodate my new dietary restrictions whenever I visited. What I didn’t expect was how quickly their surprise faded as they acquiesced to my silly choices. They probably thought it was a fad, like the time I stopped eating seafood for a while because I thought it was wrong to take from our Mother Ocean. I was a weird kid.

I didn’t visit my parents often, but when I did, they seemed to be very considerate when preparing family dinners, always making sure that my share was separate. My mom would always dole out some sautéed vegetables on my plate before adding pork to the rest of the veggies. Then, one day when I was at home alone with my dad, he offered me some traditional soup made from seaweed, which isn’t as gross as it sounds for a Korean like me. As I ate, wholly innocently and suspecting nothing, I noticed it tasted kind of fishy.

“Dad,” I said, “is this a seafood broth or something?”

“What? Of course not,” he replied.

I still thought it tasted odd, but I believed him. That is, until I dipped my spoon in and pulled out the innards of a clam.

“DAD!”

“What? What?”

He said something ridiculous, like it must have fallen in by accident, but I knew he had simply taken some seafood soup they had made, picked all the clams out, and had just missed one. Of course, I couldn’t help but wonder if he had been doing sneaky things like that the whole time when my mom wasn’t looking.

When it came time for the New Year’s Day family gathering, we all went to my grandmother’s house for the traditional rice cake soup on the first day of the new year. When I sat at the table, I noticed that my bowl’s contents looked pretty milky, like everyone else’s did, like it had been cooked with bone marrow. I asked my mom about it, and my dad frustratedly interjected.

“Oh my god, just eat it!”

I felt my family’s patience waning. What they thought was a phase had become a new lifestyle, and they were finally coming to terms with accommodating me for the rest of their lives. They were not happy about it.

Despite the requisite compassion for living creatures, vegans have to develop a bit of a thick skin. Even if we never try to convince others to walk our path, people will take it upon themselves to attack beliefs that are different from theirs. It’s especially hurtful when such criticism comes from family, who we expect to support us. But like every other choice I made that my family initially thought was irrational, they eventually came around and accepted that I make my own decisions. My parents may never believe that veganism is sane or healthy like I want them to, but they still love me for who I am.

Even though… I still check the labels on anything my dad gives me.

Try dispelling some of their skepticism with Vegan Treats. It’s guaranteed to work better than a lecture. Scroll down for a dual coupon to Atlas Café, where all the desserts are deceptively vegan, and save the 20% Teany Café coupon for a cute and healthy teatime with your friends.

-Avia Dell’Oste.

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