Easter Across the Globe

What's the difference between the Easter bunny and Santa Clause?
Santa has to travel the entire globe in one night and the Easter bunny only visits a few nations.

Like most holidays, Easter is celebrated with different traditions in different countries. However, there is more distinction between traditions with this holiday than with more secularized ones like Christmas. While many may think that all people dye eggs and search for baskets on Easter morning, reality is far different. Yes, the Easter bunny does visit many homes in the northern hemisphere, but his presence is far more important in the United States than any other country.

Take the traditions of France, for instance, who do set out chocolate eggs for the children to eat, but instead of waiting ofr the Easter bunny to arrive, they wait Easter morning to hear the bells "fly back from Rome" in their gardens. This terminology is derived from the fact that the churches do not ring bells Good Friday or Holy Saturday, until Easter morning. The Easter bunny does not exist for the most part.

Then there are countries like England and Germany who do have the Easter bunny, but they he is not nearly as important to the festivities of the day. Both have "Easter fires" on Holy Saturday to burn away the end of winter and all "bad feelings". In England this is related to Judas Iscariot, and they burn fake dolls that look like him.

However, the Easter bunny does not visit Africa. In the few Christian countries that are there, the holiday is much more religious based. Everyone attends the Easter Vigil, followed by dances and songs. People engage in feasts. Gifts are not an important part of the tradition.

Mexico is similar in its importance of the religious aspect of the holiday. People do not work for the week before and the week after Easter, and a lot of time is spent with the company of friends and family. The Passion plays are very important to their traditional celebration of the holiday.

Easter may be the same holiday across the world, but the ways in which its celebrated change significantly nation to nation.

Norman Rockwell

Norman Rockwell

The work of Norman Rockwell has captured the life and heart of the American common man. His paintings have been displayed across the country in museums, art shows, magazines, and most importantly individual homes. As an illustrator, he worked with mediums such as oil paint, charcoal, crayon and even pencil at times for the Saturday Evening Post covers, portraits, and murals. From Rockwell's most famous pieces, like The Four Freedoms, to what some would prescribe as his most insignificant work, Rockwell's artistic skill is legendary to American Art.

Even as an artist, Norman Rockwell considered his own technique and abilities common, even telling a reporter that, ““ The way I paint is technically terrible, piling on paint on varnish and varnish on paint, coat after coat, without adequate time for drying. John Atherton says that its a wonder my paintings don’t explode. Perhaps someday they will! I certainly wouldn’t want to guarantee their durability. But I’m inclined to agree with Richard Miller who didn’t consider permanency to important. 'Let the next generation paint its own pictures' was the substance of his comment...”. However, despite his own modesty, Rockwell did vary the way he painted in his illustrations. For example, in almost each piece he used a mix between opaque and glazing techniques. Opaque is solid color with no addition to the paint from the tube besides what iscompletely necessary,. Glazing is when the artists dials the color down with other medium, adding “richness, depth, and color,” (156). Usually he would use opaque technique for the heads and hands of people in his drawings and the glazing for the remainder of the painting to keep it interesting to the eye. For each individual piece of work, he generally used the same colors in the same order across the palette. Some of the colors most seen were ivory black, ultramarine, cadmium yellow, Venetian red, and burnt sienna, although there are many more. For mediums Rockwell used mostly rectified turpentine, and Grumbachers Oil Medium No. 2, and he used just a palette to mix his colors and diaper cloths for paint rags. Furthermore, in order to finish his artwork Rockwell blocked out time and set deadlines for himself, which he said was a reason why he was successful at all. Everything about his technique was ordinary, and perhaps that’s part of the reason why his illustrations are so relatable and lovable.

Over his time as an adult artist, Norman Rockwell made 322 covers for the Saturday Evening Post, and many of such illustrations are sold today as individualized pictures in frames to adorn classrooms and homes alike. One of his most famous covers, entitled “First Love” was published April 24, 1926. Using his classic warm colors, the illustration looks somewhat simple at first glance, and though the subject is, in fact, quite simple, there is significant detail in the clothing of the boy and girl, such as the creases in the boys shirt and the girls dress, and the amount of shading that he put in to give a realistic touch to what could seem like a cartoon-y depiction of young romance.

Another famous cover is “Rosie the Riveter”, which was printed in 1943. Again, the classic blues and reds were used. Except in this one the symbolism that was seen in

other illustrations can be seen. Red, white, and blue are the only main colors in this picture, an obvious reference to the United States of America. Also, his political side shows through this cover, as it is a depiction of a woman in the work place, which was a result of the war and a new phenomenon at the time. As in “Rosie the Riveter” and “First Love”, Rockwell’s illustrations gave a sense of home and the ordinary joys of everyday life.

Finally, perhaps Rockwell’s famous set of illustrations was “The Four Freedoms”: Freedom of Speech, Freedom to Worship, Freedom from Want, and Freedom from Fear. Unlike some of Rockwell’s other pieces, each one of the four freedoms has a full background, no white space with no subject, like the outside of “First Love”. In “Freedom of Speech” Rockwell’s subject is a man standing in the center, and the eye of the viewer automatically goes to him because all the other people in the room are seated and looking up at him. Blacks, browns, and blues are the main hues of the picture. “Freedom to Worship” is full of the faces of people praying, but the viewer’s eye in this automatically goes to the woman with the grey hair because unlike the others around her, her chin is down and her hands folded in prayer touching her face. Furthermore, she has darker colors in her wrinkles and hair which make her stand out, yet the light reflects on her forehead to separate her from the man behind her. “Freedom from Want” has a lighter palette than most of Rockwell’s work, including mostly whites and blues, with black and tans in the people around the table. Your eye goes right to the turkey, and again this is because all the eyes are looking at it, which emphasizes the point of the title. “Freedom from Fear” has a mixture of the whites, blues, and blacks, and again the eyes of the

subjects in the picture bring the eye of the onlooker to the children asleep in bed, the epitome of freedom from fear.

Norman Rockwell is still considered one of America’s favorite artists because of his simple and “common man” attitude and reflections. His technique wasn’t out of the ordinary, but each piece was detailed in love making it seem as if it was. Rockwell is and always will be an American classic.

Titanic: the best movie of all time

Hunched over my laptop at 9:28 on a Sunday night, I'm far from in the mood to blog. Two minutes ago my sister and I finished watching Titanic, a movie that never stays the same each time I watch it. Every time, I cry at precisely the same parts, which is actually rare even though I am an emotional person in general. It takes a lot for a movie to make me cry, and I have never understood why almost every girl my age says they cry at certain parts during The Notebook every time they see it. Yes, I love that movie. Yes, I love the story. But yes, I do believe it takes more than a good plot line and good acting to make a movie truly magical.

Part of the reason I find Titanic to be so moving is because of the music. The credits alone bring on a fresh surge of tears because of the theme song: "My Heart Will Go On" by Celine Dion. Similar motifs run throughout the movie, characterizing certain moments and linking connections. As I think more and more about it, the music is probably the most influential piece in creating the right mood. Good acting is great, but without the right background the moment is never the same.

Furthermore, the camera angles and shots made each scene come alive on screen. From the moment the people on board are waving goodbye to those on the shore to the very end when you see the Statue of Liberty from Rose's point of view in the boat, Titanic was filmed to perfection. Lack of technology didn't matter in the least because moments where that would have enhanced the movie were few. For example, the moment when Jack is looking at the dolphins down in the water. Now, those may not have been the most realistic looking dolphins, but the point was made and there were no corny close up shots that would have taken away from the realistic approach of the story.

Finally, Titanic's many sided theme set made it's length perfectly acceptable and gave the viewer's mind busy throughout the film. What is true love? Does it even exist? Security or passion? How far should a daughter go for the honor of her family? Who comes first: love of family or relationship love (if that makes sense)? All these questions are answered on some level, even if the answer comes only through interpretation by the individual. The various elements of the story itself make Titanic a movie that is incomparable to any other.

The combination of music, theme, and direction can arguably make Titanic the best movie of all time.

*Note: Because this month has been extremely busy, Angela and I have not visited a restaurant for December. Reviews will resume in January.*

"Steph, if you do my paper, I'll read your book and take notes on it," my brother says to me as I'm propped up on the couch trying to concentrate on reading four hundred something pages in one day. Interested, I look up.

"So you would rather read my ENTIRE book complete with notes than spend two hours doing your own work?"

"yeah," and for a second I consider taking advantage of this opportunity before deciding that that would be overly abusive of my powers as older sister. The funny thing is, I completely believe him- I know the feeling of preferring just about anything over what I need to do for myself- even if it costs more time and a lot more energy. Why is this, I ask myself, and accept the fact that I will have to run upstairs and grab my laptop to blog about it.

I am certainly not an expert on this, but I would think that this mechanism comes from the nature of stressing over something just enough to put it off till the last second: ah, procrastination. I would hesitate to call it compassion for the other person. But this whole question leads me to thinking of new years resolutions, as this time of year calls for. I could just stop procrastinating altogether, but that would simply be a lie, (I've done plenty of those kinds of resolutions before). Striving to make learning fun may be possible, however. No, there is no way to change the assignment, but fancy pens, a cute notebook, and a cup of raspberry tea may make a day of reading about globalization more enjoyable. Paint your desk a wacky color! Give yourself a reward if you do something ahead of time. This kind of simple happiness would make doing homework more enjoyable, and leave less room for brain-listing all the torturous things you'd rather be doing. Yes, I think this will be my new year's resolution: learning to love to learn.

*PS- Mr. Vohden I know it's January 1st but can you count this one as December?:)*

Review of Cafe Pierrot

Different from our other restaurant critic choices, November's review captured a restaurant that many fellow Pope John-ers and/or Sparta residents recognize as one of the best: Cafe Pierrot. I still remember hearing of it from Angela Sophomore year in a study hall, (no, we weren't studying). "You just HAVE to go," she said, and I'm so glad I did!

Nestled in the middle of the busy road containing Sparta Dairy and Burger King, one would not expect the comfortable atmosphere that Cafe Pierrot embodies. Inside there are antique-y old floors and quaint tables, white-lace curtains and a hutch with seasonal decor. Cafe Pierrot feels like a step into a Cafe in Paris, which is a wonderful and surprising jewel of Sparta.

We decided to dine later than usual, it had been a busy day but we had to make time this month to fit it in. One thing I have noticed about Cafe Pierrot is that they have had the same staff for a long time, since my first meal a few years ago. As usual, the tall, male waiter with the brown hair, (whose name right now escapes me), told us we could choose our seat and gave us a few minutes to decide what to have.

Unfortunately, after he left I noticed a particularly large spider crawling it's way up the lacy curtain next to us. Ang and I decided to let it go, seeing as it was the only one, and never before had either of us seen any bugs in the restaurant. Later on in the evening I did squish it with a napkin, for it was inching too close to the table. Ordering ice teas, we then split in our "meal plans"- I chose a cup of chili and my usual chicken caesar salad wrap. Upon giving our order, we continued to talk until everything came.

My chili, which came in a fair size, was overall good. However, it was a little cold. I did like that it was not too spicy. The wrap was perfect as always, and the small side of salad and potato salad was also quite delicious. I had been very hungry when we sat down, and I finished my meal almost too full. And of course, the ice tea was very refreshing.

I would give Cafe Pierrot a 4 out of 5 star for the evening because of the spider and because the waiter, while kind and polite, was a little too "noticeable", if you know what I mean- he came to check on us a little too often. However, Cafe Pierrot will always be one of my very favorite places to eat, and Angela and I had a wonderful time.

Review of the Millside Cafe

After a long, stressful final week of the marking period, nothing could have been better than going out to eat and shop with a friend. Last Friday, Angela and I did just that for this months review: The Millside Cafe, a quaint restaurant nestled closely in between various antique shops and a steady stream. Parking was easy enough, as any senior driver would appreciate, and upon walking inside the ambiance was completely comforting. It was about 4:15 and it's closing time was 5 o'cloak, but the waitress kindly told us to choose a seat, not rushing us in any way to make a decision on what to have. After a few minutes, we both decided on ice tea and a turkey BLT wrap. Seated next to the window overlooking the stream, conversation easily flowed despite the fact that there was no other people except the waitress who was carefully cleaning the counter.

When the food arrived, we started eating right away because we were both extremely hungry, as usual after school. The wraps were wonderful: lettuce, bacon, and turkey covered by a tomato basil wrap. Undeniably delicious! Furthermore, there was two sides on the plate: a small salad and a scoop of pasta. Being the perfect size portions, each was a compliment to the wrap. Anyone in the mood for a filling, home-like meal would love the Millside.

But wait, there's more! Not only was the food delicious and service stellar, the decor was cozy and artsy. On the walls were paintings by local artists, hung from the ceiling were baskets of different sizes, and in a hutch near the entrance were books and catalogues for the single diners to peruse through. The floor complimented the atmosphere in its antique-y finish.

TO BE CONTINUED... REEEALLY LONG DAY AT UCONN:)

Ok- I'm back:)

So, the basic feel of this unique cafe was extremely comfortable- you could wear whatever you are most comfortable in because no one will judge and it is obviously low key once you peek inside. I would recommend sweats, but if you happen to be a jeans person that would be just fine. Bring friend(s) and or family, although this is most likely a restaurant that girls would like in particular. Mothers Day must be very busy here, even though that is months away it's never to early to start thinking.:) Any day that you're in the mood for a relaxing meal in a restaurant that feels so comfortable it could be your own kitchen, the Millside Cafe is the place to go!

ps- if you do go to any of the restaurants Angela and I write about, please leave your comments about them as we would love to hear:)

Critica di un Ristorante: The Pizza Place

As many of my friends know, I have never been a pizza person, per say. Some parlors have passed my criticism, but the numbers are few and far between. However, The Pizza Place located in the heart of Sparta, New Jersey is one that I would recommend to any friend with a craving for an Italian lunch or dinner.

Easily spotted from the road, it is almost impossible to miss which is very comforting for those, like myself, who worry about getting lost. Furthermore, upon entry, the decorations are quite festive, making you feel as if you've stepped in off a road in Italy. The black table spotted with stamp-looking pictures were my favorite decorative piece. In fact, I was told by Angela that they were designed by the restaurant executives themselves, converted from older tables to look typically Italian.

Most importantly, the food was wonderful. Starting with a cup of the chicken noodle soup, i must admit I was thoroughly satisfied. In fact, it was especially nice because despite the fact that the soup was not on the menu for today, the chef was willing to make some for us, even though we are not personal acquaintances. The chuncks of potato were just the right size, and the noodles were the perfect width and length. Not to hot, but not chili either, the chicken noodle soup was an absolute delight.

Afterwards, we each got two slices of pizza, cut in half to split each type. Testing pepperoni, mexicana, and chicken marciana (I'm a bit unsure about the name of the last type), we set out to choose a favorite. All three had thin crust and no cheese excess, which was a plus. The pizza mexicana had a concoction of hot peppers, onion, and a few other Mexican condiments making it a bit too spicy for my liking. The pizza marciana was more satisfactory, the mushrooms were cooked just right as was the chicken. However, I must admit that my favorite was the pepperoni, which had just the right amount of slices on it, mixing perfectly with the amount of cheese.

Finally, service and finance were both satisfactory as well. Our waitress, a former Pope John student, allowed us to choose our seat, and came over to check on us often enough to refill drinks and check that we liked our food but not too much to limit conversation. Furthermore, she did not pressure us to pick something to eat right away, we had plenty of time and once we were ready, she was there. The financial aspect was good too, nothing to worry about for any teen or adult. Dress is comfortably casual, allowing our fetish for sweatpants to work out just fine.

The Pizza Place will probably be the only pizza restaurant we will visit this year, which is fine considering my opinion that it would be hard to do better. The atmosphere was beautiful, service punctual, and food delicious. I would gladly go there again, and absolutely suggest it as an alternate to Villa.