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Friday Fixat10ns: D.C.’s Weather Bender

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The weather these past few weeks has been ridiculous. Cold, warm, snow, ice and back to warm again … that stupid groundhog from Pennsylvania (not even gonna take a crack at how to spell his name) had no idea what he was doing this year. The only good to come from this crazy weather has been the one day of classes off and the joy of seeing snowmen spring to life all over campus – albeit only to be melted a few days later. Enjoy the warm weather while it lasts, because come the start of next week, it’ll be back to coats, boots and scarves.

As we enter the final week of February, here’s some music you can jam out to while staying inside, because you can be certain it’s the only place that has any semblance of climate control.

1. I Hate Everything About You – Three Days Grace While the recent change of weather is much appreciated, it’s not going to last. The cold weather’s insistence on remaining in D.C. is really starting to get to me.

2. Pour Some Sugar on Me – Def Leppard Who knows, maybe this is what’ll be coming next.

3. Hot N’ Cold – Katy Perry The sudden changes in weather are just too much for me. My closet is a mess.

4. Snow (Hey Oh) – Red Hot Chili Peppers While we all enjoyed the relatively significant amount of snow we got, let’s hope that was the end of it and that we’re slowly transitioning to spring.

5. Skyfall – Adele The perfect way to describe how the clouds have been treating us these past few weeks.

6. Lights and Thunder – Krewella Thankfully, the recent bout of rain that just swept through D.C. didn’t include this, but there are no promises for the near future.

7. Ass Back Home – Gym Class Heroes Only two more weeks until you get to return home to (hopefully) the weather you love!

8. Paradise – Tiësto Give it a little more time, and soon we’ll be in that perfect high 60’s/low 70’s range that’s impossible not to love.

9. Sleep All Day – Jason Mraz I mean, it’s the only viable option right now, isn’t it?

10. Sunshine – David Guetta It’s coming. Just be patient.

Photo: android3dvideos.com
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Fixat10ns: Springtime Baby Makin’

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Love is in the air! Springtime is here and animals are getting busy. You know if Mother Nature wants to get freakydeeky, it’s time for everybody to get into it. Although we already have a baby-making playlist, this one takes it in a new direction. It isn’t only about the old-school Motown feel; this is about nature’s calling.

You Deserve It – Future I know Hoyas are gonna feel guilty about taking so much time off of work to get down and dirty. But look — you’ve been grinding through this semester, and you only have a little bit of time left before finals. Future’s letting you know that you should go get it.

Natural – Pro Era It isn’t weird to make this kind of thing seasonal. Pro Era claims that their flow is “so natural” with a catchy hook. In the same way, baby-making in spring is “so natural, natural my ****** completely natural”.

She Said Ok – Theophilus London ft. Big Boi This song drops wisdom on two important fronts. First, sometimes you have to be direct with your requests: “Lemme see yo’ titt*es” isn’t smooth or witty, but London makes it work. Second, “She said OK”: consent is important! It’s especially fitting that London mentions this in National Sexual Assault Awareness Month.

The Dress Looks Nice on You – Sufjan Stevens If that’s inappropriate, I guess you can be old school and just be sweet. Acoustic always helps too.

Amorous – Jesse Boykins III Jesse Boykins III makes music that most closely identifies with the genre World Soul (it somehow makes sense with the theme of animalistic baby-making). Here’s a love song that you haven’t heard before.

Feel All My Love Inside – Marvin Gaye I KNOW I SAID IT WASN’T ABOUT MOTOWN, but if you’re making a baby-making playlist, how you not gonna have at least one song by one of the greats? It’s a great song that’s perfect for baby-making.

Lady – D’Angelo While I’m breaking promises of a baby-making playlist in a completely new direction, let me throw some D’Angelo in here just cause you know he makes you wanna sweat.

Ain’t Too Proud to Beg – Temptations If you got no game, got no swag, there’s really only one thing to do. Pride isn’t gonna continue your family line.

Isn’t She Lovely – Stevie Wonder Stevie Wonder wrote this song for his little girl. The joy of new life! This song expresses why nature’s getting down with it right now.

Always Love – Nada Surf Spring may be primetime for baby-making, but you can go at it any season, any time and any place. I think the cliche “Love is in the air” describes springtime the best, but it’d be best to remember that there are no limits when lovin’.

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Simply Science: Cherry Blossom Chem

As Spring cometh, it brings with it the beautiful Cherry Blossoms of DC (and allergy attacks). This weekend marks the last days of the National Cherry Blossom Festival.

What many people may not realize is how relatively late these famous flowers bloomed this year. We saw their peak in the past few days (April 6-April 10), which is defined as when 70% or more of the Blossoms are blooming. The peak can last up to two weeks, and this year’s is the latest in recent memory. (Last year’s was on March 20, and the latest ever was on April 18, 1958). But why is this year’s so late?Travel Cherry Blossom Festival

Many of us understand that it is because of the cold spring that late blooming occurs — but many of us aren’t really sure why this is true. It is no secret to my close friends that chemistry is my favorite science, and it is precisely because every living thing is driven by it (including Cherry Blossoms). A general rule is that chemical reaction rates double for every increase in 18ºF, due to an increase in particle interaction. The blooms are driven by chemical reactions and are highly affected by temperature. Blooming times can even vary depending on where you are in the city.

Cherry trees are able to survive the unforgiving DC winters (unlike some of my SoCal friends) and are brought out of dormancy by rising temperatures. I’m sure you’re aware that our Spring weather hasn’t been very typical. But, there may be an upside to the delayed blooms! If a cherry blossom is exposed to high temperatures it will immediately bloom and last 4-5 days. However, prolonged colder temperatures may slow blooming times and nearly double the length of blooming times. Yay!

So get out there, Hoyas, and enjoy the last days of the Festival. See the beauty of science bloom right before you eyes.

Source: ouramazingplanet.com

Photo: katu.com

Simply Science is a reoccurring post that aims to make recent scientific discoveries accessible and applicable to the Georgetown student.

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Teach Me How to Healy Lawn: The Do’s and Don’ts of Lawn Culture

TEACH ME HOW TO HEALY LAWN

It is one of the harsh truths of life that not all grass is created equal. Some grass just gets more ass than its fellow patches, and the field with the greatest yield is undoubtedly the Front Lawn. As the temperature heats up, so does the lawn scene here at Georgetown, so break out the pastels and heed our advice on how to make the most of your midday lounge:

DO…

  • Call it the lawn, not the Quad or Courtyard or Grassy Area or SoReS (confused? You obviously didn’t read this).
  • Bring a blanket, especially if grass makes your legs break out in quarter-size hives and your nose transform into a snotty fountain of spring allergies. Or if you just don’t want to get your pastels dirty. Either way.
  • Load up on the snax. You might even consider having snacks on snacks on snacks.
  • Know your lawn zones. The Healy region is typically favored by those more inclined to the simple life: laying back, listening to music, generally taunting anyone in the reading room. The Copley side is better suited for active endeavors, such as throwing Frisbees and walking on a rope tied between two trees (also known as slacklining, or tight-rope walking for hipsters)
  • Stop by Lau 2 to do the following things: rub in the fact that you are a lawn god amongst mere Lau trolls and pick up some hydration that involves lemonade.

DON’T…

  • Take your shirt off without serious thought and reflection. Maybe make a pros and cons list. Once you become That Guy with His Shirt Off on The Lawn, you are forever That Guy (or That Girl, but that’s a whole different issue).
  • Call it Healy Beach. No matter what they told you in GAAP weekend, no one calls it this. You’ll sound like an L-7 weenie
  • Think you’re going to get any work done.
  • Stray too close to the circle of cross-legged students. No one knows how they got there, no one knows what class would ever dare meet on the Lawn, no one knows if their butts are getting really wet because they forgot blankets (see above). One thing we do know is that Thou Shalt Not Disrupt The Sacred Circle of Learning.
  • Forget to wear sunscreen. A sunglass tan is harder to pull off than a Pennsylvania ID at Rhino.
  • Just stick to your own blanket. Now is the time to mix. Now is the time to mingle. Now is the time to get a date to whatever formal you have coming up.

In fairness to the rest of the Georgetown grass, there are some other notable patches scattered about campus. If you’re looking to get off the beaten path (or just want to stare lovingly at the back of Leo’s), give the Southwest Quad a try. We also hear the new Regents lawn also offers some great views and potential for real work to be done, and its true that the Leavey Esplanade nearly hatched a Georgetown Day coup last year. But at the end of the day, nothing beats the iconic style of the Front Lawn.

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Friday Fixat10ns: Baseball’s Back!

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Spring is finally here! I know we got snow this week, and it hasn’t really felt like springtime weather yet, but there is one surefire sign that points to the glorious return of the sun.  Nope, not the day marked “spring begins” on the calendar.  The cherry blossoms blooming would be a good guess, but still wrong.  The grand indicator is, of course, the Opening Day for the Major League Baseball season! I can already smell the freshly cut grass and stale beer, staples of any solid baseball experience.  While we get ready to watch the Nationals attempt to turn regular season dominance into post season success, and I watch (Wish? Pray? Shut my eyes so I don’t have to deal with more heartbreak?) my Red Sox try to get out of whatever funk they’ve been in, here is a playlist of songs to get you in the mood for baseball season (and spring in general).

Take Me Out to the Ballgame- Jimmy Buffett I feel like there really isn’t any explanation needed on this one.  But just in case, baseball’s classic anthem sung by the president of Margaritaville.  What better way to get started?

Dancing in the Dark- Bruce Springsteen I don’t know about you, but when I go to a game with a 7pm start time, I expect to do a lot of dancing in the dark.  Especially in April: it can get cold.

Beautiful Day- U2 A great song about enjoying the day, no matter where you are or what it’s like.  Perfect for cruising with the windows down on your way to a game, or while sitting inside waiting for it to stop raining.

All Star- Smash Mouth Where did Smash Mouth go? I mean really, there are very few artists with as much influence on my childhood as these guys.  You couldn’t go anywhere for at least all of 2000 without hearing that song.  More to the point, it talks about all-star athletes.  Doesn’t get much more baseball than that.

You Get What You Give- The New Radicals Just another great spring/summer song.  It just makes you feel good and want to move around. What else is there to say?

Walk of Life- Dire Straits I have great memories listening to this song on the way to tee-ball games, inspired by the player going through the “walk of life”.  Playing baseball, for me anyways, was all a part of that same walk.

The Boys of Summer- Don Henley While this one is about the end of the season, the boys of summer are about to come out for the next six months, so no need to be sad; just enjoy the song!

Dirty Water- The Standells Hopefully I’ll get to hear this song get played a few more times this year than last year. For those of you that don’t know, this song (about the Charles River in Boston) is blared over the loudspeakers at Fenway Park after every Red Sox victory.  It’s especially fitting for Georgetown, too, as we get to look out at our own dirty water every day.

Don’t Stop Believing- Journey Bottom of the ninth, two outs, all hope lost? Don’t fret, and play some Journey.  Seriously.  I’m pretty sure everything is possible with this song playing.

Centerfield- John Fogerty Is there a better baseball song than this one? I don’t think so.  It talks about baseball legends, playing baseball, baseball weather.  Everything’s baseball, and I can’t get enough of it.  Man, I’m glad the season is here.

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What to Bring Back from Break

Although it seems like Spring Break 2k13 just happened yesterday, Easter break is officially upon us, which means it is time to restock on lots of college life necessities in order to help get us through the rest of the school year. We know that you are all probably stressing about last minute papers and exams before the 5 day break so just in case you didn’t have time to think about it, here are just a few things to keep in mind while heading home:

Summer Clothes Despite the off and on snowy, freezing weather we have been experiencing lately (make up your mind, Mother Nature), spring is usually a sign that warmer days are heading our way. With that in mind, wardrobe swaps may be needed. In order to make room in your cramped closets, consider packing your heavy sweaters, puffy jackets, and turtlenecks in exchange for some more tank tops, T-shirts, and shorts (Don’t forget your sunglasses, either!) We are praying to the temperature gods that the weather will be magically warm everyday after Easter but, just in case, leave a few warm(er) items behind.

Shoes Boots and Timberlands have been seen way too much this winter season and, with the arrival or spring, those flip-flops and sandals may finally be able to make an appearance.  If you happened to bring these spring/summer necessities home, don’t forget to bring them back! It is also safe to assume that those super warm, super furry Uggs tucked in the back corner of your closet can go back to the homeland.

Ink Cartridges/Toiletries/Other Appliances Going to a Target or Walmart around here can be tricky (and, lets face it, we are all too lazy to go through that trouble anyway). Be smart when you are at home and stock up on the things that are a pain in the butt to get here. Consider making a list of the different things you are running low on so you don’t forget and try to think about potential things you might need for the events coming up in April (fanny packs for Gtown Day or Calvin Harris, anyone??)

Food from Home Although Leos is super fantastic and delicious and all, there is nothing like a classic home cooked meal from mom. Or maybe there are certain foods you can only get in your hometown. Have your parents pack some of your favorite at-home snacks (whether they be home-made or from the store) so that you have lots of delicious things to munch on when you return. Trust me, you will not regret it.

Money/gifts Perhaps you will score a couple five dollar bills on your Easter egg hunts this year or your grandma is feeling super generous/happy about your return. If you happen to be so lucky to receive some special gifts while you are home, bring ’em back to good ole Gtown. Lord knows you will probably need them. After all, we got one month left, people! Let’s make it count.

Have fun at home! And bring an extra suitcase for all of these things.

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Campus Sartorialist: March 2013

As the warm weather begins rolling in, it is sometimes difficult to make the adjustment from the freezing ice to the blossoming new season. This climate change sparks the question “what’s a Georgetown fashionista to wear?”

This month’s Sartorialist features numerous trendy GU students wearing some of the most current colors and styles. They seem to be transitioning into Springtime quite effortlessly. Take a look for yourself:

Ainhoa Hardy (COL ’16) loves heading into Spring with things she feels comfortable in. “I love things colors and patterns and things that are flowy” like her Forever 21 boyfriend chinos. She describes her Spring style as “effortless, comfortable, and cool.”

Ainhoa Hardy

 We especially were digging Ainhoa’s Mango scarf. Prints are huge for Spring/Summer 2013, and they’ll only be getting bigger as the year continues. Check out her trendy scarf print:

Ainhoa Scarf Pattern

 We also couldn’t help falling in love with Liana Mehring’s (SFS ’13) geometric-patterned H&M dress. Liana enjoys dressing in pieces that are “cultural and different with bold patterns” and we think she should keep it up, especially because orange is going to be HUGE as 2013 goes on!

Liana Mehring

 Speaking of orange, we adored Kirsty Sievwright’s (NHS ’13) Kate Spade ostrich leather flats…

DSC_0849 copy

 …but we were driven absolutely wild (in a good way, of course) by her Alexander McQueen bag. “The purse is really fashionable and really functional,” said Kirsty. “I use it for everything, even going out.”

Alexander McQueen Bag

 Speaking of bags, we were also swooning over Kylie Loeffler’s (COL ’15) leather All Saints Bag. “It’s bold, black and brilliant,” quipped Kylie. We couldn’t have said it better ourselves.

Kylie Loeffler Bag

 Just look at those sequins and that texture!

Bag

 Speaking of texture, we thought Alex Jung (SFS ’13) spiced things up with her edgy spring look. “My big thing is leather jackets,” she remarked. “I like to dress cute with a modern grunge.” We think her Forever 21 denim top works perfectly with her Zara jacket, scarf, leggings and Target patent leather boots.

Alex Jung

But nothing said Spring quite like her beautiful, floral lace Urban Outfitters dress. Take a closer look!

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 Alex wasn’t the only one who could pull off boots in Springtime, though.

Ellis Reilly

 Ellis Reilly’s (COL ’14) rugged look was the perfect transition from Winter to Spring. “I try to keep things simple… slim, warm and casual,” said Ellis, as he rocked Scotch & Soda jeans, a J. Crew sweater and bag and, of course, his Filson boots. Just take a closer look at those bad boys. Bam.

Ellis Reilly Shoes

 In addition to Ellis’ fantastic footwear, we were totally blown away by Libby Carter’s spring look. Mixing and matching a textured polka-dotted sweater (ala Marc Jacobs 2011) with a simple J. Crew Oxford, Ann Taylor pants and Repetto Mary-Janes, Libby was dressing to impress. She also nailed it with her Madewell shoulder bag and Ray-Ban aviators.

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 But Spring is also about the little things! We were blown away by Libby’s accessories: a shimmering blue Hermes bangle and a classic Raymond Weil watch. 

Watch and Bangle Close Up

 Happy Springtime, Hoyas! No matter what your style is, “spring” into the new season of trends and designs. The fashion world awaits…

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Simply Science: Anti-Drone Spring Fashion

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It’s that time of year again: the air is warmer, the birds are chirping, the vernal equinox approaches, and there was a freak downpour that turned Healy Lawn into a marshland. It’s almost Spring. And you know what that means, my fellow science nerds: Spring fashion. Now, I can’t claim to know anything about fashion, but I know an awesome metalized fabric burqa when I see one. This week’s Simply Science: what happens when anti-drone technology meets apparel?

Due to the US government’s increased work on plans to expand its use of surveillance drones in domestic airspace, a man named Adam Harvey has produced a politically-charged line of clothing—Stealth Ware—designed to protect privacy-conscious citizens from surveillance by unmanned drones. Metals, as we know, are generally good at absorbing and scattering infrared light. To simplify that: in essence, Harvey’s material holds in body heat that would have otherwise shown up on drones’ infrared cameras. Let’s take a quick look at how it’s made:stealth-wear-burqa2_large

  1. Woven fabric is coated with a precious metal that helps copper bind to the fiber
  2. The fabric is then submerged in a copper sulfate bath and dried.
  3. Finally, it is dipped in a nickel sulfamate bath to make the material more durable.

After all this, you get a bendable material that masks infrared radiation and electromagnetic interference. Though this treatment makes the material markedly heavier, it adds a certain flair to your Spring wardrobe with a coating of copper, nickel, and silver. They make four different pieces: a burqa ($2236), a “hoodie” ($469), a scarf ($551), and a visor ($52).* So it looks like you can put a price on beauty. And sure, you might even be able to put a price on privacy. But when it’s beauty and privacy combined within a silvery weird-but-dazzling garment…well, for everything else there’s MasterCard.

*All prices at current exchange rate.

Photo: primitivelondon.myshopify.com

Simply Science is a reoccurring post that aims to make recent scientific discoveries accessible and applicable to the Georgetown student.

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Casual Thursdays: Spring (Training) Fever

casual thursdays 2.21

Happy Thursday, Hoyas! And welcome to this week’s installment of Casual Thursday, where we try and get you ready for the weekend ahead.

Since I’m from New England, I completely understand how the cold slowly wears away at your nerves, and around this time, I tend to realize that I’ve just had enough of the cold.  Midterm stress is weighing down on everybody, Valentine’s Day has passed and Spring Break is still one more week away.  What could I possibly get me excited for this weekend, you ask?  This weekend (today, actually) marks the beginning of Major League Baseball’s spring training game schedule, and while I’m not all that excited to watch any of the games (as fun as the Red Sox beating up on Boston College may be), it means that spring is just around the corner! So while the weather might not be warm yet, I still have hope, and I have a drink and game that go perfectly with the spring weather that is sure to be here soon.

The drink of the day is a twist off of the good ole screwdriver (get it?), and is bright and springy enough to enjoy out on the beach, or inside by the fire while you hope for the snow to melt. It’s official name is the Yellow Bird, (presumably) named after the brightly colored birds flying around as the weather gets nice.  While I haven’t actually been able to find a bird that goes by this name scientifically, I’m sure they are out there somewhere.  Without further ado, your cocktail:

Yellow Bird

  • Juice of half a lime
  • 1.25 oz of orange juice
  • 1 oz light rum
  • 1 0z dark rum
  • .25 oz Galliano
  • Maraschino cherry for garnish

1. Squeeze the lime into a cocktail shaker with ice

2. Add all of the remaining ingredients

3. Shake well

4. Strain into a glass with crushed ice

5. Garnish with a cherry

Dizzy Bat

Of course, the fun can’t stop there.  Whether just trying to gear up for spring, or out having a good time with friends on spring break, we have a baseball themed drinking game for everyone to enjoy.  Allow me to introduce (or reintroduce) you to the game of Dizzy Bat.  This is a game that can be enjoyed by a big group for its entertainment value, but definitely requires a lot of space.  You will also need:

  • Whiffle ball bat
  • Beer (cans works best for the game, and serves as a perfect way to use up that oh-so-lovely Natty)

1. You will need to cut off the end of the bat handle, turning the bat into a drinking container.

2.  Then fill the bat with beer as the first brave contestant steps up.

3. They will chug the beer, while the rest of the group counts, or times, how long it takes them to finish.

4. The batter then leans over, puts their forehead on the bat, and spins around for the same length of time that it took them to drink.

5. Once finished spinning, another member of the group tosses up a crushed beer can for the participant to attempt to hit with the bat (really the only baseball element involved in this game).

6. You can either think of a point system, a penalty if they miss, or make them spin around three more times and try again.  Really, it will all be entertaining, regardless of how you want to finish the turn.

If you are still confused, check out this sterling example of a champion Dizzy Bat competitor.  Seriously though, you may want to avoid trying this on concrete, and maybe use a smaller bat.  Also, if you were too busy laughing to completely grasp the game, there are plenty of videos on YouTube that show just how you should play (kind of).

Photo: newschoolers.com, Finlandia Vodka Cup

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Surviving Tourist Season in D.C.

The cherry blossoms are set to peak today. The National Cherry Blossom Festival began yesterday. It’s officially springtime. All of these events coinciding in one week typically mean only one thing in D.C. — tourists. Late March and early April is peak tourist season in Washington. And it’s no steady flow of tourists, rather a groundswell of Rocket Power-style shoobies. Luckily for those of you heading out around town, we’re looking out for you. Follow these tips on making this year’s tourist season as stress-free as possible.

1. Pick a different running route. Yeah, I know, the monuments are beautiful with the cherry blossoms around the tidal basin. And that breeze coming off the river cools you down during your warm afternoon run. But, large families with strollers, people walking slowly and giant tour buses will get in the way of your normally stress-relieving run to the monuments. So, pick a different route. Jog along the Capitol Crescent trail, through Rock Creek Park or along the George Washington Trail across the Key Bridge.

2. Avoid 33rd Street between M and Prospect. More tourists means more customers at D.C.’s most famous cupcake establishment.  Somehow there are more customers lining up outside of Georgetown Cupcake with queues that may extend all the way up 33rd and around the corner onto Prospect. If you need to go to M Street, just avoid the queue and take 34th. If you really need a cupcake, hopefully you know by now that  there are plenty of other cupcake establishments in the neighborhood.

3. Take this opportunity to explore other parts of D.C. The Mall, Capitol Hill, and areas around the White House may be overcrowded, but the same isn’t true for Adams Morgan, U Street or Dupont Circle. Check out our own Kyle Short’s D.C. Ramblings series for more ideas on exploring these less touristy areas.

4. If you do plan to visit the monuments and museums, be knowledgeable about the area. Bathrooms and water are in short supply outside. Lines are long. The museums are more crowded than ever. So, make sure that you know where all of the necessary amenities are. It’s helpful both for dealing with tourists’ questions and for knowing where to go yourself when nature calls.

5. Respect the District. As DCist reminded us, many tourists (and residents) do not. Set a good example for those who are visiting the District for the first time. AKA – don’t do what the kids in this post’s picture are doing. PLEASE.

6. Look happy for Georgetown tour groups. More visitors to the District means more visitors to our lovely campus. We go to a great school. It’s beautiful outside. (Hopefully) you’re having a blast in your college experience. Show that to potential future applicants.

7. Look for alternative modes of transportation. Tourists love the Metro, and, especially during the Cherry Blossoms, gobs of them will be getting off at the Smithsonian stop. If you, too, want to go there, look at less popular modes of transportation — Metrobus and Capital Bikeshare are great choices (and they don’t take you underground). If you’re going to Metro, make sure you have a fully-loaded SmarTrip Card in order to avoid the lines at farecard stations.

Photo credit: DCist