Friday, July 1, 2011
Review #2
The Food Network’s
The Barefoot Contessa: Ina Garten
By Esther Kim
The one thing that I miss the most at college, aside from my mother’s Korean cooking, is the Food Network. As a self-professed addict, I spend several hours a day catching up with my favorite cooks/chefs when I am home. Out of all Food Network stars, I am obsessed with Ina Garten. With several contagious catchphrases like “How easy is that?” or “How bad can that be?”, Ina Garten, the star of the Food Network show, The Barefoot Contessa, epitomizes the idea of elegant yet casual entertaining.
Recorded at her fabulous Hamptons mansion or cozy cottage, whatever she likes to call it, The Barefoot Contessa is not merely a show that teaches one how to cook pseudo French American cuisine. Rather, she is the modern day Julia Child. Ina Garten shows how easy it is to make an exquisite meal paired with an impeccable table setting. She reveals her secrets whether it be hosting a meal for famous movie producers or her neighborhood friends.
Timeless is the perfect adjective to describe her approach to entertaining. Garten has a severe infatuation for clear wine stemware and canvas white dishes. Her tablecloths come in all colors, pigments, and shades. She is a mania for stunning silverware and always decorates her table with flowers, mainly hydrangeas, roses, or tulips, accented with the occasional herb of the day. Her backyard boasts of blush pink English Tea Roses and her herb garden which consists of basil, thyme, parsley, and rosemary, to name a few, go on for miles. Garten recently unveiled a newly built barn that houses a 18 feet kitchen marble top counter.
Perhaps it is her facile yet sophisticated approach to cooking, dining, and entertaining that appealed to me early on. With her commitment to quality ingredients and copious amounts of high grade butter and olive oil, Garten can transform a farm chicken into a meal that is foreign but familiar at the same time. She is not only talented in cooking savory dishes but also shines when baking sweet treats. It amazes me how one woman can be knowledgeable in the kitchen and hospitable to the requests of her friends and family, especially her Yale Professor husband.
My favorite episodes, of her many, are the ones that always leave about five minutes in the end where Garten and her friends are seen enjoying the meal. This segment of the show exhibits the true essence of food. Food is meant to be enjoyed with others. Through food, people share stories and build sacred relationships. Garten understands and fully embodies this venerated mantra. She revels in her ability to bring happiness and comfort to her loved ones.
The lifestyle of The Barefoot Contessa is something I aspire to have. Indubitably, it will take several years to achieve the socioeconomic status of that of Ina Garten and her husband Jeffrey. But, a girl can dream, right?
Review #1
SUNY Potsdam’s
College Writing Center
By Esther Kim
I first encountered the college writing center at SUNY Potsdam my freshmen year. For one of my anthropology courses, I was assigned a small research paper where I had to study and analyze paintings from Korea. Since high school, I had always procrastinated till the very last minute. But, in the hopes of impressing my professor, I got a head start on my essay and wrote my rough draft. I knew there was a writing center on campus because I had passed by the orange doors, located in Carson Hall, many times. Thus, I made my appointment to have my essay critiqued by a peer tutor. I say critique because that is what I thought the writing tutors were there to do. I wanted some feedback on any mistakes regarding the organization, grammar, clarity, etc. of the essay.
As my tutoring session progressed, I realized my tutor’s job was not to critique my writing. Rather, he and I were having an in-depth discussion on both my writing and topic. We were sharing ideas on how to improve my writing. I walked away from my session with good ideas on how to revise my paper. As it turns out, the session was extremely helpful because I received a 4.0.
Reflecting back on my first session, I remember feeling comfortable in the environment. My tutor was patient, supportive, and extremely helpful. As a private person, I do not like sharing my writing with anyone. But, when I read my essay out loud, I felt at peace with my words.
The aspiration to create a comfortable environment where the tutees and the tutors are able to have an intellectual and effective conversation regarding the rhetoric of writing is probably the greatest strength of the College Writing Center. The tutors are there to help educate students on the practical tools for writing so that students can apply that erudition in all academic subjects. The strongest appeal to the center is that the tutors are your fellow peers. Because a fellow peer, classmate, friend, or acquaintance was tutoring me, I felt at ease. I was able to express my ideas freely without the pressure of desiring to impress an academic professor.
From my experience at the College Writing Center, I learned how to become a better writer. By observing and working with different writing styles, my writing has changed. Today, I have more variety and clarity in my writing. I am more aware of my strengths and weaknesses as a writer. The more I learn about the various techniques of writing, my desire to become an effective and virtuous writer increases.
My experience at the center was so positive that it actually motivated me to become a tutor. As a result, I officially start tutoring this upcoming fall semester. Stop by, ask for me and you won’t regret it.
Op-Ed: Home Economics
Calling For the Revival of Home Economics in Public Schools
By Esther Kim
With the current epidemic of budget cuts in public schools throughout the nation, you might be confused as to why I call for the revitalization of home economics. Merriam-Webster defines home economics as the theory and practice of homemaking. Why at school, a sphere thought to be separate from the private home, should children be taught the tools and fundamentals of homemaking? The answer is simple and clearly logical. A child’s experience of school is directly correlated to his/her home. Both entities are connected in an ever-revolving cycle.
According to Cornell University, home economics began in 1899 when the philosophy of science and management emerged with the desire to improve the quality of modern American homes. Historically, the separation between the public and private spheres of work and home began in the late 18th century as men left homes in search of industrial careers. Women remained in the private sphere with the responsibility to preserve and upkeep the homes. With the Industrial Revolution of the 19th century, the dichotomy between these two spheres increased along with the disparity in gender roles. Men and boys were either off to work or school while women and girls were permanently stationed in the privacy of their homes. Surprisingly, education was not only found in schools, but in homes as well. Women taught their daughters how to successfully manage a household. This kind of education emphasized the value and practicality of multi-tasking and taught the art of compartmentalizing various tasks.
You may argue that we are not living in the 19th century. I acknowledge that. However, today in the 21st century where almost every American child is given the opportunity of an education, not every child comes from a safe and stable home. Countless studies emphasize that children from broken and unsafe homes and families perform at a much lower rate than compared to those students who come from stable families and homes (areas include health, education, peer pressure, etc.). Schools should be a safe haven used to educate students not only on the importance of reading, writing, and critical thinking, but also inspire and encourage children to have beautiful homes. The physical nature of a home is a mirror image of the dynamics of a family. If a family is happy, the home will reflect that.
In public schools, we have the athletics and the arts departments that allow students to excel in non-academic areas as well as exercise various parts of their brain. Why not let the students who enjoy cooking become the superstars of their schools? Growing up, I was never extremely talented in school, sports, or the arts. I was always above average and slightly below exceptional. What I lacked in pedigree was made up at my home. I would constantly research recipes and make dinners for my family. I gained my self-worth and confidence from my family and my home. Why not give the chance for young students to become the future Martha Stewart (minus her mini incarceration) and Rachel Ray of America?
Researchers at Harvard University report that the rate of obesity in American will multiply until at least 42 percent of adults are obese. Let us combat the increasing rates in child/adult obesity, teen pregnancy, and marital divorce with the reintegration of home economics in public schools. Home economics will not only teach students but also raise awareness in areas like HIV/AIDS, nutrition, hygiene, child development, and family relationships. Children who come from broken homes will also benefit from these lessons that are vital to life.
I guarantee that the revitalization of home economics will be instrumental in youth development and education. Students will have the opportunities to excel in areas (not traditionally thought to be scholastic) which will aid in issues of adolescence like self-esteem, peer pressure, etc. Parents will also indubitably see the changes and benefit from the improvements in their child, family, and home.
After all the best way to end the day is with a slice of homemade pie. I like mine with a scoop of ice cream please.
SUNY Potsdam Multimedia Press Release
SUNY Potsdam to Unveil $41M Performing Arts Building in 2013
The State University of New York at Potsdam will be home to a new $41M Performing Arts Building in 2013. The 96,000 square feet arts facility will not only provide educational resources to students and faculty but also be an essential component in further fostering an arts community in Northern New York.
Potsdam, New York June 24, 2011—On Friday, April 29, 2011, the State University of New York at Potsdam (www.potsdam.edu) celebrated the groundbreaking of its $41 million Performing Arts Building in a ceremony attended by government officials, distinguished college faculty, and representatives from Pfeiffer Partners Architects PC (www.pfeifferpartners.com) and Northland Associates Inc. (www.northlandassoc.com), the designers and contractors of the new addition.
SUNY Potsdam’s Performing Arts Building will not only offer multiple performance spaces but also be used as a vital tool in educating the college community. The “arts village” will feature various laboratories for education, audio, design, digital, drafting and lighting, which will allow students to explore other forms of the arts medium. In addition, the space will provide the students with movement studios for dance and theater, a recording studio, scene shop, costume shop, dressing rooms and a green room.
Proposed to be completed in 2013, the arts facility was not only designed as a building to educate and foster the college arts community but to reach out to the surrounding districts as well. As the first theater education program in the State University of New York system, SUNY Potsdam’s Department of Theatre and Dance has been dedicated in showcasing an arts curriculum accessible by all ages. Last year, the school’s outreach programs provided 7,000 Northern New York children with educational plays and summer programs.
In addition, the lobby and cafe supplements will serve as an “arts avenue” to exhibit student works and as a venue for special events and receptions. The indoor link from the building’s southeast entrance to the Crane School of Music at Bishop Hall, symbolizes the preservation in the significance of the collaboration between the students, faculty, and the Northern New York neighborhood in advancing the arts in the North Country.
"The building will serve as a very real symbol of the College's commitment to liberal and fine arts education and supports 'SUNY and the Vibrant Community,' one of the Six Big Ideas of our strategic plan, The Power of SUNY,” said SUNY Chancellor Nancy L. Zimpher.
Not only was the space designed with functionality in mind but also strived to sustain SUNY Potsdam’s commitment to environmental sustainability. The proposed plan will be rewarded with Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design’s (LEED) Silver certification. To learn more about LEED certification, visit www.usgbc.org.“The beauty of the St. Lawrence Valley inspired us in our design thinking. The angled exterior panels set against the linear terra cotta tiles pay homage to the majestic striated rock outcroppings and ledges seen throughout the North Country, while the undulating roof blankets the disparate volumes of space below, much like snow drifts belie what lay beneath. Inside, the colors reflect those of fall leaves, mimicking the beauty of the region's waterways," said architect Norman Pfeiffer of Pfeiffer Partners Architects PC. To learn more about the Performing Arts Building and view architect's renderings, visit www.potsdam.edu/about/artscampus/performingartsbuilding.
The 97,000 square feet, $41 million Performing Arts Building is set to be finished in two years, welcoming its first students in the fall semester of 2013.
"Our students break ground every day. They explore, they discover, uncover and search for truth and meaning. They are the real impetus for the new building. Their creativity, dedication, artistic excellence -- this is what inspires us to create 21st century spaces where new collaborations, new kinds of art-making, new technologies are at hand for them," said Associate Professor of Theatre and Dance Kimberly Bouchard.
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Founded in 1816, and located on the outskirts of the beautiful Adirondack Park, The State University of New York at Potsdam is one of America’s first 50 colleges. SUNY Potsdam currently enrolls approximately 4,350 undergraduate and graduate students. Home to the world-renowned Crane School of Music, SUNY Potsdam is known for its handcrafted education, challenging liberal arts and sciences core, excellence in teacher training and leadership in the performing and visual arts.
Contact:
Esther Kim
SUNY Potsdam
315-267-2000
http://www.potsdam.edu
Monday, June 20, 2011
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