November 8, 2007
Style, Trend Stopper
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OK. Let it be known that Crocs are the most horrid trend on the block right now. I don’t use this word very often, but I truly loathe these rubber catastrophes. It’s not that I am a crazy fashion freak or anything, but honestly, I have searched and searched for a redeeming quality from these Crocs and I truly have yet to find one.
According to Wikipedia, these shoes were originally meant to be for boating/outdoor purposes because they are slip-resistant and have a non-marking sole. Well, I have a few initial reactions to this. First, I would like to clarify that ‘outdoor purposes’ does not mean walking down the street or at the beach. If you really bought these things for their true “purpose” then keep them on your boat or up in the mountains please, and away from people.
For my own sanity and for the sake of America’s reputation, this trend must be stopped.
Do your part and do not encourage this irrational behavior. No, not even on babies..because while they make look cute now, think about what it is instilling in these innocent children’s minds. You don’t want to teach our world’s future bad habits at such an early age now do you?
With Winter rapidly approaching, hopefully this trend will die out with the Autumn leaves for the mostpart. Just beware of the Winter Mammoth Crocs… fur + rubber = bad news bears. Consider yourself warned.
PS - Just when I thought that there was no one in this universe who could possibly hate Crocs as much as I do, I came across this site one fateful night. I was inspired. I guess there is humanity in the world…even though it may be a little crazy. Check it out: http://ihatecrocsblog.blogspot.com/.
November 7, 2007
Journey & Jet Setting
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In honor of another October coming to an end and for all of those who are in need of some cultural inspiration, I would like to take this moment to praise one of the world’s glorious traditions: Oktoberfest.
If you are not already aware of this fabulous occurrence, please allow me to enlighten you. Oktoberfest is a 17 or 18 day annual festival covering the last few weeks in September and the first week of October which takes place in Munich, Germany. There are usually 6 million people in attendance, making this one of the biggest festivals in the world. If you are new to this phenomenon, you may be wondering at this point why 6 million people migrate from all over the world to attend this traditional German event?
Let me tell you why. I was fortunate enough to go to Oktoberfest when I was studying abroad in Florence in 2005 and it was literally one of the best weekends of my life. (Side note- if you are planning on going abroad next fall, I cannot stress to you the importance of including this on your agenda).
Picture this: a ginormous (yes, this is now a real word) tent filled with rows and rows of long picnic-style tables. You can’t see one square-inch of these tables however because they are covered with thousands of people dancing on them. Now picture each of these people absolutely inebriated, singing in German, and swinging huge steins back and forth, beer flying everywhere…more like sloshing everywhere. What is everyone dancing to? Well, naturally, the band in the middle of the tent.
Now imagine that you stumble outside this tent–somehow, after miraculously pushing your way through crowds of drunk people in lederhosens–and all around you are 20 other tents just like the one you were in. Not only are there tents however, there is also a plethora of rides, games, booths, pretzel stands, you name it. Seriously, to any beer/drinking enthusiast…or any college kid..or any human being in their right mind.. this is heaven.
You know the Germans are onto something when they begin each Oktoberfest with an official keg tapping by the Mayor of Munich himself. Oh yes, this is a fact. If you know any German saying, know this: “O’zapft is!” meaning “It’s Tapped!” Very authentic indeed.
If you are intrigued by my knowledge of the authenticity of Oktoberfest, don’t be. You can find all of this on Wikipedia. What did I learn from my experience at Oktoberfest? Allow me to rephrase that… “What did I remember…” Several things: the beer, the food, the crowd, and the singing.
The Beer - They have this special beer brewed which is stronger and darker. It is delicious. You must drink this in steins (Side Note- someone in your group will without-a-doubt chip their tooth/teeth on their stein. Consider yourself warned). There is no cost to enter Oktoberfest, so you will be able to spend all your money on the beer..and food. I believe the beers are a little less than 8 Euro (for 2 pints)…you can do the math at your own risk.
The Food - You can order food inside any of the tents, but I would not recommend this. That can be a little pricey and you don’t want to have to be sitting and waiting for food when you can be dancing on the tables. The better option is to hit up all the food carts outside. These consist of a lot of sausage, brotworst, German-style pretzels, fries… all delicious. When you wake up in the morning and the roof of your mouth is burnt, don’t be alarmed. It is probably because you dove too quickly into those fries the night before… it’s ok, it happens to the best of us.
The Crowd - The crowd is what makes this such a joyous occasion. Obviously there will be people from all over. From the masses amounts of Europeans, to every last American college kid studying abroad, to the occasional Munich elementary school field trip (I kid you not..they were in a single-file line and all), Oktoberfest really does bring out the best in everyone. Of course Americans may get thrown the typical slanderous comment mocking how we can’t hold our alcohol or, and I quote, “Wow, you guys are the first non-fat Americans we’ve ever seen.” –Two Random Scottish Guys. Don’t take it personally though. Just try to appreciate the beauty of the situation: People from all around the world conglomerate together to get drunk.
The Singing - There are only two songs I really remember being sung over and over in the tents. One I think was the German national anthem or something. I can’t really recall… The other however, will remain in your head for months. It has the chorus of that ‘Hey! Baby” song by Bruce Channel–you know, the one they play in Dirty Dancing. K, so get that in your head, and then add these words to it: “Heyyyy, hey baby–Ooo Aahh– I wanna know- Oh oh oh oh oh oh –Won’t you be my Girl– (then they count to 8 in German) Null, eins, zwei, drei, vier, funf, sechs, sieben, acht..” Then the song repeats…over and over and over again. Don’t believe me?
Alright, if you aren’t convinced yet, I don’t know what else to tell you. I’m sure most of you are already planning your trip for next year at this point however, in which case, be sure to remember the following: (1) Book your hostel reservations early, otherwise you’ll be forced to post up at some overpriced hotel where they won’t let you fit 8 people in a 3 person room (rude..). (2) Buy your apparel in advance. (3) While all the tents serve the same purpose, the best one (in my opinion) is the Hofbrau House. You won’t be disappointed. (4) Use the buddy system. Things can get kindof crazy.
Well, now that we’ve reconciled with the end of another October… on to November!
November 7, 2007
Gadgets & Gismos
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Apple began to make its attack on Generation Limbo with the emergence of stylish technology. First, the commonality of the iPod spread in 2003 as the iPod mini flooded college campuses. Then came the MacBook notebook computer, easing PC users into Mac life with an adorable and manageable lap top. Just as the tech-savvy crowd was getting sucked into this phenomenon, the MacBookPro became more and more common. The Mac craze is not limited to but definitely has grown up with GenLimbo, which in turn has spawned the products of this stylish technology revolution, whom I like to refer to as Mac Enthusiasts.
Mac enthusiasts demonstrate the true meaning of “brand advocates.” Not only do they love the brand, but they truly live it. Examples? Those crazies who were camped out in the rain in front of the Apple Store the night before the iPhone came out. The people who truly have the whole iPod family (Shuffle, Nano, Classic, iTouch…). The people who purchased the iPhone in the first week because they figured those 2 extra months of having the phone would cause enough joy and happiness to justify the extra $200. Those who will not plug their MacBookPro into the same power strip as a PC. If you read AppleInsider as part of your morning ritual. You know who you are.
If you are one of these Mac Enthusiasts of which I speak of, hats off to you. And Steve Jobs, hats off to you as well. Thank you for creating such an inspiring brand that we (Mac Enthusiasts) can all truly admire and want to be a part of, constantly producing new ideas and products which keep us guessing what and when the next will make its appearance.
