With Conference USA play slowly approaching, the Rice University women's soccer team has a total record of two wins, four losses and one tie. So far this season, it has been the youth of the soccer team leading the charge and performing well in games. This has proved crucial to the team's overall success because last year's team leader in points and shots, junior Jessica Howard, is out due to injury. "Howard's phenomenal play last season led to so many attacking opportunities." Head Coach Nicky Adams said, "With Howard out, some key players stepped up and help contribute in Jessica's absence." This year's soccer team welcomes seven freshmen, highlighted by Holly Hargreaves and Lauren Hughes. Sophomore goalkeeper Amy Czyz has also played extremely well, proving that the younger members on the team have stepped up and cemented their roles on the team. In the first game of the season against Baylor University, Czyz defended the Rice goal well, posting a career-high of eight saves. Though she performed well, the Baylor offense had an advantage over the Owls with 24 shots to eight. Hargreaves led the Rice offense with three shots. Hargreaves improved on her performance in the second game against Louisiana State University, scoring her first career collegiate goal from 35 yards out to give Rice a 1-0 lead. Czyz had yet another career game, helping her team with 11 saves for a new career high. The game went into two overtimes after LSU tied the game in the 74th minute. The game resulted in a 1-1 tie with no team scoring during the overtime periods.The freshmen on the team again showed their prowess as Hargreaves and Hughes both scored goals against McNeese State University for the team's first victory of the season. In a loss to Texas Christian University in which Hargreaves led the team with five shots; Hughes followed with four attempts. Another freshman, Jasmine Isokpunwu, had three shots and the Rice Owls won against Texas State University 2-1. In this game, Hargreaves and Hughes again both had goals as two other freshmen, Danielle Spriggs and Isokpunwu, were also in the starting lineup aiding the cause. Although the team went on to lose two games against Stephen F. Austin University and Okla-homa State University, the Rice women's soccer team looks to be headed towards C-USA competition in good shape. The games that have been played so far have displayed the youthful movement on the team. While Czyz defends the goal, the freshmen duo of Holly Hargreaves and Hughes lead the offense. Their performances show how promising the future looks for the Owls. "The transition to the college level of competition has been smooth," Hargreaves said. "Though the practices have been difficult and intense. It is a very different atmosphere than anywhere else. It is truly a privilege to be a part of Rice soccer." She attributes her performance in games to both the team and the coaching staff. "We work together on everything as a unit," Hargreaves said. "If we are successful it is because of everyone as a whole. It's really an amazing thing to be a part of." Hargreaves also made a point to praise the other years on the team. "There is a lot of talent with every class as well," Hargeaves said. "I think we can truly accomplish whatever we, as a team, set our minds to do." Adams also spoke glowingly about the freshmen class. "Our freshmen class as a whole is a tremendous class and every player has contributed significantly," Adams said. "Each of them is competitive and driven and wants to win. It is very contagious." Adams spoke about how Hargreaves and Hughes have stepped up to score goals. She continued to rave about other freshmen, including the versatile Danielle Spriggs. Other freshmen who have impacted the team and have made their mark include Becca Koval, Jasmine Isokpunwu, Kara Dugall, and Caroline Scruggs. As the team enters C-USA play soon, Adams mentioned the competitive schedule the soccer team has played so far this season. "We play a challenging non-conference schedule to prepare us for conference play," Adams said. She pointed out tough games with nationally ranked the University of Memphis and University of Central Florida. "We have a number of home games left in the season, and we would love to have a big student turn out," Adams said.
Department meetings are usually the same. They lure prospective students into the get-together with the promise of free food, but "free" food at Rice always comes with strings attached. In the case of these departmental welcome-back meetings, the price of admission is standing around awkwardly and trying to remember what class you took with which person. Sometimes, however, these strings can pay off. Jordan Jaffe (Baker '12) was at the Department of Visual and Dramatic Arts' welcome back meeting in the fall of 2010 when one of his professors gave him the idea that would become his life's focus. "Offhandedly, one of my VADA professors says, 'There is this basement out in Hammond Hall. Why doesn't someone do a show there?'" Jaffe said. "I thought about it that night and came to Christina [Keefe] in the morning with a script I liked, and asked her to [perform] it in the basement." In short, that script became Jaffe's first production, and it laid the foundation for his company Black Lab Theatre. "From putting that one show together, I realized how much I liked it," Jaffe said. "I liked being able to pick projects as both an actor and a producer." Last year, as Jaffe entered his senior year at Rice, he formalized this fledgling theater company with the ambitious mission of "producing regional, local and world premieres that embody the values of theatrical ingenuity, integrity and sincerity." With the conviction that Jaffe talks about his project, it is easy to believe that theater has been his life's passion, but this enthusiasm actually developed during his freshman year at Rice. "What's great about coming to a school like Rice is that I had never done theater before, and I was able to walk down to the theater department and gain experience," Jaffe said. Still, his trajectory through Rice has been atypical to say the least. After his sophomore year, he moved to Los Angeles to pursue acting full-time. Aside from a brief cameo appearance in The CW's "Gossip Girl," it soon became obvious to Jaffe that his true passion was with theater. So, his journey continued as he moved from Los Angeles to New York City in order to train at the Atlantic Acting School. All the while he had a sense of lingering regret that he never quite finished his degree at Rice. So, after two years away from Houston, he returned to Rice to complete his degree and graduate. After all of his travels, he realized that what he really wanted was to develop the somewhat stagnant theater scene of Houston. "What I saw when I first came back [to Houston] from New York was a lot of revivals, and a lot of musicals," Jaffe said. "We are a city of millions, and there is no reason why a play that opens in New York or Chicago shouldn't open here as well." Jaffe saw a new market in Houston for cutting-edge drama that avoided the ostentation of outright experimental theater. Black Lab is his outlet for contemporary theater that other Houston institutions might have skipped over in lieu of larger-scale productions.After its opening season last year boasted the contemporary dramas "Farragut North" and "Dying City," Black Lab returns for its second theatrical season this Friday with the regional premiere of the dark comedy "Boom." The story surrounds two graduate students and their discovery of an inherent apocalypse through the classifieds website Craigslist. As a trained actor and a maturing director, Jaffe has learned what exactly he needs to put on a successful dramatic production. Running a business, on the other hand, was an entirely new challenge for Jaffe. "[Last season] I learned that while I had all this experience as an actor, I still needed to learn how to run a nonprofit business," Jaffe said. While the learning curve was steep, he is excited about fundraising and growing Black Lab Theatre as the center of a larger, Houstonbased movement. As such, Jaffe is always looking for excited volunteers to join the Black Lab team. "I'm always looking for people to help behind the scenes," Jaffe said. "Whether that is 'run-crew' or volunteering to work the box office one thing that I want to emphasize is that you are working directly with me. At [the larger Houston theaters] you might never meet the artistic directors. Here at Black Lab I work with everyone individually."Long term, Jaffe hopes to work on creating a longer-term and full-equity business model for Black Lab, and eventually he hopes to own a physical space in Houston. As for the near future, he is excited for "Boom" and starting off his second season with a successful opener. Black Lab Theatre developed from a very unlikely situation. Nonetheless, Jaffe embraced it and realized that it was his passion. Black Lab Theatre proves that life after Rice is not dependent upon handshakes and resumes on the floor of Tudor Fieldhouse.
As a part of a worldwide tour, Cleanweb, an environmentally oriented information technology nonprofit organization, will be hosting the Texas Cleanweb Hackathon Sept. 21-23 in Duncan Hall.
A true manifestation of the phrase, "sugar, spice and everything nice," Bombay Sweets is a vegetarian heaven. However, this inexpensive buffet is not a "Panda Express" of Indian food; even those cultured in South Asian cuisine will tell you that this place is as authentic as it gets. The restaurant offers far more than what its name suggests. Hailing the epithet "House of Sweets, Snacks, Chat and Vegetarian Food," Bombay Sweets serves everything from specialty drinks and pastries to breads and hot dishes. It is located on Hillcroft, along with a smattering of other South Asian stores and restaurants within the diverse cultural makeup of Houston. An international company and a leader in the snack food industry, Bombay Sweets is a messenger from India, introducing Houstonians to a wide variety of bonafide and 100 percent vegetarian snacks and dishes. However, nothing about this restaurant screams corporate chain food; Bombay Sweets is presented in the manner of a small family-owned restaurant with an emphasis on quality, value and authenticity. Upon walking into a quaint diner-bakerystyle setting, patrons have several options as to what path to take in their culinary journey. One option includes picking up some sweets togo from Bombay Sweets' wide bakery selection. Freshly made jalebi (a fried flourand syrupbased treat, comparable to the all-American funnel cake), gulab jamun (waffle balls soaked in syrup) and many other options are readily available to satisfy an exotic sweet tooth. You could also choose to dine in, ordering one of several varieties of chat. Chat (or chaat) is a term used to describe an assortment of savory snacks, which initially was known as streetCourtesy BomBay sweets food in cities like Mumbai and Delhi. A smorgasbord of potato, crispy fried bread, beans, chutney and spices comprise the basic makeup of any type of chat. Additional ingredients like samosas and yogurt add an even greater explosion of flavor and textures to the dish. A hearty plateful will only cost about $6 to $7. The other dining option is a challenge to be accepted. A $7 buffet runs from brunch to dinner time, offering an assortment of North and South Indian foods. Bombay Sweets offers vegetarian-friendly dishes such as bhaji (an Indian version of vegetable fritters), aloo beans, pakora (vegetables dipped and fried in chickpea batter), sag paneer (spinach dip with cottagecheese) and masala rice. Each buffet meal is accompanied by paratha, puri or, everyone's favorite, naan, all of which are warm, toasted and delicious Indian breads. Having grown up having meals in the houses of several Indian friends, I can vouch that Bombay Sweets is certainly a taste of the comfort and authenticity of home cooking. However, this restaurant is not exclusively for those acquainted with Indian cuisine or who adhere to a strict vegetarian diet. The bold flavors are truly what make this food universally satiating. From mildto spicy and salty to sweet, the lines between flavors are blurred as they all come together in gustatory perfection. For those vegetarians looking for something a little more savory than salad and greens, cultural foodies searching for a new dig, or those who have never encountered the phenomenon that is Indian food, the revelatory experience is upon you. Word to the wise: you may find yourself in a euphoric food coma after your meal. Authentic to Indian culture, Bombay Sweets is the place to go for the biggest bang for your buck and to satisfy your South Asian culinary desires.
"Cruel Summer" - GOOD Music: Since 2004, rapper Kanye West has been assembling a team of artists such as John Legend, Common and Big Sean to sign under his own division of Def Jam Records: GOOD Music. Eight years later, West has finalized his all-star lineup to create a majestic debut album, featuring singles such as "Mercy," "Clique" and "New God Flow." Considered by many in the hip-hop community to be one of the most anticipated albums of the year, West can expect an impressive first-week of album sales. "Resident Evil: Retribution" - The fifth installment in the video-game based science-fiction series continues to follow Alice (Milla Jovovich, "Dazed & Confused") in her fight against the Umbrella Corporation and its T-Virus-plagued legions of zombies alongside a growing resistance movement. This film will mark the first appearance of several characters from the game who had yet to show up in the movies. "Retribution" will be shown in silver screen, IMAX and 3D formats. The film also stars Michelle Rodriguez ("Fast and Furious") and Sienna Guillory ("Eragon"). R, 117 minutes. "Finding Nemo 3D" - Nominated by the American Film Institute as one of the 10 greatest animated films ever made, this Academy Award-winning Pixar classic returns to theaters in 3D in support of its upcoming Blu-Ray release. The movie immerses audiences in the humorous, nautical story of a father clownfish (Albert Brooks, "Broadcast News") and his quest across the ocean to find his missing son. Featuring stellar supporting work from Ellen DeGeneres as his klutzy sidekick, Dory, this film aims to please audiences both young and young at heart. G, 100 minutes. "The Truth About Love" - Pink: The sixth studio album from pop-rock superstar Pink, and the first under RCA Records, will feature collaborations from artists including songstress Lily Allen, Fun lead singer Nate Ruess and rapper Eminem. The first single, "Blow Me (One Last Kiss)," has already peaked at No. 9 on the Billboard Hot 100, and provides a preview of an album that is marked with vibrant storytelling, stylistic irreverence and a notably darker feel than her previous efforts. "The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel" - This British ensemble film, based on the 2004 novel "These Foolish Things," follows a group of retirees moving to a hotel in India and the adventures they encounter in adjusting to a new culture. Spotlighting a cast of British royalty, including Judi Dench ("Casino Royale"), Bill Nighy ("Pirates of the Caribbean") and Maggie Smith ("Harry Potter"), this film is not to be missed. Bonus features include a behind-the-scenes featurette and an inside look at the casting process. Available on DVD and Blu-Ray. "The Cabin in the Woods" - This comedy horror film, produced by Joss Whedon of "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" and "Firefly" fame, had been shelved for several years before its theatrical debut this past spring. The film went on to enjoy both critical and commercial success. Starring Chris Hemsworth ("The Avengers"), the film tells the story of five friends in a remote cabin on vacation only to become victims of a supernatural ritual. Bonus features include audio commentary from the film's director and a behind-the-scenes documentary. Available on DVD and Blu-Ray.
Last Thursday, junior center Omar Oraby requested and received his release to transfer to another school. After a brief period of speculation over his potential destination, Jeff Goodman of CBS Sports reported Wednesday that Oraby would be attending the University of Southern California for the upcoming school year. Oraby enrolled in classes today, the university-wide deadline to begin the fall semester, and will begin classes Monday. "I want to thank Omar for his contributions to Rice basketball over the past two years," Braun said. "I want to wish him the very best in his future endeavors." The 7-foot-2-inch Oraby blocked a schoolrecord 54 shots last season, despite playing 11.6 minutes per game. Perhaps more importantly, his inside presence allowed for senior forward Arsalan Kazemi to operate more on the perimeter, helping lead to his career-high 59.4 percent clip from the field. Oraby averaged 6.0 points, 3.6 rebounds and 1.6 blocks per game, shooting a team-high 62.9 percent from the field. Oraby also flashed growth as the season progressed, and averaged slightly over 16 minutes per game after a breakout performance in which he put up 16 points, 10 rebounds and six blocks on 8-10 shooting in a narrow loss to Marshall. Oraby is the fifth Rice player to depart since the end of last season along with then-freshmen Dylan Ennis, Jarelle Reischel and Ahmad Ibrahim, and David Chadwick, a sophomore at his time of transfer. However, the reasons given by the departures differed, as Ibrahim left to play professional basketball in his home country of Lebanon, Chadwick cited a lack of playing time as his primary reason for transferring and Reischel and Ennis stated that they wished to be closer to their homes. Oraby, who was reportedly also considering the University of California, Los Angeles, Ohio State University and the University of Rhode Island, was seen on the USC campus Wednesday when the news broke. According to ESPN, USC also reportedly plans to submit a hardship waiver to the NCAA for Oraby to be eligible to play this season. If the waiver is not granted, he will have to sit out the season before resuming playing next season with two years of eligibility remaining. Oraby's transfer also comes on the heels of the departure of assistant coach Marco Morcos last spring. Morcos had played a role in recruiting during his time at Rice, and was a key figure in the signing of Oraby prior to last season.
Julia's Bistro serves high-end Latin American cuisine with a focus on quality food and service. The restaurant's sophisticated atmosphere and location off the METRORail's McGowen stop make it an easily accessible place to splurge on an evening of fine dining. Julia's is one of those places that we always pass and think, "Oh, that looks good, we have to try it sometime." We finally made the short trip to Midtown to try out this restaurant on the corner of Main and West Alabama streets.Behind the chic black-and-white exterior is a Latin American restaurant that touts quality, high-end cuisine. The tablecloths and glassware differentiate Julia's from its Breakfast Klub and Tacos a Gogo neighbors. With a business casual dress code, it is no surprise the meals range from $15 to $30, but the food is well worth the price. The wait staff was very friendly, although the food did take a while to reach our table. The first dish we ordered was the pollo poblano, Julia's version of a chicken roulade, a bacon-wrapped chicken stuffed with portabella mushrooms and panela cheese and topped with a poblano pepper sauce. We choose chipotle mashed potatoes and sauteed green beans for our side dishes. We ordered the pollo poblano on the assumption that trendy restaurants often innovate on simple ingredients to create sophisticated yet unpalatable dishes. However, the plate dispelled any fears of leaving the restaurant still hungry. The light flavors of the chicken and cheese complemented the robust flavor of the portabella mushrooms. All of this was wrapped tightly in crispy bacon strips which went well with the creamy and tangy poblano pepper sauce.The mashed potatoes were creamy and had a bite of spice, thanks to the little bits of pepper dispersed throughout. The potatoes struck a perfect balance between too rich and not rich enough and provided a smooth texture opposite the crunch of the bacon. The grilled green beans introduced a smoky flavored element to the dish which paired perfectly with the rich potatoes. The sides of green beans and mashed potatoes were on par with the main dish. The second dish was the filet de cerdo: churassco cut pork tenderloin topped with red chimichurri sauce, which we substituted for the pineapple-chile pequin chutney. The warm, spiced chutney with chunks of pineapple added a touch of sweet to the bland pork. We were impressed with the portion of pork we were served and how accommodating the cook was in altering the dish. Dinner at Julia's was definitely a success and the food was worth donning a dress and spending a little extra cash.Houston Hideaways is a column written by Sasha Schoch and Allie Schaich that explores Houston restaurants beyond the usual Rice student haunts.
Though salons historically were gallery spaces run by committees of pompous judges who boldly rejected works of Paul Cezanne and Edouard Manet, the Matchbox Salon snubbed tradition with a campus-inclusive showcase that opened Sept. 6. With a concept akin to the CelebrateART festival last spring, the Matchbox Gallery is currently featuring work by students of all majors in a salon-style show until Sept. 16. "We really wanted to kick-off the school year and our time as directors by opening a show that really celebrates the arts at Rice," co-director Alexandria Fernandez said. "We felt that it was important to get as many students and Rice affiliates represented as possible and think that the show illustrates our diverse arts community." Though Rice's only student-run gallery space is a single room off the second floor of the Sewall Hall Courtyard, directors Fernandez and Lisa Biletska transformed its white walls into a collage of two-dimensional photos, paintings, prints and drawings. "I love how Alex and Lisa arranged the artwork," Lovett College senior Annie Hsiao said. "It was such an eclectic group of images, and I think they assembled it in a very coherent and interesting way." Open picture frames encircle multiple art pieces, and the large charcoal drawing of a horse with a naked woman's body is just as pronounced as the painting of a sitting lamb. Hsiao, an anthropology and visual and dramatic arts major, submitted a series of photographs of Freedmen's Town in the Fourth Ward. She was first introduced to the community during an archaelogy excavation, and returned to capture the town for a photography assignment. "The town was established right after the Civil War and has been occupied since," Hsiao said. "There was this complex interaction between the historical community and its modern aspirations. There were all these 'shotgun' houses in various states of disrepair, more modern-looking buildings and lots of interesting people." Baker College sophomore Tori Laxalt said she thought the Matchbox Gallery opening succeeded in attracting students and faculty outside of the visual arts department. On the same night, the visual arts faculty and Glassell School of Art Core Fellows also hosted their Fall Art Kick-off in the Sewall Hall Courtyard with a slideshow "jam" of their work. Laxalt, an English major, had one piece featured in the Salon: a drawing of a 1970s-era girl skateboarding. "It was nice to be able to put something up that I worked hard on, to be able to show my friends what actually came out of having charcoal dust all over my face all those times after class," Laxalt said. Hsiao matched Laxalt's sentiment of the opportunity to showcase her work. Though commissioned and student artworks on campus are becoming more prominent, Hsiao said she thinks Rice can improve on making student art more visible. "Seeing our friends' art around campus not only gives us something to work toward, but also encourages other students to explore art, especially those that are engineering and science majors who may have never considered taking an art class," Hsiao said. Luckily for art enthusiasts, from the physics major who paints as a hobby to the Shepherd School musician who wants to host an open-air concert, the Matchbox Gallery provides an outlet for students to engage with the arts, whether through appreciation or participation. "Matchbox is a testament to the freedom Rice students have on campus to pursue what they are interested in and experiment with it," Fernandez said. "We hope the gallery will continue to develop into a reputable flexible art space in the Houston community."
