Vol. 1 No. 25

04.30.14 - VOL. 1, NO. 25 - WACOWEEKLY.COM

meet the teamPUBLISHER/EDITOR IN CHIEF

Chris Shepperd

EXECUTIVE EDITOR Matt Shepperd

EDITORIAL DIRECTORSara Gilmore

BUSINESS MANAGERLeisha Shepperd

MANAGING EDITORChris Zebo

CREATIVE DIRECTORBekah Skinner

ASST. CREATIVE DIRECTORKaitlin Vickers

WRITERSRandle Browning

Sara GilmoreCheyenne Mueller

Luke MurrayHaili Z (allzedetails.com)

INTERNSHaley Clark

Katy De LunaApril ElkinsAlex Gieger

Brittany HolmAvery MooreKelly Porter

Heydy SanchesKyla Spaugh

Camille Youngblood

Waco Weekly is an independent, publication and is not affiliated with

the city of Waco.

Opinions are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views

and opinions of the editor, publisher or the newspaper staff. Waco Weekly

is not liable for omissions, misprints or typographical errors. No part of this

publication may be reproduced without the express consent of the publisher.

© Copyright 2014 Campus Press LP

05.01-05.07contents

Essentials:Play 3Listen 4Style 6Taste 13Look 14

Theatre:6 - The timeless classic, Arabian Nights, gets a Baylor adaptation and a stage at the Mabee Theater.

Road Trip:7 - We take you to Salado to experience Salado Glassworks, an artisan glass maker that invites you to blow your own piece of art.

Film:15 - Cheyenne gives a rundown of this week’s top 20 box office films.

Cover Story:

6 We sat down with Waco’s Valley Mountain, a band formed in the very music venue in which we

interviewed them.

wacoweekly.com • April 30, 2014 • WACO WEEKLY • pg 3

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May 3, 2014 at Indian Spring Park in Cameron Park, the Cystic Fibrosis foundation will be hosting Great Strides, the largest fund-raising event for Cystic Fibrosis. Many children and adults in Waco suffer from the genetic disease, which affects primarily the lungs and the digestive system. The event takes place nationwide in many different cities around the country throughout the year. This year’s Waco’s Great Strides is offering an exciting, family-oriented celebration that includes a vigorous 5K walk, food, and lots of entertainment.

In 2013, Great Strides raised $25,000 to benefit science seeking a cure for the illness. In 2014, CF Foundation is looking to go even beyond that in hopes for local Waco families affected by the disease.

Whether you like to walk, run, or just want to do something to make a difference, check out Great Strides’ Facebook page and register yourself, family and friends, or even an entire team.

Great Strides Fundraiser at Indian Spring Park

By Kelly Porter

WHAT: GREAT STRIDES FUNDRAISER

WHERE: INDIAN SPRING PARK

WHEN: MAY 3

thescoop

pg 4 • WACO WEEKLY • April 30, 2014 • wacoweekly.com

• • • • • •

LIST

EN

Reviewed by Katy De Luna

Album:Storyline

Rating:

Sounds Like: Scotty McCreeryJake OwenRascal Flatts

Release Date:May 6, 2014

HUNTER HAYES

Tracklist:Wild CardStorylineStill FallinTattooInvisible...InterludeYou Think You Know SomebodyFlashlightWhen Did You Stop Loving Me...Like I Was SayingSecret LoveNothing Like Starting OverIf It’s Just MeLove Too Much

Hunter Hayes is now a household name and it seems as if he’s been around forever. But it was just a few years ago, in October 2011, that he released his self-titled debut album, which spawned the hit “Storm Warning” and the number 1 singles “Wanted” and “Somebody’s Heartbreak.” The reissue of the album, entitled Encore, included the hit “I Want Crazy.” The Grammy-nominated singer is releasing his sophomore album, Storyline, to the delight of fans on May 6.

Hayes co-wrote every song on the 14-song record and co-produced the album, as well. The multi-talented singer and

instrumentalist (he can play more than 30 instruments) has an impressive set list, including the tune “Wild Card”, an energetic, upbeat tune that is perfect for summer with the windows down and the song turned up. The catchy tune, “Storyline”, the album’s namesake, is about writing your own love story; and “You Think You Know Somebody” talks about not fully knowing the other person in a relationship. The new album will also include his already popular single “Invisible”, which explores feelings of being an outsider. Storyline showcases what we already know and love about Hunter Hayes: his vocals, instrumentation, and his gift for writing lyrics that connect.

wacoweekly.com • April 30, 2014 • WACO WEEKLY • p 5

Future “Honest”

EELS

Imogen Heap “Sparks”

Sparks marks British musician Imogen Heap’s fourth album. What makes this album unique is that Heap released various songs off of the album every few months until the album culminated and was ready to be released in full.

The record is a pinnacle of diversity; for example, the track “Minds Without Fear” features Vishal-Shekhar and has an Indian-style flare. Another collaborative effort on the album is “Telemiscommunications” with deadmau5.

Despite the variations from Heap’s typical style in some of the songs, Sparks stays true to Heap’s unique sound with tracks such as “Propeller Seeds”, which has the same reminiscing, electronic melodies she is known for.

Born Nayvadius D. Wilburn, Future came onto the music scene in 2009 after releasing some moderately successful mixtapes. Members of the Dungeon Family (a hip hop / R&B / soul musical collective) gave him his stage name believing that he was “the future” of music.

Now, if you’ve heard Future’s first major label album, Pluto, then you understand that he had a certain sound or formula that he used for those tracks: it’s all about the rhyme and sound rather than the words and if they make any sense. Future’s latest album, Honest, does not follow that formula. Rather, some might ask, “Isn’t Future supposed to be a rapper?” There is a lot of auto-tune on Honest but also a lot of solid rapping thanks to Future and his featured artists, such as Kanye West on “I Won,” Drake on “Never Satisfied”, and Pharrell on “Move That Dope.”

Mark Everett, most commonly known as E, is the core member of the ever-changing EELS. Since 1995, members and the groups sound have come and gone, and E is the only one who has played the entire time. The alternative rock band has created really loud and optimistic music in the past with albums like Wonderful, Glorious, but their 11th album, The Cautionary Tales of Mark Oliver Everett, has a different tone.

E wrote TCTME as both a warning to fans of how not to treat people and a solace to those who may be mistreated. The introspective album has tracks such as “Mistakes of My Youth” and “Parallels”, which both have a softer sound meant to comfort the listener while being some of those “you’re not alone” songs we need to hear from time to time.

Release Date:Mar. 5, 2014

Release Date:Apr. 22, 2014

Release Date:Apr. 22, 2014



Reviewed by Kelly Porter

“The Cautionary Tales of Mark Oliver Everett”

pg 6 • WACO WEEKLY • April 30, 2014 • wacoweekly.compg 6 • WACO WEEKLY • April 30, 2014 • wacoweekly.com

The Book of the Thousand Nights and One Night is a tale that has been adapted countless times since it was told centuries ago. In the English language it is most commonly known as the Arabian Nights. Baylor University is showcasing their own Mary Zimmerman adapted Arabian Nights, directed by Lisa Denman.

The tale begins with a Persian King shocked that his brother’s wife would be unfaithful to her husband. To make matters worse, the King discovers his own wife’s infidelity and has her executed. The King starts to believe that all women are the same, and out of bitterness he executes every one of his wives after the first night. The duty of finding a new wife for the King belongs to the vizier, and after not being able to find a new wife for him, his own daughter, Scheherazade, volunteers as the next bride.

On the night of their marriage, Scheherazade begins telling the King a story. However, she only starts the story; she never finishes it. By the next day the King is so intrigued by her tale that he postpones her execution until he can hear the rest. The next day Scheherazade finishes the story but then begins a new one engaging the King again and postponing her death. The cycle repeats with Scheherazade continuing to captivate the King’s interest for a thousand and one nights.

The Arabian Nights will be playing at Mabee Theatre on April 30, May 1 – 3 at 7:30pm, and May 3 – 4 at 2:00pm. Tickets for the shows are $18.

Arabian Nights at Baylor UniversityBy Katy De Luna

WHAT: ARABIAN NIGHTS

WHERE: MABEE THEATRE

WHEN: APRIL 30 - MAY 4

thescoop


TEXAS BACK ROADSfacebook.com/TexasBackRoads

If you and I mixed silicate, soda lime, and a whole lot of heat, we probably wouldn’t end up with a very much. But put it in the hands of a gaffer (master glass blower) like Gail Allard II and the other artists at Salado Glassworks, and you’ll get some truly beautiful pieces of glass. Located in Salado, Texas (obviously), Salado Glassworks is part of a renaissance of craftsmen and artisans filling the shops along the banks of the Salado Creek.

Don’t let the outside fool you: step through the doors and you’ll soon be captivated by glowing orbs lit by the sun, all sorts of weird and wobbly things and a lot of other art in curios and display cases that line the walls. Step past the gallery and you might start to sweat a little; in part because of the Texas heat and part due to the 2000+ degrees it takes to make what’s on display up front. It’s worth bearing the heat for the chance to be mesmerized by the process of turning a glob of molten glass into the colorful objects limited only by your imagination.

Want more? Why not sign up for one of the shop’s many “Blow Your Own” events held throughout the year. The events are all family friendly and you only need to make a reservation ahead of time. Prices vary, but if kids as young as three can participate, how hard could it be? It would be pretty cool to enjoy a frothy beverage from a mug you helped make, or why not hang ornaments on your tree that you made?

And speaking of frothy beverages…

Insider Tip: Salado Glassworks is known around Salado as “the best bar in town before 5.” The reason is that if you’re of age, you can enjoy a nice cold beer in a frosty, hand-blown mug while you check out the shop or watch a live glassblowing demonstration. As Gail puts it, when Salado Glassworks made it through its first year, he bought a kegerator—and they’ve been celebrating every day since.

This place makes for an awesome trip. Great art, the ability to watch the guys work, and the fact they’re all friendly puts it over the top.

Salado Glassworks is located at #2 Peddlers Alley in Salado, Texas, but don’t trust Google to get you there. With all of the construction along I-35, ifyou’re heading southbound, you’ll need to take Exit 285 for FM 2268 (Main St.). The shop is open Wednesday & Thursday 10:30-5:30, Friday 10:30-6:00, Saturday 10:30-5:00, and Sunday 11:30-3:00. If you have any questions, you can call 254.947.0339 or e-mail [email protected]. For additional information, check out saladoglassworks.com.

Fire and Art Combine at Salado GlassworksBy Jeremy Rinard of txbkrds.com

Taylor Pfeiffer and Dillon Washington met while working together at Common Grounds two years ago. When one learned that the other played music, the two started writing together, and within months, Valley Mountain was born. Two years of evolving as a band and after picking up members Wes Butler (bass/vocals/manager) and Scott Smith (drums), the band just finished its first full-length album, and they have a CD release show at Common Grounds this Friday.

We sat down with the guys of Valley Mountain last week where it all began, in the CG backyard. We talked about the new album that they recorded somewhat on a whim in five days over spring break, about Pfeiffer and Washington’s chemistry as songwriters, and the story that their new record, Train Roll On, tells. Don’t miss this show at Common Grounds this weekend.

WW: How long have you guys been a band?

Taylor: We (Taylor and Dillon) started Valley Mountain in fall of 2012. We had a couple other members, and then the four of us have been playing since spring 2013. Then Scott came along in the fall of 2013.

Wes: I didn’t even know they played music for the first year and a half.

Taylor: I started working at CG in the fall of 2012, and met Dillon, and we just got along. Then I heard he plays banjo, so I just asked him to come play music. We played one night, and our styles got along great, and we got along well, so we kept playing.

WW: How did the early days of Valley Mountain play out?

Dillon: It was three songwriters originally. The three of us would meet, and we would just kind of pass songs around and play, and then we actually played a show as that form of Valley Mountain, which was like five people, three of them songwriters. She ended up leaving, and then from that point we’ve been kind of developing our sound as this unit—a more coherent sound, I guess.

WW: Where does the name Valley Mountain come from?

Taylor: It’s an old legend, a wives tale. (laughs) We were doing practice with the original members, and

the girl Dillon just talked about, Emily, played violin, as well. So I was like, “Hey, show me some things on violin. I’d love to kind of learn.” And she said she used to teach students that when they’re learning the bow movement, she described the hand motion of valley and mountain. So this whole practice we were trying to think of a name, and I kept hearing her say, “Valley, mountain, valley, mountain,” and I was like, “That sounds awesome! What if that’s our band name?

Dillon: But before this, we actually had a copy of Of Mice and Men, that we put out in the yard and shot it with a bee bee gun to try to just string words together, and it just didn’t work.

WW: So then this unit that is now Valley Mountain that will release this new album this week has only been together since the fall of this past year, correct?

Wes:Once I kind of got in the mix we decided, “Okay, let’s really try to do this, and let’s be serious with the people that we try to get involved.” So we had four shows lined up that we asked Scott to play with us, and we never really sat down to talk about what we think; it was just everybody felt good about Scott


A Conversation with the Guys of Valley MountainBy Sara Gilmore


being a part of this. He just fit, and there was no dispute or questions; it just felt right.

WW: When did the process of writing and recording Train Roll On begin, then?

Dillon: Well, we recorded an EP at the end of last summer. It was pretty raw and stripped down, and was just us three (Taylor, Dillon, Wes). And we went through the process with the thought that we weren’t going to put anything on the album that we couldn’t reproduce on stage. And it’s cool, because it’s kind of hard to do in that sense, because you just do things live and in one take, and that’s it. Then with this process (Train Roll On), we realized we had a lot of material we had been writing since then, and we were like, “Okay, I think we’re ready to do another one.” We had Scott at this point, so we said, “Okay, let’s look at this as its own medium. Let’s be artists in this sense as well as artists on stage.” So we wanted to showcase ourselves as artists in different ways musically, but it also has a story and kind of a narrative.

Taylor: Some songs on this album are songs we played when me and Dillon first started playing. So technically, this album started when we first started playing. But at the same time, it’s got brand new songs that were written after the EP, specifically with this band in mind.

Wes: We did the EP and it took forever to get back. So once we got it, we felt like we sounded different. We were at the next level, and we were about to put out an EP that showcased where we had come from. So this was like mid-January, early February, and we were saying, “What if we just record a full length over spring break?”

WW: So you did all the recording over spring break?

Dillon: Five days from sunrise until midnight. There were times when I’d wake up and Wes would still be on the board.

Wes: So we recorded it all, and it’s an impossible time frame to do this. We scheduled the CD release originally with the idea of releasing the EP, but now we’re thinking, “Let’s do a whole project and put it out on that same day.” So we recorded it, shipped it to a friend to mix, he did the impossible and got it back to us, and we just got it mastered last week.

Dillon: Needless to say, it’s funny: on the EP things were very one take, but we got to go back and redo some things. With this, it ended up being much more organic in that sense. There’s one track on this album that was literally one take across the board.

Wes: There’s this narrative about this record, about struggling through life, being unsettled with where you are and leaving, and then realizing that it’s your duty and desire to come back home and deal with those things. And it’s really left kind of open at the end; you’re presented with the proposition of going home, but we don’t know if you do or not.

WW: Walk us through some of the narrative of the album.

Taylor: It’s been a blast. Even before we did the track list on the album, just for fun, me and Dillon will sit down with a list of our songs and put them in an order to come up with a narrative of our songs.

Our songwriting just matches in a really cool way that compliments each other and has allowed us to do what we’ve done with this album, which is essentially that we created a story. The album is meant to be listened to in one sitting all the way through from start to finish. It was a lot of fun to create that.

Dillon: We made it to where you’re presented in the beginning with the idea of “train roll on,” which is like plug on through the good and the bad of life. Then you’re kind of presented with a character who’s maybe a little arrogant; he’s young and he goes through a bunch of things, leaves a place, comes back, leaves again — only to find out that his problems, the things he thought he was running from, are really things he’s created in his own life. At one point he’s presented with the idea of going back home, towards the end of the record, and whether he does or not, who knows.

Wes, as the booking guy here at CG who sees a lot of talent, what’s special about these guys?

Wes: Once they played their first open mic, I thought, “This is awesome.” They’re something that Waco doesn’t really have. Waco has a lot of country stuff, but not a whole lot of it is good in my opinion, or maybe doesn’t really fit into the genre of our generation. So, as soon as they did a feature at open mic, I booked them a show as headliners, and I don’t

do that to anybody. Part of it was they have good followings from their friendships, so I knew people would come to that show. And I also thought it was quality enough to do it. So then when they needed a bass player, and I knew I could play bass and be a part of something good without having to write. It was really a gift to me.

So what’s next for you guys after this album release?

Taylor: We’ve got a show in Austin coming up in June. Then past that, we’re doing all of the line camps at Baylor this summer, and after that we’re not really sure. Dillon: Taylor and I are songwriters, and we want

to put more material out. We’ve got books filled and we want to make more albums, but Wes, on the business side of things, keeps us in a good tension of looking at how to do an album cycle and things like that.

WW: Who would you compare yourselves to musically as a band for someone who’s never heard you?

Dillon: I think we sound a lot like maybe like the Avett Brothers. If you like them, you’ll probably enjoy our show.

Taylor: Joe Pug is a major influence on both Dillon and me.

Wes: The other thing is that we’re an Americana band, but we shuffle a lot, which isn’t typically an Americana aspect.

Scott: There’s a lot of danceable stuff that a lot of Americana music doesn’t really have.

WW: So you’re saying if there’s room out here, I can two step?

Scott: For sure. I’m laying down the two-step beats.

Wes: Scott actually kind of coined a term when he first started playing with us. He said, “You guys are like a train station folk band.”

“Our songwriting just matches in a really cool way that compliments each other and has allowed us to do what we’ve done with this album, which is essentially that we created a story.”- TAYLOR PFEIFFER, VALLEY MOUNTAIN

pg 10 • WACO WEEKLY • April 30, 2014 • wacoweekly.compg 10 • WACO WEEKLY • April 30, 2014 • wacoweekly.com

BRAZOS NIGHTSdowntown waco concerts

Family FunFood Trucks

brazosnightswaco.com

G�d TimesGreat Music

at INdian Spring Park

April 11: Buckwheat zydeco and

Robert Randolph and the Family Band

May 9: CINCO DE MAYO with Rick trevino and La Ley 104.1 FM

June 13: WHISKEY MYERS

with The TOadies

July 4: H-E-B Fireworks with

Blaze of Glory: the Bon Jovi Experience

Presented By:H-E-B / City of waco / Metro pcs

la ley 104.1 / power 108 / kix 106.7grande communications / American Income LIfe

Courtyard by Marriott / Tymco / Stripes® Convenience Stores / T-Mobile

CEFCO CONVENIENCE STORES / Atmos Energy / Cargill / Dr Pepper

BEATS MUSIC - BY HALEY CLARKNow, when you put on your Beats headphones, Beats Music can stream through them with a selection of over 20 million songs to choose from that span every genre. The ever-popular headphones now has music flowing through them with Beats Music, a new streaming service for music that incorporates their curatorial expertise with their technology. Features of Beats Music include: Just For You (mixes albums and playlists that are exclusively selected by Beats music professionals), The Sentence (where you create your own mix of music), Highlights (a quick look at what’s hot in music and what’s worth listening to), Find It (if you don’t know what you’re in the mood for, you can pick a genre, activity, or curator and Beats will help you out), and Share (share your favorite songs, playlists, and albums, with your friends or fellow users on Beats Music, Facebook, and Twitter).

NBA GAME TIME - BY HEYDY SANCHESIt’s playoff time in the NBA and let’s be real: you can’t possibly watch every game live on TV. With the NBA Game Time app, you can follow your favorite (and least favorite) teams, live-stream press conferences and other live events, watch game recap videos, highlights, and more with this newly redesigned app. Easily upgrade to NBA plus and have access to more news, stats, and league info, home and away live radio broadcasts, and other fun features. Additionally, Sprint customers get free access to NBA Game Time Plus with live radio broadcasts, unlimited live coverage, and much more. You can now get it at the iTunes app store and Android market for free.

GASBUDDY - BY KATY DE LUNAYou’re on your way to grab a couple $2 tacos when you realize your gas tank is on empty. You’re not going any cheaper on the tacos, so you need to find less expensive gas. Well, the search for the cheapest gas station prices has come down to a simple tap on the GasBuddy app. The app allows you to search for gas stations by price or distance, and you can also search by city, zip or postal code. Users can report gas prices, and every day they get a chance to win $100 for gas. In summary, you save money and earn money with a simple tap of the app. Just imagine how many tacos you could buy with the money you save.

3 Apps You

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Astonish Me, Maggie Shipstead’s second novel, is both a journey into the world of professional ballet and a loving family story. And like the main ballerina at the heart of the novel itself, Shipstead tells a wonderful story that does exactly what its title says it will. Astonish Me is about the world of professional ballet and the story of Joan Joyce, a woman whose life is shaped by her passion for dance and by her love for another amazing Russian dancer. The novel follows Joan from girl to grown woman, watching as passion drives her to success, neglectful of the consequences and

agony that are the ultimate outcome from impassioned affairs. As Joan slowly spirals downward both on and off the stage, the novel becomes a intensely thoughtful reflection on the adamant pursuit of perfection and just how far we’re willing to go for love.

More than just a murder mystery with a link to the French Revolution, Marie Antoinette, Serial Killer is about a young girl’s life through friendships, love, and the consequences of her family’s legacy. Colette Iselin is thrilled to go on her spring break class trip to Paris, the city of love, cute boys, and chocolate croissants. Before her departure, Colette discovers her grandmother’s medallion.

The medallion signifies the ‘key’ that launches her into an investigation that horrifically ties her to the mysterious murders of

the descendants of the people who planned Marie Antoinette’s beheading. With the help of a charming French boy, Colette discovers that Marie Antoinette’s spirit has been awakened, and she’s now on a bloodthirsty strike.

With all the hustle and bustle and the wrapping up of the semester, we tend to get caught up in the whirlwind. Dee Williams knows a thing or two about that. Williams had a life-changing, near-death experience when she was at the grocery store. She was diagnosed with a heart condition, and at the age of 41, she came to the realization of just how short life can be and how valuable time really is. She realized who, what, and where she wanted to spend her time (which included a restored, gorgeous, luxurious Pacific house, but did not include the payments, repairs, and ownership of the house).

Williams realized she didn’t need all the stuff that filled her home, so she built an eighty-four-square-foot-house with her own hands. She built the house from bottom to top and was building a new life for herself the same way. Williams has downsized a lot—she can clean her house in about 10 minutes, her monthly bills are less than $10, and everything she owns can be written on a single piece of paper. Without all the hustle and bustle and upkeep of her previous home, Williams now has more time with family and friends and to explore nature and be adventurous whenever she feels inclined to do so. Williams’ half how-to, half memoir shows what its like to downsize, cut back, and enjoy the valuable things in life.

By Haley Clark and Heydy Sanches

THE BIG TINY: A BUILT-IT-MYSELF MEMOIR

ASTONISH ME MARIE ANTOINETTE, SERIAL KILLER

by dee williams

by maggie shipstead

by katie alender


By Cheyenne Mueller

Hell hath no fury like a woman (or three) scorned. With the intention of surprising her boyfriend with a sexy gift, Carly Whitten (Cameron Diaz, Bad Teacher) discovers that her perfect boyfriend Mark (Nikolaj Coster-Waldau, Game of Thrones) has one small flaw: he’s married. Without revealing her discovery, she ignores Mark’s advances and tries to get her ruined life back on track. Meanwhile, in an attempt to sort out her own ugly truths, Mark’s wife Kate (Leslie Mann, This is 40) visits Carly at work. The two become an unlikely pair as they realize how much they have in common. When yet another affair is discovered, all three women team up to plot mutual revenge on their cheating, lying, three-timing SOB.

This film, while still revolving around a man, goes a different direction than most films of a similar premise. Despite being duped by the same guy, the three women rally together and form an unlikely friendship, a very different outcome than the usual fight-for-the-man, damn-all-the-women drama fests. Which is good. In a society that’s beginning to get called out for it’s skewed views on men and women, having a different character than the catty woman is a nice change of pace. The Other Woman brings women together and they form a sisterhood, experiencing real emotions and not hating on each other. No woman is the villain in this movie; the blame falls solely on the guy, and his actions aren’t excused or praised.

At the end of the film, two out of three women end up with men. Men are great and all, but for this film’s message to really be driven home, the ending could have had all three women flourishing without having rings on their fingers.

Leslie Mann and Cameron Diaz deliver a pretty solid performance, but models as actresses don’t always pan out. Kate Upton fared well for her character; she was still the 20-something sexpot beauty queen, but she had moments of quippy banter. Nicki Minaj makes an on-screen appearance, as well; but there was nothing extremely memorable. At least her hair isn’t neon green.

The Other Woman isn’t funnier than Bridesmaids, but it’s funny, and it’s a good start for female-driven movies heading in the right direction. The public wants it, too – the chick flick dethroned Captain America for the number one spot. The film is 109 minutes long and rated PG-13 for mature thematic material, sexual references, and language.

The Other WomanComedy (PG-13)

What’s the first thing that comes to mind when you think of butter? Probably Paula Deen, huh? Well, in the 2011 indie flick Butter, the saturated-fats queen would have a heart attack (unrelated to ingesting copious amounts of cholesterol) based off of the sculptures that are made from her favorite condiment.

Butter is set in Iowa, showcasing the talented and 15-year veteran butter carver, Bob Pickler (Ty Burrell, Modern Family). His success has made him and his family celebrities in their small-minded, small town, which his ball-and-chain wife, Laura (Jennifer Garner, Dallas Buyers Club) sees as an opportunity to parlay their “fame” into politics, attempting to channel their inner-Schwarzenegger. However, contest organizers request that Bob retires from the competition to allow for new talent, and Laura becomes outraged and decides to enter herself into the competition. She faces Destiny (Yara Shahidi, Alex Cross), African-American foster child and prodigal butter carver, as well as Brooke (Olivia Wilde, Drinking Buddies)--a prostitute Bob has yet to pay for her... company. When things don’t go Laura’s way, she enlists the help of Boyd (Hugh Jackman, Prisoners), an old boyfriend, to help her cheat her way to the top (in more ways than one). But as Laura learns, acting like a big baby won’t get you victory.

WARNING: this film is a satire. Because of the film’s comedic genre, everything is a bit exaggerated. But it works well for this cast. Race is often times the elephant in the room; but the characters in the movie have no qualms about calling it for what it is. Jennifer Garner’s character is much different than any of her other characters, but damn if she isn’t talented. Even though her husband is the breadwinner of the family, Laura is definitely the HBIC, and when she’s mad, she delivers the look that makes you remember all of the horrible things you’ve ever done. Olivia Wilde doesn’t have as much screen time as her other counterparts, but her character, Brooke, is such a culture shock to the Iowan suburb that it’s impossible not to laugh.

The cast makes this film – as with any. However, with this script, a less-than-stellar cast would have made this movie fall flat. Even so, Butter won’t be winning any major awards; but it’s one of the better choices that Netflix has to offer in the movie department.

Netflix Review: Butter


1. The Other Woman After discovering her boyfriend is married, Carly soon meets the wife he’s been cheating on. And when yet another affair is discovered, all three women team up to plot mutual revenge on the three-timing SOB. PG-13 (109 min)

2. Captain America 2 Steve Rogers struggles to embrace his role in the modern world and battles a new threat from history: the Soviet agent known as the Winter Soldier. PG-13 (136 min)

3. Heaven is for Real A small-town father must find the courage and conviction to share his son’s extraordinary, life-changing experience with the world. PG (100 min)

4. Rio 2Blu, Jewel, and their three kids are hurtled from Rio de Janeiro to the wilds of the Amazon. As Blu tries to fit in, he meets the most fearsome adversary of all: his father-in-law, Nigel. G (101 min)

5. Brick MansionsAn undercover Detroit cop navigates a dangerous neighborhood that’s surrounded by a containment wall with the help of an ex-con in order to bring down a crime lord and his plot to devastate the entire city. PG-13 (90 min)

6. Transcendence As Dr. Will Caster works toward his goal of creating an omniscient, sentient machine, a radical anti-technology organization fights to prevent him from establishing a world where computers transcend the abilities of the human brain. PG-13 (119 min)

7. The Quiet OnesA university professor and a team of students conduct an experiment on a young woman, uncovering terrifyingly dark, unexpected forces in the process.PG-13 (98 min)

8. BearsA documentary that follows an Alaskan bear family as its young cubs are taught life’s most important lessons. G (77 min)

9. Divergent In a world divided by factions based on virtues, Tris learns she’s Divergent and won’t fit in. When she discovers a plot to destroy Divergents, Tris and the mysterious Four must find out what makes Divergents dangerous before it’s too late. PG-13 (139 min)

10. A Haunted House 2Having exorcised the demons of his ex, Malcolm is starting fresh with his new girlfriend and her two children. After moving into their dream home, however, Malcolm is once again plagued by bizarre paranormal events. R (87 min)

11. God’s Not Dead College student Josh Wheaton’s faith is challenged by his philosophy professor, who believes God does not exist. PG (113 min)

12. Draft DayAt the NFL Draft, general manager Sonny Weaver has the opportunity to rebuild his team when he trades for the number one pick. He must decide what he’s willing to sacrifice on a life-changing day for a few hundred young men with NFL dreams. PG-13 (109 min)

13. The Grand Budapest Hotel

Wes Anderson chronicles the adventures of Gustave H, a legendary concierge at a famous European hotel between the world wars, and Zero Moustafa, a lobby boy who becomes his most trusted friend.

14. Noah A man is chosen by God to undertake a momentous mission of rescue before an

apocalyptic flood destroys the world. PG-13 (138 min)

15. OculusA woman tries to exonerate her brother who was convicted of murder by proving that the crime was committed by a supernatural phenomenon. R (105 min)

16. The Railway ManA former British Army officer who was tormented as a prisoner of war at a Japanese labor camp during World War II discovers that the man responsible for much of his treatment is still alive and sets out to confront him. R (116 min)

17. Mr. Peabody & Sherman

The time-travelling adventures of an advanced canine and his adopted son, as they endeavor to fix a time rift they created. PG (92 min)

18. Muppets Most Wanted

While on a grand world tour, The Muppets find themselves wrapped into a European jewel-heist caper headed by a Kermit the Frog look-alike and his dastardly sidekick.PG (107 min)

19. 2 StatesKrish Malhotra and Ananya Swaminathan meet at the IIM-Ahmedabad College and during the program they fall in love. However, complications arise after the program comes to an end and they decide to get married, even though they belong to two different states of India.

20. The LunchboxA mistaken delivery in Mumbai’s famously efficient lunchbox delivery system connects a young housewife to an older man in the dusk of his life as they build a fantasy world together through notes in the lunchbox. PG (104 min)


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Randle Browning is a food writer and photographer who grew up in Houston, graduated from Baylor in 2010, and studied and cooked in kitchens in New England and the UK before coming back to Waco. When she’s not blogging and freelancing in web design, you can find her at Shorty’s Pizza Shack, where she slings pizza dough and serves frothy pints with her husband. Find her food blog online at Crandlecakes.com.

Sometimes when I’m baking, it’s not till I’m pulling something out of the oven that I think, “I’ve gone too far.” When cookies need to be spaced four inches apart because I insisted on using ⅓-cup-size dough balls, for example--that might be taking it too far.

I was talking to a friend recently and I off-handedly mentioned s’mores. He turned to me and said, “Oh yeah, s’mores. What are those like?”

I made inarticulate gestures and flabbergasted grunts as I came to understand that this midwestern friend had never had s’mores. If you’re not from the US or Canada, you might not be familiar. But growing up in the land of the free and never having eaten a s’more is kind of like asking what Mickey Mouse looks like. S’mores are an institution. It’s pretty lame to think that there are kids who, for one reason or another, don’t grow up tasting these sloppy confections.

Wikipedia tells me that s’mores were first formally mentioned in a Girl Scouts book in 1927, but that may or may not be the dessert’s origin. But whether the Scouts started them or not, s’mores are definitely part of the camping scene. Here’s the setup: you’re sitting around a fire you made yourself and for ten of your friends. You’re starting to get worried about the spiders you can’t see in your sleeping bag a few yards away. Your camp counselor pulls out a box of Honey Maid graham crackers, a bag of Jet-Puffed marshmallows, and a pocketful of Hershey’s milk chocolate bars. Naturally, you toast the marshmallows on sticks, then blanket them lovingly in chocolate and graham cracker sandwiches. You spend the rest of the night on a sugar high trying to lick marshmallow off your elbow, giggling, and staring at the stars.

These bars are the stuff I used to dream of as a kid. S’mores in all their splendor with none of the bugs. In my defense, I was super allergic to ants, so the stakes were a little higher when it came to my fear of insects. You can make these bars in the comfort of your own kitchen, and though they don’t include actual graham crackers, the cookie crackles reminiscently and no one will be complaining about the addition of peanut butter chips. And! Bonus: Even if you don’t get to toast the marshmallows on sticks and peel off each layer of burnt marshmallow skin, you can have the satisfaction of watching the marshmallows swell up and caramelize into a cratered moon surface made of sugar.

This recipe makes a lot of bars, but don’t worry, you’ll always want...s’more.

You knew that was coming.

Loosely adapted from a Momofuku Milk Bar recipe for Cornflake-Chocolate-Chip Marshmallow Cookies

Ingredients:16 Tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature1 ¼ cups sugar⅔ cup packed brown sugar1 egg½ tsp vanilla extract1 1/2 cups flour½ teaspoon baking powder½ teaspoon baking soda1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt⅔ cup mini chocolate chips⅔ cup peanut butter chips 1 ¼ cups mini marshmallows

Directions:1. Oven at 375 F. Butter and flour a 9 x 12 baking dish, then line with parchment paper, forming a sling.

2. In the bowl of a mixer, combine sugars

and butter and beat on high until fully incorporated, 2-3 minutes. Then add egg and vanilla and beat on high for 6-7 more minutes, until dough changes texture and color, becoming light and fluffy, with a glossy sheen.

3. In a separate bowl, combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Gradually add to wet ingredients, mixing on low just until combined, less than 1 minute. Add chocolate chips, peanut butter chips, and marshmallows, and stir just until combined.

4. Pour dough out into prepared pan and spread with a spatula into an even layer. Bake immediately, 20-30 minutes (begin testing after 20), checking that the edges are golden brown and caramelized, and all the marshmallows on the top are toasted and beginning to caramelize.

5. Let cool completely, then lift out of the pan with the parchment sling and slice into squares. Serve. Store in an airtight container for up to three days.

Peanut Butter S’mores Bars

Makes 9 x 12 inch casserole pan


“BRB” - I gotta go get changed

Across1 Govt. product-tester4 “Viva ___!” (1952 Marlon Brando movie)10 Rather adept at reporting?13 “How cute!” sounds14 Demons that prey upon sleepers15 Air filter acronym16 Creating a Pitt-shaped cake?18 Sheltered valley19 Full of it20 “Blueberries for ___”21 One of Xavier Cugat’s exes22 Periods of boredom24 “Night” author Wiesel26 Bro, say27 Temperature meas.28 Heart readout, for short30 Mississippi River explorer32 Breakfast item that’s only around for a short time?35 “Alice” diner owner37 Apprehension38 TV series set in the Tanner household39 1980’s Punky as an impediment?42 Conductor Toscanini43 Play leapfrog44 Sault ___ Marie47 Apparel size: abbr.48 Blown away51 Made an “Old MacDonald” sound53 One of the Carpenters55 Thread target57 River by the Louvre58 Big boats59 “I’m getting seasick in this jail,” e.g.?61 Bikini Bare competitor62 Took in too much63 Georgia’s capital, casually64 Barnyard pen65 “Go away!”66 “Cats” inspiration’s monogram

Down1 Legendary2 The Rock’s real first name3 “Who’s ___?”4 More piquant5 “Life of Pi” director Lee6 Banned pollutants, briefly7 Distinctive atmospheres8 Game for little Little Leaguers9 Lend a hand10 “3 Feet High and Rising” hip hop trio11 Drink before dinner12 Tiny machine15 MLB banned substance17 Shiba ___ (dog breed)21 Average grades23 Big name in ‘80s hair metal25 “Same here”29 “Pretty Woman” star31 Mufasa’s malevolent brother32 French cheese33 Hardly any34 Big shindig35 Oscar-winning role for Meryl36 ‘ neighbor39 Troubled region of Europe, with “The”40 Word in many cereal names41 Hulu offering44 Telluride top45 Basic doctrines46 1926 English Channel swimmer Gertrude49 Spine-tingling50 Fizzling out52 Circus precaution54 Secaucus clock setting56 Frozen waffle brand59 Consumer protection org.60 Affable Affleck

2014 Jonesin’ Crosswords ([email protected])

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Vol. 1 No. 25

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