Little Five Points: Modern day Bohemian café?

By Alexis Blaudeau

Is it possible an area positioned two and a half miles east of downtown Atlanta houses an little-known artistic movement comparable to the Post-Impressionist movement of France? Or are all the eccentric individuals simply intoxicated bums who attempt to appear artistic? The area in question: Little Five Points, an urban strip mall that houses an arrangement of café-style restaurants, clothing shops and tattoo parlors. Parlors that house an abundance of people who can easily be classified as strange.

During my visit to Little Five Points, I could not help but notice the repeated stereotypes. Groups, however different, all embodied similar characteristics: exposed tattoos and piercings, dark clothes and sometimes the smell of poor personal hygiene. And all of them seemed to have an abundance of disposable time.

Famous Post-Impressionists exhibited qualities similar to those of today’s Five Points slummer. Artists like Vincent Van Gogh, Paul Cezanne and Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec all lived in the 18th arrondissement of Paris, where the Moulin Rouge and many popular Bohemian cafés were located. The cafés served absinthe, a high-proof alcoholic beverage rumored to contain psychoactive ingredients. Now largely banned, this beverage, along with opium and other illicit drugs, were not uncommon among artists during that period.

Many artists struggled to produce money for their art and their addictions. In fact, during their lives, most famous Post-Impressionists were deemed outcasts and bums.

However, I could never picture Van Gogh stepping out of a taxi and yelling to his friend, “I’ll never take ecstasy again!”

Little Five Points is a different story.

You are a Strong, Confident, Target Audience: Have the ‘chick flicks’ of this decade suffered in quality?

By Jack Huang

Have you noticed a peculiar line that has popped up in recent films, whether main stream or independent, that sounds something like, “You are a strong, confident, beautiful, independent woman”? It’s usually uttered by the female protagonist’s best friend before the climax. You know, the line that’s been shallowly used in every recent female-centric romantic movie and TV show as often and contrived as “All Out of Love” or Sarah McLachlan’s “Angel?” Read more

Your guide to fall fashion

By Theresa Suddeth

Sketch by Jaylene Singer

As the weather gets cooler, we start to face the same problems we do every year. Adapting to a new season can be overwhelming especially when the fashion industry throws so many trends and looks at us all at once. When the weather changes all of a sudden, we need quite a few more items than we had in the spring and summer. It’s not as easy as throwing on a chic sundress and heading out the door. Plus, fall and winter require a few more layers. There are so many choices, so many points of view. So how does the style-conscious decide which direction to go? Read more

Hello from Lacoste: Weekend times

By: Rachel Chaikof

Despite living in a small village of about 300 people in the countryside, there are many activities to do on the weekends in Lacoste. Almost every weekend, we go on field trips to various places. Read more

Hello from Lacoste: Election experiences abroad

By Rachel Chaikof

“I’m so jealous that you’re going to be away during the election hype,” my mother told me shortly before I left for my travels in Europe.

Actually, I didn’t really get to escape the election hype at all. Every time I walked into a newspaper shop, I saw Barack Obama or John McCain on the cover of many of the newspapers and magazines in Lacoste. During my visits with my French friends and host families, we watched the news, and coverage of the presidential race was always on the air. They all asked my opinions about the election, and they expressed theirs. When I went into stores and a cashier recognized that I was American, he or she would say, “I hope Obama wins!” Read more

Morning in O-merica

By Mark Ziemer

November 4, 2008 will go down in the history books. It was on this night that a 47-year old product of Kenya and Kansas triumphed after a 21-month battle to become the 44th person, and the first African-American, to become the President of the United States. The loser, Senator John McCain, conceded gracefully, and Barack Obama will move on to start transitioning from a 50-state campaign to a 50-state governance.

It was an election with many firsts. Fittingly, one of the most critical voting blocks that carried Barack Obama to victory Tuesday night was first-time voters and the youth vote, those aged 18-29. Since the vast majority of SCAD students fall within this important category, I thought it fitting to ask some of them what they thought of this groundbreaking election result.

Read more

(Don’t) Say What?

Students analyze the debate beyond the words.

By Mark Ziemer

In this crazy election season, one that finally ends today, there has been a lot of talk about what the candidates say. Pundits and people alike argue over what Obama or McCain’s tax plans mean, over what candidate made the latest slip-of-the-tongue, and over who means what they say. But what about what they don’t say? Read more

Hello from Lacoste: Taking advantage of field trips

By Rachel Chaikof

My art history class, Treasures of Provence, at SCAD-Lacoste is definitely different from most classes I’ve taken. Since the quarter started, I’ve been in the classroom for only two class sessions. At rest of the class sessions, I’ve been on field trips, and that experience has been immeasurable — seeing the artwork, architecture and artifacts at first-hand, as opposed to reading about them in books or looking at replications, has so far been an enriching experience. Read more

Hello from Lacoste: Paris’s art-rich museum scene

By Rachel Chaikof

Just a short time ago, a few lucky SCAD-Lacoste students (myself included) were given the chance to take a trip to Paris and explore its rich collection of museums and art galleries. The trip gave us all the chance to expand and enhance our knowledge and appreciation for art, as we toured famous museums like the Louvre, Musée d’Orsay, and the Pompidou Center. Read more

Dear Kristen…

Dear Kristen,

My friend just started school here and she is paranoid about gaining the Freshman 15. Is it as true as they say it is?

Signed,
Curious Read more

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