Culture - The Daily Lobo

Culture

Top book series' to read over winter break

Jyllian Roach | November 30

It’s been years since a literary series took the world by storm. Harry Potter concluded in 2007, a year before the final installment of the Twilight saga. Two years later, the Hunger Games trilogy gave fans an epilogue they still argue about. While it’s not yet over, book six in George R. R. Martin’s A Song of Ice and Fire series won’t be out until sometime next year. But now that the semester is ending, what’s a reader to do? For your holiday break enjoyment, the Daily Lobo presents three underrated books series, all of which are totally complete, absolutely amazing and easily finished before the spring semester begins.

A family dressed in Star Wars attire leaves a GameStop at the late night release of Star Wars Battlefront on Nov. 17. Battlefront is a video game based in the Star Wars universe.

Culture

Holiday Time: Who needs the spirit of giving when you can have the Force?

David Lynch | November 25

Thanksgiving is right around the corner, which in today’s consumer-centric society means Christmas is right around the corner. But in 2015 this time of year demands the question: Have you bought your “Star Wars: The Force Awakens” tickets yet? Thanks to the impending return of one of the most well-known franchises of all time, there are enough Star Wars products out there to fill the craving for the Star Wars fan in your life -- even if it’s you.

Johannah Maybach, left, and her boyfriend Andrew Stuntz volunteer at their first gift-wrapping event of the season at the UNM Continuing Education building. Maybach is a student from Ft. Lewis, while Stuntz studies at UNM.

Culture

Holiday Time: Gift program brings cheer to those in need this season

Jenna Stoff | November 25

Kalei Heartland greets the volunteers who walk into the UNM Continuing Education building with homemade cards, wrapping paper and a desire to do something positive for the community. As families enjoy free pizza and each other’s company, she smiles at the rows of tote bags filled with the presents she is going to hand out come Christmastime. What Heartland really wanted to do was inspire people to pay it forward, so she founded Gift Givers Anonymous six years ago. The program began as a small project and has since gone viral.

Culture

Holiday Time: Some of the best holiday films aren't about the spirit of the season

Nathan Reynolds | November 25

One of the best ways to spend the holidays is to watch some of the better Christmas movies and specials. The wide range of what defines a "holiday movie" is another reason to sit down and spend some quality time with the family.

Culture

Holiday Time: What better time to game than when there's snow outside?

Matthew Narvaiz | November 25

It's that time of year again, ladies and gentlemen. The holiday season is upon us. Now, regardless of what everyone believes, this time of the year is definitely the best time to pick something up. There are deals galore, especially with Black Friday right around the corner. It's getting cold outside ... so what's there better to do than sit down inside and play some video games?

Dennis Billy, residence service manager at Joy Junction, discusses the setup for Thursday’s Thanksgiving meal on Tuesday afternoon. Joy Junction will serve 1,500 families at the convention center.

Culture

Holiday Time: Local food banks, churches serve Thanksgiving meals

Jenna Stoff | November 25

With Thanksgiving just a day away, the Roadrunner Food Bank is working to distribute food to a variety of organizations around Albuquerque in the hope that no one goes hungry. Here are some places welcoming the homeless and anyone else in need of a meal.

Completed bath bombs can be wrapped for a festive effect..

Culture

Holiday Time: Homemade gifts might just be what you want for yourself

Skylar Griego | November 25

Imagine eating a small lava cake from a mason jar while enjoying a fizzy scented bath and drinking hot chocolate from a personalized mug. How does one achieve this awesome fantasy? Simple: Make all of this year’s Christmas/Hanukkah/Gift-Giving-Holiday gifts yourself, and then keep the leftover gift materials to make your own.

Culture

UNM instructor defies the odds to create successful business

Robert Maler | November 24

New businesses often have a higher likelihood of failing, especially in their first year, but that didn’t stop a local entrepreneur and UNM instructor from taking that chance. Kristelle Siarza, a communication and journalism instructor, recently celebrated the one-year anniversary of her company, Siarza Social Digital.

An image that Tabitha Endriguez will use in her Sex and Shakespeare workshop that will focus on Venus and Adonis.

Culture

Group to host Shakespeare workshop

Imani Lambert | November 19

Snow, rain, finals week and love hang in the air as the semester takes a slow bow. Tabitha Endriguez decided to add some Shakespeare to the table. Endriguez, coordinator of the book club Sex and Shakespeare, said she began the literary group to bring together people who have a passion for Shakespeare's more intimate works. From Nov. 22 through Nov. 25, Endriguez will expand her love of Shakespeare to include a Sex and Shakespeare: Venus and Adonis workshop. “I’ve read Venus and Adonis seven times. I fell in love with the poem,” she said.

Culture

The Good Life's Tim Kasher talks music, touring and the new album

Skylar Griego | November 17

American indie rock band The Good Life will hit the stage in Albuquerque at Sister Bar on Sunday. The band is touring to promote their newest album, “Everybody’s Coming Down,” which was released in August. It is their first new album in eight years. Tim Kasher, front man of The Good Life, spoke with the Daily Lobo about the experience of touring with the band again and the new album.

Culture

Albuquerque's Lantern Festival has a successful launch

Robert Maler | November 16

Despite reports to the contrary, the Lantern Fest did happen in Albuquerque on Saturday, and thousands of lanterns were successfully launched to light up the night sky. The NAPA Speedway, aka Sandia Speedway, saw almost the entire track covered with s’mores kits, fire pits, hula hoops, limbo bars, pie-eating and Sprite-chugging contests, face painting, princesses, a bouncy house, live music and, of course, lanterns. And if that wasn’t enough to keep everyone entertained, fire dancers performed after the lantern launch to cap the event.

Culture

UNM faculty curating a discussion-based photography exhibit

Elizabeth Sanchez | November 13

Now through Dec. 12, the exhibit titled “Vernacular in Place: Old and New Topographic Photography”, will be on view in the Van Deren Coke Gallery. The exhibit ties past and current photography styles together. According to the University of New Mexico Art Museum website, “The first half of Vernacular in Place samples the canon of landscape photography as taught and collected at UNM by historian Beaumont Newhall and founding director of the Art Museum, Van Deren Coke, in the 1960s and 70s—decades when UNM was arguably the leading international center of photo history and studio photography.”

Culture

Game review: 'Fallout 4' offers both hits (nonetheless beautiful) misses

Jyllian Roach | November 12

Meet Liliana. She likes helping people, sarcasm and killing bad guys. She's also around 230 years old. Liliana and I have spent a lot of time together in the last few days, exploring the world of “Fallout 4.” That's one of the things I like most about the newest edition of Bethesda's “Fallout” franchise: the highly customizable avatars. I spent about an hour getting Liliana's look and stats just right.

Sarah Fitzpatrick works on a knit prosthetic for breast cancer survivors at the Nob Hill Yarn Store Tuesday afternoon. Fitzpatrick was accompanied by Sara Kirkish who oversees Knitted Knockers a foundation aimed to provide more comfortable knitted solutions to the already existing prosthetics offered.

Culture

Knitting group provides prostheses to breast cancer survivors

Skylar Griego | November 11

Imagine a world where people could choose whether or not they have nipples. This may sound like a bizarre subject to many people, but for breast cancer survivors who have undergone mastectomies and other surgeries to their breasts, this choice is a liberating relief. Knitters and crocheters in Albuquerque can now join the cause to offer this choice by joining the newly formed Knitted Knockers volunteer group at The Yarn Store at Nob Hill. Knitted Knockers is a national organization based in Bellingham, Washington that strives to provide free and accessible knitted breast prosthesis, called knitted knockers, to breast cancer survivors.

Culture

Movie review: 'Spectre' tries to get at heart of Bond mythos

Nathan Reynolds | November 9

Bond, James Bond. Ever since his first onscreen incarnation in the early ‘60s, audiences have been collectively fascinated by the now-iconic super-spy and his fancy cars, dry martinis and even dryer wit. Oh, and let’s not forget his many sordid, sexy love affairs. “Spectre,” the newest Bond film in which Daniel Craig makes his fourth outing as 007, is a frustrating and fascinating examination of the character and his legacy, the correct filmic execution of which has been at the forefront of the franchise for quite some time now.

Culture

Game review: Episodic 'Life is Strange' delivers an intense experience

Skylar Griego and Imani Lambert | November 4

When life and death are determined by the passage of time, the choices a player makes can affect the past, present and future. Players come across these situations frequently in “Life is Strange,” a five-part episodic adventure game created by Dontnod Entertainment and Square Enix in January. The final episode was recently released on Oct. 20.

Culture

Review: 'Battering Ram' harkens back to Metal's heyday

Skylar Griego | November 3

Most people are familiar with the expression “third time’s the charm.” But for British heavy metal band Saxon, it seems the 21st time is the charm. On Oct. 30, Saxon released its 21st studio album, “Battering Ram.” One might think the band’s sound would get old after 21 records, but the newest release is as great a classic metal album as any released this year.

Ariane Crummer plays with her dog Lucy at Los Altos park Friday afternoon. Crummer often takes Lucy with her to photo assignments around Albuquerque.

Culture

UNM student works to help the homeless through photography

Jenna Stoff | November 2

Every morning before school, 20-year-old Ariane Crummer walks past Golden Pride and sees the same woman stationed outside the restaurant without food. She has an oversized coat that appears too hot to wear, as well as a collection of dirt beneath her fingernails. To Crummer, a junior psychology major, these features are just a handful of many that indicate homelessness. “Her name is Linda ... she is the sweetest old lady,” Crummer said.

Culture

Halloween: Classic horror flicks to brave this holiday

Fin Martinez and Nathan Reynolds | October 29

Perhaps the most classic of Halloween traditions is kicking back in your costume and watching your favorite scary movies. Many people prefer to rent their favorite cult classics from the video store and binge-watch the cheesy horror. Others, however, may wish to experience some horror on Halloween without going to the rental store. Whether you’re a cult lover or a Netflix binger, here are some great horror film suggestions, some of which are available for streaming on Netflix.

Culture

Halloween 5 and why:

Robert Maler | October 29

Holidays can bring a lot of tradition and fun when they come around on the calendar. Halloween usually brings trick-or-treating, parties, haunted houses and of course, scary movies. Cameron Langner, a senior academic advisor, said she remembers these movies having a lasting impression on her. Although these are her favorites Halloween movies, she said she is done with some of them because they were so scary.