https://psu.voicethread.com/myvoice/thread/21154350/133765717/133765717
Monthly Archives: October 2022
Trying Tadashi
Back in my hometown, there is an amazing sushi restaurant that my friends and I would frequent all the time. I am obsessed with this place, and I have really missed it since moving to State College. I really love sushi, so when I found out about Tadashi, I thought I had found my golden ticket. I had heard complimentary reviews about this place, so I decided to check it out and see if it compared to the restaurant in my hometown.
There are two separate locations of Tadashi in State College. I visited the one that was located on Atherton Street. When I first walked in, I thought it looked like a cool place. It did not take long to be able to get a table even though the restaurant was decently busy. After looking over the menu, it was slightly overwhelming because of the endless number of choices. However, because I used to get sushi all the time at home with my friends it was easy to find something that I was going to enjoy.
I decided to order pan-seared pork dumplings and a mango roll. The dumplings came out first, and they ended up being delicious. They reminded me of the ones served at the restaurant in my hometown, so I would recommend those if you were not a fan of sushi. I was curious to see whether I would enjoy the mango roll as it is not typically something I would choose. Inside of the roll was mango (of course), cream cheese, pineapple, and avocado and it is topped with a sweet, splendid sauce.
The Mango Roll from Tadashi
Although it seems to be a strange combination, all the flavors blended very well. The fruit inside tasted very fresh, and it was exceptionally light because it was mostly filled with fruit. I also loved the sauce that was drizzled on top because it added the perfect amount of sweetness without being overpowering. I would really recommend this type of sushi to someone that does not like seafood or is wanting to try something out of the box.
Along with an endless list of sushi options, Tadashi also has other dishes and many diverse types of ramen. Although many people do not enjoy sushi, it would be extremely easy for anyone to find something that they would like here because their menu has a wide variety of dishes. Another strong component of this restaurant is the price. It is significantly cheaper compared to many other sushi restaurants that I have had, but it was still delicious.
Overall, I would strongly recommend Tadashi to other sushi lovers like myself. But even if you are someone who does not enjoy sushi, I would still recommend giving this place a try because of the wide range of options available on their menu.
TED Talk Brainstorming
After watching a few TED-Talks, by far my favorite was by Shanker Vedantam, a journalist who runs the Hidden Brain podcast, called “You don’t actually know what your future self wants.” I really liked a lot of things about this speech, including the message of it as well as the speaker who delivered it. A lot of the topics that he is mentioning throughout this podcast are relatable to me in my current stage of life because I am a college student who is trying to figure out my future.
He talks about how people are constantly changing throughout their entire lives, which means that their goals are also changing frequently. Therefore, it is impossible to be able to understand what your future goal will be because your life and perspective will change a lot as you get older and gain more experiences.
Shanker also gives advice about this issue. He explains that by accepting that you are going to be a constantly changing person, you will be able to have a role in creating the life that you want to have. He also states that it is important to understand that some people are going to disagree with your future goals. Also, he states that although we become physically weaker as we get older, it is incredibly important to acknowledge the wisdom and intelligence that we do not have now because this is something we will gain with age.
In terms of my own speech, I have two directions in which I think it would be interesting to go. First, I think speaking on abortion could be interesting because the narrative surrounding it is backwards compared to a lot of other issues. Women have recently just had their rights restricted, so first I would speak about the previous protections for abortion compared to what it is now. There is a lot of evidence that could be used because this is such a major topic of interest.
Another idea I had is something a little less serious. I think it would be interesting to talk about the evolution of children’s movies (specifically Disney movies) and the impact that it has on little girls. Previously, these movies featured a prince and a princess. The princess was also saved by the prince, but that has changed with a lot of newer Disney films. This contributes to little girls gaining more confidence and independence in themselves.
Waking up With The Waffle Shop
Rolling off the trend of last week’s review, I decided to try out another breakfast place for this week’s blog. I have heard so many good things about one of the most recognizable places in State College: The Waffle Shop. It is so famous that it is hard to believe I have never tried it until recently, despite the countless times I have visited this town. Based off the endless lines that wrap all the way around the building on weekend mornings, The Waffle Shop is extremely popular. I had exceedingly grand expectations for this place because of all the hype I had heard surrounding it.
There are two locations in State College; one is on North Atherton while the other is downtown on College Avenue. Having two locations is very convenient because it makes it much easier for any student to go there despite where they are living. Their menu features a vast variety of nearly every breakfast food one could think of. Instead of giving myself a headache trying to pick an order, I decided to go with what they are known for: one of their famous waffles. To spice things up a little bit, I ordered one that was finished off with a cinnamon-apple topping and whipped cream.
When it came out, it smelled incredible and looked even better. I was ready to try it to understand what the fame was all about, and it did not disappoint. The outside was very crispy while still being soft on the inside, and the cinnamon-apple topping added the perfect touch of sweetness whilst not being overpoweringly sugary.
Along with waffles (of course) they have plenty of other options featured on their menu. For breakfast, they have pancakes, omelets, and specialty dishes. If you are not in the mood for breakfast, The Waffle Shop also has a wide selection of burgers, sandwiches, and salads to choose from. I really appreciate the variety of their list because it makes it super easy for everyone to be able to find something that they would enjoy.
Because of how good The Waffle Shop was, I am baffled that I have not tried it sooner! It is one of the most popular places in State College, but this position is well deserved. Because of the considerable number of selections, they have and the tastiness of their food, this is going to become a place that I frequent more often on weekend mornings. I would wait in the incredibly lengthy line because The Waffle Shop is worth it.
Voice Thread Analysis Review
After reviewing another peers’ speech in Voice Thread, it allowed me to recognize the strengths and weaknesses of my own project. I think some of my strengths included having an engaging and strong opening. By starting off with a task for my audience, it immediately grabs their attention and gets them thinking about the issue I am going to discuss immediately. I did a decent job of speaking clearly and not too quickly, which makes my speech easier to follow. Another final strength my speech featured was clearly defining which rhetorical lenses I was going to use to further elaborate on these.
I learned a lot about things I could have improved upon after watching someone else’s speech. I could have included more visuals besides that of my own artifact to make my Voice Thread more flair. I also think I could have given more information about the background of my artifact; more detail could have been provided about the issue that this artifact was covering and why it is important. Finally, I do not think I did a bad job at analyzing my artifact, but I do think I could have provided one or two more lenses in which I could have viewed this artifact.
I chose to watch Rayna’s speech, as her artifact seemed remarkably interesting to me because it is something that is occurring right here in Penn State. Her speech was very well thought out and put together. She did an excellent job of speaking clearly and slowly to keep her audiences understanding throughout the entire video. I also like how she included multiple images for her video relating to her artifact.
In terms of the content of her video, I found it extremely easy to follow. She clearly states which rhetorical lenses she is going to use to analyze this artifact. She gives details as to how these lenses relate to the artifact and gives strong reasoning throughout about how they make it more effective. She also gives informative background about the issue that her artifact is promoting which makes it quite easy to follow and understand the motivation behind it.
From Rayna’s speech, I learned about things I could have done differently about my own Voice Thread and other things that we did similarly. Our approaches were similar, first talking about the issue our artifact is covering and then diving into the rhetorical lenses. I like how she continued to speak about the issue throughout the entire Voice Thread, which is something that I could have implemented on my own. Overall, I gained a lot of good advice from watching her speech and understanding how I could approve upon my own.
Irving’s is a Must Try
Irving’s
via: Onward State
When I was in high school, I used to eat a bagel nearly every single morning for breakfast. I did not eat them to live, but I lived to eat them. Bagels were my comfort food and my favorite thing to eat at any time of the day. Although breakfast was previously my favorite meal of the day, since coming to college, I hardly even eat breakfast anymore because I typically do not have enough time. My brother, who is a senior at Penn State, recommended Irving’s to me. He said it was one of his favorite spots to go on a Sunday morning, so of course I had to try it as my first breakfast food review.
Irving’s is a small joint located on College Avenue. It is mostly known as a breakfast place, but they also have sandwiches and salads featured on their menu. However, their most favored item are their freshly baked bagels. They have a wide variety of different flavored bagels and spreads that you can add on top, and they also offer breakfast sandwiches made from their bagels. They also have a beverage menu; you can get smoothies, shakes, and coffee.
When I first walked into Irving’s, the first thing I noticed was the delectable smell of freshly baked bread and aromatic coffee. I decided to order a blueberry bagel (my personal favorite) with berry cream cheese and an iced latte. Although it was a busy Sunday morning, it did not take long at all for my order to be ready. First, I tried my coffee; it tasted very fresh and delicious. I would not be able to say it was the best coffee I had ever tasted, but I would definitely get it again. I absolutely loved my bagel. Like the coffee, it tasted very fresh. It was super light and soft on the inside and was surrounded by a crispy, toasted exterior. The cream cheese topping was the perfect addition as well. It was not too heavy nor overly sweet.
Overall, I would highly recommend Irving’s to anyone that is looking for a good breakfast place. Along with what I was able to try, the rest of their menu looks highly promising. Their bagels are sold individually as well as by the dozen and half dozen, so you can even take them to be prepared at home. This will become my go to spot for weekends or mornings when I have extra time. I think everyone should stop in and give Irving’s a try if you have not already, it is well worth it.
Rhetorical Analysis Essay Draft
Elizabeth Gianvito
Dr. Jessica O’Hara
Rhetoric and Civic Life Fall 2022: Section 8
October 5th, 2022
Challenging Out of Touch Ignorance
In the age of modern technology, our feeds are constantly flooded by endless content. The ease of scrolling makes it possible to obtain so much information at once without thinking twice about the purpose behind it. Because of this, it is understandable to comprehend how people have become out of touch with what is happening outside of our own lives. As an attempt to reverse this trend, Crisis Relief, a United Nations organization that provides support to people in emergency situations, presented an ad campaign. This artifact includes real press images of children living through catastrophes, specifically a devasted mother clinging on to her child who has been injured because of violence. Surrounding the children there are multiple people giving thumbs up symbols and the phrase “liking isn’t helping.” This ad challenges the trend of “performative activism,” in which people will repost and support issues online but do nothing to combat them.
Although the definition of ignorance has been altered by the online world; this matter in itself is not new. Social media arguably had a massive opportunity to bring attention to issues that were originally passed over but has instead created new obstacles. An artifact created by Amnesty International, a human rights organization based in London, attempts to build awareness against the original problem of ignorance. These signs feature real life images of people who are experiencing human rights violations along with the phrase “it’s not happening here but it’s happening now.” One of these ads includes the image of a child soldier who has been forced to serve in armed conflict at an incredibly early age. This artifact confronts a matter that has occurred long since the creation of the internet; many people tend to ignore issues that are not occurring in their own lives because it is not relevant to them or in their daily mindset.
Both of these campaigns appeal to consumers because of pathos, or the emotion that is instilled within an audience based on the presentation of an artifact. The child soldier in the photo from Amnesty International has a visibly frightened and sad expression on his face. The feelings experienced by this child are transmitted to consumers who are left feeling heartbroken for this boy and other children who are like him throughout the world. Likewise, Crisis Relief features a child who is dying in their mother’s arms, which fills the audience with grief and causes them to feel a section of the pain and anguish that this mother is experiencing because of the pathos behind this photo.
The artifact from Amnesty International shows a child being held in their mother’s arms; this encompasses the commonplace of motherly affection. From the beginning of their lives, most children will be comforted by their parents when they are hurt or sick. Likewise, in this photo this child is being comforted by his mother after being horrifically injured as the result of violence and fighting in their country. By including this commonplace, Amnesty International creates strong feelings of emotion within an audience. Specifically, it especially resonates with parents who reflect on their own children and how the affection they show towards them, creating a connection to the mother in this photo.
The rhetorical situation behind both artifacts has the purpose of changing the perspective of an audience. The quote featured by Amnesty International is “it’s not happening here but it’s happening now.” This quote takes consumers out of their own comfort and brings their attention to issues that are happening in other parts of the world. It challenges their perspective by presenting the idea that although this matter is not afflicting their daily lives or present in their own mindsets, it is still crucial that they pay attention to this. Ignorance is confronted through the rhetorical situation created by Amnesty International.
Crisis Relief presents a different rhetorical situation; they challenge “performative activism” by visibly presenting how merely giving support online does nothing to help actual issues in real life. This artifact pulls people out of the virtual world and encourages consumers to do more to help with issues. However, likewise to Amnesty International’s technique, Crisis Relief switches the perspective of consumers to create change and bring more attention to real life matters.
The visualizations of both campaigns are one of the most compelling components of these artifacts. Both use real life images which show how real and apparent these problems are. The graphicness of these photos is discomforting, but this forces consumers to truly see the horrific events that are occurring throughout the world that they typically do not think of at all.
Although the motivations behind the artifacts from Amnesty International and Crisis Relief are differing from each other, they both present the challenge of collapsing spaces between people within a modern world. They force consumers out of their own comfortable perspective in which they never have to think of horrific events such as these and push them to challenge their ignorance about serious issues that are occurring throughout the world. Crisis Relief pushes against the modern trend of only caring about issues virtually, then ignoring them in real life. It visibly presents how liking or reposting a photo online does absolutely nothing to help unless you are sparking change and action in real life. Amnesty International fights against a less new problem; general ignorance of problems that occuring in other parts of the world. It pushes consumers to pay attention to what is happening throughout the world, even if it does not bother their own lives.
According to Human Rights Watch, thousands of children throughout the world are serving as child soldiers. As young as eight years old, they are forcibly taken to fight in violent conflict. As reported by Save the Children, over 100,000 children are killed each year because of war and conflict. Through these statistics, the motivation behind each artifact is clear. It is so important for everyone to change their perspective, so these issues do not continue to get overlooked and go without change.
Works Citied
Bleasdale, Marcus. “Child Soldiers.” Human Rights Watch, 2013. https://www.hrw.org/topic/childrens-rights/child-soldiers Accessed October 6, 2022
“Conflict Kills 300 Babies Every Day.” Save the Children, February 15, 2022. https://www.savethechildren.org.uk/news/media-centre/press-releases/conflict-kills-300-babies-every-day Accessed October 6, 2022.
Speech Outline:
- Begin with an introduction that grabs the audience’s attention and use this to lead into the introduction of my artifact.
- Describe the lenses and motivations behind my ad.
- Pathos, Commonplaces, Visual Rhetoric, Visual Rhetoric
- Explain how these rhetorical strategies could create an impact on consumers.
- How they challenge beliefs
- Wrap up the speech by reexplaining the situation and the components of the artifact.
An Exploration of Federal Taphouse
If you are a college student, you would not claim to eat in luxury. Since I have moved to college, I do not have a lot of time nor endless amounts of money, so I tend to eat as simply as I can. But to be honest, the dining hall gets very unexciting after a while. Part of the reason I choose to blog about restaurants is, so I have an excuse to try unfamiliar places around State College and ditch the bland food. Even then, I try to stay in the less expensive places, but every now and then you must indulge in yourself.
Over the past weekend, I tried Federal Taphouse with a friend. Compared to where I was used to eating, this restaurant was a 5-star Michelin rated place. Located above Target downtown, this place was a little difficult to find because of its odd location. Although it is not the fanciest place I have ever been to, it is one of the nicer places in State College that I have tried so far. The restaurant itself was genuinely nice looking. Based off the name, it is easy to tell that it is both a bar and restaurant. The menu features a wide variety of options for appetizers, sandwiches, entrees, and pizza.
To start it out, we decided to order hummus (one of my favorite snacks). It came with piles of vegetables and crackers on the side to dip and the hummus was light and delicious; it was a wonderful way to start off dinner. After that, we chose to go with an oven-fired margherita pizza and crab fries on the side. The pizza was good, but there are much better places that specialize in pizza in State College, such as my previously reviewed Snap Custom Pizza. It had a thin crust and was lighter on the toppings – both of which I like – but it just did not give any wow factor. The crab fries were not the typical crab fries that I had known of. They had crab and spices mixed in and those were all covered with cheese sauce. Although I was not a fan of fries, I do not typically go for something like that, so it is understandable that they were not my favorite.
Overall, I would give Federal Taphouse a decent review. The food was good, but I expected much more because it is one of the more expensive restaurants in State College. The rest of the menu has a lot of potential, so I think I would have enjoyed another choice more. This is the type of place that I would more so recommend to my parents, as I think they would enjoy it more. However, if you are looking for a fancier place to eat here, I would recommend giving Federal Taphouse a try.