Director: Jordan Vogt-Roberts

Why Cleveland, simply because of Tyler [Davidson]?

That was a lot of it. A lot of it was him coming in real hard and pitching Cleveland and he read the script and immediately knew it would be a great fit, but I’m from Detroit so I love the Midwest. I think about this all the time – in LA you pass someone on the street and you turn your head. In the Midwest it doesn’t matter if I pass someone at 3 AM in the morning in Michigan, they’ll say ‘Hey how ya doing’. And as soon as I got on the ground here and saw all of the locations I was like ‘Yes.’ The level of nature and character in each location, I don’t know where else we could have gotten that many different types of things to the point where people don’t even know Ohio looks like that. In LA people are very jaded about things. They want $10,000 to shoot on their street and will legitimately turn on their lawn mower and let it run until we go say, ‘Ok I’ll pay you $2,000 to turn that off.’ Whereas here there is still a genuine enthusiasm and wonder about filmmaking.

How did you do go about shooting a party scene that feels authentic to the audience?

I have a really big problem with movies about teenagers that don’t look real. I literally cut together a reel of parties from movies and showed it to our production designer and said, ‘Those aren’t real parties. There is nothing that looks like this ever in high school.’ Because the reality of the situation is that what you thought was crazy in high school is really three people sitting on a couch. I look at John Hughes’ movies and those are movies that had a core truth about what being a certain age was. Adults could look at it and be like, ‘Yeah, I can relate to this’ and teens were able to say, ‘This speaks to my generation’. Everything in our movie we wanted to approach that way and make it authentic, but it’s amped up enough where there is still an iconic element to it. I love the idea of trying to show teenagers that don’t know how to kiss, I didn’t want to cast 25-year-olds. I said, ‘If you have a pimple, it’s staying.’ So being able to break down the perceptions versus what the reality is.

How old are the kids in the film?

At the time they were between 17 and 18, we can only go so young before we have crazy union restrictions. I sent the kids through improv. training so they would feel comfortable enough in their own skin. I’m not 14 anymore and we had moments that they, as characters, we would say, ‘That, that right there. That’s what being that age is.’ The film lives and dies on the performance of these kids.

This movie does walk the tone of being a fantasy, but it also seems realistic and I imagine that’s a hard line to walk. How did you guide yourself to walk that line?

That is my favorite part of the movie – the tone. It’s funny and then it’s not and then it’s funny and then not again. Studios don’t want to make movies that play with tone these days and they want to put films in a box. With this movie you need to go to a different place. So much of being that age is about that awkwardness and thinking you have the world figured out and then you fall on your face – it’s about that stupidity.

Producer: Tyler Davidson

Where is the center of the universe, the clearing in the woods where the film takes place?

That was in North Royalton. It is at the private property of the brother-in-law of our producer. The first scout that we went on, that was the first place we looked because of the connection and you usually don’t end up at the first place you look but it really worked out.

Do you have kids?

Yes

So shooting this film about two different kinds of parents who are over-protective and not caring enough, did some of that come from your own experience in parenting?

Well you know, I hope that I haven’t become those parents yet, but that’s not to say it’s not possible in a few years. I really relate to the experience the kids have in the story because they are living out a fantasy in locations I grew up exploring as a kid, mostly in the Metroparks. To see these kids take on a fantasy that a lot of kids have but not a lot put in to action was a lot of fun. I grew up exploring the Chagrin Metroparks and so having the opportunity to share those locations with our film team when they came to town was great.

How did you get involved with this project?

It came to me in the summer of 2011. I read it for the first time at TIFF when I was there for ‘Take Shelter’. I was sitting with a co-producer at a Starbucks in Toronto and we were both reading it at the same time and laughing uproariously to the point where I thought we were going to be asked to leave. It got to the point where we were back and forth ‘What page are you on?’ and right away I wanted to be involved with it. I saw an opportunity to bring the film to Cleveland, even though the screenplay was originally written for Stanton Island, NY. There is something very relatable about the Midwest.

What do you suggest to kids in high school or college who want to leave a place where their parents control their lives?

Don’t run away but go to this movie! But yeah, it’s something that all kids think about – not necessarily building a house in the woods but being free from your restrictions in your home life or at school. It’s about growing up and when does that happen and what is that like. It’s something that is both joyous and painful and we thought it was important to capture both of those feelings in this film.

What were your thoughts about Biaggio’s character while reading the script and where you could take that?

I think we all saw the potential for that character to be larger than life. I think we saw there was a bit of a cultural-phenomenon, McLovin-potential there. Thinking that that is possible at the script stage is far from getting an actor to deliver a performance like that. Everyone comes out of the movie talking about that character. Because there is not a big pool of movie star actors in that age group, we went through dozens and dozens of auditions for these kids, but these three were the clear standouts.

Rian Johnson: It’s interesting because, [with] “Looper,” we didn’t make it with Sony – they picked it up after. We made it independently; it was made with the same setup as “Bloom” and “Brick,” and we had to talk with our financiers about the budget of the film. The experience was much more like making an indie film, which was nice, but the bump up in budget was really nice; “Brick” had a smaller audience and had less resources, which cost lest money. [For] “Looper” it makes sense to have a bigger budget, and it is the filmmakers’ responsibility, because you have to know how much this movie should be made for; but I would love to work with more studios.

CN: How has making this film enhanced your directing skills?

RJ: You learn so, so much with everything you make, and that’s true whether it’s a feature or a short. There is always a learning curve. This specifically, I rewrote and tried to get it as clear as possible; and directing-wise, you just constantly grow and come into each process with your eyes open, instead of laying down the law and telling people, “This is how we are going to do this movie.” Coming in ready to learn from our talent is so important, and I learned so much working from this group of actors. It was sort of like going to film school. It’s weird answering over the phone because you don’t get the smile and nod (laughs).

CN: There was a quote from you saying you had the entire movie in your head frame-to-frame. Did the final product turn out how you envisioned it?

RJ: There was just one frame, [frame] 2,398, that was just a little to the right, and I’ll never get over it! It’s pretty inaccurate. You have a vision of the movie in your head when you want to make it. But then that all changes when you get on set. You have to be ready to roll with the punches and what all these talented people bring to the table. You also have to look at how the actors are playing the scene and be open to catching something new. You can’t just say, “This is the way I planned it.” You have to be able to say, “Ok, well, let’s work with this.”

The Cleveland Running Co., a new company located in Shaker Plaza in Shaker Heights helps runners of all experience levels become more involved in the sport as well as teaches techniques that make running easier on the body.

Owner Jeff Fischer has worked in a separate running company for over 20 years, as well as Dick’s Sporting Goods and Nike. Opening the Cleveland Running Co. was a way for Fischer to regain some of the customers he enjoys interacting with, who are also friends that share his passion for running.

An aspect that is unique to the Cleveland Running Co. is that they offer group runs for people of all abilities and skill levels. The group runs take place on Mondays and Wednesdays at 9:30 a.m., as well as Saturday morning at 8:30 a.m. and 9 a.m. for those who can’t make it during the week.

“It takes some of the loneliness out of it,” Fischer said about group running. “If you run with someone, it is easier to run longer distances. If you are training for a marathon and are experiencing bad weather in March and April, people rely on each other, and having that group gives you some motivation.”

If JCU students bring their JCU student ID with them, they receive 15 percent off of any item that isn’t already on sale.

The Cleveland Running Co. sells some of the newest and up-to-date running equipment and merchandise. Some of the newer equipment that people may not be aware of or understand yet are from companies such as Inov8 and Vibram Fivefingers.

Inov8 is helping people get to the barefoot or natural running movement.

Fischer said, “The idea is that if you run barefoot, you will not run on your heels. You will land on the front of your foot. Over the past 30 years, heels of shoes have grown higher and when you do that, it makes you lean backwards to gain balance back. When you reach your foot out you land on your heel, which forces you into that movement.”

Inov8 has developed a four-step shoe that teaches you to get back to the barefoot feeling. The first shoe in the series has a heel that is 9 millimeters tall. After that shoe has been worn out, you buy the next shoe, which has a heel of 6 millimeters. The next heel is 3 millimeters and the last one is 0 millimeters, essentially getting runners back to the barefoot method.

Vibram Fivefingers are the shoes with toe holes, which are designed to allow runners to get a better feel for the ground. They are also 0 millimeters off of the ground similar to Inov8s.

Running is a sport that will always require commitment, and the Cleveland Running Co. is helping people become aware that it’s not too late to start and enjoy becoming a healthier person.

I have been planning this voyage across this beautiful country of ours to Los Angeles for some time now, and in the process I have been trying to plan out a few of the details of a trip with such potential.

The drive to Los Angeles from John Carroll University takes somewhere between 34 and 38 hours of driving. I’ll be making that journey over the course of three-and-a-half days. That is a lot of time spent in a car driving. With that being said, there are notable necessities required for a trip like this, the first of them being a traveling companion.

My dearest friend Christina Das, who attends Northeastern University, is the exact person you would want to take a road trip with. The girl always knows how to have a good time even if you are stuck in a car, and she is absolutely known to be one of the most fun people that I have come across. Christina will be taking a Greyhound bus in from Rochester to Cleveland on Thursday night and staying here at JCU as I finish up my last two final exams the following morning. Then the trip will begin.

The next necessity of the trip will be good music (I emphasize the word “good” because a lot of music on the radio is not music, it is a DJ ruining what used to be done by guitars, bass and drums). I have purchased an ‘06 Chevy Cobalt, which will be our ride out west. Unfortunately, an auxiliary plug was not put in many ‘06 cars, so I have had an after-market radio installed so we can listen to my iPod. Lord only knows what music I would have been stuck with for 37 hours driving through New Mexico and Oklahoma, where you are surrounded by flat land for farther than the eye can see.

Not only a necessity of a road trip, but of life, is sleep and where it will happen is something you have to face. I am in no way, shape or form a person who can drive through the night. Luckily, Christina is an insomniac who will be able to keep me up as I drive (I will be driving the entire time due to the fact that Christina’s ability to drive a car is not one I trust with my own).

Luckily, I have a very good family friend who lives in Wichita, Kan., a little over 16 hours away from JCU, who I am hoping will allow Christina and me to crash on a couch for a few needed hours of sleep upon our arrival.

With almost the first half of the trip out of the way, the next planned stop is scheduled to be Las Vegas, Nev. on Sunday night.

Some of you may be saying, “There is nothing fun you can do in Vegas if you are underage.” This would be false. Just to be in Las Vegas and see the sights will be enough for me. Plus it’s a great place to stop and stretch the legs a bit.

Unless we find a cheap hotel that will allow two people under 20 to get a room, we will sleep in the car for the night.

The next day is a short three-hour hop, skip and a jump in to the great city of Los Angeles which I will call home until my departure in late August.

Jason Segel and Mark Duplass open up about their experiences on set and lives in the entertainment industry. The duo play brothers who lead very different lives, yet end up needing each other as controversy arises.

Carroll News: In a previous interview, Ed Helms mentioned a lot of improvisation on set. How do you know when you nail a scene from an actor’s perspective?

Jason Segel: Sure. I don’t think you ever really know – you know what?  I hate when I can tell an actor knows he’s nailed a scene.  It’s like they – it’s my least favorite thing to like catch a little glimpse of when I’m watching a movie, to see someone be a little bit proud of themselves and you really can see it. And so I try not to think about that too much.

CN: Can you tell me what it’s been like working with your brother, Jay Duplass, on all of the different films that you have?  And was this film any different for you two?

Mark Duplass: This is the largest budgeted film we had ever worked with before, so you know you always feel a certain sense of responsibility to make the movie good out of the more money people are putting into it.  But in terms of, you know, me and Jay and our working relationship, our general feeling is that making a movie is really hard and making an entertaining film is almost impossible.

All of us collectively just feel like there’s strength in numbers by having two of us and whatever conflicts might arise between us are quickly dwarfed by the Herculean task of trying to make a feature film that doesn’t suck. So we quickly get over the squabbles and try to fight the good fight.

CN: How did you identify with the character of Jeff?

JS: I had a really unpleasant out-of-work period from like 22 to 25 where I was just waiting around, as well. As opposed to Jeff where he was waiting for a sign, I was like waiting to be cast, which I guess now there is a parallel to that because you’re considering someone casting you as a sign that you’re worthy and all that. I was smoking a fair amount of pot during that period as well.

I think I related back to this time where you’re kind of bopping around and you have a sense that you’re destiny is do something. Mine was to be an actor, but I was kind of waiting for the world to present that opportunity to me.

CN: What was your favorite part about working on this film?

MD: I got to shoot car chase scenes for the first time. You know my brother and I have made movies that are about relationships and people and the interpersonal dynamics between them for a long time.  And this movie, I got to put a Porsche on the road and drive it fast and shoot it with Jason Segel sticking out of the sunroof.  And so we – I think there was a lot of different fun stuff that we were not normally afforded in our previous films.

CN: Is there an interview question that you’re always asked that you’re just sick of answering?

JS: Yes. Mine doesn’t relate to this movie, but it’s been for the past eight years is, who is the mother?

CN: Because the movie takes place during one day, what sort of challenges did you face when it came to filming?

MD: I wish I could say there were tons of challenges. You know the one obvious one being that you know when you shoot a movie over 30 days that takes over one in the story, the skies and the backgrounds tend to change a lot and you have to deal with those logistical nightmares.

But to me the value in staying in that inherent pacing of that day and also from a practical level, the guys are in the same wardrobe the whole time and we could shuffle around scenes and change things around. It’s actually a blessing to me to kind of keep the story pretty finite in that way.

-Interview by Mitch Quataert

Released in early January, “Tattoo” is the first single released off of Van Halen’s new album entitled “A Different Kind of Truth” – the first album in over a decade with all-new material on it, and the first since the mid-80s to feature David Lee Roth as the lead vocalist. Eddie Van Halen’s son, Wolfgang, will be playing the bass for the band, while his brother, Alex, is on the drums.

This album will also be the first on their new record label with Interscope Records.

As word, and doubt, about Van Halen releasing a new single off their album grew louder, “Tattoo” debuted Jan. 10.

It’s good to hear Eddie ripping those classic guitar solos like it’s 1978.

Listed at No. 8 on Rolling Stone magazine’s Top 100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time, Eddie saves the song from repetitive lyrics such as “Show me your dragon magic” and “Swap meet Sally, tramp stamp Kat, mousewife to bombshell in the time it took to get that new tattoo.”

“Tattoo” may not be Van Halen’s best, but it did get listed on Billboard’s Best Rock Songs at No. 16. Released last Tuesday, 12 other songs joined “Tattoo” as the album “A Different Kind of Truth” was released internationally.

With almost 50 shows scheduled across the nation, and a few in Canada, Van Halen will be storming the United States again following their 2007-2008 tour, which was cut short by Eddie entering rehab.

While Eddie was in rehab, Van Halen was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and only former lead-vocalist Sammy Hagar and former bassist Michael Anthony were there to accept the award and perform at the induction.

In regards to the cancelled shows, Hagar and Anthony told Rolling Stone, “I’m so disappointed in those guys […] I really don’t like them anymore, and I can’t tell you how sad it is to me that what we had as creative guys, and as a friendship, how it just went away.”

Van Halen has always had a rocky history due to the fact that Eddie Van Halen was known to be unstable. Sammy Hagar said in his memoir, “Red: My Uncensored Life in Rock,” that Eddie was extremely unstable and no one would ever be able to predict what he was going to do. Eddie was quoted saying, “I pulled my own tooth – this thing was bugging me so I got a pair of pliers and pulled it out.”

Hagar also said, “Whenever he came out with no shirt and his hair tied up samurai-style, he seemed [messed] up. That was his little signal.”

Hopefully with this new 2012 tour and release of a new album, Eddie will have his hair down and be fully clothed. And it will be great to hear David Lee Roth up there next to Eddie while he hits those guitar riffs from the old days.

The Carroll News Staff:

Sports Editor Zach Mentz:

To be more like

Bob Seeholzer.

Editor in Chief Emily Gaffney:

To not sweat the small stuff.

Campus Editor Dan Cooney:

To be more organized.

Diversions Editor Ben DeVictor:

Be more like “The Cooooon.”

Managing Editor Jenn Holton:

To go tanning for 12 minutes every day.

Arts & Life Editor Claire Olderman:

To find a positive in

everything that happens.

Photo Editor Taylor Horen:

I want to learn patience.

Campus Editor Brian Bayer:

To live with gratitude,

humility and love.

Editorial & Op/Ed Editor Kaitlin Gill:

To go with the flow

Editorial & Op/Ed Editor  Nick Wojtasik:

To live a more rounded life.

World News Editor Mike Reiser:

To be the Republican

candidate.

Business Manager Gloria Suma:

To procrastinate less.

Freshman David Brill:

To get jacked in Corbo.

#HappyNewYear

Sophomore Joel Baker:

To lose 25 pounds.

Alumnus J.J. Kuczynski:

Seek to learn something unique about someone on a daily basis.

Sophomore Mike Moccia:

To quit smoking.

Senior Brian Pestotnik:

To find a real job.

Sophomore Chris Thomas:

To skip class less.

Senior Maria Westcott:

To attend church more often.

Freshman Drew Kostiuk:

To work out every single day and maintain my G.P.A.

Rec. Desk Supervisor Vern Hall: To stay healthy and be

thankful.

Junior Sarah  Sciviat:

To be more compassionate towards others.

Junior Rich Mazzola:

To live in the moment with friends and family. Develop a strut.

Senior Mark Ehrbar:

To become a vegetarian.

Sophomore Matt Burke:

Have a better year than 2011.

#HappyNewYear

Freshman Meghan Ellrich:

Go to the gym twice a week.

Junior Ben Rossi: To gain 5 pounds.

Sophomore Bence Toth:

To become a better-known DJ on campus.

Sophomore Luke Walkow:

Go to the library more often.

Taking place six years after the last movie ended, Harold and Kumar have moved on from each other to find new friends, new jobs and duller lives.

Harold has done very well for himself, marrying the stunning Maria from the previous films, while Kumar finds himself left without the love of his life, Vanessa, who was last seen in “Harold and Kumar 2: Escape from Guantanamo Bay.”

The journey begins with a mysterious present left outside of Kumar’s apartment on Christmas Eve that is addressed to Harold. Kumar, still smoking his life away, drives to Harold’s house to drop off the package and seemingly ruins Christmas within moments of being reunited with his old partner in crime.

Before Maria and her family get back from Midnight Mass at 2 a.m., the boys set out in search of the perfect Christmas tree after Kumar burns down the tree of Harold’s father-in-law.

As the two set out on a voyage to save Christmas, trouble naturally finds its way into their lives.

Accidental use of hard drugs at a Christmas party leads the crew to even more danger, as they are now in trouble with a mob boss for a misunderstanding with his daughter. On the run from being murdered, Roldie—as he is formerly known—and Kumar come across a couple of old friends, including the infamous and presumed dead Neil Patrick Harris.

Harris, as always, plays a sick and vulgar man who plugs in a few good jokes about “How I Met Your Mother” (the CBS show in which he stars), as well as his sexual orientation, while he also hints at a fourth movie for the series. His return to the movie is a great scene and more than lived up to expectations.

With the film set around Christmas time, movies such as “A Christmas Story” are referenced and used to foreshadow events later in the film. This was a great attribute and was used as classically as “Stay Puffed Marshmallows” in “Ghost Busters.”

Granted, this is not a Christmas movie you want to bring your younger sibling or child to see.

There is no shortage of sex and drugs throughout the movie, the Harold and Kumar go-to themes, and jokes about religion are prominent as well.

As the duo comes to the end of the night, Santa Claus appears in a gory fashion and brings them together. Yes, even Santa is subjected to the scandal of Harold and Kumar. However, he ends up coming to the rescue in an unexpected way.

Although the 3D theme may seem a little overplayed, Harold and Kumar plug in little punches against it and it makes the film just that much better.

As you would expect from these two, the 3D effects include blowing smoke into the audience and throwing eggs that all add to the viewing experience.

4/5 Bolts

The historic Powerhouse building on the West Bank of the Flats in downtown Cleveland went through a $33 million transformation to become the Greater Cleveland Aquarium.

Originally set to open this month, the date has now been pushed back to December.

“We made design improvements, especially around the local freshwater area,” said Tami Lash Brown, the general manager of the aquarium.

Students are happy to see a new attraction in Cleveland.

“It’s great because they are finally renovating the Flats,” said John Carroll sophomore Ben Toth. “At this point, anything to attract people to Cleveland is great, and that is exactly what this aquarium will do.”

Marinescape Eco Aquariums, a company known for its 21 large walk-through aquariums throughout the world, will be operating the facility. Cleveland will be the proud owner of the first Marinescape Eco Aquarium in the U.S., drawing the attention of surrounding states. The company is originally based in New Zealand, and after the challenging logistics, they were able to come to the states.

The hook, line and sinker of this aquarium extraordinaire will be the nearly 150-foot walkway tunnel, called The Caribbean Shark Tank, that allows people to admire sea life in a whole new way, as it provides a panoramic view for visitors and enables them to stand just a few feet beneath beautiful tropical fish and chilling six-foot sharks.

There will be over 40 different tanks, both salt water and fresh water.

“I would go to the aquarium to see the tunnel … Now that I’m older, I can appreciate [an aquarium] more,” said JCU freshman Tyler Takacs.

Much larger than previous tanks in Cleveland, such as the Gordon Park aquarium, the Greater Cleveland Aquarium has much more to offer for families and is expected to be a main attraction downtown.

Over 70,000 square feet of space will be filled with 42 different tanks and aquarium activities. Staffed with experts from zoos and other aquariums, 40 other full-time jobs will be created from this outlet and 400,000-500,000 customers per year are expected to attend.

“The aquarium will have a huge economic impact. The Newport Aquarium near Cincinnati calculated their impact at $60 million in their first year in 2003, but other aquariums have reported impacts in the hundreds of millions,” said Brown.

Inside the complex, a restaurant will be open to the public, while a banquet room will be used for special events.

Also featured in the facility are 10 exhibitions including tropical rainforests, and creatures from Ohio lakes and rivers. This will allow people to learn about the kind of fish that are prominent locally.

Even area residents are looking to get involved. On their first Facebook page entitled Cleveland Aquarium, separate from The Greater Cleveland Aquarium page, a local resident offered to donate his tropical fish to the collection. Depending on whether the aquarist can find an appropriate tank, the fish may be added to the aquarium’s exhibit.

Keeping a very similar story line, the new version is easier to follow and more heartfelt, drawing the audience in.

Set in the fictional town of Bomont, Tenn., newcomer Ren McCormack (Kenny Wormald) finds his loud Boston way of life colliding with the traditional values of the South.

In a town where dancing and loud music is illegal, Ren has trouble settling into Bomont, but is quick to make friends with the beloved Willard. Soon after, the pair sets their sights on throwing a school dance.

Ren also sets his sights on Ariel Moore (Julianne Hough), the good girl gone bad after a terrible car accident which killed her brother. Since the accident, the Reverend and members of the town set a strict rule for the people, more specifically the young crowd, that requires them to lay low in their activities, especially with public dancing.

Professional dancers Hough and Wormald give spectacular performances as young actors in their first major motion picture. Their strong chemistry on screen showcases their confidence as young actors, which left the viewers in the theater in applause.

Dennis Quaid delivers an amazing performance as Ariel’s father, showing true emotion and passion in his part as a Reverend dealing with the loss of a child and his daughter who tests her boundaries.

Brewer incorporates updates into the remake as well.

While the original “Footloose” had two characters engage in a tractor fight, Brewer’s remake changes it to a bus race.

Music in the film is also modernized. While some old-time favorites like “Quiet Riot” are kept, modern-day favorites like Wiz Khalifa are added.

Brewer also creates an edgier vibe with the use of drugs, alcohol and death in the film.

This edgier vibe can also be seen in the dance style of the characters. Dancing in the remake is more provocative than that of the 1984 original. The more provocative dancing  is used in the movie to relate to teens today because – well, let’s face it – people just aren’t dancing like they used to. However, there are still scenes of good old country line-dancing that mirror that of the classic.

The dancing in the movie is not over-the-top, and as professional dancers, Hough and Wormald settled into what could be a very bright future in acting for both of them. A native of Boston, Wormald did not have to try too hard when it came to the obvious accent he had in the film.

There are a few let downs in the film. Unfortunately, the infamous “Let’s dance!” quote from the original does not live up to its potential. Then again, the line was originated from Kevin Bacon’s Ren and it’s hard to beat Kevin Bacon. There are also a few corny lines throughout the film that serve as minor setbacks in what is an otherwise must-see movie.

“Footloose” gets two thumbs up. It was a diificult endeavor to recreate the ‘80s dance flick as Brewer faced an onslaught of criticism for daring to remake the film, but “Footloose” lives up to the standards moviegoers hoped it would.

Cosmopolitan magazine recently did a feature on seven mistakes women often make at the gym without even realizing it, which can diminish the effect of their workout.

Often times, while doing crunches women use their neck muscles rather than their abs, which strains the neck and does not work the abs as much. A simple fix to this problem is pressing one’s tongue to the top of the roof of the mouth, which relieves stress from the neck and focuses the work on the abs.

When freshman Christine Varricchio tried this, it seemed unnatural at first.

“…I was thinking about it too much. But the more I did it later, I found the tip helping when I wasn’t focusing on it,” she said.

Another mistake many make is stretching before a cardio workout. Cosmopolitan suggests doing the cardio workout at a low level for five minutes. This allows the muscles to loosen, but is still a workout in itself.

“Before I run I stretch and do a warm up because my muscles are cold. If I don’t move while I stretch, my knees will lock up,” said freshman Liz Malloy. “I learned in track that dynamic mobilities are the right way to start a workout and people who don’t do them should start to. It’s healthier for your body.”

Most women also tend to lift the same amount of weight during each workout because they fear upping the weight will lead to bulky muscles. However, it’s important to slowly increase weight as muscle resistance is built if weight training is part of a weekly workout routine. To avoid bulky muscles, increase weight slowly until the muscles feel fatigued, but not so much so that it makes the arms shake.

Women also will force themselves to do “real” push-ups because they think modified push-ups don’t work. As long as the arms are in line with the shoulders, planting knees on the ground is still a productive workout.

“I know I don’t do my push-ups right, I just never learned how to do it the correct way,” Varricchio said. “When I did push-ups from my knees, I thought it was easy at first. But after doing 10 of them the right way, I found out that it was hard. I will definitely not take those for granted anymore.”

Another common issue is thinking energy bars help with working out. in truth the energy it takes to digest the energy bars can detract from your workout.

After working out for an hour some women overindulge in treats and snacks because they think it cancels out. It’s great to grab a snack with carbs and protein afterwards, but it’s common to eat more calories than were burned off.

The final mistake Cosmopolitan highlights is that women avoid weighing themselves. While obsessive weighing may be unhealthy, regularly stepping on the scale can keep women motivated. Watching the number on the scale go down is a concrete motivation and can be a helpful reminder about the consequence of unhealthy eating habits and lack of exercise.

These mistakes can hinder a workout, but following simple tips like these can boost it, making it worthwhile to get off the couch and hit the gym.

What used to be Jillian’s Billiards Club in the Cedar-Fairmount area has undergone a substantial transformation to become a 9,600- square-foot up-and-coming restaurant and bar called Myxx.

Owner Kim Lisboa and friends came up with the catchphrase “Drink. Dine. Dégagé;” dégagé coming from the French term meaning to “relax and unwind.”

Myxx is open from 4 p.m. to 1 a.m. Sunday through Wednesday and from 4 p.m. to 2:30 a.m. Thursday through Saturday.

A range of patrons come and enjoy dining options including small appetizers and entrees and, as the night advances, make their way to the dance floor. Currently, a DJ is providing the music, but starting in October, live bands will perform.

Myxx is a place that is off the map right now, but noise is starting to get out about the new place.

The dish that I was lucky enough to try was the Boursin stuffed chicken.

As if I wasn’t already completely impressed by the atmosphere of Myxx, when the dish came out of the kitchen, the presentation was beautiful. There in front of me lay a perfectly cooked chicken breast covered in a mushroom marsala sauce on top of rich and creamy risotto with diced grape tomatoes. The Food Network would have been impressed with this dish as it not only looked beautiful, but also maintained a strong, flavorful taste.

If you are looking for something different to eat, Myxx has a variety of different foods that span from $10 up into the mid-$20 range.

The sweet sausage stuffed banana peppers start out $10. Penne a la Vodka with roasted tomato cream sauce is $12. The blackened grouper with garlic mashed potaoes, sautéed green beans and fresh tomato salsa is on the more expensive end at $26.

Although the main dishes may be a little pricey, the quality of the food is well worth it.

Myxx is about more than just food – it provides entertainment and a fun atmoshpere for customers.

For all of you Cleveland Browns fans, Myxx has an offer that you won’t be able to refuse: every Sunday that the Browns are home, there will be a shuttle leaving from the bar at noon to take up to 40 people to the stadium and back to Myxx. The shuttle is sponsored by Budweiser.

Tailgating is encouraged, and the shuttle will be stocked with drinks for you to enjoy during the trip to the stadium.

As for the rest of you who are looking to enjoy the game in a more comfortable setting, Myxx offers five flat screen televisions as well as a projector in the back room showing the game.

Myxx has another twist that most other bars and restaurants around this area can’t compete with: the walls are covered with artwork from local students at the Cleveland Institute of Art.

For those 21 and older, the bar offers Great Lakes Brewing Co. beer as well as a variety of over 35 other great selections. As we roll into the fall season, each month there will be new flavors of infused vodka martinis being released along with tequila, habañero, basil, jalapeño and cilantro mixed drinks.

Conveniently located between downtown and campus, it is the perfect place to be if you are in need of a satisfying dining experience.