Scaling Down #1 - How It All Began

Each year hordes of people make a New Year's resolution to lose weight. In January, gyms are overcrowded with well-meaning people on treadmills desperate to lose a few pounds. By February, most have given up. In 2010, I was able to lose 45 pounds without the help of a trainer, special program, crazy diet, or supplements. This year I intend to continue that weight loss trend while documenting my efforts with a new Scaling Down feature every two months in hopes that my methods may work for you as well.

How It All Began

In mid-February of 2010 I was using up the last of my Christmas gift cards and shopping for new clothes. Walking around the mall, I was uncomfortable. My favorite pair of jeans were so tight that it hurt to walk in them. When I returned home that evening, I stepped on the scale for the first time since November to find that I had ballooned up to 240 pounds. At 6'1", 240 pounds is far too heavy. I knew I had to change some things and work on losing weight. I set my goal at 175 pounds, which is about what I weighed throughout high school.

Pickelodeon: AMC Best Picture Showcase

Welcome to Pickelodeon, a little feature where we review all that is reviewable in the world. Pickelodeon is your one stop shop for the inside scoop on the best restaurants, bars, movies, music, events, and anything else you want to hear someone else's opinion on before you try it. Drop us a line in the comment box for any suggestions on what we should review next!

AMC Best Picture Showcase

Sometime last week I was made aware of a little gem called the Best Picture Showcase. The Best Picture Showcase (BPS) was presented at AMC Theaters across the country where moviegoers could enjoy all ten films nominated for the Academy Award for Best Picture. I had heard of such showings in the past, but never was able to get to one until this year. With ten films nominated for the most prestigious prize in the Hollywood, there were several options for the BPS. You could see five films on a Saturday and then the remaining five a week later, or you could see all ten in a 24-Hour movie marathon. I was only able to catch the second Saturday's films at the AMC Loews theater in Cherry Hill, NJ. I'd like to share my experience with you and offer some tips on how to get the most out of this experience next year.

Oscar Day with the What

It is that time of year during which we all gather around our televisions to watch famous people dress up nice and win little statues of some naked gold dude named Oscar. Sounds a bit ridiculous, but that is what happens one day each year, and today is that day. We here at the What would like to offer up some of our predictions for who we think will win certain categories during this evening's ceremony. Keep in mind that we may not have seen every film, so we're going based on what we did see.

Black Swan
Darren Aronofsky's latest film lived up to the standard set by his previous works, actually surpassing most. The one award I definitely see Black Swan taking is Best Actress. Natalie Portman's performance was stunning, haunting, and masterful. Even if somehow she does not take home the Oscar tonight, there are sure to be plenty in her future. As an editor myself, I also would give this film the Editing award. I had no complaints with the manner in which this film was cut, and was at several points in the film impressed with cutting styles and choices.

Black Bean & Corn Quesadillas

As always, the What is dedicated to presenting you with colorful ideas for everyday life. Many of our ideas are food-related, because we love food. Learning how to cook for yourself now that you no longer have your mom or your meal plan to provide your meals can seem like a daunting task. We at the What are here to show you that cooking can be fun, easy, and rewarding by offering up recipes like this from our personal cookbooks. As is the case with most of our recipe-based ideas, this one is simple and delicious, just like us.

Black Bean & Corn Quesadillas

For most of my life, if someone was to ask me my hands-down, all-time, desert island favorite food, it would either be chocolate chip cookies or pizza. Now, it is no contest. It is black bean and corn quesadillas. They have it all. A little sweetness, but with a kick. Mostly soft, but with a crispy crunch. The combination of flavors presented in this dish, to me, is the holy grail of foodiedom. Also, it goes along well with my secret desire to be Mexican. Don't ask, just read the recipe, whip up a batch for yourself, and be prepared for (according to me) the best meal ever.

Best Dressed Weekly

Oh Mister Long-Checkered Scarf, I am envious of your style. The white hair/dark moustache combo is especially awesome. 


I always love when facial hair doesn't match - so quirky! 

Fashion Street: Broad St.

I have never quite understood why those rich, famous and beautiful people on magazine covers have the privilege of defining new fashion statements. Us average folks wear clothes too, and quite well, thank you very much!  This is where Fashion Street comes in. Each week, I, Emily, your faithful fashion guru here at The What, will check out a new spot in Philadelphia and photograph the looks as they're happening. (Mostly by asking really, really nicely.) Let's get fashion off the runway and onto the streets! I'm excited to hear your comments about this venture, don't be quiet now. Fashion away!

Broad Street, Center City

Dear little readers, this week I took a trip down to the smack-dab center of Philadelphia: Broad St. Not, of course, to be confused with Broadway. But still, loads of funky, art-lovin' folks. (U Arts anyone?)

This week I really wanted to find some sweet boots. You don't know this, kiddos, but I am a huge sucker for boots. Oh yes. Any and all shapes and sizes-it's a miracle of hoardy-ness that I only own one pair! But here are two of my favorites boot finds on Broad:

1. The utility boot! You can scale mountains, squish soda cans to a pulpy-aluminum mess and brave those sloshy winter days without fear. 

2. The trendy boot! You could maybe cross yonder ravine if you were good. Probs. But they're just so gosh darn nice.

PRIMER - Tomato Tossed Pasta

Check out Patrick's latest article with Primer Magazine by clicking the image above!

HINT: This would be ideal for a Valentine's Day date for you and that special someone.

Best Dressed Weekly

Oh readers, I have a confession to make - I am super indecisive. I just like too many things. ESPECIALLY when it comes to fashion. It's a horrible curse- it took me hours to sort through photos and pick those two you saw this week (no joke, it's that bad).


And so, in an effort to fix this problem (and give you  more pictures to look at - woot!) I will strive to choose one (yes only ONE) ultra-chic, extra-fab and lucky best dressed person. Here goes nothin'.


Congrats to this week's  leader in style: Girl in Black with Bags! Those yellow leather gloves are my favorite, and the hat! Rock it, girl in black.

Weekly Top Five - 4.Feb.11

In  High Fidelity, the characters compare their top fives in a variety of categories. Being big fans of both the film and novel, we here at the What bring you our Weekly Top Five, a feature focused on five fantastic things that you should become familiar with.

Magazines to Subscribe To

 

As much as I love a good book, there are plenty of times in which I would rather pick up a magazine. Magazines are a handy way to get information on a specific topic. While many think the internet is killing magazines, I have found that despite the readily-available information overload provided by the internet, I still enjoy sitting down and reading a magazine. In fact, in my post-collegiate years I have gone from one or two subscriptions to five or six, and it is something you should look into doing as well.

5. Time - Time has been a news magazine for nearly 90 years. Each year, my family would receive a subscription as a gift, and once I moved out, I began getting my own. The articles are straightforward and provide decent, relevant information. Subscribing to this weekly publication will give you a good perspective on world events in a timely fashion, no pun intended. FAVORITE FEATURE: 10 Questions. An interview with a leader, celebrity, athlete, politician, etc. with questions coming from the readers.

4. Special Interest - This is generic, but for a reason. Not everyone has the same interests or hobbies. If you live in a big city, chances are there is a city magazine with information pertinent to your location. Magazines like Men's/Women's Health/Fitness often have good features that help you lead a healthier lifestyle. Your profession probably has magazines dedicated to professionals like you that can be a valuable resource in your career. If none of those options pique your interest, think of a favorite hobby, and there is more than likely a magazine for that too. Pick an aspect of your life, type it into Google with the word "magazine" after it, and you will find plenty of options.

Better Living Through Chemistry - Picking a Roommate

Your time to move out has come. Perhaps you’ve grown tired of living with Mom and Dad, or you just got your first job, but if you’re moving out on your own for the first time, you might need some help. Paying rent, groceries, utilities, and any other type of living cost can stretch your wallet pretty thin, but having a roommate can help. However, when you move in with someone, you are committing to a long-term relationship. Many places will require you to sign a yearlong lease. A roommate, or roommates, can make or break your living experience. We here at The What want to help you make that experience a great one. Starting with our first part – picking a roommate.

Four Nights in Philly or What to do when it's not Friday or Saturday night

Philadelphia is a fun, vibrant city with a ton of things to do on any given night. If you know where to go, you can find some sweet deals at bars, restaurants, theaters or any number of locations to have a good time. We decided to help you out with finding some of these deals by creating a little weekly calendar that will help guide you through the city and through the week.

Monday: Movie Mondays at the Trocadero (Chinatown)- While Movie Mondays have been going on for quite some time, I actually did not discover the event until Geekadelphia hosted a showing of Machete on January 10th. The cover for this event is $3, and that $3 goes a very long way. If you arrive between the doors opening at 6:30PM and 7PM, you will get a special ticket that is good for one free can of PBR and a small popcorn. Everyone who comes to Movie Mondays also gets a wooden nickel, good for $3 at the bar, and a raffle ticket for prizes to be given out later. In addition to the raffle, there will be trivia based on the film for additional prizes. To give you an idea of the potential for prize winning, as a result of my first time attending Movie Monday, I walked out with $50 of free swag. Not too shabby for a $3 cover. Check out the Troc's schedule to see what movies they have on tap.

Tuesday:  Taco Tuesday (South Philly, West Chester) - Adding the word "taco" to it makes Tuesday my favorite day. I first discovered the joys of Taco Tuesday at Jitter's Sports Bar in West Chester when I had friends attending the school over there. Fifty cent tacos and $3 Coronas kept me coming back for years. These tacos are so good that I'd pay five bucks for a plate of them, so the fifty cent price tag is an amazing deal. For those not willing to make the trip to West Chester, Tres Jalapenos in South Philly gives you all you can eat tacos for $12.99 and Tattoed Mom's on South Street for $1 tacos. There is no shortage of Taco Tuesdays around, so keep your eyes peeled and get ready to enjoy some tacos!