Author: Meredith Wagner

FRIDAY APRIL 27   BLOCK PARTY AND MUSIC FESTIVAL: Live music, food trucks, face painting, drinks and games. Live music includes Thomas Csorba, The Irons, Brody Price, Patric Johnston, Andrew James, The Fossil Lickers and Jaimee Harrisa and a surprise guest. | Tickets: $5 general admission, $15 VIP. 2 – 9:45 p.m. at Pinewood Coffee Bar, 3332 Austin Ave. NEXT TO NORMAL: This musical explores how one suburban household copes with crisis and mental illness. It won three 2009 Tony Awards, including Best Musical Score, and additionally won the 2010 Pulitzer Prize. | Tickets: $7 – $12. 7:30 p.m. Friday…

By Meredith Wagner | Arts & Life Editor Spending day after day in a hospital bed, basking in rays of sunshine filtered through a window, young children are wondering what they have yet to find, to discover, to create; pediatric cancer patients at the MD Anderson Children’s Cancer Hospital often find themselves unable to participate in the luxuries of travel or normalcies of formal education, which leaves many children void of the freedom to express themselves through arts and crafts. Students in Baylor’s art department are collaborating with patients at the MD Anderson Children’s Cancer Hospital to encourage normalization, restoration…

By Meredith Wagner | Arts & Life Editor Quickly becoming an influential player in the beverage world, kombucha is popping up in cities large and small, asserting its prominence and uniqueness in a relatively new market of fermented tea. Waco is not exempt from the growing probiotic trend, and one Waco business in particular is dominating the local market, bringing kombucha to the community on tap and on wheels. Bare Bucha has been in business for about two years as the only local kombucha producer, though its recent ventures have make Bare Bucha’s product mobile for Wacoans to enjoy at…

FRIDAY, APRIL 20WHITE BUFFALO MARKET: A trendy and upscale, family-friendly outdoor market with hand-selected vendors that specialize in vintage, tastefully repurposed, industrial, architectural, handmade and artisan goods.​ | 9 a.m. – 6 p.m. at the Heritage Square parking lot in downtown Waco, 4 blocks north of the Magnolia Silos.LIVE MUSIC AT COMMON GROUNDS: Ryan Thomas (Indie/Folk). | Tickets: $10 – $13 at 8 p.m. at Common Grounds, 1123 S. 8th St.LIVE MUSIC AT THE BACKYARD: Mike Ryan (Country). | Tickets: $15 – $20 at 9 p.m. at the Backyard Bar, Stage and Grill, 511 S. 8th St.BRAZOS NIGHTS: Big Bad…

Meredith Wagner | Arts & Life Editor Baylor’s annual “Battle of the Bands” talent show determines the opening acts for the Diadeloso headliner each year. This year, two talented acts were selected to open for headliner and local band “Honest Men.” The first place prize in 2018’s Battle of the Bands went to “The Thinking Caps.” The Thinking Caps are composed of four members with vibrant personalities that mirror their sound. Waco junior Josh Barbur, the drummer, dreams of being a videographer by day and a drummer by night; Grayson Graham, Waco high school senior at Eagle Christian Academy, is…

By Meredith Wagner | Arts & Life Editor MacBeth, who killed the King of Scotland and his successor in order that he himself may become King, to his demise, found that his delicate conscience resulted in a punishment far worse than the most severe tribunal. The nature of his punishment culminates in his pitiful soliloquy: “Tomorrow, and tomorrow, and tomorrow Shall pass at the same petty pace from day to day Until the last syllable of recorded time; And all our yesterdays have lighted fools The way to dusty death! Out, out, brief candle! Life is but a walking shadow.…

By Meredith Wagner | Arts & Life Editor Baby bibs, bandanas and stylish ascots are among the items farmers market visitors can purchase in addition to food and drink. Just one year ago, Just Peachy Waco added a little flair and style to the produce offerings of Waco’s cherished local hub. Just Peachy Waco’s name derives from owner Crystal Peach, whose name is conveniently spelled “just like the rock and the fruit.” Peach brainstormed the idea for Just Peachy Waco about one year ago and only a short time later watched her ideas become reality. “I was actually at a…

By Meredith Wagner | Arts & Life Editor The unofficial Baylor organization that imitates official fraternities, Zeta Zigga Zamma, maintains a reputation for its alcohol-free parties, Christian mission and goofy performances. One of ZZZ’s biggest organized events of the year, “Zing,” is a spin-off of All-University Sing, the annual theatrical performance put on by approved fraternities and sororities.Zing is a hodgepodge of per`formances that prompt rolling laughter from the packed auditorium and officially welcome new members into the non-exclusive group. Both new and old members of ZZZ took to the Midway ISD Performing Arts Center’s stage Saturday night for this…

By Meredith Wagner | Arts & Life Editor Baylor alumna Dawn Wible is a true testament to the idea that a course of study doesn’t necessarily solidify one’s career, nor does a business model. Wible founded the movement “Talk More Tech Less,” and now owns local health food business “Talk More Meals,” both of which seek to inspire healthy lifestyle habits focused on connection, relationships and slowing down to enjoy your surroundings. Wible received her bachelor’s degree in education and taught first grade at Texas Christian Academy for six years before alternative passions steered her in a different direction. “It’s…

WEDNESDAY APRIL 4   Community Service Commemorating MLK’s Assassination: A community reconciliation service commemorating the 50th Anniversary of MLK’s assassination, co-sponsored by Baylor University, Baylor Dining, the Waco Community Race Relations Coalition and the Waco NAACPA. Parking next door at the Dutton Ave. parking facility. 6 p.m., Refreshments served from 5:30 — 6 p.m. at Powell Chapel, Truett Seminary Live Music at Don Carlos: Feonix Theory (Rock) performs from 6:30 — 9:30 p.m. at Don Carlos, 4651 I-35 Frontage Road Live Music at La Fiesta: The Bill & Phil Show, live from 7 — 10 p.m. at La Fiesta, 3815…

By Meredith Wagner | Arts & Life EditorIf you’ve ever indulged in a vegetarian taco from Torchy’s, you likely understand the craze. Piled high with various toppings and flavors, including a hard-to-come-by, satisfactory meat substitution, they’re a great fix for vegetarians and meat-eaters alike. Nothing beats the taste of a home-cooked meal, however, and the creativity that cooking your own meals calls for can be a stimulating form of stress relief, a rewarding task that helps you wind down at the end of a long day. I did my best to recreate a restaurant favorite at home so that you…

By Meredith Wagner | Arts & Life Editor When the Wilmot and Lascoe families found themselves at an end in life, they did the unthinkable to create new beginnings. The result of their courage is what farmers-market-goers know as “Tin Cup Farm,” the family-owned and operated flower farm and “farmacy” out of Buffalo. The Wilmot and Lascoe family adventure of creating a flower and natural product business began one year ago on a 60-acre property just 60 miles east of Waco. “My husband retired, and we bought this piece of property,” Kathleen Wilmot said. “We would go up and visit…

By Meredith Wagner | Arts & Life Editor Baylor’s art department is somewhat of a mystery to a large portion of the student body, mostly because those unaffiliated with the fine arts may never find themselves walking through Hooper Schafer’s doors. The Martin Museum of Art works to mitigate this dilemma by compiling the works of multiple art students each year, hanging them proudly on museum walls and inviting the public to view them at their leisure. The museum’s Annual Juried Student Exhibition officially opens to the public Friday, March 22, and features a collection of some of the best…

Meredith Wagner | Arts & Life Editor Waco’s exponential growth as a city is being marked by yet another event likely to draw hundreds into its heart. Shakey Graves, the famous one-man-band native to Austin, is scheduled to headline the “Brazos Nights” Riverfront Concert Series on June 15 at Indian Spring Park next to the historic Suspension Bridge. The concert will be free and open to the public; Shakey Graves’ performance in Waco is the only free show he will play during his 2018 tour, which begins April 19 in Boone, N.C. and ends August 30 in Morrison, Colo. The…

By Meredith Wagner | Arts & Life Editor Eating healthy can feel daunting for college students. With an already overflowing plate of school work and extracurriculars, it’s no wonder young adults don’t want to expend extra energy adding more to the madness and doing dishes every night. This dilemma has driven the craze for “food prepping,” which can strengthen the appeal of properly taking care of oneself in the midst of stressful or busy circumstances. I make this quiche every weekend in-between studying for exams, and it makes my mornings much easier throughout the week. It takes no more than…

By Meredith Wagner | Arts & Life Editor A staple to the Waco Downtown Farmers Market, Artisan Oven’s pastries and breads taste like home to market-loving Wacoans, especially given their homegrown, small-scale and hands-on approaches to baking. Often associated with Homestead Heritage, an agrarian Christian community located just fifteen minutes from the heart of Waco, Artisan Oven is actually its own entity. However, the connection between the businesses is strong, both because Artisan Oven provides Homestead with many of the pastries Homestead sells to the public, and because similar values inspire their intentional approaches to producing quality, responsibly-sourced products. Artisan’s…

By Meredith Wagner | Arts & Life Editor As storms brewed and gradually worked their way toward Waco, hundreds spent St. Patrick’s Day taste-testing some of the trendiest mobile food in the state. Specialty restaurants on wheels, some from Waco and others from afar, made the trek to 4th Street and Austin Avenue Saturday for the annual Texas Food Truck Showdown despite approaching storms. The showdown closed early due to the inclement weather threat, stating on their Facebook page that, though everyone was looking forward to a night of music and food, “The safety of the community comes first.” Fortunately,…

By Meredith Wagner | Arts & Life Editor No more than three years ago, the prospect of vacationing in Waco was somewhat of a laughable matter — something residents joked about despite Waco’s homegrown, peaceful appeal. But now, largely because of beloved HGTV stars Chip and Joanna Gaines, Waco is a hotspot on the tourism map. While Wacoans go casually about their lives, nearly 70,000 tourists from around the country are gradually pouring into the city — It’s no wonder, then, that Waco was declared number two on Trip Advisor’s list of destinations on the rise in the United States.…

Meredith Wagner | Arts & Life Editor While other schools around the country close their doors and release their students into the approaching summer weather, Baylor students are doing just the opposite. Returning from a much-needed week off is especially difficult as the Texas sky turns from gray to blue and the grass from brown to green. While the warming weather is known to distract students from their studies, it can simultaneously help students harness positive energy and study in comfort. To remain on track during the coming months, here are five hot spots for studying in the sun: 1.…

By Meredith Wagner | Arts & Life Editor One of Waco’s favorite college town coffee shops is opening a second pair of doors early next week, just a 12-minute drive from campus. Common Grounds Woodway, a new and perhaps improved version of the circa 1994 home-turned-business on Eighth Street, is scheduled for a soft opening Monday after months of preparation and renovation. The second Common Grounds, located at 7608 Woodway Drive, is a combination of three businesses — Common Grounds, Westside Pizza Co. and Native Sons Coffee Roasters — all of which are easily accessible in a single, industrial-style building…

By Meredith Wagner | Arts & Life Editor Former President Barack Obama selected artist Kehinde Wiley to paint his presidential portrait over one year ago at the same time Former First Lady Michelle Obama selected Baltimore-based artist Amy Sherald. Extensively reported by news outlets at the time, the media soon fell into a spell of silence regarding the portraits and their creators. The artists worked devotedly for over one year to create what likely would be the highlight of their careers. After the the reveal of the portraits over one week ago on Feb. 12, the silence was broken and…

LUA brings Brazilian tradition to Waco.

By Meredith Wagner | Arts & Life Editor A passionate All-University Sing enthusiast to this day, Baylor alumnus Ryan Brinson’s former participation and perpetual love for the production has led him to a multilayered creative career, and ultimately right back to the stage where it all began. Brinson, who is a former Sing Alliance member and former editor-in-chief of the Baylor Roundup yearbook, made his debut as a club night “judge” Thursday night for Sing. And rightfully so –– Brinson’s accomplishments both in Sing and in life are plentiful. Brinson’s achievements can be summed to a single character trait which…

By Scott Visy | Contributor Despite three records, millions of listens on Spotify, hundreds of concerts, and playing guitar for over five years, Houston native Thomas Csorba just had his first guitar lesson. Csorba is one of Texas’s young rising artists but said he feels like he is just now getting good at playing guitar. “It’s a weird feeling. I’ve been playing shows and making records for five years, but I’m just now learning how to play guitar well,” Csorba said. “I have to unlearn a lot of bad habits and take a few steps back in order to get…

By Meredith Wagner | Arts & Life Editor When Jill Boman founded Happy Stuff, a small business dedicated to all natural home and body products, she did so not out of obligation, but of a love for the craft. Since 2011, Happy Stuff has been meeting Wacoans’ home, body and skin care needs using simple ingredients and recycled glass bottles –– a hand-crafted arrangement unavailable at generic grocery stores. Boman’s profession emerged from a mere hobby –– a personal need, rather –– to create products that worked, that Boman felt she could trust and, most importantly, that were composed of…

By Meredith Wagner | Arts & Life Editor Better than Tortillas! Collard Green Wraps   College is difficult as is, so much so that eating healthy often feels like a daunting task. With an already overflowing plate of school and extracurriculars, it’s no wonder students don’t want to expend extra energy adding more to the madness. This dilemma has driven the movement for the art of “food prepping,” which, if executed with a positive attitude, can strengthen the appeal of taking care of oneself in the midst of stressful circumstances. Try these simple wraps to make your life a little…

By Meredith Wagner | Arts & Life Editor The streets of downtown Waco bustled Friday with hungry and excited Wacoans anticipating a night of surprises, conversation and free gimmicks of all sorts. The dark sky lingered in the air, illuminated by lights pouring from businesses that remained open well beyond 5 p.m. Every first Friday of the month, businesses lining the streets of downtown Waco open their doors to passersby crowding the sidewalks, many of which post discounts or specials on their products and prepare spreads of food and drink and interactive activities. One of the participating businesses last Friday…

Story by Meredith Wagner | Arts & Life Editor, Video by Elisabeth Tharp | Broadcast Reporter Hayden Johnson is arguably Baylor’s most enthusiastic all-around sports fan. If not by name, Baylor affiliates know him for his green foam hat, which he wears unashamedly in the student section of multiple Baylor sports, including football, tennis, volleyball, acrobatics and tumbling and men’s and women’s basketball. Johnson was spotted in the Bear Pit at the Baylor men’s basketball game against Iowa State on Saturday night. His enthusiasm for the team was evident in his spurts of energy and loud chants. A senior geology…

By Meredith Wagner | Arts & Life Editor The Super Bowl is just around the corner, and four-layer dip is overrated. If you’re hosting a watch party this year, or if you want to take the day off and venture out of your comfort zone, try these creative alternatives to generic Super Bowl party foods:   Meat Alternative: Crispy Cauliflower Buffalo Wings INGREDIENTS 1 small head of cauliflower, rinsed and washed, cut into florets 1/2 cup all purpose flour 2 eggs [for vegan version, use 2 Tablespoons of ground chia seeds + 3/4 cups warm water] 4 cups panko crumbs…

By Meredith Wagner | Arts & Life Editor For creative thinkers and feelers, artwork is hardly limited to the paintbrush. Local businesses and nonprofits joined hand-in-hand Saturday night to host an event titled “Palette,” the only art-to-table experience of its kind in Texas. The air at Cultivate 7twelve, a recently opened art gallery and event space in Waco, echoed with live piano and the chatter of nearly 50 guests, all of whom awaited a night of fine cuisine and immersive, creative inspiration. The name “art-to-table” succinctly describes the premise of the dinner: Juanita Barrientos and Toby Tull, co-owners of Happy…