Author: Meredith Wagner

By Meredith Wagner | Artis & Life Editor Given their spacing and cohesiveness, it is fairly easy to overlook a house or two driving southwest down Washington Avenue. Being built as close together as they are, the buildings pass as quickly as they appear — though one stands out as Waco’s primary stop for fine art supplies. The only indication that the house is a business, rather than merely a home, is a large sign in the front yard reading “MC Art Supplies.” Their shop serves as one of many mom-and-pops in Waco that have stood the test of time. MC Art…

THURSDAY JANUARY 25 Lady Bears Take on Texas | 7:00 p.m. at the Ferrell Center Baylor Opera Theatre: “This is the first of four performances of ‘A Little Night Music’, Stephen Sondheim’s tuneful 1973 musical. Reserved tickets, priced at $15, are available at the Department of Theatre Arts web site. For ticket information, call the box office at (254) 710-1865.” | 7 – 9:30 p.m. Thursday – Sunday at Hooper-Schaefer Fine Arts Center. Live Music at The Grape, Wine Bar & Bistro Live music every Thursday and Friday | 7 — 10 p.m. at 2006 N Valley Mills Dr.  …

By Sami Caldwell | Contributor Tesla’s Café and Coffee Pub is tucked away near the intersection of 13th Street and Washington Ave. The renovated historical landmark, known previously as the Sturgis House, was bought by a couple originally from New Mexico and is now home to an eclectic-meets-steampunk restaurant and coffee house. Having opened on Christmas Eve morning last year, Tesla’s has been open for just under one month but has gained quite the following. Upon entering, customers are likely struck by Tesla’s ambiance. The layout of the café establishes a warm atmosphere, creating a sense of nostalgia and reminding…

By Alyssa Ward | Contributor The Waco Women’s March, an event hosted by Centex Action Network, commenced Saturday in downtown Waco. The rally marked the one-year anniversary of President Trump’s inauguration, as well as the one-year anniversary of the 2017 Women’s Marches in Washington D.C. and around the world. Many speakers shared provoking stories and encouraged attendees to continue inspiring change among the community. They called for marchers to remain active in political and social movements and encouraged them to be registered voters. “It’s critical for young, college-age adults to have a voice and vote. If you don’t like it,…

By Meredith Wagner | Arts & Life Editor A crowd of about 50 gathered over fresh espresso and steamed milk Thursday night. Despite the tempting aroma of ground coffee in the air, the beverages were not prepared for consumption. Pinewood Coffee Bar, located at the intersection of 23rd and Austin Ave., hosted their first latte art competition, referred to by baristas as a “throw-down,” in which 36 hopeful contestants poured their hearts and souls — and the best tulip they could conjure — into porcelain blue cups. A tournament bracket was gradually composed as interested coffee lovers paid the $5…

By Meredith Wagner | Arts & Life EditorWhen Los Angeles native Rebekah Hagman drove into Waco for the first time on July 4, 2017, she intended to plant her feet there. How she would go about doing so, aside from moving her and her spouse’s personal belongings to a new home, she wasn’t exactly sure. “We took a big leap of faith,” Hagman said. A handful of months later, that leap of faith turned into Cultivate 7twelve, a collaboration of multiple artistic parties, including nonprofit organizations, yoga instructors, filmmakers and independent artists, located at 712 Austin Ave. Hagman, director and…

Despite an underdeveloped main character and a poorly explored sense of feminism, the new movie release The Post confirmed the essential nature of mentioning the freedom of the press in the First Amendment. Though flawed, the movie could not have been released at a better moment in history than present-day America, where journalists have to fight harder than ever for the truth, which is more often than not passively dismissed as fake news. Viewers, if they are able to look beyond a few cinematic missteps, will be no less than inspired by the characters’ resilience, no less than hopeful for…

WEDNESDAY JANUARY 17 Open Mic Night: Sign up posted in advance at Common Grounds. Features solo musicians and vocalists, slam poetry. | 8:00 p.m. at Common Grounds   THURSDAY JANUARY 18 Free Lecture: PEAKING ON: “The Coming Crisis in Higher Education”: “Vedder is Distinguished Professor of Economics Emeritus at Ohio University, Director of the Center for College Affordability and Productivity, and an Adjunct Scholar at the American Enterprise Institute.” | 4:00 — 5:15 p.m. at Hankamer School of Business, Foster 250 Live Jazz Music: Pat McKee & Trammell Kelly | 6:00 p.m. at Diamond Back’s, 217 Mary Ave. Art…

Today — Friday, January 12, 2018 11 a.m.-4 p.m. — A Fashionable Past, a new exhibit from Historic Waco Foundation, will feature a look at women’s fashion from 1880 through the 1940’s. $5. Fort House Museum. Noon — The NAACAP Wreath Laying Ceremony will be held in honor of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Free. Dr. MLK Jr. Memorial Park, 100 Martin Luther King, Jr. Blvd. 8 p.m. — Need a laugh? Comedian Raymond Orta will be performing and he’s sure to bring hilarity to the whole crowd. $27-$56. Waco Hippodrome. 9 p.m. — DJ JoJo is sure to brighten…

By Meredith Wagner | Arts & Life Editor A formerly quiet portion of Waco is now bustling with noise and new faces. Despite its distance from campus, the area between 11th Street and 27th Street on Austin Avenue, referred to by some as “Uptown” Waco, is experiencing a rapid economic and communal growth. Local favorite Happy Harvest is adding to this growth by opening its first sit-down restaurant at 112 N 25th St. later this spring, where students and locals alike will be able to congregate over kombucha on tap, coffee on drip and unique, homemade health foods already beloved…

Honeybees are dying by the thousands, and the federal government knows it. Beyond a general concern on the part of beekeepers and environmental activists, members of the U.S. government are aware of the rapid decline in honeybee populations and the potentially detrimental effects these trends could hold, should they continue. Fortunately for Americans, legislative bodies and administrative agencies are recognizing and gradually working to reverse the problem. But why? According to Michael Schacker, investigative science writer and author of “A Spring without Bees,” honeybees are the primary insect responsible for creating the world we live in today. “Without the honeybee,…

By Meredith Wagner | Social Media Editor The human experience is full of absurd paradoxes. We are often unknowingly self-contradictory, and our education today is no exception. I wanted to go to the flea market on Sunday morning to purchase nopales and mangoes and to practice my Spanish with local vendors. What did I do instead? I watched an assigned short film and read an assigned short story, both due the next day, neither of which I feel helped my growth as a Spanish speaker. I would have been better served to practice the language in a real-world setting. The…

By Meredith Wagner | Web & Social Media Editor How often do you use your sense of touch? I remember resting on the edge of my grandfather’s mossy koi pond for hours, observing the slender fish swim about, occasionally braving a reach below the surface to feel their scales. I would collect sentiments of nature at each turn of the corner, finding marbles, feathers and shells buried just below the earth’s surface. I “helped” my parents plant a vegetable garden by collecting as many earthworms as I could find and building tiny dirt shelters to satisfy their real estate needs.…

Bodies are beautiful and should not be shamed or hidden.

Open mic nights all over Waco draw crowds of varying sizes each month, giving independent performers a chance to contribute to Waco’s growing arts & life scene. Common Grounds Common Grounds, Waco’s traditional coffee staple, hosts an open mic every Wednesday night from 8:00 p.m. — 10:00 p.m. This event is exclusively for independent artists and entails 15-minute sets per person. Sign-ups are posted on a clipboard hanging inside the shop the preceding week, and they are open to the public on a first-come, first-serve basis. Each week, CG chooses a feature artist to play a 45 minute set at…

The first day of school entails the chance to accomplish old and new goals alike. For some students, this looks like firing the next shot in a series of targets or checking off tasks on long-term to-do lists. For students committed to creative career paths, whether arts or humanities-based, the journey to a successful future can feel a little less defined, especially so with diploma in hand. The Lariat spoke with Baylor graduates on creative paths about helping current students sharpen their focus as they prepare for the school year and beyond. Recent graduates Jenna Routh, Victoria Rutledge and Nathan…

Meredith Wagner | Social Media EditorFor college students everywhere, managing a healthy diet can feel overwhelming. But for Baylor students, the pursuit of a wholesome lifestyle may begin and end just down the street. Open from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. every Saturday, the Waco Downtown Farmers Market is a hub for Wacoans both young and old seeking to support the local economy and purchase fresh products and ingredients. The market features a wide array of vendors from Waco and neighboring cities, each of which specializes in growing, raising or creating a unique product.Located at 500 Washington Ave., just across…