Mod Meal: Life Alive

Today, we took the T to Central Square for a healthy little excursion. With finals and final projects fast approaching, we both knew the coming weeks were going to be busy, but we still wanted to find time to fit in a Mod Meal. Wanting to stay close to home, we decided to check out local vegan hotspot, Life Alive, for a rejuvenating and fresh pick-me-up (sorry Berg, the steamed veggies aren't cutting it).

Judging from the line pouring out the door, we knew we were at the right place. In fact, as we write this, lounging over smoothies, our meals long finished, the line now spills onto the curb. People in business wear, girls with yoga mats strapped to their backs -- anyone and everyone seems to have united at this little corner of Inman St. and Mass Ave. Like its zen decor, Life Alive is fully committed to fresh and vibrant food. Even our smoothie cups remind us "to make healthy & luscious eating possible in a busy world."

Sitting in our little window nook, we can't help but ponder the nature of the "line effect." Are these grain bowls and smoothies really the best in town? Is anyone else a newbie like us: lured in by colorful Instagram posts and rave yelp reviews? Do they join the queue, longing for a bowl of vegan, carb-filled goodness? Or do they join simply because there is one, hence, there must be a reason it's worth the wait? (Our minds wander to the Bon Me food truck at the Science Center Plaza, if you're familiar with it, you know exactly what we're talking about).

While no North End Italian meal, Life Alive delivers its promise "to awaken and feed people's senses, thoughts, and spirits" (shoutout to our smoothie cups again!). As our server brought us our long awaited bowls, our mouths watered from the aroma of their famed ginger nama sauce. After taking a moment to legitimately sniff each other's food, we snapped these pics and devoured our plates. If only we could capture the aroma and all around good vibes in this cursory review. Alas, these pictures will have to suffice:

Xx, Katherine & Maia

Press Pass: Identities Fashion Show

This weekend we were invited to the Identities Fashion Show, Harvard’s preeminent fashion event pairing student catwalk models with renowned designers.  We arrived a few hours before the show started to get a behind the scenes look at its making.  

It’s always interesting to see the nitty gritty details that go behind the polished products we ultimately enjoy.  While neither of us have any real “Fashion Week” experience (hopefully one day!), we liken the backstage process of Identities to be a rather fair representation of runway shows in general: the ubiquity of those anxious minutes before the lights go down, the music turns up, and the first model steps out onto the runway.  People — models, makeup artists, coordinators — run around frantically.  A girl’s shorts are on backwards, another messed with her makeup, “Does my face blend in with my hair?” a friend asks, “Foundation is like sauce for you face” we overhear in the makeup room.

We manage to sneak into some of the quiet rooms backstage and muse through racks of clothing and runway lineups.

While we don’t have ample opportunity to speak with the designers or people behind the show, most express a mix of nervous anticipation and excitement.  One model, who wears a funky 3D piece with arms attached, recalls how at last year's show she wore a bikini with sneakers, so she's feeling a little more relaxed in this year’s less revealing ensemble.

As the final run-through transitions into VIP lounging, red carpet pictures, and general mingling, the room buzzes with enthusiasm.  People gather and dance with friends.  The photo strip and red carpet establish the night's etiquette: shameless selfies and lots of them.  We take the opportunity to immerse ourselves in the pre-show social conventions and snap some Mod & Bean team pics in front of the Identities backdrop.  

We peruse around show-goers and show-coordinators, happen upon a table serving JP Licks ice cream, and meet some of the designers from China Central Academy of Fine Arts.  

Spotting one of the designer's sick street style, we ask to take a picture of her outfit.  She excitedly shares with us that she hand crafted everything she's wearing.  When asked how often she designs for herself, she remarks that she makes around twenty new pieces a month.  Duly impressed and jealous, we dream of being able to curate our own wardrobes with such personal precision.

Before we know it, the show begins, we find our seats, and the night gets under way.  Venture below to check out some of our favorite runway and behind the scenes shots:

Sitting at the end of the runway amidst eager photographers and the event's official cinematographer, gave us a sense of importance.  Fully immersed in each dress twirl, each piercing, smoldering look of the eyes, we couldn’t have had a better night. Suffice it to say, acting as mild press for Identities gave us a taste of similar opportunities to come – crossing our fingers!

Xx, Katherine & Maia

All photos by Katherine

A Hunt of Color

On a windy Wednesday afternoon, I set out to scavenge around Harvard Square with a mission to spot an exact shade of reddish brown that is apparently well regarded as “Cogswell Cedar.” This task wasn’t so much chosen on a whim in order for me to spend an hour or so holding up a swatch of paint to buildings, flowers, and burritos, but rather it was a task given to me as part of a class called Art of Looking.

This course, taught by Professor Robin Kelsey, explores how we perceive visual information through various mechanisms. Or, to poach a more well crafted description from the course website:

“There is no such thing as ‘just looking.’ We are immersed today in a world of superabundant visual information, and we are avid users of visual technologies such as smartphones and digital cameras. But few of us recognize how thoroughly our habits, experiences, and ways of thinking have been conditioned by visual interfaces that have long and complex world histories. To get at these histories, this course is organized around a series of visual technologies, broadly conceived.”

This week’s visual technology brought us to color systems. I have always been fascinated by color; from purchasing the extended pack of sharpie highlighters, to insisting on owning all of the pastel post-its, to even associating colors with personalities and feelings (what I like to consider a very mild but intriguing form of synesthesia – a lengthy detour I might incorporate into my final paper for this class). I have earned titles in color coordination and living life vibrantly through a radiant palette – both of which may have no substantive merit, but I prefer to think that they do.

As the compliment assignment to our lecture on color systems, we were each given a random paint swatch in which we were told to find anything that matched its color. While some students took that as finding a color that resembles a similar family, or would look good if you were trying to pair blue flats with faded jeans, I took the assignment at face value: find something, anything, that matched my swatch exactly. Here’s when I embarked on finding all things Cogswell Cedar. 

Given that I was actually off to New York for the weekend to celebrate my sister’s golden birthday (25 on the 25th of March) and her recent engagement (congrats again, Sisi!), I stowed my paint swatch carefully alongside my elegant, all black, dinner outfit and lace up heels. Surprisingly, I stumbled upon a pretty close match, right off the bat, yet there was no way I was turning in a picture of a dumpster from a New York side street… (it even pains me to include this picture in the post, but it must be done for visual reference).

Tabling my assignment until my return to the 617, I figured that it might turn out more fruitful if I scavenged with a friend. Section mate, Cesar, and a third straggler in tow, we all had our eyes peeled for anything Cogswell Cedar and Rocky Hill in sight. 

We found a colorful painting in my room – I told you I’m a color aficionado. 

We found crumbling bricks – shocker for Harvard’s campus right?

We quibbled over who could hold the paint swatch higher.

We even matched our swatches accidentally. 

Notice that the focal point of that picture is the (pretty off) blue on blue - sorry, Cesar. But, as I tried to hold my swatch out of the frame, I unexpectedly grazed it ever so perfectly against a pretty similarly colored flowerpot. And in this moment, I think I realized the point of this project. 

We all perceive color differently – it’s just like the way we all look at life differently. Not only can we chalk up our differences to the unique mechanisms in our eyes, but the way we think about color impacts how we see it. If blue is a ~cooler~ color to me, I might drift towards matching it with hues that have less red in them. That’s why exploring the square with six eyes in total made this project more fruitful. With each match attempt we discussed (or rather we teased) how off one another were and how that couldn’t possibly be Cogswell Cedar, it’s too purple!

Even in just looking at all the photos we took, our paint swatches look different in every shot. With every dose of sunshine, or cast of a shadow, our colors appeared differently. That's just how ephemeral color is. 

At the end of the day, we had just as much fun laughing at our mistaken matches as we did figuring out what on earth was Cogswell Cedar. And if you're left with the burning question as to which photo I ultimately submitted for my assignment, I chose the Chipotle jalapeño. Which, in hindsight, is still a little too purple. 

Xx, Maia

(With some guest photography by Cesar himself)

Meet Dhruv Chugh, Young Visionary

Dhruv is that person who’s both everywhere and nowhere at once. Always working, but never strained. Always thinking, but never distracted or inattentive. Yes, he’s the kid with the killer glasses. With a suaveness that is dually charming and indescribable. While he may appear a drifter — a dilettante in the world of art and living — he’s all substance underneath that mellow voice and Gucci sport coat.

These past few weeks have been busy for the both of us here at Mod & Bean, so when we finally sat down to write up our interview for Dhruv, we couldn’t help but compare the brilliant weather from the day of our shoot with the current chill. The setting of our shoot was midterm week. The campus was abuzz with housing day planning and the promise of impending relaxation: spring break. Now warming our hands over hot cups of tea, we laughed over the inconstancy of our beloved Cambridge weather.

Our day with Dhruv was a true, to borrow from the much-used expression, Indian Summer — an unusual period of warmth in late fall or winter. Then it hit us — how fitting for our interview with the Indian prince of Harvard himself to fall on the day of one of those elusive Indian summers. It was as though Dhruv brought the languid and comforting warmth of his home — New Delhi — with him. For a dazzling moment, the heat of that day breathed life into the humdrum routine of campus life, and everything burst with new enthusiasm. Then again, that’s also just the kind of person Dhruv is: a genuine character.

Tell us a little about where you’re from. What do you miss? What do you not?

I lived in New Delhi before coming here. I miss my parents’ positivity, younger brothers pathetic sense of humor, food (mainly shedding tears while eating spicy food), cows on the road and lately talking in my mother tongue.

I definitely don’t miss inhaling copious amounts of carbon monoxide.

Soundtrack to your life?

Happy by C2C (Thanks to Jenny [Horowitz – another incredible and utterly mod human bean]).

Aside from bumping into Dhruv en route to the Berg or around Lam Caf, you can probably find him in the Carpenter Center. An extremely talented artist, he admits, “I used to draw but wasn’t really serious about art until my gap year, and that was the time when I started to think about art as a form of expression and started to think about what art is for me.”

Tell us about your art. What inspires you? When did you start? What’s your favorite medium?

All my inspiration comes from my society and people and emotions around me. Although the definition of art is highly debatable — for me art has to be meaningful and in some way evoke a visceral reaction in the viewers.

All the art I did initially was in traditional media like painting or drawing, but recently I have been more experimental with my works.  I am very keen to do installations and am currently learning more film, audio and video, and expanding my knowledge of different media. In our times, the expanse for expression is limitless, and I ultimately want to be able to mix media, and that’s why the main focus for me right now is to learn. My favorite medium until now has to be 16mm film — using the Bolex camera and editing physical film not only takes me back to a different era, but also feels like a very special experience.

How do you balance your art with your schoolwork and social life?

I couldn’t do much art first semester, and my VES class this semester has made me realize that art is something I really want to delve deeper into – at least during the duration of my college career. I am very seriously considering pursuing a concentration in VES as that will allow me to incorporate work and art.

Who do you make your art for? You? School? Someone in particular?

I think I make it first to understand myself better and secondly to bring attention to whatever I feel is important to me and could be to others.

Tell us about your work in Nepal and the art you made during that time.

I was there as a part of an earthquake relief trip. The natural beauty really inspired me to come back and do watercolors of the natural scenery.

Would you describe your art as a passionate love affair or a tumultuous relationship?

I sadly don’t see the difference.

Not only do Dhruv’s talents manifest in his uncanny celebrity depictions, gentle watercolor paintings, and unique sculpture plans, his artistic eye aids in his sense of style as well.

Go to outfit. What’s your uniform? What is a classic look that everyone would say, “That’s so Dhruv.”

I like to think it lies somewhere between comfort and elegance. I love to wear an elegant jacket, something like a trench coat, with black joggers and comfortable but well crafted shoes – like loafers with tassels.

What’s an accessory or piece of jewelry that you’d like to be remembered by or that is iconic you?

It definitely has to be my glasses — the uniqueness of the design helps.  

What’s a current trend that you really like?

The transformation of street-wear joggers or sneakers into high fashion is something I really like and I am intrigued by.

What’s a trend that you wish would die?

I don’t want it to necessarily die, but seeing people wear caps indoors like in library and in classes really baffles me — I think it’s an American thing.

If your hair could speak, what would it say about you?

I think it’s time he lets us grow into our true selves.

What item did you wear to the ground?

My first pair of Jordans.

What’s in your pocket?

Card Holder, tickets to a show, keys and a pen that doesn’t work.

Spirit dessert?

Brownie Cheesecake.

If you were sentenced to the death penalty, what would you be convicted for and what would be your last meal?

Procrastinating sending an email to the law enforcements stating that it wasn’t me.

Sushi Burrito, for sure!

Describe yourself as a human bean

I am just someone who loves people, learning, and risk.

Xx, Katherine & Maia

Photos by Katherine

#modMeals

There’s only one week (!!!) left until our Spring Break, and we decided to start our countdown with Ramen from Santouka Hokkaido in Harvard Square.  We originally planned on sushi, but nothing beats a warm bowl of noodles on a cold day.  Also, shoutout to the manager for the sweet mochi on the house!

Keep your eyes peeled for some travel posts and more delicious eats to come! 

xx Katherine and Maia

Introducing: Isabelle Jaffe, Ballerina Bean

On a blustery Friday afternoon, we grab coffee with the fresh-faced and bubbly Isabelle Jaffe, Harvard freshman, accomplished ballerina, and all around sweet human bean.  The setting is the Fogg Museum of Art’s bustling cafe. We muse over pastries and sandwiches in the display case as we attempt to find a seat in the crowded establishment.  Jaffe, a good sport, follows suit with a smile.

    “I always used to watch the movie I Want to Be a Ballerina When I grow Up,” she giggles at the interview’s start.  It seems that some things are meant to be.  At the age of 3, Jaffe took up dancing and hasn’t stopped since.  In fact, as a senior in high school, she left her home in California to live in New York City, enrolling in classes at the Professional Children’s School while pursuing her love of dance through the Ballet Academy East’s pre-professional division.  Taking off to an unfamiliar city and balancing a rigorous academic life with a pre-professional dance one isn’t a sacrifice most eighteen year olds have to make, but, as Isabelle openly admits, it was something she happily accepted.  Living with her grandmother in the city and dancing 3-4 hours a day for 6 days a week was really fun for her — as immersing herself in her art ought to be.  Though she considered taking a year off before college to further pursue dance, she now takes classes 5 days a week at Jose Mateo Ballet Theatre, all while enrolled as a full time Harvard student.

           Dance provides her with an escape from her demanding academic routine.  What does she enjoy most about dance?  Working towards mastering challenging choreography and impressing herself.  “I’m my own toughest critic.”  When asked if her relationship with ballet is a passionate love affair or a tumultuous relationship, she laughs and admits, “Passionate. Definitely. But it has some ups and downs because when you get to a certain level, and you’re trying to decide whether to audition for jobs, the different obstacles or frustrations that come in can kind of get you down.”

 A ballerina at heart, mind, and body, dance influences almost all aspects of Isabelle’s life, especially her style:

Go to outfit. What’s your uniform?

“Definitely anything black or close to black. What am I wearing right now? Hmm really dark pants, a black sweater, and white Stan Smiths.”  

Usual hairstyle?

“A bun for ballet. After ballet it’s usually in a ponytail, but I try to keep it down when I think it looks good.” (She jokingly describes her hair as “pedestrian straight” although her luscious, black mane promises differently.)

If your hair could speak, what would it say?

“Haha, probably, ‘stop putting me in a bun everyday.’”

What’s a trend you like right now?

“This one is pretty unattainable for daily life, but the makeup trends in fashion week are really crazy and cool. I really like makeup from all my years performing.”

What’s a trend you wish would di–?

“BIRKENSTOCKS,” she quickly interjects.

Signature phrase?

“You hate to see it.”

Soundtrack to your life?

“Classical music. I love classical music in general, but any music that’s played in ballet class is something I’ve heard a million times.”

If you had a signature lip color, what color would it be and what would it be called?

“It would probably be a color close to my actually lip color. Maybe a little shinier? Something natural – like looks natural but enhances. And can I just name it after myself? The Isabelle.”

What article of clothing have you worn to the ground?

“Well I’ve gotten my little Maj ankle boots resoled multiple times…”

If you don’t mind us asking, what’s in your bag?

“Right now it contains tutus, but usually I always have 3 things: wallet, lipgloss, and phone. KEYS! And my keys.”

Spirit dessert?

“I love banana bread and I love anything that is really chocolaty. I had a really good brownie at Crema yesterday. I shared it with my brother and let him have like half of it because it was so rich.”

If you were on death row, what would you be convicted for and what would be your last meal?

“What gets you arrested that’s like a petty crime? Probably something stupid that I didn’t even know was illegal. Oh I jay walk a lot. Especially from living in New York because I want to get places faster. And my last meal? Definitely sushi.”

Last question: how would you describe yourself as a human bean?

“In two words: determined and loyal.”

          After falling in love with her lively, upbeat personality and overall ballerina aesthetic, we segway into photos.  She changes into her typical dance uniform (think: tights, skirt, leotard, pointe shoes and all), and we split off to take some photos of her throughout the museum, quite fitting to capture her art amongst that of the Fogg.  Her twirling form falls perfectly in line with the marble sculptures and dreamy Monet’s.  Though we dodged anxious looks and hesitant stares from the dutiful museum staff, we had a  blast capturing her in her element. “The Isabelle” — brilliant ballerina, kind soul, and all around delight with whom to share a cup of coffee.  

Xx, Katherine & Maia

All photos by Katherine

Introducing #modMeals

After a long week we decided to indulge in our first #modMeals in Boston's North End. Every Thursday night we treat ourselves and scheme up plans for our upcoming posts. This week we went to Bricco and split fluffy gnocchi, classic salmon, and a vanilla bean bread pudding that brought tears to our eyes. 

Get excited for our first feature on Monday and don't forget to follow us on instagram to keep up with our journey @modandbean! 

xx

Welcome to Mod & Bean!

On February 13th, 2016, we, Katherine and Maia, met over coffee and warm paninis and decided to share our Harvard experience — the people, the pictures, the parlance — with the world.  Mod & Bean was born.

Simply, Mod & Bean is the brainchild of two girls mixing mod fashion with Harvard wit.  This is a home for the modern Renaissance man and woman, a platform to explore fashion, thoughts, writing, pictures — anything and everything that makes life fascinating.

So what does Mod & Bean stand for?

This blog is a tribute to fashion as much as it is a tribute to people.  We both share a love for modern elegance, an appreciation for people who pay homage to tried-and-true style but still offer their own personal twist.  What better place to bear witness to this dichotomy than within a city and a school, for that matter, at the crossroads of American history and the modern person?  Hence Mod.

Now, perhaps, for the less obvious part: Bean.  A quick case study: think Boston, informally known as Bean Town, coffee shop talks, coffee beans, and our penchant for endearingly calling people “human beans” (as opposed to human beings).  We thought, what if we interviewed cool people with cool fashion over a cup of coffee so we could learn a little more about what motivates them, stylistically and generally?  Bean — being is everything.  Mod & Bean soon followed.

At the end of the day, we want to create a space that embodies freedom of expression, that celebrates the modern human bean in all of his or her glory, from thread to mind to bone. We want this blog to be a testament to the dreamers and the doers. A toast to the coffee shop conversations turned big ideas. We hope you follow along with us on our journey.

xx Katherine and Maia