The Mystery Matinee

When you arrive at the theatre, the doors are yet to be unlocked. There’s a huddled mass collected around the fringe of the threshold, eagerly awaiting the arrival of a hungover college student, who will unlock the door with a hardy yawn. The crowd shuffles in, all ages, clutching their phones, email apps open to the confirmation page with the code that holds the key to a ticket. Some are chatting with others, some are lingering outside taking the last drags of cigarettes or the final sips of contraband coffee in the shadows of the theatre. In a matter of 5 minutes that drag on like eons, the college student unlocks the cage that guards the reception desk, opens the till, and gestures, with his eyes half closed, for the hungry film fans to form a queue. After a lifetime of anticipation, you’re finally in your seat, and this is when the buzz really starts. The screen remains blank, the seats begin to fill,  the phones are set to silent. Then…the lights go dim, and anything can happen.

Knuckles, Knees and Community

Katie is a young female from New Jersey trying to be the best she can be at everything that she does. She spoke to me about her experience with the art of Muay Thai. Mike: Tell us how you got into this sport Katie: I grew up, with 3 older brothers, wanting to play football,…

Jeny vs The Boston Marathon

Jeny is a 25-year-old New Jerseyan who ran the Boston Marathon through an injury and terrible weather (38 degrees F, 31 degree wind chill, pouring rain and of course, 26.2 miles). She says it was brutal and she’s glad it’s over. A week before the race, we sat down to get a peek into Jeny’s life…

It’s a festival… It’s a Bollywood movie… It’s an Indian wedding!

India is known for many things – delicious food, colourful festivals, Bollywood and last, but not the least – spectacular weddings! Stereotypically, most Indian weddings have been portrayed in the west as a never-ending event with people dancing with the groom on a horse, lots and lots of food and more dancing! Does this really…

A Song of Senses

– I am not sure how to describe my motivation for this one. I  recall things of note from memory, select a category, in this case, our 5 Senses. I think it all comes from memories in the current and all my past lives, for those who believe in such a thing- “I hear a…

Why I Hate my Best Friend?

“Chris is a die-hard, avid, shameless, loud Trump supporter while I am a basically the extreme polar opposite that leans extremely liberal in every sense of government”

Culture, Travel & Human Connection

Two adventures converge in one conversation:  Follow Carl at @Carlwearsprada & Chris at @Chris.Bellizzi , @Twooguys , Christopherbellizzi.com   Carl: “I spend my days writing code as a software developer in New Jersey, but every other moment I’m awake now is spent obsessing over trying to reach out to more people and raise awareness about issues I think need more visibility. I…