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Interview with the Vampire (Writer)

Elizabeth "Flynn" Meaney graduated from Notre Dame in 2009 with a Marketing degree. Currently, she lives in New York and is a poetry student in the Hunter College MFA Creative Writing program. "Bloodthirsty," her first major novel, was published on Oct. 5.

It's Kind of a (Not So) Funny Story

"It's Kind of a Funny Story" is an adaptation of the book by Ned Vizzini, following the story of a depressed teenager, Craig, who gets admitted to the psychiatric ward of a hospital after having suicidal thoughts. However, it fails to live up to its title by treading the line between dark comedy and teen drama.

Music Under the Radar: Females of Urban Folk

The Situation: Music hunters seek, read, blog and cull music from radio, print and, most often, the interwebs. Music gatherers collect mix CD's, free digital downloads and whatever their friends happen to be listening to. If you are a gatherer, this space is for you. If you are a hunter, email me your latest find, and I promise you'll find it written up here. (Seriously. Email. Even if you're not a student.)

Trapt's new album "No Apologies" good, not great

With Papa Roach's concert at Club Fever a few weeks ago came Trapt, the band formed by high school students in California with a love of hard rock. Today marks the release of their fourth studio album, "No Apologies," released under the Eleven Seven label and produced by John Karkazis. The album was originally scheduled for release on Sept. 14, but several singles from the album have been available on iTunes and the band's official site between July and September.

Fashion by Felicia: Satchels

Every morning when I awake I am besieged by many thoughts—what is my schedule again, where am I going, what am I doing, etc, etc. All these questions I affront with ease: with my trusty agenda by my side I laugh in the face of disorganization. However, without fail every morning there arrives that one moment when I must draw upon every ounce of zeal I posses to answer that one question which trounces all the others in its complexity — how in the world am I going to fit all of today's precious necessities into one fashionable, style worthy bag?

Scene Style Spotter

Here it Goes Again:' OK Go returns to Notre Dame

Marching bands. Pop punk. Laser guitars. Rube Goldberg machines. Rescue dogs. Net neutrality. Dance funk. Try to limit the creativity of OK Go or slow them down, and, well, you'll probably fail.

For Ramblers, wins begin at dining hall

Siegfried is widely known as the ‘Hall of Champions' due to the overall success their interhall sports teams have had in competition. This includes the football field, where the Ramblers have won the past two interhall championships and are off to a 2-0 start this season.

Ronson makes a 'bang' with new 'Record Collection'

Guitarist/musician/producer/hipster-socialite extraordinaire Mark Ronson is back with a new album after his critically acclaimed 2007 disc of cover songs, "Version." Under the name of his new band, Mark Ronson & The Business Intl., "Record Collection" has entirely original songs that feature Ronson, his band and a slough of assorted American and British musicians, from rappers to the London Gay Men's Chorus to ‘80s pop icons. The album is full of Ronson's typical brand of hipster dance floor music, featuring an assortment of synthesizers and other electronic tools and eccentric instruments to supplement the more typical drums, guitars and vocals.

Right on 'The Mark'

The weekend has finally arrived and you decide to stroll down to the newly-built Eddy Street Commons with friends in hopes of an early dinner out. South Bend's sleek and trendy Eddy Street is located across the street from Notre Dame's main entrance, a prime location for those students with an eager appetite. You walk through the doors of The Mark Dine & Tap and you are instantly taken in by the aroma of fresh ingredients, and the smile of friendly servers. The lavish bar is packed with people enjoying a crisp beer and good conversation. Waiting to be seated it is hard not to notice the contemporary and chic décor that drapes the restaurant's walls and ceilings. You are seated and given a colorful menu with anything and everything you could imagine. With everything from mouth watering burgers to crisp and fresh salads, The Mark does not disappoint.

The Mark Dine & Tap: Q&A with Jonathan Lutz

Jonathan Lutz, a native Chicagoan, moved to South Bend with his wife seven years ago, and four years later opened up his flagship restaurant, Uptown Kitchen in Granger. Now, his latest venture, The Mark Dine & Tap, is the only locally owned business in Eddy Street Commons. With "high quality and fresh ingredients," a student friendly to-go window and an upscale diner feel, Lutz is hoping it will be a stand out among South Bend  eateries.

Sounds of British Radio

The Department of Film, Television, and Theatre and the Institute for Scholarship in the Liberal Arts will present FTT Talks with Tony Stoller tonight. Stoller was the regulator of commercial radio in the UK until his retirement in 2006. He has just published the definitive history of the medium, in "Sounds of Your Life: The History of Independent Radio in the UK", describing an experiment in blending commercial and public service which is unique in the English-speaking world.

ARTgenda: October

This month marks the 13th annual Chicago Artists Month. Every year, the Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs hosts events across the city in an effort to raise awareness about the arts in Chicago. As part of Chicago Artists Month, free gallery tours are offered throughout gallery districts around the city, such as the River North and West Loop Districts.

Jimmy Eat World Maintains their Laid-back Pop-punk Sound on 'Invented'

Hailing from Mesa, Ariz., the pop-punk veterans of Jimmy Eat World have a legacy of creating albums that combine driving rhythms and massive hooks with introspective, poignant lyrics. Most famous for the 2001 breakthrough single "The Middle" and its accompanying video, the band's newest full-length, "Invented," can be accurately viewed as a combination of its previous studio efforts.

Weekend Events Calendar

Thursday: Acousticafe

Kanye West's new album: Push-backs and hot tracks for Nov. 22 release

Does Kanye West have the potential to make a bad album? "808s and Heartbreaks" was a scare, but proved its worth over the long haul. With four dynamite albums behind him, three of which place on almost every American "Best of the Decade" list, Kanye West has set a high standard for himself.

Now & Then: Campus concerts

In case you haven't heard, OK Go is coming to Notre Dame this weekend to perform at halftime of the Pittsburgh game and later in the evening at Legends Nightclub. Some other musical acts that have graced South Bend with their presence in the last couple of years include Good Charlotte for "The Show" in 2008 and Papa Roach with Trapt at Club Fever just last week.

Fit or fad

Reebok Easy Tones promise a nice posterior, Skechers Shape-Ups claim to give Joe Montana better posture and myriad knock-offs at stores like Target and Wal-Mart offer all the benefits at half the price.

Let Me In': More than just another vampire movie

Just to get these things out of the way upfront, "Let Me In" is a vampire movie, and it's a remake of a Swedish-language movie "Let the Right One In" released two years ago. The plot of "Let Me In" does not stray too far from that of its Swedish predecessor. Even some of the scenes are shot and choreographed very similarly, and it does carry many tropes of the vampire genre: forbidden romance, fatal weaknesses and a desire to be normal, but at least they left out the sparkles.

Better than your average Wisconsin high school squad

We have all heard of interhall football here at Notre Dame. We know that ND has one of the only full contact interhall leagues in the country. We have followed the story of David Ruffer, the Notre Dame kicker  was plucked from the interhall fields two years ago by Charlie Weis and is perfect as the Irish starting kicker this year.