As I sit in the burned out remnants of the majestic Turner Ballroom, with its naked walls and stripped ceilings, I can’t imagine a more appropriate place to witness the austere beauty and painful honesty of Daniel Johnston’s music.

I’m sitting at a small table with a close friend, drinking Pabst tall boys and scribbling notes by the light of a candle. Surrounding me are artist types, rebel types, grunge types and freak types, all transfixed by the rapturous presence of a scruffy, toothless and awkward little man strumming harsh chords on a tiny guitar.

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One of the most eclectic blend of sounds in recent memory has come together to form the first great album of 2008.

Vampire Weekend seems to have emerged from the past with the intent of blurring the boundaries of genre. Hailing from the center of the universe, this New York City foursome have come together and somehow created a uniquely familiar sound in the form of their self titled debut album.

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Ten years ago, it must have been quite a feat for director Julie Taymor (“Frida”) to transform “The Lion King” from a kids movie to a Broadway extravaganza. Somehow, she managed to do it, combining the story of the animated classic with modern dance, African masks and Japanese puppetry, all the while blurring the line between man and animal.

“The Lion King” is a visual treat for theatergoers. The show has hundreds of beautiful costumes and intricate masks. There are no animals used in the performance, but dozens of actors slip into animal costumes. These are no ordinary costumes however, as there is no attempt to hide the actors from the audience.

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As spring approaches, slow as it may be, there is one store that is preparing to make a major environmentally friendly change. By Earth Day 2008 (April 22), all Whole Foods Markets will eliminate the use of plastic grocery bags.

This will occur throughout all 270 plus stores, including stores in the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom.

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With all the stuff we have going on in our lives, we’d be crazy to add something else to the mix, right?

Between endless hours of studying and working, interrupted by fleeting sleep, we often forget to take time for ourselves and relax. One way to combat this tendency is by expressing our inner creativity, namely though crafting.

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Discovering the ins and outs of a new city is always exciting, especially in one with such a fast-paced environment as Milan. As with any major city, there are niches for every sort of person from the art, fashion and literary-types. Depending on which café you step into, the conversation, and especially the attire, may vary drastically.

One of the places to be at the moment is Armani Prive. In Milan, the boutique is almost as important as the merchandise, and as such, Armani has certainly cornered the market. There is a virtual Armani department store ready to cater to any of your needs. Flowers? Candy? Food? Books? Bar? Dancing? The Armani boutique is a one-stop shop.

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What I am about to do is unleash a big campus secret, that not even I knew about until a mere few weeks ago. There’s a little place on the third floor of the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee Union called the Kenwood Inn.

When the elevator doors open you will most likely be greeted with silence, as there is sort of a student lounge that, strikingly, had no students in it both times I visited the Inn.

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“Persepolis,” a film based on the original graphic novels by Marjane Satrapi, captures the imagination. As rich textures wind their way into the untouched recesses of the mind, Satrapi transports the audience into a dream world.

The animation used for “Persepolis” envelopes the screen with characters that border on realism. This is definitely not a cartoon.

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The Academy Awards and I have a sort of love/hate relationship. For as little merit as I put in their choices, I am still enthralled by the entire process and wait for Oscar night with bated breath.

Although I agree with this year’s nominations more so than in years past (“The Queen” for best picture? Seriously?), there are still some massive snubs in every major category. Here are my picks for the movies and people that Oscar just seemed to forget about in 2007.

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“Devil May Cry 4” delivers the first next-gen sequel to Capcom’s beloved stylized gothic series.

Set within the Venice-esque city of Fortuna, the game starts off with the player in the role of Nero, the brash and hot-headed protagonist with striking similarities to Dante.

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“If Beethoven were alive today, he’d be a video game composer.” Coming from Tommy Tallarico, a man who has been immersed in the industry for nearly two decades, this says a lot.

Tallarico has been a staple in video game music since the Super Nintendo days. He made his mark on the industry with his off the wall score for “Earthworm Jim,” which gelled perfectly with the bizarre visuals and story of the game.

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