Coffee with some extra cream: Michelangelo's Coffee and Wine Bar

Michelangleo’s Coffee and Wine Bar is a quaint coffee and wine bistro located on Main street, providing delicious food, wine and coffee to the residents of Norman. Owned and operated by Michael and Paula Palermo. The shop gives everyone a place to study, chat with friends over coffee, and listen to the local music scene every Tuesday night. Although the shop does get rather loud with the music and the constant stream of people coming in, it is a unique place that Norman is lucky to have.

         Michelangelo’s is popular with college students for their coffee and chocolate, although the cost is a little higher than a student would like to pay. At $2.50 for a large plain coffee, the shop’s prices are comparable to Starbucks or Crimson and Whipped Cream. The décor and unique arrangement of furniture and knickknacks provides an interesting atmosphere to sip on coffee and study. Older Residents of Norman often stop by to have a glass of wine with friends and talk with the storeowners, who are well known throughout the community.

         Michael Palermo, the storeowner who opened the shop and still manages it, credits his father with his desire to become an entrepreneur and finally created the first Michelangelo’s in Denver Colorado. After meeting his wife and deciding to move to Norman, the Palermos opened the second Michaelangelo’s, and are here to stay. While Michelangelo’s has the feel of a unique coffee shop, many students are surprised when they find out that the original one is located in Colorado.

         Tayler Pierce, a frequent visitor of Michelangelo’s and coffee lover, says that Michelangelo’s is a huge help to her during school.

“I love Michelangelo’s because it gives me a good place to study outside of my house, and I can relax and drink good coffee while doing my homework. Everyone gets free wireless Internet if you buy something, and the baristas are friendly. The only thing is sometimes it takes a long time for them to make your order.”

Michelangleo’s is located in downtown Norman on Main Street, next to Bison Witches. For more information on Michelangelo’s, visit www.michelangeloscoffeeandwine.com.

Award-Winning Blogger Says Social Media Will Change Middle East

Award-winning columnist and social blogger Mona Eltahawy gave a presentation on social media in the Middle East entitled "Blogging for Social Change" in the University of Oklahoma's Memorial Union on Wednesday, September 15, 2010. Talking about her native Egypt, Eltahawy says that social media has given the people a voice when the government has tried to oppress them. Eltahawy, a self-professed proud liberal Muslim, lectured on how social media expands the news and how it gets the word out on political issues. 

She doesn't expect social media to reach the Middle East in a few decades-she claims it has already started changing the region, giving hope to the public as they learn more about their political freedom and start writing new laws against corruption. In an interview with Voice of America, Eltahawy says this:

"I find social media to be one of the few tools in the Middle East that keep me optimistic about the region.  Social media have given the most marginalized groups in the region a voice.”

This is a huge development for the Arab community in the Middle East, encouraging people, including minorities, to branch out and educated themselves on the country’s political activities. Arabs and Muslims in other countries, such as America or England also feel the impact of this social change on traditions and culture.

From a bystander perspective, I not only think it takes courage to encourage members of her old community to stand up for themselves and share news with each other, but as a woman and feminist, Mona embodies the new spirit of the woman of the 21^st century, strong, empowered and bold, and she teaches other Arab women to do the same. Arab women will help bring the social change that Mona and others like her cry out for.

Change is inevitable for social media and the Middle East. With change we can look forward to a new era in the Arab world, complete with new laws and a possibly new democratic society. For more information, please visit Mona Eltahawy’s website www.monaeltahawy.com.