Why We Love Cupcakes

I have had Cupcakes on the brain recently.  1st I interviewed at a cupcake speciality location yesterday, and then last night after dinner, a friend of mine went to seek out dessert and stumbled upon the same chain and stopped to pick up cupcakes.

We decided on three overly decadent, disgustingly sweet, pretty little concoctions, got them to go and headed back to his place to eat them.  In the midst of this conversation, I figured out why everyone loves cupcakes.

Yes, they are pretty, or cute, but so is a regular cake.  Yes, they are convenient, but most of the time you put them on a plate and eat them similar to a regular cake.  No no no, these are not the reasons for the mass cupcake love.  The real reason is that we don't like sharing.  Sure, we will donate money to causes, and we will give half our sandwich away, but a cupcake is different.  Perhaps it's because it's wrapped in wax paper, or maybe because it's a complete decoration on top as opposed to part of a picture, either way, cupcakes give us permission not to share.

I distinctly remember feeling this way when I was a selfish only-child in preschool.  Whenever it was blueberry muffin day, I loved the fact that I got a whole muffin to myself, and it was just mine.  Well, it's 18 years later, and I think I still love the fact that with a cupcake, you can be as selfish as you want.  And when you buy a cupcake, you get to pick your flavor, instead of being left with chocolate cake and chocolate frosting, like every other kid in the third grade.

Perhaps that's why cupcakes have caught on so much in NYC.  With our constant sharing of personal space, we need something to let us escape and that we feel ok about not sharing.  And hey, it being NYC, we will just walk off the calories on the way home from the subway.

I have a new goal in life, to make the entire Nintendo series of games into cupcakes.

Authors I Love: Chuck Klosterman

I am a bit late to board the Chuck Klosterman bandwagon.  By this time, he's written 6 books, and I've only read 2.  Granted, those 2 books probably took me 4 days to read, and that's exactly why I'm obsessing.  I cannot put his books down.

The first, and Klosterman's second, given to me by my former manager was, naturally, Sex, Drugs, and Cocoa Puffs, which if you've somehow managed to escape, is a collection of popular culture essays.  Klosterman stole my heart when he wrote about the 1980s Lakers vs. Celtics rivalry, which mirrors my current sports obsession, or when he wrote about my childhood favorite, Saved by the Bell.

The second, I finished in a day and a half.  Yesterday, I spent nearly all day on my couch reading Killing Yourself to Live, which is a narcissistic, obsessive account of rock music and relationships, told as Klosterman drives across the country.  A self-aware homage to High Fidelity, I found myself making a list of albums I needed to listen to in order to understand where Klosterman was coming from as he wrote.

I have four Klosterman books left to read, which will take me, oh a week.  I hope that those novels can make me a) nostalgic for my youth, b) jealous of his knowledge, c) craving new music, and d) wanting to be a better writer.  Let's be honest, I read Klosterman because I am Klosterman.  I may not be as talented of a writer, and I may not get to work at a really awesome magazine due to all my obscure knowledge, but truth be told, everything Klosterman thinks, is probably right along the same lines of what I think.

Uh oh, I've given myself away.  Hopefully there aren't too many Klosterman fans out there who now can see deep into my soul based on what they've read in his books...

New York Band to See: Animal Hands

Every so often I pretend to be well versed in music and write a review of a band.  Truth be told, I'm not great at it, but I do enjoy writing about a decent show I've seen.

Last night, I decided to check out Marcellus Hall at Union Pool here in Brooklyn, and the opening band was Animal Hands, also a Brooklyn based band.  Animal Hands, which upon first inspection sounded like an 80s John Hughes soundtrack fused with West Coast beats I've come to know and love fronted by vocals reminiscent of a 1960s man band.  Both vocally powerful and technically proficient, this band deviates from the typical Brooklyn based indie rock you grow used to hearing at local bars.

With their button up shirts and v-neck sweaters, they also didn't have the typical "hipster" appeal.  They looked like they belonged on my high schools speech and debate team.  I immediately wanted to invite them all over for pizza and Super Nintendo.

Animal Hands at Union Pool

You can download their EP Suntan for free here.

And check out some of their other songs and upcoming shows.

How Mary-Kate: My New Knitted Armwarmers

Since my return to New York, I have been knitting like crazy. My first project was a pair of knitted arm warmers so that most of my hand could stay warm on my way to the train, but I could still use my iPhone (yes, I'm a bit that obsessive).

I had two screw-up armwarmers before I ended up perfecting it. The first, was too big for my hand (I was following a really standard pattern, with no gauge or anything, so I'm not too surprised), and the second armwarmer ended up unravelling due to my dropping a stitch on the last row. But alas, I have done it, two semi-matching armwarmers. Sure, one feels a bit loser then the other, but hey, underneath my mittens that will hardly matter.

My super cool new armwarmers, and my badass manicure which has chipped while I typed this

The yarn was given to me a while ago by my mom's friend Erica.  I've been trying to figure out what to do with it forever, and I think my armwarmers were a perfect project.  The yarn is made from strips of recycled sari's from India.  I used size 8 bamboo needles, and the combo of the yarn and needles made me feel like a total knitting hippie.  These make me feel a bit like Mary-Kate Olsen, a bit raw and ragged, super colorful, and somewhat imperfect.

A little bit blurry, but here's a close up of my knit job

My next project?  An ice cream pint cozy.  My current detox means that I've traded in the vice of alcohol for the vice of sweets, and there has been a lot more Ben & Jerry's in my freezer then usual.  Gotta get knitting that cozy to keep my fingers from freezing off...

Sorry for Not Posting

Sorry I haven't been posting much lately, but to keep in tune with what I'm up to check out my other blog (don't worry, it's only for January):

On The Wagon NYC

Style Inspiration: The Imaginarium of Dr. Parnassus

My recent sobriety has caused me to look all over for ways to kill time, and one of my favorite tried and true methods is a trip to the movies.  This weekend, that movie of choice was The Imaginarium of Dr. Parnassus.  Dragging along my roommate, who was easily bought with the following: Johnny Depp, Colin Farrell, Jude Law, and Heath Ledger, we took in a matinee showing at the Landmark Sunshine Cinema.

I wasn't sure what to expect.  Being Heath Ledger's last film, I imagined clever rewrites, great performances, and difficulty watching the screen.  Combine that with Terry Gilliam's sense of surrealism and an appearance by Tom Waits and this movie became a hipster's dream.

Turns out, what I was most captivated by was Lily Cole as Valentina.  Cole, a model turned actress who scored the role of Alice, in Marilyn Manson's upcoming Phantasmagoria: The Visions of Lewis Carroll, has doll like features and legs to die for.  Going from runway to silver screen isn't always so successful for some models, but Cole seems to have a promising future as an actress.  Perhaps it was the cinematography, or the art direction, but Cole seemed to blend perfectly among the bizarre and strange of Parnassus.

Lily Cole's porcelain doll like features and striking looks made her an obvious choice for Gilliam's film

My personal favorite?  The gypsy like clothes Cole was seen in for most of the film.  Layers of skirts, scarves, knits, necklaces, topped off with a jangling anklet.  I could not get enough.  It was like an Olsen Twin meets Stevie Nicks meets Gypsy.

Heath Ledger and Lily Cole in The Imaginarium of Dr. Parnassus

My plan this winter is to take a page from the impoverished world of Dr. Parnassus, one part vintage dress + two parts knit = enough warmth to help me survive New York City...or London.

Best Montana Find: Vintage Prada

One of my favorite parts about Montana is that I have the opportunity to buy designer vintage for much cheaper then I would find it for in the city. While it is rare that I am able to find anything designer (it's Montana after all) I can usually manage to find one or two really great items.

This trip, I was on a mission to find a more professional wardrobe. One of these days I won't be working at a restaurant and I may actually have to look semi-professional. I killed two birds with one stone when I found these vintage Prada loafers on sale for $30.

Vintage Prada Loafers, Blue Suede with Brown Leather Straps

A bit tight, but still comfortable.  These loafers make me think of Audrey Hepburn meets Molly Ringwald.  I fully plan on wearing them with leggings, skinny jeans, and dresses come spring.  Not bad for $30 bucks.

One more picture, for proof