Authors I Love: Charles Bukowski

So I'm probably not really qualified to write an entire blog on Bukowski. I honestly don't know that much about the fellow. My Bukowski experiences are limited to two. The first involves me being rather liquored up, on my friend Kile's mattress in his uber-bohemian place, while he read me Bukowski and we listened to Connor Oberst. The second, culminates as of yesterday with my completion of Ham on Rye .

It didn't take me long to finish Ham on Rye and I think that's what I liked about it. It may also have been that it was a rather easy break from pages and pages of Palahniuk that can get a bit complex at times. Bukowski is pretty straight forward, no sugar coating necessary, and at least in this instance, he takes on a rather masculine tone, which I seem to handle better then reading the Bronte sisters. Romantic, I am not.

I also loved the ability to read Bukowski on the train and not have to stop in the middle of a chapter when I reached my stop. In fact, I'm considering buying a Bukowski novel for a poet friend of mine for Christmas, who doesn't like to read because he claims that books cannot hold his attention span long enough for him to finish them. Either way, I think that I'll read Bukowski again in the future, though I may need a slight break from all that craziness.

One Day Our Kids Will Mock Us

Dear Vanessa Hudgens,

I think you're pretty adorable, and even though you were young, and stupid, and maybe a little naive to jeopardize your career at Disney to gain the attention of a boy by sending him naked pictures, I'm still on your side. As someone on your side, let me ask you this, have you looked at pictures of your mom from the 80s? I've spent many a days in my youth mocking my mom's uber-80s style, and although I at times recreate those same styles, I avoid having my picture taken (let alone being plastered all over the pages of Us Weekly and People) when I'm wearing said styles.

That being said, this is a bit ridiculous and over the top dontcha think?

Authors I Love: Bret Easton Ellis

I go through a lot of phases. I go through phases of intense exercises, phases of eating peanut butter obsessively, and phases of reading every book by one author. This summer that phase was Bret Easton Ellis. The author of Less Than Zero , The Rules of Attraction, and American Psycho , I couldn't put any of his books down. Sure, they're a bit bizarre, and somewhat graphic (okay, I'm sure American Psycho is super graphic, but I haven't read that one yet, it's happening soon, I promise). I just can't help but love everything about the ease of reading his working, and the attitude of the super privileged.

I'm sure many people have seen the movie versions of his books. I remember watching Rules of Attraction in the days of my youth, but I now have a much bigger appreciation for the film, even if it does star James Van Der Beek (excuse the capitalization and spelling, I don't care enough to look it up). However, if you've seen the 80's classic Less Than Zero starring Andrew McCarthy and a very young and delicious Robert Downey Jr., don't let that be a deciding factor of B.E.E., the movie is a horrible interpretation of the book (in my opinion). The good news is that B.E.E. is supposedly writing a sequel to this book due out in 2010.

I am not a literary critic or genius, but I know what I like, know that I love these books, and all I can do is pass them on. So seriously, go out there and pick one up, I suggest starting with Less Than Zero his first novel, still written when he was a college student on an meth binge. How could you not want to read something like that?

Cool New Thing To Try: Aerial Silks

I work for a yoga/athletic wear company and one of the many perks of my job is that I get the opportunity to try almost any class in the city for free. Usually I would stick to yoga classes, or maybe a class at Physique 57, but this also means I can try really bizarre classes as long as they are physically active. A coworker of mine was taking an aerial silks class, and decided to sign me up, knowing that would force me to go.

I honestly had no idea what I was getting myself into.

Within minutes I was climbing up long strands of silk attached to the ceiling, inverting myself, doing upside straddles, half crows nests, and making an attempt at inverting myself while already in the air. By halfway through the class I could feel the burn, and by the end of the class I was already starting to get sore. I woke up this morning with a limited range of motion in my tender arms and abs that haven't really been worked in a month.

Another really amazing thing about the class was that while I was a beginner taking it, there were many advanced people also there. When I wasn't attempting new tricks myself, I was mesmerized by the amazing and beautiful things my peers were doing. I'll admit, I'm totally hooked, and can't wait for my next class. Cirque du Soleil, here I come!

Perez Hilton is Ruining Everything I Love About Subculture

Okay, I love to read Perez Hilton. I love all the crappy celebrity gossip, I'm a bit addicted, I'm not going to lie. However, I HATE when Perez claims to have "discovered" new things. The first time this happened was with the Canadian Indie band "Said the Whale." Okay, this one isn't fair because I know one of the band members, so of course I knew who they were, and I will admit it was super cool to see my friends band being advertised on Perez Hilton, because they are amazing. The next time this happened was with Agyness Dean. Perez claimed that she was the next upcoming supermodel. Well for those of us that were fashion followers, we knew Agyness had been huge for a long time in the fashion world, and the minute Perez began a following was the minute us fashion followers jumped off the Agyness bandwagon.

Today was my last straw. Perez posted about the Icelandic singer Emiliana Torrini. I've been listening to Torrini for years. Literally, since like 1999 or whenever that horrible Kirsten Dunst "Crazy/Beautiful" movie came out. I've even went so far as to introduce Torrini to every boyfriend/friend I've ever had, and the first song I ever publicly performed was Sunny Road by Torrini. It is no secret that I like to covet certain musicians and bands, and Torrini was one of them. I want to see bands succeed and making a living doing what they love, but I have a huge problem with them becoming flash in the pan trends. And Perez, I think you have the possibility of making a high musician turnover rate.

Okay, this rant is over. Until next time...

So You Wanna Be An Indie Kid? Brooklyn Edition

The other night I attended the Sunset Rubdown concert at the Music Hall of Williamsburg. Not only was it my first official New York concert, it was my first official time in the real Williamsburg (not East Williamsburg a.k.a. Bushwick). Needless to say, I was thrilled. Here I was, getting to see one of my favorite bands, in a place that is know for it's 20-something indie scene.

Unfortunately, indie kids disappoint me. In both towns I lived in before, the indie kids were easy to spot because they looked different. Here, there was a room full of people who all looked the same. Not to say that they are any less indie for that, but it makes me want to be the iconoclast I am and change the way I look. So if you wanna be an indie kid there are some very easy things I noticed that you can do.

Guys:
Grow a beard. Not a goatee, but a full on scraggly beard. And if you don't have that ability, at least try.
Don't cut your hair for a while. Unless you have a beard. Short hair and a beard work, long hair and a beard even better, but clean cut is a definite no-no.
Build a collection of vintage t-shirts/concert tees/clever and witty tees. Make sure that they aren't too big, not too small. They have to fit just right.
Borrow your girlfriends jeans. If you can't fit into her jeans, make sure you invest in a pair of tight jeans that look like the belong to your girlfriend.
Travel back to 1992, and stock up on plaid shirts. Oh, if only indie kids knew what a role Marc Jacobs had in all this.
If your eyesight is poor, get yourself some Rivers Cuomo glasses.

Gals:
Give up your heels. Unless of course, they are attached to knee high worn-in, vintage boots.
Start buying vintage. Dresses and tees specifically. Also boots. Boots in various colors as long as they come to your mid-calf or higher and are flat.
Run to your nearest American Apparel and buy up everything in your sight. T-shirts, dresses, leggings, hoodies, everything American Apparel will work.
Channel Jenny Lewis or Irina Lazareanu with your hairstyle. Thick heavy bangs, long straight locks, or slightly wavy.
Invest in a big slouchy cloth bag. The indie scene is not somewhere you will see Louis Vuitton, Marc Jacobs, and Coach bags. Unless of course, they're vintage.
Start drinking beer. There seem to be an alarming shortage of girly drinks in the indie scene.

There you have it. The easiest and surest way to fit into the indie scene in Brooklyn. I also suggest a "I don't give a fuck attitude" for good measure. The sad thing, is that I used to feel slightly original with my indie-ness. Of course, I lived in a town clad in Abercrombie and Fitch and American Eagle. Wearing vintage was weird and original. I'll be spending the next couple weeks trying to figure out a way to reinvent my style.

Event to Try: The Poetry Brothel

I've been in the city less then a week. I'm still living with my friend, desperately searching out a place and job hunting like crazy. However, I'm still making time to have fun and explore all the glorious things the city has to offer.

That being said, last night my dear friend dragged me to a "Poetry Brothel" in Brooklyn. I didn't know what to expect, but whatever it was, this event was not what I expected. The first thing I have to remember is that spaces in NYC are SMALL. I expected it to be more of an open warehouse type thing, but it was a small apartment building. It was crowded, hot, and sticky. But that can't ruin your night. There are various "whores" that you can pay to read you poetry (you get a free reading with your $10 cover charge). They come out and do excerpts at the beginning (most in costume). It is such a diverse group of talented poets it becomes tough to decide which whore you're going to take. You can choose from poems on beastiality, snails (my personal favorite), or rigor mortis erections.

If getting a poetry reading isn't your thing, then maybe the live music, ever present absinthe, or just the company will get you there. Either way, next time you're looking for something to do and the poetry brothel is going on, head down at least for a little while, you'll be glad you did. http://www.thepoetrybrothel.com