1
MAY 2010
SUNDAE MAGAZINE EDITORIAL STAFF Britt Middleton Founder and Editor-in-Chief Fashion and Beauty Director britt@sundaemag.com
Cameron Hubbard Arts&Culture Editor
cameron@sundaemag.com
Alisha Torrealba Music Editor
alisha@sundaemag.com
Christian BC Music Historian
christianbc@sundaemag.com
Tom Vinson Contributor
tom@sundaemag.com
Amanda McRae Contributor
amanda@sundaemag.com
Kevin Yang Contributor
kevin@sundaemag.com
PRODUCTION STAFF Jack Cusumano Art Director
jack@sundaemag.com
Asha Ellison Copy Chief
asha@sundaemag.com Like what you see inside Sundae Magazine? Tells us at soundoff@sundaemag.com Advertise With Us: Sundae Magazine offers a full range of advertising options. Contact: ads@sundaemag.com PRESS Inquiries Contact: britt@sundaemag.com FOR INTERNSHIPS/FREELANCE OPPORTUNITIES Contact: britt@sundaemag.com 2
MAY 2010
p4 LETTER FROM THE EDITOR
M USIC p5 p6 p8 p9 p10
MUSIC NEWS TOUR MONSTER SUMMER SHOWDOWN GOOD VIBRATIONS HERE COMES THE SUMMER
p11 SUNDAE’S BEST
T HREADS p12 WALKING ON SUNSHINE p12 SHADY COMPANY
P RETTY p13 SUMMER READY SKIN p14 IT’S SPRITZ
C ULTURE p15 p16 p18 p19 p20
WHEN AM I GOING TO NEED TO KNOW THIS, ANYWAY? MODEL BEHAVIOR HIDDEN WONDERLAND WAKING UP IN VEGAS MAN VS. MAN
D OMESTICA p21 HALF BAKED p22 CONFECTIONALLY SPEAKING
C HEAP TALK p23 GENTLEMAN’S GAME p24 DAFT PUNK p25 BANGS 3
MAY 2010
LETTER FROM THE EDITOR School’s out and we’re hitching a ride to “Rockaway Beach”! Before we get into the summer fun we have planned, we want to extend our greatest thanks to you (yes, you sitting there) for making our first issue a huge success! It’s only inspired us to keep cranking out the good stuff -- the stuff we live for -- and the stuff you love, too. Because it’s our School’s Out issue, we’ve got your summer destinations all mapped out, including cheap getaways to Vegas (it’s possible!) and a beastly list of shows you gotta see along the way. We also bring our biggest music coverage yet. We’ve selected four summer albums you should have on deck, plus sneak peeks behind the new discs from The Pains of Being Pure at Heart, the Poison Control Center, and the debut LP from Eleven &the Falcons. We even break down the bands behind this summer’s most chill-axed genres, Chillwave and Blisscore (don’t know them yet? You will). Even if you have already burned through your cash (on beers at Coachella, perhaps?), we’ve got another fresh playlist at 8tracks.com/sundaemag that will surely get you through summer at Aunt Gertrude’s house (though, we got no tips on how to deal with all those damn cats). And don’t miss our picks for the coolest shades to block out the summer rays, plus summer skinsaves to avoid that awful raccoon tan (better pass these on to Aunt Gertrude...). Ever wanted to go behind the scenes of America’s Next Top Model? We take you there (and don’t miss exclusive video from this story and so much more on our new daily blog at SundaeMag.Wordpress.com). As you can see, we’re all about taking you someplace new. So make room -- it’s going to be an awesome summer.
Love & Leisure, Britt Middleton Editor-in-Chief Sundae Magazine
P.S. -- Is there something YOU love and want to share with us (and the world? Let us know at sundaemag@gmail.com.
4
MAY 2010
Mu SIC
MUSIC NEWS By Britt Middleton
The Pains of Being Pure at Heart Say No to Love, Yes to Summer Tour
Photo Courtesy Slumberland/Fortuna Pop
It’s clear that a little heartbreak has done the Pains a lot of good. Still riding the wave behind “Teenage Friction” from 2009’s eponymous LP (Slumberland Records/Fortuna Pop), their new single “Say No to Love” (Slumberland/ Fortuna Pop) drops digitally and in stores on June 8. “In many ways, ‘Say No to Love’ is pretty Pains-by-numbers. It’s got three chords, a fuzz pedal and lots of feelings,” says vocalist and guitarist Kip Berman. “But instead of recording in the basement like we did for our album and both EPs, we recorded in an actual studio.” The title and release date for their sophomore effort were not released at press time, but the band has called this new album their most “life affirming” work yet. This summer they hit the road for two weeks with Surfer Blood and Hooray for Earth (for selected dates, check out our Tour Monster! feature on page 6).
Eleven &the Falcons Release Debut LP
Photo By Rebecca Curry
“If I had to say anything about the inspiration [behind this album], it would be living in our apartment by Prospect Park [in Brooklyn]”, says Eleven &the Flacons vocalist and keyboardist Ali Maladi. “It was dirty and noisy, and we always talked about how we felt like we were surrounded by animals.” The trio has since relocated to the sleepy hills of Asheville, North Carolina, yet that animal-house mentality bears its teeth on their debut album The Death Vine (KillerPOP Records). The disc snakes into previously uncharted landscapes and resounds with experimental ambience. Druid-esque chants are superbly intoxicating over Maladi’s chirpy keyboard, plus quirky lyrical themes (“she’s just a pumpkin girl/she’s living in a spooky world”) recall the teenage-pop sound of their Psychic Toothpaste/Ocean Ghost 7” EP. Hear the first single on our May playlist at 8tracks.com/SundaeMag. The Death Vine hits digitally at killerPOP.com May 25.
Sad Sour Future LP A New Start for the Poison Control Center
Photo Courtesy Afternoon Records
In 2009, inside a turn of the century school house on the Mississippi River, the Poison Control Center recorded Sad Sour Future (Afternoon Records). As isolated as their surroundings, the disc reflects a lo-fi lesson in loneliness, separation and loss. The album’s 17 tracks are the culmination of two years worth of writing between the four band members, who at the time lived in four different cities, bridging the distance by periodically exchanging demos that documented their daily lives. The themes are weighty, yet jangly melodies (“After the Holiday”) cut just enough to imbue a gleam of hope amidst the melancholy. Sad Sour Future hits stores May 18 (hear them now on our May playlist at 8tracks.com/SundaeMag.
5
MAY 2010
TOUR MONSTER Lock up your daughters; these bands are coming to your town this summer.
Indian Jewelry 06-08 Los Angeles, CA - Echoplex *^% 06-09 San Francisco, CA - Slim’s *^ 06-11 Portland, OR - Mississippi Studios *^ 06-12 Seattle, WA - Vera Project *^ 06-15 Minneapolis, MN - 7th Street Entry *^ 06-16 Kalamazoo, MI - The Strutt *^ 06-17 Toronto, Ontario - Sneaky Dees (NXNE) *^ 06-18 Montreal, Quebec - La Sala Rossa *^@# 06-19 Allston, MA - Great Scott *^$ 06-20 Brooklyn, NY - Music Hall of Williamsburg *^ 06-22 Philadelphia, PA - First Unitarian Church *^ 06-23 Charlotte, NC - Snug Harbor *^ 06-24 Atlanta, GA - 529 *^ 06-25 New Orleans, LA - One Eyed Jack’s *^ 06-26 Austin, TX - Red 7 *^ 07-09 Houston, TX - Khon’s + 07-10 Austin, TX - Mohawk + 07-11 Dallas, TX - Trees + * with HEALTH ^ with Gold Panda @ with Quintron # with JEFF the Brotherhood % with Best Coast $ with the Death Set + with Lightning Bolt
Fol Chen 07/13 Minneapolis, MN First Avenue * 07/14 Madison, WI High Noon Saloon * 07/15 Milwaukee, WI Turner Hall * 07/17 Detroit, MI Magic Stick * 07/18 Newport, KY The Southgate House * 07/20 Nashville, TN Exit / In * 07/21 Bloomington, IN Rhino’s Youth Center * 07/22 St. Louis, MO Firebird * 07/23 Lawrence, KS Bottleneck * 07/24 Denver, CO Bluebird * * with Liars
Illustration By:MAY Jack Cusumano 2010 6
The Pains Of Being Pure At Heart 06/03 Milford, CT Daniel Street 06/04 Rochester, NY The German House 06/05 Buffalo, NY The Tralf 06/06 Cleveland, OH Beachland Ballroom 06/08 Memphis, TN Hi Tone Cafe 06/09 Birmingham, AL Bottletree Cafe 06/10 Tallahassee, FL The Engine Room 06/11 Orlando, FL Club at Firestone 06/12 Miami, FL Grand Central - Poplife 11 06/13 Jacksonville, FL Jack Rabbits 06/15 Carrboro, NC Cat’s Cradle 06/16 Washington, DC Black Cat All shows w/ Surfer Blood & Hooray for Earth
Passion Pit 05-31 George, WA - Sasquatch 06-02 Baltimore, MD - Rams Head Live ! 06-03 Washington, DC - 9:30 Club 06-08 Richmond, VA - The National 06-09 Atlanta, GA - The Tabernacle $ 06-12 Orlando, FL - Club at Firestone $ 06-13 Miami Beach, FL - The Fillmore $ 06-14 Tampa, FL - The Ritz Ybor $ 06-16 New Orleans, LA - House of Blues $ 06-17 Houston, TX - Warehouse Live $ 06-18 Austin, TX - Stubb’s $ 06-19 Austin, TX - Stubb’s $ 06-21 Dallas, TX - Palladium Ballroom $ 06-23 St. Louis, MO - The Pageant $ 06-25 Royal Oak, MI - Royal Oak Music Theatre $ 06-27 Philadelphia, PA - Mann Center $ 06-29 Brooklyn, NY - Prospect Park $ 06-30 New York, NY - Governor’s Island $ 08-07 Tokyo, Japan - Summersonic Festival 08-08 Osaka, Japan - Summersonic Festival 08-21 Chelmsford, England - V Festival 08-22 Stafford, England - V Festival ! with Mayer Hawthorne $ with Tokyo Police Club * with Metric ^ with Muse
Washed Out 05-06 New York, NY - Webster Hall 05-07 Philadelphia, PA - First Unitarian Church 05-08 Baltimore, MD - 2640 Space % with Beach House
Toro Y Moi
Free Energy
05/03 - Toronto, ON - Phoenix Theatre* 05/04 - Ottawa, ON - Babylon* 05/05 - Montreal, QC - La TuLipe* 05/06 - Cambridge, MA - Middle East Downstairs* 05/07 - Brooklyn, NY - Music Hall of Williamsburg* 05/08 - New York, NY - Bowery Ballroom* 05/09 - Philadelphia, PA - First Unitarian Church* 05/10 - Washington, DC - Rock and Roll Hotel* 05/11 - Charlottesville, VA - Jefferson Theatre* 05/12 - Carrboro, NC - Cat’s Cradle* 05/13 - Atlanta, GA - The Earl* 05/14 - Baton Rouge, LA - Spanish Moon* 05/15 - Houston, TX - Warehouse Live* 05/16 - Austin, TX - Emo’s Alternative Lounge Outside* 05/18 - Tempe, AZ - The Clubhouse* 05/19 - Los Angeles, CA - El Rey Theatre* 05/20 - San Diego, CA - Casbah* 05/21 - Mexico City, ME - Teatro Fru Fru* 05/22 - Monterrey, NL - Escenica 05/24 - San Francisco, CA - The Independent* 05/26 - Portland, OR - Hawthorne Theater* 05/28 - Victoria, BC - Sugar* 05/29 - Vancouver, BC - The Rickshaw Theatre* 05/31 - Calgary, AB - The Republik* 06/01 - Edmonton, AB - The Starlite Room* 06/02 - Saskatoon, SK - Amigos* 06/03 - Winnipeg, MB - Royal Albert Arms* 06/04 - Minneapolis, MN - 7th Street Entry* 06/05 - Chicago, IL - Empty Bottle 06/06 - Lawrence, KS - The Granada Theatre* 06/07 - St. Louis, MO - Firebird* 06/08 - Louisville, KY - Zanzabar* 06/09 - Cleveland, OH - Grog Shop* 06/10 - Knoxville, TN - Pilot Light 06/11 - Columbia, SC - New Brookland Tavern * with Caribou
05-08 Lancaster, PA - Chameleon Club 05-14 Lewiston, Maine - Bates College 05-26 Cambridge, MA - The Middle East Downstairs *^ 05-27 Hamden, CT - Space *^ 05-28 Philadelphia, PA - First Unitarian Church *^ 05-29 New York, NY - Bowery Ballroom *^ 05-30 Washington, DC - Rock N Roll Hotel 06-01 Chapel Hill, NC - Local 506 *^ 06-02 Charlotte, NC - Snug Harbor *^ 06-04 Jacksonville, FL - Jackrabbits ^# 06-06 St. Paul, MN - Grand Old Day Festival ^# 06-08 Birmingham, AL - Bottletree ^# 06-09 Nashville, TN - The Exit In ^# 06-10 Bloomington, IN - Bishop ^# 06-11 Rochester, NY - The Club at Water St. Music Hall ^# 07-17 Chicago, IL - Pitchfork Music Festival @ with Ra Ra Riot, Delta Spirit, Nethaniel Rateliff, Pearly Gate Music * with Miniature Tigers ^ with Jukebox the Ghost # with Drink Up Buttercup
BONNAROO MUSIC & ARTS FESTIVAL
June 10th - 13rh Line up includes: The xx, Weezer, Jay-Z, Kings of Leon, The Temper Trap, The Flaming Lips (performing Dark Side of the Moon featuring Stardeath and White Dwarfs), OK Go, The Black Keys, and Conan O’ Brien? Yeah, we’re totally there. For the complete line-up, visit our blog at SundaeMag.Wordpress.com.
7
MAY 2010
SUMMER SHOWDOWN CHILLWAVE VS. BLISSCORE Any summer is only as good as its soundtrack, and this year you’ve got two solid contenders for iPod dominance: blisscore and chillwave. A decision such as this cannot be taken lightly, so we’re presenting this handy guide to help you out. So: Team bliss? Team chill? Or, you know... both?
WHAT IS CHILLWAVE? Laid
back,
lo-fi
electronic
WHAT IS BLISSCORE? music
Bright,
airy
and
danceable
tunes
featuring wispy, washed out vocals. The
hearkening back to Balearic ‘80s music
results can veer from Giorgio Miroder to
and 1970s AM tunes.
J-Dilla territory, but are held together
Moods” as filtered through present day
by a common sense of “chill.” Think
hipster aesthetics. Acts like Swedish
shoegaze meets disco.
With Neon
duo The Tough Alliance popularized the
Indian’s recent performance on Jimmy
unlikely sound in the mid to late ‘00s,
Fallon turning a national spotlight on
but upstarts from LA to Spain are taking
the scene, this summery sound is set to
the torch and running with it into 2010.
Think “Pure
make waves this summer.
NOTABLE PLAYERS
NOTABLE PLAYERS
Neon Indian
The Tough Alliance
Memory Tapes
Air France
Washed Out
Tanlines
Toro y Moi
Kisses
Millionyoung
Delorean
Small Black
Lemonade
Pictureplane
Boat Club
ALTERNATE STYLES
ALTERNATE STYLES
& RELATED STYLES
& RELATED STYLES
Glo-Fi
Post-Rave Bliss
Lo-Fi Pop
Disco Dub Balearic Pop Balearic Disco
SUGGESTED STARTING POINT
SUGGESTED STARTING POINT
Neon Indian
Delorean
Psychic Chasms
Subiza
By: Jack Cusumano
8
MAY 2010
GOOD
VIBRATIONS By: Alisha Torrealba
Four Albums You Should Have On Deck Dum Dum Girls: I Will Be I Will Be was released just after our debut of Sundae Magazine, but I couldn’t let it remain unmentioned. Dum Dum Girls’ harmonies and simple structures may be reminiscent of poppy girl groups, but it gets even better with their energetic execution similar to Ramones or the Stooges. I Will Be exudes raw fun and murky fuzz with catchy riffs that capture its intentions perfectly. Dee Dee’s love for lo-fi is epitomized by the wonderful Richard Gittehrer (produced the Ravonettes and Richard Hell and the Voidoids), creating a steadfast tribute to their influences. The last track cover of “Baby Don’t Go”, complete with shimmering guitar and haunting vocals, leaves you with an itch to listen once more.
High Places: High Places Vs. Mankind
One of the best things about High Places is an unabashed streak of whimsy and naivety most present in 03/07-09/07. It was like the feeling sitting on the floor in kitchen banging on pots and pans… on drugs. Tracks like “She’s a Wild Horse” on High Places vs. Mankind highlight the band’s growing confidence in their polyrhythmic loops and textures. Still, the album teeters on the edges of mature progression which sacrifices elements that were once fun and sincere trademarks. Mary Pearson’s voice is much more abrasive and focused, but it tends to just echo other female-fronted groups.
Javelin: No Mas
No Más is no exception from the 80s influence/infiltration these days, but the pops are tastefully weaved throughout the dozens of other genres making an appearance. Javelin throws plenty of chillwave, hip-hop, and funk into the mix with a nice touch of George Langford’s chipmunk vocals on “Oh Centra!” Thing is, we’ve heard it before. A good amount of the tracks on No Más appeared on Jamz n Jemz as well. Despite the repetitiveness, we are no less reluctant to bust out some roller skates on the dance floor to good ol’ “Vibrationz”. I had the unfair advantage of hearing Javelin open for Yeasayer, and I must say that my attention was much less diverted when they were onstage. Nevertheless, No Más is a for sure admission to this summer’s soundtrack.
Caribou: Swim
With everything you’ve come to expect from Dan Snaith, he’s taken this opportunity to lead you in a slightly different direction. His vocals are distant and desperate feeling, setting a much darker tone to the album. Opening single “Odessa”, with it’s pulsing, twirling, dancy beat, is a misleading first impression. Truth be told, Swim fits quite perfectly into a snug, intimate space between headphones (preferably while hanging out under water). The album’s fluid layers of synth textures pour ebbing sound waves throughout your brain, leaving you with a disorienting and pleasant high.
*albums rated on a scale of 1 to 5. 9
MAY 2010
HERE COMES “The vibrato was cr anked all the way up”
THE SUMMER By: Christian BC
Get Your Teenage Kicks With The Undertones What’s the best punk stage name? Feargal Sharkey (the Undertones), Genesis P-Orridge (Throbbing Gristle), Epic Soundtracks (Swell Maps), or Green Gartside (Scritti Politti)? I asked this question on Twitter recently, and regardless of the response, my vote goes to Feargel Sharky, the frontman of late-70s/early-80s pop-punks the Undertones. And this wasn’t your high school version of pop-punk, either. The Undertones’ sound was as visceral as anything the Ramones or Dead Boys ever did, but they shared just as much in common with glam and power-pop groups. The band initially drew inspiration from 60s garage and pop, channeling outfits like the Small Faces, but the arrival of punk saw the Undertones grow leaner and tougher in sound and attitude, while their focus on strong melodies and infectious hooks remained the same. Hailing from Ireland and entering the UK punk scene at its peak, the Undertones released their eponymous debut album in mid-1979. A few months later, the album was re-released with a few singles and alternate versions added. Of the additions, “Teenage Kicks” was the most notable; a song so amazing that legendary Radio 1 disc jockey John Peel requested the song’s lyrics ‘Teenage dreams, so hard to beat’ be inscribed on his headstone when he passed (they were). Peel claimed the song to be his all-time favorite and admitted the influence of it was such that it brought him to tears whenever he heard it in latter life. The Undertones were set apart from their peers not just by their instrumentation and songwriting, but by the distinct warbling croon of Sharkey. His unique vocal style helped separate the Undertones from many of their either gruff or whiny contemporaries. A stark contrast was also drawn between the subject matter of their songs. Again, sharing much in common with power-pop, the songs revolved around love interests, youth, and having fun in a time when punk had shifted its language and look to social and political consciousness and statements. The lyrics were pop and romance, the attitude was sneering, and the vibrato was cranked all the way up. The result today is a band whose catalog contains all the ferocity of punk rock and still resonates with the more leisurely side of life. Do yourself a favor this season: swap the Beach Boys for the Undertones and inject some new life into your summer soundtrack.
10
MAY 2010
SUNDAE’S BEST Welcome to Sundae’s Best, our answer to the best playlist. Ever. Our Staff picks ‘em, you take all the credit at tonight’s party. New Playlist each month.
This is beach music. This is party music. This is the stuff you need to get the most from your summer. Enjoy the insanely cool grooves of Indian Jewelry, Free Energy, Dam-Funk, Amanda Blank, Eleven &the Falcons, Angels and Airwaves and more. Learn more about the bands at SundaeMag.com.
LISTEN @ 8TRACKS.COM/SUNDAEMAG 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13. 14. 15. 16. 17. 18. 19. 20. 21. 22. 23. 24. 25. 26. 27. 28. 29. 30. 31. 32. 33.
Caribou - “Odessa” Indian Jewelry - “Oceans” Fol Chen - “In Ruins” Ariel Pink’s Haunted Graffiti - “Round and Round” Toro Y Moi - “Blessa” Angels and Airwaves - “Young London” Super Furry Animals - “Hello Sunshine” The Ramones - “Rockaway Beach” The Undertones - “Teenage Kicks” Death Cab for Cutie - “A Lack of Color” Sleater-Kinney - “Oh” Amanda Blank - “Shame On Me” Little Boots - “Remedy” Lady Gaga - “Alejandro” Dum Dum Girls - “Blank Girl” The Golden Filter - “Hide Me” (Peter Bjorn and John’s Hortlax Cobra Remix) Cody ChesnuTT - “Come Back Like Spring” James Pants - “Ka$h” Delorean - “Stay Close” Male Bonding - “Year’s Not Long” Eleven &the Falcons - “Slowly ‘66/Alligator In The Cave” Marina & The Diamonds - “I Am Not A Robot” (Fool’s Gold Remix) MOPP - “Dream About You” KISSES - “Bermuda” Mux Mool - “Get Better John” The Poison Control Center - “After the Holiday” Thao - “When We Swam” The Acrylics - “All of the Fire” Free Energy - “Dream City” Dam-Funk - “Mirrors” B.o.B ft. Hayley Williams and Eminem “Airplanes Pt. 2” Di Genius - “Cyaa Friend Again” Gyptian - “Hold You”
11
MAY 2010
THR WALKING ON SUNSHINE EADS By Britt Middleton
Irregular Choice “Harem Harlequin” Platform $138, shopnastygal.com Be the “bee’s knees” in these vintage-inspired heels.
Nine West “Rotnei” Ballet Flat $69, ninewest.com Buttery-soft leather you can lounge in.
Harajuku Lovers “The Karl” $80, karmaloop.com The perennial boat shoe gains five inches and a sexy silhouette.
ASOS “FABULOUS” Plaited Slingback $25.36, asos.com The most comfortable thong on the beach, no doubt.
S HADY COM PANY
By Britt Middleton
BLOCK OUT
THE HATERS
Marc by Marc Jacobs “Marc Side” $98, shopbop.com
Von Zipper “MANCHU” $110, vonzipper.com
UO Oversized Drop Temple “Lady” Frame $14, urbanoutfitters.com
Super Sunglasses “The Sideviews” $187, karmaloop.com
Nine West Oversized Geometric Square Sunglasses $38, ninewest.com
12
MAY 2010
PRE TTY
SUMMER
READY SKIN By Amanda McRae
1
Not Quite Ready For Summer Short-Shorts? We’ve Got You Covered. 1. The Venus Embrace Razor, $7 Want silky, smooth skin? The Venus Embrace razor 2
was made just for that. We tested it over a few months and our legs are very happy campers. 2. Neutrogena’s Ultra Sheer Dry-Touch Sunblock SPF 30, 3 oz $9.99 It provides amazing coverage without clogging our pores. It’s sweat-proof, waterproof and doesn’t leave us shiny or sticky. Added bonus – no white streaks!
3
3. L’Oréal Sublime Glow Daily Moisturizer for Fair Skin Tones, 8 oz, $11 It works double time as a daily moisturizer and enhances our skin tone. We love how smooth and light it feels while imparting a healthy glow. If you’re looking to get a nice, even tone that’s a few shades darker than your natural one, this is the way to go.
4
4. L’Oréal Go 360˚ Clean Deep Exfoliating Scrub, 8 oz, $5.99 Our favorite indulgence of the moment! There are four to choose from based on your skin’s needs. Our skin is so smooth and blemish-free after using it, plus the scrublet feels like a massage for our face!
13
MAY 2010
IT’S SPRITZ
Never, though, did her scents quite fit me. In the same way a girl must find that particular shade of lipstick or hair color that complements her perfectly, so, too, must she find the fragrance that will linger and tell the room, “yes, I was here.”
By Cameron Hubbard
However, I am not entirely sure if scent is something
Do You Wear The Scent Or Does It Wear You?
that finds you or something that you seek out. Did
For as long as I can remember, my mother has
my mother select that darkly floral scent for herself,
kept a collection of perfume bottles on a mirrored
or was it one that just settled upon her? For that
tray that sits atop of her dresser. Some are tall and
matter, what will be the fragrance that entwines
delicate; others are short and made of thick glass.
itself with me? To that end, I’ve set upon a new
Through the years, bottles have been used up and
personal goal to discover my signature scent.
replaced by newer models, but some assortment of colored glass and scented mist has always
So far, I’ve roamed the aisles at department stores,
remained.
toying with the different perfumes. But where to begin? The light floral fragrances in pretty little
A singular note runs through each of them. No
bottles with pink and bows, or the musky, sultry
matter the brand, price or style, there is a particular
ones in dark glass and deep jewel tones? Will it be
scent that, for me, belongs solely to my mother.
a classic Chanel or a modern Marc Jacobs?
When I smell it, I envision her (the same holds true of a certain woodsy, sweet smell that calls up
For now, I’m adrift in a sea of scents, waiting for
images of my father).
the right one to come floating by. Until then, the mirrored tray on my own dresser remains empty,
Sometimes, as a child, I would spritz a bit of this
save a few experimental bottles, still mostly full
or that on myself, testing the waters of adulthood.
and dusty with disuse.
14
MAY 2010
CUL TURE
WHEN AM I GONNA NEED TO KNOW THIS
ANYWAY
PT.2
By Cameron Hubbard
In the fine tradition of English assignments for the summertime break, we present the second installment of our series on writers you kind of totally hated in high school, but that might just be worth a second go-round these days. When the final bell tolls on the last day of classes before summer break, the last thing anyone wants to think about is school. Parties and fun are just over the horizon, followed by months of sleeping in and vegging-out. First, though, the summer reading lists, which each student takes dutifully, placing it in a backpack that will sit in a corner, unopened, until fall rolls around and the new school year beckons. While summer reading lists undoubtedly elicited a groan from even the most devoted of students, the end-of-year tradition held a veritable who’s who and what’s what of literary luminaries and landmarks. This Month: E.E. Cummings: Whether you prefer the capitalized E.E. or the somewhat more fanciful and modest e.e., Cummings is undoubtedly a fixture in modern literature. Almost everyone will read a poem by the American modernist at least once in high school. And with his particular fondness for never being quite in-step grammatically or linguistically, slogging through Cummings’ relatively short pieces will make many a high schooler despise his quirky style. Why you hated him in high school: Rare is the Cummings poem that features any typical sentence structure. Whether it’s a misspelling, flip-flopped words, seeming flippancy for the basics of English grammar, or innovations in form, the brevity of his work does not make it any easier to understand. In fact, it can make it that much more difficult. The shorter the poem, the more you have to get in there and really come to grips with what it’s doing. Plus, the atypical structures and spellings can make it difficult to understand what’s even being written, much less what it all means. Why you should revisit him today: Cummings is particularly famous for his off-kilter style, and while he might have borrowed the idea from other writers, he’s certainly the one whose name is attached to it now. Though Cummings alone cannot take credit, there can be little doubt his experimentation pushed popular poetry in a new direction and allowed for more freedom of form. But all innovation aside, Cummings composed some genuinely beautiful works that, if reading with an open mind, require very little analysis. Poems like “l(a” have the ability to resonate on the very first read. Later, as you read and re-read, other details -- the use of parentheses, the recurring l’s -- reveal themselves and provide depth and clarity. Poems to start with Cutting your teeth: “l(a” Ready for a challenge: “in Just-” Digging a little deeper: “r-p-o-p-h-e-s-s-a-g-r” 15
MAY 2010
MODEL
BEHAVIOR By Britt Middleton
Behind The Scenes At America’s Next Top Model Casting April Wheeler pushes back her shoulders and stalks across the carpeted ballroom floor. She’s dressed simply in a white button-down shirt and pale boot-cut jeans. Her hair is smoothed conservatively behind her ears, her cocoa skin free of make-up. She’s certainly not the tallest girl in the room, a modest 5-foot-eight in stature, nor is she the most slender in frame. It’s her self-proclaimed “goofy” personality that gets the attention – and a chuckle -from the producers and camera crew standing just across the room. Wheeler is among hundreds of women duking it out for a chance to be on the wildlypopular America’s Next Top Model, which is headed for its 12th season. The air at the Four Points Sheraton in Savannah, Georgia hung heavy with anticipation. The front lobby resembled a menagerie of perfectly primped women with impossibly long limbs and mega-watt smiles. They chatted with each other politely, but were, no doubt, sizing each other up for the very first stage of the competition – impressing the judges. But Wheeler is not worried. Instead, she remains focused on clenching the task at hand, and how she will use her new fame to help women like herself. After all, it wasn’t easy to get to this point. Just a few years ago, Wheeler fell on hard times and eventually became homeless, spending many nights sleeping in her own car. Through those trying times, she found a beacon of hope in her hero Tyra Banks. “She does so much,”Wheeler says. “She doesn’t just do for herself; she gives back to the community.” She admired Banks’ fortitude -- as woman of color, Banks has said much about the racism and prejudice she herself faced in the modeling industry -- and Wheeler found the strength to put her own life back on track. Now, she is an officer of the U.S. National Guard, which she considers as her own way of giving back. The crew turns off their cameras to signal the next contestant. Wheeler smiles politely and heads for the double doors, her head held high. “I feel confident. I hope I make it,” she says with exasperated breath. “You know, there’s a lot of girls here but you’ve got to set yourself apart from everybody else.”
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MAY 2010
“You’ve Gotta Set Yourself Apart From Everybody Else.”
Photos by Britt Middleton
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MAY 2010
HIDDEN
WONDERLAND By Asha Ellison
No vacation plans? Find a getaway in your own backyard. It’s the kind of day you would see on a Florida postcard: clouds roll by coolly and a whimsical breeze dances beside us. Instead of taking summer vacations to our favorite cities, many of my friends and I opted for “stay-cations” this year, remaining local and seeking the magic of our own backyard. I double-check the locks on my car, making sure the doors are securely latched before turning to face Nicolle, who eagerly awaits her first trek down the southwest portion of the West Orange Trail. Our afternoon jaunt will take us to the Winter Garden Station in downtown Winter Garden, a historic suburb of Orlando, Florida. By the time we return, we will have walked through three towns along the largest lake in Orlando -- Lake Apopka. Downtown Winter Garden is a bustling city-center that’s brimming with old world charm. To our right is a cheddar-yellow Chessie System boxcar perched off of Plant Street (which always reminds me of Main Street, USA at Disney’s Magic Kingdom), where the Winter Garden Heritage Museum bids us an antique “how-do-you-do?” A vintage fire truck parked in front of the museum assures us it will, indeed, see us later. At the end of Plant Street, beckoning us closer, there is a four-way stop where the 20-something mile rail-trail convenes. Most of the trail is constructed on old railroad alignments that are no longer in use. As children and adults pedal and jog past us, we can’t help but find ourselves intrigued by aromas from Latin and Thai restaurants, a rowdy crowd at the local farmer’s market, and the anxious landscaping commencing at the
Photos by Asha Ellison
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MAY 2010
mecca’s new City Hall. Eventually, we pass the last string of buildings: a lone gas station and a row of houses, which appear to have housed at least three generations of families. Nicolle is closely monitoring movement in the brush on either side of the trail. “What is that?” She asks with trepidation. “Squirrels,” I reassure her. “Animals do live in the bushes.” I realize recollecting past sightings of foxes and wild bunnies aren’t appealing to someone traveling by foot. I quickly change the topic to the scenery and southern hospitality we are receiving on our journey. I have never heard so many “hellos” in all of my life. We pass trees covered in Spanish moss, a butterfly garden (in the town of Tildenville), and a beautiful residential pond. Here, I’m reminded of my most favorite places on earth -- the sea islands and deltas of Georgia and the Carolinas -- all places I would long to be if I hadn’t discovered that same beauty in my very own hometown. I check my cell phone and discover it’s almost highnoon. With the sun looming near, we both decide to venture a bit further before heading back to Winter Garden. I’m sure we will peek into a few store fronts, produce shops and ogle restaurant menus before passing the old firetruck once more. After all, we knew we’d meet again.
Photo by Amanda McRae
WAKING UP IN VEGAS By Amanda McRae
Get away to Vegas on the cheap. No really, it’s possible! Round up some friends and plan for a long weekend full of sun, fun and partying! Hotel rates are quite low in the summer months due to the high temperatures; you’ll stay cool at the Craps table as casinos keep the A/C on full blast. I recommend staying at a hotel as close to the center of the strip as possible (you’ll cut down on travel time, which means more casino-hopping!). The average rate at The Mirage starts at $89 a night; split this between a couple of friends and you cannot beat the price, especially for the location right on the strip. Skip the rental car and grab a shuttle from the airport to the hotel (you’ll need that money later to tip Dolly Parton, your celeb impersonator/cocktail waitress.) I know, you’re thinking, “How am I going to gamble on a budget?” Two words: penny slots. They’re in nearly every casino. I only spent a few bucks but was entertained and the free drinks made it even more enjoyable. If you decide to play a few hands
at a table, Blackjack is one of the easiest table games and most starting bids are only $5. Just remember to tip your dealer and cocktail waitress (Dolly gets feisty). Vegas is known for overindulgence, and this includes the countless number of eateries. Burger Bar, located inside Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino, has the tastiest patties on the strip. This is a definite must-eat and won’t break the bank. Buffets also offer tons of choices, but some can become quite pricey depending on the location, so make sure to check beforehand. Kahunaville is a great restaurant and bar located inside Treasure Island. The drinks are delicious and the food is great, plus the flare bartending is pretty sweet and it’s a lot less expensive than a nightclub. Cirque de Soleil shows are huge in Vegas, but honestly, ticket prices are outrageous (some of the cheapest ones are $85). I had a great time sightseeing and casino-hopping -- both are free and offer amazing photo ops. The fountain show at The Bellagio is a must see (and it’s free!). This guide merely scratches the surface of cheap finds in Las Vegas. Searching Vegas.com is a great place to find more even more. Just make sure to set a spending limit for yourself, or at least bring a friend who can bail you out of jail.
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MAY 2010
MAN VS. MAN By Britt Middleton
Savannah Filmmaker Brandon Zellars talks war and peace in upcoming flick 25 Uniform It’s been nearly nine years since American troops invaded Afghanistan in response to the September 11 attacks. In 2003, the United States launched Operation Iraqi Freedom, an anti-terror campaign which aimed to support crumbling political and economic programs in war-torn Iraq. Both conflicts remain ongoing. It would appear that over the last nine years Americans have grown increasingly more apathetic to the sights, sounds and grim reality of war that helped sink the nation more than 12 trillion dollars in debt. Between the crosshairs of popular support and willful ignorance, filmmaker Brandon Zellars finds a deeper reality: “War is a stumbling block for humanity. Mankind’s saga.” Zellars’ indie film 25 Uniform studies this paradigm through the eyes of a young soldier, who travels cross-country to meet his father for the first time before deploying to Iraq. “I’m reluctant to use the phrase ‘coming of age’, but he represents an attitude about the war I felt was pretty prevalent in 2003,” Zellars says. “People were naive. There was a lot of misinformation about things and it seemed the war was being packaged as a fight for morality. We see now that is far from the case,” Zellars says. The story, which took Zellars five years to complete, is loosely based on the life of a childhood friend. On a breezy day in April, Zellars celebrates the beginning of pre-production with hundreds of his closet friends in his hometown of Savannah, Georgia. The block party (themed “Love Letter to the South,” a fundraiser for the film) is a celebration of Zellars’ move from screenwriter to full-fledged filmmaker, yet also celebrates his firmly-rooted link to the Southern community. “The film in large part is my homage to the South, so ‘Love Letter’ was a way for the community to come together and celebrate our appreciation for Savannah.” As Zellars takes the stage to thank the raucous crowd, his mother Jaine Zellars looks on in adoration. She’s standing behind a makeshift bake sale table and pushes aside a towering stack of shoe boxes, filled with cupcakes she made especially for this day. She smiles. “I just want him to be successful,” she says, “He’s been working on this for so long.” “I feel extremely fortunate to have everyone’s support and love,” he says. “Its going to take all that love and energy to make this film happen,” Zellars gushes before cuing the DJ to drop the needle. Five years and countless screenplay drafts later, Zellars’ life, too, has gone through a metamorphosis. He, like millions of others, graduated from college only to face an economy headed belly-up. Last year, he welcomed the birth of his second child. Now, he’s on the heels of his first major production project. The increasing prevalence of independent cinema in America is something that motivates him even further. That, coupled with his love for the South, should prove more than enough fuel to feed the fire.
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MAY 2010
DOME STICA
HALF BAKED By Kevin Yang
Think Of Me As A Grandma Who Loves To Bake Cupcakes Now think of me as that grandma but in the body of a 23-year-old Asian guy who listens to Amanda Blank. Baking cupcakes started off as snacks for study groups or as food after a night of hard partying. Through that, baking translated into a hobby that I take as serious as catching the latest episode of Heroes. Being on a budget and not having a lot of money, I would often buy whatever ingredients I could get my hands on at local farmer’s markets and grocery stores. Boxed cake mixes were a no-go for me. Not only did I find the puffy boy of dough on the box to be ridiculous, but I once secretly passed some off to a dog when I was at a dinner party. With no adequate taste testers but myself, which would end up in me taking up two seats at class, my friends did the taste testing for me. They gained a little weight but the feedback was constructive. Starting out, I had no real personal recipes in my arsenal since I borrowed from online blogs and magazines. So I started to use classic recipes and updating them. I took the traditional vanilla cupcake and used four kinds of vanilla: vanilla sugar, vanilla bean, vanilla extract, and vanilla sea salt. Chefs using chili peppers in chocolate inspired me to utilize different flavors with the versatility of chocolate. I take minced ginger and fold it into dark chocolate cake batter. The results were complex, spicy, and just plain mouth- watering. When it came time to think about the design for my cupcakes, I strayed away from the traditional route. Pretty pastels and frosting with pastry bags are often something I reserve for my next-door-neighbor, who happens to be a grandma. It’s a terrible connotation that cupcakes ought to be pretty, dainty, and fragile. I translate my minimalist design aesthetic into the overall look and feel of my creations. Using clean lines, basic colors, and a bold design make the cupcakes stand out from what people may routinely expect. The way I see it, baking and enjoying cupcakes should be nostalgic but always trying to change what’s expected. I stick to the true integrity of the cupcakes without distracting the eye with sprinkles or marzipan bunnies. The main event while enjoying a cupcake, for me, will always be the icing and cake -- nothing else. When I bake peanut butter cupcakes, I make a Nutella butter cream frosting tossed with chopped dark chocolate bits to give a crunch. Tahitian vanilla sea salt in the four-vanilla cupcake is sprinkled on top to give the icing and the cupcake a contrast in flavor without it being too sweet. I’m far from reaching chef level, but I don’t think that one has to be technically trained in order to be good at doing something; it’s just a title that someone is given. So like the way I make my brownies, I’m only half-baked.
Kevin Yang is also the author of the wildly hilarious blog The Drunxter. See more of his work at http://thedrunxter.wordpress.com Photos by Annie Duong
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MAY 2010
CONFECTIONALLY
SPEAKING By Asha Ellison
Suzy Q’s Summer Sangria You Will Need
Preparation
• 1 Bottle of red wine ( Merlot
Pour wine into a large pitcher. Toss in the fruit
or Zinfandel will do)
wedges (no seeds), canned pineapple, orange
• 1 orange cut into wedges
juice and rum. Add sugar and stir. Chill overnight.
• 1 lime cut into wedges
Add ginger ale, berries and ice just before serving.
• 1 cup canned peaches
For the best results, add all fruit and let soak in
• 2 tbsp sugar
sangria overnight and chill for 24 hours.
• Splash of orange juice or lemonade • 2 shots of white rum (optional) • 1/2 cup of raspberries • 1/2 cup strawberries • 1 small can of diced pineapples (with juice) • 4 cups ginger ale
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MAY 2010
CHEAP
TALK “I Want To Make Sure The Twerp Chicago Fans Get A Clear View Of My Ass, That They May Smooch It”
GENTLEMAN’S GAME By Tom Vinson
Strike One Of These Three Strikes “Baseballs, like comets, are sort of like tiny, airborne miracles. And, like comets, they have a way of falling to the ground with the wide eyes of dirt kneed young lads fixated on them. If these dirt kneed lads are lucky, and they usually are, the ball will fall to the ground with the fiery grace of a shooting star, way out in right field. Or, even better, into the glove of a true believer. A hot dog in one hand, the comet in the other.” Old Walk Cooper. Carved from a dirt road. Front porch swing and chalk stained steps. Before the crystal radio was Morse code signals and before that was, ...er, I think you have to go back to heiro-glyphics, drawings on caves, the invention of the wheel. A St. Louis retirement community is his home, now. Old Walk Cooper, formerly of Clark Street. The walls in his room are green. Old Walk Cooper. “My father drove me and my brother around in his Studebaker bus selling peaches.” His hand motioned towards a drawer to the left of his seat. He continued, “...of the peaches we did not sell, ‘ma would create a cobbler.” He was focusing on that drawer, though. “Now, what is in this drawer?” This is a rhetorical question. He wraps his thumb and index finger around the knob of the drawer and slides it open. Old Walk Cooper. A cloud of dust erupts from the inside. The aroma is old mahogany, vintage comic books, autumn in New England. “I don’t do this but once every few years. Open this drawer, that is. You see, in 1934 I was nineyears-old.” He starts to grin, and as he rummages through the drawer the grin grows as wide as the Mississippi River. The sound of knick-knacks and trinkets, the sound of childhood impatience, Christmas morning. This drawer appeared to be bottomless. Yellowed newspaper and depression era ribbons start spilling out. “I’ve got it...hold on, now.” “I was nine years old, and I would walk with my pappy down Grand Boulevard to Sportsman’s Park.”He was straining, now, to pull something out of the drawer. “... Don’t want to cut my hand.” When he finally mustered the jib to yank it out, what appeared before us was so inconspicuous as to not even be worth noting. A glob of soil blotted cloth. White skull cap with a red rim. Underneath the dirt, anyways. He cradled it like the Ark of the Covenant. “The field was so green. A green I’d never seen before or since. It was 1934...” he places the cap on his head, “...and we were there to see the Gashouse Gang.” The Gashouse Gang. Pepper Martin, Spud Davis, Jay “Dizzy” Dean, Burgess Whitehead, hard-nosed Leo Durocher, Joe Medwick, Ripper Collins..., hell, the whole lot of ‘em. They crawled out from the grime, a bunch of corkscrewed knuckle-buckers. “Detroit looked real good on paper that year, but the Gang had some tough, scrappy balls. The scrappiest...” His eyes begin to swell. “I tip my cap to you, boys.” And he does. “I’m old as shit. I don’t think I’d mind losing it. If I could look out my window and see the boys of summer again, well, it could be a whole lot worse.” Old Walk Cooper. He passed away four days after our conversation. From what I heard, he left a note on the drawer that read, ‘To Whomever It May Concern, Please Make Sure I’m Buried Facing Down. I Want To Make Sure The Twerp Chicago Fans Get A Clear View Of My Ass, That They May Smooch It.’ All gloaters go to Heaven. 23
MAY 2010
attempt, although sensational, quickly led to the band’s demise. That same year, McLaren found a new muse Television’s then-bassist, Richard Hell, whose haggard appearance and dejected demeanor would become the cannon for England’s punk rock movement. “I just thought Richard Hell was incredible. This was not someone dressed up in red vinyl and high heels,” McLaren quipped in the punk rock anthology “Please Kill Me: The Unauthorized History of Punk” (Grove Press, New York). “Here was a guy all deconstructed, all torn down, looking like he’d just crawled out of a drain hole, looking like he was covered in slime, looking like he hadn’t slept in years...and looking like no one gave a fuck about him... and looking like he didn’t really give a fuck about you!” “And this look – there was no question that I’d take it back to London,” McLaren said. “By being inspired by it, I was
DAFT PUNK By Britt Middleton
How Malcolm McLaren Sold Punk Rock To The World
going to imitate it and transform it into something more English.” He was further inspired by what he called the “culturetrash” of Andy Warhol and the incendiary power of politics. And the rest is rancid, rotten, rock and roll history.
Malcolm McLaren is arguably the greatest ringleader in rock and roll history. He’s the mastermind behind
On
April
8,
2010,
McLaren,
64,
succumbed
to
the punk aesthetic as we know it; he made looking
mesothelioma, a cancer of the linings around organs. His
like absolute hell pretty damn fashionable. The former
career was shrouded in controversy, having pioneered a
manager of the Sex Pistols and the New York Dolls,
scene founded on rebellion, yet commercializing these
McLaren sold the idea that politics, fashion and general
ideas for mass consumption in the process (it is true
debauchery were a package deal, that cacophony can
that the crew who would become the Sex Pistols were
have merit. That being bad was good, and being good
a bunch of blokes who hung out in front of his store. He
was boring.
put them together, dressed them up and set them loose on the streets of London). Many called him a “culture
But let’s go back to the point that he sold us this idea.
vulture”, simply copping what poor chumps on the street
In 1972, McLaren took over the now legendary clothing
knew as their livelihood. Yet, despite his mainstreaming of
shop, Let It Rock, located on King’s Road in Chelsea,
the underground, McLaren was, at heart, a visionary. Post
London (later renamed Too Fast To Live Too Young To
punk, he briefly managed Adam and the Ants and formed
Die, then SEX in 1975), a fantastical collection of theater-
the Ants-offshoot, Bow Wow Wow (famed for 1982’s “I
inspired, rock and roll culture not yet experienced in
Want Candy”). McLaren’s legacy stretches on to include
America. The following year, he skipped across the
several solo albums (his biggest was 1984’s Fans) and a
pond to New York City, where he reconnected with the
number of television, radio and film projects, including a
New York Dolls, who frequented his store and became
producing credit for 2006’s Fast Food Nation.
their manager in 1975. Wanting to cure the Dolls of their 1960s-era narcissism, McLaren fabricated a
Perhaps it would be more “punk rock” of me to say nothing
brasher, decidedly more political image (translation: the
of this calculated impresario from King’s Road. But, you
infamous red Soviet-inspired jumpsuits of 1975). This
know, like McLaren, I don’t really give a fuck either way.
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MAY 2010
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MAY 2010