Beautiful UK club-pop diva whose vocals are set to dubstep, house, funky and R&B. Her first album On a Mission is about to drop in the U.S.
Listen to what this 22-year-old can do …
Or watch:
And just for fun: Magnetic Man remixes Katy B’s Perfect Stranger
What if the winner of the competition to design the Ground Zero Memorial was a Muslim architect named Mohammad?
In her debut novel The Submission, Amy Waldman plunges us into this scenario. It’s a terrifically realistic depiction of post- 9/11 New York, complete with bigotry, mistrust, fear and allegiance. Smart and multi-layered (art! journalism! group think! politics!), it might call your own morality into question.
I was surprised at how much I enjoyed Easy A. A teen comedy that’s actually clever and witty—and makes you believe Emma Stone is your best friend? Yes please. Think Election meets Saved! meets Clueless. Also, it’s a total homage to John Hughes. Ummm and there are some too-good-to-be-missed lines delivered by the fantastic Patricia Clarkson, Stanley Tucci and Thomas Haden Church.
Ignore your instincts and watch this. Over the weekend. As the world ends.
Ever find yourself in the West 50s thinking, um, why does this area exist? Ardesia (52nd b/t Tenth and Eleventh) might make you feel better. It’s a spacious wine bar with good food (small plates like burrata, pretzels and surprisingly tasty seared flank steak) and plenty of interesting by-the-glass options. Even during happy hour when wine and beer is $2 off, this place rarely gets crowded—probably because it’s a schlep from the subway. But that means fewer annoying people to ruin the ambience. Or steal your seat on the outdoor patio.
Perfect weekend excursion: Take the short trek to Astoria and get nostalgic at the Museum of the Moving Image, where the temporary exhibit Jim Henson’s Fantastic World features puppets, drawings and storyboards by the creative genius. Learn how Henson got his start in commercials and later found inspiration for The Muppet Show, Sesame Street and Fraggle Rock. The museum’s permanent collection of artifacts is also noteworthy: old movie projectors, famous costumes, special effects props, etc. Or time your visit to catch a screening—a Gus Van Sant retrospective starts in September.
On your way back to the subway, pop into Arepas Cafe for some Venezuelan corn goodness filled with anything you can imagine (um, like shark meat). Even during brunch you will not be disappointed by the plain arepa with scrambled eggs, plantains, slices of avocado and huge chunks of queso. Just remember to douse everything in the special green sauce! Wash it all down with Polar pilsner or sangria at happy hour.
Because not all of us can go to the Hamptons.
Just TRY and tell me this is not cool!
© Judith G. Klausner
Judith G. Klausner is a MA-based artist who “revels in minutiae.” Some of her other materials include fingernails and insects. Yikes!
I used to dislike collections of stories, preferring instead to immerse myself in orderly, chronological novels. But recently I’ve come to love literary snippets that interweave a common cast of characters. Two books that do it well: A Visit from the Goon Squad by Jennifer Egan and Tom Rachmann’s debut The Imperfectionists.
Goon Squad is set on both coasts of the U.S. and spans many years—including the post-punk ’80s. Music is the backdrop; themes include the quick passage of time and mistakes and missteps. Imperfectionists revolves around a fictional English-language newspaper in Rome, also spanning several generations and the characters’ lost loves and selves. You don’t need a journalism background to feel nostalgia for dying dailies and the reporters and editors who ran them.
With short chapters, easy-to-digest storylines and lovably flawed characters, these perfect beach reads are FAR from chick-lit.
Really interesting movie to rent or download: 2010’s Mao’s Last Dancer. Based on the life of Li Cunxin, it tells of his journey from a poor rural village in China to Madame Mao’s Beijing Dance Academy, where he becomes a classically trained ballet dancer. Eventually he’s chosen by the communist regime to be one of the first cultural exchange students allowed in the U.S.
After landing in Houston and rising to local stardom at the Houston Ballet, he falls in love—yes, with a girl—but also with America’s freedom and prosperity. In 1981 the Chinese government learns of his intent to stay in the States and locks him in up in the consulate against his will. He defects at only 20 years old and has to live with the consequences of possibly never seeing his family again.
Seriously, you don’t have to like ballet to enjoy this movie (which is based on Cuxin’s autobiography). It’s a nice blend of history, art and personal determination. And we can all use a little extra inspiration!
Sorry, but I thought the food was meh. The Red Rooster bar scene, though, is full of energy: bright, bustling and beautiful (the people, too). The bar itself is huge; there are plenty of seats should you want a bite with your cocktail (mine had vodka, agave and muddled grapes). No need for a big meal here, but if you must snack, stick with the cornbread (comes with interesting tomato jam) and crab cakes. Mac and cheese just OK but will get the job done. Overall, though, I’m happy this place came to Harlem—it’s a great addition to the neighborhood.
Go for the drinks, stay for the music and soak up the vibe (but not during a heat wave because a/c is weak).
Turns out I’m not the only one who knows cool things. You do, too. This little gem comes from my friend Jen.
The Clif Family (maker of Clif bars) also happens to own a winery. And they sell wine in little sacks. Not that little, actually: each one holds 1.5 liters (2 bottles). Perfect for hiking, camping or smuggling into a public park, Climber wine pouches are available in Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon for $17. No heavy glass, no space-consuming, bad-for-the-environment plastic. And Jen’s source says the wine ain’t bad, either. Plus the resealable packaging supposedly keeps it fresh for a month. So if you get lost in the woods, at least you won’t be thirsty.
iknowcoolthings 