I strongly urge anyone and everyone who is following or checking us out to share some photos you’ve taken from Thanksgiving. It’s easy, just subscribe by clicking “Log In” on the bottom left corner of the page and register for a new username. Fill out the info, bookmark the dashboard menu, and within a few hours, you can contribute. Please be patient with the publishing process as we do edit each entry  before letting them go live.

+        +       +

My family’s version of Thanksgiving is far from traditional.Although it is very traditional for us, it may seem absolutely foreign to everybody else. For one, we don’t serve many actual Thanksgiving dishes, and our dinner starts at about 2 p.m. This year, I attempted introducing an all-American dish. By the end of the night I think my sweet potato casserole was no match to the noodles. Even the stuffing failed to withstand the Filipino vegetable noodles called pancit, whose empty tray by the end of the night signaled the farewells.

Our family gatherings consist of gossip sharing, piano playing, photo taking, movie watching, and in this case, (as oddly enough most cases) it ended with a haircut. We don’t get to see each other as often anymore. Because of this, every time we reunite for holidays or birthdays, my “little” cousins voices grow deeper, they grow taller, and the conversations are slowly evolving into something with a little more substance.

After looking through these photos after the night was through, I realized how familiar it all is and how simultaneously weird my family must seem to others. To quote Jon and Kate Plus Eight (since their final episode aired this past Monday and I was actually an avid fan before all the tabloids caught on- go ahead make fun), “It’s a crazy life, but this is our life.”

Continue reading »

The Portland folk duo, Blind Pilot, remained under the radar until their single “Go On, Say It” was featured on iTunes as the Single of the Week. It’s been a little over a year since their debut album 3 Rounds and a Sound was released and since then, they’ve reached the top 20 on Billboard’s Top Digital Albums chart, have toured the west coast on bicycles, and have added four more members and several more instruments to their band; and, to top it all off, they still sound as brilliant as ever.

Continue reading »

How could I resist the alliteration?

When you don’t make it in time to catch the sun, it’s always fun to play with flash. Of course when that fun wears off, there are always other ways to find entertainment.

©Kaia Marie Balcos

I told my best friend as I pulled into South Station that coming back to Boston was like revisiting an imagined college past that I forgot ever happened. I was wandering through the ridiculously clean transportation hub feeling so many instances of deja vu that I couldn’t figure out what to do with myself. Over time, relationships, financial situations, goals, and people change; however, the cities that hold distant memories remain constant…maybe with a few new stores in odd places. (They are building an Urban Outfitters around the corner from my old apartment. eh)

Boston for me is always a total escape from reality. It’s always bittersweet having to leave it along with the people I love.

I thought I’d share some pieces of my weekend. I’m feeling like a time traveller. When will teleporting become a reality?

Continue reading »

Last week, I incorrectly labeled all artwork featured at the Powerhouse as Japanese. I thought it must be Japanese since they’re celebrating the launch of a Japanese toy camera company and serving Japanese beer and featuring Japanese DJs. I’m glad I made that mistake because it led me to read a little bit more about what the images were really of.

Taken from a basement of punk venue D-22 in Beijing, the portraits document the lively underground scene that thrives despite the country’s limiting socialist ideals and government-controlled media. Photographer Matthew Niederhauser captures the absolute passion in all of the musicians’ faces. Punk’s true form is far from dead in Beijing.

In addition to Niederhauser’s photographs, the book Sound Kapital also features poster illustrations by Beijing graphic novelist Ca Zhuxi.

If you want to learn more about the book, visit the website, or even better, attend the book’s launch party at the Powerhouse Arena this Thurday! Powerhouse Arena is located at 37 Front St. in Dumbo, Brooklyn (York St. stop on the F train). The launch party takes place from 7 until 9:30.

See you all there!

all images © Matthew Niederhauser

Continue reading »

The magic of Christmas had worn out years ago. But every year, I still get extremely anxious and excited in my stomach for a holiday that exists not because of its original religious celebration of saints, but because of commercialism. Even the secular version of Halloween no longer prevails in my mind. I love Halloween for the pure drunken happiness it brings to everyone whether they’ve consumed alcohol or not. Although it would be absolutely surreal if everybody truly celebrated the dead and dressed as zombies, I think seeing a million slutty officers, little divas, and cartoon characters brought to life is equally entertaining.

I just love Halloween. AND to be honest, I’d much rather have it on a Wednesday so that celebrations can last two weekends. We’ll have it again in a few years I suppose.

Continue reading »