Ukranian-born, Brooklyn-based artist Yelena Yemchuk, one of the fixtures of downtown NYC's "it" girls, is no stranger to the world of fashion, often spotted with her gal pals Sarah Sophie Flicker and Helena Christensen. Yemchuk began her career in the music world, directing music videos and taking photographs for bands, most notably Smashing Pumpkins. Today, she shoots fashion campaigns for clients such as Cacharel, Kenzo, Dries Van Noten and her editorial contributions include Italian and Japanese Vogue and V magazine.

Yemchuk’s current exhibition at the Dactyl Foundation displays her uniquely surrealistic approach with satiric storytelling, with undeniable Eastern European-influences. psychoPEDIA recently joined the artist for a chat:

How did you develop interests your many mediums?
My father´s best friend and my uncle weren't professional photographers, but their photography was very artistic and inspired me. Then, I studied graphic design at Parsons, where I also took some fine arts classes, but never saw my talent in painting. It was only in 2002, while on vacation at my friend’s house in Tuscany–- where there was nothing more to do than eat or drink–- that out of boredom, that I started to paint. The subject of my first painting was actually based on a newspaper headline: "Brownbear kills Jewish baby". It was so bizarre that I had to paint it, and that´s how it all started!

Are your paintings critical of society?
The world of my paintings is a magical world-– untouched by humankind. I grew up as an only child and created a fairytale world for myself. Nowadays, there is so much crap going on, it’s hard for an artist not to respond to these issues in their art. But I also express fantasies– the line between childhood and adult fantasies is often very thin. Dreams, love, sex, obsession...

Why are there violent depictions in your paintings?
It’s more like a sarcastic form of violence, since the amount of violence out there is ridiculously high! But there is also a dark side in me...

Where does this dark side come from?
It´s unconscious; my paintings mirror my feelings, my soul–sometimes they are very dark. As a kid, I used to play in the deep, dark forests of the Ukraine. It seemed like an underworld to me. Since then, I am fascinated by the subterranean.

Are the animals in your paintings symbolic?
The rabbit, for instance, is a key figure. He’s the guide into this mystical world-– a trouble maker as well. We didn’t have a lot of toys in the Soviet Union, but the few I had were really important to me: an Alice in Wonderland tape, which I listened to a hundred times. It was because Alice followed this rabbit that she got into trouble. The zebra black dagger-like stripes remind me of the Frenchy, the criminal in a movie version of the Master and Marguerite; I associate zebras with knives. The cat represents all evil for me. It´s like our society: self-absorbed and egotistical.

Why do you think surrealism is so popular in Eastern Europe and not in the Western hemisphere?
People here are superficial, and scared of themselves. Everything has to be politically correct. As soon as they can’t explain something, like a rooster suffocating a fox while a cat is committing suicide, the subject of one of my paintings, they oppose it. Surrealism formed in the days of communism in Eastern Europe when there were so many rules, and it was a way for people to make fun of the government. They eventually accepted it as an important art movement, which America never did.

Are you still feeding from memories of childhood in the Ukraine, or is New York equally inspiring?
In the Ukraine, I was surrounded by eccentric people. I just had to walk down the streets to find inspiration. In New York, it needs a little more work. I have to get out of Manhattan´s conformity. Sometimes, I go to Coney Island. There are all sorts of weird characters wandering around that fascinate me. All in all, New York was much more inspirational ten years ago.

What’s changed about it?
Back in the day, New York´s clubs were a melting pot of people that couldn´t have been more different. Transvestites partied next to models, next to rich guys. This gave New York its unique flair. It was a crazy time. Today, everything is so segregated. There is a spot for the wealthy investment bankers, another spot for the people from Jersey, and then for the artists.

Which books or movies have influenced you?
Movies from Fellini, like Roma or Satyricon, with all these fantastic images, as well as Bunuel's Obscure Object of Desire and the The Conformist from Bertolucci. Nowadays, I love David Lynch. My favorite writers are Russians like Dostoevsky and especially Gogol. I also love Murakami's surreal world!

Any favorite artists, photographers, or musicians now?
Jockum Nordström, who exhibits at David Zwirner gallery, has recently blown me away. I also love the Ukranian artists Yri Mazni and Ernesto Caivano. My favorite photographers are Juergen Teller and Ryan McGinley. And I often listen to Vladimir Vysotsky, he is kind of like a Ukranian Bob Dylan.

Do you have any current projects or "life projects"to speak of?
Right now, I am working on a book about an old amusement park in the Ukraine called Gidro Park. It is like an Eastern European version of Coney Island. My lifetime project is to do a film. I don´t know if it´s going to take me 20 films or just one, but one thing I know: this movie will explain some more about the magical world of Yelena Yemchuk.

~Maria-Theresia Eibl

Posted by psychoPEDIA at 04:10 PM | Permalink

Although the sunny sound of The Explorers Club would seem to have evolved from spending lazy afternoons on the sandy beaches of Orange County, this septet was born and bred from the southern roots of Charleston, South Carolina. The group of well-mannered men who met in college— comprised of Jason, James, Dave, Neil, Stefan, Chris, and newest member Wally (the only anomaly from Florida)— play a blend of feel good, poppy tunes that harken back to the time of the Beach Boys.

Hot off the release of their debut album, Freedom Wind (on indie-label Dead Oceans), coming just in time to supply an apt soundtrack for the summer, psychoPEDIA joined singer and originator of the band, Jason, for a tour of the sights and sounds of the band’s hometown— one overflowing with rich southern heritage, including providing the backdrop for stories like Gone with the Wind and Porgy and Bess:

How did the sunny California sound evolve out of South Carolina?
When I was 10 years old, my mom bought me a Beach Boys 20 Greatest Hits cassette for my Walkman. Here in Charleston, we have beaches, and it’s always very hot. People attempt to surf, and we have a lot of really beautiful weather for that kind of activity. It’s not a hard thing to feel like that music is at home.

What’s the most charming quality about your hometown?
Charleston looks like an old European city, right on the water. Savannah is kind of like it, but it’s a rip-off. For modern art and culture, Charleston’s probably not on the cusp, but there’s some cutting-edge stuff going on here. There’s a history in Charleston— one of the first shots of the Revolutionary War was fired here. It’s not just a bunch of hillbillies and trucks!

Did you ever feel pressure to be well-behaved living in city nicknamed the "Holy City"?
No, I work at a church. That’s the south for ‘ya— the Bible Belt. We have churches everywhere. One reason they call it the “Holy City” is because there’s an ordinance that there are to be no buildings in Charleston higher than the highest church steeple. The original tenants of the city believed that God is bigger than any business.

Would you agree with an etiquette expert that cited Charleston as the "best-mannered" city in the US?
At restaurants, the waiters are always trying to impress you to get your tip. A lot of them get really personal. For a lot of the South, they want you to feel like you’re at home. Almost all of us [in the band] come from parents with really professional backgrounds— preachers, school administrators— so it’s kind of natural.

With such diversity in the population, what are some of the best cultural offerings?
We’ve got a festival going on right now called Piccolo Spilato— world reknowned, with people coming from all over the world to perform and get together. It has lots of opera, theater, live music, dance, and all kinds of different art. There’s another one that’s more African, called the Moja Arts Festival.

What’s the most traditional local meal, and which places serve it best?
Shrimp and grits. And we have fried green tomatoes. There’s a place called Charleston’s Cafe, that’s actually catering my wedding coming up. They have really good breakfast. The best traditional place is Jestine's Kitchen— a really down-home, southern place, and some of the best food you’ll ever have. If you want spend high dollar, there’s Slightly North of Broad (aka SNOB). My favorite local place that’s really good southern food is Cru Café— in an old house that’s been there 100 years or more. It’s a catering company that decided to open a restaurant around the food they were catering. You can sit either a couple of tables toward the back or watch the open kitchen and see how they’re cooking you’re food right in front of you. It’s a blend of newer cuisine with classic southern stuff. It’s a little pricey, but man it’s good!

Which places transport you back in time for that true southern experience?
Gershwin moved to Charleston to write Porgy and Bess, which rules! You definitely have to go to Boone Hall Plantation. Downtown Charleston is a time warp– there’s still people taking horse-drawn carriages. Check out Charles Towne Landing, an early settlement of Charleston. You can take little boat tours around Fort Sumter, down to The Battery where they held off the British. It has these Tom Meadow trees everywhere, great colonial and Civil War era buildings and houses. Even our visitor center is an old train station. Just take a trip out to Fort Sumpter or walk around downtown, and you’ll feel the history.

Best places to score local crafts and antiques?
The Charleston City Market— an open-air market with lots of vendors with knicknacks all lined up.

Where does the band like to kick back and relax?
My favorite place for cheap food and good hanging out is this Mexican Restaurant in Mount Pleasant called Uno Mas. If we go out to lunch on a Saturday after rehearsal, we go there. A lot of the guys in the band hang out at the Village Tavern where we’re playing our record release party. It’s small, but they have a lot of great bands come in all the time.

As a port town, what are the best waterfronts to spend an afternoon?
Waterfront Park is a little park they built right by the water, where you can walk all the way out on a long dock. It’s a great place to take a date. They have swings where you can sit and look out at the beginnings of the ocean. My favorite places to go and look at the ocean are Sullivan’s Island, and the Isle of Palms. Folly Beach is a touristy kind of place, but it’s so fun when there’s no one out there— just seeing the ocean in all its mighty power.

Any cozy inns you would recommend to visitors?
There’s one downtown that’s supposed to be the nicest— Ashborough Inn. If you’re going for more of a touristy flair, there’s a circular hotel, the Charleston-Riverview Holiday Inn that has a restaurant on top where you can look out over the whole city and see the boats in the harbor and the church steeples. I got eat brunch there sometimes after church.

What's the first thing you do when you get home after a tour around the country?
There’s a part of town called Shim Creek that has a bunch of restaurants. I take my fiancé there, and we just go walk around. When you’re sitting on the dock, a lot of dolphins and porpoises will poke their heads through and play.

~Leann Peterson


Go There:
Jestine's Kitchen, 251 Meeting Street, (843)722-7224
Uno Mas, 880 Allbritton Blvd, (843)856-4868

Posted by psychoPEDIA at 03:54 PM | Permalink

Relaxation is synonymous with Jamaica. So, it’s no wonder Nadia Koch, proprietor of the bar Home Sweet Home, one of NYC's downtown after-hours staples, jumped at the invitation to experience their luxury resort, Royal Plantation, in Ocho Rios.

Since Home Sweet Home’s advent into New York City nightlife in 2006, Koch and her partner Kristen Vincent have been juggling art gallery gatherings, after parties for bands, and weekly events that bring in a multitude of neighborhood regulars and city notables from Chloe Sevigny to Moby.

With a serene setting, Royal Plantation allows its guests wind down from the city’s hectic climate. Built in the 1950’s during the height of elegance and panache, the resort caters to those who crave an intimate experience coupled with white-glove care. With only 74 suites, it offers private enclaves of comfort. Guests may choose to lay on the beach with a cocktail, take a dip in the pool, or frankly, just do nothing.

psychoPEDIA caught up with Koch upon her return to New York City. Here’s what she had to say about her slice of paradise:

What was your first thought when heading out to Royal Plantation?
“Thank goodness! I wish my trip was longer." The idea of taking such a quick trip from New York City–- only three hours away you're in a completely different environment–- is fantastic! You didn’t have to make the time commitment to check out and venture far, far away.

How was it upon your first arrival?
It was really impressive, because it looked so different than any other resorts we were passing. It’s very Old World in the decoration. And it's much smaller and intimate. You don’t feel like there are people everywhere. It’s like your own private hotel. As soon as we stepped foot inside, we were offered a cocktail while signing paperwork. Six people were there immediately to take care of us, and it wasn’t this formal check in.

What was the experience waking up the first morning at the resort?
I had a cup of coffee and sat out on my balcony and saw the most beautiful beaches and views. They really take care of the special details in the rooms. Our little bar area had everything you could possibly need to make yourself a proper cup of coffee and not have to get room service.

How would you rate the room service?
Our butler comes into the room with white gloves and sets up an eating area wherever you’d like to sit in your room–- either in the dining area, on the balcony-– seats you, places your napkin in your lap, and then leaves. Very formal, but in very gracious way. They even had a pillow menu! There’s a selection of different pillows to choose from. It was amazing.

What about when you're sitting by the pool or beach?
You have that feeling where you don’t feel awkward sitting on the beach while raising your little flag for either another cocktail or an extra towel. They’re there not to serve you, but simply to make you happy.

Is it exhausting to run your own bar?
It’s an everyday, 24 hour job. There are so many things to do, but there’s a lot of flexibility in it. Lately, we’ve been getting a better handle on the bar, so we’re able to start thinking in new directions on how we better this or something else. We also have a great staff. Things have come together really nicely over the past two years. It’s finding its own space and voice in New York City nightlife.

Having experience with bars yourself, how did the cocktails measure up?
I really liked one specialty called a "mangosa," which is Mango puree and champagne. It was their version of a mimosa, and they had a couple of other specialty cocktails. Their pina cololadas were the best ever-- all the time, whenever you wanted, because it’s inclusive.

Did you try any of their spa treatments?
Yes, I had two treatments at Red Lane: the first was an exfoliation and entire body wrap. I typically don’t really believe in those treatments working, but it was amazing and my skin was so soft. My manicure and pedicure was great too, but I wish there was a little music playing in the background.

What was your most memorable experience?
Our formal night where we shared the evening with the general manager, Peter Fraser. We started off in their private Cigar Room. He personally prepared steak tartar for us. Caviar, martinis, canapés, the Veuve was flowing. My drink was never empty. You felt like a lady. They also did the sabering with the champagne bottle, where you find the seam on the bottle and then cut off the top. Then it was followed with a lovely dinner where our wines were specially paired with our meals.

Why would you recommend Royal Plantation?
You get a feeling as to what Jamaica is all about, yet your focus to go there is to relax and not think about anything. You’re not there to run into town and dance it up at the dance hall! You’re there to relax and recharge your batteries.

Now that you’re back to the grind, what do you miss most about Jamaica?
That view from my balcony and taking a nap there after being on the beach all day with a lovely cocktail by my side.

~Jessica McMenamin

Posted by psychoPEDIA at 12:23 PM | Permalink

While Brazilian cinema has been flourishing since the 1950s, neighbouring Argentina has seen its film industry wither in the face of American imports. In 1957 the country passed The Cinema Law in an attempt to curb the influx, resulting in the state undertaking the funding for most of the country’s home-grown cinematic ventures. However, the slow rise of independent cinema has seen Argentine film find a new and refreshingly alternative voice, one used with great clarity and effectiveness in Lucia Puenzo’s debut feature XXY.

Winner of the Cannes International Critics Grand Prize, XXY tells the true story of Alex, a 15 year-old hermaphrodite, whose parents’ immediate reaction to her indeterminate gender is self-imposed exile, raising their child on a small island off the coast of Uruguay. We enter this unusual scenario as Alex, upon hitting puberty, struggles to choose which, if any gender and orientation, to grow into.

Ines Efron, budding young Argentinian starlet, plays the protagonist. While the 24-year-old has had starring roles in several regional films, including Lucrecia Martel’s La Mujer sin Cabeza and Victoria Galardi and Martin Carranza Amorosa Soledad, she divulges that XXY has been her toughest role to date. With nothing more than a “forgive my English,” psychoPEDIA joined Efron to find out more:

How did you first approach the part?
The part played itself. I thought of myself as a tool and tried to free myself of any prejudices towards the role. I thought it would be much harder, but recalling my own emotions from that time in my life, when I was a teenager– trying to understand who you are, and taste everything– I realised Alex’s life wasn’t so different. When I was 17, I loved a movie called Fucking Amal by Lukas Modisson. In that movie, I felt all the emptiness of being a teenager. That internal fury and alienation is something I immediately brought to the role.

What was your first reaction to reading the script?
A strong connection with Alex. I love teenage stories– they thrill me, but I also felt, though, that articulating the story was hard, as like anything worth making, it contained a truth that applies to all of us.

What sort of preparation did you do before filming started?
I mostly just listened to people. Lucia [Puenzo] gave me a documentary called Octopus Alarm about a person living a similar reality to Alex; the desire to live free, through adventures, to not loose anything– and with all of that surrounded by fury and confinement. We also spoke to a lot of doctors who specialized in inter-gender operations and that really opened my eyes to the things that people born like this have to go through. I have to admit though, I did not finish the original book. It was so very different to the script it became more of a distraction than anything.

How about the actual filming?
Well, everyone was new to me. A lot of the crew had worked together before, but not me. I did have a good connection with all the actors though, and felt sure Lucia trusted my interpretation of the part. That helped when it came to the rape scene, which was the hardest bit. I thought it would be difficult to act because of what it is, but actually what I struggled with most was how not to change Alex into a ridiculously male, predatory person.

Do you worry about getting typecast, as this role marks a strong international debut?
I don’t think like that. You can’t help but be typecast– whatever you do. If you portray every story as honestly as you can, you will probably just be typecast as a good actor, no? Life is changing all the time, so how can we define any of it?

What have been people's reaction to the film in Argentina?
In my country, the subject matter is very new, and the general reaction has been surprise. When you are making something, it is hard to know exactly what it is. When I saw the film, I thought the most interesting thing about it was the fact that the story does not conclude. It shows a dilemma as an eternal dilemma. And that, to me, says everything.

~Iphgenia Baal


All photos courtesy of XXY

Posted by psychoPEDIA at 02:33 PM | Permalink

Whether it’s across the country or up and down a coast, a road trip isn’t just any journey. As John Steinbeck says in Travels With Charley: The Search for America, “We do not take a trip; a trip takes us.” This seems all the more true while driving on the open road with the local radio station blasting, a camera–- preferably a Super 8 or the soon to be extinct Polaroid on hand–- and a partner in crime at your side with his or her feet dangling out the window catching a breeze. This summer, however, may not be the year to take this trip. With astronomically high gas prices, you could probably rent a villa in the south of France for the cost to fill your tank.

That said, psychoPEDIA put together a list of road trip books that will put you in a road-trip state of mind without having to go anywhere, or inspire you to go for it anyway. There are the obvious classics: On the Road by Jack Kerouac, Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas by Hunter S. Thompson, and Motorcycle Diaries by Che Guevara. Or, you can take the ironically un-literary advice from, the bookseller at Three Lives and Company, who says, “you can always skip the books and watch that great Tom Green movie, Roadtrip.”

“Then we came to the end of another dull and lurid year.” The first line of Don DeLillo’s Americana may just be one of the best opening sentences in modern fiction. What follows is the story of a television executive, David Bell, who leaves his job to embark on a road trip with a camera to make an autobiographical movie. It's about the wild and flamboyant disintegration of a young man, and his partial redemption–- an ambitious recollection of a confused life; the narrator is evidently telling his own story to himself in a kind of exile on a Mediterranean island,” wrote fellow writer Joyce Carol Oats in 2003. Americana was Delillo’s first novel, published in 1971, when the author was 28 (he later revised the book in 1989). The book explores “ a number of preoccupations of American writers, especially young writers,” says Oats, including the pilgrimage to find the self, which takes the form of a road trip.

Colin Thubron has been called the greatest living travel writer. In his ninth book, Shadow of a Silk Road, the British author chronicles a 7,000 mile journey he took in 2003 and 2004 from Yian China to the coastal Turkish city of Anitioch. Thuborn traveled routes dating back from 1500 BC by local bus, truck, car, donkey cart, and camel. The book “maps out a picture the network of ancient trade routes that linked the Greco-Roman world with central Asia and Chine and the history of those routes,” The Guardian wrote at the time of publication in 2007. The author notoriously travels without a camera making the tone of his written memories poetic and elegant. And hilarious at times, as with his account of an emergency root canal procedure with a Chador wearing dentist. “We should be thankful for a fresh look at the remnants of an intricate economy that once knitted together a large part of the world,” The Guardian concluded.

Travels with Charley: In Search of America, is an autobiographical road trip memoir of John Steinbeck. In 1960, the author bought a pick-up truck, named Rocinante, and on view in the National Steinbeck Center in Salinas, California, and had it modified with a custom built camper-top, rare for that time, and drove across the country (10,000 miles) from his home in Sag Harbor with his poodle Charley. The two followed the eastern seaboard to Florida and then the West Coast and California with the hopes to try and “rediscover this monster land.” Steinbeck muses on the natural world and observes the people he meets, “The techniques of opening conversation are universal. He was 58 at the time, dying eight years later at 66. The writer never wrote an autobiography, but gave himself the map of America and the confinement of his camper to muse upon his life: “And how about the areas of regret? If only I had done so-and-so, or had not said such-and-such may go, the damn thing might not have happened. Finding this potential in my own mind, I can suspect it in others, but I will never know, for no one ever tells. And this is why, on my journey which was designed for observation, I stayed as much as possible on secondary roads where there was much to see and hear and smell, and avoided the great wide traffic slashes which promote the self by fostering daydreams.” And you thought a road trip was all about staring out the window.

~Sara Costello

Posted by psychoPEDIA at 02:42 PM | Permalink

Emanuel Lundgren cashed in vacation time a few years ago to record some delightful pop songs, inviting his friends to drop in and collaborate in his Jönköping, Sweden apartment. 28 acquaintances accepted his invitation and came bearing maracas, kazoos, banjos, and a tuba. Lundgren coined the project after a "Fawlty Towers" reference, solidifying the whimsical spirit of the group. What was supposed to be their first and last show in August 2005, featuring the entire band–- 29 members strong-- ended up being just the beginning of the international tweecore phenomenon, I'm From Barcelona.

Their song catalogue consists of multi-layered, lush yet incredibly cohesive folktales celebrating tree houses, friendship, chicken pox, and stamp collecting (not to mention the open letter defending Britney Spears shaving her head). Touring in support of these songs, as one might imagine, is another logistical matter entirely. As is having a conversation without interruption.

psychoPEDIA lasso'd 10 of the members of what Time Magazine deemed one of the 'Best Live Shows' of 2007 into the basement of the Brooklyn Masonic Hall to find out, exactly, what life on the road is like:

Mind if I do a little roll call?
All: You can try! We are: Emanuel, Frida, Martin, Jacob, Richard, Johan, Frederic, Henrik, Bear, and Mattias.

How is it not having a tour manager this time around?
Jacob: But we do! [points at Emanuel]
Emanuel: [with a pained look] I'm like an intern... we do have a tour manager usually, but he's on vacation. In Barcelona, funnily enough.

How many of you are here tonight?
16.

And in total?
32.

Do members have to audition?
Emanuel: They're just friends. Actually, people I thought of having along for the first ride, but didn't have a chance [to ask]. It's a long list!
Bear: We've also lost some people along the way.

To what?
Richard: Well actually [slapping Henrik on the back], we sold this one yesterday to another band we played with, Dusty Rhodes! After the show tonight he is all theirs.

Have you ever left anyone behind, like at a gas station?
Emanuel: We've tried.
Martin: They've left me in the bus.
Emanuel: That was nice, because there is this special bed, the driver's bunk. We all went off to soundcheck, then later after the gig, we found him in the hall wandering around. It does happen, we usually find them before we leave the city.

You swung through Barcelona on your tour. Did they embrace you as Swedish people or honorary natives?
Emanuel: [laughing] They embraced us as.... freaks.

Your stage shows utilize an insane amount of props. How do you prepare for overseas travel with everything?
Emanuel: We had some balloons waiting for us here in New York, but we brought some confetti from Holland, because they're the best.
All: Dutch confetti. Definitely.

Did you bring along the famous yellow raft?
Emanuel: Actually, I stopped doing that because we have a nurse in the band, and he threatened to sue me. Plus, combined with alcohol, it's not the best idea.

How many rafts have you gone through?
We lost count... at the Willy. The Killer Whale.

Has anyone ever offered to sponsor you?
All: Mental institutions.
Bear: We actually have a nurse on board, traveling with us. He plays the guitar.
Emanuel: No tour manager, but we do have a nurse.
Martin: I like Other Music! Do they sponsor bands?

How would you describe life on the road with the band?
Emanuel: It's like a David Lynch movie.
Jacob: No a David Lynch movie.
Richard: More like an David Lynch movie.
Emanuel: No David Lynch, because it's the most beautiful dream. And the most terrifying nightmare all at once!

What do you miss most when you're on tour?
Emanuel: The other guys in the band that can't come along. They are missed. Frida: And we get text messages and they say they miss us, too.
Frederic: Showers.

Favorite city to play in?
All: New York! And not just because we're here.

What about New York is special?
Frederic: Our favorite baseball team, the Mets!
All: No no no no no. We're not going there. Do not go there. Moving on. We love Brooklyn, Chinatown--- our Tuba player Erik likes skateboarding in Harlem...
Henrik: I like the sandwiches, with plenty of stuffing.

Favorite gig?
Jacob: The thing is, we've never had a bad show. Maybe the fans thought it was bad, but we've never had a bad show amongst us.
Richard: It's like there are no bad clothes, only bad weather.

Who do you identify more with: Jackson 5, The Osmonds, or the Von Trapp Family?
All: The Muppets!

~Abbey Braden


Second photo by gopster via Flickr
Third photo by Jodie Bailey via Flickr
Fourth photo by John Lewis via Flickr
Fifth photo by boatfriend via Flickr
Sixth photo by forklift via Flickr
Seventh photo by Jason Bergman via Flickr
Eighth photo by kinkyfantastic via Flickr
Ninth photo by jirob via Flickr

Posted by psychoPEDIA at 12:17 PM | Permalink

99 miles from London sits the history-ridden tourist trap of Bath. Unrivaled in its beauty, the city is home to a Royal Theatre, centuries-old Roman Baths, and The Heavy. Having released their debut LP, Great Vengeance and Furious Fire, back in March, the funk and soul-infused punk rock act has since made a splash in the music industry thanks to a recent North American tour and support from Playboy.

In addition to designing a t-shirt for Playboy’s Rock the Rabbit series, which will be on sale at Colette come June (proceeds benefit Rock the Vote), the sexy rag played host to a few of the band’s stateside shows.

psychoPEDIA spoke with guitarist Dan T. following The Heavy’s return to their hometown. We talked Sally Lunn buns, how to spot a Chav, and Bath’s best-kept secret.

What did you think of the States?
It was absolutely everything I expected and more. In a way it was really hard because it’s such a big place. Nobody told us how big it was. It was really good fun - the hardest thing we’ve done so far as a band purely in terms of crossing that much distance.

What’s Bath like?
It’s like a huge museum. A massive museum safari park. It’s a very old town– beautiful place, a Roman city. But there are lots of tourists here. Every summer, that’s the problem, because it’s purely focused on tourists. There’s not a lot career wise or opportunity wise, but it’s a beautiful place to die.

How is it to be a musician there?
We probably spend too much time in our bedrooms, because there’s nothing else to do. It’s actually great for us. Because there isn’t a lot to do, you can focus on what you do do. You may get to a certain age and want to move away from London, but being from a place like this allows you to focus on something. We focus on our music. You can move to any big city and get caught up in those things and get a little lost. It’s easy to be who you are in a place like this.

What's better, the Great Bath at the Roman Baths or Thermae Bath Spa?
Well, [Thermae] is a new spa thing that I’ve not visited but I’ve heard it’s very good. I’ve been to the Roman Baths and checked those out. It’s worth visiting. If you come here, you have to go to both, but maybe not in the same day. You’d get a little bathed out and start to wrinkle surely after a while.

Is Bath a big college town?
There’s a university right on the outskirts of Bath - a lot of students stick to the campus there. It is a great place to come and study; it’s one of the most beautiful places in this part of England. And there’s definitely a slower pace- that’s generally a South West thing. South West England is an easier place.

Are the locals pretty laid back?
No, you’ve got a real mix of complete idiots… it’s a weird place. You’ve got the original Chavs- the real idiots. There’s a lot of trouble here. A lot of hooliganism, and I’m not referring to football necessarily. But there’s a real drinking culture. There are a lot of old people. If you ever come, check out Oldfield Park. It’s like the Brooklyn of Bath. If you ever see it, you’ll laugh. It’s the combination of the elderly and the young. It’s a huge housing estate with simple red brick cottages.

What’s a Chav typically look like?
Check for the sportswear, and I’ll say no more.

Where do you go drinking in Bath?
Anywhere that’s pretty quiet. It’s nice to chill out a bit when you come back home. I feel like I spend a lot of my time in really loud, hectic environments. There’s a place called The Porter. It’s an English pub in the center of Bath, opposite a studio that we use. There’s a pub that we go to in Midford called The Hope and Anchor. It’s outside of Bath. Things are really expensive in Bath.

What about food?
There’s a chain all across England of noodle bars called Wagamama. It’s noodles and rice, a kind of Thai or Vietnamese; it’s just done really well.

What’s the most picturesque place in Bath?
There’s amazing architecture and astounding streets. The Circus is an incredible circular building. There are the most beautiful townhouses. Nicholas Cage bought a place on The Circus. There’s the Landsdown Crescent and Royal Crescent as well, which overlooks Royal Victoria Park and has stunning views. Nearby there’s also Glastonbury. One of the things I wanted to do when I got back was to get out to the countryside. Glastonbury is pretty incredible. It’s not just a [music] festival.

Have you been to the Theatre Royal?
My girlfriend worked there on the costumes for a bit. They say it’s haunted. There’s quite an angry ghost down there. I don’t think I’ve ever actually been there, but it’s probably worth a visit.

Are Sally Lunn’s buns really that good?
[Laughs] I worked there! Where did you get that? That was one of my first jobs. They serve these buns that are like a brioche. It’s pretty good. That’s one of the really touristy things to do. I ate my fair share. Eating it with jam and cream is just ridiculous. The Welsh rarebit, which is like a really beautiful cheese… you’ve got to eat one of those.

What is Bath's best-kept secret?
Blimey... The Heavy, probably.

~Alisa Gould-Simon


Go There:
The Porter, 2 Miless Buildings, +44 1225 424104
The Hope and Anchor, 38 Jacobs Wells Rd, +44 117 929 2987
Oldfields Hotel 
Lansdown Grove Hotel 

Posted by psychoPEDIA at 12:39 PM | Permalink

In an attempt to clean-up Amsterdam’s infamous Red Light District, the city council has purchased a number of brothels in the area as part of its Red Light Fashion project. Former prostitutes’ windows have been converted to showcase couture collections from the crème de la crème of Dutch fashion. With call girls as neighbors, and tourists passing by on the canals, this new setting provides a very different working environment for these young designers– one such being Bas Kosters.

Known for his explosive use of color, hand-drawn prints, and recycled materials, the multi-disciplinary artist also works as a painter, illustrator, and DJ. With such a colorful and dynamic palate, Kosters made a proper subject to test the equally flamboyant and charming dessert specialist De Taart van M’n Tante.

Dutch for ‘My Aunt’s Cake’, this sweet shop serves homemade cakes, in the shape of cartoon heroes, Barbie, animals, and many more designs that magically transport one back to more innocent times. De Taart van M’n Tante is a favorite hang out for Amsterdammers enjoying a romantic date, girly get-together, kiddie party, or a quick game of camped-up bingo.

Surrounded by fake flamingos, brightly colored velvet cushions, and lots of big fluffy cakes, psychoPEDIA joined Bas for tea-time topics from fighting crime to working in a brothel.

What’s it going to be?
I just had a quick look at the cabinet, but there’s not a lot left. I guess it’s quite late in the afternoon, but I noticed they have some carrot cake, and some apple with amaretto, and a mango Bavarois. They all sound appealing to me, but I’m going for the hot chocolate with cream and the carrot cake.

How did you get involved in the Red Light Fashion project?
A few other young labels and I are involved in another project called Turning Talent Into Business, which helps young designers to build their businesses, and we were basically all approached. It was quite easy for me to get involved.

The project was set up to clean up the area, partially in a fight against crime. What way do you think you’ll have an influence in that?
They didn’t think that fashion would actually change the crime here, but they just wanted to do something different with the area and use the buildings for different purposes. In an indirect way, we want to fight the crime, but more than that, we wanted to give the area a cultural factor. It’s also a great media pull, attracting a lot of new people to the area. The media is going totally mad for it. The red light district has always been an interesting talking point, but since the project launched, I’ve had so much more attention from the media.

How are the residents responding to the project?
Everyone feels very different about it. Some of the residents are happy with it, some think the area should just stay the way it was.

The waiter arrives with the cakes.

Hmm nice. [Bas, squeals like an excited child at the arrival of his cake] But as I said, everyone has a different opinion about the project. As a designer who is involved, I would say that I think it has a positive impact on Amsterdam as a city. It’s good for people to see that the area is not just about trashiness, but it’s areas like these that are actually the places where creativity is born.

I read that the rooms are kept intact and that they didn’t actually convert the spaces. Is it weird that you’re now working next to those beds?
Yeah, there are red lights, black lights, and these big built-in beds. Very bizarre. The building itself is also very funny. It’s really like a labyrinth, with all its corridors and crazy little rooms. It really seems to lead it’s own life.

Does this different and crazy environment inspire you in a different kind of way?
I’m actually doing a series of paintings with very explicit sexual images. It’s quite funny, because we had to sign a contract about not showcasing work in the windows that is linked to alcohol, degradation, and addiction. It’s quite a contrast, because of course you feel different when you work in that space, but we’re not really allowed to do anything with that feeling. I am actually not trying to think too much about what happened in there, you know…

Are you enjoying the carrot cake?
It’s lovely! Hahaha. [asking his assistant] Would you like to try? It’s such a nice little piece of cake!

I’m guessing you’ve been here before?
I come here every once in a while. I’ve actually had this carrot cake before. I like it here. The café has this has this really cozy vibe. But how nice would it be if it were open at night? It’d be so nice to come down here at night, with some friends, have a bit of cake...

What’s happening after this year–- will Bas Kosters go worldwide?
I don’t know. But I am going on a holiday to Jamaica soon, for Jamaica Style Week. It’s going to be busy. We have so much planned, which I am happy about. I’m not too psyched, though. I heard 36 gay men were killed there last year. Apparently they’re not into white gay men over there. So, I’m going to leave my Dior sunglasses and gold rings at home. I’m so used to being explicit and communicating with my outfits, but I don’t want to communicate the wrong things over there, so I have to dress a bit more quietly. Here in Amsterdam I am creating freedom by being different, but over there, I will be creating freedom by not being different.

- Frederieke Janssen

Posted by psychoPEDIA at 01:15 PM | Permalink

Tao Lin enjoys vegan organic food, eBay, and drawing his own renditions of catatonic hamsters in varying states of being. On first glance, he might sound like your average breed of angsty and self-indulgent Holden Caulfield. But what separates him from the anti-social, idle minds–- besides his desire to accumulate 20,000 MySpace friends-– is that the 24-year-old author has taken boredom and the often confused and melancholic conditions of youth and turned them into brutally honest books: novel Eeeee Eee Eeee, short story collection, Bed, and two collections of poetry-– you are a little bit happier than i am, and the most recent, Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy–- making the soft-spoken and laconic writer more appropriately likened to a modern-day Hemingway. Lin has even managed to become one of the best-selling authors of DUMBO-based independent publishers, Melville House, who recently threw a launch party (complete with vegan organic snacks) for his newest book.

psychoPEDIA joined Lin for an intimate discussion over gmail chat, days after the release, to discover more about finding “meaning” in his life and the many quirky musings on his Reader of Depressing Books blog:

How many hours would you estimate you spend in front of a computer?
About 30% of days like 10-12 hours. About 20% of days like 2-4 hours. About 50% of days like 6-8 hours.

You quote from your critics extensively in your blogs. Do you often search for what positive things are said, or if people are bashing you?
Both. It doesn't make much difference to me if someone is shit-talking or saying they like me. It's just something to do so that my brain can be occupied until I can eat again or it's time for something to happen that I have been looking forward to.

Do your critics’ comments affect what you write about?
It affects it a little probably, but not a lot. Me changing what I write based on reading a review would be like me getting converted to Christianity or Buddhism or whatever every day when I'm walking and someone is preaching or handing out flyers.

Do you check often to see your total blog hits or where your books are ranked on Amazon?
Yes. Probably hundreds of times a day. I don't know what else to do most of the time.

How did you devise the promotional tactic for your new book?
On gmail chat I said something like, "I should make stickers that say BRITNEY SPEARS on half of it and my book cover on the other half to promote the book." Then that got "edited" to just "BRITNEY SPEARS." I feel really good about the stickers.

Would you ever exhibit Britney-like behavior in public to gain attention and catapult the popularity of your books?
Maybe. If it was "inherently" funny and original I would do it. If it wasn't "inherently" funny and original I might still do it.

One of your posts was about how people can help to promote your career. Has anyone approached you with offers?
Yes. Every few weeks or something someone emails me saying they're my intern or want to be my intern. Someone named Ken Baumann, a 19-year-old actor who writes things and has a blog, offered me $100 one time.

How many interns do you have now?
I don't know. Around 20. I think many of them are "inactive."

What kind of things do you have them do?
I don't tell them to do anything. Some general "guidelines" I made in some blog post were that they could blog about me and write reviews of my books on Amazon and make my wikipedia entry really long.

Do you ever go on an Anna Wintour power-trip?
No, I feel bad telling anyone to do anything. I mostly do not tell anyone ever to do anything for me unless I know I have already done more for them than I am going to ask them to do for me.

Why did you choose the title of your newest book?
It wasn't a cliche, it felt "clean" and "neutral," it had a lot to do with the book, it was funny to me, and it had "marketing possibilities," sort of. People who are in therapy might look at it and want to buy it. A lot of people are in therapy.

Do you want people to think it's a textbook or guide?
Yes, I blogged that it was a textbook and maybe 10-15 people believed it. Which was "fun" to me.

Are “people in therapy” your target audience?
My target audience is hipsters.

In the poems in your newest collection, are you the hamster protagonist?
Yes, I am the hamster. Hamsters are funny to me. Because their faces never change. Their faces convey the same emotion which is "neutral" to me. Or "enlightened." Hamsters are enlightened according to their facial expressions.

But they eat their own babies sometimes. Is that "enlightened"?
Actually that is sort of "enlightened" in a way since it opposes consciousness. If everyone ate their babies, there would just be rocks and trees, which is what the "enlightened" person recognizes as the "true" state or something, the state of things without paradox or something. Hamsters only look “enlightened,” I know they really do not understand the arbitrary nature of the universe.

How many emotions would you say you go through in a single day?
If I don't think about it too hard…two. Good and bad.

What made you feel "good" today?
Drinking an energy drink, eating almonds, eating a pear, eating an apple, and completing items on my to-do list. I'm trying to be more social.

Your blog says you want to use the names "Haley Joel Osment" and "Dakota Fanning" in your next book and that journalists will focus on it. Why do you want to reference them?
They will be the main characters. I just use the names, the characters have nothing to do with them as they are in real life. I just think it is funny and makes me feel good. Also people will talk more about it and talk less about narrative arc or use literary criticism terms or whatever. My life feels meaningless a lot of the time. I need to do things like this to make it more "exciting" or something.

What does give your life meaning, if only in a transient way?
Trying to meet people that I like, trying to find art that makes me "feel good" or "feel excited" and then watching or listening or reading that art, being productive, trying to create art that does those things, trying to make myself "better," eating food, setting goals and trying to accomplish them, cleaning my room, those all give my life meaning. Or not "meaning" but "something to do." I'm not sure what "meaning" is exactly I think.

~Leann Peterson

Posted by psychoPEDIA at 12:42 PM | Permalink

In the process of building multi-billion dollar empires, Calvin Klein and Ralph Lauren defined the widely-embraced concept of the “lifestyle brand.” In their wake, they left many specialty designers scrambling to join the race to secure their names on everything from bath towels and bed sheets to sunglasses and shower gel. While spending years working for Lauren, Michael Kors, and Derek Lam, designer Lynne Hiriak always envisioned a line that had a singular focus and expertise. Not interested in making everything under the sun, Hiriak recently launched two lines that make a few things in all their glorious and multiple forms of perfection. MLH, a women's collection that explores color and print using one fabric-- novelty fine jersey and CARDIGAN, a singular knitwear concept dedicated to the eponymous item. With both collections, Hiriak aims to explore all the variations and possibilities-- what she calls “singular multiples.”

Hiriak's design philosophy stems from her extensive travels and personal style. But what really drives her is the simple obsession for finding all her basics in different forms. Hiriak began collecting her coveted items in mass when work led her to Asia and the Middle East. Afraid she might never return to the markets, Lynne stockpiled, shipping home suitcases of scarves and printed shirts. Today, Lynne's closet is a testament to the beauty of utility. Stacks of neatly folded sarongs and saris, piles of cotton and silk shirts sit above countless cardigans. A row of blue denim floats atop 2 towers of colorful scarves and a multiplicity of moccasins. Frowning a bit over the of-the-moment status of Minnetonka moccasins, Hiriak says "They're easy and seasonless. I wear them in the winter, spring, summer, whenever. They weigh nothing so they're easy to travel with. I've gone through tons of them."

"The thing I like most about everything I collect is that nothing is precious. There is great utility to everything. In the context of where they come from, these are all classic everyday items," says Lynne. Woven baskets rest on her bedroom floor overflowing with beaded necklaces and Italian leather sandals from Francesco da Firenze. The extremely well priced (60 to 80 Euro) beautifully crafted shoes are custom-made in 4 to 5 days. "The first thing I do when I get to Florence is put in my sandal order and go eat lunch. It's become a ritual," says Lynne. " The teeny little shop has been doing the Greek sandal/gladiator thing for years. They make great classics that can be tweaked and personalized."

"There was a period where I was wearing a lot of scarves-– and people started to identify me by them. I kept getting them for gifts even though I had a bazillion. I must have received 25 one year. The thing is, I've never gotten one I already had or thought I didn't need. And, I know exactly where each one comes from. They all have a story." Lynne finds most of her brilliant silk and cotton scarves at the markets in Thailand and India. She gives John Derian props for "doing scarves really well." For those who don't mind coughing up cash or aren't turned off by popularity, Calypso and Matta are great sources for ornately authentic pieces. But when possible Hiriak always shops the source. The best tissue-thin silk and cotton shirts are to be found in Qatar, India. There's a guy in the old section of town, just go over the bridge and he's right there. She wishes she had an address. If you're not going to make it to Qatar anytime soon, Do Kham Tibet Emporium on Prince Street serves as a good second.

Way before Prada and Marni, Lynne unearthed the most outrageous over-the-top necklaces in India's Tibetan open market. "You're supposed to bargain down and each guy is cheaper than the next," she explains. It is there where Lynne has found beads and bones, wood and tortoise. Some of the tortoise shell pieces are so thin she has to be mindful of the weather or they'll crack. Her seemingly endless collection is filled with turquoise and lots of quartz. New York City also has lots of tucked away little shops filled with hidden treasures. Nusraty Afghan Imports hosts beads and jewels amidst a jumbled mess of rugs and metal deities. You might even be able to do some bargaining down without having to traveling across 12 time zones.

Hiriak's cultivated state of effortless chic is in pairing exotic and unique finds with classics denim and an understated shirt or sweater (usually from her own line). At first glance her obsession for hunting down the perfect find seems like a quirky idiosyncrasy. But for someone who is constantly looking to simplify chances are she is really just perfecting a modern uniform for increasingly complex times.

~Lisa Germinsky


Go There:
Franceso da Firenze, Via di Santo Spirito 62 red, 0039-055-212428
Nusraty Afghan Imports, 215 W 10th St, (212) 691-1012

Posted by psychoPEDIA at 11:50 AM | Permalink

What’s in a name? A lot apparently, at least when it comes to the Mancunian band, The Ting Tings. After becoming so fond of a work colleague’s name, singer Katie White decided to name her band after coworker. Let’s hope Miss Ting-Ting is fond of dance floor friendly indie-pop madness, as the afore mentioned singer and drummer/general music-maker Jules De Martino have run away with the name and pasted it all over radio playlists, records, and gig posters around the world. However, on further inspection by the band, they happened upon a deeper meaning to their name, as apparently its translation from a foreign language is “the sound of innovation on an open mind.”

Seemingly fitting-– for both Katie and Jules have been in several pop bands, all with varying levels of success and with prior knowledge to this fact, open minds to their new direction is not always a scene that greets them with open arms. Despite this they continue to strive towards artistic innovation and it has proved fruitful with the infinitely catchy “That’s Not My Name” and subsequently, the highly danceable “Great DJ,” landing into many an unsuspecting radio listeners sub consciousness, causing the incessant humming of either track for weeks on end.

psychoPEDIA joined White to chat about DJs, The Smiths, and sunny Salford:

As a band, don’t you resent DJs–- someone who doesn’t really make music, just plays other people’s?
We wouldn't want a band playing at every party we went to... having a DJ in the corner is a nice way to focus the evening on the people having a good knees up and not a spectacle on stage, even if it is yourself playing the records.

Were you apprehensive about writing a song about a DJ, and having to follow such greats as fellow Mancunians The Smiths "Hang the DJ" and, er, Robbie Williams "Rock DJ?"
It wasn't intentional, and following a band like The Smiths is a compliment. We wrote this song after spending many nights releasing our musical frustrations with our friends playing records like “Ghostbusters” and “Kung Fu Fighting” very loud in drunken stupor. Bless self-DJing.

Was singing in front of the mirror or in the shower important to you as a youngster?
As crucial as banging the tin pots and playing the tennis racket.

Is there pressure to be all prim, proper, preppy, and clean cut for TV, major labels, and radio– or is there as much creativity and lifestyle freedom as there is in Salford to do what you will?
They'll never be as much creativity and lifestyle freedom as there is in Salford, but we have a deal with the label that gives us complete creative freedom and control. They're even making replicas of our hand-made promos out in the USA, all by hand. We're hoping to turn Columbia into a DIY major if we haven't already!

How does Salford compare to San Francisco, where you were just on tour?
It’s a great looking city from the sky. Unfortunately, we didn't get to spend more than one afternoon but can't wait to get back out there for more of a stay. The USA was a hoot on our last short visit. If Salford was warm and sunny like the west coast, we would never have finished our album.

You have been likened to both Girls Aloud and The Gossip. If you could pick one to go on tour with, and only one, who would it be and why?
The Gossip. No explanation needed.

Beth Ditto clearly is clearly outspoken and has a lot of important and well thought out feminist agendas in her lyrics, as well as her interviews. Is this a direction The Ting Tings would like to take one day, or are you happy just making people dance?
I think it’s important to be honest and tell things how you see them. We didn't set out with an agenda, but frustration will naturally come out in our lyrics and expression. Whether it be from ways that I have been treated or things that we see. So yes, I’ve probably got a bee in my bonnet just like every other girl out there.

After being involved in several musical reincarnations, do you ever feel like The Ting Tings is your last big shot at the music world?
You know, nothing surprises us. Our last band got dropped without getting a record out, and we thought when we wrote these songs that nobody would ever work with us. So, it’s always full of surprises. We love what we do, and it seems to be connecting with people but you don't set out to, when you’re laying yourself down in a song, you don’t think "I’m doing this as my big shot," you do it because you are being creative and the odds on it actually getting somewhere are so slim. I don't think any band goes in with that approach.

Posted by psychoPEDIA at 03:14 PM | Permalink

The Midwestern metropolis of Detroit not only birthed Motown and Ford Motors; it has helped launch the careers of everyone from MC5 and Marvin Gaye, to Iggy and the Stooges, Eminem and the White Stripes. Music quite literally is in Motor City’s blood. And, while the city has suffered tremendously as a result of its automotive factories folding and widespread drug-related crimes, young creatives continue to breathe new life into Michigan’s capital.

The Silent Years, a melodic indie rock quintet whose upcoming The Globe hits stores in August, is one such example. Considering the seasoned band has drawn comparisons to the likes of Elliott Smith and the Flaming Lips, and whose forthcoming LP boasts Chris Coady (of TV on the Radio and Blonde Redhead fame) as its producer, these Detroit natives appear poised for big things. We caught up with The Silent Years’ frontman Josh Epstein before the band’s NYC show tonight at the Music Hall of Williamsburg to talk soul food, haunted bookstores and the Detroit scene.

Rumor has it you met bassist Pat Edwards at a Colorado mime school?
[Laughs] That’s one of those legends that we like to perpetuate, so I don’t know if I can confirm or deny that.

Do you still mime?
Yeah, actually I do.

Have you incorporated it into The Silent Years’ live show?
No, but the next thing we will be incorporating onstage is tap-dancing. You know, I saw Stomp and I thought, “Someone tapping at a rock show would be amazing.” So I’ve been taking lessons. It’s just going to be me. I think I’m the zaniest of the bunch.

Did you grow up in Detroit?
We were all born and raised in Detroit. It’s so much easier to live here when you’re a musician. The first few years you’re in a band, you have no money. Here, it’s much easier to be on tour and be able to afford to keep your house. The cost of living is so much lower than other major cities.

Are there downsides to having a band in Detroit?
It’s more difficult in the sense that in NYC and LA, you can go out to shows every night. There are way more bands, and more bands that you can hang out with. But, in Detroit, we lack a music scene that is really strong – it’s very small and a lot of bands don’t tour through here, so it takes a long time to really build up a Detroit fan base.

Given Detroit’s musical legacy, does it feel like a lot to live up to?
I love the fact that Motown started here and MC5 and garage rock, but we’re not really a part of that. In a way, I feel like it’s a blessing that we’ve been able to develop our own thing. In Detroit there aren’t really trends, like, “this band is going to be big for 2 years, and then this band is going to be big for 2 years.” People like what they like, and they go see them. We’ve never had to feel like we’re a part of a scene. It took us a long time to get people to pay attention to us here, but it’s been worth it.

How would you describe the local population as a whole?
The people in Detroit are the nicest people in the world. There are a lot of drugs, so there’s a lot of crime – someone breaking into your car or stealing your iPod and selling it for crack. But it’s not violent crime. There are a select few that are actually doing that, but a few bad apples have definitely spoiled the whole bunch. Detroit is kind of at the heart of the recession in the U.S. because of its automotive industry. A lot of people have lost their jobs. There are definitely a lot of people here doing cool things, but whether we’re organized or not, I don’t think so. There’s a disconnect because everyone is so spread out.

What are some of the areas that are the most culturally interesting right now?
Right around Wayne State there are some record shops and coffee shops. There’s also a town called Ferndale just north of Detroit with a very active scene. It used to be the gay part of town. I think it still is. But those areas of every town tend to be the most progressive.

Say you were taking Bishop Allen and The War on Drugs, who you’ll be playing with tonight, out for a nice meal and a night on the town. Where would you go?
Slows without a question. It’s this BBQ place in Corktown, where the old Tiger Stadium is. Everyone should go there. It’s so good. I tend to get the BBQ brisket and macaroni and cheese, but they’re pretty famous for their ribs. Afterwards, I would say the Magic Stick. It’s this venue that’s always packed. Heading up to Ferndale, there are a lot of fun bars. The one where we hang out the most is called The Emory. On any given night you’ll find someone from the band there, because everyone lives right by it.

Do you frequent any other music venues?
There’s a new one that opened up called The Crofoot that has three different stages. It’s in a suburb called Pontiac. The Silent Years’ favorite place to play is St. Andrews Hall. Essentially, it’s like the Bowery Ballroom, except no tables on the balcony. It’s a really fun place to play.

Where do you go for stellar soul food?
There’s a place called the Turkey Grill and it’s all turkey stuff, it’s crazy. There’s also a lot of places called Fresh Fish House a.k.a "You Buy It, We Fry It." You can actually use food stamps there – you can’t buy cooked food with food stamps, but you can buy raw food with them. If you can stand eating fish from a place like that it’s really good.

Do you have any daytime haunts?
There’s a bookstore in downtown Detroit called John KK. Some people say that the building is haunted, which I would believe. They have these old, rare crazy books; you can find anything. There are a lot of coffee places. The one that everyone I know hangs out at is called Café De Marquis in a suburb called Royal Oak. Ferndale, Royal Oak, all the suburbs are really close. It’s this European place with really good coffee that’s always playing techno music, but you can sit outside and ignore the techno.

Where’s a good place for a first-time visitor to sleep?
On my floor.

And if your floor is taken?
In my bed.

~Alisa Gould-Simon

Go There:
Turkey Grill, 8290 Woodward Ave. (313) 872-4624
The Emory, 22700 Woodward Ave. (248) 546-8202

Posted by psychoPEDIA at 04:06 PM | Permalink

Tetine are Brazillian born Eli Mejorado and Bruno Verner– a bass-heavy duo who list their influences as tropical punk, funk carioca, miami bass, punk funk, and hysterical vocals. Their music sounds like 2 Live Crew being car jacked by CSS. And if a song makes me want to dance when I’m neither drunk nor high, then that’s a pretty good indication that the band rocks, and all of Tetine’s songs make me want to do the ‘Electric Boogaloo’ like my life depended on it. But to be honest, I’m only really concerned with the female vocalist, Eli. She wears sparkly gold bikinis and always looks like she just rolled out of bed.

psychoPEDIA met with Eli to have a lengthy conversation about her love for all things hair:

Why are you so obsessed with hair?
I’ve always loved hair since I was a child. Then I got into wigs, moustaches, and beards when I was about fifteen.

What style do you have your hair in at the moment?
It’s just wild, I don’t have any specific cut. I call it “wolf hair.”

Is there a specific place you like to get your hair done?
My friend Silvio cuts my hair. He comes to my place and charges £30. He's sensitive and understands that my hair looks good when it looks like I haven't had it cut.

How often do you change your hair?
I used to change it a lot before. I’ve had my hair colored blonde, red, orange, black, blue, and green, and I’ve had it short, curly, and straight. Nowadays, I like it in its natural color and long. If I want a change, I go for a wig. To be honest, I'm tempted to go for a more light brown colour, at the moment.

What's your favorite hairstyle?
My all time favorite is the long, curly, and blonde. But, I also have a thing for actresses from Alfred Hitchcock movies with perfect hairdos.

What do you think is the worst style ever?
It depends. I wouldn't go for red and short myself, but my friend looks just perfect with it.

Can you remember the worst haircut you ever had?
I once had straight blonde hair that was very long at the back and short at the front. My nose was just too big for that style. I looked awful.

Which celeb has hair that you think is cool?
Amy Winehouse has such a nice hairdo! She looks sexy without having to make any effort. But, my all time favorite hairstyle was on Tippi Hedren when she acted in The Birds. Even when she's attacked and covered in blood, her hair still looks perfect to me.

Is a good hairstyle ever a good substitute for not having a personality?
No. I think the hair translates the personality.

Do you like people to grab your hair when you’re having sex?
I definitely do! Grabbing is good, but I hate it when they pull it. I can get very angry.

How do you feel about men who shave off all their pubic hair?
I pity them. I like men like Chili Gonzales.

Do you have a take on facial hair? Don’t you hate it when guys rub their grizzly faces against yours?
I don't like it when the beard is growing. It hurts! I like it when it’s a fully-grown beard.

Anything we should look out for with Tetine this year?
Our new album is coming out on Soul Jazz in mid April. It's going to be hairy!

~Donald Crunk @ Styleslut

Posted by psychoPEDIA at 01:28 PM | Permalink

In her intellectual provocative and formally sensuous work, leading Korean artist Lee Bul plays on the engagement with, and sometimes confrontation between traditional aesthetics and modern aspirations, with unorthodox results. This dichotomy is currently on display in her exhibition of sculptural works at the Lehmann Maupin gallery. Along with related studies and drawings, the exhibit combines a wide range of materials, visual elements and references.

Anchoring the exhibition is a large, grotto-like sculpture entitled Bunker – M. Bakhtin. The work invites visitors to experience what the artist describes as a “sonic simulacrum” of architectural spaces and landscapes situated within a mirrored environment. Wall pieces and a gridded platform on the gallery floor make use of two-way mirrors to create further disorientations.

psychoPEDIA asked I.E. Statement to review Lee Bul's show. They do share an appreciation of unorthodox presentations. Here's what he thought:

Lee Bul and her 26th Street Lehmann Maupin gallery art/crotch review via misdirected heated creative sensibility found its own self-acknowledgement within framing thighs. Not all creative stuff succeeds that well.

And they, the potentially wet populace, did come by, to a degree, where scant as in “scantly dressed” loses its own lettering, but they did inadvertently find reconstituted images that glue one and all thanks to a series of omnipresent variations on a theme of floor mirrors: a welcome mat, extensively extended as in one room’s decree for unlimited crotch revealing. This action is facilitated by having the floor, a mass of chromium shine cut to squares, replicated plastic bouncing constructions that belittle our capacity but to look down. Where is the art when panties tease? was the refrain. However, this particular area of the show is a serious space, for the artist furnishes her visitors a bunker, structured by a dogmatic construction that further holds the thematic despair Lee Bul contemplates, whether it be political or the general lack of creative initiative to “reinvent the world”--her phrase.

The historical references of horror and world plights given presence in metallic cabinet enclosures that yell metaphorical threats within a stainless steel glare solely make us all just more discreet voyeurs. These housed constructions greet the gallery goers, but in conjunction with their no-nonsense references, be they clear or not, the visitor’s ingenuity is appraised upon entering the gallery, for the artist provides a gridded platform whose two way mirrors mirror crotch winks once the entrants prance their respective wares, and they do. Bul assists us to move away from life’s hard edges.

Bul’s hard verbiage is especially notable: “Her soft lips touched mine and {everything} became hard” or as Bul wrote it: “Her soft lips touched mine and every thing became hard.” Life’s broken landmine or land mine. Despair: not even a word can be rendered whole. Her wall word placement consolidates her intent: the structures with ornate glitter, beads a dangle, metallic sharpened disarray or the obscured counterpart, a Bunker’s black edgy gray fore bearings: chastity belts’—all that scary, barely defined, lock and key stuff—mirrored restraints pale within life’s procreative possibilities. Lee Bul is a philosopher.



See Lee Bul's exhibition from May 8th to June 14th at Lehmann Maupin gallery.
540 W 23rd St, (212) 255.2923

Posted by psychoPEDIA at 04:20 PM | Permalink

With warm weather fast approaching, there's no more hiding under bulky clothing. And since you'll be shedding a few layers, to guarantee that your appearance is polished, psychoPEDIA complied a list of some effective products to sharpen your look from head to toe:

An impeccable outfit starts from the inside-out. Her Look carries seamless undergarments that are an essential foundation for any outfit. The Commando Slip, a must for any girl’s wardrobe, allows dresses to perfectly drape and flow. The Commando Tiny Thong ($22) and Commando Girl Short ($26) are undetectable (or invisible) panties for pairing with tight-fitting jeans and leggings. Her Look also provides “enhancement” cutlets–- Takeouts ($48) and Cleavage Cupcakes ($44) to help you fill out fitted tops or bikinis.

The Strap Tamer ($9.00) is a simple and effective way of controlling straying straps. This little stainless steel clip pins into the shoulder seam of your top, so the tamer can even be left on during washes without risk of rusting. For wearing your bra during intense physical activity, The Strapper ($5.99) will convert a bra into a racer-back as well as provide added support. For maximum coversage without a bra, DIMRs ($29.95) are reusable, washable, and hypoallergenic disks made of flesh tone silicone to naturally adhere to skin without leaving any visible lines.

For wearing tight jeans without creating “muffin top,” Hip-T ($19.95) adds a protective layer without the bulk of wearing another top, that’s simply aimed to cover-up your ass-ets.

To prevent armpit rings in hot weather, Garment Guard ($10.95) disposable shields are adhesive cotton pads that stick to the inside of clothing. These guards will protect garments from both stains and odors, saving you from embarrassment and dry cleaning bills. And for those who prefer the freedom of not wearing undies, they offer a heart-shaped underwear alternative. These adhesive underwear ($7.95) are a sure way of having no panty lines and are a hygienic alternative to going “commando.”

Getting a baby-smooth shave is the first step to flawless legs. Luckily, the new Schick Quatro ($8.73) has dual moisturizing strips and four blades for long-lasting smoothness, so you can easily skip a day or two of shaving.

For a quick solution to shorten your slacks without a tailored hem job, Zakkerz ($24.00+) can shorten pants by simply rolling them up and applying the magnetic rings. The length is also adjustable according to the height of the shoes, without causing any damage to your pants.

You can never have enough shoes. But breaking in new pumps can often be painful, so protecting one’s feet becomes a major priority. Blisters are not only painful but lead to unsightly band-aids and scaring. GeLuscious ($4.99+) have created transparent gel Divine Drops, Pumpfort Pads, Heelmates, and Sassy Strips designed to protect your feet–- alleviating painful pressure caused by rubbing shoes. Peaches & Boo Boo Elixir ($20.00) is a grease-less lotion that adheres to the skin, creating a barrier between shoes and feet that prevents slipping and chafing. Their Party Shoe formula claims to work for up to 9-hours, for a worry-free full night on the town. But, if the damage has already been done, try Skin Shield ($4.99), which creates a second skin that will disinfect and protect any tender areas. Skin Shield also dissolves blisters, allowing them to heal much faster.

~Joanna Kunze


First photo by Walter Chin

Posted by psychoPEDIA at 11:41 AM | Permalink

What would Andy Warhol have thought about the current celebrity saturation, the mindless lack of discretion over who we, or rather the rags, choose to make the center of our hungry minds? Warhol shined a light on celebrity, making it pop and making it art (he freely admitted in his diaries to believing every word of Star magazine). New York-based, Mara Sprafkin, a 27-year-old artist makes work that not only indulges in the guilty pleasures of celebrity gossip, but also makes it intelligent.

Like all a true gossip devotees, Sprafkin can wax poetic on all sorts of contemporary culture phenomenons. How she translates her thoughtful interpretation of the seemingly vapid is seen in her work- most recently in "Valley of Vapors" at the March Gallery. psychoPEDIA sat down with Sprafkin for a cup of coffee and some highbrow perspective on the lowest common denominators.

Tell me about your recent show, "Valley of Vapors"?
It was at the March Gallery. The name is a riff on Harlequin novels. I was on eBay searching for Harlequin books and found Harlequin Presents. They have the most beautiful covers- painted all white with strange images of women and men lurking in the background. They're like portholes into these secret lives. and they have great titles like Double Attraction.

How did you come up with that name?
Titles are really important to me. I needed a title for the show that encompassed everything, but nothing. "Valley of Air"? What is that?" It's super creepy and references Death Valley and Valley of the Dolls, The Yellow Wallpaper, female hysteria. And then it all goes back to Britney. I love her.

What do you love about her?
She's a product of American culture. We've built her into this demi-God. We're all waiting to see her fail, and she's counting on our love. It's a really sick thing. She's one of the most important figures of my generation. There are politicians and Nobel prizes winners, but no one fucking cares. Everyone's talking about Britney. I'm not saying its good- just true.

Why do you think there's this cultural obsession with celebrity?
Other people's lives are more interesting than our own. People think celebrities are trying to achieve something a little better than the rest of us. It's an escape.

Then why do we want to see them fail?
It’s probably no different than being in high school. Who smells? Who's the prettiest? Who's dating who? You talk bad to make yourself feel better.

Is Britney's talent deserving of all the talk?
I honest to God loved her last album. I haven't followed her whole career, but a couple of years ago, someone told me to get her Greatest Hits. It's really good. I finally got comfortable saying that.

Do you feel protective of her?
I feel really bad for her. People like to compare her to Michael Jackson, which is interesting. I don't think she's stable enough to deal with it. She's probably just a regular person with some problems. People like to see that fame and money don't equal happiness– like all those girls- Lindsay, Paris, Nicole. We're not fascinated by the men. We don't scrutinize them. No one cares.

Why do you think that is?
It's mostly women and gay men that read and write this stuff. Women are really mean to each other.

Speaking of which, what do you make of the latest phenomenon, Gossip Girl?
It's strange to watch a show about kids in high school, but then again, when I was in 5th and 6th grade I watched a show about kids in high school (90210).

What's the appeal?
Watching beautiful, young people whose lives are so easy. As a New Yorker, you think, "She's drinking martinis at Butter?” They don't have real life issues, which makes it even more blissful.

Who's your favorite character?
I really like Serena. I always like the blonde. I'm interested in her bad girl past. And she's dating a nice guy from “the other side of the tracks.”

Can you tell me about any of your newer work?
My work is a celebration of everything pretty. I just had a piece in a show curated by Nicholas Weist. The idea was: “If I told you you were beautiful, would you date me on the regular?” Pop culture has to give us so little for us to love it. 3 works of Jessica Simpson- "My white sunglasses make me feel Fabulous." It's a little Warhol- 3 of them, Xerox with acrylic on top.

She's another one we've built up to knock down.
Her career wasn't doing well. She did "Newlyweds," re-released her album, and it went platinum. That show made her career and then undid it. She's on TV being the dumbest person alive and everyone's dying…. Come on, it's tuna fish!

Do you think the same thing will happen to Ashlee?
Probably. There are all these rumors about her pregnancy– people saying it’s because she has a new album coming out. "

Have you always taken lowbrow seriously?
I heard a man reviewing Britney's album on NPR as if it was a serious thing. It was that moment I realized, you could talk about these things not in a lowbrow way. Like that book "Sex, Drugs and Coco Puffs"- the premise of the "Real World" is fascinating, and this guy takes it apart.

Is it the popularity of something that embarrasses some of us?
As a New Yorker I'm in a cultural bubble. I have a stimulating job with stimulating people. I have no idea how the rest of the world operates. I'm probably snobbier than I think.

~Lisa Germinsky

Posted by psychoPEDIA at 12:43 PM | Permalink

Yvan Rodic has all the attributes of a budding documentarian. He knows exactly the right places and times to find his potential subjects. And the reality he creates for himself never fails to dazzle, bemuse, and enthrall his dedicated followers. Coming from the beautiful town of Vevey, Switzerland, Ivan has followed in the footsteps of another famous former Vevey resident, Switzerland’s first astronaut Claude Nicollier – except the stars Ivan searches to document walk among us.

As “The Facehunter,” for the past few years, he has been snapping the world’s most beautiful, striking, and stylistically appetizing young boys and girls and displaying them onto his blog. Unsurprisingly, his camera’s prolific output has garnered him an obsessive following, and it is quite a timely and wise move that Yvan is expanding his glamorous photography to moving image. On May 28th he brings us ‘The Facehunter Show’ to be aired on MySpaceTV. psychoPEDIA hunted Yvan down on the streets of East London and spoke to him about his worldwide style expeditions and his favorite places to relax while not picking off his inspirationally confident young prey.

Having not been educated formally as a photographer, was there any particular documentarian or photographer you looked at for inspiration when you begun as the Facehunter?
Not directly, but I am influenced by a lot by Rineke Dijkstra. I like her style because her portraits are somewhere between the spontaneous snapshot and forced poses. She captures very simply her subject’s expression.

How do you keep ahead of your average fashion/style bloggers?
I take pictures of interesting people who happen to express who they are through their clothes, but I don’t take pictures of just clothes. I try to create or set up a situation where the person is the star and the clothes are not. It’s about the charisma and character of the person– there lies the style. I could see someone in all designer clothes but they don’t look great. The person is the key, not just the pair of shoes.

If you take someone’s picture because of the character he or she exhumes, aren’t there times where you think, “I wish I had got to know that person more?”
Of course it happens, but every interaction has a different story. I don’t have time to get emotionally involved with every person I photograph. It would be silly. I get to know some people and keep in touch and see them again. There are people who have become my friends after I have photographed them. There is complete fusion between my social life and professional life, but I find it more interesting not to share the individual stories. It’s more radical just to have the photographs without words.

Does your TV show fit in with this idea then?
Somehow that will bring a more three-dimensional image of my trips. The most interesting thing is not just the photo, but also the process behind it. Each city I go to, there is all kinds of interactions and meetings. And it will be about that, not just fashion people but also all kinds of people.

What’s your favorite city to find your stars in?
The most exciting is Reykjavik, Iceland. I live in London, and I like it a lot– it has very specific crowd who’s very cool, and then average people who are not so much. But there is almost no mainstream average in Reykjavik. Even a banker will have his own style and clothes. It’s not just a “cool” neighborhood then “cool” people who look good. But it’s more random than that. It’s like everyone is a bit creative, and there’s a wildness. It’s surreal because it’s near the Arctic Circle and middle of nowhere. It’s a small city that produces something very strong. I am always excited before I go there.

Is it the best place for parties as well?
No, that would be Moscow. There’s this place called Krysha– it’s on a rooftop. It’s like a billionaire’s underground party. Moscow is the only place I know where there’s an intersection of rich super cool people and underground fashion people, where everyone has good taste.

Where do you always go back to, to eat, hang out and shop?
Moscow, again, at the Denis Simachev Bar– it’s a bar, a store and a club in one. It’s fantastic. Specifically, for shopping there’s a place in Stockholm, Sweden I like called Fifth Avenue Shoe Repair. It’s not just shoes but a clothing brand. It’s very black, minimalist, but quite experimental– very conceptual, and very Swedish.

And to relax?
My best memory was in Reykjavik, going to this public pool in the middle of the morning after a party, where it’s still dark because of their sunlight hours. It has different pools and hot tubs. It’s like a traditional place for old men to go and discuss issues and chat like a coffee house, but has something very cozy and healthy and relaxing about it.

Aesthetically your pictures remind me of a bird spotter’s guide. Do you have any specific rules to how your pictures should be shot or whom you shot on a particular day?
It’s not that organized. I don’t classify people. It’s a very subjective selection. I transform the reality. If I go to the city, I will take a picture of ten people who are amazing. But the large percentage don’t look anything like these people. It’s the same for parties, I have been to some bad parties, taken pictures of 4 amazing people and then, everyone thinks the party was amazing! It’s deforming reality. I don’t have the potential to document real life, I just want to share what is more inspiring. It’s the same when I find someone and I don’t just take their picture in that spot, but transport them somewhere to a different setting. I like to be on the edge of fiction and reality.

~Kevin Soar

Posted by psychoPEDIA at 12:35 PM | Permalink

London, Dalston dwellers Graffiti Island seem to have walked straight out of the bar of Twin Peak’s One Eyed Jack’s into an episode of Kojack The Night Stalker via the set of a Jadorowsky film.

Their simplistic, lo-fi approach has garnered comparisons to early K Records acts such as Beat Happening. But between Conan Roberts string work on bass and guitar, drummer Cherise Payne’s propulsive rhythmic counterpoints, and lead singer Pete Dee’s deadpan, pop-culture soaked delivery– they offer something wholly original. In a few short months and without a release yet, the band has already shared stages with acts as diverse and established as Les Savy Fav, Effi Briest, Be your Own Pet and Rings.

psychoPEDIA caught up with Dee to talk about the internet obsession that colors both the band’s sonic and lyrical palette, creating twisted and compelling tales of werewolves, haunted picnics, and mountain men gone nuts.

Tell me a bit about your blog, Voodoo Village.
My friend Jiro and I were in his bedroom relaxing and listening to "Love Theme" by Vangelis when we got the idea to make a blog. We both share similar interests and get annoyed by how much crap is out there, so we decided to make a blog full of all our favorite stuff like Italo disco, outsider art, Ancient Egypt, Down’s syndrome, GG Allin, aliens, heavy metal, and any kind of freaks.

Where did the name come from?
We got the name Voodoo Village from a compound in Memphis, Tennessee, which goes by the same name. The people that live there are a mixed-race of African Americans and Native American descent. They are led by a 100-year-old man called Chief Wash Harris.

What kind of stuff are you looking for when you sit around browsing the Internet everyday, or are you just flailing around in the dark?
This week I’ve been looking for old pictures of sideshow freaks. I found a good one of a pony woman whose leg joints bend the opposite way. I’ve been watching a lot of New Jack Swing videos too. My favourite is "My Heart" by TROOP. The dancing in that video is intense.

How long do you spend in front of the computer screen every day?
I sit until I can't feel my legs.

Are you sure this isn't all an elaborate front for solo cranking sessions?
I do some of that too. Shh.

You are also into the occult and UFO’s. How did this obsession arise?
I like watching interviews with airline pilots and astronauts who've seen UFO’s. I trust those dudes, they seem like good guys. I'm into UFOs of all shapes and sizes but probably the ones I’m most interested in are the black triangles, because I saw one when I was 15. My favorite alien theory is the one where people believe that lizards live under LA. Some guy back in the 1930's even mapped out where all the tunnels and stuff are that lead to the underground lizard cities. I wanna go check them out.

That seems to border on a conspiracy theory. Are you into those too?
I'm into the hollow earth theory. That is the belief that the earth is hollow and full of weird lands and ancient creatures. Supposedly you can get inside the earth through a big hole somewhere in the North Pole. Some people think this is where a lot of the Nazis escaped to.

Without giving away the secrets to your online gold, what websites do you recommend?
jah jah spinXXX is great for images. There’s no text, just hundreds of images of weird stuff. The Mutual UFO Network is best UFO website out there, and you can look at a UFO weather map that shows you what cities in what countries the UFOs have been visiting over the last few weeks. Unexplained Mysteries is a goldmine. On Ghana Movie Posters, you can buy some of the most amazing hand-painted movie posters by some of the most talented painters now living, for only $100! The How's Your News? team have made one of the best documentaries ever. And, the site for McRorie – the best one-man band on earth.

How does all of this online intake and assimilation influence Graffiti Island?
The Internet has an infinite amount of information on weird places and weirdos. That is the kind of information I need to write the songs I need to write, that’s all.

Do you think without all this stuff knocking around your head, you would be the same band?
I don't think so. We'd probably all be wearing straw hats, pointy shoes, low cut V-neck T-shirts and singing songs that go “oh eh oh oh oh eh oh oh eh oh eh oh.”

~James Knight

Graffiti Island’s debut 7” is forthcoming on High Anxiety Records.

Posted by psychoPEDIA at 12:15 PM | Permalink

It used to be that video games were reserved for spotty-skinned teenagers, D&D enthusiasts, and boys with bongs. But gaming has clearly permeated basement walls and its infectious allure has made its way to the unlikely gamer–- and she's wearing lip-gloss.

It's a Monday night and the Library room at Buddakan is abuzz with perfectly styled publicists and fashion editors teetering in red-soled stilettos amidst other tastemakers and local resurfacing faces like actress, Anna Chlumsky, of My Girl fame. The fashion industry crowd, and the publicists that go with it, have gathered for the launch of Pensey, a sexy and mysteriously whimsical collection designed by Christina Minasian.

Tucked away in a corner, a striking blond in a perfect-fitting black and white DVF floral wrap feverishly taps at the screen of some slick, black handheld device. Seemingly oblivious to the champagne passed above her head, it looks like she's playing a video game. As it turns out, she is.

Angie Banicki, 29, and a celebrity publicist for Harrison and Shriftman, regularly hosts what she refers to as, "Sunday Fundays,” where friends come over to play Guitar Hero or sports games, throw back a few, and have some yucks. This news comes as a bit of a shock, as you'd have better luck finding this woman on the pages of Vogue than in an arcade slurping an Icee.

As Angie segues into praise for her own newly purchased Daryl K high-waist shorts and her favorite William Rast jeans, two glossy well-dressed girls interrupt to report that five Nintendo DS Lite game consoles have gone missing. The coveted and presumably stolen items were to have been gifted by the evening's unlikely sponsor, Nintendo.

Turns out Minasian is a serious gamer herself. It's hard to imagine the bird-like girl, in a pale pink, fitted strapless dress of her own design, getting down to game. Although she enjoys action-oriented games on her Nintendo Wii she is ultimately hooked on Nintendo DS and games that exercise her mind.

Among her favorites is Brain Age, a mental exercise game inspired by the work of prominent Japanese neuroscientist Dr. Ryuta Kawashima. The game’s features math problems, picture drawing, and unscrambling letters are all designed to stimulate the brain-– big turn-on's for competitive career women.

Minasian goes on to explain the convergence of fashion and gaming when she points out that her black satin and gold fringe handbag was chosen for its perfect fit for her hand-held console. It becomes clear: this room is scattered with gamers, they just happen to be hot women with serious, if not glamorous careers, expensive haircuts and handbags that are the cost of most New Yorkers’ rent.

Jennie Albano, 29, a fan of fighting games like Tekken (think Mortal Combat) was reluctant to try Guitar Hero before she got it home. "I played for 17 hours straight. The next day I bought a second guitar, and Guitar Hero I. My friends were concerned I might have a problem." However, she's convinced gaming increases the joy in her life. "I can kill it on "Sweet Child 'O Mine." I'm almost at one-hundred percent,” she says. Gaming, however, doesn't interfere with Albano's love of Christian Louboutin's 4-inch platforms.

Noelia Murphy, 35, prefers brainteasers and "any game involving shooting". Like most addicts, she seems undeterred by side affects." After playing Galaga, my ring finger sometimes goes numb," she goes on, "And when I started playing Sudoku on my DS, I developed an eye twitch." But she plays on. It seems the benefits of gaming touch all areas of a girl's life.

"Video games are inextricably tied to my dating life," says Noelia. Years ago she kept disappearing during a date to play Galaga. Shockingly, she never heard from the guy again. (Although a year later they enjoyed a short-lived reunion) Later tonight she has a date "to play video games at his house."

Katie Cray, 29, swings her Rachel Bilson brown hair and settles across from Angie in a dress so sweet it belongs on a sexy Donna Reed. She thinks women are finding it more fashionable to have fun. "We are so serious, so busy and over-stimulated. Games give us an opportunity for fun, but we still get to exercise our minds." Minasisan agrees, noting that her brain age is, "younger than my real age."

Video games are perfect to pass the time, to get guys– or lose them, as the case may be. And, of course there are the perks of brain stimulation and improved hand-eye coordination. But it seems that at the end of the day, women just want to play games.

~Lisa Germinsky

Posted by psychoPEDIA at 11:39 AM | Permalink

Bare skin and more bare skin-– the first signs of spring in New York City. It’s time to come out of the cashmere cocoon but like the rest of the planet. Unfortunately, a diet of hearty winter stews and vegan maple scones hasn't exactly provided the slim figure you were hoping for. But the real reason you've forgotten what gym you even belong to is that you're not down with traditional workouts or diets. Then what about a cleanse, holistic Asian medicine, a kooky fad diet or a nice guy to cheer you on while you wretch in front of strangers? psychoPEDIA's done the legwork, now all you have to do is show up:

Jill Pettijohn: Chef of Life Foods, Nutritional Cleanse
($410 for 6 16 oz. drinks)
Jill Pettijohn, a native New Zealander with varied training as an RN and personal chef for the likes of Donna Karan, Tom Cruise, and Drew Barrymore, has not only been practicing cleansing herself since 1984, but has designed a 5-day nutritional cleanse system-- easy enough for first-timers to rid themselves of toxic residue while going on-the-go. Delivered directly to your front door every morning for 5 days, the organic raw food 6-pack consists of a green juice, 2 soups, a lemonade, a lemon-based astringent and nut milk-– in slight daily variations-- which you drink every 2-3 hours with a glass of water between.

The immediate benefits include looking better and having more energy. Beyond that, Pettijohn explains,"It’s good to rest your digestive system in our day in age. Ideally, cleanses should be done 4 times a year or any time you're feeling sluggish, tired, or unwell. They're easier in the spring and summer." She stresses that everyone will react differently, but for most, it's less than pleasant– especially if your diet consists of sugar, caffeine, and flour. Headaches, flu-like symptoms, and irritability are to be expected the first few days, if not the entire week. Energy levels tend to be lower than normal and are accompanied by a general fuzziness. Combat with light cardio, yoga, or massage. Hunger comes in waves, as do moments of refreshingly unfamiliar clarity and heightened senses. "It’s important to know everybody is different. The first time, you might lose weight. The second time, you might have an emotional cleanse," Pettijohn adds.

For those with a more delicate constitution, Pettijohn offers a food cleanse-- a 5-day plan consisting of live foods (not heated above 118 degrees F). A heartier package, which can also be delivered daily, consists of a green juice, a green smoothie, a green salad, a snack, a main course, and dessert. The portions are minimal, but tasty. Cleansing is also a great opportunity to really get in touch with your body- to learn new things or reaffirm what you already believed to be true. Pettijohn recommends cleansing for anyone except pregnant women, but suggests everyone consult a physician first.

Nara Clinic-- Holistic Asian Medicine
Dr. Senghee Jin, Director
Asian medicine approaches every individual as "a small universe within a universe in the harmony of forces." Dr. Jin, a highly sought-after holistic Asian medicine practitioner and pioneer in treating obesity in Korea, employs this sensibility when treating her patients. Asian medicine strives not simply to eliminate and alleviate symptoms, but get to the root causes and strengthen the body's immune system. Individual body constitution is key to this process.

Dr. Jin's clinic offers a bountiful menu of services. Nara Esthetics treats acne and promotes overall skincare and health. The "U to U Program," a Hollywood favorite (her client list is very guarded and supposedly includes an ex-president) promises better-than-Botox results. Prior to the 10 treatments (2-3 times per week) Dr. Jin examines skin for external abnormalities and organ function. She claims this 'acupuncture for the face' works on everyone and will reduce, eliminate, and prevent wrinkles as well as lift sagging skin.

Nara's holistic weight-loss program is no run-of-the-mill diet. Again, Dr. Jin assesses each client's constitution to diagnose the particular type of obesity then designs a plan specific to the individual. And if that's not enough, detox your colon, kidney, or liver with a regiment of prescribed diet, exercise and Dr. Jin's directives, divulged only by her, in her L.A. based clinic.

If a trip West is not in the cards, order Herbal Slim Bath- a 100% natural recipe to promote relaxation, capillary stimulation, and fat loss. Or, sip on Nara's Diet Herb Tea to help maintain your weight or lose body fat.

Soy Milk Cookies
($49 per box, 9 servings, 3 flavors)
It's hard to imagine a diet less demanding or difficult to follow. Skip any meal, eat 7 cookies– yes 7– and lose weight. The magic ingredient of Japan's #1 diet cookie is okara- a soy pulp with the unique characteristic of expanding 3 times its original volume. After ingesting the treats (available in plain, sesame or green tea), drink water or a healthy alternative to "feed" the okara. The cookies expand, and hunger disappears. The literal translation happens to be 'honorable pulp.'

Matt Brown's Hollywood Abs
(Free)
Matt Brown began Matt Brown's Hollywood Abs workout four years ago in an attempt to bring together exercise enthusiasts and those with a love for training outdoors. The due diligence hedge fund investigator gathers a group at his Lower East Side apartment twice a week and takes off on a one hour ass-kicking workout. The Florida native, who grew up working as a lifeguard and training for high school sports outdoors, says MBHA is his way of "trying to recreate the outdoor glory of those days." Here is the chance to snap into shape (sans iPod) with the support of a gung-ho leader and a group of 15-20 other people looking for an alternative to treadmill boredom. The workout is a 1mile run along the East River park to the amphitheatre, where core ab exercises, push-ups and relays and done.

~Lisa Germinsky

Posted by psychoPEDIA at 12:48 PM | Permalink

For most aspiring young rock stars, the road to fame is long and rocky. But for Dublin-born, 20-year-old, London-based Kate Nash-- the whimsical indie-rock star whose ascension to stardom was instigated by both Lily Allen and MySpace-- it was more like a hop, skip and a jump (once her broken foot healed). Last August, Nash’s debut LP, Made of Bricks (Fiction), which she wrote on a whim while bedridden thanks to the aforementioned injury, hit #1 less than a week after its release.

Nash, who won NME’s “Best Solo Artist” award this past February, is currently touring the U.S., winning over even the most skeptical audiences thanks to her inimitable mix of '50s-inspired style, no bullshit lyrics, and catchy musical concoctions. The term "likeable" is a vast understatement in describing the singer/songwriter’s affable nature. Here, we spoke with Nash about the London music scene and her dogs’ penchant for eating panties:

Where are you now?
I’m in a hotel room in Atlanta on a bed.

What about home do you miss the most?
I miss my dogs—two Labradors that are a year old—Max and Molly. They’re so naughty. They eat absolutely everything. I remember I pulled my sister’s underwear out of Molly’s bum one time [laughs]. They’re not bad dogs, they’re just really mischievous. They’ve got no sympathy.

What’s the worst thing they’ve done?
One time I was having the worst day: I went on this date where I got stood up. I was wearing this really cute green vintage dress and green shoes to match. I went out to meet this guy, but he never showed. A friend of mine spilled a whole glass of wine over me, too. I went home really upset and asked Max and Molly to make me feel better. When I woke up, they’d eaten the green shoes. They do like shoes.

What was the last book you were reading?
I was reading Tim Burton’s biography. I really love him.

Have you seen Sweeney Todd?
No, I haven’t had the chance to go to the cinema. I liked his short film Vincent, and Edward Scissorhands.

What are some of your favorite films?
My favorite film is Harold and Maude. I love '70s cinematography and the story is really beautiful. Freaks, I love that film as well. It’s black and white about sideshows and circus freaks. There’s a guy who’s basically a torso, who walks on his hands, and a girl who everyone loves, and she’s horrible to him. She’s the real freak.

Do you identify with Freaks
Yeah, I think everybody’s a bit of a weirdo. Human beings have weird tendencies. I still definitely have the child within, which some people see as weird. I like playing and using my imagination—writing and making stuff up. One time when I was at the beach with my boyfriend, we made up a whole story about if we were vampires: where would you go, where would you hide…

Speaking of storytelling, are you still working on a children’s book?
I’m in the process of something, which isn’t exactly that. When the album campaign is over I’m going to release a book that is scored music for guitar with lyrics, poetry pieces and tour photos.

What are your favorite books?
I really like Lovely Bones. We Need to Talk About Kevin. I love Shakespeare-- As You Like It and Hamlet. And I like reading history books. Norman Lows. There’s an amazing book called Riot Grrrl: Revolution Girl Style Now. It’s really good. I really loved Bikini Kill a lot, and all the ‘zines.

What are your thoughts on London’s music scene?
I don’t know where the scene is. I’m excited by a lot of new stuff: Peggy Sue and the Pirates, Blah Blah Blah, Emmy the Great, Metronomy, Laura Marlin. I’m really into Soco from Paris. Europe is an interesting place for music. I’d love to go to Berlin; Portland has a good scene. I’m excited to go there, because I’ve never been. There are always ups and downs though. There’s also really crappy stuff. As soon as you get good stuff, you get a lot of people jumping on a bandwagon.

How would you describe your summer style?
I wear the same kind of stuff—I love vintage dresses. At the minute I’ve been wearing massive T-shirts, tights and shoes. They’re really nice to do gigs in. I’m obsessed with Marilyn Monroe, Jackie O-– '50s icons who were really feminine. I like looking girly, but sometimes when you need to be a bit harder, I wear darker clothes more black eyeliner.

Why do you think you've been so successful?
It’s been really nuts. I didn’t realize people would connect with me. I think it’s because I’m down to earth and a nonconformist. I’m not some skinny girl; I’m happy to be myself, to express how I feel– honestly. I’m optimistic and try to have a sense of humor.

What’s the best thing about blowing up?
I think it’s an amazing platform to speak from and do stuff like books and maybe acting again one day. Being in the studio and traveling… the possibilities are exciting.

~Alisa Gould-Simon

Posted by psychoPEDIA at 03:22 PM | Permalink

Göteborg, an idyllic port town located on the west coast of Sweden, is the second biggest city in the country. At Göteborg's heart is the Gota river, which runs alongside the city's famous opera house and several museums. The current that flows through the city consists of a diverse musical legacy whose influence reaches around the world. The town is home to both death metal band In Flames and avant-garde electro duo The Knife, and of course, the not-to-be-forgtten 90’s pop group Ace of Base. With such a vast Göteborg spectrum of sound, one thing is for sure: there must be something in the water.

Göteborg is now pulsing loud and clear on the radar thanks to a new crop of talent. The locally based label/conceptual art project, Sincerely Yours, has launched indulgent Swede-pop acts the The Tough Alliance and Jonas Game into the international stratosphere. And thanks in part to producer Johan Agebjörn and Sally Shapiro, the city has recently witnessed the renaissance of Italo Disco. However at the heart of the matter, and perhaps the greatest crossover success, belongs to the tender acoustic folk embodied by José Gonzáles, Jens Lekman, and El Perro del Mar.

psychoPEDIA joined Sarah Assbring, of El Perro del Mar, on the eve of her US album release From the Valley to the Stars, to learn more about her hometown:

What is the correct spelling and pronunciation of the town?
Göteborg is the Swedish name and Gothenburg is the English, or international name. A good way to pronounce it the Swedish way would be to use the German author Goethe as guideline but with a j-sound instead of German “g.” And then pronounce borg as you would pronounce Björn Borg, with a “j” on the end and not a German “g.” So kind of like this: Joethe-borj.

While on the topic of names, would you please explain the story behind your project's name?
The story goes like this: just before I started making music on my own, I was in a time of personal crisis and to trying to get to grip on myself. I eloped to a Spanish island, where I happened to meet this stray dog. The meeting and the impact of it became the expression “El Perro del Mar”– the dog from the sea– and I¹ve kept it close to my heart ever since, just like I do with my music.

What inspires you about the city’s surroundings?
Göteborg is known for its extreme climate– wind, rain and fog– and you tend to wish or dream for something else all the time. So maybe it’s the fantasy for something different than Göteborg that inspires me. A wish to leave or to be somewhere else can be just as strong or even stronger.

What is your favorite venue to play or see a show?
The Concert Hall is the most beautiful venue for sure, especially if you’re into classic or symphonic music.

What are your favorite stores to buy music?
Various second hand stores such as the old jazz shop, Pennies from Heaven.

Are there any up and coming local bands you are excited about now?
There’s this band called Wildbirds and Peacedrums that are totally amazing. It’s a duo– a couple actually– and they’re mindblowing.

What is your favorite restaurant, especially if someone else is paying the bill?
I’m a vegan and it’s kind of difficult to find good vegan places in Göteborg, unfortunately. But there is one which is splendid. It¹s housed inside an old movie theatre called Hagabion and it’s a must if you're into well-cooked vegan food. I'd definitely go there regardless of who's paying.

Favorite museum?
The Göteborg Museum of Art is a typical institute of good classic Nordic art, and it’s a beautiful building with great atmosphere, too.

Being a touring musician, you must have friends all over the world. Where do you take them for the real Göteborg experience when they come to visit?
I’d take them on a boat trip to see the pretty archipelago just outside the city.

What do you miss most when you are on the road?
My loved ones and my studio.

What is the first thing you do when you arrive home from touring?
Sleep a lot, and spend the afternoons in my kitchen drinking coffee and staring out the window.

What's a Göteborg secret that out-of-towners wouldn't know?
The typical Göteborg person is known to be loud and a bit brute and often, this is mistaken for some kind of rudeness. But they’re actually nice and shy people.

And what should you never do while in Göteborg?
Go to Backaplan, Hisingen. It’s probably one the world's ugliest shopping areas–- it’s like a giant ugly parking lot.

~Abbey Braden

Posted by psychoPEDIA at 01:14 PM | Permalink