An over-sized white sweater has never looked so good. On Monday night at the Rock and Roll Hotel, Twin Sister took the stage and entranced the audience with their shimmering art-pop. The band drifted to and dabbled in disco, dream-pop, funk, freak-folk, and synth-rock– never settling on a distinguishable sound. But lead singer, Andrea Estella was the literal ’star’
From the minute she took the stage, Estella was mesmerizingly odd. She swayed and eyed the audience coyly, thanking them for bringing her out of a daze as she simultaneously placed them into one. She reminded me of an anime character, both sweet and slightly deranged with comically dazed facial expressions and girlish movements. Her black eyes were in striking contrast to her long, fried, bleach-blond hair and all-white outfit.
Something about Estella made me feel both uneasy and at peace– like falling into a psychedelic day-dream. Twirling in her long pleated skirt and playing with her sweater, she cooed through the show. She continually crouched down in her ankle boots in-between sets to take a sip from her Guinness. She is undoubtedly on her way to becoming the next indie darling.
Estella’s odd stage presence paired with the shimmering disco beats, sexy vocals, and a twinkling soundscape left me feeling woozy and enchanted. Definitely check out the bands first full-length album, Heaven. And listen to some of their addictive songs here:
Pauly Shore was like Samson: his power was in his hair. And when he cut it… ):
May we please raise a glass to the man who brought us “Encino Man”, “Biodome”, “Son in Law”, memorable MTV Spring Breaks, an actual VJ, and …”Lisa, Lisa the one I adore” ??! — okay maybe not that last one.
Should we even raise a glass? In the wise words of Kathleen Hannah (via Le Tigre): “misogynist!? genius!? …alcoholic!”
Poor Pauly, he faked his own death, in an attempt to surreptitiously have a documentary made about himself — in the hopes that death would salvage his reputation. Unfortunately, not even death was able to salvage him, people still hated him. Perhaps time will soothe his wounds. He should have never cut those locks.
As a frequent Metro customer, I am always overhearing conversation. One reoccurring topic among the older generation tends to be about how things were different when they were growing up. Their stories tend to start with the phrase “Back in my day” and then they go on to recollect about life in the 40′s, 50′s, 60′s etc. But, I cannot venture that far into the past, so I will reminisce on what i remember growing up in the 90′s.
People rented VHS’s not DVD’s.
Rugrats, Hey Arnold and Doug were among the most popular cartoons.
Gas cost approximately $1.16 in 1995.
Kickball was the game of choice.
You used a walkman to listen to music.
$4.23 was the average price of a movie ticket.
It was cool to have shoes that lit up.
Road Rules was a big hit on MTV.
Bill Clinton was President.
You did not have a cellphone, but a pager.
Children had a digital Tamagotchi pet.
…These are just a few of the things I recall whilst thinking about my childhood.
Another rare bit — an old casting notice for “Kids”
"seeking ravers and club kids"
I actually remember that club, Tunnel. I went there a couple times in the very late 90s and very early 00′s. It was also nick-named “Bridge & Tunnel” b/c it had a sort of different (Lon Geiland & Noo Joisey) vibe, and was considered B-list to Twilo’s global-underground cache, Limelight’s notorious club-kid history, & Life’s extreme-beautiful-people. Ugh, those days were weird.
1. Get a free scoop at T. Sweet’s in Georgetown, courtesy of Scoutmob. Get their app and see the deal here. OK, so I hardly ever make it out to Georgetown (no public transpo, no parking, weirdly preppy vibe) — but that doesn’t mean there isn’t LOTS to love out there. (Case in point: Baked & Wired, C & O canal, Moby Dick’s Kabob, etc, etc)
being a scoutmobster. peppermint & bittersweet flavors. photocred: Otessa Ghadar (yea, that's me)
And Thomas Sweet is just one of those lovely icons of the neighborhood. While most of the beloved Georgetown landmarks that I remember from being a kid — like Smash, Green Barrel, Commander Salamander, Au Pied du Cochon, & the Foundry’s 2nd run theater — are all closed, Thomas Sweet is still alive and kicking.
And since Georgetown is such a bear to get to…once you ARE there, you may as well make a day of it. And so begins a mini OJBG walking tour of the region. (See #’s 1 through 5)
2. C&O canal… aka the Chesapeake & Ohio canal, nestled right in the heart of Georgetown. Back in the days — and I mean waayy back, (before VHS or Beta) when the railroad industry was vying against the canal/lock system for dominance in the distribution of goods in the post-industrial age… well, way back then, the C&O canal was king, to the RR’s queen.
This was the original VHS vs. Beta, with the Locks vs. the Rails…and the rails won. Meanwhile the canals and locks have been relegated to historic preservation, nature towpaths, and fishing streams. Thank goodness for these perfectly preserved specimens.
how beautiful are they? And to think this is all right here in the midst of our urban center… PS You can read more about the history (I swear, it’s fascinating) here.
It doesn’t even have a “viable” google maps address– because it’s on a canal towpath, and not on a street. That is how old-timey it is– it defies google-mapping. I love it.
4. Ching Ching Cha. So if you’re already in Georgetown (b/c of #’s 1-3) you may as well check out Ching Ching Cha. I’ve been dying to. It’s a tea and dumpling type place and it’s supposed to be excellent.
5. Let’s continue this little Georgetown walking tour… shall we? How about, since this week features what may well be the last week of warm-ish sweater-ey weather, having a picnic on the Georgetown/Foggy Bottom Tidal Basin.
6. Old Aerosmith Music Videos… remember when MTV (music television) used to actually PLAY MUSIC?! AHh, those were the days. And these old music videos are “nostalgia-crack”, bringing me back in the best possible way. PS Isn’t “nostalgia-crack” a great turn-of-phrase…it’s from the super-quotable author & power-blogger, Phoebe North. She used it to describe Orange Juice in Bishop’s Garden…aww!
Alicia Silverstone & Liv Tyler are unstoppable. I remember watching them at the age of 12, thinking to myself THIS is what it was to be older and cooler. It was oddly aspirational and mis-guided. but cute.
On the bright side A. at least they brought back Beavis & Butthead. Bright Side B. You can WATCH AEON FLUX on mtv-online!>!? Who knew? Check it out & fulfill your needs: here.
8. Winona Ryder. Can we forgive her & bring her back already? I miss the days when she graced the covers of those exploitation-mags (hello Us, OK, etc) … don’t you miss that? How on earth are Spencer & Heidi preferably… really can anyone justify this all?
9. Terminator: the Sarah Connor Chronicles. I’ve recently begun a TV-viewing-bender of epic proportions with this show. It’s just that good. +It features excellent lines of script, like Sarah Connor’s: “Take one bag. Plus the guns. I’ll make pancakes.” badass.
(Damn you FOX, always cancelling your good shows!) Firefly, TSCC, Harsh Realm <– (“How could you?” say I) Arrested Development & Titus <– (Connor, our editor, says he wont forgive you for those either)
10. When people COMMENT on this blog… C’mon people, I see the analytics– I KNOW YOU VISIT this blog… but why oh why will you not comment? You are breaking my heart ):
Cafe LaRuche — (perfect complement to that Georgetown walking tour) — enjoy that lovely outdoor seating while you still can, before the weather turns its back on “balmy”
Every week when I have to think up a new topic for a blog post, I find myself reminiscing about my own childhood during the (very) late 90s. More often than not, I quickly end up spending way too much time rewatching YouTube videos of my personal favorite 90s TV show episodes. After I’ve had my 90s TV show fix, I start to wonder: What ever happened to these quirky teens we grew up with? Well, for all of you who ask this same question, I now have the answers:
Ben Savage played the adorable Cory Matthews on Boy Meets World. After the show ended, he graduated from Stanford University. Smarty pants. He has done some guest stints on other television shows and had a couple of roles in pretty much non-existent movies. Hey, at least he’s an intelligent lad.
Danielle Fishel, the beautiful Topanga Lawrence on Boy Meets World, ended up becoming a spokeswoman for Nutrisystem and hosts a show called “The Dish” on the Style Network.
William Daniels, the unforgettable Mr. Feeney on Boy Meets World, is, in-fact, still kicking at 82 years old. I think that’s an accomplishment in itself.
Melissa Joan Hart, the spell-bounding Sabrina the Teenage Witch, currently stars on another ABC Family sitcom, Melissa and Joey, starring fellow 90s star, Joey Lawrence. She also competed on a season of Dancing With The Stars. She is a mommy of two boys and has an extremely sexy husband, if I do say so myself.
Candace Cameron, the bright-eyed D.J. Tanner on Full House, also stuck with ABC Family and acts on it’s gymnastics oriented television show, Make It Or Break It. She also got married to a hockey player and has three kiddies.
Many viewers have had questions about OJBG. “Why do I feel like I’m missing things sometimes? Why are there gaps in the story line between seasons? Why are there new characters, and mysteriously disappearing/reappearing charcacters? Why do you use corded phones?”
Every season is a new summer– and a year passes in between. So Season 1 is the summer of ’94, Season 2 is summer of 95…and a lot of the story line is not just what IS happening…but also is about playing catch up — trying to figure out what happened throughout that passed year. It is a bit like a mystery. I like that when the characters have lives outside of what we see on the screen. It gives them more life and they aren’t always knowable. We have to get to know them.
I chose summer because it is, in many was, the quintessential high school time period. While you are in school, the social order, and the hierarchy are constantly being re-instated daily, because of the pre-ordained and constantly repeating schedule. But during the summer– people change, their schedules change. Sometimes people get thrown into the mix with an unexpected crew. Sometimes people have to go away to their grandmother’s for the summer. Sometimes they have summer school or work and cant hang out like they used to. Sometimes people have camp many states away. Whatever it is– the order is changed — destabilized. And a person’s place, at that age, is uncertain. Their friends, their “standing”, their beliefs, the very structure of their lives — these can all change, becoming re-ordered or dis-ordered. It is in many ways the most fitting representation of that unknown, unknoweable, unsettling age — precisely because it is so unsettled and up-in-the-air.
Also, in terms of characters disappearing and re-appearing… we are a super indie and we don’t have the luxury of 5 year contracts, which is how most TV shows work, and how they are able to guarantee that the actors can stay around for a while. (Ever wonder what happened to Carly Kittredge-McBride?? Yea — me too. I had big plans in store for her, which I had to scrap.) Sometimes our characters/actors just arent available for that season. Sometimes they have moved, sometimes they have job conflicts, sometimes they are college visiting, sometimes they have summer school. Simply put — we have to roll with the punches a lot more. And we hope that you are willing to too.
And as for the corded phones… if you have to ask, the show is set in the 90′s, and you might just be a lost cause.
If you’re a woman between the ages of 18 and 50, you most likely have seen at least one episode of the infamous television series, Sex and the City. Let me premise this post by saying that if you do fall within that age gap and have NOT seen an episode, immediately turn on E! and watch one of the re-runs. Seriously. Please. Just do it. I’m not kidding. But, really, I’m not kidding.
I am an avid fan of the series. It began in 1999 and finished in 2004, spanning over six seasons. It has won seven Emmy Awards and eight Golden Globe Awards and has inspired two major motion pictures. The show is about the lives of four single New York City women and their daily experiences with fashion, careers, sex, relationships, and life in the city that never sleeps. Many of my friends constantly tease me for my borderline obsession with the show. To persuade them otherwise, I began contemplating the reasons exactly why women such as myself have become so engulfed in the show. I determined that Sex and the City was much more than just another television series. It did four major things for women of the 90s and 2000s that continue to resonate in the lives of women today:
1. The show strengthened the role of friendships in women’s lives.
The four main characters are best friends. They treat each other as their own family and, at one point in the series, Samantha makes the famed statement that summarized exactly what the show was about: “Men, babies. It doesn’t matter. We’re soul mates.” Regardless of the men that come in and out of the characters’ lives, their friendships with each other remain. Few television series prior to Sex and the City maintained a plot line that encouraged strong bonds between women over heterosexual relationships. Women could find a positive message about sisterhood in the series and the importance of respecting and growing relationships with friends.
2. The show empowered female sexuality.
Yes, a big part of the series is about the four characters experiences in the sack. For a television series, this aspect of the show had never been show before on television. Women had never been portrayed in such a sexual light. I’m sure the show received backlash for this characteristic, but I think it was beneficial for women everywhere to see that a television show embraced the fact that yes, women, just like men, had sex. Sure, male characters were shown having sex on television shows for years prior, but a television series had not existed before Sex and the City that portrayed the female perspective.
3. The show encouraged women to pursue their careers.
The four main characters are all career women. Carrie Bradshaw has her own weekly column, Samantha Jones is a public relations executive for A list celebrities and businesses, Charlotte Yorke is an art dealer, and Miranda Hobbes is an ivy-league graduate and lawyer. The four characters always depend on themselves for financial support, rather than looking to the men in their lives for financial assistance (except for the one time that Carrie took money from Mr. Big to buy her apartment because she couldn’t afford to pay for it after Aidan dumped her). They are independent, self-sufficient, intelligent women, which had not been depicted on television a great deal in the 90s and 2000s.
4. The show encouraged a positive body image.
When the show first started in 90s, super model Kate Moss had revolutionized the “stick-thin” body type in the fashion industry. However, this image was not carried over to Sex and the City. Yes, the women were attractive and healthy, but they were always shown in the series going out and eating. Sometimes they felt insecure about their appearance and weight (i.e. when Miranda doesn’t want to go out with the girls after being pregnant). My point is that they were never portrayed as women who obsessed over their appearance and starved themselves to fit into a size 2. They were real women with real body insecurities just like the rest of us. Amen, sista, amen.
Oh wow…so my sister Anna (who is awesome and who has also been on my show “Orange Juice in Bishop’s Garden”…she was the little boy behind the liquor store counter in season 1, episode 1. Good grief. The things I do to my family!)
my favorite pic from the first 19 pages of the site
It is a tribute to everything wild, wonderful, weird, & slovenly about being a teenager — and that age & time when personal space and privacy are rare and at a premium; so, those spaces that ARE ours…they become a gold standard for personal expression.
19 yo colorado college student's dorm rom = awesome
Love it.
PS It also gives serious inspiration for any set dressing, or personal home-scaping plans.
Here are some highlights:
awesome “speciman” of 90s bedroom. this one hails from 1995. makes me laugh + swoon.
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