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Film, Hipstercrite Life, Music, Pop Culture

The Attack of the Frank Zapp-o-lantern

Geoff and I had a pumpkin carving party!

Everyone’s pumpkins looked awesome, except for mine. Mine looked like ass.

I was trying to make Frank Zappa pumpkin, but as my friend Don pointed out, it looked more like an abstract painting. I think it looked like an orange pile of shit.

I almost threw my pumpkin out in a fit of childish rage.

When it came time to light the pumpkins and bring them outside, I was embarrassed to add my pumpkin to the group. Geoff had this awesome Nick Cave pumpkin, Ludwig had a great Pee-Wee Herman pumpkin and Don had, well, a Don pumpkin.

I lit a tea light, plopped it inside of Frank’s head and begrudgingly carried my pumpkin outside. As I walked past my friends, theirs jaws dropped. Something magical had happened- the pumpkin actually looked like freakin’ Frank Zappa…or George Harrison, depending on who you are. The spirit of Frank had guided my hands to make his likeness out in a giant squash.

I spent the evening rejoicing by hitting repeat (more…)

October 29, 2012 by
Fashion/Design, Film, Music, Pop Culture

How to Make A Pumpkin Look Like Your Favorite Pop Culture Hero

I’ve created for you pumpkin stencils of Frank Zappa, Pee-Wee Herman and Ryan Gosling, and by “I”, I mean, I started creating in Photoshop and then got extraordinarily frustrated to the point where I had to prevent myself from spitting at the computer in a fit of rage and then asked my boyfriend to finish for me with the promise of buying him lunch.

If you click on the image, then click on it again, it will be a nice large file for you to print and use!

Happy Halloween!

 

October 26, 2012 by
Austin, Fashion/Design, Film, Music, Pop Culture

Hipster Halloween Costume Ideas For the Hipsters in All of You

I have NO clue what to be for Halloween.

Halloween is my favorite holiday and the amount of stress I put on myself to have a good time and a GREAT costume, always leaves me full of anxiety and agita.

Now that I have a boyfriend, we’ve discussed going as one of those annoying couples who do a Halloween costume set, but we can’t think of anything. Well, Geoff thought of something, but I’m not sure I’m on board with it yet. He wants all of his friends to be a part of a “Star Wars pun” costume collection including: Hans Solo (Han Solo dressed in lederhosen), Prince as Leia (exactly what it sounds like), Uncle Ben Kenobi (that one got left on the cutting room floor) and Jewbacca (Chewbacca with a yamaka). Though I appreciate my boyfriend’s creative ideas, I’m a.) not a fan of Star Wars (YOU HEARD ME!) and b.) the costume I was assigned, Prince as Leia, requires me not only to find a Princess Leia costume, but a Prince costume and that is way too much work and money. Typically being more (more…)

October 23, 2012 by
Film, Pop Culture, Writing

How to Make the Best Kickstarter Campaign There Ever Was

Last year I co-wrote and co-produced a film called Loves Her Gun.

Hallelujahohmygod, the film is finally finished minus a few sound and color correct tweaks.

Making a movie is both an exhilarating and diarrhea-inducing experience. Everything from writing the script, shooting the film, editing and submitting to festivals is one giant roller coaster of hair loss, laughter, tears and wide-eyed stares.

Geoff and I are currently creating an Indieagogo campaign for post-production costs because we loooooove asking people for money. LOVE IT! There is nothing better than sharing the living shit out of our crowdfuding page asking people to donate to our poor asses. Nothing. It makes us feel the opposite of desperate.

Wanting to make the BEST CROWDFUNDING CAMPAIGN THERE EVER WAS, I researched articles that recommend the best steps in earning your friends’ dough.

Articles will tell you that these steps are most important when creating a crowdfunding page:

1.) Set your goal at $10,000 (more…)

October 22, 2012 by
Austin, Film, Music, Pop Culture

The Ultimate List of Celebrities Who Live In Or Frequent Austin

A few days back, the Facebooks was a’flitter with news that Nicolas Cage was chowing down at East Austin’s french bistro Justine’s Brasserie. I contemplated heading down there to get a glimpse of the Dazzling One, but figured I would look as creepy as his hairline by doing so. In fact, there was a small part of that was afraid he’d go all Bad Lieutenant 2-style on me if I said hello.

I still haven’t figured out why Nic Cage was in Austin or if he is even still here, hiding behind a dumpster and shouting unintelligible words at homeless people for fun. Theory is he’s in the new Terrence Malick film shooting here (that is every Austinite’s answer for when they spot a celebrity), but I can’t imagine Malick casting someone like Cage for his highly intellectualized dramas. Cage is way too good of an actor for that stuff.

The Cage spotting got me thinking about all the celebrities that live in Austin or enjoy frequenting Austin. There are a slew of them. Some are from the great state of (more…)

October 10, 2012 by
Austin, Fashion/Design, Pop Culture

Adorable Hipster Animal Drawings Illustrate the Hipness of East Austin

Two days ago I was stuffing my pie hole at Another Broken Egg Cafe (if you haven’t been to this one-part indulgent, one-part healthy Southern comfort food spot, it’s worth checking out!) when I noticed a bunch of animals dressed as hipsters on the wall. Of course this would catch my attention. Of course.

How can a bunch of cutesy hipster animals not catch your attention? Huh? HUH?! If they don’t catch your eye, then a piece of you has died!

The collection, done in scratchboard style by a local artist named Janis, is called “Eastside Zoo” in honor of the hipster animals of East Austin. At the Eastside Zoo, we have cats with Texas tattoos, frogs drinking Lone Star and armadillos DJing.

I’d like to think of myself as the raccoon with a flannel.

Reprints of Janis’ work are for sale for $20 on her Etsy page Creative Scratchings.

They’re kind of awesome.

 

October 9, 2012 by
Hipstercrite Life, Pop Culture, Travel

How Have I Lived This Long Without Experiencing New Orleans? (pictures)

I cannot articulate in words how I feel about this magical city; the sights and sounds are still sinking into my blood.

I’ll let pictures do the talkin’.

Morgan City, LA flood wall

Muffaletta and jambalaya from Cafe Maspero, New Orleans

French Quarter, New Orleans

Ninja Jesus, New Orleans

Cafe Du Monde beignets are messy  (and good for Hurricane hangovers)

Garden District, New Orleans

Garden District, New Orleans

Lafayette Cemetery No. 1

Lafayette Cemetery No. 1

October 4, 2012 by
Austin, Pop Culture

Everything I Know About Wine I Learned From Sideways

 

Tonight I’m nervously speaking at the event, “Georges Duboeuf’s Beaujolais & Burgers: A Night of Perfect Pairing“, with wine writer/entrepreneur Mark Oldman at Parkside.

This should be interesting considering my entire wine knowledge can be traced to the film Sideways.

All I know is that Merlot is wrong. I don’t drink Merlot because Paul Giamatti told me not to.

Truthfully, when I first read the word “Beaujolais”, I thought it was a new clothing boutique on 2nd street.

I can’t act my way out of a paper bag, but I’ve perfected the art of acting like I know a thing or two about wine. If you find yourself at a wine tasting, remember the four S’s:

1.) Swirl

2.) Sniff

3.) Sip

4.) Speculate

The most important part of acting like you know something about wine is the “speculate” part. Furrow your eyebrows and look off into the distance as if deep in thought about what you just drank. If someone asks you want you think about the wine, mumble the words (more…)

September 19, 2012 by
Austin, Film, Pop Culture

Billy Bob Thornton, Won’t You Come Out to Sing?

There are so many reasons why I love Austin and now I have two more to add to the list: 1.) Billy Bob Thornton reportedly moved here and 2.) Club de Ville is trying to coax him out with a Billy Bob Thornton Welcome to ATX Karaoke/Costume Party tonight from 8PM to 2AM.

Not only is Club de Ville trying to bring out the Billy Bob, they’re also going to project his image on a giant wall and hand out BBT masks.

Heart!

Which Billy Bob are you going to dress up as?

Karl from Sling Blade?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Willie from Bad Santa?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ed from The Man Who Wasn’t There?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Davy Crockett from The Alamo?

Or just plain ol’ Billy Bob?

 

September 17, 2012 by