THE AVANT STATE

Jessica of Cloudfare

2010-07-08T21:27:00.000-07:00

Above: Jessica, smiling seconds before flight.

This is Jessica. She jumps out of airplanes & like Buzz Lightyear arrives earthbound whilst "Falling with style!"

AVANT - First of all. Why are you so crazy? When did this happen? The Jessica Rivington I knew when you were still in high school would have never jumped out of airplanes! Or would she?

Jessie - Haha, I'm not crazy at all! Crazy is *not* wanting to jump out of airplanes. I started jumping about a year and a half ago when I made my first tandem skydive (where an instructor is harnessed to you and does all the work) in California. I immediately fell in love with the thrill. On my layover back to the east coast after my trip in CA I looked up everything it takes to become a licensed jumper and even booked a date to do my first "real" jump. The Jessica Rivington in high school would have definitely jumped out of airplanes! I've always liked the thought of it-- despite how shy or quite I can be.

AVANT - Why sky-diving?
Jessie - Why not skydiving? I live in a very flat and hot Florida. There are no mountains to climb or very interesting trails to hike. It doesn't snow so I can't ski or snowboard. I do scuba, but I'm not all that cut out for the water. Never liked surfing. Florida is perfect for skydiving. We can jump year round! I honestly didn't go on my first tandem jump thinking I was going to become a licensed jumper and jump so often. I thought it was going to just be a fun day out with the fam. I had no idea I was going to fall in love with the thrill. After that I learned that it's not just falling out of an airplane--you actually have to learn how to fly your body similar to the physics of an airplane. I learned skydiving was a true sport and fell in love with the drop zone environment.

AVANT - When did you start?
Jessie - I started jumping about a year and a half ago.

AVANT - You have your license right? You're like a Licensed Sky Diver or something? How long does that take?
Jessie - Yep! Something like that, anyway. I currently have my A license with the USPA. How little or long it takes is usually dictated by finances. It is *not* cheap to start. It took me about three months. There are a couple different ways to go about getting your license-- AFF, Static Line, or Tandem Progression. My drop zone offered AFF, or Accelerated Freefall Progression, so that's what I did.

AFF is a series of eight jumps with one or more instructors. On your first jump you'll have an instructor holding onto either side of you for the entirety of your freefall where you'll then deploy your own canopy and land by yourself. Each jump you'll learn a new task so at the end of your eight jumps you can successfully exit the plane, deploy your canopy, maintain altitude awareness, adjust your fall rate, do a front loop, a back loop, a barrel roll, move backwards and forwards, and track (more or less means to move very quickly).

There might be a few other things I'm not remembering at the moment. After those eight jumps you're allowed to jump by yourself without an instructor! But you're not yet allowed to jump with other people. You're given an "A-card" which is a piece of paper that has a long list of objectives and tasks you need to complete before you're given your license to jump with other people and do formations and fun stuff. After you've done everything on the card and it's signed off by an instructor and you have 25 jumps, you're free to fall with everyone else.

Above: Fearless amidst the darkened heavens.

AVANT - The first time you jumped. What was that like?
Jessie - The first time I jumped was absolutely incredible. My mind and body were on sensory overload so I actually forgot most of what happened right before and during my jump. I remember being rushed to the plane. Rule of Thumb: Never ever, ever keep the plane waiting because time is money and airplanes and fuel are not cheap! I was sitting in a tiny space with four sport jumpers and a camera man; feeling quiet, but excited. It was the first non-commercial plane I had been in and the view was awesome. At 13,500 feet up they opened the door and I felt a huge fast rush of cold air to my ankles. The other jumpers approached the door and seemed to just... fall... for a lack of better words. And then they were gone and you couldn't see them anymore. At this point in time, I lost my sense of relativity and any fear I had. I was so high up in the air and so far away from everything I was familiar with up to that point that I really had nothing to compare what I was doing to. I didn't know how high or low I was because I had no sense of altitude. I couldn't see the ground because the clouds were blocking my view. For a moment it was a little surreal. Except for the cold air hitting my ankles. As soon as we left the plane I was smiling and laughing. You instantly feel as if you're suspended or floating. There is no stomach in your throat feeling that you get from a roller coaster or riding super fast over a hill. It feels as if you're floating in nothingness for a quick second. So I was smiling and laughing and completely elated and falling to earth at 120mph. Before I knew it, my instructor deployed our canopy and we had a four minute ride to the landing area. I took in the scenery and the mountains and the new smells. I loved that I could kick my feet around without anything in the way. My instructor and I practiced turning the canopy left and then right and slowly came in for our landing. I landed with a huge smile on my face that lasted for the rest of the day. There is no better high, drug, rush, thrill, escape, or adventure than skydiving. I really mean that. Everything else seems blasé to me now. Nothing can top the adrenaline and sense of freedom that I get from skydiving.

Da Vinci said it best: "When once you have tasted flight, you will forever walk the earth with your eyes turned skyward, for there you have been, and there you will always long to return."

AVANT - How many jumps have you had now?
Jessie - I haven't been keeping up with my log book lately, but I have over 100.

AVANT - Have you ever sky-surfed like with a snowboard like they did in the Power Rangers movie? Haha!
Jessie - No, I haven't! And the thought is actually a little frightening! I've heard of some people who've tried it though and failed miserably. It's a lot more difficult than it looks!

Below: Aerial Geographers

AVANT - Has your parachute ever failed?
Jessie - Well, if my parachute ever fails, it can only fail once, right? So far, so good. I have yet to have a malfunction and cut away my main canopy to deploy my reserve. The closest thing to potential danger aside from line twists that I've been able to kick out of was a stupid mistake that I'd made when packing my rig. When packing a parachute there's a small piece of fabric called a slider that you have to fold in there with everything else. The slider serves to catch air when you deploy your canopy making your canopy open a little slower and softer. However, I forgot to pack my slider the right way and had an incredibly hard opening, was bruised all over my body, and my helmet fell off my head 3000ft above land. The hurtful part about this experience though was that this was only my second time jumping my brand new $600 helmet that was now falling to the ground and eventually shattered into a million little pieces.

AVANT - Oh no! What if your helmet killed an innocent by-stander?!
Jessie - Hahaha! That thought did cross my mind, of course. But I'm sure it's fine. I was mostly over barren Florida flatlands, anyway.

AVANT - Haha, okay. Whatever you say! Nonetheless, you're still crazy. Do you do backflips & tricks now? Or do you still play it safe.
Jessie - You learn how to backflip on something like your fourth jump! I mostly do Relative Work, or belly flying. That's what you see with people making shapes and formations in the air. The most people I've jumped with at once was around 20 or so. It ended up being a zoo-way AKA a total mess. There's a discipline in skydiving called freeflying which is when people fly upside down, in a sit position, standing and any other sort of crazy position they can fly their body. There's also something called swooping which is pretty popular that has to do with how fast, far, or accurate you can pilot your canopy. I've tried to do a little bit of freeflying, but found it very difficult, and don't harbor much of an interest in becoming a swooper. Two of my favorite things to do though are tube exits and rodeos! A tube exit is a fun way to leave the airplane. Easily done with two people-- one person sits down facing the door and the other person stands up while facing the door. Both people grab on to the other person's ankles. At the right time you kind of roll/push out of the airplane and spin spin spin spin spin until you can't hold your grip anymore and are eventually spun apart. Imagine rolling a tire out of an airplane. A rodeo is when one person sits on another's person's back during freefall. I've also seen people standing up and surfing which looks pretty cool.

AVANT - Have you seen those people gliding on YouTube? Paragliding with wingsuits? Would you ever try that? Here's a link: Paragliding Wingsuits
Jessie - Ahhh, yes, I've seen those. Wingsuit base jumping. Probably the most dangerous thing in the sport you can do. You need 200 jumps before you can start wingsuiting and I'm not there yet. I initially had no desire to wingsuit because it seemed to me that it robbed your body of the freedom to move. However, a friend of mine told me that I had to try it one day because "It's the closest thing to flying that you'll ever do." So maybe one day I'll try it. I definitely want to Base jump, though! No questions asked. One year I hope to go to Bridge Day in West Virginia and jump there.

AVANT - Are you even afraid anymore or get nervous at all? Or is it so comfortable to you now like eating breakfast?
Jessie - I still get nervous sometimes depending on the type of jump I'm doing or the weather. Strong winds mean I have to be pretty focused on my landings. Clouds are a big obstacle as well. If I'm jumping with a group of people I've never jumped with before or doing something I've never done or find particularly difficult, I get nervous because I wouldn't want to be the weakest link that messes up everyone else's jump. I'm constantly reminded that this is a sport that you cannot become complacent in when it comes to safety. The first time you think, "Ohhh, I'll be fine!" is when something is going to go bad.

AVANT - Any tips to recommend to people new to jumping? For first-timers?
Jessie - Have fun and relax!!

Above: Sky-Borne Heroine

Tracy of the Quill

2010-04-01T18:59:00.000-07:00

Above: Tracy & a colleague court the audience with their emotionally rampant stanzas.

Read all about published New York City born & raised poet, Tracy Soren and her adventures in Slam Poetry! She also has a book in the works so be sure to acquaint yourself well with her answers regarding how she had landed a publishing deal & how she copes with the nuisance that is writer's block!

AVANT - So you're a poet. Officially. Meaning you're published, have competed & won competitions in the field of slam poetry. How did you get started? And why 'slam'?
Tracy - Well, in my freshman year at SUNY New Paltz, I went to an event that the school's slam team was holding which featured a very well-known poet, Saul Williams. Before his feature, the slam team performed and I said to myself "I wanna try that." I always had a knack for writing but I was never really introduced to spoken word and it wasn't until then that I seriously tapped into it. So, I just tried it, wrote my first spoken word piece about an interracial relationship and went to the Rap Poetry Music Club (RPM) on campus that works closely with the team. The club is a really dope, relaxed atmosphere where a bunch of artists, poets, musicians, writers, MCs, beatboxers, you name it, come out to perform. I was so nervous but I had been practicing and had the whole thing memorizing but the room was packed out and everyone was screaming "Virgin, virgin!" because I had never read before; it was intense. Anyway, I performed. It was awesome. I was hooked. I got really positive feedback and the semester after that, I tried out for the team and ranked as a starter member (there are starting members who compete at tournaments and alternates for the starters) which is still nuts til this day. I haven't stopped since. Slam is the competitive aspect of spoken word poetry and it's a really fun forum that encourages people to write, perform, perfect their craft and creatively push themselves. It's an accessible art form that didn't necessarily flow from academia but currently works through, with and around it and in it just as it works in various communities and social spheres the same way. You don't need to get a PHd to slam but you can slam if you have a PHd. You can be rockin' New York City energy or coming by way of Arkansas. It doesn't matter because the stage is open to anyone. Equally as important, slam is a wonderful avenue for those who want their creations heard, who want to meet other artists and lovers of art, lovers of openness, dialogue, honesty and emotion. Behind the competition there is this incredible community of poets and supporters that inspire each other and grow from one another; magnificent humans connecting on deeper levels and generally being ill. That's the truly wonderful thing.

AVANT - What inspires you? Who are some of your favorite authors & poets? Any extraneous inspirations i.e. movies, cartoons, pets, sports, etc.?
Tracy - Truthfully, like I've gushed about, the community. The larger slam and poetry community makes me strive to create, keep or transform whatever place I have in it currently. In this crazy poetry world that I am in, your celebrities are or can be your friends.
The artists I am lucky to surround myself with are continuous inspirations and honestly, some of my favorite poets. I don't know how or when this all happened but I have submerged myself around some of the sickest artists. I am lucky to call myself a member of the Intangible Collective, a group of 29 of us who decided to do something with ourselves creatively after we graduated. All of the Intangibles are incredible people and the group just fosters me to strive for better things. I also currently co-coach the New Paltz Slam Team and the team is incredible. They have so much talent which pushes me and gives me more ammunition to keep writing. The SUNY Slam Fam which is really just a great bond between spoken word poets who competed for SUNY schools. And all the poets and writers I have met who have made me go "Damn, I suck at this. I can't possibly compete with any of that. I should stop now."

AVANT - When was the first time you took to the stage, commanded the mic & entranced your audience? Do you remember the first piece you performed? Were you nervous? Do you get nervous still, regardless of your experience & veteran wisdom?
Tracy - I touched on this in my first response but it was truly an incredible moment when I performed my first piece. I was incredibly nervous, more nervous than I've been for most things in my life. When you're performing your art there's a lot of room for your mind to go, "I can make a damn fool out of myself. What if I'm just spilling my guts, just spillin 'em and people are like, eh I'm bored. That sucked. I have written grocery lists more exciting than that. I can write the word "boring" and be more excited." But my first time performing, everyone was listening and seemed to really enjoy it. They were cheering-- that's a very important thing about spoken word poetry and slams, it calls for feedback. We want the audience to make noise and tell us what's up. It was a high that I still get but like most firsts, it's something you will remember. And as for the first piece about an interracial relationship, well, I think I still remember most of it. My writing style has completely changed but it really has a little soft spot in my heart. Took me a long way that first year. As of right now I still feel my nerves but rarely as bad as I used to. I used to have a superstition that if I didn't have my paper hiding somewhere on my body, in my shoe, anywhere, I would forget. I've let go of that security blanket. And I used to always think, "Well I'm up here, can't really get down, might as well try to perform the shit out of it." If I do get nervous it usually subsides after the first time I hit the stage in a night.

AVANT - Who was your mentor when you initially began? Do you have a bad ass crew of poets now, if so what is your group name? And if any, do you have a website?
Tracy - When I initially began, I didn't have a specific mentor and the team that always pushed me. My last year on the team, an alumni, Brian Omni Dillon, came to coach and he became a mentor of mine. As my coach, he helped me edit my poems, worked on my performance, brought me out of the college scene and on to adult poetry venues, helped me picked what poems I was gonna do and introduced me to different people. He taught me how slam works. Omni legitimately has done a ridiculous amount for me and I owe him so much to be where I am today. Mahogany L. Browne, my publisher from Penmanship Books has also given me a huge shot with honoring me the Cora Craig Author Award for Young Women. That has really opened a lot of doors for me, the biggest one of course being my first solo book. And yeah! Like I mentioned before, I roll with the Intangible Collective! Our website is intangiblecollective.com and we are the bad asses of bad asses of ridiculousness and awesome and I love them. We are also on Facebook so you can go to our fan page and we have a blog! http://intangiblecollective.tumblr.com/! We were just named a Tumblr Staff Pick of the week! Also, of course, I roll with the SUNY New Paltz Slam Team and my team is a bunch of beasts. You can check us out on Facebook too!

AVANT - Last I saw you, you were hard at work on your own book! I was and still am so excited for you! Did that book come out yet? If so, where can people order it?
Tracy - I still am! And thanks Ceas, I am excited too! The book hasn't come out yet, it's still going through heavy writing, editing and organizing but I am working to see when to set a release date. Right now though, it's all about getting it perfect. However, I am a featured poet in the first installment of the Intangible Collective Anthologies & Static and Other Lungless Things published by Penmanship Books. I was a main editor and organizer for the book so it's another little baby of mine. That can be purchased at http://poetcd.com/index.php?item=285.

AVANT - How long did it take you to write your book & how many pages? What was your motivation in writing it? Did you ever feel like giving up mid-way due to the daunting stress of it all?
Tracy - Well, I can tell you since I am still writing my book that it can get very stressful. As this is my first book, I really want to make sure I feel right about the poems going into it; that they are perfected. A manuscript also needs to make sense, ya know? The format has to be right, the order of the poems, the way they flow. I don't want there to be a period in the wrong place. SO, YES. It can get stressful. Whenever I find myself buried, I just try to say to myself, "Whoa, you are writing a book. That's kinda crazy. This is a crazy time and a lucky time and it should be fun!" It doesn't always work, especially when writer's block is trying to take me down, but it is helpful and important to focus more on positive energy. And that motivates me to put out a good book that I'm proud of. I want people to relate to what I'm writing and feel something from it. This is a chance to do that which is also great motivation.

AVANT - Also, how many poems did you scrap that didn't even make the book? Is that frustrating when that happens?
Tracy - I can say during this process I have taken out and put in and taken out and put in and then changed some poems then taken some out then put some in then cut it down then added some. It doesn't stop. I don't know how many will be scrapped but there's definitely an interesting number that were in my mind that are not in there now. It's frustrating when you get nervous because you won't write enough or when you always want new poems. I don't know what it is but I move on from poems quickly, it's bad for sure. My friends make fun of me for it. I am trying to work out of being so hypercritical of myself. The whole process of putting a book together is exciting... me being hypercritical, not so much!

AVANT - How did you end up landing your book deal? Was it from the attention you attracted and acclaimed from winning competitions &/or being published in magazines, the internet, etc.?
Tracy - Last year was my first year competing outside of college slams and it was at the Nuyorican Poets Cafe, a historical, well-known venue in New York City. I did very well there and was actually a finalist for the Nuyorican's national slam team. The Friday Night Slam host and the venue's Coach and SlamMistress, Mahogany L. Browne heard me perform at most of those slams. One day, she asked me to send her a bunch of poems. I did and she chose me for the award I mentioned earlier, The Cora Craig Author Award for Young Women which gave me and two other young female poets from around the country our first book. It was and still is an actual insane thing in my life.

AVANT - Where can people find your poetry? On-line? Indie zines? What poetry houses do you frequent? Where can fans & newcomers alike go to see you perform? What are your favorite venues to perform at?
Tracy - People can find my poetry on youtube.com, when they google my name, on my blog: tracysoren.tumblr.com, possibly on other parts of the interwebs. There are also Intangible Collective chapbooks (self-published books of poetry), the published book Static and Other Lungless Things. This year, since I was working on my book, coaching the New Paltz team, working with the Collective, doing a bunch of poetry events and trying to figure out how to handle art and employment, I let myself take some time off from slamming but I really want to hit the adult slam scene hard next year. Currently though, I am a Grand Slam Finalist for the Intangible Slam (the slam series started by my group in Midtown) and I go to the Nuyorican Poets Cafe a bunch. I also went and slammed at the Bowery Poetry Club for the first time which was awesome and I want to check out Louder Arts at Bar 13 in Manhattan. I also would love to check out slam venues outside of the state. I've enjoyed performing at various venues, all of them have a different energy and its important to experience different crowds and spaces. I will always have a place in my heart for performing on college campuses, the energy on many campuses I've visited has always been so vibrant. Of course, I'll always love SUNY New Paltz since that's where I started. Newcomers and fans (if I have fans, that's awesome and I want to thank them personally) can just check out on Facebook, my blog or the Collective's webpage to see where I am performing. I will be in Boston at Emerson College the second week of April for Collegiate Nationals, coaching my team and there will be major poetry going on. Then the Intangible Collective is on tour the week after! We will be hitting up various venues in New York State for the annual Where There's Smoke, There's Fire tour so people can catch me during those dates. I am working at my schedule but I will be at the SUNY New Paltz date (April 16) and at Port 41 in Midtown (April 17)! Personally, I am so excited for the poetry at both these events so I'd advise people to come check it out. It's gonna be sick!

AVANT - How often do you write? What do you write in? Are you organized: Moleskin, composition notebook, spiral notebook? Or more spontaneous: random receipts, brown paper bags, torn newspaper pages? Or digital: cellphone, laptop or desktop computers?
Tracy - I try to write every day. Recently, I've been going through a dry spell which has been horrible but I am pushing through it and still trying to write whenever I can. I also just started working a full time schedule which can be exhausting. I want to go home, granny it out and go to bed at 9. When you get home at 7, time gets tight. But it's all about scheduling and I am figuring out how to manage everything. No matter what, I will write. I don't care if I'm on the bus, walking the streets of Manhattan, half-sleeping (trick, leave a notebook and pen always by your bed cause the things you can come up with right before you fall asleep is bananas. I've hated myself for making myself get up but then loved myself for it in the morning.) You just need to push yourself to write it down even when it's inconvenient (if you don't want to take out your notebook, try notepad on your phone). If you need to get a bit more crafty, any paper surface. If you're really pushing it, eyeliner on your hand. Whatever you gotta do, do it because you will kick yourself later if you lose a wonderful thought. So I am all those things but out of the three you mentioned (organized, spontaneous or digital) I would say organized. My planner is my best friend, I bring some type of notebook everywhere I can. I enjoy writing things down, old-fashioned style. Sometimes if I know I am about to get a full, concise poem and or I am gonna be on a roll, I try to reach for a computer. Sometimes I wish I had a computer in reach. It's really how I am feeling in the moment.

AVANT - What are the more popular recurring themes in your poetry? Romance, family, friendship, coming-of-age tales?
Tracy - I focus a lot on various relationships. I don't know why but a lot of times that flows out of me. It's therapeutic and it's in my comfort zone but I am trying and have been trying to branch out of that. I also write about experiences I've had or am having for the same reasons. Unless something is flowing out of me, I try to make conscious choices to try different things and that's really exciting. I have been working on a poem for a while now about my weird take on the apocalypse. It's called "The One Whale Human Party". My friend and poet that I work closely with, Megan Falley, put the words together randomly and I ran with it. It actually might be two parts, right now I have it in two parts... anyway, the main focus is what would happen if the apocalypse came, the world flooded with water and everyone I know and loved ended up partying in a giant whale. See this, this is what writing allows you to do. And for some reason, I have wonderful opportunities for people to read, hear and comment on such a poem which is why I consider myself lucky. Writing truly can take you anywhere. I like writing about my personal experiences and relationships because it allows me to put them into different words and images while still maintaining their truth. I love using words and making them into something completely different, making punctuation and grammar into some weird silly putty I get to mess with. How does a certain line break change the mood, read or meaning of a poem? Who should narrate this poem? What different images can I create from the word "butter"? All of these questions allow me to take my writing anywhere I want. And I can open my mind and see from different perspectives. I am trying to write more persona pieces, poems where I speak from someone else's voice because that within itself is an insane trip. I get to make up or interpret another human's experiences? And I get to play with language in the process. What?! Also, I am trying to use this art for what so many people use it for and what it excels at: activism. I have a great tool for change. And this can be succeeded through any type of poem. I am trying to play around with allowing my writing to be a catalyst for social dialogue. If my poetry starts or contributes to any dialogue, that's a success right there. I realize I may have went off on a tangent because that's how much I love language and writing. Every tangent, try, speech, sound, word can bring you to something ultimately magnificent.

Below: Tracy adventuring Australia.

Jon of the Skyline

2010-03-17T21:00:00.000-07:00

Like many martial arts practitioners... Jon was a fledgling nerd who, in his early childhood & pre-teen years, simply watched way too many action movies, woke up earliest during ungodly hours for Saturday morning cartoons, played too many video games & read one too many comic books. It also doesn't hurt to possess the know-how to defend oneself should a dire situation of promising threats arises. Also, everyone needs to harness within themselves the avenging prowess necessary to protect the weak & defend the just.

AVANT - How did you get into martial arts?

Jon - When I was younger I was inspired by action films, old school Kung Fu movies from the 80s, and of course books, video games, anime, comic books and manga as well as epic heroes from lore, mythology and legends of old. As I grew older, I met along the way several individuals from school and work who studied martial arts themselves. All of this culminated in my high school days where several friends and I used to spar in the park and practice moves we've learned and train together.

AVANT - Did you have any prior martial arts experience before signing up at Progressive Martial Arts?

Jon - I had two years of Judo experience. While only achieving a rank of Orange Belt during that time, it provided me with the leverage to continue studying and pursuing other martial arts. Along the way I picked up some tips and methods of training from friends of mine who were able to train under such diverse fields such as: Boxing, Taekwondo, Aikido, Krav Maga, Shaolin Kung Fu and Karate.

AVANT - Why Progressive?

Jon - To be honest it's only a few blocks away from both my college and my current job. Since I don't have a car, it's commuting made simple for me. I can easily navigate to and from work/home/school by bike or bus. I was considering the NuBreed Academy; however, it seemed too far out of my way and a bit pricey for my current financial situation, but who knows about the future?

AVANT - What invaluable lesson did you learn from being a member of a martial arts school?
Jon - I learned never to judge a fighter by their appearance. Physical appearance will oftentimes betray skill level.

AVANT - What kind of martial arts do you study?

Jon - I'm formally studying Jun Fan Gung Fu better known as Jeet Kune Do or the concepts of Bruce Lee's martial art system, the fundamental basis of 'Mixed Martial Arts', Muay Thai which is the brutal kickboxing style from Thailand, Brazilian Jiu-jitsu which is an art immersed with grappling, throwing and limb locking.

AVANT - Do you have to learn any of the terminology for the respective arts in their native languages?

Jon - While many hold the misconception that Martial Arts training is all physical, it's not. You have to remember these fighting systems were developed in their respective countries and are deeply rooted in their culture. In some cases it was used in warfare for millennia, if not centuries. It's important to know the origin and historical significance of anything you study--martial arts is no exception. To be a more educated and learned individual and also as a respect to the founders of the art itself it's vital in any field to have awareness of those who spearheaded the field and created the knowledge pool from which you drink. When studying medicine, do you not learn of Doctors from antiquity and the treatments they developed which we still use today? When studying painting do you not learn of painting techniques and styles used by Renaissance artists which many painters still find irrevocably useful? The same holds true for Martial Arts, though it varies with the Sifu (instructor), for the most part we must learn the proper terminology in the native languages of the important strikes, maneuvers and footwork.

AVANT - Describe, define & elaborate upon your training regiment. How many days/classes do you go?
Jon - I attend on average three classes per week, sometimes up to four or five and other times as low as two. It really depends on my work and school schedule. As I'm taking 19 credits this semester it is sometimes difficult to balance everything while still having time to sleep and eat. My regiment is, well, not very regimented but I'll tell you. I usually wake up around 7 and before anything eat something, usually oatmeal and some fruit or yogurt. Before showering and getting dressed for my day I stretch to promote flexibility. Since I bike virtually everywhere (school/work/MA) I get plenty of cardio (and yes I bike in the bitter cold of winter). Since I have plenty of breaks between class I usually try to work out at the gym twice a week, one day focusing on upper body, the second day; lower. When I have free time at home I have free weights and a pull-up bar that I use as well as a jump rope and other exercise provisions.

AVANT - How much is it per month?
Jon - That information is classified. Find out for yourself.

AVANT - What benefits have you reaped from practicing/undertaking the martial arts?
Jon - Besides learning how to defend myself and kick ass in several flavors, I am stronger, more confident, my body is in shape and I feel good.

AVANT - What are your favorite martial arts moves & combos?

Jon - I'm a fan of the back spinning hook kick, as well as the Jun Fan lead hand and rear hand combo series', my favorite moves are synonymous with those that are most effective and most painful.

AVANT - What equipment do you use & what is your favorite? Any favorite brands?

Jon - To avoid sounding like I'm endorsing a specific brand I like gear that's very plain but doesn't sacrifice performance. In other words, gear that does the job, is comfortable and doesn't have logos all over it. Everlast, Ringside and Title are all fine martial arts paraphernalia companies, I'd recommend those.

Photo Credits: Johnny Wolf Photography

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On a more personal note:

Jon is such a bad ass he leaves our Facebook conversations with such parting words of fine, avant-caliber:

3:26amJonathan

Yo, I'm gonna get some shut eye but I'll catch you later after the dawn of Apollo's victory. (morning)

Alexandra of France

2010-03-10T04:45:00.000-08:00

Above: You definitely won't believe me... but this girl's dangerous.

All of my best friends are privileged, worldly members of the venerable jet-set few.

Alexandra is arguably my heart's favorite of them all. She's a dedicated collegiate scholar, ever-chasing academia. We met at Hunter College in New York City in the Spring of 2007, we were classmates in both our private & lecture hall media courses. Prior to her studying in Hunter College, she went to college in Rome immediately after graduating from her high school in France. Right now at this very moment as earth's northern hemisphere spins on its axis promising the arrival of spring & all its beauty... Alexandra is studying at the esteemed, world-renowned London-based auction house known as-- Christie's, pursuing her Master's Degree.

Alexandra & I are college sweethearts. I was always up to no good & she was always romping about doing her worst, feverishly engaged in lawless activities. What can I say? We’re both young outlaws-at-heart. We were rivals in the fine art of bad assery & expert professionals involved, familiar, acquainted & submerged in all things cool: art, music, fashion & even the seedy, darker, private underworlds of it all. If I had to actually sit down & write a book on Alex, the title would be: 'Alexandra's Essential Handbook Guide to Free-Spiritdom'.

You know when you have two favorite characters but they’re like, from completely different universes & you wish they would totally meet—hang out & be friends ‘n stuff? Like… Catwoman from DC Comics & Marvel’s Spider-Man. Well that’s what Alex & I were like. Only cooler. On our month long winter breaks & 3 month long summer vacations, hell, even our measly 3-day weekends, she would seize them for all their potential & never hesitated in traveling half-way around the world to Europe, South America, Asia & California. It was absurd! All of her crazy adventures entertained me with enough daydreams for months on end!

Above: Alexandra; Sky-Princess of France's lone, elite faction of ace cloudship pilots, 'The High-Valkyries'.

AVANT - Will you still be in London this Summer?

Alex - Yep. I'll be writing my thesis.

AVANT - How many pages?

Alex - Not too many, around fifty pages.

AVANT - What's your address in London? In case I feel like surprising you.

Alex - _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ Road _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _. I live with 6 other people, there should definitely be someone home.

AVANT - Is your new neighborhood anything like Bushwick?

Alex - Hahaha, nooooooooooo! Thank god. It’s more residential. Much nicer.

AVANT - Front lawns & stuff?

Alex - More suburban, absolutely.. I have a beautiful garden!

AVANT - What did you graduate from Hunter with?

Alex - BA in Art History.

AVANT - Any minor?

Alex - Nope.

AVANT - What are you getting your Masters in now?

Alex - Business of Contemporary and Modern Art.

AVANT - What's your goal? Is it your dream to become a world-renowned Gallery Curator?

Alex - That is accurate, although I think I might want to work in different industries, like the auction for a little while, maybe become an art dealer, or an artists agent... There's plenty to do. I want it all! ALL I TELL YOU!!!!

Alex - So what's the deal with your blogspot?

AVANT - It's my writing portfolio. To get an internship with Vogue &/or GQ. I have connections. I might as well use them.

Alex - Cooooool mos def!!!! My best friend here works for Vogue.

AVANT - What does she do?

Alex - She sells advertising space for the moment.

AVANT - I love how between us, we always know people in high places.

Alex - You know how we do.

AVANT - What school are you attending now for your Masters?

Alex - Christies education. You know Christie's the auction house?

AVANT - Yeah. Of course!!

Alex - It’s tha shit.

AVANT - http://www.christies.com/ --That's it, right?

Alex - No. It's http://christieseducation.com/.

AVANT - Is Christie's the auction house that deals with Damien Hirst?

Alex - Sure thang.

AVANT - Wow!! Have you met him!?

Alex - No, but we do get to meet a bunch of famous artists, they're über contemporary, like Anne Hardy, Cullinan and Richards, Melanie Manchot. They might be known in London only for now.

AVANT - ...For now. (!!!) Cue the suspenseful music saturated in dramatic intrigue!

Alex - Haha! We study a lot of installation art, video & photography.

AVANT - You're one person I never have to worry about in this world. You'll always stay on top.

Alex - You would love it, I can’t wait till you get here.

AVANT - In your profile pictures for Christmas 2009, you had a sand snowman. Was that during your vacation in Portugal?

Alex - No, it’s in Qatar. …Yeah, the locals there were like "What the fucccckkkkk."

Below: Alex's original artwork featured sand sculpture nestled along the Qatarian coast.

AVANT - At the beach? What body of water is that.

Alex - It’s a lagoon, on the Persian Gulf.

AVANT - PERFECT. THE END. This marks the end of our impromptu interview.

Alex - Hahahahahahahahahahhahahaa!!

AVANT - I will be borrowing pictures from your Facebook Defaults.

Alex - I’m ecstatic! Help yourself, mein liebling!

AVANT - I already have the title: Alex Deyzac's Illustrious & Essential Handbook Guide to Free-Spiritdom

Alex - I’M LAUGHING OUT LOUD RIGHT NOW!! It’s tooo perfect for words!

AVANT -

Alex - YOU ARE THE BEST CEASAR.

AVANT - YOU ARE.

AVANT - I love you. Take care, mon cheri.

Alex - KEEEP IN TOUCH MON PRINCE ADORÉ.

Love you to the moon and back.

xox

Above & Below: Pirate-Captain Alexandra the Seafarer! Setting sail for winter-born ocean adventures!

To this day, Alexandra + I are still friends & always will be. After all, she is one of the few girls in this whole world that I know can comfortably keep up with my wild dreams & vice versa. We are star-crossed, as destiny has it written, in its stead shall our fates follow with interwoven paths of kismet.

I will visit her this Summer in London... even if it kills me!

__________________________________________________________

*BONUS FEATURE*

Alexandra was so impressed with my writing that she felt it necessary to send me her personally scribed autobiography via electronic mail. I had always known only the briefest of glimpses into her past that I had to roughly piece together from our scattered conversations spurred from our chance encounters over time-- but I really had no idea of the complete extent, depth & magnitude. She really has traveled to more places than most people would ever hope to experience in a single lifetime!

Without any further delay, enjoy her transcendental history in all of its honest, truthful, unabridged, unedited & uncensored glory!

Ceasar!!!!!!! yess!!!!!!!!!

Your blog is terrific! i'm so proud of you!!!! You' re a brilliant writer!!

I’m gonna go ahead and upchuck my life to you in a chronological manner. It’s fun for me to do this and probably therapeutic as well, so that I can establish what kind of person I’ve become, due to traveling like a madwoman.

So I was born in Toronto, which is quite random I must say, since my entire family is full on French. My parents just happened to be living there when they had me, and this is how I got to start my life in a bi-lingual environment. I only spent the three first years of my life there, and needless to say, I don’t remember a god damn thing.

Then my dad got moved to Abu Dhabi, in the wonderful middle east, where they build 50 story skyscrapers in 3 days under the blazing sun. My parents placed my older sister and I in an American Academy, and although we spoke French at home, we were completely mesmerized by the expatriate American culture that surrounded us at school. Obviously the local culture was cool as well. We were learning Arabic and learning how to barter like there’s no tomorrow. Negotiating has been in my blood ever since.

After 5 years in the U.A.E, we moved to a country nearby, the Sultanate of Oman, a luxurious oasis, so glorious and beautiful it’s hard for me to describe. My dad is obsessed with boats and fishing massive baracoudas, so every weekend we’d hop on his boat and discover all sorts of empty islands. At that time, my most precious treasures were corals, different types of sands and shells of every shape and color.

The souk was also like entering Ali Baba’s carvern. This was a place where we could purchase the most ridiculous and unnecessary things. What I mainly remember from roaming around the souk was inhaling mad sorts of incense, and being blinded by the shine of silver, gold and random colorful objects.

Being in the middle east was such a treat, we were close to other growing cities like Dubai. I remember Dubai when it was still a somewhat modest fishing port and to see what it has become now is really unbelievable. It’s like witnessing the construction of NYC in less than a few decades.

After three years in the Sultan’s land, my dad was once again transferred because of his job….back to France, in suburban Paris. I had never lived there before and it was a total culture shock for me. Europe is great but I had to adapt my mentality to be able to communicate politely to Europeans.. Haha that was a challenge.

The French. What a people. They taught me a lot. I learned how to stay in my place, and other times I learned how to let loose. I learned how to write and think in a philosophical way and mostly I learned how to eat like a god.

I was incredibly fortunate because once again, my parents placed me in an international school, where I made best friends from all over the world. My closest friends are from Italy, Spain, Sweden, England, America and this is all because I grew up with them. We’re like a third culture community.

Thanks to that school I speak fluent Italian, Spanish, French and English. Which is tha bomb.

Living in Europe was so practical. every so often I would go to southern france (my family is from Perigueux which is close to Bordeaux) or spain (Alicante, Valencia, Barcelona..)

After high school, I went off to the American University of Rome, where I spent three years perfecting my Italian and learning all there is to know about early art history. I was amidst the most romantic ruins ever. And as cheesy as it sounds, they were my classroom. Rome is also a pretty international city, which made it feel like home. During my stay there, I was also able to travel: Genova, Naples, Venice, even Pompei!!!

Also during that time, I went to Russia, which was tremendous. Saint Petersburg and Moscow are incredible. The vodka was so tasty it was like downing water, the streets were like a live circus, I remember seeing hilarious tourist attractions around the Nieva river, namely full grown bears on leashes or free wandering iguanas, and, to top it off, monkeys wearing nike shoes.

I got to see the Kremlin, which owns the world’s biggest collection of gigantic diamonds. I also saw Lenin’s body, which was just weird.

During my last year in Rome, I felt so sick of studying old art. Studying renaissance and baroque was great but I was thirsty for fresher, more modern works. This is what lead me to apply to Hunter College. I had never lived in the united states before, so this was my chance. AND I DON’T REGRET A THING. NEW YORK IS NEW YORK and It is a fabulous city filled with trends and traditions I wanted to be submerged in, and I got it all baby. Living in Bushwick was definitely awakening and I enjoyed every bit of it no matter how many rats, bugs and killings I had to face. I miss the dodgy neighborhood, During my stay, I was able to visit Philly, Baltimore, Chicago, San Diego, L.A, and I can’t wait to finish off cruising the crazy continent properly.

After getting my degree, I felt a Masters would be most appropriate if I wanted to get a decent job in the art world, but in order to get into the masters program I needed to have a little working experience. Off I went to Berlin, to work in the Magnus Muller Gallery for four months, learning basic German and familiarizing myself with Berlin’s art market. It was a great experience but I have to say 4 months was not long enough for me to fall in love with that city.

Anyway here I am now, living a Londoner’s life. Sorted.

By next September, I’ll be well versed in Contemporary art and have sufficient expertise to enter the art market, or whatever other industry that awaits me. Curating would be ideal but apparently it’ll take me a few decades to obtain that job. KEEP THE FAITH!!!

I miss you my dear Ceasar, I hope this description will entertain you. COUNTING THE DAYS UNTIL YOU GET HERE!! Xoxoxoxox

P.S.

sweetheart i also forgot to mention the places i went to on vacation with my family. my parents live in Qatar, which is so cool cause i get to visit them like twice or three times a year!!!!! thanks to them, i got to see Dominican Republic, Portugal, and this August i'm off to Bali!!!)

looove youuuu

Hannah of Buenos Aires

2010-03-06T21:20:00.000-08:00

Above: The ever-elusive femme fatale that is Ms. Miles

Hannah's origin tells of a born & raised Upper-West Sider from The Empire State of New York City who uprooted herself from all that she knew for a teaching career in South America!

Ms. Miles is also by far my most favorite person that I've interviewed. Why? Because I noticed all of the subtle nuances & her utmost minute, intricate & meticulous attention to detail. She replied to my questions via e-mail with a Microsoft Word file attachment. Which meant that she went through the trouble of copying & pasting from her web browser window & not only that-- she changed the color text palette with the questions poised in red & her answers in no-nonsense, all-business black. To say that her replies were responses is a profound understatement-- nearly each answer reading as a solid, solitary short-term essay. She really cared about what I was trying to do & truly grasped the goal of my blog-- helping people... strangers who you don't even know, families & friends alike... realize their dreams.

Thank you so much, Hannah! & Without further ado... on with her interview...

Above: Hannah, disarmingly warmhearted princesse lointaine

AVANT - Congratulations! You're in Buenos Aires right now looking for a teaching job! How did you first get started with your globetrotting endeavor? Did you speak to any advisors at Hunter, did any of your family or friends teach overseas before? Or did you take the entire initiative upon yourself and searched the internet for a website-- if so, what was the website?

Hannah - I decided to move to Argentina last August. I was about to finish college and I had no idea what I wanted to do with my life (I still don’t) so, I decided to take a leap and go somewhere unfamiliar. I really believe that people can easily fall into a pattern and spend their entire lives in one place without ever experiencing something else. I am also the kind of person who is very eager to stay in a comfort zone, in this case my hometown of New York City, and I decided that was not the way I wanted to live my life. I didn’t talk to anyone at Hunter, I just decided to do this and did all the research myself. I have a friend who taught English in Taiwan for a while and told me amazing stories about it. However, I knew I didn’t want to go to Asia and I have already been to Europe a number of times. South America was a place I had always dreamed of going so I started looking here. I originally wanted to do some charity work but realized I needed to be making money so I thought of teaching English and began my research. I learned I needed a certification called the TEFL (Teaching English as a Foreign Language) and so I looked for companies that offered it in South America. The company I wound up doing my training through is called EBC. They are based in Madrid, Spain but have “campuses” all over the world, one being in Buenos Aires. Their website is www.ebc-tefl-course.com. It was really beneficial taking the training in the city I wanted to then teach in because it gave me the opportunity to be here for a month before I needed to find a job. It also allowed me to meet people and familiarize myself with the city, which made it easier to get around and go on job interviews when it was time to do that.

AVANT - Last we spoke, you told me how you graduated from Hunter College last Spring with a Bachelor's Degree and your major being Political Science. Did that have any influence on your journey? Also, what was your minor for under grad, if any?

Hannah - I actually just graduated this past December and made the move to Argentina right after in January. I thoroughly enjoyed studying politics but I knew a few years ago that I didn’t want to go into the field so it didn’t have any influence on my plans to come down here. I didn’t have a minor.

AVANT - When did you start planning for your journey & when did you finally arrive in Buenos Aires? What was the first thought that crossed your mind when your plane landed in Buenos Aires & you'd realized what you've gotten yourself into?

Hannah - I did all the research and signed up for my program last fall and I flew down here January 1st of this year. My first thought was “Wow I’m tired, that was a long journey” and my second was “Thank god I can finally take off this bulky sweater because it is 80 degrees and sunny outside.” I was definitely a bit out of sorts when I first got here because I don’t speak any Spanish and I didn’t know anyone, but it didn’t take long for me to settle in. Luckily there was a great group of kids in my teacher training so I made some really amazing friends very quickly.

Below: Hannah & her new friend, Brianne

AVANT - What did your parents, family & friends think of your adventuresome goals?

Hannah - Everyone I know was so supportive of my decision. As I said before I am definitely the kind of person who does not like to stray outside my comfort zone. Therefore for me to leave New York was a huge decision and one that I didn’t make lightly. Every person I told, all my family and friends, and even strangers, were so thrilled and supportive that I was embarking on this adventure.

AVANT - Why Buenos Aires? What other options were on your mind, or was it always Argentina?

Hannah - It wasn’t always Argentina but it was always South America. My program also offers the TEFL in Peru so that was an option but Buenos Aires turned out to be the most enticing place. Argentina is a beautiful country with so much history and a different culture that I wanted to experience. Being in a city was really important to me because I’m from a city and love city life, so I knew I would be able to adjust really well here.

AVANT - Have you been to Buenos Aires before? Or was this your first time?

Hannah - This was my first time to Buenos Aires and to any place south of the equator.

AVANT - Why do you want to teach English?

Hannah - Teaching English was the opportunity that presented itself because it was a way for me to work in this country without having to know Spanish. The training, however, was much more rewarding and interesting than I imagined it would be. When you learn how to teach English, you learn about aspects of the language that I, personally, had never learned before. It was a different experience than studying English in school for example, because in this context there is a much greater emphasis on grammar and the technicalities of the language. As a teacher, you also have to be able to explain to the students why we say certain things and not others, and as a native speaker I found I didn’t always know why, I just knew what was right and what was wrong. I learned something new every day about my own language, which made it a very intriguing experience. Teaching is always something that has interested me so it was a perfect way to learn new skills while also being able to use my native tongue.

AVANT - How is the environment of Argentina different & similar to places you've visited in past travels? i.e. The sandy/pebble-stone beaches remind you of the shorelines in France & Portugal. The city streets are cobblestone like the ones in Venice.

Hannah - Argentina is truly one of a kind, and I can honestly say not much has reminded me of other places that I’ve been to. Even the city life of Buenos Aires is much different than the city life of New York or Paris or Rome. The architecture is also different, there aren’t as many old buildings and historic places as there are in a lot of European cities. But there also aren’t skyscrapers and towering office buildings like those found in New York. The overall vibe of the city is much more relaxed than New York, people aren’t in such a rush and they take more time to enjoy their surroundings.

Below: The Japanese Gardens in Buenos Aires

Above: A flower sculpture in Buenos Aires that opens and closes with the daylight

AVANT - How is the food, coffee, music & shopping in Buenos Aires? Also, how are the people of Argentina treating you?

Hannah - There is a huge coffee culture here and coffee is considered an integral part of each day so the quality of the coffee is really high. The music culture has also been a new experience. I’ve been to a couple of live music shows that have blown my mind. There is one show that happens every Monday called La Bomba de Tiempo. It is a group of 20 drummers who play in an outdoor event space in front of a huge crowd. The musicians feed off the crowd just as much as the crowd feeds off the music and it is an unforgettable experience, I’ve been three times already and plan to go many more times. The food, however, takes some getting used to. There isn’t the organic/natural movement here that is so present in the US, which is something I’ve struggled with a little bit. There is also a lot more cheese and ham, the latter of which I don’t ever eat at home. The food culture is also very different because meals are never rushed, they are leisurely and long so people take their time enjoying themselves. Argentines don’t eat dinner until around 10 or 11pm and everything is done much later. So far, the Argentines have been welcoming. I haven’t had the pleasure of meeting a lot of natives yet, though I’m hoping that will change once I learn some more Spanish. But I’ve never felt like I was unwelcome here because I’m not a native.

AVANT - You're currently looking for a job in teaching. How is your search going?

Hannah - I actually just got a job earlier this week, which is very exciting. I will be teaching English to employees at IBM here in Buenos Aires. The job search took a little bit of time because the past couple of months have been summer vacation for the Argentines. Therefore, schools and businesses are just starting to open up again and get back into the grind of work.

AVANT - Do you have any friends or family with you in Buenos Aires right now?

Hannah - One of my best friends from New York is here studying abroad so it has been really great having her around. I’ve also made some fast friends from my training that I spend a lot of time with, and my family and friends from home are planning to visit while I’m here.

AVANT - Oh, yeah! Before I forget. What was the MUST item(s) from home for you to pack for your departure? i.e. Your favorite coffee mug, a framed picture of your family

Hannah - The must have item that I needed to bring was a photo book that my friends had made for me just before I left. It's a photo album they put together accompanied by notes from all of my friends wishing me luck on my adventure and my new life. It was so beautifully done and it means so much to me, knowing all the time and effort they must have put into it. It's a comfort to have it with me and I read through it whenever I miss my friends back home.

AVANT - I want to end this with expressing my thanks & sharing my awe-inspired visage of you: Not many people have the courage to leave their safe, comfortable homes in exchange for the unknown & unfamiliar. You're very brave. Thank you for inspiring me & others to pursue their faraway dreams. I really hope you do know how awesome you are. Do you feel awesome to yourself? Haha! Be honest!

Hannah - I guess I do feel awesome. This was definitely a huge, huge decision for me to make. Although I’m a very independent person, it does take some getting used to being away from home, my friends, and my family. But so far that hasn’t had a negative effect on my experience here. The timing worked out perfectly because I was graduating from college mid-year and I kept thinking that if I didn’t do this now I didn’t know when I would be able to. So far I haven’t been disappointed and the welcoming culture has made the transition smooth and also quite fun.

Below: Ms. Miles (far left) and two friends serenely enjoying the last morning of their vacation in Uruguay

Sura of Britain

2010-02-25T10:20:00.001-08:00

When the visage of my friend Sura comes to collect itself from memories in my mind, immediately following all coherency of thought, arrive the words of 'equestrienne' and 'princess' in cadence. To me is she the fair princess royal of a vast, distant & ethereal island. With her noble countenance of an english rose perennially gracing the finest fashions and always attending only the most lavish of renowned soirées. Sura's character is my story's analog of Peter's very own Princess Tiger Lily & this article that follows you now is a brief detail of her historical equestrian origins.

AVANT - How did you begin your equestrian lifestyle? How old were you when you first began? Did you have any influences like relatives or friends?

Sura - I began riding when I was about 6 or 7. My mum hated it- she thought it was too dangerous. But me and my friend really wanted to start riding so we moaned until we got our own way. The first riding school I went to was called Spring Paddock.

AVANT - How often would you ride horses when you first started? How long did it take for you to become proficient at riding?

Sura - Hmm.. well I had a few breaks in between riding. I had lessons every week until I was about 12 or 13. My friend then got a horse, Heinz, so I stopped lessons and just borrowed him. Then didn't ride again until I was 19. I think I am a better rider now than when I was younger, but I don't have the confidence that I had then. As you get older you start to realise that horses have a mind of their own and are in fact pretty dangerous....

AVANT - How often do you ride now?

Sura - Well, I was riding every week with the University of Manchester team but then I finished my degree in May. So since then I've been trying to find another good riding school to go to! It's difficult trying to find one near the city centre though for obvious reasons. I've probably only ridden 3 or 4 times in the past 9 months. I really miss it!

AVANT - What do you typically wear whenever you ride?

Sura - I normally wear jodhpurs, ankle riding boots, a polo shirt, and a helmet! Sometimes a body protector if I'm jumping.

AVANT - How did you feel when you first started riding? How does it feel now that you are more of an experienced veteran?

Sura - To be completely honest I can't remember much about when I started riding, all I know is that I loved it and wanted to get everything to do with horses and riding! Stickers, t-shirts, magazines, pencil cases etc etc. I wrote 'pony' on my christmas list every year until I was 10. Riding is still as enjoyable now as it was then, you can't get bored of it.

AVANT - Any advice to those who may wish to get started? Secret techniques to calm a horse or earn a horse's trust?

Sura - I'd just say the most important thing is to relax and be confident. Horses can sense fear, which in turn makes them scared. They need their rider to let them know everything is ok.

AVANT - How does one befriend a horse & earn it's trust & obedience?

Sura - At the school I have ridden at for the past few years you are on a different horse every week, so it's a little difficult to gain trust. However, being patient and giving them attention such as a good pat if they jumped well and plenty of grooming afterwards are good ways for a horse to get to know it's rider. In terms of obedience, it's the confidence thing again, the horse has to know that you are the one in control.

AVANT - What is the longest that you can ride now?

Sura - I tend to only ride for an hour at a time if I'm in a paddock. After an hour your attention wades a bit and you get a bit lazy which results in a confused horse. If I'm on a hack, sometimes we ride for 4 hours. But it can get a bit much. A couple hours is perfect.

AVANT - Have you ever entered any competitions?

Sura - No, it's never appealed to me. I like to go riding for pleasure, and the thought of a competition just stresses me out! We had a couple of competitions for our class, just as a bit of fun, but I was so nervous!

AVANT - Do you have your own personal horse?

Sura - My favourite horse at my old school was a tiny white pony called Lightning. She was so small and I was definitely too tall for her but she was a great jumper and very reliable!

AVANT - If you could have a dream horse, what would it be? What color eyes & mane, what gender & what would you name him/her?

Sura - A palomino!!! They have always been my favourite horse! I even have a plastic one on the shelf next to my bed that I've had since I was little. A palomino has golden hair, with a white mane and tail and they are beautiful! I would want it to be a girl and be called Bamboo (there was a TV show in the 60's about a palomino horse called Mr. Ed - whose real name was Bamboo Harvester).

AVANT - Do you ever have dreams of riding unicorns?

Sura - erm.. YES! That would be pretty cool. I'm currently reading a book at the moment actually called, 'The Natural History of Unicorns'.

AVANT - What do you think of pegasus'? Winged horses. Would you own one? Or do you find them frightening?

Sura - I'd definitely own one!! Not sure how I'd prevent it from flying away though...

AVANT - What terrains have you ridden horses? Mountain forests? Sandy beaches? Or controlled situations like indoor establishments?

Sura - Mainly indoor arenas and outdoor paddocks - this is the only way to really learn how to ride properly. But I love hacking out, through woods and open fields! I haven't ridden on the beach but I'd love to. The closest I've come to that was riding a palomino through Crete.

P.S.

Earlier this year, Sura & I made a promise to draw each other's favorite animal in our respective visions & artistic stylings. I painted her a seahorse & a real wild horse in watercolor. Today. Tuesday. March 23rd, 2010-- I receive her end of our promise!

Laura of California

2010-02-18T23:33:00.001-08:00

Above: Laura Taylor by Kyle Johnson, December 2008

Once upon a time we were on the same level. But we're not anymore. We haven't been for a long time. You wanna know what happened? She braved the world & made it her own a thousand times over. She explored. She risked. She dared. She loved. She lost. She hurt. She cried. Everything. She pursued each & every single dream she ever had or wanted. She's gone to Egypt & lived there for a few months as an assistant to archaeologists. Been on the road & trekked all over The United States of America, on tour with rock 'n roll bands. Hell, I don't even doubt if she's fallen in love with one or two or maybe even more than a few. I wonder what great loves she has known during her life journeys. She's lived in Brooklyn, worked as an intern/assistant/stylist for a roster of fashion designers, media publications & photographers in the greater city of Manhattan, experienced working behind-the-scenes at Bryant Park Fashion week, been to The Siren Fest at Coney Island & rode The Cyclone-- I know, we went on it together & I even have the overpriced photograph that you could get at the end once the ride was over as a souvenir of that day. She currently lives in Los Angeles right now where it's ethereal sunshine summertime beauty year round. She grew to become a woman. Whereas I stayed behind in New York, still living at home with my family & remained a boy. I really do feel like I am Rufio of Neverland & she grew up. I am not sad that she grew up, though. No. What I am sad about is that direct side-effect of her growing out of me. We grew apart. Once upon a time we shared the same world. Now we reside in our respective galaxies. I still keep in touch with her though, every now & again. Corresponding with her from my Eastern Throne to her Western Pedestal. Her name is Laura Taylor & photography is her passion.

Below: Laura Taylor by Jessica Gary for Seychelles Footwear

Websites:

http://www.thedarlinglife.com/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/thedarlinglife/

http://laurataylor.tumblr.com/

Contact:

thedarlinglifephoto@gmail.com

*BONUS FUN FACT*

Laura starred as the leading role in the music video for indie rock band The Little Heroes' song, "Thank You"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4LSSFyDX8qo

Below: Photographs by Laura Taylor

Evan of Red

2010-02-15T17:48:00.000-08:00

So my younger brother's got a hobby as most younger brothers do & his favorite past-time is skateboarding. His name is Evan & he's actually freakishly good-- freakishly good enough to be sponsored. Read on for his skating origin & personal biography.

AVANT - How long have you been skating?

Evan - Uh, well... I started freshman year and so that's what... like, 5 years? 5 or 6 maybe. I dunno, yeah, something like that. I'm gonna comb my hair. Take a shower.

Evan leaves the room & walks to the bathroom...

"YO! Where da comb at?!", his frustrated voice is heard faintly from the distance.

AVANT - Why did you start skating?

Evan - Well I first had a tech deck & uh... I was tech decking in school & stuff like on one of the first days and one of my friends Nabi asked me if I skated but I didn't really. I lied to him and he asked me if I could do all these different tricks and I lied to him and I said, "Yeah"-- but I really didn't. So I took my brother's skateboard that I think was originally mine and I practiced for like 4 days straight like in the basement and outside. And so when they invited me to go skate I looked like I could kind of do the tricks. So I was like "Yeah I can kinda do 'em" when really I didn't know how. And from there I just stuck with it cos those were my first friends I made in high school & they all skated so I just ended up sticking with it.

Above: Evan skating with Nabi, executing their trademark Crono Trigger inspired Dual-Tech 'X-Slash' maneuver.

AVANT - What do you love about skating?

Evan - When you're skating it's like nothing... there's no problems in the world cos you kind of only like think of skateboarding and you don't worry about school or anything. You just worry about skating and eating and that's cool.

AVANT - Do you have a skateboarding crew?

Evan - Yup! It's called Battery Powered, I think... or Hahafuntime, I don't know. We have a lot of names now. A lot of people call us either BP or Hahafuntime. We're also making a new video too called, "Be Pretty." So check it out! It's gonna be coming out soon hopefully. Hopefully this year.

AVANT - Who films your crew's parts?

Evan - Uh, mostly Esteban sometimes Dom sometimes my friend Jason.

AVANT - So your filmer friend also edits the videos or do you have another editor friend?

Evan - Uh well I think like yeah, whoever films it usually edits it. All 3 filmers edit pretty much.

Below: (l to r) Nabi, Dom, Jon, Elijah & Evan

-- the lurker in the background of stage left is the youngest (& most annoying) character of Battery Powered's rogue gallery, Marcello.

AVANT - Do you have any videos on Youtube?

Evan - Yeah I kinda have a couple. I have like, I think 3 pages. You type my name, you'll see three pages of stuff. *Bonz laughs amusingly to himself & confesses* Sometimes whenever I'm bored I search myself on Youtube to see if there's some stuff & there is.

AVANT - What video of yourself do you recommend people to start off with first?

Evan - I dunno just watch it in whatever order they see it in. They're all pretty bad because they're all stuff that I don't want to use for video stuff. So there's just a bunch of funny videos and throwaway footage. But there's trick tips on stuff if you wanna learn. I think like a Borja Bird a trick I made up when I was young & a 360 ollie... There's also animation I made and all this type of stuff.

AVANT - Are you sponsored?

Evan - Yeah. I'm sponsored by Mishka clothing.

AVANT - What are your go-to tricks?

Evan - Go to tricks? Like grinds? Or just like flip tricks?

AVANT - Flip tricks.

Evan - I guess 360 big spin & nollie inward heel.

AVANT - Grinds?

Evan - Grinds like tailslides & back smith.

AVANT - What are your worst injuries?

Evan - Uh, I rolled my ankle when I was like uh.. erm.. junior, when I was a junior in high school. I rolled my left foot trying to pop shove Bayside Ten. Then like last year, yeah last year, I rolled my right foot trying to do a tailslide 270 out on a ledge to a sidewalk gap. And my foot landed on the corner of the sidewalk & turned completely sideways.

AVANT - Tricks you want to learn.

Evan - Impossibles.. um, and back smith front bigspin.

AVANT - Who are your favorite skaters?

Evan - Easy! Dylan Reider & David Gonzalez!

AVANT - How would you describe your skating style?

Evan - Skating style.. oh man, I dunno.. I guess it's like kinda.. I dunno, I just skate however I feel like is comfortable to me. But it doesn't really look like anything or anybody else's so it's kinda different I guess.

AVANT - What clothes do you wear when you skate? Spring/Summer/Fall/Winter?

Evan - Spring? Usually just like a t-shirt or like a hoodie. Some pants. Summer.. I wear like thin shoes & dirty clothes. Something that I don't care that gets sweaty or wet. Cos normally I'll take a bath at a bathroom or fountain. I'll take like a spongebath. Fall? I'll just wear like a hoodie, a light jacket and then... uhm.. pants. And then in the Winter, it's GOTTA be BLACK. ALL BLACK. I'm Goth in The Winter.

AVANT - What are your other hobbies besides skating?

Evan - Animating is my passion, I go to school at SVA-- it's in the city. I'm currently working on several animation projects right now. Some for school & some are for commission like this guy my brother hooked me up with. I play guitar, piano, bass and Beatles Rockband & Band Hero when I get bored of real instruments. I got a pet dog, too. Her name's Sabél. She's dumb cute. We call her Tabie-Baby, though. Oh yeah, and I hang out with my girlfriend a lot, too.

AVANT - Have you ever competed in any skating events?

Evan - Yeah. I try. I'm not that good. I've won. I got like 3rd place at like a Globe Contest. And like, that's probably the best thing I've ever done.

*UGH! Look at this! I got like dead ass dreads! Dead ass knots!* he exclaims as he combs his long jetblack Tony Jaa from Ong Bak 2 bad ass tribal Polynesian Filipino young warrior hair.

Below: Tony Jaa - Ong Bak 2 movie poster

AVANT - How often do you go skating?

Evan - In the winter? Pretty much never. Like once a week. But luckily, I got the Borjons, an underground parking lot that I can skate at night & whenever it rains. And in the summer, pretty much every day. Fall & spring, weekends or after school.

AVANT - Do you skate street or vert, both or one more than the other?

Evan - I skate street. Vert is like for people who have skateparks and there's like no skateparks in New York.

Wolf of Astoria

2010-02-14T22:10:00.000-08:00

My close friend of ten years, Johnny Wolf is a professional photographer & just last year, a newly christened vegan who currently hails from Astoria, Queens. If his videogame was an RPG, he's already on Disk 3 at Level 100. If you don't believe me, peep it for yourself & be jealous that you're not as ill as him.

http://www.jwolfphoto.com

C'mon. Click the link. I dare you.

Your confidence depends on it.

Once upon a time, Wolf here lead the boring, heartless, drab, mundane, meaningless, depressing, robotic lifestyle of an automatonlike suit. He was an accountant living a safe life of reassurance & stability. He got paid & he got paid well. He lived in a pretty bad ass apartment in Midtown Manhattan.

As his bright days of a rookie suit progressed, Wolf soon learned that it didn't take long for the hours to drag on in darkened gloom. All of his life efforts culminated to this moment. He had finally obtained the comfortable life of his heart's paramount desires. All he had to do was sell his own soul to get it. Swiftly losing heart with his profession & feeling trapped in his then-present situation, Wolf got so depressed that he began a one-way embarkation towards Weakville. Wolf knew a heavily sedentary lifestyle both in the cubicle & his comfortable apartment. As time passed, he grew to become creep status introverted with his newfound anti-social lifestyle choice with the added deluxe bonus features of becoming Super Size Me fat, loser kid gross & all around pathetic.

However... that all turned around for him. When, during the month of November in 2008, Wolf was laid off from his job all thanks to America's then & still current recession. He decided to finally pursue the sparkling thought that he always entertained in the back of his mind. Hidden deep within the recesses of his mind was the tough, unrelenting artist whose main focus were adventure, being creative & having the kind of fun that young souls are meant to live. Young souls don't live to work. Young souls work to live! Freshly unemployed & reaping his weekly unemployment checks, "Now... how to make that money...", was the nagging forefront of Wolf's consciousness. How, indeed!

Wolf practiced & honed his skills in the hermitage of his old bedroom in his parent's house. 'Cause he had to move back home since he no longer had that accountant money to fund his Midtown Manhattan apartment's demanding living expenses. Self-motivated as all leaders & captains of industry must be, Wolf endlessly self-taught himself how to efficiently use the computer software program that is Adobe Photoshop. He eventually became amateurly proficient at it & began to land amateur gigs like assistant wedding photographer & editing digital photography for other people. Wolf never gave up and his persistence was rewarded through the rise of kaleidoscopic opportunities that lead to another then to the next and onwards to new ventures & prospects. Just recently, he had a photoshoot with Paris Hilton. Yeah, I know. I'm serious. Go to the "CELEBRITY" page on his website, already! As for Wolf's previously acquired accountant weight issues, Wolf adopted the strict, disciplined indie rock diet of vegan-ism. He lost 40 pounds in 4 months while still upholding a sedentary lifestyle! Amazing!!! I know!

Wolf proves the age-old mantra true... that through hard work and unwavering determination, one could will their daydreamt lifestyles into existence. Manifest the truth in your heart.

This is Wolf's story.

AVANT - Once upon a time you were a suit. How was that?

Wolf - Very humbling. I find that I learn much more about myself through unpleasant experiences than through things I really enjoy. In that regard, my time spent in the accounting profession was very revealing.

I don't consider it a waste. It showed me that, while I do have a business sense, I also have a strong artistic side that needs to be satisfied. Perhaps if I went straight to pursuing photography, I'd not have tried as hard because I wouldn't have had the "suit" experience to show me that this is where I truly belong.

AVANT - You have a website. How many months was it in the making?

Wolf - I designed my first website, and it was good enough for awhile. As I began to make advances in my career and started to receive more and more web traffic, the need for a more professional site arose. That's what you see now, but it's always "in the making." A good site is never static. It has to always be fresh, showing that you're active and continuing to produce fresh work.

AVANT - Did you conceive of a logo yet for your company?

Wolf - No, not yet. Branding is important, but on the hierarchy of things I need to do right now, it's not too close to the top.

AVANT - How does it feel to be an aspiring entrepreneur as opposed to the drab & mundane activities of cubicle enslaved peasantry?

Wolf - It's very rewarding. I'm passionate about what I do, and so I'm happy to do all of the less glamorous activities that come along with running your own business. Sure, I'd love to just go out and shoot all day, but you also need to market, update social networks, constantly improve your craft, keep up with changing technology, etc. But, if through all of this, I get to do what I love, and people love the work I do, it's completely worth it.

AVANT - On your website, you have a 'Celebrity' gallery. How did you get your photo session with Paris Hilton? How was your experience?

Wolf - With those kinds of gigs, everybody always says "it's who you know" and it really is. They don't advertise that kind of work on craigslist. I have a good network of contacts, and that particular job came from one of those contacts.

The experience was great. It was a commercial shoot, and I spent the day on set documenting the process. Being on the other side of things is very interesting. You don't often realize that the 30 second spot you just saw advertising a pair of shoes actually had a crew of 100 people and took a few days to shoot and a few weeks to edit. It was a lot of fun to be a part of that process.

AVANT - What was your first camera when you first began to seek out your artistic endeavours? What camera + equipment do you use now? Elaborate & compare your newbie equipment to your final boss armory.

Wolf - I am very much a product of the digital age. Though I have a film camera that my father bought in the 70's, the first camera I purchased was a Canon S3 IS. I purchased it in preparation for my studies at Florence University of the Arts, in Florence, Italy. There, I studied photography and discovered my interest in it.

Now, I shoot on a Canon 5D Mark II. It's one of the best cameras for the type of work I do (weddings, events, working in low light situations). It's a pro camera, a big upgrade over the first camera I mentioned.

AVANT - What or Who was your first inspiration to get into photography?

Wolf - I feel like I should have a better answer for this, but I don't. I am inspired by photography, but not by photographers. I'll see a photograph and wonder how it was lit, what settings were used, what kind of post production was done, but I won't go further and research the photographer. I'm not sure why exactly that is, but that's always been my approach with all art. There's a strong disconnect between the art and the artist for me. It's almost as though the artist is just a vehicle for his art.

AVANT - Do you have any dream projects or plans interim?

Wolf - Dream projects? Lots of them. Most of them involve photographing people in some way. Unfortunately, it's a lot harder to take a photo of a stranger than to take a photo of a flower or a bird. But that's what get's me going the most. I could spend an entire day walking around the city trying to get candid shots of people.

One idea I had was to go somewhere, Union Square park, for example, and set up two chairs -- one for me, one for the subject -- and a sign that says "free portraits!" and just see who sits down. I wouldn't direct them at all. I would just tell them to be however you are at this moment. Look in the camera, look away, be a caricature of yourself, be timid, be goofy, be anything.

It wouldn't be a commercial endeavor. It would just be to do it.

AVANT - Describe what goes thru your mind when you take an ill picture. What do you look for? A pose, a setting,

particular lighting. Elaborate on your style. Every artist has to have a style, unless you are still in the process of discovering it?

Wolf - It's rarely a pose. My style is very momentary, ephemeral. Sometimes, light will dictate a shot, but most of the time (if it's people I'm shooting), I look for moments. I think that's where my eye is. I have the ability to anticipate moments, and I can capture them in a way that's at the same time intimate but not intrusive.

I'm always discovering more about myself and my style as I shoot, but I think that will always be at the core of my style.

AVANT - Your website is 100% digital-- if & when would you ever experiment with print? Cos I'm sure there are many clients who would be looking for that-- a more traditional old school approach.

Wolf - Yes, print is definitely something that I need to explore. Not necessarily film, but just providing prints in general. Digital keeps costs down for both me and my clients, but everybody likes to have something they can mount on a wall or put in a dresser drawer or a memory box.

AVANT - You know what they say, you can take the man from the suit but not the suit from the man. If all else fails, i.e. photography doesn't work out? Do you think you could ever go back to accounting?

Wolf - I had those thoughts for the first year that I was trying to make a career of this, but ultimately, they're counterproductive. I've spent my entire life preparing for the "what ifs," and while it is the safe play, sometimes, I think you need to just take a shot and deal with the fallout if and when it comes. Though I can't say that I've "made it" yet, I'm at a point where I feel confident in saying that I can make it, that I will make it. So I don't think about what I'll do if I don't.

But if I don't, no matter what I do, it won't be accounting.

THE SUIT WHO OVERTURNED HIS ARTIST LEAF.

Wolf's photography portfolio & contact can be found on his website:

http://www.jwolfphoto.com

Kimmie of The Lower East Side

2010-02-14T19:50:00.000-08:00

Kimmie is a veteran in the absolute sense of the word. This introduction boasts no exaggeration & consider this a highly suggested forewarning that she is a definite individual, never to be taken lightly. She is a collective member and co-owner of Bluestockings-- an independent feminist bookstore located square in the heart of Manhattan's Lower East Side. The environment of Bluestockings is intensely charged with heightened political awareness & is no stranger to radical political activism. The volunteers & frequent loyal supporters of the store are notably impressive academic scholars (and smart-as-hell non academic scholars!) and well-versed in subjects of law, politics, comics, sex, sociology, anthropology, resistance, feminism, history & current events. It also doesn't hurt that the volunteers & community at Bluestockings are prevalently punk rock as hell-- also, the coffee (or hot cocoa!) and eclectic conversations to be had are all undeniably delicious. Bluestockings also offers a diverse variety of organic vegan snacks & beverage options to best satisfy your hunger & guaranteed refreshment.

AVANT - How did you wind up becoming the co-owner of a renowned L.E.S. NYC staple of a bookshop like Bluestockings?

Kimmie - I started off as a volunteer, fresh into Manhattan and completely miserable about it. I'm a Queens girl at heart, and I hated living in Manhattan until I discovered Bluestockings. Through my volunteer shift, a couple of internships, more responsibility, and lots of working for free, I was invited to join the worker's collective, which is a core group of folks that keeps the space running, and legally (and more boringly) "owns" the business side of things.

AVANT - What is a typical day like at Bluestockings? How about a typical Month? Do you hold book signings, political rallies, poetry nights, et cetera?

Kimmie - There is no typical day at Bluestockings. We have events nearly every night, from readings to presentations to film screenings. In honor of Valentine's Day this year, my darling friend Laura Duncan (http://lgduncan.tumblr.com) did a presentation on sex tech and robots.

In addition to our fantastic events, I feel blessed to meet people from around the world and around the corner, day in and day out. I feel like many people are standoffish in public not because they're too-cool-for-school, but because they're really shy and not great at breaking the ice (um, but not you, Ceasar). There's something magical about the space created at Bluestockings-- it's okay to talk to strangers and make friends, and to have discussions about books, and to find people to hang out with, trade mixtapes with, volunteer with.

On the more uninteresting-yet-necessary side of things, I hold a lot of responsibility as a collective member, so you'll often find me paying bills, scheduling volunteers, ordering books, fixing computers-- all that behind-the-scenes stuff that people don't necessarily think about when they step into the space.

AVANT - You guys sell coffee & stuff right. How about pastries? Basically-- what do you serve to eat + drink?

Kimmie - I make a stellarly badass cappuccino. We have a whole collection of loose-leaf tea, espresso drinks, coffee, sodas. In the summer, we make a killer mango ceylon iced tea. We also serve vegan snacks (cookies, cakey breads) and fair-trade and organic chocolate. Yum!

AVANT - What's your favorite thing about being co-owner of an establishment built upon pillars of defiance for aspiring revolutionaries?

Kimmie - My favorite thing is that we're not aspiring revolutionaries. We *are* revolutionaries. The collective model in this society is revolutionary in itself.

AVANT - How many hot girls & guys would you say walk in daily/weekly? How many would you date/potentially fuck?

Kimmie - Haha. Too many to count! I would date/potentially fuck very many hot guys & girls, if I wasn't too busy chattering about books and secretly being shy. That said, it's not unprecedented...

AVANT - What are your favorite books & authors that you'd recommend that Bluestockings sells?

Kimmie - Oh Jesus. Here goes a long answer to a short question. Well, as far as fiction goes, we carry most of my favorite novels: "Geek Love" by Katherine Dunn, a lot of Murakami, "The Almond" by Nedjma-- which is fantastic, dirty little novel. We also have an amazing Sex Work section, great Women's Studies titles, Poetry-- fuck it, just come visit. You just might be one of those hot people who walks in on a regular basis!

AVANT - Are dogs & pets allowed?

Kimmie - Um. Not by department of health standards, but...

AVANT - Now for the random questions... What's the name of your dog(s)? What kind of dog food do you feed him/her/them?

Kimmie - My dogfriend's name is Tuli Wooferberg. He's named after Tuli Kupferberg. It's a long story. Perhaps one day I'll tell you. Tuli Wooferberg eats some fancy limited-ingredient dry dog food. He's a sensitive boy. But I often let him lick my plate of spaghetti when I'm done with it.

AVANT - Do you love living in Manhattan? What's your favorite thing about living in the city?

Kimmie - I used to hate living in Manhattan. But that's when I lived in Midtown. I love my neighborhood though. The Lower East Side / East Village has a lot of things that remind me of Queens, but here everyone comes through to visit. I never have to leave because there's always a friend or future friend walking down the street, waiting to hang out or make that connection. That's probably my favorite part-- making connections with people. Manhattan can be very isolating, but you can also make friends from all over the world. I choose to smile at strangers. It helps when you are walking a cute dog.

AVANT - Do you still contribute to Suicide Girls? I think you used to do that, right? If not, I think you should.

Kimmie - I had a Suicide Girls membership for a hot second (ok, a couple of years). I've never been a "Suicide Girl." It's not my thing, really-- I'm much more interested in face-to-face interaction and performance-- I'm a student of the NY School of Burlesque (http://schoolofburlesque.com), which is absolutely amazing and humbling. The energy from being part of a room full of women-- who are just normal folks like you and me-- putting on pasties after just having met each other an hour ago is just reaffirming and inspiring!

AVANT - Do you still go to punk shows? What kind of bands do you listen to anymore?

Kimmie - I don't remember the last show I went to. It might have been Jonathan Coulton. Lately, I've been listening to a lot of 50s Honky Tonk, which is actually pretty fucking punk rock.

AVANT - Lastly, my bookmark is a cardboard cutout of Everlast's "How to put on handwraps" instructions. What do you use as book marks?

Kimmie - I have eight billion Bluestockings bookmarks, always at my disposal. So usually those. Sometimes receipts and MetroCards-- I'm always on the go, so whatever's handy in my purse sometimes just has to suffice!

For more information, visit Bluestockings' website!

http://bluestockings.com/

_____________________________________________________________________________________

Kimmie is a born & raised Queens borough native but currently resides somewhere along the east side on the isle of Manhattan. Kimmie's political views on her Facebook reads: 'pseudoanarchofeministcupcakecutie' & her religious views are listed with 'thirteen years of catholic school and all i learned was that catholic girls are mad dirty.'

Above & Below: Kimmie is an avid proud confessor of a dog lover & who doesn't love dog lovers!?

Jessie of London

2010-02-14T16:29:00.000-08:00

'Jessiehorrific' of YouTube & I have been engaged in long-distance correspondence ever since I accidentally stumbled upon her video account last autumn whilst searching for The Dutch Uncle's music video for their song, "Face In". Taking advantage of the internet's lightspeed potential for an interview via e-mail, I shot Jessie some questions from across the pond of Atlantis.

AVANT - What inspired you to create a Youtube account?

Jessie - Well, I made a video which I put onto myspace called "How to backcomb your hair" and I wanted more people to see it so I made a Youtube account. And now it stands as my 2nd most popular video!

AVANT - What program do you use to edit your videos? How long does it take on average to edit one video? Were you self-taught in editing or did you learn in school? If you were self-taught, what book(s) did you use?

Jessie - Embarrassingly, I use Windows Movie Maker - but I don't use all the cheesy effects. I am self taught, I didn't study how to use it, it's all pretty simple when you're used to working with technology.

AVANT - What do your family & friends think of your Youtube persona?

Jessie - I've not shown them all my videos, but the ones they have seen they find quite funny. My parents are pretty laid back.

AVANT - What are your other hobbies, if any, besides Youtube & music?

Jessie - I have my own blog which I update on the reg. I enjoy watching films and writing comedy sketches that never get finished (because I'm lame like that.)

AVANT - Do you still buy CDs? Do you own any vinyl? Or are you a devout digital loyalist, preferring to purchase music online because CDs & vinyl get scratched?

Jessie - Yep, I still buy CDs - it never fails to make me feel guilty when I illegally download stuff. I own several vinyl - the Maccabees' single "Can You Give It", a few Dutch Uncles ones which have been sent to me and Radiohead's "No Surprises". I've only ever bought one digital CD, because I honestly don't see the point in them. It gives me a weird sense of satisfaction when I'm able to hold it in my hand.

AVANT - Your feelings on CDs versus Vinyl, if any?

Jessie - Vinyl is fussy, but the sound is always so crisp. And CDs are a lot less fussy, you can use them in a million different ways.

AVANT - Are you at all involved in the London music scene? If so, how do you contribute?

Jessie - I blog for Artrocker.com which are a London based magazine and website. They feed off my site and post the shit they like. Other than that, at 16, there's nothing you can really get involved with yet. Give it another two years.

AVANT - Describe your work with NME & favorite memories.

Jessie - I never worked with NME, I used to just send in a load of letters and pictures, and 5 got printed.

AVANT - Your favorite places in London to eat-shop-hang out?

Jessie - Brick Lane, Portabello Market, Hoxton, Oxford Street.

AVANT - How did you get into rock 'n roll music?

Jessie - I was brought up on the "classics"; Nirvana, Radiohead, Muse, Blur. Every friday night my parents would bring round their mates, and we would hang out in the "'avin it kitchen" listening to music. I was introduced to so much music during those evenings. And I went to my first festival in which I saw Babyshambles, Kasabian, and many others. It was bliss and I wanted more.

AVANT - Favorite venue in London, France or wherever else you've been to?

Jessie - I quite like the Scala in London, it's tiny. And it's got this tube-like mean of travel which leads you to the smoking area. It's not quite outside, because it's sheltered. The Garage is also a nice venue, about 70% of the time you meet the band afterwards.

AVANT - Favorite bands of all time & why?

Jessie - Radiohead - they have such a surreal affect on me when I listen to them. Like I'm on heroin or something. This euphoric sort of feeling... I can't explain it. They are fucking brilliant. I wouldn't class any other band a favourite compared to them.

AVANT - Favorite lyrics of all time?

Jessie - What came first - the chicken or the dickhead?" Pretty Visitors by Arctic Monkeys. "I would lie on pebbles lavishly, but London's pebbles are dirt. And I will paint with knives and guns to insure sure my art is incorrect" - Downing Street Kindling by Larrikin Love.

AVANT - Your future dreams & plans in life regarding music, photography, art?

Jessie - I would love to be in the music industry, whether it's just working for a music mag (NME, Q, Artrocker), managing a band or being a tour manager.

AVANT - What is your favorite instrument to hear/see being played in a band. What is the most underplayed,

underrated instrument that you wish you could see/hear more of? If you could become the expert of one instrument alone, what would it be?

Jessie - Drums. Drums. Drums. Everyone is turning to those crappy electronic drum machines now. Fuck that! Drums are fucking awesome. I would love to be able to play them, but I'm afraid I don't have the patience. When I go to a show I tap my feet to the beat of the drums. I pat my hands to the beat of the drums whenever I listen to music. Listen to "the Drowned and the Saved" by Ox.Eagle.Lion.Man or "No Kind Words" by the Maccabees. Epic drumming.

AVANT - What do you wear to a show. What do you wear casually on a normal-day basis. Your favorite stores to shop. Any fashion icons i.e. Daisy Lowe?

Jessie - Either a LBD with minimal accessories and boots, or a band shirt with jeans and boots.

I wear dresses a lot - but not formally. I would wear a dress with military boots or converse to give it an edge rather than wear a plain girly outfit.

I love Topshop, ASOS, Rokit, Beyond Retro.

Yes, Daisy Lowe, Pixie Geldof, Taylor Momsen, and Orlando Weeks.

_____________________________________________________________________________________

My personal favorite video highlights of Jessie's include:

1) FUCK SNOW - Jessie performs a skit where... haha you just have to see it for yourself. It's really funny cos it's so true how annoying it is. Also, my favorite part is when she exclaims begrudgingly, "Fuck's Sake!"

2) The Manchester Face - Jessie explains in a fully-detailed walkthrough tutorial how to make what apparently is a commonplace facial expression from Manchester, England.

3) My Top 3 Addictive Songs of 2009 - Jessie explains her guilty pleasures of pop songs & proves her appreciation by dancing spastically in her bedroom.

4) I told you, it's in the wardrobe! - Yet another of Jessie's strings of skits, where she pokes fun at parents offering vague directions regarding sought-after household items.

5) Resistance - Jessie talks of Muse's most recent album.

6) Operation Dutch Uncles - Jessie promotes local Manchester rock band, The Dutch Uncles.

7) Sexy English Accent - Jessie comedically parodies the allure that is the English accent with exaggerated gestures & overtly-dramatic voice-acting.

Solveig of Manhattan

2010-02-06T19:00:00.000-08:00

Above: Solveig & Evan

Solveig has modeled for Uniqlo, Paper, a Nike & Nylon collaboration & Puma-- in that order. Upcoming tentative: Levi's

I spoke to Solveig about her experiences as she lay under covers with my brother in his red and white decorated bedroom cos she traditionally sleeps over on Saturdays, which I love cos she's one of my most favorite people in this world & I love our family Sunday late morning brunches together. Solveig, Evan, Nhia, Sabel & I gathered in the kitchen. The brunch fare traditionally calling for Nutella, strawberries, waffles, powdered sugar & vanilla Silk soymilk. Anyway, onto the interview!

AVANT - Uniqlo

Solveig - Um, it was fun. It was really hectic and um, I met really nice people and the photographer was like a pervert and they fucked up my hair. He wasn't really a pervert but he hit on me. (My brother Evan, Solveig's boyfriend of 2 & 1/2 years yesterday 2/5/10 exclaimed,

"WOWW! I'm gonna hafta bust a cap in this moonheaded muthafuckaz ass!", quoting Lawrence Fishburn's notorious character Jimmy Jump, from the highly acclaimed cinematic cult-hit masterpiece, 'King of New York'.) You wanna know what he did? They were playing Blondie. Y'know that music Blondie.. the band? And I was like, "I like Blondie!" And he stopped taking pictures & looked at me and was like, "I like blondes." & I was like, "Ewww! Soo uncomfortable." Solveig takes a moment's pause and smiles reminscingly, "But it was fun."

AVANT - Paper

Solveig - Um, it took a long time... uh, the people were really nice and there was an anorexic model. (I stop & laugh sinisterly amused at Solveig's perennially honest eyes) I'm sorry for..! And the photography.. the cobra uhh.. The Cobra Snake.. Cobra Man, ya know? And he was the photographer and he had a really cool shirt on. It was like a really close up picture of spaghetti on his shirt. So it looked like he had noodles all over it. & He kept on saying I was really cute because I couldn't really walk in the 10 inch heels. He said that I was very easy to photograph.. & Evan came with me. & I got punished because I came home really late cos it ended really late. Cos I didn't answer my phone so my mom got worried.

AVANT - Nike/Nylon

Solveig - Um I went there after I got my teeth cleaned cos I went to the dentist cos it was down the street. It was easy for me to get there cos I had a dentist appointment & my teeth were mad clean. I was happy that I had really clean teeth. And the makeup and hair people lived really close to me where I live so that was cool. And they were really nice. And the photographer kept on hitting on my mom cos I think she was a lesbian. And she had me wear a Mickey Mouse hat and I didn't know how I was gonna look in it and they didn't even end up using it. But it was fun. And they paid me in store credit. They gave me 300 dollars in store credit to buy stuff from Nike. So they didn't really even pay me. I dunno. It was really weird.

AVANT - Puma

Solveig - Um I skipped school & I went there at 8 o clock. And they played the same stupid song over and over and over. It's called Dominoes by The Big Pink. It's really annoying. And the woman that works there that was in charge of putting the clothes on people. She kept on eating these salmon sandwiches. And she kept coming in my face telling me I had to adjust my shirt. And her breath smelled really bad. And she was asian. And but she had really nice clothing. Um and the photographer had me pretend to take pictures of myself with this fisheye thing and I was wearing this really disgusting outfit. And then afterwards I went to the Salvation Army down the street. Cos it was on Bedford in Williamsburg you know what I mean. And I bought these really cool pants. They were like these pants that had these embroidered things on them. They were bedazzled. And I didn't have to go to school so that was cool. And they still haven't paid me. OH! And they also had me chew bubblegum. And the photographer was really disappointed in my bubble gum chewing skills! And I was like I didn't come here to do this. I didn't come here to chew bubble gum! And the hairstylist was really cool. And he was a DJ and has this New Order night at this place in Williamsburg. And he started doing hair with his girlfriend so that's his job now and he had on these really tight pants and motorcycle boots. And it kind of looked really generic, like generic Williamsburg person but it was still cool.

Solveig - Oohh god I sound like such an idiot. If I read that I'd think like that I was really annoying. But that song was really annoying I'm serious.

AVANT - Levi's?

Solveig - I really hope I get it but I don't think I will.

AVANT - Why?

Solveig - Cos I dunno. It's for jeans and you have to be really tall and stuff. But I don't care. But it would be like my dream thing. It was funny at the casting thing. Cos its for the boyfriend jean yaknow, the boyfriend jeans? And they asked the models to tell stories about their boyfriends or past lovers or whatever. And I talked about how I had a dream about Evan and how he added me the next day on Myspace. And the casting guy who called me told me that he saw me and Evan this summer at St. Mark's Place holding hands and kissing. And so I said my boss saw me making out with my boyfriend and he laughed. And me and Evan also went to a casting thing the other day, but for him though. It was for INTERVIEW Magazine. 'Interracial Couples'-- And the woman who did the casting thing was my old soccer coach.

AVANT - For Interview?

Solveig - Yeah, Interview Magazine.

Above: Solveig in NYLON Magazine

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Solveig re-telling of hers & Evan's love story via AIM:

Solveig

it was more like, i met him for the first time on our first date. and i kissed him, because i weanted to. he slept at nabis house so we could hang in the morning. the next day when we were hanging out i took his ipod so he had to come back in the night after going to see dom.

Solveig

THEN when we were walking home, me and him were a little ahead of bobbie and nabi and i said you dont want a girlfriend right? and he said thats not true. and i was like, you dont want to be my boyfriend? and he said yeah!

Solveig

and then i screamed to bobbie, "I HAVE A BOYFRIEND!"

Solveig

thats it ahah