Music, Video

YouTube Gold: New Kids on the Block on People Are Talking WBZ Boston 1989

Let me preface this post with saying that I was NOT a fan of New Kids on the Block back in the day. Being born in 1987 when NKOTB’s fame was just escalating made me a bit too young to be fully bitten by the bug. However, I have an older sister and cousin who were obsessed with the group and look back on those days with fond teeny bopper memories. When I was old enough to get into music on my own the boy bands of the mid/late 90’s were a myriad of super manufactured pretty boys who could dance, but not sing (Backstreet Boys, NYSNC, 98°, etc.).
Continue reading

Events

Cambridge Community Kitchen Needs a Home

I’ve been learning to appreciate real food again now that my culinary student extraordinaire roommate has taken over our kitchen. I had a nice chat with him while he was working the stove top about how he’d like to teach cooking classes in the area. Then a lightbulb went off in my head and I remembered that the good folks on the board of Cambridge Community Kitchen are trying to help foodies like my roommate Jay make their dreams come true and teach the gospel of cooking to the community. Cambridge Community Kitchen has launched a Kickstarter campaign to help the secure a home for all their top notch equipment.

The goal is to have a multi-use commercial kitchen facility for crafty folks to make food to sell and community members to have low cost cooking classes. I think we can all get behind supporting local food and learning how to not to create disasters in the kitchen. Don’t you? Check out the video below to get more info on how you can help the project:

Music

Cut Copy Bounces Back with Zonoscope

Cut Copy Zonoscope

Artist: Cut Copy
Title: Zonoscope
Label: Modular Recordings
Release Date: February 4, 2011

Well it’s here. Finally. A third full length album from the world’s most coveted Aussie electropoppers, Cut Copy. And you know what? It was well worth the wait. I had a hard time imagining how they could possibly compete with In Ghost Colours. When they dropped the first inkling of new material from their followup with “Where I’m Going” fans were confused. Was this the sign of a possible Beach Boys meets Animal Collective rip off? But no need to fear… the rest of Zonoscope offers plenty of heart thumping options for you to rage in a club to with “Blink and You’ll Miss a Revolution” and “Corner of the Sky”.

Continue reading

Advice, Photo

2011 Brings Me a Canon t2i and a Gym Membership

2011 started off just the way I wanted it to: Popping a champagne cork to Prince’s “Baby I’m a Star” and sharing the first moments of the new year with some of my best friends. I’ve never been a big person for making resolutions (I keep breaking them…) but this year I made two that I do intend to keep:

1. Stop being a fatty.

The first resolution was to get my butt back into shape. You see, this whole do “Internet marketing for a living” thing isn’t conducive to a healthy lifestyle unless you put in some extra effort. When I was in college and living in the frat-ghetto fabulous neighborhood of Mission Hill I kept fit by biking and hiking a mile each way up the mini mountain to my crappy student apartment. Since I’ve become integrated into the 9-5’er routine I don’t do as much running around as I once did.

So at the recommendation of my sister and my dear friends Rainy and Milo I took advantage of a cheap membership to Planet Fitness and I’ve made a personal commitment to go a minimum of 3 times a week. Eventually I would like to begin training for roller derby as I’ve been having a hankering since I got to see the Boston Derby dames, but I rather not get a head of myself. One step at a time here, folks.

2. Get back to documenting the Boston music seen via photography.

Nikon D50 (L) vs Canon T2i (R)

In December of 2009 my beloved Nikon D50 died. I scrapped and saved for it during my freshman year of college. It was one of the first “affordable” consumer dSLRs on the market and I remember absolutely having to do whatever I could to get it in my hands. For the next 4 years it would be my main tool in documenting my journeys. Capturing bits and pieces of people I cared about and concerts I went to.

As of yesterday I didn’t have a functional dSLR of my own and had to rely on the kindness of friends to lend me cameras to shoot with (special thanks to Dennis & Jordan). So I scrapped and saved again for another camera. Perhaps it was a blessing in disguise as there have been many technical advancements on digital cameras in the past few years. Mainly in the introduction of HD video on consumer dSLR’s and much, much better low light performance. I’m very excited about the video functionality of the T2i and I’ll be working on some projects with friends shortly after I get a prime lens and master the controls. As you can see in the photo comparisons, the button layout on Canons is very different compared to Nikons. It’ll take a bit of time for me to “unlearn” my instincts and get comfortable shooting with the Canon in higher pressure situations, but I’m up for the task.

All in all, this year is off to a very good start and I’m hoping I’ll have some great photo-filled updates on here shortly.