Tête-à-Tête

I think I'm in for a good long nonfiction binge after an embarrassingly prolonged reading dry spell. I'm just too much of a snob to pick up anything that's been on a best-seller list, and don't even get me started on commercial fiction. I finally realized all I want to read right now are biographies.

Trial #1: Tête-à-Tête: Simone de Beauvoir and Jean-Paul Sartre by Hazel Rowley. It's a different take on a biography, depicting their lives in terms of each other and their relationship. Never before has it been so easy to read about scandalous affairs and sexual freedom while coming off as intellectual. Very highly recommended.

Want: Acne

The most perfect shoes to have ever existed. 

Also, another reason why I never look at Acne's website.

Want: Something Else

I am really digging the cactus print in Something Else by Natalie Wood's Spring 2012 Outlaw collection. Did I ever mention I'm really into the cactus trend? Speaking of which, if anyone can tell me where to find these Vans x Crybaby cactus sneakers, I will love you forever.

 

 

Urbana Poetry Slam

I've started attending the Urbana Poetry Slam events on Tuesday nights at Bar 82 in the East Village. Wipe that sneer off your face and shake that image of the black turtle neck and beret nonsense, these guys are brilliant poets and guaranteed to send chills down your spine (and admittedly to get you snapping). Do yourself a favor and listen to Thuli Zuma, Jared Singer, and Todd Anderson, who I may have fallen a little bit in love with when he performed "Middle C."

Last night started out with a reading by the famous Patricia Smith! She was amazing, not to mention adorable.

Janelle Monae

I had the pleasure of sort of seeing Janelle Monae perform at the Afropunk Festival last weekend (does from the sidewalk behind a chain-link fence count?) Obstacles aside, I was able to fully appreciate that girl's moves as well as her amazing voice. The only way I can describe her is FUN. She's just really freaking fun to see live. 

 

 

I also respect her dedication to menswear and even more so her strictly black and white wardrobe. She is one of the few ladies who can pull off suspenders and saddle shoes ALL THE TIME. I'm thinking this fall I'm going to follow her lead. Not that I could pull off that 80's vibe, but it just seems so easy to hop out of bed and throw on some black slacks and black sweater and maybe trade the saddle shoes for a pair of Converse.

Charlie May of Girl A La Mode pulling off classic Converses with all-black.

My Life of Late: Instagram

 

Highlights of the past few weeks:
Mexican corn at Cafe Habana in SoHo
Trivia night at Pine Box Rock Shop in Bushwick
Janelle Monae at the Afropunk Fest
(Catching the end of) the West Indian Day Parade
--and-- the usual nonsense