Sunday Post
Katie 
Jon McLaughlin
August 2014
Book Review: Fork on the Left, Knife in the Back
If you are like me an into celeb gossip then you probably know who Michael Musto is. For on the Left, Knife in the Back is his 4th book and it is a compilation of some of his columns as well as some original essays as well. I just love Michael’s humor and writing style – it is quick to read and easy to follow. Some of the columns are interviews with people like Paris Hilton or Sarah Silverman. One of his essays (and the one that stuck out to me the most, I’m not sure why!) is about a trip to the Hamptons on a Jitney and the people that he interacted with and observed on the trip. And of course the book is full of tons of talk about celebs – which is probably the best part.
If you’re a Musto fan or pop culture fan or just are looking for something funny to read this summer – look no further than Fork on the Left, Knife in the Back 🙂
I received a free e-copy of this book in order to write this review. I was not otherwise compensated.
About the Book
For over a quarter of a century, Michael Musto entertained the country with his column “La Dolce Musto” in the Village Voice; fabulous, funny, and flippant, this collection is an insider’s guide to the glittering highs and desperate lows of New York City’s more colorful residents
Hailed by the New York Times as “the city’s most punny, raunchy, and self-referential gossip columnist,” Michael Musto doled out wit and wisdom in his weekly Village Voice column for twenty-nine years. This waggish and wise book contains highlights from his published pieces as well as several original essays.
With his trademark slashing humor, Musto weighs in on everything from celebrities in need of counseling to cheap thrill–seeking and why weirdos are his heroes. No one is spared, including the self-proclaimed “King of Gossip” himself. His interviews and profiles of Paris Hilton, Sandra Bernhard, Crispin Glover, Kiki and Herb, Sarah Silverman, and other fringe celebrities are priceless, made all the more vivid by Musto’s extraordinary access. Catty, titillating, and endlessly enthralling, Fork on the Left, Knife in the Back is a feast for the senses—a must-have book for Musto devotees and fans of popular culture.
This ebook features an introduction by the author.
Book Review: People I Want to Punch in the Throat
People I Want To Punch in the Throat is a book by blogger Jen Mann. I’m not even sure what I was expecting with this book – but whatever it was, this was not what I was expecting – but I enjoyed it just the same. Jen tells about how she met her now husband, Ebenezer, on AOL back in the old chat room days. (I don’t make fun, most of my friends are from AOL chatrooms and newsgroups and I love them as much, if not more, than the friends I made in more traditional ways.) She also has 2 kids – Gomer and Adolpha. I like that she picked really ridiculous aliases for her kids but still gets asked if that is really what she named her kids.
I’m not a Mom and I’ve never really had to deal with Moms (except for at concerts – and let me tell you they are THE. WORST. there. Worse than their kids, trying to live vicariously through them, or something) but now after reading this book I am hoping if I ever do have to deal with them – that I don’t get stuck with the ones that are in Jen’s community. Yikes!
I also must applaud Jen for not doing her children’s homework, even though it seems that this is what all of the other parents are doing. I have noticed a trend lately of people unable to do their jobs. I have decided that this is because kids who never had to do anything for themselves are now out in the working world – and now have no idea how to function. THESE are some of the people *I* want to punch in the throat.
Overall, a fun read and I think if you are a parent with cliquey groups at your children’s schools you will enjoy the book even more than I did.
I received a free e-copy of this book in order to write this review. I was not otherwise compensated.
About the Book
A debut collection of witty, biting essays laced with a surprising warmth, from Jen Mann, the writer behind the popular blog People I Want to Punch in the Throat
People I want to punch in the throat:
• anyone who feels the need to bling her washer and dryer
• humblebraggers
• people who treat their pets like children
Jen Mann doesn’t have a filter, which sometimes gets her in trouble with her neighbors, her fellow PTA moms, and that one woman who tried to sell her sex toys at a home shopping party. Known for her hilariously acerbic observations on her blog, People I Want to Punch in the Throat, Mann now brings her sharp wit to bear on suburban life, marriage, and motherhood in this laugh-out-loud collection of essays. From the politics of joining a play group, to the thrill of mothers’ night out at the gun range, to the rewards of your most meaningful relationship (the one you have with your cleaning lady), nothing is sacred or off-limits. So the next time you find yourself wearing fuzzy bunny pajamas in the school carpool line or accidentally stuck at a co-worker’s swingers party, just think, What would Jen Mann do? Or better yet, buy her book.
Book Review: Fast Forward
Fast Forward is about an aspiring model, Kelli. The story starts on the eve of her 25th birthday. Her friend thinks that her boyfriend is going to propose and it seems like her life is perfect. That is until she goes to sleep and wakes up and is FIFTY! Somehow she fast forwards 25 years to her 50th birthday instead of her 25th. She is so confused, she has no idea where she is, why she is married to the high school nerd or how to work all of the new technology that has come along. She is surprised to find out that she has a son, Ryan, after she had said she was never going to have kids and later finds out she also has a daughter, Diora, and she is about to be a grandmother!
Spending just one day in her future, she realizes that everything she is striving for at 25 is not what will truly make her happy and she realizes that the life she has at 50 is what she really wants. But, how can she get back to herself at 25 and fix things? Or will she be stuck in the future forever with no memory of the past 25 years?
This was a super cute book and a fast read. I really enjoyed it because I liked how much Kelli matured and realized what was really important to her in just one day. So much so even her friends realized it. With a big birthday of my own having just passed, it definitely makes me think. Am I on the right path to what I will want in the future? How should I change what I’m doing to make sure I’m doing what is truly making me happy, regardless of what others may think?
I received a free e-copy of this book in order to write this review. I was not otherwise compensated.
About the Book
Aspiring supermodel, Kelli Crawford seems destined to marry her hotshot boyfriend, but on her twenty-fifth birthday she wakes in the future as a fifty-year-old suburban housewife married to the now middle-aged high school nerd.
Trapped in the opposite life of the one she wanted, Kelli is forced to re-evaluate her life and discover what is really important to her. Will she overcome the hilarious and heartbreaking challenges presented to her and get back to the body of her younger self? Or will she be stuck in the nightmare of hot flushes, demanding children, raunchy advances from her husband and hideous support underwear forever?
Book Review: Boys and Toys
Boys And Toys is a Cosmo Red Hot Read. This was a nice change of pace from some of the other books I’ve read lately as it actually had more of a storyline. The story begins with Liv, who is a sex toy party hostess, doing her first bachelor party. Things seem to be going well, she is making a lot of sales, until a late party goer shows up. Who happens to be Porter Benjamin – who works for her father! Liv’s parents are incredibly strict and would probably disown her if they found out what her job was (especially when she has been lying to them about having a different job in marketing!) so this could turn out very bad for Liv. Porter ends up asking for his own private party and Liv isn’t sure what to do. If she doesn’t go, will he tell her father?
She decides to go… and the next day Liv is late for a family get-together. At least she thought it was just family – until Porter and some of her father’s other coworkers and partners show up! The two try to play cool – but that of course fails miserably. Later, Liv’s parents try to set her up with a nerdy nephew of a neighbor – and while the dinner is going on – who shows up but Porter. Liv ends up freaking out on her parents and yelling that she IS NOT SINGLE! and spills the beans that she is seeing Porter. Her family is upset. She also decides to come clean about her job with them as well. Especially since she was just offered a great promotion in the company – doing marketing work which is what she was.. in the market for.
As I mentioned, this had a really good storyline in addition to being a “red hot read” and I certainly enjoyed it. It came in at just under 100 pages and took just over an hour to read!
I received a free e-copy of this book in order to write this review. I was not otherwise compensated.
About the Book
Every girl has a goody drawer.
Sex toy party hostess Liv Tanaka has a collection. Vibrating purple rabbits, cherry-flavored edible underwear, flavored oils… Hey, wearing a leather corset and stilettos (while selling dildos) pays the bills. Just don’t tell her very conservative parents. Because if they discovered Liv’s sex-toy-selling “Asian Elvira” alter ego, her parents would disown her.
So far, Liv’s doing a bang-up job of keeping her two worlds separate…until Porter Benjamin shows up at her party. Tall and too-tasty-to-resist Porter, who works for her father. Porter, who wants Liv to host a party just for him.
And oh, she’s tempted. But getting involved with Porter means mixing those two worlds that Liv desperately needs to keep separate. And now Liv’s Naughty Toybox is starting to look a lot like Pandora’s box….
Throwback Thursday: Hanson in Ottawa
Third stop was Ottawa. I slept for what I was told was “like 400 exits” on the ride from Toronto. When we arrived at the venue – which was also a bit of a fair – we bought wristbands that would allow us to be on the floor. The venue was actually a hockey arena and the stage was in the middle so there was floor where the ice would be and then seats available behind it. We weren’t sure if that would get us a better spot or not – but somehow ended up front row right on the barricade near Isaac. But I’m getting ahead of myself.
Erin had gone off for her M&G and we tried to come up with a plan of where to meet her and once she had gotten back, Hanson was over by the buses doing an interview. So we were able to snap some photos of them being interviewed and leaving. I don’t think the un-edited version of Hanson walking down the tunnel with Machine has ever been posted before – but we had edited Machine out and it was the header of Hanson Secrets (which Erin and I had started, well, Erin moreso than me) for quite some time.
So yes, we were front row for the show and I was keeping track of the setlist as usual and in the middle of the show, one of the roadies walked over and handed me a copy of the setlist. SCORE! Since we knew what they were going to sing, we ended up leaving just before the encore and heading over to the buses to get a spot on the barricade. Success. We got photos with Zac without a problem. Isaac argued with me for like 5 minutes about how he wasn’t taking photos that night – and didn’t he just take one with me a few days ago? (Well, yes, but that was a group photo and I wanted one of just me and him?) Then he went like 4 people down and started taking photos with girls! So he came back and said “I owe you a picture” and I got one with him. It was around this time that I was convinced something I did/said while I was interviewing them made Isaac hate me. We’re totally cool now though. Best buds, even. (in my head.)
We spent the night in jail – the ottawa jail hostel – which was creepy as anything. Erin ended up with a tour at midnight and came back freaked out. I don’t think I slept at all and we were up and ready to go at 8am!
Optimistic
Rock ‘N’ Roll Razorblade
Dancin’ In The Wind
Minute Without You
Strong Enough To Break
Look At You
Lost Without Each Other
Need You Now – Zac solo
Call Me – Isaac solo
Underneath
Where’s The Love
Gimme Some Lovin’
Cried
Penny & Me
MMMBop
If Only
Long Way To The Top
Encore:
In The City
Product Review: Frames BY Sparkling Mousse + Giveaway
Frames BY Sparking Mousse is an alcohol-free, moisture-rich foam, with pearl protein & vitamins. Protects & moisturizes while adding body, volume and shine. Adds lift and control to even the most lifeless hair.Color safe. Thermal protectant.
Directions for use: Shake well before use. Apply to damp hair and proceed with styling. For added volume on fine hair, apply to hair shaft and blow hair dry.
I’m sorry that I don’t have better images of it being put to use in my hair to show you! My hair has gotten really long and I had intended to chop off most of my hair and debut my new hair cut and style using the mousse and then life got in the way. When I first was playing around with the mousse, I didn’t like the smell of it. However, after using it in my hair now a couple of times the smell is barely there and doesn’t bother me at all. The mousse is very light and it doesn’t weigh my hair down. It helps me show off my curls (you can see the photo with and without – they are much more defined even though they’re still wet in the photo – they stayed that way even after drying.) The mousse didn’t get heavy and gross in my hair either like some other ones that I have tried. Hopefully soon I can get some better photos of it more “in action” to share – but from what I’ve seen of it so far it is definitely going to be my go to mousse for styling!
One lucky Concert Katie reader can win their own mousse to try out! Simply enter using the rafflecopter form below! Contest ends 8/25! US Residents only! Winner will have 48 hours to respond to winning notice with their information in order to claim the prize.
I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.
KC101’s Summer Fling 2014
Sunday was KC101’s Summer Fling at the Dome at Oakdale. So yes, I did spend my weekend there. Although I didn’t stay for the whole show. There was a contest for a local band to play the fling and in the final 3 was local band Beach Avenue who has taken CT by storm since they auditioned for AGT (but didn’t make it), another band I had never heard of and The Go To which is my “little brother”s band. I won tickets in hopes of maybe seeing Jesse McCartney and then we got word that The Go To won!! (With something like 15k votes. Very impressive!)
We ended up only staying for The Go To and part of The Heydaze but Jesse McCartney walked by and I had a chance to fangirl (he was walking outside and I was inside and saw him go by the glass doors lol) So I will consider it a success 😉 It was also 10 years to the day from when I was at Oakdale to see / interview Hanson so that was pretty wild. Two very exciting nights in my concert history on the same date and place!
The Go To hit the stage at 7pm and they pretty much immediately had command of the crowd (you could tell by how many hands were up in the air when they asked them to clap!) They did a 20 minute set of original tunes and when lead singer Mat was yelled at to take off his shirt he said – “Do you think my Mom would like that? NO!” but took off his shirt anyway and tossed it in the crowd. Drummer Austin followed suit and then they pretty much peer pressured bassist Alex into taking his shirt off as well. 😉 Even after the set when the guys were walking across the stage to get the last of the equipment out of the way, the girls were still screaming!
Be sure to check out The Go To at http://thegotomusic.com/ (and if you sign up for their email list you’ll get a free download of one of their songs – and who doesn’t love free music?)
And Jesse McCartney – I hear your new album is great – I’ll buy it if you promise to come back to CT and do a seated show where I don’t have to stand around through 3 bands I’ve never heard up (but I’m sure were great) to see you?
Gavin DeGraw & Matt Nathanson
Before I get in to this review, I think I need to let you know what “co headlining” means because this was a co-headlining tour between Matt and Gavin and a lot of people didn’t seem to “get” that, based on the comments I was seeing and hearing. Co-headlining is when 2 bands or musicians go out on the road together and they were perhaps both of equal weight when it comes to headlining. (Usually you have your big main headliner and a less popular opener or two) Typically what is done is each night they alternate who closes the show. Some nights it is Matt, other nights it is Gavin. For Saturday night’s show, Gavin went first followed by Matt. They play about 70 minutes EACH and each have an encore as if it was their main headlining set, just in an alternating order. A LOT of people actually left after Gavin’s set and I thought that was pretty dumb of them because Matt had an awesome set – but more on that later.
Andrew McMahon opened and I think that a lot of the Gavin VIP people were waiting to meet Gavin because all the seats around me were vacant. (I had seen the seat I ended up buying as a VIP ticket on Gavin’s site, but ended up buying it once it got released back to the venue) Andrew started his set with “I Woke Up In A Car” and he was like the pied piper. People, dancing like monkeys (thats the best way I can describe it) came running down from who knows where and filled in all around me. I was kind of surprised that security let them get away with it because typically the aisles need to be clear. Andrew did a pretty solid 20 minute or so set. I don’t have the setlist and the whole time kind of felt like I was in some weird twilight zone. But he said that he was going to warm us up and I think his mission was accomplished.
Gavin came out at 8 and played until about 9:15. He always puts on such a great show and is all over the stage (when not behind his piano, of course) He had a couple of covers in his set – Where the Streets Have No Name – which he went into after talking about how he grew up in upstate New York and told one of his coworkers at the time he was going to move to New York to be a musician and his coworker said “You’ll never make it” and he said maybe he wouldn’t, but that he had to try and pursue his dream. He encouraged us all to pursue our dreams and do what we love to do, even if it wasn’t our actual job. He left the stage and came back for a 3 song encore (which apparently a few people missed out on as the Facebook event page had a nasty comment about how there was “no encore!?”) which consisted of Make a Move and Not Over You as well as his newest song, Fire, which I had not yet heard though he claimed that TIC was playing it. I guess I’ll have to listen to TIC more 😉
Then it was time for Matt. He came out in the beginning and was just talking to the crowd and singling out people asking if they were doing ok. I was a bit concerned because I didn’t intend to stand for his whole set – but was sitting on the edge of the seat folded up so that I could see. He called out a couple of people for sitting during a rock and roll show but fortunately didn’t seem bothered by my half sitting. He basically just wanted us to clap if he asked us to clap and sing when he asked us to sing which really wasn’t a problem for me. I really liked the interaction that he had with the crowd throughout the whole show. And he was funny! Rubbing his butt on his bandmates and dancing for most of the set. He noticed there was a 5 year old girl in the 3rd row and then said he had to be careful about what he was saying to intro the songs and even “edited” one of his songs while singing – just covered his mouth. After a few songs he took off his shirt and gave it to the little girl. At first I had decided I was going to leave a few songs before his set ended (I found a setlist on setlist.fm that I was working off of and both Gavin’s and Matt’s list seemed to be pretty accurate to what they were performing Saturday night) but since Matt was so funny and entertaining I figured I’d stick it out. Good thing I did because the first song of his encore was called “Headphones” which he wrote as a new song just for the tour. (If rappers can drop mix tapes whenever they want, the singer songwriter has to step up their game and do the same was essentially what he had said before it) It was about how music makes you not feel alone and how you are invincible with your headphones on. I just absolutely loved it and it just struck a chord with me. He finished his set with Come On Get Higher and a sing along of “You’re The One That I Want” from Grease.
Last time I saw Matt he was in the Wolf’s Den and I couldn’t get inside and I didn’t get the same feeling from his show that I got from this one. I’m hoping he comes back again soon because I’ll definitely be checking him out again!
Gavin
Leading Man
Chariot
Sweeter
Heartbreak
Follow Through
We Belong Together
Best I Ever Had
Where The Streets Have No Name
Everything Will Change
Radiation
Rich Girl
Soldier
In Love With a Girl
Finest Hour
I Don’t Want To Be
Make a Move
Fire
Not Over You
Matt
Kill The Lights
Annie’s Always Waiting (For The Next On To Leave)
Car Crash / Fancy
Run
Mission Bells
Room At The End Of The World / I Want To Dance With Somebody
Kinks Shirt
Laid
Wedding Dress
Suspended
Faster / Faith
Headphones
Come On Get Higher / You’re The One That I Want
Try It Tuesday: Build a Bridge
I’ve always wanted to try a 3D puzzle and decided that I’d give building the London Tower Bridge a try The instructions are in pictures only with number pieces and the pieces you pop out are numbered as well (but a couple of times the numbers were swapped so make sure you’re paying attention to how things look too!) It took me roughly 5 hours to build the whole tower and it’s still not even done because when I try to pop one final piece in the whole thing pops out in a different section. It has been sitting in this half finished state for a while now because it is too frustrating for me to actually figure out how it all should go together and NOT have pieces pop. Overall it was pretty easy to make – aside from the last steps not working out so well for me. Some of the pieces are delicate though so be careful when popping them off the pages or folding them to fit into the holes. (Oh and remember to punch out all the holes before you start putting things together. I might speak from experience)