Monthly Archive for January, 2010

Reason, Season, or Lifetime [31 January 2010]

Published on January 31, 2010 in Inspiration. 2 Comments Tags: , , , , , , .


Art by my Honny

One of my dearest friends in the whole wide world Dannii sent me the below ideas and thoughts a little while ago… it’s an anonymous poem. Now I know some of you may have an chronic aversion to anything called a ‘poem’ if that’s your caper, think of it as song lyrics or reading a passage from a book. Pretend I didn’t even use the ‘p’ word ha… ha! It’s about connections with others that you make in life. I think it’s a great companion to my Friendship Manifesto. Here goes:

Reason, Season, or Lifetime

People come into your life for a reason, a season or a lifetime.
When you figure out which one it is,
you will know what to do for each person.
When someone is in your life for a REASON,
it is usually to meet a need you have expressed.
They have come to assist you through a difficulty;
to provide you with guidance and support;
to aid you physically, emotionally or spiritually.
They may seem like a godsend, and they are.
They are there for the reason you need them to be.
Then, without any wrongdoing on your part or at an inconvenient time,
this person will say or do something to bring the relationship to an end.
Sometimes they die. Sometimes they walk away.
Sometimes they act up and force you to take a stand.
What we must realize is that our need has been met, our desire fulfilled; their work is done. The prayer you sent up has been answered and now it is time to move on.

Some people come into your life for a SEASON,
because your turn has come to share, grow or learn.
They bring you an experience of peace or make you laugh.
They may teach you something you have never done.
They usually give you an unbelievable amount of joy.
Believe it. It is real. But only for a season.

LIFETIME relationships teach you lifetime lessons;
things you must build upon in order to have a solid emotional foundation.
Your job is to accept the lesson, love the person,
and put what you have learned to use in all other relationships and areas of your life.
It is said that love is blind but friendship is clairvoyant.
~Unknown

Thoughts?

I’m off to have breakfast sandwiches! Have a wonderful day lovelies!

PS- Tomorrow is a super important day to me… I’ll be announcing my book release details in a post! I’ve been squirming in my seat wanting to tell you all for sooooo long! Be sure to check back!

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No Guts, No Glory! [30 January 2010]

Published on January 30, 2010 in Inspiration. 3 Comments Tags: , , , , , , , , , .


NYC Public Library (one day I will visit it & it will be a dream come true) photo by Ktylerconk

“Be who you are and say what you feel because those who mind don’t matter and those who matter don’t mind.” ~Dr Seuss

Having courage is choosing between fear and action. It’s an every single day choice, not just a single act of heroism. In whatever you do, you should never be afraid of making a mistake or of feeling embarrassed about what you’re doing or bad about what you’re doing (that’s of course if what you’re doing has good intentions behind it—if you’re doing unkind, cruel things you deserve to feel bad and a whole lot more). If you never try anything, you won’t know if you like it or not and you will (without a doubt) not get any better at it.

It’s best to rise to the occasion and accept the challenge than run away and hide or worse yet, to not even try. It’s important to be passionate about what you’re doing too. Having passion for what you do will enable you to persevere despite what is thrown your way—and like I’ve said before, the Universe only throws stuff at you that it knows you can handle. See the Universe believes in you! Time to get your thinking in line with the Universal program ha… ha!

Doubting if you have skills or thinking that you haven’t prepared properly for the task at hand is consciously choosing to fail. You’ve lost before you even give yourself a chance. One of my hip hop buds once gave me a great piece of advice: Be prepared Bianca, otherwise you’ll miss opportunities. I’ve seen him go on capitalise on many opportunities in his career because he choose to be brave, and choose to be prepared! He choose to be courageous and it has well and truly paid off!

In order to be prepared myself, I’ve had to be brave and take the necessary steps to get things rolling. I’ve definitely had to overcome things that, at the time, my first instinct was ‘I can’t’. I cried, I got mad, I cried again and then I put my brave hat on and pinned my courage button on and moved forward.

A story…

I once dated this guy that wanted me to pretty much give up my work (my writing) and settle down, get a full-time job and buy a house. I thought I really loved this person—I now know that someone that loves you wants you to be you not what they want you to become, and they also certainly don’t try to tell you what’s best for you!—so I thought about it…seriously! I stopped writing and become soul crushingly depressed. I started looking for a full-time job to replace my two jobs I already had! My partner was happy but I was dying. I was a walking zombie. Don’t get me wrong, I do want the house one day and I’d love kids but I have always believed that one day I could obtain that through doing what I love for a living (and if for some reason I don’t at least I’ll have had a remarkable, full, adventure-filled life).

One day in the deepest depths of my gloom I went to visit my friend D and we had a chat that really put things into perspective. He explained to me that I’m doing a great disservice to myself and the Universe if I didn’t keep following my passion and living my dream. He was like ‘you can’t go on living like this, each day you’re losing a little of your Miss B sparkle and it’s killing me to watch it happen.’ He said it was time to suck it all up and move on. It was time to be courageous! Thanks for the advice D, love you! Obviously the fact that you’re reading this, suggests how things turned out… for the best!

Have there been times when you’ve been brave?

I’ll let you all in on a little secret… something that scares me a lot (even at times I’d use the word terrifies me) is performing live. I’ve watched all my friends do it for so long now; I’ve stood front of house, side of stage, on stage to help soundcheck, been a guest for songs in friends’ sets but… have never gotten up the guts to perform live myself. I’ve had bands that have rehearsed for a million hours and recorded; I’ve been working on my own stuff and collabs with wonderful hip hop and punk friends but never have I set foot on stage with my own art. I am working towards changing that this year though. I’m going to get my courage on and make the dream I’ve had since I was a kid come true!

Is there anything that you’re terrified to do that you’re working on overcoming?

It’s time to commit to what you’re doing and what you want to do. Maybe together we can summon the courage to make things happen! I’ve found though, even when I haven’t had my cheer squad on hand to support me if I believe in myself I can do great things. Sometimes that lack of attention from others can make for a greater self-awareness.

Being fearful can be the Universe’s way of saying ‘how bad do you want it? If you want it bad enough you can push through your fear…

“It’s the heart afraid of breaking that never learns to dance. It is the dream afraid of waking that never takes the chance. It is the one who won’t be taken who cannot seem to give. And the soul afraid of dying that never learns to live.”~Bette Midler

What makes a king out of a slave? Courage!
What makes the flag on the mast to wave? Courage!
What makes the elephant charge his tusk in the misty mist, or the dusky dusk?
What makes the muskrat guard his musk? Courage!
What makes the sphinx the seventh wonder? Courage!
What makes the dawn come up like thunder? Courage!
What makes the Hottentot so hot? What puts the “ape” in apricot? What have they got that I ain’t got? Courage!
~Cowardly Lion in the Wizard of Oz
(one of my all-time favourite films & stories)

Time to get those courage caps on and those courage buttons pinned. Ask yourself ‘how bad do I want it?’

See ya in the pit (at one of my shows hopefully ;))!
(I heart Rancid)

PS- 30-days of blogging! I made it! This calls for a celebration! If you’re in my ‘hood tonight come party with the One Man Party Steve from Soulwax!

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Punk Wisdom #2 – [29 January 2010]

Published on January 29, 2010 in Conversations With Punx and Inspiration. 5 Comments Tags: , , , , , .


Photo by Jonah, self portrait.

“There is a prayer that I say every morning, it’s actually a long sequence of prayers. The one part of it that really sums up my theology goes something like—actually I know exactly what it is but I’ll take it out of the scriptural language—“Whoever you are you made this energy in me. Whatever it is that keeps my heart beating, whatever in this world is or isn’t, whatever is an illusion or whatever isn’t, we’re alive, whatever that means. While this energy is here and in me for as long as it is in me, thanks.”

~Jonah Matranga, singer-songwriter-guitarist-father- visionary-nice dude.

(excerpt from Conversations With Punx: A Spiritual Dialogue)

When Jonah told me the above, I thought it was one of the most beautiful and right on things I’ve heard anyone say. I believe that we are all energy and everything is energies and daily we come into contact with all types of energy that can affect our well being.

My pal Prue told me about ‘happy shields’ the other day. She was telling me how when you have your happy shield up you can deflect negative energy… ‘phew! phew! phew!’ that’s the sound of negative vibes deflecting off my happy shield! ha… ha.. ha! I definitely had mine up yesterday… in short it was one of those days where everything seemed to go wrong and all I heard was bad news. I put that happy shield up though and by the end of the evening I was back on track.

Waking up and giving thanks, giving gratitude, for our energy and being alive is the ultimate way to start the day.

Get those happy shields up!

PS – A great big Happy birthday must go to my dear, darling big sister Juanita de Valentino. I admire your strength, perseverance and positive outlook on life Juanita despite all the struggles you have endure. You inspire me incredibly by being you. I love you times a million and one and am thankful to have you in my Universe. Good luck with you film work this year Nita! xoxo

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30-days To A Radder You! [28 January 2010]

Published on January 28, 2010 in Inspiration. 6 Comments Tags: , , , , , , , .


Art by Jhon Boy

Change is pretty much one of the only certainties and constants in life (‘besides death and taxes!’ says my pal Dave from Punkcore Records. Ha!) We all reach points in our life when we realise that our ways, patterns, and habits might not suit us anymore or may even be hurting us—in other words we’re growing! Congratulations! Go you!

Changing our ways requires us to learn new habits, to replace the old with new. It requires commitment, hard work, patience, dedication and perseverance. It can feel totally daunting at times—it can seem like an impossible dream. It can feel really, really hard! It can really push you, stretching yourself to new limits can be frightening and uncomfortable. I’ve found though that in these kinds of times I grow so much more than in times when everything feels super sweet and mint.

‘30’ is the magic number of days it takes to make a new habit stick (obviously that number will vary from person to person and habit to habit but it’s a good place to start) it’s the average length of a rehab stint.

For most of us the hardest thing is to overcome our inertia and simply start. We get all psyched out because we scare ourselves into thinking that the change we’re making will be forever! We get overwhelmed and scared and we can want to stay where we are because we know that, it’s familiar to us. That’s why setting yourself a temporary goal of trying something for a short time (in the grand scheme of things) of 30-days and telling yourself you’re free to go back to your old ways after that period is a good way to make it seem less scary. It’s not FOREVER it’s for 30-days. You can do it! If need be put up a calendar on your wall and count down the days to your freedom. Crossing off the day on your calendar in the evening before you go to bed will give you a sense of achievement; it will track your progress.

I know from my own experiences with changes I’ve made in my life over the past few years that the keys are to first establish a new habit and second to need maintain that habit—persevering with your new habit will help you to break your addiction to your old habit.

Sticking to something for 30 days will give you confidence, the confidence to keep going. Lastly (and perhaps most importantly) you’ll have 30 days of results to look at and make a more informed decision as to whether or not your new habit is working for you. If it is, extend the period, if not try something new again and keep going until you find something that you’d make into a habit for life.

For example, part of starting this blog was a little 30-day trial for me, a commitment to engage in something I love (beyond words :) he, he, he) like writing—in turn disciplining myself to work on bettering myself and to contribute something positive to the world every single day. I’m only one person but I know from comments left and an inbox full of correspondence (that I’m slowly working my way through) I am making a difference. Thank you all for your kind words and encouragement.

See I’ve always enjoyed writing but I’ve always been very sporadic and unfocused (for the most part) with it. I woke up at 4 am on New Year’s Day this year and decided that I wanted to write every single day, that I wanted share what I’ve learnt in life so far from my own experience and from those I’ve had conversations with (interviewed) from the creative world.

My hope is that by sharing me trying to live my best life with you guys it will hopefully inspire you to work towards your ‘best life’—to let you know that you’re not alone. Even though at times we may feel alone I can pretty much guarantee that someone somewhere has experienced what you’re going through (and lived to tell the tale). Sometimes we’re just too busy concentrating on our differences to see our commonalities! Open your eyes, mind & heart!

..and just because I don’t look like you or act like you / It doesn’t make me any better or worse– The Suicide Machines

Helpful tips to get you started:

Decided on one thing you’d like to change about your life whether it’s to change your eating habits, quit smoking, drinking or coffee, to exercise, to be less shy, to be a little braver, it is super, super important that you only work on changing one thing at a time! If you try to change more than one thing at once or everything, as I’ve ambitiously attempted unsuccessfully on many occasions… ha, ha!

Ask for help. Have a support group… tape a piece of paper with phone numbers of those that you can count on to encourage and support you to your wall. Even though you may not call them having that visual reminder that you have people on your team will help you hold fast. Knowing that you can pick up the phone when you have a strong urge to engage in your old patterns and talk to someone is an powerful aid.

Prepare for sabotage. When you try to better yourself, unfortunately there can be people you meet and so-called ‘friends’ in your life that don’t share your enthusiasm for you living your best life. They try to derail your plans. They poke fun at your attempts and try to discourage you. People fear change, and a lot of the time you’ll find they’re afraid you’ll leave them behind. You must go forward my friends! Don’t ever play dumb for your social set. Stand up to those that try to keep you down, confront them and tell them they either need to start supporting you or it’s goodbye time.

Identify triggers. What are the things or situations that foster your habit you’re trying to change? Knowing what sets you off can allow you to plan alternate action when they come up. It’s important to have a plan in place. For instance when you get super stressed or when you feel blue what do you do? Do you go drinking with your buds? Do you reach for the cupboard for the cookie dough? Try replacing your existing habit with a new more positive thing like meditation instead of watching TV or drinking herbal tea instead of coffee. To make things easier for you, try to avoid things that could trigger your urges.

Stay Positive. If you slip back into your old pattern or if you miss a day of doing your new thang in the 30 days don’t beat yourself up! Just get back on the horse and keep riding. It’s okay… really! Don’t see it as failing; don’t sabotage all your good work with self-beatdowns. You’ve started to change things in your life you don’t feel are working for you and that in itself is AWESOME!

Take it one day at a time. Take it hour by hour, minute by minute, second by second if need be! Slowly but surely. Find your own rhythm. Some days will be radder than others.

Rest! Don’t run yourself into the ground… take time to replenish your stores, do steady. In my experience when I set my little heart on something I put everything I have into it. I work 110% all the time. I’ve been prone to exhausting myself and I’ve found if I am tired I get fuzzy headed. Being tired can leave you susceptible to triggers and urges and impair your judgement.

Things that can change your life given a 30-day trial:

Talking to someone new every day. It’s amazing what you can learn through conversation. Everyone has a story. Everyone has insight. Everyone can be a teacher.

Stop watching TV. You’ll have time to do more constructive things.

Going for a walk. I get some of my best thoughts while out walking. My brain gets a chance to have a break from the computer, TV, whichever distraction I’m engaged in.

Take up yoga (post coming soon). Seriously, yoga has had such a big impact on my life. Since starting my practice a couple of years ago only good things have come from it.

Spend one hour reading every day. Learn something or get lost in a whole new world.

Call a family member or a friend. We text, email and social network so much these days that we forget the importance and specialness of connecting via picking up the phone. Reconnect with the people you love.

Good luck!

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How to Fight a Case of the Major Sads [27 January 2010]

Published on January 27, 2010 in Inspiration. 6 Comments Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , .


Photo by Jaja

“Health is a holistic effect. It’s not just a matter of cutting calories or working out or meditating, but a whole range of factors that contribute to physical, mental and spiritual well-being. I teach my clients to listen to their body, thoughts, and emotions as indicators of overall health and refer them to a specialist if necessary.” ~Dan Jones (book extract)

We all feel sad from time to time, it’s a natural part of life however sometimes we feel a whole lot sadder than others and it’s in those times we need to stop and have a look at our way of life, our habits, our thought patterns. In these times it’s also good to share how you’re feeling with a close friend. Problems shared are problems halved after all :)

Depression is a very complicated and personal thing, depending on a myriad of factors including genes, environment, lifestyle, brain chemicals, psychology and personality it affects everyone differently. What may seem like a walk in the park for you could be a serious challenge for someone else. Please don’t discount others challenges as silly, trivial or childish. I know you’re only trying to help when you say ‘Don’t be silly, it’s not that hard!’ but seriously, you’re not helping.

Throughout my life I have suffered numerous strains and bouts of depression (and a little craziness… ha, ha) and one of the things that would make me mad is people telling me, ‘Get over it!’ Seriously, I wish it was as easy as that! One of my family’s doctors even went as far as to say that ‘Depression doesn’t exist, it’s just laziness’. I could have punched them when they said that (and I’m not even a violent lady!)

Also, something else that I’ve found that can happen when you’re in the depths of despair is that it can temporarily blind you to everything and start to numb you. When you’re majorly depressed sometimes it can feel that the only pain that exists is your own. You start to not care about anything or anyone; you push it all away and isolate yourself. Please promise me lovelies if you feel this way you’ll pick up the phone and call a friend (and no texting or emailing does not count… you need the human touch in these times… although if it’s all you have text and email is better than nothing). The simple act of talking to someone (you trust) can make you feel instantly better and their insight could give you a fresh perspective.

In the (US) summer of 2006, in transit to join the Resin Dogs’ Euro tour, I had breakfast in San Francisco with a good friend. We got talking about depression over pancakes and eggs. The topic came up because I noticed a gnarly scar on his forearm and asked, ‘What happened?’ (typical Bianca style to just blurt out a ‘why? what? How?’ question). He told me that when he was younger he became so numb from being depressed that he cut himself because he just wanted to feel something, anything! He shared with me intimate stories of his battles with depression—when his band called it a day, feeling trapped in a relationship with the love of his life, his daily self-loathing and frustrations with celebrity.

A thing that’s always stuck with me from that conversation is, here is this great, great man that has achieved so many things with his work, is a hero (to a lot) and brought so much joy to people’s lives yet in his own, he struggles with his happiness too. Depression doesn’t discriminate; it doesn’t care if you’re black, white, brown, male, female, whatever. You can (to others) seemingly have it together and have it all on the surface when in fact your business is as messy as everyone else’s.

If you’re been feeling blue or know someone else that’s been down let me share with you some helpful things that helped get me on track. None of the below is ‘rocket science’ and I’m sure it’s all been said before by someone somewhere but it’s nice to be reminded. My greatest wish is that you (or your pal) will get something from this and get back on track and reach the Possibility City limits.


Photo by Allison Fahmie (my homegirl from the Jersey Shore)

Get Moving! Notice I didn’t use the dreaded ‘e’ word ‘exercise!’ ha, ha… throughout my life my attitudes to working out have ebbed and flowed, changed and evolved. I usually get super into something for a while and then find myself getting bored and my enthusiasm dwindles. I was the kid at school with the note for every physical education/gym class reading ‘Please excuse Bianca from class today, she’s unwell’. My teacher would make me observe the classes and write a report on what they were doing (which I actually won school awards for! ha, ha).

So why is daily movement helpful? It is essential to keeping everything in working order; it helps relieve stress, helps your organs to function properly, and boosts your energy levels and your mood! Physical activity alters brain chemistry, the serotonin levels, which can lead to feelings of wellbeing. My disco biscuit eating buds know all about serotonin (lol!)—it contributes to a range of functions like appetite, libido, sleep & wake cycles and mood.

When choosing physical activity to engage in the best advice I can give you is: Choose something fun! If it’s fun it won’t feel like exercise. I adore walking, swimming, yoga, hula hooping (my friend Jow makes awesome hoops for her company Circle of Light), skateboarding, riding bikes, surfing, dancing and making sweet, sweet love! ;) If you’re in the New York, Chicago, Miami areas, David Barton Gyms are totally insane. The decor makes them look like art installations!

Laugh! It’s free! Free! Free! And it’s the ultimate mood lifter. I’ve often heard it called ‘the elixir of life’. I am so thankful for all of the hilarious people I have in my life. More often than not you can find me grinning like a Cheshire Cat because I’m so amused by the antics and quotes from my pals.

As a sidenote, I thought I might mention that being amusing and funny does not involve making fun of or putting down other people that just = lame and boring and says more about you than the person in your firing line. Thankfully I have no people in my life like that anymore! Anyways, laughing is a great tonic for the sads ‘cause when you’re laughing you can’t exactly be crying, or at least if you are crying they’re happy tears. Join a laughing club, rent a comedy, engage in laughter yoga (watch the vid below), watch Bill Hicks, Tim & Eric Awesome Show Great Job (I love Spaghett!) or Sealab 2020.

UK funny man John Cleese talks to the Laughter Yoga founder:

Tommy De Vito (in Goodfellas): Let me understand this cause, ya know maybe it’s me, I’m a little f*cked up maybe, but I’m funny how? I mean funny like I’m a clown, I amuse you? I make you laugh; I’m here to f*ckin’ amuse you? What do you mean funny, funny how? How am I funny? …Like funny ha,ha funny?

Smile! Lily Allen sings about it and it’s a well known fact it takes more effort to frown then it does smile. For all the sceptics out there even science says it’s good for you. When I don’t feel like smiling I still try to smile anyway. I’ve found that if I start smiling the floodgates can crack open. A friend, Aflah from Ghana does this little ritual most mornings where he looks at himself in the bathroom mirror, makes funny faces, smiles and laughs at himself. Having the courage to laugh at yourself makes you not take everything so seriously, it can help to put everything into perspective. It can be the first step towards becoming your own best friend.

“You grow up the day you have your first real laugh, at yourself.” ~Ethel Barrymore

Get your creative on! Everyone is creative; despite the common societal view of creativity being an art thing. I’ve learnt being creative isn’t necessarily all about music, art, film, writing and the like. I’ve seen my pal CJ work creatively with numbers. I’ve seen my buds Zsolt and Andrew work creatively in their business dealings. When you engage in ‘creative’ tasks I find your mind has no time to be sad because you’re having such a good time. Being creative can make you feel awake and ready for new possibilities.


Photo by Woodley Wonder Works

Other notable mentions: Music! I’ve talked a bunch about the benefits of it here and here. Using essential oils. I’m a huge advocate of aromatherapy. After trying it for myself and reaping the benefits I wholeheartedly recommend you give it a try (don’t worry I won’t tell all your punk, hardcore & hip hop friends you’re a secret hippie!) I think that the effect smell has on your mood is super underrated. Green tea, jasmine, rose, ylang-ylang, citrus and chamomile are known for their mood lifting properties. Positive affirmations can be helpful as can stroking your puppy or kitty friend can be. Spending time with your animals friends can help calm you and can promote happiness. Organisation! When you’re organised you feel in control, when you feel in control the world doesn’t feel as daunting and overwhelming. And last but certainly not least practice gratitude! Fight depression with gratitude, there’s no room for sadness when you’re thankful.

Much gratitude goes to the following bright lights in my world that have helped me when I’ve been down and out, feed me when I’ve had no money, housed me when I’ve had no place to go, listened to me when I talk in circles, encouraged me to keep going, to keep bettering myself, to believe in me and ultimately, to live again (man I’m crying as I type this, talk about emo! Ha!): Ant, Jhonny & Andy, Grover, Dannii, Sophia, Civi, Kieran, Prue, Miss Amy, Franklin, Z, James Thomas, Brian & Lisa I love you all beyond words. Your love, kindness, compassion and guidance mean the world to me. From my whole heart, I thank you.

*A big part of what compelled me to write this piece is the fact that I know a lot of people that suffer from depression at one point or another and it’s often a subject that people in general don’t want to talk about, discuss in the open or confront. For some, it’s apparently not cool to talk about the rough times; you just deal with it and get on with things.

Sometimes it’s simply not that easy. When I suffered my last serious bout of depression I had people tell me that they didn’t want me around because I was ‘bringing down their good time’. Those comments really hurt. It’s funny because when I’m ruling it and working on exciting projects those people are the first to brag to their pals that we’re such good friends, yet in my greatest hour of need they didn’t want anything to do with me. Please friends, be there for your friends in the tough times as well as the good times. Anyone can be there for party time! It takes real love to be there when there’s intermission.

Fight the good fight & derail the Desperation Train I’m waiting for you here in Possibility City!

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Hip Hop Insight #1 [26 January 2010]

Published on January 26, 2010 in Inspiration. 3 Comments Tags: , , , , , , , .

Art by Anenea Studio

?uestlove on getting his inspiration on:

Sometimes I’ll just stare at the wall! If my awards or gold plaques intimidate me I’ll just turn them around and look elsewhere [laughs]. Most of the time I’ll just sit and listen to music—my studio and record library are connected to each other—I’ll just listen to records and something may hit me then. I don’t force it. If it doesn’t come I just say, ‘Let’s go bowling!’ Then we go bowling and at the end of the night I may have something and I’ll run back to the studio. I don’t believe in creating any type of music under duress. It has to come from in here [taps chest]. Me and my manager always beg to differ, I say, ‘Well I don’t have to do this you know.’ They look at my bills and they’re like, ‘Yeah you do, yeah mother f*cker you have to do this!’ [laughs].

Thought for the day: Being deeply loved by someone gives you strength, while loving someone deeply gives you courage. ~Lao Tzu


PS- ?uestlove extract from my next book project in process… details soon!

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Miss B’s Guide to Brisbane [25 January 2010]

Published on January 25, 2010 in Inspiration. 6 Comments Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , .


*taken by my dear friend Chris Iselin

I have a lot of friends that come through Brisbane (my hometown) on tour with their band throughout the year. I get the question ‘what is there for us to do on our off day Bianca?’ a lot.

I decided to put together a little guide of my beautiful city of birth for those of you who find yourself Down Under and in my neck of the woods. It’s for those of you that may live here but may have missed something and are unaware of some of the awesomeness that is right on your door step and it’s for those that are just plan curious to explore somewhere else other than where you’re currently at.

If you have anything else noteworthy or worthwhile to add, please comment and leave a link. I find that whatever city you find yourself in it’s always nice to have some insider local knowledge. The most interesting things are usually found a little off the beaten track. I hope this is helpful!


Brisbane by Cyron

Brisbane by Burning Image All other photos by David Jackmanson

Here goes:

Brisbane we go hard, we go hard / Brisbane we go hard, we go hard / We on the lookout for the advantage, we work hard / And if we seem to rough it up a bit / We broke but we’re rich at heart / Pull ourselves up now we won’t choke / It’s our time, put the lights on us -*Santigold lyrics with a slight adjustment ‘Brisbane’ instead of the original lyric ‘Brooklyn’

Eat, drink, be merry at…

Kuan Yin Tea-House – (I think) this is pretty much one of the greatest vegan/vegetarian places in the entire Universe! Kuan Yin’s owner Michael is one of the loveliest human beings I’ve ever met. The veggie treats are prepared with the upmost care and love plus its super crazy cheap. If dumplings (boiled & fried), noodle & rice dishes, veggie calamari, tofu salad, set meals (with veggie chicken, fish, pork etc), soups, bubble tea and crazy desserts with shaved ice, and hidden jelly treats (thanks for splitting one with me Greg) are your thang this is the place for you. You can pretty much spend under $10 and walk (or roll from all your food consumption) away content and full. Tip: If you bring your own containers for take-away you get a 10% discount.

Black Star Coffee – West End’s home of fair trade single-origin coffee! Coffee is definitely an art form and the folks at Black Star have it down pat. You can even put your order in online and pick it up, no more waiting! I find that a lot of my US buddies are obsessed with Starbucks coffee, let me tell ya this is so much better, it’s a no contest—very worth your while. The staff are super friendly and smilely plus they have the most amazing iced coffee (on both regular & soy) that they make fresh on the premises and bottle to keep in the fridge… it’s a taste sensation! Black Star also has acoustic live acts play.

Happy High Herbs, West End.

Pearl Cafe – French Country is the theme, amazing breakfasts are their specialty. There food is often described as ‘cheeky classic’. The menu changes with the seasons but I can highly recommend their toasted muesli with berries and their ‘eggs your way’ with sides of mushrooms, spinach & roasted tomatoes put my tastebuds into full swing. Say ‘hi’ to their barista Miss Kelly she rules & brews a damn fine coffee. The cakes are without equal as are the Brownies and Blondies. There’s also lots of fun shops to look at nearby if you’re in the market for antiques or quirky interesting pieces check out Pearl’s neighbours such as Miss Mouse.

Cupcakes from…
The Cup Cake Parlour – cupcakes! Do I need to say more? Decadent, hand iced, made daily for your pleasure. They make incredible vegan cupcakes too! Passionfruit Power, Fluffy Bunny, Mocha Motion, Mango Frangipanni the list of treats goes on and on… so yum!

The Forest – is your place for organic vegan wholefood meals. Kick ass veggie burgers, curries, lasagne and salads.

Govinda’s & Krishna’s Cafe – Hare Krishna eats! They hold a all-you-can-eat buffet daily for lunch and in the evening for dinner. At $10 it’s a bargain. I can rarely get through my first helping! I always manage to have room for halva. On Sunday they also hold a feast with chanting and a whole lotta Krishna love.

Tibetan Kitchen – eats from the roof of the world. Specialising in Tibetan, Nepalese and Sherpa cuisine. I highly recommend the vegetarian platter! When my best friend lived around the corner from this place we ate there like every week!

El Torito – what kind of eats list would it be without a killer Mexican restaurant. The chef is from South America and totally on it when it comes to preparing traditional Mexican eats (I included this one for you Brooks, I know you love your Mexican! Actually most So-Cal dwellers do ha, ha!)

Shop & consume at…

Butterbeats – it’s the home of hard to find records & CDs. The Butterbeats crew are purveyors of the finest urban literature, collectables and clothing. For all your graff to hip-hop to trance to reggae to rock to funk needs, Butter Beats got yo’ back. They have three stores: Brisbane City, Fortitude Valley and the Gold Coast. Tip: Don’t be afraid to ask questions while in store the friendly staff are there to help, educate and facilitate!

Trash Video – Australia’a largest cult video store.Over 12,000 handpicked rare movies.

It’s Vintage Darling – owned by the lovely Holly and Emily this is a cute little store that has great vintage clothing and decor finds. It’s a treasure trove of goodness. They serve great coffee and soy chai while you browse the racks and listen to retro tunes.

Comics Etc – if you’re a comic nerd like me this place is your mecca. I always seem to find hard to get things here. These guys have helped me expand my ever-evolving Marvel comic collection. If you’re also in Brisbane at the right time of year there’s the Supernova Comic Convention (Lou you may want to plan SOIA’s next Australian tour around convention time… lol! We can go comic trawling!)


Kill the Music – Brisbane’s only punk and hardcore music specialist. The only place in Brisbane worth going for punk & hc. It’s co-owned by one of the raddest people ever Paul Voge he also plays in The Paper & The Plane and has a blog here.

Rocking Horse Records – is Queensland’s largest and oldest independent record store. They also have a rad collection of music related books and zines that I love to browse and geek out over.

Bent Books – for quality rare and 2nd-hand books. These guys stocked my fanzine years ago!

Bare Bones Barbershop – is the place for the closest shave in town. Rockers, Greasers, Punkers you’ll love this place. They have a blog.

Places to get inked…

All Star Tattoo – Get in quick All Star will be (unfortunately) closing its doors 28 February 2010. All Star’s owner Link (Bossman!) is responsible for the art work that takes up a large portion of my back, he also did one of my hip tattoos. As of 12 March 2010 my pal Link will be tattooing at Preachers & Fools in Hollywood. Link is the man, go get inked by him and tell him Bianca sent you!

Black Throne Tattoo – members of the All Star family branching off and doing their own thing. Rachi Brains and Clint Steele are the artists in residence. Rachi’s the lady responsible for my beautiful side pieces, mi familia dedication.

True Love Tattoo – my homegirl Pip works here.

Mimsy’s Trailer Trash Tattoo – this lady has laid ink in the skin of a large percentage of my friends. I’m yet to get a piece from her but I’ve seen her in action inking one of my dearest friends. She’s a dream come true for all lovers of 50′s kitsch, operating out of a trailer decked out in theme. With over 10 years experience in the industry this lady rocks it!

Westside Tattoo – has seen a roster of great artists through its doors in its time. You can check out the work of one of the Westside crew Loz here.

Music…

Joe Malone Audio – this place is a muso’s dream! Joe has some of the rockin’ custom pre amps and monitors. His creations have been used by the likes of Wolfmother and Silverchair.

Tym Guitars – is an independent guitar shop like no other in Australia. They offer the best range of vintage to affordable second hand guitars, amps and effects pedals, and ship all over the world. They make a very limited number of hand crafted custom guitars, basses, amps and effects pedals (the way they should be made – completely by hand). They also do guitar repairs, restoration and refinishing. If it’s broken or not playing like it should, they’ll fix it. Clients have included J Mascis, The Hellacopters, My Chemical Romance, Backyard Babies, The Streets, Trail of Dead, as well as local legends Magic Dirt, The Nation Blue, Butterfly Effect, Powderfinger, Grinspoon, Screamfeeder and many more.

The Drum Cartel – customers have included everyone from The Mars Volta to Unwritten Law, Bullet For My Valentine, Fishbone, Suicidal Tendencies and The Dillinger Escape Plan. If you need drum equipment and a drum tech that knows there stuff look no further.


Hobo Obituaries, 4ZZZfm car park before a live to air performance

4ZZZfm – with a motto of AGITATE, EDUCATE, ORGANISE you just have to love Brisbane’s community radio station. They are a music formatted station with no playlists! Their presenters are genuinely interested in what they play. Have a listen to the live stream and find some new (Australian) bands.

The Troubadour – is a good hole-in-the-wall venue ran by good people. The decor makes me feel like I’m sitting in my eccentric grandma’s pad. I saw one of my favourite local acts, Jackie Marshall & the Black Elles Band here live towards the end of the year.


Jackie Marshall by Pete Wild.

Ahimsa House – The Evens featuring Ian MacKaye & Amy Farina have played there, its a little d.i.y. ran operation, grassroots, good intentions.

The Zoo – live music since 1992. I’ve seen Dresden Dolls, the BellRays, Bouncing Souls, The Real McKenzies, The Herd & more.

Rhythm Collision Sound System – Feeling Ire? Wanting to lively up yourself? I love conscious roots, reggae, dub, and dancehall! Basmati & Co deliver the goods here.

The Ark – is a studio and recording community based in Brisbane. It has a colourful range of friends and contributors in the form of Musicians, Producers, Photographers, the odd net nerd and whoever is around at the time. The Ark began when a group of like minded friends decided to pool their gear to make great recordings without the pressure and time restraints of a commercial studio. They have amazing vintage instruments and there’s (pretty much) two of everything, hence the name ‘the ark’.

Tip: Check out Brisbane Street press Rave Magazine (I’ve been writing for them for 13+ years) for live gig guides, info on local music and culture. Plus there is Gossip for cheap drinks & great music on Saturday nights. Tell resident DJ Polar Bear ‘hi’ for me.

You all know I love music a whole bunch here’s a short list of some Brisbane bands that have rocked my world over the years or that continue to rock my world today.

On the…

…punk rock tip we have: The Saints, The BlackMarket, Bad Day Down, The Disables, Mouthguard, Plan Of Attack, The Quickening, Knaw, Steve Towson, Lookout Mountain…

The BlackMarket

…hc bands: Against, Just Say Go!, Wish For Wings, B.A. Baracus & more…

…hip hop-wise it’s all about: Mad Occupants, Impossible Odds, Resin Dogs, MC DNO, MC Lazy Grey, Brothers Stoney…

Mad Occupants

…then there’s the undefinables (Brisbane has a looong history of producing bands that are super diverse) : Pangaea, Felinedown, Regurgitator, Jackie Marshall, Afro Dizzi Act, Golden Sounds, Sunflower (I love these guys!), Pink Bullet, Green Thief, Laneous & the Family Yeah, Butterfingers…


Felinedown

Sunflower

If you’re in Brisbane in the first half of the year it’s festival time! Check out: Big Day Out, Splendour In The Grass, East Coast Blues & Roots, Good Vibrations, Future Music Festival, Soundwave, Woodford Folk Festival and more…

Also there’s the Big Sound Music conference in Brisbane every year. There’s three days of panels, workshops and artist showcases for local, national and international music industry peeps. The forums and workshops are usually quite interesting it’s definitely worth checking out.

Things to do…

Roller Derby with Sunstate Roller Girls – SSRG are a not-for-profit organisation dedicated to developing and promoting the sport of women’s Flat Track Roller Derby. They facilitate the development of athletic ability, sportswomanship and goodwill among league members. SSRG aspire to create a community of skaters that advances the sport of women’s Roller Derby and expands opportunities for all women to participate. They promote the empowerment of women in a safe and organised environment that fosters the health, well-being and personal growth of the ladies. They honour diversity and encourage self-expression and are committed to building a network of friendship and support. Very punk rock indeed! Bottom line is it’s all about fun!

Mana Bar – a new ‘gaming’ bar were you & your friends can get your Wii on and be Rock Star Guitar Heroes! It’s opening in February. It’s the first place of its kind in Oz.

Strike Bowling Bar – (this one’s for you Ahmir! he he) Ten Pin Bowling & Karaoke! Go get your bowl on under the neon lights while sipping your cocktails or cola.

Zen Hot Yoga – my favourite place in Brisbane for yoga. It’s the 1st FIR studio in Australia. This place transformed my life. Renae, Will and Louie’s classes are best!

Southbank Cinemas – As far as catching a flick in Brisbane these cinemas are best. They cost between $6.50 and $8.50 for a ticket depending on the day of the week. They also have a large curved floating screen in one theatre.

As in most major cities around the world we have our Museum and the Queensland Gallery of Modern Artfor your exploration, historical fix.

Bleeding Heart Gallery – use their powers for good not evil, showcasing the works of upcoming artists. At the end of last year my manfriend was featured in one of their art showcases.

Nine Lives – is a gallery space in the heart of Brisbane’s Fortitude Valley. They feature local, interstate and the odd international artist – all of whom have provided an assorted array of visual pleasures. Nice space.

New Farm Park – a nice place to get away from it all. There’s a delightful rose garden, picnic tables & chairs, the Brisbane river snakes around a majority of the park. You can find all types of group meeting there: laughing clubs, meditation groups, tai chi and more. It also home to…

The Brisbane Powerhouse – a contemporary multi-arts, dining venue. There’s also a farmer’s markets there on the weekends plus travelling art exhibits and performances.

Once a year I go there to see the Gyuto monks of Tibet. They do workshops over the course of the week, chanting and the creation of a sand mandala. At the week’s end there’s a ceremony and the sand mandala is cut, scooped up and taken out to the river—it’s to remind us that everything is impermanent. I remember one year I asked one of the monks why their robes are always orange? He told me it was because back in the day orange was an unfashionable colour and the monks usually went against the grain so embraced orange.

Fortitude Valley Markets – 2nd hand and vintage clothes, locally made fashion, crystals, homewares, quirky bits & pieces. Worth a look in.

For all your skateboard/skatepark locating needs try here. If you really wanna skate some awesome secret spots email me and I’ll put you in contact with those in the know.

Lone Pine Kola Sanctuary – a favourite with my o/seas friends. This is where you get to pat koalas and have your photo taken cuddling one. There’s a wall of photos of various artists that have toured and their furry new friends.

Oh, and another link that may be of use to some, if you’re in need of a little support on the road ;).

And if you still want more of what my ‘hood has to offer another great source of information about Brisbane is Four Thousand billed as the definite cultural guide to Brisbane it doesn’t disappoint!

So, welcome to my fair city! Can’t wait for you to visit! Brizzy represent! Boom!

Wishing you safe travels & rad days my friends…

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The Friendship Manifesto [24 January 2010]

Published on January 24, 2010 in Inspiration. 2 Comments Tags: , , , , , , , , , , .


Photo by Juliana Coutinho

“Your life will not go unnoticed, because I will notice it.” ~Susan Sarandon

When I was little girl my parents always told me ‘Don’t trust anyone or don’t put expectations on people that way your chances of getting disappointed will be a whole lot less.’ Hearing that from such a young age pretty much set me up for the life of a lone wolf. As I’ve grown and experienced life for myself, I’ve come to the conclusion that putting your trust in someone and in your friendship with them is the foundation for building a solid friendship. Having friends in your life make things a hell of a lot more fun and interesting.

Lately I’ve had ‘friend’ related challenges in my life and I decided to put together a Friendship Manifesto:

♥ Friends do not do favours for favours, a friend does something for you because they freely want to and they enjoy that giving. It’s something from the heart. They do it without expecting something in return.

♥ Friends are there to listen in your time of need but do not rescue you, only you can do this for yourself. Otherwise you get caught in a cycle of always relying on others to fix your problems. A real friend recognises and acknowledges your capability to help yourself.

♥ Friends take responsibility for their actions. Everything is not someone else’s fault…repeat… everything is not someone else’s fault! Your life is your responsibility. Each event is a result of the choices that you have made and are making. Friends don’t blame others if things don’t go exactly the way they want. Use your power of choice when navigating the people in your life.

♥ Friends don’t need to excuse their bad behaviour because there is no excuse for bad behaviour between friends. If you respect each other you’ll treat each other respectfully.

♥ Friends don’t have ulterior motives. They like you for who you are and enjoy your company. If you’re not enjoying someone’s company maybe they’re not your friend.

♥ Friends don’t need to hear from or see each other every day (but it’s appreciated and nice if they do). If you’ve been apart for any length of time you just pick up right where you left off the next time you see each other. There’s no ‘why didn’t you call?’ ‘oh well, you didn’t call either’ moments.

♥ Friends support and encourage each other’s positive growth and are there to help point you in the right direction. Friends love each other the times they least deserve it because they know that’s the time they usually need help most.

♥ A friend asks you the hard questions because they genuinely care for you.

♥ Friends don’t wait for you to come to them, they come to visit you too! They make the effort to hop in their car, ride their bike, catch the bus/train/whatever… friends make an effort to see you.

♥ Real friends know when it’s time to walk away from the friendship. Sometimes when good friendships go bad we stay in the friendships, out of obligation or familiarity and start to hurt one another. In my experience a lot of people in general sabotage things rather than take responsibility and go ‘hey this isn’t working!’ Things just run their course sometimes, this includes friendships; don’t hold onto friendships just because you’ve always been in each other’s lives. Ask does this friendship fit me anymore? People grow and (hopefully) evolve, hanging on to friendships that don’t fit anymore can stunt both your growth. Love each other enough to call it a day.

♥ Friendship is about reciprocal cherishing, loving and caring. Some of you may be surprised to know that to be a good friend you need to be able to receive loving care as well as give it. Love yourself, love someone else.

♥ Friends bring out the very best in you.

Songs in theme of friendship playlist…

Ben – Michael Jackson
Friend or Foe – Jay-Z
Rancid – Fall Back Down
Friend or Foe? – Agnostic Front
The Friendship Song – Fraggle Rock
Friends Like You – Sick Of It All
Best Friend – 50 Cent
Memories Remain – Dropkick Murphys
Always Be – LaRue
Umbrella – Rihanna
Best Friend – Queen
Here’s To The Night – Eve

My friends make up my own personal cheer squad! I am thankful for them every single day. How do you feel about yours? Have anything to add to the Friendship Manifesto?

My Pal by Australian band God… this is without a doubt one of my all-time favourite songs:

I leave you with the words of Kahlil Gibran “Friendship is always a sweet responsibility, never an opportunity.”

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Music Has Power [23 January 2010]

Published on January 23, 2010 in Inspiration. 5 Comments Tags: , , , , , , , .


Art by Ben Doukakis

In my magical rock n roll adventures over the years I have witnessed music change lives, my life, my friends’ lives and the lives of total strangers.

A little story…

My mother was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s several years ago. While western medicine has been able to help my mum to a point, during her most recent appointment her doctor told us ‘Unfortunately we’ve exhausted all the possibilities (his possibilities meaning medications) and there isn’t really anything else we can do for her so don’t worry about booking another appointment with me. I can’t really help her unless something else becomes available.’ Hearing this made me livid! I went through anger, sadness, and anger again. I decided to look for something else to help my mum. I just knew there had to be something out there to help or at least make things more comfortable, and her days brighter. I decided to seek out ‘alternative’ therapies to try to help.

I looked into colour therapy and sound therapy among a million other things. In my quest I came across a not-for-profit agency called The Institute for Music & Neurologic Function (or the IMNF). The IMNF combine music and science to promote healing and wellness. Its mission is:

… dedicated to restoring, maintaining and improving people’s physical, emotional and neurological function through the systematic use of music. The IMNF furthers its mission through treatment, research and education.

The IMNF is supported by the likes of the ever-lovely Moby, the B-52s, Beastie Boys, Coldplay and more!

Let Moby give you a heads up:

To learn more about music therapy check out Musictherapy.org or experience it first hand for yourself by taking a journey through your record (MP3 or CD) collection, noticing your moods, how you’re feeling etc. when you listen to your tunes.

A lot of importance has been put on the perception and performance of music over the years, it’s refreshing to see individuals such as Moby and the Beasties support a different aspect of music.

While my mum’s condition is still deteriorating rapidly, I’ve found music makes things better, if only temporarily. When my mum listens to her Billie Holiday or Reba McEntire CDs she grins like the biggest kid, from ear to ear. And for me, those little golden moments are priceless.

Make some noise today!

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Punk Wisdom #1 [22 Januaray 2010]

Published on January 22, 2010 in Conversations With Punx and Quotes. 1 Comment Tags: , , , , , , .

Photo by Natalie Lorenz for Total Immortal Photography.

“Music is the voice of spirituality. It’s the one beautiful thing that we still do to alleviate the sadness that we create for ourselves. To me that’s the clearest form of spirituality. Everything we do goes against nature and destroys our chances in this world in some way except music.”

~Jason Alexander Cruz, musician-artist-poetic chaos-amerikan blackheart.

(excerpt from Conversations With Punx: A Spiritual Dialogue)

I’m so frickin’ excited I’m finally getting to share my project with you guys! Every single day I am so inspired by the words, thoughts & experiences of my punk rock, hardcore, hip hop, music/art friends.

PS - Thought for the day: Be an observer, not a judge!

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