The Fake Hipster

Closing-Up Shop

2010-11-26T16:27:00.000-05:00

I started my blog nearly three years ago. Having just graduated college and trying to find out who I was, I thought a blog would be my outlet. And it has been great. I have met super great people, had some not so great people butcher me with their anger, and generally had a really awesome time sharing my adventures in cyberspace.

However, for various reasons, I am closing this chapter of my life known as The Fake Hipster. My tastes and personality have evolved, and with that, I feel as though my blog also needs to evolve. So I've decided to start a new blog called Champagne and Chiffon. Over the past few years I have found myself inspired by personal style blogs such as A Haute Mess, Cupcakes and Cashmere, and Sterling Style, and as an ode to my love for fashion, as well as my love of food, Champagne and Chiffon will be a homage to all things luxurious and inspiring.

Thank you all for going on this journey with me. Your support has meant the world to me and I hope you will continue to support my newest endaevor.

Accessorie Must-Have: Jerome Dreyfuss Bone Bag

2010-11-16T06:00:00.002-05:00

This morning, I was the office gopher, which took me wandering the streets of Soho as I picked up breakfast for our clients. I never mind such a thing because the streets of Soho are quiet that time of the morning and because I actually get a chance to peruse all the beautiful window displays without being pushed along by hoards of people, which is a luxury that one rarely gets in this city.

Lately, I've been far too poor to even think about window shopping, for I know it will leave me longing for something I really don't need. And boy was I right. I walked by the Jerome Dreyfuss window only to see his new line of Bone bags. Yes, they are highly impractical, but it would give me that little piece of Halloween that I love all year round.

Style Icon: Debbie Harry

2010-11-15T06:00:00.000-05:00

I have been a long time lover of Debbie Harry. It started when they used to advertise those Greatest Hits of (insert genre of music or time period here) on television to me when I was in junior high. I was first introduced to the song "Heart of Glass," here, and my long time love affair with Blondie began then. Later, it caused me to have my hair short and blond, and in college, my workout playlist was full of Blondie.

But what I really love about Blondie is Debbie Harry's no-nonsense style. Whether in just a t-shirt, or in a fabulously glam dress, Debbie Harry always looks amazing. She utilizes geometric patterns and bright colors in a way I only wish I could, and I've always wanted her short, messy, platinum blond bob (but let's be honest, it would not look good with my skin tone). And her smokey eye and glossy red lip combo is a long-time standard of rock and roll, and one I've never been quite able to perfect the way that she does Even now, after this many years, she still looks amazing, and she still can rock.


yorkblog.com


fashionableetsy.blogspot.com

amaterialworld.net

smaggle.com

Hipster Must-Hear: Ngabo

2010-11-12T06:00:00.002-05:00

As I previously mentioned, I attended the Silver Sound Music Video Film Festival and Band Battle at Brooklyn Bowl on Tuesday. And while I was there primarily to support At Sea, I also got the opportunity to check out some really awesome bands while I was there. And I fell in love.

Ngabo is an experimental rock singer out of Montreal, Canada. And while I can't understand a word he is saying in most of the songs, their performance alone is worth a trek to Quebec. The moment they hit the stage you automatically think "I'm probably going to hate this," due to the matching blue velvet blazers,* and aviator sunglasses, but within one or two songs you feel yourself giving in and thoroughly enjoying every minute of it. Their energy is insane, their beats are super danceable, and if you decide to approach them after the show, they are incredibly down to earth and gracious. It's just too bad that all us hipsters are far too cool to dance to their music in public.

For more information check out:

http://www.ngabo.com/

And for those of us non-French speakers:

http://www.myspace.com/ngabomusique

*Ngabo is backed up by a bass player, but I unfortunately could not find his name.

At Sea "Low Light" Video

2010-11-11T06:00:00.008-05:00

This past Tuesday, I attended the Silver Sound Music Video Film Festival, at Brooklyn Bowl. While I was excited to see a ton of great bands and see some awesome local videos, I was really only there for one reason. To support my favourite local band, At Sea. They were premiering their latest video, Low Light, directed by Kevin F. Tully.

I love the concept of the video, and the art direction is amazing. Not to mention, the lead singer looks like Crispin Glover circa Back to the Future. So here it is, At Sea's Low Light.

"Low Light" from At Sea on Vimeo.

Homemade English Muffins

2010-11-10T06:00:00.000-05:00

English muffins have been a regular part of my eating habits since I was in university. Usually they are served up with two egg yolks on them, but with my love of carbohydrates, you never know when I might pop one of those savory doughy muffins slathered in butter in my mouth. Then I saw this, and thought, what a wonderful idea. I could make my own.

I decided to go with this recipe by Alton Brown, it supposedly makes the best English muffins around, just full of nooks and crannies. I had to modify it a bit, I don't exactly have a griddle, but I made it work. The recipe was super simple, and I can't wait to use them for eggs benedict!

Style Inspiration: Gilda

2010-11-09T08:10:00.000-05:00

With Mad Men being over until next year, I have been spending a lot more time watching classic films trying to get my vintage clothing fix. And with it being so rainy and cloudy outside, Gilda was the perfect film for my case of the Mondays. Starring the impeccable Rita Hayworth as our title character, Gilda is all about the manipulation, and glamor that epitomizes film noir.

Her costumes are full of glamorous pieces from the 1940s. Sequined boleros, floor length slinky gowns, heavy fur coats, and layers of costume jewelry. And nothing would be complete without Hayworth's signature red locks, and flawless makeup. After all, they don't call them sex symbols for nothing!

ecolemanpr.wordpress.co

teresamerica.blogspot.com

vintagevenus.blogspot.com

Hipster Hideaway: New Paltz, NY

2010-11-08T06:00:00.000-05:00

This weekend I got quite the treat. My boyfriend booked a spontaneous overnight to a B&B in New Paltz, NY. Always needing a break from the city life, I was super excited for a quick getaway.

Located two hours outside of NYC, New Paltz is a great little college town surrounded by tons of great nature. Unfortunately, we didn't get an opportunity to go hiking (just not enough hours in the day), but we did get to spend time in this quaint town soaking up all that we could. We had a great time seeing beautiful fall foliage, tasting NY wines, eating awesome local foods, doing some shopping, and exploring Huguenot Street.

Highland Manor B&B- Amazing grounds, great food, and super hospitable!

We couldn't help but stop for these homemade pretzel rolls and mustard. We ended up picking up a jar of the cranberry mustard, I can't wait to use it on everything!

The BF and I on historic Huguenot Street. Love those fall colours!

I totally fell in love with upstate New York and I can't wait to get back!

Hipster Must-See: Monsters

2010-11-05T15:01:00.001-04:00

I love horror movies, but lately, I've been really feeling Sci-Fi movies. I've always had a thing for ridiculous monsters, and with recent releases such as Cloverfield, and The Mist, I'm glad to see a resurgence for big bugs and monsters. So when I saw a previous for the low-budget, independent film, Monsters, I couldn't wait to check it out in theaters.

Written and directed by Gareth Edwards, this sci-fi vehicle was supposedly shot on an ultra-low budget. Gareth also did the cinematography and visual effects, which was one of the many ways he saved money, I'm sure. The most surprising thing about this movie is that although it was made for next to nothing, it looks like it cost millions to make.

The premise is that a probe carrying alien life forms has crashed in New Mexico and six years afterwards, we have adapted to having an infected zone that takes up most of Mexico. After an attack in Costa Rica, a journalist must get his publisher's daughter through the infected zone and home safely.

It is a film that sounds as though it is bound to be crazy and action packed, but in truth, it was more about the relationship of these two people. Not at all what I expected, but to be honest, I kind of loved it. The visual effects weren't great, but the world that Gareth Edwards created was completely believable, which could be due to the fact that he used real people as his extras and often shot on location to save money.

As a supporter of independent film, and anything remotely weird, scary, etc., Monsters is a definite must-see.

Check out more info here:

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1470827/

And here's the trailer:

http://www.imdb.com/video/imdb/vi1938032921/

Fall Fashion Wishlist

2010-11-04T09:00:00.000-04:00

I haven't been seriously shopping in years. The last pair of jeans I bought were purchased in my second year of university, and aside from the t-shirts I recently bought at Urban Outfitters, all the other ones are starting to come apart. Part of the problem is that I just can't force myself to enjoy shopping outside of chic boutiques and vintage stores, and the other part of the problem is that, as a freelancer (it feels pretty cool to say that) money isn't always coming in regularly, so I'm not one to go spend a bunch on clothing. I'm craving loads of rich, saturated colours like mustard, royal purple, and magenta. And I yearn for luscious fabrics like velvet, lace, and tweed. So, here are a few of my fall must-haves:

Anthropologie Dancing Blooms Cardi $128
ModCloth Charming Correspondence Skirt $63
Banana Republic Silk Belted Ruffle Shell $79.50
Chloe Kerala Slouch Tote via Bluefly.com $980
John Fluevog Dig Boots $379
Angelina Burgundy Opaque Tights via Amazon.com $9

Fall Reading List

2010-11-03T09:00:00.000-04:00

Photo Courtesy of ArtsJournal.com

I love absolutely nothing more than sitting in the cool fall sun with a nice cup of coffee and a good book. I yearn for days off so I can make that happen, and now that it is officially November, it's time to say goodbye to the indian summer we've had in New York and say hello to fall. Here are a few of the books I'd like to read this fall:

Savage Beauty: The Life of Edna St. Vincent Millay by Nancy Milford- As I've mentioned in previous posts, this book has me feeling super nostalgic for New York in the early 20th century, and it's been an excellent introduction to poetry.
Loving Frank by Nancy Horan- I've been dying to read this book for ages, and coming from the home of an architect, it's no wonder why.
Tropic of Cancer by Henry Miller- This is November's book for one of the book clubs I keep y eye on through meetup.com, and it's on every Random House list I've looked at. A definite must read.
Let's Bring Back: An Encyclopedia of Forgotten-Yet-Delightful, Chic, Useful, Curious and Otherwise Commendable Things From Time Gone By by Lesley M.M. Blume- I wouldn't be so interested in picking up a newly released book (too much hype involved), but this one is worth an exception.

I only have four more books to go before I reach my goal for the year. Hopefully I can get a few of these books finished before I head to New Orleans for Christmas!

Style Icon: Juliette Lewis

2010-11-02T09:00:00.000-04:00

I have loved Juliette Lewis for years. I think my first introduction to her was in From Dusk Til Dawn, and with Natural Born Killers being one of my favourite movies, she has stayed on my radar for years. But it wasn't until a few years ago, when Juliette transitioned into music that I really started taking notice of her style. She has often been my hair icon, with her messy waves, big bangs, and grown out brunette colour. I remember spending hours watching her videos on YouTube, and being totally enamored of her Indian headdresses, leather pants, bodysuits, sequins, and glam rock makeup. I was completely inspired, and to this day, whenever I have an excuse to get dressed up, I want to throw one or all of these elements into a crazy outfit.

Feeling Victorian

2010-11-01T09:00:00.000-04:00

I've always had a soft spot for the Victorian Era. I used to be obsessed with the clothing, lifestyles, even cooking utensils of the early 20th century, and lately, that nostalgia has been at peak levels. Maybe it has something to do with my current reading, but I've been daydreaming about early 20th century New York and ways to stay warm in the winter without central heating. I long for adorning myself in fur capes and muffs, large decorative hats, delicate silk and chiffon frocks, and boots that take an hour to lace. And I don't think I'm the only one, I've been lusting after Victorian inspired dresses from Anthropologie, and as always, John Fluevog never disappoints! I will be swooning over all these choices as a scour eBay for early 20th century inspired clothes I can actually afford!

John Fluevog Lourdes Boot $415
John Fluevog Guilia in velvet $289
John Fluevog Lanciano $249
Anthropologie Spectre Dreams Dress $248
Anthropologie Time Gone By Dress $128
Anthropologie Laced With Grace Dress $168

My Favourite Things In October

2010-10-29T15:11:00.000-04:00

With October coming to a close, I've looked back on the month with a smile. I've hit a few bumps in the road (getting laid off from my job), but have come back with a vengeance. So here are a few of my favourite things I've enjoyed this past month:

Ronnybrook Farm Pumpkin Ice Cream
Visits to The Brooklyn Kitchen, which is conveniently down the street from my house
The Higgins's Sarsaparilla cocktail from The Richardson in Williamsburg
Trying both the dinner and brunch menus at Traif in Williamsburg
Horror movies all month on AMC
Pumpkin Beers on tap at all my favourite bars
NBA season openers
Making an amazing list of costume ideas and storing it up for costume parties
CMJ Music Marathon 2010
Currently knitting this scarf
Listening to T-Rex while cooking
Reconnecting with friends that I haven't spent enough time with

I can't wait to enjoy these last few days of October and head into November full force! Happy Halloween!

Image via http://mpeabody.blog.uvm.edu/

Style Inspiration: Heathers

2010-10-29T11:52:00.000-04:00

Everyone knows that Heathers in an iconic movie- for many reasons. It is the original mean girls movie- full of manipulation, mockery, and murder. The one-liners are great- "did you eat a brain tumor for breakfast?" and the actresses are perfect. But for me, it's all about the clothes, when I recently watched it, that was the only thing I could focus on.* The fashion is completely and utterly over-the-top and I absolutely love it. The Heathers all have their selected colour that they wear in monochrome, all the way down to their croquet mallets. The 80s shoulder pads, the matchy-matchy color combinations, and the coloured tights underneath everything. As it's becoming colder, I'm definitely feeling monochromatic looks with tights to match- I've already invested in purple, teal, gray, and navy pairs to get me through the winter. I'm longing for lots of ruffly skirts, cozy sweater and blazer combos, lapel broaches, and perfect fall flats! Just gimmie some pate and croquet and I'm sold!

* Besides Christian Slater that is, but if he's on the screen, he's pretty much all I can focus on!

Current Playlist: Talk About a Revival

2010-10-26T16:38:00.000-04:00

Lately I've been profoundly unsatisfied with popular music. I keep hearing all this buzz around certain songs and then I go and listen to them, and time and again, I. Don't. Get. It. So, instead, my playlist has been filled will all sorts of oldies, but goodies lately:

"Jolene" by Dolly Parton
"Rave On" by Buddy Holly
"Zombie" by The Cranberries
"A Little Respect" by Erasure
"Beds are Burning" by Midnight Oil
"Opportunities" by Pet Shop Boys
"Second Hand News" by Fleetwood Mac (which is always on my playlist)
"Jeepster" by Marc Bolan & T. Rex
"Black Hole Sun" by Soundgarden
"Pictures of You" by The Cure

Anyone have any other good New Wave or 90's revival suggestions? I've been totally in the zone with it lately!

Hipster Must-Read: Blindness

2010-10-16T20:20:00.001-04:00

I am usually not a fan of fiction, and when I pick up fiction it usually tends to be ridiculous and easy reads books by Chuck Palahniuk and Bret Easton Ellis. But, lately, I've promised a certain someone that I would try to read more fiction, and along with that, I'm trying to pick fiction that has been actually recognized for it's greatness.

So, I picked up a copy of Jose Saramago's Blindness. The premise is pretty simple, an entire community becomes stricken with an epidemic of blindness, save for one very lucky woman who is left with her vision. The story explores the human condition as society falls into ruin and we are exposed to the worst of people when they are left to become helpless.

Saramago strays from the typical literary path in his writing. He has a structure and style unlike any I've seen in a book, and you never even learn the name of the characters.

In 2008, it was made into a film starring Julianne Moore, Mark Ruffalo, and Gael Garcia Bernal. But I definitely recommend reading the book before watching the movie if you can. I felt as though the screen adaptation was rather accurate, but my only problem was that my imagination worked less than it could've and I just ended up picturing the actors in all the roles. I will say, however, that I can't wait to go back and watch the movie again and see how it compares.

Blindness was a quick read and a great foray into the world of fiction for me. I'm glad I choose something that was written by someone who has actually won a Pulitzer. It gives me hope that I can one day get through the stack of classics and other Pulitzer winners that's sitting on my dresser!

Buttermilk Pumpkin Pancakes

2010-10-16T20:09:00.001-04:00

For the first time in my adult life, I was up earlier then anyone else in the house (ie: boyfriend, roommate, and puppy), and I conveniently had all the makings for buttermilk pumpkin pancakes. I took to the internet and found a great recipe by one of my fave food bloggers, The Pioneer Woman. I love trying new recipes, and The Pioneer Woman has some of the best and easiest to follow recipes that I've used.

Now that I'm starting to understand baking a bit better, it takes me no time to whip up simple recipes like pancakes. And they were a hit with the "family," even the dog loved them (and she's the most picky eater in the group)! I used a little bit of left over cinnamon butter on them, and they were sweet enough to not even need syrup. Paired with some coffee, they were the perfect Saturday morning breakfast recipe!* A great way to say hello to the fall!

Canned pumpkin is one of my must-haves for my fall pantry!

Voila! The perfect fall breakfast!

*I'd love to find a vegan way to do these pancakes, so if you have any suggestions, please send them my way!

Glazed Doughnuts

2010-10-12T13:36:00.000-04:00

Being unemployed gives me far too much time to myself. And as much as I would love to sit and watch awful tv all day while job hunting, I would just feel so unproductive. So instead, I've taken to baking again.

Yesterday, I took the afternoon and (with the help of my roommate) whipped up some homemade glazed doughnuts. Using this recipe, it took me far longer than I would have thought. I haven't worked with bread doughs too much, so I'm always a little unsure when it comes to letting something rise and just how long that takes. The glaze was a super easy recipe from Alton Brown, and I loved it because you could add any flavouring you want to make it a flavoured glaze.

The finished product was a great fresh doughnut, with a super sweet glaze. I can't wait to take this recipe and experiment with different flavours and toppings!

Hipster Must-See: A Must-Watch List of Ridiculous Movies

2010-10-11T18:07:00.000-04:00

I once dated this lovely boy. He was nice, fun, had a great job, and then, one night, we were at the bar and Tommy was on. And he had no idea what it was, not just that he had never seen it, he didn't know that it existed. Well, I let that one slide, but when I later found out that he had never seen The Labyrinth, I decided that it was unacceptable, and we broke up.*

So in honour of that, I've decided to list my "Top 10 Must-Watch" list of movies. Most of these are absolutely ridiculous, but they are fun, memorable, and I quote them all the time.

10..Tommy- I love this rock-opera. I've blogged about it before. I'm obsessed with Ann-Margaret, Roger Daltrey's hair, and, of course, the soundtrack.

9. Purple Rain. Prince has his own movie, I love Prince, therefore, his movie must make the list.

8. The Legend of Billie Jean. My parents kept trying to convince me to watch this movie, but being their child, I kept resisting. When I finally watched it I understood the awesomeness, and bonus points, it also stars a young Christian Slater.

7. The Labyrinth. This is another one of my favourite movies held over from childhood. Jim Henson is so over the top and ridiculous, and besides, Bowie is just so sexy in it.

6..Rocky Horror Picture Show. I went through a period of time in high-school where me and my girl friends watched this movie on repeat. I've seen it in theaters, danced on stage to the time warp, and will only ever see Tim Curry as Dr. Frankenfurter (aside from his role in Fern Gully, but that's another story).

5. Willow. Another one of my favourite topics. It's fantasy, horrible CGI, and Val Kilmer. How could it not make the list?

4. Pump Up the Volume. You can put a young Christian Slater in any movie and I'll probably watch it. Put him in a movie as a sexy-rebellious high schooler and I'm sold. Also, the soundtrack to this movie is amazing.

3. The Goonies. I grew up watching this movie on USA/TBS/ABC/etc. every weekend when I was a kid. When I went to school in Canada, I met a slew of people that had never even seen it. That simply won't do, if you haven't seen The Goonies, I'll probably pretend you don't exist.

2. The Warriors. Walter Hill's gang epic is being remade in 2011. I'm excited enough to see it, but it won't compare to the original.

1. Streets of Fire. This movie rounds out the list of must-see ridiculous movies. It stars Diane Lane and Willem Defoe when they were sprightly young things. And it's sort of a musical. Bonus!

*We didn't break up because he hadn't seen those movies, I'm just being dramatic.

Delicious Dinner

2010-10-10T12:39:00.000-04:00

Last week, I got laid off. So, while I'm busy finding a new job, I've been working at cutting back in certain extravagant areas of my life, and the main culprit of that is eating out.

So Friday night, the boyfriend and I decided that we would spend the night in and whip up a great meal that would provide us with leftovers for days. We decided to make a roasted pork tenderloin and tons of vegetables, but in true foodie style, JB couldn't seem to decide on just what we were going to have, so we also made a stuffed brook trout and some oysters for an appetizer.

JB prepping the tenderloin

And, as always, my job was to take care of the dessert. I turned to my new favourite recipe book, French Women for All Seasons, and whipped up some pears and chocolate mousse. It was surprisingly one of the easiest desserts I've made, and I still have tons of mousse leftover. Yum!

Buttermilk Pancakes and Sweet Cinnamon Butter

2010-10-06T12:11:00.000-04:00

A while ago, my roommate and I tried some amazing sweet cinnamon butter from Ronnybrook farms at our local market, and we haven't stopped thinking and talking about it ever since.

But, in true DIY fashion, I decided to try to make butter myself. Surprisingly, it was super simple. I simply took some heavy cream, a mason jar, and a marble, put it all together and shook it like crazy. About 20 minutes later, I had butter! Who knew it was so easy?!

But one of the best parts of doing this was that I had leftover buttermilk to use for pancakes. Now, I didn't have a ton of buttermilk, so my pancake yield was small, but they made delicious fluffy pancakes that went amazing with the sweet cinnamon butter.

It'll be difficult to ever go back to regular butter now! I think my next project will be roasted garlic butter.

Style Inspiration: The Exorcist

2010-10-01T13:54:00.000-04:00

I think that when someone mentions The Exorcist, fashion is probably the last thing that comes to mind. But last night I had the opportunity to watch The Exorcist on the big screen for the first time and my entire view of it changed. Usually I cover my eyes throughout most of the movie, it is the only film that has ever been able to absolutely terrify me. But this time, as I sat in a dark theater clutching JB's hand, there were certain times I had to keep my eyes uncovered...for the clothes. At least Ellen Burstyn's clothes.

The 70s were kind of a mess. I don't always find the wild prints and polyester to be flattering or attractive in the least bit, and home decor? Forget it, but something about the way Burstyn managed to pull together the iconic 70s style really got me. Playing the mother of a possessed girl would leave anyone a total wreck, but Burstyn manages to look effortlessly chic the entire time, even when she looks as though she is about to come apart at the seams. Heavy wool peacoats, chic button up dresses, scarves, oversized sunglasses, wide leg trousers, and heavy platforms are pure perfection for the fall months in DC.

I know that this fall I'll be on the lookout to steal some of the chic style from The Exorcist.*

*Ya know, minus the whole demonic possession thing.

My September in Food

2010-09-30T12:08:00.000-04:00

I have become quite the foodie as of late. Between our trip to Fire Island, and the weather turning colder, I have been spending a lot more time indoors cooking and baking. I thought I'd share some of the pictures of the various foods I've eaten/prepared/bought over the past month (and yes, I'm becoming one of those people that takes pictures of their food).

I'm obsessed with my new garlic chopper, and I find an excuse to use it every Saturday by buying a loaf of fresh Italian bread from the Greenpoint market.

A bowl of fresh produce from the Greenmarket, so amazing!

Roast chicken with fingerling potatoes, shallots, garlic and leeks.

Late night snack- bruschetta made from Roma tomatoes, sage, thyme, garlic and french Gruyere style cheese.

I can't wait to see what delicious food October will bring!

Hipster Must-Read: Bohemian Manifesto

2010-09-26T09:04:00.000-04:00

Hipsters are the new bohemians. And as a self-proclaimed hipster (not to be confused with a trustafarian), and an avid (maybe obsessive) reader, I couldn't help but pick up a copy of Laren Stover's Bohemian Manifesto. And I definitely see the connection. Stover explores Bohemian lifestyle and culture from past French bohemian's through present hipster types. Stover discusses everything from wardrobe, to food, to the language of love through five different types of bohemians; the Nouveau Bohemian, the Gypsy Bohemian, the Dandy Bohemian, the Zen Bohemian, and the Beat Bohemian. She lists must-read books for bohemians, cookbooks that explore the bohemian lifestyle (I am dying to get my hands on this), must-see bohemian films, and even a recipe for absinthe.

I've discovered that I am a mix between the Nouveau Bohemian and the Zen Bohemian, if that's at all possible. My love of food and finer things makes me a little bit Nouveau, but my love of the earth, growing my own food, and being a bit of a hippy definitely files me under the Zen Bohemian. But let's face it, with my love of getting manicures, watching crappy SyFy movies, and reading a book on being bohemian, definitely makes me much less of an actual bohemian.

Yes, the book is a little bit ridiculous, but it's fun. And besides, there is something so ridiculous/romantic about the bohemian lifestyle that you can't help but want to be a part of it. Or maybe that's just me...