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Showing posts from March, 2005

Lock and Loll Forever

Hideaki Sekiguchi, a.k.a. Billy, of Guitar Wolf died this morning .

Sin City Movie Review Quiz

Outside of the Senator, last night, after a preview of Sin City Jess(our resident Bathroom Supervisor), Maggie and I said our comments about the movie: Woman 1: Frank Miller is so sexist. Woman 2: That movie kicked much ass. Woman 3: Mickey Rourke is the new Ron Perlman. And that means HOT! Can you guess who said what? Enter your answers in the comments. The first person to submit the correct answer wins the hardcover version of the Sin City graphic novel - A Dame to Kill For . ::UPDATE:: Quiz is OVAH! Kevin wins with his correct answer of: Maggie (sexist), Jess(ass), Rachel (Perlman) Congrats Kevin!

Atomic Personals

Have you tried our Want List feature yet? It requires a separate registration (even if you've registered for the shopping cart before you need to register for this again). Some people have turned it into a personal . Buying a gal a drink is so passe. Buy her a book!

I Saw A Giant Bunny Today

We're closing at 3pm tomorrow, Sunday the 27th. We're hoping that someone will bring us some ham.

Phoebe Gloeckner

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Phoebe Gloeckner was very excited to be here in Baltimore. And we were very excited to have her here for one very quick hour in the store. Even Baby Doll met her. We have some signed copies of her books left in the store so order online quick!

Friday Review

This week, Rachel read That Darn Yarn by Tony Millionaire: "Another total mind fuck! But for kids." Lauren read The Big Bento Box of Unuseless Japanese Inventions by Kenji Kawakami: "This book is amazing in both concept and visuals. Kawakami is a promoter of something known as Chindogo which is the art of an invention that is impractical but possible. The idea is to create something that people could use but would never actually go to the trouble of making. The book is considered humor and while the inventions are funny I saw it more as art that's inspired and interesting. Some notable inventions: A business tool belt which resembles a conventional one but is filled with things like a phone, calculator and bank slips, portable armrests that you wear over your shoulders, and my favorite, a turf covered toilet seat to bring the great outdoors to your bathroom."

Muppet Love

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Ok, so we were allocated and only ONE Smile Time Angel Plushie came in this week. They say more will come in the following weeks...but for now, it can no longer be ordered online. Sorry! It's out of our hands. Benn's just mad that there's no Muppet Spike.

SXSW Highlights

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Maggie's back from SXSW and she's got some photos . I hear that she was very well behaved.

It's A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood

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Nothing says Hampden like walking up to your place of business and seeing sun dried puke on your steps.

I Don't Remember Being Born

Phoebe Gloeckner is in town this week at Johns Hopkins University, for a free slide talk this Thursday, March 24th, Room 101 at the F. Ross Jones building, Mattin Center, 3300 N. Charles St. 5:30pm. And she'll be here signing books this Friday, the 25th, from 5-6. She also has a blog !

Um...yeah

Yahoo has acquired Flickr , my favorite thing on the web since...the thing before... Hmmm. I like this part: You shall be recognized for your discerning taste in web sites!! I bet you also liked the Flaming Lips before they appeared on Beverly Hills 90210, and for that we salute you. Pro account holders will get super mega bonuses, to be announced soon. But hmmm. Blogger didn't really change much when bought by Google (it didn't really get better either). And LJ hasn't changed at all since being taken over by Moveable Type. Whatever. I guess you guys won't mind when Starbucks takes over the Ave. Oh, didn't you hear? We're selling out asap! I kid. I'm a kidder.

A Book Proposal

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A local comic artist created a book and planted it in the store this morning to propose to his girlfriend. Watch it unfold !

Friday Review - I'll Take You To My Dreamland

This week, Rachel finished Kafka on the Shore by Haruki Murakami: "Ok, when I first started this book I was annoyed to see that one of the main characters was a 15 year old boy. I was not in the mood for any coming-of-age crap. But then there were UFOs in Japan in the 1940s. And then, talking cats. I was completely sucked in. Still, there were some problems, some awkwardness that I think I blame on the translator. There was just something about the language, the dialogue, that wasn't the same as in my favorite Murakami books. Also, when I began the book, I was playing a lot of Katamari Damacy...and I think it all kind of got mushed together - this whole surreal Japanese crazy world metaphor total mind fuck." Benn read It's A Bird... by Steven T. Seagle/Teddy Kristiansen: "I've never really liked Superman. He's just too powerful of a character, and while some argue he's a symbol of the American Dream (the ultimate immigrant story), I argue he's de

We're Saved!!

Yay!! "The Wire" has been renewed ! And wha...Joss Whedon is doing Wonder Woman? The movie??

Another Day, Another Fire

Downtown Baltimore's on fire again! Looks like some mishap at the ESPN Zone.

Hampden Idol

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Meet the new Hampden Idol, Angela Colter (photo by Kevin Hoffman), the winner of our Karaoke Revolution Tournament at this past week's Midnight Madness festivities. (The liberty bell is the trophy. Get it? Revolution?? Liberty Bell???) AB:How do you feel about being the first Hampden Idol? AC:At times like these, you just go numb. I just hope it lasts, and I can use the chance I've been given to make some change in the world. To become a Role Model. For Hampden. AB:Did you work hard to get to where you are today? AC:I got up around 5:30, showered, dressed, ate my cereal, and drove about an hour to my job in Silver Spring. Most weekdays that's what it takes to get me here. AB:Who's your biggest vocal influence? AC:The man upstairs. Which would have been either Benn Ray or some homeless guy buying porn. AB:Do you have any advice for future contestants? AC:It's not so much about style and performance as it is about rhythm, pitch, and picking the right avatar. I'd s

Stacked

When I think of books, I often think of Pamela Anderson . Don't you? Oh yeah, that's what makes it a comedy !

Friday Review

This week Benn read Diary Of A Mosquito Abatement Man by John Porcellino: "This book collects the autobiographical stories dealing with Porcellino's career as a mosquito terminator that originally appeared in his long-running King-Cat Comics . Here is autobiographical comicking at its best, showing the progression from raw enthusiasm in killing mosquito larvae to, years later, the karmic (and physical) toll a career in killing (even parasitic bugs) can take on a person. Although a little on the light side (in terms of reading time), it's fun stepping inside Porcellino's world and experiencing his misadventures while not having to deal with the bee stings and mosquito bites." Lauren read Practice Apartment by A.J. Michel: "A comp of selections from her zines Laundry Basket, 12 Items or Less and Potluck. It's filled with great stories like panties that disappear from a college laundry room, Whole Foods and the fact the quality foods are often only availab

I Can Feel The Cosmos

Maggie has played the Katamari Damacy soundtrack in the store three times consecutively today. It's about to end...will she play it again?

Ariel Gore This Saturday

Ariel Gore will be here this Saturday (7-9pm) reading from the Essential Hipmama, with fellow hip mamas, China Martens, Annaliese Jakamides, and Miriam Sagan. Tomorrow at Noon, on WYPR 's The Signal (88.1 FM), there'll be an interview with local writer, China Martens. Encore presentation at 7pm.

Reader Mail

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Sometimes, customers send us photos of themselves. This customer is from Australia.

Zinester Made Good Gone Bad

Jeff Koyen resigned as editor of the NY Press today. He gave this statement to Gawker: Publisher Chris Rohland is a spineless alt-weekly weenie. I can't blame him, really. He has a wife and kids, and a nice home in New Jersey. He wants nothing more than to punch the clock and get his paychecks. Owner David Unger, who is the paper's ultimate owner, is similarly spineless. They want New York Press to be "advertiser-friendly"; they "don't want controversy." That's their choice. But I don't need to be party to such weenieness. And I won't be sent to my room without dessert. Hence, I resigned this morning. This was the last straw . Aw, reminds of the old days of Crank . Good luck to you, Jeff!

More Ex Libris Anonymous

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You can now buy the ones that are silkscreened. But which color you get is still a crapshoot because they're handmade.

Winter Is So Over

We're coming out of our hibernation here in Baltimore and have events coming up, in the amount of what is known in the vernacular as a "shitload". Mark your calendars! Next Friday is also Midnight Madness on the Avenue. Several shops and services will be open until midnight. Late night yoga workshops? Pirate salsas? Canadian shoes? Come on, skip the Battlestar Galactica for one Friday night! It's not like it's Mansquito . Which, of course, you must TiVo (god, that rhymes, sorry.). We're going to be playing Karaoke Revolution (Volumes 1-3) in our lounge. Who will be the first Hampden Idol???

Friday Review - Earth Is Full of Things

This week, Lauren read 50 Things You're Not Supposed to Know #1 and #2 by Russ Kick: "These small books contain 50 facts of things that are hidden from the public. From the US government lying about terrorists' convictions to fetuses masturbating, some facts are funny, some shocking but all of them are interesting. If you are into trivia this is the book for you. Very similar to the magazine Mental Floss but more political. Highly recommended." Benn read Verse Chorus Verse #1 : "The other day I was bickering with J Bowers over music magazines. She's in love with the British and thinks they dominate the US in the area of music magazines. And while I would never trade a Chunklet for 2 Mojos, she does have a point when it comes to big mainstream music mags: Q and Mojo are better than RollingStone and Spin, but who cares? You still think MTV is relevant or something? There are American music zines so much more worth reading like the new zine Verse Chorus Vers

A Request From A Bookseller

Please, book people...no more white matte book jackets!

Hey Dubin!

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Look what we have for you! You still like The Monkees , don't ya??