Things That Matter To People Who Matter

Lawrence Welk | Antioxidants | Vaudeville | Wax Trax records

Lawrence Welk

The Oklahoma Network

Until this year, all I knew about The Lawrence Welk Show was that my grandma, and many grandmas, loved it. Then I caught a rerun on PBS one magical Saturday night. Now I wonder what else I didn't know about Nana. It is visually amazing — unbelievable super-saturated color combinations: oranges, pinks, blues and ochres, mixed with bizarre sets that frequently employ chandeliers and stairs to nowhere. And there's a full polyester orchestra. It's a perfect winter evening's backdrop, as long as you keep the volume down.

Antioxidants

Antioxidants are my new favorite thing. Oranges, grapefruit, pomegranate juice, green tea, dark chocolate — I make sure I eat these almost every meal, or in between. I carry bags of tea and a cup with me and I look forward to homemade hot chocolate made with local honey and raw, unpasteurized, unhomogenized whole milk. Cholesterol? Whatever. All I know is this is the first winter I haven't had any seasonal depression. Fingers are crossed on that one, but not before putting some fresh beets into my mouth.

Vaudeville

Chris K. Photography

I'm currently fascinated with the spectacle, mystery and magic of the early 1900s vaudeville scene. From magicians, side shows and acrobats to the saucy ladies of burlesque and cabaret shows, this era continually captures my imagination. I'm entranced with the local revival of vaudeville with offerings from the Peek-A-Boo Revue (pictured), Hellcat Girls Burlesque, and the Olde City Side Show. The era is definitely making a comeback and spicing it up by including roller derby, pin-up girls and tattoo culture.

Wax Trax records

Wax Trax is a now-defunct Chicago-based label that put out records by artists such as Front 242, Coil, Ministry and Meat Beat Manifesto, and later handled the U.S. versions of Warp artists like Autechre, Underworld and AFX. Their brooding, fucked-up proto-techno jams are perfect for headphones at home but also kill on the dancefloor. I love their unmistakable 12-inch sleeve designs, political stance and (in response to how customers weren't able to choose a color for Wax Trax T-shirts) their declaration of "Trust us, we have good taste."