#34 - 2012 February

By Sarah L. Myers
Editor-in-Chief
New York, USA

It's my favorite New York City bar, my favorite New York Dolls song, and now it's my favorite way to get trashed.

Erin O. and Sarah

It’s any excuse for a party for my group of friends (“Trivia!” “Zombie Prom!” “Coney Island!”), but we really go all out for the birthdays. I tend to stretch mine for the entire month, and this year was no exception! We held the first of two parties on Friday the 13th as the girls got together for dinner at the amazing Friend of a Farmer near Union Square. The décor is “New York Does High-End Cracker Barrel” with chicken wire, rooster wallpaper, and rustic touches throughout the two-story restaurant. The place fills up fast, so I’d recommend reservations if you’re dying to try the famous fried chicken and Cherry Soda cocktails. If you’re lucky, you’ll have my friend Marco from The Killing Floor as your friendly bartender. I don’t know what he does back there, but my drinks are always better when Marco makes them! It was supposed to be an early night to save energy for the next night’s blowout, but alas, we ended up right back at 200 Orchard and The Skinny. Speaking of bartenders, I can’t go out without hearing, “Is Jimmy working?” at least once. A big thank you to our friends at The Skinny! Before we knew it, the big party had arrived. We took over Revision for a night of dancing and cocktails with Killing Floor drummer Chris Bunatta behind the wheel (Revision’s DJ booth is a repurposed car)! We took two huge coffins in the front (again, repurposed!) and held it down until the lights came on near 4am. We barely made it to the Irish pub down the street before closing, and it was cool to finish our beers as the rest of the city was being kicked out to sleep. My NYC birthday had come to its conclusion, but I still had another party ahead of me…

Sammy, Sarah and Erin

What goes better with Trash than Vegas?! It was planes, trains, and automobiles as I set out on the 18th for the City of Sin. There was no way I was heading there alone, so I stopped in Chicago to pick up my newlywed best friend Erin. Our other best friend from Chicago, Sammy, was meeting us out in Vegas. Having two of my girls with me, especially those I’d met during my Chicago years and consider the loves of my life, made my birthday even more special this year. Erin and I survived the turbulent trek out West by downing multiple Southwest Bloody Marys and finally made it to the hotel before midnight. My only experience with Vegas had come from “Showgirls”, so I was beyond excited to see those florescent lights and extravagant billboards. I was completely disoriented. It’s true what they say about Vegas - you can’t take more than a few days. Within 24 hours, my eyes were bloodshot and cigarette smoke permeated everything I owned. I ran straight for the slots. Not knowing how to play them, I was swayed by the flashiest and prettiest (Kitty Glitter at Imperial Palace!) and ended up winning five dollars without trying. The place is a trip, with a coating of artificiality on everything. The lights, the air, the fashion - all of it seems to come from somewhere else, like an imitation of what could be outside…if you ever make it there. We did, but barely. After an hour at Caeser’s Palace, we experienced “Vegas claustrophobia”, which is even worse when you’re hung over and desperately need fresh air. The nights were epic, and I was completely thrown by being able to drink while picking up mixers at CVS! In the end, we made it out not too worse for wear, though the jet lag has yet to wear off as I write this nearly a week later. It was one hell of a birthday. Thank you to all of my friends for making it one for the books!

There’s so much coming up this spring! Trash is basically going on tour as I’m making stops in Washington DC, Baltimore and Boston in the next few weeks. Stay tuned for some VERY exclusive moments with The Kills and John Waters, and maybe some scenes from a walking tour for “The Wire”! And once this mild winter checks out, I’m off for my UK adventure. Let’s see where rock n’ roll takes me next!

Until next time...

Links:

The Whip