Thanks to a shipment of incredibly delicious Le'Saric gourmet caramels, we're starting Halloween a little early over in the BUST office. We've been snacking on smokey chipotle, lavender vanilla, butter pecan, and old fashioned caramel all day long. There are a lot of other flavors for sale over at the Le'Saric website -- cranberry, white chocolate, macadamia nut, and espresso are just a few examples. Check it out and get your sweet tooth ... Read More

  Need some last-minute Halloweenie inspiration? Tara, at Nothing Elegant, has as awesome roundup of some fabulous ladies from history, along with a costume breakdown featuring things you probably already have in your closet and the few things you'll need to get. First up, Marie Curie. Pop on over for the rest. Who: Marie Curie, First Lady of science, physicist, chemist, and creator of the theory of radioactivity. Why: Because you ... Read More

Okay so I have to tell you about a wonderful friend of mine, Reena Shah . I am always so inspired by this powerful artist with a knockout smile and spirit. I don't know if Reena knows this, but she is breaking boundaries. Minority actresses the world over have a hard time being embraced by the Anglo-obsessed film and entertainment industry, but Reena has managed to be a successful actress/singer/dancer all while embracing her ... Read More

My main squeeze, photographer Michael Lavine, has a new photography book out titled Grunge. The foreward is written by Thurston Moore, and the book contains stunning photos of street kids in Seattle in the late 80's, as well as lots of seminal bands from the early 90's. It's pretty cool, and I'm super proud of him. Check out our review and a few images. Grunge By Michael Lavine and Thurston Moore (Abrams Image) The aesthetic of the ... Read More

We've been digging the new album Arrow from Clare and the Reasons here in the office so when I found out they were playing at the Music Hall of Williamsburg last night, I dragged my dreamy-chamber-pop-loving ass out in the rain to see them. Let me tell you, it was worth the wet socks.    Clare's delicate voice is crazy gorgeous and hearing it live just drives that point home. And as if her sweet and soaring singing wasn't ... Read More

In a time where the economy is in the dump and horrendous news stories keep popping up (15 year old gang rape outside school?!), there is a woman who is perking people up with her never-ending determination. Lan Yin Tsai, 84, bikes 150 miles (in a straight shot) for multiple sclerosis research every year. Donning a dress and high heels, which is her normal biking outfit, Tsai is a staple at the annual City to Shore ride in New Jersey ... Read More

So many people are posting awesome costume ideas on our 'Halloween Hot or Not' blog !!! If you're still stuck in a costume rut, here are some highlights to get your creative juices flowin': Murphy Brown: our commenter, niki, said it best. 'all you need, of course, are shoulder pads'. Amelia Earhart: if the bomber jacket and goggles aren't enough, naomi suggests crafting yourself a tiny plane (anybody got a cardboard box and some ... Read More

Oh goodness, you'll either find this calendar chuckle-worthy and silly or find its use of female sexuality to show another side of the Mormon faith loathsome. From the creators of the Men on a Mission calendar, which features attractive-ish, shirtless Mormon missionaries who have served on full-time missions for their church, comes a calendar with 'twelve beautiful Mormon mothers posing in kitschy vintage pin-up style.' If that wasn't ... Read More

Oh, great -- another women's magazine that's afraid of periods! In this month's issue, Redbook reviewed Flow by Elissa Stein and Susan Kim, a book about the cultural history of menstruation. It sounds like a pretty interesting read -- and certainly shows great appreciation for the process so often referred to as 'the curse' by woman-hating tampon advertisers. But now Redbook, a magazine supposedly for women, seems to have joined the He-Man ... Read More

It's definition icky in New York today: rainy, cold, windy, chilly, gray. Not a great day for baseball, but a perfect day to snuggle indoors with a cup of tea and some melancholy music from Berkley girls, Glass Cake. These poetic ladies' simple acoustic act is sweet, shy and sappy, with just a bit of Kimya Dawson jangle. Plus their tandem vocals and harmonies make you want to break out of your little gray cloud and sing along. Check out ... Read More