Ginny Tonic's Open Salon Blog

From Grunge to Go-Go

Mon, 21 May 2012 12:05:00 -0400

It may come as a surprise that despite my love of elaborate and revealing costumes, I am actually not very well versed in the womanly arts. If you had met me at aged 16 you would never have believed that the girl in the combat pants and baggy band shirt would one day be the Ginny Tonic you see before you know. Hell if you run into me at the grocery store you probably would have the same level of shock. On the other hand however, if you had met me at aged six I think you would not be at all surprised to see that I have grown into a woman who spends an inordinate amount of time in fringe hot pants.

That's me in the middle. Every picture of my childhood involves me posing like this.

As a little girl I LOVED playing dress up, demanded party dresses for my everyday wear, and worshiped the movie princesses who wore beautiful gowns and married the prince. One of my earliest and happiest memories was being the flower girl in a friend’s wedding when I was three. I wore the most beautiful dress in the world and got to walk down the aisle with everyone watching me. The poor ring bearer was about eight and was less than thrilled when I decided that he was my date for the night. I asked him to dance with me repeatedly at the reception and his mom thought it was so cute she kept making him do it. I can still remember the feeling of that night; I was sure of myself and of my charm in way that I don’t think I’ve approached since.

Believe it or not, this was from my cool year in high school.

Of course as it usually does, age and maturity came along and ruined all the fun. By the time I was in junior high I had retreated in the opposite direction. Like a lot of quiet, bookish girls I decided that since there was no way that I would be able to achieve popular-girl status I would preemptively reject conventional standards of beauty and social status. High school got better each year and by the time I was a sophomore I discovered that I could hang out with the “skater” kids, wear baggy flannel shirts with no make-up, and still be considered cool. I grew my hair long before cutting it all off, listened to a lot of classic rock and girls with guitars style music, and starting buying all my clothes from the thrift store. The confident little princess of my youth was long gone.

This brand of alternative non-fashion worked well for me throughout most of my twenties. Almost imperceptibly, time passed and gradually I went from purple hair and combat boots to mousey brown and loafers. I settled down, got a job that didn’t involve putting books on selves and steadily gained weight over the next several years after college. During the lowest point of this dark period I was wearing my mom’s hand me downs. But like an alcoholic, sometimes in the world of fashion you have to hit rock bottom before you admit you have a problem. For me that moment was walking in front of a shop window, catching myself in the reflection and realizing that, at 28, I dressed, looked and acted like a 40 year old. My twenties were nearly over and I had wasted them.

So I did what I had to do. I started running and obsessively watched what I ate for a summer. I lost about forty pounds and that resulted in my having to buy a whole new wardrobe. My style was, and still is, more focused on comfort and ease of use than frills and sexiness. But at least I was starting to dress my age, not twenty years above it. Then I was introduced to the world of Steampunk and suddenly I had a legitimate excuse for wearing the kind of outfits that would have made my six-year-old-self swoon. As I explained in a previous post, after so many years of assuming that my body and my personality would not be appealing to people, I was thrilled to start discovering that I might have been wrong on both counts. Once I got into Steampunk everything else just kind of fell into place. One thing led to another and the next thing you know I’m in Go-Go boots or a corset at least one night out of the week.

Clearly I got over my fear of eye-makeup.

This is not to say that the transition as been completely smooth. I frankly hate the process of getting all dressed up. I love the results but when it comes right down to it I am lazy. I have re-embraced my love of dresses and skirts but the truth of it is that these articles of clothing are easier and more comfortable to wear than jeans, in addition to looking much better. One of the biggest problems is that because I spent my formative years adhering to a grunge/hippy aesthetic I am now completely at a loss when it comes to doing hair and make-up. I have had to teach myself what little I know about these subjects but it’s like learning a second language as an adult. I don’t think I will ever be completely fluent. I wouldn’t trade my years of grunge for anything though. If I had gone the path of girly-girl in high school there is a good chance that I would not have become a critical thinker. I am much more confident and grounded because I spent years without giving my appearance a second thought. And confidence, as I learned when I was three and have had to slowly relearn as an adult, is the thing that makes you truly beautiful.

You can read more and listen to my weekly podcast at www.charlietonic.com

America’s Oldest Cocktail: The Sazerac

Fri, 24 Feb 2012 11:02:45 -0500

I love a good, strong cocktail. There is a certain mystique that is associated with mixed drinks that you just can’t get from wine or beer. Mixing a drink makes you part chef, part historian and part alchemist. Like jazz and free public libraries, the cocktail is a home-grown invention that makes me proud to be an American. In honor of the Voodoo Carnival that took place this week in Cincinnati, Charlie and I decided to make a classic New Orleans cocktail for this week’s show. While the Hurricane is the most famous New Orleans cocktail, I was surprised to learn that the Sazerac, possibly the first cocktail ever invented, was created in New Orleans.

Sometime in the 1850’s a merchant in New Orleans began to import a cognac called Sazerac-de-Forge et Fils. Around the same time a local bar began selling the “Sazerac Cocktail.” It was made with the sazerac cognac, bitters provided by a local druggist by the name of Peychaud, and a dash of absinthe. Before this time a “Cock-tail” was a drink made with any combination of whiskey, sugar, water and bitters. The invention of the Sazerac was one of the first times a variation on this drink was given a specific name and a set recipe to follow, which is why it can lay claim to being the first cocktail. Over time domestic rye whiskey replaced the cognac, which is still used today. Absinthe was outlawed for a period of time as well so today any anise flavored liquor is considered acceptable. Today it remains the official cocktail of New Orleans and an important part of New Orleans culture. Mix yourself one up at home and then listen as Charlie and I try one on Episode Eight of The Charlie Tonic Hour.

The Sazerac

2 ounces Rye Whiskey

Splash of Absinthe or Herbsaint

One Suger Cube

3-4 dashes of Peychaud’s Bitters

Fill one old fashioned glass with ice and let chill. In a second glass muddle the sugar cube and the bitters in the bottom of the glass, add the whiskey and stir to combine. Empty the first glass of the ice and add the absinthe. Coat the glass with absinthe and pour out the excess. Pour the rye mixture into this glass and garnish with a lemon.

Thanks to Jesse Newland for the use of his image in this article.

Can a Book that Turns you on Still be Great Literature?

Wed, 1 Feb 2012 12:02:04 -0500

On Episode Five of The Charlie Tonic Hour, Charlie and I gave our review of the best romance novel ever written: Lord of Scoundrels by Loretta Chase. I also explain a little bit about why I have come to not only love the genre but also publicly defend it. It’s not easy for a woman who considers herself intelligent, well read, and progressive to admit that she reads romance novels. Especially when they have historically had covers like one at the top of this page. That right there is the reason ebooks were invented.

So I thought I would take a moment to address some of the criticisms levied at romance novels. But first I want to admit up front that most of the criticisms probably have a large nugget of truth to them. Therefore, my argument is not so much why these critiques are blatantly false but rather, why it is worth sifting through the mountains of quivering bosoms and throbbing members to find the literary gems. So the following are the top three complaints about this much-ridiculed genre. But first: more man titty!

1. Romance Novels are all the same: As I said in the podcast, there is a lot of truth to this one. But I propose that this is not primarily due to laziness on behalf of romance novelists. By definition “genre” fiction has to have certain traits in order for it to fit into said genre. Otherwise its just fiction. Lots of novels are about a couple who meets, falls in love, overcomes obstacles, and lives happily ever after. But the story has to be told in a certain way, with certain features or else it stops being a romance novel and becomes a novel-novel. In this sense it is like ballet or kabuki. There is a set of steps that you have to perform when you do ballet or else it becomes modern dance. So yeah there is a lot of similarity in romance novels and even with the vast number of sub genres and sub-sub genres: historical (from Viking to Victorian), contemporary (from cowboys to cops), paranormal (from Klingon to cthulhu). I would argue that when a writer is able to take these prescribed steps and make something out of them that is real and human and relatable then that makes the writer more talented, not less.

2. Romance novels are poorly written: The prescribed plot points combined with the popularity of romance novels does allow for some very unfortunately written novels to get published. On the other hand, this can be a bonus for the romance reader. After all when a mystery goes bad it is just boring. When a romance goes bad it can be howlingly funny. Check some of the reviews on the wonderful romance blog Smart Bitches Trashy Books to see proof of this. But, and I can’t stress this enough, there are some hugely talented people who write absolutely wonderful romance novels. A well-written romance novel can not only make you care about the characters. It can make you think about society and what it means to be human. It can challenge your beliefs about relationships, redemption, and good versus evil. All that and occasionally you find some crazy hot sex scenes to boot. Frankly I don’t understand why more people don’t read them.

3. Romance novels are porn for women: These are the six set of words guaranteed to drive hordes of angry fans to blast your article all over the internet. And rightfully so. It is a low blow and full of misogynistic distain for the only literary genre created by women for women. There are lots and lots of reason’s why it is a horrible analogy and most of them were made in the book I mentioned on the podcast, Beyond Heaving Bosoms: The Smart Bitches’ Guide to Romance Novels. But the fact is that all of us, men and women, read in part to experience emotions vicariously. We read horror to be scared and mysteries to have crimes solved and justice served. It is only because of the sex negativity of our culture that reading a book that allows you to feel the emotions of love and desire is viewed as intellectually vapid, while a book that allows you to experience the emotions of hate and death is accepted into the literature section without question. Most romance defenders will down play the sex scenes. They will point to the many classic romances without any sex and tell you that it’s all about the relationships. But the sex is there for a reason. I’m not too proud to admit that when I am really into the book and the characters, a mind blowing consummation scene after chapter upon chapter of slowly building tension can leave me needing a little quiet time on my own if you know what I mean. I am sure that I am not the only one. So does the fact that a piece of literature can turn you on automatically mean it’s less worthy than ones that make you laugh or cry or want to punch someone? Why should inspiring this one emotion be singled out as being unworthy of the serious writer when inspiring any of the rest of them is considered the mark of a good author? It is obviously absurd and that is why, even though I reject the romance = porn argument, I won’t be ashamed that my choice in literature occasionally turns me on.

I could go on but I think you all get the idea. So ladies and gentleman, I encourage you to, at the very least, stop rolling your eyes at the romance section. Yes, their covers can be ridiculous, their characters can be insipid, and their prose can be downright purple. But do yourself a favor and pick up a book by Loretta Chase, Marjorie Liu, Laura Kinsale , Kresley Cole or Victoria Dahl before you pass any more judgment. And if I am preaching to the choir and you’re already a full-fledged romance junkie get yourself over to Smart Bitches Trashy Books and join in the fun.

This post was originally written for www.charlietonic.com. Check out their weekly podcast for more guilty pleasures.

Cure for Your Cold

Wed, 25 Jan 2012 11:01:59 -0500

Producing episode four is going to be a bit of a challenge this week because we have a lot of coughs and sniffles to edit out. As you will hear, Charlie and I were fighting a nasty cold during this week’s show. I was the one during the recording who was coughing and hacking but now it’s Charlie’s turn to fight the microbial invaders. As Charlie recovers on the couch I thought I would share with you the recipe for our drink of the week, a hot toddy that is guaranteed to make the most miserable cold feel better.

This recipe works best if someone makes it for you while you are huddled on the couch with a comforter wrapped around you and The Princess Bride playing on the TV.

1/8 of a fresh lemon

1 Tablespoon of honey (plus a squeeze more for luck)

2 ounces of bourbon (plus a splash more for luck)

½ cup boiling water

Squeeze the lemon into your favorite large mug and then put the wedge in as well. Cover with the honey and then add the bourbon and the boiling water. Stir well and sit back and enjoy.

Besides tasting good the medicinal properties of this combination has actually been documented. Lemon is full of vitamin C and acts as a natural antiseptic. Honey has actually been shown in studies to be as effective as cough syrup for suppressing coughs and is known to kill bacteria. And the bourbon? Well the alcohol is also an antiseptic and can relax the throat to ease coughing. Not to mention the fact that this combination just plain tastes good and makes you feel very warm and cozy. So we will rest up, drink lots of liquids and be back and ready for fun and sexiness next week.

The God Machine by Chandra Free

Mon, 16 Jan 2012 08:01:44 -0500

Comic books and anime are relatively new to me but art is not and the art is what drew me to this book immediately. The pictures are well executed and intriguing, ranging from gorgeously rendered art nouveau to playful anime and back again, often within the same page. The pictures alone make it worth the price of purchase.

The God Machine tells the story of teenager Guy Salvatore who is suffering what seems to be a mental break down following the death of his girlfriend, Sith. The story is told both from Guy’s point of view and from the point of view of Good God (Gee-Gee for short) who is portrayed as a one of many gods. She’s a regular working girl, just trying to make in the universe. Both Guy and Good God are looking for answers about Sith’s death and Guy’s slow descant into the dream world/madness and as they both investigate their paths get closer and closer.

The human characters are all deeply goth high schoolers and Chandra Free writes about the goth scene with the loving piss-taking of someone who has been deeply involved in the scene herself. But despite occasionally poking fun at her characters, the story of true love separated by death and the cold materialistic world that just doesn’t understand is very much a goth kid’s dream. Although the story contains nudity, profanity and adult situations this feels like very much a young adult story. As I said, the human characters are all high school students and the gods in the story speak and act very much the same way.

I picked this book up because of the artwork but the story was well written enough to keep me reading. I didn’t realize from the cover that this was only the first volume of the story and I was taken aback when the story abruptly ended just as it looked like we were going to start to figure out what was really going on. I look forward to seeing the plot develop in the next installment but unfortunately I will have to wait until sometime in 2012-2013 for that one to come out.

This review was originally written for www.comicrelated.com