Pinko Magazine Hedonism + Activism

A few quick hits from a day on the town yesterday:

** I had a fantastic massage yesterday at Body Central by Union Square. Everyone should go there and ask for Stephen; he’s amazing and I wish I could take him with me everywhere I go just to massage my neck and my ass gluteus maxiumus, though I suppose that would be awkward on dates and at restaurants.

** The nicest thing about the massage is they didn’t play any new age must-relax-now bullshit music. No didgeredoos. No penny whistles. The whole place piped through jazz standards: Ella Fitzgerald; Louis Armstrong. Billie Holiday. It was lovely. The worst thing about the massage was that every few songs they would throw in a track from “It Had to Be You,” Rod Stewart’s awful — and completely unnecessary — standards album. Each time I thought, “What the fuck? Is that Rod Stewart? Why?” And each time it roused me from my calm state of repose. Rod Stewart is not good.

** Lastly, and I realize this post is entirely New York focused (similar dispatches from other cities welcome if you want to write for us) but fuck Magnolia Bakery. Total bullshit. Around the corner is S’Nice, and they have the best cupcakes ever. My friend Aarati is tasting them in her mouth again right now, and although she is at a loss for any word other than “moist,” she is able to declare that they had the best buttercream frosting ever. (Even though they’re vegan. What?) Mmmm.

About The Author - Ben Wyskida is a writer, activist, conscientious hedonist and political communications strategist living in Brooklyn. - Visit Ben's site.