There are people out there who know more about the Marvel and DC Universes than I ever will. People who can name every single Lantern Corps and at least three prominent members of each. People who know that Booster Gold has done more for the multiverse than Batman ever will, and can tell you in excruciating detail why and how.

If you don’t hang out much with the punk crowd, going to some basement shows can feel like stumbling upon a long lost tribe. People in cut up jean shorts and sleeveless t-shirts gather to take part in holy rituals at houses like the Alamo as if they were hollowed temples. Every inch of the walls is covered in the sacred images of DIY band posters, makeshift artwork, and oversized reprints of Ziggy cartoons.

Finding a basement show in New Brunswick takes some couth. It’s like the line in Swingers “You tell a chick you’ve been some place, it’s like bragging that you know how to find it.” The speakeasy romanticism of the whole local scene is its exclusivity, the delightful feeling you’re getting away with something the outside world wouldn’t understand.

The Alfa Art Gallery invites you to join us for an evening with the exhibiting artists of the New Brunswick Art Salon, Spring’11. If you missed the opening receptions on April 22nd and May 13th, this is not only the perfect chance to see some amazing works but is also the opportunity to get an inside look on the creative process of each artist. The artists will work on their respective art pieces at the Alfa Art Gallery as well as give informative talks on their inspirations.

Time was when your family could make something or buy the somethings your neighbors made, hang a sign on the front of your house and enough neighbors and visitors would walk by and step into your mom-and-pop store that you could make a decent living being a “merchant”.

The Alfa Art Gallery would like to invite artists to submit work for the New Brunswick Art Salon, Fall ’11. There are two artist categories: newly emerging artists and professional artists. All submissions must be in by September 25. Artists will be notified if their work is accepted by September 30. The exhibition opening will be held on Friday, October 21.

Collaborative Arts (coLAB Arts) is a non-profit organization located in New Brunswick, NJ, dedicated to the development and presentation of emerging local artists. coLAB Arts’ mission is to cultivate a hip, mindful, and inclusive Hub City community of artists, audiences, and critics, empowered to create inspired and inspiring art.

Buzz Lightyear. Balloons. And babies. What do the three of these things have in common? They all start with the letter “B”. Also, they were all present with me in my doctor’s waiting room. It would be best if I explained.

Turning to a colleague, I asked, “What’s this ‘Doctober-fest’ that everyone’s been talking about?”

He smirked, taking note of my ignorance.

“What?” I inquired. Suddenly, I was interested. Before I only spoke in order to break the silence of workplace monotony. But now we had the beginnings of a conversation brewing. Cooking with fire, if you will.

While plantains are more famous in the tropical areas of the world, they are widely available at your local supermarket and pretty inexpensive too. The starchy nature of these fruits from the genus Musa will remind you of potatoes, and plantains can often be substituted for them in recipes. Latin America has invented numerous side dishes with plantains, and if you ever venture out to a Mexican restaurant, be sure to get their caramelized plantains with a side of fresh cream, or tostones, which are double fried plantain patties. My …