zine picks

July zine of the month

Manager

Zine, 1409 Longfellow St., Washington, DC (nw), 20011, USA, jack45rpm@gmail.com

Manager is a great little quarter-page punk rock zine by a guy who manages a grocery store in Washington. ItÕs cut-and-paste to the core, complete with tilty text and varying fonts, and reads exactly the way a zine like this should. ItÕs super sincere, full of Ramones and Minor Threat lyrics, and switches between personal anecdotes (his complicated relationship with his son and ex-girlfriend, his inordinate excitement about the storeÕs new baler plunger) and little punk-rock-manager-specific tips and tricks. ThereÕs a guide to getting through job interviews and another about how to test fruit to see if itÕs ripe. In addition to being a totally fun read, Manager makes me wish I had a boss as cool as its author. (Emma Healey)

June zine of the month

You CanÕt Hide an Elephant in an Omelet: Omelet Reviews

Zine Brandon Follett & Amy Johnson (earthwormenvy@yahoo.com), $8.50

What a neat concept this zine offers: essays and stories about omelettes and cuisine from around the world. This particular issue offers experiences from Thailand, Laos, and Cambodia. Part restaurant review, part tour guide; this zine offers pure entertainment in eloquent language that can be enjoyed by just about everyone.

Written like a memoir (the good kind), the zine offers a glimpse into foreign food production, consumption and a healthy dose of social interaction and culture shock as well. ItÕs an objective look at travel and all it entails, offering tips and advice on how to get by. It also gives descriptions of local cuisine that can either repulse you or attract you, so reading it while hungry is a bad idea.

This zine is well worth the money. Rich with well-worded descriptions and beautiful photos, this zine will satisfy the reader who has either travel-curiosity or no idea what to make for dinner (which, of course, must be omelettes). (Tara Blackmore)