Either you really do believe Lena Dunham (center, above) is the voice of our generation, or you’re one of her peers who regards her with an “unstable blend of worship, envy, and disdain,” tuning in in case her show flops (against all media predictions); or in all sincerity, you’re banking on this one being the Great Brooklyn Hope after the disappointments of CBS’s 2 Broke Girls and MTV’s I Just Want My Pants Back, oh, and HBO’s last try with How to Make it in America. Whatever the reason, you’re determined to watch HBO’s Girls when it debuts Sunday, April 15, 10:30 E.S.T.  Ironically, the show that just might capture what it’s really like to be young, broke and hapless in BK, airs on a channel you can’t afford.  (more…)

This particular polish change might cost a little extra. (Results not typical.)

Ladies, even when you’re budgeting, you gotta remember to treat yo’self. If you’re like me, you probably don’t bother painting your nails because you have the dexterity of a 4-year-old, and rarely get manicures because it’s a luxury you can’t afford. Maybe everyone already knew there was a way to get your nails professionally done without having to sit at the salon for an hour and then paying out the ass, especially since the polish will last a week at the most. But I recently discovered a service offered at just about every salon, even though it isn’t always advertised on the service menu. (more…)

Now sold on Etsy.

You’re burned out on Brooklyn, you can’t afford Manhattan, you’re too bratty for Queens, so what do you do? My friend Ben, a recent Brooklyn ex-pat, has the answer: “If you want to live in Brooklyn and pay half in rent, move to Philly!” he proclaimed, the night before he left the island for good.

I moved to Brooklyn from New Orleans a year ago, and the way I look at it, I got myself into this mess, so now I’m committed to see the suffering through while trying to put together a career in publishing. But Ben got me thinking more critically about this life of unrealistic expectations and disproportionate salary-to-rent ratios, physical and mental jaundice. And he’s not my only friend to flee what is sometimes (condescendingly) referred to as the “sixth borough.”

With lower rents and cheaper beer, is Philly the dream of Brooklyn, actually realized? Or was Daria right when she said, “Life sucks no matter what, so don’t be fooled by location changes”? I asked three friends who cashed in their Metrocards for SEPTA passes. (more…)

Karina dreams of the published author lifestyle.

You should exorcise your Valentine’s Day angst now so when Tuesday arrives, you won’t notice all the hearts and chocolates and flowers and PDAs. An easy way to do this is to attend the kick-off of a new free reading series tonight at Goodbye Blue Monday in Bushwick: Silence the Silence highlights unpublished authors, so you won’t have to contend with any intolerable egos (we hope). Here’s the gimmick: one published piece will be read aloud, and if you can guess which one it is, you win a prize! If you want to really go for it, you can attempt to out-drink the “most nervous writer” for a “special secret surprise” (whatever that means). Plus, one of the readers is Team Brokelyn’s own Karina Briski, who has promised to read a piece about Tom Hanks. By the end of the night, you’ll be feeling so good about yourself, you just might get a date with one of the young literati. And voila, Goodbye Blue Valentine’s Day!

Silence the Silence, first night of new reading series, Goodbye Blue, 1087 Broadway, Bushwick. 13, 8-11pm tonight. 

Wearing a sandwich board of any sort qualifies.

Our morals are relative, our bank statements, piddling, and our shame, even less. From moving in with mom and dad to to freelancing for porn spammers to dubious Couponzi schemes (disclaimer: we at Brokelyn do not endorse the puns from that show, but might borrow one if it’s right there for the taking), there’s nothing our generation hasn’t tried in the name of saving or making a buck. Some say it’s the root of all evil, but money is also the genesis of some pretty priceless stories. We asked our friends and other assorted seedy characters what they’ve done for money, and here are their confessions. What’s the most questionable thing you ever did for dough? (more…)