The year was 1999. The Backstreet Boys ruled the airwaves and MTV with their #1 hit “I Want It That Way.” They set little girl’s hearts on fire and sold-out stadiums world wide. Fast forward to 2010, and the “boys” are still at it, even though their fans and the boys themselves (the youngest BSB, Nick Carter, is now 30) have grown up. However, as much as think you have “grown up,” you’ll be surprised how quickly you revert to teeny-booper status the moment you hear the the guys sing the phrase, “Backstreet’s Back…Alright!!!” Or at least…..that’s how it goes for me.

When Frank was on his group date, he definitely took a back seat to all the other guys. He remained quiet, kind of a shadow in the wings, and wasn’t making himself known, asserting himself to make alone time with her or fighting for her like the other men in the scene. Ali even told Frank that she “doesn’t even see him”at all during their group dates and that he is actually “non-existent.” Wow – that is one word no guy should ever want to be called on a date. Frank was trying to play it cool and relax, and but the fact is, this is a competition and just like the real world of dating, there are always other guys vying for a woman’s attention and competing for her. Don’t ever think that you’re the only one, because especially if you’re pursuing an attractive female, she’s probably got other options. You never know how much harder another guy is pursuing her or how creative or aggressive he is about it. So, you need to be the one that gets her by making yourself stand out, and by being assertive about it and making things happen with her. Make yourself and your intentions known. Understand the definition of “pursue,” – and do that! The one that persistently – and creatively – pursues, is the one who gets the prize (but note, I say, “persistently” and “creatively” pursue… not desperately).

Oh how I love Milano! It is such an incredible city, the vibe is just incredible. Everywhere you look there are fashionable people walking around like living, breathing advertisements. For Spring 2011, Etro showcased its runway in a perfectly green environment, evoking those beautiful patterns that seem so natural to them. They reminded me of McQueen’s previous to last collection where all the colors of the rainbow came together.

My most cherished bands have always appealed to me not only with a sense of timelessness but with a feeling of placelessness as well, as if they could be from anywhere or, even better, if they evoke the sound of a region or era without coming off as copycats or sycophantic rubes. By only their second album, Delta Spirit is already rapidly becoming one of my favorite unsigned bands, thanks largely to their ability to pull off just that aura of sounding like a region whose music I unabashedly love (the South) while hailing from a place I’d love to visit (San Diego). These are two dots one would likely not be able to connect listening to the band – singer Matthew Vasquez’s whiskey-soaked voice calls to mind the Allman Brothers Band or the cracked rasp of Walkmen vocalist Hamilton Leithauser, while the band pumps out a genuinely raucous Southern-fried blues rock that has matured well since their 2008 debut. History From Below is just what a sophomore effort should be, equal parts a step forward and eleven songs stronger, all the red-blooded rock and soulful vitality of their debut while expanding on their trademark Americana sound.

As I was watching The Bachelorette Monday night with a group of my girlfriends, and of course, adding my commentary and predictions with every scene, I realized yet again just how many lessons we can take from the show and how many do’s, don’ts and massive faux pas there are among the bachelors and bachelorettes. So I’m going to recap week by week the best and worst dating lessons we can learn from every week’s episode.

Oh how the mighty have fallen. Despite Ashton Kutcher’s successful effort in surpassing CNN’s number of Twitter followers last year, and going on to become the #1 most followed Tweep on Twitter, someone has now taken away his crown. Move over @aplusk, @britneyspears is now the supreme ruler of the Twitterverse with 5,067,677 followers at last count.

It’s not easy to create a distinctive brand of music that the everyday listener can categorically describe as “yours,” but that’s what Brooklyn-based duo Ratatat have managed to pull off since their 2004 debut. That combination of Mike Stroud’s signature high-pitched guitar sound and Evan Mast’s fluid bass lines and break-beat drum rhythms is practically a trademark, having that rare ability to be heard and immediately attributed to these electro/house/indie rock/whatever practitioners even if one is barely familiar with them. It’s even tougher to sustain that kind of success in an instrumental genre, where ideas fly past their expiration dates even quicker than usual and bands with an innovative sound soon find those same ideas turning on them, sapped of originality and joie de vivre.

Memorial Day has come and gone, and as we enter the month of June, there’s one question that’s inevitably weighing on everyone’s mind…”Am I ready for swimsuit season?” Although getting ready to bare skin on the beach may seem like a daunting task, personal trainer Anthony Golston says all it takes is a little determination, “The steps are easy to follow. It’s just sticking to them.” As a former scholarship athlete and certified trainer with celebrity clientele, Golston knows his way around a gym and (more importantly) how to get results. I sat down with Golston to get his best tips on how to get a body that’s as hot as the sweltering summer heat.