The 1990s; the last romantic era. We were beautiful but didn’t need Instagram or Facebook to prove it to anyone. We created poetry; a high form of art that people actually got back then. We interpreted lyrics our own way without the use of the internet. We hand-wrote each other letters. We laughed in person and on the telephone. We made our own clothes. We made each other tapes of songs we loved. And they would listen to them. We stood apart from the crowd. We had messy hair and that was a good thing. God bless the last romantic era. When we were really real. 
Maryanne Christiano-Mistretta 
This is simply so well written. Brilliant…
Thank you so much Sibel! ❤
I don’t want to sound like I’m old but there was something magical about the late 80’s and 90’s. Remember ‘zines and taking film photographs? I even had a penpal and my version of Facebook was my address book. I remember hanging out on St. Marks Place with the punks, artists, wannabees, and drinking a $5 beer at CBGBs. Listening to Alternative wasn’t mainstream, it was the “alternative” to the mainstream.
Maxwells, City Gardens, Bond Street Cafe, the Continental, they all bring back great memories I wonder if young people today will have the same nostalgia as we have one day.
Hey Thomas! Sounds like you’d really love my book “On the Guest List: Adventures of a Music Journalist” (available on Amazon). I speak about all that stuff, writing for a zine, all those great clubs, etc.
I love address books and still use them. And my husband still takes film photographs (mostly of me and the cat).
But, yeah, definitely a magical time that no longer exists. I think everything is just so homogenized. You used to be able to look at someone and KNOW they were into cool music. Now with everyone having tattoos and colored hair and yoga pants, everyone looks the same. I try to look conservative to be different … though it’s hard when music is in your heart ❤