5 things keeping Beckaly Franks, bartender at The Pontiac, amused

What I’m listening to: music is my platform and muse for everything. For example, The Pontiac’s soul beats to the tune Kissy Kissy, by one of my all-time favourite bands The Kills. I have been listening to everything from jazz to death metal, and all that lies between.

What I’m reading: right now it’s poetry. I usually carry around Pablo Neruda’s Twenty Love Poems and a Song of Despair. A loved one of mine turned me on to him and his passion inspires me to be dark and brave. Unfortunately, I had to leave my library back in the US, because shipping books is expensive. It mostly consists of art and cocktail books.

What I’m watching: I have a secret gang of friends that I go to the movies with called the Motorcycle Movie Club, but the first rule of movie club is you don’t talk about movie club. Other than that, I watch an abnormal amount of stand-up comedy online. Anything from old-school Eddie Murphy (Raw) and Def Comedy Jam, to Iliza Shlesinger.

What artists I’m following: performance artist Marina Abramovic. She made performance art what it is today. James Turrell is a legend in my heart. A cowboy whose medium of focus is experimenting with light, colour, perception and space. Also Xu Bing.

Where I’m surfing: I don’t have much time to fiddle on the web, unless I’m searching for what I need for the bar. Facebook to connect with friends and colleagues and Instagram to see all the pictures of booze, cats and sexy clothes.

As told to P. Ramakrishnan