This weeks post is dedicated to Joshua Radin. I’ve been keeping up with Joshua for a couple of years now. It started with “Winter” after a bad break up, then transitioned to “What If You” and onto his latest songs “They Bring Me To You,” “Sky,” and “One Of Those Days.”

I had the pleasure of seeing Joshua in concert last month and he is just as great live as he is in studio. His live voice, witty banter and storytelling skills made me fall even harder. I could make playlists of just his songs, and that is saying something. I’ve even pulled some of my closest friends into the world of Joshua. However, they know that if it came to our friendship or Joshua, I would choose Joshua. Bros (Joshua) before Ho’s, bitches!

Joshua is tall(ish), dark and handsome. And on top of all of that, he wears plaid. Simply put, we’re a match made in emo heaven. See the below:

Kim, Joshua and myself

It’s important to note that when I met Joshua my legs started to shake. That is the second time in my life my legs have shaken whilst nervous. The first was with my very first crush, a boy whom we’ll call Ted. Ted drove a truck that was orange and jacked up on the biggest wheels I’ve ever seen in my life. Ted wore a rebel flag belt buckle. Yes, I know, Ted was a real winner. For some reason I liked Ted, and my legs gave away  my nervousness every time I saw him. I haven’t been literally weak in the knees since Ted, and was completely shocked when it happened with Joshua.

As Hellogoodbye would say, “Oh, it’s love.”

This week’s post isn’t just about my obsession with boys, it’s also about being in love with music. I know, I am bordering on terribly emo, but I’ve found some great tunes as of late.

There’s something about finding an artist you like for the very first time and becoming addicted to one of their songs. You can’t eat, you can’t sleep, you can’t function without hearing this song at least 50 times a day. For me, for today, that is Josh Ritter’s “Wildfires,” and you can download it for free using this link: http://t.opsp.in/BSdI

It’s a holiday sampler featuring Josh, Joshua and several other great artists. Download it now and become addicted!

There are people (I think, quite a few) who would consider a The Cure-cover as mere blasphemy and would burn everyone who tries. I think they make at least 50% of the people who would also burn everyone who covers The Smiths but I digress.
Now most of The Cure covers actually are shit because they are boring and sound nearly like the Cure except they are less good.
However, there are two cover versions of two rather known songs that I simply adore.

1. Editors – Lullaby

I am not lying, it is Tom Smith’s voice and nothing else. I’d become a satanist if he would tell me to, or even better, whisper it into my ear.
There is a way that “Lullaby” becomes less playful and simply frightening in the Editors version and somehow Tom Smith manages to make you feel claustrophobic with the urgence in his voice. I am in a really tough situation because I wouldn’t know which version I like best. The Cure’s version actually sounds like a Spider walking with long gaunty legs and Robert James Smith sounds as if he is already at the brink of sanity, whereas the Editors version is menacing and the vocals are more sane but deeply frightened. I love them both.

Original

Cover

2. Marmaduke Duke – Friday I’m In love

Now, I don’t know how many bands have covered this song and failed, even Death Cab For Cutie, although quite charming, didn’t manage to make the listener not think “Man, I really want to listen to the original after this”. But Marmaduke Duke who have blessed us with a genious album (Duke Pandemonium) this year, have created a weird, off-putting electropunk-monster of this lovely love-song. The violently distracting drum-rhythms and the woozy intro and outro are pure bliss. I still love the original but when listening to Marmaduke Duke, I am torn between “Man, I really have to listen to the original after this” and “Man, I really have to listen to that one again after this”.

Original

and the crayzay cover!

I’m in love

esse achadinho foi do Braganzza que sempre chega com boas versoes de classicos. viram esse que ele postou no aires buenos?

ALEGRIA PURA, da turma do master viva.

simsim estou em Zurich.

The interesting thing about blogging (and one I never expected it) is how aware it makes you of where you are from. Most days we all live our lives hardly noticing the city/town/place we live in – and only really notice how interesting it is when we have to show someone else round or we’ve been away for a while.

So for today’s Friday I’m in love, I thought I would celebrate the city I now call home… and take you on a tour of Edinburgh courtesy of the brilliant M. Sasek.

The steps leading to the train station are known for being very windy on a blustery day!

This the view from the Mound… I live somewhere in the distance!

Scottish grey rain clouds gather over the Castle… even on a sunny day!

One of my fav streets for shopping as it has The Red Door Gallery and Totty Rocks on it. The lovely Godiva is nearby too.

I adore the Penguin Parade at Edinburgh Zoo… every day the penguins come out for a walk (if they fancy it) and waddle about, quite the thing, getting their pictures taken. Some of them are so cheeky!

This is the gardens that I live minutes from… me and the OH like to pretend its our garden. It’s got the fattest pigeons I’ve ever seen.

This is harbour that I see every morning on my walk/drive to work… except those men aren’t standing there!

Hope you enjoyed your Edinburgh trip… for once it didn’t rain!

Have a lovely weekend wherever you are x

P.S. I’ve also added a new links section called ‘Why Scotland rocks’. I’ll be adding to it as I go so feel free to drop me a line if there’s someone you think I’ve missed or would suggest adding.

My newest television obsession is “How I Met Your Mother.” Much like my older obsession “The Office,” I stumbled across this gem via reruns and subsequently purchased nearly every season on DVD.

It’s your standard 30 minute sitcom, but it’s made with heart. With all of the wit, one-liners and sometimes cliche characters, this show is about the quest for love.

So right now my “Friday I’m In Love” crush is Jason Segal who portrays the lovable and quirky Marshall. One-half of the Marshall/Lily relationship that every person envies.

Jason Jordan Segel was born on a cold winters day (I’m assuming) on Jan. 18, 1980, putting him a good 4 years younger than my cut off age. His mother is a homemaker and his father is a lawyer, and has an older brother and younger sister. Ah middle children, the perfect mate as they understand both sides of every story.

Why Jason Jordan Segel should be my boyfriend:

Reason No. 1: Jason’s big screen debut was the watermelon guy in Can’t Hardly Wait, a movie that was my guilty pleasure before I even knew what a guilty pleasure was. Plus, who doesn’t love watermelons?

Reason No. 2: I respect any man who will bare his junk in the name of comedy. If you don’t know what I’m talking about, you should immediately rent or buy Forgetting Sarah Marshall, one of the funniest movies in my DVD collection.

Reason No. 3: At 6′4″, Jason is the perfect height for my 5′5″ frame. Height difference is a serious issue in relationships. You don’t want the guy to be too short, it’s awkward bending down if you’re a girl! Therefore, Jason could easily bend down to kiss me and we have the perfect height ratio for hand holding.

Reason No. 4: He stars with a future (I’m sure of it) Friday I’m In Love club member, Paul Rudd, on a frequent basis. Since I live in an imaginary world, I’m going to pretend they’re friends. And, since I’m fully aware of the fact that Paul is a married man, Jason and Paul would take their ladies out on the town for a fun double date.

Reason No. 5: He performed with The Swell Season. Funny plus great taste in music.

And there you have it. Jason Segel is my newest crush. Now let me go back to my obsession, I’m in the midst of season two of “How I’ve Met Your Mother.”

Diesen Klassiker habe ich erst in diesem Jahr wirklich für mich entdeckt und ihn verdammt schnell lieb gewonnen. “Friday I’m in Love” von The Cure stammt aus dem Jahr 1992 und ist einer der schönsten Lovesongs, die je geschrieben wurden. ’nuff said!

Mais clássico que esse só o Jason.

Viva el Viernes.

Yay for sunny Fridays! And for …

photo swiped from yelp.com

Dynamic Dish. Yesterday I finally ate at the small spot on Edgewood that has Atlanta vegetarians raving. And OMG, what I’ve been missing. Everything was so fresh and absolutely delicious. And I just love the clean, minimalist design of the space. I had their tofu “snack wrap,” followed by a pumpkin cupcake (so very yum), and thought about my meal for the rest of the day. I think they change their menu daily; you can get previews of what they’re serving over at their website (which is worthy of a visit even if you don’t live in Atlanta, as their food photos are really great). Can’t wait to go back.

See Through Souls is a wonderful event that combines beautiful window art with live music, all to benefit the Women’s Resource Center. Tomorrow marks the third annual event, and The Good Graces will once again be part of it, for the third straight year (in fact, the first ever See Through Souls was also my first ever show as tGG!). We go on at 4:30 PM; the event takes place at Picaflor Studio (at the Arizona Lofts) starting at 3 PM.

Finally becoming the Mayor of FLiP on Foursquare! It’s the little things …

Happy Friday everyone!!!

Melodia zilei este din filmul cu numele zilei, Friday 13.

Zi care a inceput de la ora 00:00. Daca pana acum am spus ca 13 este numarul meu norocos, acum voi spune ca vineri 13 este ziua mea cea mai cea! De ce?

Ugh. Why does coming back from vacation always suck? This week was only really a half week for me, but the last couple of days have been kinda crappy. But in keeping with my recent attempt to keep a half-decent attitude, at least on Fridays, here are a few things making me happy today!

This lovely weather. I hate the winter. HATE. So sometimes I have a hard time really enjoying fall because I’m too bummed about shorter days and the impending cold. But so far, I’m ok with the days getting darker earlier because it’s been so danged nice in the morning.

Having very few plans this weekend. I have a few creative projects up my sleeve, but plan on also enjoying lots of the above. And perhaps even washing my dirty car, if the weather holds up. Me time = bliss.

Recovering my temporarily-missing cat yesterday. He’s an escape artist, and he gave me quite a scare. But just as I was about to scour the neighborhood, there he was at the front door. Whew.

Death Cab for Cutie Pandora Radio. There are some bands I just can’t seem to get enough of, regardless of them losing their indie cred and becoming mainstream or whatever. Death Cab is definitely one of those bands. Currently making my work day much more enjoyable.

Earlier in the week I had to present the fruits of my labour, i.e. I had to show my photographs to my fellow “classmates” in the photography course. I had mounted the pictures on board as we had to find a way to present them. I was last to present, as the tutor went randomly through our names. Seeing the others’ work was really interesting as it was all so different, there was no 2 approaches the same, no 2 presentations the same – it was amazing. Subject matters were so diverse from autumn trees to statues, from wild animals to human eyes, from Buddhist temple to urban landscape. When it was my turn, my heart pounded in my throat and I had to remember that in the past I held presentations in front of hundreds of people and that surely standing in front of 10 people wasn’t going to kill me. And it didn’t. For a bit, no one said anything when I put my board up, the longest time in my life really. And even today, a few days later I am not sure if they liked it. My tutor didn’t like it, but I knew that before I went. He complemented me on my organisational skills. It’s ok. I am proud of myself and I know that when you do something so highly personal than I did, you are asking for rejection. This is part of the game. I felt this overwhelming sense of achievement. I did it, I found a model, organized the shoot, developed a concept, edited the images, did some photoshop I never done before, I had the images printed and mounted them. Wow! Standing there in front of my peers I just felt happy!

So this week I am thankful:

- for growing a thicker skin

- for working on my business website which I will hopefully launch by the end of the month

- for the wonderful books I am reading at the moment

- for Dharma enjoying her music classes so much and her singing pretty much everywhere we go

- for small things that make a big difference, like a sofa cover transforming the room

- for having chats with my husband and talking about things that are important to us

- for starting to bake for Christmas (I know it’s only November)

Above all though this week I am thankful for being me. I am finally me again or rather I am being the “me” that I always knew was in there but who I kept hidden. I am being me and I am having lots of fun!

Have a nice weekend everyone. Thanks for stopping by. You made my day!

Today’s post is dedicated to my very first movie star crush, Hugh Grant. I remember walking out of the theater at the tender age of 13 wanting to immediately move to Notting Hill and search the streets for the magical blue door that leads to his apartment.

He’s British, he’s charming, he loves prostitutes. Basically he is the perfect man. In all seriousness, and prostitute aside, Hugh has a way with the ladies both on screen and off. I think what I find most attractive, besides his affection towards button-ups, is that he’s so laid back and that is what makes him charming. He rolls with the punches, and keeps the laughs coming.

I remember being devastated when he chopped off his floppy locks, but then realizing that shorter hair lead to wittier and sexier roles because he no longer looked like a pansy.

Then:

Now:

Unfortunately, my 13 year old self believed that all British men were like Hugh Grant. And damnit they should all look like Hugh Grant because their accents are so sexy.

I went to London in 2004 in search of my perfect age appropriate Hugh Grant and was saddened by what I assumed was bad luck. I went to Britain again in 2006, and still, no hottie English bloke. What gives? I wear plaid. I love Shakespeare and Jane Austen novels. I like the tube and mind the gap. I read Sophie Kinsalla novels to stay on top of British fashion and Top Shop is my favorite store ever. I yearn to live in a pedestrian city that is a train ride away from the countryside and have colorful money. English men, Hugh Grant in particular, I am waiting, rather impatiently for you to pop out of the shadows and take me on a carriage ride to a ball.

tem vezes que eu demoro pra postar e quanto mais eu demoro  menos idéias eu tenho… mas aí abro um bonito livrinho e penso em mim e no vamos que podemos e o vamos que podemos é a minha raposa:

Por favor…cativa-me!disse ela.

Bem quisera,disse o principezinho,mas eu não tenho muito tempo.Tenho amigos a descobrir e muitas coisas a conhecer.

A gente só conhece bem as coisas que cativou,disse a raposa.Os homens não têm mais tempo de conhecer coisa alguma.Compram tudo prontinho nas lojas. Mas como não existem lojas de amigos,os homens não têm mais amigos. Se tu queres um amigo,cativa-me!
Que é preciso fazer?perguntou o principezinho.

…

a beutiful revolution

Like Neely O’Hara

luvluvluv

Paper Tissue

limeflavored

Just a few things that are making me happy on this day:

The new Swell Season record, which my husband was so sweet to pick up for me yesterday.

The fact that I’m going to be spending Halloween and my anniversary with said sweet husband in Savannah.

The fact that I got to play these this week.

Friday lunch breaks that consist of fish tacos and margaritas.

This very lovely video, and the fact that I get to release Tracy’s lovely EP this winter!

What makes you happy on this rainy Friday?

This Halloween Eve American Morning co-anchor John Roberts had his mind on the treats, not the tricks this morning. Deliciously and ironically so! As AM returned from a break almost mid-show with a shot of Charlotte, NC, to the tune of the Cure’s “Friday I’m in Love,” John announced, “Cloudy and fifty-eight degrees right now. Mostly honey with the sun.”

Co-host Kiran Chetry interjected, “Mostly honey? Hey! What’s on your mind this morning?” Laughing, John remarked, “Oh! What am I thinking about? It’s Friday. What the heck!” He chuckled heartily and smacked himself on the cheek with his rolled-up papers in mock censure. Beaming and looking straight into the camera, apparently, to his reported flame, CNN anchor Kyra Phillips said, “Hey, Honey!”

With a mischievous grin and a gleam in her eye, Kiran waved, “Hi, Honey!” Raising her eyebrows and then winking wickedly, she added, “It going to be mostly honey today.” Chuckling, John looked down, shook his head, and smacked it twice more.

Was your day off yesterday that sweet, John?

[Ironically, Kiran had a similar "honey" moment with former CNN legal eagle Sunny Hostin last year around this very time.]

Há pouco mais de uma mês, esse trio ternura estava  jantando na casa do Señor Oliveirinha.

Ele cozinhou algo delícia , nos engordou com essa sobremesa boa demais e tirou a nossa sede com muitas caipis de morango.

Saudade Oliveirinha vamos que podemos here, there or anywhere.

Foi uma  noite mágica de cabo a rabo,a música que alegrou o corazón foi:

amor paixao sexo e amizade, and I can´t get enough…

do projeto recém lançado:

 rock and Junior  logologo estará em todos reprodutores e pistas do mundo.

PS- Hoje estou com a mesma bate-camisa xadrez, viva!

HAPPY FRIDAY!

It has to be said I adore grey. We recently painted our living room floorboards a gorgeous dark ‘anthracite’ colour and I couldn’t stop staring at them afterwards and going ‘oooh’.

We’ve already got grey walls in our bedroom to offset our Orla Keily wallpaper, almost purpley grey walls in the living room,  a so-dark-grey-it’s-almost-black in the spare room and near black walls in the hall. And I just want to keep going… especially with the floor paint. (It really has made  a huge difference… will hopefully take some pics soon to share. I know I’m bad at doing that!)

The surprising thing is that I had no intention for this to be a ‘grey’ flat.

After having lived in a basement flat that had almost natural light and was painted white to compensate for it, I was determined this flat was going to bright and light and colourful.

But I hadn’t reckoned on two things…

• the fact that our new place gets lots and lots of light (so we never have to worry about it being bright, it does that all on its own)
• and that when you have lots of colourful things (as we do) you need a background that’ll make them ‘pop’

Anyway, when I saw this sign in a shop window in Islington when I was last down in London and I thought it was a perfect answer to why you end up living in a grey world.

Hope you all have a great weekend. I’ll be spending it going out to my favourite veggie restaurant (an engagement treat from friends), meeting a friend who’s up from London for an early birthday celebration, hopefully heading to craft market Marche Marche… and of course having a paint brush and a pot of grey paint in either hand (I might even do some painting with them!). xx

em muitos lugares de Palerminho

algum grafitero bobo não gostou.

TGIF after all

I’m still sick so this Friday I have postponed what I was going to post on so I can post on Halloween. Now that may seem a bit weird but I love Halloween so this is an attempt to cheer myself up.

Actually love isn’t a strong enough word for how I feel about Halloween. I have more boxes of Halloween decorations than I do Christmas ones (and I actually prefer Halloween to Christmas… there I said it!) Why? Well, a couple of reasons. The most obvious is that my birthday is around then so almost every year we have a Halloween party. I can honestly say that opening our front door to see what our friends have chosen to come as is one of my favourite things – everyone always makes a real effort (even those who say they don’t like dressing up) and it makes me love them all the more!

In previous years, I’ve been a dead doll (in the New York Halloween parade… amazing! These were the best vids I could find online… sound is pretty ropey but you get the idea!)…

…I’ve also been Elphaba from Wicked (in retrospect I should have painted myself green properly as you can’t see in the pics that I’m covered in green sparkles)…

…and the Kate Beckinsale character from Underworld (you’ll not be surprised to learn that was the other half’s suggestion!) And yes, I don’t remember the bit in the movie where she was pissing herself laughing either!

(Yes that is Wonder Woman behind me with a machine gun… it was a good vs evil theme that year and all the ‘good’ people ended up stealing all the guns, swords etc!)

This year, we’re having an 80s themed Halloween party… think Ghostbusters, Count Duckula, Lost Boys etc… so it’ll be a little bit less Halloweeny than previous years.

I’m currently trying to compile a big list of 80s food and looking for decoration ideas so if you have any suggestions they’ll be most welcome. (On the list so far… creamola foam (if only it was still around), pop tarts, pot noodles, marshmallow top hats, half orange with cheese and pineapple sticks, soda stream, slush puppy, findus crispy pancakes, and my little pony fairy cakes you make from a box! God, the 80s were unhealthy!!)

Anyway, that’s enough of my babble, here’s the Halloweeny things I found to share…

And I had to include these from Cut Out + Keep… A Halloween eye ball made from a swiss ball and milk carton ghosts!

1. threadless
2. thebeeskneesdesigns
3. pamwares
4. crafterella
5. mrYen
6. FunFavors
7. topsyturvydesign
8. lupin
9. whiskerkisses

El Sábado, 15 de agosto de 2009 a las 15:08 (Facebook)

Los Lunes son prometedores, todos decimos…empiezo el Lunes, y la verdad es que el choque de la nada del Domingo con la rutina del Lunes es el espanto. Los Martes son un día nada, no son Lunes y no son Miércoles, sencillamente son un día del montón. (Flarry me dirá q le doy con un caño al pobre Martes pero sabe q tengo razón). Los Miércoles tienen la magia de ser la mitad de la semana laboral (al menos para los q tenemos la suerte de no trabajar los Sábados), a parte si uno está de buenas, se puede ir a dibujar. Los Jueves tienen el aroma del Viernes a punto de llegar. V I E R N E S, V I E R N E S, q lindos los V I E R N E S, son días donde se produce la mixtura de cosas -jornada laboral, último día hábil de la semana,salidas- son días q tienen una energía especial, días para salir, para disfrutar, para compartir. Días en los q sabemos q el mañana va a ser diferente. Mi preferido. Viernes, Friday, Vendredi, Sexta feira. Los Sábados son días de descanso q pasan volando, o por lo menos yo siempre me encuentro los Sábados a la noche, preguntándome q hice en todo el día q pasó tan rápido. Los Domingos, mejor esquivarlos. Por suerte hace rato q vamos a la Feria (gracias q existe alguien q quiere trabajar los domingos y la organizó -Dami y compañía-). Son días de nada, de silencio, de preparación para la semana q vendrá. Días de abismo. (esto q hace años q lo pienso y hace unas sem q lo chateé con flarry, lo escribí un sábado a las 15 hs, depresivo en SJ, en el q me debato entre: seguir webeando, mirar una peli o discovery o esas cosas q me gustan a mi; o dormir una siesta)