Sick in Silver Lake

Okay, so technically I live in Echo Park now, TECHNICALLY. I am literally a mile down Sunset from where I used to live, so it's basically the same neighborhood. Also, I was driving by my old place the other day and totally saw Garrett Hedlund having a smoke outside, which is an ugly habit, but what the Hell? Could you please have hung out there when I lived there, Mr. Hedlund? GEEZ!

Anyway, I have the plague. The GC is away on a job and so precious Yankee the dog is my only company as I lay on the couch watching TV, filled with snot. Gross but true. Yesterday I was too sick to work and too sick to even get out of bed, everything on TV was bad or required too much thinking (I refused to let myself watch the Kardashians) so I did the only thing a girl with that much time on her hands could:


I watched Felicity all day and pretty much all night. And yes, I've seen the entire series before. And yes, in my older age I've realized what a naive freako stalker Felicity was. And you know what?



I forgive her. Y'all, this show is worth a re-watch. Okay, back into my hole for now.

2 New Jams From 2 Old Buddies

Guys, I haven't looked at Pitchfork in a while. Mostly because I've just been busy, but a little bit because the site went through a phase where they ONLY posted about ambient electronica and it bored me to tears. But today, Pitchfork really satisfied me, by offering two tracks by two of my favorite artists in the last two years (it should be Tuesday!...get it? no?): Kurt Vile and Youth Lagoon:

http://pitchfork.com/reviews/best/tracks/

Both "Wakin on a Pretty Day," by Vile and Youth Lagoon's "Mute" are long, dreamy (ambient but not vacantly electronic!) melodies.  Trevor Powers' Youth Lagoon employs more synth than Vile does with his 70's rock-swagger, but both guys pack amazing emotional heft into seemingly light tunes, which I love.

If neither of these songs put you in a MOOD today, well then maybe we should no longer interact. Okay, I am kidding. I desperately need all 25 of you.

Love Letter From Hungary

Yes, yes, I know, I haven't written in forever. I've been trying to freelance write, I moved in with my gentleman caller, I've been trying to befriend a dog, etc.

Anyway, I've been so busy that I've neglected my music searching. Luckily, my GC is on the ball and turned me onto the Summer Schatzies, a Hungarian surf-rock band. Yeah, you read that right. A change from Hungary's typical dark, brooding jams, the Schatzies provide just the sort of kicky yet gritty 60's-style pop to keep you warm on a winter's day. Check out the bit that NPR did on them (where GC discovered them):

http://www.theworld.org/2013/01/summer-schatzies/

"Spooks of Love" is real sexy song. Just sayin'

Strange Day

Guys, I've been away. New York, then GREECE, having some amazing times with family, friends, and the Gentleman Caller. I am BACK, and here to acknowledge how weird this day is, well, because, numbers blah blah whatever. And just to make you jealous, I'll give you a preview of what I experienced:

YEAH. I KNOW.

Strange Movie I'm Feeling

Strangers, I am stuck in NYC another day and I am really liking this old Brian de Palma movie Dressed to Kill. It's very 80's, but also pretty modern and graphic. I also like that it stars Angie Dickinson, because I never thought of her as a serious actress and she is sort of perfect for the part. Go Angie. Anyway, I might've lost my mind being stuck in this house, but I am pretty sure this movie is legit.

http://www.imdb.com/media/rm580814080/tt0080661

Happy Halloween!

Strange Wilderness

Oh Lil' Strangers, I'm stuck in New York in this damn Sandy storm, so I am blogging. Anyway, I forgot to tell you that two weeks ago I went on a pretty great road trip with the GC. We decided to drive up through Utah to Jackson Hole in Wyoming. WITH HIS DOG. Oh, how I love that dog:

I mean, CAN YOU DEAL WITH THAT TONGUE?! Anyway, first we drove to St. George, Utah to hike the Narrows, a stunning walk through the water in Zion Canyon. Like, behold:

Yup. And:

Yeah. Also:

I mean, I could go on. It was stunning...though I might've peed in my water-sealing pants...sensual. Next, we took a glorious, scenic drive up to Park City, Utah:

Doggie-dog loved it:

So Park City is really adorable. We had an AMAZING charcuterie-stuffed dinner at High West, this awesome restaurant/distillery in town:

That French onion soup was the best I've ever had. High West also makes a DELICIOUS whiskey, I highly recommend you go. Then we went to the St. Regis and they put you in this contraption called a "funicular" that is a sort of tram/chairlift that takes you to the top of the mountain where the hotel has a gorgeous bar/restaurant where you can watch the sunset by the fire:

Yes! Next came another beautiful drive through what are known as "the Alps of America" to Jackson:

USA! Of course, as soon as it became my turn to drive, I almost immediately ran into a herd of sheep crossing the road. The dog wanted to eat them:

So Jackson, while not as cute as Park City, was kind of epic a gorgeous. The first day we hiked around Jenny Lake in the Tetons. Teton National Park is SICK. Like sick AMAZING:

The lake is a mirror! Then we strolled by Hidden Falls:

The water levels were really low in Wyoming while we were there so the falls were pretty...hidden. But after the falls you hike up to this spot called Inspiration Point that's REALLY pretty:

GC said it kind of looked like the road to Narnia/Middle Earth and I have to agree.

He made it! Okay, so we did way more stuff than that, but those are the highlights. I really didn't see a lot of the country growing up overseas and it was pretty wonderful just to get out on the open road with a handsome gentleman and an adorable pooch and nothing to lose. Okay, I just got way too cheesy but I mean...

'Nuf said.

Strange Storm

By the way, Lil' Strangers, I am stuck in New York. I flew home for a week with my parents, bro, and for my friend Hesh's BEAUTIFUL wedding.

Yeah see? Gorgeous. Well, the dancing part got a little scary...

But I digress...Hurricane Sandy is ruining my plans to return to LA, get a job, see my Gentleman Caller, see my LA friends, and live my life in general. NY transit shuts down tonight and my flight that was supposed to leave tomorrow morning has been canceled. The next flight I could get is on Thursday. THURSDAY. So basically, I better see some mother-freaking RAINDROPS. Til then, I'll mostly be live-blogging from this bunker AKA my parents' basement. Bye!