ROOOAADD TRIPPPP!

I'm 90% sure we're going to Omaha in two weeks and since plane tickets are 400$ a pop (DUMBBB!) we're gonna fill the tires with air, get the oil changed and hit the great American road...(but we can only stop for bathroom breaks....we're on a time crunch!)

KIND OF EXCITED.

Cooler will be packed full of Red Bull and Starbucks espresso shots. It will definitely be a challenge, but we can do it!!

Style

Alison Mosshart's all like... "check"....

Is 29 too late to learn a musical instrument?

want. to. learn.



need:

Nothin better on a Wednesday than free beer and a free show.

So Ryan wanted to go see The Futureheads and I'm like "who are The Futureheads?" They played last night at Fitz but being a Wednesday, a work night, I knew it wouldn't be in our best interest to attend. Luckily, they played an unplugged in-store @ Cactus Music @ 5:30 so WOOHOO! They start playing and I immediately recognized them from heavy airplay on MPR's The Current (Thanks Current! I love you!)

We ended up meeting them afterwards, I recommended a good place to eat Vietnamese (VanLoc) and they put us on the guest list for the show! Sadly, it was a late show and had to miss it, but if we had gone, we'd probably be in pretty bad shape today. I've only been working here for a week and calling in sick already wouldn't look so hot.

I recorded a little snippet of the in-store show, but blogger doesn't feel like uploading it at the moment. Will try later.

Happy Thursday everyone!

Wowsa

Sigh. Sunday, Monday and Tuesday of this week were absolutely nuts, and I have 2 photos to show for it. The Lady Gaga shows were fantastic and we were so lucky to see them from such an amazing point of view...such a great experience. I couldn't thank L&S enough.

mozart, soccer and rainbows!

OOOooo-whee another good one! Friday was my "off" day, so I slept in until about 10:30 or so (glorious!) and since Mom's on Summer break, she drove down for a little escape from the 'burbs. We drove over to the heights and went to Onion Creek Cafe for a cold beer and some lunch on the patio. I had the veggie french bread pizza and Mom had an amazing feta and cranberry spinach salad (they also had a goat cheese & strawberry salad that I'd really like to try...next time!)

After lunch we drove over to 19th St. for some window shopping and antiquing. We spent about an hour inside of Grace Hart & Co, where I bought a fantastic pastel summer dress for 13$ and Mom bought a really cool delft-looking planter for 8$! We went over to Replay where I found a really great Matryoshka/nesting doll. I'll have to snap a photo of her, she's so pretty.

After shopping, we attempted to get pedicures (as I've never had one, which is horrible..) but since the shop by the house was super busy, we opted for granitas at Empire instead. So Mom and I had good, action packed afternoon!

Friday evening was so nice. During the summer, Miller Outdoor Theater hosts the Houston Symphony for free concerts, Summer Symphony Nights, so Ryan and I packed up our little camping chairs, some fruit, nuts and wine, and enjoyed Mozart and Tchaikovsky under the stars. It was so breezy and comfortable.


Saturday was also action packed! I wish I had taken more photos. We went over to Rudyard's at about 1 to watch the US-Ghana soccer game. We lost, but I really enjoyed cheering them on this year . After the game, we waked over to Westheimer- it was gay pride weekend so there was so much to see and do around Montrose. People were out and about early in the morning, tailgating before the parade at night. After walking around for a while I went home for a quick nap and then we hit the parade! We caught tons of beads and just had so much fun. Fuzz looking "festive" in her rainbow beads.

Sunday we relaxed pretty hard. Did a little grocery shopping, sat outside by the pool and read, watched a little bit of the Mexico-Argentina game and grilled veggies and corn. I got a little bit of crafting in last night and fell asleep so fast.

So excited for the 4th of July weekend and my teeny tiny 3 day workweek coming up!

Happy Monday!

Passion Pit show in Austin, Tx!

This weekend was fantastico! Friday after work Ryan and I hopped in the car and headed to Austin! We got in town around 9 and met Katy, Keenan and my brother for a few beers. Katy and Keenan were so nice to let us stay with them in their beautiful house, we were so comfortable. We slept in on Saturday morning and went down to my brother's sandwich shop on the UT campus for some late lunch. Ryan and I headed downtown for the show and Wow- they were so good live. The first time I heard Passion Pit was a little over a year ago while I was visiting my friend Amy in NYC and it was insta-love. I'm so happy I finally got to see them this weekend.

Sunday we drove straight to Mom and Dad's for a little Father's day celebration. Mom made twice baked potatoes, Dad grilled up corn, ribs, sausage and steak...so many wonderful things to eat! We all missed Michelle and Dylan of course (They're in Rome!)

I hope you have a wonderful week!

Hey, today is the longest day of the year! What will you do today? I plan on taking full advantage!

Blues, Biscuits and Bows

Good Monday morning! I hope your weekend was relaxing & filled with love, tasty treats and champagne! Was a very relaxing valentine's weekend for me, did all the things I wanted to do, and none of the things I didn't.

Friday night my parents and I went to the Houston iFest Mardi Gras Party blues show with Marcia Ball and Texas Johnny Brown. Tx JB is 81 years old- he had so much energy! I hope I'm that awesome when I'm 81. Marcia is one of Dad's favorite musicians. He's been wanting to see her live for years and this show was exactly how he wanted to see her- front and center at a very small venue. It was a really great show.

I slept in on Saturday and enjoyed every second of it. I met up with a few friends for Chy's birthday lunch at Hugo's. First visit to that restaurant- it was very good. After lunch we went to Rudz for a few pints, and then it was nap time. I had some kind of allergic reaction to something I ate so I was taking benadryl this weekend which made me a very sleepy person.

There were so many things happening on Saturday, parties, shows, etc.. but I opted for a quiet night in with a good dinner and a movie. I made shrimp en brochette for the first time. I bought 8 large shrimp for only 2.50$ at Kroger, butterflied them, placed a thin slice of jalapeno and pepper jack in the middle of the cut, wrapped with bacon and broiled. I will definitely make those again.

Sunday morning, I made breakfast- used the rest of the bacon from the night before and paired with heart shaped biscuits! This was my second attempt at homemade biscuits and these turned out much better than the last time- I think it's all in the thickness of the dough when you cut your shape- these were 1/2 an inch thick and last time they were just too thin.
Sunday afternoon was lazy and relaxing. It got up to 70 degrees! So, so nice - ran a few errands (was a little embarrassed to put $ 0.78 my debit card at Texas Art Supply. I really need to carry more cash...), but mostly stayed in, watched a few movies and played with fabric and felt. Came up with a few neat little things.

I'm pretty excited about today actually. Do you know what today is? IT'S 1/2 PRICE CANDY DAY!! The only other day I am as excited about is the day after Halloween. 1/2 price boxes of assorted chocolatesss mmmmmm. At 10$ a box they're good, but at 5$ a box, they're absolute perfection.

Peacocks and Princes

The weekend was sprinkled with some surprises, some sleepless nights, and lots of SE Asian food. Friday after work I met with Mom and Dad for a rainy lunch. There's nothing like enjoying your chicken salad, looking out the window, and seeing one of these guys looking at you. Pretty much the best surprise ever.

I'd also like to thank hot and sour soup for making stuffy sinuses just a little better. Sunday was sleepless. I had been feeling like getting a little sick was imminent, as I haven't been eating or sleeping very well, so I guess it finally just hit me. Monday didn't really exist, except when I crawled out of my cave at 4:30 PM to finally get some soup in my belly.

While looking for a new book this weekend and half price, I perused their record section and purchased 2 new/old records- one old Artie Shaw and a "book on record"- Antoine de Saint-Exupery's The Little Prince. Although it's in French and I do not speak one word ( maybe I'll give it to Michelle and Dylan.. if they ever get a record player..?) it was fun to attempt to read along with my book.

...and I sort of forgot how much I loved that book.

You have suffered enough and warred with yourself, it's time that you won...

Friday night was The Swell Season show [Glen Hansard of the Frames and Czech singer Marketa Irglova] thanks to my friend Lee! Dad and I took Mom as a belated birthday treat. It was a great show and I think Mom really enjoyed herself ; there was a period of about 6 months when the soundtrack to the film Once was never removed from the car, and I was happy she got to see them play live. Below are a few shots from the show and a tiny [shaky] video of them playing Falling Slowly, which won the 2007 Oscar for best original song.

[ a little Houston pride we saw on the way into the venue ]

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whirl⋅wind: /ˈʰwɜrlˌwɪnd, ˈwɜrl - to move or travel quickly.

Fantastic weekend at the 3rd annual Fun Fun Fun Fest in Austin filled with good food, drinks, wonderful friends, lots of good brother time, gorgeous fall evenings, a little rain.. alot of mud, and amazing live music.

[ of montreal ]

[o.m.]

[o.m.]

[ crystal castles ]

[ GZA from wu tang ]

[ ratatat ]

[ les savy fav ]

[ l.s.f.]

[ no age]

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Video:

a few (tiny) seconds of Ratatat playing 'Crips'.