Fleeting the City

I just returned home from vacationing in California this past week, and have decided that I will one day live in a Santa Monica beach house along the shore and volleyball nets. After a fun but stressful year, a week in the blazing sun mile-high palm trees was exactly what I needed.

Stepped off the plane onto Santa Monica beach:Lookah that sky:My house is that one in the middle:
That one, with all the sun:
Then we went to the Promenade:
There were tons of street performers:
Also went to Laguna Beach where small town galleries and artists seem to kick back and take it easy. Trey's forest house:
Beach down the street. We found a message in a bottle:
Laguna:
Citywalk indoor skydiving (it looked SO cool):
From the Observatory, after watching an awesome show in the planetarium about flying through the universe:
LA:
I wish I took more pictures but we also visited Hollywood and went to the BJ's of all music stores, Amoeba. We watched Ironman at the Cinerama after having dinner next to 2 very pretty trannies; they definitely had me fooled.

Jason took me bike-riding along Venice and Santa Monica with all the muscles and orange people. The beach culture there is really amazing; there were so many surfers, bikers, beach bums, beach volleyballers, etc. etc. The energy at the beaches was so positive and light and laid-back. The beaches were the best part of the trip (duh).

Now I'm back, in Queens, where I'll be staying for the rest of the summer until we find an apartment. Summer classes start on Tuesday but I look forward to them, as well as going to Shelter with the cutie patoodies.

Currently Listening to (non-stop):
Fleet Foxes' self-titled debut album is SO good.
Their previously released Sun Giant EP received such praise that they will undoubtedly have no trouble selling this album and their shows.

Fleet Foxes are a bunch of scruffy hippie musicians from Seattle who, though they play a more traditional form of music, play damn well. They're obviously influenced and inspired by 1960's and 1970's psychedelic rock but that's not necessarily a setback, since their vocals are perfectly harmonious and the instrumentals are impeccably in sync to form such a crisp and pleasant sound. Their music also contains the depth and echoing acoustics to make you feel overpowered, if listened to with good headphones.

Fleet Foxes is touring right now and will play a show at the Bowery Ballroom on July 9th, which I plan on attending. I can only imagine what Josh Tillman's voice sounds like in person. He also does some solo music on the side, and his latest album is called "Minor Works." Amazing.