Whoopsies

Sorry for the delay in posting, it's been unusually hectic (as always).

I JUST moved into my new apartment/house in Williamsburg on Saturday. The house is really nice and homey; Nicky and I get the whole house to ourselves. It's the guest-house behind a larger house so we're kind of hidden from the main street, as the window views are of the giant peach tree right outside. The living space, kitchen and dining area are on the ground floor and our bedrooms are at the floor above. I'm not taking pictures because I want you to come visit and actually see the place. Also because it hasn't been fully furnished yet.

School starts in 2 weeks, and I'm not looking forward to going back at all. After having such an awesome summer at the beach, the barns, in Vermont, with kids, with friends, etc., the thought spending days and nights at the crappy Parsons facilities is absolutely dreadful. Maybe when school rolls around, I'll adjust to the cold weather and sleep patterns. Sigh.

Work at the lab has gotten worse. I'm getting tired of being there, dealing with my ridiculous boss.

On a brighter note, Nicky will be coming this Friday. Our Wii will come soon as well. Along with many of our friends who've been away traveling or home this summer. House-warming party to come, for sure.

I've also purchased tickets to the following:
-Animal Collective
-Jose Gonzalez
-Architecture in Helsinki
-Stars
-Mum
SO EXCITED!!!

Currently Listening to:
Justice - †
Funky bass guitar picks, remixed orchestral, absolutely strut-worthy snares and beats, downgraded vocals are held together with the most obnoxious buzzing ever. As usual, the Daft Punk influence is definitely there. Thanks to Dylan for turning me on to this.

MP3: Justice - Phantom

Má Fama

Portuguese radio station and blog. Awesome.

Also Awesome:
Jose Gonzalez's new video, Down the Line from his forthcoming album, In Our Nature.

A Print in Progress:

Explosive Frogs

Múm -

Kiss, Kiss

Got back from Vermont a few hours ago. The trip was wonderful, as usual. Can't even tell you what my favorite part was; there were too many. Watching Kathy Griffin fake-fall out of a London cab/get hit in the face by a branch/sneak into Hilary Clinton's pictures on television with Nicky was certainly one of them. We went swimming at "Big Rock," which was actually a...big, rock half submerged in water where I surprisingly didn't drown and ants crawled up girly parts.

The big plans for last weekend failed. Two of the apartments were immediately rented and a few didn't e-mail back promptly. We drove around and saw a few apartments in Brooklyn. East Williamsburg was too industrial and barren for our safety standards, Bushwick...was like Jamaica, Greenpoint was very nice and Polish, but painful to get to Midtown, and Williamsburg looks like our target neighborhood. This is obvious not because we want to be a part of the filthy snooty hipster scene, but we'll get more space for our Wii and stay as close to Manhattan as possible for less money. Plus there are hand rolled freshly baked bagels and restaurants on Bedford Avenue which will make for good eating.

Nicky and Daddy Nicky will be back tomorrow for a final day of hunting and we're just going to have to settle for what we get.

On Repeat: Yeah Yeah Yeahs - Is Is EP
YYYs recorded some songs between 2002 and 2006 which were never included in the albums. Down Boy starts with a steady organ chord accompanied by the initial snares and drum kicks until Karen O's chanting "down boy, down/count me down" sends the band into a heavily synchronized beat backed by steady crowd hand claps.

Kiss, Kiss is a faster paced track starting with quickly ticking drum sticks and picking guitar strings. The chorus sounds a bit like a rolling storm of loud guitar, fast drumming and almost indecipherable vocals based on a series of chords to set the listener in a rebellious rowdy FUCK YEAH attitude.

Overall I'm very fond of YYYs' Is Is EP but Down Boy and Kiss, Kiss are on repeat.

Also On Repeat: MP3: Mates of State's For the Actor

Big Plans

This past weekend has been marvelous, as usual. I went to Shelter Island with the babies and realized that I love them, so much. We went clamming (it was my first time) by the docks. The sky was clear and the weather was warm and very sunny; my skin is almost as tan it could be.

Most importantly, while we were at the beach, the boy, Jasper and I decided to play water tag, nothing new. Then after awhile we got really into it and before I even realized it, my feet were no longer touching the ground and my arms were moving; OMGZ I WAS SWIMMING!!! To my amusement I tried to doggy paddle, which I did successfully. We had cake that night in celebration. Highlight of the weekend.

Nicky is coming this weekend and we're getting an apartment so that's a really big deal. We'll see how this goes.

Busy busy busy work work work.

October 19th is the Stars concert at Town Hall. Already got orchestra seats for the show. Mmmm. Because they were the indie pop band that started the deep interest in contemporary upcoming artists, this show means a great deal to me. I've been waiting 4 years to see them in concert and this will be it! As Tiff always says, "I'm piddling in my panties."

Confession

I can't help but love Madonna. That's just the way it is. Just watch her Confessions Tour that she aired a few months ago. Made me want nothing more than to go dancing at a gay club at 2AM.

The Underdog Here at Night

Ah, Stars, my first ever "indie" band. A follow up to their wonderful Set Yourself on Fire album in 2004, In the Bedroom After the War is another upbeat, innocent, very pop-y album comprised of more mellow duet singing and sound-clips of old speeches and readings, soft drum snares and low organ keyboard chords. Who couldn't fall in love with Amy Millan's voice? (She also has a solo, more folk-y album)

Their actual palpable album is set to release on September 25th (a big date) but their legal digital download is available as of July 10th, only 4 days after its completion. Stars is also going on tour in the US and they'll be performing at NY's Town Hall. I'm still waiting for tickets to go on sale.

MP3: Stars - The Night Starts Here

I also got the new Spoon album, Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga. It's a touchy subject, so I won't address it much. Non-Spoon-heads will certainly find this album all hit-or-miss.

MP3: Spoon - The Underdog

Menomena is playing tonight at South Street. Wish I wasn't sick.

The next show, Brazilian Girls is on the 22nd at Central Park, but I'm missing that because of the babies. Big fat sigh.

So I guess the next show I can actually attend will be Blonde Redhead on August 5th at McCarren Pool, Brooklyn.

Alas, internet radio will NOT be shut down on July 15th. That's all that's important for now.

This Deserves its Own Post:

September 30th - Animal Collective at Webster Hall

November 10th - Múm AT WORDLESS MUSIC FESTIVAL OMGOMGOMGOMG

Epiphany on the Ferry

Friday morning I took the Hamptons Charter Bus through Long Island to the shore. This was, by far, the most beautiful ride I've ever had. The sky was clear and sunny and there wasn't much traffic. We passed the countryside where many farms and crops were grown; I saw miles down the farms from the road. There were wineries every quarter mile, local country houses, tractors, grass, etc. etc. Then I got to Greenport to take the ferry to Shelter Island. Walked past the docks and the sailboats and more sailboats. It was at the departing moment on the ferry when I decided that I wanted to live around these parts with my own sailboat(s).

Shelter Island was of course, wonderfully pleasant. Small beaches, horse barns, lots of trees and grass and local stores. Lots of very rich people who spend millions of dollars on their Shelter Island beach houses just so they can come every weekend from their gorgeous Manhattan apartments. The island reminded me a bit of Rhode Island.

The mom is publicist and production manager and the dad is a designer for Ralph Lauren. Their house looked like it came straight out of the pages of like, Hampton's Ralph Lauren Homes. (It quite possibly did, with all the interior designs magazine lying around.) The house was beautiful.

Jasper, boy, is 4 years old and Francesca, girl, is 2 years old (terrible two's!). It took some time to break the ice with them but I'm working on it!!

I fell in love with the family after horseback-riding, going to the beach everyday, etc. etc.

It was a hectic weekend, but worth it all in the end.

OK Tiffany is blogging about her travels around the world and children in Cambodia and here I am, thinking Shelter Island and Ralph Lauren are grand.

I Summon YOU

I've been waiting for Nicky Digital to publish their pictures from Irving Plaza for a whole MONTH! Too bad most of their pictures weren't that wonderful. However, remember when I told you the guitarist from CSS gave me a vibrator toward the end of the show? Yep. That's my arm.

It's OK; I'd be jealous too.

Right now I'm listening to "I Summon You" by Spoon on new Bose headphones and decided a few hours ago that this is one of my favorite songs of all time.

Tomorrow night is the Fujiya & Miyagi show at South Street. Too bad I'll be away. Sigh. It starts at 7PM.

Next Show: Spoon at Rockefeller Park on Wednesday