I've Always Loved You

Best Coast... doing what they do best being catchy, cute, and simply awesome. Their album Crazy For You will absolutely be in my top 10 for the year, so be sure you have a listen my dears!

Best Coast-When The Sun Don't Shine

Puzzle Pieces

Last night I fell back in love with my photography. It goes in waves, in tides, in seasons with my urge to snap a little piece of life. I also came to the realization, that now with this fictitious business license, now is the time to get off the the ground. We all have goals in this here world, and mine is to illustrate stories by linking photographs in a puzzle like manor and having that of an illustrious beginning to end. Capturing the moment on camera simply lasts forever and caters to us humans need for nostalgia, to remind us just how beautiful life really is. Time for me to develop my thesis and put up a website, and one day soon I'm going to be doing what I truly want to do. Wedding/engagement/portrait/commercial photography in a manor that flows as elegantly as the rivers to the sea.

The photo above is one from many many years ago (2006 to be precise), my father gave me one of his old Cannon digital cameras and it was then that I fell in love with photography.

Happy Friday!
Beach House-Take Care

We've Got Holes in Our Hearts

Oh how I want to get lost in trees this weekend, however that's simply impossible so this band will have to do! North Carolina's Lost In Trees proves that being acoutstic and orchestral absolutely works. Especially when they swirl in vocals, call upon the subtle strings, and take me by the hand to swoonsville. This song below reminds me a bit of Damien Rice, but a milllllion times better. I just really like the way they build layers and put in haunting oweeees. Who wants to get lost in trees with me?

Lost in Trees-All Alone in an Empty House

It takes a thousand tries you'll get it right in time.

If it weren't for this little thing called music, I really don't know where I'd be. After the shittiest of days or those that are simply gorgeous, without it... I'd die. Having a soundtrack-less life would be terrible, then again so would living on the streets, that's terrible. I do love silence, don't get me wrong, however music just fills that void for me. The one you get when you're slaving away at work and a track comes on, and that light in your heart goes off and you say... "I love this song!" Or those moments in your day when you have one track on repeat, playing over and over again putting you in a trance, which results in a meditative bliss.

Music makes my world go round...

Young Empires- White Doves

I Wanna Hold Her Hand & Show Her Some Beauty

I'm going to come out and say that I have full faith that the soon to be released Arcade Fire album will be to par or better than "Funeral", as their song "Suburbs" is simply beautiful and so well written & composed. This song gets me a bit weepy with its fallout feel and dreamscape of bombs falling from the sky. God I wish they were playing the Bowl this summer, a few years back they did and that was one of the best shows I've ever seen. Hope you like this song as much as I do.

Arcade Fire-The Suburbs

Breakfast of Champions

I believe breakfast is one of the most important meals of the day, thus being innovative and exciting is most important. I like to keep it healthy and balanced by incorporating protein, dairy, nanas, fiber, and a coffee beverage. I highly recommend duplicating this yourself at home, as the whole breakfast is under 300 calories and simply delicious!

What you'll need:

Yogurt Haven
-1 cup Fage greek yogurt (20g protein!)
-Half banana
-slivered almonds
-dash of dried fruit
-sprinkled with honey

English Muff Nuff
-Thomas Better Start Light english Muffins (8g of fiber!)
-Trader Joe's Boysenberry jam
-crumble goat cheese

Hope you guys enjoy this, I'm a savory scrumdiddlyumptious kinda girl... and yeah it's pretty much amazing.

You're My Favorite Flavor

Air's "Playground Love" has a nostalgic affect on many of us and I've just stumbled upon perhaps one of the best covers of it. Oh Phoenix, you french boys have been in my life for some time now, since the days of "Long Distance Calls". Listen and love this track and it's raw goodness...

Phoenix-Playground Love (Air Cover)

Lunch

Today I decided to play it easy and create a truly delicious treat! For you goat cheese lovers, this is a must make... Sweet meets savory here, ingredients right here:

-Sweet Picante Peppers
-Goat Cheese
-Balsamic Vinegar
-dash o' basil

Directions: Stuff Red peppers liberally with goat cheese. Create Balsamic reduction in small sauce pan on low. Once reduction has simmered into perfection, drizzle over peppers and enjoy!

It Rains Allot This Time of Year

Oh gloomy days, I kinda love you... Here's a song from an ex-Phantom Planeter, LA native, and actor Jason Schwartzman in a project called Coconut Records. I'm still kinda confused how this one slipped passed me but nonetheless its simply good.

"And i miss you (ooooh)
I’m goin back home to the west coast
I wish you woulda put yourself in my suitcase"

Coconut Records-West Coast

Just Breathe

Hello weekend, how do you do? I'm a happy lady with the way the stars are aligning and my two days off will bring! My brothers fiance is having a bachelorette party this weekend at a super swank resort in San Diego that should be chicktastic and loads of fun, I'll be taking lots of pictures with my new camera. Tonight I'm attending a 3rd grade reunion with kids that are all grown up from likely the coolest elementary school ever, Sugar Hill. Imagine having a dragon as your mascot... And the swing set their was incredible, far taller than other schools.

Here's a song that should be apart of everyone's playlist for nighttime drives by Telepopmusik. Its made for cityscape freeways as the world around you blurs in motion and the lyrics induce you by saying "Just Breathe", an act that so many of us forget to do when caught up in life. Listen, love, live my lovelies...

Telepopmusik- Breathe

I Wanted a Hit!

James I do adore... Mr. Murphy has brought us yet another SPECTACULAR album, supposedly the last to be graced under the LCD Soundsytem name. At first I wasn't too jazzed with the "Drunk Girls" track thinking he lost his magic, but I was truly wrong. This will definitely be in my top 5 of the year as it leaves me in absolute bliss and ups my happy-go-lucky meter by a whopping 16%! Build ups have never sounded so good and the flow of the album in its entirety is just ridiculous(that of the amazing). Gotta find a way to go buy tickets for the Fox Theater before they sell out, cause Ticket Master is trying to rape people of a $17 markup per ticket! So atrocious... This is music that must be heard live!

LCD Soundsytem-You Wanted a Hit



LCD Soundsytem- All I Want

Uh ohhhhh...

Are you all ready for a sexy groovin song that will leave you in swoonsville? I'm just now getting into Mayer Hawthorne, this guy reminds me of a more Marvin Gaye version of Jamie Lidell. This song is originally done by the funkmaster James Pants and Mayer softens the edges with his covered version.

Mayer Hawthorne- Thin Moon

It Can Work For You

Happy Friday my lovelies! I feel myself falling back into my arts lately and can't wait to pursue my photography deeper. I'm a proud parent to a super deluxe Rebel X t2i and have loads of ideas to attend to. Music will undoubtedly play a major role in my adventures to come, so why not kick the weekend off with a fantabulous song from Two Door Cinema Club. You might have found me dancing around to it this morning... Love these guys!

Two Door Cinema Club-Something Good Can Work

Tell Everyone You Know

Today's Saturday, it is my day, it's your day. Here's another band that will be at Coachella that I'm absolutely addicted to, oh Miike Snow... Don't ya know? They are definitely an upper and I'm pretty sure they'll be fun, fun, fun in the sun next Sunday! Let your ears have a listen.

Miike Snow- Song for No One



Miike Snow-Animal

Home is Wherever I'm With You

Coachella is just around the corner for those of you who will be joining me for my 4th year in a row! Here's a mix of Edward Sharpe & the Magnetic Zero's "Home", which has been on repeat for a good two days now. This version is far better than the original, with a gorgeous piano intro, exuding a much fuller, dreamy, and whimsical feel. This is a theme song, one you should incorporate somewhere in your life, play it after a long vacation, listen to it on the way to your lovers house, or just walk merrily down the street whistling along with it's contagious melody. I have a feeling they'll be pretty damn awesome at Chella! Listen & love.

Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros(RAC MIX)-Home

Oaks Gourmet

The search for Los Angeles best burgers brought us to The Oaks Gourment and with the Laist name dropping it as #5 in our city. Pictured here is a dry aged burger, topped with taleggio cheese, black forest ham (cracked out baconness), red onion, tomato, and a smoked jalepeno-pineapple compote served on a brioche bun. Yum. So juicy and tasty, my goodness it gets an A-. This little shop has an elaborate beer selection and cheese selection as well. I will surely be coming here pre-hollywood bowl nights to collect exotic cheese, fresh snacks, and barrel aged beer. Oh Los Angeles I'm yours.... More burger reviews to come. Oh and their cream soda was also delish!

More, You Want More

There's something beyond dreamy about the new Beach House album that only the imagination can explain. It's amazing how they manage to take you, the listener into a "Teen Dream" with magical organ-like textures, simple drum machines, daunting vocals, and a Mazzy Starish state. Listening to "Walk in the Park" I can just picture myself wondering around the old carousel in Griffith Park with my first boyfriend, and having the world around me seem so new. As we go round and round on horses, we fall more and more in love with one another all at the youthful age of 18. Beach House is really just a gorgeous sounding band to swoon to, drive to, and live to. This album is definitely going to be in my top 10. Here's two tracks for you.

Beach House-Walk in the Park



Beach House-Silver Soul

Hearts

This weekend I got smitten in the kitchen for my boyfriend and whipped up some decadently delicious chocolate hearts. I picked up Belgian chocolate at Trader Joes, among the other various ingredients and went to work with my love shaped cookie cutters! The flavors above are peanut butter and jelly, cherry almond, cherry pistachio, sea salt, and rocky road. My favorite ended up being the PB&J and the sea salt. Hope you all are being good to your lovers and lovees this Valentines day!

Here's a sexy song for ya.
Queens of the Stone Age- Make it Wit Chu

On the Morning Tide

Miss Science of Sleep, Charlotte Gainsbourg has put me in a daze with her latest album IRM. She's probably the only actress turned singer thats put out something truly worth listening to over and over again, as compared to Scarlett Johansson and Zooey Deschanel. Beck produced it and likely made it what it is, though these days I find him to be unamazing and bored with his own image. Her being absolutely gorgeous surely helps in becoming such a buzzworthy name and the Uhhhh she swirls in with that reverb has me hard.

Charlotte Gainsbourg- Trick Pony

Oh I Wish

I can't believe I haven't listened to these guys till this year! Girls debut "Album" is quickly becoming my go to, with its upbeat-cutesy-guitartastic-uberly indie foot tapping gem. This song is a swell way to hump jump your week, enjoy!

Girls-Lust for Life

Take it Back

Another little dirty sexy tune for ya, kinda Kills-esque meets Band of Skulls. I'm such a sucker for girls like this... How's your case of the Mondays coming along?

She Keeps Bees- Gimme

I Like Following the Ghost

This is the sexiest song I've come across in a long time with the echos, reverb, and grungy goodness oh my. The leading lady of My Gold Mask has a Karen O feel, with her sassy vocals that lead you into a foggy nostalgic dream world.

My Gold Mask-Violet Eyes

I Could See the Weather Changing You

Icelanders tend to sport pretty cool hats and are usually talented in the music making department, such as this band here Seabear. They have a Sufjan feel, pianoing it up with strings and those build ups that you and I adore. Their new album "We Built a Fire" will be out sometime in March and I'm sure it will be an alluring gem to get your hands on, here's a song from it.

Seabear-Cold Summer

I've got Daydreams Galore

Of course every episode of House, there's usually one song that I fall instantly in love with, this week being a Fiona Apple cover of Cy Colemans "Why Try to Change Me Now". If this doesn't tug that heart of yours, nothing will. An ideal rainy day evening song to listen to with a bottle of wine, candles, fancy cheeses, and swoon in and out with the piano.

Fiona Apple-Why Try to Change Me

(download by clicking divShare below on the player)

Why Try To Change Me Now

I'm sentimental
So I walk in the rain
I've got some habits
That I can't explain
Could start for the corner
Turn up in Spain
Why try to change me now

I sit and daydream
I've got daydreams galore
Cigarette ashes
There they go on the floor
I go away weekends
And leave my keys in the door
But why try to change me now

Why can't I be more conventional
People talk
People stare
So I try
But that's not for me
Cuz I can't see
My kind of crazy world
Go passing me by

So let people wonder
Let 'em laugh
Let 'em frown
You know I'll love you
Till the moon's upside down
Don't you remember
I was always your clown
Why try to change me now

Don't you remember
I was always your clown
Why try to change me
Why try to change me now

My Brown Sound Jacket

Oh! I have a favorite album of the year thus far, going to none other than Spoon. Sure they're catchy as hell, however I find their new album "Transference" to be on the nitty/gritty/dirty indie rock side. They splash in their usu piano and guitar driven licks, I particularly like the swagger these guys have and the way in which they explore this demo-ly polished 5th album. I'm Ga Ga Ga for these guys even more so than before, and this is the only band that continuously puts out albums varying in mediums like my beloved Radiohead. I remember catching Spoon live at S.D.S.S. two years ago and being blown away by how much they kicked ass live, leaving me in a foot and head bopping state. Well come April I will get to catch them along with the hipster-ass crowd, shred my ears with love and distortion.

Spoon- Trouble Comes Running

There are Very Many Places

Everyone needs a little KOC (Kings of Convenience) in their life. This remix done by Four Tet rhythmically splices and gives you that build up throughout the entire track. I'm quite the sucker for going into the fade with drums and percussion bliss, and this track just about does it, while staying in an semi-organic zone. Enjoy!

Kings of Convenience-Weight of My Words (Four Tet Remix)

She Killed it with Kisses

I'm a bit late on the fanatic Florence and the Machines train, however I managed to hop on the last one of the evening! She's sassy, full voiced, fierce, and not doing too shabby with her fiery red hair, god I love a pretty ginger like Jlew. This song is bound to up your day and be a feel good track to your week, which has been coasting in the 70's and isn't too bad if I do say so myself. Oh happy day my lovelies!

Florence and the Machines-Dog Days are Over

Speakers are Blowing

I'm guilty of being a Twilight lover and surprisingly enough, a Radiohead lover paralleling that. When I heard this Thom Yorke track in the film I fell in love, and somehow it's entire soundtrack is audible and enjoyable on many levels. This song in particular is synthy and layered with ribbons of tension and sorrow.

Thom Yorke-Hearing Damage