Oblivians: Goner Fest 7!!

All I can say is WOW!! I got goosebumps watching this just now and can't believe I was there to witness it in real time. It was a fan-fucking-tastic Gonerfest weekend!

Goner Fest 7!!

It's likely I'll be out of pocket for the next five days. Friends are arriving in town by the carload and flooding the airport from all over the world for Goner Fest 7. Woo Hoo! As of 1:00 p.m. today, I will be on a staycation until Tuesday.  

Guitar Wolf is headlining the show on Saturday night at the Hi Tone and I couldn't be more excited. I haven't seen them since the San Francisco garage rock heydays back in 1995 or so. It's sure to be a wild weekend, little honeys!

Tuesday Tunes: Zola Jesus (a.k.a. Nobody Knows I'm Goth, Part 2)

This isn't the newest of Zola Jesus tunes, but I think this video is remarkably beautiful. The song doesn't suck either. It reminds me of several different old Siouxsie and Cocteau Twins songs rolled into one slightly-more-modern package. I've been really digging her new LP. Did I mention that nobody knows I'm Goth?

Flashback Friday: Wreckless Eric

For many, many years the song "Whole Wide World" by Wreckless Eric has been one of my very favorite songs. Ever. (Since looooong before Will Ferrell sang it in the 2006 film, "Stranger Than Fiction", I assure you!). It was a popular single in England when it was released in 1977. I, for one, was not surprised that it was included in MOJO magazine’s list of the best punk rock singles of all time. There are many other Wreckless Eric songs that I like a whole lot. "Pop Song" is pretty great. But "Whole Wide World" is still my fave.

Sweet Package: Kate and Ms. Kiely

Earlier this month, I spied a post at the print and pattern blog about the Orla Kiely fragrance line released in the UK. The packaging is divine, of course, and the description of the fragrance sounds like something I'd fancy. Natural "rose, geranium and bergamot, subtly balanced with fresh fig and a hint of chocolate"? Ummm... YES, PLEASE!

Then today, while perusing the Kate Spade website, I spied that she also has a new signature fragrance. The packaging is simple, elegant and classy - just as you'd expect from KS. As the Kate Spade New York website describes "Twirl", its "pink watermelon mingles with blackberry and red currant...enhanced with a heart of fresh flowers including orange blossom, star jasmine, tiare flower and sweet magnolia... finished with luminous musks and a touch of french macaron (straight from the patisserie, of course)." Sounds heavenly, no?

The List

In July of this year, I turned 39. "I'm one year away from 40," I thought. And then I started evaluating my life and my lifestyle and thinking about whether or not I'm where I thought I'd be at this age, at this stage in my life. There are lots of things on my mental "list" of things to do before I die (don't call it a "Bucket List" or I'll puke), but most of those things involve travel - things I want to see, places I want to visit - sites to see before I'm too old and rickety to see them. Like the Hagia Sophia. I have to see that! (It's widely considered to be one of the Seven Wonders of the World and now my friend Anne lives in Istanbul! NO EXCUSES!)

Anyway, so I made a list. It's a shorter, more attainable inventory of little enjoyments that I can and would like to achieve before I turn 40 - a record of 40 items I've thought about again and again that I can be happy I finally did (or did again!) when my birthday rolls around again. So far, two months in, I've crossed five items off the list and several are in progress. Not too shabby!

1.   Finish a paint-by-numbers painting

2.   Take a class to learn to do something creative

3.   Paint the hallway

4.   Paint the walk-in closet The paint colors are selected, now to find the time for this MAJOR undertaking!

5.   Host a party at my house

6.   Meet and maintain my weight-loss goal I've lost 13 lbs. and I'm currently 10 lbs. away from goal

7.   Commit to going to the gym two times per week In progress and going strong!

8.   Go bowling

9.   Rent a boat for the day

10. Frame the Memphis/San Francisco postcards I've collected  Hung in my kitchen

11. Take a photo every day in progress, but moving slowly

12. Update my résumé

13. Re-pot my cactus garden

14. Visit my grandmother in California

15. Eat a banana to see if I still hate them Tastes change. Right?

16. Reduce my shoe collection to 40 pairs I couldn’t live without

17. Volunteer

18. Meet with a financial advisor

19. Go to the Memphis Farmers Market

20. Ride my bike

21. Read 10 books

22. Pay off credit card debt

23. Get a new tattoo The design is selected, but where do I want it?

24. Go to a cheese tasting

25. Write out a will

26. Ice skate or roller skate

27. Go to a dermatologist

28. Get a mammogram

29. Blow bubbles Completed on my front porch one evening while sipping champagne!

30. Wear a bikini in public

31. Wear sunscreen daily In progress

32. Take my vitamins In progress

33. Seriously evaluate creating a second source of income

34. Learn to apply false eyelashes

35. Write a love letter

36. Walk or run a 5k for charity

37. Ride a ferris wheel

38. Ride a roller coaster

39. Watch the rest of the “Best Picture” Oscar-winning films

40. Buy an original piece of art I chose a print of an original painting by a Portland artist that I love. Once framed, it'll go perfectly in the newly-painted (see # 4, above) closet.

Crush: NYC Goodies

As friends are making their way toward Memphis for Gonerfest next week, I'm thinking about New York. Cathy is coming from Brooklyn on Saturday to join us for the Sharon Jones and the Dapkings show and then will head to St. Louis for a few days before coming back to Memphis for four days of utter mayhem. My friend Gary is coming from London via New York and, after spending a few days in the Big Apple, will also be bedding down in the Bluff City for the fest.

Here are a few of the NYC goodies I'm crushing on right now.

NYC City in a Bag (from MUJI via Design Sponge)

NYC Handkerchief (from MUJI)

Build Your Own Paper NYC (via Cool Hunting)

Type & Print: Owls and Woodland Critters by Jolby & Friends

Awhile back I came across the website for Jolby & Friends and I have to say I'm a smitten kitten. I love how fun the illustrations are, but look at the stuffed owl(!), too. So lovely! They can also be found on Etsy here.

From Portland With Love

Home Is Where You Make It

Home Is Where You Make It

Home Is Where You Make It

Baby Critters: Amazing Feats!

Fun stuff for this lovely Wednesday!

Tuesday Tunes: Superchunk

The new Superchunk release has gotten a lot of positive hype and I, for one, am totally psyched to hear the new tracks. Here's the link to the video for "Diggin for Something."

All Mapped Out: Maps for a Lonely Planet

These illustrated maps by Zara Picken for Lonely Planet Magazine are just lovely. Found via designworklife.

Travel: Picture Us In Paris

This afternoon I took a look at my calendar and all the things I have planned through the end of the year. It's already September and Halloween will be here before I know it. Then the holidays will arrive. I've long wanted to go to Paris for Christmas, but it doesn't seem to be in the cards for me this year. I'd be satisfied to just hop on a plane and go right now, though.

weheartit

weheartit

weheartit

weheartit

weheartit

weheartit

weheartit

weheartit

weheartit

Flashback Friday: Australian Audio

I'm trying to get myself in the mood for the weekend. Between the goat chariot races and the annual "Running of the Weenies," I think I'm going to stay busy. In any case, these two Australian classics are perennial faves - one about being together and one about being alone. I think I'm feeling a bit of both right now. Par for the course. Maybe I should run in one of the weekend's races!

Baby Critters: Kitten Suspenders!

Via papernstitch

Tuesday Tunes: Wavves

The long weekend threw me off a day, so here's new music on Wednesday. Better late than never, right?  Wavves are playing on Friday at the Hi Tone with Christmas Island and Bake Sale. Here's their new video.

Blondie & Cheap Trick: Tonight, Tonight!

I finally decided to break down and buy a ticket to see Blondie and Cheap Trick tonight at the Memphis Botanic Garden. The combination of perfect weather and friends with tickets made it undeniable. Seats are on the lawn and we'll have a picnic dinner. What's not to love? It certainly doesn't hurt that they are two of my favorite bands maybe, like, ever. My only hesitation in buying a ticket before today was price - I'm a bit broke right now. It's a once-in-a-lifetime thing, though, right?! I gotta go! Oh, and also there's the fact that Blondie drummer Clem Burke is my total PBF (pretend boyfriend) and is in VG condition (that's "very good" in record nerd parlance). I've literally had a crush on him since I was 8 years old. No joke.

In anticipation of tonight's show, here are a few of my very favorite songs from each band. Happy Labor Day Weekend!

Travel: Cinque Terre, Italy

When I was 17, my anthropology professor told me about his life in Italy in the 1970s. He lived in a house built into the rocky hillside on the coast and he fished and swam everyday. His affection for the place was genuine and his descriptions of the terrain, the architecture, the food and the culture were irresistible. Since then, I’ve always wanted to visit the small coastal towns that make up Cinque Terre. Situated on the Italian Riviera on the northwest coast, Cinque Terre is in the Liguria region of Italy, west of the city of La Spezia. Someday!

via BackpackPodcast

via DesignSponge

via DesignSponge

via DesignSponge

via GoItaly

via commons.wikimedia.org

via quylekilns

via CityPictures

via fromflyoverland

Flashback Friday: Sugar Pie DeSanto & Barbara Lynn

I'm feeling a bit nostalgic today, so here are two of my all-time favorite soulful ladies from two of my all-time favorite cities - Miss Sugar Pie DeSanto from San Francisco and Miss Barbara Lynn from New Orleans.

Crush: Skulls (a.k.a. Nobody Knows I'm Goth)

In my recent travels through the blogosphere, I've run across some beautiful items incorporating human skulls in their design. Maybe I listened to too much Bauhaus and Siouxsie and the Banshees (and Joy Division and Sisters of Mercy and The Cure and The Mission UK) in the 80s, but I do love a bit of the dark side. Last Christmas, my boyfriend gave me a beautiful silver necklace with a tiny dagger charm and a Frankenstein diorama - both of which I absolutely adore. Here are some lovely objects I'd happily have in my home. Just don't tell anybody I'm Goth.

via ghostlovejewelry

via Moon Raven Designs

via ghostlovejewelry

via Michael Varian

via Michael Varian

via MascaraJones

A+R Store (via sfgirlbybay)

Girl Crush: Anna Karina

I recently watched Jean-Luc Godard's 1965 film Pierrot Le Fou. Although I had seen plenty of photos of Anna Karina before, I now officially have a Girl Crush on her. And I'm totally stealing her hair-do(s)!

Baby Critters: Polar Bears!

cuteoverload