The Beginning of Summer!

Everyone knows tomorrow is the Summer Solstice (or at least anyone as nerdy as me who remembers these things!) Summer isn't my favorite season, but it is definitely a season filled with fun road trips and adventures! This weekend two of my best friends and I went to Santa Cruz to enjoy the lovely weather. This photo I discovered on Flickr by Redskynight pretty much captures a perfect summer moment. And this song by Cults is a perfect song for the beginning of summer, perfectly titled, "Go Outside".

I hope everyone enjoys their "longest-daylight-hours-of-the-year-in-the-northern-hemisphere" day tomorrow!!

-XO

Best Music Video Ever.

Yep, I said it. Or at least for right now. So good.

Amongst Giants - Turn.

Animation by wearelwz.com

-XO

Heroes&Heroines: Julie Andrews and Gene Kelly

Julie Andrews Show - Tap Dancing with Gene Kelly from patch king on Vimeo.

Two of my favorite people from the 20th century.

-XO

These are a few of my favorite things...

Coldplay, Parachutes.

Jane Austen, Pride&Prejudice.

Laika Studios, Coraline.

-XO

Kae Sun is Groovy

I love that feeling you get when you find a new song you really love. I was looking all day for something upbeat, but not too electro, not too acoustic. Finally found it with this awesome song from Kae Sun. Cute video too.

-XO

The Girl from the North Country

It makes me so sad to hear today that Suze Rotolo, former girlfriend and muse of Bob Dylan, who influenced him in his political views and his songwriting, died on February 25th of lung cancer. She was a lovely and inspiring young woman when she met Dylan and he was immediately enamored. You can see her on the cover of his second album, The Freewheelin' Bob Dylan. She was an inspiration to an era.

RIP, Suze.

-XO

The San Francisco Life

It's been a pretty crazy last month. Nothing bad, just busy as all heck. So this last week we finally had some time to relax and enjoy being back in San Francisco after a trip to North Carolina for Ryan's amazing friends' wedding. We spent our first lazy weekend drawing in our favorite neighborhood, the Fillmore District, drinking hot chocolate (for me) and fancy americanos (for him) at Citizen Cake, where they try to be more fancy than I really wish they were. It's a cute spot, but I don't think you really need a server for coffee and cake. But the cake I have to say was well worth the wait.

Later in the week after a few nights of eating in, we decided that enough time had passed for us to go out and eat in the real world again. One of my favorite (and one of the busiest) spots to eat at night on Fillmore Street is Pizzeria Delfina. The hipsters work it, the townies eat there. It's got great thin crust pizza (if you're into that) and good wine. Aside from breaking out in hives near the beginning of the meal, everything was great!

Nearly ending our week of relaxation, we had tickets to see Little Dragon - which was a little spice in our designated lazy time and by Saturday was definitely a welcome change of pace. Little Dragon front-woman Yukimi Nagano is like a cross between a little girl, and Mick Jagger. She's got the best dance moves and a kick ass band that sort of crosses between electronic/indie/tribal and some kind of new-wave hippie jamming. It was awesome to say the least.

Finally, Sunday was the warmest night in the city for months (of course it's February, and that isn't really something we were expecting but it was totally perfect!). We walked around the Marina and drew at The Grove and finally ended the day with a gorgeous sunset view of the Golden Gate Bridge. I'm pretty sure we are now at 100% relax-capacity and are finally ready to get back into life.

-XO

Land of Talk

Land of Talk "Some Are Lakes" from Yours Truly on Vimeo.

-XO

Swedish girls have the coolest voices.

And infinite talent it seems.... First Aid Kit, You're Not Coming Home Tonight - sisters Johanna and Klara.

-XO

First Aid Kit | You're Not Coming Home Tonight from RADAR MAKER on Vimeo.

Tiny People

-XO

Berlin from Andreas T. on Vimeo.

Architects and Engineers

Guster's new album, Easy Wonderful is out!! And they always have the best videos with the best songs... because well, they are the best band.

-XO

Architects And Engineers featuring Singalong Paul from Guster on Vimeo.

The RAA, oh how I love them.

The Rural Alberta Advantage - Drain The Blood from Saddle Creek on Vimeo.

-XO

In a boat with Seabear.

-XO

The Canal Sessions: Seabear - Wolfboy from The Canal Sessions on Vimeo.

Airplane Ride

This short film by Ryan Booth makes me want to travel again.

-XO

In the Air from Ryan Booth on Vimeo.

Little Joy; Lotta Love

Whenever a famous band comes out with a side-project there's always speculation and doubt casting a shadow over the music's ability to hold up to the original stuff that made all or one of the musicians famous. I think that it's safe to say that Fabrizio Moretti, of The Strokes, has one of the most fantastic "second-bands" ever.

Little Joy is reminiscent of the mid-century music. It's one of the few bands that really makes music that actually sounds vintage and doesn't just steal from the time-period. And personally, I'd even go so far as to say it's better than his first-band.

-XO

PS! Here is an adorable photo of Fabrizio Moretti and Little Joy bandmate/girlfriend Binki Shapiro for extra awesomeness.

Little Joy from PAuLinHo SacraMenTo on Vimeo.

Sufjan Stevens on a Windy Rooftop

If you haven't heard Sufjan before, well, now's a great time to listen. One of the few boys who doesn't seem to mind singing a little too high and a lot heartfelt, and who is completely unafraid of being different.

-XO

Take Away Show #50.1: SUFJAN STEVENS from vincent moon / temporary areas on Vimeo.

Soko, So Late

So apparently French singer, Soko, has been around for a couple of years and I'm late to the game, but I just heard her bizarrely, awesome song, "I'll Kill Her" this week and I just had to share. I also love her style, a lot.



-XO


Photo via Edouard Plongeon.

A Sunny Day in Glasgow (and in San Francisco too!)

There is something exciting and happy about the band, A Sunny Day in Glasgow, that is just represented in their music as well as the art on their 12" record covers. I fell in love with this art the moment I saw it. I'm a sucker for colors, especially in watercolor paintings.

Click on any of the photos to go to Weekly Tape Deck to listen to their single, 'Failure', which of course it totally isn't!

-XO

A New Lesson in American Roots

Mumford & Sons - "Little Lion Man" from Mikey Levelle on Vimeo.

I love this song and I love their style. And best of all? This "Americana" style music is from a bunch of British boys.

-XO