Favorite things of the week

I am loving some Grizzly Bear, The Private Lives of Pippa Lee, and homemade CD's.

I was mesmerized the first time I saw this video on Monday. I never really understood the hype over Grizzly Bear, they just didn't seem that fantastic to me. The two songs I have just seemed typical indie chill. Once I heard "Ready, Able", I NEEDED the whole piece of Grizzly Bear art (the new album, Veckatimest) . What I have realized is Grizzly Bear frontman, Ed Droste, has an extremely lush almost trance inducing voice that is close to being supernatural. The backgrounds would play perfectly into some sort of Dali/Wonderland/Mars landscape. The video looks like some possessed play-dough acid trip. It's a little unsettling and a little lonely feeling, but I can't help but be inspired by it. Not to mention the clay heads on the pedestals would make excellent paper weights.



Nylon's November issue I had to go out and get myself. My subscription ran out without any warning, so I have to survive 4-6 weeks before I can receive a new Nylon in the mail. Luckily, I found the November (I <3 America) issue yesterday, and have since devoured its pages. I wasn't too thrilled to see Blake Lively on the cover. She dresses cool and all, but doesn't really seem that interesting. However, reading her interview made me realize that she is pretty cool. In the article they discussed her new movie, "The Private Lives of Pippa" which I had the pleasure to watch today. It is a mix between bored, wealthy housewife (her in her older years) and messed up hard-partying screw up (her younger years). There are also a great deal of psychological issues that spike the movie with bits of craziness (she is a sleepwalker, married to a man more than two times her age, and daughter of a Stepford wife drug addict). Overall, I enjoyed it. It has a very dream-like feel to it, and you never really know what to expect. If you're looking for something deep, but not too deep, tragic, but not tear-jerking, this is a good choice. Not to mention, the 80's attire she wears in her younger years is pretty awesome.


I was also very happy to receive a CD that my boyfriend made for me. Just wanted to say. I don't have the entire track listing yet, but was happy to recognize The Mars Volta, Jens Lekman, Mates of State, and ApSci. It has been on repeat in my car. Oh, and our 8 months is this Sunday. Exciting!!

Dad day.

So, the visit with my dad and Melissa went great. They arrived around 3 and got to see my apartment (the living area was declared bare, which makes me realize I really need to do something with it). We then went to Starbucks so I could get some coffee before my parents got their beers from the Orlando Ale House. Starbucks was great because my dad has this Starbucks Black Card. Sound awesome right? Apparently they gave him one because he goes there so much. He gets 10% off each time, and it looks pretty B.A. They took me grocery shopping which was super nice. I ended up leaving with a bunch of stuff I don't normally make, which is good because now I can make some nice dinners. One of the things I got were these cute little burger patties. I am probably going to make them Tuesday. I love mini anything. After we did the shopping we came back to my apartment to figure out where to eat. We decided on this place called Citrus that I have heard good reviews about. We waited for Anthony in the clubhouse while my dad and Melissa played a pretty entertaining game of ping-pong (they kept hitting this one guy in a chair, who didn't seem to mind at all). Anthony arrived and we were off. Citrus was so pretty, it's off of Orange Ave and is a classy place. They served plantain chips (sliced the long way) as an appetizer and have a rotating menu. The ambiance of the restaurant was great. dim lighting and cushy seats with large glass windows. I opted for a citrus salad with sliced oranges, plantain chips, chicken and other things I forgot. It was good, the dressing was a citrus balsamic and fit the salad nicely. The bathrooms in the place were also pretty great. The stalls were all large, with white wooden doors. The lighting was lovely, and they had mandarin lime aromatherapy soap from bath and body works. The mandarin lime scent fit the restaurant's name nicely. Also, the bathroom had mirrors that took up the entire end wall. My definition of perfect bathroom. We left Citrus and went to Park Ave to get some Gurtzberry's. I had the original with pomegranate seeds, kiwi, and raspberries. Sadly, after that we headed back to my apartment and my dad and step mom left. I miss my dad so much already. I am really hoping to go out to Texas for my Christmas break. I do not see them enough, and it makes me really sad. My dad and step mom like Anthony though, which is fantastic! So, no worries with that. Saying goodbye to my dad is always pretty tear-jerking for me. However, it always gets me excited to see him again.

My dad, and other things I am thrilled about.

So, last week got a phone call that my dad was going to be visiting me the 14, today. I got pretty excited. I haven't seen him since I graduated from high school more than a year ago. There is always sort of a sense of nervousness involved. I wonder if he'd think I've changed or think that I got weird, or something like that. But I have realized along the years that it is very hard for me to please both sets of parents. My dad is a little easier because he doesn't see me, so he doesn't see my life. It hurts to see all the things he missed out on, and he's told me many times how angry it makes him. It makes me sad. Not just sad like I miss him sad, but sad to my soul. My father, who loves me so much, only sees me one time a year for a few days at most. He missed all my birthdays (after my 13th), did not get to teach me to drive, or even see me drive until June of 2008, and missed being there for me throughout all that messy high school experience. Don't get me wrong, I don't blame him for any of this. However, he had some chances to see me and chose not to. It hurt, but it's one of those things I've grown accustomed to. Life is how it is for me, I know my dad loves me. But I would like my dad to know me. I am excited to see him and my step mom today, I get to shown them my crappy apartment (which I have to clean) and UCF. Oh, and they get to meet my boyfriend. Which, who wouldn't be nervous about that? I know my boyfriend is amazing, and I love him so much. But, parents are always a tough bunch to please. So, I am just worrying in advance like I always do. Maybe all of my nervousness will cancel itself out? I am trying to be nothing but excited.

In other news, Passion Pit came out with a new video for kingdom come. The video goes well with the lyrics, as in it's hard to interpret. You've got lyrics splattered with what seems like influences from Christianity, and then the video of scientists, burning trees, and asteroids. Seems pretty apocalyptic to me. But it's good, Passion Pit are always good. I burned my friend Sam both of their albums. He was asking about them and apparently heard them on the City. Passion Pit on a show of whiny, bithcy, shallow skanks does not make me happy. But oh well, if I was them I would probably want the money too. We also went to the new H&M today at the Florida mall. It was pretty good. I got some good deals on a sweater and some other stuff. Among what I got was an item on my "need to get" list. High-wasted frilly skirts are all over the place for winter. They have a slightly ballerina like feel to them, and are so feminine. I got one in black, and it is lovely. They had a lot of fur coats there. I was in love with this gorgeous brown one. However, I already have a fur coat, so I had to pass. I would definitely say you should check H&M out. They have nice guy's items, and even have children's and maternity clothes. I also noticed that the Florida mall is putting in a gigantic monster of a Forever 21. It's the biggest one I have ever seen, and I am so ready for it to open.

Passion Pit | To Kingdom Come from Passion Pit on Vimeo.

Synth pop love song (for fish)

Ok, I do realize this is my second post this morning. But I feel I have some catching up to do. Also, I just watched this video by Sally Shapiro and have fallen in love with it. The video, mixed with the Japanese pop sounding music (Shapiro is not from Japan, but Sweden), has its corny parts. But the whole video is absolutely adorable it overrides all of that. I like to think that my fish, Trinket (to the left), thinks like this. I did have a scare where he jumped down the disposal in my kitchen sink. Luckily, he was able to be saved. By my mom, not me. I was too busy crying, as lame as that sounds. But anyhow, I do recommend the new Sally Shapiro album, "Guilty Pleasure". Her sound is classified as European Disco, but who cares about technicalities? Her music will easily put you in a good mood, and that's all that matters.

If you like zombies..

If there is one thing that inspires me the most in life, it is science. We share this world with millions and millions of things that we don't even see. Entire cities that live all around us. In the dirt, on our counters, and even on us. But what is even more amazing is our own little cities inside of our bodies. Cells that repair, cells that transmit, cells that ruthlessly kill any foreigner brave enough to enter the marvelous landscape that is our body. Although there are the typical white blood cells that consume enemies by eating them (phagosytosis), there are these amazing little friends called Cytotoxic T-cells (T-cells meaning they matured in the thymus after being created in bone marrow) that point blank, identify and kill. They are little hunters of virally infected cells. Think about it: you have a crazy infected cell infecting other cells in your body and making things bad. Along comes a Cytotoxic T-cell (signaled by Helper T-cells to know the infected cell is there , like a 911 call), and once the Cytotoxic T-cell locates the zombie cell it secretes proteins that causes the zombie cell to rupture (explode!!!). It then goes around in a mass zombie butt kicking spree until all of the infected cells in the area are vanquished. Science is not only beautiful, but it is the also the equivalent of dawn of the dead. Maybe not exactly in that context, but you get the point. We are all zombie killers. Well, our Cytotoxic T-cells anyway.

Blazers are what I neeed!

Recently I have been pursuing through the new winter items that have graced my favorite stores' websites and have realized one thing: I need a blazer. They instantly class up any outfit and supposedly make you look older, which in my case is great. The key is in the fit, an unfit blazer will just make a person look dowdy, or older. Basically, the opposite effect of what a blazer is supposed to do. I really love this one from Urban Outfitters, it's sleek and classic. It also comes in a peach color and a slate gray color.