Just what we need, more iPod gadgets to spend money on... See the Klipsch iFi iPod Speaker System, coming soon to a dealer near you.
In other thoughts, my natural high for the moment is when you've got your whole music collection on shuffle and a song you didn't know you desperately wanted to hear randomly comes on.
Current Music: Run, by Collective Soul
Current Mood: the lyrics to aforementioned song aptly describe my current mood. see below.
Are these times contagious
I’ve never been this bored before
Is this the prize I’ve waited for
Now with the hours passing
There’s nothing left here to insure
I long to find a messenger
Have I got a long way to run
Have I got a long way to run
Yeah, I run
Is there a cure among us
From this processed sanity
I weaken with each voice that sings
Now, in this world of purchase
I’m going to buy back memories
To awaken some old qualities
Have I got a long way to run
Have I got a long way to run
Yeah, I run
Yeah, I run
Have I got a long way
Have I got a long way
Have I got a long way to run
Have I got a long way to run
Yeah, I run...
May 27, 2005
May 24, 2005
A site that lives up to its name.
I just discovered the truly fabulous fabchannel.com today, and suddenly I find myself very distracted from what I should be doing (cover letters, resumes, etc.).
In any case, it's a site worth checking out! They host over 350 live concerts. I started watching this nice, intimate Ray Lamontagne gig, then as I was browsing I noticed they had an Andrew Bird show, along with the Arcade Fire, Damien Rice, Bright Eyes... and so on and so forth! Seems to be a pretty diverse bunch, anyway. Even better, the quality of the shows--both audio and video-- is superb, and there's none of that horrible video delay you usually deal with.
Thought some of you might enjoy it, as if we needed any new ways to spend time on our computers...
Current Music: Trouble, by Ray Lamontagne
Current Mood: excited
In any case, it's a site worth checking out! They host over 350 live concerts. I started watching this nice, intimate Ray Lamontagne gig, then as I was browsing I noticed they had an Andrew Bird show, along with the Arcade Fire, Damien Rice, Bright Eyes... and so on and so forth! Seems to be a pretty diverse bunch, anyway. Even better, the quality of the shows--both audio and video-- is superb, and there's none of that horrible video delay you usually deal with.
Thought some of you might enjoy it, as if we needed any new ways to spend time on our computers...
Current Music: Trouble, by Ray Lamontagne
Current Mood: excited
May 22, 2005
Ryan Adams is king. (New favorite musician.)
Last night was the Ryan Adams show at the 9:30 club. In a word, incredible. And I would even venture to say Best Concert Ever. Aside from having to deal with the Worst Crowd Ever, particularly in our immediate vicinity, Ryan stole the show and to say he more than made up for any obnoxious fans would be an understatement.
After waiting in a line that wrapped around the block and all the way down the shady alley past the abandoned warehouse-- something I've never seen in all my experiences at 9:30-- we headed up to the balcony again, figuring it was our best shot to get a good view of Ryan and the band in this very packed house. We secured a fairly good spot, only to discover we'd landed ourselves behind this 40-something crowd out for what was sure to be their "re-living our youth" Saturday night. We didn't realize the extent of this problem until the show started. These folks had a nice front-row spot on the balcony rail, which would have been fine if they'd just enjoyed it and let the rest of us peer over and in between their heads. But in an aggravating turn of events, these old folk had to lean over, talk loudly at the beginning of, during, and in between songs, to one another. And if they weren't talking, they were dancing awkwardly and/or fidgeting so that maintaining any sort of consistent view of the stage for anyone standing behind them was next to impossible. After the first set, however, I decided I wouldn't let them ruin the experience for me and was able to mostly block them out. At this point I also decided that no matter how cool I ever think I am in my 40s, I will never be able to attend a show without being ridiculed by young 20-somethings. What a shame.
Now, onto the show review. Ryan & the Cardinals came onto the stage shortly after 11:30 and immediately started rocking out. Ryan looked like a young Adam Duritz, his hair desperately needing a comb, partially held back with a barette, looking on the verge of dreads. Any big Ryan fan knows that he's an unpredictable force on stage, and this was only confirmed when we'd heard that the night before at the Philly show, he'd walked out toward the end of the show because the fans were talking too loudly during his acoustic set. So we were unsure of what tonight would be like and what kind of mood Ryan would be in. That said, he was in terrific spirits all night, often making jokes and engaging in fun banter with the audience. I got nervous when some dumb drunk fools behind us started yelling "F*** Parker Posey!!!" after the third song, but I'm guessing Ryan either didn't hear or didn't choose to acknowledge it (probably the former). Even when another boisterous fan yelled "You're going to save Rock and Roll!!!" Ryan joked back and said "No I'm not. The Bravery or The Killers will do that-- oh wait, no they're going to save fashion, that's right." And he humbly added, "You don't need me to save Rock and Roll, it'll be fine on its own..."
The crowd reacted well to Ryan's performance of about 5 or 6 songs off his upcoming releases later this year, and he was even apologetic about it, saying "Sorry if you haven't heard some of these before, but in a little while we'll get to some of the stuff you know better..." Then he proceeded to tell us that after this new chunk of songs, he'd go into sets of 3, starting with Cold Roses, then Heartbreaker, Gold, and Love is Hell... Brillance, I tell you. And here I thought the guy didn't care about what the fans wanted. He ended up giving us more than we could have asked for!
The new songs were great, but the show really started when he launched into the Cold Roses set, playing "Magnolia Mountain," then a beautifully slowed-down version of "Let it Ride," still easily my favorite song off the double disc set. It hasn't gotten old for me yet, and I still love it more and more every time I hear it.
The Heartbreaker set was equally jaw-dropping, as Ryan played more crowd favorites-- "To Be Young," one of the most original and vintage Ryan songs that totally got the crowd going, as well as other album gems "My Winding Wheel," and "Oh My Sweet Carolina." Under the influence of drugs, booze, life, or otherwise, Ryan played with so much heart and soul, and the crowd hung on his every word. During "Oh My Sweet Carolina," I can't remember ever hearing the 9:30 club more hushed and fixated on every note as I did when Ryan commanded the stage with his heart-wrenching rendition.
For his Gold set, I was pleasantly surprised to hear Ryan play "When the Stars Go Blue," and by the time he started "La Cienega Just Smiled," I could have left and gone home happy. At a certain point, I found myself completely amazed that Ryan could chain smoke his way through the entire show, even occasionally singing with a cigarette hanging out of his mouth, and still make it sound like absolute perfection. The man is good at what he does.
Here's a nice photo, courtesy of a fellow RA fan, not me... (the 5'1 perspective isn't exactly favorable for snapshots):
But seriously, I can't remember the last time I went to a show and had songs that I considered perfect off a CD sound far superior in concert. I didn't know it was possible, but Ryan truly proved what a live show is all about-- he's a true musician, knows how to put on a show and give the crowd their money's worth. No other artist I know can so effectively rock out and get a crowd on their feet, and at the next moment completely silence a packed house while whispering a ballad that causes goosebumps. I hadn't felt so inspired and all-around pumped up by a performance since the good ol' days when I used to watch DMB jam out for hours in the late '90s. Let's not forget to give a nod to Ryan's fabulous band, who deserve tons of credit for a lot of the energy and performance, particularly JP Bowersock and some of his amazing solos on guitar.
After the Gold set, Ryan went into the "Song Lotto," a new element he's trying to introduce into his shows in which fans are allowed to submit a song request into a silver box, and before his last 3-song set, the "Green Ghost" (actually steel guitarist Jon Graboff covered in a green sheet) picks a song out of the box. In this case, the song was "Dear Chicago," an excellent selection by a very lucky girl named Adrienne. Ryan proceeded to invite her up onto the stage, then serenaded her with a gorgeous rendition of the song, another one of my favorites and a pleasant highlight. The girl, not surprisingly, began to get emotional, and Ryan adorably chimed in, mid-song, "Oh please don't cry, please don't, or I will..." It was magic, and every fan in the audience was envious for that moment. It was also nice to see Ryan go the extra distance and connect with one of his fans like that, particularly because he has this kind of hardass reputation as being such an uptight guy with respect to his showgoers.
Ryan wrapped up the show with his Love is Hell set, performing "Love is Hell," "Please Do Not Let Me Go," and finally rounding out the show with an awe-inspiring version of "I See Monsters," complete with some crazy distortion on his electric guitar.
He played for almost 3 hours, came out and gave a big bow with his bandmates, got down on his knees to give thanks to the audience, then walked off the stage. It was absolute perfection... I'm still on a high from the show and likely not coming down from it for a while!
Here's another excellent pic:
After shouting my praise from the rooftops for this guy, I hope some of you have gotten into it! I was happy to have Huan join me at the concert last night-- it was one of our first music-sharing experiences since our DMB days, and he really enjoyed it... I think he's the next official Mr. Adams convert. For those of you who I haven't convinced yet, I hope this post helped! But seriously, as prolific as this guy is, he doesn't release a bum album. Between all his amazing Whiskeytown stuff, and the wide-range of sound he covers over his six solo discs, I'm constantly enamored with his work and am continually impressed and amazed at just how good he is. Last night's show only further solidified it for me.
With that, I close...
Lie to me
Sing me a song
Sing me a song
Until the morning comes...
After waiting in a line that wrapped around the block and all the way down the shady alley past the abandoned warehouse-- something I've never seen in all my experiences at 9:30-- we headed up to the balcony again, figuring it was our best shot to get a good view of Ryan and the band in this very packed house. We secured a fairly good spot, only to discover we'd landed ourselves behind this 40-something crowd out for what was sure to be their "re-living our youth" Saturday night. We didn't realize the extent of this problem until the show started. These folks had a nice front-row spot on the balcony rail, which would have been fine if they'd just enjoyed it and let the rest of us peer over and in between their heads. But in an aggravating turn of events, these old folk had to lean over, talk loudly at the beginning of, during, and in between songs, to one another. And if they weren't talking, they were dancing awkwardly and/or fidgeting so that maintaining any sort of consistent view of the stage for anyone standing behind them was next to impossible. After the first set, however, I decided I wouldn't let them ruin the experience for me and was able to mostly block them out. At this point I also decided that no matter how cool I ever think I am in my 40s, I will never be able to attend a show without being ridiculed by young 20-somethings. What a shame.
Now, onto the show review. Ryan & the Cardinals came onto the stage shortly after 11:30 and immediately started rocking out. Ryan looked like a young Adam Duritz, his hair desperately needing a comb, partially held back with a barette, looking on the verge of dreads. Any big Ryan fan knows that he's an unpredictable force on stage, and this was only confirmed when we'd heard that the night before at the Philly show, he'd walked out toward the end of the show because the fans were talking too loudly during his acoustic set. So we were unsure of what tonight would be like and what kind of mood Ryan would be in. That said, he was in terrific spirits all night, often making jokes and engaging in fun banter with the audience. I got nervous when some dumb drunk fools behind us started yelling "F*** Parker Posey!!!" after the third song, but I'm guessing Ryan either didn't hear or didn't choose to acknowledge it (probably the former). Even when another boisterous fan yelled "You're going to save Rock and Roll!!!" Ryan joked back and said "No I'm not. The Bravery or The Killers will do that-- oh wait, no they're going to save fashion, that's right." And he humbly added, "You don't need me to save Rock and Roll, it'll be fine on its own..."
The crowd reacted well to Ryan's performance of about 5 or 6 songs off his upcoming releases later this year, and he was even apologetic about it, saying "Sorry if you haven't heard some of these before, but in a little while we'll get to some of the stuff you know better..." Then he proceeded to tell us that after this new chunk of songs, he'd go into sets of 3, starting with Cold Roses, then Heartbreaker, Gold, and Love is Hell... Brillance, I tell you. And here I thought the guy didn't care about what the fans wanted. He ended up giving us more than we could have asked for!
The new songs were great, but the show really started when he launched into the Cold Roses set, playing "Magnolia Mountain," then a beautifully slowed-down version of "Let it Ride," still easily my favorite song off the double disc set. It hasn't gotten old for me yet, and I still love it more and more every time I hear it.
The Heartbreaker set was equally jaw-dropping, as Ryan played more crowd favorites-- "To Be Young," one of the most original and vintage Ryan songs that totally got the crowd going, as well as other album gems "My Winding Wheel," and "Oh My Sweet Carolina." Under the influence of drugs, booze, life, or otherwise, Ryan played with so much heart and soul, and the crowd hung on his every word. During "Oh My Sweet Carolina," I can't remember ever hearing the 9:30 club more hushed and fixated on every note as I did when Ryan commanded the stage with his heart-wrenching rendition.
For his Gold set, I was pleasantly surprised to hear Ryan play "When the Stars Go Blue," and by the time he started "La Cienega Just Smiled," I could have left and gone home happy. At a certain point, I found myself completely amazed that Ryan could chain smoke his way through the entire show, even occasionally singing with a cigarette hanging out of his mouth, and still make it sound like absolute perfection. The man is good at what he does.
Here's a nice photo, courtesy of a fellow RA fan, not me... (the 5'1 perspective isn't exactly favorable for snapshots):
But seriously, I can't remember the last time I went to a show and had songs that I considered perfect off a CD sound far superior in concert. I didn't know it was possible, but Ryan truly proved what a live show is all about-- he's a true musician, knows how to put on a show and give the crowd their money's worth. No other artist I know can so effectively rock out and get a crowd on their feet, and at the next moment completely silence a packed house while whispering a ballad that causes goosebumps. I hadn't felt so inspired and all-around pumped up by a performance since the good ol' days when I used to watch DMB jam out for hours in the late '90s. Let's not forget to give a nod to Ryan's fabulous band, who deserve tons of credit for a lot of the energy and performance, particularly JP Bowersock and some of his amazing solos on guitar.
After the Gold set, Ryan went into the "Song Lotto," a new element he's trying to introduce into his shows in which fans are allowed to submit a song request into a silver box, and before his last 3-song set, the "Green Ghost" (actually steel guitarist Jon Graboff covered in a green sheet) picks a song out of the box. In this case, the song was "Dear Chicago," an excellent selection by a very lucky girl named Adrienne. Ryan proceeded to invite her up onto the stage, then serenaded her with a gorgeous rendition of the song, another one of my favorites and a pleasant highlight. The girl, not surprisingly, began to get emotional, and Ryan adorably chimed in, mid-song, "Oh please don't cry, please don't, or I will..." It was magic, and every fan in the audience was envious for that moment. It was also nice to see Ryan go the extra distance and connect with one of his fans like that, particularly because he has this kind of hardass reputation as being such an uptight guy with respect to his showgoers.
Ryan wrapped up the show with his Love is Hell set, performing "Love is Hell," "Please Do Not Let Me Go," and finally rounding out the show with an awe-inspiring version of "I See Monsters," complete with some crazy distortion on his electric guitar.
He played for almost 3 hours, came out and gave a big bow with his bandmates, got down on his knees to give thanks to the audience, then walked off the stage. It was absolute perfection... I'm still on a high from the show and likely not coming down from it for a while!
Here's another excellent pic:
After shouting my praise from the rooftops for this guy, I hope some of you have gotten into it! I was happy to have Huan join me at the concert last night-- it was one of our first music-sharing experiences since our DMB days, and he really enjoyed it... I think he's the next official Mr. Adams convert. For those of you who I haven't convinced yet, I hope this post helped! But seriously, as prolific as this guy is, he doesn't release a bum album. Between all his amazing Whiskeytown stuff, and the wide-range of sound he covers over his six solo discs, I'm constantly enamored with his work and am continually impressed and amazed at just how good he is. Last night's show only further solidified it for me.
With that, I close...
Lie to me
Sing me a song
Sing me a song
Until the morning comes...
May 18, 2005
A VN Indie Artist?
Indeed, it's true. I couldn't believe my ears after discovering Thao Nguyen today. After coming across her name through some musical web-surfing, I did a double take when I first read her name lumped among other, more familiar indie bands and was definitely curious. I found out she's from the area (possibly Springfield, as that's where her record company is based) and used to work at her mom's laundromat from the time she was a kid. Now she's making music and traveling all over. Consider this my first pitch! It's refreshing and very exciting to hear a young Vietnamese artist making music that appeals to me, rather than, say, my parents! This girl sounds like she's got some serious potential. Actually reminded me of Francoise Hardy when I streamed her first MP3. She also has that whole Rachael Yamagata vibe going for her. Very cool. Anyway, I really hate comparisons, so just give her a listen!
In my total dorkiness, I e-mailed Thao and asked if she was coming to the DC area! She replied and said that she would be at DC9 on August 19 for her official CD release party, though it's not yet listed on her site. And she said she'd also keep me posted as to a possible Arlington show if and when it's confirmed. How exciting and fun! Gotta love that she's 1) local and 2) a fellow Vietnamese gal. Way to represent!
Current Music: Hills, by Thao Nguyen
In my total dorkiness, I e-mailed Thao and asked if she was coming to the DC area! She replied and said that she would be at DC9 on August 19 for her official CD release party, though it's not yet listed on her site. And she said she'd also keep me posted as to a possible Arlington show if and when it's confirmed. How exciting and fun! Gotta love that she's 1) local and 2) a fellow Vietnamese gal. Way to represent!
Current Music: Hills, by Thao Nguyen
May 17, 2005
The Great ol' State of Washington
I'm back from my 5-day tour of Seattle and its surrounding mountainous areas. Whew, what a trip it was! We logged around 925 miles in our Chevy TrailBlazer (quite the decent and impressive American SUV, I might add) over the course of the trip. Actually, Huan drove every mile of it. We like to consider it payback for the guy who made me drive almost every trip to Charlottesville we ever shared, and who also slept most of the way through his cross-country excursion to Colorado. That said, Huan was a phenomenal "captain," and aside from the occasional near-edge-of-cliff experience, we applaud him for his effort behind the wheel.
Now let's take a little journey to the Pacific Northwest...
After traveling in the comfort of a non-reclining, brightly-colored electric blue Independence Air chair for 6 hours, we arrived in Seattle. I called back East to let all know we'd landed, and Auddie alerted me to the delightful news that Uchenna & Joyce had won the Amazing Race, despite many an odd against them. (Upon watching the taped episode when I returned home, my sleeve was wet with tears. I'm such a freaking sap, but come on, what an incredible finale! And a true lesson in karma, for those of you paying attention. Gotta love when that works out.)
We settled into our home base for the next few days, our lovely Hertz rental car. I established my position as official 5th wheel as I snuggled my way into the 3rd row back seat among the baggage. Sigh... only kidding. Not only am I a professional 5th wheel, but I'm one that doesn't complain about it. At least not out loud or in my blog.
We logged our first hundred miles or so driving from Seattle to Port Angeles, where we were staying waterfront at the lovely Red Lion Hotel.
Day 1: We hopped in the car and made our way toward Olympic National Park, where we explored the Hoh Rainforest, a couple of the coastal beaches, and Marymere Falls, tucked away along the shore of Crescent Lake.
For our quick food stop before exploring the rainforest, we found ourselves in this old log cabin run by a friendly couple. Since Huan had established early on his mission to see and/or provoke Sasquatch/Bigfoot, we decided to ask the locals about it. The woman at this shop began with what seemed to be a legitimate story about a possible roadside Sasquatch sighting, but she quickly escalated into an National Enquirer case as she talked about being "validated" by scientific recordings of Sasquatch sounds, as well as dreams she had in which she reaches her hands out to make an offering to the beast. We said our thanks and tiptoed out, taking careful note of what being cooped up in a log cabin in the woods will do to you.
We went on a couple hikes within the Hoh Rainforest, which was sprawling with moss and green everywhere we looked. Occasionally, as Huan pointed out, it felt like we were on the "Full House" set because it all seemed so fake!
Fun factoid about the Hoh Rainforest: Because this is a temperate rainforest, as opposed to a tropical one like the Amazon in South America, it isn't dominated by tropical ferns, but rather contains dense timber, including spruce and fir, and mosses that coat the bark of these trees and even drip down from their branches in green, moist tendrils.
See green, moist tendrils:
Somewhere along the way on this long and adventurous day, I must have gotten some nasty bacteria on my hand and ingested it, because that I woke up in the middle of the night twice that night to hang out with the porcelain god of the Red Lion Hotel. Not a pleasant way to kick off the trip, I'd have to say. I woke up feeling icky and gross, but knowing we had to chug on with our exploration!
Day 2: This day, for me, might have been the highlight. We lucked out with some fabulous weather for most of the day, which provided for mostly sunny and clear views of the Olympic range. We drove out to Hurricane Ridge along a long and winding road up the mountain, and were welcomed by a breathtaking panoramic view of the mountains.
It looked something like this, except not restricted to the confines of a small rectangle:
We then ascended a partially snow-covered trail to an even higher point. This is where we had our first bear sighting! Cory spotted a dark figure moving among the trees below, and with our binoculars we confirmed that it was a black bear. Quite exciting. The next bright idea was to drive down to the wooded area and try to see him up close. For a good five minutes, Huan had us ooohing, ahhing, and snapping photos at what turned out to be a bear-shaped rock. We never did see little black bear again...
The end of day 2 had us driving to Port Townsend, where we caught a Ferry to Keystone. Upon arrival in Keystone, we drove another long ways to Anacortes to set ourselves up for Day 3's adventures. It's a good thing these rental cars have unlimited mileage! It's not a good thing that gas out West is a good $.30 higher than here!
Day 3: We took an hour ferry ride to Friday Harbor in the San Juan Islands. (The story--the one that I like-- goes that as settlers descended upon the shore, they asked "What Bay is this??" but the respondent thought they asked what day it was.)
Eli, our Outdoor Odysseys tour guide, met us there with his van. We had elevated Eli into something of a fantasy figure, since we had previously read his bio and viewed his photo on the company website and decided he would be our first-pick for guide. So we were happy to learn he was randomly selected to be our guide, and I, as fifth wheel, would have the pleasure of paddling with him! Eli was great, as expected. If only he could stop talking about his girlfriend so I could propose that we run away together. Alas, it wasn't meant to be.
It turns out we were slightly early on the Orca season, so there was not an abudance of killer whales swimming alongside us as I'd imagined. But we were lucky enough to score a quick sighting from the shore of the beach before we hopped into our boats, so all was not lost. It was probably for the better, since it was Friday the 13th after all, and since Kam and I both had nightmares about being attacked by killer whales.
Fun factoid about killer whales: The term "killer whales" is actually a misnomer. The name originated because the orcas, which are actually the largest members of the dolphin family, prey on other marine mammals, including other whales. When Spanish explorers witnessed this, they called them "whale killers," and in the translation back to English it became "killer whales." These creatures, because of their high position on the food chain, are among the most threatened marine mammals in the world, very susceptible to PCB and other contamination which affects their reproductive health, among other things.
Along our kayaking tour, we also saw seals, Dall's porpoises, ridiculously huge starfish, bald eagles, and a bunch of other birds. The kayaking itself was exhausting! We kept having to ask how old grannies do it, since my arms felt like noodles after 4 hours and...oh, 5 miles (vastly exaggerated) on the water.
Here's a shot of me and Kam next to some lovely orange California poppies, overlooking the beach where we stopped for lunch (yes, I am wearing Tevas, don't be jealous):
We wrapped up the day by hopping the ferry back to Port Townsend and continuing on another 70 miles or so to Bellevue, just outside Seattle.
Day 4: Everyone was pooped, and after discovering the drive to Mt. Rainier would take close to 3 hours, we weren't exactly overjoyed. But we pressed on, knowing the sights we'd see would be worth it.
We took a long ".7 mile" hike past Narada Falls to the Ohanapecosh River. Then we stopped by Box Canyon, an amazing 100-foot deep gorge, but only about 20 feet across, with rapid waters flowing through it. Finally, we took a short hike to the Grove of the Patriarchs, where we stood in awe of all these very large and very old trees. One pair of Douglas firs were said to be over a thousand years old!!
Here's a shot of Huan in front of Narada Falls:
After considering ourselves officially spent, we headed back to Bellevue for some much needed R&R.
Day 5: We checked out of our hotel in Bellevue and drove into nearby Seattle for our last day. Annie & Ben, our Northwesterly friends from Portland, were kind enough to make the 2.5 hour drive to meet us and hang out for the day!
We met up at the PriceClub-sized REI, which was overwhelming and ridiculous, complete with outdoor "hiking area." Then we headed to famous Pike Place Market. (The place where they throw fish around while yelling.) It was very lively and fun. I really love and appreciate a place with an open market where you can just stroll the vendors and "window shop" for any kind of food-- seafood, fruit, cheese, etc... We were lucky enough to be there for the weekend of the Seattle Cheese Festival-- what could be better? We sampled a bunch of cheeses before sitting down to lunch at a local seafood joint, where we enjoyed Dungeness Crab Rolls & Clam Chowder in Bread Bowls. Delicious!
Speaking of delicious... Octopus anyone? Looks like Ursula got the ax!:
Here's the whole gang outside the Market:
After strolling around the downtown area, we stopped into the Central Seattle Library, which attracted us because it looked like something from the space-age dropped in among the other regular city buildings. It sounds geeky, but this place was totally cool. It was built like a parking garage, so there were no distinct floors; the whole thing was a huge open space with alternating levels going back and forth, all encased in this glass-windowed building. The neatest thing was the automatic book return machine, which would take the book on a conveyer belt ride through the library, scan a book's label and sort it into a specific bin to be returned to its proper place. Ok, enough dork talk. It was definitely a place that could convince me to study and/or read a lot, that's for sure.
Here's the library, though this picture doesn't quite capture how large and showy it is:
Finally, we made the obligatory tourist stop to the Space Needle and surrounding areas, which were largely unimpressive, aside from the Experience Music Project. We didn't have time to go in and explore the EMP museum like I would have wanted (seems like a place where you need to spend a whole afternoon to make it worth your while), but it definitely seemed like a cool place, judging by the crazy modern architecture alone. We strolled around the pier area a bit longer and checked out the University area a bit before it was time to head to the airport and conclude our trip.
It was a fabulous time and another wild trip out West. It really is a different world out there, starting with the people who drive below the speed limit in the left lane! In the end, though, it's always nice to come home. I will say, it's nice to get away into nature for a bit and remind yourself of how tiny we all actually are.
For those of you who made it to the end... thanks for reading!
Current Music: Meet Me by the Water, by Rachael Yamagata
Current Mood: restless
Now let's take a little journey to the Pacific Northwest...
After traveling in the comfort of a non-reclining, brightly-colored electric blue Independence Air chair for 6 hours, we arrived in Seattle. I called back East to let all know we'd landed, and Auddie alerted me to the delightful news that Uchenna & Joyce had won the Amazing Race, despite many an odd against them. (Upon watching the taped episode when I returned home, my sleeve was wet with tears. I'm such a freaking sap, but come on, what an incredible finale! And a true lesson in karma, for those of you paying attention. Gotta love when that works out.)
We settled into our home base for the next few days, our lovely Hertz rental car. I established my position as official 5th wheel as I snuggled my way into the 3rd row back seat among the baggage. Sigh... only kidding. Not only am I a professional 5th wheel, but I'm one that doesn't complain about it. At least not out loud or in my blog.
We logged our first hundred miles or so driving from Seattle to Port Angeles, where we were staying waterfront at the lovely Red Lion Hotel.
Day 1: We hopped in the car and made our way toward Olympic National Park, where we explored the Hoh Rainforest, a couple of the coastal beaches, and Marymere Falls, tucked away along the shore of Crescent Lake.
For our quick food stop before exploring the rainforest, we found ourselves in this old log cabin run by a friendly couple. Since Huan had established early on his mission to see and/or provoke Sasquatch/Bigfoot, we decided to ask the locals about it. The woman at this shop began with what seemed to be a legitimate story about a possible roadside Sasquatch sighting, but she quickly escalated into an National Enquirer case as she talked about being "validated" by scientific recordings of Sasquatch sounds, as well as dreams she had in which she reaches her hands out to make an offering to the beast. We said our thanks and tiptoed out, taking careful note of what being cooped up in a log cabin in the woods will do to you.
We went on a couple hikes within the Hoh Rainforest, which was sprawling with moss and green everywhere we looked. Occasionally, as Huan pointed out, it felt like we were on the "Full House" set because it all seemed so fake!
Fun factoid about the Hoh Rainforest: Because this is a temperate rainforest, as opposed to a tropical one like the Amazon in South America, it isn't dominated by tropical ferns, but rather contains dense timber, including spruce and fir, and mosses that coat the bark of these trees and even drip down from their branches in green, moist tendrils.
See green, moist tendrils:
Somewhere along the way on this long and adventurous day, I must have gotten some nasty bacteria on my hand and ingested it, because that I woke up in the middle of the night twice that night to hang out with the porcelain god of the Red Lion Hotel. Not a pleasant way to kick off the trip, I'd have to say. I woke up feeling icky and gross, but knowing we had to chug on with our exploration!
Day 2: This day, for me, might have been the highlight. We lucked out with some fabulous weather for most of the day, which provided for mostly sunny and clear views of the Olympic range. We drove out to Hurricane Ridge along a long and winding road up the mountain, and were welcomed by a breathtaking panoramic view of the mountains.
It looked something like this, except not restricted to the confines of a small rectangle:
We then ascended a partially snow-covered trail to an even higher point. This is where we had our first bear sighting! Cory spotted a dark figure moving among the trees below, and with our binoculars we confirmed that it was a black bear. Quite exciting. The next bright idea was to drive down to the wooded area and try to see him up close. For a good five minutes, Huan had us ooohing, ahhing, and snapping photos at what turned out to be a bear-shaped rock. We never did see little black bear again...
The end of day 2 had us driving to Port Townsend, where we caught a Ferry to Keystone. Upon arrival in Keystone, we drove another long ways to Anacortes to set ourselves up for Day 3's adventures. It's a good thing these rental cars have unlimited mileage! It's not a good thing that gas out West is a good $.30 higher than here!
Day 3: We took an hour ferry ride to Friday Harbor in the San Juan Islands. (The story--the one that I like-- goes that as settlers descended upon the shore, they asked "What Bay is this??" but the respondent thought they asked what day it was.)
Eli, our Outdoor Odysseys tour guide, met us there with his van. We had elevated Eli into something of a fantasy figure, since we had previously read his bio and viewed his photo on the company website and decided he would be our first-pick for guide. So we were happy to learn he was randomly selected to be our guide, and I, as fifth wheel, would have the pleasure of paddling with him! Eli was great, as expected. If only he could stop talking about his girlfriend so I could propose that we run away together. Alas, it wasn't meant to be.
It turns out we were slightly early on the Orca season, so there was not an abudance of killer whales swimming alongside us as I'd imagined. But we were lucky enough to score a quick sighting from the shore of the beach before we hopped into our boats, so all was not lost. It was probably for the better, since it was Friday the 13th after all, and since Kam and I both had nightmares about being attacked by killer whales.
Fun factoid about killer whales: The term "killer whales" is actually a misnomer. The name originated because the orcas, which are actually the largest members of the dolphin family, prey on other marine mammals, including other whales. When Spanish explorers witnessed this, they called them "whale killers," and in the translation back to English it became "killer whales." These creatures, because of their high position on the food chain, are among the most threatened marine mammals in the world, very susceptible to PCB and other contamination which affects their reproductive health, among other things.
Along our kayaking tour, we also saw seals, Dall's porpoises, ridiculously huge starfish, bald eagles, and a bunch of other birds. The kayaking itself was exhausting! We kept having to ask how old grannies do it, since my arms felt like noodles after 4 hours and...oh, 5 miles (vastly exaggerated) on the water.
Here's a shot of me and Kam next to some lovely orange California poppies, overlooking the beach where we stopped for lunch (yes, I am wearing Tevas, don't be jealous):
We wrapped up the day by hopping the ferry back to Port Townsend and continuing on another 70 miles or so to Bellevue, just outside Seattle.
Day 4: Everyone was pooped, and after discovering the drive to Mt. Rainier would take close to 3 hours, we weren't exactly overjoyed. But we pressed on, knowing the sights we'd see would be worth it.
We took a long ".7 mile" hike past Narada Falls to the Ohanapecosh River. Then we stopped by Box Canyon, an amazing 100-foot deep gorge, but only about 20 feet across, with rapid waters flowing through it. Finally, we took a short hike to the Grove of the Patriarchs, where we stood in awe of all these very large and very old trees. One pair of Douglas firs were said to be over a thousand years old!!
Here's a shot of Huan in front of Narada Falls:
After considering ourselves officially spent, we headed back to Bellevue for some much needed R&R.
Day 5: We checked out of our hotel in Bellevue and drove into nearby Seattle for our last day. Annie & Ben, our Northwesterly friends from Portland, were kind enough to make the 2.5 hour drive to meet us and hang out for the day!
We met up at the PriceClub-sized REI, which was overwhelming and ridiculous, complete with outdoor "hiking area." Then we headed to famous Pike Place Market. (The place where they throw fish around while yelling.) It was very lively and fun. I really love and appreciate a place with an open market where you can just stroll the vendors and "window shop" for any kind of food-- seafood, fruit, cheese, etc... We were lucky enough to be there for the weekend of the Seattle Cheese Festival-- what could be better? We sampled a bunch of cheeses before sitting down to lunch at a local seafood joint, where we enjoyed Dungeness Crab Rolls & Clam Chowder in Bread Bowls. Delicious!
Speaking of delicious... Octopus anyone? Looks like Ursula got the ax!:
Here's the whole gang outside the Market:
After strolling around the downtown area, we stopped into the Central Seattle Library, which attracted us because it looked like something from the space-age dropped in among the other regular city buildings. It sounds geeky, but this place was totally cool. It was built like a parking garage, so there were no distinct floors; the whole thing was a huge open space with alternating levels going back and forth, all encased in this glass-windowed building. The neatest thing was the automatic book return machine, which would take the book on a conveyer belt ride through the library, scan a book's label and sort it into a specific bin to be returned to its proper place. Ok, enough dork talk. It was definitely a place that could convince me to study and/or read a lot, that's for sure.
Here's the library, though this picture doesn't quite capture how large and showy it is:
Finally, we made the obligatory tourist stop to the Space Needle and surrounding areas, which were largely unimpressive, aside from the Experience Music Project. We didn't have time to go in and explore the EMP museum like I would have wanted (seems like a place where you need to spend a whole afternoon to make it worth your while), but it definitely seemed like a cool place, judging by the crazy modern architecture alone. We strolled around the pier area a bit longer and checked out the University area a bit before it was time to head to the airport and conclude our trip.
It was a fabulous time and another wild trip out West. It really is a different world out there, starting with the people who drive below the speed limit in the left lane! In the end, though, it's always nice to come home. I will say, it's nice to get away into nature for a bit and remind yourself of how tiny we all actually are.
For those of you who made it to the end... thanks for reading!
Current Music: Meet Me by the Water, by Rachael Yamagata
Current Mood: restless
May 7, 2005
We Both Go Down Together
Last night I saw The Decemberists put on a great show at the 9:30 club. It was a perfect night that began with a stop at Ben's Chili Bowl with Becca and Pepper. After all, who can resist a half-smoke with mustard and onions, doused with chili? I know I can't.
From there we made our way to the venue, arriving a bit early around 9 pm. This left us with that awkward concert time-killing session that one always seems to forget about. Since the opening act wasn't even set to start til about 10, and The Decemberists at 11:15, we decided to settle in on the balcony so at least we could sit down while we waited.
After some rock-paper-scissors, thumb-warring, musical chatter, and other friendly conversation, the opening act, Rebecca Gates, came on slightly after 10. I was already disappointed because the show was first announced with opener Willy Mason, whom I've been really curious about (he was signed by Conor Oberst to his label), but it seems there must have been a change of plan. Ms. Gates was an interesting performer-- she was totally cut (Madonna arms) and had kind of a husky voice to go with it. In the end though, the one-woman gig with the electric guitar just wasn't doing it for me, nor anyone else in the venue, from what I could tell. She wasn't terribly engaging, musically or otherwise, which left us all in even greater anticipation of The Decemberists.
And those Decemberists did not disappoint! It was very cool to see them all together. It definitely presented a different vibe from when I'd seen Colin Meloy solo. Together, they were a much weirder, more eccentric, very fun bunch who were all about performance and entertainment. There's really nothing cooler than seeing 6 folks on stage with an upright bass, a violin, a bunch of tambourines, and an accordian just jamming out and going crazy. I love that this band is always proving to me that their music is all about pushing the limits and creating something unlike anything else I've ever heard. Colin Meloy's voice alone is enough to set it apart, but the instrumentation, not to mention his penchant for pirate-tales and other crazy lyrical fictions, is truly one of a kind.
Up til yesterday I hadn't been crazy about the new album, Picaresque, despite many a rave review. There were definitely a few standout tunes for me, but on the whole, I liked their previous work far better. But hearing them perform the songs last night really made me rethink the album as a whole. The energy and spirit they put into songs like "Sporting Life" and "Mariner's Revenge Song" were incredible and you couldn't help but move your feet and get into it.
All told, it was a fantastic show and definitely reaffirmed the fact that The Decemberists are one of my current favorite bands.
From there we made our way to the venue, arriving a bit early around 9 pm. This left us with that awkward concert time-killing session that one always seems to forget about. Since the opening act wasn't even set to start til about 10, and The Decemberists at 11:15, we decided to settle in on the balcony so at least we could sit down while we waited.
After some rock-paper-scissors, thumb-warring, musical chatter, and other friendly conversation, the opening act, Rebecca Gates, came on slightly after 10. I was already disappointed because the show was first announced with opener Willy Mason, whom I've been really curious about (he was signed by Conor Oberst to his label), but it seems there must have been a change of plan. Ms. Gates was an interesting performer-- she was totally cut (Madonna arms) and had kind of a husky voice to go with it. In the end though, the one-woman gig with the electric guitar just wasn't doing it for me, nor anyone else in the venue, from what I could tell. She wasn't terribly engaging, musically or otherwise, which left us all in even greater anticipation of The Decemberists.
And those Decemberists did not disappoint! It was very cool to see them all together. It definitely presented a different vibe from when I'd seen Colin Meloy solo. Together, they were a much weirder, more eccentric, very fun bunch who were all about performance and entertainment. There's really nothing cooler than seeing 6 folks on stage with an upright bass, a violin, a bunch of tambourines, and an accordian just jamming out and going crazy. I love that this band is always proving to me that their music is all about pushing the limits and creating something unlike anything else I've ever heard. Colin Meloy's voice alone is enough to set it apart, but the instrumentation, not to mention his penchant for pirate-tales and other crazy lyrical fictions, is truly one of a kind.
Up til yesterday I hadn't been crazy about the new album, Picaresque, despite many a rave review. There were definitely a few standout tunes for me, but on the whole, I liked their previous work far better. But hearing them perform the songs last night really made me rethink the album as a whole. The energy and spirit they put into songs like "Sporting Life" and "Mariner's Revenge Song" were incredible and you couldn't help but move your feet and get into it.
All told, it was a fantastic show and definitely reaffirmed the fact that The Decemberists are one of my current favorite bands.
Life of leisure...
Well, since my internship ended this past week, as of now I am back to being that wandering soul in search of my next big adventure. For the time being, that adventure looks to be five days in the other Washington (the State). On Tuesday I'm heading out to Seattle for what should be an exciting week of outdoorsy exploring with Huan & Molly, Kam & Cory. We're hitting up Olympic National Park, Mount Rainier, the San Juan Islands, and of course one day of exploring downtown Seattle. It should be an unbelievable trip and I can't wait!
I was quite sad to see my internship end. It seemed to go by so fast, and it was as if suddenly in the past couple weeks, I started to get really comfortable in my place there and develop relationships with some of the folks at the office. In any case, it was a great experience-- I learned a lot, met some interesting people, and was able to fine-tune some of my communication skills, which I hope will be helpful to me in my next endeavor.
All in all, I'm thankful for having had the experience and the chance to work with the people that I did. Now, back to some serious soul-searching, aka job-hunting. Updates to follow.
I was quite sad to see my internship end. It seemed to go by so fast, and it was as if suddenly in the past couple weeks, I started to get really comfortable in my place there and develop relationships with some of the folks at the office. In any case, it was a great experience-- I learned a lot, met some interesting people, and was able to fine-tune some of my communication skills, which I hope will be helpful to me in my next endeavor.
All in all, I'm thankful for having had the experience and the chance to work with the people that I did. Now, back to some serious soul-searching, aka job-hunting. Updates to follow.
May 6, 2005
Virginia is for Lovers, indeed.
Since nearly a week has passed, my Charlottesville high is finally tapering off, so you'll be spared the overwhelming parts of what was going to be an intense Wahoowa-loving post. I'll just sum up my Foxfield weekend by saying it was an incredible time-- far better than I expected. Considering the nasty weather forecast all weekend, everything went well. We had further proof that God does love Foxfield, as it didn't rain a single drop the whole time at the races, but poured down early that morning and later that night. So while it was a muddy mess, as evidenced by everyone's grubby flip-flopped feet, I ran into a lot of people I wanted to see, and of course some others I'd completely forgotten about...
Perhaps most exciting (and slightly disturbing) was that over the course of less than 48 hours in C'ville, with the help and determination of one Laura Plattner, I managed to indulge in the goodness of 8 separate eating establishments. I mean, how can one expect to choose? Lo and I knew we had to make the most of our hours, so through the magic of sharing and lots of planning, we were able to hit up almost all our old favorites. (Though surely you can never do it all, which is why we're planning another trip back this summer...)
For those of you wondering, we made the following stops between around 6 pm on Friday evening and 3 pm Sunday afternoon:
Friday: Take it Away (bread ends), Baja Bean (can't beat a refreshing 27 oz. margarita for $6.50!)
Saturday: Bodo's (Veggie cream cheese on everything bagel), Bellair (Ednam), Sylvia's pizza (spinach/feta/tomatoes), and of course a 12:45 am stop at Little John's (Bum Steer/Wild Turkey).
Sunday: Bodo's (Egg & Cheddar bagel/Cleo Salad), Marco & Luca's (The best $2.50 dumplings around), Arch's (Black Caesar w/ Vanilla & Peanut Butter swirl)
Needless to say, I put on about 5 pounds from all that gluttony. Hmm, it was as if suddenly I realized why those 25 minutes of elliptical time I used to put in at the gym didn't make a damn bit of difference! But man oh man, it felt really great to let myself go and settle back into my old college habits for a weekend. It was utterly satisfying.
The perfect Sunday weather made it one of those ideal Charlottesville Sundays for strolling the Downtown Mall & Corner, cruising by the Rotunda, and once again reminding ourselves how good we had it for 4 years. Our only consolation as we drove out of town was taking comfort in the fact that we didn't have to start cramming for a long week of finals or churning out that final paper. In the end, a long weekend visit was enough, just as 4 years of memories were enough for a lifetime. After all, if we never left we would never fully appreciate it. And strangely, despite my promise, this has become a Wahoowa-loving post anyway. What can I say, must be in my blood...
Current Music: Sweet Illusions, by Ryan Adams
Current Mood: content
Perhaps most exciting (and slightly disturbing) was that over the course of less than 48 hours in C'ville, with the help and determination of one Laura Plattner, I managed to indulge in the goodness of 8 separate eating establishments. I mean, how can one expect to choose? Lo and I knew we had to make the most of our hours, so through the magic of sharing and lots of planning, we were able to hit up almost all our old favorites. (Though surely you can never do it all, which is why we're planning another trip back this summer...)
For those of you wondering, we made the following stops between around 6 pm on Friday evening and 3 pm Sunday afternoon:
Friday: Take it Away (bread ends), Baja Bean (can't beat a refreshing 27 oz. margarita for $6.50!)
Saturday: Bodo's (Veggie cream cheese on everything bagel), Bellair (Ednam), Sylvia's pizza (spinach/feta/tomatoes), and of course a 12:45 am stop at Little John's (Bum Steer/Wild Turkey).
Sunday: Bodo's (Egg & Cheddar bagel/Cleo Salad), Marco & Luca's (The best $2.50 dumplings around), Arch's (Black Caesar w/ Vanilla & Peanut Butter swirl)
Needless to say, I put on about 5 pounds from all that gluttony. Hmm, it was as if suddenly I realized why those 25 minutes of elliptical time I used to put in at the gym didn't make a damn bit of difference! But man oh man, it felt really great to let myself go and settle back into my old college habits for a weekend. It was utterly satisfying.
The perfect Sunday weather made it one of those ideal Charlottesville Sundays for strolling the Downtown Mall & Corner, cruising by the Rotunda, and once again reminding ourselves how good we had it for 4 years. Our only consolation as we drove out of town was taking comfort in the fact that we didn't have to start cramming for a long week of finals or churning out that final paper. In the end, a long weekend visit was enough, just as 4 years of memories were enough for a lifetime. After all, if we never left we would never fully appreciate it. And strangely, despite my promise, this has become a Wahoowa-loving post anyway. What can I say, must be in my blood...
Current Music: Sweet Illusions, by Ryan Adams
Current Mood: content
May 2, 2005
Stay tuned...
A complete wrap-up of my Foxfield weekend in Charlottesville is coming soon. Be forewarned: If you're not a wahoo, you may want to divert your eyes.
"The years have been short but the days were long..." -The Shins
I saw The Shins Thursday night at the Norva in Norfolk, Va. Very cool venue. And I mean that literally, too... the ventilation was great, and the high ceilings didn't make it feel stuffy or smoky at all. It was very roomy and spacious, but still small enough to be considered an "intimate" venue. I liked it. The crowd wasn't obnoxious or annoying, either, which is always a nice bonus. There was just a positive vibe the whole night and everyone feeding off the energy of the guys on stage.
The Shins were not as I expected; they were far more impressive and more than exceeded my simple assumptions of them. First off, these guys were older... Not like, old old, but definitely not a bunch of 20-something wannabe rocker types. They seemed established and very professional, but at the same time like a bunch of school kids excited for the show. The lead singer (James Mercer) was the spitting image of Kevin Spacey. This was hard to shake after I had it in my mind. Just imagine a slightly skinnier, scrawnier version of Kevin Spacey singing your favorite Shins tune. It's weird, right? And the other fellas were just like average joes, but I mean that in a good way. There was no faux rockstar element, no mockery, no arrogance. Just a bunch of guys up there doing their thing, clearly enjoying every moment of it, and all the while being really sincere with the crowd. I always love that.. when they appreciate you, not in the obligatory way, but in the way you can tell they are really happy you're there. Marty (keyboardist/bassist) kept saying things like "You guys are incredible! You've been super nice!" and waving to the crowd in between songs. It was adorable and endearing.
I was slightly worried before the show that this might be a concert experience that would ruin the CD for me. You see, "Chutes Too Narrow" is quite possibly as close to perfection and poignancy as you'll find in less than 34 minutes of a studio recording. As a music fan, you always worry about how that will translate to the stage. But it was fine. Sure, it wasn't as delectable and crisp as the CD, but I realized that hearing it live was more about seeing the guys perform it and truly have a good time. They definitely rocked out and got the crowd singing along. All in all, a feel good show with lots of energy. It was quite the positive show experience and well worth the long trek down south.
To sum this up, let me go ahead and recommend "Chutes Too Narrow" as an excellent selection for a Spring day drive with the windows down.
The Shins were not as I expected; they were far more impressive and more than exceeded my simple assumptions of them. First off, these guys were older... Not like, old old, but definitely not a bunch of 20-something wannabe rocker types. They seemed established and very professional, but at the same time like a bunch of school kids excited for the show. The lead singer (James Mercer) was the spitting image of Kevin Spacey. This was hard to shake after I had it in my mind. Just imagine a slightly skinnier, scrawnier version of Kevin Spacey singing your favorite Shins tune. It's weird, right? And the other fellas were just like average joes, but I mean that in a good way. There was no faux rockstar element, no mockery, no arrogance. Just a bunch of guys up there doing their thing, clearly enjoying every moment of it, and all the while being really sincere with the crowd. I always love that.. when they appreciate you, not in the obligatory way, but in the way you can tell they are really happy you're there. Marty (keyboardist/bassist) kept saying things like "You guys are incredible! You've been super nice!" and waving to the crowd in between songs. It was adorable and endearing.
I was slightly worried before the show that this might be a concert experience that would ruin the CD for me. You see, "Chutes Too Narrow" is quite possibly as close to perfection and poignancy as you'll find in less than 34 minutes of a studio recording. As a music fan, you always worry about how that will translate to the stage. But it was fine. Sure, it wasn't as delectable and crisp as the CD, but I realized that hearing it live was more about seeing the guys perform it and truly have a good time. They definitely rocked out and got the crowd singing along. All in all, a feel good show with lots of energy. It was quite the positive show experience and well worth the long trek down south.
To sum this up, let me go ahead and recommend "Chutes Too Narrow" as an excellent selection for a Spring day drive with the windows down.
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