Going to California in my mind....

No, but really, I'm going to California this summer!!  

Prepare for hundreds of Anchorman references, because I am going to Saint's Diego.... to hang out with the San Diegoans.... San Diegoins.... San Diegons...?

Well, technically it's Carlsbad, buuuut it's close to San Diego. 

My wonderful wonderful friend, Max Zoghbi, and I were chatting about this summer at a Christmas party back in December, I mean obviously it was in December, it's Christmas right?  SUPERFLUOUS is a fun word...  superfluous details.... superfluous superfluous superfluous... Be that as it may, back to the point, I told him my hopes of getting a job this summer to earn money for Italy next spring and how I would love to have a cool way to do it rather than just employing myself in BR doing some square job.  "Want to make [an undisclosed amount of money] in California doing a children's sports ministries internship with North Coast Calvary Chapel like I did?"  was more or less his answer...  And I answered "ummm... ABSOLUTELY I DO!"  Just like Jim Halpert(office reference).  So I met with my future, totally hip and cool boss, Debbie, a few times and absolutely loved everything she told me about the internship. I just found out for sure about it tonight and I'm ecstatic!!  God is so good!  =)


I'm currently listening to Bob Dylan's "just like a woman" on the playlist I made for Devan in order to begin his musical education... currently it has 130 songs... baby steps baby steps.  Some other classics on it include: my all-time favorite The Doors, our ole pal Jimi Hendrix, and finally a playlist isn't complete without some Bowie.  Other than that, it is mostly the Alternative/Indie/Rock those young kids are listening to these days... =)  


In other news, went to Roberto's River Road Restaurant for Valentine's Day with my valentine this evening and it was stupendous.


Yet again, I am neglecting that lovely thing known as educating myself to blog about what's on my mind.  


Cogitation of the day: If students pay to go to school and teachers get paid to be at school, shouldn't students get the better parking spots since we're paying to be there?  (this wondered into my head as I walked through a 'C' parking lot on my way to class today.)  Also pondered was the thought of how funny it would be if the students arriving at LSU from the Hart lot walking through the forbidden forrest were zombies after me.

Surrounded by the "la vie en rose" type.

I live with 3 artists... and have one as a sister. Yeah, ME the one who couldn't draw a stick person if you asked me to, live with three INCREDIBLY talented, and extraordinarily creative, artists.  They are: an interior designer who blogs about some really groovy things at beautiful grace, a photographer/painter, and a painter/potter.  Mind you, that each of them can do all of these activities efficiently, I guess that's part of being an artist.  My daily exposure to these refreshingly genuine, and beautiful people is such a treat!  The other night I interrupted Nicole's studies of (and arguments about) Biology for a lesson in photography.  Little did I know not all cameras are digital...woops, and people actually still develop pictures in those red rooms and put them in water and stuff....what?!  how stinkin cool.  Recently I was up late studying with Anna while she told me her idea for a new luxury department store she's coming up with for a national competition for interior designers, J. Windsor's.... so cool!  Not to mention the fact that there is a giant hat in our living room in the shape of a teacup that Kelsey made, and I'm upstairs at our house sitting by an easel and a large jar of paintbrushes conveniently placed by a book titled "Artist's Manual"... see what I mean here?

What's on the playlist for tonight as I "study"?  Vampire Weekend of course, Ottoman, on the soundtrack for Nick and Nora's infinite playlist, is a song I frequently turn to when I want to tap my feet and sing along.  I switched over from Taylor Swift... where I learned that the words to "The Best Day" don't really rhyme at all.  What's up next... hmmm.  maybe Samba 64 by The Vamps, a jazz band from Mississippi if I remember correctly.  Now this is a song that is fun to dance to.  =)  


I heard that the color orange is supposed to make you hungry... that's why my high school cafeteria painted the floors a disgusting shade of the color... kind of like this one!  .... Are you feeling hollow as you read this?


In other artist news, Erin, My sister who blogs @Chit Chat, just recently bought a mannequin to make clothes on the side from her other job.... as a designer... for a Home line at JCPenney.  Talk about having a little bit of creativity.  She amazes me with what she comes up with.


The "la vie en rose" title is not in reference to the upcoming day of St. Valentine... rather a nod to the 40's Édith Piaf song, which essentially means "seeing the world through rose-colored glasses".  Sometimes I wonder what artists notice in the landscape we see everyday that people like me don't.  Probably a lot more beauty... ahhh, and I'm filled with envy. 


Anyway, here's something I find kind of beautiful...Urbino, Italy.  Can't wait to go here...

So, I am avoiding studying for my Economics (it's in gray because it makes me sad) test on Monday so I decided to blog... for the second time, and blurb about these wonderfully visionary people that surround me.  I'm going to have to get used to blogging if I'm going to travel about the world I guess... 
More to come.


Ciao,
Molls

Austin City Limits. If you haven't been, you need to go.

Ahh blogging.  I'm new to this so bear with me people as I attempt to go about this tactfully.  I feel way behind the times as I am just starting one of these.  Didn't I see Lizzie McGuire blogging in Raise Your Voice back in the early 2000's?  Is it sad that I know that?  I recently marveled as I listened to the students in my Visual Communications class speak to the professor about their blogs in class.  One was a comedic look at celebrity life and occurrences, another on travel, one on music... where have I been?!  I'm supposed to know about these things since I'm in PR I guess.  Oh well, all I know is that my favorite ring that I never take off my finger chipped today and I feel naked without it as I type.  For my first post, I feel it necessary to discuss one of the most memorable events in my recent life, ACL (Austin City Limits music festival).  At some point I'll have to discuss my spontaneous summer in NYC with my sister Erin, but that might take a collaborative effort between the two of us, which proposes a problem because she lives in Plano, thank goodness for the holidays!! 

Ahhh ACL.  Where do I even start?  The musical talent exhibited at this wonderful festival is almost unfathomable.  Thus making it hard to write about my experience all in one post.  Alas, I shall try.


Well, let's start with my top three.  Matt and Kim, Vampire Weekend, and Edward Sharpe & the Magnetic Zeros (worst band name ever).  Don't peg me as strictly a fan of fast paced, upbeat, happy music.  It just so happened that the three best performances in my opinion were in a similar genre, in a miniscule but significant way.  Matt and Kim very well might've been the happiest concert I've ever been to.  Imagine yourself posted up right behind the steal fence just feet from the talented duo.  From the ecstatic smile that never left Kim's face (as you can see above), to Matt's distinguishable voice heard over her incessant drum beating, the overall atmosphere of the show was enjoyable to say the least.  My favorite part was when they left the stage to come give running high fives to all of us in the front row, and Kim proceeded to stand on top of two fans and booty dance to the crowd... priceless.  The little musical butterflies in my stomach swelled as the intro to "Daylight"began, a song that my friends and I insist on putting on every road trip CD we make.
On to Vampire Weekend,  aaahhh... Ezra Koenig (the lead singer).  His adorable voice and face as he sings songs from their new album, Contra, and old hits from their self-titled debut just captures your heart.  I must say this band has mastered the art of making "pretty" music.  They have been accurately described as "one of the most unique bands on the planet".  This show, much like Matt & Kim, was just exhilarating. The smile never left my face as my friends and I jumped up and down singing every lyric we knew.  We got a little treat from Ezra when he went on stage with Miike Snow earlier that day to sing "The kids don't stand a chance" with his band.  It was a pleasant surprise.  Vampire Weekend was well worth the hour we decided to spend waiting in front for them while the heavy metal Austin-native band, The Sword, played their set.  Not to discriminate, just not my type of music.  Here's a little something I found funny while reading about the band: "On June 3, 2010 the band was interviewed by Stephen Colbert on the Colbert Report.  Colbert argued that the "Oxford Comma" was indeed important despite the band and Ezra's disagreement."  If you've heard that song.  
Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros, a band you've most likely been hearing on car commercials recently.  I'm not a fan of artists selling their music for the sake of advertisements.  Then I end up thinking of the Hyundai commercial when I hear that song instead of them performing it!  ah, I digress...
I had recently just started really listening to this band after much insistence by my musical genius/ literally knows it all (not in a snobbish way) friend, Lizzie.  My interest was sparked after reading in the ACL booklet on the band that said: "Fans are known to be so overcome with emotion at their live shows that tears of euphoric joy are not uncommon."  "Hmm this should be interesting..." I thought.  Well, My expectations were met and far exceeded.  We were fortunately able to be in the front at this show which is always a plus, especially when Alex, the lead singer of the 10 member group, has a knack for getting up close and personal with the crowd (I was practically keeping him from falling down at one point).  The band has been described as a cross between Arcade Fire and the Mamas & the Papas by Rolling Stone.  The overall hippie-peace-and-love aura of the band kept feelings of happiness and excitement floating about the crowd as they set up.  The band delivered.  40 Day Dream, Up From Below, Janglin, Carries on, Home; all my favorites were played.  We left the show on a high after greeting Alex and some band members at the end.  This was certainly a show I'd go see again and again, I have to admit my eyes did well up with moisture at one point...
Some close second places, mostly because I didn't get to see their full show:  Band of Horses (just as good if not better than when I saw them at Grand Central in NY), Muse (The songs I did see them perform were amazing), GIVERS, Lissie, Temper Trap, Miike Snow, The National.
Erin and I were fortunate enough to get after show tickets to see The Black Keys, one of our top favorite bands, and that show was incredible as well.  The possibility of us getting close enough to them during their day show was slim to none, so we were pretty stoked we got to see them in a more intimate setting, Stubb's BBQ.  Dan Auerbach's voice and raw guitar playing is so attractive to a wide audience I've observed.  It's appealing to the indie and alternative rockers as well as people like my dad who sees the influence of Stevie Ray Vaughan, Jimi Hendrix, and Robert Plant in their rootsy bluesy style and undisguised guitar sound.  I can tell you I have every song they've ever recorded and they are one of those artists you turn to when you don't know what you want to listen to.  Because it fits all moods.  


My weekend in Austin, Texas was one to remember.  And I will forever buy advanced tickets to the ACL festival, it is assuredly one line up you can trust to be magnificent.  My hopes are next year Arcade Fire will show up!  eek!