Dearest Scouts! I'm coming to you once again, from my bed, still injured. But my ears are working just fine, so here is what has been on rotation during this week of knitting/reading/Netflix.
1. Out of the Black - Neneh Cherry (feat Robyn)
2. Here I Am - Dolly Parton
3. If You Didn't See Me [Then You Weren't On The Dancefloor] - Dale Earnhardt Jr. Jr.
Hi there luscious Lushies! I apologize for my absence as of late. I've been fighting a pretty terrible back injury that has me in physical therapy several times a week. This Sunday, when sitting down to enjoy some soup (Szechuan pork soup, as it were), something crunched in my back and it left me screaming, unable to walk, and being taken to the hospital by paramedics. I'm in much better shape now after some good medications, one Harry Potter movie marathon, and lots of TLC from my Mom, so I intend on resuming my posts (especially since I have another week in which the doctor has forbidden me to work and there is only so many times I can watch 6 episodes of True Detective). So without further ado...
1. Wait, you might be saying to yourself, I am already well aware that Lush Scouts love donuts! However, these aren't just any old donuts; these are micro-bead donut pillows! They're 16" in diameter and less than 25$. If you are a blasphemer who likes ice-cream sandwiches, cupcakes, or ice-cream cones better than donuts, there are even options for you.
2. This video has been on repeat in my life this week (and everyone else's if you're judging based on the 4.5 million views). It takes on special meaning when you have a basic understanding of German, in that geil means both 'awesome' and 'horny'. There are a couple of other amusing jokes in there, involving cats and the like.
3. This handy little infographic (click to embiggen) is going to be helping me out with a little bit of spring cleaning, which I hope to do this week (I promise I won't over-do it Mom). Thank you unfuckyourhabitat!
4. BEHOLD! The Teggings tubetop. This baby, from what I can tell, is essentially a functioning bandeau top for ladies with big tatas! Right now it's almost out of stock, but when black is back, you can bet your sweet bippy I'm going to buy one. A bandeau that would work for me would be a MIRACLE. It's like Re/Dress can see into my soul.
5. I'm gonna let you in on a little secret: I love looking in other peoples' houses. Now it isn't strictly because I'm nosy. It's more because I like to see how other people decorate. This is why sites liked Apartment Therapy etc are such an epic time-suck for me. This is why I can watch HGTV nonstop when I am somewhere with cable TV. This is also why I thoroughly enjoy the Young House Love 'House Crashing' series. In the most recent installment they took a look at the home of Kimberly (a stylish American living in Manchester). Just check out those colours, that bright and airy kitchen, and that amazing gallery wall that gives this poster-junkie hope for her own future.
In just a short few days I'll be beach-bummin on my first ever jaunt to Hawaii, so pardon me if this five is a bit sun-soaked. PARDON ME, Lush Scouts!!
1. Courtney Barnett is a girl who surely knows a thing or two about sunshine--she's a new singer-songwriter from down undah! A recent discovery for me, this aussie's new single 'Avant Gardener' is guaranteed to get you chilling on your front lawn. She reminds me of Ty Segall or Kurt Vile in a way, with her psychedelic almost country sound.
1. The neon-coral Scallop Crop Vest (is that British for tank top?) is going to look so so good with my favorite pair of high-waist skinnies! It's leaving me yearning for that first day of spring where you can whip off your jacket and dance in the streets--but for now this bright and sunny top will have to do. From Topshop
3. I found this tasty sounding Candied Grapefruit Cocktail on pinterest this week, and it's kinda hard to tell if it's a cocktail or a cooking project... For people like us, that's a good thing! From Tablespoon
4. Every time that I forget and re-remember that indoor citrus trees are possible, my day is brightened! That happened today, and I spent a good amount of time learning more about how easy it is to keep a lemon, lime, orange, grapefruit, or whatever tree thriving in your favorite sunny window. I have only dim windows (apartment livin'... sigh), so I'll keep this on my list for my next move!
5. Another Topshop item I want need! Summer is the best time for big purses, so that you can have everything from your current book, a bathing suit, a jar of wine, a frisbee, to an emergency cardigan (should night unexpectedly fall). From Topshop
Good evening Scouts! I'm coming to you live from my bed, injured, as I have been all week. It's a sad existence to have a reason to not go to work (my poor messed-up back), and yet be completely unable to do anything interesting (I can barely get across my apartment). It does mean, however, that I've lots of time to listen to music and read, so this week's heavy rotation came to me easily. It really runs the gamut this week, from morose, chilled-out Beck (does anyone else feel like they've been waiting a lonnnng time for a follow up to Sea Change?), twangy Shovels and Rope, absolutely fabulous Sharon Jones (I love her dress in this video), and girl-punk Tweens. And please forgive me for the two songs that also appeared on the Grammys. I SWEAR I HAD THEM ON THIS LIST BEFORE THE GRAMMYS.
1. Be Mean - Tweens
2. Blue Moon - Beck
3. Bad Luck - Shovels and Rope
4. Stranger to My Happiness - Sharon Jones and the Dap Kings
Now don't be fooled here--most of these are not new to the actual music world. More accurately, I gots me a Crosley Turntable in the fall and got to stock up on records! I bought the record player in this olive/pea/avocado green color against Cait's serious insistence--she repeatedly warned me that it would arrive looking much less like a classy avocado and much more like a gross pea soup than I was expecting. I'm sticking with classy avocado--I love my little record player!
Here are my favorites that I've picked up so far, in no particular order:
Celebration Rock - Japandroids The vinyl is white!! I am so so so happy I got this one, I listen to this whole album in one form or another about once a week.
Bitter Rivals - Sleigh Bells The vinyl is clear! SO cool. If there were a better vid to post I'd give you my other favs off the album: Sing Like a Wire and Young Legends.
Fleet Foxes - Fleet Foxes
Save The Music: Record Store Day 12" #1 - Shawn Lee A legendary discovery by my boyfriend on a lazy morning at the record store around the corner, AND the vinyl is orange! This song by AM & Shawn Lee was on repeat for weeks:
Cripple Crow - Devendra Banhart Very first record I bought! Devendra's been with me since my Monica & Hallie & Ben days, and he's staying with me.
Fuckin' A - The Thermals I hope you guys care what color half of my records are.. this one's see-through blue!
Daughter of Cloud - Of Montreal Where to begin with Of Montreal? I got my weird on to Of Montreal consistently from high school all the way through college (that's a long time!!), and I think their happy-bouncy-strange-but-who-cares music describes me through those 8 years really well. Then out of the blue a couple months ago my boyfriend surprised me with tickets to their show and it was the CRAZIEST experience--I couldn't stop laughing and thinking how some things never change, and thank goodness. Then the darling BF gave me this album on vinyl for my birthday, and the renaissance continues. Much more mellow than what you'd normally think of, and you have to listen to Feminine Effects off of the album too, but I love this song:
Bridge Over Troubled Water - Simon and Garfunkel
Crosby Stills & Nash - Crosby Stills & Nash A favorite for two main reasons. 1. Suite, Judy Blue Eyes, and 2. This photo in the centerfold:
1. The Fox is Black is one of my favorite blogs right now. It is run by Bobby Solomon, who has an eye for lovely and good taste in art and music leaning towards the cutting edge. Plus they really love space suits.I really got hooked on the site when I discovered their clever way to partner with talented artists and designers and bring some talent to a boring-sounding medium: the Desktop Wallpaper Project. Here are some of my favs, but there are about a skillion on the site.
3. The National's new album Trouble Will Find Me is rocking my emotional socks. I admit, I stumbled upon this while perusing NPR's recent Tiny Desk Concerts (a good way to spend a slow day at work), but I am so happy I did! The video from NPR is surprisingly intimate and honest considering that they're in an office and it looks to be about noon the day after a show. Grab the album and sit by a river or lake with some beer, that's how The National would want it.
4. Taste of Tacoma is going on this weekend! Sorry non-locals, this food-filled-fest right on the GORGEOUS Puget Sound is in Tacoma only, this Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. I've never been before, but I know for a fact I'm gonna love it. And did I mention there's a Wine & Jazz garden??
1. We're having a Lush Outing tonight, Cait and I along with some boyz are going to see The Coup! I am beyond pumped, putting a lot of tracks from their most recent album "Sorry To Bother You" on serious rotation. Not to mention their videos which are super fun and clever/awersome/hilarious. Who's ready to get some socialist boogie-ing on? We are!
The Guillotine
Your Parents' Cocaine (w/ Justin Sane from Anti-Flag)
Land Of 7 Billion Dances
The Magic Clap
2. Shorts season is fast approaching! Well really if you don't live in the Pacific North West you're probably already sweating, but up here we're still just thinking about shorts most days. Currently I only have some real gnarly jorts that have been doing a great job, other than that shorts are kind of the worst in my opinion! Stay tuned for a 'gu comes to terms with wearing shorts' post. Note: that is not gu's butt.
3. Happy Birthday Week to Cait!! The only way to say that and truly mean it is with this picture of Paul Simon dressed as a turkey:
4. I'm moving soon, and have found myself drooling over hip home goods from spots like Urban Outfitters (already bought a duvet cover... so sue me) and ModCloth that probably shouldn't be priority over expenses such as, oh the security deposit or whatever. I really really love this Spotted on the Shore Shower Curtain from ModCloth! I don't know too much about Bettie Page, nor pinups in general, but I am all about girls being hot if they wanna. I don't think my dude soon-to-be-roomie Jordan will mind those curves, either.
5. As we speak I'm whipping up some vegan lemon almond scones to send to my sister all the way in NYC! We've long had a beautiful sistership, where I love baking and she loves to encourage me to bake and tell me how great my treats are. Unfortunately with a zillion miles between us, it has turned into me texting her pictures of, like, mini cinnamon rolls fresh out of the oven, and Lisa replying 'bring me soooome :(' Today's your day sis! This recipe I found was too good not to finally send to her! My general philosophy with internet recipes is to use them for their science (aka all the baking soda stuff you can't guess) and then go to town with the craziest flavors you can. Get ready for some fluffy delish treats, sis!
1. Arrested Development is coming back soon! The roomie and I are embarking on a serious watch-the-whole-series-as-fast-as-possible binge just to cram our brains with as many Bananagrabbing details as possible.
2. My friend British Jacob (he's British!) turned me on to this SUPER 420-friendly video (sorry babies and grandmas) by Dune Rats, and after watching it about a million times over the past couple weeks I still love it! Really good surf rock, and you can even watch them right after this serious bongapalooza conducting a super-stoned interview with Simon from DZ Deathrays, the band whose video was the inspiration for the Dune Rats'. I do have to warn you though: They're majorly foxy Australians!
3. Does it get much better than properly crazy female comedians? People like Sarah Silverman, Melissa McCarthy, Kristen Wiig, and of course Kristen Schaal always blow my mind by how great they are. They take a pretty male-dominated field, show up, and very rudely stick around whether or not they were invited there in the first place. Kristen Schaal is going to be taking on the lead in the pilot for a new ABC show "Pulling." Can not WAIT to get my eyes on that, hopefully packed with all the madness we've come to expect from her! A little more about Schaal in this Salon article.
4. Speaking of hot punks and badass girls, be sure to give Creep Street a little peruse sometime. It won't be long till I get this raglan from their new Murder We Wrote collection, or at the very least something with SATAN IS WAITIN' on it. Plus, their product descriptions are killer.
5. I'd like to casually introduce Scumbag Wednesdays. Exact execution is up to interpretation, but spend your Wednesdays having beer for breakfast, painting your nails instead of doing the dishes, getting stoned and making cookies, waking up on friends couches, or at the very least skip your deodorant for the day. It feels good to be bad, Lush Scouts, real good.
Lush Scouts, I have a confession to make: I tend towards becoming obsessed. Not in a creepy way, but all of a sudden, I'll just find a particular musical artist, actor, artist, writer so captivating that I basically can't stop listening/watching/reading for a few weeks.
I've always been a big fan of David Bowie, but with the release of his new album The Next Day (which is great, by the way) I have been listening non stop to every album he has released, which is why this particular Heavy Rotation is so Bowie-tastic.
Sorrow - David Bowie
Hazey Jane II - Nick Drake
Atlantic City - Allo Darlin'
Up The Hill Backwards - David Bowie
Weeping Mary - Elvis Perkins
Footstompin' -David Bowie (I find this one to be a particular gem, as it is from an appearance/interview on the Dick Cavett show. Throughout the interview, Bowie is obviously high, clearly has terrible coke nose, and during the performances you can hear the toll that his drug-use was taking on his voice. I still think he sounds incredible though! There is also a very precious Bowie moment around 2:50 that I cannot get enough of.)
I wanted to apologize for my prolonged absence from posting. I've been real busy what with these folks (my mom and dad) visiting:
And taking me lots of places including here:
And helping me find a frame to make this happen:
Bringing this (and a table too) to help with the storage issues in my kitchen:
But most importantly, they needed to hand deliver this special present from my niece:
But I'm back now. I too got my tax returns and blew it all on some new furniture for my apartment! (I currently sleep on a mattress on the floor.) I will try to take some before and after photos so you can see the mess that exists now, and the slightly more functional mess that will happen later.
In happier news, there is new Beyonce, and though I'm of the opinion that it's just a hype-song for her new album, I can definitely get down. Take a listen for yourselves below!
1. Devendra Banhart--well-known for being my spirit animal, the former hubby of Natalie Portman, and an amazing psychadelic folk star--put out a new album this week! I had no idea it was coming, so what if I don't keep up on music that well?! Mala came out on Tuesday, and definitely does not disappoint. I think that this AV Club article hits the nail on the head, this time Devendra gave us a nice combination of his humorous lyrics and beautiful dreamy songs. My personal favorite is "Your Fine Petting Duck," a teasingly sweet-yet-sour duet that even ends with a sexy little electronic riff that I definitely didn't see coming. You can listen to the whole album on NPR's First Listen, or just loop it constantly at work via spotify (guilty!). And last but not least, you can swoon over Devendra holding a dog here:
2. Homemade brown sugar is a thing?! A customer I spoke to at work today casually mentioned that she makes her own and she blew my mind! This is going on my to-do list for sure. Bakergirl has a super do-able looking recipe for it, if two ingredients even count as a recipe, and I am very excited to give it a try. Guess I'll just have to bake a ton to get rid of all the sugar I have now... Oh well! ;) How to Make Homemade Brown Sugar
3. Maybe partying will help. Makes sense to me, lush scouts, maaaakes sense to me. From my fav streetwear site PLNDR.com. Is it summer yet?
4. GOT MY TAX RETURN!!!
5. More new music?! That's right, the next single from She & Him just dropped, from their upcoming Volume III. Not sure where they get off never coming up with new album names, but its really really hard to stay mad at them.
Morning Lush Scouts. It's Monday once again. And I know the horror that is Monday. From getting to work this morning, to the end of day exhaustion, I'm with you. And that's why I've created this list of songs that embody the feeling of Monday, to remind you that we're all here with you.
1. I Don't Like Mondays by The Boomtown Rats
2. They Call it Stormy Monday (But Tuesday's Just As Bad) performed by Nancy Wilson
3. Monday Morning by Fleetwood Mac
4. Nine to Five/When Work is Over, Have Another Drink by The Kinks
5. Monday Morning by Pulp
6. Manic Monday by The Bangles
7. Write About Love by Belle & Sebastian
8. Monday Monday by The Mamas and the Papas
9. Back on the Chain Gang by The Pretenders
10. Blue Monday by New Order
11. You Don't Have To Cry by Crosby, Stills & Nash
1. Madewell. This site and I have been courting one another for a long time, and I finally took the plunge and gave it a full-day browse. They solve all of my inner preppy vs hipster angst! Its like J. Crew meets Urban Outfitters in there! Its like a martini with a PBR chaser, or cut-off mom jeans with a side of grandma's pearls. I'll certainly be drooling over those bright colors and generous use of denim for a long time, but I won't be able to resist these lil' sneaks they teamed up with Keds to design:
2. For some reason, Dave Grohl has been my patron saint of late. I think it started with this article I happened upon (nothing like a good rock nerd!) and he keeps finding little ways to make himself known.
3. I started watching Wilfred and it SLAYS me! Pretty witty writing from people who clearly have spent some time stoned and wondering what their dog is thinking.
4. Moms! I get to hang out with my mom all weekend for her birthday, which is pretty freakin' exciting. You should know right off the bat, we are very pro-mom here at LS. Either that or we are just blessed with especially legit moms.
5. Went to Patti Smith on Wednesday! She's up there in the hero list, and if you haven't read her book Just Kids get on that real fast. Highlight: Patti yelling "P-U-S-S-Y R-I-O-T!! NEVER FORGET!!" And watching all the middle aged people in front of us look confused.
Ain't no party like a mom's house party
gu
Show us some love, scouts, whatcha into this week?
4. I covet these Swedish Hasbeens. I've been wanting a pair of their beautiful (and rumour has it, super comfortable) clogs for a while, but I just haven't been able to muster myself up to pay 200 dollars for them. But then came the lacy sandal and I'm seriously considering. Look at how great they are! Not too tall, but these beauties still have a heel. They come in black and olive as well as a white that has been selling like hotcakes over on Modcloth, but I'm a much bigger fan of the natural.
5. Winter Fruits: I'm a huge fan of them, primarily grapefruit. I love them so much I took photos. There is nothing like sinking your knife into a nice fat grapefruit and getting that glorious citrus aroma. I also really like tart/sour foods and this fits the bill. The New York Times also had an interesting take on winter fruits that's worth a peek.
Anything really turning your crank this week? If so, let us know!
After a long and frustrating day at work filled with a little of this, a lot of this, and even some of this, I like to come home and hang out alone, do alone-time hobbies, and listen to music. And each week I tend to have just a couple songs I listen to non-stop.
This is my heavy rotation for the week. Not in the J-pop sense, but in the I-listen-to-these-songs-almost-exclusively way.
This week, nothing super new, but everything super catchy:
Roscoe - Midlake
Norgaard - The Vaccines
Rental Car - Beck (la la la la la la la la la la la la la)
Feeling Better by The Teenagers
Rock 'N Me - Steve Miller Band (no unhappily employed/unemployed person in Tacoma can resist this song. It's a fact.)
