fur, forties, fashion...

ilovepeanutbutter.

I went to Peanut Butter & Co. in Greenwich Village this weekend...

I know this may not look appetizing if you don't love peanut butter and if you don't love sandwiches, but I love both, A LOT!

If you do too, check out the menu for this place.... 

http://www.ilovepeanutbutter.com/

mmmmm, is all I have to say...

A good phase...

I feel like I go in phases where I will find a lot of really good music and then I will go through a dry phase and really won't find very much new stuff that I like...

That said, I am going through a VERY good phase right now and have been finding a lot of new RAD music!

I won't post it all at once so that it is not overwhelming, but count on a lot of music posts in the next few weeks....

A Evening of Merriment!

This is how behind I am on my posts...I finally got the chance to post these from Christmas. 

When I was home for the holidays a friend and I hosted a Christmas dinner party.  It was pretty magical...

(I don't know why, but the color kinda went weird when I uploaded these so they don't look quite as good on here...)

* * *

I have so many things to blog about but have been SO busy lately...

I thought I would keep it simple today though.  

Enjoy.

MUSEUM PIECES - I'VE BEEN AWAY

KEZAM!!! Graffiti Lives...

( Please click to enlarge)

Last night in NYC it was snowing huge, white, soft snowflakes.  It was magical.  I was wandering around Soho and I loved it.  

 Anyways getting to the point of the blog, after walking around for a bit, I went into the bookstore/cafe, McNally Jackson, browsed through some books, got some delicious tea and made myself comfortable.  I came to hear a presentation/discussion by an author, Gregory J. Snyder.  In his new book, Graffiti Lives, he talks about graffiti culture, it's history and it's future and how it is viewed.  Some of the points he made are: graffiti is an art form; we shouldn't stereotype the writers;  just because people do graffiti doesn't mean they are criminals; and it doesn't necessarily lead to more crime.  He also had facts to show that just because there is more graffiti in an area doesn’t mean the crime rate is going to be worse.  For example, Soho has major graffiti but not that much crime and he compared that to a neighborhood in Brooklyn with far more crime and much less graffiti.  Snyder then went on to show that many graffiti writers go on to find successful careers in art, design, publishing, mural-painting, etc.

 Although Snyder is not a writer himself, he has studied graffiti for over 10 years.  His friend KEZAM, a well known graffiti writer and professional, was also there to discuss graffiti writing and give us the inside scoop.   He has been writing since 1989 so is a pioneer of sorts in the subculture of the graffiti world.  KEZAM only does legal graffiti nowadays, but I'm sure he probably still knows what's going down on the street.

 It was really cool to hear about and interesting to discuss graffiti.  I even learned some graffiti lingo, like the difference between a tag, a piece and a throwie.  I especially enjoyed it because it was a small intimate group and I got a chance to meet and talk to both the author and graffiti writer.    I will definitely be noticing the graffiti around the city more.

 I love living in New York.  There are things like this going on every day in the city.  I feel so lucky!

(They signed this poster for me!)

To see more awesome pieces done by Kezam go to www.flickr.com/photos/kezam

Oh and one more thing, apparently they did a podcast of last night, so if I find it I will post it.

Beginner Brushstrokes

Today I bought new watercolor paints and some new brushes.  I haven't really painted much since I was a kid.  I have had lots of fun today just trying out the brushes and stuff.   I can't wait to get more into it.

I turned on some music and this is what came out...remember I am a beginner : )

stepping on the sun

black and white

X marks the spot

calligraphy

testing

I gradually got better...I think.  I started with the bottom picture and ended with the top one

  

Crayola watercolor paint set - $ 1.97 

10 piece brush set - $5.72

Pure enjoyment for less than $8, love it!

Date with Bon Iver

A month ago today I was lucky to have the chance to see BON IVER live at the Music Hall of Williamsburg in Brooklyn.   It was absolutely wonderful!

Ever since I heard the album, For Emma, Forever Ago,  I have considered it a classic.  I have listened to the album over and over again.  I love all the songs and never get sick of them.

I would use my own words to describe how I felt/feel about the show and about Justin Vernon (the singer for Bon Iver) but I came across a quote in an article written by Jake Mohan for Reveille Magazine that expressed my thoughts perfectly.  He said:

"I can only surmise that Justin Vernon connects with something in people that's more than musical, more than even the emotional string that gets plucked inside us when we're truly moved by our favourite music. It goes beyond even that. He connects with something deeply interior and private in us, which makes it all the more incongruous when that connection is made so publicly, over and over, in so many people at once - it's beautiful, yes, but in an almost unsettling, voyeuristic way. Like you've stumbled upon something secret you weren't meant to see."

Oh man, I just love that!  It is a brilliant explanation of what I feel when I listen to Bon Iver.   This quote might also explain why there almost seemed to be a reverence at the show.  At times in the filled, sold out venue, the entire crowd would become completely silent.  It was the first show I ventured to attend alone, but I think that almost made it more intense.  It was extremely moving and worth every penny.

If you are interested in reading the full article where I discovered the quote, click here.  Even though it is a review from a different venue I feel like it applies to the show I attended in Brooklyn.

Also if you want to hear a new song by Bon Iver that I recorded at the show click here.

  

Winter is Blue

Some pictures I took today,  except for 2 & 4 (off flickr)

Best viewed when accompanied by the song...