Monday, December 28, 2009
a New Leaf
totally inspired by Julie & Julia, which i finally saw this weekend, i'm making a solemn vow to blog daily. granted, my posts may be in the form of really quick notes or Facebook-esque haiku, but it's better than nothing, right? right. besides, with my iPhone, i can pretty much do anything, and i've got oodles of commuting time, so rather than simply reading other people's self-indulgent prattle, i'll use that time to throw my own out there.
Wednesday, December 23, 2009
CawfeeGuy's Holiday Chestnuts
i couldn't let my last post be my last post, so here's something a tad more UP....
as you all may (or may not) know. i fucking love Christmas music. Love it. i start looking for new stuff around Halloween and start playing it (and nothing else) the day after Thanksgiving, until New Year's Day. here's the best of the new stuff i picked up this season (most of which is kinda old, but new to me):
1. Christmas Duel (the Hives and Cyndi Lauper): in truth, i bought this last year, just before new years, but i was so appalled by it that i only listened to it once. it has to be the worst "Christmas song" ever, and i would not want my mom to hear it. this year i realized that it's an absolutely awesome song, though (maybe i've become more jaded over the last year). Cyndi sounds amazing and the whole thing has a very Phil Spector kinda sound, gone horribly horribly wrong.
2. Jingle Bells (Barry Maniilow & Expose): yes, that Expose of the 80's. brilliant swinging "Bing-and-the-Andrews-Sisters" sound.
3. Zat You Santa Claus? (Buster Poindexter): c'mon...he's from Staten Island...how can you not love this cover of the old Louis Armstrong song? it's very Nightmare Before Christmas.
4. All I Want for Christmas is You (the 88): i had seen the 88 when they opened for the b52's this past summer and liked their California pop/rock sound; this single was free on iTunes and i thought "what the hell", thinking it was a cover of Mariah's All I Want for Christmas is You. it's not...but it's definitely worth picking up, as it's catchy and fun.
5. a Christmas Gift from Phil Spector (full album; Various Artists): this is one of the absolute best albums, ever. all the girl groups of the 5o's, that Phil Spector created, are together on this album with covers a crap load of Christmas favorites. Very retro-christmas that takes me back to my childhood and mom would blast the oldies station while we baked. Honestly, there are songs on here that i've always hated in the past (Marshmallow World and the Parade of the Wooden Soldiers) that are infinitely more tolerable because they're sung by the Ronettes.
6. Christmas Tree (Lady Gaga featuring Space Cowboy): thanks to MS for telling me about this song. it's silly and ridiculous and very Lady Gaga.
7. the Christmas of Your Life (full album; Helen Reddy): yup, Helen Reddy has a Christmas Album and it's really really good; cheesy, but good. it's really great "background music".
8. Joseph: Better You, Than Me (the Killers, Neil Tennant & Elton John): not terribly festive, but a really good song, nonetheless, and all about the vaguest person in the nativity.
9. the First Noel (David Archuleta): who the hell is this guy? i got this song and Joy to the World off a free iTunes Christmas sampler (along with a whole lot of middle-America, banjo strumming country nonsense) and it's really good; he's got a very sweet voice.
10. O Come All Ye Faithful/Adeste Fidelis (Amy Grant): i'll admit it, i own Amy's Heart In Motion cd, but ever since i heard she was a crazy Christer i've been kind of leary of her music. this was on the same sampler as #9, though, and i will grudgingly admit that's its really well done. if you can get it free, do it...otherwise i wouldn't spend a dime on her.
11. Christmas Cheer (full album; Connie Francis): absolutely, brilliantly, campy and kitchy and fabulous along the lines of the Doris Day and Ella Fitzgerald Christmas albums. it's faboulous (especially her version of the Twelve Days of Christmas where she sounds like she's from Brooklyn).
12. We Wish You a Merry Christmas (Weezer): really great pop/rock cover from a band i usually don't pay attention to.
13. Let It Snow, Let It Snow, Let It Snow (Luscious Jackson): see #12
14. Great Big Sleigh (the Killers): my absolute favorite song this season.
15. Rockin Around the Christmas Tree (Miley Cyrus): i know, i know, i know; she's saccharine sweet and disgustingly over exposed, but still...it's a fun song.
i also greatly appreciate any suggestions for "new music"!
Merry, Happy, Jolly, Festive...Whatever, kids!
as you all may (or may not) know. i fucking love Christmas music. Love it. i start looking for new stuff around Halloween and start playing it (and nothing else) the day after Thanksgiving, until New Year's Day. here's the best of the new stuff i picked up this season (most of which is kinda old, but new to me):
1. Christmas Duel (the Hives and Cyndi Lauper): in truth, i bought this last year, just before new years, but i was so appalled by it that i only listened to it once. it has to be the worst "Christmas song" ever, and i would not want my mom to hear it. this year i realized that it's an absolutely awesome song, though (maybe i've become more jaded over the last year). Cyndi sounds amazing and the whole thing has a very Phil Spector kinda sound, gone horribly horribly wrong.
2. Jingle Bells (Barry Maniilow & Expose): yes, that Expose of the 80's. brilliant swinging "Bing-and-the-Andrews-Sisters" sound.
3. Zat You Santa Claus? (Buster Poindexter): c'mon...he's from Staten Island...how can you not love this cover of the old Louis Armstrong song? it's very Nightmare Before Christmas.
4. All I Want for Christmas is You (the 88): i had seen the 88 when they opened for the b52's this past summer and liked their California pop/rock sound; this single was free on iTunes and i thought "what the hell", thinking it was a cover of Mariah's All I Want for Christmas is You. it's not...but it's definitely worth picking up, as it's catchy and fun.
5. a Christmas Gift from Phil Spector (full album; Various Artists): this is one of the absolute best albums, ever. all the girl groups of the 5o's, that Phil Spector created, are together on this album with covers a crap load of Christmas favorites. Very retro-christmas that takes me back to my childhood and mom would blast the oldies station while we baked. Honestly, there are songs on here that i've always hated in the past (Marshmallow World and the Parade of the Wooden Soldiers) that are infinitely more tolerable because they're sung by the Ronettes.
6. Christmas Tree (Lady Gaga featuring Space Cowboy): thanks to MS for telling me about this song. it's silly and ridiculous and very Lady Gaga.
7. the Christmas of Your Life (full album; Helen Reddy): yup, Helen Reddy has a Christmas Album and it's really really good; cheesy, but good. it's really great "background music".
8. Joseph: Better You, Than Me (the Killers, Neil Tennant & Elton John): not terribly festive, but a really good song, nonetheless, and all about the vaguest person in the nativity.
9. the First Noel (David Archuleta): who the hell is this guy? i got this song and Joy to the World off a free iTunes Christmas sampler (along with a whole lot of middle-America, banjo strumming country nonsense) and it's really good; he's got a very sweet voice.
10. O Come All Ye Faithful/Adeste Fidelis (Amy Grant): i'll admit it, i own Amy's Heart In Motion cd, but ever since i heard she was a crazy Christer i've been kind of leary of her music. this was on the same sampler as #9, though, and i will grudgingly admit that's its really well done. if you can get it free, do it...otherwise i wouldn't spend a dime on her.
11. Christmas Cheer (full album; Connie Francis): absolutely, brilliantly, campy and kitchy and fabulous along the lines of the Doris Day and Ella Fitzgerald Christmas albums. it's faboulous (especially her version of the Twelve Days of Christmas where she sounds like she's from Brooklyn).
12. We Wish You a Merry Christmas (Weezer): really great pop/rock cover from a band i usually don't pay attention to.
13. Let It Snow, Let It Snow, Let It Snow (Luscious Jackson): see #12
14. Great Big Sleigh (the Killers): my absolute favorite song this season.
15. Rockin Around the Christmas Tree (Miley Cyrus): i know, i know, i know; she's saccharine sweet and disgustingly over exposed, but still...it's a fun song.
i also greatly appreciate any suggestions for "new music"!
Merry, Happy, Jolly, Festive...Whatever, kids!
Monday, December 21, 2009
*Sigh*
things at work have been insane, so blogging has really fallen by the way side (in case you hadn't noticed). Hope everyone enjoys their holidays (or their anti-holidays, if that's your thing...i dont' judge).
Tuesday, December 08, 2009
Sophia Petrillo: Sicily
special thanks to my best girl, Mrs. Bri-the-Pie-Guy, for posting this on Facebook!
Soup Dumplings, Pink Unicorns and That Guy from Buffy
what an amazing weekend it was! the brief re-cap:- a couple of days after last weekend's visit, MS asked me to pick up a lovely pink unicorn she had seen in the toy aisle of our local Stop N Shop. it seems she'd found a good home for her. On Saturday, we braved the icy rain/sleet/snow, the SI Ferry and the NYC subway system to bring Frenchie (for that was the unicorn's name) to MS and Dug; but only after we had had some fun with her 1st.
- the drop off happened at our favorite NY Chinese restaurant, which is home to the world's best* soup dumplings. this was a double bonus: MS & Dug and soup dumplings.
- while waiting for our table, who happened to wander in with a mini-entourage, but Danny Strong (aka Jonathan Levinson from Buffy)! much debating ensued over whether or not to acknowledge the fact that we were in the company of a b-list celeb (with a-list geek-star street cred), 'til our table was ready. on the way to the table, CawfeeMate stopped and told Danny that we "loved his work". To his credit, Danny seemed genuinely happy to be noticed and thanked us.
dinner was great, as always, but we promised Dug that the next time we met up in the city we'd try a different restaurant (since this is the only one we meet at when we're together). luckily there's an app for that...
*in truth their's are the only soup dumplings i've ever had.
Monday, December 07, 2009
Thursday, December 03, 2009
Tuesday, December 01, 2009
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