Bobby

So many favorite Dylan songs, and today, today is a Bob Dylan kind of day.

"All I can do is be me, whoever that is."

Be sure to wear some flowers in your hair

So, I have just returned from my heart-stopping trip down the coast to San Francisco. Four brilliant days in this culturally diverse city, where my best friend Carla and I shopped some of the coolest vintage stores in the Haight/Ashbury area, explored the colourful Mission Districts' bars, shops and cafes, and witnessed two amazing musical acts in some top notch venues .
Carla and I were blessed enough to stay in a swanky hotel room on the gold floor at the Fairmont San Francisco on top of Nob Hill, fully equipped with a walk in closet and a beautiful bathroom.

From eating mouth-watering food at places like Jasper's Kitchen and Bar and ofcourse our tradition of having Mimosas at a '50s diners, and then to sipping on cocktails at Haight Streets' Trax Bar it was all like a dream. It was at Trax bar where we met City and Colours' agent who then offered us VIP passes to the show at the Fillmore on Saturday night, and took us out for an amazing dinner at Betelnut Asian Fare. This trip could not have gone any better. Ofcourse, Deer Tick played an awesome set at the Independent on Divisadero street on Friday night! John McCauley never disappoints :)

I must take a moment to mention how floored I was by the Fillmore Auditorium. It isn't enough to say that acts like Janis Joplin, Jimi Hendrix, CCR and Otis Redding played here once upon a time, the feeling you experience as soon as you climb the stairs into this chandelier lit venue is indescribable. Massive framed photos of all of the artists that have graced the stage clutter the walls, and as you continue to walk up the creaking staircase past the stage, you enter more areas littered with hundreds of psychedelic posters and artifacts. We watched the show in the VIP balcony and my life is now complete :)

Here are some photos from our adventure

The Lumineers

Can I just say that Daytrotter.com is single handedly my favourite place to discover new music. It doesn't hurt that they allow you to download full FREE sessions that you can upload to your iTunes. Today I stumbled by a little band that put a smile on my face.

The Lumineers are a folk-trio from Denver, Colorado whose lead singer's voice gives me chills for real. And let me tell you, they know how to write a song! I first fell in love with their song "Dead Sea", and now "Ho Hey". They will foresure be on heavy rotation in my living room as I cook and battle through the final days of my cleanse. Can't wait to sink my teeth into a sandwich and sip on a glass of wine.

Fall Breeze Me

Autumn is in full effect. Once again, I'm reminded of the beauty of the West Coast. The trees are all shades of earthy magic. The crisp air has allowed me to pull out my favourite cable knit scarves and mitts to walk along the Seawall. There is something so peaceful and soulful about this season. I'm currently half way through the Wild Rose Cleanse and feeling lighter and more refreshed than I have in awhile. It's amazing how I've learned to enjoy such wholesome foods and ditch pizza, chips, and ... beer/wine. Joel and I went on a magical walk through Stanley Park yesterday and I took some pictures to show off it's unreal beauty. Nature is so amazing.

On another note, purchased the latest Feist album, Metals the other day and can I say, she's done it again! Her last album marks a very important time in my life, and this one is sure to be a soundtrack to this coming year in some way. Her voice is so calming, sensitive, peaceful and haunting all at the same time. She'll be playing in Vancouver in November and I'm still having to purchase the tickets before they sell out. Her last tour was AMAZING.

Beyond that, leaving for San Francisco in 17 days to reunite with my kindred, Carla. OOOOoooyah! Not to mention see Deer Tick for the 5th time. :)

Here are some photos from yesterday's walk, and current favourite from Metals. Enjoy!

Deer Tick love.

Searching through my previous posts, I've been shocked to see that I have neglected to write about one of my all time favourite bands on the southern rock scene today. Deer Tick is a band comprised of five whiskey drinking rockers from Providence, Rhode Island, headed by John McCauley, a dreamy blue eyed young chap with one raspy voice. I first fell in love with this band's second album, Born on Flag Day, with songs like Easy and Friday XIII.

Live, this band has got it all, rambunctious on stage behaviour, sending off the feeling that you're at a house party listening to friends play your favourites in a basement. Their live shows consist of an ecclectic mix of covers like "LaBamba" and originals. I've been so lucky to see them play several times at music festivals like Bonnaroo, Coachella and right here in Vancouver. I've even bought John McCauley a shot of Jameson for his past birthday after seeing him at a bar in Nashville, TN.

They're working on releasing their latest album, and I'm heading down to San Francisco to see them play with my soul sister Carla on November 4th. Can't wait! Viva Deer TICK!

Goodbye summertime, it's time to get goin'

Hello friends,
So summer is almost done, and this next weekend marks the last camping trip of the season and new beginnings. My job search has officially started for the fall and I am so ready and excited to get started on a new career. Just as winter to me signifies love and family, spring as an artistic time for the soul, and summer as a freeing and energizing time, Fall signifies to me starting over, starting something new, finding new endeavors.

Cheers to a great summer, and to what is coming

A dream job.

Buffalo Girl is an accessory label that depicts everything I love: free spiritedness, romance, and the wild wild west. The company was started by Terry Cronin from Australia, and her work is simply amazing. From her hand made fringe bags, embellished stonework, headpieces, and jewellery, I could literally take it all home to my closet. Check out her website, and I promise you'll find something you're dying to purchase. I'm going to save up for a piece myself. Watch this video done by Spell & Collective on Terry's workspace in Byron Bay, Australia.

The Work Space of Terry Cronin of Buffalo Girl. from Spell on Vimeo.

sweet life.

The White Buffalo

Hearing 'The White Buffalo' for my first time on Youtube, for me, was merely coincidence. But after listening to 'Into The Sun', and an hour long chain of live videos, he had me hooked. This guys got a voice like earth and silk all wrapped up in one. Is it just me or can I hear a little Mr.Vedder in his tone? Either way, his passion is amazing and I am going to be a part of his musical experience tonight at The Media Club in Vancouver. This venue is unreal for intimate shows like this, and I am stoked.

Darling Tennessee

Summer Summer Summer... It's a poor excuse for neglecting my blog, but I swear, it is the reason. Vancouver beaches and sunshine is the culprit, but I am back on track and thought how else than to post some pictures from my summer trip to Tennessee. Oh Tennessee, how I love thee, let me count the ways:
1) Country swing
2) Sweltering heat
3) People with Southern charm
4) A whole lot of guitar
5) Grand Ole Opry
6) Southern Cooking

...this could just go on forever. Bonnaroo gets better every year with highlights including, Deer Tick, Alberta Cross, Black Keys, Explosions in the Sky, Justin Townes Earl, Cory Chisel and the Wandering Sons, Gogoll Bordello, Sleigh Bells... and the beat goes on.

Here's a trip down memory lane:

Lykke Li never cease to amaze

So... I managed to get tickets to see Lykke Li, the swedish blond gypsy queen, at the Vogue Theatre in Vancouver on Friday. The show was amazing, and everything I thought it would be and more. The venue was rush seating, and we managed to get fifth row to the side, although by the second song I was mashed up with the rest of the keeners at the front. With the stage draped in black cloth and her band scattered about with drums, Lykke emerged in all black, with her bun tied tightly, ready to share her incredibly clever pop songs and deep melodic love ballads.
I've been in love with her music since 2008 when I attended a music festival and was introduced to her song 'Little Bit'. It is still a favourite to this day and one of her most memorable songs of the evening. Although her show weighed heavily on her most recent album 'Wounded Rhymes', one that I have yet to purchase and give a fair chance, the show blended perfectly together. She is a vision of beauty.

Set to write for Sandbox Magazine

Just wanted to share my excitement. I'm going to be writing an article about my experiences at Bonnaroo Music Festival for Sandbox Magazine. This is a publication based out of Winnipeg and run by some fellow Cre Commers ( the program I graduated from in 2009). These are the types of articles I dream of writing. Stay tuned with the results :)

'Field Songs'

'Field Songs', Great title for the new album by William Elliott Whitmore set to release on July 12th, 2011. My musically gifted bff Carla introduced me to Whitmore's classic, country voice over two years ago when he was set to play Bonnaroo 2009. Songs like Old Devils and Hell or High Water became my new summer camp fire jams, and has become one of our trademark cover songs. His raspy voice sounds like he just finished smoking two packs of Malboros, and transport you to a wooden shack surrounded by hay bails and night stars. Just to top it all off he's covered in tattoos, and is a smokeshow. Can't wait for this album :)

Sharon Van Etten

I'm really digging the heartfelt sound of Sharon Van Etten right now, and I'm so stoked on seeing her play at Bonnaroo. This will be the latest song to my repertoire on the guitar. Love

Helplessness Blues

So it's been longer than a month since the last time I posted. WIth Spring comes along visitors and frequent walks in Stanley Park and visits to the beach, which inevitably leads to neglecting my beautiful blog. Sorry! I promise to put forth much more of an effort from here on out. My parents were in town from Winnipeg last weekend, and reintroduced me to my sophisticated palate for expensive wine, and rich foods. We drove up to Lost Lake past Whistler with a couple bottles of wine and sat in the melting snow taking in all of the the mountains and their beauty. Being up in the mountains with nature really refocuses my attention on the reasons I moved out west in the first place.
So now I'm back on the straight and narrow, well, sort of, (remember, VISITORS), saving money for my trip down to Tennessee to Bonnaroo Music Festival. I'm dying of excitement, and have started going through all of the bands I'm unfamiliar with to discover some new tunes to sway to in the southern swelter. That is truly the best part of music festivals, and why I will be going to them forever. Discovering new music. They will be pushing me in my wheel chair to festivals when I am 80. :)
Before I leave I have to tell you, the new Fleet Foxes album, Helplessness Blues, was released today, and I am so happy to have my summer soundtrack, as their self-titled debut album was for me last year. These hippies never disappoint. LOVE.

Dream Tour

So... just found out that Mumford & Sons, Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros and Old Crow Medicine Show, three amazing grassroots bands that put the "O" my god in BanJO are going on the most epic tour I've ever heard of. The Railroad Revival Tour involves these three bands travelling, sleeping, writing music in 15 vintage railroad cars, and stopping at 6 destinations accross the Southwest to play concerts for fans. :) Could I be any more jealous of these boys on tour. Check out the website looks incredible.

This song still makes me swoon.

Bonnaroo Lineup is OUT!

Okay, so I should be stoned for the lack of entries into my love blog, but let's just say January was kind of a over-casted month for me, but I'm back in February in a bad way. Could be that the Bonnaroo lineup just came out and I'm so excited that my head is about to blow off. Arcade Fire, Black Keys, Buffalo Springfield featuring Neil Young among others, My Morning Jacket, Robert Plant and the band of Joy, Mumford and Sons, The Strokes, Ray Lamontagne, FLorence and the Machine, Bela Fleck, Deerhunter, Sleigh Bells, Deer Tick, The Drums, Alberta Cross... the list seriously goes on and on, but with fear of passing out I'm going to stop.

Superjam is with Dr.John and Dan Auerbach among others this year and will also probably knock my socks off. This year is going to be good, especially because I'll be meeting up with my long lost friends from Winnipeg.

Can't wait to be basking in the Tennessee sunshine, surrounded by happiness and fresh festival vibes. Life is great :)

Check out the lineup yourself at www.bonnaroo.com