My Top Artists this Week (6 Jul - 13 Jul)

(via my last.fm)

I obviously listened to a lot of my favorite ladies this past week (save for Empires). Sometimes I feel so inundated by testosterone-fueled music that I need to take a break and get with the girls before I hear another lyric about a harlot who broke your pathetic heart.

In related news, today I started listening to the entire She & Him album (I've been into one gem for the past couple of months) and it's SO GOOD. Rick recommended it months ago, and true to form, I finally got to it way after the fact. It's folksy and has a vintage throwback feel to it I just love. From their bio:

She & Him made their debut record as a love letter to the musicians who inspired it. Volume One (Merge Records) introduces a boy and girl choir hell-bent on making music the old-fashioned way: by hand - and with as few machines as humanly possible.

And in news about bands I don't like, there are a number of acts quite inexplicable to me on Warped Tour this year. I took a look at the roster when Jesse mentioned Motion City (five-year Warped vets) would be doing three weeks of the tour, and scanned over perhaps two good bands and the rest were unbeknownst to me or groan-worthy (coughjeffreestar cough katyperrycough). Don't worry: I don't feel "out of touch" because I'm not listening to a band called The Devil Wears Prada or 3OH!3. I'm kind of worried because from what I can tell, most of the roster seems to be made up of underfed boys.

Another dude had a problem with Warped 2008 as well and included this line about the Higher: "The Higher is an emo band with an R&B singer, a combination that's like reading that you're fired, then having the termination notice squirt acid in your face." That's...about right. Also, I still contend the (male) lead singer looks like Mischa Barton.

I have a bunch of new albums to listen to this week...but for now, back to work and She & Him.

In line at Walgreen's.

Erica and I were staring at this girl's tattoo. Or was it staring at us?

My world's full of people.

via El Adam's flickr!

How do I even begin to tell the tale of this past long weekend? Here is my attempt...

Jason flew in from St. Louis on Tuesday and so his New York adventure began. You can read all about it on his blog, and honestly he does a much better job at the details than I'm prepared to. I'm still quite drained from all the activity.

Last week, we spent most of our nights indoors because Jesse and Jason had done so much exploring during the day, they couldn't handle a night out at the bars. I was fine with this: I worked all day, and hadn't had a moment to breathe in a while. The usual joined us (Jesse, Jason, Erica, and I), our circle of friends, those who venture to Brooklyn from wherever they lay their heads: Kells, Gaby, Sean, James, Adam, and Furman...plus, Jason and Jesse's friend from Canada, Erin, whom everyone calls Tobes. I love making new friends :)

We played many a game of poker: and I didn't lose a dime. In fact, I consistently came in second in large games. Mainly lost to Jesse, of course, The Professional. But it was rounds and rounds of fun. We played late into the night, along with Mario Kart on Wii and our fave game of Celebrities.

Oh, and an EPIC NEW GAME CALLED CASH N GUNS. Yeah, CASH N GUNS!!! Thanks to Jason, for introducing Apartment 410, because I think our lives have changed. Here's a couple of pics of the fun:

Yeah, those are orange foam guns. Yeah, we're pointing them at each other. I definitely had a "should I be a lil' more PC?" moment, but, whatever, they're orange and foam. However, I had to warm up to pointing even a fake gun to a close friend...I know, weirdo. But still. Once I got used to it: I was bringing in the dough from our staged bank robbery. Yesssss! Oh, and then we added the Yakuza Gang additional game pieces - yeah. EPIC.

On the 4th of July, we had everyone over again, and Tobes, Furman and I saw the amazing Macy's fireworks over the East River on our Brooklyn rooftop with a slew of other party people from the other apartments. I'm not going to lie, I was impressed by the 3D cube fireworks. 3. D. Cube. Fireworks.

The next day, Jesse, Jason and I ventured to the Murakami Exhibit at the Brooklyn Museum. I was highly impressed. I've seen Murakami, but never really understood it. The exhibit put it all together in my brain - arranged the themes in my head to make sense of the pop art.

Then it was back to the apartment!

Jason and Tobes!

KELLS!
GABY!

Then on Sunday, we went to Coney Island! The fun was endless. Jason, Jesse and I rode the legendary Cyclone rollercoaster. Erica deemed it too dangerous, as it was made of popsicle sticks, but she graciously held my bag. I may have pulled a muscle or two on the turns, and Jesse made fun of me for keeping my eyes closed when we went down a hill, but whatever - I had fun. We at the original Nathan's Hotdogs and ordered large beers. Seriously, Jesse got a gigantic XL beer. And you can just walk around and drink open beers, whatever. We also saw a Brooklyn Cyclones baseball game, which was the best part of the day. I LOVE BASEBALL. It was a pretty exciting game, too, as we were down by one, and then homered to tie, and then we won!!! And guess who caught a victory ball while Jesse ran up to the front to try to catch one? ME! With Jesse's foam finger on, no doubt! I win.

Then we traversed the boardwalk and Adam got some "seagull" chicken, which Jason and everyone else enjoyed thoroughly. Erica enjoyed the ocean. I enjoyed the feeling of calm that had descended upon me in that day. I felt good. Until we got on the train. Let's just say the Brighton Beach stop on the subway has been marked with a memory by our group. And that's all I can say about that. In short, Coney Island ruled, and Jesse, Erica and I can't wait to go back in August for another ball game and with even more friends. I'm sure whenever Jason visits in the future, Coney Island will be on the list!

Yeah, these are sweet cozies, we know.

Gangster Cyclone fans.

Keanu KNOWS.

How amazing is that? Who's going to Keanu? Found and e-mailed to me by El Adam. (Who just signed up for a blog, check it out!)

You wear the heart of the unfortunate at night.

Seriously, there's a long post in my drafts that I will publish tonight regarding the past week. It's a doozy full of pics! I've been coming off the general excitement and stress, and am only beginning to feel better after a good night's sleep last night. My body was having none of it!

Jesse's tucked away in Alaska right now, far out of my reach, and sadly, out of my time. I woke up this morning to the simultaneous alarm song (an Empires one, obvs) and the text message ding on my phone: Jesse was going to sleep just as I was waking up for work. Big sigh.

This week I saw two movies - Wanted and The Incredible Hulk. I was iffy on both, but liked the innovative action in Wanted mixed with it's Fight Club-ish humor/style. I'd been previously introduced to the director, a Russian fellow, through his Russian film Nightwatch, that Justin had been feverish about last year on the MCS bus. That film's directing was incredible, but the story didn't draw me in. Wanted achieved both, thankfully. James McAvoy - you're coming around to me, even though I hated Atonement and you eerily remind me far too much of Dan Rydell.

The Incredible Hulk was decent, but honestly, it was just okay until the final (terrifying) action sequence and the Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr., Iron Man) cameo. It was well-made, but not one of my favorite comic book movies. It was nice seeing Norton run around half-naked most of the film, but all that was wiped away by the nicely-suited two-minute appearance of Downey Jr. I think Iron Man just knocked Norton out of my Five. Not that I have one anymore, cause I'm engaged and all...

Speaking of engaged, I saw photos of Anne Hathaway at the Italian premiere of Get Smart and she was wearing my wedding dress. I'm not even attempting to look up the designer, because I already know whatever that is - I can't have it. But I can look at it and sigh dreamily.

Back to work, huge update tonight :)