I <3 Music in Spanish. And the Spanish language in general.

Firstly, made a lovely new Pandora Station: Buena Vista Social Club.   Just type in the name of the band for many such smooth latin tunes.  It's great ambient music.  Almost as good as Garry's "In a Sentimental Mood" station with all the coffee-bar jazz.

Also, I know I posted on my old xanga about this song, but thought it merited repeating.  One of my favorite songs by favorite band, Ozomatli, called "Cuando Canto."  It's just so sweet and earnest and hopeful.

In Spanish:

Cuando canto mi cancion inspirar mi gente con una solucion
Cuando desperto en la manana se que tengo el poder para un dia triumfar

Cuando me acuesto en la noche puedo mirar estrellas que me dan esperanza
Cuando sueno en la madrugada ojala que mi trabajo no es temporal

Cuando demuestro mi corazon con mis aciones puedes entender que no soy hombre perfecto, no soy
Pero trato mucho, trato decidir lo mas major para el mundo y lo pongo, lo pongo en una cancion

Cuando canto mi cancion

In English:

When I sing my song I want to inspire my people with a solution
When I wake up in the morning I know that I have the power for any triumph

When I go to bed at night I can see the stars that give me hope
When I dream in the early morning I hope that my work is not temporary

When I show my heart through my actions you can understand that I am not a perfect man, I'm not
But I try to make the best decisions for the world and I put it in a song

When I sing my song

Alice FM's Summerthing 2008 at Golden Gate Park

Stopped by this free concert on my way to a friend's bday party.  I caught the last bit of Ingrid Michaelson's set--she sang "Somewhere Over the Rainbow."  Then hung around waiting for Lifehouse to start their set.  Snapped this picture of some guy I assume is a rock star from the way the girlies were screaming for him to sign their CDs.  Also a video of "Hanging by a Moment" by the headliners.
 

I haven't listened to this since college.

I don't know much about trance, but no matter what your views are on it, love it or hate it, this track probably the greatest trance song EVER.  In the history of mankind.  I have to thank dshim for so pigheadedly insisting that I listen to it in college, because I was hooked ever since.  I lost my mp3 (hidden in some crashed hard drive somewhere, right next to my first IM conversation with Garry), but found it on YouTube.  Thank heaven for the Internets.

It starts to get good around 2:25 or so, but my favorite part starts more like 3:30.  It just makes me want to get all dressed up and get lost in a Beijing club or something.

 

All different in the same way.

That's what I thought at first, when I opened up this house tour from Apartment Therapy SF.  All 'electic,' all 'vintage,' all stone Buddhas and mid-century modern!  For a moment, descriptions from stuffwhitepeoplelike.wordpress.com went through my mind.

But, I was compelled to look at all 40 pictures, many different angles of this woman's--I admit it--gorgeously judicious ability to combine so many different elements into one cohesive space, and exercising such restraint!  First, her apartment is huge, and has great bones--wood paneling, crown molding, bay windows.  But as I progressed through this amazing house tour, I was a bit overwhelmed with joy and thought, this is a master at work.  If i lived in a place like this, i'd have thunk i died and went to heaven.  Bravissimo.

See the story and all 40 pictures here (http://www.apartmenttherapy.com/sf/house-tours/sf-house-tour-lisas-creative-a...>

Negotiation 101.

I just negotiated my new rent down by $70/month, which is totally doable.  Which means, at least for the time being, I don't have to move.  Suh-weet!  * victory signs *

But, I still need to find a roommate.

le sigh.

My 'Good Question' Featured on Apartment Therapy SF

See it here.

SF Good Questions: Bay Area Store Similar to LA's The Dock Downtown?

6-17-dock.jpg

AT:SF, When I lived in LA I used to love going to The Dock Downtown (now closed) and getting amazing deals on gorgeous, quality designer furniture and home accessories. I have since moved to the Bay Area. So what I really want to know is... is there an equivalent store in the Bay Area that culls overstock designer furniture and sells it at obscenely low prices? Thanks!

-Stephanie