Coffee in the Morning

Regular early mornings this summer have me rebuilding an addiction to coffee (or liquid brown sugar-- I like it real sweet). Despite my reliance on coffee's caffeine, I think that coffee is fake. She and her caffeine qualities only mess with your mind, leading you to believe you're more awake or more energized. It's all psychological. Plus that coating/mask she leaves in your mouth to let the whole world know what you've just consumed is so rude of her. Do not abandon breath mints or gum in times of coffee consumption. Please.

However there is a coffee I do believe in. Miguel the R&B singer made it and he makes it well. Have a listen.

Good morning and happy Wednesday!

L-O-V-E-E-E

Love

There are several pop culture references popping up in my head right now... 

First, 

I went to the McNay Art Museum for the first time with my sister and the name makes me think of that stupidly fun song "Drop that #NaeNae."  (much respect to the late Marion Koogler McNay) I might have been a little too energetic while touring the museum (to the chagrin of my sister), shimmying and dancing around the art.  What a shame that I did not think to drop that NaeNae. ☹  

Second, 

I don't wanna give you the wrong impression, I need love and affection.

And I hope I'm not sounding too desperate, I need love and affection.

Love, love, love, love and affection.

Love, love, L-O-V-E-E-E and affection

--Loveeee, Rihanna feat. Future

Thanks to Future for his seal-ish wails and half the inspiration for this blog post title.  To fully grasp the power (sweet desperation and awesome ridiculousness) of this song, you must have a listen if you haven't before.  The lyrics are just not enough. ☺

Third,

The Love Sculpture.  I knew I'd seen it somewhere (in a photo) and that somewhere was not San Antonio.  Philly and New York for sure, I thought.  The artwork by Robert Indiana was first created as a print image (on holiday cards and stamps) in 1964 and first made into a sculpture in 1970.  And apparently there are eighteen versions of Love in the United States, with the original sculpture in Indiana.  Thank you for fulfilling my curiosity, Wikipedia. And thank you for reading/skimming/browsing/glancing.

♥ Much love!

Mostly blue with a pop of red and a block of black

haphazard

Outfit Details

Cynthia Rowley tank // Forever 21 jacket // Kut by the Cloth shorts

Steve Madden red belt // Report oxfords // Rebecca Minkoff Mac bag

Can I get a source, please?

Love (Sculpture)

List of Love sculptures

Love is Still Here

With all the Valentine's Day anticipation-- the inundation of red and pink, card displays next to the checkout lines, sales (because what's Valentine's Day without a new blender or limited free shipping?), themed blog posts (erm...) and sentiments from people in the Singles Awareness Day camp-- all the supposed "love" seems to die down right after.  Or maybe afterward it's expected that everyone return to "normal", to not make a big display of affection.  It's like "Ya'll had your day of love, now sit down with all that...we're on President's Day now." 

Of course, love exists and can be celebrated 24/7, 365 days a year.  And that's a special thing, to make every day special, to express your love for family, friends and significant others any time, any day.  Yesterday was lovely because I knew I am loved, just like I did the day before and just like I know the day after.  I hope you know it's true for you too!

Photo Credit

So...on this 15th day of February I just pray that the heart-shaped, Valentine's-inspired candy is heavily discounted.  I also want to share some music from one of my favorite singers.  Miss (Leave) Get Out, Miss Andre A-a-a-a-a-andre.  She released a new EP, #LOVEJO yesterday.  Her vocal talent is amazing.  I luurrve her music -- especially her first mixtape Can't Take That Away From Me and second mixtape Agape.  And now #LOVEJO.  Take a listen here.

Obsessed with her cover of Anita Baker's "Caught Up In The Rapture."  In other unsolicited thoughts of mine, the Google doodle for Valentine's Day was so wonderful.  I listened to three of the This American Life stories at least twice, they were that sweet.  I wonder if I could revisit them...hmm.

Music Review | Perpetual Phases and Maxine Ashley

Still fighting through a Beyoncé binge, but I thought it'd be cool to formally review (or rather, voice random semi-structured opinions about) some music I like.  Several periods of my life are associated with a certain phase of listening to a particular artist or album.  Associated and not defined because many times the lyrics do not mirror the goings-on in my life at all; the music was just a brief constant.  Constant joy, in a perpetual phase.  Hmmm...maybe I should revisit some of those phases.

Photo Credit

Right before I traveled in December I had nine songs on repeat from this cool artist Maxine Ashley.  I think I Googled something involving the phrase "R&B artists" and got to a site listing nice mixtapes and EPs from up and coming peoples.  Ten seconds into the first song and I needed to download MOODSWINGs EP.  Her voice, the production, the lyrics... I don't know, I just really enjoyed everything.  Actually, it was probably the vibe I felt from it before anything else.  Just cool-sounding.  And you should want to listen to cool-sounding music.  Listen on her soundcloud, get it on her website (or her soundcloud too)!

Número Uno: Between You & I 
There's a relationship brewing and these two need to figure out what they want and say what it is.  The music is very chill and there are muted layers in the chorus.  And I would never let you know cause I don't even think I know how I'm supposed to feel or if it's really real.

#2: By Your Side
Oooh, being in love and having a strong desire to be with the one you love.  I like the spirited melody in the middle breakdown/bridge (goodness, I wish I knew what makes the sounds). And there's a piece of me that never wants to leave your side. 

Three is Magic: Mary (Prelude)
So I know absolutely nothing about the psychedelic experience or that time period in pop culture but the music in this prelude made me think of that feeling.  Even the album art reflects that feel.  She is your paradise and she has you high. Trapped under her spell.  I guess Mary is that psychedelic drug...

Numbah Fo': Perpetual Nights
Beat, beat, beat, beat.  Nice and steady groove to this.  And there's some joyous horn section going on during the chorus.  I'd like to think I can without a doubt identify all instruments playing a part (wasn't I supposed to be a band nerd or something?)...the horns sound like trumpets there, skilled and smooth-sounding trumpeters instead of overbearing, annoying trumpeters.  But it is professional work, so the former should be expected, right?  Perpetual hiiiiiigh, perpetual niiiiiights. Star gazin'.

FIVE: In My Songs (Interlude)
Maxine Ashley doesn't sing on this, it's gospel great Mahalia Jackson on the first stanza of her "I'm Going To Live the Life I Sing About In My Song" (I definitely had to Google that).  I like the tone it sets and I suppose it's the beginning of a message that resonates with Maxine Ashley.  (Because the Internet) I found this short introduction on Interview Magazine's website where she says that music is "her life.  It's what I want, and I'm gonna get it."  So she better live the life she sings about and sing the life she lives.

Pick Up Six: Glory Box
Slow, sexy, makes you close your eyes and get lost in it.  The occasional harmonies sound beautiful and the rest of the time Maxine Ashley's voice alone is so slick.  Give me a reason to love you, give me a reason to be...a woman.

Lucky Seven: Reciprocity
All I can say is "Give this girl what she deserves!"  Um...or I like this one a lot probably because of the echoing "oh's," the funky-ish guitar (it's a guitar right?) and the lyrics.  So, basically everything about it.  I've been waiting, anticipating.  Something's got to give.

Oh, Eight: A Minute of Moments
This one is probably my favorite.  The beginning sounds kind of warped, a controlled warp with the guitar and glob sounds (yeah, that's the best description I can give).  The way she pronounces the word "baby" and that guitar solo conclusion though...  Sometimes a girl needs to be on her own.  So I'm doing this alone.

Nein 9!: Here We Are (Bonus)
♩ La da di, la da da ♫   You have to bob to this, groove to this, just move to this.  It's definitely dance music but not in that repetitive is-this-the-same-song kind of way.  So let's blast off to Mars, didn't think we'd get this far.  Get a good look 'cause here we are.

B for effort ☺.  I'm definitely not a music journalist.  If it sounds good and makes you feel good...why always try to describe or dissect it?  Oo-oh, maybe because dissecting helps to understand the production process, which can be impressive.  People who create rhythms, melodies, and harmonies, layers that fit perfectly, subtle details you hear on the tenth listen-- they have an amazing talent.  Well, this was fun.

Happy Tuesday!

I Woke Up Like This

I know there has already been enough commotion over Beyonce's surprise album release, but I was out of the country and out of the loop.  My lovely sister gave me the physical album for Christmas and I wanted to hear if it would be as amazing as others have made it out to be.  The cover art hidden beneath the sleeve turned me off (yes Beyonce, we've known you're bootylicious for some time now) and the Parental Advisory sticker was unexpected, but I am angel either so I looked past it and had me a listening session.

Of course I now have it on repeat. I love it XO.  And I've been drankin'.  The pink and black of the album sleeve inspired my color choice today.  I'm half-wondering if this sweater is meant to be cropped because it's actually a petite-sized piece (which I'm not but oh well).  I also decided to apply makeup, something I still don't know how to do so well.  I put too much, forget steps (is translucent powder necessary?) and sometimes look clownish.  But isn't that the fun of it?  Next time I should watch one of the thousands of beauty YouTube videos and try to learn those techniques.  Easy New Year's resolution maybe?  

I feel I should express some kind of sentiment about the year coming to a close and the new year ahead.  It's most appropriate but I wouldn't be saying anything much different from everyone else.  So instead I'll say this: Let's not make December 31st forgettable.  The last day of the month and of the year is likely tired of being overshadowed by NYE emphasis.  The day is more than that. Day >>> Night.  Don't you understand?! lol

Wet n' Wild ColorIcon Eyeshadow in Petal Pusher
Maybelline ColorSensational in Vivid Rose

Outfit Details

St. John Sport by Marie Gray sweater (old from my mom)

white tank (H&M)

Levi's Bold Curve skinny jeans

the stiffest sneakers ever made (Forever 21)

pink necklace I tried to fold into a bracelet

L'elegance bangle (old old old from a fashion yummy-looking jewelry store)

[Still] Happy New Year's Eve to anyone and everyone!

Summerly

Still in semi-summer mode at the beginning of November.  Now the days pretend to treat us well between giving us some hell.  If hell is chilly...I just wanted to keep the rhyme.  I don't know why I've saved this until the near end of the month, but here 'tis.

Yes, 'tis the season already.  That one station has officially switched into Christmas music.  I happily accepted this change once I heard the cool version of "White Christmas" by the Drifters followed by my all-time favorite, Wham's "Last Christmas."  And I saw The Best Man Holiday last Friday night.  All this before we even get to Thanksgiving?!  Everything is coming so quickly.  Already there are pre-Black Friday sales and stores are decorated red and green.  And everything is going to pass quickly.  November and December kind of blur into each other and then suddenly give way for the new year.  So before all this holiday excitement comes in full force — autumn/winter cold, parties, gift-giving, and ♩ quality T-I-M-E ♫ — I have one last summery thing. 

On life: Do you feel like you're all over the place sometimes?  You have an egg (or a piece of shell) in each basket, but you're only really watching out for one basket (and it's the wrong one for the moment).  The thing I've been telling myself lately is that I'm doing the most when I should be doing the least.  I've been blog-centric, visiting Bloglovin' and all these other online magazines and standalone blogs.  I've also resumed by TV addiction (though that never really went away).  As soon as the GRE could leave my life forever I relaxed a little and focused more on my social and hobby baskets to the neglect of the others.

What I've been telling myself is not right.  I should never be doing the least in anything.  For this lesson in the importance of priorities and balance I just have to continue with this awful analogy (gotta make it work)...  So, choose the most important baskets, put the right number of eggs in each one, and try real hard to carry them all and still walk straight without dropping anything.  Easier said... But just try.  Real hard. 

Oh, and stay sanely insane.  On this cloudy autumn day when I decided to hold steadfast to a fleeting summer-feel I was grooving to my new favorite song "Right There" by Ariana Grande.  A little silly helps me do the most (err...my best) for the next important thing.  The song is just so bounceable.  I've developed an infatuation with her music ever since I heard "The Way" (which samples Big Pun's "Still Not a Player" which samples Brenda Russell's "A Little Bit of Love").  Everything sounds the same but different, very catchy, very pop/R&B-ish, and she's got those Mariah Carey high frequency notes.

On photography: Well, the first one was treated with some sort of filter on Picasa.  I think it looks a little summertime glamorous, like an editorial in a magazine.  I shot with ISO 200 because the cloudiness was washing the images out but there are other components to exposure that I haven't used because I don't know how or can't use because of camera limitations.  I recall there's something called white balance... for another day.

On the outfit:  This is the only way I know how to wear a denim shirt. Is that still a trend?  Is this thing they call chambray the same?  I'm not sure.  I suppose the traditional denim complements the pastel color in those pants (which might not be the best fit, but I'm stuck with them now).  I really like the idea of candy-colored anything.  Enough of the "blue jean."  (I always scrunched my face whenever my high school band teacher would say that.  Why you gotta have that adjective there all the time?)  This outfit is all quite bright, comfortable for a Texas autumn and of course, fitting to dance in.  

"This is my jam!"

Forever 21 denim shirt
Target dressy tee
Gap legging jean (allergic to plural)
Calvin Klein reversible belt
(Burlington Coat Factory)

Tasha headband (Nordstrom)
Forever 21 necklace
Kelly & Katie sandals (DSW)
Steve Madden crossbody

Goodness, I think this is my second-longest post so far and possibly the most jumpy.  Thanks for reading if you did.  If you didn't thanks for scrolling through. Bye ya'll!

Make It Look Easy

Live music performances are awesome.  And when one of your favorite singers is performing in your city...yeah, even more awesome!  Oh and when you get to meet that favorite singer...well, yeah 3x.  

His name is Travis Garland, his music is really good, and he's from Texas (home state solidarity, ya'll).  I discovered the tour in July and spent two months thinking about it and wondering who to go with.  Because I have no sidekick friend or anyone I felt comfortable asking, I decided to make it a solo adventure.  To go to a never-before-heard-of bar with zero parking and fight against my natural awkwardness. But at least I would have VIP status!

The VIP people sent a slew of emails about the Meet and Greet times: first 4:30 (oops, that was for Austin), then 6:45, then 5:30 (more than two hours before doors open?!), then back to 6:45.  I met two lovely ladies in line and we kinda stuck together once inside.  From 6:45 to midnight I was in the company of a gaggle of girls.  Teenage girls, far-traveling girls, funny girls-- feeling breathless at Travis Garland's presence, pretending to faint, and yelling out why he was still wearing clothes, after he took off his jacket (I'm thinking "Aye, this is not supposed to be Usher or Trey Songz. Calm yourself down.")

VIP got me and the gaggle of girls a pre-show acoustic performance of two songs, a personal photograph and an autographed poster in one of those drawstring bags people always give out. Oooh, I was nervous for that personal photograph. He stood there and asked "Who's first?" This one girl ran into his arms ahead of everyone.  We all wanted to be first, but who would be brave enough? This one girl would, so she did. 

I want to know where his smile went
I also want to know what kind of camera angle this is

After the meet and greet I had to rush outside to move my car (to where?!) or pay $5 (to these money collectors whose sign was not there before.  How is that acceptable?).  Our headliner was scheduled to play at 10:45.  In between we heard a Chicagoan named Spaceship or Starship-- just joking, her name is Storm Calysta.  Electronic music is not my favorite (or even least favorite) and I could barely hear her lyrics over the music but her voice was pretty nice especially in this acoustic song she wrote about Beowulf called "Hero".  Next up was Eddie Gomez.  He sung a made up little something during soundcheck and it was amazing so I was expecting no less than more amazingness.  Expectations met.  Then I decided to meet him too (and of course get a photo, which was not without difficulty).

Attempt #25

Attempt #26

Man, this concert/show/whatever was SO MUCH FUN.  I'm glad I went. I was standing right in front of the stage.  If I was fangirl (or just plain crazy) enough, I could have reached over to touch the microphone stand or maybe even his shoe.  Oh my goodness, that reminds me... Travis Garland had this shirt that he used to gratuitously wipe sweat from his forehead and abdomen and all that.  Then he threw it out to the audience, where two girls caught it at each end.  Yikes.  I would never fight for anything like that.  Would you?  If it just landed in my hands, no struggle, I still don't know what I'd do because that's kinda nasty.  

About my personal stylings: I was going to be real extra and wear some heels or a dress (or try to fit the artist's style), but I thought it'd be better to be myself and dress casual cute.  That top required strategic bra strap arrangement, enough to balance out plain Levi's and sandals.  Secretly apologetic to my one friend who deems it unacceptable to expose your toes if unpolished.  Now every time I think to wear open-toed shoes, I think of what she would say to me.  Sometimes I begrudgingly make myself find an alternative shoe and other times, like the night of this concert, I decide to pretend that I couldn't care less. 

Above is a little clip of the show.  I didn't want to record the whole time, because I think it's important to be in the moment, but I wanted a concrete memory.  

There are three things to take away from this: 1) I'm a ♪ balla baby ♫ 2) Don't be afraid to do what you think you'd have fun doing, even if there's no one to do it with and 3) check out Travis Garland right now. Start with "Where to Land", then "Motel Pool", then "Neighbor" (in the clip), and follow with everything else.