Archive for the ‘California’ Category
Vintage Gift
Over the past week I’ve gotten many gifts and cards to celebrate my 26th birthday. They have all brought huge smiles to my face and warmth to my heart from friends and family from across the miles.
One of the coolest gifts I got was sent from my aunts and grandfather.
Two vintage decks of cards in a carved wooden box that my grandfather made with my father to give to my father’s grandmother, my grandmothers’s mother. Did you follow that? I’m not sure if I even got that right!
The decks of cards are from Delta Airlines and say San Francisco and Los Angeles on them, hence why my aunts thought they would be appropriate to send to me.
As someone who adores anything vintage and my family, this was truly an awesome gift! Thank youss!!! 
New Track: Big Tree
I first heard of this awesome little group years ago. My sister went to school with one of the incredibly talented members of the band. I liked them back then, but that was when I was more in a heavier rock stage of my life, not that I don’t still love heavy rock.
Anyway, last time I was home my best friend and I somehow ended up in my sister’s car having a serious dance party to this jam…
I don’t know if it’s the timing of where I’m at with my life, the memory from having so much fun with my sister and co. that night, the fact that Big Tree now resides in SF or the humble happiness the music creates, but I absolutely adore this song.
In this song you can individually hear how each musician contributes his/her talents to the song and yet when you listen to them all together it makes for an even more powerful tune.
In so many ways this song reminds me of moving to California. Yet, it doesn’t make me long for the way my life was when I first put my foot on the gas to leave the East coast. Instead this song acts as a reminder to me that this is the journey. Through the ups and downs life remains so beautiful.
As I’m about to turn 26 I try not to look back. It was a rough year to say the least. I finally feel like I’m at the end of such a dark chapter of my life.
When I came back to San Francisco from Portland last weekend I felt like I was coming home. This is where I’m supposed to be. I have no idea where I’ll be a year from now, nor do a dare venture a guess. To quote the writing on the inside of my Grandma’s memorial service program, “you learn to build all your roads on today because tomorrow’s ground is too uncertain for plans and futures have a way of falling down in mid-flight.”
Moving to California didn’t turn out how I ever imagined it would, yet I know I’m exactly where I’m supposed to be. This song has a fabulous way of reminding me of that.
Favorite Foto Friday
Things I like: writing, sunshine, California, vintage, simplicity. This photo embodies all of those. Have an awesome weekend!
New Track: Allah-Las
Over the weekend some friends and I celebrated the holiday together, not that any of are particular serious about celebrating Easter. It was more just a time to get together, eat some good food and laugh. It was an amazing time. We have all known each other for a while and it’s kind of like family now. As I get older I’ve realized the importance in having a few good friends vs. a lot of okay ones. I’m truly blessed to have such amazing friends here in SF.
Yeah, yeah, yeah, they’d all be rolling their eyes at this point. 
The point of this post is that one of my dear friends turned me on to some great new music this weekend. Namely, the Allah-Las.
This California band has a sound that is so incredibly unique and unlike anything I’ve heard a modern band produce before.
Right?! Listen to it again. Right now. Just listen.
They’ve got a total California vibe with that classic old school, 60′s, rock ‘n’ roll sound. Reminds me of one of my all time favorites; yes, The Doors.
The whole album is pretty incredible so it was hard to pick just one song. I chose “Catamaran” because it represents some of the classically cool lyrics the Allah-Las have produced.
They’ve apparently been around for a while but haven’t gained much in popularity. I see that changing. Soon.
I can seriously put on this album and it brings me a new perspective to life. I know that’s dramatic, but it’s true. For some reason the whole album just makes me relax and think about the bigger picture. The music relaxes me and the lyrics speak to me.
Music is different for all of us, but even if the Allah-Las self titled album doesn’t change your perspective on life, I highly recommend you download it.
Favorite Foto Friday
Getting off the ferry in Sausalito last weekend. Kind of looks like Italy, or paradise, but in reality, just a quick boat ride out of the city. California continues to impress me with her humble beauty.
Good times, incredible weather and amazing hues. Have a great weekend, I’m headed south. Updates when I return!
Shades of Blue and Green
Over the weekend I took a quick little ferry trip across the bay to Sausalito. It’s absolutely perfect there. These days I feel more so than ever that I should be living on a boat, traveling the world and writing. In reality I’m working overtime to slip away for a few days here and there and just making rent on the outskirts of a not so pretty neighborhood. One day, I will live on a boat. In the meantime, I have my camera and my dreams.
New Track: Haim
I was recently introduced to Haim, a group of sisters who formulated the band in LA, CA years ago but never became all that popular until their music exploded on the UK scene. Their music video for their latest track, “Falling,” already has over 739,000 views.
The few popular tracks they have recorded have exploded all over YouTube. I’m telling you, these girls are in the process of taking over the indie music scene. I’ve been following them on Facebook and it seems that almost every day they have added more tour dates, including this year’s Bonaroo music festival.
The sisters, who look like they just walked out of an American Apparel store at all times, are extremely talented and have incredibly unique voices.
While seemingly just another indie girl band embodying all that is “hipster” these days (even their music video has what we might call an Instagram filter over it). They are incredibly talented and are so much more than a style. I was absolutely convinced of this when listening to the acoustic version of their “Go Slow” track.
All of their songs have this 80′s feel to them that make it all too easy to dance to in your chair at work while your coworkers look at you like, “What the?! It’s 10 am on a Tuesday.”
Whatever, I totally dig their sound. Furthermore, as a 20-something girl always trying to find meaning in life’s everyday adventures and constantly stumbling and learning from the falls, the lyrics are very relatable.
“Don’t stop, no, I’ll never give up
And I’ll never look back, just hold your head up
And if it gets rough, it’s time to get rough
They keep saying
Don’t stop, no one’s ever enough”
Fortune Sitole, artist
These days I try to spend my lunch break in the Union Square park whenever it’s nice out. Though a large amount of homeless people and tourists tend to also be flocking around the park area, it’s a great spot to people watch and enjoy the sunshine. Plus it’s two blocks away. #cityliving
Anyway, during the day Union Square is filled with various displays of art work as well. The other day when walking by I saw a group of paintings and instantly was brought back to South Africa. Right away I knew the pictures were displaying the townships on the outskirts of Cape Town, specifically Khayelitsha.
A friendly reminder of an adventure into a world so vastly different than my own. I could almost feel the sunshine and see the faces I passed many years ago when writing an article about the water supply and sanitation conditions of the townships.
The art exhibit by Fortune Sitole, is part of Red Umbrellas, a non-profit organization of independent artists whose aim it is to bring thoughtful and provocative art exhibits into public spaces.
The following is a statement from Fortune Sitole explaining the exhibit:
“I want to foster an awareness of the conditions suffered by South Africans, who create makeshift shelters by optimizing outside space and leftover materials – metal, tires, stones, etc., whatever they can find to build their homes.
Fashioning my work as homage to my ancestors, family and community these pieces are a reminder of the day-to-day life in black South African townships. But shanties exist throughout the world and my art actually tells a story of the universality of poverty.
The characters in my scenes are about communities who have overcome adversity and have progressed into the braiding hair and wandering drunken fathers. Pictures of everyday events, ironically set against the backdrop of Shanties are slowly disappearing from South Africa’s landscape. Redevelopment and investment begin to paint a brighter picture for the future of South Africans, an encouraging example for the people of the world who are experience poverty today.”
Treasure Island Flea Market
This past weekend was another gorgeous one here in San Francisco. In need of some fun and some sunshine a dear friend and I headed out to the Treasure Island Flea Market where the weather was impeccable. After a morning spent running and writing it was an all around pretty fabulous day.
I am certainly happiest and at the most peace when on the ocean, so after the Flea Market we headed down to the rocks to swap stories and laughs on the rocky island coast. For a minute, it almost seemed like we were back on another familiar rocky coast, except, the view was vastly different.
I hadn’t used my digital SLR in a while and it seemed like the perfect opportunity to do so. Check out some of the treasures and the amazing view…
Favorite Foto Friday
This photo was taken a few weeks ago on Ocean Beach, one of my favorite spots in San Francisco. I’ve never been to a beach as big as Ocean Beach. Furthermore the Pacific coast is so vast. It’s a truly humbling spot. That mixed with the fresh air and the sunshine; is there anything better?
Not only was it a perfect day outside, I also found two whole sand dollars! I’ve never found ONE whole sand dollar in my entire life. Turns our Ocean Beach is littered with them! Just another reason to love this city.
