Taylor's Summer Mix

I know it's almost September and the warm weather is on it's way out (cue hysterical crying), but here in NYC it still feels like full on summer, so I'm going to stay in denial for a little longer :) Here is Taylor's summer mix to carry you through the last little bit of summer. Hope you like it! You can check out our other summer mixes here. What have you been listening to this summer? I'm always up for some new music recommendations!

Summer Lovin' // Summer Mix 2014

Happy second day of summer! It's been hot and humid here on the east coast and summer is definitely in full swing. Time for trips to the beach and picnics under shady trees. Oh, and G+Ts. Always G+Ts. I've been pulling together this mix over the last month or so (in hopes that summer weather would come faster), and collecting new songs as I heard them on the radio/in stores/on TV shows. Of course I had to throw in a bit of my girl Bey. I recently re-discovered the album "4" and have had it on repeat. Also, who else can't stop listening to that "Rude" song? So catchy and perfect for blasting in the car on a hot summer day. Hope you enjoy the mix! What songs are you listening to this summer?

Springtime is Magic // A Mix

I had grand plans to share a (super yummy) recipe with you all today, but then I got home, put on some music, and got completely absorbed in finding new music and putting together a mix. So instead you get this mix for spring! The first song is one that Taylor discovered recently that I've had on repeat for the past couple of weeks - it is such an incredibly beautiful song. (Also, how catchy is "Girls Chase Boys?" And I love the sentiment behind it. You can see Ingrid's explanation of it right here).

I was just thinking about how these will be the songs that remind me of our last few months in Portland (for now). I found out on Tuesday that I got into the MSW Program at Hunter College, which is where I was really hoping to go, so Taylor and I have both officially decided to go to school in NYC together in the Fall! - it's all feeling realer than ever...and very bittersweet. I'm trying to soak in the Portland Spring weather and recharge for all of the big changes that are to come in the next few months...The other day I even started looking into renting moving vans. Ahh!

PS Did anyone else watch the How I Met Your Mother finale? I'm always a little embarrassed to admit that I like a sitcom, but man do I love that show. Taylor and I have spent many nights cuddled in bed binge watching episode after episode. What did you think of the ending? So many people have said they didn't like it, but I was completely ok with it. Perfect ending, in my opinion :)

Also, have you read this article about why HIMYM connected so deeply with the younger generation? Exactly what I've been trying to explain to my parents! They still don't get it ;)

We're A Million Miles Away

Just popping in today to share this pretty song from the movie "Her"...it has been the perfect soundtrack to this rainy, gray week. You may have seen Karen O (of the Yeah Yeah Yeahs) and Ezra Koenig (of Vampire Weekend) perform this at the Oscars on Sunday since it was up for Best Original Song...sorry "Frozen" fans, but this really should have won! Also, if you haven't already seen "Her" I would highly recommend it - it's an incredibly beautiful film.



I hope all of your weeks are going well - mine has been good, but long and tiring! I'm looking forward to a weekend of sleeping in, a visit with an old friend, and perhaps an outdoor adventure or two :)

A Valentine's Day Mix

Time for another mix! This is a (somewhat lovey dovey) playlist I put together for Valentine's Day, but it's really a collection of music I would listen to any time of the year...I threw in a few corny classics (it isn't a Valentine's Day mix without a little Sam Cooke!), some covers of old classics, and then a few of my favorite songs that have slightly more subtle messages of love :) I hope you like it!

What have you been listening to lately? What are your favorite love songs?

[original image found here]

Small Movings

I have something exciting to share with you all today! Taylor just released a song he wrote and recorded called "Small Movings," which you can listen to and download right here. Also, if you listen, you will get to hear me play violin and sing! Taylor finally convinced me to be on one of his songs, and it was actually really fun doing something we both love so much together (though listening to my voice playing over and over again while he mixed it was very painful). I also helped Taylor design the page/cover, so that was fun as well! I've heard the song go from a single line Taylor played over and over again for months, to a short song played with an acoustic guitar, to this final product...It's a really beautiful song, so I hope you'll give it a listen :) Also, if you download the song, it comes with a copy of a novella Taylor wrote, which kind of goes along with the song. It's a quirky story about a guy who works at a food cart selling grilled peaches. Pretty proud of all this guy's creative work. He's pretty cool I guess ;) Anyway, enjoy! I will be back soon with something crafty!

Christmas/Winter Mix 2013

I always forget how much I love the holiday season. The first month or so of cold weather feels so magical...bundling up in fuzzy scarves and hats, drinking hot cocoa, cuddling up under piles of blankets. I love all the twinkling lights, the smell of Christmas trees, sitting in front of the fire at my parents' house, the excitement for the fresh start that comes with a new year, and of course, Christmas music. I found all of the local Christmas music channels and programmed them into my car's radio as soon as I got home from Thanksgiving (much to Taylor's dismay)! Even if they aren't the best songs in the world, so many Christmas songs have sweet memories attached to them...I love the classics but I've also discovered some different songs that are a little less corny :) Here is a mix I put together of some of my favorites...there are some classics, some alternative versions of the classics, and a few Winter songs for those of you who hate Christmas music!



This week I am hoping to check lots of things off my to do list, do a little Christmas shopping/crafting, and squeeze in some holiday movies and coffee dates. It has been freezing in Portland and it is hard to motivate to do anything but cuddle up in bed. We even got a little dusting of snow last week!...it made me so excited for a real snowfall when I'm visiting the East Coast for the holidays. Crossing my fingers for a white Christmas! Hope you all had a great weekend!

(original photo found here)

A Mix for Fall

I'm a day late, but here is a little mix I put together to celebrate the beginning of Fall. I'm having mixed feelings about Summer being over...I'm a warm weather person through and through, but there is something special about the first few weeks of a new season. Yesterday I pulled out a scarf and a sweater, went to my favorite tea house, curled up in a comfy chair, and drank a pumpkin spice chai while I listened to the rain falling. It was pretty great. This time of year I am always drawn to quiet, melancholy music (think Bon Iver) but I managed to throw in a few upbeat (ish) songs as well so you don't get too sad ;) I had to resist the urge to make this playlist almost entirely The National - we saw them the other night and it was basically a near-religious experience. Seriously, it was that good. More about that later though :) In the mean time, grab your cuddle buddy and a hot cup of tea and enjoy this mix!

//original photo//

See//Hear//Taste//Read

See//Blue Jasmine. Woody Allen's story of a selfish, sad, unpleasant, yet intriguing woman who you almost feel sorry for. Cate Blanchett is brilliant as usual.

Hear//On a slow grey day, put on some earphones and play Volcano Choir at full volume. This is one of Justin Vernon's (of Bon Iver) side projects -- it's like Bon Iver, with a little twist.

Taste//Lately I've been making this salad at least once a week: combine one bag of edamame, a regular sized package of dried cranberries, a container of crumbled feta (roughly a cup of each), a handful of chopped up basil, a few tablespoons of olive oil and a little salt and pepper. You won't be able to stop eating it, I promise.

Read//I know it can be dangerous to get too political online, but last week I came across this interesting article called "9 Questions About Syria You Were Too Embarrassed to Ask." Some helpful information on an important (and complicated) situation. Read if you like :)

His & Hers: Summer Playlist [His]

Here is the Summer Playlist I promised you from Taylor! Here's what he had to say about it:

There are a few artists on this playlist that I am currently obsessed with.  For example, The National has seen a lot of playtime on my iPhone and computer.  Their new album, “Trouble Will Find Me” is great.  I listened to it everyday in France on my 20-minute walk to and from school.  Perfect walking music.  But I also think that their music is great for summer evenings with the speakers on and maybe a [insert favorite cocktail] in hand.  At the same time, music like that can be a little melancholy, so I tried to find a balance with some more upbeat stuff.  For example, Fitz and the Tantrums is a band that I just discovered (I know I’m behind on this one).  They are very fun and light.  And of course, Daft Punk’s new album “Random Access Memories” can’t be left out.  I also put in a tune off their older album, “Discovery.”  Both songs are great for getting funky in a digital way.  Anyway, I’ll let you navigate your way through the rest, but those are some of my highlights.  I hope you enjoy the music—happy summer!      -Taylor

Does any one else make playlists for different seasons or occasions?  It's fun to have music that reminds you of a specific time in your life :)  Hope you have a great weekend!

(original photo)

His & Hers: Summer Playlist [Hers]

Last year I shared a Summer Playlist that Taylor and I made together, but this year we each made our own. They're both pretty different, so I thought it would be fun to share both of them this week. Here is my mix--Taylor will share his later this week! 

(original photo)

a mix for aussie day

Saturday was Australia Day!  Those of you who know me know that my dad comes from the land of Oz (so I am a citizen).  I love Australia and all of the wonderful Aussies in my life, so I took a little time to make a playlist to celebrate the beautiful land down under.  Every time we visit Australia my dad and I try to discover as much music as possible...it seems that they are actually a bit ahead of the curve when it comes to alternative/indie music! I also just tend to think that they have better taste in music over there...sorry guys.  Anyways, we usually come back with a few new CDs that stay on repeat for a few months straight.  I decided to make a little playlist of all Aussie artists.  Some of them are artists I listen to currently and others are oldies, but goodies. Read below if you'd like a little more info on the artists!

1 & 5: Jinja Safari // I discovered Jinja Safari about a year ago during a visit to oz when I was looking for music for Taylor.  They're a super fun and interesting band.

2 & 4: Gotye // You probably already know (and maybe even despise?) Gotye for his song "Somebody That I Used to Know," which plays incessantly on U.S. radios.  We saw him in concert in oz right around the time that he was gaining popularity in the U.S. and he was absolutely incredible.  Such an amazingly talented artist.  He had a 13 (I think) piece band and complicated animations that were choreographed to the music. It makes me so sad that no one in the U.S. really gave his other music a chance.  Some of it is a little weird, but I really love it.

3: Boy & Bear // This is another band I found during my last visit, thanks to my Australian music advisor/cousin (thanks Lachie!).  Parts of their songs actually sound like it could be Robin Pecknold singing, so if you like Fleet Foxes you should definitely check out their other music.

6 & 14: Lisa Mitchell // This music is cute and quirky! Love her.

7: Sarah Blasko // I discovered Sarah Blasko on the same trip when I found Lisa Mitchell.  They have a kind of similar style, but Sarah's music can be a little darker.  This is a fun little cover of an Outkast song.

8: Angus & Julia Stone // You guys probably already know this sister/brother duo!

9 & 13: Missy Higgins // We discovered Missy Higgins a long time ago, when she released her first album.  When I was younger I listened to her constantly, I don't listen to her as much now but I will always love her music.  She is an extremely talented singer/song writer.  We were able to see her in a little cafe in Boston where we were so close we could touch her! She just released a new album, go check it out!

10: Powderfinger // This is an older Aussie band that my dad used to love and listen to lots.

11: Eskimo Joe //  This is another older band that we discovered on a trip years ago.

12: Xavier Rudd // A lot of you probably also know of Xavier Rudd. Funky surf/roots music.

Hope you enjoy the mix!

check it out

Everyone should check out the little EP Taylor posted on Bandcamp! I might be a little biased, but I think it's pretty awesome. You can listen to it and download it for free right here.

summer sunset playlist

 

Every summer Taylor makes a special "summer mix" that is the soundtrack to his summer.  I love the mix he made this summer and I thought it would be fun for him to contribute a bit to my blog, so we made this mix together (the majority of the credit should go to him, though).  Most of the songs are off of his summer mix but we changed/added a few songs so it would be a perfect combination of both of our tastes in music! Taylor says that this should be listened to at sunset, preferably driving around with the windows down :) We hope you like it!

(original photo)

a playlist to start the summer

Here is a playlist of music I've been listening to lots so far this summer.  I hope you like it!

 

 

original photo//quote source

and suddenly there was music everywhere.

Hello friends!

I made a playlist just for you!


This is a bit of music that I have discovered recently or am listening to currently.  I hope you like it!

"Don't you hear it? she asked & I shook my head no & then she started to dance & suddenly there was music everywhere & it went on for a very long time & when I finally found words all I could say was thank you."

-Story People

oops...!

So far I've been seriously neglecting this blog...sorry! Things have just been so busy (and wonderful) here! I have to write about my experiences for a class so maybe I'll put some of my entries up here, but I'll also try to start posting again soon (one of my classes ends in a couple weeks so I'll have some more free time).

But, to quickly sum up my experience over the past month and a half that I haven't written: school is great, hard (because it's all in spanish and because its hard to adjust to the teaching style and attitudes of the professors and students), but definitely a great experience. I still love my host family and feel very comfortable in my house--I get to have lots of superhero "fights" with my little host brother and my host parents are so sweet and helpful. I've also started my internship with an organization called COIN. My friend and I are teaching a class about HIV/AIDS/Sexual Health/Self Esteem/etc. to a group of Haitian youth--I'll write more about it later but its been lots of fun and a great learning experience (and a lesson in patience...I'll explain later).

Well, that's all I have time to share right now. I'll leave you guys with a little playlist of a few songs that play lots here (I'll make a better one later with more bachata and merengue, but this is what I have for now)

Enjoy!

xoxo

Friday Playlist

I haven't really had a whole lot of time to do any projects, and my parents took our good camera for their vacation, so I thought I'd do a music post...here is a little mix I made of music I've been listening to lately. Enjoy! xxx