I haven’t had a chance to check out the new Baz Luhrmann take on The Great Gatsby yet (it is one of my all-time favourite novels and I’ve been a longtime fan of both Leonardo DiCaprio and Carey Mulligan, so I’m expecting big things), but I already have the film’s soundtrack on repeat. Jay-Z, will.i.am, Sia, The xx, Florence + the Machine—the whole album is an eclectic mix of musical genres, featuring a big roster of music’s finest who deliver killer track after killer track. But one of the highlights has to be Lana Del Rey’s “Young and Beautiful.” Incredible vocals, a haunting melody, perfect production, and the most beautiful string accompaniment—I couldn’t be more obsessed.
Music
turntable: “you never need nobody” by the lone bellow
My most recent musical discovery slash obsession: this song, by The Lone Bellow. This uber-talented threesome has only been on my radar for a few days and I am already hooked to their folksy, acoustic vibe, the pretty melodies, and the raw, emotional voice of lead singer Zach Williams. I highly recommend reading the incredibly inspiring story about how Williams got into songwriting—pretty amazing.
“You Never Need Nobody” is a simple tune, but somehow manages to be both calming and uplifting all at the same time. I’ll have this one on repeat for weeks to come. Give it a listen!
turntable: “get happy / happy days are here again” – barbra streisand & judy garland duet
Who doesn’t love a good throwback? This medley of the wartime classic “Happy Days Are Here Again” (re-recorded by Streisand on her 1963 debut album) and “Get Happy,” a Garland favourite, brings together two of the greatest female voices in history. I love the first part of this particular clip of their performance on The Judy Garland Show; a young, bright-eyed Barbra holds her own next to a Hollywood veteran, and you can just see that she is destined for greatness.
A beautiful duet and an instant mood-changer! Sidenote: I was very fortunate to go see Ms. Streisand live with my sisters during her Back to Brooklyn tour. She did a rendition of this song with her sister, Roslyn Kind. It was epic.
j.
getting organized.
A large part of starting this blog has to do with a promise I made to myself that I would make more time for writing this year; I care less about the type of writing it is and the topic I am writing about and more about the fact that I am making it a priority. And as much as I’d love to approach the blog with reckless abandon, posting every fun thing I come across or any random idea that pops into my head (a la Tumblr, Pinterest, StumbleUpon …you get the idea), the planner in me just couldn’t get away with it. So, I wanted to commit to a few key topics that seem most relevant to my life and that I knew I would be excited to write about. I figured if I could organize a handful of feature posts, it would be easier to commit to writing about the things I enjoy most, and commit to doing it often.
So, here they are. Some fun things to look forward to:
turntable: New musical discoveries and old favourites.
bookshelf: Books I’ve read. Books I want to read. Books worth reading. (Another promise I made to myself for 2013 is that I would read more, so hopefully this will help me stay on track!)
beauty all around: It could be a really beautiful photo I saw, or a touching story I read somewhere, or a really great vintage shop I tracked down on a random Saturday afternoon. I think it’s important to remind yourself that amazing things and amazing people are everywhere if you look for them.
glam squad: I enjoy yoga pants and a hoodie as much as the next girl, but I can also appreciate the creative genius that goes into a truly stellar runway show. I think breaking the bank in the name of fashion is completely ridiculous (sorry, die-hards!) but my heart still goes pitter-patter over all of the pretty things that compose a really killer look.
domestic goddess: Recipes either created or conquered. (Or that end up looking like this.)
musings: Let’s be honest—I basically needed a category for the things that don’t fit into any other category. Just some thoughts on some things.
on a serious note: For the days when musings don’t seem to be enough.
I like where this is going. This feels good.
j.
just another digital diary. 