Thursday, February 28, 2013

Los events: The Spinster kick-off party tomorrow Friday, March 1st

KICK OFF EVENT/PRESS RELEASE
The Spinster, the latest film by NorCal's independent filmmaker, producer and editor: Kristin Tieche.
The Spinster website | The Spinster on Facebook | The Spinster on Kickstarter@SpinsterMovie
Friday March 1st, Huckleberry Bicycles (1073 Market St.) 7-10PM
Come hungry and thirsty.
There will be a silent auction with fab prizes.
SF Bike Coalition will be valet parking our precious bikes.

Exclusive clips of the movie will be enjoyed by all!
Oh and most importantly, the Kickstarter fundraiser launches that night!
Even if you can't make it to the party, you can help fund the project.
Like the FB page for updates: facebook.com/thespinstermovie
›› The Spinster official Kickstarter page



Be there!

Tuesday, February 26, 2013

To the man in black: Happy birthday, Johnny Cash.


John R. Cash
Born on February 26, 1932 in Kingsland, Arkansas.
Died September 12, 2003 Nashville, Tennessee.
John R. "Johnny" Cash was an American singer-songwriter, actor, and author who was considered one of the most influential musicians of the 20th century. -wiki

“I’d like to wear a rainbow every day, and tell the world that everything is o.k.
But I’ll try to carry off a little darkness on my back.
Until things are brighter, I'm the Man in Black.”
 
-Johnny Cash 
/Passport photo va flavorwire


Counting the days to get a set of his stamps.
Date of release not yet known.
Hot. Damn.
The forever stamp, which will be square to resemble a 45 rpm record sleeve, is based off a photograph of the "Walk the Line" singer in 1963, as he recorded "Ring of Fire: The Best of Johnny Cash." The stamp will be released later this year and will cost the same as any other stamp -- a newly raised 46 cents. -Johnny Cash to grace new postage stamps via CNNMoney.

To the man in black
The best thing I found in Hollywood, asides a dark cool dive bar, with cold beer and a Keith Richards Shrine. It does exist, and we found it - not far from the main touristy Boulevard stretch.
---
I find it very, very easy to be true 
I find myself alone when each day is through 
Yes, I'll admit that I'm a fool for you

I've started to play a significant amount of Johnny Cash again in the last few weeks.
Comes and goes, but has mostly lingered for many years.
[  L I N K S / F U R T H E R  R E A D I N G  ]
These are a collection of my bookmarks, evernote and favorite finds on the internet. None of these are affiliated – all is unfiltered, not sponsored and I share it because I love this shit.  
"I'll be your Emmylou and I'll be your June If you'll be my Gram and my Johnny tooFirst Aid Kit "Emmylou"
The Johnny Cash Project
+ TIME 2012: Happy 80th Birthday, Johnny Cash: Rare and Unpublished Photos of the Country Music Icon
+ Pictogram Rock Musician Posters by Victor Herz
Photos of Johnny Cash in Tennessee, 1969
+ Jeff Elder describes an impacting moment on Medium: The day I sold books to Johnny Cash.
+ BrianPickings: Shel Silverstein Duets with Johnny Cash, 1970
+ You look so money — Johnny Cash | slicked back style of the ’50s & ’60s
+ You can never have enough Cash: Johnny at Folsom prison 1968
+ And last but not least, the duo of badassery, Cash & trains: Johnny Cash Ridin' the Rails

As a teenager I didn't know where Jackson was, but I knew I wanted to go to Jackson.
Which are your favorite singles? Or favorite memories while listening a song?
Knowing my audience quite good, I know that at least one of you got to see him in concert, perhaps before I was born..
xxom

Monday, February 25, 2013

Mucha música Monday

Psychic Ills: One More Time
Psych rock to cheer up any slow morning, or night.


YeahYeahYeahs: Mosquito [teasers]
The best to come out of an Oberlin / NYU connection. Their Album drops in mid-April. 



Ñaka Ñaka: Vuh
Repetitive spacy music from the Mexican producer Jeronimo Jimenez, based in New York.
Good to listen to while checking off emails or whatever mundane stuff happens on a rather slow Monday morning.


Leslie Hall: Body Rolls
A little body rolls praise, to start the week.


Bleached: Next Stop
When I first heard this I thought it was a collab or something to do with Bethany Cosentino (Best Coast). Very 80's softer than the Ramones and faster than Blondie. What do you think? They are playing in SF in a few months.


Local Natives: Heavy Feet


Shonen Knife: Pop Tune
Let's end this set with a high-energy song to begin the week, sent in earlier this month by a fave long-time reader Jon C.
Those birds peeking-in randomly are just too funny :)

Wednesday, February 20, 2013

Here we are now. Entertain us.

Kurt Cobain
Born on February 20, 1967 in Aberdeen, WA
Died on April 5, 1994 in Seattle, WA



Mi wise go-to man, resource +archive of all things local music +radio, has this to say about the early 90's Kennel Club:
"it's the idependent now 
was like gay disco one night 
next night like black punk band 
next night like gangster hiphop 
had bad sound"

Tuesday, February 19, 2013

"Have you ever been told, you kinda look like.."

I find that certain mannerisms, style or looks trigger the need to find and connect similarities in people's eyes, when they cross your path.
In high school a buddy class clown called me Sandy-Meli because he thought I looked like Sandra Bullock. My high school BFF Ernie called me Alanis for that one video she came out with a crazy braid hairdo. In the last month or so I've gotten the 3 below.
LookalikeTrio_Feb
Johnny Depp (in "Benny & Joon") as I do wear a hat rather frequently and my hair is super messy lately. BTW I love that film.
Alicia Keys while watching the Grammy's, Janet said I remind her of Alicia's recent looks and her overall appearance and attitude.
Björk from a very cool sidecar driver in the city (Sidecar is a ride-sharing app, based here in SF).
2 from people very close to me and 1 from a stranger.
Very flattering, indeed.

The Björk one is rather weird – 20 years ago when this video came out, my half-brother who is 8 years older than me, used to say that she looked cookie crazy just like me dancing. He also teased me with the bumble-bee kid in Blind Melon's "No Rain" because I used to tap dance. ← True story.
I fell in love with Rock & Roll and a vast variety of music because of him, even before reaching my teens.
Anyways.




Have you been told you look like someone else or a famous personality, or that you have a doppelganger out there?
xxom

// Image sources: 1. Johnny Depp / 2. Alicia Keys / 3. Björk 

Monday, February 18, 2013

CAFECITO ALERT: Inside the Chrome store

Last week con la Calitexican.
Four barrel coffee by Cento, inside the Chrome store on 4th st.
[Note] this place is cash only.

mucha música Monday

The Black Angels: Don't Play with Guns
New album releases in April. Cannot. Wait.


Patti Smith covers Nirvana: Smells like Teen Spirit
I feel stupid. And contagious.
Smells Like Teen Spirit by Patti Smith on Grooveshark

Iron Butterfly: Manhunter Came across this interview with John Cale of the Velvet Underground. Thought I'd share. "Whoever wants to sing a Nico song has to approach it from the right point of view. There’s a lot of love for Nico on that stage, they all really appreciated her for being a songwriter, not because she was the gorgeous member of the Velvet Underground. It’s a different approach."

Salt Cathedral (formerly Il Abanico) : Take Me to the Sea
Bill Yonson: Tropical This Chihuahua-born musicias brings a sunny-electro-trop pop dose of an upcoming summer. Beach sunset optional.

Milkman ft. Gil Cerezo & Billy Mendez: Oro In the late 90's I was pretty crazy about the latin/techno-music Kinky from Monterrey, México. The frontman of the band collaborated with a few other well known dudes for this single. Gil used to date Mexican music goddess Ely Guerra awhile back and he was at her show at the Red Devil Lounge on Polk street in 2005. Not sure what the style of this new project is, a bit wacky and the lyrics are rather silly but fun.
Here is the beautiful Ely. I took this foto at her show at the Independent, in 2010: Sweet & sour, hot y spicy

Sunday, February 17, 2013

Fotodiary few #2

Bodega, California
Bodega Bay, Sebastopol, Bolinas and Petaluma are my favorite places to go on weekend day trips from time to time, located north of San Francisco.


Taken with my phone, earlier in 2012.

Between West Marin and Petaluma, it is easy to spot farms, cow sightings, cheese factories such as Marin Cheese Co. and Cow Girl Creamery, super delicious food, and all kinds of hidden gems like Wild Flour bakery (info with its photo, below) and while in the small town of Bodega, you can rejoice with the historical film location it is mostly remembered for: Alfred Hitchcock's "The Birds" (1963).

I visited Bodega a number of times last year. I recently shot almost an entire roll (35mm) while visiting Tippy :) but have yet to scan the negatives. Any scanner recommendations to do that? I'd like to know as I've been shopping for a scanner for quite sometime.

My beautiful homestate has so much to offer.
I love it very much. I'm eager to continue travelling whenever possible and visit many states around our country that I have yet to explore.
As I type, the weather is rather strange – in the high 60°sF, not a cloud in the sky and no year-round layering needed. Not to rub it in to any of you in snow conditions, but it is quite beautiful.

Remember, San Francisco summers are not so nice. It is mostly foggy, windy and not very sunny at all.
These photos were between September-October 2012, two of the best months to be anywhere in the Bay Area.

- - -
Most taken with the LX5 SOOTC (Straight out of the camera), the majority in manual mode.
The two above, smaller photos +the video were taken with the phone (HTC Evo).

Hope you enjoy the short fotodiary 2013 sets +have a great weekend.
xxom

Gates to awesomeness
Gates to awesomeness.

If you are in the vicinity of Bodega or Petaluma, Wild Flour bread (in Freestone, CA) is a must. It is in-between both towns and note that it is cash only. The garden adjacent to it as pictured below, is divine. They have coffee. This place is just amazing.
Los Californios
Los Californios
Open
nomnom
Rosemarie, cheese or potato bread I forget, this loaf was awesome as usual. I wolfed the whole thing in record time.
Tippy, Alfred y la muffin
La Muffin hanging out with Alfred y Tippy.
Bat signal
Bat signals.
Casino bar and Grill in Bodega, CA
One of my favorite bars in the whole Bay Area is the Casino bar and Grill. They have the icy glasses for your beer and I don't eat shell fish, but my meateatarian friends say they are exquisite, oh and with Bacon in them. I dunno, but each is under $3. You gotta visit this place.
Casino bar and Grill
Casino bar and Grill in Bodega, CA
Casino bar and Grill

Casino bar and Grill

Across the street from the Bar & Grill, you'll find a surfshop and some small stores, including the general store which carries everything from prepared food, snacks, (expired) generic Kodak/Fuji 35mm film, postcards, all kinds of Hitchcock memorabilia and birds – lots of birds.
Bay Area apropos, you can pay with Square. Please excuse the strange dark picture but I took it with my phone, something about screen lights off-sets everything. BTW Techie nerd alert: Their square reader is black, how cool is that?!
Put a bird on it.
SUSPENCE with a C. Mmh..
La Muffin con Alfred
Muffin, a bird, and the master of suspense. I love this photo!

Across the street from the stores, you'll find the Fire Department station and the Postal Office. This video is from earlier last year captured with my phone. It was a fun travelling band from somewhere in California, headed to Boston. They were doing improvised fundraisers – they sure got everyone dancing.


Bodega.
Sunset in Bodega Bay
We chased the sunset.
Sunset in Bodega Bay
La luna over Bodega Bay
La luna over Bodega Bay.

Tuesday, February 12, 2013

Simpler times.

That is what Eric, a dear friend of wrote to me in an email shared late last year.

Eric is one of our favorite riding buddies in our local circle of riding pals in San Francisco. He's always got the right snacks and wise words to share. I haven't gone in any social or long distance rides in the U.S in over 2 years (went to a couple last year in Mexico) but I appreciate his continuing emotional support throughout happy and sad times.

I know when and if the time comes for me to get on a bike again, he, amongst good friends will be more than happy to join me. Eric is always sending me nice emails and notes, so I just wanted to take the time to share this, almost poetic, Dutch video.




I do miss that social and beautiful energy of riding with friends but I am overwhelmed with emotions as I continue to heal and recover from very difficult times, memories and loss.
My priority is to find a peaceful life, a very slow pace and glad to accept my different perspective in this life – which keeps going and developing day by day.
xxom


/Say hello to Eric, he blogs at: Classic lightweight bikes & rides

Thursday, February 7, 2013

National Library Day: Part 2

National Library Day is this Saturday, February 9th.
To celebrate my love of books and libraries, I'm dedicating a quick series of posts on a few San Francisco libraries and coffee shops within walking distance from them, of course.
- - -
Continuing the mini-series of San Francisco Library posts, we move onto two of my favorite branches: the Castro and the Presidio. The latter, is actually not in the Presidio per se, but a few blocks from its Presidio Blvd. southwest entrance.

Library posts
Youth and Harvey, live forever.
Youth and Harvey, live forever.
Eureka Valley library
Castro flavor.
Untitled
Spikes! I super LOVE this coffee shop so much. 

Eureka Valley branch
16th street between Noe +Sanchez.
✖  Recommended coffee to walk to: 
Spike's on 4117 19th Street at Castro // Mountanos brothers coffee from South City (*I think)
  Extra tip: Castro theatre, cable cars, people watching. Have a cocktail at Twin Peaks, they are known for their Irish Coffee.

View Larger Map

Market street
The view from Market street at dusk.
- - -

Library posts
In the image above, the top view is from Sacramento street, bottom view with Sutro tower sighting on the upper right, is from Clay street.
Presidio library racks
Presidio library bike racks, yarnbombed.
Presidio library racks
Info on SFPL Green stacks programs.
jane
Jane Cafe on Fillmore.

Presidio library
3150 Sacramento street
✖  Recommended coffee to walk to: 
Jane at 2123 Fillmore // Stumptown coffee
  Extra tip: If you walk towards Fillmore on Clay instead of Sacramento, Alta park is a pretty sweet spot of the Northside too find a bench and take in the often foggy views of the City.

View Larger Map
alta plaza park
View from Alta park just above street level. The more you go up, the more you see.

- - -
How do you like these coffee+book walking recommendations so far?
I'd love to hear your favorite branch or what books you are currently reading.
More coming up later this week, and perhaps next.
xxom


// See the previous set, The Marina and Golden Gate branches here: National Library Day: Part 1

Los events: East bay

Saturday Feb. 9th: Grease Mamas Offers Free Women's and Trans Bike Skills Workshop
"This workshop is kid friendly. All ages and experience levels are welcome."
Spokeland at 1121 42nd St. in OaklandSaturday, 2/9 from 12:00 noon till 4:00pm
And because March is around the corner:
February 5th: Celebrate International Women’s Day with a Women-only Ride on March 9
Artwork by Andy Singer
EBBC Women’s Ride Saturday
March 9, 10am to 2:30pm
Start at Bay Area Bikes, 2424 Webster St, Oakland
"To celebrate International Women’s Day (March 8) our Executive Director, Renee Rivera, and board member and owner of Bay Area Bikes, Glenda Barnhart, will co-lead a fun social-paced ride from downtown Oakland to the Rosie the Riveter Museum in Richmond. We will learn about our local history of women working on the home front during WWII." 

This +more events in the Eastbay, many celebrating Women's Day on the EBBC's events page here: ebbc.org/calendar

// Dispatching info+events [hat/tip] to one of longtime faves in the EastBay, reader: David J.

Tuesday, February 5, 2013

National Library Day: Part 1

1988 // Mi BFF and I at the library

National Library Day is this Saturday, February 9th.
To celebrate my love of books and libraries, I'm dedicating a quick series of posts on a few San Francisco libraries and coffee shops within walking distance from them, of course.
Above is a polaroid foto taken in 1988 with my BFF Fernie. We were inseparable.

To view the maps you may have to zoom out a click or two. Not sure if the embedded map shows a bit out of proportion. Anyways, let's begin the mini-series with the Northside:

Libraries_Marina
Marina branch bike racks

Marina branch 1890 Chestnut street
✖  Recommended coffee to walk to: 
Well, the library is surrounded by the Moscone Rec center and park, additionally I recommend Rapha Cycle Club at the corner of Filbert Street +Fillmore // Four Barrel coffee
  Extra tip: Rapha's new parklet is a groovy addition to the neighborhood.

View Larger Map


Views and racks
On my to 'get back to' list.
1Q84 is on my 'to-get-back-to' list. 
Casitas in front of the library
Casitas +a vespa in front of the library.

Golden Gate Valley branch 1801 Green street
✖  Recommended coffee to walk to: 
Blue Fog market on 2567 Gough street // Blue bottle coffee
  Extra tip: Allyne Park is a public park that could easily double as a secret garden, huge trees and quiet benches to eat your lunch, drink a little coffee or travel with your book.

View Larger Map

I have been to all libraries in San Francisco, except the Bayview (new one!) after a 2-year long renovation it's opening its doors on February 23rd.

How do you like these coffee+book walking recommendations?
I'd love to hear your favorite branch or stories. More coming up later this week.
xxom