Conor Oberst- Outer South


arctic monkeys- humbug

strings

Jonsi & Alex- Riceboy Sleeps


Risil- Non Meters, Vol. 1

carrboro, nc

this is a small town i would recommend heading through on an east coast road trip. we went for a weekend, mainly to see She&him but ended up seeking out some amazing little gems. this is the part of town youll see some tattoos- where the artists of chapel hill wander. it reminded me slightly of little five points in atlanta.

If you make it out on a sunday- walk over to the organic food coop, weaver street market for brunch. they have an amazing hot bar for pretty cheap and if you arrive around 11a (during the summer months) you can catch some live jazz. there are a lot of families that come out with their kids but there are also a bunch of randoms that come to try and steal the spot light. makes for great people watching and you might just strike up a comforting conversation with a stranger.

if you want some on the run good eats there is the 'Sunrise Biscuit Kitchen'. what beats home made drive through biscuits and gravy?! be careful though you might drive right by this place. its a little white shack on the side of e. franklin st.

lunch: carrburritos, voted one of the best burritos in town. or you can go for the good ol' north carolina bbq. Allen & Son Pit Cooked Bar-B-Q. a bit out of the way, but totally worth it. the waitresses look like they have been there their entire lives- real southern greetings.

dinner: hands down,southern rail, this restaurant is built around two old train cars. one for the dining room and one for the bar. the walls are covered in black and white photography of the rail way in gaudy gold frames, and art nouveau. the windows over look train tracks and cement overgrown statues. the food comes quick and is amazing, aesthetically and very pleasing to the taste buds. this is the type of restaurant i look for when i travel. something different, something interesting and unique.

if you feel like catching a drink you can walk next door to 'the station'. this bar is over 100 years old. it was really dark like a jazz bar, with vintage couches and wooden interior like a saloon, but more glamorous in a gloomy way. there were skeleton murals juxtaposing fancy chandeliers. jugs full of collected wine corks. its the kind of place you can relax with a few friends and not be interrupted by some drunk douche bag.


etc
the scrap exchangethe mission is to "promote creativity, environmental awareness, and community through reuse."
the nightlight the original cat's cradle music venue from the 60's
caffe driade coffee, art, cigars, beer and wine

time lapse from Caitlin Parker on Vimeo.

today at the thrift store, stephanie and i were waiting in line to pay up and for some reason the computer was not working and kept freezing up when running my card. so we were waiting there after running my card a few times, and unexpectedly the lady at the register next to us leaned over and said, "here is 20 dollars and my business card, pay me back when you can, i trust you." i was pretty blown away. i have come across very few ppl like that in dc that are genuine. it was pretty refreshing. ppl like that keep the world going. the other day i thought about how this city is wearing me down and killing my spirit but that lady salvaged dc just a little bit. thank you, lady. and yes i will return to you your 20 dollars asap

Sibylle Baier- Colour Green

thai x-ing

my new favorite hole in the wall restaurant.
Best for: Anyone who regards going out to eat as an adventure.

the best thai food ive had since thailand. the dishes are served on banana leaves by two old thai men that hardly speak english- wearing drop crotch wrap around pants. they only take reservation bc the restaurant is in a tiny english basement of a row house on florida ave. it seats 8 people and can maybe squeeze 3 more on the small patio. you also have to place your order ahead of time bc they buy everything fresh that day. the place is full of things they have collected over the years like you are in someones basement. books line the walls, and birds chirp in the background. hidden fish tanks and the smell of the food makes this place pretty endearing.
http://www.thaix-ing.com/

i loved yesterday.

i love everyday, but yesterday was especially good. Stephanie and i took the day and went up to Baltimore. we had been planning on going for awhile to visit my teacher from high school. my favorite teacher. the one who was/is my main inspiration in art and travel. we drove right into the city for lunch around noon with the dogs and walked around before we met up with them. the weather was perfect. even though it looked like it was going to rain any second- it felt breezy and warm and we were optimistic. around 5 we planned on all meeting up at the visionary art museum. last time we were in Baltimore, about a month ago, i had seen this museum while we were driving down to the waterfront in federal hill, and it caught my eye. the outside is decorated with mirror and blue glass shards covering one wall, a bus and a tree. and and it was just as amazing inside as it is on the outside. it was full of what i would call folk art. stuff that the average person probably wouldn't like, not glamorous by any means but very intriguing. afterward we drove down to fells point to have dinner at Peter's inn. a hole in the wall restaurant Stephanie recommended that serves a new menu every week. we got there right as it opened and it was already almost full. but there was one table left outside that was calling out our names. we had such a wonderful time catching up, we talked for hours- telling stories of our travels, of our pets, of their new grandchild. we have kept in touch over the years but hadn't seen each other in at least 4 years. so it was a delight. Mr and Mrs Ketzis are one of my favorite older couples to be around. bc they are genuine and enjoy life and enjoy each other. i have always respected their relationship and how they love and treat each other. how they still hold hands when they walk down the street, after all these years. the type of people that really affect your life.

after we said our goodbyes around 1030 we went back to the hotel to get the dogs and topped the night off by going to a drive-in movie at bengies. i had never been to a drive-in before and always wanted to but didn't think they were around anymore. the one on Richmond is now the lot your car goes to when its been towed and no one ever mentioned another. but this one was classic. we reversed into the spot so that we could open the hatch on my SUV and lay in the back with the girls. perfect night. and this perfect night was followed by a perfect morning. a turkey, cranberry chutney, and pesto crepe. andddd we got a blender! smoothies every day.

i draw sometimes

so i quit my job. i know, pretty irresponsible of me. especially bc i need to be saving up to move in september, but that job was waring me down. i hated the thought of going. i have never been the one to quit a job before having another one lined up. soooo- I am now a dog walker and i love every day of it. even though it is barely scrappin me by, I feel so much better, so much happier- getting out into the city exploring and getting exercise. I have been riding my bike to the dogs house followed by the 45 minute walk that minni gets. yesterday i ran there. 1.4 miles each way. pretty sore today that's for sure. stephanie and i have been playing soccer the past few days too. finding a plot of grass big enough to play isn't the easiest in dc. but on another failed attempt into an abandoned mental asylum we ran into a huge park right across the anacostia bridge. there is also a perfect size beach on the river for the dogs to cool off in the water and intimidate the wading ducks. lots more free time equates to a lot more adventures. and i have a growing list of things i want to do before we move, that's for sure. so, digging into my savings is quite ok with my girls at my side and a smile on my face

the 4th

i was trying to figure out the best spot to see the fireworks in dc. a rooftop was not as easy to come by and dealing with the traffic and tourists was the last thing in mind. but i definitely wanted to see them and where we ended up turned out to be perfect. two Adirondack chairs, tequila gimlets, pizza, and they were shooting off from every angle. a bunch of kids were even shooting them off right in front of the house. a neighborhood of hoodlums is a positive thing on the forth. it was Olive's first encounter and she wasn't too excited but lady was barking at each boom, jumping up as if she thought she could catch them. cheers to independence. we are free to live, free to make our lives as amazing as we want them to be

sam amidon- all is well


alexi murdoch- away we go soundtrack



elbow- the seldom seen kid


the notwist- the devil, you + me



deerhunter- microcastle


Max Richter- 24 Postcards in Full Colour