the blisslist

good luck, i love you {July 10, 2009}

A lovely prezzie to get this weekend off the ground: Imogen Heap's new single, "First Train Home," is streaming on Stereogum!

Yep, it's very likely to play in the background of an awful Grey's Anatomy episode. I do, however, love Imogen Heap and I like her new tune. Her songs are distinctive, beautifully constructed & unabashedly girlish—with blips, pops, floating vocals and layers capturing those droplets in the time, those moments where blood floods & flushes our cheeks—the moments that stay fixed in our minds forever, both good & bad.

I'd be hard-pressed to find a girl that could listen to Imogen Heap without falling into a series of sighs. Get ready, her new album, Ellipse, will be out next month.

Have a great weekend, let go and do something really fun. Your reality is malleable, xo!

First Train Home - Imogen Heap {update: Hurray, I found the mp3!}
Goodnight & Go - Imogen Heap | purchase 

(One day, I will own this large mixed media piece by Bread and Butter. Want want want, save save save!!!)

unfit mother {July 9, 2009}

Rosemary no. 1 died last night.

I may pick up a Rosemary no. 2 this weekend, but if she ends up dying within six days like Rosemary no. 1, I am definitely giving up. My massive fish bowl might be re-purposed & re-imagined as a terrarium. A hat holder, maybe?

I will not be a poster girl for fishocide.

The Next Time Around - Little Joy | purchase   

(photo by Alfred Eisenstaedt, via Cup of Jo)

heat, let go {July 8, 2009}

Spent the afternoon & evening penning correspondences, shopping for dahlias, organizing my pajamas, kicking-up dust and climbing all 2,300 ft. of Mission Peak, and scouring Rosemary & Annette's dirty fish bowl. Slow, slow tasks—one after the next—yet Hope Sandoval carried me through all of them, ear-budded & deliberate. Hope is the former front-woman of Mazzy Star (remember the gorgeous "Fade into You"?). She's about to drop her first album in eight years. Pay attention, dear readers—I think we are about to be sucker-punched with a bevy of burning, sexy-as-hell ballads that will prolong this blissful, nostalgic summer and leave us heavy in the heat. September 15, dear readers. September....

Blanchard - Hope Sandoval & the Warm Inventions
Fade into You - Mazzy Star | purchase   

(I know, I know,  it's mister McCartney. But it's so perfect here—it's so very Hope Sandoval. Heat, let go.)

oh, you're changing your heart {July 6, 2009}

I'm in a pep-stepped mood & I'm taking it out on you! Love this new find from 2008 — a Van She remix of Feist's "1,2,3,4." I'm sitting at my desk, bobbing around and being ridiculous. I want to float, I want to meander. This song's perfect, enjoy!

1, 2, 3, 4 (Van She Remix) - Feist | purchase  

(image by stefa zozokovich via le love)

so sorry, a mis-tape {July 5, 2009}

Welcome, July! I think it's going to be a down-tempo month full of long hikes, paper cups with balsamic caramel ice cream, old movies at the Roxie, and piled-up copies of The New Yorker in the park. My weekend was gorgeous & leisurely, and the only unattractive spot involved a bit of drama in the "Antiques by the Bay Faire" parking lot. Cars starting honking and thoughts of "uh-o, something isn't right here!!" led me to pulling over and discovering a half-bent traffic cone firmly wedged in the space between the front tire and my car's frame. I tugged at it. Nothing happened. I drove my car a few feet down the road, got out and pulled on it again. The cone didn't budge—the grumpus!

Incredulousness quickly set in—what should I do? Well, boys know about cars & fixing things. Who do I call? My dad? ... damn. My boyfriend? Nope, no boyfriend. I am single and alone and stuck with an inoperable car and a partially-eaten traffic cone that's trying to ruin my life. "LIZ!!! Is it possible to get through a day without some sort of self-imposed ridiculousness?"

Le sigh.

A string of cars passed, every single one containing bemused human faces in judgment of my calamity. After 15 minutes of blushing, grease stains, cursing, and rigorous attempts at prying the cone from my vehicle's firm grip, it suddenly dislodged and found freedom—violated, warped & dejected to the tune of my relieved sighs.

It was a messy divorce. For this, I am sorry. I know you will never be the same, orange traffic cone: THE OFFICIAL PLAYLIST.

Summerland - The Woodlands | purchase  
Fools - The Dodos | purchase  
Outside this Car, the End of the World - Le Loup | purchase  
Orange Wedge - The Chemical Brothers | purchase  
The Twist - Frightened Rabbit | purchase  
Stacked Crooked - The New Pornographers | purchase 
For the Damaged - Blonde Redhead | purchase    
Poor Bastard - Lambchop| purchase  
You Are Free - Mates of State  
Sorry is for You - Damien Jurado | purchase  
God Made the Automobile - Iron & Wine | purchase  





(image by enormous champion)

um ... {June 29, 2009}

(My new pet Rosemary swims in revelry!)

UPDATE:
A few of my design-minded readers have asked for photos of my new place. I love studying other homes & apartments on Design Sponge, so I thought I'd share too. It's a work in progress, but I've posted a few snapshots RIGHT HERE! I hope to eventually replace my couch with something soft & upholstered, purchase a vintage wooden bed frame, and find the danish teak side table of my dreams. Wish me luck, the search may take awhile!

----------------

I have a confession to make. I'm embarrassed & bashful to say this, but I'm not very inspired by music right now. More specifically, I'm cheating on music with something else—led astray by a distant creative being, a third cousin six times removed. See, ever since I moved the majority of my free time has been spent studying interior design (I'm fascinated with mixing vintage & classic aesthetics) and bargain shopping for furniture. I can babble and bore you at length with the merits of mid-century danish teak wood pieces and vintage knoll pollock 1965 business chairs. This past Sunday morning I was on my hands & knees at the SF Antique and Design Mall, examining leather upholstery imperfections and peering under tabletops to uncover Denmark authenticity stamps with a furrowed brow.

You are nodding off already—a thin, shiny line of spittle is trickling down your chin, isn't it?  I'm not sure what's come over me. I'm damn preoccupied. I have been wooed by design—I am in love, anew.

Even though I haven't been music-minded lately, I've managed to frequent a few fantastic concerts this month. Recent shows include Au Revoir Simone and The Antlers (I met Peter Silberman before the show and was hot-faced and woefully inarticulate, SIGH), Jens Lekman, Ben Kweller, and most recently—Okkervil River and Wilco. My friends have contrasting opinions about last night's sets, but I Ioved both performances. I spent the evening moon-faced and slouched in the stands, enjoying an atypically warm summer evening set to toe-taps and songs. To me, Wilco is indie easy-listening—it will never rock my core, but it's familiar & cozy like an old boyfriend's t-shirt. Sometimes that's enough. It certainly was last night.

June's been a damn fine month, friends. I will return very soon—inspired and trigger-happy with new music recommendations. Hope everyone's Monday is off to a good start—& onward!

I Am Trying to Break Your Heart - Wilco | purchase  
California Stars - Billy Bragg and Wilco | purchase  

(image by bella muse)

proclamation, 7:52 pm {June 22, 2009}

I like Robyn and I am not ashamed. She's feminine, poppish, honest & ballsy—a rare combination. Seething and pissed off, some folks go metal or punk. I go Robyn.

These songs kill me. Fuel, you are my friend—back to my editing deadline from hell!

Be Mine! (Ballad Version) - Robyn | purchase 
With Every Heartbeat - Robyn | purchase 

(image by katie vernon)

subtle! {June 21, 2009}

It's been a gorgeous weekend—the time is nigh for levity & leisure! I caroused with friends. I hiked. I tidied. I hung plates in my kitchen. I arranged flowers—incorporating leggy lilies & thistled, curmudgeony stems into my vintage milk bottle collection. I resumed my hunt for an old wooden writing desk—to no avail. I sipped upon a new draught porter at Monk's (too hoppy though). I strolled over to potrero hill and purchased pretty baubles & soft t-shirts at their DIY indie mart faire. But most important, I settled on the paint color for my flat's main room. It's adventurous, it's hot-damn unforgettable: it's "french light gray."

Subtle goes a long way, right? That's what I keep telling myself. Such a risk-taker, that Liz.

Before I go, here's a new one from Yo La Tengo's upcoming release, Popular Songs. Yo La Tengo have been making music for over 20 years, and although I'm not a heart-clenching, squealy admirer, I do like them and respect their vast catalogue. Based on this single, I'm definitely looking forward to their new album in September.

Enjoy the remainder of your weekend!

Periodically Double or Triple - Yo La Tengo


(image by Victoria Vaisvilaite Skirutiene)

clean-up nice {June 18, 2009}

Getting ready, curling my lashes & pinning up my tresses to Phoenix's live cover of Air's "Playground Love." 

♥ it.

Happy belated birthday, Azin! You are stunning inside & out, full of wit, charm, and sass. I'm honored to be your playmate and office cohort—let's make this a Bloodhound Bar soiree to remember, my friend. Here I come, DJ setlist in tow!

Playground Love - Phoenix (Live on KEXP) | {xo, We All Want Someone to Shout For}
Lisztomania - Phoenix (Live on KEXP) | {xo, We All Want Someone to Shout For}

well-played {June 16, 2009}

Time to finish my decaf & email correspondences, press tomorrow's garments, rest my feet and lean into bed—I need a full 8 hours before the 6:25 am garbage trucks monsters disturb the stillness of my little flat and propel me awake once more. Yep, my new abode has a pretty terrible flaw. I've spent the last couple mornings murmuring, "oh my god, noooooooo!" into my pillows as the garbage monsters weaved outside my window for 30! minutes, beeping, rattling and shrieking their fury like some sort of man vs. machine 2109 apocalypse.

Well-played, universe. Well-played.

But it's okay, I can see past this. See, back when I was little my favorite Barbie doll was partially-eaten by my dog, Maxwell. I was devastated and tearful for a few minutes, but then decided to cut off the damaged portion of her arm and deem her "handicapped Barbie." Henceforth, when my sister and I played with our collection, we made handicapped Barbie the most popular Barbie of all. She had the cutest boyfriend, made straight A's and was prom queen. Everyone wanted to be handicapped Barbie.

I do well with imperfect things. This is a bit different, yes, but I will make the most of this situation—I will wake up earlier, seizing productivity with bloodshot eyes and a few extra glugs of coffee! This is one hell of an alarm clock. The apocalyptic garbage monsters will not set us back, apartment. I still friggin' love you.

ps. Here's my favorite tune from Swan Lake's sophomore album, Enemy Mine. Unfortunately, "A Hand at Dusk" was initially overlooked after my disappointment with the album's first few tracks challenged my attention-span a few months ago. Recently, this song popped on during my train-ride—by my 2nd listen, I was mouthing the lyrics as I watched the peninsula's scenery blur past. It's a lovely tune—epic, expansive, and good for traveling. Here's to more Spencer Krug-ness in one more week: his other side-project, Sunset Rubdown, will drop their new release, Dragonslayer, on June 23. Here's a single from that album as well.

A Hand at Dusk - Swan Lake | purchase  
Idiot Heart - Sunset Rubdown | website

(image by Matte Stevens)