HCFM: Four Tet

How perfect is Four Tet for a rainy Friday afternoon?

I wish I was one of the lucky peeps gettin to check out this sold out ethereal act tonight at the Independent... but the weather is making me somewhat ok with staying in and listening to amazing tracks like "Hands" amongst my blankets. However, if you're braving the rain the live show promises to be worth it, with amazing opening acts New Villager and BAB-loved Rainbow Arabia.... so dry off by getting your dance on, it's gonna be a damp one.



PS- don't forget about all the other great shows happening this weekend that aren't sold out- Wallpaper promises to make you move at Slim's tonight for $14- definitely worth checking out if you haven't already!

Currently Obsessed With: Urban Loft Rugs

After the cat threw up on my little Ikea shag number one time too many, I find myself in the market for a new rug. I'm trying really hard to follow the 'buy less, buy better' school of thinking, so am determined not to return to the big-box default choice. I'm digging several from Urban Loft, but have yet to decide on a style. Patterned? Shag? Modern? Traditional?

Monday Morning Music

A little thing called Noise Pop is showing up again, time to get it checked out: the schedule.

Wednesday features a lovely hump day happy hour presented by SomaFM with entertainment from Love is Chemicals, Ian Fays, & Mist and Mast at divey bike bar Bender's in SF- no cover! PS- can't be there live? Rock out on your itunes with the Noise Pop channel on SomaFM.

Check out this video of Love is Chemicals on Pacific Noise:

Doors: 5:00 PM - 8:00 PM, Show: 5:00 PM
Adv: Free, / 21+

HCFM: Birdmonster!

I totally blanked on HCFM this week -- worst blogger ever! Sorry guys!

If it's all the same to you, I'm going to keep this brief. Tonight you will find me at Bottom of the Hill for the Birdmonster show. Partly because my boyfriend knows the drummer for Here Come the Saviors (who you guys should totally come see) and also partly because it's Birdmonster and Bottom of the Hill and I love the Bay Area, duh.

Show starts at 9, 21+, $12 at the door.

Hump Day Inspiration: Bee Healthy Honey

Check out the awesome shelves lining the interior of this sweet local honey shop. Bee Healthy Honey, located on Telegraph in Oakland, made for a pleasant surprise when we stopped in on our way to get coffee next door at Cafe Sidamo. Packed with beautiful beeswax candles, vitamin-rich pollen by the jar, hand creams, and of course a bevy of local honey types, this quaint specialty shop has me inspired to... well.... 'bee' healthier. Stop in from 3-4 pm during the week for honey tasting- flavors include raspberry, blackberry, wild flower, and sage.

And those shelves! Love those shelves.

Another Reason Why the Bay Area Rocks: This Is February

Chinese New Year, Valentine's Day, President's Day, Mardi Gras, Ash Wednesday...
Take your pick- this is a good week for celebrating!

Above: pics from the Albany Bulb and it's library, Lake Merritt and its birds. More on flickr at marispacifica.

Tonight @ RPS Collective: Handmade Nation

I've been wanting to see this for so long and now it's playing down the street at Rock Paper Scissors. Yeehaw! And I plan on getting completely starstruck by being in the same room as the person responsible for making this awesome film...

The screening will be held on tonight at 7pm, followed by a talk with director Faythe Levine. Admission is a sliding scale of $7-$10 at the door, check out this excerpt:

HCFM: Album Leaf

This weekend's music is neither happy nor catchy. But 'Beautiful, slightly drone-y, mildly melancholic and vaguely ethereal Friday Music' really has no punch to it so we'll stick with Happy Catchy, for now. Album Leaf's new album, A Chorus of Storytellers, is gorgeously haunting and will make for an incredible night of live music.

Tonight, the Album Leaf will be joined by San Francisco's favorite alt. classical (or indie orchestra?) quartet, Magik*Magik, at the Great American Music Hall. Magik*Magik has collaborated with John Vanderslice in the past and has a Noise Pop show planned with the Dodos, so you know they're legit.

Show starts at 9, $15, all ages.

Tomorrow: Wild Animals!

Let's face it, as much as you'd like to think it- you're significant other is not that wild of an animal. If you're craving something a little more exotic, check out this event tomorrow evening at the hidden gem that is The Bone Room.

Rawr!

Photo Recap: Agent Ribbons with The Trifles @ Amnesia, SF

So glad we got the chance to catch these amazing performers- check out the whole set on flickr!

Weekend To-Do List

Things are pickin up again around here! Before you see Agent Ribbons play Sunday night, be sure to check out the afternoon showing of the hysterical and somewhat-true Pirate Radio at the Red Vic Movie House- there will be a special panel of FCC FreeRadio staff following the 2pm film.

On a side note, as far other goings-on happening Sunday.... all I can say is go New Orleans!


If you'd prefer some East Bay aural pleasure this weekend, check out the honky tonk rock of the Stone Foxes playing Saturday night at the Starry Plough in Berkeley. Saturday night also features an awesome show in the mish' for local illustrator Josh Ellingson- he'll be showing his favorites from the past 3 years at Mission Comics & Art:

Also, lest you forget: tonight is another installment of Oakland's First Friday events, check out some highlights:

2^nd Annual Fun-A-Day In the Bay
6pm-9pm
www.artclash.com
rpscollective.com


Article X
Opening Reception: Friday, February 5th 5-8pm
Johansson Projects
Featuring works by: David Trautrimas and Kristina Lewis
Performance by Conspiracy of Beards

HCFM: Agent Ribbons

Imagine Amanda Palmer plus Raggedy Ann. Or punk rock Dolly Parton trio with primary-colored wigs. Twangin' alt-cabaret minus the cabaret. Um.

Agent Ribbons will be at Amnesia Sunday night. Their theatrical pseudo-country vibe should fit well in the semi-Saloon type feel of Amnesia. The Trifles and Corpus Callosum will be supporting. Show starts at 9, $7-10, 21+.

Hump Day Inspiration: Heather Thiel and her Cashew Cream

Not gonna lie, I'm usually one to scoff at the quality of vegan food- it's the skeptic in me. But I've come to eat my words recently as the vegan breakfast burrito at Saturn Cafe, Santa Cruz, has proven itself worthy. The skeptic in me is once again proven wrong with the delicious sounding vegan recipe for Cashew Cream, the award winning entry of Berkeley resident Heather Thiel.

Thanks to Shelley for this inspiring story of a hometown girl who struck it big:

Heather Thiel of Berkeley, CA, has just won Vita-Mix’s national “Pitch Me!” video contest, and is being awarded the Grand Prize of $10,000.

Out of almost 150 videos, Heather won with her video demonstrating how the Vita-Mix can whip up cashew cream. You can see her winning entry here. As the winner, Heather may star in upcoming Vita-Mix television commercials and web-based videos.

Vita-Mix launched “Pitch Me!” a national video competition to discover the next great Vita-Mix video demonstration star. Close to 150 “Pitch Me!” participants entered at www.vitamixtv.com and showcased their skills with a Vita-Mix blender. They were judged on their video’s creativity, popularity and overall quality.

“Pitch Me!” commemorated the 60th anniversary of an American tradition – the infomercial. Vita-Mix founder William “Papa” Barnard created the first infomercial in 1949. You can watch his infomercial here.

2/2/2010

via marispacifica

I don't care what Punxsutawney Phil had to say, Spring is as good as sprung in my opinion. Today I finally got my laptop repaired after suffering a broken keyboard for two months, walked to the tiny little Koffee Pot in the sunshine, had three homemade meals and watched the amazing Israeli movie Jellyfish. If I had to live this day over and over again, like in Groundhog Day, I don't think I would mind so much.