Top 10- 2012

Confess by Twin Shadow - this guy is the new Prince, Seriously Trippin' EP- Devin the Dude - this should be the Get Healthy America anthem, Get Free (single) by Major Lazer, and now collaborating with Snoop Lion...I need to book a trip to Jamaica, No Tresspassing by Too $hort- pretty much, and one of my only live shows this year! Live From The Underground- Big K.R.I.T- this is a dirtiest beat of the year, bump it! Nocturne by Wild Nothing- the perfect blend of The Church, Flock of Seagulls, Big Country, ABC...oh the list goes on, Visions by Grimes- super trendy but it makes me think of Cocteau Twins, i like when people try hitting new notes and are mostly successful and she's tres adorable, One Second of Love by Nite Jewel, relatable lyrics and party situation! Cheers- Black Cobain, wow i can't even find this on youtube, it was a mixtape, it was good, not great, but lots of promise and i love the name.

My solo birthday trip to ring in 35.

Went to see Cat Power at the Palladium on my bday...that's Mrs. Cat Power, Chan Marshall in the corner taking pictures of the opening band (The Goat, or something). She stood there for ages taking loads of pix of this mediocre band...the lead singer was shirtless and reminded me of Henry Rollins. Anyone who knows me knows this is not a compliment but to each their own, I suppose.

A reflection of Cat Power on the wall as I was leaving (early).

Driving down Wilshire in Beverly Hills after my facial and brow waxing...pretentious? Possibly. Fun? Yes. Eyebrows? Fab. Traffic ain't so bad when you are in a drop top and have no place to be.

Pacific Coast Highway, about to leave Malibu behind me on the way to SFO. Ride wit no ceiling got me feeling billion (as Slim Thug would say).

My corner in SFO...this is where I will always stay. Either at the Triton or the Worldmark. Best location evah!

pathetic attempt at a self portrait at the Biltmore but the princess bed is visible! Great trip, much needed solitude, and now it's wonderful to be home in the rain with the dudes. Thanks to everyone for the sweet bday wishes! xojane

Early November

So nice to get back on the trail after being away...I think i like the rainy season more than the sun, at least for now. We were on the east coast last week, right before the big storm they call Sandy got real. I really hope things are getting back to normal...stay safe and...move to higher ground, maybe? The world is getting crazy! The garden is dying down but the dahlias and a few others are still holding on. Rain is setting in now though, so it won't be long before it all needs to be chopped down *sigh*. The favas are already starting to shoot up in the veggie garden and I promised myself i'd finally plant the garlic this weekend. i'm typing it now so that I will be forever shamed if i don't.

October garden update part II - The Teardown

It was sort of sad at first to remove the tomato stands and see all the green ones still left on the vine, unsung heroes, their full potential not met due to lack of sun, water or the gardeners own foibles. I did plant a couple of them too close and I should have  used taller stands. I have ideas for next year, lessons learned!
Now that the veggie garden is cleared I have a couple pounds of mostly ripe indigo rose tomatoes, a decent # of cherry. Some assorted peppers, one rogue lemon cuke and a few baby zucchinis. I tossed the fennel, not a fan. Made some thrown together sauce with that which will be freezed. frozen? froze.

Per the pix below i have ripped the dickens out of the garden, laid down 4 bags of Steer Plus (TM)  and mixed that in good. I performed a tomato stomping dance on the refugee tomatoes and blended that in too. Then planted favas in the areas indicated. I'm going to plant garlic all around the rhubarb tomorrow-ish. Then, we'll see what takes place. Favas have proven to be easy to grow, great for the soil and interesting looking during the blah winter months.

Mid-October Garden update

Mid October garden update link below. I'm planning to tear it up tomorrow...it's going to be rainy out (i hope) and I am really looking forward to digging in the dirt (cue my next blog update song!!). quick, raw and dirty here it is...the end of the season:

http://youtu.be/12XeBNOFd4o

Late Sept. garden update

The tomatoes did so much better this year than last...I'm very happy about that and think the little igloos paid off. I'm going to try that again, even earlier, next year I think.  I harvested what will probably be the last big crop yesterday and made sauce (which burned a little which made me sad but I'll pretend it's supposed to taste toasty), gave a bunch to my parents and have a few more that I am going to make enchiladas with when i'm done writing this blog (at least that's my current plan). The indigo rose (goth) tomatoes are good for cooking but I don't think i'll plant as many next year because they are kind of pithy, not very juicy like the others. Also it's hard to tell when they are ripe because they start out black and the tops stay that way the whole time they are maturing. Only their little undersides clue you in to weather or not they are ripe. C'mon scientists, let's get this right.

My "Love Lies Bleeding" flowers pictured below are going nuts in the front planter. I love them. I have not seen them anywhere else and I am a big garden snooper...they grow so easily too, I'm shocked I haven't! I guess flowers that look like big pink dreadlocks aren't what most folks are going for but I think they are so lovely and unique...and provide great shade too. I will plant these every year forever.

The pumpkins are about ready to harvest because the vines are starting to whiten. I've given up on trying to stop that because they do it no matter what. We have at least 4 lovely orange pumpkins to carve up, make pie from, etc but maybe get 6-8 before all is said and done. And this from a vine that just decided to park itself in our front yard unaided. Very fortuitous!

Last but not least the grapes. I always forget we even have them and as Colin just pointed out it's because you can't see them at all...they hide under the leaves even when I thinned them out to promote the growth. They are delicious but I feel like I don't know what to do with them other than eat them straight. I guess that's a good enough thing to do...no need to get fancy. I have a day job after all.

I planted some bulbs with Anton in the front yard today...we planted them under the grass that we are slowly going to let die off. It'll be interesting to see if they sprout in the spring. Martha Stewart said they would so I'll hold her personally accountable if our hard work doesn't pay off. 

Here's to Fall...my favorite season. Welcome, my friend!

OTP: Mackenzie River 50K/ Anton's first camping trip

Anton slept under the stars (nude!) like pro. I, on the other hand was less comfy but I took one for the team (and a Benadryl). Colin finished his race (31miles) despite not having trained as much as normal, woot! Anton and I even hiked down to the trail at 7:30am to cheer all of the runners on. I'm personally glad to be back  (tents, dust and bugs are not my bag) but I'll always have these memories:

http://youtu.be/GF_jd5iJFVU

http://youtu.be/yqeAd48Zbeg

http://youtu.be/mppA_jwQpfM

http://youtu.be/A7y0ENdU4GA