The one with Goyte

Over New Years I discovered my new obsession, two separate artist who come together to create one amazing song/video. Goyte is this man who seems tormented within, a depressed singer of ballads who I simply can't get enough of! One of his better known works is "Hearts a Mess". Kimbra, in contrast, is this beautiful, wild woman who sings & dances with free levity. A good example of her work is her song/video "Settle Down". What they do have in common is lovely voices which speak volumes more than the words they pronounce. The song "Somebody that I used to know" is sensational at the least! It's a story, a tragedy, a song which gets trapped in your head. I truly enjoy the Dubstep remix, but the official video is what really brings it all together.

His raw honesty conveyed through his eerily green eyes

Their stark disconnect yet union

There are so much delicious layers to it all!

The one where we danced

Sometimes I idolize traveling, specifically Italy & forget that we find joy where we make space for it. You don't need to go far in order to find excitement, you don't need to be doing something grand in order to be amused, & as long as you're in the company of people who matter to you, you don't need anything else. I was out casually this weekend with my boyfriend & his friends. The bars we were at weren't terribly happening, there was nothing particularly special about them & a good portion of the night was spent looking for other people. But at one point, my bf brought me to the downstairs of one bar to show me around. There weren't more than a dozen people there, dead by all accounts. Suddenly one of my favorite current songs came on & I quite literally burst into dance. there was no one else dancing, but I couldn't see beyond my bf & me. We danced with complete delight, he twirled me around, & we kissed like giddy teenagers. It was marvelous being detached from the rest of the world for those few minutes, & then we simply went back upstairs. My mind keeps going back to that dance. It's how I continue to think about it that makes me realize it's little moments like that which you hold onto in life. Those memories which you can look back on & you can't help but smile, I wouldn't give them up for any alternative.

"Feel your heartbeat in the night....It's the way I'm feeling, I just can't deny...."

The one with "la Gioia di fare niente"

There are many things which I love about Florence, among them are:

• Cobblestones (even if they occasionally make me fall)
• The charm of cracked plaster on ancient walls
• Prendere un Cafe
• Piazzas in which to sit & relax
• Beauty everywhere!

• Great restaurants
• Constant flattery
• Music wafting down the streets
• Telling the time by bells
• Long drawn-out dinners
• Double-cheek-kissing when greeting friends
• An air of greatness which refuses to be outdated

But what comes to light the most as I wander the streets is how much more it seems that Italians enjoy life, moment by moment. You see old men strolling through a Piazza slowly, thin hands behind their back, or a cigar in hand, pensive & mindful. Young lovers hold one another close as they walk together or stop to kiss passionately without regard.

Fathers take time to sit in a Piazza with their child & speak about life. People of all ages walk slowly & enjoy gelato. People stop to listen & appreciate the music being played in the streets, & no one has anywhere which is more important to be than directly in that moment.

Things are hardly perfect, but the Italians don't act as though that they are, nor that they need to be. I feel that they laugh more freely.

The one with SugaRush

Today I discovered a brilliant little cupcake shop just down the road from my work! It's called SugaRush & they have entirely made my day! I went in on my break to find an assortment of very tasty looking cupcakes! After choosing the Red Velvet, they took one which was un-frosted, placed it in it's own Chinese-carry-out-style box, iced it fresh, & dashed on some fresh sprinkles! The package could not be beat in charm! The cupcake itself, even had a plaid cupcake wrapper -- cute!

Beyond their brilliant marketing & packaging techniques, SugaRush follows through with their promise of a delightful cupcake. The cake was moist & rich, the frosting slightly tangy, it was a delicious compliment. After my afternoon latte, it was a perfect treat & I'm truly glad I only had one cupcake on hand!! I can't wait to go back & share them with my friends -- get this, the "Cupcake Bar" is open until Midnight Saturdays! Such fun :)

Another simple comfort today, came in the form of first seeing DEV's video for "In the Dark". I've said it over & over, but this lady is under-appreciated. I truly enjoy her work & look forward to the day she sees a little more recognition -- hopefully it won't change her!

The one with a moment

I have recently been obsessed with the Nicki Minaj song "Moment 4 Life" & the video just dropped!!! Along with having a classic beat, a "sticky" (shout out to the marketing majors) chorus, & genius lyrics thanks to two of the hottest rappers in today's scene; it also is highly uplifting. The one line I can't get over is Drake's "everybody dies but not everybody lives". This simple line has become a daily mantra. I knew it was familiar, but I couldn't place the quote. Google tells me it is a quote from the Jewish author, A. Sachs; I also got some insight into his book "Studies in the Drama", which looks earnestly interesting! It seems to deal with human nature, death, & thereby how to live life: it's certainly made it to my reading list!

The real draw of course is the fasssssssssshion! As Nicki has quickly made a reputation for herself of being fearless when it comes to both her wardrobe & her diction. The outfit shown below, this golden/green/pink-ish sleek/frilly/HOT mix of styles can only be described as extraordinary in the best way. I actually would get pushy simply to have this ensemble.

I am currently reading a book on body-language, both in its role & utility within societies throughout the world. Upon watching this video I LOVED how blatantly they used body-language which is common in our society; yet mostly subconscious, & usually unnoticed.

You see Nicki peering over her shoulder, chin up without her head up, eyes looking up & to the side, hands on hips, chest out (not that she could keep it in). Besides the fabulous color contract here, all these micro signals mean a lot in combination. She knows that Drake is looking down at her, she wants him to know that she's a confident woman, but also that she's feminine she is saying, "I want you, but you MUST make the first move". This is the pose a woman would use asking for a man to approach her, the problem is most men miss these signals -- even when they're as blatant as she is displaying them. This phenomena along with a loss of real communication is likely why so many people find it hard to find love interests; though I've never been one to have that problem. In any case, the demonstration was certainly not lost on me!

The one with Lil Weezy

As many know, Lil Wayne has been set free from jail today!!! It has provided me with bursts of excitement throughout the day. I've said before how much I admire & fully LOVE Lil Wayne's musical genius, but I don't believe it's something I can say enough!

Today I was sporting an outfit which was sexy to say the least, but I realized half way through the day, it reminded me of one of those Hell's Angels themes you see in the On Fire music video-- a little more professional for work of course! I had a tight black pencil skirt a few inches above the knee, a black Cami tucked into the skirt, black patterned stockings, black knee-high leather stilettos, & a cobalt blue shoulder sweater & dainty jewelry -- so much fun!

The On Fire video is dynamic, sexy, & ROCK, you must see it!

Back to Mr. Carter, the respect I have for him simply for the pure integrity of MAKING his career happen; I can only aspire! Apparently, when he was trying to get his name out, he would call record companies & leave rap-messages on their voicemail -- fantastic! The fact that he has become such an iconic artist, & has made a Rap-Rock fusion, that is an accomplishment enough, yet we all know he has so much more in store for his career! The brilliance of his time in jail is a true testament that the sky is not even the limit. He lost NO momentum during his eight months in jail...if anything, he may have gotten hotter!

Rebirth has been my favorite album thus far...I can blast & rock out to it in my car ANY day! I'm sad to say I have yet to check out I am not a Human Being, but I will very shortly be diving deep into it & will get back on my analysis ;) What I love about Rebirth is that it is dynamic, homogeneous in its juxtapositions, lyrically intelligent, & displays a superior level of music execution which is generally overlooked & underrated. I am adamently anticipating what is in store for the next few months!

My full dedication & Love goes to Dwayne Michael Carter today!

Below are some of the very well known songs I love as well as some of the slightly more obscure, check 'em out!

The Obvious: Down, Duffel Bag Boy, Every Girl, Forever, Hey DJ, Lollipop

Others I truly LOVE: American Star, I'm at war, Miss me, Mrs. Officer, No Love, One Way Trip, Runnin, See you in my Nightmare, Something you forgot

The one with Lil Weezy

So I was seriously feeling the pull of Euterpe - the Muse of music - on my attentions today. Sometimes you just go through your day with music as a background. Then other times... you suddenly listen to the music playing; find it's oddities & ingenious devices, structures, beauty: today was one of those days. I love when I take the time to appreciate music; that is after all, what it's there for! Music is by no means created to be a simple thing we take for granted; yet I'd have to argue, that is what happens in mass. What follows is a few of today's obsessions, what has inspired me, & their breakdown. I hope you enjoy them!!

"No Love" - Eminem ft. Lil Wayne

Where to start! I have been obsessed with Eminem's lyrical genius & raw dedication to his passion since I was in Middle School! What I enjoy the most about his recent work, is that it seems more 'real' than some of his earlier work. Lil Wayne is brilliant; you can tell via any of his dozens of songs which have continued to top the charts how earnestly he is his art. It makes me so sad that is in jail; however, being that I obsessed over Rebirth, I find it comically ironic that he was convicted for an unlicensed concealed weapon, when one of his lines was "me & my gun, we took an oath together, said we'd never fall, if we're both together". That said, he has taken a commendable proactive approach to his incarceration. This idea just came out September 29Th...meaning he filmed it before going into jail & was able to keep it quiet until now! He's successfully done this with multiple single releases, & his new album just dropped. He has lost NO momentum, & you have to know that on November 4TH he's coming out ready to bang out masses of genius after 8 months of nothing but time to think. "No Love lost, no Love found"

Secrets - One Republic

Love the symphonic-rock mix! The woman is either living a dual-life, is a polygamist, or has been caught in a torrid affair, you be the judge.

Stereo Love - Edward Maya ft. Alicia

The song & video duo is Sexy in a seductive European-subtly way. With these first two shots you already know the whole story...

We No Speak Americano - Yolanda Be Cool vs DCUP

So much fun in an authentic techno-fab Italian-club way! This brings me back to Firenze! Roughly translated "Fa l'Americano" can mean Do "the American" (as in act like an American) or 'past American'. I tend to think the first translation is more likely. For further explanation, feel free to ask, I am happy to share my Italian knowledge with you!

Bow Chicka Wow Wow - Mike Posner

He's so much fun!!! My new feel-good obsession....I'm a huge proponent of Pandora at work & on my Blackberry: his station is particularly up-beat. No video as of now, but YouTube it, you won't be able to get the beat out of your head!

Runaway - Kanye West

Anyone who wants to diss Kanye, throw it at me, I am more than prepared to defend the artist who I respect for being a truly unique & insightful persona. All the YouTube videos of the VMA's have been pulled due to "copyright infringement" but I found a great version in a WSJ article (Kanye West's new song 'Runaway'). Visually fantastic & one of the most self-deprecating songs I've heard in recent memory. Granted he is a serious case of narcissism - so I would take this with a grain of salt - but what would Kanye be without his Ego?