SHENANIGANS OF THE DAY

Gig No 4 - Biffy Clyro

2010-12-04T17:06:00.008Z

Biffy, Biffy, Biffy! Hearing an entire room as big as Manchester Central screaming like this was no little thing! And neither was the concert.

I'll start with the one bad, bad thing: this guy who was already drunk and not being able to stand right 15 min after the first opening band started to play. That's 15 min after the doors opened... Why would you come to a concert in that state? He was clearly bothering everyone he was constantly falling on and I doubt that today he remembers anything. Alcohol was NOT created for this...

Then the extraordinary things. First, the stage set. I don't think I've ever seen a stage set that effective and working so well with the songs. I really liked it when Simon sang Folding stars and Machines surrounded by lightbulbs and when they displayed the two flags from the last album's cover on stage during the last song, Mountains. Then there was the setlist, which was incredibly long (25 songs with the encores!) and they played everything I could have wanted. There wasn't much interaction with the public, but James kept asking us how we are, and that cheered everyone up.

I got pretty close to the stage, so I was able to have fun with the camera, but I would have liked more focused shots. Anyway, I'm pretty happy with the result, about 10 good shots out of nearly 100. For me, that's worth having sacrificed some songs.

Then the concert itself was a real treat! After it I am irrevocably in love with Folding stars and I am sure I won't stop listening to it on repeat for the next few days. The crowd was just right (apart from the aforementioned asshole), the songs sounded perfect and I cheered and screamed like I haven't in a long time. A pure rock concert is something I don't think I have experienced that often and now I see I should have. Because Biffy rock your pants of and yes, even after 25 songs you still want more! I'm oh so curious if Kings of Leon or Arcade Fire can top this. Bring it on on the 13th, Caleb :P

You highness, I bow to thee and to thee this I confess

2010-12-02T22:16:00.003Z

I shall send this song, everyday, to all of you out there to which I am connected and that have never been blessed with waking up with these notes and words in their head. I will make sure that by the end of every day another person will have felt as I feel right now. Needless to say I don’t want to hear anything else. You shall all see and you shall all understand.

Gig No 3 - Vampire Weekend

2010-11-28T21:05:00.006Z

So it's the coldest week since I'm in Manchester and I decide to take a trip to the seaside, of all places, and spend the night in a train station. Part of that plan I didn't follow through (the night in the station, that is), but I was sure not gonna give up a concert just because of the cold! Especially when the band playing is Vampire Weekend!

Of Blackpool I heard only bad things, that it's full of drunks (it's Manchester as well?!) and that it's definitely not safe. Turns out I can't really agree or disagree with any of that, since I only spend about 5 hours in there, 4 of which in a concert hall.

Now, there was an actual concert I'd rather talk about. And again, I was amazed. First of all, by how cheerful people were. Nice surprise was the average age of the audience, that I think was somewhere closer to mine than at other gigs I was at in the UK. The reason for that is that almost all teenagers under 18 (and they were many!) were accompanied by their parents. I wish my mom enjoyed Vampire Weekend for me as well :(...

And then the band. I have to admit I was only obsessed with "Giving up the gun" and had pretty much no idea of other songs about a month before the concert. But as soon as I got the ticket, I got their 2 albums as well. And boy, was it a smart thing! Literally every song there is brilliant! Hadn't loved an entire album that much since "Only by the night". And that feels like looong ago. I waited, then I jumped, I shouted, I sang, I clapped, I waved my hands and I had a great time. And I left that hall with "Walcott" in mind, which is in my opinion a severely underrated song. I mean, it was the perfect ending, how come there are still people out there who have never heard it? Clear chorus, simple, catchy rhythm and the chance to scream "Heed my words and take flight" like I really mean it. "Bryn" and "Diplomat's son" were my only must hear songs that night, and I got what I wanted. Of course, most people around me went crazy on "A-punk", probably because shouting "ey, ey, ey" feels so liberating.

I regret not having my camera with me, but as I saw last time, taking pics at gigs kinda stops you from really enjoying the songs. And plus, flickr is full of brilliant shots, like the one above (http://www.flickr.com/photos/38090061@N02/5173917734/). Perfect picture, like the one I hope to take at the Biffy Clyro gig next Friday :D

Quiet weekend

2010-11-09T11:19:00.002Z

Derwent water

Just testing my photography skills. Always better than thinking about school. And yes, a weekend in the countryside is bliss. As are autumn's colours for anyone carrying a camera.

Manchester rising

2010-10-23T15:17:00.004+01:00

"Seen from the approaches to Piccadilly Station -- the gateway for trains from London -- the city's architecture seems a monument to its hardscrabble history: from the hulks of red-brick mills and factories of the Industrial Revolution that made Manchester the grimy textile center of imperial Britain to the 1960's concrete high-rises that would not have looked out of place in Dresden or Bucharest during the Communist era."

By Alan Cowell

Published: June 24, 2001 in NY Times Travel

Wonder why I feel like home here....

Now what?

2010-10-17T13:25:00.002+01:00

When I finished high-school, I said there are 2 things I'll never do: buy a suit and set foot in Russia. I've already done the first.... Now I'm scared that I have a passport.

Gig No 2 - General Fiasco

2010-10-17T13:02:00.014+01:00

Oh, how I wish I was living in Manchester when I was 16! That was the average age (again) at the concert the other night. But leaving the crowd aside, the gig was good. I mean, yeah, I've-seen-RHCP-and-Manu-Chao-and-Gogol-Bordello-and-still-enjoyed-this-one good.

A nice surprise was one of the opening acts. Only one, the other band was terrible. So, Pegasus Bridge, worth a check, even if one of their songs is called Ribena. If you don't know what that means, google it like I did and you'll immediately loose interest in the lyrics whatsoever...

But back to General Fiasco, what was nice was that they played all songs on the album, including the wonderful Buildings. When I saw the setlist, this song was replaced by a new one, but on stage it wasn't the case. One more reason of joy for me :D Plus, there were other new songs, good ones, but all we really wanted was the chance to scream from the top of our lungs "Does the rebel get by". And we did. Yeap, we all did.

It took me a while to appreciate the power of connecting to an audience. Sure, they're all there for your songs and/or performance, but talking to them, telling stories, making them laugh, this is one of the many great bonuses I got the chance to experience in my time as concert-goer. Wasn't the case with General Fiasco. But then again, it wasn't that necessary. Not everybody can master the stage in that way, and in that case, a clean, nice set is all we need. And it was what we got from General Fiasco.

Next on the bill is one busy week in December, when both Biffy Clyro AND Kings of Leon are in town, and Arcade Fire at a 2 hour bus ride away. And yes, I am the happy owner of tickets for all three gigs. I can't say no to an early Christmas present and a little bit of pampering, even if I have to pay for them myself.

Gig No 1 – I Am Arrows

2010-09-23T00:50:00.005+01:00

British kids living in big cities have a huge advantage: they can see the likes of Muse and Kings of Leon and Biffy Clyro every tour. AND they can also see the likes of Frightened Rabbit or I Am Arrows. Which, for someone who even barely considers having something remotely connected to music, is huge. Imagine the music that then, in their turn, these kids should make. Imagine the criticism and the refinement and the coolness that these kids should have. I guess it’s no wonder the biggest bands and songs come from the UK.

Now imagine some who, let’s say, went to their first big gig at 19. Who heard about indie music in magazines and had no people to play it for her. Who bought tickets to Depeche Mode not because she loved them, but because she was excited someone she had heard of would play in her town. That someone goes to an I Am Arrows concert and listens! Listens and sings if she knows the words and doesn’t get bloody drunk halfway through the set. That someone has a long way to go in order to measure up to the other concert-goers around her. But that someone enjoys the music, not the drinks or the fellows at the show. Because that someone can go alone and still have a fabulous time. And that someone is proud of it.

Oh, and to clear things up, girls always fall for the guitarists in the band :P

First impressions on Earth

2010-09-22T12:36:00.005+01:00

See, I knew it was no good being home. Nothing ever happens to me, nothing worth writing about. I used to be so much more excited and amazed by everything in Paris. Oh well, good that I'm no longer home, right?

For the moment I have only one photo and one song to share. Oh, and the fact that my first concert here is tonight :D

Time for some more

2010-08-03T20:03:00.011+01:00

....songs. Just two this time. Oh, but with these addictive and gorgeous tunes, two is more than enough.

So, first, Sleigh Bells - Rill rill

And after that I Am Arrows - Nun

Enjoy!

WRONG

2010-07-25T12:04:00.004+01:00

Why, oh why did Placebo ever decide to cover Depeche Mode's "I feel you"? Brian Molko's voice is just.. horrible on this track. It used to be this angry, powerful love (of drugs) song. When I heard Placebo's version for the first time, a grimace of pain appeared on my face. That voice, that highly pitched voice, ruining this oh, so beautiful song. Gahan was perfect and no one should meddle with that. As much as I enjoy Placebo and Molko's voice on some of their own stuff, this cover is pure torture for my ears. Depeche Mode have another great song for what Molko&co did here: WRONG.

Same surprise

2010-06-11T18:39:00.006+01:00

It's about time for more muzichie, si mai multa muzichie frumoasa. De peste tot, din San Francisco si Belfast si Oxford si Scotia si de pe unde se mai canta asa frumos.

And in the end...

Cea mai fericita fata din lume

2010-05-23T13:49:00.004+01:00

Eu.

2010-05-06T12:21:00.004+01:00

"I invented a book that listed every word in every language. It wouldn't be a very useful book, but you could hold it and know that everything that you could possibly say was in your hands."

Mda

2010-04-30T22:50:00.004+01:00

Din ciclul not so guilty guilty pleasures : how on Earth did Shakira come up with the lyrics "I may steal your clothes and wear them if they fit me" ? And my God, who is that guy?

But still I crave that sound

2010-04-25T22:19:00.005+01:00

I love that I get so badly obsessed with a certain song, that it´s the only one I play all day. And for several days in a row. I love that I don´t seem to get tired of a beat and I don´t care what the lyrics are. I love that I wake up wanting to listen to the same song I went to sleep to. I love that there are songs out there that make me happy after only one listen, but I keep them on repeat so I never actually get them out of my head. I love that I fall in love with just a part of a line in a song, even if it´s meaningless.

Right now I am madly in love with Vampire Weekend - Giving up the gun. Only yesterday did it cross my mind to see the video. Now I wonder why I ever bothered. One thing interesting in this video though: how on earth did they make Joe Jonas look cool? And I'm not even gonna think about explaining how come I know how Joe Jonas looks like...

Hot Fuzz

2010-03-20T00:12:00.006Z

I don't remember laughing as hard as I just did in ages. And all because of this silly movie called Hot Fuzz.

I love the way it's shot, I guess you call them frames. Either way, the image is fantastic, the sound effects brilliant, the editing just as well. I love that it's sooooooo funny and idiotic and silly and mocking so many things that it feels very original.

Long story short, Simon Pegg is, as unrealistic as his character may be, very convincing. The image of him on a horse with all the guns on his back is the single funniest image I have ever seen in a movie.

I laughed myself silly and I think everybody should see this movie. Just as a proof that English humour is as funny as can be.

And yes, I did use the word funny so many times not necessarily of lack of a better synonym, but with good reason. It's the best word to describe this mayhem of a movie.

Feels like I'm repeating myself

2010-03-13T00:08:00.003Z

But this girl is my absolute soudtrack to the America I miss. Here is LA.

Go to Berlin

2010-03-04T12:21:00.008Z

I know I don't have money to plan a trip to Berlin. I know I am already thinking about travelling to Spain in August for 2 weeks and missing work. I know the University of Manchester is asking for more money than I consider making in a whole year. And I know there are other members of my family that have financial needs just as important as my wish to go to England. But...

But I never saw things from this type of perspective. Be moderate, know your (financial) limits and be realistic: you need a proper pair of shoes or proper food every day more than you need a trip to a concert. This is not how I function and this is not how anybody should function. We should all indulge in those things that make us happier than anything else. It's just amazing how people that I never met can make me feel this way. And I know there are those of you who understand the thrill of a live concert. Those who don't overthink it and let themselves be happy.

This is why on the 21st of May I'll be in Berlin, watching Snow Patrol live. I know I want it so badly and the mere thought of this concert made me feel exhilarated. I was in a fantastic mood all day and even just that proves that I should go to Berlin.

Most of all, I will do what I've been waiting for since about a year ago: see this perfect little song live...

The best indie is indie movies

2010-02-22T21:33:00.003Z

I've always loved stories about freaks. That's why Little Miss Sunshine is perfect. I guess everybody just pretends to be normal and all of them are so different and unique.

I've just seen The Vicious Kind. It didn't leave such an impression. Not like other things at least. Not like Little Miss Sunshine. And nothing else will, I know. But seeing this movie, I was reminded that it's not worth seeing every crappy so-called "nice" movie just for entertainment. There are things out there that are not for everybody and life's too short to waste it on what you don't like.

I'm glad anybody can make movies. Sometimes you stumble upon some who really make your day, no matter how unfunny or unknown or sad or strange or freaky they are. And that is the best entertainment.

I was never good at choosing sides

2010-02-08T23:04:00.005Z

But this is ridiculous!

Best British Band:

Arctic Monkeys
Biffy Clyro
Kasabian
Muse
Oasis

There is virtually no other band they could have added that would have made this any harder.

Bat for Lashes

2010-02-01T22:26:00.005Z

Whoaaaaaa, cat de faaaaain suna melodia asta. Si numele tipei e fain, ce mai, totul. Thanks to this song, I love this girl

I sort of feel like

2010-02-01T19:43:00.005Z

...doing something for myself. Something else but just going to work, checking my email and waiting for it to be September. I've already been there, simply waiting for time to pass and a certain moment to come. I wanna do something. Anything.

I miss taking care of myself, doing the shopping and cooking and cleaning my room and washing my own sheets a few times a month. How can I go back to that?

A la fin

2010-01-15T23:06:00.003Z

As if you haven't already figured it out by yourselves, this is the most beautiful movie ending, with the perfect little song.

Cel mai cool lucru de l-am descoperit anul asta

2010-01-12T12:47:00.005Z

E Jonathan Safran Foer. Si cartea "Extremely loud & incredibly close".

New year's resolutions

2010-01-03T15:30:00.003Z

Never really did this sort of things... but anyhow, these three I can really keep, so why not?

1. get that tattoo
2. move to England
3. be happy

Deal of the day

2009-12-29T00:39:00.005Z

I know I had to watch Narnia 3 times to realize it, but, my God, is prince Caspian hot!

You most definitely know this song

2009-12-17T14:39:00.001Z

Did you also know it was Blur? I didn't. Love it.

Fru-watch

2009-12-15T23:35:00.005Z

Just something I learned today, with slight regret, from Q's website (after beeing thoughtfully announced by Diana as well):

"Fru-Watch:

A few more news outlets are picking up on John Frusciante leaving Chili Peppers. Fru-watch are retreating into a corner violently shaking our heads"

PS: wish I had written something about snow, but I have no photos yet :( Truth is I just love Bucharest right now. Been listening to Carol of the bells all morning :D

Music is my aeroplane

2009-12-14T23:16:00.006Z

So here it goes, what I could have seen and I would have loved seeing, had I been to this year's Galstonbury:

Kasabian
Regina Spektor
Emiliana Torrini
Lisa Hannigan
Cashier No. 9
Amadou & Mariam
Blur
Bloc Party
Ting Tings
Jason Mraz
Peter, Bjorn and John
The Prodigy
Glasvegas
The Big Pink
The Noisettes
Just Jack
Black Eyed Peas

And that's just one festival. Long list, you say? I give you another one:

Oasis
Travis
Kasabian
Glasvegas
Amy MacDonald
Gogol Bordello
Manu Chao
The Killers
Guano Apes
Yann Tiersen
Les Ogres de Barback
Patrice

The things I did get to see this year. Now you see, the first ones have split up (for now), so that might as well have been one of their last gigs, Gogol and Manu I got to see for the 2nd and 3rd time, Kasabian became (even if for a short while, to be magically replaced by Snow Patrol) my favourite thing after that gig, Guano Apes were for free, les Ogres sang beautifully for around 4 hours and the Killers came with some other bands as filler to my mind. So you do the math, coz I think we're on the right track here.

Q

2009-12-10T21:10:00.003Z

Nu cred, chiar nu cred. I have to say I thought about something like this, but I just rejected the thought like something too far stretched to be guessable. I can't think of many other times (or any time at all, in fact) when I got what I wanted, on any given occasion, without specifically mentioning before what it was that I wanted. You are a mind reader and you made my day. For this you deserve a blog entry. Cheers and lots of luck wherever you end up, Elena x

In the confusion and the aftermath

2009-11-30T20:50:00.003Z

I have three bouquets of flowers in my room and I feel slightly better. Strange enough, dancing does me good, so does the thought of Christmas lights and next year. And friends coming home for the holidays. And Odesa. And as always, my music. By the way, do you know this girl?

Never a frown

2009-11-20T20:27:00.003Z

I'm such a happy person and forget about my sorrows so easily, that sometimes all the things that bother me, which luckily enough are not many, pile up and I get all sad and lose it. And the saddest thing is that I know exactly what bothers me and I also know that I can't do anything about it and it drives me mad. It's safe to say I'm not in the best of moods at the moment...

Perfect little song

2009-11-14T20:02:00.003Z

And perfect video to go with it. Thank you, Nancy, for this band :)

Camera Obscura - French Navy

Ceai si radiouri

2009-11-08T08:50:00.007Z

I love music. I mean, I really love music. But most of all, I love new music I haven't heard before. And where do I get this new music from ? There is this tiny little radio in the US called Radio Paradise, where I heard more Sufjan Stevens and Snow Patrol that I could have ever thought possible. Then, there are BBC's 6 music or Radio 1, where there are more DJs with funky accents than at any other radio, or my beloved Guerrilla.

Si nimic nu-mi face mai mare placere decat sa tot schimb intre astea cateva radiouri si sa beau ceai de visine, cu un strop de miere, in timp ce pierd vremea cu alte nimicuri.

I get the news I need on the weather report

2009-10-22T19:53:00.004+01:00

Sau de pe qthemusic.com. Vreau sa avem si noi o revista de muzica faina. Demult, tare demult, era Sunete. Acum pe hartie n-am mai vazut-o in Bucuresti, iar pe net arata a blog si nu-mi place. Inteleg ca cei care incearca sa puna pe picioare o treaba de genul asta sa inceapa cu un blog (ca no wave), dar de ce sa incepi cu o revista, si apoi sa treci la blog?

In fine, problema mea e ca la noi n-ai de unde sa afli chestii despre muzica decat cautand singur. Nimeni nu scrie pentru romani asa ceva. Exemplul pe care l-am dat, cu blogul, e bun, doar ca nu e ceva oficial. Nu sunt interviuri, galerii foto, polluri, chestii. Plus ca una e sa citesti pe net, si alta pe hartie. Call me old-fashioned, but I still treasure the value of a cover. Si e trist sa vezi ca pana si capitolul asta, presa muzicala romaneasca, e mirific, dar lipseste cu desavarsire. Deci Q e inca un motiv sa vreau in Anglia.

Ca tot vorbim de muzica, inca doua melodii faine: The Kissaway trail - 61 si Belle & Sebastian - The boy with the arab strap.

Btw, asta e un post cu prea multe linkuri :P

The danger of a single story

2009-10-20T22:31:00.002+01:00

If there is one talk that you have to see on TED, it's this one. I just had to share this, because after watching it, it felt so true and beautiful, it made me cry.

Ideas worth spreading

2009-10-20T18:58:00.005+01:00

TED este un site unde poti urmari diversi oameni, experti sau artisti, care vorbesc cam 20 minute in cadrul unei conferinte despre ce stiu ei cel mai bine. Unele speechuri sunt amuzante, altele revealing, altele doar frumoase. Ultima oara am vazut o tipa, fotografa, care a vorbit despre 2 dintre proiectele ei si a povestit nitel despre fiecare fotografie pe care a arata-o. Aici.

Vinerea trecuta a fost o astfel de conferinta la Bucuresti, la care vorbitorii au fost numai romani. Evident ca nu aveam de unde sa fac rost de invitatie. Dar in curand o sa-i pot vedea pe site.

Some surprise

2009-10-15T20:31:00.006+01:00

I usually find comfort in the old and familiar things: old friends, familiar places, same situations I know I can handle. New things are exciting, but also very scary. My only hope is that I can pretty much instantly drop the fear and embrace the new and learn to love it. But I'm not at ease. Not right away. Today was the first time something new actually made me feel comfortable. New things are good, whether it's people, places (especially places), music, feelings. It's by no means out with the old, but it's definitely in with the new

It was about time

2009-10-15T08:02:00.005+01:00

...I discovered Damien Rice. Or Lisa Hannigan. Or maybe it was just about time I discovered this song. Her voice is just so soft, sweet, almost soothing. I love the way she pronounces the sounds, her little Brazilian accent with English tints. The words just flow and it doesn't even matter I can't really understand them. There are lots of songs out there that make me happy, but this one has its own special way.

High fidelity

2009-09-29T21:16:00.005+01:00

Long lost loves: High fidelity. Brilliant. I love Nick Hornby for writing it. And John Cusack for playing the part. It's surprisingly great how for me everything just revolves around music. Me and this film, we are in love.

Muzichie

2009-09-24T23:40:00.003+01:00

Din una in alta, pe net, la Guerrilla, pe bloguri, dai peste muzica foarte frumoasa. Frumoasa, frumoasa. Deci 10 melodii frumoase

Regina Spektor - Laughing with

Emiliana Torrini - Beggar's prayer

Cashier no 9 - Boom boom ha ha

Glasvegas - Geraldine

The Alexandria Quartet - Tonight

Lili Ster - Ame sensible

Lenka - Trouble is a friend

Nouvelle Vague & Julie delpy - Lalala

Oren Lavie - Her morning elegance

Os Tribalistas - Velha infancia

Run

2009-09-24T00:37:00.002+01:00

Why can't I see Run live this year? Just this teeny tiny thing, this perfect little song live... please

In cheap we trust

2009-09-21T15:56:00.006+01:00

One of the best things I have read on the internet in a very long time. This interview with Lauren Weber presents a point of view with which I agree completely: why it's better to live and travel cheaply.

“Cheap” doesn’t have entirely positive connotations. Why do you prefer it to, say, “frugal”?

I like the word “cheap” — I embrace it — because it captures some of the very conflicted emotions we bring to spending and saving. It provokes a lot of strong reaction. But call it cheap, call it frugal, call it thrifty — to me, it really means self-determination and freedom. Because I know how to live well below my means, for the most part, I have never had to stay in a job I didn’t love, I was able to take two years off to write this book, I’ve never been in debt, and I’ve also been able to finance one of my main hobbies, which is travel. I’ve been all over the world, and I don’t have to think twice if somebody says, “I’m going to Asia for six months. Why don’t you come and meet me for part of it?”

This is the Ben Franklin version of thrift. He wrote about debt as the first step to enslavement — being enslaved to your creditors, to him, was a form of tyranny. I agree with that. Being frugal has bought me a lot of freedom in my life.

Have you always embraced frugality?

My father is compulsively cheap. He once tried to ration toilet paper; he doesn’t like to use the brakes on his car. He does a lot of things that most people would consider eccentric and probably highly irrational. He kept our house at 50 degrees — and I grew up in Connecticut. It was very cold. So I complained about that a lot, but as I got older I realized that I had internalized a lot of his attitudes about money. I also inherited a very basic set of skills for living within my means, and a respect for the ability to do that. And I’m grateful that’s the lesson my father passed down to me rather than some other lesson about gratification or spending freely. I don’t think I deprive myself of anything.

You grew up with frugality. But how do other people come to it?

People don’t respond when you lecture them about being frugal. It has to come from some other impetus. Look at people like the Transcendentalists and Thoreau, who came to frugality not out of some sense of “spending money is a sin” but looking for deeper meaning in their lives. That tends to be a much more effective pathway to thrift than having somebody wag their finger at you.

Thoreau was also a great traveler (in Concord, at least). Were there other great cheapskate travelers in American history?

If you go to the hippies in the ’60s, there were elements in the movement that were very antimaterialistic but very pro-travel. You think of the Beatles going to India. A sense of spiritual quest is not uncommon among frugal people — finding meaning through experience and through exposure to many ways of life rather than surrounding yourself with status objects and the accouterments of wealth.

Isn’t it odd that to get to far-flung places to begin a spiritual quest, you often have to spend a lot?

Yes, definitely! I was thinking that the whole idea of vacation and travel for pleasure is the result of two trends. One is the innovation in transportation, whether it was the paving of roads or the assembly line that made cars more affordable to people. And also a rising standard of living. This kind of travel wouldn’t be accessible to people if not for having had a rising standard of living in this country.

Can I tell you a rambling story?

My father and I went to Morocco in March. We took flights that were $750 each. He found the cheapest flight — otherwise we might have flown direct. Instead we had a 14-hour layover in Madrid. So we get to Casablanca at about 10 o’clock at night, and it turned out that the trains to the center of town had stopped running. We go outside to look into the taxi situation. The cost is, I think, 300 dirhams, which was about $35 or $40. And I could tell my father really didn’t want to do it. I mean, here we had just spent $1,500 and traveled 30 hours, but suddenly the idea of spending $35 was agonizing.

So we decided not to do it. We go back in. We’re sitting there for 10 minutes, my dad says, “Well, maybe we should take the cab.” This time we get our bags actually into the cab and the driver says, “It’s late, so it’s another 50 dirhams” — maybe another $6. And my father starts pounding on the trunk to get our bags out, which is a little embarrassing. And then we sit in the airport for two hours until the train leaves. Part of me was tempted to laugh about it or roll my eyes, but if I were by myself or with friends, it’s exactly what I would have done anyway.

So you waited two extra hours. Was it worth it?

In some ways, it was a great introduction to the country. We saw people in all kinds of different outfits: Berbers, Muslims, Western types. I think we really saw quite a slice of Morocco in that airport, rather than getting to our hotel faster and getting one or two extra hours of sleep. It was worth it.

To me, it’s all part of the adventure. If money is no object, it’s really easy to travel: You can take cabs everywhere, you can hire a guide, you can hire a translator. It feels like to travel that way would almost be as if you didn’t leave home. To me, so much of travel is the adventure of trying to get around someplace new, running into those cultural limitations of not speaking the language, having to pantomime conversations, getting lost in a new neighborhood. I thought travel was meant to be challenging. Otherwise, what’s the point?

You write that “cheapskates love rules.” What are yours?

Take public transportation as much as possible. Even when you’re in a place like India or Cuba, where taking cabs is relatively inexpensive, it’s guaranteed that taking a bus will probably be 50 to 90 percent cheaper than taking a cab. And also it’s a lot of fun! You get an accidental sightseeing tour.

How do you figure out the schedules and such?

I always go to the Web site of the airport where I’m flying in. Apart from that, there’s always an information desk. And I just steel myself for the potential of misunderstanding or different accents. You have to be prepped for things not being too easy.

What about food?

I love to eat well, but I generally find that I eat as well or better if I rely on street food. That’s as true in developing countries as in first-world countries. In Brussels, I went to one of those flea markets in the center of town, and there was a man in the corner who had a big vat filled with snails in this delicious, very salty, oceanlike liquor, and he would just sort of scoop out a batch of snails into a plastic cup and hand you a toothpick to get the snails out. That was 3 euros. That was such a more delicious and memorable meal than the midrange restaurant where I went that night and had moules frites.

Is there such a thing as being too cheap?

I’m sure there were times when I regretted having done things the cheap way. On the other hand, I was in the Mekong Delta in Vietnam in ’98 with one of my best friends. We were trying to get to My Tho, and there might’ve been an easier, more direct way to do it, but we ended up taking one of those vans that you hail on the side of the road, then we had to take a rickshaw part way, then we had to take a bus part way, then we ended up on this Vinh Long ferry. One of my favorite novels is “The Lover,” by Marguerite Duras, and there I was at dusk, hanging over the side of the ferry and thinking to myself, This is the world that Marguerite Duras wrote about! And had we planned that in advance, we’d probably have paid a higher premium and gone on a tour, but we wouldn’t have had that moment at dusk on the Mekong River.

From The New York Times

Because England swings

2009-09-18T22:37:00.006+01:00

I love British music. Just so you know, the Brits seem to be the best at everything. Sorry De Niro and RHCP, but UK's got Gary Oldman and Led Zeppelin.
And just coz I'm at it, there is also Kasabian, Snow Patrol, Muse, Depeche Mode, Coldplay, Oasis, Travis, The Who, Pink Floyd, The Verve, Rolling Stones and of course Beatles. In no particular order. Not exactly everybody's cup of tea, not exactly the best bands out there, but hey, they're all here to prove my point: there are plenty of reasons to save the Queen (and her lovely country too).

PS: I'm not proud, nor ashamed either, but this revelation just hit me while I was listening to Snow Patrol. And one last question: why aren't Kings of Leon British? They should be.

Fata galbena care rade

2009-09-15T21:23:00.003+01:00

Am gasit la statusul unei fete scurtmetrajul asta. Genial. Frumos si comic. Chiar merita vazut de toti si dat mai departe

Sau aici

Big Sur Jack Kerouac

2009-09-10T12:45:00.003+01:00

"It's time for me to quietly watch the world and even enjoy it, first in woods like these, then just calmly walk and talk among people of the world, no booze, no drugs, no binges, no bouts with beatniks and drunks and junkies and everybody, no more I ask myself the question O why is God torturing me, that's it, be a loner, travel, talk to waiters only, in fact, in Milan, Paris, just talk to waiters, walk around, no more self-imposed agony... it's time to think and watch and keep concentrated on the fact that after all this whole surface of the world as we know it now will be covered with the silt of a billion years in time.. . Yay, for this, more aloneness" -- "Go back to childhood, just eat apples and read your Cathechism -- sit on curbstones, the hell with the hot lights of Hollywood""

Some people just have a way with words...

It's time that we began to laugh and cry about it all again

2009-09-04T11:25:00.005+01:00

De ce il iubesc acum pe Cohen? Mai usor mi-ar fi sa zic de ce inainte nu voiam nici in ruptul capului sa-l ascult. Acum stiu cu cateva melodii mai mult decat Dance me to the end of love (care tot nu mi se pare cea mai frumoasa) si imi pare rau ca inainte am fost asa incapatanata si n-am vrut nici sa aud de el. Si imi mai pare rau ca nu mi-am dat seama mai devreme si n-am luat bilet la concert. Si mai tre sa zic doar ca I'm your man e perfecta. Perfecta.

The boat that rocked

2009-09-02T22:13:00.003+01:00

In cautarea unui film decent care sa ma si binedispuna, ceva mai putin serios sau sangeros decat Inglorious Basterds (care e recomandat peste tot), am dat peste cel mai tare film despre muzica de la Almost Famous incoace. Se cheama The Boat That Rocked, este o comedie despre un post de radio pirat din Marea Nordului si are destula muzica si destui actori carismatici cat sa-mi placa la nebunie. Nu-i cine stie ce filozofic sau profund, si tocmai asta e cea mai tare parte. E un film despre niste oameni care nu se iau prea in serios si care transmit on air muzica faina. Foarte faina. De la Rolling Stones la Cohen si Hendrix, trecand prin The Who si Kinks faina.

Nu pot sa nu zic ca e un film britanic. Si asta se vede nu numai prin actori, ci prin tot ce face filmul asta per total unul reusit. Bonus: Philip Seymour Hoffman, care numai britanic sau frumos nu e, dar care dupa mine are un lipici extraordinar. Adica e un actor foarte tare. Bonus si mai bonus: Tom Sturridge is pretty cute :P

Epilog

2009-08-30T22:05:00.005+01:00

Daca a fost o melodie romaneasca geniala, un cantec care chiar sa spuna ceva frumos pe muzica frumoasa si sa-mi placa tare mult, atunci e Epilog de la Vama Veche. Era o vreme cand muzica lor era la fel de frumoasa ca melodia asta.

Celor care cred ca visele nu pot muri,
Celor care stiu ca ura nu naste copii
Le vom canta, le vom canta le vom spune-asa

Funky guy from cool movie(s)

2009-08-28T22:54:00.001+01:00

Cillian Murphy from 28 days later or Sunshine

Daca tot vorbim despre all time favourites....

2009-08-27T13:07:00.004+01:00

Condemnation - Depeche Mode

Condemnation
Tried
Here on the stand
With the book in my hand
And truth on my side

Accusations
Lies
Hand me my sentence
I'll show no repentance
I'll suffer with pride

If for honesty
You want apologies
I don't sympathize
If for kindness
You substitute blindness
Please open your eyes

Condemnation
Why
Because my duty
Was always to beauty
And that was my crime

Feel elation
High
To know I can trust this
Fix of injustice
Time after time

If you see purity
As immaturity
Well it's no surprise
If for kindness
You substitute blindness
Please open your eyes

Best video ever

2009-08-24T20:58:00.005+01:00

Si am ajuns si la recordul de a trece de la un post pe luna la 2 pe zi :P Anyhow, the other day am dat din nou peste videoclipul asta, care de fapt e un film scurt numit C'etait un rendezvous, pus peste o melodie superba de la Snow Patrol (sau o alta fixatie de-ale mele). Oricum, combinatia este dintre cele mai reusite, iar rezultatul este cu siguranta videoclipul meu preferat

Snow Patrol - Open Your Eyes

Life's too short to waste it on...

2009-08-24T13:06:00.004+01:00

Numai eu in biblioteca am peste 100 carti pe care as vrea sa le citesc. Plus cele pe care inca nu le am. Plus cele care inca n-au aparut sau de care n-am auzit. Asa ca mi se pare o prostie incomensurabila sa citesti ceva ce nu-ti place. Dar daca ai gasit o carte perfecta, care-ti place la nebunie, e la fel de prostie s-o citesti de doua ori?
Cred ca nu, din moment ce chiar si a doua oara, "Schimb de dame" mi se pare cea mai amuzanta si inteligenta carte. Mai ca nu am chef sa fac altceva

Mais Paris, ça reste en France...

2009-08-22T23:39:00.010+01:00

Si chiar inainte sa ma culc m-a apucat un chef nebun sa vad canalul Saint-Martin din Paris, si sa fiu din nou acolo si sa ma trezesc dimineata cu soarele in ochi si sa vad pe geam terenul de fotbal mereu plin si sa iau metroul de la Porte de Clignancourt si sa pot sa merg oricand vreau eu pana in Marais si sa stau la soare in Place des Vosges si sa-mi iau o bagheta si s-o mananc goala ca pranz si sa plec vinerea de la facultate si sa ma plimb pe Rue de Rivoli pana in centru si sa merg in Montmartre doar pentru o clatita cu nutella si sa vorbesc franceza si sa aud franceza vorbita de francezi care suna, doamne, divin...

I've seen the future, brother

2009-08-21T23:55:00.002+01:00

Why did I ever think that my plans can change? And depending on what? On persons? Which persons? The ones I really care about or the ones I don't even know properly?

No, this is not right. I can't depend (at least emotionally) on anyone but me. I can love everybody I already love from afar. I don't know how my life will be, or if what I want will change in the future. But I know that there are certain things I will not want to live without doing. Like seeing England, like going to Peru, like volunteering, like living some part of my life in Bucharest, like trying as hard as I can to make a difference to some, like sticking to those very very few and very very important people in my life.

Maybe this is not the point. My point is that even the little things can deviate me. Right now, I'm not sure I want that. Who knows, maybe tomorrow?

Avem o tara. Cum procedam?

2009-08-14T13:03:00.005+01:00

Tin minte ca in generala se facea excursia aia pe care am facut-o cu totii la Brasov. Oras frumos, la aer curat, relativ aproape. Desi am fost de vreo 2 ori inainte, nu mai tineam minte nimik din oras, decat un leagan unde m-am dat foarte tare.

Saptamana asta am fost din nou in Brasov si abia acum mi-am dat seama cat de frumos este. Nu ma omor dupa arhitectura medievala, insa atmosfera de cetate, Piata Sfatului cu porumbeii care zburau parca la ora fixa de pe un acoperis pe altul, casele colorate si lumina soarelui pe Biserica Neagra m-au facut sa vreau sa stau mai mult acolo. Incep sa ma gandesc ca Brasovul ar putea fi singurul oras romanesc in afara de Bucuresti in care mi-ar placea sa locuiesc.

Am mai invatat ceva zilele astea. Ieri am fost la Sinaia, sa vad inca o data Pelesul si Pelisorul. Imi amintesc cum le-am spus italienilor, dupa ce am vizitat Versailles-ul, ca Pelesul nostru nu e la fel de mare, nu are gradini asa frumoase, dar in interior e comparabil. Oi fi avut un moment de nationalism pueril. Dar imi mentin parerea.
Pelisorul, la fel, castel mic, dar superb, cu tablouri foarte frumoase si camere decorate mai putin somptuos, deci mai placut decat Peles. Si apoi aflu: Pelisorul a fost retrocedat familiei regale, iar de anul viitor va deveni resedinta de vara si va fi inchis pentru public, iar despre Peles nu se stie inca . Probabil nu impresioneaza pe nimeni ca acolo am vazut mai multi turisti straini decat vede Bucurestiul intr-o luna, sau ca mai toate tarile europene au cate un castel regal pe care il exploateaza la maxim dpdv turistic (Versailles, Buckingham, Escorial, to name a few). Atata lux si opulenta pentru o mana de oameni mi se par dezgustatoare. Scopul marilor resedinte de genul asta este acum, dupa parerea mea, sa fie vazute de cat mai multa lume.

In astea 4 zile la munte, am auzit in fiecare zi cel putin un om sa zica ca avem o tara superba, pacat ca e locuita. Nu stiu daca sa ma declar de acord sau nu. Dar parca nu oamenii, natia noastra nemaipomenita, sunt cei care m-ar face sa vreau sa raman in Romania. E clar ca daca vrem sa ne promovam tara, trebuie sa-i scoatem in fata locurile, nu oamenii.

Oricum, din toata povestea, eu o sa raman in minte cu imaginea Brasovului, pe care, asa cum scrie peste tot in oras, il iubim.

And music is my aeroplane

2009-06-30T23:08:00.002+01:00

Glastonbury festival. BIG deal. Because you don’t even know the line-up, but the tickets are sold out already… Of course, it’s this huge musical event, so you might think that it’s not just the artists involved, but also the atmosphere, the vibe, the importance of the moment and the place. Things that probably don’t change over the years. At least not depending on who’s on stage.
But there are millions of ways of enjoying your music (ok, maybe just a few dozen, but you catch my drift): on your player, in the car, at home, while cooking/doing dishes/cleaning etc., at TV, in a club, at a coffee, and so on. So why do we choose festivals? What is it that makes them so special? Coz everybody knows it’s not just Glastonbury that’s getting all the attention. Benicassim, Rock am Ring, T in the Park, Coachella, Roskilde or (my all time favorite name) Lollapalooza could as well sell most of their tickets before the line-up is known.

My personal theory is that it’s not just the fact that you have the chance to see more than one band on stage. That would be just a perk, let’s say. The most important thing is that you can se somebody singing live. Right there, in front of you. When they have the microphone in their hands, I have seen that most people change completely, and so do their songs. Tunes twist, sounds mix up, guitars bend and energies explode. People get involved and music is created. Another kind of music, music that feels good, that sounds good to everyone, that resonates in each and every person who’s in the crowd. Because another part of the fun is being in the crowd, surrounded by dancing, jumping, screaming, winding people who feel the music just like you do.

So I guess that what I’m really trying to say here is that music is best enjoyed when herd from the source, when you can actually feel all the modulations in the singer’s voice and you can feel like he’s singing just for you.

So this is a plea for the way we should all enjoy music: live, in front of the big stages, of the big artists, of the big songs.

PS: one of the reasons I regret not going to Glastonbury is Kasabian.
PPS: one of the reasons I wrote this is The Killers.

Troubadours are coming, troubadours are here

2009-06-18T13:45:00.000+01:00

Dupa concertul d ieri mi s-a confirmat faptul ca Gogol Bordello sunt cea mai tare trupa live (Manu Chao nu e trupa :P) si ca orice muzica asculti, orice gen de show preferi, concertul lor sigur o sa-ti placa.

Chestii noi fata de Paris: setlist olecuta mai putin inspirat pt Bucuresti (de ce n-a inceput pe Illumination? de ce n-au cantat Mala vida?). Dar finalul macar a fost bestial, cu Baro Foro cantat cu Taraful Haiducilor.
Apoi atmosfera. In Paris era o sala mititica, se putea face intuneric total si puteai sa te simti mai in sufletul omului. In Teatrul de Vara a fost atmosfera de concert pe stadion, cu singura diferenta k nu se putea face pogo din cauza bancilor (cretini cei care credeau sa poti asculta Gogol Bordello asezat pe scaun ca la o tragedie antica, vorba Cristinei).

Si nu pot sa ma abtin de la a spune ca fie ca sunt la Oasis, fie ca sunt la Kasabian sau fie ca sunt la Gogol Bordello, francezii sunt ceva mai indrazneti la concerte. Cel putin aia din fata. Adik, sa fim seriosi, si ieri lumea sarea, dadea din cap, flutura tricouri si tipa (aia cativa care au ajuns in fata scenei pana sa se ocupe acel metru patrat fara banci, printre care si eu :D), insa nu toti. Cand se zicea ceva pe scena nu tipau toti, nu era isterie in masa, si nu se aplauda indiferent cine venea langa tine sa cante, basist, acordeonist sau gagica cu tamburina. Lucru care se intampla la Paris. Ai venit la un concert, ai dat banii, screw everything, simte-te bine.
Si ce sa zic, am impresia ca fanii aia innebuniti, cei care ar veni de dimineata doar k sa ajunga in fata, aia care si-au luat bilet din ziua punerii lor in vanzare si care stiu absolut orice vers pe de rost nu sunt in Bucuresti, dar nici in Paris. Desi I have a feeling ca pe la noi mai gasesti cativa :D

Am plecat de la concert cu o intrebare: de ce imi place Eugene Hutz la nebunie? Ca e tigan si arata ca unul? Ca e turbat pe scena? Ca are mustata aia funky? Never mind, imi place Eugene Hutz, just so you know :D

Si pentru ca el apare peste tot, voiam si o poza cu fata cu tamburul, aici cu razatoarea :P

Vreau idei !

2009-06-11T09:30:00.000+01:00

Acum cativa ani a fost cazul parcului Bordei, care a fost retrocedat si unde se planuiau mari constructii ce insemnau distrugerea parcului. Acum se intampla acelasi lucru parcului din spatele blocului meu. Portiunea ce a fost retrocedata unei tanti pe nume Marioara Micsunescu apartine parcului Tineretului, care incepe la Sincai si se termina undeva pe la blocul meu. Nu stiu conditiile in care tanti asta a primit terenul si nici daca a adus destule dovezi cum ca inainte zona apartinea familiei ei (am inteles ca nu a putut dovedi clar lucrul asta), insa mi se pare aberant sa retrocedezi un parc. La o intelegere se putea ajunge, atata vreme cat lumea era intereseata de asta.

Sambata are loc o intalnire dintre oamenii care stau in zona si primarul sectorului 4, care cik ar fi spus ca e hotarat sa actioneze, insa are nevoie de sustinerea cetatenilor. Momentan sunt dispusa sa-l cred, sa vedem cum iese sambata discutia.

In alta ordine de idei, saptamana asta au inceput sa scoata bancile din parc si sa inconjoare bucata retrocedata cu un gard. Ieri gardul a fost daramat. Pe copaci au fost lipite afise desenate de copii sau anunturi printate care cereau ca oamenii sa protesteze. Eu una am scris televiziunilor, ziarelor, organizatiei "mai mult verde" si cui am mai apucat, am semnat petitia asta si acum nu stiu ce sa mai fac. Sa fac bannere sa le pun noaptea prin parc? Sa scriu pe jos cu vopsea? Cam asta mi-a venit momentan in minte. Vreau idei ! Va rog.

Revelatie

2009-06-09T21:04:00.002+01:00

Azi ascultam muzica in metrou si mi-am dat seama de inca un lucru grozav care se intampla in Bucuresti si nu in Paris: metroul e silentios. Nu trebuia sa dau la maxim ca sa reusesc sa disting melodia p care o canta playerul. Ba mai mult, nu imi urlau in ureche anunturile cu statia urmatoare. Si nici nu e caldura d p lume inauntru. Si desi nu ma duce peste tot metroul asta, ajunge fix unde am nevoie.

I love Bucharest :D

Kasabiaaaaaan

2009-06-05T15:35:00.000+01:00

Inca o formatie live care m-a impresionat. Iar m-am dus cu doar vreo 3 melodii stiute, si am ajuns acasa overwhelmed. Au cantat Doberman, care e geniala cu trompeta, au terminat cu LSF, care e probabil cea mai misto melodie a lor, de dinainte sa scoata albumul asta nou. Ii zice West Ryder Pauper Lunatic Asylum (mai are pana sa echivaleze cineva Chocolate Starfish dpdv al ciudateniei numelui, but it's a start) si suna incredibil de bine, cu melodii bizare si addictive (cum ar fi Ladies and Gentlemen sau Where did all the love go).

Insa liveul a fost demential, scurt, dar cuprinzator, cu chitara misto si un solist care made people connect (vorba aluia din Almost Famous). Nu cred ca a fost vorba de show propriu zis, pt ca si-au cantat pur si simplu, la fel ca si Travis, melodiile cap-coada, variante ca pe album. Insa tocmai asta e tot spilul, muzica in sine suna grozav. Bine e ca au turneu vara asta, rau e ca nu pe la noi. Dar ce sa-i faci, nu ma pot plange, au cantat acu 2 ani si eu ca fraiera nu am fost. Na, concertul de la Paris sa fi fost si cat pentru ala din Bucuresti :P

There's always a first

2009-06-04T16:12:00.001+01:00

So, due to circumstances beyond my comprehension, Yahoo 360 is closing down. Which is fine with me, since lately it had become more and more difficult to post anything: slow reaction from the server, inability to post youtube links, and so on and so forth. Which means that if I wanna go on, I'll start somewhere else, which is here

I'd very much like to import everything that I have written throughout the yahoo age, but I just guess that it's beyond my powers right now.

I'll be back with something that I actually want to write :)

Give me a guitar and I'll be a troubadour

2009-04-01T15:23:00.001+01:00