Le Voyage!

The New Orleans trip went really well. We didn't get everything we wanted done, but that just means we'll have to go back. Things like the Absinthe house, a hookah bar, the carousel bar, chowing on some beignets, etc...

We did have quite a bit of alligator tail, some oysters, etouffee, gumbo, crawdad tails, and some time at a voodoo joint or two. We did our ghost tour, and stayed in our haunted hotel. Saw a great live band called Chicken on the Bone, at Bourbon Bandstand, very highly recommended. Got to see a couple small parades, which consisted of a small band of a few brass instruments and drums, along with the people the parades were for. We weren't sure if they were weddings, anniversaries, or just plain "hey, let's have a parade!"s. At any rate, they were really fun to watch! Saw some boobs... business owners put a bunch of beads on their second story balconies for patrons to throw down to those who earned them. Yeah, the tradition isn't confined to Mardi Gras.

Yeah, I want to go back. And I know my mother would accompany me again.

We were there when the Hard Rock Hotel building, which was under construction, collapsed... we were about 3 blocks away from it, but yet still didn't hear or feel anything. Miss Robichaux's Academy for Exceptional Young Ladies (from American Horror Story: Coven).

Halloween is a week from today. Devon and I both have our costumes. He's going to be Slappy, the ventriloquist dummy from Goosebumps, and I'm going to be a lady scarecrow. I'm really looking forward to it.

I'll leave you with a few pics I took on our trip, including a shot of Miss Robichaux's Academy for Exceptional Young Ladies (from American Horror Story: Coven).

Autumn '19 Doings

It's October! My favorite month! It's the 4th, and as of about 2 days ago, it finally actually feels like fall. No more temps in the 90s.

This time next week I'll be up to my nose in Creole, Cajun and French influences, foods, histories and atmospheres. Yep, going to Nola! Taking my mom. We're pretty excited. Marie Laveau, Jean Lafitte, voodoo, absinthe, crawdads, etoufee... just to name a fraction of it.

Oh! I finished my Poison Ivy painting a while back! Here she be:

I'm pleased with how she turned out.

Now on to the next one...

As for music, tonight I was reminded of a song that's in the show Orphan Black. It's called "Water Prayer" by Adham Shaikh, and it's the Matt the Alien Remix. It's got a good smooth feel to it, something worth dancing to. (If you're interested, the Orphan Black scene with the song is here.)

I also listened to the Nightmare Revisited album earlier. Give it a listen, if you haven't. And if you're into Nightmare Before Christmas.

Alright, one more song. This one was on an episode of Grace and Frankie. It stuck with me and still gets played rather often.

Not much else to share, even after six and a half months... Ta.

Newness(ish)

The show "Gotham" has only 4 episodes left. They haven't had much in the way of music during its run, but there's one that sticks with me. "The Sinking Ship, The Grand Applause" by The Paper Chase. It's one that builds, and has a good rhythm to it. I'm glad the music vid is the way it is, because it doesn't distract you from what you're hearing.

I've also really been into Brody Dalle lately. More specifically, her Spinnerette album. Brody is wife to "Ginger Elvis" Josh Homme, who heads Queens of the Stone Age (among a few other high-profile projects, look him up). She began as a punk rocker in the band The Distillers, which disbanded, and moved on to Spinnerette, and has also done solo work. I came across a YouTube vid that is absolutely amazing, her and Garbage babe Shirley Manson, singing a song for Record Store Day back in 2014. Gotta get this vinyl.

Anthony Bourdain did not get recognition in the In Memoriam segment of the Oscars this year. Along with many other snubs like R. Lee Ermy, Carol Channing, Verne Troyer, Harry Anderson, Al Matthews, Dick Miller, Aretha Franklin, and EFFING JOHN MAHONEY. WTF, Academy?

Same Chick, Different Day

Since my last post, I've acquired a new job! No more bartending, back to what I love... working with kids! I'm a para again! And absolutely loving it. It happened about a month after my last entry, actually.

I discovered a couple of songs via youtube. Sorry, what? Well hell yeah, of course I'm gonna share 'em! The first is from a band I hadn't heard of previously, called The Dead South. This song... something about it really stuck with me. I find it catchy.

It's difficult for me to understand what the song is about, but I gather it's a couple who meets a rather violent end, with him ending her and them himself, saying he'll "be in good company" in hell, since that's where they both are probably going.

The second song I discovered is from a band I already love, The Kills. Their album Blood Pressures is one of my top 5 favorites. And I don't think I can listen to this song without watching to music vid to accompany it. Greatness.

She (Alison Mosshart) is also in another band called The Dead Weather. (I may have mentioned this before. Totally bears repeating.) When I first discovered her, thanks to Anthony Bourdain's Nashville episode, I delved into her music and found I preferred The Kills over The Dead Weather. NOW, however, I find that the latter's Dodge and Burn album has really grown on me.

In essence, Alison Mosshart holds a special place in my heart. And my musical choices.

So I just watched the first John Wick movie, for the first time. I had a slight idea of what it was about, guy's dog gets killed, he seeks revenge. 'S'what I'd heard, anyway. And basically yeah, there's a bit more to it, but that's what it boils down to. I think what surprised/amused me was, EVERYONE'S reaction. "You killed his dog? F*ck!! You f*cking IDIOT!" Followed by a huge impressive violent revenge tale.

Finally painting again! As of about an hour ago! Something I've long had on my to-do list. Poison Ivy on canvas to go with my Harley Quinn. And it's off to a pretty good start.

To be continued...