Wonderwall

Now Playing: "Anyone's Ghost" by The National

*If you haven't already, do yourself a favor and see them live! Love The National!

Music Monday: Black Crash

"Signal Fire"



Black Crash is an indie rock band from my hometown of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

Their album, Sometimes Dreams, can be purchased here.

BlackCrash.com

The Times New Travel: Socotra, Yemen

Up until last night, I had never heard of Socotra Island. Described as one of the most isolated and unique places on Earth, it's located about 150 miles (240 kilometers) off the Horn of Africa in the Indian Ocean. Socotra is a small archipelago that contains four islands. With about 50,000 inhabitants, it is considered one of the premier travel destinations for those who have already seen what the rest of the world has to offer.

As you can see from the photographs and video above, Socotra is otherworldly. If I were to film a movie that needed to look like it was taking place on another planet, I'd go there. Socotra is known for its beautiful flora, including the Dragon's Blood Tree, which is unique to the island. Socotra is part of the Republic of Yemen.












Now Playing: "In Dreams" by Roy Orbison

This or That: People Edition

Urban People or Suburbanites: City!

Hipsters or Thugs: Hipsters for their events but thugs are much easier to get along with.

Amy Winehouse or Adele: Back to Black

Al Pacino or Robert De Niro: Bob

Backstreet Boys or 'NSYNC: Find out here ;) The coolest!

Theater Nerds or Jocks: Jocks!

David Letterman or Jay Leno: Letterman

Preps or Povos: Povos

Jacob or Edward: Obviously, the vampire.

Dwarfs or Gingers: As a redhead, I'm gonna go with the little people. I don't associate with my own kind.

Dorothy from The Wizard of Oz or Alice from Alice in Wonderland: Follow the yellow brick road

Jim Morrison or Kurt Cobain: Light My Fire

Republicans or Democrats: Democrats!

Cops or Robbers: Cops

Johnny Depp or Leonardo DiCaprio: Love them both but Leo

Stephenie Meyer or J.K. Rowling: Haven't read either of their works but I like J.K. in her interviews.

Ryan Gosling or Channing Tatum: This isn't even a contest. Gosling.

Left or Right Brained People: Right

Cat People or Dog People: All animal lovers but of course I especially love my shih tzu :)

Julia Roberts or Winona Ryder: Julia Roberts

Vincent van Gogh or Claude Monet: Starry Night

Frank Sinatra or Elvis: Too tough to call! Elvis was hot during his prime but I prefer Sinatra's voice.

Musicians or Actors: Musicians

Writers or Directors: Writers

New Yorkers or Southern Californians: The East Coast keeps it real.























Now Playing: "Empty Streets" by Late Night Alumni

Happy Thanksgiving!

"The First Thanksgiving 1621" by Jean Leon Gerome Ferris, c. 1912.



A few of the things I'm thankful for...
 The health of my family, friends, animals and my own.
The roof over my head.
The city and country I live in.
The job I have.
My dreams and aspirations.
The ability to learn and share anything through the internet and literature.
Stage AE for finally bringing better music to Pittsburgh.
Our President.

Now Playing: "It's Time" by Imagine Dragons
*It's way too catchy, huh?

Happy 3rd Birthday, Ireland!

Today, I have a special birthday party planned for my little shih tzu, Ireland. She's turning 3-years-old. I baked a three-layer, pink ombre cake and invited all of her favorite friends. I'll try and snap some pictures of Ireland in her party outfit. She absolutely loves to open presents so it should be a fun little afternoon. Yes, I'm crazy :)














Now Playing:  "Always" by Atlantic Starr
*I used to sing this to my other shih tzu when I was little, lol. She would have been 18 on November 25th. I got her for my 9th birthday.

Missed Connections: "Hey! I Know That Girl!" Edition

As I've mentioned before, I read the Craigslist Missed Connections on the regular. Unfortunately, I never recognize the people being described in the posts... until today! Because my sister is an ER nurse and my Dad is a 911 Commander, I know quite a few paramedics, firefighters, police officers, etc. I opened this Missed Connection because I had a strong feeling I may know the person being secretly admired.

It turns out, the post was for my friend Melissa who may be coming to Ireland/England with me next fall! I immediately sent her a message and she said the post was definitely for her. I told her to send the mystery man an email back. If the two of them hit it off and get married, I expect some sort of prize or at least an endorsement deal with Craigslist.

Missed Connections work! ;)












Now Playing: "Don't Look Back" by Miguel
*Is it just me or does anyone else hear "Killing Me Softly" by The Fugees all over this song?! I may have to do a blog post comparison!

Quoteworthy

I came across this little saying earlier this evening. I took a twitpic of it but edited the image when I got home.













Now Playing: "Feel Again" by OneRepublic
*I hear this song so many times a day but I still like it :)

Music Monday: Miguel

I recently had the pleasure of catching Miguel for the first time on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon. I thought his voice was beautiful, his song ("Do You...") was fantastic and he had a great stage presence. His album, Kaleidoscope Dream, is out now. There isn't a bad track on it.

http://www.facebook.com/miguelmusic


"Use Me"


"Do You..."


"Arch & Point"

Luxe Living: Lisa Vanderpump's New Closet!

Step aside, Jay Gatsby. Lisa Vanderpump's new closet gives the literary fashion plate a run for his money- especially in the silk shirt department.

The photographs above are screenshots from the tour Lisa gave to Bravotv.com. Because the blog post I did on Lisa's previous home and closet remains one of my most-viewed, it only made sense to do an update. In fact, the screenshots I captured for the first post ended up all over tumblr and Pinterest. That's part of the reason why I take the time to use my blog. I love knowing that something I put energy into sharing (be it anything at all) has inspired someone else. That's something I admire about my generation. Through the internet, we're constantly sharing knowledge, inspiration, opinions, ideas... Being open and willing to help someone else expand their insight, especially a total stranger that they'll never get acknowledgment from, is extraordinary. It's this type of progressive behavior that makes me hopeful.

I'm the type of person who is happy for others that have found success. It's inspiring to see people doing well. I don't have a jealous bone in my body. While closets like this are often deemed as excessive (especially with so many people struggling with so little), I choose to be optimistic. I'm happy that someone has it easy and enjoys their belongings. Lisa Vanderpump works hard for what she has and seems to be a very charitable person. On top of that, she comes across as unpretentious. She likes nice things but it doesn't define who she is.

My Luxe Living blog posts are about appreciating beauty and inspiring creativity. Its intention does not stem from pure materialism or lust for objects. I hope it comes across in a positive manner. While I love pink, I don't necessarily share Lisa's style. However, it's still motivating to see all of the organization in her closet.

Lisa has such a good sense of humor and an adorable dog in Giggy. If I could be friends with any of the housewives from any of the franchises, Lisa and her pal Brandi would definitely be among my first choices. They share the same naughty sense of humor as me and love for all things feminine and pretty.














Now Playing: "Hold On When You Get Love and Let Go When You Give It" by Stars
*Award for longest song title! Really pretty tune :)

Missed Connections: Breaking Amish Edition

Per usual, I've regularly been perusing the best reading material online; the Craigslist Missed Connections. Lately, there just haven't been any posts worthy of sharing... until I came across this one. The dry spell has been broken:

Now Playing: "Minds Awake" by Rumspringa
*Obviously

Music Monday: Neil Young & Crazy Horse

"Ramada Inn"


"Twisted Road"


"She's Always Dancing"



I really appreciate these types of music videos. It's always interesting to see vintage footage paired with modern music. One of the bars I go to in my hometown (Brillobox in Pittsburgh) usually plays old films and random videos on silent mode. I like watching the screens to see how it integrates with the mostly modern music being played.

Neil Young & Crazy Horse's new album, Psychedelic Pill, is out now.

It's Christmas Time in Krista's Head

It's not even Thanksgiving and I'm already extra excited for Christmas! One sure fire way of realizing that I'm in the holiday spirit is wanting to watch The Family Stone. It's one of my favorite modern Christmas movies. If you haven't seen the film, I highly recommend it. The entire cast is superb; Diane Keaton, Rachel McAdams, Sarah Jessica Parker and Claire Danes are among my favorite actresses. Luke Wilson- hot. Dermot Mulroney- hot. Paul Schneider- hot. Craig T. Nelson- Coach. Before 2013 rolls in, I'm sure I will have watched it an additional five or six times. I just love its vibe.














Now Playing: "Count On Me" by Jefferson Starship
*It's in the soundtrack! ;)

Happy Veterans' Day

Despite strongly opposing war, I support the men and women who have fought for our freedoms and defended our country. I am the daughter of a Vietnam veteran who lost not only part of himself in the service (his leg was amputated after stepping on a landmine) but he also lost close friends. I take this day as reminder that courage and strength are admirable qualities in all of us. Those who have served didn't necessarily choose their situation but they dealt with it. The pain of war is a scar that stays with a person for their entire life. When my Dad came home from Vietnam, he was met with hostile criticism. He doesn't talk about his time at war but the psychological effects are evident. If you know a Veteran, thank them.

Here is a picture of my Dad's Purple Heart medal. If I come across any photographs from when he served, I'll be sure to share.

Now Playing: "A Bad Dream" by Keane

*I think this song accurately describes the emotions many soldiers have gone through.

Automatic Writing: An Open Submission to Kanye West (Or Whomever)

I gift you with these lyrics that just randomly came into my head. I wasn't writing or even thinking about music at all. I was simply reading something that used "past tense" in a sentence. Everything else immediately built around that. The first quatrain is what came to me from out of nowhere. The second set of lines is what I wrote to group with it. I'm not a rapper, so I obviously have no use for this lyrical poetry. After the rap came into my head, I couldn't tell it to go away. I Googled the word pairings. From what I could gather, it seems that no one has used this ridiculously magical flow. Make it happen. You're welcome...


So light the incense
This is gonna be intense
The last time's in the past tense
This time it'll make sense

Hold on to your lenses
Before they go hazy
Dreaming of the day when things'll get crazy
Between you and me
The way it's meant to be
Always and forever baby
That's what they call destiny

Preview: Victoria's Secret Fashion Show 2012!

This year's show looks phenomenal! Props to whomever stole the songs on my playlists and selected The Doors' "Break On Through (to the Other Side)" and Billy Idol's "Rebel Yell" for the runway music!

Those Angels are beyond hot and I'm absolutely loving their costumes. The catwalk creations look more innovative and stunning than ever!

Miranda Kerr (above) is my favorite Angel. I think she may be the most beautiful woman in the world. But then, there's also Hilary Rhoda. Her flawless skin, rich hair color, feminine physique and piercing blue eyes combined with this sexy Irish getup is unstoppable!

The 2012 Victoria's Secret Fashion Show will air in all its gorgeous glory on December 4th at 10 pm EST on CBS.



















Now Playing: "Lake of Fire" by Nirvana
(Meat Puppets Cover)

#NoFilter: My So-Called Unretouched Life

Sometimes, I feel like I'm the only girl I know without an iPhone. The perpetually frustrated chick at the concert whose mobile isn't qualified to take a respectable picture of the hot lead singer. The social outcast at the restaurant who can't get her meal to look appetizing from the lens of her CrackBlackBerry Storm. The oddball millennial who doesn't own a single app to distract herself with while sitting in traffic. First World problems can be devastating.

You see, without an iPhone or a very similar device, there can be no Instagram. And without the intent to Instagram, why even bother taking that unworthy snapshot? Posting a picture without a filter is social media suicide. Didn't you know? Photographs without filters are illegal on the better sectors of the web. Pictures lacking a faux vintage hue are being shunned from the Twitterverse. Under penalty of law, natural pictures are banished to a dark, lonely realm of the internet, otherwise known as MySpace. Facebook is also becoming more progressive as it, too, is trying to abolish pictures that keep it real.

Filters have the power to transform a grey sky to blue, an unattractive girl into a model and your cat into a mythical being. It’s no surprise that it’s so popular. Who wouldn’t want to project the false image of having things in their life better than what they truly are? It’s only American.

Despite having skin as white as snow and a penchant for virtually talking to the birds, I have yet to take a sizable bite out of the poison Apple. My laptop is a PC. I lost my iPod somewhere inside my house years ago but didn't bother to find it. I buy records at the thrift store and at Christmas time, I turned down the suggestion of an iPad as a gift (I'd rather have the cash). I'm sure there's a bevy of other cool Mac products that my life is lacking but I don't care enough to find out what they are. I just haven't joined the tech cult. The thought of waiting in line every few months for the latest release that is unmistakably the same as its predecessor is laughable. I'll stick with the dwarfs and their modest approach to living- at least for the short term (pun intended).

Conversely, I've actually had a touch screen smart phone since approximately 2004; well ahead of anyone else I knew. Wherein my technology growth stunt lies, is that I get complacent. In the twelve years that I've owned a cell phone, I've only had four. Change usually doesn't go over well with me. Being adaptable is particularly difficult when you seem to have signed your cellular contract in blood. That's secretly what the red check mark on the Verizon logo symbolizes.

While I may not be the most modern girl on the net, I am learning the lingo. #NoFilter will eventually be a hash tag that I can use without a sarcastic undertone. By my estimates, when I finally do get an iPhone (sometime in the very near future, hopefully), Instagram will likely be obsolete. In its wake, all hipsters will be using the latest platform. This time around, I won't be left behind. I'm following the overexposed light. If you'd like to follow me, I'm @KristaRoman. I can't promise anything worthy of a RT.

Now Playing: "Nothin' But Time" by Cat Power

Quoteworthy: President Obama

Now Playing: "All Along the Watchtower (Live)" by Dave Matthews Band
*Like this cover the best!

Music Monday: Luvian

"Je'Ju" by Luvian


"Romaine" by Luvian



Luvian is a 20-year-old producer from Brighton, UK.

http://soundcloud.com/luviansound

http://www.facebook.com/luviansounds

http://www.twitter.com/luviansound

http://vibedeck.com/luvian

Luxe Living: 2012 Thanksgiving Decor & Style

 HAPPY HARVEST!

For last year's post on Thanksgiving style and decor, click here.

Now Playing: "I Can See Clearly Now" by Johnny Nash