Restaurant Week: Leslie and I at Cuba Libre. As always, the food was magnificent and it was soooooo lovely seeing Leslie again! Isn't she gorgeous? (Please ignore my cleavage!)

Restaurant Week: Amy and I at Zanzibar Blue. I'm smiling way too hard. But the food was great! (Mac n' Cheese with BBQ beef - who knew?!)

Justine, Tash and Lura at Zanzibar Blue. Note the mirrors and the picture of the half naked woman.

"A dreaded sunny day."

Actually, not dreaded at all - but more than welcome! It is 1 PM on a Saturday and already it's been like, the greatest day ever! I woke up early (as I opted to stay in last night and watch 80s film classics, due to my extreme state of exhaustion), showered and decided to go pick up eggs and milk. I walked outside at around 10 o'clock and was confronted by the most gorgeous day one could imagine. I do hope all of you are out there enjoying it.

Anyhow, I came back, fixed myself some scrambled eggs, called my sister, and watched an episode of Curb Your Enthusiasm. That show is hilarious. Thank god for Video on Demand. Then I decided that I just needed to get out there and do something. So I hopped on my good ol' bike and went for a spin around the Schulkyll (is that spelled correctly? God, I should know this...). It was BEAUTIFUL (yes, the Schulkyll, despite the sewage, can be beautiful sometimes). Everyone seemed like they were in a really good mood. I had my iPod, which kept fortuitously turning out Stevie Wonder tunes - which actually went fantastically with my mood. Then, as I was biking back to 4238 Spruce, Life is a Highway came on - and my goodness, I cannot even describe how perfect it was. I believe everyone's life should have a soundtrack - all the time.

Now I'm here, and deciding what I should do next. I do have a lot of work to do. Plus interviews coming up. And my room could use a good cleaning. But jesus, the weather is SO NICE! Whelp, what I am sure I am going to do is pull up the blinds (actually they are already up, that's a big lie) to my bay window, let the sun shine in, and put on some Belle and Sebastian. If She Wants Me will do quite nicely. Perhaps a walk then. With my camera. Ah yes. Good plan.

Enjoy your day!

p.s. Title of post is from Cemetry Gates by the Smiths - get it now!!!

Musik - nochmals!

Ben Folds concert at the Electric Factory

Download some Tegan and Sarah - "Where Does the Good Go" and "City Girl" are a good start

Loving the Brigitte Bardot and Serge Gainsbourg duet - Bonnie and Clyde

More concerts!

Kimmel Center concerts:

Bright Eyes with Feist and the Magic Numbers!
Emmylou Harris
Brad Mehldau
The Black Watch (British Isles theme - pipers, Celtic dancing, etc.)

Check the Kimmel Center website.

I can bust on Wharton because I have to deal with this shit.

Haha, I find this school more ridiculous all the time. A poll, located on MySpike (Wharton's student portal):

What emblem do you prefer on your shirts?

Alligator
Flag
Golden Fleece
Moose
Pony
Sailboat
Tiger
Whale
Wharton
Anything, as long as the collar's popped


Clearly, these are the vital issues facing tomorrow's business leaders.

The birthday kids! Justin and my old roomie - Terry Shu!

Jason, pitching his "short shorts" party idea. It's funny, right?

Terry and Justin's Party: This is the most pissed-off I've ever looked in a picture. If you have details pertaining to why I was so angry at Josh, please relay them to amelinda@wharton.upenn.edu as soon as convenient, so I may properly address the night's proceedings. =)

Tom molesting Mike at Justin and Terry's party.

My life has been consumed by the Wharton monster!

Clearly, I haven't written for awhile and the title explicitly states why. My classes seem great, but hard as balls, so we'll see how I manage. Plus - it's recruitment time, yippee!! Haha, there was some seriously heavy sarcasm there.

I have tons I need to write in here: my trip to Connecticut, hearing from an old flame of sorts, Jason's birthday party, Justin and Terry's birthday party, etc. etc. But unfortunately, I don't have the time to now. I have posted pictures from some of these events online, you can check them out at http://photos.yahoo.com/melindaupenn.

What I am going to do right now, however, is some music updates. I just got the new Blender and have lots of thoughts on their Top 500 songs lists (which I won't go into now), but I would recommend those of you who are interested, should take a look and let me know how
you feel about it.

Upcoming concerts (I am SO excited for these):
Sep. 28 - Sufjan Stevens at the TLA
Oct. 2 - Beck, Belle and Sebastian, Polyphonic Spree, and others at the Across the Narrows Festival at Keyspan Park, Coney Island
Oct. 25 - Death Cab for Cutie at the Electric Factory

Those being already purchased and confirmed, I would like to present some ideas for future concerts, which, should anyone want to go, I would be happy to attend. So let me know if you are interested in going to any of the following:
Oct. 14 - Franz Ferdinand at the Tower Theater
TLA Concerts: Broken Social Scene, Clap Your Hands Say Yeah (for charity), Richard Lewis (could be fun), Gang of Four, Echo and the Bunnymen
Killers/British Sea Power in Atlantic City

I feel like there were more but I can't think of them now. Anyhow, I'm always up for live music, so get in touch if there's something you want to go to.

Anyhow, artists/albums y'all should check out.

1. The Magic Numbers, The Magic Numbers
Extremely popular in the UK right now, highly pleasant, recommended by Chris Martin - I'm loving this band.

2. Bang Bang Rock & Roll, Art Brut
Not for everyone, that's my disclaimer. Described in some review I read as "art punk". I dig it though. Here's a quick excerpt from some lyrics "My little brother just discovered rock and roll; there's a noise in his head and he's out of control." Lots of rhyming, lots of statements, not necessarily a lot of singing. I would download "Emily Kane" and if you like that, then download more.

3. Illinoise, Sufjan Stevens
I mentioned this, but I felt I should reiterate how wonderful and beautiful it is. Gorgeous, touching, extremely easy on the ears. I love it. He's a genius.

4. Plans, Death Cab for Cutie
Another stellar album from Seth Cohen's favorite band. There's really no more to say.

5. Black Sheep Boy, Okkervil River
I find his voice soothing and the lyrics quite clever. King and A Queen is my favorite song off of this one.

6. Albums to check out soon (but that I haven't yet)
Takk, Sigur Ros - supposed to be amazing
New Franz Ferdinand - coming out Oct. 4, I think
New Kanye West - Tom, can I borrow this?
Twin Cinema, New Pornographers - I haven't had any downloading success with this yet

Now, artists that you, my faithful audience, should explore, for one reason or another. (Intro song is in parentheses)

Grand Buffet (Americus or Benjamin Franklin Music)
Andrew Bird (50 Pieces)
Dresden Dolls (Coin-operated Boy)
Erasure (Stop! or Take a Chance on Me or Always)
The Rapture (House of Jealous Lovers or Out of the Races and onto the Tracks)
Spoon (I Turn My Camera On or The Way We Get By)
Sleater-Kinney (Modern Girl)
The Russian Futurists (Two Dots on a Map)
The Go-Betweens (Born To a Family)
Amos Lee (Arms of a Woman)
Stars [opening for Death Cab] (Set Yourself on Fire)

Other stuff I've been listening to lately: a lot of White Stripes, Supertramp, the Pixies, Elvis Costello, revisiting some Weezer currently, Goldfrapp, the Libertines - the Futureheads cover of Kate Bush's "Hounds of Love" is great. I don't know. Tons of stuff. Have I mentioned how much I love my iPod? *Thought you might be wondering about the flourish of music stuff and its catalyst.*

So that's it for now. Please feel free to comment on this and any other of my musically-inclined posts (or any posts, really). I would like to hear what you liked, loved or hated. And I sincerely welcome any recommendations of your own.

Ugh. So back to work I guess. Ciao!

Are these really today's role models for little girls?

I received a sample of the new Paris Hilton perfume today at Douglas and was both shocked and appalled by the "description" of the scent. Here goes (directly copied from package - including caps):

Paris Hilton

Paris is sharing the spotlight with her first Perfume.

Like Paris herself, it is Mysterious, Intriguing and Beautiful. Rich in its appeal, it defines that moment in time when powerful sensuality and breath-taking beauty are captured in a way that all can enjoy.

Share a bit of the magic that is Paris Hilton. Find out what it smells like to be a Star.




That's right kids - find out what it SMELLS like to be a star. I don't even think I really need to comment here. Just thought I'd share that with everyone. Honestly I cannot read it without simultaneously laughing at the ridiculousness of the present and weeping for the future. Cheers, Paris.