From Texas, and LouisianaMississippiAlabamaTennesseeKentuckyWestVirginiaMaryland, to Virginia! - Pt 1 Louisiana & Mississippi

Disclaimer - This trip is fuzzy in my memory... R and I were both under some stress from moving so far away for the first time... and its the ONE trip I didn't journal.

R and I had almost 2 weeks to report for work in Virginia... and many states to get through before then. We loaded up both of our vehicles to the brim and headed east. I had bought little walkie talkies for us to use on the road. (before great cell reception and waaaaaay before texting...) We very quickly learned that our walkies would pick up every vile foul thing truckers were saying to each other, and to the 'ladies' who worked the truck stops. Ew....

Our first stop was in New Orleans. I'd been there several times before but never without family, making my own decisions on what to do and where to go. We stayed in a nice high rise hotel on Canal, at the intersection of the French Quarter and the medical district. Basically tourist central... I remember our hotel had no 13th floor.... if you didn't know, they're pretty superstitious down in the Big Easy.

After a good night's sleep, we set out to explore the town. We took the Saint Charles streetcar all the way to the levy where it turns around. Its open air and slow moving, so its a great way to get a look at the city. One of the most notable things about the streetcar system is that the drivers are extremely friendly with each other. Imagine taking a cab ride in NYC, only to have the cabbie stop the car everytime he passed a cabbie friend. This is what happens in New Orleans. Our operator woman stopped the streetcar at least twice when a passing streetcar was driven by a friend. Their conversation was what you might hear in a hair salon... A five minute discussion of who's doing what, with who, and when. Very much a laissez les bontemps roulez attitude. (translation: Let the Good Times Roll). I have a feeling that Mexican time can't compete with New Orleans time... R and I didn't mind the stopping. It was a great taste of the local culture, and gave us time to take a better look at the surroundings.

Tracks are spaced close enough for streetcar operators to
discuss their day as passengers wait, and wait, and overhear
intimate details of these strangers lives. Fun! - ummm not my image...

Inside of streetcar - again, not my image. I can only hope that
this is during Marde Gras and this person is heading for a truly good time!

At the end of the line, the streetcar literally turns around. Everyone on had to get off and stand to the side as the track spun in a circle, then they let us back on and off we went. R and I got off at the garden district and walked to Garden District Book Shop. I'd read online that there were free walking tours given by local old men most mornings. This was intriguing, and in hindsight I wish every city on the planet would do this! The book store was this cute little shop directly across from Lafayette Cemetery #1. Our guide was an old creole man that I can only describe as "jolly and also a bit curmudgeony". He took us and 5ish others out to walk the Garden District. We wandered through the cemetery and learned the history and culture of the Lafayette cemeteries.

none of these are my photos...

there are 5 or 6 Lafayette Cemeteries spread around New Orleans

Crypts are above ground due to the low lying land, beneath the water
table. Galveston Island does the same thing...

The idea behind the crypts is that each one is owned by a family. When someone dies, there body is placed in the crypt, either in the center slab or off to a side slab. Nowadays coffins are used but before the 1940s, the bodies were simply placed on the slabs. Its so very Buffy the Vampire Slayer in there. Once a family dies out, the crypt is put on the market and a new family will take over. I have no idea what the new family does with the old families remains....

cheaper crypts... not family owned

These 'condo-style' crypts are usually owned by the city or a mortuary. These are much more interesting. Our guide told us that they don't use coffins. The interred body is allowed to stay there for at least 366 days, or a year and a day, to rest. Then if the crypt needs to be used again, the body is pushed to the back where there is a large enclosed hole that goes down to the ground. There would be piles of bones 8 feet high as more and more people are 'buried' here. Super interesting!

Walking through the cemetery was a bit unsettling. An underground burial is so easy to dismiss and these crypts are so visual, so many of them are beautiful, and you realize that you're looking at, what is essentially, a house of bodies. LC#1 is the most famous, being the oldest, and has been the setting for many books and movies. We were there in 2002, so a lot of talk revolved around Anne Rice's Interview with a Vampire.

After leaving the cemetery, we walked into a neighborhood of Garden District homes. These gorgeous homes have survived centuries, first built as home, slave quarters, and stables on each block. As we evolved and no longer used slaves, those grounds were filled with more homes and stables, doubling the population density. Then as cars took over and the stables weren't needed anymore, these stables became smaller garage apartments, increasing the population density even more. An aerial view of the district now would show a haphazard, scrambled collection of properties. An urban planner's nightmare.

Every house that we walked by was gorgeous! Most were painted white, all were surrounded by picturesque Live Oaks, the air was humid and quiet, with birds chirping everywhere. Our guide took us by Trent Reznor's house (frontman for Nine Inch Nails) and the home that Anne Rice lived in while writing her Vampire books. We also learned that most Garden District homes have the ceilings of their porches (big glorious wrap-around porches!) painted a pale blue to keep bees and wasps away. An old antebellum trick that really works!

Before leaving our tour, we asked for a restaurant recommendation in the French Quarter. Our guide gave us a name of a restaurant and the owner's name, saying 'he'll hook you up'.

The next day R and I hit the French Quarter and Jackson Square. Now I remember Jackson Square from when I was a kid. There are face painters, sidewalk painters, buskers, etc. My parents had friends in New Orleans so we went there often. I even have vague memories of the 'family' Mardi Gras parade. I say 'family' because the French Quarter will forever smell of stale beer and pee, and the exotic bars all advertise with pictures of each of their dancers. I spent a lot of time asking my parents why the women had black bars of areas of their bodies... hmmmm.

Jackson Square was gorgeous the day R and I went there. The square was built in 1815 and named after future President Andrew Jackson for his heroism during the Battle of New Orleans in 1815. We visited St. Louis Cathedral and Cafe du Monde. We walked down Bourbon Street and I was able to reminisce about my childhood thanks to the stale beer/pee smell. :-) The architecture of the buildings is pure French and gorgeous. We found the recommended restaurant and had a great meal - I don't remember the place or the dish, but I remember it was great!

not my image... but everyone who visits takes this same shot... 

After visiting the Garden District and the French Quarter, we'd seen what we wanted of the Big Easy and so we took off towards Mississippi for more adventures. But first we had to cross Lake Ponchartrain. I remember a huge traffic jam that caused us to sit on the bridge for an hour. Fine by us - great views and the feeling of the bridge swaying were enough to keep us occupied. (I remember later telling my parents about this and making my dad very uneasy... he hates big bridge, especially if they sway!) 

In Mississippi we stopped at Gulf Islands National Seashore for a quick visit... Its RIGHT off the highway. We didn't have time for a hike or beach visit. We simply stopped at the visitor center at the Davis Bayou section of the park. Gotta get that park stamp!

We also detoured down to Pascagoula and Moss Point. I'd spent a Thanksgiving holiday there one year and fell in love with the drapey Spanish Moss that is everywhere! One road in particular that we needed to go back and photograph. (and of course I don't have the photographs anymore. boo)

Onward to Alabama and Tennessee to the Jack Daniels Distillery!
To Be Continued....

Best Travel Movies to Inspire Wanderlust

No travel blog is complete without a travel movie list!

A good travel movie is hard to find, but when you find one, it inspires the traveler's soul deep inside of you. This list is compiled from my hundreds of travel movie experiences to bring you the very best. These are in no distinct order, simply the randomness that is my mind....

1. The Way
   
   Filmed entirely in Spain and France along the Camino de Santiago, this amazing quiet jewel of a film makes you laugh, makes you cry, makes you want to fly off to Europe and start walking the Camino immediately.
   
   
   
   
   http://www.theway-themovie.com/film.php
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
2. Into the Wild
   Say what you want to about a spoiled city kid who recklessly travels into the wild only to (spoiler alert; but who hasn't heard this story!?) die in the wild; this movie speaks to the very soul of wanderlust. Just try not to eat the wrong shit and die alone. 
   
   
   Oh! And the soundtrack heavily features Eddie Vedder and his hauntingly poignant call-of-the-wild vocals. If you don't have it, go get it now!
   http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0758758/
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
3. The Art of Travel
   Finally a travel movie that my brother and I can agree on. Seduced by the title, this movie was a lucky find on Netflix one night. This movie is set in the Darien Gap (a place I'd never heard of), an undeveloped swamp and forest region of Panama and Colombia. The story is wild and adventurous; the landscape is harsh and beautiful. Plus, the last scene of this movie is the best thing ever!
   
   
   
   http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0448993/
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
4. The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel
   
   Proving that adventures don't have to stop once you hit your senior years, this movie is set in the most photogenic place of all, India. I had to watch this one - it had all the elements of a good movie - India, Dame Judy Dench, romance, India...
   
   
   
   http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1412386/ 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
5. The Long Way Round
   
   Two famous actors take their love of motorcycles and traveling on the road as they attempt to drive from London, heading east to New York city. Impossible you say? Watch the movie; learn of new cultures; see beautiful sights.
   
   http://www.longwayround.com/
   
   
   
   
6. The Long Way Down
   
   They loved it so much, they did it again! Ewan and Charley head from the northern tip of Ireland down to Capetown, South Africa. Never has Ethiopia looked so incredibly beautiful!
   http://www.longwayround.com/journeys_long-way-down.htm 
   
   
   
7. 180 Degrees South
   
   I first ignored this one thinking it was a surf movie. Then at the suggestion of a coworker, I looked again. This movie is so visually appealing, it brought me to tears. Watch it and learn some fascinating facts about the men who pioneered the art of rock climbing (I bet you own their gear....), and then sold it all to help a nation and the whole planet. Easily one of the most underrated travel movies, watch this one ASAP.
   
   
   
   http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1407927/
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
8. Before SunriseThis is easily one of my all-time favorite movies, and its set in the oh-so-photogenic town of Vienna, Austria. (Completely random sidenote.... My mother claims that if you want to see European castles, you MUST hit Austria and Germany.) This movie was literally filmed while walking the city streets at night. It has taught me many things, but the most important one is that sometimes you need to simply walk around and soak in a city when traveling. Its not all about tourist traps. Pick up a camera, grab your favorite person, and start walking around your town. See what you see.
   
   

   

   Ugh, who doesn't love this?!

   
   
   
   http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0112471/
   
   PS - open 2 bottles of wine with your best girlfriend, and watch Before Sunrise, Before Sunset, and soon Before Midnight (coming any day now to DVD!)
   
   
9. Out of the Wild: Venezuela
   
   Ok, so not a movie.... this one is a reality show. But it seriously rocks! Watch it and be amazed! Because of this show I now want to trek across this region of Venezuela.
   The first 2 seasons of Out of the Wild are in Alaska, and they are just awful. Don't waste your time...
   
   This is a Discovery Channel show and for some reason it has no website. Whatever... Here's a kick ass photo that offers the feel of the show.  
   
   

   

   and I don't know who took this pic... I got it here - http://imgur.com/gallery/z2wcy

   
   
   
10. Out of Africa
    
    
    
    A classic, this movie very slowly builds Africa as a character to fall in love with. For a film starring Robert Redford (love), to fall in love with the continent before the leading man is almost unimaginable.
    
    Now if only I could visit colonial Kenya in the mid-1900s with a guy who flies his own plane, I'd be set for an adventure!
    
    http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0089755/
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
11. Away We Go
    
    Guaranteed to make you cry, want to marry Jim from The Office, and go in search of your soul's home. OH! and it has a fantastic soundtrack. Buy it now, thank me later.
    
    
    
    
    http://www.focusfeatures.com/away_we_go
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
12. One Week
    
    In all honesty I don't remember this film, BUT I gave it 4 stars on Netflix so it's gotta be good. Check it out and get back to me.
    http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1104806/?ref_=sr_1
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
13. Kon Tiki

          M and I stumbled upon this on Netflix one evening. We had no idea what we were in for, having       never heard of either the explorer, the book, or the original movie that won an Academy Award 50+ years ago. It was amazing! Basically a story about an explorer who floats a raft from Peru to Polynesia to challenge conventional 1940s wisdom that Polynesia was discovered by Asians. I haven't seen the original movie, but this 2012 remake is great. Its full of gorgeous ocean scenery, very tanned blond Nordic men with increasingly bushy beards, and great animal encounters.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1613750/?ref_=ttmd_md_nm

I'm sure I'll think of more later, and I can't wait to add new movies to the list as they're released. Come on, Focus Features! Get creative!

Anyway, when wanderlust strikes but your budget is small.... stay home and watch a good travel movie. :-)

Vacationing in Northern New Mexico... part 3 - Campfires and Pecos history

ok... so we left off with camping and freezing, right?

We drove up into the mountains just outside million dollar homes overlooking Santa Fe, arriving at a gorgeous pine-scented forest service campground with the BEST campsites I've ever seen on public land. At 9,000 feet and with an afternoon storm blowing in (I'm completely convinced that it dumped snow somewhere nearby), it got cold pretty quickly. M went off in search of water (all the spigots were still shut off due to impending May snow), and I quickly put on layers... a long underwear layer, followed by a thermal layer, followed by a fleece skintight layer, followed by a fleece vest layer. To top off my ensemble, I pulled Lennox's Mexican blanket out of the car and wrapped it around me baby-burrito style.

I'm clearly more of a 'sun' person.

When M came back and saw me, he simply laughed and announced that he was heading out into the woods for firewood.... To keep moving, and keep warm, I worked on putting up the tent.

My man and his fire, keeping my feet warm

Reheating his BBQ sandwich from earlier in the day

We spent several hours warming by the fire, reading and talking, while unknown birds made foreign noises above us. M was in charge of keeping the home fires burning while I was in charge of discovering how awesome burning pine cones look. :-) I had leftover cake for dinner - using the theory that Eskimos eat whale blubber and Iditarod dudes eat sticks of butter to keep warm. Denial.... or Genius.....?

Finally the sun went down and I had to add a final layer to my very bulky frame.

Once the fire was out and it was officially too cold, I headed to the bathroom one final time. In this super-awesome campground there was only one issue... the bathroom. Bathroom isn't the term to be used. Latrine is more accurate. A pit-toilet in the freezing cold with spiders and beetles watching can only be described as a latrine. I had girl scout camp flashbacks.... (I should totally tell you guys about my experiences at camp. Another time.) I had taken the flashlight and the lantern with me into the outhouse, but was surprised when I opened the door and a motion-detected light came on. I was more surprised when the fucking light went out 70 seconds later, just as I had pulled my pants (all of my pants) down around my ankles and was hovering (NEVER sit...) over the hole! Before the spiders and beetles could attack, I calmly (re. totally freaked out) ran around, still pants around ankles, trying to find my lantern or flashlight that I had turned off in total confidence of the damn light. I kicked the flashlight into beetle territory and was not going to go fishing for it in the dark. I managed to get the lantern on after what felt like 5 hours. As I stood up, I triggered the motion-light and the room was bright once again.

Note To the Dumb-ass Latrine Designer Guys: Point the fucking motion detector at the toilet, not the corner by the door! OR change the timer for 5 minutes! Who pees, or worse, in 70 seconds from pants down to pants up?!

Anyway, after escaping death in the latrine I headed back to camp to tell M all about my experience. Humility is healthy....


M went right to sleep. I did not. I read until my fingers were frozen then burrowed deep into my 20 degree bag, still in all the layers and the coat, under the Mexican blanket. Throughout the night, as i got warmer and more claustrophobic, I pulled off the layers until I was down to just the one super-sexy electric purple long underwear.

The next morning - I really don't remember the next morning. There was no coffee. I remember that. The plan was to drive back down to spring temperatures and find a breakfast spot with cheap food and tons of coffee.

Once appropriately fueled, we headed to Pecos National Historic Site. M had a friend to see there and I had a passport stamp to acquire.

Ever wonder the difference in quality between a really nice digital camera and an iPhone?  Here....

Top: M's camera with a large battery... mine died. Bottom: my iPhone


Pecos was cool - and by that I mean cold, windy, and truly interesting.

An homage to geology?

I'm totally sure that goofing off for cameras is what the scary evil Conquistadors
had in mind when they built this chapel and killed any natives who wouldn't
submit to the lord.... yep, totally accurate.

heathen!

not to be outdone by the Conquistadors, the natives had their own
ceremonial chambers

heathen squirrel....

totally M's camera, my iPhone wouldn't get this awesome

After hanging with M's friend and touring the grounds, we headed back onto the highway and crossed the most boring section of New Mexico ever created. They really should have tested bombs here, and not in the mountains near the Trinity Site. 5 hours and tons of Todd Snider later, we were back home.

The unpacking took days, but the showering off 5 days of grime took minutes. Nothing feels as good as a shower after a long camping trip!

50 Awesome Cover Songs... Because This List Needs to Exist!

Alright, as several of you know, I have a deep and abiding love of cover songs. Not the crappy cover bands that dress up like Kiss or only sing Foreigner's greatest hits. I'm talking about really good re-interpretations of popular songs.

I was prowling Google the other night searching for new cover songs and was very disappointed. The only legitimate list I could find should have been titled "The No-Shit Cover Songs". They added songs that we all know. There was nothing new or interesting about it. Maybe a coma patient who'd slept for the last 40 years might have appreciated this list, but not me. So, I'm making my own list!

(I've added links so that you can see each song on YouTube... not all of them are visually interesting so just close your eyes and dive in.)


The Lennings - You're the One that I Want
This Austin band has covered one of the cheesiest songs from one of the cheesiest movies (Grease - which I LOVE) and has transformed it into an amazing ballad of love and devotion. (I'm totally jealous of my best friend who told me last night that she ran into them at the Austin airport a few weeks ago. They were performing this song!)


Ziggy Marley - Drive
Ziggy took an 80s staple and refined it in such a way that I want to lay in a hammock on a private beach every time I hear it. Come to think of it, I always want to lay on a hammock on a private beach somewhere.


Imogen Heap - Hallelujah
Never thought that anyone could surpass Jeff Buckley's depressing quality, but Imogen's version is even more haunting and beautiful. Then again, what Imogen song isn't haunting and beautiful.


Iron & Wine - Wild Horses
Iron & Wine stays pretty close to the original Rolling Stones track but its still fantastic.


Karl Wolf - Africa
Ignore the typical rap video ridiculousness... its a fun song.


Vanilla Ice - Ice Ice Baby / Too Cold
Vanilla Ice did what few artists do and re-released his own one-hit-wonder in an entirely different style. Bonus: for a laugh and a trip down memory lane... Ice Ice Baby


Limp Bizkit - Behind Blues Eyes
Um... everyone has remade Behind Blue Eyes. It seems to be a rock concert favorite. I love this version mostly because its an unexpected departure from L.B. usual annoying craziness.


Linda Perry - Baby, It's a Wild World
LOVE all things Linda Perry!


Marilyn Manson - Personal Jesus
A totally rockin version of a Depeche Mode classic. Anyone want to discuss the vjazzling on his cheeks?


Marilyn Manson (again!) - Tainted Love
Another totally rockin version of an 80s song. Loving the "goth thug" in this very video that revisits the fantastic spoof "Not Another Teen Movie". This is definitely in my top 10 favorite videos.


And..... one more from Marilyn Manson - Sweet Dreams
If the Eurythmics and Ozzy Osbourne had a demon child, it'd be Marilyn Manson. Just as smart as Annie Lennox, just as fucked up as Ozzy and his whole family.


Natalie Merchant - One Fine Day
I have a special soft spot for covers of do-wop 50s groups. They sung most songs so happily, no matter what the subject matter. Natalie's version of The Chiffon's classic is heartfelt and honest. Simply wonderful.


Billy Corgan (of Smashing Pumpkins) - Never Let Me Down Again
Another cover of a Depeche Mode song. They must know how much I love Depeche Mode. Billy sings this one as if he is the one taking a ride with his best friend... if his best friend were heroin. Whatever.. no judgement. This one is great.


Wheatus - A Little Respect
These guys are the reason I have a playlist on my iPod lovingly called "Annoying Boy Music". They rock this 80s pop song! (RIP Britney Murphy. Clueless wouldn't have been the same without you.)


Taken By Trees - Sweet Child of Mine
This chick takes one of the most iconic songs and really makes it her own. Well done!


Lady Antebellum - Learning to Fly
Great cover of a Tom Petty classic. Bet their video has a lot less skateboards.... Ahhhh the 80s.


Wyclef Jean - Stayin' Alive
Ok, not a surprise but he rocks this. Plus, bonus points for his sweet disco-esque dance moves.


Radical Reinterpretations - Never Again
These people cover everything but this Kelly Clarkson cover is my favorite. I don't even like the original version but I stumbled across this one night and its been a favorite ever since.


Bina Mistry - Hot Hot Hot
Who even recorded the original? Doesn't matter - sometimes I watch Bend It Like Beckham just to jam out to this. I found the DVD extra video on YouTube.


Muse - Feeling Good
The name says it all!


Chris Cornell - Billie Jean
Awesome gravelly voiced Chris brings out the meaning of the lyrics in a whole new way.


The Donnas - Dancing With Myself
Yes, that is what the song is about. Yes, girls do it too. I heart The Donnas. Stay bitchy, ladies!


Rachel Stevens - Knock on Wood
Club anthem! I can frequently be found driving the highway and dancing to this one.


Dixie Chicks - Landslide
This song was my soundtrack for 2 years when I was living in the Blue Ridge Mountains. So heartfelt and amazing.


Alex Parks seems to only do covers yet she does them well so I'm not complaining. She was on Britain's Fame Academy and has recorded a lot of covers. These are my faves.
Mad World
Yellow


Save Ferris - Come on Eileen
Remember ska bands? Where did they go? Anyway, thank god someone covered the second most annoying  song produced in the 80s (right behind Walking in Sunshine, bleegghh).


The Birthday Massacre - I Think We're Alone Now
An ok cover of another, way more fantastic, cover - Tiffany's I Think We're Alone Now. Ladies, go ahead and sing along to Tiffany. You know you want to.


Ryan Adams - Wonderwall
Screw Oasis. They don't do the song justice. Ryan Adams does.


Ben Lee - Float On
I simply love this song.The fact that he left in the mistake towards the end just makes him, and the song, that much more endearing.  :-)


Wyclef Jean - Your Love
Yet another great remix of a fun 80s song. The 50 First Dates soundtrack is filled with cool reinterpretations of popular songs. Check them all out sometime. I won't add them all here but they are great. For now, have some fun and dance along.


311 - Love Song
I love the Cure's version and 311 stays pretty close to the original style, with a bit of island feel thrown in. Another great hammock song from 50 First Dates. Adele also did a very cool version.


Shiny Toy Guns - Stripped
Originally recorded by Depeche Mode (love it!), this version is more electronic and has more of a driving beat. Plus the addition of a female lead singer really pulls this version ahead of the original.


Cary Brothers - Something About You
Loving the Cary Brothers! They are great and their versions of some great 80s tunes are a welcome addition to my driving playlist.
If You Were Here This cover of the popular Thompson Twins hit makes me wanna cry from the moment the melancholy guitar opens. I love singing this at the top of my lungs when driving (alone of course. M wouldn't appreciate it).
As I was looking on Youtube for the video, I came across another cover they did... a cover of Duran Duran's fabulous Ordinary World. I'm now buying it on iTunes. :-)


Starfucker - Girls Just Wanna Have Fun
Ignore the name of the band.... this song is fucking great. The original was great and this boy-led version does Cindy Lauper proud. (p.s. got this version from M... love it when guys have great music!)


Cowboy Junkies - Blue Moon
Remember how I said that these 50s bands sung everything all happy? Yeah, that theory came from hearing this cover back in college. Thank you Cowboy Junkies! They also did a great Patsy Cline Walking After Midnight.


Audra Mae and the Forest Rangers - Forever Young
This cover is so amazingly beautiful, both the acapella and the full band version. The full band version is off the Sons of Anarchy soundtrack. The acapella is simply a gift from Ms. Mae. This is the song I want played at my funeral. Feel free to sing along.     <goosebumps>


The Gourds - Gin and Juice
I NEVER liked Snoop Doggs version, but this bluegrass one is infectious. Turn it up and enjoy this guilty pleasure.


Flo Rida - Right Round
We've all heard it. It rocks and it was the best part of The Hangover. Its on my workout mix.


Anberlin - Enjoy the Silence
One of my all-time favorite songs by Depeche Mode has been redone with a harder edge. Perfect for those driving playlists.


Bran Van 3000 - Cum On Feel the Noise
From the 90s, this cover of the lovingly cheesy 80s hair-metal anthem is a great electronic pop song.


Katie Melua - Just Like Heaven
The not-so-great chick flick Just Like Heaven did one great thing.... it introduced me to this sappy amazing girly version of one of my favorite songs by the Cure.


Matisyahu - Message in a Bottle
Another song for the Hammock playlist. Great reggae-ish version of the Police classic.


The Raincoats - Lola
As M says - this version of Lola is a bit of a gender-bending brilliance. The Raincoats keep that gritty quality that made the original Kinks version so great. A great song to end the list on.


Hope you enjoyed it. I didn't even cover the Frank Sinatra covers - Brian Setzer Orchestra, Michael Buble, Harry Connick, Jr. - they are all great but so common that they just don't fit this list.

I also didn't include the great punk rock bands like The Clash, The Ramones, and Cheap Trick.

Feel free to add your own favorite covers.

Please let someone cover anything by Garfunkel and Oates! I Don't Understand Job :-)

Autumn, Why I Love Thee

It's officially fall - that time after summer when its not blistering hot out.  It's also autumn, which in Kristi-speak is the time when the leaves turn brilliant shades of colors that I wish I could turn into sweaters.

So, here is a list of why I love autumn!

Skyline Drive, Shenandoah NP

1.  That brilliant redish hue in the afternoon light as it streams down through red, yellow and orange leaves.  It must be similar to the rose-colored glasses that illuminate the cobbled streets of Paris, only more organic.



2.  Fuzzy socks!


3.  Crisp fall air brings with it clear blue skies


4.  Cuddling keeps you warm and happy (Like I really need an excuse to cuddle!)


5.  I can finally indulge my love of fuzzy sweaters and scarves.  I'm totally happy when I get to unpack all my winter stuff, & totally happy in the spring to pack it all away again!

Yummiest Book Ever!

6.  My inexplicable urge to bake everything in my Bread Bible.  I give most of what I bake away, otherwise I'd look like those creepy people on tv who are too big to get out of their house!











7.  Sleeping with my windows open is all the air conditioning that I need


8.  Did I mention cuddling?  It is important enough to repeat.


9.  Hiking is much more enjoyable for everyone living in the desert.


10.  Choosing the perfect beautiful leaf to bring home to loved ones

Hiking in Lincoln NF with CT

11.  Christmas lights are just around the corner


12.  The ability to listen to Vince Guaraldi for a whole month is one step closer!

13.  The knowledge that millions of bears are busy making new fuzzy baby bears right now as you read this!


14.  All those emails about Christmas wish lists and "what do you want for Christmas" texts.  Also searching for the exact right gift for loved ones.


15.  The fact that my dog blends in with fall colors better than any other season  =)

Lennox, the perfect fall accessory!

What's your favorite thing about autumn?
Happy Fall, Ya'll!

Trains, Trips, Vibrations and Zen

My visitor center desk offers a unique view among national parks.  Sitting at the desk, I can look out and watch people picnicking, playing and relaxing on the park grounds, while in the distance the ginormous Mexican flag blows in the breeze over Ciudad Juarez.  I can watch the hundreds of people crossing back and forth over the Bridge of the Americas and through the park.  On beautiful sunny cool days, like today, we like to open up the doors, air the place out and let the breeze come in.  Other things come in as well; some flying insects, visitors, and the sound of the border-rail train.  Today I was listening to the train's whistle and it conjured up tons of traveling images/memories in my mind.

floating the Comal with my brother and mom - I may look calm and relaxed but I was always a bundle of nerves on the water.  Just waiting for something to bite me on the butt, or brush by my leg - anything that might kill me or shock me to death.

Whenever I hear a train whistle, I always get a little melancholy, a little nostalgic and a little antsy to plan my next road trip.  Why?  I think it has something to do with a memory of the train that runs around New Braunfels, TX.  Every evening, my middle school best friend and I would hang at the playground of the resort we vacationed at each summer.  We would swing in the breeze, listening to the sounds of the river that ran all around us and, occasionally, the train would whistle as it made its way through town.  Those evenings were so carefree.  Two young girls on vacation, skin still sun-warmed from floating on the river all day.  (Ugh, does anyone else miss summer?  Not summer the season, Summer the time of no school and no responsibilities.  I think we'd be better as a society if adults had some Summer.)

ah summer... Jen and I floating the river

teenage girls do NOT want to hang with their dad.  However, mine is cool, so we let him in the photo.  -)

Anyway, back to my melancholic ramblings...  I believe there is some science behind feeling pensive or melancholy when hearing a train whistle.  See, most freight trains whistle in minor chords.  (Have I mentioned that I was a band nerd?  No, well get ready!)  Minor chords are responsible for the creepy, the sad, the moodier feelings we humans can experience.  The motion picture industry knows this and uses it to their advantage.  The Orphanage wouldn't have made me cry scared-tears without the kick-ass mood music it used.  We are surrounded constantly by music that is specifically designed to make us do something, to feel something.  Ever wonder why you sometimes buy something that you later realize you don't like?  Chances are you, or the subconscious you, liked the music playing in the store.  So, you see, we are naturally tuned to feel certain things when we hear minor chords.  But why do we feel what we feel?

I think it has something to do with sound vibrations and what they do to us internally.  Certain sound vibrations will match our nerve vibrations and we interpret them as pleasing and happy.  Others do not match our own vibrations, causing a discord, and we interpret these as sad, creepy or unhappy, etc. 

(This same idea can be applied to colors and I fully believe this is why I love red-rock Utah so much!  My body is in tune with the reds and makes me feel at home.)  We are under constant barrage of vibration information from sounds, light waves, electromagnetic fields, etc.  So basically go find a place where you feel happy and stay there, or try to recreate it at home.

Me, loving my red rocks, hanging on top of a 3,000 ft drop.

I'm sure there are tons of articles on the internet regarding sound waves and their effects on moods but I'm not going to search for them all!  I have better things to do, like watch this 40 minute video of soothing music mixed with nature sounds and natural scenes.  Its as narcotic as an entire bottle of Tylenol PM.  Enjoy this moment, or hour, of zen.  I need to start brainstorming my next trip.

Driving into the Ocean... It Could Happen.

Ok, so my earliest memories of traveling were road trips to Louisiana with my mom to visit her bf.  What I remember, or have been told, is that there was lots of singing - Patsy Cline, Mac Davis, Mel McDaniel (who sang Louisiana Saturday Night).  Little girl me in the back, big girl mom in the front - braving the interstate with no cell service and no males! (I will revisit this scenario in a few more years... stay tuned.)  This must have instilled the need for road trips, and road trip tunage, at an early age.  It also was the start of yearly migrations across damned interstate 10!

A few years later, while heading on yet another family trip down 10 east, my father passed down a bit of travel wisdom.  He told his young, naive, impressionable daughter to 'make sure daddy stays awake and doesn't miss the exit or we'll fly right into the ocean'.  YES! You read that right - playing mind games with small children and toeing that screwed-up-for-life line.

Here, I'll illustrate it for you so you truly get the horror that was going through my mind:

With this image in my head for years, its truly remarkable that I ever drove near a body of water again.  Needless to say, I made sure that everyone in my car stayed awake and paid attention, hopefully annoying every adult in the process.  Serves them right.

A few years later, 'daddy' would play a similar prank on my grandfather by explaining to me that I needed to remind my poor forgetful grandpa to check his gas gauge constantly as we motorhomed it to Ohio.  I did my duty, and was anxious the entire vacation.

Now that I've grown up, I can see that those roadtrip antics weren't things I needed to worry about.  Ok, maybe the gas thing.  Only god and myself know how many times I promised something in return for making a gas station appear on the dusty desolate horizon!  Behind the wheel is where I feel most comfortable (ahem, cough, cough, control freak) and this is a good thing as I'd spend the majority of my 20s crossing the US, back and forth.  Kinda like Forest Gump, same good tunes but way less hairy.