subtext:" ...and they're all terrible."

“Albums now are a hit song and 11 other songs that are attached to it.”

(Diplo, discussing the process for M.I.A.'s new album in this NY Times article)

wildflowers

There are a bunch of wildflowers growing around the Stock Farm parking lot.

They'll probably get mowed down in the next few weeks; I think they become a fire hazard once they mature. But for now, I love walking past them.

The Black Keys, "Tighten Up"

This video from The Black Keys' new album, Brothers, is pretty much the only thing that made me smile yesterday. Via Pitchfork.

The Black Keys "Tighten Up"
 

The Black Keys | MySpace Music Videos

movies that i loved as a kid

You know how a feeling of nostalgia for something totally outweighs the rational fact that the something was terrible? My adult mind is absolutely certain that these movies that I watched (repeatedly) and loved as a child are cheesy, horrible things. And I absolutely buy these on DVD when I see them.

1. Troop Beverly Hills (1989). Shelly Long left Cheers after five seasons in order to pursue a film career; this was the first movie after that decision. *crickets*

I love this movie because while the troop attempts to conform to the standards of their organization, in the end it's their individual approach to challenges that allows their success.

There were lots of semi-famous child actors in this movie (Kellie Martin, Emily Schulman, Ami Foster, and Tori Spelling). Bonus: the actress who plays Long's daughter in the movie is Jenny Lewis, of Rilo Kiley.

"Scrapertown" by California Is A Place

Scraper Bikes is definitely a process, and that process is definitely for the kids, so they can get [their] mind off of what's really going on in these streets...(Tyrone Stevenson, Jr.)

California Is A Place is two folks (Drea Cooper and Zackary Canepari) trying to tell stories about this great state; they did an in-depth piece on Scraper Bikes -- a group of guys in East Oakland that ride around on customized bikes. Scraper Bikes blew up in popularity a couple of years ago, from a YouTube video that was posted. The California Is A Place video does a great job at illustrating the mission of the group (plus, it's beautifully done).

Scrapertown from California is a place. on Vimeo.

inaugural baking in new apartment

From this recipe.

Lucile Packard Children's Hospital prom

For the last 6 years, the Lucile Packard Children's Hospital has held a prom for the kids who attend the hospital school (that is, kids who are undergoing long-term hospitalization or rehabilitation, and don't want to fall behind academically). This year's prom was held last night; the theme was "Alice in Wonderland." Such an amazing idea!

Here's Kathy Ho, the prom coordinator, previewing this year's prom:

Hoover Tower, Stanford University

Mission Creek houseboats

During a photo shoot with First Exposures on Saturday, my group wandered over the 4th street bridge into Mission Creek. Our goal was to find, interview, and photograph native San Franciscans (tougher than it sounds), but we also encountered a piece of SF history: the houseboats.



Apparently having gone through a bit of cleanup itself, along with the rest of SOMA (Mission Creek used to be called, "Shit Creek"), the area now includes a dog park, a wetland restoration project, and new condos along the banks. The houseboat community has been there for the last 50-ish years (after being relocated from Islais Creek Basin), and has signed a lease with the city allowing them to stay until at least 2055.

Here's a inside tour of the houseboats, courtesy of Curbed SF.

The New Pornographers, "Crash Years" on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon

The New Pornographers, a truly enjoyable, fun power pop band, has a new album out this week called Together. One of my favorite songs on it is "Crash Years," which they played on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon on Wednesday night. You can see it below. Via Pitchfork.

You can listen to the entire album on NPR website.

Tevin Campbell, "Round and Round"

This isn't Tevin Campbell's first hit [he sings "Tomorrow (A Better You, A Better Me)" on Quincy Jones' Back on the Block a full year prior], but it is a great early one. It's a damn shame (and somewhat unfair) about how his career derailed just 9 years later, but I don't think that takes away from his talent.

The best things about this video:

• An initially disapproving, but eventually won over, Prince
• Tevin looking like a little man in an oversized suit
• A healthy serving of early-90s dance moves
• A breakdown featuring a limerick

Tevin Campbell - Round and round
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