BO2009 Challenge - Day 11

December 11 The best place. A coffee shop? A pub? A retreat center? A cubicle? A nook?

The best place of the year? Hmmm...this is slightly skewed, because of what I did this year. I would say for all those hot HOT days in May and July this year, my backyard became my writing haven. I spent a good 20+ hours in my backyard this year just writing. Sometimes grant proposals, sometimes blog entries and sometimes just random email.

After I found a beach chair that we used to use all the time, and hooked the laptop up to an extension cord - I was spending much much more time outside.

But nothing beats a shady grassy patch with a glass of iced tea, Rodrigo and Gabriela playing on the laptop and the sounds of the outdoors combined with the bomb wireless connection at my place. On a hot, lazy Sunday...nothing could be better.

BO2009 Challenge - Day 10

(so I'm going to do these in sort of weird, reverse order til I catch up - doing two or three a day-both the actual day and then one of the catch up days. word)
December 10 Album of the year. What’s rocking your world?

This is sort of a toss up. Lately, Train's latest album with 'Save Me San Francisco' and 'Hey Soul Sister' comes to mind because I keep coming back to it. It's groove, rock and soul all rolled into one. Pat's got a fantastic voice and of course, keeping it local is how you keep it real right?

The tracks are smooth and well mastered. I would like a little more acoustical grittiness on some of the tracks, but hey - can't complain. It makes me happy just listening to it.



But I also have to give props to the 'Glee' soundtrack. It's keeping me bouncing my way into work and downtown all at the same time. Lea Michele keeps on delivering the hits in her sultry yet pitch perfect Broadway tone. Matthew Morrison is my new crush and gives just enough attitude to songs like "Bust a Move" and "Golddigger" - the former LMNT member also can pour out a ballad like nobody's business. (see 'Alone' and the mash ups). With guest stars like Eve and Kristen Chenoweth (and rumored Idina Menzel), I'm only hoping that Broadway stars will have a new place to go besides Law and Order.



'In the Heights' also hit all the right notes for me this year. Cleanly urban yet with just the right hardness and cleverness of lyric, Lin-Manuel Miranda's tour de force brought Puerto Rico to a new light on Broadway and made me cry like a baby. I know it came out last year, but it was probably the one album that kept me going when I didn't want to go to work. Karen Olivo can belt with the best of them - and the family/countryman message at the heart of this musical will get you every time.

BO2009 Challenge - Day 7

December 7 Blog find of the year. That gem of a blog you can’t believe you didn’t know about until this year.

Quite honestly? I LOVE YES AND YES.

The writing is sweet and thoughtful. There is a good mix of cultural/artsy commentary, lifestyle advice and personal feedback. And the entries are short enough to make me feel like I didn't waste an entire hour reading them.

honorary mention (because I think I started following this tumblr in 2008)
One More Time with Feeling...honestly because Megan reblogs stuff like this..bwahahah!!

BO2009 Challenge - Day 4

December 4 Book. What book – fiction or non – touched you? Where were you when you read it? Have you bought and given away multiple copies?

This year? Probably Twyla Tharp's - the Creative Process or Anne Lamott's Bird by Bird. I referenced both copiously as I was reading them. Because I felt like they truly spoke to hidden parts of one's inner artist. Whether you're doing it from your living room couch or a 42nd street stage - everything in the books was taken from personal experience and then expanded into larger artistic purview. And neither woman expounded on failure or triumph exclusively. What both books made me remember was that "being an artist" is related to, but different than practising a craft.

Both Lamott and Tharp viewed their respective fields as crafts. You have to be patient. You have to be persistent. You have to have a pretty solid daily routine that you follow; and within that routine - you must constantly surprise yourself, update and change it. Both artists have goals that they then pursue organically. Lamott spent several years of her life trying to get her first book published. But she remembered to take the time to grow; she didn't keep trying everything that she had done before. She changed, she evolved and she got frustrated. Tharp, driven at a very young age started off as a dancer then got frustrated with limitations and turned to choreography to fulfill her artistic needs.

Both books are about seeking out behavioral patterns and self-awareness to have a better artistic experience. Both are incredibly amazing tomes

BO2009 Challenge - Day 2

Shortrib poutine with white cheddar at Salt House.

December 2 Restaurant moment. Share the best restaurant experience you had this year. Who was there? What made it amazing? What taste stands out in your mind?

The best restaurant moment I had this year was probably at Salt House for my birthday (read entire original post). All of the food was delicious and so well seasoned, and it was a quiet, intimate affair. We tried a lot of different things - all amazing. And well..it was my birthday!

The tastes that stand out in my mind were the braised shortrib stuffed ravioli that had me quietly bouncing and grooving in my seat and the buttery, rich pear bread pudding. I'm such a sucker for custardy, bready desserts - they're actually a lot like souffles if you think about it; just a tad heartier.

But of course it was amazing because it was my 30th.

the hallway

The Hallway from The Hallway on Vimeo.

Original installation: Miranda July
via JSquared


sort of neat right? sometimes i wonder if i am still in the hallway or do i have one foot out the door.

BO2009 Challenge!

Ooh ooh! The Best of 2009 Blog Challenge!

This is The Best of 2009 Blog Challenge. A challenge to get you reflecting on your year. 31 days, 31 prompts for writing. Starting December 1st.

How to participate:

1. Write on one or all thirty-one of the prompts for the month of December.

2. A post can be a sentence, photo or 3,000 word essay.

3. Link up your blog.

4. Tag your posts and photos #best09 on Twitter (click to view aggregate). Follow others sharing their stories from the year.

December 1st, 2009
Trip. What was your best trip in 2009?

A: Easy Peasy, Greece!Black Sand Beach, Santorini, Hellas

The food was delicious, the beaches gorgeous and wine country rivaled Napa.