American Idol is the best thing that has happened to J-Lo's career since "Jenny From the Block"

Remember when they chose J-Lo for American Idol, to replace Paula Abdul or Ellen? Me neither.

But now her songs are making a comeback. Dance heavy, singing light, her songs always fun but not super memorable. Main themes: (I) She is a real person, who lives on the block. (II) Dancing makes the world better.

J-Lo top (according to me) discography, and fav parts:

1. Jenny from the Block (2002)- Hands down Ms. Lopez's best song. I) This is the song where she screams across the earthwaves that she is from "THE BRONX!". "Don't be fooled by the rocks that I got/ I'm still. I'm still. Jenny from the block." Then some dude in the background sings "everyone's got to make a living"... just in case you still thought she was selling out.  
2. Let's Get Loud (2000) - J-Lo's best dance song. "Let's get loud! Let's get louuud! Let's get louuuuuuuuud!" 
3. Ain't It Funny (Alternative Version) (2001)- A new favorite of mine, only because of the video. J-Lo becomes a gypsy, and dances You Got Served style in the center of the gypsy camp. 
4. Love Don't Cost a Thing (2000) - The lyrics to this song are key. "Think I wanna drive your Benz? I don't."
5. Ain't It Funny (2001) - Umm this is some key Ja Rule (the early 00's best known sh*t rapper). "Baybay. Is that your girlfriend? I've got my boyfriend. Maybe we can be friends." 
6. Play (2001) - (II) "Feels so right that it can't be wrong".Wannabe electro influences. 
7. I'm Real (2001) - (I) "I live my life to the limit and I love it". Because anything featuring Ja Rule  has to be included.
8. All I Have (2003) - J-Lo singing a slow song. With LL Cool J. (I): "I'm good/ Reppin' the girls on the block.

Sorry, J-Lo, "Waiting for Tonight" and "If You Had My Love" don't make the cut.

Looking to the future, J-Lo is supposedly releasing a new album ("Love?") this year. I'm not sure if this is really a single from the album (it's supposedly getting released on Tuesday...), but in the first 45 seconds you can tell it's already good: it's dance heavy, uses the phrase "It's a new J-LoRation", "references Inception, and might (?) include the word "badonkadonk".

Rain Time

First off, I totally stole this idea off my friend Shobs (I know, I'm a POSER... old school), who made me a sweet rain mix when I moved to Seattle. I also stole like half the songs off her mix, so props to her.

But anywayz, it's rain time in Seattle (aka life is a giant humidifier), and music always helps me get through gross winters. Seattleites- Enjoy! People where it snows in the winter- SUX 4 U. 

Playlist:

1.  Singin' In The Rain / Umbrella - Glee Cast Version featuring Gwyneth Paltrow
2. In The Rain - Estelle
3. The Rain (supa dupa fly) - Missy Elliott
4. Rainy Dayz (remix) - Raekwon feat. Ghostface Killah
5. Rainy Dayz - Mary J. Blige feat. Ja Rule
6. I Turn to You - Christina Aguilera
7. It's Raining Men - The Weather Girls
8. Rain - Madonna
9. Blame it on the Rain - Milli Vanilli
10. Kiss the Rain - Billie Myers
11. Foolish Games - Jewel
12. 3 AM - Matchbox 20
13. Fool in the Rain - Led Zeppelin
14. Who'll Stop the Rain - Creedence Clearwater Revival
15. Purple Rain - Prince
16. Umbrella - Rihanna feat Jay-Z

I just really love the Missy Elliott song.

Seattle's top 10 street murals: Part 3

(Previous street mural posts: 1 and 2)

When I moved to the U-District in the summer of '08, I didn't know that Tubs had been anything other than a deserted building with sweet graffiti. Apparently it used to be a sauna place (or something!). It was well-known for its sketchiness.

More than two years later, it's still deserted and covered with graffiti. While I wonder why it never turned into the condo with ground-floor retail it was rumored to become, I have enjoyed its rotating exhibits. New graffiti artists change it up all the time. There's even a flickr page so you can see how it's changed over the years

If you walk by the corner of Roosevelt and 50th right now, you'll probably see some of this:

The side of Tubs (facing Roosevelt)

I imagine Tubs now is way more interesting than Tubs when it was open

Some sweet tags

Front view

 

Mona Lisa peeking through?

Issian: Pre-movie eats.

Issian
Wallingford on 45th St. NE, in close proximity to the Guild theater.

(7.5/10 on my bangin' scale.)

It's Saturday night, and, like every couple in Wallingford, you somehow find yourself going to see the latest critically-acclaimed film at the Guild. You're hungry, and want to make a full date night of it.

One fun choice is Issian, one of the many Wallingford Japanese restaurants. This one specializes in small dishes. Japanese bar food. Noms.

Here's a tip: choose the 7pm showing of the movie, because then you can partake in Issian's happy hour. Every. day. of. the. week. 4.30 - 6.30. Small house sake $2.80, $1 chicken skewers (Yakitori and Yakiton), and $3 fried gyoza, among other options. If you happen to be with a group that wants sushi, you're in luck. They serve that, too.

Fried shumai and fried gyoza. FRIED > not fried.

 Another tip: Go with a small group, and sit at the bar. You get better service (the cooks serve you your dishes as soon as they're made!), and you get to choose what looks tastiest to you. That's how we chose the bacon wrapped asparagus skewers. These greasy beauties would have made Paula Deen proud.

Many a  meat skewer at Issian. Rightmost: Bacon-wrapped asparagus.

 And... if you get drunk enough on cheap sake, you might genuinely (as opposed to politely) laugh during the movie!

Seattle's top 10 street murals: Part 2

I've decided I'll make Seattle's Best Street Art a series. But only street murals are allowed.

Here's another favorite of mine in the U-district, also in close proximity to the Aladdin mural (in fact, on the outer wall of an art store). You can see it just south of NE 45th on 9th Ave.

Not quite Aladdin worthy, but who doesn't love seeing dinosaurs on their way to Trader Joe's?

Rap wars.

One day while watching music videos (like I do), I noticed this video is exactly the same as this video, only that Keyshia Cole has replaced Missy and Lil Kim with Nicki Minaj.

Does that mean that Keyshia has taken sides in the epic Lil Kim vs Nicki Minaj war!?!?

Hear Nicki's fighting words:


  

Then, Kim:



I think Kim won this round, but Nicki, unfortunately, will probably win the war...

I hope Nicki Minaj is the reason that Lil Kim is supposedly coming out with her first album in over five years. I hope this shit doesn't end up like the Biggie/Tupac feud.

snowtime

East coast blizzard of '10: 

Gertrude Stein in the snow, just as the blizzard started.

Sledders on E 36th St.

Cars were covered near Fordham at Lincoln Center.

It was difficult to actually get to the shore part of the Jersey Shore.

 

A taxi sliding up 3rd ave.