Kinder Chocolate and Clouds

Tonight, as I walked the aisles of Wegman's with some friends after an evening of Illuminati: the Conspiracy and conversation, looking for dinner. I settled on a Chicken Pesto Sammich and Cranberry Splash Sierra Mist (and splash I did, all over me when I opened the bottle). We are a strange lot, wandering Wegman's on a Saturday Night. I was craving chocolate bad! Now, one of my favourite parts of Wegman's (i have a dozen favourite, by the way) is that they have quite the choice of chocolate available for consumer consumption. But what to choose? Hmmmm....I have a wide range of chocolate that I enjoy that ranges from Lindt, Black and Green, and Kinder Chocolate-of course I also include Dove, Skinny Cow, or Nestle.

Tonight was a definitely a Kinder Chocolate night! 

What exactly is Kinder? Well, it's an Italian Company that makes all sort of chocolatey goodness, some of which you have probably heard of already: Ferrero Rocher, Nutella, and even Tic Tacs (did not know about that one), but these are not the only products out there.

One day, some months ago, David and I were walking through the International Foods aisle. I spied some chocolate. I was hankering for some thing sweet and I figured-why not just pick something different and try them. As an avid fan of Brad Jones' work (Brade Tries..., Cinema Snob, 80's Dan), David and I thought it would be fun to just try something new. Well, I happened upon 3 yummy treats and tonight I decided to fill my choco cravings with the same 3 Kinder Chocolate treats, as I enjoyed them before.

All 3 are quite tasty, but I have my favourites. After a second try, the ranks go as followed: #3 Delice, #2 Country, and #1 Bueno.  

Bueno is is a hazel cream filled "trix" like bar. It it light and kinda of fluffy. Since I have a love affair with Nutella already, this is kind of the obvious choice. Now, Country reminds me of a Nestle Crunch bar with crispy rice, with the difference of white chocolate being on the inside, covered by milk chocolate. Finally Delice is basically a chocolate cake brownie thing and milky frosting covered in chocolate. It's kind of ordinary, but still very edible. I was not as excited as the last time, so it gets bumped to last place. Sorry Delice!

Ferrero is also the maker of the Kinder Surprise Egg, which is a hollow chocolate egg (milk chocolate on the outside, white chocolate on the inside, and a toy inside. While hugely popular in Europe/UK, they are currently banned in the US. Why? Not sure. Probably someone thought that American Children were stupid and would choke on the toy when trying to eat the chocolate egg.Kind of silly, but what can you do?

Anywho.....

Mix tapes are awesome in their own rite and they are especially awesome when you get one in the mail from one of your best friends from college. I blogged previously about one of my old college mix tapes made by the same friend. Now what you see (to the left) is the volume two of the same said mix tape. Behold the awesomeness of it! When I pulled it from the package, I was surprised by what I saw. Amy had called it a work of art.

Indeed! It is a work of wonderful art! It is kind of Steam Punk and Whovian blended together, with a bit of Steam Powered Giraffe thrown in.

The track list features a number of artists that are completely new to me and some tracks that I am familiar with, but did not previously have in audio format.

The bulk of the tapes includes the likes of Amanda Palmer and Neil Gaiman, actually 6 tracks.

Some of the tracks include Dolly Parton, Sarah Slean (whom I have seen in concert, opening for Moxy Fruvous once), Susan Werner, The Puppini Sisters, and Alicia Keyes. These are artists I am familiar with even if I might not have heard the songs before.

But there are a number of unknown/never-heard-of-before artists that I get to experience first hand and fresh, without a biased opinion: Bitter Ruin, Simple Pleasures, Wilco, Stump, Blur, and Biffy Clyro. Some really strange names, I will admit. I get a lot of people saying, "Oh you should listen to So-and-So, and the Such-and Suchs", but rarely do I take the time now-a-days follow through on the suggestion. I just don;t always have the time to devote.

In college there were many an artist that I added to my collection because of friends mix tapes or just hanging out in there dorm room listening to music. There was always time. In fact, that is how I acquired the eclectic collection I have. It has been a long time since I have added an artist on someone's suggestion, certainly nothing major since college. I don't normally hang out in dorm rooms anymore. This mix tape gives me the chance to experience the newness of these artists at my own pace, without feeling obligated. Besides, Amy has really good taste in music and she hasn't steered me wrong before. She did get me to NOT hate U2. :-)

Mix tapes are, in many way like a declaration of your IDEOLOGIES. I think it is very fitting that Amy named her mix tape, volume 2, Ideology.

Aggies dancing

Sheriff Ed Earl Dodd and Esmerelda

I have been rehearsing from "The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas" (since July) with Elmira Little Theatre all week and having a blast (rehearsals are getting intense as we open in 3 weeks). The pieces have started to fall into place. Got to see the Aggies work on their number this week. I caught the tallest Aggie standing on the bench during rehearsal and now he looks like a glowing angel ~giggle~. It was funny because as the Aggies were getting ready to rehearse, all of the whores/ladies rushed to the front to watch. It was like something out of a chick flick with all the squeeing and giggling! I have a turbo dance rehearsal today at 2. Another busy day in the life if this writer! More to follow, with pictures and such...stay tuned.

I leave you with some awesome cloudage from last week. We had an impending thunderstorm at sunset and the colour of the sky was such a lovely a shade of salmon and violet (depending on the part of the sky you were looking at). While I was taking pictures you could hear the rumblings of thunder and flashes of lightening. It was brilliant.

I get terribly charged when there's a thunderstorm, in a good way. Often I get really hyper. There is something about the freshness that comes with rain. Not only that but have you ever really smelled the air before, during, and after a rain/thunderstorm? Probably one of my favourite smells ever, after chocolate or the smell of a new book. The world smells new, clean.

 

Growing Storm

When the fog descends
downward from the hills.
I come alive
as the twilight un-furrows
it's shadows.
In the folds of my couch
I can see the fog's path
coming near.
Here my cats
playing amoungst the
houseplants
as the night world comes alive.

I can smell the storm
that brings this fog
unto my door
this night.
Is it merry mischief sprites,
they clown with my fears
upon this night.

I am well aware
that tonight
the fogs grows dense.
My mind is tense,
my stomach,
it clenches.
The hollowing wind
raises my hackles.

Will it pass?
or will it stay?
The cats
are alert and ready.
The growing storm worsening
and my own hunger threatens
my ears,
in a growl so low
that the cats hiss back at my
cozy abode folded into the couch.

There is only one thing to stop
this madness,
as I recall,
there is leftover KFC in the fridge
and my hunger shall abate,
at last.

2/3/2012

What I put on my mix tape....

Since I have posted about my old mix tape from college, I have purchased a package on 5 audio cassettes from Wal-greens (yes you can still get them in SOME stores). This was for Amy's 2013 mix tape. She sent me my and did a FANTASTIC job on it (pictures to follow). On the first listen, I love it!! Lots of new stuff, some older choice cuts, and a few weird surprises. Imagine Flash Beagle on a mix tape! That's Awesome!!

I thought I would give you an idea of what I chose for her tape. It was dubbed "The Allons-Y Tape" after both of our deep love for all things Whovian. It's a unique mix, with some old familiar tracks and some new stuff. My music knowledge has increased significantly in the last decade so I had quite a collection to choose from. It was quite afternoon project.

So, without further adieu, "The Allons-Y Tape".

Side A:
Annie Lennox - Why
The most lovely Annie Lennox song I have ever heard. It sounds like water flowing. Not to be super lyrical, but when I hear this song I feel like I am swimming in a gently flowing river.

Dar Williams - The Light and the Sea
This song I imagine to go with the character of Aven in "The Chronicles of the Imaginarium Geographica" by James A. Owen. An amazing YA series that is well written and you feel more literate after reading any of the books.

Celtic Woman - A Spaceman Came Traveling
It's actually a Xmas (Yule) song written by Chris DeBurgh. I really prefer the Celtic Woman version, Lisa Lambe sings it with a true passion.

Meatloaf - Not a Dry Eye in the House
I have never know Meatloaf to not have passion, but there is something truly heartbreaking in this song. It gets me every time.

She and Him - In The Sun
I was introduced to this song via a good friend, because the video featured a number of different dance styles (he was and still is big on dancing, ballroom style and what not). I was a big Zooey fan, so I took a gander and was wonderfully surprised.

Paul Simon - Kodachrome
I only recently discovered this gem from Paul Simon. I listen to a classic oldies station that LOVES to play this song. Something about the use of old camera film as the subject of the song appealed to me.

Sophie Madeleine - The Rhythm You Started
I first heard Sophie in the musical comedy duo Rocky and Balls. When I realized that she also does her own stuff, I was hooked. This being my favourite tracks hands down. Did you know this lady has a Master Degree?

B-52's - Song for a Future Generation
It makes no sense, but is REALLY FREAKIN' catchy!

Rockapella - Shambala
 I grew up knowing about Rockapella, but only because they were the resident group on the kid's game show, "Where in the World is Carmen Sandiego?" I bought the "Don't Tell Me You Do" album and then later "Smilin'" which is the one that features "Shambala" and "Here Comes the Sun."

Abba - Take a Chance On Me
I had a hard time choosing an ABBA song, as I have too many favourites to mention. I didn't want to just use DAncing Queen, even though it is a good song on it's own. "Take a Chance on Me" is just plain catchy and it (in my opinion) more likely to get passed over. So, I included it on the mix tape.

Sean McCann - Simple Song (I saw this performance)
Not only is it catchy, but the link I provided is from the actually concert I saw and where I got to meet Sean McCann and get a lesson in Bodhran playing. He is a really sweet guy!

Electric Light Orchestra - Strange Magic
My dad introduced my to ELO, partly because I played violin in school. I went through a big classical/violin phase in high school. I find the ELO dynamics just delightful. It's different and I tend to like different.

Pern - Song for Petiron 
A sequel to the first Pern CD done by Mike Freeman and Tania Opland. The songs were written by Anne McCaffrey and they created the music, expect when the song was already an instrumental piece and Mike and Tania created the song from scratch.

Side B:
Elton John - Goodbye Yellow Brick Road
Probably, no definitely my favourite Elton songs. It's very literary, but not in the direct OZ type way.The imagery, mixed with the piano, and the emotion behind it. Feels like an old book that you have read time and time again.

Susan Werner - Petaluma Afternoons
Something about this woman voiced so so sexy and rough!

Hannah-Rei - Upside Down
My friend Hannah, the other half of Rocky and Balls, also writes and performs her own stuff. I have had the pleasure of watching this song grow as she rehearsed, performed, and recorded the track for her FIRST full length album. Check out her stuff, Hannah-Rei!

Shonen Knife - Top of the World
Japanese Punk band featuring all Girls! Enough said!!

Weird Al - Pancreas
Al's Beach Boys-seque song about the Pancreas....also enough said. He uses the word Duodenum.

Crowded House - Weather With You
Another case of the imagery just just so lovely, that it became the standard favourite.

Great Big Sea - Sea of No Cares (Living Room Version)
I prefer the slower, melodic version of this song. The album version was far too produced. When they stripped it down, the true meaning of the song is more obvious.
 
Blackmore's Night - Rainbow Blues
Originally a Jethro Tull song. Not familiar with Jethro Tull, but I like what Ritchie and Candice have done here.

America - Horse with No Name
First heard this on the "Freedom Rock" tape set while riding with my Dad in his Dodge Daytona through the hills of Chautauqua County.

Phantom of the Opera - Music of the Night
 I got to see this musical 3 times. Got to perform this on violin in high school. Always wanted to sing it. Simply beautiful.

Amazing Grace
I love any version of this song, but for this tape I used a bagpipe version.

It's nice blend of my current favourite tunes and some regular classics. Hope you enjoy my little wander through my musical collections. Go check out some of this artists! There are so really amazing things amongst the selected artist/performers.

Nothing major else to post. Expect the regular Sunday post on Sunday :-). Later, Dear Readers!!

Mix Tape....What is this....the 1990's?

Alright, I missed a few days! Oops! :-)

I had a stage crew gig this weekend and was overly busy in general. It happens. Been thinking of ideas for this blog, such as reviews to do in the future, or topics of interest to the internet public. I still want to review "The Golden Compass", both the movie and book, but I need to time re-read the book again (and as I am still reading the "Inheritance Cycle", it'll be a bit before I get to that). I have another super secret review that I am planning, but it's also not ready. I think all y'all will enjoy it, but it's so secret, so don't ask! ~wink~ It's some GOOD trouble, as my Mentor is often fond of saying. I like that phrase. I also want to interview a couple of people and feature some of their stuff on "Here, There be a Writer". These are also in the works. So, what does that leave to feature today?

Well..... ~pause~

A number of ideas spring from a a single source have exploded in my brain lately. About a week ago friends-Amy and Richard-came down to visit (they live in Rochester) and one of the many topics discussed while during this said visit was our love of our old mix tapes. After all, we (the four of us) grew up in the era of cassette tapes and often this only way to get/discover new music when you were a poor college student; was to trade mix tapes with your friends. Of course this also goes for collecting concert tapes and rare tracks, something my husband was ever so fond of doing in the 1990's (still does actually, just different format). The CD burner had yet to come out, or was so new that it cost close to 200 dollars to purchase. Yeah, Chitlins, your parents, aunts and uncles used to not be able to burn a copy of their favourite band new album for their friends. We had to listen to the radio (gah!), or cassette tapes. Most of us had only the radio and whatever cassette tapes  we had lying around (sometimes record albums, although they hadn't made the come back yet). This was part of the reason, no doubt, how mix tape were born, because when you were bored you would make the mix tape and not be bored (at least that how it was for me). Often I had more fun making the mix tape, especially if it was for someone else.

This was the age of the late 90's, when you would hook your computer to your boombox (is that ever the right term now-a-days?) to record mp3's that you had gotten from Napster, Audio-galaxy, Scour, or Morpheus so you could record digital media onto cassettes. I used this method quite a bit, that and the CD to tape method to create my mix tapes; sometimes I would use tape to tape, if I could borrow my parents dual tape deck player, that is (mine had only one tape deck).

I made mix tapes not only for my friends, but also for myself. There is a kind of magic in popping in a mix tape and listening to the often eclectic track list boasted on most of these tapes, singing along, usually to the dismay of your suite mates or siblings (no one really cared). Songs that you grew up with, or that friends introduced you to and then they became your favourites, or those guilty pleasure songs (you know which ones).

In this modern age when most music is digital and  cassette tapes are hard to find anywhere, I like to harken back to my own cassette tape collection. It doesn't get a lot of use much lately, but I find comfort in listening to these very same tapes from late high school through college. I even brought one such mix tape into the 21st century and made a CD version of the track list. The tape which has been a crucial part of my car driving experience in the post college years. It is feeling the years and may not last much longer. I made this conversion in order to save the history of this particular tape. While the old tape still works-and it'll probably last until the cassette breaks or implodes, whichever comes first-I wanted to remember the awesome time and good feelings it sparks in my soul.

Featuring the track list from this famous mix tape that is lovingly dubbed, "Amy's College Mix", is a collection of tracks from my friend Amy. Because of her, I now know these song so completely that I think they are knitted into my DNA now. It also brings back a bit of nostalgia for me, "Well darkness has a hunger that's insatiable/And lightness has a call that's hard to hear..." from the depths of the boring real world, I have a little ray of hope and sunshine calling to me to sing along. From this tape I learned to love Great Big Sea, I discovered the musical-Scarlet Pimpernel, understood what RENT meant, hated U2 a little less, understood Amy a bit better, learned that the Indigo Girls had other songs out there that weren't "Closer to Fine", and discovered some new/new to me artists.

Amy's College Mix, Circa 1999ish

In the House of Stone and Light - Martin Page
Send Me on My Way - Rusted Root
Ordinary Day - Great Big Sea
Uptown Girl  - Billy Joel
Call Me Al - Paul Simon
Roam - The B-52's
Closer to Fine - Indigo Girls
Soul Cages - Sting
In Your Eyes - Peter Gabriel
Nightswimming - REM
You're My Home - Scarlet Pimpernel
Blister in the Sun - Violent Femmes
Kid Fears - Indigo Girls
Gimme One Reason - Tracy Chapman
Mari-Mac - Great Big Sea
Jesus' Brother Bob - Arrogant Worms
Birdhouse in Your Soul - They Might Be Giants
Tell Her About It - Billy Joel
Angel of Harlem - U2
RENT - Rent
I Will Not Take These Thing For Granted  - Toad the Wet Sprocket
I'm Going to Go Back There Someday - Gonzo
Into the Fire - Scarlet Pimpernel
Last Dance - Sarah McLachlan

This brings up the point that I wanted to make. I want to make a new mix tape for Amy (as she herself said there was a volume 2 in the works of the above mentioned mix tape). Well, if she makes me a new one, then I will make her a new mix tape (using actual cassette tapes too) of my current favourite songs/new stuff that I think she would like. What to look for? Maybe some Annie Lennox, She and Him, Celtic Woman, maybe a little Great Big Sea, Bare Naked Ladies, or even some of Hannah-Rei and Sophie Madeleine (two very talented British Lassies), might even put some Paul Simon or Indigo Girls (but different tracks on this one).

Question Time: Has anyone made a mix tape before? If so, then what have you included? What would you put on a mix tape? Comment below, in the Comment Section....