Monthly Archives: May 2015

#HappyFriday: Pop Culture Happy Hour

May 29, 2015

Hola Hart Beat. HAPPY FRIDAY TO ALL YOU ALL OUT THERE. Whew, now that I got that out of my system let’s move on. This week instead of giving you five Friday links, I want to share one of my favorite things to happen every Friday, the release of a new podcast episode of Pop Culture Happy Hour. And yes! this is the newest edition of the official Hart Beat Podcast list.

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Pop Culture Happy Hour (or PCHH if you’re one of the cool kids) is a weekly podcast published by NPR and hosted by Linda Holmes, Stephen Thompson, Trey Graham, Glen Weldon, Jess Gitner and Mike Katzif. The podcast comes out every Friday (love consistency) and uses it’s 45 minute time to have a roundtable discussion of the current movies, music, books and anything else pop culture related.

Each host has their own likes and dislikes and one of the things that I love about listening to it is “getting to know” each of them and then following along for suggestions. My favorite (sorry Linda and Glen) is Stephen Thompson. Mostly because he’s the ears and the brains behind the Austin 100 every year but also because he’s just so happy all the time and who doesn’t love that?

I don’t always agree with the hosts on their opinion of things but it’s a great way to hear what movies and books are coming out right now. The other thing about the show that I love is the end segment where the hosts present something called “What is making me happy this week.” In the segment each of the hosts in the episode give one thing that they are loving this week. It’s not always current or mainstream pop culture but it’s such a fun way to hear about new things to check out.

So there you go, Hart Beat. A great recommendation for your commute home tonight and all your future Friday morning commutes to come. It’s fun going back and listening to older episodes (especially of topics that you love) but I’d recommend just jumping into today’s episode. Also, have an actual happy hour tonight too. It is Friday after all!

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Top photo source and bottom photo source.

Celebrate! Jenny Lewis shares a new music video

May 27, 2015

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Breaking news Hart Beat! My favorite song of 2014 from one of my favorite singers for life, Jenny Lewis, has just released the official music video for her hit song “She’s Not Me.” Like her last music video release this one has an onslaught of guest starts including Fred Armisen, Zosia Mamet and Vanessa Bayer. The video recreates some of Jenny’s childhood roles in The Golden Girls, Troop Beverly Hills, The Wizard, Pleasantville. First of all, WHO KNEW JENNY WAS A CHILDHOOD ACTRESS?? I sure didn’t. And secondly, could she get any more beautiful?

Top photo I took at the epic Jenny Lewis concert here in New York this last fall.

Gardening in the city

May 27, 2015

Hi Hart Beat. How’s your afternoon going? The New York Times just published a piece about a couple in the West Village of the city starting an urban garden. I have so many things to say about this, the first being how is this possible for someone who has zero green thumb?

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Apparently the couple started their window and roof growing with just a few tomatoes plants. I never have but I’ve always wanted to check out the Eagle Street Rooftop Farm in Greenpoint. My roof in Greenpoint had so much room and sunlight but (and this makes me sound crazy lazy, the roof was four stories up in a walkup). Now that I’m moving into an apartment with the roof just one flight of staircases up, I think I might need to start trying my hand at growing things.

Even if it’s just some flowers and my lime tree that lives in the Berkshires right now, I would love to get some practice with my horrible green thumb. The article from The New York Times was oddly comforting:

“We didn’t know anything — we used Miracle-Gro,” said Ms. Trueman, 54, who blogs about the politics of food for Civil Eats and writes about climate change for Moms Clean Air Force. “But it changed the way I viewed things in cities. Whenever I was on a high floor, looking down, I would see all this roof space and say: ‘Wow, you could grow so much. There are no woodchucks or deer, no Japanese beetles. And so many things grow so well in containers.’ ”

What do you think, Hart Beat? Would you ever start an urban garden? You can read the full articles here (and thanks to the Times for the wonderful photos!).

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A Kitchen Revamp

May 26, 2015

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Hola Hart Beat. How’s your afternoon going? As I alluded to a few times this month, I’m making some big life changes this summer and am going to be leaving my Greenpoint apartment that I’ve lived in for the last three years and moving to a new apartment. With this upcoming move I’m excited to revamp the new kitchen that I’m going to have my hands on. More deets on the move to come (aka where in the world, Brooklyn, am I going and wtf why) but for now here are some great find that I’ve got my eye on for the new kitchen. Pretty much all I want is good light and white cabinets. I feel like both are doable…

What do you think, Hart Beat. Any suggestions on how to upscale a long, skinny, rental apartment kitchen without destroying the whole thing slash putting myself in the black?

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Bottom three photos via Homepolish and the top one via the Kitchn.

 

 

#HappyFriday: Amanda Seyfried, a trip to India & more

May 22, 2015

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Oh Hart Beat, the happiest of Friday’s to you. What are you up to this weekend? I’m going to see a friend from college (who I haven’t seen in over a year!) and then Pedro and I are going to try to grill on Monday down by the East River (pleasedontrainpleasedontrain). There were so many good long reads this week that I had a hard time whittling it down. I hope you like them and that they make your commute home a little more pleasant.

1. This blog post from Artifact Uprising makes me want to plan a trip to India. Stat.

2. Judy Bloom is back!

3. An honest and personal piece about the struggle with depression.

4.  Amanda Seyfried and Justin Long fell in love on Instagram. And it’s adorable. Plus I love this video of Amanda and her dog.

5. And finally, just in time for your commute home, how commuting is changing New York.

And to finish the week, the above and below are two shots I took this week for Instagram. New York and Brooklyn, you have my heart.

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A dream apartment in Malasaña

May 22, 2015

Hola Hart Beat. My five favorite readings from this week are coming up but before that I had to share this apartment with you that my friend Marina sent over to me yesterday. I met Marina four years ago (I can’t believe it was that long ago) when she and I both studied abroad in Madrid. I’ll never forget how we met. Marina just came up and started talking to me on the street and it turned out we both went to small liberal arts schools and were on their respective sailing teams. After I asked her why she came to talk to me. She said it was because I was wearing clogs.

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Anyway, when Marina send me this article I almost fell right out of my chair. Not only is the apartment designed in the most amazing way but it’s located in the our favorite neighborhood in our favorite city. On top of that the decoration of the apartment is based on a mediteranian vibe. Pretty much, to sum it up this is the apartment that both Marina and I dream about having. From the location to the decoration, I can’t think of anything more perfect.

“Esta encantadora buhardilla no esté en la costa, sino en el corazón del madrileño barrio de Malasaña. Pero su blanco interior, su decoración en clave natural y su sencillez nos hacen soñar con el sol.”

“This small, lovely apartment isn’t on the cost but in the hear of the Madrid neighborhood Malasaña. It’s white interior, natural theme and simplicity makes use dream of the sun.”

What do you think, Hart Beat? Want to take a spontaneous trip with me to Madrid this weekend? And Pedro, do you want the apartment to look like this? To see all the photos follow this link here (lo siento, the article is in Spanish but good news, the images are not!).

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Sorry tea, coffee is better

May 21, 2015

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Oh good morning, Hart Beat. How’s you day going so far? Me? Oh, how funny you ask. I feel great. And why perhaps you’re wondering? Maybe it’s because I have a delicious cup of coffee sitting right in front of me. About a month ago I made the jump from my daily coffee intake to tea all day long. Last week I woke up one morning and just thought to myself how badly I wanted a strong café au lait in my hands.

I hate to admit it (sorry Pedro) but I’ve gone back to to dark side with a little milk and sugar to boot. What can I say? Let’s be honest, am I really going to go the rest of my life without a cup of coffee?? No. The answer is no. What happens when I travel back to Spain? Or stay up all night binge watching Community? Or just need something warm that tastes good (as opposed to the sometimes bland teas out there? That’s right I said it.)

And with that, I raise my mug to all you other coffee drinkers out there. #Caffineunite

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Photos courtesy of the wonderful Need Supply Co. blog.

Madewell x Spotify Party

May 20, 2015

Hiya Hart Beat. How’s your night going? It’s been a crazy day and I’m only just now sitting down and catching up with my personal email and such. Lucky for you (and me) one of the emails I received an email about an event happening tomorrow night at the Madewell Williamsburg store. The brand is collaborating with Spotify (my fav) to host a listening party for three female singers that are working with Madewell right now. The artists, Sharon Van Etten, Lucius and Kelela each created a playlist under the Madewell Spotify account so you can hear what they’re listening to this spring.

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And there’s even better news, Hart Beat. They’re not just hosting the event in Brooklyn! There will be listening parties all over the country tomorrow night and you can find the nearest one to you by just searching here.

From what I understand the event is just a shopping event where you can get tons of perks like 60 days of free Spotify premium and a Bien Fait tote bag. What I think is pretty cool is that each event is collaborating with a smaller event company, blog or whatever. The one in Williamsburg will be working with the Greenpoint based Local Creative and that is pretty cool.

There are days where I love Madewell and there are days that I don’t. For starters, it’s a huge conglomerate of a company that tries to sell itself as being indie and a small business while actually driving independent, small businesses out of neighborhoods. On the other hand, I love their clothes.. Not sure how I feel about this dilemma, Hart Beat. Either way I’m going to try to make it out for the event tomorrow night (if only for the free tote bag.)

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I will be there

May 19, 2015

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Hi Hart Beat. Hope you’re keeping cool in this bizarre afternoon heat flash hitting the city. Tonight Carolyn and I are going to a Bates event at the new Whitney Museum. Check up on Instagram later to see if I can get some cool shots!

I recently discovered a new artist that I thought you would like, Hart Beat. Have you head of Odessa? Her debut album Odessa released last month, featuring eleven tracks (including the previously released single “I Will Be There.”) The album is great (I love her voice) but I haven’t been able to get rid of “I Will Be There” ever since I heard it for the first time. The video, you can watch it below, is also amazing (THAT DRESS).

The song is such a good positive summer feels song. This is the kind of song I would put on while pulling together a dinner for friends. Yup, that’s happening soon friends. As soon as I get moved into my new place.

Odessa sings “I Will Be There.”

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