smart! by K.Rae

Our European Adventure has officially begun!  This evening Gigi and I are taking a train to Munich.  Obviously, we will not be able to blog in our normal capacities.  Therefore, I will be reposting some favorites from last spring and summer, when I first started smart!, and which you probably missed.  There will be some new content here and there, and maybe some live updates from the road (depending on internet access).

We’ll be back in (mostly) full form on July 13th!

’til then,
K. and Gigi

Today is another day on the road for us, this time to Barcelona.  Paris is fabulous, but I am ready to feel some sand between my toes.

I’ve had some miscellaneous bits of travel wisdom running through my mind lately, and thought I’d share.

1. If you’re an American citizen traveling abroad, register your trip with the State Department.  If something happens while you’re away, it will be much easier for the local Embassy to do their job if they know you’re in the country (as opposed to not knowing until they get a frantic call from your loved ones).
2. If you’re using public transport (planes, trains, etc.), please, please, PLEASE be considerate of those with chemical sensitivities.  This means no perfumes, scented lotions, hairspray…anything that somebody could smell if you walked past.
3. Make an effort to communicate in the local language, even if it’s just hello, good-bye, and thank you.  The native speakers around you will appreciate it.
4. My number one rule for packing light: if you can’t easily carry your suitcase up and down a flight of stairs (or two, or three), you’ve overpacked.  Go back and reevaluate your suitcase.

I’m sure I’ll have some more thoughts once I’m back home. Until then, what are your best tips for traveling?

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(originally posted 6.18.08)

Last week I gave you the gift of the Italian National soccer team in D&G suits. This week, I’m offering you my current musician crush (because musician trumps athlete any day), Matthew Santos.

Santos is insanely talented (I’m listening to his debut album, Matters of the Bittersweet, as I type), with a soulful voice that belies his 25 years. His folksy, emotional songs are the type you listen to, then name drop so you can feel musically superior to others.

Oh, and did I mention that he’s totally hot?

For some Matthew Santos 101, check out this video:

Yeah…I haven’t decided yet if this clip’s lame or awesome. Needs less Rachel Whatsername and more Dirty Musician.

Ed.: Santos released a new live album a couple of months ago.  I have it and can highly recommend it.  Download it for just $5 from his website.

Here’s a more recent Santos interview/performance:

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(originally posted 4.24.08)

On my winter break last year, I remember sitting down to watch the “Baby One More Time…” episode of Fuse’s series, Videos That Rocked the World. Tori Amos, a contributor to the series, commented that after seeing Britney Spears’ risque debut video, she knew the era of the female singer-songwriter was over.

Now, in the wake of Britney Spears’ meltdown, Christina Aguilera’s cleaning up her act (sort of), and the dismal projected first week sales of Ashlee Simpson’s latest album, is the female musical equilibrium finally coming full circle? Is the return of the female singer-songwriter upon us?

While she’s perhaps best known at this point for her Apple iPod nano commercial, Feist, or, as her parents know her, Leslie Feist, could be our greatest hope for saving pop from itself. This thirty-something, ponytail-wearing Canadian, who traded through no less than four guitars during her concert on April 22nd at Ohio University, is a breath of fresh air after a decade of barely legal girls in bleach blond extensions.

Like her natural, indie girl image, Feist’s music is completely transparent: what you see is what you get. She spent the middle part of her set alone, just a girl, a couple of guitars, and a loop pedal. As a music student, I’ve been amazed at the things classical musicians are doing with audio loops. Feist’s use of the technique may not be as avant garde, but it is extremely effective in this popular setting. It’s refreshing to watch as music is mixed and recorded in front of your very eyes, as Feist did by whistling out the bird accompaniment to Park, or improvising the various levels of the tritone background vocals to Honey, Honey.

Feist is the real deal. Her voice was perfect the entire hour and a half set. She never missed a note, her support never wavered. Her band was equally impressive, but the guitar-wielding Feist was the unequivocal star of the night. Hers isn’t a huge guitar show, but there were a couple of points where she and her band guitarist traded solos, and she totally rocked out, an indication of her punk/rock roots.

The show itself was rather low-tech: effects included a disco ball, the pre-existing stage lighting, an overhead projector plus props, and some balloons. Behind a performer of Feist’s caliber, the effects came off as artistic and thoughtful, with just a touch of irony. But then again, this is a woman who could perform on a street corner or some shitty dive bar, and still kick her audience’s ass. She creates a mood with her music that can only be described as magical.

If you have a chance to see Feist, under no circumstances should you pass it up. To see her upcoming tour dates, check out her official site or her MySpace page.

To listen to my recordings of 1234 and Mushaboom, click here. I’ll be adding more recordings later.

Gigi and I rolled into Paris this morning.  It’s my second visit, but Gigi is popping her City of Light Cherry.

I love Paris. I want to live in Paris and just soak up its fantastic-ness all day.  Unfortunately, that won’t happening anytime soon

That’s why, when I get home (and, um, when I have a job), I plan on ordering this amazing map of Paris from Famille Summerbelle Octopus:

It’s designed for children’s rooms, but why on earth would I use this for a child when I’m the one who appreciates Paris’s charm and magic?

Is your Paris dream just that: a dream? Or have you been fortunate enough to visit already? What would you see/do/visit first if a gratis plane ticket were to suddenly drop in your lap?

via A Cup of Jo

In honor of my return to Germany, here are some photos I took to document my culture shock.

Enjoy!

The toilets tell men to sit down while they pee.

The kethchup is dispensed through an udder.

They park like this.

They give places funny and long names.

They have castle ruins pretty much everywhere.

Do you have any culture shocked moments to share? Comment us!

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