Goodbye Turner's Mill, Hello Rosewood Grill

When Turner's Mill closed a couple years ago, my family was not only shocked but saddened. This swanky yet inviting Hudson establishment had been one of our absolute favorites - whether it was to enjoy a drink while listening to live jazz music or to celebrate with an equally exquisite and comforting meal during a visit home from college.

It has seemed like a loong two years since Turner's Mill closed its doors, but *finally* a new restaurant has opened in its (almost non-recognizable) place: Rosewood Grill

Last week, it was quite obvious that I wasn't the only one anticipating Rosewood Grill's debut - after all, I happened to go on its very SECOND day of existence, and was welcomed to a packed house and over an hour wait. However, this was not necessarilly a bad thing because I was with close friends and this gave us the opportunity to soak in the classy and warm atmosphere of the bar. A completely new addition and absolutely beautiful - although crowded, it was somehow still comfortable, and the martini/wine/beer lists are impressive.

Upon being seated, we quickly ordered hors d'oeuvres - which proved to be a tough decision because everything sounded insanely delicious. We compromised on the calamari and flatbread w/ brie & caramelized onions. Both were surprisingly generous portions, each tasting superb - the calamari was especially a hit.

A downfall I cannot neglect to mention was the excessive delay to receive our entrees - however, we all reminded each other that the Rosewood Grill had only been open for two days (although by the way they were on top of nearly everything else, one would never have guessed!) and understandably were working out the timing of their kitchen and service. A definite bonus was, again, the atmosphere - the exposed brick of the dining area exuded coziness while the table settings and lighting were simply sophisticated.

My friends ordered the roasted chicken and lobster rolls (made with yogurt instead of mayo was the selling point) while I ordered an Asian chicken salad - all dishes were undeniably fantastic. Although, next time I'll be a lot more adventurous with my selection. . .

Overall - the Rosewood Grill is a restaurant I would highly recommend to those planning a night out with their friends as well as those craving a romantic date spot. This is also a place one could suggest to even the pickiest of diners (ie - my parents) - I have complete confidence that it will get even better with time*

Love This Shot of Downtown Cleveland

Today in our inbox we got this beautiful shot of downtown Cleveland during this holiday shared with us from the great organization known as the Downtown Cleveland Alliance. With the holiday season current in full swing we thought we would use this as opportunity to share some more one of our favorite holiday tunes.

(mp3) U2- Angel of Harlem

We were just watching U2 Rattle and Hum the other night, what an awesome film. They regularly played this song on that tour with B.B. King's Band. It is beyond awesome that during the film they had in studio session were they recorded this song at the legendary Sun Studios in Memphis Tennessee.

Top 5 Songs of The Week (Christmas In Our Inbox Edition)

photo courtesy of Cleveland Public Art

Being a music blogger this time of year is always interesting because bands are always doing Christmas covers and originals. It is great pleasure in listening to people's interpretations or even their own idea of what a Christmas/Holiday song means to them. This year is no exception recently we found in our inbox these goodies to share with you

5. (mp3) Middle Distance Runner - "Holiday (Be Good To Me)" These guys from D.C. bring us a happy pop tune about all the things they do not want to see go wrong during this holiday season.

4. (mp3) MoneyPenny - "Christmas Time Is Here" (Charlie Brown Cover) Duo of ladies hailing from The Windy City who make some choice dance electro tunes they will make you bounce. Check out their cover of this Charlie Brown classic.

3. (mp3) The Hush Now "Wishing You A Happy Christmas" straight out of Boston this party of five, make some of the catchiest indie nerd rock this side of Fountains of Wayne and Weezer. Here is some Christmas distortion for you!

2. (mp3) Jessie Baylin - "Mrs. Christmas"
Ms. Baylin is based out of Nashville, TN, she plays some pretty folk music and she recently got married to Nate Followill the drummer from The Kings of Leon.

1. (mp3) Harper Blynn - "Christmas Aint' No Good Without You" New york quartet they make music that is simply just... addictive. soul bearing classic rock styled compositions.

Fanfarlo is in the Giving Kind of Mood

Over the past 6 months we have been become big fans of the UK band, Fanfarlo. If you have been following our blog, you know we first posted about them in July, featuring their track "I'm a Pilot" in a mix before heading off to Taste of Tremont and then following up a few weeks later posting their beautiful cover of Smashing Pumpkins, "We Only Come out at Night".

Recently, we mentioned that Jose has been contributing to Ohio Authority and this month he chose none other than to write a review of Fanfarlo's most recent release, Reservoir.

Speaking of Fanfarlo, during this holiday season, the band has decided to get in the spirit of giving as they have a virtual advent calendar being showcased now through December 24th. Each day the band will be offering free mp3's, merchandise, and other goodies*

I Wish It Was Christmas Today

Watching Saturday Night Live and per usual it is just not that great. However there is some hope to see quality SNL in the future with their annual Holiday Special to be broadcast on this coming Thursday December 17th. There are many skits that we want to see on this special like "Schweddy Balls", "Mr. Robinson's Neighborhood", "The Night Hanukkah Harry Saved Christmas" and "I Wish It Was Christmas Today" . The last one being one of our favorite Christmas songs from this past decade. If you are not familiar with what we are talking about it you can watch it and refresh your memory.


via videosift.com

During this current holiday season it has to come to our attention that none other than Julian Casablancas lead singer of The Strokes has covered this song.With his version he has extended the length of the song and a some strokeish touches to it. Take a listen for yourself

(mp3) Julian Casablancas - I Wish It Was Christmas Today (SNL Cover)

Advanced Warning: The Hood Internet

Last week we were absolutely psyched to catch wind of the The Hood Internet show coming to town on January 21st - for what promises to be a great night at B-Side. Whether or not you happen to be in the know, do take note because this show is something you will undoubtedly want to mark your calendars for.

The Hood Internet are a duo from Chicago who have taken mash-ups to a level of some real ill art, just as Girl Talk does when it comes to his song creations. Yes, there are a lot of people doing mash-ups these days, but very few actually do this style justice. This is the kind of act that we will go enjoy and most likely stay out until 3am on school (well, work) night because we know that this is going to be a GOOD TIME.

To familiarize yourself, be sure to check out their recently released mixtape, The Hood Internet Mix Tape Vol 4, which you can download via their website for free. Experience their indescribable genius and simply listen for yourself.

Jose's Pick:
(mp3) The Hood Internet - Cult Logic Forever (Drake ft. Kanye West & Lil Wayne vs Miike Snow) Beyond catchy!

Kelly's Pick:
(mp3) The Hood Internet - Number One (R. Kelly vs. Sally Shapiro, ft. Keri Hilson) Because it's nearly Christmas and SS is Kelly's biatch. A celebratory song with an almost Disney quality that somehow works "magic."

Two Trends Combined: Sriracha + Brussels Sprouts

Is it just us, or have Brussels Sprouts and Sriracha somehow become almost en vogue these days?

We cannot seem to escape either one - well, perhaps it's because we watch The Food Network a little too much, but still. . .Between being tempted by B Spot's sriracha wings or indulging in Lolita's infamous fried brussels sprouts, one cannot help but to start viewing each ingredient as very unlikely subjects of style and chic-dom.

Case and point - while Jose was flipping through his GQ magazine earlier this week, an article titled Brussels Sprouts with Bite caught his eye. And, lo and behold, this recipe just so happened to combine both brussels sprouts and sriracha:

Chang-Style Brussels Sprouts

Serves 4

1 pound fresh Brussels sprouts
1/4 pound thick-cut bacon
Butter (optional)
Sriracha hot sauce
Lime
Salt and pepper

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

2. With a knife, trim the hard, woody ends of the sprouts, then slice in half lengthwise through the core.

3. Cut the bacon into small chunks and cook in an ovenproof skillet over medium heat till crispy, about 5 minutes. With a slotted spoon, transfer to a paper-towel-lined plate.

4. Drain most of the fat from the pan and add the sprouts, cut-side down. Raise the heat to medium high and sear until the sprouts begin to sizzle. Put the skillet in the oven and roast until the sprouts are deeply browned, 8 minutes or so, then shake the pan to redistribute them and ?ip them over. Pull the pan from the oven when the sprouts are bright green and fairly tender (taste one to check), about 10 minutes more, depending on how large they are.

5. Return the pan to the stovetop over medium heat. Stir in the bacon and, if you want, a pat or two of butter. Swirl till incorporated.

6. Place in a bowl. Add a few squirts of sriracha hot sauce, depending on how hot you like it, and a squeeze or two of fresh lime juice. Season with salt and pepper, if necessary. Serve with anything.

* For Holiday gatherings, toss a pound of sliced sprouts in a large bowl with 3 to 4 tablespoons of olive oil and a bit of salt. Place them cut-side down on baking trays and roast them in a 400-degree oven for about 15 minutes or until tender. Remove, and return them to the bowl. Toss with fresh lemon juice and toasted slivered almonds, or season as you would in the main recipe. Serve hot.

[Click to read full article]

***
Not only is this recipe super simple to create but incredibly flavorful and delicious. There is no doubt in our minds that you will LOVE it.

Just Because: Some songs to get you into the holiday spirit that we were listening to while cooking and writing this post.

[Mp3] The Raveonettes - Christmas in Cleveland
[Mp3] The Waitresses - Christmas Wrapping
[Mp3] Frank Sinatra - J-I-N-G-L-E Bells

RadioShack Goes Indie Rock For The Holidays!

This Holiday season while watching commercials you have maybe have heard and seen that "The Shack" aka RadioShack of all places is placing some great indie rock songs in their commercials. You may be like us and when you hear a song in a commercial or movie you instantly try and figure it out it. And even if you are not, here are some of the choices tunes we have been enjoying in commercials from "The Shack" during this holiday season.


In this commercial you hear the jam "Life Magazine" from The Philadelphia based band Cold Cave. We actually put this song of theirs on a mix that we posted back in July of this year.

(mp3) Cold Cave - Life Magazine



In this commercial you hear an awesome cover of "The Christmas Song" done by The Raveonettes. This is one of our favorite indie rock Christmas covers ever.

(mp3) The Raveonettes - The Christmas Song (cover)



In this one you hear the soothing cooing of Los Angeles based "Let's Go Sailing" with their song "Icicles" you may recall this song from making the rounds in indie circles back in 2007.

(mp3) Let's Go Sailing - Icicles

Long Time, No Recipe!

This time of year finds us all very busy for a number of reasons - between the holidays, work, family, various obligations, more work, parties, etc. etc.

We found ourselves this past week in addition to the actual day of Thanksgiving, in a position where we were contributing to both a pre and post Thanksgiving parties. Fortunately, both parties we were asked to bring an appetizer.

Even better, the appetizer was so deliciously simple for the pre-Thanksgiving party and such a hit that we decided to make it again later in the week for the post party. Now, of course there are plenty of appetizers you can make it - but we have one we would like to share with you because it is EASY to make, does not take much TIME to complete, it is CHEAP and is sure to be a HIT!

This is what you need:

• 1 cup water
• 1 cup diced red bell pepper
• 1/2 cup thawed frozen chopped spinach (We used fresh Spinach)
  
• 1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese
• 2 tablespoons milk
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (We put in more pepper flakes Kelly luvs RPF)
  
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 pinch freshly ground black pepper
• 1 tablespoon finely diced red bell pepper for garnish
  
• Does not call for garlic but WE LOVE GARLIC, so we diced a few cloves!
• Note: We doubled the above recipe, sans the cream cheese (just one package kept the dip perfectly creamy)
  

Directions

1. Bring the cup of water to a boil in a small saucepan over high heat and add the 1 cup of diced red pepper and the chopped spinach. Bring the water back to a boil, turn the heat down to medium and simmer until the pepper is very soft, about 10 minutes. Drain the spinach and red pepper in a colander, pressing out as much liquid as possible.
2. Combine the cream cheese and milk in the saucepan and cook over medium heat until hot and softened. Stir in the cooked spinach and red peppers, Parmesan cheese, crushed red pepper flakes, salt, and ground black pepper. Continue to stir until well combined and heated through.
3. Spoon hot dip into a serving dish and serve with the tablespoon of finely diced red bell pepper sprinkled on top for garnish.

ps - The recipe suggests you serve it with a warm or toasted bread and vegetables. We used some cut up orange and yellow bell peppers cut into thin strips as well as some Stacy's Asiago Cheese Pita Chips.

Top 5 Songs of The Week (It's Been A Loong Time Edition)

You may or may not have noticed that it has been A WHILE, since we last posted a Top Five Songs of the Week - it is not that we have not wanted to, it's simply that we've just been crazy busy.

Also, we wanted to add that one of the many reasons we have not been blogging nearly as much is that Jose was been asked to do freelance writing, submitting a couple of articles per month for the very awesome, Ohio Authority. If you are not yet familiar with Ohio Authority, we highly suggest that you check it out. It is an online magazine started by two editors of the now defunct Northern Ohio Live - it is the best place to go for the freshest info regarding the arts, food + drink, home + style, health education, and so much more.


Now onto the music :) Hope everyone enjoys their weekend and our Top Five Songs of the Week*

5. (mp3) Erik Gundel - Playing Lake on My Roof Erik Gundel plays guitar and pedal steel in the band Motel, Motel who we have posted about it before. This song comes from his solo effort a self titled ep that is now out. This song has has so much going on it, it is hard to classify, from the banging of the timpani drums to hand claps to orchestral chants to then echos and strings + horns plus throw in some catchy guitar riffs it is a true "coalescence of sounds." This is some real experimental pop, very avant garde.

4. (mp3) Hawksley Workman - Maniacs First off, going to give you fair warning you might be put off initially by the excessive yodeling on this track. Once you get past this you have a fairly stripped down piece basically just accompanied by just a drum kit and some synth noises. It is almost like taking the melodies from the Dirty Projectors and then having those backed up by the more chamber pop arrangements of Grizzly Bear. On a side note this track comes from his album, For Him and The Girls, which just came out in the U.S. - the original release of this album was actually back in '99. Jose played this album on the radio back in college and he could not describe it then either.

3. (mp3) Will Stratton - Who Will This is an exceptionally talented 22 year old singer/songwriter from Northern California/New Jersey now based out of Brooklyn. His second album just came out November 3rd titlted No Wonder. He has been compared to the likes of Nick Drake, Elliot Smith and John Darnielle. His music is truly the beautiful sound of lament backed by orchestral movements, indie pop and slide guitar. Perfect music for an overcast fall day like today.

2. (mp3) Finn Riggins - Wake (Keep This Town Alive) This trio are currently on tour with Built to Spill through the North West. They are from Boise, Idaho just like Built to Spill. The chorus of this track goes "Wah oh oh oh", instantly pulling you in and leaving you tapping your feet and bobbing your head along with each drum fill and guitar riff. The melodies that come from from lead singer Lisa Simpson work well this band's amalgamation of styles ranging from indie rock, post punk to an almost country fried funk.

1. (mp3) Surfer Blood - Swim (To Reach The End) When you think of music coming out of West Palm Beach, Florida you don't expect a band to sound like this. These guys just swung through town this week to play @ Now That's Class. We missed their show and we bet you guys did too. Once you listen to this track, you will see why these guys are currently creating a buzz everywhere they go. They are playing some of the best pixies-esque anthemic driven indie rock we've heard in quite some time. They make a beautiful mess of distortion and pop that you will want to put on repeat. They are currently touring with Japandroids - do not make the same mistake we did and miss them if they come to your town!!

TOMORROW: I Will Stay If. . . [Cleveland Edition]

Are you happy living in Cleveland??

Whether the answer is "yes" or "no", we're nearly positive you have something to say about what you want to be done so you continue to live and grow in our fair city.

Do not miss out on this opportunity to let your voice be heard tomorrow at SPEAKEASY (below Bier Markt) and make a compelling case with a memorable picture.

Who: You!

When: Tomorrow - Wednesday, November 18th [5:30 - 8:30pm]

Why: To spread your love and constructive criticism in support of shaping Cleveland's dynamic and prosperous future

Bonus:

• With a donation of only $5, guests receive drink discounts, ($3 Stella, Coors and Blue Moon) and a coupon for $5 Bianco pizza, raffle entry and participation in IWSI Photo Campaign.

SPECIAL PRESENTATIONS FROM:

• Councilman for Ward 17, Home to the NEW Gordon Square Arts District - MATT ZONE
• Policy Bridge Board Chairman and Co-Author of 'Rebuilding Blocks: Efforts to Revive Cleveland Must Start by Treating What Ails Neighborhoods' - RANDELL McSHEPARD
• Program Director for Architecture, Urban Design and Sustainable Development at the Cleveland Foundation - LILLIAN KURI

See you there*

For additional information or to RSVP, please visit http://iwsicleveland.blogspot.com

Another Reason to Visit The Maltz Museum (if you needed one)

In life, with all that is going on, one cannot help but get caught up in the day-to-day where we later realize that the things we once thought were important are retrospectively rather trivial.

Today was one of those days that caused me to sit back, reflect, and say WOW.

The reason for this time of self reflection is that that I had the distinct privilege of getting to hear a testimonial first hand from Betty Gold <--(check out this recent piece about her from The Plain Dealer) at The Maltz Museum, a survivor of The Holocaust, who lives right here in Cleveland. Ms. Gold told me and my fellow LeadDiversity classmates the compelling story of how her town of Trochenbrod, Poland was destroyed by the Nazis during WWII, which drove her and her family into hiding in the woods for more than two years in a constant battle to survive. Ms. Gold informed us that recently she was interviewed by CNN on a piece regarding the high incidence of cancer in holocaust survivors. She also is currently working with a crew to tell the story of Trochenbrod in a documentary.

If you are like us and feel like Trochenbrod sounds somewhat familiar - this may very well be a result of either reading the book Everything is Illuminated or seeing the film. In this story, the main character sets out to Treochenbrod after his grandmother had just died, who was from there. He goes back to try and find that town and in turn learns a lot about himself and the human spirit. It is a beautiful book, written by Jonathan Safran, and a great film, directed by Liev Schreiber while starring Elijah Wood. Having seen the film and read the book, it made Ms. Gold's story all that more compelling for me.

This was the second time that I have been to The Maltz Museum of Jewish Heritage in the last week and my 3rd visit overall. There is such a wealth of information inside this museum you cannot possibly digest it all in one visit. If you have never been there, I strongly urge to to learn about the strong impact the Jewish Community has had on shaping the great history of Cleveland.

Bonus: View the Trailer of Everything is Illuminated

Chester French + Pitbull = Something Unexpectedly Good

If you are fan of Chester French like us than you know that they have a great sense of humor. Some of the things they did on their mix tape were just hilarious like calling each other brohan. These two guys also have a real knack for remixes, if you have never listened to their take on Shakira's "She Wolf" we urge you to check it out. There is something about their take on this song that is really absurd but at the same time pulls you in. They are back at again with more pop songs shenanigans, this time they have stroke gold with a remix of Pitbull's super sexy and banging track " I Know You Want Me" (Calle Ocho). Try not to get this one stuck in your head.

The original!

and Chester French's slab of hotness on that Calle Ocho culo!

Have you seen the Urban Yeti?

We were not familiar with the term and thus we had to consult the urban dictionary to discover the truth.

All kidding aside the reason for mentioning the urban yeti is that you actually see one in the new video from the band The Prairie Cartel for their catchy as hell track " No Light Escapes Here". The video was directed by the Chinese award winning film maker/animator Peng Lei. He himself is actually a musician and he plays in the band New Pants who's new wave/early punk style has made them one of the biggest bands on the pop scene in China today. Note as you watch this video his use of the image of Chairman Mao.



The Prairie Cartel themselves might not be a house hold name yet, but you might recognize them for having a song on the soundtrack for the video game Grand Theft Auto IV. Probably you have heard of the bands they were in before this project, which include Local H, Fig Dish and Caviar. Given the vast differences between the aforementioned bands it is no surprise that The Prairie Cartel is a mix of the above. For us they sound like the lead singer of The National fronting The Klaxons.

(mp3) The Prairie Cartel - No Light Escapes Here

Did you get this song stuck in your head at the end of Gossip Girl last week?

This past Monday (October 19th) we were watching and enjoying another great episode of this 3rd season of Gossip Girl. Towards the end of this episode when the producers felt we had enough story for next week and giving us tide us over till next week we heard a the sweet sound of some whistling followed by a man and woman with a little bit of drawl singing these lyrics "Home, Let me come Home, Home is Whenever I'm with you..."

The lyrics and melody sounded so quite familiar we could not quite place it. We went back and scoured some of our recently listened to music. We discovered that this song was by none other than Edward Sharpe and The Magnetic Zeroes, we promptly spent the rest of the evening listening their jam "Home" on repeat as well as several other of their tunes. As luck would have it this 10 piece whirlwind of a band from Los Angeles, is coming to our neck of the woods to play a show on November 12th during The Kent State Folk Festival. This one of those song you just want to listen to on repeat and let it ooze into your skull where it will it get cozy and bury itself and not leave anytime soon.

(mp3) Edward Sharpe and The Magnetic Zeroes - Home

Have you tried VIA?

This morning, we headed into bold new territory as we sampled VIA for the first time. If you are not familiar with VIA, it is Starbucks first attempt at instant coffee. Now, some of you when it comes to your cup of joe may scoff at the thought of instant coffee, but for us (especially in these times) we like to maximize the benefit of every last coffee crystal. Which is why we have been huge fans of Taster's Choice Gourmet Roast for years now.

We don't take our coffee with any cream, milk, or sugar - just a smidge of sweet & low and we're ready to go.

Both of us have been fans of Starbucks for quite some time, but like most of you, we have chosen to scale back on this indulgence (although, wine will always win out over coffee for us). Upon watching several VIA commercials while working out, we both became excited at the possibility of instant Starbucks coffee. So, this morning, as we type this, we are drinking Starbucks VIA Ready Brew Italian Roast.

Upon first sip, while the aroma isn't nearly as strong as "real" coffee, it still smelled refreshing. From a preference standpoint, it was slightly bitter until we added our favorite sweetening agent. After combining the two, the conclusion is. . .it does taste better than our regular instant coffee - but nothing beats a cup of joe, piping hot, and served with personality. We look forward to trying the Columbian Roast next.

Bonus:
[Mp3] Roger McGuinn and Calexico - One More Cup of Coffee (Dylan cover)
[Mp3] Motel Motel - Coffee

Do You Know What The Green Eyed Fairy is?

Earlier this week on our twitter page we posted a link to latest video from Los Angeles via Ann Arbor soul boy-wunderkind Mayer Hawthorne. We have been fans of his ever since hearing him first croon this past summer. Speaking of summer F THIS COLD WEATHER!!. And now back to the post....Mayer Hawthorne's jam "green eyed love" is a pure and simple track to chill to. We in our ignorance thought this song was ode to another woman or perhaps something else that is green & sticky? but we were wrong it is infact about absinthe.


Not sure how many of you out there have tried absinthe. If you have never had the chance, you now one because coming up here on October 30th @ The Cleveland Museum of Art from 5:30 to 9 p.m there will be an absithe tasting. The reason for this tasting will be in celebration of the recently opened Gauguin: Paris, 1889 & Mr. Gauguin himself loved to drink the green eyed fairy. Also if you have not had a chance to view this exhibition (we went on the first day it was open.) we suggest you do so. Why would you not want to look at great art and drink absinthe? You have no excuse not to go :)

(mp3) Mayer Hawthorne - Green Eyed Love (Classixx Remix)

You Know What Girl Talk Can Do But Have You Heard What E-603 Can Do?

With the explosion of Girl Talk's popularity, you knew it was only a matter of time before other artists would start attempting to create mash ups on his unprecedented level. E-603 comes into the conversation because he is the first artist on our radar from the post Girl Talk mash up genre. Haters will probably say this is the same as Girl Talk, but this kid is taking that game to the next level. E-603, who's real name is Ethan Ward, hails from New Hampshire and has been touring for awhile now. He has toured with the likes of such taste makers as The Hood Internet, The Cool Kids and Yo La Tengo. He is currently on tour with Passion Pit (what a sweet tour that is).

When it comes to samples, you can't help but be impressed by an artist's ability to take someone else's art and make it their own. Part of the fun with this form of mash-up is seeing how many of the samples you can recognize on each one of his sonic collages. If you need some help there is a Wikipedia article listing the samples and how long it appears for on each track.

If you are interested in checking out the entire album, you can grab it here. Come on, you can't help but smile when you hear Dre and Snoop spitting on top of Starship's "Nothing's Gonna Stop Us" :)

(mp3) E-603 - Lights Out (from Torn Up, his latest album)

(mp3) E -603 - Money and Girls (from Something For Everyone) Love it on this one when Slim Thug is throwing bars down on top of Postal Service

Whatever You Like...Some Covers For This Friday

Recently, we had been made aware that the lovely and talented Ms. Anya Marina had done a cover and video, putting her own touches on T.I.'s hit "Whatever you Like" - this prompted us to share it with you. Really, who would have ever thought Anya Marina would take this song and sing it. . .and, in a sex shop no less??

In addition to Anya's unique rendition, you should take a listen to another cover performed by Rome, the new singer of Sublime. Now, whenever you take over for an iconic band and the lead singer has passed away, those are some tough some shoes to fill. However, we feel that Rome is most definitely going to help keep the flame of Sublime blazing strong.

Lastly, after watching these two videos - one should be sure to watch the original so you can gain some perspective and appreciate the different interpretations of this great song.

Whatever You Like - Anya Marina

Whatever You Like - Rome (of Sublime)

Whatever You Like - T.I.

The Japandroids Are Coming To Town Tomorow!

The Japandroids - duo from Vancouver B.C. can't quite put your finger on. They got some soaring dare that feels like my youth when I used to go see bands like this who rocked hard, but at the time created beautiful distortion at places like the grog shop, the Euclid tavern and Speak in Tongues. This type of music really has a soft place in my heart for when I used to listen to all band that were post hardcore/emo, and everything in between. While this band is only a duo they beautiful noise that they are able to conjure would make you swear that there are at least two maybe three more people in this band. This is truly the power of two.

Earlier this year they had a full schedule through the United States including several major festivals but had to back out to due to a life threatening perforated ulcer suffered by guitarist Brian king. We are so lucky now that he has recovered they are bring their awesome sound to such a intimate venue to Now That's Class tomorrow October 8th. They will be heading a bill that includes The Coathangers, Megachurch, Church of the Snake

(mp3) The Japandroids - The Boys are Leaving Town

(mp3) The Japandroids - I Quit Girls

A Different Kind Of Island...

Hopewell "Island" from Painless Surgery on Vimeo.

This new video from Brooklyn's finest dark cinematic psychedelic rockers : Hopewell is something to be hold. It is a great non pop video with it's use of archived World War II clips are inter spliced with modern scenes. Overall it has a very Kurosawa-esque quality to it. The music perfectly compliments the mood and tone of the song. The director (Art Boonparn who is a friend of the band and has directed videos for The Pains of Being Pure at Heart and Cold Cave ) was inspired by the 1971 Japanese cult film "Throw Away Your Books, Let's Go Into The Streets" from director Shuji Terayama. Below you can check out a clip for the aforementioned film.

(mp3) Hopewell - Island

Oh, Miike Snow - you're an animal.

Familiar with the Swedish pop sensation known as Miike Snow?? If not, do take notice.

We have a real problem. Seriously. Once we started listening to Miike Snow's music, we simply could not stop. So damn infectious.

This complication started a few months ago upon listening to several of Miike Snow's remixes of his pretty much amazing jam, Animal, on repeat until our ears went numb. Well, we were temporarily cured and had not even thought of the song since. . .that is, until we heard Animal on Gossip Girl (admittedly) last night. We both perked up when this tune was played during a pivotal scene and smiled - apparently, this song was not going to go down without a fight. Needless to say, it has been ruthlessly ingrained in our heads all day today.

So, here you go, we're hoping that we'll remedy our hopeless affinity toward this song by spreading the word and sharing it with you all:

Diclaimer: Listen to at your own risk.

[Mp3] Miike Snow - Animal (original) The kind of song that leaves you holding onto (or longing for) the warm weather that is about to slip through our fingertips. . .A true essence of Peter Gabriel is evident, making this song something that fans of Vampire Weekend will undoubtedly fall head over heels for.

Our favorite remixes:

1. [Mp3] Miike Snow - Animal (Mark Ronson Remix) For being on the chill tip, this one is ON FIRE. Between the staxx record style horns and the dubb beats, it's BEYOND infectious.

2. [Mp3] Miike Snow - Animal (Treasure Fingers Remix) We are both absolute suckers for synths and adore the new wave vibrancy. This track makes us want to get up and dance, even though we (both) cannot dance, if you know what we mean.

3. [Mp3] Miike Snow - Animal (Peter Bjorn & John Remix) Great use of xylophone-esque keyboard melodies with upbeat echoed and blurred vocals. The most similar to the original, yet definitely takes the song to another level.

Bonus: Would you like to hear a different song, rather than like four versions of the same one?

[Mp3] Miike Snow - Silvia

TONIGHT: Sufjan Stevens or Bell X1?

It's always quite the dilemma when two superb shows are playing in your town on the same evening. Some might say that it's a good problem to have, but what is one to do???

Well, it does tend to make the decision really easy when one of the shows has been sold out pretty much since the day tickets went on sale. . .

But here you go:

Who: Sufjan Stevens
What: Serene acoustic beauty meets enthusiastic chamber pop
Where: The Beachland Ballroom
Why:
[Mp3] Sufjan Stevens - Casimir Pulaski Day (KCRW Morning Becomes Eclectic)
[Mp3] Sufjan Stevens - The 50 States Song (live in Denver)

vs.

Who: Bell X1
What: Talking Heads meet Snow Patrol (yeah, weird, but true)
Where: The Cambridge Room at The House of Blues
Why:
[Mp3] Bell X1 - The Great Defector
[Mp3] Bell X1 - Rocky Took a Lover

Enjoy!

Saturday was too nice to stay inside so we went for a ride :)

Kelly and I are ready to ride
Note: I am rocking my wrath arcane t-shirt (Oh, and that it's absolutely impossible to look cool while wearing helmets)

As I'm sure you remember, this past past Saturday was beyond gorgeous. The temperature was in the mid 70's, it was sunny and there was not a cloud in the sky -- hopefully this is a sign of things to come with fall quickly approaching (first day will be tomorrow actually). With the weather being as nice as it was, we trekked down to Peninsula to go for a bike ride on the tow path trail. We had never done this before and thankfully Erin and Todd were there to guide us, being avid riders and the ones who encouraged us to take the plunge in the first place. Kelly and I were both rather hesitant because neither of us had ridden a bike in the last few years (for me it had been over 6 years) but with the promise that the bike ride would be followed by a trip to The Winking Lizard, we were sold.

The end result of this experience is that we had a blast -- it was such a great day to be out riding a bike and enjoying this weather. The tow path trail is beautiful and truly is a gem. We understand now why sooo many people hold these trails with such high regard -- what a treasure. As far as our ride of this day, it was only 10 or 11 miles round trip, but we are already looking forward to the next time so we can challenge ourselves more. Another nice thing is if you don't own a bike (like us), you can rent one from Century Cycles for only $8 an hour.

Afterwards, as much anticipated, we headed over to Peninsula's Winking Lizard which is conveniently located across the street from the bike rental shop. There we enjoyed a delicious glass (unfortunately The Lizard was already sold out of the complimentary glasses) of the Beer of the Month: Thirsty Dog Brewing Co's "Barktoberfest." Mmmm just talking about it right now is making us thirsty for another one.

Here Todd is helping Kelly to put on her helmet. We both had to wear them, for own good we suppose.

Look at how blue that sky was, it was a wonderful escape

Away I go!

Kelly and I by the falls, basking in the sun and in our tiny victory over our lack of coordination. Neither of us fell off of our bikes.

With the lovely canopy and scenery of nature, it felt like we could have ridden all day

Kelly and Erin saying "prost!" with their nice cold glasses of Barktoberfest after the completion of our ride.

The Slew = SICK!!!!

What do you get when you take the amazingly talented DJ/producer/turntablist that is known as Kid Koala, put him on six turntables (if that was not sick enough to begin with) and combine that with the former rhythm section of Wolfmother??

This potent mix is the goods that make up The Slew.

They are on tour this fall (limited dates, unfortunately none near c-town) -- if they come to your town this is not something to be missed. I have been a fan of Kid Koala for years, going back to his projects with Bullfrog and Deltron 3030 and even his contributions to Gorillaz and Lovage. Something like this project will not do be done justice by a studio recording. It is definitely music that needs to be experienced live.

Check it: (mp3) The Slew - It's All Over
Bonus: The entire album, 100%, is available for free here

Good Times on the Good Time

This past week Wednesday evening, along with several hundred other Greater Cleveland young and established professionals, we took a trip on the Goodtime III.

First off, I don't think either of us had been on the Goodtime III since high school maybe even longer. Second, whatever happened to the Goodtime II, did it sink? We think it did. Third, and most importantly, the reason for this trip was to listen to Mayor Frank Jackson outline and give insight throughout a tour of what the future holds for Cleveland's waterfront development.

There were 11 proposals that the Mayor discussed in total - and, while we did enjoy hearing about them, we mostly found ourselves simply getting caught up in the beautiful evening and scenery that surrounded us.

This event was the first in a series titled Envision a Sustainable Cleveland. This vision is a nice one, is it not :)

Future site of the North Coast Harbor Pedestrian Bridge

Whiskey Island Coast Guard Station: hopefully they will be able to fully bring this great building back to life. The view of the city from this location must be spectacular

Now that they have changed the name back to its original, let's bring back Nautica alllll the way back and remove that roof so that it no longer obstructs the phenomenal views of the city

We are very excited for The Bridge Project in two weeks - it is going to be a great event

Jose along with Eradin and Frank taking in the sights. All are part of the Young Latino Network's Executive Board

Experiencing this beautiful sunset makes us recall the crazy gorgeous ones we saw last year at Wendy park during The Ohio City Blues Festival. This year's OC Blues Festival is coming up next Saturday, September 19th.

We need to have a Fog Raw Night @ The Q this season

You also have to love the early 90's vibe to it, the clothing straight cross colours looking, NWA ish garb and the best part Mo's jheri curl and 6 fingers. I think that Fog Raw would be an excellent idea for Halloween costume this year. I don't know where one would get that bad ass ring he is sporting though? I myself I am thinking about going this year as Chuck Bass from Gossip Girl I just gotta get a bow tie and I will be set.

and Kelly will be going as Blair Waldorf

Recap: Sundays are for Dim Sum!

On Sunday, we had the opportunity to finally experience our very first DIM SUM. We had the pleasure of doing so with a couple of friends at Asia Town's Bo Loong. It's about time, right?! Dim sum is actually something that we've talked about doing for years but for whatever reason this simple brunch plan just never materialized, probably due to a slight case of intimidation.
The meal started of boldly, especially for Kelly, with none other than chicken feet aka foon chow. Sensing Kelly's hesitation, our friend (and dim sum guide) Chieh-Chen advised her to view the chicken feet as if it were watermellon, spitting out the bones as you would seeds. This metaphor most definitely helped us dive in and enjoy the beginnings of our brunch.

From there, we transitioned smoothly to a variety of dishes, each more tasty than the last. We dared to try the hot sauce, with that we promise a little goes a "loong" way, no pun intended ;)
Above: Sue My (shrimp, pork, mushroom wrapped in a wonton skin wrapper), Har Chung (thick rice noodle stuffed with shrimp), and Fun Goa (steamed dumpling stuffed with chopped vegetable, shrimp, and pork)
Wait, there's more: Gin Bough (steamed bun stuffed with BBQ pork), Nor My Guy (sticky rice stuffed with pork, sausage, duck, and egg wrapped in a lotus leaf), and misc. remnants.

Not pictured: Radish Cake (we should have written down the real name, soo good, probably our favorite. But of course it's not on the menu and you have request special, in Chinese. . .)
Cannot neglect to mention: Some vegetables thrown in just to try and be healthy as well some comforting jasmine tea.

Also: Kelly consumed more meat at this meal than she most likely eats in an entire year.
We finished off our meal with yet another first: delicious bubble tea at KoKo Bakery in a refreshing strawberry flavor. As you can see evidenced above, we smashed it -- gummy tapioca balls and all. Since KoKo is also a bakery, next time we go we will have to get some Sweet Bean Buns -- Kelly (and her friend, Sarah) have expressed their love for these "bundles of joy" during their time in Seattle while Jose has yet to understand the magic of the bun.

For now, be sure to check out a variety of fun cuisine options in Cleveland's Asia Town with this very informative listing.