Abbey Road

Clearly, I have already shot to hell the notion in my bio that this blog would aim to avoid hodgepodgery since that's all I seem to be offering. But that was my fault; I never should have made such a suggestion. I mean, who would want to avoid something like that? It's easily one of the best words ever. It sounds like Hedgehog and who doesn't want to think about hedgehogs?....


Regardless, I have done a very poor job of fulfilling the intended purpose of this journal and for that, to all my nonexistent readers, my heartfelt apologies. I SWEAR the search for the camera cord is alive and well, although there is a fair chance that the camera cord is neither, here nor there.


So to tie nobody over (so mainly just to add to my slowly building filesofawesome), here is something amazing. It makes me want to weep with both joy and nostalgia. But what it actually makes me do is grin ridiculously.


Panic at the Disco: Cover of The Band's song "The Weight" live from Abbey Road studios
Source: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jYbWsJQmMss

Oh hey, I was there. 

 The Beatles made it famous in the fall of 1969

Panic made it personally resonant for me in 2008 ( not sure what season, but it sure looks like the English Winter). And hey, they're totally just running across the street to avoid traffic and not trying to be fan-dorks like we were.

And that's us!! I think it came out pretty good, despite the strenuous circumstances! Has anyone ever told you that Abbey Road is the busiest street in the world?!  In addition, it is also the one crossway in England devoid of crossing signals. You can literally feel the aggravation of the drivers, imagine them returning home to their families grumbling, "those damn kids again..." So we had to stand on the right, wait for the millisecond of space between cars, race to the other side, scramble into single file, and then dash back. Rinse and Repeat about three times. It was pretty hilarious though. That white building, right behind us and towards the left, those are the studios!

Being there, it really felt like we were a part of history. Watching the other tourists was also fun, all of us trying  to snag our chance to cross the road. I imagine that regular townspeople on their way to work etc. avoid that road as much as possible. There was one particularly tenacious girl who stood exactly in the center of the road as cars whizzed past her, for about 5 minutes, just so she could get the perfect shot of her friends.  #themeaningoffriendship

After we finally got the shot, we headed back over to the other side of the street to make wide eyes through the gates of the studio, and to add our names to the brick columns outside of it. 

I looked frantically for Panics' names but sadly, I couldn't find them. However, it's entirely possible that the boys of Panic, being actually famous and having been allowed into the studios, invited in really on two seperate occasions, considered themselves above all that.

Eh, they're such dorks and avid Beatles fans. The names were probably there. Maybe the problem was that we were in a perpetual hurry.


As we stood there, this adorable girl with a tourist agency came up to us and asked us a bunch of questions. Like:

"If there was a cafe or a little eatery that featured all Beatles Stuff, would you go to that?"
"What should it be called?" (Vote "Lonely Hearts Cafe!")
"What about if there was a shop full of memorabilia off of the cafe? Would you shop there?"

Um...this doesn't already exist? Where am I supposed to get all my Beatles stuff?! 

So another trip to London is now required to pick up a couple of original vinyl recordings, but I guess it won't be too inconvenient. It's only one of the most beautiful cities in the world.

So even though I didn't make it to Madame Tussaud's Gaga exhibit in London, I've discovered that there are even better opportunities to worship. Namely, the figures in Amsterdam, Berlin, and quite possibly, Hollywood.

Berlin Gaga: Mover to Shaker

This is my favorite Gaga wax figure! The Paparazzi video was, in my opinion, that moment Lady Gaga transitioned from a rising popstar to a reigning queen of Pop.  From the lyrics to the dialogue, to the wardrobe to the color scheme of the teacups, this video is pure Cinema, pure artistry. So far, it has been my favorite thing that she has put out thus far, with the song Speechless coming in a close 2nd. Now the wax figure isn't actually from the video but the hair and glasses remind me a lot of the scene where she poisons her lover wearing that ridiculously fabulous mousy one piece. And these boots are killer. 

Amsterdam Gaga: Style 360

 (Here I will take the liberty of generalizing 

about a city that I have never been to.) Only in Amsterdam would this sort of style statement be acceptable. Looking closely at the image, it becomes apparent that she is wearing a tan Leotard, but from far away she looks naked, a look that I'm sure was intended with both the figure and when the diva originally donned the outfit. I just love the colors here! and the idea that shoulder pads and great shoes can make or break a wardrobe. And look at the pose! The girl is one of the best at posing in the industry. This is what I admire and find so enviable about this woman. 24/7 100% commitment to the image. In my opinion, if you are intending to plant yourself next to either of these figures,  your clothing and attitude should portray nothing less( ie: this venture will require a bit of shopping. ) Luckily, Christmas is fast approaching!

 The Hong Kong and White Hollywood (2010 Brit Awards) outfits are also major but for me, Berlin and Amsterdam tie for the win! I've been trying to get to Amsterdam for the whole semester, but it hasn't worked out because of timing and plane fairs. Hopefully, next semester will offer a better forecast. 

Turkish heat wave

Two days of Top Chefs Just Desserts Marathon has given me a new gay boy to flail over. Yigit Pura- expert Pastry Chef, fine hunk of Turkish boy meat, the talent of making wonderful and varied facial expressions but always staying beautiful, polite, proactive, meticulous, adorable, fun, sweet... I would be severely hard-pressed to find anything with a pulse that did not immediately want to rub up the leg of this handsome creature.

Yigit Pura, raising the profile of Turkish boys everywhere. Hopefully, there are some straight ones that are this pretty and delightful.

To see Yigit being beautiful and adorable in motion, click here

In addition, you can see about 10 hours of Yigit by watching the first season of Top Chef Just Desserts! Most of the episodes can be found on sidereel. It's such a great show, even if you aren't at all familiar with the art of making desserts. I didn't have a clue but I've always been an avid fan of Top Chef and Bravo and I got into this just as quickly, if not more. The show and contestants were more fun and exuberant than most of those who have been on Top Chef and their technique was fascinating to watch. Bravo always makes me want to work with my hands, and the whole time I was wishing that the roads here weren't covered in ice so I could whip down to the grocery store and grab some yummy ingredients.

AN ADDITIONAL AND VERY SERIOUS WARNING: Do not watch Top Chef or TC Just Desserts on an empty stomach, or worse, with an empty fridge.

And now, back to Yigit, just for a second. Baby Boy lends himself to so many delicious pastry puns and a bunch are whipping through my head right now...

Yigit, the ultimate Turkish delight whose Mama raised him right.

Eat the chef, not the pastry.

Guys, there're really terrible ones with the words dessert and cherry and more defamation of the Turkish culture coming through, so I'm gonna sign off before my blush takes over my entire body...

I still cannot find my camera cord...

so I will attempt to regale you with an anecdote from today

I'm starting to think that the universe's new joke is that all of my travel destinations receive unprecedented amounts of snowfall. Last year with Snowmageddon 2010 in Baltimore, two weekends ago in Dublin where walking tours took twice as long because the tourists had to climb each of the frost-coated hills twice, and now in Newcastle. Today I was very reluctantly trudging in the general direction of the building in which my Theology class was in (Can't call it the Theology building, because not all buildings have assigned subjects at Newcastle University. Yes, it's quite convenient). I was tired and not in the best of spirits because it was about 30 degrees F. and snow covered every part of the ground that wasn't mud or ice. Mere moments after stepping out the door, my toes were frozen to the tips of my pink and black argyle patterned "wellies."

So there I was crossing in front of the Sports Centre when a car pulled in at the end of the parking lot and I heard a yell. I looked up in time to see this blonde girl throw herself out of her car door with a blustering bellow of a shout that worked as a summons for the flustered but amused smaller girl standing just to the side of her. The louder girl, who had landed on her knees in the snow in her earlier excitement, flung herself around the car and pounced on her friend, laughing outrageously so that every "ha" in the three succeeding "ha, ha, ha" s could be heard clearly. They both went on laughing while next to them stood the figure of a bewildered, but also amused, lad and I wondered if he had heard stories about how crazy the blonde was from her friend and if this was the first face-to-face impression that would set the premise for a visit full of excitement and scandal.

The rest of the walk felt a little bit warmer.

If I didn't have enough to see in London...

"Gaga Daily is giving away tickets for you and a friend to see the unveiling of the Lady Gaga wax figure at Madame Tussauds London, which will take place on December 9th!

In the most ambitious figure launch in Madame Tussauds history, London joins seven other attractions around the world revealing new Lady Gaga figures. Each will depict the fashion icon in a totally different style and details about which city is getting which outfit are being kept a closely guarded secret until the moment they are revealed."

Whether or not you like her , this is a pretty amazing accomplishment for anyone.

My friends and I will be there on December 17th! Maybe we'll have to make a quick stop.

Edit 15/12- We did not in fact get to the Wax Museum as it is pretty expensive and I was traveling with a few people who are nearly utterly consumed with only their plans and destinations but hey, there's always time in the Spring. It was still a great day. When that pesky camera cord materializes I will write all about it.

Fact: Budding winter romances are inevitable when surrounded by oak, leather, and divine school uniforms

I want a place where I can sing at the top of my lungs.

Also, someone to duet "Baby It's Cold Outside" with.

Fine, FINE! I'll link it. Sony is ruining all my fun. First when I try to upload the clip Blogger just doesn't and now that I've found software that allows me to steal videos from YouTube (mwahahaha) they remove the one clip that every single media source was using! At least I avoided linking to Perez. That was a scary moment.

Ok, click here to watch Kurt and Blaine's duet for the ages.

I really cannot recommend the Glee Christmas Album enough! Thankfully, my sister has already assured me that it has a place on the family christmas list. I've only heard the songs from the episode, and the full versions of Baby It's Cold Outside, Last Christmas, and O Holy Night, but they are all outstanding! Lea Michele shines on this album in a way that she hasn't been allowed to this whole season. 

Also, I bought the studio version of Baby Its Cold Outside from iTunes. Never have I been so sad to hear a song come to its end.


mnph. dead.

edit: 04.02.201l
Song has 65 plays on my itunes. 

Someone New

I have a devastatingly addictive personality with a lot of things, one of them being bands. Now, I would never say I am the most clued into the music scene, or that I am very selective, and it's rare that I know an entire compilation of work from one artist. But every once in a while I will fall madly in love with a band, at first for all of the wrong reasons, but eventually, for some of the right ones too. So far, these have included Panic at the Disco and now, a new addition, The Academy Is...

(on a side note, at first I loved Panic! for Ryan Ross's utter adorableness and Brendon Urie's manic happy attitude and knock out ass, but yeah, then I started to love them for their music too. So I just feel the need to point out that yes, it's understandable that A Fever You Can't Sweat Out didn't appeal to everyone, but Ryan's lyrics were far above those of most other scene bands then and now. And unless you've heard Pretty Odd, you have no idea how much they grew, and how special that foursome was musically and otherwise. )

But not to dwell on the past... I can discuss them again when Brendon and Spencer finally release a new album...about a week ago I was browsing youtube and checking out all the usual FBR internet haunts, when I came across "Snakes on a Plane" and The Academy Is..., a band I had heard the name of plenty of times because former P!ATD bassist John Walker used to be a roadie for them.

I had just never seen William Beckett before.

Frankly, the boy could not be more my type- lean, intellectual, has versatile expressions, writer, singer- but that doesn't really matter- it's just what piqued my interest. Then I began watching interviews, and it became apparent that I had some things in common with him. The most significant being a wariness of the new digital age.

it's all here. I would certainly recommend following him as he has a ton of links to good music and movies. He hasn't updated in a while though, but I'm sure he will soon.

So I was watching one interview and William was discussing his craft, and his passion for it really made me want to also write and create, which is what inspired me to finally start this thing.

With that thought, I am going to search frantically for my camera cord and then we'll get this thing started for real....