Second Floor

Doing some boring GenEd homework can be pretty rough. Doing boring GenEd homework on the jazz floor - sooo much better. First of all, listening to the guy (well it's jazz so I'm assuming it's a guy) down the hall jam out on sax in his poorly soundproofed practice room reminds me how freeing the genre can be. (Ohh baby, now he's got a set with him. Music-gasm - aka music orgasm, the overwhelming pleasure one achieves while listening to incredible and passionate music. Damn.)
Circling back, interesting people hang out here. And by interesting, I mean the most creative and diverse menagerie of twenty-somethings from every ethnicity and sexual orientation.  Yes, I went there. Because it's true. There's a guy wearing pants twice as tight as mine.
Can't wait for someone to finish up in their practice room so I can go use it...

 

On a foodie note, I finally visited the crepe truck parked right outside the music building. It boasts #1 ratings in Philadelphia for street/food-truck cuisine. I got one of their "savory" varieties with all the veggies, grilled chicken, melted cheese, jalapeños, taziki, and Sriracha hot sauce. All wrapped up in a delightfully but not overpoweringly eggy crepe exterior. Mmmmmmmm. On your next visit to Philly, or particularly Temple University, a trip to the Creperie is a must.  (sadly I cannot take credit for these photos. a big thank you to whoever did)

Antisocial

 

I'm not going to even attempt to sugar coat this. When I'm here in the cafe there's nothing better than just being left completely alone and therefore in my own little world. But what is a girl to do when people are sitting all around the table that are just a tad too weird for my own good? Being in an school for music and the arts, these types of people are more common than not. 
Easy solution. Plug in your Beats , crank up the volume on your "Zen Out" Spotify playlist and look like there's intense work to be done. (Like this blog. I think it's pretty intense, eh?)
Then comes the wonderful relaxing feeling of being in your very own matrix. A world has now been created completely for one's self, by one's self. Enjoy this magical place.

I almost forgot to add music!!!!!
Apartment - Young the Giant 

Weekends

At this point it is officialy Thursday - past the (you guessed it) hump day. Here's my question to ponder for the day: How do people have the energy to go out on a Friday night or any weekend evening for that matter?  My epic weekend plans?  Got a date with me and my bed with the new episode of Covert Affairs on. 

Sounds like a win for this girl :)


Also, I was listening to this earlier and it just fit so perfectly into my day :)
 Glad to be Unhappy - Chris Botti & John Mayer - if you haven't listened to any of the other music I've posted, especially make an effort today to listen to this one. Jazz trumpet and John Mayer? Match made in heaven.

Birthdays

Korean Style Chopsticks

So I may have taped Korean-style chopsticks all over my room mate's walls for her birthday...

As part of my cultural education here on the global floor, I learned that Koreans do not use the same type of silly wood chopsticks as the rest of their Asian neighbors. Instead, they use a shorter, stainless steel version. 
I have 2 Korean room mates in my apartment. Both from Seoul, both from traditional Korean families. As I had mentioned in a previous post, there is a lot of cross-cultural education going on in our little hole in the wall that we call home. Getting to the point here, one of my room mates remembered to bring her chopsticks from Korea, one forgot. Over Korean dinner one night, these funny little chopsticks came into conversation and how much the girls here missed their utensils from back home. Sounds funny, yes. But what if someone told you that instead of eating with a soup spoon you had to use a ladle? So for her birthday, I found 10 sets of Korean chopsticks on Amazon and taped them all over her walls. There was a lot of excited clapping and laughter :)

That is all for now, and I leave you with some popular Korean music (even though American tunes are most common there)

C.N. Blue - I'm a Loner (that's the translation)

da new baby

Some Nights

Sunrise over TU. Not very impressive this morning.

Some nights you can't sleep. You just can't. So, instead of laying in bed and staring at the ceiling for hours on end, I decided to head over to (you guessed it) Presser for some late night practice. Seven hours, a visit from a friend, an impromptu jazz theory lesson, some blogging, and some solid time in a practice room, the sun rose. What a strange feeling. 
I was never the kind of kid that wanted to stay up all night with friends. I appreciate my sleep far too much for such shenanigans. But this was strangely...satisfying.  I was...productive. 

Weird.

Hard Days Night - The Beatles 

Unexpected Encounter

While walking to my usual practice spot this evening, I passed the same homeless man I do every day. Every day he asks me for a dollar. I don't carry cash with me, so I can honestly say no to him. But what can a dollar do for a homeless man in a wheelchair with one leg who only travels backward? I've taken to carrying a protein bar with me during the day, but when I do, of course I don't see him. 
This particular evening while taking my usual route, I saw him wheeling down the street perpendicular to me. To avoid the situation, I ducked into one of the many learning centers on campus where a man stood in the lobby washing the windows.  Immediately he asked if I was ok, if I needed help, etc. I explained my situation to the man, and he like many others  knew of the man in the wheelchair. I feel awful, I explained. What could be done to help this man? His response: "Pray for the guy. He needs it."

Philadelphia - the city of brotherly love. 

No soundtrack for this one. Take a moment to be thankful for what you have, and pray for those who don't have the blessings you do.

Quote Today

When you're feeling down, you can pull him out of your pocket, and he will say, "I want to return to my country and help. Music changes lives." - and this is yet another reason as to why I am positive I'm at the right place. 

Sunrise over Philly. I wish I could take credit for this photo.

Ok so I was a little blown away that anyone actually reads this...
But for those of you who do, every time I mention a band or song, the name is a link (usually to YouTube) where you can listen to it. Maybe it'll set the scene a little more for you. Ok or maybe it'll just be a song you listen to 30 seconds of. Either way, check it out. Hmmm...what to listen to now...something laid back for the morning like Pusher Love Girl - Justin Timberlake

Night Owl

My nights at Presser.

Night Owl - Little Big Town

That moment when you know you're at the exact place you should be. This realization has occurred to me before, but it came to me again last night after my late night practicing in Presser. And again this morning during one of my classes. I don't dread going to class at all. I am living the freaking dream. My homework? Practicing. What do I do when I'm stressed? Play. So, in essence, my homework is to relax. Biggest. Win. Ever. 


Now I just need to get a job once I graduate....

Living in the Moment - Jason Mraz

Quote courtesy of Jason Mraz

"It takes no time to fall in love, but it takes you years to know what love is"

Perks of Living on the International Floor

Chances are, you don't live with a bunch of Korean girls. Unless you're Korean.  Even so, I have the privilege of living with a very culinarily (if that's even a word) talented group of girls. What is the delicious looking food above you may ask? If I knew how to say/write it in Korean I would. Here's the American English summary of it...rice, pork, tofu, kimchee, amazing soup, marinated and shredded beef. Go find a Korean restaurant near you. Go. Get on Google and look for one. I'll even do it for you. Google map it. 

After a nearly silent dinner consuming the delicious plethora of food featured above, we made up for the quiet time with hours of cultural conversation after dinner.  It is certainly a life altering experience to hear about the world from a perspective halfway around the world. Never had I heard the topic of North Korea taken so lightly.  While I can vividly recall the change of leadership from Kim Jung Il to his son and the bit of fear it struck in me, the girl merely laugh. Their logic? If the North could even manage to bomb a Southern city like Seoul, the two countries' capitals are so close to one another that both would be destroyed. I found this interesting. Topics that are not so terribly controversial here however are not taken lightly to the traditional Korean. Yep, you guessed it. Sex. Because discussion of the topic is so taboo "many don't know how to even use a condom" - says my room mate. Teenage pregnancy is a commonality because the lack of education on the subject. My impression however, is that things are changing.  As more of the younger generation of Koreans travel, experience more of the world, "westernize" if you will, they appear to deviate from the traditional ways of their elders.  While some may view this as a form of rebellion, it can be seen in a more positive way as well. Traditions are preserved, while the common culture and thought process changes. Something to ponder...

And now for some tunes to accompany... Jason Mraz - Life is Wonderful

Chris' Jazz Cafe

Not the best photo, I'm aware. Still. Get here.

LISTEN TO THIS. JUST DO IT. <----(click on the link here to listen to "Destiny")
I can't say anything negative about this place. Ever. I love when people say to me "so have you ever been to that Jazz place in the city? Chris'?" My response: "That's my spot!" This either is or should be anyone and everyone's place for a fancy date, a lazy night just listening to jazz munching on some sweet potato fries, or just somewhere to enjoy time with close friends, amazing food, and even better music.  The cover price in my experience has been between $5-$15 and usually on the cheaper end of things if you bring your college ID along. 
 If you're a Philly native or merely passing through, a visit to this locale (what appears to just be a hole in the wall from the outside) on Sansom street is a must. But please, look presentable. The performers are pouring out their heart and soul for you, so the least we can do as an audience is be tolerable to look at. Advocate for the arts. This is one of the last places to see live jazz on a regular basis in Philadelphia - a city that used to be filled with this soulful music on nearly every corner.
 In a crazy city, Chris' place makes my life feel a little more homey amidst the chaos of sirens, the subways screeching metal against metal, and blocks out the "city smell" of subway, urine, fresh cigarettes, and stale weed that has permeated any porous surface it could come into contact with. Beautiful, isn't it?

Lawrence Jones - The Flute Player from Friday Night at Chris'  - check out his website. He does this awesome thing when he switches between vocals and flute and sax. Give it a listen.It was so good I bought a CD. I don't do CDs usually, so this should be a good sign.

Daily Dose of Food Porn

Tofu with orange glace, breaded and curried fried polenta.

Let the Groove Get in - Justin Timberlake

Jazz

 

"Playing classical music is like reading a book - Jazz is having a conversation" 

Quote of the Day

"I can see that you are very attractive and I assume you fuck a lot of bitches"

~Quote from my room mate 

A Day in the Life

Sir John - Blue Mitchell

My life.

Just sittin'

For those of you that immediately associate Philadelphia, Temple, or North Philly with dirt, grime, murder, and other various horrible things, I beg of you, look at this picture. Have you ever seen a more beautiful intercity day? You haven't. You're welcome.
Just so you know, there's a guy around the corner selling one of the most diverse collections of posters I have ever seen - all while playing some of the best music to accompany and enhance the atmosphere of this incredible day.
Satisfaction - The Rolling Stones

Food Porn for the Day

Salmon with an orange glaze, scallions, sweet potato, and green beans.

Who says college students eat poorly? Not this girl.
Tequila - The Champs

Surprise!

headin' home

As a surprise to my mom and dad, I caught the early train for home Monday morning. Waking up early on any given Monday morning is hard. Getting out of bed Monday morning after not sleeping a wink? Darn near impossible. If for no other reason, this should show anyone how much I love my family. My wonderful neighbor and her little boy picked me up at the platform. I have never seen a kid so excited to see me - but I was just as happy to see him. His third birthday is in a week or so. Keep in mind, the only person who knew I was coming home was my neighbor picking me up.
After a short drive home, I slid my key into the lock on my door and pushed it open with a "Hello!". I heard my dad's voice, filled with a culmination of confusion and the silent thought of "fuck-someone-is-here-and-I-need-to-go-to-work" As he walked out of his shop, I saw my mom at the top of the stairs. They just couldn't believe I was there. Gotta love that feeling.
Brief catching up, mom and dad headed down to the restaurant, and I...napped. Nothing like a solid five hours of day sleeping.
Eventually I headed down to the restaurant, where I was nearly jumped upon my arrival by a dear friend. Literally, she threw down the ice cream she was eating onto the dish table and did sort of a leaping hug thing.
The night was full of the best surprises for everybody. My grandparents were shocked to see me, especially at work on a day that should have been vacation for me. Not 10 minutes after I donned my apron, my tennis coach (perhaps more accurately one of my closest and longest friends) stepped up to the counter to order our signature sundae, the Jigger. I could have cried, I was so happy with the coincidence and the many that followed.
After closing and some hard goodbyes, we commenced with our end of season tradition - champagne and fresh donuts on the deck, under the green and yellow lights - with a few family friends. A toast to Bruce Sensenig, a good friend and volunteer firefighter, who died on his way to save lives.

Front Porch Thing - Little Big Town

I've come to realize that your family is the people who surround and love you - regardless of blood relation. If home is where family is, and you are surrounded by those who love and care about you, you could never be far from it.

Eating on a College-Sized budget...easier than you think.

Enjoyed this delicious menagerie of Italy with a side of Jazz like Affair in Havana - Dexter Gordon. You should do the same.

For those of you who are college students, will be shortly, or even parents of those students, listen up. What are you paying for your meal plan? At Temple U, the average meal plan will cost you about $1,400 on top of your tuition and housing per semester. Not per year, no. Semester.
So I got thinking to myself, how much do I even eat? I'm a pretty petite person, so unless I have friends over I don't need to make much for myself. The only advantages of the meal plan are that you a. don't have to cook and b. can eat as much as you want. Freshman 15 anyone? No thanks. I don't care how late the gym is open if you just ate four hot dogs, fries, a slice of pizza, ice cream, and a salad to round it out. 
My plan: How much would I pay per semester in food (as in groceries) without a meal plan? First of all, I'm a pretty competent cook. Second, I'm a girl. If I'm going to go for dinner somewhere nice I probably won't be the one paying. Call me old fashioned, I just think it's polite for the man to pay. 
So, each month when the credit card bill comes in the mail, I simply record how much I spend in food purchases. At the end of the semester we'll see how it measures up against the traditional college-eating style.
Stereotypical as it may be, I love grocery shopping. Not only is it exciting to plan and make a meal, but it's also a nice slice of time I can just zone out between the rows of organic oranges and freshly harvested asparagus (though asparagus is heading out of season at the moment). Bliss. Saturday morning however, was not the typical shopping experience at the local Fresh Grocer. As many Philadelphians know, Saturday is market day. Italian style. 
Upon our arrival to the bustling street (South 9th) we had quite a problematic time deciding where to start. Ohh but I had my list. Fresh berries, blueberries a box for a dollar, a huge bag of basil surely picked earlier that morning was only a buck and some change. This my dear friends, is where the budget shopper needs to go. Well, until you get to the meat and cheese shops where the bulk of my grocery shopping took place. The butchers here are legit. Really. I thought I was back in the old country - even felt a little peculiar speaking English. The best place in the whole market is actually a little indoor joint that only sells about 100 kinds of cheese (at least), and cured meats, olives, preserves, and oils to accompany each flavor.  To fully live up my mini-vacation I had to buy some unpitted olives (so much better than their nasty counterparts with everything taken out of them but salt), cured meats, a few different kinds of cheese, a bottle of good balsamic infused with raspberries, and of course a loaf of freshly baked bread. 
As any cook or friend knows, food can only be properly enjoyed in the company of good people. Because I couldn't quite justify going all-out on a dinner just for myself, my best friend and I surprised her boyfriend with a gourmet meal to feed a small army.  Needless to say, I now have copious amounts of gourmet leftovers in my fridge. Not complaining.

Amazing food, great music, and the best of friends. Making TU classy one dinner at a time.