Springtime Playlist

Today it really felt like spring in Toronto, so I've made up a springtime playlist for all the readers out there. When I think of spring I think of bright colours, warm tones, happy feelings, bright sunshine, chances of melancholy rain, and a hope for summer strong in the air. These songs are a mix happy positive sounding songs and a couple less positive sounds, for those rainy days, that will bring in summer with a smile. Please enjoy.

1. Wake Up - The Arcade Fire
2. Too Too Too Fast - Ra Ra Riot
3. Hustle Rose - Metric
   
4. The Stars of Track and Field - Belle and Sebastian
   
5. Click Click Click Click - Bishop Allen
6. Diamonds in The Souls of Her Shoes - Paul Simon
   
7. New Soul - Yael Naim
8. A Children's Crusade on Acid - Margot And The Nuclear So and So's
   
9. Oxford Comma - Vampire Weekend
10. Come On! Feel the Illinoise! - Sufjan Stevens
11. Rain - Bishop Allen
    
12. The First Five Times - Stars
13. All The Things That Go To Make Heaven and Earth - The New Pornographers
    
14. That Time - Regina Spektor
15. Clark Gable - The Postal Service
16. Down To Earth - Peter Gabriel
17. Rainbowarriors - CocoRosie
    
18. A Duel Will Settle This - Mates of State
    
19. Holland, 1945 - Neutral Milk Hotel
20. If You Leave - Nada Surf
21. Humble Peasants - The Most Serene Republic
    
22. Poetaster - Miracle Fortress

i have an amethyst amulet around my neck

... if you read my blog enough you probably know I adore Adam and The Amethysts, and have posted about this awesome band before. Well I'm doing it again. On Sunday night I saw Adam and his amethysts at Sneaky Dee's and it was amazing! I've seen Adam play numerous times sans the Amethysts but never with his backing band of Katherine Peacock and Nathan Ward. Needless to say it was the best performance I've seen by them. Their amazing psych-rock-indie-pop sound is infamously catchy and their heart-felt lyrics about my (and Adam's) hometown of Thunder Bay, Ontario, are very relate-able not only to Thunder Bay folk but small-town-at-heart people of every shape and size. They played many of the songs off their first c.d, Amethyst Amulet, as well as a couple new songs that are not on said disc. One that was particularly lovely included a lyrical snippet from the song "Everything's Alright" from JesusChrist Superstar, which made me rediculously excited due to the fact that I have a soft spot for musicals. Last but not least besides having the c.d. for purchase at the show there were also authentic amethyst amulets straight from Thunder Bay, and I obviously purchased one.
Anyways...

If you haven't given Adam and The Amethysts a listen, you can click here, and if you like what you hear, Amethyst Amulet is now available for purchase on iTunes, as well as at your local music store (most likely). Support local Canadian artists and give him a try!

a cupcake review & a songs to listen to

The other day I was seriously craving cupcakes, which in case you didn't know, are my favourite sweet treat. After some intense google-ing I chose Life is Sweet bakery in the beaches area. Although I'm not a cupcake expert, I will say with confidence that these were the greatest cupcakes I've ever tasted and certainly some of the best cupcakes in Toronto. The cake was moist but not too dense, and the icing was deliciously fluffy and smooth, and not overly-sweet or fake tasting. Named on Blogto.com's Best Cupcakes of Toronto list, these cupcakes are sure to please. With a variety of flavors (vanilla, chocolate, chocolate mint, lemon, white chocolate, earl gray, coconut, and butterscotch) and great prices (a large cupcake costs about $2.50, while a box of six mini's is $6) everyone in the GTA should check out Life is Sweet. Because of that sweet sample box at a great price, Eric and I tried almost all the flavors (except for lemon) and I loved them all! My personal favourite was the chocolate mint but every single flavor was perfection.

Sweet treats deserve some sweet music, right?

Recommendation...

• Love Letter to Japan - The Bird and the Bee

SNOW!

It's snowing here like mad crazy. Here's the view from my room...





& because I felt that that was not good enough, here is a short video. I apologize for the Katy Perry playing in the background, damn MuchMoreMusic!