So Alive, Monster Truck

New thing today, really? Awkward advertising?

Scott D. Davis - Solo Piano - Rock Music

New thing today, discovering piano solos by Scott D. Davis. So I listen to classical music sometimes on my Pandora station at work. All of a sudden one of the songs sounded familiar. I was on the Piano Solo station as I like piano pieces. Then I looked. Go figure? Sweet Child O' Mine on the album on Rockfluence. I didn't even know they did classical covers of rock music. It was pretty awesome :) It's actually a really pretty sounding piano piece.

Sweet Child O' Mine on Rockfluence

I might have to check out some of his other stuff on Amazon or iTunes - Scott D. Davis, Rockfluence, Solo Piano. He has other really interesting songs. I checked out his wikipedia page and apparently he also has another album - Pianotarium - a piano tribute album to Metallica! Awesome! I am loving this and may have found a new artist I like and genre of music I like. LOL :) What would you call this? I am a fan of this after discovering it just today - go support his music! I also love this - The Unforgiven by Scott D. Davis on Pianotarium. Ridiculous I am loving this.


The Unforgiven on Pianotarium

There's a ton on YouTube - Thank you!!! :)

And one more, because it's just fun

The Final Countdown - Rockfluence

Boardwalk Empire Episode 1

New thing today, watched Boardwalk Empire episode 1. It's been on our Netflix queue and been interested in seeing it for quite some time. The trip to the Mob Museum in Vegas really got us into the mood, and so we finally decided to start it. Overall I'm a little confused but intrigued.

There are a lot of characters introduced and I haven't connected people's names and faces quite yet. I don't know enough mob history to get their significance of the characters. The only characters that are introduced that sound familiar are Lucky Luciano and Al Capone. I love how Capone is currently a minor character and that the story is told from the perspective of Buscemi'a character - Nucky. Maybe it will be good that I do not know who's who right now, and it will all be surprising and new to me when things unfold.

The storytelling and mood of the 20s is interesting and annoying at times. Even though I love the time period, it feels very stylized and not so real. Some of the scenes have a very Scorsese feel. I don't really understand or know what's going on.

I know the first episode should introduce everything, but it doesn't really have much pow. Game of Thrones had a very powerful first scene and episode that had you captivated and hooked. This feels like a slow tease. It's like the base of an elaborate painting, I hope. It looks messy and unorganized now, but with future layers and development could turn into something beautiful.

A first. We'll see how the rest of it turns out.

The Secret Life of Bees

New thing today, finished The Secret Life of Bees by Sue Monk Kidd. I found this book beautiful and enchanting. It's definitely a chic book and very emotional and touching. There are some beautiful lines and metaphors about bees. It's about a girl who is lost and her struggles and search for love, her mother, forgiveness and many things, all set in the south during the 60s with the background of racial equality. There's a lot of good stuff here. It's not dreary all emotional and sentimental. It had some excitement and action going on as well. It had some really unexplainable touching moments, and had me choked up and a little teary eyed at times. It's not cliche predictable sentimental, but other parts of the story just get to you in unexpected but good ways.

I recommend this book for women and it might be up there in my list of favorites. I just love the storytelling and the way it finds beauty and sadness within everyday life. It weaves some great tragedy and love into the story with heart and soul. I just really loved it. I also had a craving for honey the whole time reading it. I may have a thing for books about the South, since I also loved Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Cafe.

Great new thing :) I recommend!

Goat Cheese & Espelette Pepper Chips from Cost Plus

New thing today, got these Goat Cheese & Espelette Pepper Chips from Cost Plus. They're foreign French Brets chips, and I was a little nervous about trying these, but the cashier lady said she liked them and the Carbonara chips which I also love. So decided to try it out. Turned out really yum! The taste is different in a good way. Not spicy or overly strong at all. Just sort of, well tasty? Glad it turned out well. I was worried. 

Pizza Nosh - Fish & Chips

New thing, tried fish & chips at a Westlake Village Pizza Nosh. It was delicious! Came with Ranch not Tartar sauce. I got nervous because the fries looked burnt & the fish didn't look so great either. Turns out it was delicious! Those are seasoned fries - quite tasty & fish was well cooked as well! It was a special so I'm not sure they have it all the time. Great food place though so try it if you're curious.

Brave

New thing, watched Brave.

I've been watching a lot of musicals and cartoons lately. I think it's a nice break from reality and seriousness, and I enjoy doing things while watching something and not paying such close attention to whatever's on the screen, so I tend to re-watch old movies or musicals.

Anyway I thought Brave would be more musical and light. Overall it was a cute story that took an interesting different twist. I thought it would be about a princess, not necessarily a princess, responsibility, family ties and overall nicer more complex themes. It was still a fun cute kids movie, but one with more maturity about families and such. It had a lot of cute moments that didn't feel so produced or predictable.

It was ok. I wouldn't own it or watch it again I don't think. It was beautiful to watch and had nice music :) We were cracking up with the accents, listening and talking like them. "Change my Fate" is something I yell with her accent and it cracks us up. I'd give it 1 out of 5 stars, not because it's horrible, but because it didn't really impress me. A shoulder shrugging "eh" at least I've seen it.