been a bit MIA due to travels to LA for Coachella and a side trip back to San Francisco. as a Coachella newbie, it far exceeded expectations. the festival was phenomenal as were all the bands. it wasn't easy multi-tasking but i did manage to check out quite a few bands. so since everyone has asked, here's who i saw (faves are bolded):

friday
the breeders
vampire weekend
mum
the national
goldfrapp
santogold
the raconteurs
the swell season
aphex twin
spank rock
fatboy slim

saturday
erol alka
cafe tacuba
hot chip
death cab for cutie
rilo kiley
kraftwerk
m.i.a
mark ronson
portishead
prince

sunday
gogol bordello
metric
my morning jacket
sia
modeselektor
simian mobile disco
chromeo
justice

with the summer outdoor concert season starting in good 'ole nyc, the timing is great! so many bands to check out. here's a great show list if you still need to fill your social calendars.

as for the bay area, caught the SF International Film Festival which is featuring some great films this year. Valse Sentimentale from Greece was just ok but Umbrella was a really interesting documentary coming out of China about the gentrification of rural and urban life...check it out.

also caught The Breeders again at Slim's...good times!

the action packed week wrapped with a fun techno dance party at Mighty with Ellen Alien and Sascha Funke. they're coming to Studio B this sat. for all of us lucky new yorkers.

and just when i thought i over-music'd out, got back into the nyc game with a party @ sullivan room where KBOT's new album was released.

managed to catch the tail end of the tribeca film festival with Fighter...sort of a karate kid/monsoon wedding mash-up.

ah if only every week could be like this :)

Safe seafood

When I was first handed this seafood watch card at the Monterey Bay Aquarium a few years ago it read more like a menu than guidelines for what-not-to-eat. What with all the environmental issues around sustainability, global warming, and other scaryisms I saw this again recently and am now thinking, hmm, maybe it's worth a look again. Unfortunately many yummy creatures are on the "avoid" list but then again, the "best choices" will should keep us all full and happy for quite some time.

Snowboarding

Just got back from a trip to Whistler where the snow lives on. Great snowboarding over there especially the Blackcomb national park glacier. Sadly, global warming has hit Whistler and melted a very cool blue ice cave that used to be on the glacier. If you haven't been, go now before it melts away!

Getting there isn't the easiest from the east coast as my 22 hour journey will show. No, it's not 22 hours of fly time, just a whole lot of waiting & sleeping at airports. If only I could realize my bi-coastal dream and keep a hub in San Francisco.

Flash mobs, Bay to Breakers, Idiotarod, and Alleycats...

What is it about our beloved cities that like to promote random gatherings? More reasons to wear costumes beyond Halloween? The subversiveness of thse grassroots organized affairs? The desire to create a community in the vast urban landscape? Whatever it is, it's pretty cool to see, even if the masses like me are too lame to participate participate. Here's the latest...