yosemite valley, to me, is always a sunrise, a glitter of green and golden wonder in a vast edifice of stone and space. -ansel adams

yosemite is a landmark that people from all over the world travel far and wide to explore its magnificent beauty.  even though it's always full of tourist, i can't help to think when native americans had free reign of this land.  they were there before the spaniards invaded and before the gold rush.  it must have been something to behold.  since then, yosemite has undergone many changes, but still its dynamic beauty is what will never change.

some of my earliest memories have been at yosemite.  for as long as i can remember, my parents have been taking us up 2-3 times a year.  all of our jaunts were courtesy of our VW green bus.  after setting up the tents, we'd wander about during the day, and at night we'd gather around a campfire with marshmallows as we made my dad retell the old yeller story in a way that only he could.

i have many memorable experiences, but there are a couple that take the cake.  after coming out of the tent one morning, i looked up to see 2 bears standing a few feet away from me.  they had opened the back door to the VW and were eating the food packed away.  they gave me a once over, and thankfully were totally preoccupied with the food.  i tried calling my mom and dad--i could hear my voice in my head, but there were only silent inaudible breaths escaping my mouth.  i stood frozen for what seemed like an eternity, and finally my parents made their exit.  they grabbed some small rocks and started throwing them.  my dad told me they needed to scare off these babies before the mama bear made her grand entrance.  i had to be 5 or 6, and i can still remember the terror inhabiting my tiny body.  i don't know if this was the same trip or not, but on another occasion, my parents woke up one morning to find a skunk in the tent.  my dad reached for his machete (who sleeps with a machete!?!) and raised it above the skunk ready to come down in one clean and efficient swipe.  my mom stopped him right before when she saw the sleeping bag wiggle and realized it was me!  yup, i had what you call horse hair and it was jet black, and only my long dark ponytail was visible.  so aside from being in the midst of hungry bears and nearly being offed by my pops, yosemite always brings me to a peaceful and happy place.  seriously.

i recently took my niece up for the weekend, i've always camped in yosemite, but since we didn't have macgyver my dad, we stayed at the yosemite lodge and had an incredible time.  we swam, we hiked, we rode bikes and took in all of the awe-inspiring wonder around us.

the alabama shakes.

when i first heard brittany howard's voice on npr, i was so taken aback that i stopped what i was doing to devote my full attention to a voice and melody that sent shivers down my spine.  i first thought it was a song from the 60's that i had never heard, but i was so surprised when i learned that she leads the band, the alabama shakes, who are relatively new.  there have been many pop tarts singers who have come along and taken over the airwaves, but lack authenticity, soul, genuine bonafide talent and guts to bare.  at only 22-years-old, her voice cuts through to your core, and backed by an incredible band that naturally fuses their southern roots of rock 'n roll, soul, and the blues--the alabama shakes are the antidote to inauthentic musicians.  i haven't been this excited about a voice like hers since janis joplin.  it's true.  there is something really special about them and their raw unedited talent.  their album doesn't come out until april, but their ep can be downloaded for $4 here.  skip that latte today, and support musicians as good as they are!

Alabama Shakes - You Ain't Alone - Alabama Shakes Music Videos - Live Performances

find life experiences and swallow them whole. travel. meet many people. go down some dead ends and explore dark alleys. try everything. exhaust yourself in the glorious pursuit of life. -lawrence k. fish

a day for me doesn't begin until i have a solid espresso.  the hotel coffee was bitter, so when i asked the bellman where i could get the best coffee, he looked at me crazy and said, "STARBUCKS!"  realizing i wasn't going to get a mom & pop type coffee house from this guy, it just so happened that my friend sent me a list of the best coffee houses in big cities.  for seattle, it was monorail espresso.  it took me a minute to locate because it isn't a brick & mortar--rather it's a tiny store front shop adjacent to a large hotel.  so glad i found it because i was greeted by kostas who had an infectious smile and he was a total delight.

i have to show you the first starbucks.  there wasn't a time that i passed it when there wasn't an insane line of diehard patrons.  although i wouldn't call myself a fan of their coffee, i do drink it on occasion and especially came to admire howard schultz after watching him on inconoclast.

what would a jaunt up to seattle be without gracing pikes place market?  i was a bonafide tourist with a huge kool-aid grin and a camera around my neck.  it was pretty awesome.  not only did i see some of the freshest seafood of my life, amazing art, and an abundance of flowers--but there were a ton of little charming side streets.  i walked through enchanted alleyways not quite sure where i would end up, but was thrilled when i came to second-hand vintage shops.  i walked away with some gorgeous hardbound books, vintage coca-cola trays and even a le creuset pot for a steal.

ummmm, how adorable is this little rosebud?  she blended in perfect!

something else that stood out to me, but not surprising, were all of the musicians.  i love a town full of musicians that grace its streets with beautiful music.  it was a big melting pot of tunes around every corner.

i can't tell you how much the space needle was my beacon for finding my way around seattle.  it was central to my hotel, and by the end of my trip i was able to navigate around without having to use the gps.  i went up just as the sun was setting, and the views are mighty spectacular.  i took one of those cheesy super-imposed photos that i'll spare you from.  but here's a view from the top.

do you see how how incredible the emp museum is from the top?  the minute i saw it, i immediately recoginzed it as a frank gehry design.  his structures are all so undeniable and singular in every way.   the following day i went in for the mind-blowing exhibit of nirvana and hendrix.  i was completely over the moon!  more on that later.

for now i'll leave you with this sky as i made my way back down the space needle and into a night full of promise.