a taste of good music and sweet memories

currently playing: my morning jacket- the "Z" album. it's beyond amazing--its mystic and sultry vibe is calming and so making me want to do some interpretive dancing. 'wordless chorus' explains it all.

other news in music: norah jones (one of my all-time favorite artists) just released her third album, Not Too Late, today. while listening to a real musician who's original, classy and still down-to-earth, i'm looking forward to adding some new songs to my list of favs that include "what am i to you?" and "painter song." i bought her album, Come Away With Me, during my sophomore year in high school and absolutely fell in love with it. i remember every song on that album being so beautiful, and beautifully crafted with jones' vocals and lyrics. i even remember playing the cd while i called my high school crush, arthur, to ask to the sadie hawkins dance. what a nerve-racking experience that was! (i had butterflies in my stomach and i think it was the first time i called a boy i liked), but jones' piano-playing and soothing voice calmed the tension. i played that cd so many times it accumulated quite a number scratches and then skipped every time i pressed play. wonderful memories music brings.
i think she and the handsom band are going to play at amoeba next week to celebrate the release. oh i hope to go!

more great news: needless to say, i have the best of friends and family, and co-workers who are great friends and like family. today i got a package in the mail from my former co-worker jason who sent me my secret santa gift from freddy. (mm, that's confusing), but it was the sweetest thing on both of their parts. i must share that part of the gift included the "shall we dance?" dvd, which i thought was hilarious and thoughtful because my coworkers at jaleo all knew i love to dance, and they probably don't know it but they inspired and taught me a lot about the latin grooves of salsa, merengue, and cumbia. if you're ever in the dc area, you must eat at Jaleo. it's rated one of the best in the area and their typical hour/hour and a half wait-list proves it--i know, i was the host. the food is delish (the flan, divine), the ambiance is hip and intimate, the service is sophisticated and the staff treats you like family. if you go, tell them connie says hi!