Música Monday (on Thursday) :Halloween playlist

Hello music lovers and Halloween lovers alike! You know what day it is??!

IT'S HALLOWEEN!...Also it's Thursday

also MÚSICA MONDAY... ON THURSDAY!!!!!!!

*Cue childrens laughter and zombie groans*

For today's edition of Música Monday (on Thursday) I've compiled a special playlist of some of my favorite halloween music! 

It's a little complilation of everything from "the Monster Mash," songs from The Rocky Horror Picture Show, Dracula, Hocus Pocus, the Nightmare Before Christmas and hours worth of awesome fun halloween music.

Play it to get in the spooky-mood or during your halloween party to enhance the ambiance!

Have a safe and super fun teeth rotting halloween!

May a little dose of music (and a touch of worms wart...for flavor) spook up your halloween!

Ttyl little darlings muahahahahahahahaha,

Jeshua

Halloween & Dia de los Muertos Tutorials

A few weeks ago, I had the privilege of working on some face painting videos for the amazing Crafty Chica, using her new line of Dia de los Muertos face paints! 

Since we had the space and time (and thank God for our amazing crew) I even managed to squeeze in a hipster Zombie tutorial using my FAVORITE body art line by Tulip.  

Maya from MayaintheMoment.com was so patient and we definitely had our share of laughs and fun soooo that definitely was a perk. 

and the award for best co-star goe to..... ;)

For the full blog posts check out CraftyChica.com or click the links above the videos to take you directly to that particular tutorial. 

Dia de los Muertos.

Hipster Zombie tutorial

Ttyl,
Jeshua

Música Monday: Mika "The Origin of Love"

Happy Monday you hard working, beautiful person you! You know what you deserve??

You deserve a dose of good new music to fill your earholes with!

 BECAUSE YOU'RE AWESOME! 

YOU GO GLENN COCO!!!!

This weeks Música Monday artist/album is Mika's "The Origin of Love"

The first time I had ever heard Mika was back in 2007!

MTV used small part of one of his songs ("Love today" from his first album "Life in Cartoon Motion") in one of their previews that would literally play at EVERY commercial break.

Once I found out who the artist was, I immediately went on YouTube and listened to all of Mika's music that was out at the time, then I bought the full album!

Mika has a pretty alternative sound which is why I wasn't surprised that he didn't blow up in the states.  

After the release of "Life in Cartoon Motion" I kind-of forgot about him and didn't even bother to think twice about his second album "The boy who knew too much" released in 2009.  

It wasn't until I listened to Ariana Grande's version of "Popular Song" featuring Mika  (originally written and recorded by Mika for "The Origin of Love" album) that I was reminded of how much I actually enjoyed Mika's voice and style.  

I gave his most recent album "The Origin of Love" a listen to, and boy was I stoked!!!!

This Album is so good. I literally laughed out loud to some tracks but in a good way. 

The cheeky "I only love you when I'm drunk" was the song that totally caught me off guard.  I hadn't read the title of the song because I was just listening to the album all the way through. Once the chorus hit, it totally caught me off guard and made me LOL 

The title track "Origin of Love" is a really fun, upbeat, melodic track that has a great feel as well as super interesting melodic vocals.  The song has a light piano centered sound that almost makes it a non-traditional dance song.  It's one of those songs that you dance in your underwear to whilst getting ready in the morning...or something. haha 

 or maybe that's just me.....

I really like Mika's version of "Popular Song."  It has a great message and although it is less pop-melody-esque, than the Ariana version, the message is a little more at the forefront and more matter-of-fact, than the more sensationalized Ariana grande version (which I still love regardless).  

The track "Heroes"also has a fantastic message about a soldier coming home after war. Very relevant to the world we are living in now.   

The moody-ballad "Underwater" has a great smooth piano riff with a really jagged, contrasting lyrical melody in the verses, that really builds in the chorus. 

Finally.... "Emily" or the alternate "Elle me Dit" is just so fun to listen to.

Take a Listen for yourself!

May a little dose of new music brighten your Monday and boost your week!

Ttyl,

Jeshua

BFI Disney Diaries: Spooktacular

One thing people may (or may not) know about me is that I'm an avid-self-proclaimed Disney-holic annual passholder. 

Yeah that's right!

no cares given

Next to Christmas time, Fall is my FAVORITE time of year to visit the park. 

I mean...Space Mountian transformed into the spooky (and fast) Ghost Galaxy, a giant HalloweenTown-esque Mickey Jacko'lantern, The Nightmare Before Christmas themed rides and snacks, Dia de Los Muertos themed areas in Frontierland  AND trick or treating in the park???  How much better can it get?

ohhhhh I know, a spooky-fied firework show and parade!!!! DUH

Did I mention The Nightmare Before Christmas??  Well if you're a fan of the soundtrack, sip a pumpkin-spiced latte whilst eating pumpkin-spiced beignets in the French Quarter, where the soundtrack is playing on the reg.  

I suppose it's not all about the food yeah right.

There's just something about the way the air feels in fall that makes me so happy. Isn't is weird how each season has a different feeling in the air. Especially at night?

EEEEKkkkkk I LOVE fall in general, but Disney nights during fall give me something I seem to have been lacking all year long pumpkin-spiced beignets   

ttyl

Jeshua

Música Monday: Amy Winehouse "Frank"

ugh...It's already Monday again?!

well... let's get to it!

Happy Monday fellow life sojourners.

So as some of you know, Justin Beiber has decided to get in on the Música Monday bandwagon, and release a BRAND NEW SONG every week.

SOOOOOOO.........

we're definitely not going to talk about him.

HOWEVER  we ARE going to be talking about an artist that is very dear to my heart.

This week Música Monday selection is the album "Frank" by the untouchable and deeply missed Amy Winehouse. 

Amy Winehouse came in with earthquake like presence into the American Mainstream music scene in 2007 with her hit "Rehab"

Then she really established herself with the Album "Back to Black'" which received two Grammy's and tons of critical acclaim.

A lot of people know about that album, but not many people have heard Amy's first album "Frank".

"Frank" is different from "Back to Black" in that it's sound is less retro and slightly less produced.
However the writing and feel of the album is young and rebellious, with a generous helping of "achy-heart" syndrome.

Stand out tracks:

The moody "What is it about men" and "Take the box" give an insight to Amy's destructive and troubled side, including her issues with her relationships.

But the songs are so damn groovy....I can't help but to love them

"I heard Love is Blind" and "F**k me Pumps" show off Amy's cheeky side while "October Song" "(There is) No greater Love" and "In my Bed" give you the classic crooner-Amy-sound we have grown to know.

If you really want to hear something cool/supplemental, check out Amy's "Frank B-sides."
It's an entire album of demos and cut songs from the Frank album including some awesome covers and raw moments.


Take a listen for yourself!!

If you've never heard "Frank" I hope you enjoy it, and if you have heard it, hopefully it brings back some memories and sparks your nostalgia :D


May a little dose of new music brighten your Monday and boost your week!

Ttyl,
Jeshua 

Ramblings of a Boi: Lessons from a traveler

In front of the Moulin Rouge.  Paris

So yesterday, I was going through old pictures and decided to post pics from my various trips, to facebook.

I came across pics from a trip I took to Europe to visit and bond with some family that I really hadn't seen much my whole life.

Reminiscing on the experiences really got me thinking...

I remember, years ago, reading a quote by Maya Angelou that said 

"Perhaps travel cannot prevent bigotry, but by demonstrating that all peoples cry, laugh, eat, worry, and die, it can introduce the idea that if we try and understand each other, we may even become friends."

This quote resonated and continues to resonate with me whenever I travel.

Sometimes we take for granted our freedoms, our rights...and sometimes we forget that we don't know everything and we don't always know best.  

I was lucky enough to spend a little over a month traveling through Europe with the family. They were so gracious and took me in and made me feel so comfortable (they even bought me Christmas presents...yaaaaasssssss).  

Seeing that in so many ways we were different, but also so similar was really interesting to me. I think that the travel experience, really helped to open my eyes and teach me to be patient and gracious with everyone I encounter. 

Which if you know anything about me, is a really difficult thing for me to do!

I'm thankful for my experiences... all of them. The painful ones that left me feeling like I was about to break. The ones that left me permanently scarred. Those experiences make you grow. They make you rise above. When you travel you realize that, no matter where we are from, and no matter the background or skin color, beliefs, educational history.....we all struggle, we all strive, we all dream....and we all love.  

It also helps me to realize that there are problems far beyond anything I am experiencing currently in my life.

I know what some people may be thinking...You went to Europe, not freaking war torn Uganda...sit down!

Listen, I get you. But just like there is Beverly Hills, here in LA, there is also Skid Row.

Two extremes can exist in the same element.

it's science y'all

Anyways. The trip to Europe was an amazing and rewarding experience that I think everyone, if able, should experience. I just wanted to share some thoughts and ramblings of a boi.

-ttyl
Jeshua

Now enjoy some pics from three of the 6 places I visited. ...or don't....do what you want 'cause you're a grown up...unless you're not...idk

España

La Sagrada familia..Barcelona, Spain 

Caracol con Salsa (Snails cooked in a tomato-garlic broth) with my little cousin. These were her favorite she told me. She was really eager for me to try them :D They were actually delicious hah

We had to go to the market pretty much everyday to buy food because they told me that in Europe you only buy food for the day, not for the week like in the States.  

Barcelona sunrise from my Tia and Tio's (aunt and uncle's) balcony 

Leaving Spain for France

France

Photos from the Musee De Louvre

Mona Lisa's smile be cray

"like WTF, where's our chocolate?"

Le Moulin Rouge

My obsession. Macaroons, baby!!!!!

L'arc de Triomphe

Going out on my own with some friends I met in Paris.....

They gave me a night to remember!!!

La Basilique du Sacre Coeur

View of Paris from The Eiffel Tower

Bavaria (Bavarian Alps, Germany)

Oberammergau cheese soup with fig ravioli and baked pears :D yummmmmm

 

I love the architecture in Bavaria. All the artwork on the houses and buildings reminds me of Hans Christian Anderson's fairy tales.

Authentic beer steins!!

My Tia Nuri loved to torture my by singing the Beatles REALLY REALLY loudly

My cousin Mandy

The Zugspitze Mountain 

The last Medieval Roman Fortress in Trier