For someone who loves the mountain so much just by looking at it, it comes as no wonder when I say that some things on my bucket list are elevation-related, that being a winter or summer activity,
I was in awe when I found some brave souls who wanted to join me in a fantastic adventure that included:
leaving at midnight, direction Alps.
trekking at around 4 am in complete darkness and below-temperature
All of this, to witness something magic: A concert of classical music at the top of the mountain. It started right before the first rays of light hit the bare rocks, at the top of the Dolomites…
And then it’s there, the music starts, everyone snuggles up in the cold and enjoy the music, in silence. Not a single word is spoken, just listening to the sound of music.
“Great things are done when men and mountains meet”, says Sounds of the Dolomites‘ motto. I can only agree to that.
This is one of the part of the concert, a special memory that will stay forever in my heart.
I’m back to talk about my seasonal favourites, spanning through music, film, radio and much more.
For this 2015 I decided to explore the topic “Playlist” on a different level, not anymore on a monthly basis, but based on the seasons, on each colours, weather and events that happen along the way. This winter has been unusual, cold and grey, but snow lacked, for my disappointment. Spring came with a windy week of clear sky and sun, here in Berlin. Quite a blessing, culminated with the solar eclipse on March 20th, equinox day, what a show.
Well, let’s start with the favourites, let me know what you think.
Enjoy and bring joy with you, always.
Val
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– Music –
In this playlist you can find:
– Flowers –
You can tell it’s January in Berlin when you can find the first narcissuses and tulips and more in every supermarket. I love them! such a colourful presence in my flat. I personally like to buy myself a nice posy, to display in my bedroom. It’s a lovely feeling to wake up and see flowers, indeed!
– Film –
I watched Song One because of the beautiful presence of singer songwriter Johnny Flynn and a great soundtrack. Despite the music, the movie itself is meh, I must admit, so maybe skip the movie and go listen to the OST.
I also watched Birdman since it won the Oscars, and I can tell that it’s an excellent movie, but I simply can’t explain how Boyhood didn’t bring the statue home. Seriously I can’t wrap my head around it.
I ended up watching Still Alice a Saturday night that I was home alone. I generally liked the idea, and Julianne Moore really studied the pathology before playing the role, but what a weird way to roll the narrative, highlighting things that would not necessarily be highlighted (Husband cheating? Kids’ daily drama?)…Dunno. Not impressed in the end. I have also to say I really dislike the choice of letting a saltless actress like Kristen Stewart such an important character?
Whiplash wowed me. What a great, cruel movie about music and jazz. It reminded me of a past boyfriend practising jazz until his hands bleed. It’s true that that kind of practice makes you a fierce human being. Sometimes a bit of a superior asshole too. And then, well, there’s my homie Miles Teller. I always watch and support him, he’s finally starting to move forward shitty blockbusters and work with his talent for nicer, more meaningful scripts.
I want to suggest you StartUp, from Gimlet Media. At the beginning I thought that the podcast was a spin-off like Serial of TAL (I spoke about my devotion for this podcast and host Ira Glass last year) bur it’s something different. I really liked the story telling and the genuine enthusiasm and tender naivety to the business world, while he is approaching to start his own business.
It is, again, the end of the month. Almost the end of the Summer too, so double meaning.
New exciting times and changes are coming, more layers on too. I can’t wait for Autumn to start, maybe bar the rain, but I’ll live to moderately embrace that too. Bring it on! Under “Playlist” you can find a new fine selection ’bout what impressed me this month: flowers, movies, books, radio, etc.. We start with a brand new playlist.
A very peculiar mix this month: I took some of my favourite songs listened on Youtube, (especially this lovely demo song by Henry Hall for a great Casey Neistat’s video – he’s a filmmaker from NYC, go check him out if you don’t know him!), podcasts like Song Exploder and This American Life. I believe it’s an interesting mix, let me know what you think. To start to listen to and read of other monthly favourites just click on the picture or directly HERE.
The fact that you will get a paycheck? Or that it’s the only day you are sure you have no new bills to pay? That holidays come soon? Wrong. You’re all wrong.
The best part of the end of the month is to get to read this post. 🙂 Cheeky me, I know.
Here for you a new selection over art, photography, flowers, radio, movie and tv-series reviews, plus a fresh yummy recipe, all starting from a new Playlist. Click on the picture or here to start a new journey!
And hello to you, beautiful creatures here reading. June has come and gone, and now things are getting real: half of 2014 has happened already. Seriously. It was like a quick time-lapse movie, I know, but take this time to consider if, so far, you have done enough of what all the good new year’s resolutions?
I haven’t, but I am excited because on the good way, and not stopping. Join me on the positive vibes, now!
Let’s start with music and a brand new playlist:
Click on the picture now to start the playlist and see all the other monthly favourites!
What to expect more? Just few topics from my very personal list of favourites, selected and explained just for you: Flowers – Film – Book – Radio – Tv series – Artist – Photo – Food …
Just click on the pic/album to start!
Enjoy and bring joy with you, always.
Val
P.S. Question of the month: who’s gonna win the World Cup???? Leave me a comment below if you want!
I started my long-lasting love story with music at home, listening to my parents’ vinyls.
My folks, they weren’t super into music, but had some great tunes on their collection (mind the fact we had no tapes, only the radio or vinyls, not for a fancy aspect, it just happened): I reckon my favourite albums in there were: “Live at Wembley ’86“, 1992, by Queen; “Profumo“, 1986, by Gianna Nannini; “Titanic“, 1982, by Francesco de Gregori; and “Bridge over Trouble Water“, 1970, by Simon and Garfunkel.
I think I consumed afternoons listening to them. I was raptured.
Vinyls are slick and increasingly attractive at touch. Turntables are professional machines with a fragile balance, that teach kids to be careful. As a kid growing up with vinyls, you must learn elegance and grace, in order not to break anything/get told off. Moreover, the silence in between two songs is full, nothing compared to the tracks now. It’s the huge difference between analogic and digital: if we think in digital bits, (where 1 is sound, 0 is silence) back then, even the silence 0 had a mean like beat 1. Fascinating.
Back to the story, that S&G’s album was quite something, and a great catch to my feelings. I could follow the lyrics and identify myself with the protagonists, or just fantasise to get a song dedicated (very original, I know). Two song were absolutely my favourites: – Cecilia: catchy, rhythmic pop-folk song, just after “El Condor Pasa” that was so South American, so joyful yet desperate to get the love back
– The Boxer: music for the soul, innit. Falling in love for a young kid like me was the easiest thing in the universe, more than playing with a ball, more than riding the bike
I recommend the listening, better alone on a sofa, legs up that can’t reach the ground, eyes lost in the melody… a lil kid again…
Karneval der Kulturen is a celebration for all the different cultural associations in Berlin; they come in my neighbourhood, Xberg, once a year to party and parade along the street. It’s a very nice, messy and feeling-young event.
This year all the elements were in one mix: sun, heath, crowd, music, food, alcohol and “multikulti“.
I take this space now to focus on my point of view, meaning the lonely me walking in the streets with a camera, bumping across people every second, and looking at the infinite people looking at the Karneval from a terrace. Bliss.
I hope you enjoy this different ‘angle’.
I loved these mothers with their children. There is so much Xberg in this pic.
Who cares if you have a party going in- and outside your terrace when your neighbour is Kanye West playing a solo guitar??
Many old people and couples enjoyed the view: so much life going on in the street, so much youth, an unique view for the weekend. I loved to see them involved from their window.
A cheeky refreshening service for the community: this is how Xberg contributes to beat the heat (34 degrees are no joke around here)
A special mention to: This bloke. He was having the time of his life indeed.
Dear stranger, life belongs to the curious. Come downstairs next time, and see yourself.
Good weather is gracefully adorning Berlin this June.
Good weather, warm temperatures, positive feelings around East and West B.
Last Sunday I was right in the middle, in Mitte, for a great event for free: Staatoper für alle.
Free music is already a good thing for a city, but what gives a more interesting twist is the fact that it’s made in the middle of city centre, by blocking one of the most important street from transports etc, just for the pleasure to occupy the square, Babelplatz, its street and surroundings. I must admitI really admire how organically my fellow citizens come for this kind of events; 95% of them, moreover, come super-organised, with chairs, blankets, food and drinks. I would rename the event *Bring Your Own Camping Chair Sunday* if I could! 🙂
I love it, it’s a kind of organised spontaneity you can see vividly in Germany.
Here we go friends, the highlights are here and for real! The weather this month across Europe has been ideal and inspiring, I got my groove back thanks with my shiny, now all fixed, bike and some new exciting activities at work. Good vibrations don’t come alone neither for you: stay positive with a brand new Playlist!
In it, a mix of love and wandering, a quite British one, with some old classics plus new entries from my beloved Damon Albarn (did you know he was my first teen crush? Read “Maybe kinda obsession“), Bombay Bicycle Club…have it a go!
On my monthly highlights, some juicy favourites, like a Kiwi tv-series you might not know, an iconic picture I snapped with my mobile camera, a new cake and many many others. Come on board, just click here to the right page!
Shattered, plus slightly intoxicated by the previous night I was fighting the frozen air conditioning system at the airport.
Done with my routine ipod-security gate-ipod, I started battling with myself if to buy a sandwich, they are so good in Italy it is highly tempting, yet so expensive. Yes no, yes no, yes no, I queued up at the bar. I then chose the most deserted part of the gate to sit, facing the runway, pretending I was about to jump on that plane to a more exotic destination. Why am I so early this time? I hate waiting when hungover.
I started reading a book, stopping for a moment to look at the Emirates flight attendants with their red and beige suit and funny hat (that by the way i totes rocked here). In a hipster moment of creativity I then took a picture of my sandwich looking at the runway and the plane, the sky in the sunset over a hot and humid Venetian lagoon. It’s the end of August.
I pushed myself to stay awake by reading, but my heart started galloping with the announcement: they’re calling my flight. The frenzy to get on the plane started around me, but I always stay sit until the very last moment, enjoying to watch people in a rush to leave. I am always alone at the airport, yet I was not feeling lonely, I had my music. It’s time to fly, to my next destination, and this is what my ears, what my soul, is listening to in the process.
“When the night is falling in the summer love / Tell me where you gonna stay tonight”
Valanzo 