Wednesday, September 8, 2010

Nothing but Smiles

Image from here
I apologize for my absence from blogging.  My only excuse is that I've just been busy!  But busy in a very good way.  I'll give a full update over the weekend, but for now I just feel the need to add to my list of things I'm thankful for.  So here it is...

I'm thankful for...
121) Weekend trips with just the girls
122) Freshly picked apples
123) Raspberries, yogurt, and granola....I'm thankful for each separately, but together thay are delicious!
124) Cool, crisp mornings
125) Beautiful sunsets over Lake Michigan
126) Clif Energy chews....they are getting me through these insanely long runs!
127) Having fun weekend plans when the week isn't even half over
128) Giggling until your stomach hurts
129) Old mix cds for road trips
130) New music from my favorite artists

Live Sweetly :)
Rachel

P.S. I'm getting closer to reaching my goal of $1,000 for the Special Olympics.  I have until the Chicago Marathon on 10/10/10 get there.  All donations are greatly appreciated.  Please visit my fundraising site by clicking here: http://www.active.com/donate/sochicago10/RDavis500

Sunday, August 15, 2010

Friends

I prayed for you before we met,
not knowing who you'd be.
I asked the Lord to send a friend.
Image from Juan_MiguelR
One chosen just for me.

I asked that they'd be Godly,
with wisdom of His ways.
A friend to help and guide me
in the troubles of these days.

So often in life, we need someone
to listen while we talk.
Someone who will not condemn or judge,
but encourage us as we walk.

The narrow road we choose to follow
may sometimes make us stumble,
but to have a friend to catch our fall,
teaches us to be humble.

When I asked the Lord to send a friend,
though many came and went,
He gave much more than I ever asked,
for you are the friend He sent.

~Anonymous~

I'm thankful for...
116) Seeing a movie on Sunday afternoons.
117) Clif Energy Bloks.
118) When my sister's come to town.
119) Popcorn at the movie theatre.
120) New music.


Live Sweetly :)
Rachel

Monday, August 9, 2010

Lollapalooza 2010

Yesterday marked the end of this year's 3-day music extravaganza known as Lollapalooza.  I'm still recovering from my Lolla-hangover, but I'm still feeling a high from all of the amazing music I heard over the weekend.

The main entrance to the festival.
Friday, I arrived in the late afternoon after working for the longest 7 hours of my life.  I started the day checking out The Black Keys, who put on a solid show.  I really like their bluesy style, which is right up my alley.  I stopped over by Jamie Lidell's concert for a few tunes, but didn't stay long so I could stake out my spot for the big show of the evening...Lady Gaga.  I never expected to be so excited to see her in concert, but the show was incredible.  It started off a bit slow since she took a little too much time with her personal monologues.  After the first act was over, the rest of the show was a whirlwind of dancing, singing, and craziness that only Lady Gaga can pull off.  I say act because the concert was in 3 acts, plus the encore.  It literally was a theatrical experience.  She ended the show with "Bad Romance" which definitely was the highlight of the evening.

Emily, me, and our new friend from D.C., Ann Marie, while we
wait for Phoenix to start.  It was crowded!
Day 2 was marked with a great mix of bands.  I stared the day seeing Dragonette, who I had read was must-see in the RedEye on Friday.  They were right!  This band put on a great show, and since there were on a smaller stage, I was able to get really close.  Click here to listen to some of the music.  After catching a few songs from Stars, I headed over to see Dan Black with Emily and Mike (two of my Lolla buddies :) ).  I had never heard of him before, but he was amazing!  I didn't stop moving the whole time he was on stage.  Click here for more of his music.  The next highlight of the day was Metric.  The lead singer of this band had so much energy!  She definitely worked the crowd despite the heat and humidity and her energy was contagious!  It definitely got us all ready for what was to come later.  Click here to listen (my favorite is "Help I'm Alive").  The best act of the day (and probably of the whole weekend) was Phoenix.  We were about 50 feet from the stage, and boy did we work to get that spot!  We sat for over an hour waiting for Phoenix so we could be moderately close.  Their show was incredible.  The band was clearly grateful and humbled by the amount of people who came to see them....and they put on an amazing concert to show their appreciation.  Click here to have a listen to some of their songs.

Sitting in the shade with Kristen.
Lollapalooza is definitely a marathon, and by day 3, we were all feeling tired and achey from all the dancing, standing, and jumping from the days before.  I started the day seeing Yeasayer.  Besides hearing that my friend, Kristen, really liked them, I had no idea what to expect.  I ended up loving them though!  They have a electro, rock style with some tribal beats mixed in....a unique style for sure.  Please click here to check them out.  You won't regret it!  After a disappointing set by MGMT, I decided to head over to The National.  I also was not familiar with this band, but heard that most of my Lolla buddies loved them, so I figured they were worth checking out.  After attempting to get up front by Emily and Mike, I decided being 15 feet away from the stage was close enough...and boy was it!  The lead singer of The National started out completely mellow, but ended the show by crowd surfing, climbing the barriers, and screaming at the tops of his lungs.  It was a totally amped up show!    Click here to hear some of their music. 

After a lot of debate, I decided to end Lollapalooza by seeing Arcade Fire, and this proved to be an excellent choice.  Their music has so much depth, especially since they had 9 band members on stage!  It was evident that the audience was truly moved by their music and lyrics.  It was a great way to end the 3-Day weekend.  Click here for some of their songs.

It was an exhausting, exciting, and exhilerating weekend.  It was something I will never forget...until next year comes around, of course :)

I'm thankful for...
111) My music loving friends who like going to concerts with me
112) $3 slices of Lou Malnoti's pizza
113) Sundresses on hot days
114) The kind of music that makes it impossible not to dance along
115) The music scene in Chicago

Live Sweetly :)
Rachel

Tuesday, August 3, 2010

Rainy Days
















Originally uploaded by Cuba Gallery
Rain
by Shel Silverstein

I opened my eyes
And looked up at the rain,
And it dripped in my head
And flowed into my brain,
And all that I hear as I lie in my bed
Is the slishity-slosh of the rain in my head.


I step very softly,
I walk very slow,
I can't do a handstand--
I might overflow,
So pardon the wild crazy thing I just said--
I'm just not the same since there's rain in my head.


I hope everyone is full of smiles despite this rainy Chicago day.

I'm thankful for...
106) Curl and scrunch spray...it makes it so easy to get ready on days like today.
107) the Walgreens that's only a block away from work
108) my cute umbrella
109) Band-aids, especially when they gaurd your feet against blisters
110) Balasmic vinaigrette salad dressing.  I'd say it's my favorite!

Live Sweetly :)
Rachel

Sunday, August 1, 2010

Creative Crush: Laura Trevey Watercolors

I wish I could remember where I first encountered Laura Trevey Watercolors.  Although I can't remember the place, I do remember how taken aback I was by her work.  The watercolors are gorgeous with bright, vibrant colors and a variety of subject matter.  I'm inspired to pull out my watercolor supplies and get back to painting.  Please take a few moments to look at her work by clicking here.


























Aren't they just beautiful?

I'm thankful for...
101) Creative people who inspire me
102) Etsy.com for it's wonderfully unique finds
103) Afternoons playing volleyball at the beach
104) Seeing old friends
105) Making new ones

Live Sweetly :)
Rachel

New Music: Outer Reaches

It's been a while since I've posted anything music related.  With Lollapalooza coming up, I'm sure I'll have tons of new bands to report on after the 3-day music festival.  I'll be sure to keep you all posted on my findings.

There is one new band on the horizon that I'm very proud to introduce...Outer Reaches.  This is my younger brother's band that he formed with one of his good friends.  They are extremely talented.  Both of these guys are responsible for the vocals, guitar, piano, drums...everything.   It's amazing to hear what only two people can produce, and it was all done from their homes.  Their first cd has been released, and it's an awesome first time effort for these two young guys.  I'm excited to see what they will come up with in the future!

Please check out their myspace page by clicking here

Please click here to view their fan page on facebook.

Enjoy!

I'm thankful for...
96) Outlet malls...the deals are so good!
97) Relaxing weekends at the beach
98) The coffee maker at my new office.  The coffee is incredible.
99) Really good books that I can't put down.
100) My cat, Babs (short for Barbara Pageaus Davis)

Live Sweetly :)
Rachel
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