Fourth of July

Beckie and I had a very nice Fourth of July weekend. We saw some family, had work off, and saw some amazing fireworks. On Thursday, we were able to see my sister who was in Utah for the holiday. We didn't have a ton of time but were able to go to dinner and then have them come over to our apartment and have the kids go crazy and jump all over us.


Friday was the Fourth of July, and being that we live in Orem, we wanted to watch the Stadium of Fire. There is a spot on campus that we have been to before and that was amazing. The fireworks are shot off from a field next to the stadium. There is a barrier for fallout that goes through Helaman Halls. We found a spot just on the other side of this barrier. The fireworks started a little later than planned but when they came it was well worth it. We were right next to the fireworks and in some cases, underneath them. We had a great time.

California Trip

Beckie and I got back from our trip to SoCal about 3 weeks ago. It was a nice break from the Summer grind and from work. It was nice to see some of Beckie's family in L.A. and in Vista. We arrived in Culver City (home to Aunt Cyn and Uncle Tim) early on Thursday afternoon.


The rest of our trip included:

Thursday - Arrive in L.A./Culver City, Santa Monica Pier, hanging out at home
Friday - Los Angeles, Hollywood, shopping at H&M (Beckie) and Amoeba (me), Garment District, Downtown, Fabric shopping, a short rest back in Culver City, the Getty Center
Saturday - Disneyland
Sunday - The Getty Center again, drive to Vista, hang out with the Grandparents
Monday - the beach, Oceanside, San Diego, Old Town, Balboa Park
Tuesday - Drove home

Disneyland was very fun. Tim, who works for ESPN, was generous enough to get us in for free to both Disneyland and California Adventure. We got on most of the rides we wanted to. The only exception was the Indiana Jones ride which, while we were in line, had to shut down for some unknown reason. We loved a couple of the rides at California Adventureland and went on them twice. We left the park exhausted but happy.


Another highlight of our trip was the Getty Center. The Getty Center rests on the hills near Brentwood overlooking Bel-Air. The first time we went was on Friday night. We tried to make it before sundown but by the time we got to the top it was too dark to see the Los Angeles skyline. It was super busy and there was definitely a party atmosphere. Earlier in the afternoon, No Age played a free concert at the center. We decided to go again on Sunday morning so we could take some pictures.









We drove down to Vista after leaving the Getty Center and were able to see Grandpa G, Nani and Papi and Beckie's parents who were in town visiting. We visited for awhile before some had to leave. Unfortunately, we forgot to take pictures of all of us. We also forgot to take our camera to San Diego the next day when we went to Old Town and Balboa Park. We did take a couple pictures of the beach in Oceanside though.

At Mount Zoomer

So, while Beckie and I were in California I couldn't pass up going to my favorite record store, Amoeba. I went to Amoeba for the first time last summer in San Francisco while visiting my sister and fell in love with it. It's nice to go to a record store that actually has what you're looking for, and not only that, but finding them many times used. I splurged a little bit and bought quite a few albums while there but for the past week I've been listening to just one, Mount Zoomer by Wolf Parade. Other cd's that I found that could not be found in Utah County include the following:

1. The Airing of Grievances by Titus Andronicus
2. American Water by Silver Jews
3. Lookout Mountain, Lookout Sea by Silver Jews
4. B/E/A/T/B/O/X by Glass Candy
5. Midnight Organ Fight by Frightened Rabbit
and 6. anything by Los Piojos

Shan Foster

I heard about this video while Beckie and I were driving back home from a nice vacation to Southern California. Jim Rome highlighted the song and it's message on his Tuesday program. Shan Foster is heading to the Lakers and it seems like he is one of few that recognizes the great opportunity and blessing that it is. I'm not a Laker fan but this season I'll be cheering for him.

Sigur Ros playing in Salt Lake

Yes, that's right. Sigur Ros will be playing in Salt Lake in September at Saltair. The announcement of the rest of their tour was made last week and the decision to play in Utah is very exciting. It will be a chance of lifetime to see one of the most progressive and innovative bands playing today. Tickets go on sale Thursday at 9 AM and although Beckie and I will be in California, we will find a computer and be online first thing to get ours.

2008 Twilight Concert Series SLC

The Salt Lake City Arts Council has really outdone itself this year with its latest versions of the Twilight Concert Series. The Twilight Concert Series is a summer-long series of free Thursday night concerts held at the Galvan Center near downtown. This years schedule trumps all previous years with some really amazing artists. These include Andrew Bird, Clap Your Hands Say Yeah, The Roots, and Broken Social Scene. Beckie and I are especially excited for Broken Social Scene, who we don't think has ever come to Salt lake, Andrew Bird, and Neko Case. To check the full schedule and to learn more about this event click here.

Broken Social Scene


Neko Case

Terry Porter hired as new Suns coach

The Suns officially introduced Terry Porter as their new head coach yesterday afternoon. Porter, a former Pistons assistant is expected to bring in an emphasis on defense that was absent while Mike D'Antoni was head coach. I like the choice of a defensive-minded coach and just hope he can get Amare to play defense and not let Al Jefferson light him up for 30 points and 10 rebounds a game.

Terrorist Fist Jab?

All I can say is, really? Since when is this an important story and since when is it interpreted as some kind of terrorist communication? Where do they find these people? One of the most ridiculous things I've ever seen. See for yourself.

Lacking Motivation

When summer comes around every year, many have come up with their annual "Summer reading lists". I've never really done this but this summer I have no choice because, well, it was given to me. As part of the M.A. in Spanish Literature at BYU, all students must take a literary theory course their first semester which is the basis for all of their future schooling and preparation for writing and analysis. I received a nice long email from the instructor that included the syllabus, reading list, introduction, and warning. I've heard that this class is very difficult and requires some intense reading assignments that in many cases, include philosophical texts. So, to help with the course studies we, the students, are required to read 3 books this summer before class starts in the Fall. These include two novels The Lost Steps by Alejo Carpentier, All the Names by Jose Saramago, and an introduction to literary theory. I'm excited for school to start but am struggling to find motivation to read them. I'm not really worried about finishing them but just hope that I don't save it for the last couple weeks before school starts.

Toms Shoes!

I was talking to a friend last night and was told about this amazing company, Toms Shoes. Knowing that I love Argentina, he thought that I would like this company as well. I fell in love with it in a matter of minutes. Toms Shoes makes simple canvas shoes, designed after the traditional Argentine "alpargata". The alpargata is a very popular shoe in Argentina, and the closest American equivalent of it would probably be the women's slip-on or even flip-flops. What makes this company great, besides the shoes, is the cause. For every shoe that a consumer buys, another pair is dedicated to needy children in Argentina, South Africa and other nations of the world. Go to the website at www.tomsshoes.com and learn all about the shoe, the cause, the company and buy yourself a pair.

Blog Construction

So, as those who read my blog have seen, the majority of posts have been about soccer and not so much about what's going on with me and other things that are important to me. Because of this, I've decided to make another blog specifically for the world's game. It is still in process and I will let everybody know when it is ready. Also, I want to do some tinkering with this blog with layout, color, and direction. Hopefully, it will be more readable for everyone. Thanks.

Manchester United Premier League Champions 2008

Yes, the inevitable happened this weekend and Manchester United won it's second consecutive Premier League Title. As those who know me well, know that I'm not a Man U. fan, but am a fan of el Apache, Carlos Tevez. Wherever Carlitos goes, a title follows. Whether it be at Boca Juniors, Corinthians, or Manchester United, Tevez is a champion. Congratulations Carlos and we look forward to your future successes.

Boca into Copa Libertadores Quarterfinals

After barely scraping through the group stages of South Americas biggest club tournament, Boca Juniors is looking like a more legitimate contender for the title. With two equal results of 2-1 at home and away against the Brazilian club Cruzeiro, Boca is into the quarterfinals.

Away match in Belo Horizante, Brazil

Great Video

I saw this video and couldn't resist putting it on the blog. What do you think, good dad or bad dad?

Dream Matchup?

The final for the European Cup, a.k.a Champions League final is set. Manchester United, with the best player in the world Cristiano Ronaldo will face the first time participants from West London, Chelsea. The two best teams in the English Premier League will play to see who is the best in Europe. While many consider this match the ideal and best possible final and a meeting between the actual best teams in Europe, I'm not so sure. Will this decide the best team in Europe, or are there other teams that are better at the moment? One can make a case for Inter Milan, Real Madrid, or even Porto. The final is set for May 21st in Moscow and will surely not disappoint.

Chelsea vs. Liverpool


Manchester United vs. Barcelona

Man Man @ In the Venue SLC

Last night I went to Salt Lake to see Yeasayer and Man Man. I heard that Man Man puts on a great show and I was already excited to Yeasayer. Unfortunately, Yeasayer canceled but Man Man was definitely worth the price of admission. Man Man's music is described by some as Viking-vaudeville, Manic Gypsy Jazz. I'm not sure exactly what that means but what I do know is that they are excellent live. Their energy, mannerisms, selection of instruments, and intensity is overwhelming but infectious. Here are a couple of videos of them live that are, despite the audio, pretty similar to my experience last night.

@SXSW

Latest DI find

So, it's no secret that Beckie and I love thrift stores. Furniture, Books, Frames, and clothes are our targets. Deseret Industries is the largest thrift store in these parts and the one in Provo is not only really close to our apartment but also quite large. Beckie usually hunts for home items such as frames, furniture, lamps, etc. while I am searching for books. I've been quite lucky finding books at DI. I'm always on the lookout for Spanish literature along with classics at bargain prices.

This past weekend we went to the American Fork DI and found some great stuff. Beckie picked up a lamp that I wasn't too crazy about but I trust her vision with it. I was lucky enough to find this book by Carlos Fuentes (La Frontera de Cristal), The Crystal Border. It was a great find considering it is brand new, probably never read, and is an Alfaguara book. Alfaguara is a Spanish publisher whose books often are pretty expensive. 2$ for a book listed at 18$.

As we find more treasure at these thrift stores, we'll post them. Look at Beckie's blog also to check out her finds. Her apartment pictures show off a lot of what she has found.

Tevez saves Manchester United

Manchester is close to the Premier League Title, and this weekend, was saved by El Apache, Carlos Tevez. Tevez's header in the 88th minute tied a game that Manchester was close to losing. Congratulations Carlitos on your goal and your success in the Premier League!

CP3 is ridiculous

So, while Beckie and I were at DI in American Fork this weekend, I was able to watch the end of that heartbreaking Suns/Spurs game in the first round of the playoffs. I was pretty upset. I don't know if I can handle another Suns loss to the Spurs after going through last years disaster. Not really thinking about it for the rest of the weekend, the thoughts of this game kind of disappeared after seeing the Mavericks lose to the Hornets and witnessing the playoff debut of the best point guard in the NBA. I love Steve Nash but this year Chris Paul has been amazing and the best point guard, and maybe even the best player in the league. See for yourselves.

New Album of the Week

M83 has released a new album this week entitled Saturdays = Youth. I haven't had a chance to listen to it yet but am looking forward to considering their previous releases. Their 2005 release Before the Dawn Heals Us was one of my favorites from 2005. A very approachable electronic album. Pitchfork gave the new album 8.5. Read their review here.

It's Official

Beckie and I are officially sticking around the Provo/Orem are for a couple more years. We've decided to stay and go to BYU for an M.A. in Latin-American Literature. The advantages outweigh the disadvantages and it's just the best situation. Here are some of the reasons why it's nice to stay around for a bit longer.

The program
1. one of the best in the country / graduates are accepted into the best Ph.D programs in the country
2. I know many of the professors and students in the program
3. I get to teach 101 classes
4. Tuition Cost

Utah
1. We don't have to move
2. the mountains

Anyway, Beckie and I are excited about this new phase in our lives and we are ready for the change and the work that comes with it.

I can't stand Bruce Bowen

Bruce Bowen's forearm to Amare Stoudemire's abdomen on Wednesday night's Suns game against the Spurs helped remind me why I dislike Bruce Bowen so much. The dirtiest player in the NBA has struck again. Nobody is immune to idiocies. Vince Carter, Ray Allen, Chris Paul, not to mention everybody on the Suns.

The worst thing about all of this is that the league doesn't care about it. David Stern has shown his negligence and inability to run the best league in sports. As long as somebody is not animated off the court and is a seemingly ok person at home, they can do whatever they want on the court. The league needs to do something before Bowen ends somebody's career. His desire to injure other players has shown not only his recklessness but his lack of talent. Why outperform them when you can kick them? Watch this video and see for yourself the true Bruce Bowen.

Stadium of Fire - Miley Cyrus

I'm sorry but I just couldn't avoid this story. It's so laughable to me. Miley Cyrus, aka Hanna Montana is performing at the annual Stadium of Fire event in Provo on July 4th. The tickets sold out within hours and can now be found on ebay for crazy mark-ups. Capitalism at it's best. Here is the article that put a smile on my face about this situation. I don't feel sorry about the mom who couldn't get her kids tickets to the concert. It's just a concert.

Also, Cyrus' influence over kids is questionable. Would you want your daughter to dress like this? Parents have the right to do whatever they want for their children but I just hope we all realize that Hannah Montana concerts are just not that important.

Champions League Quarterfinals

The second leg of the champions league quarterfinals finished yesterday with Manchester United and Barcelona going through, along with Liverpool and Chelsea who played on Tuesday. As you can see the semi-finals will be dominated by English Premier League teams. Carlos Tevez showed up again for Man U. scoring their only goal yesterday with a header late in the second half.

TEVEZ


Perhaps, the most impressive of the teams in these games was Liverpool. With the help of a spectacular goal by Fernando Torres, Liverpool secured a 4-2 win over Arsenal, showing what they are capable of in this tournament.

Liverpool vs. Arsenal

Finally, my favorite Spanish la liga team Barcelona came through with a comfortable victory over Shalke with a goal by Toure Yaya. Despite all of their off-field troubles (the rumors behind Ronaldhino's exit and Messi's injury) they showed what they are capable of. Although Manchester United is playing excellent football, I wouldn't count out Barcelona especially with a healthy Messi back from injury.

FOALS

I first heard Foals a couple of months ago and didn't think too much of them. Not that I didn't like them, just that I passed over them pretty quickly. Their new album Antidotes came out last week and I've been listening to them more often and as a result, liking them more and more. It's math/alt-rock that makes you want to dance. Not too dancy but just enough.

Turner

I love this painting by J.M.W. Turner. "The Slave Ship" is one of Turners most powerful paintings and shows violence and sadness through color and technique. It's a very powerful painting.

Vampire Weekend w/Yacht at In the Venue in SLC

Beckie and I ventured out to Salt Lake last night for one of the first concerts we've been to in awhile. Vampire Weekend played with Yacht in a sold out concert at In the Venue. Most everybody was there to see Vampire Weekend, and the truth is, we were as well. But Yacht didn't disappoint. Yacht consists of a computer and two vocalists. The music was already made and played from the laptop while the band sung and danced. It was really interesting. I've heard electronic music similar to them before but I've never seen a concert from a laptop. Their energy was great and I really enjoyed it.



Vampire Weekend was great. They were actually a lot better live than what I thought they would be. I saw their video on Saturday Night Live and really wasn't impressed. I think the smaller venue made them sound much better. They don't have many songs, so everybody knew most of them and sang along. The set was short and to the point. Good, fun, smart pop music the way it should be played.

R.E.M. Take Away Shows

R.E.M. did some very cool Take Aways Shows. Check them out here.

Be Your Own Pet's new album sensored for violence

I read this article this week about the upcoming Be Your Own Pet album Get Awkward on Pitchfork and it just reminded me why major record labels are full of it sometimes. Three songs off the new album from this garage/punk foursome have been axed for the U.S. release by Universal. The same label that puts out the violent and sexual-filled music of Eminem, Akon, and Marilyn Manson has censored this album for references to knives. It just seems really odd and quite hypocritical. Maybe it's because the singer of the band is a seemingly innocent young girl and the relationship between youth and violence is one they don't want to convey. I'm not sure I buy it. If the band isn't the biggest moneymaker for the label, then it is easier to censor them. Why can't the consumer just listen to what they want without worrying if what they are listening has been censored or catered any way to what the label believes is correct. I've heard the new album and would recommend it to anyone who just wants to listen to some loud, angst-filled music that has a killer woman vocalist at the head.

Brandon Jennings' Hair

You got to love Brandon Jennings' kid 'n play haircut from the McDonald's All-American Game. A great fashion statement that hasn't been seen in about 15 years. He'll be taking his hair and his game to U of A next season. Learn a little about Brandon here.

Alela Diane

I found out about Alela Diane just recently on one of my more frequent music-finding binges. There are so many musicians out there that are very talented and I love finding new ones. Read about Alela Diane on her website and wikipedia. Here are a couple of her Take Away Shows which are some of the better ones I've seen.

# 79.2 - ALELA DIANE - THE RIFLE
Uploaded by lablogotheque

# 79.1 - ALELA DIANE - TIRED FEET
Uploaded by lablogotheque

This is what soccer is about

The game last week between Chelsea and Tottenham showed what soccer is all about. Extremely dramatic, both sides playing well, and a tie. Only in soccer would a tie be this exciting. This is one of the reasons I love this game.

New Music Tuesday

This week the most high-profile music releases include new albums from the B-52's and Gnarls Barkley. Read a review about the B-52's new album Funplex here. Gnarls Barkley comes back after a wildly successful debut album with a good sophomore effort. Here is a review of the new album The Odd Couple.

"The Dumbest man on the planet"

I love following Argentine soccer players abroad. Whether they are in the Premier League, La Liga or el Calcio I'm proud of seeing former Boca, San Lorenzo, Velez, and other clubs players playing in the best leagues outside of Argentina. In contrast I love seeing former River players play poorly or in a negative light. The latest is Javier Mascherano of Liverpool who was red-carded only 10 minutes into one of the most important games of the season, against Manchester United. Read about the incident here and about Mascherano's point of view here.

Argentine sues 'Dirty War' couple

I ran across this article today and it made me think again about this terrible period in Argentine history. The 'Dirty War' in Argentina was a time in which those who opposed the government were routinely kidnapped, tortured, and murdered by the state. Many just 'dissapeared' and have still not been found. Read about it here and here. I get chocked up, upset, and scared every time I read about the period and the histories of those involved. One of the more better-known consequences of this period was the literal stealing of children from parents. These children were given to military related families. There is a great movie about this called La Historia Oficial (The Official Story).

Well, the article I read this morning is about a woman who found out she was one of these stolen children and her suit against her adoptive parents. Read it here.

Read about Human Rights and South America here.

March Madness

The NCAA men's basketball tournament starts today with games across the country. It's the best time of the year. We don't have TV, so unfortunately, I won't be able to watch any of the games. But, it doesn't matter. I'll be following the tournaments action online. As for my favorite in the tournament, I like UCLA. They have made it to the final four the past 2 years and are a better team this year. Good luck to my two favorite teams, BYU and UNC.

White Rabbits

Last year I wasn't so diligent in my finding of new music. As a result, I missed out on some great new music and amazing albums. One of these is the New York-based White Rabbits. I first heard them on a KEXP podcast and thought they were very good. You can listen to them here. Here is there performance on the Letterman Show.

Flickr Faves

Recently Beckie introduced me to the photo-sharing website Flickr. Since then I've really enjoyed it. There are photos from all over the world of about anything you can think of. But, best of all, the talent of the photographers is amazing. I thought I would start adding some of my favorites to the blog on a regular basis. Here are the first couple.

"Brooklyn Bound" by Ramperto
I love New York. The diversity, the culture, the arts, and everything that goes with being a large city. The Brooklyn Bridge is definitely my favorite piece of architecture in NYC. Plus, it goes to Brooklyn, an amazing city. I like the contrast of color in this photo along with the emphasis on the bridge. "Brooklyn, New York" by My World Gallery
Another bridge picture. This time of the Williamsburg bridge taken from the Brooklyn side. Just another taste of the city and of Brooklyn.

Notable Record Releases of the week

Largeheartedboy has the notable releases of the week here. Most notably is the new disc from Why?, Alopecia. Check it out there and here. They will be playing in Salt Lake on April 12th at the Urban Lounge.

Grizzly Bear (w/mustaches) on the Late Late Show

Animal Collective - Water Curses EP

Animal Collective received the Plug music award for best indie album (Strawberry Jam) and a few days prior to this announced that they will be releasing a new EP on May 6th, Water Curses. Anything new from AC is excellent and I can't wait for this one.

Yeasayer Take Away Shows

#87.2 - YEASAYER - 2080
Uploaded by lablogotheque

#87.1 - YEASAYER - No need to worry / Redcave
Uploaded by lablogotheque

El Guincho!

I first read about El Guincho and his latest album Alegranza, a couple weeks ago in a record review on pitchfork. It sounded interesting to me that there was a spanish musician being compared to Panda Bear from Animal Collective. So, I checked it out and really enjoy it. It's just this crazy mixture of pop, afro-beats, chanting, and harmonies. Stereogum also has an article about them. Here are some songs on his myspace page. I especially recommend Antillas and Kalise.

Grad School

So, on Friday I received a letter from the department of graduate studies at BYU and was pleased to read that I had been accepted as a graduate student in Latin American Literature for Fall '08. We were very happy, this being our first choice. But, being that I applied to 2 other schools, I want to wait for those replies before I choose a school. I just want to be on the safe side in case the circumstances change. But, for now, we are very excited about this and are happy for the opportunity.

Notable Album Releases this week

"Saturnalia" by the Gutter Twins

Read here at the Largehearted Boy's blog the list of album releases for the week. The blog also includes some samples. They include new music from the Gutter Twins and What Made Milwaukee Famous.