[The Transcontinental]

Wow. I'm glad I'm back on my blog grind because this song definitely deserves my attention and a place on my humble little piece of the internet. Hip hop lovers, supporters, aficionados, or anyone who's curious about some new freshness- make sure you check out IMAKEMADEBEATS and Roc C. Together they are The Transcontinental and their future album is one to keep your eyes and ears open for. Right now you can cop the track 'Warriors' ft. Rapper Pooh and Chino XL on Itunes.

[back on track]

Yes we took a brief hiatus- but now we're back. Just in time for the spring/summer warm-up. And we all know what that means- cook-outs, porch parties, 2-wheels, 4-wheels, toes out, picnics, sunnies. Our collage above is a nice summary of things we're currently digging on...

1. Fast Friday: this movie is just plain dope even if you're not into fixed gear biking. and yes there's always time to get addicted like we have. Our tiny-ass garage (but a garage nonetheless) has quickly become a bike warehouse and our computer goes straight to velospace when we turn it on.

2. Diplo: We've loved him for ages and have seen him perform at various parties including the Roots picnic, at Mod Club(Tdot) with Switch and recently at Soundlab in Buffalo. Never fails to drop the heat and make ya booty bounce. I'm guessing surfer tracks are the next frontier.

3. Organic Wine.

4. Major Lazer: Switch+ Diplo= music that makes you pretend you're surfing in your bedroom. Summer time madness!!! Pretty sure they're dropping an album. Love the track "Hold the Line" featuring Santi.

6. Mi Black Barbie she go go go.

7. Green smoothies/ juice: grab a good blender or juicer and go to town. Veggies are good in a glass.

8. Pins I had in the 80s: I can't remember all of them but I definitely had a SNAFU pin I got from Village Green Bookstore and a smiley face one from Record Theatre in Midtown. I can't even help that I'm humming Bobby McFerrin right now...

9. Carebears care-a-lot: If the Carebears, Rainbow Brite, and Cabbage Patch Kids could form a sweet army led by Punky Brewster and kick cancer's ass the world would be a better place.

10. Zion I: We had the privelege of seeing Zion I perform in the Roc last week. Good vibes, tight musicians, and lyrical skills to boot. Zion I has a new album out called "THE TAKEOVER". don't sleep.

[fun to the 100th power]

I go to Rehab every month- do you??? More info: Rehab Record Party

[other people's stuff]

It's fun to take a peek into other people's homes isn't it? Well photographer Todd Selby has a whole project showcasing creative people and their creative spaces. The photographs are lush, colorful and fun. Check them out: Todd Selby

[lo-fi/ lo-tech]

Real cameras are back! Yes digital was fun but haven't you missed loading the film, manually focusing your camera, and the excitement of getting your pictures developed? Haven't you missed all those strange imperfections and color variations that only film can produce? Digital cameras are great for immediate gratification and internet posting but there's just something magical about a still film camera. The camera that I am obsessing over right now is the Holga. The Holga was invented in China during the '80s and is a simple plastic camera that produces gorgeous photos with all the details that digital loses! Plus the "fundamentals of Holga" (created by the Lomographic Society International) are brilliant:

1. Free yourself from rules

2. Embrace random results
3. Disarm your subjects
4. Engage individuality
5. Get your hands dirty

I can't wait to get my own Holga. I will use Kodak film exclusively since I am a Kodak baby (being from Rochester and all).

[musical devotion]

If you had to pick one musician/group to solely listen to for 6 months straight- who would you pick? I ask this question because I once overheard a man say that he listened to only Prince for 6 months. When I heard this I immediately thought well yeah- I could listen to Prince for 6 months too. Prince's musical catalog is not only extensive but extremely diverse. Dude's got some 30+ albums, his music has been featured in countless movies, he's won a billion awards, and his career spans thirty years or so. Plus I happen to be a fan of the artist formerly known as... My other votes for a 6 month musical devotion include:
Syl Johnson
Bettye LaVette
Bad Brains

Nina Simone James Brown

And my new favorite group that I want to devote 6 months of listening time to is the South African group BLK JKS. I can't stop listening to their Mystery EP- which is free at Other Music.

BLK JKS- Summertime

[radio roulette]

Does anybody really listen to the radio anymore? Ipods, the internet, and satellite radio have pretty much made AM/FM radio an antiquity.

There's a bunch of reasons I rarely tune into on air broadcasts anymore. The number one reason is the frequency and amount of commercials. There are more ads than music on most radio stations these days. My number two reason is that most radio stations play popular/mainstream songs that are backed by major labels. Independent music is basically ignored. On FM radio you hear the same 20 pop songs all day/everyday until the rotation is switched.

I watched the movie Before the Music Dies and I understand that radio is a business not just an art. It's still a pity that radio can't introduce listeners to new, innovative music on a regular basis. Enough of my soapbox ranting. Here's some FM radio stations that I still tune into when the mood strikes:


My favorite FM radio station of all time is 104 WDKX- straight out of Rochester, NY. It's the only locally owned and operated station in the Roc. The call letters for DKX stand for Frederick Douglass, Martin Luther King Jr., and Malcolm X. I grew up on this station and it brings back memories every time I tune in. 104 has some unique radio shows including the Quiet Storm, Oldies on Saturday mornings, and the live mix shows on Saturday afternoons. You can now listen online.
College stations have a great deal more freedom when it comes to radio programming. Commercials are far and few between and djs are more apt to play indy/underground music because they're allowed to! My favorite local radio show is "the slowFlow show" on 89.7 WITR (RIT's station). This hip-hop and R&B radio show was created by Jaythreeoh. As the host/selectah Jay plays a diverse mix of music- making sure to showcase local artists and underground/independent talent. Not only are the tunes on point- Mr. Jaytreezy has personality for days. Tune in weekdays from 9am-12pm. You can listen online.


NPR (National Public Radio) has always had a diverse lineup of radio shows. I don't listen religiously but whenever I catch a show it usually sparks my interest. WRUR 88.5 broadcasts a few NPR shows including my favorite World Cafe and the not-so-traditional talk radio show called All Things Considered. "World Cafe" profiles contemporary musicians and features live performances and interviews. "All Things Considered" features quirky human interest stories and news from around the world in a creative format.


Honorable mention: WBER 90.5 is a self-described alternative radio station. WBER is one of my car radio presets so when I feel like playing radio roulette this happens to be one of the choices.

[Petal Power]

The other day I was browsing at Abundance Co-op when I discovered four locally made products- Petal Power Salve/Balm and Green Power Salve/Balm. Each formula comes in a thick salve for the body and a lip balm. The amazing thing about these products is that they are made by Rochester students who are enrolled in a school-community garden project. Their pamphlet and website describe the program:"An...organic farmer and an educator work with elementary school students, teachers, and the community to develop school-community gardens on or near the schools. Students learn sustainable agriculture techniques. The gardens are located in low-income areas where food insecurity is high. Having the students research, design and process a product that is marketed and sold to the public is one of the goals of the project." Wow. Not only is this an incredible project that benefits local kids, schools and our communities but the products are natural and beautiful. Plus 100% of the proceeds from every purchase go back into the Rochester Roots program. Make sure you purchase Petal Power/Green Power products- they will make excellent stocking stuffers and help someone survive that dry skin and chapped lips we deal with in the winter! I'm giving them to everyone on my holiday list. These products are super affordable and can be purchased at the Abundance Coop (62 Marshall St. ) or online: Rochester Roots.

[Things i'm digging...]

1. Really Ridiculous Comedy

I don't watch TV- ever. But I recently discovered HULU and It's Always Sunny is too damn hilarious! Maybe I like it because it's set in Philly. But I'm guessing the real attraction is just the sheer absurdity of the characters' adventures which involve pretty much everything I would never ever do. I won't even get into the shenanigans. Just click on over to HULU and catch up on it- I promise you'll be laughing out loud Urkel style in no time.

2. Nuts and Garlic

Not sure if it's the change of seasons but we've been devouring nuts at an alarming rate. And garlic is in pretty much every dish i make (not the desserts of course but you know what i mean). Combine the two and you've got perfection. My girl Nicky Nic Nick recently visited from the Bay Area and brought us the most incredible Garlic Pistachios (thanks Nick!). I'm telling you these pistachios melt in your mouth! Nicky picked these up from the G.L. Alfieri stand at the San Francisco market. Luckily the brilliant people who made these nuts have a great website and ship all their treats. I am already planning to grab some holiday gifts from the site. Check out: G.L. Alfieri

3. Wray & Neph
Jamaican Rum will always do the trick.

4. Support Starving Artists and Local Business This Holiday Season

We all indulge and spend more money this time of year on gifts for loved ones. For the holiday season I say boycott the mall and all large corporate stores. For gift giving try to save money, support local artists, and spend money in urban businesses.

First: I make a portion of gifts and even if a gift is not entirely handmade I always personalize wrappings with funky collages and clippings.
Second: I check out the ETSY website. ETSY is an awesome site chock full of all kinds of unique handmade goods, vintage finds, and supplies. PLUS- you can search and buy locally.
Third: I shop in urban businesses ('hood business as we like to say). By urban business i mean a business that has chosen to stay in the city to serve the needs of residents.

Off the top of my head here are some Rochester shops/ vendors I will be perusing: MoodMakers, Archimage, Thread, Tonja's Hat Store ( 674 South Ave. right near Thread), Future Xclusives, The Public Market, Abundace Co-Op, Record Archive (make sure to ask about local artists), and LakeShore Records. Obviously there's a million more- get exploring. Remember when you spend your money where you live you will get to see the benefits.

[Diggin on...]

a tiny sample of things we love:

1. Kidrobot Dunny collectibles. These not so kid friendly toys have taken over our living room mantle. Be careful because once you start buying them you can't stop- highly addictive.

2. I love the 80s movies at Target. Now 80s babies can get all the movies we used to watch on beta and VHS. We already copped "Better off Dead" starring a baby-faced John Cusack and the Eddie Murphy classic "Coming to America".

3. LJ's restaurant- When you're craving jerk chicken, brown stew or ox tails head to LJ's on Thurston. Down home Jamaican food to go.

4. The Olympics-Duh! Don't lie you know you've got Olympic Fever too. Some awesome athletes that have been blowing us away: Hyleas Fountain, Cullen Jones, Hanna Thompson. Looking forward to BMX racing this week.

5. That last feverish bit of summer. We've been embracing this last official month of summer and there's still so many parties, events and shows coming up. So bust out those shorts shorts, sandals, and shades and bask in the still deliciously hot times.

[Diggin on...]

new summer favorites

1. pho- This Vietnamese soup is so good it makes you crave hot, steaming soup on a 98 degree day. Recently tried S.E.A. restaurant on Monroe Ave and fell in love with their enormous bowls of pho.

2. Lookin Boy by Hot Stylz feat. Yung Joc- Don't lie- you know this track makes you laugh- at least a little bit. Takes me back to the yo mama days.

3. Gas prices in New Jersey.

4. Thunderheist's Jerk It Video. watch it.

5. Summertime parties. inside, outside, beachside, on the porch, in the backyard, at the park. don't matter where ya party- as long as you got good beats and good people.

-CleverGypsy