YOUTUBE: My Morning Run

Last year we posted a video of stuntman doing some crazy stunts around town, but this might take the cake. Two urban gymnasts climba nd tumble their way through London in a child-like dream jaunt about town. Watch until the end for a great humanizing conclusion to their little "jog."



Sergio del Limonar

YOUTUBE: Betty White's Hoodies

As a follow-up to the post from yesterday about Betty White's partnership with clothier Hoodie Buddie to raise money to benefit the Morris Animal Foundation, comes this farse of an advertisement naming White as the "designer of the year". Full of White's sartorial wit and some great one-liners, the spot amkes it clear why this woman is a national treasure, even if she's got a mouth like a sailor.


Sergio del Limonar

APPAREL: Betty White's Hoodies

Comediene extraordinaire and everyone's favorite octagenarian is, as they say on the shirt, "White Hot" right now. Ex-Golden Girl and pop-culture phenomena, Betty White is riding an incredible and unexpected career wave for all its worth. Well, join in the fun and head over to Hoodie Buddie and get a piece of the action with your very own Betty White apparel.

T-shirts and hoodies - complete with built-in technology to suit your iPod - in a multitude of designs and colors. My favorite is the white "Propaganda" hoodie and t-shirt with a black and white campaign poster-style print on the front with the word "Betty" printed boldly below. The holiday season is fast approaching, folks! This is great gift for you or your funniest friends!

Sergio del Limonar

MUSIC: "Just By Being You (Halo and Wings)"

"I'll take off my halo if you take off your wings,
You don't have to be invincible 'cause I sure ain't no saint,
You'll always be by angel no matter what you do,
'Cause you take me to heaven just by being you."

With these poignant words, the chorus on country duo Steel Magnolia's hit single, "Just By Being You (Halo and Wings)", reaches beautifully lyrical heights. The voices of the two singers, real life couple Meghan Linsey and Joshua Scott Jones, blend perfectly and with such true emotion, you can't help but believe every honky tonk note in the country ballad. Here's hoping their forthcoming studio album has as much grit and emotion as this one song does! Head over to iTunes and download it today!

Sergio del Limónar

MUSIC: Grace Potter & The Nocturnals (Part III)

MUSIC: "What I'd Give"

Words can not express how deeping saddened and disappointed I was in Sugarland's lead-off single from their upcoming fourth studio album. (So disappointed I won't even mention the title of that barely-country Jamaica-ska infused mess of a wannabe hip-hop song.)

That being said, the band offered a contest to fans to create a video for one of their favorite Sugarland songs. The winner chose the tune "What I'd Give" off their third album Love On The Inside. The song is beautiful and the videographer did an amazing job of tying together footage of the country duo to really capture the essence of the song.

I think I'll just bookmark this video and play it when, or if, Jennifer and Cristian decide to release another travesty of a single...ah, the good ole days!

Sergio del Limonar

MUSIC: Grace Potter & The Nocturnals (Part II)

This Is Somewhere Grace Potter & The Noctural's second studio album, from 2007, picks up where their previous work left off. With colorful lyrics, a deep soul-inspired groove, and equally slick guitar licks, the album delivers in all the ways you hope an album would.

The catchy and deceivingly sad "Ah Mary" kicks off the record with toe-tapping gusto while the jumpy, "Mr. Columbus" will have you dancing around your living room just for the heck of it. The entire CD, though, is filled with Potter's incredible vocal stylings and there is no doubt that she is a soul singer who feels every blue note.

Sergio del Limonar

MUSIC: Grace Potter & The Nocturnals (Part I)

Who would think that a white girl from Vermont could sing such exhaustingly passionate soul music? Well, maybe Joss Stone. Please take some time out of your busy schedule today to get to know Grace Potter & The Nocturnals. I was recently introduced to this group from upper New England when they forcedly uploaded Grace and her band to my computer; its been on repeat ever since.

Her 2005 album, Nothing But The Water is rockin' soul music at its most raw and real. Songs like "Ragged Company", and the titular "Nothing But The Water" (both Parts I and II are equally fantastic) leave your foot tapping and your heart seeping some kind of deep emotion all over everthing. Another highlight of this album is "2:22" a song about love gone wrong, but not too wrong. Listen closely and you'll be in for a surprise ending!

Sergio del Limonar

RECIPE: Zucchini Hummus

A friend of mine is a hummus addict. She has a right to be - she makes good hummus. I have not tried this particular version as of yet, but mutual friends have raved, so, on their recommendations, I present to you, Zucchini Hummus!

Ingredients:

1 can garbanzo beans

1 zucchini

3 tbsp lime juice

3 tbsp tahini

1 tbsp olive oil

2 cloves of garlic

Salt and pepper


What To Do:

1) Heat the garbanzo beans on the stove in the water from the can, so that they blend easier.

2) Then, throw them into the blender along with the diced zucchini, minced garlic, tahini, olive oil, and lime juice.

3) Blend.

4) Extra Tips: If using dried garbanzo beans, soak two cups in water overnight. Be careful though, they expand. A lot. Also, if you don’t like zucchini, try roasting a red pepper on the stove, scrapping off the burnt skin before tossing it in the blender.

Sergio del Limonar

MUSIC: Justin Townes Earle

Named after the late country singer Townes Van Zandt and the son of country rocker Steve Earle, Nashville native Justin Townes Earle seemed destined to be a star. His funky acoustic style, coupled with a preternatural songwriting ability and pleasant folk voice, make for a commendable musical effort.

The 28 year-old's third album in two years, Harlem River Blues, debuts tomorrow, but be sure to check out his "earlier" material, including 2009's "Midnight At The Movies" and 2008's "The Good Life". Like an old pair of jeans that you forget about how much you love them until you slip then on, Earle's music is vintage and contemporary all at once; each song makes you want to sing along until you realize you don't know the lyrics.

While the parts of his name already have household recognition, hopefully it won't be long before they collectively do. This is an up-and-coming artist worthy of your ear.

Sergio del Limonar

YOUTUBE: Extreme Water Slide

Three things to keep in mind before watching this video:
1) As the parenthetical title says "engineers are silly folk." True. They are also, in this case, crazy.
2) If anyone knows what type of motivation was used to convince the slider to commit this feat, please tell me.
3) Were there others who went before that we don't know about...?

Sergio del Limonar

YOUTUBE: Hand Dance "We No Speak Americano"

By now its a pretty sure thing that you've heard the obnoxious and catchy techno-pop "We No Speak Americano" by the Australian duo known as Yolanda Be Cool. The original video has become a viral hit in and of itself, but this reinterpretation is much more entertaining, in my opinion.

Using a choreographed routine performed mostly using the hands while seated side by side at a small table, Suzanne Cleary & Peter Harding move quickly and synchronized as if they were marionettes being controlled by the same puppeteer. My favorite aspect of the entire performance is the fact that their faces show an expression somewhere between bordom and disinterest. Your face will be anything but.

Sergio del Limonar

YOUTUBE: The Majestic Plastic Bag Mockumentary

Through the use of nature show style documentary, the Heal the Bay organization has created an ingenius public service announcement urging Californians to become more conscious of their polluting habits, most specifically the use of plastic shopping bags. According to the PSA, Californians alone use 19 billion plastic bags a year, with mnay of them contributing to the Great Pacific Garbage Patch, a continent-sized area north of the Hawaiian islands filled with refuse. Hopefully the reaction to this mockumentary will be as effective as the spot is clever.

Visit healthebay.org/bagbill to see what you can do!

Sergio del Limonar

MUSIC: "Painkillers"

A girl from Tennessee moves to Los Angeles at the age of 16, lives at one point with Lisa-Marie Presley, and sings with a reggae band. Later she stars in the hit Broadway musical "Spring Awakening" for a couple years before packing up and moving to England. Now, at the still young age of 22, Lauren Pritchard is releasing an album due in October called "Wasted In Jackson" with "Painkillers" as her debut single.

As a songwriter, Pritchard has a talent for crafting a song as a storyteller would. Her vocals are equally impressive, combining a raw tender coffee-house texture with the pipes of a rocker. A promising debut for an artist who seems to clearly have paid her dues!

Sergio del Limonar

ON HOLIDAY

What are you doing online?!? Fire up and grill and enjoy the last official day of summer!!!

MUSIC: "Club Can't Handle Me"

The fusion of two guys who have separately dominated the club scene seems only appropriate that their collaboration be this cocky. R&B singer Flo Rida and club kid David Guetta "Club Can't Handle Me" join forces for this hot track from the Step Up 3D movie, out last month. The song is high on energy and just about as high on life as you can get! Also, I've never wanted to get down in a laundromat as much as I do now after seeing the video!

Buzzy

DRINK: Tuned Pale Ale

As an ex-bartender I have a laundry list of things drunk people do that annoy me to no end. Waving dollar bills, winking in general, and bottle slamming to name a few. So I was surprised at my reaction to hearing that a new brew is being marketed (although now only on a small scale) that encourages people to make music by blowing across the top of the bottle. This used to drive me batty but with the marked notes along the side of the label, Tuned Pale Ale is sure to at least keep those annoying drunkards in tune, right?!?

Well, this ex-bartender can hope...

Buzzy

WEBSITE: I Believe In Advertising

Novelist F. Scott Fitzgerald once said, "Advertising is a racket, like the movies and the brokerage business. You cannot be honest without admitting that its constructive contribution to humanity is exactly minus zero." And most of the time he would be right. But then there are those exceptional pieces of advertising that transcend the rest and become epiphanous works of art.

I Believe In Advertising is a great blog that hunts down and compiles such works of commercial genius from all over the planet, and displays them here, free of charge to the product's company and providing congratulatory kudos to the firm and artist(s) who designed the ad. Most of the featured advertisements are print ads from magazines and newspaper sources, however a few television commercials make the cut, as well as other unique and creative advertisers who choose to think outside the box a bit, like this "ad" for McDonald's from Zurich, Switzerland (below).


Wouldn't it be great if all advertising was this fun?!?

Sergio del Limonar

MONTHLY REVIEW: August

The dog days of summer are coming to an end but it was fun while it lasted...and ZONINO! made it that much better!

MUSIC

Be the first of your friends to know Mike Posner by downloading his song "Please Don't Go" now!

German band The Baseballs have the right idea: see if current hits could have been popular in the good ole rock 'n' roll days. Yes, they can! Check out their version of "Umbrella".

Under-appreciated country crooner Sunny Sweeney hits it out of the park with her single "From A Table Away".

Jazz great Herbie Hancock has done it again with his legendary collaboration projects. Go out and buy The Imagine Project, featuring greats like today!

Cross-over artist Sheryl Crow tries her skills at singing the blues with favorable results on her new album 100 Miles From Memphis.

Need something fresh and different fro your iPod? Check out the single "You've Got A Friend" by MC's Far*East Movement.

MOVIE

Have you gotten in line to see Scott Pilgrim vs. The World starring Michael Cera, Chris Evans, and Jason Schwartzman yet?

Could Oscar season have started already? Get a head start by checking out The Dry Land about a soldier's journey post war.

Relive the painful days of middle school from the safety of your own home by watching the hilarious adaptation of Jeff Kinney's book, Diary of a Wimpy Kid. Its a lot funnier than you remember.

Also, don't miss the incredible German film Die Welle (The Wave) about a teacher who turns his students into the next Nazi regime as part of a civics class lesson.

BOOK

Jhumpa Lahiri has done it once again with a beautiful collection of short stories in Unaccoustomed Earth. The second part of the book is a literary work of art not to be passed over.

WEBSITE

When ZONINO! doesn't have the dirt, bookmark and check Rotten Tomatoes for all your movie-going needs!

Need a midweek chuckle? Visit Buttersafe, Whiteboard Unicorns, or Chain Bear for a much needed laugh!

And never forget about the draw and addictability of the Word Bubble Game!

YOUTUBE

Why can't all classic remakes be as good as Jane Austen's Fight Club? The woman was ahead of her time.

Katy Perry's "California Girls" have got nothing on the "wind chafed legs" of these "Minnesota Gurls"!

Possibly the cutest thing on the internet right now, check out Marcel the Shell with Shoes On, voiced by SNL's Jenny Slate.

Mike Tompkins has a lot of talent...and time on his hands. See his acapella remix of "Teenage Dream" and "Just The Way You Are".

Oh, and then there's this.

RECIPE

Remember when all you wanted to eat was the middle of an Oreo cookie? Now you can indulge your sweet tooth anytime with the recipe for the cream filling!

YOUTUBE: Mustache Baby Music Video

A friend recently sent me this video with a message that said simply, "This is the last music video you will ever need to see in your life." After watching just half of it, I knoew he was right. That being said, I give you Mustache Baby Music Video.

Sergio del Limonar

*This song is apparently by some absolute genius named Riva Starr.

MUSIC: "You've Got A Friend"

This song is great on so many levels! First is that it is a rap song with a positive message and nothing explicitly inappropriate, which lately in the mainstream rap world seems to be a rarity. Second, the group, known as Far*East Movement (or FM for short) is a group of Asian-American MC's. People of Asian decent make up a large and growing portion of the US population and are yet severely under-represented in pop-culture.

The single, "You've Got A Friend", featuring Lil' Rob and Baby Bash, extolls the benefits of not only being a lover but a friend at the same time. This is the Los Angeles-based group's first real mainstream single, however, many people may recognize them from the soundtrack to The Fast & the Furious. Although simple and sweet, this song will become an earworm if you're not careful! Either way, its not a bad one to have on the brain if it does.

Sergio del Limonar

YOUTUBE: Mike Tompkins Acapella cover

My two favorite types of videos on YouTube are those from people with talent and those who have waaaay too much time on their hands. This video, therefore, in double my pleasure and double my fun because it accomplishes both feats.

A gentleman named Mike Tompkins has created an acapella mash-up of Katy Perry's "Teenage Dream" and Bruno Mars' "Just The Way You Are". Its similar to some Star Wars acapella video I saw awhile back that used one person and some split screened editing to make as many parts as needed, but I don't like Stars Wars much and these songs are just more entertaining. Tompkins sings not only the lead and harmonizing vocals but also mimics guitars, percussion, bass, and somethings called a "kick" and a "pad" which I can only assume to be more percussion (?). Either way, it is incredible and the more this guy clones himself its all the better in my book!

Buzzy

MUSIC: 100 Miles From Memphis

Its not new for artists to venture away from their genres and test the waters in another's pond. Sheryl Crow has had many mutations in her career and explored everything from pop to rock to folk, which makes this morphing to blues less extraordinary. Regardless, it is a genre shift that suits her. Actually, it is a genre that sounds like she was flavoring all her previous works with all along.

Playing homage to the South's other big music draw - other than country and southern rock - Crow works her way through a series of soul-inspired tunes on her newest record, 100 Miles From Memphis. Stand-outs include the titular song and the emotional "Sideways". The song "Sign Your Name", featuring backing vocals by Tennessee-native Justin Timberlake, also makes a nice attempt to sound authentically "Memphis." A bonus track recording of the Jackson 5 song "I Want You Back", in tribute to Michael Jackson himself, will also have you tapping your toes, although the version is nearly identical to the original.

If only other artists could make the change to other genres of music this seamlessly.

Sergio del Limonar

BOOK: Unaccustomed Earth

Jhumpa Lahiri is already a favorite here at ZONINO! so its ashame that it has taken this long for a recommendation of her third book and second collection of short stories. Unaccustomed Earth is similar in subject and style to Lahiri's previous works in that it centers around characters of Indian origins, either in India or immigrants elsewhere in the world; write what you know seems to be her mantra.

Unaccustomed Earth is written in the same simplistic and yet beautifully detailed prose that has put Lahiri on the map. Divided in two parts, the first is similar to her first published book, Interpreter of Maladies, and consists of several independant stories. My favorite involves a Bengali-American man who is attending a wedding at his old boarding school with his American wife and the events that transpire in light of a stressed marriage and mixed feelings toward the bride and his alma mater.

The second part of the book contains one longer tale divided into three sections, each potentially independant in and of themselves. Each is written in a different voice and have their own free-standing sense of beginning and ending that is unique from chapters in a book. The last of the three sections has a double ending in which the second caught me completely, and tragically, off guard. It is not often you can be hit in the face, figuratively, while reading a book.

I like to imagine that Lahiri writes short stories as a way to meet potential characters that may become intriguing enough to keep around for an entire book, as she did with her novel, The Namesake. I thoroughly enjoy her short story wirting and I hope that one of these years she meets another character that can carry her next book.

Sergio del Limonar

MUSIC: The Imagine Project

Many people outside of the music business don't know Herbie Hancock. For those of you in this boat, let me introduce you to him. The man is a genius. He has a collection of Grammy awards and is pretty much deified in the jazz community. He has worked in front of the crowd (as a mutli-talented instrumentalist) and behind the scenes (as a producer).

His most recent series of projects has been to record with a variety of artists, usually on a particular theme. The best part is how Hancock brings people together in these recordings that you would not expect to 1) record jazz and 2) sing together. If this all sounds intriguing to you, then check out The Imagine Project featuring songs of hope and peace by an international and diverse recording community. Relying heavily on African instrumentation and voices, much of the album fuses American jazz grooves with African beats and sounds.

Not to say that that is the whole album though. A unlikely duet, "Don't Give Up", between pop bad-girl P!nk and R&B pianist John Legend is all class and quality. Likewise the Juanes performed "La Tierra" and the James Morrison version of "A Change Is Gonna Come" will have you hitting the repeat button.

Play this in the background the next time you have people over or even quietly at your office and you will have an audio conversation piece. This is a must-own album if I ever heard one.

Buzzy

WEBSITE: Chain Bear

So, earlier this month I posted about Buttersafe, a website with witty and interestingly drawn comics, a good waster of a few seconds of your day. Well, I've stumbled upon another one that just "gets me" and maybe it will "get you" too.

Chain Bear has a whole other style. It's concept is more ironic and focuses on the everyday occuraces that we regualr folk may not see the potential humor in. Often times these comics, created by Lauren Taylor and Stuart Taylor, are on the thoughtful side, creating a smile but also a small warm feeling somewhere inside...but most of the time they're kind of crass.

Buzzy

YOUTUBE: Marcel the Shell with Shoes On

Written by Dean Fleischer-Camp and SNL's Jenny Slate, who also provides the voice for the titular character, Marcel the Shell with Shoes On may be one of cutest and most instantly infectious things you've seen in a long time, unless of course you are currently surrounded by a houseful of baby otters, because those little guys are adorable.

The short video is kind of a mock-interview/profile of this tiny shell, named Marcel, with one beady eye and two pink and white shoes. Marcel is a nervous twitchy little thing, in that way that a socially awkward five-year old in a room full of strangers might be. Marcel's world is unique at best and he shares with us some of his wishes and favorite activities, like wanting a pet dog but realizing the fallacy in it and attaching a hair to a piece of lint instead.

You will love Marcel. There is no way around it.

Sergio del Limonar

MOVIE: Die Welle (The Wave)

Debuting at the Sundance Film Festival in 2008 and several dozen others throughout the next year, the German film Die Welle - translated literally as The Wave - has been a hit with critics and audiences alike. The story is based on book of the same title by Todd Strasser, and occurs at a German high school where a teacher, attempting to engage his pupils in a week-long civics lesson on autocracies, ends up turning his class into a dictatorship that extends beyond the walls of the classroom and even the school itself. Both book and film were inspired by a Palo Alto, California, history teacher named Ron Jones who performed a similar social experiment at Cubberley High School in April of 1967.

Powerful both in the fact that it takes place in contemporary society and in the realistic dialogue between the students in and out of class, the film shows the viewer just how easily ideas can be manipulated and people can be coerced. Near the beginning of the movie, on the first day of the course, many of the students claim that a dictatorship could and would never be allowed to happen in modern Germany again. By the end of the story - all dressed alike with new "recruits" and gang-style greeting gesture - gathered together in the school auditorium, they get a good look at what they've become.

Sergio del Limonar

YOUTUBE: Minnesota Gurls

Well, doncha know...I think all of us here in the North Star state knew it was inevitable that somebody would do a parody of the hit Katy Perry song, "California Girls". Look at the facts: both states have the same number os syllables, girls from Minnesota are also "unforgettable," and, last but not least, the blonde here is natural (thank you Sweden, Norway, and Germany)!

Check out the hilarious "Minnesota Gurls" video, which, along with crazy accurate lyrics, also has a killer rap verse that even Snoop would have to admit was pretty "chizzle." And you betcha, starting with the first verse the song hits on all it means to be a true Minnesota girl.

"I know a place where summer winter spring and autumn
10,000 lakes finding a beach is not a problem!"

Hitting on everything from lutefisk, Lake Wobegon, the MOA, Prince, Joe Mauer, Paul Bunyan, wind-chaffed skin, and Spam, these kids got it all right. Well, done and about time, eh?!?!

Buzzy

MUSIC: From A Table Away

The name may not be familiar, but Sunny Sweeney is no stranger to the country music scene. Her debut album, Heartbreaker's Hall Of Fame, released back in 2007 was a hit with critics but failed to chart or really get any radio attention. Her debut single, "From A Table Away" off her untitled forthcoming album is doing the opposite, currently at #46 on Billboard's Country Chart.

The song is about a woman who sees the married man she's been seeing at a restaurant with his wife. In the course of the affair, as suspected, he's seemingly been telling her that he is miserable and will leave his wife for this mistress. The events that unfold across the room tell a different story, however.

And I heard you tell her you still love her,
So it doesn't matter what you say,
I saw it all,
From a table away.

It isn't a vengeful song - a route many country artists may have choosen to take - but one of quiet acceptance. The idea that anyone who engages in infidelity can't be as honest and pious as they seem and shouldn't be trusted in either relationship.

You can download the song for free, along with several others by going to www.people.com/free and entering the code into your iTunes account. In the meantime, before the full album drops, check out Sweeney's previous and underappreciated CD. I know I will!

Sergio del Limonar

WEBSITE: Word Bubbles Game

Facebook blocked at work? Getting sick of Solitaire? Then mark today as one of the best Fridays of your life! Luminosity has a game that will eat up hours and hours of your time in a blink while improving your word skills! Word Bubbles is an addicting vocabulary game in which the player is given three letters that conceivably begin many words.

Players earn points by completing as many words as possible using these three starting letters as possible in the alotted time. Points are awarded for the number of letters in each word and when a number "bubble" reaches the surface and pops, that score is cashed out. The more bubbles the player can "pop," the better the score. Each complete game goes for three rounds for a total score.

Plurals, past tense and action verbs, and making adjectives are great ways to get the most out of one stem. For example, if the game gives you P-A-R as the starting letters and you come up with "party," you could also score big with "parties," "partied," and "partier."

Game on!

Sergio del Limonar

WEBSITE: Whiteboard Unicorns

File this website under "bizarre" and "happy place" The writer of Whiteboard Unicorns has essentially created a series of temporary art pieces, centered around unicorns (and sometimes a blue bucket), and all using a whiteboard as the medium. Like one-panel comics, each one has its own unique haphazzard quality remeniscent of something your stoner neighbor in dorms might have etched onto your own message board for you to find the next morning.

Sergio del Limonar

RECIPE: "Oreo" Frosting

I don't know a single kid (or adult, for that matter) who doesn't love the frosting inside an Oreo Cookie better than the chocolate cookie part on the outside. Finally there is a solution!

Ingredients:

- ½ stick (2 ounces) butter (unsalted)
- ¼ cup vegetable shortening
- 2 cups sugar (confectioners works best)
- 2 tspns vanilla extract

What To Do:

1. Beat butter and shortening together at medium speed until a smooth texture is achieved.

2. Add the sugar and vanilla while continuing to beat the mixture.

3. Continue beating for another 2 to 3 minutes or until the filling is light and fluffy.

Sergio del Limonar

MUSIC: The Baseball's "Umbrella" cover

Who could have imagined the versatility of one very popular pop song from 1997 would be covered countless times in just as many genres by amateurs and established artists alike? Rihanna's 1997 hit, feating Jay-Z, "Umbrella" achieved her three #1 spots on different Billboard charts, as well as being named triple platinum in the US. The single has done other artists well also, including an acoustic folky recording by Marie Digby and a punk version by the band Vanilla Sky. It has not, however, gone back in time yet...until now.

In 2009, Germany band, The Baseballs, recorded a classic rock 'n' roll-inspired version of the song that could have easily come from your parent's collection of 45's from their teenage years. Combining stock footage from the early 60's with new black and white videography, the video might actually cause someone to question the origins of the song!

Sergio del Limonar

MOVIE: Diary of a Wimpy Kid

Middle School is a painful time for most kids. Usually when I meet someone who exclaims that they "loved" this awkward time of adolescence I figure they were one of the ones who made my life miserable. For Greg Heffley, however, as much as he tries to navigate the halls of popularity and ridicule, he finds himself slipping further and further down the social ladder.

Based on the illustrated novel of the same name by Jeff Kinney, Diary of a Wimpy Kid infuses both Kinney's sketches with live action to create an endearing film that will cause cringes and laughs. Whether being separated into shirts and skins in P.E., being surrounded by girls who have all had their growth spurts, or putting up with a good friend from elementary school who hasn't begun to recognize the new social norms - "How many times do have to tell you? Middle School kids say 'hang out' not 'do you want to play'!" - Greg, played amazingly by Zachary Gordon, is the perfect guide.

While its not great nostalgia, but it reminds us that, although we may not want to repeat this time of our lives, we can be oddly proud to have survived it.

Sergio del Limonar

MOVIE: The Dry Land

If you live in Los Angeles, Dallas, or New York City, be sure to check out a film that is sure to be on some critics' lists come Oscar season. The Dry Land tells the story many people know about but too many want to ignore - how troops returning from war handle the transition back to civilian life and what can be done to make it easier.

Starring Ryan O'Nan as James, a soldier returning to Texas from Iraq, the film looks at the human side of the mental roller coaster many soldier go through upon leaving a traumatic and daily-stressing life overseas to return to their often mundane lives of before. With a stellar supporting cast, including America Ferrera as James' wife and Jason Ritter as his hometown friend, the movie hits all the right points. Wilmer Valderrama also flexes his dramatic acting muscles with a turn as James' army buddy, who plays a pivotal part in his coping and recovery.

The movie also contains a gorgeous soundtrack, including two new original songs by Texas' own Lyle Lovett. The film has been winning rave reviews since it debuted at the Sundance Film Festival in January and will surely continue to do so as it opens across the nation during the month of August.

Sergio del Limónar

YOUTUBE: Jane Austen's Fight Club

Jane Austen has been the author of many books about Victorian women and their societal struggles. Her books have stood the test of time and have even been adapted to modern popular culture in films such as Clueless (a remake of Austen's Emma). Well, according to this parody, there is one Austen story we haven't yet read, this one far ahead of it's time. Introducing, Jane Austen's Fight Club.

Taking obvious inspiration from the cult-film starring Brad Pitt and Edward Norton, and subtle inspiration from some of Austen's true novels, the fake movie trailer is hilarious, not only in concept but also in how the actresses commit to the part. I personally love the victory fist pump at the end, complete with sunglasses and leopard-print coat. Now, this is a classic for the ages!

Buzzy

WEBSITE: Buttersafe

Hump Day is over but it's not quite the weekend, yet. Who said Monday was the worst day of the work-week, huh? Either way, its a perfect day to log onto Buttersafe and check out the twice-weekly comic posted here. It is my Tuesday/Thursday guilty pleasure; something to look forward to and know I will at least smile if not laugh aloud. (Please note I did not say LOL. When will that die?)

Anyways, the website displays hilarious and beautifully illustrated simple cartoons that the lady in the cubicle next door with the inspirational magnets and cat posters will hate. Which is why I love them and why I love to print them off and post them in eyesight of all who pass by my work domain.

Happy Thursday. Very un-Zonino!

Buzzy

MUSIC: "Please Don't Go"

Put "Please Don't Go" on your next party playlist and not only will everyone be up and dancing but you'll have everyone asking "who is this?!?" Backed by a catchy but not annoying electro-beat, the smooth-voiced artist in question is 22-year old singer-songwriter Mike Posner and hopefully he will have the success he seems to be headed toward. If that happens, everyone will remember the first time they heard of him. Be sure to check out his debut album, 31 Minutes to Take Off, available next week!

Buzzy

WEBSITE: Rotten Tomatoes

A few weeks back, we ZONINO!ed the blockbuster film, Inception. I had gone to see it with a few friends and upon exiting the theater in unanimous agreement that it was indeed a great movie, we began to discuss why some people might have not liked it. Other than being out-right stupid or having ADD and, therefore, not "getting it," we could not come up with a viable reason. Later, I popped on one of my favorite research/reference websites, Rotten Tomatoes, to discover the reason for myself and realized, that this site has never made a ZONINO! appearance and definitely should have. Drum roll...

Rotten Tomatoes is a site that combines the reviews of the major film critics from all of the major and reputable journals, newspapers, and magazines, and puts them all in one place. The site also assigns a general score to each review. Obviously some publications assign a letter grade, some use a star system - some with varying number of celestial symbols - while others do a simple thumbs-up/thumbs-down approach. The site manages to find a happy medium to summarize them all. Also, for quick reference, next to each reviewers' stub, there is a splatted green blob or a ripe red fruit, symbolizing the website's overall take on the critic's review.

This is a good site to bookmark and check out before heading out when you don't know what to see. The site also boasts trailers of upcoming films as well as fun lists and movie trivia. And of course its good when you can't figure out how someone could dislike a movie too!

Sergio del Limónar

MOVIE: Scott Pilgrim vs. The World (trailer)

Check out the trailer for the upcoming comedy Scott Pilgrim vs. The World, starring everyone's lovable awkward go-to nerd of the moment, Michael Cera, and tell me you're not a little intrigued. The film, debuting August 13th and featuring a bevy of crowd-pleasers - including Kieran Culkin, Chris Evans, Anna Kendrick, Brandon Routh, Jason Schwartzman, and SNL's Bill Hader - looks to turn the dried-up rom-com into a geeky and over the top farce of joyful proportions. It is directed by the same comedic genius who brought us the British comedies Shaun of the Dead and Hot Fuzz, Edgar Wright, so it certainly could have potential. Hopefully the actual film delivers as much as the trailer suggests.

Sergio del Limónar

MONTHLY REVIEW: July

With all the summer has to offer, it only got better with all we found here at ZONINO! in July!

MUSIC

80's pop-maker Cyndi Lauper released her surprise blues album, Memphis Blues, with guests like Jonny Lang and Allen Toussaint.

Check out New Zealand's Gin Wigmore and discover what fusion-pop music done right sounds like.

Country new-comer Jaron and the Long Road to Love (of the early 2000's pop duo Evan & Jaron) have commendable debut with Getting Dressed In The Dark.

Rediscover an old rock favorite with Blue Öyster Cult's "Astronomy" from 1974.

Gnarls Barkley's video for their single "Who's Gonna Save My Soul" is worth a second look as well.

VV Brown is likely to be an awards season name if her catchy debut pop album Traveling Like The Light is any indication.

An outstanding song by an outstanding vocalist, "Black Sheep" by Maureen Murphy should be on your playlist if it isn't already.

If you like your country music with a little soul and a lot of blues, check out Keith Gattis and his album Big City Blues immediately!

"The House Rules" single is definitely not a bad way to introduce yourself to the country music lovin' people, if your Christian Kane.

If you buy one album this summer, make it folk-pop duo Sam & Ruby's "The Here and the Now".

BOOK

Tana French turns the mystery novel into a brilliant work of fiction in Faithful Place.

And for those who love a good bite of logic, there are the accumulated essays of Malcolm Gladwell's What The Dog Saw to keep you turning pages.

MOVIE

The French animated short film Get Out is genius and available for complimentary viewing online.

Believe the hype. Inception is one of the best movies out right now. Unless you're impatient or have ADD; then just stay home.

WEBSITE

Wonder what the message those home and garden magazines are really sending? Check out Catalog Living for a humorous take on the matter.

Like irony? So do the people at Friends of Irony.

Think your handwriting deserves its own font? Try it out with Pilot Handwriting for free!

YOUTUBE

Get your dose of topical humor with the sketch BP Spills Coffee.

Nokia released some pretty amazing footage of kung-fu master Bruce Lee playing ping pong in his own unique way for a series of ads.

Apparently there is no such thing as over-exposure since the creative "Single Ladies" spoofs keep coming with "Pregnant Ladies".

Also impressive is the time, effort, and creativity of the PEN story, another camera advertisement.

Have you purchased your $500 giant iPhone, er...iPad yet? Check out Bleep Bloop's spoofy review of the device before you do.

EAT OUT

If you're in New York City, don't leave before visiting a local landmark - McSorley's Old Ale House has seen a lot in its storied history.

Or head over the Chicago and stuff yourself with creative Tex-Mex style tacos and tequila at Big Star.

EAT OUT: Big Star

Located in the Bucktown/Wicker Park neighborhoods at 1531 N. Damen in Chicago, Big Star may look like a really clean auto repair garage from the outside (with umbrella-ed tables and chairs in front), but it is an in demand hot spot in the Windy City. Serving a small but satifying and delicious Tex-Mex menu, coupled with a friendly service and reasonable prices, the only downside is the potential wait one might have to endure for a table.

Big Star makes four diverse and tasty tacos. At $2-3 each, it is easy to sample all during one visit. I recommend the Taco Al Pastor with marinated pork, pineapple, onion, and cilantro. For those wanting more of a kick, the Taco de Rajas de Poblano is at your service with a generous helping of roasted poblano peppers, a few spices, and queso de freir. (This is also a great vergetarian option.) If you are really hungry or have a large group, order the chips with guacamole and you will not be sorry. Also, if you are thinking of "ordering something light," don't order the Big Star Salad (Ensalada de Big Star); you'll be fed for a week's time!

The establishment also has an ample supply of tequila, whiskey, and beer to suit any pre-partying ideas you may have, also reasonably priced for the city by the lake. The bartenders have also created some tasty cocktails. You can never go wrong with the Big Star Margarita though!

Sergio del Limonar

YOUTUBE: iPad Games

Need more proof that Apple's newest product, the iPad is possibly more ridiculous than you already thought? Check out this segment of Bleep Bloop, a College Humor web-series, specializing in testing out new technologies. This is sarcasm at it's best, folks!

Sergio del Limónar

WEBSITE: Pilot Handwriting

Have you ever been told that your handwriting would make a great font in a word processing program? Well, wonder no more! At Pilot Handwriting you can do just that. Simply print out the template from the website, fill in the needed numeric and alphabetic characters, hold it in front of your webcam, send it to the website, clean up and edit things via the computer (if need be), and then you're done! You can access your font for emails to friends and family for those extra special messages you want to add a personal touch to. (Just go to the website and watch the brief tutorial; its less complicated than it sounds!)

Sergio del Limónar

MUSIC: Sam & Ruby

She is from Ghana. He hails from Green Bay, Wisconsin. They are based in Nashville. Together they make the folk-pop duo Sam & Ruby.

Released almost a year ago in 2009, their debut album The Here and the Now is perfect blend of folk harmonies, pop hooks, and R&B soulfulness. "More" is a beautiful coming-to-terms break-up song with both parts of the duo singing "Don't be mad about it, just be sad about it. I need more than you have to give." Literally every track on this album contains carefully crafted lyrics and gorgeous vocal arrangements. The horn-infused "Sarah" is the story of telling a friend that the man she is dating is actually married and her reaction while the title track begins with the line "come sit with me on the porch where we last had a fight, tell me its going to be alright" and continues by expressing the fact that relationships are hard but are worth the work.

The stand-out track, however, is "The Suitcase Song" which could be open to interpretation but on a very surface level is the personified story of the way we treat our luggage. In it Ruby sings:

"Remember when I fell down the stairs when you were rushing down that long flight of concrete squares.
You brushed my dirt off and checked to see if you had hurt me more than you thought but how hurt could I be?"

This is the perfect album for anyone who has ever tapped their toe to the stylings of Jack Johnson, Norah Jones, Colbie Caillat, Matt Nathanson, Ben Harper, Sara Bareilles, or Jason Mraz. It sounds nothing like any of them but if you like one you will love the other!

Sergio del Limónar

MOVIE: Inception

Your friends are probably already singing it's praises, (most of) the critics love it, and judging by the box office numbers you have most likely seen it too. Nevertheless, Inception is a must-see this summer on the big screen. Written and directed by the über-talented Christopher Nolan, who creative genius never ceases to amaze (see Momento, Batman Begins, The Dark Night, etc.), the complex story unfolds like an M C Escher piece, with twisting layers that both reveal and hide secrets about the story and the characters within it.

Starring Leonardo DiCaprio as Dom Cobb, the troubled head of a team of "dream thieves," people who break into others' subconscious and discover their secrets while they sleep, the film starts strong and never lets up. Ken Watanabe plays a business mogul who wants an idea planted, not stolen, from a competitor, played by Cilian Murphy; in exchange he will give Cobb his life and freedom back, allowing him to return to his children in the United States. The team, including Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Ellen Page, and the scene-stealing Tom Hardy, venture deep into the dream of Murphy's character, in the process discovering far more than they had intended.

Marion Cotillard shines as Cobb's deceased wife, who shows up in flash-backs and occasionally in his dreams, and the dreams of others, causing added issues for the team. I expect to see her name on some lists come awards season, along with Nolan's. Also popping up in smaller yet important roles are the always welcome Michael Caine and severely underrated Tom Berenger.

One aspect of the film that I loved, other than the special effects which were incredible (Paris folds in on itself!), is the timing aspect of the dream sequences. Most of us have heard that although a dream or nightmare may feel as though it went on all night, in reality, it was only a matter of seconds. Nolan has used this notion to the film's benefit, bending time in the different dream states. Therefore a few seconds in real life might give someone several hour's time in a dream. Now what happens if the person dreaming then dreams that they are dreaming? The possibilities are endless and mind-boggling and Nolan knows this and clearly loves it.

See this movie and you will too.

Sergio del Limónar

MUSIC: "The House Rules"

Just in time for the rowdy weekend ahead, do yourself a favor and download country new-comer Christian Kane's "The House Rules". Off his self-titled EP, the barn-raising party anthem is just what you need to have playing on repeat before going out or blasting through the speakers at the bar at closing time. Above a screaming guitar and rocking harmonica, Kane implores the crowd to just come in have a good time, checking their attitudes and problems at the door. Sounds like a plan to me!

Sergio del Limónar

BOOK: What The Dog Saw

The author of a couple non-fiction books that I'm sure you have at least seen sitting on end tables and book shelves at various friends' houses, including Tipping Point and Blink, Malcolm Gladwell has released a new book. Different than his previous two, this one is a collection of essays, all of which appeared in The New Yorker at one point or another.

What The Dog Saw is a hodge-podge, theme-wise, but not a mess. Never losing the insight that made his aforementioned books best-sellers, Gladwell investigates odd facets of life, most of have spent only a passing minute pondering. His chapter on why there are not multiple varieties of ketchup, as opposed to mustard brings about some very creative journalism and interviews, while looking into the social problem of homelessness is just plain inspiring. Combining elements of another essay-based best-seller, Freakonomics, Gladwell's analysis of how people make hiring decisions when they don't know who to hire is fascinating.

The short and mostly unrelated pieces in this book make for an easy and fragmented read. This book and the topics within are great for lively conversation and debate as well as simply a new way to consider the world.

Sergio del Limónar

YOUTUBE: The PEN Story

Anyone who goes on to YouTube and searches for "stop motion" with find a plethora of resulting videos. Many are very well done, even by amateur standards. However, the measure of a great stop motion film in this era a technology, in my opinion, is the depth of the viewer's "how'd they do that?!" statement.

The PEN Story is one such video. Using photographs that creep throughout a house with creative styling, the "story" begins with a black and white class photograph and follows one of the pupils through his life until he is an older man who returns for a class reunion where the first picture is re-shot. Using over 10,000 printing photos, the video is impressive not only visually in its layout, but also in the planning and forethought that were essential for such a project. The added touch of authenticity of having the photo quality improve and evolve with the man's life journey is also a stroke of creative genius.

Accompanied by the song "Down Below" by Johannes Stankowski, and directed by Takeuchi Taijin, the video is a over a year old, but has recently found legs again. If you haven't been one of those who has seen it, take a peek and know what everyone is talking about!

Sergio del Limónar

MOVIE: Get Out

An animated short film from France, created by Charlotte Boisson, Julien Fouvrel, Pascal Han-Kwan, Tristan Reinarz, and Fanny Roche, Get Out, is a visually-stunning master-work of story-telling and animation. Sub-titled in English, the seven-minute piece tells the story of Gary, a "mental patient" who is seemingly terrified of doors and going through them. He refuses to leave the padded cell to which he feels safe, despite the persistent efforts of a psychiatrist. Everything is not as it seems, however, and the film needs to be seen all the way to the end to appreciate its true genius.

Sergio del Limónar

MUSIC: Big City Blues

Keith Gattis has been in the country music business for awhile now. His first self-titled album debuted in 1996 and scored the bluesy singer-songwriter a spot on the country music charts. His second album, Big City Blues, released in 2005, is a inspiring second effort overflowing with toe-tapping, gritty, soulful country music at its best. Perfectly fusing Nashville's Broadway with its Printer's Alley a couple of blocks away, his sophomore effort will not disappoint.

Some of the standout tracks include the titular track, "Big City Blues", and smooth as whisky ballad "The Bottom". My personal favorite, however, is the instrumentally sparse and haunting "Somebody Told Me" in which Gattis speaks to a soon-to-be ex-lover, imploring her with "somebody told me you're sick of your man."

Fellow Nashville artist Miranda Lambert has said she used Gattis as inspiration while recording her hit album, Revolution. It's obviously paying off for Lambert, so why not check out an under-appreciated talent for yourself!

Sergio del Limónar

YOUTUBE: Pregnant Ladies

I don't think anyone will disagree that Beyoncé's chart-dominating single "Single Ladies" has been over-played and parodied enough since it debuted over a year and a half ago. However, this reworking of the hit is great. It's called Pregnant Ladies and, believe it or not, features the dancing and singing of a very pregnant lady. The sight of her in a black leotard recreating Beyoncé's famous choreography is totally amusing, but the real creativity comes from the lyrics, which are all about the perils of having a bun in the oven. I'm not pregnant (knock on wood) but have plenty of preggo friends who can barely touch their toes and have to pee every ten minutes, so I can kind of sympathize; I also love how the lady in this video totally owns what she's doing (especially at around 2:00 when a couple teenage boys are lingering in the background wondering how crazy she might actually be).

Buzzy

WEBSITE: Friends of Irony

Friends of Irony is another of the ever-popular reader-submitted photo websites in the Cheez Burger network. The difference here is that this theme fills a much needed categorial void in cyber space. Irony is all around and, whether on purpose or accidentally, in the age of iPhones and wireless internet people seem to be able to find and spread the ironic joy of our very ironic world. Whether its a grocery store package claiming "All American European-style" lettuce, or a computer error message claiming that "no errors occured," you will be contentedly amused with each and every image found on this site.


Sergio del Limónar

MUSIC: "Black Sheep"

I know absolutely nothing of Maureen Murphy except that she has a stunning voice and her song "Black Sheep" off the three-song EP, Won't Wait Around, is bordering on an obsessive amount of repeat plays. The soulful and honest nature of the lyrics in the story-teller-like song is as uplifting and exciting as it is heartbreaking. The single is on iTunes but you can see a live performance Murphy did at Nashville's Lightning 100 radio station.

Sergio del Limónar

YOUTUBE: Bruce Lee Ping Pong

In some foreign markets, cell phone maker, Nokia, is using old footage of martial arts master Bruce Lee to sell their new product. This video edits two such ads together. In the first, Lee is playing ping pong against several different challengers. The extraordinary thing is that Lee is using nunchucks while his opponents use the traditional paddles. Also, Lee kicks their butts.

In the second ad, Lee attaches a strip of some material that serves as a flint to the end of his nunchuck and then proceeds to light several things on fire. First he kindly lights a cigarette while it sticks out of a guy's mouth. (You can't see it but I'm sure he is wetting himself.) Then a box of matches is emptied out and the thrown, one at a time, for Lee to hit with the end of the nunchuck and the momentarily light. Chuck Norris and Jackie Chan have got nothing on this guy.

Sergio del Limónar

BOOK: Faithful Place

The concept of "home" means different things to different people. Whether one wants to acknowledge it or not, "home" is where you come from, it forms who you are, and can never be taken away from you. For most people visiting home is a rewarding if not nostalgic experience. For Frank Mackey, the main character in Tana French's page-turning new novel, Faithful Place, it is neither of those things.

When Frank was nineteen, he and his girlfriend, Rosie, made plans to leave their poverty-stricken neighborhood in Dublin and run away together in hopes of starting a new, more prosperous life together. The night they were supposed to meet and leave Rosie does not show so Frank leaves without her, thinking she either got cold feet or was breaking up with him in an extremely cold way. The thing Frank does know is that Rosie's family thinks she did leave.

Years later when Frank is in his 40's, he gets word that Rosie's suitcase was discovered in an abandoned house in his parent's old neighborhood, on Faithful Place. This was a mystery story like I have never read before. The way French crafts the novel is inventive and interesting; I couldn't put it down. This is definitely not a "beach-book" but it is one you should stuff into your beach bag and not come back until you are sunburned to a crisp!

Buzzy

MUSIC: Traveling Like the Light

A few months ago, iTunes generously offered up a single called "Shark In The Water" by pop new-comer V.V. Brown. I found myself over-playing it and asking others if they'd heard it. (No one ever had.) Well, V.V.'s album, Traveling Like the Light is now available and it is just as great as the single I so love!

If you're not convinced to just run out and buy this album, then let me try and entice you. First off, she's British, and if there is anything we have learned, music-wise, in the past couple years, its that the Brits know a thing or two about good pop music. (See: Joss Stone, Lily Allen, Amy Winehouse, Duffy, James Morrison, etc.) Second, this song is good pop-dance music, meaning minimal synths and other artificial noise-makers. Thirdly, download the joyous flashback doo-wop inspired "L.O.V.E." and "Crazy Amazing" and tell me you hate it. I dare you.

Can you tell that I love this thing!?! As a bonus, it is on sale on iTunes for $6.99 right now! Even they want you to experience the greatness!

Buzzy

MUSIC: "Who's Gonna Save My Soul" video

Forget about the over-played summer anthem "Crazy" from a few years ago, Gnarls Barkley should be best known for creating ZONINO!-worthy videos as well as great pop music. The pop duo of Danger Mouse and Cee-Lo Green did it again with the last single off their sophomore album from 2008. "Who's Gonna Save My Soul" does such an amazing job of conveying what heartbreak feels (and could look) like, I see no reason for anyone else to write a heartbreak song ever again! If more artists put this kind of creativity into the visual representations of their music, perhaps MTV would still be relevant...

Buzzy

YOUTUBE: BP Spills Coffee

Disclaimer: I know this is a little late to be considered cutting-edge topical humour. I also realize that the tragedy in the Gulf of Mexico and the way in which it was, and is still, being handled are not laughing matters.

Post: This is video is hilarious. Period.

Buzzy

EAT OUT: McSorley's Old Ale House

McSorley's Old Ale House is something of an oddity. Touted as the oldest Irish pub in New York City, this dark and dingy establishment, located at 15 E. 7th St., has as much history and tradition as it does rules.

The first thing one notices in McSorely's is the lack of drink options. Basically, if you don't like beer, stay out or be thrown out. You either order a "dark" or a "light" or you'll be asked to leave since you're taking up space. The space, by the way, is one you will share with other drinkers as the tables are large and fit anywhere between eight and ten people, so this is not a place to be anti-social.

The pub has a storied history, including the trivial fact that women were not allowed into the place until just 40 years ago, in 1970. This becomes apparent when comparing the bathrooms for the two genders; the men's is as it always has been - in the center of the back room with a normal sized, glass-paned door - while the women's is clearly add on, annexed from the old kitchen and tucked into the corner. Many a woman has attempted to enter the wrong door to be greeting with jeers from the patrons sitting in wait for the frequent mishap to occur.

History too has a place here. Visitors include ex-Presidents Abraham Lincoln and Teddy Roosevelt to singer-songwriter Woody Guthrie and poet e.e. cummings, who used the bar in a one of his works. While at the bar I overheard two gentlemen discussing the chicken wishbones hanging from the dust-covered chandeliers in the front room. According to their story, a bunch of sailors were imbibing themselves during World War II before they were to ship out. The decided to hang the wishbones from the chandeliers and remove them when and if they made it home. The remaining bones, which are numerous, are allegedly those of the fallen troops.

The storied past of McSorley's is enough to draw anyone inside for a visit, but the home brew is worthy all by itself as well. Come for the beer, stay for the company and become a part of history.

Sergio del Limónar


*It has been brought to our attention that the gentlemen I was eavesdropping on were incorrect and that the bones were actually authentic turkey wishbones and they were off to fight in World War I. Never trust a history lesson from a couple old dudes at a bar, I guess...

MUSIC: "Astronomy"

A friend of mine recently was bemoaning the state of pop music today; something I can totally relate to. If it doesn't come from a lady with a lobster on her face or from some Disney-created pop tart with a terrible voice, people won't listen. Its a shame really. So I asked my friend what prompted this specific rant and he ordered me to "listen!" to what was being played on our bar's electronic juke box. He said, "I don't understand why Blue Öyster Cult never achieved the fame of Led Zeppelin or Pink Floyd." I didn't want to admit that I wasn't familiar with the band that was allegedly playing, but that would have only made his point, I guess.

Anyways, I checked them out and I do believe he is right; they are a great and under-appreciated band. Check out "Astronomy" from their 1974 album, Secret Treaties.

Buzzy

MUSIC: Getting Dressed in the Dark

In June we ZONINO!ed the country single, "Pray For You" by new-comers Jaron and the Long Road to Love. The catchy and snarky tune is a hit on the country charts and it would not be a surprise to hear about this entire album much more come awards season.

Getting Dressed in the Dark is as solid a debut as any artist could hope for. Featuring amazing melodies and awe-inspiring lyrics, the album delivers superbly on the very first listen. Aside from the aforementioned hit single, some other standout tracks include "Without Her Leaving" , about a repenting lover, and the upbeat "I Hope You Hit Traffic", which begs quaintly for a lover's return.

Get the entire album and you won't be sorry, especially when the rest of this disc slowly gains chart success over the next year. Otherwise, download the recommended songs and fall for is one well-crafted tune at a time.

Sergio del Limónar

MUSIC: Gin Wigmore

I love me some Joss Stone. It could be said that we have a history together. The smokey groove of her voice and its ability to drip off of every single soulful note it touches is masterful. Which is why I was intrigued when an advertisement on the side of my Facebook account invited me to check out New Zealand's own Gin Wigmore, comparing her to my favorite British soul singer.

While the two of them sound nothing alike, they both choose intriguingly pieces of music and bring heartfelt meaning to them. Sounding like a cross between Macy Gray, Bonnie Raitt, MoZella, and Missy Higgins, Wigmore's songs are inventive in the way they combine elements of pop, jazz, soul, and folk music into one beautiful heap. Born Virginia Wigmore, her most recent album, and first full-length, Holy Smoke, includes the infectious single "Oh My" as well as the rousing "Hey Ho" and the jazzy piano bar ballad "Dying Day".

Wigmore's EP, appropriately titled Extended Play contains some of her more tender and emotionally charged material like "These Roses" and "Hallelujah" about her father's death from cancer when she was a teenager. It's not easy, but I'm hoping this Kiwi makes it across the ocean into the earbuds of the American conscience; if Joss can do it, surely Gin can too!

Sergio del Limónar

WEBSITE: Catalog Living

Have you ever been flipping through a Better Homes & Gardens magazine or Pottery Barn catalog and think about how you'd love for your house to look just like the photo spreads inside the pages? Everything is perfectly coordinated and there is never any accidental clutter. There are clearly designed themes and color-wheels are strictly followed to a T. Well, those rooms might not be that good of a fit for anyone's house.

The blog Catalog Living cleverly, well, catalogs, the oddly placed or bizarrely accented rooms and designs in your favorite publications devoted to home furnishings. Take, for example, the starfish scattered around the patio table decked out in seashore decor. What happens when there is a breeze? Or when someone wants to use the table, maybe to eat or something?

Sergio del Limónar