Hm – what started out as “awkward” this morning hit me as “actually – its not that bad”, after half a package and a few hours later.
It’s Cappuchino Flavored Thins I’m talking about. With other words Anna’s traditional Christmas ginger cookies with a different twist. And 0 Trans fat! Only at IKEA abroad.
I’m wondering if there is hope for real taste of Swedish Christmas this year – honestly IKEA, what have you done with the food store?!?! So much of the real good stuff is gone?!?! – maybe it’s time to find Grand Ma’s old secret recipe for “lunch ginger cookies”…
…instead of these for dinner… But actually – not that bad. Sometimes you just gotta give it some time and trial. Or, does ‘hunger’ make you blind?
Want the real good stuff! I know it’s there. The Marabou chocolate at least…? Please.
A couple of weeks ago I was invited to a shoe party…
Shoes, Shoemakers and the People Who Love Them
Shoemaking has a long history and one that is rich in tradition. Within the trade itself–among shoe and bootmakers–the legends, the traditions, and the history really begin with St. Crispin. St. Crispin is the patron saint of shoemakers. Since medieval times, October 25th has been celebrated as St. Crispin’s Day and the Shoemaker’s Holiday. In the past, boot and shoemakers traditionally closed their shops on this day, in celebration and commemoration.
It was different, it was fun – fancy shoes, and fab’ people.
So, when I the next day was going for a quick errand to look for a wig for Halloween – I couldn’t help seeing anything but… shoes. And the irresistible ones.
You cant always get what you want, but if you try sometimes you just might find, you get what you need. The Rolling Stones (Jagger/Richards, 1968/69)
Enjoy,
Johanna
And continuing the theme of car campaigns from yesterday – I am sure I was the only hippie walking around with a Mercedes-Benz logo on my arm… ;O So authentic. Peace out.
Did I say that details are set: Keeva A Cappella in concert together with the Richter Scales this Friday November 11, 2011 at
Unity SF
2222 Bush St at Fillmore
San Francisco, CA
Join us for an evening of song and celebration on 11/11/11!
Keeva A Cappella and The Richter Scales are teaming up to serenade you with sweet harmonies and swinging tunes from near and far, sung in languages you may understand (English, Spanish…) and others you may not. (Maori, anyone?)
Come early to enjoy a glass of wine and some refreshments on us to get you in the mood.
Doors open at 6pm
Concert starts at 7pm
$5-10 suggested donation at the door
—— The Richter Scales are a bevy of gentlemen songsters, all residents of the San Francisco Bay Area. They perform selections from a wide variety of genres, including American standards, Broadway, Motown, and contemporary music.
Based in San Francisco, Keeva A Cappella sings globally-inspired music, bringing harmonies from around the world to the Bay Area.
You are invited! Please RSVP here if you are on Facebook.
Inspired by the final stand-up performance at the Blog World & New Media Expo that I just came from last week in LA, please enjoy a song about Silicon Valley by the Richter Scales performed at the 2011 annual Crunchies Awards for entrepreneurs and the venture capitalists who support them, featured in New York Times.
Early August I wrote in the blog post Light Will Guide You Home: “I am sharing this song because I think it is beautiful, and beautifully sang by an artist I think who’s journey you would enjoy to follow from the early years”.
Little did I know then, that a US performance would be that close around the corner. I may have played a part in that happening, but you can only connect the dots looking backwards as someone wise said..
Enjoy this US Debut of Anna Bergendahl, together with her guitarist Joakim Tidemark coming for a 24 hour stop in San Francisco from Stockholm. They are performing three songs, in an intimate setting, at the end of the dinner and award celebrations at the Swedish-American Chamber of Commerce San Francisco/Silicon Valley Annual Achievement Award Gala, oct 8 2011.
Here is a play list where you can do a fast replay, and catch up from the very start: Idol finalist 2008. “That is the most musically talented we have heard…. If you have that kind of caliber when you are 16 – then you can conquer the world… She will be our first star abroad.”
Good thing she followed her heart and pursued another audition to Idol in another city, since she got rejected for her young age the first time around… What does that teach us?
“I taxin på väg mot TV4. Sällskap i taxin : Obama, Armstrong , Jobs , Franklin , Dylan, Hemingway å winfery. 10.40 är det sagt i “efter tio”, jätteläskigt!”
with other words…
“In the taxi on the way to TV4. Company in the taxi: Obama, Armstrong, Jobs, Frankin, Dylan, Hemingway and Winfrey. 10.40 it’s on in”After ten”, super scary! “
Catrine Näsmark
It is always good to be in good company.
You can read, see and hear more about the upcoming exhibition, “United Statements of America” on Catrine Näsmark’s website. (Translation available bottom left). Invitation to the opening below. You are invited.
July 22, 2011. A day we will never forget. A day that made us all feel like Norwegians.
July 23, 2011. A day that made it even worse. When we understood the scope of it all. And couldn’t understand at all.
That day I went to Katrineholm in Sweden, for a unplugged concert with Anna Bergendahl. Sending love to Norway, she sang this song: “Fix you”. This Sunday she was in the morning news and performed the same song that I just found on Tv4 Play. Read more and play it here.
“Light will guide you home, and ignite your bones, and I will try to fix you.”
Music heals. Music moves. When you feel sad, sorrow… or happy. Music can change the world, because it can change people.
If this will impact just one of you who reads or listens in a positive way – that would make me happy.
I am sharing this song because I think it is beautiful, and beautifully sang by an artist I think who’s journey you would enjoy to follow from the early years. The only piece I would remove is the “fix you” part. I don’t think anyone need or should be “fixed”. But that is a minor detail. It is just the name of the song…
I got a card with this text from one of my acappella friends Laura Guy after having hosted a dinner for them 3 years ago. She is a great friend, talented singer, yogini, real estate agent, attorney and… entrepreneur with a passion for health and wellness. Now I am inviting you to take part of her new small beginning that I know will become a great thing.
My first interaction with it was when we met for coffee in November. “I baked brownies – try this”, she said, “it’s got a secret ingredient and you have to guess what it is. It doesn’t contain flour and it doesn’t contain sugar”. I had no chance of guessing. And it was one of my least favorites as a kid. But it was DELISIOUS!
At this very moment she is making the premier commercial batch of Healthy Cakes for first participation at the SF Underground Market tonight 5-11pm! Come and taste!
“OMG! This cake is perfection. It is moist, cakey, with just the right amount of sweetness and a nice thick layer of fudgy icing. I’m in heaven! Would not know it is low carb if you hadn’t told me. “~Michelle
What if the dessert below was healthy?
Do you see how this can revolutionize the way we eat and treat, become healthier and also open up for allowable sweets for diabetics and dieters. Sweet Victory with Healthy Cakes!
Tullinge – the beautiful home where I grew up, where I as a 6 year old imagined living until I was 90 (seemed somewhat resistant to change of what I liked…). By then I would still have two long braids (I would never cut my hair short), wear black leather pants (my cousin who I looked so much up to had those), still be a practicing Idla girl (really – it would be possible!), and take my grand kids skiing. I was going to be an iron grandma. In a cool way.
I used to look back at that picture and smile at myself – cute thoughts by a young little girl – but reflecting over it now, I still kind of like it! The essence of preserving the connection to the roots, good self-care, a little danger or spice in life, dance, passing on knowledge and activities that has enriched my life to younger generations and be active with my grand kids. How do you see yourself towards the end of your life?
All I know is that dreams do manifest. Reality may end up slightly different, the road there might not be what you imagined, but dreams do manifest.
An addition to my imagination was that my brother who had a great eye for design and architecture would build his own designed house on the same piece of land. The reality is that he and his wife just bought his dream house next to my parents. Fascinating…
Coming home, there is nothing much that has changed in the neighborhood, apart from a few new houses. Quite a few. It’s really beautiful with the dramatic mountain with a historic landmark from the Iron Age overlooking the lake. The majority of the neighbors are still living there. Younger generations have returned. Arne’s Livs for groceries has turned into Sabis. There is one really nice addition to the stores in “Centrum”. Auntie. A design and antique gift store with mostly Swedish and Danish design, right next to the library.
I bought a new doormat with the text “äntligen hemma” – finally home. It makes me smile when I arrive at the door. Of course I bought two – one for my U.S. home, and one for my Swedish. Making my current dream manifest…
Keeva! We just had the last rehearsal yesterday before our coming Friday night concert. With wide open windows after a truly hot Indian summer day in San Francisco, the neighbors across the street got a private performance. They seemed to enjoy it as much as we – because it’s fun! Music is good for you.
There is research showing that music is good for your health and well-being. A year ago there was a World Conference on Health held in the UK that aimed to pave the way for “singing on prescription”. Earlier this year, the Swedish Medical Doctor and Professor Töres Thorell released a book on music and health. Basically – whether you attend a Bruce Springsteen concert, sing in a choir or listen to a Mozart symphony – you’ll get reduced stress, improved immune system, and a sharper mind! If you enjoy music that is. My friend said “- oh, my dad is tone death, but he loves going to the symphony hall. Yes, it’s very likely that he will fall asleep – but he still enjoys it”.
Being brought up in Sweden, where we have a song for every season, the largest per capita number of amateur choirs in the world and being the third largest music exporter in the world (surpassed only by the US and the UK) – I know that music matters. During the first dinner in San Francisco with new connections I was posed the question: “Among all the things you used to do in San Diego – what do you miss the most?” “I’m looking for a group to sing with.” “I’m part of a small group of Talisman Alumni’s from Stanford who has formed an a cappella group. We are looking for a female singer – what part are you?”… Synchronicity – I love it. And I love singing not only because I enjoy it and I feel good doing it – it is also an excellent way to meet great friends, socialize and have fun.
In a different setting – going to a yoga session that incorporates chanting gives you all that. Meeting great people, having fun, feeling good. And by no surprise – I am having Rusty Well’s yoga as my reference. Recently the session started with the chant “Loka samasta sukhino bhavantu…” [May all beings everywhere be happy and free.] But the 100 students didn’t really give it all… Have you ever experienced a hesitation to sing? Rusty goes: “Do you care about being here? Give yourself the benefit – sing! Stretch your mind, stretch your heart, stretch your voice – what happens is that you stretch your breath. Just try. You made it this long, all the way here. Tall spine close your eyes, and chant before you can’t! All right…”
So where ever it is – in the shower or in the car… chant before you can’t – or you can come and enjoy the Keeva concert this upcoming Friday. See details below!
Enjoy,
Johanna
Come hear the Richter Scales and Keeva sing an evening of “Trick or Treat A Cappella” the night before Halloween in SF’s Mission District.
The Richter Scales: So what if many of us are a decade or more past our prime? We still possess the ability to bring an audience to tears. Whether they are tears of laughter or tears of horror is another matter. You’d best hope for the laughter tears.
Keeva A Cappella: A group of SF Bay Area professionals and graduate students who have been singing world music and other culturally significant songs (e.g. “Oh Mickey you’re so fine”) for more than a decade.
Date: Friday, October 30th
Time: 7:30 PM to 9:30 PM Place: Noe Valley Ministry, 1021 Sanchez Street at 23rd, San Francisco
Price: Free for folks in costume; suggested $7 donation for all others
Food: Various tricks and treats will be available
All ages are welcome. We’ll have candy for folks who want to warm up their trick-or-treating muscles. Costume-wearers welcome.
And as a bonus – why not use music changing one or two habbits?
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