The best of 2011

It's the start of a new year and time to reflect on the one that just passed.  In reality, what this amounts to is a mad dash to tidy up while I still have the energy.  On my desk, the semi-neatly arranged piles of items to be put away finally get addressed.  This is a bit time consuming as they've been sitting since my last spurt of cleaning, which may have occurred in the spring.

This offers the perfect opportunity to go through the albums I've acquired during the previous year.  Some of the more seasonal songs have already appeared on compilations.  But there are always the dozen or so that seem to really stand out.  Here is my collection of my favorites from 2011. 

1. David Lynch & Karen O - Pinky's Dream
2. Mark Lanegan Band - The Gravedigger's Song
3. Zola Jesus - Seekir
4. La Vida Boheme - Radio Capital
5. Idle Warship - The Floor
6. Summer Camp - Losing My Mind
7. PJ Harvey - The Last Living Rose
8. Cass McCombs - The Same Thing
9. Mariachi El Bronx - 48 Roses
10. Cat's Eyes - Over You
11. The Vaccines - All In White
12. Dum Dum Girls - Hold Your Hand
13. Elbow - lippy kids
14. EMA - Marked
15. Austra - Beat and the Pulse
16. When Saints Go Machine - Kelly
17. Purity Ring - Lofticries
18. Blouse - Time Travel
19. Bryan Ferry - You Can Dance

You can find this playlist on Spotify.

Spirit Picks

Along with my column in the Park Slope Reader, the Winter issue of the New York Spirit includes my picks for the season.  This includes my recommendations for what's new in the world of holistic and natural living. With an emphasis on music, these are my favorites items to start the new year in the right frame of mind.  You can read the article here.

Winter Wonderland

The new season brings the latest installment on my favorite things found around the Park Slope area.  With winter, I focus on the sights, sounds, activities to battle the dull-drums and the latest paw protection, as modeled by Ollie. You can read the article here. 

Fa la la la la

It was bound to happen.  As soon as I swore off holiday music I found myself digging out the Christmas carols.  The season just never feels right until I have heard "Christmas Wrapping" by the Waitresses. Listening to it, makes me feel all-together jolly.  So as a special treat, here's my holiday compilation for the season.

1. Futureheads - Christmas Was Better in the 80s
2. Shakin' Stevens - Merry Christmas Everyone
3. The Sleighbells - Like a kid at Christmas
4. Yellowman - Where Is Santa Claus?
5. Big Country - Wonderland
6. The Knife - Reindeer
7. Al Jourgensen - It's Always Christmas Time
8. Vitesse - The Last Days of December
9. Spinanes - Den Trawler
10. Pink Martini - Congratulations - A Happy New Year
11. Fitz and The Tantrums - Santa Stole My Lady
12. The Specials - Holiday Fortnight
13. The Damned - There Ain't No Sanity Claus
14. Tralala - Everybody Christmastime
15. Slade - Merry Xmas Everybody
16. The Joseph And Mary Chain - The Twelve Days of Christmas
17. The Klezmatics - Hanukah Tree (Hanukkah)
18. The Fall - (We Wish You) A Protein Christmas
19. X - Santa Claus Is Coming To Town
20. Holly Golightly - Christmas Tree's On Fire
21. Hilo Hattie - Santa's Hula
22. Billy Idol - Christmas Love
23. Kings of Convenience - Deilig Er Jorden

Ditmas Park_365:How A Neighborhood Sees Itself

Just in time for the holidays! Local photographer "Flatbush" Nelson Ryland has compiled a book of images from around Ditmas Park. It's no secret that I love Brooklyn.  Ditmas Park, which is just next to Kensington where I live, is one of my absolute favorite places.  The charm of the Victorian homes nestled on the wide tree-lined streets transports you to an era long forgotten.  The neighborhood bustles with several top-notch restaurants and food shops.  It's the perfect place for a stroll. 

You can learn more and see a preview of the book, Ditmas Park_365:  How A Neighborhood Sees Itself here.