Tuesday Tunesday :: 10.9.12

Hellllllllo All,

Just a few items to take care of this morning before the music.  Mom - if you click on the title of the song it will now send you to the YouTube link, since your Kindle Fire won't play it directly from the blog site. Okay, that was all, business has been attended to. Carry On.....



William Elliott Whitmore :: Hell Or High Water 

My dear friend Courtney shared this artist with me and I am a big fan.  His raspy voice is everything I love, plus he can play the banjo and who doesn't love that!?

Kodaline :: All I Want 

Depressing. Beautiful.  What's more to say? 

Ellie Goulding feat. Calvin Harris - I Need Your Love

Gosh, I just love her voice and Calvin Harris is holding his own as usual. Just makes you want to get your dance on.

Jon Bellion :: Paper Planes 

I mean the guy has pipes and then out of no where he does that whole I am going to rap at you, but kind of still be talking and yet it works.  I dig it.



Fedde Le Grand :: So Much Love 

*If* I ever did drugs, I would want to do them at a festival like that. Music. Dancing. Energy.  (side note: don't worry family, I am not doing drugs, nor do I intend to pick the habit up any time soon.)



Ron Pope :: I Do Not Love You

The title is deceiving.  You are so sneaky RPope. Keeping us on our toes.  Can't get enough of him after the concert. 




Macklemore & Ryan Lewis feat. Mary Lambert :: Same Love 

I have posted this song before, but last week Macklemore released the official video.  All I can say is both the message and the video are moving.  (Plus, I am seeing him live on Thursday). Double Win!  


Cheers to Tunesday! 

<3 BB

Highlight Reel

Just a few highlights form the past few days!

First off - I think I have a problem... a concert problem.  Last week I went out not once, but twice on a work night for concerts.  As you all know, I saw Citizen Cope last Sunday and then on Thursday night I got to celebrate the birth of my dear friend Erica by seeing the oh-so-lovely Ron Pope.

But before we had Ron Pope sing to our sweet souls we had to feed our starving bellies.  We tried a place called Yakuza Lounge in North East Portland that my friend Jessi had recommended.  Like always I was too intimidated to take photos with the big camera, but the sushi was super yummy and the ambiance was lovely. The only small complaint we had was the service was a little slow, but if you're not in a hurry then it's not really an issue.

Next, we hit up Salt & Straw on Alberta.  Wow is their Cinnamon and Snicker Doodle ice cream amazing.  I paired it with their Coffee and Buron and they complimented each other perfectly.

The concert itself was everything I had hoped for.  Small venue (that had seating, my grandma back was thankful!), intimate show, great music and we even got to chit-chat with Mr. Pope for a second after the show. I was a HAPPY GIRL! 

 Ron Pope, you're perfect for me

The rest of the weekend I played nurse to my little sister and hung out with my family.  She now has a brand new ACL and started rehabbing the day after surgery.  The doc said she could have surgery day off, but after that it is time to put in work and I am super impressed with how much she is doing so quickly. as Nike says #makeitcount.

Someone got caught napping in between exercise sets

 Big 'ol brace

 It's so long, #twss

We colored in the super awesome Sesame Street coloring book I picked up, played with Legos, and had the longest game of Jenga ever.  (you know, pretty much things any 5 year old boy might enjoy).

 Cops and robbers anyone? 

 Didn't even need directions. Haha that's a joke.

Who doesn't love Jenga? 

 I am choosing not to say who won

Annnnnd my favorite highlight of the weekend was finally getting my new glasses that I had ordered.  Ever since I was little I have always loved picking out new glasses and then I get super impatient when I have to wait for them to be ordered.  I ended up with a cute pair of nerdy glasses (oxymoron?).  I had my eye on a pair of Tom Ford frames, but they were a lot more expensive and looked a lot like the ones I ended up with, so all in all I was happy with the Roxy ones I ended up with.  Look at my being fiscally responsible. 

nerd alert

Cheers to another weekend without rain!


<3 BB

Hitting the Links

Because it's almost Halloween, I figured I would share this gem that my old roomie, Brittany sent me this morning.  I have seen this many times, but it is always funny.  Oh Ellen...


I am not a big fan of politics, but I know they are very important.  That is why I feel like everyone should watch this very informative video.  and by that I mean Jimmy Kimmel mocking the debates with children.


I don't want to admit the number of times I have watched this Les Miserables trailer...but wow it is good.  I can't wait for the movie to come out.  I am not even an Anne Hath fan, but this looks beautiful and tragic all at the same time.


Last night I went to the Ron Pope concert for my good friend Erica's birthday.  She was rocking these boots hard and now I might go buy them this afternoon.  Hope she doesn't mind if I copy her.


Who doesn't love a compilation of Mama June gifs?!


Lastly, if you're not following @puppypalace on instagram, you're doing it wrong.


Cheers to the weekend.

Everyone wish my little sister good luck today, she is having her ACL surgery.


<3 BB

Bummer News

So the little sister found out some bummer news last week.  Turns out she tore her ACL and has to have surgery on it tomorrow (think good thoughts!)...  And for those of you who don't know her, my sister is kind of a baller so it is quite the bummer.

Brittany is a Junior this year at West Linn High School and has been their starting point guard since her freshie year.  They took 5th last year at State and she was more than a stud in the game (she is number 3 in the highlight video) where they upset the number 1 ranked Oregon City.

Get it Gurl.

She is a trooper though and is ready to put in the rehab work.  As much of a bummer as the situation is, I am so, so proud of her for how she has handled it all.  Lord knows I would be wreck right now if I was in her spot, she is way stronger than I am.  She knows what she has to do in order to get back and her doctors and coaches have been nothing short of supportive.  The doc told her she gets surgery day off, but day two rehab starts.  I let her know I would be more than happy to be her PT (she kindly turned down my offer though).  Instead I guess I will just have to keep her lots of company and maybe be a nice sister and bring her Starbucks :)

I want to be like my little sister when I grow up

My sister is cooler than your sister

All of my sister's stuff has made me realize how fortunate I was to have never had a season or career ending injury during all my years of competition. Over 7 years of basketball, 9 years of volleyball, and 10 years of track, I only had one off season surgery for torn ligaments in my wrist, so all in all I was a lucky duck, especially when bad knees run in my family.  Both my dad and my little brother have had ACL surgeries too.   Now, since I am not getting any younger, I realize that I need to be extra careful when I workout and do crazy athletic events like Tough Mudder. 

So think super-extra-good thoughts for my sister over the next few months, you wont see her out on the court, but you will still see her leading the team from the bench and rehabbing along the way.  Fingers crossed she is jogging by Christmas :) 

Cheers to Recovery!

<3 BB 

Clarence Greenwood Concert!

...or if you're not a super fan, you might know him better as Citizen Cope! Sunday night Bradley and I decided to be young for a change and stayed out late on a school night to see Citizen Cope perform at the Crystal Ballroom.

If you have not had the pleasure of listening to Citizen Cope, help me, help you:

Hurricane Waters

Holdin' On

Like always, Clarance did not disappoint.  You see, I can call him by his first name, because he and I go way back.  Let me tell you all the ways: 

:: I have seen him live a total of 5 times and counting

:: I own all of his albums

:: We have had a conversation.  Ok, not quite a convo, buttt it was right before the 2008 elections and I was wearing an Obama tee.  Clarance def gave me a shout out for it while he was on stage.  Totally could have gotten on the bus that night if I wanted to. 

:: I have seen him perform with both his full band and solo acoustic shows.

:: Sunday night we had matching Chambray shirts.

:: I have been this close to him at a concert:

Moral of the story: we are in love.

The Crystal Ballroom was rocking Sunday night.  He had a mix of his full band and solo dolo acoustic.  Tickets were only $25.00, so it was not overpriced, seeings how he played for a solid two hours with the encore and it was heaven.  The only down side was the fact that I am old and standing room-only concerts are hard on my back, not to mention my bedtime.  Work came early Monday morning, but it was totally worth it.

If you ever get a chance to see him live, I really suggest you do it.  Now, I know you're thinking to yourself, gee self, Brooke tells me I should see a lot of bands live, I am starting to think she is going overboard. ...Because let's face it - I do say this a lot (because I have amazing taste and see a lot of fantastic artists live), but I reallllllllly mean it when it comes to Citizen Cope, you will not regret going to his show.


Cheers to C. Cope!

<33 BB

Tuesday Tunesday :: 10.2.12

Happy Tunesday! Enjoy :)


Love is a Fire :: Courrier

I love a song that gradually picks up intensity.  Just kind of keeps building on itself.  This one does that. Wait for it, wait for it...



The Paper Kites :: Bloom

I have been a fan of The Paper Kites for a little while, this song is not new, but I love their voices together.  Plus, their videos are always interesting too, check out Featherstone while you're at it.



Zee Avi :: Concrete Walls

Might have found this on Gossip Girls the other day when I was catching up on Netflix.  Don't judge me or do, I don't really care.  I can't get enough of the Upper East Side drama! Serena is being a total betch right now.



Freelance Whales :: Girl U Want

They have a new CD that just came out and it's good, this song is not on it. Sorry for the tease haha.  This is a legit cover though!



Lastly, because I am celebrating a good friend's birthday on Thursday with a Ron Pope concert I will leave you with this gem:

Ron Pope :: A Drop In The Ocean

Also, fun fact, I picked this video because Bradley made it for a class in college haha.  He is so talented, look how he mixed the two together.  With that being said, I have loved this song for years and the movie is one of my favorites.



Cheers to Tunesday!

<3 BB

Timbers and Pizza!

Brad and I had tickets to the Portland Timbers vs DC United game this weekend, which was a pretty big deal for Brad since he used to work for DCU before he moved out to Oregon.  The game was an evening game so we had a chance to get food before we headed to the stadium. 

A few weeks ago I had picked up a Groupon for the pizza joint / bar called Mellow Mushroom.

I had been hearing really good things about the place and it did not disappoint. We tried a few beers with their paddle option and ordered the Funky Q Chicken.  Evidently, the first location was out on the East Coast and its dough was made with spring water from Vermont, so now all of the restaurants get the special water shipped in from the same spring for the dough, which is pretty cool and the dough is uh-mazing! 

We walked off our dinner and headed up to the stadium which was only a few blocks away.

 #RCTID

Brad was torn on what outfit to wear, because he is a girl in the army you are supposed to be a Timbers Supporter, they even email you and tell you not to wear opposing team apparel. However, DCU holds a very special place in his heart since he worked for their front office.  He eventually decided on a not too flashy DCU shirt with a Timbers scarf. 

The National Anthem is always my favorite at the Timbers games. It literally gives me chills every time. I am a sucker for a good Anthem, it takes me back to my athletic days and I always get a little bit of butterflies as if I am the one about to complete.  The Portland crowd sings with the performer and at the end of this game everyone threw streamers, it looked awesome.

DCU went up 1-0 with a questionable handball call and the oh so attractive Chris Pontius scored off the penalty kick.  Luckily, the Timbers came back to tie the game up and it ended in a 1-1 tie.  

The above smoke makes it hard to breathe, so we pretended to be bandits for a bit. 

All in all, I am secretly glad they tied, DCU left with a point, Timbers are still not out of the playoff running, and then Brad didn't have to choose a winner or a loser side.  Plus I got to watch DCU's coach Ben Olsen in action and he is my favsies.  Gotta love a well dressed coach, especially when I think he and Brad kind of look like they could be related.

We are on the waiting list to get season tickets for next year, cross your fingers we are high enough on it to get a pair and maybe I will take you to a game with me if you're lucky !

Cheers to Soccer hotties!

<3 BB