motel de moka

In a district that sleeps alone, save for your few back-pocket lobbyists sharing space under the covers, post-work social events are networking for some, but that seldom found chance to breathe for others. In a city bursting at its seams with political rhetoric and hot air, founded upon agendas far deeper than hidden, it is not every night that one is able to find an hour away from “D.C.” much less one which could be remotely defined as “happy.” What a joy then to stumble across a lounge whose happy hour not only raises one’s spirits, but soothes the soul. The Eighteenth Street Lounge is a three story bar/club/lounge with a playlist more exclusive than its guest list. The locale only plays its own artists, only those from the ESL record label. Not a gimmick, but rather a complete synthesis of the atmosphere. An hour at ESL is an indulgence of the senses; there is nary a bar — D.C. or anywhere — that can boast a panoramic deluge of taste, touch, sight, sound, and yes, smell reflecting their own distinctly unique vibe.
While I cannot provide social lubricant to wet the palate, I’ve opted instead to let your ears indulge in sonic delights. Each artist showcased below is from the Eighteenth Street Lounge label, the artists which make the hour ecstatic. Enjoi.

Joe Bataan - The Bottle
(Salsoul Classics, Vol. 1/ 1992)
Federico Aubele - El Amor de Este Pueblo
(Gran Hotel Buenos Aires/ 2004)
Karmisky Experience Inc. - Exploration
(The Power of Suggestion/ 2003)
Federico Aubele - Besos de Sal
(Gran Hotel Buenos Aires/ 2004)
Quantic & Nickodemus - Mi Swing Es Tropical
(Ritmo Tropical/ 2004)
Chris Joss - You’ve Been Spiked
(You’ve Been Spiked/ 2004)

photo credit: IntangibleArts

There was a man in our village who never in his life had a pet of any kind until his wife died. By my calculation, Gerard Loomis was in his mid-fifties when Marietta was taken from him, but at the ceremony in the chapel he looked so scorched and stricken that people mistook him for a man ten or twenty years older. He sat collapsed in the front pew, his clothes mismatched and his limbs splayed in the extremity of his grief, looking as if he’d been dropped there from a great height, like a bird stripped of its feathers in some aerial catastrophe. Once the funeral was over and we’d all offered up our condolences and gone back to our respective homes, rumors began to circulate. Gerard wasn’t eating. He wouldn’t leave the house or change his clothes. He’d been seen bent over a trash barrel in the front yard, burning patent-leather pumps, brassieres, skirts, wigs, even the mink stole with its head and feet still attached that his late wife had worn with pride on Christmas, Easter, and Columbus Day. … - Thirteen Hundred Rats

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” Sunday, Under the Sun ”

01. Ben Kamen - Clouds & Snow
Dreams (anonymous monk, 2008)
02. Devendra Banhart - Santa Maria Da Feira
Cripple Crow (2005)
03. Nina Violet and the Invisible orchestra - The Dog Tomorrow
Nina Violet and the Invisible orchestra (2006)
04. Albert Hammond, Jr. - Gfc
Como Te Llama (2008)
05. e.s.l. - Prove Me Wrong
eye contact (2008)
06. qr5 - Revisited Gone
Pharmakon (2006)

note: Folksy Weekend/Sunday post with. I just want something to hear something nice while doing absolutely nothing under the sun. (and reading short stories) uhh…there is nothing like increasing the chance of skin cancer while zipping ice tea … (I definitely need to check what’s on the mailbox and recent release. gah…so lazy. ok. off tweaking MdM theme now. watch out for falling debris.)

image: Yives

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Above us, stars. Beneath us, constellations.
Five billion miles away, a galaxy dies
like a snowflake falling on water. Below us,
some farmer, feeling the chill of that distant death,
snaps on his yard light, drawing his sheds and barn
back into the little system of his care.
All night, the cities, like shimmering novas,
tug with bright streets at lonely lights like
his.
- Ted Kooser , Flying at Night

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” Small Late Night List with Favorites ”

01. Castanets - Three Day Four Nights (web)
Cathedral (Asthmatic Kitty, 2004)
02. Paavoharju - Puhuri (web)
Yhä Hämärää (Fonal, 2005)
03. Francoiz Breut - Si Tu Disais
Vingt A Trente Milles Jours (2001)
04. My Brightest Diamond - Inside a Boy (web)
A Thousand Shark’s Teeth (Asthmatic Kitty, 2008)
05. Tara Angell - you can’t say no to hell (web)
(Radio 4 Holland Jan.05)

Note: A short list but sweet. I don’t think I have done a lot of blogging material lately since my head is all over the place. Hopefully I can put a little more time weekend. In the meantime, here is a list with favorite tracks. Most have been posted before, but still sweet. enjoy.

PS. Any opinion about the theme?

image: bec parsons

I was very influenced by the makeup of Claudia Cardinale in a film where she had very dark eyeliner. As soon as we hit on that for Penélope, everything changed. It was also very important to have an ample cleavage enhanced by strategically placed medallions, because that’s one of the key images of Spanish motherhood, and motherhood is one of the key themes of this film. It was also very important that this woman have an ample arse. The arse is a symbol of optimism. I’m really sorry for those who do not possess a bottom but they can always add something to it. The only false thing that we did was to construct a new arse for her, so that she would have this shape. It wasn’t just about the physical thing, it was also about the spirit of the person: Penélope had trained in dance, and so tends to walk upright, very much in the air. But for the character, we wanted someone very grounded, somebody weighed down by life. And an ample arse helps you to be weighed down and be grounded. So rehearsals are part of all this. - Pedro Almodóvar interview

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” Something about/not about Women ”

01. Soltero - Out at the Wall
You’re No Dream (Southern Records, 2008)
02. De La Mancha - Lotus seven (myspace)
Atlas (Crying Bob, 2008)
03. The Wedding Present - I Lost the Monkey
El Rey (Manifesto Records, 2008)
04. Beau Jennings - In My Veins Again
Holy Tulsa Thunder (a Silence Production, 2008)
05. Colleen Et Les Boites A Musique - Your Heart Is So Loud
Colleen Et Les Boîtes À Musique (The Leaf Label, 2006)
06. The Cloud Room - Blue Monday
Buffet Libre: 80s Rewind (Internet project)

06a. Edith Piaff - La Vie En Rose (wiki)
(1946)

note: Small movie note and an evening list. Just watched Volver by Almodovar. My quick take: very cheerful screen color as usual. everything come out in high color contrast in that film. Amazing. He then does his magic describing strong characters, always woman with Almodovar, with maximum impact. Dialogs are just enough, telling complex stories without being too many cinematic devices. (I absolutely hate sappy music in dramatic dialog.) All in all, a nice mid week evening movie.

about the list: Only slightly related with the post, it’s evening pop rock, mostly recent releases.

see also: Almodovar homepage
image: AP (via dina0)

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When the future’s architectured
By a carnival of idiots on show
You’d better lie low

If you love me
Won’t you let me know?
- Coldplay

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” Fun Punk. Test Post ”

01. Superaquello - Machita (La Nueva Ola)
Bien Gorgeous (Brilliante, 2005)
02. The Kooks - Violet Hill (Coldplay cover)
(BBC Radio 1’s Live Lounge, 2008)
03. Kiss Me Deadly - Kiss Me Deadly
Misty Medley (Alien8 Recording, 2005)
04. Theoretical Girls - Lovin in the Red
Theoretical Record (Acute, 2002)
05. The Dishes - Flim Flam
3 (File 13, 2003)
06. The Blue Van - Revelation of Love
The Art of Rolling (Tvt, 2005)

note: Hey Lunch time punk. We haven’t have one of this in a while. Also, the new theme is a work in progress, if you have a take, post your comment. Things will be changed around as usual. I’ll throw around all sort of irrelevant pictures just to see how they fit. It will take time to settle to satisfying look. …enjoy. don’t forget to comment the new design. -sq

image: [1, 2, 3], [1-5]

I have vocal tunes but I don’t really feel ready yet to do them fully,” he says with typical modesty and diffidence. “I did one ’pon the album ‘Earth Rightful Ruler’ but I’m not really ready to go into vocal — I want to catch certain practices and vibes first. - Augustus Pablo

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” ‘08 Summer Texture exercise No.1 ”

01. Augustus Pablo - Cassava Piece
Original Rockers (Greensleeves, 1979)
02. Luiz Bonfá - Manha De Carnaval (Morning Of Carnaval)
Orfeu Negro (1959)
03. The Ramsey Lewis Trio - Song For My Father
The ‘In’ Crowd [Live] (The Entertainers, ?)
04. Gilberto gil - Procissao
Tropicália Essentials (Hip-O Records, 1999)
05. Andy Palacio & the Garifuna Collective - Weyu Lárigi Weyu (Day by Day)
Wátina (Cumbancha, 2007)
06. Lotek Hi-Fi - Ram Dancehall Featuring Earl J
Mixed Blessings (Big Dada Records, 2005)

note: Various mix of dub and Brazilian rhythm, mainly about downtempo and beatmatch exercise. Something lite, with hip-hop and weekend in mind. It comes with limited dynamic but happy toe tapping tempo. An odd blues mix but fun. Enjoy. I’ll do electronic next.

see also : The Rise and Demise of the Oil epoch, As American As It Gets
image: [1, 2, 3, 4, 5], [1 - 4]

Perhaps nothing epitomizes the Wonderland-like quality of the Japanese recession like the giant orange Hermes box in the heart of Ginza, Tokyo’s most exclusive shopping district.

For Hermes International, the building-sized box, complete with signature orange packaging and brown ”ribbon,” is not merely a marketing tool but a reflection of the company’s confidence that even in bad times, there will be plenty of Japanese willing to pay hundreds of thousand of yen for one of its handbags. Such confidence is hardly misplaced.

Sure, unemployment is at record levels, corporate earnings are sinking, bankruptcies are at a record high, investment is down and the banking system is at the brink of disaster. But luxury goods retailers in Japan are thriving, even as overall consumer spending has continued to fall. - NYT (1998)

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” Feeling Decadent ”

01. The New Frontiers - The Day You Fell Apart
Mending (The Militia group, 2008)
02. The Long Blondes - Here Comes The Serious Bit
Couples (Rough Trade Us, 2008)
03. Tilly and the Wall - Pot Kettle Black
O (Team Love Records, 2008)
04. French Kicks - Love in the Ruins
Swimming (Vagrant Records, 2008)
05. Pomegranates - Whom/Who
Everything Is Alive (Lujo Records, 2008)
06. Panda Riot - Like Flowers At Night
She Dares All Things (Panda Riot, 2007)

note: Feeling a bit decadent. This is a standard mood list, near shoegazer sort of texture. I like the minor key tension vs. up beat walking tempo. Music for shopping in time of recession. Hey, at least the music is good, in dark and edgy sort of way. But nothing too removed from known formula. Which could ruin the balance. At any rate, somebody better snap this site out of slower tempo. I need something with beat! :D (I don’t know where everybody is, except jungle. Probably they all die from heat stroke. Either that or baking themselves somewhere in Majorca’s beach. ) Go out and have a decadent life today…

image: [1, 2, 3, 4, 5], [1, 2]
see also: Hacking Japan