SoCal Shout Out

Okay, so in the past two weeks I've discovered my new favorite band and my latest favorite read. Augustana is from San Diego, California and I just bought their recent album (featured below). Yes, I still buy c.d. albums. Is that old school? Well, there's something spiritual about actually buying an album and holding it in your hands and tearing off the plastic wrapping and turning through those intimate little pages of song lyrics and pictures. It's like the band is opening their front door and inviting me inside to hang out. Or, maybe I'm just weird.

I still haven't made it to track five yet. I can't stop listening to the first four tracks, that's how good this album is.

I'm also ecstatic that one of my favorite authors released a new book last week (which I read and devoured in one sitting). Francesca Lia Block is from Los Angeles, and part of the reason I love her books is she describes L.A. so well--all of it's sadness and loneliness and yet she still makes L.A. shine, even through the smog. She also writes one of the best characters ever created in YA literature: Weetzie Bat. So, check out her latest book, PINK SMOG.