My 11 favorite songs of 2011

This is my list of the songs that I would put together as a mix that represent the songs I loved and listened to the most over the year. I'm not going to even argue that some of these are great vocally or manufactured in production, but they are the songs I liked best.  The rule is that there can only be one song per artist. eleven for 2011 in no particular order:

We Own The Night- Lady Antebellum

It's a apply song that makes me think of times when I was younger and I was driving around town in a car with my friends doing next to nothing.  

You and I- Lady Gaga
There were three artists this year that I had a hard time with choosing only one. Long time fans knew this song when she performed it on tour with only her piano.  I'm not a huge fan of the Shania Twain background music, but lyrically it's near the best song Lady has ever written. This was the year when she learned who her true fans were as her born this way album has been less successful but has exceeded anything she released previously.  

 The Lazy Song- Bruno Mar

This is pure pop candy, and it is awesome to bop around the house to for anyone having a lazy day like I am today

Call Your Girlfriend- Robyn

Robyn is starting to get a little more respect this year in America.  Call Your Girlfriend is a song about breaking up that feels lyrically fresh and new.  

We found Love - Rihanna featuring Calvin Harris

Rihanna continues her superstar status with this joyful dance floor song.  

Breaking Down- Florence and the Machine

Ceremonials was full of so many great songs that it is hard to choose. But I chose this lesser known track that feels like insanity and sadness, and it feels influenced by a lot of 80s music like the Cure, Depeche Mode and Siouxsee and the Bandhees. 

Rivers and Roads- The Head and The Heart

A great folk rock song about the challenges we face in this thing called life.  

Til the World Ends- Britney Spears

I wasn't such a huge fan of Femme Fatale or her lazy stage show this year. But this is a song that you can dance to early in the morning.  The fade out followed by the return of the music is a great addition.  

Super Bass- Nicki Minaj

In 2010 I bought pink Friday without hearing a track. I was disappointed because I felt Nicki was playing a supporting track on her own album.  But then I discovered this track that was on the deluxe album, and I changed my mind. After seeing her live, Nicki Minaj should be a musical force to reckon with for years to come.  

Mama's Broken Heart- Miranda Lambert

With her own album and the Pistol Annie's album there are so many choices. But this song about sucking it up and letting go of drama is a standout.  

We are young fun. Featuring Janelle Monae

I discovered this late in the year. This not particularly deep song is a great anthem for never ending youth and friendship.  

Back to the food trucks! Los Chilangos

Today I set out to go to a food truck. I finally ended up going to Los Chilangos at the Renton Farmer's market. It was actually ,y third choice after two other choices did not work out for various reasons. In any case, Los Chilangos did not disappoint. They have a variety of mexican foods such ad tacos, tortas , and tamales. I ordered a torts with pork. It was cooked fresh on the spit. For those who don't know, a torta is essentially a Mexican sandwich. Mine had a generous portion of fresh pork, lettuce, cilantro, some black beans, and spicy green sauce. The pork was tasty and tender. It had just enough fat to keep it flavorful, but not overly fatty. I don't like meat overly fatty because it creates a texture I dislike. This meat was just right. The bread it came on was soft and fresh. Sometimes bread is an afterthought in this kind of meal. This bread was excellent. The spicy sauce was just spicy enough to make it flavorful but didn't burn my mouth. They also offered a mild sauce if you don't like spicy food. I will definitely look forward to eat at Los Chilangos again. B

My favorite drama and comedy series 2010-2011

My favorite comedy series this year were the following:

Runners up:

The Big C- season 1 had its moment of greatness but also moments of unevenness. But a great cast proved that there were laughs even to be mined out of the most dire situations in life. It also inspired.

Glee- it was a very uneven season with some truly awful moments (sue marries herself. Sue as the grinch.) but it also had some great moments. (Curt being bullied. Curt's dad nearly dies. Curt and Blaine. Sue's family member dies)

The big bang theory- while the series started to have some growing pains. They were overcome by Sheldon and Amy Farrah Fowler.

Parks and Recreation- it was the best season yet with the citizens of Pawnee. Characters became more three dimensional and more importantly funny. The addition of Adam Scott only helped matters.

And my favorite comedy series is:
Modern Family- at this point this is kind of a no brained. Best cast on tv. Easily the funniest show on tv right now.

My favorite drama series were:

Runners up:

the walking dead: sure it's a zombie show, but it's also a survival story, a live story tied up with some dark humor. The best new show of the season.

The killing: Twin Peaks it really wasn't and Seattle has never looked bleaker. Its finale was the most controversial of the season. But I liked the deliberate pace, the acting and I actually liked the ending.

Dexter- it's hard to follow the John lithgow season and Dexter started off on the wrong foot with mourning Rita too long. But if a show can convince me that Julia stiles might be a good actress it must be doing something right.

Mad Men- it was my favorite season of mad men with great stories and elevated performance by most of the cast, and it probably would have been the best if it weren't for

my favorite:

Parenthood: it isn't high concept. No zombies, not a period piece. It's just a show about a family, but rarely has tv been so relatable and honest about family. It's sad the Emmys ignored it. It is the mist underrated show on television.

week 5 street eating- Maximus/minimus

Today I walked six miles to downtown Seattle so that I could eat at Maximus Minimus. This is a street food vendor that serves many different things but is particular
Arly known for it's spicy pulled pork and it's sweet pulled pork. I ordered three things.

First I will start with ginger lemonade because I was the least impressed with it. It had a nice gingery and lemony taste but the problem was that it also has a metallic tap water taste. Seattle has good clean tap water, but I don't like that metal taste.

Second I ordered a side of sweet Cole slaw. It was a nice mix of cabbage, onion, and dried cranberries mixed with a creamy cole slaw dressing. I really liked the sweet, but a warning to those who don't like raw onions. This slaw had a lot of raw onions. That doesn't bother me though as they were plenty mild.

Third was the main event. Pulled pork is one of my favorite foods and this didn't disappoint. I choice the spicy version. I was told that it would be 2 to 3 star spicy. I would disagree. I didn't find it spicy at all but it did have lots of flavor and the cilantro was a fresh welcome summery taste. It also came on a sturdy wheat bun which was good because it didn't get soggy or messy.

Overall I really enjoyed my dining experience at Maximus Minimus.

My favorite lead drama TV performances

I was planning on getting this done before Emmy nominations, but I'm slow.

My favorite lead male actor peformances in a drama series are:

Andrew Lincoln- The walking Dead

It's heart to give a heartfelt dramatic performance when you are being chased by zombies, but Andrew Lincoln's performance as the sheriff looking for his family was one of the best from one of television's best shows.

Peter Krause - Parenthood

Peter Krause has always been been one of my favorites, and his performance as family man Adam Braverman is one of his best. B

Gabriel Byrne- In treatment

In the final season of in treatment, Byrne continues to impress as he gives therapy and then receives some much needed therapy.

Michael C Hall- Dexter
This wasn't dexter's best season, but Hall continues to make Dexter Morgan his signature character. B

And my favorite performance was
Jon Hamm-Mad Men

Hamm has always kind Of made playing the great character Don Draper look easily. But season 4 was really the season that Hamm showed up his dramatic chops ever more.

My favorite lead female actor performance in a drama series are:

Lauren Graham- Parenthood
I can never forget Lorelai Gilmore. But Lauren Graham has shown she has range with her performance as Sarah Braverman.

Anna Paquin-True Blood
Sookie Stackhouse has to be dramatic, a little silly, and a little smart alecky. Anna Paquin pulls it off and makes me not able to imagine anyone else in the role.

Jeanne Triplehorne- big Love
Barb was always the most complicated wife on Big Love. Triplehorne always played as graceful, nut also dealing with complicated contradictions such as her feminism and her place in a family with multiple wives.

Mirelle Enos- The Killing
At her heart Sarah Linden is a woman torn between her prestigious job and her family. Enos shows vulnerability with her son and a fierceness in solving the murder of Rosie Larsen.


But my favorite performance was
Elizabeth Moss- Mad Men

Peggy has always been the most interesting character in Mad Men. She is a career woman in a time when woman couldn't usually have it all. In season 4, Peggy worked even harder to climb a career ladders in a man's world.

30 days of television

Here is a list I made of 30 days of television because i didmt like any i found I am going to post each day on Facebook but I will update here also. Feel free to use:


30 days of television
A show your currently obsessed with: Breaking Bad
Favorite  2000s show Six Feet Under
Favorite 1990s show Twin Peaks
Favorite 1980s show Roseanne
Favorite classic television show 1970s Soap
Favorite classic show pre 1970 Batman
Favorite game show Jeopardy!
Favorite talk show The Rosie O'Donnell show
Favorite tv  character
Tv character most like yourself
Favorite tv villain
Show you used to like but your feelings have changed over time
A show with your favorite male tv actor
A show with your favorite female tv actor
Guilty pleasure
Overrated show
Favorite cult classic
A show you liked when you were a kid
Favorite tv movie or mini series
Favorite cast in a series
A show that was gone too soon
Favorite tv relationship
A show that you have meant to catch but you haven't yet
Tv show with the greatest beginning
Tv show with the greatest ending
Best surprise or twist in a show
Best animated or kids shows
Favorite reality show
Favorite comedy
Favorite drama

Street food (kind of): week 4 Skillet

So my friend Teresa and I have been trying to eat at skillet which is considered one of the better food trucks in Seattle. But we keep missing it. Today we drove all the way to Bellevue to find it. Bellevue is ten miles away which seems not far unless you realize Seattle people don't even like to leave their neighborhood. We got there around 1 and they were supposed to close at 2. But when we got there they were already gone!! They must have ran out of food and we were skillet-less again.

We finally decided to go to the diner version which opened not too long ago. There are a lot of things of the same things on the menu but it technically wasn't street food. But oh well! We were hungry!

I had a delicious hamburger with blue cheese, arugula, and bacon jam. It was delicious! But the real reason I was there was the poutine which for the uninformed is fries covered with gravy and cheese. Skillet adds herbs to theres also! Wow it was so good. My friend Teresa had poutine also but she got a grilled cheese sandwich. It was indeed a great sandwich. It was Brie, cheddar and American cheese on thick grilled brioche bread!! Yum!

We had a good time! Except when I lost my Dell phone. But she found it on the ground by her car! Phew!

I may be going to another street vendor this weekend just for giggles!