I ask you this: "Why is One Tree Hill still on the air??" I still hope that one day these two get back together. You too, huh?

I haven’t written a music post in a while yet like so many of my diversions, it truly is a passion.  This playlist is a compilation of songs inspired by Seth & Summer.  Songs they would play on the beach while roasting marshmallows to the view of the setting sun and sounds of crashing waves, her clad in her bikini and Juicy hoodie and him in his Penguin shirt and plaid boardshorts.  Is it weird that I’m nostalgic for 2005?  I dated a lot of cute skinny boys that summer, rode around my car Habeebs with my sunroof open, danced under the stars and tanned on the beach.  Good times.

Some sweet sounds.  Dream on young lovers…

• Summer Camp – I Want You
• Air – Playground Love
• Conner Youngblood – A Summer Song
• Foster the People – Helena Beat
• Phoenix – Love Like a Sunset
• Tokyo Police Club – Bambi
• Young the Giant – Strings
• Death Cab For Cutie – You Are A Tourist (Seth Cohen’s favourite band)

Rachel Bilson looking super cute in her Missoni bikini. I mean, Adam Brody, what were you thinking? #girlcrush

Miike Snow as that guy from V is for Vendetta

Mmm, I probably should have written about Miike Snow a long time ago but The LC has been overtaken by my fashionistah posts.  Miike Snow is a Swedish indie pop band comprised of Christian Karlsson, Pontus Winnberg and Andrew Wyatt.  Their sound is a dreamscape melange of vocals and electronica.  The kind of music that makes the emo hipster boys break out of their beer holding, head bopping into dance.  It’s a concert I definitely wanna be at.  #dearuniverse  

Darling of the music bloggers, they also have done tons of great remixes of Peter, Bjorn & John, Passion Pit and Kings of Leon.  While you may not realize you’re listening to Miike Snow, it’s playing as background music on Gossip Girl or MTV’s The Buried Life or blaring on the soundsystem of a downtown store.

Here are my fave Miike Snow tunes and remixes:

1. Miike Snow – Song For No One
2. Animal
3. In Search Of
4. Cult Logic
5. Remedy – Crookers (f. Miike Snow)
6. Sabali – Amadou & Miriam (Miike Snow Remix)

To listen to more Miike Snow, check out what the music bloggers are buzzing about on The Hype Machine

More emo ironic amazingness from Able and Game on Etsy. I mean, have you ever??

 Holy canoli??!!  Today marks the first day of December.  Like many of you, I have been circling potential presents like a pigeon waiting for you to chuck the last few bites of your hotdog.  But now that I only have a few shopping days left, I think I’m going to bite the bullet and begin putting gifts together.  My personal favourite is a sentimental mixed tape cd - indie cover songs of traditional holiday classics.  To add that extra something-something, I like to make a photo collage of our friendship and write sarcastic inside jokes on the cd cover.  That’s a nice touch.

For more ridiculous Aussie humour, visit the card shop Able and Game on Etsy. 

1. Christmas Isn’t Christmas – The Boy Least Likely To Be
2. Last Christmas – Jimmy Eat World
3. Are You Coming Over For Christmas – Belle and Sebastian
4. O Holy Night – My Morning Jacket
5. The Christmas Song – Owl City
6. Baby Please Come Home – The Raveonettes
7. I Wish It Was Christmas Today – Julian Casablancas

Chillin' pop dylan at Sunnyside Beach. Just don't swim in it.

I used to live by the beach and on wonderful, vibrantly sunny days, I would perch myself on ‘my contemplation rock.’  There, I would listen to the crashing waves, take in the glow of the sun, read a book, listen to music or people watch.  The best contemplation music is moody, slow and of the emo-variety, the kind that would play in a Volkswagon commercial and tug at your heartstrings.  Some days I would scan the sand for flat rocks and skip them on the water a la Amelie.  And when I could tan no longer and I could feel the sting of sunburn was close at hand, I would have a refreshing pina colada on the patio served by hottt Greg.   

• 7/4 Shoreline – Broken Social Scene
• Gender Bombs – The Stills
• Maps – Yeah, Yeah, Yeahs
• Pink Moon – Nick Drake
• Heartbeats – Jose Gonzales
• Soul Meets Body – Death Cab for Cutie
• Phantom Limb – The Shins
• I’m Good, I’m Gone – Friendly Fires (Lykke Li cover)
• Beck_Pink Moon (Nick Drake Cover)

Hipster Love: Rachel & Hayden...should really be Adam. Hellooooo!

A True Story:  The other day, I invited my dance poppet I to visit me for brunch, a bookstore perusal and a leisurely stroll along the Queen West West block.  Since I live in the Fashion & Design district, the streets are teeming with hipsters within a 10 mile radius.  I told my friend to wear skinny jeans to assimilate to his surroundings (like camouflage). haha.  When we passed another civilian male in skinny jeans, I assessed and compared the “tightness” by whether or not I could observe ankles.  I said, “If there was a war on skinny jeans, you would win that battle.”  Comedy ensued. 

The emo hipster is Seth Cohen on the O.C. or Serena Van Der Woodsen’s wannabe trustfund artist boyfriend (for 5 seconds) Aaron Rose on Gossip Girl.  It’s the starving artist at the local cafe writing on his iMac whilst sipping an espresso, the rocker sidling up to the bar at the Dakota ordering what’s on tap.  Is it life imitates art or the other way around?  Personally, I think hipsters are cute.  Generationally, we will always have an archetype of the free-spirited artist which represents a certain time and place.  The hipster is to now as hippies were to the seventies and beatniks were to the fifties.  Makes sense, non?

If I had to describe the hipster, I could break it down by wardrobe… 

• The essential t-shirt – Deep V American Apparel t-shirt in the lightest weight organic cotton, displaying just the merest hint of chest hair.  You couldn’t consider yourself one if you don’t own it.  

"This old thing? I got it at American Apparel."

• Facial accoutrements - Emo glasses, the dark rimmed, dramatic kind even for the non-visually impaired.  I suppose it’s a 1950′s homage to retro.  Your vision is perfect?  Dude, that’s lame!  Fake it until you make it.  And throw in some facial hair to complement the hobo look.
• Lumberjack chic – The city has some rough terrain and no outfit is finished without a dash of a buffalo check, be it on a canvas sneaker or a fringed scarf casually wrapped just so.  When you see a trend stick for more than 3 seasons, it will likely endure. 

Kicking it hipster x 10: Buffalo check canvas runners. What??!

Good Old Days: Remember when Summer saved Chrismukkah? Teardrop.

I see the Seth Cohen clones on Queen West West streets shivering in their size zero skinny red jeans, walking their girlfriend’s mini French bulldogs enrobed in knit sweaters.  Sweeties, eat a cookie and that leather jacket is appropriate for Fall Trans (Aug-October)!  Get your tooshie indoors and have a mug of apple cider!!  Stat! 

During the holidays we all succumb to being a cozy homebody.  Around my neck of the woods, there is a new marshall law regarding dress code, “Boho chic: Leggings or Leisure Wear ONLY” My friends are digging my wavelength.  Around the house, I have been preparing decadent brunches of crepes with nutella, unseasonal ten-million dollar berries such as strawberries and blackberries with a side of French brie to much fanfare.  The home decor has also been re-vamped with some faux poinsettia and some strategically placed mistletoe. haha.

While shimmying around my lovely Carrie Bradshaw-esque kitchen, I like to crank the holiday tunes.  Not just any old Christmas songs, but the emo(tional) indie rock ones you might find on an O.C. compilation.  It just makes sense given the artsy neighbourhood.

Here some jingles to make you jingle-jangle your can around the house: 

• Last Christmas – Jimmy Eat World
• Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas – Coldplay
• A Great Big Sled – The Killers
• Christmas at the Zoo – Flaming Lips
• Holiday Road – Matt Pond PA
• O Holy Night – My Morning Jacket
• The Christmas Song – The Raveonettes
• Are You Coming Over for Christmas? – Belle and Sebastian