Sweet Dreams

Within a one mile radius of my apartment, there are 15 registered sex offenders. When I upped my search to a two mile radius, it came up with 23 offenders. Quite the neighborhood.

I quickly opened up another tab to Amazon and bought the Pepper Shot Tri-Pack. This will surely hold me over until I hit the shooting ranges a couple of times (see post below).

Leads to:

Where do I Sign Up?

A course on surviving execution, beheading, assassination attempts and escaping from captivity.

You may wonder how I came across this site... I decided I am going to start hitting the gun ranges here in Vegas. Any girl in her mid-twenties should know how to operate a machine gun, no?

Coming from Someone Named Lynzee...

Meet 19 year old Lynzee. She believes that women should not have to go to college. Why you ask? Well because the boys should, like duh.

College isn't really necessary.

Right.... Lynzee honey- please take your birth control every day at the same time. Scholars say (so I know you're not privy to this information) that intelligence, for the most part, is inherited and we wouldn't want to pass that down on some unfortunate child. And, uh, good luck with your career in journalism. You are just what every editor looks for: An educated go-getter.

The Hills

Justin Bobby and Audrina are played by James Franco and Mila Kunis in this clip.

Mila perfectly nails Audrina's dead behind the eyes stares at JB in this segment. Does hell hath no fury????

Happy Holidays from HerMixTape

I fly out to Chicago tomorrow for the holiday, where I will undoubtedly freeze to death now that I am a total desert girl. "Beer Coats" just don't seem to do the trick when it's -15.

Song that matches the mood:
Homecoming, Kayne West

Holy Hangover Batman

Nothing like enjoying the best meal I’ve ever tasted, walking in front of a two-hour line to enjoy drinks at one of the world’s most expensive nightclubs ever built and then collecting enough in winnings at the tables to be driven home in a limo at 6 am. How Vegas of me.

Song that matches the mood:

Waking Up In Vegas, Katie Perry

Soundtrack Songs

One of my favorite parts of winter is cozying up in a bunch of blankets straight out of the dryer and throwing on a movie. And nothing makes a movie scene better than when it’s matched with the perfect song track. So here is Volume I of movie songs I love…

50 First Dates

Love Song, 311

Somewhere Over the Rainbow, Israel Kamakawiwo Ole

A Lot Like Love

Brighter Than Sunshine, Aqualung

Breathe (2 A.M.), Anna Nalick

Trouble, Ray LaMontage

Because I Said So

Black Horse and the Cherry Tree, KT Turnstall

Boondock Saints

The Blood of Cu Chulainn, Mychael and Jeff Dana

The Break-Up

Story of My Life, Social Distortion

Timebomb, Old 97’s

I Can See Clearly Now, Johnny Nash

Breakfast at Tiffany’s

Moon River, Andy Williams

Catch and Release

Razor, Foo Fighters

What If You, Joshua Radin

City of Angels

Uninvited, Alanis Morissette

Cruel Intentions

Colorblind, Counting Crows

The Departed

Shipping Up to Boston, Dropkick Murphys

Empire Records

Til I Hear it From You, Gin Blossoms

The Devil Wears Prada

Suddenly I See, KT Turnstall

Sleep, Azure Ray

City of Blinding Lights, U2

Elizabeth Town

Learning to Fly, Tom Petty

Forrest Gump

San Francisco, Scott McKenzie

Let’s Get Together, The Youngbloods

Turn! Turn! Turn!, The Byrds

Volunteers, Jefferson Airplane

Rainy Day Women #12 & 35

Against the Wind, Bob Seger & The Silver Bullet Band

Respect, Aretha Franklin

Mrs. Robinson, Art Garfunkel

California Dreamin, The Mamas & The Papas

Joy to the World, Three Dog Night

Fortunate Son, CCR

Garden State

In the Waiting Line, Zero 7

Don’t Panic, Coldplay

Such Great Heights, Iron & Wine

The Groomsmen

Four Cheers, The Blue Jackets

I Hear You Knocking, The Blue Jackets

The Breakup Song, Greg Kihn

How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days

Somebody Like You, Keith Urban

Jerry Maguire

Secret Garden, Bruce Springsteen

John Tucker Must Die

Instantly Gratified, People in Planes

Honestly, Cartel

Sunset Lover, Josh Kelley

The Last Kiss

Chocolate, Snow Patrol

Star Mile, Joshua Radin

Warning Sign, Coldplay

Hold You In My Arms, Ray LaMontage

El Salvador, Athlete

Reason Why, Rachel Yamagata

Lost Highway

The Perfect Drug, Nine Inch Nails

Love Actually

The Trouble With Love Is, Kelly Clarkson

Here With Me, Dido

Sunday Morning, Maroon 5

Turn Me On, Norah Jones

The Notebook

I’ll Be Seeing You, Billie Holiday

Ocean’s 12

The a la menthe, La Caution

P.S. I Love You

Same Mistake, James Blunt

Fairytale of New York, The Pogues

Pulp Fiction

Son of a Preacher Man, Dusty Springfield

Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants 2

Rock & Roll, Eric Hutchinson

You Are Mine, Mute Math

Rent

Seasons of Love, Rent

Walk the Line

Jackson, Joaquin Phoenix & Reese Witherspoon

Wayne’s World

Bohemian Rhapsody, Queen

Loving. Loathing. Listening.

Loving:
I'm headed back to the Windy City on Tuesday!!!

Loathing:
Men. Rubik's Cubes in the dark are easier to solve.

Listening:
Reason Why, Rachel Yamagata

HerMixTape’s Guide to Holiday Music Lovin' Shopping

If They Were Nice:

Shure SE110 Sound Isolating Earphones
Perfect for: Anyone; specially those with small ears (like myself)
More: High-endurance, high-fidelity earphones.

iHome
Perfect For: Anyone
More: Phenomenal sound quality for the price.

iPod nano
Perfect for: Anyone who needs a new one?
More: An obvious choice.

Kohler SoundTile Shower Speakers
Perfect for: Shower Singers
More: Kohler has taken showering to the next level with SoundTiles, matching speakers that stream your favorite music and Internet radio right into your shower.

If They Were Naughty:

iTunes Gift Card
Perfect For: The co-workers you forgot existed. Keep a stash of ‘em ready in your desk.

Now That's What I Call Music Vol. 27
Perfect for: Tweenage family members
More: I am pretty sure everyone has caught onto this concept when Now That's What I Call Music Vol. 6 was released.

This Is Your Brain on Music: The Science of a Human Obsession
Perfect for: The reader/music lover
More: The reader will think about their iPod content in an entirely new light.


Spin, Rolling Stone, Under the Radar Magazine Subscriptions
Perfect for: The commuter or the gym rat
More: You can get a year's subscription to any of 'em for under $15.

Belkin RockStar
Perfect for: Someone who is always inflicting their new music finds onto others.
More: The RockStar has 5 jacks, which lets 5 people listen to one or more iPods (or other MP3 or DVD players). The device also has mixing and fade-in controls so you can mix songs together and pretend you're a DJ.

'Tis the Season, Bitches.

Despite the recent epidemic of allowing Christmas music the four-to-six week “cold sore” lifespan, I don’t put my Christmas playlist on a healthy shuffle until mid-December.

Christmas Mix
To listen to this playlist via FavTape, click here.

Christmas Time is Here, Vince Guraldi Trio
I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus, John Mellencamp
Santa Baby, Eartha Kitt & Henri Rene
Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas, Frank Sinatra
I'll Be Home for Christmas, Bing Crosby
What Are You Doing New Years Eve, Nancy Wilson
Sleigh Ride, Ella Fitzgerald
O Tannenbaum, Vince Guraldi Trio
You're a Mean One Mr. Grinch, Thurl Ravenscroft
All I Want for Christmas is You, Mariah Carey
Grandma Got Run Over By a Reindeer, Elmo & Patsy
Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, Burl Ives
A Holly Jolly Christmas, Burl Ives
Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree, Brenda Lee
Baby, It's Cold Outside, Dean Martin
White Christmas, Bing Crosby
Pine Cones and Holly Berries, Hank o
Linus & Lucy, Vince Guraldi Trio
Let it Snow, The Ray Brown Trio

Annnnnnd I’m obsessed.

Last Saturday, I headed up to my friend’s hometown of Logandale, Nevada to partake in some extreme, extracurricular activities. In short:

A) I was a passenger on a motorcycle reaching speeds of 135 mph on I-15. Ladies note: Do not wear mascara if you ever plan to do this.

B) We headed out on ATVs to cruise around the town’s famous Red Rock/Valley of Fire State Park, and I four-wheeled up the practically vertical and locally known ‘Easter Egg’ rock.

C) I came out with only a minor cut and a collection of bruises after driving down the side of a mesa wall in a pick-up truck. Next time, I will be sure to use my free hand to hold onto the Oh-Shit-Bar… instead of holding it out the window like I was a rollercoaster ride.

Just what I need: An expensive and potentially fatal hobby….


Off-Roading Play List:
To listen to this playlist via FavTape, click here.


Oh My God, Kaiser Chiefs
Burn This City, Cartel
Supermassive Black Hole, Muse
I Don’t Care, Fall Out Boy
Bodies, Drowning Pool
Allow Me to Introduce Myself... Mr. Right, The White Tie Affair
Fat Lip, Sum 41
Pioneer to the Falls, Interpol
Believe, The Bravery
Big Star, Mathclub
Army, Ben Folds Five
Dammit, Blink-182
When I Come Around, Green Day
Bossman, Lucky Boys Confusion
Ruby, Kaiser Chiefs
Hero/Heroine, Boys Like Girls
Diamond Hipster Boy, Washington Social Club
Tessie, Dropkick Murphys
Mr. Brightside, The Killers
Black Betty, Ram Jam
Muzzle, Smashing Pumpkins
Remember When, There for Tomorrow
I Won't Be Back, New Atlantic
Tyrant, OneRepublic
Snow (Hey Oh), Red Hot Chili Peppers
Into Your Arms, The Maine
You're Making it Come Alive, My Favorite Highway
Stop Me, Mark Ronson ft. Daniel Merriweather
The Quest, Bryn Christopher

Back like Jordan wearing the 4-5.

I finally got internet in my apartment.

Danny Gans

I did not know what to expect when I walked into the Mirage’s Danny Gans Theatre… and when I found an older crowd dancing in their seats and clapping to pre-show songs such as YMCA and Love Train… I was skeptical to say the least.

As song impersonator, Danny Gans is a definite powerhouse, imitating the likes of Frank Sinatra, Maroon 5, Otis Redding, Dave Matthews, Rod Stewart, James Taylor and even Kenny Chesney. Not only did he nail the tone and pitch of each artist’s songs, but he transformed his body language to perfectly mock each performer’s onstage persona. He provided a movie preview of each performer, and afterwards, I wanted to go out and see all of their concerts. The adeptness in which he quickly transformed from one personality to the next was impressive to say the least. Performing the song “The Twelve Days of Christmas,” with each stanza belonging to a different personality had the audience’s jaws on the floor. Going from Wayne Newton to Larry the Cable Guy to Woody Allen in under three breaths cannot be an easy feat.

Gans also provided needed comedy relief throughout the show by mimicking the likes of Johnny Carson, Jeff Foxworthy, Michael Jackson and Elvis. My friend sitting next to me was in tears by the end of his Redneck jokes and my cheeks were definitely aching from laughing. The only downer on the entire night, in my opinion, was his decision to perform his own song after a lengthy, personal and religious-toned story as well as his choice to end the evening with Broadway musical selections, which I have little knowledge of or appreciation for.

Gans is slated to move to the Wynn shortly, and I would be interested to seeing his new act. However, his “last” shows at the Mirage, locals tell me, will surely be a stunner as well.

Loving. Loathing. Listening.

Loving:
Fresh and Easy Neighborhood Market. If you are broke, single and extremely busy, this grocery store is amazing: Healthy, tasty, ready to go meals for a couple of bucks.

Loathing:
My new apartment complex blatantly lied to me regarding wireless internet. So now I have to walk all the way to Starbucks if I want internet access and even then, I only am allowed two hours of wi-fi a day. And I live on a mountain, so it’s truly an uphill hike of on the way home. It’s been hell.

Listening:
Breathe (2 AM), Anna Nalick

Through My Windshield

I was liberally swerving across the barely visible dashed lines on the two lane highway. My cell phone dropped from my ear and my startled dog perked up at the sudden sideward movement. I gained control of the SVU, hands gripping the wheel at ten and two like a fifteen year old with a learner’s permit, and I persevered. There was no way I could make it another 230 miles to the hotel I had booked in Denver. The freezing ran finally gave way to snow, and as I merged onto I-76, there was only one other brave soul on the road in front of me, calming my irrational fear that no one would notice if I suddenly veered off the highway and into the abyss of the western Nebraska night. The suburban ahead of me paved the way through the accumulating snow in the dead middle of the road, at speeds of twenty to thirty miles per hour. Visibility was complete shit, and there was not a damn light in site. As I continued on for an hour desperately pleading with some greater power to keep my wheels on the road, my parents negotiated a refund on my Denver hotel and found me somewhere to stay 130 miles outside the city. As I wearingly pulled into Sterling, Colorado after fourteen hours of driving, exit ramp signs excitedly warned me against picking up hitchhikers: There was a nearby correctional facility.

The following morning I made it back to the highway at first light, finding dismantled cars in the grassy median like beer cans carelessly strewn in every direction after a frat party. I mentally thanked my parents for convincing me to get off the road and was surprised to find dry weather after the newspaper had forecasted a 70% of hell. I soon approached the purple horizon of mountains and I found myself repeating in my head, “People drive through the Rocky Mountains everyday. I. Will. Be. Fine.” I climbed slowly up the mountainside and into a tunnel, transporting me through the insides of the massive rock. I blinked away the brightness of the tunnel’s end and found one of the most breathtaking sites I have ever seen: The peaks were swimming in a sea of evergreens, blushing with the first kiss of snow. I gawked at the vision before me as I zigzagged down the mountainside, flying at uncontrollable speeds past braking semi-trucks. One turn gave way to another, each sight more spectacular than the last.

I continued through the postcard before me alongside the cliché of Jeeps and found myself on the desert side of the peaks as I closed in on Grand Junction, Colorado. The dusty, dry plateaus held no hint of their jagged, snowy cousins as they confidently sat on each side of the pavement, turning up their nose at the neighboring desert. The cruise control was set at 87 and my hands relaxed on the wheel as I breathed in the stretch of sand in front of me. The rolling earth tones blurred into the horizon as the sun began to retire in the blue sky. On came the Boondock Saints theme song, and a Cheshire Cat grin spread across my face as I catapulted across the empty highway. I had finally made my way into Bryce Canyon, Utah and was provided with just enough sunlight to take in one of the country’s most stunning national parks. The plateaus and towering canyon walls hugged the roadway as I held my one time use camera out the window, clicking and winding like crazy, with the highest of hopes that a picture may do the spectacle before me some justice. As I plummeted down the canyon, night fall was quickly settling in behind the next set of looming mountains and my nerves started to frazzle at the thought of hairpin turns in the dark.

“This is how horror movies start,” kept running through my mind as I glanced up at the sign: “No Services Next 197 Miles.” I opened my cell phone with my steering wheel hand as I drove: “No Service.” Well, shit. The only other cars on the road had all stopped off in Bryce Canyon and I didn’t see any oncoming headlights. The irrational fear that I would silently veer off the mountain and into the abyss of the southern Utah night began to steadily creep back into my mind as my car began to scale the foothills of the mountains.

Somehow, somewhere in Nebraska, the road’s obstacles had waged a war on my confident independence, amplifying my insecurities: A certifiably insane notion as soon as you make it into civilization or even gain a bar of cell phone reception. Trying to explain the sensation to others just makes people look at you like you’re on ‘shrooms trying to illustrate the exquisiteness of Berber-colored carpet. So when I finally curved around a mountainside to find Vegas shining brightly below me, I had been behind the wheel for 16 hours, bringing my grand total to over 30 hours of driving in two days. I rolled into my new life exhausted, with a lap full of Cheez-It crumbs and dog fur. As I unpacked my car the next day, I collected the hundred or so CD’s I had scattered about, knowing now that each song would always bring me back to the open desert highway, the sight of the sun shining through Utah’s famous archways, the frosted purple peaks of the Rocky Mountains, and the euphoric feeling as a valley of lights welcomed me to fabulous Las Vegas, Nevada.

My First Vegas Show!

Going to see singer, comedian, impressionist, and actor Danny Gans tonight at the Mirage.... can't wait. My sister has already seen him and apparently he is amazing.

More to come!

Danny Gans Tickets at the Mirage in Las Vegas

In My Rearview Mirror...

After accepting a job in Las Vegas several weeks ago, it has been difficult preparing for a life 1,800 miles away from everything I’ve ever known. The past weeks have brought me the warped clarity and sentiment that’s usually reserved for the effects of flooding my brain with two bottles of cheap white wine. I tried to make sense of this new chapter in my life, and sought refuge from the goodbyes, by constructing a playlist for my drive out to Vegas that would reflect my frame of mind. Audible life, as I’ve been known to say.

Studies show that a person’s sense of smell brings fourth the strongest memories, but I disagree. For me, music is a portal, inviting fleeing memories from another lifetime to sit on the front porch of my mind for the duration of a song. People listen to music because they connect to it on some level. Sometimes it’s the melody or the rhythm, sometimes it’s the lyrics, but for me, the music I love is frequently due to the people or moments that the music begs me to recall. I find a lot of music enjoyable, but until I can attach a memory to magnify the song’s effect, it cannot begin to compare to the songs laced with recollections of the people and places that have shaped my life. So, as I pieced this compilation together, it truly has been a labor of love… if not a complete and utter distraction from everything I should have been doing.

There is no easy way to break up a playlist for two days of driving cross-country with an American Dingo dog as your co-pilot, so I decided to break it up geographically. Between playlists, as there is no way I have the time to plan a full 26 hours of music, I will most likely call friends, curse radio commercials or listen to my favorite albums. A lot of the typical “roadtrip anthems” have made it onto my list, because hell- I need something to keep me in the left lane, nervously testing my radar detector’s competence.

Road Trip Playlist

Chicago, Illinois to Las Vegas, Nevada
Total Driving Distance: 1,763 miles
Estimated Driving Time: 26 hours

Leaving Illinois

To listen to the Leaving Illinois playlist via FavTape, click on this link.
Driving Distance: 173 mi
Driving Time: 3 Hours

So Long So Long, Dashboard Confessional
Learning to Fly, Tom Petty
City of Lights, U2
Kind and Generous, Natalie Merchant
Get to Me, Train
Mother We Just Can't Get Enough, New Radicals
That Was a Crazy Game of Poker, O.A.R.
I Feel Home, O.A.R.
Have a Little Faith in Me, John Hiatt
Breathe, Anna Nalick
Wonderwall, Oasis
Vegas, Sara Bareilles
Till Kingdom Come, Coldplay
Runnin' Down a Dream, Tom Petty
Cats and the Cradle, Harry Chapin
The Scientist, Coldplay
Fast Car, Tracy Chapman
Who Knew, Pink
Over My Head (Cable Car), The Fray
Gravity Rides Everything, Modest Mouse
Dreaming Tree, Dave Matthews Band
The Road Less Traveled, Corey Chowder
Someday We'll Know, New Radicals
Here With Me, Dido
Interstate Love Song, Stone Temple Pilots
Small Town, John Melloncamp
Take Me Home Country Roads, John Denver
Like A Rolling Stone, Bob Dylan
Dammit, Blink 182
Adam's Song, Blink 182
London Rain, Heather Nova
C'mon Girl, Red Hot Chili Peppers
9:07, Michael Hayes
Mary Jane's Last Dance, Tom Petty
Love and Memories, O.A.R.
Hey Girl, O.A.R.
Anyway, O.A.R.
Road Outside Columbus, O.A.R.
Black Rock, O.A.R.
About An Hour Ago, O.A.R.
Boston, Augustana
Luven Me, Nelly
Ride Wit Me, Nelly


Plains States; Iowa, Nebraska

To listen to the Plains States playlist via FavTape, click on this link.
Driving Distance: 838 miles
Driving Time: 12 Hours

Rearviewmirror, Pearl Jam
Brandy You're A Fine Girl, Looking Glass
I'm Like a Bird, Nelly Furtado
Laid, Matt Nathanson
Time For Me To Fly, REO Speedwagon
Big Yellow Taxi, Counting Crows
Brick, Ben Folds Five
Landslide, Smashing Pumpkins
Love You 'Till the End, The Pogues
Mercedes Benz, Janis Joplin
Born to Run, Bruce Springsteen
Son of a Preacher Man, Dusty Springfield
November Rain, Guns 'N Roses
The Adventure, Angels & Airways
Only the Good Die Young, Billy Joel
Chicago City of Shoulders, Andy Davis
The Trouble With Love Is, Kelly Clarkson
Like Lovers Do, Heather Nova
What the World Needs Now is Love, Jackie Deshannon
Take a Picture, Filter
Feels Like Home to Me, Chantal Kreviazuk
Unwritten, Natasha Bedingfield
If God Made You, Five For Fighting
Tiny Dancer, Elton John
Brown Eyed Girl, Van Morrison
Bright Side of the Road, Van Morrison
I Can't Get Next To You, The Temptations
Stand by Me, The Temptations
Lean on Me, Bill Withers
Breathe Me, Sia
Crash Into Me, Dave Matthews Band
Bartender, Dave Matthews Band
Brighter Than Sunshine, Aqualung
Look What You've Done, Jet
Meet Virginia, Train
Blowin' In the Wind, Bob Dylan
Flying Horses, Dispatch
Already Gone, The Eagles
Round Here, Counting Crows
Back Where I started, Curtis Peoples
Long December, Counting Crows
Lightning Crashes, Live
Muzzle, Smashing Pumpkins
If You Look to the Sky, Train
Mr. Jones, Counting Crows
Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness, Smashing Pumpkins
The General, Dispatch
Hangingaround, Counting Crows
Satellite, Dave Matthews Band
Two Step, Dave Matthews Band
#41, Dave Matthews Band
Tripping Billies, Dave Matthews Band
A Thousand Miles, Vanessa Carleton
Drops of Jupiter, Train
Red Red Wine, UB40
Stay (Wasting Time), Dave Matthews Band
Wonderful World, Louis Armstrong
Sunday Kind of Love, Etta James
Lover Lay Down, Dave Matthews Band
All Along the Watchtower, Dave Matthews Band
I Alone, Live
Jane Says, Jane's Addiction
Buddy Holly, Weezer
Subterranean Homesick Blues, Bob Dylan
Everyday, Dave Matthews Band
It Ain't Me Babe, Bob Dylan
Good Riddance, Green Day
The Joker, Steve Miller Band
Sunday Best, Augustana
Honestly, Cartel
These Are the Days, 10,000 Maniacs
Rehab, Amy Winehouse
Such Great Heights, The Postal Service
Open Road Song, Eve 6
Ants Marching, Dave Matthews Band
More Than a Feeling, Boston
Clocks, Coldplay
Flashing Lights, Kayne West
Ecstasy, Rusted Root
Dancing Shoes, Artic Monkeys
This Modern Love, Bloc Party
Just Like a Woman, Bob Dylan
Secret, Maroon 5
Complicated, Poi Dog Pondering
Walking in Memphis, Marc Cohn
Omaha, The Counting Crows
Best of What's Around, Dave Matthews Band
American Girl, Tom Petty
The Gambler, Kenny Rogers
Any Road, George Harrison
Song for the Dumped, Ben Folds Five
Back In The USA, Chuck Berry
Betterman, Pearl Jam
Days Go By, Keith Urban
What Light, Wilco
Sail Away, Enya
Have You Ever Seen The Rain, Creedence Clearwater Revival
Army, Ben Folds Five
Road Trippin, Red Hot Chili Peppers
Ring of Fire, Johnny Cash
American Woman, Lenny Kravitz
Landslide, Fleetwood Mac
I Walk the Line, Johnny Cash
Glory Days, Bruce Springsteen
Blister in the Sun, Violent Femmes
The Dock Of The Bay, Otis Redding
Summer of 69, Bryan Adams
Destination Unknown, Smashing Pumpkins
Snow (Hey Oh), Red Hot Chili Peppers
Come Sail Away, by Styx
Carolina in My Mind, James Taylor
Walken, Wilco
Mexico, James Taylor
Somebody Like You, Keith Urban
Country Road, James Taylor
Warehouse, Dave Matthews Band
Songs About, Rob Blackledge
Layla, Eric Clapton
My Next Thirty Years, Tim McGraw
You Ain't Much Fun, Toby Keith
Keg in the Closet, Kenny Chesney
Ticks, Brad Paisley
Farmhouse, Phish
Fortunate Son, CCR
Las Vegas Orig Mix, Chris W. James
I've Got Friends in Low Places, Garth Brooks
Respect, Aretha Franklin
I Can't Get No Satisfaction, Rolling Stones
Jailhouse Rock, Elvis Presley
Bohemian Rhapsody, Queen
Good Vibrations, Beach Boys
Imagine, John Lennon
Born To Run, Bruce Springsteen
I Heard It Through The Grapevine, Marvin Gaye
Yesterday, The Beatles
Purple Haze, Jimi Hendrix
In The Midnight Hour, Wilson Pickett
Sweet Child O' Mine, Guns N' Roses
You Shook Me All Night Long, AC/DC
Rock & Roll All Night, KISS
Old Time Rock & Roll, Bob Seger
No Woman No Cry, Bob Marley
Sweet Home Alabama, Lynyrd Skynyrd
Like A Hurricane, Neil Young
Great Balls of Fire, Jerry Lee Lewis
Let's Stay Together, Al Green
Ain't Too Proud To Beg, The Temptations
Strawberry Fields Forever, Beatles
Billie Jean, Michael Jackson
Teenage Wasteland, CCR
Tainted Love, Soft Cell
Faith, George Michael
Rockin' in The Free World, Neil Young
God Only Knows, The Beach Boys
Bad Moon Rising, CCR
Hurricane, Bob Dylan
The District, Adam Richman
Thanks I Get, Wilco
Wicked Little Town, Ben Kweller
Raise It Up, Impact Repertory
Price of Gas, Bloc Party
Can't Escape My Love, Enrique Iglesias
Homecoming, Kayne West
Hey Mam, Kayne West
Ugly, Bubba Sparxx
Hate it or Love It, The Game
Roses, Kayne West
Scotty Doesn't Know, Lustra
Body On Me, Nelly
Self Esteem, Nelly
Greed Hate Envy, Nelly
Happy Valentine's Day, OutKast
The Seed (2.0), The Roots
Corona and Lime, Shwayze
Say it Right, Nelly Furtado
Shut Up and Drive, Rihanna
American Boy, Estelle
For Once in My Life, Stevie Wonder
All Summer Long, Hit Masters
Don’t Turn Around, Ace of Base
The Sign, Ace of Base

DAY TWO


Rocky Mountains, Colorado

To listen to the Rocky Mountains playlist via FavTape, click on this link.
Driving Distance: 248 miles
Driving Time: 4 Hours

Viva La Vida, Coldplay
Wake Me Up, Charles Kelly
What I Got, Submlime
The Best of What's Around, Dave Mathews Band
Yellow, Coldplay
Undeniable, Mat Kearney
This Year's Love, David Gray
A-Punk, Vampire Weekend
Oxford Comma, Vampire Weekend
M79, Vampire Weekend
Mother We Just Can't Get Enough, New Radicals
Piano Man, Billy Joel
Why Georgia, John Mayer
Playing Favorites, The Starting Line
Not Ohio (Come Back to Texas), by Bowling For Soup
Disarm, Smashing Pumpkins
Battle of Who Could Care Less, Ben Folds Five
Unconditional, The Bravery
Neigbors, The Academy Is...
Dashboard, Modest Mouse


National Forests, Utah

To listen to the National Forests playlist via FavTape, click on this link.
Driving Distance: 391 miles
Driving Time: 5 Hours 30 Minutes

Sunday Morning, by Maroon 5
Porcelain, Moby
Get out the Map, Indigo Girls
Makes Me Wonder, Maroon 5
Razor, Foo Fighters
Ripe, Ben Lee
Today, Smashing Pumpkins
To Be With You, Mr. Big
The Sound of Silence, Simon And Garfunkel
Colorblind, Counting Crows
Float On, Modest Mouse
Natural Blues, Moby
The Best Deceptions, Dashboard Confessional
She Will Be Loved, Maroon 5
As Lovers Go, Dashboard Confessional
Holiday in Spain, Counting Crows
Starting Now, Ingrid Michaelson
The Sun, Maroon 5
Something's Come Over Me, Ernie Halter
South Side, Moby
How to Save a Life, The Fray
Man on the Side, Ernie Halter
Look After You, The Fray
Mrs. Potter's Lullaby, The Counting Crows
Ghost of a Good Thing, Dashboard Confessional
Boston, Augustana
She Says, Howie Day
Sparks, Coldplay
Rewind, Paolo Nutini
Something Honest, Curtis Peoples
Multiply, Jamie Lidell
Why Does My Heart Feel So Bad, Moby
Catch My Disease, Ben Lee
Breakable, Ingrid Michaelson
Studebaker, Jordan Zevon
Collide, Howie Day
She's For Free, Cary Pierce
All at Once, The Fray
All I Want, Curtis Peoples
Screaming Infidelities, Dashboard Confessional
She Is, The Fray
Forever, Working For a Nuclear Free City
Rocket, Working For a Nuclear Free City
Asleep at the Wheel, Working For a Nuclear Free City
Quiet Place, Working For a Nuclear Free City
Kingdom, Working For a Nuclear Free City
I Turn My Camera On, Spoon
Aeroplane, Red Hot Chili Peppers
Scar Tissue, Red Hot Chili Peppers
Dani California, Red Hot Chili Peppers

Desert Driving, Nevada

To listen to the Desert Driving playlist via FavTape, click on this link.
Driving Distance: 90.3 miles
Driving Time: 1 hour 19 Minutes

C'mon Girl, Red Hot Chili Peppers
Typical, Mute Math
Honey, Moby
Hotel California, The Eagles
I Can See For Miles, The Who
Life is a Highway, Tom Cochrane
Control, Mute Math
With or Without You (Instrumental), U2
One For My Baby, One More For The Road, Etta James
Trucker's Atlas, Modest Mouse
It Don't Matter, Rehab
The Mexican, Babe Ruth
Dani California, Red Hot Chili Peppers
Chaos, Mute Math
Mrs. Potter's Lullaby, The Counting Crows
Starlight, Muse
Heart-Shaped Box, Nirvana
All Apologies, Nirvana
Somebody Told Me, The Killers
I Miss You, Blink 182
Dammit, Blink 182
The Rock Show, Blink 182
Bossman, Lucky Boys Confusion
Sittin' At a Bar, Rehab
Black Betty, Ram Jam
First Date, Blink 182
I Don't Care, Fall Out Boy
Josie, Blink 182
When I Come Around, Green Day
Stay Together For the Kids, Blink 182
More Like You, Rehab
Going Away to College, Blink 182
Are You Gonna Be My Girl?, Jet
Hold Your Colour, Pendulum
I Bet You Look Good on the Dance Floor, Artic Monkeys
Supermassive Black Hole, Muse
Already Gone, Eagles
I Won't Be Back, New Atlantic
Someday We'll Know, New Radicals
7 Weeks, Gym Class Heroes

Approaching Las Vegas

To listen to the Las Vegas playlist via FavTape, click on this link.
Driving Distance: 46.5 miles
Driving Time: 50 Minutes

Mr. Brightside, The Killers
Hot n Cold, Katy Perry
Let it Rock, Kevin Rudolph
Forever, Chris Brown
Yeah, Usher
Gold Digger, Kayne West
Homecoming, Kayne West
Go Girl, Pitbull
Hate it or Love it, The Game
Happy Valentine's Day, OutKast
Corona and Lime, Shwayze
Idiot Boyfriend, Jimmy Fallon
I Kissed a Girl, Katy Perry
Maneater, Nelly Furtado
Breakaway, Kelly Clarkson
American Boy, Kayne West
Luven Me, Nelly
Paradise City, Guns N' Roses
City of Lights, U2

Hey, cool!

Interactive web radio chooses songs based on your genre preferences and mood.

Loving. Loathing. Listening.

Loving:
My sister's bachelorette party this past weekend - one of my all time favorite nights ever.

Loathing:
This will be my last weekend in Chicago... I leave next Wednesday for the wedding in Florida, get back into Chicago at midnight on Sunday and take off five hours later for Vegas.

Listening:
Holiday in Spain, Counting Crows

Chicago Area Concerts: November 2008

As a parting gift to Second City residents before I move to Vegas, here are all of the upcoming Chicagoland concerts worth seeing. Follow the links or head to TicketStumbler to compare prices from several different ticket sites.

The Academy Is...

30-Oct-08

Pops

Sauget, IL

Steve Miller Band

30-Oct-08

iwireless Center

Moline, IL

OneRepublic, Augustana, The Spill Canvas, The Hush Sound
30-Oct-08
Congress Theatre
Chicago, IL

Relient K
2-Nov-08
House of Blues Chicago
Chicago, IL

The Academy Is

6-Nov-08

House of Blues Chicago

Chicago, IL

The Academy Is

7-Nov-08

House of Blues Chicago

Chicago, IL

Kaiser Chiefs

13-Nov-08

Park West

Chicago, IL

Usher

13-Nov-08

House of Blues Chicago

Chicago, IL

Andy Davis

13-Nov-08

House of Blues Chicago

Chicago, IL

Smashing Pumpkins

18-Nov-08

The Chicago Theatre

Chicago, IL

Eric Hutchinson

18-Nov-08

Double Door

Chicago, IL

Ingrid Michaelson

19-Nov-08

Park West

Chicago, IL

Matt Nathanson

20-Nov-08

House of Blues Chicago

Chicago, IL

John Legend

20-Nov-08

The Chicago Theatre

Chicago, IL

Matt Nathanson

21-Nov-08

House of Blues Chicago

Chicago, IL

Smashing Pumpkins

21-Nov-08

Auditorium Theatre

Chicago, IL

John Legend
21-Nov-08
Chicago Theatre
Chicago, IL

Jason Mraz

22-Nov-08

Aragon Ballroom

Chicago, IL

Smashing Pumpkins

22-Nov-08

Auditorium Theatre

Chicago, IL

Freddy Jones Band

28-Nov-08

House of Blues Chicago

Chicago, IL

The Verve Pipe
29-Nov-08
Martyrs
Chicago, IL