Category: music
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Thursday, April 25, 2019
Show and Tell: IKEA Kitchen Finds + Live Music You Need to See
I went to IKEA last month and found a few things for my kitchen that I am loving. And then I bought a bunch of concert tickets that I am pumped about, so I think a Show and Tell post is in order!
IKEA Kitchen Finds
I haven’t been to IKEA in ages, but I went with the kids recently to get some new bedding for Anna’s room. I came home with a small pile of really awesome kitchen stuff, so I feel I must share.
- Cheese Grater. IKEA made this type of cheese grater years ago. I’ve had mine forever and it’s still going strong. I even gave it to everyone for Christmas one year. Then IKEA stopped selling it for a while, which was sad, but now it’s back on the shelves! I’m so excited because every kitchen needs one of these. Reasons this grater is awesome: it doesn’t take up a ton of storage space, non-slip surface on the bottom, there are two grate size options, the container comes with a lid for storing cheese in the fridge, and it is only FIVE DOLLARS. This is, in my opinion, the best cheese grater around. Click here to buy.
- Steak Knives. These little knives are only $5 a piece and work great. Here’s the thing, I got some cheap-o steak knives when we got married that were marvelous, and I’m down to only one left. I don’t want to spend $100/knife (or even $20/knife, really), but every cheap steak knife I’ve met since stinks. Not this IKEA knife. It’s great. Not quite as marvelous as my free set of Farberware steak knives, but close. 😉 Click here to buy.
- Dish Towels. Okay, so, I bought these black dish towels and these grey/blue striped dish towels. They are exactly the same except for the color/pattern. The fabric finish is different from other dish towels at IKEA. These towels are pure magic and legit dry things off completely. Not a speck of water left behind. Plus, they aren’t white, so, you know, they don’t look like crap after a couple of uses. I ended up ordering more online and have a nice stash that will hopefully last me until I die.
- Hand Held Whisk. This is so random, but this whisk is like those antique hand held whisks that existed before hand blenders came along. And I love it. And you can put it in the dishwasher. It’s kinda bulky, but, whatever, I’m just glad IKEA brought the old-school hand blender back! Click here to buy.
- Enameled Steel Grey Dishes with Blue Trim. I didn’t actually buy these dishes because I’m looking for white enameled dishes with red or black trim, however these were completely adorable. So, if you like grey and blue, you should totally get them because I feel like someone should. You can get bowls, plates and/or mugs.
- Prize Wheel Game. This is one of those wheel of fortune spinny wheel things. No, it has nothing to do with the kitchen. Yes, it is completely awesome and fun to spin and perfect for practicing cello with your 7-year-old son. I’ve told two teachers about this and two teachers have since bought it. So, you know, if you have a need for a prize wheel, here you go! Click here to buy.
Live Music You Need to See
I just bought a bunch of concert tickets. Happy Birthday/Merry Christmas/Everything Else to me! We have already seen these performers perform live and they were so good we are spending money to see them again.
- The Avett Brothers are on tour! Seriously, they are amazing live, and I’m not just saying that because they are my favorite band, which they totally are, but seriously, seriously, seriously, they are so good live. Click here for tour info.
- Hozier is out and about, too. This dude is unbelievable live and can really jam, plus he has the happiest, kindest vibe about him. Click here for tour info.
- Last but not least, Sara Bareilles. As a piano-player-singer-type, of course I’ve always loved Sara. But when I went to her concert a few years ago I had no comprehension of how truly spectacular she lives. Her musicianship is impressive, but she is also incredibly funny and witty. Her favorite word starts with “F” and she uses her favorite word a lot, but she makes it very endearing (haha!) and it’s not stopping me from taking my girls anyway. 😉 Click here for tour info.
Posted by Jane Maynard at 12:31 pm 1 Comment
Categories: fab faves, Kitchen Tips, music, the goods Tags: IKEA, music |
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Sunday, March 25, 2018
Show & Tell: Things That Made Me Cry
Today I have a special edition of Show and Tell for you: Things That Made Me Cry. Fun times! Two of these totally awesome things are music related and the third has to do with food. All three are wonderful.
May It Last: A Portrait of the Avett Brothers
I must give credit where credit is due…my husband Nate has been listening to the Avett Brothers for ages and is the reason I know who they are. They are hands down one of my favorite bands and their concert a few years ago was one of the best we’ve ever seen. Judd Apatow must share the same sentiments as we do because he recently produced a documentary about the brothers and their band for HBO, May It Last: A Portrait of the Avett Brothers. Please go watch this documentary. It is just so wonderful I don’t know what else to say. Oh, I do know one more thing to say…I cried pretty much non-stop through the last 45 minutes of the movie. IT IS SO GOOD.
And, one final thing: if you don’t know who the Avett Brothers are, start listening stat. Their most recent album True Sadness is perfection, but here are a few of my favorite older songs: Murder in the City (this one made me cry at the concert, it was embarrassing), Morning Song, and (of course) I And Love And You. (Photo credit: HBO)
Yo-Yo Ma
I took the girls to see Yo-Yo Ma at Copley Symphony Hall in San Diego. Yo-Yo Ma played the Brahms piano trios with pianist Emanual Ax and violinist Leonidas Kavakos and it was, well, beyond words. Three masters playing music written by another master on world-class instruments (some with the name “Stradivarius”). There were a few moments where the violin and cello played harmonies where I felt overwhelmed by what we had the privilege of watching and listening to. Another fun part of the night was Yo-Yo Ma’s countenance: you can just tell the man is filled with humility, kindness and joy. (And after hearing a few personal stories from Cate’s cello teacher about him after the concert, well, he is very firmly on my list of favorite humans.) If you ever get the chance to see Yo-Yo Ma in concert, make it happen. Click here for his scheduled concerts and appearances.
Ugly Delicious: Season 1 Episode 5
I know I already told you to watch Ugly Delicious on Netflix, but I do want to specifically call out a beautiful moment in the series. In episode 5 of the debut season, David Chang visits Yakitori Masakichi in Tokyo, where Chef Masahiko Kodama makes David yakitori, a Japanese-style skewered chicken. The chef grills Niigata-sourced chicken seasoned with Niigata salt over Japanese binchotan charcoal. David is pretty much overwhelmed by the perfection of what he tastes. When he tries to tell the chef just how amazing his food is, the chef’s reaction is, simply put, beautiful. Click here to watch Ugly Delicious.
Happy listening, viewing and crying!
Posted by Jane Maynard at 3:08 pm 3 Comments
Categories: fab faves, music, netflix Tags: music, netflix, show and tell, the avett brothers, ugly delicious, yo-yo ma |
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Friday, September 30, 2016
Friday Show and Tell: Entertainment for your weekend!
Hi friends! It’s Friday Show and Tell time, and today it’s all about watching and listening to good stuff. This should keep you busy over the weekend, when you’re not cheering on Stanford football, that is. 😉
Netflix
Netflix just keeps on keeping on with the great content. Here are a few things I’m most excited about this week:
- Disney on Netflix! It’s official – Netflix is the only place you can stream Disney movies on a pay TV service, which means they will continue to keep adding great Disney films to Netflix all the time. Zootopia is on there right now (my kids are obsessed) and Robin Hood. (We all had a crush on that sly fox when we were kids, right? Just me?)
- As of today we can finally watch Luke Cage! Luke Cage is the third of the Marvel Defenders series on Netflix and I can’t wait to get watching. We liked Daredevil a lot (although still need to watch Season 2), loved Jessica Jones and anticipate adding Luke to our list of favorite superheroes.
- I’m intrigued by the new documentary Amanda Knox. They say if you liked Making a Murderer then this one is right up your alley (and it’s simply a movie rather than a whole series, which is kind of nice, actually).
- I almost forgot! Have you watched Narcos yet? We blasted through Season 2 in less than a week. SO GOOD.
Music
Just a heads up that I added a bunch of songs to my Kitchen Tunage playlist on Spotify (it’s been a while). Also, I created a new playlist called Happy Music. These are all the songs I made my family listen to in the car on my birthday. They make me car dance like a fool. Enjoy!
I am a member of the Netflix Stream Team, which means they send me cool stuff from time to time. For the record, I would be addicted to Netflix in spite of said cool stuff.
Posted by Jane Maynard at 9:03 am No Comments
Categories: fab faves, music, netflix, show and tell Tags: kitchen tunage, luke cage, netflix |
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Friday, October 16, 2015
Friday Show and Tell + The 2015 Maynard Concert Marathon!
It’s FRIDAY! WOOHOO!
I have just one food link for you today. If you’re looking for a good cocktail for fall, well, I’ve got you covered. Be sure to check out this recipe for an Autumn Stone Wall on Babble! The origin of this cocktail dates back to Colonial times, so, you know, you should totally drink it in the name of history.
Okay, so Nate and I went a little crazy this week. We went to three concerts, all on school nights. And I am feeling it today. Actually, I was feeling it yesterday when we still had one more concert to go, which I think makes me officially an old lady. But it was TOTALLY WORTH IT. All three concerts rocked (pun intended) so I have to tell you about them!
- alt-j: I wasn’t so sure how the band alt-j would sound live since their music has a very electronic feel, but they were amazing! Really, so impressive. Their music is layered and complicated and different in a very good way. Such a great show, I highly recommend catching them live if you are a fan of the band.
- Florence and the Machine: We knew Florence’s voice would blow pretty much everything out of the water and we were right. Her voice is unreal. And she is BANANAS, running and jumping and spinning like a crazy person the entire concert. She must work out a LOT because WOW. Also, she is unbelievably endearing and sweet. At one point she got choked up and confessed that she hadn’t wanted to do the show that night as her beloved uncle had passed away less than 24 hours prior, but that she was glad she had done the show anyway. I don’t know how she pulled herself together after that. Anyway, she rocks. Go see her show if you ever get the chance.
- Hozier: This guy. I mean, we all know he has a great voice (and it’s even better live), but he is also a phenomenal guitarist who can JAM. And his songs are all great. Oh, and he is SO nice, with just a really positive vibe. He not only introduced the band members but the entire crew, including the bus drivers. At the close of the show he linked arms with his bandmates for a big bow, which was adorable, and he kept plugging the other musicians in the nicest most un-annoying way, including the opening band Little Green Cars (who were really good, btw). Basically, we love him. I also highly recommend going to one of his shows if you ever can.
If you visit my Instagram feed, you can watch little video snippets from each show. They’re pretty sweet.
That’s it for me today. As usual, please share your own stuff in the comments! That’s what Show and Tell is for!
Posted by Jane Maynard at 2:13 pm No Comments
Categories: babble, fab faves, music, show and tell Tags: babble, cocktails, concerts, music, show and tell, stone wall |
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Friday, October 10, 2014
Friday Show and Tell
I have very little to share today except that I am SO excited to go to the Lorde concert tonight! And I am going to see George Winston tomorrow night. It’s going to be a good music weekend.
One quick food link to share from Babble – making pumpkin rocks with my kids for all the neighbors. We had a blast!
It’s show and tell, your turn!
Posted by Jane Maynard at 8:57 am 5 Comments
Categories: fab faves, music, show and tell Tags: babble, george winston, lorde, music, show and tell |
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Friday, July 19, 2013
Friday Show and Tell
Right before we moved from the Bay Area, I was laid off from one job and then quit another job for the move. Suddenly I had a lot more time on my hands. But, because I’m crazy, I quickly found ways to fill that time. I started writing for Babble and then started two other blogs, Kitchen Tunage (my music blog) and The Spoiler Alert (my TV blog, where I also have other great contributors writing). It’s like I like being a crazy person.
The other day Nate was like, “You should totally be sharing the Kitchen Tunage music on your food blog.” And I was like, “Isn’t that why I started the music blog?” And he was like, “Yeah, but it’s your kitchen playlist, it all goes together!” And I was like, “Hmmmmmm….maybe….”
And then I realized, I also kinda wanna share my Babble stuff with you, too. Plus, I’m always up for talking about TV.
So, I am instituting Friday Show and Tell!
Here’s how Show & Tell will work. I’ll share my “stuff” from the week. But I want you to show and tell, too! Share posts from your own blogs, share something you found online that week, share an interesting news story. Whatever you want!
Have you heard Lorde? She’s only SIXTEEN. Unreal. She’s huge in New Zealand. She should be huge here. Let’s make it happen.
Also, I hope you’re feeling Safe and Sound, because we are definitely feeling it around the Maynard house. Good stuff.
Marie is loving Orange is the New Black. I might have to jump on the bandwagon! I am loving Dr. Vogel. A LOT. But I I am not loving that Jasmine M went home. Such a bummer! (Also, old news, but if you’re into Mad Men or Game of Thrones, I had to write about those season finales, here and here.)
I made some beautiful bread in honor of The Hunger Games, I shared some ways to improve your cooking experience while camping, and compiled my MOST FAVORITE chocolate chip cookie recipes all in one place.
Your turn! Show and tell!
Posted by Jane Maynard at 10:23 am 5 Comments
Categories: babble, fab faves, music, show and tell, tv Tags: babble, capital cities, dexter, lorde, music, orange is the new black, show and tell, sytycd, tv |
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Sunday, June 2, 2013
Week 332 Menu
Last night Nate had a surprise date planned. Months ago he told me to get a babysitter for June 1 and that it would be a late night. I didn’t find out what we were doing until we were driving in the car last night! He did a great job keeping the surprise.
So…where did we go? To see Imagine Dragons! I have to tell you about it because it was so much fun. The lead singer Dan is our friend’s brother, so it’s been really fun to watch their meteoric rise since the first studio album came out last August. It’s quite stunning, actually. Last night’s show was amazing and they are better live than on the album (not all bands can boast that these days…these guys are legit musicians, which became apparent watching them play). We randomly ended up sitting next to another band member’s mom and his two aunts. Ryan’s mom told us how she loves telling people that she got him guitar lessons in 5th grade and that he’s been devoted ever since. You could tell the family was so excited and delighted for the band, a bunch of nice guys that they love. And when Ryan spotted her in the crowd near the end of the show, it was so cute. At one point when the crowd was singing the lyrics, you could tell Dan was in disbelief. It was really sweet. Dan’s wife’s band Nico Vega opened for them. She was crazy in a really great way and a total rocker, plus her voice was amazing. The best part, though, was when she brought their headphone-wearing 10-month-old daughter on stage for a kiss. The entire crowd chorused with “Awwwwwww.” It was such a fun night, filled with positive energy and great music. Thanks, Nate!
Alright, back to business!
MONDAY:
– Chicken Stir Fry
– DumplingsTUESDAY:
– Cilantro Sour Cream EnchiladasWEDNESDAY:
– Sweet Potato and Black Bean BurritosTHURSDAY:
– LeftoversFRIDAY:
– Rachel sandwichesSATURDAY:
– Eat outSUNDAY:
– Breakfast for dinner (tbd)You know the drill…please share your menus! And have a great week!
Posted by Jane Maynard at 9:06 am 46 Comments
Categories: fab faves, kitchen tunage, music, weekly menus Tags: dinner plans, imagine dragons, meal plan, menu plan, music, weekly meal planning, weekly menu |
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Tuesday, May 7, 2013
Introducing Kitchen Tunage
I have something fun to share with you today and I’m super excited about it! First, let me set the stage.
This blog was born because Nate brought home an old, free iMac to put in the kitchen. I’ll never forget saying, “What will I do with a computer in the kitchen?” Makes me laugh looking back. Anyway, in addition to creating a free Blogger blog to list out the things I cooked for my brother’s reference (yes, that is why I started the blog), I also set up iTunes so I could listen to music while I cooked. It was revelatory. Having music playing made my time in the kitchen so much more enjoyable and I loved it!
I tried to write about the music I was listening to, but it was hard to keep up and, frankly, didn’t seem to fit on the blog, even though the music was a big part of my cooking life. Then I had a couple babies and kind of forgot new music even existed. Lately, though, I’ve gotten more into it again. Between the kitchen and the car, the kids and I are listening to a lot of music. New music, old music, all kinds of music. I’ve even started “Music Education” with the girls to make sure they don’t end up on American Idol one day saying something like, “I’ve never heard of the Beatles. Are they famous?”
I’m constantly wanting to share this music with you but haven’t really found a good way to do so. Until now!
Enter Kitchen Tunage.
Because one blog apparently isn’t enough, I’ve started another! Kitchen Tunage is my Tumblr blog that shares my kitchen playlist. It’s nothing fancy. I’m not a music critic and I don’t claim to be. It’s just my playlist, what we are to listening to now. There’s a lot of good music out there and I can’t help but want to share it with you!
The playlist will have old favorites, new discoveries, random stuff we’re listening to and the lists of bands that the girls are being educated on. I’ll update it almost daily. It’s gonna be fun! Head over, take a listen, and spread the word…my little Tumblr needs friends!
Posted by Jane Maynard at 11:52 am 12 Comments
Categories: kitchen tunage, music Tags: kitchen playlist, kitchen tunage, music, music in the kitchen |
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Friday, September 14, 2012
I want to tell you about Lucy
I want to tell you about my little friend Lucy. She’s three years old and she is funny, feisty and loving. Really loving. Like, if she met you right now, she would tell you how much she loves you.
Lucy is also the person in my life who I think about when things get hard or stressful, or at least when I think they get hard or stressful. All I have to do is call Lucy and her family to mind and I instantly gain perspective. You see, Lucy has a terminal and degenerative genetic disease called Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA). She can’t walk. She can’t eat. She can barely breathe. And yet she is LUCY. She has this amazing little brain that works just like yours and mine. She loves using her iPad (which, by the way, has opened up the world to her). She loves to go swimming. She loves the Disney princesses. She loves to swing on the back porch with her brother and sister in the special swing her grandpa built for her. She likes to drive her special chair ALL BY HERSELF. She is just like any three-year-old, except her body just doesn’t cooperate.
Lucy’s parents Chad and Cherisse are amazing. They have the tremendous task of caring for Lucy, and they do so with tenderness and love, just as any parent would. But, actually witnessing their care, on both good days and bad? It is a true inspiration and a reminder of the great love and great good we are all capable of. Even with all the care that Lucy requires, they still have strong relationships with their two older children, who adore Lucy as well. Cherisse’s Instagram feed does a heart good, let me tell you. Getting a peak into their day-to-day, the small moments Lucy has with her siblings, it’s beyond touching.
Lucy is a miracle. She was diagnosed with type 1 SMA (the most severe form) as a small baby. At the time of diagnosis, the doctors said Lucy would be lucky to see her first birthday, which was hard for Cherisse to believe looking at the baby in her lap. It became clear as time went on, however, that the disease would overtake almost all of her abilities.
And yet…Lucy is a miracle. 90% of SMA Type 1 babies don’t make it to their 2nd birthday…and Lucy is a trooper of a 3-year-old!
SMA stinks. Lucy is the second child I’ve personally known who has this disease. I’ve been wanting to tell you about Lucy because, well, I love her story. But I also want to help Cherisse spread the word about SMA. I love this infographic from the Gwendolyn Strong Foundation that gives a fabulous summary of the disease:
Here is SMA in a nutshell: it’s degenerative, it’s the #1 genetic killer of infants and young children, it affects the body’s ability to function in just about every way and yet the brain is never affected. But here’s the sort of magical thing about SMA…research of this disease could truly do wonders. Treatment and cure is plausible and, if discoveries are made for SMA, that research could help with the treatment of hundreds of other genetic diseases and neurological disorders. (To read more about SMA, click here!)
Have you ever seen the This American Life tv show? It is as great as the podcast, and my most favorite story from the series is of Mike Phillips. Mike was diagnosed with SMA at age 9. He was 27 when This American Life told his story. He always said that if he could talk, he would want to sound like Johnny Depp. Awesomely they got Johnny Depp to narrate his story, a story that is amazing, haunting, sad, funny and will definitely make you cry. It gives such a unique insight into the mind of someone dealing with this disease.
Lucy has made a mark on this world. She has impacted many lives. And she is a beautiful reminder to all of us that each and every day we have on this earth is a gift. I am going to quote Cherisse here for a bit because, well, the words of Lucy’s own mother are more precious and powerful than anything I can come up with.
“I would not trade the world for this little girl that brings so much joy, love, hope and light to our lives. She is an angel in every sense of the word and I wish I could share her with the whole world. She has enough love in her little red heart for everyone she meets (and she will tell you that she loves you too, over and over again). I don’t think that our family will ever feel as loved and supported as we have while caring for this very special girl, my heart swells when I think of all of the kindness and love that has been shown to us. Everyday I think that my life will never be as stressful as it is now but then it won’t ever be as wonderful as today, another day (and everyday) that I get to spend with my three little ones and my sweet husband.”
If you’d like to help support SMA research, Cherisse is going to be running the Santa Barbara 1/2 Marathon to raise money for the Gwendolyn Strong Foundation, a nonprofit organization dedicated to the SMA cause. I would LOVE LOVE LOVE it if some of you could support Cherisse and help us fight SMA. Even if it’s just $5. Consider it your annual This Week for Dinner subscription fee or skip the pumpkin latte at Starbucks for a day. No pressure, just if you’re feeling it! Click here to donate!
And, have you seen the completely awesome Flight of the Conchords charity song? Really, you have to watch it. The whole thing (or at least start around the 5:00 mark). It will make you happy and the supremely catchy song will get stuck in your head. Let’s helpa helpa helpa the kids!
Posted by Jane Maynard at 11:24 am 14 Comments
Categories: fab faves, kids, music, musings
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Sunday, March 14, 2010
Week 164 Menu
This past week was GREAT. I can’t tell you how nice it was to have a decent menu plan again and actually follow it (with tweaks here and there, of course). I cooked real meals. I had the ingredients in the fridge. It was so nice.
Nate went to Costco yesterday. I like it when he goes without me because he buys splurge items like pre-cut mango, which I always feel a little guilty spending extra money on. Seriously, not having to slice mango but still getting to eat it is the BEST.
MONDAY:
– Asian Spinach Salad (I’m going to try leaving the chicken out, maybe add a few veggies to the mix…although it is really good WITH the chicken, just trying to figure out more veggie-based dishes)TUESDAY:
– Fajitas (leftover ingredients from last week)WEDNESDAY:
– Butter Chicken & Basmati Rice (still looking for a good recipe for Butter Chicken…any tips?)
– Naan bread
– Some sort of veggieTHURSDAY:
– LeftoversFRIDAY:
– Frittata (I’m going to do a veggie frittata, but use the linked recipe as a base)SATURDAY:
– Eat outSUNDAY:
– Pot Roast w/mashed potatoes and a veggiePlease share your menu! We like all kinds of menus, no matter how fancy or un-fancy they are! Also, you certainly don’t have to assign days to specific items…we’re flexible around here.
Posted by Jane Maynard at 9:14 am 38 Comments
Categories: music
Hi! My name is Jane Maynard and you've landed yourself on my blog, This Week for Dinner™. Every Sunday I share a weekly menu...and count on you to share yours! You'll also find other deliciousness that I hope you'll enjoy!
