Danielle Descarfino

Hard Rock Hotel - Chicago

Last week, I went to Chicago for Lollapalooza (which I will write my next post about), a three-day music festival.  When it came to picking out a hotel for four nights, my friends and I decided to stay at the Hard Rock.  It was a pretty short walk from the venue and known to be a nice place.  I was excited to stay there.

Upon our arrival on Thursday afternoon (one day before the festival began), I was pleased with what I saw at first.  However, once we got our room keys and traveled to the 17th floor, things were different.

First of all, every floor was devoted to a different band or artist.  You knew this by the gigantic portrait on one side of the foyer and on the other side, a glass case holding some sort of relic.  When I got off the elevator on the 17th floor, I nearly shrieked at what I saw.  A large portrait of ANNIE LENNOX- but just from the shoulders up.  It was frightening.  In the glass case, there was a string of clear colored beads without much explanation.  I couldn't believe that out of all the rock legends, it would be Annie Lennox that greeted us every time we went to our room.

Our room was small, I might even say "cramped."  Our stereo didn't work, so we called to have it fixed.  They said that they would send someone right up, but no one ever came.  The next day, we called again. (After all, we were in town for a music festival- we wanted to listen to the music to get pumped for the concerts.)  This time, someone came and replaced the stereo.  When he left, we discovered that this was also very broken. By our third day, we finally had a working stereo.

At night, the Hard Rock hosted VIP after-parties... however, they also closed off the main entrance of the hotlel for guests and planted a security guard at their side entrance, and another security guard near the elevators.  Every time I walked to my room, I was stopped and interrogated by a security guard about whether or not I was "going to my room."  By the third night I figured that the guard had seen me come and go enough times, so I walked right past him on my way to the elevator.  He held his arm out defensively and touched my shoulder as he yelled "Are you a hotel guest?" at the side of my face.  I had never spent so much money at a hotel before and the last thing I expected was to be treated like a criminal during my stay.

When we checked out, we requested hotel evaluation forms.  "Hope you come back sometime!" the woman said cheerfully.  My friends and I just laughed.

The Keebler Truck

When I was younger, I loved eating Keebler cookies. My favorite were the EL Fudge cookies, the ones that are cutouts of EL Fudge himself (his initials cleverly spell "elf") doing seasonal activities- skiing, scuba diving, maybe even raking leaves in the fall.

There's a Keebler truck that occasionally makes deliveries to the plaza that I work in.  It's decorated with a colorful scene of what I assume to be the Keebler land- cookies, greenery, and of course EL Fudge himself.  Seeing the truck is always a mood-lifter for me, it's just so cute.  I even developed a strange superstition that whenever I saw the Keebler truck, it would be a good day.

Within the past month or so, the Keebler truck seems to be around more and more often.  After noting "it's going to be a good day" for a consecutive week, it occurred to me that something was a little bit off.  One day, I spotted the truck parked off to the side in a shopping center that clearly had no use for anything Keebler.  The wheels in my head started turning.  I hate to think the worst, but maybe the elves have expanded their business beyond the world of baked goods.. maybe even beyond the world of legal goods.. but on the bright side, maybe they found a way to bring smiles to a new group of customers...

Bamboozle

On Saturday, I went to the Bamboozle Festival with my sister.  I was supposed to go on Sunday too, but I didn't... you'll see why.

For starters, I got food poisoning on Thursday night and was violently ill for a solid 24 hours.  I still wasn't feeling wonderful on Saturday morning, but I decided to suck it up and go anyway.  We arrived before 1pm at the venue (aka Giants Stadium parking lot).  I wanted to look around the venue, but there wasn't much to see.  The stages were separated by very little space.  Other than that, there was a few stands that sold random junk, carnival-esque rides, and refreshments.  On my way in, I stood in line to get an 21+ bracelet only to find out that they sell Miller, Bud, and Coors in plastic bottles.  Disgusting.

The first band that we saw was Metro Station.  It gave me a good feel for how the day was going to go.  We stood toward the back of the crowd so as not to get squished, but as soon as they started playing, mobs of young teens came plowing through.  I thought I was going to break a rib.  One particularly young girl literally almost knocked me over.  Half my age, but twice my size.

I love watching music, but I realized that the setting was going to ruin any possible enjoyment I could get.  I've never seen so many ugly colorful sweatshirts and visably lame tattoos in my life.  Not only was the crowd ugly, but it was ridiculously obnoxious.  There was a dangerous extent of punching, crowdsurfing, and throwing of *any* objects at all.  One boy approached my friend who was wearing a t-shirt that said "1/20/09" screaming and cursing at him for wearing anti-Bush apparel.  Teenaged Bush supporters?  Really??

Most bands didn't impress me.  I found out Paramore's secret- the singer can't sing so well.  In fact, I was starting to think that the sound systems weren't working properly... but then Jimmy Eat World came on and sounded fantastic.  We decided to leave on a good note, so we high-tailed it out of there before Snoop Dogg came on.

Nada Surf

At the last minute, I wound up buying tickets for Nada Surf and going back to Terminal 5 two days after the Spoon concert.  It was kind of silly- I wondered if the bathroom attendent recognized me.  Nada Surf was popular in the 90's for a song called Popular, though it isn't the best example of their sound.  I really got into them during my Sophomore year in college after someone in my Visual Culture class used their music video for Always Love in a presentation.  I picked up their cds and I was hooked.

This was the first time I got to see Nada Surf play and they were amazing.  It's really great to go to a concert where the band is obviously excited to be there and happy to be playing for you.  Not only did they sound particularly good, but they were on stage for an extra long time and didn't make you wait 10 minutes for their encore.  Instead, they ran on and off the stage, and said they wanted to play four more songs.  Very cool.  Nada Surf released a new album about a month ago that I didn't get a chance to pick up before the concert- but the new stuff (and everything else) sounded great.

Spoon

Last Wednesday I saw Spoon perform for the third time.  Not a lot of people are very familiar with the band, but they are great and have songs that are all over tv and movies.  Spoon has a handful of CDs out- most popular are the two newest "Gimme Fiction" and "Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga," but their old stuff is just as good.  The first time I saw Spoon was at Bonnaroo last year, they performed on This or That stage sometime in the middle of the hot afternoon when all I could manage to do was sprawl out on one of those tye dyed blankets (I forget what they're called),  sip on my spiked lemonade, and maybe occasionally bop my head to the beat.

The second time I saw Spoon was at Roseland in NYC.  I like venues like Roseland that are small and have no seating.  The idea of sitting in chairs at a concert just isn't right to me.  The only problem with Roseland is that it gets pretty crowded, and particularly difficult to quickly maneuver your way to the bathroom... or bar.  Last time, Spoon played one of my favorite songs (I Summon You) while I was in the bathroom and I barely made it back in time for the last verse.  It was a shame.  The other night, Spoon played at Terminal 5 which I was unfamiliar with until someone told me that it was formerly Club Exit (which I only know from radio commercials geared towards 18+ club seekers).  Nonetheless, Terminal 5 was pretty cool and so was the show.  And even though the show was sold out, it never got disgustingly crowded.  I even got to hear the song that I missed last time!

Lucky?

Lately, I have been having really bad luck.  I'm not one to blame my problems on any sort of universally twisted destiny or superstition, but it is definitely starting to get weird.

The one thing that I've been looking forward to is my trip to Vegas.  I'm leaving in a half hour and I was so excited that I couldn't fall asleep.  I have never been to Vegas before and I have been itching to get away for a vacation.  However, this is making me even more nervous.  I'm not a gambler, but even so... is Vegas really the place for me if I am feeling so unlucky?

I've heard before that being lucky is one of the most important things in life.  (Well, maybe I'm thinking of the movie Match Point, but it's still something to think about.)  Either way, I'd like to believe that it's not entirely true.  Where is the fairness (or anything even remotely meaningful) in Luck?  I can't imagine that Luck is something that some people have and some people don't- at complete random.  It just doesn't sit right with me.

Personally, I think that if I am unlucky right now, it is because I did something to create a negative energy that surrounds me.  I'm trying to figure out what that is so that I can fix it and be better.  Hopefully I don't lose all my money in Vegas- but on the up-side, I don't have a whole lot to lose these days.

Spring Break

I never went on Spring Break when I was in college.  Florida doesn't do much for me.

I find that even though I'm no longer in school, I feel more stressed out (and in need of a  break) than before.  It was easier before- as soon as I got sick of being at school, I could go home for a weekend or break, and whenever I got sick of being at home I could escape to school.  But now there isn't really anywhere to escape to.

I 've been having trouble writing, having trouble thinking.  I thought it would make me feel more settled to live in one place, but I think it just makes me scared.  I feel like I need to do something different, new, better.

This week is going to be my own personal spring break.  I am still working some days, but I like to celebrate St. Patrick's Day as a morning to night event and I'm going to Vegas for a long weekend.  I'm looking forward to the fun, but I know that in one week I'll just be back here doing the same thing again.  It's time for something else.. I just need to figure out what that is.

The Tao of Pooh

I just finished reading a book called The Tao of Pooh by Benjamin Hoff.  It explains how Winnie the Pooh is an allegory for Taoism and teaches Taoist principles through examples of A.A. Milne's Winnie the Pooh stories.

Personally, I was never big on religion.  I was raised Catholic- I did the CCD classes, got my Confirmation, then gradually stopped going to church.  I respect people who go to church and believe and get something out of it, but I'm just not one of them. And if something (I mean, anything in life) isn't right for you, I don't see why you should waste your time with it.

I remembered liking Taoism when I learned about that religion in school.  I had always meant to look into it more, and now that I am a college graduate with nothing to do, it was the perfect time for that.  I started by reading that book- The Tao of Pooh.  When I was a little girl, I loved Winnie the Pooh.  I watched the movie, read the books, played with all the stuffed animals.  Maybe that's why I felt more connected to the religion.  It explains how Pooh exemplifies Taoism in how he "just is"- while other characters try too hard to show common human mistakes.  The principles reflect the importance of being aware of your inner nature and achieving what you want by going with the flow rather than trying too hard.

I highly reccomend checking out this book, even if you're not in the market for a new religion.

A Lovely Love Story

About a year ago, I was at Urban Outfitters and I picked up a little white book with two dinosaurs on the cover called "A Lovely Love Story" by Edward Monkton. It is about a dinosaur and a "lovely other dinosaur" who meet and fall in love, despite their differences. They appreciate one another for who they are and let go of their inhibitions. Who knew that a short picture book about two dinosaurs could show you what love is all about? Still, every time I read this book, I feel happy.
Monkton is from England, but he has many books and greeting cards that are gradually coming to the United States. You can now find a few of his other books at Barnes & Noble or Borders- "The Pig of Happiness" and "The Lady Who Was Beautiful Inside." They all have unique characters and inspirational messages without being too cheesy. But the dinosaurs remain my favorite.

Getting Antsy

During the winter, my mind always wanders to my dream vacation destinations. I hate the cold, I hate the snow, and as soon as it starts I want it all to be over.
This year, I have been getting particularly antsy because I just graduated. It's a weird feeling- I feel like it should be summer, like I should be celebrating. But there was no graduation ceremony, no graduation parties, no March spring break at the beach. I'm sending out resumes, and making lattes in the mean time. My diploma came in the mail the other day. Evidently, Ithaca College fed-exed it to me. I didn't know that they were going to do that, so it was a nice surprise. It all feels a little bit more real now, but still not completely.
I'm glad it is March because that means that winter is slipping away, but I still want to go on vacation. My best friend and I are going to Las Vegas for four nights at the end of the month. It can't come soon enough, but I'm starting to feel like I need a little more than a long weekend away.