Long before Inkjet printers...

Epson made computers. Behold the HX-20, which is considered the world's first "handheld" computer.

The Music That I Discovered in 2011

I feel that I discovered more fantastic music in 2011 than any previous year. Although I will always love Tom Petty and the Barenaked Ladies, I think the more you explore Indie Rock, the more you will find to love! There is something enriching about discovering a new band or a new album. Music was what got my creative juices flowing through the entire year whether in a car, working out, editing photos or brainstorming up new ideas.

These are my top 5 favourite finds in 2011, even though the album might not have come out that year. Here's what I discovered...

10) Adele - 21 (2011). What an amazing voice! I found it funny (and probably true as it seems to reflect in her music) when she said that she can't write music when she's happy. I hope for a speedy recovery from her current throat ailment and hopefully this time off gives her ample opportunity to write more music!

9) Vivaldi - The Four Seasons. 2011 was the year I explored Classical music in more than just a passing. Other than the obvious Beethoven classics, Vivaldi's The Four Seasons instantly became my favourite classical album.

8) A Very She & Him Christmas (2011). It's been a few years since a decent Christmas album has come out, and this one will be a staple every year for me now.

7) The Black Keys - El Camino (2011). Not the sort of music that would be in my normal rotation, but I couldn't resist this new album. Now to check their back catalog starting with their breakout album "Brothers".

6) Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds (2011). Pitted against his brother's solo album, I think this is the better of the two. It was if Oasis never broke up.

5) Mumford & Son's - Sigh No More (2011). Although I'm not much of an East-Coast music lover, I think we all fell in love with Mumford & Sons. If you loved the songs that became hits such as Little Lion Man and The Cave, yet you don't own the album yet, treat yourself to the "Sigh No More (Deluxe Edition) because you get both the original album and the live version (although sadly there was no vinyl edition). This album is nominated for four Grammy Awards. I also love the great cover photo.

4) The Cars - Move Like This (2011) - If you close your eyes while listening to this album and try to identify which year any of the songs came out… you'd guess the 1970's. I tried listening to other 70's Rock bands that have tried to create a new album such as The Steve Miller Band... and I was hugely disappointed. With this album however. nothing has changed in the Cars' sound and that synth-pop is a great throwback to when Classic Rock was king.

3) Blitzen Trapper - American Goldwing (2011). After hearing Furr and Black River Killer, I bought the album without even hearing it and found it very rewarding. Although it is laced with a country twang, these songs are solid. I had a brief chance to speak with Marty Marquis from the band and he even said that it was his favourite album to date. The one that "he could listen to from beginning to end" and was really proud of it.

2) The New Pornographers - Challengers (2007) and Together (2010). I think both of these albums go hand in hand. The band changed their sound ever so slightly starting with Challengers and every song is fantastic. I don't skip a single song. The pleasure from their aural diversity is quite a journey and having numerous band members sing lead keep it varying. They have all the things I enjoy… cello, multiple harmonies, harmonica, clapping. It is funny to think that they all have their own solo careers and this is just a collaboration when ever they feel like it. Serendipity?

1) Brandi Carlile - Give Up the Ghost (2009) (sadly only available on CD). I think this is my favourite album of the year. I discovered it just into 2011 and it has been in rotation throughout the entire year. Her vocal range keeps every song fresh and even after going back and listening to her previous album "The Story" (her best known album), I feel that the maturity she possesses on this album speaks/sings wonders. If you enjoy "Give up the Ghost" check out her 2011 album "Live at Benaroya Hall with the Seattle Symphony" (which is available on vinyl).

Those are some classy kids!

The Perfect Pie

One of my favourte TV shows of all time is Pushing Daisies. It was a unique drama that combined fast, smart written comedy, quirky visual elements, vivid colour schemes, murder mysteries and tear jerking heartfelt moments. The main character, Ned, could bring dead things back to life with a touch of his finger. He used his ability to touch "dead" fruit to restore them to their pinnacle of taste and make the most delicious pies. People would come from all over to try his pies and in this hypothetical world created by one of the best TV show writers, Bryan Fuller, there was such a thing as a "Perfect Pie". Was Bryan a secret pie-aficionado? Was Pushing Daisies my favourite show because of pie? Is there such this as a Perfect Pie in real life?

Last year I caught wind that every year in the town of Warkworth, Ontario, they host The Perfect Pie competition. Over 30 years old, this competition covers all facets of pie from Apple to Savory. For $5 you can go in and fill a plate with as much pie as you can muster from many different contestants and see for yourself... which one is the perfect pie. Afterwards the pies are sold off (proceeds go to charity) by an authentic auctioneer who speaks a mile a minute. The entire event is held in a tiny church and you actually feel the warmth of a small close-knit community. Everyone knows each other and you can't help but listen in on cute local conversations while stuffing your face with pie.

I can't wait to attend this year's competition on Saturday the 5th and I hope you get a chance to as well! I'll be the one there with a huge grin on my face and blueberries on my chin.

I Really Wanted That Raspberry

My videographer friend Myke and I went as media to the Galway Cavendish Forest Rally this year looking to top our footage/photos from the previous year. This year we found a spot along the road that had a slow sweeping corner followed by a sharper corner (which would make for some dramatic action photos). Last year we had found a spot by a rock cliff which also sheltered us from the sun and dust (I think the wind was more in our favour last year as well) but we wanted something different this time.

The Rally is held in a quarry in Catchacoma which is on the outskirts of the Kawartha Highlands Provincial Park so it is rather scenic. Dense forest and plenty of delicious raspberries and blackberries litter the edge of the forest. If I had to pick my favourite fruit, I think I would say Blueberries, but Raspberries are a close second, so I always made the time to stop along the way and stop to smell the roses, eat as many raspberries as I could. The problem with having cars go by at 100KM an hour in this environment is that they kick up a fair bit of dust.

How much dust did they kick up? Here's a photo after one of the first cars passed Myke...

Which needless to say, kept me from my snack attack.

You can see photos of the rally over in my store.