My (FAILED) Call Of Duty.

by Carmen Cruz

Video games have truly come a long way. I remember that as a kid, I was all about the Super Nintendo (Mario Kart & Super Mario World 3, Street Fighter and Mortal Kombat were my favourites!). I even managed to finish the game of Tetris on my little brothers 'Gameboy'. Yes, I AM a Tetris Master ;D.
Nowadays, video games are so much more intense. I was at a friends place the other day and he convinced me to play Call Of Duty (I have no idea which one). I was B-R-U-T-A-L!!!! For some reason, I get extremely nervous when I play these 'shoot-em-up' games (yeah, I call them 'shoot-em-up games'. I'm sure a few gamers out there are inexplicably having mild seizures right now. My bad).

 Here's the scenario: It's dark, I'm hiding behind a corner, then suddenly, something comes outta nowhere and BAM! I'm dead. Honestly, my anxiety goes THROUGH THE ROOF when I'm playing these games! At one point, I think I might have ALMOST swallowed my tongue.  Oh, and I found out the hard way that the strictly running and hiding method STILL gets you killed. Fail.
I'm thinking I'll stick to my favourite game of ALL TIME right now. ROCK BAND!!!! Oh how I loooove playing the drums. If you ever decide to have a rock band night and need a drummer, I'm you're gal. Seriously. No, seriously. I've got some MAD drumming skillz (you know those skills are for real when it's spelled skillZ).

On a side note, it always surprises me how much money gaming companies spend on publicity. I came across this video the other day. The highlight of it? Sam Worthington = Sexy. Is anyone else besides me seriously creeped out by the skinny Jonah Hill?



Aaaaand I'm spent!

Besos,

CC.

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Songs Of The Week!!!

by Carmen Cruz

Here's what I'm into.

Peter, Bjorn & John ~ Young Folks. One of the few tunes out there where the whistling part doesn't sound cheesy.




The Cribs ~ Men's Needs ~ A wicked song with a silly music video featuring a naked girl having a tantrum. (**Yup, it's safe to watch at work**). They're a 3 piece band made up of a group of brothers from England. I know for a fact that if my brothers and sister and I created a band and started touring, one of us would be found dead after 3 weeks... or it would be a whole Liam and Noel Gallagher situation, again, after just 3 weeks. FYI: The lead singer (Ryan) married Kate Nash last year. 





And speaking of Kate Nash....

Kate Nash ~ Foundations - I *heart* Kate Nash. She's often compared to Lilly Allen. This song talks about being in a sh*tty and dysfunctional relationship and yet you just can't let go. Haven't we all been there? ;D




Crystal Castles ~ Not In Love - This tune features Robert Smith from The Cure and has a total 80's vibe to it. Dance? Yes please!



Jamiroquai ~ Little L - Oh Jamiroquai, where have you gone? Your fans really miss you.



One more Jamiroquai song? Why not.

Jamiroquai ~ Seven Days in Sunny June (Try not to watch the music video. On a day like today, it's torture).


Enjoy!

Besos,

CC.

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Addictions can be good... and bad.

by Carmen Cruz

The technology can be a dangerous thing.
Lately, I've been completely addicted to a few sites and apps.

#1) Etsy ~ I love to shop. I do. And last year I discovered this website where artisans of all sorts can post their creative and handmade items for sale. Now while you can find some amazing, cool or truly unique items, you can also come across some serious crap that makes you think... WTF!!!!  That's no longer Esty, it's Regretsy. Boys, tons of cool stuff on there for you too! Things can get a bit pricey, but there are definitely some deals to be had as well. I'm thinking of buying these.... (someone, please tell me to stop. I'm begging you. GAD!).

 







So if you're into the 'Handmade Revolution' like me, I'll see you at Make it Van!, which is happening November 24rth - 27th at the Croatian Cultural Centre. Imagine Etsy style vendors all squished into one room. Good times. Bring your wallet. For realsies.


#2) Instagram ~ This is a wicked iphone app that I use on almost a daily basis. This app can help turn even the crappiest photographer into... a LESS crappy photographer. If you have the app, find me on there and friend me n'kay? I'm under Carmen Cruz. Here are a few of my pics (made MUCH prettier thanks to Instagram).













#3) There's a Spanish website I've discovered where you can watch fairly new movies (anything that's now featured on Shaw's VOD) as well as TV shows, FOR FREE!!!! Yes, the site is in Spanish, but all the English programs remain in English, with Spanish subtitles that can easily removed with the click of a button. The best part of this site is that you don't have to download the movies, you stream them instead. It's brilliant. You can basically kiss your spare time goodbye. If you're interested in finding out more about this site, email me (carmen@carmencruz.ca). I WAS going to post the site here, but I'm scared that doing so might get it shut down. Lame, I know, but I'm a bit paranoid. Big brother is watching...


Besos,

CC.

The More You Ignore Me, The Closer I Get.

by Carmen Cruz

I'm one of those people who goes through 'musical phases'.
I'll fall for a brand new band/ singer, or rediscover an old one that I'd totally forgotten about. That's when I'll either put their entire library, or even worse, just a few songs on repeat.
These past couple of weeks, it's been all about The Smiths. Here's a few of my favourites:        



 This Charming Man ~ Love.


The Boy With A Thorn In His Side ~ I call this the emo music of the 80's. Awesomeness.



There's A Light That Never Goes Out ~  An amazing and crazy declaration of desperate teen love. "And if a double-decker bus crashes into us, To die by your side is such a heavenly way to die." **Sigh**


William ~ It was REALLY nothing <3


Please, Please, Please Let me Get What I Want ~ This is where you wanna bring the bottle of poison to the self pity party.



You can't listen to The Smiths without thinking of the man himself, Morrissey. I heard a horrible story from a guy in the radio biz who told me that one of his very close friends was a roadie for Morrissey. I guess the singer was such a douche/ diva that one day while the 'roadie friend' was setting up the stage for a gig, he took Morrissey's mic and shoved it down the back of his pants and deeeeeep into the sweaty crevice of his ass. He rubbed thoroughly, then place the microphone back on its stand. Morrissey sang passionately into the mic that night. Now that I've got you thinking of Morrissey and his 'swass lips', please enjoy this final AMAZING tune.  It's my #1 favourite of the bunch.

The More You Ignore Me, The Closer I Get



Besos,

CC.

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I'm Baaaaaaaaaack!!!!

by Carmen Cruz

Hello you sexy, loyal readers in internet land (aka: mom and dad)!!!

So I'm finally back in Vancouver and let me tell ya, it feels goooOOOOooood!
I didn't realize how much I missed Van. The mountains, the people, the salty sea air, the streets, the hidden shops, the ocean and yes, even the rain. I guess it took moving to Calgary to realize how much I loved this place. It's one of those cases where you just don't appreciate what you've got, when you've got it. It certainly brings to light the saying, 'You don't know what you've got till it's gone'... ya know what I mean? (Thanks Joni Mitchell, Cinderella and Janet Jackson).

Lately, my biggest hurdle has been trying to find a reasonably priced place to live that will accept my little Maslow. He's such a sweet, quiet dog (I know EVERYONE says that about their pets, but in my case, it's true. I swear to GAD! If you were to meet him, you'd understand. Anywho, I'm not gonna start rambling about my dog because 1) I don't wanna be one of those weird people who go on and on about their pets, when no one really gives a rats ass and 2).... I lost my train of thought. Was watching Maz play with my sock. Moving on).

Long story short, if you hear of a place in the Kitsilano /Point Grey/ Dunbar/ Kerrisdale/ False Creek/ Main street area that's renting a nice, clean, bright and quiet one bedroom suite that will accept my pooch, please let me know. Oh, and a pool /cabana boy on site would be nice too. What? Am I asking for too much? Nah....

So what's the point of my entry today? Well yeah, it's to put it out there than I'm looking for a place to call home, but it's also to remind you that you should take the time to appreciate where you are/ where you live/ who's by your side. Mushy, I know, but a very true fact that we all take for granted. Wherever you are right now, please stop. Look around and take it all in... and love it.

Now back to Craigslist and the classified ads. My search continues.

Dear Gad/ Allah/ Buddah/ Lucky Troll Doll /Bejesus and anyone else I've missed, please help me find a new home soon. I've got my fingers, toes, and even my eyes crossed. Sexy.

Besos,

CC.

p.s: I just noticed that I use waaaaaaay too many exclamation points when I write. Seriously! It's ridiculous! I'm like the 'Elaine' of the writing world. Yup. That was a sweet little Seinfeld reference for ya. Am I really THAT excited when I write? Perhaps. So let me get it all out now. !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!   !!   !!!!! And just one more.... ! ;D

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He'll be drinking a whole lotta (boxed) Red, Red Wine.

by Carmen Cruz

Remember the band UB40?  Did I just age myself? Ah well. Fack it. I remember riding around with my older sister in her best friends Tracker and listening to UB40 singing 'Red Red Wine' full blast, thinking that this was the best song and the coolest moment of my life. Clearly I had low standards as a child (just kidding ;).

Well I came across an article today that says that the former lead singer of UB40 (Ali Campbell) has declared bankruptcy. Ali joins his four former bandmates who all declared bankruptcy this year.

According to NME, "Both the singer and the band's bankruptcy follows the failure of their record firm and management company DEP International and a bitter bust-up over band finances which forced Campbell to quit in 2008. Campbell said he tried to warn his bandmates about the impending financial disaster."

Sh*tty deal.

So to honour the boys, here's a link to the song that made them super famous (a song that was originally written and performed by the really, really, ridiculously talented Señor Neil Diamond). Hopefully it takes you back to the good ol' days... of riding around the city of Edmonton in a Tracker. ;D




Enjoy!

Besos,

CC.


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Chill Out Already!!!

by Carmen Cruz

There's nothing like moving (in my case, from one province to another) to bring out the nutcase in a person. I detest moving. The tearing apart, disassembling, wrapping and packing of your personal belongings into a box and then another box, and another. It's weird to see how my entire life can be packed and stuffed into a room. I'm sadly one of those people who can get really attached to their stuff... but really that's all it is. Stuff. I'm going through a huge purging phase. I'm trying to get rid of a lot of the things I've collected over the years. I'm also trying to get rid of my ridiculous emotional attachment to objects.
The movers arrive on Wednesday to pick up my belongings and from there, I'll stuff the necessities and Maslow into my small car, and off we go to Vancouver. Since most of my things are already tightly packed away, I feel as though I'm living in limbo. I can't really do much, but keep on putting things away (or selling them) and preparing for my long journey. Right now, it's the 'limbo' thing that's driving me insane. My mom & cousin came for a day to help me pack (pack, pack, PACK! I'm really starting to detest that word) and at one point, my mom pulled me aside and told me to just CHILL OUT! For someone who can be fairly high strung, this can be a tough thing to do. I've always considered music a form of comfort or escape, so I've been trying to focus on taking the time to just relax and enjoy my music. I have a 'chill out playlist' on my iPod, and I find that I tend to gravitate towards certain songs. Here are some of the ones I tend to put on repeat. So if you're having an 'I'M FREAKING OUT' moment, just take the time to sit back, breathe and enjoy these tunes. I hope they can help you they way they've helped me.


Zero 7 ~ In The Waiting Line



Massive Attack ft. Tracey Thorn ~ Protection



Travis ~ Sing



Keane ~ A Bad Dream



Coldplay ~ Strawberry Swing



Zero 7 ~ Destiny



The Verve ~ Lucky Man 



Lauryn Hill ~ Tell Him



Relax & Enjoy <3

Besos,

CC.


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How much would you pay for John Lennon's tooth???

by Carmen Cruz


 It's a million dollar question.. or at least a £10,000 question. Yup, it's true, a molar that belonged to John Lennon is being auctioned off on November 5th at the Omega Auction house in Stockport.
So who the heck is selling this tooth, and how did he/she get it? Good question. Turns out that the tooth was given to Lennon's former housekeeper (why? I have no idea) and this woman has been sitting on it (not literally, of course. That would be gross) for almost 50 years. She's now decided to part with it. So, if you have AT LEAST £10,000 hidden under your mattress (and who doesn't really?) I guess, this  rock & roll artifact (if you wanna call it that) could be yours.
True Story.

Besos,

CC.


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Songs Of The Week!

by Carmen Cruz

I'm gonna make it short and sweet. Here's what I'm really into...

Gorillaz ~ On Melancholy Hill. The video totally doesn't suit the song. I almost recommend listening to the tune first and watch it with the video after. It's very weird, but a wicked song. 



Robyn ~ Cobra Style. A wicked take on a tune by the Teddybears.

I love Robyn's tunes. I have to admit that she's got something so strange about her. You wanna say that she's attractive, but for some reason, you just can't go there... ya know what I mean? Or maybe it's just me...


Hugo ~ 99 Problems. OH MY GAD I LOVE THIS TUNE!!!! This guy does an AWESOME cover of Jay-Z's song. A job well done!



Rufus Wainwright ~ April Fools. I adore Rufus. I do. Check out the video. It's a bit older and features cameos by a young Melissa Auf Der Maur and Gwen Stefani. I'm also partial to this song... you know... being an April baby (fool) and all ;D

*Side note: I had a chance to interview Rufus a few years ago. He was catty but cool and we immediately hit it off. I remember him complaining about a diet he was on. It was called 'not eating'. Fail.

Mark Ronson ft. Amy Winehouse ~ Valerie.  Why? Because it's awesome. That is all.


Enjoy!

Besos,

CC.

Do you know someone really fantastic?

by Carmen Cruz

So I'm moving back to Vancouver next week. I'm BEYOND excited about it!                  

While I've got a few things already lined up for me, I'd also like to take the time to feature amazing BC based musicians/bands as well as overall awesome Vancouverites on my site. I've already scheduled a few interviews but I thought I'd turn to YOU (you sexy beast!) for any additional ideas. Do you know of a Vancouverite that you'd love to see featured here? Someone you'd like to get to know more about? A musician, artist, poet, business owner, fashionista (fashionisto? Is there such a thing?), etc?  If so, let me know about him/ her/ them! Please send your suggestions to carmen@carmencruz.ca

I'm looking forward to hearing from you, and above all, I can't wait to move back to rainy, but beautiful VANCOUVER!!!!!
YAAAAAAAAAAAAY!!!

Besos,

CC.

If a man did this for me, it would be love... forever.

by Carmen Cruz

I watched the movie 'No strings attached' the other night (Ashton Kutcher and Natalie Portman). The movie was alright, but this one scene had me laughing most of the night. One of the funniest movie scenes I've scene in a looooong time.



After this, it cuts to another scene with Ashton & Natalie chatting in another room with Leona Lewis' 'Bleeding Love' playing in the background. HILARIOUS!!!!

It's like a crime scene in my pants. Priceless!

Besos,

CC.

Stone Roses... REUNITED!!!

by Carmen Cruz

HOLY CRAP!!! IT'S OFFICIAL!!!!
Fans of the Stone Roses are foaming at the mouth today. The band announced that they are putting their differences aside and reuniting for a massive tour. Yes, it's the original band line up and yes, they're working on brand new material that they'll be debuting at some of their shows. According to the band, they're taking over the world!!!

Check out today's press conference...



For more info go to their newly launched The Stone Roses official website Thestoneroses.org.



YAAAAAYYY!!!

Besos,

CC.
 

Eddie Vedder and Shakira Impersonators. WILL BLOW YOUR MIND!!!

by Carmen Cruz

My brother showed me these videos. This is from a Chilean show called 'Mi Nombre Es' (translation: My name is).  Basically, people who believe they sound like famous singers show their talent.
This dude claims to sound like Eddie Vedder. It will BLOW YOUR MIND!!!  The video of this guy singing is compared along side to the actual video of Senor Vedder himself. AMAZING!!!





What makes this even MORE amazing is that this guy doesn't speak a word of English! Believe it!!!

Check out Chris Cornell's reaction to this dude!





This one totally weirded me out. This guy calls himself 'Shakiro'. He sounds EXACTLY like... yup! Shakira!!! Do me a favour and close your eyes when you watch the video the first time.



So 'Shakiro' had a chance to meet the actual Shakira. Check it out!



Enjoy!

Besos,

CC.



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U2 COVER ALBUM ~ ME LIKEY!!!

by Carmen Cruz

Ok fellow U2 nerds, prepare to have a mild stroke.                                     

So we all know that U2 will be re-releasing their brilliant album 'Achtung Baby' (my favourite U2 album. No question.). This is good. But I just found out about this:

"Q magazine is proud to announce our next issue, out on 25 October, will come with a unique new album, based around the work of U2."

The covers on this album on RIDICULOUSLY AWESOME!!! The full track listing for AHK-toong BAY-bi Covered is as follows:

  1. Nine Inch Nails - Zoo Station
  2. U2 (Jacques Lu Cont Mix) - Even Better Than The Real Thing 
  3. Damien Rice - One
  4. Patti Smith - Until The End Of The World
  5. Garbage - Who's Gonna Ride Your Wild Horses
  6. Depeche Mode - So Cruel
  7. Snow Patrol - Mysterious Ways
  8. The Fray - Trying To Throw Your Arms Around The World
  9. Gavin Friday - The Fly
  10. The Killers - Ultraviolet (Light My Way)
  11. Glasvegas - Acrobat
  12. Jack White - Love Is Blindness
SO PUMPED!!! Guess who's going to be hovering around the magazine isle October 24rth. Yeah. See ya there ;D

Besos,

CC.




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