p r i l m i l l

SPRUNG >> A collection of spring forward tunes for light dancing and heavy good vibes.

I’ve whipped this one together over a course of February and March. (No Devo in this one, sorry folks!) I initially had hopes of keeping it ethereal and light with inspo from Maggie Rogers, but I inevitably began adding some fun hip hop / bubblegum trap songs and *of course* had to incorporate one of the new Gorillaz tracks that came out last week. Side note: Aren’t we all in LOVE with all of the cover art on those?

Anyway, since I had no self control in keeping this light and fluffy*, here we have a quite groove-heavy playlist to add some pep in your step this Spring. We’re still faking Spring here in Seattle, but we’ve had a few buds-abloomin’, and what’s cuter than wild daffodils to brighten up a grey day? Nothing.**

I’m having a moment waiting for the new Lorde album, and had to really restrain myself from adding more tracks from her debut album, but I feel Green Light fits right into this playlist.

Slide is such a HUGE summer track, and I’m really looking forward to blasting this with the windows down, but for now it’s blasting in my ears as I suffer in my winter coat.

Currently (and always) in awe with Charli XCX, and I’m SO grateful that Number 1 Angel is akin to True Romance, which has to go down as one of my favorite pop releases ever. Naturally, I had to pop in some songs from this album as well.

Hope you guys and gals are enjoying this one as much as I enjoyed putting it together. Which track is getting you amped for Spring?

*Fun Fact: Light + Fluffy was the original title to this playlist.

~ muted pastel dreams ~

Valentine’s Day is one of my favorite holidays for music. There’s really no better way to tell someone you love them than to give them a mix of love songs or write them a song or dedicate a karaoke ballad to them (as a note: don’t do this to me *cringe* - but someone will appreciate you!)

I’ve made many mixes on my Spotify account to signify luv in many terms. Check them out here:

Don’t Call It  A Crush (2014): This playlist is one that I put together with the woes and rollercoaster of emotions one may feel while crushin’ hard on someone. I tried to keep the angst really alive in this one, because well, frankly this kind of “crushin’” isn’t something I’ve felt since I was a kid. I’m in love now - so I’ve leveled up. Don’t worry - I’m cringing over that line, too.

madly, deeply (2016): This one’s a fun mix of indie pop, a bit of groovy house, and a touch of bump ‘n grind. It’s definitely on a lighter note than my 2014 mix, which feels almost sad. The focus of this one is to encapsulate the feeling of hangin’ with bae on those late night - AKA, this one gets a lil’ frisky. Like The Way - Eli & Fur is one of my favorite tracks in the mix by a house duo. This song reminds me of when me and my beau go out and dance until the early morning. (Genuinely, I do like the way he moves.) Later down the line, we have Woosah, which is a bit of a doozie. Jeremih knows how to bring the sexy vibes like no one else, and Twista’s verse misses no details in what’s going on in his bedroom tonight. Neither should you, take note.

needed u (2016): Alicia Keys brought life to me last year with In Common. So much so that it was necessary for me to whip these songs together for ultimate ~ vibes. ~ This one is kind of a mix between Don’t Call It a Crush and madly, deeply. It’s a perfect middle ground between feeling like you just got broken up with and you’re like really sad, but you kind of have hope that you’ll get back together? The question mark is there because I’m not sure how you will interpret it, but these are the feelings I had in mind while making it. While madly, deeply has more of the upbeat tunes, needed you pinpoints a feeling of we’re something, but I don’t know what. Fire & Desire is a major track on this one, and in general - obv. We start off ambient - build it up, and end with a lovely Joni Mitchell cover by James Blake. Just the mere fact that we end on James Blake should be some indication that I was in my feelings in the processes of putting it together.

L U R E (2017): We’re here. It’s 2017. I tried to make this playlist intuitively. Obviously, Mac Demarco makes an appearance, because I think we all want a man like Mac to love us. We go a lot of places in L U R E, touching on tracks that are about relationships more than ooey-gooey puppy love songs. That’s just where I’m at right now. (Remember, I’ve leveled up?) Nearing the end with Chance The Rapper’s Juke Jam, which I feel like is the perfect song to begin to wrap up the tone of this mix. We’ve got so much history, babbbyy. But of course, I needed to salt-bae (not a verb) some Alex Turner’s voice into it, because, sexual tension is both necessary and inevitable.

It’s been a while, I know. I wish I had a great excuse like I’m really busy being swept up in the creative world or, like, a new outstanding project’s in the works. Frankly, I’ve been lazy. I moved, and it’s taken me 2 weeks to get over the trauma of doing that. Do you ever feel like the weight of the world is crushing you? Or was it just my couch crushing me? 

I wanted to keep up with this, but lacking one interesting subject to gush over. So instead, I’ll cover five things I’m ~ into ~ at the moment.

1. Transparent. I’m late to this. Later than I am with writing this post, but I guess I covered that. Transparent is a show following a gang of complex characters that actually feel...well, real. Jeffrey Tambor plays Maura, a trans woman, who is surrounded by her family whom are going through divorce, gender crisis, having babies, being, etc. all while learning about they’re father’s transition. The really great thing about this show is that while it subjects a lot of complex situations with society in gender norms, abortion, and LGBTQ, it also covers things as simple as communication and coping in a world with all different characters that just coexist. The writing approaches subjects with care and thought. Along with that, the acting across the board is so intuitive, natural, and realistic. Family is complicated, and this one’s no different. I blew through Season 1 in 2 days and I’m in awe by how behind I am on this!

TL;DR version: I’ve been watching a show. Here’s the trailer.

2. Rachel’s Ginger Beer. Basically, I’ve been guzzling this down Capri Sun pouch style (except out of a copper mug and sometimes mixed with a little booze!) RGB offers an array of fun flavors including blood orange, cucumber tarragon, and white peach. I’m honestly looking forward to summer so I can sip ginger beer somewhere at a park because that seems like THE best of all time experience.

(x) Buy here for much happiness and such good times.

3. Glossier Soothing Face Mist. Rosewater + Aloe + Glycerin = Skincare paradise. Glossier has really encapsulated no-fuss skincare with this simple recipe and gorgeous, fresh scent. The soothing face mist is an everyday essential for me. EVERY. DAY. In the mornings before work, I use a micellar water for cleansing and follow with this face mist. I find it be to both refreshing and effective in keeping my skin feeling clean and plump. If you’re not incorporating face mists into your skincare routine - you need serious guidance because I can’t think of anything more necessary.

4. Soon. An app to keep lists of movies, music, places, etc. you want to check out. My brother recommended this app to me, and after months of not downloading it, I finally got my shit together. I’ve been heavy using this app particularly to collect a list of movies I’ve been wanting to watch. I’m always someone who wants to keep up with old and new movies from my favorite actors and actresses, but sometimes it’s hard to keep those mental notes in order.

Soon has a simple interface and is super user friendly. Because of this app, I think this year will be THE year that finally watch all these films I’ve been so behind on. (I haven’t watched the Godfather - is that movie buff suicide?) So far I watched a few recommendations from my brother like What Ever Happened to Baby Jane? (1962) and The Aviator. I was also able to catch up on watching some of the movies that came out last year (2016) like Nocturnal Animals and Moonlight. Both were incredible and you HAVE TO. 

5. Being active. Whether it’s taking a 30 minute walk or hitting the gym, I’m trying to get on top of fitness. I’ve never been someone who worked out routinely, so even the process of building a routine feels really daunting to me. I’ve been taking the opportunity in pulling a mid-day gym sesh for morale, which has felt really good, as much as I’d like to say I dreaded it. What I really dreaded, though, was actually making the initial decision to go. So here’s the trick I’ve been pulling on myself: If exercising crosses your mind, you have to do something, anything. I’ve been utilizing home work-outs by YouTube motivations, as well, which has helped to get out of a “I want to do nothing forever” mood. 

Women’s March - Seattle, WA - January 21st, 2017

I woke up the morning of the Women’s March with a little sadness, as I’d known I’d be working through the day and unable to march with my community. The one thing that was particularly different about January 21st, 2017 is that it just felt different. I’m not one to go into energy mumbo-jumbo, but this day genuinely felt different. 

Firstly, the sun was out. Sometimes we Seattlites (can I even call myself this?? Yikes!) forget what the sun feels like. After a dreary week of grey and rain and cold, we got a few rays to warm us all up for what was to come later that day. I got up the morning of and began my usual routine: walk dog, get coffee, YouTube, and laptop time. On this day, though, as I made my way to the park with my dog, I saw a woman and 3 kids in pink “pussy-hats” walking away. At this point, I started thinking about all the people who would be making their way over to the Women’s March and I had a strong urge to try to catch the crowd as they worked their way up to the starting point. I walked back home, grabbed my camera, and made the decision to GO. After all, this is history - or should I call it HERstory? - being made and I’m in this beautiful city filled with young, careful minds just like mine! And so, I began. 

As I made it up the hill, I saw women varying in age walking up with their signs of positive messages and witty tag-lines. At the same time, I also saw their partners, their kids, and even their dogs doing the same. I snapped a few pictures of the city to really capture how the energy was feeling that day, but also to encapsulate the feeling I felt when I saw all of these Planned Parenthood supporters, pro-choice, and all around pro-woman marchers putting on for me and all the women in the world who couldn’t be there to march alongside them.

Reluctantly, I headed back home to work. A few hours passed by and I knew soon they’d be closer to where I live and I HAD to be out there. I am a woman. I’m a half Filipina, pro-choice, pro-sex worker, supporter of the LGBTQ community, man-eating, pussy having WO-MAN. (Maybe not man-eating, but it just felt good to take that role on for the moment!) And I certainly believe in everything that embodies equality for EVERYONE. It felt like if I wasn’t here for my community, then who would be? We know now that at least 120,000 other woman and company would have been - but at this point, I didn’t know what the numbers were like. I just needed to be there.

The march was to end in Seattle Center which is where our beautiful spectacle, the Space Needle, lives for those of you who are unfamiliar. So I began making my way, again with my camera, and was genuinely astounded by the crowd. I took pictures of everyone’s signs and started marching with strangers who felt like friends. Every so often, there would be a roar from behind made up the women marching with me as if to say, “We are here for ourselves, for you, and for all the woman here who aren’t here to fight today and we won’t back down.” I wanted to yell in joy and from the utter affection I felt from everyone even though I came to conquer alone. 

Eventually, I worked backwards from where I met with the march so I could snap some photos. One of my favorites is the one with the woman holding the sign that reads, “Boys will be boys held accountable.” Looking through my viewfinder, I saw her look at me knowing I was taking her picture. Knowing what her sign said and what it meant not only to her but to so many of the other women out there with us, it clicked.

All of the energy pulling me toward being at the Women’s March that day, it wasn’t just in the air. The energy was bursting from inside of me. I knew what I did on January 21st, 2017 was my choice and my prerogative. No one else was going to be able to write me into this phenomenon to say I promoted it. I would be the only one to say to all of the women after me that I was there and I am to be held accountable for all of the change that’s to come. 

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