A (Jolie Holland!) Weekend

Yesterday, my mom came for an overnight visit, because one of our favorite musicians, Jolie Holland, was performing with the Portland Cello Project (also fantastic) at a local bar.  We made a weekend of it, and spent a sunny day walking around town, hitting the crazy-bountiful farmers' market, a boutique sewing shop, and later hitting the mall in search of the perfect leather boot.  We had no such luck there, but that didn't damper the perfection of the day.  (By the way, having my mom as one of my best friends is awesome.)

At the farmers' market, I picked up the most fragrant, lush bag of produce, including a giant bunch of basil, which we turned into pesto that afternoon.  It will soon be in frozen cubes in my freezer, waiting to make an amazing meal of some scrambled eggs or a veggie sauté.

Walking home, we wandered into this boutique sewing shop, and walked out with a handmade skirt pattern and the cutest, brightest coral fabric with flowers and little bumblebees on it.  I will definitely be back for more; every single bolt of fabric in the shop was ridiculously cute.  I recently bought a pristine old sewing machine - an instant favorite of my belongings.  I have in mind that I will be that elementary teacher wearing all kinds of fun (and vintage inspired) dresses and skirts, but pieces of clothing that fit the bill are seriously tough to come by.  So, determined and project-oriented as ever, I will make my own!  I never mind a good project or two... or ten.


Later in the evening, we went to a delicious restaurant we hadn't tried before, and shared Pad Thai (it's impossible to pass up a good Pad Thai) and Coconut Green Curry.  It's still blowing my mind how tasty it all was.  Having never had it, I also ordered Blooming Lotus tea out of curiosity, which did not disappoint.

After dinner, it was onward to the concert to see Jolie Holland, live.  And the best part: we got a chance to talk with her after the show!  You know when you meet an artist and it totally makes or breaks your feelings about their music?  Well, I love it all the more.
Her music is a little retro, a little twangy, a little haunting, very moody, definitely unique, and just generally cool.  My kind of music.
And guess what?  She also happens to have been a member of The Be Good Tanyas, the band whose song, "The Littlest Birds," inspired the name of this blog.  That being said, here is that song and another favorite from the wonderful Ms. Holland, and you should listen:

"The Littlest Birds"

"Crush in the Ghetto"