pandora.com

www.pandora.com

My friend Frances alerted me to this great music website. It's the result of the Music Genome Project. You type in a song or artist that you know you like, and the program generates a radio station all your own with songs that you might like, but wouldn't have necessarily heard before.

For Austin

I was walking down Cornmarket street today when the strangest thing happened. It's the single busiest bit of Oxford, where you'll see friends, strangers, buskers, town, gown, dogs, and even the occasional tourist. I was walking along, maybe I was headed towards the pharmacy, I'm not sure because it is all a blur after I saw Hermoine walking toward me in her school uniform! Turns out Emma Watson (who plays Hermoine in the Harry Potter films) lives and goes to school here in Oxford at the aptly named Dragon School.

Up the Tower

Assuming you've got a fellow's signature, anyone can ascend the Magdalen Tower. However, not everyone elects to do so when it is hailing. Ah well, you only live once, yeah? Here are some photos from our trip:


We're the statue, can't you tell?


They thought this was cool...


Alex...


The view, even with rain and hail, it's something.

Spring in Oxford

It is truly magical. Within the past three days, Oxford has become a beautiful place. Girls have unpacked their skirts and flip flops, lovers are having picnics and students are not getting enough work done. Yesterday and today I took long lunches at this great organic restaurant in the centre of Oxford, backing out of a church and looking right at the Radcliffe Camera (where I should have been studying) and All Soul's College. The sun is so welcome in a place that was so dark and damp for so long. I feel like I have woken up along with all the grizzly bears.


The daffodils on Addison's Walk, a part of Magdalen's grounds.


Cat and Andy laughing during our leisurely outdoor lunch today. We had intended to try a new Italian place, but when we got there, we weren't allowed in. The Oxford Police had roped the whole thing off. Turns out the Queen of England beat us to it. I kid you not. Just an average day in Oxford with the Queen popping by to dedicate a garden to her sister, Princess Margaret, and grabbing a ciabatta on her way back to Buckingham Palace.


That's the Magdalen swing band playing behind us.


Chris is a vocalist for the Magdalen swing band and Kammy and I are big fans.


The spring weather even compels some of us to sing! Chris is singing Frank Sinatra in this shot.

José González

One of the pitfalls of living abroad is that you lose touch with what's going on...in the news, in fashion, and in music. Does anyone there know José González?

There is a great cafe here in Oxford and the first time I heard his album, I walked right up to the bar and asked what it was. On susbsequent trips, the album was playing each time. It is really subtle and entirely guitar driven. It makes me think of Mexico, of love...

Oddly enough, José González is from Gothenburg, Sweden.

He made his real breakthrough (I think, since I am essentially on the other side of the world, or so it feels) when one of this songs ran with a recent Sony advert.

If you want to really do the advert justice, link to it through this website:
http://www.bravia-advert.com/commercial/braviaextcommhigh.html

A great friend Jess surprised me with a ticket to his concert on May Day here in Oxford. He played some new stuff. It was a edgier, more daring in a way. Some may think him a bit monochromatic, but sometimes life calls for something simple, well-crafted and soothing. I like it.

Hear some of his songs

May Day

May Day is an institution at Magdalen. Since 1509, school-boy choristers climb up the Magdalen Tower and sing two hymns to welcome the Spring at 6:00 am on May 1. As a student at Magdalen, it's your duty to stay awake all night. My friends decided to throw a party or sorts, in an effort to keep us all awake and it worked more or less. At 12:30 I set off, having just finished an essay and drank a glass of effervescent vitamin C.


1am, still looking respectable with Julie by my side


2am, Max had just been sitting on Cat...


3am, group calisthenics (by myself)


4am, Kammy and Andy working on breakfast, which included homemade bagels!


5:45am, the view to the street from the Founders Tower, the other Magdalen tower that I had snagged a ticket to go up.


5:55am, Kammy and Cat eating one of Andy's bagels, it's raining in this photo.


6am, the singing starts

6:15am, I'm fast asleep