Primarily Primavera

Dear Blog Readers (aka best friends and family),

This is a day to be very excited about, a day I have been looking forward to for months. Primarily, because it is the first day of Spring, which in Spanish is Primavera. The whole wide world needs an outpouring of Springtime right about now. Even those of us who live in mild mild mild La Jolla need it. Especially this little flower! But I gotta confess that the real reason I was so excited about this day, March 20th, is because it is the day that my dear and dynamite friend Esperanza Spalding's new record "Radio Music Society" was FINALLY released.

And I get to listen to all the songs and dance around my sunny house all day!!

When I was a kid in the 70's, we used to wait and wait and wait and wait for our favorite band's next record to come out. Then we'd go stand in line at Tower Records and spend the next two weeks listening to it non stop. Haven't felt that way for a few decades until JUST NOW.

Yes, this is a day to celebrate. Esperanza, which in Spanish is Hope - and the whole wide world needs an outpouring of Hope right about now. And that is what this female force of sonic beauty is spreading on this day. As I am typing this, I am listening to the whole record for the first time.

LaLaLaLaLaaaaa........

Not only was Esperanza featured in the New York Times on Sunday:

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/03/18/arts/music/esperanza-spalding-on-a-year-in-the-spotlight.html

She gave such an outstanding interview on NPR this weekend, I suggest that you listen to it to bring plenty of hope, springtime and excitement into your life and heart.

http://www.npr.org/2012/03/18/148617293/esperanza-spalding-jazz-as-radio-music?sc=emaf

PLUS, if you want to listen to the whole album before you purchase it, here's a way to do that:

http://www.npr.org/2012/03/11/147979893/first-listen-esperanza-spalding-radio-music-society

HOWEVER, if you want your mind to be blown, watch this video, performed at last year's Grammy pre-show, a couple hours before she was awarded Best New Artist:
(hold onto your hats)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?NR=1&feature=fvwp&v=17lpfvyWhhM

And FINALLY, take 7ish minutes out of your first day of Spring (you can do it tomorrow, or the day after....) and take a peek at this video. As it happens, my daring Chelsea and I are in the audience. I am fairly easy to spot. (UNDERSTATEMENT of the year) And Chelsea is pretty easy to spot, too. This is what she looked like on that great day, see if you can find her in the video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nppb01xhfe0

Please forgive all the links. They look so official at first glance, but they will light you on fire if you open them. Esperanza is a gift to the world. Her devotion to music and innovation and smiling has already brightened the world.


I will share with you one more lovely thing about this day. I made one of my huge and epic salads and celebrated this Burst of Spring with the squirrels and seagulls down at CB (Christie's Beach, of course) and was met by my beautiful neighbors Tia and Karl as I walked back home.

So, my dear readers, I will let you go so we can all enjoy Springtime, wherever you are.

Sending lots of love,

Christie