Group "Vēja ziedi" song/ music video!

A few years back my friend Agnese and I started playing around with GarageBand on my Mac and came up with some funky, techno-y arrangements of traditional Latvian folk songs. It came together in an album (which was sold to family and friends- still available!) and the group "Vēja ziedi" was formed. Since then we've continued to drop some tracks whenever we're together (either in Latvia or elsewhere...) and here's one of the latest jems we've created.

Song- Man atnāca Jāņu diena
Artist- Vēja ziedi
Lyrics- traditional Latvian folk song
Video- Vid

Man atnāca Jāņu diena - Vēja ziedi from tomsons eagleton on Vimeo.

Check out me singing with LA!

Hello dear friends!

A few weeks ago, my dear friend LeighAnne invited me over to sing some songs with her. We had a great time jamming and working out fun harmonies to bring you two great cover songs!

LeighAnne is working on a blog where she gets together with her best buds to sing songs. It's awesome and you should check it out!

http://laandfriends.wordpress.com/

Here are the videos we put together as seen on YouTube!

Something in the Water by Brooke Fraser:



Don't Panic by Coldplay/Ellie Goulding:

Off to the capital!

("Gay rights are human rights" -Hilary Clinton)

A visit to DC is always written in my books whenever I can manage it because it's where my best friend from high school days, Christine lives. It's hard to believe that we're already out of college and fighting it in the real world!

This trip was especially exciting because we were going to see Mumford & Sons LIVE! AHHH! I've been following this group for a while now. LOVED their performance at the Grammy's (along with the Avett Brothers and Bob Dylan):



Gotta say that this concert was nothing short of incredible. The musicians were jumping from one instrument to another, their harmonies were tight and they didn't miss a beat! They themselves mentioned that this was the biggest gig they had played (obviously they didn't count the Grammy performance...a nation wide publicly televised performance?). They were pros and did a good job balancing between songs we all have grown to love and new songs they were trying out on us. Their music tends to get a bit repetitive and predictable, but the concert as a whole was well rounded and entertaining.

(Why, hello! Mr. Mumford!)

The rest of the weekend was spent trying to stay as cool as possible (the heat wave was reaching 90s-100 * F!). It was gay pride weekend in DC, therefore, the party was hoppin' and the city buzzing with excitement!

(Christine, Sean, Imanta)

Now, I hate to get all sappy on you, I try to keep this blog light and joyful, but there are some things that just hit you hard. A few years ago I attended a walk to support gay rights in Latvia. At that time (and still today), the country had very little support or acceptance of LGBT people. A general stand on the topic is that being homosexual is a disease and that this is not something people want to accept in society. The walk was enclosed, on the other side of the fences was the opposition yelling hateful words to us participating. It's so unfortunate that a country can be so close minded to letting people love each other. This is a struggle that the people of Latvia will one day hopefully overcome and move forward with their beliefs to allow all citizens to feel safe and free to express their sexual orientation.

That being said, this was my first gay pride experience in the USA and boy, was it a different from the one in Latvia! A quiet, somber moment to hesitantly show support for this group in Latvia is countered with hooting, hollering, music, joy and pure happiness in D.C! Flags, rainbows, drag queens everywhere you looked. It was a party! There was one moment in particular, where parents and loved ones of LGBT people were marching with signs that showed their support. I was almost brought to tears thinking about how wonderful it is to be able to live in a place where people can feel free to express themselves and this is one right I will always cherish and defend as a US citizen. But, I was so hurt that in Latvia a day like this is still far away in the future.

So there you have it folks! A few weekend trips summed up in a few posts. Next week I'm off to Latvian summer camp in the Catskills to sing and play with little kiddies and keep the Latvian juices flowing! Can't seem to get away from the kid jobs.. Cheers!

Pittsburgh and Cory turns 21!

The great thing about being back in the USA is the chance to see friends who I've only been able to communicate with via Internet. Nothing beats the satisfaction of hugging a buddy you've been away from for 7+ months! Even BETTER, when you get to go to a great baseball game, celebrate a 21st birthday!!

It's been a busy couple of weekends, but all worth it and many new memories made with fabulous people.

The first stop was to Pittsburgh to visit my Alma mater! After picking up Nivi, we got on the Turnpike and away we were! (Unfortunately our trip back was a bit more difficult as we got a HUGE nail in my front tire and needed to stop at PepBoys to get it fixed) We had a busy busy weekend planned thanks to Cory, Kareem and Cody! A must-go was to Hofbrauhaus, to get some delicious beers and try out some shot-skis. It was a week after Cory's 21st so celebration was in order.

(Imanta, Nivi, Michelle @ Hofbrauhaus)

(Pendu-alums + Honorary Pendulum!)

The next day, after recovering a bit from the joys of the previous night we headed out for breakfast in the best breakfast joint in Pittsburgh- DeLuca's Restaurant. Pittsburgh has so many fabulous places to eat! And this is definitely worth the long long line that is always wrapping around the sidewalk in the Strip District around brunch time. Prices are decent, portions are gigantic and the ambiance is of a real old fashioned diner. Yes! Then, let the food coma set in...

(Nivi, Imanta, Cody)

That evening we got ready to head out to PNC Park to watch the Philadelphia Phillies battle it out with the Pittsburgh Pirates. I'm not too into baseball, but when two teams that I need to have some sort of support for are playing each other, it's got my attention! The boys were psyched for the game and although the Phillies lost (the underdog Pirates won! WHAT?!), it's always an uplifting and exciting atmosphere to be a part of. Even better were the fireworks as we were crossing the Andy Warhol bridge back into Downtown Pittsburgh. This city is SO BEAUTIFUL!

(The boys ready for a great game of baseball at PNC Park!)

(Fireworks post-baseball game, overlooking downtown)

Then came the good old fashioned tradition of a 21st birthday bash in Oakland. And we got to visit all of the best bars I learned to love while attending Pitt! Cory is a friend from Pendulums and I was sooo excited to celebrate his 21st with him. Even more excited to meet some old Pendu-friends who I hadn't seen in a verrry long time! Peter's Pub, Hemmingway's, and ending up in P-Caf (Pittsburgh Cafe). We went wild showing Cory what it truly is like to be of AGE in this city! And we absolutely succeeded, although I will not disclose how far that went. :)

(Newly crowned 21 year old Cory!)

(The crew enjoy the festivities!)

It's always a refreshing feeling to return to the place you've grown to call your own. Although I can't call myself a Pittsburgher anymore, I will always hold it dear in my heart and along with it all the memories that I've shared with the best people in the world! Thanks to my hosts Cody and Kareem. I'll be visiting again soon!

just because I'm not in Europe...

... doesn't mean I can't keep blogging!

(a post about Latvia cannot be complete without a picture of the freedom monument!)

It has been quite a while since my last post and a lot has changed since then! After leaving France (which was a much harder endeavor than imagined), I made it to Latvia for a relaxing two weeks of visiting friends and drinking too much beer. I never thought I would hear myself saying THAT, but I guess 7 months of wine drinking changes how your body takes in beer...

(eating rhubarb ice cream at the Open Air museum in Latvia)

Latvia, like always, was a great time. Returning there I always feel like I'm coming home, or at least relieved that I don't have to worry about not knowing where to go, asking for directions, or looking like a tourist. I'm at ease and the city is a warm welcome. While I was there we did our fare share of hanging out at the Folk bar, going to dances and sing-a-longs. We also spent a fare share amount of time in the beer gardens... oh the luxury of not having any responsibilities! It was truly a vacation.

(Vika, Jūlija, Imanta, Ilze, Kalvis @ Kiwi Bar)

I also went to visit my grandfather's family house in Vidzeme. The property is called Skābumi, found outside of Valmiera in Rencēnu parish (pagasts). I've been there a few times before, so it was nice to go back to a place where I have real family roots and escape from the hustle and bustle of the city (I guess living in the mountains for that long made me a bit of a country bumpkin!). Trees were just barely greening, as it had been quite cold the first week I was in Latvia and it had slowed down spring. Nevertheless, birds were flying around like crazy and the farmers were busy in the fields getting ready for the busy working months.

(Looking to Skābumi from the forest)

A few kilometers away from Saulgodi is a Camp Hill community. Camp Hill is an organization that helps disabled people through creating a place for them to live and work in a small farm situation. Everyone does their share, but it can be as little as picking weeds or as much as milking the cows. The visit was great! The people who are there were welcoming and the farm itself was very cute.

The trip ended with rushing to figure out paperwork for the upcoming application process to the University of Latvia, where I plan to go to graduate school for Baltic Sea Region Studies. ***This program has little/nothing to do with the sciences of the sea. It is a economics/politics/socio-cultural program dealing with the countries that border the Baltic sea!*** I'm nervous, yet excited to embark on this new adventure. And if a few meetings has shown me anything, it's going to be quite the ride dealing with bureaucracy of outdated systems and forms of thinking. This will surely keep me busy for the blog! Get ready for much ranting! :)

(my favorite ladies! Inta about to leave for her 3 month Euro-trip and Jūlija, my host!)