“home for all that live and breathe words, spilled or inspired,
through literature of every genre, from writers and poets of every walk of life”
I am very happy to have my 50 words story “Deep Water” Published on this great Literary Press.
I am honored to be listed as one of their contributor writers.
A special thank you to the Editor for publish my story.
Please give a visit to Spillwords and check it out is a very interesting press!
Today post is about my thrilling experience attending the concert of one of the greatest band of all time UK iconic and legendary “The Cure”. Their music amazed millions of fans worldwide during last forty years and I am one of them. This concert is one of the most beautiful experience I had.
On Monday May 23, 2016 at the Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles best known as a historical venue where great music names of all time has performed. I was lucky to be able to have a ticket on the second day of the three “Sold Out” shows. The Cure also performed on Sunday 22 and Tuesday 24 as part of their North America Tour 2016 the first US full-fledged tour in eight years with 33 Shows in US and in Autumn they will be touring in Europe with 26 Shows.
“The Cure Tour 2016” will present Robert Smith (voice/guitar), Simon Gallup (bass), Jason Cooper (drums), Roger O’Donnell (keys) and Reeves Gabrels (guitar).
This amazing tour also features another of my favorite band that I discovered quite a while back that I follow and love. Their music is unique and intense with great sounds and dark atmospheres, it is a magical combination with the beautiful voice of charismatic and intense singer James Graham, front man of Scottish post-punk band “The Twilight Sad”. They are the “Special Guests” supporting The Cure on almost all the dates of this 2016 Tour. The Cure couldn’t make a better choice on bringing The Twilight Sad out in the light for an exposure very well deserved, they are an awesome band rising up in our contemporary music.
The Twilight Sad
The Twilight Sad band is based in Glasgow Scotland and was formed in 2003. Since then they released four studio albums, the latest is “Nobody Wants to Be Here and Nobody Wants to Leave“. The band members are James Graham (vocals), Andy MacFarlane (guitar), and Mark Devine (drums). Touring members include Johnny Docherty (bass guitar) and Brendan Smith (keyboards).
The Twilight Sad – James GrahamHeadline
The Twilight Sad will also be performing some headline shows during the tour, one was scheduled in Los Angeles at the “Teragram Ballroom” on Wednesday May 25. Sadly, I couldn’t attend this one. I really wanted to go to see them perform in their own element in the darkness of an intimate place where you can feel their music shock you deep inside your soul. I won’t miss them next time they come back to L.A. that for sure!
I couldn’t be more happy to attend this lifetime wish come true concert and to be able to see two of my loved bands live in one day! This is truly amazing!
When I discovered The Cure I was in Italy, my native country. A friend went to a summer vacation in London and came back with several vinyl albums from a band that at that time we didn’t know so well yet…The Cure! I have to say that after I listened their albums, I was hooked to their music. “Seventeen Seconds” was the one for me iconic and epic album that signed my love life for The Cure. The beautiful dark timeless sound that distinguish the uniqueness of this band is contained in all the songs of this album and in more to come. Included is “A Forest” one of my all time favorite songs that give me goosebumps each time I listen to it.
Finally time has arrived…
On May 23, after months of waiting, my day started pretty early getting ready to go to the Hollywood Bowl a 50 minutes drive from where I live. Exciting feelings were anticipating the concert that I have been waiting for all my life. This day was a very special day for me, it was filled with intense emotions and a “Surreal Surprise”. I am so happy that I was able to attend, I never wanted to miss this. The weather was sunny most of the day and later on turned a little gloomy with an appealing breeze.
When we arrived to the Hollywood Bowl was great to see the big sign saying “The Cure – The Twilight Sad – Tonight 7:pm – Sold Out” another great concert was about to be written in the history album of this venue. Things were getting real now!
We decided to pass the Hollywood Bowl to find an alternative parking area since the Bowl parking is known to be very crowded. So we drove down the main street at a decent walking distance from the Bowl.
There is a church with parking that I knew would let people park for events at the Bowl. We drove in looking for someone to ask if was possible to park early since the time was around 3.30pm and the gates of the Hollywood Bowl didn’t open til 5pm. Right at that exact moment when I turned my face toward the street I was stunned! I couldn’t believe what I was seeing! Walking passed us in the street I see The Twilight Sad singer “James Graham” and the band manager John-Paul Mason, just at that precise moment! They appeared to me out of the blue! Oh Wow!!! That moment was so surreal! How could this be possible??? Instinctively I said, “That’s James!!!” He heard his name because he turned his face looking around trying to figure out who was calling him lol…I couldn’t believe what was happening, everything happened so fast like magic! That was one in a million chances. I kept calling James name and quickly got out to the car so that he could see me. They stopped, turned around and approached me by the fence. James came close smiling and surprised. I told him that I am a fan. Then they kindly came around the fence into the parking lot where I was. We started to talk and laugh, we hugged surprised from this amazing moment, it was fantastic like meeting old friends that you haven’t seen in a long time. James was super cool and very friendly, and so was John Paul. While talking we took some photos that I will cherish forever. Here is James! The impressive and intense soul of The Twilight Sad! I love this photo!
It was definitely one of the most surreal moments I’ve ever had! I couldn’t believe what just happened, this “encounter” alone made my day before it even started. I felt so great and happy!
One of The Twilight Sad beautiful songs that I love is “There’s a Girl in the Corner,” track from 2014 latest album “Nobody Wants to Be Here and Nobody Wants to Leave” awesome album! This song is also offered as Exclusive Free Tour Download you can get it here.
I guess today “I was the girl in the corner” ;-) I can only say that it was a fantastic experience to meet James and John Paul, the best things happen when you don’t expect them. Thank you for stopping your walk and taking your time with me. Going to the concert, of course, I was hoping to be able to catch James and the band after the gig at the merchandise booth, but I knew that in L.A. wouldn’t be any easy in a sold out venue like this concert.
So my wish got fully granted with an amazing unexpected surprise that I will never forget. Thank You for your kindness James!
After of all this we had a little time before the Bowl opened the gates. There were so many people everything was well-organized and went smooth. While waiting I could hear The Twilight Sad doing their sound check and James voice resonate in between the Hollywood hills very beautiful. It was getting really exciting!
Outside The Hollywood Bowl
Around 5.30pm we were able to get inside the arena of the Bowl and had some time to kill after we got our seats. We went around the venue and to the merchandise booths to buy my The Cure Tour T-Shirt lots of people and I haven’t seen The Twilight Sad T-shirt that I wanted too!
Around 7pm was still natural sunlight, the arena wasn’t full yet but people were coming in. The concert started with The Twilight Sad opening with the beautiful notes of “There’s a Girl in the Corner” another great surprise for me! This song did bring together The Cure with The Twilight Sad for their collaboration. Robert Smith, recently recorded a beautiful cover for this song.
The Twilight Sad
The Twilight Sad delivered a great performance with 7 songs on their Setlist, James Graham always deliver exceptional intensity and passion while singing becoming one with the music and dominating the stage with a distinctive, impressive presence. The 7 songs performed were: 1) There is a Girl in the Corner – 2) Last January – 3) That Summer at Home I Had Become the Invisible Boy – 4) It Never Was The Same – 5) Seven Years of Letters – 6) Reflection of The Television – 7) And She Would Darken the Memory.
The Cure Concert Begin
The sun was almost down by 8pm. The arena of the Hollywood Bowl was full and exciting. Clouds were invading the sky creating the perfect shade of darkness and gray atmosphere for The Cure to take the stage. The show opened with the beautiful and distinct sound of the guitars and Robert voice singing “Open” the first song of a long beautiful and insane Setlist featuring 33 amazing songs, 4 encores and two new songs performed “Step into the Light“ and “It can never be the same“ . The Cure gifted us with 3 hours of an amazing and spectacular show.
After playing 19 uninterrupted songs, the band left the stage for the first time. Watching The Cure live is stunning!
They are better than ever. Robert Smith has amazing stamina, he can sing and play his guitar forever. In between songs Robert gave us few kind and cheerful words. Roberts voice is as fresh and powerful like time hasn’t passed, the same for his unique look, the only difference is that he is letting his hair color natural. Besides that, his black eye-lined eyes, lipstick, black dressed and heavy boots all still there. He is “The Cure” the founder and heart of this amazing band and it’s so great to see that unity as band that make them amazing like their music.
After 23 songs and at the end of the encore 2 my favorite song “A Forest” blown away the Hollywood Bowl! There are not enough words to describe how this song effected me and everyone else there. This song has been with me almost all my life. No matter what has changed growing up, or going through life experiences and I think when this happens that’s what great music is all about, you become one with it, and will never leave you. Was an incredible experience to hear it live!
After this great moment, we had encore 3 and encore 4 more beautiful songs were played. The Cure wanted to give us everything they could in 3 hours time and still a lot more of amazing music from their discography were left un played. Robert & Co. enjoyed play their music with us very much it was like they never wanted to stop until the grand final with the song “Boys Don’t Cry”. This concert was outstanding and fantastic for so many reasons. I have seen two amazing loved bands and I would love to see them again and again and again…
A special thanks to The Cure and to The Twilight Sad for this unforgettable concert and for their timeless great music!
Late in October 2016 I have created a watercolor ink painting dedicated to The Twilight Sad
1st Release Collectors Limited Edition Fine Art Print are available on pre-order Here
I am so excited, happy and honored to announce that I am a Guest-Featured on doodlewash.com thank you! Please give Charlie a visit and you can read all about my creative life!
Hello everyone! I am Carolina Russo from Southern California (follow me on my Blog, Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and Pinterest!). I am very excited and happy to be a Guest Doodlewasher! This blog is fantastic! I admire Charlie’s creativity and his doodlewashes are beautiful and inspiring. I am so proud to be able to say that I am one of the featured on Doodlewash. Thank you Charlie for having me here.
I was born and raised in Italy, the beautiful country where I have been surrounded by Italian art, creativity, history, Mediterranean traditions and European influences. My father is an artist and I grew up observing and being amazed by his oil paintings. I knew since I was a child that I wanted to be an artist. I enjoyed drawing, coloring and creating things since a very early age.
Hello everyone during last two months I made beautiful new connections. Thanks to everyone for the participation to our weekly Meet and Greet Fridays I had the opportunity to discover and connect with numerous and inspiring Blogs and it is not easy for me to choose only one each month. I was able to made my pick for the month of May. I had to choose between all the wonderful Bloggers that left their Blog links at our weekly event Meet and Greet Fridays this week was #11!
This month we will have the opportunity to travel around Australia and read all about it !
Today I am very pleased and honored to introduce you mynew Featured of the Month and featured is…freelance writer Miriam Blaker and her beautiful Blog
I connected with Miriam about two months ago we came across each other Blogs and we followed and stayed connected. Miriam is a lovely friend here on the Bloghosphere I always love her comments to my posts. She has a lovely family and live in Australia on the outskirts of Melbourne, she love to travel and professionally writes about all her adventures!
Miriam posts on her beautiful Blog are a joy to read and are accompanied by her beautiful and interesting photography. Published freelance writer, she contributing with numerous Australian Travel Magazines.
This is an excerpt of her About page…
“Hi, I’m Miriam. Thanks so much for dropping by and checking out my blog. I’ve been putting words to paper ever since I can remember and, in my late twenties, a Comprehensive Writing Course lead me to my passion – writing about places I visit and the people I meet along the way. I also discovered it’s a great way to journal life.
It was then I decided to try writing for magazines. It was hard work and it took years, but today I can finally say I’m a published freelance writer. Along with some casual copy-writing work it’s exciting to be contributing regularly to a number of well established Australian travel magazines, which you can view here. And equally exciting to be writing my own blog.
My travels have taken me to Europe, Asia and the Pacific however I’m now enjoying the delights of my own backyard, right here in Australia. So whenever I can I hit the road and write, I take photos and relish the great outdoors. I hope through this blog I can share my life, not just on the tracks but close to home, doing ordinary everyday stuff.
When I’m not traveling I live on the outskirts of Melbourne with a wonderful man who shares my sense of adventure and two teenage children who keep me on my toes. I enjoy the simple pleasures of life: keeping fit, walks with my dog, dance and Zumba, playing my guitar, good food, red wine, dark chocolate, hanging out with friends and generally trying to make the most out of life.
Come with me as I get out and about in this world where we’re all connected. And, if you want to comment on any of my posts, or just say hello, I would love to hear from you” – Miriam
I hope that you enjoyed this new Feature of the Month and to know more about Miriam life adventures please visit her Blog!
(Please Miriam grab this Badge and post it somewhere on your Blog linked to this post!) <3
How to be Featured on YesterdayAfter?
Stay Connected! Participate to the Meet and Greet Fridays weekly event leaving your Blog link, Follow here and on my other social media be active! Inspire!
You never know…maybe next Month I will choose YOU!
Wish you all a wonderful rest of the weekend!
Congratulations to Miriam to be the Featured of the Month May 2016
Today is time for another digital creation that I want to share with you, it’s a Portrait added to this Concept-Collection. This is Portrait #3 Silver Wave.
This is a black and white portrait created with black and white photos only for a monochrome effect, focusing on lighting and transparency. While editing and creating this portrait I was able to archive a magical golden lighting effect giving beautiful shades, it is lovely how it turned out I am very pleased and happy with it. This was a great experiment to work on.
I like to continually evolve with my Art and creativity which I love to express with different mediums. From years I love to work in Digital finding new ways of visualize and learn while experimenting. I like to work with photos, manipulating images of any kind. I often post my Digital Art . I made a new gallery for the “When Nature Meets Humans Portraits Collection” you can see and read all about this great concept here. When I am not working on my Jewelry Designs, and when I am not holding a pencil or a brush watercolor painting or sketching, I love to go Digital is an extension of my art which I love to work with very much and in this case Photoshop is my creative ally. I am using Photoshop from about 15 years, for me there are not other software to really compare with, I am so amazed all the time of what I am able to create with it that motivate and inspire me to create and experiment more and more.
I am very excited and inspired to keep working on this concept created as an experimental and evolving Collection of Artistic and one of a kind Digital Portraits this is also part of my personal creative and artistic growth and evolution. Thanks to all of you for leaving me your feedbacks and comments let me know what you think. I really appreciate all the encouragements and insights. This portrait it is the #3 of this Digital Art Collection, so far by now I created six portraits.
The story for this one starts with the title I gave “Silver Wave” because the reflection of the water combined with the light and the grays and white tones. I also feel that the portrait emits messages of peace and calm feelings and strength at the same time, it represent the image of a strong woman who is illuminated by rays of kindness and love with a sense of inner peace, purity and happiness.
I came up with this idea to mix nature with humans and create a unique and very different kind of portraits…let’s say very unusual portraits that tell a story, each one I created has their own story and meanings, they are filled with all my experience, art and soul into it.
If you’re interested in purchase a custom and unique portrait like this one using your own personal photos, I can create your personal and unique story with a custom Digital Art Portrait, for more info and details please contact me.
As always thank you I love to know your opinion and I appreciate your feedback!
Lack of time today I am going to share this older post about my jewelry designs. I wrote this post last November when I was lucky to meet in person some amazing Bloggers friends! <3
– Point Dume –
Point Dume is a promontory on the coast of Malibu, California that juts out into the Pacific Ocean. The point, a long bluff, forms the northern end of the Santa Monica Bay. Wikipedia
Fossil Seashell Fragment found at Point Dume
I designed this necklace for my friend blogger and published author Erika Kind as token of our friendship. If you followed our recent posts you know that we met (read my post) in person last November here in California it was a great experience. Each piece of Jewelry I design has a story behind it. This one symbolize the beginning of our friendship relate to one of our first conversations that we had when we met, and it was about how much Erika love California, the Ocean and the Beach she said that she love “Point Dume” which happen to be a wonderful place in Malibu where I go often and I love to take beautiful photos like this one of the beach where Point Dume promontory is. This is one of the places where I find precious natural elements like fragments of fossil seashells, stones, driftwood all elements gifted from nature that I treasure and collect for my unique jewelry designs.
Fossil seashells Fragments, Driftwood
The necklace created for Erika has all the elements to symbolize what she love, it represent the Ocean with the natural beauty of a fragment of a Fossil Seashell, a Pearl and her favorite Turquoise stone, the blue color of the stone symbolize the sky and the ocean water, all the elements are wired together creating a keepsake memories pendant with an adjustable leather cord. This is an example of the concept I work with, to create one of a kind Jewelry. I am very happy that Erika love the necklace very much at the point that when I gave to her she got emotional, that was my greatest gift to see the reaction she had it means I made it through her heart giving her happiness and joy…this is one of the reason why I love my work!
It is very nice to see Erika wearing this necklace knowing that she will treasure it!
I also created for this meet up occasion some new stackable bracelets, the kind that more you have the better!
I created one for Marissa, one for Corinne and a new one for Me!
This one was created for Corinne made with natural Blue Quartz and Yellow Citrine Crystal.
Corinne has already a necklace that I previously made for her and this bracelet is a matching!
The Pink Quartz bracelet was created for Marissa made with natural Rose Quartz and smoky Crystals.
Rose Quartz is also known as the “Love Stone” and emit positive and protective energy.
I didn’t know Marissa too well, I wasn’t sure about her taste but she loved it!
This Bracelet was created for Me with a shaped Turquoise stone, Pearls and smoky crystals.
I hope that you enjoyed to read all the details behind the scene about what inspired me
to create this special Jewelry honoring our Friendship.
*¨¨*✿*¨¨*
Details if you are interested in my work….
My work is made as Custom Order can be purchased and ordered here on this Blog or on my Etsy Shop.
If you are interested in my designs don’t hesitate to Contact me ✿⊱
This month I received an invitation to participate to this interesting Anthology of Art and Words on VisualVerse.org I found it to be very interesting and challenging to write something inspired by a picture as starting point to a creative, timed, writing process. The antique image that you see here was the starting point to write in a limited time and words a poem or story.
Visual Verse gave these instructions:
Visual Verse An Anthology of Art and Words One image, one hour, 50-500 words. The picture is the starting point, the text is up to you.
“we present an image will surely prompt some challenging responses. Taken from a 17th Century text, it is an illustration by French artist Alain Manesson Malett of two women in Syria. The image invites questions about identity, perception and the assumptions we make about those who are different from ourselves. And being over 400 years old, this image also reminds us that our quest to understand each other, to accept and to be accepted is nothing new”
I have been staring at this image and I let my imagination fly for awhile. I wrote and submitted a short story of 65 words “Poignant Pondering” is the title.
This short story is not published here on my Blog yet. I am very happy to share it with you as a nice archivement of my creativity that now is part of this interesting Anthology and published on:
I enjoyed to watercolor this delicious French Dessert I had no much time so I made it very fast and post it very late since I wasn’t home! I love Crepes they can be made sweet or salty and this day brings up my memories of travelling to France years ago when I was still in Italy I had the opportunity to travel and visit beautiful places in Europe. I have been to France twice and both times was wonderful. I remember when In one of the two trip I visited the French Atlantic Coast going to Bretagne and Normandy I visited lovely places on the coast and I ate lots of Crepes, they were so delicious and often made just in front of me. I loved all the sweet ones, but I also loved the seafood ones! I had great time there! I hope that for today you enjoy my watercolor ones! ;-)
Crêpe Suzette is a French dessert consisting of a crêpe with beurre Suzette, a sauce of caramelized sugar and butter, tangerine or orange juice, zest, and Grand Marnier or orange Curaçao liqueur on top, served flambé.
I found a recipe that seems to be original French if you would like to try to make them here is the recipe! <3
You can read more facts about the origins of the Crepe Suzette here!
Details about my doodlewash: I used a basic watercolor palette Artist’s Loft Fundamental watercolor pan set this pan set is considered for beginners but I enjoy use it for the variety of colors and for sketching. I also used a Pigma Micron Black Ink pen #005 Brown #01 and a Red gel pen over a Mix Media sketchbook!
With this National Crepe Suzette Day I join Charlie at doodlewashcelebrating a #DoodlewashDinner!You are welcome to join with your doodlewash!
Tag your image #DoodlewashDinner.
This Month there are many things on my plate!
First of all Charlie at Doodlewash invited all of us for a month of a virtual doodlewash dinners!
The month of May hold a new sketching and watercolor adventure the theme that Charlie choose is “Food” so you will see from me lots of delicious food illustrations!
Today according to this List is National Chocolate Mousse Day!
I choose to watercolor a traditional French Chocolate Mousse and I am giving to my own w a mint twist flavor! <3
The word mousse in French means foam, and chocolate is for chocolate. Mousse au chocolate translates as foamy chocolate.
With a few rare exceptions, all chocolate mousse recipes have two ingredients: dark Chocolate is the essential element of the dessert, and egg white, whipped into a foam and added to the melted chocolate to provide the light and foamy texture essence of the recipe.
This is the traditional mousse, additional ingredients can be added to change the taste and texture of the dessert, if you search you can find many recipes.
Details about my doodlewash: I used a basic watercolor palette Artist’s Loft Fundamental watercolor pan set this pan set is considered for beginners but I enjoy use it for the variety of colors and for sketching. I also used a Pigma Micron Black Ink pen #005 Brown #01 and a Pink gel pen over a Mix Media sketchbook!
With this celebration I am also join Charlie at doodlewashcelebrating a #DoodlewashDinner!You are welcome to join with your doodlewash!
Tag your image #DoodlewashDinner.
re great music names of all time has performed. I was lucky to be able to have a ticket on the second day of the three “Sold Out” shows. The Cure also performed on Sunday 22 and Tuesday 24 as part of their North America Tour 2016 the first US full-fledged tour in eight years with 33 Shows in US and in Autumn they will be touring in Europe with 26 Shows.
One of The Twilight Sad beautiful songs that I love is “There’s a Girl in the Corner,” track from 2014 latest album “
This one was created for
Carolina Russo |Sa'Reyah 
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