Pour yourself a glass of champagne and head over to Fashion.net, where you'll find links to sites about fashion, designers, art, photography, design, magazines, blogs, books, travel, shopping, music and more! 

The Weepies' new album, Hideaway, is now available!! 

Here's Josh Hosler with Lionel Ritchie, the man who had the #1 song in the U.S. on December 3, 1983.  Josh created The #1 Song On This Date in History - site that enables you to see what songs were #1 on specific dates.  From his site:

What was the #1 song on ...
 - the day you were born?
 - the day you graduated from high school?
 - the day you were married?
 - the day your child was born?
 - the approximate date you were conceived?

To Sir With Love by Lulu was the hot hit when I was born...what about you? 

Peter Gabriel is one of my heroes.  His groundbreaking videos and powerful music makes me wish he spent more time in the recording studio, but I love to see artists push their boundaries and choose to explore rather than stay on the safe and familar path.  You can read about his latest project - The Filter - here.  It isn't available for the Mac yet, but as soon as it is I'll be checking it out.

OK, towards the end of this video about Girls Rock, when one of the girls says, "I've been waiting for so long to finally admit to myself that I"m amazing and I really am..." I lose it...

I saw Shut Up and Sing last year and was so inspired I felt like I was glowing for a few days after - their talent, integrity and commitment to one another blew me away.  I am so happy a documentary film was made about this, otherwise it would have just been another faded headline and most of the world would never have known how incredible these three women were throughout the entire experience.  I can only hope I would be so strong and confident under the same circumstances.

My knowledge and appreciation of classical music has grown steadily every year ever since I started dating my husband, who is a violinist and a walking encyclopedia of classical music.  We have season tickets to the Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra, and with each concert my ability to stay focused on the music has strengthened.  During the first few concerts, I mostly daydreamed, which isn't a bad way to spend an evening, but over time my attention has been pulled into what is going on onstage with greater ferocity.  During the last concert we attended - entitled Russia Revealed with a special performance by Chee-Yun (pictured above) - I was riveted the entire time and moved to tears by Chee-Yun's playing.

I think it is very easy to get intimidated by the idea of learning more about classical music.  I now know a fair amount and I'm still easily overwhelmed.  Classical.net has a handy online guide to help you get started in learning more about -  and listening to - classical music, and the LA Chamber Orchestra also has tickets available for as low as $17.   If that feels like too tall of an order to get you going, here are a few of my favorites to help you dip your toe into the world of classical music:

Chopin Nocturnes

Vivaldi Four Seasons

Bach Brandenburg Concertos

If you do an amazon search for any of these, you'll also find a few "Most Relaxing Music"-type compilations, and those are also a great way to hear a variety of pieces.

Going back to that night I almost burst into tears listening to Chee-Yun's violin playing, she came out for an encore at the end of the performance and played a piece called Recitativo and Scherzo-Caprice composed by Fritz Kreisler.  I think I jumped out of my seat the instant she finished to give her a standing ovation, as this is an especially mind-blowing piece of work.  I could not find a video of Chee-Yun playing it, but I did find a video of the piece played by Henryk Szeryng.  Be patient - this piece really gets going around the 2 1/2 minute mark, and then you simply won't believe what you're watching and hearing.  Stunning.

I read this article about the 86-year old pioneer of Afro-Cuban percussion Candido Camero over the weekend and was so inspired I wanted to go run a marathon.  I hope I have that much energy when I'm 86! 

Last night I listened to part of Passion - the Peter Gabriel soundtrack to The Last Temptation of Christ - on my friends' insanely powerful stereo equipment and I had forgotten how much I love this CD.  I would have to say it is my favorite CD of all time, incredibly powerful, moving and passionate. 

I have been listening to The Album Leaf almost non-stop lately.  It is perfect mood music for painting, writing, daydreaming and simply BEING.  Into the Blue Again and In a Safe Place are two of their most recent CDs; their CD titles alone send me to a dreamy place.