Hair Styles

It's funny how different it is in California compared to New York. Or at least the part of New York I'm from. I remember getting Seventeen magazines when I was a teenager and even though there would be certain trends that were new and apparently "in," girls in my high school didn't catch on right away. There was always that weird lag of at least a month between the two.


Here, on the other hand, it's completely different. I read in a magazine (probably Seventeen again, even though I'm 22) about the new fashionable approach to hairstyles using feather extensions braided in to the roots fand boom, within the week I was seeing it on almost every girl around.


It has even caught on in a different.. I guess you could say, "kind" of people. Today, while working at Pier One Imports, where I have been a sales associate for the past month, someone brought their dog inside. While it's weird enough to see a dog in the store (due to the terrifying nature of wondering whether or not they are going to run into one of the many breakable displays), I wasn't prepared to see a brightly colored feather tucked into the hairs on the dogs ears as she walked around.


I have to say, it definitely made the dog stand out. And surprisingly, it worked. Just wait until some celebrities here about this one. In fact, after doing a quick Google search, I found out that this sort of thing is a trend! Look at some of the pictures I found below:

I'm not really sure where it looks better.

Mountain Goats

When you get called out for an encore three times, it's pretty safe to assume you're doing something right. That's what happened last night when The Mountain Goats performed at The Fillmore in San Francisco.

To say that The Mountain Goats are a good band is a bit of an understatement. I had first discovered them when my sister given her iTunes library to me and they were one of the bands I had never heard of. But as soon as I listened to "Palmcorder Yajna," I was hooked.


Led by John Darnielle, The Mountain Goats provide deep, meaningful lyrics packed with emotional resonance. Darnielle's voice alone is so unique and warm that you can't help but stand in awe as he rocks it out on the stage. One of the things I found to be quite remarkable was how much he hated people clapping when it was his turn to sing to us with only himself and his guitar.


Many of their songs are about how things get better, even though they might seem heavy at first. I was quite sad that one of my all time favorites, "Dance Music" wasn't played, but despite that, it was still probably the best performance I have ever seen. I'm still reeling from the show and it's been 24 hours since it ended.


The venue itself was beautiful, with glass chandeliers dropped from the ceiling, posters lining the walls telling the stories of other greats who had played there as well, and free complimentary posters as we, reluctantly, walked outside.


I love going to concerts such as this one when you can really tell that the audience feels and loves true music. At one point, I remember hearing someone behind me say, "Dude, this band is amazing," with his friend "Yeah"ing in agreement. So, if you are one of those people out there who haven't listened to this band, you must go do so. Right now.

Bike Party

One of the few traditions that have been started here is walking to the gas station around the corner to stock up on junk food and energy drinks. It has gotten to the point where the man behind the cash register knows me and even let 64 cents slide one time when I didn't have an extra dollar.

Friday night, upon walking up the small hill to get there, I noticed a bunch of bicycles going by, with their lights shining on the road. At first, I just assumed it was a small get together of friends taking a nighttime adventure on the main street of Los Gatos. But then, the bikes never stopped coming. I watched in awe from the moment I saw them until the moment I left the gas station, bag full of chips in hand. Outside, some kid was dressed like a teletubby. 

When I got home, I excitedly told everyone about what I had just seen and from there, we found out that it was the San Jose Bike Party. On the third Friday of every month, riders can meet at a rotated meeting place in the South Bay area and ride the planned route. A different theme is also picked out: last week's was 'That 70's Ride.' Next month is still a mystery, yet the website promises it will be special.

The rides, according to the website (which you can go to here) "aim to demonstrate a tangible alternative to car-based transportation and continue to provide a focal point for the local bike-friendly community for the long term."

The rides, which start at 8pm each time, are usually around 30 miles long through the San Jose suburban areas and they promise that even if you're out of shape, it's slow paced and the adrenaline rush of riding in a group gives you the stamina to get through it all. Since the beginning of the party in 2009, the rider count is around 2,700 riders and during the summer months, it grows due to the warm weather. I love their mantra:

"A bicycle is freedom, a bicycle is friendly, and a bicycle is life." 

Anyone in the Bay area should definitely check it out, if they're unfamiliar with it anyway. It seems like a cool, fun way to meet people. As I watched from the window, it seemed like a ride for all ages, even though it is suggested that it's for the over 18 crowd. Below are some pictures that I grabbed from the Bike Party's Flickr page!

And, in honor of today being Father's Day, go check out this awesome slide slow on BuzzSugar featuring fatherly advice from movie dads. 

Los Gatos Creek Trail

Living in Los Gatos has been a wonderful adventure so far. The people are friendly, it's sunny most of the time, and there's a certain charm within the town that you can't help but smile at. Downtown Los Gatos is exceptionally nice, with pedestrian friendly streets, unique shops, restaurants, and even a small town square with benches and a fountain. Nestled within the surrounding mountains, I once overheard someone say that Los Gatos was a "destination town." 


One of the things I've truly come to love about my new home is the Los Gatos Creek Trail, a paved pathway that extends for almost eleven miles from San Jose through Lexington Reservoir County Park. Not only does it provide a safe, traffic-free way to bike (or walk if you really prefer) from town to town, it gives me a fun, beautiful way to get to work.


I start at the entrance to Vasona Park, where I get to weave my way through geese and other trail-goers along the lakeside. Eventually I pass over the train tracks (of a small train that goes through the park) and go through the woods, which is my favorite part. Even though I grumble to myself about going up some hills, they aren't that challenging and getting the chance to see baby goslings and the surrounding mountains is more than worth it. 


Getting to explore the trail is fun too. Yesterday I went past the area I usually stop and went onwards, which eventually turned into an unpaved track near the Highway. It travels on to the reservoir, which sounds exciting to see. I, however, turned around as soon as I saw the big hill I had to go up in order to get there (it was 90 degrees out). Check out some pictures below!

A New Beginning

It's been about five months since I last posted, which got me to thinking: this place needs some redecorating. So as you can tell, things look a little different, but in a very good way and I've decided that I need to completely change my focus with this blog. I started it way back before I ever really knew what I was doing which has hopefully changed, and now I'm excited to start writing again. 


But in order to do that, I need to extend my virtual hand and reintroduce myself. 


Hi! My name is Sarah Evans and no, I'm not the infamous country singer that everyone seems to reference when they meet me. Instead, I'm a college graduate who can't find the job of my dreams. I'm 22, living in California in an amazingly beautiful place (pictures will definitely come eventually), and one day I'd like to be able to be proud of what I do (which hopefully will be to write). I'm an avid movie lover, indie music enthusiast, and I currently divide my time between two part time retail jobs, my niece and nephew, and of course, this super addictive computer of mine. 


So stay tuned and hopefully, this will be a lot better of a show. :) 


-Sarah