LA Music Scene Darlings + Musical Escapism = JJAMZ

Back in my late teens/early twenties, I would spend most weekends (plus a handful of weeknights) adventuring along the east coast, seeing bands from across the country. Although I was in New York, surrounded by many great local acts, I was drawn to many bands from the west coast, particularly those who were popular in the LA music scene. My adventures even took me to California a handful of times, in which my wonderful friend Melissa was my guide. Back in 2006, I remember receiving a MySpace request from someone, or something, called JJAMZ. I had no clue who it was, so I poked around before I let them be my friend. Once I looked around, I realized that it was a band, comprised of some of my favorite musicians. JJAMZ, pronounced, juh-jamz (you gotta put a little stutter in it), is the musical love child of long-time friends James Valentine (guitarist for Maroon 5), Jason Boesel (drummer for Rilo Kiley, The Elected and Bright Eyes), Alex Greenwald (actor and Phantom Planet frontman), Michael Runion (solo artist), and Z Berg (lead singer and guitarist of The Like), in respective alphabetical form. The side project was formed as an outlet for the friends to express themselves, outside of their current obligations.

Valentine, Greenwald, Berg, Runion + Boesel. Credit: JJAMZ

Since I received that MySpace request years ago, I hadn't heard much of the band, until late last year. JJAMZ was signed to Dangerbird Records, and their debut album, Suicide Pact, is slated for a July 10 release. I got my hands on the tracks "Heartbeat" and "Never Enough," and the tracks are amazing. Z's sultry, slightly raspy voice, pairs perfectly with the melody provided by her talented bandmates. The songs definitely have an electronic feel, but upon listening closely, you can tell that the arrangements are multi-faceted. These would be a perfect soundtrack for a Bret Easton Ellis novel (well, minus American Psycho), or a welcomed addition to the Drive soundtrack - especially "Heartbeat." If these songs are any indication of what will be delivered on Suicide Pact, this album will definitely be one of the best albums of the summer. I'd love to get my hands on a copy before it hits shelves, to give it a few listens and write a solid review, before it goes live. 





JJAMZ will be on the road, joining the Nylon and Starbucks Frappuccino Summer Music Tour with Neon Trees. Check out tour dates and snag your tickets here. Seeing as I have seen 3/5 of the band perform live on numerous occasions, I highly recommend you get your tickets early - its going to be a good show. 


If you like what you heard, head over to  jjamzmusic.com for a free download of "Heartbeat." While you're there, you can also check out the video for "Never Enough." Don't forget to check JJAMZ out on Facebook and Twitter for the latest updates.

Teeccino - the Greatest Thing Since... Real Coffee.

A few months back, I was flipping through the channels and stumbled upon Dr. Oz. I've watched him on and off for years, and I adore him. He's so nice and his smile and positive attitude are contagious! At the moment I began watching, he was telling a viewer about an alternative to coffee. I was curious, because decaf coffee freaks me out. Why? I'll explain.

Did you know that most coffee companies, including your beloved Starbucks, use a chemical process to remove the caffeine? There is an alternative Swiss water process which can be utilized, but its pricier and more time consuming (fun fact I learned: when you use the Swiss water process to remove caffeine, it produces green coffee extract, which Starbucks is now using in their new line of Refreshers). So, needless to say, I avoid decaf coffee like the plague.

Now, the coffee alternative Dr. Oz shared is called Teeccino. Its a caffeine-free herbal coffee. Herbal coffee? Hmmm... I was skeptical, and went to the website to read ingredients. All natural ingredients, mostly organic (some are 75%, some are 100% - depends on the product), and fancy flavors. I wanted to give Teeccino a spin! I inquired about the products, and Teeccino said they would send a few samples over to me. Awesome. Well, when the package arrived, it much bigger than I had expected. 

They sent me Teeccino in two forms - tea bags + ground for all-purpose coffee pots. Since I haven't had a chance to get through all of the Teeccino yet (cutting caffeine back has been a grueling process, but I'm doing it, slowly but surely), but I got to sample the tea bags, so I can give some feedback on those thus far. The four tea bags I received were Chocolate, French Roast, Hazelnut and Vanilla Nut. If you have a nut allergy, do not, I repeat, do not drink the ones with the nuts. As I always say, read the package beforehand.

So, the first flavor of Teeccino that I tried was the Chocolate. I was surprised at how much it actually smelled like chocolate. When I sipped it black, it wasn't bad, but working for Starbucks for ten years gave me a serious coffee tasting palate. I knew that I would enjoy this with some sort of creamer. I used  bit of a sweetened cashew creamer, and it was delicious. I tried the French Roast, which was better than regular french roast coffee. I hate French Roast in coffee form, but could drink this. Again, tasted better with a sweetened milk product.


I finally put my finger on what Teeccino tastes like - flavored pods for my Keurig (which hasn't been used in about a year now)! They flavor is enhanced by adding a drop of sweetener and creamer. Or, a sweetened creamer, which I prefer - all natural, of course. My favorites were the Hazelnut and Vanilla Nut. I am actually enjoying a cup of the Vanilla Nut right now. We are out of my regular creamer, so I used a splash of Erich's favorite - Horizon Organic Lowfat Chocolate Milk. I must admit, it tastes amazing. I try to avoid dairy, but it was only a tablespoon, nothing crazy. Definitely enhanced the flavors and added some body to the beverage.


So, what is the consensus of this coffee snob? Teeccino is the way to go, when it comes to the realm of decaffeinated beverages. My favorite is the Vanilla Nut, but if you have nut allergies, steer clear. You can snag Teeccino at your local Whole Foods, or you can order straight from their site. They are running a special on their Sampler Pack, exclusively through Facebook. If you "like" Teeccino, you can order the Sampler Pack for $10.99, including shipping, through the provided link. Like them here and click on Special Offers tab. Trust me, its worth it - even if you keep it in the house for guests who prefer decaffeinated brews.


Next month I will be reviewing the ground flavors of Teeccino I received. I plan on testing out some iced coffee, along with some sweet treats. Are there any sweet treats you would like to see me make with Teeccino? Suggestions are welcomed!

A Deal I NEED To Share.

Now, seeing as I can't let my friends pass up a killer sale, you should head over to Karmaloop. They are moving into a new warehouse, so they are having a crate sale. For the last week, they have had 20%, 30%, 40% and 50% off crates. This morning, owner Greg Selkoe announced they added a 75% off crate.

There are some choice items in the 75% off crate. There is something for everyone - guys, gals, even the kiddos. If you need to get some early Christmas gifts, a present for yourself, or items to sell on eBay (trust me, you can make your money back PLUS some on a ton of items, especially those Jeffrey Campbell shoes), go check it out.

To get the discount, you need to use the promo code CRATES at checkout. To get an extra discount, use the rep code ShortGirlLongIsland. If you spend $100, shipping is free. If not, it's between $4 and $6.50, which is still pretty cheap! Here is the link - what are you waiting for?

Featured on Why I Blog Wednesday

Yesterday, I was featured on my pal Lori's blog,  A Little Slice of Special. She's an awesome blogger + a short gal, just like myself. Check out Why I Blog Wednesday, and make sure to check out the rest of Lori's site!