Retro Fits My Rose Colored World

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dark Garden, DebraLee Andersohn, debraleedarling, facebook, music business, pitch correction, retro, you tube

I really do see the world through Rose Colored Glasses. It can be a good quality to have, but yet at times it doesn’t serve me well. I tend to think that everyone is lovely and loves me and has my best interest at heart. Every once in a while I have to be reminded that the world can be a beautiful place, but that I have to take those glasses off and see the real world at times.

~Corset and Photo courtesy of DarkGarden.com San Francisco Ca.~

Case in point. Last year I had some unfortunate things happen in my life surrounding my music career. I fell into the hands of the BIG BAD MUSIC BUSINESS. It took me, used me, chewed me up and spit me out. A terribly corrupt business that I want no part of. I almost sold my soul to the devil himself.

I was unable to see the signs that were right in front of me because of those little glasses that I wear, but I am proud that I had the strength to take them off and see the situation for what it was. I had to go through some mental anguish that almost ruined me, but I rose above it.  I have no regrets.

Through it all I learned some pretty valuable things about myself and my life. I learned what is really important in my life. That being an artist doesn’t mean losing yourself in the process.  I learned that being a success in music doesn’t mean flying across the country and cutting a jazz record. It doesn’t mean getting a thousand likes on your FACEBOOK FAN PAGE.  What it does mean is that when I open my mouth and use the blessed gift that I was given, if I make one person smile or feel good, THAT is Success. Success is being blessed that I get to perform a lot! It’s NOT about money.  It’s about freedom.  It’s about not compromising my vision and musical dreams.  If it’s not fun then I want no part of it.

When my husband saw that I wanted so badly to live my vision, and finding players that wanted to do more than just show up at a gig was nearly impossible, he stepped up to the plate and began learning my songs.  He then found that he enjoyed the music and that together we are magic. Together we have a sweet style that is heartwarming and people respond to.   He is behind my music choices because he knows that when I choose a song that moves my spirit and speaks to my soul, I sing with passion and emotion.   He is now the catalyst for my dream.  He has fallen into my little retro world and we are out playing music and celebrating life.  I am living my musical vision for myself as a RETRO GIRL and now I have a retro guy by my side.  We walk into the coolest places and just play our music and there is joy. The PERKS are REALLY good too!

Our act is called DebraLee Darling and her BRAD HABIT!  We have been doing some amateur recordings that show our realness.  I think transparency is important.  I love the music stripped down to it’s most basic and organic form so that you can hear the vocals.  I don’t profess to be a perfect singer, I am far from it.   Someone once said to me that they loved my voice because it didn’t sound trained and that it had pizzazz and character.  That the subtle imperfections made it sound real and unique.  That if they closed their eyes they felt as though they had stepped back in time.  I found that to be a great compliment.  Sometimes I think people feel they have to be perfect because of all of the over production and vocal enhancements and pitch adjustments in records these days.   It’s not at all necessary to spend money (especially if you don’t have it) on pro recordings to get yourself out there when YouTube is where it’s at.   No one ever asks me for a CD anymore they say, “Do you have and of your performances up on YOU TUBE?”

YOU TUBE is where people are being discovered. It’s where they audition now.  We will be putting up a video from some of our performances and soon I will have recordings that will be available for free.  My gift to whoever wants to listen.

If you did not come from my website please visit www.DebraLeeDarling.com to learn more, hear a recording, see a video.

I Will continue being that girl who looks through the rose colored glasses. I enjoy my life and I am perfectly comfortable in my retro skin. I will take them off and brace myself as I see what the rest of the world sees…well maybe just for a minute anyway.

HAVE A ROSY DAY!!!!!

Adventures in Retrospect

Tags

Ben Flajnik, Brad Andersohn, DebraLee Darling, Enoteca Della Santina, Evolve Winery, five and dime, Heidi Geffen, Kool Retro Kat, La Salette, nostalgic, Sonoma Ca. Sonoma Square, The Bachelor, Tiddle E Winks, Vintage shop

I am blessed with an old fashioned Vintage look that works really well for me, and on so many occasions the most interesting and wonderful things happen to my husband and I as we venture out into the world.

The other day my husband Brad Andersohn took me to Sonoma Square for a lunch date. After dining at a quaint little place, La Salette. We took a stroll and visited some of the nearby shops, and to my surprise a little vintage five and dime store found us! TIDDLE E. WINKS.

We went inside and made conversation with the owner Miss Heidi Geffen. I felt right at home in this little piece of nostalgic heaven! My husband made sure to mention that I sang 30′s and 40′s vintage too! He showed her a recording of us and she begged us to come and perform for an event the evening before Valentines Day.

My husband and I quickly put a little 5 song set together for the event and we are having so much fun we think we just might continue down this Retro Road together as we think there are plenty of opportunities just waiting for us!

Here is the wonderful flyer below and email blast that Heidi sent her Customers. And how fortunate for us that we get to be on the same bill as THE BACHELOR!! Just in case you didn’t know, Ben Flajnik is from Sonoma and he is a real person, not just the guy on THE BACHELOR. In fact he is a winemaker at EVOLVE WINERY and wine is a HUGE passion of ours and we hope to taste Ben’s wine. He will be in town the same night that we perform pouring his wine at ENOTECA DELLA SANTINA a little wine store and tasting room in the Square that offers wines from all over the world.

Heartfelt greetings from Cupid & Friends!

Love is in the air, and there’s lots going at Tiddle E. Winks! As you may already know, Bachelor Ben & Kacie B. were on a date right here in our store. They had a fun time picking out sweet treats, and she chose a Kermit lunch box as a souvenir of their date. We don’t know who he picked, but we DO know that he’ll be back on E. Napa Street next week. On Monday, February 13th, Ben will be pouring his wine at our neighboring wine bar, Enoteca Della Santina. You can call them at 707-938-4200 for details of the event.

In honor of our hometown bachelor, and the fact that it’s the night before Valentine’s Day, we’re planning a little fun & romance of our own! Please join us on February 13th from 6:00 – 7:00 p.m. to hear the smooth stylings of DebraLee Darling & Her Kool Retro Kat. She’s a classic, pin-up beauty with a voice that’ll melt your heart, and he is, indeed, a kool and talented kat on the ukulele. What a treat to have them serenading us right here at Tiddle E. Winks! Mention this email that night, and we’ll have a Valentine treat just for you. Don’t live in town but still want a sweet deal? Today through Valentine’s Day receive free shipping on orders over $25.00…plus we’ll include a sweet treat in your order!

Chocolate Hearts & Candy Kisses from your Friends at Tiddle E. Winks! XOXO

HOPE TO SEE YOU THERE!!!!

DebraLee Darling

Paleo Lifestyle ( The original retro diet)

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DebraLee Andersohn, DebraLee Darling, retro, Paleo diet. caveman diet, Hunter gatherer, Body mass index, stone age diet, anemia, netflix, low carb, menopause, paleolithic, organic, free roaming, organic dairy, Wheat Belly, Marks Daily Apple, Primal Girl, Tara Grant, Mark Sisson's food pyramid, wheat belly blog, Food Inc., grass fed beef, primal body primal mind, you tube, clean food, robb wolf, primal pacs

In my first Post I talked about my PALEO lifestyle.

What is all of this about the PALEO DIET?

AKA Caveman Diet, Stone Age Diet, or Hunter Gatherer Diet.

This is a way of eating that I found works beautiful for me and my body responds wonderful to it.

50's glasses and authentic 50's Retro Hawaiian Dress

Let me start not by telling you what I don’t eat,  but what I DO eat.

I eat ALL red meats, Pork, Poultry, Fish, eggs, limited dairy, nuts, seeds, and lots of fat.  I try within my control to eat all organic vegetables, grass fed meats, free roaming poultry and any dairy that I consume also comes from grass fed animals.

Grass fed=a healthy animal free of disease=no hormones or unhealthy meat going into my body.   (Have you seen FOOD INC. ?)

click on the link above to see the movie trailer on YOU TUBE,  and try to rent it on NETFLIX it’s an eye opener!

Now let me tell you what I DON’T EAT,  and try to wrap your brain around it if you can.  I DO NOT EAT any grains of any kind.  I do not eat beans, legumes, I do not eat rice or potatoes.  IS THIS A LOW CARB diet?   Not necessarily.   It’s more of an elimination diet really.  I am taking fake food out of my diet, and taking foods that my body doesn’t really agree with and what I am left with is pure, clean REAL food.   I eat plenty of carbs but not in the conventional way that most of the world has been lead to believe is right.    WHY ON EARTH WOULD I DO THIS??? 

Because it makes sense.

Because my body responds really positively to it.  My emotions are more stable, and I sleep better.

Because eating this way has changed me from being terribly anemic for 18 years, to NOT being anemic.

My blood glucose is beautiful, my cholesterol is beautiful even though I eat a lot of animal fat and other good oils.

It’s pretty surprising that at 47 I am at a comfortable weight, trim, and low BMI (Body Mass Index) even though I am beginning menopause, a time when a lot of women balloon up in weight mostly because of their HORMONES.   I feel younger and more vibrant than when in my 20′s.  In fact most people when I state my age they almost don’t believe me.  “What ???? No way, you look like you couldn’t be a day over 30, what is your secret?” More often than not, when I explain paleo they inevitably give me the Deer in the headlight look.

“This is a challenging thing to begin,  but once mastered it gave me a strong sense of empowerment.“

I could go on and on about the reasons why this is a good idea for most people,  but I am not a doctor and these are just my beliefs and what works for me.  I have many resources that I can share by Medical Doctors, Nutritionists,  Research Biochemists, and personal trainers.  I share some of my favorite books at the end of this post below.

Read  about my beautiful  friend TARA GRANT and her story at Primalgirl.com  Tara is a true inspiration and Muse to me in so many ways.

BELOW from Author of The Paleo Blueprint,  is Mark Sisson ‘s Food Pyramid which I live and eat by.

        When I travel or am out and about I always carry healthy snacks just in case.  (Click on Cave Dude below for details)

Here are a few books and websites that I recommend starting with.  It’s important to educate yourself before making a drastic diet change.

Robbwolf.com

Marksdailyapple.com

Primalbodyprimalmind.com

Wheatbellyblog.com

                                          

                                                                                         Paleo is VERY Retr0

REMEMBER THE GOOD OL’ DAYS

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40's pin up, DebraLee Andersohn, DebraLee Darling, drive through dairies, nostalgic, old fashioned, paleo, primal, retro, service stations, simple times, smartphone, smooth swing, socal media. drive in movies, soda shops, Terribly Girlie Photography, the good old days, torch jazz, vintage, vintage clothing, vintage hairstyles, vintage shopping

REMEMBER THE GOOD OL’ DAYS?

I was thinking the other day that I was fortunate as a young girl to witness such things as,   Service stations where you pulled up and a gentleman would fill your car with gas, check your oil and wash your windows with a smile and a, “HAVE A NICE DAY SIR or MA’AM.”  Below is a video link that  pretty much sums up how bewildered an individual would be if they encountered a service station in this day and age ( disregard the carmax ad)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O-qEqXzQ1SA

Remember DRIVE IN THEATRES where you could drive in and hook up a speaker to the window and watch a movie in the comfort of your car?   (These still exist in some parts but very few)  Click on the link below

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=djihXZs63Gw

I remember Drive Through Dairies where you could get your milk, eggs and cheese.

Or OLD FASHIONED SODA SHOPS  back in the day, where teens would hang out for hours and socialize?  Does anyone socialize outside of social media anymore?

What happened to writing letters?   Buying real greeting cards for special occasions?  Real gifts for that matter?  We are so frantic and busy that we are reduced to email, e cards and gift cards.  Where is the meaning in that?   What ever happened to putting forth a little effort and love into achieving something worthwhile?

Lets think about food.  Things have gotten out of hand in the way of packaged this, and fast food that, putting so many chemicals in our diet that the food we eat doesn’t resemble food at all.   Here you will read about my love for PRIMAL EATING. 

I think that I was born in the wrong era because the thought of not having everything in my life being instantaneous really seems appealing to me.   There are simply times when I just want to throw my SMARTPHONE out of the window, trash the television, computer and gather my family and friends for a SUNDAY dinner.

My desire with this blog is to share my LOVE for things back in a more simple time.

For the last two years my look has evolved into more of a 40′s pin up.  (Photo above taken at Terribly Girlie Photography FLA)

As a music artist my style has switched from rock and blues to 30′s 40′s smooth swing and torch which I believe that I was born to sing.  The music and lyrics back then were simple, romantic, and innocent.  This was a time when a lady was a lady.  She didn’t need to flaunt her sexuality by uncovering every part of her body.  Her clothing was feminine, and being feminine in itself was simply SEXY!

I love vintage music, fashion, hair styles and shopping.   I love to cook, knit and I am learning to sew my own clothes.   There is a huge community that live a retro lifestyle including me,  and I would like to share some of my experiences and thoughts with you on this blog.  You will find my music here soon, plus more vintage photos.  I wish to rekindle the good things in life and get back to the beauty of simplicity.

Thank you for visiting and I hope that you will return often.

DebraLee Andersohn (AKA DebraLee Darling)