Pont Marie

Crossing the Seine near Pont Marie on our way to Rallye Tournelle to play. The picture's by my friend Maartje Willems (thanks!).

One more week in Paris...

If anyone has the answer to the following question, please let me know: How are we ever supposed to leave Paris and the beautiful Belleville area? (don't say something like by car or any other means of transportation...) It feels so good to be here and this experience has resulted in new songs and - perhaps even more importantly - a very energetic, creative, happy vibe. I'll try to stop mourning the fact that we're leaving soon. It's silly. I'll stop being overdramatic now as well and I'll really enjoy our last week here with all I've got!! ;-) And there's our afternoonshow in Cafe Rallye Tournelle on Sunday that I'm really looking forward to. Life is good. :-) I hope to see you there if you're in Paris!

Love!

Daisy

I just go absolutely ape!

"Every morning when I wake up and I see there’s a whole new other day I just go absolutely ape!"

I love these words spoken by Gaby in the movie 'Paris when it sizzles' (1964). Actually, it's what's happening to me. I wake up thinking about all these options, all the surprises a day can bring. I get out of bed, get breakfast and feel eager to go out. I feel like simply walking around our neighbourhood -the 19th arr. - and finding out what's going on in the other arrondissements. Try this place, try that place, write songs, get more gigs or do something incredibly touristy. Everything's so much fun that some of the days I don't even know where to start and run the risk of falling flat. But I don't! No, I won't! It's absolute freedom...I just go absolutely ape! I love it.

One of the things I love to do most is to check out as much live music as I can. Last night was great for that. We went to Caveau des Oubliettes (which used to be a prison in the 12th century) to see the SoulConnexion Jam featuring Rachid Guissous (see them in the pic.). Very groovy and inspiring. As are so many things around here...sigh. ;-)

Well, I hope you enjoyed Christmas and I'm wishing you a lovely New Years' party and a beautiful new year with lots of joy and freedom!

Daisy x

Paris

I'm writing this looking out of the window of our apartment in Paris. It's snowing. Last night we arrived at this nice and cosy little home which reminds me of the apartment I lived in when I was a student. I'm having my morning coffee although it's past twelve. iTunes is on shuffle and playing just the right music. I'm on the couch feeling amazed; are we really here for two entire months? Yes, we are! It feels great to be in this beautiful city to explore it and play and write songs.

Have a lovely day!

Daisy

Cold Nights & Red Wine

As the cold is slowly kicking in I'm trying hard to surrender to the winter vibe. It helps to have happy thoughts of warm coats, fireplaces, red wine, my new shoes ;), spending long evenings in cosy bars with friends and most of all: Paris! Finally, the day we're traveling to this beautiful city is approaching. We're going to stay there for 2 months, which is brilliant, but it also means no Dutch shows until we get back. The good thing is, that there's still a few shows before we go. What's even better; the shows are part of the Winebar Tour. So if the thought of music and red wine in the evening or late afternoon makes you happy...come see us! Dates are - where else would they be - in the agenda at www.daisycools.com.

Love!

Daisy

Worlds Collide

Isn't it weird to be completely uninspired? Have you been there? I've felt that way for a while. Nothing too awful; I just didn't feel like doing much. Or anything at all...

Maybe it's got to do with the fall season, but honestly, I don't really know. The good thing about this lack of inspiration is (I should say 'was', because I'm pretty sure it's over and done with now) that I simply didn't care that I was in this situation, so I didn't worry about a thing. I just stayed there - stuck in my head - accepted it and sat it out....and really relaxed my mind. :-)

And maybe this is why I didn't see it coming: The Winebar Tour is starting. I'm very excited but haven't fully gotten out of my hibernation mode yet...a weird sensation, as if worlds collide! It's time to dust myself off and get my act together. It feels good. The shows are going to be acoustic sessions and amongst the 'old' songs is some new stuff that I wrote in Palermo.

The Winebar Tour starts tomorrow November 7th and only a few days after it ends, in December, we're off to Paris. We're going to stay there for 2 months. I'll be performing and working on the new songs. I can't wait! I always wondered what it would be like to be in Paris for more than just a few days and now I'm going to find out! Yes, yes, I'm feeling it now! Pure bliss!! That thing I wrote, starting this post, something about being uninspired...what was that again? Did I write that? No way, can't be...it wasn't me. :-)

Back and Forth

Being back in The Netherlands, well...it takes some getting used to. Don't worry, this is the last dramatic line you'll hear me say for at least a while! It's particularly nice to be back and rehearse with the bands again, getting ready for shows and working on new stuff. I'm now checking out what I've written in Palermo, trying to figure out what's really there and making some improvements. This being away for a longer period has really helped finding a new approach to writing songs. I'm already planning the next trip. What else can I do? :-) If you're a songwriter, tell me, how do you find new approaches and ways of writing?

Maurizio asked me what my Palermo Top 5 is. I need some time to think about that. What I am sure of though, is that Palermo's a special place. It's going to be a lot of traveling back and forth in the future...See you there?!