diff --git a/src/args.jl b/src/args.jl
index f13d4398..07991160 100644
--- a/src/args.jl
+++ b/src/args.jl
@@ -584,6 +584,10 @@ function preprocessArgs!(d::KW)
         processLineArg(d, arg)
     end
 
+    if haskey(d, :linetype) && haskey(_typeAliases, d[:linetype])
+        d[:linetype] = _typeAliases[d[:linetype]]
+    end
+
     # handle marker args... default to ellipse if shape not set
     anymarker = false
     for arg in wraptuple(get(d, :marker, ()))
@@ -689,6 +693,22 @@ function extractGroupArgs{T, V<:AVec{Int}}(idxmap::Dict{T,V}, args...)
     GroupBy(groupLabels, groupIds)
 end
 
+filter_data(v::AVec, idxfilter::AVec{Int}) = v[idxfilter]
+filter_data(v, idxfilter) = v
+
+function filter_data!(d::KW, idxfilter)
+    for s in (:x, :y, :z)
+        d[s] = filter_data(get(d, s, nothing), idxfilter)
+    end
+end
+
+function _filter_input_data!(d::KW)
+    idxfilter = pop!(d, :idxfilter, nothing)
+    if idxfilter != nothing
+        filter_data!(d, idxfilter)
+    end
+end
+
 
 # -----------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
diff --git a/src/backends/pyplot.jl b/src/backends/pyplot.jl
index 661f649a..8e68e678 100644
--- a/src/backends/pyplot.jl
+++ b/src/backends/pyplot.jl
@@ -338,7 +338,6 @@ end
 
 function fix_xy_lengths!(plt::Plot{PyPlotBackend}, d::KW)
     x, y = d[:x], d[:y]
-    @show x, y
     nx, ny = length(x), length(y)
     if !isa(get(d, :z, nothing), Surface) && nx != ny
         if nx < ny
diff --git a/src/plot.jl b/src/plot.jl
index 92014cd4..c6bf3030 100644
--- a/src/plot.jl
+++ b/src/plot.jl
@@ -93,9 +93,20 @@ function _plot!(plt::Plot, d::KW, args...)
     # we simply add the GroupBy object to the front of the args list to allow
     # the recipe to be applied
     if haskey(d, :group)
-        args = vcat(extractGroupArgs(d[:group], args...), args)
+        args = tuple(extractGroupArgs(d[:group], args...), args...)
     end
 
+    # initialize the annotations list with what was passed in
+    # TODO: there must be cleaner way to handle this!
+    anns = annotations(get(d, :annotation, NTuple{3}[]))
+    if typeof(anns)  <: AVec{PlotText}
+        anns = NTuple{3}[]
+    else
+        delete!(d, :annotation)
+    end
+    # anns = annotations(pop!(d, :annotation, [])
+
+
     # for plotting recipes, swap out the args and update the parameter dictionary
     # we are keeping a queue of series that still need to be processed.
     # each pass through the loop, we pop one off and apply the recipe.
@@ -109,8 +120,9 @@ function _plot!(plt::Plot, d::KW, args...)
         series_list = RecipesBase.apply_recipe(next_series.d, next_series.args...)
         for series in series_list
             if isempty(series.args)
-                # apply markershape_to_add and then warn if there's anything left unsupported
+                # finish processing and add to the kw_list
                 _add_markershape(series.d)
+                _filter_input_data!(series.d)
                 warnOnUnsupportedArgs(plt.backend, series.d)
                 warnOnUnsupportedScales(plt.backend, series.d)
                 push!(kw_list, series.d)
@@ -130,22 +142,27 @@ function _plot!(plt::Plot, d::KW, args...)
     #     nothing
     # end
 
+
+
+
+    # now include any annotations which were added during recipes
+    # anns = NTuple{3,Any}[]
+    for kw in kw_list
+        append!(anns, annotations(pop!(kw, :annotation, [])))
+    end
+    # @show anns
+
+
     # TODO: why do i need to check for the subplot key?
 
     # merge plot args
     if !haskey(d, :subplot)
         # merge the plot args from the recipes, then update the plot colors
         for kw in vcat(kw_list, d)
+            # @show kw
+            # append!(anns, annotations(pop!(kw, :annotation, [])))
             _add_plotargs!(plt, kw)
         end
-        # for k in keys(_plotDefaults)
-        #     for kw in kw_list
-        #         if haskey(kw, k)
-        #             plt.plotargs[k] = pop!(kw, k)
-        #         end
-        #     end
-        # end
-        # merge!(plt.plotargs, d)
         handlePlotColors(plt.backend, plt.plotargs)
     end
 
@@ -176,18 +193,18 @@ function _plot!(plt::Plot, d::KW, args...)
         #     merge!(plt.plotargs, plotarg_overrides)
         # end
 
-        dumpdict(kw, "before add defaults", true)
+        # dumpdict(kw, "before add defaults", true)
         _add_defaults!(kw, plt, i)
-        dumpdict(kw, "after add defaults", true)
+        # dumpdict(kw, "after add defaults", true)
         # getSeriesArgs(plt.backend, getplotargs(plt, n), d, commandIndex, convertSeriesIndex(plt, n), n)
 
+        # TODO: apply idxfilter to x/y/z
+
         _replace_linewidth(kw)
         _add_series(plt.backend, plt, kw)
     end
 
-
-    # _add_annotations(plt, d)  # TODO
-
+    _add_annotations(plt, anns)
 
     # add title, axis labels, ticks, etc
     if !haskey(d, :subplot)
@@ -220,14 +237,6 @@ end
 #     end
 # end
 
-filter_data(v::AVec, idxfilter::AVec{Int}) = v[idxfilter]
-filter_data(v, idxfilter) = v
-
-function filter_data!(d::KW, idxfilter)
-    for s in (:x, :y, :z)
-        d[s] = filter_data(get(d, s, nothing), idxfilter)
-    end
-end
 
 function _replace_linewidth(d::KW)
     # get a good default linewidth... 0 for surface and heatmaps
@@ -372,6 +381,17 @@ annotations(v::AVec) = map(PlotText, v)
 annotations(anns) = error("Expecting a tuple (or vector of tuples) for annotations: ",
                        "(x, y, annotation)\n    got: $(typeof(anns))")
 
+function annotations(plt::Plot, anns)
+    anns = annotations(anns)
+    # if we just have a list of PlotText objects, then create (x,y,text) tuples
+    if typeof(anns) <: AVec{PlotText}
+        x, y = plt[plt.n]
+        anns = Tuple{Float64,Float64,PlotText}[(x[i], y[i], t) for (i,t) in enumerate(anns)]
+    end
+    anns
+end
+
+
 function _add_annotations(plt::Plot, d::KW)
     anns = annotations(get(d, :annotation, nothing))
     if !isempty(anns)
diff --git a/src/recipes.jl b/src/recipes.jl
index cd290435..b3c8cc13 100644
--- a/src/recipes.jl
+++ b/src/recipes.jl
@@ -44,6 +44,11 @@ if is_installed("DataFrames")
             end
         end
 
+        function extractGroupArgs(group::Symbol, df::DataFrames.AbstractDataFrame, args...)
+            extractGroupArgs(collect(df[group]))
+        end
+
+
         function handle_group(df::DataFrames.AbstractDataFrame, d::KW)
             if haskey(d, :group)
                 g = d[:group]
diff --git a/src/series_new.jl b/src/series_new.jl
index 9982fe21..bb8dbae8 100644
--- a/src/series_new.jl
+++ b/src/series_new.jl
@@ -25,9 +25,9 @@ function _add_defaults!(d::KW, plt::Plot, commandIndex::Int)
     #     end
     # end
 
-    if haskey(_typeAliases, d[:linetype])
-        d[:linetype] = _typeAliases[d[:linetype]]
-    end
+    # if haskey(_typeAliases, d[:linetype])
+    #     d[:linetype] = _typeAliases[d[:linetype]]
+    # end
 
     aliasesAndAutopick(d, :axis, _axesAliases, supportedAxes(pkg), plotIndex)
     aliasesAndAutopick(d, :linestyle, _styleAliases, supportedStyles(pkg), plotIndex)
@@ -87,10 +87,12 @@ end
 
 # instead of process_inputs:
 
+# ensure we dispatch to the slicer
+immutable SliceIt end
+
 # the catch-all recipes
-# @recipe function f(x, y, z)
-function slice_and_dice(d, x, y, z)
-    @show "HERE", typeof((x,y,z))
+@recipe function f(::Type{SliceIt}, x, y, z)
+    # @show "HERE", typeof((x,y,z))
     xs, _ = convertToAnyVector(x, d)
     ys, _ = convertToAnyVector(y, d)
     zs, _ = convertToAnyVector(z, d)
@@ -111,22 +113,23 @@ function slice_and_dice(d, x, y, z)
         # add a new series
         di = copy(d)
         xi, yi, zi = xs[mod1(i,mx)], ys[mod1(i,my)], zs[mod1(i,mz)]
-        @show i, typeof((xi, yi, zi))
+        # @show i, typeof((xi, yi, zi))
         di[:x], di[:y], di[:z] = compute_xyz(xi, yi, zi)
 
         # handle fillrange
         fr = fillranges[mod1(i,mf)]
-        d[:fillrange] = isa(fr, Function) ? map(fr, di[:x]) : fr
+        di[:fillrange] = isa(fr, Function) ? map(fr, di[:x]) : fr
 
-        @show i, di[:x], di[:y], di[:z]
+        # @show i, di[:x], di[:y], di[:z]
         push!(series_list, RecipeData(di, ()))
     end
     nothing  # don't add a series for the main block
 end
 
-@recipe f(x, y, z) = slice_and_dice(d, x, y, z)
-@recipe f(x, y) = x, y, nothing
-@recipe f(y) = nothing, y, nothing
+# pass these through to the slicer
+@recipe f(x, y, z)  = SliceIt, x, y, z
+@recipe f(x, y)     = SliceIt, x, y, nothing
+@recipe f(y)        = SliceIt, nothing, y, nothing
 
 
 # # --------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -312,7 +315,7 @@ end
     elseif !(lt in _3dTypes)
         d[:linetype] = :path3d
     end
-    slice_and_dice(d, x, y, z)
+    SliceIt, x, y, z
 end
 
 #
@@ -328,7 +331,7 @@ end
 @recipe function f{X,Y}(x::AVec{X}, y::AVec{Y}, zf::Function)
     x = TX <: Number ? sort(x) : x
     y = TY <: Number ? sort(y) : y
-    slice_and_dice(d, x, y, Surface(zf, x, y))  # TODO: replace with SurfaceFunction when supported
+    SliceIt, x, y, Surface(zf, x, y)  # TODO: replace with SurfaceFunction when supported
 end
 
 #
@@ -353,7 +356,7 @@ end
     if !like_surface(get(d, :linetype, :none))
         d[:linetype] = :contour
     end
-    slice_and_dice(d, x, y, Surface{Matrix{Z}}(z))
+    SliceIt, x, y, Surface{Matrix{Z}}(z)
 end
 
 #
@@ -390,9 +393,9 @@ end
 # process_inputs{T<:Number}(plt::AbstractPlot, d::KW, u::AVec{T}, fx::FuncOrFuncs, fy::FuncOrFuncs) = process_inputs(plt, d, mapFuncOrFuncs(fx, u), mapFuncOrFuncs(fy, u))
 # process_inputs(plt::AbstractPlot, d::KW, fx::FuncOrFuncs, fy::FuncOrFuncs, umin::Number, umax::Number, numPoints::Int = 1000) = process_inputs(plt, d, fx, fy, linspace(umin, umax, numPoints))
 
-@recipe f(f::FuncOrFuncs, xmin::Number, xmax::Number)                            = linspace(xmin, xmax, 100), f
-@recipe f{T<:Number}(fx::FuncOrFuncs, fy::FuncOrFuncs, u::AVec{T})               = mapFuncOrFuncs(fx, u), mapFuncOrFuncs(fy, u)
-@recipe f{T<:Number}(u::AVec{T}, fx::FuncOrFuncs, fy::FuncOrFuncs)               = mapFuncOrFuncs(fx, u), mapFuncOrFuncs(fy, u)
+@recipe f(f::FuncOrFuncs, xmin::Number, xmax::Number) = linspace(xmin, xmax, 100), f
+@recipe f(fx::FuncOrFuncs, fy::FuncOrFuncs, u::AVec)  = mapFuncOrFuncs(fx, u), mapFuncOrFuncs(fy, u)
+# @recipe f(u::AVec, fx::FuncOrFuncs, fy::FuncOrFuncs)  = mapFuncOrFuncs(fx, u), mapFuncOrFuncs(fy, u)
 @recipe f(fx::FuncOrFuncs, fy::FuncOrFuncs, umin::Number, umax::Number, n = 200) = fx, fy, linspace(umin, umax, n)
 
 #
@@ -401,12 +404,12 @@ end
 # process_inputs{T<:Number}(plt::AbstractPlot, d::KW, u::AVec{T}, fx::FuncOrFuncs, fy::FuncOrFuncs, fz::FuncOrFuncs) = process_inputs(plt, d, mapFuncOrFuncs(fx, u), mapFuncOrFuncs(fy, u), mapFuncOrFuncs(fz, u))
 # process_inputs(plt::AbstractPlot, d::KW, fx::FuncOrFuncs, fy::FuncOrFuncs, fz::FuncOrFuncs, umin::Number, umax::Number, numPoints::Int = 1000) = process_inputs(plt, d, fx, fy, fz, linspace(umin, umax, numPoints))
 
-@recipe function f{T<:Number}(fx::FuncOrFuncs, fy::FuncOrFuncs, fz::FuncOrFuncs, u::AVec{T})
-    mapFuncOrFuncs(fx, u), mapFuncOrFuncs(fy, u), mapFuncOrFuncs(fz, u)
-end
-@recipe function f{T<:Number}(u::AVec{T}, fx::FuncOrFuncs, fy::FuncOrFuncs, fz::FuncOrFuncs)
+@recipe function f(fx::FuncOrFuncs, fy::FuncOrFuncs, fz::FuncOrFuncs, u::AVec)
     mapFuncOrFuncs(fx, u), mapFuncOrFuncs(fy, u), mapFuncOrFuncs(fz, u)
 end
+# @recipe function f(u::AVec, fx::FuncOrFuncs, fy::FuncOrFuncs, fz::FuncOrFuncs)
+#     mapFuncOrFuncs(fx, u), mapFuncOrFuncs(fy, u), mapFuncOrFuncs(fz, u)
+# end
 @recipe function f(fx::FuncOrFuncs, fy::FuncOrFuncs, fz::FuncOrFuncs, umin::Number, umax::Number, numPointsn = 200)
     fx, fy, fz, linspace(umin, umax, numPoints)
 end
@@ -434,7 +437,7 @@ end
 # end
 
 @recipe f{R1<:Number,R2<:Number}(xy::AVec{Tuple{R1,R2}}) = unzip(xy)
-@recipe f{R1<:Number,R2<:Number}(xy::Tuple{R1,R2}) = [xy[1]], [xy[2]]
+@recipe f{R1<:Number,R2<:Number}(xy::Tuple{R1,R2})       = [xy[1]], [xy[2]]
 
 #
 # # (x,y,z) tuples
@@ -446,7 +449,7 @@ end
 # end
 
 @recipe f{R1<:Number,R2<:Number,R3<:Number}(xyz::AVec{Tuple{R1,R2,R3}}) = unzip(xyz)
-@recipe f{R1<:Number,R2<:Number,R3<:Number}(xyz::Tuple{R1,R2,R3}) = [xyz[1]], [xyz[2]], [xyz[3]]
+@recipe f{R1<:Number,R2<:Number,R3<:Number}(xyz::Tuple{R1,R2,R3})       = [xyz[1]], [xyz[2]], [xyz[3]]
 
 #
 # # 2D FixedSizeArrays
@@ -458,7 +461,7 @@ end
 # end
 
 @recipe f{T<:Number}(xy::AVec{FixedSizeArrays.Vec{2,T}}) = unzip(xy)
-@recipe f{T<:Number}(xy::FixedSizeArrays.Vec{2,T}) = [xy[1]], [xy[2]]
+@recipe f{T<:Number}(xy::FixedSizeArrays.Vec{2,T})       = [xy[1]], [xy[2]]
 
 #
 # # 3D FixedSizeArrays
@@ -470,7 +473,7 @@ end
 # end
 
 @recipe f{T<:Number}(xyz::AVec{FixedSizeArrays.Vec{3,T}}) = unzip(xyz)
-@recipe f{T<:Number}(xyz::FixedSizeArrays.Vec{3,T}) = [xyz[1]], [xyz[2]], [xyz[3]]
+@recipe f{T<:Number}(xyz::FixedSizeArrays.Vec{3,T})       = [xyz[1]], [xyz[2]], [xyz[3]]
 
 #
 # # --------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -495,8 +498,8 @@ end
         # create a new series, with the label of the group, and an idxfilter (to be applied in slice_and_dice)
         # TODO: use @series instead
         di = copy(d)
-        label --> string(glab)
-        idxfilter --> groupby.groupIds[i]
+        get!(di, :label, string(glab))
+        get!(di, :idxfilter, groupby.groupIds[i])
         push!(series_list, RecipeData(di, args))
     end
     nothing