band i miss: donovan wolfington

if you follow me on twitter, i've probably tweeted about these guys more than a couple times over the past couple years. i'm still not over their recent breakup, and i need to process it by sharing the joy they bring to me with the world.

i'm also writing this because i feel like during their short lifetime, they never got the recognition or gained the popularity that they deserved. apparently, i'm not alone; a reviewer at the alternative put it perfectly: "the new orleans band managed to amass one of the most forward-thinking, clever, quirky and technically bewildering punk catalogs of their generation—and hardly get recognized for it."

like many of my best musical discoveries, i first heard one of their songs on MIT's radio station, WMBR (specifically, their phenomenal breakfast of champions show). it was called "john cena," off of their 2015 album how to treat the ones you love, a record that's still in constant rotation for me. btw, the tune seemingly has nothing to do with john cena, which makes me love them even more. it's also one of the handful of tracks that's sung by guitarist matthew seferian rather than frontman neil berthier.



i had the fortune of seeing these crazy kids live just about two years ago at a lil' art gallery-turned-venue in cambridge. there were only about 30-40 of us there, but it was one of those invigorating shows where every single person there knew every single word of every single song and screamed it back.

their music can best be categorized as "skate punk," and the song/video for the first single from HTTTOYL, "ollie north" (one of my favorite songs of 2015) is a pretty perfect summary:



however, what i really love about their music is that nearly every song takes these unexpected twists and turns—whether it's when neil's singing turns to screaming, or when gigantic, crunchy riffs mellow into melodic, synth-y goodness (or conversely, transform into epic shredding) that quite literally makes me say "hell yes!" out loud.

nowhere is that more evident than on their final record, WAVES, which came out at the beginning of this month. like, there's a friggin' instrumental hip-hop track on there, even. i love so many of the tunes so far, but the second single, "ways," really encapsulates everything i dig about their style. instantly catchy, yet surprisingly complex, and a whole lot of fun.



the whole record is just made for night drives with the windows down in the summertime and i cannot wait to crank it at full blast. it's the perfect parting gift from an underrated band. shred in peace, d-wolf.

buzzin'

is there a way i can, like...get paid to visit and critique coffee shops for the rest of my life? because that's just really what i'm all about. it's taken many, many cups and and many, many dollars and many, many packets of raw cane sugar to get to where i am today, so i thought i'd thank 10 of the most wonderful spots around the country (and world) for delighting me with their cuteness, caffeine, and croissants.

1. crucial coffee (st. augustine, FL)

it's been five years and i still dream about this quaint little shack. not only was it adorable, but i had a *snickers cappuccino* that blew my mind. there was also a very gilmore-girlsy busker singing outside while i enjoyed it, so bonus points for that.

2. union coffee company (milford, NH)

tbh, i'm a bit peeved that this place didn't exist when i was in high school, but at least i get to revel in its charms when i visit my folks. it's one of those oh-so-hip combinations of a coffee shop and bar, and hosts live music as well. it's rustic yet airy, and the coffee and lattes (with house-made syrups, obv) are top-notch.


3. FIDO (nashville, TN)

i spent like, 3 days in nashville, and went here twice because i was so obsessed. sure, a lot of that had to do with the paintings of cats in outer space that adorned the walls, but the whole scene was uber-90s and they did latte art and it made you feel like you were in a TV show hangout. to quote 2 chainz, "it's a viiiibe."

4. stardust video and coffee (orlando, FL)

nobody believes me when i tell them that orlando had the most intense, pretentious hipster community i've ever seen in my life, but it's true. it was super strange, especially coming from the intellectual-snob capital of the country, but the baristas (and some patrons) were such dicks, everywhere i went! i honestly wanted to be like, "dude...you live in FLORIDA. get a grip." but i resisted. the staff at this combination DVD rental/coffee shop/bar/cafe were no exception--very, very rude--but i let it slide because just LOOK at it. it's like anthropologie started serving food and drinks. sure, no one rents DVDs anymore, but the whole concept is just so manic pixie dream girl, i couldn't not love it. psst...the drunken monkey was my second favorite spot, in case you ever find yourself craving caffeine in the city beautiful.

5. kookoo cafe (brookline, MA)

speaking of beauty, i just want to pinch kookoo cafe's cheeks. it's the size of a closet, and chock-full of all of the quirky decor that you might find in one, too. the staff is friendly, the coffee is strong, and the food is yummy; lots of authentic middle-eastern treats.


6. tandem coffee roasters (portland, ME)

a converted '60s gas station, this is always a must-visit for me on my annual summer jaunt to portland. not only is it so incredibly aesthetically pleasing, but the malt iced coffee is to die for.

7. cafe on the common (waltham, MA)

so chill. so sunny. and in the middle of downtown waltham, which is low-key ghetto? surely, you jest. as a major bonus, it's massive and there's so many places to sit and read or work or chat.


8. hart and lova (london, england)

what a hidden gem. though gleni and i were staying in kind of a random area of london which didn't have a ton to offer, we came across this absolutely adorable cafe and bakery that was straight out of a fairytale. so proper. squee. 


9. the fresh pot (portland, OR)

i popped in here to charge my phone last year during my trip to seattle and portland, and what a wonderful decision that was. yeah, they were out of cold brew and only had nitro cold brew and i was bouncing off the walls for an hour, but the dark wood and rustic ambiance just counteracted that real quick. or maybe that was just a contact high, because portland.


10. java dog (wilmington, NC)

this coffee shop should have had a starring role on dawson's creek, man. it's two floors, and the upstairs felt like a loft in someone's apartment. it also seemed to be a hangout for local students, and i immediately felt pressured to give a really chill college kid name, like taylor or hannah, to the barista.

what are some of your favorite places to get your fix?