the weekend in videos

ice cream.

100th birthday.

flea marketing.

the best pop-punk throwbacks you never heard (or forgot about)

i claim to hate generic pop-punk sometimes, but then i get kind of hypocritical and have like 50 exceptions, mostly because of the nostalgia factor. here are 6 random ones.

1. lucky boys confusion - "hey driver" 



need an opening song for a driving-in-the-summer mix? you're welcome.

 2. my american heart - "the process" 



my friend dragged me along to see these guys--whom i'd never heard of before--back in like '05, and i was actually super impressed with their stage presence and catchy songs. this one was stuck in my head for at least the entire week afterwards. we may have also had a lil' crush on the cutie-patootie lead singer.

 4. northstar - "for members only"

 

i don't know. this song takes me back to a high school field trip to some weird theater. and the time that i made my myspace headline "these are the things she can take apart" and some crazy northstar fan started messaging me incessantly because of it. also, do you love the cheesiness/low-budg nature of these videos as much as i?

 5. number one fan - "come on"
 

i could never tell if i hated this band or not. even though they're long broken up and reformed as a band called the wildbirds who are actually pretty decent, i still can't. mainly chose this one because the lead singer really just captures that mid-'00s emo look PERFECTLY. why did i ever find labret rings attractive? do i still? all questions that i still struggle with.

6. envy on the coast - "temper temper"  
i heard this one in the middle of sets at an outdoor concert in college...AKA before the days of shazaam. i kept being rude and telling my friends to shut up so i could hear the lyrics. finally found it about a week later and have been angrily singing along every since.

around town: brunch at aquitaine

is it possible, at 9 pm, to still be full from 10am brunch? because i think i am.

my birthday is on tuesday, and i was in the mood for a more low-key celebration than the past few years  (last year i happened to be in italy, for my 25th i partied at foxwoods, and for my 24th i danced all night at a ghetto-fabulous guido nightclub in malden). plus, i also wanted to celebrate being back in the boston vicinity. i figured a brunch would be the perfect solution: good food and good friends in my favorite city in the world!

word on the street was that aquitaine, a french bistro in the south end, had a ridiculous brunch deal. seriously, $9.95 for an omelette, toast, potatoes, cinnamon roll, juice and coffee sounds too good to be true, right? i was skeptical, but this place delivered. while the menu has a bunch of other tempting options, all six of us went with the prix fixe menu.

first came the cinnamon rolls, which had lots of delicious frosting and were more puff pastry than cinnabon. also, note the fancy coffee glasses!

the majority of us also got the omelette de la maison, with gruyere cheese, bacon, and tomatoes, which looked a little somethin' like this:

 god i love the french.

five things i love right now

1. coffee meets bagel

i swore that i'd never do online dating again, but this site just done changed my mind. it's so casual and simple and i promise they're not paying me to say this! the site connects to your facebook account and emails you a "bagel" (prospective date) each day at noon--often a person that you have a friend in common with--with non-identifying information about themselves/their interests and some pictures. you then have 24 hours to "like" or "pass" on your bagel, and if both of you want to connect, you can message each other privately. GENIUS. OBSESSED. i legit look forward to my bagels every day.

2. stonewall kitchen cinnamon & sugar donuts

speaking of breakfast baked goods, i whipped up a batch of these babies on sunday night and they were incredible! also probably a little healthier since they're baked and not fried (okay not much, since you have to dip them in butter and cinnamon/sugar). but honestly, best donuts i've ever had, and super easy to make.

3. this song that i just heard last week but apparently it's from last summer?

turns my car into tha club, man. love it...but i freeeeeaked out when i discovered that it was a dude singing. those pipes cray.

4. chris d'elia's vines

so, y'know that dude from the terrible show "whitney"? he's actually hilarious. my friend kari turned me on to his vines and nearly all of them make me cry with laughter. here's one of my favorites (link since i can't embed): vine.co/v/b2xujh7L63z 

see the rest at his twitter.

5. this new natural child tee (and button) that i just bought

these complete my quarter-life crisis.

i'm feelin' rootless

long time, no blog! since my last post, i've graduated with my master's degree, packed my life away in orlando & made the three-day move back to NH (for the moment). and oh, what a trip it was.
here's some random stuff that happened:


-i discovered the sirius XM "pop2k" station which basically captured my entire tween/teen years. enrique, mandy moore, dre & eminem, chili peppers...it was literally flawless.

-pretty sure a hillbilly freak was trying to take pics of me in a hardee's in the middle of nowhere in virginia. he was doing that thing where you pretend to be looking at your phone while aiming it DIRECTLY AT THE PERSON you're trying to creep on. dude, you can't outstalk this stalker. also the hardee's staff all looked related, in the deliverance sense.

-right before that, i saw a white van with spray-painted dogs on it and laughed/cried

-also spotted a license plate that read "DOL LUVR" and shuddered :(

-i was forced, against my will, to eat at a friggin' olive garden in maryland. my family was all super-tired and wanted somewhere really close. we were also in the mood for italian. so, i asked my homegirl siri for some help (thanks to the hotel wi-fi because i had no cell service in this joke of a place?). her response was the following:

GODDAMMIT, SIRI!
so we went to the OG and i had eggplant parm and our waitress was *~super perky~* and whatever. it was fine and i felt a little dirty afterwards.

-almost every hotel we stayed in had cookies and i went on cookie missions every night. still got some of those suckers in ziploc bags.

-i saw an AC/DC tribute band's van in the parking lot of wendy's, smiled, and then turned around to see that i was eating my spicy chicken amongst mock-rock royalty. i thought about hitching a ride with them to their next biker bar show but they seemed a bit surly.

things i will miss about florida.

well, just about 21 months have come and gone since i moved to orlando for graduate school, even though it kind of seems like yesterday that i packed up and left boston. it's been a good/weird/challenging/transformative time down here, but as many of you know, i have done a lot of soul-searching and decided that:
a) i miss my family and friends immensely
b) my heart is in boston, and it felt like home from the first night that i spent in my north end apartment at age 20 (something which unfortunately never really happened here), and
c) i had my move-across-the-country adventure and don't get me wrong, i'm still a free spirit, man. that said, i'm kind of ready to put down some roots. go all house hunters or some crap in the next couple years. y'know?

so! enough sap. since i made this post when i moved away the first time, i figured it was only fair to give flo rida the same courtesy. so without further ado, the things i will miss about the sunshine state!

1. the weather
'nuff said.

2. the mall at millenia
literally the nicest mall i think i've ever been in. it has a very "florida" feel and a great forever 21/urban outfitters to boot! also, valet parking. at a mall. and PINKBERRY! there's a pinkberry.

3. the vero beach hotel & spa
i'll be making my third trip here next week, before my graduation, because my family and i are obsessed. mainly with the nightly free wine tasting and the weird-ass people that show up to it. and it's right on the ocean, and the staff is really nice, and they have a little sign with the names of the dogs that are staying there(!).

4. goodfella's pizza/sweet! cupcakes/marshmallow delight from publix/four rivers bbq
these four things are honestly all you ever need to know about if you're visiting orlando (aka chain restaurant capital of the world). goodfella's has the best italian & pizza i've ever had, sweet! has the best cupcakes i've ever had (owner is a 2x cupcake wars champ), and four rivers has the best BBQ i've ever had. DONE. i can probably make publix marshmallow delight myself, but it won't be as good.

5. palm trees
never got sick of 'em! :)

6. the winter park farmers market/downtown winter park
a little taste of class, and new england, in florida.

kurt vileophile

still obsessed with this like a week later. i've always been lukewarm on kurt vile, but his new album is SO GOOD. and the promo video for his first single is the most adorable thing i've seen, like, ever.

7 things i want for my 27th birthday

so i'm like, less than two months away from my late 20s. i never make birthday wish lists, but i feel like i need some new stuff that both reflects my maturity and also helps me recapture my rapidly fading youth.

1. either this "burger wolf" workaholics shirt or the "classic lineup" guided by voices shirt

the first says "hey! i can still be funny and ironic." and the second says "hey, kids! i'm a misplaced member of gen x. let's watch reality bites."

2. a french press

every sophisticated person i know has one. sophistication by association?

3. a new romper. preferably one of these two. 

light! carefree! summer!

4. MY CHEESEBURGER TATTOO,  FINALLY

minus the weird blue aura and about half the size, this is pretty much exactly what i want. i can even wear the burger wolf tee to my appointment! it's happening this year.

5. an electric fireplace for my new apartment in boston (still TBD)

i like to be cozy, okay?

6. a barefoot contessa cookbook

for that dinner party i've been meaning to have. i dream of having this woman's culinary and entertaining skills.

7. these shoes!!

because...how cute?!

my new favorite word: "hygge"

so, it's a danish word, with varying definitions, but wikipedia states that it refers to "relaxing with good friends or loved ones, often while enjoying good food and something to drink or creating a more friendly atmosphere by lighting a few candles. " those dudes in denmark know wassup.

i guess the closest equivalent would be "coziness," but hygge seems to encompass more than that. i'm kind of obsessed.



i'd have to say that one of my ideal moments of hygge would probably be sitting on the deck with friends and family on a warm summer night, glass of wine in hand and a delicious steak on the grill. though that also competes heavily with sitting in front of a fireplace with a cup of hot chocolate and watching "home alone" at christmastime, fo' sho'.

what would your perfect "hygge" moment entail?

i talk to elvis in my sleep

loving what i'm hearing so far from the upcoming LP from one of my favorite kinda-one-man-bands, bass drum of death. i already have a feeling it'll be a big part of my spring/summer soundtrack.



also, you may have heard this ditty from his last album on the new h&m commercial. THAT RIFF THO!

place i love: st. augustine, florida

if it's a place that's quaint, old, and can be described as "magical" or "whimsical," i'll probably love it. such was the case with st. augustine, florida, a little city just under two hours from me in orlando and the oldest continuously-occupied city in the country. the spanish influence in the historic district almost felt california-esque and other parts also reminded me of the old town in nice, france, with its narrow alleyways and small boutiques & cafes. i spent a few days there, but already can't wait to go back! 

highlights (shocker: almost all of these things are food-related):

1. staying at my first b&b! i think. it was a really quaint little place, the st. george inn, that was spread out throughout the old town area. super cute.
2. realizing that i probably should have gone to school at the most gorgeous campus i've ever seen, flagler college (check out the pictures below and you'll see what i mean)
3. enjoying dinner & happy hour not once, but twice at pizzalley's. it appears from the main street to be just a quick service, mom-and-pop pizza joint, but you walk back past the counter and through two sets of doors and find yourself in a bustling, full-service italian restaurant. their happy hour includes A FREE SLICE OF PIZZA. are you serious, pizzalley's? all. over. it. the best was that the second night when my mom & i returned, we had the same waitress and she's all "hi ladies, welcome back! chardonnay & a riesling?" bahaha. we chowed down on our slices and sipped wine to the sounds of a snowbird covering "i am the walrus." so pleased.
4. trying for like an hour to get a good picture at the fountain of youth and failing miserably...though the water was actually deece and i feel a good month younger already
5. having lunch at cafe alcazar, which is housed in the former swimming pool of an old hotel. no joke! it was definitely the most unique place i've ever eaten and the food was top-notch gourmet grub for a surprisingly reasonable price.
6. GILMORE GIRLS MOMENT! i went on a mission to find this cafe called crucial coffee (mainly because of its badass name) and it was so legit. first of all, it's in a complete sea shanty shack-type place - pics below. they had all sorts of tempting potables on the menu, which seems to change daily, and i went with the snickers cappuccino. "you're in for a treat!" the charming barista told me in a southern accent as he placed a chocolate-dipped-pretzel (no idea how that was snickers-related but omg) on top of my drink. i then wandered outside to the little courtyard seating area and was serenaded by a folky busker in a big hat. i swear to god i had been transported to stars hollow. and then he started singing...yep, TOM PETTY. i couldn't handle it.
7. a bearded and dreadlocked homeless hottie smiled and nodded at me as i was leaving another awesomely-named bakery, the bunnery. my mom: ::rolls eyes::"he's right up your alley." me: "well, he's homeless, but yes. he's definitely one of the most attractive homeless men i've ever seen."

the old senator, a live oak tree that's over 600 years old!

absolutely terrifying

coolest wells fargo building ever

building at flagler college. omg.

he keeps me young!

hey lil' guy

CRUCIAL COFFEE! but seriously.

buskin'

the fort castillo de san marcos

hehehe

 

i want a place where i can smoke meats.

just got back from nashville with my college friend and partner in southern-traveling crime, gleni, who flew down from brooklyn to meet me in music city for a fun-filled weekend. we had a couple of fabulous tour guides- gleni's friend who is originally from the area, and her friend from knoxville. after some minor flight delays, here's what happened (with bonus pictures!):

SATURDAY:

• breakfast for lunch at the loveless cafe: 

we waited for over an hour, but it was so worth it! eggs and sausage and biscuits and something called "tennessee sipping cream" which was like a gross bailey's...but that was my fault for not ordering it with coffee. still dreaming about the homemade jams.

• first saturday art crawl:

this was really cool. on the first saturday of every month, the galleries of downtown nashville (there are a bunch, surprisingly) open their doors to the public, and visitors are welcome to stroll and admire the art while enjoying complimentary wine and drinks like warm root beer toddies (an exciting prospect for about like...4 sips). it was a great way to get a sense of the local people & culture.

 

• dinner at puckett's:

the stars aligned, man! i had read about this grocery & restaurant prior to the trip, but wasn't banking on getting a table without a reservation on a saturday night. we strolled in just before 8:30pm, and snagged the last table in the place just as the band, raven cliff, started to perform. i'm not a country fan, but they converted me--especially after they launched into "won't back down" by tom petty.

• whiskey kitchen:

we topped off the night at a trendy little bar/restaurant where apparently jack white and kings of leon hang out? all we saw were yuppies, but they had WHISKEY SOUR PITCHERS so i was really excited about it. i also dougied and gleni toasted to a photo of tom petty. at this point we decided he was watching over us during this entire trip.

SUNDAY:

• burger brunch:

we nursed our semi-hangovers with the best remedy EVER: huge-ass cheeseburgers & chocolate milkshakes at a so-called "burger parlor & beer garden" in the hipster-filled neighborhood of east nashville. delicious! 

• opryland hotel & convention center:

i was told by more than one person that i needed to visit the opryland hotel's indoor gardens and i'm so glad that we did. the place was like a friggin' rainforest inside! we kept getting lost but it was fine, and then we took an awesome boat ride around the little moat-thing. it had ducks and fish in it. ridiculous.

• hillsboro village:

loved this place! a little neighborhood near vanderbilt, hillsboro village has a bunch of shops and restaurants and just a really cool vibe. we grabbed artsy-looking lattes at the '90s-esque coffee shop of my dreams, fido, which was decorated with paintings of psychedelic space cats (below) and checked out a couple of the cute boutiques before heading over to grimey's, a cool record store.  

• honky tonks

I LOVE ROBERT'S WESTERN WORLD! if you go to nashville, you must go here. after getting our fortune told by elvis at the cheesy gift shop on broadway, we took some seats at the bar and began admiring all the weird decor which included silly bumper stickers and a wall of cowboy boots. as i sipped my jack and coke, we began discussing the longhair that was flipping burgers behind the bar. he was definitely my type, but we questioned the hygiene of his untamed locks during food preparation. all of a sudden, the band who had been playing is all "hide ya daughters, hide ya wives" and burger dude is onstage, wailing on the harmonica and covering muddy waters. he does a few more numbers, hops off of the stage, and greases some more rolls. at this point i was obviously grinning at him like a freak. best and most nashville moment of the trip, i'd say.

we moved on to tootsie's (the famous purple place) which was packed. there was some pretty boy country guy singing, and these spring break sorority chicks soon joined him onstage and embarrassing merriment ensued. we took a picture of us looking uncomfortable and awkward. ALSO I SWEAR ZAC BROWN (of the zac brown band) was there. the guy onstage even said it! but no one else thinks it was him. i really don't care. but...whatever.

then we ate more bbq at some place called "rippy's" where our 19 year-old waiter could not wait to finish his shift. we ended the evening at the "paradise park trailer resort," a total dive where we drank beers and another attractive man was singing. the ceilings had not been dusted since the place opened. and they had a food menu with fried spam sandwiches. we took terrible pictures in a teeny-tiny photobooth and devoured our free doubletree cookies when we got back to the hotel.

MONDAY:

• pancake pantry:

we went back to hillsboro village, because we had to visit this place. such good pancakes. we split the good ol' buttermilk and also got an order of pecan. the 'cakes came with cinnamon-creme syrup which was tasty, but the regular syrup was out of this world awesome. it had a vanilla flavor and was perfect. apparently p!nk showed up right after we left. bah!

• getting lost on the bus:

we thought we were going back towards downtown, but we ended up in the middle of nowhere in suburban nashville and decided we might as well just head to the airport. so just as i was about to call a cab, one pulls up beside us. THANK YOU TOM PETTY! i'm just going to pretend that it was also tom that creepily complimented me on my "beautiful smile."

in sum: i love biscuits, meat, whiskey, line cooks, space cats, and latte art. oh, and nashville was pretty sweet, too.