A typical Friday night at the casa…
xo Al
Dogs and Guitars
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Category Archives: Tunes
Unapologetic
Way back in September, Miek surprised me for my 26th birthday with tickets to see Rihanna in Boston — the show scheduled for March 10. We booked a quaint little Beacon Hill hotel through Jetsetter, and spent the next few months getting excited.
On our way down to the show last week, Miek got a weird 1-800 number call. It was Ticketmaster informing us of Rihanna’s “laryngitis” and need to cancel the Boston show. Slightly deflated <understatement>, we decided to keep driving and make the most of the weekend.
Despite dropping my debit card at the south-bound rest stop (and not realizing this fact until reaching into my wallet at a store on Newbury Street…), and mourning the canceled show, we still had a pretty fun time. A lesson for me in “going with the flow” and taking things as they come. When you’re with your best friend and it finally feels a smidgen like spring, few things can completely dampen spirits.
Some highlights:
1.) The snug Beacon Hill Hotel and Bistro. Gray-walled and archetypically “New England”, this hotel had class without being pretentious, comfortable rooms despite being small in footprint, and a world-class staff. The spunky blonde bartender gave us waters and sodas for free after an afternoon of walking the city, and the front-desk concierge stopped up late-night and fixed our Direct TV with a smile. Owned by an American and a Swede, the hotel is undeniably European. A nice departure from the “big box” hotels that pepper the city.
2.) Laughing at the ridiculously haughty and pompous worker at Levi’s. Look, I know you’re working on Newbury Street — the self-proclaimed “Rodeo Drive” of Boston — but come on, you’re hocking denim. The wardrobe workhorse. No matter how “museum quality meets boutique” you say they are, they are still jeans. And I found better ones for $10 at the Forever 21 down the street.
3.) Running through the chilly North End streets after dinner to pick up to-go cannoli at Modern Pastry. Miek lived in Boston during college, but had never been to this family-run Italian joint. It was well worth the wait.
xo AlHoly Boys Danger Club, 9/22
Took my new Nikon D3100 for a spin at the Empire last night. I’m still getting used to all the bells and whistles (and how to shoot in low light without everything being a blurry mess).
Here are some shots of the night and of my favorite local band, Holy Boys Danger Club.
xoxo Al
Portland Has A Music Festival
This past weekend, rows of porta-potties were set up, two stages erected on Portland’s East End, houses decorated and food trucks parked to welcome over 15,000 mustache-sporting festival-goers for Mumford and Sons’ Gentlemen of the Road stopover show.
My old Bates roomie and dear friend Emily took the train up from Boston to visit, and we grabbed a blanket, plenty of sunscreen and water and hit the hill.
The headliners put on a flawless show. The setting was beautiful, with a bobbing Atlantic as the backdrop, some anchored boats dancing in the ebb and flow of the water. As the sun set behind us, the sky turned pink.
This was all very lovely. However, my most-favorite moment of the day was HAIM’s set. Three LA sisters graced the stage, all middle-parted long hair and dangerously short cut-offs. Danielle’s stint with Julian Casablancas showed in her guitar solos. The bass player, pardon my language, kicked some serious ass. And all three closed their set with some primal drumming.
So good.
The fried dough wasn’t bad either.
The Revere, Boston
Miek and I bombed down to Boston yesterday to see Frank Ocean at the Paradise. Thanks to SniqueAway we got great rates on a room at The Revere, a swanky spot near Boston Common.
A spacious room with a killer cityscape view from the concrete balcony, full-size toiletries (a long-haired girl’s dream), complimentary flutes of champagne upon check-in, and a great restaurant on-site (get the braised short rib stroganoff) made for a great experience.
Now… for some brunch and window shopping along Newbury Street — Boston’s Rodeo Drive.
xo Al
Vacation Mode
My brain has officially turned to mush and is oozing out of my ears. I need a vacation.
With Las Vegas on the horizon, I’m trying to find little joys in each (dragging, pre-vacation) day.
Last night, my boyfriend was playing in The Clash of The Titans at Empire downtown; this is where talented local musicians offer themselves to the cause to cover two fab bands in an epic battle. Miek was in Kings of Leon. His solo in Charmer charmed me, but I suppose I’m biased.
Stay tuned for Las Vegas updates!! Viva!!
The Alabama Shakes
Everyone needs to see the Alabama Shakes live. I’m serious. They are that good.
Miek and I saw them at The Paradise in Boston this past weekend. The crowd was wild for Brittany Howard and her incredible band. A band truly worthy of all the hype.
Brittany was a combination of Aretha’s sass with James Brown’s funkiness. Like a Stax record that meant business with intrinsic humility, soul, power and skill. That’s what happens when you form a band with the quiet kid who wears band t-shirts to class. That’s what happens when you write songs with your high school friends on someone’s basement floor.
We met the bass player as we were sitting in the lounge. We told him that we had discovered the Alabama Shakes by Shazamming a song playing before a Drive-By Truckers show. He said “That’s really cool!” and meant it and shook our hands. You just don’t get that anymore.
Hot Off The Dress 