Tag: Live Shows

Funk and Frosting…

by Ashley DeLargeLeave a Comment on Funk and Frosting…

Good Morning and Happy Hump Day, everyone!

This week has been filled with phone calls and meetings, and as we kick off the halfway mark to Friday- the momentum is still going strong. I’ve got so much to do today, and then immediately after work it’s off to a date in Western Massachusetts to decompress and relax with good company.

Although this past weekend took an unexpected turn with some wild weather and a F1 tornado dropping by my mother’s neighborhood for a couple of minutes- I still managed to find some time to take in a bit of impromptu live music, indulge in the sweeter things, and even pamper myself a bit.

On Saturday night, after recovering from the shock of the storm that ripped through the area- I headed back out towards Beverly to grab a couple of drinks and catch a George Clinton show at the Cabot Theater. One of my friends had rounded up a handful of tickets to the show and thought it would be a fun way to pass an evening. He was right- although the show itself was a bit… Unusual?

There was so much happening all at once and a lot of noise so it was a bit difficult to differentiate one song from the next (especially with 20 people on stage at any given time)– but everyone was in good spirits and the inside of the venue was really beautiful- so it all evened out and it was worth the price of admission. It was a unique experience for sure!

On Sunday morning, while nursing an unexpected-and-not-hangover-related migraine that seemed to materialize out of nowhere first thing in the A.M.- I opted to treat myself to some “Unicorn Poop” (yes, that’s the real name) cupcakes courtesy of Whoopie-Doo & Cupcakes, Too! while I was passing through the Sturbridge area. The cupcakes were *almost* too pretty to eat- with the rainbow swirled frosting, edible glitter and rich chocolate cake- but I powered through my remorse once I tasted how delicious they were.

And sure enough- my headache went away shortly afterwards!

Sunday afternoon and evening was all about errands and preparing for this most busy of work weeks- while also sneaking in an aqua-colored mani/pedi combo- but I’m looking forward to doing some more cooking this week (I have a great steak recipe to share on Friday morning before we break for the weekend!) and spending some long overdue time at the beach this coming Friday/Saturday- if the weather holds up, of course.

And Sunday is going to be all about Boston Comic-Con! I’m really looking forward to visiting some of my favorite local vendors and artists since I’ve been out of the circuit for a few months (I love to cosplay and attend the panels, meet and greets, etc.- but sometimes a girl just needs a break now and then!)

Expect a lot of pictures here and on my social media over the next few days!

But we’ve still gotta’ make it through this week- so I’m going to dial it back a bit and just say that I hope you all have a wonderful and stress-free Wednesday- and I’ll see you all on Friday!

Don’t spoil your appetites, either- because the recipe I have planned for Friday’s post is one of my favorites for the late Summertime!

xx

– Ashley –

July 2018: In a Nutshell

by Ashley DeLargeLeave a Comment on July 2018: In a Nutshell

Good Morning and Happy Monday 2.0, everyone!

This week’s posting schedule is a short one (today and Thursday only)– not only because the last day of July happened to land on a Tuesday- but because I’ve got a pretty busy few days ahead of me and have been coordinating different events, meet-ups, errands and deadlines around an already packed work-week!

Can you all believe we’re getting ready to dive into August? That means there’s only one solid month of Summer left before we start to gradually transition into the Fall. Cooler temperatures, shorter days, changing foliage- and the return of pumpkin spiced everything. It’s pretty wild- and I, for one- intend to savor the next few hot and sunny weeks ahead as much as possible!

But before I get ready to change my calendar and start planning as many beach days as I can get away with- I thought I’d take a look back on the month of July- and all the fun (and sometimes insanity) that came with it!

The beginning of this past month was marked by tragedy, unfortunately. Following the suicide of an old friend near the end of June, the first few days of July saw me return to my hometown in Central Massachusetts to pay my respects and spend some much-needed time with mutual friends I hadn’t seen in many years who were also in mourning.

While the circumstances were indeed grim, being able to catch up with so many people I’d missed and care about- and both laugh and cry as we shared memories from a long time ago- was pretty cathartic. I’m making more of an effort to find time to see these friends more often, despite our busy schedules and home lives- because it shouldn’t only be tragedies that bring people back together.

By the time July 4th rolled around, I was also getting back in touch with nature- hiking, swimming beneath waterfalls and in lakes, and catching ferries around Boston Harbor’s islands to get a taste of the ocean and get out of the city for a few hours at a time. By the time Friday the 13th rolled around, I was a pro at packing backpacks filled with SPF, bug spray, and snacks- and had no issues camping out in the middle of the woods for a Jason Vorhees-inspired film festival at Rocky Woods Reservation!

And despite quite a few scattered thunderstorms and sun showers- I caught plenty of outdoor cookouts and backyard BBQs with friends and family (take a peek at some of my SUMMER RECIPES posts for a few of my favorite dishes!) as well as taking in some local children’s theater to support one of my best friends and enjoying some Summer blockbuster action flicks in air conditioned theaters!

This past weekend, with July winding down- I kept things closer to home. Friday night was the Arctic Monkeys show at TD Garden. I love those brilliant boys from Sheffield- and it was a real trip to see them play for thousands at the Garden when I can remember so clearly watching them play for about 100 people in small venues throughout New York and London in our early twenties! Alex may have shaved off his beautiful hair last week, but he was still just as dashing and charming as ever- and hearing some of the bangers I love best reverberate off the walls of the arena was such an incredible feeling.

Live music can make you feel invincible sometimes. I swear.

Following the gig, friends and I took the after party to the Coolidge Corner Theater for their midnight screening of “The Room” (AKA the best worst movie ever made) ala “Rocky Horror Picture Show.” Within three minutes- the entire crowd was laughing hysterically- and by ten minutes in, we were throwing plastic spoons at the screen after being given handfuls of them by the staff upon entry. If you’ve never had the opportunity to go to a midnight screening, don’t even hesitate to buy tickets if one is available near you. Grab your friends and go. It’s a riot.

By the early afternoon on Saturday, my friends and I- having gone to bed around 4 a.m.- needed to recharge and sleepily walked to downtown Melrose to get brunch at our favorite weekend spot- Cappa’s Trackside Kitchen. We all split omelettes, toast, hash, home fries- and my personal favorite- banana Nutella French toast- before grabbing coffees to go and heading out into the sunshine to wake ourselves up a little.

Sunday was my day to rest, although I did take a bit of time to get a few errands for the week accomplished- but the majority of the day was spent in pajamas, surfing the web, watching trashy reality TV, and eating nachos. Sometimes you just really, really need a lazy Sunday- and it seemed like a fitting way to bid farewell to an otherwise jam-packed and busy month! Decompressing and getting ready for the next one!

So what do I have planned for August? Well, as I mentioned earlier- definitely as many beach days as possible! I’m also hoping to spend a little more time in some of my favorite seaside towns before that tricky New England weather starts to change again.

I’ve got Boston Comic-Con and Summer Slam coming up within the next couple of weeks, too- which is going to require some creativity and dressing up on my part!

And, of course- I’ll have plenty of recipes, outfits and recaps to share as Summer 2018 begins to draw to a close!

But I’ve got a meeting at work this morning before I get right back into my daily grind- so here’s wishing you all a wonderful end to your own July- and a lovely rest of your Tuesday!

xx

– Ashley –

May 2018: In a Nutshell

by Ashley DeLargeLeave a Comment on May 2018: In a Nutshell

Good Morning and Happy Thursday, everyone! The weekend is so close we can practically reach out and touch it!

I am admittedly feeling pretty under the weather today. Ever since I got back from D.C., I’ve been battling a somewhat tough-as-nails flu that has rendered me essentially helpless and useless for the past 48+ hours. I’m hoping it breaks before the weekend so I’m not bedridden during my days off- but we’ll see! I’ve got plenty of things to binge On-Demand and on Netflix if it doesn’t.

But enough jumping ahead! This post is about jumping backwards (a little) and taking a nice, long and loving look at the month of May, 2018- and what a month it was!

In perhaps what proved to be one of my busiest, bustling, most jam-packed few weeks ever- May started off with a bang when my friends and I ditched work for a day to kick off the Summer slightly early at Singing Beach- and set off on a seasonal mission to try as many new restaurants and bars as possible (Citrus & Salt is a hit, by the way!)

Mother’s Day was spent brunching and shopping with my mom, and with the warm weather finally here to stay for a while- I spent more time working out/exercising outdoors (when we weren’t having tornado watches, anyway.) Thankfully- storms didn’t blow us away- but the Editors sure did during their show at the Paradise Rock Club on May 16th! Soooo good!

Romantics everywhere celebrated the Royal Wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle while Bostonians everywhere mourned the ends of the seasons for both the Bruins and Celtics. Let’s go Golden Knights!

But of course, this past weekend and all the crazy fun that came with it was the perfect way to round out May. It started last Wednesday night- when my friend from Ireland came into town to have dinner and do some sightseeing while we caught up since we’d last seen each other in Vegas back in February. It was beautiful outside, which made the night even better- and that weather carried all the way over into Friday- which was also Day 1 of the Boston Calling Music Festival.

I was fortunate enough to have a VIP pass, and seized the opportunity to see acts like Portugal, The Man – Paramore, The National, and my favorite boys by way of fabulous Las Vegas, Nevada- The Killers! The whole day/night was absolute magic. I couldn’t stop smiling. Here are a few of my favorite photos I snapped of the scene with my phone (Click to Enlarge!)

It should be noted that one of those photos is of the “BBQ Bomb” they were selling at The Smoke Shop BBQ’s tent- which was a waffle cone filled with beans, queso mac & cheese, and pulled pork. It may have been one of the best things I’ve ever purchased (or ever ate, really.)

Come Saturday morning, it was off to Logan International to catch a quickie flight to Washington D.C. to spend Memorial Day weekend with my friend Duncan (formerly of San Diego- and now based in Chicago!) who I hadn’t seen since the last time we were in D.C. together a couple of years ago to attend a friend of his’ wedding ceremony. The warm weather held up for most of the weekend- save for a couple of showers and scattered thunderstorms- which was nice.

I forgot how beautiful and clean many section of D.C. were- and although certain parts of the city (particularly the monuments) were pretty packed in the afternoons- by nighttime everyone had cleared out and I was able to do some serious tourist-y stuff like walk the entire Mall to the Capitol Building and Supreme Court without seeing another soul for hours. It was pretty amazing- and the pictures I took speak for themselves!

While we were in town, we caught a showing of “Shear Madness” at the Kennedy Center, which was SO much fun- and I made sure to make stops at Arlington Cemetery to pay my respects and the Smithsonian National Portrait Gallery to see the amazing new portraits of Barack and Michelle Obama before I had to head back home and beat the post-holiday traffic on Monday morning.

It was such a lovely weekend- and I took a lot of photos along the way. Below are some of my favorites! (Click to Enlarge!)

So what’s in store for June when I’m feeling better? More travel and beach days, I’m hoping! More Summer fashion and awesome cookout recipes, definitely- and maybe seeing some familiar faces who will be in the area over the next couple of weeks!

But until then- here’s to May- which was wildly fun and unexpected. Here’s to this coming weekend being filled with endless possibilities- and here’s to me beating this awful cold once and for all!

Have a beautiful, fantastic weekend, everyone! See you all next week!

xx

– Ashley –

Festival Survival: The Essentials

by Ashley DeLargeLeave a Comment on Festival Survival: The Essentials

Good Morning and Happy Wednesday, everyone!

Today is a busy one for me. I’ve got work, meetings, and dinner plans with a friend of mine visiting from outside the country who is here for this coming weekend’s Boston Calling Festival. I’ll be at the show bright and early on Friday- but then it’s off to Washington D.C. on Saturday!

Preparing for a day out in the sun, listening to some great bands and artists got me thinking about ‘Festival Essentials’, though. If you’ve got Instagram, then chances are your feed was being overwhelmed by posts from Coachella this year. Loads of pretty people wearing some seriously impractical outfits (and flower crowns) in the sweltering Indio heat. Sure, it looked great in photos- but how did it feel after a couple of hours? Probably not great, I’d imagine.

Inspired, I came up with some items that I consider to be reasonable and comfortable must-haves when it comes to braving those outdoor Spring/Summer music festivals- and things I’ll personally have on me when I roll into Boston Calling on Friday!

And while I’m sure dressing up in tulle, leather, or suede with lots of fringe is a good time- I’ll be sticking to a breathable pair of cotton shorts and a lightweight t-shirt, thanks! I want to be able to dance!

First and foremost- ditch the wedge sandals or the stilettos and settle on a practical and comfortable pair of sneakers, ankle boots or flats. You’re going to be standing for hours on end- or, if it rains- you’re going to want to keep as much material between your toes and the muddy ground as possible. Think support and think fitted insoles to absorb moisture and to keep the inside of your shoes from getting ruined..

I’ll be sporting this pair of moccasins I bought solely for flying (slip on/off = quicker TSA checkpoint time) and for standing for long periods of time. They’re soft, lined, and cushioned at the bottom- so my feet stay cozy and dry for as long as I have these on!

The second most important thing after reasonable shoes? Sunscreen. The higher the SPF the better. If you’re going to be roasting under the sun for an afternoon while you wait for your favorite band to take the stage- then you need to go all out and protect yourself from damaging UV rays that could cause skin cancer (and/or a seriously painful burn!)

I live for this spray-on SPF50 from Trader Joe’s- which makes applying/re-applying sunscreen during the day a lightweight and mess-free breeze. It’s not greasy or sticky, and doesn’t clog your pores. It just sinks in like water.

Speaking of H20- you need. to. stay. hydrated. I know the idea of spending $14 on a bottle of water is ridiculous (and it truly is)– but dehydration and heat stroke are serious business and need to be prevented at all costs. If security is strict and won’t let you bring your own bottle inside the venue- then splurge on one and seek out options for free re-fills. Some vendors will have a “one time purchase/unlimited refills” policy- so take advantage of it!

I’m not gonna’ sweat shame- because we all do it and it’s nothing to feel gross about- but if you’re looking for a quick and easy refresher to cool yourself off and make yourself smell a little nicer for when you’re huddled in a crowd with hundreds of strangers- then I highly recommend carrying a pack of deodorant wipes with you.

These ones from Pacifica have been a long-time favorite of mine. They smell crisp, clean and a little tropical- but they also soften and hydrate your underarm area so that you feel even more refreshed and are more inclined to throw your arms up during that one song you really, really like.

I, frankly, don’t have the time or the patience to apply a full face of makeup that I’m going to sweat off right away- so I keep it simple when I’m headed to a festival. A tinted moisturizer with sunscreen mixed in (of course!)– a hydrating lip balm, and a lightweight cream-to-powder eye shadow in a neutral tone to brighten my eye area for when I’m posing for that selfie by the side of the stage is really all I need to get by.

This coconut balm and shimmery beige shadow from Sephora keep me looking glossy (not sweaty) and put together. Add a couple of swipes of waterproof mascara and you’ve got an effortless look that won’t be running down your face by the end of the night.

And it goes without saying- but bring a pair of sunglasses. Even if it’s just to hide your tears when that one band plays that song that reminds you of your ex. You’re taking steps to protect your skin during this adventure- so you gotta’ remember to protect those peepers, too!

And when I know that electrical outlets may be scarce- I like to bring a portable charger with me to plug my phone into when it starts losing juice but I need to keep it up and running. This one- from Triple C- is the size of a tube of lipstick and can get my battery life up considerably in under an hour. I just connect it to my phone, tuck the phone into my purse- and let it work it’s magic.

And finally- bring a bag that is big enough to carry everything- but small enough to carry around comfortably. I typically use a small, drawstring backpack, my cross-body bag, or this mid-sized beach tote slung over my shoulder. The magnetic clasp sewn into the inside keeps my belongings secure and doesn’t weigh me down.

I also try to keep a big hat with me to protect my scalp from burning under the sun, too. It’s an area that often gets overlooked while we’re slathering on the SPF on our bodies and faces- but it can burn just as easily, too! This wide-brimmed hat was a purchase from Primark a couple of Summers ago for a beach weekend I had planned with friends- but it’s held up since then- and is still consistently useful!

And those, my lovelies- are my “Festival Essentials”- for a carefree and comfortable day out in the sun with other fans listening to music we love. I’m so excited for Friday!

If you’ve got your own Festival Essentials (I do love a good recommendation!) that you’d like to share- feel free!

But for now, I’m off to get to work. Enjoy your Hump Day, everyone!

xx

– Ashley –

“An End Has a Start…”

by Ashley DeLargeLeave a Comment on “An End Has a Start…”

The first time I ever saw Editors live, it was a complete accident.

Well, let me back up a bit- because the word “accident” implies a bad or tragic outcome- and the experience was anything but.

It was 2007, and I was in San Diego (one of my first visits!)– not only for a little vacation but to party at Street Scene San Diego- an outdoor music festival that used to take place annually around the city. I had friends from different bands (and their crews) on the lineup- making it one of the largest gatherings ever of people I knew and cared about in one location/setting. Considering how many hectic schedules people had at any given time- something like that rarely happens! Arctic Monkeys, The Killers, Louis XIV etc. Everywhere I turned was a friendly and familiar face, a big hug- and a cold beer.

At one point, while looking for a place to charge my phone- I happened to catch a voice singing from the stage that reminded me of both Paul Banks from Interpol and the late, great Ian Curtis from Joy Division- and immediately hurried over by the performance area to see who it was.

It was Editors- and two minutes into their set- I completely forgot about charging my phone all together.

From that moment on I was a fan- and dove headfirst into their discography (both past and future albums that were released)– but I kept missing them on their tours whenever they’d stop in Boston. One of their last shows in the city, circa 2008/2009- saw them bring a friend’s band on the road with them as an opening act. I was so excited to see them again- but ended up getting a little too drunk with said friend after their opening set and missed Editors entirely.

With a new (and fantastic!) album out earlier this year- the band is currently on their North American tour- and on Wednesday night they made a stop in Boston at our famous Paradise Rock Club. It’s definitely my favorite venue in the city- because there’s not a single bad spot to watch the stage from anywhere in the building- and the sound quality is perfect.

It’s been over ten years since I’d last seen them live, but they were just as great- if not better- than they were on that stifling hot day in San Diego way back when. I was completely blown away and absolutely captivated.

Editors’ sixth album, ‘Violence’, is out now- and I highly recommend giving it a listen and seeing them live if you can. They put on an amazing, energetic, passionate performance. It’s been almost 48 hours since the show and I’ve still got goosebumps!

I’ve got a lot to do today at work, and should probably get to it- but I’m rewarding myself for a busy and productive week with post-office burgers tonight with one of my co-workers. My mouth is watering already!

Here’s hoping you all have an incredible weekend. For those of you who are participating in Royal Wedding-themed fun (guilty as charged)– I can’t wait to see your photos!

Enjoy your Friday, everyone!

xx

– Ashley –