Radio – Blondie Birdie

Celebrations, Clam Chowder and Cocktails…

April 4, 2019April 11, 2019by Ashley DeLargeLeave a Comment

Good Morning and Happy Thursday, everyone!

With the weekend within reach and with it- so many plans (some long overdue!) with friends- I’m reflecting on the past few days which have consisted of work, good food, strong drinks and commemorating milestones!

Tuesday marked the one-year anniversary since the launch of Indie617– and while I’ve only been on board as a weekend host for a few weeks now- I’ve been a fan and a supporter ever since they emerged on the scene and I couldn’t be happier for everyone involved and grateful to be a part of it. The day was spent reminiscing about the previous year’s shows/events and music we first heard via the station.

Having taken the day off yesterday at my office, I popped by for an appearance during “Morning Glory” and then joined the rest of the station at Stockyard in Brighton for celebratory drinks and lunch to toast to many more fun and successful years together. (Side Note: their claim chowder may be some of the best I’ve ever tasted.)

And with keeping the parties going- last night I also went out with my good friend Duncan who was back in town from Chicago to celebrate his new job and recent promotion! He’ll be working out of Burlington- which is so much closer to me than Chicago- which means we’ll be able to see each other more often! If that’s not a reason to raise a glass- then I don’t know what is!

We indulged in some late night noodles and cocktails courtesy of wagamama– which remains one of my favorite places in the Boston Seaport. I’m so glad they expanded beyond Faneuil Hall, since that place can be a nightmare to navigate through depending on the time of day/year. The dining experience at the Seaport location is much less crowded, crazy and noisy- and it just looks/feels so much cleaner, too!

It was such a good night- even though I’m admittedly feeling a little groggy this morning- but it’s nothing a little coffee won’t take care of!

The posting schedule returns to normal next week- and I’ve got a lot on standby that I’m ready to share- but for now I hope you all enjoy your Friday and your weekend ahead!

– Ashley –

March 2019: In a Nutshell

March 31, 2019April 7, 2019by Ashley DeLargeLeave a Comment

Good Morning and Happy Sunday, everyone!

I hope you’re all enjoying your weekend so far. It’s been beautiful here in my neck of the woods- with sunshine and comfortably warm temperatures- and today is actually the first day I’ve been able to wear sneakers since early Fall of 2018! I was nearly starting to forget how my legs looked without knee-high boots on.

I don’t really follow basketball (sorry, Celtics!) but I had my own version of “March Madness” this year with regards to how unbelievably busy this past month was. I was essentially moving non-stop from one side of the state to the other- back and forth- at any given time. Not only was I working my full-time job Monday through Friday (I actually just got a raise, too- which definitely kept me from succumbing to stress!) but I also started my Saturday radio show in the city and working diligently as the Marketing & Publicity Director at a family theater company in Western Massachusetts. I had written more in-detail about those opportunities and career paths HERE.

Despite spending a lot of time on my feet (and maybe even more time in my car!) I still managed to take some time out to do a little cooking, raid my wardrobe to show off my favorite Springtime looks just as we kicked off the season, spend time with friends/family and a few surprise visits from those arriving from out of state, put together a light and pretty playlist to say au revoir to Winter– and enjoy some local traveling/sightseeing- including a stop at the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum and a brief trip to stop and smell the flowers during the Bulb Show at Smith College’s Botanical Garden.

Perhaps one of the biggest things to happen this month, however- is that I may be potentially relocating to the Pioneer Valley. I don’t want to speak too much into the universe right now- since the details are still being sorted out and I’m waiting for definitive confirmation and getting ahead of myself may result in it not coming to fruition- but so far the signs are good and I may have a pretty exciting “In a Nutshell” post ready to go by the end of April. I’m anxious and excited and hopeful and trying to be optimistic- but we’ll see how it goes!

And while it feels like I’ve done so much this month- there were a few things I couldn’t quite get to because of my schedule- including a planned trip to Nantucket, NYC and some sponsored posts I’ve been working on. Sometimes there just isn’t enough hours in the day or days in the week!

The good news is there’s always April- and with it comes the time to follow through on those plans/posts, as well as get ready for some upcoming events- including Marathon Monday and Easter! Now that I’ve gotten myself into the swing of all these new roles/responsibilities- I think I’ll have a much easier time keeping up with my day trip/weekend plans and my content here at Blondie Birdie, as well.

So as crazy as March was- it was invigorating and exciting and has me eager to move forward into April and Spring! I’m recharged and ready to go!

Because I’m posting on the weekend, I’m taking a short posting schedule this week (Tuesday and Thursday.) On Tuesday, I’ll have a look back at some of the things I did over these past couple of days- and on Thursday I’m going to be re-capping the most recent season of “The Walking Dead”. The finale is tonight and this season has been one of the best I’ve seen in years. I’m so excited- but also a little terrified!

Here’s wishing you all a wonderful rest of your Sunday and an easygoing Monday! I’ll see you in a couple of days!

– Ashley –

Stay-Cations and Solo Debuts…

March 25, 2019March 31, 2019by Ashley DeLargeLeave a Comment

Good Morning and Happy Monday, everyone!

I’m writing this on Sunday night from Troy’s dining room table while I listen to The Cure and munch on a crab cake sandwich from a takeout order I had placed at Fitzwilly’s just down the street. I’ve been staying at his place in downtown Northampton these past few nights- some of which while he’s been away in San Diego for his job- as a bit of a “Stay-Cation” to get away from minor office/home stresses, be closer to the Pioneer Valley while I work on side projects and look at real estate in the area- and just be able to breathe in some fresh air and do a little sightseeing around town.

It’s back to work for me this morning, though- and I’ll be diving into work-mode as soon as I get into the office bright and early momentarily. The good news and the upside, however- is that my little venture/vacation in Northampton left me feeling a lot more refreshed! I desperately needed it after all the Spring cleaning I’ve been doing and all the big changes and opportunities I recently talked about.

This past Saturday saw my brief return to Boston, however- when I launched my Saturday afternoon radio show at Indie617! Although there were a couple of technical difficulties at the very beginning that left me rattled- I got the hang of it and loosened up- and had a really good time! The response has been really kind and positive, too- which is amazing. If you missed it, I’ll be back this coming Saturday from 12-4 PM! I play good tunes and share upcoming and super fun events in the area- so you definitely don’t want to miss it!

Prior to this weekend, however- I’ve got a pretty great breakfast recipe to share on Wednesday- followed by a recap of my favorite things from March on Friday! With Sunday being the last day of the month, my full summary of these past few weeks will be up whenever I roll out of bed for brunch- which means a shortened posting week next week- but it’ll be a good one nonetheless!

For now, I’ve got to get the jump on my work and caseload for the week- and indulge in some post-office burgers and fries with friends after I clock out for the day. I won’t be laying my head in the Pioneer Valley tonight for the first time in a long time- which is a shame- but I’m sure I’ll be heading back *real* soon! It’s so peaceful there!

Enjoy the start of your week, everyone! We’re all in this together and we can push through to Friday!

– Ashley –

In Bloom – A Spring Playlist

March 8, 2019March 14, 2019by Ashley DeLargeLeave a Comment

Good Morning and Happy Friday, everyone! We’ve made it to another weekend!

Earlier this week I talked about getting into a Spring state of mind since the snow, sleet, ice, and bitterly cold temperatures were starting to get me down. While I ready my floral print everything, pastels, and spend time in local greenhouses and at flower shows in an attempt to inject some nature and brighter colors into my life- I also needed a seasonally appropriate soundtrack to keep my spirits up until the warmer weather gets here!

Using 8Tracks– which remains one of my favorite ways to create/swap what are essentially good ol’ fashioned mixtapes online- I created “In Bloom”- a brief, ten-track playlist of some of my favorite upbeat and dreamy songs that range from recent releases to a couple of older, classic indie tunes.

I also lined up these songs in Spotify for when I’m in the car- and honestly they make my commute feel a little more cheery and calming despite the fact that there are still some pretty intimidating-looking snowbanks along the roadsides here in Massachusetts.

But I digress! You can listen to the Playlist below (or by CLICKING HERE)

And for the curious- here’s the tracklisting:

Lucy Dacus – La Vie en Rose
Cults – Go Outside
Belle and Sebastian – Another Sunny Day
Deerhunter – No One’s Sleeping
Jenny Lewis – Red Bull & Hennessey
Tall Heights – The Deep End
Soccer Mommy – Blossom
Billie Eilish – When The Party’s Over
Beirut – Gallipoli
Death Cab For Cutie – Northern Lights

This coming weekend I’ll be visiting one of my favorite art museums in the city and bracing myself for some much-needed Spring cleaning around my closet and bedroom- all while losing an hour of precious sleep once Daylight Savings Time kicks in on Sunday morning!

I’ll be back on Monday (and will undoubtedly be sleepy and confused when I am)– so here’s to a fun, warm, safe weekend to you all! Enjoy!

– Ashley –

Holiday Hangs…

December 12, 2018December 18, 2018by Ashley DeLargeLeave a Comment

Good Morning and Happy “Hump Day”, everyone!

It’s been such a busy week so far- both with work and pre-holiday preparations- but today is my half day at my office and the only thing I intend on doing once I leave for the day and head home is partaking in some baking and staying bundled up in my cozy pajamas and blankets with a hot cup of cocoa while I watch some classic Christmas movies and work on my end-of-the-year posts for the blog.

I need a day of doing the bare minimum- just to recharge my batteries a bit!

I might still be recovering from this past weekend, really- which saw me stop by Idle Hands Craft Ales in Malden for Indie617‘s first annual ‘Holiday Hang’. While I had a couple of drinks and caught up with friends, the station spun some festive tunes and gave away different prizes- including concert tickets and Idle Hands swag. The turnout was great- as was the food provided by Spoko Polish Street Food. The perfect pairing with my cranberry-orange beer, really!

Also, I have to give credit to the seasonally appropriate video of Nick Offerman sitting in front of a fireplace, occasionally drinking whiskey- that was looped for ten hours and played across a wall at Idle Hands from a projector. It really set the mood.

If you want to get the video rolling at your own holiday party (all ten hours of it!)– CLICK HERE.

I’m going to be back and live on air with Indie617 this coming Friday (12/14) at 9 a.m. during ‘Morning Glory’ to talk about some of the biggest indie stories of 2018- so be sure to tune in! I’m very excited to recap what has been a crazy year in music.

A little later on this week (also on Friday, to be more specific)– I’m going to have a new bake-free dessert recipe up here on Blondie Birdie- just in time for a Tree Trimming dinner party I have planned with my family later on that night. I’ve got the cocktails ready to go and a soundtrack ready to play- but I’m admittedly still digging out ornaments from storage that my brothers and I have had since we were little kids! It’s tradition, after all.

A little hint about the recipe, by the way- if you love sugar cookies and white chocolate- you’re going to love what I’m going to share.

But for now, I’m going to get some work done and count down the minutes until noon. Here’s wishing you all a wonderful Wednesday!

– Ashley –