Weekend – Page 21 – Blondie Birdie

California Dreamin’…

July 12, 2017by Ashley DeLargeLeave a Comment

I did it. I made it. I pulled it off! I traveled to and from the West Coast in just under 48 hours and lived to tell the tale- although I am admittedly pretty tired after coming home and immediately heading back to work these past couple of days. I figure I can catch up on my sleep this weekend, though. I had an incredible time- and I’d do it again in a heartbeat. It was worth feeling a little sleepy and groggy.

My love affair with San Diego began in my very early twenties when I traveled there alone for the first time to see a weekend-long festival that some of my musician friends were participating in. While there, those very same friends gave me a tour of the city- including the beaches, the bars, the numerous venues and even some of the more “touristy” spots- and I was smitten pretty much immediately. Since then, I’ve spent the better part of a decade jet-setting to SoCal and back as much as I can and whenever I get the chance. Many of my friends still live in the area- so it’s always a great time to spend time with them whenever I head out for a few days.

If I could live anywhere in the world- it’d be San Diego- but it’s so astronomically expensive there that I’d really have to do some extensive research to find a reasonable, affordable and actually NICE place to hang my hat. That’s not to say I’m not keeping an eye out, though…

I digress! This past weekend, I was initially supposed to head to Los Angeles for a day and a half or so- but those plans fell through at the last minute. Having already made arrangements with someone near and dear to me in San Diego for Saturday night (when I planned to drive in from L.A.)– I opted to rearrange my flight and just fly straight there, instead- and still return home on Sunday evening.

It worked out well. My flight arrived early on Saturday morning, giving me enough time to get my bearings and make myself look presentable for the day. I booked an affordable room at the very unique and super quirky Hotel Z– where the decor is all pineapples and sass. It felt like every corner I turned- I had to stop and snap a picture of their amenities. The rooms were a bit small- but comfortable- and overall I really enjoyed curling up there after a long night of drinks and debauchery.

Prior to meeting up with my friend at our usual late night hangout spot after he got off of work for the night- I swung by The Casbah for the first time in YEARS to show my support for my longtime friend, Brian- who was being celebrated for his contributions to music in and around the San Diego area for years and years. Lead with a pretty stellar lineup of opening acts- Brian naturally performed as well. I knew of one of his earlier bands, Convoy, for a while when I was younger- but we didn’t formally meet in person until his days in Louis XIV. He’s always been a sweetheart and totally charming for as long as I’ve known him- and he’s an absolute riot. I adore people who can make me genuinely laugh until I have tears in my eyes- and he does it.

I’m so happy for him and I couldn’t be prouder.

I left right after the show wrapped up since a couple of women who’d had a bit too much to drink had started to accost me and I didn’t want any potential or unnecessary to spoil the overall upbeat mood of the evening- but I truly did have a lovely time.

The remainder of my night was spent drinking a tad too much over on 16th street with two of my favorite guys in the universe before I eventually sauntered back to my room to sleep it off and prepare to catch my flight back to the East Coast late Sunday morning.

Mild hangover and a broken sensor on my plane that delayed my flight by just over an hour and a half aside- it was smooth sailing the whole way home. I got home at a reasonable hour and was up and (barely) ready for work on Monday morning- and here I am- already planning my next trip out West!

And going with the music/live show theme- while on the road, in the air, and now back at home- I compiled a short playlist of some of the Summer songs I’ve been grooving to these past couple of weeks and that I took with me during my trip. I uploaded the playlist on my new 8Tracks Account– but thought I’d share it here, too!

This is “Pineapple Daze – a Summer 2017 Playlist!”

– Tracks –

Beth Ditto – Oo La La
Portugal, The Man – Feel It Still
The Killers – The Man
Lorde – Perfect Places
Capital Cities – Swimming Pool Summer
Day Wave – Something Here
Alvvays – In Undertow
Local Natives – Dark Days
Future Islands – Ran
Sir Sly – High

– Ashley –

Pre-Flight Prep

July 7, 2017by Ashley DeLargeLeave a Comment

TGIF, everyone! I hope you’re all recovered from a nice, long Fourth of July weekend and are planning to treat yourselves in some way, shape or form this coming weekend, too. Me? I’m wrapping up some things at my office today before I head off for a weekend on the West Coast first thing in the morning. That’s right- in one of the most impulsive trips I think I’ve ever taken on a whim- I’ll be spending the next 48 hours in sunny San Diego to catch a show, grab a couple of drinks with friends, visit with my number one man-crush from SoCal and snap plenty of selfies in front of palm trees.

And also eat some In-N-Out- as is tradition!

Since I’m only going for a such a short period of time, a suitcase isn’t really necessary. I’ll be backpacking it to and from the airport- which frees up tonight for me so I can get plenty of rest (and anyone who knows me knows that I’m a last-minute packer, so this is a rare occurrence) although I have a feeling I’m going to be too excited to actually sleep.

Be sure to keep an eye on my INSTAGRAM for the snapshots while I’m in the air and on the ground for the next couple of days!

My Fourth of July weekend was an absolute blast- spent between cookouts and the beach. I rounded out my extended holiday with an afternoon trip to Hampton, New Hampshire- which was unbelievably packed to capacity (no surprise, really)– so I strayed off of the shore and spent more time near the Rye and Portsmouth areas to pass the time.

While I was out, I ate a lobster roll with a bit too much lettuce for my taste and browsed clothing and jewelry racks at some of my favorite surf shops before I decided to head back into the city just as the sun was starting to set in order to beat the post-fireworks traffic. Luckily, my neighbors managed to smuggle some fireworks over state lines- so I still got to see quite a show from the comfort of my deck!

I’m looking forward to sharing all of my photos/stories from Southern California next week after I get back- but for now- I’ve got to get some work done!

– Ashley –

Surf’s Up…

June 21, 2017by Ashley DeLargeLeave a Comment

Happy First Day of Summer!

I’m celebrating the Summer Solstice with an ice cream party at work today, but before I go crazy with the toppings- I wanted to share some details from my weekend!

Father’s Day has, obviously, not really been the same for me since my father passed away in the Summer of 2012. While I admire and always send my love and best wishes to all awesome dads everywhere on such a wonderful and well-deserved day of appreciation- it goes without saying that I miss my own dad very much. I fully admit that I get emotional from time to time when I think about him- and this past Sunday was no exception. I had a good cry- but I didn’t let it ruin my day.

My dad would have wanted me to push through any sadness and make the best out of my day- just like he always did- and what a beautiful, sunny and warm day it turned out to be! The weather this past weekend was originally supposed to be on the rainy and cloudy side- but by the time Sunday afternoon rolled around, the temperatures were soaring and the sky was clear. I headed up to Hampton Beach, New Hampshire (one of my dad’s favorite spots to visit) to soak up the sun and the sand- and I arrived at the coast just in time for high tide and some pretty big waves.

I’m not a good surfer by any means- but I do give it my best on occasion. It’s a really fun and challenging hobby I hope to master someday- although Sunday was not that day. I got knocked off of my board more than once (okay- I got knocked off of my board a LOT) before I eventually retreated to the rocks to watch some other enthusiasts give it their best shot.

When the tide eventually started crashing dangerously close to where I had stored my gear- I took a quick drive along the water to grab an Almond Joy ice cream cone at one of my favorite spots, The Beach Plum, and then started to make my way back towards the city.

This weekend is going to be spent at another beach (again!) with friends, but overall- I had a really good Sunday. I think my dad may have been there in spirit- at least it felt like he was- and I hope he enjoyed the day as much as I did.

– Ashley –

All You Need Is Love…

June 14, 2017by Ashley DeLarge1 Comment

I’m a straight woman who was fortunate enough to be raised and currently reside in Massachusetts. I say fortunate because Massachusetts- and most of New England, really- is one of the more liberal and progressive areas in the country. Our impressive list of schools and businesses bring in so many different people from all races, religions, cultures and orientations that my state is like a big mixing pot of never-ending educational and growing possibilities. If you spend any significant amount of time in any of the neighborhoods around Boston- you get to know some of the most incredible individuals and can learn so much from them at the same time.

So when Boston has it’s annual Pride celebration for our LGBTQ brothers and sisters, you know it’s going to be a fun time and that all are welcome with open arms- no matter what- compared to other areas of the country where homosexuality/bisexuality or being transgender is either not properly understood, accepted- or both. I’m grateful I get to be in a city that celebrates the variety of life instead of trying to suppress it or refuse to acknowledge it’s existence. People say a lot of things about Boston- some good and some not so good- but you can’t deny that we are a city that takes care of our residents and look out for one another.

I have a wonderful group of longtime friends from the LGBTQ community, and every year I like to meet up with them while they hop to and from multiple events around the city for the celebration. While I missed the parade this year due to a prior commitment- I was able to head down to Back Bay for a huge block party with plenty of drinks and dancing. The weather was absolutely perfect- so much that when our group eventually dispersed from the party, we were able to enjoy a delicious outdoor dinner in the shade at nearby TICO.

If you stop by, be sure to try their truffle guacamole and watermelon margaritas. You won’t regret it (and yes- that’s a side dish of macaroni and cheese. A girl has to get her carbs when she’s having a little bit of alcohol in the sunshine!) TICO is a bit on the pricier side for tapas- but it’s worth the splurge every now and then. I certainly don’t have any regrets- and the view from their outdoor patio where we were seated was pretty spectacular.

The party eventually made it’s way- and winded down- at Dillon’s on Boylston Street where we once again found ourselves lounging on an outdoor patio and sipping refreshing, chilled (and fairly strong) cocktails under the sunset. When more of our friends arrived from their own dinner reservations elsewhere around the city- we all started to head in different directions. Some friends went to a drag show in Cambridge, others went to a different bar, and I headed home to get some much needed rest after a busy day and an even busier work-week.

Exciting, I know- but I had a lot of stuff to get done and errands to run around Downtown Crossing on Sunday!

Speaking of getting things done- I’m headed off to the office for the day. Have a good Hump Day, everyone!

– Ashley –