Bonnaroo through a disposable lens.

Over two weeks ago a good friend and I embarked on what had the potential to be a huge disaster.

In the middle of one of the most brutal winters in recent history, Che and I met at a cozy Jersey Shore coffeehouse and “planned” our Bonnaroo journey. I’m using quotes because almost none of those initial plans ever came to fruition. We said “so long” to an RV after crunching some numbers and “Arrivederci” to at least half of the people that showed interest in coming. By the time June arrived it was just us, a tent and a dash of pure ignorance. The night before we laid in a cushy king sized bed across town and contemplated spending the rest of the weekend in that exact spot.

Needless to say, the next day we pulled it together. The journey was rough but the experience was nothing short of exhilarating. Now almost two weeks later I’m still combing through all the memories.

Here are some of them via my Kodak disposable lens:

Have fun this Summer.

Xx

What to pack for a music festival.

Finally, 2014 will be the year of my first ever music festival experience!

Bonnaroo has been a long awaited adventure, and while some have tried to sway me with talk of messy bathrooms and smelly tent neighbors, my excitement still remains at an all time high. Sure, it will be gross, but so many beautiful experiences are.

That being said, I still want to have the most comfortable/humane experience I can. I may be living in my own filth for 4 days, but I am not an animal! So in my attempt to control as much of my own environment as possible, I started to create a list of packing essentials.

Advice is requested so please feel free to make suggestions.

What to pack for a music festival:

1. A tent…a good one.

2. Camping chairs

3. A cot or sleeping bag

4. A cooler ( At least 1)

5. First Aid Kit

6. Flashlights/ lantern

7. Bug Spray

8. Baby Wipes (for every possibly reason)

9. Sun Block – the good stuff!!

10. Baby powder

11. Dry shampoo

12. Water Bottles

13. Portable phone charger/car charger

14. Plastic bags

15. Rain jacket

16. Rain boots

17. Sheets, bedding ect.

18. A lighter

19. More underwear than you think you need

20. 2 Pairs of shorts

21. 2 Bathing suits

22. 6 different tops

23. Flip-flops

24. Toms

25. Hair ties and wraps

26. Sweat pants and sweat shirt

27. Sunhat

28. Sunglasses

29. Bath Towels

30. Hand sanitizer

31. Toothbrush and paste

32. Disposable Cameras

I will definitely be adding to this so stay tuned!

Xx

That song from that Target ad.

Apparently HAIM is what happens to three sisters who grow up in California on a diet of wheat grass and 70’s rock, and its oh so good.

Like you, I have also been obsessed with the recent Target ads featuring their song “Forever”, the catchy tune is the perfect opening song to the soundtrack of summer. I can’t get it out of my head and I kinda don’t want too. Why should I? Can’t a girl love three other girls with long hair and guitars. So in an attempt to make them all my best friends, here is my new musical obsession.

 

 

Happy Listening.

Xx

Bonnaroo 2014 Lineup

I have to admit, I’m quite pleased with this years lineup. Despite the clear disapproval from some of the faithful Bonnarovians, who are up in arms over the return of Kanye West. (Apparently 2008 didn’t go so well) I think it’s a pretty well-rounded group of artists and musicians, personally, I think Elton John and Jack White are two of the best artists alive today. I would spend twice as much as the price of a ticket to see just one of them preform.  And let us not forget  The Avett Brothers,  The Flaming Lips, The Head and the Heart and Arctic Monkeys. All of which are pretty impressive non-headlining choices.

I’m pretty excited to get some of the planning underway for this musical summertime adventure, it’s something I’ve been wanting to do for years but it just never worked out. This year the planets have aligned perfectly and there is no better group of people I could be going with. Hope to see you all out there!

Xx

What you Should Be Listening to Today: The Head and the Heart

The Head and the Heart continue to exemplify the magic that stems from perfect timing and undeniable talent. Their sophomore album, Lets Be Still has all the charm of their self-titled debut plus some added polish. The whimsy poetry-put-to-melody approach is evident in songs like “These Days are Numbered” and “My Friends”, however they still hold true to their folksy roots with “Another Story” (See above video), “Shake”, and “Summertime”. Trust me. These songs will embed themselves into your cerebral cortex like some microscopic parasite. Enjoy this album on a particularly sunny Saturday afternoon, or on your morning drive, these guys (and one gal) are sure to brighten your day and your life.

“I’ll tell you one thing
We ain’t gonna change much
The sun still rises
Even through the rain”

Happy Listening.

Xx

What you should be listening to today.

Grizzly Bear.

If Hollywood ever made an indie movie about your life, chances are strong Grizzly Bear would provide the soundtrack. Born out of Brooklyn these boys were the first non-electronic group to be signed to Warp Records, instead they rely heavily on vocal harmonies and traditional instruments like the banjo and keyboard.

Grizzly Bear may seem like just another sad-boy band from Williamsburg, but their songs and lyrics are endearing enough to forgive them of any hipster shortcomings.

Let me know what you think about Grizzly Bear, and as always suggestions for What you should be listening to today. are always welcomed.

Stay Warm!

Xx

Snow Tunes.

Happy Snow Day to all the East Coasters out there.

As an adult, snow days can be awfully miserable. You spend an hour cleaning off your car with no gloves because you left them in your friends back seat. Then you nearly die navigating the treacherous roads while some lunatic with his high-beams on tries to kiss your bumper.

Its a less than magical experience to say the least.

Oh how I long for a simpler time when all a snow day meant was hot chocolate and 24 hours in pajamas!

So to get everyones spirits up I decided to share with you my favorite snow tunes. All of these songs are different, yet each succeed in making the winter seem just a little less cold.

Stay warm and enjoy!

Fleet Foxes- White Winter Hymnal

The White Stripes- Cold Cold Night

She and Him- Baby, It’s Cold Outside

Johnny Flynn- Tunnels

James Blake- A Case Of You

The Avett Brothers- January Wedding

Laura Marling- Night After Night

What’s your favorite winter song or album? Please share in the comments or email your suggestions to houseofadelaide@gmail.com or tweet me @stephanienina

Xx

What you should be listening to today.

I have to confess, I had never heard of Basia Bulat until recently. I was mindlessly wandering an antique store in NYC when her sweet voice caught my attention. With light shades of Joni Mitchell and noticeable nods to Fleetwood Mac, Tall Tall Shadow is a modern folk masterpiece and is perfect for a cloudy winter’s day. The album was co-produced with Arcade Fire’s Tim Kingsbury and Mark Lawson who seem to have the musical Midas touch. Although sometimes moody, Basia’s enchanting lyrics and warm voice leave you with a sense of comfort and hope.

“It Can’t Be You” is so far my favorite song from the album, check her out and tell me what you think.

Other tune suggestions are welcomed in the comments.

Xx