Ed Sheeran Concert

I didn’t think it was possible to love Ed Sheeran more than I already did, but then I saw him live. Live music is always a unique experience, you could see the same artist five times and never see the same show or feel the same things. That’s what I love about seeing artists live, it’s like falling in love with them all over again.

An Ed Sheeran concert is like no other concert you will ever experience. It’s literally just Ed on stage with his guitar. There’s no band, no fancy dancers or crazy gimmicks, it’s just him and his music.

He uses this thing called a loop, he can record himself playing a note or singing a line and then it loops and becomes his background. He’s his own backup vocals and his own band. It’s crazy to see one man have so much control over his own sound. This does make the songs take a little but longer to get started since he has to set them up, but who’s really complaining about more Ed up on stage?

Ed’s show starts with adorable baby pictures and videos on his giant screen behind the stage. Little ginger Ed with his glasses, and then big Ed walks out and you can just feel that he’s living his dream.

That screen behind him was actually a huge part of his show. Like I said it’s just him up there, he’s not really running around or dancing or interacting with the nonexistent band members, so they made the screen do some really cool things. The screen had outlines of Ed, Lego men, his Thinking Out Loud video and some vivid colors. It really made his performances more dynamic and allowed you to focus on his voice.

I can’t even pick a favorite song that Ed Sheeran preformed, they were all so amazing. I honestly do love it when he raps though, so if I was forced to pick I might have to pick Take it Back. He just gets so into it, he looks so happy, he really loves the music he creates.

Ed Sheeran has so much talent in his body. I’ve never seen somebody understand music so completely, it’s just like breathing to him. Ed would be singing a song and then seamlessly transition into somebody else’s hit record. He so gets how beats and sounds and songs go together that he can deconstruct two songs and blend them together. He was singing You Need Me and then went straight into Drake’s “I was running through the six with my woes” and then finished his own song. It just shows how truly talented he is.

I need to take a second to go back, and talk about how wonderfully talented Ed’s opening act Christina Perri is. She’s so adorable, like the cutest. She was so happy and sweet and talented. She’s got some pretty big hits of her own, but seeing her live made me want more. She’s just so talented and her voice is incredibly powerful. Everyone needs to start giving her a second thought, she’s great.

We had some pretty great seats, Philips Arena is an amazing concert venue, it’s not too big so you feel fairly close to the artist no matter where you are. Sharing the experience with my friends is always one of my favorite parts of music, I love looking over at them singing along and feeling connected through music.

I will see Ed Sheeran any time he comes to my city, he’s one of the most talented musicians I have ever had the pleasure of seeing live and I know he’s going to continue to blow me away. So I leave you with one of my favorite Ed Sheeran lines, “They say I’m up and coming like I’m fucking in an elevator."

xx Kristen 

The High Museum of Art

I've lived in Atlanta for over a year now and had not been to the High yet. For an art love like myself this is slightly disappointing. My friends don't exactly want to go to an art museum during their precious free weekends. Finally, I gave up and decided to go by myself.

Honestly, I think going to the High alone was best way to experience it. There's nobody rushing you, nobody complaining because they're board and no small talk when all you want to do is get lost in the brush strokes.

The exhibits were all beautiful in their own way, an amazing amount of talent, history and beauty inside the three buildings that make up the High. Here are a few of my favorites:

Dragon (Drache), 2001. Anselm Kiefer. Oil emulsion on lead and canvas.

"Anselm Kiefer's work invites contemplation of the relationship between good and evil, redemption and destruction. Many of his paintings are based on ancient myths and sagas, which he believes are part of a collective human history. In this piece, the seashore and the night sky are connected by delicate lines that form the constellation Draco ('Dragon'). The dragon appears in the lore of many cultures, but Kiefer is most likely referring to the tale of Siegfriedand and Brunhilde, a German myth that has inspired many of his works. In this story, the evil dragon can be slain only by the pure of heart."*

The Coca-Cola Bottle: An American Icon at 100

This entire exhibit was about the Coca-Cola bottle and it's evolution. If you know me, you know I love Coke and you know why I enjoyed this exhibit.

Autumn on the Seine, Argenteuil, 1873. Claude Monet. Oil on Canvas. 

"Claude Monet executed this work of the Petit Bras, a branch of the Seine near Argenteuil, shortly after his arrival there in 1871. The vantage point suggest that he painted this work from the small boat he had converted into a floating studio. In the background are recognizable architectural landmarks, including the Chateau Michelet. THe relatively small, delicate brushstrokes underscore this work as a painting created during the 'high' or 'classic' phase of Impressionism. The brilliant colors of Monet's landscape are mirrored in the water below, resulting in a remarkable symmetry that makes it difficult to distinguish between the reflections and their sources."*

If you have a chance to visit the High in Atlanta, don't rush. Take your time, either alone or with a few friends, and really experience everything it has to offer.

xx Kristen

*via the plaques in the museum.

A Weekend In Charleston

With these last few weeks of summer slowly slipping away, I finally have time to reminisce on my recent beach trips. The first of which found me headed down the east coast toward Charleston, SC.

My roommate's parents moved to the Isle of Palms right after we graduated college so we always have an amazing place to stay when we go visit. Isle of Palms is a little outside of Charleston, right on the beach. It's a beautiful strip of land with the ocean on one side and the inter-coastal waterway on the other side. Amanda's parents have a dock on the inter-coastal and an amazing home just across the street.

Saturday we loaded up their boat and took a beautiful ride around the inter-coastal to Bulls Island. We anchored the boat near the shore and spent some time exploring the island. If you go to the beaches of Charleston, you really should visit this island, they even have ferries that run out there. It brushes up right against the ocean, but if you do bring a boat, you'll need to watch the tide or risk getting stranded.

One of the coolest things I've ever seen: Boneyard Beach. These skeleton-like trees stretch across the beach on Bulls Island and its like nothing you've ever seen before. I couldn't stop taking pictures.

We headed back to their dock and spent the afternoon chasing after dolphins (they were everywhere), paddle-boarding and riding the jet ski around the inter-coastal.

Dinner at Coast in downtown Charleston was perfect. The atmosphere was beautiful, an upscale beach casual restaurant is all I can think to describe it. I had a mojito (amazing) and the shrimp and blue crab manicotti (delicious). There really are so many restaurants, most of which are amazing, so when you only have one night to eat out, you don't want to waste it on someplace that is subpar. We're lucky that her parents have been to most of these places and can recommend some of their favorites.

We had to drive home Sunday, but we we wanted to make the most of our trip. So we headed into downtown Charleston Sunday morning to explore.

Downtown Charleston is absolutely beautiful. We walked through the open air market where they sell a little of everything. Jessie got a stunning handmade necklace and we both bought some cute mugs. They also have a small enclosed portion where I got one of the best iced lattes I've ever had. The place is called Caviar & Bananas, get the iced latte with hazelnut, you can thank me later.

We spent the rest of the day meandering about the cobblestone streets and past the rainbow colored homes. There's really nothing quite like Charleston.

A wonderful weekend with some amazing friends in a beautiful city. Where are your favorite Charleston spots?! Share them with me below so I know where to go next time!

xx Kristen