Atlanta Adventures: Jekyll Brewing

Not quite Atlanta, but Jekyll Brewing in Alpharetta is a growing brewery with a unique space. My friend Ashley lived in Alpharetta and was moving to Midtown that coming Saturday so it was the perfect time to stop by before she moved away.

You pull up to the address and it doesn’t look like most of the big breweries you’ve heard of. However, when you walk inside you feel at home right away. The space is very open and since we went on a Wednesday it wasn’t too crowded. The staff was extremely friendly. I don’t usually talk to the volunteers, I get my pour and go, but the staff at Jekyll were so easy to talk to.

Inside you’ll find a few high top tables, a seating area with couches, a Ping-Pong table and a pinball machine. I also took a tour of the brewery, which I’ve surprisingly never done before. Our tour guide was great, pretty funny and it was actually his first day on the job. You should definitely take the tour, you can learn how they got the name Jekyll, it’s a cool story.

What I love about small breweries is that the people there really care about their customers. Not that bigger breweries don’t care, but the smaller ones are so happy and proud that you want to be there and support their dream that they show their appreciation. When time came for the brewery to close, nobody kicked us out, nobody turned off the taps. They offered us another pour and told us to take our time. 

I wish Jekyll wasn’t so far away; it was a really cool space. Hopefully we’ll make it back out that way sometime soon. Until then I’ll enjoy my Mason jar glass and Jekyll beer wherever it is served.

xx Kristen

Kenny Chesney: The Big Revival Tour

When four amazing country artists come to the Georgia Dome for an epic night of country music, you have to grab a huge group of your friends and go.

June 13^th The Big Revival Tour rolled into Atlanta with Kenny Chesney, Eric Church, Brantley Gilbert and Chase Rice. Honestly, Kenny isn’t one of those artists I’m obsessed with. His songs are great, he’s been around a long time, but I’ve never really gotten him. However, watching him preform live changed my mind!

I was heartbroken that we got to the Dome late and actually missed Chase Rice’s entire set! He is so great and I love his songs, his latest radio hit is a cover of SoMo’s Ride. I’m sure he looked amazing and that he sounded great, hopefully I’ll get to see him preform live one day. I did get to hear him sing for a few minutes, he came out and sang She Thinks My Tractor’s Sexy with Kenny at the end of the show. It was wonderful.

We got there just before Brantley Gilbert came on. I’ve always loved Brantley, his songs range from sweet love songs (My Kind of Crazy) to epic country rock songs (Bottoms Up). He’s just recently started releasing new music, for the longest time I just had to listen to his Halfway to Heaven album on repeat. Check out his newest single, One Hell of an Amen.

I was probably most excited to finally see Eric Church live! He is honestly one of my favorite country artists. Songs like Springsteen, Talladega, Drink In My Hand, Love Your Love The Most are all so wonderful and I could listen to them forever! His voice is so different; you can always pick him out in a song. He’s really the kind of artist you want to listen to on a sunny summer day driving around with the windows down.

Eric did not disappoint. We were pretty far away from the stage, but his songs filled the stadium while my friends and I got swept away in his music. Holding onto my best friends and singing all of our favorite country songs can’t be matched. All of his songs probably mean a little something different to each of us, and yet they can bring us all together. I was honestly sad to see him walk off the stage.

As I said before, I really enjoy Kenny’s music, but I have never been crazy or obsessed with him. Let me tell you, seeing Kenny Chesney live won me over. His stage presence and energy is beautiful. He’s so into the crowd and his music that you can’t help but go on this country journey with him. He played hit after hit and little by little, I began to see why my friend Lindsey had seen him in concert 16 times. It’s one of those intangibles; he just has “it.”

Country concerts are some of my favorites, they love the music they’re singing, they love their fans and they bring so much energy to every performance they have. Experiencing some of my favorite artists with my best friends, made for an unforgettable night.

xx Kristen  

You and Tequila – Kenny Chesney

I Go Back – Kenny Chesney

The Boys of Fall – Kenny Chesney

Summertime – Kenny Chesney

Come Over – Kenny Chesney

Top Five Friday

1. Coloring Book

I got this amazing coloring book in a care package from my lovely bestie Kim who lives super far away from me in Denver! We both share a love of art and pretty things, so I was so excited to see this! When I told our other friends about the adult coloring book, they had a different definition of the word “adult,” so I’m sorry to say it’s not that kind of book. 

2. Jurassic World

I saw this with my friend Allie opening weekend, it was so packed that we had to sit in two different rows, but right behind each other. If you’re wondering if this fourth installment lives up to the original Jurassic Park, I’m proud to say the answer is yes! Jurassic World captures the same magic Jurassic Park had all those years ago. My heart was pounding in parts and I found myself holding my breath. It seemed believable and like an epic adventure we were taking with the kids. Chris Pratt was wonderful as always and my other favorite character was probably Jake Johnson (Nick Miller from New Girl). There were also some cute throwbacks to the original movie, which I loved.

Jurassic Park was one of my favorite movies as a kid; so I was beyond excited to see Jurassic World. I can’t say enough good things about it. There were of course parts that were a little awkward or didn’t make sense, but none of that distracted from the beauty of the movie. If you haven’t, go see Jurassic World. I will 100% be purchasing this movie when it come out. 

3. Rolling Stones Shirt

I rarely get shirts at concerts, they’re expensive and I don’t wear them super often. However, I couldn’t pass up a chance to get a Rolling Stones shirt. My brother got a really cool one too, but I love the American flag tongue one I picked. You can read about the Rolling Stones concert I went to here.

4. Mumford and Sons: Wilder Mind

Kim, being the amazing friend she is, also sent me the new Mumford and Sons CD! Having a friend that loves music as much as you is great because then we can recommend music to each other and send each other CDs we know the other will love. Their new CD is great, give it a listen! The Wolf and Believe are two of my fast favorites!

5. Arden’s Garden Smoothies

I love smoothies, and I’ve tried making them in a blender, but it’s just so time consuming and I’m not very good at it. So these are the perfect solution! They’re fresh and delicious. My favorites are Pump Up the Protein and Real Energy. I’m slowly working my way toward green smoothies and maybe even the juices they make, but I’m keeping it fruity in the meantime.

Hope you all have a great weekend!

 xx Kristen

The Rolling Stones Zip Code Tour

Iconic. Epic. Unforgettable.

How do you even begin to describe a Rolling Stones concert? I was lucky enough to go to their Zip Code Tour at Bobby Dodd Stadium June 9th with my brother and my mom. It's an experience I won't ever forget. It was my younger brother's first concert and my mom had never seen the Stones live before. I loved that there was a mix of older people and people who hadn't even been alive when the Rolling Stone released their first album.

It honestly blows my mind that these guys have been preforming for over 50 years and can still put on such an amazing show! Mick Jagger was running up and down the stage, dancing, having the time of his life. Ronnie Wood came out later and was smoking a cigarette while playing the guitar. You could tell they were having so much fun up there, that even after all that time they still loved what they do.

I may not have known every single song, but they were all so great and they seriously sounded like you were listening to a CD at home. Their voices are still amazing. One of my favorite moments was when they played Satisfaction, which my mom had been looking forward to all night, and I looked over at my brother and my mom to my right and they were both so into the song and singing along and just having the best time. The Rolling Stones have crossed generations and created something that has withstood the test of time. They're truly iconic.

Some concert highlights included all of Mick Jagger's see through shirts, the Atlanta skyline behind the stage and the fact that their keyboardist, Chuck Leavell, is from Georgia.

I really do feel lucky to have gotten to witness the Rolling Stone preform. I wish I could put into words the energy that was inside that stadium. It was palpable, like everyone knew they were witnessing something special, something historic.

I grew up on classic rock. My dad kept the radio turned to 97.1 The River anytime we were in the car, he would crank up the volume and tap his fingers on the steering wheel like he was some teenager. Their love of rock n' roll has influenced my taste in music and it was so cool to get to see such a huge part of rock n' roll history live on stage.

Such a special night, such an amazing concert. I know it's only rock n' roll, but I like it.

xx Kristen

Brown Sugar - The Rolling Stones
Sympathy for the Devil - The Rolling Stones
(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction - The Rolling Stones
It's Only Rock n' Roll - The Rolling Stones
Honky Tonk Woman - The Rolling Stones

Atlanta Adventures: Krog Street Market

Krog Street Market is this cute marketplace near Old Forth Ward in Midtown. It runs right up to an entrance for the Atlanta BeltLine and is the perfect place to spend the afternoon! I went with my two friends Ashley and Allie and their adorable dogs. Here's the lowdown on KSM:

Parking was a slight struggle, Allie and I got lucky with the gravel lot right across from KSM, but Ashely had to use valet. Not awful, just something to keep in mind. The market is in what I assume is some kind of old warehouse or factory? It looks super cool and industrial from the outside.

I had never been to KSM so I actually assumed it was like a farmers market or something. It's not, just so you know. It consists of a beer and wine store, a few small merchants (flowers, candles and such), a few super cool looking bars, two restaurants (with two more right next door) and then some food places that you walk up to and take away to eat in the building or just outside.

Dogs aren't allowed inside so we ate at the big tables located outside and took turns going inside and staying with the dogs. The only thing that sucked is that you can't take the beer outside so we couldn't drink and bring the dogs.

Ashely got dumplings and Allie and I got BBQ from Grand Champion BBQ. It was pretty delicious and the staff at the BBQ place was soo awesome! The food was fresh and I would for sure eat it again. I had pulled pork, but the brisket Allie got looked amazing. I also got a sample of their sausage and that was delicious as well!

The segment of the Beltline that they've finished apparently runs from Piedmount Park to right where we were. The dogs were tired and we weren't really prpared to walk 10 miles, so we only went to the bridge. However, it's definitely something we want to do! It's really cool and there are restaurants and bars all along the way apparently. We did run into some kids selling organic lemonade (did I mention it's the hipster part of town?) and we bought a few glasses. I will say it was delicious and refreshing.

It was a lovely Sunday spent with friends exploring new parts of Atlanta! I can't wait to go back to KSM and to walk the BeltLine!

Have you been to Krog Street Market?! Let me know what you loved about it!

xx Kristen

Atlanta Adventures: Braves vs. Pirates

Is there anything better than summer nights at the Ted? My second game of the season was very different from my first on Opening Weekend! This time I actually got to watch the entire game! There is a lot of fun in tailgating for a Braves game, but sometimes you can lose the baseball experience! Especially when you don't get into the game until the 7th inning like last time.

This time we showed up before the first pitch and didn't leave until it was over so I'm very prepared to give you a breakdown of all the best parts of attending an Atlanta Braves baseball game!

1. Exploring the Stadium

I love Turner Field! Sadly they will be moving from the Ted soon, so I love exploring the stadium as much as I can. When you get to the game a little early you have a chance to walk around and see all that the Braves have to offer!

If you have access to the 755 club check it out, it's a great place to eat and drink in an air conditioned space. You can get a few different views of the field from the second level and the first level right above the bull pens. For a bird's eye view head up to the sky field (not positive that's what it's called). There's giant chairs you can take pictures in and a spot to run the bases. You'll also find some beautiful views of the city.

2. Kiss Cam

Kiss cams are classic sporting event fun. In between the innings or whenever there's a lag in playtime they try and entertain the crowd on the field and on the big screen. There were plenty of cute couples, a few awkward moments and then the token lonely guy at the end with the sad song playing.

3. Stadium Food

I love stadium food, and the Braves stadium does not disappoint. We ate dinner before we got there, but I did have to get Dippin Dots because... it's the best. Don't argue with me on this. However they do have a huge selection including the typical pizza, burgers, hot dogs and the not so typical like Chikfila and Waffle House!

4. Celebrity Appearances

Celebrities love sporting events, but I rarely see them. However, a few innings in they start plying random movie clips like Batman and Beetlejuice. Then, they flash to the crowd and say The Braves are proud to welcome Michael Keaton to today's game! Yep, Batman was literally at the same Braves game as me. Sadly, he's a Pirates fan, but we can forgive him.

5. Simba Cam

This was probably my favorite part of the entertainment. They start playing The Circle of Life and cut to people holding their babies up like Simba in the Lion King! It was adorable and funny and I loved it.

6. The Chop

This is why we chop. The tomahawk chop is an Atlanta Braves tradition. I just love looking out around the stands and seeing everyone doing the chop. It looks really cool and it's a great way to rally the fans.

7. The Game

Did you think I'm one of those girls that goes to sporting events to take pictures, eat food and stare at the jumbotron? It's okay I forgive you. I actually do love baseball games. Everything listed above comes together for this awesome, cool experience, but at the heart of the night is a real game.

It was a pretty great game overall! We were winning almost the entire game until the end. I saw my first play review in baseball, that was kinda weird. The stadium booed the Pirates pitcher that just kept trying to throw our guy out at first instead of actually pitching. Then, the Pirates tied the game up at 4-4 in the 7th (I think). We both had chances to pull ahead and at the top of the 9th we knocked down each Pirate that came up to bat. At the bottom of the 9th Christian Bethancourt steps up to bat. We had already declared him our boy for the game, mostly because the first time he came up to bat we made fun of his name. His name isn't that funny, but it barely fit on the screen! He then proceeded to get on base every hit, so we formed an attachment to him. That's why I was so proud of our boy Christian when he hit a walk-off home run to win the game. It was an amazing ending to a wonderful day cheering on the Braves at Turner Field.

Basically I love the Braves, I love baseball and I can't wait for more games!

xx Kristen

The 1975

The 1975 are an English pop/rock band that pride themselves on being a little edgy and a little dark. Their all black clothes, edgy hair and musical focus on sex and drugs have earned them this right. I've been listening to them a little over a year and their music is, in a word, cool. Their songs range from catchy to haunting (in a good way). They've only released one album, but since I heard it,  I've been looking forward to their follow up. I knew they were quickly on their way to becoming one of my favorite bands.

That's why I got a little worried, along with the rest of their fans, when they disappeared from social media on June 1st. When I say disappeared, I mean the band deactivated all of their social media accounts along with their personal social media accounts. They essentially didn't exist for 24 hours. This came right after the band posted a cryptic comic strip (pictured below) signaling a new era for their music. Many fans speculated they were just revamping, but there's always that voice inside of you saying, "What if this is the end?"

This is why I wanted to talk about the 1975. Yes, I LOVE their music, but more importantly I love this marketing move. The music world is ruled by social media and the Internet these days. We go to our computers and phones to listen, find and interact with music. When the 1975 deactivated from social media, they ceased to exist.

This sent the fans into a tailspin. Speculation and anticipation ran wild. People were talking about the 1975 like never before. After 24 hours, all of their accounts reactivated and they released a new comic strip and a new aesthetic: pink.

The 1975 are back and hopefully better than ever! They announced a new tour and a new album with their new look. It seemed like they just didn't want to be tied to this one dimensional image they had established. They wanted to show fans and the world that they are ever-evolving. It's very exciting and I can't wait to see what their new tour, and more importantly their new album sounds like!

One of the reasons I enjoyed this so much is because this is what I would love to do as a career. I would love to do marketing for a record label or a band. To mix my passion for music with my talent for marketing. However, you can tell that what they did was organic, it wasn't some idea thought of by the record label or a marketing team. Perhaps they suggested the 24 hour disappearance, but the re-branding was all the 1975. This is still the type of thing I want to do though, get fans excited about the band and their music, or event introduce new fans to their sound!

Yes I love the 1975, but I love what they did on June 1st 2015 even more. I hope they announce some US tour dates, right now they're just touring in the UK. I'm super excited to hear their sophomore album and to see where the future takes them. They have so much potential and a fan base that adores them. Pink is the new black.

What other bands that you listen to have done this type of re-branding? I'd love to hear from you!

xx Kristen

Sex - The 1975
Girls - The 1975
Chocolate - The 1975
The City - The 1975
Robbers - The 1975