FRIDAY FAVORITES

January has been an interesting month. I spent the beginning of it with friends and family from home, until I got the flu right before classes started. Luckily, I had a few days to enjoy back in Madison before classes started after I recovered. But as soon as the new semester began, life got hectic again. Last week I worked more than usual on top of getting hit with a ton of assignments quickly.

So now that I have a moment to myself, I decided to share some of my favorite discoveries from January. Here are a few of my favorites from January:

1. MY NEW RECORD PLAYER
I have been debating about getting a record player for years. While the technology may be a bit outdated, I have always wanted one. The last few weeks it has been on my mind a lot, and since realized I had been thinking about it so much and I had a gift card leftover from Christmas I finally decided to go for it.

2. HOODIE ALLEN'S "HAPPY CAMPER"
The whole album is only 32 minutes. So it is super easy to get through. I recommend listening to it all the way through the first time you listen to it.

3. ROSES
This is my new favorite song these days. It's by The Chainsmokers with ROZES. It has a dreaminess to it, yet when the beat picks up it is definitely a song you can dance to.


4. DOUG THE PUG
Following the Doug the Pug page on Facebook is one of the best decisions I made in January. It is guaranteed to make you smile.

5. BACON WRAPPED CHEESE CURDS
Does it get more American than that? I think not. I had these delightful bites of heaven a few weeks ago, and I will never look at regular cheese curds the same way.

Do you have any new favorites this week?

SNAPSHOT SUNDAY: THE END OF SUMMER

This time of year is always bittersweet. I will admit it is nice to get back into some sort of routine after a long summer. But summer. It's no secret I am in love with summer. It has come to a close, and it is time to accept all that comes along with the beginning of a new semester. We still many adventures. So before we really begin focusing on school, let me tell you about the memories I made at the end of summer.        

Girls Night // The girls are back, and life is good. It felt so good to have a girls night and catch up. Plus, catching up in a rooftop hot tub with a view of the Capitol in the background wasn't all that bad.

Chicago // I have only been twice (both times for the day), but I love it already. Hopefully one day I will get to spend some more time there. But I had a wonderful day with some of the girls exploring the city. From our cliche Bean pictures to walking around Navy Pier it was a day to remember.

Breakfast food // I love breakfast. I am convinced I could eat breakfast food for every meal and be content. If it weren't for pizza, I might try. The avocado toast is something I love making myself. The breakfast sandwich and potatoes are from a place called, Mickie's Dairy Bar. People have been talking about this place since I got on campus, and it wasn't until a couple of weeks ago that I finally went. I didn't even want to try something new the second time I went, because I liked this so much the first time. Then, in Minneapolis we went to a place called Black Coffee and Waffle Bar. My waffle had cream cheese frosting, strawberries, and whipped cream. Needless to say it was the best waffle I have ever had. 

Surprise Concert // When one of my roommates asked who Phillip Phillips was, I never imagined the conversation would end with, if you want to see him tonight go get free wristbands at the Union today.

The Great Minnesota Get Together // The 5 of us girls piled into my car and made the drive back to Minnesota for the State Fair and more fun. Three of us are from Minnesota, one is from around Chicago and the other is from Wisconsin. So we took turns showing our friends from out-of-town around the cities. We stuffed ourselves with Sweet Martha's cookies and other fun food on a stick at the State Fair. We snapped some pictures and walked around the Stone Arch Bridge in Minneapolis. And we shopped 'til dropped at the Mall of America. It was a weekend for the books. 

Kitten // His name is Tux. And I am in love. Apparently my brother just brought home a kitten a few weeks ago that he got from a friend, and now my family loves him. Only, no one told me about him. But if there is any surprise to come home to a tiny new furry friend is certainly a good one. They named him Tux, because he's black with white fur on his front side. But my little sister keeps calling him Sylvester. Whatever they want to call him,  I wish I could take him back to school with me. 

It's hard to believe that classes have started, and summer is over. Where did the time go? Now it's time to remember all the reasons to be excited to be on campus. I guess part of the reason I don't want the summer to end is, because the start of the semester marks the beginning of junior year. It's scary! Every year is that much closer to the "real world", and I have no idea what life right after college will look like for me. Hopefully the future includes copious amounts of breakfast food and a decent salary to pay for all of it. 

HOW ALMOST FAINTING TURNED INTO MEETING MAT KEARNEY

So, I know what you're thinking. The fainting is supposed to come after an encounter with one of the coolest people on the planet, isn't it? However, almost passing out had nothing to do with being starstruck.

Here, I'll set the scene:

It's our fourth year of going to Basilica Block Party hosted by Cities 97, and we are beyond pumped. Per usual, the July heat leads us straight to the food ticket booth so that we can stay hydrated. We get a piece of pizza and some drinks, run into some old high school friends, and walk around to check out the different stages. We're looking at the schedule deciding who we want to see most and when. Ultimately, we decide on first seeing Mat Kearney, staying a bit for O.A.R., and then heading to catch the tail end of Weezer.

Lauren, Shelby, and Me

So we end up getting pretty decent spots for Mat Kearney. We get there a little bit early and listen to whoever was on before him, while more and more people pile in around us. Before we know it, we are belting out songs like "She's Got the Honey" and "Ships in the Night." Mat is absolutely killing it. And it has already made the books as one of the best nights as Basilica.  

Eventually, Mat sings his final song and crowd shows their approval with an appropriate amount of whoops and hollers. And then it's over. The temperature is hovering somewhere around uncomfortably hot, and being in a massive crowd of people is not making it any better. We gaze longingly at blue guitar shaped fans that the people next to us were using to cool themselves off. Meanwhile, the people on the other side of us decided it would be a good idea to start elbowing people around them to box them out and have plenty of space (this is a game plan they decided to make out loud as we gave them dirty side glances for being rude concert go-ers*). But you have to make sacrifices. As people ran off in sight of food and hydration after Mat Kearney, we moved even closer, so that there was only a few people between us and the stage. 

Finally, O.A.R. takes the stage with "Love and Memories" and a few other opening songs that I don't really recognize. My friends decide that they want to hear "Peace" and "Heaven." Everything is going great. Again, we are singing and dancing, enjoying a view we rarely get close enough for. A few songs in "Heaven" came on, and we were all excited to hear it. Then out of nowhere, I feel like I am going to see my pizza again. I turned to my friend Shelby, and I was like "I have to get of here, but you guys stay. I'll be just fine." Clearly, they could see on my face that I was not going to be fine, and they followed my out of the crowd like the awesome friends they are. 

As I am pushing through this massive hoard of people, I can barely see where I am going. I'm seeing spots, and I can't figure out how I am actually still standing. Just when I think I am at the edge of the crowd, I feel a fence, and I look up to see I had reached a fenced in grass area surrounded my people. At this point, standing is barely an option, and I drop to the ground gripping the poles of the fence. I vaguely recall some women standing above me saying (read in snotty voice), "If she's going to throw up, will you please move her?" to my friends. 

I know that I have to make it out of the crowd, and continue to push to edge of the crowd. I sat with my head in my knees right next to the fence that marks the boundaries of the concert area, as one of my friends went to get my water. And this is when it happened: I don't remember exactly what Lauren said, but it was something like "Is that Mat Kearney? Yeah, that's totally him right there." So we all look over, and sure enough he's standing only yards away from us on the other side of the fence. We watched as he talked to Cities 97 people, until some girl manages to get his attention and was taking a picture with him. I quickly assure my friends that I am good enough to get up and that we have to get a picture. 

First Lauren managed to get a quick selfie with him, and when Shelby and I caught up, I asked him if it would be okay if we got one with him, too. I SAID WORDS TO MAT KEARNEY (I know that is the least eloquent way to put that, but that describes my mental state at this point). And then we snapped this awesome picture, which I am still a little disappointed isn't the best quality, but still. I have a picture with Mat Kearney now. Shelby kept saying that she was really sorry I had to get sick, but she was really glad that I did, because otherwise we would have never met him. And I agreed. 

In reality, this probably occurred from being super dehydrated since it was so hot out, and I had barely had anything to eat or drink that day, since I took a 5 hour bus ride back into town that day. However, I would still like to think that it was meant to be so we could meet Mat. 

Cheers to more years of Basilica Block Party ahead!

Have you had any unexpectedly amazing concert experiences?

*It was at this time that I decided my blog post about Basilica would be on concert etiquette. But meeting Mat Kearney was way cooler. So the date on that blog post is TBD.
(Also, shout out to Becky. We wish you could have been there to experience this one with with us. But I still plan on photoshopping you in on this pictures.)

CURRENTLY // JUNE '15

Listening to // "I Need Your Love" by Shaggy. I heard this song on the radio the other day and instantly loved it. The lyrics are pretty simple--it says "I need your love" a million times. It's a good one, though. 

Shopping for// I have been focusing on eating more fruits and vegetables lately, so I was excited when my mom wanted to go to the Farmers Market when I got home. My little sister loves her fruits and vegetables, but I think she was most excited over the cheese samples. As soon as we got there she announced that she wanted the cheese you could eat with toothpicks. 

Watching // "Parks and Rec." I love Amy Poehler. She is one of my idols, and I have been meaning to watch it for the longest time. Hopefully I will be able to watch the whole series this summer.

Following // Shaylen Carroll on Vine. Wow her voice is great. I don't go on Vine that often, but when I do I am always so impressed. One of my favorites on Vine is "Us the Duo." I saw them for the first time last summer when they opened for Eric Hutchison during a short concert for Oake on the Water.

Working on // Learning calligraphy. I have wanted to learn this forever. I plan on spending some time practicing this summer.

Playing //  Lately I have been trying to get better at volley ball, because a lot of my friends seem to be pretty good at it. Last week my friend Jessie and I sat on the sidelines and colored, because we were too tired to play. We made signs cheering on the teams with names like "Glitz and Glamor" and "Why Do You Like Fishsticks?" It was a good time. 

Reading // "Screenwriting Tips, You Hack." I have been trying to get through this book for a while now. I really enjoy reading it, but I feel like I need to dedicate more time to actually practice the things I am reading.

Writing // I keep telling myself that I am going to practice screenwriting. My goal by the end of the summer is to be doing it a few times a week. For now, I am trying to get some posts out and practicing when I can.

Catching up on // My sleep schedule has been turned upside down by work. One day I will sleep four-five hours and the next day I will sleep for ten hours. Thankfully work is settling down, so hopefully I will be able to establish a better sleep schedule.

What have you been up to lately?

SUNNY WITH A HIGH OF 75

Originally the idea for this post was part of a list of things that I have learned from college so far. And I will post about that eventually, but I realized that I had a lot more to say about this one topic than I thought. With the weather that we have had in the last few days, it has had me thinking a lot.

A couple days ago it was almost 80 degrees and sunny. And now we are back in the 40s with rain and the kind of wind that keeps turning my umbrella inside out. It's driving me crazy.

Recently, I was introduced to the song "High of 75" by Relient K. I can't tell you how many times I have listened to this song in the last few weeks. One of the main lines is

"Lately, the weather has been so bi-polar, 
and consequently so have I." 

People always make fun of the weather as a topic of conversation, but when you live in the upper-midwest it is such a relevant topic. It can easily go from sunny and 75 to 25 and snowing in a matter of a couple days. I interpret "High of 75" in a couple of different ways. When he says,

"Don't know whether or not
 How sad I just got 
Was of my own volition,
Or if I'm just missing the sun"

I think of how much happier I am when the weather is nicer. Everyone gets so excited about the warm weather, and it feels so nice to be outside. But since they are associated with Christian rock music when he says,

"And now I'm sunny
With a High of 75
Since you took my heavy heart 
And made it light. 
And it's funny how you find
You enjoy your life
When you're happy to be alive."

it makes me think of God taking away a burden, and finding peace with your life. And I love that. I think there is something so wonderful about discovering what makes you truly at peace and happy. That last part keeps ringing through my head, "And it's funny how you find you enjoy your life when you're happy to be alive." Sometimes I think I lose sight of how many things there are to be grateful when I am stressed out and overwhelmed. It's easy to get caught up in everything that is going on. I think part of the reason I am so much calmer during the nicer weather is because I am more likely to take the time to stop and ground myself. Saturday I went on a run by the lake, and I stopped and sat on a picnic table for a while, admiring everything around me and just being. Sometimes you just need to be.

It might sound silly, but I try not to subscribe to the belief that we need to constantly be on the go. Who's keeping track anyway? Productivity is relative. So, take some time to check in with yourself. What is it going to take to get to your "sunny with a high of 75?"

In case you are wondering: According to Wikipedia, the lead singer stated the song was influenced by Northern Ohio's "undependable weather." Go figure.

WHY I HAVE A LOVE/HATE RELATIONSHIP WITH COFFEE SHOPS

First off, I am not sure I actually like coffee. I have had a pretty steady relationship with coffee for the past year-and-half or so. Sometimes it seems like things are going really well. I find the right coffee with just the right flavor. But the next day I do something like skimp on the creamer, and my whole day is ruined (That might be a bit of exaggeration, but it's definitely a bummer). In the past couple months I have read several articles suggesting I kick caffeine to the curb. And while I know it's probably the best thing to do, I keep going back to it time after time. I know it's wrong. It's not good for my health, and it keeps me awake at night. But what's a girl to do? It seems to be there for me when I really need it, so how do I let it go?

If we're being honest, the caffeine fix isn't the only thing I am looking for out of coffee. I like having something to sip on, especially when I am writing. I like that drinking coffee makes me feel part of a closer-knit group of bloggers that really enjoy coffee for some odd reason. And I like that coffee gives me an excuse to spend time in coffee shops.

There are many reasons I have a love/hate relationship with coffee shops. Here are a few of them:

The atmosphere 

Tumblr

Love:

I love the feeling of being in a coffee shop. For some reason it makes me feel more creative. At home my creativity can go stale, because it is the same environment day after day. I need something stimulating, and coffee shops definitely fit in that realm.

Hate:

I hate that other people share this affinity towards coffee shops, and it is often hard to find somewhere to sit. In fact, as I write this I'm wedged in a an awkward crevice at table that has just enough room for my computer, coffee cup and over-sized bagel plate. Oh, and it's by the door. So every time anyone goes in or out of this place the cold draft hits me, reminding me that I live in one of the coldest cities in America.

The coffee

Fodor's

Love: 

Like I said, I'm not sure if I really like coffee. And I guess part of that is based on what you define as coffee. Your coffee might be black, or it might have a little half & half or sugar. Mine usually includes a great deal of creamer or added flavors that make it taste less like coffee. Regardless, there is something about the act of drinking coffee that I really enjoy. It also makes me feel mature--perhaps, even sophisticated--when I drink it.

Hate:

This pains me to say, but I usually don't like coffee from cute coffee shops. If I am going to pay $3-4--even $5--for a cup of coffee it better be great coffee. When I occasionally get a Starbucks or Caribou drink, I know I am going to pay too much money to get a caffeinated beverage. But I also know that I am going to enjoy it. Yet time after time, I try out the little local shops, because they have vintage records on their walls or baristas that could have just gotten off from a shift at Urban Outfitters. And time after time, I am thoroughly disappointed, because their coffee tastes too much like coffee (This is also really hard for me to admit, because I really want to like coffee. It's just not working out for me).

The music

People

Love:

Coffee shop music soothes me. It's calming, and not distracting. Plus, it's usually indie music that serves as a great contrast to the top 40 hits on the radio. There are even Spotify playlists dedicated to coffee shop music. My favorite is "Your Favorite Coffeehouse."

Hate:

Sometimes the music is so obscure that there's a reason no one's ever heard of it. Also, I want to be calm, but some of this stuff could put me to sleep.

The people

Preo

Love:

People-watching is by far one of my favorite activities in coffee shops. I'm not talking about the college campus shop full of girls getting their Starbucks on. The best coffee shops are filled with creatives and twenty-somethings looking intellectual and chatting over Cherry Biscottis. Or ignoring each other over scholarly readings or their graduate theses, instead of scrolling on their iPhones.

Hate:

Like I mentioned before, it is a bit overwhelming when there are too many people at any given time. For one thing it is a bit overstimulating and distracting--especially since I prefer to sit without headphones in a coffee shop to really appreciate the whole experience. How else I am supposed to hear the music I have a love/hate relationship with? Or the squeal of the espresso machine that reminds me why people keep piling in? Side note: I love babies. I don't love babies in coffee shops.

INGRID MICHAELSON TAKES MADISON

Friday night Ingrid Michaelson took the new Memorial Union stage. The concert included on-stage spooning, an attempted paper airplane, and flawless singing in between her sarcastic remarks. I don't think I have ever laughed so much at a concert.

For those of you who may have seen Ingrid at Summerfest or the Basilica Block Party in Minneapolis, this was a completely different show. In part, it was because of the venue and the fact that the audience seemed to have a wider age range. But it was also due to Ingrid's slower set. People sat down almost the whole concert, with the exception of a couple groups on the main floor that would stand and dance during some of her more upbeat songs. It wasn't until the final song in her encore that the everyone was on their feet.

Minneapolis Native Chris Koza opened the show with soft indie-pop beats, including a song he wrote that appears on the soundtrack for The Secret Life of Walter Mitty, "The Wolves and Ravens." Chris and his guitarist played a short set, not saying much in between songs. The biggest reaction he got from the audience was when he asked if anyone was excited for Ingrid to come out.

Finally, shortly after 9 o'clock Ingrid scurried onto stage and opened with the first song on her Lights Out album, "Home." From the beginning it was clear that she was going to be cracking jokes the whole show. "Madison! I love you guys! You should have a square garden somewhere. Then, I can play there and say I have played Madison Square Garden." During "Maybe" she held out "me" in the "you're gonna come back to me" so long that it first appeared that she was showing off, until she held it out so long it became humorous.

One of the best parts of the concert was when Ingrid said, "Oh, you guys are giving me the vapors." Then admitting she wasn't sure if that was the right word, she joked about Siri not being available to answer her question. She was trying to say the audience member's compliments were making her lightheaded from how sweet they were. A few songs later a crew member popped onto stage with a piece of paper for her, which she announced had the Wikipedia definition for the vapors.

From Wikipedia, Vapors includes: "hysteria, mania, clinical depression, bipolar disorder, fainting, withdrawal syndrome, mood swings, or PMS, ascribed primarily to women and thought to be caused by internal emanations. This is related to the similar term female hysteria. Vapors were considered to be the female equivalent to melancholy found in men."

She was distraught with the fact that it was about female hysteria. But then she read "a case of the vapors" is usually used for sarcastic or comic effect, which helped her justify her attempt at using it.

Then she tried to make the piece of paper into a paper airplane as she complained about how bad she was at making them. Finally, an audience member suggested she crumple it into a ball--which still only made it to the front row.

Before her popular "You and I" she told us one of the things she hates is when people call her "Cute." "No! I am dark and twisted and sad", she pleaded. And then she proceeded to sing, "Maybe I think you're cute and funny. Maybe I wanna do what bunnies do with you, if you know what I mean", and had a group spoon session with the lyrics, "But baby how we spoon like no one else."

She played her top hit from Lights Out, "Girls Chase Boys", and some of her other popular songs, including "The Way I Am." But she slowed it down a lot with songs like, "Winter Song" (her duet with Sara Bareilles), "Ready to Lose," and "Over You."

While singing "Somewhere Over the Rainbow," she had to restart, because she messed up. "Wouldn't it be great if you could start over at your jobs? Oh, excuse me; can we start this presentation over? Could we just resew this guy back up?" While it wasn't an up-on-your-feet-dancing kind of show, it was still a great show. Her beautiful voice and quirky personality made for a great way to spend a Friday night.

For her encore, Ingrid and her band members sang "Warpath" along to a specific clapping pattern that she admitted to messing up often. She warned the audience not to clap along, because she would mess up and had to start over when someone in the front row clapped along anyway. She finished with "Afterlife", inviting some audience members on stage to dance around them--including a middle aged woman who clearly had a few too many and kept trying to steal the microphone from one of the band members. 

Someone took "We're going to live like there's no tomorrow" a bit too seriously.

WHAT TO WATCH: NEW IN MUSIC

 

Confession: I am a music junkie. I would listen to music while I slept if I could. Since I am pumped about getting to see Ingrid Michaelson tonight, I decided to share some of the great music I have discovered lately. These past few weeks have been golden with all of the great new music I have discovered. If you check out my updated about page, you will find Mat Kearney is one of my all time favorite artists. He hasn't put out anything in a while, but he is back with "Heartbeat." The music video was shot using a drone with one take. It's fantastic. Check it out below.



You might be over Taylor Swift's "Shake It Off", but you have to hear Walk Off the Earth's rendition of it. And if you don't watch the whole thing, make sure you watch at least until around 2:50. Besides being a fun cover, there is a little surprise that made me laugh. If you like that, check out their YouTube page.



And the wonderfully weird video of "Shut Up and Dance" from my favorite band Walk the Moon (*Note not the same group as above, which is Walk Off the Earth). The video uses animation, bright colors, and stylized lighting, alongside some great dancing. There's even an allusion to the classic "Say Anything" with John Cusack. It's such a fun song, if anything it will make you want to get up and dance with them.



Finally, since I am going to see this lovely lady tonight, check out "Afterlife" by Ingrid Michaelson. It is all about overcoming fears, and I love it!




What are your favorite videos lately? Do you have any new music recommendations?

P.S. If you haven't already, check out my updated about page.

WILL THE REAL TAYLOR SWIFT PLEASE STAND UP?

The haters gonna hate...hate...hate... Wait, hold up! I am not TSwift. You wouldn't believe how many times people have asked me if I am aware how similar my name is to Taylor Swift. Like. Oh. My. Gosh. I never thought about that before. 

 Love or hate her, Taylor Swift is still a big name in our culture. Her lyrics are pulsating throughout our radios. She is there for your break up--because you are never ever getting back together. Ever. She is there when you are turning 22--because apparently 22 is the new 21. And she is there shaking off all of the criticism, because the haters gonna hate...hate...hate... From the tear drops on her guitar to "this sick beat", she is making her mark on this generation of music.

One thing she's not doing is suffering from all the comments about how similar her name is to mine. Maybe someday we can do something about that when I am a big name in Hollywood (Power of positive thinking, right?). Until then, I continue to face the comments about this unfortunate coincidence. 

1. Did you now that your name is almost Taylor Swift?

What?! Mind Blown.
2. At first, I saw your name and thought it was Taylor Swift. But then I realized it wasn't...

Really? That must have been a HUGE disappointment. 

3. You've probably heard this a million times time, but...

Not again. 

4. I don't know about you. But I am feelin' 22. 

 
 Nope...

5. Can you sing like her? 

I am a professional car-singer. Does that count?

6. Just kidding. She can't sing--trick question. 

 Do you think before you speak?

7. Guys! My roommate is Taylor Swift. (Apparently my roomie liked to joke about this).

Yeah...sure.

 8. Wait, so did your parents mean to name you after Taylor Swift?

 She's not that much older than me... She definitely wasn't famous when I was born. 

9. I'm going to call you T-Sweezy.

 

  Um...please no.

10. *No reference to Taylor Swift*: "Nice to meet you, Taylor!"

Hey! I just met you, and this crazy, but thanks for not mentioning TSwift, Baby.

Na Na Na

Basilica Block Party has become some what of tradition. For the last three summers my friends and I have gone to the "historic grounds of the Basilica" as they always say on Cities 97 building up to this special weekend. For two nights artists--some big names, others not as well-known--take three stages. BBP goers anxiously await the line-up each April, and Cities 97 never disappoints. This year my friends and I decided to go to Night Two. We ended up staying at the Sun Country Airline Stage the whole night, because we wanted good spots for Ingrid Michaelson and Train.

A Few of the Artists at the 2014 Basilica Block Party

Alpha Rev

Caroline Smith

Alpha Rev (why is his guitar so small?)

In our time in the crowd of the Sun Country Airline Stage I was reminded of a few things:

• The actual amount of people with curly hair becomes more apparent with rain and humidity. (Thankfully it didn't rain during the concert, just before, and my anti-humidity hairspray worked pretty well that night.)
• People are rude. It's not like I needed to go to a concert to learn this, but I thought I would throw it out there. Some people are just so rude.
• Short people are at a great disadvantage in crowds.
• You are not always going to be able to see the artist you paid to see and not just hear. 
• Standing in virtually the same place for 5.5 hours does a number on the body. I'm talking back pain, sore knees, sore feet, slight-dehydration. 
• Other people taking selfies/snapchats is distracting. I'm not just talking about people in the crowd. Pat Monahan of Train invited some girls up on the stage during "Mermaid", and the girls basically danced around and tried to take selfies with him. He made it pretty humorous by expressing how frightened he was.  

Ingrid took the stage with a loud, slightly sarcastic persona. She introduced "You and I" by saying she didn't like being called "cute", as she often was for this song. It's funny because from some of her earlier stuff I imagined her to have a much different stage presence. I pictured a quieter, calm singer who spent her time drinking tea and writing songs in quaint coffee shops. But Ingrid was playful and sassy, the kind of person that people would take notice of when she walked into the room--and not just because she is a famous singer.

Finally, a little after nine, Train came on, and the crowd erupted. It was the final act on the final night of the 2014 Cities 97 Basilica Block Party. Oake and Kerri, the Cities 97 morning show hosts, reminded the crowd one last time to use the hashtag #Cities97BBP to get the Block Party trending on social media, and the finale began. The started with some new songs, played some hits in the middle, and even came on for an encore. Their most popular song was yet to be played: Drops of Jupiter. Everyone in the crowd, young and old, new the lyrics to this one. As we all sang along, we were reminded this was the end of concert, the end of the Block Party, and the end of the third year that I had attended BBP with friends. 

And tell me, did you fall for a shooting star,
One without a permanent scar?
And did you miss me while you were looking for yourself?
Na, na, na, na, na, na, na, na, na, na, na

Pat Monahan

Pat taking Selfies with people's phones

Bachelorette Party?

Oake and Kerri also reminded concert go-ers that their wristbands (for those 21+) would get them into Sneeky Pete's for free after the concert for the BBP After Party. My 21 and under friends and I had an after-party of our own.