Author: Stephanie

My Top 18 Songs of 2018

- Stephanie Leave a comment

I think we can all agree it was a freakin good year of music, yes? YES. I listened to these albums and songs legit nonstop and they all hold a special or fun or silly or emotional memory in my mind from 2018.

TOP ALBUMS of 2018:

These 4 albums moved and changed and challenged and inspired me. They were an integral part of my 2018 year.

  • Ben Rector – Magic – Ben does it again. AGAIN! Nostalgic, impeccable, hilarious, and sweet jams, bops, memories and love songs. Just as Ben Rector always does. UGH BEN.
  • Tori Kelly – Hiding Place – TKel, thank you for your heart and for knowing the world needed this special project and for writing and performing this collection of gospel songs SO PERFECTLY.
  • Lauren Daigle – Look Up Child – I’m so glad Spotify suggested Lauren’s album to me last fall. It’s my go to: while driving, to calm down, to sing it out, to cry. This album has my heart.
  • Kacey Musgraves – Golden Hour – Kacey has always been one of the most creative and interesting writers in the biz. Her voice is magic. This collection of songs is no exception. I particularly appreciate “Happy and Sad” because I’ve felt that so many times!

ONTO MY TOP 18 SONGS of 2018!
>>> listen in Spotify <<<<
Click the link above to listen to these all at once 🙂

  • I Will Always be Yours – Ben Rector – BENJAMIN. How could you.
  • Love Like This – Lauren Daigle – I cried EVERY SINGLE TIME I listened to this song for about 9 days after my kid was born.
  • Never Alone – Tori Kelly – TKel came through this year with some incredible gospel songs!
  • New Wine – Hillsong (sung by Brooke Fraser) – Brooke is one of my lifelong favorite singers and she makes this song so beautiful.
  • Light On – Maggie Rogers – Obsessed with Maggie!
  • Hocus Pocus – Clark Beckham – Clark finally dropped an album! His vocals are insane, and even MORE INSANE on this track.
  • Stupid Deep – Jon Bellion – Jon ALWAYS gets down to the heart of it.
  • Love Wins – Carrie Underwood – Super fun song with a much-needed message.
  • Ring the Bells – Johnnyswim + Drew Holcomb – A true anthem. And their vocals together are crazy good.
  • Don’t Go Breaking My Heart – Backstreet Boys – Backstreet’s BACK ALRIGHT you know I was going there.
  • Wild Love – James Bay – A slow jam for sure, I love James’ new sound!
  • Always / Almost – Jordy Searcy – Jordy’s lyrics are SO good. He is a very thoughtful songwriter.
  • Unlonely – Jason Mraz – This is such a fun one to sing along with!
  • Hold Your Head up High – Darlingside – These 4 musicians are a legit dream team when it comes to vocals, instruments and OH JUST EVERYTHING.
  • Butterflies – Kacey Musgraves – A sweet, creative love song that I love.
  • Float – Elise Hayes – A BOP! About finding your own way in your career. Can’t wait for more from Elise!
  • Rewrite the Stars – Zendya & Zac Efron – duh.
  • Better than I used to be – Mat Kearney – Mat, you’ve always been amazing, you know that.

Song Honorable Mentions: 

  • These Four Walls – Kenzie Nimmo – Super cute and cozy love song.
  • By My Side – Emily Hearn w North Point InsideOut – My fave singer/songwriter, Emily, sings a worship song! And is perfect at it!
  • Girls Like You – Maroon 5 – I couldn’t stop listening to this for like 3 weeks so it’s on here.
Mat Kearney at House of Blues Boston

Album Honorable Mentions:

  • Jason Mraz – Know. – Super fun and kinda theatrical. When I listen to it, I think of summertime!
  • Greatest Showman Soundtrack – I don’t love all the songs, but I love enough of them to consider the whole album pretty great!

CONCERTS!

Ya’ll know I love me some LIVE MUSIC! So lucky to be able to go to all these amazing shows this year.

  • Judah and the Lion – March, House of Blues, with Nate
  • Matt Kearny – March, House of Blues, with Holly
  • Josh Garrels – April, with Sarah 
  • Superfruit – May, Paradise Rock Club, with Nate
  • Us the Duo – August, Paradise Rock Club, with Nate 
Us the Duo at Paradise Rock Club

My Top 17 Songs of 2017

- Stephanie Leave a comment

I know this blog has been a little under the weather this year. Oops. Life has been a bit nuts. BUT I definitely had to pop back on here to post my FAVORITE BLOG POST OF THE YEAR!!  

This year had a lot of solid albums as a whole, so many that I’m actually going to start this recap with my favorite albums. I listened to these albums consistently and constantly. I have my definite favorite songs from each one, and those favorite songs are some of my favorite songs of the year. But, honestly, there isn’t a song on each of these collections that I don’t like. It’s refreshing to listen to full albums that are creative, honest and well thought out. These 7 albums are my most loved albums of 2017 (I’ve highlighted my top songs from each, but like I mentioned before, I love them all and it was hard to pick!)

TOP ALBUMS of 2017:

  • Will Reagan (United Pursuit) – Tell All My Friends
    (I Can Tell, Need You More, You Carried Me) – I first listened to this album wayyy back in February. I was on the T, on my way to see Josh Garrels perform at the Wilbur. I don’t know how I came across the album, but I remember feeling so peaceful when it started to play. As I listened and fell in love with the words, I was refreshed. It had been a LONG time since I had listened to any worship music at all, let alone worship music that really felt real. This album is good and true and real and I needed it so badly in the moment (and clearly all year long). It was my most listened to album on Spotify, and 3 of my top 5 most listened to songs on Spotify were songs from this album. Very thankful for everything about this new staple in my life.
  • Dear Evan Hansen Soundtrack
    (Waving Through a Window, For Forever, You Will be Found) – My greatest regret of my life (besides never seeing Backstreet Boys in concert) will be never seeing Ben Platt as Evan Hansen on Broadway. It breaks my heart. If a recording can make a person feel THAT MUCH, I can’t even image what it’s like to experience that amount of emotions and pure talent in real life. Every song is truly heartbreakingly real, happy, sad, fulfilled, inspired. This soundtrack is a gem. WOW I really wish I had gotten to see Ben perform as Evan on stage. Now I’m sad.
  • Ed Sheeran – Divide
    (Castle on a Hill, Barcelona, What Do I Know) – I’m assuming Ed’s new album was a lot of people’s album of the year. He is probably the top male pop artist in the world right now. TBH, I’ve never listened to an EdSheer album in it’s entirely until this one, and I’m glad THIS was the one. One of my favorite aspects about this album was how global it felt. A lot of the songs were clearly inspired by places he visited and I liked hearing his creative musical review of each place (especially Barca 🙂 ). I also didn’t expect there to be so many deeply personal songs. Supermarket Flowers, to this day, makes me cry. Eraser and Save Myself are so vulnerable and it’s incredible to me that Ed shared those parts of himself with the entire world. (p.s. Galway Girl will forever remind me of my trip to Ireland 🙂 )
  • Superfruit – Future Friends 
    (Imaginary Parties, Hurry Up, Bad 4 Us, Vacation) – This was kind of an unexpected, instant love of 2017. Scott and Mitch from Pentatonix branched off to make a collection of the poppiest bops ever, and I LOVE it. I can listen to this album in pretty much any situation, but especially while driving or when I need a dance break from work. To top it off, they created music videos to accompany every single song, and they are so artistic and visually stunning. I want to see them in concert so badly!
  • Andy Grammer – The Good Parts
    (85, The Good Parts, Freeze) – This album only dropped two weeks ago, but made it’s way into my heart VERY quickly. There’s something about Andy’s writing that gets right down to the truth of things. You can tell he put a LOT of thought into this collection. I relate on a deeply personal, weird, good, honest, wonderful, spiritual level to so many of these songs (85 is my new life anthem). ANDY! Thank you.
  • ARIZONA – Gallery
    (Feed the Beast, Electric Touch, Oceans Away) – I listened to this album NON stop this summer. I even created a big fan out of Nate 🙂 It is best consumed while driving or working out. Their overall vibe is laid back and modern, and there are a ton of wicked cool beats that make it SO fun to listen and dance to. I can’t sit still when this album is playing!
  • Braxton Cook – Somewhere In Between
    (Run Away, Somewhere in Between) – I don’t consider myself a knowledgeable jazz music fan, but even knowing next to nothing about the genre, but I know this is good. I know it’s legit and inspiring and so great to listen to when you need an extra boost of hustle for your work day. I know it makes sense to my ears. Braxton not only plays saxophone, but he also sings?! What a freakin’ talented human. I listened to this album SO MANY times this year!

Album Honorable Mentions:

  • Dispatch – America, Location 12 – so fun to have Dispatch back in action! classic Dispatch harmonies, with some more modern sounds.
  • Harry Styles – Harry Styles – very happily surprised by this one (never been a fan of One Direction haha) He’s got a lot of vibes happening, but classic rock seems to fit him the best.

TOP SONGS of 2017:
>> !! Listen to my Spotify Playlist Here !! <<

  • Paris, or Wherever We Are – Emily Hearn – makes me want to hop on a plane every time i hear it
  • Only the Wild Ones – Dispatch – great song for the dreamers
  • I Need – Clark Beckham – PLEASE drop a full album soon. CLARK.
  • Bones – Kenzie Nimmo – can’t stop listening to this!
  • I’ll Find You – Lecrae ft. Tori Kelly – really good reminder & tkel is an angel
  • Dark in the City – Jordy Searcy – this guy is a very special songwriter. all his stuff is just gorgeous. 
  • Evergreen – YEBBA – THIS WOMAN. i neeeeeed more.
  • Open Waters – Lael – reminds me of hawaii. His full album is fun! 
  • Beautiful – Betty Who ft. Superfruit – should be everyone’s life anthem
  • Sweet Creature – Harry Styles – fave from the album
  • May You Be Well – The Lone Bellow – bluesy, jammy, greeeeaat harmonies
  • Cut to the Feeling – Carly Rae Jepsen – BOPPPPP
  • Craving you – Thomas Rhett ft. Maren Morris – summer sing-out-loud song
  • Still Feel Like Your Man – John Mayer – jammy, with super classic John sounds
  • Bound to You – Jocelyn Alice – the BEATS! i want more from her in 2018!
  • Just Long Enough – Steve Moakler – love me some steve!
  • Alaska – Maggie Rogers – her sound is so unique

Song Honorable Mentions: 

  • Honeysuckle – Carlie Pearce – brings us back to a 90s-Faith-Hill-vibe of country music and I’m into it
  • Red Wine + White Couch – Danielle Bradbery – love her new sound
  • Female – Keith Urban – such an important song!

>> LISTEN: Top 17 of 17 Playlist <<

 I met Dispatch at the BPL in May!!

This year’s concerts (so many!) <3 
Us the Duo – February, Paradise Rock Club, with Nate
Josh Garrels – February, The Wilbur, with Sarah
Steve Moakler – March, Chameleon, Lancaster PA, with Mandy
Dispatch – May, BPL (live radio recording), by myself
Dia Frampton + Castro – July, Brighton Music Hall, by myself (photographed it)
Michelle Branch – July, Paradise Rock Club, by myself (photographed it)
Switchfoot – August, The Casino Ballroom, Hampton NH, with Nate
Judah and the Lion – October, Paradise Rock Club, with Nate
Johnnyswim – November, The Wilbur, with Nate, Amanda & Ryan
  (Striking Matches opened – talk about MASTER guitar players)
Matt Wertz – November, Club Passim, with Nate
Darlingside – December, Firehouse Center for Arts, Newburyport MA, with Dad

Weekly Obsessions

- Stephanie Leave a comment

PRISMS
Prisms add an extra dimension and layer to photos (see above). I’d experimented with friend’s prism twice before and always wished I had one. So instead of the continued wishing, I just went ahead and got one (only like 20 bucks on Amazon)! It’s definitely not to be used all the time, but in certain, artsy situations it’s a fun way to add some more interest. It’s basically a big light-bending experiment. I want to learn more about the techniques before I add it into my portrait sessions, but it will happen eventually!

STOK
This coffee company‘s cold brew was on one of my weekly obsession lists last summer, and guess what, they stood the test of time! I never leave the grocery store without a bottle.

PUBLIC ART
Oh my gosh. I am doing some research for a photo project about the area’s best and most colorful public art murals, and YOU GUYS! Boston is WAY more full of them than I originally thought! Check out this WBUR blog post I found. It helped me do a lot of my research and I am so excited for my photo project in August.

That’s it for this week. Happy Friday!

Weekly Obsessions

- Stephanie Leave a comment

WOAH IT’S BEEN A MINUTE

I’ve been saying to myself, ‘Man, I wish there was a way I could share all this good stuff I’ve been listening to, doing and finding without having to post on Instagram like every two seconds.” Then it hit me. WEEKLY OBSESSIONS! It’s been so long since I’ve done one of these! Let’s get into it.

MUSIC:
BRAXTON COOK: I don’t consider myself a knowledgable jazz music fan, but even knowing next to nothing about the genre, I know this is good. I know it’s legit and inspiring and soooooo great to listen to when you need an extra boost of hustle for your work day. I know it makes sense to my ears. I love this guy’s work!
Dear Evan Hansen Soundtrack: yes, emotions, amazing, yes, love, so good, omg, this. amen.

Professional Basketball: 
Nate and I watched both nights of ESPN’s 30 for 30 special on the Boston Celtics vs. LA Lakers rivalry. Up until now I’ve only ever been a college basketball fan, but this documentary showed me that I genuinely love the sport in general (not just college version of it) and will most likely become a Celtics fan in the near future.

Ancient copies of the Natick Bulletin (the local newspaper): 
I spent probably an hour last week looking at old maps and reading the June 1883 and June 1931 copies of the Natick Bulletins at the library. It was SO interesting. And so crazy to see the old ads for businesses that are STILL around & the ads for businesses that are long gone, streets that are still the same, ect. The column called Natick Locals really made me laugh. It was a list of “Mrs. So and So is summering at the Cape” – and we thought telling people where we are at every moment is a new concept. And rent was $7 a week!  :O I’ve always had a thing with learning the history of a place I live in. I don’t need to know any of these things, but I feel like a better citizen when I do. I want to know more. I want to know why THAT building is the town hall and where the first fire station was and who originally lived in THAT gorgeous house, you know? Maybe I’m weird. 😉

Summer Sunsets:
Needs no explanation. Top 3 most favorite parts of summer (other 2 are ice cream and swimming 😉 )

BARCELONA GUIDE | What to do in Barcelona

- Stephanie Leave a comment

In 2009 I lived in Barcelona for a summery 6 weeks and fell head over heels in love with everything about this artsy, vibrant, loud & colorful city. In 2016 I finally went back and got to share the experience with my husband. It was so surreal to be back there, and made me fall in love all over again. I wanted to share some of my favorite things to do in the wonderful city of Barcelona!

First of all, the BEST and most important advice I can give you for how to see Barcelona is to walk and wander!! Barca is a very walkable city, especially through the older parts of town and the Gothic Quarters. There are so many hidden architectural details, shops, squares and even cathedrals, you never know what you will find. If you can, stay in the Gothic Quarters – it’s a great starting point for so many adventures. Check AirBnB for apartments!

TO SEE: 

PARK GUELL 
Park Guell is one of Gaudi’s masterpieces. Barcelona is filled with them, but this gorgeous park was my favorite. With architectural detail, mosaics all over the place and fantastic views of the whole city (find the top of the hill with the stone cross!), it’s super artsy and has plenty to explore. P.S. You can walk all around the actual park for free, but to get into the mosaic area, you need tickets, and you need to buy those in advance.

CATHEDRAL of BARCELONA
You can take an elevator to the top for an awesome view. Try to go around noon – you will get swept up in all the church bells around the whole city ringing at once.

ART MUSEUMS
Picasso Museum
Joan Miro Foundation
Poble Espanyol – a museum of Spanish architecture
Museum of National art of Cataluyna – even if you don’t go inside this one, at least go see the building, it’s stunning.

LA BOQUERIA 
La Boqueria is a crowded, busy, smelly, yet wonderful and authentic open-air food market.You can buy 10 apples and a whole baguette for like 2 euro. So cheap! It’s a good place to grab a quick lunch or a days worth of snacks. The market is off of the famous street La Ramblas, which is very overwhelming and kind of like the Times Square of Barca. Aka, too touristy, so you don’t have to stay long. Just hit La Boqueria and you’re good!

LA SAGRADA FAMILIA
Another amazing Gaudi creation! Each side of the cathedral looks different. One side is very modern and geometric, while the other is kind of… well all I can say is that it almost looks like a drip sand castle. It sounds weird, but it really is beautiful! Walk around the outside and be amazed by the incredibleness. If you go across the street to the park, Placa del Gaudi, you can get a full view of the ‘sand castle’ side. You can also take a tour of the inside of the cathedral, but it’s a little pricey to get in, so stick to the outside for a great, and free, way to experience it.

FC Barcelona game at Camp Nou
If you are in town at the right time and can catch a game, do it! One of my faaaaavorite memories from my first time in Barcelona. Exhilarating and electric and so much fun!

Before we continue, let me take a minute to remind you that walking and wandering around is the best way to experience this city. There are so many hidden gems that aren’t in a tourist guide or blog post. From the tiny shops to even the insane displays of street art. Walk, walk, walk!

PLACES TO DRAW, RELAX &/or PLAY:
The boardwalk along the beach. Head towards the neighborhood called La Barceloneta and you’ll find it. Barcelona has a vibrant beach culture – outdoor gyms, volleyball courts, of course swimming, and tons of good restaurants along the water. There’s a LOT to do in that area!
Park De Ciutadella is a great place to relax & people watch It has a wonderful fountain, lots of street performers, and few cool sculptures hanging around.

OTHER THINGS:
Artsy people, bring your sketchbook! There’s SO much to sketch and observe and memorize. My sketchbook pages are always my favorite souvenirs from wherever I travel, and that idea all started in Barcelona. Sitting, looking & sketching helps me take a minute to actually remember a view with my brain and not my just camera.

Drink cafe con leche (it’s basically a latte, but it sounds more authentic that way 🙂 ). And eat a chocolate croissant. Preferably together. Also eat paella, tapas, croquetas, basil gelato.

I actually have a few things that are still on my Barca to-do list. Castell Monjuic is one of them, as well as taking a tour of all the various Olympic sites from the 1992 Olympics. Someday! Hopefully soon! 🙂

Talk to me! What are you hoping to see in Barcelona? If you’ve already been, what were your favorite highlights?