Bonnaroo 2014 Packing List

My friend Jordan & I did something crazy, we purchased tickets to Bonnaroo Music Festival in Manchester TN. I've never been to a huge music festival like this & I am really excited! It has been on my bucket list for quite some time. To say I am anxious, excited & #ready2roo is an understatement. I can't wait!

While camping for 4 days might not sound like my cup of tea all the time I am totally willing to do it. I am happy that Jordan is a seasoned camper because I def am not. I am a bit OCD when it comes to packing lists & have been researching like CRAZY. If this is your first time to Bonnaroo (like us) I have some tips & websites for you. I will update this when I get back from what I learn.

Photo Credit: Refinery 29

First, check out that lineup! Be sure to create your list & who you're going to see. Get pumped up by listening to my Bonnaroo playlist. Mine looks a little something like this:

Thursday:

- The Preatures

- Cass Mccombs

- Real Estate/ Mr Ms

- Cloud Nothings

- Polica

- White Denim

Friday:

- Ben Howard

- The Naked & Famous

- Chvrches

- Phoenix

- The Head and the Heart

- Kanye West

- Disclosure

- Skrillex

Saturday:

- Classixx

- Haerts

- Cake

- Grouplove

- Cage the Elephant

- Slightly Stoopid

- Chromeo

- Cut Copy

- Zedd

- Flaming lips

- Kaskade

Sunday:

- Capital Cities

- Fitz & the Tantrums

- Arctic Monkeys

- The Avett Brothers

- Elton John

But of course you can never fully plan who you will end up seeing. Just go with the flow & have fun! Next be sure to register your wristband before heading to the farm.

^^ I accidentally clamped mine on early. I'll be wearing this until I get to Bonnaroo on Thursday (oops!)

Now lets get to that packing list! I have read many websites about what to bring. Here are the best I've found:

1. Inforoo.com: This website is full of helpful forums from people who have been every year to newbies like me. You can find ride shares, camping tips, packing lists & more on this website.
2. Bonnarootips.com: I found this website on Instagram & I am happy I did. This website has tons of great camping tips, DIY's, getting to Bonnaroo, safety tips & they have a great Facebook page with even more info. 
3. poorvin.com/roo/faq/: My friends Mom sent me this website & it's great! It basically has all the info you might need.
4. bonnaroochris.blogspot.com/: I love his packing list! It's broken down into sections & has a check box next to the items making it easy for you. (I have this printed out & taking items from it.)
5. Create your own Pinterest board like I did to keep yourself organized & pin helpful info you find along the way. 

Jordan & I got really lucky when it comes to camping. We are joining a groop camp site where everyone contributes. It really helps since we are flying in & then driving to the farm. Our packing list looks like this (still in progress):

Emily:

-Shampoo/ dry shampoo 

-Conditioner

-Deodorant

-Sunscreen

-Bug spray

-Toilet paper

-Face wash

-Garbage bags

-Cliff bars

-Small cooler

-First aid kit

-Water bottle

-Koozies

-Trail mix

-Zip lock bags

-Water bottle

We need to get when we arrive:

-Larger cooler

-Blow up things to sleep on

-Peanut butter

-Jelly

-Bread

-Beef jerky

-Food

-Beer 

-Ice

-Water

-Electric Fan

-Camping chairs
-Foam mats

Jordan:

-Greek flag thing (to identify our camp)

-Flashlight/ head lamp

-Tent

-Hand sanitizer

-Wet Ones

-Blanket

-Car charger 

-Tarp

-Batteries

-Backpack with camelback reservoir

-Nalgene

-Flask

Items contributing to group:

-Oranges (5)

-Paper towels

-Hot dog buns

-Pretzels

-Frozen burgers

-Chips & Guac

-Hummus

-Jelly

-Bread for Sandwiches

-Fruit (Bananas)

Obviously there is so much more that everyone will be bringing from the groop. We are both bringing our own sleeping bags + pillows (don't forget that!)

Now moving on to the clothes (my fav.) Remember this is a after all a music festival & you're going to get gross. It will be hot (your in the south) so packing clothes that are breathable + lightweight is key. Here are the items I am taking:

-3 dresses

-1 romper

-2 pair of shorts

-3 tank tops

-1 pair of jeans

-Rain boots/ rain jacket

-3 pairs of sandals

-Flip flops

-Pair of flats

-Swimsuits

-Pajamas

-Sweater/ sweatshirt (for night)

-Side bag

-2 hats

-Sunglasses

Blurred Lines Cami Dress , Middle Dress (old), Cutout Tie-Dye Cami dress

^^ Bring things that can go with each outfit & that are inter changeable. 

^^ I am bringing my comfortable pairs of sandals & rain boots (in case!!)

Photo credit: Refinery 29

We leave in 3 days! If you're going to Bonnaroo let me know. If you have any other tips leave them in the comments below. I am by no means a seasoned rooer! See you soon roo (eek!!)

Xo,

Emily

P.S. Check back for photos from the festival! 

A Night with Em

Meet my friend Emily.

^^We met 4 years ago while we were interning in DC on the metro. She was lost & I helped her find her way, it's been a great friendship ever since.

Even though we have both lived away from DC since we originally met we've always remained close. I couldn't be happier that our paths crossed again in DC.

We may not have as much free time as we had when we were interning but we always find time to get together. Emily is one of the hardest working girls I know & any chance I get to hang out with her i'll take! We decided to meet up for dinner at one of our favorite Mexican restaurants Lauriol Plaza near Dupont. I may or may not have a secret love affair with Mexican food (it reminds me of home.) This spot has my stamp of approval & gets the job done!

^^ We sat down & ordered a pitcher of the regular margaritas. Of course you can't forget the chips + salsa. Yum...

^^I ordered the chicken enchiladas. I will say I am pretty picky about Mexican food & these live up to my expectation. Classic, cheesy goodness. What more could you want?

^^ We decided to make dinner last a bit longer & grab a bottle of wine across the street. 

^^We headed back to Em's house for a glass of vino! It's always fun catching up with this girl. I am so proud of Em & all of her hard work. She is a constant source of inspiration for me & I value our friendship very much. Sometimes all you need is a night with a good friend!

How do you keep up with your friends? I would love to hear.

Xo,

Emily

Mothers Day Birthday

Every couple of years my birthday falls on Mother's day. The last time beside this year was 6 years ago. It was also the last time I saw my grandma, Baba, who at the time was suffering from cancer. That particular birthday wasn't an easy one & it's funny to think I was turning 20 years old. I can't help but to think of that day as it stands out so much in my memory. I feel grateful that I was able to spend one last Mother's day with one of my favorite women & the person who raised my amazing Mom. I thought of my family a lot this Mother's day since I wasn't at home. But luckily I have great friends in DC who were able to not only celebrate their Moms this Sunday but also help celebrate my birthday.

I love steak & always have! Whenever I go out for a dinner with my family for my birthday I request a steak dinner. Obviously I had to keep the tradition alive this year. My friends & I headed to Medium Rare in Eastern Market for a nice steak dinner. The restaurant is simplistic with their menu & serve their signature item, steak! But if you're a veg they do have an option for you if you ask ;)!

^^Before heading to dinner Rachel gave me a bottle of champagne (my fav) & a sweet card. Best roommate ever? I think so.

^^ I also got this sweet video message from my friend Claudia in San Fran! Love her. 

^^Then I met up with these fine folks for dinner. That's a good lookin group!

^^Jane gave me the cutest card & candle. She said i'll always be a DC gal to her even though I am really from SLC ;).

^^ Then dinner was served! Before the steak they serve a really delicious salad. I didn't get any pictures of it because I was too busy eating it (sorry!) 

^^Earlier in the week I Tweeted Medium Rare to ask if they have a vegetarian option. I mentioned it was my birthday. They were very quick with their response & asked me to let them know when I was coming in. They love birthdays! 

I was presented with this sweet little treat. I am sure they do this for everyone but the fact that they reached out was great. They get in A+ in my book for that! If you're a steak fan like me & live in DC or visiting I highly recommend you check it out. 

^^It was a great night! I felt so much love from everyone. Thank you for making my birthday special. 26 is going to be a great year! What's a birthday tradition you have?

xo,

Emily

P.S. Sorry for the belated birthday post! 

Take Me to the Sweetlife

When it comes to my birthday I like to celebrate as much as I can. You might as well milk it for all it's worth right? Let me tell you this birthday was one for the books. It's never easy being away from home around my birthday & I always miss my family. That's why I surrounded myself with lots of friends & fun this year. The weekend before my birthday my friends & I went on a winery tour which was a blast but the weekend of my birthday had to be just as fun (obviously.) I told my sister when I turn 30 I am celebrating for 30 days. Get ready for those blog posts ;)! Anyway...

I love music, concerts & being with my friends. So when I heard about the Sweetlife festival I knew I had to go because:

1. The lineup was awesome (Lana Del Rey, Foster the People, Chromeo, Fitz & the Tantrums & way more goodness.)
2. It was the day before my birthday
3. I got to spend the day with my friends 

All around it promised a fun time & it didn't disappoint! I wish we could go back but for now pictures will have to do.

^^ The crew before heading on the bus to Merriweather Post Pavilion.

^^ B & I before heading to the concert.

^^Arriving at the venue. We were ready to have some fun & listen to some good music!

^^ At the Treehouse venue listening to Capital Cities.

^^Obviously B was loving it!

^^ Such a gorgeous day for a concert + to be outside! 

^^ A little rain didn't stop us from having fun.

^^ We even met some new friends!^^Chromeo was awesome as always (photo credit: Chromeo Facebook.) 

All in all it was a great way to celebrate my birthday. I had the time of my life! Turns out being 26 isn't so bad after all. Until next year Sweetlife.

Xo,

Emily

The Napa Valley of Virginia

Remember that time I talked about turning 24? Now it's time to talk about turning 26. Where did time go? Seriously!! 25 was a great year & I finally feel like I am out of the confusing part of my 20's. For the first half of the 20's I was still trying to figure out what I wanted, who I wanted to be, the types of people I wanted around me & now that I am "growing up" I finally feel comfortable exactly where I am. You know what? That's a great feeling!

To celebrate my 26th year I wanted to be with the people I love spending time with. What better way to enjoy the company of your best friends than on a wine tour in Northern VA for a pre-birthday celebration? I couldn't think of anything better quite honestly & since the weather started to perk up it ended up being a beautiful day. 

Northern Virginia has lots of little wineries & people here refer to it as the "Napa Valley" of the East Coast. We had to check it out!

Wine Tour May 4, 2014

^^ Our group ready to head to the wineries & hop on the bus!

^^ The first stop on the tour was Cobbler Mountain Cellars. I had been here before but it was a treat to go back. The winery recently opened a new section for tastings on their gorgeous property. 

^^ The tasting started at the top in their wine club room. They poured us a nice tasting of their Chardonnay. 

^^ The tasting lead us through their new property. It started at the top, then in the middle & eventually down to the cellar where they store the wine. We headed to the middle where we tasted a Riesling & their award winning Cider.

^^ After, we made our way down to the wine cellar to taste the last two wines. They are both award winners... literally!

^^ After the tasting we headed outside for a little picnic to enjoy the amazing weather.

^^ After Cobbler Mountain Cellars we headed to Capital Vineyards. It was my first time at this charming little winery! Their wine bottles are themed around characters you would see on Capitol Hill. Very fun idea + the political people in our group (Zach & Emily loved that.)

It was a wonderful way to celebrate my upcoming birthday. I am so thankful to have such a amazing people in my life. It was indeed a great day in "Napa Valley." Thanks to the 20's & 30's going out group + J.T for organizing & for letting us join in the fun.

Cheers to 26!

Xo,

Emily

Life Lately

I know what you're going to say, I have been MIA since moving back to DC. I have been meaning to write for awhile now. I have no excuse beside life caught up with me. I've been very busy!

Anyway... I've officially lived in DC for a little over a month! Time has flown by & I can't believe it's already May. I have enjoyed every minute of it! I feel like I made the right decision (don't you love it when that happens?)

It hasn't all been easy & I expected there to be some bumps along the way. Since being back I have moved again in less than a month (in the same apartment complex), started a new job, made some new friends, caught up with old friends, had a visitor come to town & I continue to soak it all in! Here are some pictures of my life lately...

^^After leaving Boston I was pretty sad but I was happy to see these familiar faces (Emily & Zach.) We went out the first weekend I arrived. I sure am happy to have great friends here to cheer me up!

^^After dealing with some minor roommate drama it was time for me to move to the 14th floor. Check out that view!

^^Went to the DC Beer Fest with some of my new colleagues. Super fun!

^^ Meet Brittany, one of my new friends! I met her through Twitter (funny story) but long story short her parents live in Salt Lake City. Obviously we were meant to be friends! Also, this photo was taken at the Nationals Game in between moving into my new apartment. We are pretty impressive when we are together... I think ;)!

^^My Mom's friend Melinda came to DC to visit her son for his birthday & I got to see them both. We had brunch at Sequoia. The view + cherry blossoms were perfect for a Sunday afternoon.  And no that is not Melinda & her son... Just two random people enjoying their day!

^^Celebrated Easter with two of my favorites (Jane & Zach) at District Commons.

^^ Emily came to visit from Boston! We road bikes around the monuments, had brunch, went to a birthday party, met up with friends & enjoyed ourselves. Thanks for coming Em!!

^^ Attended Terryl's Kentucky Derby party with my new Roommate. It was a great party & who doesn't love wearing cute dresses + hats?

That leaves us right where I am in my life right now! What have you been up to? 

Xo,

Emily