Roadtrip: Newport Folk Festival & Playlist

A couple of weeks ago went to the Newport Folk Festival.  This year's lineup was just as amazing as past year's have been. The organizers of the show slowly unveil the lineup throughout the winter and spring.  It was so fun to see who they announced each week on their Facebook page.

Last night I posted a mix of some of the bands I love that played the Newport Folk Fest this year.

Click the player above or listen along by clicking here: Bands of Newport Folk Fest 2013

Images:  Rebecca Tollefsen

On The Books: Road Trip in July

Behind the Walls 2012, Episode #2 ~ First Aid Kit from SöPa productions on Vimeo.

I wrote about all of the things that will make 2013 a good year full of enjoyment.  At the top of the list?  Road trips. We just planned a road trip for July as we'll be heading to the Newport Folk Festival.  Above is an episode of Newport Folk Festival's series Behind The Walls which features performances from artists that performed at last year's festival.  The lineup for the festival doesn't come out until Spring and we can't wait to see who will be there this year.

Document the Day: Road Trip to Portland, ME

This year for John's birthday my parents took Sylas for the night and John and I went to Portland, Maine. Portland is a sweet little coastal town where John and I have spent a lot of time. Before Sylas was born we would go to Portland two or three times a year and we got to know the town quite well. We even spent part of our honeymoon there.  Portland holds a special place in our heart and we hadn't been back since Sylas was born.  We were so excited to go back and explore.  We started out the day walking around the cute downtown and Old Port sections of Portland.  We stood outside of that tattoo shop trying to talk each other into going inside to get something together but we realized that we didn't have enough time before our dinner reservation.

Don't you love those cobblestone streets? And that bike was from a beautifully designed window display.  John is a huge beer connoisseur and as soon as I told him were going to Portland he told me he wanted to visit Novare Res.  John had read about Novare Res having an extensive beer selection.  And they totally did - it was comprehensive and downright crazy!  What an amazing spot.  Novare Res has a beautiful outdoor patio and a cool indoor atmosphere as well.  You can see photos from the indoor section of Novare Res here and here. We were so glad we found that spot and it will be a regular stop when we go back to Portland.  We then headed down to the bay side to watch some live music at a restaurant on the water.

We had reservations at Fore Street, a restaurant we try to visit each time we go to Portland.  We had an amazing meal with the sweetest waiter and a delicious cheese plate for dessert.

The next morning we went to The Standard Baking Co. another one of our Portland favorites.  It is owned by the same folks that own Fore Street.  The chocolate croissant is kind of out of control, just saying.  We feel so lucky that our parents were able to take Sylas for the night.  It gave us time to get a break from our everyday routine and recharge.  Thanks Mom and Dad!


Images:  Rebecca Tollefsen