ACL | A Quick One...

AT&T always has a big presence at ACL.  This year the AT&T blue room will have webcasts available, so you can check out all the festivities online if you can't be there in person.  More info here.

Hope you all have a fabulous weekend!

Austin City Limits Festival | Weather, Fashion & Food

As we're less than 48 hours away from the start of ACL 2008, there's more to think about than just what bands I'm going to see.  Today, I started thinking about what I was going to wear.  First thing to consider... It's going to be HOT this weekend.  Last week Austin & most of Texas experienced a wonderful cold front that followed Ike.  We had highs in the 80s and lows in the upper 50s.  It was glorious.  Unfortunately it was not meant to last & this weekend we're expecting highs in the mid 90s & lows in the upper 60s.  

I'm sure it won't be as bad as it was back in 2005 when ACL = Giant Dust Bowl & 100+ degree miserableness. The picture here in the upper right is me & Jonathan at ACL 2005.  We look happy, but the flash is masking the layer of dirt that covered EVERYTHING (clothes, camera, hair, nostrils...yeah GROSS!! I had black snot for 3 days afterwards...sorry, I know TMI)  What made it worse was that it was seriously over 100 degrees outside so everyone was all sweaty & the dirt just stuck to the sweat...yuck!  Check out this picture taken on during Coldplay's set the last night of the last day.  If you'll focus on the upper portion of the photo (ignoring my horrible picture taking skills), you'll see the massive amounts of dust floating around in the air.

Things should be much better this year.  They've improved the irrigation system at the park & the heat isn't supposed to be near as bad...  Still, I'm planning on packing sunscreen & my allowed two bottles of factory sealed water.

Now what to wear.. These girls, are so good at using Polyvore, and I've been looking for a good excuse to create my own collage.  So here we go! If you happen to see me at Zilker park this weekend, I'll look very much like what you see here.  

Besides thinking about what to wear & bring with me, I browsed the awesome selection of food that will be available at the Food Court.  So many of the best restaurants in Austin will be there.  As long as the lines are insanely massive, I'm hoping to check out the Hot & Crunchy Chicken Cone from Hudson's on the Bend, a Grilled Sausage Sandwich from The Best Wurst, and a slice of Pepperoni Pizza from Austin's Pizza.  Yummy greasy goodness!!  Is it bad that I'm just as excited about the food as seeing the bands?!  Even though I can go to these places anytime I want, there's something different about enjoying it at the festival.

Do any of you frequent festivals?  What kind of gear to you bring?  What's your favorite festival food?

Austin City Limits Festival Day 3

Now that I've been cataloging all the bands I intend to see at ACL, I'm starting to remember just how exhausting this event can be.  Assuming I make it to Sunday, here's where you can find me:

1:30pm - The Kills

In all honesty, we may not get to the festival grounds this early.  In the past it's been hard for us to get up & going on the last day of ACL.  But, if we do I'd like to check out The Kills.  They are another band that I found by listening to Pandora.  

5:30pm - Okkervil River

There's not really anyone I'm dying to see between The Kills & Okkervil River.  So, either we'll skip the first half of the day or we'll leave for a bit & head over to Chuy's for an afternoon margarita.  On to Okkervil River...I've yet to see this Austin band.  I hear wonderful things & this seems like an excellent opportunity to burst my Okkervil River cherry :)

6:30pm - White Denim

I love White Denim!  Yeah, I've seen them several times before, but I'd at least like to check out the first half of their set.  I may not stay for the whole thing because I'm pretty pumped about the 7:30 band...more about them in a minute.  Check out the awesomeness that is White Denim (the song doesn't really get started until about 40 sec into it):

7:30pm - Band of Horses

This may be the band I'm MOST excited about at ACL!!  There have been many a day at work where I just put both Band of Horses albums on repeat & that's all I listen to....I think it's just great music.  

8:30pm - Foo Fighters

I'm kind of ambivalent about this.  I know I shouldn't be, because like dude...it's the Foo Fighters!  I like the Foo Fighters alright & it's pretty cool that we're seeing them before they take a break.  But, I'm kinda "eh" about this.  I have a feeling I'm going to watch a song or two and then we'll head home to recoup before we have to return to the working world.  I will admit this acoustic version of "Everlong" is amazing:

Whew!  ACL 2008.  

Austin City Limits Festival Day 2

ACL's Saturday line-up has lots of different options.  This is definitely the most jam-packed day for me.  Let's get started:

12:30pm - Old 97's

I haven't really listened to these guys much since my senior year of high school/freshman year of college.  I think getting my old groove back will be a good way to start the day.  

Jagged

1:30pm - José González or The Fratellis

Both of these bands are awesome.  José González is actually Swedish! His music is great, but it might be a little too low key for a festival environment.  So, I have a feeling that Jonathan would rather see The Fratellis who are much more upbeat & more his style of music.  I'll be happy either way.  

3:00pm - MGMT & The Fratellis autograph signing

The custom schedule creator that ACL is using even shows you when bands are doing autograph signings.  I'm curious how this works at big festivals like this, so I kind of want to check it out.

3:30pm - CSS (Cansei de Ser Sexy)

This group looks like so much fun!  They are an electro/pop/punk band from Sao Paulo, Brazil...  Check out this live performance of "Music Is My Hot, Hot Sex" ...

5:30pm - MGMT

A group I know Jonathan will agree is a must see.  You know when a band gets to tour with Beck you're bound to see a great show...Excited about this one!!

6:30pm - John Fogerty

Not sure if we'll make it to see John Fogerty.  I think we'll be heading to a different stage to get a place for the 8:30 band.  Although I have always been a fan of CCR, so it would be awesome to see him...I can't fully commit to it because this stage (AMD) is all the way across the park from the AT&T stage where the 8:30 band will be playing... And as with all festivals, you've got to get there early if you want to get somewhat close to the stage.

8:30pm - Beck!!

Don't need to say much about this one...it's just going to be awesome!

All these great bands & there's still one whole day to go.  If you're not sick to death of me forcing my music taste down your throat, I'll be posting Sunday's schedule very soon!

Austin City Limits Festival Day 1

So excited about the upcoming ACL festival!  Of course I've yet to ask off of work, but eh, a minor detail.  Here's some of the fabulous goodness I'll be enjoying on Friday, the first day of ACL:

2:30pm - Vampire Weekend

I saw Vampire Weekend a while back at Mohawk.  But they played indoors and I loathe the inside stage at Mohawk so I listened from afar & didn't really think much of the whole experience. But, their self titled debut album has been on my playlist since it came out!  With their swingy afro-beats, it was perfect for the summer time.  According to a recent post on Rockouts, VW has a new song on the soundtrack for the new flick "Nick & Nora's Infinite Playlist".  Check it on Rockouts or just view the classic "Oxford Comma" here:

5:15 pm - Mates of State or 5:30pm - Hot Chip

I'm torn between which of these I should go to.  Due to the wonderfulness that is Pandora & Last.fm, I have recently become familiar with Mates of State.  I dig 'em.  Of course it's hard to pass up jamming out to Hot Chip live.  I'm guessing I'll end up seeing whoever Jonathan wants to see...which is fine b/c I HATE making decisions when I'm trying to have fun.  I'm going to post the Mates of State video because I kind of like them a smidge better right now:

6:30pm - N.E.R.D.

6:30 was kind of tough.  I saw N.E.R.D. when I saw Kanye earlier this year.  It was a good show, but since I wasn't that familiar with them, I kind of got bored (yeah I know that's bad).  But, I think for a festival they would be really fun, especially as its going to be cooling off about that time as it gets closer to dusk.  The other option I considered was David Byrne who I also have heard via Pandora, but eh, I'm even less familiar with him than N.E.R.D.  Kind of a silly way to make a decision...but there are so many bands to see that you've got to decide somehow, you know?!  Check 'em:

8:15pm - The Mars Volta  or 8:30pm - Manu Chao

Again, another tough decision.  I'm fairly new to both of these.  I think it would be cool to see Manu Chao since he has such an international following, even though I barely know any of his work.  The Mars Volta is likely to be Jonathan's choice.  Of course, after being at the park all day, who knows, we may end up heading home before we see all of either. Check it:

There ya have it!  A lot of after shows are going on so hopefully we'll do some of those as well.  That or we'll collapse from exhaustion & sun burn at the casa & prepare for a fun filled Saturday.

Sorry, we only carry sizes 1, 3, and 5. You could try Sears?

Since I got married in December, I've gained a little weight...10 lbs to be specific. I'm by no means obese...let alone overweight. But, I'm much softer than I was a few months ago. I go through periods where this really bothers me (anytime someone mentions swimsuits) and then there are times when I don't even notice (when I'm wearing cute, fashionable, & flattering empire waist tops).

I'm fairly self conscious about my body & in the past few months I've gotten fed up with being embarrassed by my "softness" and so I've started going to the gym several time a week and watching what I eat. It's not helping. Not sure what it is. I don't think I've changed the way I eat between now and this time last year. So, this 10 lbs of yuck is really perplexing.

I'm at a really small trade show today & this customer comes & gives me a hug. I've met him at several shows over the years and he always takes time to chit chat with me and see what's new at the company.... I guess you could say we're trade show friends. So, this trade show friend comes over and the first thing out of his mouth after hugging me is, "Oooh, you're putting on weight!". I am shocked and I'm sure I made a horrendous face when I said, "uh, what?" and he patted his belly and repeated, "you're putting on weight" (with a grin & a wink)

I'm not sure what this guy was thinking when he mentioned that. Maybe he thinks I'm preggers...ah! ack! ugh! Maybe he thinks that's a good thing? Maybe he thought we were good enough friends that he could tease me about my new layer of blubber? I have no idea. Anyway you look at it, I was super uncomfortable.

I just laughed it off, "heh, yeah, got that newlywed weight." And I give a hearty laugh & pat my soft belly.

AAAHHHHH the humiliation!!!!

Did any of you gain a little newlywed weight? Has anyone every humiliated you by commenting on your weight publicly?

If not, can you please make up a story to make me feel better?! Thanks! :)