Ed Sheeran talks about his first time at Wembley back in 2002. Who knew he was a closet Green Day fan?!
Taken from MTV’s “Nine Days and Nine Nights of Ed Sheeran”. Here’s another funny bit that came along with that special:
Author Archives: Brianna Jacobson
Was that BEYONCE going through my laundry?
Summer Lovin’
Hey there, fellow conquerors! Here are some things that will surely spice up your summer. They’re already doing a number on mine.
TO EAT:
170 ELIZABETH STREET
TO DRINK:
DEL’S SHANDY / ALLAGASH GINGER
GET THE SHANDY AT PROFESSOR THOM’S AND THE GINGER AT HARLEM PUBLIC
TO READ:
LUCKY PEACH MAGAZINE
TO SEE:
“CHEF” THE FILM
TO WATCH:
“SILICON VALLEY” ON HBO
TO WEAR:
DRESS AVAILABLE AT ANN TAYLOR LOFT
TO LISTEN:
THE BLACK KEYS “TURN BLUE” / YOUNG THE GIANT “MIND OVER MATTER”
Foo Friday (On Monday)
Suffering from a case of the Mondays?! Here’s a little Dave Grohl action that will perk you right up!
Words of Inspiration…
Doing one of the things he does best…
I Climbed a Freaking Mountain!
Memorial Day was a day of firsts that left me a sweaty, sunburnt, bug bitten mess, but me and my newly skinned knee have never felt so strong.
Started From The Bottom
FIRST FIRST: HITCH HIKING… SORRY MOM
Evan and I intended to take the 7:43 Metro North train to Manitou, but of course ended up missing our stop. Being tried and true New Yorkers, we got off at the next one, with the intent of walking back, however it wasn’t that easy. It was a four mile trek that started with a hike in the woods, and ended with us being picked up on the side of the road by a nice man named Auggie.
Auggie was headed to the same exact place as us, or so we thought, and he flaunted his local status as “Maybe I’m Amazed” blared through his truck’s speakers. After we covered all the hot topics for dads… directions, distance to the city, the train we took to get there… Auggie dropped us off at the base of Bear Mountain.
SECOND FIRST: ACTUAL HIKING
As you can probably guess from my leopard print hat, this was my first time going hiking. And boy did I go big before I went home. The trail Evan and I intended to take was a literal walk in the park, but the one Auggie brought us to was an intense, uphill trek.
I visualized my impending Beyonce-esque thigh gap one lunge at a time as we climbed up over a mile’s worth of rocks, pushing my heart rate to a record high. There were certain points when not just me, but my body wanted to quit, however there was no Starbucks or air conditioned snack tent to retire to. The only option was to keep on climbing, and think about how “Ain’t No Mountain High Enough” was probably written by someone who’d never actually scaled a mountain.
But then we got to the top.
The feeling of accomplishment was beyond comprehension, and made even better by the fact that we could see the now tiny speck of street where our climb had started. It was a view made for instagram, and after about a thousand mosquito bites, and two thousand selfies, it was time to make our way back down.
THIRD FIRST: STARING DOWN A VERTICAL, ROCKY DESCENT AND REGRETTING I CHOSE THE CHEAPEST OPTION OF OBAMACARE
Disney’s “Tower of Terror” has got nothing on the hour of terror Evan and I spent climbing down the mountain, where no less than three people stopped us to suggest we turn back. But, as I clung to the rocks for dear life, looking for my next footing, there was nowhere else to go.
Evan and I took our time, mostly relying on Madonna-like arm strength, and precarious looking branches for support, but scooted down the rocks on our butts when necessary. This was not a time to worry about looking silly. This was a time to worry about what color cast I’d pick if something went wrong. Thankfully, nothing did, but if you’re wondering, I’d go with purple.
FOURTH FIRST: PURPOSELY STANDING NEXT TO A SMELLY GUY ON THE SUBWAY TO COVER MY B.O.
This one’s kind of self-explanatory, but I want to thank the guy I stood next to on the D train for managing to smell worse than my day’s collection of blood, sweat, and overcome fears.
BRIDGEFIE
noun: selfie with a bridge
Three Quick Rules for Finding Your Inner Beyonce
I only have a month left of my twenties, and I spent the last ten years with the secret goal to not be fat for these pivotal years. Every time I saw a lucky penny or blew out my birthday candles, that is what I wished for, and the only reason I never told anyone about this is because I failed.
I spent a lot of time being insecure about life instead of living it, but for whatever reason that started changing about two years ago. Something clicked, and I was finally able to start making healthy decisions that equaled fitting into pants at H&M. I documented the process in my tongue in cheek “Skinny Girl Problems” posts, however since writing that last one, I kind of, sort of got fat again. But then I got small again, and here are the three rules that helped me find my inner Beyonce.
I Want to Wake Up Like Dis
1) Decide to.
I decided to switch out sandwiches for salad. I decided to haul my ass to the gym most nights and get myself to the 9am spin class every Saturday. I decided to cut back on alcohol and all the late night eating it brings, and I decided to start making choices that I knew wouldn’t leave me feeling guilty. Then, rule number two helped me stick to these decisions.
2) Have a kick ass support system.
There was the time I had to text Emily and Ariele for help during a work meeting catered by Buffalo Wild Wings, all the progress photos Stickles and I share with each other, my boy Jon Best at work holding me to my gym regimen and my recent #NoSweetsForThreeWeeks goal, Staci-Lyn for being the kind of best friend who always lets me talk about my weight loss and keeps me on track, and all you good people who were down to get juice or sit in the park, instead meeting up for a drink, dinner, or all the ice cream ever.
Rule three has proven to be the hardest of them all, which of course means it’s the most important.
3) Keep calm and don’t lose your shit when you go off track.
I’m not even close to being perfect, and sometimes when I lose all sense of control and eat enough pizza and french fries to put me in the running to be the next Kobayashi, I am so blinded by my missteps that I can’t picture myself getting back in the zone. Or the times when work, travel, sickness, or other variables have kept me away from the gym, and immediately have me mentally preparing to be my former chubster self, who wears shorts under skirts.
In the past, these instances have been the kryptonite to my progress, and the game changer for long time success was being able to accept my moments of weakness, and move on from them quickly so I can get back to business. In the simplest terms, it took me a minute to realize that if I took an hour, day, or even week off, I wouldn’t immediately gain all the weight back. Pretty obvious, but also good to know.
In total, I don’t know the exact number of how much weight I’ve lost, and I’m not sure I want to. I’d rather focus on what I’ve gained; confidence, a general feeling of health, strength, and the ability to wear this dress. Here’s to starting my thirties accomplishing what I wasn’t able to do for the last ten years.
BRIYONCE
My OTHER Favorite Show
Short Term 12 = Long Term Awesome
The first thing I did when I got my driver’s license was drive to the Castleton Arts movie theatre to see “Kissing Jessica Stein,” and I’ve supported independent film ever since. Movies don’t need budgets big enough to bail out small countries and a year long production schedule to be above and beyond good, and Destin Cretton’s new film “Short Term 12” is proof of that.
Set in a group home for troubled youth, “Short Term 12” tells the stories of Grace (Brie Larson) and Mason (John Gallagher Jr.), a young couple who keep the home running, and care for its young residents. Business is going as usual as it can when working with kids who come from beyond broken homes and occasionally break into frenzied fits while wearing a cape, until Grace finds out she’s unexpectedly pregnant, and a newcomer to the home named Jayden (Kaitlyn Dever) makes the news an even harder pill to swallow. Pun recognized, but not intended.
Jayden brings up unresolved issues in Grace, and the drama evolves from there. I don’t want to give anything away, but it all culminates with a scene involving breaking and entering and a baseball bat that had enough suspense to make me want a whiskey ASAP. “Short Term 12” gives a realistic view of mental health problems and an environment that is usually overly-dramatized and wrought with inaccuracies. In a post-screening Q&A, John Gallagher Jr. revealed the realism was due to heavy research and shadowing actual group home professionals.
While we’re on the subject of JGJ, his performance as Mason was beyond impressive, and I’m not just saying that as a big fan of his work. (Remember when I wrote about it here and here?) After watching “Short Term 12,” followed by a marathon of “The Newsroom,” John… Mister Gallagher Jr… or whatever is appropriate for me to call him, got me thinking about acting in a way I never have before. Comparing Mason with Jim Harper isn’t quite like comparing apples and oranges. Both are well-intentioned, self-effacing characters who mask their insecurities with humor, however the subtle differences that JGJ (that’s what I’ll call him) brings to each makes me think that his nuanced approach is possibly way more complex than someone who plays a series of starkly different roles.
But enough of the writer trying to talk about acting… “Short Term 12” is a good investment of time, money, and a solid example of quality independent film. You should probably see it as quickly as possible. And a bonus for those of you still reading… I asked JGJ in the Q&A what he was listening to in a scene where Mason was wearing headphones, and while microphones made it impossible to listen to anything, he was pretending to jam out to The Clash.
Where to go for Carbs and Cheese in NYC
Aside from this random heatwave, it’s been the most rainy and gray summer ever. Therefore, a little carb and cheese action is in order. Here are my go to spots in NYC for the day-brightening diet downfalls.
Beechers – 900 Broadway bt 19th & 20th
Seattle is home to many of my favorite things– The EMP Museum, Nirvana, Starbucks, my parents. Therefore, I’m partial to anything that comes from our northwest neighbors. Beecher’s Handmade Cheese is high on that list. The original Beecher’s is nestled inside the famous Pike Place Market, and it’s New York location might lack that impressive address, but it makes up for it in scenery and quality grub. You can buy various gourmet items in the front of the store, watch the cheese being made while you eat off their super affordable a la carte menu in the back, and have a classic sit down experience downstairs. I usually choose to sit by the cheese making situation to enjoy what is probably the best grilled cheese I’ve ever eaten. Thick bread, super melty homemade cheese, at the bargain rate of $7. If you’re feeling rich, go for adding the tomato soup, which will only cost you $5 more. They also have fancy grilled cheese situations with things like figs, veggies, and meat, that are also delicious, and a killer mac and cheese offering, but it’s my recommendation to stick with the classics. You won’t be sorry.
Professor Thom’s – 219 2nd Ave bt 13th & 14th
You wouldn’t expect an Irish pub-style bar to have the best nachos in NYC, but for me, Professor Thom’s holds that title. Said nachos are delivered on a silver platter the size of a large pizza, and are the perfect accompaniment to Thom’s impressive beer and whiskey selection. It’s possible one could polish off the crazy-generous portion of fresh cheese, vegetables, guac, and chips all by themselves, but I’ve seen groups of ten manly men bested by the challenge. Aside from the nachos, Thom’s is a rock solid bar all around that you should also be going to anyway. Good service, great playlist, private party space, Girls/Mad Men/Lost viewing parties, and reasonable prices are just a few reasons why it’s one of my go to spots. The nachos will draw you in, but everything else about Professor Thom’s will keep you there.
Melt Shop – 55 W 26th St at 6th Ave
Outdoor seating… Perfect Location… Tater tots. SEE HERE
Earls Beer and Cheese – 1259 Park Ave at 97th
It’s all in the name… beer and cheese… also beer cheese… but we’ll get to that later. In a relatively tucked away shop on the Upper East Side, lies a menu that spans the globe with cheese as its common denominator. Tacos made of scallion pancakes, brie and blackberry grilled cheese, ginger and sriracha laced tomato soup, and the finest beer cheese outside of the midwest, are just a few of the things you can expect to find at Earl’s. As far as carbs go, they have a rotating beer menu and all the sandwiches and food come with crazy good bread. Some would consider Earl’s limited space a downside, but I feel like it provides the opportunity to get to know the other people there, perhaps by talking about the food, or the wallpaper that looks like a forest. You’ll see what I mean when you get there.
Jacob’s Pickles – 509 Amsterdam bt 84th and 85th
While all the chumps out there head to S’mac to fulfill their mac and cheese needs, I like to make my way to Jacob’s Pickles on the upper west side for their $9 version of the American classic. It’s far better than any other mac and cheese in the city, and you can enjoy it while talking to one of the plaid wearing, bearded bartenders about hot sauce and indie rock music. They have sparkling rose on tap, every random whiskey you’ve ever wanted, and a whole display case for their pickled items… And this exists above 72nd street! In addition to the mac and cheese, their fried pickles are the bomb, I’ve been told their fried chicken is some of the best ever, and their french fries come in an obscenely large sized bowl with little squeeze bottles of ketchup, hot sauce, and honey. They also seem to hit the Black Keys and Jack White Pandora pretty hard, which is obvi a plus.
Birthday Instas
“Another Year, Another Freaking Incredible Birthday” is something I’m lucky enough to be able to say. Thanks to everyone who got the last year of my twenties off to a good start. Here are some highlights… Insta-style!
Yogurtland Party courtesy of my Fuse Family! Pic stitch courtesy of the great Mary Chaplin!
Two of my Favorite Ladies at my Favorite Bar
Friends, Presents, and a Flammable Birthday Card
Not Birthday Dinner at Jacob’s Pickles
It’s not a selfie if Hodapp takes it…
Little Conqueror 