​Before last weekend, I had never seen New Orleans, but I had definitely heard it. I didn’t realize until I was on my way there how much music is truly influenced by the NOLA culture. It’s the birthplace of Jazz and Blues. A place where anyone with brass had the power to make people dance in the streets, and dancing is a must when you’re in New Orleans. 

On the road trip down, with nothing but Jazz Fest on the brain, Brittany and I had a blast coming up with tracks to add to this playlist and getting in the right mindset for the perfect weekend celebrating our favorite things - music and culture! Here are my thoughts on my favorite tracks from this fine mixtape.

It felt like we ran out of tickets rather quickly, but I think that’s just because we were enjoying ourselves so much. And all of the beers are so tasty that they don’t sit in your glass for long.

We didn’t get to take a full tour, but we jumped on the tail end of one. Pat, one of the founders, was kind enough to give us some extra time. I learned that they are in the process of building a larger tasting room below the brewery, and it sounds like it’s going to be the coolest space ever. There will supposedly be a sneaky entrance from one of the back alleys on Canton Street (old-style beer cellar sounds about right!). I can’t wait to watch the brewery grow. It has potential to gain a hell of a lot of attention. 

6. Do at least 20 random acts of kindness. {10/20}
8. Have a conversation with 20 strangers {26/20}
36. Visit 3 new states. {2/3} Texas, Louisiana
37. Take an unplanned, spur-of-the-moment trip.
41. Put $10 in savings for every goal I cross off this list. {$160/$1,010}
45. Go to two new music festivals. {6/2} Euphoria [4.9.16], SweetWater 420 Festival [4.22.16], JazzFest [4.24.16]
46. Go to at least 10 concerts. {9/10} Zomboy [4.1.16]
47. Try 15 new restaurants. {16/15} Table & Main [4.2.16], Ladybird [4.6.16], The Highlander [4.15.16], Deanie’s [4.23.16]
48. Visit 3 new breweries. {5/3} Gate City Brewing [4.2.16]
79. Publish 100 posts on my blog. {59/100} 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59

I remember being so ready for all the excitement of April and of course, it disappeared right out from under me again. I definitely feel like I maximized my time, though. Its strange to look back on the last 30 days and realize how restless I’ve been.
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I met sooooo many new people this month, and I can't tell you how great it feels to come across so many beautiful inspiring souls. That's partly a result of all the traveling I've done this month. I come across the most interesting people when I least expect it.
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I started off April with a kick ass night seeing Zomboy in Atlanta. He brought the heat to Opera, that's for sure. I got to hear everything off of his latest release Neon Grave, and I especially loved that he had his own Snapchat geofilter to hype the tour.
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I warned y'all that April was going to be full of live music, but I didn't know quite how much it would inspire and impact me. I also didn't anticipate seeing Bassnectar this month, but it was a type of energy I needed to be infused with more than anything. 

The next day I woke up and impulsively threw myself into a road trip to go see Bassnectar in Austin, TX. Six days before the show, I jumped on a last minute opportunity to drive through the night with a couple of friends to see our favorite artist. 

You'll have to read my full post, On The Road Together to get a real taste of the experience! And, while you're at it, read Euphoria Found, my recap of Bassnectar's set and the message that it hit me with.

I crossed off another goal and began progress on my goal to visit three new states. Texas was pretty great, but I think I want to go back soon to get a better idea of what Austin is like!

Another exciting event that happened in April was Beer & Comedy Night's 5 year anniversary show. I've been a huge fan of this local Atlanta event, and it's gotten to the point where I rarely miss a show. 

I saw the anniversary show as the perfect opportunity to interview the hosts, Joe Pettis and Jeremy Mesi. They gladly agreed, and my post 5 Years of Beer & Comedy is one of the best I've done yet. Be sure to check it out!

As if I wasn't getting enough comedy, I also wen to a handful of 8-Bit Comedy Nights, another show hosted by Joe. It's every other Wednesday at Joystick Gamebar, and it's got the greatest nerdy vibes. Free comedy and 25 cent arcade games, I highly recommend it!

Not long after that, I was already off to Louisiana for Jazz Fest, but not before hitting the annual SweetWater 420 Fest in Atlanta. Music, music and more music! Seeing the Red Hot Chili Peppers for the first time was life-changing and I'm so excited for their new album to come out in June! Read Black Bandana, Sweet Louisiana and see for yourself what a great time New Orleans was.