family – Page 6 – that lemon life

By the Shore

Hola everyone.

How are we all doing? I hope you’ve all had a good week so far. On my behalf, I’m currently spending a few nice days with my mum here in Brighton and visiting the Great Escape festival, which I’m honestly so excited about. I can’t believe I’ll really be seeing HalfNoise and The Jungle Giants. Who would have thought that I’d ever be able to experience them live? Certainly not me. Which makes all of this even crazier.

But now, let’s jump to today’s topic… as some of you might know, my best friend Leni recently visited me as well, which I was and still am so damn happy about. And it was actually kind of freaky too, thinking that we’ll both move to London together in a few months. Among all the awesome stuff we did during the time she was here, we went on this one special trip to the Brighton Marina, where we went on a little walk next to the sea and the cliffs, which was absolutely stunning. I had never been to such a place before, so obviously I had to take my camera with me to snap a few pictures, which is actually the purpose of this post. Because today, I’d like to share my favourite snaps of that day with you. As always, I hope you enjoy them and please don’t hesitate to leave your thoughts and comments down below. And until then I wish you all a great weekend and thanks for reading. x

Home

Hola everyone.

And welcome to back to another week. I hope you’ve all had an amazing, relaxing and/or exciting weekend and that you’re doing good. As most of you, who have been following my blog, will know, I’ve recently been at home for a short break – hence the absence of posts – and have now been back in Brighton since last week. And as I just went through my camera roll of those three wonderful weeks I got to spend at home and loved the pictures I flicked through so much, I thought it would be nice to share those special moments with you guys.

Some pictures were taken with my camera, some with my phone. Some were taken during my birthday trip to a local chocolate factory (best day ever), some capture calm moments like lying on the couch with Peaches. Moments that I actually miss the most when I’m here in Brighton. It’s the normality, the ordinary I miss. Eating dinner with my parents. As said, lying on the couch with my baby Peaches. Playing cards with my parents. Going on a walk with Molly. It’s only when you can’t access these moments at any time you want, you start to cherish them the most. Because in the end, they are what matters the most. So, here they are. Moments that matter the most to me and moments that feel like home. I hope you enjoy them.

As always, I hope you’re all doing good and wish you a great week. Oh, and please don’t hesitate to leave your thoughts and comments down below. And, of course, thanks so much for reading. x

A Hippo Campus Dream

Hola everyone.

Not to be dramatic or anything, but what I’m going to tell you today is something I would have never thought I’d ever be able to write down and tell the world. Never. And I’m not exaggerating. To keep the tension up a bit, I’m not gonna tell you all of it just now, but as you can see by the title, it has got something to do with my beloved Minnesota boys, also known as the amazing band Hippo Campus. And yes, it indeed includes me seeing them live. FINALLY. But let’s start right at the beginning.

So, as most of you guys will probably know by now, I am a huuuuuge fan of Hippo Campus. I won’t go into detail why, because it’s pretty obvious once you listen to their music. Frankly, they are one of the best bands out there right now and their talent is basically unreal, so yeah. They are currently receiving more and more attention, which I’m honestly so happy about. They deserve all of it and so much more.

Last year, they pretty much blew my mind with their new record ‘Bambi’ (here’s the review I wrote about it – click me) and to be honest, if TOP hadn’t released Trench in 2018 as well, Hippo’s LP would have been my favourite album of the year, by far. It’s just a work of art, it truly is. And so when I found out that they would be doing a show here in Brighton, I basically freaked out. I mean, they aren’t as big in the UK as they are in the US and they would never come to my country, not when they’re still so unknown there, so I wasn’t actually expecting to ever see them live. I didn’t expect it to be that easy, at least. I thought I’d have to fly to the US and see them there or whatever. But they decided to come to me and I’m still so happy about it.

So, you probably already know where this is heading by now. Last Sunday was the day. THE DAY. The day I had been waiting for for such a long time. And oh my god, the wait was so worth it. And I’m not just saying this because I’m such a huge fan, I’m saying it because it’s true: the show was literally perfect. And I still can’t get over their talent. I mean, just when you think about all the different instruments and musical abilities they bring together on stage – one trumpet, two drums, two basses, two guitars, one piano, one tambourine and fire vocals on top of that. And there are just five of them who all do this. I mean, honestly, how much more can you wish for? That’s exactly the reason why they are so unique and why their shows are this good. They just absolutely know what they’re doing and you can feel that.

About the show itself – besides it being absolutely fantastic – I basically got to the full thing, as I managed to get to front row (yes, I’m very proud of that, thank you very much). They played Bambi, the title track, as their very first song, which kind of surprised me, as it’s one of their biggest songs, but I didn’t mind at all. And after that, they stuck to a good mix between older and new songs, which was just perfect. And I didn’t really think it was possible, but they really are so much better live than on the studio versions. By which I obviously mean that the studio versions are so good that I never thought that they could even top that. But they can and they did. And I guess it was also just the atmosphere overall and their stage presence. You could really see how much they enjoy doing what they do and that made me so happy.

If I had to pin down my favourite moments of the whole show, I think I’d end up with the following three:

First of all, they played Monsoon, which is basically unbeatable. It’s the first song I ever heard by them – I can still see myself sitting at home in the kitchen and finding the live version on YouTube and listening to it over and over again with my eyes closed. And after all this time, it’s still my favourite. So when they played it, I was immediately thrown back to that very moment in the kitchen and then I watched them play it and then the tears kept coming and I just let them. It was such a magical moment. Most of the people next to me had closed their eyes during the song, which I did too, and you could really feel how calm and emotional everyone had suddenly become. It was absolutely beautiful.

And a few songs after that they played Violet, which is my favourite song right now. It’s just so much fun, so when they played it, I went full party mode and sang and screamed my heart out. I felt so alive and happy and it was then that I realized that this was really happening. And I was so grateful at that moment, for everything.

And last but not least, my third favourite moment has to be one including Zach (what a surprise). He’s their bassist and v v v cute, but I’m not gonna go into more detail. But the scene was that inbetween two songs, girls were screaming “I love you” at Jake (the lead singer) and suddenly Zach just had had enough. So he went up to the mic and said: “Do you actually have an idea how it makes the rest of us feel when you scream things like that at Jake? I mean, what about the rest of us? How do you think this makes-“. And BAMM, suddenly a whole bunch of pink roses hit his face. I literally couldn’t stop laughing. And in the process he had caught one and was just standing there, holding the rose to his face, looking a bit startled. And then he smiled and said: “Oh okay, I feel better now.” And I felt like I’d faint on the spot. It was all just too much cuteness for me to handle.

So, there you go, those are my favourite moments of the show. But let’s be honest, the entire show was just one big favourite moment. One that I’ll never ever forget. I’ve been looking through a few pics and videos I took during the show and their talent really is unreal. I kept watching Nathan (the lead guitarist) during the show and he’s just so incredible. All of them are. And they’re just very cool and lovely people. Which brings me to the one super crazy thing that I never thought I’d be able to tell you that I mentioned at the beginning of this post. I’m not going to go into any detail, but I just want to say it now so it’s out there in the world for me to read when I’m old and want to look back at all the incredible things I’ve done. So, here it comes: I didn’t get to front row because I was waiting outside the venue, but because I got interview the boys before their show and then watch the soundcheck and wait there until the gig. And I know, it’s basically the biggest deal of my career so far – and apart from some family and friends stuff and moving to Brighton also the biggest one of my life – and I still can’t believe that it really happened. Like I said, I don’t wanna go into detail, but I just want to say that they are incredibly nice and real and honest and inspiring people and I’ll forever be grateful for the way they treated me. In a nutshell, it was one of the most interesting, fascinating and fun chats I’ve ever had in my life and probably ever have. I honestly adore them so much.

And this is where this post comes to an end. To be honest, I still cannot believe how lucky I am, I feel like I’m in some sort of trance. You know this feeling when something so big happens that you start to question whether you’re dreaming or it is really happening? This is what the past days have felt like, especially Sunday. Honestly, my life has become a dream and I’m living that exact dream. And I can’t even begin to tell you how thankful I am for that. I feel like the luckiest and happiest person on earth. Always believe in your dreams, guys. Always.

For all of you music lovers out there, if you take one thing from this, then please be it that you need to listen to this fantastic band called Hippo Campus and that you need to see them live immediately. Like, right now. Trust me, you won’t regret it. I’ve already reached the post-concert-sadness, which is why I’m already looking for a way to see them again as quick as possible. And you should all do the same.

And yeah, until then I hope you’re doing good and wish you an amazing weekend. As always, I hope you enjoyed this post and if you’ve got any questions or thoughts, please don’t hesitate to leave them down below. And, of course, thanks for reading. x

A Late Night Talk

Hola everyone.

Right now, it’s a few minutes after 9 p.m here in Brighton. The sky has long darkened and slowly but surely you can feel the city calm down. I’ve always loved these times. I’ve always been a creature of the night. And I’ve always been a big fan of late night chats. The talks when people suddenly start discussing their own fate, their personality, their deepest desires and strongest fears. Something about the night makes the truth, the sincereness come out and I’ve always loved that and been fascinated by it. And now that I’ve been thinking about what to write as today’s post, I thought such a late night talk would be the perfect fit. So, get into something comfy, grab a tea and let’s get chatting.

You know, since the beginning of 2019 – which we’re still in, actually, right? – I’ve been thinking about the last year, probably as many other people too. Maybe even yourself. For me, 2018 was truly the craziest year of my entire life so far. Without any doubt. I finished my first bachelor’s degree. Started my own music column for the magazine I’m writing for. Worked at a damn huge festival for the very first time (hopefully not the last). Visited Sziget again, thank god. Worked at the biggest music promotion company in my country. Saw Ed twice (can never be enough, though). Saw my love Marty again. Strolled through the streets of Budapest with my mum. Finally saw the one and only Justin Timberlake live (was well over due, trust me). Moved to Brighton to study music journalism at the legendary BIMM (probably the craziest part). Did my very first interview with a musician, that I’m a huge fan of (this right here is the big contestant for the first spot on the list of craziness, next to the move). Had the very same interview published in The Sun (say whatever you want about the paper, it’s a damn huge deal). Read a ton of books and listened to so much more music. Laughed more. Loved more. Lived more. And so much more that I can’t seem to remember now.

And seeing it now, black on white, makes it even more crazy. If anyone would have told me I’d be where I am right now, I would have laughed in their face. But now I’m really here. And now it’s already 2019 and I have no idea what’s going to happen. I can just hope for the best and that my plans will become reality. Maybe, at this time in a year, I’ll be in London, together with Leni. Stuffed into a small but cozy apartment in the middle of the city we’ve always dreamed about and now call our home. It won’t always be the easiest, but we’ll always make it work, I’m sure of that.

I’ve always been someone who gives everything for her dreams. Who fights for them with all her might. I wouldn’t be where I am if I wasn’t that person. And I’m very proud of that. And it’s not just about big dreams. Even the smallest one is important. Just recently I finally edited all the videos I had saved together into a little potpourri of different moments of my life and added one of Tom’s songs to it. Just put a black and white filter over it and there you have your super emotional video. One that I’ve been wanting to make for ages and finally did. And I’m so happy and proud because of it. Or, another example, since 2015 it has always been my big wish to see Marty every year. And since then I’ve been able to stick to it, every single year. Not just because I wanted it that much, but because I also fought for it. The same with seeing Ed live or getting my mum to visit Sziget again, for the whole week this time (yes, seven full on festival days, I can already start mentally preparing myself for the recovery). And I know, I’m literally just talking about music related things right now, but that stuff basically rules my life, so. Or even if it’s just finishing a book and being proud of it. It’s about the small dreams, the small goals and the small fights. Because we can only grow from small ones.

But finally, what I wanna say – no matter how you’re feeling right now, it will get better, trust me. And if you have a dream, go and fight for it. No matter how small or big it is, crazy or normal it might sound. If it means something to you, it deserves to become reality. Please let nobody tell you any different.

And if you need an immediate portion of happiness to feel better, here you go. I’ve been listening to and looking at this little adorable bean while writing this post and my heart is nearly bursting, so I’m pretty sure you could call Tyler a literal happy pill. Such a cutie, I don’t know how Jenna is able to handle him (good for her though, he’s a true gem).

And yeah, I think that’s it for this late night’s talk. I hope I could inspire you a bit with my babbling about music and dreams and I dearly hope that you enjoyed this post. And I also hope that the little bean named Tyler could put a smile on your face. As always, please don’t hesitate to leave your thoughts and comments down below. Start your own late night chat, go on. And besides that, I hope you’re all doing good and wish you a lovely week. And, of course, thanks for reading. x

Hello 2019

Hola everyone.

I know, I know, where the hell have I been? I’m so sorry for not positing anything for such a long time, but I thought it was the best to kind of just relax during the holidays and concentrate on spending my time with my family and friends at home. But now that I’m back in Brighton, I thought it was time to come out of my hole again. So, welcome back, guys, and hello 2019.

Now that I’ve been here for a week already, I have to say it feels like I’ve never been away, which is both good and sad. To be honest, I wasn’t in a really good state after I got here. I don’t think I’ve ever missed my home this much. But I’ve been talking a lot to my family and my friends, videochatting with my mum and stuff and now that uni has started again and I’ve got more stuff to do, I’ve been feeling better every single day. So yeah, back to business, right?

But enough of me – how were your holidays, Christmas and New Year’s Eve? Did you get to spend time with your family as well? I’m literally so happy that I got to be home for a whole month. It’s crazy how, when you leave your home and then come back again, you start to appreciate it all so much more. I mean, I’m honestly the luckiest person ever. We are the luckiest people, seriously. At least from my perspective. I’m so utterly grateful for my home and my family and my friends and just everyone and everything in my life. I think we as people often forget to appreciate those things and people we have around us everyday. Having dinner with your family. Having a comfy, warm bed to lie down in after a long day. Having a dog or a cat sitting next to you, who love you to the moon and back. Sometimes we all forget that all of this isn’t self-evident. Most people would probably do anything to have what most of us have and sometimes we kind of just forget about that. And that’s basically what the holidays and the time I got to spent at home taught me – to be more grateful for everyone and everything and to share happiness and love. At the end of the day, that’s the most important thing.

Bet you missed my deep, philosophical talks, right? Feels amazing to be back, honestly. I can’t wait to share all that has happened during my month at home with you and continue chatting about music and movies and more. I’ve missed you guys and being on here so much. This is literally my little home on the internet and I’m so grateful for that.

As always, I hope you’re all doing good and wish you an amazing week. If you’ve got any questions or anything else or if you just want to talk, please don’t hesitate to leave a comment down below. And, of course, thanks for reading. And again, welcome back, thanks for being here. x

2018: Wrapped

Hola everyone.

And welcome back to another Music Saturday (yeah, it’s Saturday today, just go with it). And yes, I know, shouldn’t there be a ‘New’ in there? And yes, you’re right, there usually should, but this time I left it out on purpose, because today is a very special Music Day. Because, just as the year is coming to an end, it’s also time to wrap up the year music-wise. And what a year 2018 was. A year full of amazing music. Special music. Exciting music. It’s all in there, in the folder of 2018, waiting to be discovered by you.

And just as every year, the lovely people of Spotify made it a lot easier for us all to wrap this year up. Since getting myself a premium account, the yearly statistics of my own musical behavior have been a highlight for me and something I’ve been looking forward to for weeks. And just like the two years before, they are more than accurate. But have a look for yourself.

I might just have to add that Tom has now been my favorite artist for two years straight and, honestly, I’m not surprised, not even a bit. Tom is simply an incredible artist and I absolutely adore his music. It’s that type of music that just fits every occasion. Whether it’s when I’m cooking, writing, going for a walk, shopping in the mall or just chilling, I can always have it on and it will always fit perfectly. That’s just what Tom does. He makes perfect music. And I feel more than honored and grateful that I’ll finally get to see him live next year in London. I can’t wait, honestly.

And besides that, the whole statistics are pretty much spot on. We all know why Ed is on there (obviously), The Academic were a huge phase for me at the beginning of this year due to their amazing show in Vienna (I still am deeply in love with their music, of course) and both Hippo Campus and TØP released two breathtaking albums, which, by the way, are the top two albums of the year for me. Nothing can beat those two, nothing. At least for me.

So, overall, the statistics don’t really surprise me in any way, they just make me endlessly happy. I love that I got to spend 21.538 minutes listening to amazing music this year and that I got to share most of that fantastic music with you guys. Music is just such a huge part of my life and now that I’m on my way of turning exactly that part into my career, I’m just even more thankful and happy. This is all very crazy and very special to me. And at the end of the day it’s all thanks to those incredible bands and artists out there who produce and create this art so we can all go and listen to and enjoy it.

But, as this is a Music Day, we still of course have to get to the music part. And just as every year, I thought I’d create a little playlist of my favorite tracks of 2018. Some might not be from this year, they might be really old, and some might be so new that I’ve just stumbled over them a few days ago, but just love so much that they need to be in this list. Every single song has a special meaning to me, some may even be connected to a certain memory or moment of this year. Some may be new to you, some may won’t, as I might have already shared them with you. But, in total, they all mean a lot to me and I dearly hope you enjoy them just as much as I do.

Jumpsuit – Twenty One Pilots

If there is one song that completely blew my mind this year, then it’s this one right here.

Pictures of Girls – Wallows

According to Spotify, this is the song I’ve listened to the most this year and, frankly, I’m not surprised at all.

.

Live Outside – Enter Shikari

Completely fell for this one right here after hearing it live. Way too good to not listen to it. Way too good.

Bambi – Hippo Campus

Like Jumpsuit, this one once again completely surprised me, in the best way possible. Such a bop, honestly. The whole album is.

Surprise Yourself – Jack Garratt

I rediscovered this one a few months ago and can’t get enough of it ever since. This is literal art.

Tough – Lewis Capaldi

Lewis is definitely my musical find of the year. I’m so so so glad that I discovered him, he’s honestly such a gem. And yes, he is this good live. Breathtaking, I know.

Love It If We Made It – The 1975

Although I’m not a big fan of the album overall, this song has completely won my heart. It feels a bit like we’re back in 2013 and I love that.

Neon Gravestones – Twenty One Pilots

Lyrically this is the most important song of the year for me. Once you get behind the meaning of the lyrics, this song turns into this one special piece of art that will definitely go down in history. It’s that important. And this band is that important. Also, listen to Tyler’s voice. Please listen. Holy moly.

Hope There’s Someone – Avicii

I thought about leaving this space here blank and only adding a little caption at the end just like with the ones before. But I just can’t. 2018 is coming to an end now and although, music-wise, there have been so many incredible moments, I just want to take a second right here and once again remind us all of the fact that there were also some really heartbreaking moments. And for me, the most crushing one was definitely loosing the bright star called Tim Bergling aka Avicii. I felt my heart break the moment I heard about it this April and it’s just now that I notice how tears are rolling down my cheeks writing this and listening to this song and reminding myself of the fact that we really lost him. Tim was such an important part of my musical life and I still can’t fully believe he’s gone. But I know that he will never be forgotten because of his music. He’ll live on forever, in our hearts and on the dance floors of this world. But still, Tim, I miss you. Every single day.

There are no words.

Ain’t Coming Home – Badflite

Apart from Marty’s releases, this is probably my favorite track from the empire called STMPD Records. Listen to it and you’ll know why.

Flowerss – HALFNOISE

This is definitely one of those special tracks that I will forever have a special place in my playlist, it’s just way too extraordinary to ever forget about it.

Bear Claws – The Academic

What can I say? They’re The Academic and this is just a bop right here. Can’t get enough of it.

Y2k – The Montreals

If you haven’t given The Montreals a listen until now, please please do immediately. They’re one of those bands you really have to look out for in 2019.

Alright – Lacuna Bloome

I actually have to thank BIMM for introducing me to this band, as, believe it or not, this here is actually a band from my university. How amazing is that? And how freaking awesome is the song? Pure indie goodness.

Waiting For Tomorrow – Martin Garrix & Pierce Fulton ft. Mike Shinoda

I know I’ve already talked about this, but I’ve literally been waiting for this song forever. But the wait was so worth it. So damn good.

Butter – Leyya

Please, everyone, go and listen to this while driving and turn the volume all the way up. It’s literally the coolest feeling.

Feeling Lonely – boy pablo

This is actually my most recent find, thanks to the breathtaking lineup of next year’s Sziget festival. Thanks Sziget, can’t wait to spend a week with you next year.

Woes – Tom Rosenthal

Last but surely not least – incredibly sad and incredibly beautiful – just like everything that Tom does. And yes, of course he had to be part of this list. He should be part of everyone’s list.

So yeah guys, there you go. Those are my favorite songs of 2018 and the tracks that made this year the years it was and is. As I said, all of them have a special meaning to me and I love them all with every cell of my body. And I really really hope you enjoy them too. Also, I’m already so excited for what’s to come in 2019.

As always, please don’t hesitate to leave your thoughts and comments down below. And if you’ve got your Spotify statistics too, please do share them with me, I’d love to read them. Especially as I think that the music people listen to can tell you a lot about them too. Let’s be honest, music always was and still is something very intimate and personal and plain special. And that’s what I love so much about it.

Besides that, I hope you’re all doing good and wish you a nice rest of the weekend. I’m actually on my way home right now, so home home and I’m literally so damn excited. I can’t believe I haven’t been home for nearly three months. It feels like both the longest and the shortest period of time ever. And I can’t wait to finally see my pets again. Oh my god. And then it’s Christmas. God, I’m so excited. Anyways, like I said, I hope you’re all doing good and that you enjoyed this post right here. And, as always, thanks so much for reading.

Ps: On another note, something very very VERY exciting happened yesterday. Yes, you guessed right – the new Avengers trailer is out. Welcome to Avengers: Endgame. I can’t tell you how long I’ve waited for this trailer and now that it’s finally here, I can’t wrap my head around it. There’s literally nothing happening in it, but at the same time, everything is happening. And we all know that the scene at the beginning might be the death of me. I swear to everything and everyone, if they kill Tony, I’m gonna sue someone for my mental and emotional suffering. I’m not even kidding. Just please let this guy have a kid and retire with Pepper in peace. Can we please do that? Thank you.