SUPER RAD

Jared has absconded with the laptop so a recap of Norway will have to wait another day...another exhausting day might I add. I am still pretty bushwacked from that particular adventure, last nights activity not helping much.

My father, youngest brother and I all went to see The Aquabats last night. There were cosplayers, children of all ages, a girl in a full AB gear, Koo Koo Kangaroo - who ended their set throwing a giant colorful parachute party, kindergarten style, in the audience and made me want to jump off the balcony into the fray.

The Aquabats did not disappoint on their 20th anniversary tour. I had a brief and torrid love affair with them in the 10th and 11th grades, introducing them to my Dad and brothers, and I could still shout along to every word of Pool Party, Super Rad, Fashion Zombie and Lovers of Loving Love. Fun fact: The MC Bat Commander and Crash McLarson are card carrying Mormons.

During the encore, they brought 5 kids up ranging from about 9-4 - their first rock shows - AND HAD THEM CROWD SURF. Parents, I implore you, if their tour comes close, grab some earplugs and your children of whatever age and take them to this show. They are guaranteed to have the best night of their lives. Aquabats, thanks for being the best band on earth.

3:30 OSLO

We have been in the country for 12 hours now. I am feeling some crazy jet lag, so here I sit at 3:30 am in this quiet apartment kitchen while Jared attempts to set the world record in snores and night humming-yes humming. Instead of laying awake and fretting about finding an ATM in the morning and getting to the Torp airport on Sunday, I got up and made our sandwiches for our train ride today.

Speaking of- Norwegian groceries, or at least the tiny bodega we went to yesterday afternoon, are fascinating. They sold 6 different kinda of meat or cheese paste in big tubes  and a soda cost around 19 krone, about $3.50.  Poor Jared. I'm sure the night humming is his way of coping with nightmares of mystery meat and the huge section of soft cheeses we  spent 10 minutes pouring over (I chose salami and some kind of mild white cheese. Just sampled both- delicious). New/strange food is always in my top 5 favorite things on a trip and Jared's number one hurdle, so it should be an interesting 4 days.

3 hours until our alarm goes  off and we head towards the fjords.

SEE YOU IN NORWAY

Hey so uhhhh.... Jared and I are going to Norway. Tomorrow. For real.

A week and a half before his birthday, I was cruising Kayak's explore feature-have you used it?- and found tickets for $400 a piece. The steal of a lifetime. The two round-trip tickets cost less then my one ticket to London last summer. Quite a bit less.

Anyway, I bought them, ordered a viking helmet online and asked Jared to go troll-hunting with me with only 4 days notice. The trip will be a whirlwind, 6 days total with 2 of them traveling literally alllll daaay loooong. I have a feeling I will be revisiting the nap spot I found in Charles De Gaulle 5 years ago. But it is the chance of a lifetime and I'm ready to make it count. Se deg snart, Norge!

WAITIN

A GIF while I wait.

My blonde hair still feels like a costume

LOCAL NATIVES + MOSES SUMNEY

I had a great time last night, and I also felt a million years old. As I walked up to meet Aubrey and Brandon (who I miss desperately and terribley please move to Jacksonville) in line, I noticed this show was skewed heavily to the teenage sect. Oh well. We hit the balcony and stayed there, despite the  crazy hipster girl trying to peak between our legs. It was a sold out show and I looked down at the sea of bodies below me. I kind of missed the energy of being on the floor, but then you think better of it once random shirtless guy starts rockin' and rollin', somebody else lights up a doobie, and the girl on the front row grinds up on her boyfriend. Ya. I think I am a top floor girl from now on.

I know Local Native as sort of a small band with a cool sound, mainly because I listen to their TinyDesk performance on repeat. But this show these boys were loud. And I loved it. Their opening act also completley blew me away. Moses Sumney was using a crazy cool live looping technique and had the guts to tell the chattering 12 year olds in the crowd to shhhhhhhhhhhhh. I definitely look forward to seeing this guy in the future.