Tag Archives: fun

Jul17

3 Gift Ideas For That Sort Of Friend

Posted on by
Standard
3 Gift Ideas For That Sort Of Friend

We’ve all been there. A friend-of-a-friend/kinda sorta friend has a get together and we’ve been invited. This might be a birthday party or something more intrinsically important, like acting as your friend’s plus one during their wedding proceedings.

This can leave you truly stuck with ideas for what to gift for them. How do you provide a gift that isn’t so generic that they feel like you’ve put no thought into it, but also a gift that doesn’t come across as too forward or could be taken the wrong way?

It’s likely that you’re overthinking this if you’re stuck. because most people aren’t of the opinion that they’ll read too much into what your gifts mean – they’re just happy to receive them in the first place. In order to find the perfect gift, consider trying out these following suggestions and reflecting on if they’ll fit well with the personality or event that you’re gifting them for. Take a look:

Alcohol:

Alcohol is one of the safest ways to provide a classy, thoughtful gift for someone without coming across as too forward or impersonal. Finding a convenient online liquor store for substantially good products and bringing them to the party won’t only seem thoughtful, but it could actually serve to the benefit of the party you’re attending by supplying the host with something to drink during it.

Make sure that you best appropriate the style of alcohol you’d think the guest would like. For example, wine or champagne might be received more fondly for a middle aged housewife rather than a full bottle of vodka, but this can be tailored depending on what you know about the individual. (And let’s be real, sometimes a full bottle of vodka might be just what someone needs!) With Christmas right around the corner, forget trudging out into the winter snow for your booze related gifts. Opt to Buy Liquor Online instead for hassle free shopping.

Gift Baskets:

Gift baskets are beautiful works of presentation and can stock a range of amazing products that are sure to go down well with whomever you purchase them for. Whether you’re looking for a food themed one containing charcuterie meats and cheeses or a basket filled with beauty and skincare products, this is a great way to fulfill a range of gifting items for the giftee.

A plethora of goodies in a beautiful container looks thoughtful and well-presented. This is my favorite method of gifting. What’s more, you can tailor and design the contents and presentation of your basket with the correct online service, so be sure to find one that delivers to your area and get creating!

Gift baskets are always excellent, of course, but can certainly be hard to fill if you are shopping for someone you don’t know well. Fear not! There are amazing tools like GiftFinderAI that can help tailor presents to the T for your giftee. With simple prompts, you will get ideas for gifts and baskets that will make it seem like you’ve known the recipient for years.

Gift Cards:

Gift cards are rather impersonal but will allow you to provide funds for a store that you think the intended recipient would like based on their personality. It also gives the giftee the opportunity to choose what products they’d like to prioritize for themselves. For example, if you’re celebrating a baby shower, a gift card for a parental supplies store can help you seem considerate of the recipient’s situation, while not offering yet another set of onesies!

These tips are sure to impress and cover a nice range of items while keeping the balance of lack of intimacy/intent for growth of intimacy. Try them for yourself, and see how well they work!

Featured Image By: Flickr

Jul14

Selfie Secrets

Posted on by
Standard
Selfie Secrets
Hi everyone and TGIF! The day that selfies became a thing was the day that the internet changed forever. I bet you any money that you can’t scroll down the newsfeed of any of your preferred social media mediums without seeing at least one selfie in the process. And taking selfies? It’s a process. The selfie: AKA taking twenty minimum one hundred max pictures that, for all intensive purposes, look exactly the same yet so SO remarkably different.
Everyone has had those days when they’re really feeling themselves (ayyy!) but can’t take a good selfie to save their lives (booo!). It’s cruel and unusual and I’m just not going to stand for it. That’s why I’ve come up with a list of pro tips to keep your selfie game on point. No more bad selfie days for all!

Selfie Secrets

1) Find The Light: Okay, yeah I know I sound like Tyra Banks circa ANTM cycles 1-1 million but it’s so true. Half of the selfie struggle is finding good lighting and using it appropriately. That’s why I prefer to take a majority of my selfies outside or in a room where a lot of sunlight filters in.
So you’ve found the light – but are you really finding it? Lol, that sounds like some fake psychology mumbo jumbo but it’s a legitimate question. Finding the light isn’t just about taking a picture in good lighting. It’s more about angling your face so that the sunlight is smacking you right on your cheeks. While you’re having a selfie photo shoot, move your face in small motions until the lighting is just right (And I promise that you will know when that is.), and snap away you selfie queen.
 selfieeee
2) Chin Up: I can guarantee that a majority of the selfies that people take are deleted due to the illusion of a double chin. No one likes double chins. Okay, some people probably do. But, for the most part, a double chin is a major selfie faux pas. A killer selfie is all about the long, pretty neck, which can be easily achieved if you tilt your chin slightly upwards when you’re taking pictures. It’s going to feel unnatural, but your double chin days will be a thing of the past when you’re showing off your swan neck. Now, remember, chin up, shoulders back, and WERK. 
3) Smize: Okay, yeah I know I sound like Tyra Banks circa ANTM cycles 1-1 million but it’s so true. Dead eyes are a selfie no no. So, I want you to do an exercise with me. Go to the mirror and take a good hard look at yourself. Now, think about something happy and slightly sexy for that perfect “I have a secret” look in your eyes. A day in bed with Johnny Depp, perhaps? Hello! You should notice a visible difference in your face thanks to the newly found alertness and mischievous twinkle in your eyes. Thank you, Johnny Depp day dream!
 selfieeee1

4) Quirky Cool: All selfies look the same. No matter who you are, from a super model to your average blogger (like me). It’s literally a picture of the camera on the flipped mode taking a shot of your mug. Cool. Now it’s up to you to make your pic unique so you don’t look like everyone else. When selfies first made their internet debut, a normal picture was just fine. But, now, standard selfies just don’t cut it anymore and absolutely nothing is worse than snapping a selfie only to have it be lost in the void of social media because it didn’t stand out.

Nowadays, selfies are more about fashion, quirk, and unlikely scenarios. Throw on a sassy Panama hat, tilt your sunglasses down your nose, and work like your life depends on it. And, bear in mind, that cool backgrounds are a must. What makes a background cool, you might ask? It literally could be anything – you just have to sell it. Take a selfie in front of a garbage can, label it with #ME, and watch the likes pour in. Be silly, be serious, be anything that you want, but for the love of all that is holy – be DIFFERENT.

selfieee3

^^^ Being on top of the world is a pretty sweet background!

5) Give Me Face: Every selfie star has those little quirks that they do when they’re taking pics. Whether it be laughing out loud or giving duck face for days, find what expression works for your face and own it. I, personally, love an angular look. When I snap pictures I bite down on my jaw to give a more defined line. I also slightly suck in my cheeks to give the illusion of cheek bones to cut glass – but shh don’t tell! It’s a selfie secret! 😉
If you’re not keen on edgy cool but love a boho glow, inhale when the camera snaps for a “you just caught me picking flowers from the forbidden garden” face. Sounds silly? It is. But once you find that little quirk that works for you, your selfie game is about to change infinitely. Now, give me face, mother!
With these pro tips compliments of Lil Red, your next selfies are going to be so Instagram worthy that you’re not even going to be able to handle it. Just imagine what your followers are going to think! I taught you how to give face, but now, let Aura Frames teach you some tech savvy ways to up your selfie game even more in this infographic. Snap some gorgeous pics and snag yourself one of Aura Frame’s Digital Picture Frames for the perfect gift for your SO/parent/sister/friend or anyone else that likes looking at you!

info.jpg

What are your tips and tricks for taking the perfect selfie? What is your preferred form of social media? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Bonus Tip: Always, ALWAYS include dogs in your selfies if you can!! My featured image photo can attest to that! 😉 ❤

Jul12

Turn Your Love Of Crafts Into A Full Blown Business

Posted on by
Standard
Turn Your Love Of Crafts Into A Full Blown Business

Do you love trying your luck with some at home DIY? Perhaps you love sinking your teeth into a craft project and not stopping until you have a finished result that is both stunning and a major conversation starter. If that’s the case, it might be worth considering whether you can turn your love for crafts like sewing, knitting, or woodwork into a full blown career. If you love it that much, it’s never a bad idea to explore the possibility of basing your life and your earnings around it. Let’s explore how to get started with this idea:

Getting Set Up:

If you’re completing woodwork, at the very least, you’ll need a tuner and a few saws. You might also need a work table and, if you are operating in a small space, a piece of equipment to keep the air clean. Safety might also be a concern for this one, so make sure that you have goggles because if a wooden splinter gets in your eye… you’re going to cry. For some crafts, the set up is a tad simpler. If you are sewing clothing, for example, you just need something like an embroidery machine. You can get an affordable embroidery machine for your business on the market at a price that you should easily be able to fit into your budget. Once you have this, you can get started producing gorgeous products.

It is worth pointing out that at this stage, you should not be focused on making money. Instead, you should put all of your time and effort into producing items that are of high quality and will interest a few buyers. But quality should always be your top priority.

How To Sell:

Once you have a few products ready to sell, you should think about the source that you’re going to use to sell them. The easiest option here would be to set up a website. That way, you will be able to sell all of the products you want without any trouble at all. If you don’t want to invest a lot of money into this idea just yet, it’s worth just starting with a free blog using a basic template. As your business grows, you’re going to need to be a little more clever with marketing. But for the first few weeks, you’ll probably only be selling to family, friends, and acquaintances anyways.

Finding The Right Price:

When you start your business, it doesn’t matter what price you sell your products at. You don’t even have to make a profit, because it’s all about finding your footing on the market and gaining the interest from target customers. But eventually, you will need to focus on making money, and to do that you need to have the right price to make a profit. You will need to take into account production costs, the price of materials that you use, and deliveries. When all of this is taken into account, you might find you need to sell your items at a tad more than you expected.

If you use these steps, you will find yourself with the starting blocks to turn a passion for crafts into a money making career. Good luck, you beautiful, crafty genius!

Featured Image By: Pexels

Jul11

Liebster Award #8

Posted on by
Standard
Liebster Award #8

Hellooo everyone and happy Tuesday! I am so thankful to the darling Gemma of Foodie And The Beauty for nominating lifewithlilred for its eighth Liebster Award. How lovely it is to have such a wonderful blogger think of me for such a cool little award. Please be sure to check out Gemma’s page and give it some love – you are sure to enjoy it! As you guys know, I always try to do these awards posts when I’m nominated because 1) It’s fun and 2) It’s an honor. Having friends in the blogging world that think of you enough to share your page with the world is something that I am so appreciative of. So, thank you again to Gemma and now let’s get to the rules:

The Rules:

  • Acknowledge the blogger who nominated you.
  • Answer 11 questions from the blogger who nominated you.
  • Nominate 11 blogs.
  • Give them 11 questions to answer.

Q & A:

What beauty product can you not live without? I couldn’t live without a good moisturizer, face wash, and red lipstick (Of course.)!

What was your dream job when you were younger? An actress – but you know what? I think I would much rather be a blogger, instead. 🙂

What’s your biggest pet peeve? More like what ISN’T my biggest pet peeve?! Uhmm…Numero uno, though, is probably people who make sayings from memes their Facebook statuses and then take the credit like they made it up. WE’RE ON TO YOU AND YOU’RE NOT FUNNY. Petty? Yes. But it’s the truth!

What’s your favorite clothing store? I love Urban Outfitters, Zara, Forever 21, Target, and H&M – obviously I have trouble coming up with just one of anything.

Where in the world has been your favorite vacation? HARRY POTTER WORLD in Orlando, Florida! What I wouldn’t give to go back!

Favorite type of food? As a vegetarian, I love Indian, Mediterranean, and Mexican food.

Do you prefer Summer or Winter? Winter all day every day. I hate being hot. When you’re cold, you can throw on a sweater and all is well. But it’s so hard to get un-hot once you’re already burning up!

What’s something you really want to achieve or do? I would very much like to be fully fluent in French in one year’s time, which I’m well on my way to.

Who’s your biggest idol? Mmmm, I don’t know. My sister and my mom, methinks!

How did you get into blogging? Enough people told me to start one and I rolled my eyes and said “FINE”! Now, here I am almost three years later still nurturing my blog baby and haven’t looked back since.

Twitter or Facebook link: My personal Facebook page can be found here and my page for lifewithlilred can be found here!

My Nominees (I’m only doing three):

My Questions For You:

  1. Matte or glossy lipstick?
  2. Favorite sweet treat?
  3. The best concert that you’ve ever been to?
  4. Last series you binge watched?
  5. Least favorite school subject?
  6. Any weird or hidden talents?
  7. Something that grosses you out?
  8. What do you admire about your best friend?
  9. Male or female celebrity crush?
  10. Last movie you saw in theaters?
  11. What did you do for your last birthday?

Shout out again to Gemma from Foodie And The Beauty for lifewithlilred’s Liebster Award #8 nomination! How would you answer some of Gemma’s questions for me? How about some of my questions for my lovely nominees? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Jul10

Battle Of The Sexes: How Men And Women Get Ready

Posted on by
Standard
Battle Of The Sexes: How Men And Women Get Ready

You’re going out. Maybe it’s date night, or perhaps an evening out with friends to celebrate a special occasion. Both you and your boyfriend have agreed what time you need to leave; you have to be out of the door by 8 PM/8:15 at the very, very latest.

So the clock starts ticking. *Que Jeopardy theme*

vss.pngClocks can’t rush perfection. 😉

6 PM; You: “I guess I better start thinking of what I’m going to wear…”

You head to your closet and start inspecting literally everything that you own. Of course, none of it is acceptable; a closet full of gorgeous clothing but nothing that you’re enthused about wearing. You try on a few outfits, but none of them seem to be the right look for the night.

6 PM; Boyfriend: “Oh that’s right, we’re going out.”

And then promptly forgets about it, continuing on with the task he was doing beforehand. SMH.

6:30 PM; You: “What are you wearing?”

Having finally decided on your own outfit, you decide it’s probably a decent idea to make sure your boyfriend isn’t going to clash. You track him down and ask what he’s wearing.

6:30 PM; BF: “I haven’t really thought about it, to be honest.” (Typical.)

He doesn’t panic, though. It’s pretty simple for men; pants and some kind of shirt will suffice for the vast majority of occasions. He’s sure something is clean. He looks puzzled when you mention the idea of color clashing (What does that even mean?!).

6:45 PM; You: “Getting my groom on.” AYYY

You head to the bathroom to begin the process of getting ready. It’s actually one that you quite like, so you’re happy to spend some time going through the familiar motions of preparing yourself for the world.

You shower. You moisturize. You brush leave-in conditioner through your hair. You wrap your hair in a towel (which you boyfriend proclaims to be “witchcraft, when it’s really just strategically placed tucks and folds). You’re ready for phase two.

7 PM; BF: “Oh, I guess I should shower, as well, shouldn’t I?”

Reminded only by the fact that you’ve showered, he hops into the bathroom himself and does his routine. It’s a bit shorter than yours; shower, shave, a little bit of manscaping, aftershave, and then he’s good to go. He heads to get dressed.

7 PM -7.30; You: “Primer, foundation, concealer, eyeshadow…”

You know the motions of getting ready by now and the routine is smooth and simple. It takes a while – don’t worry, even women with the steadiest of hands aren’t able to apply eyeliner flawlessly on the first attempt – but you know that you’ve got time. With your makeup done, all you need to do is put your pre-chosen outfit on and do your hair. Job done. Well, nearly.

7:30 PM; BF: “I really did think I had something clean…”

After a panicked look through his entire wardrobe, he finally alights on an outfit that looks presentable. He’s ready.

7:45 PM; You: “Are you sure this looks okay?”

Still preening in the mirror, you’ve suddenly taken wildly against the outfit that you selected less than two hours prior. (It happens to the best of us.)

7:50 PM; BF: “Yes it’s fine. You look fine. Great. Can we go?”

8 PM; Both Of You: Finally ready, you head out of the door for your night out. You might have taken different routes to get to this point, but you got there in the end and that’s all that matters!

vss1

Looking good feeling great.

Everyone has a different getting ready routine and as long as you get from Point A to Point B on time, you can’t really complain about your SO’s totally annoying pre date night process! 😉

Jul7

Blogger Recognition Award #4

Posted on by
Standard
Blogger Recognition Award #4

Hello everyone and TGIF! Lifewithlilred recently got nominated for its fourth Blogger Recognition Award, compliments of my friend, Liz, over at Beauty Fashion Chit Chat. Liz’s page is a real delight and I am so thankful to her for thinking of my page in her nominations! Do yourselves a favor and check out her blog, because you are definitely sure to enjoy it. Now, let’s get to the rules:

The Rules:

  • Thank the blogger who nominated you and provide a link to their blog.
  • Write about why or how you started your blog.
  • Give new bloggers at least two pieces of advice.
  • Select fifteen other bloggers to receive the award.
  • Leave a comment on my nominees’ blogs to tell them about the award and provide a link to the post.

Because I’ve done this award before, I am going to get right to my nominees to gain some Blogger Recognition!

My Nominees (I’m only doing three):

Thank you so much again to Liz from Beauty Fashion Chit Chat for nominating lifewithlilred for its fourth Blogger Recognition Award! You’re a doll! What are your plans for the weekend? How did your blog come to be? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Jul5

Creative Summer Cooking Ideas That Are Simple And Scrumptious

Posted on by
Standard
Creative Summer Cooking Ideas That Are Simple And Scrumptious

As soon as the weather warms up and the days get brighter, we all want to change our eating habits. There’s just something about an increase in heat that makes you want to go for fresher, lighter, and less indulgent food choices. But, at the same time, you still want to be able to enjoy a delicious dinner that’s full of flavor. To find that perfect balance, you’re going to want to get your creative summer cook on.

So where should you start? When you’re busy, you definitely want your summer cooking ideas to be super easy to make. But at the same time, they have to taste good and look like a small slice of summer, too. To give you the ultimate inspiration for your light evening meals and tasty long lunches, here are a few ideas to get your taste buds tingling:

One-Tray Bakes: When you want something super easy, balanced, but incredibly tasty, always turn to a one-tray bake. During the summer months, you want to be outside with your family and not slaving over a hot oven, so the tray bake is perfect for that reason. By throwing all of your ingredients into one tray and baking it all at once, your meal is done. More often than not, you’ll have veggies in the mix, but you can also serve a salad on the side if you’re feeling saucy!

Summer Pasta: For something super filling but also light, you’re going to want to pull together the perfect summer pasta. Pasta is a great ingredient to play around with. Not only can you choose from a range of different styles, but you can mix up your sauces and ingredients to create completely different dishes. For summer, try using fresh shrimp and crunchy veggies to create healthy but delicious meals.

Low Carb Favorites: Sometimes you want a really light meal that is easy to snack on and won’t make you feel bloated in the heat (Which is the literal worst.). Summer is the perfect time to go for low-carb versions of your favorite dishes. Hello, beach body. Craving pizza? Build your ingredients on a tortilla base, instead. If you want fajitas, why not go for lettuce wraps? And if you want tacos (who doesn’t?), fill them with fresh fish and shredded salad for a lighter alternative.

Rainbow Salads: Then, we get to the salads, because a summer menu wouldn’t be complete without a bunch of them! Don’t think about the kind of diet food you’d usually expect, oh no – these salads should be big, bold, bright, and beautiful. Rainbow salads packed with exciting, crunchy, and flavorful veggies are the best. Create your own dressing and serve with a protein source for a colorful and complete meal.

food7

YUM

Smoked Meats: When you love meats, you want to make sure that they’re packed full of flavor and are served super succulent in the summer. There’s just something about a lighter version of the tastiest meats that screams summer. And when you want to go tender and melt-in-your-mouth, you smoke. You can read the pros and cons of the Brinkmann electric smoker to see if it’s a cooking method that you can work with. If so, throw in your meats and even a few veggies and prepare for a flavor overload.

Mixed Rice: Rice is a great grain that we don’t give enough credit to. It’s always tasty and it’s a super light carb source, too. As a part of your summer meal frenzy, try making a bunch of rice based meals. Stir in your favorite meats, serve with crunchy veggies, and dress with delicious sauces to create some of the most exciting dishes around.

Ultimate Burgers: Summertime is all about the burgers. When you love a good burger, you’ll take one all year round, but there’s nothing like a hot summer day with a burger in hand to make you feel happy (Any food in my hand makes me feel happy!). But don’t just stick to a standard beef patty – pimp them up! There are so many amazing burger recipes here, just take a look. If the chipotle turkey, chicken Caesar, or even the taco burger doesn’t tempt you, you’re not a true burger fan! And if you’re a vegetarian, like me, the veggie burger is a thing!! 😀

Asian Anything: If there’s one kind of cuisine that works the best with summer meals, it’s got to be Asian. Asian cooking is full of those incredibly fresh favors that just work so well when its warm. Whether you decide to whip up a noodle dish or create a crunchy salad, sticking to Asian ingredients and flavors will always serve you well in the summer months.

Garden parties, picnics, and BBQs are essential summer activities. Create the perfect menu with the above ideas, invite your friends, and have yourself a backyard bash!

Featured Image By: Pexels

Jul5

Celeb Secrets: Staying Young And Beautiful

Posted on by
Standard
Celeb Secrets: Staying Young And Beautiful

Have you seen Tom Cruise lately? The action star is 55, and the guy still looks young enough to have a thirty-year-old love interest! How is that possible? What’s his secret? How about Madonna? She’s 58 and manages to look like she just started her music career yesterday. It’s clear that these celebrities have some secrets that keep them from growing old. But what are they? The fountain of youth, miracle drugs, Scientology? Well, as is often the case, the simplest answer to the question is the correct one. So, let’s look at some of the ways celebs stay looking so young and how you can use their tactics to turn back the clock:

secret

 He’s a babe! Shwing!

Ah, They Have Personal Trainers: When Chris Pratt started filming Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom, he posted a few videos on social media of his new diet plan. It wasn’t a pretty sight, and there was definitely sadness in his eyes as he realized this is what he’d be eating for the next six months. Yes, when they are getting in shape for roles, movie stars go on serious diets and exercise routines. But, some just keep these up all year round. There are plenty of celebrities that hire personal fitness trainers that hardly ever leave their side. The benefit of this is that they never lose their physique. Instead, they always look toned and tanned.

secret1

He’s also a babe! Shwing!

Now, you might be thinking that you can’t personally afford a fitness trainer. But you’d be surprised, because they often come as part of a package deal in a gym membership. For a monthly fee, you can have someone that will constantly tell you what exercises you should be doing to stay in shape and looking young.

Has She Had A Facelift? If you’re talking about an actress or star over fifty, then the answer is usually a firm YES. There’s probably an older star that you’re sure hasn’t had a facelift, because it doesn’t look like she’s had any work done and you can always tell when someone has had surgery…right? Wrong! The stars who look natural have had work done by the best of the best to make sure that there are absolutely no tell tale surgery signs. They’ve paid extra, and they haven’t gone overboard with the cosmetic treatment. If you’re choosing a facelift surgeon, you need to make sure that you get an expert. This is the only way to guarantee that the work looks completely natural. That way, you can make sure that everyone thinks that you just have fantastic genes! 😀

secret2

Facelift or nah?

As Young As You Feel? Can positive thinking actually physically change the way you look? Can feeling like you’re sexy give you the body to die for? While it’s unclear whether positive thoughts actually change your body, they can stop it from getting any worse. The reason for this is quite simple. Stress causes you to lose your hair, your body to bloat, your skin to sag, and wrinkles to grow. All, of course, are signs of ageing, and all can be prevented simply by keeping calm and staying relaxed. Is this one of the secrets of the celebs? You bet it is! Just ask Sofia Vergara, a known fan of acupuncture therapy. Or, how about Jennifer Aniston. She loves her yoga and she should because it will keep her young. The breathing exercises through yoga calms and soothes the body and mind. So yes, feeling young and happy about yourself and who you are could help you stay young longer.

secret3

Love her!

Natural Tips: Of course, some of the celebrities swear by natural ways to stay young. For instance, celebrities with lush, thick hair often speak about their love of using bamboo oils. It’s a great way to re-nourish your hair and ensure that it’s stronger than ever. This might be the secret as to why some celebrities have hair that stays thick well into their seventies. Or, it might be movie magic, who knows! There’s also natural facial scrubs and oils, and other celebrities have mentioned avoiding makeup. Obviously, when they are on the job, they need it to look stunning. But many, like Halle Berry, never wear it offset to give her skin a well-deserved break.

secret4

 Also love her!

So, if the celebs can stay young, why can’t we? The answer is, we can and all you need to do is follow in their footsteps!

Jul4

U2 Concert!!!

Posted on by
Standard
U2 Concert!!!

Hi everyone and happy Tuesday! Saturday, July 1st was a fantastic and wonderful day, because I got to see one of my favorite bands, U2, perform live for the second time. My Irish lads graced Cleveland, Ohio with their presence for their last concert in America for the 30th anniversary tour of The Joshua Tree and I was lucky enough to be there for it.

Honestly, saying that I felt euphoric that night is an understatement. There is nothing quite like seeing one of your all time favorite bands live. Like, you’re hearing them in person, actually seeing them with your own two eyes, and breathing in the air that they are. In CLEVELAND, OHIO?! Lol, it’s insane. I still can’t wrap my head around it, but it happened. U2 was so nice that I saw them twice and this tour was even more magical than the first.

Take a look at some pics and let’s discuss. BUT, bear in mind that my iPod camera sucks so some of them are pretty low quality. However, there are some awesome shots that my dad took with his camera thrown in for your viewing pleasure!

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

^^^ Pics taken by yours truly!

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

^^^ Pics taken by yours truly’s father!

Unfortunately, we don’t have any halfway decent photos of OneRepublic during their opening set. The sun was just beating down and naturally, it seemed to focus right in on our seating section, so snapping any type of pic that actually looked good was damn near impossible. Having said that, I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed myself while they were performing. It’s not like I hate OneRepublic but it’s also not like I’m their number one fan, either. But, my god, do they sound good live. The lead singer was an excellent showman and they did a wonderful job of hyping up the crowd.

OneRepublic sounded the same, if not better than they do on their albums and it was nice having an opener who actually did a good job. Interpol opened for U2 during the 360 tour, which I attended, and they were abysmal at best. OneRepublic essentially performed a best of their radio hits compilation including “Apologize”, “Counting Stars”, and “Good Life”, which I thought was an incredibly smart move on their part. No one wants to see an opener play obscure songs that they can’t sing along to. Despite never listening to the radio, I still was able to sing along to all of their songs, which was a great way to lift my spirits even higher for when U2 took stage.

Am I OneRepublic’s biggest fan now? No. Not even close. But they really did put on a sublime opening act. They were charismatic and had great quips with the crowd, which is always fun. But, most importantly, they showed genuine talent and musical ability and that made listening to a band that is far from my favorite an utter delight.

Now, let’s get to U2 because I almost had a heart attack when a lone Larry Mullen appeared on stage, sat himself down at his drum set, and began pounding away the iconic beginning to “Sunday Bloody Sunday”. And when I say that I almost had a heart attack, I literally did. Hello. They just opened the show with my favorite song instead of with The Joshua Tree’s opener of “Where The Streets Have No Name”. I genuinely believed that I had died and gone to heaven.

“Sunday Bloody Sunday” was followed by “New Year’s Day”, which was another obvious crowd (and Sarah) pleaser. My god, it was just magnificent. After two back to back strong openers, the pace slowed down a little with “Bad” followed by “Pride (In The Name Of Love)”. Despite an almost abrupt feeling change of pace, it was pure U2 and they were so in their element that you couldn’t even be mad at them.

Now, up until the band began playing The Joshua Tree in its entirety, they were performing solely on the tree silhouette, which can be seen in the pictures above. But, the show didn’t even seem to begin until they made their way back onto the main stage and “Where The Streets Have No Name” started to play.

With the shift into U2 playing their 30th anniversary album, the infinitely long screen backing the stage turned into the background for videos specially designed for each song. With every hit you were transported into videos that told stories of the land, war, poverty, agony, love, and pride. From ordinary citizens placing an army helmet on their heads to strong and stoic Native Americans gently guarding their homeland, you got the sense of what the songs on The Joshua Tree were originally written for and what they mean to the band now in a time of such political and emotional turmoil.

Throughout the show, you could tell how much the band genuinely enjoyed bringing this album back to life. A light-spirited Bono playfully called his whole band sexy as well as the entire city of Cleveland (ayyy!) and halfway through The Joshua Tree set he graciously took a moment to welcome us to the second half of the album. What a guy, what a guy, what a heck of a guy.

It was funny hearing The Joshua Tree live, because you often forget about that almost country twang that the second half of the album brings. This was even more emphasized with videos of a skinny jeaned and denim button down clad woman painting an American flag on an abandoned home. She then showed off her lassoing skills in a red, white, and blue bikini top. Mama Mia!

After The Joshua Tree set ended with “Mothers Of The Disappeared” that came with a powerful backdrop of children holding candles that eventually blew out, we were invited by Bono to “stick around” for their encore. You would have been a fool not to. The encore was a fun, upbeat party to some of their most well known hits, which included “Elevation”, “Vertigo”, “Mysterious Ways”, and my all time favorite – “Beautiful Day”. You guys already know how much that song means to me, so yes, the water works were definitely flowing at their hardest then!! (I have no shame in admitting that I cried like a baby for a majority of the concert – I really just can’t help myself!)

U2’s encore ended with a gorgeous performance of “One” to draw a perfect night to a close. Guys – it really was perfect. I can’t explain to you how special it was to see the band that is so loved by my entire family while standing side by side with them in the stands. I consider myself so lucky that I have gotten to see U2 not once but twice now at 23 and both shows would literally have to be pried from my memory banks to be forgotten.

So there you have it, my experience at the U2 Concert!!! What shows have you seen recently? Who is attending any music festivals this summer? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Jul1

U2 Concert Excitement!!

Posted on by
Standard
U2 Concert Excitement!!

Hey everyone and happy weekend!! I am starting the month of July off with a bang because I get to see one of my favorite bands live for the SECOND time – U2!! It’s a very exciting time to be a Lil Red because not even two weeks ago, I got to see my other favorite band in concert, AFI. I have loved U2 ever since I was a kid (so a real Lil Lil Red!). Having two parents that simply live for them instilled a deep love for U2 in me from a young age.

Lyrics from “Beautiful Day” was the first thing that I got tattooed on me the day that I turned eighteen and it will always remain one of my favorite songs until the day I die. I was lucky enough to see U2 in Pittsburgh a couple of years back for their 360 tour and I had the time of my life. Best believe I ugly cried the whole time. Anyways, when my family heard that a 30th anniversary tour for The Joshua Tree was happening, it wasn’t so much as a need than a must to see them again – especially since they’ll be in Cleveland!

OneRepublic will be the opener, and although I’m not their biggest fan, they are sure to put on a fun show. But to see songs from U2’s iconic album live and in the flesh will definitely make tonight one to remember! I’M SO EXCITED!!!!!! Definitely check back for my concert review and think of me if you happen to listen to U2 today. What concerts are you attending this summer? Who else is a major U2 fan? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Featured Image By: Live Nation