Tennessean Hotel Review | 2.23.2018

Happy March!!!

I wanted to check in with you all because I have an exciting post for you guys today! I have my very first hotel experience / review to share!!!! This is something that I have been thinking of doing for a long time and was lucky enough to be able to make my dream a reality last weekend! 

I have to start out with a little back story on why I decided to choose this particular hotel as my first place to visit. A little less than a year ago I saw a post on @juniperbooks instagram that showed a HUGE installation that they had completed with their book jackets. The installation was a satellite image/map of Knoxville. I had recognized it immediately thanks to the super recognizable Tennessee River running right through it! I am such a sucker for Juniper Books that I knew I was going to have to make a trip to visit the hotel and bookshelf ASAP. 

That being said, I am sure you can imagine how excited I was to begin my stay at The Tennessean Hotel. Before I had checked in, I had received an email from Hannah, who works with the Tennessean, asking if I required any special services or had any requests for my stay. As I am a very “no fuss” traveler, I told her that I didn’t have any requests but I planned to arrive right at check in and was looking forward to my stay! This level of attention to guests and their needs was already above and beyond what I have received at any other hotel thus far and I hadn’t even checked in yet! 

Upon arrival I was greeted at valet and then went right in to check in. Check in was a breeze and then I was shown to my room. I stayed in the Premier City View King room and it was AMAZING. As soon as you walk in to the room you are struck with how much detail and thought they put into the design! It was truly incredible! Not to mention the chocolates and hand written note that was waiting for me! The combination of the friendly staff at check in and the letter really made me feel like my stay was important to the hotel. That is a rare feeling now days. 

The room had a view facing World’s Fair Park and the iconic Sunsphere which was exciting for me because I couldn’t get enough of it! I took at least 50 photos of the view and I regret nothing! Watching the sun set behind the Sunsphere was breathtaking!  I spent the next few hours settling in and grabbing dinner with a friend. Afterward I came back to the hotel and cozied up with a book before getting the best sleep of my life in my super comfy bed. 

The next morning I spent some time in front of the Juniper Books installation in awe of how much time and thought went into the display. The attention to detail was incredible and I am sure I could have spent much more time there if given the chance. After gathering my belongings I begrudgingly checked out of the hotel and as I was leaving, Hannah from the emails before my stay introduced herself, and she was so lovely in person. In fact everyone that I encountered was friendly and made me feel warm and welcomed. I cant wait to spend more time here in the future. It is a must visit hotel in Knoxville, Tennessee. 

To book your own stay, Click here!

*all opinions are my own.

Wizarding World Hollywood | Anaheim, California | 1.21.18

GUYS!!!!!! I have the most exciting post for you today! Most of you that follow me on instagram saw a few of my adventures from my trip to Los Angeles, including my day at #WizardingWorldHollywood, which BTW was THE ACTUAL BEST. I am finally coming down from my butterbeer sugar rush enough to share my Hogwarts experience with you!

As I was gearing up for my trip to LA, I started a check list of places that I wanted to see while I was there. At the top of that list was Universal Studios Hollywood and Wizarding World Hollywood! Harry Potter was such a fundamental part of my childhood and can be attributed for igniting my love for Young Adult Literature so to say that I was excited would be an understatement! To top it off, I wasn’t going to #WizardingWorldHollywood until the VERY last day of my trip so the anticipation was unreal!

After arriving at the parking garage we made our way through City Walk only to realize that there was a Harry Potter gift shop OUTSIDE of the parks gates!!!! We spent half an hour just in the gift shop just looking at all of the Howarts merch! After realizing we had spent too much time reveling in amazement at the gift shop, we decided to head into park!

 After getting our tickets we almost immediately ran into the entrance to Hogsmeade! I cannot even explain the feeling of pure joy that my friends and I felt walking under the archway leading into the most magical part of the park! It genuinely felt like I was Harry walking through Diagon Alley with Hagrid for the first time!

Seeing all of the shops was truly incredible. I thought that maybe the experience would feel fabricated because it *is* a theme park, but that wasn’t the case at all!

Walking through the streets, I stumbled upon a group of girls dressed as Hogwarts students and asked if I could take a photo of them and I cant believe how well they turned out! Their photos look like they’re straight from J.K. Rowling’s imagination!

It wouldn’t be a trip to Hogsmeade without a bit of butterbeer! Side note - I liked this butterbeer 1000000x more than the one I tried at the Harry Potter Studio Tour in London.

After drinking our fill of butterbeer, we decided to grab wands! Ollivander’s was a bustling shop and seeing all of the different wands for the different characters was so special.

Once we left Ollivander’s we finally made our stop in Honeyduke’s, my most favorite shop of them all!!! This place was so vibrant and fun and it was exactly as I had pictured while reading about it all those years ago.

I am not sure that I can truly explain to you how it felt to walk through the streets of Hogsmeade and round the corner only to find a life size Hogwarts. I *actually* gasped out loud. i may have squealed a little and I most definitely cried. It was so incredible. I don’t even think I can put the feeling into words.

Now that you’ve seen all of my photos from the trip, tell me about yours! Have you been? Do you plan to go? HAVE YOU TRIED THE BUTTERBEER? If not, make sure you start planning your trip ASAP!!!!

click here to view FULL RESOLUTION photos from my trip!

Be sure to visit Universal Studios Hollywood on facebook, twitter, and instagram! I cant say enough thanks to @unistudios for helping me experience the most magical place on earth.

Visit Universal Studios Hollywood on Facebook

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Julien Baker and Dave Bazan | Knoxville, TN | Bijou Theater | 11.29.17

This past Wednesday I was lucky enough to photograph two of the most emotional song writers that I’ve ever heard. It was incredible being in the historic Bijou Theatre witnessing such raw talent on stage.

Julien Baker is a singer/songwriter from Memphis, TN and has just released her 2nd solo album, Turn Out The Lights with matador records. You can find out more about her tour here.

 

Dave Bazan is most notably known for being the driving force behind his band Pedro The Lion, which just announced their reunion. He has worked on several solo projects and also released an ablum with Lo Tom, a band created with friends, in July 2017. You can find out more about Dave’s upcoming tour with Pedro The Lion here.

Buy Julien’s latest album

Buy Dave’s latest album

Wanderlust Holiday Gift Guide 2017

Happy Holidays! 

This year we decided to do something a little different over here at Buttermybooks! Shopping for friends and family can be a little tricky so this year we wanted to help you out! Our theme this year is “wanderlust” and we have asked our favorite bloggers to share the items that they consider a “must-have” while traveling. This list is incredible and I am so excited to finally be able to share it with you! Let me know which item you are most excited for! Be sure to follow all of our lovely guests and share with your friends! Happy Reading <3

@IFREAKINLOVEBOOKS | CLICK TO SHOP BOOKBEAU

Carol is a 27 year old bookstagrammer and blogger, she can be found crying over Outlander or rereading The Infernal Devices for the 1000th time. Don’t spoil Game of Thrones for her unless you’re prepared to die.

Follow Carol: instagram | tumblr | twitter

@VILMAIRISBLOG | CLICK HERE TO SHOP BENEFIT

Vilma Iris Gonzalez is a marketing professional by day, book and lifestyle blogger by night, and working mom always. Since 2013 she’s been focused on building a community of people who love to be on trend and in the know—whether it comes to books, style, home or beauty.

Follow Vilma: instagram | twitter | facebook

@BUTTERMYBOOKS | CLICK HERE TO SHOP SUDIO SWEDEN

A twenty something from Tennessee, Summer Webb is an avid adventurer and pizza connoisseur who loves bad horror movies, good books, hot coffee.

Follow Summer: instagram | twitter | tumblr | facebook

@BOOKBARISTAS | CLICK HERE TO SHOP SERENGETEE

Natasha →  penguin by day | blogger 24/7 – just a book person recommending you hot drinks & hotter reads!

Follow Natasha: instagram | twitter | tumblr

@STORIESFORCOFFEE |  CLICK TO SHOP OSIRIS AND CO

 A 20-year-old Cuban-American girl studying journalism. When she’s not writing articles for her classes, you can probably find her devouring a novel or watching a classic film.

Follow Liv: instagram | youtube | tumblr

@VOYAGESOFMINE | CLICK HERE TO SHOP YETI

Aside from the occasional trip out of state, Haley really began traveling for the first time at the age of seventeen. She has always had a strong desire to explore places that are new and exciting. She also enjoys revisiting some of her favorite areas that she has been to thus far.

Follow Haley: instagram | twitter | facebook | blog

@ALEXBRACKEN | CLICK HERE TO SHOP TRAVEL JEWELRY BOXES

Alexandra Bracken was born and raised in Arizona. The daughter of a Star Wars collector, she grew up going to an endless string of Star Wars conventions and toy fairs, which helped spark her imagination and a deep love of reading. After graduating high school, she attended The College of William & Mary in Virginia, where she double majored in English and History. She sold her first book, Brightly Woven, as a senior in college, and later moved to New York City to work in children’s book publishing, first as an editorial assistant, then in marketing. After six years, she took the plunge and decided to write full time. She now lives in Arizona with her tiny pup, Tennyson, in a house that’s constantly overflowing with books.
Alex is a #1 New York Times bestselling and USA TODAY bestselling author. Her work is available across the world in over 15 languages.

Follow Alex: instagram | facebook | twitter

@URSULA_URIARTE | CLICK HERE TO SHOP TRAVEL JOURNALS

30- something. Pearl Jam Fan. Metal head. Mom. Liberal. Traveler. Photographer. Will work for Tim Tams.

Follow Ursula: instagram | twitter | tumblr

@ZORAIDASOLO | CLICK HERE TO SHOP PLANNERS

Zoraida Córdova is the author of urban fantasies The Vicious Deep trilogy and the Brooklyn Brujas series. Her short fiction has appeared in the New York Times bestselling anthology, Star Wars: From a Certain Point of View. Zoraida’s most recent release, Labyrinth Lost, won an International Latino Book award, was named a Best Book of 2016 by Paste Magazine and has been optioned by Paramount Studios.

Follow Zoraida: instagram | twitter | website

@JUSTINEBOOKISH | CLICK HERE TO SHOP MAKEUP TRAVEL KITS

Justine is the owner and creative mind behind The Bookish Box. She is an avid coffee drinker, mother, and kickass boss lady!

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Ghostek SoDrop2 Headphone Review

Hi hello it is me, your old friend,Summer. I have a really exciting post for you guys today and it is something that I hope you will see more often. So without further adieu, a product review!!!

A few weeks ago, while traveling to Chicago, I lost a dear friend. My favorite headphones. I had a short layover and in my mad dash to my next gate, I left my headphones on the plane. I was distraught. I immediately tried to contact lost and found with no luck so they were just gone forever.

After my tragic loss, I began looking for a replacement pair. Not just any pair would work. I wanted the option for wireless, built in mic, over the head, comfortable AND pretty. (Gotta keep up my aesthetic, right?) After looking through all of my options, my friend Meredith ( @the-book-ferret) mentioned that her favorites were the Ghostek soDrop2′s. Trusting her judgment I decided to give them a shot.

I spoke with Ghostek on a Friday and my headphones were delivered the next Wednesday. Needless to say, I was already impressed with how quickly they came. After they were delivered, I immediately connected them and proceeded to use them LITERALLY ALL WEEK. They paired easily with my phone and my TV via bluetooth and they sound quality is great! If you aren’t a fan of bluetooth headphones, these also come with an audio cord so that you can connect directly. This has become my favorite way to listen as the sound quality is comparable to listening to a CD.

I also love how comfortable these ear phones are. Sometimes the padding on headphones will cause my ears to become hot and uncomfortable, but not with these. They arent quite sound proof but are pretty close. I chose the pink and white but they have 4 different color options! Feel free to browse the website and check out what other people had to say about these headphones!

(click each photo to view larger!)

Want to know what Ghostek has to say about the soDrop 2 headphones? Read below.

Your life’s too fast to fumble with cords. Be ready to take that vital call from HQ every time with soDrop 2 Headphones from Ghostek®

Essential for every mission, soDrop 2 headphones are wireless, Bluetooth-enabled, boast a built-in microphone and top-of-the-line sound quality—all in one sleek and sexy package.

Made of ultra-durable, lightweight brushed aluminum and silky, soft leather, these headphones look as amazing as they sound.

For added convenience and stealth, soDrop 2 headphones are fold-able and come with their own carrying case, complete with a connection cable—in case you ever want to plug-in.

Whether you’re in the field or just hanging around the house, you’ll never miss a beat with the soDrop 2 headphones from Ghostek®

• HD Crystal Clear Sound, Let the Beat Drop Full Volume Blast with These Bass Sensitive Headphones from Ghostek®
• These Headphones Feature Bi-Directional Noise Reduction Technology So That You Can Listen to CD Quality Sound
• The soDrop 2’s Feature aptX® Bluetooth 4.0 Technology That Provide Rich Sound for Any Type of Music
• You Can Connect the soDrop 2'sTo Virtually Any Bluetooth Enabled Device from a Distance Of 30-Feet
• A Microphone In The Ear Cup Let’s You Take Calls Without Having to Remove The Headphones & For The Really Long Trips, Ghostek® Includes a Detachable Male to Male 3.5MM Audio Line Cable
• High Quality Soft Leather & Brushed Aluminum Metal Accent the soDrop 2
• You Can Wear These Headphones for Hours Without Your Ears Feeling Tired
• These Headphones Come With Ghostek’s 1-Year Limited Exchange Warranty

Click here to buy a pair for yourself!

Gaston Luga Backpack Review

GUYYYSSSSSS. I have the most exciting review for you today! Most of you know that I am an avid traveler and because of that I have adapted to packing everything I’ll need for a trip into the smallest bag possible. I am notoriously the lightest packer out of all of my friends and can fit 10 days worth of clothing and personal items into one carry on. Trust me, this is no easy feat!
As a “no fuss” traveler, I am always looking for a comfortable-yet-cute bag to take with me on my trips. Gaston Luga is the perfect combination of stylish and practical so I was thrilled when I finally had the opportunity to own one of my own!

I chose the Clässic - Olive & Brown, which has so many amazing features. This is what the Gaston Luga website has to say about the bag I chose:The Clässic: an elegant and timeless design - versatile, spacious, functional and multi-purpose - whether you are sailing in the French riviera or having a drink at a five star hotel in New York, the Clässic suits the occasion. Make your backpack unique and match your personal style with a coloured leather address tag. Equipped with Gaston Luga’s signature passport pocket.

• - Strong durable canvas
• - Magnetic strap closure
• - Outer zipper pocket
• - Inner 13-15" laptop compartment
• - 2 inner pockets
• - Passport pocket
• - Adjustable shoulder straps
• - Leather address tag (to be purchased separately)

Another awesome thing about this bag is that all Non - EU customers will get a 20% off tax rebate! PLUS you can also save another 15% on top of that with my discount code “buttermybooks15″ and if that wasn’t enough to entice you, Gaston Luga is also offering a free leather luggage tag with every purchase! This is a huge deal and is a GREAT idea for the holidays! If you need a little help with how all of the discounts work, I will leave a tutorial below the cut!

Shop Gaston Luga

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The Front Bottoms | Rough Trade NYC | Brooklyn, NY | 10.14.2017

Hey Guys! 

Your girl is back with another music/concert recap!! This time its for an album release show for one of my all time faves, The Front Bottoms.

About two weeks ago The Front Bottoms announced that they would be doing three small album release shows in the north east to support their newest LP, Going Grey, which is the bands second album released on Fueled by Ramen.  As soon as I saw that one of these shows would be in Brooklyn while i had already planned to be there, I knew I had to go.

This particular show was at Rough Trade, a record store based in Brooklyn. I was a little nervous about the show selling out since I was unsure about the size of the venue so I immediately sent the link to Taylor and we ordered copies of the album through the store to secure our tickets.

The show at Rough Trade was on October 14th, so the album had released the day before, on Friday the 13th. Once Saturday rolled around we decided to get to the venue about 3 hours early to pick up our records and scope out the line. The store made checking in super easy and we had our albums and wristbands all within 5 minutes of getting to the store. Even though we were hours early, there was already a line forming for the show.

We were about 20 people from the front of the line so we decided to check out the store.. and IT WAS AMAZING. It had probably the most extensive and well organized collection of records that I have literally ever seen. Not to mention that it had a coffee shop AND A BOOK SECTION. Ur Grl was fucking STOKED to spend the day here.

Before the show started, I had imagined that it would be super acoustic style with us all gathered around matt and brian in a corner of the record store listening to them play. That wasn’t the case at all. When it was time for the show to start we were led into the back of the store only to find out that they had a whole ass music venue right there in the shop!!!! Complete with a bar and everything! I ended up being 2nd row but even the kids in the back had a great view.

It was incredible to see them perform in such a small setting with some of their biggest fans. The album had only just released and yet everyone knew every word to every song. After the show we were led outside to wait in line for the signing. Everything was super organized and moved quickly which was awesome for those of us who wanted to explore the city. This was definitely an experience I wont forget for a long time.