sweetgreen's blog

thanks for living #sweetlife2013 with us!

sweetgreen — Thu, 16 May 2013 16:42:02 +0000

Thanks to everyone who joined us on Saturday for #sweetlife2013! The performances, the food, and the semi-cooperative weather made it an unforgettable event.

Here are some of our favorite moments from the festival – especially watching Tomas Mars jumping into the crowd during Phoenix’s set! See some of yours here or share more on instagram and twitter with #sweetlife2013.

+ keep an eye out for the official recap video coming soon on sweetlifefestival.com!

album review: secondhand rapture – ms mr

sweetgreen — Tue, 14 May 2013 17:10:04 +0000

Whether you’d heard of them before #sweetlife2013 or fell in love at the festival, you’ll definitely want to get your hands on MS MR‘s debut album that hits shelves today.

Secondhand Rapture builds on the 4 track EP that the Brooklyn-based band released just a few months ago, Candy Bar Creep Show. MS MR garnered a lot of attention when their song ”Bones“ was featured on the trailer for the third season of Game of Thrones, but that’s not the only reason they’ve been so successful.

From the driving and dramatic “Hurricane” to the dancy and distant “No Trace,” Secondhand Rapture takes MS MR beyond their so-called “Tumblr glitch pop” sound. Maintaining their love for roaring drums and dreamy vocals, the album delivers a marching beat and droning undertones that build into a full-fledged stomp. The somewhat eerie and often indecipherable lyrics from Lizzy Plapinger, the MS, flaunt a dance-inciting melody, built up by Max Hershenow, the MR.

The bottom line: MS MR has discovered a unique and charismatic sound… and they’re running full speed ahead with it. Check out “Ash Tree Lane,” “Salty Sweet,” “Think of You” and more below or buy the album here.

review and photos by Nate Cover

(Max and Lizzy with a fan; photo by Rick Dalberg)

sweetlife artist spotlight: phoenix

sweetgreen — Fri, 10 May 2013 16:51:01 +0000

We’re just one day away from #sweetlife2013 & we hope you’re excited for tomorrow’s lineup.

Phoenix will be capping off the night with a performance we fully expect to blow your mind.

With their recently released Bankrupt!, this french quartet has a 5-album repertoire of dance-worthy tracks featuring their signature indie-synth-pop vibes and upbeat vocals.

Check out their acoustic performance of ”Entertainment” and get ready to dance along tomorrow night!

2 days until #sweetlife2013

sweetgreen — Thu, 09 May 2013 15:06:28 +0000

With only two days left until the festival, you’ve got to decide which acts will get your attention this weekend.

Get acquainted with Phoenix, Passion Pit, Kendrick Lamar + the rest of the lineup here:

Missed the set times schedule? We’ve got you covered.

sweetlife artist spotlight: passion pit

sweetgreen — Thu, 09 May 2013 14:24:38 +0000

[photo via Passion Pit]

Passion Pit was formed in Cambridge, Massachusetts in 2007. Since then, the band has produced two albums: 2009′s Manners and this past year’s critically acclaimed Gossamer.

Gossamer features the layered choruses and beautiful melodies that we’ve come to expect from Passion Pit, but its lyrics are deeper than the average pop album. Perhaps that’s because Passion Pit is anything but average.

Known for their charismatic stage presence and exciting shows, Passion Pit is a performance you won’t want to miss at #sweetlife2013!

Listen to Gossamer before the festival, which includes the hit “Carried Away” featured here!

support sweetgreen in schools at the official opening of 14 + W

sweetgreen — Wed, 08 May 2013 15:32:14 +0000

Today marks the official opening our 17th location, sweetgreen 14 + W! To celebrate our first day in this new, amazing community, we wanted to do something a little bit special. Today only, you will be able to ‘pay what you want’ for your sweetgreen meal, with all proceeds benefitting sweetgreen in schools.

For those of you who aren’t familiar with the program, sweetgreen in schools is a series of interactive classes held at various elementary schools throughout DC, in collaboration with DC Farm to School. Students learn about nutrition, the importance of local sourcing, and how to take charge of their own health through fun, hands-on activities.

Our doors will be open from 11am – 10pm today, so please stop by 1325 W St. NW and help us support our mission to educate a younger generation about healthy eating!

set times announced for #sweetlife2013

sweetgreen — Tue, 07 May 2013 23:03:08 +0000

In case you missed our instagram announcement last evening with set times for the 9:32 club, treehouse stage and main stage, here’s this year’s sweetlife schedule in all its glory.

Still don’t have tickets? Make sure to get yours while they last — we’re planning for a full house on Saturday!

sweetlife chef spotlight: rj cooper

sweetgreen — Sat, 04 May 2013 13:15:13 +0000

Raised in a household where classic Sicilian meals were made from scratch, RJ Cooper was exposed to the arts of cooking at an early age. Now the owner of Washington DC’s critically acclaimed Rogue 24, RJ uses these traditional cooking techniques to fuse art and food together, creating out-of-the-box dishes that are both beautiful and delicious.

Rogue 24′s elegant 24-course offering presents truly an unparalleled experience — each of the flavorful bite-sized dishes are intricately crafted one by one, often with tools such as tweezers to ensure precision. What RJ will be cooking up at #sweetlife2013 will be a bit more casual and festival-friendly, but equally as delicious. Make sure to check out some of his creations in the VIP section on May 11!

[photo via Washington Post]

In the meantime, we had the opportunity to sit down with RJ to discuss a little bit more about what we can expect to see from him on May 11:

Nate Cover: How did you find your passion for food?

RJ Cooper: I kind of fell into it. There’s something cool about the camaraderie and the excitement in the kitchen, and the daily push and drive to make the perfect dish.

NC: Where do you pull your inspiration for what you do in the Rogue 24 kitchen?

RJ: Inspiration is everything. Music, art, weather, the people you meet, everyday occurrences… And then you just have to push the envelope as fast and hard as you can.

NC: What’s in your refrigerator right now?

RJ: I have 6 1/2 year old twin girls, so we’ve got everything from yogurt to ketchup. Plus, there’s a couple of bad beers and a bottle of champagne somewhere in there.

NC: If you could have lunch with any musician (alive or dead) who would it be?

RJ: There are a few… the one I really want to have dinner with is Perry Farrell because he loves to drink wine and he’s just crazy. Jerry Garcia would be a close second, though.

NC: What kind of music do you have on your iPod?

RJ: Anything from Modest Mouse to The Allman Brothers. I was listening to Grateful Dead on my way into work today. It’s just like sweetlife – it’s all over the board.

NC: What dishes can we expect to see at sweetlife?

RJ: You can expect my idea of what festival food should be. Arancini balls, redneck cheesesteak, plus some vegan and vegetarian dishes too.

NC: How do you define your sweetlife?

RJ: Life. You just gotta live a great life. It doesn’t matter what the situation is, you just gotta do your best.

ɘeco stores spotlight

sweetgreen — Fri, 03 May 2013 17:44:04 +0000

As a part of our mission to promote sustainable living, we present ɘeco: an interactive sustainability opportunity for festival goers at #sweetlife2013.

Our ɘeco stores are interactive recycling stations that will award you cool merchandise in exchange for keeping the festival grounds clean.

Trade in your bottles and compostable cups at these stations in exchange for awesome sweetlife swag – including sweetlife x Patagonia backpacks, Panda Sunglasses, Bamboo Skateboards, Skullcandy Crushers + more!

sweetlife partner spotlight: honest tea

sweetgreen — Wed, 01 May 2013 20:43:35 +0000

What are you made of, sweetlife-goers? That is the question that Honest Tea will be asking you at the festival… so gather your thoughts! You’ll have the opportunity to submit your answers via an Honest drop box, or better yet, engage with local artists Greg Gersch (a sketchbook-carrying aficionado) and Kelly Towles (a well-known street artist living and creating in DC) at two different art installations — one of which will be located in the Honest Tea lounge.

Haven’t heard of Honest Tea? Here’s a little bit of history. The company was founded in 1997 by Seth Goldman and Barry Nalebuff. The duo wanted to create a flavorful but not-too-sweet drink to fill the void they saw in the beverage industry. Today, Honest Tea provides delicious, healthy, organic and sustainable beverages made with honesty and integrity. We know we’ll be reaching for a few bottles on May 11th!