sweetgreen in schools: end-of-year recap

June 13, 2013

The following post was written by Rebecca Meekins, our rockstar sweetgreen in schools intern.  Today marks Rebecca’s last day at sweetgreen before moving on to a new curriculum development role with the Global Aid Network, a missions-based humanitarian aid organization that works with developing countries. Please join us in saying thanks and wishing Rebecca the best of luck!

For the past school year, I have been responsible for teaching our sweetgreen in schools curriculum to the students at the two different elementary schools in DC: Capital City Public Charter School and Seaton Elementary.  It has been a blast helping the children learn about everything from nutrition to sustainability, and watching them get excited about eating salads –- they’ve even started asking for seconds!

One of my favorite parts of the program was bringing some of the students on a class trip to sweetlife, where they participated in various hands-on activities with our partners: learning how to knead dough with Bakery de France, attending a private acoustic set by Austin Bis at the schoolhouse, taste testing local strawberries with Fresh Farm, and helping local artist Kelly Towles paint an on-site mural.

Some other highlights from the end of the year include…

1. These sweet postcards written by the students at Seaton Elementary:

2. This amazing ‘veggie rap’ created and performed by the students at Capital City Public Charter:

As I close out my year as an intern, I am so thankful that I was able to work with sweetgreen in schools and can’t wait to see where the program will head next!

2 days until #sweetlife2013

May 9, 2013

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

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!

sweetlife partner spotlight: blackberry

April 26, 2013

At sweetgreen, we’re always looking to get our hands on the latest tech – so we’re excited to have BlackBerry at #sweetlife2013 to showcase their latest phone, the BlackBerry Z10.

Hang out with BlackBerry in the Experience Forest for a chance to get upgraded to VIP + get your hands on their smart new BlackBerry Z10!

Can’t make it to sweetlife? Check out the BlackBerry #KeepMovingTour in DC & beyond to see the BlackBerry Z10 in action.

sweetlife vip spotlight: erik bruner-yang

April 23, 2013

Musician-turned-chef Erik Bruner-Yang has quickly made waves in the DC community with his H Street ramen house, Toki Underground. 

Offering a menu of traditional Taiwanese dishes with a twist, Toki Underground has become a favorite dinner hotspot for locals. In fact, Erik’s ramen and dumplings have been such a hit that he was recently nominated as one of Food and Wine Magazine’s “The People’s Best New Chef,” Mid-Atlantic Region of 2013. 

Look out for Erik at #sweetlife2013 – he will be hanging out in the VIP section and whipping up some of his favorite dishes for you all to enjoy. In the meantime, we had the pleasure of chatting with this food and music enthusiast about his inspiration, journey, and of course, what he is most looking forward to at #sweetlife2013:

sweetlife artist spotlight: kendrick lamar

April 22, 2013

Kendrick Lamar hails from Compton, a city that was once the unequivocal center of West-Coast rap.

The rapper has sky-rocketted to fame since the release of his critically acclaimed album, good kid, m.A.A.d city. His incredible lyrics and beats, combined with a narrative that speaks to the zeitgeist of our time, have made Kendrick the new kid that everyone can’t stop talking about.

We are incredibly excited about this performance and cannot wait to see Kendrick at the festival. If you’re one of the few who hasn’t had the chance to hear his stuff, make sure you check out all of good kid, m.A.A.d city before May 11.

Either way, listen to “Poetic Justice” here & get a taste of what you’ll hear in a couple of weeks at #sweetlife2013!

sweetlife experience spotlight: onomonomedia, tappan collective, and lululemon

April 21, 2013

With #sweetlife2013 just a few weeks away, we want to make sure you’re ready to experience everything the festival has to offer!

[photo via Onomonomedia]

Onomonomedia will be placing six amazing photo booths on site throughout the festival grounds, each with a unique theme: a floral backdrop created by Cult Gaia, a Fresh Farm background, a backdrop with the sweetgreen manifesto, and more. Make sure to come camera-ready and check out these awesome photo booths at the festival!

[photo via The Tappan Collective]

The Tappan Collective was started by Los Angeles natives Chelsea Neman and Jordan Klein. Their goal is to connect emerging artists to the many aspiring art collectors around the world who are seeking exciting new work via the internet. At sweetlife, the Tappan Collective team will present works from artists and members of the collective in our VIP lounge space, and also present a photo booth with custom filters and a backdrop of their own!

[photo via Lululemon Athletica]

The yoga gurus at Lululemon will be providing the festival with an interactive photo experience. Whether you’re a yogi or not it’s guaranteed to make for some awesome pictures. Don’t forget your camera!

sweetlife experience spotlight: festival partners pt. 2

April 16, 2013

This year, we’ve teamed up with some of our favorite companies to make #sweetlife2013 more than just a music and food experience. Take a look at a few more of our festival partners that you can expect to see on May 11:

[source: JOOLA]

As the official table and apparel sponsor of USA Table Tennis, JOOLA is known for providing the highest quality table tennis equipment and products on the market.  Think you’ve got what it takes to be a table tennis champion?  Test out your skills at #sweetlife2013 – JOOLA will be featuring table tennis, foosball, and carnival basketball games to stir up some friendly competition amongst even the closest of friends.

[source: Acme]

Acme Paper and Supply Co. stands out not only for the superior quality of their products, but also for their dedication to being environmentally conscious. Each division of the company offers compostable and recyclable packaging alternatives, providing customers with the most complete selection of “green” packaging products in the mid-atlantic. Remember to recycle your cups and utensils at our compost stations at #sweetlife2013!

[source: Quench Buggy]

The Quench Buggy has been keeping people hydrated at sporting events, festivals, and other civic activities all across North America.  Its mobile water dispensing system provides a continuous supply of clean, refreshing drinking water throughout the day to patrons at any event. Look out for the Quench Buggy on May 11 – with all the dancing you’ll do, it will be important to stay hydrated!

[source: Repax]

Repax presents a reusable packing system that not only makes moving convenient and affordable, but environmentally efficient as well. By taking the less sustainable aspects out of the moving equation, they save you time and money while also keeping trees and cardboard boxes from ending up in landfills. Check them out at the festival & enter their scavenger hunt for your chance to win some sick prizes – like a signed guitar from one of the #sweetlife2013 artists.

Did you miss our other partner spotlight? Refresh your memory here!

sweetlife artist spotlight: yeah yeah yeahs

April 15, 2013

[source: Yeah Yeah Yeahs]

Many of us fell in love with the unique, indie-punk sounds of Yeah Yeah Yeahs when they released their debut album, Fever to Tell, in 2003. A decade later, they continue to knock fans off their feet with the impressive discography they’ve built up over the past 10 years and their contagiously energetic stage presence.

This past weekend at Coachella, Yeah Yeah Yeahs stole the show with a stellar performance that people can’t stop talking about – just another reason to get excited for what’s sure to be an incredible show on May 11!

Make sure to download their fourth full-length album, Mosquito, which hits stores tomorrow (4/16). In the meantime, check out “Sacrilege,” the pre-released single from the new album:

sweetlife spotlight: keany produce

April 11, 2013

It all started back in 2006 when sweetgreen founder Nic Jammet called Keany Produce and asked if he and a few friends could take a tour of the Keany warehouse. Fast forward seven years, and Keany provides sweetgreen with almost all of the fresh, locally-sourced produce that goes into your salads, soups, sweetpress and sweetflow.

As a family owned company, Keany Produce Company has been focused on developing relationships with the finest local growers for the last 35 years. They have been committed to distributing the freshest, highest-quality products throughout the Mid-Atlantic region.

Check out the Keany Bus at #sweetlife2013 - they’ll be hanging out in the experience forest with games and giveaways!