FEATURED: Everything After ♡

While I was in Sydney, I happened to pass by a couple of musicians busking in Pitt Street (if I'm not mistaken). One of them being Everything After, an Indie/Folk/Pop duo comprised of Jordan and James, two 18 year old boys from the Central Coast of New South Wales. 

with my (obviously excited) sister

The first thing I thought of when I saw them was to ask if I could feature them on here, despite my fear of them laughing in my face and walking away. Jordan and James turned out to be really lovely (thank God!) and I was able to film a short video of them for Synergy. The interview, however, was conducted through Facebook as I had to leave shortly after.

Everything After with JackMan Friday

Their music reminds me a lot of Mumford & Sons'; it's the kind you'd expect to hear in music festivals such as Coachella. Their songs are fun (All The Dreaming is the best) and perfect for those summer montage videos I personally love making. They're worth a listen, so I highly suggest you give them a chance.  I'm very picky when it comes to the music I listen to, so trust me when I say Everything After is amazing. They're a breath of fresh air from all the mainstream pop music. 

They're actually too cute for my life...

Before I show you guys their answers, check out their cover of Mr. Brightside by the Killers. :)

1. Tell us about yourself/your band/group.
We're a band called Everything After and we've been together for about a year. We play Indie/Folk/Pop music and do a lot of busking in Sydney's Pitt St Mall. We're 18 years old.

2. How did you start?
We started playing guitar together at school and then 5 years later started being a band:)

3. How did you come up with the name?
Stole it from a Counting Crows album:)

4. How would you describe your sound?
IndieFolkPop

5. Who is/are your musical inspiration/s?We haven been heavily influenced by bands like Mumford and Sons and Boy and Bear as well as others like Ben Howard, Counting Crows and many many more that I can't think of.

6. Why did you choose to go into the music industry?We both love playing music and we kind of just found ourselves there because of that

7. What makes you different from all the other musicians?I don't think we are that different from other musicians, we have our own unique sound and we will do absolutely anything to be the best we can be but I think all musicians do the same.

performing with Woodlock

8. Tips for aspiring musicians?
If you love making and playing music then there should be nothing to stop you from doing it the way you want to:)

9. Name at least one musician you'd like to work with in the future. 
Mumford & Sons

10. Anything else?
Thanks for having us:)

Aren't they just the cutest? I also had them sign their EP which I had bought from them because I'm sorta kinda a fangirl like that... If you would like to hear more of Everything After, I highly suggest you like their Facebook page and subscribe to their Youtube channel. They also have twitter! Please do support them. They deserve all the attention they get and more. :) And to Jordan and James, if you're reading this - keep making brilliant music and we'll always be here supporting you. :) 

PLAYLISTS: Australia ♡

Last September 24, my family and I (excluding my brother, who was prohibited from travelling by his doctor) went on a trip to Australia for 2 weeks. We spent about four days in each state (is that what they call it there?) we visited; namely Gold Coast, Sydney, and Melbourne (which I loved the most). My iPhone was rendered useless since I couldn't call or text anyone, so I used it as an iPod for the whole trip. The songs included in this playlist (although I did not include some of them in the zip file so that you guys will have to buy the songs yourselves to support the artist. I did, however, include a link to where you can listen to the songs online) were the songs I listened to on repeat during the entire trip.

While we were in Sydney, I came across three bands performing in the streets and I just about fell in love with their music. I bought their EPs and had it signed by them, and later asked if I could feature them on here (I have legitimately asked one of the band members for their number so I could contact them using my mom's phone later that day... Guts). I'm currently working on it so sit tight! :) Anyway, without further ado, here are the songs!

1. Wild Ones - Flo Rida ft. Sia
2. Stuck On You - Meiko
3. Anything Could Happen - Ellie Goulding
4. You're Mine - Maybe Next Summer
5. Forever & Always - Parachute
6. Stow Away - Woodlock
7. Smile Like I Used To - Everything After
8. Lemons - Woodlock
9. Heartbreak Kid - Woodlock (download it here!)
10. U.R.A. Fever - The Kills
11. Hell Is Round The Corner - Tricky
12. Never Gonna Give You Up - The Black Keys
13. E-Pro - Beck
14. Strange Times - The Black Keys
15. Cheap and Cheerful - The Kills

DOWNLOAD

Also, please like the pages of the bands I've met and support them! :)

WOODLOCK | EVERYTHING AFTER | JACKMAN FRIDAY

MONTHLY PLAYLIST: August

Download 

Time for the monthly playlist! This month's theme is house music, or party music as we know it generally. Whether you're at a club/party with a bunch of friends, or feeling like taking your mind off of stress by blasting on some music that you can dance to, I feel like this is the perfect playlist for you. Just some of my favorite party songs that will make you feel alive even at the break of dawn. Don't forget to support the singers by buying or downloading their music. Get ready to dance the night away!

(Warning: some tracks may include explicit language)

PLAYLIST: Happy Days ♡

DOWNLOAD Just a quick playlist I threw together for you guys. There are only 5 songs, but it's enough to fight those days when the doom and gloom are close to taking over. I hope you enjoy these songs as much as I do, and remember - support the artists you find below by buying their EPs/albums/whatnot if you like them!

1. A Little Thing Called Love - Misty Miller
2. Be OK - Ingrid Michaelson
3. I Do Adore - Mindy Gledhill
4. Perfect - LIGHTS
5. Uncharted - Sara Bareilles

BOOKS: Amy & Roger's Epic Detour ☮

(The alternate covers of Amy & Roger's Epic Detour by Morgan Matson)

     Amy Curry had a special relationship with her father. They would go on road trips together, belting out lyrics to all of Elvis' greatest hits, while eating Life Savers on casual drives would be their special hobby. After her father passed away due to a tragic accident, her mother decides to move from California to Connecticut. Traumatized by the tragedy and vowed to never drive again, Amy's mom sends her childhood friend, Roger, to accompany her on the trip. Roger and Amy haven't seen each other since they were little, and awkward conversations ensue on the first part of the trip. As they spend more time with each other, these awkward conversations turn into meaningful understandings that eventually blossom into love. Through the journey, Amy gets back up after her father's death, finds herself, and falls in love in this light-hearted narrative. 

     This book was recommended to me by one of my best friends, and I've been hooked on this book ever since. She gave it to me before I left for the United States last summer, and I read bits and pieces of it throughout the whole trip. This novel was truly relatable, as I had been going on a road trip through California at the same time! Amy & Roger includes scraps and bits from each location they've been to. Facts about the state, specialty food, receipts, pictures, and little notes exchanged by the two main characters make the novel quirky and entertaining.

       What I love about this book is the way the characters express themselves and how they evolve throughout the journey. Amy is a shy, reserved girl, who doesn't want to express herself after her father's death. She's cautious about everything, and is on the pursuit of happiness. Roger, on the other hand, is a guy who wants to understand. He's sensitive, and his wit and humor eventually brings Amy out of her shell. The two clashing personalities collide, meshing together into a wonderful story of self-discovery.

       One thing unique about this book, aside from the scrap book infused between the pages, are the playlists! Amy and Roger take turns making their own mixtapes for the trip, and the creative titles are based on the states they are currently in, or inside jokes that only they can understand. It's a cute indirect way of describing how they relate to one another, as well as a useful way to have a feel of the story. The songs are amazing, and they make for great road trip playlists. 

Here are some of my favorites:


Roger Playlist #1: "'Leaving California'" aka 'Hitting the Road' aka 'Snacks are Important, But Not Quite as Important as Tunes'" 

• "Going to California" - Led Zeppelin
• "Drive Away My Heart" - Ida Maria
• "California in Popular Song" - The Lucksmiths
• "I See You" - Mika
• "Travel Song" - Someone Still Loves You, Boris Yeltsin
• "Miss California" - Jack's Mannequin
• "The General Specific" - Band of Horses
• "I'm Movin' Out (Anthony's Song)" - Billy Joel
• "Life in the Fast Lane" - Eagles
• "Birds of a Feather" - The Rosenbergs
• "Limelight" - Rush
• "All My Stars Aligned" - St. Vincent
• "Unhurried Heart" - Harlem Shakes
• "The Wild" - Princeton
• "I Stand Corrected" - Vampire Weekend
• "In California (Live)" - Neko Case
• "Nobody Lost, Nobody Found" - Cut Copy
• "Vanilla Twilight" - Owl City
• "Adrift" - Jack Johnson

Roger Playlist #5: "'No Place Like Home' or 'Why Won't Amy Buy Sunglasses?' or "The Sunflower State'" 

• "Where Is Home?" - Bloc Party
• "Jolene" - The Weepies
• "Somewhere Over the Rainbow" (cover) - Call Me Kevin
• "Brand New Day" - Joshua Radin
• "Starlight" - Muse
• "Even Fairy Tale Characters Would be Jealous" - PlayRadioPlay!
• "Daylight" - Matt and Kim
• "The Dark in You" - Plushgun
• "100,000 Fireflies" - The Magnetic Fields
• "Wake Up" - The Secret Handshake
• "Dust in the Wind" - Kansas
• "Goodbye Yellow Brick Road" - Elton John
• "I'll Do the Driving" - Fountains of Wayne
• "Time After Time" (cover) - Quietdrive
• "Faith in Fast Cars" - The Format
• "Wonderful You" - The Dandy Warhols
• "Take a Chance on Me" - Erasure

Roger Playlist #7: "'Missouri-Illinois-Indiana-Kentucky' aka 'When will Amy be the DJ? WHEN?' aka '1500 miles on 400 dollars...'" (p. 207)

• "Come On! Feel the Illinoise!" - Sufjan Stevens
• "Going Back to Indiana" - Jackson 5
• "The Trick to Life" - The Hoosiers
• "No More Runnin" - Animal Collective
• "Globes & Maps" - Something Corporate
• "All Hail the Heartbreaker" - The Spill Canvas
• "Old Flames" - Harlem Shakes
• "Don't Wake Me Up" - The Hush Sound
• "My Beautiful Rescue" - This Providence
• "Beating Heart Baby" - Head Automatica
• "Song in My Head" - Sherwood
• "Nightswimming" - R.E.M.
• "Ulysses" - Franz Ferdinand
• "Good Arms vs. Bad Arms" - Frightened Rabbit
• "Late in the Evening" - Paul Simon
• "After Hours" - Caribou
• "The Good Ones" - The Kills
• "Sunlight in a Jar" - The Lucksmiths
• "Where the Story Ends" - The Fray

     You can never leave a good book without remembering all the note-worthy quotes. Morgan Matson has a way of transforming words into intellectual ideas reflecting on life's greatest mysteries, as well as discovering your self-identity. Hope you get inspired by these wonderful quotes:

"The best discoveries always happened to the people who weren't looking for it."

"You've got to have pride in your home. You are where you're from. Otherwise, you're always going to be lost."

"Ad Astra Per Aspera, to the stars through adversity."

"We can't know what's going to happen. We can just try to figure it out as we go along."

     The reason why I am so attached to this book is because it's so relatable to me, especially since I read this while I was in the US last summer 2012. My family and I went on a road trip across California, all the way to Arizona and back. There were times when I would just sit in the car for 8 hours, staring at the scenery and admiring the history. It was an amazing time, being in a country unfamiliar to you, yet appreciating and understanding the sights around you. It reminded me of the book, since I took home many souvenirs, as well as photographs that I will treasure my whole life. Let me share with you some of the pictures I took of the places I visited!

(Credits to Jess Marquez for the photographs above)

     Such an amazing experience, and reading the book made me value the trip even more :) Get out, explore the world, be enriched by the culture, and strengthen relationships! It's all about the journey, not the destination.

FASHION: MUSIC FESTIVAL INSPIRED ☮

Music Fests are usually the hottest events during the summer. This gives people a chance to socialize with others who have the same interests as them, particularly on the topic of music. Also, it unleashes a season wherein fashion is taken to a whole new level. From tribal chic, to an innocent indie, even rock n' roll, fashion becomes a platform for free expression during music festivals. Here are some trends that embodies the true meaning of this event! 

Tribal chic never goes out of style. It has such a laid back feel, exuding a sense of being carefree and natural. The colors all compliment each other, and it's perfect for showing your sense of style in the most natural way possible! 

 If you want to channel the innocent vibe, pastels and dainty skirts do the trick. Casual sneakers balance out the whole look, and the hints of gold seen in the accessories makes your girly aura come to life. Don't overdo it though; make sure that the outfit is well-pieced together, yet simple at the same time. Comfort over style!

And last but not the least, the most perfect outfit for any music festival! A band t-shirt is a great key staple, but don't practice hypocrisy and wear a band on the shirt you don't know. More often than not, you will be criticized as well, so wear it loud and proud! Denim shorts and black high tops tie it whole together, while the oversized cardigan mutes out the whole rock ensemble. 

What's a good outfit without good hair? Here are some examples on how to complete your look: 

The waterfall braid is an effortless way to style your hair. It's fun, it's easy, and it makes your hair stand out! It looks better on long hair with natural waves, so if it fits your hairstyle, this one is for you. 

The messy bun is the oldest trick in the book. It's classic, sophisticated, yet practical. This style is a great way to highlight your facial features, as well as keeping you looking fresh throughout the day. To hold it in place, you can use bobby pins for a neater look. 

Another quirky braid frenzy, the fishtail braid is being used by girls all over the world. A different take on the typical braid, the fishtail uses two separate sides of the hair, with strands weaving towards the inside of the part. It's a flirty look than can give your outfit a feminine twist. 

If you want to let your hair loose, you can accessorize with a headpiece. Be creative with this one! Whether it be flowers, a tribal headband, or an antique hand-me-down, a head piece can tie your outfit together. 

One of the craziest - yet hip - hairstyles, dip-dye! This is the latest trend in season; a lot of Hollywood celebrities walk out with this trend. Here's a simple tutorial from The Beauty Department to show you how you could create this simple style at home! 

Last but not the least, we can't leave a music festival post hanging without some great tunes. Here's a simple playlist to amp up your mood and to help you feel the festival vibes anywhere! 

Music Festival - Synergy Online Playlist

FEATURED: Stefany Alves ☮

Meet Stefany Alves. A one of a kind extraordinaire. A photographer with an mind so out of this world, it can make you feel a thousand different feelings in just one photograph. A girl who takes risks with her fashion, yet totally knows who she is in her own element
Once I came across her site, I immediately knew she was a force to be reckoned with. We HAD to feature her, since her photos just radiate some sort of aura that makes people feel like they're living in a world they wish they existed in. She makes photos come to life, making stories out of inanimate objects as if they were people in everyday life. With her different themed posts and whimsical ideas coming out of each set, it's no trouble to find why I am in love with her blog.
Not only is she a brilliant photographer, but a fantastic artist as well. The way she portrays herself through her fashion is a breath of fresh air; effortless, yet thought up to the miniscule detail. What an inspiration! She's really in her own sphere of influence, and it's great to see her being one of mine pertaining to photography. Here are a few of my favorite photos! 

Choosing these photos were really hard, since I have so much favorites! Anyway, I was so excited to know that she responded to our email, and what an honor it is to have her answer our questions! Here are her answers:

1. Tell us about yourself and your blog. How long have you been blogging? 

I'm a Fine Art and Photography student. I enjoy sketching, cooking, singing and playing in my spare time. Hmm, I guess I have been blogging since 2008. 

2. Where do you get inspiration for the things you post? 

It usually comes naturally. But there are things that inspires me, such as films, music and even the weather and of course this whole blogosphere. 

3. Which post of yours is your favorite so far? Tell us more about it! 
Ah it's hard to say, but I kinda like to look back at the posts I've written a bit cause I never write much. I would say this one its so gloomy that it amuses me. 

4. What do you aspire to be when you're older? 

This thing about 'future' makes me a bit sad. Perhaps it's cause I worry a lot about what should I be or what should I do. Therefore I have decided to live today, it's pretty cliche but it makes me feel better not to think of it. I will just carry on  studying and doing the things I like and let's see how it goes. 

5. How were you able to get your blog's name out there?

I think I got some views due to Lookbook.nu  

6. What are, in your opinion, the pros and cons of blogging?

The pros are receiving so many encouraging comments and being able to inspire people.

And cons are being exposed, when you put your stuff out there you are allowing people to judge you, you might receive constructive criticism but also mean comments.. but you know life is like that too the only difference is that via internet you can be an anonymous and say whatever you want. 

7. If you could have a playlist that defines your blog/photographs, what songs would be in it?

• Piece Me Back Together - Melodica, Melody and Me
• There Are Many Birds - Arthur & Yu 
• Our Deal - Best Coast  
• Cigarettes - Russian Red
•  Don't Watch Me Dancing - Little Joy
• Lloyd I'm Ready To Be Heartbroken - Camera Obscura
• Maria Ninguém - Bridgitte Bardot 
• In The Morning - Mallu Magalhães
• Hang On Sloopy - The Mccoys 

8. What are the usual subjects in your photographs and where do you usually take them? Any reason why? 

Most are personal things I have inside my room like my typewriter or cups of coffee and I like to take them around my house, especially when I am alone at home. I like the domestic feel and personal approach and I try to convey those intimate moments through the photos. 

9. What made you get into photography?

I don't really know how I got into it. All of the sudden I had this urge to achieve nice pictures

and couldn't stop photographing. I think I have always like it. However my interest developed 

more in 2007. 

10. Do you have any tips for aspiring bloggers that have the same theme as your blog or bloggers in general?

Do what you like regardless of how many views you get, blog to yourself , please yourself and feedback will surely come.

Check out Stefany's blog and be enchanted with it - just like I was!

• The Public Diary [Blog]
• Lookbook
• Flickr
• Tumblr [1]
• Tumblr [2]

Please support her! I hope you get to see how gifted this young woman is, and how her photos can speak a thousand words :)

MONTHLY PLAYLIST: July

DOWNLOAD: BEA | NINA 

The theme for July's playlist is basically about songs that could work as a soundtrack to someone's life if it were a movie. Inspired by the countless films we've seen, we hope you enjoy the songs just as much as we do. Whether you feel like singing your lungs out being the rockstar that you are, or feeling like you're in the middle of an emotional break-up scene on the streets of New York, listen to this playlist. You won't regret it.