baby went to Amsterdam

Amsterdam. A lot of things come to mind when someone mentions they went to Amsterdam, eh? 

Admittedly, it is a very fun town... but the legal-ness of certain things that aren't legal elsewhere aren't really the reason why. Look at it! It's adorable. Amsterdam was originally settled as a fishing village in the late 12th century... so you can see how all of the canals came in pretty handy. As a newcomer, it's quite easy to get lost (which we did even with our iPhone maps) - this canal intersects with that canal; that old brick building on the corner looks like that old brick building on the other corner.  

Unfortunately, we were only there for one night. Fortunately, we got to spend it with other globe-trotting friends of ours who happened to be there at the same time. They had a bit more time there, so they told us about some must-do things.

The Can't-Miss Five, Amsterdam Edition

1. The Red Light District. Because aren't you a little curious? Why not, right?
2. Get on a house boat. Tons of tours. Some of them involve pizza. Some of them involve pizza and beer. I'd choose the latter. 
3. Drink in the icebar, XtraCold. That's right - a bar made of ice. Does it really matter if you're a club goer or bar hopper? No. We're talking about EXPERIENCES, people. 
4. Van Gogh Museum. You have to admit that this was one interesting character. This is supposed to be the best Van Gogh museum out there as it contains the most VG pieces of any museum.
5. Eat Apple Pie. Mr. RP does not believe in the apple pie phenomenon, but I'd say you should give it a shot.  The place to do this is Winkle43.

As far as our trip, we got to wait for a keyboard to be delivered... which led to some serious boredom in the green room. After Rp played an incredible, sell-out show, we went to a couple of bars with our friends and sadly had to call it a night fairly early. Another city and another show the next day. Can't wait to visit again and do all of the things I'm telling you to do!

Until then, enjoy: Backstage boredom, houseboats on houseboats on houseboats, canals on canals on canals, and our faces.

Also, for my last piece of info on this entry... in case you're on the fence or unsure about it, Holland and The Netherlands are the same thing :] I hear people get confused about that. Totally not me. Yeah... not me at all. 

until next time,

b

[post title refers to this song]

road trip

 

for part of the tour we rented a car and drove around Europe to the shows. needless to say... Rp highly enjoyed the autobahn. 

boys and cars. I'll never totally get it. 

most of the drive looked the same... snowy and bleak. however, I would highly recommend this mode of travel around Europe. Super easy and cheaper than flying - especially when you plan to hop between cities every single day.  put this on your to-do list.

on the road playlist: bon iver, alt-j, dirty dancing soundtrack

gangster.

xo,

b

Paris snapshot

Our European adventure/tour kicked off with a night in Paris. This is just a snapshot... much more to come later. The biggest news from the Popes is that we'll be LIVING in Paris for 2 months after the tour. So, while you won't find much here in this post, I wanted to give you guys that little piece of information so that you'll stick with me and follow me around Paris for a while. While it won't be all play (Ron is working on the new album, and I'll be working on the business side of the new album), I am sure we'll find some time to run around and show you the sights. 

For now, here's a glimpse into how the tour started off...

 

We adore Paris! And I'm quickly becoming obsessed with my latest camera acquisition. A point and shoot that gives me a pretty good range of manual functions (Canon G15 for those who are interested). Lightweight, compact, pretty quick on the autofocus... I'm a happy girl. 

Running off to another sound check... only a few more shows this tour!

xoxox,

b

UK catch up

A day off! We finally have a day off! I realize I've been to multiple countries and you haven't heard a peep out of me on here. Forgive me and trust me though! I am taking loads of photos to share with you. I even bought a fun new point-and-shoot that has been helping me out. As a side note, I keep acquiring electronics with a UK plug... maybe I just need to stay.

Another reason for my absence is the aforementioned bus life. Usually, we'd finish with a show super late, get back on the bus, stay up for a few hours chatting, watching movies, or having a nightcap, go to sleep, and then I'd wake up and we'd be parked in some alley of the next city! Then I'd have to scope out the nearest cafe with internet so I could get some work done before the show started. So, sightseeing was minimal unfortunately.

The one place I did get to wander through was Glasgow. I have been itching to get to Scotland, so I was thrilled to wake up, peak out of my little bunk window, and see a beautiful, sunny day... and that we were parked next to the Botanical Gardens. So, I threw on clothes, left behind the laptop and went for a wander. I also met the nicest barista who gave me a free, delicious caramel shortbread (I believe the tiny cafe was named The Kitchen). After a stroll through the gardens, I woke Rp up to go on more adventures. We wandered through town and found an amazing lunch spot, Kember & Jones. It was  exactly what we needed - fresh produce! Gorgeous town - can't wait to go back & explore more of Scotland.

The shows have, of course, been amazing as well. European audiences continue to amaze me!

That's all for now... I'll be back soon

-b  

we're goin' places

February/Paris

a call for help! We've got lots of travel coming up for this ridiculousness that is our job... and I need some suggestions for things to do! I've never been to 99% of these places and I'm more than ecstatic to go.

A few things to keep in mind: we will have a limited time in each of these places (usually just a day!), so if you're familiar with the area let me know if there is something specific that I just have to see/eat/do. Also since we are going to these places on tour, we have a limited budget - so please don't tell me the only/best thing to do is eat the world's greatest caviar. [and please don't tempt me with amazing Champagne! I will surely cave & we'll be stuck in whatever city I find it in. Then I'll be asking for help to bust out of champagne rehab... and we just don't want to go there.]  One other request - I'm talking local shops and food. If it's a major tourist attraction, you don't have to tell me about it (i.e. the eiffel tower).

Ok? and go!

((also, come see us at the shows!!! Tickets: RonPopeMusic.com/Shows))

November: Australia!

1. Melbourne
2. Sydney
3. Brisbane

January: UK/Europe!

1. London, UK
2. Leeds, UK
3. Birmingham, UK
4. Manchester, UK
5. Glasgow, UK
6. Belfast, UK
7. Dublin, Ireland
8. Paris, France
9. Zurich, Switzerland
10. Munich, Germany
11. Antwerp, Belgium
12. Cologne, Germany
13. Frankfurt, Germany
14. Amsterdam, Netherlands
15. Hamburg, Germany
16. Berlin, Germany
17. Copenhagen, Denmark
18. Stockholm, Sweden

I'll be doing my own research, but since some of you are also frequent travelers, why not ask you... ya know? 

As always, I'll be photo documenting for you, so if there is something you just WANT me to do, feel free to include it! 

thanks a mill & a trill.

-b

waking up in Montana

we drove through Montana and couldn't help pulling over to watch this sunset. nothing short of spectacular...

see: live-ness

up close and personal with some live show shots. Happy Sunday!

©DancePanda Photography 2012

choices

Hey party people.

If you follow me on anything or know me personally, you are probably aware that we're going back on the road in just over two weeks! Excitement! I honestly have some mixed emotions on this fact, but I do love seeing your singing faces at the shows. If you haven't seen tour dates yet - you best get on that HERE. 

SO - down to business. I need a new camera bag. I know it sounds boring, but it's not, I swear. Well, maybe it is, but I still need your help. If you aren't aware, people are making all sorts of purse-like bags that protect the cam gear AND can double as a purse if they are made functionally enough. I'm not talking go out in my cutest outfit purse, but can 100% work for a show night. They make them for boys too, but at the moment I only care about myself. But I can't pick... help! Narrowed down to the following:

1. 2 Sues Kelly Moore bag

2. Posey Kelly Moore bag

3. Ginger Epiphanie bag

4. Georgia Herringbone Jo Totes bag

5. Brooklyn Epiphanie bag

#1 is ginormous, but incredibly functional; #2 is cute, small, & functional, but I don't love the flap; #3 is pretty great; #4 is the cheapest, but doesn't look like it could really double as a purse; #5 can hold my laptop AND camera gear AND can be a back pack BUT is the most expensive... also that one isn't very purse like... but I think I could make it work.

whatdoya think? comment/email/facebook. and go! 

Le Lake.

I've really enjoyed being away from everything this month. As much as I am enamored with New York, it's fair to have a break once in a while. We have space, sunshine, and happy hours on a dock here. We might not have someone to deliver us thai food at 2AM, but we do have that stuff. Check it.