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Okay, we all know the real reason thousands of people head to Coachella every year: to show off their meticulously crafted hipster festival outfits the music. But there’s a lot more to Coachella than your favorite bands. Goldenvoice is bringing the festival to a whole new level this year. From the delish food to the ridiculously awesome art, just make you sure you don’t forget to actually see some music!

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1)   Craft beer

Anyone who has spent time slurping down beers in the Heineken tent between sets will admit Coachella needs to step up their beer game. And this year, they have, with a craft beer barn. A whole barn of beer! Seriously though, they have a beer curator who has selected 120-150 beers on tap. Yum.

2)  Food

Coachella is also stepping it up this year food wise. A bunch of delish LA eateries will be setting pop-up versions of their restaurants. For vegans, vegos and carnivores alike, there’ll certainly be something delicious for everyone. From upscale Mexican food to fresh sushi, get ready for real gourmet. For a complete guide check out: this comprehensive guide.

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3)  Art

Second only to the music at Coachella is the awesome art. At what other music festival are you going to find roaring mechanical dragons that spit fire and giant crackling Tesla coils? The art at Coachella gets better and better every year and I’m sure 2014 is going to bring it.

4) Yard games you haven’t played since elementary school

Remember all those awesome recess games that made coming to school worth it? Well get ready for a big dose of nostalgia. Throughout the weekend, Coachella is hosting some old school favorites like four square, dodgeball and relay races.

5)   Snowball fight

Yes, you read that right. Coachella is bringing SNOW to the desert. Like the cold, hard, white stuff. This is happening Thursday night in the campground area. What better way to meet your new campmates than throwing a fat snowball in their face?

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6)   Donation Station

If your camping gear survives the weekend without getting totally trashed, consider donating it to local charities. Just leave it in one of the marked containers near the showers at the end of the fest. I’m sure someone would love some gently used camping gear with all those good Coachella vibes all over it. Just make sure you’ve cleaned off all the Coachella… everything else.

7)   Pedicabs

Feet tired from all that dancing? No worries. Grab one of the bicycle cabs roaming around the fest. These are free, but don’t forget to tip your driver!

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8)   Free supermarket shuttles

Even though Coachella is kicking ass with the food selection this year, eating at the food tents can get pricey. Lucky for you, there’s FREE shuttles to the local supermarket so you can stock up on cheap grub.

9)   Farmers Market in the campgrounds

There’s no better way to combat the physical toll Coachella takes on your body than some good fruit & veg. Get your produce kick at the farmer’s market located in the campgrounds.

10)   Silent Disco

From afar silent discos look completely ridiculous. A bunch of people dancing offbeat to music only they can hear. But they are actually a brilliant idea. After the shows finish, campers that are pooped can head to sleep while those that want to keep the party going can do so without keeping everyone up. (Also, if you’ve ever wondered what you look like at a silent disco..)

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What are your favorite things to see at Coachella besides the music? Drop us a comment below or find us on Facebook and Twitter!

It’s that time of year again. Coachella season is upon us. This is a bittersweet time of the year for me, because I get so excited about the Coachella buzz that infiltrates the Internet in the form of awesome new music. But at the same time I’m pretty bummed, because just like last year and the year before, I won’t be making it down to Indio this April. As this is my third year out of the country I’ve gotten pretty used to missing out on the fest, but for my first couple of Coachella-less years I literally broke down in sporadic tears thinking of all my friends soaking up the sun on the Polo Grounds. That might seem a little extreme for some people (especially those that haven’t gotten to experience a Coachella) but let me paint a picture for you.

The Coachella experience begins (for me at least) long before that fated weekend in April. It starts months before, receiving my wristband in the mail and the special day (not unlike Christmas) when you turn on your computer and there it is, the Coachella lineup. A smorgasbord of  some of the world’s best bands and DJs. From the headliners with those songs that you know every word to, down to the itty bitty opening bands that you can’t wait to discover. Enough variety to satisfy every musical palate.

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Then comes the actual weekend. Piling into the car for the the long drive down, honking at other cars with “carpoolchella” scribbled all over them. Finally arriving at the grounds and entering the festival, knowing you have a full weekend ahead of you is probably the best feeling. Seeing everyone’s crazy festival outfits, laughing at the girls wearing boots and fur on a 100 degree day. Laying in the grass, planning out your schedule, drinking overpriced beer, it’s all part of the fun. Lazing away the afternoon until the sun sets over the gorgeous desert sky and the party begins.

Okay, so maybe I miss Coachella a little. If you are lucky enough to be an owner of a Coachella wristband, listen up. Here’s my tips for having the best Coachella possible:

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 1)   Don’t Miss the Small Bands

The good news: The Coachella lineup is so chock full of amazing bands. The bad news: You’ve probably haven’t heard of all of them. Or maybe you have? If you do your research before the festival you have a chance to catch some seriously awesome bands without the ridiculous crowds.  We saw Ellie Goulding one lazy afternoon at one of the side tents with a small, chill crowd. Something tells me that won’t be happening this year.

2)   Get There Early

Gates open at 11am each day so to maximize your Coachella time, get in early. Security lines can be long, especially on the first day, so plan on a bit of a wait. Driving into the fest and parking can be an absolute shit show, so consider shuttling in if you’re staying at a nearby hotel.

It can be tempting to sleep in, especially after a night of partying, but try make an early move. The earlier you get there, the more bands you can squeeze in and the more awesome music you’ll hear, and that what its really about, isn’t it? Besides, you can always take a nap in the grass.

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3 & 4) Sunscreen & Toilet Paper. Bring Them!

5) Coachella App

Hurray! We can finally ditch those little paper schedules that end up ripped and wet. They didn’t actually have this app when I went to Coachella, but I will definitely be taking advantage of this next time. The app includes a comprehensive festival map and allows you to make a personalized schedule with alert reminders so you don’t miss your favorite bands.

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6) Layers

Coachella is in the middle of Palm Desert, so prepare for desert weather. The days can get hot and although you won’t get away with running around naked (who can forget the naked wizard?), you can pretty much wear anything you want. Bring layers because it does cool down at night. The weather can be unpredictable with occasional rain and sandstorms, but normally the days are summery and the nights just a bit chilly. Throw some extra layers in your bag and you can always stuff them in the super handy lockers they have on site.

 7) Water

Bring a reusable water bottle or buy a plastic bottle for $2 at the venue. Then enjoy liters and liters of free water! Yay! Refill at one of the hydration stations. These change a bit every year, but are usually fairly organized.

So follow these tips and have one of the best weekends of the whole year. Talk to strangers, enjoy the music and live it up cause it’s f@*king Coachella baby!!

One thing that I deeply miss while backpacking is real homegrown San Francisco music. After spending ten months away from home I was eager to get back to the Bay Area for a good dose of live shows. Not that I hadn’t had my fair share of hot Latin tunes, but I was a little salsa and mariachi’d out. So when my good friend Lauren invited me to a Sofar Sounds San Francisco gig hosted in someone’s living room, I was practically drooling at the idea of some sweet live music.

The concept of Sofar Sounds was created by a couple of English guys who were sick of going to shows and not being able to enjoy the music because of loud and obnoxious crowds. They started the first Sofar Sounds in London and began inviting musicians to come play in friends’ living rooms. The brilliant concept has spread worldwide to 55 cities (and growing) with shows as far as South America, Australia, and China. The shows are all donation based and the bands and organizers work for free. Because Sofar wants to keep the shows to a reasonable size, the location and time is only announced the day of the show to a limited number of people whose RSVPs have been accepted. To receive this information you need to get on the email list, but due to the high demand not everyone is admitted. If you don’t get in the first round, don’t sweat. Ask to volunteer at a show or offer up your living room as a venue! For more info on that check out their website and sign up to their newsletter.

On the night of the show, we only recognized the venue from the telltale handful of hipsters milling about out front. Otherwise the loft, hidden within a converted Sears warehouse in a semi-sketchy part of San Francisco, would have been totally inconspicuous. I wasn’t sure what to expect from my first Sofar Sounds, but from what I had been told, it was the place to be tonight.

The shows are fairly exclusive, but I was lucky enough to get in with Lauren who works with the SF organizer. If I hadn’t been her +1, I’m not sure I would have made it on the list. As we walked in the loft, a coolness permeated the air that resonated in the crowd from the ironic facial hair, down to the vegan leather booties. We spotted some floor space in the very front. The room was filling quickly, so we pulled out our pillows and plopped onto the floor, eager to hear some tunes.

The first band was The Herbert Bail Orchestra, a quirky Edward Sharpe-esque folk band from LA. Comprised of seven youngish men, none of whom are Herbert Bail, they looked like they had blindly chosen their clothes from the thrift store bin and still managed to look effortlessly hip.

There set was surprisingly awesome. Not that they didn’t look like particularly good musicians, I just wasn’t expecting to be so impressed by a band I was hearing for free in a converted Sears warehouse. But they managed to the rock the shit out of that loft. The word orchestra in their name is more than fitting, with a smorgasbord of instruments onstage including the accordion, trumpet and banjo.

The lead singer was battling a cough, taking gulps of cough syrup between songs, but he managed to belt out the lyrics anyway. After their set the band handed out free download cards for their album, which I can now confirm is also awesome.

Next up was The Tambo Rays, a four-person chill pop band from Oakland. The guitarist sings with his younger sister (seriously, how cute is that?) who rocked out on the keyboard with two friends on the bass & drums. You can tell they’re better suited to a plugged in set, but they still jammed out their psychedelic tunes. During the set the keyboardist passed around her old school Nickelodeon Gack camera for the audience to take some snaps. It was silly and fun and something you just don’t get at regular shows.

The last act of the night was Anthony Hall, a solo musician whose acoustic guitar was perfect for the venue. His long ponytail suggested hippy, but his songs were far from Grateful Dead covers. His original music is catchy and his lyrics are clever. He interjected each song with funny anecdotes and tales of lost love, leaving the female audience members (and probably some male) swooning.

The vibe turned heavy when he played a song about losing someone close to him and the crowd became quiet and pensive. But he quickly lightened the mood by playing a personal childhood favorite, “the Bear Necessities,” that’s right, from the Jungle Book. His set was scheduled to end there, but it was clear the crowd was craving just a little bit more. He wrapped up the night with two songs that just felt so San Francisco: slowed down versions of  R&B classics Usher and Blackstreet. Fully transported back to 1997, he had all of us nostalgically singing along.

When he finished, the crowd was left with a warm music high. Not ready to leave yet, most people stood around chatting until they started making their way out to the street and heading home, buzzing off good music and a real sense of community.

I won’t try to pretend that my hometown, Menlo Park, CA is anywhere nearly as exciting as some of the cities I’ve traveled to. Let’s face it, it doesn’t quite have the European charm of Paris, the action of a bustling Latin American capital city or the relaxation of a Caribbean beach town. Still, it’s the perfect place to come back to after a whirlwind trip of backpacking the globe, the perfect place to call home. So if you do find yourself with a day or two in our little city, be sure to follow these do’s and don’ts.

DO: Have breakfast at Ann’s cafe. Stepping into Ann’s is like stepping into the kitchen of the Brady Bunch. Skip the cramped booths and grab a stool at the fading yellow Formica counter. The decor has obviously has been there since the 60’s and so it seems have most of the people. Retro pastel paintings line the wall and regulars keep their nose in the paper, slurping down coffee.

DO: Order the pancakes. Arguably the best item in the menu and consistently light and buttery.

DON’T: Leave without grabbing a slice of their pie to go. Rhubarb recommended.

DO: Get your book nerd on at Kepler’s. This independent bookstore almost bit the dust in 2005 but the community rallied in support and saved it. It’s famous for its midnight Harry Potter release parties. The staff would turn the entire store into a magical spot for kids and adults who were still hoping to get their invite to Hogwarts.

DON’T: Compare the prices to Amazon. Yes it’s more expensive. Yes it’s worth it. Consider it a small donation to save the independent bookstore and to keep personal customer service alive so we don’t become mindless internet drones.

DO: Try to get a tour of the new Facebook headquarters. Yes, Facebook is more synonymous with Harvard and Palo Alto, but Facebook has recently moved its headquarters to Menlo Park so now we can make it our claim to fame. Employees are encouraged to invite family and friends over for a meal on “campus.” Enjoy the daily special in the cafeteria or eat at one of the many restaurants. Burritos, sushi, in house smoked meat? No problem. And leave your wallet at home cause it’s all free.

DON’T: Stare at the Zuck. Mark Zuckerburg has an office on the ground floor with floor to ceiling windows. Don’t look like a tourist, play it cool and you can brag about it on Facebook later.

DO: Take in an afternoon pitcher at the Dutch Goose. Known to Menlo Parkians as the “Goose,” this is Menlo Park’s version of a dive bar. The booths inside are covered with graffiti and empty peanut shells line the floor. Although it can get a bit rowdy on weekend nights, it’s mostly a family spot. Local little league teams have end of season dinners here while at the next table groups of Stanford students imbibe cheap beer and hamburgers. The patio outside is heated and the pool table is usually free.

DON’T: Be afraid to engrave your name into the wood lacquered table, if you can find a space.

DO: Grab a nightcap at Borrone’s. Cafe Borrone is Menlo Park’s sweetheart. A family run cafe where, despite a constant rotation of servers, they’ll know your name after a couple visits. On Friday nights the Clint Baker all star band fills the cafe with lively jazz.  Watch skilled servers deliver hot plates to hungry tables, dodging dancers swinging their partners to the bass line.

DO: Order a glass of wine from Napa Valley and indulge in one of their decadent desserts. The 7 secret ingredient cookie is a favorite. (I’ll give you 3- coconut, pecan and chocolate chip,but you’ll have to guess the rest yourself.) As well as the Frutta di Bosco, imported straight from Italy.

DON’T: Expect a party. Borrone’s closes at 11 and now that their neighboring bar, the only bar in Menlo Park with a dance floor, has been closed it’s best to just call it a night early.

Standing at the corner of Union & Webster, the inner geek of this city might not be immediately visible. Trendy couples spill out of street side cafes, sipping smart cocktails and peering over matching Ray Bans at their matching blackberries. Chic twenty-somethings bump music on their headphones from newly leaked albums. But underneath the hip music and the fresh fashion lies the pulsing heart of a secret nerd. Think less AV club and pocket protectors and more black rimmed glasses and experimental DJ sets. It may take a bit of work to uncover, but it’s worth it to get your nerd on in San Francisco. Here’s our San Francisco nerd guide:

Rickshaw Stop – Nerd Nite

Every Wednesday night one of the best musical venues in the city, the Rickshaw Stop, hosts what it describes as “the Discovery Channel with beer.” Topics change every week but are always informative with a healthy dose of pop culture. They’ve hosted talks on everything from DIY Drones to surviving the zombie apocalypse. The speakers can get pretty technical; if you find yourself needing a break the bar serves strong drinks and there’s skeeball upstairs.

Academy of Sciences Nightlife

This popular Thursday night event mixes two things SF does best: museums and alcohol. With classy cocktail in hand, you can experience the museum in an adult setting- its 21+ so no rug rats to block your view of the aquarium. Don’t miss the Planetarium, a dome shaped theater with a a full IMAX screen that completely surrounds you in visuals of outer space. Who didn’t dream of becoming an astronaut when they were a kid? The planetarium passes are handed out (for free) separately so be sure to get there within the first half hour as they sell out quickly. The event also features a musical lineup every week which can vary from up and coming DJs to local music festival pre-parties

826 Valencia

This nonprofit literary center, founded by local author Dave Eggers, will unleash your inner swash buckler. Students from all over SF schools collaborate to create books, magazines and newspapers with the help of teachers and tutors. The center runs a Pirate Supply store up front to help keep all programs free to students. In addition to the conventional eye patches and hooks, you can pick up some serious booty in the form of mermaid bait, siren silencers and scurvy be-gone. Don’t forget to grab a collection of short stories and poetry written by the students. And, if time permits, this is a ridiculously fun spot to volunteer.

Ourshelves 

This pop up library in the Mission doesn’t include a librarian with horn rimmed glasses incessantly shushing you, I promise. In fact Ourshelves encourages members to use the space as they please. This means book clubs, open mic nights and whatever else you can think of is fair game. Membership costs are on a sliding scale; the idea being that anyone who wants to read, can, regardless of financial situation. Local authors and book nerds curate a constantly rotating selection.

Cartoon Art Museum

Ok Marvel nerds, get excited. From Looney Tunes to your favorite superheroes, this museum covers it all. They approach the subject as a serious art form, so don’t expect to go from wall to wall reading the Sunday funnies (although they have those too). Insightful and fun exhibits have included 60 years of Mad Magazine cartoons and “No Straight Lines: 4 Decades of Queer Comics.”

Cable Car Power Plant

Cable cars in San Francisco? Cheesy and touristy. Cable car power plant? Awesome. Downstairs from the Cable Car Museum on Washington & Mason is the power plant which runs the entire trolley system. From the balcony you can overlook the industrial wheels that continuously spit out cables for each of the lines. It’s a rush to watch this mechanical epicenter pump out transportation for locals commuting to work along California Ave and amusement for exited tourists about to board their first trolley ride. Engineering nerds will eat this up.

Honorable mention: The Exploratorium: This interactive museum is a San Francisco favorite and has recently reopened at Pier 15. Definitely worth the $25 ticket price to spend a day exploring science hands on.