Guest written by Team Members Shannon Nonora & Grace Tierney
The Zoon Garden Team has spent a lot – and I mean a lot – of time on the road this summer. This time has been spent working remotely, reaching out to publicists, designing updated itineraries in compliance with COVID-19 restrictions, and, of course, belting classic Disney songs while the highway flashes past. Jake Harris, the team's manager and resident "skoolie" driver, happily identifies as the team's DJ while on the road.
Here are just a couple of the jams that the team has been screaming along to.
1) Hakuna Matata -Lion King
2) Coming in Hot -Andy Mineo
3) Fitzpleasure -Alt Jay
4) Under Pressure -Queen
5) Feeling Good -Nina Simone
6) Anything Hardcore EDM/Techno
In Big Bear, California, the team held a going away dance party for Creative Director, Jonah Baker. But this was not a hook-your-phone-up-to-the-speaker kind of dance party. Harris pulled out all the stops. He grabbed his headphones and mixer and set up his DJ booth in the corner of the room. Not only is Jake the life of the party, but his DJ skills got mad respect from all of the interns (despite their inevitable complaints when hardcore EDM blasted on the speaker for hours on end). Feeling both a glowing admiration for someone and a mild irritation with them at times -- now, that's how you know you're really close.
As the trip continues, the team grows closer every day. A team of once very different people with very different interests has evolved into a family of individuals who share and explore their interests with each other. For example, many started out with different music tastes, but they have slowly started to adopt each other's favorite songs. Shannon Nonora, a Media and Marketing Specialist for the Zoon Garden team, says, "I went home with a playlist filled with song suggestions from everyone on the team. Songs fit for driving through the Grand Canyon, jamming out in downtown Nashville, or watching the sun go down after a sunset hike. The only thing better than meeting 17 new friends was getting a bunch of new music to fit with the memories."
From the long car rides blasting throwbacks and Disney music to the EDM dance parties, you can be sure that the team is enjoying their time on the road and picking up more music with each place they go.
