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foureyes presents:
drivelogue
ON
HIATUS! ________[06.12.2007]_________________________________ Spent Memorial Day in
Oshvegas. Big ups to Hecubus for inviting me to throw down a set at OblioÕs
with him. Twas heavy of duty and definitely fun having MC
Balance on the mic.
It was equally terrific to see so many familiar, bright, and smiling
faces Friday evening. WeÕll definitely have to do it again sometime. Many
thanks to the LaskyÕs for hosting us once again. Courtney did an admirable
job of protecting a bottle of J&B in the bar, though I was sad not to see
the bev-cart make an appearance.
The LaskyÕs throw what has to be one of the rocking-rollinest Memorial
Day parties. The band was
outstanding, the drinks were delicious, the company great looking and prone
to putting up with me, and the badminton tournament was terrific except
Joshua Herman totally cheated.
Check out the photos of all the fun: (photos) Went to Grand
Old Day and saw Tapes nÕ Tapes, which was very cool. We had
never been before, man what a chachfest! Seriously. The only thing it was
missing was some fratboy with a hat made out of an empty case of Busch Light.
I did get to see Bob though. Bob is awesome. Additionally, there were many
tight shirts regardless of gender. If you are into tight shirts, go to GOD.
IÕll probably go again next year as it was actually pretty fun. It reminded
me of Mifflin Street Block Party if my parentÕs had
thrown it. Afterward we went to Sample Room and hung out with Sally and drank
organic wine. (photos) Last Thursday Dre and I
both took off work to enjoy the day. We walked downtown from our place
snapping photos of crap we see everyday but never take photos of. Gold Medal
Park is very nice...I look forward to seeing it at night. We had a pint at KieranÕs
in honor of Gerg & Marie. If you donÕt recall, it was WICKED windy
that day, even more so downtown. We enjoyed watching people walk to the ends
of blocks into the wind tunnels of the streets and practically being blown
over. We saw the umbrella in front of Masa get picked up and blown around,
also funny. (photos) NE Block Party was last
Saturday and appeared to be a resounding success. Many thanks to Kim for
making it happen, it was a great time. God damn! I love ChooglinÕ!
I wasnÕt loving the $4 cans of Premium or whatever it was, nor the expensive
SchellÕs either. ŅBlock partyÓ doesnÕt generally mean Ņbend overÓ prices on
otherwise cheap beer, hopefully theyÕll be able to lighten-up a bit next
year. Luckily I lived 20 feet away and had deep pockets for part of the
night. (photos) This weekend is jam-packed
with terrific events. Friday is Brewers v TwinÕs at the Dome, Walker After Hours, and late night MOTOR! Saturday evening at the Nomad, Home is bringing in Lars Behrenroth
with Ack opening, and all weekend long is the Stone Arch
Arts Festival on St Anthony Main, I will be at the game, followed
by the Motor show afterward as I am a big fan of the new LP. This will be the
first WAC afterhours weÕve missed since either of us moved here (old and new
event), but the motor show is worth it. Please do not forget this Sunday is
FatherÕs Day. We continue to plan for
Jenny and BrianÕs event in Tahoe and look forward to partying on the lake. Italy itinerary is done,
flights and rail are booked, if anyone wants to meet in Rome for dinner, let
us know (IÕm looking in your directing Pope). Park & Rec and the
Walker announced the music and movie lineups for movies in Loring Park. Movies in StevenÕs
Square has begun and with some fun fun movies this year. Sadly Bring It
On! Was the first film and we missed it. NE Movies
in the park has kicked off as well, happening Tuesdays in the amphitheater at
Edison High this year. How Starship Troopers is a family oriented movie, I am
not sure. Perhaps it is the edited version. The city is doing a
symposium/info meeting regarding the rollout of the municipal wireless system Thursday evening at
the Central Library, Gerg and I are going I believe. Finally, in place of WAC
afterhours, I think Andrea and I will be going to this event as we love the MIA and StevenÕs
Square/Eat Street. Consider going. They have drinks IÕm told. ________[05.21.2007]_________________________________ It would appear I have been tagged. While I find this to be the weblog
equivalent of a chain letter or email forward, I will never shy away from an
opportunity to talk about myself.
So there you have it. If my teeth fall out of
my head, or I put french fries on my sandwiches, or punch you in the face
after pouring my coffee from too high a heightÉyouÕll know why. Ok, short but sweet goings-on: Surly is debuting their new brew, CynicALE next
Tuesday. Be there. MichelleÕs Fashion show was a hit. Saw some
people IÕd met during the semester at happy hours and evenings out, did not
recognize them. (movie) Bryn and Mike are getting married, still. How
did they get these photo if they havenÕt had a wedding yet? Practice. Art-A-Whirl. Art-A-Fun! Went out with Marie
Greg, and their friend whose real name I am not sure of. Hit Fox Tax Gallery,
MCP, 331,
Peacock Lounge,
Vita.mn party @
the Casket Arts building, then home. Saturday I did gym, a gallery
run by some people we met at our neighborhood association meeting, then Jana
and I hit GrumpyÕs NE for their annual bash, which had to
be the highlight of the weekend as I got to see a bunch of friends, some
great bands and the bottom of a few PBRs. Chooglin is the best band in Minneapolis. Forget Tapes &
Tapes, forget The Hold Steady (even though they donÕt even live here anymore)
it is all about Chooglin.
Mark told me they were terrific and now I believe. Went home after Gee is for
Jesus who were also quite good and took a nap. Woke up 2 hours later, walked
outside (to head to see DO at Heliotrope at the Ritz)
and was slapped with the fact that it was now 30 degrees cooler then when I
went inside. Dallas
Orbiter was awesome, as was the proceeding band. Went out for a
whiskey after, went to bed. Sunday: NKB,
Bulldog, California Building, MichelleÕs post graduation
BBQ, bed. Fun weekend. (photos) Jana is organizing a game of pirate kickball.
Call her. Jay Demerit will be in town this week. Gerg & Marie are going to Ireland next
week. WeÕll be in Oshkosh for the Lasky affair this
weekend (come to OblioÕs Saturday night to see Hec and I burn
the mixer and piss on the records, MC Balance back on the microphone. Check.
Check-it.) ThatÕs it folks. Listening to: Feist: The Reminder Battles: Mirrored Hot Chip: DJ Kicks Hall & Oates: Daryl Hall and John Oats Olivia Newton John: Anthology Watching: Nashville Mean Streets The Harder They Come Broadway Danny Rose ________[05.06.2007]_________________________________ 145 years ago yesterday, a
contingent of the French Army was defeated mightily at the Battle of Puebla
by a group of handsome Mexican cobblers lead by General
Ignacio Zaragoza Segu’n, a banjo playing shoemaker from
Jalisco, using nothing but garden spades and limes. A common misconception is
that Cinco de Mayo is the celebration of Mexican independence, which it isnÕt
(Mexican Independence Day is September 16th Wiki tells me). Funny
story though, 5 days after the MexicanÕs defeated the French Army at Puebla,
the French Army returned and took Mexico City installing a puppet Emperor. So
Cinco de Mayo is a total sham. Anyway, we plan on celebrating with our
neighbors and some work friends by watching the De La Hoya/Mayweather fight
and drinking XX. Last week, the DemeritÕs
invited us to a fun and fried food filled evening watching the Twins. We had
a terrific time, the weather was lovely under the dome, and the seats
provided a great view of the action. Prior to the game we ate the greasiest
meal of my life at Grumpies that included fried mac & cheese, wings, and
skins. It was AWESOME good and made me feel exquisitely shitty the next day.
It might have been comforting if Santana had gotten a win. Next time. Friday was Ņparty like
idiotsÓ day. Big ups to Tim & Megan on the new house (NORDEAST!) and for
throwing such a bomb-ass pre-house-warming party. First-rate idea. My deepest
apologies to the fianceed couple for putting my foot through the storm
window. My foot did not technically go into the glass, but I am guilty
nonetheless. Charades were played, ridiculous amounts of good cold beer was
consumed, and tasty iced cream sandwiches were munched upon sloppily. Having
smashed the damn window though, I know just what to get the couple for a
housewarming gift. (photos) We went to the Living Green Expo
at the State Fairgrounds Sunday morning. It was very cool, we met some great
people, learned about some new and exciting processes, received terrific
info, and most importantly I saw ClanceyÕs make sausages. We wish we could
have stayed all day, but we made the most of our few hours there. (photos) Andrea had a photo shoot
today for MichelleÕs senior show. Mrs. DeMerit will be graduating this month
from St Kates, and as a fashion student she is responsible for a senior
collection to be exhibited at a fashion show next weekend. I will post some
photos here shortly from the photo-shoot. Considering the locale and the fact
that Todd and I were the only males there, I felt like I was keeping a
haremÉa harem that was about as disinterested in me as could be possible in a
harem I suppose. (photos) Here is a video of the Pearsons and Demerits rocking out
to Justin Timberlake. (big ups to cameraman Todd) ________[04.14.2007]_________________________________ Sorry for the lapse folks.
It's been a nutty and relatively thrifty month, but I've finally found some
time to write up some schtuff. Despite March's insistence
that spring had sprung, mother nature is a dirty liar and we've gotten the
usual backhand from her here in the Midwest. Seems only weeks ago it was
sunny and 85 damn degrees (oh yeah, it was). I hate wearing coats, though I
do appreciate being able to rock my handsome collection of scarves for a few
extra weeks. At this point, my skin is just super-thirsty for sunlight. Andrea and I celebrated our first wedding
anniversary this past Thursday by working long hours and giving each other
thank you cards. It was adorable. Thanks to everyone who sent cards, made
phone calls, sent emails and well wishes! This weekend looks to be
boss weather-wise, but there is a list sitting on the kitchen counter Andrea
has yet to present me with, though I know she is biding her time. I see such
events as "buy dress @ j. crew", "get eye shadow from
MAC", and "get patch for jeans from Tatters." Noticeably
absent are, "buy scotch for husband" and "give husband
suggestive backrub". Me thinks that iteration of the list will not
materialize until my own list including "stop giving wife hell about not
shaving her legs" and "give wife foot-rub she's been asking for for
6 years" is written. Tonight we're going to The Loop
to celebrate with Magroo, Guillermo, and The Brit. Should be fun to see all
the aBters. Our goal is to retire early from that event to relax this
evening. Tomorrow we are hitting the Science Museum with Tim and Megan, checking out
the Wild Music
and Race
exhibits using the previously mentioned Museum
Adventure Pass. I hope to make it over to Little
Szechuan for some of the most talked about food in town afterward. Following a little UWO Alumni
happy hour in St Louis Park, I was able to get Craftsman
off my list of must-try spots with some dinner with Gerg and Marie, and while
the meal was not disappointing, it was also not what I had hoped for. I love
venison in all its forms, and the cut of leg I had at Craftsman was very
good, however the accompanying caramelized onions had far too much vinegar in
them, completely overpowering the dish. The yams were there, and pretty, but
likewise under-flavored if they were expected to compete with the onions. Oddfellows
(RIP) keeps its crown as best venison preparation I've had in the cities.
Marie had the polenta, which I tried and was very good. Andrea ordered an old
fashioned that was watered down, and generally not very good (Town Talk
still smokes the competition in the old fashioned department). A great room
with prairie-style accents and craft features that I love. I will give it
another chance; I figure they were just having an off night. Alex
Roberts, head chef and part owner of Alma
(and 2007 James
Beard Nominee), announced his intention to take over the old Bikes
& Bun's locale in NE next to Wilde Roast, installing Brasa Rotisserie. His interview on the Strib
podcast was very good, I recommend it if you can find it. Rhiannon has
started working at Alma, which I hope will help me get a part time job
working at Alex's new place. Speaking of the Wilde Roast,
they have a new breakfast menu that is pretty similar to their old one and
still looks delicious and they plan on rolling out a new lunch menu later
this month. I've been exchanging emails with Kim Bartmann and she has asked
that those of us that live in the area show up at the public hearing to
determine the fate of her new NE supper club's liquor license. Since you
can't have a supper club without a Manhattan,
this is vital. I will post once we get the notice in the mail. This week is Twin Cities Original's Restaurant Week the
proceeds of which will go to the Minneapolis Public Library, so you know
we'll be helping out. One last note, if you are in the neighborhood on a
Wednesday, stop into Mairin's Table on 1st Ave NE for the ribs. They
only have them on Wednesdays and they are unbelievably good. Dry rub, meat
isn't all lacquered in a too-sweet sauce than makes your teeth hurtÉvery
good. Andrea, Jenny, and Brian
ran in the Trailbreaker half-marathon in the quaint burg of Waukesha
Wisconsin two weekends ago. The
Trailbreaker, I was told from those waiting with us at the finish line, is
one of the 20 toughest runs in the U.S. (due in part to the 100 ft bell tower
one is expected to ascend and descend on the course). This was AndreaÕs first
distance run and she was magnificent (as were Jenny and Brian). Finishing 13 miles in just under 2.5
hours, she now has a mark to beat. Dre was exhausted at the end of her run
but was able to muster a smile and throw back a couple beers. Yes, along with
trail mix and popcorn and other blood glucose boosting foods and drinks, they
served beer (a passable carbohydrate). 6 barrels of beer. I love Wisconsin. I
will say this; nothing will make you disinterested in running distance runs
faster than dudes crossing the finish line with bloody nipples. EGAD! Check out these photos from the race. I was finally able to see
Children of Men recently and can honestly say it is the best movie I have
seen in the last 6 months that wasn't a documentary. In the days following
the viewing, I have caught myself daydreaming about the movie, it's
characters, and the frightening similarities to current events that could
make that reality our reality (drug resistant clap). We watched Babel last
night, and while good, I did not feel it had the passion of Amores Perros. If
you've not seen Amores Perros, go get it and thank me later. PS. Both of
these movies were about a thousand times better than Crash (the newer one), a
movie I found to be lame. We also watched Stranger Than Fiction, and while
the script seemed to have an agenda in some elements, it was well written,
well acted, and well filmed. We've been watching Planet Earth on the
Discovery Channel the last three weeks, and it is outstanding ammo in my
battle to get an HDTV mounted in our living room (and more importantly a Wii
attached to it). Speaking of Wii, many
thanks to John and Paula for having us over on Easter to hunt for Easter
eggs, eat goodies, and play Wii! We had a terrific time as always. Andrea and I were lucky
enough to host Jenny and Brian on a weekend visit to Minneapolis this weekend
past. Always great to have guests, and we love these guys so it was fun as
heck to have them here. Friday night we took it relatively easy, having a
couple beers at NE Bulldog then some cocktails at Nye's.
Saturday we really tore things up starting with a trip to Eat
Street for some bloodies and small plates at Azia followed by a
skip over to the MIA
to see the new wing, the new design galleries, and the psychedelic photo and
Peter Max concert poster exhibit in the photo wing. Followed that up with a
trip to uptown for a drink with a shark in it and beers at the Independent
(also a little bit of getting my ass handed to me in darts). Rolled back to
NE for a couple pizzas from Punch, some gussying up, then off for cocktails
at Temple
with Brian's homeboy from Elementary school, Reven: a solid dude. Introduced
myself to "Girl
Friday" Alexis who pitched Temple's new happy hour, so we'll
be back for that. Rolled over to Masa for margaritas and dinner with the
DeMerits. Oh the Bohemias
and mezcals
were flowing. Dinner was very good, though I will need to try something other
than the steak one of these days. After dinner drinks were had at Brit's
including shots and something and something and things get really blurry
during Brit's.
I remember a dart game falling apart and a photo I took of a beefeater-shaped lamp reminded me that I'd made
out with it. Reven saw where this was going and high-tailed it back to SLP
and somehow we arrived at Jitters where we met up with some of Michele's
friends whom I have about 600 photos of for no reason. The band playing was
terrific and we drank many a Stella it would have appeared. I seem to recall
shots at the end of the bar with Brian and then...the Front. Andrea loves The
Front. I like the Front. I know we went to the Front, but I can't say I
recall being at The Front. What I do remember is paying to go into Ground Zero and walking into another world I
never knew existed just a few feet from our place. It was incredible. We were
the only people there not in leather. Industrial music lives on apparently.
We stayed for about 2 minutes. At some point Jenny and Andrea got kicked out
of the Front, much to Brian and I's surprise, so we went to Bulldog, didn't
order a thing, I got yelled at by the bouncer for having poor control over
the shuffleboard puck, the entire crew of us walked back to our place,
apparently I gave beers to people that didn't like to drink beer
as I found full ones in the living room the next morning (and an empty one in
front of our building...Andrea), and at some point I went to bed. The next
morning I had a fantastic brunch at Spoonriver,
still drunk. The waitress knew it, the owner knew it, the entire riverfront
knew it. Great smoked salmon omelet. Rolled to the Southside to hang with John,
Paula and a grip of peoples. Rhiannon showed up dressed as Jesus, which was totally hilarious. Damn, I
love playing Wii.
Did some Thai takeout for dins and loafed like no one has ever loafed before.
I don't think any of us moved more than 10 feet the entire evening. Such a
fun weekend. I haven't had that much booze in me since two NYEs ago, when I
quit drinking for 4 months following. As much as I love you guys, Jenny and
Brian, my liver has asked you not visit again for at least 2 months so it can
heal. Checkout these photos from the weekend. On the music tip, I have
fallen in love with The Field. I pulled it down after Pitchfork
gave the record a 9.X (is anyone else perplexed by all the Pitchfork love for
electronic music? I suppose it started with Boards of Canada, but they should
probably go back in time and rate some great records they ignored). The first
time I listened to The Faith I couldn't decide if the sound was glitchy on
purpose or was a bad rip. The more I listened the more nuances I heard and
loved. This record along with Motor's new one are the hotness for workouts
lately. Also bought the new Junior Boys remix EP
which is also very good but nowhere near as good as the last two original
records. Great to hear a Hot Chip remix though. LTJ Bukem show coming up this Wednesday @
Foundation. Do not miss it. Saint Paul Saints
Season begins soon, catch the fever. Movies in the park is just
4 months away! When is Dinosaur Jr
playing here? ________[03.16.2007]_________________________________ March! Hell yeah. Spring
is so close I can taste itÉMmmm melting grime gutter-piles. Had some spring-like
weather last week, getting into the upper 60s and feeling downright tropical
around here (thanks to the humidity generated by the melting snow). Felt very
nice to walk around and smell the odd smells of no snow and no green things.
It basically allows one to smell any restaurant within a mile, which isnÕt so
bad. Benzito, Tony and Molitor
made it up here safely, and partied like 20somethings. I was not able to make
it out to Foundation for Derrick May, however the stories will become
legend. IÕve heard a certain
trip-hop (the intelligent jungle of rap) DJ was responsible for mayhem of an
impressive order; pulling a notoriously ŅseriousÓ DJ from behind his tables,
taking a nappy-poo in the club, and spilling drinks all about. I might have
some of that wrong, but soon it will be legend, so who cares. Had a fun time
watching the hung-over winces at the breakfast table the following morning at
the Springer. Rolled down to Robot Love for some shopping and picked up a
couple t-shirts, a calendar and a very cool print. Followed that up with a
quick jaunt down to MacyÕs (Jason got some very nice sunglasses and Ack a new
jacket) then to the Local for beerses. Dinner at The Loring
followed by a lot of sitting-around and talking about the good old days at
the Kitty Cat
Klub. A fine evening and was sorry to see the weekend end. Hope
those guys come up for another visit soon. Last weekend Andrea and I
joined John and Paula at the new St Michael IMAX to see 300. Cool theater.
You can drink in the theater, which is nice I suppose, but people can also
bring in stinky fried food, which is not so cool. So anyway, the movie was
very good on the huge screen. Big action, great sound, and the Oracle had
really pink nipples. I donÕt know if IÕd have watched it on a smaller screen,
but it was fun on the big one. Last Sunday, Dre and I
tried to have dinner at around 8pm and were rebuffed twice in two attempts.
Our original plan had been to go to Punch, but we decided to save that for
the following weekend. First, we
walked over to the Springer as I was in want of wings. As we left the house,
Dre stated she was not going to have any drinks. We walked in, sat down, and
were told the kitchen was closedÉat 8Éon a Sunday. ŅUgh.Ó we sighed, and
ordered a beer, and with our waitresses unspoken suggestion, a shot. We drank
our beers and ordered two more because our waitress assumed we were paying
cash and paid for our drinks out of her pocket. It wasnÕt until later we
realized she was insane. We ordered a couple more beers and pulled out our
computers to lookup info on Tahoe. Our waitress then came over and told us
about this great email she had about winter...the season. ŅHere, log into my
email.Ó as she turned my machine toward her. She proceeded to pull down a
giant PowerPoint presentation that showed pictures from some snowstorm in the
Alps. ŅWow.Ó we said, trying to
sound sincere. ŅDo you hate George Bush?Ó she asked. ŅSure.Ó we replied,
unenthusiastically. ŅI have all these great George Bush emails about how heÕs
dumb, you should give me your email address and I will send them to you!Ó she
continued. Andrea then gave her a fake email address and we tried to book it.
As I made my way to the door, the waitress stopped me and opened her arms for
a hug. What do you do in that situation? Well, apparently you hug your crazy
waitress and so does your wife. We made it out, still unfed. We walked over
to NE Bulldog, as I now wanted a burger. Our regular bartender was back,
having been on vacation for a couple weeks. ŅHey guys. WeÕre out of food.Ó We
looked at eat other and laughed, partially due to the absurdity of it all,
and partially because we were half-drunk by this point. ŅDara is a whore.Ó I
said. (Dara from City Pages had reviewed the place the week prior and it had
been packed all week with interlopers and carpetbaggers who ate all our
food.) So we sat, had a couple 8% alcohol Belgian beers, listened to the, quite
pleasant, bluegrass band, then shuffled home. We ended up eating polish
sausages with kraut and mustard in our living room at 11pm, drunk. As of yet we are without
plans for St PattyÕs, other than Andrea has to work until 5ish, and we have a
few invitations around town. Since buses are free tomorrow, methinks we might
end up in St. Paul with some old aBt peeps as they put out the first
invitation. We also want to hang with Pat and the DemeritÕs as we miss those
guys and have not gotten to hang as a group since the Walker party (though
hanging with Deedot a couple weekends ago was boss. I got to wear his
sunglasses). Speaking of DemeritÕs, Jay
was just called-up to the US National team. Congrats Jay! Best of luck, and see you at the World
Cup! IÕm sure IÕve posted this
a thousand times, but go download this mix.
Aaron SpectreÕs music makes me wish I were Aaron SpectreÕs fatherÉonly not as scary. He makes
Gein sound like carrousel music. Here is a page full of AaronÕs music. I can only hope grind/breakcore fans
in MPLS-STPL fall in love with this shit so it makes sense for me to bring
him hereÉto Club UndergroundÉto drink high lifeÉand play a 10 hour set.
Listen to the mix sets on his pageÉthen share with friends. Please let me know if you
are interested in joining me at Jazz at the Library. I will be there for most
of the lectures hopefully and would love some company. Listening to: Sean Lennon: Friendly Fire ________[03.03.2007]_________________________________ So we made it to see Dylan at the Weisman with Brandi, Mark, Gerg
and Marie. Terrific exhibit, but if you go, go on a weekday as there are many
multimedia stations that you will not want to miss. Also, while the Weisman
is free, the parking is not. You can use the Museum Adventure Pass for free parking, SCORE!
Afterward we made a jaunt back into NE for some lunch at Wilde Roast.
I like coffee. Andrea was in Arizona last
week for JennyÕs bachelorette party. The Fabsome Foursome appeared to have
had a blast from the pictures. Unfortunately Dre is still learning how to use
the camera, and focus, light levels, and appropriate shutter speed and, uh,
hand-stillness are skills weÕre still working on. CanÕt wait to see all those
folks in Tahoe
in a few months. While I had the place to
myself, Forrest and I threw down records for a few days, recording a tag-team
set and Forrest recorded a mix. We also began to goof around with a track.
Very techy. 180bpm. Rough. Forrest is currently designing the flyers for Konkrete
JungleÕs Wednesday night weekly: KONTEXTÉwhich look terrific. Speaking of KONTEXT, I
went to the RAW show two Wednesdays ago and was very
impressed with his tracks, format, and style as well as the turnout. Great
energy, and some very cool people. Karen showed up later soaking-wet
following a devastating broomball loss and gave my ass a ride home, which was
good as it was too late to catch a bus. WeÕll be back again next week for
Breakage. Keep an eye out for an interesting occurrence coming to KONTEXT
03/21 – a DVS1 Drum & Bass set. Mashit mix courtesy on Mr. Blentwell.
Good shit for making-out to. Check Out Green Maven. So we got a little snow
here last week, which was both fun and tiring. Since Andrea was in Arizona, I
got a double workout of digging out both
cars. Mine was rather easyÉI dug a runway for DreÕs. Good back and shoulder workout and a
surprisingly excellent cardio push! Benzito, Molitor and
Pretty Tony are in town for party-time this weekend. More on that after the
shenanigans begin (actually, stories tell me they already have). Always great
to have these guys here. Andrea and I are doing all
we can right now to conserve bread as we gear-up the fund for our upcoming
trips to Tahoe and Europe, which means a diminished entertainment budget.
With that in mind, we came up with a list of must-try ethnic/inexpensive
restaurants to try in place of our usual parade of places that cost too damn
much. Chowhounds
and ZimmernÕs
blog have been instrumental in helping compile this bad-boy. Peep the list
and let us know if you have any suggestions! Quang Jasmine Deli Little Tijuana Pho79 LITTLE SZECHUAN Ecopolitan Jerebek's True Thai King's Rice Paper The Vegetarian Craftsman Koyi IÕve put together the
music for three new mixes and have two rough-takes that sound passable but do
not yet get the seal. Perhaps I will post them for feedback. I can say it was
a lot of fun playing through my old laid-back drum & bass records. There
are a bunch of b-side gems in there I never knew I had. Have records that
arenÕt house records? Bring them over and letÕs play. More to come! Sharing: Fugazi: Repeater Menomena: Friend & Foe Arcade Fire: Neon Bible Bloc Party: A Weekend In
The City Amon Tobin: Foley Room Unknown Seville
Recommendation/Share ________[02.14.2007]_________________________________ Last Thanksgiving (2005)
Andrea and I saw Walter ŅFritzÓ Mondale shopping at KowalskiÕs in Uptown. He
might have been helping out at a soup kitchen, or hosting MANY people at his
home as he was buying gobs of pumpkin pie filling and other assorted
Thanksgiving fixinsÕ. IÕm not sure what made me think of it, but I think it is
that he was wearing a fine woolen coat with sweatpants and I went out
similarly attired this evening for our romantic night out at the Bulldog.
Andrea beat me in shuffleboard by a pointÉagain. Tomorrow night I have a
date at the MPL Central so that Andrea and I can look for
hobbies. While there, weÕre most definitely going to check out this little
gem: The Museum Adventure Pass. Such an awesome
find. You, very basically, can Ņcheck outÓ a free, 4-person pass to most of
the museums in the Twin Cities.
On top of free admission, the pass also offers discounts on merch and
ŅmembershipÓ. We intend to use it Sunday to see the Dylan exhibit at the Weisman. Friday night will see the
opening of a more extensive Kara Walker exhibit at the Walker with Walker Afterhours. For those who have been in the
Walker, you will recognize KaraÕs work as the grotesque/racist/iconographic
silhouettes from the permanent collection. Anyway, I believe Marie, Andrea, Gerg, Todd, Michele, and
I will all be stopping in for a cocktail, see the exhibit and say hello to Marsh
who will be throwing down. LBV Lounge before, but we better be there early
to beat the rush. Mmmmm cheese. The Original
Mark Edwards will be at the Varsity
this Saturday. I have seen OME several times, but not with a backing band, so
I am expecting to be impressed. CityPages has an article on the new album here, and you can download a new track here. Early show Saturday so be there early for
the pimp seats. Spun downtempo records
with Hribar Tuesday for a few hours, which was lovely. Downed a few High
Lifes and dug through each otherÕs wax. Ben has an upcoming show with the Attitude City boys next Friday February 23rd
at Foundation. Next on the tag-team plate, Forrest Bash will be coming over
to throw down some riddims, hide your daughters (and liquor). Watching: Amadeus Listening to: ________[02.05.2007]_________________________________ All the love I have to
Clay, Ava and their family. Clay
is the strongest man I know. We love you Ami. I love this photo. Young Ian and young Henry rocking out
during the east-coast hardcore heyday. How about young Glenn Danzig rocking the Goleta Valley Community Center in
Õ83? Milo looking angry? All these and more here. Most good icons of 80Õs American punk
rock here
as well. Sunday: Jon, Gerg, Marie,
Andrea and I made a trip out to the Como Park
Conservatory. An annual event, I have been going to the
conservatory on cold Minnesotan weekends since moving to Minneapolis. As
Marie mentions, the first thing that strikes me is this feeling that there is
more oxygen in the air. My eyes seem to open a little wider and I just feel
awakened. The humidity is refreshing and the smells heady. Since last year,
they have completed the new fern room, the tropical garden, and added what appear to be
more event spaces. One of coolest things to see is that they are using photovoltaic for at least some of their
power. Anyway. Here is the photoset. Rocked the
Superbowl-watching with Deedot, Gerg and Marie @ the NE Bulldog. While I am
still not in love with the food (the fries are good) the service has gotten
steadily better since opening. They appear to have gotten down to about 10
fulltime staff, including a bartender who hooks us up on Sundays, and an
adorable cocktailer whom we always seem to get. Todd and I played some darts
with an embarrassing ending, although I did prevail, it took me all of the 3rd
quarter to hit 3 bullÕs-eyes. Reconnected with an old
friend Ryan
Beringer, the man that introduced me to NoFX and the west coast 3rd
wave punk-rock movement when I was loving bands that no longer toured
(Descendents, 7-Seconds, Black Flag, Germs, Bad Brains, JFA, etc). Check out RyanÕs
incredible photoset at Flickr. Having found Ryan, I also found some photos he had taken of
another great old friend, Brian Sweeterman. Brian is one of the most
kind-hearted persons I have ever been lucky enough to know. The crazy thing
is that they are sharing a house in Carbondale right now. Both have made big
impacts on my life. Bless them. Hopefully weÕll get out there this year to
visit. Great Ryan and Brian stories in subsequent posts. Dre takes off for a week
in the desert soon for a girlÕs weekend with the fab-4. CanÕt wait for her to
get back with the photos. Look for updates and photos of complete mayhem. Listening to: Junior Boys: Last Exit Prince at Halftime DJ Kicks – Daddy G Progression Sessions Vol.
6 Watching: Beerfest ________[01.31.2007]_________________________________ Quick post today. Dara has written an outstanding article on whatÕs been on
everyoneÕs mind. She mimics most of the sentiments already conveyed on
Chowhounds and Chow and Again, including my big one, the disparity in median
family income within the city proper compared with NYC and San Francisco. Finale of Top Chef last
night with Ilan winning the big prize. (Hope you already saw it). I will not
go too into how ridiculous I find his win; however it was a fun episode to
watch. I will say this; why would you ever pick Mikey to be a sous chef? For
more conversation, I have been posting
in this thread. Yesterday I got caught up
with all the scandal that apparently erupted with Matt Bartel took over
(well, after Tom Bartel bought the site and gave it to Matt to edit I guess) MNSeak
from Rex. I had met Rex once when he worked with Gerg and we went to his
place for an after-party in Kenwood following The WalkerÕs Rock the Garden. I
recall talking to him about David Foster Wallace, then drinking his beer and
watching LoganÕs Run in his media room. Anyway, it was quite the scandal. New mix is being put
together, called: ŅDevil In The DetailsÓ. I had some technical issues while
recording last night that will precipitate a trip to radio shack this weekend
to buy a smaller soldering iron than the one I have.
________[01.28.2007]_________________________________ Weekends should last
forever. Huge amount of stuff to
cover. Last weekend, our good friend Courtney stayed with us, as a friend of
hers was in town with 18 other girls for a bachelorette party. Yeah. 18. 18
girls. We decided to make it a
gastronomically rich weekend and started a little early by going to La Belle Vie
for some late-night noshing and cocktails in the lounge Thursday night. I had
the lamb burgers, escargot, and cheese plate. Dre had the truffled fondue w/
baby vegetables and prawns; Courtney had the croque-monsieur and fries. The
best meal we had all weekend truth be told. The only let down, if you can
call it that, was the fries. They were, at most, the 5th best in
the TC. The high point was the cheese plate, made even better by the poor one
I had at 112 several nights later (more on that). Friday night, Andrea went
with the grip of girls to Cosmos (either of our first visit since Stephen
Trojahn took over the kitchen). She had the diver scallops, which she
declared better than 112Õs, and the tenderloin with braised oxtails, which
she said, was Ņsuper-awesomeÓ. Saturday, while I ate a ribeye at Erte, the
girls did tapas at Solera. The visiting ladies apparently loved
it, letting the server choose the plates, however Dre noted that they did not
bring out some of our favorites; the golden beat salad, oxtails or braised
rabbit. Sunday night Courtney, Andrea and I joined Todd and Michelle Demerit
at 112
for dinner. Now here is where things get scary; my meal at 112 wasnÕt
great. Andrea concurred that
hers was also not on par with earlier visits. First of all, our service was only adequate. IÕll get over
it, but having the comparison from LBV a few nights earlier where the service
was impeccable, it was quite a let down. Overall, Andrea and I agreed that
the food just didnÕt seem like anyone was taking pride in it. Her scallops looked bored, as did my
lamb scottadito. The entrees presented the same problem. While delicious, it
just didnÕt feel right. The cheese plate I had for desert was downright bad.
After a trip to the restroom (through the kitchen) I think I know why.
Neither Chef Becker nor Nancy were in the house running QC. Perhaps IÕm
right; perhaps IÕm way off. Lord knows weÕll be back to find out. This past week, Andrea had
her first day at her new part-time job at MairinÕs Table
and said she had fun and enjoys those she works with already. MairinÕs is a Moroccan/American
bistro in St Anthony West about a block from our place.
This Saturday they are having a Moroccan party with belly dancers and passed
food. Should be interesting! This Friday past, as Andrea worked her little
heart out, I met up with Lizard, Karl, Ben and Forrest for the Dan Monick
(formerly of MPLS supergroup Lifter
Puller) and KOZYNDAN opening at the SooVac. Ben
and I talked DJ shop and setup a time to get together and thrown down. Liz
told me all about her harrowing evening of karaoke the night before. Forrest
hooked me up with the new Konkrete Jungle flyers and he and I made plans to
throw down some drum & bass. Then, Marie and Gerg showed up! Awesome.
Talked about the weekend and made plans for later in the night. I took photos
of photos: ( 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11) After Dre got off, we met up with Jana, Gerg, Marie, Megan, and others to celebrate JasonÕs birthday. at the Peacock Lounge at Erte. Marie
mentions the dˇcor and paint-job in her weblog
this week, which is funny because Tim, JayPee, Todd and I were making the
same comments last week as we sat their drinking beers. Saturday we started the day at the gym as
usual. Andrea is training for a half-marathon sheÕs running in Milwaukee in
March with Jenny Moore. She is running her little butt off 4 days a week and
cross-training 2 days a week. We are also now doing spinning Friday mornings,
which is fun. Thanks to AndreaÕs regimen, I am now doing about twice my
regular cardio per day just so I donÕt end up standing around waiting for her
to get done. So weÕre both benefiting. After the gym we headed off to Winter
Carnival to see the ice sculptures and snow carvings. Here are some pictures: ( 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 ) Andrea sat on the ice throne because she is a princess. We had planned on going to A Rebour
for dinner since we were already in St Paul, but because of the parade in
Rice Park, and JT playing at the Xcel, we couldnÕt get parking. So instead we
headed back to Minneapolis, did some shopping at MacyÕs and enjoyed cocktails
and snacks at Firelake. You never see Firelake on the Ņmust
tryÓ restaurant lists, but we like it very much. The lamb ribs were smoky, a
little spicy and delicious. Went to Candyland. Why would you tell people these are sucker prices? Oh. After the snack we hit the Redbox at
LundÕs and rented Beerfest and The Devil Wears Prada. Then we headed for
dinner at Masa.
Every time we go to Masa it gets better. I had a mezcal margarita and a
Bohemia (my favorite Mexican beer).
Dre had the sopes for dinner and I the ribeye with a glass of the
Mexican Barolo, which was surprisingly nice. We followed dinner with a beer
run and busted-ass home to watch movies. If you have not seen Beerfest, buy a bunch of beer and
watch it. I loved Super Troopers however, so if you donÕt like Broken Lizard,
you might want to rent Pirates of the Caribbean or something. Sunday we cleaned the house, did laundry and
went grocery shopping. Andrea made a giant lima bean soup with leaks, wilted
greens and feta. It was honestly the best meal she has ever made. It also
made me feel good as she got the recipe out of a book I gave her for her
birthday. Received an email from old school Stout grad
and good friend Marshall Beecher yesterday letting me know
heÕll be playing at the next Walker
After Hours Party on February 16th. Be there or be
square. I updated the music
page with a mix I found from 2002 called Single Vision. For a
laugh, check out the scratching at the very end. Reconnected with a high
school friend, Ryan Beringer via his Flickr page. Andrea and I
talked about possibly building with flat-pack/prefab/modular in NE rather
than buying pre-built. Through work IÕve met the guys from Hive Modular
and appreciate their work and commitment to renewable and would like to see
if we can work with them. Check out this site from Chicago, Prairiemod,
all about the modern Prairie Style and Midwest design. Treehugger has a podcast now. Download this song by Jim OÕRourke; then go buy his album
Eureka. Listening to: Mastodon: Blood Mountain Thelonious Monk: Ken Burns
Jazz Comp Paul Simon: Graceland ________[01.24.2007]_________________________________ Gerg emerged from the
hospital in one piece and is still totally handsomer than I. The least they
could have done was ugly him up a little bit. Glad to have you back Gerg! Hit the Zebulon Pike
show at the Ritz Theater on Saturday night with Deedot,
Timmy and JayPee following dinner and drinks in the Peacock Lounge at Erte.
Terrific show. During PikeÕs set they incorporated a painter who created what
must have been acrylic on some thin canvas behind them. The painting ended up
being of a jumping horse with a gaping leg wound. Here are some photos and a movie: ( 1 2 3 movie ) The Ritz is a lovely venue and it is
uncanny how almost identical it is to Franklin Art
Works once inside. IÕm late to the party, but
Auriga is closing this weekend. I have had so many great
noshes at Auriga, including a tasting menu that was absolutely fantastic
about a year ago. Auriga had
been a favorite happy hour and evening stop when we had a hunger for fancy
food but didnÕt feel like getting dressed up. Most recently last month
stopping for the duck liver ravioli small plate and anchovy amuse. It is a
testament to the place that it survived for 10 years. As people on ZimmernÕs
weblog and MnSpeak
and Chowhound argue about why it closed, along with Five (more obvious) and
Levain, it strikes me that AurigaÕs closing is very different than those
others. It feels like Auriga
made its mark and had a perfect little arch of influence and great food and
is going out still winning. Been working on my first
attempt at a sort of, dubsteppy thing. The export has a bunch of
weird glitches and sounds overdriven in some places, as I havenÕt mixed it
down yet. Once again, all vocal samples performed by myself (thank goodness
for the female to male vocal filter in LogicÉI wish I were kidding.) Anyway,
just a framework. Now all I need is Ghanaian Brit. For those that donÕt know Sway,
heÕs a UK MC with a hip-hop flow (rather than D&B/Grime flow). I love the
fact that he doesnÕt take himself seriously and makes a joke of the game.
Oddly enough he is DJ InkÕs cousin and was featured on several of InkÕs
tracks on Renegade Hardware. While shopping at Vital
on Sunday I got into a 25-minute conversation with Chris from Konkrete
Jungle who was working. The D&B weekly at Foundation
will be moving to Wednesdays from Tuesdays, so all you heads make sure you
make it out! PS. The 50% off sale is still going on at Vital Vinyl. So stop
in and shop (now that IÕve gone through the downtempo, nu jazz, drum &
bass, dubstep and grime sections ;) ). Found some super links this week. Drink Liberally
is a chapter organization where you can enjoy cocktails with like-minded
folks in your town. MinneapolisÕ chapter meets Thursdays at the 331 Club on
University and 13th Ave NE . Call me if interested in heading
down. Newer site devoted to NE MPLS. Looks to focus a good deal on
neighborhood organizations. IÕm currently reading The Cheese Plate (recommended despite the typos
and grammatical errors) and was reminded of this excellent
article about the production of vinegar. Hecubus just sent me this
link to a drum & bass drummer on YouTube. Awesome.
JustÉawesome! Watching: Top Chef Listening to: Patti Smith: Land ________[01.18.2007]_________________________________ MUCH LOVE TO MY BOY GERG! GET WELL DUDE! Lots of love for Nordeast
this week in the media. Dara wrote a long overdue re-review of The Modern (well, overdue since Phillip Becht
took over). As IÕve mentioned in several posts, The Modern is my favorite
restaurant in Minneapolis. It is consistent, it is pleasant, it is comfortable, and it is daring. It has never
disappointed me, and if it ever did, it has enough good will built up to last
a lifetime. From the waitresses that remember I like organic wines to the
booths that look like they were ripped from a deco hotel dining room, we love
it all. Andrew Zimmern wrote-up KramarczukÕs
on Chow and Again today. He also gave a nod to EmilyÕs Lebanese Deli. Also
name-dropped were all of the places that make our neighborhood such gem, and
he didnÕt even mention Central Ave. My fondest memory of
KramarczukÕs was when I was still working for TWC and took a long lunch break
to enjoy the Borsht and buffet on a snowy afternoon. I recall looking at the
Ukrainian beer and thinking to myself, ŅHell, why not, how am I going to eat
sausage, kraut and horseradish WITHOUT a beer? S I pulled a 16oz brew from
the ice and placed it on my tray. The food so filling and beer so strong.
Long story short; I felt my cheeks redden and took the rest of the day off
hanging out in the second-hand bookstores in the hood. IÕd later look at a
bottle of the beer in SurdykÕs and realize it was 12% ABV. Once again, much love to
Gerg. All our thoughts are on your organs. Listening to: Jim OÕRourke: Eureka Hot Chip: Coming on Strong Minor Threat: Complete
Discography Miles Davis: ŌRound About
Midnight ________[01.16.2007]_________________________________ Right now Andrea is
watching the American Idol and keeps inviting me into the living room to
witness the carnage. The only
reason it is being watched right now is due to the fact that they are in
Minneapolis. Neither she nor I have watched this show before, so here is what
strikes me: 1) No one on this show can actually sing. 2) The people judging this program do not seem to
enjoy what they do. 3) No one seems to be adequately prepared to
audition. 4) Everyone sends their voice into fits of Whitney
Houstonesque theatrics at every opportunity. 5) I would like to see Jewel and Paula Abdul
kissÉsoftly. Are the people auditioning
always this terrible and deluded or is it just Minnesota? #4 is a big one in
that list by the way. Absolutely everyone that I can hear singing is throwing
vibrato and pitch-fits into every second bar whether they are singing Maria
Carey songs or My BucketÕs Got A Hole In It. The other thing IÕm noticing is
that the judges are continually trying to goad the contestants into getting
pissed at them by saying inflammatory shit like, ŅYou shouldnÕt have a job.
WHAT YOU THINK ABOUT THAT!?Ó IÕve never really believed in ŅMinnesota niceÓ,
but if there is ever an exhibit at the Historical Society, here is their
first installation. Despite the chiding and childish name-calling, the
contestants either shrug or apologize for wasting the judgesÕ time, which
from the looks on the judgesÕ faces, is not the response to which they are
accustomed. Anyway. This show is dumb. I give it a score of lame out of who
cares. Andrea pulled in a new
part-time job tonight picking up shifts at a bistro a block from our place
named MairinÕs
Table (saving for that house and trip to Europe this autumn). IÕve eaten there for lunch and
breakfast a couple times. They excel at the Moroccan dishes like tagine beef
(the owner is from Morocco) and their lox plate is very good, but I have
found that they miss on some of the more predictable American dishes. I have
eaten some very good Moroccan food in London and Chicago and would love it if
they focused on that. Half priced wine on Saturdays and belly dancers once a
month. I read this article in Crave this week regarding the unanswered
questions about the new iPhone (my point about Cingular sucking is
brought up). If youÕd like to
put some photos up in your home that are very lovely, check out Lumas. cBass reminded us all of this gem:
Ņfaces of the small deathÓ I believe it says. JayPee gave me a small death
with this article today. Marie has put some goodies
in her margins finally! I think gerg has a weblog,
but IÕm not sure how to read it yet. Five was finally put out of its misery. Let me comment on Five for
a moment. Andrew notes that the WoodmanÕs were not given the axe due to food
issues, and while IÕve heard all the talk of the micromanagement and abuse in
the house I do not think it fair to let Stewart off the hook so easily. My
meal at Five was poor. The service was good but the food tasted like no one
gave a shit. I tried everyoneÕs entrees that night, and none were great. It
was not bad, but it honestly tasted and felt like no one cared. If youÕve ever had a meal like this
you know what I mean. Foundation
has some AWESOME shows coming up. Afrika Bambataa, Mike Huckaby, Dieselboy,
and Derrick May all making appearances in the next few months. IÕve been out
of town the last few weeks that great shows have been going on unfortunately
but all that is about to change. Plus, since I am married now, i have lost
all shame so I can dance like a fool again. Best drink prices of any club in
town. Also, I hope to make it out to Konkrete JungleÕs Tuesday weekly soon. I continue to work on both
the drum & bass track and a downtempo/ambient/dub/glitch/minimal (shit I
donÕt know, itÕs quiet and has tons of track echo and 8 bit samplesÉyou give
it a name) track. I shall post as soon as I like what I hear. Hopefully it
will all be a little easier after this weekend when I pick up the M-Audio Oxygen8 V2. Ravey enough name for yah? I love Jim OÕRourke. Men: Call me this weekend
to do MAN-THINGS as my wife is going to be occupied with 19 girls in town for
a bachelorette party. ________[01.09.2007]_________________________________ Alright, plenty to touch
on. I had started composing a
ŅjokeÓ drum & bass track with everyoneÕs favorite ragga exclamation ŅBloodclotÓ but accidentally made something that
isnÕt completely terrible. Just an outline at this point, take a listen, all
vocal samples performed by ME! Listen (IÕd like to point out
that while composing this post, Q-Tip said ŅbloodclotÓ in the song ŅClap Your
HandsÓ off of Midnight Marauders which I am listening to right now. Weird) So the Strib article from Sunday that IÕd noticed in
the break room Monday morning is the talk of the TC foodie weblogs. Think of
the article (and the sidebar) as a miniature Kitchen Confidential, only short, far less
scandalous, and without all the Anthony Bourdain bravado and hyperbole. My
biggest question after reading the article was answered by Zimmern this morning (or at least a hypothesis
put forth), ŅHow could Eric ŅBig EÓ Austin possibly be in a television
development deal?Ó Beside the fact that I genuinely disliked his food (and I
grew up on road trips through brisket country), how could someone with a
history like his be given that much leverage? Short answer: He probably
hasnÕt been. Here is the mnspeak talkback on the subject. IÕve recently taken a
greater interest in reading and contributing to Andrew ZimmernÕs blog. Although I think he sometimes letÕs
people off the hook and doesnÕt ask the questions I wish he would, itÕs still
a good read for most things food related in the Twin Cities. A fringe benefit
is that I have been re-introduced to AlexisÕ blog
after about a year of forgetting it was there after find it when it was featured in Mpls St Paul
Magazine. Also, itÕs fun to see the same people popping-up between Andrew,
Alexis, MNSpeak, Citypages, Chowhounds and Vita.mn. Marie
has her take on the top 10 dishes topic. Check it out. Speaking of Marie, She
mentioned the iPhone today. I will make this remark regarding the iPhone:
ŅCingular? Are you retarded?Ó Honestly, why would you pick the slowest
network on which to release a, primarily, internet device? I understand that
GSM/EDGE/HSDPA is the ŅstandardÓ in other parts of the world, but give me a
break. If I want to serve music
and movies from my home, EVDO is the only way to get it to the handset at a
usable speed. Apple is a jerk. Great article on the Comcast swindle going on right now in
Minneapolis. I know my boy Jon had mentioned it, as had Deedot. Before I knew
what hit me, I called to cancel and they gave me HSD for half price for 6
months. Not only is HSD going up to $60 a month, but Comcast is charging a
monthly rental fee for the modem as well. Makes me wish I hadnÕt sold all
those surplus modems when I worked for TWC. Time to get on eBay. Listening to: Starkey Live (from blentwell) Quango Sport Hank Williams: 40 Greatest
Hits Sepultura: Chaos AD Ellen Allien &
Apparat: Orchestra of Bubbles ________[01.06.2007]_________________________________ So yesterdayÕs discussion
on FUNKenterprises
regarding Ņcan you really be a gourmand if you donÕt eat entire categories of
food?Ó led me to think about all the terrific meals IÕve had over the last
few years. A great day of daydreaming to be sure. So here are some of the
best meals IÕve had over the last few years in no particular order: +Sunday steak and eggs at Bar Tabac, Smith Street Brooklyn. A Sunday morning brunch of steak and
eggs at this adorable and bohemian (faux?) cafˇ, singularly (and our friends
of course) kept Andrea and I in Brooklyn an extra day a few years ago. The
fellow playing a squeezebox in the corner, the water served in used wine
bottles, the poached eggs that looked like satchels of yolk, the perfect
little matchstick friesÉa superlative morning meal. That evening, Andrea
piledrived a keg and I threw-up in a sink. +Friday dinner at St Johns,
Smithfield London. I had been looking forward to this meal having just picked
up Nose to Tail Eating by Chef Henderson and having read an article in
Esquire about his challenge with ParkinsonÕs. I had oysters, the famous marrow salad and the deer liver
entrˇe. Todd had the Plaice, which he declared a triumph and Jay the Mallard
after which he exclaimed, ŅMallard is my new favorite food.Ó Plus Sam Neil
and Ralph Fiennes were eating right behind us. +The bone-in ribeye at N9NE Steakhouse Chicago. Andrea and I were
spending a romantic weekend in Chicago, strolling the Magnificent Mile and
the halls of the Art Institute and Contemporary. WhatÕs more romantic than
big juicy steaks? Still the best bone-in ribeye IÕve ever had and AndreaÕs
filet with forest mushrooms was delicious. Accompanied by a bottle of Jordan
Cabernet, it was a lovely, powerful meal. I so enjoy these steaks that
anytime I am in Chicago, even alone on business, I make a stop. +Date night Blue Ribbon sushi NYC. On AndreaÕs first visit
to New York, she and I made a stop with Brian and Katy (who I believe were
sort of dating at the time) at New YorkÕs award winning sushi destination in
The Village. Little did I know, but Andrea had never eaten sushi before this.
Some of the most interesting rolls IÕve ever had and the cuts of sashimi and
nigiri were perfect. The sake
pairing recommended by our server was apt as I recall, which is the best I
can ask for. The wasabi at Blue Ribbon was the best IÕve ever had. +GrimaldiÕs
Pizza, Brooklyn. The first time Andrea and I went to GrimaldiÕs it was for
lunch with Brian and she flirted her way into 3 free cannolis for the table.
On subsequent visits Dre has flirted with the same waiter but with less
effect. The pizza is still my
favorite as is the atmosphere within this Dumbo tourist attraction. The
kitchen has this flow of making the pies wherein the dough flies through the
air as a team of three makes every pizza. The crust has a perfect char from
the coal oven, the cheese is sparse as it should be, and the sauce tangy and
just a bit oily (in a good way). +Pot Roast at The Modern Cafˇ,
Minneapolis. The (famously) most comfortable dish in the Twin Cities. We eat
at the Modern at least once a month, and though the menu changes often and is
filled with new flavors, there is always this voice in the back of my head
saying, ŅGo onÉget the pot roast. You know you want it.Ó With the tenderest
little meat bundle, itÕs tender chunks of carrot and celery and the bite of
horseradish in the sour cream, it is an old quilt of a meal. +Vesuvio Pizza at Punch, Minneapolis. This is the most recent
addition to my most memorable meals. As Dre is fond of reminding me, she was
the first to try this firecracker of a pie but one taste of hers and I knew
it would be my pie of choice on subsequent visits (which it has been).
Outfitted in Vesuvio tomatoes, basil, spicy sopresatta, olives, and
pepperincinis it has strong flavors that balance well and a heat that has you
reaching for your Birra Moretti if you eat too fast. +Cheeseburger from IkeÕs, Minneapolis. People in this town talk
about Jucy Lucys as if they were a) magical and b) good. Sorry folks, but the
best cheeseburger in town is this hand ground morsel topped with WidmerÕs
cheddar and fried onions. The bun is grilled and buttered, the ground beef is
lean and falling apart as you take each fluffy bite, only held together with
melty sharp cheese. Paired with
greasy shoestring fries and you have a recipe for a wet dream. +Colorado lamb at
Restaurant Kevin Taylor, Denver. My thinking the evening we ate at Kevin Taylor was,
ŅColorado lamb is the best in the world, where can I get the best in town.Ó I
think we made the right choice. The chops were grilled with a minimum of
dressing and arrived lovely and violet in the center. Accompanied with a mint
and garlic creamed char and mustard greens, it was a complete and satisfying
meal that was not so heavy that it put us in for the evening. Top notch. +ValentineÕs Day Prix Fixe
at La Belle Vie
Minneapolis with Todd and Michele. Yes, LBV is the best restaurant in
Minneapolis as far as I can tell. Our meals there have always been a delight,
but this night was delicious above the rest. Starting the night with one of
their house-invented cocktails always brings a smile to my face. A mackerel
crudo amuse, lobster salad, veal chop with sweetbreads, a complimentary
cheese course and a lime custard with pomegranate foam for dessert. It was a
meal where I felt as though I just floating in my chair. +Our first dinner at 112
Minneapolis. Dre and I had been to 112 for late night once before, but this
was our first dinner and it was everything we expected and more. We shared
the soon-to-be-legendary lamb scottadito and scallops to start. These lamb
popsicles are so good. The yogurt sauce is made with goatÕs milk that gives
it a tang that hangs around in your mouth long after youÕve put the meat into
your tummy. I had the halibut with brown bacon butter. Halibut and the
smokiness of bacon pair so well, and this version puts the one IÕve tried
making to shame. AndreaÕs short ribs fell off the bone as they should and
were redolent with a vinegary reduction that filled the air. Subsequent
visits to 112 have been great, but this one was the most memorable. Honorable mentions:
Multiple nights of White Castle with my boy JayPee, the duck
confit salad at jP Bistro, two spectacular visits to Dylan Prime
in Manhattan, the sole special at ChaiÕs in West Bank Minneapolis, the etouffee
starter and Kobe pot roast at Alma, the grilled skate wing at Fugaise, the braised veal cheeks at Cosmos,
the house–made chips at Lime in Denver, Steven BrownÕs halibut cheek
entree and tobacco smoked tomato stew, and HellÕs KitchenÕs
bison bread and lemon ricotta pancakes. Last night Andrea and I
went out to Salut for dinner as we had a Parasole
gift card burning a hole in our pockets and I, a hankerinÕ for oysters. While
the Parasole properties arenÕt necessarily foodie/chef led/locally sourced
restaurants, all of them do an excellent job at what they do (though I canÕt
say IÕve ever had a decent meal in the dining room at Figlio). They are
concise, they are consistent, they are well managed as far as I can tell. The
oysters were outstanding. While Oceanaire is no longer a Parasole property, I
can only assume Salut sources its oysters from the same airplane. The Bald Points from Rhode Island
were the highlight. Super-plump with perfectly briny liquor. These made the hama hamas and
malpaques blush with envy. Hanger steak was cooked very well, having a good
char and tenderness (not easy with that cut). Tonight Timmy and Megan
are making dinner for us and we are supplying the appetizer. I have been
craving pate for several weeks, so pate it just might be! Working on a software
downtempo mix right now. Here is the draft so far: Late Summer Watching: Jackass 2 Listening to: DJ Kicks –
Smith& Mighty Justin Timberlake: Future
Sex/Love Sounds Ellen Allien &
Apparat: Orchestra Of Bubbles Stereolab: Emperor Tomato
Ketchup ________[01.03.2007]_________________________________ The holidays have ended
but winter remains, in as much as weÕve had winter here in Minnesota this
year. As I type it is sunny and 43 degreesÉin January. Unbelievable. Andrea
and I have plans to go skiing this month, however it does not appear that
these plans will bear fruit until February if this weather keeps up. And what
about Winter Carnival!? It seems Volcanus Rex has been victorious in keeping
the cold at bay. Christmas in Milwaukee this year. Always fun. Had my ass
handed to me in cribbage, which has become a Christmas tradition. Cindy
rented a limo in which we drove around looking at all the pretty Christmas
lights while sipping hot cocoa and peppermint schnapps. It was tons of fun! A & S were in town
over new years and we had a blast. Punch Saturday evening, then to KeeganÕs
then NE Bulldog. Sarah got sick and stayed in for the rest of the evening,
while Gerg and Marie put the whoop-on Dre & I in shuffleboard. Sunday
night Temple was fun, though I will not abide $6 Heinekens when people I know
are not playing records/cds. Kicked it back to our place to party (and party
we did!), but I only vaguely recall even arriving home. I know Hec was
throwing down a mad set and I was throwing furniture. It was great to have
the Mechanics in town; the highlight was record shopping with my boy for
sure. Record shopping alone is something I do on a computer, but there is
something to be said for actually handling all the wax. Listening to: Minutemen Double Nickle on
the Dime Lupe Fiasco: Food &
Liquor fIREHOSE: ifÕn The Knife: Silent Shout |
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