If you travel as much as I do, you know that parking at MIA not only sucks but its expensive as hell. At $15 a day, your travel expenses can add up quick. Well, the people at FastPark want to help rid you of your parking woes. Located just across Lejeune Rd, FastPark offers a $8 rate with a $1 discount if you have AAA. They also have a frequent parker program that gets you a free day of parking for every 8 days that you park there. Not bad considering pretty much every lot just has its way with you and then doesnt even bother to call...
Another thing thats great about the FastPark is that their shuttles are always ready for the minute you enter the lot. They meet you at your car, help load your baggage, then give you a ticket that indicates what spot you parked in. From there, its about 5 minutes to the airport terminal. Ive really cut it close a few times and these shuttles have hustled so I made my flight. When you get back you just hand them the ticket the gave you and they drive you right to your parked car. When you leave you can grab a free bottled water out of the cooler right before the pay station, then pay and be on your way.
How can one parking lot be so awesome? They just are. Its one of the few places in Miami that actually provides a great service at a great price. Thats what makes you want to park there regardless of how long your trip is supposed to be.
Well, today the guys at FastPark went the extra mile. I went to the airport today to catch a flight to the Northeast. Of course, Ma Nature decided to send a snowstorm that way so my flight was postponed and then canceled. I wasted 5 hours of life at MIA. I walked outside and flagged down a FastPark shuttle right away. I grabbed my free water and went to pay as I'd been there for 5 hours so I was expecting to have to pay the $8 day fee. The guy at the gate recognized me and I told him Id be back the following morning. He asked if I had a receipt for my flight and I handed him my ticket. To my surprise, he credited my stay and let me go for free! Shit like this never happens in Miami, so I was pretty surprised and happy. Maybe it was the holiday spirit or something but I think no. The people at FastPark are just plain kickass people. Courteous, prompt, and they actually give a crap about retaining customers.
I am a frequent parker member at FastPark and I encourage anyone to use them for all of your trips out of MIA. Ive recommended this lot to many people, including some who are extremely picky and some who usually take a limo or towncar and everyone loves it.
Friday, December 19, 2008
Saturday, December 6, 2008
Back on the course
Well, after months of not playing, I finally made it out to the course again. The last time I played was in the SFDB Classic with Rick (from SFDB), Steve Owen (formerly of Owenized), and the king of one-liners, Nonee Moose. So, it only seemed fitting that I play with this motley crew on my return to the course. With the exception of Nonee, who had matters to attend to at the Hall of Justice, we were all confirmed for a 10:10am tee time.
That was the plan anyways...
I show up at the course around 930am and find Rick sitting on the sidewalk. He hops in and asks if I got his email, which I didnt because I didnt check. He's hungover and says he cant play but came to give us the discount pass. Nice gesture, eh? I, of course, had to make sure I gave him a hard time for just about every second that I could. He didnt look too bad. In fact, I snapped a pic of Rick with my trusty new iPhone that Ive posted to the right of this paragraph. I mean, he was a little blue but he had 3-way leak protection!
So, Steve-O arrived and we hit a few balls before heading out to play. I had duffed just about every ball I hit at the range so I was expecting it to be a very long day. Little did we know that Rick's absence would be a blessing in disguise... The starter told us that we were to be paired up with another twosome ahead, Mr. Kimora. We drove up to the 1st tee and made our introductions. Yuke and Taku work for Casio and moved here from Tokyo 2 years ago. Their English was really good but it was their Japanese spirit that made the round so awesome. After we all hit crappy drives, I decide to hit another and smoked it. From the moment of contact, Taku and Yuke let out a, "AAWWWWWWWW!", followed by some laughter. It was like it was the best shot theyd ever seen in their lives and, I gotta tell ya, it made me feel like the best damn golfer on the planet. It was hilarious.
The Japanese guys werent too bad, either. They probably shot about 120 each but they were quick and pretty much laughed no matter what happened. Good shot - laughter. Bad shot - laughter. Another thing I thought was hilarious was Steve-O talking to these guys and using different American figures of speech, etc. I dont think they understood any of them but he kept using them and it was pretty amusing. Taku hit one in the woods and Steve-O says, "well, you gotta play the whole course", followed by silence. LOL
The best part of the day was on the 15th whole when I received the highest honor from Taku after hitting a BOMB off the tee. "That shot was beddy beautiful", he said. "It went row to high. Good shot." It was awesome. I ended up shooting a 91 and edged out Steve-O by a few strokes. It was an inconsistent day for both of us considering I had a 45 on the front with 4 pars, 4 doubles, and 1 bogey. Steve-O made 3 birdies on the day which not only got him compliments, but rounds of applause from our new Japanese friends.
All in all it was a good round, weather was perfect, and the Japanese guys made the round a ton of fun. Now I rest before heading to see Cirque du Soliel tonite downtown. First time going so Im looking forward to it!
That was the plan anyways...
I show up at the course around 930am and find Rick sitting on the sidewalk. He hops in and asks if I got his email, which I didnt because I didnt check. He's hungover and says he cant play but came to give us the discount pass. Nice gesture, eh? I, of course, had to make sure I gave him a hard time for just about every second that I could. He didnt look too bad. In fact, I snapped a pic of Rick with my trusty new iPhone that Ive posted to the right of this paragraph. I mean, he was a little blue but he had 3-way leak protection!So, Steve-O arrived and we hit a few balls before heading out to play. I had duffed just about every ball I hit at the range so I was expecting it to be a very long day. Little did we know that Rick's absence would be a blessing in disguise... The starter told us that we were to be paired up with another twosome ahead, Mr. Kimora. We drove up to the 1st tee and made our introductions. Yuke and Taku work for Casio and moved here from Tokyo 2 years ago. Their English was really good but it was their Japanese spirit that made the round so awesome. After we all hit crappy drives, I decide to hit another and smoked it. From the moment of contact, Taku and Yuke let out a, "AAWWWWWWWW!", followed by some laughter. It was like it was the best shot theyd ever seen in their lives and, I gotta tell ya, it made me feel like the best damn golfer on the planet. It was hilarious.
The Japanese guys werent too bad, either. They probably shot about 120 each but they were quick and pretty much laughed no matter what happened. Good shot - laughter. Bad shot - laughter. Another thing I thought was hilarious was Steve-O talking to these guys and using different American figures of speech, etc. I dont think they understood any of them but he kept using them and it was pretty amusing. Taku hit one in the woods and Steve-O says, "well, you gotta play the whole course", followed by silence. LOL
The best part of the day was on the 15th whole when I received the highest honor from Taku after hitting a BOMB off the tee. "That shot was beddy beautiful", he said. "It went row to high. Good shot." It was awesome. I ended up shooting a 91 and edged out Steve-O by a few strokes. It was an inconsistent day for both of us considering I had a 45 on the front with 4 pars, 4 doubles, and 1 bogey. Steve-O made 3 birdies on the day which not only got him compliments, but rounds of applause from our new Japanese friends.
All in all it was a good round, weather was perfect, and the Japanese guys made the round a ton of fun. Now I rest before heading to see Cirque du Soliel tonite downtown. First time going so Im looking forward to it!
Tuesday, December 2, 2008
Blogging woes...
I have to admit the obvious - I suck at blogging. There has been at least a dozen times in the past 3 weeks or so where I had something incredibly awesome happen or I got an idea for a post but I failed to type it up and share it.
The main reason for this? Its simple. Im lazy. Sub-reasons could include my love for TV (NFL and NBA are eating up a lot of my time lately), my tendency to overdose on surfing the internet for answers and amusement, dining out and drinking thus getting too tired, and my short attention span. Here's a little of what has transpired in the past weeks that I shouldve posted:
- Finished off a long northwest trip with a 6-day jaunt in Vegas. Got killed at the tables but got to see a hot blonde and had the chance to pop off a few rounds at makeshift shooting gallery in the Vegas desert.
- A few less than amusing experiences at MIA which I no longer consider part of the USA.
- EPIC WEEKEND. This weekend consisted of being enabled by my cousin to go to the Bahamas, followed by a 36 hour major gambling binge with scattered hilarity mixed in between, and culminating with an early AM flight back to Miami to tailgate and catch the Patriots dismantle the Doll Fans live.
I guess travel having slowed for me could be playing a part in my lack of posting too. Im going to work on getting more frequent with my posting. My buddy Dave at Monkey Bingo is pretty solid at posting almost daily. Thats inspiring.
The main reason for this? Its simple. Im lazy. Sub-reasons could include my love for TV (NFL and NBA are eating up a lot of my time lately), my tendency to overdose on surfing the internet for answers and amusement, dining out and drinking thus getting too tired, and my short attention span. Here's a little of what has transpired in the past weeks that I shouldve posted:
- Finished off a long northwest trip with a 6-day jaunt in Vegas. Got killed at the tables but got to see a hot blonde and had the chance to pop off a few rounds at makeshift shooting gallery in the Vegas desert.
- A few less than amusing experiences at MIA which I no longer consider part of the USA.
- EPIC WEEKEND. This weekend consisted of being enabled by my cousin to go to the Bahamas, followed by a 36 hour major gambling binge with scattered hilarity mixed in between, and culminating with an early AM flight back to Miami to tailgate and catch the Patriots dismantle the Doll Fans live.
I guess travel having slowed for me could be playing a part in my lack of posting too. Im going to work on getting more frequent with my posting. My buddy Dave at Monkey Bingo is pretty solid at posting almost daily. Thats inspiring.
Saturday, November 15, 2008
Supporting evidence
Ive long been an advocate for slower traffic yielding by moving to the right lane and allowing faster moving traffic to pass. I found this gem of a site today that pretty much explains why this is necessary and also the right thing to do. Everyone needs to visit this site and make moving to the right lane part of their daily lives.
http://www.slowertraffickeepright.com/
http://www.slowertraffickeepright.com/
Sunday, November 9, 2008
Road woes...
Traveling for a living has its perks. I get to see the many nooks and crannies of the country and experience different parts of its history. I get to sample various cuisine from top notch chefs and tiny dives. I meet people of all shapes, sizes, and backgrounds and sometimes make new friends. In fact, there are few places that I travel to where I dont know anyone in the area. Plus, all of the airline miles I earn make it easy to see friends and family and to have fun when I want or need to. Its really a cool experience and Im fortunate to be able to not only keep in touch with people all over the country but hang out with them as well.
However, it isnt all farts and sunshine out here on the road. I often have a tough time sleeping. Not falling asleep, thats easy. Ive noticed that I cant sleep for more than 4 hours at a time. I think its because I always need to wake up to be somewhere. Believe it or not, Ive even woke up in my own bed at home and not known where I was for a second. Or there was the time where I got up at 7am, showered, and got dressed to head to work only to realize it was Saturday. Yeah.
Take this trip for instance. Ive been in 4 states in 3 days out on the west coast. Wednesday I hopped a 6 hour flight direct from Miami to Seattle, met a customer for lunch and a meeting, then drove 3.5 hours south to Portland, OR. Thats a total of 9.5 hours sitting on my ass which I never thought could be tiresome but it actually is. My legs ache from sitting for that long. The next day consisted of a meeting in Oregon City and then another down in Eugene, OR. Another 4.5 hours of ass sitting but at least I was driving this time so it helped the time go by a bit faster. (Quick positive sidenote: I also love driving in Oregon. The landscape is so effing green its unreal and the mountains are really cool. Saw a bunch of signs and stopped at Berry Empire for some fresh blue and raspberries but got denied because season just ended and all they had was frozen 5lb bags. It was hilarious walking on to this farm in a suit but Im not afraid to look like an ass and I loves me some berries. Ok, back to the negative...) The next morning its up and at em early to head to Boise, ID, just a mere 1.5 hours of sitting on my ass. I meet up with my sales rep, rent a car, drive to a meeting, and 2 hours later Im back at the airport. Its such a quick trip that we dont even need to fill the rental with gas because the meter shows full. We grab a bite at the airport and part ways. Its off to Las Vegas for me now, just 2 hours of sitting on my ass but the Vegas airport has closed a runway and they decide to delay my flight an hour AFTER we all board the plane. Since its Southwest and I dont wanna lose my seat (this is the lamest thing ever), I sit on my ass in the plane for an extra hour taking solace in the fact that at least I'll be in Vegas for the next 6 days and can unpack and unwind.
Im about to embark on a huge tangent here so be prepared because the only relevance this has to this blog entry is to show what happens when road woes take their toll.
Vegas airport is a effing madhouse because the closed runway has delayed all of the departures and people are everywhere - clogging the terminal trains, lying on the floor, etc. Great. At this point, Im irritated and the editors in my brain that normally prevent brash action have all gone on coffee break. I deplane and upon exiting the jetway am confronted by some asshole waiting to board the plane Im exiting for his flight. Usually this isnt a big deal but this dumbass has decided that standing in the middle of the doorway 5 feet away is a good idea. Its not. I am not dodging this guy because of other bodies lying on the ground waiting for the flight. He's moving or Im going thru him. I lay into him with my shoulder and let him know he is an asshole for standing there. To my surprise, another passenger leaving my flight agrees and adds his own 2 cents. Awesome. Nothing beats releasing frustration and having someone cheer you on. Next up, I notice the terminal train area is flooded with about 1000 people waiting for a train that fits 150 so I decide to walk. I have to take a leak anyways so I find a bathroom and take care of biz. As I leave the bathroom, there is about a 5 foot path between the wall and a bunch of slot machines. Some sloth of a kid is lying on the ground taking up 4 feet of this path. He makes a slight effort to move his foot before I roll over his legs with my roller bag, not his feet, his legs. "Whoops, sorry bud!", I announce with a devilish smile. God, that felt good.
Another hour of waiting for bags and I finally head out with an old college buddy for a few much needed bourbons. Im lucky to be staying with this guy because he has a means for me to let out some more frustration - a handgun and miles of desert. The next morning we head out for breakfast, buy some ammo, then drive to a junkyard out in the desert to shoot stuff. Ive never shot a handgun and dont like guns in general but this was fun. I was fairly accurate too, except when popping off multiple rounds in succession. Just a good release for a serious case of 3+ days of road woes. Now if only the gambling gods will smile upon me instead of crapping on me like they did last night. 4 more nights in Vegas before I finally head home for a much needed rest.
However, it isnt all farts and sunshine out here on the road. I often have a tough time sleeping. Not falling asleep, thats easy. Ive noticed that I cant sleep for more than 4 hours at a time. I think its because I always need to wake up to be somewhere. Believe it or not, Ive even woke up in my own bed at home and not known where I was for a second. Or there was the time where I got up at 7am, showered, and got dressed to head to work only to realize it was Saturday. Yeah.
Take this trip for instance. Ive been in 4 states in 3 days out on the west coast. Wednesday I hopped a 6 hour flight direct from Miami to Seattle, met a customer for lunch and a meeting, then drove 3.5 hours south to Portland, OR. Thats a total of 9.5 hours sitting on my ass which I never thought could be tiresome but it actually is. My legs ache from sitting for that long. The next day consisted of a meeting in Oregon City and then another down in Eugene, OR. Another 4.5 hours of ass sitting but at least I was driving this time so it helped the time go by a bit faster. (Quick positive sidenote: I also love driving in Oregon. The landscape is so effing green its unreal and the mountains are really cool. Saw a bunch of signs and stopped at Berry Empire for some fresh blue and raspberries but got denied because season just ended and all they had was frozen 5lb bags. It was hilarious walking on to this farm in a suit but Im not afraid to look like an ass and I loves me some berries. Ok, back to the negative...) The next morning its up and at em early to head to Boise, ID, just a mere 1.5 hours of sitting on my ass. I meet up with my sales rep, rent a car, drive to a meeting, and 2 hours later Im back at the airport. Its such a quick trip that we dont even need to fill the rental with gas because the meter shows full. We grab a bite at the airport and part ways. Its off to Las Vegas for me now, just 2 hours of sitting on my ass but the Vegas airport has closed a runway and they decide to delay my flight an hour AFTER we all board the plane. Since its Southwest and I dont wanna lose my seat (this is the lamest thing ever), I sit on my ass in the plane for an extra hour taking solace in the fact that at least I'll be in Vegas for the next 6 days and can unpack and unwind.
Im about to embark on a huge tangent here so be prepared because the only relevance this has to this blog entry is to show what happens when road woes take their toll.
Vegas airport is a effing madhouse because the closed runway has delayed all of the departures and people are everywhere - clogging the terminal trains, lying on the floor, etc. Great. At this point, Im irritated and the editors in my brain that normally prevent brash action have all gone on coffee break. I deplane and upon exiting the jetway am confronted by some asshole waiting to board the plane Im exiting for his flight. Usually this isnt a big deal but this dumbass has decided that standing in the middle of the doorway 5 feet away is a good idea. Its not. I am not dodging this guy because of other bodies lying on the ground waiting for the flight. He's moving or Im going thru him. I lay into him with my shoulder and let him know he is an asshole for standing there. To my surprise, another passenger leaving my flight agrees and adds his own 2 cents. Awesome. Nothing beats releasing frustration and having someone cheer you on. Next up, I notice the terminal train area is flooded with about 1000 people waiting for a train that fits 150 so I decide to walk. I have to take a leak anyways so I find a bathroom and take care of biz. As I leave the bathroom, there is about a 5 foot path between the wall and a bunch of slot machines. Some sloth of a kid is lying on the ground taking up 4 feet of this path. He makes a slight effort to move his foot before I roll over his legs with my roller bag, not his feet, his legs. "Whoops, sorry bud!", I announce with a devilish smile. God, that felt good.
Another hour of waiting for bags and I finally head out with an old college buddy for a few much needed bourbons. Im lucky to be staying with this guy because he has a means for me to let out some more frustration - a handgun and miles of desert. The next morning we head out for breakfast, buy some ammo, then drive to a junkyard out in the desert to shoot stuff. Ive never shot a handgun and dont like guns in general but this was fun. I was fairly accurate too, except when popping off multiple rounds in succession. Just a good release for a serious case of 3+ days of road woes. Now if only the gambling gods will smile upon me instead of crapping on me like they did last night. 4 more nights in Vegas before I finally head home for a much needed rest.
Wednesday, November 5, 2008
The Election is finally over
This is a great day. Its a proud day for the American people and for our country as a whole. To think of the barriers we have overcome to elect a black (or 1/2 black) man as President of the United States is a testament to the will of the American people and our love for one another as human beings. History has been made and victory has been represented by all walks of life.
McCain gave a great concession speech and hats off to him. Very classy and worthy of respect.
Obama gave a speech worthy of its history. One that was inspired by leaders of America's past and one that will inspire leaders of America's future. Powerful, inspiring, and empowering. Im looking forward to the next 4 years, to the next unknown page in our never-ending story that may contain our worst fears or our wildest dreams. Its the uncertainty that makes it exciting, if only because it means less of the same old thing.
Congratulations to Barack Obama, our new President of the United States!
McCain gave a great concession speech and hats off to him. Very classy and worthy of respect.
Obama gave a speech worthy of its history. One that was inspired by leaders of America's past and one that will inspire leaders of America's future. Powerful, inspiring, and empowering. Im looking forward to the next 4 years, to the next unknown page in our never-ending story that may contain our worst fears or our wildest dreams. Its the uncertainty that makes it exciting, if only because it means less of the same old thing.
Congratulations to Barack Obama, our new President of the United States!
Saturday, November 1, 2008
US Scareways makes Blind Mind an unhappy guy
Had a great time last night for Halloween. I met up with a group of about 10 friends, all of us dressed as vampires which was pretty cool. We started at a buddy's place on Michigan and then walked over to Lincoln Rd where I met up with some other friends before going to Gemma to finish off the night. I was "taking it easy", which means watching my alcohol intake and my watch so I could be home by 1am because I had a flight that I believed to be leaving MIA at 6am....
Fast forward to 4:51am when my buddy sends me a text saying he just got home and hopes I made it out OK. That woke me up. My alarm apparently didnt. I jumped out of bed, threw a bunch of shit in a suitcase (I'd 1/2 packed the night before) and bolted out the door. After blowing no fewer than 3 stop signs and 2 red lights (I slowed and stopped just didnt wait for the light since every normal person in Miami was sleeping at this time) I arrived at MIA. I found parking uber-quick and ran to the USAirways check-in counter. When I swiped my credit card in the machine, it didnt have record of me on the flight... Great.
Now Im thinking maybe my flight was out of FLL and Im in a slight panic. I check with Delta and United just to make sure I didnt book on them but in my mind I can see the email printout (conveniently located in my desk drawer at work) and I just know its USAirways. I ask the guy at the ticket counter to run a check on my name and see if Im supposed to be at MIA or FLL. He does and says Im not in there. I make sure he has my correct spelling (its an easy name but people make 1 common mistake) and he still says nothing. I check my frequent flyer itinerary online too - nothing. I go back to the desk again and ask him 1 more time if he is sure Im not on a flight out this morning. He gets smartass and says, "I dont know buddy, youre lost."
Lucky for me, even on little sleep my common sense meter recognizes that verbally accosting him for being a goddamn smartass is not going to help me get what I want. Its now 6:30am and any hope I had of a 6am flight is gonzo. So, I head home calling my sales rep on my way to let him know he is going to have to cover for me. I get home slightly happy that I wont be traveling but still pissed that I cant figure out for the life of me what happened to my flight reservation. Im a traveling veteran and Ive never effed up like this before. That's when I remember that my old business credit card had expired and the new one they issued me had a new number! Thats why it didnt work when I swiped it in the machine. So, I hit the internet one last time and instead of searching my frequent flyer number I search for my name online. Well whattya know? There's my flight at 6:30am! I call USAirways and speak to a woman who was a great help. She found me in the system right away and couldnt understand how the brainchild at MIA couldnt find it. She says there is a flight at 8:20am. Its 7:10am. Here we go again!
This time, I obeyed most traffic signals with the exception of 2 stop signs that I hate because they are pointless and one of those rotaries (what we call traffic circles in MA) in my 'hood in the Grove. I find parking very quickly and run into the airport, talking to my boss on the way in and letting him know my situation and that Ive found a new flight. You know who Im gunning for now... Mr. Smartass. I walk up to the podium. He's assisting another customer but I really dont give a shit at this point. "Hey, remember me?", I say almost out of breath from booking it from the parking lot, "I was on that flight at 6:30am." "Oh, but you said 6:00am.", he replies. "Yeah, but maybe if you werent so busy being a fucking smartass telling me I was lost and instead did what I asked you to do which was look for my name in the entire system then Id be halfway to Cincinnati right now!?!?!", I said as the customer next to me, and conveniently Smartass's supervisor, looked on. Smartass had nothing to say. His manager put me on the 8:20 flight and I was off to security check, surprised that I had only let out one F-bomb in the process.
Im now in Charlotte waiting for my next flight which boards at 1:15p. I got here at 10:45am... I managed to get in a good 2 hours of shuteye on the plane ride here and hope to get some more on the next flight. I still havent showered and the fake blood that was dripping from my mouth didnt exactly wash off 100% so I look like an asshole haha. I just cant win today. There are only 2 unknowns that are bothering me right now... One is that Im wondering if the supervisor at USAirways charged my card for modifying my flight itinerary due to the missed flight. He never asked me about charging me, so Im 99% positive Im in the clear there. He did give me a receipt though that had a $295 total on it but I think that was the original price I paid. The other thing that is bothering me is that I cant locate my parking garage ticket. Part of me thinks its in the car in the armrest where I usually put it. Another part of me vaguely remembers it being in my hand while I talked with my boss on take-2 of my airport mission. Im praying its in the car because its nowhere to be found on my persons. I cant imagine what the lost ticket charge will be if its not but that will not be cool.
Another day, another adventure. I swear my life should be a tv show like Jim Carrey's in that movie The Truman Show.
Fast forward to 4:51am when my buddy sends me a text saying he just got home and hopes I made it out OK. That woke me up. My alarm apparently didnt. I jumped out of bed, threw a bunch of shit in a suitcase (I'd 1/2 packed the night before) and bolted out the door. After blowing no fewer than 3 stop signs and 2 red lights (I slowed and stopped just didnt wait for the light since every normal person in Miami was sleeping at this time) I arrived at MIA. I found parking uber-quick and ran to the USAirways check-in counter. When I swiped my credit card in the machine, it didnt have record of me on the flight... Great.
Now Im thinking maybe my flight was out of FLL and Im in a slight panic. I check with Delta and United just to make sure I didnt book on them but in my mind I can see the email printout (conveniently located in my desk drawer at work) and I just know its USAirways. I ask the guy at the ticket counter to run a check on my name and see if Im supposed to be at MIA or FLL. He does and says Im not in there. I make sure he has my correct spelling (its an easy name but people make 1 common mistake) and he still says nothing. I check my frequent flyer itinerary online too - nothing. I go back to the desk again and ask him 1 more time if he is sure Im not on a flight out this morning. He gets smartass and says, "I dont know buddy, youre lost."
Lucky for me, even on little sleep my common sense meter recognizes that verbally accosting him for being a goddamn smartass is not going to help me get what I want. Its now 6:30am and any hope I had of a 6am flight is gonzo. So, I head home calling my sales rep on my way to let him know he is going to have to cover for me. I get home slightly happy that I wont be traveling but still pissed that I cant figure out for the life of me what happened to my flight reservation. Im a traveling veteran and Ive never effed up like this before. That's when I remember that my old business credit card had expired and the new one they issued me had a new number! Thats why it didnt work when I swiped it in the machine. So, I hit the internet one last time and instead of searching my frequent flyer number I search for my name online. Well whattya know? There's my flight at 6:30am! I call USAirways and speak to a woman who was a great help. She found me in the system right away and couldnt understand how the brainchild at MIA couldnt find it. She says there is a flight at 8:20am. Its 7:10am. Here we go again!
This time, I obeyed most traffic signals with the exception of 2 stop signs that I hate because they are pointless and one of those rotaries (what we call traffic circles in MA) in my 'hood in the Grove. I find parking very quickly and run into the airport, talking to my boss on the way in and letting him know my situation and that Ive found a new flight. You know who Im gunning for now... Mr. Smartass. I walk up to the podium. He's assisting another customer but I really dont give a shit at this point. "Hey, remember me?", I say almost out of breath from booking it from the parking lot, "I was on that flight at 6:30am." "Oh, but you said 6:00am.", he replies. "Yeah, but maybe if you werent so busy being a fucking smartass telling me I was lost and instead did what I asked you to do which was look for my name in the entire system then Id be halfway to Cincinnati right now!?!?!", I said as the customer next to me, and conveniently Smartass's supervisor, looked on. Smartass had nothing to say. His manager put me on the 8:20 flight and I was off to security check, surprised that I had only let out one F-bomb in the process.
Im now in Charlotte waiting for my next flight which boards at 1:15p. I got here at 10:45am... I managed to get in a good 2 hours of shuteye on the plane ride here and hope to get some more on the next flight. I still havent showered and the fake blood that was dripping from my mouth didnt exactly wash off 100% so I look like an asshole haha. I just cant win today. There are only 2 unknowns that are bothering me right now... One is that Im wondering if the supervisor at USAirways charged my card for modifying my flight itinerary due to the missed flight. He never asked me about charging me, so Im 99% positive Im in the clear there. He did give me a receipt though that had a $295 total on it but I think that was the original price I paid. The other thing that is bothering me is that I cant locate my parking garage ticket. Part of me thinks its in the car in the armrest where I usually put it. Another part of me vaguely remembers it being in my hand while I talked with my boss on take-2 of my airport mission. Im praying its in the car because its nowhere to be found on my persons. I cant imagine what the lost ticket charge will be if its not but that will not be cool.
Another day, another adventure. I swear my life should be a tv show like Jim Carrey's in that movie The Truman Show.
Thursday, October 30, 2008
Shoe Search - need help!
Ok, I had this shoe up for grabs on a site I buy from but they didnt have my size (size 9.5-10 US, 42-43 EU). Ive searched high and low on the internet and have come up with bubkiss. Im hoping someone else out there (most likely a chick who is an internet shopping guru) can find me this goddamn shoe. Here is what I know:
Its from Cole Haan Collection
Its handcrafted in Italy
It has a lizard skin top and calfskin body
I believe it is the Venetian Loafer or Venetian Driving Moccasin
Original price was $498
...and here is a pic to help. If you can find me this shoe, you will be rewarded. BM always takes care of those who take care of him...
Friday, October 24, 2008
Why are you voting?
After seeing more witty videos that point out the faults of McCain today rather than hearing about why people are voting for Obama, I thought Id give people the opportunity to sound off on why they are voting for Obama or McCain. The only rule is that you cant say anything negative about the opposing candidate and you cant say, "because candidate X doesnt do Y". No reasons related to the current President either. I want to know why a candidate has your support and I want details.
Hopefully Rick at SFDB will put this in the morning Sift to generate some answers. Perhaps he could get things rolling?
Hopefully Rick at SFDB will put this in the morning Sift to generate some answers. Perhaps he could get things rolling?
Thursday, October 23, 2008
Media Mind Control
Ive been seeing a lot of commercials and videos for the Presidential race lately and, while most are pretty funny and entertaining, its getting to be too much. In fact, there is a Obama commercial on right now - the one where they talk about McCain the whole time and how he voted w/ Bush 90% of the time.
I just hope people dont rely on videos, late night humorous talk shows, and commercials like this to help them make their decision before they hit the polls. The media is the worse part of this election. All the sound clips are edited together to provide a one-sided view of a candidate's faults and this can be done by both sides. All it does is tap into emotions and emotions lead to uneducated and miscalculated decisions. In the case of the commercial that was just on, its the "I HATE BUSH and McCain is just like him!" emotion.
Instead of spewing this crap day in and day out, Id rather hear about a candidate's position on the issues over and over and over again. This is campaigning positively. This is empowering people. These are the things that should be engraved into people's minds, not who a candidate associates or associated with, what church they go to, what allowance they have for clothing, or how many houses they have. The media is the most powerful distributor of information in this country, yet it is more likely for the average person to hear what color suit Obama wore to a rally than what his position on immigration is.
Dont fall for it. Go out and do your own research on the issues that matter to you. Confucius said, "Tell me and I will forget, show me and I may not remember, involve me and I will understand." Get an understanding of what position each candidate takes. Realize you are not going to like either candidate 100% and use all of this information to help you make an educated and informed decision. You only get one vote every 4 years and its your responsibility to make sure it counts.
In related news, I tried to get my vote on today in Coconut Grove but I got there around 330p and they closed at 3p. D'oh...
I just hope people dont rely on videos, late night humorous talk shows, and commercials like this to help them make their decision before they hit the polls. The media is the worse part of this election. All the sound clips are edited together to provide a one-sided view of a candidate's faults and this can be done by both sides. All it does is tap into emotions and emotions lead to uneducated and miscalculated decisions. In the case of the commercial that was just on, its the "I HATE BUSH and McCain is just like him!" emotion.
Instead of spewing this crap day in and day out, Id rather hear about a candidate's position on the issues over and over and over again. This is campaigning positively. This is empowering people. These are the things that should be engraved into people's minds, not who a candidate associates or associated with, what church they go to, what allowance they have for clothing, or how many houses they have. The media is the most powerful distributor of information in this country, yet it is more likely for the average person to hear what color suit Obama wore to a rally than what his position on immigration is.
Dont fall for it. Go out and do your own research on the issues that matter to you. Confucius said, "Tell me and I will forget, show me and I may not remember, involve me and I will understand." Get an understanding of what position each candidate takes. Realize you are not going to like either candidate 100% and use all of this information to help you make an educated and informed decision. You only get one vote every 4 years and its your responsibility to make sure it counts.
In related news, I tried to get my vote on today in Coconut Grove but I got there around 330p and they closed at 3p. D'oh...
Thursday, October 16, 2008
Sunday, October 12, 2008
Lots of art goin down
On the 2nd Saturday of the month, the Miami Design and Wynwood districts hold an event called Art + Design. Basically all of the galleries stay open late and offer snacks and bevvies while flocks of people peruse their wares. I got my art fix in a few different flavors.
The first came in the form of a delicious smattering of cured meats and veggies at Fratelli Lyon. I eat at Michael's on a regular and have always wanted to break out and give this place a shot so I was glad to get the chance, even if it was just for a snack. They have a nice selection of wines by the glass and bottle. I opted for a pinot nero. She went with a viognier. Both were good. We ordered the salumi misti, a 3-way combo of prosciutto di parma, bresaola, and speck that we selected from their selection of about 10 or so meats. When it arrived on a nice wooden board with a little cup of olives, a few other people at the bar got excited. Salty cured meat rules like that. The prosciutto was my favorite but all were good. We switched back and forth from the meats to a plate of asparagus and white beans that was refreshingly tasty.
Next we visited the various galleries up and down 39th and 40th street, admiring paintings, furniture, glass, and other mixed media. Lots of cool stuff to be seen and purchased if the price is right. My favorite part of the night, however, was taking in a few short films at Enea Garden Lounge. Nothing wrong with free short flicks and cocktails while lounging in a zen garden. I got a nice laugh out of one short about a guy whose keyboard could "undo" past actions every time he hit "ctrl-z".
The art isnt confined to the galleries though. Beautiful women were everywhere, company included of course. It was buffet of nationalities, personalities, and style. Very sexy. Our group headed over to the Vagabond to wrap up the night with some music and cocktails. I hadnt been before but Id read about it. Very cool place. The DJ(s) kicked ass and they even had a few of my favorite bourbons on hand. Great end to a great night.
This was the first time I really got to experience Art + Design. Its something different and a nice break from the norm. Kinda serves as a little reminder of why I like living down here, if only for the walk outside on a beautiful night with fun friends and the rest of the beautiful people.
The first came in the form of a delicious smattering of cured meats and veggies at Fratelli Lyon. I eat at Michael's on a regular and have always wanted to break out and give this place a shot so I was glad to get the chance, even if it was just for a snack. They have a nice selection of wines by the glass and bottle. I opted for a pinot nero. She went with a viognier. Both were good. We ordered the salumi misti, a 3-way combo of prosciutto di parma, bresaola, and speck that we selected from their selection of about 10 or so meats. When it arrived on a nice wooden board with a little cup of olives, a few other people at the bar got excited. Salty cured meat rules like that. The prosciutto was my favorite but all were good. We switched back and forth from the meats to a plate of asparagus and white beans that was refreshingly tasty.
Next we visited the various galleries up and down 39th and 40th street, admiring paintings, furniture, glass, and other mixed media. Lots of cool stuff to be seen and purchased if the price is right. My favorite part of the night, however, was taking in a few short films at Enea Garden Lounge. Nothing wrong with free short flicks and cocktails while lounging in a zen garden. I got a nice laugh out of one short about a guy whose keyboard could "undo" past actions every time he hit "ctrl-z".
The art isnt confined to the galleries though. Beautiful women were everywhere, company included of course. It was buffet of nationalities, personalities, and style. Very sexy. Our group headed over to the Vagabond to wrap up the night with some music and cocktails. I hadnt been before but Id read about it. Very cool place. The DJ(s) kicked ass and they even had a few of my favorite bourbons on hand. Great end to a great night.
This was the first time I really got to experience Art + Design. Its something different and a nice break from the norm. Kinda serves as a little reminder of why I like living down here, if only for the walk outside on a beautiful night with fun friends and the rest of the beautiful people.
Friday, October 10, 2008
Random
- Ive always wondered if pro sports players are superstitious to the point where they think that the actions of the crowd can jinx the team. For example, a crowd chanting the "Nah-nah, nah, nah, hey, hey, hey, goodbye!" song before the game is over only to have their team choke and lose in the end. I wonder if teammates say to eachother, "Oh, the crowd totally jinxed the game!", after the loss. Im a firm believer in the crowd jinx. It can totally bury a team. Maybe its cuz Im a Red Sox fan and we've been bred not to be overly confident in ANY situation. I also believe in the announcer jinx and that one is one of the worst. Whenever a pivotal point in the game comes up and the announcers find obscure stats to use as talking points, those talking points usually get blown out of the water. For example, "Gomez is 0-33 against Beckett at home when the temperature is warmer than 84 degrees", and then Gomez hits a homer on the next pitch. The announcer jinx is the kiss of death.
- I think Bon Jovi and John COUGAR Mellencamp (damn right Im not dropping the "Cougar"!!!) are in a "Who Can Come Up With The Most Patriotic Songs To Be Played During Montages For Championship Sports Programs" contest...
- Landed in MIA today and taxied right by Air Force One. That thing is effin HUGE. MIA was CHAOS this afternoon. It was funny because with Air Force One in town along with Dubya, security at MIA was lazier than ever. While I waited for the Fast Park Shuttle, there was a car that was parked at Terminal D with no one in it for at least 15 minutes. No concern from any MIA security cops. This thing couldve been loaded with explosives and easily taken out 500 people or more. Just another day at MIA.
- Speaking of Fast Park... This is THE BEST place to park if you are flying out of MIA. Its right off LeJeune, adjacent to the airport. $8/day ($7 if you have AAA) and they have a "frequent parker" program that gives you a freebie for every 10 parking stays. The shuttle is constantly moving so there is no waiting time when you need to get to the airport or when you return and you can score covered parking too. In addition to the aforementioned awesomeness, they also give you a free ice cold bottle of water when you exit the lot! So many times Ive come home parched and needing some H-twenty and then remembered I had and ice cold one waiting for me in the parking lot. Oh Fast Park, how I love thee.
- The new Terminal D at MIA is semi-operable but my past 3 flights on American (who pwns Terminal D) have been in/out of Terminal E. Terminal E is the International Terminal and it blows. No food/drink options at all. But, shitty Terminal aside, there has been one MEGA IMPROVEMENT at MIA and thats at the baggage claim. I used to have to wait about 40-45 minutes on average for my bags at MIA and the past 3 trips theyve come out in less than 15 minutes! Thats heaven in Samsonite form right there!
- Michaels Genuine Food & Drink fuckin rules. If you love food and havent been there, you dont love food. Nuff said.
- Rays just got SO EFFIN LUCKY that Youk's liner bounced out of play for a Ground Rule Double. If not, Pedroia scores and its 1-0 Sox...
- The Election is Almost Over!!!
- I think Bon Jovi and John COUGAR Mellencamp (damn right Im not dropping the "Cougar"!!!) are in a "Who Can Come Up With The Most Patriotic Songs To Be Played During Montages For Championship Sports Programs" contest...
- Landed in MIA today and taxied right by Air Force One. That thing is effin HUGE. MIA was CHAOS this afternoon. It was funny because with Air Force One in town along with Dubya, security at MIA was lazier than ever. While I waited for the Fast Park Shuttle, there was a car that was parked at Terminal D with no one in it for at least 15 minutes. No concern from any MIA security cops. This thing couldve been loaded with explosives and easily taken out 500 people or more. Just another day at MIA.
- Speaking of Fast Park... This is THE BEST place to park if you are flying out of MIA. Its right off LeJeune, adjacent to the airport. $8/day ($7 if you have AAA) and they have a "frequent parker" program that gives you a freebie for every 10 parking stays. The shuttle is constantly moving so there is no waiting time when you need to get to the airport or when you return and you can score covered parking too. In addition to the aforementioned awesomeness, they also give you a free ice cold bottle of water when you exit the lot! So many times Ive come home parched and needing some H-twenty and then remembered I had and ice cold one waiting for me in the parking lot. Oh Fast Park, how I love thee.
- The new Terminal D at MIA is semi-operable but my past 3 flights on American (who pwns Terminal D) have been in/out of Terminal E. Terminal E is the International Terminal and it blows. No food/drink options at all. But, shitty Terminal aside, there has been one MEGA IMPROVEMENT at MIA and thats at the baggage claim. I used to have to wait about 40-45 minutes on average for my bags at MIA and the past 3 trips theyve come out in less than 15 minutes! Thats heaven in Samsonite form right there!
- Michaels Genuine Food & Drink fuckin rules. If you love food and havent been there, you dont love food. Nuff said.
- Rays just got SO EFFIN LUCKY that Youk's liner bounced out of play for a Ground Rule Double. If not, Pedroia scores and its 1-0 Sox...
- The Election is Almost Over!!!
Sunday, October 5, 2008
Airline woes continue...
I do most of my travel out of MIA because its 10 minutes from my house. They also have the best satellite parking lot (Fast Park just off of LeJeune) in the country, period. I could write a whole post on Fast Park, its that damn good. My biggest complaint about MIA is that waiting for baggage takes an INSANE amount of time but my last 2 flights in have had abnormally quick baggage service so Im hoping thats a new trend.
Praises and complaints aside, as our petro prices continue to rise or remain overpriced, our travel options begin to dwindle one by one. I read an article today about the reduction of flights at nationwide airports. THe article contained this link that listed all of the reductions for each airport by percentage.
I was amazed by how many airports around the country are reducing flights. Its pretty much all of them. One stood out though... Guess who the only one in the top 50 is that has grown in the past year? Yup, its MIA. Up 4% since one year ago while all others are down except for New Orleans who is even. In the top 100, there are only 9 who are up or even and Miami is the only one that I would consider a mainstream airport. The others are all off the beaten path like Portland (ME), Burlington (VT), and Guam.
The past few times Ive been to Vegas, Ive been surprised by how dead it is at the airport. In the past Id waited up to 45 minutes in a cab line in 100 degree weather. The past 2 trips I was in a cab in less than 10 minutes. So, its no surprise that they have had reductions in flights there. I have to go out there in November and January and both tickets were $400 roundtrip which is a definite rise over the last year.
Its funny how we see the price of a barrel of oil shoot up and take our gas prices up with it but then when it comes back down our gas prices stay the same. Something aint right here...
Praises and complaints aside, as our petro prices continue to rise or remain overpriced, our travel options begin to dwindle one by one. I read an article today about the reduction of flights at nationwide airports. THe article contained this link that listed all of the reductions for each airport by percentage.
I was amazed by how many airports around the country are reducing flights. Its pretty much all of them. One stood out though... Guess who the only one in the top 50 is that has grown in the past year? Yup, its MIA. Up 4% since one year ago while all others are down except for New Orleans who is even. In the top 100, there are only 9 who are up or even and Miami is the only one that I would consider a mainstream airport. The others are all off the beaten path like Portland (ME), Burlington (VT), and Guam.
The past few times Ive been to Vegas, Ive been surprised by how dead it is at the airport. In the past Id waited up to 45 minutes in a cab line in 100 degree weather. The past 2 trips I was in a cab in less than 10 minutes. So, its no surprise that they have had reductions in flights there. I have to go out there in November and January and both tickets were $400 roundtrip which is a definite rise over the last year.
Its funny how we see the price of a barrel of oil shoot up and take our gas prices up with it but then when it comes back down our gas prices stay the same. Something aint right here...
Wednesday, September 24, 2008
I think Ive found the solution to our country's financial crisis!
After watching The Worst President of All Time give his little speech tonite, we were all treated to the amazing magic of David Blaine. This guy is incredible! From card tricks to catching bullets in his mouth, Blaine leaves people questioning reality with minds that have been completely blown away. One of my favorite things about David Blaine is that he brings people together. It doesnt matter what color, sex, religion, or political affiliation a person has - all are treated as equals by Blaine. He performs tricks for the mere amusement of getting someone to smile. It is his gift that he chooses to share with others and that is very admirable.
After seeing him go to New Orleans during the aftermath of Katrina and turn a handful of 5 $1 bills into 5 $100 bills, I got an idea... DAVID BLAINE CAN SAVE OUR ECONOMY!! All he has to do is make our deficit disappear! I mean, if the guy can live inside a block of ice, hang upside down while swinging thru the air for 3 days, and catch a bullet in his mouth then he must be able to make our financial crisis disappear! Im pushing for Congress to pass the David Blaine Financial Rescue Plan. God Bless you and God Bless America.
PS - Im not quite sure what Blaine's final stunt was all about...? After hanging upside down for 3 days, they placed him upright on a pedestal high above the crowd. He then dropped off and some harness wires caught him and nothing really happened. Then he smiled, waved, and the wires took him high up to the sky. A bunch of flashing lights went off and he was gone. Sure, him disappearing was pretty amazing but I didnt see what that had to do with the "Dive of Death". Anyone else have a clue?
After seeing him go to New Orleans during the aftermath of Katrina and turn a handful of 5 $1 bills into 5 $100 bills, I got an idea... DAVID BLAINE CAN SAVE OUR ECONOMY!! All he has to do is make our deficit disappear! I mean, if the guy can live inside a block of ice, hang upside down while swinging thru the air for 3 days, and catch a bullet in his mouth then he must be able to make our financial crisis disappear! Im pushing for Congress to pass the David Blaine Financial Rescue Plan. God Bless you and God Bless America.
PS - Im not quite sure what Blaine's final stunt was all about...? After hanging upside down for 3 days, they placed him upright on a pedestal high above the crowd. He then dropped off and some harness wires caught him and nothing really happened. Then he smiled, waved, and the wires took him high up to the sky. A bunch of flashing lights went off and he was gone. Sure, him disappearing was pretty amazing but I didnt see what that had to do with the "Dive of Death". Anyone else have a clue?
Monday, September 22, 2008
An offer I couldnt refuse...
Just got back into town from a great trip to Phoenix where I had the honor of becoming a Godfather. The weekend was a great escape. I spent time with my aunt & uncle, got to see my grandma, and even got to see my cousin, HB, who I rarely get to see. She is the Godmother and that pretty much puts a stamp on it that this kid will never go thru anything his godparents havent gone thru previously. The best part outside of meeting my Godson and becoming a Godfather had to be playing with my little niece. This kid is too damn cute and she knows it. I couldnt get enough of her calling me "uncle" in her little high-pitched voice. Its crazy but Im really starting to like hanging out with little kids, even if theyre whining or fussing about something. Maybe its because it taps into the little kid in me haha. I also got in a round of golf and, with the exception of the last hole, didnt duff any off the tee like I did in the SFDB Classic a month back. Ended up with an 87 and if these greens werent so slow (and if I could putt) Id have broken 80 easy. On Saturday night we went out to dinner and then my 2 cousins and I hit the casino. Yes, I love gambling. After winning a few hundy in Buffalo earlier in the week, I figured Id give another strange Indian casino a try. I got up about $150 early playing blackjack then got buried by a new dealer making 21s like it was his job and found myself down $100. Luckily, I was able to battle back and finish even on the night, playing at a table filled with dumbasses who had no idea what they were doing, people hitting 14s against a dealer showing 4, 5, or 6. It was brutal but a nice comeback. Next up - Bahamas in October and Vegas in November! YAY GAMBLING!
I think my favorite part of the weekend on a personal level was that I hardly consumed any alcohol at all. I had 1 bourbon and a glass of wine the 1st night, a beer the 2nd night, and a beer the last night I was there. Thats unbelievable! It made me feel good though. I had gone WAAAAY overboard at a wedding at the beginning of the month and it scared the crap out of me. I just wasnt paying attention to how much I was drinking because I was having such a good time and I got bombed. I pretty much finished an entire bottle of bourbon by myself. I still barely remember anything after the reception and a lot went on afterwards. Many people confirmed that I wasnt an asshole or a total liability, just having fun and being a clown. That was a semi-relief. Not being able to remember it all really bothered me and was kinda embarrassing and I never get embarrassed. Since then, Ive really been watching my alcohol intake. I know I can still pound em down if I feel like it but Im more conscious as to what Im doing now and Im making an effort to keep it within reason. Being around family and little kids definitely helped. Im happy to say that I came back and had 2 beers while eating dinner with friends and watching Heroes tonite and totally lost interest in having another.
Its good to be back home refreshed and ready to finish off what has been a hellacious travel month. I will bid farewell to some of my best friends tomorrow as they are moving away and taking their little 1yr old with them. That is gonna suck because another outlet for the kid in me will be gone.
I think my favorite part of the weekend on a personal level was that I hardly consumed any alcohol at all. I had 1 bourbon and a glass of wine the 1st night, a beer the 2nd night, and a beer the last night I was there. Thats unbelievable! It made me feel good though. I had gone WAAAAY overboard at a wedding at the beginning of the month and it scared the crap out of me. I just wasnt paying attention to how much I was drinking because I was having such a good time and I got bombed. I pretty much finished an entire bottle of bourbon by myself. I still barely remember anything after the reception and a lot went on afterwards. Many people confirmed that I wasnt an asshole or a total liability, just having fun and being a clown. That was a semi-relief. Not being able to remember it all really bothered me and was kinda embarrassing and I never get embarrassed. Since then, Ive really been watching my alcohol intake. I know I can still pound em down if I feel like it but Im more conscious as to what Im doing now and Im making an effort to keep it within reason. Being around family and little kids definitely helped. Im happy to say that I came back and had 2 beers while eating dinner with friends and watching Heroes tonite and totally lost interest in having another.
Its good to be back home refreshed and ready to finish off what has been a hellacious travel month. I will bid farewell to some of my best friends tomorrow as they are moving away and taking their little 1yr old with them. That is gonna suck because another outlet for the kid in me will be gone.
Wednesday, September 17, 2008
Decision '08 is over for me
Right now, I feel as if our country and its citizens have been sucked into a modern day Civil War. Instead of a difference of opinion on slavery, we're battling each other about who is best qualified to run (and hopefully save) our country. Its really sad when you think about it. This is why I hate American politics. While it is the greatest freedom that a US citizen could ever have, at the same time, it pits neighbor versus neighbor, boss versus employee, man versus woman, adult versus child, and the list goes on.
Well, Ive been trying to be as open-minded as possible while searching for a reason to vote for either McCain or Obama for a few months now. Ive traveled all over the country and listened to opinions from people in states that largely support each candidate. Ive listened to the opinions of the rich, the poor, business owners, and average joes. Ive watched the RNC and DNC pep rallys, Ive read news reports, and Ive tried to buy into each party's plan.
The simple fact of the matter is that as much as Ive tried to buy into the Republican plan and John McCain, I simply cant. My decision has been made and Im voting for Obama.
I just dont like hardly anything McCain or his party stands for after the past 8 years of driving this country straight into the ground. The scare tactics have gotten quite old too. Im not afraid of what might happen to the economy if Obama gets elected because, quite frankly, it really doesnt get much worse than it is right now. I dont like the parading of Sarah Palin as some sort of great candidate for VP, period. She lacks experience, has admitted she doesnt know what a VP does, and uses the same speech over and over again. She's a robot, a pawn, and an attempt at wooing the votes of certain segments of the population. The sad part is that there are plenty of people in this country who are feeble-minded enough to fall for this crap. Same thing with Johnny Mac. While I commend him for fighting for my freedom and thank him for enduring what he went through, I really dont see that as a reason to vote him into office. I admired that he shied away from the typical Republican bashing of an opponents non-political-related shortcomings during his RNC speech. But again, that is no reason to vote him into office. Im not afraid that Obama "lacks experience" because so does McCain. He's never been President either. I feel like the Republicans have finally showed their true colors and are trying to find ways to influence voters that have absolutely no relevance to the task at hand which is restoring this country to its former glory.
The man for the job is Obama. The guy cares about people and the overall state of this country on multiple levels. He has ran the gauntlet of the political process like a running back determined to reach the endzone, stiff-arming would-be tacklers who hurl themselves at his legs trying to cut him down with personal attacks. With each hit he presses on, determined to reach the endzone and understanding that without the help of everyone else on his team that he will end up a yard short of the goal line or possibly more. We as a country need a guy like this and Im saying this as someone who at first didnt find him appealing at all as a candidate. After doing more research, I can say that Im on board with Team Obama and I look forward to him ending this Civil War.
Im going to end this again with a quote I used previously from the late Shannon Hoon:
"AS THE FUTURE BEHOLDS, OUR LIVES WILL UNFOLD. WE WILL ALL GROW TOGETHER AS ONE UNIT... A TEAM. AS TIME PASSES I WILL FEEL I HAVE BROTHERS TO LOOK OVER ME. AS I WILL WATCH OVER THEM. FOR WITHOUT EACH OTHER THE FUTURE WILL HOLD NOTHING. BUT WITH A TEAM LIKE US THE FUTURE IS OURS."
Well, Ive been trying to be as open-minded as possible while searching for a reason to vote for either McCain or Obama for a few months now. Ive traveled all over the country and listened to opinions from people in states that largely support each candidate. Ive listened to the opinions of the rich, the poor, business owners, and average joes. Ive watched the RNC and DNC pep rallys, Ive read news reports, and Ive tried to buy into each party's plan.
The simple fact of the matter is that as much as Ive tried to buy into the Republican plan and John McCain, I simply cant. My decision has been made and Im voting for Obama.
I just dont like hardly anything McCain or his party stands for after the past 8 years of driving this country straight into the ground. The scare tactics have gotten quite old too. Im not afraid of what might happen to the economy if Obama gets elected because, quite frankly, it really doesnt get much worse than it is right now. I dont like the parading of Sarah Palin as some sort of great candidate for VP, period. She lacks experience, has admitted she doesnt know what a VP does, and uses the same speech over and over again. She's a robot, a pawn, and an attempt at wooing the votes of certain segments of the population. The sad part is that there are plenty of people in this country who are feeble-minded enough to fall for this crap. Same thing with Johnny Mac. While I commend him for fighting for my freedom and thank him for enduring what he went through, I really dont see that as a reason to vote him into office. I admired that he shied away from the typical Republican bashing of an opponents non-political-related shortcomings during his RNC speech. But again, that is no reason to vote him into office. Im not afraid that Obama "lacks experience" because so does McCain. He's never been President either. I feel like the Republicans have finally showed their true colors and are trying to find ways to influence voters that have absolutely no relevance to the task at hand which is restoring this country to its former glory.
The man for the job is Obama. The guy cares about people and the overall state of this country on multiple levels. He has ran the gauntlet of the political process like a running back determined to reach the endzone, stiff-arming would-be tacklers who hurl themselves at his legs trying to cut him down with personal attacks. With each hit he presses on, determined to reach the endzone and understanding that without the help of everyone else on his team that he will end up a yard short of the goal line or possibly more. We as a country need a guy like this and Im saying this as someone who at first didnt find him appealing at all as a candidate. After doing more research, I can say that Im on board with Team Obama and I look forward to him ending this Civil War.
Im going to end this again with a quote I used previously from the late Shannon Hoon:
"AS THE FUTURE BEHOLDS, OUR LIVES WILL UNFOLD. WE WILL ALL GROW TOGETHER AS ONE UNIT... A TEAM. AS TIME PASSES I WILL FEEL I HAVE BROTHERS TO LOOK OVER ME. AS I WILL WATCH OVER THEM. FOR WITHOUT EACH OTHER THE FUTURE WILL HOLD NOTHING. BUT WITH A TEAM LIKE US THE FUTURE IS OURS."
Wednesday, September 3, 2008
Gettin political... First Blood, Part Deux
Ok, its RNC time and Palin is about to come on to give her speech. So far, we've seen nothing but talk about her being "attacked" and some Obama bashing by other Reps. I addressed this in my summary of the DNC and I think its a fuckin waste of time and an insult to the intelligence of the average American citizen. I DONT GIVE A SHIT ABOUT THE FAULTS OF A PARTICULAR CANDIDATE!!! Tell me about your plan to address the serious issues that are plaguing our country for cryin out loud! This petty back and forth about the personal issues associated with each candidate is really old and pathetic.
T. Boone Pickens in tha house! I like this guy's plan for energy independence. The only thing Im skeptical about is that he is all about "drill, drill, drill". He admits that is not the solution though. I love the idea of wind farming and focusing on American-owned energy sources. I also love the idea of using natural gas to replace foreign oil. Pickens is no dummy and I respect a guy who made his millions in the oil business promoting other fuel resources.
Whoa, the panelists (I have no idea who they are) are going nuts. Two guys are battling back and forth about the media and Obama vs the media and McCain. If you ask me, the media blows. Since this is Fox News, most of these guys are saying Palin is gonna give a killer speech. From the looks at the crowd, these people are here to party. Theyre dancing like idiots in the crowd and acting like theyre at a rock concert. Its pretty funny.
(BTW, little side note here. They opened the RNC with a prayer and all that religious/god related stuff. I absolutely condemn this as a part of politics. Its brainwashing if you ask me. It tells people that they arent really Christian if they dont believe what so-and-so candidate believes and its a bunch of bullshit. Church and state are and should remain separate!)
Whats that!?!?! Its Rudy Guiliani's entrance music! God I hate this douchebag. Good news is that he's 3 sentences into his speech and he hasnt uttered "9/11" yet. He has announced that if he couldnt win that he would support McCain and he still does. Thats great Rudy. A couple cheesy smiles and "America!" followed by "USA!" chants make this RNC seem worse than a Giants or Jets game. Wow, Im surprised at this next segment. RG says that both candidates have great job applications and are very patriotic. He does this without bashing Obama. I respect that. He talks about Obama saying that McCain is a hero for his sacrifice. Wow, I never knew McCain was a POW... Break out the violins, folks.
First Obama diss... He was a community organizer in Chicago "machine politics", followed by a bunch of "boooo!"'s and him harping on Obama not being able to make decisions. Valid point, I guess. I cant comment on this guy's speech anymore because I hate this guy so much that Im biased. But, I have to say this. So far, RG hasnt said anything about McCain except that he was a POW. The rest of the speech is all about Obama and his potential shortcomings. Makes no sense to me. I dont want to hear about why I shouldnt vote for someone. Tell me why I should vote for someone else.
Wow, now a "drill baby, drill" chant is going on. I cant believe they can pack so many simple minded individuals into one building and Guiliani is there to cheer them on like the giant douche that he is. DOUBLE WOW! Now RG is saying that Dems are afraid to say "Islamic Terrorist" and he has a problem with that. Who are they offending? The Islamic Terrorists! Wait a minute! There it is! The first 9/11 babble! Now he's on a role, tossing out names like Al Queda and Bin Laden. Go Rudy, go! Fast forward a little bit and now RG is insulting Obama by saying Palin is not "Cosmopolitan enough" because she was a mayor of a small town. Oh, and he's acted like a total ham to the camera about being a mayor too. THis is why I hate this guy. He is an actor and actors cant be trusted. He continues with his hype of Palin saying that she even attacked corruption in the Republican party...in Alaska! Then he uses his first "Maverick" talking point. Now RG points to the Dems asking about if she will have time to attend to her family and be VP. I dont recall this ever coming up, but RG uses this to point out that a MAN would never have this questioned. Nice ploy for the woman vote, RG. Man, I think I need to erase having heard this speech from my brain because it was horrible in my opinion. 95% of that has to do with me hating Rudy Giuliani. The other 5% is because he is an actor and plays to a crowd.
Ok, its Palin time! No one had heard of this woman a month ago but now having her on the ticket is like getting to draft Ladanian Tomlinson in a fantasy football league. I have to say that I see a Tina Fey/SNL skit in the future haha. Ok, she is finally gonna say something besides, "Thank you, thank you so much." The crowd finally shut up.
Palin accepts the challenge of being VP and acknowledges that McCain has fought thru much harder challenges and then shows that she knows his middle initial! She plays the "he never gave up, even when people said he was done for" card and I think she does it well. This woman is a pretty good speaker and I like the passion she exhibits in talking about the candidate she is supporting. Then she casually throws out that she is a mother of a boy who is headed off to Iraq, along with her nephew. Great play there. I have to admire her tact and her family members who are fighting for our freedom. Ok, here is the daughter reference followed by the daughters standing and waving, and then a reference to her husband and baby. She's hammering the "family" point here and talking about "special needs" kids. Its a great tactic but then she goes overboard I think... She says that if they are elected that people with special needs kids will have an advocate in the White House. That is just silly to me and reminds me of being in 6th grade when the kid running for class president would make promises for things like a jukebox in the cafeteria. Now some husband hype, making sure to note that he is associated with the oil rigs, then talking about the 5 kids without getting divorced. Congrats to that, blah. Some pandering to the women voters is up next followed by a cameo for her parents and some of her parents background. Another great tactic by Palin - hyping up the families of "middle America, who grow our food and fight in our wars." This chick is a great speaker and knows how to work a room. I like that. (and for all the people who get offended by me referring to women as "chicks", get over it. Women are chicks and men are dudes in my vocab. Lighten up.) Now some "hockey mom" banter with a joke thrown in. All of this is painting a great picture of her as an "everyday woman, everyday American, just like the rest of us".
Ahhhh... The first Obama bash. "A small town mayor is sort of like a community organizer except you have actual responsibilities." She follows it up by basically calling Obama two-faced and saying McCain is the same man everywhere. I see a tad bit of validity here but all she is doing is pointing out politickin'. Finally, we here the token line that the Fox News douchebags were fawning over in the pregame speech that responds to all the negative media attention - "Im not going to Washington to gain the media's approval, Im going for the American people!"
I like that she points out that she ousted the governor's private jet and chef and gave oil earnings back to the people of her state. Corruption in government is something that really hits home with me after living in Miami and watching this city be raped by government greed day after day. I also like the point about spending $40M on a CNG pipeline to lead the country towards energy independence. This is another big point for me. Oops, now she is harping on laying pipeline and drilling for oil while boosting wind, coal, and solar power. Im not a fan of drilling. We need to tell oil to go fuck itself and move on. Its like that shitty girlfriend that treats you like shit and leaches off you but you put up with it cuz she is a wild banshee in the sack.
Ouch, she just nailed Obama... She pointed to him authoring 2 memoirs but not a single law in the Senate. Then another bash about victory on the campaign front instead of in a war. I didnt get that really and the crowd didnt either. Now she's kinda gone off the deep end with speculation about Obama's plan that doesnt really make sense. Its typical politics though and I find it to be silly. She's harping on taxes now and its more speculation and pandering to people who havent researched the facts, making it sound like we're all screwed which isnt true. The tax question could be debated all day long and Im no true expert on it so I wont pretend I am. However, I have done a little research and dont think Obama's tax policies are the end of the world, at least not for the average American. Maybe for the rich though.
Im gonna end this here after hearing more POW references and "organizer" disses. Its pretty much over. I guess my running diary of the RNC is a little unfair because not only did I not really care when I did the DNC diary but I also only covered the opening acts. Had I done this for Biden's speech it mightve been more fair. I also couldve done some better coverage at the DNC, but again, I covered the C-team.
Overall, I hated Giuliani's speech and I have to tip my cap to Palin. She did a great job fighting for the candidate she supports. I didnt agree with everything she said and I didnt care for some of the personal attacks and/or defenses but I thought she put together a good speech and showed that she can play the politics game pretty well.
T. Boone Pickens in tha house! I like this guy's plan for energy independence. The only thing Im skeptical about is that he is all about "drill, drill, drill". He admits that is not the solution though. I love the idea of wind farming and focusing on American-owned energy sources. I also love the idea of using natural gas to replace foreign oil. Pickens is no dummy and I respect a guy who made his millions in the oil business promoting other fuel resources.
Whoa, the panelists (I have no idea who they are) are going nuts. Two guys are battling back and forth about the media and Obama vs the media and McCain. If you ask me, the media blows. Since this is Fox News, most of these guys are saying Palin is gonna give a killer speech. From the looks at the crowd, these people are here to party. Theyre dancing like idiots in the crowd and acting like theyre at a rock concert. Its pretty funny.
(BTW, little side note here. They opened the RNC with a prayer and all that religious/god related stuff. I absolutely condemn this as a part of politics. Its brainwashing if you ask me. It tells people that they arent really Christian if they dont believe what so-and-so candidate believes and its a bunch of bullshit. Church and state are and should remain separate!)
Whats that!?!?! Its Rudy Guiliani's entrance music! God I hate this douchebag. Good news is that he's 3 sentences into his speech and he hasnt uttered "9/11" yet. He has announced that if he couldnt win that he would support McCain and he still does. Thats great Rudy. A couple cheesy smiles and "America!" followed by "USA!" chants make this RNC seem worse than a Giants or Jets game. Wow, Im surprised at this next segment. RG says that both candidates have great job applications and are very patriotic. He does this without bashing Obama. I respect that. He talks about Obama saying that McCain is a hero for his sacrifice. Wow, I never knew McCain was a POW... Break out the violins, folks.
First Obama diss... He was a community organizer in Chicago "machine politics", followed by a bunch of "boooo!"'s and him harping on Obama not being able to make decisions. Valid point, I guess. I cant comment on this guy's speech anymore because I hate this guy so much that Im biased. But, I have to say this. So far, RG hasnt said anything about McCain except that he was a POW. The rest of the speech is all about Obama and his potential shortcomings. Makes no sense to me. I dont want to hear about why I shouldnt vote for someone. Tell me why I should vote for someone else.
Wow, now a "drill baby, drill" chant is going on. I cant believe they can pack so many simple minded individuals into one building and Guiliani is there to cheer them on like the giant douche that he is. DOUBLE WOW! Now RG is saying that Dems are afraid to say "Islamic Terrorist" and he has a problem with that. Who are they offending? The Islamic Terrorists! Wait a minute! There it is! The first 9/11 babble! Now he's on a role, tossing out names like Al Queda and Bin Laden. Go Rudy, go! Fast forward a little bit and now RG is insulting Obama by saying Palin is not "Cosmopolitan enough" because she was a mayor of a small town. Oh, and he's acted like a total ham to the camera about being a mayor too. THis is why I hate this guy. He is an actor and actors cant be trusted. He continues with his hype of Palin saying that she even attacked corruption in the Republican party...in Alaska! Then he uses his first "Maverick" talking point. Now RG points to the Dems asking about if she will have time to attend to her family and be VP. I dont recall this ever coming up, but RG uses this to point out that a MAN would never have this questioned. Nice ploy for the woman vote, RG. Man, I think I need to erase having heard this speech from my brain because it was horrible in my opinion. 95% of that has to do with me hating Rudy Giuliani. The other 5% is because he is an actor and plays to a crowd.
Ok, its Palin time! No one had heard of this woman a month ago but now having her on the ticket is like getting to draft Ladanian Tomlinson in a fantasy football league. I have to say that I see a Tina Fey/SNL skit in the future haha. Ok, she is finally gonna say something besides, "Thank you, thank you so much." The crowd finally shut up.
Palin accepts the challenge of being VP and acknowledges that McCain has fought thru much harder challenges and then shows that she knows his middle initial! She plays the "he never gave up, even when people said he was done for" card and I think she does it well. This woman is a pretty good speaker and I like the passion she exhibits in talking about the candidate she is supporting. Then she casually throws out that she is a mother of a boy who is headed off to Iraq, along with her nephew. Great play there. I have to admire her tact and her family members who are fighting for our freedom. Ok, here is the daughter reference followed by the daughters standing and waving, and then a reference to her husband and baby. She's hammering the "family" point here and talking about "special needs" kids. Its a great tactic but then she goes overboard I think... She says that if they are elected that people with special needs kids will have an advocate in the White House. That is just silly to me and reminds me of being in 6th grade when the kid running for class president would make promises for things like a jukebox in the cafeteria. Now some husband hype, making sure to note that he is associated with the oil rigs, then talking about the 5 kids without getting divorced. Congrats to that, blah. Some pandering to the women voters is up next followed by a cameo for her parents and some of her parents background. Another great tactic by Palin - hyping up the families of "middle America, who grow our food and fight in our wars." This chick is a great speaker and knows how to work a room. I like that. (and for all the people who get offended by me referring to women as "chicks", get over it. Women are chicks and men are dudes in my vocab. Lighten up.) Now some "hockey mom" banter with a joke thrown in. All of this is painting a great picture of her as an "everyday woman, everyday American, just like the rest of us".
Ahhhh... The first Obama bash. "A small town mayor is sort of like a community organizer except you have actual responsibilities." She follows it up by basically calling Obama two-faced and saying McCain is the same man everywhere. I see a tad bit of validity here but all she is doing is pointing out politickin'. Finally, we here the token line that the Fox News douchebags were fawning over in the pregame speech that responds to all the negative media attention - "Im not going to Washington to gain the media's approval, Im going for the American people!"
I like that she points out that she ousted the governor's private jet and chef and gave oil earnings back to the people of her state. Corruption in government is something that really hits home with me after living in Miami and watching this city be raped by government greed day after day. I also like the point about spending $40M on a CNG pipeline to lead the country towards energy independence. This is another big point for me. Oops, now she is harping on laying pipeline and drilling for oil while boosting wind, coal, and solar power. Im not a fan of drilling. We need to tell oil to go fuck itself and move on. Its like that shitty girlfriend that treats you like shit and leaches off you but you put up with it cuz she is a wild banshee in the sack.
Ouch, she just nailed Obama... She pointed to him authoring 2 memoirs but not a single law in the Senate. Then another bash about victory on the campaign front instead of in a war. I didnt get that really and the crowd didnt either. Now she's kinda gone off the deep end with speculation about Obama's plan that doesnt really make sense. Its typical politics though and I find it to be silly. She's harping on taxes now and its more speculation and pandering to people who havent researched the facts, making it sound like we're all screwed which isnt true. The tax question could be debated all day long and Im no true expert on it so I wont pretend I am. However, I have done a little research and dont think Obama's tax policies are the end of the world, at least not for the average American. Maybe for the rich though.
Im gonna end this here after hearing more POW references and "organizer" disses. Its pretty much over. I guess my running diary of the RNC is a little unfair because not only did I not really care when I did the DNC diary but I also only covered the opening acts. Had I done this for Biden's speech it mightve been more fair. I also couldve done some better coverage at the DNC, but again, I covered the C-team.
Overall, I hated Giuliani's speech and I have to tip my cap to Palin. She did a great job fighting for the candidate she supports. I didnt agree with everything she said and I didnt care for some of the personal attacks and/or defenses but I thought she put together a good speech and showed that she can play the politics game pretty well.
Tuesday, August 26, 2008
Gettin political...
Sometimes, I dont even know who I am anymore. Im actually watching politics on TV!! Right now! Seriously!
I figured that the DNC would be a good way to get a better understanding of where Obama stands since I hadnt really gave a crap before. I dont know who Im gonna vote for, but dammit, Im gonna vote. Why? Because its an American freedom and Im all about stuff like that. Here are my thoughts on the DNC based on who Ive seen so far. Please keep in mind that I still hate politics and thus dont know who was saying what so I will just describe them as best I can.
Leggy blonde lady - This is the first speaker I saw and what a welcome mat. She sucked. To me her whole speech, spoken in a very Hilary-like voice, went like this:
"John McCain doenst know how many houses he has!"
"John McCain isnt a 'sidekick', he's a groupie!" (referring to relationship w/ Bush)
"John McCain (insert belittling comment here)!"
It just really sucked. She really didnt say much about Obama at all. F-minus for this chick.
Next up was a dude that is or was the Mayor of Denver or something like that. This guy's speech was great I thought. He really pounded the point of focusing on America and whats going on here and coming together as a team. He talked about how they had shitty pollution and how everyone from the top down made a change and turned everything around in Denver with less pollution, more public transportation, etc. It showed that we can turn around our current situation too. This guy ruled.
The next lady was an old lady who thought it would be funny to start off by acknowledging that she was old. It wasnt. Her speech, however, was pretty good. She got shafted at a job and was getting less pay than men of equal status. She sued and won but then lost an appeal in the US Supreme Court. That sucks. This didnt really do anything for me on a political vote level though because outside of the sob story, I really dont remember what her whole point was. She also bashed McCain too and I hate that crap. I do remember that she touched upon the solidarity and focusing on America points though so I give her an average grade.
We next were treated to some time with Michelle Obama talking about her speech the other night. She seemed pretty cool and collected about the whole thing. Her and Barack just seem like regular people to me. Like the type of people who you would meet at a function and have a couple cocktails and a little conversation with.
Then a mayor or governor of Montana came out. This guy was funny when he started trying to get the crowd fired up and they responded. It was like when Hulk Hogan used to start twirling his wrist and putting it to his ear on each side of the ring to get the crowd fired up. I kept waiting for this Montana guy to leg drop someone. It did harp on the "lets work together" mantra, but there wasnt much else that was too memorable. Because of his antics, I give him an above average score.
Now Chelsea Clinton is up on the stage. I gotta be honest, for a chick that used to look like she was severly beaten with the ugly stick, she aint bad lookin now. I suspect science gets a thank you there. She intros her mom (and hero). Awww...
Hilary comes out and starts talking like a robot. Im so thankful that she isnt going to be President, just for this reason alone not because of anything to do with political views. She does give a pretty killer speech though. She even made fun of herself by referring to her "pant suits" and that was actually funny. It showed humility too and I liked that. Then she went off on a robotic tirade, endorsing Bar-ack O-ba-ma and getting really fired up about America. She was feeding off the crowd and they kept cutting to shots of a proud Chelsea, an applauding Michelle Obama, and even big Billy clapping and loving it. I really liked the part where she basically said to her supporters, "Were you just voting for me or are you voting for the country? If youre for the country, vote for Obama." It was a great speech and focused, again, on working together to build America back up again and stop relying on foreign sources.
I think (hope) this is the end because I really dont wanna watch anymore. I now owe it to myself to watch the Republicans do their thing so if anyone knows when that is, please let me know. Im too lazy and dont give a crap about politics enough to actually find it myself. The only reason I watched the DNC is because there was nothing else on after Family Guy ended.
All in all, I liked what I saw and heard from the DNC. It reminded me of the words the late Shannon Hoon, formerly of the band Blind Melon:
"AS THE FUTURE BEHOLDS, OUR LIVES WILL UNFOLD. WE WILL ALL GROW TOGETHER AS ONE UNIT... A TEAM. AS TIME PASSES I WILL FEEL I HAVE BROTHERS TO LOOK OVER ME. AS I WILL WATCH OVER THEM. FOR WITHOUT EACH OTHER THE FUTURE WILL HOLD NOTHING. BUT WITH A TEAM LIKE US THE FUTURE IS OURS."
I figured that the DNC would be a good way to get a better understanding of where Obama stands since I hadnt really gave a crap before. I dont know who Im gonna vote for, but dammit, Im gonna vote. Why? Because its an American freedom and Im all about stuff like that. Here are my thoughts on the DNC based on who Ive seen so far. Please keep in mind that I still hate politics and thus dont know who was saying what so I will just describe them as best I can.
Leggy blonde lady - This is the first speaker I saw and what a welcome mat. She sucked. To me her whole speech, spoken in a very Hilary-like voice, went like this:
"John McCain doenst know how many houses he has!"
"John McCain isnt a 'sidekick', he's a groupie!" (referring to relationship w/ Bush)
"John McCain (insert belittling comment here)!"
It just really sucked. She really didnt say much about Obama at all. F-minus for this chick.
Next up was a dude that is or was the Mayor of Denver or something like that. This guy's speech was great I thought. He really pounded the point of focusing on America and whats going on here and coming together as a team. He talked about how they had shitty pollution and how everyone from the top down made a change and turned everything around in Denver with less pollution, more public transportation, etc. It showed that we can turn around our current situation too. This guy ruled.
The next lady was an old lady who thought it would be funny to start off by acknowledging that she was old. It wasnt. Her speech, however, was pretty good. She got shafted at a job and was getting less pay than men of equal status. She sued and won but then lost an appeal in the US Supreme Court. That sucks. This didnt really do anything for me on a political vote level though because outside of the sob story, I really dont remember what her whole point was. She also bashed McCain too and I hate that crap. I do remember that she touched upon the solidarity and focusing on America points though so I give her an average grade.
We next were treated to some time with Michelle Obama talking about her speech the other night. She seemed pretty cool and collected about the whole thing. Her and Barack just seem like regular people to me. Like the type of people who you would meet at a function and have a couple cocktails and a little conversation with.
Then a mayor or governor of Montana came out. This guy was funny when he started trying to get the crowd fired up and they responded. It was like when Hulk Hogan used to start twirling his wrist and putting it to his ear on each side of the ring to get the crowd fired up. I kept waiting for this Montana guy to leg drop someone. It did harp on the "lets work together" mantra, but there wasnt much else that was too memorable. Because of his antics, I give him an above average score.
Now Chelsea Clinton is up on the stage. I gotta be honest, for a chick that used to look like she was severly beaten with the ugly stick, she aint bad lookin now. I suspect science gets a thank you there. She intros her mom (and hero). Awww...
Hilary comes out and starts talking like a robot. Im so thankful that she isnt going to be President, just for this reason alone not because of anything to do with political views. She does give a pretty killer speech though. She even made fun of herself by referring to her "pant suits" and that was actually funny. It showed humility too and I liked that. Then she went off on a robotic tirade, endorsing Bar-ack O-ba-ma and getting really fired up about America. She was feeding off the crowd and they kept cutting to shots of a proud Chelsea, an applauding Michelle Obama, and even big Billy clapping and loving it. I really liked the part where she basically said to her supporters, "Were you just voting for me or are you voting for the country? If youre for the country, vote for Obama." It was a great speech and focused, again, on working together to build America back up again and stop relying on foreign sources.
I think (hope) this is the end because I really dont wanna watch anymore. I now owe it to myself to watch the Republicans do their thing so if anyone knows when that is, please let me know. Im too lazy and dont give a crap about politics enough to actually find it myself. The only reason I watched the DNC is because there was nothing else on after Family Guy ended.
All in all, I liked what I saw and heard from the DNC. It reminded me of the words the late Shannon Hoon, formerly of the band Blind Melon:
"AS THE FUTURE BEHOLDS, OUR LIVES WILL UNFOLD. WE WILL ALL GROW TOGETHER AS ONE UNIT... A TEAM. AS TIME PASSES I WILL FEEL I HAVE BROTHERS TO LOOK OVER ME. AS I WILL WATCH OVER THEM. FOR WITHOUT EACH OTHER THE FUTURE WILL HOLD NOTHING. BUT WITH A TEAM LIKE US THE FUTURE IS OURS."
Sunday, August 24, 2008
Body Damage - a week in review
The Closing Ceremonies of the 2008 Olympics are winding down, a great ending to a somewhat crazy week.
Monday and Tuesday were "storm days", our first sight of a potential hurricane. As usual, the media acted like the end of the world was coming in order to get people to flood their local Publix, Wal-Mart, and Home Depots.
Wednesday, I met up with a buddy at Tatu sushi at the Hard Rock where we downed some of what I like to call "base food" before heading into the Stone Temple Pilots concert where I proceeded to put on a beer drinking clinic. The show kicked major ass. Scott Weiland sounded unbelievably good and didnt seem strung out on drugs at all. Maybe there is a direct relationship here? They played a lot of classics and managed to play at least one song from each album. Then they came out with an encore of Dead & Bloated with the entire crowd singing along. I was 10 beers deep at that point, double-fisted Heineken's throughout the entire show. Yeah. The show ended and we headed to a few bars where I proceeded to drink another 3 bourbons and pick up a few new friends to drunkenly makeout with. My buddy bailed and I ended up eating at some obscure diner with the ladies in Ihavenoclue, FL at 3am. Around 3:30am I started to head home and that was a really dumb idea. I got home ok and drove fine but I was really lucky. I put myself on "timeout" on Thursday.
Thursday I was hurtin but I hid it well. I had to drive to meet with a few customers and it was a long day. McDonald's at 2pm saved my life that day I think. It was still a very rough day. Meetings went well but I wouldnt have minded if I was at my house in my bed. Im getting too old for this shit. That night, I met up with a friend and his girlfriend at MGFD. We dined outside in the middle of a monsoon but we managed to stay dry and the food was great. They have a nice bourbon selection there so its a little hard to resist. I managed to limit myself to 2 though, until I got home and threw a few more back, finding myself kinda drunk again for no reason whatsoever. I start to think I have a drinking problem at this point.
Speaking of drinking problems... Friday I headed up to West Palm to hang out with my cousin and his fiance since it had been awhile. We went to a party at their neighbor's house that got way out of hand. We had picked up a bottle of Basil Hayden, my favorite, and then proceeded to drink the entire bottle. Then the Bacardi 151 made an appearance along with a bonfire. Uh oh... We had one of the girls blowing fire and dousing the fire pit with glasses of it as well. This was hilarious and naturally we had to go and get a huge bag full of fireworks to throw into this inferno. We lit up some cubans and enjoyed a nice smoke while tossing fireworks into the fire pit, about 150 at a time. There are few things in life that beat bourbon, cigars, and drunken pyrotechnics.
Saturday I woke up and didnt know where I was for a second. Kinda common because I travel a ton but weird nonetheless. Much to my surprise, I had zero hangover. I figured my body was probably used to being 50% bourbon at this point. Around 1130am, we headed out to go pick up some ammo to go trap shooting. After buying some ammo and grabbing a much needed bite, we headed to the range. I had never shot before. I will admit Im not a fan of guns and I did experience some anxiety once we got there and got ready to shoot. After getting a walkthru, we started shooting some clay pigeons. I nailed one on my first shot and was hooked. It was awesome. I got better and better as we went along too. The gun didnt have the recoil I thought it would and we shot both 12 and 20 gauge. The only part about the whole day that sucked was that it POURED rain all day. The rain pounded down, only letting up long enough to lure us out away from shelter where Mother Nature would have a chance to soak us to the bone. I ended up buying a shirt and hat because I was drenched and figured I should grab a souvenir anyways. When I got home, I headed into the Grove to Jaguarto grab a bite and enjoy a few bourbons. Met some cool people and had a good amount of "base food" and then met up with some neighbors at Sandbar for a few beers. Around midnight I realized I was kinda wasted and needed to get up really early for the SFDB Classic so I headed home.
I woke up Sunday ready to hit the links. I got to Melreese/International Links around 745am and headed over to the range. Id hit my driver terribly the previous weekend and was hoping to work out the kinks since the driver is usually the best club in my bag. Well, I didnt figure it out. The driver killed me all day. I did manage to battle back on each hole though and ended up shooting a 93 which wasnt so bad considering I didnt make it past the ladies tee on at least 6 shots. Meeting up with Rick (from SFDB), Steve (formerly of Owenized), and Nonee Moose (commenter at SFDB) was fun. Rick was the only one who really played well but the rest of us had our few bright moments and there were a lot of laughs. I got home, showered quickly, and headed on over to the Rusty Pelican for brunch and managed to avoid drinking any alcohol.
The week ends with the Closing Ceremonies of the Olympics, the best Olympics ever. I look back on a week where I did some not-so-bright things, a ton of damage to my body with alcohol, gunpowder, and golf, but it was a fun ride. I also met a lot of new people and thats always good. Next week is Labor Day weekend which means an extra day off. I can only imagine what is in store there...
Monday and Tuesday were "storm days", our first sight of a potential hurricane. As usual, the media acted like the end of the world was coming in order to get people to flood their local Publix, Wal-Mart, and Home Depots.
Wednesday, I met up with a buddy at Tatu sushi at the Hard Rock where we downed some of what I like to call "base food" before heading into the Stone Temple Pilots concert where I proceeded to put on a beer drinking clinic. The show kicked major ass. Scott Weiland sounded unbelievably good and didnt seem strung out on drugs at all. Maybe there is a direct relationship here? They played a lot of classics and managed to play at least one song from each album. Then they came out with an encore of Dead & Bloated with the entire crowd singing along. I was 10 beers deep at that point, double-fisted Heineken's throughout the entire show. Yeah. The show ended and we headed to a few bars where I proceeded to drink another 3 bourbons and pick up a few new friends to drunkenly makeout with. My buddy bailed and I ended up eating at some obscure diner with the ladies in Ihavenoclue, FL at 3am. Around 3:30am I started to head home and that was a really dumb idea. I got home ok and drove fine but I was really lucky. I put myself on "timeout" on Thursday.
Thursday I was hurtin but I hid it well. I had to drive to meet with a few customers and it was a long day. McDonald's at 2pm saved my life that day I think. It was still a very rough day. Meetings went well but I wouldnt have minded if I was at my house in my bed. Im getting too old for this shit. That night, I met up with a friend and his girlfriend at MGFD. We dined outside in the middle of a monsoon but we managed to stay dry and the food was great. They have a nice bourbon selection there so its a little hard to resist. I managed to limit myself to 2 though, until I got home and threw a few more back, finding myself kinda drunk again for no reason whatsoever. I start to think I have a drinking problem at this point.
Speaking of drinking problems... Friday I headed up to West Palm to hang out with my cousin and his fiance since it had been awhile. We went to a party at their neighbor's house that got way out of hand. We had picked up a bottle of Basil Hayden, my favorite, and then proceeded to drink the entire bottle. Then the Bacardi 151 made an appearance along with a bonfire. Uh oh... We had one of the girls blowing fire and dousing the fire pit with glasses of it as well. This was hilarious and naturally we had to go and get a huge bag full of fireworks to throw into this inferno. We lit up some cubans and enjoyed a nice smoke while tossing fireworks into the fire pit, about 150 at a time. There are few things in life that beat bourbon, cigars, and drunken pyrotechnics.
Saturday I woke up and didnt know where I was for a second. Kinda common because I travel a ton but weird nonetheless. Much to my surprise, I had zero hangover. I figured my body was probably used to being 50% bourbon at this point. Around 1130am, we headed out to go pick up some ammo to go trap shooting. After buying some ammo and grabbing a much needed bite, we headed to the range. I had never shot before. I will admit Im not a fan of guns and I did experience some anxiety once we got there and got ready to shoot. After getting a walkthru, we started shooting some clay pigeons. I nailed one on my first shot and was hooked. It was awesome. I got better and better as we went along too. The gun didnt have the recoil I thought it would and we shot both 12 and 20 gauge. The only part about the whole day that sucked was that it POURED rain all day. The rain pounded down, only letting up long enough to lure us out away from shelter where Mother Nature would have a chance to soak us to the bone. I ended up buying a shirt and hat because I was drenched and figured I should grab a souvenir anyways. When I got home, I headed into the Grove to Jaguarto grab a bite and enjoy a few bourbons. Met some cool people and had a good amount of "base food" and then met up with some neighbors at Sandbar for a few beers. Around midnight I realized I was kinda wasted and needed to get up really early for the SFDB Classic so I headed home.
I woke up Sunday ready to hit the links. I got to Melreese/International Links around 745am and headed over to the range. Id hit my driver terribly the previous weekend and was hoping to work out the kinks since the driver is usually the best club in my bag. Well, I didnt figure it out. The driver killed me all day. I did manage to battle back on each hole though and ended up shooting a 93 which wasnt so bad considering I didnt make it past the ladies tee on at least 6 shots. Meeting up with Rick (from SFDB), Steve (formerly of Owenized), and Nonee Moose (commenter at SFDB) was fun. Rick was the only one who really played well but the rest of us had our few bright moments and there were a lot of laughs. I got home, showered quickly, and headed on over to the Rusty Pelican for brunch and managed to avoid drinking any alcohol.
The week ends with the Closing Ceremonies of the Olympics, the best Olympics ever. I look back on a week where I did some not-so-bright things, a ton of damage to my body with alcohol, gunpowder, and golf, but it was a fun ride. I also met a lot of new people and thats always good. Next week is Labor Day weekend which means an extra day off. I can only imagine what is in store there...
Thursday, August 7, 2008
Tired of Texting
The era of texting is upon us and I am already sick of it. I first learned of the popularity of texting while over in Europe back in 2001. It hadnt really caught on in the US yet and wouldnt for some time so I remembered thinking it was weird and probably for people who couldnt afford the minutes to talk. Today it seems like everyone texts, probably because they do. At first, I liked it and thought it was convenient. But that was in situations like looking for someone at a bar or letting someone know your flight had landed. That is what texting is good for - a short notice or exchange of info.
Nowadays though I find myself getting into what I call "text conversations" with people and it really annoys me. I hate punching the damn buttons for multiple texts. Its just inconvenient. If we really need to have more than a 2-text exchange, why cant we just talk like normal humans? You know, just hit "send" and hash out whatever we are texting about in less than 2 minutes. Its so impersonal and cerebral. Then there are the people whose phone makes noise with every button pressed and every text sent and received. God, I loathe those people. They continue on with this for what seems like an eternity. "Beep beep-beep, beeeeeeeeep!"
I'm no exception either, well, except for the noise making part. However, Im weening myself off of the text message. I'm concentrating on keeping myself from falling into text conversations and when I see one forming I hit the send button and make a phone call instead. I like being a human, after all.
Nowadays though I find myself getting into what I call "text conversations" with people and it really annoys me. I hate punching the damn buttons for multiple texts. Its just inconvenient. If we really need to have more than a 2-text exchange, why cant we just talk like normal humans? You know, just hit "send" and hash out whatever we are texting about in less than 2 minutes. Its so impersonal and cerebral. Then there are the people whose phone makes noise with every button pressed and every text sent and received. God, I loathe those people. They continue on with this for what seems like an eternity. "Beep beep-beep, beeeeeeeeep!"
I'm no exception either, well, except for the noise making part. However, Im weening myself off of the text message. I'm concentrating on keeping myself from falling into text conversations and when I see one forming I hit the send button and make a phone call instead. I like being a human, after all.
Wednesday, August 6, 2008
Blind Mind to be featured on Fox News Dallas tonite at 6pm
Yup, thats right folks. Im scheduled to be on Fox News tonite in a piece about airline travel, airport traffic, and airport shopping. I basically talked about how Ive noticed a slight decline in airport traffic due to the higher ticket prices and Im loving it. Means less lines in security and less idiots in the airport. I also have noticed airlines cutting back on the number of flights which means flights are more full. The reporter also asked if I spend more/less money at the airport. I never buy crap at the airport outside of food/alcohol and most of the time Im in the 1st class lounges anyways. But, I did comment that I read up on how Best Buy is installing kiosks where travelers can buy MP3 players, etc, so clearly someone thinks people are still spending. For the record, I think this is a dumb idea. I just dont see it being profitable.
So, check out Fox 4 News Dallas tonite and you can see me live. A little gift for all of my fans who read this blog and live in Dallas. All zero of you haha.
So, check out Fox 4 News Dallas tonite and you can see me live. A little gift for all of my fans who read this blog and live in Dallas. All zero of you haha.
Wow, talk about your all-time worst ad campaign backfire
This is extremely disturbing but kinda hilarious at the same time...
TORONTO - Greyhound has scrapped an ad campaign that extolled the relaxing upside of bus travel after one of its passengers was accused of beheading and cannibalizing another traveler.
The ad's tag line was "There's a reason you've never heard of 'bus rage.'"
More sick details here:
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080806/ap_on_re_ca/canada_bus_beheading
TORONTO - Greyhound has scrapped an ad campaign that extolled the relaxing upside of bus travel after one of its passengers was accused of beheading and cannibalizing another traveler.
The ad's tag line was "There's a reason you've never heard of 'bus rage.'"
More sick details here:
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080806/ap_on_re_ca/canada_bus_beheading
Thursday, July 31, 2008
Restaurant Review: Cita's Italian Chophouse, Coconut Grove
A few nights ago I met up with a few friends for dinner at Cita's Italian Chophouse which had just opened in the Grove recently. I had been wanting to give this new joint a try because I need a new place to add to my "just back in town dinner" rotation. We started with the burrata and the scallop appetizers. The burrata was good. Nothing to get excited about but good nonetheless. I thought it was lacking in the creamy department, like the piece we got was mostly the outside layer. Anyhow, the scallops kicked major ass. They came wrapped in prosciutto on top of some sauteed greens with a creamy mustard/red peppercorn sauce. The sauce was housed in a little cup so you could apply to your own taste and I liked that because I like to taste the scallop without sauce first. This scallop was perfectly cooked and tasted delicious on its own but the sauce took it to a whole 'nother level.
Next up 2 of us had the Soup of the Day (potato) and one requested the house salad. The soup was incredibly good. Normally when I think potato soup I think "heavy" but this was potato puree and it was light and tasty. Arugula and parmesan floated around and added flavor to each bite. I didnt try the salad but I was told it was really good. So good, that when the person who ordered the "house salad" found out it was the Cita's Chop Salad at $14 he said he'd get it again anyday.
Mains came out and each one was a winner. I had the grouper and my friends had the rack of lamb and salmon. The grouper was moist and flaky and full of flavor. The lemon caper sauce was a great add too as was the side of jasmine rice. Only disappointment for me was that I was so full that I had my membership to the Clean Plate Club temporarily suspended. I just couldnt finish the rice. I tasted the rack of lamb and it was damn good, especially with the roasted garlic. I was too full for the salmon but the person who had it was picky about salmon and said it passed the test.
Throughout the meal, the waiter was very informative and made recommendations when asked. At one point, there was a mixup with what was ordered and what was received and the waiter not only found a way to remedy the situation, he then offered to buy dessert. Dessert came like a "chocolate 5-ways". There was a chocolate lava cake, peanut butter panna cotta topped with chocolate shavings & whipped cream, chocolate cookies, chocolate ice cream, and a white/black chocolate mousse. I dont even like chocolate much but I tried everything but the cookie and it was allllllll gooooooood.
I gotta say, I went it expecting to have an average meal and was completely blown away. The menu is quite extensive, good wine selection, incredibly good service (just opened recently and still working out a few kinks but the staff was informative, speedy, and eager to please and remedy any mistakes), and the food was phenomenal. We got a tour after dinner that exposed a whole other mini-bar and back dining patio that I never wouldve imagined being there. It was really cool. This one will be a winner in the Grove, mark my words. They have what Grove yuppies and the like have been looking for - fantastic food in a neighborhood setting. The prices are slightly expensive but they are justified by the ingredients and quality of each dish. I definitely recommend checking out this restaurant to anyone looking for a nice meal in the Grove.
Cita's Italian Chophouse
3176 Commodore Plaza
Coconut Grove, FL 33133
305-446-2207
Next up 2 of us had the Soup of the Day (potato) and one requested the house salad. The soup was incredibly good. Normally when I think potato soup I think "heavy" but this was potato puree and it was light and tasty. Arugula and parmesan floated around and added flavor to each bite. I didnt try the salad but I was told it was really good. So good, that when the person who ordered the "house salad" found out it was the Cita's Chop Salad at $14 he said he'd get it again anyday.
Mains came out and each one was a winner. I had the grouper and my friends had the rack of lamb and salmon. The grouper was moist and flaky and full of flavor. The lemon caper sauce was a great add too as was the side of jasmine rice. Only disappointment for me was that I was so full that I had my membership to the Clean Plate Club temporarily suspended. I just couldnt finish the rice. I tasted the rack of lamb and it was damn good, especially with the roasted garlic. I was too full for the salmon but the person who had it was picky about salmon and said it passed the test.
Throughout the meal, the waiter was very informative and made recommendations when asked. At one point, there was a mixup with what was ordered and what was received and the waiter not only found a way to remedy the situation, he then offered to buy dessert. Dessert came like a "chocolate 5-ways". There was a chocolate lava cake, peanut butter panna cotta topped with chocolate shavings & whipped cream, chocolate cookies, chocolate ice cream, and a white/black chocolate mousse. I dont even like chocolate much but I tried everything but the cookie and it was allllllll gooooooood.
I gotta say, I went it expecting to have an average meal and was completely blown away. The menu is quite extensive, good wine selection, incredibly good service (just opened recently and still working out a few kinks but the staff was informative, speedy, and eager to please and remedy any mistakes), and the food was phenomenal. We got a tour after dinner that exposed a whole other mini-bar and back dining patio that I never wouldve imagined being there. It was really cool. This one will be a winner in the Grove, mark my words. They have what Grove yuppies and the like have been looking for - fantastic food in a neighborhood setting. The prices are slightly expensive but they are justified by the ingredients and quality of each dish. I definitely recommend checking out this restaurant to anyone looking for a nice meal in the Grove.
Cita's Italian Chophouse
3176 Commodore Plaza
Coconut Grove, FL 33133
305-446-2207
Thursday, July 24, 2008
I just saved myself $1000 and Geico had nothing to do with it
I travel a lot and thus my car will stay idle, sometimes for lengthy periods of time. On my 1st of 2 Vegas trips in the last 4 weeks, I came back to Miami to find my car completely DEAD in the Fast Park parking lot outside MIA (quick side note here... This parking lot KICKS ASS. $7/day if you have AAA and the shuttle is very fast and they give you a free cold bottle of water on your way out). On top of this lot's awesomeness with service and convenience, the bus lady came over to jump my car. The thing wouldnt even turn over. So, I call AAA and it takes them 2 sets of cables to get my car going. I go to my shop who installed the battery and they run a test showing that the battery and alternator are fine. That made sense because I bought new ones 7 months prior. So, battery was fine but I think all of that voltage blew out my radio because it went dead. The thing that sucked though was that the light behind the LED display would stay on even when the car was off. The only way to avoid this was to disconnect the battery every time I finished driving and that gets old pretty quick. So, I headed over to Braman BMW to have it checked out since my normal shop (Tires Plus on Bird near Merrick Park - they do good work and the guys who work there are trustworthy) didnt do electrical work.
After about 2 hours of sitting there and waiting, Braman told me that my radio was dead. Wow, amazing what 2 hours and $150 can get you! Information you already know! Braman also told me that I needed a new battery and alternator which was odd because I had a printout from the guys who installed my battery and alternator that said they were fine. All in all, they wanted $666 for a new radio and another $600 to install it. The girl in service advised that getting a new stereo from Best Buy would be better and I agreed. So, I headed to Best Buy and bought a new stereo. Later on I found out that I need a special harness and kit to have someone mount this thing in my car. That seemed like a hassle and I had to travel the next day so I postponed the install.
In the meantime, I checked out eBay. I was able to find a BMW factory stereo for $200 and it was in Miami! That and it was plug n play! I bought said stereo and searched the internet for install instructions. I nearly crapped myself when I read how easy the install was. I just got the stereo today. I was able to install this puppy in LESS THAN 10 MINUTES!!! THat is no exaggeration either and I know very little about cars. Id like to send out a big fat "EFF YOU" to the crooks over at Braman who were going to charge me $600 for a job that took less than 10 minutes. Thanks to eBay and the internet, I saved myself $1000.
After about 2 hours of sitting there and waiting, Braman told me that my radio was dead. Wow, amazing what 2 hours and $150 can get you! Information you already know! Braman also told me that I needed a new battery and alternator which was odd because I had a printout from the guys who installed my battery and alternator that said they were fine. All in all, they wanted $666 for a new radio and another $600 to install it. The girl in service advised that getting a new stereo from Best Buy would be better and I agreed. So, I headed to Best Buy and bought a new stereo. Later on I found out that I need a special harness and kit to have someone mount this thing in my car. That seemed like a hassle and I had to travel the next day so I postponed the install.
In the meantime, I checked out eBay. I was able to find a BMW factory stereo for $200 and it was in Miami! That and it was plug n play! I bought said stereo and searched the internet for install instructions. I nearly crapped myself when I read how easy the install was. I just got the stereo today. I was able to install this puppy in LESS THAN 10 MINUTES!!! THat is no exaggeration either and I know very little about cars. Id like to send out a big fat "EFF YOU" to the crooks over at Braman who were going to charge me $600 for a job that took less than 10 minutes. Thanks to eBay and the internet, I saved myself $1000.
Wednesday, July 9, 2008
SERENITY NOW!!!
I used to work in a high stress job environment and, as such, I was a highly stressed individual. I was extremely irritable and quick to get angry if I felt I was being taken advantage of or treated with disrespect. In other words, I was an asshole.
When I left that job, so did the asshole me. My friends and family noticed a change immediately and it was good to have the old me back. I am much more relaxed now and a pro at keeping my cool. Today, that really came in handy...
I went and got a haircut after work and remembered that I needed some water at the homestead so I stopped by Milams on my way back to the Grove. I got some chicken, some shittake mushrooms, garlic teriyaki sauce, water, ice, and a bottle of V8 Acai & Mixed Berry which is one of my favorite drinks. I paid, went to the car, threw the groceries into the trunk and headed home. When I got home, I was able to lug all the groceries plus my briefcase and a car stereo Id bought the day before up to my condo. On the way, I stopped and grabbed my mail and when I got to the 2nd floor where my place is, I realized Id left my keys in the mailbox. So, I put the stuff down, got my keys, and went back up. When I got in, I started putting things away when I noticed the juice was MIA. "What the hell?", I thought to myself. So, I headed back out to the car and checked the trunk. Nothing in it. I hopped in the car and headed back to Milams figuring Id left the juice at the register. When I got there, the cashier said she didnt see it. I didnt take her to be a liar, so I left puzzled at where the hell this juice had gone.
I checked my trunk AGAIN. Still not there, pal. I head home and check the house again. Still nothing. Now Im irritated and in a pissy mood because I want to make dinner and eat before it gets late. So I say, "screw it", and start cooking dinner. As Im making my stir fry, I cant let the goddamn juice fiasco go. I review the whole thing in my mind again. Bought the juice, put the groceries in the car, got home, got mail, got inside, juice up and vanishes like a fart in the wind. Im stir frying and Im pissed off because I just wanted to drink some goddamn juice tonite. Now Im starting to think that the cashier is happily thinking about the juice she is going to drink later. I struggle with the idea of going back to Milams a 3rd time. Im eating with a vengeance now and I cant take the lingering feeling that Ive been had. So, I eat half the dinner and hop in the car to go back to Milams.
I get back and Im determined to shake this girl down to find out where my goddamn juice is. I ask her again and she says I didnt leave anything. Her face is sincere and I know she is telling the truth. Old me definitely wouldve exploded on her and demanded to speak to a manager. Old me definitely wouldve looked like the biggest asshole for doing that too. New me is cool, calm, and collected. I go to the juice aisle and discover Id bought the last bottle of that juice. I start searching for an alternative before angrily deciding that I'll be damned if I buy another bottle of juice at this place. Now Im convinced that I mustve put the groceries down before putting them in the trunk and possibly left that bag. Its hardly believable but there's a chance that is what happened so I leave thinking, "Great, some asshole is probably having a juice party with his whole family on me tonite!"
I needed gas so I stopped for some and then drove home, once again reviewing all of the details of the disappearing juice caper in my head. It is this very second where I have an epiphany. When I went back downstairs to grab my keys out of the mailbox, I thought I heard a "thud" that sounded different than a door closing. I get home, walk up to my place, and look over the railing into the bushes... THERE IS MY MOTHERFUCKIN JUICE! HELL YEAH!! ALL IS GOOD IN THE WORLD!!!
The juice is getting the royal treatment in the freezer as I type this, in order to achieve maximum awesomeness before I dominate about half of the bottle. Ive never been so fired up to drink a glass of juice in my life. Mmmmmmmmmmmm..........juuuuuuuice.
When I left that job, so did the asshole me. My friends and family noticed a change immediately and it was good to have the old me back. I am much more relaxed now and a pro at keeping my cool. Today, that really came in handy...
I went and got a haircut after work and remembered that I needed some water at the homestead so I stopped by Milams on my way back to the Grove. I got some chicken, some shittake mushrooms, garlic teriyaki sauce, water, ice, and a bottle of V8 Acai & Mixed Berry which is one of my favorite drinks. I paid, went to the car, threw the groceries into the trunk and headed home. When I got home, I was able to lug all the groceries plus my briefcase and a car stereo Id bought the day before up to my condo. On the way, I stopped and grabbed my mail and when I got to the 2nd floor where my place is, I realized Id left my keys in the mailbox. So, I put the stuff down, got my keys, and went back up. When I got in, I started putting things away when I noticed the juice was MIA. "What the hell?", I thought to myself. So, I headed back out to the car and checked the trunk. Nothing in it. I hopped in the car and headed back to Milams figuring Id left the juice at the register. When I got there, the cashier said she didnt see it. I didnt take her to be a liar, so I left puzzled at where the hell this juice had gone.
I checked my trunk AGAIN. Still not there, pal. I head home and check the house again. Still nothing. Now Im irritated and in a pissy mood because I want to make dinner and eat before it gets late. So I say, "screw it", and start cooking dinner. As Im making my stir fry, I cant let the goddamn juice fiasco go. I review the whole thing in my mind again. Bought the juice, put the groceries in the car, got home, got mail, got inside, juice up and vanishes like a fart in the wind. Im stir frying and Im pissed off because I just wanted to drink some goddamn juice tonite. Now Im starting to think that the cashier is happily thinking about the juice she is going to drink later. I struggle with the idea of going back to Milams a 3rd time. Im eating with a vengeance now and I cant take the lingering feeling that Ive been had. So, I eat half the dinner and hop in the car to go back to Milams.
I get back and Im determined to shake this girl down to find out where my goddamn juice is. I ask her again and she says I didnt leave anything. Her face is sincere and I know she is telling the truth. Old me definitely wouldve exploded on her and demanded to speak to a manager. Old me definitely wouldve looked like the biggest asshole for doing that too. New me is cool, calm, and collected. I go to the juice aisle and discover Id bought the last bottle of that juice. I start searching for an alternative before angrily deciding that I'll be damned if I buy another bottle of juice at this place. Now Im convinced that I mustve put the groceries down before putting them in the trunk and possibly left that bag. Its hardly believable but there's a chance that is what happened so I leave thinking, "Great, some asshole is probably having a juice party with his whole family on me tonite!"
I needed gas so I stopped for some and then drove home, once again reviewing all of the details of the disappearing juice caper in my head. It is this very second where I have an epiphany. When I went back downstairs to grab my keys out of the mailbox, I thought I heard a "thud" that sounded different than a door closing. I get home, walk up to my place, and look over the railing into the bushes... THERE IS MY MOTHERFUCKIN JUICE! HELL YEAH!! ALL IS GOOD IN THE WORLD!!!
The juice is getting the royal treatment in the freezer as I type this, in order to achieve maximum awesomeness before I dominate about half of the bottle. Ive never been so fired up to drink a glass of juice in my life. Mmmmmmmmmmmm..........juuuuuuuice.
Wednesday, June 25, 2008
This is why going out on Miami Beach before packing for a 6am flight is a BAD idea
Im in the midst of quite the road trip and Im finding out that Ive really screwed myself by going out late Monday night without packing for my 6am flight on Tuesday. Currently in Indy and headed to Dallas this afternoon, then off to Vegas for 5 days on Thursday (for work, unfortunately). Here is a list of things that Ive managed to eff up:
- Didnt charge the ol' electric razor which now reads "0 minutes left" on the 2nd day of my 8 day trip...
- Packed sneakers and shorts to workout but no t-shirts
- Forgot 2 key things for Vegas - cash and rubbers
- Forgot cologne, which really doesnt matter except if I get loaded in Vegas and need to hide the scent of bourbon leaking out of my skin...
- Forgot a press release I had wrote and now I have to re-write the damn thing
- Forgot sunglasses - I guess my subconscious wants to hit it big on the craps tables so I can buy a nice new pair.
Luckily I can get a t-shirt, cash, and rubbers pretty easily. The sunglasses are a total whiff and re-writing the press release is gonna be a bitch, especially with my tendencies to procrastinate. I think this just proves my theory that I like to make life as hard as I can on myself...ugh.
- Didnt charge the ol' electric razor which now reads "0 minutes left" on the 2nd day of my 8 day trip...
- Packed sneakers and shorts to workout but no t-shirts
- Forgot 2 key things for Vegas - cash and rubbers
- Forgot cologne, which really doesnt matter except if I get loaded in Vegas and need to hide the scent of bourbon leaking out of my skin...
- Forgot a press release I had wrote and now I have to re-write the damn thing
- Forgot sunglasses - I guess my subconscious wants to hit it big on the craps tables so I can buy a nice new pair.
Luckily I can get a t-shirt, cash, and rubbers pretty easily. The sunglasses are a total whiff and re-writing the press release is gonna be a bitch, especially with my tendencies to procrastinate. I think this just proves my theory that I like to make life as hard as I can on myself...ugh.
Friday, June 20, 2008
Restaurant Review: North 110, North Miami
I had been wanting to give this place a try for awhile now but couldnt muster up the energy to make the drive up from Coconut Grove (damn MGFD is like a vaccuum - I cant seem to make it past the exit for 195 haha). Well, I had some business up north to attend to so I decided to call a lady friend and check out this spot.
The place has a dining area up front and a dining/bar area in the back. It was POURING outside, so the place was somewhat empty. We chose the bar area since it was a Wednesday and they had live music - a great jazz singer with a few tables of fans sitting nearby. I think she sings every Wednesday and she was great as was the music. Only drawback was that the space is very tight so its hard to have conversation while she is performing but thats really not too big of a deal.
I really enjoyed the way that they break down the wine list by tasting notes. I selected a '06 Williamette Valley Pinot Noir (Willow Tree or Willow "something", the name escapes me at the moment) from the "truffles and mushrooms" section. The waiter liked the pick and we really enjoyed the bottle, enough that we had to pace ourselves as to not run out before the mains came out. For an appetizer, we ordered the Ricotta Risotto Fritters with Parmesan Dipping Sauce. These were fantastic. Nice semi-crunchy exterior with a filling of incredibly smooth, cheesy goodness. The parmesan sauce was great for dipping too.
The mains came out next. The waiter had informed us that the menu changes weekly and I liked that. Using the waiter's recommendation to help me decide between 2 dishes, I ordered the large portion of the Barolo Braised Short Ribs with Bacon and a grain that is also escaping me at the moment. She had the Grilled Skirt Steak with Sauteed Corn and Pancetta and a Warm Mushroom Vinegarette. The waiter handed me a knife and said, "This is for appearance only, you wont need it." He was right. The meat fell off the bone and tasted delicious. The Barolo liquid had awesome flavor that I felt really enhanced the flavor of the meat. The bacon was a thin slice of pancetta that was cooked to a crispy well done. Im still struggling with whether I liked that or not. At first, I didnt because Im a bacon fan and I dont like well done bacon. However, I thought the crispiness and slightly charred flavor really meshed well with the rest of the dish. I tried a little of my companion's steak and it was excellent. I will likely order that next time.
We were pretty full from the wine and meal, so we opted to skip dessert and I asked for their bourbon selection. Knob Creek and Maker's Mark so I chose Maker's. Kinda disappointing because this restaurant has an elegant high-end feel to it and these bourbons are kinda pedestrian. I recommended carrying Basil Hayden in a conversation later on with the hostess/manager but its somewhat silly on my part to expect a nice bourbon list at every restaurant I go to. A bourbon connoisseur can dream though... (Side note: The hostess/manager was extremely nice, polite, and informative when we asked about a spot to check out for a cocktail afterwards. The waiter and the rest of the staff were equally awesome. I think this is important to the success of a restaurant and it was much appreciated). Before my drink came, our waiter presented us with some Blueberry Fritters, compliments of the chef. Man, they like them some Fritters at North 110 and these were a nice end to a great meal.
Overall, I really enjoyed the dining experience at North 110. Service was great, food was delicious, tried a new wine that I loved, and the added bonus of a sultry jazz singer made for a killer time. Its not easy on the wallet but I thought the quality of food and presentation fit the bill. I will definitely have to make an effort to get back up there for another meal. A seared foie gras and that skirt steak are calling my name.
The place has a dining area up front and a dining/bar area in the back. It was POURING outside, so the place was somewhat empty. We chose the bar area since it was a Wednesday and they had live music - a great jazz singer with a few tables of fans sitting nearby. I think she sings every Wednesday and she was great as was the music. Only drawback was that the space is very tight so its hard to have conversation while she is performing but thats really not too big of a deal.
I really enjoyed the way that they break down the wine list by tasting notes. I selected a '06 Williamette Valley Pinot Noir (Willow Tree or Willow "something", the name escapes me at the moment) from the "truffles and mushrooms" section. The waiter liked the pick and we really enjoyed the bottle, enough that we had to pace ourselves as to not run out before the mains came out. For an appetizer, we ordered the Ricotta Risotto Fritters with Parmesan Dipping Sauce. These were fantastic. Nice semi-crunchy exterior with a filling of incredibly smooth, cheesy goodness. The parmesan sauce was great for dipping too.
The mains came out next. The waiter had informed us that the menu changes weekly and I liked that. Using the waiter's recommendation to help me decide between 2 dishes, I ordered the large portion of the Barolo Braised Short Ribs with Bacon and a grain that is also escaping me at the moment. She had the Grilled Skirt Steak with Sauteed Corn and Pancetta and a Warm Mushroom Vinegarette. The waiter handed me a knife and said, "This is for appearance only, you wont need it." He was right. The meat fell off the bone and tasted delicious. The Barolo liquid had awesome flavor that I felt really enhanced the flavor of the meat. The bacon was a thin slice of pancetta that was cooked to a crispy well done. Im still struggling with whether I liked that or not. At first, I didnt because Im a bacon fan and I dont like well done bacon. However, I thought the crispiness and slightly charred flavor really meshed well with the rest of the dish. I tried a little of my companion's steak and it was excellent. I will likely order that next time.
We were pretty full from the wine and meal, so we opted to skip dessert and I asked for their bourbon selection. Knob Creek and Maker's Mark so I chose Maker's. Kinda disappointing because this restaurant has an elegant high-end feel to it and these bourbons are kinda pedestrian. I recommended carrying Basil Hayden in a conversation later on with the hostess/manager but its somewhat silly on my part to expect a nice bourbon list at every restaurant I go to. A bourbon connoisseur can dream though... (Side note: The hostess/manager was extremely nice, polite, and informative when we asked about a spot to check out for a cocktail afterwards. The waiter and the rest of the staff were equally awesome. I think this is important to the success of a restaurant and it was much appreciated). Before my drink came, our waiter presented us with some Blueberry Fritters, compliments of the chef. Man, they like them some Fritters at North 110 and these were a nice end to a great meal.
Overall, I really enjoyed the dining experience at North 110. Service was great, food was delicious, tried a new wine that I loved, and the added bonus of a sultry jazz singer made for a killer time. Its not easy on the wallet but I thought the quality of food and presentation fit the bill. I will definitely have to make an effort to get back up there for another meal. A seared foie gras and that skirt steak are calling my name.
On the Kentucky Bourbon Trail
This is long overdue but procrastination is kinda my middle name. I will warn you that this is a long post that took a shitload of time to put together, again, mainly because procrastination is kinda my middle name. Im also a tad wordy and tend to relate every detail possible but hey, at least the few who read this will be gettin their money's worth. Enjoy...
Around my 21st birthday, my Dad gave me a salute with a glass of bourbon. At the time it tasted like gasoline and I was not a fan. I was used to sucking down beers not sipping liquor. As time went on, however, I began to get more into new liquors. I remember sitting at an airport bar waiting for a flight that was delayed and deciding to order a Maker's Mark and Coke so I could get a nice buzz and nap on the flight. I liked it right away. The Coke subdued that gasoline taste and added to the sweetness of the bourbon. As time went on, I switched from bourbon & Coke to bourbon & ginger ale. One day, I decided that I wanted to begin trying new bourbons and Dad had kept Basil Hayden at the house on my last visit home. He told me that was a bourbon to be consumed on the rocks only, so naturally I ditched the soda I had been mixing with other bourbons like Maker's Mark. This is when my love for all things bourbon began.
This year, I gave my dad a killer Christmas present. I booked some business in Louisville on a Friday and had him fly out to meet me that night. That was the start of the Bourbon Trail for us. In the next 2 days we were going to be visiting various bourbon distilleries and learning the secrets of their sweet nectar.
I had booked a hotel in downtown Louisville, walking distance from area attractions like Stevie Ray's Blues Bar and Fourth Street Live, a pedestrian street with shops, bars, and restaurants much like Lincoln Road on Miami Beach just with bigger buildings. After settling in and planning the next day's itinerary, we headed down to Fourth Street Live to check out the Maker's Mark bar. After all, this was a bourbon trip so we needed to make sure we drank as much as possible!
The Maker's Mark bar was stocked with around 70 different types of bourbon all lined behind the bar in alphabetical order waiting to be served up by Chris and Melissa. Both took good care of us and we decided to stick around for dinner so we could eat and watch the Celtics/Pistons playoff game. I sampled 5 bourbons, Dad had 3. Rock Hill was my favorite that night. The food was ok, mine was overcooked but Chris sympathized and passed me a free round so it was all good. Celtics came back in the 4th to finish off the Pistons and we got nice and buzzed before heading to the hotel to crash. Saturday was going to be an early start, late ending day.
We started the day early and arrived at the Jim Beam distillery around 9:15am. They are known for their namesake bourbon but have gained much more notoriety from their small batch collection - Knob Creek, Basil Hayden, Booker's, and Baker's. Basil Hayden is my favorite everyday bourbon, Dad's too. Its incredibly smooth with a nice flavor and for that reason I always recommend it to scotch drinkers who want to give bourbon a try. The tour at Jim Beam was kinda lame because it was self-guided. You got to see a movie about the Beam family history and then you could walk around the grounds before finishing off at the Beam House for some tasting. Not much learning, mostly browsing. I did think the Beam family history was pretty cool though. When we finally made our way around to the Beam House it was about 10am. The house was decorated with pictures and memorabilia from the Beam family business. There was one room that housed what is believed to be (and in my opinion has to be) the worlds smallest distiller. It can still produce 4 gallons of "high wine", the clear liquid that is poured into charred white oak barrels and aged, eventually bottled as bourbon. Other things like Beam's long pipe and an old piece of paper that held Beam's computations from when he tried to figure out what it would cost him to get going after Prohibition was lifted adorned the walls. Pretty cool. We then went for the tasting and we were in luck. The 2 bourbons available that day were Booker's and Basil Hayden. Basil at 10:15am, neat (no ice), after a full night of drinking, wasnt too bad but it did give me a little "HELLO!" moment. Booker's, on the other hand, was rough. At 124.6 proof, it was like drinking fire, especially since I'd only had an english muffin all day. But hey, I was awake now!
We hit the road and began the drive to the next stop on our Bourbon Trail - Buffalo Trace. This was the one I was most looking forward to because they produce some of my favorite brands and the most highly rated brand in the world known as Pappy Van Winkle's 23yr. Pulling into the parking lot, we get hit by the aroma of aging bourbon wafting through our car windows, also known as the "angel's share". That was awesome. We enter the store and find we have 40 minutes until the next tour. I was excited to see a whole basket full of corks from Blanton's bottles being sold. Each cork features a horse and rider figurine on top and each of those bears a letter of the name "Blanton's" at the horse's back foot. If you take all of them and spell out "Blanton's", the figurines resemble a horse race from standing position to full stride and ending with the rider raising his hand in victory. The "S" piece was rumored to be the hardest to get so I was fired up when I found the only one in the bowl. I also got the "T" and "O" to complete my collection (See below).
Here are some other highlights from the shop:
Barreling process
Buffalo Trace Milestones (6,000,000+ barrels!!!)
List of Distilleries throughout history
The Roll of Honor - all the award winning spirits made at Buffalo Trace (Impressive!)
The tour started at 1pm and we headed on over to the Free House to watch a quick movie about the history of Buffalo Trace. Turns out, the "Buffalo Trace" was what they called the paths that buffalo created as they walked through the fields of yesteryear, paths followed by our American forefathers on their expedition West. After the video and a good amount of Q&A with our guide, we headed on over to Warehouse C to check out the racks of aging barrels.
Warehouse C is where the smell of the "angel's share" was coming from when we arrived. Wooden ricks about 11 stories high with barrels upon barrels of aging bourbon lie inside, hibernating through each Kentucky season. Buffalo Trace has actually found a way to control the climate inside during the various seasons to maximize efficiency. Bourbon must be aged a minimum of 2 years to be considered Straight Bourbon though most are aged for 6-8 years. Dad and I really liked this pic I snapped next, looking out from the dead center of the warehouse.
From the warehouse we headed on over to the Albert Blanton Bottling Hall. Large batch bourbons, like Buffalo Trace's namesake brand, are a blend of 100+ different barrels aged in the warehouse. See, barrels will age differently in different sections of the warehouse, with the ones on top usually aging at a higher proof than those down below. Small batch bourbons are a blend of a much lesser amount of barrels, a select few from the heart of the warehouse. Let's not forget single barrel as well which is poured from a single barrel in the warehouse...imagine that! (Interesting fact: Booker Noe, master distiller @ Jim Beam, believes that the best barrels are located in the middle of the warehouse. Hence, "Booker's" brand bourbon is a small batch bourbon poured from barrels selected from the heart of the warehouse. It is the only bourbon in existence to be poured, unfiltered, from the barrel to the bottle) Inside the bottling hall they had a case with all of the small batch bourbons inside that were bottled at Buffalo Trace...
After a tasting of Buffalo Trace bourbon and Eagle Rare (a personal favorite of mine and a great value at about $30) the tour came to an end. Dad and I sat and talked bourbon with the tour guide and got some of her recommendations on new brands to try. She enjoyed our conversation/enthusiasm so much that she offered to sneak away for a few and give us a private tour of the fermentation process. Awesome. We headed back to the fermentation tanks via golf cart and then got a nice tour of the insides and the process.
The fermentation tanks
This bubbling is a natural reaction between the corn, rye, malted barley, Kentucky limestone water, and a little yeast that can last up to 5 days.
From there its off to the Beer Stills (the fermented product looks a lot like beer) where the product is distilled to a clear alcohol liquid. This is called "white dog" at Buffalo Trace. Jim Beam calls it "high wine". Here are the beer stills followed by a pic of the "white dog" tap. I loved the tasting glass next to the tap. The "white dog" is what is poured into the charred oak barrels to age, eventually becoming bourbon.
Oh and just for kicks they decided, since they were so good at distilling, to give vodka a try.
We took a walk around the grounds before heading on to the next stop. Here is Thunder. The plaque reads, "carved from a fallen 300 year old sycamore tree to commemorate the majesty of migrating buffalo in a wilderness past. Created by sculptor Stan Schu, June 1999"
Our final stop for the day was Woodford Reserve, just down a ways from Buffalo Trace. The ride there was pretty cool. Miles up miles of horse farms with horses EVERYWHERE. Its no wonder Woodford Reserve creates a special bottle for the Derby each year.
Eventually we arrived at Woodford Reserve. This distillery was different to me in that it had this "high society" type vibe. Maybe Im just saying that because of the Derby connection, I dunno. Pretty cool location though.
We spent so much time at Buffalo Trace that we didnt get to Woodford Reserve in time to catch the last tour. So, we walked around the museum exhibit and read up on the history of the place and the process they employ to make their bourbon. We also got a tasting and Dad got busted going back for seconds which was pretty funny.
On our way out, we met a nice couple from Utah who I recognized from our Buffalo Trace tour. They had seen a few different distilleries the day before and we decided we would have to make a return trip next year to hit up the rest of the Bourbon Trail. The husband also talked about how he has to drive to Cali to get his bourbon thanks to the laws in Utah.
We headed back to Louisville for the night and checked out Proof on Main, a spot recommend by Sara over at All Purpose Dark. We didnt have a reservation and didnt feel like waiting for over an hour so we decided to have a few bourbons at the bar and then go dominate a nice hearty steak over at Morton's across the street. I did get this shot of the outside of the 21C museum-hotel where Proof on Main was located.
A few more bourbons at the Maker's Mark bar and it was off to bed. We were flying home the next afternoon and planned to hit up the Louisville Slugger Factory before heading to the airport. You know, for a relatively quiet city, there really is a lot to see in Louisville and the surrounding area. Thats one of the things I really enjoyed about this trip outside of getting to spend time with Dad. There is so much history and so many sights and cool stuff to be seen inside the borders of our own country that most people never would think about. Sure, it may not be as glamorous as Paris or Athens but the sense of adventure is still there.
Around my 21st birthday, my Dad gave me a salute with a glass of bourbon. At the time it tasted like gasoline and I was not a fan. I was used to sucking down beers not sipping liquor. As time went on, however, I began to get more into new liquors. I remember sitting at an airport bar waiting for a flight that was delayed and deciding to order a Maker's Mark and Coke so I could get a nice buzz and nap on the flight. I liked it right away. The Coke subdued that gasoline taste and added to the sweetness of the bourbon. As time went on, I switched from bourbon & Coke to bourbon & ginger ale. One day, I decided that I wanted to begin trying new bourbons and Dad had kept Basil Hayden at the house on my last visit home. He told me that was a bourbon to be consumed on the rocks only, so naturally I ditched the soda I had been mixing with other bourbons like Maker's Mark. This is when my love for all things bourbon began.
This year, I gave my dad a killer Christmas present. I booked some business in Louisville on a Friday and had him fly out to meet me that night. That was the start of the Bourbon Trail for us. In the next 2 days we were going to be visiting various bourbon distilleries and learning the secrets of their sweet nectar.
I had booked a hotel in downtown Louisville, walking distance from area attractions like Stevie Ray's Blues Bar and Fourth Street Live, a pedestrian street with shops, bars, and restaurants much like Lincoln Road on Miami Beach just with bigger buildings. After settling in and planning the next day's itinerary, we headed down to Fourth Street Live to check out the Maker's Mark bar. After all, this was a bourbon trip so we needed to make sure we drank as much as possible!
The Maker's Mark bar was stocked with around 70 different types of bourbon all lined behind the bar in alphabetical order waiting to be served up by Chris and Melissa. Both took good care of us and we decided to stick around for dinner so we could eat and watch the Celtics/Pistons playoff game. I sampled 5 bourbons, Dad had 3. Rock Hill was my favorite that night. The food was ok, mine was overcooked but Chris sympathized and passed me a free round so it was all good. Celtics came back in the 4th to finish off the Pistons and we got nice and buzzed before heading to the hotel to crash. Saturday was going to be an early start, late ending day.
We started the day early and arrived at the Jim Beam distillery around 9:15am. They are known for their namesake bourbon but have gained much more notoriety from their small batch collection - Knob Creek, Basil Hayden, Booker's, and Baker's. Basil Hayden is my favorite everyday bourbon, Dad's too. Its incredibly smooth with a nice flavor and for that reason I always recommend it to scotch drinkers who want to give bourbon a try. The tour at Jim Beam was kinda lame because it was self-guided. You got to see a movie about the Beam family history and then you could walk around the grounds before finishing off at the Beam House for some tasting. Not much learning, mostly browsing. I did think the Beam family history was pretty cool though. When we finally made our way around to the Beam House it was about 10am. The house was decorated with pictures and memorabilia from the Beam family business. There was one room that housed what is believed to be (and in my opinion has to be) the worlds smallest distiller. It can still produce 4 gallons of "high wine", the clear liquid that is poured into charred white oak barrels and aged, eventually bottled as bourbon. Other things like Beam's long pipe and an old piece of paper that held Beam's computations from when he tried to figure out what it would cost him to get going after Prohibition was lifted adorned the walls. Pretty cool. We then went for the tasting and we were in luck. The 2 bourbons available that day were Booker's and Basil Hayden. Basil at 10:15am, neat (no ice), after a full night of drinking, wasnt too bad but it did give me a little "HELLO!" moment. Booker's, on the other hand, was rough. At 124.6 proof, it was like drinking fire, especially since I'd only had an english muffin all day. But hey, I was awake now!
We hit the road and began the drive to the next stop on our Bourbon Trail - Buffalo Trace. This was the one I was most looking forward to because they produce some of my favorite brands and the most highly rated brand in the world known as Pappy Van Winkle's 23yr. Pulling into the parking lot, we get hit by the aroma of aging bourbon wafting through our car windows, also known as the "angel's share". That was awesome. We enter the store and find we have 40 minutes until the next tour. I was excited to see a whole basket full of corks from Blanton's bottles being sold. Each cork features a horse and rider figurine on top and each of those bears a letter of the name "Blanton's" at the horse's back foot. If you take all of them and spell out "Blanton's", the figurines resemble a horse race from standing position to full stride and ending with the rider raising his hand in victory. The "S" piece was rumored to be the hardest to get so I was fired up when I found the only one in the bowl. I also got the "T" and "O" to complete my collection (See below).
Here are some other highlights from the shop:
Barreling process
Buffalo Trace Milestones (6,000,000+ barrels!!!)
List of Distilleries throughout history
The Roll of Honor - all the award winning spirits made at Buffalo Trace (Impressive!)
The tour started at 1pm and we headed on over to the Free House to watch a quick movie about the history of Buffalo Trace. Turns out, the "Buffalo Trace" was what they called the paths that buffalo created as they walked through the fields of yesteryear, paths followed by our American forefathers on their expedition West. After the video and a good amount of Q&A with our guide, we headed on over to Warehouse C to check out the racks of aging barrels.
Warehouse C is where the smell of the "angel's share" was coming from when we arrived. Wooden ricks about 11 stories high with barrels upon barrels of aging bourbon lie inside, hibernating through each Kentucky season. Buffalo Trace has actually found a way to control the climate inside during the various seasons to maximize efficiency. Bourbon must be aged a minimum of 2 years to be considered Straight Bourbon though most are aged for 6-8 years. Dad and I really liked this pic I snapped next, looking out from the dead center of the warehouse.
From the warehouse we headed on over to the Albert Blanton Bottling Hall. Large batch bourbons, like Buffalo Trace's namesake brand, are a blend of 100+ different barrels aged in the warehouse. See, barrels will age differently in different sections of the warehouse, with the ones on top usually aging at a higher proof than those down below. Small batch bourbons are a blend of a much lesser amount of barrels, a select few from the heart of the warehouse. Let's not forget single barrel as well which is poured from a single barrel in the warehouse...imagine that! (Interesting fact: Booker Noe, master distiller @ Jim Beam, believes that the best barrels are located in the middle of the warehouse. Hence, "Booker's" brand bourbon is a small batch bourbon poured from barrels selected from the heart of the warehouse. It is the only bourbon in existence to be poured, unfiltered, from the barrel to the bottle) Inside the bottling hall they had a case with all of the small batch bourbons inside that were bottled at Buffalo Trace...
After a tasting of Buffalo Trace bourbon and Eagle Rare (a personal favorite of mine and a great value at about $30) the tour came to an end. Dad and I sat and talked bourbon with the tour guide and got some of her recommendations on new brands to try. She enjoyed our conversation/enthusiasm so much that she offered to sneak away for a few and give us a private tour of the fermentation process. Awesome. We headed back to the fermentation tanks via golf cart and then got a nice tour of the insides and the process.
The fermentation tanks
This bubbling is a natural reaction between the corn, rye, malted barley, Kentucky limestone water, and a little yeast that can last up to 5 days.
From there its off to the Beer Stills (the fermented product looks a lot like beer) where the product is distilled to a clear alcohol liquid. This is called "white dog" at Buffalo Trace. Jim Beam calls it "high wine". Here are the beer stills followed by a pic of the "white dog" tap. I loved the tasting glass next to the tap. The "white dog" is what is poured into the charred oak barrels to age, eventually becoming bourbon.
Oh and just for kicks they decided, since they were so good at distilling, to give vodka a try.
We took a walk around the grounds before heading on to the next stop. Here is Thunder. The plaque reads, "carved from a fallen 300 year old sycamore tree to commemorate the majesty of migrating buffalo in a wilderness past. Created by sculptor Stan Schu, June 1999"
Our final stop for the day was Woodford Reserve, just down a ways from Buffalo Trace. The ride there was pretty cool. Miles up miles of horse farms with horses EVERYWHERE. Its no wonder Woodford Reserve creates a special bottle for the Derby each year.
Eventually we arrived at Woodford Reserve. This distillery was different to me in that it had this "high society" type vibe. Maybe Im just saying that because of the Derby connection, I dunno. Pretty cool location though.
We spent so much time at Buffalo Trace that we didnt get to Woodford Reserve in time to catch the last tour. So, we walked around the museum exhibit and read up on the history of the place and the process they employ to make their bourbon. We also got a tasting and Dad got busted going back for seconds which was pretty funny.
On our way out, we met a nice couple from Utah who I recognized from our Buffalo Trace tour. They had seen a few different distilleries the day before and we decided we would have to make a return trip next year to hit up the rest of the Bourbon Trail. The husband also talked about how he has to drive to Cali to get his bourbon thanks to the laws in Utah.
We headed back to Louisville for the night and checked out Proof on Main, a spot recommend by Sara over at All Purpose Dark. We didnt have a reservation and didnt feel like waiting for over an hour so we decided to have a few bourbons at the bar and then go dominate a nice hearty steak over at Morton's across the street. I did get this shot of the outside of the 21C museum-hotel where Proof on Main was located.
A few more bourbons at the Maker's Mark bar and it was off to bed. We were flying home the next afternoon and planned to hit up the Louisville Slugger Factory before heading to the airport. You know, for a relatively quiet city, there really is a lot to see in Louisville and the surrounding area. Thats one of the things I really enjoyed about this trip outside of getting to spend time with Dad. There is so much history and so many sights and cool stuff to be seen inside the borders of our own country that most people never would think about. Sure, it may not be as glamorous as Paris or Athens but the sense of adventure is still there.
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