Posts Tagged ‘joey’

Kitten Mittens

September 16th, 2010

So with a spurring from Joey’s recent post, Nick being requested to type quieter, and the season premiere of It’s Always Sunny In Philadelphia tonight, I bring you Kitten Mittens.

Who They Be? Well They Be Us!

May 9th, 2010

I added new songs to my home page under “Songs On Repeat.” I’ve been really digging these songs lately, and continuously hitting back on my ipod or car or itunes (too bad you can’t hit repeat on Pandora). I hope you enjoy them too. And in case you weren’t aware, there is a little “play” button next to the song on the home page where you can listen to the song.

If you recall, the last time I did this, my site was basically hijacked by China.  Ok, that’s a little dramatic, but I started getting so many downloads of the songs, that my hosting company had to warn me.  I am going to try a new naming convention this time, we’ll see how it goes.

Phoenix RemixesRome
Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix (Remix Collection)
Neighbours with Devendra Banhart

The band Phoenix is extremely hot and trendy right now.  Deservedly.  Their latest album is the best album, at the very least, from the last 2 years.  Because of this, many other artists wanted to remix their songs.  So Phoenix provided the layers, and these other bands went at it.

One of my favorites from this is the track called Rome.  It is very chilling moody song.  One night I kept it on repeat and listened to it over and over for over 4 hours.

The cover starts at the bridge of the original, and doesn’t really leave.  The bridge has such emotion behind it, it excels on it’s own.  Below is a video of the actual band playing the song, to compare.

Always and forevermore
I call to say I’m on the way
2000 years remain in a trash can
Let burn the cigarette somewhere
Ashes till it falls , falls, falls

XXVCR
XX
The XX

I have been discovering and as Joey would say, inventing a lot of new bands and new music recently.  I have found them from television shows, the inter-webs, or in this song’s case, friends (Thanks Annette!).

Even though the guru disagrees, I think this song falls under the category of “lazy rock.”  It is very melodic and easy to listen and groove to.

It also has a very cool sentiment.  It is a song that talks about having a lover who is your best friend, that you can talk to about anything at all.  In this song’s case, they both feel that they will be together forever, cause they “just know.”

I wanna find myself by the sea
In anothers company
By the sea
I wanna go out to the pier
I’m gonna dive and have no fear
Cos you, you just know
You just do

Freestyle Friday'sHampden Parks
Freestyle Friday’s
e-dubble

This song and artist was one of those completely random discoveries for me.  I even passed it along to a friend who wrote about it on their blog, and the artist went and commented on it!

It is a mash-up of the theme song from the TV show “Parks and Recreation” by an artist named e-dubble.  This artist, does freestyle raps and provides the audio for free on his website.  So far I like his style.  This song is very catchy and one day at work recently, found myself listening to it on repeat for about 60 straight times.

speak when necessary
no i’ve never been a loud mouth…
im a business man
and a buisness, man
obstacles made me who I am…
yes you know the name
young english, black paisley…
who they be, who they be, who they be, who they be,
well they be us

Bite Of Boston

June 30th, 2009

BiteOfBoston1I happened randomly across a new sandwich shop for lunch today called Bite of Boston.  It is a shop that recently opened that is trying to bring New England charm and food to the west coast.  Their website claims that it is the bread that separates the east coast subs from the west coast subs.

As a detailed oriented (aka anal retentive), communication background, ocd-ish person, I of course have some analysis and hypothesis of this establishment and its first impressions on me.

I went to lunch with Joeyand Ray.  The place is decently arranged and has Boston sports memorabilia on the walls including jerseys, helmets, pennants and pictures.  However, out of place were a few San Diego items such as  Dan Fouts framed jersey, a couple of Padres and Chargers pennants, and the strange Arizona State University pennant.  For a place trying to replicate the East Coast and the flair of Boston, this was out of character.

They had artistic and individualized menu boards with clever boston sandwich names.  The boards seemed too particular, and too specific and frankly too costly for a sandwich shop.  Granted, they were cute, and I liked their flair, but for a company that I predict (more on my predictions later) will fail within a year, this seems like too high of an early expense.  A few of their sandwich boards even had color pictures of 2 females (which I am guessing are family members) offering  “Casey’s Buffalo-Chicken Wrap” and “Justine’s Chicken-Caesar Wrap.”

I ordered the sandwich called “North Ender.”  It is prosciutto, sopressata salami, capicola, provolone cheese, roasted peppers, tomatoes, oil and seasoning on sliced Italian bread.  It priced at $7.35  I purchased a soda – they only sell bottled sodas- of which I was also charged a crv fee (yes, three manual entries into the cash register).  My total price was $9.72.

This price seems much higher than it should be.  I can get a really good, customized sandwich, chips and a refillable soda at Submarina for dollars less.  You definitely are paying for the “charm” of this place.

My sandwich was actually really tasty.  The guy behind the counter – who seemed like the proprietor – was really friendly.  He sliced the bread and came over and asked me if it was too thick or thin for my pleasure.  He chatted up customers as they came in, asking how they had heard of the place.  And he loved saying “the CHOWDER” when people needed a bowl.  Back to my sandwich, it was delicious.    It was a great blend of meats and cheese, and the bread was surprisingly soft and perfect (it appeared to be old and stale upon sight).  The roasted peppers were a great addition to the flavors of the meat, and really gave it a unique taste.  It’s presentation was on a paper plate.  On taste alone, I would definitely eat it, and here again.  However, if you know me, you know that I place a high value on, well, value.  The price of this sandwich seemed rather high to me, and I was frustrated that refills were not available, and even more irritated that I was charged a crv fee.  Wouldn’t it be better to just include the crv cost within the price of the soda so the customer is unaware?

Speaking of the soda situation, a customer came in and asked if they ever forsaw them switching to fountain drinks.  The person who seemed to be the propieter stated that they would not.  That even tho it was much more profitable, it was “messy” to have a soda machine.

Pro’s Con’s
-Good Bread -Over Priced
-Unique Offerings -No Soda Fountain, CRV tax
-Happy Spirit -Inconsistant Design and Theme
-A Good Product  

I hypothesize that this restaurant will not last very long.  I give it 6 months to a year tops.  It will not become a mainstay of Rancho Bernardo.  My hypothesis is not just related to the soda or the price.  I just get the feeling that it is a restaurant that was always someones dream to open, and they threw their passion into their desire, went very specific into many details, but fell short on the details that mattered. 

The decorations are not completely to theme.  The menu boards are extremely customized.  The employee uniforms and hats seem too specific.  They lay claim that their bread comes from a specific bread store in Boston.  They have all these framed jerseys and helmets.  It just seems that they had this vision, this dream and spent a lot of capital up front on meeting these “requirements” in their heart.  Which is great, I am not knocking that.  It just seems like there are some inefficient costs and details that hurt the bottom line.  And in this economy, and to break into the restaurant business, is a detail that cannot be overlooked. 

I love the entrepreneurial spirit, and I love that they are following their heart.  I hope I am wrong in this hypothesis.  For myself, I was frustrated with the designs and the inconsistencies and that I will not eat there again due to the price and the soda situation.

Five For Friday

April 17th, 2009

mspac2Today Chaunce, Joey and I did the nickel arcade for lunch, with a quick jaunt to Jamba Juice.  I once again miraculously destroyed Joey at Marvel vs. Capcom 2.

But then my real triumph was on the Ms. Pacman game.  I don’t think I lost a life till, maybe, the 8th level?  I am not sure, but I think it was the best I have ever done.  Not sure how decent my score is, but I felt like I dominated.

mspac

ASAP Buddy

March 21st, 2009

Joey recently put these on his site, but these are classic video’s making fun of technical support lines.  Since this is where I came from I wanted to put them here too.

Part I

httpvh://www.youtube.com/watch?v=twYtcz1eL-Q

Part II

httpvh://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OTqPJfA6wCM

Other

httpvh://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N7U3XG6B4v4

If I Can’t Get The Girl, Why Don’t I Just Tell Her I’m John Mayer

March 1st, 2009

I recently added a comment at Joey’s site with a couple of John Mayer videos, since he is a big fan.  But I decided I should post them here too.

Jocelyn Lonen – 2005 Cabernet Sauvignon

February 28th, 2009

Tom, Dan, and Birthday GirlWe recently celebrated Lisa‘s 35th birthday at the Barrel RoomArlene had them prepare a special menu listing and wine flight.  Tom, Sue, Dan, Adam and Joey were all in attendance.  We had a great time celebrating.  We also drank some wine. 

As you can tell if you have read any of my wine “reviews,” they are not very professional or have much personal opinion.  Although I have taken a trip to Napa Valley, and have sampled many outstanding wines in my life, I often have no idea what I am drinking other than wine.  I am still developing tastes and likes etc.  I think documentation is a great place to start learning what you like and what you don’t like.  Anyway, on this night, we drank a 2005 bottle of Jocelyn Lonen Cabernet.  We paid $41 for the bottle but it retails for about $37.

It was a night of celebration, so I didnt take out my notepad to jot down thoughts.  But we all agreed, that we liked this wine.  Thats the review I have for you:  we liked it.

Jocelyn Lonen 2005 CabHere is what the winery thinks:

Two stellar new grape sources round out our 2005 Cabernet Sauvignon nicely.  Bennett Ranch Vineyard in Coombsville provides dense, intense fruit and vivid coloring.  Temple from north Napa is an organic, sustainable vineyard producing pristine, well balanced fruit.  Blended together with our Stagecoach/Krupp fruit, the result is a lush, highly concentrated wine with vibrant flavors of mocha, current, wild berry, and plum. 

Production: 2700 cases
Blend: 92% Cabernet Sauvignon, 6% Cabernet Franc, 2% Malbec
Grape Source: Stagecoach, Krupp, Bennett Ranch, Temple Vineyards
Price: $35 per 750ml bottle

Acacia Pinot Noir 2006

January 26th, 2009

Hexagone GroupArlene, Lisa, Joey, Adrian and I ate dinner recently at a great new restraunt.  We had a splendid evening of laughter and food, and of course, wine.  We had a bottle of the Acacia Pinot Noir 2006 from Napa.  We thought it had a really pretty color.  Arelene thought she sensed scents of apple, while Joey was accosted with the smell of snails.  I think they were just smelling their food.  The wine smelled a bit musky, was very fragrant, and had a bit of a peppery or spice to the taste.  Arlene enjoyed the pretty gams.  I gave it a 7 and a yes that I would order this wine again.  Joey gave it a 9 and a yes.  Adrian and Arlene both gave it a 7 and a yes.  Lisa gave it an 8 and a yes.  This wine at Hexagone cost $46, and it retails for acacia1approximately $25.

Winery Thoughts
2006acaciapinotnoircarnerosThe myriad of dark fruit and floral notes in this Pinot Noir come from the cool, windy Los Carneros American Viticultural Area (AVA) in the southern reaches of Napa Valley. Satsuma plum, blackberry, red rose and violet notes weave through the enticing aromas, mingled with warm nuances of vanilla and toasted oak from barrel aging. Silky, elegant flavors echo the aromas, adding blueberry and plum to the rich fruit complexity. You’ll find this wine’s lush flavors, bright acidity and fine tannins are perfectly balanced to complement a broad range of foods.

Sebastiani Pinot Noir 2006

January 26th, 2009
Sonoma County

Sonoma County

sebastianiJoey recently ventured over to my house to a potluck of sorts.  With him he toted a bottle of 2006 Sebastiani Pinot Noir from the Sebastiani Winery in Sonoma County.  We enjoyed the wine with some steak and some salad.    We tossed around thoughts that the wine had a scent that reminded us of camamille and lavendar and upon sipping conjured up tastes consisting of pepper and fruit.  I thought it was merely a pretty bottle.  Adam gave it an 8.5 and said he would order it again.  Juan gave it a 5 on the scale of 10 and said he might order it again.  Joey gave it an 8.5 and a yes, while Lisa gave it a 9 and a yes.  I gave it a 7.5 and would definetly be up to drinking this wine again.  The wine prices retail for about $16.

Winery Thoughts

Sonoma Winery Map

Winery Map

The Vintage:
The 2006 vintage started off with cool, wet weather in May. Set was dry and stable in late May ensuring a good crop size. Summer continued mild with veraison starting in late July. August was cool, with considerable fog, resulting in long hang time for the grapes and substantial flavor development. We harvested the grapes beginning the third week of September through the second week of October, unusually late for Pinot Noir. The extended hang time allowed us to bring in the fruit at an average 25.5 degrees brix, with average pH at 3.51.

Winemaking:
We didn’t crush the fruit before cold-soaking so as to minimize shearing or tearing, which can impart aggressive tannins in the finished wine. The whole berries were held at a chilly 40F to promote early color extraction. After 3 to 5 days, the must is slowly warmed and fermentation is induced by yeast inoculation. During this time, the wine is pumped over its skins 2-3 times a day at the peak of fermentation, then we chill down to prevent excessive tannin extraction. Once the right amount of color and flavor extraction is complete, the wine is gently pressed by an air bladder and only the free run and light press portions are used. The wine is racked off of heavy lees and re-racked with light lees into French and Hungarian oak barrels. The Pinot is allowed to go through malolactic fermentation in barrels and resides on lees for the duration of the barrel aging process. We stirred the wine occasionally to release proteins that help round out the flavor. 
 
Winemaker’s Notes:
This wine has a beautiful medium to dark garnet color with dried cherry, strawberry compote, vanilla and mocha aromatics. The flavor is balanced between juicy, cherry like fruit and toasted oak. This Pinot has finesse and finishes with lively acidity, firm tannins and well-integrated oak. It is the most Burgundian Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir we have made to date, with excellent aging potential.  

Silver Medal from Sonoma County Harvest Fair 2007
Wilfred Wong Rating: 90
Connoiseur Guide Rating: 89
GOOD VALUE, Connoisseurs’ Guide, 2/08
SILVER, 2008 San Francisco Chronicle Wine Comp

Technical Data
Appellation: Sonoma Coast Composition: 100% Pinot Noir
Cooperage: Aged 3 months in French and Hungarian oak barrels Alcohol: 13.85% by volume
pH: 3.45 TA 0.60 g/100ml
Production: 39,000 cases    
This Week I'm Thinking About: Heather Weir