At any rate, Ayres is GORGEOUS inside.  It is all done in a European decor… Stone walls, beautiful art, and all around classy.  I had my West Coast wedding reception here, too.

Hidden inside is the hotel restaurant, Matisse.  Now, I don’t think too much of a hotel restaurant, but I’ve had the pleasure of dining here on numerous occasions, as well as their catering for my reception.  A friend described the restaurant as “The Southwest meets Dracula” and that’s kind of true.  It’s classy and cozy, and so is the menu.  They always have some good soup choices – I love the butternut squash, but the thing that most recently knocked my socks off is a salad.  Yes, a salad.  

OK, last photo of Ayers Rock, Uluru (for a while anyway).

Yep, another photo of Ayers Rock, Uluru

Yep, another photo of Ayers Rock, Uluru

LEJAL’NYTE raadiosaade kõlab Raadio Virus teisipäeviti kell 20.00. Kui raadiolained sinuni ei jõua, siis saad saateid kuulata internetis http://www.lejalgenes.com/lejalnyte lehekülje vahendusel.

LNRS043 vahendusel jõuab kuulajateni värske muusika sellistelt artistidelt nagu Leiner, Riko Dan, Million Stylez, Beastie Boys, Major Lazer, Underworld, Greenmoney, French Fries ja teised.

MP3: LNRS043

01. MC Zulu & DJ LionDub – Talk Dutty [-]
02. Empresarios – Cumbia (Nickodemus Remix) [Fort Knox 2011]
03. Riko Dan – Mind You How You Talk [Heatwave 2011]
04. Chan Dizzy – Strange Face [Head Concussion 2011]
05. Million Stylez – Streets Bulletin (Thornato Remix) [-]
06. Beastie Boys & Santigold – Don’t Play No Game That I Can’t Win (Major Lazer Remix) [Mad Decent 2011]
07. Ding Dong – Badman Forward Badman Pull Up (Chong X Remix) [-]
08. El General + LBL & Diplo – Pu Tun Tun + Hey (DJ Ayres Edit) [T&A 2011]
09. 2 Sweet – No Me Uses [-]
10. Major Lazer & Miss Thing – When U Hear The Bassline (Stereotyp Remix) [Mad Decent 2009]
11. Boy 8-Bit – Madrigal [This Is Music 2011]
12. MC Roba Cena – Zueria Da Alegria (JMAY’s Roba vs The NightCrawlers Remix) [-]
13. Crookers & Dr.Gonzo – Bust ‘Em Up (French Fries Remix) [Southern Fried 2011]
14. Underworld – Diamond Jigsaw (The Invisible’s Instrumental) [Underworld 2011]
15. Greenmoney & Roses Gabor – Into You (French Fries Remix) [Greenmoney 2011]
16. The Very Best & Moroka – Ndekha (Wookie Remix) [-]
17. Toadally Krossed Out – Yakity Yak [Mad Decent 2011]
18. Mujava – Sgwejegweje (Schlachthofbronx Remix) [Out Here 2010]
19. Mia Doi Todd – Paraty (Captain Planet Remix) [-]
20. Leiner – Little Treats [Lejal Genes 2011]
21. DJ Mitsu The Beats & Hunger – Dokko Jazz Dou [Planet Groove 2007]

]]> http://stolenrecords.fm/2011/09/01/podcast-bashment-special-with-basslines/ Wed, 31 Aug 2011 18:07:35 +0000 Shantan Wantan Ichiban http://stolenrecords.fm/2011/09/01/podcast-bashment-special-with-basslines/

After sometime apart Basslines are back in action. The brother and sister crew, made up of Louis and Gina Mitchell held down FBi’s Sunday reggae show for around 7 years until Louis went to live in New York. Hear them back on the FBi airwaves for our Bashment, Dancehall, Reggae and Moombahton special.

Playlist:
Chaka Demus & Pliers - Tease Me
Apache Indian - Boom Shack A Lak
Chaka Demus & Pliers - Twist and Shout
Shaggy - Oh Carolina
Kelis, Beenie Man & T.O.K. - Trick Me Twice
Katalyst - Ready To Drop ft Kween G
Toots & the Maytals - 54-46 That’s My Number
Foxy Brown Feat. Spragga Benz - Oh Yeah
Ru CL - Fire
Amy Winehouse - Stronger Than Me (Daims Moombahsoul Edit)
Machel Montano HD feat. M.O.P. - One More Time (1 series remix)
Dead Prez & Pet Rock - Hip-Hop vs. Warzone (DJ Ayres Edit)
Missy Elliot – Get ur freak on (Alvaro Moombahton Remix)
Lyrics Born vs MIA – Callin Out Galang (DJ Nothing Refix)
Resin Dogs feat Hau & Mystro - Definition
Spice feat. Missy Elliott - Fun
King David - Seven Sword
Shanz - Let The Music Play
Sean Paul – Give Me The Loving
Protoje and Keida – All Again
Ce’cile - Rude Bwoy Thug Life
Vybz Kartel - Kill Bill
Tanya Stephens - Need You Tonight
Gappy Ranks - Stinkin Rich
Chris Brown f. Lil Wayne and Swizz Beatz - I Can Transform Ya (Mike D Mix) Talking
Prince Zimboo - Shut Off
Mr. Vegas Feat. Natalie Storm - Doggy
Chasm & Vida Sunshine – Where Did We Go Wrong (Lotek Remix)

BASSLINES TAKEOVER… PLAYLIST COMING SOON FOR THIS BIT

Lotek – Dreader Than Dread ft Jimmy Screech

Download: Spice ft Missy Elliot – Fun

Posted from CellarTracker

EIEIO – When we encountered them last April at a tasting, we were delighted by the humor of Jay McDonald’s marketing and I was very impressed by their 2008 Cuvee "Y" Pinot Noir. To ensure that the just-bottled wine showed well, it was hand-bottled to introduce air and accelerate aging. Desiring a more fair taste (and finding ourselves near Carlton), we stopped in to their tasting room and sampled the Cuvee "E" and Cuvee "I" as well as the "Y". Unfortunately this time in Carlton, I found the wines to be a little too green for my taste.

De Ponte Cellars – We tasted De Ponte for the first time in the lobby of the Allison Hotel which is pretty dialed-in to the local wine scene. The family has been making wine through three generations, and is unrelated to Niel DePonte, the principal percussionist of the Oregon Symphony. We met an Assistant Winemaker and granddaughter of the founders in the tasting room and chatted about their history. Besides Pinot Noir, they also have a 2010 Melon de Bourgogne, a $20 white wine which the French use to make Muscadet. The tasting room had an ’07 and ’09 Dundee Hills Pinot Noir for $38 which were nice and fruity, the ’07 tasting a bit hotter to me. The winner here was a $55 2008 Estate Pinot Noir which was delightfully spicy and even hotter than the ’07 (%14.3 alcohol).

Domaine Drouhin – When Oregon won its first international Pinot Noir tasting, France’s Drouhin family bought a big chunk of acreage in the Dundee Hills and begat a winery.  A barn of a winery in face.  The massive tasting room with its troops of pourers preside over a dramatic view of the vineyard and valley.  The 2009 "Arthur" Chardonnay ($30) was clean and fruity with very little manipulation. They were also pouring a 2009 Willamette Valley Pinot Noir ($40) and a 2007 "Laurene" Pinot Noir ($65). I thought the Pinots were tight and mineral with very few aromatics. They will need some considerable time to mature in the cellar.

Archery Summit – I was very positively impressed by Archery Summit Pinot in a side-by-side comparison with Drouhin at an event last month. Later on, my friend Joe wasn’t nearly as impressed with the Archery wine, and I went back to check them out later in the event, and I suspect my earlier tasting was with a better bottle. No matter, we decided to check them out in person. Archery’s most broadly marketed wine is their Premier Cuvee Pinot Noir, which is a blend of all of their estates. Their 2009 vintage ($48) is a terrific wine with a lot more spice and heat than the equivalent wines at Drouhin, like polar opposites. But if $48 is your broad market wine (read: cheapest), then things are headed for the stratosphere. Sure enough, the single-estate Pinots started at $85 and took off from there. The high-end was a pair of Archery Summit Estate Pinot Noirs (2006 and 2007) for $150.

Now I grant you, there are more expensive wines to be had from Burgundy or Bordeaux. We tasted a $200 Napa Cabernet from Stag’s Leap earlier this year. You can spend $750 on a red Burgundy in downtown Portland. Is this where Willamette Valley wines are headed? I guess it’s only a matter of time.

And what did we end up buying? This was not a day for value wines, I guess. We did end up using a %20 discount at Ayres and restocked a little there. By way of contrast, their 2009 Willamette Valley Pinot Noir ($24) is a wonderful wine, and their estate wines at $33 and $39 are fantastic. Since their low-end wine is over $20, I suspect we’ll see more price escalation as well.

Now after you watch this in its entirety, if you’re ok with that these men are saying, then that’s on you. The Republican pundits, mainly Sean Hannity & Sarah Palin, made it a point, night after night, to tell everyone that Barack Obama was ‘palling around with terrorists.’ But they always forgot to mention that Barack Obama was 8 years old when Bill Ayres was a part of the Weatherman. So according to the GOP’s own logic, we should assume that all of these Republican nominees think Oprah is the anti-Christ, and that God called on Hitler to kill SIX MILLION Jews, because he wanted to send them back to the Promised Land. Yup, one of Rick Perry’s invited ‘Preachers’ said this. Did you watch the video? John Hagee said this. Do you agree with him? I bet if you’re a Tea Bagger you do. So I say this again, we should assume that is EXACTLY how Rick Perry feels because he is associated with John Hagee, right? I mean that’s their own logic, the GOP’s own words. Barack Obama IS a terrorist because he sat on the same board as Bill Ayres 40 years AFTER Mr. Ayres was part of the Weather Underground Organization.

Two things: THE BIBLE IS NOT THE CONSTITUTION OF THE UNITED STATES. Separation of Church and State exists for a reason. All of those racist Americans who want to take our country back from the black guy, and get it back to what the Forefathers wanted show know it was the Forefathers who came up with Separation of Church and State. Do you Tea Baggers get that? Of course not, because you just cherry pick the Constitution and the Bible to suit YOUR needs. And screw the TRUTH.

The day this country elects an Atheist President is the day this country starts thriving again.

I won’t see that in my lifetime, I’m sure. But imagine someone who governs us with a clear head. Who doesn’t pray to an invisible man in the sky. Who doesn’t believe angels are going to save the day, or that the devil showed up in some catastrophe. Wow, talk about focus.

The Parsons Bed by Room and Board is available in seven colors including silver and white. This bed is a real knock out. I love the red, but I would probably get tired of it. Made from power coated steal. Available in a twin for $699 and full size for $799. A trundle is available for $399, but it looks like it only comes in black.

The  Jenny Lind is, probably, the girliest bed I would buy and, probably, the only bed my daughter would agree on. It’s charming and classic and would look fantastic with any style of bedding. I bet the poplar wood would look just as good with a few scrapes and dents. Available in a twin size for $499 and full for $599. There is also a trundle bed for $349 and a guard rail for $99.

For boys, I love the Clark and Addison for it’s perfect mix of contemporary and traditional. It looks sturdy and the midnight blue color is striking, but still neutral enough. This bed will really pop with the right bedding. The twin is $549, full size is $649, trundle is $349 and guard rail is $99.

I love the modern Ayres bed by Argington, but would my super girly girl like it? Not likely. At least not until she’s older and then she might beg me for this bed. Ayres is available in birch, white and ebony and is $630 for a twin, trundle is $360 and guard rail is $85.

So, which bed is your favorite?

But sometimes you can find something special when you brave the crowds – Disneyland tries to have all of its rides functional in the summer, for example, and takes several of them down for repairs in the off season.

Local Oregon wineries have been swinging wide their doors for visitors every Memorial Day and Labor Day since I can remember, a time guaranteed to draw crowds. But like Disneyland, they often will embrace the crowds and do something special. Like launch a new wine, bring in live music, feature other artisan growers and do barrel tastings. The trick is to avoid the absolutely mobbed places and enjoy the less-beaten path.

I have friends who habitually visit wineries the weekend before Memorial and Labor Days to avoid the peasantry. I can understand the motivation for this – you might get a somewhat more personal experience, but you might end up running into crowds anyway and miss out on some of the specials. For example, Cooper Mountain Vineyard was releasing their 2009 Estate Reserve Pinot Noir this weekend. I asked if I could taste it on the weekend before, and they refused.  So there.

One final note: the local paper, the Portland Oregonian often puts together a special section devoted to local wineries, which comes out a few days before Memorial and Labor Days. I’m looking at the Oregonian’s "Spring Wine Guide" which came out this week. Unfortunately, I think these are nearly useless. True, there are maps of the local area and where the wineries are, but with hundreds to choose from, a novice taster would get really intimidated.

Better to ask a friend (like me) for advice. And once you start visiting a few places, start asking them who they like. You will get plenty of ideas from these.

So Deb, Anne and I picked out a few smaller places and roamed the less-trodden way. Some tricks to keeping your sanity on Memorial or Labor Day:

• Avoid driving on 99W if you can. This road which connects Tigard and McMinnville can be like the backbone of a wine country visit, much like California 29 in the Napa Valley. But this road is a real bottleneck, since it is also a major route to get people to and from the Oregon coast, and towns like Dundee refuse to widen the highway through their town.  Much better to take Oregon 219 and 210 into west Portland.
• Carlton, Oregon is like wine country ground zero these days. You can move around there without tripping over a tasting room. I suspect that it’s a good place to avoid on these holiday weekends; visit at other times.
• Stay away from the big trendy places with splendid picture windows of killer views and plenty of limo and bus parking. It’s almost guaranteed that these will be jam-packed and a mess. Unfortunately I have to put Penner Ash and Willakenzie in this category. I love the major investment in tasting rooms, but go another time.
• Try to find some of the places which are only open by appointment only. If you are like me, it is sometimes hard to remember to make an appointment, and on Memorial and Labor Day weekends, these smaller places swing wide their doors and likely do the majority of the year’s business.
• You might want to be prepared with some picnic food to optimize the drive time.

Memorial Day 2011, and I was tracking a few specials that were going to be introduced, so I arranged a three-hour visit, mixing some smaller favorites with some places I hadn’t visited before. Deb, Anne and I lined up our GPS navigator and our sandwiches and braved the crowds. I will say that beyond a few wide-stance stretch limos, we were not disappointed.

• Raptor Ridge, whose winemaker is friend Scott Shull now has their one purpose-built tasting room in the Chehalem Mountain AVA, right on Oregon Highway 219. I have have driven past it numerous times and it never registered with me. They were pouring a Pinot Noir Rose, and an Atticus Vineyard 2008 Pinot Noir, which we already own from the Yamhill-Carlton AVA tasting even a few weeks ago. The Raptor Ridge Pinots included a very nice 2008 Yamhill Springs Vineyard Pinot Noir, which we bought a couple of.
• Ayers Vineyard is a perfect expression of a small Oregon winery – Brad and his in-laws have an operation in the daylight basement / garage of a house on the vineyard property, and are normally open by appointment only. Brad is a really nice guy and will readily tell you his story, how he got into the business and his winemaking. According to Brad, they really try to work on the value-to-price ratio on his Pinots, so this means they are usually reasonably priced, very nice and normally sell out every year. There is no concept of an "Estate Reserve" that gets held back, although he might at some point. On this Memorial Day, they had a duet band (guitar and accordion) who looked appropriately crunchy and country. We got a nice 2009 Pinot Blanc for Anne to take home and a couple more bottles of his 2009 "Pioneer" Pinot Noir.
• Brick House Vineyard was another place we have never made it to, although they are just down the road from Ayres. The last time I called for an appointment, they were all out of wine for the year, so there was no point in coming. These guys definitely had the best setup. The barn adjacent to the brick house was set for barrel tasting of a Gamey Noir, Chardonnay and Pinot Noir tastings, a local cheese maker with very fresh cheeses and a local honey maker with a portable swarm of bees. The barn itself is appointed with the right collection of country antiques to set the perfect mood.  But even though we bought some honey, we skipped purchasing any wine. Although the Gamey futures were interesting, their flagship Pinot was a 2008 "Evelyn’s" Pinot Noir had a nice collection of flavors and and a good finish but the aromatics were totally missing. And at $58 per bottle, I’m not interested in buying wine that I am not thrilled with.
• Belle Pente, another by-appointment-only place was launching their 2008 Estate Reserve Pinot Noir. I really liked their 2006 Estate Reserve Pinot, and the New York Times loved their 2008 Willamette Valley Pinot (a "value" label) which sold out very quickly. So I was really anticipating something special in the 2008 Estate Reserve. And I was not disappointed – wonderful smell, dense fruit consistent with this boffo vintage, complexity and a lingering finish. Very nice. We picked up a few of these and a few remaining bottles of the 2006 Estate Reserve that they had left. (I refer to this 2006 as our "anniversary wine" since we had it for our 26th wedding anniversary dinner. Hopefully we will have some drinkable for the next few anniversaries).