The Leisure Life.

Every Friday // Downtown Pomona’s New Weekly Party

OPENING NIGHT – Friday, June 1, 2012
Hosted by Acrylick - http://acrylick.net/

The Leisure Life with DJ Alf Alpha at Sky Fox Downtown Pomona

$2 & $3 Drinks before 10:30p
$3 & $4 Drinks all night

$100 BOTTLE SERVICE before 10:30
Email: vip@theleisurelife.net

21+ // $10 cover all night
FREE with RSVP before 11
Email: guestlist@theleisurelife.net
Text: 909.766.0277

Spinning Hip Hop, Dance, and Club Hits
Erok - http://erokthedj.com/
Roial1 - http://roial1.com/
Alf Alpha - http://djalfalpha.com/
Jimbo Jenkins - http://djjimbojenkins.com/
Visuals: Major Gape - http://majorgape.tumblr.com/

Fitted + Fashionable // Will Refuse

http://TheLeisureLife.net/

After getting our initial round of drinks, our taco medley started to arrive.  These may not be gourmet tacos, but for $1 apiece, it’s really hard to complain.  The beef tacos were definitely better than the chicken or bean tacos…or maybe that was just the anticipation because we had a slightly longer wait for them.  To our misfortune, the beautiful weather faded, the clouds rolled in and so did the rain.  We were forced to continue inside.  The interior of the restaurant/bar was quaint.  El Ranchero has a distinct bar area and table area.  What started as us (a slightly loud/rambunctious group) entering a relatively quiet dining area, with time and more patrons, the area transformed to something more homogenous with our group’s attitude – drink and eat cheap tacos.  Now for the nitty-gritty, while I did enjoy this happy hour, the service was not the best.  El Ranchero let some things slip through the cracks – simple things like frequency of the waiter checking on potential refills, forgetting to bring us napkins, the assumption with the rain we would be leaving rather than moving inside, and then being slow with bringing the check.  Don’t get me wrong; I did like the laid-back atmosphere here.  However, if you or your friends are in a hurry (are impatient at all), you might want to reserve El Ranchero for another night.  Given El Ranchero’s proximity to my work, the nice outdoor seating and delicious (yet reasonably priced) margaritas, I would most certainly come back.

Next stop – Desperados.  I was long overdue for some food at this point.  Intoxikatied has been training for a half marathon and decided to go for an 11-miler just prior to going out for the night…probably not the wisest decision.  I’ve been to Desperados about 4 times prior to Saturday – mostly in small groups of people, but last Tuesday I even decided to fly solo for happy hour prior to a concert.  This really is a great place.  It’s relaxed, has reasonable prices, and an engaging staff.  The happy hour prices are particularly impressive for the quality ($4 rails and $5.50 BBQ or buffalo chicken quesadillas).  One time, I came here with a group of friends and we ordered (almost) all the happy hour special appetizers – split between 4.5 people plus drinks, it was the perfect amount ($20).  They have a small outdoor seating area right in front of the bar too, if that’s your preference.  Desperados may not be as flashy (yuppie or hipster) as other bars on U Street, but it is certainly not lacking in quality. It’s a no BS bar and sometimes, you just need that available in your back pocket.

After finishing our round of drinks and food at Desperados, we made our way to Lost Society.  Conveniently located across the street from Desperados and in the central intersection of 14^th and U Street, Lost Society offers great views overtop this juncture.  You enter Lost Society on the ground floor and then proceeding up the stairs you find two additional floors with different atmospheres.  For the purpose of Saturday night, my group of friends kept to the initial floor, but I did wander upstairs to explore a bit…typical Intoxikatie .  The top floor offers a DJ and another bar.  While it was raining that night and the area was covered, I believe this opens up to be rooftop space on nice nights.  The floor that we spent the majority of time did have a lot to offer: a fairly large rectangular bar, large TVs for sports viewing, purple velvet couches, and some normal tables for dining.  Be prepared though, these couches and tables are not first come-first served.  The staff will promptly ask you for your reservation if you attempt otherwise.  So what, we tried to steal a table?  My friends and I were in a good state by this point, so it seemed like harmless fun.  Don’t worry, the stick wasn’t too far up the waitress’s butt that she asked us to leave.  Now this bar was quite crowded, so after I bought a round of drinks (2 miller lites – $6 each, 1 bourbon and coke – $9, and a screwdriver – $8), we tried to settle into a different nook as we waited for a few more friends to join us. 

Naturally, we made our way over to the two purple velvet couches.  Yes, the small tables in front of said couches were marked with a reserved sign…but as they say ‘the early bird catches the worm.’  Don’t worry, we were eventually kicked off them…and moved onto our next bar.  Overall, Lost Society seemed like a pretty cool bar to mingle with people.  It would have been better with a small group and a reservation.  I definitely would not mind coming back for a girls’ night on the rooftop or to start an outing.

The next stop was El Centro, down a few blocks on 14^th Street.  El Centro has a few offerings.  Not only is it a restaurant, there’s a downstairs dancing/DJ area and a rooftop bar.  Unfortunately, I can only speak to the rooftop – which remains open during the winter with some fairly strong heat lamps.  I have been here a handful of times and will say it offers some great margaritas and mojitos…as any reputable Mexican restaurant should.  If you time it right, they do offer $5 classic margaritas and mojitos (probably certain happy hours, but the last time I cashed in on this offer was on New Years).  As you can see from the pictures, there were a fair number of people present when we arrived between 11 and 11:30pm.  This place can definitely hold a fair amount of people, so it’s good for groups.  This isn’t the type of place I would go if I were looking to mingle with new people though.  After ‘sipping’ down my mojito and posing for a few pictures with friends, we decided it was time for our final stop.

Venturing out into the rain, we ran across the street to Policy. Yes, it really was a quick jaunt across the street because upon arrival I realized that we left about half of our group at El Centro.  Don’t worry, they are a smart bunch and caught up . This was my first time attending Policy.  As a group, we decided that our night was distinctly lacking some good ole fashioned dancing…and by this I obviously mean club music and dancing in a crowded room of strangers, haha.  As negative as that comment sounds, I actually really enjoyed our time there.  It did have multiple floors, but we only investigated the dancing area.  The DJ was okay, not the best, but workable and there was quite the crowd there at about 12am so I will not complain about there being a lack of interest.  Overall, I will hold off from making any major evaluations of Policy though at this point.  It looks like it may be on the itinerary again this weekend and hopefully I can give it a more justified review.  By this time of the night, the alcohol had caught up with me and I unfortunately lost my trusty 4 year-old pink umbrella somewhere on the dance floor (as only the classiest girls do).

Leaving the bar at about 1:30am, this night quickly turned into an embarrassment and I would like to send another apology someone’s way for dealing with that (if you even read this, haha).  Ladies and gentlemen, I’ll add that to my humorous collection of self-deprecating stories that I tell in a few months.  Overall, I’d like to send a big thank you to all my friends who made it out last Saturday despite the rain.  It has been quite the year – many stories have come of it and I’m sure many more will too.  *Corny moment of the blog post warning* Those of you who choose to be part of all these stories are what really make them memorable experiences…and of course my sometimes mischievous antics .  Here’s to another year of stories.

Working in Makati, you may find yourself frequenting Starbucks. Not Mamang Sorbetero Starbucks as seen above but  Sosyal & Zexy Starbucks.  I realize the need for many to stay awake in our grey cubicles – and I will grant you the occasional high-priced coffee fix.  But if you’ll be really honest, you’ll admit that you aren’t really buying their products to stay awake.  You’re buying them to look cool and not broke like you really are.  KOREK!?

The bottom line is a daily Starbucks habit adds up.  The average purchase is roughly 150 x 5 days a week = 750 a week x 4 weeks = P3,000 a month!  Aiyah, that’s a lot of money!   Here are some refreshing alternatives to the Starbucks habit: still tasty, some healthy, but definitely cheaper and budget friendly.

1.  Buko Bar.  This is by far, my favorite.  I will trek to LKG Tower just to have a buko shake!  When I tried my first Buko-Avocado shake I said, “Forget my green tea frap!  This is iiiiiiiiiiit, pancit!”  They have other combinations and regular buko juice with ice.  Not only is this refreshing, it’s healthy!

Price:  P45-P65
Location:  LKG Tower food court.

2.  Quickly.  We all know and love this drink. I am partial to Taro combo #3 with nata and pearls (sago).  They also have iced coffee with pearls.

Price:  P55 -P75, depending on the combo.
Location:  Valero St.  Glorietta.  FX Station.  SM Foodcourt

3.  Kopiko Brown.  My coffee lover professor has once said that 3-in-1 is for washing of the feet. Hahaha!  But Kopiko Brown is the perfect kick for late afternoons.  Bittersweet but potent enough to keep you awake til the rest of your shift while not keeping you wide-eyed and bushy tailed throughout the evening.  Just add water and stir!

Price:  P5-P8 pesos for 1 sachet.
Location:  7-11, ministop, grocery stores

4.  Hershey’s Choco Loco.  I love 7-11 hot chocolate!  It’s richer than a SB hot cocoa.  Great for rainy days.

Price:  P45-P65
Location:  7-11

5.  Cha Time.  Still a bit pricey but not as pricey as SB.  I like their milk tea with 50% sugar.

Price: P70-P90
Location: Landmark

6.  Water.  Nothing beats water to refresh us but refrain from drinking tap water.  Because getting sick will not help you stretch your peso.

Price: P0
Location: Your office water fountain

What’s your favorite high-end coffee drink alternative?

So, I know that everybody loves the Applebee’s special 2 for $20 deals and cheap drinks, but there are many other places in the city that are a bit more sophisticated and have deals that are just as good, if not better than Applebee’s. I consider myself to be a connoisseur of exquisite food and the fact that I found these deals are even better.

Here are 2 good ones you guys should check out!

Top Flr

There is this quiet, yet sexy 2-story restaurant that sits off Myrtle Street called “Top Flr” (yes, that’s how you spell it), that runs an incredible monday night special that you just can’t resist. The Monday Night Prix-Fixe (3 course for $15), is an unbeatable deal! Fella’s you can take your lady here and enjoy a nice romantic evening without spending a lot.They have a renowned chef that creates many delectable dishes and great wine list that pairs with them perfectly. With items like the Hickory Smoked Duck Breast and their famous mac n cheese, your taste buds and date will definitely thank you for taking them there. So for about $60 (that’s including a couple of drinks. Can’t get too wasted on a Monday night) you’ve had the perfect date night.

Go check it out and let me know how much you enjoyed it!

www.topflr.com

Taverna Fiorentina- 

I think it’s safe to say that everyone loves a good pasta and wine combo, and if you don’t this deal will definitely turn you into a lover! Taverna Fiorentina is a neighborhood restaurant that offers a very intimate dining atmosphere. A mix between the Florentine dishes that stand beside modern classics from Italy’s most famous region, Tuscany – can be considered celebrated for both its rich tradition and bold mixture. From the house-made pastas to the chef’s nightly specials, the menu effectively marries regional classics with contemporary culinary accents. The menu is a celebration of traditional Tuscan flavors interpreted with modern

sensibilities. And the special wine list, mostly Italian, perfectly balances the Tuscan fare. Fresh, simple and flavorful, Taverna Fiorentina brings a taste of Tuscany to Atlanta. Monday nights are $15 dollar entree’s and desserts, and $5 dollar bottomless glasses of wine.You can enjoy a great night with friends in a nice atmosphere here!

 www.tavernafiorentina.com

If you’ve had the pleasure of going to either, let us (myself and other readers) know how it turned out! Also if you know about other monday night specials in the metro Atlanta area, don’t hestitate to tell us about them as well!!!

And don’t worry I’ll cover the other days of the week, very soon!

Just one of ‘fatboyfavs’

I have a personal Facebook page, but I only ever use it to get to Drugstore Divas’ Facebook page. There’s no way just to log into Drugstore Divas’ page. If there was, I would do it.

So when I logged into my personal page, I saw Marie had posted a huge iced tea from Dunkin Donuts, boasting to everyone that the jumbo size was less than $1.

What?

So of course, I had to text her.

Apparently, Dunkin Donuts [[which I keep typing as Drunkin Donuts, which is very funny]] is selling any size iced tea [[unsweetened, like Marie got; or sweetened, like she assured me they could male]], for 99 cents. I hope my local store is participating [[although, to be honest, I have no idea where the local store is around here]]. Is your store participating?

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© Oliver Wu. Cherry Blossom in downtown Savanna, Georgia

Before we introduce the Kraine Station, let’s go back a little bit… to the days of Fidel’s Cantina.  We had a residency for at least 9 months at a restaurant/bar called Fidel’s Cantina.  We were introduced to Fidel’s and the rest of the SoCo Night Life (CoClubs) district through mutual friend and colleague Billy Marshall.  His uncle Steve “Stevo” Stitt was the manager, and he was looking for some entertainment.  Regas Christou wanted Mo’Hatnas to be his next Frank Sinatra & after playing a few shows, we had the gig.

Right on the edge of Capitol Hill on 11th and Lincoln and next to favorite barbershop, Floyd’s, we started playing there every Sunday night.  Sometimes it was totally empty.  Sometimes it was ridiculously packed!  But it got better and better.

The perks of Fidel’s??  Cheap drinks.  Indoor/Outdoor patio smoking.  Intimate setting.

That was a huge factor in Petals gaining comfort with leading jams.  At one time there was at least 15 people up on that tiny little stage at Fidel’s.  There isn’t a lot of pictures or videos of the times there, but that makes it all the more special.

Hot in action w/ Papi up on the piano- that's our stage folks!

KRAINE STAION (14th and Blake) is the new and MUCH IMPROVED Fidel’s.  Fidel’s will always have a place in our hearts, but after meeting and really connecting with the staff at the Kraine, we are ECSTATIC to have found a new place to call “home.”

If you missed out on Fidel’s, have no fear, the KRAINE STAION is here!!
They’ve got delicious food.  We’re talking the tits here people.  Great service from the personable staff  that cares (Rick – manager/bartender/kitchen staff, Vinny – Bartender and dance extraordinaire, Papi – Co-Owner/Operator who plays some mean, mean piano and will have you falling out of your seat in a fit of laughs while inspiring the hell out of you, and Jimmy – Co-Owner/Operator –  who ALSO plays some MEAN piano and he really makes you feel like you’re one of a kind.)

This superstar staff is nothing shy of the real deal.
Come down EVERY Thursday to hang out with us and to get to know this great staff and bar.

And you can play Dig-Dug (among other games) upstairs.

Be sure to bring your axe, horn, voice, accordion, flute, or violin… but if you really stink…. we’re kicking you off stage.  Just saying.
BUT EVERYONE GETS A SHOT!  Come have some fun with us boys and girls.

¡Check out these drink specials!

Let’s spread this like Wild Fire, because it’s a damn good time and a great way to kick off your weekend.
NO SCHOOL FRIDAY MEANS PARTY THURSDAY!

I was in the moving van on Sunday, listening to the radio, when a commercial for McDonald’s came on.

Today [[March 28]], McDonald’s is selling frozen strawberry lemonades for 25 cents. I’m so excited. These things are generally $2.29, so this is a huge deal.

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My favorite times have always been dawn and dusk, mostly because of the few moments of stillness they produce when the fiery, active day and quiet, introspective night are mixed. Witnessing the barren landscape of the mid-west while behind the wheel of Carl, my car, was no exception. Earth grew more and more pink by the minute, while soft, windswept clouds left streaks of purple in the sky and the dirt on either side of the 2 lane highway added an orange glow. I felt serene for the first time in a long time. Deeeeep breaths filled me, and I felt so exhilarated to be taking the reins of my life-long dreams.

We had 2 ½  hours left until we arrived in Boulder, Colorado, but it appeared the gods had other plans for us. The wind whipped us violently, and made us her yo-yo for the evening. We swayed between lanes despite my best efforts to hold the steering wheel steady. The weather’s mood swings was definitely giving me whiplash.

By 10 p.m. that night, we felt our bodies rise and fall steadily as Carl navigated the “hills”. We wearily dragged our bodies into the apartment we were staying at for the next few nights, appreciated it’s simplistic warmth, and crashed hard.

Upon rising in the morning, I couldn’t contain my squeals of delight.

“Look out the windows!!” I screamed at Annie, who was still in bed.

Humbling mountains, whose peaks were gently powdered with snow, would be our back – and front, and side – yard for the next few days. Each direction brought an even greater mountain, and a persistent urge to get out and hike….but not without breakfast!

We drove not a even a whole mile and arrived at The Bluff. 99 cent mimosas anyone?! We waited a whole 5 minutes for a table, and began with coffee and the mentioned mimosa. Everything on the menu looked delicious and reasonably priced, though slightly more than I am used to paying for my morning bite. Nonetheless, it was hands down the best breakfast I had ever had..in my whole life. Annie ordered the Baja Benedict, which included 2 sourdough English muffins, artichokes, avocado, beautifully poached eggs, and a creamy, clearly homemade hollandaise sauce, with a side of home fries. I ordered the Breakfast Taco, which came served with two wheat tortillas stuffed with scrambled eggs and cheese, and 4 metal ramekins of each beans, tomato salsa, sour cream, and pineapple-mango salsa. I also added avocado to the meal to complete my craving. Shit, did I make a mess. I should have told them it would be one adult and one child eating.  I’m not certain I’ve ever eaten like that in public and not cared. There was salsa-bean juice running down my wrists and forearms, and I did not care. Delicious to say the least.

Next, we went on a miniature hike through the snow packed foothills of the Rocky Mountains.  The Anne U. White Trail is a short (45 minute) one way path that gently leads one through a forest laden with pine trees and mossy cliffs. We hopped over several streams and waterfalls that would feel “life size” to fairies in trolls. Breathing here was easy; the absence of pollution evident by the crispness of the air. My lungs eagerly filled, and my nostrils were easily overwhelmed by the purity and scents that were once unbeknownst.

Our Adventure Begins

Creatures in the Rocky Mountains

National Center for Atmospheric Research

Rocky Mountains, Boulder, Colorado

New Year’s Eve brought us to Pearl Street in the artsy, downtown region of Boulder. Various bars and dance clubs lined the streets, ready to be invaded by the robust (and stunningly beautiful) college population. As much as I try to keep my man-like tendencies hidden, I couldn’t help but gauk at 90% of the males in the city. No exaggeration. It could have something to do with Boulder being the healthiest city in the United States…in any case…hot damn! :]

Last week a friend moved to Silver Spring and so naturally, this week he had a housewarming party.  Hopefully, it was a lovely welcoming. After drinking up at the party, we made our way to McGinty’s. We entered to find that there was a cover (I think there was a band playing when we arrived? Haha).  I rarely have cash on me so luckily a nice gentleman spotted me and I bought him a drink in exchange.  The bartenders were very engaging and friendly, definitely tolerant of my drunkenness and the large group of people that arrived at the same time.  They definitely knew how to handle the crowds.  Ordering two rail drinks (vodka tonic for me, a rum and coke for the gentleman) and a Makers Mark for some other random person – I’m fairly generous when that drunk, haha).  I will say the prices were excellent; the rail drinks were $3.21 a piece and the Makers Mark was $5.73 (thank you receipt for aiding my ‘memory’).

The general layout of the bar was nice.  The bar was long with plenty of seats with plenty of standing and table area too.  While my friends commented that the clientele was a bit older here, I did not seem to notice and found making friends with other patrons very easy.  Honestly, what’s more welcoming than making friends with a table full of people over some SportsCenter?  That was another advantage to this place, while I did not observe dancing, I was able to watch some sports (#drunkenpastime).  Admittedly, this was my first time in Silver Spring and getting off the metro here I was slightly skeptical.  There is definitely a different feeling here than in DC or NoVa.  It’s more of a neighborhood/suburban bar than a downtown bar, which may or may not be appealing to some.  I would offer up a picture of my friends here, but Drunk Katie accidentally deleted it last night instead of saving it.  Overall, I would definitely come back to McGinty’s if I found myself in Silver Spring again.  Prices were cheap, people were friendly, and it was good for a large group (would have been just a good for a smaller group).  If I were in the area, I might even see myself feeling comfortable coming here alone.

Let us flash back to July 2010.  I had just moved to the lovely neighborhood of Cleveland Park, graduated college in May, and was ready to start a master’s program at GWU.  Yes, it was a fresh beginning in a new city.  Ironically at the time, I had never had a drink in my life, nor had I intended to start drinking.  Despite not drinking, I still needed a place to hang out on the weekends. Those of you that know me and my killer pool skillz (yes, with a ‘z’), I can thank my time at Atomic Billiards and some fine teaching from a friend or two.  Atomic Billiards and Nanny O’Briens quickly became where I spent most of my original bar time in DC prior to drinking.

My initial impression of Atomic Billiards was nothing too exciting.  You enter by going down a set of stairs like basically every other billiards place in DC.  It’s dark and basement like.  The interior has a retro 60s feel to it, very mod, topped off with the Jetsons painted on the bathroom doors.  There are 5 pool tables (which have been newly felted in blue!), two shuffleboard tables, 2 dart boards, various board games, and an AWESOME jukebox at your disposal.  The pool and shuffleboard rates do run on the higher side ($14/hour for 2 players during prime time and are slightly reduced at off times), but about the same as other places.  Atomic Billiards is also where I picked up my mean shuffleboard talent.  As if I weren’t cool enough playing pool, I also needed to learn how to have a decent showing at shuffleboard.

Having lived in Cleveland Park for almost a year and being in attendance at least once every two weeks, you can imagine I have a collection of stories.  Aside from my countless times of beating the boys at pool and a number of dates (have I mentioned on here before that I think pool is one of the best date ideas? Because it really is), Atomic Billiards will always be the place where I had my first alcoholic beverage.

I get this question all the time.  Why did you start drinking? To answer it here, in writing for everyone to see so maybe I don’t have to explain it as frequently as I do now, it was just time.  I had no responsibilities to an athletic team, everyone had finally stopped pressuring me to drink (my family and friends wised up), and I had gotten over my fear of my family’s history with alcohol. None of this really fazes me now and it’s almost funny to think that prior to drinking so much of what I considered to be apart of me was defined by ‘not drinking.’

My drink of choice that glorious night?  Fuzzy navels. Super classy, I know and no, I didn’t get drunk.  My first drunken experience would come the next night on U Street following a concert, haha #typical.

More recently, I was lucky enough to visit Atomic Billiards two weeks in a row.  The one week I crashed a boys’ night and the other was a mostly girls’ night out.  The first week, I stuck to my classic vodka tonics, which rang up at $4 a pop.  The girls’ night was a bit more adventurous with buttery nipple shots ($5 each, I believe).  Either way, I’m definitely a fan of the super affordable $4 rail drinks here.

The bartenders are cool and down-to-earth.  They are definitely willing to joke around with you, but during busy hours it can be slightly difficult to get that kind of personalized attention.  The bar is typically crowded Friday and Saturday nights and with the logistics of the pool tables you may have to wait a couple minutes for a drink, but nothing unbearable or obnoxious.  One thing that I am never quite good at predicting is the clientele that will be present here.  Sometimes you have a younger ‘hipster’ crowd or college aged students (especially on their way elsewhere for the night), other times you have a slightly older yuppie crowd, and then you never know when the table of old guys will be playing a game in midst of the younger folk.

Over many observations, I can proudly say that Atomic Billiards is my favorite dive bar in DC.  Is this somewhat biased and sentimental? Heck yes, but isn’t that what choosing a favorite dive bar is all about?  This establishment is really great for a lot of purposes (girls’ nights, guys’ nights, dates, relaxing).  From my first real neighborhood dive bar, to the time I almost punched a drunk girl for sitting on our pool table, to my first real drink, to the first time I could nostalgically bring other friends to Atomic Billiards and rave about it – these are the memories that I will not forget.

Monday was a typical day at uni except I decided to get some special grub at Seven Seeds. I got a cappuccino and fish sandwich, and it was worth every penny! If you look, Australia has some pretty amazing food. Monday night a few of us hit up The Worker’s Club to start the week of right with discounted drinks and a hipster-esque atmosphere. It was a win with the group, especially the chips and aioli dip (so much better than ketchup in so many ways).

any college student's dream

HEAVEN. I think it was the beetroot hummus that made it

Tuesday night it was one of the girls’ birthdays, so we tried to go to the rooftop bar, but due to the movie screenings we ended up at Eurotrash. Which was pretty hopping for a Tuesday night. I’m starting to believe that Melburnians just go out when they want, wherever they want.

Fast forward to Friday night where we hit up Chapel St. It was definitely a different crowd form the CBD nights, but definitely worth another look. I know you may be wondering why I’m noting bars at this point, but I haven’t really been updating you on my night excursions (and no Mom & Dad, I don’t go out every night). I’ve been to a lot in CBD, but am now realizing that bars outside of the city are worth the trip and are much less expensive (or don’t make me cringe too much at the price).

Anyhoooo, Friday morning we were supposed to get brekky (breakfast in Aussie speak) at this waffle place we passed by weeks ago, but we woke up too late and decided to shoot for lunch instead. Waffles for lunch sound right? Not really. The waffle place also doubles as some sort of french sandwich place for lunch (interesting combination there mate), so that’s what we got instead. The waffles are a must for another day (and so it may be)!

A lone waffle amongst the baguettes. Apparently it was "pretty good"

Saturday was a gorgeous day (and here’s a good part to point out that it hasn’t rained in a week. A WEEK. I fear the apocalypse is coming soon) and thus a visit to the Moomba festival was had. It’s a free festival for three days with rides and food and random people and fairy floss (oh joys! cotton candy) and some good looking people doing some water ski competition. It was a delightful time although I did get my first bad Australian sunburn because I forgot to put on suncreen before leaving (Aussie survival tip #1). We also got lunch beforehand at a restaurant on the riverbank and later returned for a crisp glass of wine to end the beaut day we had here in Melbourne.

So fun. So festive.

I want this guy's job

Yup, this is where I live folks

Wait, I want this guy's job too!

Yesterday I went to the Future Music Festival held at the Flemington Racecourse. Again, it was a great weather day (what’s up with that?) and I remembered my suncreen! There were so many music acts, it was incredible. And I met so many people at the festival! For the run down list of who I did see: Stafford Brothers, Jessie J, Gym Class Heroes, The Naked & Famous, Skrillex, Tinie Tempah, Die Antwoord, The Rapture, Fatboy Slim, The Wombats, Swedish House Mafia, and New Order. Amazing!!!! Usually I don’t go to music festivals in the States, but I decided hey! I’m in Australia once, let’s do as the Aussie do? Well the Aussies do well and can drop the bass any day with me.

Jessie J killing it!

Gym Class Heroes

The Rapture, good set!

The Wombats are from England apparently, not Australia as I formerly thought

Today was the last day of the Moomba festival, so we headed back down to the Yarra for some nice fireworks and African drumming music (we missed the parade earlier in the day, boo). The firework show was again, stunning, and overlooked the city skyline. It was a perfect ending to a really entertaining (and exhausting!) week.

all together now: Oooohhhhh Ahhhhhhh

Loreal Fashion Week is going on right now in Melbourne, but unfortunately I couldn’t get tickets to any of the events. I’m still trying to get this fashion thing down over here, these girls have style! Makes me feel like a hobo every day I go to class (as a note, sweatpants would not fly on these campuses).

I also want to hit up a Food and Wine Festival event before it ends! Again, tickets are pretty rare and expensive (should be my new catchphrase: it’s expensive!), but there are some general public events this week. Just wanted you to know that there’s yet another festival going on in Melbourne! I missed the Ukulele festival this weekend (only so much you can do), but there is a Brunswick music festival going on. I need to find a time travel device just to fit everything in!

Well, I have my boot on again, so, of course, we didn’t make it.  We actually were so close that we watched it pull away without us ughhhhh.  No worries though, we grabbed a drink in the bar and waited for the next one because we were too excited to go. 

Once we got there, we were able to knock out all the sights we wanted to see pretty fast, since we couldn’t actually go in to some things since they were closed… No problem though because we were still able to see the Palais de L’Ile the Châteaux, the Lac D’Annecy, The Catedrale de Notre Dame, and the Pont de L’Amours =]. 

After, we grabbed a drink at a bar on the water, and then headed back to the train station to catch our train home.  Once we got back to Grenoble, we stopped in a wonderful Brasserie for dinner, and then went home to pack for Paris tomorrow!  After packing, I managed to get a hold of Chris and got him to join us at the clubs tonight.

We met at our favorite little bar le Couche Tard and got yummy cheap drinks since their happy goes until midnight… After, we went to Vertigo and had a blast dancing into the wee hours of the morning =].

• • Saturday, 25 February 2012
  • 20:00 until 23:00

• DSS Live @ The Attic in Bathgate.The only local free entryshow on DSS Electric Tour.Cheap drinks as well. Support from IC1s + The Begbies.

The Attic

57-59 Hopetoun Street, EH48 4PB Bathgate, United Kingdom

View map · Get directions

Posted On Behalf Of :  Public event · By Dead Sea Souls

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The Greene Turtle Exterior

The Greene Turtle may not be flashy, but it certainly is consistent…so far.  I will start this with a caveat that I have only been to the Greene Turtle location in Ballston.  Yes, it may be a trek for you DCers, but I’d certainly hope the other locations could provide a similar experience.  The Ballston location is fairly new, yet it is quickly becoming a favorite work happy hour location of mine.  The happy hour offers $2 rail drinks and $2 domestic beers on tap (select kinds – it’s nothing fancy, but certainly incredibly cheap). The happy food specials are fairly decent.  A gigantic basket of pub fried (with tons of bacon!) is $5.  Well worth it, if you ask me. I have personally not been disappointed with any of the other food I’ve sampled from my coworkers’ plates.

A coworker's standard drink - an Irish Trashcan

The layout of the restaurant is slightly strange and almost everyone I’ve been there with has commented that they could use more bar space.  There is a fair amount of restaurant seating, but the bar gets packed and loud fairly quickly on Friday evenings.  I can’t imagine how this sports bar handles the crowds during big games.  Luckily, our office is less than a 5-minute walk away and someone can generally get there early enough on a Friday to get a table in the bar area.  There are TVs all around the place so as to ensure that you will not miss your favorite sporting event.  I overheard someone saying that it has about 50 TVs throughout the establishment.  If you can’t see the sporting event you are looking to watch, I’m assuming that only reason would be because it’s some obscure sport.

The overall atmosphere at Greene Turtle is jovial and laidback. The wait staff certainly adds to this experience.  They are attentive and more than willing to engage in conversation…that or maybe I just have a very chatty group of coworkers, haha.  I will specifically call out our waitress this past Friday, Kathryn, who memorized everyone’s name just when checking our IDs.  She made our extended happy hour an even better one.  The Greene Turtle is a great experience for big or small groups of people.  The only caveat with larger groups is that you might want to go earlier rather than later to ensure bar seating.  I have never been there that late, but I’ve been told that a DJ starts spinning around 10pm.  There isn’t actual dancing space so I’m not completely certain the purpose of this, but if it’s good music, I will stop sipping the hater-ade.  The Greene Turtle can boast it’s friendly and attentive service, affordable happy hour drinks, and awesome appetizers. I will definitely continue to come here with coworkers.

Vodka Tonic

Welcome to Red Hook, the part of New York the MTA forgot. Separated from the rest of Brooklyn by the Gowanus Expressway and the delicious-sounding Buttermilk Channel, Red Hook is a place you’ve probably never been. There’s no shame in that–you know a neighborhood is out of the way if the only way to get to it is to take the G train and then take a bus. Come on, man.

Big Bar Hunter has decided upon Red Hook as the site of the inaugural neighborhood pub crawl for a couple of reasons. Firstly, we postulated that the neighborhood’s isolation has protected it from the hipsters, high prices, and Party Rock Anthems that have tainted other city bars. In fact, Red Hook’s isolation may have protected it from the last 100 years of progress altogether. Below is an artist’s rendering of what Red Hook may look like:

We also expect to find adventure in Red Hook. Red Hook is the site of one of Brooklyn’s largest and poorest housing projects (read: expect cheap drinks) and was known as the crack capital of America in the ’90s. Normally this would concern us, but it turns out that Captain America lives in Red Hook so it’s totally okay. Although there is also the movie below, which may or may not be about Red Hook:

Here are places we may go on the crawl:

Brooklyn Ice House
Red Hook Bait & Tackle
Sunny’s
Botanica
Rocky Sullivan’s of Red Hook
Liberty Heights Tap Room

Please remember that we’re not hipsters looking for the most underground bar in the city. We’re antisocial-but-adventerous cheapskate alcoholics. There’s a difference.

This show is part of Jimkata’s Winter Tour for their newest album called Ghosts & Killers. While the album is out they are currently running a fundraiser on Indie Go Go to cover various costs associated with recording. They are a popular band but not hugely famous by any means, so it’s a great chance to show support for some very talented Ithaca musicians. Ghosts & Killers is their third release and the coolest part is you can get it for free (in fact, all of Jimkata’s music is free though donations make their work possible). I’m usually good at describing music but these guys are tough to define. Sometimes they take on the jam band sound–though much more organic than electronic, but it is always eclectic, bassy and danceable. I’m listening to them right now and I’m getting more and more excited about the show.

Since words are failing me here’s an excerpt from Jimkata’s official site: “Jimkata is a nationally touring electro-rock band blending heavy beats, synthy hooks, and big guitars to create music with both modern and timeless appeal. Their latest EP, the 80’s pop tinged Ghosts & Killers, is an anthemic dance-pop nugget complete with 21st century, infectious guitar hooks…” Couldn’t have said it better myself.

I highly recommend you go to the show. It’s the perfect way to have a little fun (or even “rage out”) before the weekend for under $30 (I included a $20 bar tab, which thanks to the Westcott’s amazingly cheap bar gets you plenty of drinks). I absolutely love the Westcott Theater, which is so much more than a venue. I’ve had a fantastic experience EVERY time and have made so many friends–who I consider close–just by going the Westcott. The energy is always upbeat and no matter the show you’re guaranteed to have fun. This assuming you’re not too up-tight (or “mature”) to let loose a little. If you’ve never been there are a few things you can expect. Professional, friendly staff, an excellent sound system, crazy light shows and if you stay to the very end–a chance to meet world-class, often famous musicians and DJs. Try that at a huge concert venue. The combination of a welcoming crowd, great music and cheap drinks is simply unbeatable and something I’ll never take for granted.

You can buy tickets online by clicking the link below but for this one you’ll be fine to show up around 7:30-8:00 p.m. and grab them at the door. That way you’ll avoid online processing fees. Opening for Jimkata is a rock/jam band composed of Manlius Pebble Hill students called Steep–would be really nice to support them as well (I know I’ll be there cheering them on).

Jimkata at The Westcott Theater
Wednesday, February 1st
Doors at 7:00 p.m. Show at 8:00 p.m.
BUY TICKETS NOW – JUST $10

Here’s a 2010 Jimkata performance live at Castaways in Ithaca, New York:

Also check out Jimkata’s Indie Go Go fundraising video:

1. Stars Recreation Center – located off of Browns Valley Parkway, this is a great spot for everyone in the family! It offers bowling, games and live music but more importantly, it has a fantastic bar scene. Stars offers 15 “ice cold” beers on tap, 24 satellite TVs and a huge 13 ft HD screen. Like sports? They have pretty much every sports package on cable that you could ever want. For those who enjoy live music, they have multiple bands perform each month!

2. Posh Couture Cakes – Spearheaded by designer and owner Jenn Clarkin, Posh is the go to place for specialty cakes, champagne, and espresso. During the day they are a exquisite (drive-through!) designer cake boutique, but after dark Posh transforms into an elegant place to sip fine wine and microbrews. Posh After Dark is Sunday-Thursday 8pm-12pm! Visit http://www.poshcouturecakes.com for more details.

EDIT: Posh Couture Cakes is now closed indefinitely.

3. Wine Styles - Located in Town Square in downtown Vacaville, WineStyles is a wine store and wine bar that features local favorites such as Vitus wines, Sudwerk draft beer annd food from Los Reyes and Fuso Ristorante. This is a great place to get familiar with local wines and hear some great local music. Visit http://www.winestyles.net/vacaville for more details

4. Los Reyes – Located downtown, this place really has it all. Not only do they have delicious authentic Mexican cuisine, but their happy hour and full bar is superb. ¿Did I mention they serve over 50 types of tequilas?

5.  Hisui 2 Sushi & Grill - This Japanese Sushi & Grill restaurant has more sushi rolls than you will know what to do with, and a happy hour that is just as awesome. Enjoy a little sake from time to time? This place has got you covered (see below).