Master Distiller/Good Guy
While enjoying the incredible views from the Claremont’s bar, Paragon, in Berkley I had a chance to meet Lance Winters. Lance is the Master Distiller of St. George Spirits and was co-creator of Hangar One vodka. Besides having a great title you can tell Lance loves what he does and over a few well mixed cocktails his passion for creation and experimentation were apparent. St. George is all about using raw ingredients and distills in small batches at an old air force hangar in Alameda, CA. I had a great time shooting the shit discussing hand crafted goods that are made for the right reasons (think personal passion combined with great ingredients). You can taste all of those right reasons in the spirits St. George makes; Agua Azul tequila, Agua Libre Rum, St. George Absinthe (didn’t know they legalized that), St. George Gin, St. George Single Malt and a bunch of other hand crafted alcohol. Ask for one of them the next time you are looking for a great drink.
Great SNL Spoof Commercial
For anyone that used to see those Broadway show commercial spots from the 90s this SNL faux commercial is hilarious. Great spoof while also adding a just damn funny concept.
Refreshing Change Up
I decided to mis things up and try a Michelda at a local authentic Mexican restaurant. I am usually not someone who messes with the sanctity of a beer by mixing it with anything but this was a good change of pace. A Michelada is tomato juice, lime juice and a pepper mix in a chilled glass with a salted rim and a good mexican beer poured over the mix. From whatI understand there are many varieties of a Michelada but what I described above is the base version. It’s refreshing and is rumored to be a hangover remedy as well. I don’t think I could drink two of them but I could see enjoying one as an early start to a good day of drinking (particularly in the summer). Give it a shot if you happen to be in a genuine Mexican restaurant.
Laughing So Hard I’m Crying
This is a little old but if you haven’t seen this site you have to go, if you have go back and re-read some of them. Well worth your time and will add a big smile to your day.
Bad Ass TV
A quick to shoot US Marshall, a former white supremacist/born again/criminal, drug runners, pot growers and mob capos all set in rural Kentucky, mix it all together and you have some damn good TV. The show is called Justified and comes from Elmore Leonard’s books (Pronto, Riding the Rap) featuring the the lead character Raylan Givens, so the source material is already good. Elmore Leonard is also involved in the series which seems to have worked well.
Timothy Olyphant is the lead character and does a good job of pulling off the dark, shoot to kill Raylan Evans whose pulse always seems to stay dead calm despite the bizarre situations he gets into. The magic of the show though is all of the supporting characters and the story lines that are tight and full of good twists and turns. There are also overarching seasonal storylines and dramas that keep you coming back.
Justified is on Tuesday nights at 10:00 pm on FX. Watch it! And if you haven’t read a book from Elmore Leonard what are you waiting for? You have probably already enjoyed a movie made from one of his books and didn’t realize it. Look it up.
Sick Cool
Take a look at this video of quadrocopters on Engadget flying in formation. It is very cool while a little unnerving. What was the date that Skynet was brought online again?
Just Right Lager
Beer is good. I enjoy a good beer whether it’s Bass, Sam Adams, Negro Modelo, a Belgian white beer or a good Hefeweizen (though I don’t put fruit in my beer, that’s for mixed drinks). That being said I most regularly go to simple lagers for drinking. My go to beer is Pabst Blue Ribbon. I don’t call it PBR though, sounds dorky people, call it Pabst, it’s not like they make a red or green ribbon version (or any other version for that matter). It is a simple, reliable and smooth beer (besides it’s pretty damn cheap). When I am in the Midwest I might grab a Grain Belt Nordeast (great old tagline “Drink Friendly”) or when in the South a Shiner Dortmunder (it’s technically an ale but still good), but Pabst is pretty much available anywhere.
Well I found a new Northeast regional favorite, Blue Point Toasted Lager. It has a good smooth taste with a bit deeper flavor (maybe it’s the toasted part). You can find it on tap (big light buoy capped tap handle) more and more in the Northeast and I am finding it in the liquor stores as well. If you find yourself at the bar and see it on tap give it a pour and see what you think. Another good go to beer.
“Everybody should believe in something — I believe I’ll have another drink.”
Pure Genius
A friend shared this post on Wondermark and it struck me. How did I never think of this?
Thanks Jonathan!
Test Drive – MiniCooper S Countryman All4
The Mini Cooper came on the scene a few years ago and now you can see the little cars buzzing all over the place. The lines of the car are nice but it has always suffered from the clown car feel. I expect when it parks to see an unending stream of clowns disembark from the tiny vehicle.
Well Mini has been unleashing a series of new models, including a strange looking coupe most recently, and last year they introduced the Countryman. The Countryman is actually a bigger vehicle than it’s Mini brethren. It sits higher and wider and has four doors and a four wheel like drive option (called All 4). The Countryman looks more well proportioned and always catches my eye when I am on the road. The grill is a little more aggressive and the larger look of the car suits the lines better than the mini-Minis.
OK so how does it drive. It drives really well. It is a tight car that has very little roll and seems to stay inside the wheels weight wise. This has the larger engine option which provides about 180 hp. Not a lot but considering the weight and size of the car that still gets the job done. The seats are very good and have a racing feel as compared to most cars in its class. It is only a four seater because of a rail that runs down the middle of the car so it has 4 bucket seats. I liked the feel and finish of the car as well. It is tight and not tinny as you might expect.
What I didn’t like was the dash configuration. Mini has this odd all-in-one circular console that sits in the middle of the dashboard. It doesn’t click for me and feels a little contrived or intentionally different. I also am not a fan of the racing stripe motifs that are a signature of Mini. Thankfully you can get the car in solid colors but the overwhelming in stock models are all skunk striped down the hood and roof. The price point can get a little high when you load it up with the All 4 and bigger engine and it tips the money bag scale around $30,000 with those features.
Overall I give the MiniCooper S Countryman All4 the thumbs up. Good gas mileage, great ride, comfortable seats and all wheel drive. Oh and not so much a clown car anymore.
A more agressive stance
Mini Countryman Dash
Close Cut
I’ve always had challenges with shaving. My skin doesn’t seem to like it. I heard that safety razors were better for your skin and gave a great shave so I decided to give it a shot. I bought a safety razor, a badger hair brush (apparently they are the best) and a selection of double edged razor blades on Amazon. I will admit that the first time I tried it I was nervous. After a few weeks and a bunch of nicks and cuts the first few times I have to say I like shaving with a safety razor, my skin feels great and the shave is close. A couple quick tips:
- Hold the razor at a 30 degree angle to your face as you shave.
- Let the blade do the work. Simply rest it on your face and let it glide along.
- In a sense you shave 3 times. Once down your face, next from your ear forward (across you face) and then if you have enough time up. (lather up between).
- Make sure to use an after shave lotion.
- Remember it is a two edged blade, you shave using one side, then rotate it and shave with the other before rinsing.
- Take your time.
What are you waiting for? Man up!
