gross post

This post is really just for smiller, since everyone else is off work.  Hi Scott!

Top 20 Crimes of 2011, SacBee?  How tacky.  Did any juicy rapes make the list?

Dave Attell last night at the Punchline was pretty good.  He kind of bombed, though, but he just went with it.  He was doing a lot of ad-libbing.  He blamed it on having four opening acts, and I think that was kind of true.  One of them was Sac High's own Kelly Price.  Anybody go to school with her?  She was good.  Also, Big Jay Oakerson opened and was super good.  He just did crowd work, it was impressive.  I was surprised to see that people actually get wasted in the crowd and act like asses.  During Dave Attell, one woman alternated between yelling "woo", flipping Attell off and yelling "air force".  He gave her a tshirt.  Doug Benson and Kevin Nealon are playing there soon.  The problem is, with the two drink minimum (which they enforce) it's over 50 bucks! That's pretty crazy.  Why doesn't the comedy spot book touring comedians?!?!?!?

Why didn't anyone tell me about yin yoga?  I thought it was baby/old lady yoga (which I like sometimes) and it kind of is, but it's totally intense.  My hips are so open right now.  See you at lunch, Scott.

Eww!! Gross! I know. Sorry.

tweet dat rage

It's the week the internet died.  I am only on the net right now because I'm avoiding transcribing two interviews.  Tomorrow is the ladies Xmas dayrage.  We are releasing all our Christmas rage in a cleansing rite that will help us start 2012 on the right track.  Now that I have a smart phone I am going to try to figure out how to tweet from my phone so that I can tweet dat rage, starting Tuesday, 10 am.  Backdoor Lounge.

Merry Xmas

So is it just me, or are Greg Lucas' restaurant reviews in the News and Review complete nonsense?  I know there are words and phrases there, and some (not many) of them are about food, but I can't seem to make heads or tails of it.  Let's hope this guy is not the restaurant reviewer for the News and Review for another year #GripeOfTheDay

I watched A Face In The Crowd last night.  I highly recommend it.  You will never look at Andy Griffith the same again.  It's heavy-handed as fuck, and more successful as a showbiz movie than a political satire, but overall, amazing.  That and Payday are my two favorite showbiz movies.

I saw some good movies in the theater this year.  My three favorites were: Certified Copy, Take Shelter, and Contagion.  

Three of my favorite albums were: Eleanor Friedberger solo, Sonny and the Sunsets and Christine Shields.

Favorite cat: Babs

Gripe of yesterday and today

Sauza Claus and his germ-y bottle of Sauza made me sick.#gripeofyesterday

Why do art films often include genital mutilations? #gripeoftheday

Can you tell I stayed home sick and watched Antichrist yesterday?  Believe it or not, even with the garden shears to the clit, I liked it better than Melancholia.  But jeez, Von Trier, Haneke (Piano Teacher), there is some other arty movie too where a lady mutilations her vagina.  Notice I did not say vajajay, lady business, or lady parts.  Speaking of pussy, the Louis CK downloadable special is good.

 This is the aged nog I made from the sacyuleblog recipe.  I'm taking it to a party tomorrow and it's been aging for about a week.  I'm going to test it today to make sure I don't make everyone at the party sick.  I'm also making pimento cheese.

 

 I've been kind of down on the crockpot with some recent attempts to make beans in it.  Beans don't seem to cook evenly.  However, I got some stew meat at the meat lab, threw it in there with a bunch of wine and broth and soffrito, cooked it all day, got home, put some more wine in, sauteed some mushrooms in butter and wine, threw in carrot slices, mushrooms, and pearl barley for about a half hour and voila!  Fucking good.  The wine and barley is what really put it over the top.

 

 Here's the aged nog the day I made it.  I love nutmeg.

 Cat in a basket

 Grilled cheese at Bows last night.  So good.

 I hope they don't mind me posting this.  This is the best Christmas card I have ever seen.

I got this tree at SPCA for a buck fifty.  Grandma style!

They Did It Again

You may have heard that the Beach Boys are touring (the real ones, no Stamos) and that they re-recorded "Get Together" - (duh, "Do It Again" is the name.  Says so right on the video) one of my faves - as a tour kick off.  Seeing them standing in their respective booths singing will not exactly get anyone's pulse racing, and is it just my computer, or do you all see the phrase "getty images" floating over the beach scenes?  Busted!  I think I spotted a session guy from Letterman's band in there, too.

This rendition is more fun (skip 40 secs in).  Note how cool Dennis looks.  I want to paint this backdrop on my garage wall.  Smiller, can we do that?  It won't be that hard.

Thank You Four Eyes

ha! I like that I get a Bruno Mars spambot comment below.  The Bruno Mars cover (sung by Davey!) is actually my fuzziest memory of the evening.  I remember yelling "that song sucks" which is rude, although true.  The Four Eyes show was the best, as usual.  I will post the set list when I remember to bring it to work.  They opened with "Truckin", which was a sure sign that the set would be stellar.  Then when they played Pee Pee 1990 I totally blew out my voice singing it.  My throat hurt so bad.  They closed with an ecstatic rendition of Wooly Bully.  The night was marred by right vs. left violence, however.  The middle took the Switzerland tack.  Some would call them cowards.  At least the so-called right (although I'd like to point out that my right is your left), evil as they are, had the courage to take a side.

Brew Awareness and Gripe of the Day

The Davis Beer Shoppe has The Abyss from both 2010 and 2011 on draught, with sizeable pours.  This shit gave me an STD (Straight To the Dome) and I'm having a hard time motivating.  I can report that when tasted side by side the 2010 is more raisin-y and sweet.

 Gripe of the day: Subscribing to the New Yorker and the Sunday Times does not give me any time to read books lately. What? I didn't say it would be a great gripe every day.

best of?

How about if I make the gripe of the day a regular feature?  Right now I am nursing a gripe, but I will post later in the day in case something better comes up.

Keeping in mind my bad memory, I can attempt some year-end lists.  This was my favorite New Yorker cover, with an honorable mention for the Thiebaud food issue one and a request that they stop letting Hockney phone it in with his iPad sketches.  Also, can anyone tell the Clowes and Tomine covers apart?  I dare you to try.  I know this is going to be a pretty controversial best-of.  Let the arguing begin.

Nevermind, lists like that are boring.  I don't think I'm going to write any.

Four Eyes show on Saturday.  That's kind of unfortunate that the Trent Liddicoate art opening with Al Maxwell performing is going on at the exact same time.  I'll have to try to get over there to see the show at some point, thought.

throw the bums out

Our city council just sold us out again, people.  Except for Sandy Sheedy and Darrell Fong.  Exactly how are they going to replace this money in the general fund?  This parking revenue is ours, as a city, in perpetuity.  Why are we signing it away?  Fuck these clowns.  P.S.-that reminds me that I was listening to the New Yorker podcast last night and David Denby called Lars Von Trier a clown.  That made me laugh out loud (LOL)

On a happier note, please get out your Joy of Cooking and look up marmalade cookies in the index and then make these.  Actually, the recipe is so simple I think I remember it.
1/3 cup butter, whip it up
beat in an egg and 6 tablespoons tart marmalade (make your own, now's the time)
add a cup to 1 1/2 c of flour and 1 1/4 tsp baking powder
I wouldn't add the whole amount of flour that they say.  Closer to a cup than a cup and half would be better.  This was about a cup and a third and you can see they are a little doughy.  But super tangy!

different aaron, still finches

So much bummer restaurant news lately.  Mulvaney is pulling out of the Crocker Cafe and the Ella executive chef, Kelly McCown, is going back to wine country.  Chef Kelly will be hard to replace.  That reminds me, Ella's 20 buck copper pot special is cioppino this month.  I don't know how I will find the time, but I will eat that even if I have to kill someone, or myself, to do it.  That doesn't make any sense, I know, but that's how committed I am.
Here's a video to get you excited about The Finches show on January 18th.  She's not playing with this Aaron anymore, but she's back to being a duo with a different guy named Aaron.  I know, January is too far away to get excited about anything.

thought provoking

Wow.  This is quite a review.  I love the Waterboy yet I agree with almost every word.  The only thing I would say I disagree with is that the prices don't make is special occasion.  That depends on your budget, of course.  I also don't think the servers are too serious.  But everything else I think is spot-on.  I love it there and it's a great place for family celebrations, but I get a little frustrated by the sameness of the menu.  I also think their wine list needs work.  And no one could argue that it's not like being inside a Cosby sweater, but I actually like that.  BAR is getting reamed in the comments and does not deserve it.

epic photo post

Are you ready for an epic picture post?  Do you care? Do I? After the jump.

Sonny Smith tonight!!

A call for a Jonathan Richman review was made:

We got there at 9 pm and it had already started!  He often tours without a backing band which is brilliant if you think about it.  He doesn't have to share any money and everyone will just be there for him regardless of who opens.  He didn't sing any songs I was familiar with from recordings (I have heard him play some of them live before) and they came in three languages (Spanish, Italian, French) with him translating as he went along, as usual. There was a good-sized crowd and he seemed stoked.  He sang a really funny song about how your body does not want to be overloaded with wine or surrounded by electromagnetic radiation and buzzing devices.  Awesome, as always.

 This is the quad in Davis right now!  What are they going to do about all these tents?  They really fucked themselves with that pepper spray incident.  There is indeed a 30 foot geodesic dome in the background there, just as the be-dreaded hippy woman promised.

 Bows has neat calendars with work from local artists including Liv Moe, Olivia, and a really nice page by Troy Mighty.  I was a little disappointed to find that it's not bound, but I guess I will pin the pages up as the year progresses.

 I had heard a buzz about the mushroom Reuben at Bows (from OMF) and he was right!  Delicious.  It's supposed to be on rye but they were temporarily out.  Jaymes makes her own sauerkraut (of course she does).  I love that perfect pickled carrot on top of the salad.

 This is the Italian roast pork with persimmon.  Good, but the pork was too fatty for me and the bread was a little soft.  Sorry, I'm a critic!  I love Fat Face!!!!  I also got a glass of cote du rhone and the pairing of a Victory Prima pilsner and a chocolate chip cookie was weirdly good.  Bows is such a wonderful place to hang out.  I tried to stay and see Dylan Barnes play his first (and only) solo show but it was just going too late.

This show is tonight.  It is not to be missed, IMHO.  Christine Shields' record is really good!  She has an etsy store.  I'm getting a cat ornament.  I might have to save up for one of those pillows.  Those are really good.  I'm curious to see Sonny Smith without the Sunsets.

out of sight martini

I actually had a meeting over martinis last night at Shady Lady.  That's really the best way to conduct a meeting.

 This is a gin martini made with Dolin vermouth and Right gin, a peppery Swedish gin.  Man this hit the spot.

 Bar snacks.  That's house cured lox with capers and arugula in the back.  Really did not need the creamy sauce.  Note to restaurants: Americans do not need the creamy sauce.

 This is a drink created by Garrett Van Vleck called the Drunken Butterfly.   Not crazy about the name.  It has Cocchi Americano, sparkling wine, peach bitters, and maybe something else.

This is the full charcuterie board.  25 bucks and includes housemade pork rinds.

little lamb

This is literally (literally!) one of my favorite things I've ever seen.  Jonathan Richman crying over a William Blake poem.  Awwww!!! Not a dry seat in the house, as Ed C. would say.  This LIVING LEGEND is playing at the Blue Lamp tonight.  There is not an opening act listed.  I would guess your best bet would be to show up at 830 (or 9 if you have a friend there who would text you what's going on, I'll do it if you want) and you can be home in bed by 10:30.  You know where I would love to see him play?  Bows and Arrows.

Here's the gorgeous original that Blake illustrated and below's the text

The Lamb

BY WILLIAM BLAKE
 Little Lamb, who made thee?
Dost thou know who made thee?

Gave thee life, and bid thee feed

By the stream and o'er the mead;

Gave thee clothing of delight,

Softest clothing, woolly, bright;

Gave thee such a tender voice,

Making all the vales rejoice?

         Little Lamb, who made thee?

         Dost thou know who made thee?

         Little Lamb, I'll tell thee,

         Little Lamb, I'll tell thee:

He is called by thy name,

For he calls himself a Lamb.

He is meek, and he is mild;

He became a little child.

I a child, and thou a lamb.

We are called by his name.

         Little Lamb, God bless thee!

         Little Lamb, God bless thee!

insane

Tonight there's a house show for Aaron Zeff's birthday.  Sounds fun.  It's on undietacos.

 I stole these photos from this blog I like called slutever.org.  It is NSFW!!!!! It is barely SFH.  I think it's the modern Rollerderby, if anyone gives a fig about  my opinion.  Anyway, she's been hanging out with Danny Fields and these are some scanned photos of his.  He should do a book, based on these.

 Jonathan Richman.  Insane.  By the way, did you know he's playing the Blue Lamp tomorrow night?   It's not very well publicized.  I'm not psyched about a Tuesday show at the Blue Lamp, but he's a living legend and his shows are sometimes magical.

Bolan!

Thanks to Best Christmas Ever band for playing the MidMo party! Hopefully OMF will post some pictures somewhere?  They looked great.  We collected lots of toys for the kids at Sacramento Childrens Home and gave out good prizes.

delish

Sometimes my job rules.  Like when I get to eat a frittata sandwich from Zia at the Davis Beer Shoppe and drink a Bruery Humulus Lager for 4 bucks (!) with it, and then go back to work.  The Beer Shoppe selection is absolutely off the chain.  He's got so many Christmas beers, a big shelf just of Mikkeller beers.  It's crazy.  I wrote them up for the MidMo gift guide this month.  The new MidMo has hit the streets.  Tessa is on the cover and it's very cute.

so smug

Ok, jerks, I get a ton of comments and now you leave me hanging.  I see how it is. J.K.

Argh, so you all know about all the crap there is to do this weekend, right?  A lot of crap, and some GOLD, namely the MidMo holiday partay.  Tim Matranga (or is is MANtranga) is DJing.  Who knew?  Not me, I just found out, but that's great.  Makes it a real party.  Don't forget a toy.  I am going to shop local and get a toy at Alphabet Moon.  Look how smug I am.  So smug.

This really weird place opened in downtown Davis, called Fish Is Wild. No wait, it's called Fish's Wild? That's awkward.  For less than ten bucks, I got a whole, beautifully grilled trout dressed with my choice of seasoning (I picked house = ginger), and brown rice and steamed vegetables.  Not bad at all.  But not wild.  Also, this trout is probably farmed, and the salmon certainly is.  Fish's Farmed doesn't sound as good, I guess.

Christmas!

Fuck yes! It found a venue.  So stoked.  Sonny and the Sunsets and King Tuff were my two favorite shows of the year so far.  Hope he's good solo, too.  Also stoked to see Christine Shields.  That reminds me,  Jonathan Richman is at the Blue Lamp on December 6th.  It's not overtly Christmas-y, but both of these shows sound like great ways to get in the holiday spirit.

Speaking of the holidaze, those Yuba folks have started a Christmas blog.  These jonny come latelies and their trendy seasonal blogs, I tell ya.

Late last night I remembered one more fact from that alpha focus-grouper: two years ago she lost 70% of her hair.  She pretty much said that apropos of nothing.  Also: 70%? Exactly?

In addition to the MidMo holiday party featuring the Best Christmas Ever Band and FREE (luigis) PIZZA, the Sacto MoFo 3 is happening that day under the freeway where the farmers market is.  I think the organizers kinda got screwed because this was supposed to happen at Arco Arena and there was supposed to be beer, but thenn Arco (Power Balance) (bankrupt) found out that they can't have propane burners inside and cancelled.  So now it's free, under the freeway, there's no beer, but lots of trucks.  Who knows?  It may be just as crowded and hard to get food as the first one, but maybe not.  It's worth cruising by and checking out the scene.