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Have you ever been dreading something & thought, "Surely the anticipation of this thing is far worse than the actual thing will be." I think that is often true for me; I am a worrier/fretter of Olympic ability. However, the opposite may be true for me today. Today, I am a very happy girl; I am anticipating some things that should be fun & relaxing. They may end up being less fun & less relaxing than I anticipate, but that's all right. I don't believe in disappointment. And since I don't believe in it, it doesn't exist. Right?
I knew you would agree with me.
Anyway, there are several reasons I am really in a bright mood today. It's not that I got a full eight hours of sleep or that I came into some money (but wouldn't all that be FUN?!). Actually, you might find my reasons kind of mundane or big no-brainers, but I'm sharing them anyway!
#1: I got up with Mike this morning & stayed up. I finished a Bible study lesson I've been doing about experiencing the love of Jesus. What a blessing! I was reminded of several important truths: the Lord is on my side (if God be for us, who can be against us?), the Lord loves me so much He let His Son die for my sin, He did not save me to live a life of worry or fretting, & His love for me is unconditional & I can never be separated from it.
That kind of truth can really change a girl's attitude, if you know what I mean.
#2: I woke up this morning. Yep, I'm plain old grateful to God that I have another day. I'm still upright & breathing. This is nothing to take for granted.
#3: Today is my Friday. Back at the beginning of January Mike & I picked a random Friday to take off from work for a little Winter Break. That random Friday is tomorrow! I have all sorts of ideas running around in my head about what we can do & what we won't have to do (because we aren't at work!) & where we can go & how long we can sleep! I am expecting great, good times!
#4: I get to visit with the G's today. My grandparents have been having a hard time lately. My g-ma has a fractured vertebra & is not a good candidate for surgery to fix it. My g-pa also has some back pain thing going on. I have been setting aside some time on Thursdays to go visit with them & help them get some chores done. Last week I missed out because of the Icezilla that came through town so I'm very much looking forward to today. Really all I do is chat with them & make up their bed. Thursday is laundry day so I get to put warm April fresh sheets on their bed, help g-ma fold kitchen towels, & put clothes away. It's one of the highlights of my week. It takes me back to the days when my mom when back to work & we spent our out of school hours at the G's house. My g-ma taught me so much about taking care of a home during those times. Now I can't wait to hug my g-ma!
#5: It's been a somewhat busy work day. The one project that kind of got thrown to me that I didn't know how to handle was kind of handled for me. I love it when God works things out that way. I was sitting at my desk staring at it, I asked my boss a question, & he took it from there. He is a good guy.
#6: The sun is shining today. Bright & full & wonderful! It may only be 14 degrees right now, but that's ok. They are predicting highs in the 40's & 50's over the next week. It makes me almost giddy with excitement! Maybe, just maybe I'll be able to run outside sometime next week!
#7: My sister told me last night that she has been sleeping really well. This has been a struggle for her for quite some time now. When you don't sleep well for an extended period of time it begins to show up all over your face & mind & body. We need sleep. We need good quality sleep. And we need a good quantity of sleep. That is what Beth has been able to get lately. This makes me very happy. And very, very grateful.
#8: My nephew asked me for my email address last night because he had something he wanted to send me. I cannot explain to you why, but that just thrilled me. When he was little it was easy to impress him & see that he liked spending time with me. As he gets older it's obvious & natural that he makes friends & likes spending time with them. It just made me smile a little bit to know that he still thinks of Aunt MeeMee. His sister Madison was not to be outdone. She told me that her teacher (whom I have never met) loves to read my facebook page because she thinks I am a very funny writer. I have no idea what she was trying to say or what she could have been talking about but it was funny!
#9: I just had a really good (although odd) lunch - leftover pasta, vanilla yogurt, & raisins. A weird, yet satisfying combo!
#10: I only have to run two miles today & I'm deep enough into my training that it is beginning to feel good, not exhausting. I have actually followed the directions for some speed training lately & that has made it more fun than ever. Treadmills are great for timing yourself & pushing yourself a little bit harder. I hear that they are also good for hills. I don't do hills. The Indy Mini is a basically flat course so I don't need hills. Right?
And for one last smiley thought, I'm happy because I found this pic online:
There is just something hilarious to me about the Disney princesses posing for a silly picture. Maybe it's just me, but I laughed right out loud - especially at Snow White, hello nose!
What is making you happy or making you laugh today?


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When seventeen-year-old Ashley Watson walks through the halls of her high school, bullies taunt and shove her. She can't go a day without fighting with her mother. And no matter how hard she tries, she can't make her best friend, Matt, fall in love with her. But Ashley also has something no one else does: a literal glimpse into the future. When Ashley looks into the mirror, she can see her twenty-three-year-old self.
Her older self has been through it all already--she endured the bullying, survived the heartbreak, and heard every ugly word her classmates threw at her. But her older self is also keeping a dark secret: Something terrible is about to happen to Ashley. Something that will change her life forever. Something even her older self is powerless to stop.
Wow....so I finished this book a few weeks ago. And I'm still having trouble putting my thoughts into words. I'd like to start off by saying that I think if I had read this book BEFORE I became a mother, I might have had a different perspective. It breaks my heart to think of ANY child going through what the main character goes through. Since I was not a victim of bullying in school, I'm not sure how I would have related to the characters in this book. I was one of the "middle" kids in school. I wasn't one of the "cool" kids....but I didn't get picked on either. I had plenty of friends but also still felt left out at times.
I think I had a pretty normal high school experience.
But that's not the case for every kid.
And that's not the case for our main character Ashley.
I had a hard time getting into this book. In fact, I read the first chapter, put the book down, and didn't pick it back up for a month. But once I got into the meat of the story...I found that I couldn't put it down. I had to see what happened. There was a bit of a supernatural twist towards the end, I'm still not sure if I liked that or not. I would recommend this book but it's not a "light" read at all. What I do think this book accomplishes more than anything....is putting yourself in someone else's shoes. I am going to make it a point to re-read this book when my children are teenagers.
A paperback version is being published in June and is available through your favorite bookseller.
The e-reader version is currently only available in Kindle and if you have Amazon prime I believe you can read it for free. Add it to your summer reading list....I'm still processing it. Even a few weeks later.
I am looking forward to more books by this author.
You can find her:
Website: http://www.aimeelsalter.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AimeeLSalter
Twitter: https://twitter.com/Aimeelsalter

subset: commoncrawl


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Generation Stressed
This easy to use handbook offers original, engaging and effective exercises developed by Kambolis that you can use at home, on the road and in social settings to alleviate the symptoms of anxiety in your child.
Are your kids anxious? Afraid? Stressed out? They're not alone. At any given time, our children are usually cycling between eight different worries—from school pressures to changes at home, scary headlines to social fears. Although anxiety is a natural part of life, without good coping skills it can often become overwhelming and lead to social, emotional and physical struggles.
Whether your children are having trouble dealing with the stresses of everyday life or experiencing clinical levels of anxiety, Generation Stressed provides sound advice and fun, highly effective play-based tools to help you and your kids manage the effects and develop healthy new strategies together. Practical and engaging, this easy-to-use book is backed by scientific research, clinical evidence and personal experience. It's a one-stop handbook you can use at home, on the road or anytime anxiety strikes.
Table of Contents
Introduction (exerpt)202122232425
Chapter 1: Inside the Anxiety Epidemic
Chapter 2: What Exactly Is Anxiety?
Chapter 3: How Anxiety Affects Development
Chapter 4: Anxiety and the Family
Chapter 5: Overcoming Childhood Anxiety with Play-based Therapy
Chapter 6: The Play-based Toolbox
Chapter 7: How and When to Seek Professional Support
Chapter 8: Overcoming Setbacks and Obstacles
Chapter 9: At Home in the World: School and Social Settings
Chapter 10: Lifestyle as a Route to Mind-Body Health
Chapter 11: Twelve Steps to Happiness: An Anxiety Antidote
Peer Reviewed
"Generation Stressed is a rich book full of useful, easy to implement ideas that can help mothers and fathers, grandparents and teachers solve problems and enrich the lives of children."
Dr John Allan, PhD, Professor Emeritus, Counselling Psychology, University of British Columbia
"This practical and hopeful guide offers realistic and creative strategies for supporting the development of coping skills, confidence and resilience in anxious children. Michele Kambolis provides a comprehensive understanding of children's stress and anxiety, and innovative, playful ways that parents can help."
E. Jane Garland, M.D., FRCPC, Clinical Professor, Psychiatry, University of British Columbia
About The Author
Michele Kambolis, MA, is a Child and Family Therapist, Registered Clinical Counselor and Parent Educator known for raising awareness about the needs of children and parents. She maintains a private practice, is the founder of Chi Kids and writes a national parenting column called "Parent Traps" for the Vancouver Sun and other Postmedia newspapers.
Additional information
There are no reviews yet.


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A quick wander round the polytunnel and veg patch has revealed that is s time for ratatouille:
|Tomatoes are ripening
|Aubergines are swelling
|Lots of peppers at last
|Yellow courgettes - our favourite
Now I have to confess that I have my own take on this classic recipe and whilst it is not at all traditional it is really easy to make and and we all love it!
Ratatouille à L'Eco-Gites de Lénault
- Tomatoes, aubergines, courgettes, peppers - cut into similar sized pieces
- Onions cut into thin slices and a few garlic cloves if you want
- Sugar, seasoning and herbs
- Bung everything in a roasting tin and drizzle olive oil over the top.
- Add a flat teaspoon of sugar
- Season and add chopped herbs to taste
- Bake at 180ºC/Gas mark 4/360ºF for about an hour until everything is lovely and soft.
- Eat!
|Caterpillar-damaged broccoli seedling
Finally for anyone wanting to know what the mystery plant was I gave you last week - it was an Indian bean Tree, Catalpa bignonioides. Lovely blossom in early summer is followed by massive bean pods in Autumn.
For more gardening blogs (and possibly a lot more flowers) why not visit the How Does Your Garden Grow linky over at Manneskjur?


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Oklahoma GOPer: It's A Fact That 'Blacks' Don't Work As Hard
Oklahoma State Rep. Sally Kern (R) says that she's seen "a lot of people of color who didn't study hard because they said the government would take care of them."
The remarks came during a debate on an amendment to the state's constitution that would eliminate Affirmative Action in the state government. It was proposed by State Rep. Leslie Osborn (R), who said: "This proposed constitutional amendment makes clear that all men are created equal and should be treated as such by their government. If voters approve this constitutional amendment, state government will not be allowed to discriminate against Oklahoma citizens based on race or gender - period."
Kern voted for the amendment, arguing that minorities earn less because they don't work as hard. "We have a high percentage of blacks in prison, and that's tragic," Kern said, "but are they in prison just because they are black or because they don't want to study as hard in school?
"I've taught school," she added, "and I saw a lot of people of color who didn't study hard because they said the government would take care of them."
Kern also noted, as the Tulsa World reports, that women don't earn as much money as men because "they tend to spend more time at home with their families."
The proposed amendment passed by a vote of 59-14 Wednesday, after having passed the state Senate. It will get on the ballot in November of 2012.
Kern has a long history of bringing controversy to the Oklahoma House. She has introduced a bill to ban Sharia law in the state, and another that would allow teachers to question evolution. Kern also claimed that "gays are infiltrating city councils" and gay people are "the biggest threat our nation has, even more so than terrorism or Islam, which I think is a big threat."
Kern did not immediately return TPM's request for comment.


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Kirkwood Real Estate and Community Information
Kirkwood Real Estate and Community Information
A Money Magazine contender for Best Places to Live, Kirkwood is known as the "Queen of the St. Louis Suburbs" for its great schools, community amenities, and quality of life. Kirkwood has a population of approximately 27,500, and is located 15 minutes southwest of St. Louis in St. Louis County. The quintessential American small town, the Kirkwood real estate proximity to St. Louis offers the best of city life within a close-knit, pedestrian friendly community.
- Search Kirkwood Real Estate Listings
- Search Listings
In 1853, Kirkwood was the first planned suburb west of the Mississippi. The city was named after James Pugh Kirkwood, a railroad engineer responsible for establishing Kirkwood as a railroad commuter hub. The historic Kirkwood train station was built in 1893, and now serves as an Amtrak station. Today, the town's heritage is reflected in Kirkwood's real estate, which boasts Colonials, Gothic Revivals, and other historic homes.
Shopping and Dining
Kirkwood boasts a bustling downtown that spans sixteen blocks, and brings people from all over the area. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, Downtown Kirkwood has over 100 shops and restaurants housed in turn-of-the-century buildings. While there are too many to provide a comprehensive list here, there are children's and adult clothiers, food specialty stores, jewelers, book and gift shops, home furnishings, galleries, and more. Some favorites include Avannabel Baby Boutique, Lass and Laddie Children's Boutique, Rosemary Grove, Blush Boutique, Lillian's Shoppe, Global Food Market, Moonbeams, Grapevine Wines, Mavrik Romantika Jewelry, James Durbin Jewelry Design, Books & Beyond, Brandon Home Furnishings, Mirage Spa, McArthur's Bakery, and many more.
Kirkwood's plethora of restaurants and eateries include PJ's Tavern, Steak & Rice, Café Provencal, Citizen Kane's, Peppe's Apt 2, Dewey's Pizza, Amigos Cantina, First Watch, Custard Station, Spencer's Grill, Trattoria Branica, Richard's Ribs, Fortel's Pizza Den, McDonnell's Market Place, Pi Squared, Kaldi's Coffe House, and Racanelli's.
Parks and Recreation
There are 14 different parks in Kirkwood. The "centerpiece" of Kirkwood is Kirkwood Park, the oldest park in the city. It includes 92 acres is home to Kirkwood Community Center and includes the Recreation Station Ice Arena, Aquatic Center, Lions' Amphitheater, Walker Lake, tennis and handball courts, sports fields, a playground and picnic areas, and a community garden and concession stand. McEntee Memorial Park includes a playground, gazebo, and a picnic area, with a view of the railroad. Walker Park features a gazebo, playground, walking path, and unique artwork. Mitchell Park and Fillmore Park are smaller neighborhood parks with playground areas. Grant's Trail Access follows old Carondolet branch of the Missouri Pacific railroad through downtown, Kirkwood Park, Quinette Cemetery, to Meramec Highlands Quarry at Dee Koestering Park. Meacham Memorial Park features a pavilion, playground, paths, basketball court, and "sprayground" water feature. Emmenegger Nature Park has 134 wooded acres with paved and unpaved nature trials and beautiful views of the Meramec River. Greentree Park connects to Meramec River Greenway that follows the river through Valley Park. It also includes sports fields, a boat launch ramp, picnic pavilion, and a model racecar track. Ella and Charles E. Monfort, Jr. Memorial Park features playgrounds, gazebo, and walking paths. Meramec Highlands Quarry at Dee Koestering Park is a former active quarry that includes rugged trails, a boulder field, and interpretive displays. Quinette Cemetery is considered the oldest African American burial ground west of the Mississippi. Fireman's Park is behind the historic Firehouse #2, and has just over 3 acres. The Magic House St. Louis Children's Museum has interactive exhibits and educational programs, and a Children's Village, Oval Office, and Star Spangled Center. Kirkwood Farmers' Market is a thriving district with more than 300 businesses. Greentree Festival is an annual event that showcases volunteer involvement in the community.
The housing market in Kirkwood is among the strongest in the state because of its great schools, proximity to St. Louis, low taxes and crime rate, natural beauty, and pedestrian friendly community. Kirkwood real estate features historic homes on expansive lots with mature landscaping on sidewalk streets. Louisa Heights is a world's fair era subdivision with easy access to schools and major arterials. Kirkwood Park, Meramec Quarry, and the Couch House, one of the few surviving Gothic Revival buildings, are located in Louisa Heights. Homes for sale are available in the upper $400s here. Louisa Heights also includes the upscale Aberdeen Heights Retirement Center, which provides all stages-of-life care. Other subdivisions include Pointe Essex and Fairfield, both of which are tree-lined neighborhoods with spacious and well-appointed homes from the $500s. The median house or condo value for Kirkwood real estate is approximately $240,000, compared with the state's average of approximately $140,000.
Schools, Health, Transportation
Kirkwood R-7 School District serves the community. It includes 5 elementary schools, a pair of middle schools, and one high school. Kirkwood schools have received the highest Greatschools ratings. St. Louis Community College operates a 78-acre campus in Kirkwood. Area hospitals include Des Peres Hospital and St. Anthony's Medical Center. Metro and Amtrak provide transportation. Lambert-St. Louis International Airport is minutes away and the major roads are Interstates 270, 44, and Routes 100, 61, and 67.
If you are thinking about buying or selling a home, give us a call at (314) 951-1908 or send us an email to explore your options and to find out when is the best time for you to make a move.


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Just finished this piece 'Reliquary' which will hopefully be doing the rounds in the forthcoming Central Illustration 'Traveling Circus' show. It will soon be available through Fine Grime who will be releasing it along with Sweet Mercy as limited edition prints. More details to come.
Tuesday, 4 August 2009
Posted by Tom Bagshaw at 16:22 4 comments
Categories: art, CIA, illustration, mostlywanted, prints
Kokeshi Show
For awhile now ive been seeing various artists showing or mentioning about having a piece shown in a forthcoming Kokeshi Show at the Japanese American National Museum and it seems like its finally here. Arrested Motion posted an entry regarding the show 'Kokeshi: From Folk Art to Art Toy' and have posted a series of fantastic photographs from the exhibition. You can view the museums complete selection of dolls here, some of which are still available to buy. Kokeshi: From Folk Art to Art Toy
Heres a few of my favorites but make sure you check out the Arrested motion post and the Museums pages for other great works.
Heres a few of my favorites but make sure you check out the Arrested motion post and the Museums pages for other great works.
Posted by Tom Bagshaw at 10:32 0 comments
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|Coming (approximately) 10 March 2015
Anyway, that's the news! The child to whom we have been affectionately referring as The Poppy -- short for poppy seed, which is how big she was when we learned of her impending arrival -- is looking on target as far as size and weight go (I'm always amazed at how much they can tell and see and measure with the ultrasound these days), and she's already showing a lot of personality and movement and activity. It's fun that she's due just before my birthday, when CAG was due right around The Wife's, and once again the timing could have been better with the move and everything, but how it goes is how it goes! We're certainly glad to be past the halfway mark (The Wife especially), and to have a nice empty room just waiting for her to fill it (house/move blogpost still pending). Just look at that little face!!! It's hard to imagine having more love to go around than I already feel for this woman and this little boy around me, but I'm quite sure I'll find a big chunk of my heart that's been waiting just for her. We're so looking forward to meeting the darling girl who appears already to have her mother's beautiful profile, and Bobo I'm sure will be thrilled to be a big brother once he figures out just what's going on.


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While sitting at home for the last 3 days holed up with the heating on and a waterbottle, I started to think about the Flu, a virus that seems to be affecting a lot of people at the moment. This is just the normal kind of Flu the kind people get after going out at the weekend wearing only a see through dress in 4 degree temperatures although the media coverage for the swine flu pandemic was rather worrying to say the least.
Anyway, I began thinking about the word Flu & Influenza and remembered the street artists called Influenza. Neil (Earl of Sandwich) first put me onto Influenza after I started making my own stencils. This renegade has set up his own street art game called "The Art of Urban Warfare". The rules are simple, you make stencils of toy soldiers, the kind that everybody gets as a kid, you choose your colour and then you hit the streets and leave as many of your troops around town as possible. The when an apposing ART-ist sees your troops he has to enter the arena of combat by stencilling his soldiers next to the original ones. Eventually the two or three teams will build up a whole army of apposing soldiers in different colours in locations across the city. Click HERE for some basic guidelines for the game.
I tried to start my own war in the fair city of Aberdeen, I even had some complimetary feedback from both the police & the council but as there is still laws against spraying in public places all my troops were removed. However with the new graffitti wall down at Transition Extreme I think now is the time to get cutting and show your strength, bring the troops and lets have us some fun in the spirit of Influenza!


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elocation irrespective of whether it is domestic or commercial or industrial is always bound to be quite complicated that poses a lot of overhead and stressful times for you. It all comes down to proper planning and strategic approach to the whole thing in order to execute the task of relocation in a very smooth manner. And this could be done only professional experts who are involved in the moving industry. There are several professional moving companies out there waiting to take your entire burden and provide efficient and wonderful moving services for attaining your satisfaction and developing their own business. All you need to do is take the effort for identifying such a professional moving company and leave the entire relocation task in their capable hands.
A professional moving company could be identified with the help of their experience information. There are several blogs, forums and other websites where people who have used their services have given their opinions and reviews. Those details give a decent picture about the background of the particular company. Secondly, they would be certified and licensed by appropriate government boards for providing such moving services. Thirdly, they would be equipped with all the latest technologies, equipments and gadgets for providing highly efficient services. Fourthly, their employees and would trained in an imminent manner for providing high class services. They would also give you a free quote and they would be negotiable. Fifthly, they would have resources for providing efficient communication links throughout the process. Professional companies also provide escort services for your valuables during the relocation process. Understand that these kinds of services are necessary to ensure the safety of your goods and remember that replaced or repaired goods are never the same as the ones you used to own. An expert member of the firm will always be around to monitor the whole process and to ensure the safety of your goods. They will reach your home or office as per the mentioned time, provide packing services efficiently and it will be monitored by the official, load them on to the truck safely and start the process of transportation and the official will also accompany the transportation and deliver the same properties at your new destination on time.


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14/15 year olds have never heard of the Red Hot Chili Peppers. Problem.
Whether cars stop for you at pedestrian crossings seems to depend on the mood of the driver.
The stores stock duvets but not duvet covers. WTF?
The Christmas decorations are up.
Peoples' watches run 15-60 minutes slower than the real time.
They think drinking coke with vanilla ice cream is weird.


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658th Marine Infantry Regiment
Sarna News
|658th Marine Infantry Regiment
|Unit Profile (as of 2784)
|Parent Formation
|XLVIII Corps
The 658th Marine Infantry Regiment was a part of the Star League Defense Force Regular Army.
In 2764 the 658th was a part of the XLVIII Corps within the Seventeenth Army and was assigned to the Periphery Military Region, but the 658th was subsequently moved to an undisclosed area of the Periphery to take part in the SLDF response to the Periphery Uprising in 2765.[1]. The 658th survived the war and the Hegemony Campaign, and followed General Aleksandr Kerensky on the Exodus in 2784.[1]
Composition History[edit]
The Regiment had standard organisation of 3 Battalions each with 3 Companies. Each company had 3 Platoons.[2]


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(We're also taking suggestions to replace our current cover photo. Got any ideas?)
Man, remember when hitting 10,000 Facebook fans was a huge deal for us? And oh how we celebrated when we doubled that number two years later. Such modest goals for a mid-level MMA blog just trying to find its place in the world. Then, Facebook.com/CagePotato started building steam and we blew past 30k and 40k like it was nothing. I'm sure this is fascinating to you.
It's been a while since we've had to write a "Screw It" post asking for a few more likes, but business was slow last year, and we didn't quite reach our goal of hitting 50,000 Facebook fans by the end of 2014. At this time of this writing, we're just 28 fans away from achieving that milestone. So if you're seeing this right now and you don't already follow CagePotato on Facebook, please do so! We promise not to flood your timeline with crap. We only post like 3-4 updates per day, and they're all either important news stories or amazing photos — things you wouldn't want to miss, in other words.
So what do you say? Can you find it in your hearts to like your favorite "irreverent blog" today?
UPDATE: It's all over! Our Facebook fan-drive quickly shot us past 50k. Thanks so much to all our FB followers, new and old. We'll make it worth your while, and that's a Potato Promise™.


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A theme, or style, is an idea that is consistently used through the entire room, creating the feeling of unity. A design concept involves a much deeper knowledge of the client's socio-cultural and the architectural context. These design concepts will generally follow a specific period style. In the past fifty years, interior design and home décor have changed tremendously. With the introduction of new technologies, fabrics and products, it is only natural that designs will evolve with the use of these new materials.
Prior to 1960
Houses had virtually no personality and were just boxes that were lived in until the occupants moved to the next house. The 60's changed all that, and we still see the influences of this change in design today. Open plan living was born. Open plan living is described as making various rooms 'subdivisions' within the same space.
Many of the homes that were built following the war had a lounge located at the back of the front room. The wall between the two would be removed, creating a larger room with an open floor plan. There would be an area for dining, an area for television viewing, and many times there would also be a third area incorporated for another activity. Divisions of the rooms were accomplished with screens; the different areas of space could also be evident with the use of different carpet or rugs.
The 1960s
Floral patterns were prominent. These patterns were not actually invented in the 60's, but not everything was about the psychedelics either. It did not matter whether the floral patterns were for the upholstery or wallpaper; it was a very widespread trend. Decorating trends like feng shui, and the desire to be part of the universe, make it evident that the holistic decorating trends were born in this era.
The 1970s
Interior design settled down. Poor economic situations caused moderation concerning home design. The bizarre experimentation of the 60's ended. People's interest in historic preservation was sparked. The older homes were being renovated, and urban neighborhoods reclaimed. People converted stables, clock towers, carriage houses and even barns into living areas. Interior design eclecticism continued to grow throughout the 70's.
The common fiber used for shag carpet was polyester. Everything involving interior design in the 70's was about comfort. This, to the majority of people, meant plush. The renowned shag carpet was just the beginning. Velvet couches with vast amounts of pillows became living room centerpieces with a cushy recliner on each side.
The inexpensive paneling made of wood, the linoleum floors and laminate counter tops are eyesores from this era and some of the main reasons for home remodel today.
The 1980s
It was all about pretty in pink, which is why salmon colors were painted on the walls. Many have said that if you did not love the 80's you hated them. There was not any in between, everything was great or everything was horrible. The same was true about the trends in decorating.
Experimentation with the various drywall textures brought about the 'popcorn' ceiling of the 80's. It is thought of as the absolutely worst looking drywall technique. An accent border can make an amazing difference in a room. Tile and wood flooring have the ability to yield beautiful results with the use of different tile or wood for decorative borders. We also thought that the hideous wallpaper from the 70's would make a fantastic border for our walls in the 80's, NOT!
The 1990s
We were in such a rush that there was not any time for decorating. We were too busy soaking in all the new technology. We were fast-forwarded into the computer age. Minimalism became the new decorating trend. With this came the shiny appliances made of stainless steel, geometric contours and sleek lines, we wanted anything and everything to be low-maintenance. We had ovens that cleaned themselves, dishwasher with high-powered water pressure and various storage designs to help create a clutter-free home environment.
The New Millennium
Today, the themes used in interior design include themes that are not always consistent with specific period styles. This affords the ability to mix pieces from various periods. However, each element needs to contribute to function, form or both.
For the past ten years, architects, designers and decorators have rediscovered the distinctive furniture from the 50's and 60's. The designers of today have the ability to use both natural and synthetic materials. They reference the past generations influences and create novel design trends.
The area of design displaying an amazing innovative focus is lighting. The mixing of accent and task lighting is used to create a visually appealing atmosphere.


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Wednesday, September 30, 2009
92. Rodenbach Flemish Sour Ale
From the bottle: "Rodenbach is the world-famous sour red ale from Roeselare, Belgium. Fremented by a complex culture of microflora, it is brewed to be intentionally sour and fruity with a sharp bouquet. A unique, centuries-old method of oak-aging and blending softens its bite and gives Rodenbach a clean, refreshing finish."
From the Rodenbach website: "bestaat uit 3/4 jong en 1/4 gedurende 2 jaar op eik gerijpt bier. Michael Jackson, een internationale autoriteit als het om bier gaat, kende Rodenbach de eretitel toe van 'het meest verfrissende bier ter wereld.'"
We couldn't have said it better.
Tuesday, September 29, 2009
91. Lilja's Argosy IPA
Argosy IPA has a straw color and a thick, rocky off-white head—it's "golden fleece colored." The nose has almost no malt aroma and a light grassy hop aroma. Starting rather flat and with a slightly lagerish taste, Argosy IPA moves into a grassy hop bitterness that ends with an astringency that lingers unfavorably on the tongue. The hop profile is uninteresting—it lacks the flavor and aroma that might help improve the lack of malt in the body. The light body is rather thin feeling; there is some light creaminess via the head, but not much else. Overall, not that impressive—the thin body, limited hop presence and lack of a malt profile leave it wanting. Too bad it's not a better beer, but as it stands, it is more like "IPA-lite."
From the 6-pack: "The glowing golden hue of this India Pale Ale reminds us of the muyhologocal Golden Fleece so eagerly sought by Jason and the Argonauts. Jason assembled Greece's greatest heroes and sailed forth on the Argo in quest of the mythical fleece. On the journey Jason and the Argonauts are attacked by mythical beasts, beseiged by fierce warriors, and seduced by beautiful women. Greek mythology suggests that Argus was the builder of Argo. When building the ship, Argus cut a beam from the divine tree of Dodona, which foretells the future. Unfortunately Greek mythology doesn't tell whether Jason or the Argonauts quenched their thirsts with beer. However, we do know that you'll enjoy this premium IPA whether your relaxing in a favorite chair with a good book, or chowing down on fish-n-chips after a rugby match. So, just make sure a six-pack of Lilja's Argosy IPA is within reach.
Lilja's Argosy IPA is hand-crafted using choice American two-row malted barley and fresh East Kent Golding hops, the traditional signature English ale hop known for its smooth, mellow bittering qualities and its pleasant flowery aroma. A prodigious amount of hops is added to the brew kettle throughout the ninety minute boil. Under strictly controlled conditions, the wort is force-cooled and fermented using a selected strain of Saccharomyces Cerevisiae, a top-fermenting yeast. After several days of fermentation, the wort is now ale. Before bottling, the ale is filtered and cold-conditioned to assure quality and freshness. The science and technology of brewing have changed much in the last 400 years, yet one thing remains true: you don't have to be aboard the Argo or live in Burton or Bombay to enjoy a bottle of Lilja's India Pale Ale."
Um, for this to "remain true," wouldn't Lilja have to have been brewing for all of those 400 years? Or am I just being an ass and actually paying attention to the non-sequitur nature of their trite advertising copy? If we had a Top 10 category for annoying advertising copy, Lilja would certainly be a contender.
Monday, September 28, 2009
90. Harpoon Octoberfest
Harpoon's Octoberfest has a dry sweet malty nose. The rich maple color is vibrantly clear, and it has minimal head and head retention. Starting dry, crisp, and nutty on the front, Octoberfest opens cleanly before moving into some malt sweetness with toasted notes and some carbonation bite in the middle, and finishing dry but not completely clean—it ends a bit too sweet. It doesn't have that distinctive "I'm a lager taste" to it at the end; there are also some slight sour notes mixed with lingering hop bitterness in the tail end of the beer. Overall, the beer has a clean, smooth mouthfeel with decent bite from the carbonation, but the first half of the beer is much better than the second half.
From the bottle: "Harpoon Octoberfest features a malty, full-bodied taste and deep garnet-red color. We brew this marzen-style beer with festivals in mind. Celebrate with us. Prosit!"
From the Harpoon website: "Octoberfest beers are brewed with festivals in mind, and Harpoon Octoberfest is no exception. The Marzen style dates back to the days when refrigeration did not exist, making brewing in the summer impossible. The term Marzen refers to the month (March) when the last beer was brewed before summer. This beer would be lagered (stored) in ice caves until brewing resumed in the cool air of October. At this time, kegs of Marzen were tapped and enjoyed at harvest festivals. In 1810 at the wedding of Bavarian Crown Ludwig to Princess Theresa von Sachsen-Hildurghausen, the entire city of Munich celebrated with Marzen beer and the Octoberfest tradition was created.
Sunday, September 27, 2009
89. Southern Tier Imperial Coffee Stout Jah*va
Jah*va exudes roasted coffee notes along with dark sweet aromas; a deep mahogany color with red highlights, it has a creamy tan head. Starting with thick dark sweetness, some low-level burnt notes, a subtle chocolate flavor, and a decent amount of roasted coffee flavor, Jah*va's middle moves into the classic roasted and burnt malt flavors before transitioning back into a rich but soft coffee flavor to close out the beer. The thick and rich mouthfeel is both dense and smooth; there is a bit of a carbonation bite in the second third of the beer, and some slickness on the palate, but clean, flavorful, and enjoyable. As it warms, alcohol begins to emerge in the nose, along with more coffee aroma, and it also becomes more rounded—flavors across the palate start to marry better. As an accompaniment to our breakfast, Jah*va was an excellent choice—breakfast deserves this type of reward.
From the bottle: "Over three thousand feet above sea level in the misty mountains of Jamaica, some of the world's finest beans are hand picked on their way to becoming Blue Mountain coffee. Halfway around the world, plump spring barley grows to maturity in the loamy soil of North America while aromatic hops are cultivated to exacting standards. Here in our kettles, these three special ingredients are blended to create a heady mixture of sweet sugar, dark roast, and complex flavor. Please enjoy this brew in moderation."
Saturday, September 26, 2009
88. Stoudt's Oktoberfest
Oktoberfest smells lightly malty with some toastiness; it has a clean white head, nice small bubbles and active carbonation, and brilliant clarity to go with the orange-yellow color—it is not as deeply colored as some other Oktoberfests we've had. Starting with a toasty malt flavor, Stoudt's Oktoberfest reveals some light bitterness in the middle that accompanies the developing malt profile—it gets richer and breadier in the middle as it moves towards the end—before finishing rather clean and dry. With a medium body, the mouthfeel is smooth and mellow, with only minimal carbonation bite. It does have just about the perfect amount of hop bitterness in it. The solid lager flavors in the second half do round out the beer well; the malt profile is rich but not as complex as it could be—while balanced toward the malt side, as any Oktoberfest should be, it could use more sweetness to bulk up the flavor profile. Nonetheless, a well-balanced and enjoyable beer.
From Stoudt's website: "This medium-bodied amber beer elegantly combines a touch of malty sweetness with a pleasingly subtle aromatic hop character. A traditional German-style Oktoberfest beer brewed from the finest imported ingredients."
Today we sampled:
3A. Vienna Lager: Negro Modelo
3B. Oktoberfest/Marzen: Ayinger Oktoberfest/Marzen
4A. Dark American Lager: Blackened Voodoo
4B. Munich Dunkel: Hofbrau Dunkel
4C. Schwarzbier (Black Beer): Kostriker Schwarzbier
5A. Maibock/Helles Bock: Hofbrau Maibock
5B. Traditional Bock: Stegmaier Brewhouse
5C. Dopplebock: Ayinger Celebrator
5D. Eisbock: Kulmbacher Eisbock
Friday, September 25, 2009
87. Port Brewing Hop-15 Ale
Hop-15 is a hazy golden orange-brown with a creamy off-white head; the malt nose is bready accompanied by citrus hop aroma. Starting creamy sweet but sharp, Hop-15 quickly moves into a spicy and resiny hop bitterness—the creaminess doesn't get much chance to hang around, as the large and aggressive hop quickly profile overwhelms it—before ending with a clean malt profile that links a lingering dry hop bitterness with some slightly astringent flavors. Mouthfeel is thick, heavy, and sharp, with a decent carbonation bite in the middle-to-end of the beer; it is not a very rounded or smooth beer—while not unpleasant, it is aggressive across the palate. The malt profile comes across as more English than American; there is a lighter sweetness, more breadiness than caramel, and a dryer finish. Small amounts of alcohol warmth also emerge as the beer warms. There is a decent amount of tongue curling from the bitterness, but we both found that appealing—while Hop-15 is a bit unrefined, and we could easily see this scaring away novice drinkers, the hop bitterness, flavor, and aroma make it well worth revisiting, especially if you like your hops ....
From the bottle: "Our beer oozes all the hop goodness you would expect to find in a double IPA. In your nose, you will experience a citrus hop quality which is balanced by a slight malt sweetness. The essence of a great double IPA is hops and as such the beer finishes with a pronounced spicy hop bite. Thankfully, for all of us hop-heads, we have decided to brew this beer more that once a year. Look for Hop-15 to make an appearance from time to time when space permits us to brew this, one of our favorite ales."
From the Port website: "Welcome to San Diego—Home to Hop Heads on every corner and THE best place in the world to live if you enjoy Humulus Lupulus and the smell of a well hopped beer. This is Southern California, it's the place where Blind Pig started the Imperial IPA revolution and San Diego Brewers have continued to be at the forefront of its' evolution.
Today, fans of Double IPA come from every corner of the globe in search of many of the world's best and most incredibly well hopped beers. It's no secret that you can find many of them at Pizza Port as well. Like you, we love these beers and mostly we enjoy the happiness they bring us. So we brew all kinds of them. Beers like Hop 15, Lou P Lin, Hop Suey, Poor Man's IPA and Doheny Double IPA. We even buy kegs of other Double IPA beers because we love hops so much. Since the very first batch of Swamis IPA hit the taps back in 1993, we have had a love affair with these resinous green cones. They inspired us to brew Hop 15 and since that original batch was tapped, this has always been one seriously hoppy beer.
Malts: Two Row and English Light Crystal
Thursday, September 24, 2009
86. Harpoon Leviathan Saison Royale
Our third beer from Harpoon Brewing (first and second)—Elli does love her some nautically-themed beer. Especially one that involves the ancient art of whaling.
Leviathan starts with a monster white head, and we do mean monster—the yellow straw color took a little time to develop out of the large pillowy head. There was a sweet fruity candy nose, with apple, banana, and pear aromas along with some clove and general spiciness to it. Leviathan has a tart, slightly sour, and metallic opening; the sweetness in the beginning was more of the candy variety. The middle has a pleasant spiciness; some slight yeastiness emerges at the end, as does some sharp sourness. There are also more of the metallic flavors from the start that linger in the dry finish. Leviathan has a phenolic, slightly tart mouthfeel; there is a decent amount of sharpness on the palate. The carbonation bite hits in the middle to end of the beer. Overall, a very dry beer, and not a very coherent beer—there is a bit too much going on to create a balanced beer. Aging might help improve the flavors by allowing them to better marry, but the already high carbonation levels also leave this one something of a ticking time bomb—the tradeoff between improved flavor and exploding glass is a mighty thin line to balance. The metallic flavor also makes this taste more like a Belgian golden ale than a saison. Elli's comment halfway through this one was "I want my old Harpoon back." I guess fancy ain't always better...
From the bottle: "Brewed with a unique blend of spices, Leviathan Saison features lots of fruity esters and spicy acidity. The finish is dry with delicate Noble hops notes."
From Harpoon's website: "Belgian Saisons were traditionally brewed to slake the thirst of 19th century farmhands. Our Saison Royale uses authentic ingredients with a nod to that tradition while staying true to our own craft brewing roots. German Pilsner and North American Pale malts are paired with Vienna malt, making up the hearty malt bill for this brew. It is hopped with British East Kent Goldings and finished with Hallertauers from the Tettnang growing region in Germany, adding a spicy, clean hop finish.
We fermented the beer with a Saison yeast strain to provide the spicy, earthy character familiar to the style. To accompany this character, we added white pepper and Rosemary during the brewing, which adds depth and complexity to this celebratory brew. The result is a truly complex and rich Saison, with a noble hop character and a spicy finish. Fit for a king, better enjoyed with friends."
Wednesday, September 23, 2009
85. Smuttynose Finestkind IPA
Smuttynose Finestkind IPA has a hoppy caramel malty nose and a straw to copper color with a thick creamy head that laces well down the sides of the glass. The mouthfeel is soft and even, with a bit of a bite from the carbonation as the beer sits in the mouth. Creamy initial mouthfeel mixes well with light caramel maltiness, although overall malt presence at the front of the beer is subdued and thin. Light biscuit notes as beer moves into a hoppy middle with deep dry bitterness predominating. Carbonation adds extra bite as beer moves across palate and into the end, with enough bitterness coming through to create a dry sensation in the mouth at the end that lingers pleasantly. As odd as such a description may seem, the thin body meshes well with the dry bitterness of the beer—the balance between the two, mixed with the creamy mouthfeel, draws the different parts of the beer together nicely. In using the mouthfeel to provide the substance of the beer, the flavor profile becomes the vehicle for a hoppy bitterness accentuating the beer's taste across the palate. As well, there is more bitterness than either flavor or aroma hops in this beer—lots of dry cotton-mouthy bitterness. Smuttynose IPA is both an enjoyable take on the traditional notions of an IPA and also some good drinkin'.
From Smuttynose's website: "GOLD MEDAL WINNER - Best American Beer 2004 Great British Beer Festival
Tuesday, September 22, 2009
84. MacTarnahan's Summer Grifter IPA
Grifter IPA has a pleasant hop and malt nose, with some slight bready and roasty aromas carried along in the malt profile. With a rich caramel color and a creamy tan head that laces the glass well, Grifter looks and smells like a winner. Beginning with a creamy bready caramel malt front, Grifter moves into a bitter spicy middle and then closes with a little warmth and bitter spiciness that lingers on the palate. Grifter IPA has a soft, smooth mouthfeel, with a little bite from the carbonation at the end. The malt body is a bit heavy—it could use a bit more hoppiness to balance out the profile, although we did like the beer's spiciness, coming as it does from either the rye or the hops. As well, as noted above, the label is decidely awesome--it is most certainly a Top 10 Best Label candidate if there ever was one.
Obnoxious prose warning: the label describes Grifter as "a deliciously wayward ale, lurking wherever thirst gathers." The MacTarnahan's website continues this trend: "Sometimes you don't see trouble coming. And sometimes, that's the best thing that could happen. This ale is a lot like that. It's a criminally delicious surprise that will that will steal your allegiance and con your thirst into leavin' town. And you won't even know you've been had until all you have left is a craving for it's malt body and big, fresh aroma."
Monday, September 21, 2009
83. Widmer Bros. Drifter Pale Ale
The bottle does refer to being "the original" Drifter Pale Ale—not sure what that is about.
Drifter has a hoppy nose with light, crisp, and toasted malt notes. Slightly opaque, it has a burnished amber color with a light off-white head. Beginning with a soft, clean biscuit malt front that is crisp but also lightly roasty, Drifter Pale Ale moves into a light hoppiness in the middle that is pleasant and well-balanced with the biscuit malt of the front. It closes rather clean and crisp—carbonation kicks in at the tail end of the middle and helps build the crisp closure. There is a bit more hoppiness in the nose than in the body, but it is still solid overall. Drifter has a soft smooth body; there is some late crispness from the carbonation, and the sweetness does linger a bit, but not very long. Overall, Drifter is a very refreshing and enjoyable beer—well suited for late summer and early fall drinking.
From the Widmer website: "With its unique citrus character, smooth drinkability, and distinctive hop character, Drifter Pale Ale is truly an original. Brewed with generous amounts of Summit hops, a variety known for their intense citrus flavors and aromas, Drifter has a taste unique to the Pale Ale category. True to style, the bittering hops are perceptible enough to give the beer a crisp, clean, quenching finish, yet also soft enough to keep the beer smooth and balanced."
Malts: Pale, Caramel 20L, Caravienne 20L, Caramel 80L, Carapils
Bittering Hops: Alchemy
Aroma Hops: Summit & Nelson Sauvin
Dry Hops: Summit & Nelson Sauvin
Sunday, September 20, 2009
82. Highland Cattail Peak Organic Wheat Beer
Cattail Peak has a pale yellow color and a creamy white head. The nose reveals light wheat aromas along with some subtle spicy hints. Beginning with a smooth creamy soft wheat flavor, Cattail Peak builds into a rounded middle with some bite and low levels of spiciness before ending with a slight musty sourness. We're not quite sure how to locate the mustiness—it doesn't taste like the soapy hop taste of a lager, but there is not enough of the flavor to really say more—while it is not the flavor of a lager ending, that's the best description we could come up with. The tastes does linger a bit, but then disappears, ending clean and crisp. As well, we're not sure we can identify the hibiscus, unless that is what we are getting as the light spiciness in the middle or the musty ending. Light-bodied, Cattail Peak has a soft, smooth mouthfeel with a pleasant and crisp carbonation bite. Smooth, subtle, and well-balanced, it is most interesting for what it doesn't do in regards to American wheat beers: it is not bland, it does not have a grassy profile, and there is a real nuance of flavor in the profile. While it does come across in part like a lager, it is nonetheless good quality drinking
From the label: "An invigorating wheat beer with 100% organic grains, a hint of rye and the tang and hue of organic hibiscus, this refreshing brew is as cool as the breeze that blows down from Mount Mitchell to Cattail Peak. Enjoy this delicious creation when the hottest summer day demands the best of the Blue Ridge."
Saturday, September 19, 2009
81. Great Divide Samurai Rice
Samurai Rice has a light malt and a light hop nose. While a clear straw yellow, it was a bit hazy from some small bits floating in the beer, and it has a minimal white head. Samurai Rice starts a bit sweet on the front—there is a soft sweetness to the front that tastes like more than just barley. Our (or, in this case, my) taste buds would say the sweetness comes from corn, but going with the name, we'll go with some rice as the source of it. The turn to the middle brings some bitterness and crispness, and the end has a slight return to sweetness before ending dry and clean. Light-bodied with a well rounded carbonation bite that contributes to the crispness, Samurai Rice's mouthfeel effectively contributes to the beer's overall character. Besides the lame food choices on the bottle, there was very little to critique about the beer across the board.
Check out the old school label
From Great Divide's website: "Samurai is an easy drinking, unfiltered ale that changes the status quo for unfiltered beers. The addition of rice gives Samurai a slightly fruity, crisp, refereshing, and clean taste. This is definitely not your everyday unfiltered beer."
And I thought I liked adjectives...
Today also marked the first day of my BJCP (Beer Judge Certification Program) class—10+ weeks of learning and reviewing beer styles, developing my knowledge of the art of brewing, and sampling classic examples in order to understand all of the different beer styles. I can hear all of you already—"Oh, a beer tasting class. THAT must be difficult." Well, besides blocking out three hours every Saturday morning, let's see you memorize all of this. Yeah, that's what I thought. We started with a general overview of the BJCP program, and talked about our collective goals for the next couple of months, leading up to the BJCP exam on December 5th. Oh, and just in case you were wondering, the purpose of the BJCP is to:
1. Promote beer literacy
2. Promote the appreciation of real beer
3. Recognize beer tasting and evaluation skills
Our beer sampling for the day included 1.Light Lager and 2. Pilsners:
1A. Lite American Lager: Sam Adams Light
1B. Standard American Lager: Pabst Blue Ribbon
1C. Premium American Lager: Miller Genuine Draft
1D. Munich Helles: Weihenstephaner Original
1E. Dortmunder: Great Lakes Dortmunder Gold
2A. German Pilsner (Pils): Warsteiner Premium
2B. Bohemian Pilsner: Cvechvar
2C. Classic American Pilsner: no commercial examples available
Friday, September 18, 2009
80. Founder's Breakfast Stout
Breakfast Stout is inky black in color with a minimal tan head. The nose is a delicious burnt roasted malt with some coffee and light caramel aromas. Starting with a soft roasted malt front that moves into a burnt roasted barley and coffee middle with some thick rich sweetness, Breakfast Stout rounds out with creamy lingering roasted and burnt flavors. While there is a good amount of roasted barley burnt flavors, they are not harsh at all; there is a smooth rounded body to the beer that is chewy and thick, carrying with it toffee and caramel notes, so the oatmeal balances this beer out quite effectively. It is medium to heavy bodied with medium carbonation and bite, and the chewiness of it gets accentuated as it warms. Elli says it is very good and well made, but not quite Top 10 material. Founder's Breakfast Stout is quite enjoyable, but it does take some work to sort through the flavors in it—it requires some slow sipping to enjoy all it has to offer, but it is very rewarding to those who do take the time to work through it.
From the Founder's website: "The coffee lovers consummate beer. Brewed with an abundance of flaked oats, bitter and imported chocolates, Sumatra and Kona coffee, this stout has an intense fresh roasted java nose topped with a cinnamon colored frothy head that goes forever."
Thursday, September 17, 2009
79. Stone 09.09.09 Vertical Epic Ale
'09 Vertical Epic has a deep, deep almost dark chocolate brown color that is not so much hazy as practically opaque, and a thick creamy tan head that clings nicely to the glass. The nose is a bit faint overall, but does carry some banana and vanilla notes along with some general spiciness and some darker malt aromas. It starts with smooth and rich malt notes with chocolate and vanilla notes, some light burnt and roasted flavors, along with both dark and light fruit notes; these slowly fade off the palate in a pleasant manner in the middle, and some maltiness reemerges before ending with some burnt and chocolate flavors that predominate at the end along with some vanilla, oak, and some light alcohol flavors. The mouthfeel is slick and rich, but also very clean. There is some light tannic from the oak—it does still taste a bit young—but not that much bit from the carbonation. The chocolate flavors do increase with warmth, as do the alcohol and vanilla flavors. Interestingly, it is not as Belgian-like as we would have expected from the label and the initial aroma of the beer. We will be interested to see what this beer turns into over time—it is quite nice right now, but it easy to see how this beer could get much much better.
From the label: "ep·ic (ěp' ĭk) adj. (1) Heroic and impressive in quality. (2) Surpassing the usual or ordinary, particularly in scope or size. (3) Of, constituting, having to do with, or suggestive of a literary epic.
The eighth in an 'epic' series.
As with any good epic, herein lies the promise of larger-than-life experiences, heroics and twists & turns as the adventure unfolds. This bottle-conditioned ale is chapter eight, and is specifically designed to be aged until sometime after December 12th, 2012. Provided you can wait that long. At that time, enjoy it in a 'vertical' tasting along with its ten Stone Vertical Epic Ale brethren. Each one unique to its year of release. Each with its own 'twist & turn' in the plot line. Each one released one year, one month and one day from the previous year's edition. To remind you, the release dates are:
02.02.02 03.03.03 04.04.04 05.05.05 06.06.06
07.07.07 08.08.08 09.09.09 10.10.10 11.11.11 12.12.12
This is quite a complex and layered beer. Bold and smooth chocolate flavors combine with a Belgian yeast lending tropical fruit/banana flavors and hints of spiciness, all complemented by citrus notes from an addition of tangerine peel. Rich vanilla beans add a nice counter to the chocolate malt – actually enhancing the chocolatiness. The finish is smooth, with additional traces of vanilla and toasted characters from French Oak. The goal for this edition of the Stone Vertical Epic Ale series is to be reminiscent of artisanal chocolate accentuated with orange."
They've got some narrative, it would seem...
Aroma: Many layers, starting off with chocolate and coffee from the chocolate malt, and vanilla notes from both the vanilla bean and French oak. A balanced oak flavor comes through in the mix. As the beer warms, the influence of the Belgian yeast is more evident, as tropical fruit and spice flavors become more pronounced.
Flavor: Begins with chocolate roast malt character and vanilla. The vanilla accentuates the chocolate nicely. Layered in are banana esters, and hints of clove, and then the finish is a bit stronger on the oak with hints of molasses and citrus from the tangerine peel.
Palate: Medium body, very complex, and finishes very smooth. The 8.6% alcohol is not overly evident, and the flavors blend together nicely.
Overall: A delicious, complex beer. It should age nicely over the next three years, and the flavors should continue to meld together wonderfully."
Hops: Perle and Magnum
Malts: Pale Malt, Crystal Malt, Belgian Aromatic Malt, Chocolate Malt, Black Malt, and De-Husked Black Malt
Additional Ingredients: Tangerine Peel, Vanilla Bean, and Dark Candi Sugar
Wednesday, September 16, 2009
78. Stoudt's American Pale Ale
Our third beer from Stoudt's Brewery (first and second). We had this on tap at South Park Tavern. Yes, again.
American Pale Ale (and yes, it is both name and category here) starts with a light malt and a faint floral hop aroma. The color is a tawny gold, and it has a light white head. It begins with light clean malt flavors, with both biscuit and crystal malts playing themselves out in the opening. In the middle, the beer moves into a pleasant bitterness that is not overpowering; the bitterness lingers, but is not cloying, astringent, or overpowering. Elli was feeling less like talking about beer today. As she reminded me, "we have to drink a beer for the day, but we don't have to talk about it." When I reminded her that the blog was her idea, I got a snide look that told me I was an ass. Which I am, but that's not the point.
Slight grapefruit in hops at end.
American Pale Ale is a pretty straight forward American pale ale—well balanced, and while nothing really stands, it is a clean and enjoyable beer. So we each had another. And we each had each other.
From the Stoudt's website: "This uniquely American beer offers a crisp, medium body with a light amber color. Generous additions of Cascade hops provide a refreshing bitterness and vibrant citrus aroma. "
Malts: Two-row, Munich, & Caramel
Bittering Hops: Cascade & Warrior
Aroma Hops: Cascade
Tuesday, September 15, 2009
77. Great Divide Hoss
Hoss has a spicy rye nose with a bright, clear, and clean burnt sienna color, and an effervescent white head. Starting with a creamy soft and smooth malt front with richness that builds into a well-rounded spiciness from the rye, Hoss also has some crispness and a carbonation bite with a slight hop bitterness to round out the beer. It ends a bit dry and biscuity, and pretty clean; there are also some light raisin fruit notes mixed in with the malt closure. Another excellent offering from Great Divide—if this is their vision of an Oktoberfest/Harvest-style beer, then count me in—the spiciness pushes the beer's flavor and complexity in interesting and enjoyable ways.
From Great Divide's website: "Hoss is based on the Marzen lages of Germany. Rich, layered malt notes, with hints of cherry and dark fruits, dominate, while the unique addition of rye imparts a slightly earthy, spicy character. Hoss finishes crisp and dry, and its brilliant red-orange color is a toast to the late-summer sunsets that make the perfect backdrop for this beer."


text:
I went to the Big E this year for the first time in more than 30 years, and it was pretty much how I remember it: the place smells like farm animal feces and you run out of money in 20 minutes. The only change was not sneaking in this time. Does anyone remember the long line to sneak in along that chain link fence that extended into the swamp? You had to grab the fence with both hands while your feet made their way along carefully placed rocks in the water. Then the fence ended and you simply swung around and repeated the task on the other side, following another line of rocks, until you were home free (literally) on dry land.
It's pretty funny how some things remain the same at the Big E after three decades, such as fried dough and corn dogs.
Hey, that one looks just like a…
No wonder chicks dig 'em.
Um. OK, then. Moving right along. Nothing to see here.
There is yet another theory of the identity of the "Woody Allen Umpire," who I saw get jumped and smacked around by an irate fan at Kiley Junior High School in 1974. A commenter recalls watching a game at Hoarle Field behind the Greenleaf Community Center in 1977 or 1978 when a Woody Allen-looking ump "was jumped and beaten by the father of one of the players," he writes. "Could this be the same guy?"
No, he wasn't hit over the head with the Hoarle trophy. I did a little research, and the guy the commenter refers to is still umpiring high school softball games! He is pictured below. If this was the Woody Allen ump that I remember, he must really like officiating, because he's still at it 40 years later despite two beatings by fans in his salad days.
Speaking of Sixteen Acres fields, below is Johnny Pesky and a couple of Acres lads in the late 1970s at Friendly Field, which is now a parking lot next to the library. What's missing is the psychedelic Greenleaf Park sign over Pesky's left shoulder. Maybe it was in for repairs or down for good. Check out Pesky's "Sambo's" hat—quite possibly he was in town to promote the Boston Road Sambo's across the street from the Henry VIII strip club. The Sambo's chain never really got over its controversial name, and it was bought by Friendly's in 1983.
While I digress, below is a photo I had never seen before of the original Friendly's on Boston Road. Next to it is Charles Holland TV and Appliance, a Pine Point institution in the 1950s and 1960s.
Which Side Are You On?
On the subject the feud between the kids from our side of the Sixteen Acres pond Putnam's Puddle (Sunrise Terrace) and the guys from the other side (North Brook Road), yet another tale! A commenter who grew up on Sunnybrook Road had many friends in the Lumae Street and Prouty Street areas, and they used to go "down the pond" as we used to say:
"We would hang out on the Sunrise side and get harassed by the burnouts on the other side by the boat launch (who were 4-5 years older than us). One day we got so sick of their shit, we waited for them to get on that stupid raft, and we bombed them with rocks and bottles, called them pussies and dared them to come do something about it (knowing all the while that we could easily get away long before they had time to navigate to shore). Plus we knew they were way to stoned to matter anyway. So we'd wait a week before coming back, then repeat the attack. LOL. They never caught up with us."
The rivalry between our side of the pond and the "Other Siders" is written about in great detail in "A Sixteen Acres Pond Suddenly Vanishes, Part 2" and in "Shitting to All Fields, Part 5." Did you ever go down to Putnam's Puddle to fish or hang out? I have one question for you. Were you on the Sunrise Terrace Side or the North Brook Road side? It mattered:
Old Forest Park Zoo
More great photos of old Forest Park Zoo animals from the Facebook site "You Know You Grew Up in Springfield, Massachusetts if."
I don't remember the crocs, but I remember the rocks!
Holy shit! The guy who posted the photo claimed that the only person who could touch Snowball was his grandfather (pictured). OK, the guy knew her from when she was a cub, but Jeez. From the look of the car in the background—and from his contact with Snowball—this picture must have been taken before April 17, 1972, when she chomped down on a 16-year-old girl's arm and got a bullet in the head, courtesy of the Springfield Police.
In Search of Bunny, Chicopee's Ambassador
Relying on Google Maps, I thought that I possibly had a picture of Bunny, a Chicopee institution who many of us remember used to "direct" traffic on the Chicopee side of the Singing Bridge. He moved his act to the corner of Dale and McKinstry in Aldenville, but alas, the person I had in mind turned out to be a crossing guard. Or was it? Check out that cross shadow on the tree. I know it's from the sign in front of it, but...pretty fucking weird.
I "searched" Bernie's usual haunts, but I couldn't find him. The Lucky Strike:
The Copperline Eatery:
Even his group home on McKinstry:
A commenter even wrote on my original post that Bernie "Bunny" Murray had died, but I've learned that, on the contrary, he is very much alive—at 70 years young. Apparently, his mother was getting old and decided that he should learn to be able to live "on his own" as much as possible—hence his move to the group home. Sure enough, his mother died on January 21 and his brother, Jim, died on June 13. Believe it or not, he is so loved that people in Chicopee have even contacted the mayor's office to erect a statue or have a street named after him.
The first honor he received was his Chicopee Comp jacket, which in 1980 the high school band gave to him with "Bernie" emblazoned on the front. It's getting kind of old, and word has it he wants another Comp jacket.
But where is Bunny on the Internet? I'm too lazy to drive all the way over to Aldenville. But wait! I don't have to! Someone on the "You Know Ya are from Chicopee" Facebook group stalked him in front of his group home and posted a picture of him:
Next time you see Bunny, honk, and you're sure to get a wave, a round of applause, or a fist pump.
Some Drive-in Memories
Yes, this couple got married at the West Springfield Drive-in on June 30, 1953.
Here are some old postcards of the Wilbraham Motel—now the Wilbraham Inn—where from the rooms facing the Parkway screen you could catch the movies with the sound wired into the units.
Little did I know, however, that you could also catch a church service there 40 years ago. Here's an AP story from June 17, 1974:
Motel Guests Offered Church
Robert Chapman, owner of the Wilbraham Motel here, is offering something new for Sunday guests. Eighteen of his motel's two dozen rooms have picture windows looking out on an adjoining drive-in theater. The rooms are even equipped with the theater's speakers. Starting next Sunday, the Rev. Darryl L. Larson of the Evangelical Covenant Church will begin conducting Sunday services at the drive-in.
The Rev. Larson said the services are designed to attract people who would not ordinarily dress up for church. Chapman decided to take it a step further. His guests not only won't have to dress up, they won t have to dress. They will be able to watch the services from bed. "We think this is something unique in the country, something nobody else has to offer," says Chapman.
More theatres (the indoor kind):
The Jefferson in the North End. By the bitter end it was showing porn.
The Grand in Indian Orchard
The Bing without its iconic neon sign
The Allen & Cooley became Mikara's nightclub.
Francis A. Curran, manager of the Arcade Theatre on State Street in Springfield, and Harry Schwab, manager of the Paris Cinema in West Springfield, get out of obscenity charges for showing I Am Curious Yellow (1969) and Andy Warhol's Trash (1971), respectively:
Springfield Plaza Cinemas says goodbye on February 27, 1987.
I had already posted a photo of the old B & M Golf on Boston Road (above), but here are couple of new ones below. I remember the miniature golf course, but apparently there was also a pitch and putt there. THAT I don't remember. Anyone play there? Enlighten us all!
Gateway Barber is back at the Breckwood Shoppes! It moved across the street decades ago and did business as the Breckwood Barber Shop after "that Gas Land bastard" landlord had jacked up the rent, but it has returned.
Another return: The Fort, reopening on November 26. The undated photo of the old entrance includes neon signs for Schlitz, Hampden Lager, and Ballantine's.
Another institution coming back: Rice Fruit Farm on Main Street in Wilbraham, which closed five years ago.
There have been delays, but the building has been renovated, and we're waiting for this place to get going again! We want cider donuts! This is the original Rice Farm stand before the large building was erected:
The old sorting shed:
Back in the day, the peaches made their way through The Acres by wagon all the way downtown to the H.P. Stone Company at 55 Lyman Street. By the 1970s, Lyman Street was known for another kind of "produce."
Before (above) and after (below) the renovation. The roof was fixed, the windows look different, and the wood is lighter. When is it going to open?
One last "shitting," this one is from the John Waters movie Pink Flamingos. I hope you're not eating, because Divine sure is. And (s)he's not eating peaches! Don't say I didn't warn you.


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"The irregularity of those little pieces is quite necessary...for if this work is laid up in regular squares the charm is immediately lost." ~ Squire J. Vickers regarding tile work used to spell out station names in the NY Subway System, 1919
Today was a bit harder...decisions to be made, some second guessing of the method I've chosen, doubts arising about the concept as a whole...but I persevered and got my azalea mosaic idea off the ground.
I ran across the above quotation in a book about the New York Subway system, and it hit a nerve. In order to test layout and colors, I often do a quick mock-up in my Electric Quilt program. I don't spend a lot of time making it a perfect rendition or messing with fabrics. Since my sketch was colored in long before I came up with the azalea palette, and I wanted to get an idea of overall size, instead of color in another sketch, I went the EQ route.
Rather than use a variety of sizes and shapes of squares, I just pretended I was making a block quilt with sashing. Very static, very boring, and had I not run across that quotation, I might have let this mock-up guide what happened in fabric. I tend to do things in a very regimented way anyway. So glad Mr. Vickers showed up to remind me to be charming.
Still, I had to map out my rows so the design didn't go rambling all over the place. On this first piece, I want to use the same basting method for needleturn applique as I used on my exchange blocks sashings. I finger pressed some guidelines into my background fabric as a starting point, and started freehand drawing squares approximately 1-1/2" onto the wrong side with a Nonce white marking pencil. Once the green area was marked, I outlined it with large basting stitches in color-coded thread. You can just see the red thread delineating the area that will be tangerine.
Click on this picture and you should be able to make out red basting and yellow basting. These will help me when I am ready to place the applique fabrics.
I got all the squares marked, and I tried to be irregular about it. It's a funny quirk though that when you want to be uneven, you draw amazingly even lines. I had to work at making some of them quite different. I liked the looks of the markings on the reverse, and when I flipped it over and laid out the appropriate color of fabric in the various quadrants, my doubts from earlier in the day disappeared.


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I heard the Bush 'presser' this morning and was pretty much aghast.
This was as singularly embarrassing a performance as one would never hope to experience from the putatively 'popularly elected' leader of the most powerful--and formerly the most admired--nation on the planet. It came about as close to a self-parody as someone who is as unreflective and unconscious as a box of rocks can get without noticing they had lapsed into self-parody.
I took some encouragement that the SCUM* are apparently beginning to notice that the Gibbering Chimperor (GC) is--if not naked, at least--not wearing socks. There were some pointed questions--which the GC maladroitly dodged: the money one being when the Cox News guy got the GC to assert that "nobody" had never claimed any connection between Saddam Hussein and AlQaeda (which was and is, of course, flatly false, exactly that statement having been made repeatedly by both the simpering, scampering, smirking pseudo-simian and his handlers).
But the SCUM still defer to him. They still treat him with a modicum of respect which is totally unnecessary when asking questions of some mendacious pol who--even if he is the soi disant 'president--is doing nothing but dodging accoountability and selling the "BIG LIE."
Interestingly--depressingly--CNN reported at the same hour as they summarized the presser that, according to recent polls, the GC has caught a small rebound from job-approval numbers in the high 30s, up now to "42%" (who knows the MOE?). Mao told us it was possible to rule with such a fraction, and the Busheviks prove it.
So there are still people in the USofA who apparently still hold the chattering Chimperor in some modest regard; at least, there seem still to be people who do not detest him utterly (which, imho, is the means test for sanity in the current political environment). And for this I blame the SCUM, and their unwillingness to convey to their readers, viewers, and auditors their own fairly evident understanding of the relevant reality: it's as if they are extras in a Marx Bros. film,--A Night At The WhiteHouse--at which the audience laughs, but from beyond the prescenium, while the supernumeraries on the screen are profoundly missing the joke.
Now, with 78 days til 'election day,' some folks on the 'left' (that's, in itself, such a joke as to be worthy of SNL) are ginning up anticipation for the fall "elections," seemingly excited in the prospect of the Dumbocraps taking back one of the Houses of Congress. They seem to think this will mark a 'victory' of sanity over idiocy, mendacity, and bloody-mindedness.
But it won't be a victory. As Digby noted a week or so ago, all that will mean is that the Dumbocraps will be heaped with responsibility for the eventual catastrophe, and will lose a good campain issue in '08. No razor-thin Dumbocrap majority in either House will stem the flow of fascism in this country, or applay any tourniquet to the hemorrhaging abroad; not as long as there are 'blue-dog Democrats' all over the country, sucking up to the CorpoRat hegemons and the local fundamentalist, nativist, apocalyptic crazies.
There is only one public symptom which would unarguably and irrevocably damn the Busheviks to the shit-pile of history where they belong: if and when the SCUM and the People greet any and every utterance, or appearance by the Busheviks with howls of scorn and hoots of derision. We have to get inside the proscenium, deliver the laughter where it may be heard.
Unless and until that condition can be reliably predicted, and the hoots of derisive laughter that greet them are visibly and audibly reported, nightly--along with the latest news about JonBenetRamsey and the mandatory Missing White Girl stories--believe me, friends, the Busheviks are still in command.
**SCUM: So Called Unbiased Media
Heel, Donnie!
22 hours ago


text:
Not firm, but not absent either
Though vague, it was always there
The passion, the drive
My purpose of being alive…
Had it since I don't remember
Acting as a friend, my best ally
Holding my hand, giving shelter
Guiding me through difficult times
I never knew though its location
Didn't know my energy source
Got lost several times… in trying to find
Something that was always mine
The situations, the circumstances
Rules, regulations, results of sick fate
Lost people, numb and blind
Amongst all these, where was I?
I too was one of them, comatose, not awake
Drowned in ocean of my pains, hopeless,
Miserably waiting for some help
Studded with frustration, waiting for a change
As I had made the mistake
Thinking my core, all this could shake
Had got lost in battles and wounds
Thinking they've destroyed my soul
It turns out, I never knew it
Core of my heart isn't a weak thing
Leave apart tiny stabs and burns
Even missiles can't breach its verve
It isn't numb, a sensitive feeling
Even a tiny change, won't go unnoticed
Leave apart roses and daisies
Even grass flowers are capable of arousing it
Maybe it's a rose itself
Oozing fragrance, no matter the circumstances
Or a fire, inextinguishable
Immune to highs and lows of life…
Is it that we come in layers
And what we see are just covers
Thick, tender, painful with ugly patches
Only to cloak the spring inside?
Pain anxiety stress anger or fear
Lessons of life, of those painful years
Memories of being cheated or of left alone…
Are too feeble to alter the weather
Clouds may come, so do typhoons
Vision gets hampered, we think life's blurred
The dust just falls from outside,
Has nothing to do with the core inside
Don't know what opened my eyes
To let me to see beyond the perceived mind
Flooding radiating flowing or oozing
There's nothing else but pure joy…


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Spring Break is here and almost over (I can't believe it!). I thought I would share some of the cool projects I prepped for Ethan's TK class. I did some of them with Weston, who is three. But, if you need some fun ideas and your kids are driving you crazy. . . here are some ideas.
1. Scrap paper Bunnies.
The hump in between the ears is a baseball hat, because Ethan didn't want a bow.
2. Pom Pom Easter Eggs
Attatch different sizes and textures of pop poms to close pins and start painting. Super fun for all ages!
3. Easter Bunny Basket
A little bit more difficult, but super cute!
4. Easter Basket for holding eggs found at the class Easter Egg Hunt
Happy Easter!!!! What have you been doing this week to be creative?


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I started soccer in (when did I start soccer, mom?) March of this year. My first soccer practice was fun. It was super funny because Tyler, on my team, kept on saying "There's a T for Tyler". (mom typed this first part, now Lauren is going to type... )
on thrday we went to the wild animal park i got a btrki (butterfly) on my back i wus scared. (mom taking over again)
When the butterfly went on my back I didn't know. My sister told me. I turned my head and saw it right there below my shoulder on the back. I thought it was going to climb on my shoulder. It would fly away if I touched it. The end.
Monday, April 9, 2012
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Did you catch that??
This stuff is awesome!!
I wanted something new, different, and exciting to do today. So of course we browsed Pinterest to get some ideas. This one did not disappoint!
Cooger and I had so much fun playing in it and making a HUGE mess. There are only two ingredients so its cheap and easy to whip up!
All you need is....
plain or vanilla flavored yogurt
neon food coloring
a painting surface
I used about two large spoonfuls of yogurt per bowl and colored it with 2-3 drops of food coloring. As for our canvas, I bought a large roll of butcher paper a few months ago on amazon and we used that! I use it for lots of different things and it definitely came in handy today. I love it! It was big enough that we kept (most) of the mess on the paper! It soaked through a little bit on the bottom so we quickly ran our Swifer Mop across the floor to get up any sticky residue. But for the most part, the mess just stayed on Coog and the paper!
It didn't take him long to realize that he could eat it, and that it was good!
But seriously, he just couldn't get enough!
Now get to it! Paint away!!
Original link found here.


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|She found a bowl and started piling the crackers in a bowl and then dumping them back out
Tuesday, July 12, 2011
Captin Destruction
The other day I was having the worst day. Gracie would not listen, she was throwing fit after fit, screaming, yelling, throwing food, etc. Finally I had enough so I locked her in my bedroom with me, put on a TV show, and layed on the bed. Whatever she did in there I figured it was better kept to one area of the house instead of the whole house. Well, turns out she found a bulk bag of animal crackers I had put in what I thought was a safe place. I heard the bag crinkle and when I looked down to see what she was doing she dumped the whole thing on the floor. And then, she unpacked her clothes, threw them on the pile, and walked all over them. I was so shocked I just stared at her then layed back down. I figured I would let her dad deal with it when he got home.
Posted by Beau, Amanda, Gracie, and Evie at 4:15 PM 2 comments:
Sunday, July 10, 2011
18 months!
My crazy baby is 18 months old today! Where does the time go?? I can't believe it has been 547 days with her. She is insane...really non-stop crazy fun. We can't imagine what our lives would be without her. Here are some things about Gracie at 18 months.
- - She loves to eat
- She says Hi, Bye, Hello, Mom, Dad, Stop it, No, Yes, Sit, Dog, Bird, Cat, Grandma, Night Night, Happy, Day, bath, shoe, sock, flower, cup, water, bread, more, please, thanks, eat, hat, and a whole lot of more words I can't think of at the moment. She will really repeat anything we say.
- Gracie loves to collect as many things in her hands as possible
- She loves to put things in baskets or buckets and carry them around
- She is full of energy and is constantly finding new things to get into. In fact, the other day I spent an hour looking for her shoes and she had hid them in the toilet paper holder in the bathroom. After an hour I asked her where her shoes were and she led me in there. Duh.
- She loves to be outside. I think she would live out there if I would let her.
- She has no fear. She will climb to the top of anything, run to the ledge, fall of the bed and get right back up, she is a brave one.
- She loves to go on walks and will climb into her stroller and just sit there until you take her somewhere.
- Bath time is always a fun adventure. She likes to fill her toy cups up with water and dump them on daddy.
- She can say her ABC's all the way to E.
- She LOVES baby signing time and will ask to watch it all day long. Luckily we don't watch much TV or movies so I can generally distract her by taking her in the backyard.
- She will pick up any camera and say "cheese". And if you say "cheese" and take her picture she will give you her biggest most beautiful smile...unless she doesn't want to hold still.
- She never holds still. :)
- Getting her to nap lately has been a nightmare but, we are surviving.
- She LOVES LOVES LOVES to swim. We took her to the aquatic center the other day and she just ran off on her own. I was more out of energy chasing her than she was.
- Pizza is her favorite food.
- She has all but 4 of her teeth. Her second set of molars and her bottom K-nines
- Beau taught her to copy cat...ya that has been fun
- She is a sympathetic laugher and will laugh if she hears anyone else laughing
- She loves to sing and will sing along with you
- Nursery is going pretty well. She usually lasts about 1 1/2 and then starts to get mad
- She has a temper like you wouldn't believe
- Gracie will blow kisses and say "Bye Bye" to anyone or HIIIII to anyone
- She is too smart for her own good :) :)
Posted by Beau, Amanda, Gracie, and Evie at 7:04 PM 3 comments:
Wednesday, July 6, 2011
Aquatic Center
The North Ogden Aquatic Center offers night swim on Wednesdays at a discounted price. So last week Beau and I decided to take Gracie swimming. It only cost 5 dollars for all three of us! WOO WOO! Gracie loved it. Beau even took her down the big slide and she had a blast. She couldn't get enough of the water...that is until she played so much she started to get cold and her little lips turned blue. We pulled her out then and I held her while Beau played with Ali and Daryl's kids. We had a blast and can't wait to go again this week.
Posted by Beau, Amanda, Gracie, and Evie at 4:24 PM 1 comment:
Monday, July 4, 2011
Fourth of July
We had a really fun fourth of July this year. We went to the Cherry Days Parade that morning, came home, cooked some yummy food, and then had two BBQ's. We were very full by the end of the day. I made red white and blue cupcakes and we got to celebrate Jim's b-day. It was a very eventful and fun day with everyone! Happy Fourth of July!
|Nothing beats a slurpee at the parade!
|My corn eater
|The big girls! Gracie kept stealing food off Abby's plate when she wasn't looking.
Posted by Beau, Amanda, Gracie, and Evie at 4:00 PM 2 comments:
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Chicago's The Bright White just released their debut EP "Until Then" and the band is making their East Coast debut with a late show at Mercury Lounge on March 18th. The Bright White are going on at 9:30PM and they are playing with Plastiq Passion and Dujeous. Tickets are $10 and the show is 21+.
The Bright White have already begun creating a buzz in the Midwest and beyond. Combining soaring vocals with an exciting guitar driven attack, The Bright White have won comparisons to bands such as Oasis and The Replacements. Their highly anticipated debut EP, "Until Then", blends the energy and passion of The Bright White live experience with all the influences that define the band: a dash of Revolver-era Beatles, a hint of mid 90s Brit pop, and a helping of classic American rock - all serving to create one of the most memorable debuts of the year.
Having played in bands in NYC and Nashville, and now finally settled in Chicago, lead singer Matthew Kayser lives and breathes rock and roll. His fiery intensity makes him the ultimate front man. Propelled by a dynamic rhythm section, the four-piece play with a raw intensity that has won them gigs at Chicago's most esteemed venues, including an EP release at the legendary Double Door.
The Bright White
Thursday, March 03, 2011
The Bright White Make East Coast Debut With Show at Mercury Lounge on March 18th
Posted by Mike at 1:56 PM
Labels: Mercury Lounge, Oasis, The Bright White, The Replacements


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- Note: This case is specifically designed for the 32GB / 64GB and 16GB model with rear camera. Even though it could still fit the 16GB model without rear camera it has an opening for the camera lens at the back and the round hole for the strap which the 16GB iPod without camera does not need.
- 1 x Yellow Spotted Case for iPod Touch 5th GEN (if you are not sure of the model of your touch please go into the iPod touch, click settings, then about and message us the model number shown there))
- This a case for an iPod Touch 5th Generation, it is not suitable for other iPod Touch models.
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Europe History Map - 1900
World map revealing geo-political change throughout the 20th century.
Political Map of the World 2003 - 66 KB (CIA) The world in 1914
Political Map of the World 2003 - 66 KB (CIA)
Political version of the Kummerly and Frey world wall map, extra large size;
World Map 1900
World History Maps Click on item number to view image of map
Imperial World Map, c. 1900. This decade's closing in three short weeks
Europe before World War I. Note how Austria-Hungary dominated Central Europe
German Empire map, 1900 PC users: for a free picture comp, click and
World Map, 1900. In the late 1860s, the Dutch and Flemish rebelled en masse
Our political world map comes with a panel of country flags along the base. Our political world map comes with a panel of country flags along the base
Political World Map Stock Photo – 2037814 : Bigstock
Pacific map printable Восстановленное медицинское оборудование из Японии
The world 1900
click here to view the flash political world map - click here to download
World Map Showing Olympics Hosts Cities
Double hemisphere world map with six small circular diagrams and windrose,
Political World Map (Pacific centred) Scale 1:30000000
Saturday, March 12, 2011
political world map 1900
Posted by gorokayam at 6:17 AM