I tripped this weekend…

…and for once it didn’t involve my clumsiness or LSD. This weekend Aprilla and I had a flavor tripping party. We used my place, and she did most of the prep work. If you haven’t done it before, I highly recommend you try it. Basically, there is a fruit called the Miracle Berry, and it effects the way you experience sour and bitter foods. About 20 of us gathered in my loft to try it out.

At the designated time, I read off the directions and handed out the frozen berries. I felt like I was performing Communion. Basically, you bite into the fruit, avoiding the rather large seed, and swirl the pulp around in your mouth for a couple of minutes. The fruit was fairly bland itself.

After that we hit the food. The list of things we had included citrus fruits, brussels sprouts, stout and bitter beer, tequila, Sourpatch Kids candy, Sriracha (hot cock sauce), vinegars, mustard, and cheeses.

Flavor Trip Party

We also threw in some things that were just odd to see what if any effect the berries would have, things like fish oil, unsweetened chocolate, and anchovies.

I, of course, had to start it off with the anchovies. Wrapped around an olive. Two things that I detest. Yep – they were still awful. Next I went for a wedge of grapefruit. And pow! It was like the nectar of the gods. So good. Everyone seemed to have their own particular favorite – except poor Cara. The berries had no effect on her.

The Bridgeport Blackstrap Stout was like an adult milk chocolate and the Redhook ESB had a sweet finish instead of the normal hoppy bite. Although others claimed cheap tequila would go down like a mellow wine, most everyone agreed that it was still kinda ass.

Flavor Trip Party

I used the Sourpatch Kids as early warning system. At the beginning of the night, they were simply sweet gummis, but as time went on, they gradually become more and more puckery. After consuming mass quantities, we kept the party going and headed out for more drinks and music.

Thanks to all who came, especially those who traveled from Seattle and Norway. It was a blast.

(more pics at Flickr)

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Seems like old times…

Sparklemotion is back in action and its like we never left the game.

Jen, Joe, Colin, and I got the trivia team back together to play at The Hutch tonight. With 5 competitors, all regular teams, we hoped for merely a respectable showing. After all, its been a few months since we’ve played.

Fear not… Sparklemotion destroyed the competition. And the prize was so much bigger. $100 towards our bar tab (with the leftover being put on a gift certificate). Its too bad that I am currently on the wagon.

All in all it was a good time. We’ll have to see if this becomes a regular event like our old Monday nights.

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Los Angeles Road Trip Wrap Up

Phew… that was a packed couple of days.

We found out just a day or two before the trip that the Kaiju show was cancelled, but we wiped the tears from our eyes and mustered the strength to carry on. (Side Note: Ticketbastard was quick to refund ticket cost, but still snaked $6 in charges. They should just set up phony shows, cancel them and keep the fees.)

After meeting up with my cohorts from Seattle, and what seemed like an interminable wait for the Airport bus, we found ourselves at Union Station in downtown. The fun began immediately when we saw a vampire snuffling around in a grassy area. We think he was scared off by our numbers.

After checking into our hotel, we walked across the street and got the party started in a tiny Japanese dive/karaoke bar. The waitstaff barely spoke English, the grizzled Yakuza veterans at the bar were singing in Japanese, and we were guzzling down cheap stiff drinks.

After warming up, we headed next door to Daikokuya, probably one of the best ramen shops in Los Angeles. While the rest of the gang got the signature Daikoku Ramen, with extra back fat, I went for the Tuna Sashimi and Sushi rice. Om nom nom.

After the food coma subsided we headed over to Bar 107, where our friend would be DJing the next night. Drinking then sleeping commenced.

The next morning, we shuffled around Little Tokyo slightly hungover and marvelling at the signage. Our hostess, Betsy, graciously offered to drive us into Hollywood for an In N Out and BevMo run. 7 of us, one Pontiac Vibe, and boxes of purchases from BevMo? No Problem.

After nappy time, we headed over to another L.A. staple, El Pollo Loco. We washed that down with $1.00 Kobe Beef Tacos at a happy hour down the street. Then it was back over to Bar 107 to hear The Eye of The Bronado, DJs Buttafuoco (our friend Bryan) and Zack Morris, lay down some party music. I think there were Herradura Añejo shots somewhere in there.

While the rest of the crew ate taco truck tacos early in to the morning, I raised the white flag, and headed off to sleep.

Morning found us eating some great Mexican food, laying around a rooftop pool, and drinking Tecates. Unfortunately, we had flights to catch, so back off to LAX we headed.

All in all, a great trip. Some old friends I hadnt seen in years, met my good friend Mookie’s awesome new girlfriend, and generally let off some steam.

A+++ seller. Would buy from again!

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Election Party Pics

Click the pic for the full set

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New Vodka Infusions

As the weather turns brisk, I figured it was time to start experimenting in the vodka lab again. Besides a couple of tried and true cinnamon vodkas, I am going to try some “unconventional” flavors.

First up, Spiced Cider Vodka. The good folks over at Infusions of Grandeur have already done the hard work on this one. It will definitely be my most involved creation, using 5 different flavors (apple, orange, cinnamon, clove, and nutmeg), all added at set times. I followed their recipes before, so I am sure it will all work out.

The other one…. well, here’s where we might guinea pig a few iterations. Reading this blog entry, inspired me to make Pumpkin Pie Vodka. Not just pumpkin, but pumpkin pie, with all the spices. The ratios given are far from exact, so I think I will start with a whole can, and back down from there on future batches if necessary. If anything this should be easy. Besides, my friends are all drunks, so even the bad batches usually get consumed. (OTOH, the Habañero vodka is slowly eating through the bottle on the top shelf)

Hopefully I can fine tune these and have some good gifts for this season’s holiday parties.

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Kaiju Big Battel!

West Coast Kaiju Big Battel throwdown in full effect!



What is Kaiju Big Battel, you ask?

Kaiju Big Battel is a modern conflict of epic proportions. Scattered throughout the galaxy is a monstrous mob of Kaiju – maniacal villains, ominous alien beasts, and gigantic, city-crushing monsters who are fighting for control of the globe, their volatile tempers periodically detonating into bouts of intergalactic sparring and senseless acts of violence.

Basically, its GWAR, if they were Japanese, atomic, and didnt play instruments.
(for more info check out this or for the vanilla wiki version, look here)

Heading down to Los Angeles Thursday November 20th through Saturday the 22nd with some SpiceAliens to check out the carnage at the Mayan Theater.

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40 for 40

A few weeks ago I celebrated(?) my 40th birthday. One of the best gifts I got was from my friend April. She went and rounded up 40 different beers. The great thing was that they weren’t local beers. Living in Portland, one gets kind of spoiled with the number of microbrews available at our local watering holes. April managed to round up beers from far flung locales such as Tahiti, India, Singapore, and the near mythical dark empire of Germany.

Forty Beers for Forty Years Forty Beers for Forty Years

While a review of each beer would be unwieldy, most of the beers were quite good (or at least not heinous). Two stinkers do have to get called out. The Bard’s Tale sorghum beer was ass. I appreciate that there are people with gluten issues that may like this stuff. But let’s face it, its not beer. In that vein, the non-alcoholic Warsteiner stuck out like a sore thumb.

For those interested, here is the complete list:

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Portland Timbers Tonight

xposted from mailing lists and other blog posts:

It’s Not the Most Important Match Ever….

…it’s bigger than that.

The final USL match between the Portland Timbers and the Scum from Seattle.

And it’s Thirsday Thursday.

And a late start.

And it’s on Fox Soccer Channel.

We shall bring the noise and the pain and make them simper back to their moldy, fish-stank home.

The match will be preceded by a funeral parade. (Yes, we have an actual human-sized coffin.)

Be at the Bitter End at 6pm or at the Bullpen about an hour later.

Bagpipes; pallbearers; trumpets; booze.

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Flugtag This Saturday

Some of my friends are actually participating and will be attempting to launch a rollerderby roller skate into the drink.  Check out their site here and the main flugtag site here. If the weather holds up, it should be a great time on the waterfront followed by the Bones and Brew festival.

(edit)

From TeqKillYa:  If you cannot make it to watch on Saturday, simply text “Team 29” to 72855 from 11 AM- 3 PM PST on Saturday! Help us with Crowd Favorite. We need about 10,000 votes to win!

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Busy Little (Portland) Beavers

Lots of stuff coming up in the next week or three. I can’t say that I am going to hit up all of these events, but they are definitely poking at my little brain.

Thursday (7/24) – Portland Timbers home game vs. Carolina RailHawks.

Friday (7/25) Either group outing to the Drive-In or DJ Shadow and Cut Chemist at Roseland (probably drive in – havent been to one in forever!)

Saturday (7/26) Girl Talk at Roseland. This show should be super fun. The Feed The Animals album is great. Listening to Girl Talk Murders Seattle – Live at Chop Suey gives me great hope for this show. (psst – follow the Feed The Animals link and you can download it for free/name your own price).

Sunday (7/27) Chromeo at Berbati’s Pan. May be too tuckered out for this show, considering I just saw them at Coachella.

Saturday and Sunday (7/26/727) Oregeon Brewer’s Fest at the Waterfront

Monday (7/28) Weekly bar trivia at Chez Jose (eastside). Will Sparklemotion return to dominance, or is this the week apathy totally kills us off.

Thursday (7/31) Last Thursday in NE.

Saturday (8/2) Red Bull Flugtag at Waterfront Park.

Saturday and Sunday (8/2/83) Bones and Brew in the Pearl

Sunday (8/10) Providence Bridge Pedal. Our crew has decided to do the 8 bridge/24 mile route. Unless someone signed us up for the 11 bridge/37 mile route. Better step up my daily rides.

(errata: wrote this using MarsEdit to see if I like blogging from a desktop client as opposed to just using the web)

edit: added beerfest and bbq

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