forget battleshit, i might actually see this* bastardizing of something i once enjoyed.
well done, people.
*i realize this isn't real, but a parody trailer for a fake movie.
Saturday, May 26, 2012
Tuesday, May 22, 2012
robert glasper experiment smells like teen spirit
rather interesting video of smells like teen spirit.
i don't know much about jazz hip hop fusion, but i'm almost willing to try it out while i paint.
i don't know much about jazz hip hop fusion, but i'm almost willing to try it out while i paint.
Friday, May 18, 2012
Wednesday, May 02, 2012
Monday, April 30, 2012
stak shak lunch review
a few weeks back, i'm not exactly sure when, i saw that a couple of new places had opened up along my drive to and from work. one, a taco stand that used to be open years ago had new life breathed into it. the other, a strange little building that i never really noticed until the new sign went up and lights were on. this oddly shaped place: the stak shak.
today, i had the chance to drop in on the stak shak for some lunch. they have a decent sized menu that is centered around the idea of sandwiches, hot dogs and more. they have both hot and cold sandwiches, a variety of dogs, and some special offers as well. the interior of the restaurant is pleasant, and has a "home-y" feel to it.
since it was my first time, and i knew i'd be writing about the meal, i wanted to try a few things. i also hoped they had pastrami since i love pastrami, and it's something i've had all over and can compare. they did have pastrami, which i ordered. you can get it on a variety of breads, and i went with sourdough. i also love hot dogs, and so i ordered the western dog as well. they have several drink options, some bottle, some not. i went basic and had a bottled root beer.
i ate the dog first. the western dog comes with bbq sauce, shredded cheese and onions. i should have ordered without the onions, as they're not a favorite of mine, but i was able to knock them off fairly easy and enjoy the dog. the bbq sauce was a sweet bbq, and worked well with the cheese & dog. the dog itself was an average dog, but fine. the whole thing comes with a pickle side. i liked the dog, and my only beef with it was the price. all the dogs cost $5.50, which is a little more than they're worth in my opinion.
after devouring my dog, i went to the pastrami. first, it's a cold pastrami sandwich, which i figured when i saw the menu. i prefer hot pastrami to cold, but whatever. i chose the sourdough, which was a pretty good, thicker slices of sourdough. they use a spicy mustard that i really loved. it's one of those mustards that has the little seed balls in it. great flavor, really worked with the sandwich. the meat itself was decent, lunch meat style pastrami with a fine flavor. the lettuce was shredded, and i prefer leaf. the pastrami sandwich costs $6.
overall, i thought the place was fine. the service was nice, and rather quick in filling orders. the restaurant was comfortable to be in, and they do have free wifi. i thought the food was good, not great, and it seems a little pricey, but not exorbitant. for those that are inclined, you can all or fax in orders in advance.
stak shak
1950 e. divisadero
fresno, 93701
p:559.497.5101
f:550.497.5102
m-f, 7a -3p
today, i had the chance to drop in on the stak shak for some lunch. they have a decent sized menu that is centered around the idea of sandwiches, hot dogs and more. they have both hot and cold sandwiches, a variety of dogs, and some special offers as well. the interior of the restaurant is pleasant, and has a "home-y" feel to it.
since it was my first time, and i knew i'd be writing about the meal, i wanted to try a few things. i also hoped they had pastrami since i love pastrami, and it's something i've had all over and can compare. they did have pastrami, which i ordered. you can get it on a variety of breads, and i went with sourdough. i also love hot dogs, and so i ordered the western dog as well. they have several drink options, some bottle, some not. i went basic and had a bottled root beer.
i ate the dog first. the western dog comes with bbq sauce, shredded cheese and onions. i should have ordered without the onions, as they're not a favorite of mine, but i was able to knock them off fairly easy and enjoy the dog. the bbq sauce was a sweet bbq, and worked well with the cheese & dog. the dog itself was an average dog, but fine. the whole thing comes with a pickle side. i liked the dog, and my only beef with it was the price. all the dogs cost $5.50, which is a little more than they're worth in my opinion.
after devouring my dog, i went to the pastrami. first, it's a cold pastrami sandwich, which i figured when i saw the menu. i prefer hot pastrami to cold, but whatever. i chose the sourdough, which was a pretty good, thicker slices of sourdough. they use a spicy mustard that i really loved. it's one of those mustards that has the little seed balls in it. great flavor, really worked with the sandwich. the meat itself was decent, lunch meat style pastrami with a fine flavor. the lettuce was shredded, and i prefer leaf. the pastrami sandwich costs $6.
overall, i thought the place was fine. the service was nice, and rather quick in filling orders. the restaurant was comfortable to be in, and they do have free wifi. i thought the food was good, not great, and it seems a little pricey, but not exorbitant. for those that are inclined, you can all or fax in orders in advance.
stak shak
1950 e. divisadero
fresno, 93701
p:559.497.5101
f:550.497.5102
m-f, 7a -3p
Tuesday, April 24, 2012
cabin in the woods film review
it
was a combination of friends going to a movie on a saturday afternoon
coupled with a heat snap that sent us to watch the new release, cabin in
the woods. going into the film, i had very little idea about it. i had seen a
preview, and it sorta looked like your stock slasher film – girls that
will in all likelihood get nude and then die, people being brutally
tortured and then dying, and a lone survivor. it was unlikely that i would have gone and seen the film if the previous two conditions didn’t exist. i actually felt that the movie was a remake of a previous film as
it had the feeling of a 70’s b-flick and hollywood has been remaking
the crap out of films of that genre. so, i went in with little or no expectations.
side
note – if you were initially headed out to lunch, then decided to join
friends for a matinee, the movie theater is a bad place to actually eat a
meal. the options are fairly limited, and because they make so much on concessions, you’re going to spend a lot to get a little. we knew this, and still did it. oh well.
the movie centers around five college students who become a trapped, you guessed it, in a cabin in the woods. i’m not giving anything away by mentioning plot points here
because it’s right out in the open. honestly, in the first ten minutes
or so you know the whole basis of the movie, the why things are going to
happen. five college students have been selected
because of their personalities and their youth. they will be sacrificed
as a part of a ritual to appease something or someone greater in the
world.
overall, i found the film to be pretty good. it’s no masterpiece, but it’s not
supposed to be citizen kane. it’s a summer horror flick. then again, it’s much more than that. while it does have the torture elements mentioned above, it has a lot of wit about it. there is some decent dialog, and there were points that the whole
theater were laughing at what was being said or was happening on
screen. these were laughs that the writers intended, not just the comedy
that slasher films can be. there were also a few good “jump” moments that this type of film needs.
few random points:
- i was pleasantly surprised that the characters didn’t just behave in stereotypical horror fashion. when they did, it was explained. so, yes, the football guy acts like a dumb jock at points, but it makes sense, and more so than any other typical horror film.
- i loved the references to other horror films. there were a lot of little winks and nods at other movies. well done. at some point i was trying to list all the references but it’s just too many. not in an overwhelming way, but there is a lot of little nods.
- i can’t say it was perfectly done, but the drug references were better handled than in a lot of movies. i know it’s a strange, small complaint, but it does bug me when people in films take drugs and behave in manners that are unlike actual drug reactions. think about it, how many times have you seen someone in a movie ingest weed in some manner, and then act completely unlike any of your stoner friends. not the case here, so kudos.
the final verdict – cabin in the woods is a fun film. with movie prices as what they are, i don’t think you have to
rush out and see this on a friday night, but maybe catch a matinee. definitely see it on dvd, netflix or cable.
Thursday, April 12, 2012
not good, slash
i enjoy the jimmy kimmel show. i think he's one of the funnier guys on tv, and i think he's the best in late night tv. one other reason why i like kimmel is that he does a pretty good job of bringing on upcoming bands, or the new, interesting acts.
i had no pretense that slash would be new or upcoming. i mean, dude helped get guns n roses off the ground 25 years ago. he's a legend, a great musician. so, i was intrigued to hear his new band, to hear what was driving slash these days.
yawn.
i mean, really, that was not interesting at all. it wasn't even good. seriously, that sounds about as good as a cover band playing at sequoia brewing on a saturday night.
i had no pretense that slash would be new or upcoming. i mean, dude helped get guns n roses off the ground 25 years ago. he's a legend, a great musician. so, i was intrigued to hear his new band, to hear what was driving slash these days.
yawn.
i mean, really, that was not interesting at all. it wasn't even good. seriously, that sounds about as good as a cover band playing at sequoia brewing on a saturday night.
Thursday, April 05, 2012
wall writers
graffiti. i have a love/hate idea about graffiti. there's a part of me that really enjoys good graf art, but there's the other part of me that thinks graf is mostly garbage, and usually is just destructive to the social environment. then again, maybe a lot of graf pops up in areas that are already blighted and so to have an explosion of color brings new life. if you see the wavering in this first paragraph, you should know that it continues on in my mind.
so, i came across this trailer for a movie about early graffiti. it looks pretty interesting.
i like the connection to the vandals.
so, i came across this trailer for a movie about early graffiti. it looks pretty interesting.
i like the connection to the vandals.
Wednesday, March 07, 2012
victory vegas clutch cables suck
grrrrrr
above my fingers you see a broken clutch cable. let me rephrase that, another broken clutch cable. i have a 2006 victory vegas. i love that bike. it's fun, i've put 20,000 + miles on it. what i don't love is that in the 5 years that i've had it, i've broken 3 clutch cables. w.t.f.? it's not like a ride the clutch or anything stupid like that. seriously, i use the clutch when shifting, and that's it. when i'm at stop lights, i sit in neutral. and yet, i have had three frickin cables brake. two have broken at the connection to the handle, and this one popped down by the transmission. this leads me to believe that their cables are crap. but what can i do? it's not like there are alternate cables i could use (there aren't). victory makes crap clutch cables. i won't even get into their cheap rear brakes they use.
above my fingers you see a broken clutch cable. let me rephrase that, another broken clutch cable. i have a 2006 victory vegas. i love that bike. it's fun, i've put 20,000 + miles on it. what i don't love is that in the 5 years that i've had it, i've broken 3 clutch cables. w.t.f.? it's not like a ride the clutch or anything stupid like that. seriously, i use the clutch when shifting, and that's it. when i'm at stop lights, i sit in neutral. and yet, i have had three frickin cables brake. two have broken at the connection to the handle, and this one popped down by the transmission. this leads me to believe that their cables are crap. but what can i do? it's not like there are alternate cables i could use (there aren't). victory makes crap clutch cables. i won't even get into their cheap rear brakes they use.
Tuesday, February 28, 2012
kids swede movies
so, i was sorta sad to see more people doing swedes, since our fresno boys @ dumb drum have made it so spectacular and it feels like a little bit of "our thing" (i say our like i've done one) is leaving us. then again, i think they would like more people to do them and to have fun. (i haven't asked.)
so, here is some kids sweding the fight with the black knight from monty python's holy grail
it seems they have several more, all using kids that don't know the scene/lines/movie and are given them as they go.
so, here is some kids sweding the fight with the black knight from monty python's holy grail
it seems they have several more, all using kids that don't know the scene/lines/movie and are given them as they go.
Friday, February 24, 2012
brick - restaurant review
i recently read about a new place opening downtown. remember hero's? austin's? heroes? well, in that seeming cursed spot a new restaurant has arrived. it's called brick. they're no longer a sports bar, instead trying to be a classier joint, with a grand piano, a fresh menu, and suggested upscale attire. i didn't exactly know when or if i'd head down there, but a friend mentioned on facebook that tonight the restaurant was bringing in a concert pianist, so we headed down for some dinner.
now, this review can go a lot of ways. and, i think the restaurant could go a lot of ways. i'll keep it nice, but i'll also try not to pull any punches.
first of all, it looks very nice in there. they haven't done a ton to change the decor, but it does feel cleaned up, sleek, and not just another sports bar. they've talked about having classic movies going but i didn't see if they had one going tonight. what i did notice is that they have tv's, and tonight i saw the food network on one and cnn on another. honestly, if i think upscale, i don't think tv's. really, i would pull all the tv's out if it were my place. i just don't understand why so many places put tv's in restaurants now.
to the menu - they have a decent, smallish menu. honestly, i appreciate that they have a limited menu instead of pages and pages of crap. on the menu are a few salads, some wraps and burgers, some pizzas a chicken dish, a steak and a few other items. however, i wouldn't say that the menu isn't all that upscale. seems pretty basic to me, at least in writing, but it could still be presented and taste high quality/upscale. i'm not sure if they have any sort of appetizers. i didn't see any on the menu, other than soup, but our waitress asked if we wanted any starters, which confused us since we didn't see any, and hadn't been told about any. the same thing happened with dessert - the waitress asked if we would like any, to which we asked what they had. it seems that their dessert menu varies at each service, which is fine, but it does make it a little hard to order dessert if you have no idea what they might have.
tonight, i tried out the chicken under a brick and my wife had the spicy thai salmon salad. i really liked my chicken. it had a great flavor and seasoning to it. it came with green beans & potatoes which were both good, but the potatoes were a tad greasy. my wife's salad looked pretty good, and tasted decent, but she felt it could have been a bit better. she liked the mix of the salad greens, but some of the items used in the description (cilantro, peanuts) were more of a garnish than actual ingredients integrated into the salad. we didn't have any wine, but it seemed like they had a decent selection. their coffee, however, was not good tasting. it tasted like it had been on a burner for a long time.
finally, the service. this is the third restaurant i've been to at this location, and i've yet to see any of them do a good job on the initial point of service. you enter, and it seems like you wait and wait for anyone to welcome you or seat you or anything. still that way, which baffles me because it seems so basic to have someone welcoming patrons, making sure that people know that yes, you will be seated. this seems to be falling on their wait staff, who is understandably doing something else (their jobs). our particular waitress seemed pretty nice & helpful, but she also seemed a bit scattered at times. we didn't see her after getting our meals until we were already done. that's not terrible, but then again, i would've liked a refill on coffee.
so, would i go back? probably. i really do like the idea. i enjoyed the piano in the background. i liked my food, and wouldn't mind trying a few other things.
now, this review can go a lot of ways. and, i think the restaurant could go a lot of ways. i'll keep it nice, but i'll also try not to pull any punches.
first of all, it looks very nice in there. they haven't done a ton to change the decor, but it does feel cleaned up, sleek, and not just another sports bar. they've talked about having classic movies going but i didn't see if they had one going tonight. what i did notice is that they have tv's, and tonight i saw the food network on one and cnn on another. honestly, if i think upscale, i don't think tv's. really, i would pull all the tv's out if it were my place. i just don't understand why so many places put tv's in restaurants now.
to the menu - they have a decent, smallish menu. honestly, i appreciate that they have a limited menu instead of pages and pages of crap. on the menu are a few salads, some wraps and burgers, some pizzas a chicken dish, a steak and a few other items. however, i wouldn't say that the menu isn't all that upscale. seems pretty basic to me, at least in writing, but it could still be presented and taste high quality/upscale. i'm not sure if they have any sort of appetizers. i didn't see any on the menu, other than soup, but our waitress asked if we wanted any starters, which confused us since we didn't see any, and hadn't been told about any. the same thing happened with dessert - the waitress asked if we would like any, to which we asked what they had. it seems that their dessert menu varies at each service, which is fine, but it does make it a little hard to order dessert if you have no idea what they might have.
tonight, i tried out the chicken under a brick and my wife had the spicy thai salmon salad. i really liked my chicken. it had a great flavor and seasoning to it. it came with green beans & potatoes which were both good, but the potatoes were a tad greasy. my wife's salad looked pretty good, and tasted decent, but she felt it could have been a bit better. she liked the mix of the salad greens, but some of the items used in the description (cilantro, peanuts) were more of a garnish than actual ingredients integrated into the salad. we didn't have any wine, but it seemed like they had a decent selection. their coffee, however, was not good tasting. it tasted like it had been on a burner for a long time.
finally, the service. this is the third restaurant i've been to at this location, and i've yet to see any of them do a good job on the initial point of service. you enter, and it seems like you wait and wait for anyone to welcome you or seat you or anything. still that way, which baffles me because it seems so basic to have someone welcoming patrons, making sure that people know that yes, you will be seated. this seems to be falling on their wait staff, who is understandably doing something else (their jobs). our particular waitress seemed pretty nice & helpful, but she also seemed a bit scattered at times. we didn't see her after getting our meals until we were already done. that's not terrible, but then again, i would've liked a refill on coffee.
so, would i go back? probably. i really do like the idea. i enjoyed the piano in the background. i liked my food, and wouldn't mind trying a few other things.
Sunday, February 19, 2012
do i like miley?
okay, i feel like someone should just punch me repeatedly in the head right now. why, you ask? well, i was catching up on my episodes of jimmy kimmel from the week, and on wednesday night miley cyrus was on the show. and i liked it.
now, she is doing a bob dylan song, which means it is infinitely better written than any of the songs she has done before.
and, she is doing it country style, which means it won't be poppy screeching or auto-tuned nonsense.
honestly, at the start of the show i heard she was doing an album of dylan songs and thought that it would have to be terrrrrrrrrrrrrrible. right now, i'm not so sure. if the other songs are like this, it could be worth picking up. furthermore, if she were to shift her career in this direction, she could possibly be a respectable artist.
now, she is doing a bob dylan song, which means it is infinitely better written than any of the songs she has done before.
and, she is doing it country style, which means it won't be poppy screeching or auto-tuned nonsense.
honestly, at the start of the show i heard she was doing an album of dylan songs and thought that it would have to be terrrrrrrrrrrrrrible. right now, i'm not so sure. if the other songs are like this, it could be worth picking up. furthermore, if she were to shift her career in this direction, she could possibly be a respectable artist.
Thursday, February 09, 2012
god bless america
bobcat goldthwait has a new film out that looks sorta interesting.
on a real level, the idea of just killing anyone that annoys you is a bad idea, but on a cinematic level, i see how the idea could be sort of interesting. then again, it also sounds a little bit like how this movie turned out.
on a real level, the idea of just killing anyone that annoys you is a bad idea, but on a cinematic level, i see how the idea could be sort of interesting. then again, it also sounds a little bit like how this movie turned out.
Monday, February 06, 2012
Thursday, February 02, 2012
baby hawk 3 on vinyl
vinyl. i loves it. there's something about putting a record on the turntable and letting it spin. i've talked to several local musicians about trying to get a record done on vinyl, and it seems that cost is what always keeps it from getting done.
lovable fresno favorites rademacher is trying to make it happen. instead of asking for carwash donations, they're trying to see if their fans will give a little bit so they can press the third installment of the baby hawk ep's onto vinyl & head on down to south by southwest. so, why not give?
here's malcolm with a better sales pitch/oddly beautiful video
did i mention you can give?
also, check out the things in the sidebar at the link that you can get for donating. i kinda wish i had a grand so i could decide what a rademacher song would be about. then again, i'd also be happy if they'd play their song arguments for me.
lovable fresno favorites rademacher is trying to make it happen. instead of asking for carwash donations, they're trying to see if their fans will give a little bit so they can press the third installment of the baby hawk ep's onto vinyl & head on down to south by southwest. so, why not give?
here's malcolm with a better sales pitch/oddly beautiful video
did i mention you can give?
also, check out the things in the sidebar at the link that you can get for donating. i kinda wish i had a grand so i could decide what a rademacher song would be about. then again, i'd also be happy if they'd play their song arguments for me.
burger?
i was thinking today, i haven't had a fast food burger since the beginning of november, probably the 1st or 2nd. basically, when i didn't eat meat in november, it killed off my going to fast food. since then, i just haven't really felt the desire. i've had some fast food chicken (popeye's), and i've hit robertito's for a california burrito a couple of times, but no burgers.
well, check that, i did have a double double from in n' out. but, they're not fast food, right? well, at least they're good fast food.
this all comes to mind because we received some carl's jr. coupons in the mail. as i stared at them, i contemplated if any of the burgers were worth the money. none seemed appealing at all. i used to really enjoy a western bacon cheeseburger. now, not even tempting.
weird.
well, check that, i did have a double double from in n' out. but, they're not fast food, right? well, at least they're good fast food.
this all comes to mind because we received some carl's jr. coupons in the mail. as i stared at them, i contemplated if any of the burgers were worth the money. none seemed appealing at all. i used to really enjoy a western bacon cheeseburger. now, not even tempting.
weird.
Tuesday, January 31, 2012
my drunk kitchen vegan cheese cake
it don't get much better than this
so many hilarious quotes in there.
so many hilarious quotes in there.
Monday, January 30, 2012
lefty's back!
ah, man, i missed this a few days back. my friend chris has returned to blogging. chris, along with his wife kelly, are the main parts behind the married gamers podcast. chris was one of the first people i knew blogging at regular intervals, and he introduced us to podcasting and helped us get going. anyway, he stopped blogging his personal blog several years ago. but he has returned with new content. i'm excited.
maybe blogging is making a comeback.
maybe blogging is making a comeback.
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