Friday, March 28, 2008

Bells is Back!


That's right folks, after a year of absence on liquor store shelves all over Cook County Bells Beer is back in Illinois under a new guise. The somewhat unattractive packaging refers to the beer as Kalamazoo Royal Amber Ale. Reportedly, this is the same beer as Bell's Amber (the bottles note that it's brewed and bottled by Bells) which can only mean the name was sold to a new distributer, not the product itself. In a few weeks we'll be getting the 'new' oberon. While I've been exposed to much more enjoyable beer since I lost my bells, (think Three Floyds among others) there is something nostalgic and satisfying about the Beer of my formative drinking years. Summer simply isn't the same without Oberon. There is no word yet on the distribution of Two Hearted Ale or what that may be called. Our favorites so far include Broken Hearted Ale or Cold Hearted Ale.

Friday, March 21, 2008

thick, wet snow

Just when I thought spring had sprung I get out of work this afternoon to find my car buried in snow. sheesh.

I haven't updated despite having things to write. Now that I'm on I can't seem to remember what they were. I'm also very, very busy. I'm working six days this week and next and I don't have another day off until next week saturday. I suppose I need the money to buy that new bike I'm lusting after. Yesterday I was off with xtina. We had a good day of cleaning, hot dog eating, and new hiking boots buying.

Xtina is leaving me. Well, she's just going to portland to visit her sister for a week but I'm laying on a guilt trip pretty heavily claiming abandonment. I'm still not sure what I'll do for the week or more importantly, what I'll eat. Speaking of which, she should be back from work any minute to start dinner.

Friday, March 14, 2008

buying tix, riding bikes

At approximately 9:16am today, the following phone call took place:

Old Town School of Folk Music Employee: Hello?

Me: Oh, hi. I've been online trying to get tickets to the Mark Kozelek show in June. It seems that less than fifteen minutes after tickets went on sale they said there weren't two adjacent seats left. I wouldn't normally call, but the website was having problems and I see this as somewhat unlikely.

OTSE: Yeah, tickets went on sale to members about a week ago.

Me: oh (sound of heart breaking). Is it common for tickets to sell out to members?

OTSE: Not especially. I know we didn't sell all of the tickets to tix.com (their 3rd party brokering site) let me see if we have anything left. (long pause) It looks like we still have 170 tickets available.

Me: That's awesome. I just need two.

OTSE: okay, it looks like I still have tickets in the center of rows 1, 2, 5, and 8.

Me: what?

OTSE: you just need two? take your pick of rows 1, 2, 5, and 8.

Me: I guess I'll take two tickets second row center.

OTSE: sounds great. There's no surcharge for phone orders (transaction takes place). Have a great weekend, I'll get those in the Mail today.

Me: (Baffled, Bewildered) Yeah, you too. Thanks.


And that is how I beat out thousands of people for tickets for some of the best seats in the house. Things like that don't typically happen to me. I was so excited I also bought three day passes to the Pitchfork festival while I still could. Yes, the whitest person in the city will be seeing Public Enemy in concert.


I went for a twenty mile bike ride this afternoon and I'm pooped. That was such a short distance last fall. I'm looking forward to getting in better shape again.

I went into a couple of bike shops today. I think I'm going to buy this bike for commuting.

Saturday, March 08, 2008

part two

Despite my greatest efforts, I can't seem to wake up later than 6:30 on my days off. Xtina has no trouble sleeping in - that's what she's doing right now. Basically, I'm on a daylight-based sleep schedule and the only problem is that it's march. Daylight savings is going to mess me up.

I took the bike out for the first time Thursday. The sun was bright and warm and my neighborhood was posting temps in the mid to upper 30's, which in the fall would have been completely unacceptable, but thursday it was good enough for me. By the time I got to diversey harbor the wind had picked up and with it wind chills far below freezing. I crouched below an embankment for warmth and watched ducks and geese walk on the frozen harbor. My bike laying next to me, we were all waiting for spring to arrive.

Xtina is up and bleary-eyed now. I'll try to get us out the door so we can check out the bongo room, a long-standing brunch place in wicker park, when they open to avoid standing in the cold. Oh how I wish I were at SXSW.

Saturday, March 01, 2008

Saturday a.m., pre Car Talk

After sleeping for twelve hours Thursday night, I'm back up at 6:30 this morning - which doesn't seem so bad when it's bright and sunny outside and I can hear birds chirping outside my window. That's one of the many things I enjoy about logan square - birds that aren't pigeons. Christina isn't up yet but when she does emerge from the bedroom I'll be prompt in reminding her that today is the day her relatives are coming into the city and taking her to see 'Jersey Boys.' Xtina is responsible for taking them out to dinner and navigating them through the loop. I'm pretty relieved that I'm working later today. The weekend isn't a total washout, I had yesterday off and I will have tomorrow off. Also, I'll be home in time to see wilco on SNL.

Speaking of Wilco, the show was fantastic. I was delightfully surprised by some of my old faves - pick up the change, box full of letters, blue eyed soul, etc.. and some rarities - bob dylans 49th beard, remember the mountain bed, hesitating beauty. I was also awed by the extended appearance of Andrew Bird and the Bird/Tweedy (not tweedy bird) whistling duet. We were able to get good seats near the center and the band sounded fantastic. I recently got a Tweedy/ Bennett show done in Chicago before the Summerteeth tour at the Old Town School of Folk Music. The show is chock-full of rarities and mermaid avenue tracks.

I recently got tix to see the new pornographers but I just discovered they will be sans Bejar. They could have told me that when I bought the tix. Perhaps I'll buy destroyer tickets at the logan auditorium to compensate. I'm okay with it just as long as they don't announce they'll be without Neko Case, my girlfriend.

Yesterday I had a good day off. Being Feb. 29 I went to the last day one could get into the Hopper/ Homer exhibit at a discounted fare. The Hopper exhibition was great, despite the hoards of people fighting for spots directly in front of NightHawks. Hopper appeals to my taste of Americana, love of simplicity, and interest in New England historical cities in an almost embarrassing way. It warms my heart. I can say I enjoyed every step of his career for different reasons - from new england watercolors to NYC cityscapes and cape cod couples. Homer, on the other hand, was a lot of watercolor seascapes. I don't mean to hate, the exhibit must have had more than 200 pictures, most of which looked strikingly similar and they were so small I couldn't see from the distance I had to stand with the crowds anyway. From there I went to a couple cheese shops to scope out the competish and come up with new ideas for products to carry. I'm trying to make my purchasing more locally-oriented. I've already brought in Zingermans products from Ann Arbor, now I have to research some new creameries in Coopersville, MI, Iowa and Oregon.

My Saturday morning is about to start, I think I'll catch up on my Good Magazine before it's time for some car talk.