You're Made That Way

I like the idea of small, intimate studio audiences kind of like they used to have on shows like MTV Unplugged.

Here's a performance that predates the short-lived MTV show. The Doobie Brothers were some of the most soulful R&B artists of their time. I wish the audio quality for this vid was slightly better but I think their hair. the outfits and the antiquated synths add to the groovy effect of the song.

Enjoy!

Congratulations D-Mac!

Doug "D-Mac" Mckain, author of the The Douglas Daily and photoshop extraordinaire in a truly "Rudy-esque" underdog story will be attending the University of California Los Angeles (UCLA) next fall. Props to the soon-to-be oldest undergrad in LA.


Hate it or love it, the underdogs on top.

Phoenix @ DAR Constitution Hall (DC)

Come check out my favorite band Phoenix on April 26th at the DAR Constitution Hall! Enjoy this acoustic version of a classic. Onetimetoomany

Rogue States

Picture courtesy of some random Flickr account (sorry)

Since the governor of Virginia declared the month of April "Confederacy Month" I have silently protested by refusing to go to VA for the Month of April. A year ago this would mean nothing, and I would likely have no problem doing this but since discovering Ray's Hell Burger in Arlington I am faced with a perplexing moral dilemma. Rather than give into my burger cravings and patronize a business that pays taxes that in some way helps Virginia and its ridiculous governor, I opted for some local fare.

A burger place on Conneticuit Ave. recently opened up which ironically (not in the tired hipster way) is called Rogue States. At the restaurant standard of $7 per burger not including premium toppings this place is pretty steep for a walk-up burger joint. I ordered the basic "Rogue States" burger with cheddar cheese and grilled onions. Rouge States skillyfully forms each of their patties folded with a unique flavor profile of spices and herbs (i.e., jerk, habenero, curry or basil patties). Burgers are smoked over wood chips and grilled to medium or rare.

As unique as the place seems it is difficult to overlook how Ray's in Arlington has influenced this burger joint such as the table-ready condiments, picnic style tables and even the usage of soft airy brioche buns.

My burger was cooked medium and the patty cooked down to a smaller size than I would have liked to see for a $7 burger. The bun overpowered the patty and although the signature burger is infused with cilantro, I tasted nothing extraordinary about the meat itself.

I would give this place another try, perhaps for the jerk or curry blended patties but from what I can discern from my first trip it's nothing to write home about.

A Song For No One

It's that time of year again! The Lakers are on what looks to be a very promising playoff run. The sun is out and the weather is warm. And as I prepare for yet another big move back West from the DC to SF, here is some sweet driving music that'll surely be in heavy circulation on my iPod as I make it up the coast for my annual pilgramage to San Francisco on the third Sunday in May.

Enjoy!

The XX

Here's some ammunition for your next dinner party, or friendly gathering. Groove to the mellow steal guitar riffs of these young Londoners. With great background music at least you'll have a good reason to tune out that one guy who won't stop shut-up about his "huge plans to invest in real estate".... riiiight.

Enjoy!

Awe Struck

Brian "B." Reith (not coincidentally pronounced "Be Right") is a Christian rapper from Milwaukee, WI, proving that talent can be found in the most peculiar places. When my cousin forwarded me this track a few days ago he described B. Reith's lyrics as "Eminem-ish (yet toned down, positive and less annoying)". What do you think? Give him a shot and temporarily forget any negative preconceptions you might have about Christian music. Enjoy this one.

Check out the story behind this song and CLICK HERE

Back to the Grind

Last week I remedied the emerging symptoms of Seasonal Affective Disorder by spending the week in LA. February in LA is basically the first week of May in NYC.

The trip was a whirlwind of food and Sebastien Tellier's latest album, Sexuality (of American Apparel fame). The album was in heavy circulation at my brother's place and I haven't been able to get him out of my head all week! Still on the fence about his beard, but his music is definitely catchy. The man has got style.

Here's a popular track from his 2005 album Politics called La Ritournelle (of Ugly Betty fame).

Office Jams - Vol. 2: Stranger in Moscow

Snowpocalypse. Snowmaggedon. Blizzard 2010. The snowstorm that has buried DC in the past week is finally coming to an end. It has put us all out of work, stuck indoors and immobile. Heres a likely for your cabin fever and help you get back into work tomorrow.

Enjoy the one day week and President's Day weekend!

Intervention

Intervention airs on A&E. The show takes an in depth look into crippling drug and alcohol addictions. If you haven't tuned in yet, then check your local listings soon for this eye-opening documentary series.

Here is a clip from a show on "huffing". . .

Exception to Rule #46

Craig Sager-- He can pull it off

Rule #46

Dress appropriately. There is a fine line between classy and comical.

West Coast PDT?

Not quite. But clandestine bar entrances are spreading faster than gourmet food trucks.

La Descarga is Koreatown's latest hipster magnet. A Cuban cocktail bar and cigar room. Boasting an eclectic Rum collection in the hands of a bartender from Doheny, it seems like the stars are aligned for this place. Check it out.

Read about it on Thrillist HERE

Passion Pit - Swimming in the Flood

They opened for Phoenix last summer in NYC, but you might have heard them on Gossip Girls. Check them out at Coachella in April.

Mmm... Asada

This isn't really a Christmas song but it does mention December. I don't know whether to love or hate Vampire Weekend. I guess before hearing this song I was only indifferent because I was simply unimpressed.

This track has definitely changed my mind. Give it about 58 seconds and you'll be hooked. It reminds me of waiting in line for tacos past midnight when I go back to LA for the holidays.

Thanks to the bzablog's unofficial correspondent to the hipster world-- 'lil grumbles, who posted this vid recently on Facebook.

Ray's Hell Burger

The first snow of year fell as we followed our noses across a strip mall parking lot in Arlington, VA. The entrance to Ray's Hell burger was virtually unmarked aside from the laminated menu taped up next to the door. It's your typical no-frills burger joint. The burger spoke for itself.

Behind every great burger is a carefully chosen bun. At RHB the buns are spongy, soft and moist. They soak up the juice from the burger well. I usually don't like seeds on buns, but the poppy seeds on the brioche buns at Ray's add a perfectly subtle hint of flavor. Like a kaiser roll, these buns are round on both ends almost making for a horizontally symmetrical burger (if not for the cheese and other tasty toppings).

Any burger lover can tell at first bite that these are made to perfection. The patties pack enough flavor to make you want to eat them plain. And if not for the abundant options of grilled savory goodness they offer as trimmings you just might.

I'll save you time and give you the two reasons you must go to Arlington before you die.

1)The Burger of Seville: seared foie gras, Sauteed mushrooms, Bordelaise sauce, white truffle oil.

2)The "Let's Get It On" burger: Applewood Smoked Bacon, Swiss & Vermont White Cheddar Cheeses, Cognac & Sherry Sauteed Mushrooms, Grilled Red Onions, Sauteed Peppers, Roasted Garlic, Lettuce & Tomato

Tis the Season

The temperature is dropping but the spirits are rising! Get in the mood and start listening to Christmas songs (don't say you hate them either). Every Christmas I load some seasonal tunes on to my iPod and play them until I inadvertently start speaking in melody with a crooner voice. Give Fiest and Fleet Foxes a rest already and put on some festive tracks for chrissakes... literally.

This is Coldplay with a warm rendition of a holiday classic that always makes me think of friends I won't be seeing around the holidays. I've been lucky enough to meet and have some great times with kind friends from various places. With so much going on it's unlikely that I'll get a chance to spend time with you all this holiday season. So here's one for all of you who won't be in or around LA or NYC this holiday season.

The Return of the TOP 10 LIST!

I'm back. After taking a 4 month hiatus to hit the books for the LSAT and settle into my new digs in the nation's capital I have officially got my groove back. The new posts I've got coming up are sure to be plump and delicious (like Angela Basset's lips).

In the past few months I've been making weekly trips to the supermarket. While trying to cook at home more I've come to the realization that you need some pretty *obscure ingredients to put together good food at home. I'll usually find myself one teaspoon short of cumin, or a sprig of rosemary short once dinner time rolls around. Ever since I had to leave the kitchen and run down the street for some dried onion flakes while my ground beef was browning, I have made it a habit of collecting different spices whenever I make trips to the market, even if I don't need them for anything in particular in the foreseeable future.

Here is my list of top ten condiments/spices/sauces to have in your pantry. I've selected them for there versatility and overall flavor they add to a meal.

In no particular order:

1. Kikoman Soy Sauce - Forget the "Reduced Sodium/Light" kind. Go with the original recipe. They didn't achieve "300 Years of Excellence" by going easy on the salt.

2. Frank's Red Hot Sauce - It's like the White Out of cooking. When all else fails.. cover it in Frank's Red Hot Sauce

3. Crushed Red Pepper Flakes - They aren't just good for pizzas. Try them in pastas or on broccoli

4. Dried Rosemary - It doesn't go bad in a week like fresh rosemary and seems twice as potent

5. Balsamic Vinegar - If you can afford to dish out the cash for the real stuff (thicker like a syrup and aged 25 years) then the possibilities are endless. I'm not talking about the stuff they give you at Soup Plantation either.

6. Oregano - I couldn't really tell you what this does to food in general. I've used it two or three times to make some lemon chicken. I think it's the stuff they sprinkle over home fries. (?)

7. Ground Mustard - One of the secrets to my sloppy joes

8. Lea Perrins' Worchestershire Sauce - a few dashes for your burger patties or whenever you use ground beef

9. Liquid Smoke - This is like magic. It makes everything taste like it's been licked by flames on the grill. I wonder what would happen if you put it in a dessert?

10. Tarragon - Still haven't used it. I bought it because it sounds like a planet from Star Wars.

*Note: I am a novice in the kitchen when it comes to preparing anything that requires more technical knowledge than grilled cheese or sunny-side up eggs. I acknowledge that ingredients that I consider "obscure" might be commonplace in your kitchen.... So cut me some slack.

Office Jams - vol. 1

Office Jams

Enjoy this, the first installment of Office Jams I will feature starting today. Bump these embarrassingly addicting tracks in the office-- where you are protected from ridicule by over-courteous coworkers.