Sounds, Suds and Cinema X

ArtSkillZzZZzzz

Ground control to Major Dom…

Holy geez…talk about a hostile takeover…the “R” word has consumed me for too long!  I will do my best to return to you before it completely ravages and sucks out my soul.  So where to start?  With all this training business you would think that my life completely fell apart for 4 months (now 5) but then you would be underestimating my awesomeness.  I am no Super Mario Brother, I am multidimensional and although I  have not written much outside of the “R” word, rest assured that I am still living super awesome.  As you know I have done some traveling to San Francisco, Hawaii and New York. I have attended some Dodger and Laker games.  Done a few amazing concerts that I probably should share more information on because the bands I like tend to kick some serious ass.  I even took in a comedy show or three, which I highly recommend.  The point is that although I was religiously dedicated to training, my life didn’t stop and I am happy to write a post that will hopefully be the first of many non “R” related.

Before I move on…if you haven’t checked out my girlfriends blog you should definitely do it now because she is giving away Skullcandy earphones that also have a built-in mic that works with your smart phone, pretty cool!  They also deliver awesome sound quality for listening to your new Metric album (see below) and they are perfect for working out / doing the “R” word.  Visit www.ThatGalFromSoCal.com for more information!

Without further ado let’s talk music, movies and brews!

Sounds

Youth without Youth (Acoustic) by Metric

Can I start by saying that trying to narrow down bands I want to share for my return to SSC was exhausting. I decided to just move forward with an album that has been blowing my mind lately, Metric’s Synthetica and in particular their “Deluxe” version. It contains five additional tracks, four  of which are acoustic.  There is something to be said about a band that is known for their uptempo electronic style that can unplug and make you love their music in a completely different way.  That is exactly what Emily Haines and her mates can do and I love them for it.  Can I also mention that they are Canadian.  Canadians seem to be taking over my musical world right now and I am not sure if I feel violated or psyched.  Don’t even get me started on The Weeknd, I thought Frank Ocean made me want to light candles and make babies, the Weeknd gets down right filthy.  Anyway, Metric is truly fantastic and if you are going to grab an album, their old ones are awesome but this deluxe version is the best.  Buy it through iTunes HERE for only $9.99 you may as well buy it twice because otherwise it just seems like you’re stealing.

Suds

Double Bastard Ale by Stone Brewing Company (Escondido, CA)

I am not sure if I have confessed my love for Stone Brewing Company out of Escondido, CA as of yet but rest assured that this place continues to pour out some the best brews in the world.  I have been a fan of Stone for a long time and I credit them for the craft beer industries growth over the last 5 years.  Not only do they produce world-class beers that force the casual consumer to reconsider their definition of beer with offerings like Stone IPA, Pale Ale, Arrogant Bastard,  and Russian Imperial Stout but they also took some of the best small breweries in the world under their distribution wing.  The major companies preferred to neglect “microbreweries” because technically it is a competing product, it makes no sense for them to distribute a beer that could potentially steal business from their cheap, fizzy yellow water.  So Stone didn’t just cut out the middle man, they became it.  They gave breweries from California a chance to join forces and get their product to new consumers, the game has been completely changed ever since.  Part of the draw of these craft breweries is their ability to get creative with their offerings, something the large breweries don’t, or can’t execute.  Thus giving birth to limited release seasonal/anniversary ales.  These beers are made from the highest quality ingredients and brewed in the most creative and complex way possible, an end result being a complex and delicious beer.  Sure they may be a little more expensive but to the connoisseur they are worth every penny.  A 22oz bottle of  this particular release will run you around $7 if you can find it, expensive to the Bud Light drinker who can get a 6-pack for about that price but my thoughts are that if I were to go to a bar/restaurant I can expect to be charged $5 for a crappy beer.  I can fully justify getting a better beer to enjoy at home for $2 more.  Budweiser is about 3.5% alcohol per volume while beers like Double Bastard are 11%…do the math…drink a 6-pack of Buttweiser or drink one 22oz bottle of Double Bastard and get the same amount of alcohol…I prefer to go to the bathroom as infrequently as possible so I guess you know which one I choose.  This beer is considered an American Strong Ale, we ‘Mericans tend to get really aggressive with our ales so they created a special category for these high alcohol monsters.  You might think that beer this strong would taste terrible and overly alcoholic, you would be wrong.  The stronger the beer, the sweeter and more flavorful it tends to be.  This beer is best at almost room temperature and will hit you with caramel, molasses, and sugary hop goodness.  A great beer for cold weather, it can be found at your local BevMo or specialty liquor store right now.  It was released earlier this month so it should be readily available across the country, get out there and find it!

Cinema

Jiro Dreams of Sushi

Now, I would not go so far as to say that I am a sushi die hard…I love sushi, BUT  the problem is that to get good sushi the price tends to be in the realm of a good steak and I love steak a lot more.  I have one spot close to where I grew up that I don’t mind spending money at because the quality is so consistently good and the sushi chef is hilarious. The owner of said spot is from Japan and he drives over an hour and a half three days a week to the local port to select his sushi…I think this process is insane but I appreciate it, his sushi is damn good!  So you see, a documentary about a sushi chef would be odd to some but to me it is extremely intriguing.  The trailer gives you a basic idea of world-renowned chef Jiro but in order to fully grasp his greatness you must watch this movie.  If you are anything like me, the movie will cause you to reexamine your professional life and critique your work ethic.  It does a fantastic job of examining the sacrifices made by Jiro in order to achieve greatness, in his life there are many but the best/worst part about Jiro is that he is almost oblivious to them.  A very interesting story of the world’s greatest sushi chef and his legacy, you won’t be disappointed!  Be prepared for subtitles and serious self-reflection on life and what you think is important.