Some Things Worth Mentioning

Here are a few things that I have not had time to give proper space on this blog. Please forgive me. It mostly applies to local stuff. So, for my readers in New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Nebraska, and Georgia, you should also forgive me and come back tomorrow.

I did end up going to see my friends in Bald Eagle open for Cursive. BE was as solid as ever. The crowd was uncomfortably young and emo for my tastes, so I didn't participate much. BE traveled to Omaha over the weekend to join Cursive in their home digs. This is a big opportunity for them. Hopefully it went as planned. (Maybe Nardy will comment and fill you all in.)

Speaking of locals taking big steps in their careers, a certain band called Tops will play Mojo's this Tuesday. You may know the band members better by their work at the bathysphere. (I dare someone to review the show and post pictures on their blog. That would be so postmodern.) If their own material is anything like the bands they herald, it should be a good time. It also may or may not have been promised to me that the band will cover something I may or may not like. My guess is Pavement, but we'll see. I don't know whether I will be able to skirt my baby duties for this one, but you should definitely go. Tops go on at about 8:30. If you can't make Tuesday's gig, they will play Eastside on February 6th.

...

It has been suggested by the Columbia Beer Enthusiasts and Make Mine Potato that much needs to be done to raise the beer IQ in COMO. This would allow for our little market to entertain better and wider beer distribution, benefiting all, really. However, no one is exactly sure how this can be accomplished.

Personally, I think the beer community will only improve when we get a greater presence online. There should be a wiki or forum sharing beer menus and what's occupying shelf space in town. There should be a beer blog that lets people know what's coming to town, what's on tap at Sycamore, and when's the next beer dinner. The Columbia Beer Enthusiasts (Can we get a new name?) has a nice site that's rather informational, but it's static. We need something with some interaction and daily updates.

I mean, why isn't there a blog encouraging me to buy up the Mikkeller Stateside IPA at Arena Liquor so that they'll order more from this pricey-yet-creative brewery? Who gave me a tip that Hyvee received a boatload of Sierra Nevada's Bigfoot Barley Wine on Saturday? How am I supposed to know that Bell's Hopslam will arrive at Hyvee on Tuesday? We need some Beer 2.0 action around here and quick!

...

In case you live in a cave...or at least outside COMO, True/False is coming very soon with the full lineup to be announced at the beginning of February. Pete Bland over at Cool Dry Place has leaked a few of the titles. None of them have me too excited, but this festival never disappoints, so I'll give it the benefit of the doubt.

As usual, I have a pass and plan to use it to its fullest. There will be ridiculous amounts of words at this URL during the days leading up to, during, and following the festival. We like our nonfiction films in the Show-Me State.

Some Things I Forgot to Tell You

I feel like there are some things I have neglected to tell you recently. Nothing too important, just the sorts of things I normally tell you, the kind of things that keep you coming back for more.


One important thing I forgot to mention was the New Glarus Fat Squirrel I tried on Sunday while watching football. It was good. It was the type of beer - a brown ale - you'd sit down and have a few with your buddy, a session beer if you will. Plus, it had a distinct presence of rye. Too bad New Glarus only sells in Wisconsin.

There was more beer over the three-day weekend.

I made a waterzooi which included a cup of a tripel ale. The recipe came from The Best of Beer & Food: Pairing & Cooking with Craft Beer that R gave me for Xmas. The waterzooi was OK, but the beer was a pleasant surprise. I once bought a Southern Tier Tripel for a beer tasting. It was very disappointing. When I stumbled across the same beer a couple of weeks ago, I forgot how terrible it was and purchased it again, hence the decision to cook with the tripel. After pouring a cup into the waterzooi, I sipped on the rest of the bomber and was shocked to find that it was a rather pleasant beer. The hops right at the beginning had me hooked. I don't know that I'd buy it again, but I surely would finish it before I threw it out. (Sorry, no picture. I didn't think I would write about this beer.)

After the waterzooi and putting a certain four-month-old to bed, I headed out for another beer tasting at Sycamore. The night's beers were barley wines and old ales. Let's just say that it was hard to keep track. One should not mess with the barley wine. What I did gather was that barley wines really do benefit from some aging. So, I'm glad I kept several of my better bottles at home for cellaring. You can find the list of beers here.

While at the tasting, I also learned that the group is going to morph into something more official with possible dues, outreach programs, and an ultimate goal of creating a beer festival. This could get interesting. Our next meeting is on February 22nd at 7 PM, if you're interested.

There hasn't been much to say about music with my Animal Collective LP on back order. I am keeping up with my promise to buy more vinyl as some older records have arrived at a steady pace from Insound and eBay. Today, I finally received some items I pre-ordered from Insound.


Bon Iver returns with a four-song-EP (Blood Bank) of tracks left off last (last) year's For Emma, Forever Ago. Some people like it. Some don't. I feel it fits perfectly in place right after For Emma... and a long way before a proper follow-up. I like EP's that mainly feature oddballs and filler. It gives you a completely different image of the artist and his work. The title track is a rocker (for Bon Iver). The second track would fit on For Emma... had it been a lighter affair. "Babys," the third song, subtly reminds me of TV on the Radio with its looped piano beating and soulful vocal delivery. "Woods" is the oddest of the set with its use of auto-tuned vocals, but the experiment somehow saves face in the end with layers upon layers.


Also, I received a vinyl reissue of Airing of Grievances by Titus Andronicus. I read a lot of good things about this band in '08 and thought it deserved a shot when I saw the pre-order offer on Insound. I think I'm really hooked on anything pop/punk that feeds my hunger for the lo-fi and injects my record collection with some life. Part Brit-pop, part Sex Pistols, part early nineties Olympia, part...I don't know what, but this record makes me want to feel or at least dance. Good stuff that Titus Andronicus.

Eventually, I will get my copy of the Animal Collective record and I'll tell why it is the greatest thing ever. However, my package has not arrived. So, you will have to wait with bated breath until I tell you what to think about that melodic nonsense that is Animal Collective. Difficult indeed.

Something else I didn't tell...well...at least not recently: Bald Eagle opens for Cursive this Thursday at Mojo's. I plan to show up, so don't buy the last ticket. My hope is to help put the kid to bed, then sneak out to the show. I've seen Cursive before. I sort of outgrew them, but they have solid material. Bald Eagle, on the other hand, deserves your immediate attention.

Let me see, I told you about the Handsome Furs show on St. Patrick's Day, but I did not tell you I would be there. Now you have to wait for my crappy video or 30-something take on the Vancouver indie couple's performance in the barn we affectionately call Mojo's.

Lost returns Wednesday eve. Check it...


One more thing, there will be yet another Happy Hour at the 'Tag this Friday. Stop in, say hello, and buy me a beer.

First HH at the 'Tag: A Success!

At about 5:20 pm yesterday, I was ready to title this post "Reason #2 Why I Live in Misery: Nobody shows for happy hour." R went ahead so that one of us would be represented at the happy hour we planned at the 'Tag while I waited for Lu to wake up from her nap. She called at 5:20 to see if the kid was awake and whether we were on our way. Nobody, including those who RSVP'd on Facebook, had shown. I told R that I was coming no matter what and that we could have our own familial happy hour despite all the no-shows.

Then, something happened on my way to the 'Tag.

I called R to tell her I was turning onto Hitt Street so that she could grab Lu out of the car while I found a parking space. She said people had started to show. Happy hour was on.

For the next three or four hours, a steady stream of friends and acquaintances braved the cold for a drink or two at the 'Tag. The HH I organized on Facebook was a modest hit. And it sounds like the fun continued on through the night.

Now our goal is to make Happy Hour at the 'Tag a regular Friday thing. The idea is that not everyone has to show every Friday, but just to get a few people to stop by on Fridays as a regular thing would be great.

If you're reading this and live anywhere near COMO, be sure to stop in at the Ragtag some Friday between 5 pm and 1 am for happy hour(s). If you're on Facebook, join our group. If you're just passing through town on a Friday, stop by. I can't guarantee that I'll be there every week, but I will certainly try to make it as often as possible.

BTW-For those wondering what beer I sampled last night: I finished off the special for R, a Stag with a shot of rye, since she's no fan of beer. Then I nursed a Jewbilation 11 (on tap!!!) on a upset stomach.

There's noting to do in COMO this winter.

Sorry for the hyperbole, but there is actually very little going on. What is going on can be found in the lines below.


On Friday, tickets go on sale for Handsome Furs who will play Mojo's on St. Patrick's Day. Be sure to wear green that night, but only if you're being ironic. I'm hoping that I'll be able to get a ticket, because this might be the only show I attend all winter.

Of course, there are other shows. I'm just not super thrilled about any of them. I already am missing Colourmusic tonight at Mojo's. They might be the loudest band I've ever heard. I may have to miss the January 22 show with Cursive, Ladyfinger, and Bald Eagle, but I'm working one it. On January 28th, Someone Still Loves You Boris Yeltsin will make their semi-annual trip to COMO. Then, Tapes 'n Tapes will make their third appearance here since I moved to mid-Misery on February 3rd. I might be too busy that week to make it out. And that's about it for Mojo's until that Handsome Furs show (unless there's some band on the schedule that I have not read about in Pitchfork yet).

The Blue Note pretty much has nothing.

The Ragtag almost has less. They are showing Milk and Slumdog Millionaire for the entire month of January. I've already seen both. They were good films. The people at the 'Tag must be busy planning some big event. More on that below.


I have a beer tasting on Monday. It's been a while since I've attended one of these. We will be sampling barley wines and old ales (plus several home brews), so the number of beers to get in has been halved due to the brew's abnormally high ABV. I'm not sure that the Great Divide Old Ruffian I'm bringing will be the most exotic beer ever tasted, but it is a solid beer that can be bought locally. I'll bet at least one person in the group has not tried it before. I did offer to take a '07 Schlafly Reserve Barley Wine, but the group sampled some the previous month and thought I should continue to cellar it.

There might be a birthday party at my humble abode as R and I are both set to hit the big 3-4. We realize that it's not all that monumental of a birthday, but we have to do something to spice up the winter. BTW-R is older...by two days.


Thankfully, the end of February will bring another True/False Film Festival. I have said it before: This festival is the best thing about living here. I'm not kidding. The home-grown documentary film festival is overwhelmingly eventful and affirming. Filmmakers, studios, doc bloggers, musicians, etc. descend upon our fair city and inject a ton of flavor into the community. R and I have our passes and are waiting for the schedule to be announced so that we can start planning the weekend. This is such a big deal that my mom is coming into to town to watch Lucia, while friends who moved to Lincoln, NE a few years back return to sleep on our futon and get their doc fill for the year. My hope is that our friends David and Ashley get their film Invisible Girlfriend accepted to the fest. We'll see. I've got my fingers crossed.

And that's about it. I probably don't have time to do anything else anyway with work and school and a baby. Oh well. I don't call it Misery for nothing.

The Foundry Field Recordings Hit the Road

There are very few shows hitting COMO this winter/spring. I have intentions to buy Handsome Fur tickets, but I'll get back to you all on that one later.

In the meantime, The Foundry Field Recordings have some tour dates up. My guess is that there will be dates for the other side of the country in the fall, but don't quote me on that.

If you live in one of these towns and read this blog, you should go. Tell 'em comoprozac sent you. (You'll probably get nothing but blank stares.)

Feb 26 2009 8:00P	The Billiken Club	St. Louis, Missouri
Feb 27 2009 8:00P	Schuba’s	Chicago, Illinois
Feb 28 2009 8:00P	Courtyard Cafe	Urbana, Illinois
Mar 1 2009 8:00P	Nomad World Pub	Minneapolis, Minnesota
Mar 2 2009 8:00P	Replay Lounge	Lawrence, KS
Mar 3 2009 8:00P	Hi-Dive	Denver, Colorado
Mar 4 2009 8:00P	Kilby Court	Salt Lake City, Utah
Mar 5 2009 8:00P	The Palace	Missoula, Montana
Mar 6 2009 8:00P	American Legion Cabin	Moscow, Idaho
Mar 7 2009 8:00P	TBA	Seattle, Washington
Mar 8 2009 8:00P	Rontoms	Portland, Oregon
Mar 10 2009 8:00P	TBA	San Francisco
Mar 11 2009 8:00P	Satellite	Reno, Nevada
Mar 12 2009 8:00P	Silverlake Lounge	Los Angeles, California
Mar 13 2009 8:00P	Luxury Wafer Sessions	Los Angeles
Mar 14 2009 8:00P	Pink Elephant	San Diego, California
Mar 18 2009 8:00P	SXSW - TBA	Austin, Texas
Mar 19 2009 8:00P	SXSW - TBA	Austin, Texas
Mar 20 2009 8:00P	SXSW - TBA	Austin, Texas
Mar 21 2009 8:00P	Valley of the Vapors Fest	Hot Springs, AR

(Pic blatantly lifted from the bathysphere.)

Best of 2008: Homegrown in COMO

In order to make this place tolerable, I've had to search out local merchants and producers that fill my many wants and needs. I prefer local to corporate anything and COMO has a lot to offer in that department. So, here is my list of the best local businesses of 2008 (most likely not to change in 2009).

Best Farmers Market Vendor: (Tie) Show-Me Farms and Susie's Grass-Fed Meats
I was able to justify giving up my vegetarianism (7.5 years) once I realized you could buy locally meat that was not force-fed corn. Show-Me has been a staple in our household since moving here. We still have a bunch of meat from the cow we shared with friends. Plus, Show-Me makes a mean breakfast burrito and we always buy their eggs. We shared a lamb with neighbors from Susie. The lamb is fine, but her friendly nature is what sells the meat.

Best Ice Cream: Sparky's
This has been a hotly contested topic at other blogs, but the choice is clear. No other ice cream shop provides the same flavors and local color as Sparky's. Also, they serve alcohol.

Best Brewery: Flat Branch
This is easy since it is the only brewery in town (for now - look for the co-op by the Root Cellar), but it is a solid brewery. Sure some of the beers lack the characteristics you'd expect from particular brews and most of the wait staff don't know the difference between a porter and a Hefeweizen, but the beer is good overall and the food is among my favorites. (I'm currently obsessed with the stout meatloaf.)

Best Beer Selection: Sycamore
Sycamore has really improved as a restaurant since moving here, but the beer selection is what sets it apart. Sanford does an amazing job bringing in beers one does not normally find in Mid-Misery. New Belgian puts out several keg-only releases, and somehow Sanford always gets his hands on them.
A Close Second: The Ragtag - Barry has put together a solid, yet accessible selection in a short amount of time.

Best Restaurant - Dinner: Wine Cellar and Bistro
This is the home of R's favorite chef. We had our first date night since Lucia's birth at Wine Cellar and Bistro. Someone describes their food as "one-ingredient-too-many," but I would contend that it's better to have one-too-many than not enough. Plus, they hosted a fantastic beer dinner with Bells.

Best Restaurant - Breakfast: Cafe Berlin
When Cucina Sorella closed, we were fearful that we would never have a non-diner/bakery breakfast again...Then Cafe Berlin arrived. At first, the food was so-so, but the little family joint has prospered over the last year. The highlight for me is the pancake burrito. It's filling and satisfies both my salty and sweet desires simultaneously.

Best Restaurant - Old Stand-By: Murry's
Nothing about Murry's is spectacular. It's located in a strip mall. There's always a wait. But what Murry's is is consistent. I know that I can always get the steak "sandwich" when I'm in-need of some iron and protein. They have also been a great employer over the years, giving many in the COMO restaurant scene their first start.

Best Chocolate: Patric Chocolate
I'm not talking about confectioners and their bite-sized morsels in heart-shaped boxes. I'm talking real, from-the-bean-to-the-bar, artisan chocolate. And it exists in Columbia, Missouri. Alan (a beer-tasting buddy) makes the most intensely complex chocolate I've had. Seriously, buy his chocolate. I'll wait...

Best Indie Label: Emergency Umbrella
Sometimes, like Patric Chocolate, COMO doesn't realize what they have. EU is on the rise. Let me run down the label's roster...Sinkane's Ahmed Gallab just toured as Of Montreal's second drummer and has done some recording with members of TV on the Radio and Yeasayer. Now there's word that Merge might be interested in Sinkane. Gentleman Auction House have a ton of buzz swirling around them with interest shown from Polyvinyl. Bald Eagle just secured a spot opening for Cursive on an upcoming tour and recently had a song picked up by Microsoft Zune for a marketing campaign. Drew Danburry is a favorite among the indie elite, including members of Death Cab for Cutie. Finally, there's the Foundry Field Recordings who have a record and tour on the horizon. FFR has been featured in numerous magazines and websites over the years, just Google them. Look for the label to possibly have a showcase at next year's SXSW.
Best Place to Take Visitors: Booches
If you want the best hamburger in the world, go to Booches. Need I say more? I order mine as "2 E, GRO" (everything, grilled onions).

Best Coffee: Kaldi's
This might be a cheat since Kaldi's is technically a STL product, but the best coffee in town was roasted by Kaldi's before they set up a shop in COMO and it still is now that their on 9th and Cherry.

Best Video Shop: Ninth Street Video
For whatever reason, I've never been a "regular" anyplace. If I have or will ever be considered a "regular," it will be at Ninth Street Video (now on Hitt St.). Almost everybody who works there knows that I'll return the movies late and that the account is under R's name. I've been let off the hook for so many late fees that I might be able to pay for my child's first three years of college. Besides that, the selection is second-to-none.

While we're at 10 Hitt Street...

Best Bar/Movie Theater/Bakery: Ragtag Cinema/Uprise Bakery
Sharing the building with Ninth Street Video is my favorite hangout. The Tag has been a beacon of light in my sea of Misery since moving here. And now, they have two screens. The bar/bakery area is spacious and hip. Uprise serves the best bread in town (available everywhere these days) and the bar is first-rate with its copper top and great beer selection. Have I mentioned my love for The Tag before?

There are plenty more local businesses that get my money, but few of them would thrive in other cities like New York, Seattle, Chicago, etc. These just happen to be businesses that I would put up against any other city's. So, you should support them (and their kind) with whatever money you have left. COMO can't afford to lose such homegrown successes as these joints to economic environment in which we find ourselves.

Sure, think globally, but buy locally.

The Beer I Drank Today: He'Brew Jewbelation/Santa's Private Reserve Ale

Actually, I drank these beers last night, not today. And they are two, not one.

The beer I drank today: He'Brew's Jewbelation

Style: American Brown Ale

Color: deep, dark brown

Head/Lacing: fizzy, medium head with spotty lacing

Aroma: dates, bitter chocolate, alcohol

Flavor: hops, alcohol, caramel

Context: The annual holiday/Christmas party held in the only Jewish home on our block happened last night. It's an interesting affair. Traditionally, it's a Christmas party. Then, a few years back, the aforementioned Jewish household volunteered to host the neighborhood party when no one else could. Ever since, the cul-de-sac has celebrated Christmas in this home. This was our second time to enjoy this party. My last time over at the house, I brought some fine beer and knew I couldn't show up empty-handed. This beer was a hit.

Would I recommend this beer to you?: Yes. I think I liked the hoppiness of last year's batch more than this year's version, but this is a quality, alcohol-y beer and I'll drink the other one sitting in my stash in the days to come.


The beer I drank today: Rogue Santa's Private Reserve Ale

Style: American Amber

Color: dark, dark red

Head/Lacing: sort of flat, not much lacing

Aroma: If the word "piny" was ever used to describe the aroma of a beer, this is the one. It's almost too piny.

Flavor: I like bitter, but this beer may have tested my limits. The bitterness is not overwhelming, but it is not balanced with caramel or raisin or some other sweet flavor.

Context: This beer followed up the Jewbelation and was a bit overshadowed. I was the only one drinking it. I believe I was drinking my share of the beer when two little girls somehow managed to lock themselves in the room with all the coats, so we had some extra time to hang out.

Would I recommend this beer to you?: Depends. This beer makes a great gift or holiday favor with its bright label featuring Santa Clause. I still have another bomber in my stash and will still drink it. It may also need to be paired with something besides random cookies and party treats. In other words, I have to give the benefit of the doubt since it is a Rogue.

"Inside" Columbia's "Best" of Poll

After a day on the road, I sat down to catch up on my social networking. I found a message from Sparky's (COMO's finest ice cream joint) encouraging fans to vote on Inside Columbia's Best of 2009 poll. So, in order to show my support, I looked up IC's website.

To my horror, I found what has to be the most out-of-touch survey in the history of city-best-of history. Not only did they not provide the best choices in several categories, but the folks at "Inside" Columbia often included non-local choices or those most fancied by frat boys.

Let me share some of the highlights...

Columbia's best band category may have been the most egregious offense. Among the choices was a metal band, a funk band, a band called "The Bubbas", a wedding band (who also happens to be the defending-champ), and a hippie jam band. Never mind that local bands like The Foundry Field Recordings and Bald Eagle have both received national recognition or that a band like Jerusalem and the Starbaskets is incredibly more compelling than any band on IC's list. Apparently, the folks at Inside Columbia hate music.

Another category close to my heart, best blogger, was weak as well. David Kurtz runs the rather accomplished Talking Points Memo, but he's more of an editor than he is an actual blogger. Two of the "bloggers" (Jason Rosenbaum and Pete Bland) are actually professional journalists, not citizen journalists. Sure, Rosenbaum and Bland write good columns, but bloggers they are not. Then there's Mike Martin, maybe the only true blogger of the bunch. Of course, his blog, The Columbia Heartbeat, is really just a glorified newsletter published on Blogger. I don't think my blog is the best in town, but the best can't possibly be in this group.

Five categories are dedicated to local TV personalities. Really.

The restaurant categories are wrought with problems. The favorite restaurant category was larger than most but was absent the best restaurant: Wine and Cheese Bistro. The best chocolate treat category failed to mention the best chocolate here or anywhere comes from the folks at Patric. While national chains are all over the lists, no other choice is as obscene as Olive Garden for best Italian. Speaking of "ethnic foods", IC somehow rounded up six choices for best Chinese food. (If you've ever been to COMO, you understand why that's ridiculous.) I have indigestion just thinking about some of the choices.

Of course, the worst list of choices for me was the one for best beer selection. Flat Branch Brewery makes sense. If the Blue Fugue didn't turn a blind eye to all the smoking, they would be legitimate as well. The other choices are crummy sports or undergrad bars. The two best beer selections in town didn't even make the list: The Ragtag and Sycamore.

The choices don't get much better after that. There are loads of corporate chains mixed in with both good and lame local joints. Maybe my biggest problem with the survey is that it's so long - 122 items long. You can vote for everything from best plumber to best teacher to best boss. Narrowing the best of COMO list to a manageable twenty would have been preferable, but whatever.

I actually did not cast my votes. I maybe voted for 10% of the items until I finally ran out of gas. Eventually, I'll post my own list, possibly without Survey Monkey's help.

BTW-I would have voted for Joel Sager (artist), Craig Cyr (chef), Booche's (bang for the buck, best burger, best bar food), Sparky's (frozen treat, ice cream), Flat Branch (outdoor dining), and True/False Film Festival (local festival).

Bells Makes Misery Tolerable

When we moved to Misery, I was afraid I had left everything I loved about the Great Lakes region behind. In many ways, I had. However, one favorite from my days in Ohio followed us to Misery: Bell's Beers.

We moved here in the summer of 2005. As a beer drinker, I appreciated the Boulevard Wheat (with a slice of lemon) available at nearly every bar and restaurant, filling my need for a suitable summer beer. This made me hopeful for the beer in this town, but I still missed some of my favorites from back home. The best was Bell's Oberon, a seasonable wheat ale best served with an orange slice.

Luckily, Bell's Brewery out of Kalamazoo, Michigan ships to Misery. It's not available everywhere, but almost. I live off Two-Hearted Ale throughout the year. The beer is a welcome reminder of from where I come.Flash forward to the present. Last night, R and I enjoyed our first real night out together since Lucia's arrival. Lucia joined us of course for her very first beer event, the Bell's beer pairing dinner at The Wine Cellar and Bistro. The menu looked like this (my notes are in italics)...

Winter White Ale (Reception Beer)

Caramel Popcorn with Parmesan & Lavender

Was the caramel simply infused with lavender? Either way, it reminded me of my grandmother's homemade caramel corn. I once had this ale in a bottle which did it very few favors. The beer paired perfectly with our starter, meaning good things were to come.

Amber Ale

“Fresh baked pretzel” stuffed with shrimp, caraway Greystone pork sausage, spicy white cheddar emulsion and wasabi-whole grain mustard

This was actually a stuffed pretzel, believe it or not. I was afraid that the spices in the sausage and wasabi would clash terribly, but they actually complimented each other well. The amber is, according to the Bell's rep, the brewery's signature beer. It's light on the hops and alcohol, making it an ideal session beer (read: drink it all night long without getting sick).

Pale Ale

Smoked Patchwork ribs with roasted red pepper oatmeal, crispy sweet potatoes and ale reduction

Again, this was an excellent pairing. Pale ale just works with the smoked pork and sweet potatoes. The oatmeal was sort of a risotto-type of thing. The pale ale, like the white winter, definitely tastes better when allowed to breath from a glass.

Two-Hearted Ale

Pan seared scallops, saffron poached potatoes, kafir lime beer blanc, roasted carrots and fried leeks

This was going to be my favorite course before we even began. The food actually cut some of the bitterness of the IPA and pulled out some of the more aromatic aspects. Excellent.

Consecrator Doppelbock

Chestnut stuffed grilled quail and grilled duck, wilted local greens, topped with green tomato chutney and cilantro

I didn't remember this doppelbock as chocolaty as it was when I tasted it at the lager night for the beer club. Of course, I probably tasted 20 or so lagers prior to trying this one. Then I wasn't sure if such a flavor would go with the dish. I was wrong. These two paried very nicely.

Third Coast Old Ale (Barley wine)

Baked Missouri caramel apple soufflé with rosemary and bay infused anglaise and caramelized apples

I was a little disappointed to get such a fresh barley wine (a few weeks old). The rep suggested buying a six-pack, drinking one, and storing the rest for the future. Now that I had some at the dinner, I purchased a six-pack today to store the whole thing. What saved this beer was the dessert. The infusion of bay and rosemary matched the apple perfectly with the beer really pulling out the carmal flavor.

Bell’s Stout

Crater Lake blue cheese crème brûlée with blackberries and espresso syrup

I think I counted no more than four different Bells stouts on the Hyvee shelves this evening. Interestingly, the basic stout was served with our final course last night. Instead of the beer providing all the coffee flavor, the dessert's syrup filled the need for an afterdinner coffee. Surprisingly, the blue cheese fit in nicely.

All in all, it was a great night of beer and food. The pairings were both unique and well-matched. It is easy to see why we choose the bistro as our celebratory restaurant over and over. Although the beer was not as intense or varied as the event I missed at Sycamore, it was all as good as American craft beer gets. I highly recommend both The Wine Cellar and Bistro as well as my favorite brewery, Bell's.

Dude's Day Out: Friday

Dude's night out weekend started last night. Billy and I met at John McCain's new favorite restaurant, Buckingham Smokehouse. Other than the fact that they served a Republican presidential candidate, Buckingham has always been a favorite of mine. Last night did not disappoint.
The server was super fast and efficient. However, she didn't realize that it's actually a compliment to get carded for a dude in his Jesus year. She was young enough to find it a burden to be carded. When does that change? How old do you have to be when being carded becomes a compliment as opposed to an inconvenience?

Also last night (I know. The title says "Friday."), I actually watched TV. I haven't watched TV (aside from a few football games) in six weeks. What happened six weeks ago to cause this? Hmmm...

I watched pretty much anything that was funny or offensive or a little of both. Probably my favorite show, The Office, was half-way done by the time I sat down. That's OK, because I can watch the entire episode online. Although, I'm not sure that I want to watch this one. All the romantic storylines are turning it into just another crappy sitcom. Why do they ruin good shows with kissy-faces and mushy talk?

Saturday Night Live is trying to get in on The Daily Show/Colbert Report audience by showing half-hour weekend update segments as filler leading up to the election. The show has it's funny moments, but it's not Comedy Central.

(I haven't written this much about TV in a long time. Sorry. I normally despise the medium.)

After a forgettable South Park in which the boys pose as a Peruvian flute band and get shipped off to Peru in a secret plot to unleash giant guinea pigs on the world, I caught Sara Silverman's show. I like Silverman's brand of comedy. It's so over-the-top offensive that it's hard to determine whether she's really that bigoted and narcissistic or just really good at what she does. Either way, last night's episode was one of the most offensively hilarious things I've ever seen. Let me summarize...

Sara continually confuses men in beards for Osama Bin Laden and runs them over with her car, bike, or whatever mode of transportation she can get her hands on. Meanwhile, her sister is made to feel shameful for her overabundant pubic hair, a sort of tribute to her mom. Sara's gay neighbor gets a massage and confuses "full release" for defication. And that doesn't mention Sara's play in which she and her friends reenact the 9-11 tragedy. Trust me. It was funny.

Moving on to Friday as promised.

Friday has not gotten off to a great start. This is my real reason for wanting to write this post today. I have to complain about Kaldi's Coffeehouse.

I normally like Kaldi's. The coffee is good and the menu is more interesting than your typical coffee shop. They are one of the few places open downtown at 6:00 am. The people there are friendly and relatively responsive.

As I drove downtown before hitting the road for work, I figured that i could quickly get a coffee and a hardy breakfast sandwich at Kaldi's. Quick and easy.

I entered the shop at 6:40, thinking I had twenty minutes to be on the road in time to reach my destination early enough to prep for a training session. The coutner was empty as some jackass behind me was yelling into his phone about their crazy night (which I guess was just coming to an end) and how some girl was losing her driving privileges because she caused him to spill his drink all over himself.

6:45 arrived as did the first person I saw who actually worked at Kaldi's. She took my order. It was pricey ($7.60 for a bagel sandwich and large coffee, +tip), but I was paying for convenience.

Then the time passed. At about 7:00, someone finally asked me if I had been helped. I told her I was just waiting for my sandwich. She looked back and saw no sandwich ready to go. She offered me a half-pound of coffee, the day's promotion. I didn't want the coffee. I just wanted my sandwich so that I would not be late for work. She apologized.

Five minutes later, the girl behind the counter rushes out my sandwich and I hurry to my car. Upon opening the bag, I realize she had given me a crepe stuffed with egg, feta, spinach, and tomato. While this is a nice breakfast, it is not what I ordered and not that easy to eat while driving. I ate it anyway and swore to have my revenge on Kaldi's.

I reached my destination early enough to set up my training session despite the Kaldi's setback. As I closed the car door, it suddenly occured to me that my keys were still inside. This is how my Friday began.

Luckily, the locksmith unlocked my car and told me to pay later through the mail. Also, when I am done with work today, I am joining some folks on a road trip to STL for the Of Montreal show. While I am not a huge fan, I am excited to get in on the guest list as "+1." We'll meet up with Emergency Umbrella's Sinkane and Ahmed Gallab at the show. So, the day should get better. Now, my lunch period is almost up. I get back to all on the rest of my dude's night out weekend.

(BTW-R and Lucia survived their trip to Detroit.)

Dude's Night Out

Dude's Night Out doesn't begin tonight. If it did, I would surely have headed out to this "soft opening" (more on that later). No, R and the kid head out tomorrow for a wedding in Detroit, leaving me here, alone in COMO, forced to fend for myself.

I love my partner and daughter, but everybody needs some time alone. I still have two days of work to go this week, but the weekend is mine. I should take advantage of it whenever I get a chance to hit the town.

There will be room in my weekend for the Tin Can Tavern and Grille for sure. I am normally a beer snob, but I am intrigued by a joint that specializes in canned beer over all others. I hear they have good bar food as well. If you see me at the Tin Can and mention the blog, I'll buy you PBR (assuming that you're of legal age).

I'll have to pick my time to hit the Tin Can carefully, as this is homecoming weekend. If you know anything about Misery, you know that MU's homecoming celebration is the nation's oldest (along with Illinois). So, I will have to tread lightly through a sea of paraders, drunk college kids, and drunk alumni in order to find some enjoyment this weekend.
I am considering a film at the 'Tag. Bill Maher's Religulous is playing all weekend. Growing up in an household of atheists and agnostics helped me to see many of the hypocrisies in organized religion. Maher just makes the hypocrisy seem funny. Trouble the Water, yet another Katrina doc, is also showing as is Baghead, a sort of Blair Witch meets meets There's Something About Mary meets The Big Chill or something like that. Of course, there's always more mainstream fair like W. or Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist.

I could always head out for some live music this weekend. There's nothing in town that rivals last weekend's Broken Social Scene gig, but there has to be something. I passed up on a chance to play hoops with Of Montreal in STL because I have to work. I still could have gone to their show at the Pageant, but I just don't have the time or energy at the moment.

The other possibility for live music is KCOU's birthday bash at Mojo's. Mizzou's student radio station has come upon some tough times. It seems their radio tower is atop a dorm set to be demolished in the near future. The legislature turned down an emergency spending bill to save the station. I don't really know what the station's status is anymore. The only thing I can say is that KCOU is one of the best things about living here. Sure, it's a bunch of kids telling me what I should to listen to, but they are right more than they are wrong. My hope is that it was a silly bureaucratic scare and the station will be around for many years to come. Either way, go to SaveKCOU.org for more info.

Oh, I almost forgot to plug the music. It seems there are two cover bands set to play the evening. HalloWEEZER is supposed to be a spot-on impersonator of Blue-era Weezer. Gold Soundz is a tribute to Pavement. My bet is that they suck, but it might be fun anyway.

There's nothing at the Note until next week's Stephen Malkmus-Ted Leo-Wolf Parade trifecta. I may only get to see one of those. Tickets to see SM are in my possession. I'm still working on seeing Wolf Parade.

There is also a little football game on this Saturday. Ohio State tries to prove that they can win a big game again by welcoming the Penn State Nittany Lions to the 'Shoe. It will be "Scarlet Fever" night as the entirity of the 108,000 or so Buckeye fans have been encouraged to wear red. Oh, and Mizzou will try not to lose three-in-a-row when they host Colorado.

There are a few beers to consume along the way. I'm working through the Bear Republic line-up. BR makes an affordable yet surprisingly tasty set of beers. The Hop Rod is, well, hoppy. I enjoyed that for the second time this past weekend. Next up is the Red Rocket Ale. Also on the docket is the Great Divide Hercules Double IPA in a new bottle. I will also be on the lookout for some new brews out of Bells and possibly the Oktoberfest over at Flat Branch. I have to say that Flat Branch's American Pale Ale is one of the better beers they've made in a while.

Besides paying a neighbor kid to help me rake some leaves (we have a lot of trees), that's about it for my dude's night out weekend extravaganza. I know you were expecting something like this...


After R and Lucia return from Detroit, we'll attend a beer dinner at a wine joint. I'll have more to post in the days and weeks to come.

Fall Preview

Upon reading my Google Reader today, I realized that recent posts on this blog have ignored the local music scene and have neglected this place in which I live in order for me to get on my soapbox or remind you that I'll be a dad shortly. But most importantly, I haven't written any lists in a while.

There's a lot to do this fall in COMO. I won't have time for much of it, but there is still a lot to do. So, here's my list of top 10 events this fall. 

10. Roots 'N  Blues 'N BBQ Festival

I mostly found this event last year to be a major annoyance. The streets were overwhelmed with people. The stage was idiotically placed at th

e top of the hill on 8th Street, looking down from Broadway, instead of the more ideal and time-tested location on 9th. There was no use ge

tting in line for the BBQ. The lines were too long. Additionally, beer was hard to come by and usually swill (read "Budweiser"). If they fix half of these problems, the fest might be worth attending this year.

9. Broken Social Scene 

On October 17th, my father-in-law will travel all the way from Pittsburgh to babysit just so that R and I can head over to the Note and see a 23-piece rock supergroup from

 Toronto, better known as Feist's old band. Land of Talk opens.

8. The Ragtag Passport Series

The 'Tag features yet another edition of their Passport Series in which the little indie theater that could presents quality flicks from around the globe. The screenings include complimentary drinks that relate to the film and a "tour guide" to the locales and issues

 portrayed. Get out of COMO for two hours in the friendly confines of the Ragtag Theater. Most likely we'll miss most of these, but I get tired of 

7. Stephen Malkmus and the Jicks 

My hero (and crush) Stephen Malkmus visits COMO with his Jicks in order to rock your socks off. I have a ticket for this one, but it may cause me to miss #5. Either way, I'll see SM and Janet Weiss on the skins with Blitzen Trapper opening.

6. Columbia Beer Enthusiasts Beer Tastings

This is one of those events from which I may have to take a sabbatical. We've had three great beer tastings. Our numbers grow each time. The next tasting is on September 22 with Scotch, brown, and amber ales as the featured brews. More than likely, there will be another in October, November, and so on.

5. Wolf Parade 

I rated this show so high because I might not be able to attend. I have yet to see Wolf Parade live but have longed to catch their act since Apologies to the Que

en Mary was released the year we moved here. From videos I've seen online, they certainly put on a great show. Wish me luck as I try to negotiate a way out of the house to see Wolf Parade on November 7th at the Note.

4. College Football

Everyone in COMO is drinking the Mizzou Koolaid ever since the Tigers put together a 12-win season last year and started off this year with a win over a top-25 team from Illinois. Plus, last year was one of the craziest CFB seasons ever. Who knows what will happen this year? Of course, I'll be paying more attention to Beanie's toe than any of the 70+ points Mizzou scores this weekend. You all should join me and watch the game of the year next week in LA when The Ohio State University travels to LA to take on the USC Trojans.

3. The End of Twilight Fest

I never liked this festival or street fair or whatever it is. Mostly, stores stay open late and streets are overcrowded, blindly meandering through the District (of Columbia). I'm glad to see this "event" come to an end. The Note's Summer Stage will fill the void...as soon as they get better acts than Johnny Lang and Cracker. (To be fair, I've seen Wilco twice at this event and Death Cab for Cutie played in the spring.)

2. Indecision '08

Barack Obama and John McCain face off for the chance to clean up George W Bush's eight year mess. Despite the soap opera that is Sarah Palin's life, the vice-presidential candidates are actually quite boring. Whoever wins, hopefully there will be a change in how our government works and is perceived throughout the world. At least Jon Stewart will keep us all informed throughout. I won't miss this no matter how many children we birth this fall and neither should you.

1. The (eventual) Arrival of comoprozac Jr.

Yes, we're still waiting. The kid is now officially late, which is ironic since my last name is Early (no joke). We wait and try various strategies to move this birth along, but all we end up doing is waiting. Of course, I will be certain to let you all know once little Bristol or Levi arrives...I kid, I kid.

Enjoy your autumn.