Uch, just SO good...

A power ballad, the might of which is only bested by the 80s-awesomeness of its video...

Ladies and gentlemen, When You Close Your Eyes by NIGHT RANGER.

Beernorah

Great googily moogily!  Apparently someone who shares my love of both craft beer and the Festival of Lights made this latkelicious menorah.  Shmaltz Brewing Company (the makers of HE'BREW) pump out some good suds, if you've never tried them.  And, apparently, their bottles make for great candlesticks.  Anyway, just thought it was cool--not to mention wonderfully inappropriate that there's a little kid behind looking in awe.  That's right, Mom and Dad, start 'em young.

Now You're A Man!

Just because.

MIXED BAG: Vampires/Tea Bagging/Almost Famous Edition

This weekend I bore witness to the newest installment of the Twilight series, Breaking Dawn Pt. 1.  No, I didn't go willingly; I was stealthy guilted into it by my Wife, who's birthday was this weekend and who definitely used it against me (rest assured, husbands of the world...she will suffer greatly.  I will see it done).  Now, I'm not in the business of baseless disparagement...so, luckily, this next comment comes with a great deal of factual foundation: THE TWILIGHT MOVIES ARE SO, SO, SO, DOUBLE-SO BAD.  Watching them makes me sink into a state of awed, depressive frustration so much so that I have to consciously remind myself that people--not to mention my perception of modern day vampires--are not actually that ridiculous, lest I walk out of the movie theatre and impale myself on the nearest rusty spike.

Now, I will admit--and please know I say this with immeasurable amounts of self-loathing--that having seen the rest of the series, this installment is by far the best.  But understand that this doesn't speak to the greatness of this particular movie, rather the inaneness of the others.  The acting--to use the term loosely--is only debased by the scripting (oy vey) which, in turn, suffers at the hand of some seriously contrived plot lines.  Each movie is 90+ minutes of eye and ear-burning pain; basically, it is the cinematic equivalent of being tied to a chair while someone who just ate their weight in Chipotle farts into a ziplock bag and then fastens it, securely, over your head.

Moving on: The 2011 Video Game Awards.  Awesomeness.  Dorky and wonderful all at the same time.  Even if you're not a fan of video games--and for that, by the way, you should be cast into a fiery, Balrog-infested chasm--the annual VGAs are pretty damn entertaining.  Especially with this year's inclusion of a new notification system for when a winner's speech has gone on too long (see below).  Props to Bethesda Game Studio's The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim for taking home the Game Of The Year award.  Just thought I'd share

Finally, saw Kaleigh Baker live at Naks by the Tracks in Exeter, PA.  If any of you have the opportunity to see her, DO IT...she is phenomenal.  And the sax player that accompanied her was equally as stirring (ach, sorry, my man...don't remember your name!)  It was pretty outstanding, though...his saxamaphoning provided a perfect harmony to her Janis-like vocals.  And the intimate, smoky bar setting couldn't have been a more perfect venue.  Check her out...she is big-time talent.

Sam Adams' Utopias aka How I Spent My 401k

Sounds WAY too good to pass up.  Except that it's monster expensive.  I'll just sit here and salivate for now...

http://thefullpint.com/beer-reviews/samuel-adams-utopias?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+Thefullpintcom+%28thefullpint.com+-+Beer+News%2C+Reviews+and+Event+Coverage%29

The SECOND most important reason you shouldn't have sex with animals...

(**not going to address the 2-month hiatus...just going to continue on like it never happened**)

You know me, I hate to be a party pooper.  But, yes, it pains me--literally--to report that a new study has confirmed that doing the wild monkey dance with, well, actual monkeys, for example, can lead to penis cancer.  No longer is bestiality frowned-upon from simply a moral standpoint, but now there are health-related repercussions.  Which, of course, takes ALL the fun out of it.  What sort of cruel trick is this, lord??  You put these animals on this earth--lookin' all sexy and whatnot, grazing on grass and eatin' slop and poopin' all over the place--and then throw THIS udderly horrible consequence into the mix?!  Wow, NOT cool.

So, sorry, gents...if you didn't have enough reason before not to hump up on Gertrude-the-unassuming-sheep, now's the time to put away those velcro gloves and peanut butter and concentrate on human-only romantic conquests.  Realizing, though, that some men just won't be satisfied by your average human female sexual encounter, I have populated a list of...add-ons, if you will, that might make the transition to homo-sapien love-making that much smoother:

1) Fill your bed with hay and flies

2) While in the act, have your mate chew on some cud

3) Do it in a field (preferably with a dirty ol' farmer watching from his window)

4) Find a way to integrate a saddle and, if at all possible, a brand iron

5) Replace "oh yeah, baby" and "mmmmmm" with "MOOOOO!" and that "hee-haw" sound a donkey makes that, coincidentally, sounds just like Forrest Gump's Mom in that scene where she's proving to the principal she's willing to "do all she can for her son's education."

Give them a try, ya know, how could it hurt? (Well, admittedly, #4 could hurt...)  But, desperate times call for desperate measures.  And, up against the risk of penis cancer, these options might be the only safe way to sooth that savage call-of-the-wild that exists within every man.

Not a sermon, just a thought.  Moo.

What Happens When Beer and Technology Make Babies

Dogfish Head and Google--an unlikely pairing and, yet, similar in creativity and innovation--have teamed up to make a beer who's mystery is only exceeded by its power (...where's your car, dude?).  The new brew, URKontinent, will consist of:

Pilsner, Munich and Chocolate Malts and Belgian Dark Candi syrup. Then we add unique ingredients from around the world. Wattleseed from Australia imparts a chocolate, coffee, and hazelnut taste to the beer. Toasted Amaranth from South America gives it an earthy, grainy flavor and a little additional roast flavor. Green Rooibos from Africa contributes a floral aroma and slight astringency. Myrica Gale from Europe supplements the bitterness from minimal hopping. Hive Plex Honey from California adds a subtle sweetness while maintaining the dry finish.

What's next, an app that let's you sample the suds via your smartphone?  (sorry, Android, you're cool...but not THAT cool :) )

http://phandroid.com/2011/09/30/google-teams-up-with-dogfish-head-for-the-nexus-of-beers-urkontinent/

Reality hits you hard, bro!

Keanu would be proud.  Whoaaaa! (think Bill & Ted).  Can we find this guy and party with him???  Only if he wears his hat, though.

And, btw, this is REAL.

My Reebok Pumps did NOT do that!

THIS IS SIIIIIIIIIIIICK.  It's over 5 min long...but watch the whole thing.  It's unreal--this guy has got crazy talent.

And, at 4:13 your head actually explodes.

KISS MY GRITS!

Hot DAMN!  I just had my first grits experience...how long have these wonderful little things been around??  How long have I been ignorant of their awesomeness??  Admittedly, I had the Quaker Oats version...but, the "real" version (sorry, Mr. Quaker) can only be as good or better, right?

Might have to schedule a lil' trip down south just to get my grit on--who's with me?  A Grits Tour of the gulf region?  Yeah, boyee!

In honor of my newly-discovered love of grits, may it please the court:

(this clip isn't grit-related...just 10 min of MCV gold)

Donut-Eating Motherf...

Cops are necessary , like it or not.  People are dumb, people are mean; cops are there (in theory) to provide bumpers to the bowling lanes that are our lives.  The fact that they usually roll up swinging their giant, oversized wangs is a different story--we need them around until our society evolves to one more like, I dunno, Hobbits' (eat, drink, smile, pass out, repeat).

But one police tendency that really grinds my gears is when a cop pulls over a speeder on a heavily-trafficked road with no shoulders.  Like, I dunno, THIS MORNING.  Driving to work, I pulled onto the same three-lane road I traverse daily when I hit (metaphorically) an unexpectedly thick wall of traffic.  Immediately, I figured someone had gotten into an accident.  And, naturally, the first things to pop into my head were the usual thoughts of frustration and disdain at those who caused the backup, hoping their car was crushed to an unintelligible flaming pulp (but, of course, that everyone involved in the accident escaped unscathed--I'm not that evil...).  So it only added fuel to the fire when I got close enough to see it was not, in fact, an accident, but some selfish, unthinking, mindless, cruller-face with a badge and a gun who had, in their INFINITE wisdom, pulled someone over in the middle of the morning rush, a mere 100 feet from an intersection from which they could have turned off and not disrupted my commute.

But, nay, why not just stop in the middle of a main road??  Let's just cause more backup and raise the potential for accidents by performing a procedure designed to make the road safer in the STUPIDEST way possible.  Cop, I understand that you felt the need to add some excitement to your otherwise uneventful morning by pulling someone over who was probably going 5 mph over the limit...but c'mon, man!  Use your brain!!  While there is, undoubtedly, a reason you're on the beat instead of doing some awesome Law&Order-type stuff, I'm pretty sure that, in the mental battle of "should I cause a lot of unnecessary traffic OR direct the car I'm pulling over to turn off at the next cross street?" you have the ability to make the logical choice.  I guarantee you, the extra 20 seconds would not have taken away from the time you normally devote to driving while talking on your cell phone, playing on your laptop, or scratching yourself.  Really, no skin off your back...

Thank you, Officer Einstein, for burning 10 minutes of my life.  I'll be sure to remember this next time I'm solicited by your fraternal order.

PS - Spell check did not recognize "wangs."  Unacceptable, Google...just unacceptable.

A Cuban Intrusion

Mark Cuban recently underwent a procedure dreaded by men everywhere but VERY important in preventing cancer and getting all kinds of crazy paraphernalia out of your tubes, ya freakin' garbage disposal, ya.  I thought it was an interesting, entertaining post that dispelled some of the myths associated with colonoscopies (i.e. they hurt, they're scary, they don't buy you dinner first) and decided to feature it as my first guest post--albeit unbeknownst to Mr. Cuban.  Mr. Cuban, thanks for the unintentional contribution...I'd love to sit down for a FROBlog interview and cigar whenever you have a free minute :)

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My Colonoscopy

Jun 14th 2007 11:20AM

I usually don’t talk about personal issues, but I thought this was important to share.

I’m getting to that age where it pays to be proactive and start getting tested for the myriad of things that can go wrong with my body. One of the things I wanted to get over with is a check for colon cancer. Although I’m officially younger than the “suggested age” for a colonoscopy, I wanted to get it out of the way. I had read and heard too many stories about people who found polyps and how if “they had only caught them a little sooner” it would be no big deal to remove them. So I set my appointment and went for it.

Like every guy, the thought of being violated by a long tube is at the very bottom of the list of things I want to do on a summer day. I could live with having to take all the laxatives that lead up to the procedure, That’s just more time to get my reading done. But the tube up the outdoor, that’s scary.

Well this morning was the morning. I had officially lost 4 pounds to the laxative over the past 24 hours and was surprisingly not hungry after going without food for the past 24 hours as I got to the hospital at the prime time of 7am.

I was definitely nervous. Despite doctors and nurses telling me it would be a breeze, I was naturally skeptical.
A breeze was an overstatement. I can honestly say that if it made medical sense to get one done every year, i would have no problem with it. It was easy and breezy.

Once I got into the Gastro Room where they did these, they told me that they were going to knock me out, and I would get a nap and wake up like nothing happened . They were right. One minute Im talking rugby, the next I’m waking up, picking up the conversation where I left off and being told to “dispell the air in my system”.

No where else can you rip off some huge farts and have 3 nurses and a doctor, while maintaining a very professional demeanor, tell you that you aren’t done yet and demand that you let loose a few more. Then it was up to get dressed and out the door so my wife could give me a ride home.

Now, about an hour later I’m obviously back at it.

I’m writing this post because I hated the fact that I was afraid of getting a colonoscopy. It honestly scared me. I don’t like hospitals. I don’t like entries into exit lanes and its scary as shit that they could find something. In other words I was a pussy when I shouldn’t have been.

Bottomline is that your life just might depend on getting tested for colon cancer. There is absolutely nothing to be afraid of. It's truly easy and breezy. Do it.

Those with insulated upper lips, lend me your ears!!

Moustachioed brethren, hear me now!! (or rather, just see below) 

There's a casting call going on for those sporting lip ticklers and soup strainers of all kinds...and the deadline is this Wednesday (the 7th).  If you're currently 'stached or have sported some lip plumage in the past, send pictures to the email address listed below and maybe YOU will be selected to be featured in a national commercial!

KANKLES!!!!

Sweet Mary Mother of God.  Who let these kankles out of their cage?  They're GLORIOUS!

The MD Renaissance Festival plays host to many an
enlarged body part...often to the detriment of those with working eyeballs.

Unidentified Eighties Object

Saw this on the counter as I was leaving the gym.  I think it's some sort of weapon or perhaps an antiquated interrogation tool.  Does anyone recognize this thing?

Jimmy v. Irene

Last night, amidst the backdrop of Hurricane Irene's utterly anti-climactic performance, the first-ever Buffettpalooza 2011 raged on.  We celebrated the man, the myth, the legend into the early morning hours with Jimmy's music, margaritas, friends, and fun.  And lots of beer pong.  LOTS.  We reminisced about good times seeing JB in years past and how we hope to relive those experiences--at another venue than the uberoppressive Jiffy Lube Live--at some point in the future.  And then we played more beer pong.

Highlights included:

-My buddy and I huddled together in front of the grill under a large, hot pink Victoria's Secret umbrella, determined to get our BBQ on no matter what mother nature had in store.
-Awesome beer pong action by yours truly (well, in truth, my first and last games were absolute crap.  But you know how it is...ya hit that sweet spot and you're golden for, like, 2 hours.  Yeah college.).
-The Buttsplosion (see video below).
-Lil' Jimmy (our concert-going fake rooster mascot) totally got wasted and puked in the dryer.

See the BUFFETTPALOOZA 2011 Album HERE!!

Footage of fallout much worse than wussy Irene:

And, now, a few pics from the album: (these are relatively tame...but I assure you, debauchery was had by all)

Guess you can't reason with hurricane season after all...

**************************

(news from Margaritaville.com)

 

08.26.2011

Jimmy Buffett concert at Jiffy Lube Live on August 27th has been postponed to Thursday, September 1st

(August 26) – Bristow VA - Due to the predicted impact of Hurricane Irene and forcasted high sustained winds and heavy rain for the DC Metro area, Live Nation is announcing the postponement of the Jimmy Buffett & The Coral Reefer Band concert scheduled for Saturday August 27th at Jiffy Lube Live. The concert has been rescheduled to take place on Thursday, September 1st. All tickets purchased for the postponed concert will be honored on the new date.
***************************

 

But, guess what, Parrotheads?  BUFFETTPALOOZA lives on!  Might hamper the backyard bbq aspect of the bash, but we'll be rockin' and rollin', listening to Buffett, and drinking margs all night long, baby!!  You bettah believe it!!

 

For your viewing pleasure:

 

 

Libations, HOOOOOO!!

Seriously, if you aren't rockin' Cocktail 45 by now, you're livin' small.  Join the "now," man!  Tonight's menu consisted of New Amsterdam martinis, gin'n'tonics, Manhattans, and a new freak creation called The Felsen (ingredients upon request).  LOVE me some Cocktail 45!

PS - want to join?  Guess what?  You're already invited.  Make it happen, Cap'n!

Face what? Book? Facebook? What's that?

FROBlog's on Facebook!! (wow, JFro, welcome to five years ago...mazel tov.).  Check out the new page HERE. 

LIKE IT....it'll be your good deed for the day.  And you'll be a better person.  And I'll buy you a beer.*


*all beers will be bought at Kate's Place in Wilkes-Barre, PA when they're serving dollar Labatts.  Which, to my knowledge, is every night.  But I'm only buying when I'm there.

Steel Pulse - Tight Rope

This song is just too good not to post.  Just can't keep me down!

Let's Hug It Out, Boss.



Seriously...who wants a hug?

Today is National Hug Your Boss Day.  I'm not sure who invented this...special? day, but I'm gonna place bets that it wasn't a boss.  I mean, while office mates are often friends, public displays of affection are typically frowned upon in the workplace.  After all, a hug isn't just a simple handshake/highfive/fistbump... hugging is some serious bodily interaction.  I mean, we're talkin' chest-to-chest friction here, people--that's an intimate maneuver often reserved for family, close friends, those with whom you just shared a traumatic experience, and the occasional stripper.  This whole concept is just asking for trouble...and, more importantly, extreme awkwardness.

I've grouped the people who will hug their boss today into the following categories and included their RAL (Relative Awkward Level, 1-100) Score--see where you fit in:

A) The Overenthusiastic Hugger -- This is the employee who is really excited about NHYBD (National Hug Your Boss Day).  I mean...really excited.  Like, they were the first one to remind you about NHYBD...last week.  They'll jump on the boss first chance they get, taking the boss off-guard and forcing them to immediately assess the situation, let out a "Whoa!" with an uncomfortable, acquiescing laugh, and hug back politely.  RAL: 72

B) The Reluctant Hugger -- You know who this person is.  The timid guy/gal.  The one who buries themselves in their cubicle and only emerges to answer nature's call and at closing time.  They don't "get" when the boss is being sarcastic in telling them they'll need to come in on Saturday AND Sunday until it is later explained to them.  The Reluctant Hugger wants to hug the boss, but is afraid.  They will, upon learning of NHYBD, approach the boss as if they were about to enter the Octagon with a drunk and disgruntled Ken Shamrock, extend their arms slightly, and raise their shoulders/eyebrows in question just enough to warrant the boss walking over and returning the hug.  Very unnatural.  RAL: 49

C) The Joking-and-later-Regretful Hugger -- my personal favorite.  This involves the office clown; the guy who's always cracking--and usually laughing at--his own jokes (and, yes, more often than not, this one will be a guy).  This joker is the king of the famous "handshake invite retraction surprise" whereby one extends his arm for a handshake and then, when the subject reaches out, he whips his open hand up to the side of his head and goes, "HaHO! GOTcha!" and stands there grinning like an ass for 10 minutes.  Upon learning of NHYBD, he loudly announces, "Hey, it's National Hug Your Boss Day!!" and jokingly feigns giving the boss a hug..only be caught off guard by the boss (also, typically, in this situation, a man) who proceeds to lock the J.A.L.R. Hugger in a big ol' smelly manwich (usually accompanied by a hearty man-laugh, an audible "grrrrr," and transfer of shirt sweat).  At this point, the joker, visibly mortified that he's nipple jousting with his boss, begins to deeply regret his decision and is left standing there with a look of incredulity on his face as the rest of the office retreats back to their desk, equally traumatized.  RAL: 88

D) The Spiteful Hugger -- perhaps the least awkward of the hugging scenarios, but not unworthy of a mention.  This is the hugger who doesn't particularly like the boss, but wants to ensure their success in the company and, therefore, goes along with the boss' whims, wearing a phony smirk on their face and muttering insults behind the boss' back.  They consider themselves vastly-underpaid and are pretty sure they could do the boss' job better than the boss.  The Spiteful Hugger will go hug the boss...but they won't like it, damn it!  And they'll hug extra long and hard, too, just so the boss KNOWS they're the best hugger in the office and they should definitely get that raise come their next review.  In fact, in hugging so thoroughly, the Spiteful Hugger won't realize they've hugged for too long and the boss has already released his/her arms and relaxed their muscles, ready to move on.  By the time the Spiteful Hugger realizes they've overclung, it's already too late.  Awkward Turtle, anyone?  RAL: 35

Ladies and gentlemen, if there's one take-away from this post, it is this: FOR THE LOVE OF GOD, ABSTAIN FROM HUGGING YOUR BOSS.  It'll save you and everyone around you an unnecessarily awkward moment.  If you need that kind of discomfort in your life, do what my brother did and watch Borat with your elderly, conservative, foreign-born grandparents.  But, on this National Hug Your Boss Day and all that come after, do the right thing: keep your subordinate hands to yourself!

Boobs and Cake

It's what's for dinner.

Bismillah, NO!

Pop quiz, hotshot: you're driving down the road and Bohemian Rhapsody comes on the radio...what do you do?

Tape yourself lip-syncing it, of course.  Duh.

In one nostril and out the other

I was noticeably congested at work this week and a colleague suggested I go out and buy a Neti Pot.  "What's a neddypahd?" I asked, having never before heard of...well...whatever it was she just said that I thought I misheard or was a word in another language.  WELL, my friends, for those of you who, like me, were Neti Pot-noobs up until this point, a Neti Pot is a mini-watering can you use to pour a warm saline solution into your schnoz.  It filters through your nasal cavity and pours out the nostril not in-use, all the while loosening up anything that's standing in the way of you breathing clearly.  It's like a nasal enema.

I decided I'd video review my first Neti Pot experience for all those out there who are thinking of trying it...and probably won't now having heard me refer to it as a nasal enema.  Actually watching it done is a little gross--ok, not for me, but for normal people, perhaps--but if you're curious as to how this thing works, please enjoy below!

DJANGO!

DAMN he is the MAN!!  I could listen to this all day long.  If you don't know who the great Django Reinhardt is, get thee to a Wikipedia!  Check out this vid for a sample of his genius:

Aww...c'mon, Anominimous!

Man, JUST when you think you know someone...

Anonymous, better known as "that group that tries to bring down Scientology while wearing cool Guy Fawkes masks...and by the way, V for Vendetta was a good movie...haters...," is threatening to target and kill a small social media site of which you may have heard: Facebook.  The hacktivist group has a handful of E-takedowns to its name and plans to launch their Zuckerbergian assault on Nov. 5, 2011.  Click HERE FOR THE FULL STORY thanks to our good friends at HuffPost.

C'mon, Anons, can't we all just get along??  It's one thing to try to stop a group of Xenu-worshipping, Thetanophobes from assimilating all life on earth and beyond...but it's another to mess with my Wall!!  If I wake up on Nov. 5 and can't post a status message to 400 friends I haven't talked to, directly, in years, I will SERIOUSLY consider renewing my membership to the Tom Cruise fan club...just sayin'...

Zombie 5K??!!

Amazing.  Anyone else in?  C'mon...an obstacle course throughout which you're chased by brain-eating zombies??  There's no other answer but "yes."

http://runforyourlives.com/info/how-it-works/

Dogfish Head 120 Min IPA Review (from TheFullPint.com)

This beer punches you in the face.  And then steps on your soul.  In an awesome way.

http://thefullpint.com/beer-reviews/dogfish-head-120-minute-ipa

What Would You Do - Cash for Digits

Was wondering the other day...how much money would you need to justify losing a toe?  You can pick the toe.  I'd probably lose my middle toe for $25k.

Let me know.

Not my foot.  My foot is much prettier.

I'm on a boat

Friend of a friend is throwing a nautically-inclined shindig this Saturday to promote his record label.  I dunno--record company...deck party...sounds cool...

http://taflaun.com/music-meets-fashion/

I'll be out of town, but send pictures to jfroonline@gmail.com and I'll post 'em up!  I'm on a boooooooooooat!

Grilled Cheese Martini. Yup, you heard right.

Rarely am I so intrigued, scared, and perplexed at the same time.  In this instance, it's due to America's newest libation creation, the Grilled Cheese Martini.  Thanks, Urbandaddy.com NY!

Caine v. Caine

Absolutely brilliant.

Catoctin Creek UPDATE

Naturally, this happens JUST after we visit...
**********************************************

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

Purcellville, Virginia – Catoctin Creek Distilling Company today began offering tastings at their Purcellville, Virginia distillery store in compliance with Virginia state law (section 4.1-119.G) which was approved in the 2010 session (HB 952). Tastings will be offered at scheduled and pre-arranged times, a listing of which are available on the company web site.

"Tastings will become an important part of our business at the distillery store," said co-founder and Vice President Scott Harris. "Along with the recent change allowing us to have a store, and now this ability to offer tastings, we're really able to fully serve our customers looking to try, and then potentially buy, our local-made spirits."

By Virginia law, tastings are limited to no more than three half-ounce samples per person. For more information on tours and tastings, please see the company web site (below).

Catoctin Creek Distilling Company is the first distillery in Loudoun County Virginia since before prohibition. Certified organic and kosher, Catoctin Creek produces high quality spirits and liqueurs: rye whisky and gin from organic sources, brandy from Virginia wines, and seasonal specialty liqueurs. At Catoctin Creek, high quality and organic spirits and liqueurs are our passion. For more information, contact us at www.catoctincreek.com or 37251C East Richardson Lane, Purcellville, VA 20132. Tel: 540-751-8404.

Buffettpalooza 2011!

This year, in lieu of our annual trek to Nissan Pavilion (and, yes, I do refuse to call it Jiffy Lube Live) to see Jimmy Buffett in all of his cheeseburger-laden, parroty goodness, we are holding the first ever Buffettpalooza 2011!  We finally unloaded our tickets after accepting the fact that the new anti-tailgating policy is here to stay and being enforced ad nauseam (stories range from concert goers getting citations for not pouring out their drinks fast enough to a pregnant lady being harassed for wanting to sit in an air conditioned car).  This aggression will not stand, man!  And, so, Buffettpalooza was born.

It's one part protest, one part celebration, and one part good ol' American backyard b-b-q goodness.  It's like...I dunno...stickin' it to the man while taking a kegstand in a Hawaiian shirt and lei (ok, perhaps it not like that...it's exactly that).  We'll be spending the day exalting he who is Buffett, and later listening to the concert in real time care of Jimmy's very own Radio Margaritaville, while sending vibes of pure scorn and wrath to those who are responsible for instituting this ridiculous, greed-fueled, oppressive anti-FUN policy!

And so, I hereby dub the fourth Saturday of August, this year and hereafter, BUFFETTPALOOZA!  

Join me and my crew in celebrating all that is Buffett and NOTHING that is JLL by throwing a bash of volcanic proportions!  Recommended ingredients include b-b-q, beer and boat drinks, drinking games, general absurdity/debauchery/tomfoolery/shenanigans...and, most importantly, a shared recognition that Buffett is meant to be enjoyed freely and openly!  Start planning your Buffettpaloozas now and make sure you have the necessary accoutrement to listen to the show on Radio Margaritaville via the Intertubes or Sirius radio as it happens!

I hope this post inspires you to share in the festivities and have a Buffettpalooza of your own.  Please, send stories and pictures (jfroonline@gmail.com) and I'll do my part to keep the nation...nay...the WORLD posted on how Buffett fans, no matter what kind of absurd policy is put up against them, will always keep their FINS UP!

Catoctin Creek Distillery/DC Brau Review

(Lil' overdue, but better late than never, right?)

The Wife and I, passports in tow, drove out to Purcellville, VA to visit the Catoctin Creek Distillery a few weeks ago.  We'd heard it was Kosher-certified; that, alone, was enough to warrant a detour on our trip out to Harper's Ferry (where, btw, one should NOT camp in the RiverRiders campsite...unless you like the experience of camping while an earthquake-inducing train choochoos by 13-15 times in a 24-hour period).  When we arrived, we were a little wary by it's rather nondescript storefront in an industrial park...however, our skepticism was soon put at ease when the co-owner, Scott, invited us in and gave us a great tour of his very charming lil' distillery.

Founded in 2009, this young distillery regularly cranks out three different spirits (Roundstone Rye, Watershed Gin, and Mosby's Spirit) along with the occasional brandy and liqueur.  After our tour (which, alone, was worth the drive, folks...Scott is very knowledgeable about the distillation process, keeps your interest, and is an all-around nice guy), we drove 5 minutes down the road to Magnolia's At The Mill for a tasting.  We started with Mosby's Spirit, a "white whiskey" (i.e. legal moonshine).  Great fruity nose with a nice bready balance on the tongue and a surprisingly smooth finish as to what we anticipated.  Next in line was the Watershed Gin which, imbibed neat, had a bit more bite than we expected but would undoubtedly make for a great Tonic Engine, as I like to call it (thanks, Billy Joel), with it's well-balanced Juniper notes and other organic botanicals.  The Roundstone Rye was our third and final dram and went down nice and smooth, with the biggest rye taste of any whiskey I've ever had--in a good way.  Would REALLY like to try it in a Manhattan, which the folks at Magnolia's highly recommend.  But, since it was 1130am and we had a bit of a drive ahead, I decided to keep it "to the sips," as it were.

All in all, a great experience with the Catoctin Creek Distilling Company...and, btw, they have their own APP...how sweet is that?

Now, skipping forward a week, we heard about a new craft brewery in DC called DC Brau...naturally, we had to visit.  This proved to be quite a difficult endeavor, as this north-east DC brewery is harder to find than a pro-choice Republican in Mississippi.  There are no signs as you approach its location 'round back of a big post office building.  But, we managed to navigate our way to the entrance and were pleasantly surprised when we entered the building to find a legit brewery, replete with DC Brau signage, paraphernalia, and best of all, FREE TASTES!  Offered for sampling were two of their big brews, The Corruption (American IPA) and The Public Ale (American Pale Ale).  

If you are a serious hophead, The Corruption is right up your alley, with a big citrusy, piney hop factor and the expected, lingering, bitter finish.  The Public was a bit more relaxed, retaining a very present hop character but smoothed over with caramel notes and an overall medium body.  Definitely two big contenders in the local craft brew scene.

We took a quick tour of the site, led by bearded DC Brau co-owner, Brandon, and were surprised when we saw two Catoctin Creek Distillery barrels sitting against a wall.  Brandon informed us--if memory serves--that they were being prepped for later reintroduction to one of their brews.  Excitedly, I blurted out, "Catoctin Creek??  We were just there!!"...at which point the rest of the tour-goers turned to look at the moron in their midst.  Unnecessary exclamations aside, the DC Brau tour/tasting was worth the drive and we're excited to watch their popularity grow throughout the Greater Metro DC area and beyond.

If you need any guinea pigs for future brew-tasting, DC Brau-folk, please don't hesitate to reach out.  Same goes to you Catoctin Creekers.  FROBlog loves you both :D

Dude looks like a lady

This is VERY cool.  Look at this picture of Albert Einstein as you walk away from it and see who else comes into view...