MUSE: The Resistance

After three years, Muse are back with their 5th full-length album, "The Resistance".   I'm downloading all the tracks as we speak, (listen for free on their MySpace page).
 

 

Tracklist:


1. Uprising

2. Resistance

3. Undisclosed Desires

4. The United States of Eurasia (+Collateral Damage)

5. Guiding Light

6. Unnatural Selection

7. MK Ultra

8. I Belong to You (+Mon Coeur S’Ouvre A Ta Voix)

9. Exogenesis : Symphony Part I (Overture)

10. Exogenesis: Symphony Part II (Cross Pollination)

11. Exogenesis: Symphony Part III (Redemption)



Torrent: http://www.mininova.org/tor/2931917

Rapidshare: http://rapidshare.com/files/277474907/Muse_-_The_Resistance__320kbps_.rar.html

Bird on the Wires by Jarbas Agnelli

While you inch down a congested freeway, you might see birds perches on the electrical wires. In this clip, Jarbas Agnelli  take a photo of the birds and sees their position as notes on a  staff. The video above are the results of converting his vision into a musical tone. Not too shabby.

I'm back.

I decided it was time.

Thank you to the brilliant man that is Michael Barnes for requesting us (former Entertainment Journalism class) to start a blog. I can honestly say I miss it.

New posts soon!

(..but first, some maintenance needs to be done on broken links, updated photos etc)

Trail of Lights

It’s back.

The Trail of Lights Festival, an Austin holiday tradition celebrated at Zilker Park. It opened on December 14 and runs nightly through December 23rd, 7pm- 10pm

Go with the family, friends or that special someone and enjoy the traditional Christmas scenes, famous cartoon characters and tunnels of lights.

Take comfortable shoes because the Trail will take no pity on your feet. After all, 1.25 miles of lights is a great visual indulgence, but physically tiring.

At the end, take a spin under the largest man-made tree of lights. It's nice to fall into someone's arms after the hordes of swirling lights cast you away into a dizzy spell.

My recommendations:
Lemonade
Kettle Corn
A friend =)

If you’re a Christmas fanatic, this is for you. If the only aspect of Christmas you like are the lights ( I fall into this category) then this is for you. If you are simply spiteful of the whole concept of Christmas, go anyways. It’s fun to watch groups of people falling on the floor, and it’s the only excuse adults have to play “Ring Around the Rosie” without being judged by society.
Go. Indulge.

President Bush and Size 10 Shoes

President Bush was in Iraq today doing a surprise news conference. A reporter decided to give Bush his farwell gift a little early by throwing his shoes at him. In Arab culture, throwing shoes is a sign of disrespect. Before the reporter was taken away, it's reported that he shouted, “This is a farewell kiss, dog.”

I'm surprised. The President has some pretty good reflexes. He ducked both shoes with out batting an eye. Afterwards, the president told reporters,

“I’m OK. “It doesn’t bother me. So what if he threw a shoe at me. All I can report is it is a size 10."

You can read more about it here.

Time To Go Back Home

NYC
to
Dallas
to
Austin


delayed flights, cold winds, overpriced plane food, oh my!

The 42nd Street Library

The Metropolitan Museum Of Art

I love museums, the whole experience. New York City is home to some of the world’s best. I got to visit the Metropolitan Museum of Art, a true art-lover’s heaven and hot tourist spot (I fall into the latter). Located on the Upper East Side of the city on Fifth Avenue, the museum’s collections span the ages. The permanent collections housed in the museum include Egyptian Art, The Cloisters, Botticelli Paintings, and a vast collection of musical instruments. The immense size of the museum can be daunting for some.

We spent alot of time in the Egyptian and American wing, walking around ancient stones and beautiful furniture. We realized there was another whole wing (Greek/Roman) with 3 floors full of art. We skimmed through the first floor of the Greek wing, too tired to explore upstairs.

Where:

1000 Fifth Avenue at 82nd Street

New York, New York 10028-0198

When:

Monday: Closed (Except Holiday Mondays*)

Tuesday–Thursday: 9:30 a.m.–5:30 p.m.**

Friday and Saturday: 9:30 a.m.–9:00 p.m.**

Sunday: 9:30 a.m.–5:30 p.m.**

(Closed Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year's Day)

Hairspray

My first Broadway musical: Hairspray.

My first choice was "Wicked" but that show is always sold out. The tickets are a bit pricey, but if you take the chance and purchase Rush tickets, you get a pretty good deal. We ended up paying only $50 for center seats on the second level.

This show was amazing. It was colorful and vivid, as was the music. Some of the tracks, such as "I Can Hear the Bells" stuck with me throughout the show and well with me while we I walked to the subway.

Going to NYC anytime soon? I recommend this show!

NYC adventure: Central Park

Central Park.

The place I read about in books.
A haven for the troubled youngsters of the CW’s Gossip Girl.
An oasis in midst of all the Manhattan frenzy.


And it is beautiful. Being an authentic Austinite, I have a certain fondness for nature in all its blooming glory. I appreciate the parks, rivers and just nature entwined with the busy urban landscape.

I’m sure we could have spent the whole day (we, being Keila and I) exploring Central Park. There is so much to see. Horses to ride, rocks to scale, trees to climb, and food to eat.

Food, oh yes the food.


Don’t buy it.

I was craving a pretzel with nacho cheese. It’s good, don’t judge. We finally stopped at a little stand and ordered a pretzel that had cheese inside and a churro. Pretzel was cold, cheese was thick and dry (probably old),and according to Keila, the churro was basically deep fried dough, no flavor, no sugar.

Where is my pretzel? In a Central Park trash can.

About:
Central Park covers 843 acres, which is 6% of Manhattan. Its hours of operation are from 6:00 am until 1:00 am.
The Park stretches from Central Park South (59th St.) to 110th St. at the northern end and from 5th Ave. on the East Side to Central Park West (8th Ave.) on the West Side.

Empire State Building

My non-traditional Thanksgiving continued with a visit to the Empire State Building. The view was amazing, as expected, as was the whipping cold winds and large amount of people.

Unfortunately, the Empire State Building is under renovation, so parts of the interior were under plastic and “DO NOT ENTER” tap.

Most exciting part: Being told that the wait time to ride the elevator to the 82nd Floor Observatory deck was 25 minutes (the 102nd floor observatory deck was closed for renovations, bummer.) but having the option to go up 10 flights of stairs. It would have been okay, but a large group of people went, so there was no turning back.


Where:
350 5th Avenue
New York, NY
Adults $145 + tax

How:
By Walking: on 5th Ave between 33rd and 34th streetBy Subway: 1, 2, or 3 (Seventh Avenue Lines), A, C or E (Eighth Avenue Subway) to 34th Street/Penn Station. Also B, D, F, N, Q, R or Path to 34th Street/Avenue of the Americas

Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade

Today I actually experienced what I usually see on television.

And you know what? I prefer TV.

The Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade is a 3-hour event usually starting around 9am EST. The best seats (in front of the Macy's store in Herald Square) are reserved for those with special badges.

If you want a good seat, you better wake up early. We rode two subways from Queens and arrived in Manhattan around 8am or so. A lot of the streets were closed for the parade route, so my friend Kei and I walked more than what I walk in a week it seems.

We pushed ourselves through the crowds, crossed back and forth along the main street. NYPD was set up along the whole route, keeping people from accessing closed off areas. After batting our baby browns at a couple of officers, we manage to get a spot caddy corner from Macy’s, sitting on top of some phone booths. It was a pretty good spot. We even saw the famous Rockettes warm up. (I’m surprised they didn’t get hypothermia.)
It was a fun experience, but these Texas bones of mine weren’t too keen about the cold weather.

New York Adventure part 1

photo by Bethbiriah Sanchez

I was excited when I first purchased my ticket a little about a month ago. $250 roundtrip on American Airlines. Now I know why it was so inexpensive.

Do you have one bag to check? Cough up $25. A second bag? $15 more!

And if you're like me and try to fit everything into one suitcase and it's overweight....

$50.

I advise anybody traveling during the holidays to either pack light or use more than two bags, or else you'll spend $75 extra.

My Adventure....

....begins tomorrow.


I am currently packing for my trip to New York City. My next post will be from NYC.

Thought of the Day

What would a chair look like if your knees bent the other way?

Looks uncomfortable....

iPhone - The Phone for The Commuter

With the economy going down, the future of public transit has a bright, bright future (though recent gas drops have helped immensely).

Now with the 2.2 update, use your iPhone and let satellites orbiting in space locate your current position while you simply type in your destination. Then choose whether you are walking, driving or using public transportation. (In my case, Capitol Metro). If you choose Capitol Metro, you will see a list of departure times from the closet bus stop.

Does commuting get any better than this?

iPhone 2.2 Update

iPhone 2.2 includes involve a new OS update that brings a range of new features and improvements to iPhone users.
>> Enhancements to Maps
o Google Street View*
o Public transit and walking directions
o Display address of dropped pins
o Share location via email
* Decrease in call setup failures and dropped calls

>>Enhancements to Mail
o Resolved isolated issues with scheduled fetching of email
o Improved formatting of wide HTML email
* Podcasts are now available for download in iTunes application (over Wi-Fi and cellular network)

* Improved stability and performance of Safari
* Improved sound quality of Visual Voicemail messages
* Pressing Home button from any Home screen displays the first Home screen
* Preference to turn on/off auto-correction in Keyboard Settings

The iPhone 2.2 update still lacks some features, such as Flash support ,cut and paste, and MMS! But the new features are welcomed.

Currently Listening To (6)

"Single Ladies" (Put A Ring On It) - Beyonce
"Sound of Freedom" - Bob Sinclar
"Insomnia" - DJ Tiesto
"Love Lockdown" - Kanye West
"Just Dance" - Lady Gaga

Prison Vs. Work

At Prison	At Work
you spend the majority of your time in a 10X10 cell	you spend the majority of your time in an 8X8 cubicle
you get three meals a day fully paid for	you get a break for one meal and you have to pay for it
you get time off for good behavior	you get more work for good behavior
the guard locks and unlocks all the doors for you	you must often carry a security card and open all the doors for yourself
you can watch TV and play games	you could get fired for watching TV and playing games
you get your own toilet	you have to share the toilet with some people who pee on the seat
they allow your family and friends to visit	you aren't even supposed to speak to your family
all expenses are paid by the taxpayers with no work required	you get to pay all your expenses to go to work, and they deduct taxes from your salary to pay for prisoners
you spend most of your life inside bars wanting to get out	you spend most of your time wanting to get out and go inside bars
you must deal with sadistic wardens	they are called managers

Do you see something wrong with this picture?

Acts of a Stranger

I went to the courthouse yesterday to do some errands for work. Of course, if you go anywhere near downtown, you better have some change for the parking meters (and no, pennies do not count!) After multiple rides in the elevator between the 1st and 3rd floor, I was able to escape the wrath of being given the run around and hopped into my Jeep.

I saw the most amazing thing. A small, silent man walking up and down the block, putting money into the meters. I was grateful for his act, because I had only put in a quarter (which I think is only 15-20 minutes) and I ended up wasting about an hour of my life at the Travis County Courthouse.

I wonder what posses a man to spend his day (presumably), putting change into parking meters. What a small, but significant act.

Pay it forward?

"Lipstick" No More?

Once again, a show I finally start following gets the axe. “Lipstick Jungle” was slowly given the push off the cliff. First, they were moved from the prime Wednesday spot to Friday nights. Now, according to reports, the NBC show has been cancelled. The cast and crew did finish filming 13 episodes, though it’s not known whether or not NBC will air them.

‘Lipstick Jungle’ is based on a book by the author of ‘Sex and the City’, Candace Bushnell. The series stars Brooke Sheilds, Kim Raver and Lindsay Price.

If the show is in fact over, “Lipstick Jungle” can be happy that they had a longer run than their ABC counterpart “Cashmere Mafia” (another show I also liked, powerful women balancing their professional and personal lives).

Side note: I will be very sad to see Carlos Ponce go…

Random Facts for Friday

If you have 3 quarters, 4 dimes, and 4 pennies, you have $1.19. You also have the largest amount of money in coins without being able to make change for a dollar.

The 57 on Heinz ketchup bottles represents the number of varieties of pickles the company once had.

According to suicide statistics, Monday is the favored day for self-destruction.

The most common name in the world is Mohammed.

It is believed that Shakespeare was 46 around the time that the King James Version of the Bible was written. In Psalms 46, the 46th word from the first word is shake and the 46th word from the last word is spear.

When you die your hair still grows for a couple of months.

Each of the suits on a deck of cards represents the four major pillars of the economy in the middle ages: heart represented the Church, spades represented the military, clubs represented agriculture, and diamonds represented the merchant class.

The sound of E.T. walking was made by someone squishing her hands in jelly.

A skunk's smell can be detected by a human a mile away.

The king of hearts is the only king without a moustache.

Elephants are the only mammals that can't jump.

Stressed is Desserts spelled backwards.

Thought of the Day

Why is it so easy to say hello, but not goodbye?

To Sarah Palin: "SHUT UP!"

“I would be honored to help President-elect Barack Obama in his new
administration, even if he did hang around with an "unrepentant domestic
terrorist…That's an association that still bothers me, and I think it's fair to
still talk about it”

- Governer Sarah Palin to an interview given to CNN’s Wolf Blitzer when asked if she would be willing to help President elect Barack Obama if asked.

Sarah, Sarah, Sarah...it's over. Go back to to Alaska and work on those energy issues and international affairs you have claimed to be an expert on. After all, you can see Russia from there...

Z'Tejas: A Review

photo by Bethbiriah Sanchez

Satisfaction.

The one word that can describe how I feel after eating at Z’Tejas. Don’t confuse this with perfection, because I have yet to eat a meal that has earned such an adjective.

For dinner, my friend Amanda & I visited the Arboretum location, tucked away between green rolling hills and an undersized parking lot (which is shared with another restaurant about 20 feet away). Though they offer complimentary valet, the time waiting on your car to arrive is more than it takes to walk to wherever you park. Luckily for me, after years of trailing students around the parking lot at St. Edward’s, I finally found a patron who was leaving and I waited patiently for her parking spot.

The weather has been amazingly fresh as of late, so we decided to sit on the patio. Inside, the restaurant was plain, unmemorable with its white cloth napkins dully melting in with the white tablecloths. Outside though, was a different story. The ambiance was cozy with a large fireplace displayed front and center, inviting you to eat at a tea-candle lit table. The view has potential to be remarkable, but because of the recent time change, we simply enjoyed the outline of the hills fading into the dusk.

To start off, we had the Tejas Trio ($9.29), the ideal combination of three Texas staples as the name implies. We were given a hearty bowl of fluffy guacamole blended with tomato, cilantro and (thankfully) not too many onions. Also joining the guacamole was a mild serving of salsa and lukewarm queso which would have tasted better severed at a higher temperature.

Our friendly and helpful waiter, Eric, tempted us with cornbread, which is baked every 30 minutes in a cast-iron skillet and served with supple honey butter. Amanda and I declined, choosing to save our appetites for the dish that had us fantasizing at work all day, the Santa Fe Smoked Chicken Enchiladas ($10.29).

The enchiladas are prepared with smoked white chicken, wrapped in tortillas drenched in a combination of red chile sauce and chipotle purée. A blanket of Monterrey Jack cheese monogrammed with a chipotle ‘Z” added the finishing touches. A serving of Mexican rice mixed with pico de gallo escorted soft, yet firm black beans.


Satisfaction.

What I enjoyed after a good-sized portioned meal with a friend. I recommend Z’Tejas. Ask for Eric and take a seat outside (it feels like a friend’s patio). As Amanda said, he won’t try to “over solicit” you, which can is bothersome when someone is trying to shove the house specials down your throat, almost as bothersome as someone stalking you for a parking spot.



Where:
Z'Tejas Arboretum
9400 A. Arboretum Blvd
Austin, TX 78759
Phone: (512) 346-3506
Fax: (512) 346-6328

Currently Listening To (5)

"The Animals Were Gone" - Damien Rice

"Breathe Me" (Mylar Remix) - Sia

"Hot 'N Cold" - Katy Perry

"You Raise Me Up" - Josh Groban

"Feels So Good"- Mase

Have a good weekend. =)

Hey You...

Yes you..!
Have a great day today.
Wherever you are….

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!

Starbucks Peppermint Mocha

It’s back.

That tantalizing drink that comes around the holidays. The drink that tantalizes my taste buds and put me in a cheery mood.
Yes people, the peppermint mocha is officially back at Starbucks. Sure I’ve ordered it throughout the year, but something about those little red sprinkles adds just the right touch to the experience.

Let me break it down for you. This drink is a mocha (which is one part espresso, two parts steamed milk and the final portion chocolate powered or syrup), peppermint flavoring syrup, served with whipped cream and little red sprinkles that remind you of Rudolph, the red-nosed reindeer.

Holiday bliss.

America Votes for Change

THE NEXT PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA IS BARACK OBAMA!!!!

Democrat Barack Obama wins the presidential election making him the first African-American in the nation's highest office.

America has spoken.

Get Arrested On Halloween, The Non-Conventional Way

Want to get a Class C misdemeanor? Show up to early voting polling places dressed as Obama, Palin, McCain or Biden. According to the Austin American Statesman, election judges are watching voters like a hawk for the norm: campaign buttons, t-shirts and signs, but since Halloween falls during early voting, they will stop anybody endorsing the candidates from the current presidential campaign (and yes, that includes walking in as Hilary Clinton showing support of Obama).

According to elections standards set in Texas, the law prohibits promoting any candidate or party within 100 feet of the polling place. So now if you ever wonder why so many people are clustered a block away, shouting names and waving signs, now you know.

Bomb Threat at St. Edward's University

Today St. Edward’s University received a general bomb threat, according to an e-mail sent to the students, teachers and staff. The University Police Department conducted a search across all parts of the campus following FBI protocol.

Around 3:30 pm, the St. Edward’s community received another e-mail from Lisa Kirkpatrick, Associate Vice President for Student Affairs & Dean of Students, who informed everybody that the campus is secure and university business and classes will continue as usual.
If you have any information on this bomb threat, they are asked to contact UPD at 448-8444, or use the anonymous tip submission form.


Thanks to St. Edward’s for keeping everybody updated on the situation.

Time Warner Cable & NBC Shake Hands

Finally!

After all this time, Time Warner Cable and KXAN have made an agreement to bring back programming to all the unfortunate souls who haven’t been able to watch The Office, Heroes, Lipstick Jungle and Friday Night Lights.

"We are pleased to come to an agreement that will return programming to our customers,” said Melinda Witmer, Chief Programming Officer for Time Warner Cable. “We thank our customers for their continued patience and support as we worked to resolve this issue."

As for myself, I didn’t really suffer. I usually catch up on all the shows online whenever I have some downtime. It’s so much more convenient, plus, only 30 second commercials!

You Know You're A Democrat if...

You believe that a few hundred loggers can find another career, but the defenseless spotted owl must live in its preferred tree.

You ever based an argument on the phrase, "But they can afford a tax hike because..."

You think solar energy is being held back by those greedy oil companies.

Your high school yearbook goals included the words "help people."

You believe personal injury lawyers when they say they are just trying to defend the little guy.

You actually think that poverty can be abolished.

You Know You're A Republican if...

you sometimes slip and call your kids “deduction one” and “deduction two”

you tried to argue that poverty could be abolished if people were just allowed to keep more of their minimum wage.

you ever referred to someone as "my (insert racial or ethnic minority here) friend"

ever tried to prove Jesus was a capitalist and opposed to welfare

you are a pro-lifer, but support the death penalty

the only union you support is the Baseball Players because hey, they’re richer than youyou might remember laughing once as a kid

You are traveling eastbound on Ben White. In the horizon you see a ramp leading you to a flyover for a smooth transition on to South I-35 to take you to San Antonio. You proceed south for about a hour and head on to the Alamo.

You snap out of your daydream and realize that you are actually sitting in your car, waiting to make a right turn, not on to southbound I-35 but on to another access road with the looming doom of waiting in yet another line to slither on to 35. Not only will you have to deal with traffic coming off I-35, but with other impatient driver’s cutting you off as well.

So this is Austin, a thriving city with unfinished monstrosities (aka flyover butts) at the intersection of a state and federal highway that lead to nowhere.

After years of aggravated commuters, the Texas Transportation Commission has finally put out a proposal, which will be voted on Thursday. If it’s approved, construction could begin in about a year.

I’m still in disbelief that the flyovers weren’t completed sooner. Southern Austin is booming yet they are drowning in heaps of car snailing by inch by inch in traffic. If you are south headed towards the airport, you better believe you will needed to wait at several lights before getting onto Ben White.

Cross your fingers Austinites. Maybe, just maybe we will finally have our fancy flyovers.



Interested in signing an online petition? Click here!

South Conrgress Gas Wars

Drive down South Congress Ave and you will see a line of idling cars snaking around the block. The turning lane is also crammed with cars while students from Fulmore Middle School squeeze their way around cars blocking the walkways.
What could possibly cause this madness?

Gas. Cheap gas.
The Shell station was busy all day with their unexpected gas at $2.09/gallon. Next door, 7-11 still had some customers with gas at $2.29/gallon, which is still below the current average.

I had the pleasure of being stuck in traffic as I drove home on South Congress. I was amazed at the tenacity of these people to get their gas. I suppose they have time. At first I thought it was a funeral procession, but no. Just silly people who were desperate for cheap gas they break the law and block intersections, cross walks and take forever to move for a firefighter truck to pass by.

Where:
Shell Gas Station
2105 S. Congress Ave
Austin, Texas 78704
(512) 462-4717

It Is Maddening What You Do To Me

ZeFrank is a website made by Hosea Jan Frank who is based out in Brooklyn , New York. His website has many interactive toys, games and just random things to read online. Surprisingly, Frank has served as an adjunct professor at NYU and Parsons School of Design.

Where:
ZeFrank
Letters 1.2

Have A Classic Day

I now have the glamorous responsibility of ordering supplies for our office. This includes reams of paper, staples, envelopes, spoons and sodas.

Today I had the pleasure of stocking up on our soda stash with the Coca Cola Company®. I ordered the usual, 4 cases of Sprite, 4 cases of Coke, and 2 cases of Diet Coke. The lady I was speaking to of course had to offer a case of Vitamin Water.

Just the idea that Coca Cola produces this product makes me wary of them. Her selling point was that flu season is around the corner and we need to protect ourselves with the vitamin infused water.

Uhuh. Right.

I told her that was all. (I doubt my employer would approve the excess order.) I wished her a good day and she replied, “You too! Have a classic day!”

What.

A classic day? What is that supposed to mean? What definition of ‘classic’ is Coca Cola using?

Yet again we have another “classic” case of meaningless/empty rhetoric in an attempt to produce some savvy marketing ploy.

Walk of Shame

I waited for tonight the whole weekend.

At work I nervously played with my hair. At home I meticulously picked out a sensible outfit. I imagined I would be running for dear life, falling on the floor, helplessly rolling around to encounter a face I could not bear to ever see again.
How many adjectives can I use to describe my whole day?

Anxious.
Edgy.
Tense.
Uneasy.

I wanted to give my two cents about the location of tonight. I stammered and choked. The words would not come out. Somehow I managed to raise my hand and volunteer to drive some of my classmates to House of Torment.

What was I thinking?

How dare I put these people’s lives in danger with my mind racing 100 mph? I smiled nervously while we drove in silence.

10 and 3.
Don’t speed.
2 second rule.
Check your blind spots.

We arrived at the House of Torment and walked through nervously. In the lead were Ian and Geoffrey acting as a buffer for of all the scares, with Claire, Alison and I observing gratefully (yet unexpectedly quietly) behind them. We finally broke free out of stale, sinister house to a crisp Austin evening.

I walked away in disbelief. After breezing through this haunted house, I'm astonished that I let my nerves get the best of me. Never again. I will embrace the ghouls and their ghoulish breath and maybe even give them a scream or two.

Picture of the Day 10.16.08

A view of downtown Austin at night....


Taken from the top of the hill at St.Edward's University, with my trusty yet sometimes absent-minded dog, Minee.

Currently Listening To (4)

"Dale Pa Tra" - Notch

"Ayer La Vi" -Don Omar

"The Beauty In Ugly" - Jason Mraz

"Lullaby of Birdland" - Count Basie

"Minor Yours" - Art Pepper

Starbucks Signature Hot Chocolate

The time is approaching when Austinites will be able to turn off the A/C and indulge themselves in the Fall colors and weather. When it gets crisp outside, I like nothing more than sitting on the front steps of my home and sipping on some hot cider or hot chocolate.

Well, Starbucks has unveiled a line of three "European-inspired" Signature Hot Chocolate beverages: Salted Caramel Hot Chocolate, Signature Hot Chocolate and Hazelnut Hot Chocolate.

According to Starbucks, their promotional drinks for this season “offer a sophisticated and rich chocolate taste from premium ingredients.” Each hot chocolate is made from the "super premium four-cocoa blend" and is of course steamed freshly with each order.


From the Starbucks website:

Signature Hot Chocolate
is a rich, creamy European-style hot chocolate made with our signature blend of four cocoas. This sophisticated hot chocolate is pure indulgence, made with no artificial ingredients - just four distinctive cocoas, sugar, natural vanilla extract, and milk! It is topped with fresh whipped cream and a dusting of cocoa powder



Salted Caramel Signature Hot Chocolate
This delicious sweet and salty combination brings together our rich, indulgent Signature Hot Chocolate and the flavors of buttery caramel and smoked sea salt. It is topped with whipped cream, a swirl of caramel and a sprinkle of our sea salt topping - a combination of artisan sea salt and Turbinado sugar from Hawaii.



Hazelnut Signature Hot Chocolate
We’ve accented our rich, creamy European-style Signature Hot Chocolate with hazelnut syrup to create a classic chocolate and nut flavor combination. It is topped with fresh whipped cream and a dusting of cocoa powder

I went today to grab one of these appealing drinks, but today has been rainy and humid.

Starbucks drive-thru guy: Welllllllllcome to Starbucks, may
I offer you one of our Signature Hot Chocolates today?

Me: Sure! Well, it's kinda humid out today, so I wanted
something cold.

(silence)

Me: Wait.... then wouldn't it just be chocolate milk....

Starbucks drive-thru guy: Um..I think so (I have him confused now).

Me: Well, I can make chocolate milk at home, but I need to taste this so I
can write about it. Let me havea Tall hot chocolate.

Starbucks drive-thru guy: Okay, that will be one tall signature hot chocolate
and

Me: I know the drill. No pastries, but thanks for asking.

Starbucks drive-thru guy: Alrighty, come on down.

Verdict:

It's okay. Doesn't taste like any spetacular hot chocolate. I am not dazzled.

Heck, I'd rather come home and trick my brother into making a batch of Abuelita's. It's not time though. Once the leaves start falling and we have gusty winds, then I'll reach for another mug of hot chocolate.

Columbus Day

This is a day of celebration! What if Columbus hadn't reached the Americans across that treacherous voyage across the Atlantic Ocean in 1492?

I guess shame on me for not working in a government office or attending public school (who have today off....)

Twilight: November 21

This is the final trailer released by Summit Entertainment.

November 21st, folks.

That's the day when many people, young and old, (and basically in love with the Edward character) will go watch the magic come alive on the silver screen.


For those of you that haven't given in and read "Twilight", here is a small recap:

"Seventeen-year-old Isabella Swan moves to the small town of Forks, Washington to live with her father. There, she finds herself drawn to a mysterious classmate, Edward Cullen, who is revealed to be a 108 year old vampire. Although Edward discourages the romance, they soon fall in love. When the arrival of another coven of vampires puts Bella in danger, Edward and his family band together to save her before she is killed." (Source: Wikipedia)

I can't tell you how excited I was to see this trailer (yes, it came out October 10th, but I can't stop myself from watching it again and again and again...). There isn't much I can say, except that I can't wait for the movie to come out. The movie looks promising and the actors seem to have the chemistry that drenched the book. I think I forgot to breathe for a moment (that kiss….wow!).

I'm sure there will be some disappointments. After all, everybody imagines the characters in a different ways ( I imagined Edward a bit taller, more built), but I won't be able to pass true judgment until I see the movie.

(Anybody out there want to hook me up with passes to an early screening, I would be truly grateful :D )

Don't Point That Gun, I Have More Bullets

Heaven has no rage like love to hatred turned, nor hell a fury like a woman scorned.

-William Congreve

Well I’m not necessarily scorned. Disappointed more like it, disappointed and surprised. While I won’t go into details of the unfortunate choices of others (we all march to the beat of a different drum, some just like marching to a drum without shoes while stepping on shards of glass) this moment in my life reminded me of pieces of art I saw some years back.

The pop art of Roy Liechtenstein is filled with thick outlines, bold colors and his signature of over exaggerated Benday dots, a larger form of Pointillism. Liechtenstein was born in 1923, died in 1997, and is basically one of the leading figures of the Pop Art movement. He received his training at Ohio State University, as is most known for introducing his cartoon-like compositions in the 60’s.

The picture above was named © In the Car and was made in 1963 with oil and magna (a non-water based acrylic paint) on canvas.

Check out more about this bold art at the Roy Liechtenstein Foundation website.

© Sink 1965 Roy Lichtenstein....Oil on Canvas...

This Is It! Taco X-Press

Before being weird was cool, there was Taco X-press. Taco X-press is a prime of example of the true meaning behind the ever so popular “Keep Austin Weird” slogan, which is prevalent all around Austin. As a born and raised Austinite, I’ve see first-hand how the weirdness transformed from a sub-culture to main stream culture. The ever popular SoCo (South Congress Ave) strip is expanding and producing more locally-owned and sometimes weird businesses. About 5 minutes away from SoCo, you hit its cousin SoLo (South Lamar) where you will find Taco X-press. The original intent behind the “Keep Austin Weird” motto was a small effort to try and slow down the wild wave of commercialism in Austin by supporting locally owned business. Instead, a company trademarked those three liberating words and is now used as a marketing slogan rather than emphasizing the truly weird aspects of this city. Despite this, Taco X-press has preserved through time by not giving into the big corporations, staying true to their weirdness and establishing their place in the Austin weirdness with one of the craziest “mascots” I’ve seen.

Taco X-press was founded by Maria Corbalan, self-proclaimed South Austin’s Taco Queen. About 10 years ago, she bought a tiny trailer, used some dishes from her home and started her taco business. For the first couple of months, her sales were nothing to clap for. It was until she got a review from the Austin American-Statesman that she was finally able to make the sales she dreamed of. Soon after that she was able to move out of the tiny trailer into a cabin-like location on Bluebonnet and South Lamar. The cabin was very unique, with bright colored wall with chipped paint, old-fashioned coca cola signs and Christmas lights at any time of year. In 2004, the Austin City Council, Taco X-press and Walgreens agreed on a proposal for the precious land that Taco X-press was sitting on. Originally, Walgreens wanted to build their new location on the corner of Bluebonnet and South Lamar, but the South Lamar Neighborhood Association voted against it. Their main concern was the large commercial chain would congest traffic at that busy intersection. Walgreens soon found out that in order to be successful, they would need the support of the South Austin community. Walgreens finally agreed to build an entirely new Taco Xpress right next to their proposed store. The company saw the wisdom of demonstrating what a good corporate neighbor they could be by factoring a new home for Taco Xpress into their building plans.

Even with its new location just a couple of hundred feet from its original spot, Taco Xpress has embodied what it is to be “weird” in Austin. Like any true local hip spot, there is unique art, live music, and arguably good food. I drove by Taco Xpress this past weekend and was amused by two things. One, the irony of the whole situation. Taco Xpress is situated right next to the large corporate chain, Walgreens, while in the back are some new “urban” condos. The very precise thing that the original “Keep Austin Weird” campaign was combating: the rapid commercialism and over-development of Austin. It could be a screenshot of history. Two, how an eclectic restaurant with funky decorations can just feel like home. The paint doesn’t match, there are autographs from famous celebrities to infamous local “celebrities”, and also a retired Dillo in the front. But what catches the eye of anybody who passes by has to be the large statue dedicated to the owner, Maria. With arms opened wide, she’s the beacon of salvation to finding great tacos.

Taco Xpress is part of the true history of keeping Austin weird. They have faced trials and tribulation, combating against the evil corporation and claiming their rightful place in funky South Austin. One can say they are embodying the Austin spirit. Not the popular trend to be “unique” and act like a goof, but the actual original fighting spirit for freedom and success by locally owned businesses.

Where:

Taco X-Press
(512) 444-0261
2529 S Lamar Boulevard
Austin, TX 78704

The Pessimist's Mug - It Makes Everything Taste Bitter

There's a website called Despair.com that sells spoof items of those inspirational posters and other cheesy stuff you probably read while sitting in the lobby of the doctor’s office.

According to Despair.com, it’s “getting harder and harder for the self-respecting pessimist to stay unhappy.”

Right. Especially during these times when the market is in the gutter and gas prices are high (as high as those unnecessary condos that are lighting up the Austin skyline).

They claim that hope is so “persistent, life so overwhelming with positivity, that without the firmest grip on your sullen perspective, you might actually lose it. Then one day, you wake up looking at the bright side, whistling some inane show tune, and generally annoying everyone around you.” (“Happy people.” Those chipper people who have the sun shining out of every orifice of their body…)

But there is a solution. Despair, Inc. is proud to introduce The Pessimist's Mug® , specifically engineered by the chronically cynical pessimists of Despair Laboratories™. The crystal-clear mug will help all who drink from it to Stay Grounded™ by forever reminding them to see when the glass is half-empty.

They do offer a disclaimer that the Pessimist’s Mug is not compatible with plain milk or White Russians. They suggest adding chocolate syrup or Kahlua to guarantee results.

Perfect.

I’m putting this on my wish list.

Kenneth Burke's Definition of Human

"Being bodies that learn language
thereby becoming wordlings
humans are
the symbol-making, symbol-using, symbol-misusing animal
inventor of the negative
separated from our natural condition
by instruments of our own making
goaded by the spirit of hierarchy
acquiring foreknowledge of death
and rotten with perfection..."

The Way I See It #296

"By the time executives get married, take on a mortgage, raise kids, cope with crabgrass, climb the corporate ladder, do their to manage career pressures, build their net worth and get into their 40s, they've lost touch with what they believe in and care about most deeply."

-Allan Cox, CEO coach and author of Your Inner CEO: Unleash the Executive Within. (Courtesy of the Starbucks cup that is holding my hot chocolate for today)

I hope I never lose sight of what I care deeply about. It happens, and I'm only 22-years-old. Not even a CEO!

It's not about money, it's not about the material things I own, it's about the love and knowledge I have. Sometimes I forget about what I already have and don't appreciate it: family, friends, life, God, a soul mate, new shoes, my old hoopdee Jeep that still takes me from Point A to B To C, and spares me tiresome journey up and down South Congress Ave in a skirt and heels.

Tres Leches

I love tres leches cake. For weddings, birthdays, or just easy-going Saturdays, like today. The name tres leches, or three milks, refers to the ingredients used in this moist cake. A can of evaporated milk and a can of sweetened condensed milk are blended together with cream and poured over the cake.






Paste de Tres Leches (source)
· 1-½ cups All-purpose flour
· 1 teaspoon Baking powder
· ½ cup Unsalted butter
· 2 cups White sugar (divided)
· 5 Eggs
· 1-½ teaspoon Vanilla extract (divided)
· 1 cup Milk
· ½ of a 14-ounce can Sweetened condensed milk
· ½ of a 12-ounce can Evaporated milk
· 1/3 cup Liqueur, Frangelico, Brandy or Chambord, for example (optional)
· 1-½ cups Heavy (whipping) cream
Preheat oven to 350F degrees. Grease and flour a 9x13-inch baking pan.
Sift flour and baking powder together and set aside. Cream the butter and 1 cup of the sugar together until fluffy. Add the eggs and 1/2 teaspoon of the vanilla. Beat well. Add the flour mixture to the butter mixture, 2 tablespoons at a time, mixing well until blended. Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake for 30 minutes.
When cake has finished baking, pierce it in 8 or 10 places with a fork or skewer, and let it cool. Combine the whole milk, evaporated milk, condensed milk and liqueur and pour over the top of the cooled cake. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours before serving.

Whipped Cream Topping:
When ready to serve, combine the whipping cream and the remaining 1 teaspoon of vanilla and 1 cup of sugar, whipping until thick. Spread over top of cake.

Because of the milk in the cake, it is very important that you keep the cake refrigerated until ready to serve. Serve chilled.


Maybe one of these days I’ll take some time to make a tres leches cake from scratch…

Starbucks Splash Stick

I usually forget it’s called a splash stick and resort to caveman hand symbols, pointing at the invisible cup in my hand, pretending to hold that convenient green stick between my fingers and plugging the sipping hole.

It’s quite the lifesaver. Countless times I have gone on coffee run and took a turn too sharp or braked too hard and had the Pike Place roast all over my seat.

I have even done the balancing acting of driving with one hand and holding down the drinks, only to have the hot coffee bubble up though the sipping hole and burn my fingers.

The price for caffeine…

I’m utterly grateful for the splash stick. Now I can terrorize the road without my seat being soaked in coffee or burning my fingers.

The concept is quite ingenious; it’s like a stirring stick with a little mermaid plug on top (and of course, it’s green).

The only downside I can think of is that the likelihood of the splash stick being recycled is pretty darn low. Imagine how many are being produced?

First Thursday: A Driver’s Dismay

After a long day of work, I drive down (as in South) my daily route on South Congress Ave. If you live in Austin, you know that traffic is always horrible, especially on the highways, which I try my best to avoid like some contagious disease.

South Congress isn’t that bad at 6 p.m. I usually make it from Riverside to Oltorf in about 10 minutes, even with the random repaving and lane closures. Today was a different story.

Why on earth was traffic so bad? I found myself at the end of a giant snake of cars, slithering up and down the hilly path of South Congress. I was stuck and only had two options. Take a chance, and try to find someway to sweet freedom cutting through the neighborhoods, or just idle along with the rest of cranky people ready to kick off their shoes and have some dinner.

I decide to idle, going about 10 mph until I finally reached the heart of South Congress and saw the culprit of the too-long drive.

First Thursday.

I haven't been to First Thursday in a couple of months. It lost its allure after walking up and down SoCo, teeth chattering, and half of the shops closed, though I always enjoy a bag of kettle corn! On the First Thursday of each month, local merchants on the now pedestrian-friendly South Congress Avenue keep their doors open until 10 pm (not ALL of them) and have some specials. There are also bundles of booths with homemade jewelry, clothes and candles. Back in the good old days, there was live music with speakers blaring out love-struck lyrics accompanied by a raspy voice.

Because of noise complaints from the surrounding neighborhoods awhile back, a lot of the live music that made First Thursday something “Austin”, is gone. There are a few acts courtesy of Güeros, and of course the tribal drums that resonate down the street.

First Thursday is good to see local Austinites do their thing, sample some local food and in general, people watch.

But just try to avoid it if you are commuting home. The bumper-to-bumper traffic and having pedestrians cut across Congress as if they own the avenue, isn't worth it. I think next time I might just attempt to take on I-35.

Do You Have What It Takes To Be A U.S. Citizen?

I read on CNN.com today that the Citizenship and Immigration Services has revamped the citizenship test for immigrants who want to become naturalized Americans. The last time this was done was in 1986.

The exam is said to have been designed and contributed by adult educators, English teachers and community organizations that work with immigrants. This test has questions about American history, the U.S. government, the rights of citizens and geography.

The old test will take about a year to be out of cycle. Anybody who has applied for naturalization before October 1st has the option of taking the old or new test. After today, you have no choice but to take the new test.

So do you think you have what it takes to be a U.S. Citizen?

Take the test and find out.

Test takers need to get 6 out of 10 to pass. (If this was real, I would be demanding the $675 testing fee up front!)

I Miss The Tooth Fairy

I went to the dentist today, and what do you know. I have a cavity.

A cavity.

When I hear the word ‘cavity” I think of my adolescence and my unwavering affinity for sweets. How is it possible that now, as a 22-year-old, I have a cavity. I admit, I indulge in a Snickers bar every now or then, or take a Twizzler from the stash Amanda has at work. But I’m meticulous! I brush my teeth three times a day! I slip out of work to go floss!

So there I am, lounging on the dentist chair, my arms full of goose bumps (because for some reason they like to have all the patient rooms cold, as if it’s free anesthetic to numb the patients from the pain of having someone stick their gloved fingers in their mouth). I’m reading the posters on walls that have endearing children smiling at me, because they know something I don’t know.
My dentist exams my teeth, throwing out a few “tsks tsks” here and there, ultimately announcing I have a cavity. I ask my dentist what causes cavities. He said for someone my age, it is usually from stress.
Stress?

Riiiiiiiight.

Seems that levels of stress can be associated with ill-health, and that includes your teeth. The reasoning seems valid. Stress affects the quality of our lives, mentally and physically. So what do most people do when they are stressed? Either they don’t eat right or eat the easiest thing available (candy, chocolate, sugar packed coffee-like drinks, energy drinks). One thing leads to another, and well, I guess really putting more sugar in mouth than what I thought.

Good bye Starbucks Venti passion-iced tea lemonade that cools me down in this Texas heat.

Hello Venti unsweetened green tea.

Stupid PC.

Okay, I take it back. Maybe I should have bought a Mac.

I just got out of class, keeping inside the urge to throw my laptop across the room (without hitting anybody, of course). After we came back from break, my laptop decided it did not want to connect to the St. Edward's wireless network.

Great, so there I am. Unable to participate because I can't even read what is on the screen across the room. I'm squinting as if I'm standing outside staring at the sun.

I really need to find my eyeglasses. Luckily, my new insurance kicks in tomorrow, so I should be able to go get my eye exam over the weekend.
Until then, I curse the PC gods and the wrath they bestowed on me today, most likely sinking my participation grade.

Watching TV Online

There are so many shows I love to watch (Family Guy, Ugly Betty, Heroes, Lipstick Jungle). Right now is a great time since many shows have kicked off this year’s fall season. Unfortunately, it is rare that I can actually watch the show during its specific air time.
Luckily for me, I can catch up on all the shows I love by going to the network’s website and watch the full episodes,for free! This is great for a rainy day or a slow Saturday when you are home and just want to be a bum for a day.

Currently Listening To (3)

"Three Wishes" - The Pierces

"You Stepped Out Of A Dream" - Sarah Vaughan

"Hay Amores" - Shakira

"Delicate" - Damien Rice

"I Go To Sleep" - Sia

I'm a PC

I was flipping back and forth between the presidential debate and Wizards of Waverly Place. In the end, my cousin won control of the remote and I drifted back to the good old days of Disney Channel.

During those flips, I saw the above commercial from Microsoft. This commercial is part of marketing strategy that ends with the tagline “Life Without Walls.” Seems like a counterattack after all those funny "Hi, I'm a Mac" ads made such an impact. I admit, I've been compelled to go with a Mac, but I ended up with a PC.

The main difference between the Mac and PC commercials is that PC ads use real people from different parts of the world, which includes a fisher, Bill Gates, & Eva Longoria-Parker.

These commercials don't say much. It seems Microsoft is trying to break free from the representation that Mac has created, that not all PC users wear glasses, are overweight and wear bad suits. In a way they are effective because they it shows the PCs are international, and are used for a number of different people and their lifestyles, school teaches, lawyers, basketball players, celebrities, and of course, fishermen.

For now I'll stay with a PC, but will still enjoy the Mac commercials.

For your viewing pleasure, 15 Mac ads

NoRTH @ The Domain

Today I had dinner with my friend Amanda. We went to NoRTH, a restaurant at the Domain which serves modern Italian cuisine, and self-described as a casual, hip and upbeat venue with a deliciously affordable fare.

To start off, I had some Austin tap (water, as the waitress described it), while Amanda had a strawberry Frizzante (sparkling wine + fresh fruit puree).

To start our dinner, I had the Tuscan Tomato Soup, while Amanda had an order of Melted Tomato, Basil & Warm Ricotta on Bruschetta. The tomato soup was excellent, and it was a nice surprise to find chunks of grilled parmesan bread inside the soup. It added to the texture of the soup, which was rich in flavor. I have tried tomato soup at different restaurants, which usually ends up tasting like spaghetti sauce to me.

Since Amanda has been to NoRTH several times, I let her recommend a dish to me. From her experience, the fish at NoRTH is really good, though she warned to stay away from the “Not Your Typical” Chicken Lasagna ( Amanda has impeccable taste, and if she finds something tasty, it usually is, and vice versa).

We chose to share a plate of Chicken Parmesan with Fresh Tomato & Butter Rigatoni. This plate usually comes with two large chicken breasts, which is more than enough for one person. The kitchen staff accommodated us and provide the meal on two plates, each prepared carefully that I wouldn't have even noticed it was half the meal. The chicken was tender and moist, and combined gracefully with the slices of Austin tomatoes and a couple of rigatoni on top. I barely managed to finish the whole plate, because the portion was so large. (I recommend splitting this plate like Amanda and I did. I have a hearty appetite, and the half portion did a great job of filling me up!)

To top it off, Amanda and I shared some chocolate cake, drizzled with chocolate and raspberry sauce, with a dollop of frosting on top. It was tasty, a mix between a very moist chocolate cake and thick brownie. I'm sure it has a fancy name, but I forget to jot it down.

NoRTH. I recommend going for a nice, night out. The restaurant is laid back, with great staff ready to cater to your every need. The food is prepared with care, and overall was a pleasant experience for me.

Where:
NoRTH Austin
11506 Century Oaks Terrace
Suite 124
Austin, TX 78758
P: 512.339.4400
F: 512.339.4409
Lunch:
11am to 3pm
Mid-day Menu:
3pm to 4:30pm
Dinner:
Sun – Thu 4:30pm to 10pm
Fri – Sat 4:30pm to 11pm
http://www.foxrestaurantconcepts.com/downloads/menus/north_austin_full.pdf

Doodling

Something about having a wonderful conversation with my mother and doodling at Macaroni Grill is comforting .

Eat Zen

Zen, Japanese Food Fast.

Somehow the arrangements of the words are appealing, rather than ‘Japanese Fast Food.”

I hate, loathe, despise (any of these will do), fast food. I work right on the outskirts of downtown and have a tendency not to take my lunch. Several reasons for that. No time (see previous post), because I have such fine cooking skills, and of course, because I need a break from the fluorescent lights, gray walls and the constant ringing of the phone.

One hour. That’s all I have.

One of my favorite places to go is Zen, right in the heart of SoCo.

POSITIVE

Great prices – They have plenty of options under $6.00. My favorite, the classic Teriyaki bowl (without veggies) is only $4.60 for a regular. You can pick noodles, white rice or brown rice as well as your choice of premium white or dark chicken. It’s a perfect size for a great price.

Choice – Zen offers different proteins (fillet mignon, black tiger shrimp, and of course all-natural chicken breast), vegetable mixes, different sauces (try the ginger-lime sauce!), and of course rice and noodles.

Fast – You can easily go in, place an order and be out in 10-15 minutes. Not too shabby for great tasting food that isn’t fried.

Decoration - If you decide to stay an eat, I recommend sitting next to the wall of grass. It’s just screaming for attention!

One word: Sushi!

Location: The location I visit is on South Congress, next to Amy’s Ice Cream, where I can get some dessert.

NEGATIVE

Smell - The smell of urine from the hobos that probably sleep by the door. It never fails that each time I go I smell the overpowering smell of urine. Luckily, it smells great inside and I don’t lose my appetite.

Parking - Unfortunately, they do get busy so you need some luck to get some parking to drive in. If there are not any spots available in the front, just drive to the back and park along the curb.

TV - Zen plays a loop of videos with random quotes, abstract screensaver-like ads, and (this is the negative) a bald man standing in a black robe at different locations throughout Austin. Just... standing there. It’s on a loop and played at a fast speed, so it’s just plain creepy.

I recommend Zen. The temporary whiff of urine and sometimes hard- to- find parking is worth going to get some great food, at a great price, in the heart of Austin.

Place:
1303 SOUTH CONGRESS
Austin, TX
Phone: 512-444-8081
Fax: 512-444-8084
Monday-Saturday
11:30-10:00 Sunday 11:30-10:00

http://eatzen.com/index.php

Silk Soy Milk

I despise waking up early. No matter what, I always end up oversleeping. The ‘Snooze’ button is my secret lover. This leads to an empty stomach most days, which makes me very uncomfortable until lunch time comes and rescues me from my demise.

To fix this problem, I appointed a bowl and spoon to my service. Each morning, I enjoy the sweet crunch of Honey Nut Cheerios accompanied by the thick, creaminess of soy milk, provided by Silk.

I sat at my desk, looking at the daunting list of tasks to do today. One of my coworkers inquires to what I was eating, and I tell her about the wonderful concoction I pulled together, though I lamented not having anymore soy milk for the week. Now, this certain coworker describes herself as a genuine farm girl, growing up milking cows, stacking up hay, and riding her horse until dusk. She asked me, “Now, I like milk straight (from the cow), what is soy milk? What’s the big deal?”

I must admit, this lady asks me many questions (about work, procedures etc) which I usually have answers to (a contribution of my experience). This question though, left me stumped.

Stumped I tell you!

I thought and thought. I decided to do my research on soy beans and why on earth I am drinking soy milk. (Good ol’ fashioned Google…)

Reasons I drink soy milk:

• healthier
  
  
  
  
• Environmental friendly
  
  
  
  
• I caught a ride on the trend & haven’t jumped off
  
  
  
  
• They use Silk soy milk at that coffee-bully place I oh-so-love, so it was bound to trickle down to something I use on a constant basis.

I'll just stick with these reasons. I'm not a fanatic about the flavor, but it does the job.

Bahama Freeze Ice

Bahama Freeze Ice is located 8213 Brodie Lane in Southwest Austin.

Today was unreasonably hot and found instant comfort at this snow cone stand.

The staff was perky and very friendly. Full of energy, they made plenty of flavor suggestions, which I was grateful for since they boast over 110 distinctive flavors.

I decided to try a Bahama Mama with some sweet cream and dulce de leche, which gave the snow cone an extra kick and drove my sweet taste buds insane.

I asked the girl behind the counter, Elisa, the story behind the snow cone stand. She told me that they opened in 2006 and since then have expanded to where they now are able to accommodate different size functions and even collaborate with local school for fairs or fundraisers.

If you check out their website, you can see a list of different events they have been at.

Another cool thing I found out is that the owner, James Young, is a St. Edward’s alumni! It’s always great to support the alumni as they support us.

Check out Bahama Freeze. It’s clean, fair prices, good sizes (be careful about getting a large, it is REALLY BIG!), more than enough flavors, and staff ready to attend to your special snow cone

request.

Where:

Bahama Freeze
8213 Brodie Lane

Austin, Texas 78745

(512) 773-1414

Can't Wait for the Fall Season Premiers!

Ugly Betty - September 25 (Brings a smile to my face)

Grey's Anatomy - September 25 (After 'Ugly Betty" time to get down to some serious bloody business)

House - September 16 (Well, I missed it, need to look at it online...)

Heroes - September 22 (I really hope this season is better...season 2 was dull!)

Pushing Daises - October 1 (This is a really good show!)

Dirty Sexy Money - October 1 (2nd season, give it a chance)

Currently Listening To (2)

"Life is Wonderful" - Jason Mraz

"Cantaloop (Flip Fantasia)" - Gerard Presencer

"Porcelain" - Moby

"Sometimes I Dream" - Mario Frangoulis

"Bliss" - Muse

Amy's Ice Cream: Dead or Alive?

If you’re from Austin, Amy’s Ice Cream isn’t a big deal. It’s quirky and fits with whole “Keep Austin Weird” way of life. To be honest, I’ve had better tasting ice cream, but one doesn’t go for the ice cream, they go for the entertainment.

Usually the people behind the counter preparing your ice cream are interesting characters, finding some unique way to get the scoop of ice cream into a cone/cup (whichever you prefer). Sometimes they throw the scoop of ice cream up in the air, and twist around and do a little dance. Or they throw the ice cream ball to their partner-in-crime across the store. Sometimes they catch it, and they are usually good at it. Other times, they simply don’t know when to quit, and by then, they’ve gone through 6 scoops of ice cream (one that could have been yours), and you have just wasted 10 minutes of your life.

I’m not trying to bash Amy’s, no of course not (I think just venting my recent frustration with a certain Amy’s employee at the SoCo location).

The entertainment is great accompaniment for the ice cream. I have my favorite: Sweet cream, m&m’s, and strawberries. It brings to mind one particular visit to the Southpark Meadows location.

The girl (don’t know her name, but there she is up there) behind the counter asks, "Do you want the boy or girl m&m's?" while pointing to the peanut and plain m&m's respectively. I reply girl. She then asks if I want them "dead or alive".

Dead meaning the m&m's are beat the living chocolate out of them, alive meaning they are whole in your ice cream.

"Dead", I tell her with a sinister smile.

"All my candy is suicidal..."

iPhone Laughs

Just because I have an iPhone (though I want the 3g version!) and I remember when it first came out. All the hype about a revolutionary phone, though it does have it drawbacks, such as no cut and paste, integrated picture messaging and an easier way to set custom ringtones, just to name a few.

Any iPhone owners out there?

A Walk in the Park: The McNay Museum

Whenever you visit San Antonio, I encourage you to visit some place rather than the staple of the River Walk.

One place I can suggest is the McNay Museum. Located in the heart of Alamo Heights off trendy Broadway, this museum is a worth a detour from downtown. A staple for local San Antonio universities, the McNay is an excellent museum to review works of art (My first visit here was for an art class during my freshman year at St.Mary's University).

With rolling green hills, beautiful water art, and a great view of the city, this Spanish Mediterranean-style mansion, built in 1929, is so picturesque that it is frequently used as a romantic backdrop for weddings and photo shoots. Don’t be surprised if you see a bride or two running around.

Though the McNay doesn't boast a first-class art collection, it does exhibit at least one work of art by most American and European masters of the past two centuries. The McNay also hosts major traveling shows. It'll take you at least an hour and half to go through mansion at a leisurely pace; longer if you want to take a stroll about the beautiful 23-acre grounds sprinkled with sculptures and stunning landscaping.

It's also well worth taking the time to view the 15-minute orientation film about oil heiress and artist Marion Koogler McNay, who established the museum. And of course, a museum would not be complete without a gift shop to pick ups some odds and ends, which is located in the north-east corner of the mansion.

Admission is free to the McNay, though a $5.00 donation is suggested if you plan to view the permanent collections and special collections. There is plenty of available parking, but make sure to watch out for reserved spaces for field trips.

Where:

McNay Art Museum
6000 North New Braunfels
San Antonio, Texas 78209
210-824-5368
info@mcnayart.org
www.mcnayart.org

When:

Tuesday, Wednesday, and Friday
10:00 am to 4:00 pm
Thursday
10:00 am to 9:00 pm
Saturday
10:00 am to 5:00 pm
Sunday
noon to 5:00 pm

Search Me!

Well, not really. I don't have any money on me and the most dangerous thing on me is probably my keys.

Search Me is actually a search engine. It's unique by showing screenshots of the results. It also uses the same format as Apple cover flow. Naturally, that app will soon be available for the iPhone and iPod touch.

I decided to search for “Michael Barnes”. What do you know? I found:

1) Michael Barnes , a printmaker from Northern Illinois University
2) Michael Barnes, U.S. Representative for Maryland
3) Michael Barnes, a hairdresser in London
4) Michael Barnes, Entertainment Editor for the Austin American Statesman


This is a really fun way to search for whatever it is you need. Though you probably won’t get as many results as Google, it certainly is a little easier on the eyes. You can "search all", or search through the standard, 'web', 'video', 'pictures' options. Search Me also has some odd options, such as 'colleges & universities', 'board games', and 'work & career'. (These options didn't bring up anything relevant, as expected).

It brings to mind “Don’t judge a book by its cover”. Instead we are judging results through web screenshot to see what is more appealing to us.

Try it out, let me know what you think.

Search Me

Rebel on I-35

I'm not sure why I decided to pull over and take an impromptu photograph with the posted speed limit. Then again, random moments don’t need a reason to be done.

Currently Listening To (1)

"Three Wishes" - The Pierces

"Sunday" - Sia

"Shrinking Universe" - Muse

"Dö Nence" - Cemali

"Duid Deed " - Bud Powell

Check these out, let me know what you think.

Chanel Vitalumiére

I'm not a big make-up person, but a friend invited me to have a "make-over" done at Nordstrom featuring Chanel products. I figured it would be fun to see how the make-up "artist" would over- do my face, use colors on me that I would never wear in public, or basically tell me how fabulous I look with the clown face that was slathered on me.

To my surprise, the lady (I’m so sorry… I forgot your name!) did a pretty good job. She used the Chanel Vitalumiére foundation, which has become my new favorite item. (By the way, this lady is a graduate from St. Edward’s University, small world!)

The official description states that this product:

“Delivers a young, radiant look. Lines, wrinkles and imperfections seem to be erased. Ultra-gliding fluid provides buildable coverage. SPF 15 UV protection; nut extract guards against free radicals.”

I’m not sure what free radicals those nut extracts are protecting me from, but I do have to agree the foundation gives the user a glow, sometimes dewy look, upon application. This foundation is bit on the pricey side, but as a faithful user, I highly recommend it. I hardly use much, just about a thumbtack head-size portion each day.

It blends well in the skin and is light enough to use in the winter. Chanel Vitalumiére provides coverage to even out your skin tone, but is soft enough that it won’t look like you lacquered your face.

Memories: A Visit To San Francisco In March

Photos (by me).

The Candyman

He walks in unannounced, eyes wide with excitement.
The walls are overflowing with rows of candy,
Every flavor, every shape, every type imaginable.
He nibbles a peppermint stick,
Licks a lollipop,
Takes a long bite of a chocolate mint.
Enjoying each one, devouring them slowly
Licking his lips like a lion eyeing a gazelle.
But he then catches glimpse of another candy
Prettier, tastier, beautifully wrapped
And the cycle repeats again
Over and over.
Disfigured chocolate, melted gum
All left in a heap on the candy shop’s floor.

Cheap Gas, Where Art Thou?

I have decided to look for the cheapest gas in Austin. I drive a Jeep, which means it guzzles the gas like an alcoholic at a wine-tasting party.

You can use this website to find some of the cheapest gas in Austin. You can search by gas type, (diesal, premium etc) location, and brand.

(Just in case your heading back home on the weekend to another Texas city, check out this website, which gives you different city search options.)

Info to share:
In my experience from my days of commuting from Austin to San Antonio, I found out that:

-Most gas stations that aren’t Exxon, Chevron, and Shell will usually have cheaper gas that its competitors.

-Want to save 3 cents? Buy a Wal-Mart gift card and load it up. If you use your gift card at the Wal-Mart gas stations , you save 3 cents for each gallon! Those 3 cents can add up.

(Another plus side: They seem to keep their promise of providing the fastest pump service, so that you are in and out before you know it!)

To Ban Or Not To Ban, That Is the Question...

As I left H-E-B the other day, I saw a recycling bin for plastic bags. It seemed odd to me because I hadn’t seen something like before. I decided to research the matter, and was surprised of the controversy surrounding plastic bags.

Fact: It takes about 430,000 gallons of oil to manufacture 100 million bags. [source]

Plain truth: plastic bags are convenient and easier to handle than trying to carry five paper bags. Maybe most of us choose plastic out of habit, because that is what our parents did, and who are we to challenge tradition?

Bad news: They are an oil product that degrades our environment! While recyclable, only 1% of all plastic bags produced are ever recycled. 99% of plastic bags end up in a landfill or as litter. I was surprised to find out that plastic bags contribute to global warming, kill animal and fish life, degrade our creeks, rivers, and oceans, clog our sewer systems, and are among the most visible signs of litter and debris. I never thought about it, until I started paying more attention to my surroundings and saw many H-E-B plastic bags, playing in the wind, climbing trees, taking a bath in a creek….

The biggest problem with plastic bags is that they do not readily break down in the environment, with estimates for the time it takes them to decompose ranging from 20 to 1000 years. One of the disquieting facts stemming from this is that plastic bags can become serial killers. Once an animal that had ingested a plastic bag dies, it decays at a much faster rate than the bag. Once the animal has decomposed, the bag is released back into the environment more or less intact, ready to be eaten by another misguided organism. [source]

Change: I read that San Francisco is the first city in the United States to issue a city wide ban. It started two years ago, when San Francisco was determined to become the first municipality in North America to enforce a policy to place fees on petroleum-plastic bags given out at supermarket checkout stands. Unfortunately the mayor decided to reject the proposal, even though there was wide-spread support, and in 2006, the Governor banned all California cities from placing fees on bags. [source]

Now, under new legislation, which passed 10-1 in the city’s Board of Supervisors, large markets and pharmacies will have the option of using compostable bags made of corn starch or bags made of recyclable paper. San Francisco will join a number of countries, such as Ireland, that already have outlawed plastic bags or have levied a tax on them.

Austin: A city-initiated voluntary program to reduce, reuse, and recycle plastic bags has been enacted. Large-volume users of plastics bags, such as H-E-B, Whole Food, Target and Wal-Mart Supermarkets, pharmacies and other commercial users of plastic bags will soon enter a city-initiated voluntary program to reduce, reuse and recycle plastic bags have agreed to voluntarily reduce use of non-biodegradable, petroleum-based bags. The pilot program is expected to last until November 2008. [source]

The issue right now is that if there is not a significant reduction in the span of a year, a mandatory ban will most likely be considered. I’ve shopped at the H-E-B on Congress & Oltorf for nearly 18 years, and this is my first time seeing a receptacle for recycling paper bags, and this slightly scares me.

My new goal: to use paper, not plastic.You should try it to. Though paper bags are easier to recycle than plastic bags, there are other options. H-E-B is now offering reusable shopping bags for a bargain price of 99 cents. Or you could buy your trendy canvas bag, or better yet, use that old backpack you have in your closet (though I’m not sure how many Hot Pockets you could fit in there).

Svart Får

According to my friend Krisinta, that's Swedish for 'black sheep'.

It's Monday, today is supposed to be random.

Grenz- "The Rise of the Modern World"

Postmodernism is determined by the lack of focusing on the human culture, universal history, nature, and above all, the human person or self. Postmodernism concludes that trying to describe an objective single real world will not bring out truths, only fictions by the human mind.

Postmodernism questions the Enlightenment self because Descartes’ concept of the self as a thinking substance. The conscious self is existent because it regulates the mental acts, but critics say that Descarte devalues the body as a separate entity from the thinking subject. This leads critics to say that saying "myself" and "my body" is inconsistent with the unity between the mind and body.

There is also a rejection of the Enlightenment idea of the concept of truth by Friedrich Nietzsche. In his view, the world is made of fragments, which like snowflakes, no two are every the same. He uses an example between the concept of "leaf" and "leaves." Even thought the mass concept of leaves has similarities, each real leaf is different than the other, no two the same. So his critique is that we use individual concepts and then combine them in order to understand the world, such as the "laws of nature."

Podemos Con Obama

I first saw this Spanish language video of support for Barack Obama back in May. It was made for the presidential primary vote for Puerto Rico. This video showed several influential Latin figures, such as Alejandro Sanz, Don Oar and Paulina Rubio. The purpose of this video was to display the joining of these influential Latin figures to convince the Latin community that Obama is the best candidate to handle issues facing the Hispanic community and the United States as a whole.

Talent:
Alejandro Sanz
Paulina Rubio
John Leguizamo
Jessica Alba
Kate del Castillo
Cucu Diamantes (Yerba Buena)
Pedro Martinez (Yerba Buena)
Andres Levin (Yerba Buena)
George Lopez
Luis Guzman
Don Omar
Voltio
Lila Downs
Lin Manuel Miranda
Frankie Needles
Huey Dunbar
Nydia Caro
Ivonne Caro Caro
Brazilian Girls
Carlos Marín and family
Carola Gonzalez
Viva Nativa
Jose Alberti

I enjoyed watching this video. In the beginning it gives some statistics, such as how many Hispanic voters there are in this country. This ad is about unifying the largest minority in the United States to make a change with the power of their vote. The one thing that threw off this video is when Jessica Alba popped out. She was the only one that spoke her part in English. Now in no way am I saying that one is truly Hispanic if they know Spanish, but I think that if the producer would have included other English-speakers, it would have made the video more cohesive.

Other than that, I see this as a very inspirational video, but then again it might have to do with seeing Alejandro Sanz’s gorgeous face several times….

Plant Earth's Take on Mankind

Laura Bush & Cindy McCain Wear (Expensive) Clothes

As I was getting my daily news from different sources on the internet, I saw a picture of First Lady Laura Bush & Cindy McCain. The first thing I thought was, “Wow, they are impeccably dressed!” They looked very respectable, but with a modern flair.

I decided to click on the picture, and what do you know? Both ladies are getting a lot of flak for what they were wearing (mainly McCain) after Vanity Fair investigated the price of these lovely designer frocks.

Laura Bush

Oscar de la Renta suit: $2,500

Stuart Weitzman heels: $325

Pearl stud earrings: $600–$1,500

Total: Between $3,425 and $4,325

Cindy McCain

Oscar de la Renta dress: $3,000

Chanel J12 White Ceramic Watch: $4,500

Three-carat diamond earrings: $280,000

Four-strand pearl necklace: $11,000–$25,000

Shoes, designer unknown: $600
Total: Between $299,100 and $313,100
(source: Vanity Fair)

I have nothing against people who have the funds for some of today’s greatest designer labels, but as I read more into this report, I realized critics have a point. The Republicans are trying to label Barack Obama as an elitist, while John McCain is supposed to stand for the good ol’ working Americans.

Granted, Cindy McCain’s jewelry bumped up the price tag of her whole outfit, but if I could have at least have those unknown designer shoes, why, I’d be able to pay for two semesters worth of books (and have some left over for coffee).

Yes, Oscar de La Renta garments really represent the working American.

Haiku: Happy Birthday Father

Work all day, night school
Wishing you the best day ever
Though you don't see me

Wash Your Hands….Or Else!

Or else suffer getting sick.

Or else leave in disgust the person who witnessed your poor hygiene in action.

I wash my hands. I like my hands to be clean. Do you realize every time you flush your toilet, (without the lid down) germs are spouted in the air and land on whatever surface they can get their microscope hands on (source) ? Imagine that happening in a public restroom?

Gross.

Countless times I have caught ladies who leave the restroom without washing their hands. Then there are those who turn on the water, swipe their hands underneath in less than 5 seconds and call it day. Even worse, having a co-worker come out of the stall as you are washing your hands to a germ-free splendor and place her contaminated hands on your back, asking how your day is going. (Then she has the audacity to leave without even touching the sink…)

I just don’t get it. How can someone leave the restroom without washing their hands, especially in a public restroom?

I’m just shocked really, shocked as I type this and see my coworker trying to pick a fruit from a gift basket brought to us.

Note to self: Do not eat anything from that basket.

Labor Day Fun

I went to San Marcos today with some family.
Had some generic fun-in-the-sun with some good ol’ fashioned b-b-q.
Highlights of the day include:

Losing a flip-flop to the raging waters

Sliding down the “waterfall” in a tube

Falling off the tube and getting lost in an underwater world

Barely making it up in time for air

Scrapping my knee

Feeling bruises on my body at this moment & having no clue how I got them

Hope ya’ll all had some fun today!

Haiku: Future

Holds her hand at night
Sitting on the hill light breeze
Thinking of future

Disclaimer: First haiku I have ever done (pat on the back for me). I hope I did it correctly, if not, feel free to let me know below!

Tea, I Drink With Jam & Bread

I have a new obsession.

Tea.

You see, a long time ago, there was a young college student who battled 15 hours of writing-intense courses and 40 hours at a law firm each week.

Boy, was she tired! She, as many before her, turned to the coffee gurus to seek consolation. It worked (so she thought). She had the stamina of a 10 year-old on a candy binge, and the sharp mind of an overeager intern on the first day of a job.

Little by little she began to feel the side effects:

• Irritability (where’s my Venti iced coffee?!?!)
• Insomnia (Need. To. Finish. Paper.)
• Nervousness (lack of caffeine)
• Dizziness (probably from the lack of sleep)
• Dehydration from the constant trips to the little girl’s room

After a year or so of this nonsense, young-college-student decided she needed a change. A change that required eating real food and not supplementing it for her drug with coffee.
So now, here I am, introduced to the world of tea. I love going to the Central Market and fawning over the rainbow of different teas with their fragrant scents and soothing colored labels.
I have recently been drinking Tazo tea. It only makes sense. They have a wide array of black teas, organic teas, green teas etc. Try the Tazo Chai organic Spiced Black Tea. The spices give off a beautiful aroma and are rich in flavor. It includes, black tea, ginger, cinnamon, black pepper, cardamom, cloves and star anise. (Instead of putting sugar, try a touch of some local grown honey. Healthier and you support Austin! )

You must be wondering why I said it only makes sense.
1) I picked Tazo tea out of the many available because it is sold in Starbucks. I guess that helped me wean of the coffee conglomerate and their sinful coffee.
2) It’s a decent price, especially if you’re on a budget. ($3.39 for a box of assorted flavors... what a steal!) $3.39… that’s almost like a Grande sized drink at that place-that-shall-not-be-named.

Give it a try; let me know what you think. If you know of a different brand that rocks your socks, leave it in a comment below.

Where:

Tazo Tea Website

I Dream of Cupcakes

The moment you pass that silver retro trailer on the corner of Congress and Milton St, you know you’re at SoCo. According to my friends (those unfortunate non-Austinites), selling cupcakes outside is just an odd concept. Sure, there are fancy gourmet cupcakes that are sold in haughty little shops with ridiculous prices, but then again, I’m sure those people are paying for the experience of buying an over-priced cupcake with some bow around the box (yes, pretty little red bows sure bump up the value of a cupcake). But you know what? This is Austin, and Hey Cupcake! is part of the whole SoCo flavor!

As far as prices go, it’s pretty reasonable ($2-$2.50), considering that you can lounge around the trailer, walk down and visit the other eclectic shops down Congress, or fly by for a office cupcake run (which I’m guilty of doing several times…).

Hassle free = no baking necessary + no messy frosting to deal with





You can also pay a couple of cents extra for a personal box for each cupcake (it’s like opening up a present at Christmas!) or stack them up in a complimentary box.

(Source: Hey Cupcake! Website)

My personal favorites are:

Michael Jackson
I love the cream cheese frosting top. It’s a bit sweeter, but it goes great with the chocolate bottom. It’s pretty obvious why it’s called the Michael Jackson…


Red Velvet
It’s a mini version of the classic red velvet cake. Again, I’m a sucker for the cream cheese frosting.

As far as cupcakes go, it’s just a cupcake. But the convenience of having cupcakes already made and just being in that environment makes it worth the walk from your car to the corner.

Where:
SoCo Location
1600 Block of S. Congress
Austin, Texas 78704

Tues- Sat 12pm-9pm
Sun 1pm-8pm
Closed on Mondays!

Pizza, Pasta & Beer, Oh My!

Walking into BJ’s is walking into a new experience. Its not just a restaurant. Its a place to hang, a place to chill, a place to do as you please (well, not ALL that you please). BJ’s is another mega chain that has infiltrated Austin, just like Applebee’s or Chili’s (hmm.. I see a trend here with the ‘s).

The atmosphere is great. It’s full of activity with smiling waiters attending to their tables and customers sipping on the assortment of beverages BJ’s has to offer. To your right, you see all the sport fanatics at the bar, which seems to be the highlight of the restaurant, perched on a platform above the whole restaurant (almost like a stage) with the appealing glow of the flat screen televisions, each broadcasting different sports event.

Seating wise, I prefer the booths. Rounded, black booths with just enough bounce to it. The back is high enough that you have privacy so you can joke around with your friends between the difference of brother/sisters and ‘cousins’.

Now to the best part; food. They offer multiple choices for pasta. Chicken, Cajun, Alfredo, mix it the way YOU like it. Be sure to wash it down with some strawberry lemonade. Or for the beers fan out there, beer is BJ’s specialty. They brew their own beer and have several pages in their menu dedicated to all the drinks you can get. (Just remember to drink responsibility, and not drive!)

Where:
BJ's Restaurant
5207 Brodie LnSunset Valley, TX 78745(512) 892-3800

Bang, Bang.

Music.
Medicine for the soul, exercise for the heart, and just an adventure for your mind to get lost in.

Driving to lunch today, I heard a rendition of “Bang, Bang (My Baby Shot Me Down). I’m not quite sure who was singing, but it brought back memories from the first time I heard the simplistic lyrics. A few years ago I worked at a retail store in the mall (seems to be the horrible passage of rite every teenager must go through) and heard a spiffy version of this song, which included the delicate voice of Nancy Sinatra.

This song was originally written by Sonny Bono, which was sang by Cher in 1966. Since that time, many covers have been done, as with any good song (source). Below are some links that will allow you to check out the original and other versions. If you have heard another version, leave a link in a comment.

Some versions of the song you must check out, no really, I insist:

The original song performed by Cher, but a witty YouTube video for your viewing pleasure

Nancy Sinatra --Light, but with much more feeling. Keep in mind Sinatra covered this song only 1 year after Cher, but what a difference 1 year makes!


Peach Stealing Monkeys -- Sinatra vocals lined with a funky beat…

My favorite version , by Niia. Her soulful voice captures you for the moment she sings .

Enjoy.

Ukulele Ukulele Til' Midnight

1st post.

I sit in what appears to be silence as I think about what's to come for this blog of mine. I assume we will be ball and chain. My thought process is interrupted by sounds from next door (technically next door, more like over the privacy fence, splash across the creek and find yourself smack in the middle of some randomly placed RVs).

A man playing a ukulele. He strums his fingers across what I imagine is the cool chords of the ukulele, past midnight, while basking underneath the warm glow of multicolored Christmas lights.

Random yet soothing.