The Best Smoothies...

... don't have dairy.

My personal recipe:

1 cup Frozen Bananas
1 cup Frozen Peaches
1/2 cup frozen pineapple
1 1/2 cups Orange Pineapple Banana Juice (Dole makes ones)
1 scoop Vanilla Soy Protein powder, (I use Vitamin World's brand)
1 Tablespoon Milled Flax Seed

The soy powder and the flax seeds give it the thicker texture that's still drinkable. SO good!

Party Like It's 2009, THANK GOD!

Several friends and I have had an ongoing debate pertaining to when it is the most appropriate to have a party: on Monday January 19th, Bush's last day in office, or Tuesday January 20th, Obama's first. Originally, wanting to celebrate the inauguration more than a realm of REAL terror, I was leaning towards Tuesday the 20th. However, my friend Lisa made a good point in that the inauguration ceremony is held at a ridiculously early hour, and would make celebrating such somewhat difficult. However, I would argue that having a party on a Monday night - and especially a Monday night where everyone will want to get up early the next morning to watch the ceremony - would be equally difficult.

Hence, I have decided to create "Obamarama Fo' Yo' Mamma 2009," which will commence at 10pm Monday, January 18th, (where I plan to drink many a julep, my one hat-tipping to G.W.'s southern roots,) and end somewhere around Tuesday January 19th mid-morning, (when I can't keep any more bubbles down.) All those who wish to join me may traverse to my living room with bourbon/champagne in hand, and preferably a sleeping bag as well. See you there!

Shows you need to see:

Tonight: Quasi / Eat Skull / Golden Bears @ Doug Fir. Door @ 8, Show @ 9. $13

Jan 16th: Fountains of Wayne (acoustic set) @ Wonder Ballroom. Doors @ 8, Show @ 9. $20

Jan. 17th: Blind Pilot, Aladdin Theater. Doors @ 7, Show @ 8. $12

Jan. 18th: Woven Hand with Silver Summit @ Doug Fir. Doors @ 8, Show @ 9. $12

I'll be at all of them except F.O.W. Come out!

FOOD YOU NEED TO EAT: Bertie Lou's

Lately I've been in a breakfast rut of Cafe Utopia, Genie's and Fat Alberts, but no more; today I was made hip to the ways of Bertie Lou's in Sellwood at 17th and Tacoma. Um, yeah. I think I'm pretty much going to live here. First of all it's small - we're talking max capacity of MAYBE 24 including the diner bar. All of the cooks are attractive, late-twenties-early-thirties skater boys, which never hurt anyone, and the servers actually ASK before re-filling your coffee (for those of you who require as much coffee maintenance as I do, you can appreciate this.

Oh yeah, and the food basically made me do this. I ordered the Oaks Bottom Omelet, an amazing combo of tomatoes, garlic, green onions, bacon and hollandaise sauce. In other news, I have decided that all future suitors must be able to prepare an exquisite hollandaise sauce. That is all.

Day One.

When I was a kid, I felt guilty for only praying to God when I needed something - help with school, with friends or bullies, with boys or teachers, anything. Every time I bowed my head my cheeks would flush, ashamed to be asking for more of what I didn't deserve in the first place. Eventually I just stopped praying (in the conventional sense) and made an inner resolution to give thanks more often, so that when I DID have to ask for something I had a history of being grateful against which to juxtaposition my request.

Today is the first day of 2009; the year of my high school ten-year reunion, my 28th year of existence, hopefully the great "getting-together-of-my-shit." But last night when the final stroke of 2008 passed, I made no resolutions for the impending 365 day run. Resolutions are just little self-prayers, requests we beseech upon ourselves to lose weight, stop smoking, be a better friend, etc. And I made no requests because I desire no extreme changes in my existence or the lifestyle I maintain to create it. 2008 was a year of relief in and of itself - the struggle to come back up for air, recreate my world closer to the ideal of what I wanted it to be, to hold still and gather my thoughts. And it was good.

I am grateful for my existence and everything and everyone in it; asking for anything more would just be greedy. If this life continues to become more beautiful and complex on its own exponentially increasing scale, it will be because that's what was supposed to happen, not because of a silent self-prayer in a haze of champagne.

On with the show :)

Good Things

1) Good beer

2) The return of Good SNL

3) Good band to see on New Years if you happen to be in Portland

4) Good band to see on New Years if you happen to be in NYC (sigh)

5) Good new direction

6) Good bourbon. Really, really fucking good bourbon.

7) Good wine

Goodnight.

On discovering two slightly amazing things simultaneously:

1) Though I attempt, in general, to abstain from the giving and receiving of frivolous gifts this time of year, were anyone to inquire as to what I may desire this holiday seasons, I can now say I have the answer.

2) Just so we are clear, this is not me. Thanks.