Dirty Martini Society: 2008

Walking the Plank @ Treasure Island Music Festival

Imagine sitting on the grass with a gentle breeze blowing while you listen to Antibalas. How about dancing your blues away while Hot Chip gets you "Ready for the Floor." These thoughts race in my head while I sit at my desk on this typical Tuesday.

This weekend was the 2 annual Treasure Island Music Festival and the DMS crew was in full effect. Because of the amazing Saturday lineup (Hot Chip, Justice, CSS, TV on the Radio...just to name a few) we headed over to the island around 1:45. We missed Aesop Rock, but our disappointment was short lived as the rest of the festival was perfectly sized and musically abundant. The highlights of the day were TV on the Radio and Hot Chip, whose performances pretty much rocked from start to finish.

4:40 on a Friday

Happy Hour is in fact not just an hour, but a block of time set ahead for people to unwind after a hard day's work. Friday, I decided to visit some the SF DMS members for a little fun.

The decided spot was 440 Castro. Formerly Daddy's, Happy Hour at 440 is now a DMS favorite. Chill environment, a wide variety of cute guys (scruffy rugby types and 9-5 financial districts suits just to name a few), and bartenders that know how to pour a nice stiff Grey Goose Tonic. The music was definitely a highlight. Not sure who was the DJ but there was a perfect mix between 80's pop/R&B/Top 40. After a couple of hours there we all departed for our various Friday night plans, but decided that 440 for Happy Hour needs to become a staple.

Boulevard of Broken Dreams: Vietnam

After navigating their way through Vietnam the past couple of weeks the JetSetZero field team reaches a crossroads; stay in Vietnam or head for another country.

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Brideshead Revisited: Worth the Stay?

The end of summer has brought houseparties, birthdays, bbqs, and outdoor festivals. Sadly the bartender has been crazy busy being a social butterfly to update. But alas I bring you my thoughts on the movie Brideshead Revisited.

Not a hugely popular film in my various circles, but luckily there was one DMS member that loves English films as much as I do and we made a night of it. After dining at a nameless one star restaurant...yes that bad (we were in a hurry), we made it to the theater just in time to catch the opening. The English countryside looked amazing as it served as the main backdrop for this 1920's drama with a very talented cast. Emma Thompson commanded the screen as the film's matriarch, Lady Marchmain, and served her post faithfully til the very end. There was a perfect mix of intrigue, sexual tension, and of course catholic guilt. Though it seemed slow and almost painfully dull in some parts I would suggest checking out Brideshead Revisited...but not as a Friday night movie.

All Aboard the Pineapple Express!

Back from a little digital vacay with a review of "Pineapple Express." First impression: complete and utter stoner movie. If you hate stoner humor in any way, shape, or form, then you will not find this movie funny in the least bit. That being said, the DMS crew and myself LOVED IT! After seeing the trailer a couple of months ago I knew that I would be in a theater opening night watching this movie. My main interest was across seeing Seth Rogen and James Franco on screen together after their Freak and Geeks days.

After suffering through sold out theaters using Fandango we were finally able to score tickets through some other website I hadn't heard about. We get to the theater and of course it's a complete madhouse. The DMS kids and I snag the last 5 seats together and settled down to witness the greatness. Awesome one-liners, a little bromance, and a plot that seemed as clueless as the actors managed to make a movie that I wouldn't mind owning. I didn't think the subplots were all that great, and could have been edited in my opinion. However, there was another great gem in the movie...

Rosie Perez

That is all

Tea is the new cocktail!

Well not exactly the new cocktail...I've realized that unfortunately a Grey Goose Martini w/a twist cannot be consumed every time the urge hits (you can, but there is a word for that:), so that prompted me to hunt for the next best thing. I present to you Teavana. This little slice of heaven provides the public with "Teaologists" who seem to have vast knowledge of how tea works. Since my first visit I have become midly obessed with all things tea. Specializing in only loose tea, Teavana offers regular teas as well as highly creative blended teas. Current DMS favorites include their "Earl Grey Creme" and "MateVana" blends. So find your nearest Teavana and pop in for sample! It's not a martini, but it does help move the day along.

Mamma Mia Mania!!!

*Disclaimer: If you don't like Abba, the original play, or actors who weren't born to sing, then this isn't for you*

Otherwise I saw grab your besties and sing your heart out to Mamma Mia. Thanks to a dedicated DMS crew member we were able to get a private screening of the movie. From the very beginning to the credits there was never a dull movie as each scene was sprinkled with a little Abba, some hot guys, and amazing scenery. I refuse to spoil any of the scenes, so take my word for it and be a dancing queen of the theater for one evening.

The Happening: Nature is pissed!

Everyone knows that I'm a huge horror film buff, so when I heard about M. Night Shyamalan's "The Happening" I knew I would be front and center for a decent thriller. What I got instead was a mild heart attack. With most recent thrillers the villain is usually a deranged butcher, a creature from another world, or someone you know. However, 10 minutes into this movie there were still no clues as to what was causing the chaos.

The rest of the movie seems like a warped psych study on mass societal hysteria combined with gruesome suicides that seemed to happen every second. I would get into the storyline of the main characters, but it would be pointless seeing as how the movie could have had the same disturbing effect without them. What happens when there are no answers, only mass suicides?

Activate the Cone of Silence!: Get Smart

Originally, I wanted to wait til this movie came out on DVD, but couldn't pass up a late night showing with a couple of DMS members. Dark and Stormy cocktails in hand, we sat in a near empty AMC to catch Get Smart: The Movie. Though it is definitely not Oscar worthy, Get Smart offers enough funny moments and scenes with The Rock a.k.a Dwayne Johnson (Agent 23) that I was very content. Ann Hathaway pulls off a surprisingly sexy Agent 99, although her attraction to Agent 86 (Steve Carell) was a bit far fetched. Overall, it was an entertaining movie and you should certainly queue it up on your netflix when it hits DVD

The Evolution of Friendship

While grabbing drinks at the Midnight Sun on Castro a friend and I were catching up and updating each other on friends we hadn't seen in weeks. It was weird because 2 years ago my group of friends and I were attached at the hip; a constant fixture in each others lives. However, that has started to change. In reality it is no ones fault because our own personal lives have taken different paths and hanging out isn't as feasible. This seemingly unavoidable distance got me thinking about how friendships evolve and the various places in your life they seem to settle.

For example, your friends in high school are with you through your angsty teen years; trying to figure out who you are in relation to your other peers. Most times than not these friends do not last past high school graduation unless you all go to same college or live in the same region. Then there are the people you meet in college. While still trying to figure out who you are in relation to the rest of the world these people are there with you; partying til the wee hours, cramming for exams, and wading through endless bad relationships. These friends tend to follow you after your college career into the real world. This is where things get a little hairy. As much as you want to hang out with your best buds every weekend and lament about work, life starts to happen. New relationships, new friends, engagements, work stress, etc start to seep into our daily lives and we found ourselves trying to stay afloat. When life starts to happen how can you preserve the friendships of those who mean most of you? Will this evolution be smooth or will there be some friendships that can't adapt thus rendering them extinct?

J-Hud's New Video

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Jennifer Hudson's new single "Spotlight" is a DMS favorite. In addition to the song be sure to check out Ms. Hudson's amazing fashion choices!

Duffy...Total DMS obsession

Here's Duffy performing my favorite song "Stepping Stone" from her album "Rockferry." I came across Duffy at 4am one night while watching MTV. Fighting insomnia I watched her video "Mercy," and was instantly hooked. Her raw, scratchy delivery of notes as she belts about lost love, the need for attention, and refusing to settle for anything less than stellar stirred up my own emotions as I listened to her album on repeat time after time. I've had the album for about a month now and each time I'm feel as if it's 4am and I have no clue who this amazing singer is. Fav tracks to check out are "Warwick Avenue," "Stepping Stone," "Rockferry," and of course "Mercy."

Disco's "Bad Girl" is Back!

As an early birthday gift I received Donna Summer's new album "Crayons." I heard the first track "Stamp your feet" over the weekend and while I was happy that the disco queen was back in action the single failed to impress me. However, I am happy to say that the rest of the album is a definite DMS keeper. Sip mojitos and get lost in her latin fused song "Drivin' to Brazil," or preparty with friends and jagerbombs while dancing to "I'm a fire." I'm sure that I will hear more of this album as Pride month gets well under way. So take a chance and color outside the lines with "Crayons." How long has it been since you colored? ;)

M-Dolla sells her Hard Candy.

I held out as long as possible. After hearing "4 Minutes" over and over in the SF Clubs and radio I was highly opposed to reviewing the entire album, but a free copy fell into my clutches so I figured why not! If you like Confessions on the Dance Floor, then Hard Candy is a nice follow up. Madonna or "M-Dolla" pairs up with Timbaland for a beat heavy 12 track cd which for the most part is fun to dance to. For the hardcore fans I recommend checking out the track "Incredible," as it had me table dancing at a recent birthday party. Overall, Hard Candy is a strong album, but falls short of a DMS endorsement. Don't get me wrong, we love Madonna, but Hard Candy is a sweet reminder that home girl can always sell an album even if the material is a bit over the top and lacking in originality.

DMS Movie: Sex and the City!!

Last night the boys and I catwalked our way into the SATC midnight showing. With my large black carnation pinned ever so fabulous on my sand colored cotton blazer we grab seats and prepared to see our girls for once last bang!

For the occasion we decide to sample Sterling Vineyards 2004 Oakville Cabernet Sauvignon. Like the movie it was full bodied, smoky, and a definite DMS favorite.

As for the movie, I refuse to release any spoilers, but will say that if you are a true die hard fan this movie lives up to the show. It's an emotional roller coaster to say the least, and my only critique was that the 2 hr and 15 minute run time could have been cut by a couple of scenes.

The fashion throughout the film kept me gasping and gripping my seat. Half way through I decided that this was my "Indiana Jones" moment. It had been 4 years since the end of the show, and despite the fact that the series is on constant repeat in my dvd player I was aching to see what the fierce foursome had been up to. Last night I got my wish along with a theater full of hopeless romantics.

I would recommend seeing this movie with a gaggle of your best friends along with a nice bottle of vino because let's face it...everyone loves being young, fashionable, and fabulous!

DMS City: Seattle

I love this city! After a crazy 13 hour drive a couple of DMS peeps and myself made it to the land of the coffee bean and the space needle. First thing we did once we arrived at the house was take a huge breath of fresh air. With all the lush trees around and a fresh rain the air was perfect. Not much on the agenda for this week; just relaxing, hanging, and checking out clutch spots to feature on the DMS.

In short: Come to Seattle!! You'll love it.

DMS Spot: Bay Meadows

Friday night the usual suspects and I suffered through 1.5 hours of traffic to head to Bay Meadows in San Mateo, CA. It was the last Friday night the historic race track would be operate before being torn down. Although I'm not gambler I always appreciated Bay Meadows as a living time capsule of times past. It will be missed by the bay area community.

DMS TV: Did Gossip Girl Jump Shark?

Guilty pleasure? Most definitely. If you choose not to follow the lives of Upper East Side yuppie larva then reading on might be damaging to your health. Last night viewers tuned in to find out the "secret" that Serena has been twitching over since Giorgina arrived into town. Since it was the season finale I knew that there would be some "WTF" moments, but figured they would be highly predictable. First clue was the preview in which Hazel said "There's no party once the gay bomb drops." I pretty much assumed it was Eric, but have to admit that the Asher tie in was genius. The overall episode was done in it's usual manner, but the bitch level was raised a couple of notches. My issue was the alleged "cliffhanger." Just when you thought the show would end with Jenny realizing that she would never be "in," Serena comes barreling in Blair's house in mid meltdown mode. S and B have a moment where they cement their sisterhood and then Serena drops the "M" bomb. The funny thing was that even the music didn't see it coming (it came to a screeching halt then turned into some trippy lounge music.) So now we sit in suspense for season two. Will Eric turn into the club happy twink he was born to be? Will Serena get sent up the river? Whatever happens I'm sure it will be horribly bad yet pleasantly fattening.

XoXo

DMS

DMS Fashion: Green With Envy

Eco-fabulous and no apologies! DMS has learned that some designers are making an effort to find "Eco-Fab" fabric to create breath-taking pieces for both couture and ready-to-wear. Don't be alarmed though, we highly doubt that Chanel will debut a cocktail dress made from hemp and egg crates in the near future. However, designers are now being supplied with information on how to find fabric that is as beautiful for the Earth as it is for the catwalk. I definitely want first dibs on a cashmere sweater that is Eco-Fab!

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DMS Lounge: Lone Palm and Pilsner Inn

The Pilsner Inn over on Church St in the Castro offers a wide variety of beers and other cocktails. The picture above is what the back patio normally looks like however, my first visit was during a downpour. Despite the rain and the wind I still had a great time with my date enjoying a couple pints of Guiness. I would recommend this place to anyone not wanting a typical night in the Castro.

From the name you'd think that this place would be full of lonely drunks but quite the contrary. This tiny place on 22nd and Guerrero offers white linen covered tables and an ounce of class in the heart of the sunny mission. Whether taking shots of Fernet or Ouzo the Lone Palm is the place to go with a group of your best buds on a Friday night.

DMS Spot: Asia de Cuba

If you're looking for a quiet lunch getaway then Asia de Cuba is a must! Nestled within the Clift Hotel on Geary Asia de Cuba offers a rich redwood colored oasis away from the hustle of downtown SF. Greeted by soothing yet contemporary lounge music one may feel the need to take a deep breath and soak in the calmness that surrounds you. The staff while very professional also loves to chat it up with customers instead of being snobby. Maybe this is to compensate for the price of the food which can be a bit steep, but a lunch for two can easily be managed for under $40...not including cocktails (who has a cocktail at lunch these days?) Besides the pricetag for a steak, your DMS bartender definitely recommends this place...so take a chance and hit up this certified hot spot.

The Hangover: Weekend Recap

I came across this captcha while friending/unfriending/poking someone or something from FB/Myspace/Twitter...one of those sites. Anyway it got me to thinking about preceding with caution in social settings. I need to be the life of the party. I crave it. However, it comes with a cost.

A huge DMS round of drinks to Hot Mess at the Stud. The title pretty says it all. Half naked boys + half priced drinks= a very happy bartender!! Be sure to check it out, Saturdays at the Stud at Ninth and Harrison.

If you haven't seen Panic at the Disco in concert recently you need to. These boys put on a good show, and the Warfield in SF was packed Thursday night with hot guys singing and dancing along to the Princes of Emo and skinny girl jeans. Though their new material is quite mellow, the live show is a great mix of the songs we love and the songs you'll tolerate if played on repeat enough.

Finally, now that spring is finally here be on the look out for the First Annual DMS swimsuit guide. What to wear, what to avoid, and if you're curvy what will make you look amazing.

Domaine Chadon and Drag Queens

It's only fitting that I talk about wine and drag queens to bring everyone back up to speed on the DMS. Currently the staff and I (i.e. my friend Js and myself) are previewing my recent shipment of Domaine Chadon delectables. Domaine Chadon is a hidden treasure tucked away on the outskirts of Napa in a town called Yountville. During my 4th trip there I decided to bite the bullet and sign up for a membership. Best bullet I've bitten in a while that's for sure. Their 2005 Chardonnay is a bold celebration of apple, oranges, and well...other fruits. They also threw in a 2006 Pinot Meunier. I'll be the first one to admit that I know squat about wine...but this was pretty good. I paired it with a spicy Thai Chicken dish I made while watching Stanford lose the Women's NCAA Championship...sad times, but dinner was kick ass. Where are the drag queens you ask? On my playlist silly! While enjoying the bottle of chardonnay I threw on the best of Rupaul! It's good to be back!

Under Construction

Under Construction
Originally uploaded by eternalfratboi

The Dirty Martini Society is back in action. Over the next couple of days the site will be undergoing a facelift, but I definitely look forward to dishing about everything from politics to fashion. Stay Tuned!!!

Dirty Martini Society