TATTOO AGE

A new tattoo documentary series featuring a series of interviews/profiles of what they're calling "the most interesting and sought-after [tattoo] artists in the world."  It debuts July 13, 2011 on VBS.TV with a profile of a buddy of mine, Dan Santoro.  Although I don't have any tattoos by Dan (yet?), he's a legit artist of all sorts (needle, spray paint, acrylics, etc.) and it's good to see him getting recognized for his talents.  If you like what you see, book an appointment with him at Smith Street Tattoo at (718) 643-0463.  You won't be disappointed. 

 

From the official page:  

Tattoo Age is the new series that takes an inside look at the craft of tattooing through a series of profiles on some of the most interesting and sought-after artists in the world. The series kicks off on July 13th with Dan Santoro, and new episodes featuring such artists as Troy Denning, Mike Rubendall, Freddy Corbin, and Grime will air through November.

DRINK RECIPE: 2 TONE (A Cultured Hooligan Exclusive)

The 2 Tone, a Cultured Hooligan exclusive. This is a quick and easy drink recipe that I created* when I had Guinness and Red Stripe in the fridge. Based on the classic Black and Tan.

What you'll need:

1 can of Guinness Draught (these also come in bottles now, but I prefer the can)

1 bottle of Red Stripe

1 Pint Glass

1 Spoon

Directions:

1. Grab the pint glass and hold it at about a 45 degree angle.

2. Pour the Red Stripe along the side of the glass about half way up.

3. Put the pint glass on the table, grab the spoon and hold it with back of the spoon facing up over the opening of the glass. Makes it easier if you have a black and tan spoon, but not necessary.

4. Slowly pour the Guinness over the spoon. Do it slowly and you'll see the Guinnes laying on top of the Red Stripe.

5. Let the Guinness settle, drink up, and enjoy.

6. When done repeat steps 1-5 with the remaining beer.

*No, I'm not so delusional that I think I was the first to come up with this. As I was doing this a quick Google search came up with the name Black and Red, but the 2 Tone is such a better name.

REVIEW: LUCID ABSINTHE SUPERIEURE

This is a review for Lucid Absitnhe Superieure I did back on August 21, 2007 for an absinthe website. I know it's old, but the review is still valid:

For the record this is a review from a person who doesn't have a sophisticated palate, and is completely new to drinking absinthe.

Last Saturday, 8/18/07, I drank some Lucid Absinthe that I purchased 8/9/07 from a liquor store down the street from my job. I figured I'd be drinking about 3-4 drinks for the night, and wanted to try it a few different ways.

The first way was the classic presentation that you hear about, the sugar-cube-and-slotted-spoon-with-a-fountain-water-drip method. What I used for a "fountain" was this, a Christmas gift that I thought I'd never use. The Lucid was pale/light green in color when poured into the glass. As I dripped the water over the sugar cube (slowly, ending in a 2-to-1 water-to-Lucid ratio), it did louche and like magic it transformed to a great milky green color. Awesome looking color. As I have no frame of reference to other absinthes, it did give me the "absinthe green" I was looking for. Now for taste. For my uneducated-palate-having-opinion, it smelled like green Nyquil and tasted like Good and Plenty. Admittedly I'm not a huge fan of black liquorice, so I didn't find the taste all that pleasing, but it wasn't offensive either. Like I said, it tasted like Good and Plenty or watered down green Nyquil.

The second way I had it was as a "Death in the Afternoon" cocktail. Poured one shot of Lucid Absinthe in a champagne flute, and filled the rest with Korbel "champagne". This drink I liked better. The flavor of the Korbel mellowed the "liquorice" flavor and allowed for me to enjoy the drink more. So much more that I had another one immediately afterward.

While I know there has been a lot of hype with Absinthe, I have to say that I really didn't feel drunk or buzzed at all, was quite "lucid" (pun intended) in my thoughts and conversations. I'll definitely try it again next weekend, with more being consumed to see if it is truly a "lucid" high/drunk or not.

September 18, 2007 follow up:
Just a followup. I had some more Lucid Absinthe this weekend. Drank about 4 Death in the Afternoon cocktails, and it's official, you get an amazing kind of clarity with this. I was definitely buzzed with a warm feeling in my body, but my thoughts and actions were completely sober. I'm drinking a 120 proof alcohol in a glass of champagne, but not slurring, tired, etc. It just doesn't make any sense at all. It's so hard to explain, but this is what I was always looking for. Maybe that's why people fell in love with absinthe in the past? Try it for yourself.

HUGH HEFNER: PLAYBOY, ACTIVIST AND REBEL

I've been on a vintage Playboy kick over the last few months. I procured (by undisclosed nefarious means) a (digital) copy of Playboy number 1 (and a few other old issues). I also put the Playboy After Dark DVD box set on my Netflix queue. The box set actually contains two different Playboy shows, the late 1950's show Playboy's Penthouse from Chicago, and the late 1960's updated version Playboy After Dark shot in LA. I really didn't give a shit about the later show (don't really care about the whole late 60's vibe, music, etc.), but Playboy's Penthouse was great. You see a really young Hef hanging out in his apartment (really a T.V. studio) with performances by Ella Fitzgerald, Nat King Cole, Cy Coleman, Lenny Bruce, Sammy Davis Jr., etc. I really liked the Lenny Bruce and Sammy Davis Jr. sketches. Worth the time adding it to your queue (or maybe you can find it on You Tube?) for these performances alone.

While today all you see is an old man hitting on girls made of plastic (microchips here and there?), but it's no small wonder (hahaha) the effect Playboy had on America. It's a miracle that Playboy and Hef are actually still around. Although tame by today's internet porn standards, Playboy Magazine shook the cultural status-quo back then and not just because of the nudity. He was one of the first people out on the front line in the war for racial equality, First Amendment and anti-censorship rights (before the Tropic of Cancer and Howl obscenity trials), abortion rights, sexual freedom, and social justice. It seems that the articles were actually worth reading. (Come to think of it, going through all this old Playboy stuff is probably what planted the seed for me to do this site.)

Well, yesterday (and much to my amusement) when I was flipping through the Village Voice I saw an ad for a new documentary entitled Hugh Hefner: Playboy, Activist and Rebel. Definitely going to be checking it out. Trying to "procure" it through my normal means, but I may have to actually procure a ticket to see this in the theater or at least wait to Netflix it.

Check out the trailer below, check out the film, and let me know what you think.