EVENT: T's 21 Run

Yah, like I'd miss the chance to "take care" off my little sister as she turns 21! I'll be in Sea-town from the 10th through the 13th, so make sure to say hi while I'm up there.

I'm a bad person...

...For not updating my blog recently. I'll post some goodness as the week goes along, lots to report on!

EVENT: Winter Festivus Mk. II

From the invite:

Itʼs time to start planning for Winter Festivus 2005, the second annual festivus held at Pine Meadow Lodge In keeping with last years successful gathering of friends, the plan will be lazy mornings, outdoor winter activities, grand dinner meals, with games and entertainment into the night.

Island Park Idaho is world famous for its extensive snowmobile trails; West Yellowstone is renown for cross country skiing; and Grand Targhee, Big Sky, and Jackson Hole are nearby for alpine skiing and snowboarding. Snowmobile rentals are about $130, lift tickets are around $60.

For meals, we will provide a stock of basics (the freezer will be restocked!) but, following the successful first pass during Summer Festivus 2005, we will be running IRON CHEF Idaho again. Each guest will be responsible for preparation of a meal. If you require special ingredients or cooking equipment, contact your hosts or bring them with you. The best will be awarded the IRON CHEF Idaho trophy!! We promise it is not made of spam...

Refreshments will be provided by Big Sky Brewing, most likely Crystal Ale and perhaps some Moose Drool. A short stock wet bar of hard alcohol will also be available. Booze buy-in will be $20, payable in cash, scotch, or vodka.

As past attendees know, getting there is the hardest part, but no pain, no gain. If a long car ride sounds like fingernails on a chalkboard to you (Mr Vaughn?), book in advance and fly into BZN or IDA. Squirrely Truck Mark II or DaRents Burb will be picking people up at BZN late on the 26th. Weʼd like to minimize trips to the aerodrome, so let us know your potential schedules, and weʼll help coordinate arrival and departure times with others. Currently airfare from Seattle is running about $330 for a Dec 26th departure.

Indoors, weʼll be playing Settlers of Cataan, cards, billiards, darts, and watching movies. Outside, expect snowball fights, bonfires, snow forts, night sledding, and ice soccer! Expect weather to be between 40F and -50F. Most likely, weʼll get snow, cold, and hopefully some sun. We have a fair bit of winter clothing available to borrow, but bring as much as you have (boots, gloves/mittens, jacket, hat, polypro, fleece).

Finally, another addition to the lodge this year is a 400 gallon hot tub. Bring your
swimwear and a beach towel, join the polar bear club!

I already have my spot reserved... after missing Summer Festivus, how could I not go!

EVENT: Christmas Break

I'll be flying home for Christmas for the first time, and it will actually be the first time I'll have been back to Washington since I moved down to SoCal. The funny thing is I'll only be in Washington for five days, even though I don't fly back till the 5th of January. Of course that's because the rest of the time will be spent in Idaho at the 2nd Annual Hanson Winter Festivus. Can't wait for some great times with the crew!

REVIEW: My Morning Jacket @ Henry Fonda Theater

Lets see where to start...

I was right, the traffic did suck getting up there, but really only for the first 10 miles or so on I-5 was in unbearable, after that it moved quite well, and I actually arrived at the theater in good time.

Outside, the theather really doesn't look like much at all, kinda like the Showbox up in Seattle. Inside, however, it really reminded me of the Paramount up in Seattle, the only difference being that the lower flow was standing only instead of seats. The look and feel of the place was very very similar though.

As for the music, Saul Williams opened for MMJ, and I was quite impressed with his work and will be exploring his music more. My Morning Jacket were simply amazing though. There rank right there with The Shins and Radiohead for best live band performance (though I really put The Shins and MMJ in a different category than Radiohead, and Radiohead does more visually on stage). The played a good number of songs off "It Still Moves" and "Z" and Jim James' vocal were simply breath-taking. Most of all, like The Shins, the simply were up there having fun which you could feel in the music.

It was great to see that the show sold out as well, and there were a lot of people that still wanted in, but got turned away.

David's Top 5 Concerts:

1. DJ Shadow - Live @ The Showbox
2. Radiohead - Live @ The Gorge
tie 3. The Shins - Live @ Hec Ed
My Morning Jacket - Live @ Henry Fonda Theater
5. The President Of The USA - Live @ The Showbox

EVENT: My Morning Jacket @ Henry Fonda Theater

A sweet event for two reasons:

1. I'm really looking forward to seeing these guys live, especially after they released "Z", which is simply an amazing album. You really owe it to yourself to pick this one up!

2. This will be my first concert in the LA/OC area. Time to see how the venues down here compare to my favorites in Seattle.

I already know the drive is going to suck though, so I'm not looking forward to that, but then what trip around this area doesn't suck?

REVIEW: Wallace & Gromit: The Curse Of The Were-Rabbit

"Hehehe!"

Yah, that's about the best description of this comedic classic, and also something you'll hear throughout the movie from both young and old alike. Though stemming from the original children's TV based Wallace & Gromit stories, with Were-Rabbit, like Chicken Run before it, Nick Park and crew have made something much more enjoyable than a simple children's tale. From the subtle adult humor in places that would fly over the heads of young children (such as a small note on a box held in front of a naked Wallace that reads "May contain nuts") to the amazing visuals (made even more amazing when you think about the effort it took to create the world of Wallace & Gromit), this ranks as the top family movie of the year.

Rating == 4.0/4.0