Maureen is right on

I can't stand Maureen Dowd because she can be so annoying with her broken record also known as her mouth.  However, I totally enjoyed her piece today, the last day of August.  They Republican's selection for VP is insulting to women.  She's nothing but a pretty face with an annoying voice.  She's probably a decent leader on a smaller scale...like a state or a company.  As the next President after McCain dies of old age?  Scary!  I want to dress as her for Halloween!

 

Check out below:

 

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/08/31/opinion/31dowd.html?_r=1&em&oref=slogin

Widespread Panic

The funniest comment I heard about Widespread Panic: "..it's that band that all the old Austin Hippies get excited about."

It was my first "experience" ever.  BF thinks I'm going to rip into them.  Actually, I'm not.  Musically, they're GREAT.  But seriously, I turned to BF at the beginning and said, "Wow, this IS a really long song..."  (I kinda make fun of the whole Jam Band sound as a bunch of long ass tunes with no words...)  His response was "...actually, it's the second song...they just went right into it."  HA!

The crowd is unbelievable.  SERIOUSLY.  You have to see it to believe it.  Unless you're already on your 122th show and live it.

FYI, I took a picture as proof that I went and was up close.

Outside Lands Day 3

Toots and the Maytals!  Who can hate reggae?  

And gosh darn it, I liked seeing the Drive By Truckers again. It was better seeing them here versus the Taste of Randolph in Chicago.

Outside Lands Day Day 2

So no pictures taken at the festival on day 2 which just means that I kinda suck.  We saw people I'd wouldn't necessarily seek out but should b/c they're iconic:  Steve Winwood & Tom Petty.  Saw Cake... but damn that stage Sutro at Lindley Meadow did NOT have good sound unless you were close to the stage.  People who went closer to see Cake said they were good.  Those of us who stood in the back next to the Churro's cart didn't get to hear as well.  BUT we got to eat some SPICY PIE!

I did manage to take some pictures of Garage A Trois at the Independent (http://www.theindependentsf.com/index.htm).

Outside Lands Day 1

"Where it's AT? I've got 2 turn tables and a microphone..."
Love Beck. Has it been almost a decade since I stood at the front row of the Austin Music Hall? Really wish I could have seen more. The sound wasn't fantastic because we were in the back.

BF and I got to see Manu Chau...who I would totally hit iTunes for some music. Loved the crowd. People watching here was WAY better that Chicago's Lollapolooza. There is definitely less skin at Outside Lands but that's b/c of weather. Lollapolooza = Frat Party. Outside Lands = standing inside a bong.



Food...very important to the Festival. While everyone was heading down to Radiohead at the Lands End Stage, BF and I went for food. The shortest line was to Alive. I saw people with this tasty looking wrap thing with nori (sushi paper). It looked good. I wanted it...so we waited in line. I didn't get it b/c it was filled with ground nuts and shit. Below is a link and items from the restaurant menu...I didn't see anything served at Outside Lands that are on the restaurant menu. Anyway, I am a vegetarian in recovery and THIS was too granola for me. God bless Northern Cal, San Fran etc, BUT COME ON!
http://sfoutsidelands.com/attractions/taste-of-the-bay-area.php
http://www.aliveveggie.com/Alive_online_menu.htm

Sushi with Sunflower Seed Miso Pate, Carrots & Shiitake Mushrooms 11
Flaxseed Flatbread with Cashew Cream, Walnut Pesto, Tomatoes 12

So we got in line for oven fired flatbread: http://fulloflifefoods.com/. BF and I get the Tomato with 3 cheese. We WANT melty goodness.
This one lady in front of me who ripped into the the menu item: Flax Seed & Pistachio Pizza with Red Onions & Rosemary. The stand was basically trying to give these away. They cooked half the time as the flatbreads with cheese.

Hotel Tomo

Bonsai!

Freakin appropriate for a hotel in Japantown.
Anime theme!
Love the giant bean bag. It had a tag that says "Fatboy." (Regular-sized and fat girls can sit too)
https://secure2.securewebexchange.com/fatboyusa.com/store/original.php

A San Francisco Treat

I had a San Francisco treat this weekend that was NOT Rice-Aroni. And no cable cars. Just hung out for a few days for the Outside Lands Festival.
Took these from Lafayette Park. You can see the Bay and Alcatraz.

ugly

http://www.cnn.com/2008/WORLD/asiapcf/08/18/australia.ugly.women.ap/index.html

Outside Lands

http://www.sfoutsidelands.com/schedule/

WHO SHOULD I SEE?

http://www.sfoutsidelands.com/artists/

ESPANA!!!

Coffee

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/08/05/health/05brod.html?em

Coffee is good!

tax bullshit

I think it is bullshit that I pay tax on a fucking gift card!  So what, you get charged tax AGAIN when you use the card???Anthropologie...no more gift card purchase from me.

Ikea Name

SYEETIELLÖUKÖRNDÖRD

http://www.blogadilla.com/swedishFurniture/swedishFurniture.html

Lolla Day 3

NIN

Nine Inch Nails.  Total downer group but awesome show.  Trent Reznor is hotter with meat on him.  

The Machine Rages On

Buckingham Fountain made it easier to meet up with people.  AT&T sucks so much.  They sponsored the biggest stage there but couldn't give good cellular service.  I didn't have it as bad as others with AT&T, but I have to bitch.  Austin CIty Limits Festival last year was plagued with the same thing.  Soo...you had to make prearrangements.  Can't deny that the Chicago skyline as a backdrop to music made the music even better.

Rage Against the Machine was fiery.  We stood deeper in the crowd than Radiohead.  A little scary for this old girl but the crowd stayed in check where we stood.  Almost 2 hours of angst and powerful words and music.  It was by far the best show the entire weekend.

Lolla Day 2

I wanted to see MGMT, but the opportunity to see Perry Farrell (born Peretz Bernstein) and his rumored special guest Slash. Well, we waited for almost 30 minutes and got nothing. Then they announced the special guest was Samantha Ronson...fucking Lindsey Lohan's girlfriend. We had to tell the people around us who she was. We left for food. Apparently, the show was pretty uneventful chock full of sound problems. Perry slammed a bottle of champagne at the very beginning. Slash made it out to the last 20 minutes of the set.

Afterward, I saw all of Lupe Fiasco from the Lolla Balloon on the South end of Grant Park. My bladder full of wine made me miss Superstar.

RATM

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ratm

"Sleep Now in the Fire" video shoot

On January 26, 2000, filming of the music video for "Sleep Now in the Fire", which was directed by Michael Moore, caused the doors of the New York Stock Exchange to be closed and the band to be escorted from the site by security,^[53] after band members attempted to gain entry into the Exchange^[54]. Trading on the Exchange floor, however, continued uninterrupted^[55].

Footage of enthusiastic Wall Street employees headbanging to Rage's music was used in the final video. "We decided to shoot this video in the belly of the beast", said Moore, who was threatened with arrest during the shooting of the video because Moore failed to get a permit.^[53]

Lollapolooza Day 1 - Friday.

Mate of State - they were ok.  Good way to start the festival

The Raconteurs - the guy with the blond curly hair could double as Justin Timberlake.  Enjoyed the show.  Nice that the sun started to go down at this point

RADIOHEAD - Fucking great.  Sat kinda in the back away from the insanity.  The fireworks display with Fake Plastic Trees...PERFECT.

Rage Against Dirty Hands

This was a sensible music festival.  Toilet paper, relatively short porta potty lines and hand sanitizer to boot!

Drum Corner

Last night I met up with some Austinites in WP.  Told them to tell the cabbie North Ave, Milwaukee, & Damen and to meet by the Bank of America (formerly known as Filter).  Couldn't really meet on the corner b/c of the drum circle with patchouli and all.  And it wasn't just a drum they were beating on.  The performance also included the sounds of sticks hitting an OLD TV.  By 3AM, they were definitely gone.

Harbor Light Triathlon in Waukegan

Well it was a true Tri.  The plan was to run with 2 friends who were going to do the swim and bike legs of the Tri.  However, we got there at 6:45AM.  The bike was suppose to be at the transition place at 6:45AM.  The person swimming wanted to try and make it to the start of the race (it was a mile walk from the  parking lot) by hopping on the bike and ditching it by the water.  There wasn't any talk of where to find the bike but hell, it was worth a shot...However, the bike had a flat.  Oh well we tried!