Hotsy Totsy

It's open!

Cheers.

Barry and Brennan's

Yesterday was AN historic day and the only shots taken at the president where Float's heavy-handed pours of Jameson's Irish whisky.

It was good because I needed to rehydrate after so much loss of H-2-0 in tear duct form.

Wow. Still can't believe it. I'm proud.

But I'm prouder for my folks. My folks from south Louisiana who lived in the light of Dr. King, Kennedy and X. And knew this would one day happen.

Just not in their lifetimes.

Folks, this one's for ya'll.

Cheers.

Prez Barry

More on this tomorrow when I can think close to straight, but damn. What a day...

I have so many thoughts and feelings and no amount of beers/bumps can do them justice.

Wow.

I'm sitting in ANOTHER bar and folks are still as beside themselves as I.

Cheers!

Tears and Hope. And Joy.

I've been crying all day.

For joy.

And hope.

And cheers.

Cheers, America. From a proud American.

Sky Lounge Has Free Wi-Fi

That's it.

I'm leaving the office and heading there now.

Cheers.

LogObama

Man, I know this has been kicked around again and again, but ya gotta give it up to PrezElect O' (not Oprah) on his logo.

I have it as the wallpaper on my phone and plan to keep it there thru the election.

Its just cool. And when it comes to political posters, its FECKIN' cool. I have not seen anything like it since the height of the Soviet Political Poster of the 1930's.

Sol Sender and his team are to be commended, but the man himself should be proud of the bold stance and acceptance of simple, good DESIGN. I hope he carries it with him to da house.

And props to my boy Shepard Fairey for his Hope, Progress, etc. work. Love that guy; from OBEY to his unique form of visual protest in the URBAN GALLERY©. He gets it and we are all better for it.

Finally, ya gotta luv the fact that folks ain't takin' down their shit! I don't mean XMas, I mean Obama '08. I love it. Is' like a Ha Ha to the past FADministration.

And like me leaving my Raider shite up long after another losing season.

GObama and GO RAIDERS!

Cheers.

More on the logo here:

The ‘O’ in Obama By Steven Heller, NY Times.

Shaheen, Aloha

Sadly, "Aloha Shirt" designer and printer Albert Shaheen has died at age 86.

Fuck.

As those who know me know I love me a good Hawaiian shirt and this guy made 'em classy, cool, and acceptable. Hell, I've even worn 'em to formal biz meetings...

So did Elvis, tho his were not so formal.

I love a good Hawiian shirt based on black. And the good ones have coconut buttons, pockets that overlap and match the base design, and hide Rum stains.

Lets all raise a Mai Tai to the anti-tie man.

Thanks, Albert, Shirts off, Mahalo, and cheers.

Brennan's

Yes, its moved across the lot into the old China Station space (which I also miss) but change happens.

The same crew shows up, Float and the staff are still behind (way behind the very wide, ADA approved) bar and the food tastes exactly the same. And if you keep drinking and squint your eyes it almost looks the same.

I dig the rattle of the train running, the way too many TVs and the overall comfort. Hey, its Brennan's and always will be.

My son can say (just as I can) that he remembers the old place, but even the old place was not old. How many times has it been redone?

Of course I'll miss the old place and the stories of me literally growing up there and at Spenger's. It seems as they took me home from the hospital when I was born to a little tri-plex on Harrison St in Berkeley, not to far from the old 4th St "strip" my Pop would go there.

"I'm taking the boy for a stroll," he would tell Ma, and we spend the day at the bar. She thought he was getting some great exercise and I was getting fresh air. Perhaps that's why I feel so comfortable at the damn bar, any bar.

So old is new.

What else is new?

Cheers.

Ah, A Bar...

Well, here I am.

Sitting on a stool at the Blue Moon Saloon on a Monday eve. College FBall on 2 screens and ESPN on the third. Havin a beer and a bump celebrating the fact that I still have a job and it's one I don't much mind showin up for. Of course, it starts a little earlier than I'd like. At least I don't work at a sewage treatment plant. Like the guy on the stool (yeah, I said stool) next to me. Believe me, you can tell. Without looking.

But the pay is good, he says.

No shit?

I'm trying to figure out this damn blog thing. Will I be dillegent? No.

But this is my second post in one day and I'm writing this one on my iPhone which ain't too difficult. Just don't get your hopes up, Constant Reader, or whatever Stephen "I'm normal just like you" King calls em.

So, let's get to my point. What the hell is up with Taco Bell?

I know I'm watching the Tostitos Fiesta Bowl, but damn. Ads for TB every break. Now don't get me wrong. I like fake Mexican food as much as the next gringo. But I've been to Mexico City and I've eaten real Mexican food including grubs and ant larvae. But their menu is starting to look like what would be created if my 8 and 4 year olds got into a good bag of Thai stick and had free range to experiment in the kitchen.

Tacos wrapped in bacon wrapped in cheese wrapped in a taco wrapped in a taco?!?

Don't mean to get all Denis Leary on y'all but damn.

Of course after a few more beers and bumps, and to alleviate the smell of my new neighbor, don't be surprised to see me honking at you to hurry the fuck up at the drive-thru.

Cheers.

Happy Freakin New Year

Well, if it ain't two thousand and freakin' nine...

Damn, where'd that come from? 2009?!? WTF?

Well, ought-8 is over and we are into yet another set of numbers I will begin to forget. However, change is good, right Obama? Better be. Last year blew goats.

My 401k tanked, I did not get the raise, new car, big screen TV I was promised. Wait, I did get the TV, but damned if I've been able to watch it! The kids love it even more than I do...

Gotta give it up to Justine Timberlag. Shopping with my wife for a 32" screen when JT shows up on a 40" LCD and she says, "What about this one?" Hooray, JT.

Obama's takin' office and hopefully this suck-onomy will take off.

Raiders won 2 games in a row. Damn, anything can happen.

Well, 2009 it is. HOPE for the best. And have a drink.

Cheers.