Monday, September 30, 2013

Goodbye, Walter White

  

I like this image of Walter White. I took it from Salon.com, where several great articles about the show live. I'm sad the show is over. I'm really hoping BETTER CALL SAUL doesn't suck. 

Nothing surprised me about the denouement, having spent so much time with Bill Shakespeare, except maybe everyone in Walt's family, save Hank, survived. I expected at least Skyler to die, leaving the kids to be raised by her childless, flawed, Constance-like sister. 

I liked the Hamlet stuff in the end with the showdown/shoot-out that leaves Walt to die slowly until a flight of Angels sings him to his rest, and Fortinbras' troops storm the castle. And Jesse escapes like a Mad Tom O'Bedlam or maybe even a Malvolio whose galling had gone too far. 

The whole show was filled with Shakespearean Easter eggs. If I'd been an enthusiast of the show from the beginning, I would have Loved to document them all like a Trekkie. But now it's over, and Vince Gilligan has built up enough trust for another go around with one of my favorite character actors, Bob Odenkirk. I look forward to the adventures of Saul Goodman. Goodbye, Walter White. 

Sunday, September 29, 2013

The Time I went To Licking Hole Creek Craft Brewery

  

Yesterday, I went to Licking Hole Craft Brewery in  Goochland. The beer was good. They have an estate brew called the Gentleman Farmer that uses all hops grown right there on the property. Delicious. They're also growing Barley, but I don't think any of that has made it into a beer just yet. Their Trippel is tasty, and I dug their saison, too. 

The entire craft beer scene was in full affect. The guys from Hardywood were there, and we chatted about beer and distribution and the fact that Virginia Eagle just bought Guiffre, a fact that I am totally excited about. The brewer from a Strange Ways was there, and he introduced me to the brewer at Licking Hole. I also met the captains of beer clubs and all sorts of beer geeks and enthusiasts. 

The brewery is gorgeous. And the land it sits on is stunning. Going there,  you feel like you're driving to a vineyard rather than a brewery, and the entry to their gravel road is guarded by a few Shetland ponies. Apparently there are also beavers in those parts. I've never seen a living beaver. 

The beer scene in Richmond is always a great treat.



Tuesday, September 24, 2013

The Spectacular Now



I saw the Spectacular Now this weekend. It was spectacular, but it was also personally difficult to watch. The lead, Sutter, played by Miles Teller, resonated with me in a way that was uncomfortable because it felt like I was looking into a mirror in many respects.

Miles plays a high school kid who drinks too much and thinks that he's unlovable. But he plays like he's cool with it all, and everyone thinks he's just a laid back guy who isn't all fucked up inside. This sets the stage for a deep look into the tumult of the teenage years and the manner by which humans strive to be moral toward one another in a world of American individualism.

Jeez, that reminded me of me. 

The film had me on the verge of tears, laughing out loud, and introspect. This is what the movies are supposed to do at their highest level. This is what all art should do. 

Meanwhile, someone should make a biopic of Robert Mitchum just so that Miles Teller can play the title role. If this kid stays on his shit, he can be the next big American man's man star. He's physically quite large, not too good looking or pretty, scarred all to hell, as deep as Montgomery Clift, and as likable as Brendan Fraser.




Monday, September 16, 2013

Highland Brewing Trip in Asheville


The first place I stopped when I got to Asheville was Table, where my good friend Connie Coady works as a manger. It's a great restaurant with great cocktails. I missed Connie Coady a lot. It is one of the great tragedies of living a peripatetic life that one rarely gets to spend time with the he people he loves. But it's also, then, even more wonderful seeing long-lost friends across chasms of time.


Minouche is kind of lady in charge over at Highland Brewing Company. She's a wonderful person who is a credit to the industry. She gave Connie Coady and me a tour of the brewery. We'll get to that later. First we tried a bunch of wonderful beer. I love this brewery. They're the best-selling craft beer in North Carolina, and I'd really like to see them do more up here in Virginia.


Asheville is filled with breweries. You can just wander around the town and find something cool to check out if beer is one of things you find cool, and why wouldn't you? Above is a picture of Lexington Avenue Brewery (LAB). LAB makes some good beers, but what I like about their brewery the most is their streetside outdoor eating area. I met some new friends out there, and they drove me to the next brewery--people are really nice in the south.

The next brewery we I went to was Asheville Brewing Company. They had a firkin going. I'm always trying to get more spots to do firkins. It is a one-of-a-kind beer every time, and it's the perfect reason for a person to go out and visit a bar or restaurant instead of sitting at home. If you're looking to give your guests a special experience and get more folks to pay attention to your beer program, talk to your vaeagle rep about firkins today!

Then a friend from Staunton, VA came to meet me there. Nuit is a person who's full of awesome energy, so she was up for continuing my adventure with me. . . after a few drinks, of course.

More beers need to get ninja.


After hitting a drum circle and a couple more breweries, we made it back to Table. We hung out with Coady's S.O., Alex Matisse, and he took a picture of me with his friends from Texas. Upstairs, there's a great cocktail bar. We closed the bar.
Ornate entrance to the brewery.

Taps at Highland.

Giant Papier Mâché Scottish Highland mascot.


Master brewer on a lift.

Even the coffee bars have craft draft in Asheville. Fantastic. I hate it when people tell me they don't have the space for draft beer. This is a tight space pictured, and it works fine.

A cup of coffee was the last thing I drank with Conn Coady and Alex Matisse. I wish it were in one of his incredible cups.

If you haven't been to Asheville yet, go. It's a lovely town filled with lovely people and lovely beer. There are great restaurants, cool bars, and even a store that only sells belt buckles. I bought one that says JACK because I was told that was a thing in the south back in the 70's or something.

I can't wait to go back.