Adam's post got me psyched again to eat some pancakes. I have to admit, I have been out of the game ever since that Horrible Herndon Amphora Blueberry Disaster. Left such a bad taste in my mouth that I have stayed away from ordering them in restaurants in fear of being completely let down, breakfast ruined. Then I read about glories of fruit infused stacks and decided to pull out an extreme pancake dinner last Thursday night. I made three types, blueberry, raspberry, and blueberry/raspberry. You wouldn't think there was much distinction between the three, but you would be wrong. As much as I like a good blueberry pancake, the clear winner was the combo. And I actually had them with maple syrup (something I usually do not do). The time away from that has made it all the more sweet of a return. Cooked up the remaining batter this morning for breakfast. Nothing beats good pancakes on a Saturday w/ fake bacon, fresh ground french press coffee and some fancy juice (which was strawberry apple today). I am already psyched for the next excursion. Hey Adam, can I make you a pancake dinner and/or breakfast for your birthday next weekend? You better be free.
RECORD TALK!!!
I finally got in one of my pre-orders from Vinyl Collective and coincidental enough, the As Tall As Lions record got here on the exact day of their show at Jammin' Java. Kahwayzee. Only took 3 months! Still waiting on my Touche Amore pre-order, which there have been zero updates on... Two other label orders came in, Ghostly and Half Machine. Totally in love with Banjo and Freakout and the Real Estate 7" just makes me more pumped to see them again. Super impressed with the Ghostly package. Got stickers, a couple of posters and even a free 12" from Lusine (which is insanely good and sounds pristine). I really hope Deastro tours around here soon... and finally, my annual Labor Day trip to Last Vestige (second only to my annual Christmas week trip). Slick finds this time including the Manowar, Soul Asylum, and Mr. Mister. The multitude of Janet 12 inchers is just icing. Totally jealous of one of the workers there though who snagged the Black Cat 12" just before me. It will be mine! The rest is just collection rounding out. Pleased to have the Adams big time. Great record and it feels right that it is now in my collection after having to pass on it last time I was there, in December. I had planned to go to the Albany location too, but I just ran out of time. Come Christmas there is some Bolton, A-Ha and Prefab Sprout that has my name on it... in the meantime, I am doing my best to resist dropping a FAT sub pop order on the internet. Barsuk as well... good grief...
VINYL COLLECTIVE
As Tall As Lions - You Can't Take It With You
Killing The Dream - Fractures
HALF MACHINE RECORDS
Banjo or Freakout - Upside Down
Real Estate - Fake Blues/Green River 7"
GHOSTLY INTERNATIONAL
Lusine - Push EP 12"
Deastro - Moondagger
Deastro - Vermillion Plaza 7"
School of Seven Bells - Alpinisms
LAST VESTIGE (saratoga location)
Bryan Adams - Waking Up The Neighbours
The Knack - ...But The Little Girls Understand
The Knack - Round Trip
The Boomtown Rats - In The Long Grass
Bangles - Different Light
Janet Jackson - Escapade 12"
Janet Jackson - Miss You Much 12"
Janet Jackson - Love Will Never Do Without You 12"
Manowar - Sign of the Hammer
INXS - Listen Like Thieves 12"
INXS - Suicide Blonde 12"
King Crimson - Larks' Tongues in Aspic
Down By Law - punkrockacademyfightsong
Mr. Mister - Go On...
Soul Asylum - Let Your Dim Light Shine
U2 - Boy
Saturday, September 12, 2009
Tuesday, September 8, 2009
About time
I finally, FINALLY, have some pancake reviews. What can I say? I love pancakes but the opportunity just doesn’t often present itself for me to get pancakes. Pancakes aren’t as conducive to take-out as so many other kinds of food, and I usually just don’t feel like going to a pancake house by myself. I’m a cereal person anyway, so I don’t go out for breakfast too often. So while I was traveling with my mom up to the Niagara Falls area last month, we did stop for breakfast a couple times, and jumped at the chance to eat me some. I think it’s a pretty good sample too, because one is from a wide-spread chain, and one is from a really small local place.
My first pancakes came from a Perkins in Williamsport, PA. Here I chose the strawberry pancakes. Five pancakes with a strawberry topping and whipped cream. Most overwhelming thing about these was as an exhibit of the power of strawberry topping. I am not a real big fan of dry pancakes. I love syrups and toppings and stuff. Strawberry topping is one of my favorites. This was a decent one, like a combination of a syrup and preserves. I liked it, and combined with whipped cream, it’s a winner. But it ran out before the pancakes did, and after that, these were some disappointing pancakes. One measure for me of a pancake is what it does under maple syrup. When you put syrup on these, it absorbed in a way that made the pancake stiff. Not great. It reminded me of what McDonald’s cheap-o pancakes used to do as soon as syrup touched them. It also reminded me of what would happen if I put syrup in my hair and played with it. It took it in like a sponge in such a way that it was now just a cake with some maple flavoring. I don’t like that, I like to be able to recognize the syrup as a liquid still, or at least a goop, like you would expect if you put ketchup on fries. Plus they were pretty thin. Thick and fluffy, that’s what I like.
Second pancakes came from Dick & Jenny’s Bake & Brew on Grand Island, NY, a small place on a small island between Niagara Falls and Buffalo. It was basically a coffee shop/bakery, mostly coffee and muffins, but they also have a rotating menu available for breakfast. This time I got the blueberry pancakes. No topping on this one, blueberries were baked in. No blueberry flecks here, they were big and juicy. And the pancakes had to contain them, so they were a decent thickness. These did what they were supposed to with the syrup too. Dipped it in, absorbed it a little, but still stayed drippy.
Perkins couldn’t have been that bad though. I got the strawberry pancakes again on the way back. I could eat truckloads of strawberry topping.
I don’t think I’ve bought a record in a few months. I’ve put myself on a minor CD buying regiment, trying to get myself to listen to music and get familiar with albums I’m buying, and pursuing jazz more than anything else.
My first pancakes came from a Perkins in Williamsport, PA. Here I chose the strawberry pancakes. Five pancakes with a strawberry topping and whipped cream. Most overwhelming thing about these was as an exhibit of the power of strawberry topping. I am not a real big fan of dry pancakes. I love syrups and toppings and stuff. Strawberry topping is one of my favorites. This was a decent one, like a combination of a syrup and preserves. I liked it, and combined with whipped cream, it’s a winner. But it ran out before the pancakes did, and after that, these were some disappointing pancakes. One measure for me of a pancake is what it does under maple syrup. When you put syrup on these, it absorbed in a way that made the pancake stiff. Not great. It reminded me of what McDonald’s cheap-o pancakes used to do as soon as syrup touched them. It also reminded me of what would happen if I put syrup in my hair and played with it. It took it in like a sponge in such a way that it was now just a cake with some maple flavoring. I don’t like that, I like to be able to recognize the syrup as a liquid still, or at least a goop, like you would expect if you put ketchup on fries. Plus they were pretty thin. Thick and fluffy, that’s what I like.
Second pancakes came from Dick & Jenny’s Bake & Brew on Grand Island, NY, a small place on a small island between Niagara Falls and Buffalo. It was basically a coffee shop/bakery, mostly coffee and muffins, but they also have a rotating menu available for breakfast. This time I got the blueberry pancakes. No topping on this one, blueberries were baked in. No blueberry flecks here, they were big and juicy. And the pancakes had to contain them, so they were a decent thickness. These did what they were supposed to with the syrup too. Dipped it in, absorbed it a little, but still stayed drippy.
Perkins couldn’t have been that bad though. I got the strawberry pancakes again on the way back. I could eat truckloads of strawberry topping.
I don’t think I’ve bought a record in a few months. I’ve put myself on a minor CD buying regiment, trying to get myself to listen to music and get familiar with albums I’m buying, and pursuing jazz more than anything else.
Sunday, August 23, 2009
Metallica - ...And Justice For All LP Reissue
Worst sounding record I own??? Quite possibly. I was so psyched to unseal this mother to max volumization, but the result? Garbage. Total Garbage. Horrible level = cranked volume = ridiculous surface noise = really upset. Made it to the beginning of the second side and just had to remove it. I have instead turned to Bitte Orca to give my ears the vinyl chills they deserve. Disappointing.
Saturday, August 15, 2009
SMASH Records
Lovely but brief afternoon stop to Smash Records yesterday in between appointments. Went in hoping to find the first Killing Joke record, but I will definitely settle for the Requiem 7" plus their second. This is the kind of store where you can go in with an agenda for a specific genre, sound, or band and come away totally satisfied, almost instantly. Their selection of solid records is huge, meant for rounding out collections and it's about time I started on The Cure... sad but true, Disintegration is my first and rightfully so. I pulled the following and put back a bunch of D-mode 12 inchers... next time my friends, next time...
Killing Joke - Requiem 7"
Ray & Porcell - S/T 7"
New Order - Thieves Like Us 12"
New Order - Murder 12"
The Cure - Disintegration (finally!!!)
Killing Joke - What's THIS For...!
Killing Joke - Requiem 7"
Ray & Porcell - S/T 7"
New Order - Thieves Like Us 12"
New Order - Murder 12"
The Cure - Disintegration (finally!!!)
Killing Joke - What's THIS For...!
Friday, August 7, 2009
Monday, August 3, 2009
Terrible Blueberry
First of all, never get the blueberry pancakes at the Herndon Amphora. They make it with blueberry batter and it tastes like a freakin' doughnut. It's terrible. Second, I bought a ton of records in Alabama and North Carolina:
PEGASUS RECORDS (Florence, AL)
Metallica - ...And Justice For All (Half Speed Remaster)
A-ha - Scoundrel Days
Todd Rundgren - A Wizard / A True Star
Candlebox - Candlebox/Lucy (both albums in a double LP)
Rush - Permanent Waves
Bulletboys - Bulletboys (Sealed)
Bob Dylan - Infidels
Bob Dylan - Empire Burlesque
Stevie Wonder - Songs in the Key Of Life (w/ Booklet & 45)
Electric Light Orchestra - Eldorado
R.E.M. - Green
Loverboy - Live from Dayton, OH (w/ Autographs Etched Into Vinyl... wow)
The Plimsouls - Everywhere At Once
Simple Minds - Sparkle In The Rain
Boy Meets Girl - Reel Life
Al B. Sure - Missunderstanding 12"
Father MC - Lisa Baby 12"
The Jets - Make It Real 12"
The Jets - Rocket 2 U 12"
Trixxx - Remember 12" (amazing cover on this one)
Then Jerico - Fault 12"
Cathy Dennis - Just Another Dream 12"
J.A.M. '86 (Jersey Artists For Mankind) - We've Got the Love 12"
Chico DeBarge - Talk To Me 12"
Stacey Q - I Love You 12"
Pet Shop Boys - Domino Dancing 12"
Pet Shop Boys - It's A Sin 12"
I am in love with Pegasus. There are so many incredible 12" finds there for next to nothing. I mean, two Pet Shop Boys singles for a buck each?? Then Jerico, The Jets, Chico DeBarge, Boy Meets Girl (album), all in great condition for a buck??? It's a pop lover/crate searcher's dream. And there is plenty more to grab for the next time and the next time and the... I'd say the best find though was the J.A.M. '86 Jersey Artists For Mankind single. It's all E Street band/Stone Pony musicians doing a We Are The World knockoff. And they are all on the cover in a group photo, everyone except Springsteen who is listed in the credits with a guitar solo, but I guess was too busy touring the globe as a walking american flag to stop by a truck yard under a bridge in Jersey to take a picture w/ Clarence, Max, and Nils. HILARIOUS. The Candlebox literal double album and Songs In The Key of Life w/ 45 are pretty cool too. Actually, I'm super psyched to put each and every one of those records on my turntable for one reason or another. Especially that half speed remaster of Justice... whoooo boy is that gonna RIP.
After Alabama, it was on to Wilmington and CD Alley. Unfortunately, I didn't get to make it over to Gravity Records because I was w/ my Parents and I'm pretty sure they only wanted to wait for me to shop for records once. It was probably a good thing though, because I didn't need to spend any more money than I did. This time I picked up three newer ones that I've been meaning to get, a Fastbreak LP that I have put back the last three times I've been there, two older Michael Bolton LPs (someday, I WILL have them all), and a couple others... good stuff. It was also the beginning of getting all of the Nada Surf records, in reverse. The List:
CD ALLEY (Wilmington, NC)
Obits - I Blame You
Nada Surf - Lucky
Dirty Projectors - Bitte Orca
Michael Bolton - Everybody's Crazy
Michael Bolton - Michael Bolton
Desmond Dekker - Compass Point
Fastbreak - Whenever You're Ready
Electrelane - This Deed 7"
And finally, the stuff I've been getting at shows. Nothing more satisfying than coming home with an LP or 7", except for both.
SHOWS
Engineer - The Dregs
A Cosmonauts Ruin - The Inverse of Man 7"
Talbot Tagora - Lessons In the Woods or a City
Japandroids - Post-Nothing
Abe Vigoda - Skeleton
Jay Reatard - See/Saw 7"
Middle Distance Runner - The Unbeliever 7"
Good times... Can you believe I didn't eat ANY pancakes on my trip though??? I'm kind of ashamed of myself. As you can see on my personal blog, it seems like I ate everything else, but for some reason, I was craving more Spanish type breakfast materials (or waffles) in the AM. If I could do it all over again, I think I'd get the pancakes every time. But that's just another reason to go back.
PEGASUS RECORDS (Florence, AL)
Metallica - ...And Justice For All (Half Speed Remaster)
A-ha - Scoundrel Days
Todd Rundgren - A Wizard / A True Star
Candlebox - Candlebox/Lucy (both albums in a double LP)
Rush - Permanent Waves
Bulletboys - Bulletboys (Sealed)
Bob Dylan - Infidels
Bob Dylan - Empire Burlesque
Stevie Wonder - Songs in the Key Of Life (w/ Booklet & 45)
Electric Light Orchestra - Eldorado
R.E.M. - Green
Loverboy - Live from Dayton, OH (w/ Autographs Etched Into Vinyl... wow)
The Plimsouls - Everywhere At Once
Simple Minds - Sparkle In The Rain
Boy Meets Girl - Reel Life
Al B. Sure - Missunderstanding 12"
Father MC - Lisa Baby 12"
The Jets - Make It Real 12"
The Jets - Rocket 2 U 12"
Trixxx - Remember 12" (amazing cover on this one)
Then Jerico - Fault 12"
Cathy Dennis - Just Another Dream 12"
J.A.M. '86 (Jersey Artists For Mankind) - We've Got the Love 12"
Chico DeBarge - Talk To Me 12"
Stacey Q - I Love You 12"
Pet Shop Boys - Domino Dancing 12"
Pet Shop Boys - It's A Sin 12"
I am in love with Pegasus. There are so many incredible 12" finds there for next to nothing. I mean, two Pet Shop Boys singles for a buck each?? Then Jerico, The Jets, Chico DeBarge, Boy Meets Girl (album), all in great condition for a buck??? It's a pop lover/crate searcher's dream. And there is plenty more to grab for the next time and the next time and the... I'd say the best find though was the J.A.M. '86 Jersey Artists For Mankind single. It's all E Street band/Stone Pony musicians doing a We Are The World knockoff. And they are all on the cover in a group photo, everyone except Springsteen who is listed in the credits with a guitar solo, but I guess was too busy touring the globe as a walking american flag to stop by a truck yard under a bridge in Jersey to take a picture w/ Clarence, Max, and Nils. HILARIOUS. The Candlebox literal double album and Songs In The Key of Life w/ 45 are pretty cool too. Actually, I'm super psyched to put each and every one of those records on my turntable for one reason or another. Especially that half speed remaster of Justice... whoooo boy is that gonna RIP.
After Alabama, it was on to Wilmington and CD Alley. Unfortunately, I didn't get to make it over to Gravity Records because I was w/ my Parents and I'm pretty sure they only wanted to wait for me to shop for records once. It was probably a good thing though, because I didn't need to spend any more money than I did. This time I picked up three newer ones that I've been meaning to get, a Fastbreak LP that I have put back the last three times I've been there, two older Michael Bolton LPs (someday, I WILL have them all), and a couple others... good stuff. It was also the beginning of getting all of the Nada Surf records, in reverse. The List:
CD ALLEY (Wilmington, NC)
Obits - I Blame You
Nada Surf - Lucky
Dirty Projectors - Bitte Orca
Michael Bolton - Everybody's Crazy
Michael Bolton - Michael Bolton
Desmond Dekker - Compass Point
Fastbreak - Whenever You're Ready
Electrelane - This Deed 7"
And finally, the stuff I've been getting at shows. Nothing more satisfying than coming home with an LP or 7", except for both.
SHOWS
Engineer - The Dregs
A Cosmonauts Ruin - The Inverse of Man 7"
Talbot Tagora - Lessons In the Woods or a City
Japandroids - Post-Nothing
Abe Vigoda - Skeleton
Jay Reatard - See/Saw 7"
Middle Distance Runner - The Unbeliever 7"
Good times... Can you believe I didn't eat ANY pancakes on my trip though??? I'm kind of ashamed of myself. As you can see on my personal blog, it seems like I ate everything else, but for some reason, I was craving more Spanish type breakfast materials (or waffles) in the AM. If I could do it all over again, I think I'd get the pancakes every time. But that's just another reason to go back.
Tuesday, June 23, 2009
Updates
So quick updates w/ pancake review... first the review:
The Gazebo in Williamsburg, VA
Very satisfying. This was my second time there, the first being the morning I got married, July 29, 2006. This time, I was down there for my annual running of sound for local graduations so I can make money to buy camera gear extravaganza. It went well and so did this celebratory breakfast at noon the day I left to come back.
Blueberry Buckwheat Cakes: Large Stack
Coffee: Short Stack
Home Fries: Medium Stack
Service: Medium Stack
Also chowed on a good veggie omelet and biscuit. Sounds pretty good right now actually.
As for records, I have been doing a lot of purchasing at shows since I've been trying to photograph much more live music. Mostly 7 inches cause they be the cheapest. The only actual record store I've been in the last couple of months has been Plan 9 in Williamsburg, which afforded me a sawheet deal. Thank you Scott. ;) Here's the rundown of what I have acquired since California.
7"
Rogue Wave: Lake Michigan (import)
Fleet Foxes: Mykonos
Real Estate: Fake Blues
Love Is All: Wishing Well (with a sweet FNM Epic cover as the B-side)
Title Tracks: Every Little Bit Hurts
Joey Cape & Jon Snodgrass: Who Wants To Get Down?
LPs
Cut Off Your Hands: You and I
Blue Giant: Target Heart
Jon Snodgrass: Visitor's Band
Husker Du: Warehouse: Songs and Stories
Phil Collins: Hello, I Must Be Going!
The Waterboys: S/T (my second copy)
Queen: News of the World
Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers: Pack Up The Plantation LIVE!
Queen: Live Killers
The Who: Tommy (took me long enough)
The Church: S/T
Modern English: After the Snow
Men Without Hats: Rhythm of Youth
Talking Heads: Little Creatures
Lindsey Buckingham: Law and Order
Simon and Garfunkel: Bridge Over Troubled Water
Simon and Garfunkel: Bookends
Yep, pretty happy with all of those. Next update should hopefully be after I get a shipment in from Vinyl Collective of some sweet hardcore. Until the next time, go eat some pancakes.
The Gazebo in Williamsburg, VA
Very satisfying. This was my second time there, the first being the morning I got married, July 29, 2006. This time, I was down there for my annual running of sound for local graduations so I can make money to buy camera gear extravaganza. It went well and so did this celebratory breakfast at noon the day I left to come back.
Blueberry Buckwheat Cakes: Large Stack
Coffee: Short Stack
Home Fries: Medium Stack
Service: Medium Stack
Also chowed on a good veggie omelet and biscuit. Sounds pretty good right now actually.
As for records, I have been doing a lot of purchasing at shows since I've been trying to photograph much more live music. Mostly 7 inches cause they be the cheapest. The only actual record store I've been in the last couple of months has been Plan 9 in Williamsburg, which afforded me a sawheet deal. Thank you Scott. ;) Here's the rundown of what I have acquired since California.
7"
Rogue Wave: Lake Michigan (import)
Fleet Foxes: Mykonos
Real Estate: Fake Blues
Love Is All: Wishing Well (with a sweet FNM Epic cover as the B-side)
Title Tracks: Every Little Bit Hurts
Joey Cape & Jon Snodgrass: Who Wants To Get Down?
LPs
Cut Off Your Hands: You and I
Blue Giant: Target Heart
Jon Snodgrass: Visitor's Band
Husker Du: Warehouse: Songs and Stories
Phil Collins: Hello, I Must Be Going!
The Waterboys: S/T (my second copy)
Queen: News of the World
Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers: Pack Up The Plantation LIVE!
Queen: Live Killers
The Who: Tommy (took me long enough)
The Church: S/T
Modern English: After the Snow
Men Without Hats: Rhythm of Youth
Talking Heads: Little Creatures
Lindsey Buckingham: Law and Order
Simon and Garfunkel: Bridge Over Troubled Water
Simon and Garfunkel: Bookends
Yep, pretty happy with all of those. Next update should hopefully be after I get a shipment in from Vinyl Collective of some sweet hardcore. Until the next time, go eat some pancakes.
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