International Leisure Club

ILC Spring Music Reviews

2010-02-22T10:08:00.000-05:00

As you may know music is one of the eight pillars of leisure. Almost every seasoned leisurist I've met is also an avid lover of music. So we've decided to ask four key ILC members to pick four songs they've been listening to lately and write a short review of them. Hope you enjoy, and hope we broaden your future music listening experiences.

We've provided links to each song when possible. Some of the songs were hard to find links for. In those cases we provided links to similar songs by the band on myspace pages or the bands official websites. Pretty sure all the songs are available on itunes.

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Ben Coleman AKA Hesperus Frigg AKA Lucifer Pearl of Judi Chicago(Who, you should know, the ILC loves) Picks:

I'm digging into the shadows here, with rare gems that were on ignored or under-appreciated records of the past and present.

1.Hawkwind – 'High Rise' – from 'PXR5'.

An under-rated tune from an under-rated band, taken from one of their most under-rated albums. This is a J.G. Ballard-esque glimpse into a dystopian near-future (which may already be here) of concrete, cruelty, isolation and bloodshed. Bob Calvert (a sorely-missed contender for best lyricist of the 20th century) is on form here. I particularly recommend the live version from Stonehenge in '77 found on the excellent 'Weird Tapes – The Festivals'. Hawkwind were the best band of the 70's, and it's not too late to find out why: grab a copy of Space Ritual, and take all your clothes off.

http://www.myspace.com/hawkwindofficial

2.Sly and the Family Stone – 'Loose Booty' – from 'Small Talk'

A slice of dance-floor platinum from the best-dressed of the godheads of funk. By the time Small Talk slid onto the shelves, Sly had already carved himself a spot of the Mount

Rushmore of soul, alongside the Godfather (RIP), Curtis Mayfield, George Clinton and team. Fools would have you believe that 'There's a Riot Goin' on' was the last great work from Sly, but don't believe them: Sly was putting out grade 'A' material almost as fast as he was putting class 'A' material up his nose well into the late 70's (I recommend anything and everything between 'A Whole New Thing' and 'Back on the Right Track', with the exception of 'Heard you missed me', which is rubbish). Words can't describe this tune, which isn't even the best track on the album, in my humble… Just put it on at a party and see what happens (I am not to be held liable for ensuing broken glasses or pregnancies).

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2HZcAl1sn2s

3.Happy Mondays – 'Monkey in the Family' – from 'Yes Please'

The Happy Mondays were so messed up by 1992 that this was to be the last album released under the Monday's name for 15 years. 15 YEARS. That's one hell of a hangover. And you can hear the hangover on the album, which is an infectious and occasionally shambolic mix of cracked-out hysteria, hallucinogenic Mumbo-jumbo and strong-cocktail island riddims (the Mondays' own 'Riot' is 'Goin on' here).
Monkey in the Family is the joyous story of a monkey. In the family. It may be about drugs. There's some crazy Arabic style singing, and great toy-town psychedelia lyrics about 'peppermint twists' and the 'jungle jive team' (note to self: good name for a band).

http://www.myspace.com/happymondaysonline

4.Noot D' Noot – 'Jiggle City' – 7' single on Solutionist Records.

Big up to my Noot brothers! This is one of many tunes-d'-noot that should be on any and all lists. Noot D' Noot are the best band in Atlanta (alongside Judi Chicago, of course…) and they are leading the way in space-funk dancehall music. JB's on mushrooms! Trouble Funk jamming with Africa 70! Hawkwind landing a UFO on the Headhunters! ETC! I want to see a copy of their debut album (dropping in the summer) in every home in the world by the end of this year.
We're playing with the Noots all summer long at Lenny's Bar. It's going to be MAGIC.
Fuck a garage band: this is where the underground is at… Like Bohannon said, 'Let's start the dance'…

http://www. myspace. com/nootdnoot

And let's not forget:

http://www. myspace. com/judichicago

The constantly over estimated Tim Franzen picks:

First off I must say this is a difficult task as I listen to a lot of music, so I'm just picking four that have stood out to me in the last few months.

1. 'Zombie Girl' by The Terrordactyls from the album, 'The Terrordactyls'

This song, this band, is pure child's play. They use baby pianos, kazoos, and all sorts of fun noises. This song begins with the sound of cheering children which evokes the feeling of being at a birthday party. This song unfolds to tell the story of a high school student in love with a zombie girl. The Terrordactyls are a duo blessed with sweet, fun, vulnerable vocals. This song features both of their voices sharing every other line. These guys are up and coming, I suggest you give them a look.

http://www.myspace.com/theterrordactyls

2. 'I Keep Forgettin'' by Michael McDonald from the album, 'If That's What It Takes'

Anyone that's been spending any significant time with me lately knows I've been obsessed with Yacht Rock lately. Interestingly I used to loath adult contemporary music. Perhaps it's nostalgia or maybe my minds just more open to smooth rock these days. "I keep Forgettin'" is one of my favorite Yacht Rock anthems. Anyone unfamiliar with this song will immediately recognize this song because Warren G heavily sampled it for his big hit, "Regulate". One thing I like about the song is how well it showcases McDonald's voice, which is pretty smooth I must say. McDonald could sing the ingredients to lucky charms and I'd be into it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CnjEzx7Glr8

3. 'Harder Than You Think' by Public Enemy from the album, 'How to Sell Soul to a Soulless People Who Sold Their Soul'

This is the best single off the Enemies' latest album, which marks their 20th year in the biz. The song begins with a lively guitar riff then, right as we hear Chuck D grip the mic, they bust out the hard hitting horn loop. "Harder Than You Think", really feels like an epic homage and celebration for PE fans like myself. The song is also, like many PE songs, a call to action in apathetic times. Not only does PE target their fans to do more with lines like, "there's a war going on where ya'll at?", but they've been increasingly targeting their peers in the music industry. PE has historically rejected the bling and glory focus of current corporate hip hop.

One more note on PE. Over the years they've been so critical of US multi-national corporations and mainstream politicians that they not only get zero radio play but they've had to produce their own album, on their own label entitled, "Slam Jamz". PE has successfully distributed their last two albums over the internet. This may be why you haven't heard their last two albums, two of their best, on the radio.

..TR> .. ..TABLE>
http://www.myspace.com/publicenemyfam

4. Lara's Theme' performed by City of Prague philharmonic orchestra, from the album, 'Dr. Zhivago-The Sound track'

It's hard for me to separate the experience of the film from the experience of listening to this song. As some of you may know I desperately love David Lean films and "Dr. Zhivago" is my favorite of the bunch. What "Lara's Theme" evokes for me is the power of wonder. Pure child like wonder in the beauty of nature, the feeling of love, and the contemplation of spirituality. It captures those moment when you're looking at something so wonderful, like a perfect sunset or the eyes of a lover, and you're filled with warm fuzzies. The feeling's that are difficult to describe with words.

"Lara's theme" is a song i've found myself tearing up to on several occasions'. One word of advice, there are so many versions of this song performed by various orchestras. Some of them are weak.

http://www.myspace.com/drzhivagoo

Leo Ladefian, the body paint model from A3C picks

Intro
The first place I looked for songs that I've been listening to recently was of course the ipod. It was as simple as sorting the last played field. However, the music I've been listening to lately hasn't necessarily come from the little white box, thank god. A person of leisure, or any person for that matter, should experience music from a variety of outlets; not just a machine. I've tried to review some songs I've been in contact not just from the random shuffle of the ipizzle, but songs that have a context to leisurely pursuits I might have been engaging...

1. Sam Cooke - 'A Change is Gonna Come', off 'Ain't that good news'

I was having lunch at one of my favorite Turkish joints last Friday when I heard the unmistakable sound of the inventor of soul music. Obviously not Cooke himself, a man across the street was carrying some of Cooke's greatest hits with ease. Some of you may know the gentlemen I'm speaking of as he is regular down near the Georgia State Campus. He began signing; a Change is Gonna Come, my favorite Cooke song if not one of my all time favorites. Considered to be "the answer" to Bob Dylan's "Blowin' in the Wind", it deals with the struggle of the black community, as well his own struggles, in the 1960's. Released in late 1964 it was to be included on Cooke's last studio album, however, he was shot death in early December for reasons still not explained. It became an anthem for the civil rights movement being performed by the likes of Aretha Franklin, Otis Redding, and Al Green. The message of the song is timeless, and I was moved to hear it once more from a man spreading the Cooke gospel.

http://www.myspace.com/samcooke

2. LCD Soundsystem - '45:33' off '45:33'

Every now and then, I'll get the urge to get off my couch and do some exercise, whether it be running, cycling, or push ups on the carpet. When the mood strikes, I usually turn to Kraftwerk and this LCD Soundsystem 45 minute electronic excursion. Commissioned by Nike, (I know they're an evil sweat shop corporation, but I just bought some used Nikes for $12 so I feel better about it), and specifically made for a 45 minute workout, this track explores rhythmic dance beats, melodic horns and a journey into outer space. Imagine jogging through a wormhole with Patrick Stewart in his running shorts. The track starts slow with a few notes being played every second. Then it builds with synthesized dance beats, bells, and eventually at around 22 minutes it really gets going and a conversation with interstellar space men begins. After your muscles are deoxygenized, a cool down starts at around 40 minutes and slows to a crawl. Don't sleep on this mix, Leisurists unite.

http://www.myspace.com/lcdsoundsystem

3. 2 Many Dj's – 'As Heard on Radio Soulwax pt. 2'

After listening to Girl Talk for, oh about a month, it became tiresome to listen to him blow his load early on most of his mixes. I was introduced to 2 Many Dj's by my Kid 606, Luke Vibert, Soundmurderer mashup fiend friend. One of my other favorite ways to experience music is getting on someone else's shit, or putting someone up on mine. Strait up Laptop Dj's, 2 Many Dj's are two of the performers from the famous Soulwax England rock group. This particular mix, for starters, begins with an Emerson, Lake and Palmer mix into Basement Jaxx, Where's Your Head at. Then transitions into a Peaches, Velvet Underground mashup; the first two tracks are worth the price of admission. Keep in mind, were not talking about 10 second spots clipped together a la Girl Talk. These are 1.5 and 2 minute tracks with two songs, not 12. Other highlights include The Stooges: No Fun and Salt and Pepper: Push it mix, Dolly Parton: 9 to 5 Royksopp: Elpe. Their website lists at least 20 other mixes, all with music I guarantee you've never heard before. This is the beauty of 2 Many, the ability to enjoy their music, and discover new music.

http://www.myspace.com/2manymashups

4. CunninLynguists - 'Dying Nation' off 'Southernundergorund'

Beginning with the infamous George W. Bush quote of an old Tennessee saying, the Cunninlyguists track focuses on what they believe is wrong with USA, as well as the state of hip-hop. I heard this track again on the way back from a local hip hop festival in Atlanta a few weeks ago, and couldn't help but see the huge disparity of hip-hop being played on the radio and from the "underground". The track focuses on several government, religious and social conspiracies over the past few years with lines like "what America can't have they take silently, sometimes violently, open up your eyes and see, it's all back-wards like negatives from photography". This group is a breath of fresh air in the midst of the polluted state of hip hop.

http://www.myspace.com/cunninlynguists1

The lovely and talented free lance journalist Hallie Newton picks

These are four songs I've been listening to this spring.

1. Tall Firs 'Hairdo' from 'Too Old to Die Young'

I wish I could make trading cards of these guys and stick them in the spokes of my bicycle so that every time the wheels go around, their song "Hairdo" would serenade me. The lacey sounding instruments all braided together make for a pretty palate to sing their lyrics, these conversational snippets of awkwardness. There's a part that goes, "You've got a bangin' sister". Yeah! If you like Pavement, or Dinosaur Jr., or say you like Sonic Youth, this song's for you -- In fact, the whole album's for you. Grab a bike and sing along.

http://www.tallfirs.org

2. Mariah Carey 'Touch My Body' from 'E=MC2'

Oh Mariah. How are you so gigantic and svelte at the same time? Why did you take your clothes off in a tub on Cribs? Are you really so crazy that Virgin paid you to leave the label? Do you know what E=MC2 means? I have a thousand questions for you, Mariah, and they can all wait until you finish singing your latest hit. I loved you when the video for "Honey" came out, and you were in a skin-colored swimsuit and Mace was in a helicopter, and then he became a preacher or minister shortly afterwards, and I love you now, with your robot voice so manipulated that I can hardly render the words you've strung together, mumbling something about YouTube. Truth is, I don't care what you sing because you're maniacal feminine wiles has left an impression so large that your notes echo sweetly in it's wake. You are truly a legend, Mariah. You're right up there with such Americana as Johnny Appleseed and Paul Bunyan. Put him in the helicopter next.

http://www.myspace.com/mariahcarey2008music

3. The Ramones 'Oh Oh I Love Her So' from 'Leave Home'

I don't want to fall in love. But if I ever do, I want it to be like this.

http://www.myspace.com/theramonesfan666

4. Joe Cocker 'Feelin' Alright' from 'Mad Dogs and Englishmen'

This last one was a tough one to pick, but these four songs are all about spring and spring is about change and this song is about changing. It's a live recording, all upbeat, and the choir is in the back singing about how good they're feeling – a choir which consists of these, like, amazing artists by the way, who've played with The Band and Bob Dylan and… oh my gosh it's just so communal sounding, like a big party with all the cool kids, but Cocker – the coolest kid at the party – is singing, "I'm not feeling too good myself", nearly drowned out by the commotion, so you've got this great tension between the party and his story, and you know it has to end because he's moving on and because it's a song and it all has to end anyway.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PmqQKZPlj6M&feature=related

I listen to other stuff too. If you want to know, write me.

www.myspace.com/hallielizabeth

Day 16: Meditarrean Coast

2008-01-27T15:23:00.000-05:00

We awoke to the cathedral bell around 10 o'clock, (I know because the bell rings ten times, one for each hour). I took a walk around outside to see where our journey had taken us the night before. We had arrived at night so we had no idea what the surrounding area was like. Walking outside was enough to find out...

Walking around the complex I came across a bulletin board with a short description of the hotel. It stated that the hotel was in compliance with the Kyoto Protocol and used environmentally friendly materials around the hotel. Also, all the food is locally bought and transported without the use of petrol, all by train.
Link to the website

I was able to meet the resident dog, Shantila...

Downstairs we were treated to a traditional Italian breakfast (minus the cornflakes): Italian ham, sheep's cheese, bread, and Italian sausages. One thing of note, Chestnuts were commonly used in this region and they made for some amazing Chestnut cake. The nuts are ground into a flour, and then used for baking.

The plan for the day was to drive to the Mediterranean coast and hang out for the day. We took the Autostrada for part of the way. Let me explain a little about Italian driving. They don't use signals, it's every man woman and child for themselves, they honk and make hand gestures, if you're in their way, you get the brights, most roads don't have lane stripes, and if you're on the highway going 100mph, you will get passed like you're standing still. All of these factors make for and adventure every time you hit the roadway. Fortunately, the end of the ride involved some beautiful back country driving where the only obstacles you have to deal with are, three wheeled mountain vehicles going 20 mph with elderly drivers, no barricades, sheer cliffs, falling rocks, and crazy locals. I wished we had a sign on our car that said "It's ok, we're Americans".

We arrived at the small town of Levanto which greeted us to a beautiful view as we came down the mountain; the sun shining off the water like a mirror...

We drove through the town and found where the road ended...

We were content for the rest of the afternoon...

After the sunset and Cubans, we decided to head back to the hotel as the owner offered to make us some dinner even though we were the only ones staying. We were glad we came back, we arrived to an indoor fire pit right next to our dinner table.

Then the food started coming...

Locally grown olives, olive oil

Liver pattee, butter and herbs on bread

chorizo

mmm pigs leg, prosciutto

salmon and capers

ravioli with poppy seeds and pinenuts, stuffed with ricotta and spinach

muscles

t-bone

and chestnut cake for dessert..
after the overload of food, it was cigars and camera tricks...

Day 15: Italian Road Trip

2008-01-22T21:18:00.000-05:00

We had the car, a blistering fast 1.3L diesel Fiat Punto, music, 80's mixes and road trip mixes from Tim and I, and a destination, get lost in the Italian countryside. Hall and Oates, and a freestyle session over the 10 minute song by Neu topped the mix list. Of course, we can't forget about Mista Fab, but that will come later...

Although neither Tim or Raf had any place they specifically wanted to go, they made it clear, jokingly, that they didn't want to go where I wanted to, Bologna. It happened to be on the way to the west coast, and it happens to be home to the Ducati factory. And for someone having a love for Italian motorbikes what better place to go? It's not my fault my two travel mates don't have good taste...

After the glorious stop in Bologna, we headed for the Tuscany region where our hotel was stationed. Unknowingly, we headed north for about 30 minutes and had to turn around. Then the night came, as well as the rain, (a perfect time to be on the Italian back country roads). I was very tired, and driving, but the sheer adrenaline of steep cliffs, rain, and cars passing me and whizzing by the other direction kept me going... We finally made it to the hotel and crashed...(fell asleep, the car is ok).

Day 14: Rafael's Restaurant

2008-01-22T18:34:00.000-05:00

We woke up today hoping to take a day trip with the rental car we were expecting. Unfortunately, we had a miscommunication and the rental place was out of cars. So, we spent most of the day waiting around for the car to get in.

Finally, the car came in around 7. So we picked up the car, came back to the house for a bit, then headed to Julius. Raf wasn't expecting a whole lot of business because they had just reopened from the winter break, and it was a Tuesday night. To Raf's surprise, they filled up most of the first floor, and that allowed us to have the upstairs to hang out. Not before getting a tour of the nicely appointed restaurant...

Being an ex pizza tosser, Tim decided to make his own pie. We were skeptical at first, but he surprised us with some sweet tossing skills. The hard part was getting into the oven...

Tim enjoyed a smoked salmon, arugala, onion and tomato pizza, while I opted for a thick sliced pepperoni, tomato, and pepper pizza. Both looked and tasted delicious. After the pizza, we hit some Foccacia, which is a big type of sandwich with a light cream cheese, prosciutto, and arugala. Once again, it didn't disappoint. As we reached a state of delirium from the amount of food just consumed, a game of "flip the bottle cap into an espresso cup" emerged and kept us amused for about an hour. Partagas 150's and more sparkling water were on the dessert menu, as well as a home made brownie.

After dinner, I decided to hit the 1's and 2's to work off some of the fantastic food we just ate.

Many props to Rafael for bringing us in to his restaurant and being a gracious host. Dooooooooooooood!

Day 13-14: Pescara

2008-01-21T14:31:00.000-05:00

We arrived in Pescara on Saturday night. From the train we walked down the main strip to Rafael's place and were shocked to see how many people there were. Not only the amount of people, but the amount that were window shopping. Tim and I had never seen people line up at windows to observe the new fashions. Apparently it's true, fashion is a big part of the Italian culture. We went to bed following a cigar and were up for a jog on the beach the next morning.

The plan for Pescara was to hang out for a few days. Rafael's brother in law was having a birthday dinner, and we wanted to see Rafael's restaurant, Julius. The night prior to the birthday dinner, we set out on Rafael's bikes to tour around Pescara. The weather agreed and we had a great day of sun and exercise.

We were excited and perhaps a little intimidated at the dinner prospect in the evening. Around 20 or so of Rafael's brother in laws friends, most of which speak only Italian, were going to be there. However, once we arrived and met everyone, we felt at home. I've never been to a dinner like this before, the way people communicate is much different than most Americans I'm used to. Communication was much more of a physical thing, using hands and expressions much more than Americans. Even though I couldn't understand much of what was being said, I couldn't help but smile and laugh along with the people. It was quite an experience. Now to the meal, plates and plates of food kept coming. Some of the dishes included:

Raw squid, large shrimp halves, slices of red snapper, crab with parsley,

Sea snails, big plates of shrimp, clams,

Giant calamari, raw oysters,

Metzamanica (ziti) with shrimp red sauce

Linguinie clams with olive oil

Whole baked fish, shrimp skewer, sting ray tail, calamari kabobs

Theses were just to name a few, some of the things I didn't know the names or know how to describe them. To sum it up, it was delicious and over the top. We ended the night with cigars as usual :).

Day 12: Paris to Pescara

2008-01-21T14:13:00.000-05:00

I am writing this from the train as today is somewhat of a travel day. We left Paris after an indulgent three days. I decided to nickname Paris as the city of indulgence after its outstanding bakeries and pastry shops that lure you in with just a glance through the street side windows. Cafes perched on almost every corner offer food, coffee and desserts. Even in the winter, the patios are sheltered and heated, allowing Parisians and tourists the chance to watch the city go by. My personal goal was to eat at least one pastry a day from the different bakeries we encountered. I accomplished this, as well as smuggling an outstanding macaron (much different than the macaron in America) over the border to Italy in order to indulge in one last French dessert at lunch today. Mission accomplished, and the German Sheppard at the airport who sniffed me for drugs didn’t seem to mind either. We spent most of Paris on foot, with the occasional train ride to seek out some of the cities famous sights. The Eiffel Tower, Cathedral at Notre Dame, Champs-Elysee and the Arc de Triomphe are just the few we visited in our short stay in Paris. I wasn’t sure what to expect from Paris, I supposed I expected to be slighted by a Frenchman at the fact that we were American. However, as it turns out, in all the interactions with which the language barrier was rather large, we managed an understanding and usually had a laugh with the person whom we were trying to communicate. As long as we agreed that we didn’t like George Bush, we were ok. The stereotypes of rudeness, and intolerance were nowhere to be seen. We attempted their language and they attempted to accommodate ours, everything but intolerance. Although myself and Tim and Raphael enjoyed Madrid, we realized soon after getting off the plane in Paris that this was a special place. The language itself is beautiful, as described by Rafael, “you could just close your eyes and listen”. Agreed… Madrid had its own charm though, Flamenco and the inclusive culture. We were able to experience the culture of Madrid by walking the streets at night. However, taking a day in the massive Retiro park really opened my eyes to Madrid’s charm. Street performers, musicians, and large families all take part in making a leisurely day. Much a metropolis like Paris, fashion seemed important to both, with different styles of course- Paris being the more sophisticated, conservative type, and Madrid with the more flamboyant clothing displays.

Day 11: Paris Sights

2008-01-21T13:04:00.000-05:00

For our last day in Paris, we decided to hit some of the main sights to get the full Parisian experience. Unfortunately, the weather was not in agreement, wind, rain, and cold greeted us as we left the hotel. The first stop was the cathedral of Notre Dame. Henry the VI was crowned king of France here in 1431. Also, Joan of Arc was canonized here in the 1920's.

On a recommendation from the front desk at the hotel, we headed to the North end of town to another cathedral for a good view of the city. The cathedral was closed, but the walk up the hill was worth it. We were greeted with a breathtaking view and a sunset with the Eiffel tower in view.

For the last stop, we headed for the Arc de Triomphe, which was built to commemorate those who fought in the Napoleonic wars. It was a cool sight during the night, the trees were lit up all along the main road and a roundabout circled the Arc. By this time, the cold was brutal and we decided to head for a warmer place.

Tim and I had come across a restaurant on an earlier night that we thought was worth revisiting. We arrived and had our last meal in Paris. We were ready to head for warmer weather in Italy.

Tim and I agreed that the Louvre museum was one of the highlights in Paris, something both of us would never forget.

Day 10: The Louvre

2008-01-13T15:02:00.000-05:00

The plan was to get up and head to the Louvre early to avoid a line. When we got up we had to face the harsh reality that Rafael was to sick to leave the hotel room. So we left him with promises of returning with warm soup.

Leo and I braved the biting cold winds as we made our way to the Louvre. I should note that Paris is the most beautiful city I have ever been to. Almost every street has something beautiful or interesting to behold. When we finally got to the grounds of the Louvre, Leo and I were simply awestruck. The building and grounds themselves are works of art. We could’ve spent a full day taking pictures outside.

Once inside the Louvre we decided to check out the French sculptures.

We were surprised to discover that flash photography is allowed. Most museums don’t allow them because it cuts into souvenir sales. As you can see the sculptures were pretty amazing. I was rather taken by the numerous marble busts of wig wearing historical figures.

So not only is the outside of the Louvre breathtaking the inside is as well. It’s like a cathedral of art. Giant ceilings with amazing artwork and lighting.

Also, the glass pyramid covering the main entrance and sculpture areas was an overwhelming sight.

Some of our highlights included relics of Egypt, the Mona Lisa, Venus de Milo, and The Marriage Feast. We spent about five hours and didn’t come close to seeing everything. So far the Louvre experience has been the highlight of the trip for me. We highly recommend this museum for anyone aspiring to visit Europe.

The Mona Lisa is fairly popular...

Other pieces we liked...

As promised we brought Rafael his soup and picked up some delicious pastries for ourselves along the way. We had decided that we’d spent a few hours at the hotel resting and coming up with a game plan for the evening. Sadly, Rafael still felt miserable so he was sidelined for the evening. Leo and I had read that some of the best food to be found in Paris was Vietnamese, so we settled for a place called Le Foyer du Vietnam in East Central Paris. It was an adventure ordering because our waitress didn’t speak English. Neither of us knew exactly what we had ordered. Luckily we both made out just fine.

Next we set out to experience the night life of Paris. After stopping by the Paris Social Club, 2 to 7, we decided to post up at the famous REX club on Poissoniere. Leo and I decided That we were going to blow these Frenchys away with our sweet moves and boy did we. They were peeling the women off the ceiling every time I did my double axel fist pump or Leo busted out him air turn table routine. Even the dudes were sweating a little. We ended dancing till 4:30 am before exiting the club in search of a cab.

We came back to the hotel to find Rafael awake and in good spirits. We shared our tales of the day before crashing in the as the clock approached 6. Solid action packed day.

Day 9: Paris and Freedom Bread

2008-01-12T20:17:00.001-05:00

We arrived in Paris from an early morning flight from Madrid, about a two hour plane ride of mostly sleep. Rafael scored a hotel in downtown Paris for around 200 Euros for 3 nights. Normally, this room would cost 150 per night. We were immediately excited after getting off the plane and hearing the French accent, noting how gorgeous the language sounded. We arrived at the hotel Derby Garibaldi, threw our stuff in the room, and set out to silence our hunger. We decided a local bar type place with outrageous prices and mediocre food. After lunch, we planned to go see the Eiffel Tower then head back to the hotel for a nap to recover from the early morning. En route, we were awestruck by all the amazing looking pastries through the numerous bakery windows. One place, looked like pieces of art on plates, and we vowed to come back.

Having seen the Eiffel tower in numerous pictures, movies etc., we weren't exactly blown away by the sight, but it's something we had to see. It was pretty cold and we couldn't manage more than about 30 minutes of hanging out.

We went back to the hotel, napped and Rafael woke up to a bad headache and nausea. We ended up going out to eat, and Raf's condition did not get much better...

After the Eiffel tower challenge was defeated, Raf went home and Tim and I decided to stroll around for the evening. We decided to hang at a local cafe and call it a night. We wanted to get plenty of sleep for the Louvre the next day...

Day 8: Segovia

2008-01-09T16:34:00.000-05:00

After I returned from my day at the museum, the dudes were feeling better so we went out for some soup at a local Thai joint we marked as a favorite. We discussed plans to take a day trip to Segovia the next day, and it seemed Tim and Raf were in better spirits, but not 100%. We awoke and decided to go, and I think we were all glad to get out of Madrid for a day and out of the house. I did some research on Segovia, and it promised a picturesque old Spanish town. When we arrived via bus, I was a bit skeptical, but upon further walking we discovered the town. One of the main sights, the Roman Aqueduct, is an impressive and amazing structure. Built around 1000 years ago, and having not one drop of mortar or cement, it is an engineering marvel. Used for transporting water from the mountains, it is about 15km long, but the main structure sits on top of the busy town square...

This was not an easy place to leave, each of us had cameras and couldn't decide to stop taking pictures. We were like little kids, touching the rocks and standing up next to it staring up at it like some sort of giant. We finally pushed on though the narrow streets and worn walls of the Segovians.

We picked up some strawberries from a market, the color was excellente!

Next stop on route was another cathedral. Some stunning architecture on display...

It would be a difficult task to top these two parts of Segovia, but ahead on the edge of town there was still a castle to visit. The fortified Alcazar is a 13th century roman structure that burned down in 1862 but was subsequently rebuilt. This castle was said to have inspired the castle at Disney...

First things first, the gift shop....

The inside rooms and ceilings were stunning golds and reds....

Some great views from the Torre de Juan...

Tim snagged a quick nap on the way home...

We were greeted with a sunset when we got back...

...and the end to a perfect day?

Paella!

Day 7: Reina Sofia and Cathedral

2008-01-09T12:07:00.000-05:00

Tim and Raf were sick again today, so they stayed in just to be safe. They are feeling better however and we predict a day trip to Segovia for tomorrow. I decided to continue touring Madrid and to check out the Reina Sofia art museum. They have whole floors dedicated to Picaso and Dali. Dali being one of my favorite artists, I was looking forward to the exhibits. I arrived off the train to the museum to be greeted by a somewhat large building and two glass exterior elevators on each side of the entrance.

I walked in, did my best Spanish citizen impersonation, and was off to the art. It started with some Representation from Dali, El Gran Mastubador,

then moved to female portraits with Dali's stunning Muchacha en la Ventana...

There were tons of Picaso works, including early sketchs of unfinished work. But the gem of the museum was easily Guernica

A large and stunning piece of work, it measures 349 x 776 cm (I've gotten used to metrics).

"Guernica is a painting by Pablo Picasso, depicting the Nazi German bombing of Guernica, Spain, by twenty-eight thousand bombers, on April 26, 1937 during the Spanish Civil War, in which a number of people variously estimated between 250 and 1,600 were killed and many more were injured."

After viewing art from some of my favorite artists, there wasn't much that could make the day much better, but, nonetheless I decided to stop by the Cathedral de Nuestra Senora de la Almudena. I'm not much for Churches, but the construction and time taken at some of these places is notable and worth some time. So here's some pics....

Day 6: Parque del Retiro

2008-01-07T14:07:00.000-05:00

Bad news for today, Raf and Tim are home bound with flu like symptoms. Fortunately, I'm still feeling ok but a little tired. So I took the day to myself and went to the Parque de Retiro. This park is as much as a Madrid tradition as outdoor cafes. By the looks of it on the map, it dwarfs the Palace and surrounding gardens, also it appears to have some sort of large lake. Being the outdoor nerd that I am, I was pretty excited... I'll let the pictures speak for themselves, but I just wanted to add that I felt like I got the best of the Madrid and Spanish culture at this place. Street performers, people playing soccer, and a massive drum circle were just a few of the sights. I had a cigar, walked around, took pictures, and used my first Spanish line on a girl, fortunately, she was Swedish and understood English as well so I didn't look like a total fool. Bailas?

Here is a video of the drum circle.

Bear in mind this park is absolutely free, all time time. I'd say it rivals or bests Atlanta Botanical Gardens. One of my favorite stops thus far...

Day 5: Palacio De Real, Plaza de Toros, Plaza Mayor

2008-01-07T13:12:00.000-05:00

A change in our travel plans had us staying in Madrid for a few extra days. Ok with me as our place in Madrid is essentially free. One thing I realized after exchanging my money is that I'm probably gonna need more. Luckily, I have a paycheck coming through. For around $800, I got about 560 Euros, and a free travel wallet for exchanging more than 500 Euros. YAY! We set out and took pictures of the Palacio de Real on the way to the Plaza de Toros.

We stopped at the Plaza Mayor as well, which is essentially a giant square surrounded by buildings. Historically, the plaza was used for a multitude of events including: markets, bullfights, soccer games, public executions, and, during the Spanish Inquisition, "autos de fe" against supposed heretics and the executions of those condemned to death. There were no hangings the day we were there, but there was some nice art for sale...

We trucked on to the Plaza de Toros, the Legendary Bullfighting ring. Disappointingly, there was a circus set up in front, so I couldn't get a good picture. Currently, there are no bull fights going on as it's winter. Culturally, bullfighting is very important to the Spanish, I'm not sure how I feel about the killing of a bull however...

We headed home, got some thai food. Tim wasn't feeling well, so he stayed in as me and Rafael went out to check out the Saturday night festivities. We tried to hit up some dance clubs we found in the paper, but most were closed or we couldn't find them. Walking around and people watching was enough for us...

Day 4: Prado (for real) and Dancing

2008-01-06T15:45:00.000-05:00

It was up early to catch the train at 8:30am to get to the Prado before it opened. We got there to still find a line, but not as long as yesterday so it was all good. We were undeniably tired, but there was a trusty Starbucks on the way to help us out. In the museum, we spent most of the time dissecting the hidden meanings of all the paintings. Mainly, about how 15th and 16th century art is mostly satirical towards modern politics, global warming, and the disappearance of the Passenger Pigeon, or something like that. Really though, to see the pieces of art that I studied in my Art Appreciation class was pretty cool. A powerpoint presentation with the paintings projected on a screen don't do them justice. Valequez and Goya were the two main artists on display at the time.

After viewing the greatest masterpieces ever conceived on panel and canvas, we went home for a nap. The goal of the evening was to find a good dance spot. We were starting to realize that the night life gets started much later than in the states. restaurants rarely open before 8, and most dance clubs open around 12 or 1! All of our destinations were walking distance from the apartment, so we headed off into the night on foot. The first place we went to was called Supersonic, it was dead when we arrived at around 11:00, so we went up the street to a book store/bar where and English gent helped us with some Redbull. After chatting with the fine chap we headed back to the club only to find a crowd that was a bit too young. The music was right on, but it looked like a high school dance. We continued walking to our next destination. Bear in mind about every other block there are guys with brochures trying to promote clubs that are nearby. It became Rafael's habit to look at every one, and have a 2 minute conversation with the guys passing them out. New Girls Cabaret was one of his favorites. Finally we decided to go into a club with free admission. Dolce, it was called. They were playing Reggaeton and Trance, and the "flamboyant boxer" dancing style of Rafael took hold. Tim and I used the standard radar/eye contact/tractor beam dance style to no avail. We ended up seeing a girl from Tupperware the other night from England, and hung out with her and her German friend the rest of the evening. We ended up ALL walking her home, for what reason I'm still unsure, you'll have to ask Rafael on that one. But all in all it was a fun evening, minimum dancing, but we experience some of the character of the famous night life here...

Day 3: Flamenco and Prado

2008-01-05T15:28:00.000-05:00

We got up late on the third day still trying to recover from the overload of energy drinks and walking.. Although I was tired, I got up early and got ready only to be waiting around for the other guys to get ready. So, I decided to take a walk across the street, take some pictures, and visit the art market across the street. I found it quite hilarious hearing the Lynyrd Skynyrd track "Sweet Home Alabama" playing over the loudspeakers at the art market. It made me realize the heavy influence of American culture in this big city. However, and unfortunately, I still found myself signing along...

One of the things that was mentioned we do while in Madrid was visit the Prado art museum. Apparently this is Spain's and one of Europe's premier art museums. We set off around 2 on the Metro to the Banco de Espana stop. As we walked up, the first view we had was of the enormous line stretching and winding around the street. There looked to be about 100 people in line. We sent our translator, Raphael, to see what the deal was. Apparently, the museum remains this way all day and the best bet is to return in the morning before it opens to get in line. Disappointed, we made it a plan for the next day and went for some grub.

We ate at a nicely appointed pub with a fixed lunch price that included paella, calamari, bread, and flan for dessert. Then proceeded to take the standard tourist photos of waving in front of random sights. On the way back, we saw the famous bear eating from the strawberry tree, the symbol of Madrid and also seen in the painting "The Garden of Earthly Delights" by Bosch. This painting can also be seen at the Prado. We also experimented with a little known street activity called, grooming random people. This involves finding a random person and grooming their scalp, much like a monkey would do. Tim is demonstrating below... Probably my favorite store in Madrid yet, "WildStyle", ripped off from the movie no doubt, was a fantastic sight along the way.

It started to get dark as we walked home and we stopped by the Palace of Madrid and the gardens on the way home. One of the biggest places I've ever seen, 2800 rooms, 50 of which are available for viewing. There was a lot of gold plating, an absolute necessity for the king. I'm almost positive that at the time the palace was built, there was no need to spend money for the people, so they could just go crazy. Also along the way, Tim discovered possibly the most significant and beautiful fountain we've ever seen...

Anyway, a Flamenco show was another must do and it just so happened there was a Flamenco place right below our apartment. Raphael knew a lot about Flamenco so he was able to brush me up on the meanings and history of it. I've rarely seen such passion and intensity from dancers in a show, whether it be ballet or a concert. There was an overall positive vibe from the show, but also a vibe of intensity and seriousness from the dancers. The musicians had more of a laid back and fun approach for most of the evening, but their skills were very refined. It was a great experience overall and was very glad I got to experience it. I recorded a short video which can be watched HERE. We ended up meeting some Australian women that were sitting behind us that were in the midst of traveling. So we went to a pool hall after and made fun of each others countries, mainly about how football was better than rugby, then called it a night.

Day 2: mas Madrid

2008-01-04T13:18:00.000-05:00

After the time change on Tuesday, Tim and I decided to push through the sleep deprivation. We ended up going to bed around 9ish and waking up around 6 in the morning to start the 2nd. Grocery shopping, Cuban cigars, and a dance club at night were the tentative plans.

We hit up the shopping in the morning at Corte Ingles, a shopping/department store/ everything you've ever wanted, and never wanted, to buy. The seafood selection was unbelievable, including baby eels that were priced at 999 euros a kilo! Not to mention whole pig legs that were selling for 395 euros. We decided to stick with packaged fake eels and sandwich meat. Although settling for cheap alternatives on food, we splurged on Cuban cigars which Corte Ingles had an abundance. Motecristo No.2, Bolivar, and Hoyo de Monterey just to name a few.

We walked around the cities La Puerta de Sol, a central location in Madrid where New Years festivities took place. Somewhat of a higher end shopping district, (we carried our groceries right on past.) We came back to the apartment, had lunch, and couldn't resist the urge to smoke a Cuban. There is certainly nothing like a No. 2

After a sweet nap, we decided to sample the night scene. We picked the cheapest local places to experience the neighborhood people. The first stop was a place called Copolaclub. It had potential, cool graphic art on the walls and vibrant colors, but was pretty much dead due to the night of the week. We decided to push on to a place called Tupperware that is described as "Unbelievably kitsch, with plastic dolls and pictures of old TV stars as decor..." was our first stop. The highlight of this club was actually outside where a group of 10 French people were singing and playing music with guitars and a kazoo. The inside of tupperware was pretty cool, with a mural including, Spock, David Bowie, Blondie, and John Lennon. Not to mention they were playing Barbarella on the projector. Not much dancing was going on but it was packed and the atmosphere is fun, so we drank our energy drinks that glowed in the dark and took in the visuals.

Day 1: First Class and Madrid

2008-01-01T15:05:00.000-05:00

Arriving the airport about an hour before the flight, we attempted to schmooze the gate worker with a courteous smile and happy new year in order to be bumped to first class. Although she seemed disinterested in our attempts, we scored 2 of the remaining 29 business class seats. Excellente!

The Flight only got better with a hard fought game of head-to-head chess, Galaktor, episodes of The Office, and The Flight of the Chondors. Not to mention a fully reclining seat, (which I had not discovered all the positions until 5 minutes before landing), 4 course meal, including breakfast, and a New Years Toast of club soda...

We arrived at 8:30 in the morning after virtually no sleep and met our wonderful friend Raphael in good spirits. Then it was off to the Plaza de Espana to settle in at our apartment overlooking the square. We took a stroll in the crisp 35 degree air for a much needed "wake up". Stopped at a Panderia for some espresso, viewed the Templo de Debod.

Soon enough, it was time for dinner and we went
to a marvelous Turkish restaurant to celebrate Leo's "birthday" once again. Then it was up to the apartment to finish off the day with a triumvirate of Opus X cigars..

Happy New Year from Raphael, Tim and Leo!!!