Here are my five favorite drummers:
1. Damon Che (Don Caballero) - Utterly brilliant and extremely unique. Long over due for significant recognition.
2. Paul Bostaph (Slayer) - His drumming on the last three Slayer records is just fan-friggin-tastic.
3. Derrick Bostrom (Meat Puppets) - He's got a straightforward sensibility that is second to none. Check the beats on "Up on the Sun."
4. Grant Hart (Husker Du) - Whether it was thrash or punk-pop, I learned how to play drums listening to Grant Hart's manic presence.
5. Rey Washam (Big Boys, Rapeman) - Exceedingly skilled drummer with lots of finesse.
Review: Restaurant 821 gets it right
It's rare that I'll step up to the plate and plunk down $100 for dinner, an evening at Restaurant 821, which came to $102, and was well worth the money.
I recently took Kelly to 821 to celebrate her birthday. Being a creature of Internet habit, I first checked Restaurant 821's Web site for more info. They have a clean, well-designed site that features restaurant info and a menu.
They also accept reservations online, a function I decided to use. The reservations were made in seconds and I received a confirmation e-mail within seconds. In the special comments section I noted we'd be celebrating Kelly's birthday and requested a dessert with a candle after the meal.
The meal began with fresh bread, which I believe may have been baked in house. The bread was served with olive oil and roasted garlic – no butter, which is fine as the oil and garlic was sufficient.
The waiter, quiet, but on top of his game, then brought out a complimentary appetizer of sorbet. The sorbet was unlike any I've ever had. It was made from fresh tomatoes and tasted like frozen V8. Kelly enjoyed it, but I didn't care for it. No harm, no foul as it was on the house.
Kelly had a martini of some sort that she said tasted interesting, while I had a Buckler non-alcoholic beer. There was an additional wait staff on hand that refilled our water glasses regularly.
For an appetizer, I had McGregor's Farm Baby Greens which were absolutely delicious and topped with a tasty, but somewhat tart raspberry vinaigrette. It also came with Mascarpone Crostini, which tasted good, but I have no idea what that actually is. Kelly had the house smoked Mozzarella which came with some tasty McGregor's Farm Heirloom Tomatoes, that were very firm and ripe.
For the meal, I had the steak of the day which was cooked as ordered (well-done) and was drenched in a light sauce. It also came with some of the best potatoes I've had in recent memory and topped with some hard pieces of bacon. There was just enough food – not an oversized portion by any means – but very filling. Kelly has scallops and while she enjoyed them, she said my dish had more flavor.
At this point, Kelly excused herself to go the bathroom and the waiter brought dessert menus. I hadn't mentioned the birthday dessert and I figured they had overlooked the note I e-mailed in with my reservation. I ordered cheesecake and to my surprise – they hadn't forgotten her birthday after all. Instead of a candle, the edge of the plate was decorated in a light chocolate sauce. It was discreet, but perfect. And on the way out, the hostess wished Kelly a happy birthday.
While I wasn't sure how much I was going to enjoy 821, the meal and the dining experience only got better as the evening progressed and I left the restaurant feeling that the value for the price was excellent and that I had made the right choice in choosing where to celebrate Kelly's birthday.
It's rare that I'll step up to the plate and plunk down $100 for dinner, an evening at Restaurant 821, which came to $102, and was well worth the money.
I recently took Kelly to 821 to celebrate her birthday. Being a creature of Internet habit, I first checked Restaurant 821's Web site for more info. They have a clean, well-designed site that features restaurant info and a menu.
They also accept reservations online, a function I decided to use. The reservations were made in seconds and I received a confirmation e-mail within seconds. In the special comments section I noted we'd be celebrating Kelly's birthday and requested a dessert with a candle after the meal.
The meal began with fresh bread, which I believe may have been baked in house. The bread was served with olive oil and roasted garlic – no butter, which is fine as the oil and garlic was sufficient.
The waiter, quiet, but on top of his game, then brought out a complimentary appetizer of sorbet. The sorbet was unlike any I've ever had. It was made from fresh tomatoes and tasted like frozen V8. Kelly enjoyed it, but I didn't care for it. No harm, no foul as it was on the house.
Kelly had a martini of some sort that she said tasted interesting, while I had a Buckler non-alcoholic beer. There was an additional wait staff on hand that refilled our water glasses regularly.
For an appetizer, I had McGregor's Farm Baby Greens which were absolutely delicious and topped with a tasty, but somewhat tart raspberry vinaigrette. It also came with Mascarpone Crostini, which tasted good, but I have no idea what that actually is. Kelly had the house smoked Mozzarella which came with some tasty McGregor's Farm Heirloom Tomatoes, that were very firm and ripe.
For the meal, I had the steak of the day which was cooked as ordered (well-done) and was drenched in a light sauce. It also came with some of the best potatoes I've had in recent memory and topped with some hard pieces of bacon. There was just enough food – not an oversized portion by any means – but very filling. Kelly has scallops and while she enjoyed them, she said my dish had more flavor.
At this point, Kelly excused herself to go the bathroom and the waiter brought dessert menus. I hadn't mentioned the birthday dessert and I figured they had overlooked the note I e-mailed in with my reservation. I ordered cheesecake and to my surprise – they hadn't forgotten her birthday after all. Instead of a candle, the edge of the plate was decorated in a light chocolate sauce. It was discreet, but perfect. And on the way out, the hostess wished Kelly a happy birthday.
While I wasn't sure how much I was going to enjoy 821, the meal and the dining experience only got better as the evening progressed and I left the restaurant feeling that the value for the price was excellent and that I had made the right choice in choosing where to celebrate Kelly's birthday.
Greyhounds Reach the Beach, Dewey Beach, Delaware 2005 pics
A few weekends ago, I made my first visit to the annual 'Greyhounds Reach the Beach' this past weekend in Dewey Beach, Delaware. I met hundreds of gorgeous greyhounds as they walked on the beach and as they made their way up to Rehoboth Beach, where I stayed.
Dave McG's 2005 Greyhounds Reach the Beach photo gallery
If you see pictures of your hound, drop me an e-mail at dmcgurgan@phillyburbs.com and let me know which one(s) is yours and I'll add a caption with the info.
I got to meet Marilyn Varnberg of Greyhound Adoptions of Florida and Boggles, one of the many special dogs that Marilyn and her organization help keep alive.
While they are racing, many greyhounds are fed a poor diet, spend most of their time in cages and get the bare minimum in proper vet care. And they don't get to experience the love that a family and children can provide.
There are many retired greyhounds right in the Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Delaware areas that need homes. Greyhounds are one of the most gentle and lovable dogs you will ever meet.
For more information about greyhounds, check out Greyhounds Adoptions of Florida Northeast Chapter and the Greyhounds Reach the Beach official site.
A few weekends ago, I made my first visit to the annual 'Greyhounds Reach the Beach' this past weekend in Dewey Beach, Delaware. I met hundreds of gorgeous greyhounds as they walked on the beach and as they made their way up to Rehoboth Beach, where I stayed.
Dave McG's 2005 Greyhounds Reach the Beach photo galleryIf you see pictures of your hound, drop me an e-mail at dmcgurgan@phillyburbs.com and let me know which one(s) is yours and I'll add a caption with the info.
I got to meet Marilyn Varnberg of Greyhound Adoptions of Florida and Boggles, one of the many special dogs that Marilyn and her organization help keep alive.
While they are racing, many greyhounds are fed a poor diet, spend most of their time in cages and get the bare minimum in proper vet care. And they don't get to experience the love that a family and children can provide.
There are many retired greyhounds right in the Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Delaware areas that need homes. Greyhounds are one of the most gentle and lovable dogs you will ever meet.
For more information about greyhounds, check out Greyhounds Adoptions of Florida Northeast Chapter and the Greyhounds Reach the Beach official site.
