Voltron

Feel better Shelly and good luck prepping for the talk.

Hollinger Manhattan Project (also called Dirty Harry on the JW Marriott San Francisco’s Level III bar menu) 2oz Rittenhouse Rye .5oz Cocchi Torino .25oz Luxardo Maraschino Opaline Absinthe rinse Housemade or Luxardo maraschino cherry In a mixing glass, add Rittenhouse, Cocchi and Maraschino liqueur. Top with ice and stir for 15 seconds. Spray the inside of a chilled cocktail glass with the absinthe to coat. Julep strain the cocktail and garnish with a house-made or Luxardo maraschino cherry. Glad you like the GC Shelly.

I agree with you, Steve, but it is still a bit sad to see a band that was key to your youth call it quits. As a buddy of mine said when I emailed him, getting old sucks.

Did you have a Barbershop Manhattan yet, Dinny?

OK, I took Steve's room off his hands and cancelled my reservation at the Hyatt TechnoBimbo. These places are all damn close. Jeff, the show is at a Marriott. Although there probably aren't any rooms for mere plebes, you might have enough pull to get in there and use your points.

It's almost that time again. The line-up has been posted on http://www.strictlybluegrass.com/ but the specific times and stages will not be posted until this Friday. I'm sure to be there for lots of it, and Friday is a full day of shows for the first time this year. Check out the schedule and let me know if any other 'Casers will be there. THURSDAY SEP 29 Children's Program with MC Hammer & P.M.W. FRIDAY SEP 30 (11am - 7pm) Southern Culture on the Skids, Thurston Moore, The Del McCoury Band & The Preservation Hall Jazz Band, Charlie Musselwhite, South Memphis String Band, Blame Sally, Chris Isaak, Maxim Ludwig & the Santa Fe Seven, Jolie Holland, Robert Plant & the Band of Joy, Seldom Scene, Mekons, John Prine, David Bromberg Quartet, Bill Kirchen, Zigaboo Modeliste - King of the Funky Drums, Conor Brings Friends for Friday: Bright Eyes, M. Ward, The Felice Brothers, Kurt Vile & the Violators, Woods, Simon Joyner, Jonathan Wilson SATURDAY OCT 1 (11am - 7pm) Cass McCombs Band, The Wronglers with Jimmie Dale Gilmore, AllofaSudden, Hugh Laurie, Alison Brown Quartet, Punch Brothers featuring Chris Thile, Robert Earl Keen, Nell Robinson & Jim Nunally & Their All-Star Band, Ricky Skaggs & Kentucky Thunder, Buckethead, The Band of Heathens, A.A. Bondy , Earl Scruggs, Kris Kristofferson & Merle Haggard, Reckless Kelly, Steve Earle & the Dukes (and Duchesses) featuring Allison Moorer, Broken Social Scene, Otis Clay with Chick Rodgers, Jason Isbell & the 400 Unit, River Whyless, Irma Thomas, Wendy Bird and her Band of Miscreants, Ryan Bingham & the Dead Horses, Guy Clark & Verlon Thompson, Robyn Hitchcock, Sarah Elizabeth Campbell, Ruthie Foster, Patty Griffin, Seamus Kennedy, The Belle Brigade, Gillian Welch & David Rawlings, Greensky Bluegrass, The Flatlanders featuring Joe Ely, Jimmie Dale Gilmore & Butch Hancock SUNDAY OCT 2 (11am - 7pm) Conspiracy of Beards, Abigail Washburn, Gomez, Ralph Stanley & the Clinch Mountain Boys, Laurie Lewis & the Right Hands, Bob Mould, Dr. John & the Lower 911, Kevin Welch, Kieran Kane & Fats Kaplin, Emmylou Harris , Dry Branch Fire Squad, Bill Orcutt, Moonalice, The Devil Makes Three, Jessica Lea Mayfield, The Low Anthem, Elbow, Justin Townes Earle, The Civil Wars, Those Darlins, Over the Rhine, Buddy Miller, The Swanson Family Band, Frank Fairfield, DeVotchKa, Bela Fleck, Zakir Hussain & Edgar Meyer , Joe Purdy, The Jayhawks, Fitz & the Tantrums , Dive Bar Dukes, Ollabelle, The Mother Hips, Dark Star Orchestra, The Blind Boys of Alabama, Hot Buttered Rum

The show is at the Marriott Tech Center and you, Dinny and I all seem to be staying at the Hyatt Regency Tech Center, which is within 2 blocks of the Marriott. Don't forget to register for RMAF so you have a badge and all. $25 for the 3-day pass.

R.E.M. -- Accelerate R.E.M. -- Collapse Into Now [Figured I would add Accelerate, which I think is a pretty strong album also.]

Alright Dinny! TechnoBimbos Unite!

R.E.M. -- Life's Rich Pageant

I didn't know you guys skipped lunch too! We should have eaten some snacks or something, but I'm sure it made the buzz that much cleaner. Here's the drink you had from their menu: Queen’s Park Swizzle Bacardi 8 Rum, lime, demerara, Angostura bitters, mint Named after the Queen’s Park Hotel in Trinidad’s Port of Spain, native San Francisco son, Trader Vic, called this drink ‚the most delightful form of anesthesia given out today‛ We hope you agree! Served in a Collins. To make this at home, you will need to make some Demerara syrup. Demerara sugar is also known as Turbinado sugar, like the "Sugar in the Raw" brand. Mix 2 parts sugar to 1 part warm water and that's it. In a collins glass, mix 2-3oz of aged rum, .5-1oz lime, .5-1oz demerara syrup, and 4-5 mint leaves. Muddle the mint into the liquid a bit. Fill the glass with crushed ice, swizzle the ingredients until the glass frosts. Then liberally dash Angostura bitters on top, like 3-5 dashes, and garnish with mint sprig. The ranges are for your preferences of booziness, tartness, and/or sweetness. I would go with 3oz rum, .75oz lime and .50oz sugar syrup. Cheers!

R.E.M. -- Murmer I haz a sad.

I might have to add that one into the mix because it is a truly wonderful album.

R.E.M. -- Chronic Town

http://remhq.com/new...ory.php?id=1446 Bummer, but it was an awesome ride for those guys. I'm going to play Chronic Town/Murmer and Collapse Into Now to mark their passing.

I'm jealous, Todd. Did they play Love Will Tear Us Apart? The tour isn't coming anywhere near me sadly. That would be such fun to see live.

Happy birthday Albert. I didn't realize you were so patriotic! Cheers!

Steve--I booked a room at the Hyatt but I could take your room if you cannot attend. I can cancel up to the day of the reservation, so let me know.

Vesper time!

Hyatt tech center had rooms today at the $99 RMAF rate for friday and Saturday but higher for thursday.

Atta boy Dinny!

Greg? I'm here. Which way to the cellar?

Booked! Arriving Thursday and departing Sunday, and staying at the Hyatt Tech Center or something down a couple of blocks.

I have the bianco and the reposado but have not tried the anejo. I'm curious how you find the Fortaleza in your rankings, now that you have a bottle available...

That's awesome, Steve. I wish we could have gone this year. Did you happen to catch James Farm?