Jacksonvillain

Brewery Saturday

2012-01-23T09:39:00.000-05:00

Samplers at Intuition

Saturday was a beer-filled extravaganza, starting at Intuition then to Bold City. These are within stumbling distance of each other just on the edge of Riverside. I'm not any sort of beer aficionado, but I love to try different beers and am a huge fan of dark beers.

Intuition taps

Intuition Ale Works is owned by a Jax local, Ben Davis, who formerly owned The Grotto in San Marco. They offer a regular schedule of beer dinners pairing food and beer (pricey so we will unfortunately be abstaining until the employment gods smile upon us). When we were there, they had 18 beers on tap (you can check their website to see what's available at any give time if you're so inclined). Samplers are $6 each, with 6 samples of 4 oz. of any beer you like. I like dark beers and picked 5 including the Truck Stop Breakfast Stout which is brewed with maple syrup and locally owned Lucky Dog coffee. (I like that Intuition uses local producers for their ingredients, like Florida honey in the Honey Badger Saison). The bartender recommended a final taste, the Quiet Storm dark ale, which actually ended up being my favorite of the day. There were unfortunately no tours going on while we were there so we didn't see any of the behind-the-scenes action. (tours are normally Wed-Fri from 2-5pm and cost $5 but include a beer and a tasting)

Tasting room at Bold City

Bold City Brewery is also locally owned, by Brian and Susan Miller, a mother-and-son team who (as we learned on the tour) left Blue Cross to follow their sudsy dreams. Their sample systems works differently - if you're new to the brewery, you get a small sample (maybe 2oz) of each of their eight beers, except for the seasonal porter. If you've been to the brewery before, there's a $5 charge for the sample. They were out of the Chinook IPA at the time so they were kind enough to substitute an extra taste of the 1901 Red Ale. I'm partial to the Duke's Brown ale, which is now widely available in many locations in Jacksonville. They offer free tours on Saturday from 2-5 on the hour.

From 4pm on Saturdays, Jolly Mon serves food from a patio grill. They offer hamburgers, black bean burgers, BBQ pulled pork sandwiches, and brats, all served with baked beans and cole slaw for $6. I had the burger (very good), and tried a bit of the black bean burger, which was much better than I had expected (I'll readily admit that I had low expectations of the veggie burger and it definitely surprised me - a little dry but flavorful). By the time we were done with the tour and eating our Jolly Mon burgers, I was so full and overheated that I didn't get another beer beyond the $5 sample. In fact, we had actually intended to stay at Bold City until it was time for my brother to leave but it was so warm that we decided to move on to Kickbacks for a final drink (we'll review Kickbacks later, since we were so full of beer that we didn't take any notes or pictures this time).

Intuition Ale Works is at 720 King Street, Jacksonville, FL 32204; hours vary; open Tuesday thru Friday, 3-11pm, and Saturday 1-11pm.

Bold City Brewery is at 2670-7 Rosselle Street, Jacksonville, FL 32204; open Thursday and Friday 3pm to close, Saturday 1pm to close.

Aveda Institute of Jacksonville

2012-01-18T18:58:00.002-05:00

Today I went to the Aveda Institute for a haircut. This insitute is a training facility so your hair is cut by students and the process is supervised by trainers. It's an 11-month program and my stylist, Karlie, was in her seventh month. The process was a little longer than a regular haircut. First, Karlie reviewed what I wanted and went over her recommendations, then a trainer came over an reviewed it with us. Then she began with a scalp and shoulder massage using Blue Oil, followed by a shampoo and deep conditioning treatment, followed by haircut and blowdry. If you're not familiar with Aveda, their products are all natural and they smell like heaven (Really, I'm pretty sure Jesus' hair smells like blue oil).

Karlie consulted again with the trainer on "removing some weight" from my hair, and gave me an awesome blowout. She was extremely competent and I wouldn't have know that she was a student if I weren't in a hair school. She was also friendly and patient while I pelted her with annoying questions. I had a job interview later and I'm pretty sure they'll offer me the job based on my hair alone.

The institute is located right next to Whole Foods in Mandarin (10601 San Jose Boulevard, Jacksonville, FL 32257). It's got a great friendly vibe, was very clean, and well run -- they have a little headphone system for the front desk to notify the stylists so I hardly waited at all before Karlie came up front to get me when I arrived. It's a little sparsely decorated -- the sinks are divided from the rest of the salon by an unpainted cinderblock wall. But I would so highly recommend going here. I've never been to a hair school before. I was pretty snooty back in the day and have paid for some fancy-schmancy haircuts (Red Door Salon), and this cut is comparable in quality. Again, I could spend all day sniffing Aveda shampoo so maybe I have a problem, but the massage/shampoo/condition/style was worth $12, even without considering the haircut. Keep in mind that you may have one or two trainers looking at and touching your hair. And if you have a fear of beheaded dolls, be forewarned -- the stylists that don't have clients are all practicing styles on mannequin heads.

I had a Val-Pak coupon for a free haircut, free pedicure, and $20 off of a color service ( I checked the Val-Pak website and they're not currently offering the coupon anymore. But the PRICES are extremely reasonable (normally $12 for a haircut). Word - the stylists don't get paid per haircut but do get to keep their tips, so be nice.

Mindful Motion Yoga - First Class Free

2012-01-16T17:41:00.000-05:00

I've been doing yoga for about ten years now, off and on (and far more off lately than on...). After a SUPER unhealthy year I decided to get myself back in line during my current awesome but budgetarily-constrained hiatus from work. I'm trying out some of the different yoga studios in Jacksonville (particularly, the ones that offer free or reduced price classes to new students). Since I haven't been to a class in probably a year, I wanted to start out with a more basic class.

A side note -- I started with Iyengar yoga, which is a branch of Hatha yoga that uses props and moves pretty slowly, focusing primarily on doing the poses properly so as to avoid injury. (Most yoga classes are some type of Hatha yoga; they can just vary greatly in the teaching style. Good article in Yoga Journal on the different styles.) The idea is that, when done properly, the poses will stimulate or relax certain muscles, organs, and glands, and this cannot be acheived when the poses are not done correctly. With this type of background, I sometimes get frustrated at studios and gyms where yoga is more of fast workout.

The 10:30 am Gentle Yoga class at Mindful Motion Yoga was just what I needed. Terri, the instructor/owner was very a conscientious teacher who moved at a comfortable pace appropriate to a gentle class. This Hatha studio offers several different levels of yoga, starting with Restorative Yoga which Terri described as stretches on bolsters. It sounds like the perfect thing for someone with any sort of health issues or out of shape and just starting out. The next level is Gentle, followed by Basic and Power Yoga (the last two are in a heated room, but she said normally around 85-90 degrees). Terri said that the Basic class can be more intense, depending on your preference.

It wasn't overcrowded; there was plenty of space between mats so you aren't hitting your neighbors (or worse, have feet in your face). It was clean and actually smelled pleasantly like lemongrass. The Gentle Yoga level was super laid-back and relaxing, mostly stretching. It was a chill group of people, no competitive yoga-goers (the ones who flip into headstand while everyone else is on their backs).

They serve smoothies after the 10:30 class on Mondays and the 6pm class on Tuesdays (no fixed price - just donations to cover costs). They're prepared by Robin Maton-Bascara, a certified raw foods expert. They vary each time, but this one was made with orange, banana, apple, spirulina and collard greens and it was delicious. I'm always hungry right after yoga and have a bad tendency to stuff myself with the first thing I see (like a bag of kit-kats), so being handed an organic smoothie after class is ideal. In fact, I wish I could hire someone to follow me around and put healthy food into my hands every time I start wandering towards the kitchen.

The studio is located on St. John's Bluff, just south of Beach Blvd. Check their Facebook page for a map and up-to-date class schedule.

We're baaaack!

2012-01-05T12:39:00.002-05:00

Jacksonvillain is back, and better than ever. After an extended hiatus due to employment prohibiting blogging, Jacksonvillain is now unemployed! Hurrah! And I have recruited a fellow unemployed cohort to join me in blogging. Together we'll be a force to reckon with. Probably. Keep your eyes peeled, because as soon as my camera is working again and we scrape some change from our sofa cusions, we have plans for some awesome new reviews!

Tommy's

2007-10-31T19:10:00.000-04:00

OK, I live in Southside in an area that most Jax bloggers think was vomited out by Starbucks and the Gap after they went out and drank a few too many appletinis. It has grown on me, though, and I like to point out some places that make it a little less Old Navy spew.

Tommy's Brick Oven Pizza is (dare I say it) BETTER THAN AL'S. It is the. best. pizza. ever. Quattro Staggione.

Drink for a Cause

2007-10-29T20:00:00.000-04:00

What's better than happy hour for a cause? Alas, I'll be at yet another out of town wedding.

The Thursday Night Drinking Club Presents:
Halloween After Party...
OK, so we know that technically this event happens in November, but we wanted to have a Halloween after party, and so we are having our October event a day late. Better late than never!

This month's event is at Square One in San Marco. Check out their website at www.squareonejax.com.

This month your $5 cash donation to the Tom Coughlin Jay Fund Foundation will get you 2 Chopin Vodka drinks or a free beer and and admission to the best bar in San Marco...

Chunky

2007-10-27T09:29:00.000-04:00

I don't normally forward emails. Or post forwarded emails as blog posts. But this one is legit:

Chunky Soup is running the promotion again where you can visit their website, vote for your favorite football team, and the winning team's city receives LOTS of Campbell's Soup to help feed the hungry. (Last year, the Green Bay Packers won).

The JAGS are already in 5th PLACE - we finished 19th last year AND 2nd most improved over last year! So, get on the site and vote for the Jags. Help put the "Soup" in our local Soup Kitchens.

You can vote once per day until December 15th.

http://www.chunky.com/clickforcansvote.aspx

Raindrops on roses and whiskers on kittens

2007-10-23T18:05:00.000-04:00

I'm wallowing in throes of self pity fit only for a teenage girl after a co-worker invited everyone in the office to a Halloween party except for yours truly. What do I do in this situation? Asking whether I have offended him seems a little lame. So instead I'll think of some of my favorite things. Does anyplace else in the world have a coffee-scented downtown? And I've never seen rainbows like Jacksonville. They extend in a complete half circle, and like the one poorly pictured above from an office window, often descend straight into downtown Jacksonville. Coffee-scented rainbows, that's my kind of town.

In seraching for the lyrics for the title of this post (which normally goes something like this in my head: "horses and rainbows and schnitzel on strudel") I realized that some of Maria's favorite things include the following: copper kettles and doorbells. Kittens and ponies, ok. But were things really that different pre-WW2 that doorbells were something of awe? Were Austrian doorbells special? Was Maria smoking something? Hmm... This is probably why I don't get invited to parties.

Skirt!

2007-10-18T20:57:00.000-04:00

I like the new Skirt website. It has a good listing of events. Such as...

Event Date: 10.21.2007
End Date: 10.21.2007
Time: 7-9:30 p.m.
NAME: Children's Home Society of Florida's 24th Annual Caring Chefs
Location: The Avenues
The original food-tasting event in the First Coast remains the best! More than 50 of the area's best restaurants are yours to visit in 2 1/2 hours on both levels of The Avenues Mall. To add to your enjoyment are three different bands, fine wine stations, a silent auction of celebrity-decorated aprons and a photo booth to take home memorabilia. Come get your eat on!

Where have I been? At about 30 out-of-town weddings. Moving to a new place. It doesn't really matter, does it?

Awesome

2007-08-18T11:12:00.001-04:00

Cool

2007-07-31T20:18:00.001-04:00

Blue Bamboo

2007-07-17T19:02:00.000-04:00

I went to Blue Bamboo on Southside last Saturday. They serve contemporary Asian food and have a small wine lounge in the back of the restaurant. I love the idea of it -- they feature a different country every month and integrate some of its cuisine and ingredients into their menu. I didn't really eat enough of the food to get a good perspective on it. (Read this Times Union article for more info on the food.) We had the Hoisin Chicken Mee Krob Lettuce Wraps, which had a chicken to onion ration of about 1:5. For dinner I just ate an appetizer, the Tamatem Ma'Amrine Crab-Topped Tomatoes, which were a little bland. But I definitely want to go back again. Especially next month, when they feature Cuban ingredients.

What they don't mention on their website is their cooking classes:
One Saturday morning each month we invite you into our professional kitchen for a one of a kind dining experience. For $35 enjoy a cooking class, lunch, and a glass of wine:
Moroccan - July 21st
Cuban - August 11th.
For reservations call 904-646-1478.

Lunchtime Yoga

2007-07-02T19:25:00.000-04:00

July 3rd and 5th
10am-2pm
Info: 356-9009, email: jmulrain@greatblueheronstudios.com
Karen Roumillat, Registered Yoga Teacher, Mimi’s Yoga – “Lunchtime Yoga – Bring Your Mat!” – every 30 minutes.
Laura Street Gallery at 209 Laura Street and Downtown Jacksonville neighbors are working together to provide a series of events to be held on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 10 am to 2 pm the month of July – NO CHARGE.
The event’s “cool refreshments” (water, sweet tea, lemonade and a cookie) will be offered to participants compliments of the Bank of North Florida, Jacksonville’s newest bank located on the corner of Bay and Hogan.
Limited to 25 participants each – reserve your seat by emailing Joanelle.

Vodka for a Cause

2007-06-21T17:19:00.000-04:00

Beverage Maker Pours Out Eco-Friendly Support

Exemplifying the potential for diverse and far-reaching partnerships, 360 Vodka, the world's first eco-friendly vodka, recently announced its sponsorship of CCA Florida. Under the agreement, currently extending through 2007, $20 of the proceeds from each case of 360 Vodka sold in the Sunshine State will go directly to CCA Florida. Also, 360 Vodka and Premier Beverage Company will serve as exclusive spirits sponsors of CCA Florida events.

The sponsorship will officially commence July 1 when 360 Vodka debuts in retail liquor stores, bars, clubs and hotels throughout Florida. On July 14, representatives from 360 Vodka and Premier Beverage Company will present an advance check for $30,000 to CCA Florida for proceeds from the first 1,500 cases of 360 Vodka sold in Florida.

Created out of a philosophy for producing environmentally-friendly products that will protect Earth's resources, 360 Vodka carries this commitment through all aspects of production and packaging. 360, which is not organic vodka, chose to remain with traditionally harvested grain due to its vastly greater potential for long term environmental sustainability, a pillar of the philosophy behind 360 Vodka.

A state-of-the-art distillery, recently upgraded to reduce fossil fuel energy usage by 21 percent, meets or exceeds all U.S. EPA air and water quality standards for modern distilleries. Volatile organic compounds that contribute to air pollution (VOCs) have been reduced by 70 percent and sulfur dioxide emissions by 99 percent in the production process. Moreover, fugitive dust particulates have been reduced by 50% in a production process that uses up to 250 percent less fossil fuel energy than "pot distilled" products.

The vodka in every bottle of 360 vodka is 4 Times Distilled through a highly energy efficient process, with every bushel of grain being fully utilized and nothing going to waste. 360 Vodka is also 5 Times Filtered producing an exceptional Clean and Silky smooth finish.

The company's environmental efforts also include an industry-leading 85 percent recycled content glass container (70% post consumer use). Labeling, packaging and promotional materials use 100% recycled paper and cardboard along with water-based inks vs. petroleum-based printing inks, while outer shipper boxes consist of 100% recycled cardboard and are designed to promote infinite carton use.

A postage paid mail in program for the brand's flip top bottle closure allows for re-use - a plan that helps lessen landfill waste, while conserving natural resources used in production of new closures. Nationally, $1.00 per bottle sold is set aside for donation to environmental causes.

Premier Beverage Company, distributor of 360 Vodka, is one of the largest wholesale distributors of wine, spirits and non-alcoholic beverages in Florida and part of the Charmer Sunbelt Group, one of the nation's leading distributors of fine wines, spirits, beers, bottled water and other non-alcoholic products. For more information about 360 Vodka visit their website.

Awwww

2007-06-12T18:40:00.000-04:00

On my way home from work, I pulled up to a stoplight and the guy in the truck next to me started honking, indicating that I should roll down my window. I ignored him, then thought, Hmmm, my tire warning light is on, maybe I have a flat tire, so I rolled down my window:

Him: Hey baby, what're you listening to?
Me: An economics book! (Holding up the CD cover of Freakonomics)
Him: Let's you and me have young'uns!
Me: (thinking about it) Um, not right now. But thanks!

Now isn't that sweet? So much more pleasant than that guy who lived in the park across from my office in DC who would follow me to the metro saying "F*ck F*ck F*ck F*ck?".

Fundraisers

2007-06-06T20:26:00.000-04:00

17th Annual Jacksonville Food Fight Thursday
Taste the best of Jacksonville's restaurants at the 17th Annual Jacksonville Food Fight Thursday, June 7th from 6 - 9pm at the Crown Royal Touchdown Club East, Jacksonville Municipal Stadium. There will be sample food from over 40 restaurants, live entertainment, an exciting raffle and silent auction.
Tickets are $50 in advance; $60 at the door. VIP admission is $75. Corporate packages are available. Proceeds will benefit the Lutheran Social Services Second Harvest Food Bank.
For more information and to purchase tickets, call 904.739.7074 or visit www.lssjax.org.

The One & Only Genuine Original MOSH Party
11 a.m.-4 p.m., Museum of Science and History and Friendship Fountain Park, 1025 Museum Circle
Includes food, Keith King's BMX Stunt Team, Dora the Explorer Moonbounce, live animal encounters, Planetarium programs, a rock wall/slide combo and explosive science experiments. Special guests include Marvel's Spider-Man and Hulk. Tickets: $20 adults, children 2 and under get in free with an adult; family 4-pack, $75; family 6-pack, $110. (904) 396-6674 (396-MOSH)

Lou Gehrig Day with the Jacksonville Suns
Sunday, June 10 is Lou Gehrigs Day at the Jacksonville Suns 3:05 pm baseball game against the Chattanooga Lookouts. Raffle tickets will be available for great prizes or donations can be made the day of the game to benefit the ALS Association. Kids will receive a free Lou Gehrig baseball card, as well as be able to run the bases after the game. Patients and a caregiver will receive complimentary tickets to the game.
Call 888.257.1717, ext. 121 or email DDadlani@ALSAFL.org for more information.

Monique Burr Foundation for Children Fundraiser
The Monique Burr Foundation for Children, a nonprofit organization dedicated to child abuse prevention and education, announces its annual fundraising event at Roy's in Jacksonville Beach. The event begins at 6 p.m. on Tuesday, June 12 at Roy's restaurant, 2400-101 S. Third St., Jacksonville Beach.
The event will feature contemporary Hawaiian influenced gourmet cuisine and beverages, live music and entertainment. Master chef and restaurateur Roy Yamaguchi will join Roy's Jacksonville Beach Executive Chef Chris Faurie and guest chefs Matthew Medure of Matthew's and Restaurant Medure, and Pom Souvannasoth of Pom's Thai Bistro and Old Siam for the event. Proceeds from the event will benefit the Foundation's programs.
Tickets are $100 per person. For reservations, call The Monique Burr Foundation for Children at (904) 642-0210.

Main Library

2007-06-04T20:52:00.000-04:00

Cost cuts could also affect the library system. Being a major dork, I'm a huge fan of the library.

The second-floor terrace is one of my favorite downtown spots:

The kids section is just plain awesome. It has alligator and manatee benches, and a life-sized flower entryway complete with bug noises:

Detail of the mural on the stairs:

City life after losing $75 million

2007-06-03T09:14:00.000-04:00

Property tax reform would affect funding for the Florida Theatre, among other things. Tony Allegretti has the whole story. Some effects of the $50 million tax cut:
-- Cut 10 percent from the budgets of the Jacksonville Zoo, library system and Jacksonville Children's Commission.
-- Eliminate all public service grants, a savings of about $10 million.
-- Eliminate the entire $1.8 million contribution to the Duval County Health Department.
-- Close the canning kitchen.
-- Offer new city employees a 401(k)-style retirement benefit instead of pensions.

These photos of the Florida Theatre are from the April artwalk:

Desperately Seeking Darts

2007-05-30T21:12:00.000-04:00

Does anyone know of places in Jacksonville with old-fashioned, non-electronic dartboards? Doesn't matter if it's a dive or if it's Chuck-e-cheese.

Good info, if you can find it

2007-05-29T21:21:00.000-04:00

The First Coast Happenings page on jacksonville.com is a good list of local events. And also a perfect example of why I avoid using Jacksonville.com. It's just not user-friendly. This week's link to First Coast Happenings is: http://www.jacksonville.com/tu-online/stories/052907/met_173393032.shtml. And it changes weekly, so there's no way you can bookmark it. And while it is usually linked from their Metro page, it occasionally drops off leaving you with no way of finding the current page. And don't even get me started on the mess that is their homepage.
Hmph.

Check it out

2007-05-23T20:21:00.000-04:00

IMPACTjax is the young professional program of the Jacksonville Regional Chamber of Commerce targeted at 21-35 year olds who currently live in Jacksonville or are considering Jacksonville as a place to move.

IMPACTjax will provide a venue for young professionals to network with each other, develop personally and professionally, engage in the Chamber and support activities and ideas to transform Jacksonville into the most energetic, exciting and active place to live.

I went to a meeting on improving your public speaking abilities (of which I have none. I was nervous just saying my name) at ImpactJax. I was really impressed -- it was well organized, had a great mix of people of all ages, with professions ranging from the regional director of Hooters to the exchange student who interns at my office. And the people who run the meetings are incredibly nice and helpful. I was going to post some upcoming events from their calendar, but apparently it doesn't work well with my browser (Safari. I know, I know, I should download Firefox or something...). But there's a networking dealie tomorrow and a Suns game in a couple of weeks. And probably some other cool stuff.

JHS Fur Ball

2007-05-20T19:37:00.000-04:00

I spent Saturday night volunteering at the Humane Society's 8th Annual Fur Ball Gala. The theme was "In the Rain Forest," and the pets and their humans were dressed for the occasion. There was a Pet Bar, in addition to the Human Bar, along with both a live and silent auction. They had a tribute to the firefighters of Station 28, a couple of whom stepped up at the end of the live auction and spontaneously auctioned off dates with themselves which raised an extra $1400. It was tons of fun and I would definitely recommend it to anyone who loves dogs (and is not scared of pets in costumes). Unfortunately, I don't have many photos because I was at the silent auction table all night and the whole thing flew by.

The Pet Bar, with treats by Miss Daisy’s Delight’s Gourmet Pet Bakery

Me and Lucky the Puppy, who survived the fire and was adopted by Station 28

Barracudas Announce Agreement with Jacksonville Ice

2007-05-18T18:51:00.000-04:00

The Jacksonville Barracudas Hockey Club is excited to announce that they have reached an agreement that will make Jacksonville Ice the team's home venue for the 2007-08 hockey season.

"The entire organization is extremely excited to be able to call Jacksonville Ice home," said Barracudas' President and General Manager Gilles Richard. "Our fans fell in love with our team last season, and this announcement ensures that we will be able to bring the core of our team back for another run at the Championship. Hockey in North Florida is alive and well!"

Due to a scheduling conflict at the Veterans Memorial Arena, the Barracudas played Games Three and Four of the SPHL Championship Final at Jacksonville Ice in April. The Barracudas enjoyed incredible support at the facility, with the games selling out in a matter of days.

"The atmosphere and fan energy during the Finals was incredible, and reminded me of the old Jacksonville Bullets days," said Richard, who was a member of the Jacksonville Bullets in the 1990's, which was the last pro-team to call the building home. "The fans had a blast, and the players loved it. It's a small, intimate venue that gets very loud. It's going to be an incredible season for our fans and our team."

Additional seating will be added in order to accommodate a professional team for an entire season, however every seat available in Jacksonville Ice will be extremely close to the ice, giving spectators a uniquely exciting vantage point.

"Its very exciting for the front office as well, as the organization now assumes more control of our product, allowing us to offer some of the promotions that the Jacksonville sports fan has grown accustomed to," Richard added, "The facility may not be as polished as what our fans are used to, but the entertainment value of our games is going to be incredibly high."

The Barracudas will be taking reservations and deposits on season tickets immediately. The availability for seating is going to be extremely limited, so fans interested in season tickets are encouraged to call the Barracudas office to reserve a seat.

Fans may visit the Barracudas website at www.jaxcudas.com for more information on season tickets. They can also call the Barracudas' office at 904-367-1423 or email david@go-cudas.com to sign up today.

Do Good

2007-05-17T18:16:00.000-04:00

Friday, 7:05 pm
Jacksonville Suns vs Carolina
Breast Cancer Awareness Day and Pink Jersey Auction. The Suns will wear commemorative pink jerseys that will be auctioned off after the game to support the fight against breast cancer. Sponsored by St. Vincent's Hospital, Comcast Spotlight and Lite 96.1FM. After the game, Family Fireworks, courtesy of NAPA Auto Parts and your local NAPA Autocare Center Dealers.

Builder's Care
Join us at Jacksonville Municipal Stadium (formerly Alltel) at 7:30 am on the third Saturday of every month for a day of gratifying work and a lot of fun as we make a difference in the lives of our clients.

Sangria House

2007-05-15T20:48:00.000-04:00

After reading a couple of reviews about Sangria House, a Spanish restaurant in a shopping plaza off of Southside and Touchton, I really wanted to try it. What I personally know about food is limited to "yum" and "yuck". But I had the fortune of dining with two girls who know Spanish food, one having been born in Spain and the other with some Spanish background, so I can give you a more enlightened view than mine.

Yum
Refrito - tasty eggplant dish served over rice
Sweet Tomato Meatballs -- I actually liked these, but according to the experts, they're not really Spanish
Manchego cheese
Mozzarella and tomato

Yuck
Soups -- one girl sent back the gazpacho, which she said shouldn't have cream in it; another girl ordered garbanzo bean soup and didn't really like it
Butternut squash skewers -- deep fried, breaded, with strange curry sauce
Fried potato crisps -- really, really, really salty

Try it

2007-05-13T20:44:00.000-04:00

Firehouse Subs -- Captain Sorensen’s Datil Pepper Hot Sauce
Tasty, not too spicy, and a little sweet

Humane Society Info

2007-05-11T22:12:00.000-04:00

Adopt-a-Thon Every Saturday in May

Come and meet your new best friend at a Jacksonville Humane Society adopt-a-thon every Saturday in May. The events will feature dogs, cats, puppies and kittens available for adoption. Some of the animals are JHS fire survivors - and all of these furry friends can't wait to find their loving, forever home.

Due to limited kennel space in the wake of the April 7th fire, many of the pets featured will only be available for adoption on Saturdays and will spend the rest of the week with a foster family.

All adoptions will take place at the Jacksonville Humane Society, 8464 Beach Blvd., from 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. For more information call (904) 725-8766.

Jacksonville Humane Society “Fire Fund” Fundraising Events

Artist Fundraiser
Date: Now to October 2007
Web site: www.stateoftheartsfl.com
Mention the Jacksonville Humane Society when ordering and 5-10% of the
purchase price will be donated to JHS.

Winn-Dixie
Date: May 1 – May 29
Location: Any Winn-Dixie store
Price: Make a donation to JHS at the checkout

Jarmon’s First Annual Tiki Festival
Date: May 26: 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Date: May 27: 12 p.m. to 4 p.m.
Location: 7060 Beach Blvd.
Price: Donations will be collected for JHS
724-0350

Thursday Night Drinking Club
Date: May 31, 2007
Date: June 28, 2007
Location: May location TBD, June – Fogel Fine Art Gallery
Time: 7 p.m. - ?
Price: $5 cover
Must be 21 to participate. Please drink responsibly.

Motor Cycle Benefit Run
Date: June 23
Location: Starts at Honda of Jacksonville
Price: $25 registration fee – proceeds benefit JHS
John Glover: 355-5641

To organize a third party fundraiser to benefit the Jacksonville Humane
Society “Fire Fund,” or to have your event posted on the JHS Web site,
call Carey Moreland at (904) 725-8766.

Duval County Activates EOC due to Wildfire Danger

2007-05-09T08:32:00.000-04:00

DUVAL CO., FL -- The Duval County Emergency Operations Center (EOC) is now operating at Level 3 due to extreme fire danger conditions.

The State of Florida's EOC is operating at partial activation. The Division of Forestry has issued their highest, most severe warning, indicating extreme fire danger.

Duval County residents are being asked to take protective measures to help prevent wildfires near their homes.

This includes: Keeping lawns trimmed, leaves raked, roof and gutters free from debris, stacking firewood at least thirty feet away from your residence, storing flammable materials in metal containers away from your home, removing branches hanging above and around the chimney.

I do not remember Florida being this smoky when I was growing up (granted, that was in south Florida, not Jacksonville). I wish Al Gore never invented global warming...

Wildfires Update - May 9, 2007

Dear Clay County F-250 Owner,

2007-05-07T20:47:00.000-04:00

I'm so, so sorry to hear about your indescribably tiny genitals. While I'm sure my car also feels for your tragedy, it would be greatly appreciated if you could stay on your side of the line in the future (indicated here with a tiny pink arrow, so as not to make you feel uncomfortable).
Most sincerely,
Jacksonvillain

Waycross Wildfire

2007-05-02T21:02:00.000-04:00

It's hard to believe that this fire has been burning since April 16th. The smoke was pretty thick downtown today.
"This is a long-term battle," acting Georgia Forestry Commissioner Robert Farris said. "This is not going to be over at the end of the week or very shortly here."

Southern Business Etiquette

2007-05-01T19:49:00.000-04:00

The Economist published a guide to conducting business in Atlanta to warn unsuspecting British people about Southern quirks. Such as "Tea is served cold and sweet." Many also apply to Jacksonville:

...“y’all” is the inescapable second person plural. Everyone in Atlanta, from the third-generation native to the newcomer who lived in New Jersey six months earlier, uses it. Don’t feel the need to adopt it if it doesn’t trip off the tongue, but don’t react strongly to it either.
Does it drive anyone else crazy when someone with a New Jersey accent attempts a "y'all"?

Avoid scheduling Friday afternoon meetings during autumn, as people may be travelling to see their favourite college football team play.
Yep.

Atlanta is far more politically correct than it used to be; as little as five years ago it was still acceptable to hold business lunches at strip clubs. Nonetheless, older businessmen may still take more liberties with female colleagues than their counterparts in New York or San Francisco. If someone calls you “darlin’”, it is better to accept it as a compliment than to take offence.
I've never been to a business meeting at Hooters, but my dad's boss used to regularly take groups there just a couple of years back. After working in politically uber-correct DC, I was all prickly when I got here and the men at my mostly-male office called me "Sweetheart", "Darlin'", and "Honey." Now, I wonder what's wrong when they don't.

Jokes about rednecks, moonshine, trailers, marriages between cousins, men named Bubba or women named Betty Sue Linda Jean are only acceptable from those who can actually point to such occurrences within their own families.
Duh.

So, anything the Economist missed?

Ninja Wedding

2007-04-26T21:49:00.000-04:00

I'm out for the weekend to a fake wedding. Fake only because the happy couple wanted to have the guy's ninja karate instructor, who apparently has an internet minister's license, conduct the ceremony. However, ninja weddings are not recognized in Virginia. So the couple headed to Vegas last weekend for an Elvis wedding, which is totally OK with the Commonwealth. But they're stil having the ceremony this weekend for all the friends and family. I think this is such a smart move -- it takes all the pressure off, so they can actually enjoy the day. Plus they have photos from their secret Elvis wedding with the two of them wearing themost polyester 80's wedding attire they could find. How do you decide which photos to frame?

Oh my

2007-04-25T20:31:00.000-04:00

Being stuck in traffic is bad enough. Stuck behind the dolphinmobile is another story.

Kaelyn

2007-04-23T16:00:00.000-04:00

I called her my cousin, although it was in the way of large extended families where she was technically my father's cousin's daughter. I didn't meet her until I was 19, when my brother and I visited her in London where she was finishing her PhD and working at the British Museum. She was like the cool older sister that I always wanted, who would have snuck me my first beer and warned me about cramps so I wouldn't think my insides were coming out. She came to visit me later in DC and commented in her baldly honest way that her fellow teacher applicants were plain like me, didn't wear makeup or style their hair. It didn't bother me because it was true. I could see in her eyes that she would have spent her teen years dressing me up in leg warmers, teasing my hair, and painting my eyes with blue shadow (and I imagined that maybe then I wouldn't have spent my teen years hunched over, perpetually afraid that someone would speak to me).
When I separated from my husband, she was my inspiration for moving to Prague. We joked that she was the one who broke in our families by showing them that one of us could make our way around a foreign city without getting lost and ending up in Russia. She was diagnosed with a particularly vicious tumor in her breast in 2000, right after finishing her PhD. She pulled through it and went into remission, but it made its way back into her body and she passed away on Saturday night.

Brown Bio
Kaelyn came to Brown after completing her Ph.D. in Classical Archaeology at the University College London. During her years in London, Kaelyn worked at the British Museum as a research assistant in the Department of Coins and Medals and managed the day-to-day business of the Royal Numismatic Society. Previous to her graduate career, Kaelyn worked as an administrator at the Archaeological Institute of America and the Brown Development Office. Kaelyn also holds a B.A. from New York University.

Young Survival Stories
I just celebrated my one year post treatment this past September; I guess I have four more to go. I am happy to report that I finally have a full head of very curly hair (commonly known in our circles as chemo curls); my miracle-working plastic surgeon has just finished his masterpiece (and it looks great); I've made wonderful new friends through the YSC in Boston and New York; and my career is finally back on track with a great job at a local university.

Other young survivors will agree that breast cancer does really take over your life to some extent. There is not a day that goes by that I am not physically or emotionally reminded of the last two years or indeed my possible fate... but, to be honest, it is not all that bad. One finds great strength, power and sometimes a sense of profound peace in the midst of great adversity. I think of it as an "interesting" chapter in the middle of a great life.

Boston Globe Article: Breast cancer before 45 is not well understood
...For many younger women, including McGregor, now 39, pregnancy is just one issue that differentiates them from older women with breast cancer. McGregor said many of the older cancer sufferers she sees are married with grown children and have a social and financial support network that she envies.

Dating can be a problem, too. "The first guy I dated after all this, after the boob job was finished and my hair grew back, certainly could not handle the whole thing physically," she said. "There is also the issue of mortality. Does a man want to have a relationship with someone if they are likely to die in the next few years?"

McGregor said the differences crystallized for her the first time she attended a breast cancer support group.

"I was surrounded by women in their 60s and 70s," McGregor said. "They talked about how terrible it was on their grandchildren. And all I could think about was the fact that I would have liked to have had a kid someday."

Providence Journal: Lawmakers rally behind legalizing medical marijuana
Kaelyn McGregor, whose cancer has spread from her breast to her lungs and bones, said smoking marijuana during chemotherapy helps patients "normalize" their lives by minimizing nausea and alleviating physical symptoms of anxiety.

Blog Roundup

2007-04-18T21:13:00.000-04:00

Because they're funnier and cleverer. These are from my random list of Jax blogs over an enirely random period of time.

Biblioklept: A Distinct Line Between Love and Hate
Hating on: Drivers. You can’t drive. Get off the road! Seriously, you’re a terrible driver, and that F-350 doesn’t make up for your tiny genitals. Tailgating will not make the traffic in front of me disappear, and racing to every red light will not win you a giant cup (or whatever shiny prize it is they give away at NASCAR).

Antidote: Dogfish Head 90 Minute IPA. This is the best beer I’ve ever had. (Note: Biblioklept does not endorse drinking while driving, except on rare and special occasions, such as weddings and weekends).

Jaxopolitan: Suicide by Stapler
Some days, work sucks so much you'd rather kill yourself than talk to another.one.of.your.horrible.coworkers.

And that's why Adult Swim created Kill Yourself in 5 minutes!

You have 5 minutes until your meeting, thus 5 minutes to kill yourself. Use the stapler. Hit on your homophobic coworker until he beats you up, and more!

Because if you can't live (or die) vicariously through video games, what's it all about?

Metro Jacksonville: Practice What You Preach
It's the typical story out of the City of Jacksonville: continuing to trade Babe Ruths for a bucket of balls and a pair of dirty socks...

Urban Jacksonville: Podcast -- The Lone Knita
I’m keeping it hot on the craft tip by interviewing Jacksonville’s only knit tagger.

This is the first I've heard of Knit Tagging... I'm so old.

Salmonella Sandwich

2007-04-17T16:51:00.000-04:00

Howdy folks, I'm still here.
Last week I spent recovering from eating poisoned peanut butter. I will spare you the details. Of concern, however, is this: what on earth would prompt someone to suddenly eat four peanut butter and banana sandwiches in one weekend?

Monday Moment of Zen

2007-04-09T10:53:00.000-04:00

Holden the Expert Dreamtwister, The Kid Whose Hair is On Fire, Whispering Lies MacGruder, No-Shoulders-Small-Tooth-Jones, Normal-Faced Olaf, Horace the Bird-Headed Fool, Fifty-Tooth Slim, Balloon Popper Chillingsworth, JR Lintstockings, Iron Trousers the Strong, Goofus, Gallant, Newton Fig, Alan Pockmark, Esq., Chisholm Chesthair, No-Banjo Burns, David No-Ears, Bee-Beard, Old Stiffpants

Post-Basketball Sports

2007-04-05T10:59:00.000-04:00

Suns Season Opener
The Jacksonville Suns vs. Tennessee Smokies
Apr 5 at 7:05 pm
Jacksonville Suns versus Tennessee. Home Opener/Wall Calendar giveaway OPENING NIGHT! The first 3,000 fans will receive a Jacksonville Suns wall calendar, courtesy of UF&Shands and First Coast News. Come early to see a number of youngsters honored with Most Improved Student and Outstanding Athlete Awards from the Suns before the game!
Suns 2007 Schedule

BARRACUDAS ELIMINATE COTTONMOUTHS IN THRILLER

L.A. Cafe

2007-04-04T21:28:00.000-04:00

Playoffs! Exclamation Points!

2007-03-30T14:26:00.000-04:00

I've only made it to one hockey game this year. But I have long been a fan of the Barracudas ebullient PR newsflashes, which arrive in my email box proudly proclaiming things like: "Barracudas Join the Middle of the Pack!" If you haven't been to a game, it's a great time, and this could be your last chance:

BARRACUDAS RETURN TO THE PLAYOFFS!

The Jacksonville Barracudas have made the playoffs!

Round One will be a best-of-five series against the Columbus Cottonmouths!

SERIES DETAILS
Game 1: Thurs, March 29th at the Columbus Civic Center 7:35pm
Game 2: Fri, March 30th, at the Columbus Civic Center 7:35pm
Game 3: Sun, April 1st at the Jacksonville Veterans Memorial Arena 2:30pm
Game 4: Tue, April 3rd at the Jacksonville Veterans Memorial Arena 7:05pm (if necessary)
Game 5: Fri, April 6th at the Columbus Civic Center 7:35pm (if necessary)

Get a two-game ticket pack for games three and four for just $18. Single game tickets begin at $13.

There's nothing like playoff hockey, so don't miss a single game of the Barracudas' run to the SPHL's President's Cup Championship!

Jazz at the Library

2007-03-26T09:16:00.000-04:00

In preparation for the Jacksonville Jazz festival, the library is holding a series of interactive presentations featuring live jazz and the chance to win tickets to the jazz festival.

The Office Wisdom

2007-03-24T15:19:00.000-04:00

Dwight: What Michael doesn't understand is that when I worked in the fast food industry, I was actually commended by management for the 3 M's -- McService, McCompetence, and McPunctuality.
(If only I had achieved the 3M's when I worked at McDonald's in high school)

Dunderball for quotes from The Office

This fanpop site with links to every episode

A listing of deleted scenes from The Office

Inconsiderate people

2007-03-12T13:52:00.000-04:00

It seems like I've had a run of bad luck lately. Saturday night my upstairs neighbors were fighting LOUDLY until 2am, even taking it down the stairs (right next to my bedroom wall), slamming the door, and out into the parking lot. I didn't say anything because I didn't want them to have a new focus for their rage.
Then my moment of zen at Bikram was interrupted by someone else's loud bodily emissions. I didn't move because I guess I felt like it would have been rude.
Today my dentist wandered off to answer his cellphone, then came back and stuck his still-gloved hands into my mouth without washing them. Without a word of apology. I didn't say anything because my mouth was full of cotton.
I guess I need to start standing up for myself or else go ahead and get "Door Mat" tatooed across my forehead.

NOT ZEN

2007-03-11T19:13:00.000-04:00

I just got back from Bikram Yoga which normally leaves me feeling almost high. But today I got to class, and a man (big belly, speedo) came over and put his mat down directly next to me although there were at least ten other empty spaces. Then throughout the 90-minute class, he farted twice and belched too many times to count. If it wasn't a silent class, maybe it wouldn't have been so noticeable. But then he started blowing his nose into his bare hand. He did this several times throughout the class.
I think this is the universe punishing me for that time at Bikram in DC when my mat was next to George Stephanopolous and I accidentally kicked him.

Booktique

2007-03-08T11:08:00.000-05:00

I was just on the Jacksonville library website and for the first time noticed a link to the Friends of the Library online bookstore. It's a very cool website.
The store at the Main Library is great, too. The books are in almost-new condition. I found a book there which I've never seen at a used bookstore before -- it's normally only available through the author's website for $45; they had it for about $4.

Rozumíš česky?

2007-03-07T11:18:00.000-05:00

On Monday, my eye doctor surprised me by asking me "Rozumíš česky?" (Do you understand Czech?) when I mentioned that I lived in Prague. He comes from a town in Nebraska known as the Czech capital of the United States. Although he's like sixth generation Czech/Polish, he speaks both. I think that's pretty cool.

Another Day at the Beach

2007-03-06T11:44:00.000-05:00

Sunday there was not a cloud in the sky. We played frisbee at Jax Beach, then had dinner at the supposedly haunted Homestead Restaurant, which used to serve awesome Southern food. Everything there was chicken-fried, except the biscuits and molasses. Now they've re-vamped the menu to be some kind of nouveau Southern cuisine. I had a sad grilled pear and blue cheese salad swimming in some kind of spicy dressing and shiitake mushrooms. The sides were good though-- fried okra, black eyed peas, macaroni and cheese. No ghost sightings, although if there are ghosts, they should be upset about the restaurant serving shiitake mushrooms (unless they were chicken-fried).
We ended the night bowling at Beach Bowl. At 9pm on Sundays, they charge a flat $10 for shoes and the lane and they showed the Rocky Horror Picture Show on a couple of big TVs over the lanes. I hadn't been bowling since I went in Prague, and I was surprised to find that here they don't offer a free Thai massage at the massage parlor under the bowling alley for anyone bowling a 200. Not that I would have won one anyways, but I had a good time losing.

Day at the Beach

2007-03-05T11:21:00.000-05:00

What a great day. Saturday started with horseback riding at the Kelly Seahorse Ranch in the Amelia Island State Park:

Then we went to the Fort Clinch State Park to walk down the longest pier on the East Coast. They happened to have a re-enactment going on -- not of a battle, because no battles were ever fought there. It was a re-enactment of folks hanging out at the fort.
We went to dinner at the Down Under, so named because it's under a bridge, for fried shrimp and seared tuna. It was quite tasty.
I totally copied all of these ideas from an article in the New York Times: Journeys: 36 Hours on Amelia Island

Swiss Accidentally Invade Liechtenstein

2007-03-02T12:34:00.001-05:00

Too funny.

Jacksonville No. 3 in country for jobs

2007-02-20T11:08:00.000-05:00

Jacksonville is the third-best city in the country for jobs, according to Forbes magazine... Forbes based the rankings on unemployment rate, job growth, income growth, median household income, and cost of living in the largest 100 metropolitan areas, as defined by the U.S. Census Bureau.

The First Coast’s largest pet party

2007-02-12T16:30:00.000-05:00

The Humane Society's Pet Expo is coming up this weekend. They will feature discounted microchipping, which Jacksonville Animal Control will check before euthanizing a pet. (The Humane Society is a no-kill facility. Animal Control, however, can euthanize an animal after only 5 days.)
Anyways, you can bring your pet to the Pet Expo, and take your dog to the Doggie Fun Zone. You can see trained cats playing band instruments. (That alone is worth the entrance fee). And there will be exotic animals available for photo opps -- if you'd like to hang a 100-pound snake over your shoulders. There will also be frisbee dogs and diving dogs and other fun events.
I attended a Humane Society training orientation and learned that they are trying to build a low-cost spaying facility. They also have a very peaceful pet cemetery and offer dog training classes. This is all in addition to offering pets for adoption. So get out Saturday and Sunday to support the Humane Society!

Hoo-ha Monologues

2007-02-10T23:17:00.000-05:00

I really thought that THIS had to be a joke: a woman got upset by a theater marquee saying "The Vagina Monologues" and threatened the owners, who responded to the pressure by changing it to "The Hoo-ha Monologues". (They later said they changed it as a joke.)
I drove out, ready to request that in order to avoid upsetting some Marines, or possibly Al Pacino, that they change it to "The Bajingo Monologues" (in tribute to Scrubs, of course). Alas, we were too late. They had come to their senses and changed it back to the original... With a note at the bottom saying: "15 minutes of fame wasted on 'Hoo-haa'".

First Wednesday

2007-02-09T08:39:00.000-05:00

I finally made it to the First Wednesday Art Walk, and I can't believe I waited so long to go. Thirty-six different locations feature local artists, and many serve free snacks and wine. I was already enamored by the combination of a balmy 68 degree evening, a rockin' sidewalk jazz band, free admission to the MOCA, and a couple of glasses of red. Then we wandered to the Bellsouth Tower to see Roberta Knapik's photo exhibit. I entered the drawing to win a print in the same manner I enter every drawing: halfheartedly, resigned to the fact that, while I futilely write out my information for every drawing I ever come across, I am doomed to never win. Well, that all changed yesterday when I became the proud owner of "The Olive Press":

Photos of ArtWalk to follow. Until then, these guys did a better job than me anyways:
Urban Jacksonville
Urban Art Warfare

Everybody wang chung tonight

2007-01-29T20:43:00.000-05:00

Outside my door, a field of suggestive mushrooms. Mother Nature definitely has a sense of humor.

Good Morning!

2007-01-19T07:55:00.000-05:00

This is a wrapper from a pack of Hello Kitty PopTarts (yes, I bought and ate pink Pop Tarts with Hello Kitty sprinkles). It is a man standing with a curvy lady. That man is talking to his crotch. He is saying to his crotch, "Let me do the talking." His crotch is leering back at him.
This was on my PopTarts. I am so confused.

I like Big Buns

2007-01-05T10:07:00.000-05:00

This year our Christmas was as dysfunctional as always: the dog ran through my grandmother's house with my birth control pills in his mouth, and my mom made bread rolls for Christmas dinner that looked like...

Mmmm.... Slather some butter on those!

If you had been good boys and girls, I would have posted a video of me dancing around the kitchen clenching two dinner buns and singing "I like big butts".

Paris Hilton is fired as the face of Club Paris in Jacksonville

2007-01-04T12:10:00.000-05:00

Came back from Michigan to be greeted with the happy news:

"Fred Khalilian said he "fired" the hotel heiress because she has continuously failed to attend scheduled appearances at the location in downtown Orlando. The troubles started two years ago when Hilton showed up six hours late for the grand opening, Khalilian said...
Khalilian does not want to change the name of the Orlando club, or one opened in Jacksonville last year, because he said the name is so well known. Instead of Club Paris representing Hilton, it will stand for the city, Khalilian said. He plans to hold a competition to find the new face of his clubs."

I've never been to Club Paris (Socialite) because it makes me feel icky, so this can only be a positive change. Club Paris (France) might make me feel uncultured and inadequate, but in less danger of getting a disease from the furniture.

Teen pleads guilty to robbing David Copperfield

2006-12-19T14:14:00.000-05:00

Copperfield, 50, and two female assistants were walking from the Kravis Center to their tour bus when they were approached by the teens April 23. The assistants handed over money and a cell phone, but Copperfield used his skills to turn his pockets inside out to reveal nothing, although he was carrying his passport, wallet and cell phone.

Books

2006-12-18T15:48:00.000-05:00

Just one day after my brother and I were talking about our neurotic obsession with completing books that obviously don't hold our interest, Biblioklept has a posting called Unfinished Books of 2006: "Real bibliophiles don’t really finish all of the books they start reading". For those of you who don't know me, I read a LOT. But I tend to stick to finishing a book with some kind of freakish devotion, like I will disappoint the author who put so much into it. So my list of abandoned books is really short:

1. A Conspiracy of Paper by David Liss
I had read both The Coffee Trader, a historical novel based in the futures markets of Amsterdam (a subject close to my heart), and The Ethical Assassin, a sort of vegetarian mafiosi manifesto. According to his bio, Liss is a doctoral student writing his thesis on the historical effects of financial markets on literatire. Which is interesting in a sense, but he must have been burning the midnight oil when he was writing Conspiracy:

"Tell me, Mr. Adelman," Sarmento began once my uncle had finished with the prayers, "will the recent threats of a Jacobite uprising affect the sale of government issues?"
"I am sure that I have nothing to say that is not said throughout the coffeehouses," Adelmann demurred. "Upheaval always promotes fluctuation in the prices of the funds. But without such fluctuation, there could be no market, so the Jacobites do us some small favor, I suppose..."

Now, there are more spectacular parts involving hookers and murder and false stock certificates. And some insight into what it was like to be Jewish at the time. But... not enough to balance out the coffeehouse discussions in flowery British.

2. The Millionaire Next Door by Thomas Stanley and William Danko
This book actually ENRAGED me. Even writing this is making me angry. On page 15, the authors completely lose it:

Mr. Miller "Bubba" Richards is the proprietor of a mobile home dealership... His actual net worth is $1.1 million. His counterpart, Mr. Ford, (same age, same annual income) has a net worth of $226,511..."Mr. Ford spent seven years in college. How can he possibly have less wealth than a mobile home dealer? Clearly Mr. Ford, the attorney, must spend significantly more of his household's income to maintain and display his family's higher upper-middle class lifestyle. What make of motor vehicle is congruent with the status of an attorney? Foreign luxury, no doubt. Who needs to wear a different high-quality suit to work each day? Who needs to join one or more country clubs? Who needs expensive Tiffany silverware and servig trays?"

WHAT??? This is such faulty logic. To be a successful lawyer requires a Tiffany serving tray? Although they state plainly that the attorney spent seven years in college, their own "wealth equation" fails to take into consideration the fact that he lost seven years of his working life while in school, and no doubt emerged with six figures worth of debt. Try buying a house with that on your shoulders. The mobile home guy, on the other hand, had seven extra years of work, plus he was probably able to buy property early and avoid throwing away money on rent every month. It angers me that someone would make such an insane assumption and base an entire book on it.

3. Arabian Nights by Anonymous
This one doesn't really count, since I abandoned it only when I left Prague.

Lunch with Mom

2006-12-15T16:19:00.000-05:00

My mom and I went out for a very nice (and rare) lunch today. My mom is a social worker who normally works 12-hour days on weekdays, and 4-6 hour days on weekends. Today was the first day of her vacation, and I think we started it off pretty well. First we went to the downtown library to see the Festival of Trees, which were donated and decorated by local businesses and groups. My favorite was the inexplicable dog tree decorated with a biscuit garland and dog toys, by Rogers Towers. Also lovely, the Memoirs of a Geisha tree decorated with geisha postcards and Chinese silk purses (which is not a euphemism for anything, sorry).

Then we headed next door to Cafe Nola at the Jacksonville Museum of Contemporary Art. The menu was so good, there were five salads I wanted to try, along with the butternut squash ravioli. My mom settled on Scallop and Shrimp Pot Pie, which ended up being more like bisque with a piece of puff pastry on top. I had Lobster Cobb Salad, which had huge chunks of lobster and bleu cheese. Yum.

Chill Out

2006-12-08T10:12:00.000-05:00

I realize that I'm a little obsessed with the weather. Humor me?
It's colder today in Florida than in Prague!
Jacksonville, FL:
Partly Sunny 38°F
33°...48°

Prague, Czech Republic
Partly Sunny 48°F
42°...47°

Snowflakes spotted in Central Florida

2006-11-22T10:10:00.000-05:00

Wind chills may drop into the 20s in parts of north Florida and high temperatures may only reach the 60s as far south as the Keys on Wednesday, state meteorologist Ben Nelson said.

This is all my fault. Over the weekend I was telling someone in Virginia that we very rarely get snow here, and that even when it's cold, it's still usually sunny. The result? Today in Jacksonville it's in the 40s and raining. I have cursed the entire state. "Miami wasn't expected to even hit 70 on Wednesday"!

Getting Things Done

2006-11-21T14:01:00.000-05:00

I just read a book called Getting Things Done: The Art of Stress-Free Productivity (by David Allen) and it promised me that my life would improve greatly if I bought a label maker. Given my almost unhealthy predilection for things like White-Out pens, I headed straight for Staples and bought a Brother PT-80. By the end of the day, the guy at the desk next to mine is sure to be prominently labelled "JAKE" on his forehead.

Salt Life

2006-11-16T10:49:00.000-05:00

Winner of Folio Weekly's Best Local Trend, these Salt Life bumper stickers originated in Jacksonville Beach. The theory behind it is:
Be it Surfing, Fishing, Diving, or just enjoying a day on the beach, we all have one thing in common - the ocean and all it has to offer.

What I like are the rebuttals. So far I've seen:
Wild Life - sported by a come-to-life Carl Hiassen character driving a rattly pickup truck. Hanging from his rearview mirror: a genuine rattlesnake skull wearing a cowboy hat.

Hick Life - Also on a pickup truck.

This week in Fast Food

2006-11-12T21:31:00.000-05:00

Watching the Simpsons tonight, I learned some important things:

Sonic, America's Drive-In, has recently introduced the Fritos Chili Cheese Wrap meal with Tater Tots.
Seriously, how stoned do you have to be to think this sounds good?

In other fast food news. the McRib Farewell Tour has reached Jacksonville. While this may delight some deranged boneless meat fans, the scent of this sandwich gives me flashbacks to my high school job working for Ronald. I can almost hear our big sweaty manager: "Bend over and pick up that french fry I dropped, little lady." Ew.

Ronald must have learned of the highly addictive properties of Sweet Tea, as McDonald's recently introduced Sweet Tea in 3000 southern locations. If you aren't familiar with Sweet Tea, beware. Don't get caught in its sickly sweet clutches!

From Tea Muse:
To make Sweet Tea, boil approximately 4 cups of water. After boiling, add double the amount of tea leaves (I recommend a Ceylon) that you would normally use (about two tsp. per glass of tea) and steep as usual (five minutes in most cases). After steeping, add approximately one to two cups (that's right-CUPS!) of sugar while it is still hot. Finally, dilute with an equal amount of cold water and/or ice and let chill (the best Sweet tea is served ice-cold).

Don't forget to vote!

2006-11-06T13:01:00.001-05:00

This AARP commercial makes me a little uncomfortable with it's "Don't Vote .............. until you understand the issues" message. First off, it seems to be targeting certain groups, especially women and young people. Out of six people featured on the commercial, only two are male (one a long-haired hippie type). Only one (male) person appears vaguely near retirement age. Not exactly representative of the AARP's membership. They encourage people to visit their website for information on the candidates and issues, but it only links to a difficult to navigate list of newspaper articles, most of which discuss the vicious TV smear campaigns. Plus, as a coworker pointed out, what about people who don't have internet access and can't get to the AARP's site?
Maybe I'm being a bit defensive, but it seems like it's already difficult enough to get young people to the polls, so we don't need to be patted on the head and told that we're just not smart enough to make our own choices, so let's just stay home and let others make the decisions for us.
Anyhoo, if you want actual information on candidates, the League of Women Voters have created a thorough and unbiased website that offers pros and cons on each issue, candidate interviews, etc.

Ready for Borat?

2006-11-02T09:04:00.000-05:00

For those of you who don't know -- Nathan is a friend and former co-worker who joined the Peace Corps and was sent to Kazakhstan, and was recently featured in an article in the Guardian called The real face of Boratstan...
But we've plumped for Karaganda, a city that didn't exist until Stalin sent his political prisoners there and ordered them to build. The entire town was a gulag, known in Russia as a synonym for 'nowhere.'
On [Nathan's] his profile, under 'current mission', it says: 'I'm trying to survive another year in this abandoned Soviet coal town with at least a shadow of my sanity left.' And when I email him, he makes strenuous efforts to point out the city's lack of appeal. 'If I were to "recommend" Karaganda it would only be in self-interest as it would be nice to meet with a visitor.'
When I Google 'Karaganda' I discover it's where you go if you want to buy either a wife or a baby. There are hundreds upon hundreds of women seeking husbands elsewhere, and when I see the city in daylight, I see their point. There's an impressive statue of Lenin, a shopping centre, a park, a main street, and that's more or less it. And in October, the temperatures are already sub-zero.

Jacksonvillian Jacksonvillain

2006-11-01T15:02:00.000-05:00

I realized my accent is back when, playing with the dog outside, I heard myself yell "Ah'm gonna gitchoo!"
Note to readers: my mom is from the area, so I was the only child growing up in the Michigan tundra with a southern accent. Ironically, it went away when we moved to South Florida

Happy Halloween!

2006-10-31T16:53:00.000-05:00

P.S.

Partly Sunny, 81°F
Water Temp 75.7°F UV Index: 5 Moderate
Wind: E at 11 mph
Humidity: 48%
Pressure: 30.04 in.
Visibility: 10 miles

World's Largest Outdoor Cleaned, Scrubbed, All-America Picnic

2006-10-27T11:49:00.000-04:00

You'll have to again pardon my complete and total ignorance, but I just found out that the Florida-Georgia game is the event formerly referred to as The World's Largest Outdoor Cocktail Party, and is so widely recognized that it warrants its own Wikipedia entry. Although it is no longer supposed to be called that, there's a huge Corporate Tent (booze) Village outside. Plus they also have an entire RV Junction campground (booze) area so people don't have to leave the party, which opened yesterday morning. There's a full schedule of bands both at the RV camp and here at the Landing.

From the Orlando Sentinel:

The school presidents, Florida's Bernie Machen and Georgia's Michael Adams, asked the SEC to ask ESPN and CBS to refrain from calling this game anything negative like "cocktail party." They fear it might suggest alcoholic beverages are consumed and we wouldn't want anyone to think that.

Said ESPN's Chris Fowler: "How about The World's Largest Outdoor Cleaned, Scrubbed, All-America Picnic?" That's good, Chris, but we've got more. In fact, we've got a list.

Top Ten Names for That Game in Jacksonville

10. The Waffle House Bowl. (If you've been to Jacksonville, you get it.)
9. SEC's Politically Correct Party. (Roseanne will not sing the national anthem.)
8. Bernie & Mike's Largest Outdoor Tea Party. (Appearing on Sesame Street.)
7. Loser Leaves Town Bowl -- But Winner Leaves, Too, So Forget It.
6. 'Fixin' the Bulldogs' Festival -- (Gators have won 14 of last 16.)
5. A Confederacy of Dunces -- (This is for all the literate Gators and Bulldogs, so we hope both of you are amused.)
4. Where In the World Is Steve Spurrier? (The game hasn't been the same without him.)
3. Still Better Than the Gator Bowl. (But who loses to Vanderbilt, Bulldogs?)
2. The Mel Gibson Invitational. (Swearing is optional.)
1. Tim Tebow's Game. (If Chris Leak can live with it, Bulldog Nation, so can you.)

Our family favorite is the Waffle House Bowl. Hey, let's all embrace our redneckedness.

Ride the Pork Trolley!

2006-10-26T16:26:00.000-04:00

I'm not from around these parts, so the local fervor for college football is a real awakening for me, since I went to a college with a) no football team and b) no school spirit. I knew I was in uncharted territory when a speaker from an investment fund invited the room of financial professionals to "drink a lot" at an investment fund-sponsored tailgating party at Alltel stadium's RV junction, where the party started on Wednesday. The lead-up to this weekend's Florida-Georgia game continued as I got emails announcing:

1. Jeans day at work tomorrow to celebrate
2. A bagel breakfast for our entire 42-story building sponsored by the building management
3. Street closings that started yesterday
4. A warning from the city that there might be a lot of noise from the outdoor entertainment down the street that will start at noon on Friday and continue for 14 hours

Just when I thought it couldn't get any crazier, I saw a sign for the mysterious yet oddly enticing Free Pork Patrol Trolley going from the bars on the other side of the river, to here, then to the game.

Road Rage

2006-10-24T17:21:00.000-04:00

A Mayo Clinic doctor charged with vehicular homicide in the November 2005 road rage death of a 24-year-old Jacksonville woman pleaded guilty to two counts of reckless driving Monday... and was sentenced to a year's probation and community service.

This guy killed a woman when he pulled in front of her and slammed on his brakes, and then drove away as he saw her lose control of her car. As a doctor, there was an even greater responsibility to check to make sure she was OK. Not only does he still have his medical license, he also has been sentenced to community service in a hospital.

I have driven on the DC beltway during rush hour, but never have I been so afraid for my life as trying to pull out of my condo development here in Jacksonville. Drivers here recklessly disregard the speed limit, and change lanes without signalling. I almost got my brother splattered all over the car when I tried to pull into traffic and a car came roaring into our lane (speeding, and without using a blinker).

Components of a happy day

2006-10-24T12:39:00.000-04:00

1. Today: 57 and sunny. Forecast for the week is mostly sunny getting into the 60s and 70s. Nice...

2. Lunch. Every week we have several lunch meetings where, in exchange for listening, we get food. And since it's Jacksonville, the food tends toward things I eat in massive quantities, such as Cuban sandwiches.

And sweet tea. Oh, the sweet tea.
Three lunches last week, two this week. My pants are getting snug...

That's it. Sun, food, and sweet tea. Low maintenance (or possibly just kinda dim).

Top Ten Jacksonville Blogs

2006-10-19T09:31:00.000-04:00

Not me, of course. But this guy has a list:

10. The Most Hated Man in Riverside

9. Jaxopolitan

8. Got to be a Chocolate Jesus. We all know where he is going with the title. Actually I haven't a clue, but I bet its tasty. This blog has great takes on the new Music. Music is good. Go with it.

7. biblioklept. Damn....it is pretty much strong enough for national/international consumption. A big thank you from the hyperlocal blogs for repping Jacksonville. Oh yeah, its about books. I'll explain what those are in a later post.

6. Parag's Blog. You would think since Parag and Blahg rhyme he would have come up with something more inspired than Paragelicious but I'll cut him some slack. Thing is he NEVER posts but when he does. Damn. He says exactly what is on his mind. That is good for many, many points, but not enough to thrust him into my top five, sorry dood.

5. Ricotta Park. Ricotta Park is like a delicious meal. One course of weird Middle East debate and anti proliferation banter, One course of indie/core music samplage, European vacation diaries, commentary and reviews of downtown haps. What is not to love? A daily read.

4. Metro Jacksonville. This is message board that spawned a blog or vice versa. If you don't read it daily you will surely miss something. If you have the kind of job that lets you read the internets all day then I HIGHLY recommed the savory message boards. I'll up your Cecil and throw in a Post street closing! They have candidates and debates and politicians and stakeholders flaring up in every neighborhood. They are fighting crime and apathy downtown as we speak. Hell, more arrests to COME!

3. Moon Colony Razorblade. Forget books, remember records? While MCR is definately the best indie record store downtown they are easily the best record store site, blog, thing with videos and such downtown also or something. Anyway. Great site. Sometimes I listen to music that they post (all hail Youtube) and run down there and buy it. If you just got kicked out of your old lady's house, here is what you do: Head to the thrift store and buy a phonograph (make sure it has the needle!), head to moon colony and buy 20 albums on vinyl. Since there is a large selection of $1 records you can while away your heartbreak jamming to stereophonic bliss for like $30 total. That is easily enough to get you through the year of hurt. Also, open up the windows and clean that dump. But not too much because your riverside slumlord will up your rent to like $500 or some crap. Maybe get like a sixer of pbr to even it out.

2. Tomorrowland. Don't forget your www's when visiting Tomorrowland. It is very hard to write about something that is so cool. Its like wild baby. Sorry, too much coffee. This is my favorite blog that is not about Jacksonville's incity. It is alot like wired but interesting. Go Bob. It's your birthday.

1. UrbanJacksonville.info. Roll with it. Move over Dave, here is a top ten within a top TEN!

Urban Jacksonville should be a daily read if:

10. You work downtown
9. You play downtown
8. You like pics of hot young metrosexuals (sorry, yo, but there is a demand, and he does it like once a week, tip to TSI)
7. You could care less about when Cheesecake Factory will finally legitimize the Landing.
6. You ride a bike.
5. You keep up with urban core policy decisions
4. You like living here despite its redneck drawbacks.
3. You know there are people who live here who are cool but you just haven't met yet.
2. You like the culture and the fabric of Historic Districts (and San Marco)
1. You like the original town center on the actual St. Johns. No offense, but just because you can see Dress Barn facing DSW from your three bed two bath doesn't mean you are urban. Related: If you live somewhere where you can't see your car from one of your own windows, you are!

Meet my mom

2006-10-18T18:03:00.000-04:00

That Burger King commercial comes on, the one where the dad is a Whopper and the kid is a Whopper Junior. My mom says, "if the men are Whoppers, how come the women aren't Fish Sandwiches?"

Old French Whores Triumph!

2006-10-12T21:13:00.000-04:00

I play a trivia game every week at a local wing place with my dad and brothers. Mostly we embarass ourselves by somehow sinking to new points lows every week. We decided that we would come up with a new name every week until we won, then we'd keep that one. We went through all kinds of Simpson's references and clever Scottish names. We were running out of material and decided this week to go with Old French Whores. Of course, after playing since June without ever winning, we finally won tonight as the Old French Whores.