Resurrection (from what) Ails (you)

One of my favorite beers to drink whilst I lived in B-more (that would be Baltimore for the uninitiated) was made by a local craft brewery, Brewer's Art. In addition to accessing it at their fantastic restaurant and beer cellar, Resurrection Ale was available at other bars across the city. As a teacher, Friday afternoons in the spring meant HAPPY HOUR... I would scoot down the Alameda after school to meet up with friends and co-workers at One World Cafe, where for a mere $2 a pint (yes, you read that correctly- microbrews for cheap!) I could drink tasty bevys like Resurrection and Rogue's Dead Guy Ale till my heart's content and chow down on huge orders of delicious veggie nachos that are only slightly rivaled by the bison ones at Bottleworks. This would lead to the other Friday night occurrence: making my way back to TV Hill, buzzed and sleepy, and likely falling into bed before 9. Ah, good memories...

So now 4 years later I am entering another spring in StL and thinking about re-birth. It's a good time a year for it. the Redbuds outside my office are starting to flower and a pair of morning doves have built a nest, spending the day fending off the somewhat aggressive campus squirrels. It is also the season of friends' birthdays, which I suppose is the product of summer lovin' in the late 70s/early 80s.

I hosted a Resurrection of my own this past Saturday. Well, actually, it was to celebrate the birth of the 27th Jennifer (notice my masterful incorporation of Jen's age and the Mike Doughty song... coincidence, I think not- that's what I call blogging!) That, and I really wanted to cement my future damnation...

Without much further ado, philosophizing on "hope springing eternal" and the benefits of whiskey punch, I give you my version of the best way to welcome in the new season. And in light of these recharging festivities (well, no one had to hold up in a cave for a few days beforehand, but you get the point) I suppose I am now prepared to kick some ass until solstice!

The Last Peep-per

Martha Stewart would approve, right?

Why yes, that is a 3D cupcake cross!

Me and the lovely ladies (Birthday girl on the L and Gnat on the R)

"florence and calamity and joan of arc" - Friday night food porn and other stories

what is it about Friday nights at home? a speedy, half-intoxicated bike ride home after happy hour. cooking and drinking wine in my pjs. playing the newest Josh Ritter album quite loud, hoping that the kids playing basketball in the alley can hear it. especially tracks #1, #3 and #4 on repeat repeat repeat...

"you look like David Bowie, but you've nothing new to show me... over and over again..." (5 points for getting this song reference; hint, it's not Josh Ritter)

it's been a long, albeit somewhat unproductive week. how did that happen? I suppose I should be thankful for the small things that I accomplished. reveling in the first day of Spring. the fact that while I am still working on the paper for the first aim of my thesis, Aim 3 seems to be kicking into full gear. Can it be that I am less than 2 years out from graduating?! *gulp* knitting and yoga and brackets and bike rides and coffee and CD shopping and free beers. regardless of all my comings and goings, I do love a Friday night finishing off bottles of wine, making chicken piccata (sorry for the repeat culinary event, but, yes, this is a twice a month sort of recipe... and you get a photo this time!) with rice pilaf (homemade beats Rice-a-Roni) and broccoli. plus reading and blogging and rocking out to good music.

ms. jen's b-day is tomorrow. Easter Eve. I will be hosting the Resurrection here at casa de Castleman... complete with a 3D cupcake cross (please be anxiously awaiting my sacrilegious pics!!!) it will be a fabulous time.

I'm not sure what else to report. it's kinda day-to-day in the Lou. the majority of the time, I am simply living. nights like this make me so content to be on my own. because who the hell cares if I play "to the dogs or whoever," "right moves" and "the temptation of adam" 40 gazillion times on my crappy college boombox AKA soundsystem... there has been some discussion (over 21st century Pictionary and gift-carded beverages) about what I am looking for, where I am in my life. Pre-M, I would have chalked myself up to the non-settling variety. now I could go either way, have gone either way... 28 is still too young to decide on those sorts of things, right? it's completely appropriate to randomly give out your cell number whilst waiting for the other shoe to drop regarding that hard-to-get girl ("i never had to learn to love her... she just came along and started to ignore me") you truly adore at the moment... it's also strange (substantial, startling, scary, surprising, surreal) to be in a place, 7 months out of a serious LTR, where you feel like there's potential to be with someone again. it's great to be a fast healer, but for the time being, I'm not completely sure if I want to compromise my Friday nights alone with Mr Ritter and the booze...

as said songwriter so elegantly puts it:
"there's always whiskey and women and women and whiskey around
(s)he can't tell which is worse, to be dying of thirst or to drown"

although,
"singing don't let me into this year with an empty heart, with an empty heart..."
is somewhat convincing... sigh :)

Spring Type Break!

well, no, not really. no rest for the weary graduate student. I have a paper to finish, remember?

but, dammit, I will be in Austin at this time in a year for SXSW. mark your calendars now. I will immerse myself in music and not sleep for days. I cannot wait.

for now, I am living vicariously thanks to XPN and NPR and the adorable Ms. Carrie Brownstein (er, C.B. Grumbleton, pictured below)...


you can check stuff out here and here.

and for more Spring Break fun, I give you, TEEN GIRL SQUAD!

your Brandy Alexander goes down easy

my weekend, as told by beverages:

Thursday

• O'Fallon 5 Day IPA (x3) - Newstead Tower Pub has this on draft. I dig hoppy beers and I think this and Schlafly's Dry-hopped American Pale Ale are likely the 2 best beers made here in StL.

• Young's Double Chocolate Stout - From a can (complete with a widget- woo carbonation!) into a pint glass at the Church Key. Warmed me up after a chilly walk down Manchester and served as a fantastic "dessert."

• S's KnitForceUnited whiskey punch (x2) - What could go better with gossip and Girl Scout cookies?!

Friday

• poorly poured keg beer in Styrofoam at a gallery opening (x until I gave up and switched to red wine) - blonde, early 20s girls who have probably never tasted any beer other than a Bud Light should not be allowed to operate kegs. in fact, most people should not be allowed to operate kegs. Here's a little side bar for you, faithful blog reader... I am a keg operator. I don't even let the facilities guys in Biology tap the kegs at the department picnics. Stand back, I say, I played rugby and you guys are just going to f- this up. and for the love of God don't pump the f-ing keg when the spigot is closed! sigh...

• cheap Cabernet (x2) - not exciting, but at least does not foam
  

• a Brandy Alexander - Herzog nation descended upon Natalia's new restaurant, the Fountain on Locust, for bevys and sweets and savories. and I must say that Leslie Feist was the main influence in my selection. brandy, dark creme de cacao, half and half, ice cream, nutmeg... yes, I can see how that would get someone into trouble ;)

Saturday

• Michelob Ultra (x2) - only in Chesterfield *shudder*, while playing board games and watching college basketball with almost strangers, would I submit to consuming such a beverage. ah, the things we do for the ladies, right?
  

Sunday

• Schlafly Dry-hopped APA (x3) - Bottleworks on Sunday! It doesn't get any better than this. With Chris spinning the funk, my weekend of "get up, get on up" was coming to a close; nothing like a little Cascade hops to make my night.

• Schlafly Coffee Stout (x1.5) - I blame this and DST for keeping me up way past my bedtime last night. Still, my favorite way to end the evening is keeping "the Beer Pusher" from pouring me another :)