the PENGUIN gazette

NEW MUSIC IN 2013: Standing Room Only

2013-01-14T19:48:00.000-08:00

I love the new year, its a time to start over, become a better person and to discover new things.....LIKE MUSIC!!! I love finding new artists like the wonderful Laura Dowding. I interviewed her last year to help promote her kickstarter and with the help of music lovers everywhere, SHE REACHED HER GOAL!!!! Which is awesome because that means that I get to review her new album "Standing Room Only".

(LOOKING GOOD LAURA!!!!)

Let me start off with a BIG CONGRATULATIONS to Laura for making this wonderful album. "Standing Room Only" has something for everyone. Sweet ballads, beautiful piano playing, poignant lyrics, and great production value. Laura's voice is very straight forward and to the point in every song of this 14 track album. There's no need for all the crazy vocal tricks or the dreaded "AUTO TUNE"....

SIDE NOTE: The inventor of that should really just shoot himself....in the face....that is all.

Laura is one of the few with actual talent, so to over produce an album would be horrible. I am sooo happy that this was not the case. It had the right amount of everything and could easily hold it's own with any of the major label productions out there, so kudos to her producers for that. Every aspect of this album had perfect balance. Honestly it's pretty damned amazing.

The album allows Laura's voice to shine through and you can clearly hear her influences. When I listened to "Standing Room Only" I heard bits of Billy Joel mixed with some Beatles and even some Sara Bareilles. The blend was evident without being a copy of any one artist while paying homage to them and so many others. Songs like "A Perfect Love" (featuring Cameron Hovsepian, who also has an amazing voice) is a beautiful duet with a Norah Jones-esk quality to it and is probably my favorite song on the album (a decision that was NOT made lightly because there are so many great tracks to listen to). Another of my top tracks has to be "Messy Love", which can easily transport anyone to the sultry 40's jazz era. The horns alone are enough to take your mind on a trip, then add Laura pouring her heart out on the mic and you have an ageless, time-stopping song. Truly beautiful.

In short, "Standing Room Only" by Laura Dowding is something that will set moods, break hearts, and lift your spirit all at the same time. I highly recommend buying this album TODAY, you won't regret it! I've had it on repeat for a few days now and don't see it coming out of rotation any time soon!

If you want to pick it up you can get it direct from the source! YES Laura herself will be selling the album at her release show January 17th at El Cid Restaurant in Silverlake. The show starts around 8pm and is only 8 bucks at the door! After that I'm sure you will be able to get it from her website www.LauraDowding.com where you can get limited "pre-release" copies of "Standing Room Only" NOW! Laura will be performing with Billy Gill, Lindsay Rae Spurlock, and Jen Awad. I REALLY want you guys to go out and support Laura this Thursday, so If you happen to be in the Silverlake area (and even if you're not) stop by for the show and leave with a CD that you will fall in love with!!! Let's make this a HUMONGOUS turnout!!!! I Hope you can make it!!!

El Cid
4212 W. Sunset Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA, 90029
http://www.elcidla.com/

Until next time....be good to yourselves!!

Editor in Chief of The Penguin Gazette,
Rudy

Support Your Local Musicians!!!!

2013-01-11T19:37:00.002-08:00

Hey everyone have you ever wondered how you can help a "starving" artist reach their dreams? There is this CRAZY site that some of you have heard me talk about in the past KICKSTARTER!!! For those of you that don't know what it is, allow me to hip you to the newness...

Basically an artist (or anyone with a worthy cause) can make a video asking for monetary help so that they might be able to make (in this case) an album. Then they set donation amounts and depending on the amount you give, you will get a certain prize. This prize can be anything from a simple twitter shout out or a CD, or in one of the crazier ones I've seen, a man dressed as a teddy bear singing Elvis songs with three Elvis impersonators backing him up (seriously that would be pretty awesome to see). There really isn't a limit on what your goal amount can be but if you don't reach that goal by your deadline (which you set yourself) the money gets returned to the people that donated. It's really a super cool set up if you ask me.

Now that everyone gets the idea, I have an artist that NEEDS YOUR SUPPORT!!!

Melissa Polinar is an artist that I've mentioned before (for those of you that remember) and she is absolutely AMAZEBALLS!!! Her last EP "As of Now" (which can be purchased on her site) was GREAT to say the least, and managed to leave me satisfied, but at the same time wanting more. Melissa's KICKSTARTER is going to give us all the chance to get just that. For donations as low as a dollar you can help Melissa give YOU some sweet jams AAAANNNNDDD you can make yourself feel awesome by supporting someone's dream!

That's about enough of me talking, here she is in her own words...

CHECK OUT THESE COOL PRIZES:

So "As of Now" (lol) 1/11/13 there are about 16 days left to support this project (that's music biz talk) and as I said you can donate as little as a buck so let's get it going! Melissa is an honorary COOLBIRD, and we SUPPORT ALL OUR COOLBIRDS....right????????? RRRIIIIIIGGGGHHHHTTT!!!??? I thought so!!!

FOR MORE MELISSA POLINAR INFO CHECK OUT HER SITE AND FOLLOW HER ON TWITTER!!!

SUPPORT SUPPORT SUPPORT!

Editor in Chief of THe Penguin Gazette,
Rudy

25 Ways to Make 2013 AMAZING

2013-01-05T01:09:00.000-08:00

Hey EVERYONE out in the internets, interwebs, web-er-nets or whatever you want to call it these days, I have just found something that made my heart sing. Whats this you ask? Did the Grinch grow a heart? Is 2013 the year that the Penguin went....dare I say it?.....SENSITIVE!? Well for the ones that really know me, know that I am more than just AMAZINGLY talented in everything I do and an oh so humble individual (facetiously speaking), they know that I am a very sensitive person....IN PERSON......but what I am about to show you touched me so much that I had to bring that side out and share it with my "inter-friends".

So there is this YouTube channel called SOUL PANCAKE ( Rainn Wilson co-created this site with two of his friends, Joshua Homnick and Devon Gundry) that everyone has to check out with a lot of great videos, but for the purpose of this post I am going to focus solely on one. It stars a very young Black child, probably no older that about 6 or 7 and he is probably one of the best speakers I have ever seen! He portrays a kid president and he has a very important message for everyone about how to make a difference this year by doing some if not all of the 25 things on his list. The young man warmed my heart with his charisma and charm....and well..... the kid is damned cute. That aside his message is that of HOPE...not unlike another Black child that became president.

Instead of a political message that pits parties against each other in grossly overrated, sometimes offensive, and most times disheartening displays of greed, hidden behind the guise of "making a better America", his is a message of spreading love by doing simple things throughout the year. There is such a spark in this young man that I NEEDED to share this with all of you. Before I go any further watch this video...

I want to say a BIG "THANK YOU" to the people at SOULPANCKE.COM for showcasing this video to millions of viewers. I also want to thank "Kid President" (our "Commander in Osh Gosh") for his timing, wit, and ability to captivate audiences everywhere, and to "Kid President's" parents (the "First Parents" if you will) a special THANK YOU for giving him the support he will need to continue to be a very creative and forward thinking young man. I must admit after working with kids for a few years....and to put it bluntly....LOSING HOPE IN THE FUTURE, it is extremely refreshing to see someone so young have such a GREAT head on his shoulders.

So now that we are ALL on the same page about this kid and how AWESOME he is, I say we all try to do at least 1 of the items on the list. I am doing two from now on, HIGH FIVES and FREE HUGS ALL AROUND!!! What are you planning to do?

Editor in Chief of The Penguin Gazette,
Rudy

The BEST Fish Tacos I've EVER had!!!

2012-12-18T23:08:00.001-08:00

I have lived in San Diego since 1992, and in my 20 years of living here I have eaten at MANY a taco shop. After all taco shops are what San Diego is probably best known for when it comes to late night food. You can ask people that have lived here and moved away what the one fast food place that they miss the most and the first food stop they make when they come back is, and people will almost always say something with a "BERTO'S" on the end of it. That being said....you DEFINITELY have your good and bad taco shops.

CRITERIA FOR A GOOD TACO SHOP:

1. Your carne asada has to be on point (flavorful, tender pieces of beef, not overcooked,...JUST RIGHT), that shouldn't be too hard right?

2. If your carnitas are the first thing I get when I come to your place and they are not up to snuff. I WILL NEVER COME BACK!!! They need to be that perfect mix of greasy but not too greasy, melt in your mouth tender but not mushy (that being said some crunchy bits here and there are appreciated), and seasoned enough to taste but not enough to overpower the flavor of the pork.

3. Get your rice right! I hate it when I go to a place and get a combo meal and the rice is bland, CRUNCHY, and boring. By boring I mean the rice looks like just some plain white rice that has been lightly colored. You don't have to reinvent the wheel when it comes to Spanish rice, just call up your abuelita (grandma for my ethnically challenged friends) and have her teach you how to make it.....AND PAY ATTENTION!!!!

4. Have a great salsa! Some of the best places I've been to have that salsa station in them and offer the full range of them at the drive-through. Red, green, chipotle, etc. The more the merrier!

5. Don't use fish sticks in your fish tacos!!!! That is blasphemy! A good fish taco is made from actual fish not the processed, frozen crap from the stores. Those are fine for kids when you are in a pinch, but NEVER at a RESPECTABLE taco shop! BY THE WAY RUBIO'S IS NOT A RESPECTABLE TACO SHOP!!!!

Let's go back and revisit #5....

Fish tacos are an art form that many try but few can master! I believe the guys over at Casanova Fish Tacos have done just that! I first came across these guys at a food truck meet up and kind of snubbed them because they didn't have a truck ....STUPID ME JUDGING ON APPEARANCE!! They later hit me up on twitter and asked me to come back to TASTY TRUCK TUESDAYS to try them out. So in the interest of good fish tacos and hungry stomachs everywhere I went down to give them a shot. I was so surprised at just how amazing these guys are!!!

I told my man Hector (Casanova himself) to make me something that best describes their menu, and he hooked me up! I got their original "BAJA STYLE" fish taco which consist of crispy battered whitefish, fresh shredded cabbage and their secret white or chipotle sauce (I got the white sauce). Every bite blew my mind. Their crisp clean flavors shown through so well that I had a hard time ordering a different taco because it was soooooo amazing. I did however get their *Award Winning* Grilled Chipotle Fish Taco that is made with chipotle marinated grilled whitefish that was so flaky and tasted so fresh you could almost swear they caught it right in front of you, shredded cabbage and secret white or chipotle sauce (this time I opted for the chipotle to go along with the theme). This was another amazing choice.

I topped them both with their amazing salsa which is by no means for those of you that can't handle heat. It was spicy blend of tomatillo, habanero and OH MY GOD that had me sweating in the cold evening air. So as you can tell they already met up with two of my criteria above. I was especially pleased with the fact that they made very traditional fish tacos. There was none of this nonsense about putting cheese of any kind on them and while they were traditional they weren't boring. They kept all their flavors clean and not overpowered by any one component. While doing that they also managed to make each taste better than the next as you got every component in each bite. I also loved how nothing got soggy, which is a plus considering I ordered everything to go. I hate when a taco turns to mush and loses all texture by the time you get home.... I'M TALKING TO YOU RUBIOS!!!! Everything was still crunchy and wonderful by the time I made it home that evening to eat like a slovenly pig in the comfort of my own home.

Now, as I said these guys had no food truck at the time that I met them so I bet that you can all imagine just how GREAT they are to be invited to TASTY TRUCK TUESDAYS (one of the best meet ups in SD). These guys can even be purchased for the evening....that sounded bad. What I mean is they cater events so the next time I have a function I will be seriously considering them for some great food! If you want to get a hold of these masterminds you can do it by clicking here and submitting questions about pricing and arrangements to them.

I want you all to do me a favor and follow these guys on all your social networks..... and in your cars if you are in San Diego....your tummy will thank me for the info. Find them on Twitter, Facebook, and Yelp (leave a good review because they deserve it!!!!). You can email Hector directly by clicking here or you can call for inquiries at 619.822.8310........DO IT NOW!!!!

These guys are going to take the taco scene by storm and should not be overlooked...especially by a smug blogger and part time foodie like myself....seriously I'm sorry that I did that.....I know better now....PLEASE FORGIVE ME HECTOR!!!! LOL!!! Anyway I want to give these guys my personal stamp of approval and say a personal THANK YOU for making me a fish taco guy again!!!

Until next time.....

Editor in Chief of The Penguin Gazette,
Rudy

Now Playing... Septymber

2012-11-13T17:04:00.002-08:00

In this day and age of "cookie cutter" one-dimensional musicians it's nice to come across one that is genuinely unique. Septymber is an "up and coming" artist out of the Atlanta area, and has a sound that very few can harness. She mixes R&B and Hip Hop together and adds some clever lyrics to create a sound that will not only be a hit in the clubs, but will make even lyrically involved listeners satisfied. Myself, being a music snob of sorts, found her single "Musiq" to be particularly interesting. I have had the infectious tune stuck in my head for a few days now. Her voice has a ringing power that can be compared to some of the greater soul singers of music's past as well as rival today's vocal icons. Combine that with the fact that she has a flow that mixes old school Hip-Hop with the new, and you've got yourself a monster on the mic.

Here she is performing her hit single "Musiq" live at the Sweet Auburn Festival in Atlanta, GA. The song is a love letter of sorts to music written with a maturity that far exceeds her years. Check it out!

I recently got the opportunity to interview Septymber after listening to her single and found out that she is a very interesting young lady that I am sure will take the music world by storm. Get a small glimpse into the head of Septymber.

1. When did you fall in love with music?

The day that I fell in love with music was also the day I realized that

music was already in love with me. Poetry, my first love, introduced me to

music, with a hello and a handshake, the first time I wrote my own song,

entitled The Eighth.

2. How did you get your start?

I started on foot, (with my voice in my pocket and my mother on my side)

downtown Atlanta Georgia, hopping from concert to concert, searching for

managers, A&R's or music moguls to sing for (in the middle of the street if

needed) in order to prove myself; to prove that I was Atlanta's next Star.

After nearly 2 years of grinding, I landed in the office of Doc

Holiday, who eventually got me signed to Stage Frite Music Group.

3. What was your first performance like?

My very first performance was an internal nightmare but reality's dream. I

was flushed with fever and the flu, suffering from the shivers, but I

pulled it off after much prayer and lots of crowd participation. I was

forced to morph into another character for a 7 minute show, and was rushed

to the emergency room minutes after. Overall, it was my best show yet!

4. Who would you compare your sound to?

I would compare my sound to the late Amy Winehouse with a hint of Nina

Simone.

5. Who would you most like to work with in the future?

I would be honored to work with Ms. Lauryn Hill.

6. Who are your musical inspirations?

My musical inspirations vary from greats like Adele and Kendrick Lamar to

Erykah Badu and Janelle Monae.

7. How did you come up with the concept for you single "MuZiQ"?

Ironically, I was asleep when I wrote my single "MuZiQ". As crazy as it

sounds, I literally dreamed about being in love with my one and only love,

Music. Once I woke up, the lyrics of the songs spilled from my pen like a

waterfall of words.

8. Who did you work with to make your single possible?

Alongside producer, Jvon on the beat, we mixed a bit of songwriting

skills, a pinch of magic, a spoonful of engineering expertise and an ounce

of hardwork and passion in a big black pot and "MuZiQ" was born.

9. Are there plans in the near future for a full length album?

Yes, Of course! We plan to drop the album in September of 2013.

10. Lastly, when can people expect to see you on the West-Coast?

This ATL-ien can't wait to visit the West Coast to get a taste of the

culture, music and environment. As long as the invitation is open, I'll be

on the next flight out as soon as I can!

Septymber is definitely one to look out for as the years (and hopefully albums) go by and I hope she keeps me in the loop with updates about her full length album next year. I will be keeping my ear to the ground listening for the "MUSIQ"! Make sure that if you like her you follow this COOLBIRD on twitter here @Septymber and check out her YouTube too for music videos and special messages!

*To find out even more about Septymber, check out her bio!
*Book Septymber here!

Well, I hope this has been as fun for you as it has been for me and until next time....

Editor in Chief of The Penguin Gazette,
Rudy

52 Songs in 52 Weeks

2012-10-21T04:10:00.002-07:00

Hey everyone this is it, your last chance to help Ernie Halter achieve his goal of bringing you AMAZING music! As of right now (3:01 a.m.) you only have about 37 hours to contribute to one of the more ambitious music Kickstarters out there. 52 songs in 52 weeks or the "52 Songs Club" means that for contributions as low as 1 dollar Ernie will make you part of the magic and even include YOU in a "Thank You" song! Cool huh?

As the title states, Ernie will be writing 1 song a week for 52 weeks (see what I mean by ambitious?) and for 52 bucks he will be emailing them directly to you for your listening pleasure. After listening to the last album "Franklin & Vermont" so much that I wore out the CD, I jumped on the opportunity to shell out some cash for the chance to get NEW music every week for the next YEAR! ARE YOU KIDDING ME!!! THAT ROCKS!!!

Here is a sneak peak of some of the new songs that you might receive...

Here and Gone

Brave Enough to Love

In July

Radio

*Pretty good huh?*

If you need a little more incentive here's the breakdown of all the perks you'll get for donations as low as 100 pennies (that is a buck for my math challenged friends).

Pledge $1 or more
18 backers
{YOUR NAME IN A SONG} --- YOU (yes you!) immortalized forever in a thank you song! I will be writing a song using the names of all my backers, to be released via YouTube. ("What rhymes with Zuriani Marakarpeshkia...?")
Estimated delivery: Dec 2012

Pledge $5 or more
29 backers
{UNRELEASED MUSIC] 3 never before released songs, emailed in MP3 format! PLUS, your name in a song!
Estimated delivery: Dec 2012

Pledge $10 or more
34 backers
{TWITTER SHOUT OUT} --- Will be thanking YOU across the twitterverse with an @mention, visible by over HALF A MILLION people! Whhhat? Including some very notable followers. PLUS, unreleased tracks. and your name in a song!
Estimated delivery: Oct 2012

Pledge $25 or more
15 backers
{VIDEO SHOUT OUT} --- A personalized short video of myself in any one of a multitude of locations (most likely my house, or Cracker Barrel) where I'll say WHATEVER you want. I mean ANYTHING. Try me. PLUS a twitter shout out, unreleased tracks, and your name in a song!
Estimated delivery: Dec 2012

Pledge $40 or more
2 backers
{PERSONAL PHONE CALL} --- Give me a time and a date and I'll ring you up or anyone you want for a brief but meaningful phone convo. I'll sing Happy Birthday, answer a question about life or the universe, give you some amazing travel tips, etc! PLUS, a twitter shout out, unreleased tracks, and your name in a song!
Estimated delivery: Dec 2012

Pledge $52 or more
181 backers
[52 ORIGINAL SONGS] --- You are IN! You get a BRAND NEW song mp3 per week delivered by email every Thursday starting Nov 1). That's just $1 PER SONG. Will include a little note telling you something about how, where, or why that song was born. ("They grow up so fast!"). PLUS, personal phone call or video, twitter shout out, unreleased music, and your name in a song! AHHH THIS IS SO EXCITING!!!!
Estimated delivery: Nov 2012

Pledge $75 or more
79 backers
{SIGNED CD WITH HANDWRITTEN JACKET} --- CD of the 12 best songs (voted by backers and by me). CD will be SIGNED, and will include HANDWRITTEN track list and cover art! Pow pow! PLUS, 52 new songs, personal phone call or video, twitter shout out, unreleased music, and your name in a song!
Estimated delivery: Dec 2013

Pledge $90 or more
17 backers
{CUSTOM RINGTONE SONG} --- A personalized ringtone (5-10 seconds) of me singing your name and whatever rhymes with your name! I can't promise it will be the next Bohemian Rhapsody, but it will be uniquely yours. PLUS, 52 new songs, personal phone call or video, twitter shout out, unreleased music, and your name in a song!
Estimated delivery: Jan 2013

Pledge $125 or more
7 backers
{JOIN ME ON STAGE!} - I'll invite you to join me on stage to sing a tune! Preferably a song of mine, or one that I might already know : ]. Or I'll put a chair on stage and sing right to you. Like uncomfortably close even. Perfect for someone you're trying to embarrass. I'm open to ideas. Will be trying to keep this limited to 2 per show, so first come first serve! Plus you'll be on the guest list for that night's show along with 1 guest. PLUS, the 52 new songs, the handwritten CD, personal phone call or video, twitter shout out, unreleased music, and your name in a song!
Estimated delivery: Apr 2013

Pledge $150 or more
7 backers
{SKYPE MUSIC LESSON} --- 45 minute music lesson via Skype. You could also use the time for your very own concert, or just shoot the breeze, talk about whatever. ("You like internet videos of cats? ME TOO!"). PLUS, 52 new songs, twitter shout out, unreleased music, and your name in a song!
Estimated delivery: Feb 2013

Pledge $250 or more
7 backers
{BACKSTAGE PASSES/PRE-SHOW DINNER} --- Hang out with me for an evening! VIP tickets to any show of your choice, backstage access, soundcheck, setlist written by you, shout-out from stage, and pre-show dinner with me for you and a guest. We'll pick a cool local spot and dinner is on me! PLUS, 52 new songs, twitter shout out, unreleased music, and your name in a song! [In the event of multiple pledges for the same city, you have the choice between combining your reward with another backer, or waiting for another show in the area]
Estimated delivery: May 2013

Pledge $500 or more
4 backers Limited (16 of 20 left)
{CUSTOM SONG INSPIRED BY YOU} --- That's right! 30 minute Skype or phone conversation where I ask you questions about your life, and use it as inspiration for a new song. (FINE PRINT: I reserve the right to use *some* creative licence, and you release ownership or rights to the song in any way.) The song will be recorded with vocals/guitar in my home studio and mailed to you in a custom CD jacket with a handwritten dedication from me. PLUS, 52 new songs, twitter shout out, unreleased music, and your name in the thank you song!
Estimated delivery: Mar 2013

Pledge $750 or more
3 backers
{PRIVATE HOUSE CONCERT} --- I will travel anywhere in the WORLD to play a private concert for you and your guests. [NOTE: If farther than a 600 miles radius of Nashville Tennessee, you cover airfare and hotel]. I hang out for the evening, take requests, tell some bad jokes probably, lots more requests, and maybe even write a spontaneous song. As a fun party trick, I'll memorize the name of every single guest. PLUS, 52 new songs, personal phone call or video, twitter shout out, unreleased music, and your name in a song!
Estimated delivery: Apr 2013

Pledge $1,100 or more
0 backers
{SIGNED GUITAR AND SKYPE LESSON} --- A brand new beautiful mahogany Baby Taylor 3/4 guitar. Signed with a personalized dedication from me. Small enough to fit in an overhead bin but with a rich sound that Taylor is known for. I own one and love it! Includes a 30 minute Skype guitar lesson. PLUS, 52 new songs, twitter shout out, unreleased music, and your name in a song!
Estimated delivery: Feb 2013

Pledge $1,500 or more
0 backers
{CUSTOM WEDDING SONG - IN PERSON} --- Phone call or Skype session to ask questions about you and your fiancé. Then I write a custom wedding song for you AND travel anywhere in the world to perform it LIVE on your wedding day. Powder blue tux optional. (You cover travel costs if farther than 600 mile radius of Nashville, Tennessee).
Estimated delivery: Apr 2013

Pledge $2,500 or more
0 backers Limited (5 of 5 left)
{YOUR OWN STUDIO SESSION - 1 SONG DEMO} -- I write a custom song for you, and spend a day recording YOU singing the song in my home studio. If your singing voice isn't the best, I've got a few tricks to help you sound as good as possible! You cover travel and hotel to Nashville, TN. Final product will be delivered as a CD in a custom jacket with a handwritten dedication. PLUS, 52 new songs, twitter shout out, unreleased music, and your name in a song!
Estimated delivery: Apr 2013

Pledge $6,500 or more
0 backers Limited (5 of 5 left)
{YOUR OWN STUDIO SESSION - 3 SONG DEMO} -- Same as the 1 song demo but with 2 MORE SONGS. Final product will be delivered as a CD in a custom jacket with handwritten dedication. PLUS, 52 new songs, twitter shout out, unreleased music, and your name in a song, and a partridge in a pear tree! [Partridge and pear tree not included].
Estimated delivery: Apr 2013

Pledge $10,000 or more
0 backers Limited (1 of 1 left)
Will arrange to meet anywhere in the US wearing a head-to-toe bear costume, juggling 3 fruit of your preference, while a trio of Elvis impersonators gyrate behind me singing your choice "All Shook Up" or "(Hunka Hunka) Burning Love" PLUS, the signed guitar, 52 new songs, personal phone call or video, twitter shout out, unreleased music, and your name in a song! I'll cover travel expenses for us both (US residents only), procure the bear costume, and make arrangements with said Elvis impersonators.
Estimated delivery: Apr 2013

Like I said these perks are great and I am in for 52 bucks! Go NOW before its too late show Ernie the support he deserves!

Editor in Chief of The Penguin Gazette,
Rudy

Laura Dowding.....the KICKSTARTER

2012-09-25T15:45:00.004-07:00

Hey Everyone,

Remember last week when I told you that I would be giving you info on Laura Dowding's KICKSTARTER? Well here it is straight from her mouth to your ears! Please check it out and lets help her her reach her goal!

Dear Friends,

I am FINALLY at the tail end of my album!!!!!! HOORAY!!!! But I need your help to finish it!!

We are launching a fundraiser on September 24th at Kickstarter.com to raise money to finish my album and to make a music video, launching the start of my career!!!!

Many people have worked long hours making this album greater than I could have ever imagined. I would venture to say that over 700 hours have been dedicated to making this an album that you are really going to love. However there are just two more things that we need to make happen that are really crucial to my career taking off.

I have poured my heart and soul into this album, working for days straight to get it to the level of professionalism that I think it deserves. The average album cost about $200,000 dollars to make. I have been blessed with the opportunity to know many selfless, immensely talented people in the time I have lived in California, and with their help, this album has cost less than $1000 dollars to this point, while still maintaining the same high quality professional sound of any other album being put out. I have tried my very hardest to play as many of the roles for the album as possible, such as audio engineer, arranger, producer, contractor and many more not including being the artist! That being said, I am not equipped with the knowledge it takes to mix and master an album. The album is completely finished except for this part. I need $5000 dollars to finish this album so it is can be at the competitive level of any album out in the music industry.

The next step after the album is complete, is to use my resources to market the album. Many people in the music industry have taken different avenues to promote the release of their album, and my best resource, having worked and lived in Los Angeles, is the film industry. The second part of the fundraising is to raise $5000 dollars to make an extremely high quality, professional music video to draw attention to the album. The song we have chosen to do a music video for is a song called “Chasing Bombs” about a friend of mine who has served one tour of duty in Iraq and two in Afghanistan. If we raise the money we are hoping to release the video for Veteran’s Day, to honor all soldiers, past present and future.

I am asking that everyone who receives a letter from me donates as close to $50 dollars as possible. The reason for the $50 mark is that if everyone who receives a letter can raise $50 dollars to donate, I will reach my goal!! That can look like anything you want, whether that means rallying your friends and family to help out and pool the $50 together, or if you have the means to do so on your own. Of course, every penny counts, and you can absolutely feel free to donate as much or as little as you feel like you can. (and if you can’t donate, or don’t want to, I still love you ). There are different levels of prizes for the different amounts donated, the higher the donation the bigger the reward. I think one of the best rewards we are offering is for a donation of $35 dollars, we will implement a picture in the video of a loved one, or someone you know who has served or is serving. We really want to respect and honor every soldier this Veteran’s Day, and we want to represent as many of them as possible.

Please consider donating even $5 dollars, especially if you plan on buying the album anyway.

The other way you could help is by spreading the word. If you know people who you think would be interested in helping PLEASE forward them this letter. And Please let me know if I can reach out to anyone you think would be interested.

This fundraiser is really going to make the difference in the start of my career. My music is all about speaking out for issues and being a voice for people. I can’t think of any better way with the election and Veteran’s Day right around the corner than to speak out about the respect and honor and recognition our troops deserve. I can’t send you the song just yet, because we need to finish the album, but I thought if I sent you the lyrics to the song, it might help you get an idea of what the video might look like, what the album might look like and what my music is all about.

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR TAKING THE TIME TO EVEN READ THIS. PLEASE CONSIDER MAKING ANY SIZE DONATION. GO TO KICKSTARTER.COM/LAURADOWDING or LAURADOWDING.COM TO MAKE A DONATION.

You can find additional information about the breakdown of the money on kickstarter, and if you have any questions about the fundraiser please email me at laura@lauradowding.com

All my love,

Laura

(Kickstarter doesn't take funds from your account until October 24th at the end of the Kickstarter)

There you go guys, again thank you for all your support in advance, and until we meet again STAY COOL!

Editor in Chief of The Penguin Gazette,

Rudy

"Chasing Bombs" The Laura Dowding Interview

2012-09-15T12:37:00.001-07:00

So lately I have had opportunities to listen to a lot "Opening Acts" and find that these artists are so much more than "throw away" artists. They command the stage and demand attention from all of us "unaware" concert goers. Laura Dowding is one of these artists. She was the opening act a few months back at the Thomas Nicholas and Jared Lee show at La CAVE in Costa Mesa, and I have been keeping tabs on her since.

Laura's sound is a delightful mixture of Ingrid Michaelson, Billy Joel, and Sara Bareilles, with lyrical content that will not only have you tapping your feet but will pull at your heart strings. With songs like "Chasing Bombs" and the hauntingly beautiful "Carousel" she shows off her musical abilities with sweet melodies and great highs and lows that will send chills through you. When I first heard Laura I was immediately drawn in by the way she writes. What I mean is that she writes from the heart about personal experiences that EVERYONE has. She manages to make each of the songs relatable in ways that make each song feel like they were handpicked for each person listening. That is a big plus for me because I am not a gangster who does drive-bys or a big baller that worries about his rims spinning round and round or a pimp that spends his "cheese". No, I am a regular person with regular issues and an enormous heart and Laura's music speaks to that heart in it's native tongue.

I recently got the chance to interview Laura and get an inside look at her views on music, inspirations and even God. She really speaks her mind and is probably one of the sweetest people I have gotten the chance to talk/type to. Go ahead and check it out below....after you listen to some of her sweet jams...

1. When did you fall in love with music?

Haha, at what month do babies grow ears! My mother was a concert accompanist and she played shows very often during her pregnancy with me. I've been in love with music since before I can remember.

2. How would you describe your sound in 10 words or less?

Yikes! 10 words or less! That's hard! I'd say "a unique blend of all my influences, plus me :)"

3. How did you get started playing music?

My mom was a piano teacher when I was little, and is now a music teacher for Middle and High School. When I was 4 she said she wouldn't teach me piano until I was at least 5 (probably because I was a wiggly worm :). So I attempted to teach myself until she caved, haha! I've been playing and singing ever since!

4. Who are your top five musical influences?

Top 5, ok. I'd have to say, The Beatles, Billy Joel, Michael Jackson, Dave Barnes, and Norah Jones.

5. Can you take me through your songwriting process?

I'd say process is a relative term, haha. I mean, it's not like I do a, b and then c in that order every time, but there is definitely an element of organization. This sounds kind of hippyish, but I would say that the songs usually write themselves. Most of the time, my songs come from an emotion that I am experiencing so heavily that I have to sit and write about it, whether that be anger, or deep sadness, or pure joy. I feel like my knowledge of music is what allows me to write a "sad" chord or a "happy" chord or a "sexy" chord, and the fact that I would consider myself a very empathetic person (to a fault :/) is what allows me to identify such deep emotion that I might not necessarily be going through first hand.

6. If you could work with ANY 5 artists from the past or present and any producer to make the album of a lifetime, who would they be and why?

Oh wow, that would be so fun! I would have loved so much to work with Michael Jackson, I think he was a brilliant artist. And who wouldn't have wanted The Beatles on their album given the chance. Legendary. I still have hopes of collaborating with Dave Barnes who is one of my favorite artists of our generation, and of course the incredible Billy Joel. So the dream album would be MJ, The Beatles, Dave, Billy and Norah Jones produced by Lionel Richie. Haha, what a crazy mix! That album would be epic!

7. When you write a song what comes first for you, the lyrics or the music?

Oh man, it totally depends. Sometimes I'll have moments at the piano, where I play one chord, and it's like "Whoa, that needs to be a song", and I'll just sit there and play a chord structure over and over until it evokes some kind of emotion that forms into lyrics. Other times I'll be having a conversation with someone, and one of us will say a sentence that I think "dang, that would make a great song lyric". Needless to say, I go write immediately after our conversation is over (or in the middle of it, haha, sorry friends). I remember talking with my friend about his decision to go back to Afghanistan and I said "OK, just go Chase Bombs" and immediately thought, “that's going to be a song”. I then wrote the song "Chasing Bombs" in an hour after he left!

8. Where do you want to see your music in the years to come?

I really think that my music is just a piece of such a bigger picture. I really aspire to change the world, as corny as that may sound. My music is about real issues, and the goal is to arouse a response to those issues, so that we can start a dialogue as a society about how to change them. I would love to tour as often as possible, and to hear my music on any number of television shows, and movies, and do some music videos to tell the stories, but I would also love to see it put me in a place where I can implement motivational speaking into shows about whats beautiful, and how we can change the world.

9. Are there any pre/post show rituals that are a "must-do" before/after your performances?

PRAY. I love to entertain, but I definitely need some outside help with the nerves that come with that, haha! I owe all my accomplishments to God. I think that he has poured abundant blessings into my life, and I feel honored to accept the responsibility that comes with them of making the world a better place.

10. What would you have done if you couldn't physically sing anymore?

I actually think about that often. And pray that never happens! I would probably pursue a serious jazz piano career. I am a huge advocate for using the gifts you've been given no matter what that looks like. Music is a beautiful art form that I think can be expressed in a million different ways.

11. When we spoke there was talks of a new album, when do you think we might be expecting that?

Wellll.... SOON! I'm not quite ready to announce a release date, but I'm hoping for sure before November, so Stay Tuned!!!

12. Are there any singles that you are particularly proud of?

YES! Haha, I am so proud of this project, so many talented people have come together to make it better than I could have ever hoped. I think there's something for everyone on this album that will hopefully speak to wherever you are in life right now. I personally love "Leaving Now" and "Let me Know". They we’re a lot of fun to record! But I just recorded a duet with singer/songwriter Cameron Hovsepian called "Do You Know" that is currently on repeat! Yep, I listen to myself. It's cool.

13. So new listeners know what they are getting into, would you be able to compare your music to any of the larger artists out today?

Very often I hear that I'm a love child of Norah Jones, Adele, Ingrid Michaelson and myself. haha, not sure how that would work! Sometimes I hear that I sound like Brande Carlile and recently I've been getting some Feist comparison. Generally, people compare the sound of my voice, or the style of my music, but I would venture to say this album has everything from The Beatles, to Feist, to Norah Jones and even some George Michael! I think you'll really love it!

Quick FIRE time!!!

14. What 3 NEW artists are you listening to?

hm, New to me or new to the music scene?! I love Gotye's new releases, and I am in love with Bon Iver. I recently discovered Ted Lucas whom I really dig! I've been rediscovering old loves, like Damien Rice, and Iron and Wine. Yum, so good. :)

15. If you had 1 and only 1 album to listen to for the rest of your life, what would it be and why?

What?! I can't choose that! I would say that I could have Billy Joel's album The Stranger on repeat for the rest of my life, and I would still die happy :)

16. What song on your upcoming album best describes you as an individual?

I would say "Love Like This" is a really good representation of what I went through while writing and producing this album. It's kind of two-fold, about my relationship with God and my relationship with music. You're asked to make sacrifices and compromises for the things you love most in life. And for both God and music, I tend to think my goodness, this is some kind of crazy love to make the decisions I make. With great risk, comes great reward, that's usually how I make decisions. Sometimes that gets me in trouble, haha. And sometimes, the result is insanely beautiful.

17. What drives you?

Passion and Love. I love what I do, and I have an immense passion for music, and the things I write about. I would say I experience everything heightened to the umpth degree. I mean, not to brag, but I have incredible senses, like I can smell someone baking cookies next door or taste if a cake has almond extract in it. I know, it might be a superpower. Baha, but seriously that's all to say I also think I experience emotions to the extreme, sometimes it causes me to do crazy things. I believe I was created to love, and I think music is one of my best outlets to do that to the fullest. I think it is a great way to connect with people on a very personal level. I have heard people say over and over, “this song got me through a break up” or “I danced to this at my wedding” or “this was my dad’s favorite song”. Music has a unique way of connecting people on all different levels, and creating memories that stick. I bet there are songs that as soon as you hear that intro it brings you back to middle school, or the day you broke up with the love of your life. I want to be there for people, and them to feel loved and supported through my music.
I am driven by a broken society, and the brokeness we feel as humans. I think there is redemption, and restoration for everything, and those glimmers of hope are what gives me the passion I have to change the world through music.

18. What is it about music that sets you free?

Well, everything!! If you are any kind of artist, you know the release you feel most when you can express yourself through your art. It’s like an intensely personalized therapy. My whole family is artistic and it inspires me so much! It's not unlikely that tears well up when I watch my youngest brother play the cello, or my older two brothers create film and dance or see my mom teach. Ugh, it's so powerful! I feel like I know them better the more and more I see them create and express themselves. It’s really beautiful, and I think people feel like they relate best to someone’s music whose emotions they can see and feel through an album.

19. What 3 songs from ANY genre do you wish you could have written?

Ok, this one I can do! I alwaysss wish I had written Man in the Mirror that Michael Jackson sings, I think it is brilliantly written, especially when he says make a change, and the key changes, BAH genius! Well done Michael and friends! My songwriting is very heavily influenced by Billy Joel's songwriting, and I wish I had written all of those wonderful songs, particularly Piano Man, and She's Always A Woman to Me. ANDDD, this is so random but I love more than anything the song Faith by George Michael. I know, it's so random, but I always crank it when it's on the radio, and dance around in my car, inevitably getting strange looks from other drivers, haha. But you can't not dance to that song!! It just makes me smile!

20. Do you have any words of wisdom for your fans and followers?

Have passion, and do what you love. I knew a girl in college who wanted nothing more than to be a librarian and I thought that was the most beautiful thing ever. I am such a firm believer that if you want to be a librarian, that is so awesome and you should do everything in your power to be a librarian and if you want to be a singer or a gymnast or anything than you should do that and nothing should stop you! One of my favorite quotes is from the movie Sister Act 2, and Whoopie Goldberg says to Lauren Hill ““If you wake up in the morning, and you can’t think of anything but singing, then you should be a singer, girl”. I love that!
My parents have always told me I can be anything I want, and I think that is the best advice anyone can give to a child. I seriously believe there is a road to every dream. Doesn’t mean it doesn’t have thorns all over it, or rocks, or sand and even huge giant trees in it, but the path to your dreams is the one you create. There’s no one right way. Have passion, and be a dreamer.

I am launching a Kickstarter on September 20th to fundraise the rest of the money I need to finish my album and to make a music video that honors soldiers to be released for Veteran’s Day. If you are interested in this album, and the music video, please go to the Kickstarter page when it is launched, read more about it, and consider supporting the start of my career!!

That wraps up this edition of The Penguin Gazette featuring the wonderful Laura Dowding. I really hope you guys take the time to really check her out and support her dream! Like she said above Laura has a Kickstarter that she will be launching soon and when she does I will be posting the link here in a special blurb so if you want to help her out (which I hope you do) you can help make a difference in her musical journey.

Until next time I wish you well!

Editor in Chief of The Penguin Gazette,
Rudy

An Evening for "Hope"

2012-08-15T19:03:00.000-07:00

Hey CoolBIRDS its time again for me to bestow upon you the gift of some great music. I know, I know Just wait until you hear about these 3 amazing artists before giving me all your praise. You might want to save some for them.

Some of you know (at least my Twitter followers anyway) that I have been waiting for Josh Damigo's new album "Hope" to come out so it could wow everyone. Well that time is here and I was at the CD release party a few nights ago at Lestat's in San Diego. The party was a big concert with Jesse B. Thomas (not to be confused with the porn star...sorry inside joke from the show) and Keaton Simons. If you didn't get a chance to make the show, this is just a bit of what you missed out on.

The show started off with Jesse Thomas, who is kind of singer/songwriter/rock mixed with some punk, sprinkled with a bit of old country. Take Melissa Etheridge, Billie Joe Armstrong (from the good old days of Greenday not the yuppie bullshit they play now), add the sweet voice of Patsy Cline, and put it all into a small sexy version of Bonnie Raitt and that to me is Jesse Thomas. I was absolutely astonished by the talent she had. While small in stature her vocals and personality made her the tallest person in the room. The way that she engaged the crowd with little jokes and her wonderful storytelling made me happy I showed up early for the opening act, even though she is so much more than that. Her lyrics (that I was pleasantly surprised to find in the sleeve of her new album "War Dancer") are grabbing and playful and with songs like "Fire", "You I Want", "Missed Connections (Oh My Dear)" and my new personal favorite "Sidewalk Ends" (which I believe she started off the show with) I was hooked from the jump. I can't say enough about how much I dig Jesse Thomas's musical style. So I think I am going to let her music speak for itself. Here are a few of the jams I was able to get a video of for you all to enjoy.

*I am only able to post 1 of the videos I shot of her that night because the other two recordings were crap. I think I was too close to the speaker. So here is "Fire" from the show as well as a few from Jesse's Youtube channel that really show her voice *

Next on the mic we have Keaton Simons. I have actually been a fan of Keaton's for a while now, having stumbled upon him a few years ago when I took my wife to a Jason Reeves show for her birthday. When I saw him open I knew he was someone to follow. Unfortunately for me I always seemed to miss him when he made his way to San Diego, so that made this show that much better for me. For those of you that have never heard of Keaton before allow me to enlighten you, his sound is very reminiscent of an era lost. Imagine B.B.King, Buddy Guy, Muddy Waters and add the styling of James Taylor & David Crosby, and put them all on the beach and that is Mr. Simons. If you haven't guessed by now he has a bluesy/surf sound that is full of great guitar licks and soulful lyrics that show his strengths as a writer and guitarist quite well. He started off his set with "Lift Me Up" and showed the crowd at Lestat's his crazy guitar chops as he shredded up and down the neck during one of the breakdowns in the song. I couldn't help myself and my head started to jerk along with each note, which I am sure freaked out the people around me and I quickly had to put that in check.

He then performed his playful tune "Masterpiece" that he wrote with Josh Kelley (brother of Lady Antebellum's Charles Kelley) that broke off into a bit of "I've Got a Woman" by Ray Charles and then the "King of Pop's" "The Way You Make Me Feel" and managed to get the rest of the crowd singing along....except for me...I don't do that...lol. He also played one of my favorite songs of his called "Unstoppable" which rocked because I was just seconds away from yelling it out, but I didn't want to be one of "those fans" so when he played it I said "YES" very loudly in my head.

Keaton also decided to play his song "Beautiful Pain" that I first saw him perform on YouTube with the amazingly talented Melissa Polinar. This was for me the first real listen to something that will be on Keaton's next album (date TBA). If the rest of the album is half as good as this song then we will have a great one on our hands. Especially if he decides to do more of that crazy "throat singing" he did in his final song of the evening "Mama Song". I didn't get to record that one for you because my damn phone died but I did manage to get these ones for you...

Now it's time for the main event, the reason the show that night came together...Josh Damigo and his new release "HOPE". I at this point was at my wits end because my damn phone would't allow me to take any videos only a few still shots, and I do mean a few. My phone was dead and turned off after I took my last picture, but the show must go on. Josh started his show off like any professional showman would....completely unexpected. As soon as Keaton was done with his set you hear the unmistakable sound of a banjo being strummed like a rocker on a flying v. When we all turned to see what was happening, there in the middle of the room was Josh Damigo and his little buddy Rob Deez standing on some chairs and shouting their collabo song "Alright" (the 1st song on the new album). The crowd was automatically hyped up and ready for the rest of the show....and it was a good thing too. Why? Well, Josh got on stage and told the crowd that he was going to perform the "Hope" album in its entirety. Yup. To Josh's credit he did give us permission to get up and go get some coffee or air seeing as how it was like a billion degrees in that little venue. I wish he would've handed out some air fresheners because some of these people smelled like a sun-scorched bucket of assholes due to the heat (descriptive enough for you).

While all of the songs are really good, there were some songs that stood out because of the way that they were performed and the words that he spoke before or after. One of the songs was "Portland", a song about how no matter what this girl did or where ever she went Josh would be in "Portland" loving her. This song struck a chord with my hopeless romantic side, because I know exactly what he must've been going through to write that song. He performed it with a delivery that made all the girls make a collective sigh as they fell in love with him. Another of these "stand outs" was his cover of Jim Croce's "I'll Have to Say I Love You in a Song" which came with a little back story about how AJ Croce (Jim's son) gave the OK for Josh to record it for the next album and even played piano on the track with him! That had to have been mind blowing for him or at least bladder shattering as Josh told the audience that he basically pissed himself when he heard the news (with good reason). There was a simple sincerity to the song that almost rivaled the late singer's version. I loved every note of it.

Josh's song "Never Gonna Let You Go" almost broke my heart from the moment he told us the story behind it (about his brother's coping with P.T.S.D.) and his heart wrenching performance. There were times that he almost broke down in the middle of the song but through strength of his own character, kept it together and finished the song. I had a VERY hard time keeping the tears in me because I have had to deal with many a friend and relative that have experienced this disorder and it is rough....to say the very least. It was a raw, unfiltered ballad that resonated deep within my heart. Every bellow showed a new layer of Josh and really drew me in further down the emotional rabbit hole that is the "Hope" album. He later tried to pick the mood up a bit with his anti-bully/revenge of the nerd song "Knock You Out" which had people laughing and rooting for this underdog kid that got tired of getting picked on, and decided to take a stand when the bully starts to pick on a little girl. The song was full of humor and whimsy and had plenty of playful jabs throughout. He finished his 17 song marathon set with the track "Don't Lose Hope" and wow was that a beautiful song. I don't want to give away too much suffice it to say there were a few more wet eyes by the time it was done.

As soon as the song ended and without a word Josh left the stage to a loud round of applause. I knew the night hadn't ended yet as Lou (Lestat's marvelous sound man) hadn't turned on the house music, which usually happens moments after the final act leaves the stage. Sure enough Josh hopped back on to play his song "Pocket Change" from his "Raw" album. I couldn't believe that he still had more in him. I mean 17 back to back songs was a lot to go through with little breathing time in between. I have to say that shows a lot about the work ethic that Josh has and the love for music that goes deep within him. I think that everyone will truly enjoy "Hope" as much as I do, and while the live show is great make sure to catch him live if you ever get the chance and tell him "The Penguin Gazette" sent you.

Until next time my friends.

Editor & Chief of The Penguin Gazette,
Rudy

#ARTintheYARD4 IT'S BAAAACCCKK!

2012-08-11T12:53:00.000-07:00

Hello everyone it's that time again where my house gets turned into an art studio for about 3 months for just 1 day of public fun, and this is your personal invite! I am talking of course about ART IN THE YARD 4! Last years event was a huge success and I'm hoping this year will be even bigger! This time even I will be getting in on the action with a few original paintings of my own!

Click here to see what last years event was all about....

*Here is a sneak peak of a what's in store...*

-Local San Diego artist showing one of a kind original artwork that will be on sale by:

Daniel Jaimes: A pencil/paint artist that will amaze you with his lifelike renderings specializing in "Pop Culture Movie Icons".

Oriya Davi: An "Outsider Artist" that provokes deep thoughts with each brush stroke.

-Student art work exhibits

Beto: A photographer and artist with an undeniable artistic eye and maturity that is far beyond his years.

Sierra Barnes: A budding young artist with introspective and a LOT to say with not enough canvas.

A very special piece by Loran Brantley: A young artist that paints with whimsy, humor, and a lot of spirit.

A few pieces of original artwork and maybe some photography by Rudolfo Flores (pssst that's me)

Not to mention at least 15 new paintings and hand made jewelry by the woman behind it all ANYA

Lizzy Boo Creations: Bringing you the HOTTEST styles in apron wear!

-Manny THE TACO GUY
Serving up some of the best street tacos in SD for five bucks you'll get 3 tacos of your choice! That 5 spot also gets you beverages, and a box of 4 small desserts that are hand made by ANYA!

*While supplies last so come early and make sure you get some cause once they are gone, THEY ARE GONE!*

-Open Mic
For those aspiring musicians and poets, we will have an open mic so bring an instrument and some talent and sign up to perform! Who knows with a little coaxing my ANYA might even get up and sing!

This is going to be a great family event and I hope everyone can make it!

Here are the details

Date: August 25th 2012 (SAT)

Time: 6:17 pm

Place: 4039 36th St.

San Diego, CA 92104

PLEASE COME IT WILL BE AWESOME!!!

ADMISSION IS FREE!!!

SEE YOU THERE!!!

Editor & Chief of The Penguin Gazette,
Rudy

Who's Got The Voice?

2012-08-11T04:49:00.001-07:00

Hey Everyone,

This is something new for me because I don't often relenquish power but I wanna try something...

If you think that you have an interesting story/restaurant review/ or Artist/Album that you want to get noticed submit an article about it along with any photos or videos to ThePenguinGazette@gmail.com and after a review from our staff (psst...that's me) you will take over ThePenguinGazette.com for a post! Here's the chance for all those aspiring bloggers or even the seasoned ghost writer to get noticed and be published on the "Web-er-Nets" and to impress your friends and make your enemies jealous!

So If you think you have what it takes, shoot me an email and lets get it going!

*Everything has a few rules*

1. When you submit an article supply your name (or pseudonym), website address, where you are from, and what you are doing with your life, along with any photos and videos that you have either taken yourself or have a reference site for (I AIN'T GETTING SUED!!!)

2. If it is a music review you should know that I am very selective about my tunes, so if I think it sucks....

3. I DO NOT EDIT!!!! If you submit it then be prepared for it to be posted as is. If you misspell it that's how it will be read. Remember the Internet is full of haters that take any chance to talk shit so be warned!

4. People have short attention spans so if you want to write a novel this is NOT the place for it. That being said if you want the post to be a 2-parter let me know and edit the post accordingly and it shall be done!

5. If you submit an article and it doesn't go up right away don't blow up my email! Unless I contact you to specifically say that it won't be posted then I WILL GET TO IT! When/If I use your post I will email you to inform you that its up. Blowing up my email will ensure that I tell you to bone off! DON'T DO IT!

Well there you go. That wasn't so bad was it? If you think you have what it take hit me up....hell even if you don't HIT ME UP! You never know you might get your shot!

Editor & Chief of The Penguin Gazette,
Rudy

p.s. One sure way to get your story posted is to follow me by email. Check the left side of the screen for details. If using the mobile app scroll to the bottom of the page and click "view web version" then look to the left.

2012 San Diego Spirits Festival

2012-08-08T17:53:00.000-07:00

Hey everyone it's that wonderful time of the year again, and NO I'm not talking about Christmas (it's August after all silly). I am of course talking about the 4th annual San Diego Spirits Festival!!! This wonderful event started back in 2009 by Liz Edwards, is known as a foodie/cultural and most of all a wine enthusiast's playground. Held on the BEAUTIFUL San Diego Bay August 25 -26, 2012, set against the extraordinary backdrop of the luminous Port Pavilion on Broadway Pier (DIRECTIONS), this festival is going to be the best place EVER for all the activities which include bartender competitions (insert Cocktail reference here), tastings, and for you socialites there will be some amazing PARTIES! This is gonna be a great place to connect and see what all the different brands have to offer. Join the best and brightest of the cocktail and culinary community to celebrate culture in San Diego. If you need more info click HERE.

Speaking of the brands here are a few of them just to wet your whistle a bit... Ozone Vodka, Pisco Porton, Java Juice, Milagro Tequila, Glenfiddich Whiskey, Conjure Cognac, El Cartel Tequila, Berentzen Liquors, Pink Pigeon Rum, Chinaco, Double Cross Vodka, Distillery 209 Gin, Spicebox Whiskey, Quint Sangria, Quick Strain Tinis, Naughty Cow Liqueur, Twisted Shots, Ron de Jeremy Rum, Magners Irish Cider, 619 Vodka, VeeV, Bendistillery’ s portfolio of award-winning small batch American vodkas and gins including Crater Lake Vodka, Cascade Mtn Gin, Mazama Vodka, Cofia Vodka, Tequila Sin Rival, Cocula Tequila, Nobeleza Tequila, Corazon Tequila, Semental Tequila, Mezcal Los Javis, Alquimia Organic Tequila, La Nina del Mezcal, Tequila Tres Mujeres, Tequila Dos Artes, Tequila Amor Mio, Whipsy, Fee Brothers Mixers, Partagas Cigars, Naked Juice, Joia All Natural Soda, Icelandic Water…with many more to come soon! So as you can see there will be no shortage of variety.....and GOOD TIMES!

FOODIES...don't think that they forgot about you! There will be some great demos by some outstanding chef's this year that will have everyone making "OOOH's and AHHHH's" and most importantly YUMMY noises when they are all said and done. The demos are going to be performed by executive chefs from leading local restaurants. Participating Chefs to include: Katherine Humphus of BO-beau kitchen and bar, Karl A. Prohaska of Handerly Hotel, Alberto Morreale of Fig Tree Café; Brandon Brooks of Sol Markets, Misty Birchall of PubCakes with a special presentation by Chef Tyler Stone just to name a few! I can already hear the tummy rumblings turn into one huge ROAR just from the thought!

What festival would be complete with out some sweet tunes to jam out to in the background. The people at the San Diego Spirits Festival have gathered some great acts to please the ears and make your day even better than expected. You will be serenaded by Alas de Mosca, Alex Arndt & Sonic Universe; Bruce Sanborn Band, Dirty Minds, Flash Point Rocks, Funky Munky, Jamilla, JC Villafan, Latex Grenade, Mathew Zeltzer, Sacha Boutros, and my friend Josh Damigo (his new album "Hope" will be out VERY SOON!). With this line up you will have a very hard time keeping your feet still so don't fight it and get your party on at the San Diego Spirits Festival!

This is going to be an event to be talked about for a while and for a LIMITED TIME you can get 30 BUCKS OFF THE TICKET PRICE by typing "PENGUIN" in the promo code before you check out. Click HERE to try that out! I know, I know YOU'RE WELCOME! You can thank me by RE POSTING, EMAILING, TWEETING,and SHARING THIS EVENT ON FACE BOOK for EVERYONE to see....but go ahead and get your tickets first!

Until next time...

Editor & Chief of The Penguin Gazette,
Rudy

Don't forget to sign up for the email list so you don't miss out on all the cool events! Just click the

Showtime at La CAVE

2012-07-28T04:21:00.000-07:00

A few nights back I had the pleasure of seeing a show in Costa Mesa (some of you may remember me plugging it last weekend) at a little spot called La CAVE. The show had a sort of "Singer-Songwriter/Acoustic Rock/R&B/Story Tellers" vibe to it. The show was headlined by "American Pie" actor Thomas Ian Nicholas, who you will see is also a VERY talented musician. He shared the stage with Jared Lee, who I will call a "Singer/Soul-Writer as you will soon hear. What I didn't know was that there was going to be a third act...or shall I say opening act that went by the name Laura Dowding. Let me tell you a bit about her.

Laura was a kind of unexpected delight for me. I say this because when she got on stage and started her set, I had no idea the show was starting. It was very abrupt, but cool because it quickly brought the crowd to a hush so they could listen. Laura's quirky sound and simplistic piano chops made her a fun way to start the show. She had a sweet tone to everything she sang as Ms. Dowding's voice was something like Feist meets a 40's Jazz singer with a side of Billy Joel. Her lyrics are poignant and punchy and very well structured. I unfortunately did not get the chance to speak to her but hopefully she is reading this post and appreciates the kind words. Here she is for your listening pleasure...

Our next artist I have talked about before in an older post, but because he, as they say on Twitter, "RAWKS" (and pretty damned hard I must say) he definitely deserves another go. I am talking about Mr. Thomas Ian Nicholas of the "American Pie" (and other) movie fame. Not a lot of people know that he has been making music for just as long as those "AP" movies. I have seen him perform a few times, and each time he brings the ROCK with him! You can see it run through him like tiny melodic bolts of electricity with every note he plays. I love watching an artist feel the music, and Thomas most assuredly does. His "on-stage" persona is that of an extremely seasoned musician, with his marksmen like timing and powerful voice that can fill the void of any concert hall. His acoustic/rock shows have a vibe that makes you feel like you are witnessing something intimate almost private. I recently got a copy of his latest EP and as soon as our schedules sync up, I will have another wonderful interview and EP review for you that you won't want to miss. Thomas is also getting ready for his first big UK tour and I want to be one of the many to wish him the best of luck and safe travels. Here he is performing some great tunes from the La CAVE show...

Last but in no way least, I got the chance to see Jared Lee. Talk about impressive! I really hadn't heard about him until Thomas told me that he would be a part of the show and that I should check him out. So when I looked him up on YouTube I knew I was in for one hell of a show! His soulful R&B style and catchy radio ready sound had me singing along to songs I didn't even know. Although when he did his rendition of the classic Boyz II Men song "End of the Road" (bringing 90's sexy back) it was all I could do to keep from belting it out in my "tone deaf karaoke" voice....really its like nails on a chalkboard sometimes. Jared also told us a bit about each of his songs and that gave everyone there another reason to think that this guy has something special. His Gavin Degraw/The Script style songwriting and buttery voice made me buy his EP "Falling Through Holes" just as soon as the show was over, and believe me you will hear more about that album soon! Before I get carried away (like I tend to do with amazing sounding artist) check out a few of these songs from his La CAVE set and enjoy. Oh yeah....YOUR WELCOME IN ADVANCE!

Well that wraps up this edition of The Penguin Gazette. I hope you all support new music and check these three out. Also be sure to check back with me to learn more about these and other new or "new to me" artists. You can find info on all these artists by following the following links.

So until we meet again, I hope you enjoyed the music!

Editor & Chief of The Penguin Gazette,

Rudy

Meet Thomas Ian Nicholas & Jared Lee this Tuesday At La CAVE!!!

2012-07-21T05:05:00.003-07:00

Hey everyone if you haven't heard Thomas Ian Nicholas of "American Pie" fame is going to be at La CAVE in Costa Mesa, CA this Tuesday July 24th along with Jared Lee doing an acoustic "story teller" show. If you haven't had a chance to hear these two you're in luck! You can catch them at La CAVE for FREE! That's right FREE. All you have to do is show up and show some LOVE and SUPPORT for great music and great people. This show is gonna be AWESOME!!!

If you are new to the TIN BAND experience here are a few clips to get you ready for Tuesday.

Thomas is currently getting ready for his first UK tour, which you can get some advance tickets for if you act now by clicking here http://t.co/VB1hWFFE. DO IT YOU KNOW YOU WANT TO! So if you want to see him, and you're in the UK get it on with TIN BAND. If you are not in the UK you've got 2 more chances to see him and La CAVE's show is gonna be a good one. La CAVE is a cozy venue that gets you right next to the music and the musicians even give you the chance to do a meet and greet after their sets! I can tell you from personal experience that Thomas puts on one hell of a show and you won't want to miss out!

Along with Thomas is RnB singer Jared Lee who's first radio single "It's Over" debuted at # 40 on "Adult Pop" BDS Chart August 29th, 2011, and is getting mass exposure by getting played all over the country! This single along with "Beautiful World" were recently featured on American Idol season 10, which helped make him Clear Channel Radio's "Artist to Watch - POP" on many US Top40 Radio websites! I have really only seen him on YouTube and I must say that I am impressed. Check Jared out and see for yourself! His voice is NICE!

See what I mean?.....NICE...and you get to see these two for FREE!!! THAT IS WHAT I AM TALKING ABOUT!!! So I know that I don't need to say anything else because you all already Googled the address for La CAVE and for those of you that haven't...

here are the details....

Tuesday, July 24th 9:30pm - 1:00AM

Thomas Nicholas Band
Jared Lee
and special guests
FOR AN INTIMATE ACOUSTIC STORY TELLERS NIGHT

La Cave
1695 Irvine Ave.
Costa Mesa, CA 92627.
Reservations: (949) 646-7944

I hope to see you all there!!!

Editor & Chief of The Penguin Gazette,

Rudy

The CITRUS Restaurant Review

2012-07-20T18:18:00.000-07:00

Taste buds are AMAZING little guys, aren't they? They are essential in sorting out the five (known) elements of taste perception: salty, sweet, bitter, sour and my favorite because of how it sounds UMAMI. They send information to your brain, and your brain sends the information to your mouth, and your mouth exclaims to the world YUM! On average, the human tongue has anywhere from 2000-8000 of these little guys and eating at CITRUS in the Hotel Valencia in San Antonio, Texas helps you use about 8001 of them!

CITRUS is contemporary American cuisine done the best way possible....FROM THE HEART! Overlooking the famous San Antonio Riverwalk, Chef Jeff Balfour (along with Chefs DJ Galindo, Mario Estrada, Halston Connella, and certainly NOT least Sam Tate) bring intuitive, creative menu ideas consisting mostly of the best locally grown ingredients and farm raised meats around. These culinary ARTISTS present plates that are parts Rorschach test and Rembrandt masterpiece and should be called "classically-abstract". The stark white plates are the perfect canvas for the deep thought provoking, unique, yet extremely familiar flavors that make their food not only museum worthy, but will put your mouth and heart through sensory overload!

I recently had the pleasure of eating at CITRUS while on some family business in San Antonio last week and I must say that I was a bit skeptical at first. Not because the reviews were horrible or anything like that, but because the restaurant had two main issues....

Issue # 1: The place was damn near empty when I showed up.

I chalked that up to the fact that it was a Monday evening about 2 hours before closing time.

Issue # 2: Its located in a HOTEL!!!

I don't know about most of you, but I have always had the WORST experiences with food from hotels. So needless to say when I realized we were going to a hotel to eat I was mortified and worried about my stomach's safety! I was apparently judging a cook book by its cover!

We (my wife, my cousin, and I) were seated at the front table and promptly brought bread, butter, ice cold water (MUCH NEEDED as it was a warm/MUGGY 85 degrees at 8pm) and THE MENU. The menu gives the option of a 3 or 4 course pre-fix, or a la carte pricing, and me being me I ordered the 4 course. Immediately after the first bite of my appetizer I pulled a note pad (normally I use the old noodle but I just turned 30, and they say the memory is the first to go!) and feverishly started writing down highlights of the meal. Trust me there were A LOT!

Allow me to give you the play by play....

FIRST: Crisp rock shrimp, garlic crystal butter

True to the Texas stereotype this appetizer was BIG. I could've had two of these and been set for the evening. Don't get me wrong, I am NOT complaining at all because I can eat shrimp all day. I love it when something this delicious is served in a huge portion. The shrimp was exquisitely prepared, it had clean flavors that blended wonderfully. Topped with green onions and rested above of a spicy but not overpowering garlic crystal butter the rock shrimp more than held their own! I would gladly order this again and again!

*Note* For those that don't know Crystal is a staple hot sauce for fried foods especially seafood. Crystal is right up there with Red Rooster for southern fried foods....at least that's my opinion.

SECOND: Roasted butternut squash soup, crisp pork, spiced cream

When this came to the table my mouth began to water just a little bit. Served in a shallow saucer with the diced crispy pieces of pork and spiced cream, the soup is poured in front of you and the aromas fill the air. The cream and pork were absolutely necessary to break up what could have been a cloyingly sweet dish. To me butternut squash soup, if given to big of a serving can almost be like taking a spoonful of maple syrup. That is why serving size is very tricky when it comes to this delicacy. This toed the line between too much and just right with out going over. The pork for me is what kept it in the clear, that extra bit of salty goodness did it's job of being amazing, as pork tends to be. The spiced cream was to die for! I originally thought that the flavor was going to get lost in the sweetness of the soup as a whole, but that bit of spice was beautiful. My only complaint about the dish was in the serving dish. The bowl, while pretty, was a bit hard to eat from because it was a bit shallow and made it a bit difficult to get on the spoon. Aside from that this dish was HEAVENLY!

THIRD: Pan roasted south Texas antelope, Texas Peppers, honey-chipotle potato puree, and chiffonade mustard greens

Yup you read that correctly ANTELOPE!!! The robust smokey flavor was only seconded by the extreme tenderness of the meat. It almost had the consistency of a fresh baked loaf of bread, odd description right? Let me explain, it was warm and soft with a bit of toasted buttery crunch on the outside, but still had a thick and hearty feel to it in the mouth. Did I make any sense there? The antelope was cooked to a medium rare, which is usually a bit underdone to me but in this case was perfect as the waitress told me that any more done and the meat would have become tough and chewy. It was topped with a slightly spicy BBQ sauce (hey you didn't think I'd leave Texas with out some BBQ, did you?) and set atop some of the best mustard greens I've had in years. Normally I find mustard greens to be very bitter, but CITRUS proved me wrong about that. They were mixed with some beautiful diced bacon and bell peppers that made the greens a treat that I will try to recreate at a later time (only to fail miserably I'm sure because I'm probably missing some spices).

Then just when I thought that this meal couldn't get any better I got to the puree!!! WOW!!! If the antelope was the lead then the honey-chipotle puree surely would have won the Oscar for best supporting actor! Sweet with a hint of kick in the background and a honey-orange hue for the eyes, it was almost like eating whipped clouds at sunset. I was and am in complete awe of the flavors they were able to develop and seemingly master! So much so that the very next evening when we went back for desserts, I opted to get this whole portion of the meal again because dinner AFTER dinner is the best!

FOURTH: Hazelnut cheese cake, salted caramel/ Banana spring rolls, mango puree with orange cheese mousse

This brings me to the dessert portion of the meal, a section I would like to call "The Sweet Kiss Goodnight". My wife and I are what you would call "cheesecake snobs" because we have had some really OUTSTANDING cheesecakes in our time as well as our fair share of awful ones. So when I saw that CITRUS offered a hazelnut with salted caramel cheesecake, I was intrigued to say the least. This decadent piece of bliss has been put in my book as one of the more masterfully done sweet treats I have ever had, and the best cheesecake I have ever had in the US (I am fairly well traveled so that says something) second only to one that I had during my adventures in Rome.

The what seemed to be a chocolate drenched slice was deceptively light in chocolate flavor. This is perfect for me as I am not often a huge chocolate fan. Each bite lingered just enough to leave me wanting another before I was finished with the first. The hazelnut flavor was noticeable but not too strong and the filling itself was creamy, rich, and some of the lightest I've had in a long time. Now as far as I'm concerned the crust on a cheesecake is almost as if not more important than the filling. Some of you now think I'm nuts, but think about it. If you get through a delicious bite of cheesecake only to come to a bland or in some cases bitter crust that is dry as powder at the end, doesn't it leave a bad after-taste in your mouth? It's almost enough for me to not take a second bite...almost. This was not the case here because they managed to not only make the crust exceedingly well but it was exciting to boot. Sweet with a nutty after-taste and best of all it was moist...not soggy...but moist and "heaven-full" (so heavenly it has to be sinful...it's a new word....spread it around).

By far the best dessert that was had that night (my wife and I had the cheesecake) went to my cousin's dish. She ordered the banana spring rolls. Talk about an OMG moment (yup good food turns me into a 17 yr old girls cellphone text). They were crispy fried bits of AMAZING! The spring rolls were fried very well and I know that when you think of fried foods you think super heavy, but again they managed to make them light and delicate. The bananas were sweet with a slight caramelized taste and paired perfectly with the mango puree and the coconut shavings that brought a taste of the tropics to your mouth via San Antonio. Now let me tell you about this mousse...this beautiful, oh so tasty orange cheese mousse....my mouth salivates at the thought. Everything that could have been done right surely was with this mousse. The planets aligned, the stars were brighter, and angels surely held the hands of the master chefs that prepared this for us. Seriously this felt like a velvet dream. Cool, and comforting like a hug from your best friend and your Grandmother rolled into one. It was sweet and rich without going overboard with either. These guys really know how to pull a meal together with their final touches. If we could all eat this dessert...well... WE COULD SAVE THE WORLD!!!

Needless to say I am more than pleased with CITRUS and absolutely guarantee that you will be too. So if you are in the San Antonio area around dinner time please stop by and tell them The Penguin Gazette highly recommends this place! DO IT.....DO IT NOW!!!!

Before I go I want to say a special THANK YOU to the two chefs that made my evenings the stuff of legends. They even came to the table to introduce themselves and great praise should be given to them for their talents (PSST....I'm talking to you Chef Balfour....THESE GUYS ROCK!!!). I am talking about the talents of Chef Sam Tate and Chef Halston Connella. Both of these Chefs deserve high honors for the care and love they give to each plate. You can tell that this is their passion, their dream, and I feel honored to have shared that with them. They are Top Chefs in my eyes. Thank you sirs and may our paths cross again someday...for my stomachs sake!!!

Editor & Chief of The Penguin Gazette,
Rudy

"Come Home To Me" The Ernie Halter Interview

2012-05-15T16:56:00.000-07:00

If any of you have been reading this blog from the beginning, you already know about the artist in the headline. Ernie Halter is a singer/songwriter out of the LA area, who's music has the ability to tug hard at your heart strings as well as "Bring Sexy Back" by writing songs that as he puts it are in the "baby-making key". I love that...

I really can't say enough about how great Ernie's music is. The thing that bothers me most about Ernie is the fact that I didn't hear of him first....no that one goes to my wife. She found him on accident and she owes it all to General Hospital. She kept hearing this beautiful song being played when Maxi and Spinelli where "hooking up" (see what I mean about that baby making key?), anyway she kept hearing it and hearing it until finally she hopped online to find out who it was. When she went to the GH message boards Ernie's name was all over it. People were buzzing about this song and when Anya (my wife) let me hear "Close Your Eyes and Wander", I was buzzing too! I know his throngs of fans know the song already but for you "newbies" here you go...

Since hearing him for the first time we (Anya and I) have gone to every show of his that we could get to. That includes driving up to LA to catch him only to drive home at 1am to be up for work by 7am...if that's not stalkerish crazy fanatical dedicated, I don't know what is. I guess we really are "HALTERTOPS" (what they call the fans). I think a lot of our dedication has to do with the fact that he is a genuinely nice guy. Every time we come to a show he greets us with a warm hello and a big hug. More importantly he remembers our names. That means that he really cares about his friends and fans alike (we like to think we are a bit of both). Speaking of up coming shows follow this link to find out when Ernie will be coming to a town near you! In the mean time enjoy some of these videos from his last show at Lestat's in San Diego....

I recently sent Ernie an email to ask him a few questions, check out what he had to say....

The Ernie Halter Interview

1. When did you fall in love with music?

I was 6. My older brother introduced me to the Beatles Abbey Road and I was hooked, still am.

2. When did you realize that music was something that you wanted to do with your life?

Was fortunate enough to attend a summer program that Berklee College of Music put on for young kids. I was 16 or 17 and surrounded by musicians for the first time in my life. I knew that this would be a part of my life forever and never looked back.

3. How did you get your real (payed) gig and what do you remember about it?

One of my first paid gigs was a coffee shop in Fullerton CA called Al Cappuccino's. I didn't have a PA, so I bought cables at Radio Shack and rigged it up to play my guitar through my home stereo. I made 25 bucks and some free coffee.

4. Since I first heard of you a few years ago, I've noticed not only your fan base growing but the list of artist you have gotten to work with has been pretty intense. I've seen videos of you on stage with last season's Voice winner Javier Colon, and I have been to a concert with you and Tony Lucca of this years season.With all the talent that you are surrounded by can you think any of "tricks of the trade" you've picked up along the way?

I learn something from every artist I tour with, every writer I write with. I learned a lot about my voice from Javier Colon and Matt Cusson. They're my singing mentors. I learned a lot about songwriting from Tony Lucca, by hearing him perform every night and get an insight into his influences. The storytelling that's become a big part of my shows I picked up a great deal from my friend Tyrone Wells.

Ernie and Tony Lucca "Bed Intruder"

5. Who influences you lyrically? I ask this because you have written words that have brought tears to my eyes (not an easy task), on several occasions.

Thank you! I think : ] I co-write a lot, So depending on the song I may have had more or less of a hand at the lyrics. Lately though I'm much more lyrically driven than I have been. I'm influenced by a lot of Nashville writers, both established country acts as well as indie singer-songwriters. Sean McConnell, Andy Davis, Jeffrey Steele, Hilary Lindsay, etc.

6. If you could work with ANY 5 artists from the past or present and any producer to make the album of a lifetime, who would they be and why?

Stevie Wonder, Bonnie Raitt, Elvis Costello, Paul McCartney, James Taylor. Because they are unbeatable.

7. When you write a song what comes first for you, the lyrics or the music?

In the past, music. Now lyrics more so. Often I'll get a chorus of a song, and it comes as both lyrics and music together. Then I finish it in pieces or co-write the rest.

8. With your last album, Franklin & Vermont, was there a specific message/feeling that you wanted your listeners to come away with or was it more of a compilation of AMAZING songs?

Thank you! I wanted the record to convey an overall relaxed and organic vibe. Since Starting Over was a bit edgier . I wanted the writing to be more personal, and included a lot ukulele layered into the tracks. Close mic'ed the vocals for a very intimate sound.

9. Speaking of AMAZING songs, you recently debuted a newer song titled "Ask Me" at your last Lestat's concert. You gave us a brief description of how the song came to be (writing group online), what I want to know is who did you write it for? I ask because it almost sounds like its dedicated to someone...or is that just me?

The spark was an assignment from songwriting email group I'm in. We get the title sent to us each week and have 3 days to write, record, and upload the track. The title we were sent was "Asking For Help". The inspiration for the lyric is about a fan that I know, who's been having a rough time lately.

"Ask Me"

10. For those that don't know, can you explain the Justin/Ernie story that was all over the web-er-nets awhile back?

http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1664291/ernie-halter-justin-bieber.jhtml

11. When do you think fans can start checking for a new album?

Hard to say. Ideally I'd like to start recording this summer.

12. Where do you want to see your music in the years to come?

I want to keep growing as a writer. Getting more honest and more skilled at the craft. Professionally I would like to continue touring while writing for other artists as well.

13. Last question....its a doozy....If you had 1 quote that you would want to be known for saying, that would define your existence (son, husband, brother, father, friend, and artist), what would it be?

Honestly, not sure exactly how to answer this. I will say that I view life as a big classroom. Every day is a lesson and a chance to learn something. Time is precious, and I take every opportunity to grow. As a musician, as a husband, as a dad, and generally as a human being.

Well everyone that just about wraps up this edition of The Penguin Gazette, but before I go I would like to thank Ernie for allowing me the chance to interview him and for always putting on amazing shows! If anyone in the San Diego area would like to see Ernie LIVE he will be performing this Thursday (May 17th 2012...MY ANNIVERSARY)....

8:30 pm

Ernie Halter in San Diego

Lestat's Coffee House: 3343 Adams Ave., San Diego, CA (MAP)

$12

PLEASE come and check him out!!!!

www.erniehalter.com (Official Site)

www.twitter.com/erniehalter (500,000 Followers)

www.youtube.com/erniehalter (10,000 Subscribers)

Until next time.

Editor & Chief of The Penguin Gazette,

Rudy

Banh for MI, Banh for You

2012-04-25T17:45:00.000-07:00

So you guys know that I have this addiction right? It's not drinking or drugs, but it is an addiction. I'm addicted to GOOD food! There I said it...I feel a little better. To be more exact I love GOOD, CONVENIENT food. I'm talking about my favorite mobile gems...THE FOOD TRUCK. I have spoke about them before but I have a brand new one for you guys and they go by the name of Hoangie's (pronounced "Who-ong-ee's) and they make some of the best Banh Mi sandwiches I've had in years!

For those that don't know what a Banh Mi is let me hip you to some wiki knowledge...

Bánh mì or bánh mỳ (English pronunciation: /ˈbʌn ˌmiː/, Vietnamese pronunciation: [ɓǎɲ mî]) is a Vietnamese term for all kinds of bread. Bread, or more specifically the baguette, was introduced by the French during its colonial period. The bread most commonly found in Vietnam is single serve and resembles a torpedo, therefore the term bánh mì is synonymous with this type of bread. The bánh mì is usually more airy than its western counterpart, so as a result, has a thinner crust.
The sandwich made from bánh mì include meat and soy fillings such as steamed, pan-roasted or oven-roasted seasoned pork belly, Vietnamese sausage, grilled pork, grilled pork patties, spreadable pork liver pâté, pork floss, grilled chicken, chicken floss, canned sardines in tomato sauce, soft pork meatballs in tomato sauce, head cheese, fried eggs, and tofu. Accompanying vegetables include fresh cucumber slices, cilantro and pickled carrots and daikon in shredded form. Spicy chili sauce is normally found in bánh mì sold by vendors in Vietnam. In western countries, especially the U.S., the chili sauce has been replaced with sliced jalapeños, a type of chili pepper that is not grown and consumed in Vietnam. In southern Vietnam, homemade mayonnaise is commonly added to the sandwich. Laughing Cow cheese is also a popular filling in Vietnam.
Abroad, bánh mì shops can be found in areas with a Vietnamese immigrant community. The sandwich has become more accepted by mainstream populations in certain urban centers.
Although the term "bánh mì" itself only means bread without any fillings, the term is used to refer to a type of meat-filled sandwich found in Vietnamese bakeries abroad, especially in the US, Canada, Australia, France where there are substantial Vietnamese populations. more.....

These guys are AWESOME! The first night I saw them at Tasty Truck Tuesdays in North Park, I knew it was gonna be love at first bite! I got the "MOO" that is made with some very good quality pepper steak (and a healthy amount too I might add) inside a airy french baguette, accompanied by a spicy aioli sauce and french butter with pickled daikon radish, carrots, cilantro, sliced jalepenos and cucumber. The sandwich is spicy at first, but the cooling vegetable medley brings it all back to centerand get you ready for the next bite. I usually end up getting extra aioli sauce and some hot sauce because I like spicy stuff, even though my heart burn tells me otherwise. These guys makes some mean egg rolls too, just stuffed with meat and so ridiculously flavorful and not even the least bit greasy. The crunch is great too! I always find myself eating these two things. I will try new things, I will try new things, I WILL TRY NEW THINGS!!!

Side Note: I GET HEART BURN FROM BREATHING SOMETIMES....

Anyways I asked the crew some questions about their business...

1. What are the names of everyone on the truck?

The names of everyone on the truck are Jenny, Michael and Ken. We are all siblings! Jenny being the oldest sibling, then Michael and then Ken.

2. Who started the truck and who's the owner?

We all had ideas about opening a family restaurant over 2 years ago and everyone had equal share of the truck. We are partners.

3. What made you start the truck?

We love Banh Mi and we felt that we wanted to represent San Diego in having a Banh Mi food truck.

4. How long have you been making your creations?

We have made and been eating Banh Mi's all of our lives. Banh Mi is a standard food in our every day diet and we just wanted to share it with everyone!

5. What are some of your signature items and the imspiration behimd them?

Our signature items are the Hoangie Moo which consist of a lean cut of rib eye steak, a Hoangie Oink which is a sweet pork shoulder, a Hoangie Doodle do which is a free ranged white meat chicken breast and a Hoangie Tofu. Our mom's pork egg rolls are pretty awesome as well!

6. Where do you see your business in the next few years?

First and foremost, our primary goal is to satisfy San Diegans with our food and service. Within the next few years, we hope to either open up a second food truck or even open up a family restaurant introducing our parent's home cooked meals that we were so lucky to have grown up eating everyday.

7. If you had to describe your company in 10 words what would they be?

Family, fresh, healthy, delicious, fun, loud, friendly, ambitious, caring, and unique.

If you guys are ever in the San Diego area find these guys...matter of fact....yeah my stomach is rumbling so I am going to take my own advice...I need some MOO in my face...RIGHT NOW!!!

Editor & Chief of The Penguin Gazette,
Rudy

CREATURES OF THE HEART: Album Review & Artist Interview

2012-04-08T12:31:00.000-07:00

Hey Cool Birds,

Some of you may have read my concert review of Javier Colon last month. Those of you that did got a quick glimpse of a guy that goes by the name of Reed Waddle. An impressive singer/songwriter out of New York, whose lyrics are smart, touching, and will have you tapping your feet while playing a soothing form of "air guitar" and wishing for a game called "Coffee Shop Hero"....That would probably come out for the Wii and be smash (LISTEN UP NINTENDO I'M GIVING YOU GOLD HERE). Here is a quick snippet of that post and you can read the rest too if your interested....

"What do you get when you cross some James Taylor and Dave Matthews? No, not James Matthews or Dave Taylor. You get a crazy wonderful hybrid of both mixed with other influences named Reed Waddle. When he first took the stage at Anthology's ( I know, I know...) in San Diego, CA my wife and I both had our fingers crossed that he was going to be good. Good was an understatement! From the first strum of his guitar and the sound of his voice Reed had us hooked! His songs tell stories of love, wanting and travels far from home and you can hear the mix of southern country and the New York Indie Rock scene"..... more here.

Well I recently got the opportunity to catch up with him via email for an interview and an album review of CREATURES OF THE HEART, Reed's latest release available here. After listening to the album pretty much non-stop for at least 3 weeks after the show, and learning almost every word (so I could massacre the songs when I was alone in my car), it's safe to say that this album is a must buy. If you like the artists that I mentioned above then you are going to love this album! It is NOT one of those over produced records that people like myself would rip apart song by song. No, you can tell that this was a labor of love for Reed and the other musicians that backed him up. Every song was handled with the kind of care that a mother would give a new born.

With songs like "Lovers and Strangers", "Standing Tall in Boston", "Worn Out Shoes" and my personal favorite because of a perfectly placed "OLLY-OLLY-OXEN-FREE" (WHO DOES THAT?! LOVE IT!), "Lay Your Body Down", this album has 11x the amount of hit singles than most do. Honestly, I really can't say enough wonderful things about CREATURES OF THE HEART. It's rare to find an album that you can go from track 1 to 11 and wish there was more, but are excited to listen to from the beginning all over again. I would definitely add this album to my "Singer/Songwriter Desert Island Mix"....yup it is that good. Just so you can hear how good he is, take a listen to him playing my jams...

Like I said earlier I also got an Interview with Reed, CHECK IT OUT....

1. When did first start playing guitar and writing songs?

I first started playing guitar when I was about 14. I was fortunate enough to grow up around guitars my whole life. My dad was a songwriter before he had me and always told tales of being on the road and the joys of connecting to people with songs. When I was little he would play and I loved it. He tried to get me to play when I was about 9, but I was not interested in it. I liked sports. Then one summer I went to camp and all the "cool" kids were playing guitar, so I learned a few chords..I think the first song I ever really remember learning was "Brown Eyed Girl" or some Pearl Jam song. Once I got the hang of that, there was no looking back..the torch had been passed, or lit at least.

2. When did you realize music was what you wanted to do with your life?

Music has always been a part of my life. I didn't really know that I would pursue it until I was in high school I guess. I had gotten pretty decent at guitar and singing by then, or at least I thought so. There was this talent show that someone entered me in when I was a senior and I needed a talent. I figured it was about time I started writing my own tunes, since it was in my blood and all. I wrote this song called "Rush In" and thought it was a masterpiece..it obviously wasn't, but it was a very important moment for me. It's what made me realize I could write a song. Everybody liked it and that feeling was something I wanted more of. When I went to college, my songwriting really flourished. My parents were and still are very supportive which made the pursuit of my dream seem not so completely nuts. By the time I was a junior or so, I knew after graduating I was all in to make it as a musician.

3. What do you remember about your first "gig"?

I guess my first gig was kind of by accident. My friend had this band. They had gigs all the time and I would sometimes play along just for fun. One time, him and his guitar player got into a little fight, like bands tend to do. They had a "battle of the bands" coming up and needed someone to play along and possibly sing some harmonies. He asked me to do it and I figured, why not. I remember knowing that I could help make it sound better than it did. The songs sounded good and the harmonies were what worked the best. If you would have asked me if I could sing, I would have said no. We somehow ended up winning the competition..looking back now, I really wonder how that happened..but it was a truly great experience. I remember my mom coming up to me saying. "I didn't know you could sing so well", I remember saying, "neither did I!"

A year later or so, we were asked to play at a spring carnival at our church. My friend ended up getting frustrated in the middle of a song because he missed a few chords and walked off stage..which left me solo. Only did I know that this was to be my first of many solo gigs to come. I remember thinking, well I need to do something..so I did,..and I loved it. I played a Bob Dylan song and remember thinking, I can do this. I'll always remember that moment, kind of stepping out on my own for the first time..and really, really enjoying it.

4. What is the one thing you miss most about home when you are on tour?

I have moved around a lot in the past 3 years or so. I am originally from Florida. I miss the familiar smells of where I am from. The ocean, jasmine, rosemary..my mom grew a lot of herbs in her garden. Whenever I smell rosemary, I think of home instantly..it's oddly comforting. I moved to Colorado, then Boston, and now I live in NYC, so home has been a few places. I really enjoy being on the road,..every day is an adventure. You end up meeting amazing people, some you stay in touch with and some you may never see again. There is a saying about touring I heard once. When you are on the road, you miss home..and when you are at home, you miss being on the road. I guess that could have a much deeper meaning, but I try to live in the present all the time..especially when traveling. Sleeping in your own bed is a pretty amazing thing though!

5. Who would you say are your top 5 influences on your musical style?

I always stink at this one..

Dave Matthews has to hover above these because his songs were some of the first I ever really wanted to learn how to play..

5. Ton Petty
4. James Taylor
3. Neil Young
2. Bob Marley
1. The Beatles

6. How did you get your inspiration for your new album?

This album was different from other records I have made in the past. For one, it brought me to the greatest city on earth..New York City..which is inspiring in and of itself. It was also cut live at Sear Sound, an amazing studio where John Lennon, Stevie Wonder, you name it all made records. The album is called "Creatures of the Heart" and started when someone said you don't really have any love songs..so I thought I would take off on that. Not every song is about love, but most of them have something to do with love and where it comes from, where we come from..and why we are all connected. I take songwriting very seriously, sometimes to a fault. To me, it is digging to the deepest part of yourself and trying to connect to the rest of the human race..quite a daunting task when you think about it :). My producer Iestyn Polson had a lot to do with this record. He found the players, and kind of was my welcome wagon to NYC. We made this record together and it's the most fun I have ever had recording anything. I can't wait to make another one!

7. Of all of your songs on this album, which one do you like to perform the most?

I like them all, some more that others, but..I guess..Twice the Speed of Sound..it's just fun to play with a band. I don't get to do that very often, but when I do I really try to enjoy it as much as I can.

8. How long did this album take from, the writing all the way to final production?

The recording of the album took about 5 days. We over dubbed guitars and bg vocals for about 3 weeks on and off. Then we mixed it for about a week. So total time was about 5 weeks. I waited a bit to actually release it. Cutting it live makes all the difference. It keeps it fun, a living breathing moment captured that you can add to if you like or just leave alone. It keeps it fun most importantly. The other way is doing it like a puzzle, piece by piece and track by track..which is also fun..but it becomes more of a project lining things up as opposed to letting things rip..The next record I make will definitely be cut live.

9. Who helped you in making "Creatures of the Heart" as amazing as it is?

A lot of people helped make this project possible. My band, 4 guys I had never met before really stepped up. All of them are total pros and without them, it wouldn't be the record that it is. My producer, Iestyn Polson was kind of the coach, the navigator of the bus that I wanted to drive. My dad is the reason I went to NY, he gave me the confidence that I could do it and has helped me with every record I have made..he even has played on most of my old ones..Gar Ragland introduced me to Iestyn about a year ago. Gar runs an awesome label called New Song Music and holds a songwriting competition every year. I did it a few years back and was one of the winners and we stayed in touch ever since. Zach Hancock mixed the record and did an amazing job. He really poured his heart into it..everyone who was part of the record did and I think that's part of what makes it great.

10. In the future, who would you most like to tour and work with on upcoming albums?

I will tour with anyone who believes in what they are doing and has an audience that will listen..but people I think I would go well with? Brett Dennen, Jack Johnson, Jackie Green, Shawn Colvin, Dave Matthews, David Gray, I'd love to meet James Taylor and would probably wet myself if I ever got to even shake Neil Young's hand. I really enjoy Bon Iver, I'm glad the world recognizes a band like that..we need it. I love Fleet Foxes, The Head and the Heart, a lot of bands coming out of Seattle right now. There is so much great music out there though. I love an artist that has a powerful band, but is equally if not more powerful when they are by themselves. I'd love to tour and record with anyone who comes from the heart, with purpose. That's what I try to do.

I want to say "THANK YOU" to Reed for giving me the chance to pick his brain about his experiences in making the album and his touring life. It was awesome to meet him and I can't wait for him to come back to San Diego. Like we said at the show, the home cooked meal offer stands.

Editor & Chief of The Penguin Gazette,

Rudy

The Soda Bar

2012-04-03T17:47:00.003-07:00

Hey everyone its time again for another wonderful edition of The Penguin Gazette. First, allow me to apologize for the tardiness of this post, as the last few weeks have been a whirlwind of shit. To make a long story short, and to wet some appetites, there's been birthdays, deaths, days that have felt like death, cops, and some of the most amazing food I've ever had the pleasure of eating, but that is for another time. Right now I want to get some shit off my chest.

Last Wednesday 3/22/12 my wife and I went to the Soda Bar in San Diego to watch a performance by the amazingly soulful Allen Stone. Unfortunately I'm not going to be telling you about the concert because I NEED to tell you about all the bullshit that happened prior to and during the show. Also I will tell you why I NEVER want to go to Soda Bar again! The thing that sucks about that is A it's right around the corner from my house, and B if they keep bringing acts like Allen Stone then I will have to go back. Kind of a catch 22 (damned if I do and damned if I don't). Anyways here we go...

Lets start off with tickets...So Anya purchased our tickets back in January when we heard about the show and had them placed on "Will Call" at the venue. That's almost 2 months ahead of schedule, so you can imagine how pissed off we were when we got to the venue and they told us that the will call list wasn't even printed yet! Let's put this into perspective, we showed up to the place almost an hour (6pm and the doors open at 7pm) before the doors were supposed to open and the place was already getting filled with people and the seats were going quick! Another thing that pissed us off was my wife got an email pretty much telling her that we could pick up our tickets and be let in at 7. That was a crock of shit! The only people they let in that had this magical VIP ticket. We didn't see an option to buy that on the website for the venue but I guess it was on Allen's site, so boo on Soda bar for not making that option available and boo on us for not checking.

Now the wait starts...So we waited outside while we watched people go in and get all the good spots, and while we waited and the line grew and grew....and grew, we noticed a group of people that decided that waiting in line ( BEHIND US ) was something they didn't want to do. They hung out in front and the only thing that ran through my head was "If that door opens and they try to step in before us...someones going to get their head smashed into the wall". Sounds a bit extreme but we had been the first ones in line for almost 2 hours now and I'll be damned if I'm gonna let someone just post up like they owned the place. So the closer it came to the venue opening the more pissed I got and the more people behind us (IN LINE WHERE THEY SHOULD'VE BEEN) started to notice these line hopping bastards, and as we do when we want to be noticed but don't want to be directly rude to people....we had LOUD CONVERSATIONS with each other. REALLY LOUD! We started saying the classic things like "I KNOW THEY BETTER NOT" and "WOW, I GUESS THE LINE ISN'T GOOD ENOUGH FOR SOME PEOPLE" (yes you can add your head and neck snapping attitude where its needed). Its always funny how they try to pretend like they don't hear you.

Well lucky for them 2 things happened. Thing 1 our friend Midori showed up and actually knew these people and introduced us to them and while part of me still wanted to cause them harm, Midori has a way of defusing situations so that was good. Thing 2 when the doors opened they did the right thing and stepped to the left and we walked in. Good thing because the line behind us which had all but turned into an angry mob due to the fact that we weren't let in until almost another hour after they originally told us they were gonna open to us "NoN VIP" people, and I don't think they were gonna stand for "cutters". So that problem dealt with we proceeded to enter...HIPSTER HELL!!

Hipster Hell: A small dingy gathering spot (normally a bar or apple store) where skinny jean, oversized glasses, ugly sweater, Tony Rich hat wearing, scruffy hair having people congregate to complain about their societal woes, drink Pabst (the cheapest swill out there) and praise their almighty IPhones. All the while thinking they are "Trend Setters" because they are not doing trendy things and are individuals...JUST LIKE EVERYONE ELSE!

I swear everywhere I turned I saw another reason to stay childless and sterile because if I was the cause of one of these pretentious fucks I would shoot myself , while jumping off the tallest building I could find but not before I gave myself a million paper cuts and dipped each of those cuts into a salt and lemon mixture....yeah...its just like that. Matter of fact if you are one of these people or know any of these people...STOP IT!!! NO ONE LIKES YOU...UNLESS THEY ARE JUST LIKE YOU...IN THAT CASE....PUNCH THEM AND YOURSELF IN THE FACE....RIGHT NOW...GO AHEAD, I'LL WAIT............................but I digress.

I don't know what it is about bars that try to be music venues but everyone I've gone seem to have the worst sound. This one was no different. It sounded like their sound guy was Hellen Keller....yeah figure that out. The acts would do a sound check and everything would sound ok but when it came time to play the gig you could barely hear the singers. If you didn't already know the words you were not going to learn them at the show that's for sure. Hell, it was hard to hear the actual music because everything was so mashed together sound wise that it was more noise than music. By the way...LOUDER DOESN'T ALWAYS EQUAL BETTER. I know people say "if it's too loud, your too old", but damn that. Sometimes shit is just too loud to make any sense out of or to appreciate.

To make a really long story short, if you're a musician and you're coming to San Diego please go somewhere other than the Soda Bar! PLEASE!!! You are NOT going to sound good and your fans are more likely to be pissed than satisfied. Mix that with the hipsters and the overflow of booze and you might have a riot on your hands.

Editor & Chief of The Penguin Gazette,
Rudy

The Javier Colon Experience

2012-03-07T00:35:00.000-08:00

So if any of you have been watching TV you've seen ads for NBC's "The Voice", well a few nights back I got to see season 1 winner Javier Colon and his band of merry and very talented men. Before I get to that I want to tell you about a man by the name of Reed Waddle....THE OPENER...

What do you get when you cross some James Taylor and Dave Matthews? No, not James Matthews or Dave Taylor. You get a crazy wonderful hybrid of both mixed with other influences named Reed Waddle. When he first took the stage at Anthology's ( I know, I know...) in San Diego, CA my wife and I both had our fingers crossed that he was going to be good. Good was an understatement! From the first strum of his guitar and the sound of his voice Reed had us hooked! His songs tell stories of love, wanting and travels far from home and you can hear the mix of southern country and the New York Indie Rock scene.

Along with the occasional bit of Dylan-esk phrasing and a Sting-like timbre I knew I needed to have his album as I was positive that I could listen to it from front to back. Mid way through the performance I found myself trying to sing along with him but there were two problems, I didn't know the words....and I can't sing. Oh but I wanted to sing so badly, I guess it has something to do with the fact that his music has that familiarity that makes you sing along like you've known it for years Every syllable rings true and through to my soul. Reed has the ability to write songs that make you feel like you lived the experiences he is singing about.

There is something very knowing about Reed Waddle's music, and as corny as this may sound....get ready....I know Reed's Lady Antebellum genre is going to propel him into greatness...it's true...corny sounding but true. Here is a video I shot during the performance. I would have shot others but I was so captured by him that I couldn't get the phone out to catch others. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did and help support him and his music by visiting his site and buying the new album entitled Creatures of the Heart!

By the way I bought Reed's album and I LOVE IT! If you are reading this please contact me as I would love to do an album review and interview with you!!! Contact info is above.

Next on the mic was the main event Javier Colon or "Javier" for those of us that knew him before The Voice (pssst I knew about him before and have been wanting to see him perform since his first album). For those of you that didn't know about him prior to his breakthrough performances on The Voice here he is at Anthology's singing his first single from the "Javier" album named "Crazy"...

Let me tell you he did NOT disappoint! His voice still sounded as silky smooth as I remembered. Every roll was perfectly placed and when he was silent you could hear it clear across the room. As the crowd went wild with every song from the neo/soul crooner, you could see that he was genuinely thankful for the experience. It is almost as if he doesn't know how wonderful he is. Which is very cool because there is nothing I hate more than when an artist lets everything go to his/her head and treats the audience as if they don't deserve to be in the same room with them let alone be witness to their personal talent....sorry having some flashbacks of bad concerts....won't happen again.

I find it funny and very rare that I am at a loss for words, but Javier's performance at times left me completely speechless and at other times I couldn't say enough (almost to the point of getting shushed by people around me). At one point during a performance of Bonnie Raitt's " I Can't Make You Love Me" (which he stated was the first time he played that out for an audience), I found myself on the verge of tears. Even though It may have been just a cover to some of the people in the room, you could almost feel the pain and heartache being drawn from his soul. Almost as if he not only wrote the hauntingly beautiful song, but....it's like he lived it. His pain became mine and I had to drink my soda to keep a tear from falling...absolutely amazing.

He almost got me a second time (I'm sensitive, so what? You wanna make something of it?) with his audition song from The Voice. He sang "Time after Time" made famous by the 80's pop star Cyndi Lauper. Now when someone does a song that everyone knows and is part of a generation's timeline, they damn well better be able to take it to another level. Well "another level" doesn't even begin to describe how far he took this song. Javier or the newly coined "Javier Colon" won himself not only The Voice with this song as the starter, but a whole new group of fans.

Normally here I would make some kind of comparison between Javier and some number of artists and how he is the "second coming" of each of them. Unfortunately and VERY fortunately, I cannot. Javier Colon has managed to do what most artist dream of. He has brought something completely new to the table. As my wife put it, He is able to go to...say the Five Spot (known for some of the dopest R&B ever hosting then "new" people like Jill Scott and Jaguar Wright) in Philly (RIP) and perform some soul delivering greatness, then turn around and go to a coffee shop like Lestat's in San Diego (PLEASE, PLEASE COME TO LESTAT'S) and be an instant hit with the indie/singer/songwriter crowd. You can't manufacture that kind of talent, no matter how many TV "Talent Shows". The rest of the world just managed to be lucky enough that Javier decided he was going to be on one.

Well just like any amazing performer, one MAJOR thing is needed. What is that thing? I'm glad you asked. It's an equally AMAZING band. I won't dare just call them a back up band as they seem to be more of a family than mere band-mates. They each bring some great musical talent to the show and after seeing them....let's just say that they all have their own distinct personalities. VERY distinct! If you have had the pleasure of seeing them then you know who I am talking about. For those of you that don't, I am talking about the insane but lovable Chris "Big Sexy" Loftlin on the bass. This guy was crazy talented for two major reasons. Reason 1 he is just an awesome jazz/funk/rhythm bassist that will make your head bob like crazy. Reason 2 the simple fact that he is able to keep his amazing timing with all the crazy dancing and jumping around that he does. To further my point....

The video might be silent, but he had this kind of energy in slow songs as well so it was universal.

Insane, but AWESOME!!

Next we have Matt Cusson on background vocals (don't get it twisted, he can hold his own too) and the keys. His voice was like butter on the mic and you can just call me Paula Deen because butter is my best friend! Javier keeps himself with some great vocal talent and they just vibe off of each other so well. Its almost hard to believe that Matt isn't on a solo rise to fame himself. Oh wait.... he is! I highly recommend that you look him up on YouTube and listen to him rip it up and down the keys and sing like he's trying to steal your girl right out from under you! I heard him do a rendition of D'Angelo's "Brown Sugar" and yeah...just yeah...no words. Matt helped fill in with the soul of a young (and Caucasian) Brian McKnight. Keep an eye out for him!

Keeping the guys in check like a metronome in an apple cap is Trever Somerville . He had my attention immediately when he came out with a little high-school marching band style snare drum, complete with a swagger that you'd expect to see in Drumline. I've always admired drummers because they have so much going on and Trever was no exception. Watching how quickly his hands moved and how clean the cadence sounded was a shining example of how much left and right brain activity you need to master the skins. Seeing how comfortable Trever looked behind the drums reminded me of ?uestlove from The Roots. I know I keep saying that these guys have a "jazzy" sound to them but I could see him walking into a smokey late night club and playing along side with Buddy Rich or even Dizzy. Best part was everything he played seemed to really come from his heart.

Last but certainly not least we have the calm, cool, and extra smooth Ian Mchugh on the guitar (my drug of choice). Listening to the bluesy cry of his guitar really drew me in. Being a guitar player myself naturally I catch myself watching.... well.... other guitar players. Ian was the one bringing the "rock" to this R&B ensemble. His solos were very well executed and you can tell he was really in them because his eyes would close and his whole posture would change and twitch (sounds funny but if you play guitar then you know its something you can't control) and you could feel the warmth of each note as it left the strings. The only thing I didn't like was the fact that I didn't get the chance to tell Ian how much I enjoyed hearing him jam out with the rest of the band. Well maybe now I did....

Here is Ian along with Matt, Trever, Chris....and oh yeah that Javier Colon guy I told you about performing "Use Me" by Bill Withers...

Well in case you couldn't tell I had a blast at the show and will gladly go out of my way to see them all again, and just in case Javier and the crew (including Reed) ever come back to San Diego hit me up for some great pre-show grub on me...well not on me cause that would just be awkward...

Here are a couple of other covers that Javier and the band played that evening.

HOLD YOUR RADIO HIGH ABOVE YOUR HEAD IF YOU LOVE "SAY ANYTHING"

Till next time.

Editor & Chief of The Penguin Gazette,
Rudy

F.ar F.rom Y.a A.verage

2012-02-12T11:24:00.000-08:00

So everyone knows that I LOVE supporting local music and sometimes "local-ish" music as well, but I am VERY selective about who I'm hyping up. If you see them here its because I see something that I feel needs to be shared with everyone. Now I know I'm not the all knowing OZ and that not everyone will agree with me because we all have differing opinions, but usually I tend to have a common ground with most music listeners out there. That being said most people know that I am a "MUSIC SNOB" especially when it comes to Hip-Hop. I used to listen to a lot of "Crap-Rap" & "Gangsta-Rap" when I was in high school, which actually have more in common than they might think. Allow me to explain..

"GANGSTA-RAP":
Gangsta rap is a subgenre of hip hop music that evolved from hardcore hip hop and purports to reflect urban crime and the violent lifestyles of inner-city youths.Lyrics in gangsta rap have varied from accurate reflections to fictionalized accounts.... more

"CRAP-RAP":

music which "tries" very hard to become real rap, but sadly it doesnt make the grade. many new "Rap Songs" seem to be landing into this category, songs such as "Crank Dat", "King Kong" and "Chicken Noodle Soup" have landed in the thick of the Crap Rap Action... also noted are the TERRIBLE dances which tend to be associated with the songs..more...
Thank you Wikipedia...

A lot of the "artists" now a days fall into both of these horrible genres of "music". Some of them even made tracks that defined times in our lives, but as a whole they have no staying power. This is why over the last 10 years, with the help of my wife, I have found myself stepping farther and farther away from the "main stream" music scene and relying more my "Underground" and local musicians to keep me groovin'. This brings me to the title of this post. Far From Ya Average of FFYA is a San Diego based "Hip-Hop" group, that I want all my true COOL BIRDS to give a listen to and show some love!

Their debut CD "Introducing...The LP" from Hyperbomb Records/ Def Jam Digital/2011 Raw Gully Entertainment is almost like a trip down the "Memory Lane" of Hip-Hop. The beats alone are like a time machine back to a time when Hip-Hop was good, back to a time when it took 2 to make a thing go right and Rappers where Delighted to bring you dope party tracks. Back to a time when "sampling" wasn't so common placed, and when it was used they were paying homage to the original artists not adding an extra "half beat" to claim it as original (see Vanilla Ice). Now that's not to say that FFYA didn't sample on the album, but they DID do it with RESPECT and it WASN'T 90% of their album. As a matter of fact, most of the album has original beats....BIG PLUS IN MY BOOK!!! There are few things I hate more when it comes to music, than an over produced and sample packed album. BE ORIGINAL!!!

Before I let you hear some of their music let me give you a bit of info about FFYA..a bio if you will, straight from their own words. I give you FFYA...

Far From Ya Average was created with the sole purpose of bringing a

new and exciting form of hip hop to the world. They refuse to stay

inside the box and their style fully represents that statement. Fans

of any genre of music, from jazz to metal, can find something to love

in the sound created by these San Diego, California residents. Created

in 2008 by K-Rock and Stryve, F.F.Y.A. has set out to become a hip hop

collective of sorts...boasting collaborations with a truly eclectic

mix of MC's and recording artists. After bringing Hypebomb's own

Defshon into the fold, they truly have become an unstoppable force.

They have been consistently rocking shows with truly unforgettable

performances in many different Southern California venues and clubs

and are in the process of finishing their debut album. K-Rock and

Defshon handle most of the production duties bringing elements of

their own unique influences so that the music stays as eclectic as the

lyricism. They are a part of the NO CEO: I'm My Own Boss hip hop

movement born in San Diego and currently spreading across the US so

look for F.F.Y.A. to rock a venue near you soon!

These guys have a little something for everyone, weather its the party crowd with tracks like "FIRE" or something a little deeper like "DARK ALLEY", FFYA will make your head bob. I will admit that I'm always real sketchy about a lot of San Diego "Hip-Hop" because I get it pushed on me everywhere from the local burger joint to the streets of downtown, and most of it really sucks. I was however surprised at how well this album was put together. It has a good mix of songs ranging from the West Coast "sign tossers" to grimey "battle tracks" that can almost put you in a fight mode. Overall I would give this album a strong 8 out of 10, based on beats, album flow, and lyrics. Each song was stronger than the next and if you get a chance to see them you should, and if you don't find yourself grooving...well then you might want to get your pulse checked.

If you want to look them up and do more listening here are the links to all their work so far as well as Facebook and Twitter info and booking info too..

Our artist page is at: www.reverbnation.com/

farfromyaaverage

Soundcloud page: www.soundcloud.com/

farfromyaaverage

Twitter: @FantomRock

Find us on Facebook at "Far From Ya Average"

Artist email: Ken Erwin/ alecempire999@gmail.com

Label email: Shontaye Lucas/ shoshot77@yahoo.com

Management email: VS Promotions/ vic2dao@yahoo.com

Well there you have it, my latest artist review. PLEASE support local artists everywhere!!! Until next time...

Editor & Chief of The Penguin Gazette,

Rudy

Feb's "DmB" Winner

2012-02-09T00:44:00.000-08:00

Well COOLBIRDS its that time again where I introduce you to the great artist behind this month's "DmB" (Design my Blog) contest! I swear these logo's get better and better every time and I just keep receiving more and more entries....AND I LOVE EVERY ONE OF THEM!!!!! My Penguins are the BOMB (circa 1995)!!!! Now onto the intro...

This month's logo is a very playful picture showing me getting ketchup'd by a wonderfully bald artist by the name of Frank Jordan of Company Man Comics. This daily updated comic (yeesh, over achiever much? lol!) takes stabs at everything in the headlines including government, by making them easy for even us......hmmmm....we'll say "Politically Challenged" individuals. Here are a couple of examples..click to make bigger..REALLY FUNNY STUFF!!! (For a character list click here)

See I told you!!! I recently caught up with Frank via the almighty internets and asked him a few questions. Seeing as how he knows himself better than I do, I think I should let him do the talking. Here we go...

Name: Frank Jordan

Age: 37

Where do you live: Phoenix, AZ

When did you start your comic and what inspired you to do it?

I started Company Man Comic back in 2000. I haven't drawn a thing in a couple of years prior and my GF at the time got me a sketchbook. She wrote in it that she believed in me and that there's inspiration all around me. One day I was on the bus going to work and the bus stopped at a light. I looked up and had seen three 30 something guys in shirts and ties playing Hackey-Sack. I just wondered what their office life is like. I started roughing out 3 characters from those guys in the sketchbook and that was the start of it all.

Out of all the comics you've written, which one would you say you're most proud of and which one is your favorite? (please send link)

I'm proud of this one I did to celebrate the life of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. http://companymancomic.
com/stripview.asp?strip=1292 This one I did a 'What if they mated?' kinda thing... I love it! http://companymancomic.
com/stripview.asp?strip=1289

Where do you see yourself (in relation to your comic life) in 2 and 3/4 years from now? (thats 2 and 3 quarters, gotta be random)

I see myself being a welcomed guest and panel speaker at San Diego Comic Con. No longer will I have to get a registration like the regular nerds LOL!
What did you think of this contest process and will you tell others about it?

I thought it was cool and fun! I've already told folks about it.

What is the last thing you want to be known for saying or doing or both?

I want to be known for giving people that 'Spit your coffee out when you read my strip' reaction and of course, making people laugh.

Lastly, do you have any questions for me? Do you do a webcomic?

Oh and I guess more lastlier (lol) is there anything else you want to tell my readers, which will probably soon be your readers soon? Check out Company Man Comic! It's updated Monday-Friday and it's more fun than your last team meeting!

To answer your question Frank, no I don't "webcomic". I draw a lot, but I'm not too thrilled with how scanning my work looks. I need to find a good computer program to use or app for my tablet, until I can find that I will just have to stick with pencil and paper. So what if it's a little "old-fangled" I like it.

Well guys and girls that wraps up another wonderful "DmB" artist interview, PLEASE go check out Frank at Company Man Comics and browse the vast library of funny, witty and extremely clever comics that will delight you all! Follow him on twitter too, its the best way to keep up on his greatness! Frank, my friend, you are and always will be a COOL BIRD 4 LIFE!!!

Editor & Chief of The Penguin Gazette,

Rudy

Letters From Our Vacation Part 2 of ?

2012-01-30T16:14:00.000-08:00

Hey Cool Birds, this is part 2 of my wife's letter's from our vacation. for those of you that missed the last group of letters click here...

Holy S*** Wednesday (sorry Mom but it was necessary)

After such an amazing Tuesday we couldn’t get to sleep. We talked and watched some BBC News (it’s the only thing in English on TV). I re-packed, got clean, and dressed for the next day (you know I hate to wake up any earlier than necessary). Rudy set the alarm for 8 am so we could make it to the hotel’s breakfast and then check out by 11:30 am. We were changing hotels later on in the day. We went to sleep around 3:15 am.

I was rudely awakened by the phone ringing. It was the front desk asking if we had decided to stay. I said no and she said that it was 11:50 am and that check out was at 11:30 am. Rudy’s alarm did not go off. We jumped out of bed and hurried to get ourselves together, grab all of our stuff, and run to the front desk to check out. I didn’t even get to put make-up on until we got to the lobby. Needless to say we missed breakfast. This was not the way to start the day. Luckily the hotel did not charge us extra for checking out late and they held our luggage until we returned from our day trip.

We went to Fior Fiore again for lunch. This time we had Gnocchi. Rudy got Tomato Gnocchi and I got Cheese Gnocchi. They were both good in flavors although Rudy’s was better. His Gnocchi was lighter and the flavor was brighter. We ended up sharing.

We left and headed off to see our next site… Vatican City. Now let’s clear a few things up. I’m not religious and Catholicism really isn’t my thing, however, it is a site worth seeing. We walked there and as we approached the view became more fantastic. It was like the scene when Dorothy and the gang entered the Emerald City. It seemed fairytale-ish. We bypassed the ridiculously long line of tourists dressed in matching shirts and hats by walking around to the back side of the Vatican. We entered and had a flashback of airport security although they were less frisky. Good thing too. This is a place of God not strip show. LOL!!

We bought our tickets and went at it alone. No $60 per person tours for us!! We were smart enough to figure it out on our own and we need to watch our pennies. Italy is expensive!! Turns out we’re not that smart but luckily for us we didn’t need to be. The Vatican is just one ostentatious love letter. Love letter to whom? No, not God, it’s a love letter to the pope. As overwhelmingly beautiful as some individual aspects were, it was equally (if not more so) overwhelmingly disgusting and gawdy (not Godly). I just kept wondering why a “man of God” needs to be so showy.

The Vatican is full of religious artifacts (as we all knew it would be), historical do-dads, works of art, oh and a little thing I like to call the genius room. You may know it as The Sistine Chapel. Now as much as I was rather turned off by the blatant “rub my wealth in your face” of it all of the pope’s place, I have to say that the jaw dropping amazingness of The Sistine Chapel is a sight to behold with one’s own eyes. I have often heard of art making people have physical reactions but have never experience myself until today. The beauty and the technique actually made me weep (not cry but weep). I can’t really even begin to describe what I saw but I’ll give it a pathetic try.

Side note: Right before we walked it Rudy and I took a potty break. Excuse the crudeness of this next bit but Rudy had the chance to make His bathroom time holy and He did. LOL!!

Anywhoo, we walked in and amidst the crowd I found myself taken aback with the enormity of work and the extreme detail. As an artist I can’t imagine ever even tackling a wall let alone a chapel of this size. The lower walls were painted to look like woven curtains that shimmered with gold. The play between light and dark with the paint actually caused them to appear to be moving. It was crazy. The walls and the ceiling are covered in a story that I don’t know but will soon find out (I’m actually going to have to research this in detail). Every stroke was intentional. The walls and the ceiling looked like people and architectural details were carved out and sculpted but they weren’t. It’s all an optical illusion. I can’t even fathom how anyone can think the way one would need to think to produce a piece of artwork that encompasses a story, this level of technique, and this size. Michelangelo is nothing short of a genius. I’m glad the Vatican exists just so the Chapel can (Yup, we’re that tight now that I can drop the Sistine). After we saw that there was no need to see anything else, so we left.

We began our long walk back to our first hotel to pick up our luggage and catch a $22 crazy cab ride to our next hotel. Italians drive CRAZY!! We got to our new hotel which seems to be somewhat removed from the city. We’ll have to check that out in the days to come. We decided to eat at the hotel restaurant but had to wait 2 hours for it to open. It wasn’t worth the wait. They served me the wrong dish. It was a horror film featuring spaghetti and funghi (mushroom in Italian). It was so disgusting I didn’t eat more than a bite but I’m sure I’ll be having nightmares about it. No need to write more about tonight’s dinner. It was a failure.

So far we’re not crazy about this new hotel. Let’s hope tomorrow is better. It’s seems to be in the middle of nowhere with horrible internet service that they make you pay for. It hasn’t been working since we bought it. We’ve been trying since 6 pm yesterday. Currently it’s 8:39 am. We haven’t slept.

We’ve been dreaming of our escape from this crappy hotel. It looks nice but everything that glitters isn’t gold. We’re hoping to meet someone off of Couch Surfers. Hopefully he’ll take us around the city but who knows. Today (Thursday) is a holiday here. Things are looking up. We just got internet service so we can shoot this blog out to you all. If you don’t hear from us for a couple days it’s because we’re still stuck in hotel hell. We’ll get in touch with you when we get to Madrid on Sat. night. Wish us luck!!

Tired Thursday
Hello All,

We went to bed about 9 am and got up around 5 pm. We slept all day. We finally escaped our hotel prison tonight (Thursday). We really hate this place. We took a cab into the city, ate at a few places (I got more deliciousness from my Gelato Shop), and looked at a few of the festive happenings around the town. Missing the comfort and convenience, we wandered back to our first hotel. We asked them to call a taxi for us. They're so lovely. They called us a cab and invited us in so we didn't have to wait in the cold. We miss them. This was our least interesting day but we plan to go to bed at a decent hour tonight (it's only 12:35 am Friday) and then get up to explore the town on our last full day in Rome.

Filling Friday

Today was our last full day in Rome. We went and saw the Georgia O'Keeffe exhibit, got some delicious treats from the Gelato Shop (Coffee & Caramel Ice Cream for me and Pear and White Fig Sorbet for Rudy), walked /got lost in the streets of Rome (it was cool though, we needed to kill time), had the worse hot chocolate EVER!!, and then went back to our new favorite restaurant, AnticaPesa, where we enjoyed a marvelous meal. Now it's time to pack. We're off to see Madrid tomorrow night!!

Things I’ve learned or observed while being in Rome-

Cypress Trees bring a new focal point in the sky for my eyes. They look like beautiful broccoli jetting up from the earth, dwarfing everything else around them.

While the Italian language is lovely, it is great to hear the familiar sounds of American English. It almost becomes like a breath for the ears.
Ice is wonderful. While being here I have found out that cold drinks seem to be rare. Even drinks that are presented to us as cold really seem to be room temperature. Asking for ice is like asking for the moon. “What a strange request?”, seems to be the physical response I get.
I appreciate water. Water out here is pretty gross to me. The tap water is hard and the bottled water is almost thick and not refreshing at all, however, it is better than the soda which is odd tasting to say the least. Water and soda are more expensive than beer and wine. It’s like they’re pushing everyone to be alcoholics.
Simplicity in cooking is under-rated. If done correctly it can have just as big of an impact (if not more) than some fancy schmancy, complicated dish.
While Italian food is divine, there is a lot to be said about the diversity found in the American food culture. I’d love to mix my Italian food up from time to time with a little Mexican, Chinese, or Soul food.
It amazes me how businesses stay in business whilst selling the exact same thing as everyone else. While I understand we do the same thing in the states to some extent, the way it is done here seems to be more concentrated. Everyone on the block seems to be selling the exact same thing in the exact same way as the guy next to them and the ones around the corner. Once again, I miss variety.
Cobblestone streets suck!! They are cute but not practical.
There are no “real” driving laws in this town. Watching people drive here is like watching a sport at its nail biting conclusion. You never know if the “mini” semi is going to fit down the alley that barely seems large enough for a motorcycle or if the motorcycle will be able to swerve in and out of the way of pedestrians and other vehicles in an “S” like formation without injuring someone or if the taxi cab white-lining through traffic will get its passengers safely to their destination.
With the aforementioned being said, taxi cab rides are like rollercoaster rides at your favorite amusement park. They are bumpy, twisty, and dangerous but oddly fun (most of the time).
In tiny vehicles (which is every vehicle out here. Even bigger cars/trucks seem smaller in comparison to cars in the US.), you can park any way you please. We saw a row of tiny cars parked in every direction right next to each other.
Being in a taxi cab, in any place that is foreign to you, is a gamble. You hope that the cab driver is trustworthy. You pray that they will not take you to a location off the beaten path and put you in a crazy situation where death or ransom becomes your only options. You hope that they get you where you need to be in the fastest, cheapest, and safest way possible but because you are new to this place you’ll probably never know.
Being a visible minority in a new place where I’m not sure or comfortable with the way I am being received gives me an odd appreciation for cultural understanding as I have come to know it in the states (ie- racism). At least I know where and if I’m “wanted” most of the time back home. Here it is a guessing game. The stares and comments in Italian leave me wondering.
Smiling is severely under-rated as is genuine polite human contact. The few times Rudy and I felt as if we were making a “connection” with someone outside of ourselves we drank it in like water and we had been wondering out in the desert.
Watching Italians walk past amazing historical monuments without batting an eye makes me realize how we all take the wonders of our world for granted.
There seems to be a definite “look” with regards to style that Italians have. Belted puffy/plush jackets with boots, elaborate scarves, interesting color/texture/pattern combinations.
Italian women are talented. Their ability to walk all day in stilettos on cobblestone without stumbling or looking like they’re in pain is astonishing.
Italian women seem to love Patten leather.
Italian men seem to love the color lavender.

Italian kids seem to have a lot of individual style and personality.

Brown people in this town have it rough. Indians and Senegalese men corner the market for street vending. I know that they’re only trying to make a living but the sheer number of them makes walking down the street annoying. If you are Brown and you’re not a street merchant you have to overcome that stigma. You’re damned if you do and damned if you don’t. It kinda sucks.
I love yards!! Front yards and backyards seem to be missing from this landscape.
The aforementioned being said, Rome seems very much like San Francisco.
There don’t seem to be any bugs in Italy. The whole time we’ve been here I’ve seen 1 gnat. That’s it!!
I miss smoke free air. People smoke like chimneys out here. I love the ban we have on smoking in California and hope it only becomes more rigorous.
Michelangelo was a true genius!!
Georgia O’Keeffe’s art was given way too much weight and depth.

Again Michelangelo was a true genius. I don’t even really like the style of art he did but his technique and vision were so phenomenal and awe-inspiring that I’ll be a fan for life.
It’s great to have your best friend to travel with to keep things “normal” and light when they really aren’t.

Letters From Our Vacation Part 1 of ?

2012-01-23T13:36:00.000-08:00

Hey EVERYONE, welcome back for another edition of The Penguin Gazette! Today I have a very special guest writer for you. She goes by the name of Anya, that's right today I am bringing you the wonderful words of my wife. Who better to bring you all an overseas view than an artist? Her colorful words are sure to delight you and leave you more than satisfied. So in December of last year we went on a little vacation to Rome and Madrid then back down to San Francisco, all in all about three weeks. The writings that you will be reading are from the 2 weeks abroad (because this is where all the madness happened). I will do my best to provide pictures but I will not be adding or subtracting anything. So without further hold up I present the first part of our "mini drama" called "Letters From Our Vacation" Part 1!

Hello All,

I just wanted to let you know that we made it to Rome safely. The first two legs of the trip were fine (smooth sailing). The last leg from Frankfurt kind of sucked. My carry-on bag broke right as we were getting off the plane. After being dropped off basically on the tarmac, we took a shuttle to the main airport, we herded like cattle (it smelled and reminded me about movies I have seen of the Holocaust). Then while going through a security check point they pulled me out of line and really really searched me. I felt like I was getting a public visit to the Gyno. It sucked. Then they threw away my water bottle. After we cleared the checkpoint we had to hightail it at least a mile to make our next flight. We didn't get to sit together on the last flight but at least the staff was friendly and the flight wasn't full.

We got picked up promptly by the hotel driver and then were whisked through the tight streets of Rome. Along the way we saw the public bath house, the Colleseum, and the Spanish Steps (which is right next to our first hotel).

Now we are about to meet up with Brandon's friend, Janel, to eat some pizza. We're so excited to be here. It's FANTASTIC scenery. We miss ya'll. Talk to you soon.

Hello All,

So Janel took us to this little Pizzeria where I had a delicious Prosciutto Pizza and a bottled Sprite for lunch/dinner/linner. The Sprite tasted foreign. LOL!! It didn't taste like what I'm use to. Although the pizza was good, I didn't like the crust that much. It was thin, crispy, and powdery. Ya'll know I'm more of a CARBivore than anything else. I LOVE BREAD!! Then we saw a few pretty sights. The city view is so interesting to my eyes. It's this odd mix of ancient, semi-modern, and Hollywood movie set. I was warned before I got here about the street merchants. I got punched in the arm with roses (several times) by aggressive flower street merchants. They really wanted me to buy them. They went as far a shoving them in my hands repeatedly and then following us. We went to a church where it seems they had tombs on the floor. There we lots of dead people and cherubs (BOO!! to corpses and naked babies. YAY!! to amazing architecture and deep vibrancy in old paintings). We almost got caught up in a mass but I'm way too much of a heathen for that to happen. LOL!! (That one's for you, Mom.) Then we went to a Gelato shop where I had Basil Ice Cream and Lemon Sorbet in front of the Pantheon. What a view!! Can't wait to see what tomorrow brings.

Hello All,

This is what happened Tuesday.

It was a rough night of pretend sleeping. I was up and active (not necessarily lucid though) about every 2 hours. When it was light outside I stepped out on the balcony. It was overcast but still nice. It's was not cold. The air was crisp but it smelled just like cigarettes. The view was the backs of other buildings and a semi courtyard down below (we were on the 3rd floor). It kind of looked like an Italian version of the French Quarter at Disneyland.

We attempted to make it to our hotels breakfast but were too late. By the time Rudy got there everything had been picked over. We decided to eat at a little restaurant right next door called Fior Fiore. We ordered Salami and Cheese Panini’s and sat outside. The streets are really narrow and basically are alley’s with tons of stuff to do in them. Sitting outside is an adventure in and of itself. People rushed up and down the cobble stone road staring at us like animals that have escaped from the zoo (they don’t see many Black or Mexican’s here, I guess) as Vespas swerved around them. Delivery trucks and mini taxi cabs barely squeeze through. At one point half of my foot was hanging over the ledge of the “platform” that was still considered part of the restaurant dining area, and a truck came barreling down the alley. I was 2 inches from being toeless. I snatched my foot in just in time. It’s crazy to watch how pedestrians, driver’s, and businesses interact with each other in these tiny spaces pretending to be streets. The Panini’s were simple yet tasty and just enough to get us through the bulk of the day.

After brunch, we walked back to the Pantheon. This time we went inside. It was huge and the architecture was mindboggling. The question that continued to run through my mind is “How’d they get up there?” We snapped a couple pictures to proved we’d been there and decided to go back to the yummy little Gelato shop for some more of the tasty goodness that we had the night before. (My plan is to eat ice cream, gelato, or sorbet every day I’m here.)

Rudy (as is always the case when we get away from So. Cal) figured out how to navigate the streets pretty well. He led us back to our hotel so that we could unwind/rest up for the rest of our day. It’s a good thing He did because the rest of the day was jammed packed.

Janel met us at our room around 2:45p. She became our official tour guide. She walked us pass The Spanish Steps, took us to the Trevi Fountain (we made a wish and took pictures), and then walked down and around windy narrow streets until we came across a humongous monument called the Monumento A VittorioEmmanuele II. After we finished gawking at the enormity of this structure, we continued our walk through Rome. The streets widen (slightly) and it got a little less crowded. We passed a huge plot of land covered in ruins.

Side note: Who decided when the ruins were ruined enough to be considered ruins and just left them there as a “shining” example of what use to be?

We trudged pass countless Indian street merchants selling everything from gorilla tri-pods, scarves, and umbrellas, to the seemingly popular gelatinous fluorescent colored blobs that they would slam to the ground and make them splat and then watch them re-form into the blob once again. I think they are only popular to the street merchants themselves as they didn’t seem to be selling any but they all seem to have them. We have begun ignoring them all together. You can’t show the slightest interest in what they are doing or selling or they’ll be on you like flies on poop. It’s rather hard blatantly ignoring people over and over again but if you want to make it to your destination with money and time you learn to do it. When in Rome…
Our next destination was the Coliseum. Although we didn’t go in, we did walk all the way around and looked at it from several different vantage points. It was amazing. Janel regaled us with tales of why it was built, how it was paid for, and interesting little facts about this massive structure like: it fits 20,000 people and was built so perfectly that all 20,000 could evacuate in 15 minutes if necessary. WOW!!

We wandered through the city and over the river to get to our next destination… DINNER!! Janel had heard about this restaurant, AnticaPesa, known for its’ authentic Roman cuisine. We got to this little unassuming place around 6 pm only to find out that they did not open till 7:30 pm (which is very typical for restaurants in Rome). We decided to wander nearby until then. We walked up and down around these tiny streets in search of a gelato shop. I figured it’s always a good time to have dessert. We found one and I got a small Anana’s (Pineapple) Gelato. We sat on the steps of what looked to be a church and talked and ate. We walked back to AnticaPesa to find out that this place seems to be rather famous and many celebrities like Dinero and Pacino have eaten here. We didn’t know then but we were about to enjoy the meal of a lifetime.

Now you all know that I love a good food experience. What happened at AnticaPesa was an unexpected journey into heaven’s waiting room. I say this because I this was one of the top 3 meals of my life up till now and only food beyond the pearly gates could be better. Now I am only going to speak about my food until we get to dessert. To start I had this appetizer that cost 20 Euro (that’s almost $27). For that price I was hoping that this Burrata and Dried Tomato Hemisphere with Red Prawns, Basil and Balsamic Vinegar Sauces would be my dinner. When it arrived I knew it would not be. It was beautiful but small. What it lacked in size it more than made up for in flavor. It was a treat for my palate. The Burrata was thick but creamy in a way I’ve never quite experienced before. The dried Tomato dome it was encapsulated in was a tart break from the thickness of the cheese. The tiny Red Prawns tasted as if they had been sun kissed, put on my plate, and then quickly set on the table for me to enjoy. They were full of right out of the water flavors. The Basil and Balsamic Vinegar Sauces brightened up the dish which left me excited to experience my entrée.

Spaghetti Cacio e Pepe is a dish I have never heard of before. It’s just Spaghetti w/ Cheese and Black Pepper (Parmesan Reggiano and Pecorino to be specific). When it came to the table on a black plate, it just looked like a pile of plain spaghetti. Boy, was I wrong. I learned when you’re naturally beautiful, you don’t need make-up. As I took my first bite I was punched in the mouth with flavors unlike I had ever experience before. It was an explosion. The pasta was cooked perfectly. It had that bite to it that made it text book al dente. You could tell love and mastery came together to prepare this meal. Just a second more or less and the pasta would not have been right. The cheese flavor bounced all over my mouth and every once and a while the black pepper would stop by to say “hi”. It was literally one of the best things I’ve ever eaten.

Before our desserts came out the chef treated us to a shot glass full of a lovely light Panna Cota with a Raspberry Sauce. It was a delicious little palate cleanser. For dessert I ordered a Puff Pastry Rosemary Crème, and Caramelized Chestnut’s, Kumquats, Raisins, and Pine Nuts. While I’m not a fan of Chestnuts or Pine Nuts, I really wanted to try the Rosemary Crème. I was good but the real star of the dessert course was Rudy’s Buffalo’s Stracchino Cheesecake w/ Candied Orange Peels and Gaeta Olives Caramel. It was a light Cheesecake bursting with all the right flavors especially when combined the tartness of the Berry Sauce and the sweetness of the Candied Peels. The crust was even amazing!! To top it all off there was piece of hardened Sugar with black specks in it. I broke off a piece that had some specks and realized once I put it in my mouth that Jesus must have sent His chef to cook for us. The specks were Olives and the sweetness and almost burnt taste of the Sugar paired with the brininess of the Olives was a stroke of divine intervention. I can’t say enough good things about our meal there. The ambiance was nice. The staff was superb. The food was BRILLIANT!! Rudy and I paid about 96 Euro for our meal. That’s about $129. It was worth every penny. We left full, amazed, and happy. We walked just over an hour to our hotel. It was 11:35 pm. We said goodbye to Janel and goodbye to a fabulous day. This is why I came to Rome....

To be continued...

Editor & Chief of The Penguin Gazette,

Rudy

The Classiest Logo I've Ever Had

2012-01-15T11:42:00.000-08:00

Hey Everyone,

Today I am posting for all my "CLASSY" birds out there. The reason is simple, I got a new logo for the new year!! This months logo is from two guys that I am very happy to know. They have been very loyal followers, but more than that these guys have been mentors and friends to me. It didn't matter if I had a question about gadgets for my blog or if I just wanted to hear what they thought about my latest post, these guys were there with help and encouraging words. They were even one of the first established bloggers to read and follow my little (but growing) blog, and for that I thank them. That's enough of the mushy shit...

Brandon Meyers and Bryan Pedas are the genius' behind A Beer for the Shower. This site has it all, laughs, crazy stories that keep you on your toes, and some of the finest art that MSPaint can offer! Some of my more loyal readers may recognize these guys as I made them my blog of the month for their post about ugly babies. That was one of the first posts I stumbled upon and it had me nodding my head in agreement and slapping my knee from laughter. It was the best first impression I ever got from a blog, and every post since has further reinforced their AWESOMNEISITY and I highly recommend reading all of their posts plus their new book (pick yours up today!!!) I totally plan on buying one as soon as I can scrounge up the 99 cents needed to get this literary masterpiece (maybe one of my readers will buy a copy, get it signed and send it to me....fuck I'm cheap huh).

I recently sent Brandon and Bryan my questionnaire, so that you fine people could better get to know them and their answers were great! Every question was answered with quips and flaming poop! Why don't I just let you read what they wrote? Here you go, my interview with ABftS?

Name (First only necessary add the last only if you want to).
Brandon Meyers and Bryan Pedas

Age (not birthday)
27 and 28

Where you live (just the area not address)
Chicago, IL and Denver, CO

When did you start blogging/writing and what inspired you to do it?
We started this blog with the plans of it being a promotional tool for the novel we'd received an offer from a major publisher for. That fell through, and now it's a web comic outlying our trials and tribulations as writers.

Out of all the blogs you've written, which one would you say you're most proud of and which one is your favorite?
Brandon - I'm going to do a double whammy here and answer "Twilight: Breaking Down" for both.

Bryan - He totally called it.

Where do you see yourself (in relation to your blog/writing life) in 2 and 3/4 years from now? (thats 2 and 3 quarters, gotta be random)
Brandon - By that point, if I keep with the current trend of the last few years, I should have another three novel manuscripts under my belt. Probably one with Bryan and two of my own. Hopefully there will be more money involved in both the blog and books. By that time, I think our web presence will be strong enough that we'll be fielding a lot of interest from multiple media arenas. All I want is a movie check. That's not too much to ask for is it?

Bryan - With movies like The Sitter and Mission Impossible 12: Tom Cruise Fights Osteoporosis cluttering our theaters, I don't think that's too much to ask. I'm sure you can see that both of us are really driven, so yes, I'd say there's success somewhere in there. Whether it's writing, or blogging, or amateur hand modeling, or all of the above, I don't know, but we're breaking through somehow. We can only go up from here.

What did you think of this contest process and will you tell others about it?
I think it's a great contest process, and I'll definitely tell people about it, but it depends on who. For example, if I tell my mom, she'll remind me that being a writer or a blogger isn't a "real job." Or if I tell my neighbor, he'll tell me, "get off my lawn you dirty Mexican" (he's an old white racist). So I guess I should say I'll only tell the people that matter.

What is the last thing you want to be known for saying or doing or both?
Making good books is at the top of the list. Giving people enjoyment. I also envision myself at the age of eighty-five, hobbling to the doorstep of Stephenie Meyer's McMormansion and lighting a bag of dog crap aflame on the stoop.

Lastly, do you have any questions for me?
What the hell does an appendix do, anyway?

(this is what an appendix does)

Click to enlarge...he he he

Oh and I guess more lastlier (lol) is there anything else you want to tell my readers, which will probably soon be your readers soon?
If you would be so kind, would you buy our cheap-ass yet hilarious novel, The Missing Link, on Amazon.com and leave a review? It's only 99 cents, because we don't care about the money, we just want people to read it. I promise you'll enjoy it. Unless you don't like funny things. Or books. Or puppies. Sorry, no refunds.

I told you the answers where great! I don't know if you noticed, but they mentioned their favorite post being their take on the "Twilight" saga (by "saga" I mean endless tales of bullshit), well I have some of that post right here for you here (just enough to get you hooked). Here you go!

The Twilight Saga: Breaking Down
Like any straight man with good taste, we've never had any desire to read the Twilight series*, but that hasn't stopped us from wanting to know why it's so goddamn popular. And so, we've bitten the bullet and done our homework in an effort to spare anyone we can from having to succumb to this literary abortion. Without further ado, our guide to Twilight, from book one to book four.

There you have it, folks. Twilight in a nutshell. AKA, nonsensically dramatic teenage angst (with a bit of violence toward women and sex with babies) as recollected by a middle-aged Mormon lady. She probably has a lot of cats. At least one for every ten million bucks in the bank. Now, if you'll excuse us, there's a bus coming, and we need to make sure we're standing in front of it.

*(For the record, both of us actually read the first "novel" in the series, forcing ourselves to read this turd for the sole purpose of being able to fully defend our bashing of it. The rest of our research came from passages found directly within the books. And yes, from a writer's standpoint, they're all fucking turds.)

Cheers and stay classy, folks,

-Bryan and Brandon

Beer: Breckenridge Agave Wheat

Music: The Kooks (live, bitches!)

P.S. If you're looking for contemporary vampire stories that don't blow ass, check out the following:

-Bloodsucking Fiends by Christopher Moore (humor, and actually you ought to read any of his books)

-Salem's Lot by Stephen King (horror)

-American Vampire by Scott Snyder (graphic novel series)

-Carpe Jugulum by Terry Pratchett (humor)

*if you want to see the page with the still pictures instead of the video, click here

Well everyone there you have it, the artistic duo behind this months ever-so-classy logo! Bryan and Brandon are two wonderful guys and I would love to be drawn into one of their posts (hint hint wink wink). If you haven't had a beer in the shower you are missing out! To further understand how to enjoy your showered beer click here. Make sure you check these guys out and leave real comments, because we love to hear what you think as bloggers but "nice post" makes us all want to punch you in the face...right in the face!

Until next time...

Editor & Chief of The Penguin Gazette,

Rudy

the PENGUIN gazette

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