OMF(ood)G - Simply Delicious = Chow Baby

My eating has apparently been boring lately and I have not suggested any appealing places to go in a while. Today though I went to CHOW BABY on Ponce de Leon and it was both delicious and fun actually. Being able to pick your own veggies, seasonings and meat to accompany your rice or noodles lets you take part in making the meal. I have to say I thought I did a very good job on my dish! (ha ha!) They also have appetizers, soup etc. The price is reasonable and they had friendly service. If you go at lunch try to be there before 12:00 as it does get crowded. That in itself says it is good!

782 Ponce De Leon Ave Atlanta, GA 30306

L. Blizzard

OMFG - Charlie Sheen: Duh, Losing!

When I first told friends that I was going to see Charlie Sheen at the Fox, I received a very polarized collection of responses. Half of my friends were jealous, and the other half were disgusted. "The show is going to suck"..."He's gonna get booed off stage"..."You will be so mad you wasted your time." But I figured since the tickets were free, I really had nothing to lose. I thought, Who wouldn't want to witness this spectacle? The man went on TV talking crazy and now all of a sudden, he is on tour using the media's ridicule to help fuel his career. It's brilliant! Brilliant concept maybe. But brilliant, the show was not.


The Violent Torpedo of Truth show opened to a guitarist on stage playing through a montage of movie clips, half of which did not even star Sheen. But it definitely served it's purpose for getting the crowd fired up, as drunken college students screamed and cheered at each scene. This relentless screaming continued for a good fifteen minutes into the show. You could barely hear what our man of the hour had to say through the random shouts of "Winning!" "Sorry for partying, Charlie!" and "Fuck Detroit!" echoing through the theater every four seconds. After the mayhem settled slightly, Sheen was able to stumble through a thirty minute monologue that only contained about two actual jokes. The remainder of this time was consumed by awkward banter between Sheen and some audience members, close-ups of two girls in the front row kissing and showing out for an unnecessary amount of time, and a whole segment dedicated to Sheen peeling off Falcons, Braves, and Tech apparel and tossing them into the audience. Of course a little hometown humor and team loyalty will keep people's interest for a while, but after that he lost the crowd.

Sheen then moved into an interview segment where he sat down with Rock 100.5's "Southside" Steve Rickman and Larry Wachs, and after a couple of uninteresting questions, the booing commenced. The crowd was getting restless. Heckles were getting louder and closer together. It was time for Sheen to bring out his secret weapon, Jeffrey Ross. Ross walked out wearing a hazmat suit and proceeded to do what he does best and roasted Sheen. Ross had the crowd cracking up for the next ten minutes. He said he was honored to be part of the "Apparently the Novelty Hasn't Worn Off Yet" Tour. Then hit Sheen with lines like, "It's funny your show was called Two and a Half Men, because that's how many people will be left in the theater when this show's over" and "If you're winning, then apparently there's something wrong with the fucking scoreboard." He mentioned that upon arriving in Atlanta Charlie kept asking how to get to the World of Coke but was disappointed to find out that it was actually the Coca-Cola museum. Appropriately, Ross joked about Sheen's escapades with porn stars, drug use, and his current custody battle. He then wrapped up with some cracks about Sheen's movie career. "Let's face it Charlie. You're the black sheep of a family that was responsible for three Mighty Ducks movies...You make your father ashamed that he shares the same fake last name with you."

Then the ridiculousness ensued when Ross and Sheen stated that the first ten people to make it on stage could ask Sheen one question. One lady asked Sheen to motorboat her on stage, a request which he hesitantly obliged. Ross made funny quips, and some of the audience participants were quite entertaining themselves. Charlie said a few more words about his hopes for his television career to get back on track. He then thanked everyone and brought the show to a close with a performance by ex-MTV Veejay Simon Rex, who apparently (and sadly) has a somewhat budding rap career as Dirt Nasty, rhyming about cocaine in the 80's. It was a sad display, but an appropriate end to the shit fest that we had all just witnessed.

Needless to say, I'm glad I didn't actually spend any money to see the show, and I feel sorry for the people who did. Had it not been for the saving grace of Jeffrey Ross, the whole thing would have been a disaster. And I made sure I let him know this when he walked past us outside after the show. I would have liked to have eloquently complimented him, but instead, in a half-drunken fog, I just slapped him five and shouted, "Jeff Ross! Dude, you fucking rock! You WERE the show, man!" I immediately realized he would not respond the way I hoped since it was not his show. He just looked around slightly bewildered and stated, "Okay. I was the show." Yes, Jeff, you were...Sorry Charlie.

Posted by Guest Contributor: Lisa M. Woodard

OMF(itness)G – Bikram Yoga

Ladies and gents, we all know the spring weather is FINALLY here. We all made new years resolutions to take better care of ourselves and get in shape. Its only 3 months into the year, and I almost let myself down with this resolution, until I found an amazing class that works the mind and body.

 

A good friend of mine introduced me to Bikram Yoga. I know, I know...yoga?? I said the same thing, but I try new things just to say if I truely do like it or not. Bikram Yoga is the most invigorating exercise I've ever been involved with. The classroom is 105 degrees and within the first 5 min you are sweating from head to toe. It is a 90 minute class, and you are certainly asking your self WHY did I bring myself here, but once you've completed the class, your body has gone through a cleasning (I feel) with riding itself of all the impurities.

From the Bikram Yoga Decatur location:

What is Bikram Yoga?

Bikram’s Beginning Yoga Class is a series of 26 postures including two breathing exercises, which is suitable for anyone 16 years and older and at any level of ability. Each posture strengthens specific muscles, ligaments and joints at the same time it prepares the body for the next posture. The Bikram method also stimulates the organs, glands and nerves, moving fresh, oxygenated blood to 100 percent of the body, restoring all systems to a healthy working order.

There are plenty of locations throughout Atlanta. I suggest you try it once, and let me know the outcome!
Happy Sweating!

Tiffany (super awesome guest contributor)

OM(usic)FG - Arcade Fire Album Review

Arcade Fire's Suburbs is musically and lyrically the album of 2010: Its admonishing social commentary on impatience, conformity, and alienation is even more poignant than Radiohead's monumental album OK Computer (i.e. the reference to the chess player Kasparov being beaten by the computer Deep Blue is one of many examples of man's loss of self, both individually and culturally). One can understand why director Terry Gilliam (Brazil, Fisher King) filmed their show in NYC: Throughout it, the theme of the global sprawl surpassing personal nostalgia feels as apocalyptic as their grandiosely paranoid album Neon Bible. Yet the redemptive escape from "a garden left for ruin by a millionaire inside of a private prison" and "dead shopping malls like mountains beyond mountains" ultimately comes from the same place where No Cars Go, the same place that overcame death in their groundbreaking fantastical first album, the Funeral ("climb out the chimney and meet me in the middle"); it is the place where the wild things are, where love and hope commune together: the imagination.

And because the instrumentation, sound engineering, and song arrangements are seamlessly coherent, the album entertainingly achieves at relentlessly rocking your face right off your head.

Posted by Guest Contributor: Markos

OMF(ood)G - SIMPLY DELICIOUS - J Christopher's

Everybody knows that the Queen behind the scenes is Miss Stephanie, but did you know

one of her absolute favorite places to eat is J. Christopher’s. She loves to eat there and

her favorite meal is one of the signature skillets with the yummy sausage, and sunny side

up eggs and potatoes. I have to admit it is one of my favorite places also. They have

wonderful pancakes and eggs benedict and omelets and crepes and the list goes on. Their

lunch items other than breakfast foods are very good also, like quesadillas, hamburgers,

sandwiches, soups and salads. Come hungry and leave happy!

L. BLIZZARD

OMFG - Beer Review Series - Founders Backwoods Bastard

Founders Backwoods Bastard: a Scotch Ale in Bourbon barrels! I saved this bad boy for an entire year and popped it open with one of my boys. I remember it fondly and at the time I didn’t take notes but traditionally, Scotch Ales pour a deep copper. ‘Compared to Scottish Ales, they'll be sweeter and fuller-bodied, and of course higher in alcohol, with a much more pronounced malty caramel and roasted malt flavor.’

This bad boy falls into the “extreme” beer category.  Per www.beeradvocate.com

What are we talking about? 

- Beers made with no hops but plenty of heather and lavender. 

- Beers aged in Jack Daniels oak barrels with an alcohol by volume of 20 percent or more. 

- Traditional beer styles, but with double, triple or more hops or malt. 

- Beers brewed with chocolate, peanut butter or espresso beans. 

- Strong Porters brewed with Chinese candied ginger. 

- Ales brewed with oysters or seaweed. 

- Sharp tasting beers inoculated with various wild bacteria and yeast strains.

Much of what I drink falls into this category but bourbon aged is its own animal in my opinion. I will get right into the tasting. The beer pours a dirty dark black with red highlights when held to the light. You cannot see through this bad boy.  The head is thick but quickly retreats to a thin tan mist across the glass. 

Smell is wood/oak and bourbon!  Really, it’s one note; not much complexity in smell but not overpowering. Why wait and smell when you can gulp it down. At 10.5 ABV it’s smooth and thick with some bold carbonation. Fear not friends: Backwoods Bastard is still amazing after 10 months.  It has some wild bourbon flavor followed by silky vanilla. Then flavors of caramel/toffee become more pronounced. Lastly coconut, yes, this is what I taste! Coconut rounds out the profile and seems to mellow out the alcohol burn.

What can I say? Backwoods should be available in November and its outstanding! I beg you to go out and experience this beer. It is a one off amazing beer that needs to be taken in small doses.  It is a one off amazing beer that needs to be taken in large doses.

Cheers! 

Ryan

OMFG - Beer Review Series - Sweetwater Crank Tank Rye'd Ale

Recently, many breweries are producing beers for a cause; Crank Tank is Sweetwaters’ newest brew to benefit Camp Twin Lakes.  “Camp Twin Lakes is a network of camps providing life-changing camp experiences to thousands of children with serious illnesses, disabilities and challenges.” This camp specializes in creating a positive atmosphere for children with disabilities to be surrounded by others young folks in similar situations.  The camp has expertise in ‘customized programs that teach campers to overcome obstacles and grow in their confidence and capabilities.’

To benefit Camp Twin Lakes Sweetwater created the Crank Tank. This brew is a variation of the Dank Tank series: rarely released randomness and each offering will most likely never be seen again. This incarnation, a Rye ale, has a low 45 IBU and a final gravity of 6.2%, very light for the imperial extreme brews. Reading the label, this Rye ale appears super drinkable and a perfect summer/fall/spring beer.  “We cranked up a fermentation tank for this knobby Rye'd Ale geared up with 25% rye malt and dry hopped to the spokes with Mt. Hood and Centennial Hops."

Rye beers were first brewed around the time Columbus discovered America.  After a couple of poor Rye harvest seasons a rule was proposed that limited Rye malts only for bread only. We know this as Reinheitsgebot – the beer purity law. This German and Bavarian law states that beer could only be made from water, barley and hops; the penalty for making impure beer was also set in the Reinheitsgebot: a brewer using other ingredients for his beer could have questionable barrels confiscated with no compensation. Thus, Rye beers disappeared for nearly 500 years only to resurface again in 1988. Many brewers outside of Germany abided by the law meant to prevent inferior methods of preserving beer that had been used before the introduction of hops. It’s a damn shame Marty McFly didn’t even get a change to try a Rye beer. Basically, many of us, including myself, are unfamiliar with Rye beers and should experience a good example of the suds sooner vs. later.

I chilled the duce duce to about 45 °F, and slowly poured 12 ounces into my Perfect Pint glass. The head was lathered up white; it stood tall in my bell shaped vessel for quite some time. The color is a beautiful pastel copper with a nice chill haze. The smell is fragrant with some spice, lemon, citrus notes. I also picked up some faint sourness from Rye malts. It almost resembles a full body wheat beer but the sourness leans me to think saison or farmhouse ale.

Taste is über smooth upon first sip I picked up some buttery dry mild flavors, similar to chardonnay. As it warmed the bitterness began to rear his beautiful head. I can only assume the sullenness is derived from Columbus hops. The beer is grassy like summertime on the baseball field after a morning rain. The Crank rounds out with nice spice zest.  I am going to take an uneducated stab at naming them: Bay and Coriander? The swallow is sour, sweet, tart and dry… very pleasant. 

The body of the Crank Tank is nice and thick, and medium bold on the carbonation. I was really impressed at how balanced and drinkable this beer is. I would have it again and again; I hope they plan to make Crank Tank Rye'd reoccurring seasonal ale.  I would definitely session with this beer. It is in my top 20 of all time. It is widely available throughout the Atlanta area so keep an eye out.

Cheers! 

Ryan

OMF(ood)G - SIMPLY DELICIOUS - BUGABOO CREEK

SIMPLY DELICIOUS - Bugaboo Creek

BUGABOO CREEK is the topic for this review. A party of 9 tried out the restaurant

on Saturday night and we were all well pleased and stuffed. From their Sharable Starters

we tried Canadian cheese spinach dip with chips (very good) and onion range dippers, a

large mound of thinly sliced fried onion rings with dip, and this is yummy. Wow, now

for the hard core stuff. I chose Parmesan & Garlic Crusted Prime Rib and oh boy this is

a big piece of meat and came with all the extras. It was outstanding. My better half ate

the Lodge Center Cut Filet and I do mean he ATE it. Another person in the group had

the Grilled Salmon and had nothing left for the doggie bag if that tells you anything. To

say the least everybody enjoyed their meal and I am sure we will return. The prices are

reasonable and the food simply delicious.

LBlizzard

Menu @ Bugaboo Creek Online.

OMFG - Beer Review Series - Oxymoron

“Sometime around midnight in a city nobody can agree on, the idea for Left Hand and Terrapin to brew a collaboration beer was born.” Oxymoron is the third installment of this collaboration; living in Atlanta, we get to be among the first to try this small giant. It is available now, almost exclusively, at your favorite craft beer store.

Three German Malts, 6 German hops and lager yeast… I don’t know what to think. It’s a wild ride into crazy town with Iron Sheik at the wheel. It’s an India Pale Lager!?!?! This beer is a cardinal sin; on paper it reads like an Oktoberfest but injects an oxymoron of hops. This element of pine and bitterness is not characteristic of the lager style.

The fast basic on lagers are as follows: Before refrigeration, it was basically impossible to brew this style in the summer because of bacterial infections; therefore, brewing began in fall and ended in spring. March was prime time to create this style. “These brews were kept in cold storage over the spring and summer months, or brewed at a higher gravity, so they’d keep. Märzenbier is full-bodied, rich, toasty, typically dark copper in color with a medium to high alcohol content.” Lagers must maintain a temperature of 60 degrees Fahrenheit, and they are then chilled to lower temperatures to produce a smoother beer than warmer temperatures styles. The IPA style, a derivative of the pale ale with lighter colored malts created in the late 1700’s, English brewers added hops to create a more stable beer to withstand the journey to India in the early 1800’s. Hops acted as a natural preservative, and brewers also reduced the amount of fermentable sugars which yielded lower gravity beer. The end result was very drinkable ale that contained a lesser amount of micro-organisms that might spoil the beer on the long journey. Thus, we can see the yin and yang of the Oxymoron.

Finally back to the brew, it pours golden orange with some reddish hue. A tranquil fiesta of white foam laces the glass. The look of this India Pale Lager is amazing, and the pour on this batch is super thick. I was terribly pleased with what I saw, and couldn’t wait to have my first sip.

The smell produced some uncommonly common fragrance. I know it’s a lager but it has pine, citrus, hops, earthy and grass notes.

First sip is creamy…Holy hell it was creamy. The front flavors consist of light bready malt, crackers and light herbs. I was ready to put on my lederhosen and open a jar of sauerkraut. A barrage of friendly fire from the hops broke through this troubled paradise to uncover pine, citrus, apple and honey. The swallow is that of an IPA, very dry and bitter.

My tentative conclusion is a very drinkable beer despite some of the powerful hops. I was totally partial to the hop additions that are uncharacteristic of the style, but in Georgia, we see 80 degree days through October so the hop additions were a perfect fit. This beer seems like a perfectly normal fusion of styles. I highly recommend it for anyone enjoying some of our “mild temperature” days, but don’t want to give up your bitter IPA.

Cheers!

Ryan

OMF(ashion)G - Spirit Hoods!

FIERCE FOR FALL

Spirit Hoods leads the pack for FW2010

 

Atlanta’s has already seen “boots with the fur”, but this fall a wilder accessory is on the prowl….

As a natural progression from the Native American inspired appliqué seen this past spring and summer;

Fringe turns to fur and headbands into hoods.

Welcome SPIRIT HOODS.

Luxurious, high-quality, faux fur animal hoods fashioned after some of the most sacred spirit guides in the animal kingdom. Brown Bear, Grey Wolf, and Jaguar are amongst the many hoods available for purchase on the Spirit Hoods website (www.spirithoods.com)

For me, it was love at first nuzzle when I spotted a pair of foxes (no, literally a red fox and silver fox) at the Hudson Jeans and Creative Recreation party at club XS in Las Vegas during the August 2010 Project trade show.

As destiny would have it, I ran into the same couple in the entrance of The Hard Rock Hotel and Casino on my way to see a Wolf Mother concert at the pool.

The $130 dollars I shelled out in cash was a small price to pay for a Faux Fur hood that not only looks and feels real, but is a worth-while investment for a statement piece that will last a lifetime.

Grey Wolf was the obvious choice for me and as I slipped my hands into the paw pockets, I felt my inner She-wolf taking over.

In nothing but my bikini and hood (there’s a hidden pocket in the hood for I.D, cash, lip gloss, etc.), my wolf-brother and  I took off to the concert – leaping from ledge to ledge, running through crowded restaurants and surrounding unsuspecting prey at the bar.

The wolves had taken over.

“Spirit Hoods are more than just a wild accessory, they are a symbol of this bond and connection we have to our primal and wild natures” stated on the company website www.spirithoods.com.

Every Spirit Hood is made locally by hand in the Los Angeles based offices and with so much detail put into each one- no two hoods are exactly the same.

A detailed description of the traits the animal spirit possesses also accompanies each hood, which helps to assist in choosing the perfect Spirit Hood connected to the wearer’s personality.

If being on the cutting edge of one of the most dominant trends for FW2010 wasn’t enough;

Spirit Hoods is a socially conscious company that also donates part of their proceeds from internet sales to non-profit organizations around the world to help the spirit animals marked by their Product Blue logo.

(Go to www.spirithoods.com/product-blue for more details)

Join the Tribe and set your Spirit free….

www.spirithoods.com

Posted by guest contributor: Ash Foster

*Spirithoods can already be seen making appearances out in the ATL.

Check out this pic of Miss Ash with Silk Wolf from last night's Chill Pill event @ Pcheen.

OMFG - YOUR VAMPIRE DIARIES GUIDE

So...betcha didn't know that I knew a Vampire Diaries expert? Well I do (you know your OMFG gossip grrrl won't let you down) & now you can feast on her knowledge too. Delve a little bit deeper into your understanding of the show: 

The Vampire Diares: The Books vs The Show

“The book was better.”

How many times have we heard that? And how many times have you been left

wondering if the makers of a movie had even bothered to pick up the book before they

converted it to the big screen? Adaptations from book to film or TV are always tricky,

and some things are changed for dramatic effect, while others are changed for…well,

we’re not sure why, exactly.

The following is a quick list (and it’s by no means complete) of the major

differences between the Vampire Diaries the show, and The Vampire Diaries the books

(“The books” being the original four, not the new ones L.J. Smith has been pounding out

in the wake of the show).

Ten Things The Show Got Wrong

Ok, well, maybe not wrong, but…different.

10.Where the heck is Meredith?

Those of you who haven’t read the books are asking, “Who?” Exactly.

In the books, Elena has two best friends: Bonnie, and the quiet and

reserved Meredith. Meredith apparently got sacrificed to the television

gods along the way.

9. Elena has a teenage brother, Jeremy.

In the books, she doesn’t have a brother at all. In fact, she has a 5 year old

sister. Damon threatens her at one point to get Elena to do what he wants,

which in this case is drink Elena’s blood.

8. Matt and Vickie are siblings

Matt and Vickie don’t even like each other, and they definitely aren’t

related.

7. Caroline is friends with Elena

She used to be, but at the beginning of the books she’s been thoroughly

converted to enemy. She spends the entire time spiteful and angry, trying

to backstab Elena and steal Stefan at every turn.

6. Bonnie’s a Witch

As she states repeatedly in the books, she’s not descended from

Salem witches, she’s descended from Celtic Druids. She’s also a

short, shy, sweet redhead, and her magic tends more towards psychic

visions rather than floating feathers and starting fires with her mind.

5. Elena’s parents died in a car crash on Wickery Bridge

Though they did die in a car crash, it doesn’t give specifics. Elena,

however, has her car run off Wickery Bridge much later in the books.

4. The Salvatore Brothers are from Civil-War Era Virginia

They were born during the Italian Renaissance, in Italy. For those of

you who haven’t had History in a while, that was from the end of the 13th

century until about 1600. Think Machiavelli andLeonardo Da Vinci.

3. Stefan and Damon died trying to save Katherine from the church fire

Not even close. In fact, they killed each other, furious at one another over

Katherine’s suicide, which she staged in order to get the brothers to stop

hating each other.

2. Katherine is an evil, conniving bitch

In the books, she is blonde, sweet, and innocent. She falls in love with

both Stefan and Damon, and harbors a naïve dream that the three of them

can be happy together, forever. As if.

1. The Plot

At this point, the entire plot itself only bears a passing resemblance to

the books. There were no Tomb Vampires, no secret society of vampire

hunting townsfolk,

Ten Things The Show Got Right

10. Elena likes to mope in the cemetery by her parents’ grave

At least, she did in the first episode.

9. Elena keeps a diary

And in the show it came back to bite her, with Jeremy finding it and

discovering she’d been lying to him. In the books, it’s stolen by Caroline

who plans on using it to reveal Stefan’s secret to the town, but it’s

recovered at the last second by Damon.

8. Stefan only feeds from animals, and is weaker because of it

Damon often likes to gloat over his brother’s weakness of drinking

only animal blood, often tossing Stefan around to rub in his physical

superiority.

7. If you die with vamp blood in your system, you become a vampire

Though it happens with much less frequency in the books.

6. Vervain protects you from vampire influence

Matt and Stefan even go on a special road trip south to find

the plant, which Stefan does NOT cultivate in his basement.

5. Stefan’s Bedroom

An attic room in the local boarding house, the room has all the spirit of the

one in the books. Except, in the books, Stefan kept only a few things to

remind him of his past, not stacks upon stacks of journals.

4. Tyler’s a werewolf

Though he’s not the mayor’s son, simply a jerk. The werewolfism (shut

up, it’s totally a word) has been dormant in his family for generations,

and he has to kill an innocent to reawaken it and “reclaim” his family’s

birthright.

3. The Salvatore Brothers have special rings to protect them from the sun

Katherine had one too, but when she staged her death she left near a

pile of ashes in the garden, making it look like she’d done into the sun

without it. Stefan ends up with it, and later gives it to Elena. Classy.

2. Elena and Katherine look exactly alike

Though in the books, Stefan never knows why. He speculates that the two

women probably have a shared ancestor, but tells himself he doesn’t want

to know.

1. The Salvatore Brothers

Paul Wesley and Ian Somerhalder have done a spot-on job of nailing

Stefan and Damon’s personalities, from Stefan’s brooding, tortured

expressions to Damon’s arrogant attitude. They couldn’t be more perfect.

By Guest Contributor/Vampire Diaries Expert - Sarah Madsen

OMFG - Beer Review Series - Founders Nemesis 2010

Once again, the Founders Nemesis came to Atlanta and is gone. If you are not on the up and up with your beer nerdness you may have missed the boat with this beer. Founders crafts a special, once a year, brew called the Nemesis, and it’s a one-off super limited if you don’t get it its gone kind of thing.

Last year was the first Nemesis, and it was an amazing Bourbon aged wheatwine that clocked in at throat burning 12% ABV. Everyone, with whom I shared this beer, loved it. It was sweet, smooth, maple, sticky, boozy, woody, sipping brew amazingness. I loved it so much one was cellared for a future tasting or just a perfect fall day with my family and friends. 

This year is another story. This year, Founders produced what seemed to be an even more limited brew of a completely different style as promised. It is a “Black” Barleywine, i.e. one of the booziest beers available. The “Black” is an American twist on the English Barleywine that highlights fruity, sweet and sometimes bittersweet, but always alcoholic characteristics. With the American version brewers add hops to balance and mask some of the overwhelming attributes of the style. 

The 2010 Nemesis is a superhero’s worst nightmare. This brew inflicts retribution or vengeance on the palette. At first glance the Nemesis is black and dense; when I held it to the light I noticed a dark reddish hue on the edge of my glass revealing the Nemesis’s true color. The head is a thick foam; russet in color that retreats quickly to the outer edges of the glass and dissipates, lacing the goblet with a round ring. 

I took a big whiff of this Juggernaut. Then, plotted my next move like Dr. Doom. Another mighty sniff revealed a perfume of hops, chocolate, floral, pineapple and booze. The nose was so amazing I knew this brew would surely offer frenzy of flavors in the first sip. 

Grabbing the goblet, with nearly Magneto like powers, I thrust the glass high into the air. The first sip was smooth; very similar to the nose but with subtle pine and citrus to compliment the malt and chocolate notes. Then the enormous hop bitterness was like venom to my mouth. It delightfully burned and spiked my tongue with a tingle of orange, citrus and pine followed closely by the onslaught of burn from the alcohol. 

Mouth feel is medium with a sticky back end, woody and acidic on the swallow. This 100 IBU 12% ABV brew does not disappoint but in large doses, like any super villain, could decimate all. I did finish all 12 ounces but realize afterwards that an 8 ounce pour would be plenty for this slow sipper. After finishing one glass I couldn’t help but think: this beer will age beautifully. 

The Nemesis is going to be hard to find in the city if at all. Your best bet to catch up with this elusive foe is to check out the Ratebeer app for iphone or android and make some calls to ensure you are not going out of your way to find empty shelves. Currently, I find the following stores did have this beer: Greens, HopCity, Bullocks, Jax and Tower. Additional work will be needed to verify that they still have it in stock. Next review is a reader’s choice. I want to do a bourbon barrel aged beer and I will let you decide. Submit your choice in the comments below and I will review the one with the largest votes in the upcoming week. These are the choices from my cellar: Founders - Backwoods Bastard 09, Founders - Kentucky Breakfast Stout 09, Founders - Nemesis 09, Allagash - Curieux, and Rogue - John John Dead guy ale in whiskey barrels.

Guest Contributor: Ryan

OMF(ood)G - SIMPLY DELICIOUS - Little Azio's

Have you ever tried Little Azio’s? Well if not you might want to give them a try. The

pizza, with its thin crust is excellent. I think they have the best calamari I have tasted

and I have had some good calamari. However, calamari I know is not for everybody so

you might want to try the Bruschetta (yummy) or fried Zucchini or really any of their

appetizers or very good. Their Asian Chicken Salad is wonderful. I actually don’t even

care if the chicken is added I just love the salad with its crispy noodles, red peppers,

gorgonzola and tomatoes and the wonderful sesame-ginger vinaigrette dressing they put

on it. Their house salad is also wonderful with the house dressing. One would think I

have been there once or twice maybe. Seriously it is a good place to eat and reasonably

priced.

LBLIZZARD

Little Azio's Website

OMFG - Beer Review Series - Stone Imperial Russian Stout + Cellar Tips!

The next installment of the Stone series is the Imperial Russian Stout. I was drawn to this beer for several reasons. One: I am a stout freak; I love em want em drink em bathe with em and when I saw Stone’s Russian Imperial Stout I had to try it. Secondly, it had instructions on the bottle to cellar this product. Cellar beer? Is that possible? Yes. Yes it is and this is how you do it.

A few years ago, if you asked me to try a beer that was over a year old I would tell you to water your plants with it. At that time I was partially correct; the average beer (Bud, Coors, Miller etc..) has a shelf life of 3-6 months at most then it hits the wall like Lisa Rinna. What we commonly refer to as “skunked” brew. Now, in Georgia, we have access to many alternative styles like vintage beers, barleywines, imperial stouts, Belgian strong ales, lambics, old ales and we’re talking about high alcohol beers above 7%. These high gravity beers beg for maturation and strict storage so on. Yes, age is good.

Wanna start a cellar? It’s easy. Self control is crucial; repress the demons deep inside to drink that magical beer sitting there all beautiful in the cellar as it whispers the siren song “drink me.” Next, buy 2 of each beer you want to cellar. Benchmark the flavors so when the beer ages you can have a basis for comparison. At this point, you can get really nerdy and take tasting notes, so when you try the beer again you remember the experience the first time around. I recommend keeping the beer in an upright position. Many beers in the cellaring category have corks; over a period of time corks can harbor nasty bacteria that can decimate your precious vintage brew.

Location to store is important. The temperature needs to be between 50-55 degrees F for most beers. Anything above that temperature can accelerate the aging process anything below can make the beer cloudy. In Georgia, it is near impossible to regulate a basement at 50-55 degrees; therefore, I recommend a second fridge. Yes, make yourself a man/lady-cave and get a second fridge! Keep the brew for at least a year and pop it open. Sometimes, you experience something amazing and sometimes you experience a sweet and syrupy epic failure. It’s all in how tightly you control the process and luck. Don’t forget to invite your friends over to experience the splendor of your vintage brew(s). Sorry for the beer lesson, let me get back to the Russian Imperial Stout review.

Often, I look for beers that have so much flavor it’s like a punch in the throat, but in a good way. In the case of Stone’s Imperial Russian Stout you better like a beer that wears combat boots with spikes and kicks you right in the ass. This beer pours black like a studded leather belt and is topped off with perfect mocha foam. I had to stop at this point and break out my hairspray and give myself a Fonzie pompadour because this beer looks smooth.
A beer of this complexity requires several whiffs pausing briefly to truly value the depth of bouquet. Mere comparisons to coffee or chocolate will not suffice. It would be like comparing the aroma of fresh cave-aged Gouda to Kraft singles. I was able to pick up the aroma of bitter dark chocolate, mulberry, and enough booze to tickle your sinus.

Upon first sip the mouthfeel is that of a thin smoothie with nice viscosity and full body. This is exactly what I expect from an Imperial Russian Stout. It’s like Christmas in August; some roasted malt, Warrior hops, almond, fig and Coffee. Wow coffee! Upon swallow I get that alcohol burn, the kind of burn you want from a stout. The beer is slightly bitter and boy is it roasted stout goodness. This is the perfect late fall or winter beer, but easily drinkable anytime.
This beer looks smooth and tastes smooth, but fellas be careful: the Stone Imperial Russian Stout is so good it might just kick you to the curb and make off with your girlfriend.

Cheers!

Ryan

OMFG - Beer Review Series - Stone Brewing - Arrogant Bastard Ale

Stone Brewing of California began distribution to Atlanta in November of 2008; I am finally getting around to trying their beers so… SHAME ON ME. This review is the first of six stone beers that I will taste over the next few weeks along with what is new in Atlanta so, stay tuned!

Stone is highly regarded in the beer community as an amazing grassroots brewery and has a wide variety of craft beers styles to choose from. I recently came across a press release from Stone that reads: “Stone Brewing Co. is extremely excited to announce that due to growing success and international demand, the company is officially considering opening a brewery in Europe.” http://www.stonebrew.com/news/091222apr/index.html

This is exciting news for American Craft brewers; we are the laughing stock of Europe when it comes to beer because of our huge “macro swill” breweries the produce beer that looks and tastes like cat piss. Don’t get me wrong, I like cat piss every once and a while; nevertheless, if you request a Miller/Bud/Coors in Europe you will be instantly labeled as a D-bag. Hopefully, Stone can open a brewery in the mother country and dominate the locals with some tasty suds. This is a quote from Greg Koch @ Stone “We look forward to joining in the fight in Europe by doing our part to add to the growing trend towards unique, flavorful artisanal beers, as opposed to the mass-blandification efforts characterized by megabrand sameness!” Amen brother!! Dominate away!

I recently tasted the Arrogant Bastard by Stone. The label reads: "This is an aggressive beer. You probably won't like it. It is quite doubtful that you have the taste or sophistication to be able to appreciate an ale of this quality and depth. We would suggest that you stick to safer and more familiar territory - maybe something with a multi-million dollar ad campaign aimed at convincing you it's made in a little brewery, or one that implies that their tasteless fizzy yellow beer will give you more sex appeal. Perhaps you think multi-million dollar ad campaigns make a beer taste better. Perhaps you're mouthing your words as you read this.” Do I need to continue? I love this beer before I even pop the top.

Arrogant Bastard Ale is an American Strong ale with an ABV of 7.2%. I poured the dark mahogany brew with a beautiful one inch cappuccino colored head into my Sam Adams Perfect Pint glass. I did not detect much on the nose. Maybe a very faint pine and grapefruit due to the Chinook hops used. These hops are mainly a bittering flavor and not much for fragrance.

The ABUSE: Upon first taste I get some malty caramel, raison and fig notes. Beautiful mouth feel: This brew is of medium body and smooth creaminess followed by an abusive carbonation, hop and bitterness ass kicking on the swallow. Did this beer just punch me in the face? I feel like I’ve been verbally abused at my kid’s piano recital by some punk ass teenager, or even crop dusted in an elevator for not talking to the person to my left. Just plain rude! As the beer warms it becomes more complex and the notes of caramel swirl; the other flavors play nicely and the beer begins to make more logical sense. It’s a love hate relationship. A relationship I want to be a part of.

This beer is named perfectly; I highly recommend it for the complexity it embodies. If you look at other American Strong Ales you may not find names of beers that you recognize. The American Strong Ale is an alcohol heavy version of the Pale ale. As we all know, Anchor Steam - Liberty, Terrapin - Rye, Oscar Blue - Dales Pale Ale, and Sam Adams dominate the craft scene with offerings from this category. Let me tell you, Arrogant Bastard stomps a mud hole in all of these beers. Take this as a warning! You may not be ready to drink something this complex and aggressive but your palette will thank you when it’s all over.

Cheers!

Ryan

OMFG - Beer Review Series - Terrapin Hopzilla

This week Terrapin of Athens Georgia has released their newest side project 12 – Hopzilla. Many of us have tried beers from Terp, but this is a MUST try. Like all of the other side projects, Hopzilla comes packaged in a deuce-deuce bomber and should be poured into some glassware, or just keep it gangster and rock it in a paper bag. Either way, I suggest a wine glass or brandy snifter for the following reasons:            

•       As soon as the beer hits the glass, its color, aroma and taste is altered. You can see what is going on, and your anticipation is tweaked. Hidden nuances, become more pronounced, colors shimmer, and the enjoyment of the beer simply becomes a better, more complete, experience. To me, it’s like top chef: when the plates look so nice on TV you KNOW that food is going to taste amazing. 
•        Head is good! The shape of the glassware (snifter or wine glass) has a curvature and allows the foam to collect perfectly at the top of the glass and acts as a net for parts of the brew that tend to escape during the pour… aromas, such as hop oils , fruity esters, spices or other additions. The brewers have designed these “high end” beers to retain this flavor so enjoy it. You are cheating yourself if you don’t.

Ok, so I’m not going to lecture anymore, I swear! I picked this bottle up at my local craft brew bottle shop: Olde Crabapple Bottle Shop for 6 bucks. Yes, the price is sporty but this brew is 10.80% alcohol by volume; our hometown favorite, PBR, is 4.74% ABV. You would need to drink nearly 5 PBRs to match the alcohol in a 22oz Hopzilla. Fasten your seatbelts folks these suds are not for the faint of heart. 

This beer pours a light golden color with slight copper hues that highlight around the edges. One finger white head leaves nice thick ring around the glass to hold in flavor.

Smells like a hop bomb-- let's see how close they came: A light malt sweetness leads the way, but as it crosses my tongue the hops jump out and attack. The suds give way to a huge spike of lemon, pineapple and citrus notes to stomp the palette into submission. Flavor is as hoppy as a bullfrog on angel dust, and is what I expect from a double IPA. Nice bitterness. It mingles with the other flavors and shows a little warmth after the finish.

The lemony buttery bitterness lingers on the finish. This is a solid DIPA- it hits all the right notes. Terrapin has developed a very respectable beer here.

Cheers!

Ryan

Ear to the street: Terrapin’s next side project (13) will be called, “So Fresh and So Green, Green,” to pay homage to our boys Outkast. The release party will be around October-November for this brew. It’s a pipe dream but we may even see a pre-release cask at the third annual Atlanta Hotoberfest. http://www.hotoberfest.net/ 

OMF(ood)G - SIMPLY DELICIOUS - Outlaws Woodfire Steak & Seafood

SIMPLY DELICIOUS - Outlaws Woodfire Steak & Seafood

For this food review I went south of the perimeter to McDonough, Georgia. If you plan

on going to the raceway in Hampton on Labor Day weekend you might want to try this

restaurant out. It is truly good! OUTLAWS WOOD FIRE STEAK AND SEAFOOD

is located at 1120 Hwy. 20-81 West, McDonough, Georgia, just off of I-75 south.

The steaks are superb and have the wood fire taste like grilling outdoors! The seafood

(Lobster is my favorite) is just as tasty. Let’s not forget the fun part though, the Lonely

Rider Appetizers. They have fried green tomatoes that are really some of the best I have

had and fried pickles, mozzarella cheese sticks, oysters rockefeller, onion petals, spinach

& artichoke dip and the list goes one. I have actually tried most of these and loved every

one I have tasted. They also have salads, soups and hamburgers and lots of sides to

choose from. I really like this place and I have never left hungry.

LBLIZZARD

Click HERE for a link to their Facebook page.

OMF(ood)G - SIMPLY DELICIOUS - Baraonda

SIMPLY DELICIOUS - Baraonda 

Who loves Italian food??? I know Stephanie does! Today Stefanie and I loved the

Italian food at Baraonda Caffe Italiano located at 710 Peachtree St., NE, Atlanta.

Stephanie had their tasty lasagna and I had Penne Salsiccia (sausage, onion, mushrooms,

cream sauce over penne pasta) that was really good!

They have wonderful pizza and salads and their deep fried calamari is some of the best I

have had!! It will not be a wasted trip if you like Italian.

LBLIZZARD

Click here to view the MENU

OMF(ood)G - SIMPLY DELICIOUS - Steel

SIMPLY DELICIOUS  - STEEL

Let’s talk about the restaurant “Steel” located on West Peachtree and Peachtree Place in

Atlanta. I had a great lunch today with a Bento Box consisting of California roll, Korean

Beef (slices of beef marinated in Korean spices with house made kim chee), fried rice,

salad with their house dressing (yummy) and egg roll. I seriously needed assistance to

walk out of the place I was so full. It was “simply delicious!!!” I have also experienced

in a previous visit the Spicy Shrimp Noodle Bowl (also available with rice) and it will

light your fire and it is wonderful!!! You better like spicy for this dish! In addition

another dish I have tried was the scallops in the bento box and it is just as yummy and has

all the trimmings as the bento box above. The atmosphere here is wonderful and the food

is always great. Edemame and calamari are two of the apetitizers offered and both are

very good. What more can I say, I have been several times and it is because it is worth

going back.

http://www.steelatlanta.com/menu.html

LBLIZZARD

OMFG - The American Idol Experience

OMFG - A Look @ Auditioning for American Idol!

Even after nine seasons and becoming a pop culture phenomenon, few fans know the truth

behind American Idol, myself included. However, after recently trying out for the show in

Nashville, I have gained some insight into the inner workings of the search for the next big thing.

From the comfort of their couches, AI fans only see the near end for a select few auditioners.

For me and my friend Jaime, the try out process began on Friday afternoon, when after the four

hour drive to Nashville, we received wristbands and seat tickets at the Bridgestone Arena. Our

Keith Urban look-a-like registrar told us to be back at the arena the following morning at 5 am

and to be prepared to stay all day. So, with books and blackberries in hand, we did exactly that

the next morning. 

Auditioners, along with their friends and family crowded the streets of downtown Nashville. Once the sun had come up, AI producers and cameras arrived outside to take the crowd shots often seen in the beginning of the show. By 7 am, the crowd started filing into the arena to take their designated seats and wait. Once everyone was settled into their seats, more crowd shots were taken. We were given direction after direction: “Ok, now say Welcome to Nashville….Ok, now say Welcome to Music City.” By 9 am twelve tables and partitions were placed on the floor of the arena and the auditions began. 

The AI hopefuls were auditioned in the order of registration. Unfortunately for us, registration began on Thursday morning at 7 am, so from up in the nose bleed seats of the arena we watched as 16,000 people

sang their hearts out. Auditioners are placed in groups of four and are asked to sing in front of

one or two producers of the show. Individuals are given about 30 seconds to sing and then are

asked to step back into their lines. Once all four people in the group have had a chance to sing,

the producers talk and decide who to keep and who to let go. More often than not, a whole

group would be let go at a time. For the first hour of the auditions, no one received a golden

ticket to the next round. Overall, out of 16,000 people, I would estimate that maybe 100 got to

the next round. 

After fourteen hours of waiting, Jaime and I finally got to sing. After waiting so

long and watching the process, we knew that it would be a long shot for us to get to the next

round. For both of us, we received the polite no that goes a little something like this: “Thank you

all so much for trying out, but it’s going to be a no. You are just not what we are looking for.”

With that, your wristband is cut off and you are ushered outside back onto the street where you

started. While we heard that there were a lot of tears throughout the day, Jaime and I were

happy with how we did and happy to finally have to chance to get a beer. The experience was

worth the wait and it will always make for a cool story to tell. 

For the lucky few that did make it through, I can’t be sure what the next step looked like for them. However, I do know that they still had a few rounds to get through before seeing the “real” judges. So, we are still left to wonder how you do actually become an AI contestant. What we do know is that all those bad singers shown on TV are let through and given hope that they might actually make on the

show…..poor bastards.

Post written by Guest Contributor: Stephanie Marsden