Man, it’s been a long time since we have been active on here. Life got busy and weird.
No, I’m not saying goodbye to this blog. I actually would like to keep growing it and remembering that it exists.
Recently pretty big changes happened at the work place. My boss (COWORKER), my blog partner, and most of all one of my closest friends left to start a new journey. I’m happy for him, because I know that this work life isn’t easy. He needs to be happy and able to be himself wherever he can be. I’m sad for me, and the rest of us at the job. He would always put a smile on your face, remember your coffee order, and take you to get pizza on a bad day.
I felt like writing because this is something that him and I started together, and with all the life changes, including me moving to Indiana in July, I want to make sure we try and do this together, together.
I want to get back to the pizza and beer, the music and movies, and the all around awesome that this blog is. Get back that spark we had when we started.
No more sappy bull shit, I promise.
But hey. Thanks for reading and sticking it out. You are rad.
Obviously, this is like a holiday for us beer lovers. I’ve taken advantage of this a couple of times this week.
First, we start with Black Label Brewing. I visited there on Saturday and completely fell in love. The atmosphere was inviting, and gave me a strange sense of home. The building used to be where Merlyns used to reside, during the time of my life that I practically lived at that place. Drinking beer there just gave me a sense of calm and happy. Not to me ton delicious.
I fell head over heals for the American Wheat (pictured above) It was smooth, yet just hoppy enough. I love me some IPAs and hops, but this was just enough.
I did try just about all the beers there, and they were all exceptional. The Spring Session IPA came in at a close second.
And the next on the list, happens to be River City. They happen to have one of my top beers of all time on their list ( girlfriend ale) and they had an event at the Checkboard bar.
They had four beers on tap, and pints were $1.25. YES! I said one dollar and twenty five cents!
Best. Wednesday. Ever
Between Heather and I, our six beers ended up costing us $7.50
River city is one of my favorite breweries around. Their beer range is pretty good, going from the light Girlfriend and huckleberry the River City Red. They usually have a stout or two along the way. My Boyfriend fell in love with the Ohko koko (which could be totally spelled wrong, but couldn’t find it online 😂)
I always go for the Girlfriend if offered, and you can’t go wrong with a blonde ale, am I right?
rivercityred.blogspot.com
I’m hoping to experience more of this week, but just wanted to blog about it right now!
So, another year goes by and I won’t be at MDF yet again.. This year however does sting a bit due to the fact that I will be missing Agoraphobic Nosebleed performing live. Fuck!!
Looks like there has been a video made by David Hall for the track “Withering of Skin” off the Honky Reduction album released by RELAPSE in 1998. This video coincides with DECIBEL magazines release of re-recordings of four tracks from the first two ANB full length’s released as a part of their flexi series and will be included in Junes issue.
Being an 80’s kid that I am I have a particular interest in music videos of the era. Now don’t get me wrong, I appreciate a great music video, the question is, what makes a video great?
At this point in my life I consider there to be two categories of music videos, classics and just plain fucking awesome. The cheesy, are you fucking serious, this was actually made into a music video being my favorite.
Let’s start with one of my all time faverite cheese ball videos. And there are a lot of them. But Kiss “Lick it up” has to be on the top of the food chain.
Within the past year or two I have become a beer enthusiast. I love beer. Which is so weird when I used to hate everything about it.
Tonight I went out with a high school friend who is as delightful as she is pretty. We found we have very different beer tastes, and would make perfect roomates.
We did however share a like for A new beer NoLi offers called Poser, but this one was infused with huckleberry.
It’s lighter than an IPA, but packs a bit more of a punch than their cream ale. It’s classified as a blonde/golden ale and it stands at just about 5%. Plus, huckleberry. Automatically sold.
Poser is a relatively new beer to the brewery, and on its own is my favorite beer they offer. Infusing it with Huckleberry is an ingenious plan to get people like me to spend all there money.
A great view and great company make NoLi and a+ experience for any spokanite, or visitor (dates here, especially technical first ones are highly recommended.)
One of my favorite bands PHOBIA is about to hit the road again. Check out the tour flyer and make sure you hit up a show near you.. Support the Grind!!!
In case you haven’t heard of INFEST you betta ask somebody..!! Super stoked that INFEST started playing live again in 2013 and has been showing the kids and us old fucks what’s up once again..
“Infest:
One of powerviolence’s pioneers (if not the very first PV band), Infest’s insanely pissed off, unrelenting sound and jagged, unsettling compositions are in many ways unmatched to this day. Their expression of straight edge ethics and criticism of the hardcore scene provides appropriate backing for the blinding fit of fury they were known for unleashing. Cited by nearly all present during their lifetime as one of the most intense hardcore bands around at the time.”
Being as some people say, the “pizza snob” that I am I was a bit apprehensive when I heard that the “Chipotle of Pizza” was opening doors in my town. I mean come on, a build your own pizza through a sneeze guard is not what I would call a great approach to crafting an above average pie. I like the idea of the DIY approach to pizza making but it seems such an odd concept with the Chipotles, Taco Del Mars and Subways of our world. That being said, this pizza snob was actually impressed.
Is the dough fresh? Are the ingredients fresh? How is the red sauce? How many beards and dudes with top knots am I going to encounter here? These are questions that run through my mind as I first walked through the doors.
As my first step into the restaurant is greeted with a loud exuberant “Hi” which seemed to come from every direction it seemed as the staff was upbeat and ready for my pizza challenge. My every instinct is telling me to turn and walk out as I come nearer to the sneeze guard. Those cambros full of ingredients take me back to my college days working at Subway in Seattle and that memory is not helping the situation. “Hi, is this your first time at MOD” brings me out of my tailspin as does the sound of The Ramones coming from the speakers, I mean they are playing The Ramones, I could craft a pizza while singing Rockaway Beach in my head, it can’t be that bad.
My perfect pie creation has begun and it’s all up to me. I must say I was getting a bit excited as I look at all the options. Here’s the kicker, you can have your 11″ pizza any way you want with as many toppings as you want all for the same price. Hey, not a bad fucking deal, let’s do this!! Now I do generally lean towards the simplistic side of pizza, ya know, pepperoni and pineapple, cheese, if you fuck those pizzas up then I will just give up on you. There is no shortage of options here, yet, I still go the simple approach. Red sauce, Mozzarella, mushrooms, pineapple, onion, olives and bell peppers finished with a dash of grated assiago cheese. Now to some that may not seem simplistic but when you have the bevy of options available at MOD it is quite simple.
As they take away my little 11″ pizza Frankenstein I just created to be slid into their 800 degree gas fired ovens I start to get more eager to get that first taste. There are no conveyor belts at MOD which in my humble opinion is not how you cook a pizza. As I wait, I see an odd machine that looks like a tortilla press on steroids being manned by a MOD squader that is taking fresh balls of dough and pressing them to that perfect thin 11″ circle. Getting better!!
And here are a few other bullet points taken directly from the MOD website
Our dough is organic and is made with wheat-based pizza flour, water and seasonings and contains no dairy or sugar. It does not contain additives or preservatives.
Our signature red sauce, made fresh daily, is made with two varietals of tomatoes, fresh basil, garlic, parmesan cheese and herbs.
We use approx. 2oz of shredded, whole milk mozzarella on all of our signature pizzas.
Our pesto does not contain nuts. Ingredients include basil, canola oil, parmesan, milk, water, garlic and salt.
The amount of cheese and other toppings used varies based on customer preference (as we make your pizzas on demand).
I order a fountain drink to wash down my pizza and am stoked to find their ice teas and lemonades ready right next to the boring soda options. There is even an organic ice tea option as well..
I hear my name after a short 3-5 minute wait, pick up my creation at their counter and begin to be pleasantly surprised bite after bite. MOD Pizza is thin to my liking, perfectly cooked in their non conveyor belt way, red sauce was great, light and not a heavy tomato paste like sauce that is so prevalent out there these days. I finished my pie off with some slices of fresh tomatoes.
Bottom line, this pizza snob will be back and has been back to MOD since that first visit. Their DIY approach to pizza making is legit and you would be doing yourself a disservice by not hitting up MOD Pizza as soon as possible.
Oh, and did I mention they have beer on tap and milkshakes..WHAT!!!??
This Static Age 