DRINKIN' WITH THE DISTRICT

Here are links to two stories from recent issues of the District. Yes, they are both about booze.

This first one is about the dollar beers at Fantasy Castle. My friends say it makes me sound gay. You decide.

This second one, which ironically mentions one of my gay friends, is about the white Sangria at Sevilla. It rules.

FAT TIRE IN THE DISTRICT

Fat Tire now comes in a can. Read all about it here.

BAVARIA STYLE IN THE DISTRICT

Here's a story I wrote for the District on the Bavarian Style Hefeweizen beer at Trader Joe's. It's pretty damn good.

FERNET-BRANCA IN THE DISTRICT

Fernet-Branca is one helluva drink. Read all about it.

http://thedistrictweekly.com/print/food-drink/drink-of-the-week/drink-of-the-week-21/

TWO STORIES IN THE DISTRICT

Here they are folks. Enjoy!

http://thedistrictweekly.com/print/shelter/the-price-is-right/

and

http://thedistrictweekly.com/print/food-drink/the-sides/sides-58/

DAVID SEDARIS

I've been super busy, so this is all you get for now.

http://thedistrictweekly.com/print/arts/books/he-talk-pretty-friday/

GRAPPA

I bet if you search long enough, you'll find my post about drinking grappa in Venice. If you don't have all day, peep this.

http://thedistrictweekly.com/print/food-drink/drink-of-the-week/drink-of-the-week-16/

OUT OF THE CLOSET

The store, not me.
http://thedistrictweekly.com/print/commerce/dept-of-commerce/ready-to-wear/

PASSIVE AGGRESSIVE SOCKS

http://thedistrictweekly.com/print/commerce/buy-curious/the-quiet-man/

TRADER JOE'S EGGPLANT WRAP

http://thedistrictweekly.com/print/food-drink/the-sides/sides-20/

FANCY EATIN' AND TOUGH-GUY DRESSIN'

http://thedistrictweekly.com/print/food-drink/the-sides/sides-16/

http://thedistrictweekly.com/print/commerce/dept-of-commerce/take-a-little-trip/

TACO SALAD DAYS

Here's a little thingy I wrote for the District regarding the taco salad at Coco Renos. Now I know everyone will say the tofu tacos are the best, but those people haven't had the taco salad.

PS Make sure to ask for tofu.

http://thedistrictweekly.com/print/food-drink/the-sides/sides-10/

DAVID DANNOV INTERVIEW IN THE DISTRICT

Here's a link to an interview I did with Long Beach writer David Dannov. I never heard of the guy until I saw him read at Acres of Books. He was highly entertaining, so I thought I'd give it a shot. Turns out he's a pretty decent guy.

http://thedistrictweekly.com/print/arts/books/three-in-one-day/

BURRITO FACTORY

One of my favorite things to do when I'm not sleeping is eating. More specifically, eating burritos. Here's a link to a story I wrote for the District. It's about a place in San Pedro called Burrito Factory.

http://thedistrictweekly.com/print/food-drink/the-sides/sides-7/

THE DISTRICT X3

Hey all in Internet land, check out these three stories I wrote in the current issue of the District. The paper is nearly a year old and getting better. And I'm not just saying that because they say yes to some of my ideas. I actually read it and like it.

This one's about the Long Beach Public Library:
http://thedistrictweekly.com/print/commerce/dept-of-commerce/on-the-house/

This one's about an amazing Italian beer called Moretit:
http://thedistrictweekly.com/print/food-drink/drink-of-the-week/drink-of-the-week-moretti-beer/

And this one's about the potato tacos at Hole Mole:
http://thedistrictweekly.com/print/food-drink/the-sides/sides-3/

HECTIC WEEK

Long time no post. Busy, busy, busy. I guess that's better than having nothing to do. Or is it? Either way, here's a link to a story I wrote for the District. It's about a local woman who runs a company called Veg-O-Rama. She makes vegan cupcakes, cookies, cinnamon rolls and a bunch more. I say this about everything I write, but this time I mean it. This stuff rules.

http://thedistrictweekly.com/print/commerce/dept-of-commerce/no-meat-treat/

I'm working on transcribing an interview I did a few weeks ago with Long Beach writer Rob Woodard. The day we met was the day I got sick, hence the long delay. I want to break it up into a few parts and hope to have the first one up before tomorrow.

LAST DAYS OF THE PRESS-TELEGRAM or EAT MY CORN-FILLED SHIT WILLIAM DEAN SINGLETON

Well, anyone who was interested enough in listening to me would known Long Beach's daily paper, the Press-Telegram, has been a sinking ship for at least the past four years. How would I know, you ask? Simple. I worked there for three of the most painful, agonizing and downright miserable years of my life. I've avoided commenting publicly about this (I know so many of you are dying to know what I think, sorry for the delay) for a slew of reasons, the most important being I still consider a few (see: two) people employed there friends and I don't want to say anything that might come off as intended for them. Like I suspect others at the PT, these two are good people who happen to work for a shitty company. Wait, that's it. I can talk about the company.

If you don't know, here are some links to what's going on with what was formerly known as the Press-Telegram.

http://lbpost.com/specialreport.php?id=1&where=#865
http://www.lbreport.com/news/feb08/ptchang.htm
http://www.laobserved.com/biz/2008/03/glossing_over_bloodb.php
http://www.laobserved.com/archive/2008/02/presstelegram_essentially_1.php
http://thedistrictweekly.com/daily/writing-shotgun/more-amputations-at-press-telegram-to-turn-lb-daily-into-corporate-bureau/

But my favorite link, the one everyone should read, is the PT's. Naturally, they gloss over little facts such as laying off entire departments and then allowing 21 of those people to re-apply for 12 positions. Oh yeah, they also told a publisher and a managing editor to kick rocks. But their angle is how they got a new publisher.
http://www.presstelegram.com/news/ci_8414986

Seriously folks, there's so much for me to say that I don't even know where to begin. I feel like not saying anything at all only because whatever clever story I can come up with won't even tell a portion of how shitty this company is. Which reminds me, those looking to take shots at the PT (myself included) need to remember why all of this is happening. There's an greedy asshole businessman named Willian Dean Singleton. He's the guy who runs MediaNews Group, the company that owns the PT. MNG is based out of Colorado. It doesn't take a genius to see how that can be a problem for a local paper like the PT. This guy was attributed as saying if he had a choice between pleasing a banker or 1,000 journalists, he'd go with the banker.

Fuck, I get pissed just writing this stuff. That's why I can't say anything. This guy's the reason behind the PT's decline, not the people who work there. That's not to say I'm 100 percent on their side either, but like all corporations, the problems start at the top.

I hope you read this William Dean Singleton. Fuck you for paying me $9.90 for THREE FUCKING YEARS and give me a raise up to $10.10. Fuck you for making me go to the union for health insurance after two years because the company policy is to pay for insurance for full-time employees, ie those who work 30 hours a week. Wouldn't you know, my contract was written for 29 although I never worked that many hours in three fucking years. Shit, I was working more than 40 for most of that time, taking work home many nights because I couldn't techincally work overtime. Fuck you and your bullshit company. If bad things haven't happened to you, I hope they do. Wait, don't you have some crippling disease like Parkinson's or something? It's hard to know because you're pretty good at keeping a tight lip on things. Whatever it is you have, I feel no mercy for you at all. You're a goddamn asshole who's making a shit-ton of money at the expense of others. Yeah, we live in capitalist society, but that doesn't give anyone the right to be a money-hungry prick who doesn't care about people's livelihoods. Good fuck yourself and the horse you rode in on.

Fuck, now I'm mad and I didn't want that. You see why I don't talk about this? But I have another thought. The PT staff has a blog called the Stress Telegram. I'm all in favor of people bettering themselves, especially when it's people vs. a corporation, but I think I've had enough whining from these people. If things are that bad, then fucking quit. I did. And I didn't have a goddamn cent to my name when I left thanks to the aforementioned reasons. You want a better job, go find one. Or do what I did and create one. Maybe start your own paper. Shit, the District did. Some of the people making noise over there were rude, shitty, selfish people who never bothered to ask my name. And a Union rep? He's probably the biggest waste of flesh on the planet. The guy couldn't remember my name or my boss' (she'd been there for, oh, maybe 15 years). But he's really good at mumbling, putting his forehead in his palm and starig into space. I get it. You people want to save your jobs. But shut the fuck up about it already. It's over. You lost. They won. Move on. Check out their blog for their side of the story, which I might add, is pretty lame. I mean, this ain't the PT and there aren't any names on this site. Why not let loose and tell Long Beach what's really happening? Trying to play it cool only makes this blog look like they're afraid. They probably are, but that's no way to win people over. You're already fucked, you might as well act like real journalists and say something for once. During my time there, I saw fucked up shit on a daily basis and it was always much worse than the version that hit the streets. Hey Stress Telegram, call a spade a spade and start naming names. Quit linking to other sites and OPEN YOUR FUCKING MOUTH AND SAY SOMETHING SOMEONE IN THIS TOWN MIGHT ACTUALLY CARE ABOUT! If the rest of the city knew had bad it really was, and not just the version that gets reported by every media outlet except yours, you might have a stronger case. But what do I know? http://lbguild9400.blogspot.com/

Maybe I'll comment more as this transpires. Believe me, I got an encyclopedia to fill with info about the PT.

A LIL SUMPIN' SUMPIN'

I know you people in Internet land are sitting patiently for me to drop more knowledge, but I have bad news. I am still sick. To tide you over, here's something from the latest edition of the District. Vegan cupcakes from Veg-O-Rama. They rule, whether you're a vegan or not. I'll write more about those later. But for now I gotta get some rest before Project Runway.

http://thedistrictweekly.com/print/commerce/dept-of-commerce/no-meat-treat/

FASHION FORWARD WITH THE DISTRICT

Here's something I wrote for the District on BJ's Clothes.

http://thedistrictweekly.com/print/commerce/dept-of-commerce/2008/02/20/secret-to-your-success/

LIGHTING UP THE DISTRICT

Candles rule.
http://thedistrictweekly.com/print/commerce/buy-curious/2008/02/13/let-there-be-light/