Let's see how far we've come

what an incredible weekend. full of celebration, laughter, and emotion. after 6 years of school, Jarrett graduated this weekend with his Masters in CIS from Georgia State University. I am so proud of him, and I know that he is glad to finally be done with school....for now.

Friday night, his brother Ryan flew up from Satellite beach for the weekend. sure i was a little nervous. but those feelings faded quickly the minute he walked in the door. It is pretty awesome to have a family that is so accepting and open. we dined at Slice and then headed over to a very interesting party at Atlantic Station.

I managed to get most of my Christmas shopping done early on Saturday. I always wait until the last minute, but at least this time I had a plan. i had a list.

saturday night I had dinner with Jarrett's mom and brother at Room, Bob Amick's new restaurant in the Twelve Centennial Park hotel/condo building. the wine list was extensive and the food was very good. though it has only been open a short time, i fear it may not have the edge it needs to succeed. then it was off to the symphony to hear Handel's messiah.

and then there was sunday. Jarrett's sister flew up to surprise him, and we all joined up at the GA dome for his graduation ceremony. then a group of his friends and family gathered at STATs to celebrate the special day. (by the way, STATs is another new concept by Bob Amick. it's an upscale sports bar that is massive in size with a rooftop deck and has much potential once they iron out a few problems. mainly the warm tap beer... yuck). We had a great time, and I realized today how lucky Jarrett is. His family is so positive and accepting, and made me feel like i was part of the family.

next up: a trip to Florida to visit Jarrett's mom. and maybe a trip to Disney.

The McGills

SNM - Itajai Vibes (Wize remix)

leave a message I'll get back to you

I cannot get enough of Wize these days. I put him right up there with Phunktastike, my other favorite DJ at the moment. Wize is really the alias for Basile Fanon, the French DJ/producer/remixer who founded the group back in 2001.

remix of His production work as well as his remixes are qualility. Wize can best be described as "having a sound that is simply superb; it's a fusion of classic French House and Disco with something extra, giving it an uplifting quality." Well, soon to be released on Watona Sick Record label comes Wize'sSNM - Itajai Vibes. It is a really beautiful and uplifting track. I first heard in on Jody Wisternoff's recent live set on Justmusic FM. Take a listen above.

keep an eye out for Wize's newest production, a track called "Freedom". It is rumored to have incredible crosssover potential.

Keep an eye out for more releases from this talented DJ.

Rairbirds - Calling (7th heaven vocal mix)

so i called a friend of mine

You may be familiar with a funk rock band from the 90s named "Rootjoose", whose style of music closely resembled "surf rock" bands like that of Reef. They were from Cornwall, and their live performances included choreographed comedy dances and light shows that gained them much popularity with the people in the South West of England. The group's popularity grew through the late 90s and they were very close to breaking into the mainstream music scene when their record label went bankrupt in 2001. Well a few of the guitarists of Rootjoose have moved on to form a dance band called "Rairbirds", and I think they are pretty cool.

The band now describes their sound as "Part digital, part analog, part programmed, part played, everything we were and everything we became, for one and all for ever."

Their latest track titled "Calling" is great, with remixes from 7th heaven, skylark, and jerry ropero. My favorite so far being the 7th heaven vocal mix.

Check them out. You can download these tracks from Itunes or Beatport. Take a listen above.

you tell me that you're sorry, didn't think I'd turn around...and say.

well i made it back from California safely. lemme tell ya, it was hard leaving San Francisco on Sunday morning. Such an amazing city it is. we spent the latter part of last week in the wine country. first a day in Sonoma, then hitting Napa valley on Friday. the weather was nothing short of perfect, starting with a cool mornings in the upper 40s, and warming up to the upper 60s by the afternoon. my favorite city along the way would have to be Healdesberg. It was like visiting Thomasville, Georgia but with all the charm and charisma one would expect in the wine country, complete with boutique shopping and some of the best food i have ever had.

We spent the weekend exploring San Francisco. Out hotel, The Palace, was fabulous and is one if not the oldest hotel in the city. I met up with an old friend from Atlanta that took us to the organic market at the Ferry Building on Saturday and of course a stroll through the Castro.

I cannot wait to go back and visit. and i can't wait for my wine to arrive in about a week.

We stayed at The Palace, in San Francisco, the oldest hotel in the city.

The view from Sterling Winery, in Napa.

Dinner at The Girl and the Fig in Sonoma, California

This was one of my favorite wineries, called "Bella".

We spent Thursday in Sonoma

Dinner at the Benziger Winery

and you see your gypsy

well hello! Greetings from Santa Rosa. It has been an incredible week out here in California, beginning with just a little bit of work and ending with much fun. I flew in Monday morning, and have spent the past few nights out in wine country. I forgot how beautiful it really is out here, and makes me not look forward to coming back to Atlanta. Here are a few of my observations:

• San Francisco truly is a pedestrian city. The cars actually stop and allow people to walk in cross walks. a novel idea i know, but try the very same thing in Atlanta and you will surely be hit.
• It is so clean out here. The cities, the streets, the parks. It makes Atlanta look like a dump.
• The price of gas out here is only a little higher than Atlanta.
• I know nothing about wine. After hitting the wineries of Sonoma yesterday, I still am baffled by how much goes into the wine making process. And how many factors can cause a wine to taste linear, jammy, spicy, chewy, smooth, and just about any other adjective to describe the taste.
• With the recent oil spill in the bay in San Francisco, the mayor decides to take trip out of town as all hell breaks loose. and the people of San Fran were not happy. I found it interesting that the morning newscasters openly expressed their disdain on air. would that every happen in Atlanta?
  

We are off to hit Napa today then back into San Francisco for the weekend. As I am sitting in the Aroma Roasters cafe here in Santa Rosa, I hear Fleetwood Mac - Gypsy playing and know i am home.

Later......

You'll flow down her river

I believe the moment we sat down last night, Jarrett and I both wished we had worn our Halloween costume from last weekend. You see, at the very last minute, Erik loaned us his Neptune and Mercury costumes that he and Flippen wore to Halloween in New Orleans several years ago. and boy were they great. only requiring the magic of a warm iron and my vietvanese tranny pedicurist to tackle our feet. we had to wear sandals you see. the party turned out to be really fun, despite the 45 degree weather and my scantily clad body. thank goodness the gays were smart enough to rent one of those air heater machines that i thought some queen would certainly mistake for a speaker box and an opportunity to really "get her fierce on".

with Halloween 2007 taking place in the middle of the week this year, Jarrett and I were looking for something fun to do. we quickly eliminated the possibility of going to one of the various haunted houses for fear of waiting in line of hours. and i will be the first to admit that i may not have been the most excited about his idea: to have dinner at Trader Vic's and attend their "Hulaween" party. in fact, i think i may have even chuckled under my breath. I quickly called my parents to inquire about this place tucked away in the bottom of the Hilton Hotel downtown only to have my father reply, "Oh that place has been around for 30 years, I bet they haven't even changed the oil in the pans". now that is encouraging. but then again, I thought, "Why not?".

There is not doubt the place is a bit campy, kitschy, cheesy, and all of the those adjectives that can be inserted to describe a place that instantly transports you back into the 70s, completed with Tommy Bahama shirts, bamboo walls and ceilings, and Hawaiian themed decor all in major abundance. I felt like i was in that scene from "Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas" where they are on a day long mescaline binge at the hotel bar. Sans the merry-go-round. The crowd was very young, however, in stark contrast to what i expected. I thought for sure the place would be packed with overweight conventioneers with their trade show lanyards and Nextel two-way cell phones causing all kinds of noise pollution. Instead, it was a very college age group. respectable.

We ended up having a really good time. The place was packed, and just about everyone there had arrived in costume. and really good ones. we sipped Mai Tai's, their signature drink and on special that night, and had a really good meal. then it was of to hear the band they had playing in the bar called "Tongo Hiti". with songs ranging from "I want you to want me" to none other than "Lips like Sugar", I could see myself coming back with a group of friends. The thing i realized most last night was that sure it was random, but a welcome change from what was expected. I could have easily walked down to the local gay watering hole to see my favorite clowns, i mean drag queens perform. but i didn't.

Britney spears stoned

I was really just looking to see Britney's new video for "Gimme More" and I came across this. MUCH more entertaining. I mean really?

and I can show you a silver lining

The name Eric Kupper is not new to the music scene. In fact, his involvement in music expands well beyond the house music genre. He got his start two decades ago while working as a keyboardist and guitarist for such legendary DJs as David Morales, Frankie Knuckles, and Peter Rauhofer. And ever since 1986, he has played on, remixed, and produced over 1400 records for artists spanning nearly every musical genre.

Several years ago, Eric discovered the DJ disease and soon became a resident DJ at London's Pacha club alongside Hed Kandi for four years. He is now the resident DJ with Tokyo Disco, a joint venture with Mark Doyle, the former creator of Hed Kandi.

His remixes have a classic clean house style that I love. Some of my favorites over the years include Garbage "Bleed like Me", Samantha James "Rise", and Solu Music "Fade". I cannot quit listening to one of his newest productions that came out earlier this year, after hearing it almost nightly at the A-House in Provincetown. It features a vocalist named Belle and the track is called "Touch". It is the classic Hed Kandi Beach House sound that I love so much. It is available online.

Phunktastike September Promo

Listen to Phunktastike's September 2007 Promo Mix.

midnight at the aquarium

There are few DJs that can actually "wow" me with their technical skill and impeccable track selection. At least consistently. but Phunktastike, a dj that I have just discovered in the last six months, has done just that. Much like myself, he was first influenced by music from his sister, listening to the early works of New Order, Depeche Mode, and the Cure. It wasn't until 1998 that he first discovered house music, and now his productions and remixes are being hammered by Desyn Masiello and Luke Fair among others. I predict big things from this guy in the coming years. Take a listen to his September promo above.

I've been waiting, waiting to hold you all night

well I am finally back from Provincetown. and to say i had a good time would be an understatement. 8 days of glorious cloud-free weather with temps in the 70s. some of the strongest rum runners to date at the boat slip. amazing seafood at the lobster pot. sleeping outside under a blanket of stars with the rustling of the leaves being the only sound for miles. bike rides to the breakwater. shopping on commercial. dancing to the signature tunes of DJ Lasalle at the A house.

it's always sad to leave a place that you love so much. but I'll be back. and it may be sooner than next summer.

pictures from the week are below.

BJ and Jason were a lot of fun. I can see more trips in the future.

Whale watching was a lot of fun.

John Brown got a chance to show off the new beard. It's a good look, isn't it?

The sunsets in Provincetown do not suck

I finally walked all the way across the breakwater to the beach.

We also spent time with a former Atlantan, Rob Borden, and his ultra-hot couple friends from Dallas. I may have had a big crush on both of them. I mean, how could you not with teeth like that??

We stopped by Edwige to see the very hot bartender, Mark, and pick up his second release, This is Edwidge 2, with the CD design by Tony.

it is pretty funny when all of the bartenders know your name and have your email address. just ask john brown. Jim, one of the regular bartenders at the A house, kept our glasses full with very strong skinnys.

As John Brown would probably agree with me, it is really hard to take a bad picture from the deck of the boat slip. in fact, every afternoon, as the sun begins to set, i would find myself taking numerous pics of the very same thing, as the colors are changing every minute.

As per usual, we danced our asses off to the sounds of DJ David LaSalle in the A-House. or Red Lobster on Cobb Parkway if you will.

are we there yet???

With only three days left until i leave for the cape, i am scrambling to get everything finished on my "to do" list. and each day i find myself becoming increasingly anxious. but in a good way. call it senioritis if you will. part of me has already checked out at work so even the most annoying coworker only bothers me slightly. erik and i were talking about it this evening, like a pair of kids waiting for Christmas to come. I think that I am mostly looking forward to a time away from work and everyday life. to a place that seems so surreal and magical that one can only describe by having actually visited. patience......

you holdin' up traffic green means go

as the scramble to get ready for Ptown commences this week, I can finally say that the CD is officially completed. of course, DJ David LaSalle was no help. I emailed him last week, evening attaching a picture to remind him who I was (as if he needed it) and I never heard back from him. maybe they don't have that high speed Super Net up on the cape. but i have a fairly good idea of what he and Mary Alice are playing.

Here's the tracklist. i will post a download link later in the week if you are interested...


"IT'S A 2 STREET TOWN, Y'ALL"
PTOWN LABOR DAY 2007
DJ JOHN THOMPSON

1.amy winehouse - tears dry on their own (alix alvarez sole channel mix)
2.montoja feat chianty - love comes over me (sunfreakz remix)
3.justin timberlake - lovestoned (kaskade remix)
4.freemasons feat amanda wilson - i feel like
5.iio - rapture (freemasons bootleg mix)
6.rihanna - push up on me (moto blanco club mix)
7.shayne ward - if that's ok with you (moto blanco vocal mix)
8.erasure - sunday girl (riffs and rays remix edit)
9.maroon 5 - makes me wonder (trent cantrelle vocal mix)
10.beyonce - green light (freemason vocal mix)
11.kelly rowland - like this (dj escape and coluccio main mix)

Enjoy.

souvenirs, novelties, party tricks

the last few weeks have made me realize what truly wonderful and supportive friends i have in my life. first, with Erik and John's show at Mary's, where a large crowd of friends and family came to see the trials and tribulations of Norma Desmond. as played by none other than Erik in full character, makeup included. and to look out and see his entire family in the smoky gay dive-bar, laughing and cheering him on was really very cool. johnbrown played a slightly retarded PTown Barbie/Norma sidekick. the show was creative and very funny. after the show, people stayed around for me to throw down some fun music and give everyone a chance to catch up. on a monday night no less.

thursday night, a group of 70+ gathered at the our old stomping grounds, Gaylo, to send off our good friend John Flippen to NYC. He has taken a position in New York with Google, and i cannot tell you how proud and happy everyone is for him. it's bittersweet, though, as i have really gotten to know this amazing person really well in the last two years, and i will be sad to see him leave. i do, however, see a trip to NYC to visit real soon. yet again, thursday reminded how fortunate I am to have the friends that i do.

then there is Jarrett. while talking on the phone to my mom this afternoon, she replies, "i don't hear from you that often now that you are spending so much time with you 'new friend'". it's funny, as she cannot seem to make herself say "boyfriend" but simply acknowledging that I have someone special in my life is a start, right? and i am sure she meant it in the best possible way. the only thing that parents ever want for their children is for them to be happy and to share their life with someone they care about. it's true that Jarrett and I have been spending a lot of time together. he makes me laugh, and finds humor in my crazy ways. who else could watch me breakdance and do a 'back spin' on my laminate hardwoods and not think that i was insane. well, i just might be sometimes.

and i really don't have any idea why i became very insecure this afternoon, and pretty much acted like a fool. which sent him packing his things and making me feel really bad. there are always time in relationships where the other person will start to get on your nerves, and i clearly became that person with him today.

next up, Ptown. it's a 2 street town, y'all.......

it's the day of the show, y'all!

ankony and jason

me and Beardy