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.