This weekend I went to Phoenix to console my friend who lost her gramma. Actually, let's be real. Julia lives in DC and I live in LV, so we don't get to see each other very much. So when she let me know she was coming to Phx for the weekend to be with her family I saw an opportunity. Luckily, Julia was amenable to the idear. Also, it would give me a chance to see my folks, so all the way around it was completely selfish on my part.

Julia and I decided we needed a night out, and I found this restaurant review for Digestif in Scottsdale. As soon as I got to the part about absinthe being served, I was sold. Luckily Julia was up for an adventure too. The menu looked intriguing, but really I was drawn by the green fairy.

Apparently absinthe is legal in the US again after a 95 year ban. The particular brand of favor at Digestif is Lucid Absinthe. This link to the Lucid site has a lot of history and background about the drink. This site has a lot of good info and I give it the Peacock Marketing Review Stamp of Approval^® because the design is good and is chock full of good content.

So Julia and I show up for our reservation with our curiosity piqued and hunger a brewin'. We promptly order up two Lusid Absinthes prepared in the traditional fashion.

The manager came over to help us with the fountain and gave us an ABSY-101 lecture about the history, the prohibition, the distilling and blending, and how to drink it. It was very informative.

This is an image showing the cool fountain, the water dripping on the sugar cube, and the green liquor itself.

It was finally time to imbibe. I loved it. MMMM...potent alchohol swallow followed by a warm, round liquorice flavor that filled my mouth.

We sipped and ordered some tasty morsels while waiting for the full absinthe effect to set in. The manager had explained that absinthe's herbs and the thujone create an upper, while the alcoholo content (62% !!!! No wonder you dilute it with sugar and 4-5 oz. of water) acts like a typical downer, so the effect is unique and can be potent.

Julia, who started to get some sort of trail-like vision, was definitely affected by it. She was opening her eyes wide and blinking slowly. The description she gave was that she could move her head at normal speed but all images moved in slow motion, but inside she didn't get that typical drunk sappy smiley feel. You want to know what I felt? Nothing. I got nothing! Okay, so maybe I drank it slowly, and maybe I didn't finish the last 10th of my portion, but still. You'd think I would have some kind of reaction. Nada. Tostada.

Oh well, it was still great to eat a fine meal and be with my best friend. We ate several courses including 2 appetizer courses, a shared entree, dessert, and a few more tasty beverages. The drink menu was an odyssey. Julia ordered her new favorite, campari and soda, while I experimented with the Corpse Reviver mixed drink that contains Hendricks gin (never heard of it before), Cointrau, Lillet (que?), Lucid Absinthe, and fresh lemon. MMMMMM...lemony liquorice. Still, aftert this, I was fine to drive.

Okay, so maybe we were there for 3.5 hours, and maybe I drink at a snail's pace, but still!

We had a great time and got this classic hold-the-camera-at arm's-length-and-take-your-own-picture shot. We had to do it twice because I was just a head in the first one.

Please appreciate this document chronicling our escapade. You know it is a good dinner when

• The drink total is more than the food total
• The whole bill only comes to $102.56 with tax
• That bought you drinks and good eats for 3.5 hours of girl time

Another stupid video. The best part is the blinds...you'll see.

Another great video.

Come on Chaaaaaaaarrrrrrrrrlllllllliiiiiieeeeee!

I realized one of the links on my last post regarding the AFAN AIDS Walk was incorrect. I fixed it and I'm reposting here too. I hope you can help support the cause.

I signed up for the Aid For AIDS of Nevada (AFAN) AIDS Walk Las Vegas 2008. The organization was founded in 1984 and provides support for adults and kids living with and affected by HIV/AIDS in southern Nevada. AFAN offers prevention education and works to eliminate fear, prejudice and the stigma associated with the disease.

I joined the Penn & Teller Challenge Team because they have promised to double the donation of all the money raised by their team members. Also, as you raise funds you qualify for different perks. Click on the photo to check out the cool packages. My goal is to reach the $500 level.

So, here comes the hard sell....

I need all the help I can get! Please sponsor me and help support AFAN. Your contribution will go toward community services helping adults and kids who are touched by AIDS. Also, your donation will be matched by Penn & Teller, so your contribution is worth double.

Click here to go to my AFAN sponsorship website. You can donate right on the AFAN site. Don't forget contributions are tax deductible and AFAN is a 501(c)3 charity.

Help fight AIDS! LET'S GO!

So here are some of my favortie web videos:

I say sexy things to myself when I'm dancing.

I am le tiiiiired.

A while back we went exploring downtown. We were really in search of a good Mexican restaurant, which has been elusive so far.

We ended up at a place called Casa Don Juan. We decided to imbibe, so I quickly scanned down the drink menu and ordered a pina colada.

After the waiter left I looked back and noticed the hefty price of $9.00 while the rest were around $5-$6. I couldn't imagine why.

Then my drink came. Now I know why it cost so much. The drink was inside the pineapple, and a nifty hole was punched for the straw to stick out of it for slurping. The whole thing was inside a bowl which I would grip to pull the 'colada to me. Mmmmm....drinking out of fruit.

I have been really lazy about posting our adventures, so I am going back and catching up on a few things that we have done recently.

For my 31st birthday we went to see Spamalot at the Wynn. It was Python-tastic! I laughed so hard, and in a few cases I was the only laughing in the theater, which made Joe laugh. The whole experience was like being submerged into Monty Python land.

The theater is the equivalent of walking through the Hall of Presidents at Disneyland, but with all Monty Python stuff. They had photos from Flying Circus episodes, statues of characters, funny signs and all around goofiness.

The show was great, but the best part was the taunting Frenchmen scene.

The silliness and absurdity was delivered perfectly in a mock French accent. I will never forget the line: "Go and boil your bottom, sons of a silly person. I blow my nose at you. I fart in your general direction!"

If I could be in the show, that would be my dream roll.

If you get a chance to see it, don't pass it up!

A few of my favorite lines:

"I'm not dead. I feeel fine!"

"Ni. Ni. Ni. Ni."

"It's only a flesh wound."

"Sons of a silly person."

I signed up for the Aid For AIDS of Nevada (AFAN) AIDS Walk Las Vegas 2008. The organization was founded in 1984 and provides support for adults and kids living with and affected by HIV/AIDS in southern Nevada. AFAN offers prevention education and works to eliminate fear, prejudice and the stigma associated with the disease.

I joined the Penn & Teller Challenge Team because they have promised to double the donation of all the money raised by their team members. Also, as you raise funds you qualify for different perks. Click on the photo to check out the cool packages. My goal is to reach the $500 level.

So, here comes the hard sell....

I need all the help I can get! Please sponsor me and help support AFAN. Your contribution will go toward community services helping adults and kids who are touched by AIDS. Also, your donation will be matched by Penn & Teller, so your contribution is worth double.

Click here to go to my AFAN sponsorship website. You can donate right on the AFAN site. Don't forget contributions are tax deductible and AFAN is a 501(c)3 charity.

Help fight AIDS! LET'S GO!

Joe and I are the proud uncle and aunt x 3 as of yesterday. Joe's brother KC and his wife Sara welcomed a new baby boy into the world at 2:25 AM MT. This is KC's third kid, Sara's second. I already made a nice gift for the baby that I will give them for Christmas. Here are his stats:

Aiden (don't know middle name yet)

12/12/07 2:25 am

8 lbs., 2 oz 20.5 inches

I was on my way home from my aunt's house this evening when I spotted a cool sunset. I got home and pulled out the camera. Unfortunately I missed some of the weird cloud formations that were bright yellow, then changed to red, then to pink, but I did get these shots.

This is facing east.

Then I turned around and found this view in the west.

Over about 10 minutes this was the change.

Ahhhh. I love the desert.