Experiment 33

What a Day!

2008-11-05T12:31:00.000-05:00

Early Voting in Broward County Florida

2008-10-27T13:47:00.003-05:00

I've been really looking forward to getting out and voting early for this election. I figure election day will be a total zoo, so I've done my research on the less publicized elections and issues on the ballot and will be ready to go tomorrow. I also looked up where I can vote. If you vote early in Florida you can go to any of the open polls in your county, so there's a library a few blocks from my house and a different library a few blocks from my work. I decided to swing by the library near work at 1:45 this afternoon to see what it looked like. It's already a total zoo. Cars parked everywhere and a line out the door. Easily hundreds of people (many wearing Obama buttons, t-shirts, etc.) waiting to make their voice heard. Everyone looked to be in good spirits even though some were probably late getting back to work from lunch. I'm sure it helps that it's a beatiful fall day here. The humidity has broken and the parking lot had a fair amount of shade. Don't know when exactly I'm going to be able to vote given the long line. I'll probably start trying on Wednesday after work and if ithe weather's bad or line is too long, I'll just keep trying until the weekend. If I don't vote by the weekend, I'll go before it opens at my local library on Saturday or Sunday and be first in line. I might take the camera back by tomorrow on my lunch break.

Oh, for the locals, click on the title above shows the current wait times at the different Broward County early voting locations.

Zack and Miri Make a Porno Poster

2008-09-12T08:46:00.002-05:00

My Boring Ass Life � Zack and Miri Make a Poster and the Toronto Film Fest reaction
I'm really looking forward to the next Kevin Smith movie due out the end of October:

Here's the poster they couldn't show here:

The New Orleans Bingo! Show

2008-09-10T07:51:00.001-05:00

McCain and Tina Fey on Life Mag cover

2008-09-05T15:47:00.001-05:00

Poynter Online - Forums

I found that via waxy.org just after finding this:

at the amusing: totally looks like blog.

Watching Ike from Space

2008-09-05T09:06:00.003-05:00

Click the title above to see some awesome footage of hurricane Ike from space. We're watching this one closely and making extra preparations this weekend.

Fantasy Football Team Names

2008-08-27T15:44:00.000-05:00

Fantasy Football Team Names
A little something different here. Been too busy to blog lately after a recent trip to Ohio to see family and attend the Hot Rod Hula Hop. Now I'm focused on catching up on work, tracking hurricanes and tropical storms, prepping to teach again this semester, and preparing my guilty pleasure fantasy football teams. In years past, I've tried for pop culture references like:

President Camacho
Crusty Jugglers
Electric Hippos

But this year I didn't think of anything, so I went with RobotMonkyeGo! in honor of one of my favorite Mardi Gras Costumes, and often used avatar, and the Mermen in another league for that video project you may have seen.

Anyway, check the link for some funny team names like:

My Vick In a Box
Bengals Bail Bondsmen
Not in a Millen Years
Turn Your Head & Coughlin
and others

Ice Comb - a set on Flickr

2008-07-25T10:00:00.001-05:00

Ice Comb - a set on Flickr
A new web friend was experimenting with ice molds and it reminded me to post the link to this set of photos of my first attempts with making ice combs with my new ice shaver.

I picked this guy up at K-mart for about $20. I've also seen them at Target. Heck they might be on clearance sale by now. It comes with an plastic cup to make a big smooth ice cube to go in the top compartment. It works well, but you can just use regular ice. The big smooth cube might make a little less noise, but it's still plenty noisy.

The result is snowlike. It's easy to mold. the only problem is frozen fingers.

This was probably the best of the first batch. Don't know why I didn't take a shot with the cocktail in the glass.

Oh yeah, after all that work I really wanted to drink it and not stop for photos. Anyway, it sure kept the drink cold. Maybe I'll have to experiment again. It is Friday after all.

Of course, you could stop by http://amountainofcrushedice.blogspot.com/ and see Tiare's wonderful cocktails and her first experiment with ice molding.

Cheers!

Tiki group to hold hot rod hop

2008-07-15T14:13:00.003-05:00

Tiki group to hold hot rod hop
A little press love for the Hot Rod Hula Hop and the FOM, from the Dayton Daily News. Be sure to check the photos from last year's event.

And if you don't already know the Hop is August 8 and 9 in Columbus, OH. Find out more and pre-order your tickets at www.hotrodhulahop.com

San Fermin in Nueva Orleans

2008-07-15T08:43:00.002-05:00

Roller Girls, originally uploaded by howieluvzus.

Would have loved to have been at the New Orleans version of running with the bulls. The Big Easy Roller Girls with bull horns chasing men through the streets. I think there was some bar hopping too.

More photos at: http://www.flickr.com/photos/48352971@N00/sets/72157606129163993/

More info at:
http://nolabulls.com/

Older people try to be so funny at times

2008-07-11T08:54:00.001-05:00

Older people try to be so funny at times, originally uploaded by marcoa84.

Just made me smile!

Mixology Monday: Bourbon - Frozen Hawaiian Fashioned

2008-06-16T20:46:00.003-05:00

Wow, it's been quite a while since I blogged, but I've been super busy with finishing the "Tails of the Merman" videos, then preparing for the Hukilau. Just as I finish those projects, I find out that today is Mixology Monday with a Bourbon theme. It must be fate. I've always wanted to participate in MxMo, but I either missed it, was too busy, or didn't have a good idea. Now is the perfect time for my MxMo debut.

Last year at this time my friend Chip brewed up a batch of hibiscus liqueur. It tastes great with an interesting play of sweet and tart. After enjoying it neat and on the rocks, of course our conversation turned to how to incorporate it into a cocktail. I figured Chip and the Modern Hobbit would gravitate toward rum, so I started mixing it with Bourbon and the original Hawaiian Fashioned was born. I blogged it almost exactly one year ago. It takes the classic Old Fashioned as it's inspiration and adds a Hawaiian twist:

2oz Quality Bourbon
1/2oz Hibiscus Liqueur
1/2oz Fresh Orange Juice
1/2oz Cointreau

Shake the ingredients with ice and strain into an old fashioned glass filled with cracked ice. The cracked ice really opens up the flavors.

And making hibiscus liqueur is very simple. You should be able to get dried hibiscus flowers at most Latin markets. I also found some on amazon for a very reasonable price. Place between 1/8 and 1/4 cup dried hibiscus and 2 cups of water in a saucepan. Bring the water to a boil, cover and remove from heat. Steep for about 30 minutes. Add 1 cup sugar and bring to a boil. Remove from heat, let cool a littlle add 1 cup white rum, and stir.

For this Hukilau, we participated in a home bar tour for members of the Fraternal Order of Moai. This was separate from the Hukilau, but with many members in town, we seized the opportunity. So, I had to come up with a cocktail that I could quickly and easily serve to approximately 30 people all at once. Our house is tiny and almost ensured that many folks would have to be outside in the brutal south Florida afternoon heat, so I wanted a frozen drink, but I didn't want to deal with running several blenders in order to get drinks in everyone's hands at the right time. I remembered my friend Greg telling me about a frozen whiskey sour recipe his family made where you mixed it up ahead of time and stuck it in the freezer and it didn't freeze solid, but instead came out slushy. Aha!

I searched around for frozen whiskey sour recipes and found several common elements. They often involved brewing tea, which is pretty much the first step in making hibiscus liqueur. They usually had a frozen juice concentrate (orange, lemonade, limeade, or combination). And of course sugar and bourbon. Here's what I decided to do:

8 cups water
1/4 cup dried hibiscus
1 cup sugar
1 can orange juice concentrate
4 cups bourbon

Bring water and hibiscus to a boil. Cover and remove from heat. Steep for at least 30 minutes. Strain well. Put sugar and orange juice concentrate into a large plastic pitcher and pour the still warm hibiscus tea into the pitcher and stir until the sugar and concentrate have dissolved. Stir in the bourbon and freeze for 24 hours, stirring occasionally.

The result is a deep pink slush that I love and I think our guests liked very much as well. And it really worked in this situation of serving a large group something frozen quickly. I did make 3 batches. The first two batches filled the 30some odd cups you see in the picture below and the third batch was gone before the group left for the next stop on the tour. BTW there was another drink option (for another blog post in the future), so it must have been at least ok for all the rummys. Hopefully someone took a close-up pic that I can add in the near future.

DSC_0109, originally uploaded by Lokis world.

Please let me know if you make this yourself and how you like it.

Cheers!

YouTube - Tails of the Merman: The Exciting Conclusion

2008-05-02T08:18:00.001-05:00

YouTube - Tails of the Merman: The Exciting Conclusion

The henchman have captured the merman. What is their next evil plan? What will LuRu do without her new beau? Find out in the Exciting Conclusion.

April 21, 1878: Thinking Fast, Firefighter Slides Down a Pole

2008-04-21T09:14:00.000-05:00

April 21, 1878: Thinking Fast, Firefighter Slides Down a Pole
The origin of the fireman's pole.

Sleeveface Pool on flickr

2008-04-08T11:13:00.002-05:00

Sleeveface 11_James Brown 'Gravity', originally uploaded by The Real Wine Guy.

Most of the photos are set up so I can't link to them in the post, so here's one clever example from the sleveface pool.

Friday Cocktail - New York Sour

2008-03-14T15:22:00.001-05:00

CocktailDB: The Internet Cocktail Database | New York Sour
Thanks to my friend Joe, aka Leisure Master, I've got to try the New York Sour this weekend. It's a simple classic that I've somehow missed:

2oz Bourbon or Rye
1oz Lemon Juice
1tsp sugar

Shake with ice and strain into a sour glass.

Cheers!

Friday Cocktail Review - Liberty

2008-03-14T13:21:00.001-05:00

Well, I did make several versions of the liberty last weekend and none lived up to my expectations. My favorite variation used Appleton's VX for the rum, and honey syrup instead of simple syrup, but honestly this drink was a let down. Probably should have tried a little lemon juice, but I didn't have any handy at the time. Oh well, nothing ventured, nothing gained.

YouTube - we are the world in japan

2008-03-14T13:17:00.001-05:00

Japanese impersonators sing "We Are the World"

Via Neatorama

LP Cover Lover � Father’s daze

2008-03-10T12:52:00.001-05:00

Just had to share this with you Matt. All the best on your pending great adventure:

Friday Cocktail - Liberty

2008-03-07T13:53:00.001-05:00

LUPEC Boston: March is Women's History Month!
The fine female cocktail bloggers at LUPEC suggest sipping Liberty Cocktail in honor of Women's History Month. Consider it done.

Liberty:
dash of simple syrup
1 part rum
2 parts applejack

Shake with ice and strain into a cocktail glass. Since they don't suggest the type of rum I checked www.cocktaildb.com and see a variation with light and a variation with dark rum, so I guess I'll try a few different ways. There's also a variation that adds a little lemon juice.

This popped up on my Ipod on the way to work

2008-03-07T10:01:00.002-05:00

beckchart, originally uploaded by Experiment 33.

and I had to chart it for the pool.

Friday Cocktail Review - Leap Year

2008-03-06T13:30:00.002-05:00

Leap Year, originally uploaded by Experiment 33.

I didn't have any Gran Marnier, so I used Cointreau. I used Plymouth Gin. Overall, this was a fine drink, but a little plain. I expected to like it more. I'm pretty sure using Gran Marnier would have given it more oomph. I generally prefer Cointreau to Gran Marnier, but this drink needed a little something. There's too many other cocktails to try, so I'll probably save this one for another 4 years.

You know...

2008-03-03T10:10:00.002-05:00

You know..., originally uploaded by pep010.

Another favorite from the song chart pool.

Friday Cocktail - Leap Year

2008-02-29T14:12:00.001-05:00

The Bissextile Beverage - WSJ.com
There really is no other cocktail to consider today. The leap year calls for:

2oz Gin
1/2oz Sweet Vermouth
1/2oz Gran Marnier
a dash of lemon juice

Shake with ice and strain into a cocktail glass, garnish with lemon peel.

I mentioned a new twist to the Friday Cocktail in an earlier post. I'm going to try posting the recipe on Friday. I'll try to select recipes I've never had before. Then I'll try it out and any variations over the weekend. I'll post again next week with some thoughts, and likely pictures.

Cheers

Bacon Cups

2008-02-29T12:31:00.001-05:00

not martha
If ya gotta have salad...

Via Coudal Partners

Touchable

2008-02-28T15:47:00.001-05:00

Touchable, originally uploaded by Aaron Kaspar.

A new fave from the song chart meme.

Flickr: The SONG CHART Pool

2008-02-26T16:40:00.001-05:00

This was surely a bad idea for me to find out about. There's a new meme of people graphing/charting songs, such as:

It goes on and on, but it's a pain linking to flickr shots within one post, so you should just go and check it out. If/when I add some of my own, I'll let you know.

BTW, this is technically now Experiment33.3, but I'm not changing the layout. I do intend to post more often and I've got a new twist on the Friday Cocktail for this year.

Via Neatorama

Krewe Kon-Tiki

2008-01-31T11:41:00.000-05:00

Here's another little project that has distracted me from this blog. Tis the season you know, Carnivale Season, you know. Happy Mardi Gras. Our krewe rolls at 6pm, Saturday, February 2 in downtown Hollywood, Florida. Hope to see you there.

Plaid Stallions : toy catalogs: Wishbooks: 70's memories : Vintage toy stores

2008-01-03T12:59:00.000-05:00

Plaid Stallions : toy catalogs: Wishbooks: 70's memories : Vintage toy stores
It's been quite a while since my last post. I don't know if this marks a return or not, but when I came across this site, I had to share it with the couple of you who have me in an rss feed. Check out the section on Space Themed Playgrounds:

The numerous odes to 70s toys, such as, The Ideal Star Team, Star Wars Rip-Off toys

and of course the old lengerie catalog

Sureal Vintage Xmas Decorations at Do What Now?

2007-12-11T09:40:00.000-05:00

Do What Now?
Lot's of surreal vintage xmas decorations are being posted over at Do What Now? with commentary. Here are a few of my faves:

Tails of the Merman-Episode 4: The Morning After

2007-12-04T12:45:00.000-05:00

Tails of the Merman-Episode 4: The Morning After
We're back with the next installment. Please comment/rate/share!

And if you myspace, then befriend the merman: http://www.myspace.com/meetthemerman

Halloween Galore at SECRET FUN BLOG

2007-10-31T09:37:00.000-05:00

SECRET FUN BLOG
So much Halloween fun over at secret fun blog. I love his historical look back at the evolution of his own Halloween costumes over the years, and the tragedy of the fantastic Ghostbuster costume. Lots of other fun throughout.

Tails of the Merman-Episode 3: Party Time!

2007-10-26T08:02:00.000-05:00

Tails of the Merman-Episode 3: Party Time!

The party guests arrive. How do they react to the merman? And, what about the henchmen?

New Contest:
What would you do with the merman's magic rum? Best answers will receive a higher res dvd of the series when it's complete. Leave your ideas in the comments.

To make your own merman's magic rum, roast a whole ginger root (about the size of your hand) in an oven at 450 degrees for about 30 minutes. Let it cool and slice it, then add it to some rum. It gets spicy fast, so taste it every so often. If found that about 8 hours is plenty.

Cheers!

Remember if you hava myspace, befriend the merman at myspace.com/meetthemerman

Halloween Cocktail - Pumpkin Smash

2007-10-25T10:29:00.001-05:00

Pumpkin Smash, originally uploaded by WxMom.

Not one of mine, but it sounds like a nice Halloween Cocktail:
2 oz Cinnamon Vodka (we used a red cinnamon schnapps)
1/2 oz pumpkin vodka
1 oz amaretto
Shake with ice, strain into a cocktail glass. (could be served over ice, as well).
Looks like they made the pumpkin vodka by simple infusion.

What is that Basketball Player Doing to that Football Player?

2007-10-24T08:21:00.001-05:00

What is that Basketball Player Doing to that Football Player?, originally uploaded by Experiment 33.

Finally had a camera with me when I drove by this very odd sculpture outside of a McDonald's on MLK near I95.

THE HELLO EXPERIMENT

2007-10-16T14:52:00.000-05:00

THE HELLO EXPERIMENT
Hello again everybody. Here's something completely different. No merman, no cocktails, just a blindfolded sculpture class trying to sculpt Lionel Ritchie. If you don't know why, you're probably too young to chuckle at this.

Via Neatorama

Tails of the Merman-Ep. 2: Special Delivery - With Contest

2007-10-05T14:32:00.000-05:00

Tails of the Merman-Ep. 2: Special Delivery - With Contest
Click through to the youtube page to contribute a guess to the contest, for a fabulous prize.

ICE CRUSHERS MANUAL - a photoset on Flickr

2007-09-25T08:42:00.000-05:00

ICE CRUSHERS MANUAL - a photoset on Flickr
Fantastic set of manual ice crushers. The photographer/collector promises a set of electric crushers soon.

Friday Cocktail - Bourbon on the Rocks

2007-09-21T11:21:00.000-05:00

I know the Friday Cocktail and this blog in general have been a bit vacant lately, but the merman has taken over my free time. However, I recently tried my hand at seriously tasting some bourbon and writing about it and here are the results:

I currently have 4 bourbons on hand: Knob Creek, Woodford Reserve, Evan Williams: Single Barrel Vintage 1997, and 80 Strong.

I usually have Jim Beam for simple bourbon and Cokes (actually Coke Zeros which works exceptionally well with bourbon or rum if you ever do that sort of thing). And, I always have one mid-premium rotating between Knob Creek, Maker's Mark, and Woodford Reserve. I've tried not to let my palate get me into the higher priced bourbons. I've never really tried to write or talk about tasting bourbon, so this was a good opportunity to give it a try. Here's the method I followed. I pulled out 4 small glasses and poured the first bourbon, Knob Creek, about 1/2 to 3/4 oz. I took some time smelling the glass and jotted down notes, then took a sip or two for taste 1 and took notes. Then I put 2 ice cubes in and swirled them around and took notes for taste 2. Then I moved on to the next bourbon, letting the first sit in the ice cubes. After tasting all 4, I went back through tasting them again with with a little melted ice on them. Finally, I pulled out The Bourbon Companion and compared my notes with the Regan's to see if I knew anything or if they could better help me to verbalize what I tasted. Here are the results:

Knob Creek (100 proof)
Nose: Sweet, a little fruity and vanilla
Taste 1: sweet, soft for the high alcohol content
Taste 2: crisper
Taste 3: nose is sweeter with water,
Regan's Rating 90 - they also talk about berry notes which I probably just can't distinguish from fruity, and oak/carmelized sugar

Woodford Reserve:
Nose: sweet, but slightly medicinal
Taste 1: warm, welcoming, rounder, fuller
Taste 2: takes to the water quicker, smooth (90 proof)
Taste 3: woodier now
Regan's Rating 91 - they mention vanilla, caramel, toffee, and leather which I probably verbalized as warm, welcoming, rounder, and fuller

Evan Williams: Single Barrel Vintage 1997: (87 proof)
Nose: sweet, more citrus
Taste 1: corn
Taste 2: sweetest
Taste 3: very smooth, but loosing a little character
Regan's Rating 90 - they describe it as sweet and sharp which I think I got with sweet and citrus (I never got caramel, but did get herbal)

80 Strong: (80 proof)
Nose: most medicinal
Taste 1: woody
Taste 2: woody but still a bit chemically
Taste 3: chemically
This is a new bourbon and has been both panned and praised in the blogosphere. I'm a sucker for the pin-up girl gimmick. I bought 3 bottles online, which came with 3 t-shirts for about $70 shipped. It's too new for Regan's book, but I liken it to Jim Beam. If the price were similar to Beam in a local store I'd buy it for the packaging, but it's not something I'd plan on sipping.

Origins of Barbarella

2007-09-21T11:20:00.000-05:00

The World Of Kane.
This is probably old news to many, but it was new to me. Barbarella was based on a French comic book. The World of Kane shows lots of images from the French version. Here's one from the artist's website that was translated to English:

I also found out at the artists site that in the second comic Barbarella runs a space circus. And there will be new "reinvented" Barbarella movies in the near future, which I'm simultaneously excited about and afraid of. More on all of that here: http://www.hollywoodcomics.com/forest.html

Tails of the Merman-Episode 1: LuRu Prepares for a Party

2007-09-10T12:41:00.000-05:00

YouTube - Tails of the Merman-Episode 1: LuRu Prepares for a Party
I decided to release this in parts so it doesn't take forever. Episode II should be ready in about 2 weeks.

Please share this around, and of course comments are always nice.

now THAT's corn

2007-09-07T13:43:00.001-05:00

now THAT's corn, originally uploaded by Mamluke.

For any FOMers who stop by.

Yard Sale Bloodbath � Super Boobs!

2007-09-06T11:45:00.000-05:00

Yard Sale Bloodbath � Super Boobs!
snicker

The Other Night at the Wreck Bar

2007-08-30T15:47:00.000-05:00

The Other Night at the Wreck Bar
My how this blog has suffered lately, focusing on this other project with my free time. Here's another taste:

And check out the merman's myspace page: http://www.myspace.com/meetthemerman

Tails of the Merman Trailer

2007-08-21T07:57:00.000-05:00

YouTube - Tails of the Merman Trailer

Been a while since my last post. We were on vacation. Here's a little something we worked on while on vacation. Got some new ideas, to add, so this is just a trailer.

Also check out the Merman's myspace page: http://myspace.com/meetthemerman

Cocktail of the Week - Ti Punch

2007-08-10T14:13:00.001-05:00

Travel Bar in Action 2, originally uploaded by Experiment 33.

Thought I'd give everyone a break from our surrealist cocktails and share something new we tried. Ti Punch is popular in the French Caribbean. The Ti is short for petite. It is simply a mixture of lime juice, simply syrup, and rum that is traditionally served in a way that each person makes his or her own. This is currently the drink of the month at the Fraternal Order of Moai and skitiki has provided a nice introduction over there. Four our ti punches, I went with a wine glass full of ice, juice of one lime, healthy splash of simple syrup, topped with rum. It was perfect four our Bed and Breakfast in Key West last weekend as we celebrated our lucky 13th wedding anniversary.

Cheers!

More pics from the weekend here.

Cocktail of the Week - Sidecar

2007-08-03T14:58:00.001-05:00

Classic Sidecar, originally uploaded by chipandandy.

1oz Brandy
1oz Cointreau
1oz Lemon Juice

Shake with ice and strain into a cocktail glass. An old classic served on decadent Sunday because it was very popular in Paris around the heyday of the Surrealists. The name is said to have come about due to an eccentric army captain who was chauffeured to and from the bar in a motorcycle sidecar.

Cheers!

Friday Cocktail - Golden Cadillac

2007-07-27T13:35:00.001-05:00

Golden Cadillac, originally uploaded by chipandandy.

3/4 oz Galliano
3/4 oz White Creme de Cacao
3/4 oz Cream

Shake with ice and strain into a cocktail glass, or other serving vessel. After assessing the cost of our ebay glass slippers, I convinced LuRu to give some local thrift stores and flea markets a shot. She thought I was a little crazy, but the results were fantastic. We only found 2 suitable shoes, but the fish is my favorite anyway.

This was my first time using Galliano, but certainly not my last. It has an anise taste and smell, but it's much rounder and softer than Pernod and has many other herbs.

You may notice the glue sticks in the background. I think we must have played the newspaper poetry game with this round. LuRu and I cut interesting words and phrases out of newspaper headlines for the past week or so and tossed them into a hat. People pulled them out and glued them to a sheet of paper to form "poems."

Here are a few shots of the drinks being drunk:

Had to use a straw for the open slipper.

The boot worked very well.

Kissy the fishy. I love this as a glass.

Cheers!

Friday Cocktail - Velvet Hammer

2007-07-20T15:00:00.001-05:00

Velvet Hammer, originally uploaded by chipandandy.

Shake equal parts:

Tia Maria
Cointreau
Heavy Cream

with ice and strain into cocktail glass, or glass slipper. Your choice. This is another one from our Surrealist Sunday. Early on after we decided upon this theme, LuRu got the idea she wanted people to drink from shoes with the surreal symbolism. Onto ebay and we quickly bid on these three darlings, and several others. After winning the auction and realizing that the shipping made the price not nearly as reasonable, we stopped at three. Each couple shared a slipper, and a second creamy cocktail was served in different containers (cliffhanger).

When it was time to decide what to put in the glass slippers, LuRu thought we should drink a warm, salty, creamy drink. Well, Decadent Sundays are supposed to be about the drinks first, so that idea was nixed, but I kept the creamy part. The cocktail itself was a quite lovely desert drink. Not nearly as heavy as I imagined. I'm guessing due to the vigorous shaking with ice. It paired well with the incredible merange desert.

There are tons of variations on the velvet hammer, some using vanilla ice cream, others adding vodka, still others with creme de cacao. You can check out 16 or so of these recipes at ZuckerBlog.

Oh, and Chip added his photos as well as scans of the results of our surrealist parlour games to the Decadent Sundays Pool on flickr. If you want to read any small print, click the icon for all sizes above the picture and choose the large size. Original size is even bigger, but at least on my test case it flipped the image sideways and made it less easy for me to read than the large size.

Gin(ny) in the bottle

2007-07-19T09:11:00.001-05:00

Gin(ny) in the bottle, originally uploaded by shpankme.

For Chip, who's a big fan of Hendrick's.

Now that's what I call a party

2007-07-17T10:36:00.000-05:00

Penway Party 1, originally uploaded by Namey McNamerson.

Everyone into the girdle. Don't ask any questions.

Friday Cocktail for Friday the 13th - Corpse Reviver

2007-07-13T13:16:00.001-05:00

DSCF1721, originally uploaded by Lokis world.

Wanted to share something a little ghoulish for Friday the 13th. The Corpse Reviver shown here is the darker cocktail in the back. There are at least 3 radically different Corpse Reviver recipe's, but this is regarded as the original created by Frank Meier at the Ritz Bar, Paris, in the 1920s.

Corpse Reviver #1
1 oz brandy
2/3 oz sweet vermouth - Vya highly recommended, I think it makes the drink
2/3 oz Calvados or Applejack

Stir with ice and strain into a cocktail glass.

The lighter cocktail is the Dubonnet Cocktail. If you like gin martinis with a twist over vodka and/or olives, this is heavenly.

Dubonnet Cocktail
1 1/2 oz Dubonnet
1 1/2 oz Gin

Stir with ice and strain into a cocktail glass.

Dubonnet is an aromatic wine, so it's in the vermouth family, but it is very light and crisp, with a little sweetness to it. I like olives, but I've always preferred my martini's with a twist. Now that I've found Dubonnet, I'll have this instead everytime at home. Dubonnet is not very expensive. I think I picked up my 750ml bottle for about $12. Store it in the fridge with your other vermouths.

So, you might be asking, why 2 cocktails, and what's with the eyeball. Well, the photo is from the recent Decadent Sunday party we hosted with the theme of surrealism. The "glasses" are actually a salt and pepper shaker set, sans caps. The eyes were printed on sticker paper and stuck on the caddy. The afternoon was filled with classic cocktails, mostly from when the surrealists were peaking (between WWI and WWII), though these both date to the 20s. We also played a number of surrealist games.

One of the games had us making poetry using opposites. Each person wrote a sentence at the top of the page, then passed it to someone else. The second person wrote a sentence with an opposite meaning, then folded the paper so the first sentence was not visible and passed the paper again. After a while, we'd decide the round was over and read the complete "poems." I paired these drinks with this game because of the opposite natures of the colors of the drinks.

I'll post more of the recipes and photos from this afternoon in future Friday Cocktail posts. If you want to check out some of the photos, the participants started a flickr group: http://flickr.com/groups/decadentsundays to share our photos. They're a little out of order, and I haven't added my shots from Surreal Sunday yet, but Loki has several and I have to thank him for this shot.

Cheers!

Slide Fun

2007-07-10T08:40:00.001-05:00

Slide Fun, originally uploaded by Metal Chris.

I love it when people don't take themselves too seriously.

Friday Cocktail: Caribe Cocktail

2007-07-06T07:41:00.001-05:00

Caribe Cocktail, originally uploaded by Experiment 33.

Posting the cocktail early today because we're off snorkeling this afternoon. Enjoy!

3/4 oz lemon juice
1 oz Pineaple juice
1 1/2 oz rum

Shake with ice and strain into a chilled cocktail glass.

Cheers!

Happy Independence Day - Retro Thing: Past Presidents Immortalized As Avon Aftershave

2007-07-04T07:50:00.000-05:00

Retro Thing: Past Presidents Immortalized As Avon Aftershave

Thank you Retro Thing for making blogging worthwhile on this Independence Day. Check out the commentary over there. And, please use plenty of sunblock, and keep your fingers away from the firecrackers.

cocktailnerd: Fight Night! Channel Knives - A blog of most things cocktail and alcohol related

2007-07-02T14:36:00.000-05:00

cocktailnerd : Fight Night! Channel Knives

Great review of 3 different channel knives, very thorough, nice photos. I use a channel knife, similar to the cheap one, for lemon twists and other garnishes. I've been thinking it's a bit dull, so now I know there are some other options out there.

Friday Cocktail - Pink Creole

2007-06-29T14:39:00.001-05:00

Pink Creole, originally uploaded by Experiment 33.

1 1/2 oz golden rum
1/2 oz lime juice
1 tsp cream
1 tsp grenadine

Shake with ice and strain into a pre-chilled cocktail glass. Ideally garnished with a rum soaked cherry. All of our limes have been tart lately so I added 2 extra tsp cream and 2 extra tsp grenadine and it was a wonderful cocktail. I could see this as a brunch cocktail, though it was fine in during happy hour.

From Playboy's Bar Guide 1971

Drinks of Hawaii, vintage recipe book

2007-06-29T10:39:00.001-05:00

Tiki Central Forums - Topic: Drinks of Hawaii, vintage recipe book (image heavy)

Great scans of this funky cocktail book, from 1972.

Via Eye of the Goof

Bar Keeper Silverlake: Barware Shop in California

2007-06-27T11:14:00.000-05:00

Bar Keeper Silverlake
Website full of great barware, with an extensive vintage collection and absinthe gear for sale. Here are a few pieces that caught my eye.

Via The Liquid Muse

Photos: The Little Professor MP3 player | Crave : The gadget blog

2007-06-27T08:41:00.000-05:00

Photos: The Little Professor MP3 player | Crave : The gadget blog
Little professor children's electronic quiz game turned into MP3 player.

remember it now?

Via Aslin28

Cat Bishop "Recycling fine junk into so-so art"

2007-06-27T08:08:00.000-05:00

Cat Bishop "Recycling fine junk into so-so art"
Fantastic artwork made of recycled stuff. I'm seriously contemplating this piece for myself:

Threadbared: Not Just For Scrooge McDuck Anymore.

2007-06-26T14:56:00.000-05:00

Threadbared: Not Just For Scrooge McDuck Anymore.
Knitted spats make a comeback. Follow the link for pictures and commentary!

Modern Mechanix : Queer Ways of Fishing with Lance and Gun

2007-06-26T08:32:00.000-05:00

Modern Mechanix : Queer Ways of Fishing with Lance and Gun

Clicky for larger image and more readable text.

Music for Hangovers

2007-06-25T11:56:00.001-05:00

Music for Hangovers, originally uploaded by lpcoverlover.

Musta been some party.

Friday Cocktail - Fort Lauderdale Cocktail

2007-06-22T17:23:00.001-05:00

Fort Lauderdale Cocktail, originally uploaded by Experiment 33.

Couldn't resist trying this cocktail when I flipped open my Playboy's Bar Guide from 1971.

1 1/2 oz Golden Rum
1/2 oz Sweet Vermouth
1/4 oz Orange Juice
1/4 oz Lime Juice
1 slice cocktail orange in syrup

Shake with ice and pour over rocks in a pre-chilled old-fashioned glass.

I've never run across a "cocktail orange in syrup," so I supose it means to soak an orange slice in simple syrup, which I did. I found this too tart at first, so I added a very tiny splash of simple syrup, squeezed my orange slice, and stirred a little more. That's when it became a very easy Golden Hour cocktail.

Cheers!

New Look and New Features - Experiment 33.2

2007-06-22T13:04:00.000-05:00

I've been wanting to update the look around here for a while, so stop on by if you're checking this via a feed reader and please let me know what you think.

Did you like the old photos better?

Check out the random sites in the sidebar. These widgets are set to scroll a random link to a:

friend's website/blog,
cocktail recipe I've selected,
cocktail blog,
or retro themed blog.

If you want to pause the scrolling, click the pause button in the upper right corner. Want to be added to one of the sections,? Leave a comment or drop me a note.

Want to listen to some exotica music? Click the last.fm player at the bottom of the first sidebar. Also let me know how the music is, if you use it.

The bottom sidebar is navigational. First you can search for all posts with a specific label. Seeing this I'm going to reduce the number of labels in the future to just a few. And notice how you can expand or contract the archives using the triangles.

I'm going to save the Friday Cocktail for later this evening. Feel free to check a random cocktail from the sidebar, or my posts labeled cocktail in the meantime.

Please leave some comments and let me know what you think.

Chrysler's in-car phonograph | Crave : The gadget blog

2007-06-21T09:47:00.000-05:00

Chrysler's in-car phonograph | Crave : The gadget blog

Available as an option on 1956 Chrysler, DeSoto, Dodge, and Plymouth models but quickly phased out due to the inevitable skipping problem and columbia records only agreement. Another pic and more details if you follow the link.

Via Bedazzled!

johnny dollar's vault: mixology, 70's style: i'm a SoCorpio..

2007-06-20T10:59:00.000-05:00

johnny dollar's vault: mixology, 70's style: i'm a SoCorpio..

Great flickr set of swingin 70s cocktail recipes related to zodiac and Southern Comfort.

Now, that's a margarita maker...

2007-06-20T10:53:00.001-05:00

Now, *that's* a margarita maker..., originally uploaded by SCA Scot.

Not how I prefer my cocktails made, but given the situation and the ingenuity, I had to pass this along. Three more shots at the flickr photoset.

Via boingboing

eBay: RARE PLAYBOY DC-9 BIG BUNNY HEFFNER PROTOTYPE &EPHEMERA (item 250131947792 end time Jun-24-07 11:00:00 PDT)

2007-06-20T10:50:00.000-05:00

eBay: RARE PLAYBOY DC-9 BIG BUNNY HEFFNER PROTOTYPE &EPHEMERA (item 250131947792 end time Jun-24-07 11:00:00 PDT)
Fantastic lot of playboy airplane stuff. Lots of great photos. I'm a little partial to this one

since I have a set of those pump dispensers.

Via boingboing

Belated Friday Cocktail - Hawaiian-Fashioned

2007-06-18T07:52:00.001-05:00

Hawaiian-Fashioned, originally uploaded by chipandandy.

Busy at the Hukilau this weekend and forgot to post a Friday Cocktail. Here is my newest concoction. I made this up to use Chip's homebrewed Hibuscus Liqueure. This is similar to an old fashioned, hence Hawaiian Fashioned.

Cheers

Reggie was getting quite worried by the behaviour of his flat-mate,

2007-06-14T08:28:00.001-05:00

Reggie was getting quite worried by the behaviour of his flat-mate, Norman, who had recently taken to playing the banjo in the bath., originally uploaded by Miss Magnolia Thunderpussy.

Bathtub Gin is for drinking, not banjo and bathing.

The Hukilau 2007

2007-06-13T12:54:00.000-05:00

The Hukilau 2007

Starting tomorrow night we'll be spending the weekend steeped in all things tiki!

Modern Mechanix � How to handle your car when you’re loaded

2007-06-13T12:44:00.000-05:00

Modern Mechanix � How to handle your car when you’re loaded

I hope you had to scroll down to see what that image was really about. From the always interesting Modern Mechanix blog.

BTW, been super busy at work and home lately. Had a great visit from by brother and sister-in-law a few weeks back, then I was in Kansas City for a conference for a few days. Kansas City was very nice, clean, but very empty for a city. I'm guessing that it must be spread out, because I was downtown and had no trouble crossing streets anytime with or without the aid of traffic lights. Posting should be more regular next week.

Friday Cocktail - French 75

2007-06-08T12:55:00.001-05:00

French 75, originally uploaded by Experiment 33.

I've been wanting to make some champagne cocktails for a while now and last night we cracked open a bottle to give it a go. The French 75 was by far my favorite and will be in the repetoir.

3/4 oz Gin (I've become partial to Plymouth's)
1/2 oz Lemon Juice
1/2 oz Sugar Syrup
Champagne

Place Maraschino cherry in champagne flute. Mix first 3 ingredients in cocktail shaker with ice. Strain into champagne flute and top with champagne.

Cheers!

The Friday Cocktail - Santiago or Bacardi Cocktail?

2007-06-01T13:28:00.001-05:00

Santiago or Bacardi Cocktail?, originally uploaded by Experiment 33.

From "The Calvert Party Encyclopedia" page 33 (1960)

Santiago
2 oz. light rum
2 dashes grenadine
4 dashes lime juice (which I interpreted as about 1/2 a lime)

I shook this up in my Boston shaker that uses one of those vintage glasses that has recipes on the side as the glass half. As I strained the drink, I noticed that the recipe on the glass for the Bacardi cocktail is the same with 1/2 tsp of sugar and only one dash of grenadine (and presumably Bacardi rum). Either way a tasty treat.

SECRET FUN BLOG: HILARIOUSLY BAD BOARD GAME

2007-06-01T11:02:00.000-05:00

SECRET FUN BLOG: HILARIOUSLY BAD BOARD GAME
Go there, see the wonders of a clip art based board game where the objective is to meet a member of the opposite sex (can't imagine they'd allow anything else), go steady, and finally get engaged. All while avoiding the evil video store. You must see the pictures and commentary.

The Friday Cocktail - Bourbonaise

2007-05-25T10:31:00.001-05:00

Bourbonaise, originally uploaded by Experiment 33.

I would never have thought to put these ingredients together, but if it's good enough for Playboy's Bar Guide from 1971 I figured it was worth a shot. It turned out to be a pleasant surprise, with a good blend of sweet, sour, and bourbon.

1 1/2 oz Bourbon
1/2 oz dry vermouth
1/4 oz creme de casis
1/4 oz lemon juice

Stir in old fasioned glass filled with ice. I suggest starting with this mix and adjusting to taste depending on the tartness of your lemon juice. I added an extra splash of creme de casis and found it mellowed the drink out perfectly .

Cheers!

The Ritchie Family

2007-05-25T08:19:00.001-05:00

The Ritchie Family, originally uploaded by Side Salad.

OMG!!!

Bumbo, The Drink of Pirates

2007-05-23T11:27:00.000-05:00

Bumbo, The Drink of Pirates
In honor of the coming Pirate's of the Caribbean: At World's End, a great post at the Art of the Drink about the true drink of pirates with some interesting history.

powerpoint presentation humor - data visualization & visual design - information aesthetics

2007-05-22T14:58:00.000-05:00

powerpoint presentation humor - data visualization & visual design - information aesthetics
I'm working on a powerpoint for a conference when I found this video featured in one of my regular blogs. Go there and watch it and learn what to avoid when making powerpoint presentations.

Cap'n Scurvy's Treasure Chest: Van of the Week-Pt. 2: Rollie's Econobar

2007-05-22T10:40:00.000-05:00

Cap'n Scurvy's Treasure Chest: Van of the Week-Pt. 2: Rollie's Econobar
Fantastic bar made from a vintage 1961 econoline van. He put a bunch of audio equipment under the hood, but I think he must have the regular bar stuff in the closets behind the bar.

Via Boing Boing

BlueBook of Quality Merchandise 1970 - a photoset on Flickr

2007-05-21T08:20:00.000-05:00

BlueBook of Quality Merchandise 1970 - a photoset on Flickr
This great book has recently come into our possession and I shot a few pics of a few pages. The book contains just about everything you could want or need in 1970 starting with with your engagement rings and other jewlery through setting up your home with dirilyte gold-hued flatware and bedding, entertaining with barware and record players, and finally you might get to enjoy some sporting goods at the end. Here are just a few of the shots that amused me. Let me know if you have any requests, this thing is almost 1,000 pages long and I only shot 25 so far.

My favorite

Check out the vertical broiler in the upper left corner, it's a toaster for your meat!

Friday Cocktail - Sazerac

2007-05-18T13:22:00.001-05:00

Sazerac detail, originally uploaded by Experiment 33.

I'm sure I've featured the Sazerac before, but it's just so darn good and I love the picture from our first Decadent Sunday. Click the picture for recipe details.

Welcome: NSFW

2007-05-15T21:55:00.000-05:00

www.sexblo.gs
So I noticed I was getting a bunch of hits from www.sexblo.gs today, but I was at work so I didn't get to check it out until tonight. Glad I held out. It's actually a pretty fun site with a real good mix of fun, funny, sexy, and ridiculous. Apparently they linked to the sexy lp cover lover post. So, here's a few of my sexiest lp covers for the new visitors:

and one that's not necessarily sexy, but has a cheeky title

Do What Now?

2007-05-15T08:17:00.000-05:00

Do What Now?
Fun new (to me) retro blog focused on poking fun at old magazine ads etc.

Via Ephemera

LP Cover Lover � The world's greatest LP album covers, 45s too.

2007-05-14T08:22:00.000-05:00

LP Cover Lover � The world's greatest LP album covers, 45s too.
I'm sure I've blogged this before, but 20 new posts this weekend gets a fresh post. Several cheesecakey somewhat NSFW covers, and a bondage album.

Friday Cocktail - Apple Sunrise

2007-05-11T13:26:00.001-05:00

Apple Sunrise in Puerto Rico Glass, originally uploaded by Experiment 33.

My first experience with Applejack Brandy, and a good one.

Cheers!

Smoke

2007-05-10T07:59:00.001-05:00

Smoke, originally uploaded by critical_idiot.

This gives you an idea of what it has been like visually. As I said below, it looks clear now, but it still smells smokey.

Rings of fire fill skies with smoke - 05/10/2007 - MiamiHerald.com

2007-05-10T07:57:00.000-05:00

Rings of fire fill skies with smoke - 05/10/2007 - MiamiHerald.com
Surreal couple of days outside here. The subtropical storm in the Atlantic is funnelling all the smoke from fires as far away as Georgia right down to the southern tip of Florida. The last two nights you could see, smell, and taste the smoke. This morning looks clear, but it still smells smokey (not unpleasant, but a little ominous when you know what's going on). It's supposed to clear up over the next few days, but I'm not so sure. The article link above has a pdf map (why not a jpg?) that shows all the fires. There really aren't many near here, but the wind pattern is pushing it all here.

By the bench on a sunny Saturday at Hollywood Beach

2007-05-08T08:22:00.001-05:00

By the bench on a sunny Saturday at Hollywood Beach, originally uploaded by Photographically Yours, Inc..

Someone started a flickr photo pool for Hollywood Beach and this picture just caught my eye. Any of you coming to visit soon?

New Obsession and Goofy Stories

2007-05-04T10:38:00.000-05:00

It's been a very low posting week because my free time has been consumed with scouring craigslist and ebay for used kayaks. We've been looking for a few weeks, but got seriously obsessive when I missed out on one by a few minutes. So a post goes up on craigslist at 10:30 Sunday night, for an Ocean Scupper Pro sit on top kayak for $300
I replied first thing monday morning. The guy was sellling first-come first-served so I slipped out at lunch and put down a deposit (I drive the car, LuRu had the truck). It turns out the seller kept it on his giant catamaran. He tells me he's had 3 or 4 other contacts about it, but it's mine. He also says that he sold his other one to his neighbor 2 boats down. Monday night we take the truck back to the marina to pick up the boat and pass the boat of the guy who bought the other kayak. He's out and sort of recognizes me from earlier, though I look different without my necktie and dress pants. We talk and he bought the kayak to replace one of a different style and he wants to get rid of his original. So, now we're proud owners of 2 almost new sit on top kayaks. One is the same as the one pictured above, but it's almost neon green. The other is a similar color to the one above but is much shorter and a little wider. So we can try both styles out and easily sell one to get another when we decide what we like, though as of now they fit in the truck pretty well.

So, once we get the new boats, I go into research mode about where to try them out. I find that there's a public park that's free to launch kayaks from during the week. Last night was a full moon, and there was supposed to be a full moon kayak tour from this park. We didn't necessarily want to go on the tour, but it just seemed like it must be a good place to go, so we loaded the boats up and headed out around 7pm. We found the boat launch but no one was around. We figured the group left at 6:30 like the advertising said, so no big deal. We launched and paddled through the mangrove trails until we reached the beautiful calm as glass lake. We paddled around the edge of the lake observing birds (Ibis I think) a raccoon, and several jumping fish, and watched the sunset. We never ran into another soul. It was wierd to be in the middle of such a large metropolis and not see anyone. We paddled in and loaded up the truck around 9pm, only to find we'd been locked in the park. Apparently the kayak tour didn't make their quota so the trip was cancelled, so the park closed at 7:30. We had to call the police and wait for a park ranger to let us out. We're pretty new at the nature thing.

Cheers to another great weekend!

Friday Cocktail - Leninade

2007-05-04T10:33:00.001-05:00

Leninade, originally uploaded by Experiment 33.

Something light and refreshing as the weather heats up. It's a more sophisticated take on the old electric lemonade or simply lemonade and vodka. Of course I might be cutting into the sophistication with my over-the-top garnish.

Tequila Cocktails Galore - Cinco de Mayo Preparation

2007-05-03T10:09:00.000-05:00

Tequila Cocktails Galore
I did a Cinco de Mayo post last year for the Friday Cocktail, so I doubt I'll do it again tomorrow, so the above link provides several different cocktails to add some variety to your Cinco de Mayo festivities.

Chris Jordan’s photographic series “Running The Numbers” exhibit opens at the Q2 Gallery in Second Life.

2007-05-03T10:05:00.000-05:00

Chris Jordan’s photographic series “Running The Numbers” exhibit opens at the Q2 Gallery in Second Life.
Francis kindly pointed out that the "Running The Numbers" show I blogged previously is showing in second life. Wish I'd have noticed his comment earliear as LuRu was goofing in second life for a good part of last night since the threat of thunderstorms kept us off our new (used) kayaks. We should have clear skies tonight for our inaugural paddle under the full moon, so we'll have to check this out later this weekend.

Friday Cocktail - Pink Lady

2007-04-27T11:46:00.001-05:00

pinklady1, originally uploaded by Experiment 33.

Although I blogged the Ramos Gin Fiz first, this was my first cocktail I every made using egg whites. A wonderful classic cocktail that I will certainly make again.

Modern Mechanix � Sipper With Built-in Refrigerant

2007-04-27T11:25:00.000-05:00

Modern Mechanix � Sipper With Built-in Refrigerant

Would make a very fine addition to my barware collection.

Can you make this Greg?

2007-04-26T12:57:00.000-05:00

For Your Entertainment: Good clown or evil clown?

chris jordan photography

2007-04-26T11:02:00.000-05:00

chris jordan photography
Gotta check out his By the Numbers: An American Self-Portrait exhibition. It's the intersection of statistics, social commentary, and art. I'm certain web images don't do it justice, but it's better than nothing.

Depicts 106,000 aluminum cans, the number used in the US every thirty seconds.

Lots more.

Via Eyebream Reblog

Shock & Awe (Banned Cover Art)

2007-04-24T15:50:00.000-05:00

Shock & Awe (Banned Cover Art)
You've seen some, you've hears of some others, but this list of banned or at least controversial album covers is very fun. Did you know that some called for a ban on Bruce Springsteen's "Born in the USA" because they thought it looked like he was pissing on the flag?

Ian Faith: They're not gonna release the album... because they have decided that the cover is sexist.
Nigel Tufnel: Well, so what? What's wrong with bein' sexy? I mean there's no...
Ian Faith: Sex-IST!
David St. Hubbins: IST!