Melanie De Biasio

Spotify is a wonderful music service, I've found so many old songs or new artists that I never would have heard before.  I'll start on one artist I know and then click the "like so and so" link to see similar artists.  Sometimes I go deep, like K hold deep.  The other Friday was one of those nights.

I started with Phoebe Killdeer & the Short Straws, somehow made my way to a portuguese female singer named Dom La Nena and was really enticed by her song 'No Me Pais', and then I ended the night on Melanie De Biasio's 'Stomach is Burning'.  This was something I've been looking for a very long time; it's not made for this decade.  The first song I heard was 'Never Gonna Make It'.  I was taken to a jazz club in Chicago; dark, old rosewood stained with 30 years of cigarette smoke lines the bar and interior with high backed booths covered in a subdued red vinyl.  Lighting is strategically placed to always cast shadows and leave only the outline of the guests in the distance.  The windows have a tint to never allow sunlight in with large oak double doors to ensure it never sneaks in.  There are only a handful of drinks that you should order, or can.  Order the wrong beverage and you're politely asked to leave.  Everyone keeps to their self with an occasional appreciative nod and the music is the focus.  This is where I pictured her performing when I heard the first song.  

A tall bass, a piano, drums, a trumpet, and a sax accompany her lingering notes.  She has a more subdued Amy Winehouse like voice.  Not as brazen, more Nina Simone.  From the first note of 'My Man's Gone Now' it envelopes you, but it's very playful instead of bold and restricting.  She hits all the right melodies and it's only improved by the band playing along with her.  Cool blues with grey and lavender soak the listener into a methodic trance of content.  This is whiskey or wine music, Cabernet or Old Vine Zinfandel would provide the best accompaniment to it.  Her young voice with the perfection of arrangement makes this one of my favorite new finds.  

Unexpected Happiness

There are a few days that everything seems to come together.  A couple weeks back on an inconsequential Saturday morning I called a friend of mine at 9:30 in the morning.  Normally neither she nor I would be awake this early, but for different reasons we both were.  We agreed to do brunch and I headed over to her place sans a morning shower.  She also said that she wasn’t planning to shower since she was meeting up with friends around 1:00 and would shower after brunch.

The day was perfect; it was high 70’s and I had the windows down and the sunroof open.  Run the Jewels, “Close Your Eyes (and count to fuck) “was playing, US-75 was strangely absent of traffic and the restaurants on Henderson were pretty empty.  Amy and I sat on the patio of Vickery Tavern about 30 minutes before Manchester United Vs West Bromwich kicked off and ordered a Bloody Mary with some chips and queso to start. The food was about what you would expect from bar food.  I chose the ever safe option of a burger with garlic and parmesan fries, she did a spinach omelet.  The Bloody Mary was alright, but it didn’t really excel in spice or flavor- it was just a standard Bloody Mary.  A gin and cucumber smash was next on the list once the food came.  It didn’t do anything for either of us.  The cucumber was diced, not smashed and strained so it would add a crunch to the drink when sipped or get caught in the straw if that was used.  I’ve learned from watching Jake at Black Swan make drinks that you muddle the cucumber and other items in the shaker, then add the liquor and ice, shake and pour through a mesh strainer to capture the flavor but not the mess.  This wasn’t thought though like his drinks are.  I moved to Kona Brewing Coconut Porter and she had a Blood & Honey from Revolver as our cucumber drinks were discarded.  After 3 days of rain the sun and perfect temperatures made the beers something akin to the water of life.  The conversation was great and she decided to blow off her friend who was extremely happy to hear that she wouldn’t have to fight through a hangover and come out for tacos.  

United lost 0-1 at Old Trafford on a free kick that snuck through off a deflection from the wall.  On an average day this would cause me to grumble all day about missed opportunities while cursing LVG for his boring possession based system.  Today, today was different.  It rained non-stop for the last 3 days and the conversation I had from the female the night before was lacking in intelligence and humor.  A 10 year old friend with a great smile and green eyes that shimmer in the recently introduced sun light was turning into a perfect morning for me. 

We ditched Vickery and went to one of our favorite spots- Cedar Social.  Cedar Social probably has the best Old Fashioned in Dallas.  They use a torch on a chunk of Oak and then place the glasses upside down on the wood to get the smoky flavor in it as they shake the whiskey and peel the rind.  The combination of smoked Oak and aged whiskey is phenomenal.  I’m sure it will cause me a new form of cancer, but what doesn’t these days?  Cedar Social also has the distinction of bartenders with amazing skill at mixing drinks while not retaining the uber doucheyness of their sister place, Smyth.  Jordan, our bartender, also made us a blackberry Julep since it was Derby day.  A drink that isn’t too sweet but has the right amount of bite was perfect to move out to their patio and view the city skyline.  Amy and I talked about her upcoming trip to Thailand, the person I need to freindzone faster than not (who I was out with the night before), who has the best patio in Dallas, what restaurant is the most fun to eat at, and how her cat is a bitch. 

We took off after a few hours to go our separate ways, but not before ordering the truffle fries and garlic aioli.  It was a warm 84 degrees by then so the windows came down and the sunroof was again opened.  We took the long way back to her place through the side streets and down town, listening to ‘Power Trip’ by J. Cole and revealing in the sky scrapers towering above us.  I dropped her off and went back to my place for a shower that was way overdue thinking about how great the day had been. 

Drunken Rhymes and thoughts

My mind never stops, its the gift and the curse... tonight I have to do a code drop so I've been on stand by for the last 5 hours. My friend Rachel came over and we had some wine (Bern 2012 Zinfandel for those that care. BTW even the lowest grade Wagner/ Caymus wine is fantastic), more me than her since I wasn't moving and she had to drive.  She left and I was left to my own music and mind.  I started rhyming and thinking of things as I was jaming some Talieb.  Here is what I wrote down. It makes sense to me now, probably not to anyone later, I'll have Swa or E check it before the Opera tomorrow, or not, fuck it.  That is the one good thing about having a blog that 2 people read and the other person chunked the deuce on you, you are free to let the mind roam.

1st thought/ rhyme, idea:

-You thought you knew me, but you didn't

I cracked on you and you were dying inside.

All my life I've been crying inside, lying to everyone, but myself inside.

wishing I wasn't, thinking I wasn't, hoping I wasn't; what you thought.

We were all something else, wishing to be better.

But the scorpion always stings the frog,

we disguise who we are are, life is the fog.

it rolls in, flows in, sits in, life is the heart. 

yet things get away from us cause life is confused; with strife.

2nd one,,,,

- We were never the same as who we was.

we wish we could morph into a bee and buzz.

away.

the life we live, the life we thought was not.

my friends mean more than my family ever could,

who would have thought drinks over blood?

A drunken thought is a sober plea, but as I examine everything i see...

I see that life isn't the Reagan dream.

Debt, Love, lack of either make me think your math didn't account for the normal mean.

Money is the anthem, that's Wall streets dream.

At the rate this code drop is going and the amount of wine I have left... there be more coming tonight.  Shit, if things take longer maybe I write that apology to Sanders that I keep hoping to have the courage for. RIP Sanders, it should always have been me.hermano

Some Weeks Just Suck

It’s been a strange a week, last Monday night I found out a friend of mine died.  I was pretty sad because there really wasn’t any information coming out about how it happened.  The very next day was a Tuesday and the US national Team played.  We had planned to meet up at the Stag and watch the game since it was going on during lunch.    I found out that morning that Sam had committed suicide.  It actually made me feel better than if it would have been a drunk driver that hit him or a brain aneurysm that ended his life.  I look at this as he went out on his own terms.  It’s sad, but I don’t believe he should have to deal with crippling mental issues just because others think that’s how you should deal with it.  He felt the pain was too much and he ended it on his own.

Sam was a guy I probably watched more US games and FC Dallas with than any other person besides my friend Houston.  Sam was a constant staple of the US matches at the Staggering Irishman and his season tickets for FC Dallas were about 10 feet from mine.  It was strange putting on my USMNT jersey on Tuesday, planning to go to the Stag and know he wouldn’t be sitting next to me.  Two weeks before I was watching El Classico and he was standing right next to me from the Toffies match to Barca Vs Real, cheering on the game as we talked about meeting up for FC Dallas the next Sunday.  I’ll miss you Sam

In a separate twist of fate I logged on today to check Google news during lunch.  Yesterday there was an article about a 20 year old kid crossing the street (not in a crosswalk) at 2:30am Sunday morning on Mockingbird who was hit by a driver who fled the scene.  Today I logged on to see that driver was a friend of mine who turned himself last night.  I don’t want to speculate on the case or my friend’s possible outcomes.  I hate that a 20 year old young man was killed, I hate that my friend’s life could effectively be over at 31. 

Some weeks just suck

Top 5, Bottom 5 Sandwich

Lists are fun, everyone likes lists.  So, let’s get to the top 5, bottom 5 sandwiches.

Starting with the bottom 5 in reverse order:

5) Bologna- I never liked it, never understood the appeal of this mystery meat that was way too salty, and never sung the Oscar Meyer song about it.  I heard a story once (or I might have made it up) that John Wayne Gacey would lure children to come with him from bologna sandwich offerings. If you want to prevent child deaths we should end the myth of bologna being a viable sandwich option now.

4) Ketchup sandwich- I had never heard of this before 2003 when some people I worked with talked about it. I thought they were lying and asked around.  It turns out this is a very poor meal that certain ethnic groups in the south eat at times when they don’t have meat. They get the bread from the day old bread store and they grab as many packets of ketchup as they can from the local fast food joint.  Add the ketchup to your bread; if the ketchup wasn’t filled with kangaroo pour, bird beak, red dye, and whatever else is lying around in the back of the plant as waste you almost have a vegetarian meal.

3) Tuna salad- I love tuna, I loathe tuna salad. I like tuna with garlic, lemon, dill, and olive oil.  I like tuna with sriacha mayo or just as it is.  I can’t stand when you ruin it with grapes, celery or the scraps of what’s caked in the bottom of your blender.  This was invented in a southern elementary school cafeteria by the attention starved ADD kid who mixed up everything on his tray and ate it that way every day.  The only possible explanation for his lack of taste buds is fetal alcohol syndrome and a 2 pack a day Marlboro reds habit… in the 4^th grade.

2) Pimento cheese- blah!  It’s the evil twin of the grilled cheese.  One is made of wonderful cheese bliss and the other is made from cardboard, cast off olive scraps, and whatever filler is left over from Brazilian butt surgery.

1) Egg salad- it takes something I love (eggs) and adds a bunch of unnecessary shit, then you mix it up and further ruin the eggs by serving them cold.  What a terrible invention. 

The top 5 sandwiches in reverse order

5) Roast Beef- I prefer mine very simple; lots of horseradish, either cheddar or provolone is fine, and bread. That’s it.  Sometimes a dollop of spicy mustard is welcome or you can add some au jus and turn it into a French dip rather easily.  Either way the only way to ruin a roast beef sandwich is to add lettuce, tomato, or horrible stringy beef. 

4) Monte Cristo- part dessert, part sandwich. If you aren’t up for the challenge the Monte Cristo will put you out like a thanksgiving meal.  Ham, turkey, cheddar and provolone come together with batter and are deep fried.  Then you sprinkle some powdered sugar on top with a raspberry sauce to dip in.  I’ve a love affair with this sandwich for as far back as I can remember.  I used to eat it exclusively with my dad and then in high school my friends and I went to Bennigan’s (RIP) pretty frequently. They made the best one version, Cheddar’s tried but it was never up to par.  Two kinds of meat, two kinds of melted cheese, sweet raspberry jam, and powdered sugar.  It’s a diabetic coma waiting to happen.

3) Meatball- The best one in Dallas is made at Jimmy’s food store off.  The meatballs are made from the trifecta of beef, lamb, and pork in the butcher’s area every morning and the provolone is brought in from Italy a couple times a week.  They offer peppers they make in house, but I like it sans peppers with a little parm sprinkled on top and its perfection.

2) Grilled Cheese- so many amazing combinations of this entrée exist.  Like most kids I was introduced to the American singles on buttered wonder bread version.  With my move in adult hood I tricked it up but replacing the American cheese with a brie and murica al vino combination.  When it’s chilly outside it’s my go to meal with a bowl of tomato basil soup.  Melty- gooey goodness of the cheese and the right amount of crunch from the bread takes this queso sandwich up to the top.

1) Blackened Chicken, bacon, and avocado- When I was 16 my first job was at Steak and Ale bussing tables and doing the morning salad bar/ expo prep.  One day one of the cooks blackened up a chicken breast, threw it on a hamburger bun with a garlic pesto mayo he created, placed some applewood smoked bacon down, half a sliced avocado and 2 slices of half melted provolone “to help hold everything together, my friend”; my sandwich world changed.  Almost 20 years later it’s still my favorite meal.  I’ve taught it to the cook at a few local bars that I go to as an off menu selection, I make it at home on Sunday mid morning when I watch EPL games, and if it’s a restaurant that I trust and I’ll order it.  I’m always skeptical though.  You don’t want the favorite ruined with mediocre versions and it’s easy to ruin. If the avocado isn’t fresh, the seasoning isn’t done well on the chicken or they over cook the hell out of the chicken like some many people do, you’ll be left wanting. 

A short Ode to the Bean and Cheese Burrito

Some things are best left in their simplistic form.  There are a lot of items that are just as perfect in their simplicity as they are tricked to the inth degree.  Bacon is one such example.  A thick strip of perfectly cooked bacon is one of the most enjoyable items in the world.  Yet, you can easily throw it on a burger, wrap it around a scallop, dip it in pancake batter and make breakfast suckers, or eat it the way I did as a kid and place it between my fingers like wolverine’s claws; food can also be a weapon when you’re a child… or 35.

The bean and cheese burrito is like this.  It’s not as wonderful as bacon, but it gets the job done perfectly.  It’s the significant other whose a solid 6 in the looks department, amazing with kids (or not if you’re my SO), you’re friends love her, and she never gone bat shit crazy in front of you.  She’s very affable but she doesn’t do any one thing outstanding, she’s just slightly above average in everything.  That’s the bean and cheese burrito.  A good tortilla, re fried beans, and cheese; I prefer the mixed cheese but some queso blanco is also fine.  It’s not going to blow anyone’s mind or create 5 stars on Yelp but it will fill you up any time of the day.  You get some protein, some carbs, and some veggies (salsa) to either start your day or power you through that drive home.  Adding some carnita’s or barbacoa, cilantro, sour cream and avocado and you’ve got a far superior meal but you also a giant Los Lupes style meal that’s going to put you to sleep after that 15- 20 minute bathroom break you absolutely have to make.  And you better be near a clean restroom, otherwise you’ll end up doing the dirty behind a tree you sprinted to while using that left sock to clean up. Give me the simple bean cheese taco for most meals and I’m set.