Wednesday, February 24, 2010
HTPC!!!
UPDATE: Just wanted to let the world know that tonight i build my first HTPC (Home Theater Personal Computer). This will replace not only my WD HDTV Live Player in my setup, but also my Sony BDP-S300 Blu Ray Player. I'm going to be filming the build and integration of the whole process. More updates will follow.
Monday, February 22, 2010
Home Away From Home: The Hotel Room Review
Southern Tier Brewing Company
Cuvee Series
Series One
Oak Aged Ale, 11% ALC/VOL
Lakewood, NY
So I have a night away from the house. I miss all things common about my place, but there's something liberating about being in my own room again. Something stoic and primordial. As I drove here, I thought "I'm going to be away from that which I love, let's at least do something worthwhile. And here we are, at the first "dual review". Tonight I listen to on full album a drink a beer that only the gods speak of.
So on my way here, I stop at my local establishment (big ups to 7 Courts Liquors). The guys working here know their stuff. It takes a certain type of person to true understand the nature of great beer. You have to A) have a good palette and a large enough vocabulary to dictate it and B) you have to be a bit of an asshole. The guys whole work here fit the bill fine. And since I'm in quite often, they've been keen enough to narrow their "offers" to my specific choice of beer and brand.
Tonight I get a doozy. A rare beer, possibly the rares I've tasted, is here, in stock, and awaiting my gullet. Every inch of this beer oozes class and pompousness. It comes in a clearly mark box; so no person would ever confuse this "cosmic beer" with one of mere mortals.
I bring it back to my hotel room. It sits in front of me, almost pacing on the desktop as I write..... What music could be paired with such a maverick, such a virtuoso. I search my hard drive for something worth the push, and that's when it hits me. Gabriel. Peter Gabriel has weaved his way to and fro between old and new audiophiles across the globe, only feeding his enduring seminal status among the musical elite. I had just gotten back into Gabriel with his new release, Scratch My Back, a disc of covers. A soft poetic disc, but powerful none the less.
But a recent release wouldn't do. I finally landed on Gabriel's "Hit", a definitive collection. I know what your saying...."a greatest hits, are you crazy?". I know the connotation it brings, but this is truly a great collection, one that plays as much like an album as the the next. So I cue it up, hit play, pop the top of the beer, listen, and drink....
The beer makes me react first, like a punch in the face. It's huge. Bold and burnt. The flavor overwhelms my pallet immediately. It takes a while for it all to sink in. There's so much to absorb. I get a nuttiness and bread taste right away. You can't ignore it. But as i search deeper, i find tropical hints. A splash of coconut hits the back of my throat from time to time. This beer is truly unique. I know I just reviewed the Allagash, but this beer wins it hands down. It's complex, but truly attainable. Any light beer chugging frat boy could find joy in this beer. It's a gift.
To the music. I brought my Sony MDR-7506 headphones with me. These cans have been through it all with me and come out the other side unscathed. They have a beautiful sound and plenty of character.
This album sounds as good as this beer tastes. AMAZING. The tracks weave in and out and seem to cater to me and situation perfectly. A few tracks stand out. Sledgehammer, Shock the Monkey, Biko, Growing Up, Red Rain, and most of all, Here Comes The Flood.
This last tune on the disc is a gem. The reverb in the mix is wonderful. I makes you feel liek you are alone with Gabriel in an old theater, just "listening to a practice or an impromptu performance." It's mesmerizing.
Southern Tier Brewing Company
Cuvee Series
Series One
Oak Aged Ale, 11% ALC/VOL
Lakewood, NY
So I have a night away from the house. I miss all things common about my place, but there's something liberating about being in my own room again. Something stoic and primordial. As I drove here, I thought "I'm going to be away from that which I love, let's at least do something worthwhile. And here we are, at the first "dual review". Tonight I listen to on full album a drink a beer that only the gods speak of.
So on my way here, I stop at my local establishment (big ups to 7 Courts Liquors). The guys working here know their stuff. It takes a certain type of person to true understand the nature of great beer. You have to A) have a good palette and a large enough vocabulary to dictate it and B) you have to be a bit of an asshole. The guys whole work here fit the bill fine. And since I'm in quite often, they've been keen enough to narrow their "offers" to my specific choice of beer and brand.
Tonight I get a doozy. A rare beer, possibly the rares I've tasted, is here, in stock, and awaiting my gullet. Every inch of this beer oozes class and pompousness. It comes in a clearly mark box; so no person would ever confuse this "cosmic beer" with one of mere mortals.
I bring it back to my hotel room. It sits in front of me, almost pacing on the desktop as I write..... What music could be paired with such a maverick, such a virtuoso. I search my hard drive for something worth the push, and that's when it hits me. Gabriel. Peter Gabriel has weaved his way to and fro between old and new audiophiles across the globe, only feeding his enduring seminal status among the musical elite. I had just gotten back into Gabriel with his new release, Scratch My Back, a disc of covers. A soft poetic disc, but powerful none the less.
But a recent release wouldn't do. I finally landed on Gabriel's "Hit", a definitive collection. I know what your saying...."a greatest hits, are you crazy?". I know the connotation it brings, but this is truly a great collection, one that plays as much like an album as the the next. So I cue it up, hit play, pop the top of the beer, listen, and drink....
The beer makes me react first, like a punch in the face. It's huge. Bold and burnt. The flavor overwhelms my pallet immediately. It takes a while for it all to sink in. There's so much to absorb. I get a nuttiness and bread taste right away. You can't ignore it. But as i search deeper, i find tropical hints. A splash of coconut hits the back of my throat from time to time. This beer is truly unique. I know I just reviewed the Allagash, but this beer wins it hands down. It's complex, but truly attainable. Any light beer chugging frat boy could find joy in this beer. It's a gift.
To the music. I brought my Sony MDR-7506 headphones with me. These cans have been through it all with me and come out the other side unscathed. They have a beautiful sound and plenty of character.
This album sounds as good as this beer tastes. AMAZING. The tracks weave in and out and seem to cater to me and situation perfectly. A few tracks stand out. Sledgehammer, Shock the Monkey, Biko, Growing Up, Red Rain, and most of all, Here Comes The Flood.
This last tune on the disc is a gem. The reverb in the mix is wonderful. I makes you feel liek you are alone with Gabriel in an old theater, just "listening to a practice or an impromptu performance." It's mesmerizing.
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