"Where At Least I Know I'm Free"

For all 12 of you loyal fans of this blog, you know from time to time I write about various beers I try. From Allagash to Sam Adams Seasonal's, from Blue Moon to Shipyard Pumpkin...I've tasted some pretty awesome beers. The weirdest thing happened the other day though. I tried Budweiser. Have you guys ever heard of this stuff? I mean, I'll tell ya. One sip and I was bleeding red, white, and blue.

I've heard a little about this beer before. I think I remember seeing a commercial during a Super Bowl at one time with these big horses with hairy white feet pulling a Budweiser truck, but I thought that was just an ad for horses. I mean seriously, who really advertises during the Super Bowl anyway? Just loser companies, right?

My friend Danny Noschese introduced me to this beer the other day over a few games of Golden Tee at our local watering hole in South Boston. We got a bucket of cold Budweiser bottles and literally, the second I opened the first one, I heard Bruce Springsteen singing "Born in the USA" from inside the bottle. Not only was Bruce singing at the top of his lungs, but suddenly everyone morphed into a Giants fan at the bar and brought out their portable grills. We started tailgating in the middle of the bar, cooking dogs, flipping burgers, tossing the pigskin around. Noschese went for a long fly pattern and ran directly into Uncle Sam who was on line at the bathroom. The place literally erupted into the greatest party I've ever seen. I was proud to be an American and a Giants fan, simply from opening a cold Budweiser bottle.

This beer unites people. It tastes like spring water with a hint of freedom; the after taste a combination between Apple Pie and the 4th of July. Fireworks erupt as you take each sip, as you truly know this is America...and this is a Budweiser.

Apparently this stuff has been out for years. My dad used to drink it with his white tee shirt on and jeans while singing Badlands and Glory Days around 114 Grandview. I didn't know that was Budweiser. I just thought it was an adult beverage with a weird name that made you smarter.

I can't recommend Budweiser enough. If you find yourself in a quandary at your local pub, or you're standing in the walk-in fridge at your nearest beverage mart debating what to buy, just listen for Springsteen. He'll be waving the American flag with his Desert Storm T shirt on, and he'll lead the way. If Lee Greenwood walks in behind you and points at the barkeep and just puts 2 fingers up, he means a few things. He'd like two Budweiser's and he's flashing the peace sign, because he is indeed Proud to be an American, where at least he knows he's free...to buy Budweiser.

Happy New Year folks. Cheers.

3 Month's, No Posts / James Vincent McMorrow

I took a small, involuntary hiatus from blogging for some reason. I have no clue why. I left Citysearch and started a new job working for the Gilt Groupe, specifically Gilt City up here in Boston. Really cool site, inventor of the flash sale model, and one of the top start-ups in the online world. Maybe that's an excuse? Sure, I've been a lot busier, but I'm not sure that's the reason.

Wedding planning? Eh, we've pretty much nailed everything down from venues to menus, and music and booze. Everything has fallen into place nicely, so, still not an excuse to get away from writing.

Sometimes your passions get away from you and we lose a small piece of ourselves over time. Whether the guitar is sitting in the corner collecting dust, or your running shoes smell like roses, we all know that a piece is missing and we miss that void, however it's hard to get back into the swing of things. Writing a blog is simple. You sit down and start typing. Maybe I haven't been too moved by the music I've heard since my last post. Maybe I'm just bored of the music that I'm currently listening to? I don't think so. If anything, I've found even MORE artists that I want to share with people, artists that have made these new chapter transitions in my life a bit easier.

With all that said, blogs are simply logs of our thoughts, feelings, and happenings. You log your days, your nights, your new itunes purchases, and your last concerts. Sometimes, you even ramble about tasty beers you've tried. Not too hard, right? I have no excuse as to where I've been, but I'm back. "My dog ate my blog" isn't gonna work this time.

So, as an apology, please enjoy Ireland's James Vincent McMorrow. James toured with Bell X1, a band I used to work with at Intrigue Music a few years ago. Solid song foundation, Irish singer/ songwriter tunes. James' voice is impeccable. It's like he's whispering and doesn't want everyone to hear, then builds up to make sure you've been listening the entire time.

Cheers. Happy Holidays everyone.