The Gobbler

Perhaps this holiday travel season you stayed a fancy motel. Perhaps it was as fancy as

The Gobbler. Click on the link and hit "Next" to take the tour. Enjoy!

Don't Go Baby Go!

It's known as The Sport of Kings. Back in the day, the likes of Sea Biscuit and many other great champions raced around Hollywood Park. But now it's just a giant fading memory, a huge land mass in Inglewood that's now home to a mediocre casino and shares the parking lot with the LA Forum (another dwindling landmark). Well, rumor has it that they want to tear down this monument to sports gambling, probably to put up a Super Walmart or live work lofts or something. It's sad really. Apparently, in the 1950's before the internet or GTV or other legalized sports book outlets, attendance was around 80,000 people per day. Now it has dwindled to 4,000 people per day with a little bit more in attendance when young whipper-snappers like me go on Friday Nights for $1 Beer and $1 hot dogs. They also usually have bands on Friday Night like, Flock of Seagulls, The Smithereens, English Beat or Super Diamond. Man, really love this place. Yes it's seedy. Yes it's sketchy. Yes, it's dirty, but it's fun and something different to do. So I ask you, should it stay or should it go now? I'm going to try to go to the track on the last day of this season, this Sunday, December 21st. The also have $1 beers and $1 hot dogs on Sundays.

If You Build It, They Will Tee.

Lately I've been bitching about the high price of cocktails, especially in towns like LA, South Beach, New York, Las Vegas. In pretty much any fancy high roller joint these days, booze ain't cheap. So here's a tip. Before you check in, steer your rental car or your cab driver by the nearest liquor store and stock up on the essentials: bottle of choice, mixer of choice, beer, snacks, bottled water and clear medium size plastic cups. I can not stress to BYOW (Bring Your Own Water). One medium size bottle of Evian in our room was $11! Plus you can take your plastic container filled with home made adult beverage down to the pool. No worries mate! (Clear ones blend in w/ the hotel's better than frat boy red cups, fyi.) Even in a recession, one wants to be cheap not look cheap.
I know what some of you are thinking. "Teed, that's what the mini bar is for!" Well, I think those things charge you for even just taking something out of the mini fridge. You can't even look at the label to see how overpriced the snack or beverage is without paying for it. Ripoff! Do yourself a favor. Fill up that ice bucket (that's what it's there for). Pour yourself a tall stiff one and relax, it's practically on the house.

Miami Beach Part 1: My Kinda Town

If you like late night partying, beautiful beaches, beautiful exotic people, then South Beach Miami, FL is for you, especially in the winter months. The weather couldn't be better. 72 and sunny! But if you don't like 18% mandatory service charges and $42 overnight parking fees at the Shore Club then, perhaps you might want to rethink your trip to Sobe.
From Cuban food to dancing to walking the Art Deco strip of Ocean Drive and Collins Ave to cocktails by the pool and late nights in the lounges Miami Beach has it all. I called it home for almost 2 years. Some of the old hotels that I remembered being abandoned Art Deco historical landmarks on the beach, now looked smashing. The city is more tourist friendly, cleaner, safer and but also more expensive. Like any resort town it has its local flair of reasonable dive bars and sandwich shops, but we mostly stuck to the beaten path this go round. It's still a young and rich man's game, so if you go, bring your wallet and a sixer of Red Bull.

The Liquid Kitty

Back in the day you could smoke in this Wela (as in we lahv it dahling or West LA) bar, but don't hold that against or from it. The Liquid Kitty has everything you want in a drinking establishment and more. It's got a local scene, is dark, has a martini menu, friendly bar tenders, nice cocktail waitresses, DJ and oh yeah, they put a smoking room in front for you old school smoker types that can't not kick T and get teed at the same time.

Take me here. Get me teed.
What's projected on the wall here gives a new meaning to the carpet matching the drapes.

Life's a Beach

Like many MOL's or Men of Leisure, I live near the ocean. I wonder why so many people are drawn to the water? Is it because if it gets really bad we'll just swim for it? The long vast endlessness I believe draws us, just to the shore or maybe a few miles off the coast in a boat. Perhaps it's the sound of the waves crashing. It's like therapeutic, reminding us of time spent as fetuses in the womb. (Also See: Rocking Chairs). I like to go for strolls on the beach. I really don't think there's a better way to clear your head or take pictures of sea gulls.

Pink Vodka

Okay I know the name sounds girlie and some girls probably do love it, but when Leisure Girl and I went to see the B52s on Sunday Night at the new Club Nokia in DoTo (downtown) LA, Pink Vodka helped get the party started and keep it going. Check out their website apparently they make Pink Rum, Gin, White Whiskey?, Sake...geez! Infused with caffeine and guarana (which also has caffeine), PV (my new name for it) does exactly what it was designed to do. It gets you teed and wakes you the hell up. I love how this is legal and other things are not. Anyway, for those of you who like the effects of Red Bull and Vodka, but don't like the taste of Red Bull this is the drink for you. PV tastes like pure vodka (which just tastes like pure alcohol). Goes great with club soda and a wedge of your favorite citrus fruit! Try it and you won't be disappointed. Unless you drink it before you go to bed, then you won't be able to sleep.