The Independent ... skip it, trust me

Went with some co-workers to The Independent bar in Uptown area last night. Was supposed to be a fun evening with some friends outside of work, however what we got was a whole lotta loud music, neon lights and missed conversations. We arrived and were seated right next to Mix Masta Mike (or whatever his name was) the DJ. We got in on a pretty good happy hour for drinks 2 for 1's. However, the whole night we were having conversations like, "WHAT?!?...WHAT?!?!....OKAY SURE, I THINK?!"

Ever find when you are in this situation at a bar or party and the music is really loud everyone is happy, right? And you are trying to have a conversation that you have absouletly NO IDEA what the other person is saying. But you keep nodding your head and then start to laugh and say, "Yeah I know! Totally!" Then once in a while you mix it up with a concerned look and say "Umm hmmm...okay sure" to appear that you are paying attention. Well 9 times out of 10 this tactic works, but once in a while you'll get something like "Well, my Grandpa died..." and since you can't hear you respond with a "Totally, that's great!!" as you smile and nod. So I guess it doesn't work for all situations. But luckily it worked for last night. Smile and nod my brutha...smile and nod.

And the weirdest thing of ALL about The Independent ... this place had a UNISEX bathroom. I get to the bathroom and I see a sign for Man/Woman on the same door. I look around, nope yeah it's just one bathroom...the sign is right. So I walk in and I see guys and girls standing in the bathroom. Man, I can't describe how WEIRD that was. I mean you are trained your whole life that the Men's Bathroom is one place women can't come into. Right?!? Anyways, used the stall and I walk out and there are 3 girls standing by the sink. I yell out, "YOU CAN'T BE IN HERE!!" Seems like a lame joke (it was), but they laughed. So I felt witty.

Anyways long story short (too late), The Independent - here's the review:
The Good: Nice looking girls (for the single guys like myself) and good drink specials.
The Bad: Too loud to talk to anyone, and a weird Unisex bathroom

Enter at your own risk...

Spring ... One Big Tease

Oh how I long for you Spring (and Summer). The weather in MN this week has just been one big tease. We've hit temperatures in the 50's and today maybe even 60's (which is only told about in legends and myths) and what does it do? Rain all frickin' week with no sun, or at least when I get out of work in time to enjoy about 5 mins. of daylight. Went running around Lake Harriet on Tuesday though. Damn that was fun!! Can't wait for summer...can't wait!!

Oh Spring you foul temptress ... why don't you come out to play? What have I done to offend you?

I just saw a Polar Bear...

Well to mark the start of Spring, Minnesota has recieved it's first BIG snowfall of the entire winter (and the past few years) and Minneapolis, MN (and the surrounding areas) has officially turned into the Arctic Circle with the amount of snow we have recieved. Schools, businesses, and just about everything has either slowed down or shut down.

Also, traffic has slowed to a stand still and you can often find lots of vehicles of all shapes and sizes in the ditches. (Side note: Monday marked a record number of buses in the ditch) However, you really can't blame people for driving like idoits when ... well you can't even read the street signs. "Do I stop? yeild? Too late!!" *CRASH*

Below is a perfect example of what I see on my commute into work:




Here's to Minnesota ... the weather-schizophrenic state.

Monkeys can talk!!

Got a fun link for those of you with too much time on their hands...like me.

Click below for proof positive that Monkeys Can Talk.

Monk-e-mail (Make monkeys talk and email your creations to your friends)

Shiny Gold Statues

Well, the 2006 Oscars have come and gone. Here are the highlights for those who missed them:

BEST PICTURE
Crash

ACTOR IN A LEADING ROLE
Philip Seymour Hoffman - "Capote"

ACTRESS IN A LEADING ROLE
Reese Witherspoon - "Walk the Line"

DIRECTING
Ang Lee - "Brokeback Mountain"

ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE
George Clooney - "Syriana"

ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING ROLE
Rachel Weisz - "The Constant Gardener"

ANIMATED FEATURE FILM
Wallace and Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit

SCREENPLAY (Adapted)
"Brokeback Mountain"

SCREENPLAY (Original)
"Crash"

ART DIRECTION
Memoirs of a Geisha

CINEMATOGRAPHY
Memoirs of a Geisha

COSTUME DESIGN
Memoirs of a Geisha

DOCUMENTARY FEATURE
March of the Penguins

DOCUMENTARY SHORT SUBJECT
A Note of Triumph: The Golden Age of Norman Corwin

FILM EDITING
Crash

FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM
Tsotsi

MAKEUP
The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe

MUSIC (SCORE)
Gustavo Santaolalla - "Brokeback Mountain"

MUSIC (SONG)
"It's Hard Out Here for a Pimp" - Hustle & Flow

SHORT FILM (ANIMATED)
The Moon and the Son: An Imagined Conversation

SHORT FILM (LIVE ACTION)
Six Shooter

SOUND EDITING
King Kong

SOUND MIXING
King Kong

VISUAL EFFECTS
King Kong

Good Movie ... Bad Movie

This weekend I saw one GOOD MOVIE and one BAD MOVIE. Here is the review:

Nightwatch…Good Movie

This Russian horror-action film is the first in a planned epic trilogy. Nightwatch focuses around the classic story of good vs. evil, but with an updated twist. You learn that long ago the sides of good and evil made a truce, as both sides were evenly matched and no favorable outcome was possible. Fast forward to present day, and Nightwatch is the story set-in modern day Russia how the forces of good are keeping the forces of evil in check. And both sides are on the look out for the prophesied “chosen one” that will shift the balance either for good or evil. Originally, this film was released in Russia in 2004 and became the top grossing film of all time and from there was distributed to the rest of the world and eventually the US.

I really enjoyed this film, and I would recommend it! I felt it had an interesting story and was entertaining enough whether you’re the skeptical film critic right or more along the needs of the action packed masses. My only gripe however was it left me wanting more, feeling there should have been a little more to the story. However, this is a planned trilogy and I will be tuning in for the next movie Daywatch, which you will see a preview for at the end of the movie if you stay to watch the credits.

And for the illiterate, this movie is in Russian and contains English subtitles. You are warned!

Ultraviolet … Bad Movie

Well somewhere out there is a movie just waiting to be made where Milla Jovovich is an unbelievably attractive badass heroine, with a great story that leaves audiences wanting more. Sadly, that was not this movie. I wanted it to be…desperately. But it was not!

Ultraviolet to me was a wannabe Vampire movie without the blood, and often brandished lines a 13-year-old would utter on the playground right before a fight. Example, “Now, it’s on!”

If you are going to admire Milla Jovovich for her beauty as a supermodel, then you will be satisfied. However, if you are looking for a good movie or well a mediocre movie...well…save your money or go see something else.