Tag Archives: The Less Desirables

Gunning the New Sponsor or: Wearing It

17 Thursday May 2018

Posted by in Life as We Know It, Podcasting, The Less Desirables Network

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Salutations™!!

I am thrilled to say that Machine Gun Graphics is the newest sponsor of The Less Desirables and, to an extent, the whole The Less Desirables Network. We are excited that Kyle and Nikki have signed on with us.MGG_LOGO

Are you familiar with Machine Gun Graphics? If not, then you need to get acquainted.

Basically, Machine Gun Graphics can print anything that can be printed. Why use Machine Gun Graphics? They have a website with Free Design studio. You design your own merch. You dream it up and they can print it on most flat fabrics. Things like bags, t-shirts, hoodies, hats, sweatpants, and so on.

They also specialize in water-based and discharge printing.  They use Eco-Friendly inks, and they strive to keep their shop as Eco-friendly as they possibly can since those kinds of products are available.  MGG can even source Eco-Friendly and sustainable garments.  That’s awesome!

New services they offer? Wide Format printing, stickers, banners, window signage, enamel pins, patches. And, they are fully automated.  They’re set up for small orders and large orders. They like to joke that they can take on orders from 12 to120,000. But, really, they can.

Another bonus is that their prices are comparable to major/national vendors. They stand by their work and they do what they do as well as anyone. I’d rather support local than those national companies. I’m not just saying that because MGG is my sponsor.

I know that it’s time for new TLD t-shirts and I need stuff for The Man Who Ate the Town. I’m glad that I now know the place locally to get all my printed needs taken care of.  And, you should get your stuff done there, as well! Again, I am very pleased and excited to have them as part of The Less Desirables Network family.

Until tomorrow, same blog channel…
Scorp out!

—
“Machine Gun Graphics is a custom screen printing company located in downtown Winston – Salem, NC owned and operated by Kyle Woodall. They offer a variety of services for all of your merchandise and promotional needs as a company or band.” – Machine Gun Graphics

Bolo or: The Less Desirables Beer of the Week

16 Wednesday May 2018

Posted by in Beer, Podcasting

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Salutations™!!

Bull’s Tavern, the Official Beer Sponsor of The Less Desirables, presents Bolo Coconut Brown from Burial Beer, The Less Desirables Beer of the Week.burial

As Danielle said during the show, she’s never heard of a coconut brown before. We’ve heard of coconut stouts and coconut porters. But, never a coconut brown. It’s hard to beat just about any beer that has Burial’s name on it. So, when those factors are combined, that means delicious creamy goodness.

To me, there was a little bit of flavor dilution. There wasn’t a big coconut flavor push in the beer. The flavors were all a bit muddled. On top of that, the beer had been in a growler for an hour or so and it was warmer than I’d want it. I’d love to retry it right out of the tap. All that being said on the flavor, I liked it. I would just have liked a little more clarity. The brew is 5.6% ABV.

BeerAdvocate rates it at 3.94/5 (Very Good). Untappd has it at 3.91 caps out of 5. I rated it 4.25 out of 5. Tune into the latest episode of The Less Desirables to hear what Danielle, Bethany, Cheyenne, Nathan and I had to say about it. You can listen HERE.

Until tomorrow, same blog channel…
Scorp out!

—
“Dense forest demand sharp blades. Worn, torn, chipped or rusted, the Bolo shepherds the path. Later still, this tool of ancient times takes on the tiring task of harvesting the hidden fruit of the tropics. Enjoy an aroma that reminds you of tropical granola with a smooth maltiness that hints at chocolate and nuts. Baked in our kettle, cured to perfection.” –  Burial

Many a Brew or: The Less Desirables Beer of the Week

09 Wednesday May 2018

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Salutations™!!

Bull’s Tavern, the Official Beer Sponsor of The Less Desirables, presents a shload of beer.

Yep, I said it was a shload of beer. Chances are the brews we had on the show this evening you’re not going to find at Bull’s Tavern, so instead, we are just going to talk about Bull’s Tavern. 1_tld

They have 24 taps. They have an extensive liquor wall. And, they have a lot of live music. So, beer, booze, music. That’s a great combination. Add in a great atmosphere and you have a near perfect place.

The thing about the beer selection at Bull’s Tavern is that there are many that you won’t find anywhere else in WSNC. That’s because, with Bull’s partnership with Gate City Growlers, they get brews that you just won’t find anywhere else. They drive to the far reaches of the state to get the best beer this state has available. Yum!

As far as live music goes, here’s what they have going on this week:

May 10 – Something Like Seduction
May 11 – Little Stranger
May 12 – Brothers Pearl

Go support local music and have a great beer whilst you’re at it.

Tune in to this week’s show and listen to Caitlin, Bethany and me talk about the beer that Caitlin brought. You can listen HERE.

Until tomorrow, same blog channel…
Scorp out!

—
“Milk is for babies. When you grow up you have to drink beer.” – Arnold Schwarzenegger

Wanting to Experiment or: Playlisting

07 Monday May 2018

Posted by in Life as We Know It, The Less Desirables Network

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Salutations™!!

It was a few months back when I talked about doing playlists on Spotify in regards to The Less Desirables Network “cast members.” Well, the cast has changed a bit, and it’s hard to get everyone else on my schedule. I get that. I’m not hurt, I’m fine with it. I’m going to try something else, though. 27858508_10213835617759118_6002026166368483616_n

While I’m still going to solicit those cast members on the TLDN for their playlists, I’m going to ask my readers, my listeners, my friends, and so on, to submit playlists to feature on Spotify. It will be under The Less Desirables account but each week (or two weeks, according to when I get the submissions) it will be the submitters’ lists. It can be themed. It can be nonsensical. It can be what you want. It’s your playlist.

Before I say I’m absolutely going to do this, I need to judge interest. I can get really excited about it and then have it fall on its face, are there any of you out there that would be interested in participating? There is no limit to the songs you send me but I will only put 15-20 on a list at a time. Anything left over will be held in reserve for a future list in your name or a compilation of several submitters.

If you’re interested in doing this, then submit an email to me (not an IM, not a text, not a phone call – an email!) at tim@thelessdesirables.com. In the subject line put “TLDN Playlist.” Let’s have some fun with this. Let’s have some interaction. Let’s make this ours. And, not only will it be on Spotify but on Soundsgood.co, too. I’m working on a few more things. Also, I don’t want you to make a playlist on Spotify and send it to me. I need a list emailed to me, itemized. That way I can put it under the company header and all that fun stuff.

The BCPF started this off. Her list is about covers. She (and I) is a fan of covers and this list is really a lot of songs that she heard the cover before she ever heard the original. I think that’s a cool concept. See what you can come up with, in a playlist, and send it to me!

You can see the list by visiting the TLD Network Page, thelessdesirables on Spotify or by looking up The Less Desirables network on Soundsgood.co

Until tomorrow, same blog channel…
Scorp out!

—
“A lot of songs I heard the covers before I heard the originals.” – The BCPF

A Wave of Relief or: Blair’s Breakfast Stout

02 Wednesday May 2018

Posted by in Beer, Life as We Know It, Podcasting

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Salutations™!!

First, I want to say that the world of High Sierra is at least looking a little better. I was watching a YouTube video about Protools and High Sierra and after a few “autoplay” videos pass, there is one that is only a day or so old, from some Swedish guy that was talking about “the latest version of Protools (2018.x)” was just out and he was really excited about that.

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©Wilmington Brewing Co.

 

I got to thinking about something. I needed to check my Avid Application Helper and see if it was showing that I could download this 2018 version. Well, my Application Helper was locking up and it seems, out of date, as well. I had to uninstall it and download the latest version when I did, it showed that the 2018 edition was indeed available.

Protools worked perfectly. Everything was how it needed to be and smoothly running. In addition to that, all of the Mac was working smoother. Nothing was getting hung and nothing was malfunctioning. Now, do I believe this was the end-all-be-all of problems with High Sierra? No. Do I still think High Sierra is the Windows Vista of Mac-dom? Yes. But, for now, I’m glad all is working. I was able to record a podcast with minimal worry. So, yay! Speaking of podcasts…

Bull’s Tavern, the Official Beer Sponsor of The Less Desirables, presents Blair’s Breakfast Stout from Wilmington Brewing Company, The Less Desirables Beer of the Week.

It was a delicious breakfast stout (generally this means its coffee notes are prevalent) and one that all of us enjoyed on the show tonight. It was creamy and chocolatey with good coffee notes. The difference between this and many other “breakfast stouts” is that it had a clean finish. It didn’t taste synthetic like some of those other brews have.

BeerAdvocate rates it at 4.28/5 (Outstanding). Untappd has it at 4.09 Caps out of 5. I rated it 4.5 out of 5. Have you had it? What did you think? If you’ve not had it or just have a hankering for more, head over to Bull’s Tavern and get your pint and listen to some great music while you’re at it.

Tune into this week’s episode of the podcast to see what Danielle, Bethany, Tim (not me), Amy and I thought it. You can hear that episode HERE.

Until tomorrow, same blog channel…
Scorp out!

—
“Homegrown from a small homebrew shop to a [sic] 11,800 sqft facility, Wilmington Brewing Company is excited to serve you fresh local beer straight from the tank to your glass. Located right in the middle of Wilmington, WBC includes a 3bbl and 25bbl brewery, tasting room, and a homebrew supply store. We look forward to seeing you soon!” – Wilmington Brewing Company

I’ve Been Drinking About You or: The Less Desirables Beer of the Week

25 Wednesday Apr 2018

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Salutations™!!

Bull’s Tavern, the Official Beer Sponsor of The Less Desirables, presents I’ve Been Drinking About You Double IPA from Casita Cervecería, The Less Desirables Beer of the Week.beer

Danielle brought us a good beer this week (well, every week). She brought this lovely gem from a nomadic brewery here in NC, Casita Cervecería. What does that mean? Well, think of it as if it’s a “pop-up” dinner at a restaurant. At a pop-up, a concept restaurant comes in and uses another restaurant’s facility, equipment, and space. This is what Casita is doing. They are creating “temporary” breweries inside other breweries.

This brew, as best we can tell, was made/brewed at Duck-Rabbit.

It was delicious. You got a waft of hoppiness in the beginning but that went away and what was left was a fruit-forward, honey-laiden, sweetish flavor. This is a good beer. It leaves a great lace, too. It’s a bit heavy on the ABV (7.5%) and I’m okay with that. It doesn’t taste boozy, though.

BeerAdvocate has it rated at 4.15/5 (Exceptional) and Untappd has it at 3.99 caps out of 5. I rated it 4.25 out of 5.

Have you had this brew? If so, what did you think? If not, or you just have a hankering for more, you can head to Bull’s Tavern and grab a pint or, if you have a growler, you can go fill it up with this delicious brew.

Tune in to hear the show and find out what Danielle, Bethany, Abigail and I think. You can listen HERE.

Until tomorrow, same blog channel…
Scorp out!

—
“We like the idea of using our creativity to make a product that will make people happy.  It’s our greatest hope these beers will become part of your joyful memories.” – Casita Cerveceria

Hulihe’e or: The Less Desirables Beer of the Week

11 Wednesday Apr 2018

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Salutations™!!

Bull’s Tavern, the Official Beer Sponsor of The Less Desirables, presents Hulihe’e Rye IPA from Fonta Flora Brewery, The Less Desirables Beer of the Week.1beer

This is the beginning of a trend, I think. Danielle brought us some fantastic beer that you can’t get from anywhere else in Downtown WSNC. Bull’s Tavern, through a partnership with Gate City Growlers, gets access to a lot of brews that other places may not get to. That’s a bonus to having Danielle on the show.

Fonta Flora is in Morganton, NC (that’s in the mountains). They make great beers and this is one of them. We know that I’m not a big fan of IPAs but this is a rye IPA and it was different. I got some citrus notes (Citra Hops are prevalent), loved the cloudy golden color, loved the texture and body, and really the flavor was smooth, but bitter, but had a nice finish. The brew sits at 6.1% ABV.

BeerAdvocate has it at 4.24/5 (Exceptional) while Untappd has it at 4.11 caps out of 5. That’s really high for both of those.  Have you had it? What did you think? If you’ve not had it or just have a hankering for more, you need to head to Bull’s Tavern and grab your pint. Tune into this evening episode to hear what Danielle, Bethany, Shonna and I thought of the beer (I rated it 4.5, I think). You can listen right HERE.

Until tomorrow, same blog channel…
Scorp out!

—
“That is a fine beverage.” – Matt H.

Silent Sunday or: The Haul 4/7/18

08 Sunday Apr 2018

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Salutations™!!

It was a cold, dreary but fun day for The BCPF and me yesterday. Mary’s early, Underdog Records, Costco to find another record storage shelf (they didn’t have them but we ordered one from the online store), back home to listen to our haul and finally, Willows. Hey did I mention Underdog Records? Here’s the haul:

Connellsboylan

©TVT Records

 

  • Unknown Mortal Orchestra – Sex & Food – I heard some of the UMO stuff when I was making the Underdog commercial for The Less Desirables on Wednesday. This album hadn’t come out, yet, but I did go listen to their previous one and thought it was great. This one will have to grow on me a bit but it is a decent album. It’s on nice, heavy, “Pepto” pink vinyl, too. New.
  • Cream – Disraeli Gears – #114 on the RS List. I’m not a Clapton fan and really, I’m not a Cream fan, but this is a good album. It is used but in VG+ shape and is on 180g black vinyl. It’s a reissue but I don’t really care that much about that.
  • The Jam – The Gift – I have heard Doug Davis, yes, that Doug Davis, talk about The Jam before, as I have other folks as well. I was familiar with “Town Called Malice” but nothing else. The album is a pretty good listen. I liked it. VG+.
  • Neutral Milk Hotel – On Avery Island – I had never even heard of this band until about two months ago when someone was comparing them to another band (which band escapes me). What kind of name is that? I’d ask. Anywhat! I would have been okay had I never heard of them. This isn’t bad, but I just don’t care. I have it. The BCPF “likes” them. She’s not crazy about them but they’re her wheelhouse. VG+
  • The Connells – Boylan Heights – The BCPF let out an audible moan when she saw this. She was almost jumping up and down on the little step stool she was standing on. Okay, okay, I’ll add it. She was very excited about it. I listened. I don’t get the big deal but okay. I heard nothing “special” but if she’s happy, that’s what really matters. And, my pal Mitch Easter produced it! VG+.
  • Blondie – AutoAmerican – “Rapture” and “The Tide is High” are on this album. The rest is a little weird at times, but it was a great listen. It’s a fun album. VG+.
  • Leo Sayer – Endless Flight – I’m just a sucker for the Yacht Rock lot. “When I Need You” and “You Make Me Feel Like Dancing” (which I know isn’t technically Yacht material but the former is) are on this and there’s a lot of my favorite studio musicians playing on it. VG++ condition.
  • Rod Stewart – Tonight I’m Yours – The first song I remember hearing from Rod Stewart (and knowing it was Rod Stewart) was “Young Turks.” I had it on 45. His version of Ace’s “How Long” (written by Paul Carrack) and Dylan’s “Just Like a Woman” is pretty good, too. Overall, this is a decent album but certainly not a “great” album. VG+.
  • Mott The Hoople – All The Young Dudes – #484 on the RS list. I saw this one from the back in the $1 rack. I was like oh yeah! I needed a little love. I cleaned it. There’s surface noise, sure, but for the most part, it turned out to be VG. This album also demonstrates how a Velvet Underground song can sound good. Let someone other than Velvet Underground do it.
  • Marvin Gaye – Moods Of Marvin Gaye – Beaten up and a little moldy, I cleaned it up and there was a little skippage happening but it was Good. It has been through it, I think. Of course, $1 bin find.
  • Freddie Jackson – Rock Me Tonight – Knowing songs from this album deemed me “the coolest white boy in school” when I was in high school. I am a sucker for slow jams and “You Are My Lady” is one of my goto slow jams (or is it jamz?). So, you can imagine my almost The BCPF-like squeal when I saw it in the $1 bin. Yep. I did. VG.
  • Seals & Crofts – Unborn Child – I mentioned Yacht Rock, right? Yeah, ’nuff said. $1 bin find and it’s G+; a little beaten up but we’ll see how it plays.
  • Walter Carlos – Switched-On Bach – Yeah, I want to hear 60s synths doing Bach. I don’t care much for Bach’s organ work, but I love me some synthesizers. Do it, Walter Carlos! G+ $1 bin find.

Not a huge haul this week. We’re saving money for Record Store Day which is coming April 21. Jonathan has already said he’s ordered almost all of the day’s offerings. That may be the perfect time for you to get back into vinyl. There are special editions, reissues, collections, and more. Visit the website to see what is coming out.

While we were in there yesterday I looked at a Denon and a Yamaha turntables. Each was over $500. But, they looked so danged cool. I’m sure they play great, too. But, not to worry, Jonathan has less expensive turntables, including beginner-/entry-level models. He sometimes carries new but for the most part, it is a used inventory. Great stuff, nonetheless.

Also, I use Discogs to catalog my collection and bring you “the Haul” every week. More than that, I have ordered a few things off the Marketplace if I am looking for something specific and I am noticing that there’s not a lot of them coming through Underdog (which isn’t often). Check them out, too.

Until tomorrow, same blog channel…
Keep spinnin’!

—
“Fab Five Freddie told me everybody’s high, DJ’s spinnin’ are savin’ my mind. Flash is fast, Flash is cool. Francois sez fas, Flashe’ no do. And you don’t stop, sure shot. Go out to the parking lot. And you get in your car and you drive real far. And you drive all night and then you see a light. And it comes right down and lands on the ground. And out comes a man from Mars. And you try to run but he’s got a gun. And he shoots you dead and he eats your head. And then you’re in the man from Mars. You go out at night, eatin’ cars. You eat Cadillacs, Lincolns too; Mercury’s and Subaru’s. And you don’t stop, you keep on eatin’ cars.” – “Rapture” (Stein/Harry)

A Changing of the Guard or: Taking the Bull by the Horns

04 Wednesday Apr 2018

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Salutations™!!

Bull’s Tavern, the Official Beer Sponsor of The Less Desirables, presents both Milky Way Salted Caramel Sweet Stout and Trophy Wife Session IPA from Trophy Brewing Company, The Less Desirables Beer of the Week. download

First, I need to address the obvious. Yes, I said Bull’s Tavern and “Official Beer Sponsor of The Less Desirables” in the same sentence. As of today, after seven and a half years, City Beverage is no longer the beer sponsor of The Less Desirables. No, Spencer and I didn’t have any kind of falling out. No, neither of us are mad at the other. There are a couple of reasons why this has happened.

For the last three months, instead of me going to City Beverage to pick up beer, Danielle has been bringing beer to the podcast in growlers. I’ve not been going to City Beverage because it was delivered to me. While most of the beers that we’ve been having have been available at City Beverage as well as on tap at Bull’s, Bull’s is now going to be carrying some brews that aren’t easily accessible via traditional bottle shops. So, it would mean that City Beverage wouldn’t be able to fulfill the “tell them it’s the beer of the week” and get their 5% discount on these beers deal. It would be confusing for City Bev and wouldn’t be fair for Bull’s when they’ve got it. So, we decided that it be best if Bull’s Tavern takes the reigns and control of the beer. Plus, Danielle is as knowledgeable about beer as anyone and we have her “residency” on the podcast, why not use it, right?

Now, don’t worry, City Beverage isn’t leaving The Less Desirables family. City Beverage is now the “Official Beer Sponsor of The Beer Dads Podcast.” Don’t confuse this with our “Presenting Sponsor” which is Hoots Roller Bar & Beer Company. They present the show but City Bev will provide us with beer. I was adamant with Spencer that I wanted our business relationship to still be there because they were one of the first four sponsors (along with a/perture cinema, the now-defunct Bob’s Big Gas Subs and Pub and Finnigan’s Wake) of The Less Desirables.

Now, also, this leaves us without a “music sponsor” on TLD. I’m working on a rather large sponsor for this section and hopefully know something in the next few weeks. The Music Section of TLD means too much to me, so don’t worry, it’s not going away.

So, welcome to Bull’s Tavern in their new capacity, thank you City Beverage for your service to us over the years and welcome City Beverage to The Beer Dads Podcast.

Now, back to the beer(s). I think I’m going to ask Danielle to not bring more than one style at a time unless there’s a need for such a thing. But, both beers are under 5.4% ABV and both are pretty tasty.  The Milky Way is dark, rich, chocolatey, salty and delicious. It’s 5.3% and goes smoothly with brownies, as evidenced by B. McGee coming in with brownies made from this beer. Wow! I rated the beer 4.25 and a 10 out of 5 for the brownies (and I don’t even care for brownies, usually). BeerAdvocate rates it 3.86/5 (Very Good). Untappd rates it at 3.81 caps out of 5. Great stuff.

Danielle also brought in the Trophy Wife IPA. It was hoppy but not bitter nor offensive as some IPAs can be. This is a session IPA, so that helps. It’s 4.9% ABV. Light with a great color and smooth finish. BeerAdvocate rates it 4/5 (Exceptional) and Untappd at 3.79 caps out of 5. I rated it a 4.25, also. Both were great. The brewery is great, too.

The thing you need to know about Trophy Brewing is that they’re scarcely available here in the Triad. They may pop up elsewhere but Bull’s Tavern is one of the few places here, that you can get this lovely brew out of Raleigh, NC.

Listen HERE to hear tonight’s episode to hear what Danielle, Bethany and I think of it. Josh, our guest doesn’t drink beer but it was still a good interesting conversation. Check it out! Go to Bull’s Tavern and tell them you want the beer(s) of the week. I believe if you take your own growler, you can fill it there.

Thanks again to City Beverage for their longtime support of our cause. Slàinte, City Bev!

Until tomorrow, same blog channel…
Scorp out!

—
“Established in 2012, Trophy Brewing Co. is home to three unique experiences nestled in the heart of Downtown Raleigh that bring people together through craft beer, thoughtful food and intentional community.” – Trophy Brewing Company

Grass Monkey or: The Less Desirables Beer of the Week

21 Wednesday Mar 2018

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Salutations™!!

City Beverage, the Official Beer Sponsor of The Less Desirables, presents Grass Monkey Pale Wheat Ale from Sweetwater Brewing, The Less Desirables Beer of the Week. grass-monkey-vignette-2

Sweetwater Brewing, out of the ATL, does beer right. I don’t think they can mess one up if they tried to. It’s not that I love all their beers, but I have to respect the work they do and most people are of the same consensus, at least of the those that I know.

This brew was hoppy but not offensively so. It had great citrus overtones and that comes from the Lemonhead hops. It’s only 30 IBU so it’s not overpowering. And, at 5.4%ABV, it’s not going to knock you over or out. So, you can drink a couple and not really be foggy. Well, I say that; anyone with any kind of tolerance, that is.

BeerAdvocate has it at 3.65/5 (Good). Untappd has it at 3.52 caps out of 5. I rated it 4.5 out of 5. It was enjoyable and drinkable, not too hoppy and the citrus notes were just present and didn’t distract you from the beer.

Have you had this beer? What did you think? If you’ve not had it or just have a hankering for more, head down to City Beverage and grab your sixer of it. It would be great for the warmer days that are coming. It was good with the colder weather we had tonight. Tell them that we sent you!

Listen now to the latest episode of The Less Desirables to see what Bethany, Councilwoman DD Adams, her entourage Rafia and Jill, and I think of it. You can hear that HERE.

Until tomorrow, same blog channel…
Scorp out!

—
“Spring got sprung with this funky monkey. We dropped a big stash of Lemondrop hops into both the kettle and the dry hop – delivering a big citrus blast – and topped it off with a Lemongrass addition for a refreshing twist. Light in body with bright citrus notes, this is an extremely complex but very easy drinking brew.” – Sweetwater