Propeller Skies

I stopped by the GalleryZero Studios Art Party last night. It was held on an unfinished floor in a Midtown high-rise. Artwork by various artists was displayed on the walls, and a jazz band played in the corner. All this art and music was intellectually stimulating, but the real reason I was there was for the kegs.

While I was taking advantage of the complimentary beer, I also happened to run into several friends. Right as I walked in, I ran into Diana, Kirsten, and Lisa. On my way to the keg, I stopped and chatted with Tracy and Sam, who are two of the most laid back people I know. On the way back from the keg, there was a rare Amanda sighting. Standing next to her and dressed in a white shirt, plaid skirt, and glasses my friend Jamie was almost unrecognizable. In addition, I also ran into Mark, a talented photographer. There was plenty of good, reasonably priced art and a spectacular turnout. I highly recommend checking out the next one.

notes:

PHOTO: Random partiers at the GalleryZero Studios Art Party, in Midtown, Atlanta, GA. January 30, 2004. Courtesy of d.2263 Photographics. View more GalleryZero Art Party photos.

Deidre and recurring Propeller Skies character The Beaver organized a cocktail hour and birthday dinner for my good friend Smoove B. I stopped by Deidre’s apartment complex for the cocktail hour and it took me three quarters of a beer to find my way from the parking garage to her apartment. When I arrived, Smoove B was already there, chillin’ like Bob Dylan. After several drinks and some good conversation, most of the crew moved across the street to Brio. Unfortunately, The Man was keeping me down and I had to go cover an Art Party.

Hair of the Dog held their monthly happy hour benefiting Good Mews at Tin Roof Cantina. This time, they added an interesting twist involving Dogwood. The challenge: drink $10 worth of Dogwood between 7pm and 8pm. The results: I drank enough Dogwood to give myself a killer headache this morning. After stepping up to the plate and taking on the Dogwood Challenge, I mingled and photographed for AtlantaBuzz and listened to the SquirrelHeads.

As usual at Hair of the Dog events, there were plenty of beautiful babies on hand and the people were very friendly. As a bonus, I discovered that Tin Roof has the best wings south of Buffalo (where wings were invented at the Anchor Bar).

notes:

PHOTO: Kim and Eric, members of the Hair of the Dog Host Committee, at Tin Roof Cantina in Midtown, Atlanta, GA. January 29, 2004. Courtesy of d.2263 Photographics. View more Hair of the Dog photos.

update:

[Tin Roof Cantina closed and the space is now occupied by Midtown Cafe - Ed.]

The long awaited partay in the hood* went down last night. As I wandered in, well-placed candles set a mellow mood, with chilled out techno on the stereo setting the tone as well. Later on, I would discover the techno was provided courtesy of two turntables, an actual record collection, and real live DJs. After swilling back several bottles of Sweetwater 420**, Big A pointed out some mighty tasty barbeque sandwiches, perfect for an attack of the drunken munchies. Next The Professor busted out the Wild Turkey Liqueur. After passing the bottle around the kitchen a few times, we cheerfully determined that it is dangerously smooth. At 3:15 in the morning, I figured it was time to leave. Driving home, I went through several four-way stops that I did not remember from the drive over. Then I came upon a dead end sign that I certainly did not remember. So I turned onto some random street and then took a wrong turn on to Memorial Boulevard. Lucky for me, the residents of Avondale estates built a fake-ass alpine style downtown that is easily recognizable, even after a night of partying. Realizing where I was, I turned around and made it home.

notes:

* Not a “real” hood, with actual crack whores and everything, but still a bit sketchy nonetheless.
** Since the bastards at Publix were out of Sierra Nevada Pale Ale, winner of the prestigious Smoove D Pale Ale Tasting Festival. Sweetwater 420 was the second place finisher in the aforementioned festival.

I dropped in on The MacAllen Scotch Tasting at the historic Georgian Terrace Hotel to photograph. Unfortunately the event had sold out, so I did not get a chance to personally taste the scotch. However, all the participants I talked to were suitably impressed with it.

This event drew a different and interesting crowd with plenty of unfamiliar faces. I did recognize one friend, Paul, who was taking a well-deserved break from writing a grant request to slug back a bit of whiskey. In addition to the tasting, there was also an educational presentation. Fearful that I might learn something, I did not stick around for the presentation.

notes:

PHOTO: Revelers at Georgian Terrace, Midtown, Atlanta, GA. January 23, 2004. Courtesy of d.2263 Photographics.

Last night, I visited the Cocktail Hour grand opening party. Cocktail Hour is a new store that specializes in barware, seminars, party planning, and party staffing. Turnout at the event was fantastic and the store was incredibly crowded. Based on their comprehensive inventory, the store will be a great resource for Atlanta citizens of the Cocktail Nation.

“Peychaud Bitters have no equal for flavoring cocktails used in every bar of any prominance” My case of Peychaud’s Bitters came in today, and now I have a fantastic new use for Crown Royal. To experience what I’m talking about, first stop by Smoove D’s and mix yourself a Sazerac. Next, put some Medeski Martin and Wood on the stereo and kick back.

I just covered the YoungBucks Member Reception at Joel for AtlantaBuzz. Normally I’m allergic to Buckhead, because I can do without [1] the $30,000 millionaire scene and [2] getting shot at on a regular basis. Since the Atlanta City Council passed a law requiring bars to close one hour earlier, issue [2] has been addressed and Buckhead is now completely safe. Besides, I happen to like Joel. They are one of the few bars in the city that can make a decent Dry Martini with a twist of lemon. Oh, and the food is exquisite as well.

I expected this to be the usual boring networking event full of stuffed shirts and overzealous young business people trying to convince each other that they are more successful than they really are. However, the YoungBucks are one of the friendlier social groups in Atlanta. Everyone was laid back and I had a good time. if you are a young professional who lives or works in Buckhead, I recommend checking this group out.

notes:

PHOTO: Tara and Gary of YoungBucks at Joel, Buckhead, Atlanta, GA. January 20, 2004. Courtesy of d.2263 Photographics.

To the cocksucking wanker who decided to put parking meters on all the streets in Midtown, please email me immediately. Thank you, I will be voting for your opponent in the next election.

This just in: the Lost Penguin Society wine tasting at Vinocity was splendid, several of Smoove D’s best friends (including recurring Propeller Skies character The Beaver) showed up and everyone left with a good buzz. Since Susan, an FBI agent, was in attendance, it was fortuitous that no one got extremely wasted and committed criminal acts. Not that anyone would do anything like that anyway. I highly recommend Vinocity, a pleasant lounge atmosphere and friendly staff make for a great time. They also have a stunning selection of wines by the glass and a fantastic kitchen. In addition to wine, they also offer a decent selection of beers, and liquor connoisseurs will note the presence of Tanqueray No. 10 behind the bar, amongst other super premium products.