Archive for the ‘ Fun ’ Category

Guster Love

My husband and I went to see Guster at the newly re-opened State Theatre in Portland, Maine on Wednesday evening. I think it was our 7th or 8th time seeing Guster live. (I’ve actually lost count.)

The funny thing is that every time we see Guster, we seem to act like teenagers. (We are in our 30s.) We get all excited for the show, talk about what songs we hope they’ll sing, what crazy antics we can expect from band members and compare notes on our favorite moments from past concerts.

After the show, which we decided was probably the best we’ve seen thus far even when compared to the marathon concert they did at the State while filming their only live DVD, I started to think about why I love Guster so much. And for so long.

Here are my top ten reasons for loving Guster (in no particular order):

  1. Live show. Guster is a band that you can’t truly appreciate until you see them live. Period.
  2. Talent. They’ve got it. Each one of them. Band members seem to switch instruments for every song and are constantly moving around the stage throughout a concert, sometimes playing instruments I can’t quite identify. Adam and Ryan’s voices sound stellar together or apart. Their lyrics are often fun, confusing, deep and entertaining.
  3. Songs with the word Jesus in the title. Despite being Jewish, Guster continues to write and sing songs that involve Jesus. Perplexing, but fun. (Note: My favorite is “Jesus on the Radio,” especially when it’s done live and without any microphones.)
  4. Infant calmer. When G was an infant, he wasn’t the best napper. He never wanted to miss anything, which was not the most convenient thing for this mom. One day, when he was overtired and still fighting a nap, I walked into our living room to turn down the Guster CD that was blasting. He immediately calmed down. After a few minutes of dancing around the room with him to “Barrel of a Gun,” he fell fast asleep. Maybe it has something to do with the album Guster on Ice playing in the hospital room when he was born. But, it was always Guster he wanted to hear.
  5. Airport Song. Found on the Goldfly album from 1997, this song never gets old. They always play it live, and it always sounds different. Brian goes nuts with the hand percussion. Ping pong balls fly. From disco to demonic, “Airport Song” keeps us warm and safe.
  6. Brian Rosenworcel. Percussionist extraordinaire. I can only imagine what this man’s hands look like up close. He beats cymbals, bongos and other drum-related instruments with his bare hands and tapes them (his hands, that is) in between songs. Watching Brian is a show in and of itself. And, if you’re lucky, you might get to hear him sing a song or two (e.g., He sang an impromptu 50 state song on Wednesday).
  7. Happy Frappy. Listening to Guster makes me happy and content. It also makes me sing loudly.
  8. Simplicity. Guster is 3 guys (plus Luke = 4) playing instruments and singing songs. All of their albums sound different, yet still sound like Guster. Their shows don’t have smoke or extravagant light shows. They don’t tell me what to do at live shows. I like this.
  9. Longevity. They, and their songs, have it. I have more than five hours of Guster music on my iPod and can listen to it all without getting sick of them. I’m not sure how, but their songs never seem to get old. Nor do they sound the same.
  10. Maine love. Guster hearts Maine and Maine hearts Guster. They always make Portland a stop on their tours while other bands completely ignore the pine tree state. They shot their only live DVD at the State (which my husband and I make a very brief cameo in). Adam lives in Portland. Home sweet home.

If you have no idea what I’m talking about, find out now.

2010
10/29
CATEGORY
Fun
Music
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Just add bacon

One of the many reasons I am not a vegetarian is because of my intense love for bacon. I can’t get enough of that yummy, salty flavor that is bacon. So in honor of International Bacon Day (Yes, it’s real. It’s on Wikipedia.), I thought I would share a couple bacon recipes I found.

Bacon Crisp (By: Paula Deen from FoodNetwork.com)

Ingredients:

  • 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan
  • 1 sleeve buttery rectangular crackers (recommended: Waverly Wafers)
  • 1 pound sliced bacon cut in 1/2

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 250 degrees F.

Place 1 teaspoon of the cheese on each cracker and wrap tightly with a strip of bacon. Place the wrapped crackers on a broiler rack on a baking sheet and put the baking sheets on the oven rack. Bake for 2 hours, or until the bacon is done. Do not turn. Drain on paper towels. Serve hot or at room temperature

Cook’s note: You can also bake at 350 degrees F for 40 minutes if you’re in a hurry!

Bacon Broccoli Salad (By: Alan Alspaugh from AllRecipes.com)

Ingredients:

  • 10 bacon strips, cooked and crumbled
  • 1 cup fresh broccoli florets
  • 1/2 cup raisins
  • 1/2 cup sunflower seeds
  • 1/2 cup mayonnaise
  • 1/4 cup sugar
  • 2 tablespoons vinegar

Directions : In a medium bowl, combine bacon, broccoli, raisins and sunflower seeds; set aside. Mix together mayonnaise, sugar and vinegar; pour over broccoli mixture and toss to coat. Cover and chill for 1 hour. Stir before serving.

And if you’re in the Brunswick, ME area, stop by Back Street Bistro and order the Ale Brine Bacon Wrapped Rib Chop of Pork. It’s too good for words.

When in doubt, just add bacon. Better yet, wrap it in bacon.

Have a good bacon recipe to share? Add it to the Comments section to the left.

2010
09/03
CATEGORY
Food
Fun
Random
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Sugar Shackin’

There are a lot of reasons why my family lives in Maine. There’s the ocean, the mountains, the endless amount of state parks, the fairs and festivals, the five seasons (mud season falling between winter and spring), the rugged independence. Another reasons is for days like Maine Maple Sunday.

On the fourth Monday in March, sugarmakers around the state open the doors of their sugarhouses to the public. You can learn how maple syrup is produced and watch the process in action. Most sugarmakers also have maple syrup tastings and offer tons of maple treats to eat and drink. Some even have live music. It’s pretty fun and typically requires a good pair of boots (being mud season and all).

We went to Goranson Farm in Dresden for the 3rd year in a row. Biz was much more manageable this year. Last year, he freaked out in the line to get into the sugar shack, and we ended up having to quickly scoop up some maple treats and go home. Of course, he was only 4 months old and not used to the cool Maine air in March. While there definitely was a chill in the air this year (in contrast to the spring-like weather we had the weekend before), overall it was a great day for sugar making.

We got to the farm early enough to get into the sugarhouse without having to wait in line or press up against other people in the small, steamy structure. We danced to some pretty cool music (Irish?) played by 3 men with really cool instruments that I couldn’t identify for G. Um. I think that’s some sort of bag pipe and a weird-looking accordion. We ate maple sundaes (vanilla ice cream topped with maple syrup) and drank maple tea (black tea, maple syrup, orange juice and apple cider). The boys played on tractors and trudged in the mud.

The best part about Maine Maple Sunday is that it means spring is just around the corner.

2010
03/29
CATEGORY
Fun
Living in Maine
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