Date Night - A Blog by Mari: Too Much in Chumash?

A man that I’m sort-of dating invited me on a mini vacation for a weekend of eating, drinking and… gambling.

If you take the 101 North out of Ventura to Santa Barbara, and then drive toward Solvang on Highway 154 you will eventually arrive at Chumash.

We hit a little bit of traffic, but arrived at the casino late Friday night and spent the evening on slots, while slamming Jack and Cokes and losing our money.

The next day, Saturday, we walked around the resort, and enjoyed a lovely dinner. During the dinner I jokingly said, “We should get plastered tonight, and then find different people to hook up with, take them back to our hotel and hump them in front of each other.”

Let me slow the locomotive so you can hop aboard. In case you don’t know me: if my suggestion sounds crazy, 99% of the time it’s probably just a joke. Personally, the thought of finding a random-swinger couple and slamming nasties in a foursome kinda makes me want to yak.

What I didn’t realize at this point was that my He Pal silently took me seriously.

After dinner, we went out to the casino and started our downward slip-and-slide on booze, plinky-plink sounds, and bright flashing lights.

Moreover, we continued to get progressively shit-face wasted.

We found a small bank of machines and a fantastic cocktail waitress, and began to play some slots. Then, an old man who looked like Eric Clapton in the 70′s sat between us at the machines.

I walked away to go to the restroom and told my date, “Hey, I’ll be right back.”

When I returned, my He Friend was gone.

The old dude tipped his ball cap and said, “Your buddy said he’d be right back, and that he was just going to pee pee with his wee wee.”

Yep. That sounded like my Guy.

Then 70′s Clapton man started talking at me, “Listen, don’t ever compromise yourself.”

I didn’t know what to make of this little gold nugget he was passing my way, so I said, “That’s great advice.”

“No, I said don’t ever compromise yourself,” he said, and it felt forceful this time. He told me that he was married for 20 years and she died two years ago, and that he’ll never find another. He said I could find love anywhere, with anyone, and that men come and they go. That I didn’t have to fall for the first guy that came along, and he repeated his mantra, that I should never compromise myself.

“I’m not compromising,” I said, not quite sure why I was continuing the conversation. I turned to the cocktail waitress and grabbed my Bud Light.

“Why are you drinking Bud Light?” 70′s Clapton asked.

“Because I like the taste.”

“Stand up.”

I stood.

“Mmm… you are hot. You don’t need to be drinking Bud Light.”

This guy had Date Night Blog written all over him. “Dude, I can’t drink Budweiser. It tastes like urine.”

“You need to be drinking Michelob.”

“Would you prefer I melted margarine and just drank that from the plastic tub?”

We were quiet for a few minutes. I was sucking down my beer, waiting for my co-pilot to get back from his leak.

Then 70′s Clapton started telling me about his new girlfriend. He said, “I tell her every day that she’ll never live up to what I lost 2 years ago.”

I nearly spit up. “You tell her? Jesus! How do you think that makes her feel?”

He swatted my comment away, “I don’t care! She needs to know!”

“That’s hurtful.”

I started looking for my dude, but that dude was no where to be seen.

“Forget about him,” Clapton said.

“No, I need to find out where he is.”

“You are fine as hell. Let me buy you a drink.”

At this point, I guzzled the remainder of my beer and went on a hunt. After 10 minutes of frustration, I finally found my weekend HeMan leaning one cocky arm against a machine and himself into an older blond lady who was laughing at some joke he’d just smeared all over her like a cheap latex condom.

I punched his shoulder and said, “I’d like to leave.”

I didn’t wait for him because I didn’t want to have a discussion in the middle of a casino. I didn’t want to be that couple. I turned around and walked toward the exit. He followed me out the door, calling my name.

I told my man friend that I was pissed because he left me talking to the old geezer so he could hit on chicks. And why was he doing that when we came together, as a team?

He replied, through the slur and stink of Jack Daniels: “We had an agreement.”

“What agreement?”

“You said you wanted to make out with other people tonight and get nasty, and I’m just fulfilling my half of the deal.”

I almost shit my pants. “What? I was kidding!”

He replied, “I don’t know when you’re kidding. Half the time you seem like you’re serious.”

“Also,” I added, “What kind of crap were you telling that old man at the bar when I was gone? He was telling me not to compromise myself and that there are tons of better guys out there? Did you say something rude about me?”

“What? I would never say a bad thing about you.”

Bad idea, Mari. Man friend went from aloof, to incredibly pissed and ready to beat up 70′s Eric Clapton.

I felt like I was in the Navy again, holding off some dude full of testosterone and trying to prevent a fight between sailors. At the same time, a couple of guys walked out the double glass doors to have a smoke as my male locomotive tried to choo-choo through me.

“Get ready to bail me out of jail,” He said. “I’m going to teach that old fuck a lesson!”

“Ask these guys if that sounds reasonable!” I said, trying to diffuse a situation I feel I caused. I leaned with all my weight, like a barricade.

“Okay,” He said, or slurred. He went to the two guys and said, “Hey, guys… man to man. Can I get your opinion on something?”

The heavy-set bald guy with tattoos running up the length of both arms said, “Sure.”

“So my friend here was telling me that this old man was hitting on her and telling her she shouldn’t compromise herself. What would you do? Would you kick his ass?”

The big bald guy blinked at my date and said, “I’d let it go, man. I mean, it’s not worth it. She’s obviously not upset.”

“Thanks,” my dude said. “You’re a good guy.”

I then took Hefriend aside and set the matter straight: there was no agreement and I was kidding. There is no single cell in the structure of my entire body that ever wants to tandem another couple and have a swinger party. And didn’t he know me? After all this time? That I’m not the freaky type who wants to see the person I’m with making out/having sex with another person?

He seemed reluctant, but eventually agreed.

Then, like a puppy with broken legs, one of the sweetest guys in the world (when he’s sober, of course) followed me down the hallway, slamming into walls and slumping against the elevator doors; up to our 5th floor room.

Inside, he stripped his clothes so fast that it came off like a one-piece suit. He did a ballerina twirl and landed on the bed, face down in the sheets, and his bare-white ass up and facing me.

Goodnight, Moon.

Published by permission. Visit Mari's blog at http://www.mari-go-round.com/

Debbie Does Music: Local Singer/Songwriter Showcase

This past Saturday night I had the opportunity to watch and photograph some amazing young talent in my area. Although this was a local setting, it could have happened just about anywhere. Unsigned young talent, acoustic setting, a panel of expert judges and a room full of family, friends, some professional musicians and singers, all there to witness the finale of a competition that started in July.

And there was some great new talent. There were young pups with guitar in hand and some with accompaniment thanks to talented friends and family. I’m going to showcase a few here because I really truly enjoyed their efforts. If you would like to see any of the artists from that night, check out the ustream video in it’s entirety from Zoey’s Cafe.

The winner of the Showcase was Mimi Gilbert, an 18 year old from Ojai, CA. I’m sure we’ll be hearing more from Mimi as she begins this journey in the music world. I hope she sticks with it, it’s a tough road.

Something I’ve been noticing, and it rang true at the finale as well, is a phenomenon I think that’s been going on over the past few years with singer/songwriters. Rather than it being a category of musicians (someone who writes their own music and sings it), it has become a genre of sorts. It’s as if singer/songwriter is a synonym with folk/acoustic/alternative. Throw in indie and you have yourself a genre for sure. I’m in no way saying this is a bad thing, for I really love a good folk/indie/singer/songwriter. Some of my favorite talent fits perfectly into that genre.

However, I think, like most trends, it’s going to get old. Fast. And then what? What about singer/songwriters that can’t sing like Jack Johnson or Norah Jones? Are they still considered singer/songwriters? Or do they have their own category? Alt fusion, perhaps? It’s almost an epidemic. Except epidemics are usually featured in the news as scare tactics. This only gets scary when the untalented step on stage. I’ve noticed that even then, though, folks seem to go along with the spirit of the singer/songwriter and chalk up off-key and out of tune to alternative. Go figure. Maybe it’s something I am missing the boat on. But I’ve heard enough good (and bad) artists to know the difference, I think.

Although I liked nearly all the performers on Saturday, there was only one that stuck out, almost as if he was shouting “I’m not like the others!” and really, his passion, near anger at times, really WAS different. Elijah Behar would fit my Alt Fusion category, I’m sure of it. He technically is a singer/songwriter, but not the genre as much as the category. I spoke with Eli to learn a little more about what makes him go outside the box of the “singer/songwriter” genre.

“I’m very connected to what I’m singing. I may come across as angry, but it’s only what I’m feeling about the song. I actually felt really connected to the audience once on stage.” Behar said he knew from the beginning he wouldn’t win the competition, he was too far outside the “box” to be the favorite, but with this being only his second live acoustic performance (he’s the front man for the band Marquee from Ventura, since 2008, so he’s had band performance experience), I thought he did exactly what he should have done. He represented Eli. Not a genre.

I get that it’s hard to define yourself when you start something new. Influences come from everywhere. Heck, I deal with that as a writer (and a mom!) it’s not easy being true to yourself when it’s so easy to see what others are doing, and compare yourself to them. I say kudos to all the singers/songwriters, whether they are in the category or the genre, as long as they are doing it for the right reasons.

Printed by permission. Visit Debbie's blog @ http://www.exurbmagazine.com/

Date Night - A Blog by Mari: Peace & Riot: Richard Riehle

My friend Damion Stephens is directing a movie called Peace and Riot, filmed on location in downtown Ventura and parts of Ojai. I got roped into the role of “Assistant to the Director” because I’m a nosy asshole and I’m always up in Damion’s grill.

On set, Dames calls me his Girl Friday because I assist with everything. Almost everything.

Hey, I’m not gonna shine any knobs around here if you get my drift.

I have met, and spent a reasonable amount of time with each actor and have memories to last a lifetime. For example: Don’t ever sing the theme from The Wonder Years to Ben Savage and jokingly say, “Oops. Wrong brother.”

You will swiftly be put in your place.

Richard Riehle joined the cast and crew last week for the Honkey Tonk Bar scene, downtown at Zoey’s, a swanky little bar and eatery off Santa Clara.

Richard has a crazy resume of TV and film credits, and he has one of those memorable faces that everyone recognizes.

I’ll prove it to you:

See? Bet you know him from somewhere, right?

In Peace & Riot, he plays Raymond, an ex-Marine gone cupid. His character talks tough and tries to help our Scott (Ben Savage) fall in love.

Off screen, Richard has a thick horseshoe mustache, is soft spoken, but pretty spunky if you get him going.

The first Saturday morning in Ojai, at Rancho Grande (a 220 working horse ranch), he joined us in the chow hall for breakfast, wearing brown and red flannel, one side untucked, and a pair of blue jeans. He wore a pair of blue-framed glasses, and was reading from a several-times folded piece of paper he had pulled from his shirt pocket.

On that piece of paper were all of his lines, hand-written, from Damion’s script. It was his personal cheat sheet.

During breakfast, Ken, the caretaker of the property, said, “Richard, I know I’ve seen you in a lot of movies… Could you name a few for me?”

“Well, most people usually recognize me from a movie I did a few years ago that was really popular called Office Space,” he said, “But I was also in a Lethal Weapon 4, a TV remake of that movie Ferris Bueller’s Day Off, Glory…”

He had me at Glory.

Sure, he went on to talk about hanging out with Mel Gibson on set, and how fun Mel was, and how unfortunate Mel’s current troubles are, but when he started talking about Glory, I was like a 2nd grader listening to Shel Silverstein poems for the very first time. Little embarrassing hearts were floating out of my eyes.

Glory was critically acclaimed. Oscar winner for best supporting actor (Denzel Washington), Best Cinematography, Best sound, and Golden Globe winner of Best Performance (Denzel), Best Director (Edward Zwick),

Starring Matthew Broderick, Morgan Freeman, Cary Elwes, and Denzel Washington. I like to think that I was 2 degrees of separation from Sarah Jessica Parker.

As he was speaking, my heart swelled up and my eyes sprung leaks. You see, Glory–for me–is one of the most amazing and touching and brutal and grotesque (especially because we’re talking about human nature) movies I’ve ever seen.

I must have sounded like quite the pussy when I said, “I cry every single time I watch that movie, I’m getting teary eyed just listening…”

I think that’s what it is about celebrity that can make us completely oblivious to one but stricken down by another– a real good spotting tickles me so much.

I’ve never been around any kind of movie set–

Unless you count that time I was on The Price is Right, but forget about that. I never made it to contestant’s row, and my friend Rena and I spent every commercial break pretending to choke each other, very exaggeratedly, with hopes that we’d get our 5 seconds of fame.

–so being a noob on this set, I couldn’t tell you what is par for the course, and what’s completely wrong. But I can say that watching Richard made me nervous. Watching him perform is always fun because you never know what he’s going to do next with his character, Raymond. He’s an expert ad-libber–his ad-libbing has even caught Ben Savage off guard and made the entire crew burst into laughter. During filming, I was inside the cabin and peeking out at the actors during scenes and I spotted Richard between the apple trees, waiting for his cue. He was talking to himself and making hand gestures as though someone else was there. The reality was that he was rehearsing lines to himself.His professionalism makes me not want to fuck up. Like when your dad sees you walking the stage at graduation… the last thing you want to do is trip on the steps and bust your ass on stage.

At dinner that Saturday night, Alan, our Director of Photography, said, “That guy’s a fucking star.”

Opinions are like assholes, Alan. That’s what my dad always says. Anyway, Alan, our assholes are twinsies.. because I totally agree.

Published by permission. Visit Mari's blog at http://www.mari-go-round.com/

Debbie Does Music: The Beatles are finally on iTunes!

I’m sure you’ve heard Apple’s big news this morning! After 10 years of iTunes, Apple and The Beatles have come to an agreement. You can finally download all your favorite fab four records digitally through iTunes.

Why, you ask, did it take so long? “For years, the big impediment was a long-running legal dispute between Apple and Apple Corp., the record label the Beatles owned. Soon after Jobs and Steve Wozniak launched Apple Computer in the mid-1970s, Apple Corp. sued its namesake, charging trademark infringement. But the companies settled their differences in 2007, with Apple gaining ownership of the “apple” name, logo and related trademarks, some of which it licensed back to Apple Corps.” according to an article this morning in the Mercury News.

In 2008, Apple succeeded in bringing all of Radiohead’s releases to iTunes after heavy negotiations as well. Prior to June of 2008, Radiohead would not agree to “unbundle” albums for individual song sales.

I think this is a win-win. I’ve been wanting to add The Beatles to my digital library for a very long time. Now to decide which album to get first…any suggestions?

Food in Life - A Blog by Jen: Bits and Pieces

I love little bites....hors d' oeuvres, appetizers and canapes, tapas and mezze and even petit fours when I am craving sweets. Nothing pleases me more than a meal made up of bunches of fun little bites where I can taste all manner of things in one meal without overeating. I also love going out to dinner with people who like to share too. Ordering four different starters, salads and entrees and then passing them around to taste pleases me to no end. Stingy diners...don't bother going out with me, I am a sharer. :)

So when asked to bring something to a friends house for dinner, I went with the appetizer course and pretty much went a little crazy in the kitchen creating a mezze platter.

Bacon wrapped dates stuffed with Gorgonzola cheese....sweet and hot cherry peppers stuffed with prosciutto & jack cheese....garlic and oven dried tomato sauteed mushrooms....homemade hummus with oven dried tomatoes and artichoke pesto dip with smoked potato chips.

So many good little bites that it's hard to know where to start. So I will start with the bacon since it is my favorite food group. :)

The first couple recipes can be made for 2 people or 200 people, just make as many as you need. The dips make about 2 cups each....and you can make as many of the potatoes as you want.

Bacon Wrapped Dates Stuffed with Gorgonzola

The bacon wrapped dates are a favorite of mine, we make them at work and everyone goes nuts over the sweet/salty/savory combination. They are heavy though and I recommend only eating one or two to save your rear end from resembling the Goodyear blimp. For every slice of bacon, you'll need 2 dates and about a teaspoon of bleu cheese. Cut the slice of bacon in half and par cook it in a pan (slowly)until it is soft. Slice the dates lengthwise and take the pit out, keeping the date intact. Stuff a slice of bleu or Gorgonzola cheese in there and smash the date shut. Wrap the bacon around it and secure with a toothpick. Bake at 350 for about 20 minutes or until the bacon is crisp.

Cherry Peppers Stuffed with Cheese & Prosciutto

You can go a couple different routes on the cherry peppers...You can buy the Mezzeta brand from any old grocery store and they are a little more spicy/savory, this time I tried the brand from Trader Joe's and they are more of a spicy/sweet with the spicy kicking in at the very end. Either way they are delicious! Cut a small chunk of cheese and wrap it with a skinny slice of prosciutto and stuff it in the pepper. My mom likes to use Asiago or a saltier cheese, I happened to have Jack in the house so that's what got used! It is also nice to stuff a little sage leaf in there as well...adds an earthiness that is a great counterpart to the sharper flavors of the pepper & cheese.

Garlic & Oven Dried Tomato Sauteed Mushrooms

I used 1 container of mushrooms for this recipe, about 8 oz. Press 3 large cloves of garlic in to a pan with 1 T olive oil and saute over low heat for about 5 minutes. Add the mushrooms and toss to coat. Cook for another 5 minutes or so. Add about 2 T white wine (glug glug) and 2 T minced oven or sun dried tomatoes packed in olive oil (if using dried, reconstitute them in hot water and pat dry before mincing). Add 1 tsp thyme and salt to taste. Cook for about 15-20 minutes until mushrooms are cooked through.

Oven Dried Tomato Hummus

Hummus is one of those things that you can tweak 7 ways from Sunday in terms of flavor...your base recipe is 1 can of drained garbanzo beans, some garlic (can be raw, smoked or roasted), a squeeze of lemon juice and enough olive oil to get it to the texture you want. Just throw your ingredients in the food processor and turn it on....add goodies like oven or sun dried tomatoes (in olive oil or reconstituted-use less olive oil in the main part of the recipe if using ones in OO), drained artichokes, basil or ready made pesto. Season it to taste with salt and serve with pita crisps, crackers or fresh veggies.

Artichoke Pesto Dip
OK....this recipe stemmed from a new book Mama got me and I tweaked it just a bit and OMG did it turn out good...Seriously a keeper!

1 can of artichoke hearts, drained

3 cloves smoked garlic

2 T Pesto (from the nice lady @ Ojai Farmers Market)

1 T Olive Oil

2 oz Goats cheese

Salt & Pepper to taste

Blend everything in the food processor until smooth. Serve with smoked potato chips.

Yep...I said smoked potato chips.

I have told you before that one of the best gadgets I own is my cooktop smoker and I ain't lyin'. My Mom has done smoked potatoes before as a side dish, but they are thick cut, crispy on the outside and creamy on the inside...I was looking for something that would serve as a vessel for my fabulous artichoke dip. And these little guys fit the bill perfectly.

So I sliced the little Dutch Yellow potatoes thin...like you would if you were doing scalloped potatoes. I tossed them with a little olive oil and a couple good shakes of kosher salt. Then I smoked them on low/med for 20 minutes with maple wood chips. Take them out and lay them on a sheet pan and bake them in the oven for about 30 minutes at 350.

These were so good that I did it again for dinner with my parents on Monday, I am pretty sure my Pops ate about half of them in 2.5 seconds standing over the counter so that counts as a winner in my book.

Printed by permission. Visit Jen's blog @ http://foodinlife.blogspot.com/

Hop Head Said - A Blog by Curtis: Island Brewing: Pumpkin Cask Conditioning Ale

Recently I had the pleasure of visiting Island Brewing’s taproom in Carpinteria. To get to this gem tucked away in an industrial complex you will walk along a narrow path between the building and the train tracks from Linden St. You will pass several business doors (none of them serve beer) and a lonely alley. You may start to lose hope, and you may start to feel like you aren’t ever going to get a beer but just keep moving forward you are indeed on the right path. You’ll round a corner and there it will be, most likely filled with many others who have made the same trip and are enjoying their reward.

The unassuming location, happy people all around and the late afternoon sun will make for a great tasting experience. Sit inside next to the window if you are chilly or on the front patio and watch the sun set over Carpenteria City Beach while you enjoy your beer. The only downside (for lack of better words) to this location is the train that occasionally goes speeding by. However, one could argue that the train may also be the thing that makes this place so special. The noise and the momentary obstruction of a sunset is just a small reminder that life could certainly be worse so enjoy the little things like beer. Also, the tap room seemed to be a family friendly place which is important for fellow mommas and pappas who want to enjoy a beer after a day at the beach. There were little ones all around having fun, eating their delivery or carryout while grown-ups enjoyed their beer and set a good example for responsible alcohol consumption.

This week I will be reviewing one of Island Brewing’s cask conditioned ales but before I get into the review I do want to take a few moments to explain cask conditioned ales. Long ago before stainless steel kegs, before the wide mouth freezer changing logo specially lined aluminum cans and even before bottles there was the wood cask or firkin. Partially fermented beer was stored in these casks, moved in these casks and served from these casks when the beer had completed fermentation. Traditionally these casks were kept in the cellar (45 to 55 degrees) and served from a tap in the bar. The beer is generally pulled up from the cask by beer engine (small hand pump) and poured into your glass.

Today, these casks are usually stainless steel which is much easier to clean and hand pumps are still used but the beer can also be “pushed” with a very low pressure of CO2. Because a cask conditioned ale is all natural (no pasteurization, no preservatives, no filtering) and stored at a warmer temp the beer continues to mature, theoretically allowing the same beer to change over time. However, cask ales should be consumed quickly to avoid any “off” flavors or aromas that can develop from overactive yeast or oxidation. Lastly, because these beers are served warmer and they are not force carbonated there is not as much CO2 in solution so these beers appear to be “flat” to many and especially Budmiloors drinkers. The lower carbonation level allows the subtle complexities of the malt in these beers to be experienced.

The beer reviewed in this entry is Island Brewing’s Pumpkin Cask Conditioned Ale. Whenever I see a cask conditioned ale I always give it a try, even when it has Pumpkin in the title. My trepidation with fruit or spiced beers is that I want a beer not a slice of pie or berry jam or even a vanilla bean. Too many times when there is fruit or spice mentioned in the name of a beer then you can expect the beer to be, say, a liquefied piece of pumpkin pie first with some carbonation. This beer from Island Brewing is NOT that! Pumpkin Cask Conditioned Ale is a beer first although it does need a shorter name. My beer was poured with a small white head that left a wonderful lacy pattern on the glass. It was an opaque (remember it was unfiltered and so there are all kinds of goodies and good for yous suspended in this beer) straw colored ale. There was just a hint of pumpkin in the aroma covering up an even more distant hop aroma. I discovered on my initial drink a warm (comparatively), smooth and malty beer. Exhaling after the drink a light pumpkin vapor (not pumpkin pie spice) followed that persisted throughout the beer to remind me that there was something special in this beer. I would order this beer again.

Now, it’s time for me to come clean. I wasn’t always a fan of cask conditioned beers. It took awhile and some persistence but mostly because I think we have been so brainwashed that beer should be COLD and FIZZY by bikini clad ladies that it is/may be hard to enjoy a cask conditioned ale right away. However, this would be a good introductory cask beer for anyone. It is full of malty goodness and low to medium body so it won’t fill you up. If you don’t care for cask ales at first I encourage you to continue trying them when you can and hopefully you will be begin to appreciate if not enjoy this special beer style.

Published by permission. Visit Curtis' blog at http://hopheadsaid.wordpress.com/

Debbie Does Music: Things I’m Looking Forward To This Week

It’s gonna be a goooood week, I can tell!

Tonight, I’m taking some friends to Hollywood to see a young singer with a sweet voice. Skyler Stonestreet is a girl from Santa Barbara who stole my heart when I heard Dream Away.

Careful, she’ll steal yours too with that pureness…

Saturday night I’ll be attending Shades of Day’s album release party at Zoey’s Cafe in Ventura. This rockin band from Ventura is pure talent, peeps. I’m looking forward to the party, and to next week, when I’ll sit and interview them. I hope they still like me after they have to sit with me for an hour or so…Here’s a sample of SOD from The Freak Fest in Ventura last month…

Debbie Does Music: Mikey Wax Interview

I’m excited about tonight! I’ve finished my interview with Mikey Wax, listened to his albums more than a few times and get to see him at Genghis Cohen in Hollywood this very evening! If you are in the LA area, you can too! He goes on at 8pm, and I’ll be the blonde snapping pics of him!

Before you come out to listen, check out my interview this week with the lad from Long Island…

DDM: I love your sound! I heard your album For Better or Worse last week, and really liked it! How long have you been singing/songwriting?

MW: Thanks! I’ve been writing songs forever- basically since I started playing piano around age 8. It was always a natural thing for me. I used to come home from school and play piano for hours. At first I only wrote instrumental songs, but I eventually built up the courage to begin singing when I was 18.

DDM: Is it all you thought it would be? I mean, I know it’s a lot of hard work, and a lot of time, and not always a lot of profit…(sort of like what I do too…)

MW: It’s a lot of hard work, but since I love it, it’s more like an exciting challenge. The key is to keep writing better songs, touring consistently and networking…and keeping expenses low!

DDM: What part of the job do you like best?

MW: Writing, performing, recording. I like it all!

DDM: Touring. Tough? Exciting?

MW: Touring is extremely freeing. I love it… Being on the open road. I feel like I’m serving my purpose when I’m playing music for people every night. Plus the high after playing a great live show is unbeatable.

DDM: The album For Better or Worse is about relationships. Are there personal experiences that go along with any of the songs you are willing to share?

MW: It’s probably safer not to Sometimes the songs are ideas and emotions taken from real life experiences, and sometimes there are certain lines that just sing well and relate to people even though they may not have been personal experiences.

DDM: Your latest album The Traveler is also great, reminds me of John Mayer, in a good way. You’ve heard that before, though.

MW: Thanks! The Traveler album was a fun, simple process, and I think it captured some of my best songwriting on songs like “Birmingham” and “Goodbye Too Soon”

DDM: You did something really cool, and brave, and offered the EP for free through your website. Seems it was a good idea. Do you see it that way? Months later? (ps. Because I’m a mom who doesn’t have much time to herself, I didn’t get mine for free! But still love it)

MW: I’ll give you a free copy at the show Yes, I’m very happy with how it helped spread the word. Part of the deal was that people who downloaded the album had to join my e-mail list or follow along on twitter. As a result, my e-mail list grew to over 10,000 fans, and twitter to 9,000 fans, plus it created more buzz about my previous albums too.

DDM: Do you have a favorite cover song? Why?

MW: My favorite songs to cover would be songs that I have no justice covering because I could only ruin them haha. I enjoyed doing my cover of “La Vie En Rose”

DDM: What’s next?

MW: I’m currently recording 3 songs in LA with producer Warren Huart (the Fray, Augustana). I have plans to eventually release a new album in 2011, and continue touring and expanding my fan base.

What more can you ask for on a Friday night? Good music, cute singer, nice guy, and a girl with her camera, ready to capture it all.

You can become a fan too! Visit Mikey’s official site at www.mikeywax.com. You can also become his fan on facebook (like me!) or follow him on twitter @mikeywax

Wanna hear him now? Click to listen to his song 02 In Case I Go Again it’s beautiful.

Printed by permission. Visit Debbie's blog @ http://www.exurbmagazine.com/

Date Night - A Blog by Mari: Peace & Riot

Today, I went from shop to shop along Main Street, Ventura, and handed out bright-red lettered fliers with the words Peace and Riot on the front, with pictures of Jake Busey and Ben Savage squeezed between the words.

I politely pushed these fliers into the hands of shop owners and said, “My friend is making a movie, it’s his first movie ever. Long time writer, first time director and we need Extras on Monday, November 8th, 11AM for this bar scene. Could you help out?”

I gave a flier to Mallory at Beehive Hair Salon (a tattooed red head whose served up a pretty stiff cocktail while I got my hair did), the cute girls at Blenders in the Grass, a young employee sifting through bags of clothes at Buffalo Exchange, chicks making chocolate at Truffle Hounds, a gal cutting hair at a salon next to Sportsman’s bar, and many others. I expected to get elevator eyes (that look people give you when you don’t belong–like the look Pretty Woman got when she went shopping on Rodeo Drive), but I was happy to get bright smiles.

You see, my friend Damion has been a struggling writer for 10 years and this is his dream. They call films like these passion projects (films on a tight budget) which is as simple as the name implies: movies made for the passion of film rather than for the passion of $$.

And I’m a writer too–as much as I may have fooled you into believing I’m only this thirty-something hunting for Dongs and Love. Yo no solo un “man hunter” yo tambien una que believes en passion!

I love writing + I love seeing dreams come true = door to door fliers

Most of the movie is shot on location up in Malibu Lakes. A few scenes are filmed in Ojai, and the bar scene is filmed at a popular Downtown Ventura night spot.

I’m hoping there will be a slew of different Ventura locals on set that day because I want to make friends… and maybe I’m still on a man hunt. I figure it’s a great way to meet all sorts of different locals from around downtown.

Therefore, I propose that If you haven’t got anything to do, you should join us!

Published by permission. Visit Mari's blog at http://www.mari-go-round.com/