Sin City Countdown of Sin - Anger

You may ask how does Anger and Vegas relate....since I live in Atlanta and don't own a plane the only way to get to Vegas is to fly as a passenger on one of this country's great airlines. So, who does not get angry when dealing with the airlines companies?

If someone reading this can give me an insight on how airlines set fares and rates I would really like to know. Why is it that when I was looking at getting flights to San Antonio (I know not Vegas but keep reading) I could get a flight from Dallas to San Antonio for a $100 with the stop over being in ATL, but from Atlanta to San Antonio was $350.

Sorry for the sidetrack but flying out and back to Vegas is the worst part of the trip. I hate flying and below are my reasons.

1. Whenever there is a problem they never tell you what is the exact problem. What you normally get is the pilot coming on the intercom saying we have a short delay and will be sitting here for next 15 minutes (which ends up being 45) If they told people what was going on I think they would find their passengers to be much happier.

2. How come Southwest does not fly into Atlanta? Once again if anyone knows the answer to this please tell me. Without Southwest Delta and Airtran can set very high fairs to fly out west (see my San Antonio comment above). If the competition from Southwest were in Atlanta, the prices would probably drop around $75-$100 a ticket.

3. Lost luggage. How come Fed-EX and UPS can tell you were your package is at that very moment, but when the airline loses your luggage they do not have a clue were it might be? The technology to implement this can not be that hard. The government should require all the airports to have it, since I am sure all the financially strapped airlines can not pay for it.

Well I am not going to bring my Vegas countdown down by sinning myself in anger. The next stop on our Sin City Countdown is the one that draws everyone to VEGAS the sin of Greed

VEGAS Countdown

It all starts simple enough.....someone throws out the email "When are we going to take our yearly VEGAS trip". It usually happens about 5 months before we actually go. After the initial email, the debating starts. What weekend? Where are we going to stay? How many days? etc, etc......well fuck all that!! All I can say is VEGAS!!! This year we are going at the end of June. We usually go in March, but this is for a bachelor party, so we wanted to go somewhere near the wedding date. We know it is going to be hot as hell, so we are staying at Mandalay to enjoy the nice pool and scenery. Although some people balked at the cost of Mandalay and are staying at NY/NY instead. () you know who you are.

To give you a roll call of who is going we have Cleave, Chubbs, Chocolate, Steakhead, Wingman, Chin, Michelin Man (because his fat rolls look like the Michelin Man), Faticus and maybe Crack. One of our friends lives there so we will most definitely be meeting up with him.

Leading up to VEGAS I am going to do a post on the following topics.....drinking (envy), gambling (greed), eating (gluttony), strip clubs (lust), pools (sloth), nightclubs (pride), and airlines (anger) . They call it Sin City so I thought I would cover all of them. Let the good times roll.

Drinking Around Town NYC Version Part Two

Ok now onto Saturday.

I wake up around noon realizing in my drunken state last night I drank the $5 bottle of Voss water sitting next to my bed. Oh well it tasted well that night.

Anyway...being a little hungover the first thing I thought was I needed food in my stomach. I called my friend Brunswick. I took a cab and headed over to a place called Popovers. I don't even know how to describe what a popover is, but it tasted good especially hungover.

After lunch drinks: $20
After lunch/breakfast Brunswick, his friend we will call Entourage (since his name is the same as one of the people on the show) and myself head to a bar called Barcelona. One of Entourage's friend's owns the bar. There were only a couple people in the bar watching the world cup, but we started drinking anyway. I had two bloody mary's, two vodka and sprites, and I think 3 rounds of shots. Barcelona's specialty is specialty shots, so we could not refuse. I think they list about 50 different shots you can get. Most of the shots are house specials. Note the tab above....you got to love going to a bar where someone knows the owner. :-)

Dinner: $50 Shiller's Liquor Bar
The dinner was not too bad. Brunswick and Entourage picked this place. I had about 3 glasses of wine and one vodka and sprite. The food was ok and not too expensive. Nothing much to write about, except I think I realized how hard it must be to find places in NYC that could actually accommodate large parties. We were only 8 it is was a tough time. I guess are tables of 20 we get in Atl sometimes would not fly.

After dinner: Joshua Tree and Bar 515 (the only reason I remember the names is that I looked on my check card statement) $100

I meet up with FF at a bar called Joshua Tree. It was great. They had a bunch of big screen TV's showing the old school 80's videos while the music was playing over the speakers. The whole crowd was singing to all the good tunes including some of my favorite Bon Jovi and Journey. I had about 4 Vodka and Sprites and one Jaeger bomb. Good stuff.

After that we headed to Bar 515. It gets a little fuzzy here but from what I remember they played some pop tunes. Decent crowd, good times. Stayed there about until 2:30ish. I walked back to the hotel and tried to go to the W bar again. Unfortunately it was closed already at 3 am. Can you believe that? Oh well.

Sunday......very tired and hungover. Brunswick, his brother, Entourage and I grabbed brunch. Then we crashed at Entourage's place until we had to leave. Brunswick and I went to the airport around 5 pm. My flight did not board until 8:30 pm. (Trust me I tried to get on an earlier flight) Let me also say the concourse I was in in Lagaurdia sucked. All it had to eat was a pretzel place, which was not too bad.

Overall my NYC experience was fun. Maybe next time I will see some touristee things and eat some Italian or Chinese food.

Drinking Around Town NYC Version

I know I have been slack in posting lately....the best excuse I can come up with is that DWest has been Driking Around Town too much. Yes it is summer time in Atlanta and I have been enjoying the many festivals and great patios the town has to offer. This past weekend I decided a change of drinking scenery was needed and took a trip to NYC. (You know the place where they don't know how to make Pacante Sauce....get a rope)

Anyway here is the review:

Background:
I have a friend who lives in Atlanta who is from NY who went with me on this trip. We will call him Brunswick. He was my tour guide/bar restaurant advisor. I was also meeting up with a friend of my family who I had never met before. I stayed at the W in Times Square. (the only reason being I got a good deal on price line)

Cab From the Airport: about $35
All I can say is oh my God. I got in around 2 and we must of hit NYC Friday traffic. I have never been jolted around and heard a person use a horn more. I felt like I was on a ride at Six Flags.

Friday Lunch: $30
I meet my friend Brunswick for lunch. He recommends we go to a bar-b-que place. I don't know why I went with him being from ATL (where they know how to make BBQ) but I did not know where else to go. I had 2 killians and a BBQ sandwich that was ok.

Friday Afternoon Drinks: $20
After lunch Brunswick and I mosey over to Bryant Park. There was a bar there, so we just start drinking. I had two very well made Absolute Mandarin and Sprites. (which are my drink of choice) This was a great time. Nothing beats sitting outside drinking and people watching on a gorgeous day.

Cat Nap: free :-)
After lunch I went back to the W to take a nap. It was Friday after all and I had a slight buzz.

Friday Pre Dinner: $30
I went with Brunswick to Cambells Apt near Grand Central to meet one of his friends. It is a cool little lounge place. Plenty of couches and chairs to sit in. I had 3 Absolutes and Sprites along with half a dish of seasoned mixed nuts.

Friday Dinner: about $100 (60 of that was for shots and unfortunately I forgot to eat dinner)
After Cambells I went and met the family friend at a place called Rio Grande. It is your typical Mexican joint. I felt like I was back in the ATL. I was on a patio drinking Margaritas. I believe I had 3 Margaritas and a couple of shots. I brought a round of shots for FF (family friend), her friend, and some people we had made friends with that worked for Bloomingdales. I felt inclined to buy the shots since one of the Bloomingdales girls had purchased a round earlier. Well this was one of the worst shots I have ever had. It came in a plastic cup smaller than what you get with cough medicine. It was about the size of the ones they use for communion in churches.

After dinner: About $60
We took FF's friend back to grand central and went out to meet Brunswick with one of his friends. I can not remember the name of the bar (update it was caled Chumlees), but it was fun. I had two beers. After that I drop FF at grand central in a cab. I went back to Times Square had 2 slices of pizza and then had a drink or two at the W bar. Then I went up to my room on the 48th floor and passed out.

First night in NYC $275 really not that bad.

Cant Miss Atlanta Summer Time Events

Spring/Summer in Atlanta is my favorite time of year. The Braves are playing again, the weather is beautiful, all the outdoor decks are open for drinking and women are wearing sun dresses and skirts.....ahhh life is good. I thought I would take time with this post to list some of the can't miss spring/summer opportunities in Atlanta. As always fellow drinkers, I can't cover everything so if I missed something please fill me in. And away we go.......

April 15th - Atlanta Steeple Chase
http://www.atlantasteeplechase.org/home.htm
http://www.wednesdaynightdrinkingclub.com/steeplechase2006/

This is one of the biggest party events in Atlanta. Everyone gets dressed up, drives (or wisely rides in a party bus) to Rome , GA and just gets obliterated drunk. Apparently there is a horse race there. I don't think I have seen a single horse there anytime I have gone. I recommend the WNDC party listed above. If not find some friends who are going. For all your old schoolers out there apparently Railchasers does not organize a party any more. All of my friends are lame and are not going. Something about a resurrection and a bunny. (Just kidding...I know it is Easter Sunday the next day. We do have to take a day off of drinking every once and awhile)

Sat April 22nd - March of Dimes WalkAmerica Downtown Atlanta
http://www.walkamerica.org/

Now for all of my readers out there that think "Life is just one big party" there is more to DWest than just drinking and having fun. I am the volunteer coordinator for the March of Dimes WalkAmerica for Downtown Atlanta. I have been working the past month to ensure there are enough volunteers to help put on the event. Hopefully we will get better weather than we did last year. Now just so you don't think I am changing my ways......all the volunteers go to a big after party after the event with an open bar. So I will be sure to write a summary of this day when it happens.


May 5th - Cinco De Mayo any Atlanta Area Mexican Restaurant
this is one of my favorites http://www.mexicolindorestaurant.net/307106.html

How come Americans are always celebrating other nations holidays? Cinco de Mayo, Saint Patricks Day, oh well I thought I would have more. Drink your cervesas and margaritas and have a fiesta!!!


May 6th - Dunwoody Beer Festival
http://www.dunwoodybeerfest.com/

They have finally gotten smart and put this beer festival in May when the weather will be cooler. This festival is held on top of a parking lot so it can get very hot. The beer selection here is not as diverse as some of the other festivals but a good time can be had by all.


May 13th - East Atlanta Beer Festival
http://www.notoberfest.com/

My friend Steakhead told me about this beer festival a couple years ago. Not quite as big as Decatur, but much more shade. Afterwards you have all the cool bars to hang out at in East Atlanta. I know my friends BIsl and CIsl will be there and at the Dunwoody one too. They love beer festivals....especially seeing how much stuff they can steal off of the vendors tables. I will have to miss this one since I will be in the Bahamas for a wedding. I will try to get a guest writer to do a review.

I have not found anything to fill the gap in here yet. So just go out enjoy a Braves game, have happy hour on a nice deck, Neighbors is one of the best, and just enjoy life and the great weather in Atlanta.


June 17th - 6th Annual Braves Bus Trip
http://www.evite.com/pages/invite/viewInvite.jsp?event=PHDSBKHZTDJVRWJQNOSC
(not sure if the link will work or not)

This is an annual event I have organized for all my friends with June birthdays (trust me there is alot of them) Which reminds me BClo dont we still have a bet on which season more babies are born? Anyway.....we rent the disco party bus and go from Smyrna to tailgate in the Braves Parking Lot. My friends and I usually drink a keg and a half on the trip. The bus holds forty people....so for you non math and non engineering majors out there.....

Keg = approx 120 12oz beers
1.5 (120) / 36 = approx 5 beers per person in about a 2 hour tailgate time period

Remember that is just an average. Lets just say everyone has a good time. We get $5 tickets and head to the Bud Pavilon above the Chop House. Good times...

Date TBD (most likely July 22nd) - Draft on Taft
http://www.draftontaft.com/

I have not been to this party in over 5 years. I know it is a good time and everyone I know who goes has fun. Unfortunately it is the same time every year as......

July 22nd - 8th Annual Christmas in July Party more details to be announced in later posts

Park Tavern Crawfish and Oyster Fest Review

Last Saturday 3/25, Park Tavern in Atlanta held an Crawfish Fest. I did not arrive until late, but I can tell you a couple things:

1. If you are going to charge people for food make sure you do not run out. I did not experience this first hand but the friends I met there were all complaining about it.

2. Do not let the women use the men's room. This may seem ungentlemanly of me, but why should I let a women cut in front of me to use the mens room. Do I not have to go just as bad as they do? Plus I dont even understand how they were even using the stalls in the men's room. Both toilets were overflowing at the top. I am sure there was alot of hovering going on. I feel sorry for the poor guy who had to clean that place the next day.

3. How can you have a bar and not have Jagermeister? I tried to order Jager bombs and they told me they did not have any Jager. You have got to be kidding me.

Overall the party was fun. They had the same set up as they did for their St. Patrick's day party. Unfortunately, not very many people were outside since it was so cold.

Overall I give it a rating of 3 vodka and sprites.

The downfall of Atlanta Strip Clubs

Now I am not one to frequent strip clubs, but after attending two bachelor parties in the last month I feel I can comment on the current affairs in Atlanta strip clubs. THEY SUCK.

Believe it or not the major factor in a strip club is not the quality of the ladies (that rates a high second), but how you are treated by the staff and the dancers. Now without rehashing the details of the two bachelor parties (what happens on one stays quiet), the way Atlanta strip clubs treat their patrons has fallen on hard times. The last bachelor party we went on, one club would not even let us off our bus before saying we were not allowed in. I thought strip clubs catered to Bachelor Parties??

So where does all this get us too? Atlanta needs a high class strip club. Some may think that is the Cheetah, but you can read Steakhead's post and see that is not the case. Will Atlanta ever get another Gold Club that knew how to take care of its patrons (besides the whole charging extra on credit cards thing)??

Where the Wild Thing Wasn't

Below is a guest post by my friend Steakhead about the St. Patrick's Day party at Limerick Junction.

Enjoy!!

D West

There are not many folks who can throw down like D West. For you readers of this blog, you are probably all too aware of this fact. But the man does have his limitations. He has yet to master the art of drinking in two places at the same time. Since D and his friends were doing the Atkins Park celebration in Smyrna, yours truly, Steakhead, is breaking away from his typical grub-centric comfort zone to report on the St. Patrick's Day festivities at the Limerick Junction in the Highlands..

The doors opened at Limerick Junction at noon on St. Patty's Day. There were several reasons that myself, Wingman and another compatriot arrived at 12:01. One, I believed tables would be in high demand (they were). Two, we're just that neurotic to not want to miss one minute of the festivities (we are). And three, and perhaps most important, my alma mater Bucknell was playing an NCAA Tourney game at 12:30 that day.

Upon arrival, the Harp began to flow. For the first few hours, nervousness regarding the closely fought hoops game had my pace well above the rate it needed to be. While I was keeping pace with my companions, it must be noted that they are single and in much better drinking shape than I am. By 2:30 pm, my Bison had beaten Arkansas 59-55, Chris Ricker was playing Irish favorites at the mic, and Steakhead was feeling no pain.

Now some people, they get in a fighting mood when they get drunk. Others, they get depressed. Me, I am a very happy-go-lucky drunk. I want to make new friends, hug people, share the love so to speak. This led to numerous trips to the outside parking lot where an Irish block party was taking place. Unlike last year, where the temperature felt like 30 degrees, the weather was decent this year, and the outside party was jamming. Now here's the thing with Limerick Junction on St. Patrick's Day. If you leave the inside to go the parking lot, you can't get back in just by flashing a hand stamp. You need to go all the way back to the front and wait in the line to get in. You would have thought I would learn this after spending most St. Patrick's Day's at this bar for the last 10 years. At the very least, you would think I would learn it after one time on this day. But I was in the mood to mingle, so I gnip-gnopped from my table to the block party to the line several times that afternoon.

Sometime around 7, not exactly sure when, the 14 Harpimbibed embibed during the course of the day had caught up with me. Does anyone know how much a cab costs to go from the Highlands to Sandy Springs? If you do, please let me know, because I totally don't remember. What I do know is that the cab dropped me off at the corner of Roswell Rd. and Abernathy, and I walked the rest of the way home in a bright orange shirt (Go Bucknell!), a cowboy hat, and St. Patrick's Day beads. At 7:30 at night. In a fashion that could hardly resemble a straight line. To my new neighbors, sorry if you and your kids had to witness that.