NLM Turns 50!

...Well, not quite. But this is the 50th post!

Here is a breakdown of contributor activity:

• Ken - 40 posts (including this one) = 80%
• Jay - 3 posts (last activity: 9/28) = 6%
• Brian - 3 posts (last activity: 7/11) = 6%
• Rob - 1 post (July 1st) = 2%
• Christopher - 3 guest music reviews (thanks man!) = 6%
• Gavin - 0 posts (he still hasn't even accepted the author invitation!) = 0%

Most of the blogs have focused on music (shocker!), though lately beer and coffee reviews have been popping up, plus the occasional "This Day in NLM History" lookback.

There are several ironies that should be pointed out about the blog to date. Gavin & I are the two who came up with the expression "Not Lame Minus", yet he isn't really a writer, and lately has no time to hang out (he was MIA all summer), let alone scribble things down here. Also, the main point of the blog was for us to post our travel adventures (mini vacations, concerts, pub crawls, etc...), and to look back on past events. But this year we haven't really spent much time together as a group (Brian has a new ladyfriend, and Rob went back to school), the June rain cut down on the LakeFests, and our annual fall road trip fell through for the first time in half a decade. It's been an odd year...

The phenomenal news is that we've had people view our blog from all around the world (15 countries, some with multiple unique visitors!) as well as over 300 unique visitors from the United States alone! To be fair, my brother Jason hit us up on a recent business trip to a few European nations (Sweden, England and Switzerland), but still, Not Lame Minus has circled the globe! ☺ And reader participation in "Beatles Week" was greater than I had hoped (thanks again to all who sent in memories and/or poll responses).

Finally, with all of the fall & winter holidays lined up in a row, plus a trio of MuteMath tickets yet to be put into play (and maybe a Bruins game, if Brian throws a group together), plus the inevitable "cabin fever" once the snow begins to fall in earnest (but not too soon!), and we should reach 100 posts in no time! ☺

Currently listening to:

Who Do You Love - Mojave 3

This Day in NLM History

A year ago today the Not Lame Minus crew (Gavin, Rob, Brian & I) were in the middle of our annual fall trip. We had decided upon Burlington, Vermont for two reasons: 1) it took the others too long to decide where to go (The Chestnut House on Nantucket, one of our favorite "off-season rate" places to stay, had already filled up); and 2) we'd never been there, and felt like going somewhere different than our customary island trips (plus: no ferry cost!).

Since we were coming from two different directions that Friday, and because Brian & Rob had gotten out of work hours earlier than Gavin was able to, they went to the UVM vs UMBC hockey game, had dinner & a few beers, and awaited our arrival at the local RiRa. After a 3-hour drive Gavin & I arrived at the Shelburne Super 8 around ten pm, checked in, then headed out to meet the others. The four of us had a couple more beers, Gavin & I ate, and we headed back to the motel to crash.

Saturday morning we took our time getting started, and then we pigged out at the local Denny's for a cheap breakfast before heading downtown to wander around the cool shops of Church Street Marketplace. The weather was brisk, but clear and sunny, so armed with either sweatshirts or jackets, and coffee from Uncommon Grounds, we walked down the hill to the shore of Lake Champlain. We wandered all over the place: Rob & Brian took many pictures (funny statues, cool rooftop ironworks, fall foliage, lakefront vistas, etc...); we walked through a couple of parks; hung out on the water (the docks); goofed around in a nearby train yard; and I stopped at the Local Motion bicycle shop, where I bought a flying disc for us to throw around (which we didn't), and made a donation to their bike trail preservation cause.Back to Church Street to split a large at Ken's Pizza (we were all mesmerized by our waitress, a spunky athletic brunette who had a husky voice, an angelic face, and charm enough for all four of us!), and then it was back to the motel to chill, change, and (re)charge for the evening.

We walked around downtown to find a place to watch the Red Sox game, and settled on a place called Finnigan's Pub. They were having technical difficulties, but when the game finally came on, we had a few beers, surrendered our table to an older couple looking for a place to sit in the crowded bar, and then headed to The Vermont Pub & Brewery for dinner. Wow! What great food. I had one of their Dogbite Bitter Classic ESB's (fantastic!) with some kick-ass fried oysters, and a humongous fish & chips platter. I was SO stuffed, that I only had one more beer the entire night! Our gorgeous waitress even turned on the restaurant's projection tv especially for us, so we could watch the rest of the Red Sox game ☺ After wandering around fruitlessly to find a promising place for more beer, we finished the night back at RiRa, where it was packed like a sardine can, but a cool Irish band was playing, and it was worth it to see the Red Sox win Game 6 of the ALCS, making the series 3-3 and forcing a Game 7 (they would ultimately lose the series the next day, but hey, it was a good way to cap the evening).Sunday morning we packed and headed out. We had breakfast at The Burlington Bagel Bakery & Cafe, where I've never had such an amazing sausage, egg & cheese bagel in my LIFE. Seriously, I had a dream recently about how delicious that sandwich was, and it's a big part of why I am still kind of sad that we couldn't afford to go back this weekend (haha)... But I digress. The drive back home was so picturesque, I will never forget it: fall foliage in New England at it's best - driving up & down winding mountain roads, multicolored trees on all sides, and that glorious smell of crisp dry autumn air filling my nose and lungs. Sure, it was a 3-hour drive, and there was a 20-minute hold-up during construction at a narrow switchback, but it was the perfect end to a fun weekend in Vermont.

All photos by Brian!

First Snow

Yeah, that's right! I took these just after 7 am this morning (from the window in my apartment's home office). It's not much (check out the van's roof), but it's not a beach day either:

Joe's Coffee House

The fine folks at Groupon had a deal a few weeks ago for $35 of coffee for $15 (plus free shipping for Groupon customers!) at Joe's Coffee House. I couldn't pass it up, so I bought two, one for my mom's birthday gift (today - happy birthday, Ma!), and one for myself. I chose to spend it on one-pound bags of whole-bean Guatemala Antigua ($11.95) and Costa Rican Tarrazu Dota ($11.95), as well as a 2 oz. burlap bag of Jamaica Blue Mountain ($8.95), plus a Wicked Jack Tavern rum cake (caramel - $15.95) that I have yet to taste. Now, for the record, I would never spend twelve bucks for a one-pound bag, and certainly not nine bucks for two measly ounces. But the Groupon made it a very reasonable deal, and a chance to experience several coffee styles for which I might otherwise not feel justified in shelling out the dough...

I had the Jamaican Blue with breakfast. It had a fresh aroma coming out of the bag, and filled the room with a nice scent while it brewed. It was probably the smoothest cup of coffee I have had in years, reminiscent of many of the finer diners I have had breakfast in, and the taste was decent, but overall it was rather boring. There was no character, no uniqueness, or anything to really deserve the write-up on the website: "Jamaica Blue Mountain Coffee from Wallenford is known worldwide as one of the most rare and most expensive of all Jamaica Blue Mountain Coffees. This unique Jamaica Blue Mountain coffee presents an intense aroma combined with the perfect balance of acidity and body. This premium Jamaica Blue Mountain Coffee is medium roasted. Although the rarity of Blue Mountain has contributed to great mystique surrounding this fine gourmet coffee, it is the rich taste, distinct aroma and consistent quality that produces the truly unique Wallenford Jamaica Blue Mountain Coffee experience." Now, I suppose if 'middle of the road' (a medium roast with no remarkable characteristics), and consistency across every pot brewed are what you are looking for, this may be the coffee for you. But at $29.95 for an 8 oz. bag, it is SO not worth the price.

I'm drinking a cup of the Guatemala Antigua as I write this, and let me tell you, what a find! When I broke the seal on the bag, a cloud of deep 'coffeeish' aroma, but with a strong component of chocolate brought my nose to attention. Once I had ground the beans, a sharp smoky tang was evident. And when the pot was done brewing, the coffee was a rich dark brown, with a light brown froth around the rim. It's hard to describe the aroma - almost like some freshly-sawed exotic hardwood. The taste is bold yet smooth, but with no real hint of the chocolate found in the unground beans. A pleasing aftertaste that doesn't coat the tongue finishes the cup. I find it leagues ahead of the Jamaican, and it's nearly 2/3 less in price!

I look forward to trying the Costa Rican tomorrow, as well as hearing what my mom thinks of the ones she eventually tries (shipping takes an eternal two weeks!). Check out Joe's if you get the chance, and Groupon as well (they have fantastic deals in most major metropolitan areas on all kinds of things: restaurants, spas, outdoor activities, etc...). And if any of you would like to review a coffee or beer or wine, please send a note to NotLameMinus@gmail.com - we would love to have a guest reviewer from time to time!

UPDATE 10/15: I had the Costa Rican Tarrazu Dota with breakfast this morning. It had a light woody aroma out of the bag, which was more intense once ground. It brewed to a medium dark color with no froth. I was pretty shocked to discover it to be the most mild coffee I have ever had. It has a pleasant, if unassuming flavor. Quite delicious, but it almost felt like I was drinking a kids' version of what coffee should be. Serviceable, but I'd only recommend it for people who prefer no mystery or exotic 'non-flavored' flavor in their cup, or as an occasional change from the wide variety of bolder beans out there.

Beer Review: Pumpkin Ales

I was at my brother's house Sunday to watch football all day, and I brought with me a trio of pumpkin ales for a taste-test. Now let me say first, neither Kevin nor I care much for pumpkin ale, so you know we were both going into this unbiased. Here are the results:

• Shipyard Pumpkinhead Ale - According to the Shipyard website, their Pumpkinhead Ale has "delightful aromatics and subtle spiced flavor". While the latter is true, the former is not. Poured out of the bottle, the beer is the pale watery color of a cheap mass-marketed US beer (*cough* Bud/Miller/Coors *cough*), and has a not-so-pleasant reek to it. This is unfortunate, for I have had the pleasure of many a snootful direct from the tap (good friend Jen M. is a big fan of this beer), so it may just be the result of being cooped up in glass. The taste is quite good though. The nutmeg is pronounced but not overpowering, and the traces of cinnamon and an almost 'gingersnap cookie' flavor, make for a decent brew.
• Post Road Pumpkin Ale - This beer from the Brooklyn Brewery poured out of the bottle a nice medium-brown color. The trace scent detectable was a bit flowery, and didn't represent the strength of the spices once tasted. A good ale flavor, with a healthy dose of a nutmeg/cinnamon blend (but a surprisingly small amount of pumpkin flavor) made for a very enjoyable experience. Kevin and I both preferred it immensely over the Shipyard's offering on every level (smell, color, taste). It was a fantastic complement to the giant cheesesteak sandwiches he seasoned from his own home recipe. For a couple of guys who don't care much for fruit-flavored beers, it was a nice surprise.
• Gritty's Halloween Ale - Imagine our surprise when we discovered that this beer wasn't a pumpkin ale at all, just another autumn beer that happened to have a Halloween theme (my oversight when I selected a few brands to review). Dark brown out of the bottle, it had little scent, but the flavor was the perfect blend of Newcastle Brown Ale and Sam Adams Octoberfest. A typical October beer, with a dependable taste.

All in all, it was a fun experiment, and it was cool looking for places to photograph the bottles in Kevin's Halloween-themed backyard (he has three small kids). I plan on grabbing a few more brands in the next week or so to add to the list, so please check back for updates, and I hope this has helped you in choosing a decent pumpkin ale.This one is my current wallpaper!