Alcohol: Absinthe

My aunt went to France about four years ago and when she went I asked her if she could get me a bottle of absinthe (the real stuff, not the US version). She ended up getting me a bottle and put it in her basement only to not be able to find it. Fast forward to this past Mother's Day when she finally found it and gave it to me. This bottle is a decently expensive bottle of the stuff (between $40-$60), is 110 proof (55%), and infused with 1.5% wormwood (the absinthe herb). Do not confuse this bottle with the US version from France which contains no grande wormwood (however recently you can add this to it in the US and Canada). You can distinguish between the US and French version of the liquor by the "Liqueur aux Plantes d'Absinthe" seen on the top of the label (and also the descriptive text is also in French). Now this particular bottle is a Liquor because sugar has been added to it, but traditional Absinthe is a Spirit because sugar had not been added. The company that made this bottle now also makes a Absinthe that has very little sugar in it and therefore is much more bitter. It should be noted that any Absinthe you buy today in Europe contains much lower concentrations of the active ingredients thujone, fenchone, and pinocamphone due to regulations then was found in the drink in the 18th and 19th centuries (however levels of thujone recently have been found to be much lower in the original Absinthe then was once thought). I am gonna try to drink it in a few different recommended techniques and I'll let you know which style I enjoyed the most.

Music: Lykke Li

I have just discovered the Swedish indie rocker Lykke Li (seen to the left). Her debut CD entitled Youth Novels came out in January 2008, but I have just got wind of her amazing sound now. You have to give this CD a listen. I would say the music itself is relaxing and chill, some more on the up beat side, some on the slower side. Her amazing voice blends perfectly with the music, and her emotion comes through making you feel the songs as well. It makes me feel like opening a few bottles of wine with friends and just kinda chilling while this plays in the background, or having a nice dinner with it playing in the background, or even dancing around (of course I would be the only one who wouldn't be embarrassed enough to do it). If you view her videos she may seem a little eccentric, especially to the American audience, but I feel it gives her music an entertaining and original touch. I listen to the CD all the way through, but my favorite songs of hers are "Dance, Dance, Dance," "I'm Good, I'm Gone," and "Little Bit." Below is the video of "Little Bit." Let me know what you think and enjoy!!

My First Post

This is more of a test post then anything. This way I can check out the layout of the page and edit it to my liking. I am gonna make a practical layout, seeing how I hate how busy sites like facebook and myspace are. I mean you go to a one of their pages and are just bombarded with all kinds of stuff, the majority being absolutely pointless and annoying. In my first real post I will let you in on a new artist I just heard.