monolith music festival 2008

If you’re looking for an excuse to come to Colorado, you could do a hell of a lot worse than checking out the 2nd edition of the Monolith Music Festival.  Slated for 9/13-9/14, Monolith takes over Red Rocks with a line up you have to see to believe.

A few highlights from my perspective:

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Noise Canceling Headphones and Travel Pillows

I’ve been curious, but mostly skeptical, of frequent travel fare. The kiosks in the airport seem to have large signs that read “sucker” hidden behind the big corporate logos. In particular, anything that involves customer demos or over priced travel accessories. After a few recent trips, I’m beginning to give them a second look. Read more

goal for the week: start supporting sites i like

Being online at least 50% of my waking days and nights for maybe the last 7 or 8 years has taken its toll.

There are certainly some positive aspects to this;  I can’t recall the last time it took longer than 2 or 3 minutes to find something.. ANYTHING, I may have been looking for.

Whether a faked picture of Jessica Biel in a compromising position, a code snippet I can hijack for work, or some uber-rare vintage postcard from an obscure Pennsylvania town that would make the perfect gift for my dad, I’m king of the mutha phukkin search.

One negative aspect of all this information overload though is that at this point, I almost completely filter out online advertising.

Don’t get me wrong; for the most part, this is obviously a good thing.  It makes me more efficent and saves me from jumping down every corporate sponsored rabbit hole demanding my attention.

But what about the flip side of it?

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Shorts Season

I don’t wear shorts out of my own desire to do so.  The shorts I do own are a very small (2) collection of items I was forced into owning by the fairer sex.  This summer though, I’m abandoning my fear of bare legs.  It’s time to get to the store and get some shorts that I actually like to wear.  Anyone else avoiding shorts?

project angel heart - dining out for life 2008

 

There are two annual dining events in Denver I try to attend every year.  The first, Denver Restaurant Week, has been talked about here and here.  The second, Project Angel Heart’s “Dining Out For Life” is a far more important cause and I encourage all of our local readers to make an effort to take part:

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IPM Radio

Recently I asked the readers to share Urban Monarch. In return, I offered to tell a few people myself about something they’re interested in. One such topic was IPM Radio.

In Perpetual Motion internet radio is a variety radio program only available via an internet connection. IPM Radio began it’s weekly on-demand broadcasts in December of 1998 to provide much needed air-play to independent artists and labels world wide. Since then, the show has grown to incorporate multiple DJs, live broadcasts and live concert performances, on-location events and a world wide listenership. The station is non profit and run by an all volunteer staff of DJs, musicians and music fans.

Check out IPM Radio.

christina ricci + speedracer = swoon

The picture that sold a million tickets.

Wachowski brothers or not, I really had no desire to see Speed Racer.  Then I came across the picture above of UM reader favorite Christina Ricci in her ‘Trixie Fontaine’ get up.

I’m sure I’m not alone in saying, I’ll be there May 9th-ish

An interesting interview with the lovely lady herself, as well as link to the Speed Racer trailer here

 

 

Threatening UM

Urban Monarch loves our always entertaining commenters on our now classic review of Fiber One Chewy Bars.  Recently though, one has been getting a bit snippy.  Apparantly embarrassed by the original comment left,  he issued rapid fire emails asking it to be removed.  It’s not that we ignored his request, we’re just incredibly lazy and hadn’t gotten around to deleting it.

Latest Email:

If you don’t remove my comment from http://www.urbanmonarch.com/fiber-one-chewy-bars-stomach-problems-gas/ NOW, I personally promise you will regret it.  You have 24 hours. Then, you will wish you would have.  You need to give people the option to remove something they wrote … trap the wrong person and…… well, you’ll see.

Don’t worry faithful reader, we took your comment off.

capitalism, coachella style

Greg did a pretty good job keeping me in the Coachella loop via text messages dispatched throughout the weekend.  One item in particular got me thinking. 

Apparently, when Death Cab For Cutie was playing, Ben Gibbard made some comments about 5 Hour Energy Drink (a long time favorite of ours). 

Were these comments entirely spontaneous?  Or perhaps the band received certain ‘compensation’ for the nod?

Is the future of advertising, even at concerts, in product placement?

And more, if the high holy priest of hipsterdom himself can be bought, who’s next?  Thom Yorke singing the praises of Kellog’s Sugar Smacks?

bikini bull riding

The Liquor Store’s Friday night calendar is a work of mad genius.

Girls in bikinis, on mechanical bulls, served with a large side of booze? 

It takes a certain breed of classy, sophisticated gentleman to appreciate such nuanced entertainment.  

Luckily, I’m just that kind of gentleman.

Can you say: “Jiggle it, just a little bit”?

We need to get to Boston. 
Soon.

Check The Liquor Store’s other events here

UM readers:  anyone from Boston been to one of these?  Reports, please.

Portishead - Machine Gun Video

Portishead is reason enough to coachella.

art of li wei

Amazing photo goodness from Chinese artist Li Wei.

His work is a mixture of performance art and photography that creates illusions of a sometimes dangerous reality. Li Wei states that these images are not computer montages and works with the help of props such as mirror, metal wires, scaffolding and acrobatics.

See 13 more amazing shots @ Hemmy.net

Packing Aids: Tolietry Kits

Coming up on a long series of weekend get aways and island adventures, I found it just the right time to upgrade my traveling bags.  Remembering my longing for packing aids while in New Orleans, I decided to pick up a mixed set of packing cubes as well as a replacement for my old toiletry kit. Read more

thoughts on life: lesbian or soccer mom?

Sometimes, it’s hard to tell.

Vint Cerf in Esquire

For those of you who enjoy the fine pleasure that is reading Esquire, you were treated to a What I’ve Learned feature from internet father Vint Cerf.  A few of my favorite quotes.

When I was a teenager, I used to wear a sport coat and tie to high school.  Mostly so I didn’t look like anyone else.  Instead of nose rings or whatever it is kids do these days, I was carrying a brief case.

It may seem like sort of a waste of time to play World of Warcraft with your son.  But you’re actually interacting with each other.  You’re solving problems.  They may seem like simple problems, but you’re solving them. You’re posed with challenges that you have to overcome.  You’re on a quest to gain certain capabilities.  I haven’t spent a lot of time playing World of Warcraft, because my impression is that it takes a serious amount of time to play it well.

I find classical music a very beautiful way to focus my thoughts.

props to microsoft

With all the love we’ve been dishing out lately for Apple/Steve Jobs/Mac I need to take a moment to give a big ups to the fine folks at.. GASP - Microsoft!  No, really.

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The Cult of G4

I knew people were fanatics about Apple products, but I didn’t realize people were equally amped about out dated mac products.  Enter, cubeowner, a site dedicated to all things Power Mac G4 Cube.  Warning, you may quickly be tempted to fish $200 out of your pocket for a used one on ebay.

liquor: what’s in, what’s out

According to our fine friends at Modern Drunkard Magazine, here’s just a few ideas on what’s in and out, booze wise:

Jager is finally out, unless you’re in high school.

Bourbon, especially small batch is in with a vengence.

The watered down Jack Daniels is washed right out.

Flasks are back in.

Old Fashioneds are in.

Kamikazes are out.

Rye whiskey is trying like hell to come back in, but for now it’s still out.

Jimi Wallets En Route

See!  I knew someone was listening…

Dear Monarchs

Through Mr. Smith’s extensive network of web operatives I hear you guys are looking for a couple of Jimi wallets to review. It would be our pleasure to have you review our products. What colors do you fancy and where should we send ‘em.

Thanks for your support of Jimi.

Cheers

Mike

Be careful readers.  I may stop writing emails, opting instead to put them up as blog posts.  While I ponder this, try and guess which jimi colors cash and I picked out.

bjork 3D wanderlust video / wired wiki comedy

Finding out that Bjork’s latest video “Wanderlust” is a 9 months in the making 3-D epic has me scrambling to track down a pair of the good old red and blues.

Wired Wiki has a great how-to for making ‘conventional’ red/blue 3-D glasses, but also a funny take on doing it ghetto-fabulous:

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My Favorite Hulu Shows

In no particular order:

• 30 Rock
• Firefly
• Arrested Development
• The Office

What are you watching?

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