Forget the girl next door routine and vamp up your style this Halloween with a sexy, Megan Fox inspired look. This bad girl’s new movie, Jennifer’s Body, is a scream-worthy showcase of her oozing sex appeal that every guy dreams about and secretly fears. This Halloween is the perfect time to be naughty with these simple steps that will make you the girl guys would die for:

1. Maintain a little innocence:


There’s nothing sexier than a virginal goddess, but mix that in with a devilish attitude and you have the perfect concoction for a wicked night. Guys like the feeling that they have something to teach you. They are natural protectors, and what’s more worthy of their protection than an innocent air? But being all natural isn’t the only thing that turns him on-just like Megan Fox’s character “Jennifer,” you have to have the right attitude to pull off this look. Not only are guys protective, they are also very competitive. Make them work for your attention! Don’t just give any guy five minutes or even eye contact-you are too desirable to spend time on the meek boys that drool as you walk by. Mix a little innocence with your badass attitude and you too will be eating up guys left and right.

2. Be aggressive! B-E aggressive!

You are the ultimate fantasy, which means every guy wants you. No guy would dare defy you of anything. He already has a girlfriend? Too bad! Jennifer could care less if you were even a priest-no guy in his right mind would say no to her advances. There’s nothing subtle about your ways-you want something, you are going to get it, end of story. If they don’t like it, tough! Flaunt your sexual aggression to anyone you want-if they deserve it. Rules don’t exist in your world. You want a drink? You got it. You want a drink from that guy standing next to his wife? Done! Break up his daily routine with a little forced game of hooky from his work or school. Be bold-if he’s worthy, go out to a bar and buy him a drink. Show him a good time and he will be putty in your hands.

3. Don’t forget the look:

Skirts and shorts are never short enough for you. There’s nothing like black boots that will get you all the attention you deserve. Whether its school, the grocery store or a hail storm-strut your stuff with a sexy walk. Don’t be afraid to swing your hips or run your fingers through your hair as guys stare and girls glare. Look as though you know exactly where you’re going, even if you are completely lost. Plump up your lips with a plumping gloss that will give you a sexy, dying-to-be-kissed pout. Always wear heels, even if you plan on walking through the desert. If there are no heels to wear: go barefoot. Nothing else will ever be worthy of your feet.

This Halloween is the perfect time to try something new, even if it’s just for one night. But beware: you just might end up liking it year round.

Crissy Done graduated from Virginia Commonwealth University with a Bachelor’s in English and a strong desire to write. Her passions include fashion, beauty, music, food and travel. She hopes to one day become a successful and published author.

“All in all, The 88 are a great band, they’re really happy to play with each other, the shows have been fantastic, and we all consider ourselves very lucky,” says Todd O’Keefe, bass player for L.A.-based band The 88—a band you’ve probably heard, but you might not know it yet. The 88’s music has been featured on commercials and television shows such as How I Met Your Mother, 90210, and Gossip Girl, and as of last week, you can hear The 88 as the main title theme on NBC’s Community.

The exposure on film and television is nice but more an afterthought for the band—creating music and playing shows have a more personal meaning. “We’re just really excited to play together, and we’re trying to do that as much as possible,” says Keith Slettedahl, lead singer, guitarist, and songwriter for The 88. Keyboard player Adam Merrin states, “I think we’ve just learned so much, especially in the last year, about what is important.”


Performing, practicing, and making music is, according to the band, what really leads to their success. Keith states, “When we get together, it’s very natural. When we do what comes naturally, good things always happen.”

The 88 has been making its mark on the music scene since 2003 with two independent releases before their major-label debut Not Only…But Also, and they recently released a new single, Love is the Thing. Keith and Adam have been playing together for eighteen years (“we started in preschool!” claims Adam), and although some members have changed, the current group has been together for about three years, “and it’s the best it’s ever been,” says Adam. Keith adds, “It’s not The 88 of the first record. This band isn’t even the same band—we could probably have changed the name.”

The 88’s unique sound is also a contributor to their success. Their catchy combination of 70s-era rock-n-roll like the Kinks, mixed with hooks of British Invasion pop-rock melodies a la Oasis or David Gray, spiced with the smart use of rock piano like Ben Folds Five, a hint of 90s alternative rock R.E.M.-style, all with an occasional swift kick from the Pixies is as addictive as heroin.

It may sound like an odd mix, but it is evident The 88 know what they are doing, and it sounds spectacular. “We’re seasoned veterans,” Todd comments. Even when they surprise you with a tune that sounds nothing like the aforementioned styles, it still seems cohesive and like an extension and evolution of what they have done before. “The music business is changed so much. I just want to change with it, or try to do something different,” says Adam. “I don’t think we’re going to be putting out albums like we used to. I want to put out a song here, three songs here, you know, just do something that’s not so like ‘this is how it has to be.’ [We want to] give people something different than they’re used to.”

Cara Batema is a fledgling Los Angeles transplant, and while by day she is a music teacher, by night she is a rock star (in her own mind). She is learning about this fabulous city and loves to share her findings with readers through her writings for Disarray Magazine.

When I moved to Southern California just over a year ago, I had no expectations for quality beer; I didn’t expect America’s wine country to have any skill or interest for that matter in brewing decent ales. With an afternoon at the First Annual California Beer Festival in Ventura, CA, I was proven quite incorrect in my assessment of So Cal beer appreciation. The event provided a great selection of beer, great live music, and a laid back mood that the patrons created.

Upon arrival I was blown away at the turn out. I saddled up to the line, which snaked its way around the fountains across from the historical San Buenaventura Mission and moving, literally, around the block along Thompson Blvd. As I made an effort to get access to this event, I had come across the information that the event had been sold out on pre-sale tickets, with those interested at trying their luck encouraged to do so, but with no guarantee of entry. So, I tried my luck at the event gate and luckily, as a member of the press, took ‘cutsies’ in front of a few hundred people to get my cup and an arbitrary amount of tickets, which each counted for a beer. (Unfortunately, the ‘ticket’ idea did not fly and was not carried out too well. The tickets served as a meaningless item to hand out to vendors - who didn’t even ask for them).

Nonetheless, this first ever event in Ventura, CA provided fine crafted brews including Firestone, Pyramid, Sierra Nevada, Sam Adams, and the ever popular New Belgium Brewing. However, these beers are perennial and national favorites that everyone knows and probably has in their fridge, so to prevent wasting my time, I decided to avoid these beers. What I was looking for was some of my local favorites and those that I knew of locally in Ventura, but had rarely, or never, had the chance to taste.


I have to admit that I was a kid in a candy store at this point. I am blessed by not having the belly to prove my love of beer, but trust me, I am a fan. I know what a lauder ton is, I know what hops are, a maltiness, and the big difference between a Lager and an Ale. Now, I could take the time to review every beer I tasted, and there are about a dozen, (I was trashed) but instead I want to keep this piece brief and tell you about my standout showings. There were all sorts of beer on tap, 2-5 at almost every vendor, but I was not going to taste them all for two reasons: one, I knew a lot of these beers intimately, and secondly, I would have been unable to write this piece if I had even tried to partake in them all. It would have been dangerous and stupid to have tried. I am a professional after all.

What follows are a few standout beers from what I put in my face and bloodstream. The beers mentioned here are local favorites and some interesting brews that deserve a mention for reasons from complexity, flavor, and because I am partial to a few of the breweries based on regular patronage.

Let’s start out with our biggest disappointment, and when I say disappointment it is simply based on the fact that I set a high bar and I want a different interpretation of classics. You could say that when I drink a beer I want a ‘cover band’ version of what you would traditionally find when you hear ‘Oatmeal Stout’. Sometimes, you just want to hear ‘Abbey Road’ with a metal/rock take, you know what I mean? With that said, Telegraph Brewing has been doing their dirty deed (meant lovingly) since December of 2006, so I chock their oatmeal stout up to being new. As a young brewery, I can understand going with some standards, but an oatmeal stout needs to hit you, and this stout I sampled was a bit muted; I need my stout using its ‘outside voice’. This classic oatmeal stout did not come up to par with my favorites put out by the likes of Rogue and Alaskan Brewing. I tasted a lack of body in their version and overall it came out a bit flat. I felt a brewery that had the same name as a street I drive on would give up a more full bodied stout with a more pungent roasted aroma and a stronger finish on the after taste where you almost breathe the beer after a sip. Bottom line, compared to other beers I have tasted of the same type and better quality, I was not impressed with their oatmeal stout.

However, I did not discount their brewery in its totality. In speaking with one of the boys on hand, having a smoke and pouring beers, I held out tremendous hope for their Reserve Wheat Berliner Weizen. It is their Cezan ‘flagship beer’ but sadly I could not confirm the quality of said beer as it was not up for tasting. Additionally, they only do it a few times a year; but it sounds interesting should you ever get a chance to go a few rounds with a pint or two. Look for that from Telegraph, and others as they tend to try and stay away from the standard things like blondes and pilsners and focus more on full bodied flavors.
Besides beer, the event also provided live music by ‘My Brother’s Band’, Orlando Napier, and Rey Fresco. Hundreds of people stood in line and roamed the grounds of Mission Park in a beer utopia. Noticeably, in Southern California, the overwhelming majority of beer is drinkable in quantity and served ice cold in part to the weather we experience. Rare is the person who wants a moderately cold stout at 2 pm on a Saturday, but that was me and I found two beers that fit the bill and then some.

Stone Brewery had one beer to taste when I got to them around four, but it was a wonderful Imperial Stout that rocked me. With a bouquet of almost licorice and a flavor that rolled chocolatey in the front and a roasted, smokey flavor on the finish, I was very impressed at the quality and complexity of the beer of such a dark persuasion. Right up there with the Stout by Stone was the beer I waited almost a total of 45 minutes to get. My initial trip in the line for the Fireman’s Brew tent was about 15 minutes to hear CO2 was out and it would be another 15, so I took off in another direction. When I returned to the ever-present line, I got my long awaited and now hyped up beer. I got to taste one of the well-crafted 10.8% ABV beers. Far too often, when you get your paws on a double digit ABV beer it can be like choking down the contents of a Ni-Ca battery, but this beer was almost dangerously smooth. The brew the Fire bugs had for me left me blown away, and after two glasses of this extreme brew, I was starting to buzz out, and needed a break. It is saying something for a beer that surprises you, and this dobblebock named ‘Brewnette’ crept up nicely on the mind, getting me buzzed on the quick and leaving a sour or acidic taste on the palate, even after two glasses for the good of proper journalism. If you are looking for a barleywine with the drinkability of a strong amber that mated with a porter, then you have got to find this well crafted little piece of brewing history. It’s beautifully crafted.
The big winner of the day, the big surprise and maybe most well crafted and balanced beer with flavor and drinkability to spare was the Karl Strauss Windansea Wheat Hefeweizen. I am a Hef fan, and a bit of a snob. I have had them from Alaska to Oregon to Wisconsin, and many have been great, but this traditional Bavarian unfiltered Wheat Ale was something to behold. First was the aroma with a shocking scent of clove and most of all...banana! The banana aroma took me by surprise and when I tasted the clove, banana, and the sense of vanilla or tannin I was floored. In speaking to the guys at the booth, this was a Hef that needed no lemon and frankly would probably sprout arms and stab you if you tried to put one on the rim of its glass. Far too often, in the world of Hef, brewers go nuts with the lemon, coriander, zest, and citrus of whatever persuasion that that you start to get a pucker face after a few sips. Great as it is, it makes the experience of a few brews tough to stomach, but getting my hands on Strauss’ brew, I knew I could drink them endlessly. This beer was medium bodied, subdued but not shy, and the finish was crisp and so refreshing. In short, Karl put out a Hefeweizen that was jettisoned to Earth from Krypton.

Others that deserve a mention are Creekside for a very flavorful and smooth American red, playfully called their ‘Ripoff Red’ for its funny origin. Usually, when you put the word ‘American’ in the name of a beer you are going to be disappointed. However, this was a great surprise in a beer I had never tried before. It had an interesting take on the traditional Irish Red, which can be very hoppy with a biting finish. Coronado Brewery has an India Pale Ale or IPA I was very fond of as far as to say that it might be better than the fan favorite Sierra Nevada Pale Ale you can get just about anywhere. It was very hoppy but in a softer tone and the drinkability on a 76 degree day, like Saturday, was superb. Lastly, a brewery close to my heart, and my front door, is Anacapa Brewery in downtown Ventura, CA. They had a large selection of beers for the event, plus an ever changing menu of funky beers (like a club remix of the classics) and with only a few blocks to get to the brewery, it was packed as the event let out. They had a wonderful Maple Brown and an Oktoberfest that might have been the best fall beer at the event.

Overall, this was Ventura’s first shot at the beer fest and I think it was a massive success. There was a great selection of beer, great live music, and a laid back mood that the patrons created. I met total strangers in line, chatting, laughing, and carrying on even as I walked around and ran in to people again and again; just the nicest group of people. People were dancing to the music, lounging on couches under what I can only think is a massive oak tree in the middle of the park, and enjoying good beer and food. With four ounce pours for tasting, no one got out of hand, no more so than the out of hand lines for bathrooms - need more of those next year. I would suggest a larger venue; maybe the fairgrounds can be justified with the overload of interest that was underestimated in planning. While the event was fun, improvements to think about include a way to expedite entry, a better way to monitor the drink and food tickets and of course more bathrooms.

In my time here, and especially from this event, I have found that there are breweries in my town, all over Southern California, and beyond that take great pride in the drinks they create. There wasn’t a bad beer on the day, not one I got to taste. Impressive was the caliber of the music, people, food, and most definitely the beer. California has once again surprised me with the abundance of culture, diversity, and sense of community that was exemplified by the California Beer Festival through the view of an empty beer mug. Skal!

Every year thousands of people flock to beer gardens to consume copious amounts of alcohol, gobble hearty German fare and celebrate with old time drinking songs. Yes, we’re talking about Oktoberfest.

Besides being one of two major drinking holidays, there’s more to Oktoberfest than just getting drunk. Oktoberfest, aka the “Largest Volksfest (People’s Fair) in the World,” got its start in Munich, Germany back in 1810 on October 18 to commemorate the marriage of King Ludwig I and Princess Therese of Saxe-Hildburghausen. A horse race was organized and nearly 200 years later, the 16-day festival has evolved into what it is today – one hell of a fun event.

Fortunately, you don’t have to live in Germany to partake in the Oktoberfest excitement. It’s time to break out the stein and put on your lederhosen, of course, assuming you own a pair. For years, cities around the world have reveled in the fun and now you can too.


The 2010 LA Oktoberfest offers Angelinos a chance to enjoy live music, folk dancing, German cuisine, wines and beer on October 9 and 10. The event will take place at the L.A. Mart located at 1933 S. Broadway, L.A., CA 90007 from 1pm-6pm.lucky


Attendees will get to enjoy authentic German costumes, authentic brews served in commemorative steins, delicious foods including bratwurst, sauerkraut, strudel and giant pretzels. What better way to kick off the festivities than with the “tapping of the keg ceremony.” Festival goers will definitely be entertained by the 25 member band – AMF, a Polka band, Bavarian dancers, aerial showgirls (a spectacular Aeiral and floor show by the best cirque du soleil ever had) and a silent auction by sporThings.

Tickets for the LA Oktoberfest can be purchased online or at the Vendome locations. Net proceeds benefit the Make-A-Wish Foundation of Greater L.A. and the Ketchum-Downtown YMCA.

1. Admission $15 - Includes a 1/2 Liter Souvenir Glass Stein
2. Admission $20 - Includes a 1 Liter Souvenir Glass Stein
3. All Inclusive Tickets $75 - 1 Liter Souvenir Glass Stein, Included all day Drinking and Food.
4. VIP Tickets $100 - admission to Oktoberfest 1 hour before regular guests. 1 Liter Souvenir Glass Stein, Included all day Drinking and Food.

So, if you're up for a fun time filled with German brews and sausage, this event is your best bet. 

For more information, visit:  http://www.laoktoberfest.com/

Bobby Alt (S.T.U.N., Faculty X) of the Street Drum Corps caught up with me briefly while in the studio to discuss about the new Street Drum Corps album due out early next year.

1. Hey, how are you?

Bobby: I am fantastic I’m at my home in Downtown L.A. just down the street from the new dessert bar that just opened up having a waffle with some peaches, it's delicious. I’m actually looking to open a store in Downtown L.A. so, I’ve been in meetings for the last couple of hours, talking to the guy that’s been showing us around -a bunch of which have become available for rent that are the up and coming sites so it’s been a fun day.

2. I heard you were in the studio, how's that been going?

Bobby: It’s been an incredible summer. We’ve spent the last two and half months all summer long in and out of all different studios all over the L.A. area. We started by recording at Dave Grohl’s studio in Northridge. Then, after that went over to East West Studios where we recorded Sinatra, Beach Boys, the Mama’s and Papa’s “California Dreamer,” so that was a real treat. Then went over to the Howard Benison studio, which’s our producer and recorded all the guitars and bass, and then I’ve been recording vocals – in Howard’s northern bedroom in his house way out in Calabasas all the vocals for this double album, one is all the traditional drumming street corps drumming and the second album is the more produced band vibe still heavy in the drums of course.

3. What can we expect when listening to the new album?

Bobby: Oh boy! Pure sonic excitement, *Laughs* a lot of blood, sweat and tears went into this double album, a lot of tribal rhythms, war rhythms, I’ve been singing and writing songs now – but there’s a little bit of my life and our lives as a whole, when making this record. We’ve put together great artwork for it and then go out and do a bunch of touring for it.


4. Were there any songs that didn't make the album?

Bobby: Tons of songs didn’t make the album we wrote between 50-60 songs since May of last year for this particular record which we twiddled down to 21 that our producer picked and twiddled down to about 15 and then 12 3 of them to be featured as B-Sides or given away to movies, video games, while the other 12 will be featured on the album itself. Then we have about 30 minutes of drumming that will be the all traditional drumming CD so a lot of songs were written this year a lot of which didn’t make it but you might see them pop up here and there later on in the future.

5. What are the upcoming plans for you guys for the remainder of 09 into 2010?

Bobby: This year to next year - right now we’re finishing this record with Howard Benison and hoping to release the record into February or March of next year we’re just taking our time, being very patient, making sure we’re getting the best sonic expression of this particular Street Drum Corps carnation and we also are working on our Street Drum Corps Bang Show which is an all drumming experience you can see at colleges and performing arts centers across the country. So we’ve been putting together a bigger production for that particular group and we’re also writing a show that we’re launching in September 2010 – called “The Street Drum Corps Presents: Banner Machines” that represents a 6 person cast using over 100 years of technology to create music all different styles and sounds of instruments, i.e. microwaves, typewriters, blenders, any type of kitchen appliance available so we got our plates full.

6. How many guest drummers did you have on this album, who was your favorite to work with?

Bobby: Oh boy! We had I don’t know exactly about six or seven special guests on the all drum CD – on one particular song called “Thrashing and Trashing,” that particular song we have members of Street Drum Corps, the embers of Bang, we have Tommy Lee (Motley Crue), Brandon Saller (Atreyu), Matt Sorum (The Cult/Guns n Roses), Brooks Wackerman (Bad Religion), Shannon Leto (30 Seconds to Mars), and I can’t pick one favorite drummer that we worked with because they all brought something special to the for that particular track. A lot of them are good friends of ours too, like Brandon, and Shannon those dudes we’ve hung out with and played with before so it’s a real privilege to have them come and play on our CD.

7. Have anything planned for Halloween?

Bobby: Halloween? Yes I’ am flying to Travis City, Michigan with the Bang group to direct our new video for our electric press kit so I get to hang with the Bang guys and they’re playing a Halloween show there about a couple thousand people within a small college town. So this will be my directional debut so we get to film with Bang throughout the day and then package that up and send it off, to all the colleges and theme parks, so that’s what I’m doing probably dress up like a Vampire.

8. What is one good thing and one bad thing about being in a band?

Bobby: One good thing about being in a band its like a family, it’s a very tight family gang of the outsiders the reasons I started playing music while I was young was to get together with friends and jam out been doing it since I was 13 years old. One bad thing is being a fan boy. *Laughs* It’s a double edge sword pretty much. I can go a little deeper it’s about being a musician ad creating these shows and putting together these productions, you’re head feels like it’s going to explode with all this creative energy. You just gota sit back and breath and put it altogether and organize it all out. Whether you’re working on a banner, artwork, song, t-shirt design whatever it may be, you stick with it - that’s what you go with.

9. Were you guys out at the Henry Fonda when Papa Roach performed?

Bobby: We were not at the Henry Fonda I was not but I’m sure some of the other guys were those guys rock.

10. Anything else you'd like to add?

Bobby: Anything else I’d like to add? Just had a very exciting summer recording this music and can’t wait for everyone to hear so be sure to come out and check out the live shows and have a good time.

Natalie Perez has been a Music/Entertainment Journalist for 7 years now having first started out with her middle and high school newspapers. She now writes for a handful of various online and print publications. Her goal is to get her name out as much as possible until she becomes a well-known Music Journalist!

We can watch award shows to see if our favorite stars have won, or we can just read a list of the winners after the show. The real reason we watch awards shows is to check out the big fashion hits and blunders. Now that the Emmy Primetime Awards have come and gone, it is time to hand out the red carpet fashion awards. Since the Emmys are the last big awards show of the year, one would think our fine actors, writers, producers, and the like would be more willing to take a risk; however, the overall mood of Emmys fashion this year was that of boredom and indifference.

Many stars opted for traditional black, which in some cases turned out nice; take, for example, Tina Fey—she looked good in a classic black gown by Gucci, but again the look is a bit of a yawn. Heidi Klum glowed in her black fitted dress, showing her about-ready-to-pop baby belly. Some stars who chose to don black were not as successful. Glenn Close looked like she was headed for a funeral rather than standing on the red carpet, and sorry to say, most of the gentlemen of the evening looked like they rented their tuxes from the same store. Kudos to Neil Patrick Harris, who wore white during his presentations.

Another trend on the red carpet this year was, of course, red. Some stars played the red to their advantage, such as Sigourney Weaver, who chose a one-shouldered look, yet again a trend on the red carpet this year. Red was not Debra Messing’s friend, who quite frankly, was a big disappointment; she often wears red, and this dress by Michael Kors was just blah. We are more used to Messing taking more of a risk. Other red mishap awards go to Blake Lively, who had too much going on with the slit, the deep V, the no back, and Hayden Panettiere, who looked like she was in her forties—when will Panettiere act and dress her age?

Now we have seen the trends of the red carpet. It is time to assess the biggest fashion faux pas of the 2009 Emmys. One of the worst gowns of the night belonged to Padma Lakshmi who wore a jewel-toned gown with a red tumor growing on her left hip. Leighton Meester did not pull off the white Grecian-style dress, as the mass of fabric on her shoulders was really too much for her to handle. Elisabeth Moss also wore too much—the large jeweled collar could not take away from an ill-fitting, ugly-colored gown. Even worse, Jennifer Love Hewitt chose a yellow dress more fit for prom than for an awards ceremony, and Chloe Sevigny might as well have worn sweatpants, as her look was too casual for the Emmys. We all expected funny ladies Kristen Wiig and Sarah Silverman to make bold choices, but their risks did not pay off. In particular, the blue dress with bolts of fabric tacked onto the hips, worn by Silverman, was the worst look of the night.

Some risks paid off, however, and some looks were perfect from head to toe. Toni Collette was shining in her bright pink dress, structural and fitted at the top and flowing layers of chiffon on the bottom. She, like the other best-dressed stars, wore her dress with confidence. Drew Barrymore chose a pink rose-colored strapless gown, and her hair, makeup, and accessories, pulled the whole look together. Olivia Wilde was perhaps the biggest risk-taker of the night—her stunning gown had nude windows down the middle front and the whole back, and again, the look including hair and accessories was spot-on. The best look of the night goes to January Jones in a geometric, structural dress with a flowing bottom. The dress fit perfectly, and the minimal accessories worked with the dress instead of distracting from it.

Overall, the fashion at this year’s Emmy awards was a yawn. Here is hoping more stars take after Jones, Wilde, Barrymore, and Collette for the next awards show, and here is a plea for more excitement fashion-wise on the red carpet.

The Port of Los Angeles Lobster Festival in San Pedro offered hungry festival goers music, carnival rides, funnel cakes, beer and most importantly – lobster platters. Setting a new Guinness World Record for The Most Seafood Prepared at an Outdoor Event, the Lobster Fest surpassed its old record of 3,835 lbs with its new record of 12,527.4 lbs of seafood prepared on Saturday.

Despite the summer heat, hundreds of lobster lovers stood in line for hours waiting to purchase their lobster meals consisting of coleslaw, watermelon, seasoned potatoes and bread. No matter where you looked, long lines were formed and to my surprise, the crowd patiently waited while enjoying live music. Whether it was to purchase meal tickets, beer, funnel cakes, kettle corn or even to buy lemonade, attendees were not fazed by the long lines.

If you plan on attending the Lobster Fest next year, I strongly suggest you purchase VIP/First Class tickets for $39.00, which provide you with VIP access to lobster meals and beverages without having to wait in line for hours on end. Within 30 minutes or less, you get to bypass the long lines, grab your lobster plate, have it chopped for you and then enjoy it right away.

While eating the delicious lobster meal, the Love Grenades took the stage. At first, the singer sounded nervous and her vocals exemplified it. However, after a few minutes, the band performed electro-rock songs that sounded similar to bands like Ladytron and Electrocute. Fans eating on the grassy area showed interest, while drunk onlookers boo-ed the band. Regardless, front-woman Elizabeth Wight danced around onstage creating a fun atmosphere, but it seemed like people were more focused on cracking lobster tails open to devour the deliciousness.

After finishing our meals, we decided to check out what else the festival had to offer. During our stroll, we noticed a long wall of festival foods which included the typical festival fair: funnel cake, kettle corn, yard-long smoothies, fried calamari, waffle cones and various seafood dishes. What stood out the most at this event was the scuba diving lessons that took place in a large pool. Another notable attraction at the fair was the one man band that played the piano, guitar, harmonica and drums simultaneously.

Here's a snapshot of the devoured lobster platter.

Near the entrance, children enjoyed gigantic slides, ferris wheel rides, and carnival games for a chance to win oversized stuffed animals. Next to the rides were booths that offered everything from a chance to win a Napa Valley wine vacation to a place to purchase rollerblade-running shoes called Kangoo Jump Boots.

All in all, the event was fun-filled and the lobster meal was delicious enough for fans to stand in line for more than 1 hour. If you want to bypass the lines, purchase VIP First Class tickets!



If you don't know how to eat lobster, here's a video guide courtesy of VideoJug:


Dining Etiquette:
How To Eat Lobster

With a thing like the West Beach Music Festival you get what you expect in many ways, and as with other festivals, there are always some surprises. You get your purveyors of funnel cake, fish tacos, Bento dishes, sno-cones, and of course beer. You find booths of cheap sunglasses, tents dedicated to spreading earth awareness, the “Endless Bummer” movie promo booth, and the likes of hand-made jewelry and henna tattoos. These things come standard with any SoCal event, as far as I can tell, in my year here. Then, you can be surprised by the giant inflatable shark slide for the children in attendance. A hula hooping tent takes a second glance, and a high priced halfway decent beer selection can cause alarm, and as always the people who attend can bring you a moment of pause. But on the beach west of Stearn’s Warf in Santa Barbara on the sand, was this third annual festival with an overall theme that I am not too fond of...Reggae.

All photos were taken by Wesley Bauman, Contributing Writer


I will pull no punches here. I am not a fan of Reggae. I don’t care for the general ilk of the people that play and most definitely not a fan of those who love it. I am a man that comes from Oregon originally with strong ties to Alaska and Wisconsin, so my musical taste tends in a very different direction than that of music with themes of marijuana, revolution, and peace/love. This vein of music that Bob Marley champions and strongly influences long after his death has been prostituted to white kids with shameful dreads and drug addiction to go with their flat brimmed hats and strict shirtless dress code. Reggae has been taken from Rastafarians and handed, like everything else in today’s culture starting so many years ago, to white and off-white suburban kids...with only a few exceptions to prove the rule. Some of those talented exceptions were at the festival, but preceding and proceeding them were a few cookie cutter kids that were all equally talented and mostly sounded the same.

When the gates opened the event was sparsely populated for some time, so navigation was easy even until the early evening, so getting my hands on a beer was an easy task at 12:30pm. Had to start the day off right and begin to nurse the buzz that makes for a great day at the beach and on assignment. After procuring a surprisingly good Newcastle Summer Ale at a painful $6 I began listening to the first band on this long and treacherous day, One Drop. They played the Bashment Stage, which was coined the ‘Reggae stage’ by the event booklet I was handed on the way in. One Drop was a very strong start and a seemingly stereotypical Reggae band from Santa Barbara, but they surprised with some great music and a friendly banter with the crowd. As previously mentioned they adhered to the dress code, especially their front man, to flip flops and no shirt. The show was a short set but they played tunes with strong overtones of peace and love, of course, and entertained the crowd with wandering bass lines backed by strong drums and electric guitars, working the reverb petal to no end. All too talented and completely independent, a label-less band of this caliber was a great way to start. I had to stop myself from swaying to the tunes because they are infectious.

I mean literally infectious. I found this throughout the day with the music played. I submit this for your approval. Reggae causes involuntary swaying and dancing of the most embarrassing level when participated in by white people. Have you seen video from Woodstock? Well then you know that white people are not known for their rhythm and smooth moves, and Reggae brings out the worst. The swaying side to side and bobbing of the dreadlocks covered head is almost hard to watch. The most difficult thing to break your stare is that odd convulsing that comes from running in a small circle and doing what looks like interpretive dance as the bass vibrates your ribcage. This was to be seen everywhere all day, and when mixed with booze in the “Heineken Extra Pale internment camps” known as beer gardens (though nothing grows there, just flows) the rhythm is sporadic, the dancing tends more to stumbling, and the more complicated dances become a ballet of keeping balance with beer in hand and dizzy head swaying, which starts to become quite impressive, especially as the day goes on and the state of intoxication deserves a “Mission Accomplished” banner on an aircraft carrier.

One Drop was a great start, nearly getting me moving, unwillingly, but when Lonesome Dub hit the main stage called “Bob’s Stage,” I began to be a bit impressed if only for what they were playing, not how they were playing it. Once again an amalgam of “SB Locs,” “Carpis,” and one guy from the Redlands, which he shouldn’t admit out loud apparently, Reggaed (I made it up, like rocked, but with Reggae) the crowd with the likes of the usual guitar, bass, drums, but then threw in some very appropriately used sax, trumpet, and even a trombone. They were younger guys, but they played a more up tempo version of Reggae which felt more fun, less revolution and more good times. I liked the creative use of instruments and the overall feel of the show. These kids, I only say that as a 24 year old because they looked even a year younger than me, brought some decent guitar riffing solos and a laid back energy that fit for the crowd at the time of day.

Before you can blink, The Kicks jump right in to it on the Bashment Stage as Lonesome Dub finished. It is hard to escape these stages right next to one another. By design these are the main show stages, one in the beer garden, one outside, so the crowd does not need to move. It is tough to pull away from the voice of The Kicks' front woman. Warm and inviting her voice is, the guitar work is bouncy and just a good show. I loved many of the baselines in this show and the songs had some substance and messages, like many Reggae songs, but they weren’t all about pot and partying obviously. A more mature, both literally and figuratively, band with sound talent who has a great time doing what they do.

After finally breaking away from the main stages and the beer garden I got to wandering and exploring the other stages and goings on. As I found near the Sandbox Stage, the one set aside “for G and PG music,” for the whole family there was henna tattoos, the hula booth, and fun family tunes in the form of Tom Freund and his ukulele. Out beyond the booze and bands were food booths lined up for blocks along the fences and the most disturbing great white shark, two story slide for kids. It was just kinda scary like when you think back to Fraggle Rock and that Puffinstuff TV show and think “this was for kids? Who let us watch this stuff?” Out there in the expansive acres of sand was the Chino’s photo booth where scantily clad girls in rubber mini-skirts would get in a photo booth with you which was right next to the loneliest place in the event...the Oasis Stage. This was the Electronica stage and there was almost no one, I mean no one, there as acts scratched and mixed house music, top 40, and Electronica beats for dancing. Yet there was no one dancing. At this hour it seemed so empty with the massive tent it was situated in and the one, yes one singular, woman dancing. I had to leave, I felt bad for the guy on stage.

Getting back to the Main Stage the likes of Still Time really start to get the rock, funk, and Reggae together for one hell of a stage show. With infectious chorus’ with blues undertones and a rocking harmonica, I enjoyed the show and so did the crowd, which had grown. I must say though, for my buck, there isn’t a bad show that includes a harmonica. If you got a guy up there who can rock a harmonica solo like Still Time did, you are going to be loved by a crowd. Their stage presence was fun, very relaxed, and with songs inspired by Nintendo, Martin Luther King, and drinking with your best friends, you’re not going to disappoint the West Beach crowd. What had begun to happen as Still Time went on was that these afternoon concert goers were starting to dig in, find a spot, and relax. One couple piled sand up in a way so that they could lie down, and the sand supported their backs and head like a pool lounger, very SoCal. This was where I got a chance, during the Still Time show, to look around at the people extensively and began to see the relaxed SoCal style that people think of when they think California, sun hats, sun tans, and some beautiful women. Still Time was a great show and the people were still coming.

What came next on the Bashment stage inside the “Alcoholic beverage agricultural area” (beer garden) was Pacific Dub. Here on the stage were a bunch of kids, young guys in tattoos, board shorts, no shirts, playing what sounded like Slightly Stupid and Sublime if they weren’t as talented as they are. These kids rocked the reverb and stuck to a theme of women, weed, and a little world peace. But they just bothered me. I felt the bass lines were simple for the most part, and...wait I got it, I felt it was too poppy! It felt like pop-Reggae. I know this is very offensive, but it sounded like a very marketable cross breed. Don’t get me wrong, it was catchy stuff, guitar solos were sick, the crowd liked them, they had crazy energy on stage, but they threw some poorly written rap in there, tried some lyricism, and as a hip-hop fan, I was really put off. Rap, hip hop is not for everyone, and with this kind of Reggae they were playing I felt hip hop was inappropriate, and unnecessary. Least favorite show of the day, but it was still a 6 out of 10.

Next came the first rock, real rock, of the day. The Bravery was the first band with a really decent crowd, the big afternoon name and a stage show that was crazy. People were clamoring for a view of the stage as the band put on an amazingly show. They played great music, and the frontman for the Bravery moves like Mick Jagger with a great voice unto himself. In the vein of the Killers and similar bands they mix electro background pieces under their rocking, live play and the almost dissonant voice of Sam Endicott. His singing is nontraditional and when mixed with the rest of the parts of this band and the energy of Moose on lead guitar they had one hit of a show. They did feel a little out of place since at one point Sam mentioned, “We need more Reggae songs...like 200 hundred Reggae bands...and us.” It was a great show, so expressive, they owned the stage using every inch to perform and move around for the crowd. Arguably the best stage performance on the day. There are contenders though...

As the crowd maxed out before G Love it became difficult to keep my photo equipment clean and everything was covered in dust. You had to waste no time drinking your beer or you were going to have a layer of dust on the head before you got it down. This is the one downside, and probably the reason beach concerts don’t happen more often, the dust. On the pacific coast we have some very steady winds, and as such, west beach became a scene out of Laurence of Arabia with port-a-potties as the sun began to set. The dust was difficult to shoot in, and you had to breathe through your nose, because you would be chewing on your air if you breathed through your mouth. Yeah, I hope there are more of these soon that way I can go listen to music in a massive kitty litter box. Between the winds and the dust I kept my sunglasses on until dark to protect my eyes. I was inappropriately dressed for this event during the day, just not enough skin. As the sun set though, the second reason for a lack of beach concerts came to light, the chill of the ocean breeze. Now, my pants didn’t seem so stupid did they?

As people increased their clothing to skin ratios G Love hit the stage at 6, and during his set the sun actually set. When he started though, the dust had one amazing effect. As the setting sun passed behind the stage the light passed through the dusty air creating this amazing backlight that a photographer can only dream about in an open stage live show like this. With great light, G Love and Special Sauce just blew the crowd’s mind. The lyricism, the intimacy with the crowd, and the playful manner he performs in, was just sucked down by the crowd like a six dollar beer. He really spoke to the audience a lot, gave the cops a hard time for busting pot smokers, and with songs about his roadies and booty calls, not directly related, the crowd got to dancing in the waning light and loved the show. I think anyone who can play a guitar and a harmonica at the same time without missing a beat should get a metal or some kind of dinner in their honor. He worked that harmonica while strumming an electric guitar as he walked around the stage, which was between appropriately playful and tongue and cheek lyrics. What I appreciate about G Love is his ability to be who he is as a rapper and mix it seamlessly with real blues and rock music while keeping the tunes very funky. His musical design is the same as his musical performance, a very careful juggling act that he pulls off on every song. It seems so effortless but nothing he does is simple and easy, just an amazing stage show and some great tunes as the sun set.

At this point the place has filled up, it is maxing out and as Rey Fresco plays the Bashment stage Shwayze is playing the Oasis Stage that, now that the sun has set, is drawing a near tent filling crowd. Rey Fresco plays his guitar as a bass is strum in time with a freaking harp. You know you are a cool band when you can pull off a harp as a Reggae show. Big props to Rey Fresco as Shwayze gets the crowd moving in what seems another world on the other side of the park. Shwayze serenades the ladies with tunes, not G-rated, and the crowd convulses under strobing lights, neon, and electronic beats. Glow sticks and rhythmic, sexually charged dancing is not too far a cry from what is going on with Rey Fresco in the “Beer Garden of Good and Evil” as Rey pumps out strong tunes, great music, and an energy that seems so appropriate for some reason between G Love and Ben Harper, as he is placed. I can’t explain it, but it seemed like the perfect transition from performer to performer.

Now, here I want to illustrate one point the designers of this event failed to realize. Sparsely placed flood lights along the walls of the event don’t help in navigating the sands of the spectator areas in the dead of night. After about 8pm, it became a very dangerous situation to navigate the crowds in the beer garden, and just getting there became a very careful dance of apologizing for stepping on and running in to people. As a man with an expensive camera it was a very scary prospect to try and navigate my way to the beer line before last call through a veritable sea of intoxicated people in the dark with dangerous fluids splashing around from boisterous conversations. I demand more light for next year! As I made it to the line for my beer I had eyes like a hawk watching for drunks with full beers and no peripheral vision. I got my beer and got to drink it is peace under a flood light by the outer wall as Rey Fresco finished before I made my way back across the event to the media pit for the final show, Ben Harper and Relentless7.

As I make my way across to the stage front, I am going to admit here that...ooh sorry about that...that I had heard of him, Ben Harper, ‘heard of’ that is. I have never heard his...ooh, sorry, was that your hand...songs. I had no idea what he looked like or what to expect. As I said before this is really...well you watch it buddy, I’m trying to walk here...not my scene. My tastes lean more toward underground Midwest hip hop and other equally...well stand up and I wouldn’t step on you...random things like Nashville rap and the like. Ok, Press, can I? Thanks. Ok, made it to the pit, and as with any other time I have covered the big names, it is combat photography. For the most part I recognize these people. In the pit you get used to seeing the same group. The husband and wife team, the Asian guy, the other Asian guy, the guy with Sammy’s rented equipment, and an assortment of others, as well as Brooks students with stars in their eyes; the type nervous and don’t know the etiquette of shooting a thing like this so, we all get a shot we can use. I won’t go in to it, but always look over your shoulder after you get a good angle on a shot, because you need to let the next guy get that shot, etiquette designed so no one gets killed by their editor for ‘not getting that shot’.

I digress, so it started...sort of. After being announced, in high fashion, to a screaming crowd there was little activity on stage- the ever unpopular last preparations and bad timing. That old ‘we need five minutes’ followed by, ‘did he just announce us?’, which creates an awkward time where chants like ‘Harper, Harper, Harper’ get started and then end - the kind of time where a little pushing and shoving in the front row can turn caddy in anticipation. You need to strike the crowd while they are hot and that five minute delay can kill a crowd’s energy after a day in the sun and soaked in beer and marijuana as some patrons were. This silence was broken by the screams of the crowd as Ben Harper took the stage and the limelight. He started the show with his bellowing voice and an Amish like hat. The show was amazing, as the crowd was drenched in the light and bluesy rock of Harper and Relentless7, the tunes and Ben’s commanding voice rang out across the cool evening sand. A writhing crowd rocked out to his amazing command of the guitar and well crafted lyrics. Ben WAS the festival on the day and the crowd new it. He played his classics and new rock and the people ate it up.

Ben Harper did not fit the motif of the day’s Reggae feel really, this was the culmination of the rock music of the day, a funky mix of rock, blues, and meandering bass that intoxicated the already intoxicated. The energy was high and peaked with this show. As I left the media pit after the third song and took in the show I thought back on the day.

What was this whole thing, this West Beach Music Festival 2009? As a newcomer to the state I realized that this was the modern day ideal of ‘manifest destiny’. This was the sun-soaked American Dream that brought people to California - a day of booze, bare skin, and bands, right on the beach on the Pacific coast. This event was the quintessential California Dream that the Mommas And The Poppas recounted which causes people to roll it all up and go for broke in the ‘sunshine state’. This event was the bastion that an amalgam of pubescent teens and suburbanite baby boomers saved to buy tickets for. They wanted to take the ride and paid handsomely to do so. This event was the culmination of what non-Californians think of when they think of this place - a Reggae and rock festival on the beach in a city like Santa Barbara; a city of affluence trying to put itself on the map as a better, cleaner LA. The winner in this was the patrons; those that participated in this well organized, three day beach festival that got to partake of a fair cross section of great music, California’s finest fish tacos, and good people with which to party the day away. As a perpetual tourist this felt like my introduction to what it is to be a Californian, and if there is a festival that screams “California” louder I just can’t hear it. Bravo and encore, one can only hope that next year can match the intense good times that this year delivered on in a most Rastafarian way.

When a restaurant claims to serve the best grilled cheese sandwich in New York City, it better deliver the goods. Sure enough, like the new Melrose Place, Say Cheese! provides a fun update on an old classic.

Inside a small storefront on 9th Avenue, a faithful line of cooks whip up dishes that are likely to give grandma’s old grilled cheese a run for its money. Sure, you can play it safe with the plain “Back to Basics” sandwich, but diving face first into one of Say Cheese!’s greasy combinations of meat, cheddar and greens is a lot more fun.

Take the Presto Pesto: chicken, red onions and cheddar cheese basted with a garlic pesto sauce on toasted olive sourdough bread. It’s truly a Grade A sandwich. The chicken is grilled and tender, and they don’t skimp on the pesto, as many other establishments might with an expensive ingredient. The real star of the sandwich, though, is the olive bread, which ensures a rustic flavor with each and every bite.

Other notables on the menu include an artichoke-tuna melt and a grilled Portobello melt, as well as takes on the classic BLT and Cubano sandwiches. When all else fails, patrons have the option of building their own tasty concoctions, choosing from ingredients like Gouda, prosciutto, goat cheese and avocado.

Say Cheese! also offers a wide array of health smoothies and juices, soups and salads of the day and even flan and chocolate pudding for desert. They don’t serve beer or wine but, as their website invites, “you are more than welcome to bring you own.”

Heads up: While there’s nothing on the menu over $8, you’ll have to shell out $1.50 for a glass of bottled water (tap water apparently isn’t available). As far as ambiance goes, the restaurant’s wooden chairs and narrow brick walls achieve a cozy, hole-in-the-wall feeling that’s a staple of its Hell’s Kitchen neighborhood, but it might not be for everyone.

The bottom line, a five-star establishment it’s not, but if you’re looking for a fun, casual meal on the cheap, Say Cheese! is definitely worth checking out.


Say Cheese!
649 9th Avenue between 45th and 46th Streets in Manhattan
Open 7 days a week, Noon-9PM