La Vida Loca
I can’t get Ricky Martin’s Livin’ la Vida Loca out of my head! This past week has been la vida loca for me so I thought I’d share some of the insanity. Not certifiably insane, but more of a “walk on the wild side” kind of surreal, Bizarre may be a better word.
I’ll begin at the end and work my way backward since that seems to go along with the crazy…
Dinner in Atlanta is always a good idea. Especially when the chef is about to be a big TV star. Saturday night began with dinner @ Pura Vida Tapas in Virginia Highlands. Owner/Chef Hector Santiago has been a star in my eyes for years, but his stardom is about to soar when TOP CHEF Season 6 premieres on BRAVO on August 19th. I threw a party for my wife’s birthday party 4 years ago and Chef Hector catered the event. People are still talking about it….and him…and his amazing food…and the signature cocktails! OK, back to the Now…We got the Rock Star treatment Saturday night beginning with the best table in the restaurant (Thank you Hector & Leslie Santiago!) Tapas are my fave and we feasted on little plate after little plate! A variety of delectables were delivered to our table all evening. Dinner ended with a game of Pass The Porron. 
Simply put, you drink wine straight from the vessel by pouring it into your mouth. The further away from your mouth you can go, the better you are. The porron is passed around the table until all the wine is drunk…or all ARE drunk! The catch: you can’t put the porron on the table until all the wine is gone.
After the last drop was drunk, we moved on to the best dive bar in town. The Clermont Lounge is Atlanta’s oldest strip club located in the basement of the Clermont Motor Hotel on Ponce de Leon Avenue. The Clermont is famous for it’s “mature” strippers, like “BLONDIE” 
, who dance on a stage behind the circular bar. These girls are OLD pros at collecting a dollar…You gotta hand it to ‘em … They aren’t afraid of revealing all their assets…(Hark! I hear a song in my head and it’s The Smiths’ SOME GIRLS ARE BIGGER THAN OTHERS.) Seriously, I think the youngest “girl” was around 40. The oldest, maybe 60. But don’t KID yourself, this joint is still hot, and not like in a Hot Flash sort of way. We left a bit after midnight and the line to get in was snaked around the block - and nary a cane or wheelchair in site! The Clermont Lounge is still a force in the Atlanta club scene.
After all the dollar bills ran out we met my friend Joseph Guay at Sutra Lounge in Midtown. Voted one of the “Top 100 Nightclubs in the United States” by Restaurant and Nightclub Magazine, Sutra is located at the very hip corner of Cresent & 14th Streets. I must give props to DJ Krillz who has got to be one of the most Slamming DJ’s I’ve ever had he pleasure of hearing…he had us all soul shaking. Mercifully, the huge floor fans were blowing ’cause the DJ was burnin’ down the house.
I was feeling a little insane last week, so I made an appointment with my therapist - tennis coach, Paul Tobin. You know, sometimes, a good game can really screw your head back on. Plus, he’s good about giving business advice…so he’s like a Two-fer.
SUCK ON THIS!
LOLLYPHILE – Lollipops for Adults. Talk about a great party favor…these suckers are booze-infused! Bourbon, White Russian and Absinthe…I mean seriously, Absinthe was illegal in the U.S. until 2007 due to claims that it made you crazy, like insane. Apparently, this flavor is their best seller. Other flavors include Maple-Bacon, Wasabi-Ginger…….Crazy!
I met with singer/song writer Dawn Jackson @ The Tic Toc Room on Thursday to discuss some projects. She’s recently moved to Macon from L.A. via Nashville which is the crazy part…but what was even more bizarre was I met two cats who were in from Atlanta who are FANS of this blog! Now, THAT’s insane - in a very small-worldish sort of way. She is Atlanta Magazine writer Candice Dyer & Atlanta artist John Cox. Long story short…the three of us ended the evening @ Lemongrass Thai Bistro. Me with a refreshing CUKI Lemonade (cucumber gin cocktail) in one hand and a “pom pom” in the other espousing the great things that are going on in Downtown Macon. FYI: Look for an art show for John Cox at The SoChi Gallery in the not too distant future.
OK….for my last serving of crazy, check out the trailer for the Steve Balderson film that was filmed here in Macon a few months ago: “STUCK!”
FUTURE LOVE PARADISE
BRAGG JAM. Macon’s summer music festival. 40+ bands. Multiple stages. Saturday, July 25th.
Mose Davis “SUNSHINE” CD Release Party. Sunday, July 26th. 6-9p. The SoChi Gallery. This on the heels of his Friday night performance at Chastain Park in Atlanta, opening for BABYFACE.
LOL …
Wanda Sykes @ Uptown Comedy Corner: July 30th & 31st, 800 Marietta Street, Atlanta, GA 30318
Jennifer Coolidge, Brett Butler & Hal Sparks @ Laughing Skull Lounge. Jennifer Coolidge is best known for her roles as “Stifler’s mom” in the AMERICAN PIE films, the manicurist in LEGALLY BLONDE. July 28: Brett Butler of GRACE UNDER FIRE. Sept 17 – 20: Hal Sparks known for his stint as the host of TALK SOUP. Also VH1 Shows and his starring role in QUEER AS FOLK. For tickets: call 877-523-3288. Laughing Skull Lounge is located @ 878 Peachtree Street, Atlanta.
Party @ the Parthenon, a Greek-themed costume party. July 31st @ The SoChi Gallery.
Greenhaven, the first eco-friendly Decorators’ Show House in Atlanta. Open to the public until August 9, 2009, Greenhaven will showcase the latest in sustainable interior design, state-of-the-art technology and energy efficiency. The home will feature over 20 of Atlanta’s top interior designers, each with a fresh and unique perspective on eco-friendly design. From a healthy home nursery and eco-pet suite to a green “tween” room and fly fishing experience, guests will enjoy an exclusive tour of the most innovative and sustainably designed interior spaces in Atlanta.
DOCS WHO ROCK! Macon Arts’ Taste of Music. August 15th @ The Blacksmith Shop. 7p-10p. If you are a doctor who’d like to be a celeb chef at this year’s event, contact Macon Arts @ 478-743-6940.
The Green Concert @ Piedmont Park, Aug. 15th
Weaver’s Weekend, August 29th. The Armory Ballroom. 8p-Midnight. $35 per person, open bar, meal included and music by John Dunn and the Jazzmen. All of the proceeds go to support Vine Ingle and the Mike Weaver Scholarship fund.
Check out my new column about mixing & mingling: “The SoChi Life” in the June/July issue of Macon Magazine.
I WANT TO ROCK-N-ROLL ALL NIGHT !
Chris Isaak, July 25th @ Chastain Park
Tori Amos, July 27th @ Chastain Park
Tom Jones, July 31st @ Lakewood Amphitheatre
American Idols Live! July 31s @ The Arena at Gwinnett Center
Jonas Brothers, Aug. 22nd @ Phillips Arena
Depeche Mode, Sept. 1st @ Lakewood Amphitheatre
Pet Shop Boys, Sept. 12th @ Chastain Park
Psychedelic Furs, Oct. 2nd @ The Masquerade
Kings of Leon, Oct. 9th @ Phillips Arena
“In a world full of people there’s only some want to fly
Isn’t that crazy
Oh
But we’re never gonna survive unless we get a little crazy, crazy
No we’re never gonna to survive unless we are a little crazy” - SEAL
Running with the Bulls in Pamplona, Spain is so on my Bucket List. But much like commercial air travel, I’m sure it sounds more exotic than it really is. I chose the fish over beef and jetted off to Martha’s Vineyard, an island in Massachusetts for a little summer sanctuary. Searching for a little piece of 
The movie 
Mose Davis “SUNSHINE” CD Release Party. July 26th. 6-9p. 
Farrah Fawcett was my favorite “Angel.” Actually, I think she was one of my most favorite things…Ever! In the ‘70’s not only did I have THE POSTER hanging on my bedroom wall, I had a t-shirt with the iron-on that I wore until the image flaked off. I made a scrapbook filled with her photos that I cut out of every magazine I could find with her photo in it. Do you call that scrapbooking? If so, I was ahead of the curve on this trend. Farrah Fawcett Shampoo by Faberge, I used it. I was 13 and she was my first celebrity crush. She Rocked My World! The inspiration of Jiggle TV is gone…but an Angel eternally! And Eternally HOT!
Michael Jackson wanted to “Rock With You” but ended up bringing the whole world along with him as he Moonwalked to KING OF POP superstardom and rocking EVERYONE’s world in the process. As far as the “IT” factor goes, he had it in spades. You couldn’t get any hotter than Michael Jackson. The man could write, sing & dance like nobody’s business. I will forever regret that I never saw him in concert. I went through the whole “white sock/black loafer” fashion phase obviously inspired by MJ. Granted, Mike got freaky in the last decade or so, but hey, I admire his 
