Deux Pastis s'il vous plai

What is Pastis? Where's my blanket. What are you doing in my garage?
These are all excellent questions.
I told you about some of the cheese I ate in france. What I haven't told you is what I drank.

Pastis! Yes, but what is Pastis?
Hold your horses. I'll tell you.  It's an anise flavored spirit. So if you're one of those crazy people who doesn't like licorice then you can skip down an entry and read about tea pots.

Don't worry, it doesn't cause blurry hand syndrome. That was the french fries.
It's served with a picture of water that you add to the booze. It clouds up like Ouzo and can range in color from beige to carmel to bright green. It's quite refreshing whether you're in the south of France, a condo balcony in the City of Commerce, or having a stroll down the Seine in Paris on a summer evening enjoying a light breeze.

I loved it so much that I even braved the water cracker lined halls of Bev Mo when I got back. It seems that Pernod and Ricard are the main brands you can get in the US. They seem just fine. Cheap bastards should keep in mind that you're mixing the stuff with equalish (to taste) parts water so imagine the bottle is twice as big and it won't seem so pricy.
It's also an easy thing to order if you went to France excited by their wine and then realized that it's true what Steven Spurrier proved in the Judgement of Paris- California wines are better. Granted I was drinking the house wine at little cafe bar's but that should be good! It was crap. If france wants to prove that their wine is good they are welcome to send me some. I will drink it in the interest of world peace.
Pastis is pastis is pastis and I never had a bad one.
Even people who wear this awesome Octopus on a bike shirt from darkcycleclothing like Pastis.

Of course if you're not in the mood for something alcoholic but you are thirsty and turned on by Zebra's then you could always have an Orangina. As if the word Orangina wasn't filthy enough! What is she doing with that hoof? Also, how is she holding that bottle with her other hoof? 

I feel like we are missing out on some great advertisements over here with our puritan cultural roots. I also feel like this picture raises many more questions than it answers.
It's not summer. But it's Los Angeles so I think I'll have a Pastis!

Cuppa Tea?

Everyone with taste knows tea is good food. It's full of delicious particles and imperialist history. It also enjoys a long history with everyone's favorite Time Lord.

True tea is only from the leaves of Camellia sinensis.

"But tea is so hot that it scalds my hand!" Well then you should drink it out of a cup and brew it in a tea pot you moron.
There are lots of awesome tea pots out there. I just bought a Japanese cast iron beauty from my favorite tea website http://www.specialteas.com which is going out of business. If you hurry you can still catch the 50% sale on the limited stuff they have left. Single tear.
You can also support handmade over on Etsy. Do it!

There is this cool weirdness which makes us all a little uncomfortable but is also awesome. Reshapestudio seems to have a bit of an oral fixation and also tons of beautiful stuff.

Wow.

There are some crazy awesome things going on over at Teapot88. Some of the curves over there are downright pornographic.

This little beauty and many others comes from NY's drgceramics.

If you like to be constantly terrified that your treasured handmade ceramics are tumbling to their doom then this is the cutie for you from candyaustinceramics. They have lots of stuff that isn't blood pressure raising and is super neat. Just take a deep breath. It's going to be ok.

Speaking of blood pressure! These handpainted beauties come from HeartMarks.

What? All right these are pretty cute patspottery.

Now please everyone as you run to the kitchen remember loose leaf. Bags are for tea baggers.

Be a super fancy Movie Producer

The Kickstarter fundraising project I AM I has 347 backers and has raised $58,421 so far out of the $100,000 it needs to make it's goal. It would be great if you could donate to this super cool project. If you can't put it on your facebook or twitter feed. Do both! Tell everyone. There are only 9 days to go!

Dog clothes. Not always stupid?

People who dress up their dogs have a well deserved reputation for being ridiculous. Dog clothes? Please.
There are however some examples that are so awesome that they jump beyond ridiculous right to fantastic.

Painting your dog? Yes please. If you do it like this.

I always loved the Bow Wow Ween costume contests put on by Much Love Animal Rescue but still held out some ridicule in my heart for those who dressed up their dogs.

That is until this guy decided to live with us. This is Dr. Watson. He's rather thin. So he shivers when it's cold. This is extremely pathetic. I'm now a dog sweater convert. I accept that some dogs need sweaters. So should you. Really. The shivering is extremely pathetic. Watson should grow his balls back.

But until he does I have my eye on some dog sweaters.

This one is a complete failure. Thanks a lot 99 cent store.

It gets a plus in the ridiculous department but a big minus in the too long department and the getting pee all over it department.
So my quest begins and ends on Etsy.

This one is super cute. The Seamus from k9knits.

Nice color. Good arm and penis holes. A very dignified model. Love it.

Then there is this bug eyed snorfelbutt cutie. The Winter Solstice Dog Cowl from Earthwalkers.

Every cute little dog needs a cowl. It's THE LAW.

Then there is this ridiculousness. If there was every a breed that needed a snood it's the Grayhound. (also my favorite drink at the moment. Vodka and fresh grapefruit juice. Perfect.)

Please adopt a Grayhound today and crochet them this snood from aandboriginalsdogs ASAP.


There are these silly and fantastic guys wearing their Eco Dog Coats made from recycled plastic by anniessweatshop.

Wet nose included. 


Oh noes! SHARK!!!!!!

Whew. That was close.

Last but not least is of course everyone's favorite Beanzilla Dog Sweater from BeanTownHandmade.

There are tons and tons more. I encourage you to do a search for Dog Sweater on etsy and enjoy. There are many super cute examples of dogs being submissive while frustrated knitters try to take a picture of their model who just wants to scrunch down and look sad while being yelled at. Priceless.

Watson wanted me to say one more thing.

Oh hai!

The Selling Trailer

Hey ladies and gentlemen The Selling trailer is up on YouTube!

Check it out!
Please Fan it on Facebook http://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Selling/133561627526 and follow us on Twitter @TheSelling and join our mailing list for release and festival information when it comes up.

Robot Nativity Scene

The fantastic and amazing Chad Meserve has taken time out of his busy schedule to make you some robots.
Here is a nativity scene complete with severed heads of world leaders.

A Santa Robot.

Parental Unit.

And of course last but not least the Jet Pack Robot which has already sold.

These are very cool robots.

Chicken Monkey Duck

If you've never seen Chicken Monkey Duck by the lovely and talented Mike Phirman you haven't lived. Choose life now.