Christmas Events 2006

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---
Below is our coverage and events for the 2006 Christmas.

!!List of Christmas Events:



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---
Below is our coverage and events for the 2006 Christmas.

!!List of Christmas Events:

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  string(378) "   christmas CL's Christmas and Holiday Event Calendar for 2006   2006-12-25T15:42:00+00:00 Christmas Events 2006 ben.eason@creativeloafing.com Ben Eason CL Events Staff  2006-12-25T15:42:00+00:00  
---
Below is our coverage and events for the 2006 Christmas.

!!List of Christmas Events:



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  string(863) "From the AP:

    CHESTER, England — As Christmas approaches, a virgin mother is anxiously awaiting the arrival of her offspring. She's Flora, the Komodo dragon.

    In an evolutionary twist, Flora has managed to become pregnant all on her own without any male help. It would seem the timing is auspicious: The seven baby Komodo dragons are due this festive season.

    Full story here.

    The reptiles are beating the hell out of us on the immaculate conception front. We're still clinging to that hazy story about one 2,000 years ago, and here they are pumping out two in one year. On the bright side, they must be a lot less moral than we are if they require this many messiahs.

    Come to think of it, they sure are immoral if that dragon thinks she can raise a child without a father around! I'd like to hear Focus on the Family weigh in on this."
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    CHESTER, England -- As Christmas approaches, a virgin mother is anxiously awaiting the arrival of her offspring. She's Flora, the Komodo dragon.

    In an evolutionary twist, Flora has managed to become pregnant all on her own without any male help. It would seem the timing is auspicious: The seven baby Komodo dragons are due this festive season.

    Full story [http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/16298548/from/ET/|here].

    The reptiles are beating the hell out of us on the immaculate conception front. We're still clinging to that hazy story about one 2,000 years ago, and here they are pumping out two in one year. On the bright side, they must be a lot less moral than we are if they require this many messiahs.

    Come to think of it, they sure are immoral if that dragon thinks she can raise a child without a father around! I'd like to hear Focus on the Family weigh in on this."
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  string(1119) "       2006-12-22T03:02:00+00:00 Christmas miracle or the most inbred Komodo dragon ever?   Russell McLendon 1306466 2006-12-22T03:02:00+00:00  From the AP:

    CHESTER, England — As Christmas approaches, a virgin mother is anxiously awaiting the arrival of her offspring. She's Flora, the Komodo dragon.

    In an evolutionary twist, Flora has managed to become pregnant all on her own without any male help. It would seem the timing is auspicious: The seven baby Komodo dragons are due this festive season.

    Full story here.

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    Come to think of it, they sure are immoral if that dragon thinks she can raise a child without a father around! I'd like to hear Focus on the Family weigh in on this.             13039620 1436847                          Christmas miracle or the most inbred Komodo dragon ever? "
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  string(5980) "It's a creepy, sometimes horrific, fall ritual: Just after All Hallow's Eve, the dead and long-forgotten rise from their graves and beg the living to again lend them their ears — and open their wallets. This march of restless souls has nothing to do with Halloween but is standard practice as the yearly bounty of new Christmas music lands. Think about it: Most of the holiday classics we hear on endless loop are sung by people long since departed. And oddly enough, the majority of new seasonal CDs released most years come from artists whose glory days are long behind them. Most, but not all.

??
This year's crop of new arrivals includes the usual sort of has-beens and wannabes all hoping to score the next "White Christmas" — along with a few truly original (or flat-out bizarre) offerings from unexpected corners. Here's a look at both.

??
Bette Midler, Cool Yule (Columbia)

??
The once-divine Miss M. cracks all the usual chestnuts on her first holiday album, an upbeat but mostly predictable little project that'll make the over-50 set swoon. Its sins — a needlessly chatty Johnny Mathis duet and a few performances that sound phoned in between face lifts — may be forgiven, with one major exception: a "Christmas Version" of her Grammy-winning "From a Distance," with new yuletide lyrics by Julie Gold. Seriously, who gave this the green light?

??
Sufjan Stevens, Songs for Christmas (Asthmatic Kitty)

??
Indie-folk wunderkind Sufjan is, best I can figure, certifiably insane, what with his 50-states project and subversively Christian lyrics. He's also a musical genius whose stunning grasp on instrumentalism and flair for lyrical narrative can sometimes knock the smirk off your face. The folks at Asthmatic are also insane for waiting this long to release Sufjan's previously bootleg-only holiday CDs, but genius for putting out a deluxe boxed-set that includes five discs (!) of breathless beauties. Truly, it's the must-have Christmas collectible of the year.

??
Wynonna, A Classic Christmas (Curb)

??
If the sound of yuletide yearning from the single-named Judd sister seems familiar, it should: In 1987, Wynonna and her mama, Naomi, put out an unpredictably moving Christmas disc cradled in sweet bluegrass harmonies. Not so this time, as four of the same tracks get the solo treatment here with more by-the-book arrangements and mixed with traditional (read: boring) church songs such as "Ave Maria." Not that there's anything wrong with hymns, but I miss the downhome charm of the first effort.

??
Bootsy Collins, Christmas is 4 Ever (Shout! Factory)

??
God bless Bootsy. A true original, the Funkadelic bass master deserves props for bringing his zany sound to a baker's dozen of standards — not just content to change the arrangements, but also giving them Bootsy-licious names along the way. Rudolph becomes "Boot-Off" (the funky soul reindeer) while "Silent Night" schools Santa on breaking into ghetto homes: Come in through the window, of course. The Bootzilla's one-note — and overly sexual — babble eventually becomes annoying, making this surreal CD more of a novelty that a perennial crowd-pleaser. It's damn fun on first listen, though.

??
James Taylor, At Christmas (Columbia)

??
J.T. may not have done anything all that interesting in two decades, but his inevitable entry in the holiday canon turns out to be a jazzy (if sometimes lethargic) gem, the kind of disc that might make your mom stop taking her Prozac. Natalie Cole shows up on a lounge-ready rendition of "Baby It's Cold Outside," one of those songs that has nothing to do with Christmas but that has been thoroughly appropriated by the holiday powers-that-be.

??
Sarah McLachlan, Wintersong (Arista)

??
Anyone who's closely followed McLachlan's career shouldn't be surprised at all to see her release a holiday CD: She's been sprinkling Christmas nuggets here and there for years. Her cover of Gordon Lightfoot's "Song for a Winter's Night" can warm even the coldest Grinch's heart, though her startling take on Joni Mitchell's "River" will cool it right back down again. The album may not be a breakthrough, with a lugubrious streak that sometimes borders on monotony, but Wintersong is the rare holiday offering that simply works.

??
Dean Martin, Christmas With Dino (Capitol)

??
Chauvinism knows no season, but Dino's smooth harassment warms the heart in this welcome reissue. His playful approach to "Jingle Bells" proves to be a retro delight, as is the alternative take on "Winter Wonderland," less a walk than a stagger through the snow, but whatever. There's even the requisite downer track, "The Christmas Blues," which belongs to the underrated subset of depressing holiday classics. No wonder so many people off themselves every December.

??
Various Artists, Broadway's Greatest Gifts: Carols for a Cure Vol. 8 (Rock-It Science)

??
The mind reels at the logistical acrobatics that must've gone into making the annual songbook, a benefit for Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS. Cast members from 26 musicals contribute songs split over two discs, dubbed "naughty" and "nice." The former proves more addictive, with the Altar Boyz exploring "Joseph's Dilemma" and Monty Python's Spamalot offering a twisted take on "O Little Town of Bethlehem." But how in the heck did they get newly opened shows such as Mary Poppins, Company and Les Miserables involved in time? When was this thing recorded, last weekend?

??
Various Artists, New Orleans Christmas (Putuyamo)

??
Let's have a moment of silence for post-Katrina N'awleans, followed by some spiked egg nog and this surprisingly tasty beignet of an album. Gumbo and mistletoe mix oddly well as 11 Big Easy jazz acts bring a certain joie de vivre to these sing-along songs, with only a few missteps. One quibble: I'm sad to see the compilation missing a cover of Brenda Lee's "Papa Noel," perhaps the quintessential Cajun Christmas carol.

??
music@creativeloafing.com"
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  string(6080) "It's a creepy, sometimes horrific, fall ritual: Just after All Hallow's Eve, the dead and long-forgotten rise from their graves and beg the living to again lend them their ears -- and open their wallets. This march of restless souls has nothing to do with Halloween but is standard practice as the yearly bounty of new Christmas music lands. Think about it: Most of the holiday classics we hear on endless loop are sung by people long since departed. And oddly enough, the majority of new seasonal CDs released most years come from artists whose glory days are long behind them. Most, but not all.

??
This year's crop of new arrivals includes the usual sort of has-beens and wannabes all hoping to score the next "White Christmas" -- along with a few truly original (or flat-out bizarre) offerings from unexpected corners. Here's a look at both.

??
__Bette Midler,__ ''Cool Yule'' (Columbia)

??
The once-divine Miss M. cracks all the usual chestnuts on her first holiday album, an upbeat but mostly predictable little project that'll make the over-50 set swoon. Its sins -- a needlessly chatty Johnny Mathis duet and a few performances that sound phoned in between face lifts -- may be forgiven, with one major exception: a "Christmas Version" of her Grammy-winning "From a Distance," with new yuletide lyrics by Julie Gold. Seriously, who gave this the green light?

??
__Sufjan Stevens,__ ''Songs for Christmas'' (Asthmatic Kitty)

??
Indie-folk wunderkind Sufjan is, best I can figure, certifiably insane, what with his 50-states project and subversively Christian lyrics. He's also a musical genius whose stunning grasp on instrumentalism and flair for lyrical narrative can sometimes knock the smirk off your face. The folks at Asthmatic are also insane for waiting this long to release Sufjan's previously bootleg-only holiday CDs, but genius for putting out a deluxe boxed-set that includes five discs (!) of breathless beauties. Truly, it's the must-have Christmas collectible of the year.

??
__Wynonna,__ ''A Classic Christmas'' (Curb)

??
If the sound of yuletide yearning from the single-named Judd sister seems familiar, it should: In 1987, Wynonna and her mama, Naomi, put out an unpredictably moving Christmas disc cradled in sweet bluegrass harmonies. Not so this time, as four of the same tracks get the solo treatment here with more by-the-book arrangements and mixed with traditional (read: boring) church songs such as "Ave Maria." Not that there's anything wrong with hymns, but I miss the downhome charm of the first effort.

??
__Bootsy Collins,__ ''Christmas is 4 Ever'' (Shout! Factory)

??
God bless Bootsy. A true original, the Funkadelic bass master deserves props for bringing his zany sound to a baker's dozen of standards -- not just content to change the arrangements, but also giving them Bootsy-licious names along the way. Rudolph becomes "Boot-Off" (the funky soul reindeer) while "Silent Night" schools Santa on breaking into ghetto homes: Come in through the window, of course. The Bootzilla's one-note -- and overly sexual -- babble eventually becomes annoying, making this surreal CD more of a novelty that a perennial crowd-pleaser. It's damn fun on first listen, though.

??
__James Taylor,__ ''At Christmas'' (Columbia)

??
J.T. may not have done anything all that interesting in two decades, but his inevitable entry in the holiday canon turns out to be a jazzy (if sometimes lethargic) gem, the kind of disc that might make your mom stop taking her Prozac. Natalie Cole shows up on a lounge-ready rendition of "Baby It's Cold Outside," one of those songs that has nothing to do with Christmas but that has been thoroughly appropriated by the holiday powers-that-be.

??
__Sarah McLachlan,__ ''Wintersong'' (Arista)

??
Anyone who's closely followed McLachlan's career shouldn't be surprised at all to see her release a holiday CD: She's been sprinkling Christmas nuggets here and there for years. Her cover of Gordon Lightfoot's "Song for a Winter's Night" can warm even the coldest Grinch's heart, though her startling take on Joni Mitchell's "River" will cool it right back down again. The album may not be a breakthrough, with a lugubrious streak that sometimes borders on monotony, but ''Wintersong'' is the rare holiday offering that simply works.

??
__Dean Martin,__ ''Christmas With Dino'' (Capitol)

??
Chauvinism knows no season, but Dino's smooth harassment warms the heart in this welcome reissue. His playful approach to "Jingle Bells" proves to be a retro delight, as is the alternative take on "Winter Wonderland," less a walk than a stagger through the snow, but whatever. There's even the requisite downer track, "The Christmas Blues," which belongs to the underrated subset of depressing holiday classics. No wonder so many people off themselves every December.

??
__Various Artists,__ ''Broadway's Greatest Gifts: Carols for a Cure Vol. 8'' (Rock-It Science)

??
The mind reels at the logistical acrobatics that must've gone into making the annual songbook, a benefit for Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS. Cast members from 26 musicals contribute songs split over two discs, dubbed "naughty" and "nice." The former proves more addictive, with the ''Altar Boyz'' exploring "Joseph's Dilemma" and ''Monty Python's Spamalot'' offering a twisted take on "O Little Town of Bethlehem." But how in the heck did they get newly opened shows such as ''Mary Poppins'', ''Company'' and ''Les Miserables'' involved in time? When was this thing recorded, last weekend?

??
__Various Artists,__ ''New Orleans Christmas'' (Putuyamo)

??
Let's have a moment of silence for post-Katrina N'awleans, followed by some spiked egg nog and this surprisingly tasty beignet of an album. Gumbo and mistletoe mix oddly well as 11 Big Easy jazz acts bring a certain joie de vivre to these sing-along songs, with only a few missteps. One quibble: I'm sad to see the compilation missing a cover of Brenda Lee's "Papa Noel," perhaps the quintessential Cajun Christmas carol.

??
''[mailto:music@creativeloafing.com|music@creativeloafing.com]''"
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  string(6217) "    Surprising new holiday albums from Bette to Bootsy   2006-11-29T05:04:00+00:00 Ghosts of Christmas past   Tray Butler 1223569 2006-11-29T05:04:00+00:00  It's a creepy, sometimes horrific, fall ritual: Just after All Hallow's Eve, the dead and long-forgotten rise from their graves and beg the living to again lend them their ears — and open their wallets. This march of restless souls has nothing to do with Halloween but is standard practice as the yearly bounty of new Christmas music lands. Think about it: Most of the holiday classics we hear on endless loop are sung by people long since departed. And oddly enough, the majority of new seasonal CDs released most years come from artists whose glory days are long behind them. Most, but not all.

??
This year's crop of new arrivals includes the usual sort of has-beens and wannabes all hoping to score the next "White Christmas" — along with a few truly original (or flat-out bizarre) offerings from unexpected corners. Here's a look at both.

??
Bette Midler, Cool Yule (Columbia)

??
The once-divine Miss M. cracks all the usual chestnuts on her first holiday album, an upbeat but mostly predictable little project that'll make the over-50 set swoon. Its sins — a needlessly chatty Johnny Mathis duet and a few performances that sound phoned in between face lifts — may be forgiven, with one major exception: a "Christmas Version" of her Grammy-winning "From a Distance," with new yuletide lyrics by Julie Gold. Seriously, who gave this the green light?

??
Sufjan Stevens, Songs for Christmas (Asthmatic Kitty)

??
Indie-folk wunderkind Sufjan is, best I can figure, certifiably insane, what with his 50-states project and subversively Christian lyrics. He's also a musical genius whose stunning grasp on instrumentalism and flair for lyrical narrative can sometimes knock the smirk off your face. The folks at Asthmatic are also insane for waiting this long to release Sufjan's previously bootleg-only holiday CDs, but genius for putting out a deluxe boxed-set that includes five discs (!) of breathless beauties. Truly, it's the must-have Christmas collectible of the year.

??
Wynonna, A Classic Christmas (Curb)

??
If the sound of yuletide yearning from the single-named Judd sister seems familiar, it should: In 1987, Wynonna and her mama, Naomi, put out an unpredictably moving Christmas disc cradled in sweet bluegrass harmonies. Not so this time, as four of the same tracks get the solo treatment here with more by-the-book arrangements and mixed with traditional (read: boring) church songs such as "Ave Maria." Not that there's anything wrong with hymns, but I miss the downhome charm of the first effort.

??
Bootsy Collins, Christmas is 4 Ever (Shout! Factory)

??
God bless Bootsy. A true original, the Funkadelic bass master deserves props for bringing his zany sound to a baker's dozen of standards — not just content to change the arrangements, but also giving them Bootsy-licious names along the way. Rudolph becomes "Boot-Off" (the funky soul reindeer) while "Silent Night" schools Santa on breaking into ghetto homes: Come in through the window, of course. The Bootzilla's one-note — and overly sexual — babble eventually becomes annoying, making this surreal CD more of a novelty that a perennial crowd-pleaser. It's damn fun on first listen, though.

??
James Taylor, At Christmas (Columbia)

??
J.T. may not have done anything all that interesting in two decades, but his inevitable entry in the holiday canon turns out to be a jazzy (if sometimes lethargic) gem, the kind of disc that might make your mom stop taking her Prozac. Natalie Cole shows up on a lounge-ready rendition of "Baby It's Cold Outside," one of those songs that has nothing to do with Christmas but that has been thoroughly appropriated by the holiday powers-that-be.

??
Sarah McLachlan, Wintersong (Arista)

??
Anyone who's closely followed McLachlan's career shouldn't be surprised at all to see her release a holiday CD: She's been sprinkling Christmas nuggets here and there for years. Her cover of Gordon Lightfoot's "Song for a Winter's Night" can warm even the coldest Grinch's heart, though her startling take on Joni Mitchell's "River" will cool it right back down again. The album may not be a breakthrough, with a lugubrious streak that sometimes borders on monotony, but Wintersong is the rare holiday offering that simply works.

??
Dean Martin, Christmas With Dino (Capitol)

??
Chauvinism knows no season, but Dino's smooth harassment warms the heart in this welcome reissue. His playful approach to "Jingle Bells" proves to be a retro delight, as is the alternative take on "Winter Wonderland," less a walk than a stagger through the snow, but whatever. There's even the requisite downer track, "The Christmas Blues," which belongs to the underrated subset of depressing holiday classics. No wonder so many people off themselves every December.

??
Various Artists, Broadway's Greatest Gifts: Carols for a Cure Vol. 8 (Rock-It Science)

??
The mind reels at the logistical acrobatics that must've gone into making the annual songbook, a benefit for Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS. Cast members from 26 musicals contribute songs split over two discs, dubbed "naughty" and "nice." The former proves more addictive, with the Altar Boyz exploring "Joseph's Dilemma" and Monty Python's Spamalot offering a twisted take on "O Little Town of Bethlehem." But how in the heck did they get newly opened shows such as Mary Poppins, Company and Les Miserables involved in time? When was this thing recorded, last weekend?

??
Various Artists, New Orleans Christmas (Putuyamo)

??
Let's have a moment of silence for post-Katrina N'awleans, followed by some spiked egg nog and this surprisingly tasty beignet of an album. Gumbo and mistletoe mix oddly well as 11 Big Easy jazz acts bring a certain joie de vivre to these sing-along songs, with only a few missteps. One quibble: I'm sad to see the compilation missing a cover of Brenda Lee's "Papa Noel," perhaps the quintessential Cajun Christmas carol.

??
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  ["tracker_field_contentWikiPage_text"]=>
  string(5801) "Now that Carlton has stopped gushing about his encounter with Ms. Jackson (in print, anyhow) it's time for the return of the permanent temp.

LAST WEEK, I went speed dating. Wait, scratch that; "Speed Dating" is a trademarked term I'm not supposed to use. The local flavor is HurryDate. I participated in one of their "parties" last week. You may have seen it in films, TV and print, so you're probably familiar with the idea: a bunch of guys play musical chairs while hitting on an equal number of gals. This particular event was at the trendy, upscale restaurant Joël, a place I've avoided due to a case of umlaut-phobia — brought on by being hit in the head by a Löwenbräu bottle at a Mötley Crüe concert in Königsbrück.

Participants register online and fork over $26.95 (or $35 for non-members) to get their shot at a dozen or more prospective mates at four minutes each. Parties are organized by age group (such as men 24-32 and women 21-29 or men 35-45 and women 30-40), and apparently, I don't fit in with folks my age who are willing and able to pay $26 for a night of socializing. The cost didn't include drinks, and the only food involved was a bowl of that trail-mix-like stuff at the bar. Crap. I can visit a bar any night of the week and find a dozen women who'll shoot me down in less than four minutes for free.

But seriously, if you're one of those OTP people who work hard and don't have time and/or desire to troll bars every weekend, HurryDate might work for you. It's not as nightmarish as the scene in The 40-Year-Old Virgin, but I did experience some odd moments. Bachelorette No. 17 didn't get 10 seconds into our time before she cut me off: "It's been nice talking to you." Ouch. Only bachelorette No. 2 didn't glaze over in confusion when I rattled off my favorite bars in East Atlanta and L5P.

By the time the party was over I was ready for some alone time. There are only so many times you can shake hands and ask what someone does for a living before you stop caring. But at least this way you can pack weeks' worth of efforts into one evening. I've read a review of the experience from the female perspective where she equated it to shopping. From the male perspective, it felt more like panhandling.

At the end of the event, you rate your dates by indicating "Yes" or "No" on a ballot. If your "Yes" matches someone else's "Yes," the website hooks you up. I only selected two "Yes" answers, yet I got five matches, so I suspect the site is matching profiles in addition to participants' choices. Check out www.hurrydate.com if you're interested.

ON FRIDAY, I went to the launch party of a new publication, Pine Magazine, "the South's newest independent magazine." In the interest of fair disclosure, I've developed something of a crush on the editor/publisher, former AP journalist and author Holly Lang. But lustful and intellectual curiosities aside, the party was swell — good music, smart and pretty people, and booze flowing freely. And the shindig went down in a loft apartment building owned by a former CLer, the magnanimous Tom Houck. The view of the downtown skyline from the rooftop deck was worth the visit in itself. Pine is online at www.pine-magazine.com and definitely worth a visit. They cover politics, arts and music, random opinions and other good stuff.

A BLOCK AWAY, Lenny's was packed with people in wacky, Vegas-themed costumes celebrating the 10th anniversary of local band Lust. The luscious ladies and the lone lad on drums were done up as Elvises (or is it "Elvi?") and performed a set of their B-movie-inspired garage rock to a room full of festive smiles. Lenny's management is apparently still awaiting the signature of Shirley Franklin to approve the new space before they can move. According to Houck, the whole block will turn into a pedestrian mall/condo development eventually, so if you enjoy the graffitied grunginess of the current location get your fill while you can.

I CAN'T REMEMBER the last organized event I attended OTP. It might have been the Scottish Festival at Stone Mountain — when I was 9. But for you, loyal readers, I am willing to brave the wilds of suburbia to bring news from the frontier. Saturday, the quiet town of Clarkston was awash in surf music as a result of the Surf Fest tucked behind the former Women's Club. The free, outdoor affair attracted people of all ages, from suckling babies to tottering elderly and all life stages in between. Fortunately it didn't attract too many of them, since the tiny lawn could only host a few dozen lawn chairs and strollers. After a little acoustic non-surf-related warm-up by Randy Duke, the reverb electricity began with Strato-Geezer, a three-piece a bit tentative in their efforts. Surf guitar requires precision and the geezers were a bit sloppy.

But the next act, El Capitan, had the meticulous picking down pat and threw in some tunes that took their sound more from Ennio Morricone, master of spaghetti-western soundtracks, than king-of-surf-guitar Dick Dale. The slight variation was nice, since no matter how well it's played, there's only so much surf music I can take before it becomes as repetitive as doing laps in a swimming pool.

Back in the safety and familiarity of the city proper, I ended the night at the Star Bar for Xmas in July, a long night of incredibly varied bands culminating in Yule Log, another themed and costumed band dreamed up by Jim Stacy. Shitty Claus lead other Clauses, elves and escaped slaves from Santa's workshop in performing random rock classics with lyrics changed to celebrate, and rebel against, all things Christmas. A crowd favorite was a twisted version of OutKast's "Hey Ya." "What's cooler than ice cold? North Pole!"

There's not much cooler than that.

scene@creativeloafing.com"
  ["tracker_field_contentWikiPage_raw"]=>
  string(5885) "Now that Carlton has stopped gushing about his encounter with Ms. Jackson (in print, anyhow) it's time for the return of the permanent temp.

LAST WEEK, I went speed dating. Wait, scratch that; "Speed Dating" is a trademarked term I'm not supposed to use. The local flavor is HurryDate. I participated in one of their "parties" last week. You may have seen it in films, TV and print, so you're probably familiar with the idea: a bunch of guys play musical chairs while hitting on an equal number of gals. This particular event was at the trendy, upscale restaurant Joël, a place I've avoided due to a case of umlaut-phobia -- brought on by being hit in the head by a Löwenbräu bottle at a Mötley Crüe concert in Königsbrück.

Participants register online and fork over $26.95 (or $35 for non-members) to get their shot at a dozen or more prospective mates at four minutes each. Parties are organized by age group (such as men 24-32 and women 21-29 or men 35-45 and women 30-40), and apparently, I don't fit in with folks my age who are willing and able to pay $26 for a night of socializing. The cost didn't include drinks, and the only food involved was a bowl of that trail-mix-like stuff at the bar. Crap. I can visit a bar any night of the week and find a dozen women who'll shoot me down in less than four minutes for free.

But seriously, if you're one of those OTP people who work hard and don't have time and/or desire to troll bars every weekend, HurryDate might work for you. It's not as nightmarish as the scene in The 40-Year-Old Virgin, but I did experience some odd moments. Bachelorette No. 17 didn't get 10 seconds into our time before she cut me off: "It's been nice talking to you." Ouch. Only bachelorette No. 2 didn't glaze over in confusion when I rattled off my favorite bars in East Atlanta and L5P.

By the time the party was over I was ready for some alone time. There are only so many times you can shake hands and ask what someone does for a living before you stop caring. But at least this way you can pack weeks' worth of efforts into one evening. I've read a review of the experience from the female perspective where she equated it to shopping. From the male perspective, it felt more like panhandling.

At the end of the event, you rate your dates by indicating "Yes" or "No" on a ballot. If your "Yes" matches someone else's "Yes," the website hooks you up. I only selected two "Yes" answers, yet I got five matches, so I suspect the site is matching profiles in addition to participants' choices. Check out [http://www.hurrydate.com/|www.hurrydate.com] if you're interested.

ON FRIDAY, I went to the launch party of a new publication, Pine Magazine, "the South's newest independent magazine." In the interest of fair disclosure, I've developed something of a crush on the editor/publisher, former AP journalist and author Holly Lang. But lustful and intellectual curiosities aside, the party was swell -- good music, smart and pretty people, and booze flowing freely. And the shindig went down in a loft apartment building owned by a former CLer, the magnanimous Tom Houck. The view of the downtown skyline from the rooftop deck was worth the visit in itself. Pine is online at [http://www.pine-magazine.com/|www.pine-magazine.com] and definitely worth a visit. They cover politics, arts and music, random opinions and other good stuff.

A BLOCK AWAY, Lenny's was packed with people in wacky, Vegas-themed costumes celebrating the 10th anniversary of local band Lust. The luscious ladies and the lone lad on drums were done up as Elvises (or is it "Elvi?") and performed a set of their B-movie-inspired garage rock to a room full of festive smiles. Lenny's management is apparently still awaiting the signature of Shirley Franklin to approve the new space before they can move. According to Houck, the whole block will turn into a pedestrian mall/condo development eventually, so if you enjoy the graffitied grunginess of the current location get your fill while you can.

I CAN'T REMEMBER the last organized event I attended OTP. It might have been the Scottish Festival at Stone Mountain -- when I was 9. But for you, loyal readers, I am willing to brave the wilds of suburbia to bring news from the frontier. Saturday, the quiet town of Clarkston was awash in surf music as a result of the Surf Fest tucked behind the former Women's Club. The free, outdoor affair attracted people of all ages, from suckling babies to tottering elderly and all life stages in between. Fortunately it didn't attract too many of them, since the tiny lawn could only host a few dozen lawn chairs and strollers. After a little acoustic non-surf-related warm-up by Randy Duke, the reverb electricity began with Strato-Geezer, a three-piece a bit tentative in their efforts. Surf guitar requires precision and the geezers were a bit sloppy.

But the next act, El Capitan, had the meticulous picking down pat and threw in some tunes that took their sound more from Ennio Morricone, master of spaghetti-western soundtracks, than king-of-surf-guitar Dick Dale. The slight variation was nice, since no matter how well it's played, there's only so much surf music I can take before it becomes as repetitive as doing laps in a swimming pool.

Back in the safety and familiarity of the city proper, I ended the night at the Star Bar for Xmas in July, a long night of incredibly varied bands culminating in Yule Log, another themed and costumed band dreamed up by Jim Stacy. Shitty Claus lead other Clauses, elves and escaped slaves from Santa's workshop in performing random rock classics with lyrics changed to celebrate, and rebel against, all things Christmas. A crowd favorite was a twisted version of OutKast's "Hey Ya." "What's cooler than ice cold? North Pole!"

There's not much cooler than that.

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  string(6048) "    And other things long dead   2006-08-02T04:04:00+00:00 Scene & Herd - Elvis, Christmas, dating   Frederick Noble 1223755 2006-08-02T04:04:00+00:00  Now that Carlton has stopped gushing about his encounter with Ms. Jackson (in print, anyhow) it's time for the return of the permanent temp.

LAST WEEK, I went speed dating. Wait, scratch that; "Speed Dating" is a trademarked term I'm not supposed to use. The local flavor is HurryDate. I participated in one of their "parties" last week. You may have seen it in films, TV and print, so you're probably familiar with the idea: a bunch of guys play musical chairs while hitting on an equal number of gals. This particular event was at the trendy, upscale restaurant Joël, a place I've avoided due to a case of umlaut-phobia — brought on by being hit in the head by a Löwenbräu bottle at a Mötley Crüe concert in Königsbrück.

Participants register online and fork over $26.95 (or $35 for non-members) to get their shot at a dozen or more prospective mates at four minutes each. Parties are organized by age group (such as men 24-32 and women 21-29 or men 35-45 and women 30-40), and apparently, I don't fit in with folks my age who are willing and able to pay $26 for a night of socializing. The cost didn't include drinks, and the only food involved was a bowl of that trail-mix-like stuff at the bar. Crap. I can visit a bar any night of the week and find a dozen women who'll shoot me down in less than four minutes for free.

But seriously, if you're one of those OTP people who work hard and don't have time and/or desire to troll bars every weekend, HurryDate might work for you. It's not as nightmarish as the scene in The 40-Year-Old Virgin, but I did experience some odd moments. Bachelorette No. 17 didn't get 10 seconds into our time before she cut me off: "It's been nice talking to you." Ouch. Only bachelorette No. 2 didn't glaze over in confusion when I rattled off my favorite bars in East Atlanta and L5P.

By the time the party was over I was ready for some alone time. There are only so many times you can shake hands and ask what someone does for a living before you stop caring. But at least this way you can pack weeks' worth of efforts into one evening. I've read a review of the experience from the female perspective where she equated it to shopping. From the male perspective, it felt more like panhandling.

At the end of the event, you rate your dates by indicating "Yes" or "No" on a ballot. If your "Yes" matches someone else's "Yes," the website hooks you up. I only selected two "Yes" answers, yet I got five matches, so I suspect the site is matching profiles in addition to participants' choices. Check out www.hurrydate.com if you're interested.

ON FRIDAY, I went to the launch party of a new publication, Pine Magazine, "the South's newest independent magazine." In the interest of fair disclosure, I've developed something of a crush on the editor/publisher, former AP journalist and author Holly Lang. But lustful and intellectual curiosities aside, the party was swell — good music, smart and pretty people, and booze flowing freely. And the shindig went down in a loft apartment building owned by a former CLer, the magnanimous Tom Houck. The view of the downtown skyline from the rooftop deck was worth the visit in itself. Pine is online at www.pine-magazine.com and definitely worth a visit. They cover politics, arts and music, random opinions and other good stuff.

A BLOCK AWAY, Lenny's was packed with people in wacky, Vegas-themed costumes celebrating the 10th anniversary of local band Lust. The luscious ladies and the lone lad on drums were done up as Elvises (or is it "Elvi?") and performed a set of their B-movie-inspired garage rock to a room full of festive smiles. Lenny's management is apparently still awaiting the signature of Shirley Franklin to approve the new space before they can move. According to Houck, the whole block will turn into a pedestrian mall/condo development eventually, so if you enjoy the graffitied grunginess of the current location get your fill while you can.

I CAN'T REMEMBER the last organized event I attended OTP. It might have been the Scottish Festival at Stone Mountain — when I was 9. But for you, loyal readers, I am willing to brave the wilds of suburbia to bring news from the frontier. Saturday, the quiet town of Clarkston was awash in surf music as a result of the Surf Fest tucked behind the former Women's Club. The free, outdoor affair attracted people of all ages, from suckling babies to tottering elderly and all life stages in between. Fortunately it didn't attract too many of them, since the tiny lawn could only host a few dozen lawn chairs and strollers. After a little acoustic non-surf-related warm-up by Randy Duke, the reverb electricity began with Strato-Geezer, a three-piece a bit tentative in their efforts. Surf guitar requires precision and the geezers were a bit sloppy.

But the next act, El Capitan, had the meticulous picking down pat and threw in some tunes that took their sound more from Ennio Morricone, master of spaghetti-western soundtracks, than king-of-surf-guitar Dick Dale. The slight variation was nice, since no matter how well it's played, there's only so much surf music I can take before it becomes as repetitive as doing laps in a swimming pool.

Back in the safety and familiarity of the city proper, I ended the night at the Star Bar for Xmas in July, a long night of incredibly varied bands culminating in Yule Log, another themed and costumed band dreamed up by Jim Stacy. Shitty Claus lead other Clauses, elves and escaped slaves from Santa's workshop in performing random rock classics with lyrics changed to celebrate, and rebel against, all things Christmas. A crowd favorite was a twisted version of OutKast's "Hey Ya." "What's cooler than ice cold? North Pole!"

There's not much cooler than that.

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  string(2097) "From mid-December until New Year's Day, I cooked A LOT. In two weeks, I shimmied from chocolate bark to chocolate terrine. Pork garnered double-billing — a Cuban-style pork shoulder on Christmas Eve, followed by Asian-style ribs on New Year's Eve. Potato latkes segued into fried plantains; black beans proceeded hoppin' John. Green beans received Szechuan treatment; spinach leaves were dolled up in a zesty Indian chickpea batter. You get the idea.

I was a dervish, moving at a feverish pace between oven and granite-top wheelie cart, over and again, until I woke up with an achy back in the wee hours of 2006. The lineup was magnificent, if not insane, but there are a few tweaks I'll make for the next holiday cooking extravaganza.

First, I'll limit the number of items I offer. Nobody ever leaves a holiday party complaining of scanty snacks; in fact, your guests are probably still full from the party they just came from.

Second, I'll create more of a balance of simple and complicated items in upcoming menus. I wish I had done more dishes like the sweet potato butter that graced my New Year's Eve table. It was so darn simple to prepare, yet no one had ever heard of sweet potato dip, so my guests were lapping it up. Plus, it's relatively low in calories and fat, with the antioxidant power from those sweet potatoes.

Sweet Potato Dip

Adapted from 12 Best Foods Cookbook by Dana Jacobi

2 medium sweet potatoes (about 1 1/2 pounds)

1 medium or large onion

Olive oil for lathering up vegetables

At least 2 tablespoons tahini paste

Salt and pepper to taste

1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)

• Preheat oven to 400. Slice onion in half, and remove papery outer layer. Rub with oil and lightly coat. Wrap in a large piece of aluminum foil. Slice sweet potatoes in half or quarters, depending on size. (Smaller pieces will cook faster.) Do not peel. Repeat oil/foil step with potatoes.

• Puree until mixture is creamy. Add tahini. Season with salt and pepper, and if you like, add 1/2 teaspoon of cayenne. Taste for tahini; add more if flavor is not coming through."
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I was a dervish, moving at a feverish pace between oven and granite-top wheelie cart, over and again, until I woke up with an achy back in the wee hours of 2006. The lineup was magnificent, if not insane, but there are a few tweaks I'll make for the next holiday cooking extravaganza.

First, I'll limit the number of items I offer. Nobody ever leaves a holiday party complaining of scanty snacks; in fact, your guests are probably still full from the party they just came from.

Second, I'll create more of a balance of simple and complicated items in upcoming menus. I wish I had done more dishes like the sweet potato butter that graced my New Year's Eve table. It was so darn simple to prepare, yet no one had ever heard of sweet potato dip, so my guests were lapping it up. Plus, it's relatively low in calories and fat, with the antioxidant power from those sweet potatoes.

__Sweet Potato Dip__

''Adapted from'' 12 Best Foods Cookbook ''by Dana Jacobi''

2 medium sweet potatoes (about 1 1/2 pounds)

1 medium or large onion

Olive oil for lathering up vegetables

At least 2 tablespoons tahini paste

Salt and pepper to taste

1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)

• Preheat oven to 400. Slice onion in half, and remove papery outer layer. Rub with oil and lightly coat. Wrap in a large piece of aluminum foil. Slice sweet potatoes in half or quarters, depending on size. (Smaller pieces will cook faster.) Do not peel. Repeat oil/foil step with potatoes.

• Puree until mixture is creamy. Add tahini. Season with salt and pepper, and if you like, add 1/2 teaspoon of cayenne. Taste for tahini; add more if flavor is not coming through."
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I was a dervish, moving at a feverish pace between oven and granite-top wheelie cart, over and again, until I woke up with an achy back in the wee hours of 2006. The lineup was magnificent, if not insane, but there are a few tweaks I'll make for the next holiday cooking extravaganza.

First, I'll limit the number of items I offer. Nobody ever leaves a holiday party complaining of scanty snacks; in fact, your guests are probably still full from the party they just came from.

Second, I'll create more of a balance of simple and complicated items in upcoming menus. I wish I had done more dishes like the sweet potato butter that graced my New Year's Eve table. It was so darn simple to prepare, yet no one had ever heard of sweet potato dip, so my guests were lapping it up. Plus, it's relatively low in calories and fat, with the antioxidant power from those sweet potatoes.

Sweet Potato Dip

Adapted from 12 Best Foods Cookbook by Dana Jacobi

2 medium sweet potatoes (about 1 1/2 pounds)

1 medium or large onion

Olive oil for lathering up vegetables

At least 2 tablespoons tahini paste

Salt and pepper to taste

1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)

• Preheat oven to 400. Slice onion in half, and remove papery outer layer. Rub with oil and lightly coat. Wrap in a large piece of aluminum foil. Slice sweet potatoes in half or quarters, depending on size. (Smaller pieces will cook faster.) Do not peel. Repeat oil/foil step with potatoes.

• Puree until mixture is creamy. Add tahini. Season with salt and pepper, and if you like, add 1/2 teaspoon of cayenne. Taste for tahini; add more if flavor is not coming through.             13018925 1255884                          Kitchen Witch - What I cooked on my Christmas vacation "
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