Daily Loaf

After a break for the past couple of weeks, Brian invites Grayson and Alex from GNATV.com to come in and talk about their new season of video restaurant reviews and such. They’re embarking on a four-episode adventure into the fine art of backyard gardening, mainly so Grayson can sate his incredible appetite for parsnips.

We also talk about Brian’s Smorgasbord IKEA stories, and next week’s Best of the Bay debut party. Buy your tickets now!

Download the episode here.

Hey everyone! It’s your trusty drunk from ninebullets, Autopsy IV, checking in with another podcast chock full of alt.country/Americana/rock ‘n’ roll goodness. Give it a listen and have a drink on me.

The moment I sat down and started mapping out what songs I wanted to play this month I started getting excited. It quickly became obvious that this month’s song selection was gonna be the bomb. We got unreleased tracks from The Fox Hunt, Left Lane Cruiser, Carolyn Mark, Malcolm Holcombe, Pete Bernhard (Devil Makes Three) and Chuck Ragan, as well as newborn songs from Chad Price (Drag The River), Mat d. and the Profane Saints, The Builders and The Butchers, The Takers and Lonesome Wyatt (Those Poor Bastards) w/Rachel Brooke.

In the middle of the show I decided to do a set featuring bands who will be performing at Suburban Home’s 14th Anniversary Weekend Party, which I’ll be attending in 15 days. Hopefully I’ll come back from it with some good stories, good pictures and a few interviews.

And that does it. I’m really happy with this month’s podcast and I think y’all will like it. Do me a favor, though. If you listen and you enjoy the show, please tell other people about it!

Thanks, everyone. Autopsy IV (twitter: @autopsy4)

TRACKLISTING AND PODCAST AFTER THE JUMP
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The GammaTesting.com guys dive deep into this ’90’s-era, comic-inspired, morally-devoid, open-world, super-dude action game and revel in the freedom of movement and wide range of epic combat options. Of course, no amount of car-throwing, copter-jacking or disease-tendrilizing can overcome brutal and blatantly manipulative boss fights, like the final one in Prototype.

Still, epic is good. Listen up! (Then check out all the other Gamma Testing episodes.)

Gamma Testing Podcast Ep15: Prototype

Can a game succeed solely because of pop-culture fandom? Thankfully, Ghostbusters manages to capture enough ghost-wranglin’ gameplay that we don’t have to answer that question. We love the plot, find some fault with the repetitive — occasionally brutal — gameplay, and appreciate the light hand with Ghostbusters 2 fan service.

So, does bustin’ make the GammaTesting.com guys feel good? Sure. Good, but not great.

Listen up! (Then check out all the other Gamma Testing episodes.)

Gamma Testing Podcast Ep14: Ghostbusters

This week, Brian and Taylor invite PoHo Wayne Garcia in for a special food-related recession session. We drink vodka flavored with baby aspirin and discuss the reduction in creamy splooge at Dunkin Donuts, SoHo Sushi’s so so sushi, Taylor’s list of recession wines, and the problems restaurants are having in this economy.

Download the episode here.

This week, GammaTesting.com fails to forget to smash the state with Red Faction: Guerrilla. We love the entirely destructible environments, open world environment and varied gameplay. Almost as much as we love bashin’ stuff with our mining hammer. And, for the first time in a while, we actually felt like we were doing some good while playing a game. At least until Red Faction: Guerrilla 2 comes out, featuring us ruling Mars with an iron fist.

Listen up! (Then check out all the other Gamma Testing episodes.)

Gamma Testing Podcast Ep13 – Red Faction: Guerrilla

Brian’s busy, so Rick and Matt run down inFAMOUS without the help of his dulcet tones. Still, their take on this open-world-third-person-super-dude-sim-with-lightning Playstation 3 exclusive barely suffers without him. Surprisingly.

The Hermanos Dakanos love the inFAMOUS gameplay so much, the dozens of minor annoyances are barely noticeable. Although they do wonder at main character Cole’s twin vulnerabilities: water and chain-link fences. Give it a listen, then check out all the other GammaTesting.com episodes.

Listen up!

Gamma Testing Ep12 – inFAMOUS

This week we take a look at the re-do of 1980s cult classic Bionic Commando. Turns out that fun gameplay trumps terrible story and unlikeable characters, yet again. Even if that gameplay has a steep learning curve. Still, once you get it down, swinging on your extendable bionic appendage is damn fun — especially if you turn the sound down and blast Matt’s music suggestion.

We also send a challenge out to Grin – Bionic Commando’s developer — to hire us to write their next game. If BC is any indication, they could use some fine content-generators like the GammaTesting.com crew. And, we work cheap!

Listen up! (And check out all the other Gamma Testing podcasts!)

Gamma Testing Podcast Ep11 – Bionic Commando

This week, Brian and Taylor just drink and chat about whatever comes to mind, like Taco Bus owner Rene Valenzuela’s new restaurant, or St. Pete’s Buona Vita, or how to chill your wine consumption this summer.

Downland the episode here.

Brian and Taylor chat with Gui Alinat — local chef and recent CL food contributor. We also run down Brian’s obsession with Domenica Macchia of Diner 437, the closing of Ybor’s The Nest, the re-opening of Wild Shrimp Company, and Taylor’s love for white wines from Bordeaux.

Download episode 21 here.

We reminisce about the early days of the UFC, and how incredibly dull it was compared to this game. Think of UFC: Undisputed as a typical fighter and you’ll have some fun. Delve into the combat system — which is vastly deeper than any other out there — and the game is a long-term keeper.

Better yet (at least for the UFC) it does a hell of a lot for promoting the franchise outside the sport’s usual fan base.

(Check out all the Gamma Testing podcasts. Or subscribe to the podcast on iTunes, or via the Gamma Testing podcast RSS feed.)

LISTEN TO Gamma Testing Ep10 – UFC: Undisputed

Brian and Taylor chat with Craig Dean, wine director at Hyde Park’s Wine Exchange, discuss Brian’s review of new downtown spot Rawbar, and discuss what we’ll be drinking on July 4th.

Listen up!

Some reviewers gave up on Velvet Assassin before they even made it past the first half. We fought our way to the end, then gave up after our 45th attempt at completing the final level. It’s an unforgiving stealth game, and we would like to return the favor by not forgiving its stupid AI, boring gameplay, and general lack of fun. Then we opine about the responsibilities of game reviewers.

It’s a tough job, especially when you have to play games like Velvet Assassin.
(Check out all the Gamma Testing podcasts. Or subscribe to the podcast on iTunes, or via the Gamma Testing podcast RSS feed.)

LISTEN TO Gamma Testing Ep09 – Velvet Assassin

Did you like the most recent X-Men movie? Neither did we. But never fear, the video game based on that horrendous cinematic debacle is considerably better. Mostly, thanks to the lunge tactic.

Sadly, X-Men Origins: Wolverine is saddled with the movie’s fundamentally flawed plot — and a few stupid boss fights — but it’s easy to forgive the cut scenes after a few minutes of repeatedly shivving dudes with your adamantium-sheathed bone claws. And don’t forget this month’s theme: Wolverine apparently hates helicopters almost as much as 50 Cent, and a little more than ninjas.

And somehow, we three former (or current, in Matt’s case) comic industry professionals manage to keep the geek quotient to a minimum. Well, when it comes to comics, at least.
(And check out all the Gamma Testing podcasts.)

LISTEN TO Gamma Testing Ep08 – X-Men Origins: Wolverine

Unlike the largely derided Bulletproof (bullet-absorbent?), Mr. Cent’s first video game outing, Blood on the Sand is more fun than it has any right to be. Which seems to say a lot about the appeal bigger-than-life hip hop stars hold for middle class white boys interested in living out violent adolescent fantasies (like us). It also says a lot for taking a tried and true third-person shooter engine and wrapping it in an absurdly hilarious “plot” instead of spending a lot of time trying to innovate.

And unlike seemingly all the other video game reviewers out there, we don’t ever feel the need to apologize for liking Blood on the Sand. (Checkout all the Gamma Testing podcasts.)

LISTEN TO Gamma Testing Ep07 – 50 Cent: Blood on the Sand

Finally! After much mystery, the much-adored AMC series Mad Men has announced the date of its third-season premiere: Sunday August 16 at 10 p.m. Was the delay in setting a premiere date something to do with this controversy, which may wreak havoc with your DVR? Or was it manufactured to work up anticipation among fans? Whatever. I’m a fan, and I can’t wait. But please, do not tell me what happened in the final episode of the second season. I didn’t DVR it, the show disappeared from HD On Demand before I could catch it, and I have succesfully skipped over all mentions of the finale in print and online. (Though I think I heard there was a divorce. Or was it a baby?) For diehards like myself, AMC will run the obligatory pre-premiere marathon recap of the previous season starting at 7 a.m. (!) Sunday Aug. 9 Monday Aug. 10. (Thanks to the St. Pete Times’ Eric Deggans for alerting me to my error. No thanks to AMC’s publicist for the confusing, that is to say wrong, information in her press release.)

There’s been discussion amongst the Mad Men faithful at CL of having an ongoing podcast à la our popular Lost-cast. Let me know if you’d listen. Who knows? Maybe I can get everyone riled up again with a controversial statement.

In this episode, the GammaTesting.com guys make their bones while you’re still going out with cheerleaders and see if this new Godfather game makes us an offer we can’t refuse.

Turns out, we could refuse it, but this GTA-knockoff/Mafia sim game is just fun enough to keep us taking over businesses and knockin’ off made men. And unlike this blog entry, we avoid overusing the massive pun potential of Godfather movie quotes.

Listen up!

Gamma Testing Ep06 – Godfather 2

Gamma Testing is a podcast that goes in-depth in a single game each week to let you get more fun out of the games you play. Check out out other episodes.

Taylor raves over her experience at a blind — seriously, with blindfolds — wine dinner, biodynamic wine from Bonny Doon, and Brian loves the fresh pasta at Ravioli Company. And more!

Listen up!

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The GammaTesting.com guys slash their way through Ninja Blade, with mixed results.

Do you like absurd cinematic action? How about quick-time events? Repetitive actions during boss fights? Am I losing you? Kind of like how Ninja Blade lost us. Rick’s just lucky he didn’t hate the game enough to throw a controller through his big TV.

Listen up!

Gamma Testing Ep05 – Ninja Blade

Gamma Testing is a podcast that goes in-depth in a single game each week to let you get more fun out of the games you play. Check out out other episodes.

GammaTesting.com’s fourth episode is a classic romance: boy loses donkey, meets girl, fights demons, releases evil god. All for love. We also love – mostly — Prince of Persia’s seamless gameplay, capable writing and gorgeous Disney atmosphere. Almost enough to marry it. But is there enough going on to resurrect the game after the first play through? Hmmm.

Gamma Testing Ep04 – Prince of Persia

Gamma Testing is a podcast that goes in-depth in a single game each week to let you get more fun out of the games you play. Check out out other episodes.

No new Lost tonight (I can hear you wimpering), but that doesn’t mean you have to go completely cold turkey. Here’s part two of our season-ending podcast covering “The Incident Part 1 & 2.” If you missed part one, check it out here. In this second part, we finally get to David Warner’s statement (full text after the jump), discuss the series endgame for Season 6 and generally try to cram our blown minds back into our skulls lest we get brain on the carpet. Enjoy!

CL’s Lost podcast: Season 5, Ep 16 “The Incident Part 2″

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It’s season finale time, and we’ve got a special two-part edition of our Lost podcast — now with a studio audience! (You didn’t expect us to cram all our speculation into a normal-length podcast, did you?) In Part 1, we cover the “The Incident part 1 & 2,” discussing the epic fall of Ben Linus, whether God and the devil play Chess Backgammon, and if it’s good to be touched by a Jacob. Part 2 next week …
Lost podcast

On this week’s edition of the Lost podcast, we discuss Jack’s crazy plan to to nuke the island, John Locke’s Jacob-quest, and why PoHo hates episodes devoted to nothing but plot advancement. Click below to download the podcast or listen right now by hitting the play button on the media player below. Namaste!
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On this week’s edition of the CL Lost podcast, we discuss Daniel Faraday’s past, pat ourselves on the back for calling the Faraday/Widmore connection, and debate whether “The Variable” was a great Lost episode or the greatest Lost episode ever!
Download the podcast here.

Plus: Curious what Wayne Garcia’s notes looked like? Check them out after the jump …

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The GammaTesting.com guys talk about how amazingly beautiful a war-torn African town filled with zombies can be when rendered by the Xbox 360. The zombies are kinda pretty, too, until you shoot them in the head with your pistol. But does shooting uncountable numbers of infected undead make you a racist, thanks to RE5’s japanese developers? Listen up and see:

Here’s the latest installment of our highly-acclaimed* Lost podcast. In this week’s edition, we discuss Wednesday night’s clip show, speculate on who’s going to kick the bucket before the end of season five and mop up some open questions from previous weeks.

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*-Allegedly.

This week — with Taylor cruising around China — Brian invites a few guests to the CL studio: Zack, Jen and Zen Gross, owners of Zurritos and Z Grille. We talk about his rise through the culinary ranks, his uncompromising personality and how damn cute their little daughter Zen is. Listen up.

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This week, we start off with J.J.’s heavy, 5 minute dissertation on Egyptian gods*. Please bear with us, as the information overload gives way to a jaunty discussion of why Miles & Hurley rock, which cast members can act, what’s “in the shadow of the statue,” and how it can be that London has never seen The Empire Strike Back?!!?

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*-We have scanned J.J.’s exhaustive notes, which were written on a tiny scrap of notebook paper. They can be found after the jump, and may or may not help you figure out exactly what he’s talking about. Good luck.

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In this week’s Nosh Pit food and drink podcast, Taylor and Brian invite Grayson, Chris and Alejandro of GNATV.com to stop by for some wine and conversation, then preview next week’s restaurant review (Pizzaiolo Bavaro, get it here first); discuss crafty ways to re-use wine bottles and corks; introduce a new food contributor (and her killer Key Lime Pie recipe); and talk about Taylor’s plan to Facebook and Tweet her way across China.

Next week on Nosh Pit: Zack and Jen Gross of Zurritos and Z Grille!

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Joe's enthusiasm during this week's podcast deeply concerns London.

Back by popular demand, it’s the second installment of our Lost podcast. This week, the round-table talks Egyptian gods, Richard Alpert’s eyeliner, Locke’s divinity and why you can’t trust a word Ben says. Plus, we add Leilani to the mix, checking facts and keeping us honest. Video clip from the show below the jump. Enjoy …

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Video:

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This week, Brian and Taylor sit down with CL food contributor Rishi Ramkissoon and drink some kosher wine. Oh, and talk about Ybor’s The Nest, chain wine lists, and whatever else crosses their minds.

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Summer is coming up, and what better way to start it off than with a sneak peak at some new fashions? In addition to a killer photo shoot by Athena Torri, I have some exciting news about a new store opening in Tampa! Designer Raven Reda of Suspicious Package has wrangled in some great independent designers, artists and Tattoo..ers(?) to unite in a hip store on Howard Ave., called F.A.T. ink.

F.A.T. ink will have its soft opening May 1. We’ll get Raven in the studio later this month for a podcast to chat more about the specs and future of the store. Did I mention that Aleka Phoenix is finally going to have a steady place for people to buy clothing and accessories?

So to get you excited for all this news and the highly anticipated summer line from Aleka Phoenix check out the some shots from photoshoot”Electric” by Athena Torri with models Jojo & Jonathan Rosa, hair by our own Fusionista Tara at Salon 54 and makeup by Abra Molinari: Read the rest of this entry »

Join the CL round-table of Joe, J.J., London and Ham Gravy as they talk out this week’s puzzling Lost episode, “Whatever Happened, Happened.” And if you guys think you can answer any of the questions that have our chatty crew’s heads spinning, please take a shot at it in the comments section.

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I was recently contacted by Underground Xpress, a local Tampa underground video program that covers local music, local bands and other local talents. The creative epicenter and host, Lady Grace, agreed to an interview about Underground Xpress.

How and when did UX start?
I took up videography in July of 2008 and wanted to start an internet video podcast as a learning project. Music immediately came to mind as the main concept because I have spent the majority of my life supporting the local music scene. I wanted to stick with something that I love but I also didn’t want to limit the focus to just music. The words Underground Xpress came to mind because I knew that I would want to cover more than just music and support all sorts of underground arts.

Now I had the idea, the name and I knew how to do the video podcast. Now all I needed to know was whether or not I could pull the whole together. Host it, film it, edit it and so on, when I was really only just learning everything for the first time. So…I got a video camera and a friend and I went to a concert that night to film it and interview the band. I guess we needed to see what we were made of. That night we interviewed and videotaped our first band. and as they say…. The rest is history. Now UX is on public access and the internet and it is becoming the newest source for Underground artists to be supported and promoted locally and nationally on the world wide web.

What inspired you to start Underground Xpress? Read the rest of this entry »

This week, our heroes bring in guest and CL contributor Katie Machol, talk about the Bay area’s best food sites, fill your wine rack and dish on a bad meal at Aquaknox.

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