Hello everybody New Years day is just around the corner. So I feel inclined to write another drinks Segment on the old blog. Of course before I go in I have to say drink responsibly and don't drive blah blah. (you're all that smart right?) So here goes.
The Classic Highball.
This has been a recent favorite of mine lately. A Highball, in essence, is simply any two ingredient mixed drink that has more mixer than liquid. typically that mixer is a soda of some sort, possibly the most popular "party drink". This is the classic version.
Hardware.
1 Highball Glass (go figure).
You're trusty 1.5 oz. 1 oz. jigger cup.
Spoon
Software.
Rye (Canadian) Whisky.
Ginger Ale.
Ice cubes.
Build the drink by filing the highball glass with Ice cubes. Add 1.5 oz of Whisky. Fill remainder with Ginger Ale. Stir (If the ginger ale pour didn't mix the drink). Garnish with lemon twist.
Recommendations.
I personally love to make this drink with Seagram's Seven crown, or V.O. (7 when I'm poor, VO when I've got some more cash.) If you don't care about putting a premium spirit into a drink. I highly recommend the Crown and ginger version (made with Crown Royal). If Canadian Whisky is not to your taste this drink makes well with other Whiskies as well especially bourbon (not my favorite But I'll get it a parties with a lame bar rail).
This is a very powerful recipe because it is the same for almost every highball. just replace your favorite soda and spirit into the recipe above and viola new drink. For example use Seven up and Seven crown and you have the famous Seven&Seven, Bacardi and Coca cola makes the obviously named Bacardi and Coke, and my friend Renee's favorite Vodka and Fresca. The list is as endless as your spirits, sodas and imagination.
The Blue Wave (AKA the fou fou drink).
Every year the doctor's office that I file for has a Christmas party at the Lawry's "The Prime Rib" restaurant in either Beverly Hills or Las Vegas. This year was Vegas, and while I know that we are not supposed to divulge what happened there under pain of death (or very bad Elvis impersonation, or possibly the endless torment of Illegal immigrants annoyingly flicking tart cards in my face.) I Think it's okay to tell this one. While I was being treated to a lovely Tanqueray Martini. My friends Renee (yes pretty much everything I do with her involves drinking) and Tracy asked the bar tender for something Fou Fou. The bar tender proceeded to make the following drink for them, saying simply that they'd like it. When the bar tender was asked what it was her reply was simply "something I just made up".
The drink was a Hit with all the girls and when they were ordering their third rounds the bartender decided to name it the Blue Wave. Wonder If it's going to be on their menu next year. Since I typically bar-tend the office parties. I watched her procedure. The drink is as follows.
Hardware.
Shaker or Mixing cups.
Crushed Ice.
You're trusty 1.5oz. 1oz. jigger cup.
Cocktail Glass.
Software.
1.5 oz of Malibu Rum.
2 oz. of pineapple juice.
1 oz of blue curocao
Spiral of lemon
Build the drink buy filling the shaker cup with Crushed Ice. (I know your all "but cubed makes better cocktails" while this is true Lawry's uses crushed and since it was invented there, crushed is in this case correct) add Rum then pineapple juice then blue curocao. close shaker and shake like you mean it until the outside of the shaker fogs. Strain into the Cocktail Glass add lemon spiral and serve. trust me the ladies will love it.
Irish Coffee.
I figured I'd leave you off with a nice wintry drink as it's been very cold here in the AV. And I figured I'd tell you how to make an Irish coffee now the Irish coffee is a drink that so many people mess up. The worst offense i've seen was putting Grand Mariner in it. What the fuck do the french or oranges have to do with Ireland! But I'll Tell you how to do it right.
Hardware.
Hot Cocktail Glass or Coffee cup.
Coffee pot.
Spoon.
You're trusty 1.5oz. 1oz. jigger cup.
Software.
1.5 oz Irish Whisky (it is Irish coffee after all.)
3 oz of Hot Coffee.
1 tsp. of sugar.
1 tsp. of heavy cream.
Whipped cream.
Make a pot of coffee fairly strong tastes best. Then build the drink in the Hot Cocktail Glass or Coffee cup, buy first adding the coffee. Then add the Whisky sugar and cream. Stir and add a dollop of whipped cream to top. Serve drink then have another then sleep.
Recommendations. It is best to make this drink with Bushmill's irish whisky. As Jameson's taste will get lost behind the coffee. I've never tried making it with Tullemore Dew, but I suspect it would be better than Jameson, but less flavorful than with Bushmill's. If you want a sweeter (and more potent) drink. Use the first (and so far only good) corruption of this recipe. by replacing the heavy cream with Bailey's Irish Creme.
Well I hope You enjoy your New Years and enjoy these drink recipes. And I'll see you next year
Cheers
David
Wednesday, December 26, 2007
Monday, October 01, 2007
Happy birthday EPCOT
Today is a very special day in my heart. 25 years ago today EPCOT center at Walt Disney World opened. Epcot as it's now known was born out of he last great dream of Walt Disney. His Experimental Prototype Community Of Tomorrow. It was to be an actual community in which people "lived worked and played" that demonstrated better living through technology, it would have been the heart of Disney World... but as time would have it Walt Disney would not last that long He died not long after his first public mention of the project and with out Walt Disney and his famous charisma the city would not be made. However about ten years later his Creative sucsessors at WED enterprises (now Walt Disney Imagineering) created the plan (though it's story is a little more convoluted than this) of the EPCOT center. A theme and what is now called a Discovery park that would demonstrate the concepts that would have embodied EPCOT. The new planned center took a lot of inspiration from the New York Worlds Fair of 1964/5 and presented it's information and entertainment in large corporate sponsored pavilions each representing a field of the human experience (Communications, Agriculture, Etc.) This Future World was to be connected to a world showcase where countries sposored pavilions showing of the art culture and beauty of their homes. This pretty much how EPCOT center opened it's gates on October of 1982. It was a Large lavish theme park with futuristic architecture and clean look. Instead of "rides" as the theme park was, and is, known. EPCOT Center was set up in pavilions in which large attractions display areas and other interactive learning possibilities afforded themselves. Because of this it was (and still is for the most part) a long Day leading to the funny acronym of Everyone Comes Out Tiered. The attractions were mostly of the Audio Animatronics tableux variety (think Pirates of the Carribean and Haunted Mansion). And were very neat. Early EPCOT Center attractions such as Horizons, The original Journey into Imagination are considered by theme park afficianados to be the creme de la creme of this type of ride, and there are many web sites dedicated to them as well as many other original EPCOT attractions. It was a new type of experience never had in this sort of a venue. And to this date it is still the number three Disney destination, after Magic Kingdom and Disneyland. As time went on new pavilions were added and many attractions where changed, many to the chagirne of fans of the park, and it's name was changed from EPCOT Center to just Epcot. Though much has changed it is still a Theme park unlike no other. And to this day delights and informs young and old alike. Happy 25 EPCOT Center.
Wednesday, June 13, 2007
The Lure and Peril of Web Comics
Hello Again.
Recently I have decided to take Neuropsychosis to a place new and different for the series. Online. That's right soon Neuropsychosis will be a web-comic at ComicGenesis.com. I have come to this decision after realizing that, while I don't personally care for reading comics on the internet, That is where I will reach an audience that appreciates a work like mine. The internet been an interesting place for comics over the past decade. It is the place where things that are different are the norm. I've also noticed that it seems more people read comics in serialization online than from trips to the comic shop.
Looking back I find it interesting that I actually thought about the internet as a forum for my comics back in the late nineties, When I'm sure there were already online comics, but I had never really heard of any. But due to the combination of my lack of knowledge in making websites and my own observations of the attentions spans of the readers of my friends' online comics I opted to go the old school route and print 'zines. Since my comic unfolds slowly (to say the least) I wanted nothing to do with online delivery. That is until I read Mega Tokyo. When I noticed how popular this comic was and having read it myself (admittedly in print not on screen still have problems with that). I realized that there is in fact an attention span amongst online readers. Here was a comic with all my values of storytelling not just vacuous video game based gag strips that I always saw as "shining examples of web comics". So I decided that I should give things a shot by putting my comic on the old "inter-web".
The Internet version of Neuropsychosis will begin with, "Attack of the Killer Cheeps and continue in order as I keep making them. It will be a twice weekly single page upload going up on tuesday and thursday nights. It will be on time because the work will be done long before the post date.
Now those of you who like my 'zines or don't want to wait until the web version catches up to where you are, rest assured i am going to keep making them. I like the idea of Making a comic from the moment of writing to the moment of sale all by myself, It is very rewarding when you meet someone at a con who buys or obtains my work. I also love it when I buy a 'zine from someone at a con. I feel that this is something that should not be lost.
So come on over to my comic online and I hope you enjoy....
David
I believe that the Url for my comic will be
Neuropsychosis.comicgenesis.com I'll let you know if it ends up different.
Wednesday, May 16, 2007
Introduction to Killer Cheeps and Neurotic Weeks
Hello Everybody! (all two of you)
I am yet again postponing part three of my favourite comics. I write these blogs as text files and then upload them so that one's still being written. But I bring you news I have just finished the seventh issue of Neuropsychosis, and I am now working on my first trade paperback, "Killer Cheeps and Neurotic Weeks", which contains all seven of my comics in one swnaky package. And so I've decided to print my first draft of the foreward to said book here.
Courage....
Introduction
by David Arroyo
It has been over ten years since My brother and I had our first Ideas about the comic book you are now reading. and the fact that you are reading it now is a great joy. As mentioned earlier the first inklings of Neuropsychosis occcured. just over ten years ago but the story goes back even further. My brother Daniel and I have always loved making up stories, and once while I was in junior High school my we made up a comic book world inhabited by the children of the Marvel universe. Each character the byproduct of one of the many relationships between marvel heroes at the time. Remember this was the early nineties when marvel was "soap opera central" we were so interested in this that I even drew some pictures of the characters. This was the first time that I had ever drawn without copying. Eventually, some have said inevitably, these stories started taking on a life of their own separate from their marvel origins. to the point where Daniel and I decided that not only were we going to have characters but we might as well make it a comic. So we made up, first I believe (though the names may have come first), the concept of a all girl, I could not draw men well, rock band who were also a superhero group "Kinda like Gen 13", our favourite comic at the time". we named the four characters the first and last names of girls that we where hot for and gave them bold stroke character traits. The first time I remember drawing any of them was one night when we rented the movie "Strip tease" and I drew the characters with my brothers guidance while the movie palyed. In Fact I can honestly say that I have never actually seen this movie as my face was in sketchbook almost the whole time. To further the goal of drawing this book I took my first art class in my senior year of high school. after this the stud of art became a constant in my life. Eventually leading to my desire to be a professional artist. So in a way you now hold the byproduct of the spark that lead to most of my adult life. It was sadly not long until my brother let me handle all the writing and Soon being full of piss and vinegar I wrote and drew my first comic a 34 page pile of excrement that none of you will ever see. I needed to work more on art, I somehow always felt good about story, before I could proceed.
. . .
In 2002 after four years of sketching writing stories and taking art and a screenwriting class. I felt I was ready, well actually I still didn't feel I was ready, but if I didn't start then, I felt that Neuropsychosis would never start. so I began my work on "Abduction" the first story in this little collection. The process was long and hard, I never expected drawing a comic to be so much work! after drawing it for months I began my first semester at CSUN. While at CSUN I began taking classes from the teachers that would shape my work especially my first proper figure drawing class tought by master draughtsman Ken Jones. When I returned to work on this story my drawings were tremendously better. and it can be seen in the work. "Abduction" was by far the hardest single work of art that I had ever worked on. It's fifty pages were drawn between may of 2002 and october of 2003. And it came to fill two printed 'zines. the frist which premeared at The ani-magic convention october 2003. I had toyed with may thoughts of how to print my Neurposychosis. Everything including lofty plans of a maga style Anthology magazine that would change Amercian comics forever to online publication, this was before keen spot and their ilk so this was a hard road for me at the time. But Inspired by seeing the mini comics of Tom Beland at my first comi-con I chose to go the DIY method. My plan was to release Neuropsychosis 1&2 simultaniously but in a unwise desision to start on them, scanning, lettering, compositing, copying and stapling them in two day led to them being printed half a year apart. But my first comic was done and I was walking on air. I was then ready to begin another. The second story by far the most favourite amongst readers. "The Attack of the Killer Cheeps.
KIller cheeps had a smooth creation but it ended up taking me almost a whole year to draw. Because I Developed severe Tendonitis in my ulnar region. I then had to undergo a lengthy bout of Occupational therapy. And my elbow still aches from this upon, occasion, to this day. I also Had to redefine my drawing style. Not that I ever lost my ability, I was lucky in that respect, but I had to re educate myself in how to go about my job. Upon printing Killer cheeps, Which was retitled "Neuropsychosis Episode III Attack of the Killer Cheeps" to make parody of the recent release of George Lucas' "Revenge of the Sith" , Turned out to be quite a hit for me. Being the first 'zine I sold out of at a convention.
Almost immediatly after "Killer Cheeps" was done I began on my little experimental comic. "The AV's Boring" I wanted to introduce the characters that I would be expanding the cast out to, But could not for the life of me come up with a plot based story. So I decided to write four short stories, draw them independently and then edit them together like a film editor would a movie. It is probably because of this process, which I am thinking of using again on the next story, that this chapter is my favourite comic I've drawn to date. It also came together very smoothly taking only two months. After finishing "The AV's Boring" I realised That superheroics where really not a part of my book any more. So I got rid of them. And threw myself into the Big Story.
The final chapter in this book titled "That Dirty Black Cloth" is the most recent story, Having just finished it two weeks ago, and it is still awaiting serialization at this writing. I feel I've finally hit my stride with the book. The characters are finally taking their final shape, both physically and pesonality wise. I figured this would be the perfect way to close the book.
As You will be able to see in the following pages. Neuropsychosis has grown and changed with time. As all Things do. And this book represents, I guess you can call it, the "research and development phase". The characters subtly change in personality and appearance, often in the same chapter until it finally gets into as consistent of a work as I can possibly handle in "That Dirty Black Cloth". "Killer Cheeps and Neurotic Weeks" is to me not just a collection of comics but a sort of "snapshot of those last ten years. It is a great way to close off this chapter in "Neuropsychosis" as well as this chapter in my life.
David Arroyo
Lancaster California
May 9 2007
I am yet again postponing part three of my favourite comics. I write these blogs as text files and then upload them so that one's still being written. But I bring you news I have just finished the seventh issue of Neuropsychosis, and I am now working on my first trade paperback, "Killer Cheeps and Neurotic Weeks", which contains all seven of my comics in one swnaky package. And so I've decided to print my first draft of the foreward to said book here.
Courage....
Introduction
by David Arroyo
It has been over ten years since My brother and I had our first Ideas about the comic book you are now reading. and the fact that you are reading it now is a great joy. As mentioned earlier the first inklings of Neuropsychosis occcured. just over ten years ago but the story goes back even further. My brother Daniel and I have always loved making up stories, and once while I was in junior High school my we made up a comic book world inhabited by the children of the Marvel universe. Each character the byproduct of one of the many relationships between marvel heroes at the time. Remember this was the early nineties when marvel was "soap opera central" we were so interested in this that I even drew some pictures of the characters. This was the first time that I had ever drawn without copying. Eventually, some have said inevitably, these stories started taking on a life of their own separate from their marvel origins. to the point where Daniel and I decided that not only were we going to have characters but we might as well make it a comic. So we made up, first I believe (though the names may have come first), the concept of a all girl, I could not draw men well, rock band who were also a superhero group "Kinda like Gen 13", our favourite comic at the time". we named the four characters the first and last names of girls that we where hot for and gave them bold stroke character traits. The first time I remember drawing any of them was one night when we rented the movie "Strip tease" and I drew the characters with my brothers guidance while the movie palyed. In Fact I can honestly say that I have never actually seen this movie as my face was in sketchbook almost the whole time. To further the goal of drawing this book I took my first art class in my senior year of high school. after this the stud of art became a constant in my life. Eventually leading to my desire to be a professional artist. So in a way you now hold the byproduct of the spark that lead to most of my adult life. It was sadly not long until my brother let me handle all the writing and Soon being full of piss and vinegar I wrote and drew my first comic a 34 page pile of excrement that none of you will ever see. I needed to work more on art, I somehow always felt good about story, before I could proceed.
. . .
In 2002 after four years of sketching writing stories and taking art and a screenwriting class. I felt I was ready, well actually I still didn't feel I was ready, but if I didn't start then, I felt that Neuropsychosis would never start. so I began my work on "Abduction" the first story in this little collection. The process was long and hard, I never expected drawing a comic to be so much work! after drawing it for months I began my first semester at CSUN. While at CSUN I began taking classes from the teachers that would shape my work especially my first proper figure drawing class tought by master draughtsman Ken Jones. When I returned to work on this story my drawings were tremendously better. and it can be seen in the work. "Abduction" was by far the hardest single work of art that I had ever worked on. It's fifty pages were drawn between may of 2002 and october of 2003. And it came to fill two printed 'zines. the frist which premeared at The ani-magic convention october 2003. I had toyed with may thoughts of how to print my Neurposychosis. Everything including lofty plans of a maga style Anthology magazine that would change Amercian comics forever to online publication, this was before keen spot and their ilk so this was a hard road for me at the time. But Inspired by seeing the mini comics of Tom Beland at my first comi-con I chose to go the DIY method. My plan was to release Neuropsychosis 1&2 simultaniously but in a unwise desision to start on them, scanning, lettering, compositing, copying and stapling them in two day led to them being printed half a year apart. But my first comic was done and I was walking on air. I was then ready to begin another. The second story by far the most favourite amongst readers. "The Attack of the Killer Cheeps.
KIller cheeps had a smooth creation but it ended up taking me almost a whole year to draw. Because I Developed severe Tendonitis in my ulnar region. I then had to undergo a lengthy bout of Occupational therapy. And my elbow still aches from this upon, occasion, to this day. I also Had to redefine my drawing style. Not that I ever lost my ability, I was lucky in that respect, but I had to re educate myself in how to go about my job. Upon printing Killer cheeps, Which was retitled "Neuropsychosis Episode III Attack of the Killer Cheeps" to make parody of the recent release of George Lucas' "Revenge of the Sith" , Turned out to be quite a hit for me. Being the first 'zine I sold out of at a convention.
Almost immediatly after "Killer Cheeps" was done I began on my little experimental comic. "The AV's Boring" I wanted to introduce the characters that I would be expanding the cast out to, But could not for the life of me come up with a plot based story. So I decided to write four short stories, draw them independently and then edit them together like a film editor would a movie. It is probably because of this process, which I am thinking of using again on the next story, that this chapter is my favourite comic I've drawn to date. It also came together very smoothly taking only two months. After finishing "The AV's Boring" I realised That superheroics where really not a part of my book any more. So I got rid of them. And threw myself into the Big Story.
The final chapter in this book titled "That Dirty Black Cloth" is the most recent story, Having just finished it two weeks ago, and it is still awaiting serialization at this writing. I feel I've finally hit my stride with the book. The characters are finally taking their final shape, both physically and pesonality wise. I figured this would be the perfect way to close the book.
As You will be able to see in the following pages. Neuropsychosis has grown and changed with time. As all Things do. And this book represents, I guess you can call it, the "research and development phase". The characters subtly change in personality and appearance, often in the same chapter until it finally gets into as consistent of a work as I can possibly handle in "That Dirty Black Cloth". "Killer Cheeps and Neurotic Weeks" is to me not just a collection of comics but a sort of "snapshot of those last ten years. It is a great way to close off this chapter in "Neuropsychosis" as well as this chapter in my life.
David Arroyo
Lancaster California
May 9 2007
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