Atlanta Review: The Velvet Room

So, two Sundays ago, a friend of mine asked me to accompany her to a night club called The Velvet Room. Although it was my first time, the place seemed familiar due to the many radio commercials endured during my daily commute. The prominent fixture in a strip mall off a Chamblee Tucker Rd., The Velvet Room is classy spot where Atlantans can get their groove and drink on and possibly see a star or two.

The design of the club is really remarkable with lots of space, plenty of bars, and adequate lighting. The chandeliers and the wood-grain dance floor reminds one of a grand ballroom at a posh hotel. Additionally, there’s a nice separation between “chill” areas and “dance” areas, achieved by a basic layout of two long hallways side by side. One hallway is the dance floor that extends from the door to stage/catwalk area; the other is raised, branches off from the door and features seating, a separate bar and ambient lighting. VIP booths are stategically located along the dance floor for folks to see and be seen.

Where music is concerned, rap and hip-hop are the order of the day (or night). If you’re looking for any other musical genre, I suggest you find another club. While somewhat limited in scope, the DJ deserves props for showing a wide range within his element. That night, we enjoyed East Coast, West Coast, Dirty South and Midwest flavor. He even took it back a couple of years surprising both me and my friend.

Of course, if you’re one of those folks that can’t get their dance on without a couple of drinks, then I believe you’ll be pleasantly surprised here. The alcohol selection is expansive and the bartenders hands, while not the heaviest I’ve experienced, are pretty generous for the price paid. However, since cover will cost you upwards of$20 (regular night), pre-gaming and catching one to three drinks at the club is the best plan to feel just right. 

Now, here are the things I can do without. If you’re a dude, expect to get no love from security. You’ll get patted down at least twice before you make it to the door. The lady you’re with on the other hand will have a purse lightly checked and ushered right through the door. So, chances are good while you’re getting the third degree outside, your girl will have been hit on at least once before you make it inside.

Also, parking is a little crazy. You’d think that in strip mall, you’d be able to find a decent spot. Nope. Most of the parking lot is roped off for the ten to fifteen cars that valet. If you’re broke like me, than you’re lucky if you get to park on the strip mall property, possibly in a tight spot overlooking a scenic dumpster.

Despite those two things, The Velvet Room does deliver. If you find yourself here for a weekend, I definitely recommend stopping by.

Rating:

Resolution Update.

So, it’s that time again. Time to pull out the resolutions and see how far I’ve come in 2008. To make this extra fun, let’s rate my progress with the Super Star Rating System.

1. Try my best to stay positive this year.

Um, not bad. There might of been a few instances in the last three months that could have been misconstrued as negative, but for the most part, I was happy soul. The area that will require the  most diligence to stay positive in the next few months will be school. I’m taking a pretty heavy load and already know that stress is major factor that affects my moods. Wish me luck.

Rating:

2. Lose 10 pounds.

So, there is this jinx that comes along with weight loss for me. Pounds only melt when there is no one around to notice. As soon as someone asks, “Have you been losing weight?” or comments on how great I look, the tide turns. The exercising stops, the fast food begins and the pounds stack up again.

With that said, I’m taking a big risk here by telling you that I’ve lost 17 pounds. Crazy, ain’t it? Yeah, it’s been done before, but this time the confidence to keep it off is stronger than ever. Again, wish me luck.

Rating:

3.  Embrace Change.

I’m trying to remember any significant changes that took place over the last three months. Well, there’s one. So, I was one of the few advertising students that still rocked a PC as my computer of choice. The key word in that sentence is “was.” The acquistion of a brand new MacBook Pro is now complete. I’m a little nervous, because it cost me an arm and a leg, but excited to finally be joining to fold so to speak. In the coming months, the transition from Compaq to MacBook will take place. Once complete, the Compaq will be passed on to my mother who is anxiously awaiting her first laptop. See? Change for everyone!

Since it did take me a little too long to embrace this change, I think the following rating is fair.

Rating:

Happy July to everyone! Here’s to a fantastic month!

Movie Review: The Happening.

So, I saw The Happening all by my lonesome and actually was freaked out by M. Night’s first, R-rated film. Not a bad movie, but not one of M. Night’s best.

Synopsis (without giving away the twist): Something is happening. The end. Seriously though, something is happening that is making rational human beings lose their minds and kill themselves in very, violent ways. Two teachers (Mark Walberg and John Leguizamo), a dippy woman (Zooey Deschanel), and a cute little girl (Ashley Sanchez) must escape and hide until whatever is happening, stops happening.

Okay, being elusive doesn’t make it seem all that exciting. Let’s just say the cause of the happening is not only freaky, but in my mind kind of plausible. M. Night again, has caused me to re-examine human nature and it’s impact on the environment. But, I’ve said too much already, so let’s stick to what you’ve already seen in the previews.

Preview Spoiler #1: ”It’s raining construction workers!” This scene (along with another which I will get to shortly) made the entire movie. The fear in that constrution worker’s eyes, the sight of those workers falling, and the sound (which you only get in the movie) is absolutely unnerving. I’m usually not a jumper or a speak-out-louder, but I jumped and said rather loudly, “Dear God!”

Preview Spoiler #2: “This hairpin looks so good in my neck.” Eh. It was freakier in the preview, but after seeing the preview eleventy billion times I was bored when she actually did it.

Preview Spoiler #3: Floating lawn workers. I’m getting chills just thinking about this again. Actually, they aren’t floating. The scene is shot from a moving jeep through the windshield. These guys have actually hung themselves with their own garden hoses and the jeep is driving underneath them. Wow. The most moving and haunting scene in the whole movie happens right after.

Preview Spoiler #4: “Oh, look! A lion!” Cheesy with a capital CH! Come on, M. Night! You’re better than slash and gore, horror flicks. Leave crap like this to the amateurs.

Preview Spoiler #5: ”It’s such a nice day that I think I’ll mow myself.” See above comment.

Preview Spoiler #6: ”Mommy, there’s a creepy woman looking in my window.” Eh. When I found out why she was looking in the window (here’s a clue: it “happened” to her), the scene fell flat. 

Why wasn’t this one of M. Night’s best flicks? Plot holes and cheesy dialogue. My personal favorite: The Village. The plot is so well crafted that I believed right up until she jumped the hedge. And, If you think I’m stupid for not seing the ending coming, than you’re too smart to be reading this blog.

The Happening. Wanted to believe, but there were too many holes that kept me questioning the intergrity of the story. How did the people who survived, survive? Why did it just stop? How did it stop? Did it actually stop? Instead of answering these questions, the movie tries to divert attention away with superfluous dribble. I don’t care that Mark’s fiance has commitment issues that take the near extinction of the human race to fix. I don’t care that there is a family of hillbillies who will shoot anyone who tries to take shelter in their home. I don’t care why the creepy, hermit woman keeps a decaying doll on her bed. Stop trying to make me look over here, while you try to piece together the plot.

Where’s there’s drivel, bad dialogue is sure to follow. Even an actor with superb skills, would have to work overtime to deliver some of the cheesiness written here. We’re talking about Mark Walberg and John Leguizamo here. Don’t get me wrong. They’re good, but they ain’t no Deniro, or Hoffman, or even Hopkins. Downright clunky in places, the dialogue stops anyone from loosing themselves in the story.

Since we’re talking about actors, Zooey (how the hell do you say that?) delivers a good performance, adding a bit of comic relief in a tense situation. For what it’s worth, John did good job with the script that was handed to him. And Mark, well, he’s Marky Mark how can you not love him. Yeah, sometime his delivery falls flat, but a good director should be able to fix that. So, I guess the real person to blame for this movie’s shortcomings is M. Night himself. Writing and directing can take a lot out of a man. Maybe, he should just stick to one.

All in all, good premise and two amazing scenes.

Rating:  

Review: Quarter 4, Part II

So, whoever it was who said you can’t redo fourth quarter in ad school was dead wrong. Since, I had so much fun the last time, I thought I’d try it again with another school. Although, there were few highs and several lows, this quarter overall was only slightly better than the last time.

First, the positives. My teams classes this quarter went pretty well and it really showed in the work produced. The two stand out projects were MorningStar Farms and Marvel Subscriptions where I partnered with two super talented and really nice art directors. Overall, the feedback I received from both classes was constructive.

I also won my first advertising award: Best Poster Campaign for the Center of Puppetry Arts. For those of you who don’t remember, I worked on this campaign (and wrote a review) a few months back. Even though the campaign was mostly visual with one line of copy, the concept was amazing. As soon I get pdfs from my art director, I’ll post the work.

And then, there are some not so positive aspects of quarter 4, part II. Unfortunately, every class you take in school is not going to be exactly what you want. I’m beginning to slowly accept that fact. By slowly, I’m referring to the time it’s taking me to learn how to summon drive, energy, and enthusiasm for a class that in my opinion sucks. It’s definitely a trait that deserves mastering before graduation, because truth be told, there are sucky projects in the real world that still demand stellar creative work. My motto going forward: A sucky class is no excuse for sucky work.

Another not so cool part about doing a quarter over again is doing a quarter over again. While, I’m really happy about the switch, it’s really hard to fathom that seven quarters for me is really only four quarters of learning progress. Eventually, I’ll get over it when I’m better prepared (hopefully with a job), but right now, it really blows.

Finally, the biggest negative of all were the final critiques. Frankly, I messed up big time. If the poor performance had anything to do with a lack of preparation, I could understand. But, for some reason the stars just weren’t aligned for me to really shine. What can you really do about that? Nothing. If I had to redo the redo, I would do a better job presenting and defending myself and my work.

So, with fourth quarter behind me again, the rating this time around goes a little something like this:

Atlanta Review: The Punchline Comedy Club

So, this school quarter, I took a class that focused on presentation skills. It’s supposed to help us when it comes to presenting our work to creative directors, clients and the the like (more on if it lived up to the hype later). Well, the most interesting thing about the class was that it was taught by an advertising professional who also happens to be a part-time comic. At first, the whole class thought she was joking, but after a live performance, we knew she was the real deal.

Early in the quarter, we were invited to The Punchline Comedy Club to see her compete in a Stand-Up Competition, a comedy stand off if you will. The Club is located in the Sandy Springs/Roswell area of Altanta. Overall, not a bad venue. A little small for my tastes, but that has it’s advantages like being able to see the stage from wherever you sit. Also, it’s pretty good for the comedians on stage as they have clear line of sight to their audience. Wonderful for picking people out and making hilarious jokes about them.

As entertainment goes, not a bad expenditure of time. My teacher is actually pretty funny. She was able to hold her own even though her competition was about as funny as something not funny at all (give me a break people. My quarter just ended and my brain is fried!) The other comedians in the comedy challenge were also very entertaining with the exception of one of two and they know who they are. Although there was no Apollo-like booing, the silence that followed a flat joke was pretty painful. The real kudos however, goes to the host for being just as if not more funny than the acts he was presenting. He was able to keep the transitions between each act smooth and lighthearted.

But this wouldn’t be a fair review if I didn’t point out the negative aspects of the place. First, it’s small! Although, I loved having a full view of the stage, I hated being walked over by the waitresses and the drunk folk sitting in front of me (unfortunately, the bathroom was in the back of the joint). At one point, I got so tired of scooting my chair in, I just sat squished between the back of my seat and the table in front of me for the rest of the show. Not fun.

Another negative, the drunk people in the audience. While they do make execellent fodder for the comedians, they’re also very disruptive. At one point, even the host got a little hot under collar at a group of three women for talking way too loud during the previous performance. Stuff like that takes away from the experience of being entertained. I would of loved it if the owner or bouncer had escorted these three to the door, but no such luck.

Lastly, if you go hungry that’s cool. The food is your typical bar fare, but it’s palatable. The drinks, however are pretty watered down. The drunkies in the front of me must have either spent a fortune or pre-gamed before they showed up. In other words, if you’re looking to get smashed for little money, hit a up a different venue.

Again, not a bad way to spend a night. I do have to warn you that as with the Dad’s Garage, don’t expect a consistent experience everytime. A lot of it depends on the type of audience as well as the type of comedians in attendance. 

Rating:

Keeping It Real.

So, I have to apologize for not getting back here. School is kicking my butt, but in a good way, because I really do need to focus.

In the interim, while I try to conquer all my school projects, I’m leaving you all with a very funny video from the now defunct Dave Chapelle show. I first saw this with my cousin William and to this day our favorite lines are “Cause I keeps it real,” and “I don’t like nobody playing on my phone!”

Thanks Will for sending me this. I needed a laugh today.

from www.youtube.com posted with vodpod

T.V. Review, Part III

And, we’re back. Sorry for the delay in getting this third installment to you. I know you’ve all been dying to know the the ending right?

 

Oh, MTV! Why? Where to begin with this trainwreck. I know. Let’s start with the true reason why this show is on the air: to give has-been celebrities a few more seconds of fame, even if it’s through their own children. But, before I launch a full-scale attack, let’s go though the basics for the folks not familiar with the show. It doesn’t stray too far from the competition/reality format. There are four judges instead of three. The contestants are the offspring of famous singers/songwriters/actors who have a burning need to sing and make it on their own. There’s a prize of a record contract, public voting for your favorite, blah, blah, blah.

What we’re dealing with here is the most heinous of the competion shows: the singing competition. Let me just get this off my chest right now. I hate American Idol. I think it’s the worse thing to happen to decent television. And, believe it or not, it’s not because of Simon Cowell, or because half the people that get picked for the show don’t deserve to be there, or that the whole thing is rigged to congratulate the most marketable singer. It’s really because there’s nothing more boring and painful than watching people butcher classics that real artists have worked so hard to make classics. These competitions are karaoke without the alcohol, commonly known as Hell. Having said that, I will admit that true artists have materialized out of these shows, and to them I say kudos. However, I firmly believe that if Idol hadn’t darkened our primetime TV watching, these artists would still have made it. 

But, I digress. Reason one why I hate Rock the Cradle: the blatant attempt of superstar parents to live vicariously through their offspring. Now, you may disagree with me here and that’s probably because you fell for those rehearsed speeches delivered by the contestants about making a name for themselves in the industry without their superstar parents. Look Jr., if you think for one minute that you’d be on reality show if your daddy wasn’t MC Hammer or your mommy wasn’t Olivia Newton John, then you’re seriously mislead. The real reason for your presence here is so your parents can be seen in the audience supporting you with there whole hearts with the hopes of getting a quick soundbite. And, oh look! This show makes it easy by giving them their own box to sit in! How wonderful is that, huh? Can imagine what a pain it is to scan through an entire audience of joe schmoes to find the right one to focus on?

Reason #2 why this show sucks: therapy sessions really don’t make for good entertainment. I can’t imagine how stressful it must have been having a superstar parent who’s always toured and was never there. In fact, I’m pretty sure it’s traumatic stuff that has lasting effects on a person’s life. It’s understandable that you’d want to talk about it. Might I suggest a therapist rather than hundreds and thousands of viewers out in TV land, who, if half of them are like me, are like, “Shut the f$#k up and sing already!!!” Not only are you boring me to death, you’re also making me feel really uncomfortable by subjected me to a private confrontation you should be having with your superstar parent. Out of all the contestants, only two had positive things to say about their upbringing. I just can’t shake the feeling that this whole mess is a means for these kids to tell their negligent parents, “You were a lousy and you owe me big time!”

Finally, reason #3 why this show sucks: the studio audience. Someone forgot to tell these people how to conduct themselves on the set of a competition show. Booing, screaming, and constantly disrupting the flow of contrived dialogue is just no way to behave.  And, it didn’t help that MTV didn’t think it important to cast a well-seasoned host who could handle such adverse conditions. No, they opted instead to give one of their insipid Veejays a promotion. When I think about it though, I can’t really blame the audience. They expected entertainment, but got completely hosed instead. Yeah, I’d be a bit disruptive, too.

Rating:       

T.V Review, Part II.

So, just when you think you’ve seen the last of Danny Bonaduce, he rears his red, well-coiffed head. This time he’s the host of VH-1’s, I Know My Child Is A Star, a competition that pits ten, parent/child teams against each other for the chance to meet casting agents, Hollywood insiders, get major national exposure, and win $50,000. Each week, the children are giving screen challenges to see if they have to stuff to be the next child superstar. In addition, the parents (all moms and only one dad) are judged on how they coach and manage their child through the various challenges to see if they have to stuff to help their children through highs and low of stardom. Winning, therefore requires stellar performances on both ends.

It sounds like a pretty good show until you actually see it and quickly figure out why child actors are a royal pain in behind. Spoiled, bratty, selfish, and pretentious are just few words to describe these little snots. If you’re not big on kids disrespecting adults then this show not for you. And, while I hate to say it (because I really feel for the parents that have to deal with them day in and day out), the parents actually encourage this type of behavior.

On the particular show I watched, the little boy that got kicked off was being a real jerk to his director and his co-star. In the end, his concern about what everyone else was doing caused him to totally blow the challenge. Instead of coaching the kid on how he should handle stress on the set, or how he can better work with others, or how to respect his director and still get what he wants out of a particular role, the mom just tells him that he’s great, he didn’t do anything wrong, and everyone else sucks or is jealous of his talent. She even goes so far as to diss Danny who gave them the opportunity to be on the show and who actually gave them kudos for handling defeat gracefully. Unbelieveable!

In conclusion, I hate this show because there’s no one to root for. I’d be satisfied if none of the contestants made it to Hollywood and were forced to live a humble life instead. Maybe then the parents would be forced to be better parents and the kids could actually acquire some real manners.

Rating:  

T.V. Review, Part I.

So, the next three T.V. reviews have a few things in common. All three shows are of the reality/competition genre, all three deal with family members, and all three really suck. First up,

Lifetime’s foray into the dance competition arena. The contestants are ten professional dancers and their parents. Together, each pair (daughter/father or son/mother) must choreograph a routine in a specific dance style or to a specific song and survive to the end to win $100,000. The setup is the same: the host (Ian Ziering) and the three dance “professionals” serving as judges (Cris Judd, Vitamin C and Ben Vereen).

If you know the story behind this travesty of primetime entertainment, you actually wouldn’t be surprised that it turned out so poorly. Initially, the dancers auditioned under the impression that they would be cast in a reality series called “Dance Nation.” It wasn’t until they were chosen that they were then told that they would be dancing with partners and that those partners would be their parents. Wow. I mean, I like surprises just as much as the next guy, but really Lifetime, shame on you! Here you have these dancers that are trying make careers for themselves, seeing this opportunity as a big break, and you come along and crush their dreams. And, all because you thought it would be cute and lucrative to have them dance with their parents, who have had little to no training whatsoever. Nice!

Which brings me to reason #1 why this show sucks. It’s not a true dance competition! It’s more like a community center, talent show. Yes, it is cute that children are dancing/bonding with their parents, fine. I mean, it’s Lifetime, so I can’t really expect much more from them. However, if I’m investing time into a dance show, the dancing better clearly knock me out. Strip away the fact that the partners are parents, and you’re left with a pro dancing with an amateur, doing choreographer that is beginner level at best. In my opinion, that does not pass for quality, dance entertainment. I’d rather watch paint dry, than watch a 50-something, suburban housewife try her hand at krumping. And, while it may be good for a few chuckles, it’s laughter that doesn’t make me feel good about myself. I mean think about it. That’s somebody’s mom or dad being made fun of on national TV.

Reason #2 that this show sucks: Vitamin C and Ian Ziering. Who remembers Vitamin C? Yeah, I had to pause myself. In fact, I actually had to Google her to remember that she was a 90’s pop diva and a one-hit wonder at that. How is she qualified to judge a dance competition? Oh, that’s right! She’s done music videos, most of which included complicated choreography like walk to the left, stop, and smile at the camera. But, I guess every competition needs the I-just-think-you’re-fabulous! judge. Thanks Paula!

If you don’t remember Vitamin C, that’s okay because I’m sure you remember Ian. He just so happened to star in a little show call Beverly Hills 90210. Wait, what’s that you say? He was also on Dancing With Stars? Another great show! No wonder he was a shoe-in for this bit since we just took that show, replaced the stars with moms and dads, gave it a snazzy name and aired it on a different network. Awesome! To be fair though, Ian is a pretty good host for this kind of thing, but I had to get another jab in. And, Cris Judd and Ben Vereen actually are qualified judges as well. I just wish they had something better to critique.

Rating:

It’s That Time Again!

This is my all-time favorite back-to-school commercial and fitting since school starts for me tomorrow. Truth be told, I’ve had such a good break that I really do feel like the kids in this spot. Sorry about the quality, but it’s the only spot I could find on YouTube.

from www.youtube.com posted with vodpod