For The Sake of Clarity - The Digital Tavern

I didn’t really need an excuse to convince myself to buy a new iPhone. Yet putting it through the complete wash cycle in the automatic washer clinched the deal. Returning from a recent motorcycle and camping journey through the Sierra Nevada mountains (if you’re not following my WorldRider blog, you might want to now) I tossed in the smokey clothes and road worn motorcycle gear complete with my iPhone 3G in one of the pockets into the washer. I set it outside for two days to dry to no avail. Actually, the phone connects to my computer and allows me to sync, but the screen is the white screen of death. Nothing.

I was in Bishop, California with a working iPhone 3G when Steve announced the new phone to the world. A little more than a week later I washed the iPhone I bought shortly after arriving back in the USA, almost two years ago. But what to do? With some two weeks before the new phone would hit the streets, I needed a working phone.

So I tore through some boxes of memorabilia I’d stashed from my three-year around the world motorcycle trip (remember, you should subscribe) and pulled out the trusty SonyEricsson P1i smartphone that I carried around the world. Unlocked and 4-band GSM, I simply bought SIM cards for most of the 35 countries I visited. This is a pre first-generation iPhone smartphone. It runs Symbian, has a stylus, is 3G and quite good. But it’s not an iPhone. But using the phone for the last 10 days or so brought back many memories. Even more, this nearly 4 year old phone has innovations that the iPhone 4 just debuted. My Sony Ericsson P1i has a front facing camera which I used to video-chat while in South Africa, Namibia and even Tanzania. Plus, it has an incredibly powerful LED flash for the 3 megapixel camera, that also takes damn good video.

But it’s not an iPhone.

L to R: my old iPhone 3G, only a white screen of death after washing it; my P1i: notice the front facing camera; my new iPhone 4 and the bumper ‘guard’

Note the rear camera on my Sony Ericsson P1i and its LED lights! Very bright too! This is vintage 2007 and I was video chatting in Africa in 2008!

With confirmation of my iPhone 4 pre-order, I headed to the Apple Store in Carlsbad at about 5am this morning where I became about the 50th person waiting in the “reserved” line. There were nearly 200 hundred or more people waiting in the “no reservation” line. By the time the store opened for business at 7am there were more than 400 people waiting to get their hands on an iPhone. At the front of the line there were a couple dozen people in sleeping bags, with air mattresses and even someone with a full-size traditional mattress. They’d been there all night.

This Apple store and its employees did more than anyone might expect to make those passionate iPhone 4 fans comfortable. When I arrived, there was a video projector and sound system playing big screen movies on the wall of an adjacent store when I arrived. The night before Apple bought a bunch of pizzas for the hard core staying the night. As the sun started to rise, Apple wheeled out a convenience cart with a large thermos filled with Starbucks coffee. Other employees wheeled around another cart offering water, juice, croissants, breakfast bars and muffins to those in line. And this continued even after the doors opened at 7am.

Though not everyone was happy. One woman complained how slow the line moved for those without pre-order reservations. Turns out that only one ‘walk up’ customer for every 10 reserved customers could buy a phone. As time passed the ration was dropped to 5 to one. I simply pulled out my laptop and worked on a project while I waited. By 8AM I had my new iPhone and synced it with my MobileMe, Apps and photos.

How do I like my new iPhone 4? I’m duly impressed — especially with the screen, the new Retina display. It’s crisp, contrasty, sharp and bright. Plus, the ability to shoot video, while available on the 3GS, was new to me. I walked around the store and shot a rough video of the madness. I also bought the Apple $29 bumper — a protective frame that fits around the perimeter of the phone. This not only provides additional shock absorption in the event of a drop, it also will prevent the inevitable scratching of the front and back glass when setting the phone down on any surface.

Walk-in unreserved line.

Early AM waiting for iPhone 4

Lovely Carlsbad Apple Store employee wheels a cart of muffins, croissants and more to those waiting in line to get their hands on the new iPhone 4.

After the doors opened in Carlsbad an iPhone 4 hard core abandoned his mattress and headed to the cash register.

The quality in manufacturing precision is evident simply when holding the phone in your hand. And the phone is snappy. Applications open quick and scrolling through App pages is fast. Some apps use new transitional animations and these blend seamlessly without hiccup.

There have been a few behavioral idiosyncrasies I will share. First, when syncing my photos iTunes goes through a process of optimizing the photos; I’m assuming to take advantage of the high-resolution Retina display. Depending on the number of photos synced, this can take a long time. I have some 2,000 photos currently. I have iTunes sync some highlight photos from my WorldRider journey, and all photos and projected taken or created in the last month. Problem is, iTunes seems to go through the lengthy process each time I connect my iPhone and sync. It should truly ‘sync’ and optimize only those new photos added since last sync. It doesn’t appear to do this.

Second, I purchased the new iMovie for iPhone App. I did this from iTunes and not through the App Store “App” on my iPhone. After agreeing to the $4.99 price, downloading the App and updating some 15 Apps I synced the phone again. Later, eager to share the iMovie App with a friend, I realized it wasn’t installed. I had confirmation that I’d purchased it, but when I searched the App store using the iPhone, only a couple iMovie related Apps showed up. Not the new iMovie. The only way I found the iMovie was through the App Store “Top 25″ list.

Hey, but iMovie IS cool. Here’s a short two-minute video I made of footage shot just moments after getting my hands on the highly sought after iPhone 4 on its release day.

The third problem may be App related or a bug in the iOS4. One of my favorite photography Apps is the free Joby Gorillacam. This handy utility gives added functionality to the iPhone camera including turning the entire screen into a shutter trigger (Press Anywhere), a self-timer, time lapse tool, bubble level and image stabilization. Perhaps my favorite is 3 Shot Burst. This simply takes three photos each time you press the shutter—giving you three chances for a solid and sharp photo. This App must be running after shooting photos so it can save the photos buffered to memory. I shot a dozen or so photos and let the App save the photos, but about 20 minutes later I realized non of the photos were in my Camera Roll. It appeared that the photos never saved. However, a couple hours later the photos magically appeared in my Camera Roll. Where were they hanging out for a few hours?

Another strange message happened when syncing my ring tones through iTunes: one ring tone wouldn’t sync because “the ring tone is too long.” Funny, I’d sync’d that ring tone many times using iOS 3.x — seems there’s a limit with iOS 4; this particular ringtone was 1:04—perhaps one minute is the threshold, I don’t know.

Finally, as beautiful as the new Retina Display is, its high-gloss design is a magnet for fingerprints and smudge marks. Sure these aren’t very noticeable when viewing full screen dynamic images or Apps, but it’s glaringly obvious when the iPhone just sits on the desk or conference table. Let’s face it, we can’t always be glued to our beautiful Retina displays.

Overall I am very pleased with the phone and use I’ve given it for the last 10 hours. I’ve yet to create folders, play with background screens/wallpaper or engage fully Apps taking advantage of new features such as multitasking or the gyro. Yet I look forward to packing my Sony Ericsson back into the box of memorabilia and spending time with my new iPhone 4.

What are your experience with the phone and iOS 4?

UPDATE: 6/25/10 11:10PM

Used iMovie to edit a video of very rough footage shot after getting my iPhone earlier this morning. No problem uploading to YouTube except that it only uploaded a low resolutoin verson of 320P. Been trying to upload a higher resolution 720P version to MobileMe but after 5 failed attempts I’m giving up. Why won’t this upload to MobileMe. Same network, same video, same deal and over local WIFI – but no go. Seems silly. Check out the YouTube video here.

Living in Southern California certainly has its benefits. The weather is perhaps the best in the country, there’s great live music, entertainment and most of the airports, even the smaller regional hubs are well served by the airlines. So when one needs to flee southern California, there are always many options.

Another benefit of Southern California is both its extensive freeway system and the backroads that twist and wind through canyons, mountains and across distant valleys and deserts. Whether driving a car or riding a motorcycle, chance are you’ll find a road that suits your immediate needs. California was built on the notion that the automobile provided independence, freedom and even an extension of one’s personality. Though to this writer perhaps the ultimate freedom is provided my the motorcycle, to realize this liberty one needs to get far away from the super-slab freeways.

But when does such motor culture become a liability and the automobile, or even the motorcycle an obstacle to personal freedom and liberty?

Simple. Friday afternoons in Southern California.

And this past Friday I was forced to make difficult decisions. A late night Thursday voice mail from my NYC-based friend Charlie posed interesting questions and appealing options:

“Allan, not sure what you’re doing tomorrow, but I’m going to be in Los Angeles for just one night and would love to see you. Perhaps there’s a bottle of wine you’ve been dying to try, a new restaurant you’d like to explore or somewhere with an interesting wine list you’d like to visit. Let’s get together,” Charlie said.”And if it works out I just might let you check out my new iPad.”

It’d been months since I’d seen Charlie, and nearly a year since we cracked open a beautiful bottle of 1998 Trebbiano d’Abruzzo from Valentini — certainly one of the world’s finest white wines and one of the rarest, too with less than 30 cases finding its way to North America each year. So sure, the thought of connecting with him was great. But the thought of driving to downtown Los Angeles on a Friday afternoon turned my stomach.

Then, with far greater speed than Apple can sell its iPad, I had a brainstorm. Armed with the info that Charlie was staying at the landmark Bonaventure Hotel, I mined my memory and remembered a notable Italian restaurant with a unique wine list just blocks away. Though I’d never been to Drago de Centro, chef-owner Celestino Drago, with several restaurant concepts in the LA area perhaps was a celebrity chef before it became trendy. Drago Centro was not only just a few blocks from The Bonaventure, it was about a mile from Union Station. Would it be possible to take the train from San Diego to Los Angeles, both of us avoiding Friday afternoon traffic and thereby setting the stage for the consumption of only good Italian food and wine and not an ounce of fossil fuel? It was worth a try.

It’s railway transportation (Amtrak and local service) that separates Southern California from Charlie’s east coast locale. San Diego is about 120 miles from Downtown Los Angeles. From New York City in all directions about 120 or so miles will get you to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Hartford, Connecticut, Wilmington, Delaware and the suburbs of Albany, New York and many cities in between. Looking for rail service between Philadelphia and New York City? The Amtrak site shows almost 50 daily departures. But on the west coast, you get 13 departure options with Amtrak Rail service between San Diego and Los Angeles. So planning and timing is critical.

The guy sitting next to me on the Amtrak Zephyr rolled his eyes and said “not again!” as the conductor announced our train, scheduled to roll into Union Station at 6:45pm, would be nearly 30 minutes late. I was 15 minutes late for our 7:15 reservation at Drago Centro. But there was Charlie. In one hand a glass of Vermentino from Sardinia, in his other Drago’s impressive wine list. He hands me the iPad. “Sometimes these wine lists are hard to read in the dimly lit interiors of city restaurants, so I downloaded the list from Drago Centro’s website,” he says smiling. “What shall we order?”

For the both the doubters and curious, who haven’t been able to figure out “why the iPad”, the uses of Apple’s new tablet computer become clearer and more innovative every day. Even with the help of modern technology, choosing a wine from Drago’s 25 page wine list is a time consuming, yet thoroughly enjoyable process. I let the server know that while we were ready to dine this evening, I needed to be cognizant of the clock as I needed to make the last train to San Diego — at 10:10pm. With the help of Drago Centro’s sommelier we settled on a bottle of Nerello Mascalese, an ancient red grape varietal indigenous to Siciliy and usually grown at high altitude in volcanic soil. Tonight’s Nerello Mascalese was grown on the slopes of Mount Etna by the Murgo Estate who’ve been growing grapes and making wine there since the mid-1800′s.

Though the sommelier was quick to notice the first bottle he pulled from the cellar was sadly corked, he promptly presented a second. Charlie and I agreed to split two starters and a primi and segundi piatti — sort of creating our own tasting menu. The wine was medium in body, showed a touch of minerality and spice with rich red fruit and pared nicely with the scallops and baby octopus salad we’d ordered as starters. While we matched the second and third courses with a wine from my cellar — a rich, seductive and big 2006 California syrah from The Red Car Wine Company called The Fight a perfect complement to both the le pappardelle al fagiano, a hearty pasta in a rich morel mushroom sauce with roasted pheasant and the la labatina di vitella, an impeccable grilled veal chop with perhaps the best sweetbreads we’d ever tasted.

I was advised it was 15 minutes before 10pm, as we shared a glass of the syrah with the waiter and sommelier. While only about mile away, I opted for a taxi to ensure I’d get to the station for my 10:10pm train. Though I had abandoned a half-glass of syrah and arrived at the station at 10:09, the Amtrak service agent informed me that my train had already departed. Amazed and my jaw wide open, I stared at her in disbelief. My train earlier in the day departed late and arrived in Los Angeles late. But this train was early or simply on time? This can’t be happening. The bubbly and cute woman at the ticket window giggled as she advised there were no more trains until morning. But I could take a bus. When? Her eyelashes fluttered as she told me 3:30 AM. What?! That’s more than five hours–longer than the initial train ride and my dinner with Charlie.

Then I realized just what freedom and liberty meant when it comes to being in control of one’s transportation; that is, having a car or a motorcycle. I was stuck. A taxi to San Diego would cost $200 or more. Hitch-hiking from downtown LA on a Friday night isn’t recommended. By the time I connected with Charlie, he had finished dessert and was on his way back to the Bonaventure. Suggesting that he could probably swing a deal on another room, I passed and suggested we find a dive bar and continue our conversations. Charlie’s east-coast time zone set body just couldn’t keep up.

The clean up crew at Union Station were clueless as to where I might kill some time other than getting horizontal on the wooden benches as the 3 or 4 others in my predicament had chosen. I couldn’t see waiting here for 5 hours.

So I did the next best thing: pulled out my iPhone.

The first list of results from Yelp didn’t sound promising. So I changed my search. Just over a mile walk, adjacent to nearby Little Tokyo is Blue Whale. The dozen or so reviews mentioned live jazz, good drinks and “chill out” atmosphere. Perfect. I started my adventure and trekked up Los Angeles Street, crossed over the 101 while gazing down on the madness of hundreds of cars screaming by, and over to First Street where I searched for my destination.

Blue Whale is tucked into a corner on the third floor of Weller Court, a three story building filled with Asian fast food places like Orochon Ramen, Marukai Curry House, a place called Giggle Giggle and several other gift, novelty and specialty shops. With barely any signage save a waist high sandwich board, I almost missed the place. Chris, the large-sized bouncer/doorman discounted the normal $10 cover since the jazz band had only one more set before Blue Whale would close at 2AM. inside the minimalist decor including a handful of black and white prints and a floor to ceiling wall covered in chalkboard complete with large clock hands sans numbers. But I was taken most by the quotes and verse from Hafez, Leon Shenandoah and others that were nearly laid out using clean typography on large white celing panels dropping from the ceiling at various angles providing interesting geometry. And below dozens of ottomans provided comfortable seating for listening and watching live music performance; or for simply reading verse on the panels above. I was especially taken back by this from Rumi:  

Listening

Listen, and feel the beauty of your separation,
the unsayable absence.
There is a moon inside every human being.
Learn to be companions with it.

Give more of your life to this listening.

As brightness is to time,
so you are to the one who talks
to the deep ear in your chest.

I should sell my tongue and buy a thousand ears
when that one steps near and begins to speak.

– Rumi (1207 – 1273)

The performance by a group of young and passionate musicians was led by drummer Zach Harmon, who I understand penned a number of the compositions the quartet played this late Friday night, though for the last number Harmon’s roommate, Bobby Wilmore stepped in added flair to the percussion by banging out on the congas. I learned that most of the band hadn’t played those tunes before. With eyes glued to his music stand guitarist Perry Smith fooled me. Blending improvisation tightly to the complex rhythm and time signatures, Smith seemed to get lost as he displayed his mastery of the six-strings. Without an official band name, I referred to them as Zach Harmon’s All Stars as the crowd stuck around for the obligatory and well-deserved praise and thanks.

Zach Harmon’s All Stars
Blue Whale, Los Angeles, April 23, 2010

Zach Harmon, Drums
Perry Smith, Guitar
Josh Nelson, Piano
Hamilton Price, Bass
Bobby Wilmore, Congas (special guest)

Blue Whale owner, Jun, explained to me that he’d been open less than a year. A competent chef (I didn’t get to sample, but I’m told) combined with great music and word of mouth that spreading nearly as fast as California wildfires in the fall have kept a steady, loyal and growing crowd. If you find yourself in Downtown Los Angeles waiting on a train, or just looking for great live jazz, head over to Blue Whale. Trust me, it’s worth the nominal cover charge to see talent this good up close and personal.

Check out all my photos from Blue Whale & All The Musicians

I understand some of these musicians play in different groups at Blue Whale often. Even better the sweet and sexy bartender, Ava Gaudet, a Rhode Island transplant via Manhattan, revealed she sings and has a band. With pop and soul leanings, her sultry voice sometimes is as seductive as her smile. She and her husband are working on her debut album. She’s hot. You can check out her website and listen to her music on her MySpace page.

As the clock slipped past 2AM I bid Jun, Ava, Chris and Zach farewell, promising to revist Blue Whale sometime soon and made way back to Union Station pausing to reflect on the static LA buildings silhouetted against a stark yet slowly moving blue sky.

When I arrived back at the station my bus was waiting, I boarded the bus and joined the other half-dozen and half awake passengers and slouched into the seat. Somewhere around the 101 and the 5 Freeway I must’ve dozed. I don’t know how long it took, but seemed almost minutes later when the bus driver shook me awake. “Hey!” he said, “this is your stop.”

I got home just after 5am and just before Sunday’s sun peaked out to greet the night. Had I made that train earlier I’d been in bed but would’ve missed out on Blue Whale.

I guess getting stuck in Los Angeles was bound to happen. Perfect for this sometimes nomadic adventurer, because the adventure starts when things stop going as planned.

I’ve been on a personal mission for quite a while. Actually, I’ve probably been on a number of personal missions, and probably for my whole life. The thing that strikes me today is my disgust of plastic shopping bags and my mission to avoid them at all cost.

And it’s cost that I think is important here. These bags that became so ubiquitously blemishing to peaceful hues of African landscapes where craggily Acacia trees, brambly bushes or even the lone tree in a desolate dessert with branches and limbs reaching like arms into the sky seem to grab the lofty plastic shopping bag with desperate attempts to capture the floating orbs that drift through the air due to the carelessness and passiveness of business and people. I fondly referred to them as African Flowers. For after riding hundreds of kilometers through empty yet seductively peaceful landscapes, I knew when I was near the next settlement: I started spotting those african flowers, nasty and ugly plastic bags of pale blue, pink, red and white. So ugly were parts of supposedly the idyllic paradise of Zanzibar, I felt a lump in my throat and even a tear coming on, not unlike the infamous ant-pollution/litter ad with the American Indian in full headdress that arguably gave environmental awareness its booster shot in the early 1970′s. The only thing worse in Zanzibar were the mountains of littered plastic water and soft drink bottles.

The African Flower?

While Africa perhaps disappointed me the most during my travels, it also surprised me and inspired me to realize we have more opportunities than problems when it comes to losing our addiction to plastic bags.

In South Africa the government initiated a law that requires supermarkets and other retail shops to charge for plastic bags, thus providing a contemplative moment for shoppers to consider. Instead of paper or plastic? It’s simply, do you need a bag? If so, it’ll cost you. Though the few cents perhaps is hardly a strong deterrent or motivation, it at least frames the idea. And in more affluent countries perhaps many would scoff at the cost and not think twice. That’s not the point. The plastic not only scars landscapes of our planet, they find a way into the animal kingdom and upsetting the balance of our ecosystem. Remember those circular plastic straps that held together six packs of cans of beer and soft drinks? I have memories of family and friends standing over the trash can cutting them into pieces so they wouldn’t end up in our environment chocking birds, interfering with swimming fish and more. Are they even used anymore?

Also in Africa, I found the countryside of Rwanda impeccably clean. No African Flowers and barely a hint of a carelessly tossed plastic bottle. I quickly learned this wasn’t an accident. The president implemented a country wide ban on plastic bags. Try to bring a plastic bag into the country and you’ll be forced to leave it at the airport—in a recycle bin. Plus, the last Saturday of every month is community clean up day. For a few hours on Saturday morning community leaders and residents scour their neighborhoods and clean up the trash. It’s not a law. I’m aware of no penalties. It has just become ingrained in the culture of this country that is tring so hard to not to forget the atrocities of the genocide some 16 years ago, at the same time trying to rebuild their country. With new ideas of community, togetherness and environmental awareness.

Beyond Africa, the first country in the world to ban plastic bags is Bangladesh. Floods in 1998 and 1999 the left 2/3 of the country submerged under water, were caused because discarded plastic bags clogged drains.

So, in Africa and Bangladesh, not only do you find some of the most harsh realities of why plastic bags must go away, but you also find several progressive policies aimed at cleaning and preserving those landscapes and wildlife that leave us in awe.

What can we do here, in the United States?

Mining through the wasteland, I am encouraged that globally our world neighbors as well as our domestic brethren are making small strides toward a plastic bag free planet:

1) China has banned production of “super thin” cheap flimsy bags since June 2008

2) China has banned shops from handing out free plastic bags since June 2008

3) San Francisco was the first city to ban petroleum-based plastic shopping bags; a reducation of 180 million bags which require some 800,000 gallons of oil to produce

4) Edmond, Washington was the first city in Washington to ban plastic bags. Sadly, Seattle’s ambitious effort was sacked by plastic industry lobbying money (see below)

5) Maui, Hawaii beginning in January 2011 will ban all plastic bags from the island.

6) The City of Los Angeles in a few months, starting July 2010 will ban plastic bags–unless state legislature imposes a fee on them.

And there are others. If you know of any other anti plastic bag initiatives or policies, please comment here. I’d like to update this sometime in the future.

Despite the seemingly progressive policies, sometimes things don’t work as planned. Despite efforts, some would rather fight than switch.

1) Seattle voter in August 2009 voted against a mandatory 20¢ per bag fee consumers would pay for plastic or paper. The city council approved the measure in 2008 but a media war and some $7 million dollars spent by the bag industry squashed the councils measure.

2) Many cities have been sued over such plastic bag bans. Earlier this year, California Appellate Court turned over Manhattan Beach, California’s ban. The court said the city didn’t due it’s due diligence in terms of enviornmental impact before enacting the ban. The suit financed and lobbied heavily by “The Save The Plastic Bag Coalition,” if you can believe such a thing exists–though clever marketing even though the money behind it is a group of plastic bag manufacturers and recyclers, perhaps, including Plastics Foodservice Packaging Group (PFPG)

Justice Mosk, not surprisingly, dissents. With the following opening line: “Requiring the small city of Manhattan Beach (City), containing a little over 33,000 people, to expend public resources to prepare an environmental impact report (EIR) for enacting what the City believes is an environmentally friendly ordinance phasing out the retail distribution (not use) of plastic carryout bags within the City and promoting the use of reusable bags (not paper bags) stretches the California Environmental Quality Act (Pub. Resources Code, § 21000, et seq.) (CEQA) and the requirements for an EIR to an absurdity.” — from Shaun Martin’s California Appellate Report

So you can see, several towns, cities and counties have tried to tackle the plastic bag issue. Some have initiated laws and regulation with ratcheting timeframes for accomplishing plastic bag reduction goals. But it’s not enough. Lobbying and self-interested plastics and petroleum firms have proved they’ll throw money in an effort to preserve their business. While I don’t favor government interference or overregulation, the last time I forgot to bring my own bags to the grocery store the handful of items I purchased were put into 5 plastic bags. That’s ridiculous. And I’m sorry. But planting a plastic bag recycling container at the entrance and exit doors of the market just isn’t going to do anything. We need to ban these bags. For good. Forever.

In the meantime, I’m going to do my part. I bring my cloth bags to any store I shop; for groceries, household, clothing, motorcycle parts & accessories, office supplies, computer stuff, music stuff, travel gear and more. And I hope that we can all work together and live and promote cleaner, healthier and simpler lives.

Will you join me?

Unless you’ve been sleeping or simply unaware or uninterested in the world of technology or Apple, you know that gadget website Gizmodo somehow managed to get its hands on what is likely the next (4G) generation of the Apple iPhone. With Apple’s trademark, if not Gestapo-style secrecy it’s hard to imagine someone so careless to lose something treasured and guarded as much as the Hope Diamond or perhaps the Jefferson Bottles. But like those bottles, perhaps there’s a back story with a plot and climax yet to be revealed.

Rumor has it Gizmodo paid $5,000 to those who “found” the phone. Some Apple news sites claim the phone was stolen. If so Gizmodo could be exposed to criminal and civil legal action, should Apple decide to pursue. Or, as some surmise, could this be another clever PR stunt designed to focus media to discussing the impending new device? Nobody at Apple is saying anything. But the pundits are certainly having a field day. And news of the story has hit virtually every mass media outlet in the country.Again, Apple is everywhere. And this, as some have noted, on a day when glowing reviews on the new Android powered device, HTC Incredible, hit the street. Coincidence? Probably.

But we’ll all have to wait until June to see closure to this story when Apple is likely to announce the new device. It’s not that the old device is in trouble. Did you see Apple’s earnings report today? Apple sold nearly 9 million iPhones last quarter. Plus, profits were up 90 percent. In after hours trading I hear the stock kicked up some $20 at one point. Even iPod sales continue to be strong, selling almost 11 million units in three months.

I don’t use my iPod shuffle much these days. Sure, it’s my music player of choice when I’m riding long lonesome highways on my motorcycle. But even when I go to the gym I bring my Shuffle, but rarely crank it up. I’m content listening to the tunes over the sound system when working on weights and machines. And with every cardio machine in the place fitted with its own LCD screen and connected to some 120 channels, I simply pull out my iPhone headphones and plug into the machine. It’s about the only television I ever watch.

But I think there must be something wrong with many of the people going to my gym. Virtually every time I plug my headphone into a unit, the volume is turned up to ear drum piercing levels! Who can watch TV that loud? Or is everyone deaf?

Strange.

Seems that the only traveling I find myself doing these days is either up and down the California coast. While my return to trip to Israel in December was an exception, I discovered this week that low mileage traveling combined with stellar live music can be quite satisfying to this nomadic wanderer. I got lucky. Lucky in several ways. First, lucky that Mark Knopfler booked two different venues for three southern California shows featuring his latest release “Get Lucky.” I am also lucky that I had the opportunity to see Mark perform at each of these venues. First, at Pechanga Casino in Temecula–in the shadows of Southern California’s far from burgeoning wine capital. It’s not for the lack of effort or monetary investment that Temecula wines are second or third-class citizens compared to virtually every other wine region in California. But I digress.

The second Mark Knopfler show I was lucky to catch was at the classic Pantages Theatre in the heart of Hollywood. Marked by impressive colonial architecture and a palatial auditorium complete with an ornately complimented balcony, The Pantages opened on Hollywood Blvd in 1930 as part of a national circuit of Vaudeville theatres. In 1949 the eccentric aviator and RKO Theatres owner Howard Hughes bought the theatre and proceeded to move his personal office there. And for ten years through 1959 the Academy Award ceremonies were held there. Today it hosts broadway productions, musical concerts and is a favorite location for television, cinema and music video productions.

As for Pechanga? Thanks to the Supreme Court decision and California voters approval of Proposition 5, today it’s the largest Indian Casino in the state.

If you haven’t picked up or downloaded the latest Mark Knopfler album, Get Lucky , I strongly suggest you give it a listen. Combining American folk, rock with Scottish celtic melodies and great story telling, it’s another example of why Mark Knopfler is not only one of the most prolific and satisfying musicians of our time, but also another example of how one of the hottest selling artists of the 80′s continues to grow and deliver new material rather than rehashing the same over and over again.

So with my lucky tickets in hand, I enjoyed Knopfler and his seven piece band artfully and with passion draw from Knopfler’s (and his Dire Straits) diverse catalog of rock, folk, country, and blues melodies and ballads where his signature guitar and whispering and sometimes gravely voice delivered what everyone wanted while offering surprises along the way. Often understated and always unassuming Knopfler worked the night using some six or seven guitars while his band kept time, rhythm and melody with a bevy of instruments that could fill a museum including an accordian, fiddle, ukelele, penny whistle, Hammond B3, piano, bouzouki and octave mandolins, banjo, cittern, bagpipes, flutes and many others I either don’t recognize or simply forgot.

Mark and the band played to a sold out show of 1,200 at Pechanga while some tickets were available for Mark’s second show at Pantages, I think it’s safe to say he filled every one of its 2,703 reserved seats both nights. While a more intimate venue and yet lacking the history and magnificance of the Pantages, the Thursday night show at Pechanga marked only the second time I’d seen Knopfler solo, the first was summer of 2005 while I was on the North American leg of my around the world motorcycle adventure. I was heading to the Arctic Ocean when I learned he would play at Chateau St. Jean Winery just outside Seattle. Thanks to my friends Jonathan and Dr. Love, who worked there, I was able to take a brief break from my tour to see Mark on his.

At Pechanga the band started off with a driving version of Border Reiver, a song about the lives of truck drivers in Scotland in the 60′s. Pechanga’s crowd was diverse and perhaps the heckler’s shouting rudely at Mark to easily gave away their homeland roots. In feeling the energy of the band, I felt that they weren’t 100 percent in sync, though each individual’s musicianship signed and drew standing ovations at nearly every song. And the last song of the evening saw more than a hundred people run for the stage proving southern California has no shortage of energy.

But at the Pantages, the band was on fire. The ninth show of the tour, they are still warming up. If I could figure a way I’d be in New York, DC or Boston later in May as the band winds down the North American leg. Also at Pantages, the band pulled out another trick that wasn’t used in Pechanga: instrument mounted cameras. I thought it odd when Mark appeared after yet another guitar change with a funny protrusion on his guitar. It wasn’t until the curtain behind the pand revealed a large screen did I figure this out. This way the crowd could see Mark playing every note of Sultan’s of Swing. Even better, these aren’t High-Def cameras with pristing images. Instead, they are more like rudimentary web cams, low res and mixed with abstract images providing more texture and color than close up reality. I like this and wonder why it wasn’t used at Pechanga. There was one other annoying thing at Pechanga. Despite the band’s current policy to allow photography (no flash and no video) within the first song at Pechanga security made it clear they didn’t want to see my camera. Though at Pantages, the venue, aware of the band’s policy, allowed my camera inside. However, the lady next to me continued despite my glaring eye to take pictures with flash. I was sitting in the tenth row, and I know this annoys other concert goers and distracts the band. I never use flash nor obstruct others when taking pictures. You can check out a sampling of the shots from both nights on my website here.

As I explored the tour notes of several of the band members including Richard Bennet, Tim O’Brien and Guy Fletcher, I realized I wasn’t the only one who found Saturday night’s show at the Pantages outstanding. Collaborator, co-producer snd multi-instrumentalist extraordinaire, Guy Fletcher admitted it in his blog:

The show this evening was unanimously the best of the tour so far. The Saturday night LA audience was truly fantastic and it was only natural for all in the band to applaud them as we gave our final end of show bows. – from Guy Fletcher’s “Natural Selection” tour diary

I also learned that after the show in Temecula, the band took a very quick flight in their chartered jet back to Van Nuys airport—probably took them 20 minutes. It took me a couple days and ride up the 5 freeway so I can joy them again for the best show of the tour, so far. Perhaps not as adventurous as riding around Sudan, but that little bit of travel coupled with some stellar live performance and musicianship certainly satiated my urge to wander and help me continue to focus on the exciting projects I’m working to complete by the summer.
Stay tuned for more.

Think about this: Are you socially aware?

During a new client consultation our conversation spun through a bevy of topics enough to make any marketer’s head spin, but the most heated discussion involved social technology. It seems everyone is social these days. Or wants to be. Clients, customers, employees, job seekers, celebrities and even entities and products all are clamoring to be more social. Is this new? Hardly. Perhaps I’ll date myself here, but I remember throughout my elementary education I had nearly daily classes of social studies. One of my favorite school field trips was chaperoned by my social studies teacher, Mr. Kline. He took us to Washington DC to watch our government in action. But the experience of being away from home with my 7th grade friends was certainly a study in social behavior–even if I wasn’t familiar with the lexicon, I certainly had my social skills tested that long weekend.

So why social? It’s the buzz. The other shoe has dropped. As marketers struggle with controlling the reputation of products, personalities and people, the unbearable weight of a vast universe of social technology has them reaching and trying anything–usually to minimal success. Why? Because most don’t understand what it means to be social. They don’t even understand the lexicon.

So let’s just quickly set the record straight on the jargon, or lexicon as I like to say.

Since we’ve always been social and studying and lived in social environments, it’s important to identify what’s different or what’s changed our social environment. It’s simple: technology. That’s what’s causing the confusion.

Social Technology: The umbrella or header which all new social behavior and interaction is taking place. In simple terms, it’s social, propelled by technology and internet connectivity. Underneath this we have subcategories such as social media and social networks.

Perhaps the most common term we hear thrown around board rooms and coffee shops is Social Media. Again, some will use such words as a substitute to truly understanding. So I will try to clear the air. Social media relates to content.

Social Media: The creation and distribution of content designed to influence, persuade, generate relevance, opine or simply share with an emphasis on the solicitation of input and commentary. In the context of Social Technology social media are primarily internet and mobile platforms. Social media include personal, business and brand blogs, YouTube, Flickr, Slide Share and others. Social media are methods for sharing, distributing and providing a platform for the searching and mining of that user generated content.

Then what about those pesky social networks?

Social Networks: This is where people connect with other people online. They are virtual communities whose participants are connected by common interest, experience, proximity or other bonding criteria. Social networks provide a platform for interaction, communication and collaboration between friends, family, and other members and participants. Top social networks include Facebook, MySpace, LinkedIn and Twitter.

I realize that the above definitions are simple descriptions to complex concepts. Yet, it’s important to simplify and provide common ground so everyone is ‘on the same page.’ Where it gets tricky is how all this ‘social’ business works and why that’s important. Again, my objective is to simplify these things so that we are playing on the same field.

There are plenty more buzz words in the social space and the discussion of such is beyond the scope of this short post. Suffice to say that the most important concept in social technology is relevance. The use of social media and social networks can enhance or reduce a person or organization’s relevance. So the use of it should be carefully considered. While I’d be stretching the idea if I were to espouse that individuals need to develop a social strategy before posting anything on their Facebook page or Twitter feed. But I’m not far off the mark. To be sure, it’s critical for business to develop a social strategy, social user guide for employees and well thought out objectives on how social technology will impact both relevance and reputation.

There are plenty of discussions surrounding this concept floating everywhere on the net. There are plenty of self-described experts, too. Fact is, this ‘social’ business is too young and immature for anyone to be an expert. It’s shaking out. One thing is for sure, it’s serious business. And without the thinking, discussing and planning necessary, using it carefree might put you or your organization in a precarious position.

Now, think about that.

Time for a quick update on the Digital Tavern. Pardon the diversion, but this post will focus on some personal and business items that I hope you’ll find interesting or at least somewhat amused.

First, it’s all the hype and there’s no doubt you’ve seen it on the news, heard strangers talking about it in line at Starbucks or the grocery store or you’ve perchance caught a glimpse of one at your favorite taco stand. I’m talking about the iPad. Apple’s PR machine has leveraged it’s best secret weapon–the use of its infamous secrecy shrouded in air of mystery and intrigue. From the cover of Time Magazine to Colbert’s ginsu knives demonstration of the iPad’s surprise use as a vegetable chopper to Letterman and…well you get the idea. If you weren’t aware of the iPad’s impending blitz before, you’re knee deep in it now.

I waited 15 minutes to get my hands on one at the local Apple Store. In a word: stunning. One truth is self-evident, what the iPad is NOT is just an oversized iPod Touch. Such a statement is an oversimplified spew of nonsense. What I don’t know, is where the iPad will end up. Nobody does. But it will organically morph into the lifestyles and lexicon of more people worldwide than any analyst can imagine. I do see it breathing new life into the dying media of print. And this I’ll watch with anticipation.

Some see it as a great alternative for reading books. Akin to the Kindle or e-reader or nook, the iBookstore is as intuitive as to walking around your local Barnes & Noble. But my brother has his doubts. He finds that reading the Amazon Kindle easy on his eyes, noting that he is adverse to staring at glossy computer screens. His short time with the iPad yesterday raised doubts.

The nine-year-old standing next to me at the Apple store ignored his Dad’s suggestion at “let’s just see what it can do,” as he flipped through and played all the demo games. And my friend Aaron was taken back by how beautiful and functional the calendar application looked at worked. “It’s actually a calendar, Allan.”
I don’t have one yet. Not sure if I want the 3G / GPS enabled version. What do you think. I will get one soon enough. For what will I do with mine? I imagine I can do perhaps 50% of my daily computer work on the device, things like e-mail, research and writing. There’s no question in my mind that this iPad is so well designed that there’s barely any need for training, a manual or even help file. It’s so intuitive and with a user interface that is so well thought out. The way computers ought to be. And the way Steve Jobs always dreamed they should be.

On other notes, I had a chance to see Al Stewart on Saturday night. He played the venerable, if not tired and worn Coach House in San Juan Capistrano. Accompanying him on lead guitar was Dave Nachmanoff. It’d been some time since I saw Al and Dave together. But I was taken back not by Dave’s new goatee, but by his trim body. Now Dave is no tall guy. He’s probably about 5 feet 3 or so. The last time I saw him he weighed over 200 lbs. Last night he told me that he weighed in at some 130 pounds. Good for him.

Al Stewart

Dave Nachmanoff

Al played to a sold out crowd and beyond his hits Time Passages and Year of the Cat, he played a great versions of “Clifton in the Rain” a folk number he wrote in 1970; and “Don’t Forget Me” and led off “Like William McKinley” with a charming story of sitting on a porch and waiting for lovers to come to him. If you haven’t seen Al Stewart Live, it’s his passion for history and gift for storytelling that makes the experience more than just live music. Here’s a video I shot of Al when I was recovering from my broken leg.

A night with Al of course isn’t complete without wine tasting. Dennis Overstreet, the properieter of Overstreets in Beverly Hills, a friend of Al’s and mine also joined the gang backstage. The wine of the night? Two. The first, a 2000 Château La Nerthe Châteauneuf du Pape Cuvée des Cadettes and an estate Pinot Noir 2007 from the great Patricia Green Winery in Oregon.

I continue to be in awe over the 2007 Pinot Noirs from Oregon, and I’m sure I’ll post more reviews on these gems in the future.

It was much longer than Avatar, the latest Hollywood blockbuster. Even breaking James Cameron’s own record for box office revenue, which clocks in at some 2 1/2+ hours. And at about 3 1/4 hours of low tech, high acting and great storytelling, Warren Beatty’s 1981 film “Reds” seems to get lost in dungeons of old and classic films. I had a chance to use up more than 3 precious hours and experience this film the other night. With three Oscar wins (a slew of nominations) including Beatty as best director, Maureen Stapleton as best supporting actress and best cinematography (Vittorio Storaro), the film was sheer joy to watch.

I’m feeling a bit nostalgic about films. While I am appalled that Cameron’s Avatar won best picture at the Golden Globes, and will likely lose any respect for the Oscar’s if the film takes away best picture later this year. But along the lines of “Reds,” I’ve queued up “Lawrence of Arabia” for another 3 hour + stint sometime later this month. Eager to watch Sir Lawrence hammer the Ottomans and giving rise to power of the Arab and Beduin people. And, where we are today.It seems a good time to watch a film about the Russian Revolution and the fervor in left-wing Americans in their own war of trying to give rise to both Socialist and Communist parties here in the United States. This takes place in the early 1900′s — in both America and Russia, with a few scenes taking place just over the Russian border in Finland. It’s about love, friendship, art, politics and dreams. Yet I couldn’t help think about the tea-party movement that is building so much fervor in our present day political climate and t he spin-offs and in-fighting in the dozens of different tea parties. And those behind many of such tea parties efforts to make the current administrations efforts to move the economy, improve healthcare and fight the war on terror appear like “Bolshevik Plots,” might take a few hours of their day and take a trip back in time and reflect.

Apple released a major upgrade to its photo management and editing software, Aperture, last week. My upgrade is on the way and I’m confident that once and for all this will put those still hanging on to Adobe’s LightRoom effort will ultimately give in and recognize the superior tools, advanced features and ease of use that has been the case as Aperture has matured over the last three years. Just might inspire me to take a short trip into the desert or baja or somewhere for a little diversion and exploration in creative photography. Stay tuned.

For those of you who’ve been reading The Digital Tavern over the years, you certainly will attest to my lack of consistency ever since taking off on my around the world motorcycle trip. But I’ve been ba

ck long enough. And I’ve let the dust collect on the tavern after each false start in trying to get it up and running. Suffice to say, I’ve got a lot of irons in the fire. And I do have another blog that also is in dire need of attention. But as blogging goes. It’s still a passion. And no matter how I try, I’ll never be able to share the breadth and depth of any discussion in 140 characters.

But for those who’d like to follow my Twitter feeds, which in the past have been updated much more often than the blogs. I invite you to hop on over to any of my feeds and follow me. There’s more coming down the line.

Twitter: Digital_Tavern | allankarl | worldrider | clearcloud ctc

And for those of you who followed that crazy motorcycle ride around the world, and want to be updated when the books and speaking engagements are announced you can become a WorldRider Facebook Fan and subscribe to updates at the WorldRider website.

Imagine California more than 150 years ago. Until Spain recognized Mexico’s sovereignty in 1821, California was a Spanish colony. This colony was separted by two missionary factions. In the North, Alta California was governed by the Franciscan missions and to the south Baja California was under Frandiscon mission rule. But the young sovereign Mexico soon had its hands full when a perhaps overly zealous US President James Polk seemed bent on fulfilling our nations manifest destiny pushed Stonewall Jackson, Zachary Taylor and a talented group of junior officers which included Ulysses S. Grant and Robert E. Lee into Mexico. U.S. Troops battled their way through Mexico until they occupied Mexico City and thereby setting the stage for the Mexican Cession of 1848 when Alta California and Nuevo Mexico were ceded to the United States — a condition that ended the war.

As the cliché aptly dictates, ‘the rest is history.’

Modern day Alta California, or the 31st state to join the union, is the fifth largest economy in the world. But southern California, a significant contributor to that position, is an unlikely oasis smack in the middle of a grand desert — unable to sustain itself with local water sources. Thus, the on-again, off-again rival with Northern California and the other Colorado River basin states — many of which, ironically enough, were part of territories negotiated from Mexico.

Water is life. And while I certainly didn’t need to span half the globe to find evidence of this notion, it hit me harder than I ever imagined as I skirted the border of Namibia and Angola while trekking Kaokoland and the African nomadic tribe of the Himba.  And then seeing how water is also death as the mighty Zambezi spilled and spilled its bounty into the flood plains of Mozambique and Zimbabwe forcing people to migrate and spreading disease along the way. We see it when the media makes it news. But until you really see it and see the people does it move one into action.

But here in California, we’ve somehow negotiated not only the state from foreign hands, but the water that we need to stay alive. Except we’ve negotiated that from our domestic brethren and neighbors. Fortunate to turn the tap and have the magical elixir quench our thirst instantly, this seemingly basic American privledge disappears once you cross that line once drawn by the missions which now is a wall separating the United States from Mexico and California from Baja California.

My around the world odyssey also took a turn when I crossed that line and entered Baja, California a few short years ago. On a rough yet beautiful road that parallels the pristine coast along the Sea of Cortez from Puertocistos to Coco’s Corner through the Sonoran Desert, I found myself out of water. With temperatures north of 100 degrees fahrenheit, the often rocky and washboarded road eventually caused my shock to blow — overheated, overworked and over done. Sandy washes caused me to dump the bike. And my overworked body was nearly dehydrated — and there were no services, no taps, no convenience stores along the way. Exhausted and spent, I was saved by the one-legged man known to all as simply Coco.  

I often wonder what Baja California would be like had it been part of the Treaty of Guadalupe back in 1845. For more than 150 years it has remained wild, beautiful and host to wildlife that reaches the tops of its mountains to the coral reefs of the Sea of Cortex and the surf-pounding waves of the Pacific. And while its natural beauty is compelling on its own, the dolphins, whales, lizards, turtles, rays, birds and more all make for a fragile ecosystem that is in serious jeopardy.

The road from Puertocitos to Coco’s Corner — I’m told this is being paved today. I hope not.

The road often not forgiving.

The man only known as Coco.

Recent changes in Mexican law have opened the door for foreign ownership and development. And if not tended to with commitment to care and conservation, Baja, and what makes it so endearing and seductive could die. And that’s why I spent my Saturday morning viewing amazing photographs and listening the words of the photographers that shot them at San Diego’s Natural History Museum.

Ralph Lee Hopkins has been shooting nature for more than twenty years. Leading many photo adventures with National Geographic’s Lindblad Expeditions, Ralph has traveled the waters from Alaska to Baja – and along the way touched whales, swam with dolphins and observed from afar the amazing polar bears. While the beauty cannot be denied, Ralph isn’t shy to share those photographs which are not so beautiful — photographs of places where human intervention and development have left open wounds and irreparable scars on the face of our planet. Ralph has teamed with WildCoast, a non-profit that aims to protect and preserve coastal ecosystems and wildlife in the Californias and Latin America.

This is just one of the amazing photographs of Baja California you’ll see at Baja – the photo exhibit featuring Ralph Lee Hopkins  at the Ordover Gallery in San Diego’s Natural History Museum.

While Ralph’s photo work focuses on the ocean, sea and coastal areas of Baja, Saturday’s exhibit and talk also included work and stories by Miguel Angel de la Cueva, who just weeks ago endured and watched the damage caused by Hurricane Jimena.

If you find yourself in Downtown San Diego (Balboa Park) I urge you to check out the exhibit of photographs by Ralph, Miguel and others on the fourth floor in The Ordover Gallery.

I’ll never forget. You won’t. They won’t. And in the rare case of memory lapse, the media won’t let you.

Today’s long list of errands forced me to burn fossil fuel by driving around. I opted to listen to the radio, rather than my iPod. There’s plenty of talk about remembering what happened eight years ago today. Our president made comments. The mayor of New York commented. And those survivors and relatives of those killed in New York, Pennsylvania and VIrginia also reflected and solemnly prayed or otherwise remembered.

Eight years later and there’s no memorial in New York City. And yet we’ve got a fantastic memorial at the Pentagon and while we’ve got the Garden of Reflection in Pennsylvania, construction for the official Flight 93 Memorial has yet to break ground. What have we been doing? Arguing. Politicking. Special interests. Selfishness. Greed. Indecision. Ego. And what else? It amazes me how something so important to our country can quickly become a red herring.

Enough of that.

Did the events of 9/11 change your life? After the shock, sadness and anger subsided and the flags slowly disappeared from houses, cars and fashion, what did you do? Were you affected? Or did you think you were affected because you should?

Me? Yeah. The events changed my life. Big time.

I was in a stuffy conference room at the Hard Rock Hotel in Las Vegas with about 20 of the leaders of my company at the time. It was all business. But somehow I felt that the company I founded was becoming more distant. Like a shooting star, when I first had the vision there was excitement, movement energy. But in that conference room we weren’t waving flags. We were stunned. But we continued with business. We had to. Then the golf tourney. The decadent dinner and wine.

My wife at the time managed to find the only rental car available in all of Las Vegas. A convertible Ford Mustang. Flights were cancelled. Everyone was in flux. With one of my partners, I drove back to Orange County, California, with the top down.

A week later I drafted my resignation letter. Good god. I resigned from the company I founded. I was giving up my baby — my shooting star. But it felt good. Liberating. Then I had to tell my friends.

After a few months of counseling, my wife and I decided we’d be happier apart — so we amicably split and divorced. I started another company. Then I decided to ride my motorcycle around the world — alone.

And I did.

I’ve been back for a year now. And the Digital Tavern has been given a facelift. And today I’ve committed myself to being more tenacious and prolific when it comes to writing. After all, 9/11 did change my life.

Did it change yours?

I guess I’ve been out of it. Well, at least out of this country. For three years. Wandering the byways of distant locales in search of some truth I already believed but needed to prove to myself, dodging erudite donkeys while avoiding potholes and pitfalls of solo adventure travel, lots has changed around here – in California – in the USA. And no. I’m not referring to those evolutionary technological metamorphoses like how social network usage has surpassed e-mail or mobile web usage will likely outstrip home usage by next year. No. Evolutionary change happens. It’s not forced, planned nor predictable.

I’ve never been one to go overboard in waxing nostalgic. Though its no secret that I’m fascinated by history and believe that perhaps the best thing to come out of the United Nations is its UNESCO World Heritage Foundation. And that I abhor those developmental homogenizations that gave us planned communities and corner strip malls in the 80′s and 90′s and the big box retail pimples on our landscape in the late 90′s and 00′s. I applaud advancements in transportation, healthcare, technology and education. And while globalization is a double-edged sword, I believe that as humanity we are working toward making the world a better place for those of us here now and those to come in the future. The “green” movement, also evolutionary, continues to gain momentum and has resulted in changes — good for everyone.

But there are some things I believe to be, if not sacred, very important. Some things should stand tall and serve as a reminder of another time – whether good or bad. And such things need not be hundreds or thousands of years old nor warranting a place on the UNESCO World Heritage List. You know what I’m talking about. Things like the Redwood Room at the venerable Clift Hotel in San Francisco. The Clift Hotel, was built in 1915 and was the biggest hotel in California. After the end of prohibition, a lounge with massive redwood paneling and bar rumored to have been carved out of one redwood tree was added in 1934. The room designed in classic Art Deco, was the epitome of swanky lounge and along with the hotel ushered and represented what must be considered California’s renaissance. Movies were talking. California impressionist artists were wandering the Sierras and the foothills painting ‘en plein aire’, John Steinbeck was immortalizing California growth, prosperity and challenge, the automobile was changing America and California freeways set the standard for the roads of ‘tomorrow’.

The Redwood Room in the Clift Hotel in San Francisco, was a favorite stomping ground of mine in the 90′s and early 2000′s. In that room I felt different, filled with emotions I can’t explain but only could feel. Those dark panels stretching 20-30 feet above me. The classic Art Deco appointments pushed my imagination and the bartenders, the bartenders. They were as old as the hotel. One bartender who’s delivery of one-liners could challenge Henny Youngman, told me that he’d been working there for 39 years. As the other bartender polished a high-ball glass, he revealed, “Yeah. I’m the new guy.” How long I asked, “I’ve only been here nineteen years.”

For me, sliding into the Clift Hotel and off the streets of San Francisco’s tenderloin, just off Union Square took me back to another time where my mind could drift, wander and wonder about who walked here and who these bartenders consoled and poured for over the years.

I admit, it’d been awhile since I ducked into the Redwood Room, but on that brisk January evening earlier this year, I was startled, taken back and disappointed. Purchased in 1999 for $80 million, Ian Schrager and his modernist designer Phillippe Starck supervised a massive renovation that has sucked out its spirit and ruined the Redwood Room. Sure, the tall redwood panels are there, but trendy red lighting obscures its beauty and all but hides the grain. Starck-designed furniture is uncomfortable and out of place. And the dark red lighting hides the beautiful bar. Digital portraits on LCD panels hanging from the redwood feature young 20-somethings in color tinted and continually changing expressions. It’s not modern. It’s trendy and it’s distracting. There is no history. No feeling. Other than cold. The music, instead of lounge – infused jazz is hip-hop, trance and house served at volumes that make conversations difficult and ordering confusing and often misunderstood. Schrager and Starck changed the place from a classic art deco lounge to a “see me, dig me” nightclub. And in the process tossed out one of California’s true historical treasures. And those bartenders? Where did they go? Servers and bartenders look like the portraits on the walls and I found it difficult to find someone over thirty.

Some of the Redwood Room spirit was retained, not the sconces and not seen art deco chandeliers, but the rest is an abomination.

Flat panel screens hung on those classic redwood panels show silly pictures of beautiful people whose expression changes subtly as the images dissolve.

Lounge tables and chairs are low, you must hunch over to talk or interact.

As I would expect in San Francisco, the changes to the Clift didn’t go without some community protesting, fist banging and foot-stomping. But ultimately Schrager won. Don’t get me wrong. I enjoy some of his properties. The Mondrian has always been one of my favorite. But when you butcher a classic under the guise of modernization, I think you’ve gone too far. The renovation was completed in 2002, I’ve learned — about the time I started planning my around the world motorcycle journey. It took me six years to get back to San Francisco and see the progress. And it’s enough to make me sick.

Oh. And the other change that perhaps doesn’t poke and prod me as bad as the Redwood Room fiasco? The Wall Street Journal. When did THAT happen. Today I saw a headline on the front page that read “Cash For Clunkers Program, Runs Out of Gas.” Color photographs and a kicker in red ink above the Banner/Masthead pointing to the weekend journal entertainment section — Hollywood? And get this: display advertising on the front page. Gotta pay to play, I guess. But, boy! Things have changed. While I know that newspapers are limping and gasping for air, and soon they’ll all go the way of the Redwood Room — or worse. Just fold. But the WSJ another venerable more than 100 year old institution has also been ruined. Not that I care so much about this, but like Schrager, the new owner felt that the only way to make a profit and continue the enterprise was radical change. The smaller format, inclusion of political stories, color photography and poorly designed graphics makes me feel like I’m reading USA Today. And I don’t mind USA Today. Except I know what I’m getting with USA Today – my expectations are met. But the Wall Street Journal? Something’s rotten here.

So I’ll just flick my fingers over my iPhone, load the AP news, search Yelp for a better bar and play with my koi pond – happy that I’m not using old or unfriendly technology. For modernization, the iPhone is happening.

Photo on front page has nothing to do with the news features on front page. Note the red ink above masthead: Hollywood unleashes….?

I’ve never seen puns in WSJ headlines in past — at least on the front page. And full color display advertising?

While it’s been long since I’ve posted to The Digital Tavern, today someone suggested I explore using MacJournal. So this is my first test blog. ​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

Here I insert an image…. but I wonder how I can tell MacJournal where to put the file when uploading?

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After my test, I find that I can insert an image and it uploads correctly, but I don’t know where that file is uploaded to. Also, it appears that MacJournal doesn’t allow me to use a thumbnail and an active link to a full size or large image of the file.

On first view, there is no intuitive interface. Just making a word link in the copy is not standard. The command-K keyboard pair handles this. Nor is there an intuitive way to center that photograph above. Or what about putting the photo inline?

So while in five minutes I’m able to write this text and insert a photo, I’m still lost. Is there a way to access or download a list of all my previous entries?

I notice there isn’t a quick “publish” button anywhere and must use the “share” menu to publish a blog entry.

Okay. I’ve figured out how to download all the entries from my blog. Though when doing so the program freezes this entry screen.

Social networking and blogging have become more popular than sending email, according to a new report from Nielsen.

More than two-thirds (67%) of the global online population now goes online to visit social networks and blogs.

“Social networking has become a fundamental part of the global online experience,” says John Burbank, CEO of Nielsen Online.

“While two-thirds of the global online population already accesses member community sites, their vigorous adoption and the migration of time show no signs of slowing. Social networking will continue to alter not just the global online landscape, but the consumer experience at large. This study explains why.”

Facebook is the most popular social network and is visited monthly by three in every 10 people online in the nine markets that Nielsen tracks social networking use. Orkut in Brazil has the largest domestic online reach (70%) of any social network in these markets.

One in every 11 minutes online worldwide is accounted for by social networking and blogging sites.

The social network and blogging audience is becoming more diverse in terms of age. The biggest increase in visitors during 2008 to “Member Community” Web sites globally came from the 35-49 year old age group (+11.3 million).

Mobile is playing an increasingly important role in social networking. UK mobile users have the greatest tendency to visit a social network through their handset, with 23 percent doing so, compared to 19 percent in the U.S. These numbers are a significant increase over last year- up 249 percent in the UK and 156 percent in the U.S.

[From Social Sites Surpass Email Usage]

“The Ides of March are come,” Julius Caesar tells the soothsayer who warned him to heed the pending doom on 15 March 44BC.

“Aye,” the soothsayer said as he glared into Caesar’s triumphant eyes, “but they are not gone.”

It was later that day that Caesar, in the shadows of the theater at Pompeii was brutally executed by his senators who believed the killing would retain democratic leadership for Rome, as Caesar had declared himself dictator to Rome for life some time earlier.

So today here we sit on 15 March 2009, the Ides of March. Soon this day will pass and yet one can’t seem to escape the messages of impending doom and gloom on our financial system, the economy and those who criticize or support our new president’s stimulus plans. The Ides of March are come, but are not gone.

Late last week, watching the ABC News with Charlie Gibson I felt a positive lift as the news program focused on the market rally, GM’s recent disclosure it may not need the extra cash it had warned just weeks prior and of community support by laid off workers, Bernie Madhoff in handcuffs and Obama’s often infectious optimism one could hardly say that Friday the 13th delivered much bad luck — at least if network news is a barometer.

And two days later on the Ides of March, dovetailing into place after an often perceived unlucky day? Well here in California the sun is shining, there was a line at the Starbucks and signs of spring are abounding. I’m trying to stay looking forward. And with unfettered optimism.

Care to join me?

I was grateful that my long-time Kiwi friend and Rugby aficionado Stefano invited me to attend the IRB World Series USA Sevens – the largest Rugby even in North America. I joined him several years ago at what then was my first even Rugby event. As live team spors goes, Rugby garners about as much airtime on the sports channels as say does Cricket. Admittedly, while I don’t fully understand the rules of Rugby, I don’t think I’ll ever grasp the concept of Cricket. At least with Rugby you know when the team crosses the goal line, there’s a score involved.

But here in San Diego it was an international affair. And since the last time I saw the USA Sevens, the game, or at least the crowd and teams seem a bit closer to me. There’s some sort of a bond because I visited many of the countries these teams originate including Argentina, Uruguay, Kenya, South Africa and others. This is truly an international sport. And for two days fans from all over the world and from our own melting pot show up to cheer their team — their country.

The USA Sevens is a two-day event that this year took place at Petco Park in downtown San Diego. This was the first time I’d been to the new home of the San Diego Padres, and to the USA Sevens. I was amazed how neat and tightly packed the stadium fits into San Diego’s burgeoning downtown district. Awash with lofts, new hotels and the ongoing gentrification of what San Diego has successfully branded as the Gas Lamp Quarter, the convention center and the redeveloped bay front complete with the floating aircraft museum aboard the massive USS Midway — yes the aircraft carrier that played an integral park in defeating Japanese in the Pacific during World War II — Petco Park is just one more notch in San Diego’s successful transition from its hey day status as a city heavily dependent on defense contractor business.

But that was the 70′s and 80′s when the cold war meant business. Today San Diego with its Sorrento Valley tech center and North County bio-pharma incubation scene, could be the poster-city for rebranding. Even the homeless people have been upgraded from carboard boxes to a neat display of pop-up tents that would make a REI merchandiser jealous, all neatly lined up on the sidewalk along and underpass of the 5 Freeway. But maybe soon San Diego and other urban areas that were quick to develop and still sport hundreds of vacancies for both those tony lefts and the retail space crowding the street level. Time will tell.

Hey but so far San Diego seemingly has faired well. Even the major sports teams here have done fairly well the last few years.

Of course, all this development and redevelopment is not without cost.

So when we decided to grab a beer, we hopped out to the first freestanding kiosk on the club level — one that only sold beverages. One 12oz bottle of Steinlager: $9.00. Now I must admit, I haven’t been to a pro-sports stadium event in some time. And while the  food and beverages at these venues are always priced a bit out of the park, this seemed a bit excessive. But we’re a captive audience and, in these economic times, our thirst could be tempered by price.

So when Stefan wanted to get some food we sauntered about thirty feet past the beer kiosk to a food stand. That’s when I noticed they were selling that same bottle of New Zealand lager, Steinlager. But here the price was less. Same bottle: $7.50. Hmmmm. Let’s see. Walk a mere 30 feet and you save 20%, more or less. I don’t know if the pricing for such snacks is determined by the kinda of game being played on the field. But since the stadium was at only a fraction of its capacity, we never saw a line at any of the vendors on the club level. Whose marketing this stuff anyway?

And that begs the question: Why isn’t Rugby more popular in US sports? Perhaps this American-bred rugby player’s discussion on the subject might interest you.

USA Makes a Run for a goal against Argentina in the match deciding the final teams to compete for the Cup.

Yes. The USA does have fanatical Rugby fans.

The Fiji team goes for a tackle against one of the best teams in the world: The New Zealand All Blacks.

This young fan expresses love for her favorite team: Australia.

But perhaps during a heated 7th inning post-season battle, paying $1.50 more for a bottle of beer could be worth saving the time it took to walk the additional 60 feet (30 feet each way). I don’t know. But I did find this pricing irregularity rather strange.

In the end, Argentina took away the Rugby USA Sevens cup by defeating England 19-14. Though the USA had a chance at that cup. But in a previous round Argentina knocked the USA chances of taking a stab at England in the final match. But Argentina won. The score? Interestingly: 19-14.

The beer vendor here using the calculator to add up the cost of a three Steinlagers and change from $40. Note the cost of the Steinlager: $9. And just beond you see another food stand. Yes. And there a scant 30 feet you can buy that same Steinlaber for $7.50.

My buddy Paul flashes the cost of a Steinlager from where I shot this picture. Note the sign just above his left shoulder as your looking at him.

I still want to know the story behind Western Metal Supply Company here at Petco Park, home of the San Diego Padres in downtown San Diego.

As for the price difference in Steinlagers, this guy suggested we buy from him for the next round!.

I’m not a big believer in the superstition of the luckiness or lack of in the number thirteen. Most buildings opt out of “naming” a 13th floor, even though the 14th is the 13th. But that opens up a whole other albatross. This year we’ve got two sequential months each with a Friday the 13th – February and March. And we’ll get another this coming November.

That’s three purportedly unlucky days this year. The last year so many Friday the 13th’s were found on the calendar was 1987 — infamous for the famous stock crash that year. Given the state of the economy so far this year and the jockeying and posturing going on in Washington and on Wall Street, maybe I need to harbor my jaded beliefs — at least temporarily. Three Friday the 13th’s in 2009. For each of the last two years and the next two we’ll only be saddled with a single unlucky day. This does make Friday the 13th 2009 rather unique.

“The number 13 has been unlucky for centuries. Some historians peg the superstition to the thirteen people who attended the Last Supper (neither Jesus nor Judas came out of that one OK), but ancient Babylon’s Code of Hammurabi omits the number 13 in its list of law [...] In 1881 an organization called The Thirteen Club attempted to improve the number’s bad reputation. At the first meeting, the members (all 13 of them) walked under ladders to enter a room covered with spilled salt. The club lasted for many years and grew to over 400 members, including five U.S. presidents: Chester Arthur, Grover Cleveland, Benjamin Harrison, William McKinley and Theodore Roosevelt. Despite the club’s efforts, triskaidekaphobia (that’s fear of the number 13) flourished; even today, most tall buildings don’t have a 13th floor.

The number’s association with Friday, however, didn’t take hold until the 20th century. In 1907, eccentric Boston stockbroker Thomas Lawson published a book called Friday the Thirteenth, which told of an evil businessman’s attempt to crash the stock market on the unluckiest day of the month. [...] Wall Street’s superstitions about Friday the 13th continued through 1925, when the New York Times noted that people “would no more buy or sell a share of stock today than they would walk under a ladder or kick a black cat out of their path.” Some stock traders also blamed Black Monday — Oct. 19, 1987 — on the fact that three Fridays fell on the thirteenth that year. The Stress Management Center and Phobia Institute estimates that $700-$800 million dollars are lost every Friday the 13th due to people’s refusal to travel, purchase major items, or conduct business. [...]“

from Time Magazine.

So while I looked for a 1987 vintage wine in my cellar last night, the closest I could come without digging too deep was a 1991 Mount Veeder Reserve Meritage. I had stood the wine up a few days prior so any sediment would’ve settled. Decanting the wine I ensured a clean sediment free pours. After a few moments the wine revealed mild tobacco, cedar and dried cherry notes on the nose. Distinctively brick red and showing a tinge of browning in color. On the palate the wine revealed a harmonious blend of dark fruits and dried cranberry with a delicate balance and refined tannic structure. The old lady showed her age but exhibited a degree of maturity and structure one could only be attracted to. Smooth, complex and simply enjoyable. A fantastic reward for holding the wine for more than a decade. 89 points.

I threw the book of rules out the window in choosing my menu for the evening. I prepared a meal more suited to a big chardonnay or light pinot. But oddly enough it worked. I coated Mahi Mahi fillets with a mixture of crushed almonds, panko breadcrumbs, parsley and held together with a tad of butter and egg white. The almond-based crusted mixture was toasted and seared on the stove top before finishing baking in the oven. Served with mango salsa, a almond rice pilaf and oven roasted asparagus, it was a meal to remember. Ahhh. That triangle is a bit of flat-bread season with s&p and some herbs of provence and lighted coated with fresh parmesan. And to cook again. Maybe in November on Friday the 13th eve – and maybe the bad luck by then will be behind all of us.

Time will tell.

As many of you know, one of my lifelong passions is photography. Primarily using “still” cameras, though I do like to wade in the tepid waters of digital video. I was a very early adopter of one of the first photo-sharing social network-ish sites, Flickr. Then I played with Shutterfly,the original Ofoto (now owned by Kodak for Kodak Gallery), Google’s Picasa, Photo Bucket and a handful of others.

Looking out over the Namib Desert in Namibia, Africa.

While I’m sure I have orphaned accounts at many of these online photo-sharing/archiving resources, I’ve finally committed my mind, resources and soon many more images to SmugMug. Why? It’s simply the most clean, user friendly and singularly-focused photo sharing/photo-hosting service available. Unlike most of the others, it’s not free. And this is a perfect adage of you get what you pay for. Beyond the simple fact that pages aren’t cluttered with Google or AdSense or other advertising, the site provides loads of flexibility. For those pushing toward the professional side of their photography hobby, or are photo professionals, SmugMug gives you an easy way to sell your images.

This brief post isn’t meant to be a comprehensive review of SmugMug versus the other major photo-sharing services. Rather it’s simply a day of enlightenment for me with regard to a feature I just discovered. You see SmugMug let’s you post full-size, full-resolution and even RAW images on its site. And there’s not limit to your disk space. You get unlimited storage with even the basic entry-level subscription. That’s all good, but what happens when you need to restore images that you might have lost or accidentally destroyed? Sure, all of these services will let you download an image at a time. And some may offer a free app that might allow batch downloading. There’s even a freeware utility for Windows that allows access to SmugMug images for batch download and uploading. But there’s a batter way.

SmugMug galleries, like photo albums, and the coordinate membership account are fully accessible through SmugMug’s WebDAV server. For those less technically minded or with no interest in wandering down the complicated path of computer/internet techno-jargon, a WebDAV server simply means that the directory or location where a subscriber’s images are stored can be mounted like a disk on the desktop of your computer — PC or Macintosh. This has been the underlying enabling technology behind Apple’s Dot Mac (.Mac), now branded as MobileMe — for the Mac readers here: think iDisk. Even better, these WebDAV directories are accessible using WebDAV compatible FTP clients like Transmit.

So when a friend asked if I could simply put on disk a collection of photographs that I had posted on SmugMug, I struggled to find the actual final selections on my desktop computer. I use Apple’s Aperture for photo management, but I couldn’t find an “album” of the 69 photos I had selected from an initial universe of 741. I panicked. Short of time and yet committed to fulfilling my promise to ship the CD of those 69 photos today, I searched for methods to download the entire 69 images. At first it seemed I would have to individually right-click and download each image. That’d take too long. That’s when I uncovered the WebDAV info in SmugMug’s Wiki Support Page.

Voila. I mounted a “virtual disk” on my desktop computer, navigated to the images I needed to burn on disk for my friend, and dragged them into a folder on my desktop. A few minutes later I was done. I browsed through the SmugMug directory mounted as a disk on my computer and was relieved. All of my photos were easily available. No hassles. Some of these services would rather you simply take advantage of ordering photos on disk, prints, books or otherwise hold you hostage to your own images. Or require you to use some poorly executed software program or widget. Not SmugMug. It’s simple, easy and effective. I guess just not very well documented.

Hey if you do ever decide to move to SmugMug – here’s a $5 discount code just enter nCr22MTXQEXrA on this form under “coupon/e-mail”. Yes! I will get a kickback. But you still save. Or, Get Unlimited photo storage- Take A FREE Trial of Smugmug.

I’ve had my iPhone for about five months. I love it. Has it changed my life? No. Has it made somethings easier? Yes. Has it saved me time? Not really. It actually costs me more time. Yeah. I’m addicted to it. I say that with caveats. And sometime in the future, I’ll present a more comprehensive critique.

One thing for sure is, while I’m a professed Mac evangelist, when it comes to the iPhone I have more of a love-hate relationship. For example, when Steve Jobs with his smirky smile the iPhone nearly two years ago and he not only sported his ubiquitous black mock turtle neck long-sleeved t-shirt, but he mocked the concept of using a stylus. I was put off immediately.

Perhaps he felt he needed to go down the road with such gust due to the ridicule the product his former nemesis, John Scully, introduced more than a decade prior. Yes. The failed Newton was the brunt of jokes due to its unrefined handwriting recognition. And maybe Steve wanted to distance himself and the iPhone from anything and everything the Newton represented, it was unnecessary and quite possibly made the possibility of a more tactile data entry method for the iPhone further away. He may have took a jab at tactile keyboards, not unlike those found on Blackberry’s and the new Palm SmartPhone, but it didn’t stick with me like his jab at the stylus. You see I’d been a Sony Ericsson SmartPhone user for more than five years — a phone that leveraged the best of the once open-source Symbian smartphone operating system — including the implementation of a touch screen, stylus and damn-good handwriting recognition.

The SonyEricsson P-series phones (P800, P900, P910, P990 and the P1i) were perhaps the first true “smartphone” brand of phones. The P800 released in 2003 and was heralded as a return to profits for the fledging SonyEricsson joint venture as it contributed significantly to making SE profitable. I bought the follow up product, the P900. Then I got sucked into the follow up products and bought the P910i, the 990 and eventually the P1i. And all of these phones were not available nor subsidized by the major carries. I bought them unlocked and sought my own carrier. The phones all were priced north of $500. I think my first purchase cost close to $1,000. This phone, while not perfect, did impact me in many ways — at least as much as phone could (or should) do.

But like the lemmings following the market leader, despite its failed design, Sony tried to capture those customers who wanted a real keyboard. And after the P900, tried 3 different implementations of a tactile, thumb ready, keyboard. All were poor and simply not as good as the stylus based interface that was the hallmark of its initial design. And today, SonyEricsson admits defeat to the iPhone. The PSeries is dead and Sony is banking its money on a Windows Mobile design. At least until next month, I guess.

While I was an early adopter of using text (SMS) messages much to the confusion of my network of friends and family. I still remember just a few years ago, “what’s a text message?” Or, even worse, “I don’t think my phone can get those.” Times have changed. But until I bought my iPhone a scant few months back, all of my text messages were handwritten. Yes. I scribbled out text on my phone. Sure, occasionally I would mess up and a word turned cryptic, yet decipherable. It happens more these days on my iPhone — with or without the auto-correction feature activated. Fact is, I could text much faster and more efficient with my SonyEricsson than I can with my iPhone. And while my SonyEricsson was pitiful at most internet related tasks, the simplicity and effectiveness of the stylus nearly wipe s out 90% of iPhones clear advantages.

The Sony P900 and the P910i

The SonyEricsson P990 and P1i

Why? Because of the lousy virtual keyboard. In fact, any keyboard on a phone is simply a compromise to what we are accustomed to in front of our full-size computers. That’s why I just don’t get the lack of innovation when it comes to text-entry on a smartphone or handheld computer. To be sure, I know that in two-years when I read this post again, I’ll be laughing as to the fact that most keyboards will be obsolete and voice-to-text recognition will be superior to what we experience today and therefore be ubiquitous on mobile devices. But we’re talking today, not the future. And there’s nothing wrong with using a stylus to input dat into a handheld computer. It’s natural. It feels right. And it works. But it’s flawed but it requires patience — something many lost years ago — or simply never had.

But text-entry and doodling (note: I didn’t say googling) are far more easier using something a stylus. Think about it. The mouse is ubiquitous in computing today. Prior to using the mouse, computer users were relegated to using the four-arrow keys that still are found on most keyboards today. Why did our industry and society move toward a mouse? Because it was more natural and tactile.

So while the iPhone is an amazing leap in mobile computing technology and it continues inspire and stimulate a growing and passionate developer community, the designers dropped the ball on the keyboard. In fact, the keyboard doesn’t even rotate changing from portrait to landscape orientation in the most commonly used app on the device: e-mail. Who failed to throw back just one more Red Bull when that gap was made in the interface?

So some speculate that Apple will introduce a “Pro” version of the iPhone in 2010 or sooner — even thinking that the higher end phone might sport a physical keyboard. I doubt that – Apple isn’t that concerned about converting the hapless thumbs of a legion of Blackberry users to the Holy Grail of the iPhone. But if they are looking at a tactile approach to the keyboard problem, I hope they consider the stylus or the ability to simply draw or write on the screen as an alternative to the archaic keyboard metaphor.

Until then I’ll burrow through the cumbersome task of sending messages or making notes, because I do love my iPhone.

Last weekend I was surprised by a visit of my good friend, mountain climber, travel companion and legend Mr. Tim Amos. For the 16 hours he spent in Southern California, we tried to take advantage of our time together. First stop was a visit to my wine cellar (storage facility) in Irvine. Culling from the more than 1,000 bottles I’ve yet to fully access, we pulled together a short list for sampling during the sixteen hour visit.

While at the cellar we met a new member who’d inherited a unique cellar. With legendary bottles from historical bordeaux and burgundy vintages, he introduced himself and immediately pitched the wines. Humble and far from pretentious we offered him a glass of the 1995 Pahlmeyer Merlot that we’d sampled while treasure hunting my collection. Later we offered him a glass from a bottle of Wine Spectator’s 2000 Wine of the Year — the 1997 Chateau St. Jean, which sported a price tag of $27.99. Today that wine typically sells for more than $60.

Our new friend showed us some of the legendary wines, including Ausone, Latour, Haut-Brion and others he’d recently inherited and offered a couple bottles for us to take home. No. Not from Bordeaux, but a couple old California cabs and a ’77 Port. Sadly, Tim’s flight the next morning (6:45am) didn’t leave us much time for tasting these old gems, but last night I took a chance and opened the 1977 Trefethen Cabernet Sauvignon he’d offered.

I had very low expectations. Trefethen, while a notable winery in the Oak Knoll district of Napa Valley, isn’t typically considered a premium brand. Their wines are fine, yet don’t get the press nor attention that makes Napa Valley so, well, famous. To be sure, Trefethen has been producing wines longer than many of the new “cult” favorites. But a 32 year old wine from a basic producer? I was sure this wine would be dead. The storage, according to our new friend, was questionable. And the cork showed some signs of seepage. I opened it but had a back-up bottle lined up considering the inevitable fact that this wine should’ve been dead.

I was wrong.

With an amazing boquet of cherry, jasmine and hints of cedar, the wine showed a subtlety yet explosive blast of red fruit on the palate. I thought in 10 minutes it’d be done. The wine continued to surprise and seduced me into another glass after another glass. With low alcohol levels, something hard to find in Napa today, the wine was well balanced with refined tannins and showed good structure with mild acidity and flavors of pomegranate, black cherry and hints of tobacco on the palate.

Through experience, I’ve tempered my expectations and therefore approach to aging California (Napa) Cabernets. But if this Trefethen is any example of a poorly stored, 30 year old Cabernet, I’m changing my tune.

Wow. Kudos Trefethen. And Kudos to the 1977 Vintage — hell, that’s when Pink Floyd released Animals, that same year I was in Madison Square Garden watch the band float a giant Pig over the audience — all on July 4, 1977 – about the time the good folks at Trefethen were cropping the canopy on its Cabernet vines in Oak Knoll District, Napa Valley.

1977 Trefethen Cabernet Sauvignon tasted on February 7, 2009 – 90 points. Amazing.

Remember “The Digital Tavern“? This is the blog I started in 2002 before anyone knew blogs or blogging. There are seven years of my ramblings on music, wine, marketing, macintosh and of course my favorite, travelogs. But I couldn’t keep up two blogs while riding a motorcycle around the world. So The Digital Tavern was neglected. Sure I posted stuff when I was recovering from my Bolivian broken leg incident. And occasionally I’d post a story from the road. But it’s been sadly stuffed in the storage bin and neglected.

This week yanked it from storage, dusted it off and gave it a little exercise. I hope you’ll stop by more often as I’m sure to continue the musing. Now the Tavern is searchable. And there’s more.

You see, for quite awhile my Digital Tavern blog has been replicated at two locations. Here at www.blog.digitaltavern.com and another at www.digitaltavern.com which resolves to my old host at the early Blogging platform, Radio UserLand. I longed for a solution to migrate to a more robust and flexible platform and one that I could self-host with my other sites at www.dreamhost.com.

I considered Movable Type which I use to author my WorldRider blog, but managing updates to the server software are always time-consuming and as a result I’m late and don’t get to quickly leverage new features nor take advantage of de-bugging. That’s where WordPress comes in. It’s free and my host offers “one-click installs” and upgrades/updates.

Today marks the implementation of the first new design to my original blog since 2005 – where I first tested WordPress and simply used a stock template with a modified header image. While I’m using a new template for this new design virtually every componenet of that design has been customized to closely match yet update the classic Digital Tavern design.

New features will be added over the next couple months including integration with social networks, photo sharing and geo-data moblogging. You’ll also be able to subscribe to comments and use other tools here in the future.

It’ll be touch and go as I continue to tweak things. So strap on the seat belts and let’s take this new look for a test ride. Drop me a note in a comment here. Tell me what or who you’d like to see at The Digital Tavern.