Monkey T!

Just in time for pool party season, pride festivities and the 4th of July holiday this weekend, check out The Monkey T. It's filled with European dance fun I hope you enjoy (especially Tom, Paddy and the other boys back in Chicago).

To listen:
1) Double click the Monkey T logo to listen on your computer.

2) To save to your computer (PC users), RIGHT CLICK TO SAVE on the Monkey T logo (allow approximately 20 minutes to download depending on your connection speed). Once saved, launch the MP3. Your music program should open the MP3 automatically.

3) To save to your computer (MAC users), CONTROL+CLICK on the Monkey T logo (again, allow approximately 20 minutes to download depending on your connection speed). Mac will ask to open in iTunes or save file. If you open in iTunes, it's a continuous stream - no CD burning allowed and it's automatic (no waiting!). To burn a CD, you must download and save to iTunes.

4) If all else fails, send me an email and I'll forward the MP3 to you directly.

Set Includes:

1) Are You Watching Me (Watching You) - Syke & Sugarstarr: I first heard this track on the Scumfrog's free mix. I searched high and low for the name and artist. It was worth the wait. The song is a few months old but has been remastered for pure summer pleasure.

2) I Need You (Deep Josh Mix) - Soul Central: It keeps the energy going with very few vocals.

3) Crazy (MHC Stateside Mix) - Andy Bell: It's the only track I selected from the States and my Promo Only record base. But with few dance records featuring male vocalists available (and good), I liked adding it into the mix.

4) Somebody's Watching Me (Hi-Tack Mix) - Rockell: Samples Michael Jackson's vocals from the Rockell hit of the 80s. Seems to be the trend - take some vocals from Michael or the 80st and remix. Fun none-the-less!

5) So Under Pressure (Soul Seekerz Mix) - Dannie Minogue: Kylie's little sister has been on a winning streak with dance records. She'll most likely always be in her big sister's shadow, but for now, she creates fun music for the boys (and girls) to appreciate. Lifted from her greatest hits CD (yes, she has enough to qualify).

6) Tell Me (Club Mix) - Grooveland: I heard this track on gaydarradio.com. It's a bit older than the rest, but I liked the hook.

7) Borderline (Vocal Mix) - Michael Grey: He had a big hit with Weekend, followed up with The Beat. For summer, he lightens up a bit and provides us with this pop gem.

8) Speechless (Soul Seekerz Mix) - Mish Mash: The record is huge in Europe (which means it will take 4-6 months to reach America). With so many versions available, it was hard to choose which one to include. Check out the King Unique and Seamus Haji mix also.

9) Forever (Blanco & Moto Mix) - Lake Street Project: This is one of those records that makes you smile.

10) Love Sensation 06 (Hi-Tack Burning Up the Floor Mix) - Loleatta Holloway: Talk about energy. This track was refurbished for 2006 and is full of pumping beats and screaming diva vocals.

And I give special thanks to DJ Smooth for his helpful tips. Be sure to check out his Dancing Under the Influence (DUI) on XM Radio. Go to www.djsmooth.com for more information. See you next time!

Left Behind in Stockholm

I’m sure you’ve seen them – the Left Behind books. Or maybe you were one of the ten people who saw the movie with Growing Pains and former teen heartthrob Kirk Cameron. If not, in short, it’s the story of the final battle between God and Satan. The lucky ones are saved and removed from earth. The others are left behind. That’s what Stockholm felt like this past weekend. The Swedes escaped for the Midsummer’s Night holiday leaving Stockholm a ghost town. Shops were closed. Streets were empty. Fortunately, for us, the major tourist attractions remained open.

At first, it bothered us. As we roamed the streets on Friday on our way to Skansen for the Midsummer’s Night festivities, we were slightly irritated. The country lures you to Stockholm to celebrate the longest day of summer with visions of dancing Swedes in costumes, then board up every department store and boutique shop. But then we realized something. With no shopping in sight for us, it forced us to focus purely on the city’s rich and interesting history.

Skansen was nice. The open air museum is where most of the Midsummer's Night festivities are held including the raising of the Maypole. It was very similar to my hometown. There was dancing, singing, and the making of wreaths to wear on your head. It was a pleasant reminder of where I was born. Though, we found it odd that thousands of people were scattered about in the grass and weeds having picnics. It looked as though they were all homeless. Besides that, the twigs they were converting into fashion accessories must have been filled with bugs.

We saw the Royal Palace, the changing of the guard, a royal band parade, the City Hall where the Nobel Peace Prize is awarded, and the most spectacular museum in Stockholm – the Vasa Viking Ship that was raised in 1959 after laying in the Baltic Sea for over 300 years. Now I know why in Lindsborg we had a restaurant named the “Vasa” and on the sign was a large Viking ship.

In terms of food, neither one of us had high expectations. I’ve never been a fan of Swedish Food – except for Swedish meatballs and pancakes. Luckily, we found a restaurant that served these scrumptious balls of meat on Friday night. It sits near the entrance to Skansen. It was recommended by a few traveling magazines I've somehow now misplaced. It was delicious. The bread was divine. Our salads excquisite. And my meatballs and mashed potatoes couldn't be beat. Besides that, since they brought our original plates out cold, they removed the main entrée from our bill. That made it even better! And our hotel, The Berns, had a delicious breakfast buffet with pancake, eggs, meats, and pastries that was included in the price of our room (insider tip: if you find yourself in Stockholm on a budget, walk in to the Berns restaurant for breakfast, sit down, and act as though you’re staying in the hotel. They never ask for a room number!)

Overall, the Berns Hotel was pleasant. I downgrade it slightly due to our room’s petite size. But with its central location, friendly staff, available fitness center, aforementioned buffet, and provided Face toiletries, we moved it into the winner’s circle.

With all that being said, we’d return to Stockholm – not during a holiday however. But most likely we won’t. We have so many other cities to explore throughout Europe –ones where it won't seem as though we've been forgotten.



( FYI: Click on photos for expanded viewing)

Dance Monkey is Born!

It's time for the monkey to dance. For years, I've always critiqued the music at parties and events we've attended. You've heard me on the dancefloor - commenting on the selection of songs or musical flow. I really had no foot to stand on except for my personal tastes. I wasn't a DJ. Times are changing.

Once we arrived in Paris, I began devoting time and energy to learning the craft. It's more than song selection and beat matching. That came naturally. What was difficult for me was understanding HOW to operate the equipment in order to blend the songs and match the beats (not to mention uploading the MP3 to the net for distribution). So after eight months, I'm ready to release the first Monkey Mix.

I had spent weeks taking notes, trying to create the perfect mix. Eventually, I realized I was being too methodical. So one day, I stepped into the DJ room and began spinning. What you'll hear is the first take.

As most DJ mix sets online, the Monkey Mix is one hour - no track breaks. It's mostly constructed as if you're in a club - not necessarily radio friendly. And if you're wondering why it's called Dance Monkey, it goes back to Miami and our night at Crobar. The music was hard and monotonous. But we entertained ourselves by watching people bopping around us as we sat perched on a ledge above the dancefloor cheering, "Dance monkeys dance!"

To listen:
1) Double click the Dance Monkey Logo to listen on your computer.

2) To save to your computer (PC users), RIGHT CLICK TO SAVE on the Dance Monkey logo (allow approximately 20 minutes to download depending on your connection speed). Once saved, launch the MP3. Your music program should open the MP3 automatically.

3) To save to your computer (MAC users), CONTROL+CLICK on the Dance Monkey logo (again, allow approximately 20 minutes to download depending on your connection speed). Mac will ask to open in iTunes or save file. If you open in iTunes, it's a continuous stream - no CD burning allowed and it's automatic (no waiting!). To burn a CD, you must download and save to iTunes.

4) If all else fails, send me an email and I'll forward the MP3 to you directly.

Dance Monkey T up next followed by other installments such as Circuit, Electro or whatever music is affecting me at the time. Either way, I hope you enjoy. And with that being said...DANCE MONKEY DANCE!

Set Includes:

(1) Pink - Stupid Girl (Hani's Num Club Mix) - I love they way it glides along with catchy lyrics and instrumentation. Great way to open the set.

(2) Shapeshifters & Chic - Sensitivity (Martjn Ten Velden Mix) - The brought us Lola's Theme, Back to Basics and Incredible. They put together another winning combination. It may be few on words, but quite fun.

(3) Cedric Gervais - Another One Bites the Dust (Cedric and Second Sun Mix) - Cedric takes an old classic and updates it with a bit of electro sound. The hook still grabs you.

(4) Cedric Gervais - Spirit In My Life (Paul Harris Mix) - I didn't realize until I was at the gym listening to the mix that I put two of the Frenchman's songs back to back. Due to Paul's mix, they don't sound much alike. I thought Spirit's vocals kept the set light in preparation for what was next.

(5) Little Green Men - Through with You (Chus & Ceballos Mix) - Somewhat of a transition song from the light side to more of a darker sound. You have to alter the energy to make an impact!

(6) Jimmy James - Fashionista (Terranova Circuit Mix) - I had to include some circuit camp to introduce the heavier sounds. "The show is about to start."

(7) Starkillers - Discoteka (Peter Rauhofer Mix) - I've played around with every version of this electro, hard driving song. I love the Electro direction Peter is taking his music, so I used his version. One of the best tracks out right now.

(8) Kelis - Bossy (Scumfrog Mix) - Scumfrog rarely misses and his working of Kelis' current hit is a masterpiece. You'll be hearing this all through summer. It keeps a bit of the funky edge alongside energetic beats. Love it!

(9) Donna Summer - Power of Love (Peter Rauhofer Mix) - I also included two Rauhofer tracks. He seems to be where I gravitate once peak time is in effect. A great track to end the hour and one that would lead nicely into a night full of hungry beats!

The Hills are Alive...

...with the smell of Lavender (and many other plants that don't ring a bell). But those types of suprises are exactly what made our trip to Provence last week so pleasant. Sure, Monoco and the Casino were nice (but not at all what I expected - the Casino was small, quiet and didn't even have a running blackjack table at 3 in the afternoon!) And Nice was nice (of what we saw). And Cannes, well, it was a bit like South Beach (somewhat trashy) and because of our terrible dining experience (of which was our second choice after the first "gay" establishment looked a bit scary), I left Cannes with an unfavorable impression.

However, what made our trip were the many small villages (Tourette, Mons, Callian, and Seillans) we visited over three days as well as our host and acommodations. The vineyard where we stayed not only had a beautiful pool but English satellite TV just like in Paris! Better yet, with un endless supply of Lavender at our disposal, Xavier and I picked bunches to bring back to Paris (after we spent hours stripping each flower and cutting to precise length).

I, of course, enjoyed the sights more than the food and beverage. I still don't enjoy French cuisine or wine for that matter. I'll try anything ONCE. But after that, if undesirable, forget it. And after three days of eating mostly foie gras, lamb and numerous sauces, I was ready for Fat Girl Sunday on Monday night - Pizza and soda for me please!

The Casino in Monoco, or Monte Carlo...I still get confused.

A view of the hillside in Monte Carlo, or Monoco, I'm still confused.

A picturesque view of Seillans I snapped before we stopped for lunch.

A cute restaurant where I once again ordered the wrong thing - lamb with no flavor. But the dessert was devine!

Chris and Xavier trying to find Mons - a village with no water!

After a long drive to Mons, we were quite thirsty. Too bad nobody sold drinking water!

Cannes at dusk and before our mishap at the Italian restaurant.

If it's being touted as the "new Hollywood," you'd think they'd upgrade the theatre where the Cannes Film Festival is held. It's a bit boring - and square.

The vineyard. The Lavender. The joy.

The ice cold pool. With the nights in Provence still chilly, it hadn't heated to dipping temperatures. I avoided a heart attack by laying poolside only.

Xavier utilizing his gay gene to the fullest.

Take 5 - The Great Mouse Hunt

click here to download
The other night, I didn't know why Maddie and Dennis were running around the house at midnight. Once I paid attention, I saw Dennis was playing with something. At first, I thought it was his own furball. Upon closer examination, I realized it was a small, gray mouse. Of course, I shrieked followed by a sprint the bedroom to wake Chris from his slumber.

I'm not sure where the mouse came from. I'm not sure if we'll have more. But I do know Dennis has improved his hunting skills since Saugatuck and that I now have an idea for a kids book swirling around in my head.

TO LAUNCH MOVIE:
(1) CLICK WHERE INDICATED
(2) FOR INTERNET EXPLORER USERS (PC), CLICK IMAGE
(3) COPY LINK BELOW INTO ADDRESS BAR
http://ia300228.us.archive.org/3/items/The_Great_Mouse_Hunt/
TheGreatMouseHunt.mov

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Take 5 - Road Trip to Brussels

click here to download

As noted in the movie, there's no story and no point of the video. It's basically a hodge podge, five minute snippet of our trip to Brussels. I look terrible. As Chris always points out, I shouldn't blow dry my hair. And the rain and lack of sleep doesn't help my appearance either. Where's hair and make-up when you need it? But alas, I sacrifice myself for you to catch a glimpse of our weekend in Belgium.

This movie, as well as future installments, will fall under the category of Take 5 - considering I have basically five minutes of video to share with you. Besides, you don't have all day to watch the trials and tribulations of Dave and guests in France do you?

So take a look by clicking the image above or where instructed (remember to give it a few minutes to load). And, if that doesn't work (as some point out it doesn't - depending on your search engine), copy and paste the following link into your address bar:

http://ia300220.us.archive.org/2/items/Brussels_2/Brussels.mov

Until next time...