Holiday Travels

Once again, it was the night before my flight and absolutely nothing had been packed, no flight information had been acquired and my 5AM wake up call seemed to be creeping up quicker than expected.

Finally, around one in the morning I was able to muster some drive, put together a small back pack and hit the pillow.

The clock on my phone and the chatter of my night-owl roommates made certain I didn’t over sleep and miss the joyous occasion of dealing with airport security and the other thousands of travelers. At least there was the new art in the Sacramento airport to appreciate.

The confirmation email said the ticket was through American Airlines but after failing at the self-serve screen the AA clerk told me it was actually through Alaska Airlines. I spent 15 minutes trying three different machines before going to a clerk; I was worried they might try to force me to check the guitar I had brought

.

Although the art in the new Sacramento airport terminal is fairly amazing as well as interesting, the voice they used for the automatic announcements only adds to how uncomfortable airports can be. It seriously sounded like it could have been a cartoon character from some crummy insurance commercial.

As the sliding doors on the train opened to reveal the maze of alleyways leading to the check point, people began to get frisky. Almost immediately nearly everyone began power walking and ducking under dividers, if you have never seen some one power walk it’s that goofy halfway point between a walk and a jog.

It seemed everyone was really in a rush to take off their shoes, go through a body scanner and have some stranger check your hair for weapons or drugs.

What a great experience.

I always seem to be a prime target for TSA to search and push the boundaries of what is comfortable.

They seem to love putting me through the body scanner, which was followed by a rather awkward head massage from a burly TSA agent.

After finally making it to my assigned seat and stashing my guitar in the stewardess closet; the realization hit me, the seat I was in didn’t lean back and it was right next to the restroom.

Hopefully no one forgot to expel their morning coffee before getting on the plane.

Luckily the flight to Seattle was a short one and I was having coffee with the family in no time. Seeing family for the holidays is always worth going through the airport drama, good to be back for the holidays. 

Dad's Loves Sandwiches

Nestled between 13^th and 14^th on S street, Dad’s Sandwiches offers unique combinations for meat lovers and veggie eaters a like, all while maintaining decent prices and healthy options.

This is a no reservation needed, strictly breakfast and lunch joint where the most expensive meal, complete with chips and a drink, tops out around 10 dollars. Though if you’re on a tight schedule you might want to call your order in for pick-up, since patrons line up daily for their fix.

From the moment you walk in the door customers are greeted with rock-n tunes, the aroma of sizzling bacon, toasted bread and friendly faces. Though the Dad’s crew, at first glance, may look like a bunch of tattooed hooligans once you approach the counter you’ll experience nothing but smiles and superb customer service, complete with helpful suggestions and pleasant conversation.

The options may seem overwhelming when you first set eyes on the giant menu mounted next to the register, showcasing cold and toasted sandwiches, salads and breakfast till 11AM, it seems nearly impossible for someone to not find a desirable choice.

After ordering your sandwich it generally takes between 5 and15 minutes to receive your food, on the longer side if you order a hot sandwich since they take longer to make.

The shops “Hot Blonde” is an amazing mixture of chicken, avocado, Swiss cheese, tomato, red onion, spinach, cucumber, garlic aioli, brown mustard and pepper plant sauce all melted together and toasted on fresh sourdough bread.

The pepper plant sauce gives the sandwich a distinct spice that does not over power its fellow ingredients but accents the over all taste and experience you wont find anywhere else.

In addition to its normal menu, daily specials are conjured by the creative staff and range from a cheese steak sandwich to vegan specials that are run on Saturdays.

The meat, cheese and vegetables are cut fresh daily and the quality of the sandwich is proof of the shops passion for serving excellent options along with friendly service.

If you have never been blessed by the sandwich gods or had the opportunity to cram one of these amazing creations down you throat, your missing out.

Drop what your doing and get to dads before they close at 4PM, never settle for wonder bread and shrink-wrapped turkey when you can treat yourself to the sandwich you really desire or with seemingly endless options and distinct individual flavors, try something new that is bound to shock and amaze your taste buds. 

They're Back!

Attempting to score chicks while head banging to the Melvins, Crowbar or Metallica, Beavis and Butthead are back in the classroom, back on the couch and back in your living room.

In all its glory and comical genius, Mike Judge’s animated series has returned after a 14-year void of the duo’s tomfoolery and commentary.

The show is based around the two teenagers who sometimes attend school only to contribute snide comments to their devoted hippy teacher, Mr. Driessen. Mostly the two sit around on the couch and comment on music videos or in case of the newest episode, the unfortunate addition of a Jersey Shore segment - like the world needs more Jersey Shore.

David Hinckley of www.nydailynews.com said it was no surprise that Jersey Shore appeared on the show since MTV airs both series.

“Meaning a double dose of Snooki,” Hinckley said.

Wonderful…

Though Jersey shore is ragged on in the episode, it would have made the show so much sweeter to not have the orange cast members of the Shore invade a 90s animated classic.

The format and animation of the new episodes hold true to the original seasons complete with two short stories broken up by music videos and TV excerpts.

The animation for the show has always been rough at best, which is part of the appeal. Hard lines, which outline the characters, often seem to be doubled and blurry, as if you made a flip book with stick figures in your ninth grade composition notebook to pass the time.

The unfamiliar viewer would most likely compare the two troublemakers to Bart Simpson but the truth is while Bart is rowdy and mischievous he is also a scared fourth grader who often cries. Beavis and Butthead never cry and make Bart Simpson look like an infant.

Regardless of the Beavis and Butthead being off the air, Judge also created the shows Daria and King of the Hill. The main characters originated in the original ’93 Beavis and Butthead season.

King of the Hill still airs on Cartoon Network but Daria has since been discontinued as Beavis and Butthead was.

Over all, it is refreshing to sit back Thursday evenings, watch a new Beavis and Butthead episode and zone out after working all week. Lets go back to the 90s, forget about the Internet, grab a skateboard, drink a tall can and throw on a long-sleeve flannel.