Thom Yorke of…On A Friday? Photo: tanaka

Talking Heads – Vague Dots
Police – Strontium 90
Earth, Wind And Fire – The Salty Peppers
Culture Club – Sex Gang Children
Dire Straits – Café Racers
Beach Boys – Carl And The Passions
Abba – The Engaged Couples
Spice Girls – Touch
Bee Gees – Wee Johnnie Hayes And The Bluecats
Nirvana – Fecal Matter
U2 – Feedback
Radiohead – On A Friday
Led Zeppelin – New Yardbirds
Blondie – The Stilettos
Depeche Mode – Composition Of Sound
Kajagoogoo – Art Neauvou
The Byrds – The Beefeaters
Status Quo – The Spectres
Oasis – Rain
Queen – Smile
Simon And Garfunkel – Tom And Jerry
Motorhead – Bastard
Wham! – The Executive
Teenage Fanclub – The Boy Hairdressers
Blur – Seymour

Community Connection:

Dig music lists? Be sure to check out Ten Motown Musts and our recent article about our Favorite Music Blogs.

Is there a better time than summer to get out for a backyard barbecue?

Is there any better company than fellow travelers armed with accounts from all over the world, like those of us from Matador or our friends at Sosauce?

Noted travel writers and bloggers will be rubbing elbows with the likes of, well, you!

Get the scoop on how to travel the world and write about it, or just join us and try your hand at winning some prizes to make packing for your next trip abroad a little more gentle on the budget.

BYOB or L to loosen the tongue and enjoy the smooth sounds of DJ Brian Blackout at The Green Garden in Brooklyn.

The Greene Garden, Brooklyn, NYC

When? – Thursday, August 6th at 5:00 P.M.
Where? – The Greene Garden – 2 S. Portland Ave., Ft. Greene, Brooklyn
How Much? – Free! But you must RSVP to alisha [at] sosauce [dot] com by August 3rd.
Why? – Because we like you.
More Info? – Why, certainly. Please click the links below.
Sosauce Blog
Sosauce Journal
LinkedIn Event
Facebook Event

Photo a guy with a big, foamy cup of chicha: olliethebastard

Chicha is traditionally made by wetting maize with the maker’s saliva in order to kick off the fermentation process. Matador’s own Sarah Menkedick has this to say about the corn based, low alcohol content drink found in various forms throughout Central and South America:

Chicha is intense–I drank some in Bolivia. Let me just say that it takes some psychological preparation to take down a fermented corn beverage that has been chewed up and spit out. I think that’s why I can pretty much eat anything now–that broke down the last critical barrier of fear/resistance I might’ve had.

There’s one way not to skip your vegetables. Photo: mahalie

If you thought the Germans were gross in the drinks department when you tried Jaegermeister, this is definitely not for you. If, however you were looking for a secret ingredient to spice up your Breakfast of Champions, The Bloody Mary, you might want to look into Cynar.

Made in Italy, popular in Germany, it’s said to be good for you, so it mustn’t be very tasty.

According to a Nate Cavalieri in his SF Weekly article on Fernet, it tastes like “licorice flavored Listerine.” If that doesn’t deter you, Fernet Branca, widely imbibed in Argentina and Italy is said to have medicinal properites.

The website says its recipe is a carefully guarded blend of 27 herbs from four continents. One might argue that their very distance from one another in the natural world argues against their ever coming together. ‘Round Buenos Aires way, it’s drunk with cola.

Photo: ~Twon~

Kombucha is said to have its origins in the Orient, but that’s probably because trying to market a tea spawned from a bacteria colony of Russian pedigree as a digestive remedy might be a hard sell. Russian bacteria tea remedy just doesn’t have a very “holistic healing” ring to it, does it?

Made by adding bacteria spoors to sugared tea and letting nature take its course, Kombucha is said to boost the immune system and liver function. Be careful if you’re planning on spawning your own. Contamination during the fermentation process has led to poisonings.

Photo from the midst of a Airag drinking contest: xfce

Airag is fermented horse milk that has its origins in Mongolia. This is just one of a number of fermented milk drinks. You can find Mageu in South Africa, Turks drink Kumis, and the Russians have Kefir. Not to be confused with Turkey’s Ayran, which has a yogurt base, Airag has a mild alcohol content and is said to be good for digestion.

Described by those who haven’t grown up with it as “milk with a kick” and “vomit inducing,” it seems more like a digestion preventative than a digestion aide. I guess if it can make it through the pipes – what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger, eh?

Feature Photo of an international drinks exchange: morrissey

Home Of The Hits: Motown. Photo: lizwade

The Marvelettes – Please Mr. Postman

Photo (and Feature Photo): dwhartwig

This was Motown’s first #1 pop single. The Marvelettes would follow with ten more hits, becoming the girl group archetype of all time. The track features the legendary backing band The Funk Brothers (with Marvin Gaye on drums here).

“Please Mr. Postman” tells the tale of a girl waiting for a letter from her boyfriend. For those born after 1985, a letter is a physical piece of mail that is delivered directly to your house by a ‘postman’, a person who is the conduit for the delivery of this letter (sort of a human Tweet).

MP3: Please Mr. Postman

The Contours – Do You Love Me?

Originally written for The Temptations, The Contours were in the right place at the right time. As the story goes, Berry Gordy became frustrated that The Temps weren’t in the studio after he penned the track and handed it to this lucky act (they were hit-less at the time).

“Do You Love Me” took on a second life after it was featured in “Dirty Dancing” but don’t hold that against it. It’s an impossibly hooky hit.

MP3: Do You Love Me

The Supremes – You Can’t Hurry Love

That bass line. Diana Ross. The Supremes’ 7th #1 hit . It’s impossible to replicate, although Phil Collins tried in 1982 and ended up with a #1 of his own (you can still hear it on the speakers in Walmart). This single finds The Supremes at their peak, when they rivaled The Beatles in popularity.

Photo: ClevelandSGS

MP3: You Can’t Hurry Love

Martha Reeves & The Vandellas – (Love Is Like A) Heat Wave

Dress it up as a song about love but I think that it’s really a song about being horny. Martha & The Vandellas hit paydirt with this single and followed with twenty-four charting songs, including “Dancing In The Street” and “Jimmy Mack”.

MP3: Heat Wave

The Jackson 5 – I Want You Back

This song is impossible to dislike – I dare you. “I Want You Back” was the big hit from their first album, Diana Ross Presents The Jackson 5.

It’s argued that Ross didn’t discover the band at all, rather that Motown knew it had a fantastic marketing angle by putting it forward that she had. Indeed sweet and juicy, “Bubblegum Soul” became the internal term used for music that The Jackson 5 made.

MP3: I Want You Back

Stevie Wonder – For Once In My Life

The song, written by Motown staff writer Ron Miller, is a great example of just how valuable Motown’s in-house writers were to the company’s success.

This up-tempo version by Wonder proved to be the biggest chart success (#2) but it has also taken on my many other lives, having since been recorded by The Temptations, Ella Fitzgerald, Tony Bennet and Frank Sinatra.

MP3: For Once In My Life

Brenda Holloway – Every Little Bit Hurts

Photo: murkredi

One hell of a breakup song. Considered by many a “lost” Motown artist, Holloway had relatively modest success beyond this single.

Favoring songs that she had written herself and living on the West Coast did not help Holloway, who many say could have been a bigger star had she not been on the label.

Many people have re-recorded this song, including a surprising take by The Clash.

MP3: Every Little Bit Hurts

The Four Tops – Reach Out, I’ll Be There

Another classic written in-house by Holland-Dozier-Holland, the team who largely defined The Motown Sound in the 1960’s.

Singer Levi Stubbs’ sing/shouting on this track is almost punk rock, given the times in which it was recorded.

You can practically see the levels ping to the right as he brings it to the chorus.

MP3: Reach Out, I’ll Be There

The Velvelettes – He Was Really Sayin’ Somethin’

The Velvelettes never made an album, instead releasing singles and never quite getting a big break. It must have been wildly frustrating to the members, who found themselves waiting in line as other Motown artists grabbed and recorded the big hits.

“He Was Really Sayin’ Somethin’” is one of the Motown greats from an act that could have had much more success, were they just a stitch luckier.

MP3: He Was Really Sayin’ Something

Smokey Robinson & The Miracles – I Second That Emotion

The Miracles were Motown’s first breakout artist, which came in part because Smokey Robinson was vice-president of the company.

This song switches up many of the romantic notions of the time; it revolves around woman who strings men along and just likes a little bit of nookie now and then.

Robinson, theoretically, is there waiting if she should change her mind and want a committed relationship.

MP3: I Second That Emotion

NOTE: Your best bet for a collection of Motown’s best is the stellar boxed set Hitsville USA, Vol. 1: The Motown Singles Collection 1959-1971

Community Connection:

Dig music lists? Be sure to check out Ten Songs By Musicians Who Died Too Soon. Our recent article on the best music blogs will also help keep your your iPod fresh!

Photo of Chicken Shit Bingo at Ginny’s Little Longhorn Saloon courtesy of the author

Ahhhh dive bars. The smells. The clientele. The homey feeling that says, yes, you can wear your pajamas here and no one will even look at you funny. And makeup? What make up?

“Come as you are,” says the dive bar. “I won’t mind, because at least you look better than Sheryl who lives 2nd bar stool to the right of the beer taps. You know Sheryl of the puckered cleavage and cackle seasoned with a mild windpipe obstruction?”

Whenever I move to a new place, I head straight for the dive bars. That’s where you get a feeling for the true heart of a city. The people you meet at dive bars are the real thing. I’ve lived in Austin, TX for a while now, and this city is rabid about its dive bars. I’m sure to piss off a few aficionados, but this is where I get my beer.

Photo of what you’ll be avoiding in Austin: Neeta Lind

One of the best things about Texas is the legality of the set-up bar. This means you bring your own liquor. Just about all of the dives mentioned here are set-up bars. They do sell beer, but bring your own bottle of Wild Turkey and for a few bucks you can get some ice and mixers and have yourself a good cheap drunk.

On Sundays, bring your lawn chair and maybe a cooler to the parking lot because the place gets packed for chicken shit bingo.

Pick a square, everyone gathers ‘round to watch, and if Sissy the chicken takes a shit on your square—you win!

Really, everyone wins when you can answer the question “What did you do with your Sunday?” with “Oh, I watched a chicken shit.” That’s what Hank “Big Billy” told me as he sweated in his trucker hat and spat some chaw into a styrofoam cup. Go there. You’ll meet him.

Photo: b+c+c+f

C-Hunt’s is a cash-only, BYOL establishment with a popcorn machine and a pool table. Don’t wear your flip-flops, though. There are usually rocks and assorted beer caps on the floor and you could injure some toes. Outside is a kick-ass patio with picnic tables and a massive vine overhead.

Most of the good dives are off Burnet Road. Burnet Road is the Mecca of Dives, and Austin itself is a Dive Bar Mecca. I guess that would mean C-Hunt’s is a Triple Mecca.

Get yourself a Lonestar, the National Beer of Texas, for a buck, and get some dirty, dirty jokes from the creepy owner for free. Can’t beat that deal.

Photo of the people you may meet: DC FIXX

This place hides out in far south Austin, and it’s the kind of place where the music stops and the regulars’ heads swivel around to stare at you when you walk in. “You from around here, boy?” Or girl, depending. I like to think that all the license plates on the wall are from the out-of-towners who got waylaid in the parking lot.

Nah, it’s not that bad. This place is honky-tonk, so it’s a good place to check out live music. And rednecks. Lots of rednecks.

If you’re under 50, you’re probably the youngest person here.

I like a place where you walk in and are reminded that people used to be able to smoke in bars – not because I’m a smoker, which I’m definitely not – but I am pro-freedom. Austin passed a smoking ban just last year. It gets more citified and Californicated every year – it was bound to happen.

Sam’s Town still has a cigarette machine. I think the deal is that this place is actually right outside the city limits (as in a few feet outside). This dive is right in the middle of a neighborhood, and the owner actually lives here. In the bar. I’d call that pretty welcoming.

You can smoke here too, and you’ll meet some characters. That could mean out of a horror flick, or just plain truck drivers.

You better like country, or you are out of luck at the Horseshoe. You have about five beer options and you’d better not order anything too fancy or you might get tossed out into the parking lot. I take my handy little flask here, because the sign on the door encourages it.

Last time I tried that at some snooty 6th Street bar they told me it was illegal and also to “get out.” Screw them.

The Horseshoe is always more fun anyway, and the staff is sweet. Watch for that guy that sells tamales, I think they’re awesome but it could be because I’ve never had one sober.

Most of the time, you will get to witness at least one good fight so wear your brawling shoes.

Photo: emdot

Another Burnet treasure. They do have a few bottles of liquor here, so you don’t get to bring your own.

The two ancient, cranky ladies that own/run the place decorate for Christmas year-round, or more truthfully they just never take the decorations down. There’s some back story about a death in the family and the dead person liking Christmas a whole lot, but honestly when I heard the story I was beyond remembering it the next day.

Note to self: when doing a bar crawl along Burnet, you will never remember anything the next day. Please remember to remember that next time.

This place is definitely in the city limits and there are definitely always people smoking when I pop in. Go during the week, it can get crowded on the weekends.

It’s right in the middle of the shadier part of the East side of town, which some people are afraid to drive through but which happens to be my neighborhood.

If you want to hear the blues or funk, go to TC’s.

Some nights there aren’t any white folk present, and that usually means that’s when the good blues is playing. This place gets packed, sweaty, when the music takes over and the whole place shakes with dancing in a slo-mo, hot southern night. Mondays are good, the cover is $3 but they have free food.

Photo: Jason Rosenburg

Donn’s is actually a depot, a refurbished old train station. I like trains, and I like bars, so I’m pretty happy when they’re both the same thing.

Be careful walking around in here, the floor seems to be several different levels just waiting for a drunk so it can cause a faceplant. Evil floor.

There’s a real train car in here, they have food, sometimes there are old ladies and sometimes there are hipsters, but Donn’s has survived most of the yuppification that has gone on in this part of Austin.

You can still get cheap drinks, but there is often a cover. I know this is a live music town, but I am a conscientious objector when it comes to covers.

The best things about Donn’s are that you can really say hi to Donn, and there is a stripper pole in the bathroom. I like stripper poles.

Anything goes in Ibiza. Even suds. Photo: elijah

You could say that Ibiza has a bit of a reputation for partying. The long, balmy Spanish nights seem to last forever, making it the only summer destination from which it is socially acceptable to return home without a tan. But with so many parties to go to and so many places to dance, how do you cram it all into just one week?

MONDAY

When you get off the plane, jump straight into the deep end and head for the world’s biggest nightclub to see the world’s biggest Trance DJ. Privilege hosts Tiesto and up to 10,000 partygoers every Monday night.

You don’t even need to worry about checking in at your hotel first. As I discovered last year, the coat check at the gift shop will look after your suitcase. The icing on the cake? The DJ booth floats on top of a swimming pool.

Privilege’d Party People Photo: robertocastrano

TUESDAY

Live rock music in Ibiza? Really? Isn’t this island supposed to be the spiritual home of dance music? Founded on the premise that dance kids like to rock and rock kids like to dance, Ibiza Rocks is the unexpected success story of the last few years.

Every Tuesday this year Ibiza Rocks plays host to the Ting Tings, the Klaxons and MGMT, just to name a few. Moreover, they now own their own hotel so you can host after parties worthy of rock stars.

WEDNESDAY

You’ve been on the island for two days now, so it’s probably time for a bit of a rest. Ibiza is famous for its sunsets – the best place to watch is Café Mambo on the sunset strip in San Antonio.

Not only will you have the thrill of watching the crowd cheer as night begins and the sun goes down, but often you can catch big name DJs warming up for their sets later that night – for free.

THURSDAY

Tonight, it’s time to check out the most famous club in the world: Pacha. The name is synonymous with celebrity, hedonism and glamour, and David Guetta’s Thursday night F*** me I’m Famous party is Pacha at its finest.

Letting It All Hang Out At Bora Bora. Photo: djmitchit

With the VIP, VVIP and VVVIP areas (yes, really) taking up well over two-thirds of dance floor, some question whether mere mortals are actually able to let their hair down and party. Even so, basking in Pacha’s unique vibe is a vital Ibiza experience and one you will come to love. The clincher? Destiny’s Child’s Kelly Rowland is their resident PA this summer.

FRIDAY

It’s Friday, you’ve now been in Ibiza for five days and you’ve still not found time to dance on the beach! Make amends and head down to Bora Bora Beach Bar in Playa d’en Bossa for some cheeky afternoon sangria.

Once you’re all danced out, it’s time to check out the more civilised side of Ibiza. Jump in a cab to KM5, one of Ibiza’s many laidback countryside restaurants. Loads of people say the best thing about Ibiza is the balance between crazy nights out and beautiful places to chill. KM5 and their outdoor cocktail lounge do that job nicely.

Ibiza Rocks Hotel Photo: 2411844@N07

SATURDAY

You know you’re in Ibiza when it’s four o’clock on a Saturday afternoon and you’re dancing in an abandoned zoo surrounded by people in fancy dress. The club on everyone’s lips this summer is The Zoo Project, taking over from the much missed DC-10.

Their Saturday daytime sessions are talk of the island and attract top underground DJ talent. You’ll definitely leave with stories to tell everyone back home.

SUNDAY

Can you still change your flight? Photo: martyworld

And finally, clubbing in Ibiza is almost synonymous with Sundays at Space. Dancing on the terrace on a Sunday afternoon has become the ultimate Ibiza institution. The former 22 hour We Love Space marathon now restricts itself to a mere 14 hours due to changes in club licensing laws, but that’s not held back the stream of massive international DJs that make up the line up every week.

Truly, nothing compares to this. Just make sure your sunglasses are suitably oversized and overpriced.

That only leaves one more decision. Once the sun comes up and the music turns down at 6am, will you be running to catch your flight? Or will you be running to the nearest internet café to change your flight home?

(It’s just across the road, in case the latter takes your fancy.)

What a flipping kitchen! Salmon dinner for under seven Euros? Score.

The guy in the TKA shirt lands his beer pong toss (“Take that mother…”) as the girl with curly hair is tongue-jamming her conquest, an Aussi guy who told me earlier that he was “gonna get that, mate.” A nineteen year old Canadian boy sits at the bar, downing shots of bottom-shelf rum.

He’s trying to keep up with the goopy-eyed girl from Portland who seems unable to discuss anything other than her boyfriend (“He totally lets me put eyeshadow on him.”). Somebody drops a glass. A pregnant pause. Then the whole place whoops as the party shifts into fifth gear.

The Villa Saint Exupery in Nice, France – recognized wordwide as classy dorm digs – is filled tonight with the same energy you’d feel at a Megadeth concert. This “relaxing” and “extraordinary” place is jammed with howling patrons who have a seemingly common purpose. Chaos.

It’s a real pity for the owners, who would probably be happier to have a clientele of calm, snifter-whiffing women in their thirties. There’s nothing that can disqualify soothing adjectives faster than a backpacker on the drink.

Still, there’s good reason that the hostel is sold out tonight – it does everything right. The staff is abundant, easily handling the 100+ residents in this converted monastery. They hand out maps and directions with less disdain than I’ve ever witnessed, answering the most routine questions with genuine smiles.

Forget your tampons? Rubbers? Pasta with sauce? No worries.

Two shuttle vans make nonstop runs to town and the airport. Laundry is washed and folded for five Euros. Vending machines sell anything that you could have forgotten back home, from shaving cream to condoms (mate).

Views of the Chapel which features an internet lab, an in-tune Piano and a rad fireplace.

A big, stainless steel kitchen gives plenty of room to move but few people make their own meals because the in-house chef (yes) is just so damned good. Eyes bulge at the heaping €6.50 dinner. On one occasion I was served roast veal with rosemary potatoes, ratatouille and green beans. The next night was some salmon concoction that looked straight a good episode of Top Chef. I caressed every piece of food with my fork before I ate it, just to make sure it was real and not some kind of too-long-on-the-road mirage.

The Chapel is the hostel’s star attraction. A massive room wrapped in a stained glass wall, it also features a balcony full of free, high-speed-charged computers. Strewn about are couches, a grand piano (in tune) and a wide-screen television. Outside of The Chapel are three sitting areas, one complete with a fireplace.

Instant Party and Disappearing Brownies

The bar is, as mentioned, quite alive. House beer and wine only relieve patrons of one Euro and late-night drinkers can always grab a brewskie from the vending machine. Plates of brick-sized brownies are also available at the bar, scarfed down as fast as they can be made. It’s the kind of room that is impossible to be lonely in.

The dorm rooms are a bit cramped, holding as many as thirteen beds. The designers realized that they weren’t going to win any prizes with the room space afforded to them, so they wisely opted to make the common areas so attractive that nobody would bother with beds, other than to sleep. Any complaints about the dorm rooms would seem common for most hostels – more showers, toilet paper, less inexperienced drinkers.

Chillout space? Check. A perfect place for a bottle of wine or a smoke.

The Villa Saint Exupery’s only downfall might not be its own doing. Reviews and articles about the hostel are so glowing that many people booking might not take into account that this is, after all, a playpen for backpackers.

Sadly, a dorm room is only as clean as its inhabitants.

It doesn’t matter how big the beds are – they’re still littered with empty peanut butter jars and Stephanie Meyer books.

The reviews give Saint Expupery a grand air – which it has in many ways – but no matter how you dress a hostel up, there’s still going to be the Australian dude slapping me on the back, talking about how he’ll get the girl who smells like Garniere Fructis.

A hostel is, still, just a hostel.

Community Connection:

Check out another one of our hostel raves, as well as our picks for best party hostels around the world. Our recent post about ’boutique hostels’ might also catch your eye, especially if you want to search for other hostels like Villa Saint Exupery.

Def Leppard’s Joe Eliot. As important as Robert Plant? We think not. Photo: shawna_mail

Sometimes, old rock bands are able to stay vital and relevant. Take the Rolling Stones – yes, they are a bit haggard looking, but the old bastards can still put on a great show. Or Sonic Youth, who’ve just released a new album and have remained influential for almost 30 years now, shunning convention all along the way. The following bands, not so much.

Aerosmith

This band has cancelled seven dates on their summer tour because Steven Tyler pulled a leg muscle. They’re now moving forward, but without bassist Tom Hamilton, who is recovering from “non-invasive” surgery. The good news is that guitarist Brad Whitford is back after emergency surgery, following an accident where he somehow bumped his head on his Ferrari. Seriously?

The phrase “the band is falling apart” is usually a figure of speech, but Aerosmith is actually physically disintegrating.

Aerosmith erodes. Photo: jaywestphotography

Def Leppard

Generally speaking, you might let nostalgia get the better of you on this one and say, “Oh well, let these 80’s metal dudes have their fun.” I would have agreed with you, until I read this quote from Def Leppard vocalist Joe Eliot in a 2006 Rolling Stone article:

“If we’re hair metal, so are Led Zeppelin. Warrant and Ratt were hair metal. We’re not. We were always better than that.”

Sugar Ray

After spending four years hosting gossip show Extra, lead singer Mark McGrath has apparently tired of working on douchey TV shows. His solution? A return to making douchey music. Witness Sugar Ray’s new album, Music for Cougars. I wish I was kidding.

The Dink From Sugar Ray. Photo: squirrelnut

Ozzy Osbourne

This one hurts. Ozzy was at one time one of the most badass rockers on the planet. He was the lead singer for Black Sabbath. War Pigs? C’mon man, it doesn’t get more badass than that song.

Somehow, all of this former glory makes his transformation into a feeble old man even more painful to watch. Seeing him shuffle around his mansion in slippers, appearing lost and trailed by a small army of yapping canines has completely vaporized the wild-eyed rocker image that took him decades to cultivate.

There are times when I see him onstage now, and I see the same expression on his face that I saw when volunteering at the local old folks home.

New Kids on the Block

Just when we’d rid ourselves of these smarmy monkeys, along came their more popular and insidious spawn, the Backstreet Boys and N’Sync. Somehow, we endured. Timberlake and Co. grew up, and the days of boy bands were behind us. Or so we thought. You can catch the now ironically-named “New Kids” at your local pavilion or amphitheater this summer.

Old Adults On The Block. Photo: nkotbofficial

Creed

Scott Stapp and his and the rest of the band will be back on tour starting this August, with a new album to follow. Cue insufferable rock-god poses.

Stapp is sporting a newly shaven head and will no doubt refer to this as a physical metaphor for putting the past behind him during interviews, if he hasn’t already. As long as he doesn’t get drunk, insult another band and get his ass kicked in a hotel lobby, Creed will be fine.

The thought of Scott Stapp inspiring such anger is almost funny though – it’s like getting mad at a bowl of oatmeal.

Scott Stapp. A Turn On? Photo: dinkgrave

Motley Crue

Last summer answered the dreams of garbage collectors and landscapers everywhere – Cruefest was born, offering up a summer staged by Motley Crue, Buckcherry, Papa Roach, Sixx:AM and Trapt. This year brings us Crue Fest 2: The White Trash Circus (yes, this is the real name), with Godsmack, Theory of a Deadman, Drowning Pool, and Charm City Devils.

Community Connection:

Music is alive and well at Matador. Be sure to check out our tips for this summer’s BEST shows, as well as our preview of music festivals in the UK. For more about Def Leppard, check out this post by Nights co-editor Tom Gates.

Photos – left: Bonfire Tacos, right: Bonfire Cocktail, both courtesy Adam Pieniazek

Here’s a pick of the best places to tuck in at the terminal.



Bonfire, Terminal B, Boston Logan International, USA


If the thought of eating steak with a plastic knife doesn’t deter you, then this outlet of the Todd English empire is hard to beat.

The South American influenced steaks and speciality cocktails will certainly keep you going well into your flight. If you’re looking for a lighter option, the cantina menu has an assortment of upscale tacos.

JFK airport also has two Bonfire restaurants (Terminals 2 and 7).




Ah Yee Leng Tong, Hong Kong Airport

Meaning ‘auntie’s beautiful soup’, the written name of this popular Chinese eatery implies that auntie is some sort of second wife or mistress.

Photo: taiyofj

Despite such illicit connotations, the kitchen dishes up a variety of wholesome Cantonese soups made from traditional blends of herbs and spices and served alongside such Asian delights as black chicken and Dim Sum. A great tonic for a hangover.
 



Altitude, Geneva International Airport, Switzerland


You know you can’t go wrong when two of the chefs at this establishment have a Michelin star for their city centre restaurant.

Photo of Jura Mountains from a plane: dsearl

A newcomer to the airport fine dining scene, Altitude opened in late 2008 to rave reviews. Glass windows line one side of the dining room, affording fantastic views across the tarmac to the Jura Mountains.

The creative dishes on the sophisticated French global menu range from the ‘Passagiatta Italiana’ (a stroll in Italy) to the ‘Voyage d’une Canette en Asie’ (Asian variations of ducking).

Eyecon, Terminal 2, Copenhagen Airport, Denmark

Scandinavian tapas, anyone? Eyecon is a bright and pleasant restaurant and watching the chefs in the open kitchen is a fun way to pass the time.

The focus is fresh and healthy; try the fish tapas featuring Danish salmon, prawns and fish plate.

The quick menu (3 small courses and a dessert all served within 15 minutes) is a great idea for those in a hurry.



Encounter, LAX, , Los Angeles, CA., USA

Encounter must be the world’s most bizarre airport restaurant. With its 135-foot high parabolic arches and futuristic design, it’s like a giant flying saucer.

Photo and Feature Photo: dannysullivan

Located in the heart of LAX, you don’t even have to pass security to come here.

The menu is typical modern Californian fare (ahi tuna tartare with seaweed salad) and there’s a fun cocktail lounge where you can sip on a Black Hole or The Milky Way.




Himmel & Erde, Terminal 1, Frankfurt, Germany 


Created and developed by local restaurateurs Harry Dehnhardt and Andreas Lucas, ‘Earth and Heaven’ has a trendy yet cosy atmosphere.

There’s a variety of stylish international dishes or try the German peasant dish after which the restaurant is named.

A hearty plate of pork/bacon, mashed potato and apple sauce, is great fuel for any onward journey.



One Flew South, Terminal E, Atlanta Hartsfield, USA 


Claiming to be the first upscale restaurant in the world’s busiest airport, One Flew South serves ‘Southernational cuisine.’

Photo: Franco Folini

How about the pan roasted snapper with collard greens and crab grits? Many of the dishes have an Asian twist and there is an extensive sushi menu as well.

The calm interiors are made of native heart pine and you feel like you’re sitting in the woods in Georgia.

Plane, Terminal 5, London Heathrow, UK 


Plane is Gordon Ramsay’s first airport addition to his international restaurant realm.

Photo: kalleboo

Hoping to bring a little class to air travel (though judging by his language, not a personal aim), Plane has a Michelin-worthy menu and offers 3 course picnics for travellers on the go.

The clean and aerodynamic lines of the restaurant’s ultra-modern interior are evocative of flight itself.


Top Air, Stuttgart Airport, Germany 


Photo from inside the Stuttgart Airport: brewbooks

Chef Claudio Urru is a bit of a food fanatic and his belief in ‘less is more’ must be working as Top Air is the only Michelin starred restaurant within an airport.

Can’t decide between the Wagyu beef or the New Zealand langoustines?

Make sure you leave room for the chocolate souffle and Riesling ice cream.

The outstanding views overlooking the runway and the mountains of Schwäbische Alb match the quality of the food.


The Hump, Santa Monica Airport, California, USA


People come to Santa Monica airport just to eat sushi at The Hump.

Photo: stevelyon

With the fish flown in oxygen-filled tanks daily from the markets of Tokyo, it’s no surprise.

If you’re lucky enough to have your own plane, parking is available for light and twin-engined aircraft right outside the door.

If you want to know the best place to grab a bite at your local airport, check out the following forums for insider tips: Chowhound.com, FlyerTalk.com and AirlinePilotForums.com