Monthly Archives: August 2013

For The Weekenders: Revisiting The 1920s, DJs Calling The Shots, Partying It Up At A Gas Station

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Jazz. Booze. Dancing. Comfy lounge sitting areas. Eye candy. Great DJs.

I remember being a DJ. *sigh* good times.

I want all of this packed into my soon approaching weekend…especially the latter two of the aforementioned.

janet-jackson-sexy

….and so do you. A little presumptuous, you may say – but read on my defensive friend, and enjoy. After all – would I ever steer you wrong? 😉 So let’s cut to the chase.

Lately I’ve been listening to The Shanghai Restoration Project – and the other day while driving recalled a memory of a conversation a good friend of mine had with me in university. He’s from Shanghai, and I remember the history lesson he gave me on how jazz was actually banned there. This got me thinking – dammit, it’s time for a bit of jazz appreciation – which brings us to Tomoka.

Tomoka 2

It’s always good to start your weekend off with something relaxing and comfortable – like a warm-up before a workout…and Tomoka can help you with just that. Imagine what it was like back in your great, great grandparent’s era – before all the wrinkles. When you think about it….in terms of jazz and swing music – they had some kick ass stuff.

In this instance – I say let’s totally respect our elders. They knew music before we even knew what sound was. Tomoka lays it down with a unique setting, great music and aesthetics that take you back to that special time and place in history. It’s best to get a reservation – trust me it’s gonna be needed – Tomoka is tucked away beneath McCoy’s on 89 MacDougal St (at Bleecker) in New York – who’s kitchen you’re escorted through to reach the downstairs access of this little gem.

Tomoka 3

Order up two Irish car bombs, or a drink of your own creation (the bar tenders are flexible) grab a seat, prepare for some live jazz, and enjoy.

Alright – so maybe you wanna skip the warm-up and just jump straight into the thrills. Fine. Fine. Don’t appreciate the hybrid mix of old and new. Instead, grab the hottest friends and flings you can find and get your bum over to Audio Discotech…and keep in mind – this isn’t for the faint of heart. Prepare to party. Hard.

It's like watching a replay of the front door of that club I went to back in uni all over again.

It’s like watching a replay of the front door at that club I went to back in uni all over again.

Okay so maybe I lied – about the moving on from old and new. Audio Discotech does the same thing, except more 70s retro aesthetic. Imagine a sunken dance floor, neon lights, infinity mirrors, and so many DJs you start losing track of who to ask to play what song.

Did I mention those crazy neon lights also sync to whatever the DJs are playing at any given moment? Yeah….oh and there’s not sitting allowed – you heard me, no sitting. I won’t allow it. This is not the environment for lounging and intriguing conversation – if you’re here, you’re here to dance and nothing less. So don’t get too comfortable, unless it’s on the dance floor…to which you should prepare yourself for numerous eargasms.

"Give me a high five because that was legen-WAITFORIT-dary...!"

“Give me a high five because that was legen-WAITFORIT-dary”

Try not to work up too much of a sweat though – nobody likes sweaty. If you’re really worn out and need a quick breather, then shuffle over to either of the two bars they have and ask the bar tender for a refreshment. While you wait, take in the sights and sounds, because this is one for the books. Expect yourself to have such a great time this night out becomes more than just a cocktail story, but an experience remembered for years to come.

Remember how I mentioned in Musings Episode 22 about saving your cash for places that are TOP quality…? Now’s the time – if you’re gonna blow your money – blow it on Audio Discotech, and nothing less.

table-service

You’ll be glad you did.

You know I just realized – ironically, it’s Labor Day weekend, and for 1-2 hours I will be doing laborious work – quick side story – today I hopped into my car only to hear an obnoxiously loud squealing/dragging sound coming from the rear wheels. Turns out my lover of 8 years needs new brake pads. So I strolled right back into my place and ordered some.

Speaking of automobiles and the like – your next stop for the weekend will be related to just that – vehicles….and service stations. Mostly service stations. Except a unique, original one – the kind that has DJs and proper alcohol – as in a full bar, not a little section of an aisle.

Did I mention a dance floor, too? Well, that’s what you’re going to get with The Station.

Why yes, those are tables made out of tires.

Why yes, those are tables made out of tires.

If three of my buddies from the auto auction came to me and said they wanted to gut a gas station and make a night club out of it, I’d be the first one to throw down the initial investment.

That’s exactly what a group of club savvy gentlemen did when they started up this establishment, and I’ve gotta say bravo, dear brethren. This place shouts originality, maintaining all the key elements of an old gas station and combining those with an all-night after hours dance club.

The Station Dance Floor 2

Open from 10 p.m. to 10 a.m., this is one you save for Saturday night when you’re rested up and ready for a round of tequila and never-ending string of good beats. Grab that fling you’ve been seeing for a while and watch as they begin to realize the reasoning behind your undying passion for all things automotive.

Two drinks in hand, shuffle over the nearest shadowy corner and sip slowly as you warm up for the dance floor with conversation of camshafts, engine blocks, and the real reason behind your love for manual transmissions. Then take them by the hand and lead them outside to both a dance floor and playground of furniture crafted out of packaging crates and tires – it’s more classy than it sounds.

The Station Dance Floor

And that’s it. From here, you’ll know what to do…I hope.

So get out there, explore, have some fun, and don’t go home until you have a story that begins with “Remember that one time when…”

I’ll leave you with this song to get your weekend off and kicking. Sexy, soothing, and always refreshing….practically legendary – a little of J.J.

Stay cool. 😉

– Rego

For The Weekenders: Revisiting The 1920s, DJs Calling The Shots, Partying It Up At A Gas Station is a post from and appeared first on Rego’s Life

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“When love and…

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Musings: Quote Wednesdays…

I got so into writing this week’s “For The Weekenders” post, I completely forgot to schedule this one…! Sorry about that…but it’s here now – enjoy.

“When love and skill work together, expect a masterpiece.” – John Ruskin

Pretty self-explanatory – do what comes easiest to you, what you love to do, and you’ll achieve nothing less than perfection. If you can come easily think of something that you would enjoy doing all day, everyday, for the rest of your life – hone and perfect that passion and you could very well turn it into a lucrative opportunity.

I remember when I used to fence – foil and ĂŠpĂŠe were my two favorite forms…almost everyday I fenced, and more and more I considered making it a career. The more I considered it, the more I practiced, the better I became, and the better chance I had at it. Persistence makes practice – and practice makes perfect.

Stay awesome.

– Rego

Musings Episode 22: College Life…

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So I met up with a friend at a bar last night, and no more than five minutes as I walk in they’re explaining to one of their buddies how they’re taking an oath to quit drinking until December.

…………

…………………..

………………………………..

Yeah....sure.

Yeah….sure.

Their reason….? They’re going for their Master’s degree. So they’re trying to “straighten up” during school time.

I don’t believe it’s all about just “straightening up” or being super hard on yourself.

I remember my university days….it was epic. Topics I liked. Classes I could take naps in. Great lounge bars I could go out to. Great pre-hangover places I could eat at…which lead to no hangover.

Do you even get hangovers anymore

Mind you this was only in the second year.

The first year I was hell bent on studying – I’d done all my drinking/clubbing/partying a good while before I decided to attend university…and that in itself was a real education. So I was burnt out from all that.

I think the only downside to going to uni was the limited time I had available for travel…but even then not so much, because with a smooth tongue and a skill for writing I practically had money thrown at me to travel places for “educational purposes”. Taking up Rhetoric and Logic also played a big part in my high school days as well…

SmoothTalker

…that and learning to talk to practically everyone during my party days *nods*.

Don’t get me wrong – I learned a lot. I know far more about how businesses run in other countries than I would’ve ever known had I not tried my hand at such opportunities.

There’s a certain thing about college life. It’s a time freeze between not quite growing up and the real world. It’s both haze and fantasy – for those who go straight from high school to college, it seems like ultimate freedom…but for those who take a break from the academic world and then come back to it on a level such as university/college – it’s kind of a joke.

A joke as in, sometimes, more often than not, a person can often find themselves looking around at everyone who’s freaking out, getting drunk, acting out, doing completely moronic things and think “holy shit…is this all people think there is to life…?”

drink gpa

This too, is a joke…and if it were the truth – all my friends in England would’ve failed miserably instead of getting epic careers all over the fucking world. Nice try, extremist chart maker.

When you avoid the what I like to call “trap” of going straight from high school to college/university – some, if not a lot of, things get shifted into perspective.

First, you discover that there’s more to life than trying to fit into a group or become the hottest thing since hot apple pie.

Next, you discover that people outside of a close, concentrated academic environment exist – and guess what…? It’s not all about cliques.

Then, you discover how glad you were that you grew up with a mix of public, private, and homeschooling – because the real world is waaaay different than 12 solid years of being around the same damn people (thank God I dodged that bullet).

Alright, so everyone’s story is different, and maybe that last sentence only applies to a few – but that’s not my point. My point is, college life can teach you a lot about yourself – if you play your cards right.

keep-calm-and-play-your-cards-right-3

Rule number 1: It’s not always about drinking.

Rule number 2: It’s not always about getting the top grade.

Rule number 3: It’s not always about following the herd.

Rule number 4: It’s no always about shying away from the herd.

For many, if they’ve never lived on their own before, college is more like a crash course – an easy, fluff version of a crash course, mind you, if mum and dad are still supporting you – but a crash course nonetheless.

How did I spend so much money

I went to university in England…oh, and as a side note – I use college/university interchangeably throughout this whole post – due to the sole reason in the states, college is equivalent to university, BUT university in the UK is not  equivalent to college – yet instead college is a precursor to uni. So it’s merely for the sake of grammatical relation across the board.

Right, so to continue….

I went to university in England – and I remember seeing students wait around for their student loans to come in…I remember the dialogues well – they were too funny not to.

“Aw man…I need my student loans like now…I’m totally skint from this month”

“What happened?”

“All the nights out…I’ve been at The Adelphi almost every night this week, too…plus me and a few mates went up to Blackpool last weekend…..but I’m gonna spend this one a bit better – I need groceries, new shoes, and I’ve gotta get a couple books I’ve not been able to find at the library.”

“Aww, that sucks. I’m in the same spot…and the pressure of my assessment being due right around the corner hasn’t been much help either. So hey – once you do get a top up how about we head over to Roper or Revolution? They’ve got drink specials going on.”

“Definitely, let’s go.”

Bloody Mary Prayer

The best part was when the deposit dates drew nearer, nearly everyone heard these sort of conversations, and when walking down the street you’d see the queue of students at the ATMs on campus around 8 o’ clock at night. I couldn’t help but laugh…not at them, more with them.

I used to be one of those students in that line. Not for the same reasons – not really pressed for cash in the usual way most of them were.

Not going to college right away was a sort of cheat sheet, for me at least…and it can, and should be, for a lot of other people.

For those of you that missed out or are about to miss out on that opportunity, however, let me shoot a few pointers your way….also PLEASE note – these pointers apply to ALL aspects of life…not just college/university. It’s a quick rundown, no more than 3 points, so don’t worry about settling in for a nap.

Managing your money is probably the first thing anyone should learn, no matter what age or what they’re doing, whether it’s schooling or career, business or just being a bum.

Drinking, is not as bad as everyone thinks – if done in moderation. For one, to an extent and with the right balance, it can open up entirely new ways of thinking….just look at all the great writers 😉

Power of moonshine

Anything’s beneficial in moderation. Except exercise – the sky’s the limit with exercise so there’s a benefit all the way. The key with drinking here though is to cut back a little on your nights out to just any old bar, and instead live like the Swedes – host house parties if you’ve got the space…the booze are less and you can use your money on other nights where the places are TOP quality, and nothing less.

Grocery shopping and what not isn’t as hard as many may think. It’s just what you eat that’s key. If you grab a good healthy cookbook, that uses a few consistent ingredients, you’ve got yourself a gold mine – which means more money to stash aside and reinvest, and more money to celebrate with because you picked a great handful of investments. So go ahead…step away from that pizza box and cup of ramen.

Grab a few solid credit cards, do NOT use them to spend stupidly – take your core bills, charge them off those credit cards according to category, and prepare to watch time leverage work in your favour….

just don’t forget to pay the bill, in full, and on time – as mentioned in my Musings Episode 19. Execute this properly and you’ll be rolling in dough.

wads-cash-006

Lastly, focusing intently on something and stressing out over it gets you nowhere.

Why? Because when you spend time running around focusing on “how is this going to get done, I’ve got this going on and this to do, the deadline’s this, the demands are that, yadda yadda yadda.”

No.

Stop the mental chatter…and focus on what’s good for you. First thing in the morning, get up to complete silence, and meditate. It doesn’t have to involve incense, it doesn’t have to involve a pray room, it doesn’t even have to involve focusing on the things that are priority. It just focuses on what’s good for you. What makes you tick, what makes you think, what makes you driven, and what makes you push forward. What makes your blood boil, what makes life life, for you.

That’s what needs to be focused on. The success will come and the anxiety will deaden, with minimal effort on your part, and a few small, simple solutions.

The thing here is to not lock onto all the issues in life – but lock onto the main things that you know will get you ahead, while having fun….then take those “issues” and try making Limoncello out of them 😉

Once you learn how to do this….

Then you’re in the right direction headed to the right track…and remember….

even-if-you-are-on-the-right-track-you

…so you know what to do.

Hope this helps…

– Rego

Musings Episode 22: College Life… is a post from and appeared first on Rego’s Life

For The Weekenders: Ziplining at Venice Beach, Cash in Sulphur, Tango in New York

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You know that little voice inside your head that you always hear? You know – the one that helps you make important decisions and what not. Well, if I’m right, it should be telling you this weekend that you’re in desperate need of a bit of adrenaline…a little bump (no, not the drug kind, you smack head…jesus. Go sit with Woodhouse in the corner).

Well there’s good news – you can get that – the adrenaline rush – and a lovely bird’s-eye view of some choice eye candy at Flightlinez Venice Beach. Where epic action movie sequence meets board walks and bikinis.

Venice Beach Bikini Bar

…if you wimp out, there’s always the bikini bar to hold your head in shame.

God knows I need a thrill…and this is the perfect place to get it, at 30 mph and five stories above sea level, there’s no excuse and no one to judge you when you gleam like a little school girl/guy inside through 30 seconds of almost-free-falling fun. It costs just twenty bucks to grab an experience like this, and if you’re a Venice beach resident that gets knocked down to $15….for those of you who look like you’re 12 – you could potentially get lucky and only pay $10. For those of you who don’t – I’d recommend catching up on your beauty sleep.

So once you get a little loaded (buzzed, sloshed, call it what you may) I recommend heading down to this epic landmark and giving it a spin. You can’t go wrong because it’s just about as much fun as those glory days of seeing just how crazy you were and just how high you could jump from the swings in the park – you know, before you grew some “common sense” (pfft….). If a 30 second free fly isn’t enough, they offer re-rides for just five more dollars. The price of….not-being-on-the-ground freedom.

Venice Pic 2

Hopefully you’ll “zip” a bit more gracefully and look far more courageous than the fellow in black and red.

So after the adrenaline pump, it’d probably be a good idea to wind down at a spa….before hitting up the casinos. Hey – don’t look at me like that. I’m not much of a gambler – but I have a weak spot for Baccarat…and you should too – it’s quite fun 😉

Better yet why not do all of this in an Artesian hotel – as in, The Artesian Hotel, Casino, and Spa in Oklahoma. Don’t be fooled – Oklahoma isn’t just good for growing okra – but taking a load off and enjoying the less simplistic pleasures in life too. Like whirlpool baths….and insanely skilled massages. You’ll be so relaxed you won’t even feel tense at the table when you’ve just pocketed $500 in luck from Black Jack 21 and can’t decide whether to continue or leave.

Word of advice – house always wins. Take it and bow out gracefully and head to the bar for ONE drink. Let’s not spend all your earnings.

Artesian 3

It doesn’t stop there – they also offer cleansing treatments for when you wanna be pampered after all that relaxing and massaging. Oh and get this – the water for the treatment is drawn from the same well that served as a centerpiece for the original Artesian Hotel…meaning it must be pretty damn nice. After a hard day’s (or hour’s) worth of gambling, go ahead and relax in your room, that’s decked out with beds soft enough to make you feel as if you’re sleeping on a cloud – and decor that was painstakingly put together by the finest interior decorators.

Besides a casino, there’s also tons more to do in the area…but that’s for next time. Instead, grab some dinner poolside downstairs – you’re going to need all the calories you can get…because it’s next stop, New York.

Malbec Dining Room

…and by New York I mean Malbec and Tango House. A wine bar and restaurant that isn’t just about drinking wine and stuffing your face – but watching people tango furiously while you drink wine and stuff your face. First, you start off upstairs – don’t try to be a hero here, the world of wines is a complicated one, and to the less skilled can really make a meal taste awful. So even if you are with that perfect 10 date, request the sommelier’s advice. Two reasons – a) you won’t look like you’re trying to impress; b) you’ll actually get a wine that goes perfectly with your meal. Order by the glass or a carafe. There’s more wine drinking to be had downstairs.

Next you head downstairs and either order up more wine or some choice cocktails before the show starts, and pick a good seat while you’re at it.

Preferably next to the graffiti...for now.

Preferably next to the graffiti…for now.

I recommend the Chichibirra – souvignon blanc, limoncello, ginger beer and some berries thrown in for fun. For your date, order the Cha-cha-cha – it has some history behind it (a historic cocktail known from 1945) which you can explain while she/he sips slowly hanging on every interesting word. It’s also comprised of Apricot brandy, Old Tom gin, peach puree, and sparkling wine…meaning it kicks ass in flavor.

Finally, onto the show – the show being nightly (yes nightly) tango theater. For this I recommend getting a good seat, so make sure you reserve a VIP box. You’ll like the intimate feel.

Malbec Tango Area 2

From there it’s smooth sailing (like it hasn’t been all this time) with conversation, drinks, and tango.

Just be sure not too drink too much.

I’ve yet to test their policy of getting up on stage with the pros. If you do…

Tell them I sent you.

😉

– Rego

For The Weekenders: Ziplining at Venice Beach, Cash in Sulphur, Tango in New York is a post from and appeared first on Rego’s Life

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“Every block of…

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Musings: Quote Wednesdays…

“Every block of stone has a statue inside it and it is the task of the sculptor to discover it.” – Michelangelo

Everyone has huge potential inside of them – for more than just one thing. We all have many strengths, and many weaknesses. I say let your strengths flourish, as building your weaknesses may distract you from the massive potential you have hidden in other areas you’re already excelling at…which may be more than one – so don’t limit yourself to mastering just one skill – but be the best at everything.

Stay cool.

– Rego

Musings Episode 21: Get Organized…

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Last week was crazy….and it doesn’t stop there, no, it continues onto this week. Long story short, I have a business associate I’m working with on trying to finish up a brand new, completely revamped commercial property, who is all over the board – no sense of organization or time allocation whatsoever…and it’s just about damn near driving me up the wall.

The project we’re both working on together, has been like molasses once it gets out of the bottle – initially, it trickles down slowly, reaching the spout – but once it does….it all comes out as if a landslide. Stopping it takes a bit of skill and you’ve gotta be quick enough to catch it all without spillage.

molasses

That’s pretty much the same thing I’m dealing with with the tasks at hand – it’s at the landslide part. Because of lack of organization in the beginning – everything, and I do mean everything is having to be done last minute. Now, if you were to hang out with me and get to know me on a week to week basis, over the years you would discover when it comes to business – or most things for that matter – one thing I absolutely despise is leaving things until the last minute.

It’s impractical. Leaves room for mistakes. Work gets sloppy, because things must be done in a rush and much faster. Things get forgotten, details overlooked, and in the end having to go back and correct/complete the overlooked/forgotten things actually just ends up creating more work, that takes more time.

too-damn-high-meme-generator-your-stress-level-is-too-damn-high-466d8c

Disorganization is not my friend.

Some people thrive in diving into a project where everyone’s flying by the seat of their pants. Others, like myself, don’t mind building a structured system to apply to a project that’s currently all over the board – but not often.

Getting organized really isn’t that hard. It just takes a few small simple steps on a day to day basis, until you can pretty much put everything on “auto pilot”. I’ve always liked the sound of that – maximizing time efficiency. Don’t get me wrong – I’m not at all a fan of things such as auto bill pay or cars that drive themselves.

car_accident_meme-www.memegen.com_

I’m just one who appreciates shaving off a few minutes – even hours – here and there so I can enjoy the most of my day. It could be as simple as setting things out a certain way so I can breeze through my daily routine, or creating “systems” in my work to speed up the process of certain things. Even when I plan a great night out, I’ll have it laid out down to the minute detail – always of course, with room for flexibility. What I dislike, is when minds can’t be made up or large amounts of uncertainty.

Some things are made to where they seem more efficient but really end up being less so and take up more time. A good example of this is voice text – okay, so I get the basic concept and all, but honestly, has anyone really tried that shit out…? Even if you calibrate it to recognize the way you say certain words, it can still fuck up pretty bad. I’m a stickler for the smart phones with the Qwerty keyboards….like the LG Mach. At least if you make a mistake it’s purely your own grammatical error. Instead of…eh…I don’t know, implying you want someone’s grandpa dead.

auto-correct-cover

….or implying you have a strange addiction to certain foods…

applesauce

….or you know…just getting plain frustrated with the auto correct feature and not even being able to express said frustration.

Last one I swear.

Last one I swear.

The amount of time spent correcting mistakes made by the phone’s auto correct or voice recognition takes longer than banging out a simple text that just requires a bit of dexterity and finger work – today, I still have a Qwerty keypad phone for my personal use, and a regular “swype” keypad as one of my business phones.

But back to the main subject – being organized basically means putting a little bit of effort in day to day, so you don’t have one collective pile of stuff that’s been pushed aside coming back and slapping you in the face like an overwhelmed teen who just found out they’re pregnant.

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The main thing here is to sort out the simplest things first, then work a structured plan and pace of action for the bigger fish you have to fry. Anything last minute has a bigger chance of going tits up…and and anything that’s “put aside” until later has a bigger chance of becoming unnecessarily overwhelming. If you try focusing on the biggest things first all the time, or worse, jumping from one project to the next simultaneously, you can potentially end up taxing your brain too much.

Wanna know how successful people really get things accomplished? They take more breaks. They stop multi-tasking….and the avoid bullshit time-consuming things, such as going back and forth with e-mails, instead of just picking up the goddamn phone.

American Reunion - Jason Biggs Talking On Phone

There’s loads of ways that you can get organized. I may be elaborating on this in a later post. For now, this is more of a rant – I know, I’m usually not one to rant, but jesus christ disorganization is a pet peeve of mine…actually no – I don’t even want to call it a “pet.” It’s a pain in the bum.

Look out for this Thursday’s “For The Weekenders” post….I can guarantee I’ll be doing every single thing on the list…maybe even for a week…or three….thousand.

Stay cool.

– Rego

Musings Episode 21: Get Organized… is a post from and appeared first on Rego’s Life

For The Weekenders: Not-So-Serious Fitness Fun, Hot Springs and Spas, Gin Distillery Getaways

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This week I’ve been a little more pumped than usual about doing healthy activities, and way more engaged in my fitness routine (not that I haven’t been before). I’ve been thinking of some great obstacle course events to join again for quite some time now – though can’t get any of my fitness crowd friends to sign up for a Spartan race with me. Oh well….if anything, there’s always the less serious course called ROC. Aka Ridiculous Obstacle Challenge.

Finally....and excuse to wear my Spider-Man costume.

Finally….an excuse to wear my Spider-Man costume. (Sorry DC Comics.)

Clearly, you can see why it’s called ridiculous. Ridiculous…but fun. The best part is they have these obstacles all over the Unites States and Canada. So what do you do? Well…grab some friends, register for the event and buy the tickets. Then, suit up for the occasion. If bringing a group of more than five, I recommend dressing like The Avengers. Grab first dibs on Iron Man because well…he’s awesome. Or Thor….Thor works too.

Grab your Gatorade and hydrate well…because you’re in for a swarm of moon bounces, wrecking balls, gorilla bars and Tarzan swings. Don’t be fooled – though this sounds fun, it’s also just a pinch of a challenge. I mean come on – you’ve gotta lose some calories for the live music and beer garden afterwards. Yes – there are rewards for acting like your 5 years old again. Rolling around the mud and all. It’s 5k…so make sure your cardio levels are up. Who am I kidding – it’s not a real race, just an excuse to let loose. So have fun.

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Lots and lots of fun.

What about after all that (partially) exhausting running around…? You’re used to being pampered, and after a day of being in the mud my guess is you’re looking for a manicure and a deep massage…maybe a soak in a Jacuzzi. Well, forget the Jacuzzi – it’s time to upgrade to better things – like hot springs. That’s right – if you’re gonna do it, might as well do it right – and the right way is the one with natural healing agents.

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Prepare to feel those sore muscles relax.

I won’t lie…it’s been a stressful week for me. Somehow, I ran into the unfortunate incident of being screamed at by a midget. A midget. Don’t get me wrong – I have nothing against the little people….but damn – hostility much?

Which is why if you do choose to check out Jefferson Springs this weekend – you may just run into me there. Be sure to smile, say hello, share some stories. I don’t bite – might hug though. *shrugs* it’s been emotional. Anyway back on track – you’re probably wondering why it’s called Jefferson Springs and where the heck it’s located. Well, for starters, you can find these epic hot springs at Canyon Ranch SpaClub at the Omni Homestead, located in Hot Springs (go figure), Virginia .

Now for a little history lesson. To put it simply – after your well deserved massage and a bit of archery, you’ll be soaking in the same waters Thomas Jefferson once did back in August of 1818. It was a 22 day visit…the guy had rheumatism, apparently. Maybe that was an excuse, who knows, either way, the place is nice. So nice, that he logged his stay (and the price – only $2.12 per day, back in his time), and wrote (bragged) to his daughter that it was one of the finest springs in America….and voila. It was named in his honor.

After all that soaking, get creative with some buddies and reenact a battle scene off of Assassin’s Creed 3. For all you know, it may bring you closer to TJ’s life in the 1800’s…even if the timeline is a little off – *shrugs* still a good excuse.

Alright so you’re all detoxed and renewed and what not…what’s a great way to finish off a weekend? A field trip. To a gin distillery. That also makes whisky…and vodka….and we can’t forget rum. I’m talking about CH Distillery conveniently located in Chicago, IL right off the I-94, between Clinton and (can you believe it) Jefferson. Remember those field trips to the water plants when you were in grade school as a kid? Well, think another form of liquid, and there you go.

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In case you’re wondering what the “CH” in their name stands for – it’s pretty simple. I’ll give you chem students a chance to think on that one for a minute.

…….no? Haven’t figured it out yet? Alright well….CH is, simply put, carbon and hydrogen. the key components in alcohol. So basically, when you visit here, you’ll get to see these guys make their spirits from scratch – in their state of the art facility. The best part is, you can raise your glass in pride the next time you toast, because they also support their local community – everything is both grown and harvested locally. So the money stays where it should be. Quality…consideration….attention to detail….

What better reason to support drinking?

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Get this – you can sip on your G&T while watching how that same gin in your glass is made…talk about being close to the farm. Speaking of farm – there’s food too. If you’re on a date, remember this post and you can give him/her a little background on the place – it’ll make you seem more cultured – especially to the girls…girls dig cultured 😉

They also have bottles to go – so you can move it from the bar stool to your decked out skyline view city pad.

Gotta love Chicago.

– Rego

For The Weekenders: Not-So-Serious Fitness Fun, Hot Springs and Spas, Gin Distillery Getaways is a post from and appeared first on Rego’s Life

“Well timed silence…

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Musings: Quote Wednesdays….

“Well timed silence hath more eloquence than speech.” – Martin Farquhar Tupper

Pretty appropriate for this week. Sometimes, it’s better to keep quiet than say anything – with the right timing, it can work to your advantage. This can work in social situations such as arguments, stories, and deep discussions to add more impact. Often, it helps because you actually think about what to say, before you even say it.

Stay cool.

– Rego

Musings Episode 20: Early Retirement…

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This past week I went out of town on business. The place I stayed in was great – beautiful beach front resort with all the bells and whistles – they pretty much won a Four Diamond award, if that’s not grounds to be impressed I don’t know what is. I’m talking about Costa d’ Este – if you haven’t been or are looking for a great place to holiday I highly recommend checking them out. Ask for an ocean view room, second floor.

So anyway, after a reluctant, late and drawn out night of “shooting the breeze” with business associates, I wake up incredibly hungover – pretty much facing up to the fact the gym will have to wait until the evening time. Yet besides the hangover, I feel great – and after grabbing a bottle of water, plop myself back into bed admiring the view.

Second floor view from my balcony.

Second floor view from my balcony.

I slowly start getting ready for the day, while listening to some chill sounds of bossa nova floating out of the in-room speakers they provide for your iPod…and when I finally am dressed, the pounding headache and insurmountable weakness from alcohol felt suddenly disappears – and the same feeling that’s always pushed me to do more and be better comes over me.

It’s the feeling of wanting more, wanting to see more, wanting to do more. It  made me think of my retirement plans and how I’ve been slowly but surely building up to the ideal lifestyle I’ve had in mind for years. In experiencing all this, I wanted to share my thoughts and some discussions I’ve had regarding retirement – when I say retirement, it’s not at all what the typical meaning of it is nowadays. I’m not at all talking about going someplace nice to die once someone’s reached past the age of 65…because really when you think about it, that’s the type of retirement that’s been pitched for decades…and it’s downright depressing.

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The kind of retirement I’m talking about is enjoying life now, and coming up with a way of having a consistent stream of income with minimal effort – automated practically. A lot of people raised on the standard society model deem this impossible and foolish. Even back in my university days I once had a (friendly) debate with a mate of mine who was a real penny pincher, and believed that he should be a miser so all the money he saved could be enjoyed when he turned 65.

Whenever I hear this type of logic I have a tendency to ask someone – what if they saved all that money then died the next day after they finally go to cash out? What would they have to account for it….? What could they say they did that was extraordinary with their life? What would they say they missed out on that they wished they did…?

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Too often people are concerned about saving money for retirement, instead of saving money or utilizing credit in a sound way to build a business (see my Musings Episode 19) to where it pays you. Little do they know by the time you save that money, inflation’s already devalued it and you end up having less by the time your skin turns wrinkly. I want everyone to learn and understand that waiting until you get older is a played out method of thinking of things, and enjoying life in general. There’s no joy in going to pick up that sports car you wanted 30 years ago only to drive it slow as all get out because you’re older now.

Retirement doesn’t have to mean being over the hill and waiting until the beginning of the month for your pension check or social security – retirement can be right now – from mini holidays to treating yourself to something you’d usually steer clear of because “it’s the responsible thing to do”. I’m not saying go out there and blow your life savings on a Ferrari – that’s beyond stupid.

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What I am saying is instead of planning for decades ahead, shift your focus instead towards creating an actual bucket list and starting with the simplest things to accomplish right now. If you already have a bucket list go over the things you set out to do and have accomplished, and work with it the same way – at least if you get the simplest things out of the way the bigger goals may seem like less of a challenge.

Early retirement doesn’t have to mean having all the money in the world – it can simply mean taking small steps towards your goals bit by bit. It doesn’t mean stop working all together – it simply means finding ways to check off certain things from that mental list you’ve always had. It means turning that mental list, into an actual hardcopy list.

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The first place to start is imagination. It sounds childish – but really the main song that was ever so popular in the original Willy Wonka’s Chocolate Factory movie never rang so true. As we age, we’re taught that imagination is for kids, and that it’s time to face the real world and focus on real responsibilities. Yet no one every told us that if we continued to use our imagination, we could potentially and almost certainly come up with even better ways to take care of those responsibilities – hell, possibly even easier ways, no doubt.

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I know that this may sound like a sort of rant but really it’s just a collection of thoughts I’ve had jumping around in my head for a while, that resurfaced into actual structured paragraphs and sentences since Vero. I want everyone to experience the great parts of life now, not later. There’s so much more to it than getting up and doing the same mundane process over and over, week in week out.

In the words of William Faulkner,

“It’s a shame that the only thing a man can do for eight hours a day is work. He can’t eat for eight hours; he can’t drink for eight hours; he can’t make love for eight hours. The only thing a man can do for eight hours is work.” – William Faulkner

While I believe that there are some things that a person can do for more than 8 hours (such as lounging on a boat 😉 ) this quote really hits home – there was something I used to say when I was a kid to my parents….

Why is it, that adults can make money to pay the bills, and adults can make it on time to their place of employment to do someone else’s work….but it’s so hard to find time for other things?

Sometimes I wonder if as humans some people get into a sort of lazy pattern…the “Who moved my cheese?” syndrome. More than likely people do – you see it everyday…but I don’t wanna focus on that – the main thing is, with enough effort, and enough energy, and enough outside-the-box thinking – I believe as humans we can have whatever we want.

It just takes some creativity. So exercise your mind – exercise your body. Join a sport. Check something of your bucket list. Don’t zone out to the daily doldrums of television – actually it’s a lot easier to live without TV than you may think – just this past month I gave up TV all together and now I only pay for telephone and internet. A) I don’t have the time for it, and B) it’s not worth giving time.

Because when you get to a point in life, where you want to watch your life unfold into something great – instead of vegging out and watching others – you’ll begin to play a whole different ball game.

Stay sharp.

– Rego

Musings Episode 20: Early Retirement… is a post from and appeared first on Rego’s Life

For The Weekenders: Shipwrecked with Rum, Ice Bars, Hangover Therapy…

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15 men on a dead man’s chest…yo ho ho and a bottle of rum….. – no, I’m not aiming for a remake of Pirates of The Caribbean…not quite sure how many movies they’ve put out to date yet, to be honest.

I’m talking about an epic little drinking spot at Pier 27 in Embarcadero near Lombard, in San Francisco, Cali.  Aka a shipwrecked boat. That’s been – wait for it – converted into a bar.

Nope....no Jack Sparrow here, m'lads.

Nope….no Jack Sparrow here, lads.

Ever so affectionately called America’s Cup Sports Bar. Talk about turning spoiled milk into cheese. The guys at Team Oracle did just that when they took their crashed (and sunken) AC72 catamaran, recovered it and transformed it into a bar, opening their doors back on Independence Day (4th of July, 2013). What makes it feel even more exclusive is the fact that it’s only open until September 30th, and then closing indefinitely after America’s Final Cup race.

I don’t know about you, but those kind of things make me want to take photos or leave my hand prints on the walls with finger paint and an added signature. Just something to say I’ve been there and experienced this small snippet of history. I know, I may seem like I’m going on about something that’ll be written in history books and taught in schools nationwide, but when a bar – or any venue for that matter has a limited time frame like that for being open, I like being a part of it.

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For starters it’s definitely a conversation piece. You can take friends, family, or even a date here, and enjoy great food plus an entire beverage collection hand picked from mixologist Scott Beattie, a legend in his profession. So what do you do? Well, after lounging at the beach for the better half of your Saturday, either on the sand or off the shore on the dock of your own boat, you grab a couple friends, book a private lounge area, then throw on some real clothes and come here for good food, good drinks, and enough large flat screen TVs where everyone can enjoy watching the thrill of the races (that’s boat races, just in case we’re still not on the same page yet).

Me? Personally, I’d order up a Frisco Mule and MexiCali Dips before starting on some pulled turkey sliders – all while listening to the sounds of the live concert going on in the background, featuring Cheech & Chong with WAR.

Go ahead – if you’re not in San Fran already get your bum on the next Red Eye and check it out. You’d be crazy to miss it.

This next one is for the James Bond enthusiasts. Anyone remember the last Bond film with Pierce Brosnan – Die Another Day? Good…now remember the Ice Hotel Bond shacked up in with the blonde who betrayed him?

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Let’s be honest though – he should’ve known better. She wasn’t even that great. *shrugs*

Okay, so maybe it was a palace – but that’s not the point here. The point is, there’s a place like this that actually exist…and it’s called Frost Ice Bar. Get out your down coats and furs for this, and appreciate the warmth of the booze going down, as it’s 21°F/-6°C in here. They provide “snoogie” like garments but I’m a stickler for staying stylish, so I’ll stick with my boots and high collar jackets, please and thank you.

Nestled away in Boston, MA – this place is the ultimate in excuses to cozy up to a certain someone while enjoying a drink and playing conversationalist. If you fancy giving your date a bit of a background lesson, you could start by mentioning that if it isn’t obvious enough, the place is comprised entirely of ice – from the walls to the furniture, and naturally, the glasses you’ll be drinking out of. It’s also the largest permanent indoor ice bar in the world.

"Let's shuffle this way and take a seat over there, shall we?"

“Let’s shuffle this way and take a seat over there, shall we?”

You won’t have to worry about him/her falling asleep on you either – or, you know, freezing to death. The maximum stay is 45 minutes – so that’s just enough time to feel that drink kick in before your nose starts to look like Rudolph’s in all those Christmas stories you were told as a kid. So you can go ahead and take your time with that glass of American Honey – just be sure not to linger over it – remember, you’re still dealing with ice –  so clutching to your drink as you normally would might just result in frost bite.

Because of the short stay time it’s a place that’ll resonate in your mind a bit more and keep you coming back again and again. It does close earlier than your usual bar – around midnight – but it’s worth it. Keep in mind you’ll also have to book ahead of time, and I recommend getting there 15 minutes in advance so you don’t lose your reservation – the place is more popular than you may think.

It’s not everyday you get to lounge on a couch made entirely of ice.

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Alright now enough drinking. You heard me – put the Johnnie Walker Black Label down and step away from the glass…slowly…that’s right – now toss me the keys to your Maserati – here’s a bottle of water. I’ll be back in an hour while you sober up.

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Still feeling like shite? I thought so…well, fortunately for you – there’s a fix for that. If you’re in the Las Vegas or Miami area, the people over at Reviv can take you into their (needle loving) care. Hey – don’t look at me like that – it’s not what you think, so quiet. Think of healthy things like Vitamin B12, multi-vitamins, and saline. All inserted intravenously, meaning a near instant cure and picker-upper for you. Lucky you.

If you’re not a fan of needles (like myself) or maybe just highly allergic to Ibuprofen and afraid of pain numbing agents even if they are natural (again, like myself), that’s okay – you don’t have to freak out over the site of a needle being injected into your arm while you watch the IV drip empty slowly. Instead, you could just try their “Quik Fix” Therapy – aka needleless injection. Chock-full of multivitamins, B12, energy boosters, and acid reflux medication, it’ll have you up and going in no time – without the need of a band-aid to the arm.

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Because not everyone can shake that one scary experience of going to the doctor when they were 7.

Even if you’re too weak or hungover to come to them, that’s okay – like a pro doctor in Portugal they’ll come to you to heal (most) of your party hard weekend ailments. Reasonably priced, convenient design and a brilliant concept – these guys know how to put the “original” in originality. If you do happen to make it out to their facility though, they don’t disappoint. With supple leather massage chairs, iPads and premium headphones, you can take full advantage of their free Wi-Fi and catch up on that last season of Archer you missed while re-powering a new you.

With a laundry list of therapies like Royal Flush, HydraMax, UltraVive, MegaBoost, and an O2 Bar (that’s oxygen, in case you struggled in chemistry…it’s okay – I sucked in grammar. I know right…hard to believe), you’re bound to find something that’ll suit your need.

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Think of it like a medicine bar…because in theory – and well, practical too….it is.

To quote Frank Sinatra,

“I feel sorry for people who don’t drink. When they wake up in the morning, that’s as good as they’re going to feel all day.”

Keep your wits about you and have a great weekend. 😉

– Rego

For The Weekenders: Shipwrecked with Rum, Ice Bars, Hangover Therapy… is a post from and appeared first on Rego’s Life

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