Ship it real good

Smartmoney.com has a nice list of retailers that regularly offer free shipping on their products.

When you think of drinks, think of Camper

I'm quoted in today's big SF Chronicle story about specialty cocktail menus. My theory about the recent explosion in cocktail menus:

"The proliferation of the cocktail menu, along with so many of life's problems, can be placed on the Appletini," quips English, the nightlife chronicler. "People heard about the Appletini, and suddenly every bar wanted their own custom Martini."

Freebie Du Jour

I test out a lot of magazines by subscribing with the "bill me later" option, then canceling if I don't like them. As I'm trying to be a consumer advocate for the hipsters, I decided to test out Consumer Reports. (You can access some of the website's content free without paying, FYI.) When you test subscribe to the magazine, you get two free mini-books that you don't have to return when you cancel. (I'm thinking that subscribing to the website only, which is the same price as the paper magazine and gives you access to four years' worth of content, is the better deal.)

The Buying Guide describes what you should look for when purchasing products (which features are useful or unnecessary), then gives quick ratings of specific products in the back. The other book is How to Clean Practically Anything. This is something I can probably use, because I could I could write the book on How to Get Practically Anything Filthy.

Camper...Live!

I'll be selling and signing books at the Alameda Literary Fair on Saturday, November 5. I'll also be speaking on a panel about music writing with time tba.

Scottsdale is the new New Orleans

The New York Times (free account required to view until it expires) says that Scottsdale, AZ is hip, hot, and happening in nightlife. Who knew?

Another new low in free inebriation

This piece of advice on drinking came from an unemployed acquaintance who was traveling the world:

I had this fabulous night in Stockholm where I went to a very cruisy,

pick up bar. It was too funny to see boys hook up (quickly) and leave

their beer at the table.  At 9 bucks a beer, I just might have been

close by once (or more) to celebrate their hot pick up, and finish the

beer for him.

Dungen

Another treat for San Francisco folks- the Swedish band Dungen are playing a free set at Amoeba Saturday, October 1 at 2PM. Word.

Camper English and Party Like a Rock Star Even When You're Poor As Dirt in the Village Voice

There is a great article (because it's about me) in the Village Voice this week- with photo! The paper version comes out this Wednesday, Sept 21. But here is the link for your online reading pleasure.

Free shoes in SF

To promote its airing of Sex and the City, UPN Bay Area is giving away a whole lot of Jimmy Choo shoes on Saturday.

Hottest Parties?

Forbes.com has a slideshow of the world's hottest parties. Their definition has more to with attendance by celebrities, press coverage, and couture than actual fun. The closest they get to that is a party at P. Diddy's and the Playboy Midsummer's Dream Party. So basically, no parties that you can actually attend.

Make your own laundry detergent

I had no clue you can make your own laundry detergent with washing soda, borax, and bar soap. If I had my own laundry room, or even a laundry room in my apartment building, maybe I would try it. I won't, but maybe you want to try.

Flight and Phone Deal

If you buy a ticket on United for over $500, you can get a Treo 650 phone free-ish. Smartmoney.com breaks it down.

Disco Bloodbath

I have Google email me daily news headlines about nightclubs so I can keep you readers up to speed on global nightlife events. But you know, it's kind of depressing. Eighty percent of the headlines are like, "Man shot outside nightclub," or "Man stabbed in nightclub shuffle." I suppose you wouldn't see a headline of "Man meets woman in nightclub, setting off a two-week romance."

But still, it makes me wonder what all the violent nightclub people are thinking. "Let's see. I'm going to the club so I've packed my vertical striped shirt, my hipster sunglasses, an extra 50 bucks.... oh gee! I almost forgot my handgun." I don't get it.

Free QOTSA Show in SF

Hey San Franciscans - Queens of the Stone Age will be playing a free set at Amoeba records on September 29 at 6PM !!!

Home Chemical Lab

About.com has recipes for cleaning products you can make at home. This list includes oven,window, floor, tub, tile, and furniture cleaners. I've noticed that you can make just about any sort of cleaner there is using vinegar, ammonia, bleach, and baking soda (not all together). This is in comparison to the $5-each bathroom cleaner, oven cleaner, surface shiners, and all other ultra-specific cleaners you can buy at the store.

On the other hand, I've also noticed that dollar stores have a whole aisle of $1 cleaners. So yes, you can make probably a year's worth of cleaning products with just the $6 worth of ingredients above. Or you can buy them all at the dollar store for ten to fifteen bucks a year, and not have to make any effort or have all those bottles of bleach and ammonia sitting around.

It's free season in San Francisco

People in other parts of the country don't realize it, but summer in San Francisco only takes place in the months of September and October. (Tourists show up in shorts in June and sweaters in October- ha!)And in the "summer," every weekend there is a street fair or festival or free outdoor event.

Here are a few things on my social calendar:


Free Shakespeare in the Park
Free SF Opera in the Park
Free outdoor films
Folsom Street Fair
Castro Street Fair

Where to find Party Like a Rock Star in the bookstore

When I go into a bookstore, I always check to see if it's carrying Party Like a Rock Star, and in which section it's located. So far, no two bookstores have filed it in the same place. I've seen it in:

-Pop Culture
-Men's Studies
-Self Help
-Gay Literature (???)
-Excess Culture
-Weddings and Etiquette (???)
-Fashion

The only place I haven't seen it is where I assumed it would be filed- Personal Finance.

So if you want to check it out in your local bookstore, you're probably going to have to ask them at the counter where the heck they put it.

Free show in 'cisco

On Tuesday, Sept 6 at 5PM, Louis XIV will be playing a free show on the Justin Herman Plaza in San Francisco.

Sending large data files

I had never heard of this site until today - www.yousendit.com

It allows you to send large files easily- it stores them on the server and whomever you send an email to is able to download them. This is a great way to share huge files with friends or send your home music/other files to a work computer. Just zip them into one file first and upload it.

Un-Fare

Today in San Francisco the price of the buses goes up to $1.50. That's the big news. The other thing I noticed is that there is no longer any discount for buying 10-packs of tokens. It used to be that you saved a buck on a pack, but now it's 10 for $15.

The good news is that a token is still the size of a dime, and fits in your wallet a lot easier than a dollar and two quarters.