A Sip of (Blacksburg) Bubbly

The Mystery of Morgan Harrington

2009-11-17T13:47:00.000-08:00

I haven't blogged in a while. Mostly because it takes an act of God to get my out of bed in the morning and another miracle+natural disaster to get me out into the real world, much less writing and loving Blacksburg.

However, this girl has been missing for a month and it's really weighing heavy on my mind. I don't know what to do to help, but I figured I would at least throw it up on my blog. The more publicity it gets, the better, right?

I can't imagine how this girl's friends who were with her are feeling right now, not to mention her parents. I am assuming that we are not getting the whole story about this chick from the media or the friends about Harrington's condition on the night of her disappearance. I wasn't born yesterday. She was likely drunk or on drugs, but no one has acknowledged that. Why else would you walk outside of a concert you paid money to go to knowing that you couldn't get back in, and why else would your friends have driven you? And what kind of friends would leave their inebriated friend outside? Just asking...not judging...just asking.

It doesn't really matter. She is still missing and her parents are worried and upset, and I can't lie, so am I and I don't even know her. There is a $150,000 reward for her. If you know anything about her disappearance or if you would like to come clean about some of the neglected details, call the cops. It's important people! What if she was your sister or your best friend?

The number of the tip line is 434-352-3467

For more information, look at the Facebook page

Blacksburg BandCrush: All Kinds of Gravity

2009-10-29T08:37:00.000-07:00

All Kinds of Gravity is a rock/progressive/hip-hop band from right here in the Blacksburg Bubble. Think electric violin meets a rapper combined with two brothers from a hardcore background, a kick-ass bass player, and a gymnast with amazing energy and the voice of an angel all combining to bring you a new sound that will make you want to break stuff, break dance, and break hearts all at the same time.

The band members, Chris Gustin (electric violin), Robert Martinez (rap/vocals), Kevin and Jeff Fitzgerald (electric guitar and drums), Will Angel (bass) and K.C. Moyer (vocals), have been featured in the Roanoke Times, the Collegiate Times, The New River Valley Current, and 16 Blocks. They have performed all over Blacksburg, in Pulaski, Roanoke, and even Asheville, North Carolina. They have performed with bands such as Murphy's Kids, the Urban Sophisticates, and Future and have big plans for a tour after their album, L.I.F.E. drops on 1-1-10.

I sat down with Chris and Rob and Jeff to get the lowdown on their upcoming album and the band's future plans.

And that sweet sound you hear? The band's very own Chris Gustin on violin, Jeff Fitzgerald on the drums, and Rob Martinez on the mic.

Monday's Blue at the Cellar in Blacksburg

2009-10-19T21:34:00.001-07:00

Bubbly Poll: Cat Names

2009-10-19T14:51:00.000-07:00

I am getting a cat!!! She is so cute and I cannot wait. I am a total cat person! However, the adoption agency is calling her Latika but I don't want a slumcat millionaire. My cat will be sophisticated, spoiled, and opposed to all gameshows other than The Price is Right. Take the poll located to your right--->

I am so indecisive! Your opinion actually matters!

Things I love about Blacksburg: The Lyric

2009-10-01T21:17:00.000-07:00

The Lyric theatre on College Ave. is my Blacksburg landmark crush for sure. I love it so so much. I want to get married in it. I want to marry it. It's so cute and quirky and all the good movies come there. Sometimes I put off going to see movies in the big Christiansburg theatre because I know they'll mean so much more if I wait and see them at the Lyric. More often than not, I just see them again, because it's only $4.

I went Monday night to see 500 Days of Summer and oh my gosh, it was probably the best movie I have seen there to date. And there have been lots of good ones. The theatre is a perfect indie movie venue. It makes you want to take pictures at weird camera angles and walk in the middle of the road and wear ironic sweaters.

The people that work at the Lyric are awesome too! We spent about 30 minutes after the movie chatting with one of the employees about the movies in his Netflix cue and just random casual topics. It was the perfect movie-going experience. Every time I leave, I can't wait to come back.

If the theatre ever shuts down I will be devastated. If you've never been, shame on you!! It is most certainly one of the most adorable Blacksburg landmarks.

We all knew it was coming...

2009-10-01T16:13:00.000-07:00

SERIOUSLY VALLEY TOWING YOU CAN BURN IN HADES!

No matter where you are from or what kind of music you like or whether or not you think that Tupac is dead, everyone in Blacksburg can come together on one principal. Nobody and I mean nobody likes Valley Towing. Anyone with a soul, anyways.

I talked to Prices Management about a month ago about getting a parking pass. "Oh don't worry," the woman on the phone said. "We're not towing right now." I never heard anything else about it. Nothing in the mail, no phone call, but I can tell you that today they started towing and they scooped up my precious little Durango and put it in car jail faster than you can say, "omg not my car you heartless bastards!"

This tooth-missing, Durango-towing, spawn-of-Satan company gets off on making the lives of Blacksburg drivers a living nightmare. Even if you catch them mid-tow you have to throw cash at them. They don't care if you've got a litter of sick baby bunnies inside or your grandma's ashes. They dream of your screaming face at night, and they like it.

As the writer of this Blacksburg blog, it was only a matter of time before I addressed this subject, I just wish they would have left my car in front of my house.

2009-10-01T08:29:00.001-07:00

My.phone.is.broken.blogging.from.it.is.annoying!

Give me some Mo' Moe's!

2009-09-27T17:13:00.000-07:00

I have always had a grudge against Moes. I hate their food and I don't like how people yell at me when I walk in, but last night gave me a new appreciation for Moes, the burrito place and it had nothing to do with their burritos.

In addition to the fact that they serve beer and really awful margaritas, the Moe's in Blacksburg now has live music, Or at least they are trying to have live music and last night, my boys, All Kinds of Gravity played there and it was so much fun!!

The sound was terrible, but let's get real, it's hard enough having good sound in an actual music venue. DJ Rahbee started things off spinning some sweet mixes and then this really adorable Norah Jones-sounding chick, Johanna played some cute folky covers and I noticed that Moe's was getting more and more crowded and people were buying beers and chillin out. Then, All Kinds of Gravity came on and rocked the house and people were dancing in the street, peering into Moe's and piling into the restaurant to dance and act a fool.

I have to say, Moe's is not so bad. I at least love their location and the fact that they drew in a big crowd. I have to admit, I was a little bit skeptical but I ain't no mo'.

Things I love about Blacksburg: Houses with names

2009-09-25T11:53:00.000-07:00

Some people name their cars, some people name their pets, others even name their kids, but in Blacksburg, the cool kids (or the not-so-cool kids) name their houses. Now I'm not talking about frat houses or any organization-sponsored house, I am talking about people who have referred to one specific location by one specific name for so long that it has stuck. I love it. I want more. I wish my house was cool enough to have a name, but it doesn't.

However, there are some cool houses around town that do have names. For example, the Lodge, the Tavernacle, Villa Nice, el Gran Brodeo, the Brodello and I am sure that not even I am cool enough to know them all.

It's cute. It's catchy. It's like belonging to a secret society and discovering a map on the back of the Declaration of Independence. I love telling people that I am headed over to the Lodge while I watch the confusion wipe across their face. The Lodge? Where is that? I thought they closed that down? No, thats the Lantern.

In other news, show at the Tavernacle tonight. Jumper K.O. I Am the Speed of Light, Yossarian Lives, and Two Funerals will be there. If you don't know where it's at, you're probably not invited into the secret society...

or just message me and I'll tell you ;)

**the picture is of BANDana Saturdays at the Lodge, my favorite named house in The Bubble. No one was harmed before, after or during this picture. They were just trying to look cool. It worked, don't you think?

Not so sophisticated...

2009-09-25T08:40:00.001-07:00

So the Urban Sophisticates finally came to Blacksburg and I have been so busy in this little bubble of a town that I didn't have time to blog about it. I don't care though, because they were huge jerks. Big talented jerks. I couldn't be more disappointed and as much as I love their music, I know that no friend of mine will be booking them in Blacksburg again anytime soon.

It is common general band knowledge that if you support the other bands, they will support you. I arrived at Awful Arthur's around 8:30 p.m. and the guys from the Urban Sophisticates were chillin at the bar, eating some hamburgers drinking some beer...They soundchecked and got me all excited for their show and then disappeared into the green room. All Kinds of Gravity soundchecked, started playing and the Sophisticates never emerged from their green room cave. ASIS performed...no Urban Sophisticates. Now, they booked you, guaranteed you $1,000 and put on a damn good show and you can't even sit out at a table and pretend to nod your head to the music? Really? Needless to say, when they went on at midnight, I retreated to the downstairs bar with my family, my brothers in All Kinds of Gravity. The ones I stood up for and danced my ass off with. And they didn't pay me a penny to be there.

It's like finding out that Santa isn't real or that the ice cream man is really a sex offender. I was devastated. I have been waiting for this show for a long long time and when the Urban Sophisticates came here, they violated such a big music law. All Kinds of Gravity has played with a lot of talent and they have all been super supportive and of course, love their music (because it's awesome). The Urban Sophisticates are apparently not so sophisticated after all.

And sidenote: Yes, I am 10 years old and yes, I did photoshop mustaches onto them like an immature brat.

VT Rant: The presence of "sparkle dresses" downtown makes me ill

2009-09-21T13:59:00.000-07:00

Now, I hang out with a lot of dudes and as a result my wardrobe has taken a turn for the casual, but all of the sorority girls and girls who wish to be in sororities or perhaps, have formed their own sororities make up for my casual bar attire by wearing their patent slingback peep toes and just-below-the-booty sparkle dresses. Yes, this is real. Yes, it happens.

Mind you, Blacksburg doesn't have any nightclubs. A hot night on the town consists of drinking a rail at TOTS (a combination of all the rail liquors, plus juice, plus soda, complete with its own special brand of stupidity) or drinking pitchers at the Rivermill. I don't know if you're following me here, but I am missing the part where that requires brushing your hair, much less a full salon blowout and of course, sparkle dress.

If this was New York City or even Newport News, maybe. But this is Blacksburg. I am pretty sure there is a sign at the town limits that says "No sparkle dress, no problem!"

Urban Sophisticates Show tonight at Abellas is cancelled!

2009-09-10T08:06:00.000-07:00

They call it Abellas now, but the OC (Oge Chis) will always be the OC and the OC will always be sketchy. Once again, the OC was being sketchy and now my week is an Urban Sophisticates show short. I am sad, disappointed, kind of just pissed.

I have been promised a rescheduled show at a different venue asap. I love the Urban Sophisticates. They are one of my favorite bands to see live and just all around nice guys. Don't you worry your pretty little head, when they do come to Blacksburg, I will let you know.

For now, I leave you with this...

Blacksburg is only happy when it rains

2009-09-07T06:39:00.000-07:00

I swear we get more rain in this silly little town than anywhere else in the world. Right now, it's just cloudy but I imagine Blacksburg will pour down on us before too long. After all, it is only happy when it rains.

VT Rant: Hokie Football

2009-09-05T10:38:00.000-07:00

Yes, I know I go to Virginia Tech and we are awesome at football, but I don't understand. It's just a game. A game that is out of your control. A game that you're not even playing. So why does everyone feel the need to get custom orange and maroon paint jobs on their VW Van and purchase portable satellite dishes so you can watch College GameDay, which is broadcasting from less than a mile away? I appreciate you, you crazy alumni who most likely have stock in the color orange. I wish I could share your enthusiasm for this silly game, but I can't. I can, however share in your enthusiasm for turkey legs, and bag-O, and wearing weird things on your head...

With that being said, go Hokies! Beat Alabama and give your loyal, crazy fans, a reason to wear orange pants!

All my friends are buying houses, I'm just buying shoes

2009-09-05T10:06:00.000-07:00

I don't know if you've ever seen the Facebook group "All my friends are getting married, I'm just getting drunk" but I am a member. I feel like Blacksburg has sucked me into this Neverland state of mind complete with mermaids, pirates, and stereotypically offensive indians. I know the real world is out there and I visit it from time to time, but my idea of a life-changing decision is buying a new pair of shoes or getting an oil-change.

My friend Valerie is going to have a baby at any minute, or so I hope, since she is now almost a week overdue. For the last 4 months, she has informed me daily on matters such as breast pumps, cloth diapers, and birthing balls. In the past year, she has moved to Philadelphia where her husband teaches, bought a house in the suburbs, got pregs, and bought a Honda CR-V to accommodate all of the baby accessories they will inevitably be lugging around for the next 18 years or so. Don't get me wrong, I couldn't be more happy for her or this baby whom I will spoil from hundreds of miles away, I just feel stuck.

I used to talk to my friend Natalie about once a day. While she had been in a serious relationship for years, she enjoyed my single girl banter and typically offered up the advice and/or sympathy that I was after. Natalie got married last month, we've talked maybe three times since then...I lost another one.

My step sister is less than a year older than me, but she is married, has two kids and recently purchased a mini van complete with a GPS and a TV for her two year old to watch movies when they travel. She has a house and a dog, and a husband and a minivan. I have a cute little downtown apartment with no AC (rented), a car that failed inspection, about 50 pairs of shoes, and less than $100 in my bank account. Am I missing something?

I don't know what it is about Blacksburg that makes time stand still or makes the real world seem so far away. I am ready to leave it for another adventure. I can't promise any mini-vans, or kids, or wedding invitations, but maybe an apartment in Brooklyn and a career and a few more pairs of shoes?

Awful Arthur's is where it's at tonight!

2009-09-04T07:21:00.000-07:00

Every senior in my high school class was asked to pick a quote to put in the yearbook beside their picture. The year before, everyone's quote had something to do with shooting for the moon and landing in the stars. Our class clung to the idea of dancing like no one is watching. You see, this is good in theory, but dancing like no one is watching when everyone is in fact, watching is not as whimsical at it once sounded. If you want to find out for yourself, come to Awful Arthur's tonight for some good music and a bangin happy hour that most of the VT students have yet to discover.

The music starts at 9, just in time for you to start paying full price for your drinks, but the good news is, if you get there early, you'll be a few drinks in and it won't seem so painful. Tonight's bands include All Kinds of Gravity (my personal band crush in Blacksburg), ASIS (perfect for dancing like no one is watching), Red Hot Chili Peppers cover band, Big Thunder Rumble Fish (apparently fish is an essential cover band element), and DJ Rahbee (in case no one was watching while you were dancing to ASIS). The show is free! free! free! but it is also 21 and up, so sorry to all of you youngins out there!

Come out tonight and have a good time. I'll be the one by the stage dancing like no one is watching...

Starting Over

2009-09-03T08:25:00.000-07:00

I am so bad at commitment...

Here I am sitting in Multimedia Journalism, and our one assignment is to make a blog. A blog? I am great at blogs! I looooovveee blogs! I am just bad at picking the names of my blogs. I sat there for a good 10 minutes while all of my classmates typed away at their newly named blogs, thinking about the most earth-shattering, career-changing blog name. It didn't come. However, Blogger happily reminded me that I already had a blog. It's a shame I forgot so quickly about my adorable little Blacksburg Bubbly blog (I heart alliteration)

I started this blog over a year ago for the purpose of recording my Blacksburg observations and adventures, but then I started having too much fun to write it all down. I just wanted to live and be free and have fun, plus I certainly did not want anyone to know half of the things I was doing here in the burg.

I find that Blacksburg is like a comfy pair of pajamas. You put them on and think "Oh my gosh, I could wear these everyday for the rest of my life. I never want another pair of pajamas," but as fun as that sounds and as comfortable as they may be, its really just not a good idea.

So maybe I'll try again? or maybe this one will fall by the wayside and I will just start another one for this class...we'll see. Check back and see what happens.