Beer babe’s favorite European bars

by Tom Johansmeyer on

Katarina Van Derham, the 2009 St. Pauli Girl spokesmodel, doesn’t like to spend all her time in one place. The Slovakia native now lives in Los Angeles and still loves to get out on the road as much as possible. When she’s home, her favorite place to grab a pint is Barney’s Beanery in Santa Monica. She can have a relaxing drink on the patio, which is a prime people-watching spot. Of course, she has favorites on the other side of the Atlantic, as well.

The 2009 St. Pauli Girl spokesmodel‘s European Favorites are:

Morrison Pub (Cannes, France): there’s always live music and a welcoming crowd; Cannes’ “beautiful beaches and relaxed vibe” help

Phanas Pub (Rijeka, Croatia): Phanas is a great party place with rock music piped in; Katarina came here while shooting a music video for a Slovakian band

Mermaid Bar (Ibiza, Spain): this bar caters to an international crowd, has clear water and a great club scene

U Medvédku (Prague, Czech Republic): a house beer and authentic Czech food are served, and you’re only footsteps from the city’s stunning architecture

CK Browar (Krakow, Poland): grab a beer at this bright brewery before shopping at the outdoor street fairs on Saturdays

Salm Bräu (Vienna, Austria): located in a charming old building, this bar is a great stop en route to Slovakia (since Vienna has the nearest international airport)

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Start exercising while you’re on vacation

by Jamie Rhein on

Walking or cycling are the best cardio exercises while you are on vacation. That’s the first exercise tip on this video I came across while I was looking for the video on the Push-up Bandit in Santa Monica. The recommendation is to put your car keys away. As the narrator states, bicycling and walking on vacation offer a close-up experience of your surroundings. Considering that this is the time of year where packing on pounds can come easily, this video has a certain timeliness quality.

Despite the tropic theme, as noted by the palm trees and sand, and the incredibly built hard-body of the narrator that sort of distracted me at first, the exercises are doable if one has the notion to exercise while on the road. As the guy who makes these videos points out, you don’t need a gym to stay fit. He also give effective explanations on how to achieve success even if you are a beginner. Perhaps I was distracted by the biceps because in Columbus, one doesn’t see such a scene all that often, if ever.

Push up bandit breaks the law by doing push ups on a Santa Monica median

by Jamie Rhein on

All Jim Birch wanted to do was a bit of exercise. He’s been exercising for years on the 4th Street median in Santa Monica. As I posted earlier, people are getting cited and fined for such unruly behavior. Doing any sort of exercise except for jogging or walking is not allowed on the medians anymore.

Birch and others aren’t too happy about that. This video is a lighthearted, but sort of serious faux newscast where Birch stages a protest by doing a bit of exercising so he can get arrested–kind of. This is such a Santa Monica scene.

Look for the part in the video of people exercising on the sidewalk. There’s even a yoga mat.

Santa Monica police are cracking down on sit-ups in public places

by Jamie Rhein on

If you have a hankering to start doing sit-ups in Santa Monica, California in a public place, think again. It doesn’t matter if you grunt when you do a sit-up, or rise smoothly with the greatest of ease. There is a ban on such behavior.

Not all public places are affected by the ban on public displays of Pilate’s-like exercises, however. It’s also not for all types of exercise. If you are jogging, running, pushing a stroller or hopping forward on one foot (I added the last one), you are free to get fit.

The ban is only for staying in one place exercises–and only on grassy meridians medians. Being that folks in Santa Monica are such exercise hounds, residents who live around traffic meridians where these calisthenic lovers congregate finally became sick and tired of the commotion and complained.

People who exercise on meridians are not all that quiet –and they litter. Recently, police officers have been stopping people who crouch down for a squat thrust or even a calf stretch. Pick up a barbell and you’re in trouble. If the person who is exercising doesn’t amble away quietly, he or she could be fined up to $158. Of course, considering that Santa Monica is filled with gobs of beautiful people some homeowners who live around the meridians have not minded watching the exercisers one bit and are feeling some disappointment that their early morning entertainment has dwindled.

Because of the meridian exercise ban, people have been using the sides of the streets for their stretching routines. Be on the lookout if you’re driving in a vicinity of a meridian. It would be horrible to hit someone. You might find the most people near the corner of Fourth Street and Adelaide Drive. That’s where the most problematic meridian is located according to this article in The New York Times. That’s where I read about the ban.

There is a court date in January to determine if the ban is legal. The photo was taken at Waikiki Beach, Hawaii where you can do sit ups until the cows come home if you want to.

Spontaneous Weekend Trips: Los Angeles, Part One

by Jamie Rhein on

My spontaneous, solo trip to L.A. two weekends from now, Sept. 28-30 ,started with an e-mail. A friend who works for the City of West Hollywood sent out a mass invite about an event he is in charge of organizing. The Algonquin West Hollywood Literary Award Soiree is the first ever. “Great!” I thought, “looks interesting.” Then, when I saw Mark Salzman is the author who will receive the award, I thought. “Damn, I’d like to go.” He is one of my all time favorite writers–one whose book, The Laughing Sutra, I have taught and someone who has a humorous, interested eye on the world.

Next thought was, hmmm, I wonder how much the flights cost? After a visit to Travelocity, the wheels started to turn. Can you believe this? A round-trip ticket on Delta to L.A. from Columbus is $218.80, taxes included. Seriously. I was astounded. Skybus is now at $285 and that flight is to Burbank. After heading to Delta’s Web site, I saw a detail I also couldn’t believe. The ticket is fully refundable if it’s canceled within 24 hours of the flight. What?!!!

Even though the price was right, what about timing? The timing couldn’t be more perfect. It leaves in the evening on Friday, well after a conference I’m going to–and after the kids and husband get home. The flight back is a red eye that leaves L.A. at night. It will get me back to Columbus on at 6:30 AM or thereabouts, plenty of time to make it to my Monday commitments. This also gives me all day Sunday in L.A.

What about getting from the airport and where to stay? A good friend of mine who lives in Santa Monica was at a Dodger’s baseball game when I called him. “Sure, I’ll come get you and you can stay with me,” he said. That problem solved.

From the time I got the email to the time I got my ticket was about an hour. When I sat down to read my e-mails I had no idea that this trip to L.A. was in my future. Some details are still being worked out–but man, am I glad I didn’t try to figure out all the angles before I said yes. The West Hollywood event is open to the public. Anyone can get a ticket. Go the event Web site for details.

Still feeling skeptical though, I called Delta and talked to a person–a real person, to find out if the refundable ticket information is correct and to find out how often that flight to Columbus gets canceled or is late. Either she’s lying through her teeth, or she’s honest. She said she’d check.