So, this place rocks. Straight up. Our room, which I don’t think is even much above their standard room, called the ‘Spectacular Suite’ is pretty f’ing spectacular. I mean, if yours truly had a place here, we’d be hard pressed to do a more sick job of trickin’ it out. Mod is the word. About 600 square feet, the floors are all bleached hardwood, offset by dark brown walnut wood closets and built-ins for all your speedos and thongs.

Gorgeous brown and tan striped marble bathrooms, a huge shower with water jets everywhere (Seriously, everywhere), big double sinks, all good. The main room is a junior suite kinda set up, broken into two rooms by a little sectional and a very cool hanging light fixture that turns into a wind chime when you swing open the double wide doors onto the terrace.  There’s two good size flat screens, excellent linens, horse hair rugs (sorry, Mr. Ed), blah blah.  Every room here has at least a good ocean view from the terrace.

The service rocks, and there’s several restaurants and beau coup bars. Serving Grey Goose and Soda for about $18 a pop. Hey, call it an entertainment tax for the eye candy and f’d conversations you’ll overhear. Looking at it that way, it’s a bargain.  We’ll get back at ya with more details on the restaurants and bars soon. Stay tuned!

So does VdV let a little adversity get it the way of a good time? Hells no, pilgrims. Allow me to introduce The South Beach. All ya gotta do to get one for your own bad self is mix 2+ parts Ketel One Vodka (pay attention to that ‘+’), 1 part Sierra Mist, and a couple generous splashes of Pomegranite, either POM or some other liquid form. On the rocks. Shaken not stirred.

This sexy little number is both good, and good for you. It’s refreshing, tasty, not overly complicated and chock full of antioxidants, thanks to the POM. Too bad those antioxidants don’t stand a snowball’s chance in hell of battling any of the caustic shit I have flowing through my veins, but maybe it’ll do you some good.  Plus it’s pretty low in calories and carbos, a nod to the SoBe diet!

And, even drunken slobs like you sometimes have the tendency to feel like getting a little organization in your life. And as one of those aforementioned drunken slobs, I know I do. And y’know what chaps my hide? Well do ya, punk?! Cords. Actually cord management is something I dig. Something I covet, you could almost say.

You know the scene, behind your entertainment center ya got yer TV cord, PVR cord, Wii cord, this cord, that cord all dangling around? Or, more to today’s subject, all the cords on your counter where you charge your phones, cameras and other electronic do-dads. It just makes a mess outta things, all those cords, plugged in all the time (green plug: wasting energy) and looking quite unkempt overall.

OK, enough of the problem situation set-up. I think I’ve pounded that into the ground like whack-a-mole. Onto the solution. Yes, that’s it. The answer to all your electronic charging woes. Once again, introducing  the Powermat  Portable Charging Mat. Yeah that’s it in action. Charging both J’s iPhones and my new HD Flip, with room to spare.

One cord, one mat, one universal place to charge your junk. Bingo. Ya just throw your phone or whatever down on the mat, and it kinda magnetically grabs it and starts revving up the batts. And we all know how good that feels. Effectively and instantly ending your temper tantrums about those messy cords for good.

Plus I think it might save energy to boot, since you’re only plugged in to one outlet. Woo Hoo! OK, it’s not that exciting…

And for us travelers, this model folds up into a nice little case. Which is cool for us, since now we only have to pack this vs. all sorts of random cords for each thing we pack.

This bad boy goes for $99, and you can get this model or a non-travel one that is basically the same except it doesn’t fold. Whatever. You do need to accessorize to make this puppy work though – anything with a USB can just plug in, like the Flip above. But mobile phones and cameras need their own accessory. In the pic above, my phone, the one laying down, is in a special case that transmits the charge. The other J’s phone is in a stand-up ‘cube’. They both work great but will set you back $30 bones or so.

Hey, I’m no Walter Mossberg (but a boy can dream,right?!) but this gadget gets the coveted VdV Thumbs Up. Get one!

Powermat Charging Stations

Oh yeah, and to clarify: all VdV Redneck Recipes are Road Tested. Meaning? Just like all our valuable, irreverent and downright clever insights on where to go, eat and drink, we git ‘er done. OK WTF does that mean? Means we’ve actually Seen it Done it Hunted it Killed it Cooked it and Ate it. Get me?

So this is a diner meal, people. Picture a dingy little diner with tobacco-smoke stained curtains in rural (is there an ‘urban’?) Tennessee. Feel me? And, this stuff tastes so damn good it’s not even funny. Kinda like this post. That is, unless you’re onna them vegan types we hear about out in California…

So chop chop, let’s get it on! Here’s whatcha do (with any redneck translations in parenthesis):

• Wash your hands (Spit shine)
• Heat 3 tablespoons EVOO (bacon fat), and 3 tablespoons butter (lard) in a large pot over high heat,
• Add 1 finely chopped medium yellow onion and 1 cored, seeded and finely chopped medium green bell pepper and cook until softened, 8-10 minutes,
• Add 1 pound ground beef or turkey (squirrel or coon), 2 tsp garlic powder, 2  tsp onion powder, 1 tsp paprika, 1 tsp crushed red pepper flakes, and some salt & pepper to taste (salt & pepper),
• Cook it, stirring occasionally until the meat is lightly browned, 5-6 minutes,
• Add 1 28-oz can of whole peeled tomatoes, with the juices, crushing them with your hands,
• Add 2 15-oz cans tomato sauce, 2 tsp sugar, and 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon and stir in well,
• Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer, stirring occasionally until thickened,  45-50 minutes.
• Meantime, bring a large pot of salted water, with a little EVOO (bacon fat)  to a boil. Add 1 lb dried elbow macaroni (elbow macaroni!) and cook until soft about 10 minutes. Us rednecks don’t like that ‘Al Dente’ crap!
• Drain it (the macaroni, that is) and rinse with cold water.  Transfer the noodles to the sauce and stir well. Season with salt and freshly ground pepper to taste. Cook some more, about 10 minutes to meld the flavors. Dish it! Makes enough for about 6-8 hungry rednecks.

VdV Rating: 4

Note: we got this recipe from Saveur Magazine doin’ a special on diners.

Just in time for tailgater..I mean football…season, the folks best known for transforming the messenger bag from something only those uber-cool, tatted bike messengers sported, to something sylin’ that any ol’ pencil-necked geek could own.

Well, the geniuses at Timbuk2, never ones to rest on their laurels (wtf is a laurel, anyway?) have elevated things to a new level. Meet your new BFF, the Dolores Chiller.

I mean, life is too short for warm brewskis, feel me? Room-temp PBRs are just acky. Dolores is cleverly disguised as an innocent messenger bag, but opens to reveal the perfect stash for your 12-pack (no I’m not talking about your abs. Look in the mirror). This puppy is fully insulated to keep your fave beer (or bottles of vino…or that bottle of Fernet for all you bartenders) icy cold for hours. Which is waaayy longer than the beer will last.

It even has a bottle opener attached, although most of us can open up a bottle with just about anything ranging from a lighter to a comb to a seat belt buckle. Plus, we highly suggest cans for most events. They get colder faster!

Then even better, unlike coolers from days of yore, Dolores smushes down nice and flat when the party’s over, saving you valuable trunk room.

Goes for about $120. This just made my b-day present list for this month. Are you listening, VdVers?

VdV Rating: 3

Timbuk2 Dolores Chiller

So first. No, you don’t have to be a redneck, or even enjoy the company of rednecks to enjoy this meal. Even if you openly make fun of rednecks you’ll love this meal. So keep reading. Second, it pairs extremely well with our Killer Watermelon Vodka Chiller recipe we posted recently. And “c” it’s brain dead simple. Even you can get this one right. And last, after trying this chicken, you may just replace the trusty  ‘ol turkey this TG.

OK, wanna hear it? Here it goes: 

1. Light a grill. We like it at ~350-375 degrees
2. Grab a chicken. A 4-pounder Free Range works well. Or if you’re a redneck, just go out in your back yard and git one.
3. Wash it well. Always wash your fowl. remove all the weird parts. If you’re a redneck, boil the weird parts into a tea.
4. Separate the skin from the meat around the breast.
5. Take some dry rub, whatever kind you like, and rub the breast under the skin. Then rub more rub all over the outside.
6. Take a can of beer. Rednecks, grab that PBR. We’ve actually done side-by-side taste tests of light beer vs. better beer (like Fat Tire) and ya know the results? People that like PBR, like that bird better, and the folks that like better beer like the Fat Tire bird better. Moral of the story? Use whatever beer you like to drink for the bird. We’ve even used Boddington’s Ale (but remember to remove that little plastic thingy in the bottom!) Anyway, whatever beer you use, pop the top, take a big swig then open the top with a plain old can opener.
7. Take an icepick or awl…lol just kidding…take a sharp-pointed knife and make a few holes in the can about 1/3 from the top. This’ll help more of the beer get into the bird.
8. With the can about 1/2 full (we are the optimistic types) throw in 2 tablespoons of butter (bacon fat you’re a redneck) and about 2 tablespoons of the rub you used.
9. Ram that can right up the chicken. Rednecks, cue the Deliverance soundtrack.
10. The can should make the bird stand straight up at attention. Place it on one of those throw-away tin pans and put it on the grill.
11. Cook it for about 1 hour. No less. If you’re into temperatures, the meat around the breast should be ~160 degrees.
12. Remove, let it rest for 10 minutes. Then dig in! It is the most tender and flavorful chicken you will ever have. Bam!

Advanced tips:

• Ahead of time, soak some mesquite chips in water in a foil pan for about 30 minutes.
• Rachet up the temp on that grill to about 450.
• Drain the chips and put ‘em on the grill for about 20 minutes at 450 so they get a good smoke on.
• Lower the fire down to about 350-375 then throw the bird on. You’ll get a great smoky taste.
• With about 25 minutes left, throw some corn on the grill. Keep it in the husk. It should all get done at about the same time. Yum.

VdV Rating: 4

So here’s a cool little invention for ya that we checked out: The Sodastream soda maker. And it’s not just for looks, although ours (the Penguin model) is definitely a hot little number.

This baby instantly turns boring old tap water you’d give your dog, into carbonated goodness that hands-down beats the pants off of the ‘soda’ that most bars serve. This stuff is poppin’, and makes our Hangar 1 Lime with Sodas the best drinks in the ‘hood (no that is not an invitation to come over). Some bars are actually starting to use gadgets like these instead of the speed taps ‘cuz the fresh carbonation makes drinks taste better.

They start at $99 for everything, and go up from there. Each canister can turn flat tap H20 into 110 liters (that’s about 232 pints, which is a lot, even for you) and refill canisters cost about $22. That’s less than a dime a pint, people! Anyhoo, we’re not gettin’ paid for this, so we’ll back off. But make sure to check this out!

VdV Rating: 4

Sodastream

Or how about some of those premium seats (Economy Plus,  Main Cabin Select) where you pay extra for a little better seat? Well, pilgrim they’re not all created the same. And always be sure if you’re getting an exit row to select the rear seat row in the event there are two exit rows, ‘cuz the forward row seats won’t recline. Bummer for you. Anyhoo, all the answers to those and other burning burning questions can now be answered!

All ya gotta do is visit the site, select your airline and plane type, and up pops a seating chart that is color coded with values like ‘Good Seat’, ‘Poor Seat’, ‘Some Drawbacks’, etc. with a handy dandy little mouse-over window that gives ya the complete 411. No, it can’t help you (yet) from getting seated next to some snot-nose, bawling child but it does give you some great pointers in a flash. So here’s to flying the friendly skies and not getting hosed this summer, from your friends at VinDivine!

VdV Rating: 3

SeatGuru – smart airline seat selector application

So this buzzy ‘lil baby is everything you want – both cheap and easy. And delish! And a serious good-time party catalyst, word to your mutha. I mean, I could easily drink an entire batch of this myself. Hmmm, I was wondering what I was gonna do this weekend.

And you don’t need to be a Tyler Florence, Bobby Flay or even an oh-so-cool mixologist to prepare this juicy number. Here’s all ya gotta do:

1) Take a watermelon, and cut up enough to make 6 cups of juice. How much is that? Figure about 1/3 -1/2 of an average sized melon. Then, throw the pieces into a blender and juice it up and if you have a blender from this century there’s marks on the outside to tell you how many cups you have. Note: If you are already lost, please leave. Now. And clear your cookies. Just go to a bar and get hammered.

b) Add a 3 oz. can of frozen limeade to the mix

OK at this point you’ll prolly need to dump it out of a blender into a larger pitcher or something.

c) Then add 6 cups of vodka. And don’t be cheap! Even though you’re not drinkin’ it straight spend a couple extra bucks and use Grey Goose or something. Minimum, use Skyy.

4) Add one liter of club soda and bada bing! Pour this bad boy in a big glass on the rocks and start drinkin’! Oh, if you loose some fizz, top off your glass with a little glug, glug of Club Soda. The bubbles are KEY.

5)  If you’re feelin’ fancy, add a watermelon wedge. Or not. Either way, this recipe will give you a slightly more classy outcome than the alternative…

Sip, slurp, repeat. And watch out this stuff’ll sneak up on ya!

VdV Rating: 4

As we all know, we’re glued to our mobile phones, are we not? And with that comes the annoyance of battery burn-out. Well, VdV’ers that is now a thing of the past! We can now tread lightly, using the power of that bright yellow orb above us (you people out in the Avenues, we are referring to the sun) to feed our need for power. And it’s called the PowerMonkey Solar Charger. You can use it for your iPhone, basically any other smart phone, iPods, MP3 player, some digital cameras and even your Sony PSP!

This handy little sucker comes with a mini solar panel that picks up rays whereever you are, and is then able to charge most fully depleted iPhones two times over. And it’s water and semi-shock proof (i.e., you can drop it, then kick it across the street into a puddle and it will prolly still work).

Awesome if you are hiking through the Outback or on an African safari or any other sun-drenched yet power outlet-challenged venue, sure. But it’s also a great just to do our little part to Go Green. Put it by your window, in your car, whereever, and it’ll continuously charge up so you’ll always be able to send that urgent text message, call your mother, or even get in an extra game of Grand Theft Auto on your PSP.

Goes for about $125 and comes in 4 colors. You can buy one at EarthTech Products. And if you don’t trust us outside of foodie and vino recos (you cold bastard) check out the review at MacLife.

PowerMonkey Solar Phone Charger
Approx. $125