Digital City

December 5, 2008 will mark the 75th anniversary of the 21st Amendment. If you're not terribly familiar with your American history, that was the amendment that effectively ended Prohibition in the U.S. And everyone around the country is gearing up to celebrate this landmark date, even those who live in states that never ratified the amendment at all.

After nearly a year of regional competitions in cities, like Philadelphia, Detroit and Los Angeles, the finalists for Red Bull's Big Tune Contest will face off in New York City on December 3, 2008 at the Highline Ballroom.

The finalists are all music producers vying for the opportunity to lay down a track with their choice of artists from a pool including Common, Nas and The Game. The champion will earn that chance.

For a couple years, one of my friends has been bugging me to try St. Bernardus Abt 12, a beer out of Belgium with a 10.5% alcohol content. Most beers in the states have less than half of that and, to be quite honest, that may be one of the reasons I put off sipping this brew for so long: I was intimidated by the Belgians.

The Brouwerij St. Bernard describes their St. Bernardus Abt 12 as their top of the line brew. And a lot of work goes into making this sucker. They pump water up from 150 meters below the earth, accessing rainfall from the days of Jeanne d'Arc. (They really say that -- check it out!)

The 326th day of 2008 gives a nod to pumpkin pie and stuffing just a little less than a week before Thanksgiving.

Just FYI: we elected a new president a couple weeks ago.

And he's all over the place these days. You'd think he'd be super busy what with his being elected to the highest post in a country in a pretty major financial crisis and all. But he's got a couple months before he has to show up for work -- so he's got time for photo ops, etc.

As a result, everyone knows this guy's face. People are selling effigies of him, writing music about him and trying to sneak into the inauguration while his former political opponents are getting all cozy with him. You get the idea: Pres-elect Barack Obama is one popular guy.

After closing two years ago for some major renovations, Smithsonian's National Museum of American History is finally re-opening to the public. An authentic War of 1812 cannon will be fired and a procession of historic characters will surround the ribbon cutting ceremony this Friday kicking off a three-day festival in honor of one of the country's most beloved museums.

The 325th day of 2008 encourages smokers to stop smoking and drinkers to start drinking the newly released Beaujolais Nouveau.

You may think it's just a touch too early, but Bacardi has some tips for you this holiday season. They mostly have to do with cocktails you should consider drinking when your family, in-laws or whomever descend upon your household. And that's a great holiday tip to have.

Three of these drinks should really come in handy. One is a new twist on a classic while the another has a silly name but still promises to hit the spot. The third will help you entertain the whole fam.

If you missed your flight or just couldn't quite make it home this Thanksgiving or maybe you just don't want to cook that huge meal this year, don't fret. Plenty of restaurants stay open on the holiday serving Thanksgiving classics. Especially in bigger cities, anyone should be able to find somewhere to spend Thanksgiving and still get a nice bite of turkey. Even if it wasn't cooked by your mother.

You may not know it but Thanksgiving Eve is one of the biggest bar nights of the year. And next Wednesday night, parties will abound and old friends will reunite as everyone comes home for Thanksgiving. It's the type of hullabaloo you only see on certain holiday eves like Halloween (All Hallow's Eve) and New Years Eve. But this kind of party is different because you get the chance to reunite with old friends.

Parties will take place all across the country. Raven's Thanksgiving Eve Party at Cezar's in Scottsdale, Arizona offers an excellent example of the festivities that will dominate the evening. While in New York City, clubs are going all out for the event. One of the biggest parties will be hosted by MTV and VH1 reality show celebs at Nest. Several other parties will be held around the city and in surrounding suburbs.