Ephemera

Cookout

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So the joy of living in a big city is that there are so many interesting events to go to. The downside of living in such a city is that said events often involve crowds, and finding the time to get across town, and trying to park nearby. But on this evening I was invited to a local annual event and it was perfect.

The street behind this woman is busy during the week, but not much was happening on this glorious summer evening. She was singing old familiar songs(if you’re from the 60’s-70’s) accompanied by her autoharp.

Across the street it’s all industrial places, this side is a trendy vintage (1890’s) neighborhood. This spot was once a cigar manufacturing place.

And what exactly was going on this evening? Why it was the annual free corn roast at the neighborhood bar. (Note: I was in fact born in this very neighborhood). The corn is free, but the beer is not. And I can’t imagine just having a corn costume laying about for just such an occasion, but it works for some people.

Here it is in all it’s glory. The man on the right (Farmer Mike) to his friends) grew this lovely corn on his farm across the river and had picked it that very afternoon. He is keeping a practiced eye on the roasting ears, to make sure that they are perfection.

And they were. Slow grilled over charcoal, the corn was smoky and sweet, almost unimaginably delicious (okay, it was the best I ever ate).

As we were sitting there enjoying the ambiance, this neighbor walked up and plopped down in a chair (anyone can come). Not interested in having either a beer or some corn, this cat was just there for the loving (and it did get it). When there had been enough attention, it left and continued on it’s rounds. Then so did we, with a bit more of Farmer Mike’s delicious corn.

City

Favorite

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So I had to go back to the hometown for a wedding recently, and I got to revisit some of my favorite places. I am somewhat chagrined to confess that this is my very first stop after arriving. I go to this particular one because it is quite near the airport.

Yes this is definitely an acquired taste, and they are just as I remember them, little gut bombs (but delicious).

And this is always the second stop. I have been eating sausages from this particular shop since I had teeth. It was started in 1940, and my grandparents were friends of the founder. This was once a respectable working class neighborhood (not anymore), but they will never move because they still use a lot of the original equipment. The old Polish ladies who spent the day chopping everything by hand are long gone, but the kielbasa and krakowska (smoked Krakow-style sausage) are as delicious as ever.

The Polish Falcons club was nearby (in early days my parents would go to dances there), but it closed many years ago as people moved out when the neighborhood changed. But they still carry some Polish items and people still drive in from the suburbs to shop here, especially for the holidays.

But this was what put this family run business on the map. The Pope came to town and the family sent some of their kielbasa and Krakowska over to the diocese. The Pope himself said that this was the best Krakowska to be had outside of Krakow. This statement got picked up by the media, and a popular National morning television show came and did a live broadcast from the store. So I must say I agree with him, I’ve tried what other delis call Krakowska and it’s never as tasty. I brought some home on the plane (after it baffled TSA) and it will soon be gone. 🙁

But this is always at least part of the reason that I choose to go back to the hometown, so I expect that I shall visit again (it’s also available to be shipped 🙂 .

City

Touristing

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So every now and again I get a visitor, and depending on the person there are certain obligatory places to visit as tourists. (I typically curse said tourists for driving about slowly and aimlessly.) But this is what I showed to a recent family visitor.

This is a quintessential tourist place, it sells bits of high-end and low-end souvenirs, overpriced fudge (a mostly sugar confection) and has a spot for eating. Oh yes, and there is a bear. We had dropped by specifically to eat buffalo burgers and unlike a restaurant, this place has these tourist things for entertainment.

Chicago has the “Bean”, a large chrome plated thing for tourists to take photos at. We have this globe thing at the soccer stadium and it’s a perfect place for taking this sort of picture. What it doesn’t have is any place to park, the creators of this pitch imagined that people would park elsewhere and walk to the stadium (ha-ha). So there was a quick snap and onward to the next spot (which is what happens at most tourist spots).

This place is the sort of thing one might get if a theme park and a sporting goods store had a baby (and it’s definitely a tourist landmark). This is the animatronic Abe Lincoln endlessly reciting the Gettysburg Address. Behind him is a mountain of wild creatures that have been shot and stuffed for our entertainment. There is also a Ferris wheel inside the store, with views of the store, video games, candy and other sparkly things to separate tourists from their money.

This is a bit of a British pub that was imported over 60 years ago, it still draws tourists and the occasional local (me, I do like the place when I can find a parking space).

The most visited tourist spot is this city park, which is now the second most visited city park in America (just behind Central Park in NYC). I also admit to really liking the place in spite of the tourists.

But there is more to this place than just bits for tourists. Like any tourist town there are those who make a living off of tourists and those who have regular jobs and never visit these places (too many tourists to enjoy it). But, when visitors come to town they are sure to see at least one of these places, even when the tour guide is me. 😉

people

Hot rods

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Almost as soon as cars were invented people have been trying to make them better and faster. And sometime in the 50’s a car culture developed using the cheaper cars of the past (it was a matter of middle-class pride to only own the newest model cars) and modifying these heaps for style and speed.

This car is the sort of thing they started out with, the raw material for a hot (fast) rod. This one has been restored above it’s original finish, you had a choice of black or possibly dark green, automotive paint was pretty primitive (and they never dreamed that people would like other colors). And no one could imagine spending good money to fix up and race an old car (except mechanics).

This car was spotted in the wild, parked in front of an old-fashioned diner. They kept most of the original body, replaced the axles and did some sort of enhancement to the engine so that this could actually be raced. I’m sure in time it will sport new paint.

This one is a show car, a rich person’s toy, perhaps the owner had one such as this when they were a youngster (or possibly their dad did). It’s been beautifully restored, with different axles and modern engine upgrades. The owners had driven it to the show, so the car is still roadworthy.

But this was the funky show beast with the most clever adaptation of an unlikely choice. I admire that it’s a one-of-a-kind work in progress. It’s a 1930’s International Harvester pickup truck that has been stripped, chopped, (they cut the cab apart and lowered the roof) dropped and has a possible turbocharger added. It appears to have been abandoned for a number of years, before being resurrected by this mechanic. All the owner needs is time and money (lots of), this vehicle already has had lots of love added.

City, Ephemera

Urban Decay

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It is inevitable that nothing lasts forever. Even the symbol of the country, the White House, was once burnt to the ground (and then rebuilt in an identical form). Most cities go through cycles of building, redundancy, and perhaps rebirth. And I am from a city that has mostly fallen into decay, and I love to explore these outliers that resist the forces of change.

This particular chain was once part of every downtown (and downtown was the place to shop). The company started in 1879 as a five and ten cent store (precursor to today’s dollar stores). I loved to shop (mostly just looking, I had no money) at these when I was small. But, this sort of business became obsolete years ago and now it sits vacant, with the ghost lettering to show that it was once part of an urban center.

These fine brick storefronts are no longer pillars of commerce. The building at the end claims to feature “Vegas Showgirls”, however this is a dubious claim at best.

This ornate door handle hints that this building was once the pride of it’s owners, however, it also shows the negligence of time. It probably had some sort of gilt finish that has since weathered away.

The building also has these lovely cast iron details that have survived paint. rust and time. Again, someone spent some money to make this building special. And it was originally conceived as a local grocery in 1879, and is still a family owned deli, marooned by time and circumstances.

Inside is slowly edging toward rack and ruin, which is paradoxically part of it’s charm. Why do I love this state of being? Because I grew up in such an atmosphere, where things were old and slightly shabby. It is part of the conundrum of gentrification (which has taken place where I live), if everything was fixed up and modernized, this business could not afford to exist. The interior would feature reproductions of the period details and it would be a clone of whatever the current trend is. But I think I have had my fill of nostalgia here, and instead I look forward to the new in the future. Perhaps this place shall hold on until modernization or it may be steamrollered into oblivion. Perhaps the future will include a reproduction of the original, spiffed up for the nostalgia of future generations, hungry for an imagined past.

Doings

A is for……….

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So I had to go to this college town for a graduation, and I must say it brought back a lot of memories of being a university student. (I am currently a college student again, but this school started as a commuter college, so it doesn’t have this vibe).

Where I live now there are a lot of chain restaurants and they all seem to be somewhat pricey. But in a college town there are lots of poor students, and inexpensive, good places to eat. (I am amazed that a student hangout from my first uni is now listed as must see place in current city guides). So this place was a small strip mall with a tinier parking lot, We didn’t go to the hamburger joint, we ate at the Mediterranean fusion place next door. It was fabulous and cheap, just the sort of place my town lacks (one can get a hamburger anywhere).

This was what passed for a kitchen in an Airbnb rental and it has the sort of essentials that a student might need (although you have to admit, an ironing board kitchen is unique). I don’t remember cooking much when I was previously a student, booze and snacks were much more important.

But there’s not much room for anything in this compact kitchen, although it’s probably big enough.

This college town has the other prerequisite, a football team, and there are images everywhere in case one forgets the mascot. Several folks were wearing team shirts when we went out for a late night snack (also inexpensive).

There is a large supply in this town of the sort of funky student housing that I remember so well. Nostalgia only carries one so far however. Would I actually like to live like this again? Probably not, but it was great fun to relive this for a brief moment, and to appreciate that I am not a poor college student any more.

Toys

K-Toys

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As I was sorting out my enormous collection of wind-up toys, I noticed that I had somehow (yes, I bought these and completely forgot I did it) acquired a small collection of Korean wind-up toys. These are the rarest type of toys that I buy, mainly because they are only sold in one local Korean grocery store.

The exact translation from Mr. Google is “Tayo minicar”, but it is obviously a bus (and what else are you mis-translating?). He has his own cheery song and this package includes vitamins.

I couldn’t find the song that goes with this creature (I’m not sure if he is a friendly alligator of if he is a dinosaur, he has an outfit with gloves, so I guess alligator). The song is all about counting in native Korean numbers, and is again quite cheery and colorful. He (I really don’t know if he is male, after all it’s an animated gator/dino) seems to be the sidekick to the other character.

This is just the sort of cartoon character to get children to take their vitamins, and that is what came with the toys. When I was small, Flintstone vitamins were sold for children (they are still sold, even though I don’t know if the show is still available). These were vitamins shaped as the cave persons from the 60’s cartoon riff of a 50’s sitcom.

This one seems to be the leader (note the P on his helmet and the goggles) and possibly has a name, but I was unable to find it. Perhaps he is so famous everyone knows it, like the Flintstones. Now that I have heard their song, and can count from 1 to 10, perhaps I shall acquire more of them. (Really, I hope never to hear their song again).

Town

Neighbors

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As good neighbors we mostly live anonymous lives. As long as the grass is mowed (and you do have a nice lawn, don’t you?) and the house is painted, most people will assume respectability. But there are a few folks nearby that want more than just a nice lawn.

What to do about that dead tree? Why get a chainsaw artist in to create art, I’m not sure if this beggar is a gopher or a marmot, but it’s a lovely addition to the neighborhood. (And this beast wore a mask during the Covid time, which was very responsible.)

Here’s another creature of the neighborhood, a maneki-neko bestowing good fortune on all who pass by. Good job, unknown artist.

Then there is this person’s seasonal displays, which defy categorization. It includes mannequins, stuffed animals and props. This is only half of the current display, and I admire their commitment to their art. I imagine that they must have a warehouse somewhere to keep the unused bits.

I admit that this is my favorite piece. The resident formerly had an additional dragon for the front yard, and fought a lengthy battle against the homeowners association to keep this. But sadly, home owners associations only care about the state of one’s lawn, not about how art improves the neighborhood.

Doings

More student ID

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Well, I’m finally getting more bold about attending student events, so, when I got a message about this event I decided to show up.

I whipped out my student ID at the door (because of course I am not even close to college age) and they gave me this lovely tee shirt. I had missed out on the food, which was gone in minutes (or less). (It pays to get there early). 😉

This event was put on by the university for the Asian-Pacific Island Students Association(a DEI organization) . I missed the marital arts demo, but these ladies were playing Japanese Taiko drums. They made everyone get up and dance at one point, so it was quite hilarious.

The next group also had drums and added cymbals. They promised to be loud and they did deliver on this.

And they were playing for these Chinese Foo Dog dancers. A Foo Dog is a guardian lion ( yes I know this is a contradiction) and is a symbol of protection and prosperity. I suppose I had never considered how much work goes into this, they need to be strong, athletic and fit. The back person spends a lot of time tail wagging, but then has to lift up the front person, which was impressive.

I left after the end of the performance and as I walked to the car, I noticed that several of the cars had parking tickets, these probably belonged to these performers. So I hope that they don’t remove their good wishes for the students, the university is on it’s own.

Life

Student ID

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Yes, I have rather neglected things as school has taken up my time and I actually have to study this time around. But, there are benefits to having a student ID. And I have endeavored to try to use a few of the benefits.

This was a fun event, they are trying to encourage students to eat healthy foods, so they have occasional cooking classes, and I decided to try this one. I felt totally out of place as I was the oldest person there and I didn’t know anyone, but I decided to treat it as an adventure.

I had never made tofu tacos and those were okay and not bad. But this recipe was surprisingly good, so it was a useful experience to attend this and I may even possibly use this recipe in the future (I do know people who have weird diets).

As a student I can get free theater tickets, and this was one of the ones I went to. I don’t suppose I would have paid money to see this, (I’m not really a theater person) but free is good.

And I also went to a lecture from a political science professor that I know at an old farmhouse on campus. Again I was possibly the oldest person there. Oh well.

The other benefit of having a student ID is free admission or reduced price admission to events. This one is free to students with an ID and although I don’t fit their expectations of what a student looks like, the ID still works. 🙂

I also went to a soup cookoff at the International Student Center and learned a new way to make chili, with anchovies of all things. So I baked them some oatmeal cookies in return, and because these students (especially the vegans) worry about what’s in food I included the recipe.

Altogether, this has been an interesting experiment, so I guess it’s an example of “live and learn”. I’m not dead yet.

random bits of life