Road Food, Land Grabs,The End and a New Beginning

November 8, 2007 Back in Los Angeles
It has taken me a while to get back in the groove, and I owe it to you and to me to finish up this part of the blog. I can say honestly that the best part of the return journey was the food. We just went for it: stopping in Henryetta, Oklahoma and having Brisket and Fried Pie. The gal at the welcome center told us to make sure we tried Fried Pie. Trust me. Skip it. Basically a Hostess Apple turnover fried in a deep fryer. The Brisket was really good, I saved a few pieces for Chumley. He sure liked it! Oklahoma City was a marvel to me. Both Larry and I were quite moved by the memorial at the bombing site where the Federal Building once stood. Downtown Oklahoma City seemed so quiet, and vacant.

I adored the Land Rush Monument. I have to admit I knew next to nothing about The Oklahoma Land Rush. If you don't either; check this out . Paul Moore's extraordinary group of 1.5x life sized sculptures just blew me away. April 22,1889 12 noon - A moment in time captured in Bronze, it will take over 8 years to complete and cover about a mile.
My photos do not do it justice. The entire grouping is led by a small rabbit about 20 yards across the river.

Chumley and Larry found this Rabbit and posed for me.


Another Oklahoma Marvel is the town of El Reno. Rumored to have the greatest hamburgers in the US, there are 3(!) road food picks in this teenie town. We opted for Johnnie's. Known for Coneys, Frito Pie and their incredible burgers. Here's a Quote from Jane and Michael Stern's Road Food; "The ribbons of onion are mashed deep into the top of the soft raw meat, which assumes a craggy surface because of the uneven overlapping use of the spatula. Once the underside is cooked, the burger is flipped. The air around the grill clouds with the steam of sizzling onions. ...the hamburger is scooped off the grill with all the darkened caramelized onion that have become part of it..." O.K. The burger was darn good. Just really really good. The coney was sublime. A hot dog, topped with chili and then a concoction of sauerkraut and saucy mustard on top. Granted, it does not photograph well.
Frito Pie. Fritos, Chili, Melted Cheese. I tasted that sumbitch well into New Mexico. A gastric weapon of mass destruction. 'nuf said. The last great bonus of the trip was the train station at Barstow! Another Harvey House hotel and fantastic Route 66 Museum. I had always thought Barstow was just an In and Out Burger stop, and it's major claim to fame was the the fact that it was half way to Vegas from Los Angeles.

It is a required stop for those of us newly converted Harvey House fans, and Historic Train Station afficiandos. Wow. What a great way to end the journey. As we drove back to LA, the smoke from the fires blanketed the inland empire and Larry and I were both happy to get home and reluctant to end our journey. So this blog is done for now. I start work next week with a firm called Historic Resources Group.
I am sure I will reactivate the blog some time in the future, and will be sure to let you know. JM

Frito Pie and other Gustatory Delights

The California Desert October 27, 2007
I have been too tired to post at night so my apologies. We will be home tonight and I will catch up and tell you about Brisket at Sheila's in Oklahoma, Frito Pie and Coney's also in Oklahoma, and the coolest little strip of Route 66 you ever did see! Chumley is anxious to have this ordeal over and I can't wait to get back to the gym!! JM

The No Calorie Left Behind Tour

Conway, Arkansas
That title must be credited to Michael Ventre. He came up with that after I told him how much Larry and I have eaten on the road.
I can't write well. All of the blood that is usually in my brain is currently busy in my stomach digesting the abuse heaped upon it today. It started at the Pancake Pantry in Nashville. We knew something was up when the line to get in snaked around the corner at 10 am on a Wednesday. The person who seated us whispered to me that the sweet potato pancakes were his favorite..."ROAD FOOD" recommended them, and the buckwheat pancakes. The great waitress brought us samples of the sugar and spice pancakes, the buckwheat, and Larry ordered some facockta corn meal thing with cheese and bacon. There were three syrups: maple, cinnamon cream, and honey. All this for someone who doesn't really eat much breakfast...The sweet potato pancakes came topped with powdered sugar, wholly unneeded-as the batter was just as rich and sweet as possible. The large mound of sweet butter on the side added insult to injury. I managed to suck down 2 of the delights and a side of Grits. OOOOOOOO. I moaned all the way to Memphis. Memphis - home of Elvis, The Blues and Barbeque. I got a southern blues CD for Mikey, managed to avoid all Elvis stuff, and then had some OUTSTANDING Bar B Q. Some how I found room to devour a pulled pork sandwich- I know PORK AGAIN-oy. The best sauce I have ever had. Wonderful Beans, great coleslaw. Just outstanding. Jim Neely the proprietor of Interstate Barbecue was IN THE HOUSE. (see photo) and he was as warm and wonderful as his food. Carrying on, forgoing dinner...all Larry wanted was a beer and the World Series. We are in a Dry Frickin County. What???? 15 miles in each direction. No Beer. Home state of Bill Clinton? No dang Beer. It is all about TUMS and sleep for me. JM

A "SPIEDIE" TRIP

Stephens City, Virginia October 22, 2007
O.K. So the month, (give or take a week) that I was home went very quickly. I did manage to pack in alot of stuff. I met some really nice new people, and reconnected with two people that are very important to me. Here are some of the highlights: I went to a wonderful wedding in Ithaca and got to show Mikey around my college town. ( believe that a Seinfeld episode about worlds colliding sums that one up.) It was actually a great great time. I got to see three vintage World War 2 planes, and meet a wonderful man named Art. He not only knows about airplanes, but he is one of the #1 ranked billiard players in upstate NY. I have a huge crush on him. I even went up to Glens Falls to see him play in a tournament staged for my benefit. Oh did I tell you that Art is 91? Two things to note about that posted photo: My dad's USC hat, and the cool plane in the background. (Dad wants me to marry John David Booty the quarterback from USC, so that he can say his daughter is Judy Booty. I said that Doug Flutie is actually more my type and almost age appropriate and I could be Judy Flutie, but whatever.) So it was a good trip, and I think Chumley and my parents really got on well. So that brings us to today. My buddy Larry is driving back across the US with me. It will be more of a straight forward trip this time. But if anything interesting takes place I will take some photos and blog about it. I am not the wonderful food writer that Julie is, but I did have a terrific culinary bonus today. Evidently in Binghamton New York there is a specialty sandwich called a Spiedie. It consists of a 12 inch long skinny hero type roll packed full of either pork or chicken cubes. I opted for the pork. The meat was sublime; moist, tangy, with a hint of lemon, salty and tender. Who knew there was a specialty sandwich called a Spiedie? I went to school in Ithaca,
One hour away and have never heard of it!





But my mom, who was the only art teacher in Chenago County in 1946, has heard of a spiedie! We got a hot tip that the best key lime pie in the United States is in Little Rock Arkansas so at the very least I will report back on that. Keep my friends in the the Fire Zones in California in your thoughts. JM

Oh so Wright!

Buffalo, New York
Initially the jaunt across the country was going to be all about Frank Lloyd Wright and Prairie Architecture. Well, Spring Green got waylaid, and before I knew it I was in Buffalo, New York and Lo and Behold, one of FLW's most notable prairie houses stretched before me. The house is undergoing a huge restoration. There must be some deep deep pockets in Buffalo. There were three separate work crews while we were there. The stables and pergola have been totally rebuilt. Beautifully I might add. The bricks were located in Ohio, to replicate the original horizontally oriented bricks used in the construction. Underneath the veneer of horizontal "prairie style roman" bricks I spied some conventional bricks forming the foundation of the corner columns. OH FRANK so sneaky!!! Only the readers of this blog need to know....This complex is extensive. there was a home for client's sister, a gardener's cottage, stables/carriage house, greenhouse, and a beautiful pergola-covered walkway. Our decent docent told us that there was no set budget for the house, (which Wright would have blown anyway) and Mr. Martin gave FLW free reign. It shows in the layout, the leaded glass, the HUGE kitchen (for Wright) and what I imagine would have been extraordinary gardens. Martin's story is classic...orphan rises up in corporate America builds home complex to house EXTENDED family. You don't have to be Freud to figure that one out. Once again, seeing the restoration in progress thrilled me. I have an aversion to things totally gussied up I guess. The pergola and carriage complex are almost too perfect. But..I also noticed many similarities to the Hollyhock house. The use of gold in the interior, the pergola, the library and living room layout, even the decorative cement elements. I am starting to think that Wright had a syntax that he drew upon at will and mixed and matched. Hmm...heresy. I hope my friend Rod Grant doesn't read this blog, he will dress me down. I urge you to visit this amazing house. Here is the official website. I think it will be even better in about two years.

The Armco Ferro House

Beverly Shores, Indiana. Ok I promise this will be my last post about the World's Fair houses.
I am just so fascinated by them. This house was made of corrugated steel panels that were bolted together. It was a precursor to the very odd and cool Lustron houses that can be found all over the US. Somehow, Julie and I managed to miss the Lustron house in Beverly Shores and the one in Chautauqua, New York. The house looks a bit like Fort Courage in F Troop right now, as the enameled panels have been removed, but seeing the metal "box" frame is interesting. I am looking forward to visiting Beverly Shores again one day when the houses are rehabbed and rejuvenated.

Beverly Shores Continued

I think, in the case of the Beverly Shores houses of the future, pictures say more than I ever could. And Chumley was sitting in front of one the houses that was made with Cedar. One of the challenges of the houses of the future was finding a sustainable, renewable resource that would be good for building and I guess Cedar satisfied that requirement. In fact,the cedar house was the one that was furthest along in the restoration process.

The Rostone house is in terrible shape. Rostone was being promoted as a synthetic stone exterior that was a blend of alkali, shale and limestone. It really started deteriorating in the 1950's due to harsh conditions and water infiltration. It is being restored right now although it doesn't look like it.

Weibolt-Rostone House, Walter Schuler, Architect

The house of the future was pretty cool. Reminded me of a Disneyland GE House of Tomorrow that I remember. The biggest prediction was that everyone would have a personal airplane at their house. So there is a hangar attached. It is currently wrapped in Tyvek wrap so you cant really see much. One more house to go so come back to the blog when you have a minute. jm

Houses of Tomorrow and Yesterday

Beverly Shores, Indiana Monday September 10, 2007
Those who know me well, know that I have a keen interest in Amusement Parks, World's Fairs, Architectural History and then, when buildings are abandoned and left to decay I get really interested. Well yesterday, I think that I hit the apex of all of the above. Let me explain. Long before we had the internet, television, Dwell Magazine or Progressive Builder, we had World's Fairs. One of the functions of these international showcases was to disseminate information about new technology and use the exhibition as way to push the envelope in not only technology but the arts, agriculture, city planning, product design etc.. It was the ultimate product placement couched in entertainment but with no subterfuge. The need for world's fairs now is diminished, although part of me thinks a virtual reality world's fair might work. I digress. In 1933/34 the world's fair was set in Chicago. Ok before this becomes graduate school paper 101, I will get to the point. Homes that "solved" certain challenges in building were created for the world's fair. After the fair was completed, when pavillions and exhibition halls are normally torn down, Robert Bartlett bought 5 of the houses, and floated them from the world's fair site to the shores of Indiana to promote a real estate development . That's where we come in. You can read about the history of the houses and the promises their creators made here: Julie and I took some photos that show the state of the houses now. All the official park sites say they are "undergoing major restoration" but from what I can tell they are in worse shape then they were 2 years ago, although the cedar house where Chumley is posing in the previous post is really being worked on. I will come visit again,
Students who find this blog have my express permission to use all and any photos taken by me.


Florida Tropical House , Robert Law Weed Architect

Next entry will have more photos

Where's Chumley?

Unnamed state

Pop quiz: can anyone guess where Chumley is?

If not, check back to find the answer.

Five Star Grilled Cheese

Madison, Wisconsin

Thanks to a hot tip, we didn't leave Madison without visiting Café Soleil just across from the state capitol building.

I had to order "Wisconsin's Own Grilled Cheese", which took grilled cheese up a level -- or four or five. Toasty in-house whole grain bread with seeds sprinkled throughout to give it some pop, is grilled on both sides to a crispy, buttery perfection.

Your teeth break through the crunchy toast, passing the buttery flavor on to your tongue first, descending next through the 1-year aged Hook's Cheddar, whose density offers up just enough resistance to send that sharp-salty rich flavor to your brain a millisecond before the soft, warmed sliced tomato follows it with an acid kick - it doesn't get much better than when grilled cheddar meets tomato in this neighborhood.

But wait, there's more, Hook's Swiss and Farmer John's Provolone slathered in sautéed sweet onions - this bite was reminiscent of wonderfully rich french onion soup with a gratin of cheese and toast on top. The sandwich came with a whole grain mustard dipping sauce whose mustard grains were toasted and crushed right before being blended with house made mayonnaise - at least it had the creamy richness and intense mustard tang that I can't imagine you can get any other way.

While waiting for our sandwiches, we tried an herbed goat cheese croissant and said "oh, wow" at the first bite. The herbs were intense, the goat cheese perfection and the pastry did not make any mistakes. I had to follow that up with a rosemary cheddar brioche, in the classic fluted shape. This tasty cloud of perfectly done buttery break melted in your mouth while the rosemary and cheddar sent taste telegrams to your brain.

Clearly, the ingredients were of the highest quality and as fresh as picking them from your own garden, while the talent in putting it all together had to be formidable as well.

My five stars for Café Soleil come from marrying ingredients that were stellar to textures that were perfectly balanced - the brioche was airy and rich, the mustard velvety and saucy -- to flavors that popped like fireworks, concentrated and brilliant. jv

Ho Ho Ho

Sunday September 10, Minnesota and Wisconsin

Ok the highlight of the trip so far, was meeting one of my icons, a integral part of my childhood, someone who formed my definition of manliness yes that's right...The Jolly Green Giant. He lives in Blue Earth, Minnesota right next to the Dairy Queen but he assured me they aren't seeing each other. I liked his shoes alot. He got them at GDSW.
(Giant Discount Shoe Warehouse.)

Julie and I are on a Comfort Inn kick. They don't charge extra for the dog, they have SUPER great mattresses, the free breakfast is amazing as Amy can attest to, and generally they are nice. Well, I was thinking about how Chumley was processing this, and it goes something like: get in car, drive forever, pee once in a while, stay in warm room and eat kibble out of silver dish, drive all day, stay in same room, drive all day, stay in same freaking room.


Basically all the rooms are the same. So that has to add confusion to the already confusing experience.
I am so tired I am punchie. So I am gonna pack it in before I say something silly.
jm

The best place to live in the U.S.A.

Sioux Falls, South Dakota & Middleton, Wisconsin

Saturday we arrived around 7:30 pm at Sioux Falls. Night fell and a booming thunderstorm lit up the sky, followed by a downpour. I wasn't willing to go for the motel just off the Interstate, even though it offered free Internet. Independent motels across America have caught on to the "cable tv" of the 21st century.

Judy went into a MacDonalds and asked for directions to the historic downtown area. A teenage girl informed her that, although she had lived in Sioux Falls all her life, she had no idea where any historic center of town was -- she only went to the mall. A more erudite companion gave general directions and we were off.

Finally finding the center of town and at least a block of interesting architecture, we realized the gas gauge was blinking. Following the directions of Staci, the GPS, we drove in circles for a bit and then, silencing her, stumbled upon a Howdy Pardn'r (or something like that) at $3.07 a gallon.

We needed to find a hotel but since we were hungry, noticed as we passed Taco Bell, Red Lobster, MacDonalds, Pizza Hut, Chili's, Cracker Barrel, Applebees, TGIF Friday's, Denny's, Starbucks, Bennigan's, Hoolihan's, Hooters, Hardee's, Olive Garden, Macaroni Grill, Taste of Chicago, IHOP, and on down the alphabet of franchise restaurants.

The clerk at the luxury hotel we finally came across sent us down the road to a "pod" of hotels fronting the east-west Interstate. We chose the pet-friendly Comfort Suites for $79.

Going back out to one of the 42 restaurants within a stone's throw of the hotel, we learned from a well-informed server that Sioux Falls has more restaurants per capita than any other city in the U.S.! It is also a center for financial institutions due to a laissez-faire attitude toward interest rates in this state - ever notice how many mail-in payments go to South Dakota for processing?

The next day we noted mile-long block after mile-long block of malls with every franchise store we had ever seen. Stopping at Panera's Bakery to get some sandwiches for the road and talking with the girl making our sandwiches, it suddenly struck us that Sioux Falls is the testing ground for franchises, and the teenage girl the night before was a perfect product of her environment - the mall certainly was where it was at here.

.................. Now knowing about hotel "pods" we easily recognized one outside Madison, Wisconsin the next night and checked into home away from home at Comfort Suites again. Hunger took us this time to nearby Middleton. It appeared to have a charming historic district, and the diner we stopped in was very cute - Hubbard Avenue diner. The chicken tortilla soup was thick and spicy, the greek salad was fresh and flavorful. The cashier informed us that Middleton had been named one of the best places in the U.S. to live.

Yet, after we drove around a bit, the downtown was just too neat, too perfect and Judy dubbed it "Pleasantville". Sioux Falls, on the other hand, was the sum total of the modern American way of life. jv

I'll take Crazy Horse for $200 Alex

Saturday September 8, 2007. Arrived here late last night, but not too late for some homemade Strawberry Rhubarb pie and a nice walk around the back streets of Custer with Chumley. Today is an odd day. It is the one year anniversary of Mr. H. Bones Mahoney's demise, who chose to leave the planet while under the watchful eye of my beloved best friend Mikey. I have been thinking alot about Bones. I miss him every day. I do love Chumbucket so much, but Mr. B was a unique individual. I know all of you who have lost a pet know what I mean. They each have such specific spirits. Hoping Emily doesn't decide to replicate Bones' exit. That might just put Mike over the edge. Ok enough morbid canine thoughts. We are staying at the Rocket Motel. A 1930's cabin type place. Beyond cute. Now Custer, South Dakota is in direct contrast to Keystone, South Dakota. Custer is a real little tourist town that probably existed before Mount Rushmore. A small colony of Sears houses, lovely bungalows, and hunting cabins. Keystone takes its' cues from the Vegas - Branson model, replete with a presidential wax museum, indoor water park, reptile garden, mystery spot, and not to be missed Holy Terror Minature golf. In a weird way it reminded me of Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. I know that's a stretch, but sort of a pre-packaged family fun experience. The Crazy Horse Monument really moved me. Korczak Ziolkowski's dedication and irrational optimism is inspiring. The entire museum is sort of homey and well intentioned. Dogs are allowed and Chum even stalked the cat that belonged to the sculptor's children who still toil at the unfathomable task of completing this statue that is 5x as big as Rushmore. We had to see Mount Rushmore. That is not a pimple on George Washington's head. People were climbing to the top with ropes and stuff. Um why? Chumley was NOT allowed in the park so I had to satisfy my patriotic yearnings from the parking lot. OK onto WALL DRUG per my cousin Hillie, and then a night in Sioux Falls.

Cheyenne Thoughts

Friday September 7, Cheyenne Wyoming
O.K. Can we talk about Cheyenne? What a delightful sweet city. I almost drove off the road when I saw this house. It defies description. A crenelated prairie fantasy. A physical embodiment of the axiom that money can't buy taste. Can't you just hear the architect pitching the design? "I know you are a fan of Robin Hood and Walter Burley Griffin, I think we can combine the two here." It dates from the twenties I think, totally out of sync with the post war GI housing that surrounds it. I would love to the know the history. Now in contrast to this architectural acid trip, the state house is lovely, Maybe not as sublime as the Nebraska State House, but it holds it's own. Built in 1886. Just the right amount of Beaux Arts Glory. Not too pretentious, it sits on a slight hill overlooking the city.
The interior is gorgeous too. Especially the sky light.
OK heading out to South Dakota....Custer here we come. (Chumley loved the State House lawn.)

Wyoming through South Dakota

Sioux Falls, South Dakota

It is 1:30am, and Judy and Chumley are sleeping. Thanks to a Verizon pci card, I can get an Internet connection in most cities and sometimes even on the road. So this is just to say we have not fallen off the edge of the planet -- although it looked like we had reached the boundary today when a thunderstorm burst above us somewhere to the east of the Missouri river.

This morning we woke up in the delightful Rocket Motel in Custer, South Dakota and headed 11 miles north to the Crazy Horse Monument. It is an astounding project, and the vision of the sculptor presented in the introductory video at the visitors center left us both teary-eyed.



It would have been better to see Rushmore first, since the scale and inspiration of the Crazy Horse project overshadowed it for us. jv