Grilled Cheese is Always Safe

New Awhleans!!

2011-01-10T11:57:00.000-08:00

New Orleans seems to offer whatever it is that you need. I needed visual stimulation. I got it big time. The food, the music, the architecture, the people, all so freakin' great. This is not a normal travel blog so I won't go on and on...but the signage was just one of the outstanding things I saw. The best music I heard was on the street, and wafting out from the clubs...The best food well that is hard to say. I never had raw oysters before, and the experience was wonderful. I loved the buffet at Lil Dizzy's Cafe, I inhaled the Burger at Port of Call. The barbecued shrimp at Deanie's was worth the work...so yummy.

My friend Ken took me to the lower Ninth Ward where Katrina hit the hardest. I think I only saw a tiny fraction of what destruction was wrought. I was however bowled over by the innovative house designs I saw, with extensive solar panels and thoroughly modern facades.
He told me that Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie wereinstrumental in helping to rebuild the area.
It was hopeful and inspiring.

Another Hollywood connection, although less uplifting is the future tomb of Nicholas Cage. I guess the pyramid refers to the Masonic imagery in National Treasure but Nick, c'mon. You're in with the New Orleans Hoi Polloi for eternity, a little nod to your surroundings might be more appropriate.
I know I only experienced a taste of this complex and wonderful city. It seems there are many many layers yet to explore. But I know it is a visit I will never forget.

photos

2010-02-21T05:19:00.001-08:00

No, our photo skills have not suddenly taken off! These are some shots by Bennett Marks of the Florida native fauna.

Jacknife Big Rig meets Boat on Trailer

2010-02-11T07:05:00.000-08:00

We broke the hotel snow shovel digging the Prius out this morning but generally had fun until we looked down the Grand Slalom driveway after a passerby alerted us that we would not be going anywhere soon.

There was a jacknifed big rig right at the bottom of the driveway. He told us last time that took 4 hours to get a tow truck large enough to deal with a big rig, but this time there was a hotel guest with an SUV pulling a LARGE boat who had tried to go around the big rig and was now stuck, blocking any smaller cars like Prius' from any hope of leaving.

The Flying J restaurant where we may be having our 3rd meal later today behind is to the left of the truck.

View Comfort Inn & Flying J, Northeast Maryland in a larger map

The Goddesses of Travel

2010-02-11T05:18:00.000-08:00

Comfort Inn was nice enough to provide a Mongolian sherpa to lead us to our car. Wow. Full service huh? Oh, and while we were at the Flying J we came across the Trucker Goddess. She is the ultimate combination of boredom, strength, and skank. OK hittin' the road now. Stay tuned.

Snowerk, New Jersey to Saltimore, Maryland

2010-02-11T04:09:00.000-08:00

The Flying "J" sun room was empty due to lack of the essential element. The windows did allow for some contemplation, in spite of the fact that the local School of Original Thought was closed yesterday due to weather conditions.

Judy and I are leaving the hotel room shortly with the idea of making it out the downhill hotel driveway, which looked like a Giant Slalom run last night. If we succeed, the Interstate is a quarter mile and freedom from the snow on the other side of the Capitol. Richard, our french correspondent warned: "if the snow between here and the D.C. summit does not force us to pass through the mines of Moria."

snow schmoe

2010-02-10T16:35:00.000-08:00

I could possibly bore you with countless shots of my Prius covered with snow, or perhaps the drifts outside my new home - The Comfort Inn in North East Maryland, but no, I won't do that. Instead, I will ponder the question that has been plaguing me all day. Since when is it okay for a junk food, in this case, candy to have flavors derived from another junk food (soda). As my friend Mikey would say, this is just wrong on so many levels. And while I am getting stuff off my chest, is it right that my dogs love their dogsitter Heather so much, that they didn't even bat a bug eye at me leaving with all my stuff...that too, is wrong. Maybe all this freakin' snow has left me grumpy, but don't fret, Julie and I will be back to our peripatetic ways tomorrow, and my cheerful demeanor will return. Okay. Heading back to the truck stop for some jello cubes and beets. Maybe some soda poppers for dessert.

I-95 and Maryland in a Blizzard

2010-02-10T14:20:00.000-08:00

10:30 am, Tuesday, February 9th, 2010. GMT+1
It is snowing in Paris this morning. I am heading by bus to Charles de Gaulle airport to catch an Air France flight.

We walk down the terminal passageway and at the end, ça alors! there is no plane. We exit a door hanging 2 stories up and descend a metal staircase into another bus. Jokes about taking the bus from Paris to Newark are cracked by the New Yorkers. We end up in an Airbus 330 (this bus is a jet) that is half full. Three films and one nap later we arrive in Newark.

Judy is in the parking lot wrapping up an interview with the local New Jersey Fox News station about the daring act of heading south on I-95, where she got a plug in for the Drive I-95 guide pictured above.

We made it as far as dark. Heavy snow started falling around 7pm so we took an exit the I-95 guide noted for good crab cakes. Settled in to a Comfort Inn Suites with lots of other Florida-bound travelers. Crab cakes are 2 miles from the hotel, this is the equivalent of 200 miles tonight.

Wednesday. The car has icicles hanging off the trunk. In 12 hours, the snow reaches the bumper. The state of Maryland is paralyzed by a blizzard. We book the room for the next night and go work out in the gym.

Our view for today .

Lunched at the truck stop diner at the bottom of the driveway. Going back for dinner.

Our route:

View I-95 2010 Grilled Cheese is on the Road Again in a larger map

Sweetwater, Texas Blow me away

2009-02-16T11:29:00.000-08:00

Sweetwater Texas is primarily known for wind. When we passed through the winds were blowin' mighty hard. In fact it is the center for wind generation in the Nation. I nominate Sweetwater for the 2009 No Calorie Left Behind Fried Chicken Award.* Our muse and guidebook Road Trip USA recommend Allen's Family Restaurant and boy were we glad we exited Interstate 20 and heeded his advice. It was 11:30 in the morning, church had just let out, and the families were sittin' down to some good Sunday eats. Check out the sides: We had the okra gumbo and the yellow squash with a maple glaze. The gumbo wasn't too slimey and just enough bite. The spelling of potatoe salad I am sure is a tribute to Dan Quayle, one of the patron saints of road food. The chicken was crispy, juicy and crunchy. Perfection. Way too much. We each had three pieces, and our fill of veggies. The peach cobbler was super. Soggy chewy crust, big hunks of peach and not overly sweet. We ate this picnic in the car, at a rest stop while the winds were howling around the car at 60 mph! Chum, I admit was the beneficiary of some white meat chicken. He approved!
*"No Calorie Left Behind Tour" coined by Michael Ventre October 2007.

Demopolis, Alabama -Last Jew Standing

2009-02-15T14:13:00.000-08:00

I spent some time in the Jewish Cemetery in Demopolis. No Newhouses to be found. I guess they assimilated early and often. We didn't have time to go through the big city burial ground. The architecture in Demopolis ranges from plantation houses fit for the Tarleton twins to picturebook Carpenter Gothic cottages. Of course most interesting to me is the one building that is not there anymore. Like Selma, the Jewish community in Demopolis started about 1844 with an influx of Jews from Germany. The community prospered and built a Moorish Revival synagogue that looks pretty quirky. This photo was given to me by a lady at the book store of Bluff Hall.
The synagogue was built in1893 and torn down in 1959.The building that remains as Bnai Jeshurun was given to the Episcopal Church a few years ago. It now serves as a food pantry. It is a unremarkable brick structure.
There are two Jews left in Demopolis. Their family owned the furniture store which was founded in 1895. The Rosenbushes are now quite old and when they go, that is it for the Jewish community in Demopolis. If this subject interests you, you can read more about it on the Institute for Southern Jewish Life webpage.

There was one house that I saw in Demopolis that I couldn't get any information on. It had a remarkably elaborate stained glass window in the front and looked like a Greek Revival transistioning to a Victorian !
The window was reminiscent of John LaFarge. I could only do two drivebys so I didn't get as close as I wanted to. If anyone finds ANYTHING out about this house, I would love to know more. I am thinking about sending photos to the Demopolis Chamber of Commerce or the Mayor's office to see if they can tell me more. I will post updates I promise.

Shalom Y'all

2009-02-08T07:15:00.000-08:00

When I think of Selma, Alabama -immediately I flash on the Rabbi of my childhood congregation pontificating on "walking with Martin" and his involvement with the early civil rights struggle in the South. I went to Selma to just poke around and see what was there. I found the most lovely Romanesque abandoned synagogue. Just exquisite. Jews showed up in Selma as early as the 1830's and The Jewish community established Mishkon Israel in the mid 1800's and laid the cornerstone in 1899. I don't know when the last Jew left, but trust me, there aren't any lulav-esrog superstores close by. On to Demopolis to track Sadie Fink's mishpucka.
On the way to Demopolis, I exclaimed "be still my Greek Revival loving heart!" Julie and I spotted Gainswood through the schmutz filled window of the Pruis. (Thanks Chumley). We couldn't get a tour, (The docent was "runnin errands") but a lovely caretaker took us around. He knew EVERYTHING about the place, and history in general, and my mind was boggled. Constructed in 1843 - 61 The house is sort of an amalgam of pattern books and various references. An extraordinary curved bay window in the rear is unique and uncharacteristic. Here is my heretical thought for the day: the architecture of our newly formed country that represented Greek ideals of equality and representation was built by slaves. Suck on that. And another thought, how about all those Jewish plantation owners, and there were some, celebrating their Passover Seders and repeating the phrase "We were slaves in the land of Egypt.." while being served Charoses by "Mammy." More about the lost tribe of Demopolis at the next stop.

Abilene miracle

2009-02-08T05:13:00.000-08:00

Comfort Suites in Abilene provided a make-your-own waffle maker, this was the second time on the trip we had landed in the lap of luxury. Virginia also provided a waffle-maker. It produced pretty good, crispy round waffles after the staff gave guests a complimentary and brief training course on how to portion, flip and remove after two minutes.

Back to Abilene, not-really-awake at 6:30 a.m., Judy and I stumbled down to the breakfast room. Upon removing my waffle I let out a cry of surprise "My waffle came out looking like Texas!" It was some sort of chance miracle and we would be paying for the rest of our trip with an e-bay auction -- the "miracle of Abilene" going to the highest bidder. The hotel clerk smiled - they all turn out that way, it is planned that way. They say God has a plan, but to this level of detail?

No longer a potential source of income, the waffle took a turn as modern art. The kind that needs an explanation before you realize how clever and profound the artist's intentions are. The butter is a rough distribution of the population of Texas, with the largest gathering of butterfat around Dallas-Fort Worth. Austin and Houston are slightly smaller and a disproportionate amount favors our own unforgettable Abilene.

The black camera case underneath represents the underlying "black gold" industry which lifts this state above the less prosperous levels of its neighbors we came through. This increased wealth allows the population to express values higher up on Maslow's hierarchy of needs* like make-up mirrors in the hotel rooms. Make up mirrors are listed as amenities in the state welcome center's lodging coupon books. Later it was evident a make-up mirror was NOT a luxury but an essential for Texas culture, where, to borrow from a friend's description "it looks like prom night every day of the week."

*have you ever noted that the U.S.D.A. food pyramid also puts all the good things at the top, like chocolate and dessert? Surely this was intentional.

suggest a caption or guess where we are....

2009-02-07T22:25:00.001-08:00

more photos

2009-02-07T22:22:00.001-08:00

photos

2009-02-07T22:18:00.001-08:00

I thought there was supposed to be a parade? Where is the new President? Where is everybody?

We caught Joe Biden jogging after a long day at work.

The Route

2009-02-05T16:55:00.000-08:00

Georgia on my plate.

2009-02-05T15:53:00.000-08:00

Before I begin this blog entry, let me just say: food photographed by non professionals always looks gross. Trust me, if you don't have a stylist, gylcerine, good lighting, and lots of time it looks like it has already been eaten. That will not stop me from whipping out my trusty Nikon every time I eat an interesting morsel.
Julie and I carbo loaded between breakfast and lunch. When Michael Stern (from Road Food) casually throws around the phrase best biscuit in the South you have to be one callous foodie to keep driving. So we stopped: Julie had biscuits in brown gravy, I had grits, and biscuits with butter. Her brown gravy was so lard loaded it tasted fried. It reminded me of Zepole at the San Gennaro Festival. The biscuits were de-vine, light, creamy (the lard) melty, and just delish. Worth the stop. A mere 45 minutes later we pulled into Melear's Barbeque. Almost nauseated to the unfathomable state of non hunger by the life size cut out of GW Bush, I gathered my wits about me and ordered the non-endless pork plate. (I watched a group of phone installers get countless plate refills while I was there.) The shredded pork was frankly dry and unremarkable. The thing that made it palatable was the vinegary barbeque sauce. What I really liked was the Brunswick Stew. OH YUM. Tomato based with a distinct corn flavor and probably day old shredded pork, it really was incredibly tasty. Luckily it did not contain squirrel or rabbit which around here is good eatin' and often is included in Brunswick Stew. The pickled onions and cole slaw were good and the toasted wonder bread was handy for getting up the last bit of the Brunswick Stew. Tomorrow, I will stop gorging and look for some interesting architecture in Demopolis, Alabama, birthplace of the late great Sadie Newhouse Fink, the Miss Daisy of my extended family. A Jew in Alabama in the 1920's can you imagine? I can. Cottilions where they danced the hora. OY.

Another Cross Country Trip!

2009-02-04T10:29:00.000-08:00

Julie and I just can't get enough of our great country! Judy just was looking for any reason to escape the relentless snow of Saratoga Springs, New York. Julie needed to get back to the three dimensional world beyond the computer screen. Pick any two and you are correct! We are on the road again. This time taking a southern route across the US for obvious reasons. We will stay on the interstate and take detours off. We haven't obsessively planned our route this time. But, Chumley has been bugging me to take him to meet Obama. So we detoured to Washington D.C. to see the first family. He actually wanted to pee on Dick Cheney's wheelchair first, but I digress.We plan on eating road food and regional delicacies, but last night the unbeatable combination of Comfort Inn and Ruby Tuesday's salad bar lured us in.

After scoping out the gym in the hotel, I caught Julie In flagrante delicto with Chumley!

On to Georgia today. Maybe South of the Border is still there- pink adobes and all.

Troy! Oh Boy!

2008-10-07T15:51:00.000-07:00

Often, I have heard Troy referred to as the butt hole of New York. That is harsh and uncalled for.

It actually resembles the backlot at Universal Studios. Wait. Maybe I have that backwards. I went to visit on a rainy day with my friend Bob.

Lots to know about Troy...In 1840 (the start of modernity for us visual culturists) Troy was the fourth wealthiest community in the country and TROY HAS MORE TIFFANY WINDOWS PER SQUARE MILE THAN ANY OTHER CITY IN THE US. That fact alone sent my decorative arts heart beating rapidly. Hey! Even the frat house on First Street had a Tiffany window. Bob and I attempted a church entry to see the windows at St. Paul's but the church was locked tighter than a drum. But all was not lost, the Troy library building was such a treat. It actually reminded me of the Boston Library without the John Singer Sargent Murals. The windows were spectacular. Behind the checkout desk is a huge window depicting Aldus delivering a copy of the Dante's Divine Comedy with the following quote in the right hand corner "Study as if you were to live forever and live as if you were to die tomorrow." I gotta think about that....The window was designed for Tiffany by Frederick Wilson whose primary focus seemed to be church windows. He must have relished a secular subject like this one. The other windows in the Libary were extraordinary. I wish I could have lit them for my photos but that option didn't exist. I am starting to think that if you were anybody doing anything of import in the gilded age...you had Tiffany Studios do your windows, Frederick Law Olmstead do your garden, Augustus Saint Gaudens do your statuary and John Singer Sargent paint your picture, even if you lived up in the sticks like Troy or Saratoga. Bob and I didn't get to see the Tiffany windows at The Bush Memorial Center at Russell Sage either. It was locked....I am coming back. There is an underground railroad walking tour Saturday morning...I think I gotta check it out. Other things you need to know about Troy; Herman Melville lived here for a while and published two books (before Moby Dick), The night before Christmas was published and written here in 1823. The Age of Innocence, Scent of a Woman, Ironweed, and The Bostonians were shot here. I mean if Scorcese liked it, who am I to disagree?

Victorian Decay - Sharon Springs New York

2008-09-18T14:32:00.000-07:00

Like an eighty year old wearing a mini skirt, Sharon Springs is ignorant of its own anachronism.
The pavilions, the shuttered baths, the abandoned hotels, all speak to a glorious past - at the same time conveying an optimism that some prince might come along and rescue it-as a visitor, you get caught up in this fever too. "Isn't this place amazing? What if....Oh man, I would love to...." It is seductive in a way. The potential so thick you can taste it . The Korean Investment group who collectively flaked must have gotten caught up in it too... their neglect was far more insidious though, closing the remaining hotels and baths with the intention of "restoring" them, and then nothing. So now, any life that was left; the remaining Orthodox Jews, the few old school Sharon Springs devotees are gone, the hotels burning, or collapsing, and the life getting sucked out of the vacuum that is Sharon Springs.
The landscape reminded me of a dusty diorama in an unvisited museum.... once loved, once looked at.
Sharon Springs is the Yang to Saratoga Springs Yin.
Bizarro World.

Mr. Lincoln or is that Mr. Big?

2008-07-01T07:28:00.000-07:00

Mansfield Ohio-the all American City. Filming location of one of my favorite films; The Shawshank Redemption. You can even do a self driving tour of the locations of the film. Julie and I wanted to eat our fried chicken in a scenic spot and we hit the jackpot. The bicentennial parade was in full swing, (see previous video of shriners in mini-cars) and we got to meet the good people of the Lincoln Highway association of Ohio. I even had a close encounter with "Big" Lincoln who bore a strong resemblance to Carrie Bradshaw's b.f.
The marker we are standing in front of was hand-casted by one of the members of the Mansfield Lincoln Highway Association. He makes them for the whole country!

I think you can't top this experience. So the rest of my posts will be about new discoveries around Saratoga Springs. We are in fact, here in Saratoga, safe and sound. Chumley is coming out of his haze and very happy to see his grandparents.

Thanks for reading about my adventures on the road. Please check the blog every now and then and feel free to comment and stay in touch.

Oh Hi Oh!!

2008-07-01T06:51:00.000-07:00

Van Wert Ohio. Fried Chicken and Arnold Stang. What could be better? The best Fried Chicken I have had in 9 years. (The best is still somewhere on the road to Chelsea Vermont). Served by a very small and charming man who looked and spoke exactly like Arnold Stang. (I had the pleasure of working with Mr. Stang in the early 80's on a Dow Scrubbing Bubbles commercial.) This guy was his doppleganger. We skipped the awesome pie, which I regret profoundly. By far Balyeats was the best road food discovery on the Lincoln Highway. In continuous business since the 20's, it is worth the pilgrimage. The chicken was moist, not greasy, the crispy skin was crunchy and flavorful. Julie and I split one order. We weren't stuffed, but profoundly satisfied. I'll reveal where we enjoyed this road picnic in the next entry. The other bonus in Van Wert-next to the restaurant a second empire court house not to be believed. Just plain gloriousness all around.

POP QUIZ

2008-06-29T19:49:00.000-07:00

Post your guesses on the blog.

1. Super unleaded is cheaper than unleaded across the midwest, any idea why?
2. Where am I?

Clue:

3. In which Wyoming town is it illegal to park your car if you have out-of-town license plates?
Hint: This small town was a planned community built in the 1920's around a company that no longer exists, and the name of the town was changed to that of the new company which purchased the original one and is in the same industry.

4. What is Dan Quayle's home town?

Extra credit: can you identify this building and tell Judy about it? (Listed on National Register of Historic places) It is downtown, not far from the Quayle museum, one block from Nick's Café -- famous for tenderloin and home made pies - we had a slice of rhubarb for breakfast, both being rhubarb freaks. The pie was perfectly tangy with a flaky, delicious crust. The mystery building is located on the NW corner of North Jefferson and West Market (Market becomes East Market on the other side of Jefferson. Jefferson is the old Lincoln Highway route 24.)

Whats up with this?

2008-06-29T18:36:00.000-07:00

We kept seeing these signs all over the midwest.
(http://www.kumandgo.com)
I have no other comment.

Lincoln Nebraska, and on to Iowa

2008-06-29T17:35:00.000-07:00

Well. I was so sad about Miss Emily. I knew it was inevitable but I was still so sad. That combined with bad internet luck curtailed my blogging. But, I have time now to share some cool stuff.
I actually got to see one of the buildings that I studied in undergrad and graduate school. The State Capital Building in Lincoln, Nebraska. What a majestic, impressive building. In my lexicon, I put it in the Daily Planet School of Architecture. Sort of Gothic Intimidation meets Depression Modern.
I LOVE THIS BUILDING. I also love the Los Angeles Public Library Building which was designed by the same architect: Bertram Goodhue. He designed some buildings in Balboa Park for the 1915 Pan Pacific Exhibition (beating out my favorite architect of all time Irving Gill.) He even did the master plan for Cal Tech in California. Julie and I were driving down Goodhue Blvd. in Lincoln, and lo and behold we saw this vision. This was the tallest thing on the prairie for miles. I think that was the point. Can't you just imagine Jimmy Olsen running out the door to catch the latest scoop?

We spent the night outside of Des Moines. The next day I was determined to have some Lincoln Highway experiences and dragged Julie to Ames, Iowa to see the Campus of Iowa State,(Sorry Jan), and try a butter burger at Culvers, a mid-western chain. I am compelled to say..Butterburgers are AS GOOD AS IN and OUT BURGERS. Heresy. I know. They have irregular edges, a square shape, and taste really really good. I ordered a double and gave Chumley one patty. He concurred.
We schlepped to Tama, Iowa to see the Ultimate Lincoln Highway relic, and boy was I happy!! Chumley not so much. He really hates being in the car and even though he was on doggie downers he was still stressing. I think that this trip can't be over soon enough for him.
We managed to stay on the Lincoln highway for another 30 miles or so and then in order to avoid Chicago we ditched route 30 and found an alternate two lane road through Illinois and Indiana. More later.

Chumley

2008-06-29T17:33:00.000-07:00

"Hmmm.... hope we aren't there yet."

"Maybe there is another BBQ place ahead"

"It is only 9am and I am so tired, someone must have slipped me a mickey"

"Apparently I will be spending the rest of my life in this back seat"

I hope I NEVER have to see these guys on the road again!"

Quick Trip

2008-06-28T18:22:00.000-07:00

Dawn over Day's Inn, Evanston, Wyoming

Rawlins, Wyoming, rare skateboarding Pronghorn.

Judy and I judged the Rawlins 2008 Pronghorn art competition, you can see more 2007 Pronghorn art here http://www.rawlins-wyoming.com/Pronghorn/pronghorn2007.htm

Lincoln Nebraska. The Telephone Building, which Julie took a liking to. (see Judy's post about architecture in Lincoln)

If you visit be prepared for one-way streets!

Odd industrial park outside Clinton, Iowa.

We happened upon a several things we were not looking for.

Crossing the Mississippi River at Clinton, Iowa.

Covered Bridge in a stunningly pretty town not too far past Clinton, but in adjoining Illinois, maybe Morrison.

A picture of my favorite sign of the trip (Julie) did not turn out, it was a travel agency in Dan Quayle's hometown which bragged:

"We also know where Not to go"

Rest In Peace Emily Beverly Bemmerstein

2008-06-26T22:00:00.000-07:00

Emily passed away today after a long struggle with a liver tumor and complications from Cushings disease. She was adopted on June 23, 1999 and we think she was around 13 or 14. Emily now joins her late brother H. Bones Mahoney and her human boyfriend Mik Mikkelson. She will be greatly missed. Fans of Vivian DeLongpaw can make contributions to Boston Buddies in her memory.

The Wyoming Nebraska Haul

2008-06-26T11:15:00.000-07:00

My friend Paul's earliest childhood memories are of driving across the U.S. with his family in 1965 and visiting the World's Fair in New York. He vividly recalled stopping in Little America somewhere in Wyoming. Based on that information, I had to pay homage to Paul's memory. Well. I can say one thing; the carpet is the same one from Paul's memory. Little America was an oasis of banality. That is all I can say. We spent the day zooming across Wyoming and stopped in Laramie for a really good lunch and fruitless quest looking for the Ames Brothers monument designed by HH Richardson and Augustus Saint Gaudens. I hope this will suffice...I did manage to have an A & W rootbeer float. That sort of assuaged my sadness over missing the monument. The A & W is also near the largest statue of Mary in the US. She oversees the dispensing of fried cheese curds which I have yet to try. I wonder if Mary communicates with Mr. Lincoln who is a few miles away from her on interstate 80. He is sort of scary and imposing looking from the Freeway. I always have thought of him as benevolent and kind but this sort of changed my opinion. Maybe he is ticked off that the Lincoln Highway has been replaced by I-80 here in Wyoming.

Wire Less

2008-06-26T10:56:00.000-07:00

Our Internet access has been really bad. So I have not been posting nearly enough or as much as I want to. Julie and I are in Nebraska right now, at a restaurant with free Wifi and great salads, so all is right with the world. I wanted to add one thing to Julie's previous post. In the mining town of Eureka, the cast iron storefronts remain, there is a lovely beauty to their decrepit state. I think Chumley agrees. Also a cool burger stand with a GREAT name.

Eureka! Day One and Two

2008-06-25T06:10:00.000-07:00

Posted Wednesday morning,
We are getting behind ourselves with the blog thing thanks to our ability to bring havoc to wifi wherever we stop on the Interstate, from Starbucks to State Line (fyi, very helpful ladies at the Nevada West Wendover welcome center, plus thick shady grass approved of by Chumley.)

Back at the sneaker tree, the road was impressively straight between the 'Nevada speed bumps' of low ranges so numerous they ran out of geologist's to name them after...'Fairview', 'Grayback' and 'New Pass' (check out the terrain view of the Google map below). It was hot, we went for many hours after the BBQ. Stacy, the GPS had to find Austin next (we had less choices than she did, it was the only town in miles.) Austin was an upturn in the road, sporting a perfectly restored western shop with a Lucky Jeans sign so shiny and upscale looking, that it left us un-intrigued. We went on to Eureka, again confusing Stacy as every state has its Eureka moment, it seems.

Hungrier, hotter, and so tired we stumbled over our words, we had our Eureka moment when the receptionist at the Best Western on the four-block main street looked at us and said, straight-faced 'sorry, we are all booked tonight'. There was a teacher convention rolling into town shortly. I warned Judy about teachers traveling in packs and how they can tear up a small town like Eureka, we had to move on -- tired and ready to stop as we were.

It was a desperate moment with the sun setting, more lonely road in front of us, staring at the Chinese-American restaurant, remembering the heartburn from Chinese American the night before.

We were a long, long way from any La Brea Bakeries or even Panera's, or french village bakeries.

It was time to break out the emergency cupcakes.
Thanks to Mike Ventre, the cooler contained two glorious cupcakes of the highest order, one chocolate frosted and one with an inch of vanilla frosting filled with raspberry inside... mmmmmmm........

View Larger Map

From Stockton to The Loneliest Road

2008-06-24T13:57:00.000-07:00

We started out in Stockton looking for the remains of the Lincoln Highway. Believe it or not we found an outdoor shopping mall complete with Trader Joe's, called....drumroll..."Lincoln Center." There are a few references to the Lincoln Highway, roads, churches...but the old highwayis buried under route 99, which we took to up north and eventually hooked up with Interstate 80. We stopped in the Donner Pass and managed not to resort to the temptation of cannibalism, we did however take a mountain hike with Chumley. We learned all about erractics.
After getting through all the glory that is Reno...including missing the upcoming shows of the Alan Parsons Project, we got on The Loneliest Road -the alternative to the interstate that runs through Nevada. First off, a stop in Fallon for BIG ED's BARBEQUE. Julie was pretty adamant that she didn't want Pork Butt. So we got brisket and pulled pork sandwiches...dang they were good. We had to pass on the fried Catfish and the sweet potato pie, but Chum had some brisket and really liked it! I would say that Big Ed's was NOT as amazing as Interstate Bar-B-Q in Memphis but it held up pretty well. After Fallon, Route 50 really earns its' moniker. The terrain was actually wonderful. Long stretches of highway and the rare Adidas Tree. Often seen in rural areas, this offshoot of the rubber tree sprouts Nikes, New Balance, and frequently the most sought after PF Flyers. Julie will write more about Emergency cupcakes ... in a few hours. We need to get back on the road.

Invasion of the POD PEOPLE

2008-06-21T14:40:00.000-07:00

Well. This is it. I have packed up 23 years of possessions, and they fit in three pods. To think that in 1985 I moved out here with a suitcase. My dad UPS'd me three boxes, including a little TV, and that was all I owned in the world. My stuff has multiplied. It will travel across the US on its' own journey, and I will travel once again with my bud Julie. We plan on roughly following The Lincoln Highway. Interstate 80 parallels it, so we will go in and out of the "old road" I suspect. I think we will get to Saratoga on Saturday or Sunday June 29.
What is the Lincoln Highway you ask? Starting in Times Square, the Highway ends in San Francisco, and was promoted in 1913 as "America's Main Street." Of course, I want to travel it to see old houses, gas stations, diners, bridges, hotels, and signage. I will write more about the history of the Lincoln Highway, and hopefully take photos of some Lincoln Inspired landmarks.
Today is all about saying goodbye to good friends, and trying to not cry too much. My beloved dog Emily is not well enough to travel. It is quite a dilemma actually because she still is functioning well and to put her down is clearly not the right choice either. Mikey, my buddy and future tenant, (as of tomorrow) will care for her until she passes. I don't know if that is two days, or two weeks, but I know she is in loving hands. I can't write too much more about this or my tears will surely ruin my computer. This agonizing decision was not an easy one. She is pretty blind and has an inoperable tumor so the idea of her making the trip was bordering on cruel. I just want her to be comfortable and loved, and I think this is the best solution. I am not looking forward to saying my goodbyes to her tomorrow. She came into my life 9 years ago today, She has never been an affectionate or friendly dog. I always joke that she is like Greta Garbo and "vants to be alone." I do know that she and I have a special bond, and I truly love her like no one else could. Mikey comes close, in spite of how he jokes that she hates him. I have caught him giving her random kisses on the head. I know this is the best possible outcome - although my heart is so heavy.
I will post from Stockton California, tomorrow night when some of this drama has passed.

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

2007-11-08T17:12:00.000-08:00

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

2007-10-27T07:00:00.000-07:00

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

2007-10-24T18:36:00.000-07:00

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

2007-10-22T18:40:00.000-07:00

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!

2007-09-20T12:26:00.000-07:00

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

2007-09-17T17:24:00.000-07:00

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

2007-09-15T06:33:00.000-07:00

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

2007-09-11T06:32:00.000-07:00

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?

2007-09-10T20:35:00.000-07:00

Unnamed state

Pop quiz: can anyone guess where Chumley is?

If not, check back to find the answer.

Five Star Grilled Cheese

2007-09-10T20:33:00.000-07:00

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

2007-09-10T20:18:00.000-07:00

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.

2007-09-10T19:52:00.000-07:00

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

2007-09-09T20:40:00.000-07:00

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

2007-09-09T20:08:00.000-07:00

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

2007-09-08T23:30:00.001-07:00

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

Santa Fe to Boulder: Prophets and Recycling

2007-09-07T10:21:00.000-07:00

Friday- ok I am new to blogging and I have to keep my dates and places straight: So far, 1st day LA to Flagstaff. 2nd Day Flagstaff to Santa Fe. 3rd Day Santa Fe to Boulder Colorado which brings us to where I am right now, always a good place to be. Staying in a green motel. Everything is recycled. Very dog friendly. They even have their own dog run. Chumley made some friends with a mixed Dachshund and Rat Terrier named Buster. They ran all around the mini dog park and just had a blast. This motel has an indoor pool, indoor rock climbing and a great vibe. Big Head Todd even played here in the blues club right on the premises. One of Chumley's nicknames is Big Head Todd so we found that very coincidential. Boulder is cool. Lots of young kids riding bikes, cool cafes, cool restaurants. Outdoorsy vibe. Totally worth staying here rather than Denver which looks corporate and smelly and noisy. We met so many neat people with dogs (and without). One couple is traveling with their three dogs 2 rescued labs and 1 Saluki and their baby from Austin Texas to Portland Oregon! I think I saw a prophet in Gallup New Mexico in front of the pic a flic video. Then again he could have been an out of work below the line agent....Julie and I are headed to South Dakota in a few minutes. But it may take a while to sort out our green garbage before we leave. jm

Standin on the corner in Winslow Arizona

2007-09-07T09:16:00.000-07:00

What a fine site to see indeed! The La Posada (The resting place) hotel in Winslow has just undergone an extensive restoration. Glorious... the landscape is being redone with Mary Coulter's original landscape plans. In 1929 right before the stock market crash, Fred Harvey invested a million dollars in the beautiful showplace. 70 years later the costs for restoration are 12 million! Mary Coulter invented an entire fantasy that guided her vision for the hotel...It is pretty extensive, read about it here.
She was forward thinking alright, sustainable gardens including a sunken waterfall! The grand lawn looks out on the train tracks with a dog friendly attitude. The bygone romance of train travel can be summed up in one visual...the arcade from the front of the train station to the rear entrance to the hotel. You can just picture the bellboys meeting your Santa Fe Train, carrying your bags to the grand lobby for a few days stay in the clean Arizona air. jm

day one part two

2007-09-05T08:26:00.000-07:00

California Desert toward Flagstaff

Tuesday. The roughest thing was saying goodbye to Emily. Physically, she is just not up for the rigors of travel. She will be very comfortable at her house with Mikey and Dugan to look after her. I will miss her terribly. The packed car resembled an M.C. Escher print. All tucked in and ready to hit the road. The first thing I did not expect was Chumley's reaction. He was very stressed. Panting, and not happy. He has always been such a great car dog. It came as a surprise. I hope it is better today, and he adjusts. The drive through Barstow was hot hot hot. The a/c was blasting and when we stopped in Needles CA we got blasted by 111 degree heat.

A very cool restoration project is going on in Needles....The El Garces hotel...one of the original Harvey House hotels. Here is a shot of the hotel as it stands now, and sometime around 1905. The style is sort of a Classical Revival, and Monterey hybrid. The lamp posts, I think were added later....We will see some more Fred Harvey Hotels today, in Winslow and Santa Fe. Will take photos....maybe my Architecture Professor Ken was right, I should have done my master's thesis on Mary Colter the brilliant female architect who designed a majority of the Harvey House hotels. - jm

On the Road with Kerouac -50 years ago today

2007-09-04T08:30:00.000-07:00

Los Angeles, California

Thanks to our friend Larry for pointing out the synchronicity of starting our cross-country road trip on the day of the 50th anniversary of the publication of Beat writer Jack Kerouac's "On the Road". This tome was typed on one continuous sheet of paper, which I got to see at the spiffy San Francisco Public Library a few years ago with friend Eugenie M.

Wikipedia can fill you in if you missed Kerouac and his work the first 20 times around:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/On_the_Road

The Day Before

2007-09-03T22:08:00.001-07:00

Los Angeles

Today we went to lunch at Mozza's, the wait-in-line-for-seats-at-the-bar Nancy Silverton, Mario Batali and Joseph Bastianich pizzeria on Highland and Melrose. There were four of us and we each ordered an appetizer and a pizza. Our reservation was at 12:15, the restaurant opened at 12, and there was a line out front but we didn't have to wait for our table.

First came the glasses of light Rosato Bastianich Refosco, a refreshing rosé after coming in from the 105° Labor Day weekend heat wave. A cup of Farro alla Toscana with feta arrived not long after - an ancient grain tossed with ripe halved cherry tomatoes, bits of feta and olive oil. It was cool and refreshing, like a big cousin to tabouleh, the ingredients shone on their own.

White beans alla Toscana with extra virgin olive oil and saba came next on what tasted like a whole wheat (hand made Roman Meal?) toast. This was a hit all around, it was not a mock hummus as some are, this was sophisticated, smooth and light with a coffee spoonful of olive oil and saba (a juice made from cooked-down grape must, fruitier than balsamic vinegar although made from the same Trebbiano grapes. Like verjus, it is mild enough not to ruin an accompanying wine. )

The restaurant was full by the time our final two antipasta arrived: Fried squash blossoms and a Lamb straccotto with polenta - a divine comfort food, the lamb was warm, succulent, redolent with spices and perfect on top of the creamiest polenta, so creamy it surely must have had marscarpone whipped in. The squash blossoms were exactly like a kettle chip wrapped around ricotta, fried to perfection, salty and crunchy but one was enough.

The first pizza was the priciest and our one disappointment, clams oregano, parmigiano & pecorino came together with too much of the taste of tidepools for me. It is a highly rated pizza so perhaps it just wasn't the one for such a hot day.

Second was an egg, guanciale, radicchio, escarole & bagna cauda that came with the egg perfectly sunny side up in the middle - a tough item to split four ways but tasty. The guanciale is an unsmoked bacon that was crispy, making me think of a good dish of bacon and eggs.

An oregano salami (that is oregano salami, no comma) mozzarella, tomato & fresno chili pizza was a crowd pleaser. All the pizza crusts were crispy on the ends and thin beneath the ingredients, and lighter than usual, heading in the direction of a pâte feuilletée, the puff pastry used with french tarts, or Indian Parantha bread, puffed with air and crispy. The oregano salami and fresno chili's atop a tomato sauce was all wonderfully concentrated in flavor, salty, herby and smoky from the brick oven baking.

Speck, burricotti, olive tapenade & oregano was the final pizza. I was wild about it since I love juniper and speck is an Italian prosciutto from a region near Germany that is flavored with juniper, as is jambon de Vendée in France. The burricotti - ricotta filled mozzarella was dolloped on the top and its lightness was a blessing after as many other dishes we had already been through.

When there was no more room in our bellies or in the restaurant, and people were standing around waiting for tables, we shared the famous Butterscotch Budino with two little rosemary pinenut cookies. The cookies were like the pastry dough cookies my grandmother use to make, light little rounds that she brushed with butter, cinnamon and sugar. Here they were the size of a silver dollar and topped with a few sprigs of rosemary and several toasted pinenuts that adhered to the cookie by virtue of of some sweet thing, maybe just melted browned sugar. The butterscotch was fantastic, smooth like a great gelato but room temperature. The flavor went off the scale of delight by a dusting of fleur de sel. Wow.

Later, when the day had cooled a bit and we were able to move again, we took 3 dogs for a walk in the 'hood and snapped a few shots of our first landmark, which Judy lives just beneath.

So We Begin

2007-09-02T18:15:00.000-07:00

Los Angeles
Always late getting on the bandwagon, I have enlisted my friend Julie to write this blog with me and to drive across the US. Neither activities are unique, but hopefully we can bring our sense of humor and love of the trivial and absurd to this online postcard.
The facts: 2 forty something gals driving a Toyota Prius. 1 fun loving, slightly deranged Boston Terrier named Chumley along for the ride, 10 days or so to hit the high and low points from West to East. Final Destination....Saratoga Springs New York... home of the peppermint pig. (You thought it was known for the oldest racetrack in the US or maybe the incredible water or mineral springs, naaaah it is all about Peppermint Pig.)