I’ve been an all season grill fiend for the last ten years or so. The convenience of gas grill cooking coupled with temperate winter weather are the key enablers of this obsessive habit. From the backyard braai I enjoyed in Pretoria to the Weber Genesis installed on my patio in Spain to my current Weber set-up here in Michigan, barbecuing and grilling in the 21st century can slide into territories of the mundane if some creative thinking is not employed. Continue Reading →
Featuring over 200 different Whiskeys from around the globe as well as 16 revolving taps dedicated to Colorado’s exploding micro brew scene, William Oliver’s Publick House is a new and welcome addition to Fort Collins. This is definitely a destination venue, located adjacent to a King Soopers grocery in an otherwise nondescript strip mall far from the maddening crowds of Old Town. Continue Reading →
Disclaimer: I’m a past and current proud Volkswagen owner. Continue Reading →
Dwight Yoakam released a new album last fall and I happened to catch him on Letterman. I think he performed a song that he had co-written with Beck. I liked it. Having largely ignored the music career of Dwight I found myself researching some of his past releases and influences. All roads led to Bakersfield. Continue Reading →
While wandering the internet I found…
Now that Jurassic Park is back in theaters I thought it apt to revisit one of my favorite comeback albums from recent years. Dinosaur Jr. seem to have accomplished what the Pixies either didn’t want to do or couldn’t do – maintain a lasting reconciliation. Their 2007 album, Beyond, was a critically lauded return to form and marked the first new Dino Jr. album with original members Murph, Lou Barlow and J. Mascis since 1988′s Bug.
Continue Reading →
After a meandering late morning drive through the Willamette Valley, the pace quickened as I made my way down Oregon’s dramatic coastline punctuated with craggy outcroppings and tumbling hillsides. The weather offered up a nice afternoon mix of bursts of rain followed by spells of bright sunshine. My pre-determined destination was Newport, a sleepy tourist haunt midway down the coast, about an hour and a half west of Salem. Continue Reading →
Black and white by day but shining red at night, this fine Neon example has been in place at the intersection of Jackson Avenue and South Maple Road on the west side of Ann Arbor since circa the late ’50′s – early ’60′s.
Vintage signage in Ann Arbor has not been without controversy in recent years as the city’s Historic District Commission sometimes doesn’t agree with the public as to a sign’s historical and cultural significance. Up to this point the public and local business owners appear to be winning. May it continue.
I found myself in need of some caffeine and a spot of niche retail therapy following the kaleidoscope of food trucks I had just encountered on SW 10th and Alder in Portland. The hand battered fried Cod & Chips from the Frying Scotsman had reaffirmed my love of one of life’s simple pleasures – fresh fish and chips done with care and finesse. Who would’ve thought that I’d be able to procure that out of the back of a converted camper? Continue Reading →
I found this quote while doing some research after visiting Salumi in Seattle:
My son, Mario Batali, may be the most recognizable foodie in the family, but the Batalis’ interest in Italian cooking and culture goes back generations. My grandfather opened Seattle’s first Italian-food import store in 1903. It was located just a few steps from where my restaurant, Salumi, is now, and it’s one of the things that inspired me to get into the business. The idea behind Salumi was to create a restaurant, deli, and meat factory in one place, just like the salumerias in Italy. We’re known for homemade sausages and salami, but we also attract a large lunchtime crowd. Some of the specials, like the meat loaf and frittata, have been in our family for years. They’re also easy to make at home.
