More on my visit to NC and the Biltmore Estate later. Thought I'd start with this fearsome foursome first. There's got to be hundreds of these - and gargoyles - on the exterior alone. I mean, it is a 135,000 square foot home.
Well, I ain't exactly goin' to no fishin' hole (for FB viewers click on this link), but I am headed to Durham, North Carolina. A friend is movin' to Atlanta in May so I figured now's a time to visit (never been) and I can do some theater business (here's where I might normally insert a plug for my new theater production company, Babbling Bohemian Productions, but I won't do that). See, then I can write part of the dang trip off, ya see? Rightcheer!
The top ten things North Carolina is known for, according to Amy Brantley, Yahoo! Contributor Network, are (from 1 to 10): Biltmore Estate, Cherokee Reservation, Great Smoky Mountains, First in Flight (Wright Brothers flight), Krispy Kreme Donuts, Sweet Potatoes, Pepsi-Cola, Barbecue Capital of the World, emeralds, and Fontana Dam.
What? No Andy Griffith (in my top 3 TV shows of all time)? No Mayberry? No Opie or Barnie or Aunt Bea??? Shame on you, Amy Brantley. Shaaaaaaaaaaaaaaame on you. My favorite scene from the show.
Rules of Solstice Parade: No motors on floats and no signs or signature of any sort. Oddly, nothing in print that says a float can't make a political or social statement; however, I'm very certain that floats of a political and social nature are not allowed. So why the Mexican man with Mexican children wearing masks and pulling a pack of cigarettes with a skull attached?
I emailed the Solstice committee but haven't heard back. If this sort of float is allowed, who's to say a float protesting the current administration in Washington, or a float in favor of the Arizona illegal alien bill, or a float protesting cruel and inhumane treatment of animals shouldn't be allowed??? See what I mean? The parades intent is not to lecture but to celebrate Summer Solstice.
I don't get this.
Gas stop. Jason calling home. Somewhere heading west on Highway 49 out of Yosemite toward the 5. No man's land.
My brother and I just got back from 10 days in California. Camping in Sequoia National Forest (or Park or Monument, whichever it was), got drunk on wine in the Santa Inez Valley while celebrating Solstice with family in Santa Barbara, watching Cousin Mike's band, Glenview Lane, perform, spent time with my goddaughter and Grace and Donovan and Maria and Jay and Susie and family in Tujunga, lots of hiking....good time, but not enough time. Never is. I will say this: after having just moved back from Los Angeles in September 2009 after 11 1/2 years - Cali is a great place to visit.
Sure we had some disappointments. The "Sell-out" of Yosemite. AirTran Airlines so broke it can't afford band aids. Rental car companies who don't have the car you rented when you arrive. Spider bites in Sequoia's Tent City. Lost cameras (we don't know this for sure). Solstice Parade contradiction in float policy. But...hey, nothing's perfect. Not even Californ-i-a. Keep an eye out for my series of blog posts on the trip.
I cruised up to Badger Boys State early Thursday morning to hang with the counselors (I'm an ex-Boys Stater and counselor - look for a post on this soon). Bunked with my buddy George Maurer who's a counselor as well.
Check out his site. George has been called "Minnesota’s premier jazz pianist" and is an accomplished pianist, composer and arranger.
(Above) George and I at Boys State attending the alumni reception Thursday evening. When I was George's counselor at Boys State in 1985 (egad), he and some of the other boys took my bed, lamp and desk from my room and placed it out on the roof of Scott Hall. Thanks, George.
His latest creative effort is Songs From the Wayward Journey: The Nicollet Island Compilation, Vol. 1. Listen to "But You Don't See Me". My favorite - probably 'cause I have a close friend who's not "seeing me" right now.
Thanks for the music, George. I won't forget the the roof thing though.
Heading out tomorrow (Saturday) for 10 days in Cali-for-ni-a with brother Jason. Solstice in Santa Barbara, Santa Inez wine tasting, Yosemite & Sequoia National Park, see my goddaughter, Gwyneth and family, and a few friends in LA. Aunt Ev and Uncle Bob will be visiting as well so look for blog posts and pics after the 29th. See ya!
The song you're listening to, "California Saga/California", was written by Al Jardine of The Beach Boys. It was released on the BB's 1973 album Holland. Issued internationally as a single in early 1973, and performed in the same loping country-shuffle beat, it garnered great reviews likening it to classic "California Girls" status. The song reached #84 in Billboard, but performed better in the UK (#37) and New Zealand (#15). I've been to some of the locales discussed in this tune. If you haven't - you should.
On my way to sunny California
On my way to spend another sunny day
Water, water get yourself in the cool, clear, water
The sun shines brightly down on Penny's place
The sun shines brightly down on the bay
The air's so clean it'll just take your mind away
Take your mind away
Take your mind away
Have you ever been south of Monterey
Barrancas carve the coast line and the chaparral flows to the sea
'Neath waves of golden sunshine
And have you ever been north of Morro Bay
The south coast plows the sea
And the people there are of the breed
They don't need electricity
Water, water, cool cascades of clear, clear water
The sun dance final scene sets the hills ablaze.
Horizon edges quick up the mountain's way.
Have you ever been down Salinas way?
Where Steinbeck found the valley
And he wrote about it the way it was in his travelin's with Charley
And have you ever walked down through the sycamores
Where the farmhouse used to be
There the monarch's autumn journey ends
On a windswept cyprus tree
Water get water get yourself in that
Get yourself in that get yourself in that cool, clear, water
The sun shines brightly down on Penny's place
Get yourself in that water
The air's so clean that it just takes your mind away
Take your mind away
Take your mind away
Have you ever been to a festival, the Big Sur congregation?
Where Country Joe will do his show
And he'd sing about liberty
And the people there in the open air, one big family.
Yeah the people there love to sing and share
Their new found liberty
"Mór" means "grand" in Gaelic. And Johnnie Fox's is the grandest, best ever pub/tavern I've ever been in (The Safe House in Milwaukee is #2). The only way to describe it to you is to have you see what I saw. So I shot this very crude video of me entering the front door at one end of the pub and then meandering through it.
Situated in Glencullen, south of Dublin in the Dublin Mountains, Johnnie Fox's was established in 1798 and is the highest pub in Ireland. NO trip to Dublin should be without a visit here. And they run cabs back and forth from the B&B's and hotels to the pub so no one inadvertently drives off the road. It's steep and curvy. Check out Johnnie Fox's website here.
"Mé" means "me". Click on READ MORE! for a few more shots of me traipsing around Ireland this past fall.
"Ceol" means "music". When my friend Justyna and I were in Ireland in 2006, we didn't get to see any traditional Irish music performed in pubs as it was April (off-season) AND we weren't on the west coast, where the traditional music is more prevalent.
On my travels to Ireland this past fall, I was not only lucky enough to be able to listen to traditional Irish music in the pubs but I got to listen to Alec Finn, one of Celtic music's most influential musicians and a founding member of DeDanaan, play in his castle. Finn's debut solo album, Blue Shamrock, received critical lauds, described by Hot Press as "a beautifully crafted, highly satisfying, collection of Irish airs". You might wanna pause the Celtic jukebox at the top of the blog before listening to this.
Alec and his wife, Leonie, live at Oranmore Castle in Oranmore, Co. Galway. Oranmore Castle is family friend Michael's ancestral home and the purpose of our visit was to spread Michael's father's ashes over the sides of the castle turret. They graciously invited Michael and I into their home/castle and we had a wonderful time. Irish music, live performance, port wine, roaring fire, castle...a high point of the trip.
The Irish bouzouki, the instrument Alec is playing, is a derivative of the Greek bouzouki, adopted into and adapted for Irish music from the late 1960s onward. Not sure which bouzouki Alec is playing, but I assume it's the Greek version (it's what he's known for).
(Above) My friend, Heather, and I at The Local, a most excellent Irish bar in downtown Minneapolis.
Minneapolis! Home of Prince. Tied with Seattle as the most literate city in the U.S. Home of the former American Wrestling Associaton (Verne Gagne, the High Flyers, The Crusher, Mad Dog Vachon, Nick Bockwinkel, Bobby "The Brain" Heenan, Jesse Ventura, Ray "The Crippler" Stevens, Baron Von Raschke - which I used to watch every week), the "Twin Cities" (along with St. Paul), Mall of America, Land of 10,000 Lakes (Wisconsin, by the way, has over 14,000), Charles M. Schulz, The Andrews Sisters, Bob Dylan, Tiny Tim; politicians Hubert Humphrey, Walter Mondale, Eugene McCarthy; actors Eddie Albert, Richard Dean Anderson, Josh Hartnett and Jessica Lange, producers Michael Todd and the Coen Brothers, and burlesque dancer Lili St. Cyr; George Dayton's business grew into Target Corporation, John S. Pillsbury co-founded Pillsbury Company, Richard Sears co-founded Sears, Rose Totino created Totino's frozen pizza, candy makers Franklin and Forrest Mars founded Mars, Incorporated.
Am I rambling? Sorry. Oh...and part-time home of my friend from Cedar Rapids, Heather. Almost forgot. I wanted to experience a Minnesota Vikings' game IN Minnesota and WITH Vikings' fans. Heather was staying in town for a bit so I made the 6-hour trek from Milwaukee and cheered Brett Favre and the Vikes on to a 27-10 victory over the Detroit Lions. And, of course, Heather gave me a tour of the city. Click on READ MORE! for my shots of the weekend.
Mary Tyler Moore from "The Mary Tyler Moore Show" . I shoulda thrown my hat in the air but Heather said no.
The Foshay Tower, now the W Minneapolis - The Foshay hotel, was modeled after the Washington Monument and was originally built in 1929. $10 for a gin and tonic. Pricey for a drink I never really appreciated. But the hotel was very nice - so Heather and I sat in front of the fireplace and sucked down on G&T's and admired our surroundings.
Hell's Kitchen in d.t. Minneapolis. "Damn good food!" (their tagline). Great ambiance. Helluva marketing scheme. Wonderful art and excellent food. I had the Ham and Pear Crisp (featured in Jane and Michael Stern’s Road Food Sandwiches cookbook as one of the best sandwiches in America). Shaved, slow-roasted smoked pit ham, poached pears, melted Swiss and Fontina cheese on spicy-sweet buttered grilled sourdough bread. $11.75. I woulda paid double. Check out their website.
All sorts of interesting artwork adorn the interior of Hell's Kitchen. I emailed the restaurant in the hopes they could tell me the name of the artist but I haven't heard back.
"When pigs fly" metal artwork.
Interior of The Local where Heather and I cheered the Vikings to a victory over Detroit. Awesome bar. All the interior wood work was made in Ireland. Dave, the manager, bought me a pint. Unheard of in Irish circles. SLAN!
A kissing booth/lounge area at The Local.
To my surprise, The Local had a picture of The Local Bar in Ardfinnan, Co. Tipperay, where I stayed for 7 days while in Ireland this past September. Many a Guinness I tipped back there. SLAN! to Thomas, Gavin and Amanda at The Local Bar! And SLAN! to Minneapolis!
Good Craic. Welcome to Eire. "Na sacar". After you click on this link, you may click on HOME at the bottom of that post to return to the main page fo that blog and see the previous posts. OR, go to the top of the right panel on this page and click on the link below the pub picture.
Good Craic. Welcome to Eire. "Peil ghaelach". After you click on this link, you may click on HOME at the bottom of that post to return to the main page fo that blog and see the previous posts. OR, go to the top of the right panel on this page and click on the link below the pub picture.
Took off Monday for Iowa for a couple days to catch-up with some theater people. Nice visit. Typically, when I lived in Cali, I'd come home in May for three weeks and fish for a week, then visit people in Wisconsin, Iowa and Illinois. Lots of running around. Not any more. Now that I'm back in WI, I'll take my time visiting certain people. Quality versus quantity.
Anyway, here are a few shots of the ride from Iowa to Wisconsin - took the northern route home, up through Dubuque and into WI via Madison. That's Delafield, WI above. The better route by far (as opposed to Rockford, through the Quad Cities on Hwy 80 to Iowa City and then Cedar Rapids). Click on READ MORE! for a few more shots.
Delafield, WI.
Mineral Point, WI. The first capital of Wisconsin.
Mineral Point, WI.
Iowa hayfields.
Good Craic. Welcome to Eire. "An bia uile". After you click on this link, you may click on HOME at the bottom of that post to return to the main page fo that blog and see the previous posts. OR, go to the top of the right panel on this page and click on the link below the pub picture.
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