A few years back I took this picture on the streets of Colonia del Sacramento, Uruguay. This small ensemble of percussionists was slowly ambling down the street to the rhythm’s staccato beat.

I watched curiously for a bit, but this particular side street was empty of people so there was no one around to ask what was going on.

Due to leave soon on a boat back to Buenos Aires I didn’t think too much more of it until reviewing my photos. Later, at home, I posted the photo on a few travel forums soliciting answers, but I didn’t receive any replies.

I recently received an email from Shirley - answering my question and directing me to the site candombe.com- which explains the art, history, music, dress, and everything else beyond what’s captured in this small group.

From candombe.com:

Candombe (can-dome-bey) is an African derived rhythm that has been an important part of Uruguayan culture for over two hundred years. Uruguay, with a population of approximately 3.2 million, is a small country located in South America, bordered by its two massive neighbors, Brazil (162 million) to the East, and Argentina (34 million) to the West. This rhythm traveled to Uruguay from Africa with black slaves, and is still going strong in the streets, halls and carnivals of this small enchanting country.

Frequently, many drummers assemble onto the streets of Montevideo, playing their drums under the moon lit sky. As these drums move down the narrow streets of Montevideo, doors and windows swing open wide to receive this message that’s being delivered. At intervals the cuerda will pause, and by setting a fire, will heat their drums’ skins for tuning purposes. Pure candombe.

To learn more about this Afro-Uruguayan music, and it’s history and long journey from Africa check out candombe.com. And thanks Shirley for the email!

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Again my apologies for the lull in postings. I’ve just been super busy with some other projects, including planting a new tree in my front yard yesterday - Which resulted in me writing a “to-do” note to write a long photo post about Paulino Gardens, the most professional/knowledgeable nursery in Denver. This place is like walking into a small town farm in the heart of the city. The property has been around since 1915, and while now ensconced by freeways and warehouses its a gardener’s oasis in the city.

Anyway - as I’ve mentioned in past posts I’ve been fascinated by a West Michigan coffee chain named “Beaner’s.” Yes - there is, or was, actually a coffee shop called “Beaner’s.” Apparently when the original store was created it never registered to the founders that Beaners is not always used as a compliment when directed towards our Mexican friends. That said mis amigos mexicanos actually get a kick out of it when I tell them about the chain. Although I have no plans to ever bring my Beaner’s mug to work.

Imagine my surprise earlier this week when I saw that the “Beaners” sign had now become “Biggby’s Coffee.” (Good idea as they can keep the large “B” logo)

Turns out Beaner’s is looking to expand past it’s West Michigan confines, and along that line was advised that the name “Beaners” probably won’t fly so well in Santa Fe or San Diego. Or exist anywhere else west of the Mississippi without resulting in a few rocks through the window now and then.

I wonder if Latinos in Grand Rapids actually made an effort to avoid “Beaner’s?” Maybe my mug at home (thanks Mom,) and these photos from ‘06 will be worth something on Ebay.

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Marken is a small fishing village on an island about 23 kilometers northeast of Amsterdam. It’s part of the North Holland area called “Waterland,” and connected to the mainland by a 4 km long dike.

It’s an easy day trip by bike, but if you’re riding a single speed made for the city you can expect a bit of work if the winds pick up.

I rode from my apartment in the Jordaan neighborhood down to the Central Station and along the modern waterfront.

Getting a bit lost along the way I passed through the small neighborhood of Zeeburg and over two large bridges (with separate bike paths,) which connects North Holland.

After crossing under the A10 motorway I was officially in the country and followed the signs north while studying farmhouses sitting amid long trenches of water. I stopped for a coffee at the town of Durgerdam (above photo) then proceeded up through Uitdam and on to Kruisbaakweg, the road which sits atop the dike.

Being mid March there wasn’t much activity in Marken except for a local wedding party, but after exploring the nooks and crannies of the town, as well as the small museum and modern library, I settled down for a burger and a couple Amstels at the one open restaurant.

The extremely narrow streets, small houses, and cobblestone walkways reminded me of the island from “The Prisoner.” Thankfully I was allowed to bike home without being consumed by a giant white sphere.

Be seeing you!

More Marken and Waterland photos

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And of course what’s an article about biking in Amsterdam without a few videos to share with my fellow cycling geeks at Bike Forums. This first video is traveling along Haarlemmerweg (or the S103,) from the Sloterdijk Station west of Amsterdam into the city center.

The second: In the narrow streets of The Jordaan, a neighborhood just west of the city center and home to the Westerkerk (church) and the Ann Frank House.

More videos:

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Being an advocate of utility cycling and a promoter of biking as regular transportation I’m certainly biased in writing this, but I believe that even with Amsterdam’s excellent system of trams and pedestrian friendly streets biking really is the most efficient method of getting around. With a bike you can cover a lot of ground in a short time - turning a 25 minute walk into a five minute ride.

When blessed with good weather the network of paths outside of the city can make for great day trips to outlying towns. Signs clearly label bike routes, or “fietspads,” and the distances to towns, cities, and landmarks. While some paths parallel busy motorways others traverse quiet farms or provide extensive views from atop dikes.

Considering costs, renting a bike for a weeks won’t run much more than you’d pay after using up several “strippenkaarts” hopping on and off trams and buses.

As most know the Dutch don’t see cycling as recreational pastime or hobby restricted to sunny weekend mornings. Biking as transportation is a regular part of life, anytime of day, rain or shine. When watching bikes filled with groceries and kids swoosh down streets it appears cute and utopian - but visitors are well served to respect this method of transportation and follow basic traffic rule. Being mindful of bike right-of-ways and keeping your head on a swivel will keep you and your fellow cyclists safe.

The majority of streets have bike lanes on the sides, or adjacent to the street buffered by parking or medians. If lacking a designated lane then bikes share the road with cars. Along the smaller brick streets that hug the canals space is a bit tighter and shared with pedestrians. However if you prefer a slower pace then following the canals will give you beautiful views of the city, and you’ll be tempted to stop for a picture every time you crest the small bridges.

It may sound harrowing; but anyone skilled in basic vehicular cycling will do just fine. Motorists and tram operators are observant to pedestrians and cyclists. Many local intersections don’t even have signals or stop signs - rather they allow cars and bikes to decide for themselves via eye contact or the “give to the right” rule.

One infrastructure rule I quickly learned was that the bike signals are located on the posts directly in FRONT of you. I and even other locals tended to pull PAST the signal - and have to crane our necks back to watch it turn green.

On one busy intersection I mistakenly pulled into the street because I was watching the signal on the NEXT sign post. This netted me some well deserved honks, but lesson quickly learned.

There are many of bike rental establishments including the popular chain Mac Bike. Any place is fine for a spin around Vondelpark or jaunt outside of town - however if you plan on keeping a bike for an extended period as I did you’ll garner a bit more respect on the streets if you blend in with a regular bike, rather than one garnishing the logo of a rental company.

“Bike City,” was recommended to me as a good place to rent. They’re in the Jordaan neighborhood at Bloemgracht 68, near Westerkerk and the Ann Frank House. I rented a solid bike seven speed with a wheel lock and heavy chain for about 75 Euro for the week. It served me perfectly in the city and outside of town too. Like their site says their bikes are inconspicuous so you won’t be noticed as a tourist - and with their heavy duty locks you can use your bike as a regular means of transportation - running errands and seeing the sights.

Unlike cities that are overwhelmed with the noises of honking taxis and smoke spewing buses Amsterdam is remarkably quiet. And so is their transportation. Trams glide along tracks and bikes breeze by you - which means it’s important to be vigilant of your surroundings. But with those cautions I can’t think of a better way to see this beautiful city and experience it as the locals do.

More tips:

-Whether biking or walking - keep your head on a swivel.

-Don’t walk on designated bike lanes.
-Cross tram tracks at a 90 degree angle.
- You don’t want to get your wheels caught in them.
-If you need to stop (or stop suddenly) to check your map and get your bearings pull out of traffic.
-Lock your bike. Always.

Next post: Day trips by bike outside of Amsterdam.

More photos here

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With apologies to Chicago, a city I love, but it takes some time away and a refreshed eye to realize that the cramped corridors, filthy corners, and lackadaisical employees shuffling listlessly about in certain U.S. airports to make me realize that we could do so much better.

In fairness I’m writing this while the agonizing stories of Heathrow’s Terminal 5 are making news, and the U.S. certainly has some newer airports to be proud of as well: Detroit is a wonder to walk through and extremely efficient. Denver, now 13 years old is more crowded than ever but still maintains an airy, open feel and has plenty of room to grow. And many regional airports are a breeze to navigate and showcase local flavor of their area.

However in contrast many of our international gateway airports like Chicago and LAX appear straight out of the Soviet era when compared to the gleaming gems of other ports. (And I haven’t even considered Asia in this.)

After spending a few days solo in Amsterdam I returned to Amsterdam’s Schiphol airport to pick up my sister and our guide Lili. Fretting about being late as always I arrived early enough in the morning to wander around and explore the facility. Some things that stood out to me:

This great idea. What’s the first errand you need to complete after a long stay away from home? Pick up some perishables of course. Schiphol has a full supermarket, allowing you to stock up your (tiny European) fridge upon return. And an adjacent liquor store too!

Left: In pier three I noticed dual jetways, although not used for our United flight. These were implemented at a few United gates in Denver for a while last year, but abandoned after a rear portion collapsed onto the wing of a plane. For some reason they work here.

Right: Almost ridiculously large signage everywhere. Arrival areas 1, 2, and 3 all exit into the same central hall, with ramps and elevators to the below train station. After clearing passport control departing passengers are treated to an enormous transit lounge with a plethora of restaurants and shops under one roof.

(more…)

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That line is actually from the movie “Sweet Home Alabama”  where Reese Witherspoon sees an old friend in her hometown bar and says “You Have a Baby… In a Bar…“    Not worth renting - but its a witty quip.

First my apologies to my faithful readers for the two week gap in posts.  You see I’ve been traveling around The Netherlands taking tons of photos of things I love:  bikes, trains, food, and architecture of modern and old.  

Amsterdam is an incredible city.  With the never ending canals, cafes, clean streets, and bikes everywhere its a utopia.  But why haven’t I been blogging every night from my trusty Asus computer?    Well - I’ve had a companion with me.   A few days after my arrival my sister and my beautiful niece Lili joined me in Amsterdam to continue our Dutch adventure.   Time to start waking up at 6am instead of going to bed at 6am!

I’ve learned that traveling with kids doesn’t lend time to much else.    I’ve always been the person silently praying to be spared in 29A watching a group of kids shuffle down the isle towards me.   I’ve always been the annoyed one when sitting in a quiet coffee shop and the strollers steamroll in.   And I’ve always been dumbfound at the mall seeing the amount of gear parents need to carry with them for a simple outing.  

So why on earth would I want to travel with a 15 month old?  Well I don’t see her much here in the states, and as you can see by the photo - she is perfect.  Reason enough.  So in addition to driving around the countryside and cycling in the city I’ve made a new friend and travel buddy - and she’s just as interested in people, places, and city life as I am.

And I even managed to keep my mouth shut as a parent on the plane lamented Southwest’s ceasing their family first boarding.

More photos and stories on the way…

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At least one interesting post a day?  That’s my goal and I try.  However I’ve been busy this week narrowing down an apartment to rent for a March trip to Amsterdam.  Why Amsterdam?   I’m Dutch - and we plan to explore our genealogy roots in the small towns around Netherlands’ countryside.  I don’t speak Dutch, I’ve never been to Holland, but my 5th grade class photo bears a striking resemblance to the Dutch Boy Paint boy.  And I ate a lot of windmill cookies in church.  Reason enough.

And March?  Yes I know it could be cold and dreary.  But early spring airfares to Europe are inexpensive, and I’ll take an umbrella over sweaty shirts and crowds of people.   If I can find interesting things to do on a rainy day here in Denver I’m sure I can do the same over there. 

We plan to visit for 10 days, with a side trip to Brussels or Germany.  We are renting a one bedroom apartment in this building which is located right on one of Amsterdam’s canals.  (details forthcoming.)

By shopping at markets and cooking some meals at home, (like I do when renting a ski condo,) you end up saving a significant amount of money, and have a more “homey” experience.

In the meantime if anyone has tips to share please pass them along!  If this is half as enjoyable as last year’s time in Munich and the Czech Republic I’ll have a great time…

Travel related - this NY Times story about hard drive inspections gives me the heebiest of jeebies, (to quote Peggy Hill.)  Should border officials be able to walk through your “virtual life” and read various documents, see photos, and more?  Of course not.   My advice:   Store all your important photos, music, and documents on external hard drives.   And of course take only what you need when traveling.  This not only gets around snoopy inspection officers, (or the Geek Squad,) but saves you when your hard drive crashes too.  

Argonaut Liquours - Denver’s most well known purveyor of spirits is moving.  At least not very far.

Here are some interesting animations of Mexico City’s airport renovations.  It’s not a bad airport, if you love walking.   Instead of various terminals and the more modern concept of centralized check ins, Benito Juarez Int’l is one long, long, long, linear terminal.  

The new terminal and shuttle will eliminate gate congestion, and avoid deplaning on the tarmac and being bused inside, as happened to me in 2005.

Stayed tuned for a review of “Neighborhood Flix,”  In the meantime you can watch the Medsled video.  I could definitely have some fun with this thing on the slopes…

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I’ve been spending the past few days in Orange County visiting friends and family, and exploring places such as the Mission Viejo Target and Downtown Disney. If you’ve ever wanted to visit a quaint little restaurant (that seats over 600 people,) I suggest driving to Anaheim, exiting on “Disney Way,” west to Harbor Blvd, enter the Disneyland main entrance, park in F5, walk to the “Downtown Disney” retail district, turn left and enter the Rainforest Cafe. After walking through the Rainforest Cafe’s retail store your “safari guide” will greet you, and if you prefer patio seating you’ll walk up flight of stairs to the mezzanine seating podium, check in and be sent past a waterfall, down another flight of stairs, walk through an automatic door, check with the patio seating agent, and be seated at one of about 100 tables. Hey it’s not easy to get to the rainforest, so why should it be convenient to grab a bit to eat at the Rainforest Cafe?

Generally my rule is I don’t walk through a restaurant’s store to get to the restaurant itself, (that includes you Cracker Barrel and your delicious jams,) but we were pining for what I guess is Amazonian American food - and it turns out despite my distaste for restaurants of stadium proportions I really enjoyed their clam chowder and had an excellent Cobb Salad. Hey wait clam chowder doesn’t originate from the… Never mind. I believe I also recognized some aquarium fragments from Denver’s now shuttered Rainforest Cafe.

And it was cute when a “lava volcano mud something or other” (five scoops of ice cream inside four vertical wedges of chocolate cake,) arrived at a little kid’s table and he could barely contain his excitement.

I thought it would be fun to visit San Diego during this sunny postcard SoCal day. A perfect southern California day consists of temperatures in the 70s, clear skies, and some moderate winds which work hard to clear out any haze - giving you unspoiled vistas of the snow-capped San Gabriel mountains and ocean. It’s a welcome change from last year’s holiday week - which consisted of digging out cars, shoveling driveways, and sliding down icy streets. In fact I wouldn’t mind living in southern California again, except I just can’t tolerate the traffic. Perhaps if I had a time machine I could live in 1950s Orange County - and I could hot rod it between then small town diners which at that time were separated by miles and miles of orange fields.

We sped down the 5 freeway past the hills of south Orange County and through the open space of San Onofre and Camp Pendleton. We arrived San Diego’s Hillcrest neighborhood mid day. Hillcrest is a couple miles north of downtown San Diego, and is known as the gay neighborhood, but is also populated with vintage and modern clothing stores, music and body design stores, and a great collection of local food joints.

From Hillquest.com - the Hillcrest sign which stands at 5th and University was erected by several female shopkeepers in 1940 to promote their stores. After years of disrepair it now lights up every night, which current local merchants contributing to it’s care. Kasa Korbett’s site has a full list of merchants, and a good site to visit if planning to visit.

After checking out Flashback and buying some threads at “Wear it Again Sam” we looked for a place to eat. The local Hamburger Mary’s is now Urban Mo’s Bar - and being in the mood for something spicy we walked up University and found Baja Betty’s. Baja Betty’s is on the east end of Hillcrest at 1421 University. Like many Mexican restaurants they have a ton of flavored drinks which makes selection a challenge. (As usual I start with the house, and here I wound up liking the lemon drop and cointreau filled Platinum.) Baja Betty’s also has daily specials on margaritas and dinner plates. Something unexpected I noticed: To me it seemed their food was prepared much healthier than most Mexican restaurants. My “el tigre” salad consisted of romaine lettuce and watercress stems with a light Caesar dressing. The quesadillas were also light, stuffed with chicken and not overburdened with greasy cheese. Very healthy in general - which left plenty of room for tequila laden salty rimmed margaritas this beautiful afternoon.

They don’t serve any desserts which resemble a glucose filled volcano - which may just require a trip back to the rainforest.

*Rainforest Cafe photo from daroffdesign.com

James Van Dellen

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I read a lot of blogs containing airplane trip reports. That is, detailed posts about the flight, times, seat location, food, and activity on board. I generally find these a bit dull, unless it describes an experience of sheer pleasure or horror. Even under cramped circumstances you just sit, be quiet, and read, and unless you’re sitting in a midwest snowstorm for 12 hours you usually arrive at your destination no worse for the wear. However my report rivals even the most dreaded conditions:

Yesterday morning we set out to the airport in a non-rushed mood, not needing to depart to Los Angles until 11:20am. I didn’t want to make coffee at home, figuring we’d stop on the way. By the time I realized we had passed 12th Avenue (coffee options for Daz Bog and Under the Umbrella,) we were already driving east on 14th to Colorado, my standard route to the airport. I expressed my coffee concerns to Michael, our friend driving us and also house sitting, that it was already 9am and I hadn’t had any coffee yet, however my verbal fritterings were drowned out by Pink.

We turned north on Colorado Boulevard and planned to stop at the McDonald’s at 35th and Colorado. “No problem” I thought, I can get coffee there. I had heard McDonald’s had some fancy new brew so why not. We pulled into McDonald’s and were about to enter - but then the three of us realized that in addition to being completely mobbed, McDonald’s food is also disgusting. We saw the Church’s Chicken across the street and Michael, being an Alabama native, assured me that they were indeed open breakfast hours. Fried chicken and biscuits - yes a fun and unique breakfast. However they were not serving coffee. Crap.

Already being 9:45 I didn’t want to make another stop, and other than a gas station there’s no coffee shop between 40th Avenue and interstate 70. Oh well, I can get Starbucks in the airport. Michael dropped us off and we gave our appreciation for the ride. A LOT of appreciation for not having to park, walk, or park and take a shuttle during the holidays. Having checked in online we headed to security to catch our American Airlines flight to Los Angeles.

Here’s a tip next time you’re departing Denver International: The north and south security screenings are located in the main terminal “tent” building, and both checkpoints lead down to the concourse tram. However these two enormous collective checkpoints feature an insane number of roped-off switchbacks. By the time you arrive at security you feel like a mountain goat with vertigo and ready to just jump off and end it all. I usually check in online and don’t have luggage, so I immediately head to the north end of level 6. From here I can then look down and see how bad the lines are, OR, walk north through a 3rd and smaller security screening leading to the “A” gates. (Signed: Bridge to A Gates.) Provided Fronter Airlines doesn’t have a large batch of flights departing this security checkpoint USUALLY has short lines, and it’s a simple line rather than the series of switchbacks. After clearing security you walk over a sleek bridge and arrive at the “A” gates, or take the elevators down the train which will go to the “B” and “C” gates. It’s a bit more walking, but you avoid the masses (pictured left,) and have a less chaotic security experience before a quiet walk over this bridge to your gates (pictured right)

Back to the story: I arrive at gate C39 via my method above. Caleb checked out the airport’s finally free WiFi, and I started to hunt down some brew. Yes I know what you’re thinking: it’s just south of 11am and I STILL have not had coffee yet. The line at Einsteins leads to infinity, so I opt for TCBY’s coffee. I walked back to my seat on the floor and had a few sips of the rancid brew.

We boarded the MD-80 and got settled in. I’m not exactly sure why these are called “Super MD80s.” “Functional and adequate” would be a better term. I do like the “two seat” sections. Perfect for traveling with a companion. Having spilled while getting seated one too many times I threw away my coffee at the gate, and figured I’d wait until we’re airborne to relax and fill up. We depart over Denver and the majestic snow covered Rockies enters into view. No window shade should ever be shut departing over the Rockies. It’s one of the most beautiful views on earth with brilliant white snow and sharp jagged treelines. On clear days you can even see the runs at Summit County ski resorts. I’m relaxed and content as the flight attendants make their way down the isle. This is where things all go to Bush:

The coffee maker on board was broken. Panic time! The FA was sincere and apologetic, and I kept my composure as I analyzed the situation in my head. I instinctively ordered a Diet Coke as I started jotting down some options. The route from Denver to Los Angeles as expected goes southwest over the four corners area, straddling Utah and Arizona until entering California near Needles and arriving over the San Gabriel Mountains. Being a small time private pilot and aviation buff I’m familiar with most airports in the southwest and told the flight attendant I’d like to speak with the captain so we could work out a plan that would be least disruptive. I didn’t want to upset the flight attendant by telling her she SHOULD have just borrowed some coffee from the Dallas arrival that had pulled up minutes before we left - and we were airborne now. (With NO coffee on board.) What should we do?

My two options were Grand Junction’s Walker Field, or Durango, Colorado. Both of these airports on the western plateaus of Colorado have long runways and can easily handle an MD80. We could land, get coffee, and easily depart - again with minimal disruption to crew and passengers.

I was informed that the captain was busy “flying the plane,” but she would pass my suggestion (scratched on a napkin and some Spanish homework) to him. Unfortunately as we passed between Shiprock and Blanding, Utah I realized my ideas had been completely ignored. I reminded her again about our imminent situation but only got lines about “taking my seat,” and “safety threat.” It was 12:30 and I had only imbibed a few scant sips of coffee since waking up. Again - not trying to be selfish, I suggested we land at Laughlin. (Hence avoid the traffic into Las Vegas.) Now, obviously straight out of the book the FAs come back with serious toned remarks about “detainment upon arrival.” and “federal crimes this and that…” I felt just like Jodie Foster on Flight Plan*. Why wouldn’t anyone take me seriously? As a burly lumberjack of a guy stood up and said, “Do you need some assistance ma’am?” I snapped my finger and said “okay Guantanamo” then sulkingly took my seat. I certainly didn’t want to wind up on the AA blacklist like Joel and Victoria Osteen. I had no choice but to forgo coffee for the duration of the flight. Yes it appears we were barreling towards LAX - a full two hours and thirty minute flight sans coffee.

We landed at LAX and taxied around the dilapidated Tom Bradley International Terminal to the American Terminal. Also I didn’t realize the Tom Bradley Terminal had so many remote gates to the west side. So not only do international travelers depart or arrive from an airport that’s third world in chaos and infrastructure, some are also sardined into a bus just to board the plane.

We deplaned and walked outside into the tube of traffic and noise that is the LAX arrivals level. We were picked up shortly thereafter, and whisked off to a well needed lunch at In-N-Out. Great burgers and fries, but alas: They also lacked coffee…

*Airplane photo from Airliners.net

*Denver airport photos, In-N-Out photo, and fictional accounts of crew interaction by me. (the extent of it consisted of “No problem, Diet Coke please”.)

*Spoiler alert: Jodie Foster DID have a kid, and the air marshal did it.

James Van Dellen

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If I had to pick one place to live in San Francisco, I would certainly want to make my digs right here, above Jumpin Java.  I love tight urban houses like these.  And I love coffee.   Jumpin Java is nestled between a block of row houses at 139 Noe Street, between Duboce and Market.  It’s a quiet street with a leafy canopy of trees providing shade as you pass the day reading books on the history of San Francisco architecture.  It’s the perfect picture and definition of a neighborhood coffee shop.

I usually don’t care to take my laptop when I travel.  For short trips I use a messenger bag with a few clothes and sundries.   If you’re just need a computer to check mail and/or your favorite blogs, (and not giving an important powerpoint presentation,) there’s really no need to carry a laptop to big cities where there’s internet cafes scattered about.  You just need to find a good one.  Actually make one with SECURE computers which aren’t loaded with crapware.  Hint:  if there’s toolbars already loaded on IE turn around and run.  Fortunately I found Quetzal, located at Polk and Vallejo, in downtown San Francisco.   They offer several complete Mac workstations with a view of Polk Street, where you’ll see busy office workers rapidly navigating around the lethargic homeless.  The staff was friendly, and the coffee cake was enormous.   Online at www.coffeeandcocoa.com

I found people really love crepes in San Francisco.  Being the type 1 diabetic I am I usually opt for the less glucose filled yogurt and granola to get me started in the morning, but I did visit Squat and Gobble, a “cafe and crepery” chain located in the peninsula.  I had the Florentine crepe, loaded with spinach and cottage cheese.  Good stuff - and our local breakfast/lunch joint “LePeep” just doesn’t carry the same alliteration as “Squat and Gobble.”  Go ahead and say it.   Find locations (and this photo) at squatandgobble.com

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Hey fellow readers.  Apologies for the gap in postings but I decided to escape Rockies fever and visit San Francisco for the early part of the week.

I don’t know anyone in the Bay Area, and during my four years living in southern California I only managed to make it up there twice.  I know, my loss.  It’s a beautiful city with a vast amount to offer.  And at almost 80 degrees it was a nice change from Denver’s early cold spell.

I rode the new BART line that opened in 2006 from SFO to downtown.  I was surprised to read in this ‘06 SF Gate article that ridership wasn’t as high as expected.   I hope it’s improved since than.  Any city that incorporates commuter rail to their airport deserves recognition. I found it a fast (30 minutes to Civic Center) and pleasant ride.  

Note to fellow travelers:  If you find yourself uncomfortable around the homeless.   Actually a LOT of homeless, then don’t pop your head above ground at the Civic Center station.   Lord almighty downtown S.F. has a lot of homeless people.  And what diversity!  Young, old, hippie, punk, shaved, bearded, trannies, and the standard grizzled shopping cart bums.   I’m used to being “spanged.”  It’s really not a big deal, but just a bit overwhelming when seeing the visual aspects of such a large homeless population.  This coming from someone who’s spent many sunny afternoons in Santa Monica and Venice.  And now I live downtown Denver.   It reminded me of this South Park episode “Night of the Living Homeless” which really hammers home how we acknowledge the homeless problem. Fortunately I spent most of my time in the compact neighborhoods near Golden Gate Park, Castro, and Haight Ashbury,  and admired the narrow houses, hilly terrain, and small stores and cafes that dot the area.  

I’ll post on some restaurants and places I visited soon.   But in the meantime thanks for the slew of comments on the below posts.  I appreciate the discussion and comments from fellow bloggers as well.

BART photo from Wikicommons

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Someday I’ll have to traverse the midwest to create a more comprehensive guide of restaurants serving the hearty foods from the British Isles. But this time I was headed to West Michigan for the wedding of two friends, which as expected was even more festive and delightful than my Thursday night excursion to Chicago’s Duke of Perth.

By coincidence we continued the theme and Saturday night wound up at Graydon’s Crossing, which rivaled Duke of Perth in flavor and ambiance. Graydon’s Crossing is located just north of downtown Grand Rapids about - Wait come back! Don’t stop reading. So you never plan to visit Grand Rapids, however I’m sure my insider’s guide from earlier this year will convince at least someone (maybe under 60) to consider adding it to their “100 places” list.

Graydon’s Crossing is a cozy, welcoming two story building featuring a dark and stately dining room on two floors, with a back patio and outdoor balcony. I found their old heavy refurbished antique tables to be a very unique with the glossy black luster and engraved legs. A true pub experience. We tried the Guinness Stew, which arrived in a single serving size piping hot kettle after being simmered all day. We also enjoyed the Shepherd’s Pie, stocked with lamb, peas, and carrots.

The best treat? All dishes are accompanied by warm and crumbly Yorkshire pudding. That’s right, Yorkshire pudding isn’t a pudding. It’s a small yellow cake with the consistency of cornbread, only a tad more doughy. Good stuff. The coffee was a bit bland, however I was probably the only person drinking four cups on a Saturday night in lieu of their authentic cask ales.

If you’re passing through West Michigan and looking for a great place to unwind (after an exhausting tour of the Gerald Ford Museum no doubt,) I would make room for a meal there. You won’t be disappointed.

They’re located at 1223 Plainfield just north of Leonard.  Site (and interior photo) at Graydonscrossing.com

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Not Louisiana, Paris, France, New York, or Rome - but…

Over the weekend I made a pit stop in downtown Gary, Indiana.  I’ve sped over Gary on interstate 90 many times in the past, but never thought to actually look and explore underneath the milky layer of haze and smog that constantly envelopes the city. 

Only 30 miles south of the stellar skyline of Chicago, Gary is a town that the gods of new urbanism and gentrification have failed to smile upon.   Sadly, it has the appearance of a bombed out city that’s been abandoned and sealed off.   And what I find odd is that this isn’t a remote and hard to access town that the interstates have passed by leaving Main Street with no base.  It’s hard to travel through the upper midwest WITHOUT driving through Gary.  Interstate 90 cuts right between downtown and the old steel yards.  You can SEE the city from the highrises of Chicago!

I actually did find a small local populace in the Save-More Food Center at Broadway and 11th.  Two armed guards and the chaos of a refugee camp didn’t deter me from purchasing some batteries for the camera.  While waiting in the check out line it hit me:  The next series of the controversial CBS series “Kid Nation” should be shot in Gary.   The current location is an old ghost town ranch in New Mexico.  This would create a perfect change of location for the second season.  The kids will open up shops, bulldoze the crumbling facades, encourage tourism, develop an economic base, and play “Kid Sim City Gary” to no end.   Who knows - at end perhaps Gary will take an upward turn if managed by a bunch of 5th graders.  I haven’t seen the show, so I have no idea what the actual day to day operations are, but I don’t think they could make Gary, Indiana any worse.

In seriousness it’s a sad place to see, especially knowing that just 30 years ago this proud steel town was a driving and bustling force in the midwest economy.   I found some incredible photos of Gary’s decay at Forbidden-Places.net   They’re both eerie and profound, especially the photos of the theater interior.  A commenter noted that with high Chicago housing prices it could be a boon to revitalize Gary’s core and construct housing and condos for those wanting to live and work near Chicago.

But I doubt it will happen.  Seeing the destruction of New Orleans a year after Katrina I was impressed at how many people, even in the “bad” areas, were out and about engaging in construction and repair of their homes and businesses.  There’s a pride and sense of worth you find in certain communities around the country.  Unfortunately I don’t think Gary has seen that for decades.  In reading stories and articles on Gary what you find is recollections of the city for what is WAS in it’s heyday, and NOT for what it could be in the future.

More pics…

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Despite being a gay owned Bed and Breakfast catering to gay travelers and being located in the center of the gayest neighborhood of Chicago, the Villa Toscana Guest House is an excellent place to stay for travelers of any preference. Located at 3447 North Halsted, the Villa Toscana is buffered from the bar and restaurant lined street with a lush front yard and large leafy trees. By the time you step through the front door you don’t even hear any traffic. There are three guest rooms on the second floor and a first floor guest suite. The entire house is a peaceful and quiet urban retreat, and you feel as if you’re a regular Chicagoan coming home, perhaps commiserating the Cubs Thursday loss. (Go Rockies.)

When traveling to Chicago I always recommend staying just north of downtown in the more residential areas, as opposed to the large hotels in or near the loop. This gives you a less touristy experience, and you’ll find more to do at night as these neighborhood restaurants and pubs are open serving the locals. The sights of downtown are easily accessible via the CTA’s Red Line El train, and you’ll find it more “homey” returning to a house or small hotel near parks and the lakeshore.

Our room on a Thursday night was $120, with breakfast included of course. Most hotels in the area run upwards of $175, making a “home away from home” location such as this more preferable than a hotel, and more affordable.

Online at thevillatoscana.com

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Wandering around Chicago’s lakeshore near the Shedd Aquarium I was walking over the Roosevelt Road Bridge and realized this rickety looking shanty (in my photo above the train) was actually in service as the Roosevelt Road commuter rail stop for the Metra. This station, which appears likely to ignite into flames at a single carelessly dropped match, is at the end of a gangplank like uneven wooden walkway. In addition, riders are forced to wait on a small narrow uncovered platform between busy tracks.

As far as the appearance of safety - it looks one notch above a hastily assembled carnival in a K-mart parking lot. I have a certain appreciation for “lost in time” structures, but I usually see that in semi-collapsed barns of the midwest. Not in a gleaming modern place such as this Chicago area.

Good news however for those who want to see this station updated: I googled “Roosevelt Street Station” and found this Sun-Times article describing plans for improvement which will commence shortly.

Built in the 1920s, the Roosevelt Road stop is a wooden relic noted for rickety stairs, a dilapidated station house and slick walkways and platforms. It’s also among the most unfriendly stops for riders with disabilities. As the South Loop area boomed the past 10 years, the station stuck out like a sore thumb amid new condominiums and other residential and commercial development.

Last year, the stop averaged about 1,000 riders a day, a 20 percent increase in the past six years, Metra officials said. In place of the old facility, plans call for rebuilt platforms, two new elevators and stairs to connect to the 11th Street pedestrian bridge.

The plans also include two new station houses connected to the inbound and outbound platforms, canopies and warming areas.

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Thursday late evening I dined at Duke of Perth, a popular Scottish restaurant in Chicago’s northside.   Duke of Perth’s most popular feature is their staggering selection of Scottish Ales and Whiskeys.  We were greeted by a friendly young blond girl and seated in the leafy outdoor back patio.  Due to the light crowd our friendly and attentive waiter was able to chat with us about the neighborhood and nightlife.  One thing I love about Chicago’s northside areas are the secluded courtyards and patios you find in the rear of many restaurants and bars. 

Their food is standard Scottish fare, but exotic for myself who’s never visited the region or sampled much of the food.  One such item is the Scotch Egg Burger, a beef patty topped with fried egg and roasted pepper.  On Wednesdays and Fridays you can enjoy unlimited fish and chips for $9.25.  I had the salmon and cod cakes served with potatoes and cucumber salad.  Caleb had the grilled veggie sandwich - zucchini, squash, and red peppers with goat cheese.  We each switched between the light Tennants Lager and the Belhaven Twisted Thistle beers.

They’re located at 2913 North Clark at North Clark and Oakdale.  Menu online online at dukeofperth.com Photo from Yelp.com

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