meat[loaf] lovers

i love meatloaf

and when you look at the reasons, it's not hard to see why it graces the top of my favorite meals list. first of all, it's simple. no fancy ingredients, mostly made with items every standard kitchen has. it gets mixed, and baked. you can't beat that. second of all, while it's baking, and it's aroma fills the house, memories come sweeping back over me of my childhood, when i would have to get cleaned up from playing neighborhood baseball before dinner. next, there's a wonderful retro-kitschiness associated with meatloaf. a meal which become popular during the depression as a way to stretch the meat budget, it could be made with inexpensive meats and ingredients, and still feed a large family. fourthly, not only is it great right out of the oven, but it's a meal where the leftover's create a plethora of other meals, almost outdoing it's original intention. fifth, it goes well with mashed potatoes...nuff said. finally, meatloaf is one of those wonderful dishes everyone knows how to make, and everyone has there own special way of fixing it, making it a wonderful meal to try in different establishments and locations.

now, being it was one of my favorite meals growing up, it was one of the first meals i took the time to perfect once i got out on my own. my style of meatloaf is a very traditional mixture consisting of a combination of my moms recipe as well as a family friend. being extremely proud of my own recipe, this past weekend i decided to put my loaf where my mouth was, and entered a meatloaf competition.

enlisting the help of my mom, early saturday morning my apartment was filled with the scent of meatloaf. finishing up and placing them in the roaster, we headed to the competition, four blocks away. i was feeling extremely confident, up until got there, and realized most of the other competitors were actual chef's from local restaurants, complete with fancy hats, fancy knives, and fancy aprons. setting up next to me, were stainless steel trays filled with mixtures of rabbit meats, sweet bread, bacon wraps, and smoked chorizo. i was a little nervous. however as the competition commenced, and i handed out samples, i realized, my traditional approach was actually what set me apart, so i started mentioning this fact to the samplers. now, it could have been the fact i had a more traditional recipe, or it might have simply been they wanted a little bit more "eye candy" from yours truly, but there were several ladies in the 65+ category who came back for seconds.

at the end of the competition, the winners were announced, and sadly i didn't win. i did however win the most "diner-esque" meatloaf award, which the judges explained as being exactly the kind of meatloaf you'd want when you go into a diner...

...and looking back on why i love meatloaf in the first place, and what i'd like my version to be, it was the perfect award to win.

a [downtown] christmas story

i'm not exactly sure how many times you have to repeat an event in order for it to become a tradition, but i feel i may be on the verge of one. last week the orpheum theater had a showing of one of my all time favorite christmas movies "a christmas story". now, i know very well that come christmas, i'll have my fill of this movie when tbs runs it's annual "24 hours of a christmas story", but there was something exciting about seeing this classic on the big screen, i couldn't pass up. so, just like last year, my friends and i gathered to enjoy a cup of coffee before hand and than walked to the theater. leaving the frigid temperature of the sidewalk behind us we entered the lobby and found it decorated for the holidays. making our way into the theater we found the place filled with people! not finding enough seats on the floor to accommodate all of us, we headed to the balcony. as the movie played it was obvious most of the audience had seen this movie no less than 2,000 times before, as most of the funny parts got laughs before they happened. however i'd like to think there were a few "newbies" in the crowd, a few lucky individuals seeing it for the first time on the big screen.

this movie is wonderful on so many levels, which is no doubt the reason it' s a classic. first of all, since it came out in the early 80's, it's always been a staple in my christmas experience. i remember discussing the "frozen pole" scene with friends during recess, wondering if one's tongue really would get stuck. i also had "that" christmas during my youth, when all i wanted was a b.b gun, hearing the famous "you'll shoot your eye out" line over and over. being older i now appreciate different aspects of the film. how the very simple story line developed into such a full story with the use of creative and rich narration. how the fairy tale, norman rockwell-esque setting plays backdrop to the more familiar family settings we all know, such as a father cussing at a broken furnace, but most of all, i enjoy how the movie captures the timeless feeling of what it's like to be a kid during christmas.

leaving the theater with my friends that night, and walking the streets of downtown, i couldn't help but get a little sentimental norman rockwell-esque christmas feeling myself. spontaneously running into, and catching up with some other friends, who had come out to enjoy the movie as well, on the street, only enhanced this feeling.

so, this whole, downtown-christmas-coffee-movie-at-the-orpheum-thing, may not be a tradition yet, but i'm thinking it needs to be. maybe next year, i'll make it official.

[basement]archaeology

with my grandmother celebrating a milestone birthday the other week, the whole family made a trip to western kansas to celebrate it with her. after meeting up with everyone and enjoying a late lunch, we ended up at my grandma's house to chat. now, ever since i can remember, i loved venturing down into my grandparents basement. when i was younger, i was on a constant search for my dad's childhood baseball cards, which he swore were down there, somewhere. now, as an adult, i go down there just to marvel at the mid century relics still stored down there, paintings, lights, amber colored screens, and radios from another era. i'm sure most grandma's basements are like this, but it takes on a whole new level of amazement when it's from your family, items sometimes identifiable in old family photos.

however this last trip down put things in perspective a bit. like any good museum, the collection is constantly growing and changing, and for the first time, i started noticing items i have memories of, back when they were on the main level. most notably the table i use to eat breakfast at while i watched grandpa play solitaire. items, that to my cousin's kids (the youngest generation in the family), look just as ancient as the old frigidaire did to me.

...and yes, i did look for the baseball cards, and no, i still haven't found them.

[off]line and no[line]

i love classic movies......around this time of year, i love classic christmas movies.

while watching these little holiday gems, i'll admit, part of me wishes i could spend christmas in an old vermont inn, or the town of bedford falls. everyone and everything is so genuine and honest in these films. you never see the characters arguing over parking spots at the mall, or fighting to grab the last "must-have" gift of the season.

taking note of this, and needing another blog post for this month, i set out to create my own little norman rockwell christmas. it seems in most every christmas movie the people travel in and out of stores along a snowy sidewalk. that's what i'd do! no computers or malls for me this year!

i decided not to buy anything on-line or venture into any of the national"big-box" stores. this year i spent weekends discovering new stores and shops i never knew existed. i traded the craziness of the mall parking lot for the slow meandering of walking down a sidewalk. instead of dealing with endless lines of cashiers, and spent time talking with shop owners. these smaller stores almost always offered me something to drink with one in particular offering me a mimosa's while i shopped!

i was able to get most of my gifts, as well as supplies to wrap everything up, at local, out of the way stores. i did venture into one large retail store to get a gift, but it's only because i had a coupon i wanted to use up. to be honest, that hour was by far the most stressful of the season, and one hour isn't that bad.

i know it's not possible to create the perfect "hallmark" christmas, but that's not really what i was going for. i just wanted to re-create a shopping season before malls, cars, and the internet. all things invented to make our life easier.....for some reason cause of a lot of stress this time of year. wondering in and out of these small stores and chatting with random people, really put me in the holiday mood this year.

the only thing left to do is spend time with friends and family. the people you love the most.

some like [to blog]

i've been blogging for three and a half years now. what started out as simply a way to keep in touch with friends and family, has now turned into a full fledged hobby. i've never considered my self a "writer". i loathed any reading or writing class i was forced to take in school, and it's a wonder i was able to pass any of them.

since this little hobby has grown, i find myself being more "in-tune" with any situation i my find myself in while out in the real world, i'm constantly thinking to myself, "hmmmm, could this be a blog entry? is this entertaining? are there any lessons to be learned here? any underlying themes to be applied to other areas of my life? is anyone wearing argyle socks?" this blog not only has made me appreciate the art of writing, but more importantly, those who write.

that being said, i was surprised recently when i discovered the website [douglas and main]. an entire blog devoted to grouping and bringing local bloggers together, a place to appreciate local ideas and writing. i've perused the website, and found there are some wonderful stories out there, taking place in my own backyard.


recently, i was [tagged] by one of these local bloggers adelamaide.

so i'll take part.

the rules:

-link to the person who tagged you.
-post the rules on your blog.
-write 6 random things about yourself.
-tag 6 people at the end of your post.
-let each person know he/she has been tagged.
-let the tagger know when your entry is up.


[1] i hate cinnamon flavored anything! however growing up, "big red" was the only gum kept in the house. so that's what i'd chew. to this day, when i buy gum, it's always cinnamon flavored. as much as i hate it, nothing else makes my breath feel clean. this is also the reason i buy crest cinnamon rush toothpaste, with whitening expressions!

[2] none of my clocks are synchronized, see previous post. apparently this is weird.

[3] i once read a list put out by the american film institute that stated "some like it hot" to be the all time, number 1, best comedy. not having seen it, i couldn't believe that a film released in 1959 could hold that title. not long after, i rented it and watch it. not only has it become one of my favorite movies, i agree completely with the ranking.

[4] i spent seven years in college earning my undergrad. this wasn't because of bad grades, but because i spent three years in one program before switching majors and starting over. at the time, another four years before graduation, felt like an eternity. however, looking back, i know it was the thing to do, and it turned out to be one of the best decisions i ever made.

[5] i believe dr. pepper is the best drink ever invented.

[6] i love blurring the lines between a hobby, and a job. i also love keeping them separate.




alright, i have no idea if they'll play along, but to fulfill this post i [tag] the following bloggers:

life of nickle
the thing about trains
holding out for that teenage feeling
life's a journey
ericamay photography blog: thought studio
scorch

film noir[ed]

earlier this year, i auditioned for a small movie fellow blogger, the thing about trains, was working on. i auditioned for the part of jack, who was an eccentric photographer. a part i knew i would have to scour the depths of my inner soul in order to play, but none the less one i thought i could portray.

i few days later, i found out that i had received the part. after being fitted for a wardrobe, the shoot date came. after spending a few hours getting into character, i was ready. on the set, i had to keep asking myself,

"what's my motivation?"

"why so i want to take so many pictures?"

"what am i searching for?"

"can someone get me a coffee!"

the shoot lasted all day and the other actors and crew were some of the best that i've ever had the pleasure of working with. lets just see what the academy thinks.


alright....i'm being very facetious.... the truth is, i know now why they say a movie is made great in the editing room. the crew did an amazing job! the music, the color, the shots! all great! it was great being a part of it.

to veiw it, please click here

i [can't] ride my bike with no handlebars

i like to keep this blog somewhat diverse, trying not to repeat myself too often. however i wanted to follow up the last post with a few pictures and links.

the bike is rapidly becoming my favorite form of transportation. i've been slowly increasing how much i use it every week, waiting for the day i roll up to a job site, "messenger-style" with the drawings in a tube on my back......we'll see.

it's not just me. i've been seeing more and more bikes on the streets of wichita, giving our downtown much need human activity.

maybe it's the gas prices, maybe it's the health aspects....either way, biking seems to be in the air. the art of the bicycle show was a huge hit last month, easily being the "hot-spot" to be on wichita's gallery crawl list.

here are a few pics:





other various links to check out...

wichita's conference bike here.
news article about wichita bikes here. (be sure to click the video link)
pictures from the "art of the bicycle" show here.
bicycles at the "rumble in delano" here.
interesting article from the new york times here.

kingdom of the [fiberglass eames]

one perk i have at my office is receiving the friday before memorial and labor day off. wanting to make the most of this extra day, i decided to go on a little adventure and visit a few estate sales. i never have anything specific in mind, but part of the thrill of digging among the aged eighties appliances, and worn out wardrobes, is the hope of stumbling upon some forgotten object worth something, if even to me. i do, however, tend to gravitate to objects from the 50's and 60's, with their space-aged lines, and chrome accents. like an architectural indana jones, i'm always on the quest for some elusive mid century modern relics.

the day started out fairly uneventful, finding nothing that perked my interest. after driving back from an estate sale, i noticed a tiny sign for a garage sale. not being too thrilled, i figured i might as well check it out. as i drove up, what caught my eye was on old bike, but this turned out to be only a trick. as i stepped out of the car, i noticed the bike was parked next to some really great looking chairs. from a distance they almost looked like eames chairs. not wanting to look overly anxious i meandered over. however the gentleman hosting the garage sale was keen, and must of picked up on my subtle excitement as he shouted,

"ya know those are herman-miller chairs!"

i gave an un-emotional nod of semi-understanding at the guy, but in my head i was flipping out! did i just find eames chairs at a garage sale? i looked them over, checked them out, and saw the price tag...$10 dollars each!

trying to hold in my giddiness at this point, i went and looked at the rest of the items, keeping an ever present eye on my find. looking through glen campbell records, i tried to reason with myself that this would be a good buy. i started walking back to the car, almost getting in, when i realized that i would be kicking myself tomorrow if i passed this up. i went back up, looked them over again, and then decided to make my move.

i asked,

"would you take $15 for both?"

he squinted his eyes, and looked his chairs up and down....

i, sweating ever so slightly, waited for him to make his counter-move....

he pondered more....

i sweated more....

finally his mouth started to move...

i leaned in...awaiting his answer...

he said, "sure"

i handed him the cash, ran over, replaced the chairs with a bag of sand equivalent to their weight, and swung out of the garage on my whip!

ok, so i actually just grabbed them, and loaded them into the car, but believe me, there was still a lot of excitement in it!


like most great things in life, i wasn't planning on all this...it just sort of happened. looking back, i can see now, it's what some people like to call a "perfect storm". three large elements in my life, architecture, a love of anything vintage, and thriftiness, converged all at once to create a situation ending with me finding this architectural idol.

however the search is still on for the "holy grail" if you will....an eames lounge chair, for under $30!

[me] and the old man

well i did it.

i read a book in one sitting.

i know that i shouldn't be particularly thrilled about making that statement, but i am. i'm just not a "book" guy. the trait that triggers one to pick up and read a book for fun, bypassed me. it's embarrassing to count the books i've read from beginning to end. now i'm not talking about the required reading i had to do in school, that was forced upon me. i didn't want to do it, i would have been perfectly fine in the dark room enlarging photos. i'm also not counting architecture books, that's just not fair...mostly pictures. i'm talking about books for leisure, cover to cover. the total is weak....i am however working on changing that.

while at the library, checking out dvd's, i decided to venture into unknown territory, the fiction section. i walked up and down the isle's, wondering aimlessly among the authors, lost in the lot of literature. i made it to the "h's". i stopped and picked up a copy of "the old man and the sea" by hemingway. i had heard the title and author before, so i figured, if i knew of it, it must be somewhat famous, and if it was famous, it must be good. not knowing anything more than that, i checked it out.

alright, honesty, it was 93 pages and had pictures. .....baby steps...

i took it home, but didn't read it right away. a few days passed, and then about 11:30 one night i was bored, picked it up and started reading. it took a while, but slowly i was taken from wichita to the shores of cuba. i continued. as i read, i got more into the story. as it turns out, it's about an old man and the sea! who knew!

without turning this into a book report, it's about an old man on a fishing trip. but not just any fishing trip, an epic fishing trip. an old fisherman, ventures far out into sea one day, and snags a huge fish, the fish of a lifetime. knowing what he's caught, he holds on, keeping the perfect balance on the line. the old man spends most of the book in this position. possibly a boring plot, but hemingway uses this situation to bring forth thoughts and feelings that reveal the character of the old man.


halfway into the book, i started getting sleepy, but i couldn't leave this old man out in a boat in the middle of nowhere holding this monster of a fish! it might have been my tiredness, but when the thought of closing the book crossed my mind, the old man would look and me and say "hey, where you going? don't leave me out here all alone with this fish!" so unlike howard roark who i've left at the drafting table or sal paradise who i've left on the side of the road, i kept reading. i had to know the outcome!

i don't want to give anything away.....in case there might be someone out there that hasn't read it, but the themes of the book are timeless. who knew a fishing trip could relate so well to countless situations in life.....


classic.

illustrations from the book, by c.f. tunnicliffe and raymond sheppard