Gord's Gold

Earlier in June I bought tickets for my mom and I to go see one of her favorite musicians of all time: Gordon Lightfoot. I grew up listening to Gordon Lightfoot songs. When I was a kid, I was kinda like "eh" about it all. It sounded too folksy, and it didn't sound like Duran Duran, so overall I was unimpressed. It was what my parents listened to, and when you're a kid anything your parents listen to has got to be bad, right? At my wee young age of eight, the storytelling went over my head. I was in search of an 80's glam pop beat, not soulful baritone and twelve string acoustic guitar. Well, I don't know exactly when it happened, but I know it happened in a thrift store (the best things usually do). What happened was that I heard a Gordon Lightfoot song over the oldies station that usually provides the thrift store soundtrack. I think it was Sundown. I hadn't heard one of his songs in years and all at once childhood memories came flooding back...summer days at home, my sister and I playing with our Play-doh at the kitchen table while my mom washed dishes and sang to the album, evenings spent with my mom and dad where they actually sat around and played records on the record player all night long. Great memories. And I found myself humming along in the thrift store and realized how truly awesome his music is, in a way that was really profound. Partially because of the memories it brought back, but also because of the richness of the stories his songs depict. You can see them in your head if you listen well. So when I heard he was coming to Columbus I bought tickets. Monday night was the concert. My mom came into town and we made a night of it! First stop: Barcelona in German Village.

Barcelona has arguably one of the best patios in the city. It's lush with plants and has a wonderful sounding fountain in the middle, loaded up with giant koi. It makes you feel like you could be just about anywhere in the world.

If you go to Barcelona at lunch time, you'll be confronted with a fairly approachable menu that almost anyone will like. The menu changes quite a bit at dinner. Gone are the sandwiches, replaced with seriously Spanish inspired fare... tapas, lovely cured meat plates, salads, and serious entrees (serious in heft and price ;). We ordered an assortment of dishes and shared. Sort of. I hogged my fritters! Bread always comes first with a dish of olive oil and a bit of a tomato puree.

My mom ordered the Jamon Serrano. Basically aged prosciutto. Prosciutto=delicous in my book. My green bean salad was fantastic! Refreshing, lightly dressed and the beans still had a light crunch.

Don't even get me started on the Croquetas! Yeah, the fritters. Serrano ham and manchego cheese all deep fried to crispy perfection, with honey mustard as a yummy accessory. Holy moly...

My mom ordered a Ensalada de Setas (mushroom salad), and Sopa de Maiz, a lovely corn chowder which was gorgeously creamy with just a bit of spice.

We really wanted dessert. I mean there was a Tres Leches cake on the menu with blueberries and peaches! But the concert was nearing and we were running out of time to get to the theater, so we had to forgo the sweet end. sigh.

I was one of the youngest people at the show, which sadly is not the first time that's happened. I'm an old person inside pretty much. It's alright. 

The Palace theater is a gem of a theater. It's like a pastel ball gown inside. 

So, I'm a good person...obeying all of the signs that say "No recording or photography" (it's probably the old person inside of me), and I think it's kind of rude to whip out my bright screened phone in a dark theater, and disturb my neighbours to get a shot of the artist. So, I have no pics of the man himself. Maybe this blogging business will make me gutsier and I'll throw caution to the wind...probably not. The show was great. Gordon Lightfoot went and got old. Seventy-four years old to be exact, and having suffered a six-week coma and a tracheotomy tube down his throat as a result of a stomach aneurysm, it's amazing he can still sing a note. He definitely has lost the ability to hit many notes, and he's a bit mumbly, but in a way, his songs lend themselves to that style. And he's seventy-four!!!! He sang my mom's favorite song, the Canadian Railroad Trilogy, so she was a super happy woman. 

I still had his songs in my head after the show so I subjected my coworkers to a playlist which included Early Morning Rain. Hey, they all have headphones. 

Here's the man I remember form my childhood.

Here's the man now.

So if you wonder what this man sounds like, here is one of my favorite songs, The Summer Side of Life

http://grooveshark.com/#!/search?q=gordon+lightfoot+summer+side+of+life

If you fancy checking out Barcelona, travel by web first to see the menu.

http://www.barcelonacolumbus.com/

Fun Squared

We're entering fair season! The Ohio State Fair is in full swing, although I doubt I'll make it there this year. I have intentions of going every year, as I recall how I used to go with my mom and aunt on say, a Wednesday, and it was fantastic. Low crowds during the week meant seeing lots more exhibits and tours through the animal barns without a mess of people. Well, since I'm a rootin' tootin' grown up now (which I couldn't wait to be as a child....dumb, I know) I can only go on a weekend day. And I don't like crowds. So I've stayed away from the state fair. Makes me a little sad. However, the Hartford Fair, which is for all intents and purposes the Licking County fair, starts in just a few days! Fresh cut fries, fried dill pickles, and pepperoni sticks here I come! Seriously, I've been known to get a pepperoni stick from the fair in August, take it home and freeze it, and reheat it November as a remembrance of summer goodness. My mom's garden club enters the flower arranging contest for the fair, and sometimes I help make arrangements, so of course I like seeing how the arrangements get scored. It's usually disappointing, and I end up saying something like, "Who judged this? They clearly have no appreciation for the wabi sabi-ness of an arrangement!" I generally say this when my arrangements have failed to place. Of course when they do I think the judge is a genius. Last Saturday I went to Fun Days. It's a little street fair in the tiny town of Alexandria. 

Fun Days is in it's 64th year! It was great when I was a kid with lots of rides, school kids to hang out with, and great food that was provided by the service club which consisted of many of the men in the village. Well, times have changed. People are less inclined to leave their homes, computers, and tv's to come to the fair, and there are less volunteers who are giving their time to keep this community event going. But the small group of people who are volunteering their time are working super hard and doing an excellent job. Each year they come up with new events to attract more people, and they were even able to extend the event by a day this year! And they managed to lure a french fry vendor this time.

Yes, that is a bucket o' fries. I shared it. Really.

There's always a square dance on the Saturday night of the fair. I don't join the square dance because I don't know to square dance. I remember during a grade school Phys Ed class we were taught how to do-si-do, but that's all I remember. I have a feeling that's all we were taught. I'm asked every year to join, and I always adamantly refuse so that I can save myself the embarrassment. It doesn't really matter because ninety percent of the people out there don't know what they're doing. There is always one square of oldies that are there every year, and they don't miss a beat. All the other squares watch them for guidance. I've promised that next year I will join, so I've kinda screwed myself. Now I have to learn how to square dance. Sitting here with another tab open to look up square dancing lessons in the metro area.

This little fair is pretty close to my heart. It's right across the street from where my grandma used to live in the town that my mom grew up in. It's full of summer recollections. I will never stop going, or helping out, as long as it continues.

Mule Kicks

Friday was a day of two firsts. My first lunch at Philco (previously Phillip's Coney Island), and my first happy hour at Little Rock bar. Both were great! Phillip's Coney Island had been somewhat of an establishment in the Short North; an old school coney diner that had been there for ages, with spin-y bar seats and boiled dogs. It has recently been revamped into a neo-diner of sorts with lovely choices in interior elements, and awesome choices in grub. They've also installed a neat eating counter  in the window that overlooks High St. Great for people watching while filling your belly. I also like the graphics!

I got the Johnnycake sliders and an order of smokey bacon-y potato salad.  The johnnycakes are tiny little pancakes with pulled pork and creamy kraut sandwiched between them. They were good with a hint of maple sweetness to the cakes. If I changed one thing, I might add some vinegar to the pulled pork just for a smidge of depth.

My lovely coworkers made excellent choices in the forms of grilled cheese, the breakfast biscuit, and fresh cut fries that come in a neat aluminum cup. I can vouch for the fries, as KK let me thieve one from her cup! Delicious!

Moving on to happy hour...

We went to a new place in Italian Village at 944 N. Fourth St. called Little Rock Bar.

It really has just opened, and it seems like they are still working out a few kinks with the payment system (my receipt wouldn't print), but that is so super minor and is to be expected with a new joint. The place was great! Seeing as it was super hot out, I wanted something refreshing, cool, and fizzy. I ordered a Moscow Mule. And another. The kicks were painless, but they had lingering effects. 

The service was friendly, the patrons seemed laid back, and get this...they have a free jukebox!!! That's right, FREE!!! We took turns choosing songs. I chose one of my favorite songs, The Wichita Lineman by Glen Campbell. The jukebox is loaded with excellent song choices. I mean with a name like Little Rock, and with album covers displayed on the wall, a good music selection is imperative. Also, I'm not much of a beer drinker, but it looked like they had a decent selection on tap. My coworkers seemed pleased.

Those ladies aren't my coworkers.

So there, two places I would recommend giving a whirl.

Philco

https://www.facebook.com/PhilcoBar.diner

Little Rock Bar

http://littlerockbar.net/

A Town Named Soo...or Sault?

I like signs. Especially old neon signs and nifty little handpainted signs that advertise candy shops. These were taken a couple of summers ago in Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan, famous for the Soo Locks where you can watch giant freighters and other boats traverse the 21 foot drop between Lake Superior and Lake Huron. Definitely worth a little jaunt if your up in those parts.

Mackinac fudge is also a famous delicacy up here.

A tug, a barge, and a freighter!

The "I didn't know that was here!" Series

Browning Ampitheater

When I was younger, say, high school age, all I wanted to do was get out and see the world. I thought that almost anyplace had to be better than where I grew up. Since then, I have seen a decent chunk of the world, and most of the time I usually want to live at every destination I visit. I guess I still have a little of that "grass is greener" mentality, and anyone who knows me even one little iota knows how much I want to live in England. However, as I've gotten older I've really learned to appreciate where I live, specifically the countryside. I breathe a sigh of relief every time I leave Columbus and travel home at the end of the workday. Columbus is a pleasant enough city, but she and I have had a difficult time connecting on a genuine level, and I've lived near her my whole life. (Maybe "she" should be "he". After all, the city was named after a male explorer. Whatever. I'm keeping "she".) Sure, there's an endless variety of great restaurants, it has a nice arts scene, friendly people, etc, but it just leaves me feeling ambivalent.

So I've decided that I'm going to explore it a little, to see if she and I can find a common interest. This probably isn't going to happen by going to places like COSI, the art museum, or the conservatory. I've been to all of those places, and while they're all wonderful places, I still feel ambivalent. I'm digging a little deeper. So today, I took a walk. I also took pictures. This post is the first of a series I'll be posting on a semi regular basis that documents my exploration of the city. And now for a look at a city within the city...OSU campus. Now I have been here, heck, I used to go to college here, but it's such a beautiful campus and I rarely go back, This was more of a revisiting instead of a discovery mission. But I always love how different the campus feels from the rest of the city.

The gurgle-y fountain at Mirror Lake

The stacks at the OSU library, which has changed a lot since I went to school here!

A Marcel Marceau illustration on display in the library.

Hayes Hall, OSU's art building.

Tomato Time Capsule

I won't pretend that the arrival of colder weather makes me happy. I enjoy certain elements of fall, like the sound of walking down brick sidewalks covered in leaves, the clearness of the atmosphere from the lack of hazy humidity, the moody slate blue sky that appears against brilliantly colored trees, and let's not forget fresh apple cider, pumpkin flavored everything, and campfires. But, really, fall depresses me.

It's a harbinger of the cold starkness to come. And indication that we need to gather and prepare for the long months ahead. I hate the shortened days, and the angle of the sun. I despise how much longer it takes me to go anywhere because I have to pile on more cumbersome clothes, and then trudge through inches of snow to clean off my car, and then wait fifteen minutes for it to warm up. And winter is a total party pooper/plan ruiner. Oh, and don't even think of wearing any suede item! I can think of one good thing about winter and it's this: You can leave your restaurant leftovers in the car, without them spoiling if you're not going straight home.

So, in lustful remembrance of this past summer, I've posted an image of the jars of tomatoes that my mom and I canned together in August.

What A Bunch Of Weenies

Cherry turnovers made by my cousin Tracy

My aunt's Paw Paw Passion Bars

My mom's blue ribbon winning chocolate and brown sugar frosting bars

My slaw with olive oil and sunflower seeds

Last Sunday was the annual family weenie roast, and a more beautiful day could not have been had. We've been on a good weather streak the past few years. Let's hope it keeps up! Lots of family members (from both sides) came bearing lots of scrumptious vittles, which made overeating all too easy; maybe even obligatory, considering the deliciousness that prevailed. And my sister, the Firemaster, crafted yet another perfect hot dog inferno. And, I would've included a pic of my sister and Jim's garlic salad, but it was already dessimated by the time I got around to taking pictures. Boy was it gooooood.