Month: November 2011

NYC Signage Captured by my Sister

One of my favorite things is to receive a photo from someone.  They saw it and thought of me and the blog or just saw it and thought it was something I would like to see too.   Mary sent me this one and when I asked she said I could use it she said okay.

Just yesterday Rufus was writing about the last of the neighbor’s fresh tomatoes.   He was concocting the great looking shrimp tacos. He mentioned being told about a mystery ingredient for their growing so well and his neighbor has horses. Hmmmmm.  My sister sent this sign two days before. Seemed like a good link to a similar topic.  Horse #@%*!  In Pittsburgh there are signs about dog owners being responsible for picking up after their dogs and if not a $300 fine will be charged. I have never seen a ticket issued and I live across the street from the park.

But this is not about dogs and their irresponsible after they do their business. This is about the sign my sister found in New York City and photographed and sent to me.  It is about wondering the size of bag/container one would need to do such a task.  And wondering where they put the matter once it is cleaned up.  And what the price of a fine might be in New York City if someone did not comply.

by Categories: Guest Blog, Photography, SignageTags: , , , , , , 15 Comments

Hat Cleaning

When was the last time you took a hat to be cleaned?  Another shot from downtown Roanoke.

My son Mark spotted this signage across the street from the Weiner Stand.  Unfortunately there were cars parked in front of the establishment so couldn’t get the whole storefront.  Just made me wonder when the neon sign for Hat Cleaning was installed.  Thanks Mark for pointing this one out for the blog post.  I guess I could have included it in yesterday’s Downtown Roanoke slideshow but I think it can stand alone.

My father wore a hat.  Mark has one of his grandfather’s hats his home office.

I think men in hats look distinguished.  My cousin Jim likes hats.  He liked the post of Meyer the Hatter in NOLA.

Maybe the sign is for women’s hats to be cleaned as well.  I shouldn’t assume it’s for men’s hats.

by Categories: SignageTags: , , , , , , , , , 7 Comments

Chicken and Waffles at Thelma’s- City Market-Downtown Roanoke VA

We ate at Thelma’s Chicken and Waffles with an appetizer of Fried Green Tomatoes-

Erika ordered a Vegetable Platter and Cornbread

And I ate their specialty- Chicken and Waffles. What else? oh yes, that would be a side of home fried potatoes.

and from the Historic Roanoke City Market website I found the vendor names

Julia & Gary Goad-  Julia wearing a shawl she knit in 3 weeks of television time.I bought some fragrant &  pretty soaps.   Yellow Mountain Crafts


and this man in the cowboy hat was explaining how bottles have belly buttons- an outie vs. an innie  hmmmmm!

Name: Dave & Kyle Kelsheimer
Business Name: Lunarscapes
Location: Rocky Mount
Vendor since: 2006
Products: Specialize in slumped glass wine & liquor bottles (table art)

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by Categories: Cooking and Eating, Family, PhotographyTags: , , , , , , , 10 Comments

Fifty Years Working at the Weiner Stand

Mr. Johnny Liakos has worked here at the Weiner Stand for MORE than fifty years.  Here is an article on him and the famous hot dog stand in downtown Roanaoke, Virginia. I was photographing him through the side glass window, reflection and all and he motioned for me to come on in and photograph him. Seriously.  And he stood there waiting for me, interrupting the flow of bun and dogs for a full minute.  

by Categories: Cooking and Eating, People at Work, PhotographyTags: , , , , , , , 10 Comments

Weekly Photo Challenge: Family

It’s a weekend of family and Friday we drove down(van and a car) the Blue Ridge Parkway to Peaks of Otter. Avoided ALL stores. When we got back and the sun was starting to drop, Erika dressed the kids in their red outfits and we thought we might get a photo for their family Christmas card. The sitting around, getting four grandchildren to look into the camera lens wasn’t going too well….so started the action shots by yelling ready, set. go and the fun began. Murphy barked at Bob the donkey and Heart the big horse. Froo Froo Marlene got out a huge bag of carrots. Forget the Christmas card- roll around in the leaves, feed the animals carrots,run and whoop and laugh. The grass began to get damp with evening dew and it was time to go in for our supper. I couldn’t believe the Weekly Photo Challenge email said FAMILY. Perfect timing! (And to check out other bloggers interpretations of Family click here )

by Categories: Childhood, Family, Weekly Photo ChallengeTags: , , , , , , 38 Comments

Once a Year Recipe/Ritual

The annual making of the cranberry-orange relish. I don’t make this any other time of year.I’ve heard lots of different renditions of cranberries and everyone has their favorite.  My mother used to use a metal meat grinder and screw it onto a table or chair with a woven potholder to keep the wood from being marred. Her recipe was strictly cranberries and navel orange.  I add a Granny Smith and today a HoneyCrisp as well. I used to have one of those grinders and ground relish with Mark when he was a boy in the same manner as my mother.  My friend J from Omaha gave me her MagiMix French Processor when she got a Cuisinart.  That was more than 25 years ago and it still works. It has a European plug so I have to keep a little extra piece to plug it in.  So two bags of cranberries, washed and drained, two oranges, two apples(peel on) 1 3/4 C sugar.

That is all there is to it. Refreshing and tart and sweet simultaneously.  And thanks to Susan K for the Turkey towels.  Very festive.

Happy Thanksgiving.  I will put the bowl in a cardboard box so it doesn’t spill and drive to dinner at the other Grandma’s.

by Categories: Childhood, Cooking and EatingTags: , , , , , , , , , 19 Comments

They’re Taking Down Mellon Arena, Pittsburgh, PA

A poetry friend emailed and told me they were dismantling the roof.  I drove by after school Tuesday, rain and gray.  A huge chain link fence has been erected around the perimeter.  I could see what she noticed and why she thought it might be an interesting photograph.  It felt sad.  My friend V says she remembers when the Civic Arena was built(1961) and that the roof never really did work right, although it was supposed to open up to the sky in less than two minutes according to what I read about it.

“Mellon Arena… hosted such music legends as Frank Sinatra, The Rolling Stones, six sold-out nights of Garth Brooks and The Grateful Dead

The Mellon Arena hosted its first show, the Ice Capades, on September 19, 1961. Other notable performance highlights include: The Beatles on September 14, 1964, Elvis Presley on June 25, 1973 and the Page/Plant concert on March 25, 1995, which registered the highest attendance ever in the Arena (17,764) until January 30, 1999 when 18,150 fans packed the arena for a WWF house show.”  from History of Mellon Arena

And the Penguins play at the new Consol Energy Center built down the hill from the old Arena.  Here is phase one, the beginning of the tearing down of the Mellon Arena. Lots of memories for many people.

I have shot an engaged and a wedding couple with the Mellon Arena as the backdrop.

Dedicated hockey fans.

by Categories: Pittsburgh PhotosTags: , , , , , , , , 10 Comments

Weekly Photo Challenge: Breakfast

Renaissance Hotel- Columbus Ohio.  Last week- Friday- 11-11-11.  My brother and sister ate the Steel Cut Oatmeal and fruit.  I had the two eggs, potatoes and bacon with wheat toast.  I should have captured theirs to contrast my plate.  Many wonderful Breakfasts by fellow bloggers this week so you might want to check them out if you are hungry. Everything from Porridge to Quail Eggs.  Most days it is a cup of coffee and toast for me as I fly out to school but here is what I ordered at the fancy hotel.

by Categories: Cooking and EatingTags: , , , , , , , , 24 Comments