Nov 29, 2010

Nov 11, 2010

Nov 9, 2010

O V E R W H E L M E D

Sorry I have deserted my blog in the midst of it all. I have the rest of the road trip to post about as soon as my camera battery comes back to me (i left it in minnesota and have taken it as a vacation from blogging). i am in Brooklyn and trying to figure it all out. I have cast a wide net and am waiting to see what fish to fry. It's funny, I thought i would come here and external factors would filter the immense amount of choices for me, but instead I'm left feeling like I need to re self-conceptualize. I have learned one thing, though: a car in Brooklyn is AWESOME.

Oct 28, 2010

LAST SUPPER

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OYSTERS, CHAMPAGNE AND PASTA WITH BOTTARGA. CUE THE MISSING.

THEME AND VARIATIONS: ROAD FOOD

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In Chico Hot Springs I ate a buffalo + elk burger. The next morning we had bacon, eggs and hash browns. In Yellowstone, we had burgers with chili cheese fries. In Sheridan, I had beef stew. The next morning we had bacon, eggs and hash browns. In Newcastle, Wyoming Jack had a bacon salad and I had a steak sandwich with waffle fries. In Murdo, we went to the Buffalo Restaurant and Bar (which actually had great white bean soup) where I had a buffalo burger with crinkle cut french fries and Jack had a prime rib. In a stroke of genius Jack asked the waitress if they had a corkage fee. Taken aback, our kind server deliberated in the back, returning with a verdict of $5. We happily drank a bottle of Coho Michael Black Merlot to the amusement of the Absolute drinking hunters, pairing nicely with our copious amounts of meat.


The best coffee on the road we had was at McDonald's. Not kidding, but wish I was.

Oct 26, 2010

ELEGANT THINGS

Elegant Things from Orland Nutt on Vimeo.

DAKOTA


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I have always wanted to go to the Black Hills because of this Doris Day song. Turns out they are not really black. Damn. We went to Mt. Rushmore and did what any self-respecting American does there - had root beer floats and chased a chipmunk. We saw Crazy Horse. We went to Wall Drug, which after offending us for 100 miles with its stupid signs DID NOT HAVE THE COFFEE AND DOUGHNUTS IT ADVERTISED. Jack was so pissed only that giant green dino could appease her. We passed ugly homes, ugly buildings, ugly signs, and spent the night in Murdo in the center of the state, where we sat near some hunters who had just come home from Wyoming and drank Absolute tonics with two limes. Perhaps they were who scared us in Big Horn at dusk with their night rifles?
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The red asphalt roads were cool, though.

GOODNESS, LET'S SEE IF I CAN REMEMBER NOW WHAT WE LISTENED TO.
LET ME GET BACK TO YOU ON THIS.

Oct 24, 2010

SOUTH DAKOTA BASICALLY SUCKS...

(stay tuned)

...BUT THE BADLANDS ARE AMAZING

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I hope this in some small way captures what no camera (and certainly not mine) can capture. This is where I am going, watch out... Sunset and an almost full moon. Erosion, fossils, crags, sediment, technicolor dreams.

GRACELAND - PAUL SIMON
MOON SAFARI - AIR
HEARTBEATS - THE KNIFE
(had 'em)

THE MINT

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mintbrochure
mintbar
We randomly stayed in the surprisingly awesome town of Sheridan, WY. We didn't find a good local hotel (the Mill Inn was too close to the freeway for me) so we stayed at the Best Western which did the trick. The highlight was the amazing Mint Bar on Main Street which has been around since 1907 (some repost pictures from before). A total locals spot but friendly to outsiders, the bartender Emily was rad, the whiskey was cheap and the jukebox was killer. The #1 song is Night Moves. The red coffered ceiling offset the great wooden walls imprinted with thousands and thousands of Wyoming cattle brands, and an awesome collection of taxidermy including a creepy timber wolf, an 8-ft rattler and two deer appearing to nuzzle which were found dead, locked forever in combat. We made friends with Crazy Larry, whose shorts and tie-dye t-shirt would not have been warm enough for us, and who named his dog J. Jill in honor of the construction project he was doing when he got her.