Spruce Goose

The "Spruce Goose" (officially the Hughes H-4 Hercules) is the largest flying boat ever built. It is the centerpiece of the Evergreen Aviation & Space Museum in McMinnville, OR. Due to limited supply of metals during WWII, the plane is mostly made of birch (not spruce!). It flew one time on November 2, 1947.

A few facts about the plane:

• Aircraft Type: Cargo Prototype
• First Flight: November 2, 1947
• Wingspan: 319 feet 11 inches
• Length: 218 feet 8 inches
• Height: 79 feet 4 inches
• Weight: 300,000 pounds
• Capacity: 18 Crew, 750 troops
• Cruise Speed: 220 mph
  
  

This is a model of the plane used in the movie The Aviator.

The Museum is housed in three buildings. One large building houses the Spruce Goose and several other (mostly military) aircraft. A duplicate building across the parking lot houses the space exhibits. On our visit (March 2009) it appeared the exhibits were under development. There is a replica of the lunar lander and a missle launch simulator. Pictorial displays take the visitor through the years showing highlights of space exploration and travel through the years. A smaller building between the two large ones contains an IMAX theatre. They were showing a movie on life in the International Space Station. I found this to be very interesting and the 3D effects (with glasses!) were very effective.

In my opinion, there are two negatives of the museum. First, the high level of militarism and nationalism was offputting. A soon-to-be-opened gun collection fits right in. Second, there are many additional costs once you enter the museum. The museums and movie cost $30/person. Add-ons include a docent tour of the exhibits and entrance (beyond a cursory peek into the fuselage) of the Spruce Goose.

Wong's King - Portland, OR

duck (center) and other small plates of tasty treats

dim sum (dĭm' sŏŏm', sŭm')
n. A traditional Chinese cuisine in which small portions of a variety of foods, including an assortment of steamed or fried dumplings, are served in succession.

Tucked into the corner of a small strip mall in southeast Portland, Wong's King (8733 SE Division St.) is one of the best places I've been for dim sum (the list includes places in Seattle, Portland, Oakland, and Minneapolis). If you don't believe me it's good, ask the other people who wait in the large, but cramped, entry for at least 30 minutes to get a seat at a table! (Or ask the people in the cars in the small parking lot waiting to pounce into a spot as soon as satisfied diners vacate.) The dining space is spacious with large tables for 4 or more. On Sundays there are usually families sitting at the round tables enjoying lunch together. It feels formal with white tablecloths on the tables and a wait staff in tailored purple uniforms. The servers push carts through the dining room and diners can select whatever appeals to them. I usually have eyes bigger than my stomach and end up choosing more things that I can eat! The carts have small plates of duck, chicken feet, boa, shu mai, chinese broccoli, soup, and many more tasty morsels!

Willis Tower

Do you know the name of the tallest building in the United States? The tallest in the western hemisphere? The view above is taken from an upper floor of the 108-story building. Well, I guess the title of the post gives away the answer. June 2009 marks the end of the building being officially called "Sears Tower". Read more about the name change here. I wonder how long it will take for the new name to enter common parlance.

Sushi Land - Portland, OR

Sushi, Edamame (Soybeans), Calamari

I'm not a connisseur of sushi. My underdeveloped palate doesn't distinguish between high and low quality nigiri or maki. So I usually opt for the inexpensive and there is no better place for that than Marinepolis Sushi Land (multiple locations in the Portland and Seattle areas). The plates (color coded for $1, $1.50, $2, $3) pass by on a conveyor in front of you. You can examine them through the clear plastic as you contemplate if it is something you're willing to try. My favorites are the cooked, rolled sushi with yam or shrimp. But I'm willing to try others, although I can pass on ones with avacado. There is always a variety of choices so you never have to go hungry. The place is perfect for first-time sushi eaters since the price is right if you don't like one. Wait and choose another from the conveyor. Don't be surprised if there is a wait - the restaurants are very popular. Smaller groups sit at the counter while larger groups can gather in booths on the side. The wait staff stays out of the way and lets you enjoy your selections. The sushi chefs will occassionally ask if you want something special not on the conveyor. They always seem happy to satisfy. For the very timid (or kids) they even have some sushi without any fish. One option is sliced vienna sausages on rice, held together with a seaweed band!

Goodbye Grandma

I often listen to youtube songs when I'm engaged in mundane tasks at my desk at work. This week I noticed a song suggested by youtube in the "related videos" list. I hadn't heard it before. It was written by Elton John for the musical version of Billy Elliot. (From wikipedia: The musical revolves around motherless Billy, who trades boxing gloves for ballet shoes. The story of his personal struggle and fulfilment are balanced against a counter-story of family and community strife caused by the eighties' coal miners' strike in Northern England.) I guess this song was cut from the show and now exists only as a demo version. An appropriate week for the song...

Pok Pok - Portland, OR

Pok Pok (3226 SE Division Street) is a trendy restaurant in Southeast Portland. Occupying what was formerly a single-family house, diners can eat on the main level or in the basement. The decor is pleasant and the food is fresh. Lunch prices were a little higher than I normally prefer to pay. Overall a good experience and a place I'd visit again.

Ike's Vietnamese Fish sauce Wings
Fresh natural chicken wings marinated in fish sauce, garlic and sugar, deep fried, tossed in caramelized Phu Quoc fish sauce and garlic and served with Vietnamese table salad.

Khao Man Som Tam
Green papaya salad (papaya pok pok) served with coconut rice and sweet shredded Carlton Farms pork, fried shallots and cilantro.

pi Day

Photo from griffin.ladoona's photostream on flickr.

It is 3.14 today. Happy PI Day!!

Basil Thai - Urbana, IL

I enjoy Thai food so was happy to learn of Basil Thai (701 S Gregory Street) in Urbana. I have eaten there several times but find the food inconsistent. The picture above shows Tropical Fried Rice (Stir-fried rice with pineapple, onion, carrot, green pea, egg, and chicken). This time it was quite moist so reminded me more of a hotdish! The flavors will still satisfying. I have also tried pad woon sen and a couple other items. The place is located on the east side of campus near the Krannert Center (good place to go before a concert). It is usually busy with a cross-section of the college crowd. On my last visit I heard at least five languages being spoken at nearby tables while I waited for my food. Orders are placed at the counter and then are brought to the tables identified by a number. This is not the "best" place for Thai food in Champaign-Urbana, but I will definitely return because of its location, casual atmostphere, and inexpensive prices.

This I Believe

"This I Believe (edited by Jay Allison & Dan Gediman) is an international project engaging people in writing, sharing, and discussing the core values that guide their daily lives. These short statements of belief, written by people from all walks of life, are archived here and featured on public radio in the United States, as well as in regular broadcasts on NPR. The project is based on the popular 1950s radio series of the same name hosted by Edward R. Murrow."

The short essays in this book all express what the author believes. They range from the religious to the practical, from political to inspirational, from optimistic to pessimistic. Some are from well-known figures such as Leonard Bernstein, Isabel Allende, Albert Einstein, and Bill Gates to people only known to their friends and families like Josh Rittenberg and Jackie Lantry.

Here's a sampling of beliefs. Each is elaborated in the short 3-4 page essay by the author.

• "I believe in America, and I believe in our people." (Colin Powell)
• "I believe in barbecue. As soul food and comfort food and health food, as cuisine of both solace and celebration." (Jason Sheehan)
• "I believe in always going to the funeral." (Deirdre Sullivan)
• "I believe it is possible for ordinary people to achieve extraordinary things." (Jody Williams)
• "I believe that the world is inherently a very dangerous place and that things that are now very good can go bad very quickly." (Newt Gingrich)
• "I believe I have to remove myself from the voices that barrage me in order to find my true compass. This includes a daily walk just to listen." (Susan Cosio)
• "I believe that everyone deserves flowers on their graves." (Eliva Bautista)
• "I believe that curiosity, wonder, and passion are defining qualities of imaginative minds and great teachers; that restlessness and discontent are vital things; and that intense experience and suffering instruct us in ways less intesne emotions can never do." (Kay Redfield Jamison)

I have a statement and essay of my own sketched out in my head... someday I might share. What about you? What do you believe?

The Wilkin Drink & Eatery - Breckenridge, MN

Just east of the main crossroads in downtown Breckenridge, MN, is the Wilkin Drink & Eatery (508 Minnesota Avenue). Housed in an historic building, it is one of the few establishments in the Wahpeton-Breckenridge area that seems to make an effort on food and atmosphere. The ceiling is lined with pressed tin and there are remnants of a bank dividing part of the space. In other areas are large booths and a bar. The casual atmosphere and familiar menu selections makes for no-pressure dining experience.

I have only visited twice and never ventured far on the menu. My sense is that it includes extended pub fare. A variety of burgers and sandwiches are available. Servers are friendly and portions and price are reasonable. If you know anyone from the area, you'll probably see a familiar face when you're there! It seems to have a local following.

Patty Melt & Fried Potatoes

Valentine's Day

Happy Valentine's Day!

A few bits of trivia regarding Valentine's Day courtesy of wikipedia:

• The holiday is named after two Early Christian martyrs named Valentine.
• The day became associated with romantic love in the circle of Geoffrey Chaucer in the High Middle Ages, when the tradition of courtly love flourished.
• The U.S. Greeting Card Association estimates that approximately one billion valentines are sent each year worldwide.
• Valentine's day is the second largest card-sending holiday of the year, behind Christmas.
• In the United States, men spend on average twice as much money as women for Valentine's Day.
• NECCO manufactures nearly 8 billion sweethearts a year. Other companies make similar products. Lots of heart-shaped candies!

Café Patachou - Indianapolis, IN

Café Patachou (8691 River Crossing Boulevard) has many locations throughout the Indianapolis area. I visited a location in a strip mall near the Fashion Mall. On the Saturday morning I was there, the place was packed. I waited for 20 minutes for a spot at the counter. The patrons seemed cheerful as they waited, helping themselves to coffee from one of two pump pots sitting on the counter. The wait staff bustled from table to table serving typical breakfast/brunch food.

While they have several "Namesake Omelettes" with interesting combinations of ingredients (e.g., The Overachiever: Bacon, Cheddar, Sour Cream and Horseradish), I chose the simpler omelette with a choice of one ingredient: ham for me. Omelettes are prepared with "three fresh jumbo cage-free eggs from local farms" and served with cinnamon toast (or another bread option). It had been a long time since I had eaten cinnamon toast so it was a nice treat.

While I waited I took this blurry photo of a "community" table. There were two couples here who did not know each other. But, as the breakfast on their plates diminished, they had gotten to know each other a lot better. Notice they ordered fresh fruit. (The cinnamon toast was better tasting!)

The Day After Tomorrow

I first heard this song sung by Inga Swearingen on the Prairie Home Companion (12/6/2008). The melancholy tune and the timely lyrics caught my attention. Of course, the references to Illinois also piqued my interest!

Joan Baez released a recording of the song in September 2008.



The song was written by Tom Waits. Now, I'm not one to criticize, but some singer-songwriters should stick to what they're good at. Which of the two do you think is Tom's strength?

Inaugaration Day - Jan. 20, 2009

Although the Chief Justice of the U.S. Supreme Court messed up the oath we have known since elementary school, we have a new president!

First & Deli - Fargo, ND

You will find First & Deli (520 1st Ave. N) in the heart of downtown Fargo. This order-at-the-counter deli serves a selection of sandwiches, salads, soups, daily entree specials, and desserts. Prices are reasonable for lunch (Monday-Saturday) and, the day we were there, many other people also decided it was a great place to eat and chat. I would characterize the food as "home cooking" with most menu items being pretty standard midwestern choices. For example, we had the hot daily entree choice of tator-tot hotdish! It was served on a styrofoam plate with a lettuce salad. It is definitely worth a visit. If nothing else, you are supporting one of the new businesses that is transforming downtown Fargo into a livable place and destination for visitors.