Kim's Thoughts
Just a few thoughts I feel worthy of jotting down!
For The Sake of Art…
So, today I decided to head to Rochester to attend the Artist’s Row exhibit at the Rochester Public Market. It was a great day for it — overcast and cool, but not cold or damp at all — and it turned into quite the adventure with an unexpected turn of events, but I really did enjoy the day! I went because a cherished friend from high school – Sharon Nowicki Jeter – was showing her newest artistic medium and I wanted to see it up close and personal (I’ve seen photos, but photos just don’t do things the justice that seeing it in person does)! She has always had an artistic side — acting, jewelry, drawing, metal working, polymer resins, and more — but, recently she has started to create sculptures and that is what she was showing today.
This was only the second time I’ve been to the Public Market in Rochester……and, actually, both times were to see Sharon’s work in an art show! It is really easy to get there, but I still used Gabby – my GPS – to get me there. I took 31A to 531 to 490 to…….supposedly the Inner Loop, but when I tried to veer off onto the Inner Loop, I discovered that it was closed! Uh oh! So, I kept heading toward downtown and figured there should be another entrance onto the Inner Loop, but found every time I tried to get on it, the ramp was blocked by either police cars or city maintenance vehicles! Oh, boy! Poor Gabby – she tried and tried to get me to turn onto the Inner Loop and just didn’t get it when I said, “it’s closed…..find me another way to get to the Public Market!” My first thought was that I was now going to be hopelessly lost in downtown Rochester may never find my way out……I may have turned into a ghostly skeleton driving around downtown aimlessly forever, haunting the streets of the city…..there would be legends told about sightings of me for many, many years to come! BUT……I am actually quite proud of myself – I didn’t get anxious or nervous and I found my way to the Public Market with just a little bit of extra effort – I prevailed – and I lived to tell about it!!!! 🙂 I just kept going the opposite way or just beyond the turn that Gabby was telling me to go so that I would force her to find another way to get there…..after a few turns, I found myself on South Union Street and knew I was home free – the Public Market is on North Union Street and I was headed north – eventually I HAD to come up on it…….and I did!!! YAY!!! Of course, the next obstacle was finding a place to park…..but, even that didn’t take terribly long and I lucked out with a great spot!
I wandered around a while and found Sharon’s booth. It was so great to see her!!! We were so close in school and for some time after school……then, we sort of drifted apart and then I moved to NC, so we had lost touch for a while, there. But, then I found her on Facebook and we reconnected! Now, I try to get in to see her shows when I can and when I know about them……wish I could do it more often – I really do enjoy seeing her so very much!
Before I get into some of the photos that I took today, let me brag some more on Sharon —- click here to check out her web site – she has a studio and teaches classes and everything!!! 🙂
So, on with the photos:
The next two photos are of Sharon with some of the sculptures she had on display:
I purchased this piece from Sharon — terrible photo of it, but I love it……I had to hang it somewhere to get a photo, so I hung it from my dining room chandelier and then I decided to put it out on my front porch right outside my den window so I can see it all the time……I’ll decide the best place for it after I give it some thought, but it is perfect there, for now!
This isn’t the best photo to show it, but they had a really big crowd come out to support the local artists showing their work:
There were several food trucks – including this colorful one:
I sat and had a nice burger and fries and listened to this guy sing and play guitar — he did some of Kris Kristofferson, Johnny Cash, and others of that same era…..very good job – I enjoyed him!!!
This band was playing on the stage – they were really good, too!
I thought the shops along side of the Public Market were interesting, as well…..
Practically everywhere I looked, there were amazing murals painted on buildings – like this one that I went around the block to come back up on so that I could get a photo of it….
Here are some other items I’ve purchased from Sharon in the past — I really enjoy having some of her work in my house! The first photo is of collaborative drawings by Sharon and her friend Trish Annise. The following three are jewelry pieces that Sharon made — including a necklace that I can’t wear anywhere without getting a boat load of compliments on it (the first of the three jewelry photos).
And…..I can’t close out this post without including a couple photos of Sharon and I when we were a couple of crazy teenagers finding joy in everything we came across!!!
Rusty Steam Shovel in LeRoy
A few weeks ago, I wrote a post about my Genesee Country Museum adventure. Included in that post was a photo of an old rusted out piece of equipment that caught my eye along the back roads leading up to the museum complex. I didn’t know what it was or why it was there, but I was intrigued enough to snap a few photos of it. Well…….I was delighted to read an article by Virginia Kropf in today’s Batavia Daily News Online about it! Reading about what it is and the story behind it makes me extremely happy that I stopped to capture it for my archives! What a find!
You can read Virginia’s article here: “Rusting steam shovel deserves better fate” – you will likely need to answer a survey question or two in order for the entire article to open up for reading (the Batavia Daily News Online edition is free, but they do require the survey questions to be answered to make each day’s articles visible for reading).
From the article (thank you so much, Virginia) I discovered that it is actually a steam shovel that has been sitting on Gulf Road across from a quarry in LeRoy for more than 50 years just rusting out! It was originally one that ran on railroad tracks, but was converted into a caterpillar at some point. The article goes on to tell about what makes this particular steam shovel unique – it still has its original steam boiler and it has been accepted for inclusion on the National Register of Historic Places (a marker for it is in the works)! I am tickled pink that this historic gem was not scrapped for its metal during WWII, as the article notes, and is still around to tell a story of the quarry industry in our area! What a gem!
Here are the photos I took of this unique discovery that day:
By the way – in the article, Virginia also talks about her memories of swimming in local quarries. I, too, used to swim in the quarries here in Albion when I was a child – going to Pecks and Transit quarries was such a treat! The water in the quarries was always so cold, as I remember, and refreshing! We jumped off the rock ledges into the “bottomless” water, floated around on an old inflated tractor tire tube, and sunned ourselves on the banks to dry off before heading home. What wonderful memories the word “quarry” brings to mind…….and what an important industry quarry mining was to the history of our area! Bravo to those who are working to bring attention to the legacy of the local quarrymen!
Sunday Drive – 09-07-14
It is the little things in life that make it so special and sometimes it just takes a nice Sunday drive to make the day a slam dunk! My grandparents used to go on Sunday drives all the time – they really enjoyed just getting in the car and going for a drive! Sometimes my brother and I would get to go with them when we were kids – it created many, many fond memories of time spent with them! We’d go to the lake or just ride around the country side looking at the scenery – quite often we’d drive down Rt. 18 to pick up brown eggs from the farmer that Grandpa liked – and we’d almost always get to stop for an ice cream or maybe lunch somewhere! Then, when I got married and moved to NC, we would get in the car just about every Sunday to drive around and scout out the surrounding area – we had to learn where things were and what the area had to offer. Every Sunday, we’d take a different road and just see where it took us……and, yes, just about every time the ride would include stopping for ice cream or lunch somewhere and quite often finding something really cook to do or see along the way! So, it wasn’t surprising when I moved back home and decided to use Sunday drives as my way to reacquaint myself with my home town and surrounding areas……but, I didn’t confine myself to Sundays! hehehe Taking a drive around just to see what you can find and looking for cool stuff to look at can make for the most enjoyable day……and it only costs a little gas and maybe the price of a treat along the way!
Today, my Mom and I shared just such a day. After church, we met for breakfast – as we do most Sunday mornings. I mentioned that I thought I might take a drive to the lake to check out the Oak Orchard On The Lake community……I’ve heard a lot about it and knew it was across the river from Point Breeze, but wasn’t sure how to get there (without jumping in the river and swimming to the other shore – LOL). I was talking to someone who lives there in church this morning and she told me how to get there. So, I wanted to check it out and asked Mom if she wanted to go for a ride and find it with me! She did, so off we went!!!
I am so very glad we did…….first, it was a gorgeous day and a real joy to share it with Mom…….second, the Oak Orchard On The Lake community is incredible — a lovely setting with beautiful homes overlooking the lake with tons of trees and foliage making everything look so inviting! And, the lake was breathtaking, today – calm and a dark, vivid blue to contrast against the gorgeous sky! It was all just so perfect!!! So, here’s how the day went and a few of the photos I took along the way:
We started out by going to Medina for gas — I had 40 cents a gallon off the cost of gas accumulated on my TOPS card, so wanted to use it to fill my tank! As I was pumping my gas, I noticed this stunning golden locust tree – the colors of the leaves against the sky begged me to take a photo!
Then, we cut up Culvert Road to the Ridge and down Kenyonville Road to Rt. 18. We turned onto Archibald Road and took it to Oak Orchard On The Lake! It was like stepping into a painting of a wonderful summer scene from yesteryear……so many lovely homes and stunning views of the lake! I stopped to take a few photos of the lake…..you know I can’t resist the lake!!!
Those barely visible white dots on the horizon are a bunch of yachts and sailboats out enjoying the lake!
In the distance, you see the area extended out into the lake? That is the west side of the Oak Orchard River at Point Breeze – that is the break wall and lighthouse that I have photographed so many times from the other side…..now I have seen it from this side!!!
The following photo is a zoomed in shot so that the lighthouse and break wall are visible:
See the lighthouse just to the left of the trees at the opening of the river into the lake?
Then, we left to take a drive through Sunset Beach – just down the road a ways. My grandparents owned a cottage in Sunset Beach for many years and I spent a ton of time there as a child and teenager. We drove through the community and found a few changes, but mostly were sad that a large part of it hadn’t been kept up as it was when we were a part of the community! I also thought that it felt much smaller than it did when I was younger……of course, it wasn’t, really! I used to walk all over the little roadways and play with the other regular kids who spent their summers there – the Cottons and Taylors from Batavia and others……we covered every inch of the community on a daily basis and had bon fires at night as we played hide and seek, kick the can, and other games after dark and roasted marshmallows and made little campfire pies and smores around the fire. I also remember walking to the little common area at the ledge that overlooked the lake after dark to sit on the park benches and just listen to the water crashing up onto the shore below. Later in life – in my early 20s, I rented my grandparents cottage with a friend one summer – we had a great summer that year with friends and parties at the lake just about every weekend! I have so many incredible memories of Sunset Beach that I decided to NOT take any photos of it, today — I chose to keep my memories intact!
There is a little road that connects Sunset Beach with Lakeside Beach (not the state park, a little cottage community beside Sunset). We took that road and drove through Lakeside. We used to visit friends there. I remember one time visiting friends and me, my brother, and some other kids went down the bank to wade and throw stones in Johnson’s Creek…..when I stepped out of the creek and looked down at my legs, they were covered with blood suckers!!! EEEWWW!!! I’ll never forget that —– and I NEVER put my feet or any other body part in Johnson’s Creek again – not even when I went late night catfish fishing at the creek with my then boyfriend (later husband) and his sons!!! I snapped the next two photos along the drive in Lakeside — many of the cottages there are along the right side of the road and the lake with just a small patch of land across the street from each cottage – those cottage owners put chairs and picnic tables across the road so they can enjoy the lake view! One photo is one such sitting area and the other is a gorgeous hibiscus bush with the lake in the background.
As we went further down the road in Lakeside, we found ourselves on a VERY narrow winding road (no, scratch that and replace it with the word “PATH”) that was just barely wide enough for the car…..there was a ditch on the right side and the left side was an extremely steep drop off to the creek below – and NO shoulder or anything to keep you from sliding right off to disaster!!! I was getting sick to my stomach, so we found a somewhat safe place to get turned around and got out of there!!!
We commented on how there used to be little ice cream stands around both Sunset and Lakeside Beaches back in the day – all within a short walking distance! But, there were none to be found anywhere anymore! So, I said, “well, we can always stop in at Brown’s Berry Patch and get an ice cream”! It was settled – that would be our next stop!
We ordered a couple of cones and sat in the little dining area to enjoy our treats! Then, we headed back to Mom’s!
After I dropped Mom off at her house, I swung by the cemetery to water our crocks…..they are still blooming and looking amazing!!! One tree caught my eye near my Great Grandmother’s grave – I just loved the variation of colors and the way the sun and sky made it look – I had to capture it in a photo…….I am disappointed, though, that the photo doesn’t do it justice at all – it just looks like an ordinary tree and it looks quite extraordinary in person!!!
So…….our day is done, but we had such a great time and made a few new memories and shared a few old ones!!! Can’t beat that!!!
Sweet Escapes, Fresh Produce, and a Little Rain!
I headed out today with two specific goals in mind……get some corn for dinner and pick up my free cupcakes! I accomplished that and more……here are some of the sights I saw along the way:
First up……I went to Partyka’s farm market in Kendall to get some corn……I left a little less than an hour later with bags full of corn and tomatoes and potatoes and watermelon and a belly full from a hamburger and French fries from their grill……nope, I didn’t get an ice cream, but I did think about it – hehehe!!!!
Then, I headed back to Albion to pick up my free cupcakes! I answered a contest question on Facebook a couple weeks ago and won a dozen chocolate cupcakes from a new vendor who will be selling her bakery items in The Hazy Jade Gift Shop on Main Street! Her “Meet ‘n Greet” event was today – she was giving out free samples and meeting her new customers – and she had my chocolate cupcakes there for me to pick up! The bakery is called “S~N~L Sweet Escapes” and her cupcakes are DELICIOUS!!! The samples were chocolate mini cupcakes and strawberry champagne mini cupcakes — I didn’t try the chocolate cause I had a whole dozen of the full sized ones (so, I was nice and left the minis for other people to try), but I tried…..and thoroughly enjoyed……the strawberry champagne ones!!! YUMMY!!!!
(L-R): Lisa Stratton, owner of The Hazy Jade, and Sarah Brigham, owner of S~N~L Sweet Escapes
I took half of the cupcakes out to my Mom (who shared some of hers with my brother) and drove through Eagle Harbor on the way. Every time I drive through Eagle Harbor, I enjoy looking at the HUGE, beautiful willow tree right by the old store along the canal bank. I often say to myself that I should stop and take a photo or two of that gorgeous tree, but never do! So, today when I thought about it, I turned around and went back to do it!!! It was raining…….there was no rain in the forecast that I knew of, but a thunder boomer popped up and at the time I stopped for the photos, it was still raining lightly……but I think the drizzle and the fog and the wet surfaces gave the photos a little something-something that made them look cool! You can see the canal, the Eagle Harbor lift bridge, and the old store in the background beyond the tree! That old store was once a popular, hoppin’ place! It had groceries, a news stand, and a post office in it! We used to walk there for penny candy and comic books when I was a kid…..sadly, it has since closed down and I believe there are apartments in it, now!
So, that was my day…….I came home, took a little nap, and fixed supper…….fresh corn and tomatoes from Partyka’s, a fresh cucumber I had from Rush’s, and a chocolate cupcake from S~N~L Sweet Escapes:
I’ll leave you with a photo from yesterday…….in the spring, I planted about 8 or so sets of four seeds to grow dwarf sunflowers (they grow to about 15-18″). It didn’t look like any were going to come up, but after a LONG wait, I ended up with two of the roughly 32 or so seeds that grew and bloomed! If this photo doesn’t put a smile on your face to complete your day, nothing will!!!
Canal Cruise Adventure
I have lived in close proximity to the Erie Barge Canal all my life (well, with the exception of the time I lived in NC, but I still considered “home” to be here by the canal). It is really difficult to get anywhere around here without crossing the canal at least once – usually multiple times because of the way it snakes through the county! I enjoy watching boats on the canal and taking photos of it. I also wrote a final paper on the canal’s history for my Geography course when I was working on my Bachelor’s degree at North Carolina Wesleyan College that earned me an A+ for the paper and maintained my 4.0 for the class! So, it may surprise you to read that I have never taken a cruise on the canal – I have ridden in a boat on the canal when my parents had one when I was a little girl, but I barely remember it – and I’ve never seen the locks up close, let alone been on a boat going through them!
Well, I remedied that this week……a friend and I went to Lockport and took a narrated cruise on the canal and through the locks! What a THRILL!!! I was absolutely fascinated by it all – especially the locks – it was an amazing experience for me! Here are some photos and some tidbits of information that I learned along the way —- some of the info may be vague and other tidbits I had to look up to be sure I had my facts straight because I was so fascinated with what I was looking at and excited about being on the cruise boat that I wasn’t paying that much attention to the guy that was telling us all about it! hehehe But, I’ll do my best, here!
First – for those who don’t live around here and are not familiar with the Erie Canal, here is a little history lesson for you…courtesy of Wikipedia and the official Erie Canal web site!
As America grew westward, it was determined that an easier way to get goods from the east coast of NY to the Great Lakes was desperately needed – it typically took pack animals and wagons 2.5 weeks to get from NYC to Cleveland, Ohio and could take up to 4 weeks to get to Detroit – all across rugged terrain and mountains. So, then New York Governor Dewitt Clinton proposed a canal be dug from the Hudson River to the Great Lakes. He was met with much resistance and ridicule, but finally was able to garner enough support to break ground on July 4, 1817. The canal was hand dug by immigrants – largely Irish immigrants, and took eight years to complete. On October 26, 1825, the canal was officially opened for use with a state wide celebration, including the first boat – the Seneca Chief – to travel the canal carrying Governor Clinton from Buffalo to NYC. When the ten day trip ended at the Atlantic Ocean, Gov. Clinton ceremoniously dumped a bucket of water from Lake Erie into the Atlantic Ocean to “Wed the waters”. A return trip carried a keg of Atlantic Ocean water to be poured into Lake Erie to complete the ceremony. The canal project took 8 years and cost $7 million (an unthinkable amount of money in the early 1800s)! The original canal was 4 feet deep, 40 feet wide, and could carry boats hauling 30 tons of freight. It was considered an engineering marvel of its time, consisting of 18 aqueducts to maneuver the canal over ravines and rivers and 83 locks to adjust the elevation along the way to account for a rise of 568 feet from the Hudson River to Lake Erie. After two projects to enlarge the canal, it now measures 12-14 feet deep and 120-200 feet wide with 57 locks capable of handling barges carrying 3000 tons of freight over lifts of 6-40 feet high. Today’s canal is mostly used for recreation vehicles, but in its heyday, provided major economic benefits to the commercial industry and was responsible for establishing booming canal towns all along the waterway throughout the state – including Albion!!!
So, what did I learn listening to the cruise narrator that I didn’t know before?
- Lockport, NY has the only double lock system anywhere along the canal. Locks are located throughout the state to account for elevation changes, but Lockport has the only double set – two locks that raise (or lower, depending on which direction you are traveling) boats 25 feet each for a total elevation change of 50 feet!
- The second highest paid job in the construction of the canal paid 50 cents a day and was usually performed by young boys of about 11 years of age – it was to crawl into the rocks to set gun powder left over from the War of 1812, light it, and get out before the blast broke up the rock!
- Governor Clinton started construction in the middle – at about Rome, NY – and worked in both directions, figuring that if another Governor came into office before it was completed that didn’t support the project, he’d have to do “something” whether he liked it or not!
- I knew that before tugs and other powered vessels came around, barges were pulled by oxen, mules, and horses. What I didn’t know was that one of the jobs on the canal was a “driver”, also known as a “Hoggee” (pronounced HO-gee) – this person would control the tow line to keep the animals going in the right direction and from falling in the water – he also controlled the tow line when two barges were passing in opposite directions so that they would not become entangled in each other’s lines.
- One such “Hoggee” later became President of the United States – James A. Garfield!
- Lockport, NY also has the distinction of having one of the widest (not longest – widest) single span bridges in the world – it goes over the canal near the double lock system.
And, now, here are some photos of our adventure:
Our cruise boat – of course, we sat on the upper deck!
Leaving the dock
The upside down bridge
This bridge, built in 1902, appears to have been built upside down. Rumor has it that the railroad built it that way so that it would be difficult for larger vessels to pass under it in an attempt to put the canal out of business in favor of the newer modes of railway transportation.
Coming up on the first of two locks
Entering the first lock
The lock system is fascinating!!! The vessel pulls into a chamber, the massive water-tight doors close behind it, and water is allowed to flow into the chamber to raise the boat up to the level of the water on the other side of the chamber doors. Once the water is equalized, the doors open and the vessel is allowed to move out of the chamber. In the case of the Lockport locks, the vessel moves directly into a second chamber and goes through the same process. Both locks in Lockport are 25 feet for a total elevation change of 50 feet over the two locks. When traveling in the opposite direction, the same process happens, except that the vessel is lowered rather than raised.
This was very exciting to go through — I felt really strange – eerie, in fact – as we entered the chamber and the doors closed behind us……and then my heart really started to pump when the water began to enter the chamber – brought to mind scenes from movies where the adventurers are trapped in a chamber and water rushes in to drown them…..it was a HUGE relief to feel the boat start to rise and watch the space between the boat that the top of the chamber wall decrease as we rose to the new water level! 🙂
The following photos show the progression of the lock process – notice the wall height decrease as we rose up:
The chamber doors closing behind us
The doors opening for us to move to the second lock
Entering the second lock
The massive doors opened flush against the lock wall
Water entering the second lock
Doors opening to allow us out of the second lock chamber
And, we’re out…..
Sign indicates these are locks # 34 and 35
This photo is coming back through the locks on the return trip
We just entered the first lock chamber to begin our first 25 foot descent!
You can see across the next lock to the canal 50 feet lower than our elevation at the location of the photo!
Doors opening to let us out after the two lock, 50 foot, decent back to our original elevation
Going under one of the widest single span bridge in the world
Called “The Big Bridge”, it spans 399 feet wide and 129 feet long. Multiple streets cross the bridge and a large section of it is used as a parking lot for the Lockport City Hall. Because of its size and location, it is also often used as a helipad for medevac services.
Under the bridge, you can see the original rock canal wall with the original markings from the star tipped cutting tools used to break away the stone
Photos of other sights along the cruise:
Part of the original retaining wall – built by German stone masons who built the wall with no mortar – the stones were smoothed and shaped so that they fit together perfectly and the weight of the stones has kept the wall from breaking or leaking for close to 200 years…..so far!
We went under a few bridges – stationary ones……
More stationary ones……
And, lift bridges….
There are 17 lift bridges along the canal, with 7 of them right here in Orleans County!!!
This one, of course, is in Lockport, not Orleans County, but I had to make that plug!!! 🙂
And, we passed a couple of other boaters along the way – this little fishing boat….
And, this bigger boat….
There were a number of interesting buildings….like this colorful row…..
And this pretty church steeple near the locks
This building and two signs interested me as we went through the locks:
The “Tom’s Diner” sign in the upper window
And the sign that says “No Smoking in the Lock Chamber”
I think I’d like to try this place out
a winery and food shop and a place boasting “artisan crafted gelato”
The company that does the canal cruises has a museum in this old building
This stone house with double red doors was the summer home of an engineer who built bridges, including (I believe they said) the George Washington Bridge that connects NYC with New Jersey and something about a bridge in Niagara Falls…..one of those tidbits of info that I wasn’t paying very close attention to because of the excitement! 🙂
The gentleman who built and lived in this stone house was planning to get married, but there wasn’t an appropriate church close enough to have his wedding, so he built the church next door just so he could marry his sweetheart! How romantic is that?
The church in the background, just left of center, looks like it is missing something – like someone stole its steeple! In fact, they told us that the church never did have one! Sure looks funny to me!
Back at the boat dock, we found this lovely rock garden and little pond with the remains of an old building in the background – it was so pretty (I wish the photo showed the beauty of it better than it does)!!! It was off an outdoor area that appeared to be used for parties – very nice setting!
The happy cruisers……that’s me on the right with my dear friend, Cathy, on the left!
So, that’s my latest adventure…….and history lesson!!! 🙂 I had such a good time! I see there is another company that does canal cruises out of Fairport, NY – I’ll have to be sure to try that one out next season to compare them!
Albion Music Festival – 2014
The Albion Lions and Elks Clubs joined forces to host the inaugural Albion Music Festival to benefit the “Rebuild Bullard Park” project. The festival consisted of a full day of music performed by nine local bands, food, drinks, and fun! The event was a huge success! I already wrote all the details in a blog post on the Albion High School Alumni Foundation Blog, so I won’t go into it all here…..simply click the link below to read the details and see more photos:
ALUMNI ROCK THE PARK
I wasn’t going to post on both blogs, but did want to put something on here for those readers who visit this blog, but may not know I also write for the Alumni blog – so go there for the whole story, but here are a few photos to wet your appetite:
Just three of the members of local favorites, The Who Dats – the guy on the right is John Borello, a friend and fellow classmate! The others are Aaron Robinson and Lonnie Froman!
The Who Dats performing……..I’m a little biased here!!! hehehe
This is Rock of Love – a Poison tribute band
For those who may not know, Poison was a classic 80s rock band with front man, Bret Michaels. I’m not really a Poison fan, but these guys were pretty cool!
The young man on the left in the blonde wig is Dylan DeSmit, local musician with a very promising future in music!!!
Dylan’s band is called Delano Steele, which played earlier in the day, and he has played in other local bands, as well – he and his bands are very good!!! Here, he is playing with Rock of Love and doing a great job of channeling the 1980s hair band look!!! 🙂
Probably as close as we’ll ever get to seeing Bret Michaels play at an outdoor festival here in little ole Albion!
The festival was a total blast!!! Be sure to click on the link to check out the details and additional photos on the AHS Alumni Foundation Blog!
Movie Review – The Other Woman
Friday nights are absolute DUDS for TV……there is NOTHING on – I can not wait until the fall season brings Blue Bloods (and yummy Donnie Wahlberg) back to give me something to look forward to watching on Friday nights!!! But, that is still a few weeks away, so last night found me sitting there flipping channels trying to find something that caught my interest and that I haven’t already seen…….I found nothing. So, I tried to read a little, but my mind wasn’t in that mode – I read about 10 pages and realized I had no clue what any one of them said, so I found the last words I remembered reading and put the book down. I watched an episode of “Chopped” I had on the DVR and then there were no recordings left. I was bored and nothing seemed to relieve that – UGH!
But, then I thought, “I wonder what movies are on pay-per-view”. So, I turned to channel 500 and started to read the list…..I couldn’t believe it…….nothing on that list was grabbing me, either! What was wrong with me???? Then, I got down the list a ways and found “The Other Woman” starring Cameron Diaz – I remembered seeing that advertised when it came out in theaters (I considered seeing it then, but never got around to it) – not that long ago. So, I watched the trailer and laughed out loud and I knew that was what I was going to watch.
WHAT A HOOT!!! It was so funny and entertaining – an all around feel good type of movie!
Cameron Diaz plays Carly Whitten, a successful lawyer who has mostly superficial relationships with guys she rarely calls by their names – she gives them nicknames to identify them – until she starts seeing Mark King (Nikolaj Coster-Waldau) and begins a real boyfriend/girlfriend relationship – she even plans to introduce him to her father. On the evening she arranges for them to meet her father for dinner, Mark tells her that his housekeeper called and said that some pipes burst in his house and the basement is flooded, so he has to cancel their date. She suggests they meet her father the next night and he tells her that won’t work for him, either. Thinking he is just trying to avoid meeting her father, she blows up at him and storms off. Later, her father (Frank – played by Don Johnson of Miami Vice fame) convinces her to give him a break and go see if she can smooth the fight over. So, she dresses up as a sexy plumber and rings his doorbell – when a woman comes to the door, she introduces herself and says “you must be Mark’s housekeeper”, to which the woman replies, “no, I’m his wife”!!! Mortified, Carly leaves in a not so graceful exit. The wife, Kate – played hysterically by Leslie Mann – finds Carly and goes to the law offices she works at and causes hilarious ruckus when Carly confirms she has been sleeping with her husband. Kate persists in trying to make a connection with Carly, who attempts to avoid her and put her off, but keeps getting sucked into her drama. Eventually, they become friends and discover that there is at least one other girlfriend out there! Together, they find the girlfriend that Mark is “cheating on both of us” with – Amber, played by Kate Upton. The three form a bond and set out to get even with the unsuspecting Mark. And one hilarious scene after another ensues!
If you’re thinking Mark must have a “type”, you couldn’t be further from the truth……the three women couldn’t be more different! Kate, the wife, is a ditzy chatterbox who flits around from one subject to the next without a parachute! She has ZERO inhibitions or filters, is overly emotional and, in her own words, “needs to go to brain camp”. Carly is a mature, successful lawyer who, other than her love life, has it all together. She is sophisticated and independent. Amber, on the other hand, is much younger than the other two, naïve, and extremely voluptuous. She has a sweet, child-like quality to her. And, when the three discover yet another lover, she appears to be another type all together with dark hair. Leslie Mann (Kate), Cameron Diaz (Carly), and Kate Upton (Amber) couldn’t be more perfect in the roles – the casting team deserves kudos for their selection! I especially liked Kate – she was a RIOT…..and much smarter than she acts and gives herself credit for – the things she comes up with to do to Mark to make him suffer are brilliant and priceless!
The rest of the cast was quite noteworthy, as well. Don Johnson is refreshing as Frank, Carly’s father – you don’t see much of him, but he fits well in the cast. Nicki Minaj does a surprisingly good job as Carly’s outrageous assistant, Lydia, in her office. David Thorton played Mark’s boss, Nick – Thorton also played Allie’s father in The Notebook. But, the supporting character that I enjoyed the most was Kate’s brother, Phil, played by Taylor Kinney – also seen as heartthrob Kelly Severide on TVs Chicago Fire —- OMG, I melted watching every scene he was in and his character was such a nice guy – a real sweetie! I didn’t like the actor that played Mark – Nikolaj Coster-Waldau – he seemed to phony in the role, but, then again, maybe he was just doing a really good job because you aren’t supposed to like his character!
I really enjoyed this movie and am so very glad I thought about pay-per-view and didn’t just go to bed early because there was nothing on TV that was worth staying awake for! As for my movie criteria – I laughed (A LOT), I did NOT cry at all (but, it wasn’t that kind of a movie, so I won’t deduct points for that), I fell in love with the characters, and I felt good when it was over — BINGO! If you get a chance to see this movie – take advantage of it – you won’t regret it! I recommend it for those who just want to be entertained and laugh – it will fit the bill, for sure! I rate this one a solid A – I had a real good time watching it!
Here’s the trailer:
Movie Review – The Hundred Foot Journey
Aahh…..I went to the movies, yesterday! A friend and I visited our favorite theater – Tinseltown – and saw The Hundred Foot Journey! Of course, we made a day of it – lunch at Pixley’s right near the theater, the movie, and then ice cream at Watt’s when we returned to Albion. And, then there was the talking……I really have no idea how we come up with so much to talk about – we see each other all the time – you’d think we’d run out of things to say after a while, but we always seem to jabber endlessly when we’re together!
So, on to the movie! We made up our minds to see this as soon as it came out, but we were both busy with other things, so didn’t see it right away. I can honestly say it was worth the wait, but after seeing it, I’m so disappointed I didn’t see it sooner…….I could have enjoyed it sooner! 🙂
The bulk of the movie is set in France, so the scenery is incredible! (side note, I really do need to think seriously about traveling to Europe!) There is romance, some tragedy, conflict among the characters, and humor! The cast is stellar! The incomparable Helen Mirren is impeccable as French restaurateur, Madame Mallory. The person she views as her antagonist, Papa, is brilliantly portrayed by Indian actor, Om Puri. There are two other main characters that the audience can’t help but fall in love with. First, Sous Chef, Marguerite, who is played by the lovely Charlotte Le Bon. Then, we have the gifted chef-in-training (and son to Papa), Hassan, played by Manish Dayal……..frankly, I had a hard time focusing on his dialogue because I couldn’t stop melting when I looked at his gorgeous eyes!!!
I mentioned that the movie is mostly set in France, but it starts out with flashback scenes of the Kadam family’s final days in their home city of Mumbai, India. The family, as explained by Hassan to a French Immigration agent who was questioning why they were moving to France, owned a successful restaurant there, but political unrest resulted in a riot that burned their restaurant and home and killed the mother. So, the Kadam’s fled India to start fresh in Europe. They first tried to settle in London, but they were not happy there. So, they decided to move on to France, where they thought that Hassan’s cooking talents may be better cultivated as he continues his training to become a great chef. With no definite destination in mind, the family – Papa, Hassan, a grown brother and sister, and a much younger brother and sister – travels across the French countryside in a beat up old van. The brakes give out on a mountainous road and the family barely escapes a tragic accident. As they are stranded on the roadside, along comes Marguerite – a sweet French girl who helps tow them to her village, connects them with a mechanic, and offers them food and a warm place to stay while they wait to hear when their van will be fixed. It ends up being an overnight stay in the village and Papa discovers an abandoned old restaurant that is for sale. Against very adamant protests from his family, Papa purchases the restaurant – he said that Mama spoke to him and told him that “brakes break for a reason”! As they begin to clean up and renovate the old restaurant, they are faced with the very hostile Madam Mallory – the owner of an elite Michelin-starred classic French restaurant located directly across the street. Of course, Madam Mallory does everything she can to make the opening and continued operation of their new restaurant extremely difficult. To add a twist, Hassan soon finds out that the lovely French girl he has become smitten with – Marguerite – is the sous chef at Madam’s restaurant, but that doesn’t stop their attraction from blossoming. The build up to the story comes to a head when Madame’s head chef takes the rivalry too seriously and goes too far in his misguided quest to rid their village of the new restaurant and residents. Mortified by his actions, Madame reaches out to help the family and the rest is for you to go see for yourself…….no spoilers, here!!!
The story is warm and rewarding to watch. The characters are lovable (yes, even Madame) and complex. It provides an interesting look into two very different cultures and traditions and how, through their differences, they can compromise and compliment each other without sacrificing either. It wasn’t a “sob your eyes out” kind of movie, but I was still very glad I had extra napkins with me. It is funny, heartwarming, romantic, and thoroughly enjoyable. Needless to say, I loved it and highly recommend it to all you hopeless romantics out there that just love a good romantic comedy! It met all my criteria for a movie eligible for high honors in my mind — I laughed, I cried, I fell in love with the characters, and I left feeling good!!! Can’t ask for more than that!
So — I do recommend it and I rate it a solid A+ — I can’t think of anything that would cause me to deduct any points!
Watch the trailer and see for yourself!
Evening at Point Breeze – 08-20-14
I spent a couple hours sitting, relaxing, and enjoying a gorgeous evening at Point Breeze last night! Funny how you could go to the Point every night and take the same exact photo at the same exact time and location and get a totally different looking photo every single time! The sky was overcast and hazy last night, so there was no dramatic sunset, but it was quiet, still, and absolutely beautiful, none-the-less! There were lots of boats coming and going and people out enjoying the lake! One man walked by me while I was sitting on a bench and said, “people just don’t know what they’re missing by not coming down here!” — yes, sir, I agree!!!
Here are some of the photos I took:
My favorite photo of the night!
I had to zoom in, so the quality is poor, but the content is amazing!
The Black North Inn all lit up!
The George Pullman Chair
From time to time I have been known to pick up some really amazing “finds” at various silent auctions I’ve come across. Usually, I know exactly what I am bidding on and what I’m willing to pay for it…..then, I stalk the bid sheet to be sure I make the winning bid – unless, of course, the bidding war puts the bids way above what I am willing to pay. I’ve gotten some lovely things via silent auctions – I rarely pay much, but go for things that will bring me some joy or sentimental attachments! But, in all the times I’ve bid in silent auctions and been successful (or not, as the case may be), I’ve never been surprised or caught off guard by my purchase……until now!
This past weekend, I had a very different experience with a silent auction. During the Sip and Stroll – Albion Wine Walk event on Saturday, the Pullman Memorial Church had a silent auction in the room where the wine tasting was taking place – I believe it was to benefit their new roof fundraising efforts. I was waiting for some of the crowd to thin out at the wine table, so I wandered around looking at photos and displays. I spotted a really cute two seater chair – a love seat / settee type of piece that folded up, like a folding chair and noticed it had a bid sheet on a table beside it. I looked at it and walked away……then, I went back and looked at it, again. I really thought it was cute and something I’d enjoy having – despite that, I didn’t have any intention of bidding on it, but after I walked away a second time, “something” told me to go back for another look. This time I gave in – I just plain liked it and decided to put a bid down. It was early in the event and my first stop on the “stroll”, so I actually assumed there would be more bidders after me and I figured I most likely wouldn’t go back and check. I even forgot that I did it! Then, Sunday afternoon, I got a call from the church letting me know I had the winning bid…….well, I’ll be darned!!! I was a little shocked and my first reaction was “oh, dear, now where will I put it?”!!! I was happy to get it because I remembered the feeling I had when I saw it, but really didn’t think I had many choices of what to do with it if I did have the winning bid! I gave it some thought and pretty much decided that I would put it in one of the bedrooms for extra seating to put on shoes or read or watch TV – you know, it is always nice to have chairs in bedrooms!
So, today I went to pick it up. When I saw it, I felt that warm feeling, again – I really did like this piece and it was actually cuter than I remembered it was! Bill Lattin, our County Historian, helped me put it in my car. As he did that, he told me a little about the chair. It turns out, it is one of the ORIGINAL pieces of furniture for the church when George Pullman, of Pullman sleeper-railroad car fame, built and furnished the Pullman Memorial Universalist Church in 1894 in Albion in honor of his parents and the community where he lived as a boy. WOW!!!! My heart swelled and I got a few tears in my eyes! I couldn’t believe it! It actually took me a few minutes after I got in the car and drove away for it all to sink in! My love for the chair grew exponentially — I felt a sense of pride I don’t usually feel for inanimate objects – with the exception of my grandmother’s china closet and my grandfather’s mantle clock – both of which are among my very most prized possessions! Now, I can add what I have decided to call “my George Pullman chair” to that list! It suddenly seemed totally inappropriate to put it in a bedroom where most people coming into my home would never see it! It belonged out where it can be an interesting conversation piece and something I can show off and brag about! I decided that my dining room – along side my other sentimental treasures – was the perfect location for it!
According to Bill Lattin, this was one of about 60 chairs purchased by Pullman for the church to be used in the large Lecture Room – a room used for lectures, community meetings, large Sunday School classes, etc. Double folding chairs were common during this period for use wherever folding chairs were most practical, but not usually as ornate as this one is – one with this type of detail were typical of a church or organization of substantial wealth.
Pullman Memorial Universalist Church – built in 1894 (dedicated in 1895) by George M. Pullman in honor of his parents
My “George Pullman” chair – one of about sixty that were purchased in 1894 by George Pullman for use in the church
Located in its new home – my dining room!
On the other end of the library table is the purple chair I obtained in another silent auction – the Swan Library chair auction at the 2013 Strawberry Festival – we used this at the Class of 1974 Memorial Tree Dedication due to the purple color. Two unique chairs with special “sentimental” significance for me!
I am so happy and proud of my new acquisition!!! I can not believe how lucky I was to find it and give in to the impulse to bid on it! I will cherish it and enjoy it for years to come!
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