By Special Request

As a favor to Wabes we are covering a new beat here:

TOMATO WATCH 8



All is well on the tomato front . . .

Everyone asks about Detroit, in varying states of concern or interest, and the best I can say is that things are good, and I'm still figuring it out. After my chat about grad life the other day, I also drove home past the now-(in)famous Michigan Central Station, haunt of urban spelunkers -- we have friends who've been exploring inside, and it is a sort of symbol of the beautiful old architecture in Detroit that has been shockingly neglected. But as I drove home past it, having come through "Mexicantown" (seriously), I saw a bunch of people outside with their cameras. It's one thing to know about write-ups in magazines and other people's adventures, but it really did look everything like a stop on a tour, with all the pointing and shooting. Old buildings in various states of repair are aesthetically interesting, fodder for artists everywhere, but there's so much social and political history wrapped around them. And then how things are today gives one pause, again and again. I am slowly coming around to a feeling that the conversation has to also be about what matters now, where things are.

I don't know if I'll become a full-fledged Detroit booster, and I'm still finding my feet, but the apocalyptic stuff, sometimes coupled in national reporting with a weird sort of in-and-out voyeurism, is something I'm definitely thinking about. You kind of can't help but want to document what you see, driving around, and for newbies like us, it's sort of all interesting. Detroit feels so broken, sometimes - but then so normal as well. The sense of the way forward, as well as the normal life led, is stronger among the folks we've met, some of whom are like the people whose stories are here, and here and perhaps told best here, and who are doing this kind of work or gathering here, regulars here and here on Saturday.

What will happen, generally and to a given building, a business opening or closing, what's on that brings people together, is what people seem to get to talking about, at the end of the day, so you can't help but engage and let it percolate. I'm hoping that my dissertation writing comes with some community gardening, once spring finally, finally arrives for good.

Fighting Deletion

Okay, so I used to write stuff here and I rarely do anymore because a) I work a lot and b) I can't really write about my job.

But then I saw where I stood on this blog's blogroll. I'm hoping this gratuitous post prevents me from being deleted.

In other news, I went featherbowling last weekend. Which leads me to wonder how the only featherbowling lane in the U.S. is on the East Side of Detroit. I love that these random things are here, but you'd think some enterprising bar in Queens would also have a few lanes. Nevertheless, since this is apparently the place to featherbowl, those of you who visit Wabes and I can now see urban ruins and play an excellent sport.

Creative Legos

This "op/ed" really charmed me. Though my cold days aren't in Berlin (someone else's are) my mind also "wanders back to New York."


LEGO N.Y. - Abstract City Blog - NYTimes.com

During the cold and dark Berlin winter days, I spend a lot of time with my boys in their room. And as I look at the toys scattered on the floor, my mind inevitably wanders back to New York.

Something Completely Different

I don't usually get political here but what's with this column?

Hate Spring Eternal - The New York Times

I like Krugman's economic commentary, but a lot of you have heard me complain that he never talks to anyone. Now he doesn't even need evidence to draw conclusions? Where does he get the idea that "most of the venom" is coming from supporters of Mr. Obama.? Does saying "I won’t try for fake evenhandedness here" excuse his pulling stuff out of thin air? He doesn't even cite any anecdotal evidence.

Fried Dough - What's Not to Like?

Taking a page from Wabes, I thought I'd endorse a fried food with religious/cultural significant.

Paczki (pronounced "poonch-key") are a Polish delicacy eaten before lent (in this part of the country on Fat Tuesday - see here for more details). Numerous chambers in the courthouse were giving them away yesterday - the Paczki tradition is apparently quite common in the Midwest. Yet, according to Judge's Assistant, no clerks have ever heard of them before moving to Toledo. Of course, the odds were particularly slim this year, what with a Muslim clerk and a Jewish clerk. Though I spent four years outside Chicago and don't recall eating them.

As I said, I endorse them. Very tasty and cholesterol free (not really...)

Flameworking 101

Some of you have requested a photo of just what one makes at a one hour flameworking "drop- in session" at the Toledo Museum of Art.*


It's a swizzle stick - I made the bird on top. I started with a glass rod and then used a blowtorch and another glass rod to sculpt the body, tail, beak, and (trickiest part) wings. When you touch one rod of glass to another under intense heat they melt into each other and then you can kind stretch them (forming the beginnings of a beak or wings) and then - when you have the shape you want - "cut" them apart under the heat. You can also use tweezers and pliers to shape things, though with more traditional instruments you have to act fast because glass hardens quickly after you remove it from heat. It's probably easier (and more fun) than it sounds.

* A little background: Toledo not only has a great art museum - it also has a great collection of glass art. Also known as the Glass City, Toledo is/was headquarters for several glass-related businesses, many of which supplied parts to the auto industry. This led to a focus on glass art and the recent opening of the Glass Pavilion (made out of glass and containing glass) across from the main art museum. They do great glass blowing demos.