Fine art

There are at least three ways something can become valuable over time.

1) Desirable and plentiful in it's day, scarce today.
2) Misunderstood (or undesirable) in it's day, therefore scarce, and desirable today.
3) Desirable, but scarce, then and now.

Which is this? I don't know, but good black velvet paintings by popular artists are now bringing close to five figures in the "art" market. This one by noted painter Tang Lao, dated '69, is probably not in that category, but well worth the $20 I spent for it.

The world's largest . .

I visited a friend who works in a Federal building in South KC last week. They have fairly strict security there; metal detectors and bright florescent "VISITOR" badges; etc. As I was leaving I handed the badge over to the front desk guard who slapped it onto this big ball of badges. "Tell me there's a soccer ball under all those." I said. "No," he said. "We've been saving them for a little over two years now." He let me pick it up, and it's HEAVY!

Like I said at the start of this blog, adventure is where you find it!

30 years ago . .

I shot this at the Rolling Magic Skate Park in Overland Park soon after it opened c.1979. I sold this image to the park and they used it in their print advertising. The management had me provide a liability waiver before they would allow me to shoot inside the park. I was there every week that summer.

Rolling Magic lasted only a couple of years before insurance costs forced it to close. There's nothing left of it today.

Arturo FuenteGran Reserva Natural Sungrown

Although I was a regular cigar smoker many years ago, I am admittedly a novice once again. But novices buy cigars, too, right? So here goes . .

A. Fuente is the featured producer for the next Outlaw Cigar Co. Party April 25, so I figured a mid-level offering from Fuente would be a good baseline sample.

Contents: Dominican binder and filler
Wrapper: Natural Ecuadorian Sungrown
Size: Impereial Corona 6.5 x 46
Purchased From: Outlaw Cigar Co.
Price: $6.00
Smoke Time: 1.5 hours


Pre-light
Nice appearance, although the wrapper was a little course and veiny. Solidly packed and uniform. Encouraging, pungent scent. Cold draw was tight, but imparted sweet, aged tobacco flavors.


First Third
Smooth, creamy and mild. Voluminous smoke! Uneven burn developed. Ash fell off at one inch. No spiciness or identifiable flavor profile to speak of. Mild body.


Second Third
Started a bit bitter. Uneven burn persisted requiring a touch-up. One-inch ash length also persisted. Aroma is sweet and pungent, but flavor is still largely non-existant with only occasional hints of moist cardboard. By the end of this third the burn started to self-correct and a bit of spiciness began to come forward. The ash began to hang on longer. May have been a plug in the middle. Progressed to medium body.


Final Third
No surprises; still not much in terms of flavor, still voluminous smoke. Spice makes a retreat and bitterness increases. I find late in this third that the band was actually holding the wrapper together (not good).

Conclusion
A fairly uninteresting cigar. Mostly smooth, tons of smoke with nice aroma but certainly not twice as good as some sticks half the price.

Time for a beer.

Is this the face of a "Dangerous Building"??

According to news reports (begin skepticism now) this building, known to locals as "The Chateau" at Brooklyn and Minnie in the Pendleton Heights neighborhood of Northeast KCMO, was in grave danger of collapse. So THE CITY issued a demo order, and demo began yesterday. Reports said that the inner floors had fallen through leaving unsupported walls to hold up the roof.




I don't know. Do you see floors, inner walls and a staircase, or is it just me? Personally, I've been inside far worse.




And if this National-Register-listed building was SOO dangerous, why is it that only ONE worker is wearing a hardhat?

To see what this building looked like just before demolition started, visit Hyperblogal's Blog.

Round 'em up!

A Walk in the Park

Yesterday I went for my first walk of the season in Mount Washington Cemetery. I do this as often as I can. I have a route that is roughly 3.8 miles and takes me about an hour. It's not for the inexperienced! There are altitude changes of several hundred feet; long, slow climbs and steep decents, and vice versa. Good, and good for you, though.





It's not quite as beautiful now as it will be later in the Spring, so start walking now and you'll be ready when it is!